Grilled Portabella Layered Nann

dinner last night was one of those wonderous miracles that come together quickly and effortlessly yet taste so good it's deemed company-worthy.

(molly was my kitchen supervisor - she did an excellent job:)

the idea came to me tuesday when i invited my momma over for dinner for thursday evening because my dad is away. she is so good about having me and the schmoops over for dinner when E is traveling for work so i wanted to return the favor. one of her favorite foods is portabella mushrooms.

i have recently tried trader joe's garlic naan and it was so garlicky and tasty that i thought my garlic-lovin mom would love it. put the two together and my dinner inspiration began to form.

(not our actual drinks - but they look just as good - picture courtesy of communities.canada.com)

we started out with mint jeulps in the spirit of the derby this weekend and just because you can never go wrong with whisky. (plus, my mint garden in thriving! i have a wonderful herb garden but i also have a seperate mint garden because it's so invasive and just takes over. it gets a garden all to itself where it can be free to roam and spread)

while we sipped our jeulps, i started the chimney on the grill. seriously, the only cooking required in the meal is grilling the mushrooms (4 minutes per side) and the garlic naan (1-2 minutes per side).

i did marinate the protabellas in some olive oil and balsamic vinegar before grilling. it ends up being kind of a deconstructed pizza if you will. we spread goat cheese (or any kind of cheese for that matter) on the naan, then layered the grilled portabellas and sliced heirloom tomatoes. at the last minute, E had a wonderful suggestion - throw in some extra crispy bacon that i had cooked eariler. wow, E is officially a genious! we all agreeed that the bacon made this dish! just a slice and a half per person was all it needed to add some great crunch and flavor. have i mentioned i love bacon?

the finished product!

i have received some feedback that i don't always give the recipes. i tend to just throw things together and don't see the need for a recipe. i do, however, recognize some need the structure of recipes. some people get very nervous without specific instructions and sentences like "add salt and pepper to taste" or "add a little chicken broth to thin sauce". for those of you out there, here is the recipe. but, don't be afraid to get creative, you could layer anything on naan really. just like pizza - throw your favorite toppings on and enjoy!

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Grilled Portabella Layered Naan
serves 4

4 large portabella mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 large heirloon tomatoes
6 slices cooked bacon
4 tbs goat cheese (shredded parm or mozzerella works here too if you are crazy and have an aversion to goat cheese)
4 pieces of garlic naan (prepared pizza crust works if you can't find naan)

combine olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large ziploc bag or baking dish. add mushrooms and let sit for at least 30 minutes, turning often.

meanwhile, prepare grill to medium-high heat.

grill mushrooms 4 minutes of each side.

meanwhile, slice tomatoes.

grill naan 1-2 minutes per side just before serving.

to assemble, spread 1 tbs cheese on each piece on naan. layer bacon, then mushrooms, then tomatoes.

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one final note. after assembly, we all kind of looked at each other and said, "how do we eat this thing?" we each tried a different method and they all worked well. E, folded his in half and ate it like a taco, i cut mine into smaller pieces and ate it like pieces of pizza, and mom cut hers all into bite-sized pieces and ate it with a fork. all successful in their own way!

 for dessert, we had a slice of angel food cake with sliced strawberries on top. pure heaven!

A Diamond in the Rough

i like to say my love of cooking came from my three grandmothers. three??? you say? my mom's mother, julia (mommom), my dad's mother, ellen (grammy), and my best friend's grandmother, bea.

mommom started showing signs of alzheimer's when i was quite young and most of my memories, save a few blurry ones, are unfortunately of her sick. the disease finally took her right after i gratuated from college but she was gone long before that. i am lucky enough to see a bit of her in my own mother.

i knew grammy much better and have many fond memories of her chicken noodle soup and stocked pantry. she always could be counted on for a sweet hard candy in her purse. just like with mommom, i wish i could sit down with her today and pick her brain and hear her stories, but cancer took her when i was just 15.

i was also lucky enough to know and love bea from the time i was 13 until she passed away just a few years ago. my best friend, L, was kind enough to share her with me and she loved me like another grandchild. she was there for me to fill in when i no longer had my own grandmothers to spoil me.

so, like i said, i have been blessed with love, guidance, and influence from three wonderful women. all were excellent cooks and i like to think each are with me in the kitchen still today.

when going through some things at meadowvale, someone stumbled upon this

when i started to flip through it, i immediately thought of this too

i actually have no idea who wrote the first one, but it is incredible just to read it.

the date inside reads september 13, 1876.

there is a perfectly written index

seriously, check out that handwriting!

the recipes vary from cottage pudding to chicken salad, currant wine to caramel, and cucumber pickle to cream sauce. the recipes are all hand-written and include sentances like "add a tincup full of sugar to 4 eggs" and "mix 1/2 tumbler of sweet milk, 1 tumbler of sugar, and 2 tumblers of flour".

the second book is very dear to my heart as it has hand-written recipes from mommom. the inside cover reads "Judy Jessop 1943" and has a bunch of printed recipes as well as space to write in your own favorites. herein lies the treasure - her recipes she used on a regular basis written by her hand. it doesn't take long to discover she liked to bake. the most popluated pages are in the breads, cakes, and desserts sections. the reason that immediately springs to mind is my grandfather's sweet tooth. my mommom dedicated her life to my poppop and tried to make him happy in every way she could. let's just say a clear path to his heart was baked goods.

this one book contains family favorites like buckwheat pancakes, butter thumbprint cookies, lemon merangue pie, and crab imperial. i feel like this has given me a little bit of mommom right in my kitchen. i can make a recipe of hers now and feel like she is here with me, savoring every bite and, of course, enjoying dessert with me afterwards.

although i haven't quite decided what i am going to do with my newfound treasures, i'm sure these two books will pop up here again. and, if you ever need an old recipe for tomato sauce using 1 peck of tomatoes or homemade cough syrup, you know who to ask:)

Creamy Goey Cheesy White Chicken Enchiladas

oh my cheesy goodness. wow, these are some tasty enchiladas. as you may have noticed, i love mexican food!

the recipe is adapted from the pioneer woman. this woman can do some down home cooking let me tell you. i simply took her recipe and made it a little healthier. i used whole milk instead of cream, 2% milk cheese, greek yogurt in place of sour cream and whole wheat flour tortillas instead of corn. i also used a rotisserie chicken which made this recipe a whole lot quicker. the original recipe is here. i highly recommend you check out her blog if you aren't one of the tens of thousands that already do. she is hilarious and has everything from recipes to awesome photography to home a garden tips. it's one of my daily blogs i peruse.

i served these fabulous enchiladas with a mexican salad (chopped romaine, cherry tomatoes, chopped cilantro, and 

here is the recipe as i made it - just a tad healthier.

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White Chicken Enchiladas
adapted from the pioneer woman

1½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup low sodium chicken broth, divided
4 whole wheat flour tortillas
1 tbs oil
1 small onion, diced
2 - 4oz cans diced green chilies, divided (i used fire roasted for a little extra flavor)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika, divided
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tbs butter
1 tbs whole wheat flour
1/2 cup 2% greek yogurt
1 cup shredded 2% milk mexican cheese blend
salt and pepper, to taste
cilantro, chopped


preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

heat oil in skillet over medium heat. add onions and saute for 2 minutes. add chicken, one can of green chilies, and 1/4 tsp paprika. add 1/4 cup chicken broth and stir well. sprinkle with a little salt and pepper to taste.

add milk and reduce heat to low. stir until well combined and remove from heat.

assemble enchiladas by spooning chicken mixture into the middle of a tortilla.

top with 2 tbs of shredded cheese.

roll tightly and place seam side down in greased baking dish.

repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture.

melt butter in skillet over medium heat and sprinkle in flour.  cook for one minute, whisking constantly. add 3/4 cup chicken broth and continue to whisk for a minute. add remaining can of green chilies and stir to combine. sprinkle with a little salt and pepper to taste.

reduce heat to low and stir in yogurt, 1/4 tsp paprika, and 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

whisk until cheese has melted and pour over rolled tortillas.

bake for 20-25 minutes. switch oven to low broil and broil for 5 minutes until brown and bubbly.

remove from oven a let stand for 5 minutes. scoop onto plates and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

allow you mouth to water as you check out the bubbly cheesiness and then savor every last bite!

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the following is the recipes without the pictures so it's easy to cut and paste and print this recipe. trust me, you want to print this recipe. you'll want to buy the ingredients the next time you go to the store. you'll want to make this and devour it as soon as humanly possible. trust me.

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White Chicken Enchiladas
adapted from the pioneer woman

1½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup low sodium chicken broth, divided

4 whole wheat flour tortillas
1 tbs oil
1 small onion, diced
2 - 4oz cans diced green chilies, divided (i used fire roasted for a little extra flavor)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika, divided
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tbs butter
1 tbs whole wheat flour
1/2 cup 2% greek yogurt
1 cup shredded 2% milk mexican cheese blend
salt and pepper, to taste
cilantro, chopped


preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

heat oil in skillet over medium heat. add onions and saute for 2 minutes. add chicken, one can of green chilies, and 1/4 tsp paprika. add 1/4 cup chicken broth and stir well. sprinkle with a little salt and pepper to taste. add milk and reduce heat to low. stir until well combined and remove from heat.

assemble enchiladas by spooning chicken mixture into the middle of a tortilla. top with 2 tbs of shredded cheese. roll tightly and place seam side down in greased baking dish. repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture.

melt butter in skillet over medium heat and sprinkle in flour.  cook for one minute, whisking constantly. add 3/4 cup chicken broth and continue to whisk for a minute. add remaining can of green chilies and stir to combine. sprinkle with a little salt and pepper to taste. reduce heat to low and stir in yogurt, 1/4 tsp paprika, and 1/2 cup shredded cheese. whisk until cheese has melted and pour over rolled tortillas.

bake for 20-25 minutes. switch oven to low broil and broil for 5 minutes until brown and bubbly.

remove from oven a let stand for 5 minutes. scoop onto plates and sprinkle with chopped cilantro

Horseradish Crusted Pork Tenderloin

i love pork. i mean, what's not to love? sausage, pork chops, ribs, pulled pork, um, hello, bacon?!? of course most of those aren't exactly lean protein. baby back ribs from the corner stable, a hearty breakfast of maple sausage links and eggs, a nice tender pulled pork sandwich, and a juicy BLT are fine every once in a while. i eat all of the above occasionally and enjoy every bite. i can do so guilt free because i don't eat it all the time and life is short so it's important to enjoy the finer things in life.

but, perhaps the leanest cut of pork to enjoy on an everyday-type-basis is the pork tenderloin. i happen to love the tenderloin. i have posted some great recipes here for the pork tenderloin like spicy cinnamon crusted pork, pear and shallot pork, roasted pork with port fig sauce, even pulled pork. so, i guess it goes without saying that i am always on the lookout for new or different pork tenderloin recipes. last night, i found another good one. horseradish crusted pork.

i was perusing epicurious.com for pork recipes and stumbled upon this one. of course i couldn't resist a little tweaking so here is my adapted recipe.

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Horseradish Crusted Pork Tenderloin
adapted from epicurious.com
serves 2-3

1 lb pork tenderloin
1/4 cup whole grain bread crumbs
1 tbs horseradish
1 tbs dijon mustard
olive oil
salt and pepper

preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

pat pork dry with a paper tower. sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper. brush all sides with dijon mustard.

in a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and horseradish. roll dijon smeared pork in breadcrumbs pressing to ensure breadcrumbs stick to pork.

heat skillet over medium-high heat. when warm, add 1-2 tbs olive oil and sear pork on all sides approximately 2-3 minutes per side.

remove tenderloin from heat and place in baking dish. bake for 15-20 minutes or until internal thermometer reaches 145 degrees F (for pink) or 155 degrees F (for just a little pink). remove from oven, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

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this can be easily doubled for a crowd or the second tenderloin can be frozen for another quick dinner. i served it with parsnip fries and sauteed mushrooms and onions but it would be great with garlic green beans, grilled summer squash or a nice caprese salad for the summer.

if you are a fan of pork tenderloin like me, you're in luck because i'll be posting some great marinades for nice grilled pork tenderloin. perfect for the summer months ahead. stay tuned . . .

Oops!

in the comments section, N pointed out that i forgot to add the directions for the granola on the last post. oops . . . sorry. so, here is the real full recipe.

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Almond Maple Granola

(makes 5 cups)

2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup brown rice cereal
1 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup chopped raw pecans
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tbs almond paste, ground to a flour-like consistency in the food processor
1 tbs ground cinnamon
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut oil

preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
 
mix dry ingredients (oatmeal through cinnamon) together in a large bowl. in a seperate bowl, whisk together maple syrup and melted coconut oil. pour wet ingredients over dry and stir well to combine.
 
spread mixture onto parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 60 minutes. turn oven off and let granola cool completely in oven. remove and break up into pieces.
 
store in an airtight container.

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as always, feel free to play around with this. add different nuts, dried fruit, even some cacao powder maybe, mmmm!

Almond Maple Granola

good morning and happy monday! i hope everyone had a great weekend! we had the most wonderful thunderstorm last night. i LOVE thunderstorms but unfortunately, our big scary guard dog dignan does not. poor thing, he hides under desks or tables or curls up as closely to E or i as he can. he doesn't like fireworks either for that matter. but, i digress . . .

as you may remember, one of my favorite breakfast involves plain greek yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit. i know that granola is often loaded with sugar and some not so natural things, so i always try and find the most natural one in the organic section of wegmans. bear naked is my favorite but i decided since i have created what i think to be a delicious granola bar recipe, i should be able to make my own granola too.

trial #1 turned out pretty well thank you very much. it doesn't have quite the crunch i like but it was really good for my first try and i will enjoy eating every bite. of course, i will continue to tweak my recipe until i deem it perfect and will keep you abreast of my successes and failures. for those that want to try along with me here is trail #1 - almond maple granola.

i used both almonds and pecans as well as maple syrup and coconut oil and almond paste and coconut flakes. but, instead of calling it almond coconut pecan maple granola i chose almond maple granola. that's my story and i'm sticking to it!

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Almond Maple Granola
(makes 5 cups)

2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup brown rice cereal
1 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup chopped raw pecans
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tbs almond paste, ground to a flour-like consistency in the food processor
1 tbs ground cinnamon
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut oil

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the almond paste really gives this some wonderful almond flavor and surprisingly enough all of the flavors (coconut, almond, pecan, and maple) work really well together. they don't compete but rather join together to make a party in my mouth:)

i would love if someone out there tried this, gave me their feedback, or even tried their own and let me know how it goes. a girl can dream . . .

Stuffed French Toast

weekends are perfect for yummy special breakfasts that take a little more time than time than pouring cereal in a bowl. i always have more time on saturday mornings to dream up an interesting breakfast, plus, i feel like i can indulge a little more because i know i will be working out late morning.

this am, i had awesome stuffed french toast. it was sooo good and fairly easy to make too. adding the banana made me feel like i was getting something good in there:)

check out the ingredients:

i spread one piece of whole wheat bread with barney butter and one slice with dark chocolate almond butter.

i sliced a banana to put in between the two slices.

a quick dunk in a mix of egg, milk, cinnamon, and agave and slap it on the stove.

i melted a little bit of coconut butter in the skillet before grilling it on both sides.

it was amazing and i enjoyed every last goey bite. one word of advice . . . have a cold glass of milk ready, you'll need it!

the other good thing about having a decadent breakfast, i knew i had to go for the run i was planning. luckily roxy was willing to go with me. she always makes it more fun and keeps me going.

to refuel after my run (and E's bike) we had a green orange creamsicle. yum!

ingredients:
2 cups spinach
1 heaping scoop of dessert vanilla protein powder
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup greek yogurt
1 slice of fresh pineapple
1 cup ice

did you know you can freeze fresh spinach??? i had no idea but i had a big bag on spinach and it was starting to "go." i threw it in the freezer and used it in the smoothie today and it was fine!

Grilled Chicken with Pineapple Mango Sauce

ok, i realize i just posted a recipe i raved about. i think i even used the sentence oh. my. goodness. i must say that if that is what came out of my mouth for that recipe, this recipe must evoke oh.good.lord.

where do i even begin? there is nothing bad about this recipe. i have said it before but seriously you must go out to the store, buy the ingredients for this recipe, go straight home, make this recipe, sit down, eat it, and savor every single bite.

although this sauce has honey as well as pineapple and mango, it is not too sweet. the dijon mustard adds a nice contrast to the sweetness and it has the perfect amount of curry to really bring out all the flavors but not overpower the sauce like curry can sometimes do. on a scale of 1 to 10, both my mom (who i immediately knew would love this recipe after i read it) and i gave it an 11! no joke.

i highly recommend you grill the chicken as it adds a fabulous smokey flavor that compliments the sauce perfectly. mom and i also think this sauce would be wonderful on rice or couscous and delicious on grilled pork tenderloin. i served it with roasted sweet potatoes and sugar snap peas but i think it would be even better with whole wheat couscous or brown rice. you need something to soak up that wonderful sauce!

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Grilled Chicken with Pineapple Mango Sauce
adapted from kitchen worthy
(serves 4-6)

1 tbs butter
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 small mango, diced*
1/4 cup fresh pineapple, diced*
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs


*i highly recommend using fresh mango and pineapple. however, if you cannot find either i would used canned pineapple chunks, drained and frozen mango chunks, thawed.

preheat grill. (i used charcoal for lots of smoky flavor)

pulse the mango and pineapple in a food processor until chunky (not pureed).

in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. add onion and garlic and saute until transparent. add honey, mustard, curry powder, salt, and mango/pineapple. reduce heat to low and keep warm.

meanwhile, sprinkle thighs with salt and pepper and grill 5 minutes on each side flipping twice (total of 20 minutes) or until cooked through.

remove from grill and top with warm mango/pineapple sauce. enjoy every last bite and be prepared to go back for seconds!

Happy Earth Day!

Earth Day is 40 today! what a perfect time to remember how all of the little things add up. making one small change to your lifestyle can make a difference. plant a tree, start recycling everything you can, use a reusable water bottle, install low energy light bulbs and low water toilets, start a compost pile, use a programmable thermostat, walk or bike to your destination, take your own bags to the grocery store, and my favorite, shop at your local farmers market or join a csa.

this year, my goal is to start a compost pile and i have already joined a local csa (one straw farm) and am anxiously awaiting the first drop day -  june! but, perhaps the best thing you can do is think of everyday as earth day and constantly strive to do what YOU can to lessen your carbon footprint. the earth gives us all of the wonderful food we eat.

 i got a little something to celebrate earth day. a reusable iced coffee cup!  in the winter, i tend to drink hot tea but as soon as it starts to get warm, i switch to iced coffee. i usually make my own by brewing coffee the night before, refrigerating it, and mixing everything together in the am. the best thing about this is i can take it with me to starbucks or my favorite, baltimore coffee and tea company (gotta support the local shops) and they will fill it with my favorite cold drink. it will save lots of plastic cups!

 i tried it out this am and am happy to announce, it works just fine! (i got it for $7.99 at bed bath and beyond. they also have reusable cups for hot drinks too.)

ok, on to dinner last night - another winner. this time i adapted a may/june clean eating magazine recipe - thai coconut shrimp. it was so flavorful with a couple little tweaks and very filling. i was a hungry moster yesterday after doing some running intervals on the treadmill and this finally filled my tummy and left me only wanting to eat a couple of gummy bears, not the whole bag:) i used fresh ginger instead of ground, added a little more tomato paste and a little less peanut butter to balance the flavor. i also added some lime zest for extra flavor. it ended up being packed with flavor and so good. (note: E and i really love bean sprouts but wegmans didn't have any today and i even went to super fresh but couldn't find any there either. i really think it would add a little extra. so, if you can find it, use it)

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Thai Coconut Shrimp
serves 4

8 oz whole wheat pasta (i used thin spaghetti)
3 cups broccoli florets
2 cups green beans, 2" lengths
1 cup bean sprouts
1 1/2 lbs peeled and deveined shrimp
2/3 cup light coconut milk
2 tbs tomato paste
2 tbs natural peanut butter
2 tbs fresh ginger, minced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, more if you like more spice
1 tsp lime zest
juice of 1 lime

bring 2 medium pots of water to a boil. blanch broccoli and green beans for 2 minutes and cook pasta according to package directions, and drain.

meanwhile, cook shrimp in skillet with olive oil cooking spray just 1-2 minutes per side. remove and cut into bite-sized pieces.

in small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients, coconut milk through lime juice.

toss everything together in large bowl and serve warm.

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one last thing . . . my friend has started a new website "grown in the city" that's a great blog/information center. it combines his passion for gardening, urban planning, and sustainability with his love of journalism, photography, and design. it's really cool, check it out!