Pop on Over

Happy New Year! Hope 2015 is treating you all well!

I’m not sure if there is any place better than New York during the holidays. Ever since I was little my parents would take my brother and I to Manhattan to soak in all the sites and eats of one of the greatest cities…such great memories!!! That tradition has not stopped and we continue to frequent the city as often as possible. In fact, my mom’s gift of choice are tickets to the theater, so this year for Christmas we got her, what else? tickets to a show and spend the weekend in Manhattan!!

Love My City!

So, naturally, my job was to pick where we would be having dinner. The dining options in NYC are endless, and I am not even close to trying all the city has to offer. I have some favorites that we frequent, but I decided to look through my list of places on my “must eat in NYC” list to try something new and stumbled upon BLT Steak. I had added this restaurant after seeing a segment on Best Thing I Ever Ate when Tyler Florence mentioned their amazingly, delicious Popovers that they bring to your table along with a cute tag that has the recipe!! Reservations, check!!!

Let me first start off by saying that not only was the food absolutely delicious, but the staff made the experience truly the most memorable dinning experience I’ve ever had, ever! period. From the minute we walked in the door we were greeted with such warmth and hospitality that I felt like I was dining at a friends house.

Once we placed the order for our entrees, my eyes quickly darted to a tray of these beautiful, flaky, piping hot, Pop Overs which were being placed on the table with butter and the cutest salt shaker…OMG…you guys…you need these in your life!!! Better than any bread basket…and it comes with the recipe!!! amazing…Tyler Florence knows what’s up!

Popovers…comin’ in hot!!

We then had the beet salad with gorgonzola and apples, which was light and delicious!

Beet Salad

For our entrees, I ordered the branzino, which was fabulous, mom had the hanger steak, the meat was so incredibly flavorful, and dad ordered short ribs, which were fork tender. The side dishes were equally as yummy — The mashed potatoes are out of this world!! The Mac and Cheese was a special and I probably could have had about 7 more orders of it, and I know you are thinking that mushrooms sound boring, but oh no, not these! They were meaty and flavorful and the perfect side dish to accompany the meal.

Branzino

Prime Hanger Steak

Braised Short Ribs

Side dishes: Mac and Cheese, Mashed Potatoes, and Mushrooms.

Even though our bellies were so full, we knew we had to order some desserts. After chatting with the general manger, he made some recommendations. We are dessert people after all! We were delighted to be presented with three desserts that were the best possible way to end a fabulous meal — A Peanut Butter Mousse with Banana Ice Cream, Carrot Cake, and Doughnuts!! You guys, I didn’t even know where to start…one dessert was better than the next!

Carrot Cake

Donuts with Coffee Ice Cream and Peanut Butter Mousse with Banana Gelato!!!!!

Please do yourself a favor and put this on your list of places to dine at the next time you find yourself in the city! I promise you will not be disappointed with the food or the service! Happy Eating!

With love and sugar, Kristen xo.

PS- I went and bought a Pop Over pan over the weekend!! I’ll let you know when I try making them myself! =)

24Sep2014

Back to School, Back to Blogging!

by Kristen A La Carte

When I first decided I was going to start blogging, I knew in my mind it was going to take commitment. After diligently posting away in the beginning, the days between my post grew longer and longer. Not because I didn’t have super cool and tasty things to share, but because I wasn’t making sure to find the time to write. Cooking and sharing food, restaurant finds, and recipes with family, friends and new friends is something I love, so I am promising myself now that the summer is over…I’M BACK and will do my best to get on here to give you recipes so you can get in your kitchens and whip up some love.

To you give you a quick update since we last chatted…I had a great summer!!! Our trip to Disney was amazing, and I plan on doing a post about the awesome restaurants Disney has to offer. I also was able to relive my trip to DC with my parents and played tour guide for the long weekend (still dreaming about when I will once again return to Founding Farmers…can’t.get.enough! haha) Then I ended the summer with an very relaxing trip down to Ocean City Maryland. My Dad’s uncle has a condo down there and I’m not really sure why we stop going! It was so fun and we had great weather! I also researched my butt off to try and find great foodie destinations among the fried foods that lined the boardwalk. I mean… obviously, I did indulge in salt water taffy and other amazing summer boardwalk treats, but I knew there would be places that offered something a little different and I found some gems!

Then it was time to decorate my classroom and get ready for a new school year to begin! (NO I WANT MORE SUMMER!!) So, now I have been in school for two weeks and getting back into the routine. School Work, dinner, pack lunch, pick out clothes, set alarm, repeat. This means that the all meal planning and food shopping is back to the weekends. We have a few staples for quick and easy dinners and then on Fridays and the weekends I like to try new recipes or cook things that might need a bit more prep work.

Last weekend I found myself flipping through the pages of a Rachael Ray cookbook I received as a gift, I can’t even remember how long ago. Now, usually most of her recipes are not my style, but there were a couple in this book that caught my eye. One being a recipe for Sausage Burgers. It looked and sounded delicious so I suggested we try it. Friday came along and I was ready! The recipe called for Broccoli Rabe which I happen to ADORE! I could just eat it piled high on crusty bread…nom nom nom nom…you must try it if you haven’t!! but shockling… have never made this delicious bitter green! sayyyy whattt?…but it’s so easy!!!! My mom explained how her Aunt used to make it, which was very similar to how the recipe called, and just like that…I did it!!! Do not be afraid my friends. I will now be making broccoli rabe more often without a doubt! Unfortunately, my ground pork was still a bit frozen in the middle, so mom suggested we just cook it “sloppy joe” style instead of making it into burgers. GO MOM! The recipe still came out tasting delicious, but I am sure if I could have made these into burger patties it would have been a home run! Here is the recipe as Rachel has it written, but feel free to make it your own like I did!

Hot Sausage Burgers with Broccoli Rabe and Provolone

Ingredients
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds coarsely ground pork (ask butcher to do this)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1/3 palmful
2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika, 2/3 palmful
1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel, fennel pollen or 1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon ground sage, 1/3 palmful
1 teaspoon granulated onion, 1/3 palmful
1 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/3 palmful
Salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1 tablespoon
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup tomato sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small bundle broccoli rabe, tough ends discarded
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, finely chopped
A few grates nutmeg
4 thick deli slices sharp provolone cheese
4 ciabatta rolls or other crusty rolls, split
Store-bought olive oil-rosemary or herb flavored fancy potato chips

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the pork, red pepper flakes, paprika, fennel, sage, onion, garlic and salt, to taste. Form the meat into 4 patties, put on a plate and coat with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Heat a small pot over medium-low heat and add the brown sugar, Worcestershire, vinegar, tomato sauce and black pepper, to taste. Simmer until the mixture becomes a thick steak sauce consistency, about 15 minutes.

Add a couple inches of water to a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then salt the water and add the broccoli rabe. Cook for 5 minutes, then drain. Transfer the broccoli rabe to a cutting board and chop it into 2-inch pieces. Set aside. Return the skillet to the stove over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Stir in the chopped garlic and the broccoli rabe. Saute for 2 minutes, then season with a few grates of nutmeg, to taste.

Heat a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, add the patties and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Top the patties with a slice of provolone during the last minute of cook time and tent with foil to melt.

Divide the broccoli rabe on the bottoms of the rolls and top with the cheesy sausage patties. Slather some of the warm sauce on the roll tops and cover the burgers. Serve the burgers on individual plates with a few chips alongside.

Give it a try, maybe you might even want to save some time and make it like I did! An Italian Sloppy Joe! haha…Have a great week everyone! and I can’t wait to start sharing my culinary adventures with you. Fall is in the air and I just want all things pumpkin and comforting!!! Stay tuned…

With love and sugar, Kristen xo.

25Jun2014

Meatball Panini

by Kristen A La Carte

Summer is here!! which means the oven gets a break for a little bit. For me, it’s all about grillin’ and chillin’ by the pool in the hotter months here on Long Island, or maybe packing a picnic and heading to the beach for the day! This does not mean that the food can’t be delicious, easy and comforting! We are so lucky on the island to be surrounded by not only great restaurants, but amazing farms as you head east. My favorite thing to do is to try to head to the many farmer’s markets that are open during these months. You find some of the greatest local, artisanal products and produce.

Aside from enjoying what Long Island has to offer, I will be taking a few trips this summer as well and share any new restaurant finds. In fact, I am leaving for Disney TOMORROW!!! so excited!!! Now, you might think that I won’t have much to talk about in the way of food, but trust me, Disney has some amazing restaurants and when you have been fortunate enough to go 30+ times you find some delicious places to dine at. I look forward to making reservations at our family favorites every time we go! I’ll also be heading back to DC and down to Ocean City, Maryland. Seriously, being a teacher is grueling but it’s so nice to get to recharge and be able to relax during these summer months!

One of my all time favorite Disney Movies and best food moment!! Nothing like sharing food with the ones you love! Bella Notte!

In honor of my pending Disney trip, I thought this would be very fitting — One of my all time favorite Disney Movies and not to mention best food moment ever!! Nothing beats sharing food with the ones you love! Bella Notte!!

We’ve been trying to be creative and use what’s in the house the past few days since we didn’t want to food shop before leaving for vacation. I noticed we had some chopped meat in the freezer and of course, had some frozen sauce. I didn’t want pasta, but I remembered seeing an episode of “Giada at Home” a few weeks ago and she made meatball panini!! Perfect! I had (almost) everything haha. All I needed to get was bread and cheese. I didn’t have the prosciutto, so decided to just leave it out, but next time I make these, I will defiantly make sure to have that! and only had chopped meat not the meat combo the recipe called for. These sandwiches were so easy to put together and would be even easier if you had some leftover meatballs from a previous nights dinner. I had to break my “summer cooking rule” and turn the oven on to bake the meatballs, but it was sooo worth it! On the side, my mom cooked up some broccoli rabe that we obviously decided would be much better sandwiched on the panini as we started eating.

Meatball Panini

Ingredients
1 large red onion, peeled, cut into eight 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ciabatta rolls, halved horizontally
1 cup jarred tomato-basil sauce, such as Giada De Laurentiis for Target
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1 1/3 cups arugula
12 Classic Italian Turkey Meatballs, recipe follows, halved
8 thin slices prosciutto, each about 6- by- 3-inches
Eight 1/4-inch-thick slices provolone
Classic Italian Turkey Meatballs:
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 pound ground dark turkey meat
1 pound spicy Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions
Preheat a grill or panini maker. Brush the onion slices on both sides with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Grill the onion slices until tender and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Set aside to cool.

Pull out and remove some of the bread from each half of the rolls. Spoon half of the sauce over the bottom halves of the rolls. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if using. Add the arugula, meatballs, prosciutto slices, grilled onions and the remaining sauce. Place 2 slices of cheese on top. Add the tops of the rolls and drizzle with olive oil. Using a pastry brush, brush the oil evenly over the tops.

Place the sandwiches in a panini maker and cook until the cheese has melted and the meatballs are heated through, about 5 minutes.

Cut the panini in half and serve.

Classic Italian Turkey Meatballs:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, basil, parsley, milk, tomato paste, salt, pepper, eggs, garlic and onions. Using a wooden spoon, stir to blend. Add the ground turkey and sausage meat. Using fingers, gently mix all the ingredients until thoroughly combined.

Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop or a small ice cream scoop, form the meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls (22 to 24 meatballs). Place the meatballs on a heavy nonstick baking sheet, spacing apart. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until cooked through, 15 minutes. Yield: 22 to 24 meatballs.

Grill it good…if you don’t have a Panini Grill… just use your stove!

Quick, easy, and delicious!

Love and sugar, Kristen xo.

6Jun2014

Doughnut or Donut?

by Kristen A La Carte

No matter how you spell it, I love them! So much that I just recently purchased a doughtnut iphone case! =)

Much like the cupcake craze, designer doughnuts ( I like alliteration…) have become just as popular. As much as I love tossing back a few chocolate munchkins or indulging in a nice airy cruller from Dunkin Donuts, nothing compares to what these gourmet doughnut shops are turning out, and well, since we know we can’t always be eating a doughtnuts covered in bacon and caramal everyday (or can we?)…I’ve turned to the baked doughnut as a healthy alternative.

Since the age of about 20, my friends and family know that any type of food gadget or food related item makes a perfect gift for me! Besides getting lost in a book store, supermarkets and specialty food shops are my vice. So, one Christmas my mom put together some fun new gadgets to put under the Christmas tree, one of them being a Doughnut Pan. Baked doughnut recipes were appearing all over Pinterest and other social media, so I was super excited to use it!

This pan quickly became my new favorite baking item in the kitchen. I was baking everything from the vanilla to Mexican Hot Chocolate doughnuts. I then went on to purchase the mini doughnut pan and doughnut hole pan which are equally as great!

Perfect Bite Sized Treat!!

Around the time of my birthday this year, which just so happens to be the day before Cinco De Mayo, I came across a recipe for “Churro Doughnuts.” I was having a few of my friends over to celebrate my birthday, and I thought this would make a perfect dessert addition along side my birthday cake. The recipe called for browning the butter first, which I had never done, and boy did it make the kitchen smell good. They are right when they say you really need to watch it because it does brown quickly! So keep an eye on it and I know what you’re saying as you’re reading this, “Kristen, what do I do if I don’t have this super cool amazing doughnut pan and want to make these?” Well…You can easily make them in a muffin pan or free form the doughnut shape on parchment paper…but I HIGHLY recommend getting one of these pans or adding it to your wish list.

Oh…by the way…it just so happens to be National Doughnut Day!!!! So, even though today is the perfect day to treat yourself to the real thing, why not get in the kitchen and try something new?

Bag O’ Doughnuts!

Baked Churro Doughnuts

Recipe From:

Home

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Churro Coating
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a doughnut pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Butter will crackle and foam a bit as it browns. Once butter is light brown and smells nutty, remove from heat and immediately transfer to a small bowl. Be careful, it goes from brown butter to black burnt butter quickly.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Measure out 2 tablespoons of the browned butter and whisk into the wet ingredients.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredeints. Stir together until ingredients are well combined, but do not overmix.
Spoon batter into a large ziploc bag and use a scissor to cut about a ½” piece off one corner to create a makeshift disposable pastry bag. Fill each well in the doughnut pan approximately ¾ full. Alternatively, use a spoon to fill donut pan and smooth out batter.
Place in the oven and bake for 9-12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into doughnut comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Combine sugar, brown, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in another small bowl. Working one at a time, lightly brush doughnut with butter, and roll around in sugar mixture until evenly coated.
Devour!!

With love and sugar, Kristen xo.

19May2014

Springy Green Pasta

by Kristen A La Carte

When I cook, I always have a recipe to follow. I am not very good at winging it, or just looking at what I have in the fridge and pantry to be able to put something together. I need to have a place to start and then I can improvise and take a little inspiration from one recipe and combine it with another. That is how this Springy Green Pasta happened.

I had just received the April 2014 edition of Cooking Light in the mail which had a delicious looking pasta recipe on the cover. I didn’t have all the ingredients the recipe called for so I decided to use it as my guide to create my “Springy Green Pasta.”

I followed the Cooking Light recipe almost exactly, except for a few changes. I substituted Ricotta cheese for the mascarpone cheese and cream cheese that the original recipe called for since I always have ricotta in the fridge and used a Quinoa and Brown Rice Fusilli pasta from Trader Joes…my dad cringes when I don’t make regular pasta but I like to mix it up and try different things, and I happen to really like the quinoa pasta. Definitely give it a try! You want to know what else is great about this recipe? It’s super easy and it will be on your dinner table in no time!

Springy Green Pasta

Ingredients

1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 cup cooking water (from pasta)

1 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 lb Quinoa Pasta (or what you like)
1 1/2 cups (1-inch) asparagus pieces
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1/3 cup of cooking water. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. When hot, add the sliced asparagus. Saute for about 4 minutes, until bright green but still slightly crisp. Add minced garlic, peas and saute for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Add hot cooked pasta, ricotta, salt and pepper. Add a splash of the cooking water and stir well. If pasta looks dry you can add another splash but do this slowly…you could always add more! Enjoy!

nom nom nom!

With love and sugar, Kristen xo.

15May2014

National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!

by Kristen A La Carte

I am a self proclaimed cookie addict. Now, trust me though, I do not discriminate when it comes to desserts…except cheesecake, I could totally pass on it, well maybe not until I devour the graham cracker crust first! what? you don’t do that too? haha, but cookies really are my go to sweet treat and my favorite thing to mix up when I need to bake something. I actually can’t believe that this is only my 2nd cookie recipe I have shared and funny enough the 1st one that I posted is the Chocolate Chip Cookies cooler older sibling the “Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie” equally as yummy, but today…it’s all about the cookie dough recipe that started it all…the Chocolate Chip Cookie!!

Couldn’t be more true! #cookiemonster

Since it is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, I thought I would share one of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes. Let me first start by saying that my go to recipe is the recipe on the Nestle Toll House wrapper, classic, but that is not the recipe I am sharing with you today…oh no…this is a HOLIDAY which means we need the ULTIMATE recipe…I give you the famous…Jacques Torres’ Chocolate Chip Cookies…I have only made these cookies once and it was almost two years ago!! I brought them to the hospital for my sister-in-law when my niece was born ( another VERY special day!!) …why has it been so long since I made this delicious delicacies you ask? Well, first it requires you to chill the dough 24 hours and I can’t always wait that long when it comes to cookies, however, chilling is a very important step when it comes to cookie baking especially if the recipe calls for it! Don’t skip it! It makes all the difference. The second reason is it requires two different types of flours that I don’t always have on hand and since this recipe is from Mr. Chocolate himself you best be using some dang good chocolate. The recipe recommends using chocolate feves which I found at Whole Foods, and I encourage you to try them also instead of substituting something else. They totally give these cookies that extra something! I prefer a “chewy” chocolate chip cookie with crisp edges and that’s just how these bake up.

Cookie Time!!

Jacques Torres’ Chocolate Chip Cookies

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons
(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)
Sea salt.
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/091crex.html

Even if you don’t have time to make these today, don’t lose this recipe! I am sure you will find time soon to bake these for someone special or to just simply treat yourself because that’s reason enough! but just incase you need your chocolate chip cookie fix STAT and are lucky enough to be in the New York area, my favorite chocolate chip cookies can be found at Levain Bakery! or nothing beats that roll of cookie dough that can be purchased from your local supermarket! “Slice&Bake” as my mom affectionately calls it. So, no matter how you decide to celebrate, give it up for our childhood favorite, the classic and traditional, Chocolate Chip Cookie!

With love and sugar, Kristen xo.

12May2014

What’s cookin’…

by Kristen A La Carte

Hey there! …here’s what I have in the works…

A Recipe: Springy Pasta, meatless and delicious!

A Restaurant: I went to see Aladdin on broadway and enjoy a lovely italian dinner at Becco

A Trip: TEXAS!!! yeeehaw…breakfast tacos and bbq…mmmm…I was able to cross off some yummy places from my food list!!

With love a sugar, Kristen xo.

11Apr2014

Quinoa Salad with Miso Broccoli

by Kristen A La Carte

Happy Friday!!! Things have been pretty busy over here, but I can happily say that I’m back with lots of recipes and new things to share. The past few weeks have been filled with spending time with my family and friends and lots of school work, but things are finally slowing down (for now ha!) and with spring break next week, well, this teacher is VERY happy. I have lots planned, but I’ll fill you in on all that throughout the week…

As much as I like to indulge and eat sweet treats, I like to eat and cook healthy a majority of the time. Most of the recipes I have posted so far have been, well, desserts but I do not eat them every day (even though I probably could!) Now, don’t get me wrong…I think eating healthy can be indulgent and has been an important life style change in my family. My dad has type 2 diabetes and both my parents had heart attacks so needless to say, we’ve had to change how we eat on a regular basis. Everything in moderation and balance has always been my way of thinking. (Disclaimer: I am not a registered dietitian nor a nutritionist, just my own personal ideas) I never deprive myself of anything because I love food too much, but am always mindful and watch my portions. Within the past few years my mom has been going on an off diets, and I’m usually the one who helps prepare the food for her. From South Beach to the currently popular Paleo diet my mom has really done it all. My mom has never really had a weight problem, but now being in her 50’s she has realized that you can no longer eat the same way you did in your 20s,30s, and 40s.

She’s a big fan of Dr.Oz and often asks me to go online and print recipes from his website to try. I happily oblige and sometimes they’re winners and sometimes we never make the recipe again. The one she had me make a few weeks ago was a home run! It was a Quinoa Salad with Miso Broccoli. It was really meant to be a meatless dish, but I decided to sauté some chicken strips and toss it through since we were eating it for dinner. If I was making it for lunch, I might decide to omit the chicken. I know you must be dying for the recipe so I won’t keep you waiting any longer…

Why not throw some Chinese noodles on top for some crunch?

Quinoa Salad and Miso Broccoli

Ingredients
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white miso
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 cups cooked quinoa
3 cups steamed broccoli florets, roughly chopped
2 cups baby arugula
1⁄4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1⁄4 tsp salt

Directions
To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, miso and rice vinegar. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, broccoli, arugula and sunflower seeds. Add the dressing and the salt. Toss gently until combined.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/quinoa-salad-and-miso-broccoli

*** If you want to add the chicken like I did, all I did was cut up a few chicken breasts into strips, sauté them in a teaspoon or two of sesame oil and add some soy sauce. Toss it with the quinoa salad and you’re good to go! Enjoy! =)

23Mar2014

Coffee and Cake

by Kristen A La Carte

“Hey Kris, Connie invited us over after the meeting on Friday for coffee, can you bake something?” – Mom

My mom always counts on my to come up with something special to bring when we get invited to someone’s home. It also gives me a chance to browse the many recipes I have collected and try something new, sooo I gladly agreed! Although, I sometimes think they just invite me along with my mom because they know there’s a reallllyyy good chance I’ll bake hahaha and I can’t say that they’re wrong because I always do! I quickly ruled out making cookies. This called for a cake!!

You see…I associate cake with having afternoon coffee because it was sort of a tradition that goes wayy back between my mom and grandma. Growing up I was lucky enough to have my grandparents living across the street, and I always remember walking through the door from school and seeing the two of them at the table having coffee with a plate of sweet treats. My mom would then make me do my homework, help my grandma make dinner, then my grandpa would take me to dance and when I got home there was grandma and mom at the kitchen table AGAIN having round #2 of dessert! She and my mom are definitely the reason for my sweet tooth!! Unfortunately, I lost my grandma last year and my grandpa 9 years ago. I sure do miss them sooo much, but we have not stopped our cake and coffee tradition (except for maybe having the occasional cup of tea instead of coffee). So much happened around that kitchen table which is why I treasure those memories, and why I think cooking or baking for someone is such a kind and thoughtful gesture. It really shows someone you care. There’s nothing like gathering around a kitchen table, sharing some sweet treats or a meal and chatting. I can still hear my grandma saying, “I’ll fire up the coffee pot…” =) she had the old fashion percolator one…nothing beats the smell of fresh perked coffee… still makes me smile…

I decided on making a “Cinnamon Crumb Banana Bread”…banana bread and crumb cake coming together in one dessert? DONE!…I knew I had some very ripe bananas sitting on my counter and after looking at the ingredient list noticed the only thing I didn’t have was buttermilk…no biggie…I would make a quick stop on my way home from work. After dinner, I got to baking… Here’s where I found the recipe… http://littlebitsof.com/2014/02/cinnamon-crumb-banana-bread/

Cinnamon Crumb Banana Bread

Ingredients

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 overripe bananas, mashed
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt

Directions

In a large bowl of a mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the sugar, egg and vanilla until combined. Add the butter and beat until smooth and the butter is fully incorporated. Beat in the buttermilk and bananas.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet until all the flour is incorporated. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray and pour in the batter.

Make the crumb topping by combining the powdered sugar, flour, cinnamon salt and melted butter. Using your hands, crumble the mixture over the batter in the pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 – 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

This recipe is a keeper! We couldn’t stop slicing away at it… I think I have found my new favorite banana bread recipe!! Any dessert that has huge cinnamon crumbs on top is a winner in my book! Have you ever had Entenmann’s Banana Crunch Cake? Well, that’s exactly what this reminded me of!! I was obsessed with it growing up thanks to my good friend Kristen — she actually confessed to me that when blowing out her birthday candles when she was younger, her secret wish was for that cake!! and now I think of her every time I see that cake! You must try this recipe Kris!! =) My mom even suggested that the next time we make it perhaps we should drizzle some chocolate over the top!! Quick breads are such a nice treat to have around the house and I will surely be making this one again!

With love and sugar, Kristen xo.

9Mar2014

A Taste of Seventh

by Kristen A La Carte

How is it Sunday already? The weekends really go by way too fast especially this one since we had to “spring ahead” and set the clocks forward. I can’t wait for the warmer weather and the longer days, but having to wake up for work in the dark is just miserable. Anywayyyy, I was able to participate in a yummy food festival this weekend in NYC! I was originally planning to go into the city this weekend to celebrate my best friend Brittany’s birthday, but she changed the day of her celebration from Saturday to today…wahhhh!!!! I had to be in the St.Patrick’s Day parade today with the dance/kickline/cheer team I coach, so I wasn’t going to be able to attend. (fail) So, I decided that I would still go in on Saturday to celebrate! Now, Brittany knows that whenever I plan a visit to the city I always have a food place in mind that I want to check out, and even though it was technically her birthday weekend and she should be deciding where we go, she still let me pick!!! wahoo!! My originally plan was to get a delicious bowl of ramen, but while scrolling through my twitter feed a few days ago, I noticed that a food festival was happening this weekend…sooo change in plans, ramen will have to wait…

The Food Festival was appropriately named “A Taste of 7th” since all the restaurants that were participating were located on 7th street in the East Village, they included: Luke’s Lobster, Caracas Arepa Bar, Porchetta, Wechsler’s, Oaxaca Taqueria, Big Gay Ice Cream and Butter Lane. What I love about these types of events is that you are able to sample lots of delicious food all at once. This crawl consisted of a few places that I had been wanting to try so I was really excited! Lucky for us, it was a beautiful, sunny, and cool day in the city so we walked from Britt’s apartment, besides, we knew we would need the walk after all the food!

Our first stop was Luke’s Lobster. There was a long line, but it moved rather quick. Once we got to the front of the line, we had to give our name and present the ticket confirmation I printed out which I frantically thought I miss placed like 100 times throughout the day haha.

We were given the cutest little lobster roll I have EVER seen! Side Note: I have never had a lobster roll, and can’t even remember the last time I’ve actually had lobster, too much work, I know, sorry…

All I can say is WOW! They piled it high with A LOT of lobster. It was so fresh tasting and just simply seasoned, but what brought it all together was the toasted bun with butter! No one flavor over powered the other, keeping the lobster the star ingredient. I could really get used to eating lobster like this!!! I didn’t have a chance to read through their menu, but they offer many different lobster roll varieties.

Stop number 2 was Caracas Arepa Bar which was just next door. We gave our name at took a seat at the bar and we were presented with this masterpiece!

I had heard about Caracas on various food shows and was happy to finally check it off my list. An arepa is native to Venezuela and it has a very mellow but sweet flavor with a soft pillowy interior and a crisp exterior, so good! Being that it was a food crawl, most places do not allow you pick from the menu, but that’s usually fine because they most likely are giving you their signature or most popular item from the menu. This was the “La Mamasita Arepa” with grilled mushrooms, roasted corn, sweet plantains and the works. Most of the food on this food crawl was meat so it was nice to see a vegetarian option. The filling was A-MAZ-ING!! I loved the plantains and anything with avocado cream is good in my book. I was actually a little full at this point, but we had only just begun…Stop 3: Porchetta

Porchetta was serving up their Italian roast pork sandwich with crispy skin which was featured in Time Out New York’s 100 best dishes and now I know why! The pork had sooooo much flavor and was super tender. My brother would totally flip over this sandwich. I need to take him here. On to the next stop…we headed up the block to Wechsler’s. Britt is heading to Austria next week so this was a good way to get her prepared for the food she would be eating while there.

They were serving their pork bratwurst with curry ketchup and fries. Not what I would usually go out and order, but that’s another great thing about a food crawl, trying new things. I obviously went right for the french fries and polished those off in no time. I took a few pieces of the bratwurst to try and I liked it!! I enjoyed the combination with the curry ketchup. My belly was definitely full at this point but we still had tacos and dessert left!! (oyyy)

The last food stop was Oaxaca Taqueria. We were given the option of either having a taco or mini burrito. I decided on a chicken taco and Britt went with mini chicken burrito. Both yummy…the taco had all the great flavors that I look for, but sadly we only took a few bites…we had dessert on the brain…

Next to cookies, Ice Cream is my second favorite dessert. Big Gay Ice Cream is well known by all New Yorkers as having awesome soft serve ice cream combinations with fun and silly names. This was the stop I was waiting for allll day ! They were serving the Apple Gobbler, a vanilla sundae with grahams, bourbon butterscotch, apple butter and whipped cream. It was like the most delicious apple pie swirled into creamy vanilla soft serve. YUM! but we still had one more dessert stop left…

…Butter Lane. We decided to take our cupcakes to go since I had entered into a serious food coma! They let us have our choice of their 6 most popular cupcake flavors. Britt and I both went with the Salted Caramel. So, with full bellies…we made the walk back to Britt’s.

7th Street is one tasty block. I highly recommend heading over there if you have a chance!

We did eventually have those cupcakes. They had a classic, homemade taste and had just the right amount of frosting to cake. very important. It was a perfect “taste” to end a day of eating. Happy Birthday, BB!!!

With love and sugar, Kristen xo.

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