Fuji Apple and Agave Nectar Marmalade
I love the word agave (Ah-GAH-vay). It rolls of your tongue as if you are speaking a foreign language. Maybe I also like it because it comes from the same plant that produces tequila!
Not only do I love the word, but I also love the health benefits. Agave has a low glycemic index, which basically mean it does not spike your blood sugar. Therefore, it does not give you extra insulin which causes a slew of medical problems. Read the rest of this entry »
Baked Oatmeal with Cinnamon and Apples
I have a confession to make. This is really hard for me to admit. I am slightly embarrassed, but I think it is best to confess to free me from my guilt.
I eat packaged oatmeal. Okay, I feel better…….
Actually, I eat packaged oatmeal about 365 days a year. Not always for breakfast. Sometimes for a mid-afternoon snack, or the occasional after dinner “healthy” dessert. The days that I don’t eat oatmeal for breakfast are rare. Exceptions include Christmas Eve morning at my work (we eat junk food before we perform our “nutty” Nutcracker) and the occasional, dare I say it, breakfast sandwich from Starbucks. Secret addiction.
After being in Amsterdam, I realized that I am lazy with my breakfast habit. For one, my best friend Drew cooks breakfast every morning for her and her husband, Josh. Generally, Erik and I wake up and I rip open up my package of instant oatmeal, pour water over it, and microwave away. But, I do like to cook, right? So, why would I not want to try to MAKE oatmeal.
So, since we have been back from Europe, each morning Erik and I have been eating breakfast together. We drink our coffee out of our little Dutch mugs and chit-chat about what our day will entail. I have been experimenting with oatmeal, but I just can’t seem to get it right. So, I gave in and googled “best oatmeal”. This is a version from a blog called “Everybody Likes Sandwiches”.
Cornbread-Stuffed Cornish Game Hens
Thanksgiving will be here before we know it! I am having 10+ people this year to celebrate. Basically, it is just an excuse to cook all day and have the people I love all together.
I have not planned my menu yet. I have been perusing through old Bon Appetit, and Food and Wine magazines from November months. Reading other people’s blogs, I see that most people are starting to get prepared. I have even been getting a tally of what my guests are making when they come to my house for Thanksgiving, so that I can check those items off the list. Why is everyone else so prepared?!
This year I think I am going to bite the bullet, and spend the extra money on a Heritage Turkey. I just want to see what all the fuss is about. I am also going to dry-brine it, because wet brining to me is a hassle and I don’t have any extra space in my fridge for a garbage-can sized bucket of turkey juice.
These cornish game hens are just a little taste of Thanksgiving before the big day. But I need to stop stalling and prepare my menu!
Are you prepared yet for your Thanksgiving meal?
Mache with Apple, Bacon, and Hazelnuts
After 5 weeks of afternoon naps, a daily walk with Cashew, grocery shopping in the morning, and mini-vacations, I am finally back to work.
It was brutal. I had been taking ballet class over the layoff to stay in shape, but nothing prepares you for an 8-hour day of rehearsal in pointe shoes. Ibuprofen was a staple with the morning coffee.
Coming back to work always starts with a week of fresh dinners. I feel when my body is trying to get back in shape, it just needs light, clean food.
I started out the week with a shrimp salad with mango and glass noodles, and then a farmer’s market style salad with asparagus and new potatoes. But, by the end of the week, I was done with too many vegetables. I needed something satisfying and indulgent.
Enter: Bacon, Hazelnuts, and Goat Cheese.
Honey Goat Cheese Apple Tartlets
I got this recipe from the October 2007 Issue of Bon Appetit magazine. My friend Kylee originally pointed it out to me because she loves goat cheese. I decided to attempt this recipe because it seemed elegant, yet simple (which is my kind of dessert!). I actually ended up making the entire meal that the tartlets came with, which included the cover recipe “Cabernet-Brazed Short Ribs with Gorgonzola Polenta”. I changed the recipe a little bit after reading the review online at Epicurious.com. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
