Thawing Chicken

 It's been a minute since I've posted anything here. But I just made my grandmother's roasted red peppers, couldn't remember if she added oregano or not, and did a quick search of my site to check and see what she had told me. 

That's the beauty of having a blog like this, the ability to hold a little wisdom for later. I've been inspired to write, post, create, and cook all over again. So let's get to know one another again, shall we? 

A lot has happened over the past few years; I've gone to and graduated from law school and am currently in the grueling process of preparing for the Bar exam. Which, to be honest, feels a bit like thawing chicken. 

Bear with me as I explain. 

When you are figuring out what you want to make for dinner, inspiration strikes, and you do a quick mental inventory of what you currently have in your fridge/freezer. 

"I have chicken!" 

You bustle over to your freezer, take out the chicken--so excited you don't have to run to the store--and then it hits you. This sucker is frozen solid. 

If you're impatient like me, you can't help the immediate despair that hits you. THIS IS GOING TO TAKE FOREVER. 

Then comes the bargaining, "Well, maybe I go buy chicken and put this away for a different day..." Then you're brutally honest internal monologue pipes up "...but that's how I ended up with three packages of chicken in the freezer in the first place!" 

What do you do? 

So begins the cold water thaw. Chicken, when defrosting at room temperature, can take 12-24 hours to totally defrost. How can you speed that up? Leaving the chicken in its packaging, you submerge it in cold water. Every thirty minutes, you change the water to prevent the chicken from getting too warm and allowing bacterial growth. One to three hours later, you have your chicken which is ready to go. 

So too, the Bar. 

Technically I have all the knowledge I need to pass this exam tucked away somewhere in my brain. But, like the cold water. I need to refresh it often, change it out, and continually expose myself to the thousands of rules that need to be committed to memory before the end of July. 

I cannot wait for my chicken to thaw, and I cannot wait for this exam to be over. 

Baked Apple Breakfast

The instructions are both in the body of the post and consolidated at the bottom for ease of reference when making. Good luck and enjoy!

These apples are glorious. 

They can be served with greek yogurt for breakfast or a "smart" dessert.

If you are feeling particularly decadent, then you should pair a warm apple with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Preheat your oven to 350°F

Ingredients: 

9 Honeycrisp Apples - cored

1 1/2 cups Rolled Oats

1/2 cup Truvia (brown sugar)

1 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract 

Juice of 1 Lemon 

1/4 tsp Almond Extract

Brewed Chai Tea

Butter at room temperature

Mix together the oats, Truvia, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and almond extract. Combine them until they become a crumbly mixture.

Core the apples. 

I decided to cut away parts of the tops with a pairing knife to better hold the filling.

Fill the apples with your dry oat mixture. 

Pour about 1/2 inch of chai tea into the bottom of the baking dish. 

Don't be bothered by any fallout from the apples. The oats in the chai will cook while in the oven to become a delicious oatmealish sauce. 

Top each apple with a pat of butter.

Use the rest of your oat mixture on top of the butter. 

Tent your baking dish with Aluminum Foil this will help to steam the apples.

Place your baking dish in the oven for 35 minutes. 

Remove the foil and allow them to cook for another 10 minutes uncovered. 

Take your apples out of the oven. While it may be tempting to dig into them right away, don't. 

A scalding apple cannot be enjoyed.  Let them sit for 5-10 minutes. 

Plate with some of the sauce from the bottom of the pan.

Ingredients: 

9 Honeycrisp Apples - cored

1 1/2 cups Rolled Oats

1/2 cup Truvia (brown sugar)

1 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract 

Juice of 1 Lemon 

1/4 tsp Almond Extract

Brewed Chai Tea

Butter at room temperature

Instructions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F
2. Mix together the oats, Truvia, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and almond extract. 
3. Core the apples. Optional, carve the tops into cups. 
4. Fill the apples with your dry oat mixture. 
5. Pour about 1/2 inch of chai tea into the bottom of the baking dish. 
6. Top each apple with a pat of butter.
7. Top the pat of butter with any remaining mixture.
8. Tent your baking dish with Aluminum Foil this will help to steam the apples.
9. Bake--covered--for 35 minutes. 
10. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes uncovered. 
11. Take your apples out of the oven.  Let them sit for 5-10 minutes. 
12. Enjoy!

Last Minute Mini-Thanksgiving Pantry Check

No matter how different this year's Thanksgiving celebrations are it is a good idea to double-check your pantry and kitchen supplies so that you are not left unprepared.

Arguably, given the imminence of future shutdowns and stricter distancing measures an inventory of your kitchen materials maybe even more important this year. 

Here is a list of items to get you started on your own checklists: 

Aluminum Foil: Aluminum Foil is the Swiss Army Knife of my kitchen. Not only can it tent your turkey, but it protects pie crusts from burning, helps to scrub dishes if your steel wool is no longer doing the trick, helps to move heavy furniture to make space for games (nope not kidding, look it up), and in lieu of a chisel or hammer, soften up that brick of sugar that's been hiding out in your pantry since last Thanksgiving.* 

Garbage Bags: Check your supplies. Aside from the obvious, I've also used garbage bags as a tarp for easy crafts cleanup. Consider adding to your Thanksgiving traditions with some crafting activities.

Kitchen Timers: That's right timerS plural! If you're cooking different parts of your meal at the same time, it is even MORE important to keep track of your individual components. As the self-proclaimed queen of "crispy not charred" dinners I declare it absolutely essential that you invest in at least two kitchen timers. 

Paper Towels: Because sometimes spills are guaranteed... 

Meat Thermometer: Helps to make sure that you cook your turkey thoroughly while keeping it juicy and not dry. 

Food Processor: Chop. Slice. Mix. Blend. This machine is your best friend and secret weapon to speeding up your meal prep. 

Placecards: Accent your table with personalized place cards. For fun you can write one thing you are thankful for/that you admire about the person assigned the card on the inside fold. 

Oven Mitts: I'm often tempted to just use a dish towel, but I am tired of getting burn marks on the back of my hands. 

Spirits: Make sure your cabinet is well stocked with spirits, mixers, and whatever you may need to fix a festive quarantini. Some ideas: 

*Orange Bitters for Old Fashions 

* Harney's Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea  one of my FAVORITE teas, I use this as the base of my hot toddy's

* Simple Syrup a staple in many cocktails, it is fairly easy to make your own. A premade simple syrup is nice to have but not need to have.

*  Fever Tree Light Tonic Water: as someone who likes a G&T I find other tonic waters a bit heavy, Fever Tree's Light Tonic Water is much more pleasant. They also have it in cans which you can finde here. 

*  Fresh Lime Juice : I use this in pretty much everything. You can't beat fresh squeezed lime juice. 

Bar Tools: Specifically, a zester/channel knife helps to dress up your holiday spirits. 

Candles: Recently I've really been into beeswax candles--there is something so calming about the flickering of the candlelight. 

Hopefully, this list helps you think about your own holiday checklist and reminds you to order anything that you may need in time for the holiday. 

*Sweet Tip: Take the brick of sugar, wrap in aluminum foil and toss it in the oven (set at 350 degrees F) for 3-5 minutes. 

Zucchini Fritters

While perusing recipes and trying to find new ways to cope with the seasonal zucchini overabundance from my mom's garden  I came across this recipe for Zucchini Fritters from Once Upon a Chef, to see the original post, click here. 

 Few notes on the ingredients: I used one SUPER sized zucchini after halving it and scooping out the seeds and overly pithy center. I also used cornstarch instead of flour. I also was VERY generous in my usage of dill and scallion and it didn't take away anything from the fritter, so feel free to be generous in your usage.

They are incredible and are definitely going to be an August staple in my kitchen


Ingredients: 
2. medium zucchini shredded
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2 large scallions
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 med. garlic clove, minced or finely chopped
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup cornstarch (or flour)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus some more if needed

x

Shred your zucchini (I used my food processor to expedite) mix with salt and transfer to a fine-mesh strainer to drain. Allow the zucchini to sit for at least ten minutes. 

I then took the zucchini and wrung it out in a paper towel, the volume of the zucchini shrunk by half after I got all of the water out. 

Beat the eggs, mix in the zucchini, scallions, dill, feta, garlic, and black pepper. 

Add the corn starch (or flour) and baking powder and mix until it is incorporated. 

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Be sure to watch that the oil doesn't become too hot. Drop 2 tablespoon-sized portions into the pan and gently press down into fritters. 

Pan fry until golden brown about 3 minutes per side. 

Transfer the fritters to a paper towel-lined plate. 

Note that your fritters, once cooked may still be "bendy" when you transfer them to the plate. Allowing the fritters to rest for at least a minute or two will help them to firm up before serving. 

I served ours with store-bought tzatziki sauce on the side. 

If anyone knows a good tzatziki recipe, please send it my way I've been on the hunt for a good homemade option. 

xoxox

Hulk Salad Transforms into a Satiating Veggie Burrito

One night I was sitting around trying to figure out what to do for dinner so I texted my fiance (aka fancy-boyfriend) and I asked him, "What do you wanna have for dinner?" 

"Edamame."

~Gulp air quickly, silently panic, and puzzle over the question that immediately popped into my head~ 

How do I make edamame into a meal?  

While they are one of my favorite things to snack on whenever I get the chance, it isn't something I often think about as the mainstay of a meal. 

I asked myself, 'How do I make those little beans into more?'  and I started thinking about it as a combination element in a vegetable-based salad. 

Which ended up as a challenge to myself, can I do this whole thing purely using plant-based ingredients? 

The answer: yes, and hell yes. 

After quickly raiding our freezer and fridge I cobbled together the following ingredients: 

1 steamer bag of broccoli and cauliflower

1 bag frozen edamame 

1 ripe avocado 

First thing I did was to pop the steamer bag of broccoli and cauliflower into the microwave. I wanted the veggies to have some time to cool down before I added them into the salad. 

Then I flash boiled the edamame, quickly putting them into an ice bath and salting them so I could snack as I pulled everything else together. 

I took the broccoli and cauliflower and using my new favorite tool, my mezzaluna salad chopper, made everything into bite-sized pieces.

I set that aside, took my avocado removed the flesh and mashed it thoroughly until its consistency was similar to that of mayo, I added a little squeeze of lime juice to keep the color vibrant (whoever wanted to eat a brown salad? No one that's who). 

Added a little salt and pepper to my 'avo-mayo' and mixed in the edamame and the broccoli and cauliflower. 

It was delicious on a couple of GG Fiber crackers and then I rolled some of it into a burrito for my fancy-boyfriend and added a little bit of cheddar cheese. 

If you would like more crunch, I recommend roasting the broccoli and cauliflower and I personally LOVE adding cilantro to the avocado for a little bit more flavor. 

Cast Iron Skillet Chicken "Pot" Pie with Buttermilk Biscuit Topper

One of the beautiful things about cast iron skillets is their ability to go straight from the stove top into the oven. Initially, I had been very intimidated by cast iron skillets because I didn't know how to care for them. It wasn't until I went to Cape Cod for Memorial Day a few years ago and was made one of the most delicious breakfasts I've ever had did I begin to reconsider.
Two of my best friends picked up on this, somehow read my mind, and gave me mine as a Christmas gift last year (xox thanks D&K).

I am now completely obsessed.

What you'll need: 

• Frozen buttermilk biscuits 
• 1 1/2 c. chicken stock 
• 1 c. whole milk 
• 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 tsp. adobo seasoning 
• 1 chopped large onion - I prefer the Spanish onions 
• 2 c. frozen veggies (corn, green beans, carrots, peas, whatever your pleasure) 
• 3 tbsp. butter 
• 2 c. shredded chicken (already cooked) You can use rotisserie or leftover roasted chicken 
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 
• Salt to taste

What you'll do: 

1. Shred your chicken, set aside 
2. Preheat your oven according to the directions on your packaged biscuits, for me, this meant 400 degrees. 
3. Place your burner on medium heat. 
4. Add the butter to your skillet and once it begins to bubble/froth, but before it browns, add your onions. 
5. Cook your onions until they begin to turn translucent and then add the rest of your frozen vegetables. I also added about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. 
6. Allow your vegetables to cook until the onions caramelize, and your vegetables soften, this should take about 2-4 minutes depending on the strength of your burner. 
7. While the veggies are on the stove top, whisk together your chicken stock, milk, flour, and adobo seasoning. 
8. Once your vegetables have softened slowly and gently stir in liquid mixture. 
9. You're going to want to bring your pan to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, until the mixture begins to thicken, which should take about 7 minutes. 
10. Once your pan begins to reduce, add your shredded chicken and fresh parsley, allow this to cook for about 5 minutes. 
11. Then add your uncooked biscuits to the top of your pan and pop your skillet into the oven on the middle rack. 
12. Cook the biscuits according to their package directions, mine took about 12 minutes watching them so that they won't brown too much. 

Remove from the oven and relish in this comfy, cozy, dinner that only takes a little over a half an hour to pull together.

[Serves about 4-5 people]

If you're terrified of owning a cast iron skillet because you also don't know how to care for it, I would check out this great article from Serious Eats that dispels a lot of the myths surrounding Cast Iron skillets: https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/the-truth-about-cast-iron.html

It's totally worth the little bit of extra effort it takes to upkeep it.

Dragon Tongue Bean Stir Fry

Crunched for time? Try this recipe. 

I kept my stir fry VERY simple with three principle ingredients, Dragon Tongue beans, Mung bean sprouts and Garlic Chives.

Dragon Tongue beans are pretty long beans, so I cut mine into 1 inch pieces. 

Turn your stove to high heat. Add 1-1 1/2 teaspoons of grape seed oil to your pan. 

Allow it to heat. Add the Dragon Tongue beans. 

Get a good sear on the beans, you'll notice that where visible, the beans will change color to a more vibrant green, this only took me a little over two minutes.  Quickly add the sprouts, sauté for maybe one more minute, add the chives, some salt and pepper, and  you're ready to serve!

Caprese salad with kale pesto

Tomato.

Zucchini.

Eggplant.

Get ready for a whole host of recipes focused on these three delicious veggies. If you're like the majority of people with summer gardens, you'll tend to have more of these than you know what to do with.

While the stars of this dish are clearly the mozzarella and tomato, I wanted to try something a little different and I found this awesome Kale pesto recipe that was absolutely delicious! 

Kale pesto (originally from Epicurious):

2 cups torn kale leaves - remove the stems

1 cup basil leaves (pack them in there) 

1 tsp. salt 

1/4 Cup olive oil 

1/4 Cup toasted walnuts 

4 cloves of garlic 

1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese 

Directions: 

- add all the leaves and salt to a food processor and pulse until the leaves are chopped into small pieces 

- drizzle in the olive oil as the processor is running 

- add the walnuts, garlic, and process until it’s all incorporated  

- add the cheese and pulse until combined 

Use the pesto as you like! 

When I use it on pasta I also like to top it off with a tiny bit of lemon zest or hot pepper depending on my mood 

xoxox

Irish Soda Bread

I wish I had photos for you of the bread but unfortunately, it was all gobbled up faster than I expected. So this post will be accompanied by some photos from the Irish pub we stumbled upon in Peru. 

Ingredients 

* 4 cups all-purpose flour

*3/4 cup white sugar 

* 1 tsp salt 

* 1tsp baking powder 

*1 tsp baking soda 

1/2 cup butter at room temperature (I personally like Kerry Gold Butter) 

1 1/2 cups raisins 

1 1/2 cups buttermilk at room temp

3 eggs 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

Grease and flour your baking pan. 

Mix together all your dry ingredients. 

Begin to cut the butter gently into your dry ingredients until they are well combined and then mix in your raisins. 

In another container, whisk together the buttermilk and the eggs. After they are both mixed together, mix this into the flour/butter paste. 

Place the dough into your buttered pan. 

Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes to an hour the top of your bread will be golden brown. 

When you remove the pan from the oven, allow it to cool for a little while before removing from the baking pan (10-15 minutes should do it). 

Serve with butter, jam, a Guinness or whatever goodies you have in mind.

Happy St. Patty's to you whatever your altitude!
Have fun! Stay safe!

Feeding the Frat: Noodle Bowls

So I decided to try my hand at a "Ramen" bowl. But, since I didn't have any ramen noodles on hand, I substituted with glass noodles. 

Bowl composition: 

Ground pork - pan fried with ginger and garlic 

Scallions 

Slivered Fresno Peppers

Soft boiled eggs 

Glass Noodles in a  Curry Coconut Sauce

(Optional) Cilantro 

Ground Pork: 

Pan fry the ground pork (2.5 lbs) with 1 teaspoon of garlic, and 1 teaspoon of ginger, in 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil. 

Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.

Add 1 handful of cut scallions.

Add Salt and Pepper to taste. 

Glass Noodles: 

Boil salted water. 

When water reaches a boil, add your glass noodles. 

Cook for 5-6 minutes. 

Remove noodles and place in an ice bath immediately to stop them from continuing to cook. 

Curry Coconut Sauce: 

Take 1 1/2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil. 

Add 1 teaspoon of ginger, 1 teaspoon of garlic and 1 cut small onion, cook over low heat until the onions caramelize. 

1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

Add Beef Broth (2x 32 oz. boxes).

Add 3 teaspoons of curry powder.

Add one can of coconut milk.

Bring to a low boil and allow to cook at least 30 minutes or until you are ready to plate your noodle bowl. 

The boys liked the bowls and as with most successful sibling evenings, dinner ended with sports, relaxation and a lot of laughter.

Wishlist Wednesday

President's Week has me thinking about how quickly spring and summer are creeping up on us and I have to tell you, I can not wait. 

Last year I saw all the different fashion bloggers I follow carrying this AWESOME  architectural bag that looked like a combination of a basket, bird cage, and watermelon slice. Intriguing description? Don't quite believe that it's accurate? 

Judge for yourself because I finally found it! 

 I found this bag by Cult Gaia along with a myriad of variations of it on this website I'd never heard of before "Moda Operandi."

The brands it carries are outside of my frame of reference and super pricey. 

But, there is no harm in looking :) 

So take a peek at the other things I thought were inspiring for summer: 

Jonathan Simkhai Top

Jonathan Simkhai was the only designer name that I was vaguely familiar with. I had previously heard of JS from the lovely Lydia Elise Millen's blog/youtube channel.  I've never met Lydia but she has impeccable style and you should absolutely check her out.  

Cult Gaia, Small Acrylic Bag

Woven watermelon slice basket has me feeling all sorts of ways... 

Monse, Football Floral Off the Shoulder Dress

I just love this dress. 

It has a comma in the price, 

and I have issues about purchasing clothing with commas, so it's not meant to be but

this is absolutely darling. 

I love the off the shoulder draping and the asymmetrical hemline. 

It's such a feminine dress that the juxtaposition of the football print tickles me immensely. 

Jacquemus, Side Tie Short Sleeve Top

Love the draping on this top. Super simple, super chic. 

Ulla Johnson, Tautou basket

This basket-bag is made of wicker, with an optional shoulder strap so it can be worn multiple ways. 

Malone Souliers, Maureen Metallic Leather Flats

Chic and easy, these rose gold flats are so tempting. I love rose gold, it's flattering to most skin tones and is a softer option to other metallics. I love how the silver straps give this a pop of contrast. 

Malone Souliers, Maureen Leather Pumps

These too... 

Malone Souliers, Zada Silk & Leather Stiletto Mules

Malone Souliers, Zeida Leather Trimmed Silk Satin Point-Toe Flats

Bally, Lottie Linen & Cotton Slippers

Tell me these shoes don't scream Amalfi Coast, styled with a cute little eyelet crop top, a "Gloria hat"  and some light jeans or pencil pants? You can't.

Bye lovelies

xox G 

Jet Lag: sleepytime shop with me

After traveling last week I've been battling a lingering case of jet lag and since I'm up at 3:00 what else is there to do but dream browse the internet and try to get additional inspiration for my apartment.

Right now I'm almost completely happy with how everything looks and aside from some finishing touches and some major reorganization, I'm almost completely done decorating.

The real problem is that when I browse I come up with ideas for almost every item I see. I create a whole little narrative for each piece in my head, "Oh and I could do this with it..." meanwhile the next morning I wake up and I'm abruptly met with my new reality and the plastic giraffe I've bought myself in a sleep-deprived stupor.

I'm kidding of course, well mostly kidding,
so I've given myself a new rule that I have to go back to the item over three times to purchase it.

So to give life to my dreams stay tuned to see all the fabulous items I'm loving at the moment:

CB2's Liquid Metal Basket

I mean, I want about ten of these, everywhere, at all times.
Who doesn't want a little extra gold glow in their lives?


Tulip White Marble Table

Yeahhhh I'm not allowed to get this because my very, very, clumsy self would knock it over in a matter of minutes,
but that doesn't stop me from lusting after it...



Ayda Bed

I am obsessed with the clean lines of this bed.

So out of everything on this list, a bed is probably going to be the next large home decor item I purchase.

I've had my current bed since the third grade, a few mattresses and MANY coats of spray paint later its' little wire frame has valiantly traveled from bedroom to bedroom and I'm finally ready to buy one.

I was originally looking to get something with some built-in storage but I love the simplicity of this particular bed.

It may be worthy of a repeat visit- we shall see...



Emmaline Gold Teapot

I've been reading more and more about metallic accents being used as a neutral and this teapot I feel is versatile enough to be used in pretty much any table setting.

The temptation is growing...

Boat Hobe

Wooly Hobe

Instagram has been presenting me with maybe a thousand ads for flats in the past month and Hobes have caught my eye especially these little wooly darlings because they just look super comfy.

More realistically I think that I would purchase the Boat Hobe just because spring/summer are just around the corner and I don't believe that I would get enough use out of them before the end of the winter.




Sia Studs

Aside from the fact that these remind me of pizza and Pac-Man at the same time, which obviously is HUGE points in their favor, these earrings are super chic and look amazing on.

The 'infinity' wrap illusion is awesome and I feel like I'll be making my way back to these guys soon.




Chanel Flap Bag

Sweet dreams are made of these... 

I'm surprised by how much I like the contrasting leather trim and have finally tuckered myself out. 

'Night my lovelies

xox G