Archive for the ‘lunch & dinner’ Category

Honey Spiced Brussel Sprouts

These days, being in grad school, I need things that are fast an easy that I can make while soon other things. In an attempt to make cooking brussel sprouts easier and also copy some of the best brussel sprouts I’ve ever had from Michael’s On Main in Capitola I came up with this ridiculously easy method.

Ingredients

Brussel Sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of honey
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
handful of roasted pecans

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F
Chop the brussel spouts into quarters, making sure to remove the bottoms
Coat the brussel sprouts with olive oil and then season with salt and pepper
Bake for 20-30 minutes total, stirring half way through
Meanwhile, melt the butter, honey and cinnamon in a sauce pan 
Once the brussel sprouts are done cooking, pour the honey butter over them
Top with chopped up pecans
Enjoy!  

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Zucchini Crustless Quiche

Ingredients:

3 small zucchini
1 onion, chopped
2 pieces of bacon (cooked)
6 eggs total
1/2 cup parmesan (shredded)
1/2 cup feta (shredded)
8 oz Monterey jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 pieces of toast cut up into small pieces

 

Instructions:

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Penzy’s Lime Chicken

Ingredients:

One 3.5-4 lb whole chicken
salt
4 limes
2 Tbsp Penzey’s Mural of Flavor spice mix
Cusiniart 4 in 1 Multicooker (or oven)

Instructions:

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Tomato Dill Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 red Onion
2 small leeks – white and light green pieces only
3 Tbls butter
2 lbs tomatoes (from our garden!)
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp fresh ground blk pepper
sea salt and pepper
1 1/2 tbsp dried dill
herbed goat cheese to top it off

 

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Spinach, Black Bean, Pesto Sausage & Egg Breakfast

Here’s an easy recipe for busy mornings… pre-make individual serving egg dishes! Here’s what we used, per person:

3 eggs
1/4 cup chopped spinach
1/4 cup black beans
1 chopped up sausage (optional)

Mix everything together in individual oven-safe dishes

Bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes
(or until egg has cooked through)

Let cool.
Refrigerate if you’re going to eat them in the newt couple days, freeze if longer.
To reheat, place cold dishes in oven
Reheat at 250F for 30-60 minutes (cover with foil to prevent additional browning)
Now you have time to go for a run or get the kids out the door while your breakfast cooks!
Or simply microwave if you’re in a hurry!

“Man Salad”

Over a bed of lettuce, layer chopped up cucumber, celery, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, avocado and, of course, bacon. Dress with a pre-made vinaigrette or olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

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Schooners Bistro, Monterey CA

Trying out the WP app for iPhone! Should have done this sooner!

We had Schooner’s bite size tacos, their amazing chicken pizza and let’s not forget dessert… mint mud pie smothered in hot fudge!

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Steak fajita bowl with taco

Dinner time! Grilled up some chunks of steak from trader joe’s, sautéed the onions and bell peppers, layered all that on top of black refried beans and quinoa. Served it up with a taco filled with sour cream, avocado, cheese and bell peppers. Easy, yummy dinner!

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Lime-Rosemary Marinated Lamb Chops

Ingredients:

5 limes – juiced
8 lamb chops
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tbls kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup chile olive oil

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Alice Waters Potato Salad

From the Alice Waters Cookbook!

Ingredients:

1/2 lbs potatoes
1 Tbs vinegar
salt
pepper
1/2 red onion finely chopped
1/4 cup mix of  Walnut Oil and olive oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice (optional)
1 1/2 tsp dill weed

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Waldorf Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
2 medium celery ribs, diced
green onions, minced
1 large crisp apple, cored and diced
6 tablespoons chopped, toasted walnuts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt

 

 

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Ceviche

Ingredients:

1 lb petrole sole
6 limes- juiced

1 tomato chopped
1/4 of a green pepper chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
1/2 red onion chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp each salt & fresh cracked pepper
A few shakes of Tabasco

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Hummus

Ingredients:
1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
2+ tablespoons olive oil

Coming soon…

Pictures from South America, as Tami travels through Chile and Argentina!

Caprese Salad

Slice the 3-4 large beefsteak tomatoes into 1/2 in slices
Slice the 3-4 large fresh mozzarella balls into 1/2 inch slices as well
Layer the mozzarella on top of the tomato slices
Layer with fresh basil leaves
Sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil and season with saltpepper

Asparagus Soup

Straight from Nourishing Traditions. The best soup we’ve tried from that cookbook!

Ingredients:

2 medium onions
3 tablespoons butter
6 cups chicken stock
4 red potatoes, quartered
2 bunches asparagus, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
sea

 

 

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Mindless Monday: Spinach Frittata

Our newest idea: Mindless Monday! What’s deal with that? Well… we’ll be the first to admit that some of our recipes are a little time consuming. So we thought we’d highlight some of the easier, quicker, less time-intensive options. This also means that the recipes are open to interpretation. Think of Monday recipes like the Pirate Code “they’re more like guidelines.”

Saute the spinach and onions in an oven proof pan until spinach is wilted and onions are translucent
Whisk the eggs (8) together with some milk (1/2 cup), salt and pepper
Add sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped up sausage to the spinach in the pan, if you want
Pour the egg mixture over all of it
Pick up the spinach with your spatula to let the egg seep under
Cook on medium until egg is about half way done
Layer on as much goat cheese as you want (or not!) 
Pop into the preheated oven (400F) for about 15 minutes
Done when the egg is cooked through!

Lemon Garlic Salmon

Marinade:

Olive oil, lemon juice, lemon rind, freshly minced garlic, sea salt and pepper

Mix about 1 cup of olive oil, with the juice and freshly grated rind of two lemons
Whisk in the garlic (2-4 cloves), salt and pepper
Pour over salmon to marinate for 10 – 15 minutes
Bake @ 450 for 7-10 minutes

 

Rosemary Lemon Chicken

Before:

Take the raw, whole chicken and smother with olive oil and lemon rind
Stuff with rosemary and the lemon (punctured all over)
Bake @ 350 for about an hour (3-4 pound chicken)

After:

Pâté

Pâté finger sandwiches are a super easy addition to any tea party! You can simply buy pâté at your local store, or if yo’re feeling ambitious (and not squeamish) bust out your food processor and make your own!

Ingredients:

1lb chicken livers
1 small lemon, zested and juiced
1 medium onion
6 cloves garlic
6 strips bacon
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
sea salt to taste

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Tea Party

This week we’ll be featuring recipes and tips making your own tea party!

Sigara Börek

Beef Larp

This is a modified version (meaning we took out the crazy ingredients that are hard to find in the states) of the traditional dish that that Tami made at a cooking class in Laos. It can be made with chicken, fish, tofu or pork.

Ingredients:

1 pound of ground beef
2 tables spoons beef stock
1 medium lime or lemon
bean sprouts
1 bunch green onions
2 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch fresh coriander (or cilantro), finely chopped
2 stalks of lemongrass, thinly sliced (white part only)
salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon fish sauce

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Chicken B’stila

Ok, we have to be honest… we’ve made this before. But it’s so good! And so worth the effort!

Guacamole

Ingredients:

4 avocados
1/2 tomato, diced
1/4 onion, diced
lime juice
sea salt

Instructions:

Smash the avocados in a bowl until you’re achieved your desired consistency
Add in the tomato and onion
Squeeze in the fresh lime juice, to taste
Salt to taste
Serve with chips!