Recipe Ideas

February 9, 2015February 9, 2015 ~ Girlmom ~ 3 Comments

I used to make a few new recipes a week including one elaborate dinner because it was fun for me to lose myself in the kitchen. Then I got pregnant, then I was on bedrest and then I had a newborn. To say I was stuck in a rut when it came to dinner was an understatement. I forced myself to start making the recipes I was pinning on Pinterest (because I have over 1,000) and to start opening the stack of cookbooks I have in the pantry, I wasn’t lacking ideas.

I will admit that sometimes by the end of cooking I am juggling a crying baby, a hungry 3 year old and I am cursing myself for making the stupid dish but after it’s done, I am always happy I did. I rarely remember to take a photo of the final product to share so you will have to check out the original recipe to see what most of them look like. All of these I am sharing turned out great, some the husband didn’t love as much as I did but don’t let that stop you.

Here are some ideas if you are in a dinner rut like I was.

Caramelized Onion Tart with Gorgonzola and Brie– This is not the healthiest so probably better to serve to some friends as an appetizer with wine. The picture is crappy but i promise it is good.

Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Cream Sauce– The only thing I left out of this was the corn. The husband wasn’t convinced of this dish but I thought it was good.

Piadini Caprese– I made the flatbread from scratch, there is a recipe on the original page. The only thing I didn’t use in the sandwich was arugula and I regretted it, everything is always better with arugula.

I forgot to take a picture before i closed it up so I reopened it, looks a mess.

Halibut with Crispy Capers and lemon– We l.o.v.e fish piccata and I thought this would be a fun new twist on the original recipe. I loved this because the crispness of the the capers pared perfectly with the soft fish. Husband thought they lost some of their flavor so you know how that ends. Worth the extra effort in my opinion, at least for a change.

French Onion Soup– This was good and pretty darn easy. The flavor wasn’t as deep as some that I have had but for the first time making it, I was impressed. Even better the next day.

Pad Thai Salad– This was really good. Not really at all like Pad Thai, more like a deconstructed Vietnamese spring roll. You’ll need a spirilizer for this and although I have the Vegetti, it didn’t work great with the cucumber. I will make this again and again once I get myself the Paderno.

Bourbon Maple Glazed Chicken Wings– Holy finger licking good, I loved these. The husband thought the bourbon took over the flavor of the wings. I can sort of agree that the bourbon flavor was a tad strong and it might just have been the bourbon I used but I will definitely make these again.

Chili Garlic Chicken with Yogurt sauce– I made this recipe skipping the skewers. It was super easy and really good.

Okay, I think that is it. I have another recipe to try on Thursday…Let’s hope it’s as good as these were.

Baked Tilapia en Papillote

January 22, 2015 ~ Girlmom ~ 5 Comments

Well what do you know, it’s a recipe and not kid spam.

I used to make this recipe weekly, I have no excuse why I stopped. It’s now being put back on rotation because it’s so good and SO easy. I was able to prepare this with one kid whining at my feet about how she was starving while simultaneously feeding a whiny baby. Plus, there is no real clean up, which will make the husbands very happy.

2 Tbs fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
2 green onions (green part only), finely chopped
Serrano chile to taste
1 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 Tbs olive oil
Dash of toasted sesame oil
Dash of soy sauce
Dash of fish sauce
4 tsp dark maple syrup

4 Tilapia filets, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine all topping (first 10 ingredients) in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Prepare 4 sheets of parchment paper by folding each sheet in half and placing a tilapia fillet centered onto one side of the fold of each sheet. Divide topping evenly among them, spreading it over the top.

Roll up the sides of the paper first, then the top, leaving 1/2-inch space along one edge; fold to seal.

Place in oven and bake 20-25 minutes.

*Recipe adapted from Self Magazine

Date Night

July 31, 2014 ~ Girlmom ~ 3 Comments

I am way behind on my writing. We have been busy the past few weeks and when I did have free time I couldn’t find the motivation to put pen to paper.

Shane and I were given the opportunity to have a date night last week. I have been waiting to try a new restaurant so it took me no time to decide what to do.

Richard Blais, Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars winner just opened a new restaurant in Little Italy and it just so happens to be across the street from a new winery. We have been to San Diego Cellars a couple of times but its been during my pregnancy so I have been eager to try their wines.

We spent an hour at SD cellars while waiting for our reservations. Conversations flow easily with Todd, the winemaker and he was filling us in on his future wine making endeavors.

Dinner time rolled around and I walked into Juniper and Ivy like a kid waking up on Christmas morning. I had been waiting for this day for almost a year, to say I was excited is an understatement. We started with a nice bottle of Italian wine to pair with the Kurobuta pork meatball and bone marrow with crispy oysters to start.

I had never had bone marrow before and I was pleasantly surprised. The meatball, topped with a mole sauce was also good.

For our main dishes, Shane tried the pork porterhouse which the waitress claims to have made grown men cry. I wouldn’t go that far but it was pretty darn good. I went with the white bass in a Veracruz sauce served over mashed black eye peas. I wasn’t thrilled with my decision, turns out I don’t love mashed peas but the fish was perfect.

We couldn’t leave without trying a dessert so we easily agreed on the Yodel. A devils cake rolled up in a white chocolate ganache, covered in dark chocolate along some hazelnut brittle and deliciously dressed in hot chocolate. We indulged and every bite was delicious.

It was a great night and I would recommend you try both San Diego cellars and Juniper and Ivy if you are in San Diego, they live up to the hype.
It was so nice to get out of the house with my husband and have time just the two of us, talking, dining, drinking. I didn’t worry about the kids, I didn’t feel guilty being out, I was just happy.

Summer Bucket List

July 4, 2014 ~ Girlmom ~ 2 Comments

Seven more days and I am going start thinking about checking off a summer bucket list. First things first of course, I’ll have to make sure I can walk around upright and poop without crying. I have been reminded that holding a pillow on the incision helps ease the pain, it’s also good when sneezing, just in case you are being cut open anytime soon.

Do you have a bucket list for this summer or the rest of the year? I have a whole truckload of ideas, Shane thinks I am overzealous, we’ll see.

I saw this on Babble.

A few of those aren’t much of a bucket list, more like life, and I can assure you I am not doing any sort of Triathlon, mini or not.

I am going to see how many tasting rooms I can get the baby into before Winter rolls around.

I am desperate for a bowl of good Gazpacho so I need a fool proof recipe for that.

I would like to get my backside some sun so it can catch up with my frontside.

Our newly refurbished home is begging for some wall art.

I want to take Kaili to the zoo so she can hang with her peeps.

I will find a babysitter who wants to and can handle two kids. One that I can trust enough so I can actually leave the house.

I would like to go on a date with my husband while said babysitter watches the kids.

And maybe, maybe if the stars align, I will get to see Dave Matthews for our 8th anniversary. Or get to see the ponies run at Del Mar, or maybe both?

What is on your bucket list?

A Week in Photos

June 11, 2014 ~ Girlmom ~ 1 Comment

Someone has been working on their tracing.

This month was our dinner theme, cuisine Française.

The kids are all growing up. Next month we will be adding 2 more munchkins to this group.

Despite the cards in her hands, she has become quite the Memory queen.

Well played Dentist, well played.

Finally 1 year later, she is able to reach the peddles.

Uncle Wags came home from a long run of tourneys and came bearing gifts.

There was also a USA soccer jacket thrown in for me. Tomorrow the World Cup starts, are you excited?

Culinary Bucket List { Asparagus Risotto }

May 30, 2014May 30, 2014 ~ Girlmom ~ 2 Comments

I almost fell off the culinary bucket list wagon. Luckily I got my shit together 3 days before June, phew.

I have not been in any mood or have had the energy or the desire for that matter to do any cooking. It’s been all Lean Cuisine and take out dreams baby.

After a sleepless night I got the ~~hankering~~, scratch that, that is a horrible word. I got a ~~craving yearning~~ a want for a roast chicken, the roast chicken made me think of risotto and I have no idea why. I have only made risotto a handful of times and it’s been the easy way, you know throw ingredients into a dutch oven, stir and slide it into the oven.

The classical way wants you to stir, stir and wait and stir like you are an executive chef in a fancy restaurant, risotto rubbing it’s fanciness all in your face. But since this is a bucket list I thought I would suck it up and try the fancy risotto.

I remembered a recipe my mom sent me years ago, it’s just been sitting on my computer waiting to be used. I followed it exactly plus 2 more cups of chicken broth, and it turned out goooood. Gordon Ramsey would SO not yell at me for this risotto. It kept me on my feet longer than I should have been, contraction, stir, contraction, sit down, stir. But it was well worth it!

So if you feel up to making risotto the fancy way give this recipe a try, if you don’t have the patience, try Ina’s.

1 pound fresh asparagus
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons whipping cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnish: chopped tomato

1. Remove tough ends of asparagus. Reserve tips for later use in recipe. Finely chop the stalks and leave the tips in one inch pieces.

2. Bring broth to boil in a medium saucepan, then reduce to a simmer.

3. In a larger saucepan, melt butter; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is transparent. But not brown. Add rice and stir rapidly to coat with butter, Add asparagus stalks and wine, allow wine to evaporate.

4. Add ½ to 1 cup broth, so that the rice is barely covered with liquid. Stir frequently to allow broth to be absorbed. Don’t let rice go completely dry. Repeat, adding broth in ½ cup measurements, until 1 cup remains to be added.

5. Add asparagus tips and finish adding broth ½ cup at a time. When all is absorbed, remove pan form heat. Immediately stir in cream and Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. If desired, garnish with chopped tomato.

Serves 4 to 5

Mango & Chili Glazed Shrimp

April 19, 2014 ~ Girlmom ~ 5 Comments

Let me start by saying that this would have been better with big ass prawns, new culinary term. I didn’t have any big ass prawns so I used shrimp. Since I was putting myself through the trouble of skewering these shrimp I decided to toss all the marinade/glaze ingredients in the food processor. Choose your battles.

Making the marinade was as easy as pie. BUT don’t turn your back on it once it’s done because your 2 1/2 year old might pour it on the salad you just made, like mine did. I only freaked out for a minute, okay two.

I let the shrimp marinade for a few hours before skewering them, my least favorite thing to do. Once they have all been at your mercy you can throw them on the grill. The shrimp cooked in no time so I only glazed one side after I flipped them, before I knew it they were done.

This sauce would be good on anything really, I might try salmon next time.

Ingredients

2 pounds large Prawn
1 large mango, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 sprigs mint
2 tablespoons chili paste
2 limes juiced
1 ime zest
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Puree all above ingredients in food processor.

Pour all but 1/3 cup mango puree over shrimp in plastic bag. Let marinade in refrigerator 2-3 hours.

Pepare grill. Grill prawns 2-3 minutes per side until done, glazing each side with reserved marinade.

Brush with glaze one last time before serving. Serve hot.

Green Pancakes

March 18, 2014 ~ Girlmom ~ 3 Comments

One of the women in my mom’s group made these for a playdate. She told me the ingredients and jotted them down in my head, promising to make them on St. Patricks day. A great way to get a dose of spinach in the kid without her even knowing.
I should have made them on Sunday because Monday’s are rough. I never sleep well, Shane is out the door super early and Kaili always seems wakes me an hour after I have finally fallen back to sleep. This morning I managed to put 2 feet on the floor and drag myself to the kitchen to make them, you know to keep up my appearance of mom of the year.

St. Patricks day was a good excuse as any to make these, it made more sense then on a random Tuesday, although I can see doing that too. Also, can we please shout from the rooftops that if people are so inclined to shorten the name of this Irish holiday that they do so correctly. It is St. Paddy’s day, not St. Patty’s day! Patty is a woman or something between two pieces of bread, not a day.

Green Pancakes

2 cups flour, white, whole wheat flour or whatever you fancy.

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups milk

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 TBS maple syrup, the real stuff.

2 cups packed baby spinach leaves

3 TBS melted butter

Pam, or coconut oil spray for pan.

Preheat a griddle or non stick pan to medium heat.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.

In a *blender or magic bullet combine the milk, eggs, vanilla, maple syrup, spinach and melted butter until completely smooth.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Spray pan with oil and spoon about ¼ cup of batter onto the pan. When bubbles start to form on the surface of the pancake and the edges become slightly dry, flip it over and cook until down.

* I used my magic bullet and it worked great.

Halibut with Caper Butter and Kale {Culinary Bucket List-March)

March 10, 2014 ~ Girlmom ~ 4 Comments

I don’t know when I decided that I liked capers but it must have happened somewhere in my 20s. Now, I like them in all the food. I had them for the first time in a chicken salad sandwich with grapes, brilliant idea.

I struggled with what to make this month. Not that I can’t come up with a delicious recipe I haven’t tried, that is not a problem. I wanted one that wouldn’t have me in the kitchen all day or packing on the LBs. I figured I should throw in some healthier recipes every few months as I’m not getting any skinnier here in the next 5 months…know what I’m saying?

Since it’s now summer in San Diego I decided on a fish dish, a sweet and salty fish dish. I came across this recipe when I googled “halibut recipes”, wow she is so clever. I followed the recipe more for the ingredients and used my own sense of time. I find that when cooking fish it’s best to trust your own knowledge rather than some stranger on the internet.

This dish was really good and it will now go on rotation.

Halibut with Caper Butter and Kale

2 Halibut steaks

Olive oil

1 Tbs. Butter

2 onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves, diced

1 Tbs. sherry vinegar

1 head kale, chopped

2 Tbs. Capers

Season the halibut with a little salt and cook in a hot oiled pan. Cook quickly until golden brown on each side, but do not cook it all the way through. Add a little more oil if necessary.

Once the fish is cooked on each side, turn off the heat and add butter. While it finishes cooking in the residual heat of the pan, baste the fish every now and again with the melted butter.

Put the onions and garlic in an oiled pan over a medium heat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until golden and caramelized. Pour in the sherry vinegar and cook for 30 seconds.

Stir the kale into the onions, add a splash of water to help it steam and cook until wilted, adding a little more water if necessary.

Add the capers to the buttery juices in the pan of fish.

To serve, plate the kale and onions and top with the halibut steak. Spoon over the caper and parsley butter sauce and serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Good Food Channel