The "Big Game" Menu

I'm looking forward to this year's Super Bowl.  While I'm disappointed that my Giants won't be in it this year; in a way it'll make it much more relaxing to watch since I won't have a vested interest in the outcome. I know there are ways to make healthy alternatives to tailgate snacks, but really what's the fun in that?!  I'll post pictures once the cooking has begun, for now I'm just putting together my shopping list. 

On the menu for our Super Bowl party is:

- Carnitas nachos with corn & avocado salsa

- Caramelized onion dip

- Green chicken tortilla soup

- Lemon ricotta cookies

Links for recipes:

Nachos!
Best Dip Ever!
Meyer Lemon Cookies

Cannoli Filling Mousse

Cannolis are one of my all-time favorite dessert, but I've never attempted to make them at home.  The idea of frying the shell seems a little daunting (and a lot of work!). So this recipe is a take on this loved dessert, without the hassle of deep frying.  

Start by whipping 2 cups of heavy cream in a stand mixer or with electric beaters. Remove whipped cream and put it in a separate bowl.  In the mixing bowl, whisk together 2 containers of whole-milk ricotta (the ones I used were 15 oz each) with 2 teaspoons of vanilla, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Whisk together until ricotta is smooth.  Once mixture is smooth and silky looking, fold in whipped cream and 1/2 cup of chopped semisweet chocolate (either chips and shavings).  Let cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours before eating (I pipped it in a martini class using a freezer bag).  Serve with extra chocolate on top.  Super easy, and so insanely good!!

Chicken Chili With White Beans & Swiss Chard

In honor of NFL playoffs and "winter" weather (I think it was sub-70 degrees this week, so that counts), I made chili.  I do love a classic red chili with beef, but I actually prefer a white chili made with chicken.  This recipe is actually inspired by a Giada recipe on Food Network, but I tweaked a bit to make it ours.  

This chili could not be easier, and is actually pretty healthy (well maybe not the giant pile of cheddar cheese, but oh well!).  To start with, in a large dutch oven or pot, heat over medium heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  When the oil is hot, add 1 large onion diced and season with salt and pepper.

Cook until onions are cooked through, but not long enough that they start to turn brown.

After the onions have been sweated, add 2 pounds of ground chicken (or equivalent of ground turkey), 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (spices can be adjusted according to preference), and 1 teaspoon salt.  

Turn heat up to medium-high and cook, while stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through (about 10 minutes) and broken up into smaller pieces. Add 3 minced garlic cloves.

Add 3 tablespoons flour over the top of the chicken mixture and stir for 1 minute.

Once flour has been "cooked" for 1 minute add 2 cups of frozen corn (no need to defrost ahead of time) and 2  cans of white cannelini or white kidney beans (strain and rinse before using).

Next add 1 quart of chicken stock.  Stir to combine and when chili begins to boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer for at least an hour.

After an hour, chili should be thicker, add 1 large bunch of Swiss chard (we used red, but rainbow would work fine, really any greens would work).  Beforehand, wash and cut chard so that it's just the leaves and no stems. 

Continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes or so until chard is wilted down and soup is desired thickness.

Serve with a healthy dose of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (it's healthier if you don't, but what fun is that?!).  We had this chili the next day for lunch and I think it was even better the next day.

Cheesesteak Subs

I know this is a controversial recipe to attempt, especially for those located in PA, but Ryan and I were both craving cheesesteak sandwiches and wanted to make them ourselves.  We got some NY strips on sale at Fresh Market (I know, I know, you're supposed to use rib eye) and were ready to try it!

 

For our version of the yummy Philly sandwich (hoagie, gyro, grinder, sub, etc.) we sauteed 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced, in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, add 2 cups of sliced button mushrooms to the saute pan.  Continue to cook on medium for another 5 minutes, and then reduce heat to medium-low.

Cook onions and mushrooms for at least 30 minutes, or until caramelized.

Meanwhile, it's time to slice the steak.  30 minutes before slicing, put steak in the freezer so it cuts better.  Using a really sharp knife, cut across-wise into as thin-as-possible slices.  Set aside sliced steak until onions and mushrooms are cooked.  Take onions and mushrooms out of pan and turn heat up to high.  Add more olive oil and add the steak, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Cook for 2 minutes and then add the mushrooms and onions again, turn heat down to low.

Add slices of American cheese over steak mixture and cover with a lid to melt.

Add the cheesesteak mixture to sub rolls and serve!

It came out so delicious, it makes me wish I could eat this everyday for lunch (not sure cardiologists would approve!).  It's a perfect dish for watching football playoffs or the Golden Globes (??).

French Toast With Orange Butter

Okay so today was a cheat day (every now and then you just gotta!), that began with French toast.  I never really had French toast growing up (my mother has an aversion to anything "eggy"), so I love to make it now and experiment with different flavors. This morning we made French toast with orange zest and topped with an orange butter.  

Start by making the butter the night before. Allow 1/2 stick of unsalted butter to come to room temperature. Put in a small bowl along with 1 tsp orange zest and 1 tsp fresh orange juice.  Stir to combine and then place in plastic wrap to harden in the fridge.  It's easiest to do it the night before so you don't have to wait for the butter to get cold and hard.

When you're ready to start making the French toast, crack 4 eggs in a large, shallow bowl along with 1 tsp orange zest, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 cup half and half.  Whisk to break yokes and combine.  Meanwhile, slice 1/2 inch thick slices of challah bread and soak in custard.

Heat butter over a hot skillet (did I mention Ryan got me a really nice Calphalon skillet for Christmas?!) and add custard-soaked bread slices. Cook for a few minutes on each side until they're golden brown.

Serve French toast with orange butter and maple syrup.  Even Carter got in on the French toast action.  (Apologies for the paper plates, all the regular ones are in the dishwasher!)

We try to not to splurge on breakfast very often, but when you do, this is the way to do it!!

Shrimp Scampi With Spinach

While I love traditional Americanized shrimp scampi with lots of butter and pasta, this version is healthier and still has the flavor of scampi (minus the butter). While nothing really replaces the deliciousness that is pasta, sauteed spinach does make a good substitute.

Start by heating a large clove of garlic (smashed) in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.  When garlic starts to get fragrant (about 5 minutes or less), remove from pan but leave the oil. Keep the garlic and mince. 

Next, add a dozen (or more) peeled and deveined shrimp to the same saute pan, still over medium heat, and season with salt and red pepper flakes.  Cook until shrimp and almost cooked through (their shape will become like "C's" and turn pink.  

Add the juice of 2 lemons to that pan.

Then, add 12 oz of baby spinach to the pan (it'll look like a ton, but it'll wilt down a lot) and the minced garlic used to flavor the oil earlier. 

Continue cooking and stirring until the spinach is wilted.  Check for seasoning and add more salt and red pepper flake if needed.  

Serve as is, or over rice and enjoy!

Bowtie Pasta With Sausage & Broccoli Rabe

In an effort to eat a little bit healthier (and to counteract the leftover birthday cake) we made this pasta dish.  It'd probably be even better with turkey or chicken sausage, but none of the selection at the store today looked that tasty.  We'd never tried broccoli rabe before, but thought it was pretty good, like a cross between spinach and broccoli.

For this dish, start by heating 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat.  When the oil is heated, add 5 sliced links of hot Italian sausages.

Cook until sausage starts to brown (don't worry about them cooking all the way through), then add 1 heaping tablespoon of chopped garlic.

Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't burn. Then add 1/2 cup of red wine and 1 can of crushed tomatoes (1 large can or 2 smaller ones), along with a handful of freshly chopped Italian parsley and basil.

When liquid starts to bubble, turn heat down to low.  Continue to cook until ready to eat (the longer the better!). It should reduce and thicken the sauce.  Taste to seasoning.  

Meanwhile, wash and de-stem the broccoli rabe.

In a large stockpot, boil some salted water.  Add the broccoli rabe and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until starting to wilt.

Then using a pasta scooper, add the broccoli rabe to the sauce (it's ok if some of the cooking liquid gets in the sauce too).

In the same stock pot, cook 1/2 box of Barilla Plus bowtie until al dente.  When pasta is cooked, strain and add to the same pot as the sauce (it allows the pasta to absorb the sauce better than just scooping it on top).

Serve with fresh herbs and grated parmesan.

What To Do With All Those Leftovers??

Like most people who throw a party, one of the perks (or negatives depending on how you look at it) is leftovers.  Thank goodness we have a huge fridge that we were able to store everything! We've since discovered that Carter loves chicken meatballs, so that takes care of those.  We were trying to decide what to do with the pulled pork leftovers (there's only so many sandwiches you can make!) and came up with the idea of quesadillas.  They came out so good!

Ingredients for Pulled Pork Quesadillas:

4 cups of bbq pulled pork
2 medium onions, sliced thinly
1 cup sauteed mushrooms
1/2 cup whatever your favorite bbq sauce
Whole wheat tortillas (2 per quesadilla)
1 tablespoon butter, plus more
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella

In a small frying pan, over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and season.  Cook for 20 minutes, stirring often, or until caramelized.  Add the cooked pulled pork and mushrooms and the bbq sauce.  Turn heat down to low. Meanwhile in a skillet or a flat-top cooker, melt some butter and heat over medium heat.  To make the quesadilla, put one tortilla, then sprinkle with cheese, then a layer of the pulled pork/onion/mushroom mixture, then one more layer of cheese, and then top with another tortilla.  Heat as is for 5-8 minutes until cheese begins to melt, then flip so the top side of the tortilla can get heated through and browned.  Let quesadilla cool on a cutting board for a few minutes before cutting.  Serve with extra bbq sauce.  

Carter's First Birthday Party

On January 4th, Carter turned one year old.  I still can't believe it's been a whole year since he was born.  It's been the best year in my life.  Since it was such a momentous year, we wanted to celebrate and that's why we threw a birthday party for Carter and our close friends and family.  It was a great afternoon and Carter had a great time.  He got to crawl around with all his friends and get icing and cake in every crevice of his body!  To save money on catering, and plus I enjoyed cooking, we made the food for the party.  Everything was easy to prepare and able to be made ahead of time, so I could enjoy the party instead of cooking the whole time.  We made bbq pulled pork, chicken meatballs with marinara, cheddar and cayenne macaroni and cheese, kielbasa, and an assortment of crudities (my wonderful mother helped with those).  We have tons of leftovers, but they've all been delicious!  I had so much fun planning his party, I wish I could help out other people!  

Our birthday boy

Crudities

Iced Tea and Lemonade

Guest book

Party favors ("C" shaped cookies)

First taste of cake

Even daddy got in on the action

Vacation with Carter

Over Christmas we took Carter on his second vacation ever and first big road trip. The furthest we've gone with him before in the car was to Tampa, so driving all the way to Northern Georgia was a bit daunting of a task.  We left at 7 in the morning and the first few hours of the trip were a breeze, but when we got to the Valdosta area, Carter started to get fed up.  But after stopping for awhile, he was good to go until we got to just south of Atlanta.  Right around when Carter was reaching full crankiness, we hit a huge traffic jam.  Because we didn't want to drive on our cabin's crazy mountain dirt road at night and we couldn't make Carter sit in the carseat any longer (it was so tempting to take him out of the seat and hold him, but we didn't risk it), we decided to stay the night in Atlanta.  We got a good deal at a hotel downtown and ended up having a nice night sitting in the lounge at the Ruth Chris's and walking around Centennial park.  In the morning we took our time and arrived at our cabin in Blue Ridge, GA a little before lunch time.  My parents had arrived the day before with the dogs.  We had a great time on our week's stay there, complete with a little snow too! One of the most fun things we did was take a train ride up to Tennessee through the gorgeous  Northern Georgian countryside and rivers.  We also really enjoyed walking around downtown Blue Ridge.  If you're ever in the area, you must eat at Harvest on Main. It held it's own to some of the meals we've had in Vegas, New York, etc.   The ride home was a little rough with more traffic jams and Carter getting fed up, but we made it without staying the night somewhere.  It was really great spending Christmas in the mountains with my parents and Carter, made for a great memory of his first Christmas.  It was a lot different than our past vacations (pre-baby).  We've always gone to big cities and done a million things during our trips.  This time it was all about relaxing and spending time with family.  We're looking forward to future trips with Carter (and even Sadie too).  We hope everyone had a great holiday and a happy new year!

Carter playing with a measuring cup, who needs toys?!

Christmas morning with Grandpa, and Sadie keeping a close eye on all the presents

What's in here?

Crawling around on the deck

Brrr, Christmas day

Family time!

Grandpa, Ryan, and Carter getting the fire pit ready for hot dogs and smores, yum!

Ryan and Carter posing in front of the mountains, the top of which is covered in snow