Pups

I can't help but take pictures of them, they are just such great subjects

ART + Brunch

A few Sundays ago, we all had a delicious brunch and saw some art by a few great local artists...

andy-frost.com

andy-frost.com

the artist and son

Baked Eggs and Hashbrown Casserole

Hashbrown casserole is the perfect potato side dish for a brunch.  It can also be prepared ahead of time and baked prior to serving; overall, it is a very easy recipe! 

• Hashbrown Casserole
• (Serves 6-8)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 oz low fat sour cream
• 1 (10.5 oz) can of low sodium condensed cream of celery soup
• 8 oz shredded cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese (put 1 oz aside for topping)
• 1 (30 oz) package of frozen shredded potatoes, thawed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 
  
• Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray.  In a small frying pan, cook onions and garlic with olive oil until translucent (~4 minutes).  Pour into a large bowl and add sour cream, celery soup, cheese, potatoes, salt and pepper.  Mix well; pour into prepared casserole dish. (Refrigerate if you aren't cooking right away)  Top with remaining 1 oz of cheese and bake for 45 minutes or until top is browned and bubbly. 
• Substitutions: I like to use half the potatoes and add one shredded zucchini and one shredded sweet potato for color and added nutrients!

Whoopie!

These little pumpkin whoopie pies are AMAZING and perfect for the holiday season.  Try to control yourself though because if you have too many they can pack quite the punch...

• Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Frosting 
• (adapted from Martha Stewart)
• (Makes 60 mini whoopie pies)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp ground cloves
• 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 cups pureed pumpkin (chilled)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 cups confectionary sugar, sifted
1 stick soft unsalted butter
8 ounces soft reduced fat cream cheese (neufchatel)
1 tsp vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 350, line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Mix flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together in a large ziploc bag.
• Whisk together brown sugar and oil in a large bowl until combined; add pumpkin puree until combined.  Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.  Slowly add dry ingredients (contents of ziploc) to the wet ingredients until mixed thoroughly.
• Use an ice cream scoop with a spring release to measure out dough (I used a 2 tsp one to get the mini size) onto cookie sheets.  Depending on how big you make your whoopies, cook for about 12-15 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean; let them cool completely.
• Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese in an electric mixer until smooth; add confectionary sugar and vanilla and mix until well combined.
• Assemble your whoopie pies!

Some Thanksgiving highlights...

14 people total!

too much cafe patron

Procrastination

I have a lot of studying to do this weekend, so naturally, I am doing everything BUT learning about nutritional biochemistry...

A few weekends ago I had the pleasure of realizing it was Fall while visiting my parents, sometimes it's easy to forget these things when you are living in the city.

Snugglebugs

Oliver

Comfort Food

I apologize for the lack of recent posts - to say school has been busy would be the understatement of the century.  I've also gotten a lovely Fall cold which has made for some added excitement too.

But...enough complaining!  On the positive side of things, with my appetite being almost absent, the only things that have been appealing to me are fatty, carb-filled, amazing foods that I usually eat only a few times a year...queue the pasta with prosciutto and peas...

• Pasta with Prosciutto and Peas 
• (adapted from Emeril)
• (Serves 6-8)
• 1 pound fresh pasta (linguine)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 pieces of prosciutto, diced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 cup frozen sweet peas
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan
• Add olive oil and butter to a large saute pan over medium heat.  Once the butter melts, add the diced onions and cook until translucent.  Add the garlic and prosciutto and cook for an two minutes.  Add the white wine and cook until it has almost entirely evaporated.  Add the cream, half and half, peas, salt, and pepper to the pan.  Simmer over medium-low heat ensuring the mixture does not burn.  Allow the cream to reduce by half (~5 minutes).  

Meanwhile, cook the pasta and add to a large ceramic serving bowl.  Once the sauce has finished, pour over the pasta and add parmesan cheese, tossing well with tongs.  Serve immediately while hot.  

Peas?

  

Food Trucks and Pizzas

Last weekend was the Local Food Festival in Boston!  While there were some great local food options that we sampled, they all came with a price, literally - what happened to free food??  So, like a moth to a flame, we were drawn to the food trucks... 

Go Fish - Cody had some kind of corn meal battered oysters that he loved

Grilled Cheese Nation - We all tried different kinds of gourmet grilled cheeses, with varying ingredients and Iggy's organic bread, YUM

And of course...after you've stuffed your face with food-truck food, what better to do then continue eating by hosting a family pizza party?

Some light reading in between meals

We've been wating to cook with figs for a while and this seemed like the perfect opportunity, espcially since they are now in season

Whole wheat pizza with sliced figs, carmelized onions, goat cheese and grape tomatoes

(cooked on a lightly oiled cookie sheet at 500 degrees for 15 minutes)

The Chef

Veggie pizza (Zubin special) with broccoli, cauliflower, red onions, extra sharp cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan

(cooked on a pizza stone for 25 minutes at 350 degrees)

approval!

Some Things

Such a great anniversary - beautiful flowers, chocolate cake, SUSHI, and Bridesmaids (the movie), couldn't have asked for more! 

Fingers crossed for next week!!!

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

This is a traditional Persian salad (sometimes mint is added), that is a great substitute for the typical (and usually boring) leafy green salad.  It pairs well with many dishes especially those with fish and can even be served as an appetizer with toasted syrian/pita bread wedges. 

Tomato and Cucumber Salad (Shirazi Salad)

(Makes 6-8 servings)

1 english cucumber, diced

4-5 plum tomatoes, diced

1/2 small red onion, diced

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together - can be eaten right away but after sitting in the fridge for a bit the flavors are magnified!  

3 Years

Meat and Potatoes

ok maybe not really, the meat is actually haddock, but with all this cold fall-like weather, we needed some hearty cooking...

Dijon Glazed Haddock

(Makes ~3 servings)

4 tablespoons whole grain dijon mustard

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

juice of 1/4 lemon

salt and pepper

1 pound Haddock fillets

Preheat oven to 350 F and coat a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray.

Mix mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a small mixing bowl.

Wash fillets thoroughly, dry, and cut into manageable pieces or individual serving sizes.

Place fillets into baking dish and coat with mustard mixture.

Bake for 15 minutes or until fish is flaky, and broil for 3-5 minutes (make sure mustard doesn't burn!). Eat!

Sauteed Parmesan Polenta Cakes

(Makes 6-8 servings)

4.5 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup instant/quick cooking polenta

2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (or 1/3 parmesan and 1/3 mozzarella)

salt and pepper

olive oil

Coat a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray. Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan.

Lower heat and add polenta slowly while whisking.  If mixture appears too thick and you are having trouble getting lumps out, add some more hot water and whisk until mixture is smooth.  

Add cheese(s) and mix again until smooth (another 5 minutes).

Add salt and pepper to taste -- sample your polenta now to make sure you like the taste - modify as needed!

Pour finished mixture into baking dish and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, or until polenta has solidified.

Use a cookie cutter (or rim of a cup) to cut polenta into rounds.  Place rounds in a saute pan with olive oil over medium heat and saute on each side for a few minutes until golden brown.  

Top with some grated parmesan and enjoy!

Roasted Root Vegetables (Rainbow Carrots, Sweet and Kennebec Potatoes, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper)

Roast at 350 F for about 40 minutes, try adding parsnips, turnips, kohlrabi, beets, and rosemary. 

The season for red wine has returned!

All of our vegetables were from an organic farm in South Hamilton called Green Meadows, nothing like eating fresh, seasonally, and supporting the local guys!

Green Meadows Farm

Garden Summary

In order to increase garden success next year,  and avoid certain missteps taken this season, I've created a summary of my experiences and opinions on each vegetable planted...

Sun

Black Rock Beach, Nahant

This dog friendly beach can be found across the street from the public beach.  To get here from Tides or Dunkins, cross over Nahant Road and head straight for the water - look left...

Olivia

We had a small photo shoot with Olivia and I couldn't resist sharing...