Pomegranate Pear and Kale Salad with a Lemon Maple Balsamic Dressing

We're having some very warm weather these days so a heavy dinner and spending time in the kitchen with the oven on is not how I want to spend my evenings. A simple salad also wouldn't do, I needed something hearty with lots of flavor. I grabbed some kale, pomegranate seeds and a pear, tossed that with some pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds and whipped up a simple yet delicious dressing that rounded out the dish. The lemon in the dressing gives the salad a great burst of freshness while the nuts make it hearty enough that you feel full and satisfied. It's a beautiful salad that's festive and would be the enjoy of the Christmas dinner table. 

Thai Peanut Pasta

During the holiday season I'm always looking to make easy and quick recipes that have fresh flavors that won't make mealtime boring. Something that isn't too heavy but filling enough where I don't feel the need to snack all the time. My Thai Peanut Pasta is a perfect light pasta dish that incorporates unique flavors but lots of vegetables to light up the dish so it's not too heavy. It's great served hot or cold and a variety of proteins can be added to create a fuller dish. 

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes, Olives and Feta Cheese

One dish meals are such a great timer. Throw it in the oven to cook and you've got yourself some extra time to tidy up and open a bottle of wine before it's time to eat. These baked shrimp are quick and easy and can be thrown together in a matter of minutes with pantry staples. It's a great dish as is or you can pair it with some pasta to stretch the meal. I prefer to pair it with some fresh or roasted vegetables that I have on hand. 

Citrus Pork Tacos

Tonight I found myself with a fridge full of taco toppings left over from fajitas I made for a football tailgate. Not wanting to have the same tastes as I ate yesterday, I decided to take some pork and make a simple citrus marinade to brighten up my night. I only had boneless center cut pork chops so I wasn't able to do a carnita style taco. Instead I cut the pork into small bite size pieces that I sauteed and topped with my leftover toppings. The flavor was vibrant and bright and made me feel I was eating a new dish. It's the perfect dish to try and liven up your taco night! 

Pomegranate Jalapeno Roasted Pumpkin

It's the first day of November and what better way to welcome this thankful month than with a dish that's as beautiful as the season. Pomegranate and jalapeno give great bursts of flavor while the mellow pumpkin and creamy feta cheese round out the dish. I paired this side dish with breaded pork chops but can see this dish as a star for your Thanksgiving spread as well. You can even use sweet potatoes, acorn squash or butternut squash if you can't find a pie pumpkin.

Pumpkin Bourbon Cider Cocktail

Happy Halloween! Today is my favorite holiday and there isn't a better way to celebrate than a seasonal cocktail. My pumpkin bourbon cider cocktail tastes like the season with 1 sip. It's an easy drinking cocktail that will please a crowd and is perfect for anyone who doesn't typically drink bourbon. I like to have all the ingredients out and allow my guests to make their own cocktail. This way they can customize their drink to get exactly what they want! 

Maple Soy Salmon and Brussels Sprouts

I have to admit, I never really thought of pairing salmon and Brussels sprouts together. It just didn't seem like a very natural food pairing to me, but since I had a pound of them in my fridge and some salmon in my freezer I figured , why not try it! To me, maple always goes really nicely with sprouts and soy with salmon so I combined those two flavors and was extremely happy with how it turned out. I added a little whole grain mustard for tang, sriracha for heat and lemon juice for a little acidity. I'd describe the sauce as a sort of maple teriyaki and it's delicious. It mingles very nicely with the hearty Brussels sprouts but is still light enough to let the salmon shine. Not to mention it's ready in under 30 minutes- a huge plus for me when it's already getting dark outside and I'm ready to relax after a day at work. To serve, I just placed the salmon over the Brussels sprouts. It's a very elegant dish, perfect for entertaining! 

Butternut Squash Rigatoni

I’m back! It’s been a long time but I hope to be posting on a more regular basis. Luckily for me, or really you, I’m coming back right in the middle of Autumn- my favorite season. The smells and flavors of the season are really my favorite things to cook and I’ve got some great recipes that I’m excited to share. My first recipe? Butternut Squash Rigatoni. Its silky texture warms you from the inside out and is a great meal for just 1 or a crowd. It’s a great make a head meal that's easy to prep and then finish off when ready to eat. I plan on enjoying this for a few days and then freezing the rest for later. I’m enjoying it for dinner tonight paired with a simple salad with red pears and green apples, topped with a maple balsamic dressing.

Maple Mustard Seared Salmon

Quick no recipe recipes are my favorite for nights when I get home starving and just want to sit down to a nice hot meal. Tonight I decided on salmon and grabbed some whole grain mustard, maple syrup and orange marmalade. In about 15 minutes my dinner was on my plate and ready to be eaten. The sweetness of the maple syrup and tang of the mustard pair deliciously with the seared salmon. I paired the fish with my savory rosemary mashed sweet potatoes and had a delicious and filling meal.

Old Bay Bourbon Shrimp and Corn Chowder

When I'm stuck inside thanks to a cold, snowy and rainy day, a nice bowl a hot soup is a welcome meal. Having a few ears of corn and a bag of potatoes on hand I knew I'd be making a chowder. I pulled some shrimp out of the freezer and set out on my culinary adventure for lunch. I did not have any bacon so I opted for smoked paprika to add a little smokiness to the soup. Instead of sherry I opted for bourbon and being form Baltimore, Old Bay is a must.

CSA Box Dinner

I’m finally back to cooking! The kitchen is almost 100% complete but since I’m still waiting for a few things to get finished up I will be keeping the look a secret until everything is finished. Regardless I’ve been cooking up a storm and LOVE cooking in my kitchen. There is just something about being in a space that I’ve designed that makes cooking there a little sweeter. I’ve also started cooking a little differently. I get a CSA box every week and create the recipes that pair with each box offering for my company. This means I get to create 3-4 recipes a week and it really gets my culinary creative juices flowing! It also means, I get to try my recipes out- so I’ll be able to post more often. Last night I created a delicious meal from my box and a few extra items I got from the grocery store. I was extremely impressed with how everything turned out. Plus it was easy and quick to make. These dishes are great for lunch or dinner and would be a great item to take to your next cookout for picnic!

My blog isn't under construction but my kitchen is!

Can't wait to start cooking in my new kitchen! Hopefully I'll be whipping up delicious recipes in the next few weeks. Until then, here are some pictures of the original kitchen, demo and future kitchen designs.

Italian Baked Potatoes with Kale and Tomatoes

Happy New Year! I can't believe it's already 2014! The new year brings with it a fresh start and I've got a fresh batch of recipes to help keep myself on track. The holiday indulgences are over so it's time to start indulging in healthy ways! First up is my Italian Baked Potatoes with Kale and Tomatoes. It is a quick and easy side dish or meal that will help you eat more greens and tickle your taste buds.

Jalapeno Cheese Dip with Cheddar Cheese and Potato Chip Topping

It's a cold rainy Sunday and I just want to stay curled up inside. Sunday means watching football for me so I wanted a game time snack that would warm me from the inside out. We still have a fridge full of leftover items from the holidays so it was very easy for me to put together this spicy creamy and comforting dip. I divided the recipe into two ramekins for easy sharing and paired it with crackers, carrots and celery. You can adjust the heat level depending on how hot you or your guests like food. It's also an easy recipe to increase for a large batch appetizer. 

Cranberry Upside Down Cake with Clementine Cream Cheese Frosting

Christmas is less than a week away and the holiday parties are in full swing! I was asked to make a dessert for the last party I went to. I'm always happy to make food for a party but desserts have always been a struggle for me. Personally I prefer savory foods so it's harder for me to think of creative dessert options since I don't really eat dessert. That being said, I think I found my new winter go to dessert! This cranberry upside down cake isn't only delicious, it's beautiful! Plus it's a time saver with a boxed cake mix! The caramelized cranberries hit the light and invitingly glisten for you to take the first bite. The sweet and creamy clementine cream cheese frosting adds the perfect sweet note to balance the cranberries. I grabbed a few greens from outside to really make this cake look extra inviting! 

Smoked Ham Hock and White Bean Stew

It seems winter has decided to arrive a little early this year. We've currently enjoying a beautiful snowfall. Combine that with having plenty of things to do around the house and the desire not to be in front of the stove all day and cue my slow cooker! It's perfect for today. I can enjoy a delicious hearty meal without really having to do anything. This white bean soup is an adaption from a cooking light recipe but with me I always have to add my own touches. I was excited about this recipe because it uses dry beans and I've never used them before. Plus you don't have to soak them! The soup turned out thick and hearty- perfect a cold night.

Pumpkin Risotto with Mushrooms and Crispy Shaved Brussels Sprouts

The weather seems to be in a perpetual state of the unknown today. It started out a little sunny and not unbearably cold but now it's a little dreary and getting cold so I wanted some comfort food to enjoy. Pumpkin risotto was the trick! Personally I find risotto easy to make. The "hardest" part of the entire cooking process is really just stirring and that's never bothered me. You won't find me hunched over the stove stirring like a fiend as the risotto horror stories would suggest. I really like mushrooms in my risottos but they can be omitted if you're not a big fan.. This would also be great as an easy dinner party meal when you don't want to deal with making multiple dishes or stick to a traditional roast supper. If you're eating this as a meal you can get 4 nice servings. If you want a side dish, you can get 8 or more sides, depending on how hungry your guests are. 

Turkey Pot Pies

Oh hello there!! I know it's been a while... Life has been a little hectic these past few months. I'm in the process of buying a house so between the packing and busy work schedule I haven't had a lot of free time. Now that my life is in house limbo, I have seemed to muster up some free time to do what I love- Cook! And what better season to start blogging my recipes again than fall? It's my favorite time of year with my favorite flavors. We had plenty of turkey left over from Thanksgiving so I decided to use the leftovers to make turkey pot pies! This is my first time making a pot pie of any kind and I can't wait to experiment with different versions of vegetable blends. I kept this recipe very simple by using a bag of frozen vegetables- less prep and sometimes you just need that, but I'd like to do this with roasted vegetables.  

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes with Italian Truffle Oil

My very dear friend Tina just got back from a vacation in Italy- jealous right?! - and brought me back Truffle Olive Oil! It's so good to have friends who feed into my food obsession! Pun very much intended. I've had two experiences with "truffle flavorings" before and was NOT a fan of them. But I knew those were most likely imitation truffle flavorings so I was genuinely excited to try this oil. One because it was from Italy and Two- I could see the tiny sliver of truffle that was in the bottle so I knew it was real! I wanted to try the oil for the first time in a pretty standard way so I grabbed the baby potatoes I had on hand and roasted them with some rosemary. After the potatoes were fork tender I drizzled them with the truffle oil and finished with some flecks of sea salt. They were delicious! The flavor of the truffle was so savory and mouthwatering that I could only crave more. It completely turned a basic recipe into something special!

Kale Salad with Roasted Beets and Granola

While shopping at Williams Sonoma this weekend, they had an Artisans' Market! There were 6 local vendors showcasing their products. My favorite product was Michele's Granola. I've never been a big fan of granola because it is too crunchy. Michele's Granola was so light and fresh that it was like a new product to me. Crazy delicious! I asked Michele how she recommended eating the granola and if there were any savory suggested pairings. She suggested using it as a replacement for croutons in a salad and I liked the idea. After leaving the store, 2 hours later, my mom and I were starving and stopped for a quick lunch at a local sandwich shop where I got a Kale Salad with Granola! I had to order it just because it had the granola on it. The salad was good but a little bitter since the dressing has preserved lemon in it. I really liked the granola on it, and I knew I could make it to more of my liking. The granola added the perfect amount of sweetness and I still can't get over how nice the texture is! I'm going to have to buy more soon so I can experiment with other ways to eating it.