what is it about a hot fireman...?

...that makes you want to get dressed and cook up something tasty?

New Year, New Recipe #2:  Mushroom Cream Sauce with Garlic Chicken Cutlets
8 chicken cutlets (or 4 skinless, boneless breasts pounded out and cut in half)
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper
Flour
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound baby belle mushrooms, cut in half
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of dry white wine  (or chicken broth if you don't have a bottle open)
1 1/2 cups cream
1-2 tablespoons finely chopped dill (depending on your taste)

Sprinkle both sides of chicken with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, going heavy with the garlic powder.  Let sit for a few minutes.  Then LIGHTLY coat in flour.  (I pour flour on a plate and quickly "dip" both sides of chicken cutlets in the flour, shaking off excess.)  Over medium heat, cover your pan with a couple swirls (about 2 tablespoons) of olive oil.  Saute the onion and mushrooms until the onions are soft and the mushrooms are golden about 10-15 minutes, stirring now and then.  Add the garlic and cook two more minutes.  Empty the mushroom mixture on to a plate.  Return pan to stove and add more olive oil.  When hot, saute chicken 2-3 minutes per side until chicken in golden brown and cooked through.  (You may need to cook chicken in batches depending on the size of your pan.  I did!)  Remove chicken to another plate.  Add white wine, scraping up the brown bits of goodness and simmer for one minute.  Stir in mushroom mixture, cream, and dill.  Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.  Pour over chicken cutlets.

Tyler, my husband's oldest and closest friend since babyhood, came for dinner and a sleepover (on our couch-- all 6 foot 6 of him) last week.  I love cooking for men who will eat whatever I put in front of them (as opposed to cooking for Finicky #1 and Finicky #2 AKA the six year old and the three year old.)  Since Torrie and I are determined to turn all those amazing recipes we collect into actual food this year, Tyler's visit seemed the perfect opportunity to make this ridiculously rich sauce I spotted on pinterest a while ago.  I adapted the recipe a bit for our household and created a chicken dish.  For the boys (men =) and girlies* I served the chicken and sauce over a bed of spaghetti with a side of broccoli.  I kept my plate low-carb. (Ya know--because cream is sooooooooo much better for you than a pile of pasta!)  I don't cook with cream much for the obvious reasons, but this sauce is SO WORTH IT.  I think it would be amazing over pretty much anything.  (Roasted asparagus comes to mind.)  I may or may not have poured all of the leftover sauce over some scrambled eggs the next morning.  Only my cardiologist knows for sure.

Be sure to visit ...a place to share to see the scrumptiousness Torrie created this week, a slow cooked chicken and mushroom pot pie.  (Apparently, we are channeling each other in both attitude and food choice. =)

(*Finicky version: I cut up the chicken, spaghetti, and broccoli into bite-size pieces, pouring strained sauce over the entire thing.  My littles want nothing to do with mushrooms.  They must be crazy.)

new year, new recipes: death by oreo cupcakes.

Last week, Miss Torrie inspired me with her facebook status resolving to dig through her extensive library of cookbooks and "cook up a storm" this new year.   I'm joining her in her quest and also making this one of my (many) New Year's resolutions.  I too have an abundance of cookbooks with shiny tempting photographs.  I think I have five separate boards on Pinterest devoted to food I'd like to eat.  And what about those (hundreds of) magazine tearings from the last ten years?  I'm delving into all the collected recipes, and I'm actually going to COOK something, instead of, well, admiring all the pretty pictures.  (Oh but I do love a pretty picture... I digress.)  Torrie and I thought we'd attempt and post (at least) one new recipe a week.  Care to cook along with us?

For this week's recipe I'm sharing a ridiculously sinful oreo cupcake (which is pinned on my "frost me" board.)  I made them for a baby shower for G's teacher.  And in full disclosure, I want you to know I baked them back in December so I'm already cheating as far as the resolution goes... How apropos, yes?

All the mommies, teachers, and littles loved the cupcakes.  There's an entire oreo on the bottom; what's not to love?  I frosted them with an amazing butter cream, LOADED with pulverized oreos.  Oh man.  Really, just a scoopful of that with a large glass of milk, and call it a day for me.  You can find the recipe for the cupcake here.  And here's the frosting recipe:

Oreo Loaded Buttercream 
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1-2 tablespoons milk or cream
Oreos, finely crushed in food processor (I used what was left over in the package after making the cupcakes, you can adjust accordingly to taste.  In my opinion MORE is better. =)

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together the sugar and butter on low speed until well blended.  Increase speed to medium, beating for another 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and milk, beating for 1 more minute.  Stir in crushed oreos.  Try not to eat too much of it or you won't have enough to frost the cupcakes.  Or better yet, double the recipe.  (That's what I did.)

 Georgia, enjoying the fruits of her mother's labor.

Torrie's baked up a lovely lemon cupcake for her first "new" recipe.  (We both have cake on the brain!)  Pop on over and see the deliciousness, which by the way, I've now pinned!

*The author of the cupcake recipe, Camber from Food Snots, uses a cream cheese frosting, but because my main audience for these cupcakes was a roomful of three year olds, I thought it best to stick with a butter cream! 

"sin"amon pumpkin muffins*

Hi y'all.  It's been awhile.  I've missed you.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving (but you probably know that.)  About a month ago, I made an executive decision not to slave away all day cook on Thanksgiving.  I also made an executive decision that my mom wasn't slaving away cooking either.  Along the same line, I decided we weren't doing any dishes for some poor schmuck lovely soul who might be willing to invite us all to dinner.  I was tired after this laborious decision making but I had just enough energy to pick up the phone to make a reservation at Bayside in Corona del Mar.  After that, I patted myself on the back and sat down on the couch to rest.

Quite a few things were behind the ban on cooking this year.  Mainly, this meal seems like SO MUCH WORK, which, in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing.  I mean, I like to cook.  I love the process of bringing seemingly random ingredients together and creating amazing delicious dishes for friends and family to enjoy.  But this meal, for me, requires much work with very little payoff.  We have a small crew for Thanksgiving.  The man part of the equation is done eating in 15 minutes.  The littles like nothing about the meal but the turkey/gravy combination.  My mother and I now argue over discuss cornbread stuffing vs. her stuffing.  I don't like pumpkin pie.  Or pecan for that matter.  So I decided to be selfish.  And I feel very good in that decision.

Now that's not to say I didn't cook anything on Thanksgiving.  I got up early and while the children watched Sesame Street Phineas and Ferb :( and the husband went on his 10 mile run (go Sparky!),  I baked these muffins for our first annual "Thanksgiving Day at the Beach."  I love traditions.  And sometimes, we need to create a couple of new ones.

The muffins have a delicious cinnamon surprise center and a crumbly streusel topping.  They go equally well with a cup of coffee or, as I prefer,  a morning mimosa on the sand. 

Pumpkin "Sin"amon Muffins* 

Yields 19 large muffins

Filling:

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

2-3 tablespoons water 

Batter:

1 box spice cake mix

1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Topping:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 to 1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup flour

3 tablespoons room temperature butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pan with cupcake papers or lightly grease.

Mix topping ingredients well until crumbly.  (I use my clean fingers.)

Prepare filling by mixing all ingredients well with fork or hand mixer.

Prepare batter by mixing with hand mixer on low for 30 seconds.  Increase speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes, scraping down sides. 

Divide half the batter evenly among the muffin cups.  (I made 19 muffins.)  Dollop approximately 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon filling onto each muffin, then top with remaining batter.  Sprinkle a little topping over each and pressing lightly.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and lovely.

Oh, and if you forget to put the topping on the first batch like I did, make this cream cheese frosting, because well, every muffin needs a topper. =)

*People, let's call these what they are-- CUPCAKES! 

the accidental crouton.

I was making a salad for dinner because I had a crisper drawer full of romaine, yellow peppers, cucumbers, carrot, fresh mint, red onion and a refrigerator full of not much else.  Sparky is usually down for a salad as dinner as long as there is some sort of meat in it.  Well, I had no meat.  I didn't even have any cheese.  I did have a can of garbanzo beans and three stale onion bagels in a mostly bare pantry.  Hmmmm, I thought, I wonder if I can make a good crouton out of those.  And guess what?  I could and did.  They were actually the best croutons I've ever made, and next to the croutons at The Quiet Woman, they are the best croutons I've ever eaten.  (Great on a salad, but delightful as a snack with a large glass of cab while watching forbidden dvr'd television after littles have gone to bed.)

The Accidental Crouton
Onion bagel(s) (I had Sara Lee Deluxe.)
Extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut onion bagel into large bite size pieces.  On a rimmed cookie sheet, douse the bagel chunks liberally with olive oil and toss.  Make sure each piece of bagel gets coated in olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and toss again.  Spread out into single layer on the cookie sheet.  Bake at 450 for 10 to 15 minutes until croutons are golden and crisp on the outside but still soft in the middle.

beans, beans, the musical fruit.

The only reason I'm even posting this quasi recipe* is that these beans were RAVED over by two lovely ladies at two separate dinner parties that we hosted in the last couple of weeks. (Yes, I serve beans at dinner parties.  I'm fancy like that.)  Both friends asked for the recipe.  One I saw at the park a few days later, promptly told me she'd been dreaming about "my beans."  The other texted to tell me that she couldn't stop thinking about "my beans."  Well, if "my beans" are that damn good, I guess I should share.  Fair warning, these beans are a slow process, which can be good or bad, depending on your outlook.  Like a lot  in life, yes?

Super Easy White Beans, Scrumptious Style
1 bag of small dried white beans (any kind will do, I used great northern white beans.)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, small chop
3 cloves garlic, minced (I use more.)
1 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons cumin
4 cups vegetable broth  (You can also use chicken.)
For garnish: lemon juice, salt and pepper, olive oil

Rinse and soak beans overnight in 6 cups of water.  Cover the bottom of a large soup pot with olive oil and heat over medium.  When oil is hot, add onion and stir, cooking for one minute.  Reduce heat to low and saute the heck out of the onions until they are super soft (not brown) and begin to "melt" into the olive oil, about 15 minutes. You'll need to stir them occasionally.  Add minced garlic and saute one more minute.  Stir in salt and cumin.  Add beans and vegetable broth.  Mix well and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and walk away.  Come back every now and then to stir.  You'll know by looking at them and tasting them when they are done.  Most of the broth will be absorbed and the beans will be quite soft, mushy even.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve with lemon wedges or just squeeze a lemon or two over the beans before serving.  To me, the lemon juice is a make it or break it item, but I have a weird obsessed love affair with lemons and should really plant a tree.  A swirl of really good olive oil over the top is also delish.

More on when they are done:
I've left the house, the stove on low, lid on the pot for hours on end, and these beans, well, they are just fine.  You can't really mess them up.  If you want them to cook faster, take the lid off the pot.  I usually do this for the last 10 minutes, especially if it seems like the beans haven't absorbed what I deem as enough of the liquid.

Variations on a theme:
You can add any spice and/or herbs you want.  We have rosemary growing all over our yard, so when I'm in the mood I add that and omit the cumin.  I bet a bay leaf or two would be good.  Or basil.  Spice it up with red pepper.  Let me know what you do!

 {so many scrumptious things start this way}

 {cumin, how i love thee.}

{i do feel a little sorry for beans.  among other things, they aren't very photogenic.}

*All my recipes are quasi, unless I steal them from someone else.  I'm not a good measurer or timer as this "recipe" can attest to!  Sorry.  I'm trying to get better at paying attention to those things as I trip over the fat 10 year old lab under foot, carry around the "hold you momma" two year old, listen to the genius 6 year old read and mentally plan my outfits for my weekend away with Sparky.  xo

eating my vegetables: roasted brussels sprouts (uh, with a little bit of bacon.)

 Take this-

Add some heat.  And get this--

This is why I love cooking.  (Well, besides my love of eating.)  It's like a science experiment and usually the experiment has favorable results.

The "Recipe":
brussels sprouts
center cut bacon
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Cut brussels sprouts in half.  (I think I had around a dozen.) Take a few slices of bacon and cut in large equal chunks.  (I used 4 slices and cut them in sixths.)  Place on a cookie sheet.  (If you want easier clean up, cover cookie sheet with foil.  I was too hungry and didn't.) Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently.  Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, tossing everything after 15.  Remove brussels sprouts from the cookie sheet and return bacon to the oven as it won't be cooked through.  Roast bacon until it's done to your liking -- I prefer crispy!  Toss everything back together when the bacon is done and sprinkle with more salt and pepper to taste.  I ate this for lunch but of course it would make an excellent side dish.  Super easy and you can make more or less depending on how many you are serving.  And to you (brussels sprout) haters, I simply say that if you don't like brussels sprouts, you've been eating them the wrong way.

eating my vegetables: roasted beet and citrus salad

One of my favorite restaurants in Newport Beach is Gulfstream.  I'm guilty of always ordering the same thing--their amazing ahi burger with roasted beets on the side.  (I want to note that I substitute the beets for incredible shoe string French fries because I'm that healthy.)  While I don't think I could ever duplicate the ahi burger, I have always wanted to try my hand at a roasted beet salad.  And Pretty Mommy's Brighter and Lighter Recipe Exchange was a perfect excuse to do it.  That, and the fact that I like to eat.  Here's what I came up with.  (It's better than the inspiration.)

Roasted Beet, Citrus, Mint, Goat Cheese and Walnut Salad, serves 2 or really, just me
3 red or golden beets, roasted and peeled and cooled. (See how here but increase temp to 425 degrees so that you can get to eatin' quicker.  Also, a suggestion -- wear GLOVES when peeling!)
1 orange or two tangerines or something orange colored and citrusy (see photo below.)
1/2 cup walnuts (Put in oven for 5 minutes while you roast the beets.)
few handfuls of organic baby spinach
1/4 cup fresh crumbled goat cheese (More is good too.)
2-3 tablespoons fresh mint leaves

Citrus Dressing
zest of one orange
zest of one lime or lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh (or not) orange juice
1-2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix first 5 ingredients.  Then whisk in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.  You will have leftover dressing and it's good.

{Do you ever have to label your food in your own house?  I don't know what this actually is.  The produce 

man at Gelson's told me to get it.  Best orange-like substance I have ever tasted.  I will ask him the next time 

I go grocery shopping, which is pretty much every day.}

Cut the beets into large chunks. Peel orange and cut into bite size pieces.  (You could be fancy and section your orange like this, but I save fancy for when I'm going out to eat and someone is serving me, not when I'm making myself a salad for lunch.)  Put the oranges in a large bowl with the spinach, walnuts, and mint.  Pour a little dressing over and toss lightly.  Plate the salad.  Top with chunked beets and crumbled goat cheese.  Drizzle with a bit more dressing.  Eat it up.  If it's after four in the afternoon, drink a glass of cabernet with it.  Also, go ahead and roast some more walnuts because you'll eat them while you are drinking your wine and waiting for those beets to hurry up and be done.

Thanks to Michelle for including me in her recipe exchange.  Please check out the rest of the scrumptiousness right over here.

eating my vegetables: ratatouille

Can I tell you, (wanna be)writer's block sucks?  I have these ideas.  They are floating around in my head.  I metaphorically go to catch one and as soon as I try to form a sentence, I can actually see it disappear into nothingness, like when the two year old pops a bubble with the tip of her finger.  

I still have to eat my vegetables though and fortunately, produce is real and finite, just waiting for me to transform it, usually with a sharp instrument and heat, into something better.  And so I do.

"Whatever's in the 'Fridge" Ratatouille

extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 Japanese eggplants, half inch cube
2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 large yellow peppers, half inch cube

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup chicken broth (or water.  hmmm... or maybe white wine? next time.)

1 can chopped Italian tomatoes with juice

dried thyme (1/2 tsp?)

1/2 cup fresh basil, chiffonade 

cubed mozzarella cheese (or a sick of sting cheese cut up =)

crushed red pepper

fresh ground pepper

Cover the bottom of a large pot with olive oil and heat over medium.  Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.  Add eggplant, saute another 5 minutes, stirring occaionally. (If pot seems dry, add more olive oil.)  Season well with salt and pepper.  Add garlic and saute for one minute more.  Add chicken broth and bell peppers.  Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.  (You may need to add more liquid as it boils off.)  Add tomatoes and thyme, bring to a boil and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed and vegetables are soft.  Stir in basil and remove from heat. Portion into bowl(s) and stir in chunks of mozzarella to create gooey goodness.  Sprinkle with crushed red pepper and fresh ground pepper.  (I like a course grind.)

Cook's Notes

1.  I also like this over a tube pasta, with a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

2.  Also good as a side with grilled steak or chicken.

3.  I trim some of the skin off the eggplant.

4.  If everyone in your family likes heat, add the red pepper flakes with the salt and pepper.

{forgot to add the cheese on my second helping!}

a long day ending with chocolate.

{this is chocolate}

The two year old is obsessed with Giada.  Which is fine, I'm a fan myself.  The problem is that she only wants to watch two particular episodes of Giada, the Halloween episode and the episode where Giada goes ice skating with Brian Boitano.  Do you know how many times Ava and I have been subjected to Jade picking out caramels at the Candy Baron or Giada laughing at herself on the skating rink?  Ava's five, she's super smart, but I don't think she can count that high.  And to be honest, Giada is starting to bug me.  A lot.  No offense to her.  I'm sure if someone had to watch the same half hour of me over and over again, I'd be pretty annoying too.  I feel as if the only way I can redeem her and these episodes is to pick one of the recipes to make.  (And it better turn out spectacularly.  I'm just sayin'.)   The Halloween episode is a no-go as it's January and I'm really not interested in eating a pumpkin cupcake or biting into a caramel apple at this point.  That leaves the lovely lunch she brought Brian Boitano at the ice rink.  (Really enjoy saying his name, just rolls off the tongue.)  And even though I'm not a baker, I'm going to make her Oatmeal, Cranberry, and Chocolate Chunk Cookies from the episode because a) I like to eat (oatmeal chocolate chip) cookies, b) I have all of the ingredients, c) my children wouldn't eat the Creamy Sweet Potato Soup to save their lives, d) I'd really prefer to make the Ham, Gruyere, and Apple Panini, but I don't have a panini maker, d) I need a dessert to top off the dinner I'm bringing my good friend Becky (who just had her second baby!) and e) I want to attempt a new recipe as I'm joining fantastic Jessica of Kitchen Belleicious in her 2011 Recipe Challenge.  (Yippeee!)  (How's that for a run-on sentence?) Thanks Jessica for allowing me to participate.  Thanks Becky (and Ethan) for adding a new member to our beloved "family."  And thanks Giada for annoying me inspiring me to bake some cookies.


(I usually write these posts after I finish cooking, but because I've got a lot going on right now and I'm beyond exhausted, I'll be writing it "real time," a few sentences at a time, here and there, before, after, and as I mess up bake these cookies.  So please excuse the wordiness and any choppiness.)

Here we go... the recipe.

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp.

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg, room temp.

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup dried cranberries

1 (4 ounce) 60 percent cacao bittersweet chocolate bar, chopped into chunks

Just the amount of ingredients here stresses me out.  And the measuring.  Really?  I hate measuring.  (Am I the only one who hates exact measuring?)  But I am going to do this.  Because I love Becky.  And chocolate.

Directions: (Blah, blah, blah...I copied and pasted this from Giada's recipe.)
Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the flour mixture. Add the oats, cranberries and chocolate chunks. Mix until just incorporated (dough will be stiff). Using a 4-ounce cookie scoop, scoop slightly rounded mounds of the dough into 12 (2-inch-diameter) balls. Arrange 6 balls of dough, spaced evenly apart, on each baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, flatten the tops slightly and bake until the cookies are slightly golden on the edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes before serving.

{ava mixing the dry ingredients}

{the good stuff-chocolate, oats, and cranberries}

{all i actually care about eating--the batter}

 {this + a tall glass of milk.  call it dinner.}

And POOF, cookies are done. =)  (Twelve and a half hours after I started writing this...)
Cook's Notes
1.  I doubled the recipe. (Hello. 12 cookies are not enough.)
2.  The next time I make this recipe (and I will,) I plan to cut the amount of dried cranberries in half.  They add a bit too much sweetness for my taste.  I'm sure that is preference though.  I don't like raisins in my oatmeal cookies either.
3. Of course, something will need to replace the cranberries, and that will be MORE chocolate chunks.  Love the use of a chopped up chocolate bar instead of chips.  So. Much. Better.
4.  I will definitely be walking my lazy tush the 20 feet to my garage to get my Kitchen Aid on the next go around.  My arm is tired from holding the hand mixer.  Takes much longer to cream the butter and sugar and eggs with that darn thing.
5.  I made smaller cookies but they still took 15 minutes to bake.  (My oven is circa 1986 so that might explain it. Perhaps I should invest in an oven thermometer.)


Sparky loves the cookies.  The true taste test will be tomorrow with the girlies.  Maybe I'll even let them have one for breakfast.  For now, I'm retiring to the couch with a scoop of batter, a glass of milk, and my dvr.  Nighty-night.


*Update, February 4, 2011--After much thought and many bites (and finding and making another oatmeal chocolate chip recipe that is OH SO GOOD,) I do not recommend this recipe (without some major modifications.)   There are so many better out there.  (I'll be posting another one soon.)  Just keeping it real, people. 

{sweet baby cayden jean :) }

having her cake and eating it too.

There is nothing especially exciting about this cake, other than the fact that Ava and her best girlfriend Paigey made it together.  Actually, they baked TWO cakes!  And had a blast doing it.  They thoroughly enjoyed the process, especially the frosting and the decorating.  Sprinkles, my friends, rival glitter in the mess making department.  Each girlie picked a color for her batter and then, after baking, swapped a layer.  (Perhaps this is my segue into this cake.)  It really was a good time, a party in the kitchen if you will.  (Thankfully the two year old was napping during most of our cake-baking playdate!)  

I'd like to say the reason behind this post is a fabulous, easy, and tasty white cake recipe.  One that I make from scratch, all the time.  A recipe, I created all by myself, to satisfy my never ending sweet tooth.  But of course it's not.  Other than the self indulgent need to share pictures,  I'm writing this in search of some help from you (my 30 loyal readers =).  Ava and I love to bake (and eat!) cake together but as I've said before, I'm not much of a baker, so I rely heavily on boxed cake mix (except for this one time,) which is fine.  I'm not opposed to short-cuts or store bought items.  Here's the problem.  I'm not a big fan of the ingredient list on my boxed mix. (Specifically, the partially hydrogenated soybean and modified corn starch.*)  Here's where I need the help.  Do any of you have an easy, fool-proof, delicious recipe for white cake that you seem to use over and over?  (Or better yet, a boxed cake mix that has real* ingredients?)  I'd love it if you'd care to share.  Thanks in advance!

(*How do they modify corn starch anyway?  I don't even want to know.  If my grandmother wouldn't recognize it as food, it probably isn't.  I've been trying to eat food based on that thought for the last year.  More on that at a later date.)

eating my vegetables: haricots verts

Haricots verts.  Ha!  Just a fancy way to say GREEN BEANS.  You think the five year old will eat them if I call them haricot verts?  (The answer is NO, she most definitely will not.)  But anyway...

My good friend Allison brought a side dish of haricots verts to our Christmas Eve party.  Guests were raving about them.  Yes, that's right, raving about green beans after I'd slaved all day over the rest of the meal. Whatever.  They really are that good.  When I made this yesterday, I added a little lemon (zest and juice) to jazz them up a bit as I'm a huge fan of citrus.  Quick, easy, and delicious.  What's better than that?

Stay tuned for what to do with leftovers from this recipe.  (Just double it and trust me.)

Alli's Haricots Verts
1 pound haricots verts
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar as that's all I had.)
1 shallot minced
juice from half a lemon
zest from one lemon

Steam or boil beans.  (I boiled them for 5 minutes.)  Whisk together the rest of the ingredients except lemon zest. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Toss with beans.  Top with lemon zest.  Enjoy immediately or serve at room temp. (You can also top with chopped nuts.  I think pecans would be fab.)

eating my vegetables.

One of my goals for the new year is to find creative (yummy!) ways to cook vegetables.  I'm not sure how creative this is, but it was definitely tasty, stimulating to the eye, and fun (and easy) to make.  This will be my new go to lunch at home, but will also be great as a side dish or served with pasta.

Eggplant and Zucchini Stack

1 Japanese eggplant

1 large zucchini

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

parmesan cheese

mozzarella cheese

homemade marinara or the best jarred you can find 

Slice eggplant and zucchini, lengthwise, into three strips.  Gently toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Lay on cookie sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping after 10.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and roast another two minutes.  Meanwhile, heat a 1/2 a cup (I didn't measure!) of marinara in microwave.  Stack slices alternating zucchini and eggplant.  Cut in half on a diagonal.  Pour hot marinara over both stacks and grate mozzarella over the top.  Sprinkle with more salt and fresh ground pepper. 

Cook's Notes:

1. I trim a bit of the skin off both the eggplant and zucchini.

2. Salt is seriously important!

3. I used that (dreaded) green can of parmesan (which Sparky loves) because I didn't have any fresh.  Next time I'll use fresh but it was actually great this way.

4. Pretty sure I grated gruyere over the top because that's what I grabbed with the two year old hanging on my legs.  But my intention was mozzarella. =)

5. My marinara of choice is Rao's which I've mentioned before.  I like it better than homemade to be quite honest!

6. Next time I will add crushed red pepper before roasting the veggies.