personal chicken pot pies

I woke up a few weekends ago  with a scratchy throat and feeling rundown. This entire year has felt like a rollercoaster of emotions and never ending to do lists, so I took the day to rest and give myself a break.

I also took it as an opportunity to make my first ever chicken pot pie and put it in personal ramekins which made them even more fun. Portion control + clearly defined "this is my crust not yours" = success in my book.

I bought the dough because dough generally isn't my thing and this was my first try anyway, so lets start with baby steps ya know? I stayed farrrr away from canned cream of chicken soup and made my own roux; far better option and I was able to control the sodium levels too.

personal chicken pot pies
1 package of frozen pie dough--most packs come with 2 and I used one and froze the second (or make your own and be an overachiever.) make sure it is room temperature
1 chicken breast, seasoned with rub listed below
3 carrots, peels and finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 potato (I didn't peel it but you can) diced and boiled in salted water until par-cooked (about 5 minutes past the water boiling.) drain but save the potato water on the side
3-4 stalks of broccolini, diced into bite sized pieces
1/4 head of cauliflower, diced into bite sized pieces
1 stick of butter (2 tablespoons melted)
2-3 tablespoons of flour
1-1.5 cups of milk, heavy cream or half and half
salt and pepper for seasoning

rub for chicken
1/4 tsp ancho chilli powder (you can also use regular chilli powder)
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
mix together and rub on both sides of the chicken and let it set for about 15-20 minutes

• pre-heat oven to 350
• pre-heat two pans on stovetop with a tablespoon of butter
• once melted, put chicken breast in one pan; and cook until both sides are browned and place in the oven for an additional 6-8 minutes 
• in the other pan, dump onions carrots and celery, season with salt and pepper. cook until veggies are soft, remove from heat.
• on a foil lined pan, place broccolini and cauliflower with 2 tablespoons butter broken up into little pieces, salt and pepper; place in preheated oven for about 15 minutes, tossing once
• melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan with about 3 tablespoons of butter; whisk together and add a few dashes of nutmeg, salt and pepper
• whisk together until a thin paste has formed, remove from heat and whisk in about 1-1 and a half cups of cream, half and half or milk--whatever you have
• place back on low heat and whisk together, adding the reserved potato water if its too thick--you want it to be a sauce like consistency. If too thin, raise the heat slightly and the sauce should naturally thicken. taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
• flour your counter and rolling pin and roll out your pastry dough. cut it into 4 rounds that are about 1 inch wider than your ramekins; set aside.
• once all veggies are cooked, dump them into the cream sauce, along with the potatoes; dice your chicken up into bite sized pieces and all to the mixture. taste for seasonings, stir together.
• raise your oven temp to 375
• line your ramekins with the bottom layer of dough, carefully pressing them in as not to tear the dough. a bit should hang over the sides
• add your mixture, split evenly among both, and top with the remaining dough rounds. press the edges together and brush with melted butter
• slice one or 2 cuts in the top of the dough to allow the heat to escape
• place on cookie sheet (in case they bubble over) and into the oven until the tops are browned, about 15 minutes

tip: you can double the recipe for more people, and also sub in any veggies you like. I had most of these on hand which made it easier. You can also use frozen veggies.

Happy comfort food eating!

lettuce wrap tacos

Mike and I leave for Hawaii in a week--eek! His first time, and my first time on Kauai, and we are so excited.

It is a much needed vacation after a crazy year and we are also celebrating his 28th birthday so I know it will be even more special.

After we booked the trip, I tried to focus on some healthier, lighter meals (#hawaiidiet on my food posts on Instagram) in between the spring oreos, ben and jerrys cores and crockpot ribs........

So lettuce wrap tacos was one of my better ideas--they were so good and I truly did not miss the tortilla. The key is to pack them with so much other flavor that your taste buds are so psyched for the filling, the tortilla is forgotten. So here's what I did.

lettuce wrap tacos
1 head of butter lettuce, rinsed and dried
2 chicken breasts, seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne
1 yellow and 1 orange pepper, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup of shredded mexican blend cheese
3 tablespoons salsa
1 can black beans
1 garlic clove, minced
1 box rice pilaf mix (or any rice you like!)
3 tablespoons of butter
your favorite hot sauce (optional)
salt, pepper, cayenne and cumin for seasoning

• preheat oven to 350
• start your rice, according to package directions as that typically takes the longest to cook
• melt one tablespoon of butter in small saucepan; add minced garlic on low heat. once the garlic is lightly cooked, add beans (do not drain.)
• season beans with salt, pepper and a little bit of hot sauce (optional.) cook, covered, on medium heat until it comes to a boil, switch to low heat and let simmer
• melt the remaining butter, split between two pans
• place the chicken in one pan on medium heat and let it brown on both sides and place in the oven for 5-7 more minutes to finish cooking
• place the peppers in another on medium high heat, seasoning with salt, pepper, cayenne and cumin. let them get a bit charred, tossing occasionally in the pan
• once chicken is cooked, slice it up and assemble your tacos with your desired toppings. I used the avocado, hot sauce, salsa, cheese and peppers, but get creative. onions would be great here, but Mike hates them.
• serve with rice and beans on the side

#100happydays

After a long and unplanned hiatus, I'm back. And there is a LOT to catch up on.

First of all, I moved out of San Francisco and into San Mateo with Mike a month ago. I'm still letting that sink in. Left the city, and now I live with a guy.....

A lot of this year was focusing on finding the apt, then prepping for the move--which followed with the dreaded unpacking. If I could dispense some moving advice, I would say 3 things:

1. THROW CRAP AWAY. Really think about when you used it last, and how/if you would use it again. Purge. It's freeing.
2. Color code your boxes per room (and you can never have enough boxes, bubble wrap or packing tape, PS.) Tell your movers which colored boxes go where, and if they are good movers, you will at least have your things where you want them at the end of the day.
3. Pack one box that's an "unpack first" box. Use colorful tape or something really distinctive so you can easily find it. I packed toiletries I knew I would need at the end of the day, a towel, PJs, box cutters (also can never have enough) and wine (and a wine opener and cups, obviously). It was a godsend.

After getting through the move and unpacking, we now have an amazing apartment which I am having so much fun decorating. Still tons to do, but I will be posting little bits and pieces along the way.

I have also been cooking a ton in my fancy new kitchen, so keep an eye out for new posts and lots of fun recipes (at least the ones I can remember.)

Before and during the moving process, I started participating in the #100happydays challenge. It's so easy to let stress build up and it gave me a way to remind myself in small ways how lovely every day is.

I recommend checking it out, but I will say, it has committed me to finding a bit (or several bits) of happiness in every day.

I think generally we can get into a cycle of negativity or complaining constantly--I was inspired by this recent article in Glamour about a woman who vowed to go a week without bitching (the article isn't online but this blog shows it.)

So I have been putting an end to that. Follow me on Instagram to see my #100happydays in action.

new ingredient alert: spaghetti squash

Just in time for fall, spaghetti squash swept the nation. Or at least my office. Okay, really just 4 of us on my team all cooked it in a week and obsessively talked about it for days.

Have you tried it?!? I made it once with one of my roommates in college and it was delicious but I seemed to have forgotten about it--until now.

In an attempt to decrease my pasta intake (ha!) I decided to make this one night. I am happy to report its fun, pretty easy and the result is tasty and well worth it. I paired it with my homemade pesto, asparagus and zucchini.

spaghetti squash
1 spaghetti squash, cut in half with seeds scooped out
olive oil for drizzling
salt and pepper for seasoning

• preheat oven to 350, cover a baking sheet in tin foil and drizzle olive oil on squash halves, season with s&p
• place cut-side down on baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping over halfway through
• test to see if the squash is ready by scraping a fork through the insides--if it shreds easily, you can remove and let cool
• once cool enough to handle (you have to hold onto the outside of the squash) begin to shred the squash with a fork and scoop into a bowl

veggies
1 package of asparagus, diced into bite sized pieces
2 medium sized zucchini, diced into half moons
salt and pepper for seasoning
olive oil to coat the pan

• preheat pan on medium heat with oil
• add veggies, season and cook until tender
• add squash and pesto to veggie mixture, toss together and serve with grated cheese 

pesto recipe here

pesto pasta purses

Lazy/easy meal alert here: Trader Joe's pre-made pastas are heaven and continue to make my life so easy when I am just too tired to spend hours in the kitchen. I put my own spin on these by making homemade pesto and roasting fresh veggies on the side.

pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves
3 tbsp grated parmiggiano reggiano
1/2 cup pine nuts, pan roasted until slightly golden brown
2 garlic gloves, pan roasted in olive oil on low heat
salt and pepper for seasoning
olive oil to drizzle in (about 1/2 cup)

tip: slowly roasting the garlic prior to mixing helps to avoid the raw, overpowering garlic taste you get in some pestos

• place all ingredients except olive oil in food processor, blend together and slowly drizzle in olive oil until it starts to get slightly thinner and you can see all of the garlic, pine nuts and basil broken down and chopped
• taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper or cheese accordingly
• serve or place in container, drizzle more olive oil on top, then cover in plastic wrap, pressed down on the pesto to prevent browning.

 tip: refrigerate for about a week or freeze for up to 3 months

 pasta & veggies

• roast veggies with salt pepper, olive oil
• boil pasta then combine with pesto, sprinkle with more parmiggiano reggiano and serve with veggies on the side

kitchen essentials

I would kill for this much space & layout

I was recently asked for advice on stocking a kitchen-pantry basics, good things to keep on hand and the like.

I am a very "use what you have" type of cook and like to have things that stay fresh for a long time and stock up on non-perishables for a quick addition to a weeknight meal.

Below are some basics broken out into: must haves, perishables, things that freeze well, and some extras worth having around.

kitchen must haves

seasonings:

• salt: sea or kosher salt + table (iodized) salt
• pepper
• red pepper flakes
• cayanne pepper
• dried parsley,  basil
• cumin: essential for any mexican feast
• cinnamon
• nutmeg: the key to all of my bechamel sauces

other pantry basics:

• extra virgin olive oil
• vegetable oil
• vinegar: I prefer red wine for dressings & white vinegar is good to rinse fruits and veggies in
• honey
• flour: I keep AP + whole wheat
• sugar
• chocolate chips: for whipping up chocolate chip cookies on the fly
• baking soda: in a airtight container or bag it stays fresh for a while
• baking powder
• brown sugar: put a slice of white bread in there for a few hours when it needs to soften; store it in an airtight container to prevent hardening for the future
• pasta: I like to keep several types on hand, both whole wheat and regular, penne, spaghetti and elbow macaroni are good to have on hand.
• rice: long grain white rice
• canned tomatoes: I prefer whole or crushed
• chicken or vegetable broth
• canned beans: I like to keep at least one of cannelini, red beans, black beans and garbanzo
• wine: I keep one bottle of white in the fridge for sauces, and at least two unopened bottles of red for drinking and 1-2 opened bottles of red that are no longer drinkable, but perfect for a red wine sauce or to add to tomato sauce
• at least one box of cake mix and jar of frosting: you never know when you will want an impromptu cupcake :)
• crackers of some sort: trader joes have delicious raisin rosemary crisps, and they really hold up nicely with any cheese
• nuts or trailmix
• granola bars
• one box of cereal
• nestle quick mix: essential for hot cocoa
• mini marshmallows: see above

perishables (I chose ones that keep for a pretty long time)

• lemons: they are great to add to sauces, water, or to freshen your garbage disposal
• carrots: also great for sauces, soups, stews and roasting, add color to a dish
• shredded cheese mixture: trader joes three cheese blend is great to add to eggs, melt on top of burgers, use in tacos, or whip up a quick mac n cheese with
• goat cheese: one of my most used ingredients and a staple in my kitchen. you may have noticed it in a few of my recipes
• fresh herbs: some keep longer than others-rosemary lasts a while and is great to roast with veggies or chicken; parsley is my go-to herb and if you chop it you can freeze it and use for about a month
• eggs: useful for making homemade pasta, breakfasts, as a binder for burgers or meatballs
• garlic
• onion: until sliced open you can keep it for a few weeks
• BBQ sauce: essential for Mikes (and my) sanity
• ketchup
• dijon mustard
• hot sauce: I like to keep franks and tabasco on hand
• butter: obvious
• cream cheese: also obvious

things that freeze well

• chop meat: for burgers, meatloaf, tacos midweek, just pop it from the freezer to the fridge in the am before work
• chicken
• herbs: pre-chop and double bag
• pre-frozen veggies: good for soups
• tortillas: freeze then double bag to avoid freezer burn, pop in the micro for a few seconds
• bagels, any breads: also double bagged, pop in the micro for a few seconds and then toast/pop in the oven

extras worth having around

• milk, cream: for obvious reasons like cereal and coffee, but also for hot cocoa, mac n cheeses and cream sauces
• another fresh vegetable: zucchini is my favorite, or arugula
• isreali couscous: a great sub for pasta or rice
• cookies: double stuff or seasonal oreos are my go-to
• dark chocolate covered almonds
• marcona almonds: great for a cheese plate spread and a delicious snack
• pizza dough: pre-made will last about a week in the fridge and you can use just about any pantry basic to make a pizza or mini calzones

Do you have any pantry essentials that are missing? What do you like to keep stocked?

baked pasta with arugula, tomatoes and carrots

This was a "use what you have meal." Carrots are a great vegetable to have on hand because they stay fresh for a long time and fresh or canned tomatoes can be used. You can easily sub in any veggies you have on hand, a can of beans, any protein and switch up the cheeses--ricotta would work great here.

At the end of a long week sometimes I just want something warm and easy to whip up--10 minutes of prep time and another 15 to cook.

baked pasta with arugula, tomatoes and carrots
2 cups of arugula, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can diced tomatoes (or two fresh tomatoes, diced)
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup of pasta
6 oz of goat cheese
salt and pepper for seasoning
2 tbsp butter

• preheat oven to 350
• put up water to cook the pasta, once it comes to a boil add a generous amount of salt and pasta
• preheat pan with butter, add carrots once butter starts to melt (I used my cast iron skillet so I could place it straight in the oven) and salt
• cook carrots for about 5 minutes on their own, tossing occassionally
• add tomatoes (drained), arugula, garlic and more salt and pepper
• let all the veggies cook together for about 3 minutes, tossing together
• under cook the paste to just below al dente--about 4 mins under cook time, add to pan
• place goat cheese in pan, toss all ingredients together until incorporated and let bake in the oven for about 7 minutes

serves two