Easy Omelet

I have been looking for more ways to get my 5-a day (5 vegetables that is...)

I happened to have some mushrooms and spinach, so I opted for a sauteed spinach and mushroom omelet with freshly grated parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese.  An omelet is great for breakfast with a piece of fruit, or for lunch with a simple side salad.

I modified Jamie Oliver's Omelette Recipe.  He suggests 2-3 eggs.  I use one whole egg + one egg white.

Easy Omelet- Recipe

2-3 large eggs, preferable free range or organic
a small handful of grated cheese
whatever vegetables you have
salt and pepper
oil

First: Take about 1 cup of fresh spinach.  Saute in a skillet with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil over medium high heat.  Season.  Remove spinach from the skillet once it wilts. Set aside.  Slice fresh mushrooms.  Saute in a skillet with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil over medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Season.  Remove from skillet and set aside.
1. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Beat well with a fork.
2. Put a small skillet on low heat and let it get hot.
3. Add a dab of oil or butter.
4. Add the eggs to the pan and let them spread out evenly.

5. When the omelet begins to cook and firm up, sprinkle over the cheese and the sauteed vegetables.

6. Using a spatula, ease around the edges of the omelette, then fold it in half.

7. When it becomes golden brown underneath, slide it onto a plate. Serve warm.

Quick and Easy Chicken Paella

Every once in a while, I get inspired to make something out of my comfort zone.  I've never had paella before, but it has always intrigued me.  I found a recipe that was "quick and easy."  The entire dish takes one hour--start to finish.  Also, no special equipment required!  It's a one-pan dish. Everything is done in a large skillet.  I have never put a skillet in the oven before, but I followed the directions and kept a close eye on the skillet (everything worked out just fine).

The sugar snap peas really added a nice crunch, and the bright green pods contrasted the red-hued paella.  I'm not a fan of dark meat chicken, so I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of the chicken thighs the recipe calls for.  I also threw in some leftover shrimp that I had in the freezer, which really added a nice seafood flair.   This dish reminded me of a combination of two classic Louisiana dishes, jambalaya and dirty rice, with a twist of some Spanish spices (saffron, chorizo, paprika).

Recipe- Quick and Easy Chicken Paella
1/2 c. dry white wine
1/2 tsp. saffron threads
1 and 1/2 tsp. salt
1 and 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika (I substituted with regular paprika)
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 and 1/2 pounds of chicken thighs, with skin and bones, excess fat removed (I used chicken breasts)
4 oz. 1/4" thick slices, fully cooked smoked Spanish Chorizo (pork, beef and soy chorizo options readily available)  (I used the entire chorizo sausage since I only used one pound of the chicken)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion (about 1 and 1/2 c.), chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 and 1/2 c. long grain rice
2 c. low salt chicken or vegetable broth
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, in juice
1/4 c. chopped roasted peppers
2 and 1/2 c. sugar snap peas, trimmed


• Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix white wine and saffron threads in small measuring cup; set aside. Combine salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper in small bowl; rub spice mixture all over chicken thighs. Heat heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and sauté until fat begins to render and sausage browns, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Transfer chorizo to large plate. Add olive oil to skillet. Add chicken thighs to skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate with chorizo.
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add long-grain rice and stir to coat. Add wine-saffron mixture and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Add chicken broth, tomatoes with juice, and roasted red peppers. Bring to simmer. Stir in browned chorizo. Place chicken thighs, skin side up, atop mixture in skillet. Cover skillet tightly with foil, then cover skillet with lid. Bake paella until rice is almost tender, about 25 minutes.
Transfer chicken to plate. Stir rice; season to taste with salt and pepper. Scatter snap peas over. Return chicken to skillet, nestling into rice. Cover with foil and lid. Bake until snap peas are crisp-tender, rice is tender, and chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes longer.

*Photo and recipe for this post courtesy of Bonappetit.com

Devil's Food Cupcakes

Every once in a while, a girl needs some chocolate...  These devil's food cupcakes with chocolate ganache really hit the spot.  They are incredibly rich in taste, but light in texture.  Because I am not a choco-holic, and chocolate icing on chocolate cake is a little too much for me--I used cream cheese icing for some of the cupcakes.

Recipe- Devil's Food Cupcakes

3/4 cup boiling water

3/4 cup cocoa powder

6 oz. butter

2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

2 and 1/2 c. cake flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 c. buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Place rack in the middle of the oven.  Whisk together boiling water and cocoa. Cover and set aside.

2. With a mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Continue creaming until light and fluffy.

4. Sift together the cake flour, baking soda, and baking powder.  Add to the mixture, alternately with the buttermilk. 

5. Add the cocoa/water mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.  Scoop into cupcake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes (until a toothpick inserted deep into the middle comes out clean).

6. Let cupcakes cool completely before decorating. Prepare the chocolate ganache.

Recipe- Chocolate Ganache

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

3/4 c. heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter

Chop chocolate and place into a glass bowl.  Bring the heavy cream and sugar just to a boil in a small sauce pan.  Pour over the chopped chocolate.  Whisk together, and then stir in butter until melted.  Dip the tops of the cooled cupcakes in the warm ganache. Let set.

I then piped some left over cream cheese icing onto the cupcakes.

Get creative! Enjoy!

The Best of the Bubbly

The long-awaited results from the Bubbles tasting party!

The Crowd Pleaser: D'Aquino's "Asti Spumante"

This light, delicate, sweet sparkling wine is made entirely from Muscat grapes.  Due to its lightness and sweetness, this Italian sparkling wine is a real crowd pleaser.  Its alcohol content is low (7.5%) compared to other sparkling wines (~13%), making this an excellent wine to serve to guests who need to drive home!   D'Aquino Asti Spumante.

Where to Find It: Trader Joe's

How Much it Costs: $5.99

The Winner: Il Conte d'Alba Moscato d'Asti

This sweet Italian wine was the winner from the blind tasting at the Bubbles Party.  Though it is not a true sparkling wine, it is delightfully light.  This wine also has a relatively low alcohol content (5.5%), making it a great wine to serve to guests.  This wine pairs great with fresh fruit or fruit tarts.  It is also made from Muscat grapes.

Where to Find It: Beverages and More

How Much it Costs: $11.99

The Critic's Choice: Domaine Chandon Rosé

This is one of my personal favorites.  There is a wonderful balance of lightness and crispness with sophistication.  Also, this wine is made right here in California.  It is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes.  Just make sure to sip slowly--this wine has a 13% alcohol content.

Where to Find It: Most grocery stores; Beverages and More; Domaine Chandon Winery in Yountsville, CA

How Much it Costs: $17.99 (Bevmo); $22 (Domaine Chandon Winery).

This was just a small sample of some of the wonderful wines we got to taste as the Bubbles event.  If you brought a wine that I did not list here, please list it under the comments!  Most of the bottles were thrown away before I was able to take notes on their labels.  

Strawberry Season!

I just bought a pound of strawberries from my local grocer for 79 cents!  I've always loved strawberry season.  As a little girl, my family would go to a friend's strawberry field and pick crates of fresh strawberries.  My mother and sister would stay in the car, so it was just my dad and I out in the field--getting dirty and having a good time!  After we ate as many fresh strawberries as we could, my parents would make jars of strawberry preserves.  

Several months ago, I came across a beautiful strawberry tart that I wanted to make.  I patiently waited for strawberries to be in season, and finally got around to making it just yesterday.

 I'm always a little wary about fruit tarts because their taste rarely matches their aesthetics.  I altered the recipe and used my grandmother's famous "strawberry delight" crust instead of a regular pie crust.  But, this was fairly simple to make, and even easier if you buy a pre-made pie crust.  (The recipe is at the bottom of the post.)

 I pretty much never make it to Louisiana during strawberry season these days.  But I did this year.  I'm so glad I did, because I got to enjoy some Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager.  I found some at the Fresh Market which is walking distance from my house.  This beer was so delicious!  I'm not really a beer girl, but it was very light and crisp, with a slightly sweet taste and the aroma of strawberries throughout.  The beer is made with Louisiana strawberries that were picked at their ripest, so it's seasonal and only a very limited supply is made.

Strawberry Tart Recipe

1 fully baked pie crust

1 cup cream cheese or mascarpone cheese, cold

3/4 cup heavy cream, cold

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

20 fresh strawberries, hulled

1. Mix cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract with the whip attachment of a stand mixer, or a hand mixer on medium, until firm peaks form (about 2 minutes).  Pour into the fully baked pie crust.  Arrange the strawberries on to the tart. Refrigerate.

2. Serve cold.

America Needs a Food Revolution

How far gone are we, when the idea of cooking fresh food is revolutionary??

I recently started watching the incredible ABC show, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.  The show focuses on Jamie Oliver's quest to enlighten people about food.  He does this by attempting to change school lunches in a small town in West Virginia (that happens to be the most obese and unhealthy town in America).  What is both fascinating and disturbing about this show is how ignorant we are about food, and our resistance for change.

The point that Jamie is trying to make is one that I whole heartedly agree with: No more Fast Food!  No more Processed Food!  We need to cook our own food.  Otherwise, you have no control as to what goes in your food (and the food you are feeding your family!)--and please believe, it's a lot of CRAP.  Just read the ingredients label.  The food industry has bamboozled us into thinking that we should buy, and not make ourselves, simple things like a loaf of bread.  Let's start using our pots, skillets, stoves and ovens.  It truly only takes about 10 minutes to cook a healthy meal--grill some fish, lightly sautee some vegetables in olive oil, and serve some brown rice.

Jamie is preaching the same thing that I have realized since I started this blog and really committed myself to cooking the food that I eat.  My entries in this blog are not representative of what I eat.  I'm not eating crepes everyday for breakfast, and cupcakes for lunch.  I drink a fresh fruit smoothie for breakfast, along with steel cut oatmeal w/ maple syrup and walnuts.  For lunch, I'll have a sandwich with some fresh vegetables and hummus--or maybe lentils or soup.  For dinner, I'll often have some brown rice, more vegetables (I'm currently on a mushroom, spinach, green bean rotation), maybe chicken or fish, and fruit for dessert.  And if I recently made cupcakes, yes I will have one of those as well.

But back to this fascinating show...

Jamie starts by going to an elementary school that serves a rotation of pizza and chicken nuggets (with chocolate milk) for pretty much every single breakfast and lunch.  He goes to a high school where the students are pretty much only eating french fries every day for lunch.  That is a lot of french fries.  And a lot of grease. And pretty much zero nutrition.  What's worse, is that the school meal bureaucrats consider french fries to be a vegetable.

I'm not opposed to pizza, chicken, and french fries. We are all entitled to splurges where we eat delicious, lovingly prepared food.  These kids are having reheated over-processed non-food.  Furthermore, the lack of diversity in what these children are eating will undoubtedly lead to unhealthy eating behavior in adulthood.  Which will lead to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

This show airs on Friday nights on ABC.  Please, please, please watch it!  You will be shocked, and you will probably learn something ( I certainly did--chocolate milk has more sugar than soda, and many school children don't know what a potato looks like).  If you want to catch up on the 3 episodes that you missed, go to Hulu.com where you can stream the full episodes.

Crêpes

I have very fond memories of walking the cold, damp streets of Paris with a warm crepe enveloped in my hands.

I explored with all types of fancy toppings until I settled on my personal favorite--"beurre et sucre" (butter and sugar).  A "crepe Suzette" (butter, sugar and lemon juice) is a close second.  And I can't leave out nutella!  My favorite crepe stand in Paris was across the street from the Centre Pompidou Museum and Library.  The guy making the crepe would paint my nutella on, as if it were a work of art..    

There is a restaurant in Los Angeles that makes wonderfully authentic crepes--Creme de la Crepe.  My favorite location is their Hermosa Beach one.  The owner is a young French guy who has been so successful because the food is so good and the service is so French.  I often go to brush up on my French, as all of the waiters are native French speakers.  My favorite is the "crepe splendide"--a crepe with strawberries, honey, whipped cream, and vanilla ice cream.

All of this leads me to my recent endeavor--to make crepes at home. I found a wonderfully simple recipe, and the crepes came out rather good.  

Recipe: Crepes

1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk, room temp.

3 large eggs, room temp.

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl.  Whisk together milk and eggs in a medium bowl. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture, whisking to combine.  Whisk in butter.  Strain mixture into a medium bowl, and refrigerate for at least two hours (or up to one day).

2. Heat an 8" or 12" nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Brush with butter.  Ladle 3 tablespoons batter (for smaller crepes)  or 1/3 cup batter (for large crepes) onto the skillet, turning and tilting the skillet to coat the bottom evenly with the batter.  Cook until the tops of the crepes appear set, about 1 minute.

3. Run a spatula along the edge of the crepe to loosen.  Slip the spatula under the crepe and gently flip in one swift gesture.  Cook until the bottom is firm, about 45 seconds.  Transfer to a plate.  Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately.