Archives for August 2016

Pumpkin and Sausage Risotto with Browned Butter Sage Leaves

Though I know we are all dreading the weather changing, there are a few perks to our cooler fall-like temperatures, one of them is the infamous pumpkin. Thank you to my friends at the Garden of Weedin for the beautiful pie pumpkins that helped inspire this dish.

As I was preparing to make a crock pot full of chili and a grill full of chicken wings to enjoy this fall-ish sunday afternoon with a couple of our good friends, my husband through down the challenge. Chicken and chili…come on, that sounds way too easy! You can do better! Hmmm, well anyone who knows me knows I do not take a challenge lightly, especially a food challenge. So I glanced around the kitchen, caught sight of my beautiful orange pumpkins and the aha moment…consider this challenge accepted.

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Eggplant fries with molasses and sea salt

I had to do it! All the baked, healthy options one could make with eggplant and here I am with a pot of hot oil…I blame the fact that I am pregnant, or maybe I miss my family in Spain.

On a trip to Marbella, Spain several years ago to visit my beautiful family my cousins took me to a restaurant called Azafran (Spanish for Saffron). We had the most simple and delicious appetizer, eggplant fries with molasses and sea salt. Since I can’t fly to Spain on a whim as I am not independently wealthy, I decided to make my own version. If only my kids had let me enjoy more than a few of them…well at least they got their veggies!

I used one Japanese eggplant and one Mediterranean as that is what my CSA box contained this week. Any eggplant will work.

I began by slicing the eggplant into planks then slicing them into almost matchsticks keeping them long. Coat the strips with a good amount of salt and lay out in a kitchen towel to remove some of the moisture. After about 5-10 minutes roll them up in the towel and give them a little squeeze. This will help them crisp up while frying.

Heat a couple inches of olive oil in a large sauce pan to 350 degrees F. If you don’t have a thermometer no worries, just heat oil over medium to medium high heat. You will know when it is ready by testing it with one of your fries or a chunk of bread. When you drop the fry or bread in it should begin frying immediately. If it doesn’t pull it out and wait a couple more minutes.

When the oil is ready add the eggplant strips in batches making sure not to crowd them. Fry 4-5 minutes per batch drain on paper towel and season them to taste with sea salt. Pile finished fries on a plate and drizzle with a tablespoon or so of molasses and a pinch of sea salt. Sit back and enjoy!

Cheers!

Stuffed Grilled Mini Meatloaves

As I am staring at this package of organic ground beef I have visions of spaghetti or burgers yet again. Yet there is a nagging voice in my head saying, come on you can do better…voila! Stuffed mini meatloaves! Truth be told I got my inspiration from several stuffed meatloaf recipes I had seen floating around in pinterest land. I promise you this mini meatloaf recipe will blow your mind! If you take the extra steps to throw it on the grill instead of in the oven you will enjoy that amazing burger char that can only be achieved by putting your meatloaf over a nice hot bed of coals, achieving the perfect sear. Yummy!

This couldn’t be easier! (well unless someone showed up and cleaned up my kitchen and heck the rest of my house while they are at it). First you prepare the meat. Chop the onions, crush the garlic, finely chop the kale so your kids don’t see it, chop the herbs, grate your cheese, and toast the bread then tear it into pieces. Now put EVERYTHING together in a large bowl except the cheese you are stuffing these sweet babies with. Then roll them into 6 individual football like shapes. Flatten them a bit making a small indent in the middle. Add your cheese, then carefully seal them by bring the meat up and around the cheese from the sides. Make sure there are no holes as you do not want your cheese sneaking out before you get to enjoy it!

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One Pot Chicken, Summer Vegetable and Brown Rice Sauté

This is one of my all time favorite ways to make dinner when I am on a limited time schedule! You know when your kids have to be run to an after school activity right around dinner time, dance, swim class, parkour…fill in the blank, I am sure all parents out there know exactly what I am talking about. You open the fridge to find leftover chicken (or burgers, steak, sausage…), some leftover rice or other grain, and a mixed grouping of veggies. Sure you could just reheat everything, use 3 pans, and watch your families face when you declare leftovers for dinner…or you can sauté some garlic and onions, toss in some diced fresh veggies, add your leftover meat, your leftover rice and voila a truly beautiful one pot wonder is served.

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Archives for August 2016

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