Main Course: Polenta with Melissa's Tomatillo Sauce & Shrimps

Last week i was thinking of what to add to our weekly menu - the "Menu" is mentioned in an earlier post. i always try to keep within a few parameters: 1. Always Fresh, 2. Budget, 3. Diverse - as long as i stick to this formula i hope to never get bored. i think if i had to chose one cuisine to have for the rest of my life, it would have to be Mexican. i really enjoy making Mexican food, although my type of Mexican is more Tex-Mex, i still try to find some fun sauces and flavors while keeping it authentic.

My friend Melissa makes the BEST Mexican dishes, and rightly so, she grew up eating and learning how to prepare authentic family recipe's. When i asked her to help me with an enchilada sauce, she was happy to assist. Melissa really took the time to teach me not only the proper steps of how to prepare the sauce, but how to properly pick out the vegetables. Thanks to Melissa for her help, and i hope i didn't let you down!

Polenta w/ Melissa's Tomatillo Sauce & Shrimp

Step 1: Ingredients: 5 Med. Tomatillos, 1/2 Lime (juice), 1 Jalapeno, 1 Clove Garlic, 1/2 Med. Onion, Handful of Cilantro, 8 Shrimp (cleaned)

Step 2: Remove Tomatillo's from husk and wash,
wash rest of vegtables (removing stems etc.)

Step 3: Place Tomatillo's, and Jalapeno in pre-heated cast iron skillet
over Med. High Heat (you want to lightly blister them)
*you will hear them popping

Step 4: Once blistered, transfer them to a pot and cover with water.
Let veggies simmer in water until just before boiling. Once the water
comes to a boil remove and transfer to blender.

Step 5: Place Tomatillo's, Jalapeno, Garlic, Cilantro,
Onion, Lime Juice and a 1/2 cup of hot water in Blender and Puree.

Step 6: Transfer back to skillet over Med. Heat placing Shrimp
in Sauce to cook. Once finished serve over Polenta and Garnish with
Green Garlic.

ENJOY!

megan: sweet-and-spicy meatballs

happy spring!

(well, i for one am insisting on it being spring despite the cold day and snowflakes in the forecast.)

it has come to be routine, over the past three years, that when new year's eve hats are thrown out, empty champagne bottles are recycled and the last bits of crunchy evergreen are cast to the curb, a new running season commences! don't stop reading. i am certainly not one of those annoyingly athletic types, but i do run. and i like it -- quite a bit, actually.

this hasn't always been the case. it all started in october of 2008. i was tired of the routine gym workouts and so was my bank account. with the holidays looming before me, i had two choices 1. eat all that amazing food and get pudgy around the middle. or 2. eat all that amazing food and run. outside. in ny winter weather.

sigh...the scales were tipped, all puns intended. my fate had been decided. i would become a runner. my 2009 resolution was to run a half marathon by the end of the year (that's 13.1 miles for you non-runners). so, my first winter training began. to date, i happily have 3 half marathons and a myriad other, smaller triumphs under my brooks. currently, i am preparing for my 4th half marathon, taking place in two weeks!

how does this have anything to do with food? running, or more specifically, training, makes a runner incredibly, non-stop hungry! and when logging 20-30 miles a week, a girl needs to make sure she is getting enough protein for muscle rebuilding, not to mention plenty of carbs to fuel you up the harlem hills and down the hudson river. last week i went on a quest for meals that would do just that. i discovered (and slightly tweaked) this great sweet-and-spicy meatball recipe. it involves fresh pineapple, crunchy green veggies and really easy meatballs.

while you may not be registering for a half marathon anytime soon, this will keep you moving! stay tuned for next month's easter post!

ingredients:

1-1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 whole onion, diced very finely

1 whole egg

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 teaspoon kosher salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more to taste)

1/4 cups all-purpose flour )

oil for frying

2 whole green bell peppers, seeded and chopped roughly

1-1/4 cup fresh pineapple chunks

2 cups beef stock or broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 cups sherry (or white vinegar)

1/3 cups sugar

1 tablespoon flour/cornstarch (or more to thicken to desirable consistency)

salt to taste

*serve over brown rice, noodles or quinoa

combine ground beef, diced onion, egg, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, and crushed red pepper. mix with hands until combined. roll meat mixture into small balls (walnut sized) and place on a cookie sheet. freeze on the pan for 15 minutes to firm.

mix together beef stock, soy sauce, sherry (or vinegar), sugar, and flour. set aside.

heat canola oil over medium-high heat. roll meatballs in flour, then fry in two batches until nice and brown, about two minutes per batch.

remove meatballs and set aside on a separate plate.

pour off oil from pan and return pan to medium high heat. when pan is hot, throw in the chopped green peppers and cook for one minute. add pineapple to pan and cook for one minute, stirring gently. add snap peas to pan for one minute more.

pour in stock/soy sauce mixture, then add meatballs. stir gently to combine and allow to cook and bubble for a few minutes, or until sauce is thickened. add salt and crushed red peppers to taste -the more the better in my opinion!

serve over steamed brown rice or quinoa. enjoy!

Breakfast: Herban Quiche

In our ever hectic day to day lives, it is easiest to forget to eat the, arguably, most important meal of the day - Breakfast. Breakfast food, and preparations vary from culture to culture - for instance you can find all sorts here. On the weekends we try to go out for breakfast/brunch, and during the week we try to take some fruit, or cereal (hot or cold), but wouldn't it be nice to have something warm, and comforting? (and at the same time, healthy?).

We decided to try something new this week - we are making a quiche from scratch and separating into portions for each morning. Esp. for me, it's nice to grab and go, and once i get to work have a nice plate of power foods to start the day. When i lived in Texas, i used to make quiche quite a bit, so the recipe wasn't foreign to me, but the ingredients would change slightly. Listed below is the recipe for my "Herban Quiche" - hope you enjoy!

Herban Quiche

ingredients

8 Med. Eggs (Organic)

1 Bunch Kale (Stems Removed and Chopped)

1 Clove Garlic (minced)

1 Leek (white & Lt. Green Parts Only, Chopped)

2 Handful's of Baby Bella Shroom's (chopped)

2 Slices Bacon (Pan Fried and Crumbled)

Black Pepper (pinch)

Sea Salt (pinch)

1 Cup Whole Milk

1/2 Cup Sharp Cheddar

Cheese (Grated)

1 pie crust:

Pate Brisee (Martha Stewart of course)

Step 1: Prepare all ingredients

Step 2: Pre-Heat Oven to 350º

Step 3: Fry Bacon on Med-High Heat

Remove and Reserve Bacon Pieces for later use.

Step 4: Saute' Leeks, Shroom's, and Garlic in Bacon Grease.

when consistency is to your liking, add Kale and Saute' till Kale is cooked down.

Step 5: Roll your dough on a lightly floured surface

Step 6: Place in Pie Dish, and Bake for 10-12 Minutes before adding ingredients

Step 7: While Pie Crust is baking, whip eggs, Milk and Pepper in bowl

Step 8: Layer Cheese, Vegetables and Bacon before pouring egg mixture

Step 9: Add Egg Mixture

Step 10: Bake at 350º for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 300º and bake for

55 minutes or until egg's are cooked through.

We let our's cool thoroughly and sliced into 8 slices - One for each morning.

Enjoy!

(*All ingredients used were certified Organic)

Main Course: Poached Lobster

When it comes to Valentines Day in NYC you can count on every chocolate shop from Godiva to Jacques Torres to have lines out the door - due to lack of creativity, over exposure to main stream media, or just old fashioned themes those gifts are very thoughtless, and normally don't make anyone feel to special (not that Jacques Torres isn't special, i LOVE his chocolate). This year, however, a friend of mine Matt made Poached Lobster for his wife and my good friend Amy - i remember seeing the photo he took after masterfully placing it on a cutting board and presenting it in all its rustic glory.

picking out lobsters can be exciting, but you have to pay attention to what you are choosing, or having chosen for you. when picking out a lobster there are a few rules to follow:

1. try to purchase your lobster from a reliable source, steer clear of supermarkets if at all possible. the best place receives them daily.

2. although it is tempting to purchase the largest you can find, try to get them in the 1 1/4 lb - 1 1/2 lb range - these have the most tender meat.

3. lobsters should be purchased live - when choosing, try to aim for a lively one. when it's picked up the tail should flap up and down - if the tail is dormant, don't purchase it.

4. Remember, lobster's are not red when alive, they are anything else. Color does not determine or affect the flavor.

Lobster always makes for a beautiful presentation - esp. when the sides are simple, and the table is set with the Lobster Crackers, and the Garlic Butter Sauce. i hope you enjoy my version of Poached Lobster, i know we sure did. Thanks to Matt for the wonderful idea!

Poached Lobster

Step 1: Ingredients: 2 cloves Garlic halved, 10 whole Peppercorns, 5 Bay Leaves, 2 Med. Carrots Chopped, 1 Yellow Onion Chopped, 5 Celery Stalks, & the stalks of one Fennel Bulb (chopped), 4 Quarts of water, and 2 (1 1/4 lb) Lobsters.

Step 2: in a large Dutch Oven/Cauldron bring 4 cups of water to a boil adding all vegetables.

you're creating a broth - let boil for about 15 minutes

Step 3: while Broth is cooking, place your live Lobsters in the freezer (15 min).

this will make them dormant, and easier to handle.

Step 4: Ease both Lobster's in pot and cover tightly w/ lid.

Step 5: Once red remove from broth w/ tongs and place on cutting board to cool.

remove rubber bands from claws.

Step 6: Enjoy!

*for tips on eating your lobster follow this link

Main Course: Roasted Tomato & Fennel Soup

the weather in NYC can be harsh - the Summers are sticky, and Winter can stick around for a lifetime. this past week we went from the low 30's to the mid 60's and back down to 34º, all in a matter of a week. tonight the wind picked up to 60 mph, and gave a blistering sting when it hit your face. we went out to take photos of "Flat Stanley", and on our way home we decided to have some homemade tomato soup, and a sandwich on crusty bread.

i decided to make "Roasted Tomato & Fennel Soup", it was perfect! it warms you up and goes down smooth. Hope you enjoy the recipe, and please stay out of the wind.

Step 1: You'll Need the following ingredients: 2.5 lbs of Tomato's (Cored, halved, & Seeded), 2 cloves of Garlic, 1 med. Fennel Bulb washed, cored, & Cubed, 1 med. Yellow Onion Chopped, 2 Cups of Chicken Stock, and 1/2 cup of Whole Milk.

Step 2: Place Tomato's on a rimmed baking dish, coat with Olive Oil and Broil for 8-10 minutes

(until Skin is blackened). Remove, Let cool for 2 minutes and remove, and discard skins.

Step 3: Saute Onion, Fennel, and Garlic in Olive Oil over med. Heat till Onions are tender.

Step 4: Add Stock, Tomato's, and a Pinch of Salt and let simmer till tomato's are cooked.

Transfer to a Blender in batch's and Puree' - Return to pot, and add Milk. Let thicken and Serve.

i chose to serve mine in Mugs w/ Swiss, Sharp Cheddar, & Avocado on Toasted Ciabatta.

*All ingredients used were Organic

Main Course: Shrimp Stir-Fry

when you tell someone you're moving to NYC the first thing you hear is, "it's VERY expensive.." - if not the first, it's the second, or soon to come up in the conversation. me and my partner agree that if you are not in the young social set or come from old money then you are part of the chic middle class that watches their money, like most Americans. one thing we try to do in our house is keep our grocery list to a minimum, as mentioned in an earlier post, by using our weekly menu and budgeting day by day.

one of our favorite meals to prepare is stir-fry - not only is it cheap to load up on veggies, but it's wonderful for locking in the vitamins, fresh flavors, and crisp! the trick is to make sure you are using your Wok correctly - cooking with a wok can be a tricky process, but one that i will walk you through.

the number one piece of advice i can give you, above all else, is to make sure you wash and prepare all vegetables up front. Wash the veggies, cut/cube the meat, or in this case, prepare the seafood and allow them to sit and drain. Damp food can cause splatters while you cook, and splatters will either make a mess, or cause a burn - the other thing damp food will do, is cause your food to steam instead of stir-fry. after your food is properly prepared you will want to heat the wok for at least 30 seconds before you add the oil - letting the oil heat with the wok will cause the food to stick, but adding it after the wok is heated will allow your food to fry, and cook quickly.

when adding the food, try not to overload the wok - start with your flavors first (i.e. garlic, onion, ginger etc.), then add the veggies that are a little more dense (carrots, green beans, etc), finally add your seafood and greens. it's important to make sure you are moving the food over the heat - the reason the wok is has high walls is to allow the food to go from heat to a cooler surface, allowing the food to retain its crisp. you should be cooking, and stiring for about 7 minutes. your final step is to add the sauce - make sure when adding, you are allowing the sauce to ooze down the side of the pan so it's cooking with the food, and not directly ON the food.

so without further adieu here is the recipe:

Shrimp Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

2 Tbs Canola or Olive Oil

3 Cloves Garlic, Sliced

Fresh Ginger, Sliced

1/4 Red Onion quartered

3 Scallions, Roughly Chopped

1 Lg Carrot, Roughly Chopped

3 Lg Leaves of Swiss Chard, Roughly Chopped

1/2 Can Baby Corn, Rinsed & Drained

Handful of Green Beans, Washed & Trimmed

10 Shrimps, Washed & Prepared

1/2 Cup Sauce (Sesame Teriyaki)

Once ingredients are prepared and dry - Pre-Heat wok over Med. High flame (30 seconds). Place hand hovering over inside of wok, once you feel the heat add oil. Start with garlic, ginger, and onion making sure to keep food moving - about 1 minute. Add your Carrots, Scallions, Corn, Green Beans making sure to briskly move the food up the sides of the Wok, allowing it to roll back down to the heat - about 1 minute. Finally, add your Swiss Chard and Shrimps while keeping all food moving - about 3 minutes. Once Greens are heated through add your sauce down the side of Wok, allowing it to run into the heat and coat as your stir the veggies. Once shrimps are cooked transfer to plate (as seen above).

ENJOY!

all ingredients used were Certified Organic

Main Course: Poulet Au Champagne

i am finally sitting down after having one of the Best meals i've prepared/eaten in a long time. As mentioned in the last post, i have decided to open up one of our vintage cookbook's (Esquire: Cookbook 1955) and prepare one meal a week from it. i promised that if it turned out to our liking i would share the recipe. As of recent, we have began working on a weekly menu - in an effort to keep the groceries to a minimum, and so we are not wasting food (i'll post a sample menu soon) every week - this week we added Chicken to our menu, and decided upon a recipe titled, "Poulet Au Champagne" (otherwise known as: Chicken and Champagne) from the "Carlton House, NYC".

Hope you enjoy the recipe:

Step 1: This is all you'll need: 1 Whole Chicken cut into pieces, 1/4 lb butter (i used Goats milk butter), 1 Clove Garlic in Skin, Salt/Pepper, 1 Bottle of Champagne

Step 2: Melt Butter in Skillet with garlic (with skin on) and add pieces browning both sides (6-8 minutes total).

Step 3: Transfer Chicken to plate leaving legs to cook a bit longer in butter.

Step 4: Transfer Chicken back to pan & add 1 Cup of Champagne & Cover tightly
for 5 minutes (exactly)

Step 5: Repeat Step 4 three times total allowing steam to fully
leave skillet Btw each covering... Remove Chicken and let sauce cook down
and pour over chicken when serving... ENJOY!

*All items used were Certified Organic

Main Course: Roasted Veggies

when you live in metropolitan city, time is of the essence. i have been living in NYC for going on 7 years now - in that time i have learned that living a fast lifestyle can take a toll on your day to day life, stress levels and more importantly your health. it's so easy to just eat out at a nice restaurant to have a nice prepared meal - but after a while you learn that your pocket book gets a little slimmer, and your waist line gets a little rounder.

my coworker, and good friend Latoyia has taught me so many useful tips in the two years i've been privileged to work with her. she always has a sensible lunch that she prepared from her own kitchen - most of the time it's an interesting mix of different vegetables, or some great looking piece of fish. one of my favorite recipes she has shared with me is a Big Plate of Roasted Vegetables - in a small amount of time you can prepare a beautiful toss of colorful, and delicious choices as a serving. i always love making this recipe, mainly because it allows me to spend more time doing other things besides slaving over a stove.

Hope you Enjoy, and more importantly Save yourself some time for Health!

Step 1: i used the following Vegetables: 1 Acorn Squash, 1 lg Carrot, 1 Sweet Potato, 1 Cauliflower Head, 1 Bunch of Asparagus, Olive Oil, and Garlic

Step 2: Cut top off Acorn Squash, Slice in 1/2, then Discard the insides (much like you do with Butternut Squash).

Step 3: Place Acorn Squash Face Down on Baking Sheet Along with other Prepared Vegetables as shown above (i always toss my veggies in Olive Oil before setting on sheet - i also line my baking sheet with Parchment Paper)

Step 4: Preheat Oven to 400º

Step 5: Place Veggies in oven for 40 Minutes & then do the things you need to do

Step 6: Remove from Oven and Sprinkle with any Seasoning of your choice - i always eat 1/2 of the acorn squash either alone or with some feta cheese is always good!
Enjoy!

Photos by: David Y.