Baked Brie

Brie en Croute 

Don't let the name intimidate you. Though it may look fancy, this appetizer is painstakingly simple, and requires almost no prep. If you've got parties to go to this holiday season, and you're not sure what to bring, you're in in luck! These "croutes" were wildly popular at my Thanksgiving get-together,  and you are sure to please a crowd in both presentation and in taste. This recipe is so easy to make you'll be kicking yourself for not knowing it sooner. And better yet, it's classy and oh-so impressive. 

I don't usually encourage buying store bought dough, because most dough (pasta, pizza, pie, bread) is easy and inexpensive to make yourself. However, in the rush of Thanksgiving, I did not intend on making my first attempt at puff pastry dough, and you probably don't either. So in this instance, I recommend picking up a set of pastry sheets at the store. 

**Please note this recipe will make one (1) brie en croute, but I have offered two options for filling. 

Ingredients*:

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, pre-packaged
• 1 wheel of Brie 
• 1 egg beaten

Filling #1:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup walnuts 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling #2: 

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or slivered almonds
• 1 small (8-ounce) wheel Brie
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce (or your favorite jam) 

Optional:

• Crackers for serving 

Directions:

prep. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F . Defrost puff pastry for approx. 20 minutes before unfolding. 

step one. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the nuts in the butter until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. 

• For Filling #1 Add the cinnamon and stir until walnuts are coated well. 

step two. Lay the puff pastry out on a flat, floured surface. Gently roll pastry with a rolling pin to increase the size of the sheet 1 to 2 inches in each direction. Brush both sides of the sheet with beaten egg. Center the wheel of Brie on top of the pastry sheet.

step three. Place the brie in the center of the pastry. Arrange the nut mixture on top of the Brie.

• For Filling #1 Sprinkle the brown sugar over the mixture.

• For Filling #2 Spread Sauce (or jam) on top of the nuts

step three. Gather up the edges of the pastry, pressing around the brie and gather at the top. Gently squeeze together the excess dough and tie together with a piece of kitchen twine.

step four. Brush the beaten egg over top and side of Brie. Place Brie on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

Serve with crackers.

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Orzotto

I know... I know... It's been a while!
The holidays always have me trying so many new recipes, it can be overwhelming and often times I find myself being overly ambitious (Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Brownies??). So today we are visiting an old stand by. I've been cooking this "orzotto" recipe longer than I've had this blog, so I'm surprised actually that it hasn't made it's way to these pages yet. 

I first came across this recipe for Lemon Basil Orzotto on the Cooking Channel in 2011. I loved the idea of a risotto made with pasta, it as like a light-bulb going off in my head. And this recipe is so simple that it quickly became my go-to dinner dish when I needed something fast and delicious. I started with whole wheat orzo pasta to add an extra layer of flavor, and because I think it's got sucha  a great bite and it's so good for you. But soon I found myself adapting the recipe to use seasonal vegetables, or sometimes just whatever I could find in my kitchen. This is the perfect recipe to share with friends and family because of how easy it is to variate this dish so that it's always fresh and exciting, every time you make it.

Butternut Squash variation I posted on my Instagram in 2013

For this post, I used asparagus, zucchini, and shiitake mushrooms because they are three flavors I just can't get enough of in the fall. There is something so earthy and grounding about the taste of this dish. I want to just carry my plate to the couch and put on a movie.

My sister recently borrowed this recipe for a dinner party and said that is was "by far the crowd favorite". 

Enjoy!

Asparagus, Zucchini and Mushroom Orzotto

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of butter (optional) 
• 1/2 onion diced 
• 1 1/2 cups orzo 
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (I usually have a heavy hand here) 
• 3 cups vegetable stock or broth (Rapunzel Bouillon is my favorite) 
• 1 zucchini quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 bunch asparagus chopped 
• 1 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms diced
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or pecorino romano) 
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or soy cream 
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)

Tips: 

• Choose a wine that you like to drink. Sacrifice 1/2 cup to your dish, and pour yourself a glass while you man the stove. 

• Substitute Farro or Pearl Barley for the Orzo.

• Toast your pine nuts for 2 minutes in a dry sauce pan to bring out the flavor. (Keep and eye on 'em, they burn quickly!) 
• Prepare your veggies a day ahead for even quicker cook time. 

• Add garlic at anytime. 

Directions:

step one. Prepare your veggies. If you don't have a steamer, you can poach your asparagus by dropping into boiling water for 2-3 minutes and then transferring to an ice bath. For my zucchini and mushrooms, I like to add 2 tbsp of butter to a skillet  on med-high heat and stir occasionally until everything browns a little. Mushrooms LOVE butter so don't be surprised if they soak it all up! Set vegetables aside. 

step two. Bring your broth to a boil.

step three. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until fragrant and translucent. Add the orzo and toast until you see some browning on the grain (this will keep the pasta al dente). stir occasionally. 

step four. Add the wine and cook until absorbed. 

step five. Gradually add your vegetable broth (1 cup at a time), stirring frequently until the liquid is almost absorbed and orzo is tender. Remove from the heat. 

step six. Fold in vegetables, cheese, and cream. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with Pine Nuts. 

Serving suggestion: 

Served with mixed green salad with pomegranate vinaigrette.

 

Chickpea Wraps

In keeping with the theme of easy and inexpensive, this recipe is a winner. Yummy enough to eat on its own, wrapped up in a lavish wrap, nori wrapper, or inside lettuce cups. And, it tastes a lot like potato salad so it's also a great transitional snack as we move closer to summer-like weather (at least in Los Angeles).

 

(Adapted from the recipes for 'The Ananda Burrito' by Kimberly Snyder and 'Chickpea Wraps' by Heidi Swanson)

 

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of organic garbanzo beans or close to 3 cups
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 2 -3 tablespoons mustard
• salt
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast

Optional Ingredients:

• lavish flatbread
• pit bread
• untoasted nori wrappers
• lettuce cups
• micro greens (to add to wraps)
• 1 ripe avocado in cut into large chunks (to add to mixture or spread across wraps)
• lemon zest (add to mixture for extra zing)
• hard boiled egg chopped (for more of a potato salad feel) 

 

Tips: 

• If you're serving right away, I recommend adding the avocado into the mixture. 

Instructions:

step one.  Pulse two-thirds of the chickpeas in a food processor until spreadable. Transfer them to a large mixing bowl along with the remaining chickpeas. Stir in the onion, celery and dill.

step two. Mix together the mustard, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the mixture and blend together until dressing is equally distributed.

step three. (Optional) Fold in avocado pieced to the mixture or use thin slices to line your wrap of choice. For added texture also add lettuce or micro-greens to your wrap.


how easy is that?

Who's The Boss?

       In January, I started a new job. A dream job. And it's been wonderful. For two months I've just been reveling in the newness of it all; Constantly captivated by the intensity and passion of my colleagues, and continuously in amazement that I was lucky enough to earn a spot among them. But my new schedule has brought with it some new challenges. It's been a test of time-management just to fit in the lifestyle habits I am used to enjoying. Not to mention the much tighter budget I must now adhere to.

     To manage it all I've moved my yoga sessions to 6am, I make sure I spend quality time with my friends on the weekends, and on Sundays, I cook. I work in Beverly Hills, and to stay on track financially, it's essential that I pack my lunches, or else I'll get caught up buying a $13 salad at the closest cafe.

     At first it felt a little overwhelming to have to come up with a week's worth of meals on one grocery run, but I've turned this weekly chore into quite the recipe exploration. I pick two new recipes on Saturday, usually large, one pan-type meals, and then on Sunday, I go to work. Most nights I can also fit in my laundry while something is baking or simmering and it makes me feel something like a wonder-woman.

     So for the next few entries, I'll be posting large, well-rounded, filling meals to influence your weekend meal planning and maybe even help you stay on budget. 

Brussel Sprouts & Organic Sprouted Tofu

(Adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi)

 

Yotam Ottolenghi never disappoints. This recipe comes from his book, Plenty, a collection of meat-less recipes from a chef who takes his vegetables just as serious as his meats. Ottolenghi calls this dish "utterly addictive." I myself was so impressed by the explosion of flavors, I was practically howling in my kitchen. I guarantee you will love this or something is seriously wrong with your taste buds.

Ingredients:

• 2tbsp sweet chile sauce (or paste)
• 1 1/2  tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
• 3tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1tsp rice vinegar
• 1tbsp maple syrup
• 5oz firm organic tofu (optional for sprouted)
• 1lb brussel sprouts
• about 3/4 cup sunflower or grapeseed oil
• salt
• 1 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 small fresh red chile, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms, halve, quartered, or diced
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 1tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)  

Tips: 

Most of these ingredients I had in my pantry because I love Asian flavors. I didn't have a fresh chile so I used a canned chipotle pepper that I had bought for another recipe. And I used a Thai chili paste that I had in my fridge instead of chile sauce. To spread your dollar even further, serve over steamed rice or make into lettuce cups. 

Instructions:

step one.Whisk together in a bowl the chile and soy sauces, 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil, the vinegar and maple syrup. Cut the tofu block into 3/8-inch slices and then into squarish pieces. Gently stir into the marinade and set aside. 

step two. Trim the bases off the sprouts and cut each from top to bottom into three thick slices. Take a large nonstick pan, add 4 tablespoons of oil and heat up well. Throw in half the sprouts with a little salt and cook on high heat for about 2 minutes or more. Don't stir too much. You want the sprouts to almost burn in a few places and cook through but remain crunchy. Remove to a bowl. Repeat with more oil, salt, and the rest of the sprouts. Remove all the sprouts from the pan. 

step three. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pan, heat up and saute the green onions, chile and mushrooms for a few minutes until the mushrooms are golden (I like mine really crispy). Transfer to the sprouts bowl. 

step four. Leave the pan on high heat. Use tongs to lift half of the tofu pieces from the marinade and gently lay them in the pan (be cautious of spitting oil). Space them apart in one layer. Reduce the flame to medium and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until they get a nice caramelized color. Transfer to the sprout bowl and repeat with the rest of the tofu. 

step five. Once all the tofu is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and return all the cooked ingredients to it. Add the remaining marinade and half the cilantro leaves. Toss everything together and allow to cool down slightly in the pan. Taste and add salt if needed. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil and garnish with sesame seeds and the rest of the cilantro. 

** sorry for so few pictures, I was just having so much fun tasting every step along the way that I forgot.