Quinoa Cakes

This past weekend, I was feeling really under the weather.  I couldn't tell if it was due to allergies or to a cold, but I felt really terrible.  I spent a lot of time sleeping, hydrating and eating hot and sour soup.  By Sunday, I felt a bit better but then Bret started to feel sick too and had barely any appetite.  I decided to whip up something that I knew would cheer Bret up and give him some energy - Quinoa Cakes from Everyday Food (November 2010).

First, I gathered my ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked mixture of quinoa and brown rice
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg white
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup low-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus more for serving

In a medium bowl, I mixed together the quinoa, flour, baking powder, and salt.

In another medium bowl, I whisked together the egg, egg white, melted butter, milk and syrup until smooth.

I whisked the egg mixture into the flour mixture until the batter was nicely combined.

I then sprayed two non-stick skillets with cooking spray and warmed the skillets on medium-high heat.  I dropped heaping tablespoonfuls of the quinoa cake batter onto the skillets and cooked the way I would with normal pancakes - about two minutes per side until golden brown.

The quinoa cakes tasted just like pancakes.  Every once in awhile you got a little hint of something nutty but it was very subtle.  The quinoa and brown rice added a lovely texture that seemed almost like poppy seeds.

Since I was making the quinoa cakes for dinner, I decided to make a full breakfast for dinner and also cooked some breakfast sausage to eat with the quinoa cakes. 

And I of course had to drizzle a little maple syrup on my pancakes.

This breakfast for dinner was filling, hearty and helped us both feel a little better.

Tell me, what do you like to eat when you're feeling under the weather?

Van de Kamp's ParchmentBake

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I recently received some coupons to try out Van de Kamp's ParchmentBake frozen fish.  Since I often get home from work later than I like, I thought it would be interesting to try out the ParchmentBake for a weeknight meal.

The frozen fish are pre-grilled, whole-fillet tilapia that arrive with a sauce in parchment paper bag.  You bake the pre-cooked fish in the parchment paper bag.  There are four flavor options - classic grilled, roasted garlic, garlic butter and lemon pepper.  I decided to try out the classic grilled tilapia.

You just place the parchment bags on a shallow baking tray and bake at 400 degrees for twenty-two minutes.  I served the tilapia with a side of sweet peas.

The tilapia was super moist and didn't taste the least bit like frozen food.  Plus, this meal is obviously super easy and not messy to prepare.  I think this would be a real advantage for someone who isn't comfortable cooking fish or doesn't have a lot of time in the kitchen.  Another bonus is that each fillet has less then eighty calories so this can be a super healthy meal.

Although I generally prefer cooking things on my own in the kitchen over eating something that is already pre-cooked and packaged, the ParchmentBake was interesting to try out for a quick weeknight meal. 

Full disclosure: The Van de Kamp's ParchmentBake was completely complimentary, but as always, my opinion is honest and completely my own.

Warm Weather Nights

The warmer weather has put an extra bounce in my step.  I am keep my office window open to let the sunshine and warm air pour in.  And when I'm out of the office, my laptop gets neglected as I choose to spend my evenings outdoors with dinners from the grill,...



Barbecued chicken, grilled onions and grilled zucchini and summer squash.


...the driving range,....

...and of course, some ice cream from Richardson's Ice Cream.

Maine Black Bear ice cream is my absolute favorite.
Can you believe how huge a kiddie scoop is?

I had a conversation this past weekend about how when you grow up in New England, you enjoy every season for what it is worth.  Although spring has just arrived, we've been treated to some warm summer-like weather and us New Englanders have been enjoying it as much as possible. 

Tell me, how have you been enjoying this recent beautiful weather?

Oakland and Sonoma Eats

It was a whirlwind weekend in California but it was exactly what I needed.  I got to spend time with Sara (one of my oldest, as in childhood, friends), her lovely wife Meghan, and their adorable dog Albie.  We did a lot of relaxing, catching up, and of course, eating.  The best meal was by far at Pizzaiolo, this lovely Italian restaurant around the corner from Sara and Meghan's place.  We talked about the fresh bucatini all'amatricana all weekend.  Sadly, this meal went unphotographed.

However, I did take photos of some of the other meals, including a lovely brunch at T-Rex.

Irish Whiskey, fitting for St. Patty's Day

Macaroni and Cheese (Shared By The Table) with T-Rex Bacon

Southern Fried Chicken with Sauteed Rainbow Chard and T-Rex Bacon
and disappointing Garlic and Cheesy Jalapeno Grits

I also managed to photograph the lovely pastries at Basque Boulangerie Cafe in Sonoma that we enjoyed on Sunday afternoon.

Dark Chocolate and Cherry Muffin

Hot Cross Bun

And we managed to squeeze in a meal at In-N-Out Burger before we headed to the airport.

Animal Style Burger for Bret and
Cheeseburger Without Onions for me.

There are a lot more photos from our trip that I'll hopefully upload over the weekend but I thought a highlight of our great eats was a good start!

Deluxe Town Diner

Since I had an early flight on Friday morning to San Francisco, my sister graciously offered to let me stay at her place on Thursday night since she lives much closer to the airport than I do.  I meant to leave work earlier but I got tied up and we didn't make it down to Watertown until after 9 PM.  We were both starving so we decided to stop in at Deluxe Town Diner for a late dinner.

Deluxe is a pretty standard diner and has a wide assortment of menu items.  I typically have some sort of milkshake and breakfast dish when I eat at a diner, and this time was no different.

I started off with a cold, thick and creamy strawberry frappe.  I could have made a meal out of this frappe alone!

But thankfully, I didn't, and also wolfed down the breakfast burrito.  The burrito was filled with scrambled eggs, black beans, salsa, avocado, and cheddar.  The black beans had a lovely flavor and surprisingly stole the show.  The dish also came with a side salad and cole slaw that I never even touched because I was way too full!

This was a simple dinner and a bit heavy, but it was definitely worth every bite!

Deluxe Town Diner is located at 627 Mount Auburn Street, Watertown, MA.

Second 30 While 30 Update

What a whirlwind week!  I have been fairly busy at work while trying to get ready for a much-needed long weekend in California.  I have a huge to-do list of things before I leave.  When I looked at the calendar yesterday, I also realized that another month had flown by and that it was already time for another 30 while 30 update!

1. Run a 5K.

• B.A.A. 5K (April 2011)
• Lawyers Have Heart 5K (June 2011)
• Feaster Five 5K (November 2011)

2. Go camping, like real camping...overnight...in a tent.

3. Pay off all of my credit card debt.

4. Attend a live WWE event (don't judge).

5. Make Gordon Hamersley's roast chicken.

6. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge.

7. Go out to dinner and a movie by myself.

8. Watch all three of the original Star Wars movies. (Thanks, Karen!)

9. Boil a lobster by myself for the first time.

10. Write my will.

11. Write a letter of apology to someone that I have wronged and send it.

12. Experiment with molecular gastronomy.

13. Learn to drive stick shift.

14. Learn to make my own kimchi.

15. Learn how to change a car tire.

16. Go to a shooting range.

17. Redesign "Fun and Fearless in Beantown"

18. Launch a wedding website.

19. Cook a three-course vegan dinner.

20. Make turducken for the first time.

21. Climb a mountain.

22. Complete thirty (30) hours of community service or volunteering.

• Completed four hours at the Greater Boston Food Bank.
• Completed five hours at the Boston Rescue Mission.

23. Finish an entire plate of Hell Pasta from East Coast Grill.
24. Floss every day. (I only missed four days!)
25. Take a self-defense course.

26. Make homemade ice cream for the first time.

27. Make gnocchi for the first time.
28. Fly a kite.
29. Milk a cow.
30. Participate in a city dinner crawl, which means having cocktails, appetizer, dinner, dessert and post-dinner cocktails each at a different place in one city in one night.

I'm finally more than halfway through the list and have fourteen more items to go in the next ten months.  I'm still optimistic that I can get it all done!

Happy (early) weekend!

Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

I have had a recipe for Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta flagged since I saw it in Everyday Food this fall.  And while I knew this would make the perfect warm winter salad, I chose to finally make it this week during unusually warm temperatures for March.  I was happy to discover that this shredded Brussels sprouts salad can be made and enjoyed anytime.

First, I gathered my ingredients:

• 2 cups grape tomatoes (This wasn't in the original recipe but I had some tomatoes that I wanted to use up.)
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced pancetta, diced small
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from one lemon)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

I started out by pre-heating the oven to 400 degrees.  I tossed the grape tomatoes with a splash of olive oil and seasoned the tomatoes with salt and pepper.  I transferred the tomatoes to an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and put them in the oven to roast while I got the rest of the salad together.

I then got to work prepping the ingredients.  While I prepared the pancetta and rosemary using a knife and cutting board, I shred the Brussels sprouts in my food processor to save time.

I warmed up my Le Creuset French oven over medium heat and cooked the pancetta until crispy. 

I used a slotted spoon to transfer the pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off the excess fat. 

I left the pancetta drippings in the pan and added the Brussels sprouts.  I cooked the Brussels sprouts until they were crisp-tender, which took about eight minutes.

I then stirred in the rosemary, pancetta and the roasted tomatoes.

I removed the French oven from the heat and squeezed in the lemon juice.  I seasoned the salad with salt and pepper and gave everything a stir.

Although the Brussels sprouts were shred a little too thinly, I still really enjoyed the salad.  The bitterness of the sprouts contrasted nicely with the smoky saltiness of the pancetta, sweetness of the roasted tomatoes and the bright acidity of the lemon juice. 

This shredded Brussels sprouts salad can be served warm or at room temperature.  You can eat it alone (as I did with the leftovers for lunch) or with a protein.  When I made this dish, I served it with delicious beer-poached spicy Italian sausages.

For some reason, it took me awhile to get around to making this dish but it was worth the wait.  Tell me, what recipes are next on your cooking agenda?

Dinner And A Movie...For One

One of the items on my 30 while 30 list is to go out to dinner and a movie by myself.  I know that a lot of my friends were surprised that this was on the list.  While I'm lucky to surround myself with wonderful friends and family, I've been known to enjoy spending time by myself.  It is common for me to shut off my phone, put away the laptop and just curl up with a book or a movie or a long walk...by myself.  So it is surprising for some that I've never gone out to dinner or gone to a movie by myself.  For me, dining out and movies are things to enjoy with others.  So, I knew that this was a good item to put on my list because it would be outside of my element to do so.

On Sunday, after I dropped Bret off at the airport, I went home to pay some bills, write some cards, blog and do a little work.  I didn't have a whole lot to do and I realized that this would be a perfect opportunity for me to go to a movie by myself.

I decided to see an afternoon showing of the Artist.  I didn't know much about the film except that it had received a lot of praise and that it was silent.  I found that it was intelligent and heart-warming.  It did make me question if you could stalk someone into loving you.  I kid.  Sort of.  And can I also say that the dog was definitely the star of the show? 

Check out this creeper photo of myself at the movies.

Afterwards, I headed next door to Not Your Average Joe's for dinner.  I felt a little awkward at first but I sat at the bar and ordered a glass of prosecco.

For my meal, I ordered a wedge salad with steak tips.  The wedge salad was skimpy in the blue cheese and heavy on the red onions.  But the steak tips were surprisingly well-seasoned and cooked a perfect medium, which is often difficult to achieve with steak tips.

A slightly blurry iPhone photo.

I felt a little self conscious at first but I willed myself to put away my iPhone and my book and just enjoy dining by myself.  Plus, my bartender was super friendly and he helped me feel at ease.

In the end, I was proud of checking this item on the list.  I know a lot of people (including my own fiance) go to movies or eat out by themselves all the time but this was new to me and definitely felt a little strange.  I think I enjoying eating out to not just enjoy the meal but to enjoy the dining experience with another person.  And if I'm going out to a movie, I love to dissect it afterwards with my movie companion.  It felt a little odd not to do that but I'm still glad that I chose to do this.

Tell me, have you dined out or gone to a movie by yourself?

Soy-Ginger Fried Chicken Nuggets

Earlier this year, I received a complimentary package of Kikkoman Kara-Age Soy-Ginger seasoned coating mix as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program. 

On Saturday night, while Bret was packing for his trip to California, I decided to whip up some soy-ginger fried chicken for a farewell dinner.  Bret loves fried chicken so I knew he would be thrilled with my decision.

I warmed up about a half cup of vegetable oil in my Le Creuset French oven.  While the oil was heating up, I took three large boneless chicken breasts and cut them into one to one and half inch nuggets.  I heard that soaking chicken in soda water helps create a crispy skin for fried chicken.  I didn't have any soda water on hand but I did moisten the chopped chicken in tonic water before letting the chicken dip dry.

I poured a packet of the soy-ginger seasoning into a plastic storage bag with the chicken and shook the bag until the chicken were evenly coated with the seasoning mix.  I could smell the wonderful aroma of ginger in the seasoning mix but the smell of soy started to come out only when I began frying the chicken. 

I cooked the chicken in the oil in three batches for about three minutes per side.  I did change the oil before the last batch because it seemed to be getting a little too dark.

I let each cooked batch rest on a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess oil.  Bret whipped together a spicy sriracha ketchup using three parts ketchup, two parts sriracha and one part hoisin sauce.  We usually make sriracha ketchup with barbecue sauce but Bret thought the hoisin sauce was an appropriate substitute because it would go well with the soy and ginger flavors.

We had an easy meal of soy-ginger fried chicken nuggets, steamed green and yellow beans and sriracha ketchup.  The coating on the chicken was nice - not as crispy as traditional fried chicken but a bit heavier than tempura.  This was an easy solution for a quick dinner and I loved the Asian twist to this meal.  However, in fully honesty, I would prefer making my own seasoning mix the next time just because I know it isn't that difficult to do and I prefer homemade to premade mixes.

Tell me, how do you feel about taking premade shortcuts in the kitchen? 

Full disclosure: The Kikkoman Kara-Age Soy-Ginger Seasoned Coating Mixing was completely complimentary, but as always, my opinion is honest and completely my own.

Wedding Update: Hair and Makeup

So far, I've been really lucky in having the wedding planning go really smoothly.  We've booked most of our major vendors and for the most part, it has been really seamless.  I've used my friends as resources for recommendations, which is how we found our DJ.  More recently, I had a fantastic wedding hair and makeup trial from the Makeup Artists, which was also recommended by a friend.

This past week, Ashley and Jessie came over to my house to do a trial run for the makeup and hair, respectively.  First, they totally understood what I wanted.  I had a lot of hair pictures but for makeup, I just didn't want to be overdone.  The time flew by because these ladies not only knew what they were doing, but they were also a lot of fun.  We listened to Britney Spears, talked about reality TV, and wedding horror stories. 

The end result?

I think the photographs are nice but the photographs still don't do their work justice.  I was incredibly happy and am so looking forward to working with them on my wedding day!