fancy steak sauce

so this picture sucks i know. that steak looks like a piece of brown you-know-what but i'm tellin' you, that steak was melt in your mouth...

i went hiking the other day (uphill. which was awful.). i got to the top of the mountain, i was over looking beautiful sausalito, CA and i was hungry as all get out. ask my bf ryan, i bit his head off when i got to the top of this hiking trail. i told him if he didn't get me a granola bar or a damn cracker ASAP i was gonna lose it! i get bossy and angry when i'm hungry--and poor ryan was stuck on a mountain with me in middle of the woods far from a granola bar or piece of bread. so to make up for all of my snappy comments on the way downhill, i decided to make him a steak for dinner. with a killer steak sauce.

whatcha need: (makes sauce for 4 steaks)

steak (NY strip is what i used)

1/4 c. dijon mustard

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

whatcha do:

cook steaks in pan about 3 minutes per side for medium rare. transfer to plate and cover with foil. add vinegar to skillet, boil until syrupy (1 min). remove from heat; whisk in mustard, serve over steaks.

-andi

easy peasy apple tart

this apple tart recipe is waayyy too easy. great to make if you're having friends over and need a quick dessert. or if you're like me, and all your friends live across the country, you could try this idea: spilt the dough in half, make a mini pizza, make this dessert (1/2 recipe ingredients) and have a meal + dessert in one. don't forget the vanilla ice cream ;)

whatcha need:

store bought pizza dough (1lb)

TBSP flour

stick of butter (unsalted, room temp./then cut in cubes)

TBSP lemon juice

2 TBSP light brown sugar

pinch of salt

1/4 + 1/8 tsp cinnamon

2 granny smith apples (peeled, cored, & very thinly sliced)

1 lg. egg yolk

tsp sugar

ice cream

whatcha do:

on floured surface, roll dough to 6X14in rectangle. place butter cubes on upper 2/3 and fold into thirds (like a letter) starting with unbuttered portion. roll dough to a 6X14in rectangle; refrigerate on baking sheet for an hour. cut dough crosswise into 4 equal parts. place dough on sheet lined with parchment.

preheat oven to 375. in large bowl, gently toss lemon juice, flour, b.sug, salt, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, & apples. leaving a 1/2 border, arrange apples over dough, overlapping slightly.

in a small bowl, combine egg yolk with tsp. water. in another bowl, combine sugar and 1/8 cinnamon. brush edges of dough with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. bake until crust is golden and apples are soft. (30-35min.)

-andi

my favorite appetizer

brushetta is my all time favorite appetizer..ever. i could really care less who makes it. i go to fancy restaurants and order it, i make it, my friends make it, i will even admit i kinda like olive garden's version. so as you can see my standards are really not super high.

when my mom was in town in june, we took a mini road trip up to sonoma to do some wine tasting. one of our favorite wineries was chateau st. jean. mainly because they had bread pieces you dip in grape seed oil and after a few glasses of wine bread dipped in anything is amazing. well, i wound up buying garlic flavored grape seed oil and let me tell you it was a great half-drunk-purchase. i sliced up some heirloom tomatoes, grabbed some fresh mozzarella and basil, then drizzled some of that garlic oil on--and it was awesome. one last thing. get great bread to go with this. it makes such a difference!

-andi

roasted carrots and sweet potatoes with caper vinaigrette

As I sit alone in the kitchen writing this post waiting for two pizzas to cook in the oven, I am reminded on how much I love cooking with other people (only if they know how). This recipe was the first time in a long time that Andi and I got to cook together. Andi decided to introduce Mikayla and I to firefly sweet tea vodka, and we though it would be fun to a have a few before we opened a couple bottles of wine. Smart move for Wednesday night (sorry Erin (boss), if you are reading this). We had this with lemon butter sole over polenta, which i will eventually blog. The vinaigrette really brings this dish together, and it is truly delicious.

Ingredients

4 carrots/parsnips

4 medium red onions

2/3 cup olive oil

4 thyme sprigs

2 rosemary sprigs

1 head garlic, halved horizontally

8-10 brussel sprouts, halved

salt and pepper

2 medium sweet potatoes

30 cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tbsp lemon juice

4 tbsp small capers

1/2 tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 375. Cut carrots into 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.

Peel the onion and cut each in to six wedges

Place the carrots and onions in a large mixing bowl and add 1/2 cup olive oil, the thyme, rosemary, garlic, i teaspoon salt and some pepper Mix well and spread out in a large roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes.

While carrots are cooking, cut sweet potatoes width-ways in half, then each half into six wedges. Add the potatoes to the pan with the carrots and onion and stir well. Return to oven and roast for 40-50 more minutes.

After 30 min, throw in brussel sprouts

When all the vegetables are cooked through, stir in tomatoes. Roast for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, capers, maple syrup, mustard, remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Pour dressing on top, stir well, and enjoy!

spicy mac'n'cheese

Two things I love are spice and mac'n'cheese. When you put them together, you get a spicy party in your mouth. I'd like to think of myself as a connoisseur of macaroni and cheese. Cheese, pasta, cream, and butter are the main ingredients in any comfort food. I have been making this recipe for almost 4 years now, and have had no complaints from the people who I have served it to. You can feed a lot of people with this recipe, I am hoping that my roommate Joey (a.k.a. human garbage disposal) will be in the mood to have at least 3 helpings.

ingredients

1 pound pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion chopped

3 cloves garlic

4 jalapeno chiles seeded and chopped

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 cup cilantro chopped

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

1 cup veggie broth

pepper

4 cups cheese (i like to do 1/2 shard cheddar 1/2 pepper jack)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook pasta

2. heat oil add onion, garlic, jalapenos cook 5 min stir in cumin and cilantro

3. in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. whisk in flour for 1 min, then whisk in the milk and veggie broth; season with salt and pepper. simmer and cook for 5 min. add two cups cheese

4. add cheese sauce to pasta and mix. spread half pasta in baking dish. add half of the onion garlic mix and spread over the pasta. Pour the rest of pasta on top and then the rest of the onion garlic mix on top of that. sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. bake at 350 for 20 min. Then broil for 5 min.

root vegetable pie

I love pot pies. Why wouldn't you want a dish served with buttery crust on top? I always fall in love with dishes that have meat in them, the only problem is that i don't eat meat! This has been an ongoing problem for 8 years now. I want nothing more than to eat a giant steak, I just can't bring myself to do it. The original recipe that i found was lamb shepherds pie... i know, amazing. It even called for a can of guinness in the recipe. Instead I decided to try and make it a bit healthier with root vegetables. It actually tasted great, but i am sure that the lamb pie would taste better. If you want warm comfort food that is healthy, then this is the dish for you.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 leeks

5 cloves garlic

1 onion

1 bunch tuscan kale

4 carrots

4 parsnips

2 zucchini

2 purple potatoes

1 sprig rosemary

2 yukon potatoes for topping

1 can whole tomatoes

3 cups stock

1/2 cup parm

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

preheat oven to 350

1. chop all ingredients

2. heat olive oil and butter in dutch oven, toss in onion and garlic. saute for 5 min. add carrots, parsnips, and potatoes. cook for 10 min. add zucchini and cook for another 5 min. add stock, tomatoes, and kale. cook covered for 20 more min. Add parm and let cool.

3. Slice potatoes very thin and set aside

4. pour vegetable mix into a pie dish, top with potatoes. brush olive oil over potatoes. insert rosemary in the center.

5. bake for 25 min, or until potatoes are brown

leftover pie

flashback to 1994. i was 8 years old. my family was all about the one-pot meals. crock-pots, stews, casseroles, you name it. we were busy. my mom dragged us all over town and sometimes we needed something quick, easy, and would be great leftovers- just in case.

now fast forward to 2011. i'm 25. broke like it ain't no joke. living in one of the most expensive cities in the country, and remember that 10 year old boy stuck in a 30 year ol' man's body? yeah. well he's still here and i'm cookin' for him tonight. so you best bet ima gonna cook somethin' C-H-E-A-P with REAL cheddar cheese. shepard's pie it is. "leftover pie" as i'll call it tonight. i had a lot of veggies in my fridge/freezer that needed to be used up, so i decide to spend $6 tonight on some meat and throw all those veggies in with it. i had leftover taters from the other night (see pork chop n' taters post) and threw them in the mix too. this is definitely a meal where i was trying to use things up leftover from the week--not trying to be on some "healthy kick". you can use whatever veggies you have or prefer. tonight i used: peas, corn, green beans, onion, red pepper, and carrots. so raid your fridge tonight and flashback to the early 90s. maybe crank some ace of base or TLC while you're at it!

whatcha need: (serves 4-6)

1lb. ground beef or turkey

1/2 cup beef stock

onion (diced)

carrots (sliced/chopped/whatever)

frozen peas (eyeball it.)

frozen corn (eyeball it.)

*and any other veggies you want to add*

mashed potatoes (rinse, peel, and cut into cubes 3-4 russet potatoes, boil in salted water for 10-15 min., drain & mash with butter and salt and pepper)

butter

salt and pepper

grated cheddar cheese (optional)

whatcha do:

preheat oven to 400. make mashed potatoes (see above recipe).

in large skillet, melt some butter (whose counting?) over medium heat. when melted, add onion and carrots. saute for about 3-5 minutes until soft. add meat. cook until most of it is no longer pink. add other veggies. cook until all meat is no longer pink. season with salt and pepper. add beef stock. simmer for about 8 minutes until slightly thickened.

get your casserole dish out--pile meat mixture in it. top with mashed potatoes. decorate with cheddar cheese. bake about 20 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly.

-andi

shrimp alfredo with pancetta, peas, and broccoli

my boyfriend sometimes reminds me of a 10 year old boy stuck in a 30 year old mans body. i'll ask him if he has any 'requests' for dinner during the upcoming week and most of the time his responses are "mac n' cheese..with VELVEETA..not the fancy mac you make". (fancy?! please. you think velveeta is good! i'm using REAL cheddar and slaving over a hot stove.) or most common response "maybe alfredo sauce with chicken?" . so with that last part said, i decided to take advantage of the situation. i whipped up a quick meal using shrimp, pancetta, peas, and broccoli with.. drumrolllll...canned alfredo sauce. yep. you read that right. i decided NOT to slave over a hot stove tonight perfecting an alfredo sauce for my live-in-10-year-old-boy. and the end result was fab. here's the recipe for you folks. enjoy!

whatcha need: (serves 4)

1lb pasta (any kind will do)

1lb shrimp (raw, deveined, and peeled)

frozen peas (however much you'd like to add)

broccoli (again, however much you want)

pancetta (5-6 slices/however much you want)

canned alfredo sauce (i used newman's own)

butter

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

whatcha do:

bring large pot of salted water to a boil for pasta. add pasta. cook 8-10 minutes. drain. return to pot with tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

heat peas and broccoli in bowl filled with water in the microwave for 3 minutes. drain. and return to bowl.

in large skillet, heat tablespoon of butter over med. high heat. add pancetta. cook for 2-3 minutes. add shrimp. cook until majority of shrimp are pink. add broccoli and peas. saute until shrimp are cooked- no longer than 5 minutes.

add canned alfredo sauce to pasta, then add shrimp-veggie mixture. toss together. salt and pepper to taste.

-andi

tomato basil soup with fancy grilled cheese

This recipe goes out to one of my best friends in the world Scout Burkle. She taught me all about grilled cheese and tomato soup. I remember cold wintery days in Tahoe, sitting with her on the couch dipping grilled cheese in steaming hot tomato soup. Scout, you are one of the best people I have ever met, and I love you to the moon and back.

-Devin

The best thing about this soup, is that my Dad grew the tomatoes!

ingredients

3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes (I used a variety), cut in half lengthwise

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

2 cups chopped yellow onion

6 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

28 ounces canned plum tomatoes with their juice

4 cups fresh basil leaves

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 quart vegetable broth

Directions

preheat oven to 400

1.toss fresh tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper

spread in one layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes

2.In a pot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons olive oil, butter, and red pepper flakes for ten minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and broth. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including juices.

3. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill with the coarsest blade.

This recipe makes a lot, so you can do what i love....and freeze some for later. I also love to give this out to friends in mason jar as a gift.

Fancy Grilled Cheese

Everyone knows that a grilled cheese is not a grilled cheese without some butter. If you are trying to be healthy/or on a diet, you should not be eating cheese and bread anyway. If you are like myself and run 4 miles a day so you can indulge in life's greatest gifts, food, then make a grilled cheese and put butter on both sides of the pan!

ingredients

1 good loaf of bread

sharp cheddar

BUTTER

Directions

Slice bread and cheese and make a sandwich.

Heat frying pan and throw sandwich on the pan. Leave on one side for a minute and flip. Take a big slice of butter and lather up the side flipped. Flip again and repeat. Let brown on each side for 4 min. Cover with lid to help the cheese melt.

pork chops n' taters

i never really buy pork chops, but when i do, i like to go all out. this dish is a great twist on a comfort classic. a great meal easily done in 30 minutes. i used plums for the pork chop topping, but you could use whatever fruit you'd like (peaches, apricots, apples, etc). add a small salad and you're set!

whatcha need: (serves 2)

2 bone-in pork chops

2 tablespoons oil

1 yellow onion (diced small)

2-3 plums (or peaches, apricots, apples)

4 russet potatoes (rinsed, peeled, chopped)

2-3 garlic cloves (smashed and chopped)

1 cup milk

butter

salt and pepper

whatcha do:

fill large pot of salted water for potatoes. add potatoes and garlic, bring to a boil. cook potatoes until pierced easily with fork (10-15min).

meanwhile, season both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper. heat oil in large skillet over med. high heat.

add chops and cook about 7 min. flipping once.

transfer chops to plate; tent with tin foil.

add onions to pan, cook about 2 mins. add fruit and cook until soft about 5 minutes. season with salt and pepper; top on pork chops.

drain potatoes, return to pot. add butter and milk. mash until creamy. season with salt and pepper. add more milk if you want creamier potatoes.

-andi

easy pickles

These pickles are easy and yummy. You get the taste of a pickle with the crunchiness and freshness of a cucumber.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup white vinegar, eyeball it
• 2 rounded teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove cracked garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried dill or 2 tablespoons fresh dill leaves, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cucumbers, cut into 1-inch slices on an angle

DIRECTIONS

Heat small saucepan over medium high heat. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt, and garlic to the pan and cook until it begins to simmer and sugar dissolves. Toss the dill, bay leaf, and sliced cucumbers together in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the simmering liquid over the cucumbers and stir to evenly coat. Allow to cool to room temperature or chill before serving.

kicked-up tuna melt

a staple item in my kitchen is definitely canned tuna in oil (more flav). it's not my first go-to when it comes to whipping a meal together..but let me tell you..if you're in a pinch for time, money, or just feelin' lazy...canned tuna can't be beat. i've made some great meals off of this stuff! here's one of my quick favs. the kicked-up tuna melt.

whatcha need:

1 can of tuna (in oil or water; drained)

1/3 cup of your favorite salsa

1/4 cup of mayo

salt and pepper

couple slices of pepper jack

2 slices good crusty italian bread (or sliced bread works fine too)

whatcha do:

heat broiler to high. mix first four ingredients together. place bread on a sheet of tin foil. spread tuna mix on bread. top with pepper jack slices. broil to your liking. eat!

-andi

peach blueberry pie

Pie is one of the simplest things to make. Making a dough from scratch is easier than buying pre-made crust. I made this at the peak of peach season, and was able to get the freshest and tastiest peaches from the farmer's market.

Dough

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

6-8 Tbsp ice water

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling

1. Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add ice water 1 Tbsp at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough doesn't hold together, add a little more water and pulse again.

2. Remove dough from machine and place in a mound on a clean surface. Gently shape into 2 discs. Knead the dough just enough to form the discs, do not over-knead. You should be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. These small chunks of butter are what will allow the resulting crust to be flaky. Sprinkle a little flour around the discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days.

• 
  
• Pie
• Ingredients
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3 cups sliced peeled fresh peaches
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon butter


• 
  
• 1. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and allspice. Add the peaches and blueberries; toss gently.
• 
  
• 2. Line pie plate with bottom crust; add the filling. Dot with butter. Top with other crust
• 
  
• 3. Bake at 400° for 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool completely on a wire rack.

poblano, corn, zucchini lasagna

This was one of the first recipes that I have made with poblano peppers. It was delicious and fun to make... but then again, what isn't fun to make!

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears), or frozen and thawed
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced white onion
• 1 large zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 4 poblano chiles, charred, peeled, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1-inch strips
• 12 (7 by 3-inch) no-boil lasagna sheets
• 2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese, or mozzarella

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add 2/3 of the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Mix in the corn and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and thyme. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes for the flavors to incorporate. Turn off the heat and let cool slightly. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and cook for 1 minute. Mix in the zucchini and poblano strips and cook for 5 minutes for the flavors to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat.

Spread about 1/4 of the corn mixture over the bottom of an 11 by 8-inch baking dish. Cover with a layer of 3 lasagna sheets. Spread 1/4 of the poblano mixture and 1/4 of the cheese over the pasta. Repeat the layering 3 more times. Cover with foil.

Bake until the pasta is cooked and tender, about 50 minutes. Remove the foil and turn up the oven temperature to broil. Broil until golden brown and bubbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Salmon Pasta

I grew up having this dish. It is important to make sure your fish is wild and fresh. I have had the pleasure of having salmon caught by my dad, and let me tell you, that is when this dish is at its best!

Ingredients

1/2 cup sliced onions

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
4 medium tomatoes cut into 1/4
3 clove garlic
1/3 lemon juice
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 pound salmon
1/4 cup parsley (on the top at the end)

Cook spaghetti in large pot.

In separate pan,

Sautte onion, oil, garlic and butter. Add tomatoes, wine, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes, then add the salmon. Remove tomatoes from the pan and remove skin. Put tomatoes back in smashing and mixing them in with the salmon. Simmer, add parsley and pasta. Add about 2/3 cup parmesan cheese.

red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

These cupcakes are absolutely delicious. Recipe courteously of my Mama.

Ingredients

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoon red food coloring

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, softened

2 sticks butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

Directions

For the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Gnocchi with Squash, Kale, and Carrots

If you are craving a big bowl of pasta, this is a good healthy alternative. It is a colorful dish loaded with yummy veggies.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

1 1/4 cups vegetable broth

1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
3 carrots, chopped

1 package potato gnocchi

3/4 cup romano or parm

1. melt 1 tablespoon butter in large ovenproof skillet. add carrots and cook for 3 min. Add squash and cook, stirring, for about 8 min. Add garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt, cook 2 more min.

2.Preheat broiler. Add the broth and simmer. Add kale and cook cover for 3-4 min. Add gnocchi, stirring to coat for 5 min. Uncover and stir in 1/4 cup cheese and 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle remaining cheese and transfer to the broiler to cook until bubbly, about 3 min.