6.05.2018

Roasted Chickpeas

We have an Aldi around the corner from our apartment and it's becoming a problem. Why make dinner when there's a cheap and decent frozen pizza two blocks away that needs a home and warm belly? And don't get me started on their cookie selection that we've been making our way through. 10pm news and cookies has become a nightly tradition when it really never should have. 

Aldi products are like that one really fun, crazy friend you have. You love her when she shows up, but it is never a sure thing that she actually will. Take crispy chickpeas, for example. They were there, now they aren't. And you can't be mad, because that's just the kind of free-spirit the Aldi buyers are. 

But they were SO good. So I'm doing the adult thing and forming a more stable relationship. Even better-one that I can order around and make show up at my will. Add a little togarashi (picked up from a magical/accidental opening day trip to H-Mart) and it's snack time! 

Until 10pm. Then it's cookie time. 


ROASTED CHICKPEAS 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 2T Olive oil
  • Salt
  • togarashi seasoning (or any seasoning you would like)

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 450ยบ 

Dry rinsed and drained chickpeas with paper towels or a clean towel until most of the moisture is off of them. Put them in a medium bowl and toss them with olive oil and whatever seasonings you are using. Spread chickpeas on baking sheet in single layer and bake until browned and crunchy (around 30-40 minutes).

Enjoy!





4.08.2018

Sheet-Pan Chili-Lime Tilapia with Veggies





Oh, Pinterest recipes. Such a crap-shoot. Did they spend as much time on the recipe as they did on the pin-worthy photos? Only one way to find out: get your hopes up, buy a bunch of groceries and roll the dice. 

Sometimes you win and find an easy, healthy weeknight meal like this one. Sheet-pan dinners are my new favorite thing. Not that they're anything new, but as I'm learning to juggle school and work anything that reduces active time cooking and clean up is welcomed with open arms. But this recipe is more than just convenient. It has enough kick and complexity to make me crave it, not just make it because I'm lazy and it's cheap. I mean, those are just large bonuses. 


SHEET-PAN CHILI-LIME TILAPIA WITH VEGGIES

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 tilapia fillets
  • 1 large sweet potato, cut into fries (or 2 medium)
  • 1 broccoli head, cut into florets
  • juice from 2 limes
  • 1/4 c chopped cilantro
  • 4 T olive oil (divided)
  • 2 T water
  • 1 T honey
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 chipotle in adobo sauces, diced
  • 1 t chili powder
  • 1 t ground cumin
  • salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS


Preheat oven to 425° F
Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, water, garlic, lime juice, honey, chipotle pepper, chili powder, cumin and cilantro in a small bowl
Place sweet potato fries and broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2T olive oil, season with salt and pepper and mix well. Move veggies over to make room for tilapia fillets and place tilapia in the reserved spaces. Brush fish with the chili-lime mixture
Bake until fish flakes easily with a fork and the broccoli begin to crisp up on the edges and have softened, about 20–25 minutes. Serve the baked tilapia garnished with cilantro, sliced chili peppers and lime wedges, if desired. 



3.29.2018

Lemon-Roasted Salmon with Asparagus and Potatoes




Turns out this blog is still here. I had no idea. When a friend mentioned she still visited it for recipe inspiration my stomach kind of twisted. 

That wasn't deleted?! 
What was on there?! 
Had I been a total idiot the whole time?!  

The answers are: no, lots, and only sometimes. After skimming through a few entries, I'm mostly convinced it's ok and am actually happy it's still up. This blog houses so many good recipes I'd forgotten about. It's cool and strange to get to look back and see myself develop as a cook (and adult). It's like a very public food diary stuffed into the bookshelves of the internet and rediscovered when you're packing up to move. 

So here's one more entry for old time's sake: Lemon-Roasted Salmon with Asparagus and Potatoes. James brought home salmon from the grocery store, and this recipe had been sitting in my Epicurious recipe box for some time. It was meant to be. We tweaked it a bit, but you can find the original recipe here. I highly recommend making it. I insist on grading each new recipe we make. The most I can usually get out of James is "It's good. It's fine." This one got an unsolicited A+ and was deemed the best new recipe in a long time. High praise from a tough grader, and I completely agree. It's healthy yet filling and has super easy preparation and clean up. It has earned a place in my mental list of things to serve at a dinner party. 

Now we just need to get a dining room table... Baby steps. 


LEMON-ROASTED SALMON WITH ASPARAGUS & POTATOES
adapted from Epicurious

INGREDIENTS

For the salmon:
  • 1 1/2 lbs salmon fillet
  • 2 t. grated lemon zest
  • 1 t. finely chopped oregano (I didn't have this, so used 1/2 t. dried oregano)
  • 1 t. kosher salt
  • 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 oz. roasted bell peppers from a jar, thinly sliced (Aldi didn't have these, so I didn't use them)
For the salad:
  • 1 lb small new potatoes, halved
  • 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
  • 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 c. lemon juice
  • 1/2 t. honey
  • 1 t. dijon mustard
  • 1/4 t. kosher salt
  • 1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 finely chopped dill (I used chives for this because I had them)
  • 1 package arugula or spinach/arugula mix (about 8 cups)
  • 3 oz. feta, crumbled

PREPARATION

Cook the salmon and veggies

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.

While potatoes are roasting, rub salmon with lemon zest, oregano, salt, and pepper, then coat with oil. 

Remove the potatoes after 20 minutes, move them around to give you room to place the salmon in the center and asparagus mixed in on the sides. If you're using the peppers, arrange them around salmon. Bake everything until salmon is firm but still pink in center and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. 

Assemble the salad:

Whisk oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup dill in a small measuring cup. Toss greens with half of the dressing in a large bowl, then transfer to a serving platter. 

When they're done, toss potatoes and asparagus with remaining dressing in same bowl, then arrange over greens. Flake salmon into large pieces and arrange on platter. Top with feta, peppers, and dill sprigs.






1.19.2012

2011


Yes, I've been an awful blogger lately. Let's all get over it... now!

Great. Now that that's out of the way I'd like to share with you a video of some of my favorite pictures from 2011. I absolutely loved this year. Yes, it had its trials- there was a giant blizzard, a house fire, window-breaking hail, 3/4 of my close friends moving away, and several roommates coming and going- but at the end of it all I just feel very very lucky. When I look back on these pictures and think of the time I spent and the people in them I'm filled with so much gratitude. Somehow I've been blessed with strong friendships, my wonderful family, a damn fine fella, and all sorts of characters that keep me entertained and inspired. I must be doing something right.

So enjoy! The song is "How It Ended" by The Drums. I highly recommend their album.

12.12.2011

pumpkin scones with chocolate chips

  
I swear I haven't just been eating pumpkin foods this whole time. I was pretty much over it, honest. But then I saw this recipe over at said she said he and it looked so delicious and warm- like a hug for my stomach. And so I made it and I have no regrets. Neither do my roommates, who also loved them.


2 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold

1 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
2 large eggs
milk, for brushing on dough
coarse sugar, for sprinklin 

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add butter (very cold and cut into pats) to dry ingredients. Work butter into mixture until crumbly. It's okay for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated.
3. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.
4. Mix pumpkin and eggs in a separate bowl. Then add mixture to other ingredients.
5. Mix to form a uniform dough. Be careful not to over-mix as the more you handle the dough, the tougher the scones will be.
6. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle a bit of flour on top of the paper.
7. Divide the dough in half and round each half into about a 6" circle (3/4" thick).
8. Brush each circle with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
9. Slice each circle into 6 wedges and carefully pull the wedges away from the center to separate them just a bit.
10. Place pan of scones in freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered.
11. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, while the scones are chilling.
12. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes.