Brie Pear and Bacon Sandwich

In honor of tax day, last night we had Pork for dinner.  (What....is that funny?)  Paying taxes, not so fun. Bacon on the other hand, SO much fun!  An easy yet slightly fancy take on the classic regular grilled cheese sandwich (of which we are big fans).

Brie Pear and Bacon Sandwich

Ultra easy to make:  put some brie, sliced pear, and a strip of bacon between two slices of bread. Butter the outsides, and toast it up in a skillet to golden-brown goodness. Enjoy!

Who says Easter Eggs are just for kids?

So, who says Easter Eggs are just for kids?  Here I am, walking proof that there is plenty of fun to be had for a twenty-something adult with colored eggs.  Oh yeah.  This being my first time ever dying easter eggs, I went with a pretty range of cool greens and blues.  I think my favorite is the robin's egg blue....it reminds me of a special little box from Tiffany's (hint to the husband :)

Happy Easter everyone!

Kale and Sausage Ragu, over Grits. Yes, Grits!

Sausage, browned to sizzling goodness then simmered in a mildly spicy tomato-y sauce, with yummy healthy green kale.  And yes - there are grits too!  We like grits in this house, usually for breakfast...as most normal people do. So you wouldn't think that sausage ragu would go with grits. Just the sausage itself, maybe. But just trust me on this and try it for yourself.  This really is a warm comforting dinner on a cold spring night...which, apparently, only western Washington seems to be having these days :(  Boo to the warm weather everywhere else.

Kale and Sausage Ragu

1 lb bulk ground sausage (pork or turkey)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin or 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups roughly chopped fresh kale
1 1/2 cups marinara / pasta sauce
1/2 cup water

Brown ground sausage, and set aside to drain on paper towels. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, and add the cumin when oil is hot. It should sputter a bit. Then add the onions and garlic, and saute just until translucent, about 4 minutes. Then add kale and stir well, let soften over heat for about 4 minutes. Then add the browned sausage,  red pepper flakes, pasta sauce, water, and bring the whole thing up to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook away for about 15 - 20 minutes. Serve hot over creamy parmesan grits (recipe below!)...enjoy!


Parmesan Grits

4 cups water
1 cup quick-cooking (5 min) hominy grits
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup fresh shaved parmesan

Add grits, salt, and pepper to boiling water, and stir on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until thickened. Stir in shaved parmesan when done.

Avocado Shrimp Salad "Boats"

Isn't it just better when veggies look like so much fun to eat?! Something magical truly happens when you take shrimp and pair it with avocado. Add the salsa ingredients to really kick it up a notch!

Avocado Shrimp Salad "Boats"

Recipe is as simple as can be. Toss together:  cooked shrimp, avocado, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, jalapenos, cilantro, salt, lime juice. Enjoy! Great with tortilla chips, or, better yet, eat it in lettuce "boats". So fun!

Kale Chips

My first attempt at homemade Kale Chips. Inspired by my friend Jennifer, at whose home recently I had the most wonderful Kale Chips, I decided to try making these. And...success! Why didn't anyone tell me how easy these are to make at home?? Not to mention, I would venture to guess that munching on homemade oven-baked Kale Chips is any day better for you than munching on fried things.

   Kale Chips

I started with a beautiful bunch of organic Purple Kale. Simply wash, rinse, rip into bite sized pieces, dry (this is where a salad-spinner is a huge help!), then toss with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake on a cookie sheet at 350 F for 10-15 minutes. Results: crispy, yummy, wonderful green goodness. Enjoy!

Spiced Chick Pea Soup

Chick peas, spinach, and tomatoes simmered in savory herbs and spices, with homemade garlicky crostini...dinner is served! This soup is perfect on a cold winter's evening, and very hearty for being completely vegetarian. Quick and easy to make, and, you will have plenty leftover for tomorrow's lunch!

Spiced Chick Pea, Spinach, and Tomato Soup

You will need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3 tablespoons harissa (a versatile condiment well worth having on hand!)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

salt to taste (I did not need to add any)

1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans), rinsed really well and drained
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of all water
1 can fire roasted tomatoes (regular diced tomatoes are fine too)
4 cups vegetable broth, warmed

Heat up the olive oil in a soup pot on medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and saute for a couple of minutes on medium heat. Then add the bay leaf, cumin powder, and dried herbs. Stir for a minute, then add the harissa paste and stir for another minute. Add pepper (and salt if you like), chick peas. spinach, and tomatoes with their can liquid as well. Stir well for two minutes. Add the warmed vegetable broth and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat to a strong simmer and leave uncovered for 30 minutes. Fish out the bay leaf. At this point the soup is ready to serve!
Or, you could remove half the soup, puree it in the food processor or with an immersion blender, then add it back into the remaining soup - this gives it a wonderful thick consistency and the textures play off each other really well!
Toss in some croutons or any kind of bread when serving. Enjoy!

Memories Of Potatoes And Marriage

We are just about halfway unpacked in our new home, after one full week. I had most of the kitchen unpacked within the first few days, therefore had few excuses not to start cooking right away. The only issue was, with not much more than a sack of potatoes in the pantry, I was at a loss for what to make for dinner (unless there was a harried rush to the grocery store involved - which is never a good idea where I'm concerned).

Then a memory came back to me about the first meal that my now husband (then boyfriend) ever made for me. We had been dating for about a month at the time, and he told me that one of his favorite foods was the mighty Potato. Ever the sassy one, I asked him to make me something with potatoes...and voila, he produced this amazing foil-wrapped roasted potato dish. Adding to the fact that this meal was prepared with care, I couldn't help but notice that this foil-wrapped method locked in all the yummy herbs and spices and infused the potatoes with their flavor in such a marvelous way. It is a stand-alone meal for us potato-lovers, but is probably better suited to being a side dish for normal folk!

I have since made my husband's special potatoes quite often and every time we enjoy this dish, those fond memories come rushing back. So, what better way to break in our new kitchen than to load it up right away with fond memories of our first meals together?

As an added bonus, I got to celebrate the fact that I finally have an oven that I can turn up to over 400 F without having to worry about an over sensitive smoke alarm!  :)

Foil Roasted Potatoes

You will need:

4-5 baking potatoes, cubed (we like skin on, but feel free to peel)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/4 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste
Aluminum foil

Preheat oven to 425 F. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Tear off enough aluminum foil to cover a cookie sheet twice. Pour the potatoes over this double layer, then cover with another double layer of aluminum foil. Fold the edges over tightly, to make a "packet". Put the cookie sheet in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Then carefully flip the packet over and bake for another 20 minutes. That's it. Enjoy!