Tomato Galette

August 6, 2018August 6, 2018 ~ Girlmom ~ 1 Comment

This is a perfect dish to make when you have beautiful tomatoes begging to be used. Store bought pie crust makes it an easy weeknight meal and the addition of some golden caramelized onions can turn it into a weekend hit. Although you may not want to share, it’s that good!

INGREDIENTS

1 unbaked Pie Crust

1 (5oz) package of Boursin Garlic and Herbs Cheese

1 small yellow onion, sliced and caramelized

2 Large or 3 Medium Tomatoes

1 Tablespoon Honey

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Handful of torn or chiffonade basil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 large egg with a drizzle of water, beaten

Preheat your oven 375 degrees.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, unroll the pie crust. Spread the Boursin cheese on the dough leaving about a 1 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle the onion over the cheese and then layer on your toms. Sprinkle with a healthy shower of salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and honey and then the basil.

Gently fold the edges of the dough up over the tomatoes, repeating every two inches around the free formed pie. Brush the crust with the beaten egg wash.

Pop into your heated oven and bake for *1 hour or until crust is golden.

* Don’t go too far, check at the 30 minute mark to make sure the crust isn’t burning,

Let cool for 5 minutes.

Devour with a nice glass of wine.

Asparagus with Pesto and Burrata

May 15, 2017 ~ Girlmom ~ 3 Comments

How have we been eating asparagus without pesto for all these years? Fail! The compliments these two give each other is something from a love story, a perfect pairing.

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Topped with creamy burrata, this is a perfect side dish to anything.

Ingredients

1-2 bunches of asparagus

1/2 lemon

2 Tbs. Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Burrata

Pesto, you’re favorite homemade recipe.

Directions

Begin by making your pesto and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425. Place asparagus on sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, a good squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper.

Roast for 15 minutes.

Top with burrata and a few spoonfuls of pesto. Break open that ball of creaminess and dive in.

*recipe adapted from The Londoner

Shrimp in Thai Coconut Sauce

February 22, 2017 ~ Girlmom ~ 2 Comments

Thai and Coconut, probably two of my favorite things but when you mix them together with some spice, its pure harmony. Most of the time we have a bag of Kirkland raw, peeled, tail on shrimp in our freezer. No fuss and cooks up in minutes, perfect for a weeknight meal. If you can prep everything, cut all the veg and make the sauce…. or as the French say, “mise en place” then this dish comes together in no time.

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Ingredients

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on or off, your preference)
4 tablespoons coconut oil, divided (you can use vegetable oil)
2 gloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
½ onion, peeled and sliced
½ red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
½ orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced
½ yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 cup coconut milk
3-5 tablespoons high quality fish sauce (start with 3 tablespoons and add more to taste)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
Serrano pepper sliced for the heat lovers

Directions

Place the shrimp in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the oil, garlic, ginger, kosher salt and red chili flakes. Toss to coat and let marinade for 10 minutes to 30 minutes.

Heat a good sized skillet over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the peppers and onion to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and cook the shrimp for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes or until opaque, transfer shrimp to a plate.

In a medium bowl whisk the coconut milk, fish sauce, peanut butter, lime juice, brown sugar and stir well. Transfer the cooked onion and peppers to the skillet and pour the coconut milk mixture of the peppers. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp to the skillet with the basil and cilantro and toss to coat. Garnish with more cilantro and basil, chopped green onion and sliced Serrano. Serve over rice, noodles or riced cauliflower.

*Recipe adapted from Foodie Crush

Israeli Style Hummus

January 22, 2017January 22, 2017 ~ Girlmom ~ 1 Comment

I love hummus, we all love hummus. I pay way too much on store bought brands so I started making my own. As much as I love to make meals from scratch, avoid the big chains, drink local coffee and support small businesses, I am also human. I have been using gasp canned garbanzo beans for my hummus. Okay, canned is still better than say, Sabra’ right? I even used a packaged hummus mix that had everything but the beans and it was pretty darn good. This time I wanted to really make hummus, legit Israeli hummus. I used Bon Appetit’s recipe found here.

It’s no more work than using canned beans and it’s cheaper, win win!

I am not sure it tasted too much different than using canned beans but it was definitely creamier. No reason to look back, no reason to buy store bought. Next time I am going to throw in cilantro and a few serrano’s, actually I am going to do that now.

Farro, Watermelon, Tomato and Feta Salad

December 2, 2016December 2, 2016 ~ Girlmom ~ 2 Comments

A few weeks back we had a very nice lunch in Little Italy. Aside from a couple of delicious pies we also ordered a farro, watermelon, tomato and feta salad with mint and arugula. It was AHmazing. I have been thinking about that salad ever since. I almost made it for Thanksgiving but wasn’t sure that was the best audience to try it out on. Safely back in my own kitchen, I set to work.

In all actuality it’s a fairly easy recipe. If you make the farro ahead of time then you shave 20 minutes off of your prep work. The end result is the perfect combination of sweet, salty, chewy, and a tad spicy, but the punch of mint is the real winner.

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1 cup whole grain farro
2 cups medium dice heirloom tomatoes
2 cups medium dice watermelon
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 cups baby arugula
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat, stir in farro, reduce heat to medium and simmer until farro is al dente, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, drain then spread onto a rimmed baking sheet to cool.

While the grains are cooling, make the rest of the salad. Combine tomatoes, watermelon, 1 tablespoons of the olive oil, a pinch of salt, and some freshly ground black pepper, stir then set aside until flavor is intensified, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Combine remaining olive oil and vinegar in a small jar, close, and shake until well combined. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper then mix with the cooled farro.

When tomato-watermelon mixture is ready, drain off any juices and add the mint then stir the mixture into the farro, add the arugula and feta and stir through. Serve immediately.

*recipe adapted from Aida Mollenkamps Salt & Wind

Easy Homemade Gak recipe

October 24, 2016October 24, 2016 ~ Girlmom ~ 1 Comment

Kaili likes to watch Creative Galaxy and after each episode her creativity is sparked. She comes out wanting to cook or create. I thought about how I used to make Gak with my students and how easy it was. How come I haven’t done this with her yet?

We walked to the drugstore to pick up some of the ingredients. Once the littler one was in bed, we set out to make some homemade Gak.

This comes together in five minutes, it’s too easy.

Ingredients

4 oz. school glue

1/2 cup water + 1/4 cup HOT water

1/2 teaspoon Borax

Food coloring

Mix glue and 1/2 cup water in small bowl or container and mix well.

Add in food coloring if using.

Dissolve the borax in 1/4 cup of hot water. Mix until it’s completely dissolved.

Pore the borax water into the glue mixture.

Stir the Gak and watch as it changes into a solid mass. Knead the Gak for a bit until it’s no longer sticky and wet.

Voila!

It’s a great sensory activity. Mesmerizing.

Shimmer Play-douh

January 6, 2016December 30, 2025 ~ Girlmom ~ 1 Comment

Kaili ran out of Play-doh right before Christmas. Instead of buying more we decided it would be fun to make some of our own but with pizzazz.

It’s so easy to add play-doh to your cart and hit purchase on Amazon but it’s almost as easy to make your own. I used this tried and true recipe but we added a few drops of peppermint extract and a few, ok a lot of shakes of glitter.

*I find that the gel dye is much more vibrant, just make sure you don’t make the dough on a beloved cutting board, it will stain.

I gotta say, one month later and the consistency is still great. Red and green mixed together don’t make the best looking color so it’s time to make some new colors.

Kaili spends time on the iPad at night watching video tutorials on play-dough activities. So if your child loves it as much as mine, this will save you some cash. Cha-Ching!

Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

December 10, 2015December 30, 2025 ~ Girlmom ~ 1 Comment

This was my go to recipe for years when I was teaching. Each year I would make a couple batches, let the kids choose their cookie cutter shapes, decorate them and then send them home for a little Christmas gift for mom and dad. My classroom smelled good the entire month of December.

Now that Kaili is old enough, she can pretty much make these on her own. She enjoyed the glitter the best, they always do…the messier the better.

If you are going to make these in your classroom and don’t have access to an oven, they will air dry, it will just take a few days. (Hint-make them on a Friday)

Also, if you don’t want to make ornaments you can turn them into magnets by hot glueing a small magnet on the back once they are dry.

1 cup applesauce

1 cup cinnamon

cookie cutters

glue or paint

glitter or glitter glue

skewer, straw or chopstick- something to make a hole for ribbon or string.

Mix the applesauce and cinnamon together until a dough is formed.

Sprinkle cinnamon on workspace and then roll out the dough.

Cut dough into desired shapes.

Cook in preheated oven at 200 degrees for 2 hours (or let air dry for a couple of days)

Once cool, decorate your little hearts out. Once dry, add a ribbon or string and voila, a lovely smelling ornament.

“Frozen” Play-Dough

May 9, 2015May 9, 2015 ~ Girlmom ~ Leave a comment

Play dough is one of those things that parents spend money on when in reality it’s super simple to make, and chances are, all of the ingredients are in your pantry.

I thought making some blue glittery play-dough for Kaili’s party gift bags would be a fun idea.

DIY "Frozen" playdough — “Frozen” play-dough

So easy.

Ingredients

2 cups AP flour

2 cups water

3/4 cup table salt

1 Tbs oil

1 tsp. cream of tarter

food coloring

glitter

* Add food coloring to the water to start so the color blends evenly.

Combine water, flour, salt, oil, cream of tartar and glitter in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.

*This is where you can add more food color or glitter if it needs it.

Continue stirring over heat until a dough ball forms. When it’s at your desired consistency, turn onto wax paper of foil.

Let cool and store in air tight container.

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.