Last weekend I took a day trip to Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, New York. I scoured the Serious Eats website for some tips for where to eat, and my oh my did I have a ball. Below I snapped some photos of the places I ate at and the markets I visited. I have been dreaming about going back to continue eating and exploring.
Khachapuri from TONÉ-CAFÉ Georgian Bread. It tasted like a cheese-filled croissant. So rich and savory. Continue reading
My friend Tyffanie and I were batting around ideas the other day for how to use up the winter produce that we received in our Corbin Hill farm share boxes this month. She suggested making this butternut squash pizza crust. I enjoy making pizza at home, and I am partial to making my own “no-knead” pizza crust with bread flour, but this gluten-free squash-crusted pizza looked like an intriguing and new-to-me cooking project for a too-cold-to-leave-the-house Sunday afternoon.
Who knew winter produce could look this good?! Continue reading
What to do when you have a nearly full jug of milk in the fridge and you have to use it before it goes bad? Mac and cheese.
I tried to balance the heaviness of a dish like mac and cheese by using whole wheat pasta and 1% low fat milk instead of whole milk. Serve with lots of colorful veggies to further balance out the full-fat creamy delicious cheeses, butter pats, and bread cube topping.
I roasted carrots and parsnips in the oven (cover them for the first 15 minute so they get nice and tender and glazed). For the broccoli, I rinsed it, and with the water still clinging, placed it on a plate , covered it with another plate, and steamed it in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes. And for fun, I sliced a few quick-pickled kirby cucumbers. Veggie Love!
Not pictured, but leftovers reheat well with a little hot sauce dabbed on top!
adapted from Smitten Kitchen, Originally from Martha Stewart
Serves 5-6
1/2 stick of butter (4 tablespoons), divided
3 thick slices bread (I used sourdough), crusts removed (I like to nibble on the crusts later, so I save them!), cut into bite-sized cubes
2 3/4 cups milk (I used 1% low fat milk)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon course salt
pinch of each: ground black pepper, fresh grated nutmeg, old bay
roughly 3 cups shredded cheese: I used a mix of Gruyere cheese and a fancy smoked Gouda (cheddar is more classic mac and cheese)
1/2 pound whole wheat pasta (I used fusilli)
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a pie dish or 8 in x 8 in pan; set aside. Place the bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the bread, and toss. Set the bread cubes aside.
2. Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When the butter bubbles, add the flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
3. While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk a little at a time to keep mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 8 to 12 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, old bay, 2 1/2 cups of the cheeses. Set the sauce aside.
5. Cover a large pot of salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta until the outside is cooked and the inside is underdone, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pasta to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir the pasta into the reserved cheese sauce.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and the bread cubes over the top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes (or until browned). Transfer the dish to a wire rack for 5 minutes; serve.
Last night, I had a spontaneous dinner with my new housemate and his girlfriend. We were cooking two separate dinners, and just decided to combine them and dine altogether at our little table.
I contributed this butternut squash bake and some kale chips and nice salami, and they contributed a hearty spinach salad, some cheese and bread, and cheap “wine” from our nearby corner store. They are from France and Switzerland, and had never eaten butternut squash or kale chips before, so it was fun to introduce them to some of my favorite vegetables.
I love that we don’t have wine glasses and that our cutlery and plates don’t all match. I’m all about not matching.
I’ll admit that most nights, I cook dinner and watch a television show while I eat. It was a nice change to sit at a table and schmooze with the people I share an apartment with.
This is the kind of recipe where all I want to do is pick off the crispy cheesy topping. I was dining with company, though, so I had to restrain myself!
This squash bake was super simple, and you could use any variety of winter squash. The natural sweetness of the butternut squash and onion with a light cheesy mix keeps the dish healthy but still full of decadent flavors. You will need to reserve about an hour of time to complete the recipe, but most of it is hands-off as the squash bakes. I also made this earlier in the day and just reheated it when time came to eat dinner, so it is a good make-ahead.
Serve the squash bake with some sautéed greens or kale chips for a nice color contrast!
adapted from Jackie Newgent’s 1,000 Low Calorie Recipes
makes 4-6 servings
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I had a very large squash so I had to use a bigger baking dish)
1 onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup milk (I used 1% lowfat milk, you can also use soy or almond milk)
2 teaspoons cornstarch (or arrowroot)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
pinch of cayenne or old bay
1/3 cup grated fontina or white cheddar
1/3 cup breadcrumbs (I made my own with some old sourdough; bake in the oven until toasted and blend to fine crumbs)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Asiago
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Combine the cut squash and onion in a baking dish (Newgent recommends a 2-qt dish, but I used a 3-qt pyrex because I ended up with a lot of squash). Drizzle and toss with the olive oil. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the squash is tender all the way through.
Meanwhile, whisk together the milk and cornstarch. Whisk in the egg, salt, pepper, and spice. Set aside.
Stir the squash-onion mixture. Sprinkle with the fontina/cheddar cheese and evenly pour in the milk mixture. Sprinkle the top with the breadcrumbs, Parmesan/Asiago cheese, and an extra pinch of cayenne/old bay. Roast until the squash is tender the cheese coating is crisp and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Let stand for 10 minutes to complete the cooking process, and serve.
Approximate nutrition facts per 1 cup serving: 240 calories, 12g total fat, 4.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 65mg cholesterol, 530mg sodium, 27g total carbohydrate, 6g dietary fiber, 8g sugars, 9g protein
1 bunch of kale, stemmed and torn into pieces (or enough to fit a baking sheet)
1-2 tsp. olive oil
salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lay the kale on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, until it is crisped but still greenish. Be careful not to overdo it or you will get burnt pieces.
Me, hovering over the stovetop to snap a picture before I dive into the pizza
There’s a bottle of Mike’s Hot Honey sitting on my desk. Honey spiked with vinegar and chiles.
This spicy honey begs to swirled on cheesy pizza and if there’s bits of oven-toasted cured meat, even better. (For more food pairings, look here).
I made a quick, no-knead dough with a mix of bread flour and whole wheat flour. Olive oil and a dash of cornmeal go onto the baking sheet before the dough to get a nice crust with color and texture.
The dough recipe makes enough for two pizza pies.
Sauce, fresh mozz, mushrooms, pepperoni, Parmesan, fresh oregano. Top with lots of honey. Enjoy with a big salad (whoops, not pictured, but this meal definitely calls for a big salad).
I had extra toppings leftover, so I just toasted some regular, whole wheat bread, spread it with the toppings, and popped it in the oven for 10 minutes. Another easy option if you don’t want to make the dough recipe.
For the dough recipe, I used Joy’s version, which was based on Tracy’s version, which was originally from Jim Lahey’s book (it makes enough for 2 pizzas. You can freeze one or save it for the next day). I found the dough to be very shaggy. It ended up working, though, so just let it do it’s thing. I had to knead it one or two times to get it how I wanted.
**NOTE: This dough recipe needs about 2.5 hours to do it’s thing before it can go in the oven. Give yourself enough time if you are making your own dough.
Toppings (for 1 pizza):
3/4 cup sauce
3-4 oz ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/8 pound thin sliced pepperoni, cut into wedges or strips (I found pepperoni at the Whole Foods Deli, from Chestnut Valley Charcuterie)
1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded or grated
Toppings after the oven: fresh oregano, red pepper flakes, spicy honey
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450-500 degrees F.
Oil a 13×18-inch rimmed baking sheet with olive oil, and sprinkle cornmeal over the oil. Place the 1 of the 2 dough balls on the pan and stretch and press the dough out into a flat rectangle. If the dough springs bag as you’re pressing it out, simply wait five minutes to allow the dough to rest and then try again. The dough should be very thin. If the dough tears, don’t worry, just press it back together.
Top the dough with sauce, cheeses, mushrooms, and pepperoni.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges are charred and bubbling. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for a few moments then slice and top with fresh oregano, red pepper flakes, and spicy honey. Serve immediately, with a big salad.
Figsinmybelly 