Date Night In

Posted on October 28, 2012 by fashionablyfoodie

My husband and I definitely enjoy going out and for a meal every once in a while. I have to tell you though, with a little effort, you can save a ton of money, avoid getting dressed up, and have the security of knowing exactly what is on your plate if you have your date night at home. The weather here right now isn’t exactly beautiful. This Saturday evening we found ourselves wanting something yummy, but we were in no mood to wait for a table or spend a week’s grocery money on one meal.

At the risk of sounding like I am bragging, I have to tell you that when I sat this down on the table, I wondered why I ever pay for a steak and potatoes style meal out. I was pretty proud of my little self. I made this entire menu for around $28.00. That’s less than $15 a person for a meal that I can confirm costs about $25.00 a person at my favorite restaurant.

The Menu

Organic Grass Fed Sirloin Filets

Parmesan Potato Gratin

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients List

2- 6 oz. grass fed sirloin filets ( I love organic grass fed beef, because I like a lean yet tender steak. This cost a fraction of filet mignon, but has similiar tender and lean characteristics. If that’s not your thing, choose the steak you love the most.)

3- Butter or Yukon Gold Potatoes (These terms are used interchangeably. I just want you to get the right thing, because the type of potato really matters here.)

1/2 pint of heavy cream

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese (This needs to be good parmesan reggiano. The stuff in the bag has other ingredients that cause a separation between the cheese and cream and don’t get me started on the stuff in the can. It’s not cheese. It’s salt. Use it on your popcorn.)

1- asparagus bunch

Olive Oil

You are going to want to make your potatoes first. While the prep is easy, they take about 1 hour to cook. So, this is the kind of thing you can toss together and then go finish up that magazine you’ve been trying to get through. You’ll start by peeling your potatoes and then slicing them very thin. I mean thin here as in about an 1/8 of an inch. If you have a mandolin slicer, that is the best kitchen tool for this job. I don’t have one simply because I don’t trust myself with it. I am very lucky that I am sitting here typing this with all 10 fingers right now.

After you have your potatoes thinly sliced, you will make one layer in the bottom of a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. You don’t want to pile the potatoes on top of one another or they’ll never cook properly. Just gently layer them in a single layer. Next, drizzle the cream over the potatoes. You just want a nice little puddle over top of them. Don’t drown them. You should do about 4 layers and at the end your little 1/2 pint of cream will be gone. Next, sprinkle a thin layer of parmesan, salt and pepper. Repeat this four or five times until you’re out of potatoes. Put the dish into a 375 degree oven for 1 hour. To test whether your potatoes are done, put a fork through the middle. They should be super creamy.

About half way through your potatoes cooking, take your steaks from the refrigerator. Before you cook any steak, you want to take the chill off. Cold meat on a hot pan means uneven cooking and chewier than you’d like. Place your steaks on a plate and rub the outside with course black pepper and salt. This is a good cut of beef. Don’t ever ruin it with some concoction of a marinade.

After about 15 minutes, you are going to drizzle some olive oil, about 2 tablespoons, into the bottom of a heavy skillet (cast iron is good here if you have it). Let the skillet get super hot. The oil should be at a slight ripple. Drop your beef onto the pan, and then read this next part carefully. DON’T TOUCH IT. I had to do that in all caps to be sure you’d see it. If you don’t let those steaks make good contact with a hot pan you’ll just have mangled beef and none of that lovely crust that’s about to form.

Before your steak hits the pan toss your asparagus on a sheet pan with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper. Send those to the oven alongside your potatoes. Easy enough? The asparagus take about 10 minutes.

The steaks will cook about 4 minutes on each side. Depending on the thickness of your steak and how you like it done, you may need to transfer it to the oven alongside your potatoes and asparagus for a bit. You’ll want 130 degrees for rare and around 155 degrees for medium well. I recommend about 145 degrees for medium. Well done is the equivalent of beef jerky to me, but I won’t judge you if you just can’t take that little strip of pink. I will recommend however that you close your eyes once and try it. You’ll like it.

Pull your potatoes and meat off the heat and allow them to rest for about 10 minutes. The meat needs to rest so the juices can redistribute and the potatoes are best when the cream has set up a bit and soaked into the cooked potatoes. Your asparagus can be kept warm by just placing a foil tent over it.

When you serve it, you’ll be impressed with the plate…

Now pour a glass of red wine (I love a Merlot with beef) and enjoy a cozy evening in with the one you love. Ladies, now would be a good time to ask for [insert anything here].

On Bread… and Life…

Posted on October 14, 2012 by fashionablyfoodie

Well hello there everyone! I know I’ve been away for a while, and I promise never to leave for this long again. It’s been a rather crazy summer. Between getting a new full time job (yep, I’ve left the world of banking), and having houseguests for most of the summer I’ve been less than inspired to entertain or cook. I must say though, what I love best about a new season is a new opportunity to refresh and renew everything. I am renewing myself with a new career that I love and refreshing this blog with some cozy recipes to help you embrace the chillier temperatures.

Before I get to today’s yumminess, I will update you on my new career. I am now an admissions representative with a local university and I have to tell you I am loving it. I am sure everyone reading this has been at that place where you think that if you have to get up one more day and follow the same routine, you’ll just explode or something. Yep, I was there. I went back and forth on what to do, and at one point even entertained the thought of becoming a full time college student again. Well, God works in mysterious ways and thus I found myself with an opportunity to not only help college students on their academic path, but to also continue my own education all in one place. I truly couldn’t be happier and although I am usually on here giving advice about cooking and entertaining, I cannot close this up without saying that if you have found yourself in that place where your career just isn’t aligning with the larger goals you have for your life, do something. Do it now. There really is no time like the present, and if you have to do something for eight plus hours a day, you might as well enjoy it. There I said it, now if this is you, get off the computer and figure out how you’re going to turn your Monday’s into better days.

But wait, before you do that, allow me to share with you the most fool proof bread recipe I’ve ever found. If you and yeast have had a love-hate relationship, fret no more. My very best friend taught me to make bread about two years ago. Since then I’ve been able to expand to cinnamon rolls and pizza dough, but when I make bread, this is the only recipe I’ll use. All others have failed me. I credit her and her family with this one. Until we made bread in the kitchen together one day I was completely yeast challenged, now I must say I can make a pretty nice and unbelievably tasty loaf of bread.

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 packages of active dry yeast (I swear by Fleishmann’s Rapid Rise, but you can use whatever works for you.)

3/4 c. of warm water

2 2/3 c. of warm water

1/4 c. sugar

1 tbsp. salt

3 tbsp. shortening

9 to 10 c. of flour (I use King Arthur’s bread flour.)

Dissolve the yeast in 3/4 c. of warm water. Now, if you’re like me and you’ve killed every package of yeast you’ve ever purchased, here’s a little secret my dear friend shared with me. Run the water, and get it until you cannot feel it. It should literally be the temperture of your body. It shouldn’t feel hot and it shouldn’t feel cold.

Stir in 2 2/3 c. of warm water, sugar, salt, shortening. Then, using your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook work in the first five cups of flour. Then proceed to mix in enough dough to make the dough easy to handle- smooth and stretchy. I typically get to work in about 6 cups with my mixer and then I need to knead in an additional cup or 2 depending on the humidity that day.

When your dough hook won’t help you anymore, turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter top and start kneading in the additional flour. You will knead the dough for 10 minutes. This is truly my favorite part. It feels so nice and stretchy, and you really get that feeling of making something homemade when you’re hands are a mess.

Once you have a nice and smooth dough, make a big ball and turn it into a greased glass bowl, greased side up. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel. I usually put my bowl of dough on top of my oven and turn the oven on 425 degrees. This is the temperature needed to bake the bread, so it’s perfect. If you have a warm window with the sun blazing in, by all means save your electricity and let your bread rise there. It will rise for 1 hour.

When you return after an hour your dough should be gloriously overflowing the bowl. You’ll be so proud of your little masterpiece. Punch it down and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide it evenly in 1/2. Yep, you’ll have 2 lovely loaves when you’re through! Roll each 1/2 into an 18 x 9 inch rectangle. Roll the rectangle up and turn the ends underneath the loaf. Place the loaf into a 9x5x3 loaf pan. Brush with butter and put back into your warm place covered with your kitchen towel and allow it to rise another hour.

Now you have 2 really gorgeous loaves of bread. Bake them at 425 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes. The secret is, they should be really brown on top and they should sound hollow when you knock on them.

Let them cool on a cooling rack for about a 1/2 hour before you slice with a bread knife and allow some room temperature real butter (no fake stuff here) to melt down in.

Today, I am serving this bread with some homemade chicken noodle soup. But, I have to say I haven’t met a dish yet that doesn’t just scream for a piece of this along side.

You’re going to have a lot of bread here, so if you can’t share a loaf with a friend, don’t worry. In fact, you might not even want to. I’ve found this bread makes a fantastic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, it’s perfect toasted in the morning with butter and jam, and when it gets a little stale, do not throw it away. Just mix up some eggs, cream, cinnamon and nutmeg and enjoy the best french toast you’ve ever had.

This recipe is precious to me both for the memories I made learning it, and for the fact that it is so simple. It’s back to basics. Afterall, sometimes in bread and in life, that’s exactly what we need.

A Healthy Take on Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Posted on April 13, 2012 by fashionablyfoodie

I’ve been really busy lately. That’s probably why you haven’t seen a post from me in quite a while. I’ll be honest, I haven’t made a lot of things I see as worthy of a post. Tonight that all changed.

Like me, you’ve probably noticed that Americans have a bit of an obsession with buffalo chicken. Gone are the days when buffalo chicken was simply a few wing parts covered in sauce. Now we have a variety of ways to enjoy this spicy treat. Wraps, salad, chili, dip… the list goes on.

Tonight, I tackled pizza. I had just a little left over chicken in the fridge that I had to do something with so I decided a pizza was the perfect way for it to be served. My husband loves anything with buffalo sauce, so I knew this would make him happy. I worked all day today, so I didn’t want to spend a lot of time. With the help of a store-bought whole wheat pizza crust, some low fat mozzarella and some hot sauce. Magic happened. Just because you’ve worked all day doesn’t mean you shouldn’t come home to nutritious food you actually enjoy eating.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

1 store-bought whole wheat pizza crust

1/4 lb of chicken

1 cup of hot sauce (I use Frank’s Red Hot) + a little more for brushing on the chicken as it cooks

4 tbsp. butter

1/2 cup part skim mozzarella

Heat an indoor or outdoor grill to medium heat. Pour the one cup of hot sauce and the 4 tbsp of butter into a small sauce pan over low heat. Let the mixture melt and come together while your chicken cooks. Salt and pepper your chicken and place it on the grill. About half way through cooking brush a little hot sauce on the chicken. Flip after about 4 minutes, and brush the other side. When the chicken is done, chop it up in nice bit sized pieces.

Take your pizza crust and spread the buffalo sauce mixture over top. Use as much or as little as you like. This determines how spicy the pizza will be. Spread about 1/2 the cheese, then the chicken, then the other 1/2 of the cheese. Drizzle some more of the buffalo sauce over the top.

Bake @ 425 degrees for 10 to 14 minutes directly on the oven rack. Broil the top for about 30 seconds before you remove it from the oven.

Slice and serve with ranch, blue cheese and the remaining buffalo sauce for garnishing. I also served a salad with mine.

ENJOY! Perfect for your next weeknight supper or an impromptu gathering with friends!

For the Love of Salmon

Posted on March 24, 2012 by fashionablyfoodie

I am a lover of seafood. I often joke that there is little that comes from the sea, that I do not indulge in. Salmon has recently become one of my favorite seafood entrees. I like it simply prepared. A little oil, a sprinkle of Cajun spices and a really hot pan. It’s truly all you need to create a crispy crust with a buttery flaky texture inside. Served with white cheddar mashed potatoes, grilled green beans and a strawberry spinach salad. Well, let’s just say you’ll feel like it is instantly summer in your kitchen.

Simply Salmon for 2

2- 6 oz. salmon filets, skin removed (more if depending on how many you are cooking for)

1 tbsp. of Cajun seasoning (I like Weber’s)

2 tsp. of olive oil

Put your non-stick skillet over medium – high heat. Add the olive oil and allow it to heat until the oil looks as if it is rippling. Season 1 side of the salmon with the Cajun seasoning and place it in the pan. You should hear a lovely sizzle. Once the first side is down, season the other. Don’t move it around a lot. Let it form a crust. After about 4 minutes, flip it over and cook the other side. I like my salmon until it is just cooked through. You can cook it to your preference, just be sure to cook it long enough that you get a crispy crust.

White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

5 Russet Potatoes (peeled and cut into large cubes)

1/2 cup of sharp New York Cheddar

2 tbsp. of butter

1/4 c. of skim milk

salt and pepper to taste

Place your peeled potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Add a generous amount of salt to the water, about 2 tbsp. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bubbling simmer until your potatoes are fork tender.

Using a hand mixer or your stand mixer, put your potatoes, butter, milk, and cheese in and mix until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. You may need to add more milk depending on whether you prefer a stiff or smooth texture.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

1 bag of triple washed baby spinach

1 lb of strawberries, sliced

1/2 cup of almonds

1 lemon

2 tbsp. of sugar

1/3 cup of olive oil

Zest and juice your lemon into a small bowl. Add the sugar, then proceed to stream in a 1/3 cup of olive oil until emulsified together.

Toss your spinach, strawberries and almonds with the dressing. Prepare to be amazed.

“Grilled” Green Beans

1 lb of fresh green beans, stems removed

2 tsp. of olive oil

salt and pepper

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is nice and hot, toss in the green beans, salt and pepper. Cook until the skins start to wrinkle and caramelize.

The caramelization takes out any bitterness in the green beans. My husband, who has never loved them, asked for seconds. Trust me on this one!

This entire meal is truly one of my favorites. Don’t like salmon? Do the same thing with chicken. It is worthy of entertaining, yet simple for a weeknight or an evening in.

Herbs and Inspiration

Posted on March 24, 2012 by fashionablyfoodie

It’s a rainy Saturday around here so when we woke up this morning, my husband and I decided to make a trip to my favorite grocery store, Wegmans. Located about 40 minutes from our home, it is worth every bit of the journey. This is not traditional grocery store shopping, it’s an experience. So, when I arrived and this Saturday featured the “Herb Festival,” I was sure that I would find inspiration. I was reminded as the bill was tallied in the check out lane, that I am fortunate not to live closer. I am not sure our budget can handle it.

In addition to tasting delicious caprese salads with fresh basil and mediterranean specialties like grilled eggplant with feta and oregano, I also visited one of my favorite places, the cheese section. I won’t lie, I love cheese. I am a cheese snob, and while I know it’s not exactly diet food, I’d rather have 1 oz of lovely cheese and then stop eating all together. I definitely believe in quality over quantity. I am sure most of us don’t think of cheese as dessert, but when I stumbled upon a lovely display of Stilton, the woman behind the counter convinced me that White Stilton with Cranberries spread over a graham cracker would taste JUST LIKE cheesecake. I took the cracker from her, curious yet doubting, and what I bit into was a sweet and tangy paradise… like cheesecake. I thought about keeping this little secret to myself. I had visions of perplexing my dinner guests as I pulled out a wedge of cheese and graham crackers. Like any good secret, this one was just too good to hold onto.

Stilton on Graham Crackers

1 wedge of White Stilton with Cranberries (take it from the fridge about 45 minutes before you want to eat it. It is best at room temperature.)

1 Box of graham crackers (I like to use the honey or cinnamon ones)

Spread cheese over the cracker and serve.

I just had to show you this lovely piece of cheese in it’s whole state. It’s almost too pretty to cut, but believe me, you want too.

Slightly Sinful Cupcakes

Posted on February 29, 2012 by fashionablyfoodie

I am very fortunate to work in an office where we celebrate birthdays with delicious treats. It was my turn to bring in the birthday goodies and as I considered what to bring, I knew it had to please the masses. Meet my friends chocolate and peanut butter. Chocolate and peanut butter are so heavenly together it’s a wonder we ever have one without the other. You can’t go wrong with the classic chocolate cupcake with peanut butter icing.

While birthdays are made for enjoying all the good things guilt free, our company has recently embarked on a wellness program. I also happen to work with a group that is pretty health conscious for the most part. I decided I would keep the integrity of the cupcake, but do what I could to make it a healthier version. The results tasted as sinful as they could be, but everyone could feel just a little bit better about the indulgence.

The Cupcake

Now before any of you scold me, I have made it very clear I am not much of a baker. Furthermore, I find homemade cake to come out dry more often than not. I am pretty sure it’s my fault, but give me a box of cake mix and I can assure you I will put my stamp on it. I won’t even glance at the directions on the back of the box. I am going to label this method as “not quite from scratch.”

1 box of Devil’s Food cake mix (I love Duncan Hines)

3 Eggs

3/4 cup of water

1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce (it must be unsweetened as it is taking place of the oil in the cake)

1 tbsp of brewed coffee (this is a secret you can use in most any chocolate recipe. It brings out the true flavor of the chocolate)

Now this is where it gets a little complicated… not really, I just wanted you to consider how I could further complicate a box cake mix. Put everything in a large mixing bowl and beat on low speed about 30 seconds.

Fill your cupcake liners. I use foil ones because they are less likely to stick and just to be sure, I spray them with a squirt of cooking spray. Remember there is no oil in the recipe.

Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes and allow to cool completely.

The Peanut Butter Icing

There isn’t a whole lot I could do here, because this icing makes the cupcake, but once again I did what I could to trim the calories and fat.

1 cup of smooth peanut butter (I use Jif Reduced fat and there is no difference)

1 cup of powdered sugar (you may need a bit more depending on the humidity in your kitchen so keep it near by)

1/4 cup of fat-free 1/2 and 1/2

4 tbsp of unsalted butter

1 tsp of vanilla

Put all of the ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or use your hand mixer. Start out slow or you’ll have sugar on the ceiling. Let the mixture come together. You may need to add another splash of milk or more sugar depending on how it comes together. You want a moderately stiff, but creamy mixture (see photo).

Now, I chose to pipe my icing on. You do not have to be “Cake Boss” to do this. You can purchase a cake decorating set relatively cheap that has everything you need for simple cake decor. This makes it special. Your cupcakes look more elegant this way. Just use your largest star tip. Put it in the bottom of a disposable pastry bag and slowly, applying light pressure, make your way around the cupcake. I also garnished mine with mini chocolate chips. You could use mini Reese cups too.

These were a hit at the office and unlike some other versions I have had, not as calorie laden. I would trade this cupcake for the fuller fat versions any day.

Easier and Lighter Chicken Pot Pie

Posted on February 26, 2012 by fashionablyfoodie

As I write this post, I am wondering if my house is going to blow into the next state. Despite our mild winter, it is down right miserable today with wind gusts and temps barely into the 40′s. It is on days like this that I find myself wanting to cook and bake more. Perhaps it’s the extra time I have to experiment in the kitchen combined with the cozy feeling a hot meal provides when it’s so miserable outside.

Although the weather is definitely influencing me toward heavier fare, I have also been trying to improve my health and exercise more. I got up early and had my best run yet, so I didn’t want to necessarily undo all the good I had done. I decided to make chicken pot pie. I had a variety of half bags of frozen veggies crowding the freezer and it seemed like perfect way to use what I had and make something delicious.

Chicken Pot Pie is one of my favorite meals. Often made with a buttery pastry crust and filled with a thick and delicious gravy over veggies and chicken, it can be a calorie trap. I am not very good at making pastry crust either. My Mom’s pot pie has always been my favorite, and when I’ve attempted it myself, it’s never the same. I decided to take a little from all the recipes I have tried over the years and combine it with a simple, light, no fuss crust. No fuss, because I simply defrosted it. Meet my new best friend, phyllo dough. What I ended up with was the most delicious, flaky crust. Though not entirely the same, the perfect stand in for Mom’s pot pie.

Lighter Chicken Pot Pie Makes an 8×8 (2 qt.) pan or 6 servings

3 cups of chicken (I used 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

3 potatoes, peeled and diced

2 cups of frozen veggies (Use what you like. I used peas, carrots and corn)

3 cups of chicken broth (I recommend organic, low sodium)

3 tbsp. of butter + 2 more for the phyllo dough

4 tbsp. of flour

8 sheets of phyllo dough

You can cook your chicken however you like, but I prefer to use my crock pot. Place the chicken breasts in the crock pot with 1/2 cup of chicken broth, salt and pepper. Cook on high for 3 hours. Lift the chicken out and dice. It’s easy and the flavor is so much better than poaching it.

Peel and dice your potatoes. Throw them into a pot and cover them with water. Be sure to use cold water and do not boil your water then throw in the potatoes. You want the potatoes to come up to temperature with the water. The potatoes will cook for about 10 minutes or until fork tender.

In the meantime, get your gravy going. Melt 3 tbsp of butter in a large pot over medium heat. When the butter is almost melted, start whisking in the flour until you have a creamy paste. You don’t want it to be stiff, but you don’t want it to be too loose either. You will use about 4 tbsp, but add it slowly, because depending on how things progress, you might not need all 4. Once the flour and butter have come together, add 2 of your 3 cups of chicken broth. Let the mixture get nice and thick, then slowly add the other cup. You should be continuing to whisk the mixture through this entire process. Your gravy should coat the back of a wooden spoon, and when you slide your finger down it, the swipe you made should stay. The perfect gravy test.

Get a large bowl and mix together the chicken, frozen veggies, potatoes and start adding your gravy. Stir in between as the ingredients will soak up the gravy, and you don’t want things to be floating. Salt and pepper the mixture generously to taste. Now you’re ready to get it into the oven.

I use a 2 qt corning dish, but this recipe is perfect for an 8×8. Get out your thawed phyllo dough and melt the extra 2 tbsp of butter in the microwave. Take one sheet of the phyllo dough and lay it onto the counter, brush it with the melted butter, then move onto the next sheet until you’ve done 8 sheets. You will notice the dough is very thin. You need to handle it with care, but if it tears don’t get excited. Just cover up the holes with the next sheet! That’s the beauty of phyllo dough!

When you’re finished, lay your dough over top the dish and tuck the excess into the edges of the dish. You can get fancy and crimp the dough across the dish or just leave it as is. Bake @ 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

This recipe is wonderful for entertaining, and would be great in individual ramekins for your dinner guests. Get creative with the vegetables and herbs and please have fun with this heartwarming recipe.