Since I read so many food blogs and watch so much food TV, I’m constantly finding recipes that I want to make.  But of course, I only get the chance to try a small percentage of them—there are only so many meals in a week! This pasta, cleverly dubbed “Penne a la Betsy,” by Ree of The Pioneer Woman for her sister, has been on my radar for a LONG time.  Somehow I’ve resisted this decadent dish, which contains a CUP of cream in the sauce, for over a year.  It just didn’t seem like something I needed, especially over the summer.

But last Friday, after a week of being sick with what I dramatically called Tuberculosis, I knew I deserved it.  The heavy cream, waiting to be added to the caramel for those Pumpkin cupcakes, was mocking me from the fridge.  I gave in, and I’m so glad I did.

There’s no frills to this pasta.  It’s made up of simple, great ingredients: Garlic, Onions, White Wine, Sauteed Shrimp, Cream, Tomato Sauce, and Basil.  But it all comes together perfectly into one of the most comforting dishes I’ve ever had.  I always felt like my tomato cream sauces were a little off, good but not perfect, and now I know why— they didn’t contain a cup of cream.

Recipe

I recently entered into a love affair with Pinterest, as I know so many other people have. I’ve discovered that it’s an amazing place to find and share new recipes. There’s something about the emphasis of the site on the visual that makes me want to make the meals that I find on there IMMEDIATELY.  That was the case with these Chicken Chimichangas.  I saw a picture of these fried pockets of goodness, topped with creamy guacamole, and I knew I’d be making them for dinner that night.

They were a little time-consuming, considering I had to poach the chicken first, but it’s the kind of recipe where I feel like practice makes perfect.  I know where the kinks happened (there definitely needs to be more liquid involved in the cooking of the rice) and next time I’ll be able to correct them.  I also feel a little more confident about frying now, and won’t be so hesitant to cook something if it isn’t baked, sauteed, or boiled. Although I’ll probably always be a little scarred from cutting open a perfectly crispy chicken cutlet to find way too much pink in the middle.

Let me just say— these were absolutely perfect.  I’m a sucker for Mexican food, but anyone who appreciates a satisfying dinner will love these. Can you really go wrong with melty pepper jack cheese, refried beans, and a fried tortilla? The answer is no.  If you hate heat in your food, you should cut back on the enchilada sauce, because these were sufficiently spicy.  However, I would recommend NOT being like me and pairing these with a Corona or margarita to solve that problem.

Recipe

Follow me on Pinterest!

No, I didn’t name this recipe.  This lady did.  I wish I could also give credit to someone else for these terrible pictures, but I cannot lie.  We got through about 3/4 of this cheesy goodness before I remembered that I hadn’t snapped a shot of our Saturday night dinner.  Instead of looking at tantalizing photos, you’re just going to have to try it yourselves to understand how good it is!

I first made this back in February for the Super Bowl, and I’ve been wanting to make it again ever since.  The weather is still warm here, but I’m pretending it’s Fall, so that explains the pre-mature comfort food.  I knew no one would say no to spending their Saturday night with caramelized onions, smoky bacon, and FOUR, count em, FOUR cheeses—Fontina, Gruyere, Parmiggiano, and GOAT.  I capitalize Goat, because that’s the cheese that takes this over the edge in terms of tang and creaminess.  It wouldn’t be the same without it.

This recipe can get a little expensive because of the “fancy” cheeses, but I think it would be fine to double up the Gruyere and get rid of the Fontina.  Or vice versa.  Just DON’T get rid of the Goat.

Recipe

Last week (unfortunately after a day where I decided a blowout trip to Shake Shack for lunch was just fine) I stepped on the scale and was not happy by what I saw.  At any other time of the year I would simply be annoyed with how I let myself indulge too much, but it’s APRIL.  In just four short weeks I’ll be trying to get myself into a bikini and head down to Brick with Keenan to get the tan that I’ve missed all year, so I just couldn’t let that fly.  It was time to detox.  To a foodie such as myself, detoxing does not mean going on a master cleanse or swearing off carbs.  It means returning to fresh, light dishes that rely on great proteins and fresh herbs.  It also means finding incredible blogs such as Gina’s Skinny Recipes which provide flavorful, low-cal recipes such as Cilantro Lime Shrimp.

I can be sort of a sucker for shrimp.  If it’s cooked right on a warm night, there’s nothing better.  This recipe was beyond simple to throw together (saute the shrimp in garlic, throw in the cilantro and lime juice, voila!) and still left me feeling satisfied when served with some simple brown rice.  The only thing missing was a cold Corona! Try out this one if you’re feeling as panicked about beach weather as I am, but don’t feel like living on Lean Cuisines for the next three months.

Recipe

As soon as I saw this on the cover of April’s Cooking Light, I knew I had to make it.  I was in the mood for warm-weather dishes after a beautiful trip to San Francisco, and I knew that I was going to need to lighten up my eating after a week of eating like I might never eat again.  Plus, it was a beautiful pasta, and that is something that I can never resist.

The first time I tried to make it was a complete failure.  I came home from the grocery store only to open up my Chives and Dill and find that they were brown and slimy.  I could handle swapping in fettuccine for the much-preferred pappardelle, but there was no way I was swapping in old herbs when the greenness was supposed to be the star of this dish.  It would just have to wait!

I made it last Friday, when I wasn’t strapped for time, so that I could really focus on making it perfect.  That can be the problem with simple dishes; one wrong move and it comes out the opposite of what you wanted it to.  However, despite my great attention to detail, I still had issues.  My main problem was that the ricotta “sauce” was too thin and watery to stick to the pasta, even though I hadn’t added any extra pasta water.  This forced me to add more ricotta, which defeated the point of making a recipe from Cooking Light.  

I served this pasta with a protein that I don’t usually have- sausage.  A chicken sausage with gruyere and garlic to be exact.  Unfortunately that ended up being my favorite part of the meal.  I guess I just had higher hopes for this one and it fell just a little bit short- this unfortunate combo places it in the “forgettable” section of my mind.  However, the light, clean flavors of this pasta did get me excited for all of the spring dishes to come.  I know that I’ll eventually find my essential spring pasta, and I have a feeling it could involve fava beans…

Maybe you’ll have more luck with this one than I did.  The recipe, as always, is below.

Recipe

In case you’re not friends with me on Facebook, or a follower of mine on Twitter, last week I spent six days in beautiful, sunny San Francisco with Keenan.  It was both of our first times visiting the Golden State, and while I originally considered planning our trip for Southern California, everyone I know told me that a food-lover such as myself should really check out San Fran.  It didn’t take much to convince me, as I’ve always heard about the charm of the city, with its unique cable cars and breathtaking location on the bay. 

Me with a Mimosa at the Butler & the Chef (see below)

I’m so glad that we made the decision to spend our five-year anniversary in San Francisco because we had such an amazing time.  Besides a night-tour to Alcatraz, and a full day in Napa Valley, one of the best parts of the vacation was all of the amazing food (surprise, surprise, right?).  Instead of describing every meal that we had during our six days there, I’ve decided to share with all of you the five best food moments from the trip.  And since it was so hard to pick just five, some honorable mentions are included as well.  Enjoy!

#1: Anniversary Dinner at Tyler Florence’s Wayfare Tavern

I know by now that a celebrity chef name does not necessarily equate with a mind-blowing culinary experience, so when I booked a reservation at Wayfare Tavern for our anniversary dinner, I purposely didn’t get my hopes up.  I more so thought that it would a place that Keenan would enjoy, since he’s a cheeseburger and fries sort of guy.  That being said, there were some dishes at this restaurant that really blew my mind.  More specially, Tyler’s Organic Fried Chicken had me gasping and proclaiming my love for it to Keenan.  The chicken was perfectly moist and tender due to its buttermilk brine, but the fried herbs and side of lemon really took it over the top.  I’m going to dream about this one.

#2: Sunday Brunch at The Butler & The Chef

I knew I had made a great choice for our first breakfast in San Francisco when we showed up to The Butler & The Chef 15 minutes before it opened for the day, and there was already a queue of people with their name on a list.  Luckily we didn’t have to wait for our table, because I wouldn’t have been able to resist the delicious smells coming from the kitchen! I fell in love with the Parisian decor and small cafe charm, and I know that I would spend every Sunday morning at this place if I could.  The food was just as intoxicating- my Pain Perdu was simple but perfectly prepared, and Keenan’s Nutella Belgian Waffle was gorgeous.  Next time I’d like to return for their lunch menu and try out a Croque Monsieur. 

#3: A First Trip to In-N-Out

Who’s actually surprised that this one is on the list? A sucker for a well-executed burger (I crave Shake Shack at least once a day), I was literally counting down the days until I got to have my first taste of In-N-Out. While I might be biased because I think Shake Shack actually has this West Coast chain beat, the experience of finally getting to see what all the hype is about was so much fun!  Plus, I got a chance to try a Double Double and MIGHT have moaned a little bit.  My only mistake was not getting my burger Animal Style, but in all fairness I really did want to see what they could do with a classic Cheeseburger.

#4: Taking Guy Fieri’s Advice and Having Breakfast at Dottie’s True Blue Cafe

Even though Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives can be sort of (or really) hokey, I knew that there had to be SOME real gems that were featured on the show.  All of the reviews of Dottie’s True Blue Cafe backed this up, so I knew I had to make it part of our trip.  What makes Dottie’s special is its golden-day feel, attention to detail and quality, and the fact that every meal is made to order by the cafe’s owner, Kurt Abney.  Although the regular menu was tempting, I chose to try out something from the specials board and went for the Tomato, Corn, Pesto and Feta Fritatta.  It was literally flawless, and the homemade Buttermilk Dill toast on the side was even better.  My only regret was not getting one of their special pastries to-go. 

#5: The Last Dinner at Barbacco

During all of my research into the best restaurants in San Francisco, one name kept popping up- Perbacco.  Although the menu was right up my alley, I was more intrigued by what I read about Barbacco, the restaurant’s more casual, homier, sister trattoria.  Part of this was probably driven by the knowledge that by our last night in the city, we would most likely be broke and looking for a great meal for not much money.  Making a reservation here was one of my best decisions, because the taste and quality far surpassed the small price tag.  My favorite part of the meal was the Short Rib and Mozzarella Arancini (Oh. My. God.), but the Sicilian Polpette and Parmesan Polenta weren’t far behind.  The coolest part? iPad wine lists on every table!

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Blue Bottle Coffee

The Peanut Butter Hot Fudge Sundae at Ghirardelli Square (Touristy, but so, so good)

The Iced Chai at The Grove Yerba Buena.  We stopped here for snacks a few times, and loved the drinks and the vibe.

And lastly, without a picture, dinner at Delfina in the Mission.

There are many reasons why someone who loves to cook might shy away from trying a new, more complicated recipe or technique.  For me, there are two major factors: one is time, and the other is the fact that I still live at home and have to use my mom’s kitchen to get everything done.  Most of the time this is wonderful; there’s a ton of space, and all the equipment I could ever need.  However, the potential distractions can be overwhelming, and a lot of the time I end up having to share at some point.

When my parents told me they’d be going away to Aruba this weekend, I knew that I wanted to use the opportunity to try something new and more time-consuming than usual.  I was inspired when I came across a step-by-step recipe breakdown for potato gnocchi on Serious Eats.  I had always wanted to make them, and I knew they’d be a perfect Saturday night dinner for Keenan and Marissa (as well as my cousin Diana, who ended up spending the weekend- but that was a surprise!).  I also had no major plans for the day, so I knew I’d have hours to make sure they came out light and fluffy.

These were definitely labor intensive, and I spent the whole time worrying that I was doing something wrong, but I have to say that they came out really nicely! The shape wasn’t everything I hoped for because a) flipping them off the back of the fork was taking way longer than I wanted and b) the dough was very soft and I kept getting nervous that I was handling them too rough.  But that was irrelevant because once they were fried up in the brown butter and sage sauce (also recommended from Serious Eats), all that mattered was how beautifully it all came together.  Plus, I feel like they still had that “classic” gnocchi shape.

At some point during my gnocchi creation I made the decision to dress half of the dumplings in the brown butter, and reserve the rest to be covered in a tomato-basil sauce.  Marissa and Keenan can tend to be picky eaters, so i was nervous about how they would feel about the sage.  Even though they ended up loving it, I was glad I did both because it showed the versatility of the gnocchi.  I plan on making these again, maybe with a pesto, gorgonzola cheese sauce, or mushroom sauce.  The possibilities are endless!

I served up these beauties with some simple sides: herb garlic bread, and roasted broccoli with garlic, lemon, and parmesan.  Both were very tasty, but the gnocchi was what really shined.  I also made a delicious dessert, but you’ll have to wait until later this week to hear about that!

Recipes:

Potato Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Herb Garlic Bread

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli (modified)

A food photographer I am not (at least this time- I was in a rush).  Regardless, even the most beautiful picture wouldn’t be able to describe the flavor in this Turkey Meatloaf.  I first came across this recipe in my Giada at Home cookbook a few months ago, and instantly knew I had to make it at some point.  The perfect occasion came this week when my best friends Amanda and Elyse came over for dinner.  We get together about every other week, and while one of us always cooks, it’s NEVER me.  I just usually don’t have the time, since I work in the city and don’t get home until close to 7.

But last Thursday I finally took my turn when I realized that this recipe was incredibly simple and would definitely get on the table within an hour.  While I was right about the easy to throw together part, it took a little longer too cook, probably thanks to my obsessive opening of the oven.  This meatloaf was so worth the wait; everything came together PERFECTLY and it really was beautiful despite my above picture.  The salty feta and tangy sun-dried tomatoes made the lean turkey (an otherwise dry meat) so moist and flavorful.  By the time the three of us were finished, the entire meatloaf was almost gone.  So much for leftovers!

As for the side dish: I had meant to spend some time at work Googling a simple side dish, but ended up having a really busy day.  Right before I left the office, I came across this simple Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes recipe from Ellie Krieger.  Knowing that it came from Ellie is what helped me choose it, because I was really trying to go for a healthy dinner. It turns out that these were the perfect accompaniment to the Turkey Meatloaf, because they were also simple to make but had insane flavor.  I can’t tell you how happy I was that my first time cooking for my best friends was such a success. 

Turkey Meatloaf Recipe

Sweet Potatoes Recipe

On Sunday night I finally came home after a long and busy (but fun) weekend.  Even though I was dying to get off my feet, I was starving after only having a Dunkin’ flatbread for lunch, and so were Keenan and Marissa. I searched the house for a protein that was usable (ie. not frozen), and right before I gave up and made some pumpkin pancakes, I came across a bag of frozen shrimp.  While I’d obviously have fresh shrimp to work with, I really have no problem with frozen at all.  I think that it works just as well in most recipes, and it isn’t as difficult to defrost as say, frozen turkey.

I ended up deciding on a recipe that I turn to a lot when I have shrimp to work with- shrimp scampi.  While my mom likes to make a version that puts the shrimp over toasted slices of baguette, I love mine mixed in with whole wheat spaghetti.  I came across a basic recipe on my favorite food blog, Serious Eats, and adapted it to my own needs.  This included doubling the shrimp and bumping up the amount of lemon juice.  Even though this recipe includes a significant amount of butter and olive oil, it really does end up feeling very light and fresh.  Next time I think I’ll add even more lemon juice, and probably some more pasta water to increase the creaminess, but this really was a great Sunday dinner.

Recipe

Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday, so I usually go all out for it every year.  Unfortunately I didn’t have any solid plans this year, so I didn’t get to dress up, which was pretty depressing for me.  However, I did get to make my annual Halloween dinner, and I definitely stepped it up a notch by expanding the menu and trying some new things.  Check out all the pictures of my spooky dishes, and use the (selected) recipes below to celebrate next year!

Witch Hat Calzones

Creature Chips

Tombstone Cupcakes