Thursday, February 27, 2014

Creamy Kale & Artichoke Flatbread Recipe (adapted from Food & Wine)

Ingredients: 

1/2 head Tuscan kale 
1/2 cup whole milk (I used 2% organic milk) 
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used organic half & half) 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
1 tablespoon flour 
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (I used a shallot) 
 1/4 cup onion, thinly sliced (I did NOT use) 
1 teaspoon kosher salt 
Freshly cracked black pepper 
12-ounce jar artichoke hearts, drained 1/2 cup grated fresh mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup Asiago cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I used grated Asiago from Whole Foods) 
Two 3–ounce flatbreads (I used a whole wheat pizza crust from Whole Foods)

Method: 

1.  Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment and arrange flatbread rounds. 

2.  Rinse the kale and add the leaves to a pot with 2 tablespoons of water over medium heat. Cover and cook until kale is tender, about 6 minutes. Squeeze excess water from the kale, and transfer to cutting board to finely mince, add to a small bowl and set aside. 

3.  Combine the milk and heavy cream in a small saucepot over low to medium heat and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepot over medium heat, melt the butter until it begins to froth. Add the flour to the butter and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux turns a pale yellow colored paste. Using a wire whisk, slowly add the warm milk mixture to the butter roux, whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. 

4.  Add the garlic, onion, and salt to the pot and simmer for 15 minutes until the cream base is fragrant. The sauce should be just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in 1/3 cup of the chopped kale until incorporated. If consistency is too thick, add a touch of milk to loosen. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. 

5.  Spread a generous layer of the sauce over the flatbreads, top with cheeses, a few artichoke hearts, and bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese has melted and sauce bubbles off the sides a bit. Cut into strips and serve.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Sausage Casserole


This is a very simple but delicious recipe from my mom.  

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground sausage*
1 8 oz box elbows**
1 8 oz. container sour cream 
1 small onion chopped 
1 green pepper chopped
2 tablespoons chile powder***
1 tablespoon sugar
salt/pepper to taste
1 can of stewed tomatoes, drained
* I used fresh sausage from The Fresh Market
**I used organic trottole
***I mixed Harissa , baharat and blackening seasoning 

Method:
Preheat oven to 325.  Cook pasta according to the directions on the package.  Cook sausage, onion and green pepper (place in a bowl).  Add sour cream, sugar, chili powder, pasta and tomatoes in the bowl.  Stir all ingredients until mixed well.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour into 13x9, bake for 30 minutes.
Always better the next day!

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Spicy Chicken Milanese (1/2014 Food and Wine)

Ingredients:
2 eggs
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1.5 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1.5 cups panko
(4) 3 oz. thin sliced chicken cutlets
Olive oil
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Shaved parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Method:
1.  Beat eggs with mustard and cayenne pepper and season with salt/pepper.  Spread panko in another plate.  Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, then dredge in the panko; press to help it adhere.

2.  In a large skillet heat the olive oil.  Add the chicken and cook moderately over high heat, turning once, until browned (we put in the oven for ~10 minutes at 350).

3.  Meanwhile in a bowl, toss the tomatoes, lemon juice and parsley with Olive oil; season with salt/pepper.  

4. Plate the chicken and spoon the tomatoes over chicken and garnish with cheese. 

**We served ours with a side of sautéed spinach**

Chefs notes:

Try oregano instead of parsley (we used fresh thyme bc that is what we had)

Add a little bit of mustard/cayenne after you dredge bc it got lost in the egg mixture

Great for dinner parties




Red Cabbage & Apple Soup

At the Gabriel household we have started a new tradition of Sunday soup making :). Here is the recipe from our 11/17/13 soup: Ingredients: 4 Golden Delicious apples, about 1 lb. total 2 Tbs. unsalted butter 1 yellow onion, minced 1 head red cabbage, about 3/4 lb., cored and very thinly sliced 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 4 1/2 cups beef broth 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup sour cream (optional) 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill Directions: Leaving them unpeeled, cut 2 of the apples into quarters, core them and then cut into 1-inch cubes. Set aside. In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, melt the butter. When it is foaming, add the onion and sauté until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the apple cubes and sauté until softened slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and sauté, stirring often, until it glistens and the color has lightened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the vinegar and bring to a simmer, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the pan bottom. Add the broth, salt and pepper, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the cabbage and apples are tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel, halve and core the remaining 2 apples, then shred them finely on a box grater. Place in a small bowl, add the lemon juice and toss to coat. Set aside. When the soup is ready, remove from the heat and stir in three-fourths of the shredded apples. Ladle into bowls and top with the sour cream. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded apples and the dill and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Oh my

I really need to get back to blogging........it has been too long!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Weight loss

Well I started tracking my weight loss/fitness progress 12/29/2009. I updated it today, 2/1/2011, I have lost 29 pounds since the end of 2009. I have 16 more to go to get to my goal weight on self.com. Ultimately my goal is not how much I weigh, but to get off of the blood pressure medicine I have been on for years. I am slowly getting back to working out. Finally I have realized this is a lifestyle change NOT a diet! Here's to kicking the daily blood pressure pills!

Ashley

Thursday, June 24, 2010

this and that...

I feel like I have not blogged in ages! Every now and then I like to go back to my New Year's resolutions list to make sure I am actually working towards the goals I set for myself. I can't tell you how many times I make a goal and fail! This is the year I will accomplish all of those goals! I have made a few lifestyle changes in the last couple of months. I feel that these are changes that will make me a healthier person. I went to the doctor last month to try and pin point why I have been exhausted for the last 7 years of my life! Yep 7 YEARS. Well as of May, I have lost 25 lbs since August 2009 just from making better food choices. Now I am adding in the exercise on a daily basis and hope that I will continue on my goal to drop the remaining 40 lbs and keep it off. After all of the blood tests I got NOTHING! Healthy other than high cholesterol. Blood pressure was great. So I have decided to cut down my meat intake to a tiny piece (bite) to nothing daily. Call me crazy but I have noticed a BIG change in the way I feel. I no longer feel exhausted or run down. I am no doctor but I think my body requires little to no meat to function. By god that is what it is going to get! I have lots to update on here but I am running out of time. I have to get ready for my new temporary job!