Shepherd's Pie

My love of Shepherd's pie comes about from eating at Baker Street pub in New York city. As far as New York pubs go, this is a good one: good food, ample seating, big screens and a helluva time for St. Paddy's day. As a non-meat eater, ordering Irish, English, or French food is often difficult for me. I'm generally happy with piping hot fish and chips came out, but as I noticed everyone else at the table had steaming cheesy bowls of mashed potatoes in front of them, my interest was piqued. Digging under the steaming potatoes, revealed a delicious smell and the appearance of ground meat. Delicious -- if only I could've had a bite... Here's a version I can eat myself -- as I'm not a big fan of veggies such as celery, peas, and carrots, the "veggie" portion is one small carrot, which offers great texture. If you like veggies, feel free to add more into the meat mixture.


Mashed Potatoes:
2 russet potatoes
3tbs butter
3/4c milk

Meat Filling:
1/4 onion
1 small carrot (peeled and diced)
1c ground turkey
1/2 tbs garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 tbs ketchup
1/4c tomato sauce

1/4c shredded cheese to top

1. Mashed potatoes: Peel and dice potatoes, cover with water, boil, cook until tender. Strain. Mix in butter and milk. Salt & pepper to taste.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Heat 2 tbs oil. Sautee carrot and onions until soft. Add turkey meat, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until meat is no longer pink. Add ketchup and tomato sauce. Cook until evenly distributed. Season to taste.
3. Grease baking dish. Add 1 layer of meat mixture, smooth down. Add layer of mashed potatoes, smooth down.
4. Bake 15 - 20 minutes, add a layer of cheese, bake 15 additional minutes (until cheese is bubbly and potatoes have golden brown peaks).

Enjoy!

PINKBERRY at home...

Since leaving my former homes, I occasionally get cravings for certain treats...Shake Shack cheese fries, Stanton Social pierogies, Potbelly creamsicle shakes, Heights frozen margaritas, Gianna's italiano chicken cheesesteaks...and Pinkberry korean style frozen yogurt!

Pinkberry has become somewhat of a fad, started in LA, but discovered by me in NY. As a yogurt lover, I love that this frozen yogurt actually tastes like yogurt -- not watered down ice cream. Actually, its delicious taste paired with its non-fat claim remind me of that Seinfeld episode "The Nonfat Yogurt." It's tangy, and sweet, and perfectly compliments the fresh fruity toppings that accompany it. So in a fit of desperation, I broke out my hand crank ice cream maker and attempted it at home...

2 7oz containers Fage Greek Yogurt
2/3c (minus 1 tsp) sugar
1/2tsp vanilla extract

1. One day prior -- place mixing bowl of ice cream maker in the freezer overnight
2. Beat ingredients together with a whisk.
3. Using a spatula, transfer mixture into ice cream maker and freeze.

Enjoy!

Altogether I found the mixture tasty, but not as frosty as the real thing (this could be the effect of my hand crank model as opposed to using an electric ice cream maker. That said, close your eyes, put on the Pinkberry song...and it's a tasty quick fix!

Take-home: The Rashida Special

Okay, I LOVE Rashida Jones. She's got a dry sense of humor, stylishness, low-key attitude, and uber-cool cohorts (including dad, Quincy Jones and ex-fiance, Mark Ronson). I believe the term is "girl crush," ie: a girl that other girls want to copy and be best-friends with.

So when I read Aziz Ansari (Rashida's Parks & Recreation co-star, and a fellow foodie) twitter about the "Rashida Special," I was intrigued.

azizansari Bout to do up the best breakfast ever aka the Rashida special - egg whites, avocado, black beans, and turkey bacon in a tortilla.



I've read this post months ago, but today after the gym it felt like a breakfast burrito kind of morning...with a little more preparation, I would've pulled together a Rashida special, but today I used what I had.

1 flour tortilla
1/2c Egg substitute
2 tbs black beans
2 Morningstar Farms Sausage Links (no-meat)
sprinkle of extra sharp cheddar
1tbs green chiles

1. Lay one flour tortilla on a plate, sprinkle with water, microwave for 20 seconds to soften.
2. Spray a small bowl with cooking spray and add egg substitute. Microwave for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally until cooked through. Remove and lay on tortilla, sprinkle with cheese.
3. Heat Sausage links as instructed on package (1min 20 sec). Place in a straight line down the center of the tortilla. Top with green chiles.
4. Season beans with salt & pepper, heat 30 seconds or until warm. Spoon on top.
5. Wrap it up, carefully making sure to get everything inside.

This meal was quick and delicious (with the help of my trusty microwave), but the Rashida Special is definitely going to be added to my menu...hopefully with more success than my emulation of Rashida's bangs...

Restaurant Take-Home: Continental's Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass with Sweet Potato Mash

So here's another Continental favorite, I had to try again. One of the tastiest entree's at Stephen Starr's The Continental: The Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass.
Many recipes for the sea bass called for long marinating and Mirin rice wine...both of which were huge turn-offs for me...additionally, having never cooked sea bass, I figured I'd stick to a fish I'm assured one can never cook wrong: Salmon. Also, it's available everywhere.

Another shortcut, was using Trader Joe's instant miso soup mix instead of miso paste. I'm not sure that miso is that hard to find, but at least this way, without making this dish every single day (which after making it the one time, doesn't sound like too bad of an idea) you can still use the ingredient. Also, if Trader Joe's is your main grocery store, you'll have no problem whipping it together whenever.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 1/2 packet Trader Joe's instant miso soup
  
• 2 salmon fillets
  
• Cooking spray
• 1/2c chopped scallions

1. Preheat oven to 450.

2. Sift Trader Joe's instant soup (or at least try to get rid of the tofu bits and dried veggies)

3. Combine first 4 ingredients.

4. Arrange fish in a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle scallions on. Spoon 2/3 of miso mixture over top of fish.

5. Bake for 10 minutes, add more glaze over the top. Bake for an additional 5-10 min. Beware of burning (glaze may get hot and the sugar can burn) -- if this happens add a few tbs of water to the sauce around the fish -- NOT on top of the fish.

6. You should be able to smell the deliciousness of the fish when it's done. A well cooked fish will show bits of whiteness on the outside amid the pink and the glaze.

At Continental, the sea bass is served alongside a sweet and fluffy cloud of white sweet potato mash (and a fried sweet potato chip). I'd tasted a similar puree at Trader Joe's last year around Thanksgiving, so I headed to the store to pick up a can to serve alongside...alas, a conundrum when looking for white sweet potatoes: the contents of the can were slightly bitter, orange, yams. Still, to turn them around, I added a pinch of salt, a few tbs of butter and some brown sugar to taste (about 1/4c). All in all, not quite the same asian complement as starchy white sweet potatoes, but not a bad combination either.

Lobster Mac n Cheese

Nothing says summer vacay like a tasty, decadent lobstah...and what better place to find it than in the culinary mecca of Chelsea Market (home of the Food Network). To The Lobster Place it was, although after seeing the amazing seafood selection, it was clear we couldn't walk out with just one seafood item. So pre-cooked lobster meat it was -- which also allowed for a stroll through the Meatpacking District and sunbathing on the HighLine during time that would otherwise have been spent boiling a gazillion tons of water.


It also helped to have, days earlier, tasted the Lobster Mac at Continental (where I am pleased to report they have returned to the tasty orzo pasta, making the dish a lot more dense and thusly delicious).


















However, for a recipe, I had to turn to the queen of Lobster and decadence: The Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten.
I have to say, eating her food almost makes you envision yourself in a gorgeously decorated garden of your very own Hampton's beachhouse.








Pasta:
Small/Medium shells
Oil
Salt

Sauce:
1 pint (16 oz) whole milk
6 tbs butter
1/4c flour
2c grated Gruyere cheese
1c grated Sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 - 1lb cooked lobster meat
1/4c bread crumbs (plain, unseasoned)

Makes 4 generous servings

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Cook pasta to al dente (ie: boil water, add pasta, cook for 6-8 min, strain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking, set aside). (requires about 1/2 - 3/4 of package)
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. *this is Ina's step and I really like it as a quick and easy way to get a nice, thick sauce...much less tedious than adding cold milk and allowing it to thicken* In a large pot, melt 6 tablespoons of butter and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. *not having a whisk, I used a wooden spoon, although you should be conscious to flattening any lumps that may develop with the back of the spoon.* Still whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth.
4. Lower heat and add Gruyere (save a handful for topping), Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Set aside off heat.
5. As we used pre-cooked lobster, I heated it up a bit by heating 1 tbs butter and 1 tbs water in a small saucepan. I added the chopped up lobster to the mixture and cooked for a minute or so or until it was a bit warm. Then add the lobster to the cheese sauce and stir until it's well distributed.
6. As there was more pasta than sauce, I added the pasta a handful at a time to the cheese sauce to get it all incorporated. Next, spoon the mixture into a greased baking dish. Cover the top with remaining gruyere and breadcrumbs. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Enjoy!

*You can also spoon this into individual ramekins or smaller oven-safe bowls, so you can enjoy the leftovers later without drying it out by cooking over and over*

Fried Fish

OK, not really, but alternatively it's a really cheap, fast, easy, and tasty dinner (all of my basic requirements) and on top of all that, it's pretty healthy too!

So first off, I'm in love with fish because it cooks in like 1/10th of the time as chicken (and unlike chicken, it's hard to overcook). While my top choice is a delicious salmon (see pan-seared salmon recipe...), the problem with having salmon (or most fish vs chicken, say) is that it's often pricey and hard to find fresh...this is why I sometimes prefer white fish. Catfish in my opinion tastes kind of like mud. Tilapia on the other hand, while flaky and deliciously tender, doesn't really have much taste at all. Bad if you're making Tilapia Steaks, but great if you're making practically anything else as you can flavor it yourself to fit about any dish. Also, it's dirt cheap and available in almost every grocery store. Score!

A really common way of cooking fish is to fry it, but as I am afraid of hot oil: a) because I think I could really hurt myself, b) because it's super messy and takes a lot of effort to work with, and c) because I don't really like to see how much fat goes into making a really tasty restaurant dish. So I LOVED this fast, easy, healthy alternative: Oven "Fried" Fish

Ingredients (per 80z fillet):
1 Tilapia Fillet (defrosted and cut into 2in 'chunks')
3 tbs milk
2 tbs cornmeal
1 tbs salt
1/2 tbs pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
(optional: hot sauce)

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
2. Prepare cookie sheet lined with parchment paper -- You can use a regular cookie sheet and just spray with cooking spray, but the parchment really helps the fish from sticking.
3. Pour milk into small bowl (add a few shakes of hot sauce if preferred).
4. In a plate, mix dry ingredients: cornmeal, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder
5. Dip fish chunks in milk mixture.
6. Dip fish in dry mixture, turning and sprinkling to ensure fish is evenly coated. Try to coat as much as possible, although it's ok if fish is a bit wet to touch.
7. Arrange fish on cookie sheet, bake for 10-15 minutes (turning once if desired) or until golden brown.

You can eat these "fish sticks"...plain with ketchup, hot sauce, tartar sauce, and/or lemon...in a sandwich...or you can use these as the basis for a crispy fish taco! For fish tacos, I would add some mexican hot sauce or jalapenos to the milk mixture and maybe some chili powder to the dry mix. For toppings, see my post on fish tacos!

Enjoy :)

At-home Southwest Chicken

Aside a massive (turkey) burger) or swimming in garlicky dressing, I love salad, but without all the bad stuff it usually just awakens my appetite, rather than suppressing it. That said, a salad which is massive, filling, healthy, affordable, and my go to meal in airports is (surprisingly) McDonald's Southwest Chicken Salad. It's pretty affordable (especially compared to other airport options), filling, and with grilled chicken it's healthy (the chicken has this delicious glaze that pretty much takes the place of dressing).

Conveniently, my love for mexican flavors (and Nachos in particular) means I tend to have most of these items on hand in my refrigerator. My other gripe is meals that take too long (marinating and cooking, etc) and too many ingredients. So, I put together some of the components and whipped up a tasty meal that was done in 5 minutes, tasted great, and was only 360 calories to boot!

Ingredients:
- "Chicken" - Morningstar Farms Meatless Buffalo Wings (altho Trader Joe's Frozen Chicken Strips would also work well)
- 1/8 - 1/4 cup shredded cheddar
- 2 tbs fresh pico de gallo salsa
- 1-2 tbs ranch dressing (I used Kraft Fat-Free Ranch)
- 1/4 c Black Beans
- 1-1 1/2 c Chopped Romaine Lettuce

(optional toppings - crumbled tortilla chips, sour cream, guacamole/chopped avocado, lime wedge)

Microwave "chicken" as directed by package. Chop into small pieces. Combine with other ingredients in bowl. Mix. Eat. Delicious.

Turkey Burgers

Nothing is more satisfying in the summer than a deliciously grilled burger, although with a Foreman grill you can enjoy these any time of year. As a non-beef eater, I make my burgers with turkey, which need thorough seasoning. This is a basic mix which makes a flavorful but not overpowering patty that matches any number of toppings.

1 lb ground turkey (lean but not 99% gives a moist but healthy burger)
1 tbs McCormick's Barbeque seasoning
1/2 tsp Spike seasoning (available in health food stores, but can use seasoned salt or omit instead)
1/2 tsp Poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp Chili powder
1/3 tsp crushed garlic (or garlic powder)
1 egg

Preheat Foreman grill (grill pan, or frying pan) to high heat.
Mix and spoon one tbs onto pan to form a mini patty. Cook a few minutes and taste for flavor. Adjust seasonings to taste. Form mix into 4-5 equal sized patties.
Grill on each side 2-3 minutes until juices run clear (insert knife at an angle to pierce patty until juices run)

And now for the toppings...some of my favorites:

* Wilted spinach, sauteed onions, fried egg, and havarti cheese

* Mayonaise flavored with chili powder, Cheddar cheese, and guacamole

* Cheddar cheese and sauteed onions

A twist on a good thing: Cornmeal Crusted Mango Salmon

I like to think of this as a twist on Teriyaki salmon, since it mixes in a sweet flavor. The idea comes from Sunny Anderson from the Food Network with a few changes...

Ingredients:
1 can mango nectar
2-4 salmon fillets
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
salt & pepper to taste

1. With a sharp knife, scrape skin from salmon (if too difficult, or if you like skin, you can also leave on)
2. Place salmon in a bowl, season both sides with salt & pepper, pour in mango nectar to cover
3. Marinate at least 30 minutes
4. In a plate, mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt
5. Dredge front and back of salmon in cornmeal mixture
6. Heat olive oil and butter at medium high to high heat (watch butter does not burn)
7. Cook salmon for 4-8 minutes depending on thickness, flipping to cook each side.

Enjoy!

This goes great with garlic mashed potatoes and you can try a trick that Sunny uses to get more flavor in: boil a few cloves of garlic (2-3 per large potato) in the water with the potatoes as they cook. Then mash the garlic up together with the potatoes.

Want to try this! ~ Also, Sunny serves it with garlic mashed potatoes, which she makes by boiling garlic cloves in the water with the potatoes! Yum :)

Caponata

This is a delicious way to cook veggies and is extremely versatile too. It can be used as a meaty yet meatless filling for a veggie lasagna, a saucy topping for pasta, or just plain or as a side salad.

Ingredients:

Veggies - Caponata is usually a mix of veggies and eggplant, but for this, you can make any combination of eggplant, zucchini (or squash), bell peppers, and even maybe spinach. It's a great way to buy whatever is cheap and cook it up. A good start is 1 regular eggplant, 1-2 zucchini and 1/2 each 1 red pepper and 1 green pepper.

1 can (14-16 oz) Diced Tomatoes - I also use tomatoes, which you could chop up and stew, but I usually end up using canned diced tomatoes (in the winter, because regular tomatoes aren't in season, and in the summer, cause it's so quick and easy this way). You want to avoid the seasoned kind (which can taste a little too sweet, but if you have to get seasoned, get the Italian flavoring).

1/2 onion
Garlic
Olive oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt
Pepper

1. Dice your veggies into 1/2 inch cubes. Sprinkle with salt (esp. eggplant & zucchini).
2. Mince garlic & dice onion.
3. Heat a few tbs of olive oil and sautee garlic and onion until translucent.
4. Sautee eggplant for a minute or two, add peppers and zucchini, cook until tender and browned (a fork should go easily through these).
5. Add can of tomatoes, 1/4 can of water, and a few good shakes of balsamic vinegar. Salt & pepper to taste.
6. Decrease heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until reduced and tender.

Enjoy!

When eating it plain or over pasta, I like a little cheese on top. Grated parmesan is the best.

Recipes to try: Drunken Shrimp

I HATE The Neely's from Food Network, but they are cooking a combination of a few great standbys that I bet taste even better together: beer and shrimp! Then they serve it with another great combination: cocktail and barbeque sauce!

Almost as easy as Shrimp Cocktail...you basically just dump the ingredients into a pot and boil the shrimp -- simple!

Can't wait to try it :)

Ingredients

• 2 (12-ounce) bottles lager style beer (recommended: Budweiser)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 onions, quartered
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 tablespoon Neelys Seasoning Rub, plus more for garnish, recipe follows
• 1 tablespoon crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 whole peppercorns
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Lemon wedges, for garnish
• BBQ Cocktail Sauce, for garnish, recipe follows

Directions

Add all ingredients, except shrimp and garnishes to a large saucepan on high heat. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add the shrimp and cook until bright pink, about 5 minutes. Drain the shrimp from the cooking liquid and place in a serving dish. Chill or eat while warm, sprinkled with the dry rub before serving alongside Cocktail Sauce.

Neelys BBQ Seasoning:

• 1 1/2 cups paprika
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 3/4 tablespoons onion powder

Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir until combined. Keep in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

BBQ Cocktail Sauce:

• 1/2 cup Neelys Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows
• 1/2 cup prepared horseradish
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Dash hot sauce

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until use.

Neelys BBQ Sauce

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Yield: 3 1/2 cups

Quesadillas 3 ways!

There are many ways to make a delicious quesadilla and here are a few different ways I fold them to make them super delicious.

Foreman Grill


The first is a clean and easy no brainer. It works for semi cold ingredients, or you can warm them on this first, before you throw on the tortilla.

1. Pre-heat your grill

2. Meanwhile, arrange the ingredients you want inside and fold into a pocket while cold.

3. Arrange the pocket folded side down on the grill and shut it until you get nice grill marks and the browned color you want.


Fold and Fill

The next is also quick and easy. It's perfect for when you have a hot filling to put inside (like say some peppers and onions that you've just sauteed).

1. You toast the tortilla on both sides (until the bloom -- or shine -- goes away and the tortilla is white with brown spots and a bit crunchy as opposed to soft).

2. Mound the cheese on one half of the tortilla (you'll need a good amount to get it really cheesy)

3. Fold the tortilla over and cook on both sides to cook the cheese. Cook until cheese is good and melted.

4. Peel the tortilla apart (see picture) and fill with delicious warm filling. Stick it back together and you're done!


Burrito Style

The third is great for when you have a lot of fillings to put inside. In this one, the cheese is just the glue, and the fillings are the main show, so you want to fold it kind of like a burrito to hold everything in.

1. Proceed like always and toast the tortilla on both sides

2. Sprinkle a line of cheese right down the center. Layer fillings in a line on top (works well with chicken strips!). Sprinkle a second layer of cheese in a line on the top.

3. Fold over one side of the now warm tortilla and lightly hold on top to melt the cheese and make the tortilla stick.

4. Fold over the other side.

5. Flip it over to make sure both sides are warmed and melted, and you're done!

UPDATE: NOLA BBQ Gulf Shrimp

So I tried out the recipe for Emeril's BBQ Gulf Shrimp and boy did it take a lot of effort. Lots of simmering and reducing...oh my. In the end, it turned out quite tasty although a little diluted I thought (I'll use less of the cream next time). Also, I'll try using smaller shrimp so each bite has more of a BBQ coating on it.

Here's how it's supposed to look (Emeril's version), although what we ended up with was lighter and soupier.


I also found this pared down recipe for the sauce, which sounds like it's worth a try (and explains how the shrimp got to our table in ten minutes at the restaurant).

What You'll Need For The Barbecued Shrimp:

• 1 tsp. Creole seasoning
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 2 oz. barbecue base
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. butter

What You'll Need For The Barbecue Base:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 10 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Emeril's Essence
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 tsps. fresh oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• The juice of two lemons

Let's Cook:

You're going to start by making the barbecue base.

Take the ingredients listed above, put them in a saucepan and reduce on low to medium heat.

It's not too spicy, but it has a lot of flavor.

Also, add creole seasoning, black pepper, the barbecue base, a little bit of heavy cream and a little bit of butter.

Sear off the shrimp in a pan on medium heat. Let them cook on each side for about two minutes.

Now add a little bit of heavy cream.

Then you're going to use the extraction or barbecue base until it turns into a nice coffee color.

Finish with a little bit of butter. It's a very simple dish and very quick.

Sesame Chicken Skewers

This recipe from Women's Health sounds really yummy, pretty easy, and also healthy (check out nutritional facts at the end)! Too bad my Foreman grill is packed or I'd give it a try... For now, it's on the "to-do" list.

Sesame Chicken Skewers

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 6 mins
• Total Time: 31 mins
• Serves: 8
• Average Rating: 5/5

No Description

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup defatted reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3 drops hot-pepper sauce
• 24 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 breast halves), cut into 1/2" wide strips
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions

1.

In a medium bowl, combine the broth, parsley, scallions, soy sauce, oil, garlic, ginger, coriander and hot-pepper sauce. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

2.

Preheat the broiler.

3.

Drain the chicken. Discard the marinade. Thread the chicken strips on separate 6" metal skewers in loose S shapes. (See note if using wooden skewers.) Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

4.

Place the skewers on the rack of a broiling pan. Broil 4" from the heat for 3 minutes. Turn the skewers over and broil for 3 to 5 minutes more, or until the chicken is no longer pink

Nutritional Facts (per serving)
26 Calories
2.3 grams Fat
1.1 grams Carbohydrates
.5 grams Protein

A twist on ceviche...

Spicy Tropical Shrimp Boats from "Cooking With all things Trader Joes"
All aboard! Shrimp, mango, and jalapeños set sail on endive boats. No utensils needed for this seafood adventure. The sweet flavors in the fruit salsa offset the slightly bitter taste of crunchy endive. Be prepared for the salsa’s spicy kick!

1 cup frozen Medium Cooked Tail-Off Shrimp, thawed ½ cup Fire Roasted Papaya Mango Salsa Salt and pepper 1 head fresh Belgian endive, leaves separated 2 Tbsp refrigerated Cilantro Dressing Cilantro for garnish

1. Dice shrimp into cubes. Mix shrimp and salsa. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Spoon shrimp mixture onto endive leaves. Arrange shrimp boats on serving platter and drizzle with dressing.
3. Garnish with cilantro.

Variation: For a more traditional (and less spicy) shrimp salad, use ¼ cup Cilantro Dressing or other creamy dressing instead of the fruit salsa. Garnish with cilantro.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves 4 (2 boats each)

Recipes I'd Like to Try...

These are a few recipes gleaned from a few of my favorite restaurants that I'd like to give a try at home...

The Continental
1801 Chestnut St. Philadelphia, PA 19103
138 Market St. Philadelphia, PA 19106
Caesar's Pier Shops, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Buffalo Turkey Meatballs
Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass
Lobster Macaroni & Cheese











NOLA
534 Saint Louis St. New Orleans, LA 70130
BBQ Gulf Shrimp

Pan Seared Salmon w/ Sauteed Spinach & Smashed Potatoes

This meal is so easy and so delicious. It's super fast because you don't need to marinate the meat, which makes it a great last-minute choice. I could eat it everyday -- but the best part is it's elegant enough to serve to guests.

I love the simple salmon and garlicky spinach and potatoes, but it also works well with a creamy risotto instead of the potatoes, or broccoli florets instead of the spinach.

One thing to keep in mind is getting the timing right so everything is done at around the same time...so start the potatoes first. Then when they begin to boil do the spinach and the salmon last.

Pan-Seared Salmon
2 medium sized salmon fillets (I like to have 2 2" pieces for each person)
1 tbs olive oil
salt & pepper

Heat olive oil on medium hot heat, salt and pepper salmon generously on both sides, cook skin side down for 2-3 minutes to get a nice crispy crust, turn and cook flesh side down for 1-2 minutes or until light pink and medium well.

Smashed Potatoes
4-5 red skin or yukon gold potatoes (this is plenty for 2 people)
1/2-3/4 cup milk
4 tbs butter
1 tbs garlic powder
salt & pepper (to taste)
chopped herbs (if desired) -- chives, parsley, basil, etc.

Wash potatoes and chop into 1 inch cubes. Put in a pot and enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil. Once cooking, cook for 20 minutes or until soft when you pierce them with a fork. Strain potatoes and put in large bowl. Mash with potato masher, flat spoon, or a fork until fluffy. Add milk and butter (cut into tbs) to make mashing easier. Add seasonings to taste.
Sauteed Spinach
1/2 - 1 head fresh spinach, or 1/2-1 bag spinach leaves
(fresh spinach is best...the flavor won't be the same with the frozen kind)
4 cloves garlic
1/2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs butter
salt (to taste)

Smash garlic with a knife to remove skin, then chop roughly. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter on medium heat. Saute garlic briefly. Add spinach by handful. The pan will be full, but will empty out as spinach wilts. Stir spinach so it is coated in oil and continue stirring occasionally until it wilts (you can cover with a lid to help wilting). Continue with all spinach. Add salt to taste. You can remove large garlic pieces or keep them (after cooking they will be very mild and sweet).

Fish Tacos

I LOVE these in the summer cause they're quick, easy, and don't take a lot of cooking, so you're not sweating in the kitchen. Also, the lime flavor throughout goes great with a Corona or Margarita!

FISH
2-3 fish fillets (there's so much flavor that using the cheap ones is fine -- I generally go for Tilapia, but any white fish is fine)
1 lemon
2 tbs olive oil
3-4 limes
3-4 cloves of garlic
6-8 jalapeno slices (or to taste)

PICO DE GALLO (salsa)
1 tomato
1/2 onion
1 large handful cilantro
jalapenos (optional)
lime juice
salt
pepper

CREAM SALSA
mayo (i use the light kind)
sour cream
jalapenos
a few pinches of chopped cilantro
a shake or two of mexican hot sauce (Tapatio is a brand I like)
lime juice
salt
pepper

Marinate fish for at least 30 min in a ziplock bag with lemon juice, juice from 3 limes, olive oil, chopped garlic, diced jalapenos, and a generous amount of salt and pepper.

Chop cilantro, tomato, onion, jalapenos. In a small bowl, mix 2 parts sour cream to 1 part mayo and juice from 1/2 lime. Add in a pinch of diced jalapenos, flavor with hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.

In another bowl, combine tomato, onion, remaining jalapenos and cilantro. Add juice from 1/2 lime, season with salt & pepper.

Grill fish in an oiled skillet, cooking on both sides -- it's okay if fish fall apart a bit as you cook, since you'll be piling them into the taco anyways. Set aside.

Warm tortillas (MICROWAVE: stack 4 on a paper towel and microwave for 1 minute), (OVEN: wrap 4-6 in aluminum foil and bake at 300 for 5 min), (SKILLET: toss tortillas into oiled skillet individually, flipping to make sure both sides are warmed).

Compile taco: Spoon fish, Pico de Gallo salsa, and top with Cream salsa.

Enjoy!

Shrimp Fajita Quesadillas

So tasty and super easy with Trader Joe's frozen shrimp!

3-4 cloves of Garlic (diced)
1-2 Lemons (juiced)
2-3 tbs olive oil
1 tbs salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp cumin (optional)
4-5 diced jalapenos (optional)
1/4 cup rough chopped cilantro (optional)

1 bag medium cooked frozen shrimp
Large flour tortillas
1 bag shredded cheese
1-2 bell peppers
1/2 spanish onion

Defrost shrimp by tossing into a colander and running with cold water for 3-5 minutes or until chilled but unfrozen.

Marinate shrimp for a minimum of 30 minutes in 1 gallon ziplock bag with lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper and optional ingredients (if desired). Strain marinade and cook in a skillet with oil until bright pink and heated through. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Set aside.

Chop bell peppers and onion. Toss in heated skillet with oil, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, continuing to toss the mix until onions are translucent and peppers are softened. Add cooked shrimp. Set aside.

Spray skillet with oil spray and heat large tortilla on both sides. Add cheese liberally, fold in half. Cook each side for 30 seconds until tortilla is slightly browned and cheese is well melted. Remove from skillet and place on place. Open tortilla and spoon shrimp/onion/pepper mixture inside. Close tortilla back up.

Enjoy!

Variations:
- Shrimp can be cooked alone and served over couscous or rice.
- Shrimp Fajitas ~ Omit the cheese and instead merely spoon shrimp/onion/pepper mix into heated tortillas

Arroz con Pollo

Want flavorful stewed chicken in 30 minutes? Try it this way -- no bones or skin involved!



2 boneless chicken breasts
1 pack Goya Sazon seasoning (con azafran)
4 cloves garlic
1/2 onion
1/2 can tomato paste
1/4 cup tomato sauce
Goya sofrito seasoning
capers
olive oil
water

Chop garlic and onion and saute in a few tablespoons of garlic until soft. Stir in 2 tablespoons of sofrito.
Cube chicken and brown with garlic and onion mixture.
Scoop in tomato paste, tomato sauce, and 1/2 cup of water, sprinkle 2 packets of Sazon and a spoonful of capers, stir until mixed.
Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes checking that the pan doesn't boil over. Cook until mixture thickens, may need to remove from heat and let sit before serving.

For an easy serving option, cook with Goya yellow rice (follow instructions on box). Serve with avocado slices.

Mexican 2-in-1: Chipotle Chicken

Trader Joe's is really a godsend with all their super easy, convenient, healthy options and for me they are the go-to place for easy flavorful Mexican options.

Here's how I use their superflavorful Chipotle salsa to spice up two recipes (careful, it's hot)

Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas

2 cans Trader Joe's canned chicken (in water)
1 jar Trader Joe's Chipotle Salsa
1 bag shredded cheese (cheddar & jack)
1 pack of quesadillas

Sour cream, salsa, guacamole

To keep the taste up and the fat down, I use the Trader Joe's lean canned chicken (drained) and mix to taste with Chipotle salsa. Be mindful of how much salsa you use as it can get quite spicy. The chicken comes packed in a can like tuna, but by mashing with a fork, flakes into some fine shredded chicken (no cooking or shredding required).

From this tasty mix, you can go for a delicious and easy quesadilla by spreading the mix on a tortilla, topping with cheese, and another tortilla and grilling until cheese melts. This rivals the options on basically every menu from Applebee's to Dos Caminos, really kicking up the flavor.


Top with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole!

Easy Frozen Burritos

Want an even more convenient (and healthier option!) how about frozen burritos!?
Seriously, you know those freezer aisle frozen burritos that taste stale and yet pack thousands of calories, well what if you constantly had these tasty go-to options in your fridge?

Chipotle chicken mixture (2 cans chicken, jar of salsa)
1 pack tortillas (8)
1 jar Trader Joe's Fat Free Black Bean Dip
1 cup frozen corn (defrosted)
1 cup shredded cheese (optional)



I use the Chipotle Chicken mix (above), which with 100% fat free salsa, and lean chicken is super-lowfat. Then I mix in some scoops of TJ's Fat Free Black Bean Dip (yum) and mix that in until the mixture forms a nice, smooth paste. For flavor I sometimes mix in cheese, or keep it low fat with some sweet roasted corn.

Then, take a pile of tortillas (you can use whole-wheat) and pop a stack in the microwave until soft. Spread a bit of the filling into each tortilla, fold in the sides, then roll into a burrito. You can wrap these individually or pop them into a freezer bag and freeze.

Microwave for approx 2 min to defrost (careful, they can get hot inside) and serve with a dollup of non-fat sour cream. Yum!

Empanadas

This is my homage to the delicious snacks at Ruben's Empanadas in New York. In particular, I love their Chicken Empanada, which they fill with chicken in a creamy bechamel sauce.

Frozen pie crusts make this recipe easier. Fill with whatever you want, veggies are best, but a tasty treat is a creamy turkey filling. Kind of like a turkey tetrazzini pocket.

To make it, first remove frozen pie crust and set aside. Brown ground turkey (seasoned with salt & pepper or my favorite Goya Adobo seasoning). Once cooked, remove the turkey and set aside. Add a little butter to the pan and a little flour. Stir carefully to create a rue (or a sticky light brown paste). Once it starts to sizzle add milk (about 1/2 a cup at a time). Stir mixture until it is consistently white and begins to thicken. Pour in another 1/2 cup of milk and stir until very thick.

Add a handful of shredded cheese and cooked turkey. Set aside and let cool.

Roll out pie dough on a surface dusted with flour and cut out as many circles as you can fit. (3" in diameter will yield appetizer size pies, try 5" or so for a more substantial pie).

Once your circles are rolled, scoop a spoonful of cooled filling inside. Fold over to make a half-circle pocket. Crimp edge with a fork. Pierce pocket with two slits and paint with egg.

Bake for 30-45 min at 350 degrees or until brown.

Let it cook before you bite in -- these are hot!

Curry Lettuce Wraps

Yummy, healthy, summery snack! (caution, requires mucho chopping)

Grilled Chicken -- diced
1/2 tomato -- diced
1/2 red onion -- diced
1/2 cucumber or bell pepper -- diced

2 tbs lowfat mayonnaise
1 tbs mustard
1 tsp curry powder (or tandoori paste)
salt & pepper to taste

mix all and scoop into washed and separated lettuce leaves. eat carefully.

Chilaquiles

Despite all the supermarket frustrations of East Harlem (don't get me started on finding a good balsamic vinegar without sounding like a complete yuppie foodie), there is an abundance of awesome items for delicious mexican dishes (could be all the mexican restaurant workers...).

Anyways, here's a dish I read on a menu and could literally hear it going straight to my ass, so here's my pared down version:

Two corn tortillas (diced into 2 in x 1 in strips)
2 Eggs (cracked and whipped)
Shredded Cheese (Cheddar or Mexican Mix)
Diced chilies
Hot Sauce
Sour Cream

Spray pan with Pam toss corn tortillas and cook until soft (might need a few more sprays). Once tortillas are fairly cooked pour in eggs and scramble in pan. Once eggs are nearly set, sprinkle with a handful of shredded cheese and diced chilies. Scramble until its all dispersed. Season with salt and pepper. Top with a dollop of sour cream and shake on some hot sauce.

Onigiri

So I used to get these at this AMAZING Japanese bakery near my old office on 44th street. It's AMAZING, cause everything is cute and perfect and delicious and under $4. Also, they have a Beard Papa in the store and everything is better with Beard Papa (seriously, if you're having a bad day, Beard Papa tops my feel good treats list).

Anyways, I recently found these Onigiri at JAS Mart on Saint Marks (which bummed me out cause I used to live a block away for two years and never knew they had these yummy treats). Anyways, since I've been packing my own lunch lately, I thought I'd give these a try at home.

What it is: Rice Ball, stuffed with filling, eaten wrapped in a fresh sheet of nori (seaweed)

My version:

Rice - I've read that sushi is actually really bad for you cause you're eating like a pound of white rice per roll, which is the same as I don't know half a loaf of Wonder Bread, so I tried to healthy this up using brown rice. Although I quickly learned that to help this stay you need sticky rice, so I used 1/2 Japanese medium grain rice and 1/2 cooked brown rice.

Follow the directions on the rice packaging (mine called for 1 1/2 c rice, 2 cups water; bring to a boil; cook 10-20 min covered until water is absorbed; let sit 10 min covered). The brown rice is from Trader Joes, you just microwave it for 60 seconds with a slit in the package for the steam to escape.

Mix 2 cups or so of each rice in a large bowl until brown rice is well distributed. (I like to mix in 2 tablespoons of flax seeds for extra health, but you can also use sesame seeds)

For an easy filling, I used drained tuna fish and drained salmon (both from the can).

Next spoon two spoonfuls of rice mix into a 1c. measuring cup. Pack it down with a 3/4 c. measuring cup, which should fit easily into the larger cup. Then put filling in the center of the packed rice. Spoon on two more spoonfuls of rice and pack again. Flip the 1c. measuring cup and tap it until rice pattie falls free. Wrap with nori. Eat :)

Mess: 5 (That sticky rice sticks to everything, also it takes a number of instruments to make these)