coffee rubbed pork loin

It was a long weekend-I am still shopping for the perfect pieces for our apartment (even more pics to come soon, I promise!) and Mike and I made a trip to Target on a Sunday.

That’s enough to exhaust anyone. I wasn’t making yet another stop at the grocery store so decided to use Targets fairly limited selection of fresh groceries to whip something up. Did I mention someone I was shopping with (I won’t name any names) was getting a bit cranky and had to go sit down in the outdoor furniture section to relax…? So yeah…

I grabbed a pork loin, a sweet potato, one red and one green apple. No clue what I would make, but arrived home with these ingredients and a hungry and cranky boyfriend.

I have always wanted to test out a coffee rub and had some coffee in the pantry we hadn’t opened. Fully invested in this idea now, I opened the bag and the beans weren’t ground.

We don’t have a grinder—we use a Keurig and I usually drink iced coffee anyway. Not willing to give this up for the zero other ideas I had, or completely throw my hands up and order takeout, I ground those beans, smashing them with my old-fashioned Italian rolling pin.

Let me tell you—I do not recommend this tactic. And luckily there are no pics of the aftermath. coffee. all. over. my. counter. Had I not been in a food-inspired frenzy, I would have thought this through. Maybe a ziploc bag, rolled over with the pin? But I went through with it, and got my grinds.

And let me tell you—the flavor was worth it. Try it out. But buy your beans pre-ground for your own sanity.

coffee rubbed pork loin

2 lbs pork loin

3 tbsp butter

coffee and chili spice rub

3 tbsp of coffee grinds

2 tsp of chili powder

1 tsp black pepper

3 tsp salt

• preheat an oven safe pan with butter
• preheat oven to 350
• combine rub mixture and spread all over pork loin, pressing in and distributing evenly
• cook on all sides in pan, turning every 3-5 minutes to sear in spices
• place in oven for 30-45 mins—use a meat thermometer and pull when it reads 155-165 (depending on your preference)
• let meat rest for 5-10 mins covered in tin foil to seal in the juices and then slice in medallions

apple compote

1 red and 1 green apple, peeled and diced

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

1/3 cup water

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of black pepper

juice of ½ lemon

• combine all ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat, let it come to a boil
• stir every few minutes, allowing ingredients in incorporate and reduce down
• simmer on low heat until pork is ready; spoon on pork medallions

apt decorating in progress!

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4^th of July!! Mike and I spent it in Santa Cruz and stayed at a resort in the mountains. This is our second 4^th of July-together, and in Santa Cruz-we went on our first date 3 days after the 4^th 2 years ago—aka today!

I love celebrating our first date and its nice to have a 4^th of July getaway excuse—or any getaway excuse for that matter—so we use it as a way to celebrate.

We spent the remaining part of the weekend doing apt stuff-it really is all coming together and is such a fun process.

A little sneak peak into the apt work so far:

We came home I finished up spray painting some frames for the walls yesterday. I hope to have those hung up this week and then the living room will just need a few more small touches, but we can find those as we go.

I am looking for a big statement piece of artwork to hang over the fireplace. We are going to hang various photographs from artists I have collected through the years on the opposite wall, so I would like a painting or maybe even a quote. I also want to add an armchair in the corner and then we should be set.

From there, it’s on to the dining room table, and then bedroom. I can not believe we have been in this apt for over 4 months and how long it takes to bring things together.

More pics to come of the finished* living room!

couch/rug/curtain combo

bar area accent

frame painting in progress

*we all know this will never be finished and I will continue to add pieces and change my mind on every.little.detail.

brussel sprout chips

To say Mike isn’t a fan of vegetables would be a huge understatement. He isn’t a fan of being woken up before noon. Or watching HGTV. But incorporating vegetables into his diet was a battle.

Some things were easier than others. He took to arugula quite well which made salads an obvious choice. He likes roasted carrots and even got hooked on some roasted broccolini, which is a commonly used side in our house. His fave veggie? Potatoes. Believe me, I have mentioned a time or two it’s a starch…

Then I just decided to go for it and started making kale chips. Olive oil, salt, pepper and a hot oven and he went crazy for them. I was feeling bold. He despised brussel sprouts when we first started dating. I got him to eat them once, on a pizza covered with bacon and cheese but that was too easy. So one night, I subbed our usual crunchy kale chips for brussel sprout chips—and now? He likes them more than the kale chips. I would call this a win.

Another heavily requested recipe below and it could not be easier.

brussel sprout chips

1-2 dozen brussel sprouts rinsed with the stems cut off and leaves peeled. toss the core out (tip: you can also just buy the shaved brussel sprouts bag at trader joes)

1-2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper for seasoning

any other seasoning you like—I have used mesquite bbq seasoning which makes them taste like bbq chips, garlic powder would be delicious too. Anything to add some extra flavor, but s&p is perfect too

• pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
• line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray
• spread the brussel sprouts out and drizzle the olive oil (you may need more depending on how many you have—you want them nicely coated)
• season to taste with salt, pepper and any other seasoning you add—don’t be shy!
• toss together to coat and spread in one layer
• cook in 400 degree oven, tossing frequently (about every 3-4 minutes) until cooked fully (no more than 15 minutes)
• taste one after its come out of the oven and cooled slightly, and add additional salt if needed

tip: if you do 2 dozen, split between 2 baking sheets—you want them to have enough room to cook

 

Munch happily :)

baked eggplant

It's no secret 2014 has not been my year for blogging. 

I know I have fallen behind and the only thing keeping me going is the constant encouragement harassment of my friends and co-workers for recipes.  I guess it’s unfair to instagram these things and bring leftovers to work and not tell everyone how to make it….so I am getting back to it.

And first up from my hiatus is an easy, versatile and somewhat healthy weeknight fix. You can lighten this up by baking the eggplant instead of frying and using part (or full) skim mozzarella. Fresh tomatoes are a great addition in the summer and it reheats perfectly—great for leftovers!

Baked eggplant or eggplant stacks

3-4 japanese eggplants, rinsed and dried (you could also use 1 regular eggplant) slice into rounds about ¼ inch thick

3 cups plain breadcrumbs seasoned –see recipe below

2 eggs beaten in a shallow bowl with ½ cup milk

1 cup ricotta—I use full fat here, you can really taste the difference

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parley—use about a 1/2 tablespoon if using dried

1 cup freshly grated part-skim mozzarella—this is where I cut the calories, but freshly grate your own if you have the time—it makes a difference!

3 medium sized tomatoes, sliced or about a cup of tomato sauce

3 tbsp of olive oil for frying, halve it if baking the eggplant

1 egg

salt and pepper for seasoning

seasoning mix for breadcrumbs (you can buy it pre-seasoned but I prefer to make my own)

1 tbsp dried parsley

1 tbsp dried basil

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp oregano

mix together in a shallow bowl with the bread crumbs—you can omit any of the spices you don’t like/have. They just add a bit more flavor to the mixture

if pan frying eggplant:

• set up your breading station, and a plate lined with paper towels for draining your eggplant
• pre-heat pan on stove top with 1 tbsp of olive oil on medium heat. once the oil starts to bubble a bit, lower to medium-low heat
• preheat oven to 350
• dredge the eggplant slices in the egg mixture until fully covered and then dip in the breadcrumbs. add more of either if needed
• place the breaded eggplant slices in your frying pan or baking sheet
• cook about 4-5 in a pan at a time, depending on size, so they cook evenly. flip once you see the edges start to brown and cook on second side for about 3-5 minutes. transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain

if baking eggplant:

• preheat oven to 350
• line your baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and spray lightly with cooking spray
• dredge the eggplant slices in the egg mixture until fully covered and then dip in the breadcrumbs. add more of either if needed
• place the breaded eggplant slices on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. cook in the oven for about 10 minutes and check the bottoms for light browning—flip and brown on the other side, about 10 more minutes. timing may vary depending on oven

follow all remaining steps after eggplant is baked or fried

• while eggplant is cooking, mix ¾ of your cheese with half the parsley, ricotta, the egg and salt and pepper to taste. stir until the mixture is well incorporated
• spray a baking dish with cooking spray on all edges and line the bottom with eggplant slices, starting with your larger pieces. if you are doing an eggplant casserole, place them close together and cut pieces to fit/cover as much as possible. if making stacks, place them with some space between them
• cover with a layer of the cheese mixture and then either tomato slices or sauce
• repeat with eggplant, cheese mixture and tomato sauce about 2 more times. cover with the remaining mozzarella and parsley and let bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until the cheese melts and is bubbling

F-R-I-D-A-Y

Just try and tell me this song isn't infectious. At least on a Friday when the weekend is oh-so-close and you wake up excited, bouncing out of bed because its. finally. friday.

Mike and I leave for Hawaii on Tuesday, so we are doing our last minute planning for the trip. I have planned nothing outside of booking the flight and hotel. No rental car booked. No massage appointments made. No kayaks rented. No luau tickets purchased (Mikes request/requirement.)

I also have not packed a thing,  or made any list about what needs to be packed. Who am I?

This is so unlike me and just goes to show you how badly I need this vacation. I have a feeling a week in beautiful Kauai with very little planned is just the cure :)

PS: any Kauai suggestions or recommendations are welcome!

Happy weekend.

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.