Hiatus

So, fellow blog readers (are you out there? You never comment!)

Well first of all, how do you like the new funkalicious layout?

It is time for me to take a hiatus. I just don't have time to blog, wedding plan, cook, study... you get the gist.

I *might* post something once in awhile, but it probably won't be my home cooking... kind of what I've been doing more recently, as you can tell.

I'll return probably sooner than later, but I just wanted to feel important for a second and give you the heads up.

Oh, and I'm venturing off to Thailand at the end of July and beginning of August. When I return I'll have pictures and tales of my foodie adventures. I'm going to try EVERYTHING (well, maybe not everything), but I plan on trying more seafood, spicy foods, and native veggies and fruit. One that particularly comes to mind is the durian. Just google it:

Not a huge seafood person, but a huge fan of Phish!

Okay, so this isn't a post about cooking... I have done some baking and cooking in the kitchen lately, but haven't been blogging. My camera's out of batteries, and I can't find the charger, and what's a blog without pictures, right?

Aaron and I just got back from seeing Phish at Toyota Park in Chicago. As cliche as this sounds- there truly aren't words to describe it. It was our first Phish show, and it was an amazing experience that will always seem like a "sunshine daydream." :-)

Some people that we met had been to 40 shows. And although it was our first, they were friendly and welcoming and made sure we had an awesome time. It was like being in a huge, hippie family for 7 hours.

We arrived around 5:30ish. Aaron was instantly amazed- I don't think he realized how much he was going to be in his zone! It definitely reminded him of Berkeley. We pulled into a gravel parking lot where tons of people had already arrived, grilling out, drinking beer, reminiscing with fellow Phish heads that they hadn't seen since the last show.

Tons of tents were set up near the front of the parking lot. T-shirts, paraphernalia, tie-dye dresses and bandanas and hats, jewelry, food... it was an amazing sight to see. After walking around a bit bewildered we stopped at 2 girls who were selling "ice cold beer from Michigan!" As we approached to buy beer (2 for $5), the girl selling out of her cooler knocked a plastic cup filled with brew all over my sandals. Everyone was so friendly there, she assumed my reaction would not be a pissed off one. I didn't care at all, actually... it was so hot there that it was refreshing to have something cold on my toes. Instead of apologizing to me, she laughingly said, "Oh, don't worry. I'll get another one." It just proves the carefree attitude that Phish heads are known to have. I'm not a huge fan of beer, but they picked some out for me they swore I would like. And I surprisingly did. Aaron had a hoppy beer of course. And off we were, exploring the various tents.

We passed people selling more beer, unoriginal food such as pizza or hotdogs for a shockingly high price, veggie burgers and burritos, all kinds of food. We browsed until we found something worth the money, and we were amazed when we saw a bratwurst covered in what looked like pineapple and blueberries. Well, the guy informed us it was not a brat with pineapples and blueberries, but an organic duck or elk sausage with organic havarti cheese, honey mustard, and organic blueberries. He gave us a free sample. I was scared I was going to have a hard time keeping it down, but it was surprisingly delicious. We got 2 for $10... how weird and yummy!

At this point, it was nearing 7pm, when the show was *supposed* to start... it started a bit later, but we shockingly had wonderful seats (or standing spots, I should say) on the ground floor. We spread out a blanket and made friends with the people behind us, who just happened to be going to Ohio the next day (as in, today) for Phish's next show.

There were several outbursts of cheer and applause, as the crowd waited in anticipation. And finally, they were there... standing before me... I practically felt the need to tap the glass... was I watching this on my computer? On a large TV screen? But no, they were real, right in front of me.

They played tons of songs that I knew, some that I didn't, but either way, I was amidst a people who swayed, danced, and moved to the music in a way that you knew their hearts could feel the music. I truly believe that soul-moving music can take you to another place. There are certain chords, certain rhythms, lyrics, voices... that can not only make you see the world differently, they can make you feel like you are not of this world.

I was sad when it was over, but at the same time enchanted, looking forward to the next time. I think this is how Phish heads get started. They go to one show, and that's where it all begins.

"Take me to another place, she said
Take me to another time
Run with me across the oceans
Float me on a silver cloud"
-If I could, Phish

Crêpes de Fromage avec la Compote de Fruit

Cheese blintzes!

This took a bit of work, but it is totally worth it. You may not want to eat anything for the rest of the day (or the week!) seeing how there is a lot of oil, carbs, cheese, etc. in this.

For the blintz batter, you'll need:

4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
smidge of vanilla extract
tiny amt. of salt
1 TBsp. oil

1. Whisk the eggs together in a medium sized bowl. Add the other liquids.

2. Now add the dry goods.

3. In a medium frying pan, spread a little oil on the pan. Make sure it's hot, but not too hot- I used the first blintz as a "test."

4. Pour 1/4 cup of the blintz batter into the hot frying pan, and once bubbles emerge from the top, remove it from the pan onto foil. (Don't 'flip' the blintz, like a pancake).

For the filling, you'll need:

1 lb. cottage cheese, strained
2 egg yolks
2 TBsps flour
2 TBsps sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1. On the blintzes, add about a tablespoon of the filling into the blintz and roll it up.

2. Place back in the frying pan and brown on each side, then put back onto the foil and bake at 375* for about 10-15 minutes.

For the Fruit Compote, you'll need:

1 apple
2 bananas
(or any fruit that you'd like)
sugar
water
cornstarch
cinnamon

1. Add the water, and bring to a boil. Add a bunch of sugar (like my measurement? haha) and let it dissolve. Add cornstarch, whisk with a fork so it doesn't clump.

2. Add fruit that is cut up to the mixture, reduce to a simmer. Add cinnamon and any other desired spices.

Takes about 45 minutes to prepare, 15 minutes to cook, so about an hour total (it took me a little longer; this was the first time I've made them).

Turkey Stuffed Peppers w. Hoisin Sauce, Creamy Mint Pea Soup, Summer Salad

I've been trying to be thrifty and creative lately w. the food that I have in the kitchen. Since I'm getting married this Summer, we're trying to save every penny, so I'm trying to plan out every meal and not waste anything. This turned out really well!

FOR THE STUFFED PEPPERS

You'll need:

Green or multi-colored peppers (sweet peppers are the best!)
Ground turkey
1 Egg
Breadcrumbs
Hoisin Sauce
Garlic Salt
Garlic Powder
Pepper
Hot Sauce
Fresh Basil

1. Preheat oven to about 375*. Add ground turkey to a large bowl and add 1 egg, and all of the ingredients listed above, except for the fresh basil. Ground/mash together.

2. Cut the peppers in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp, and place some of the grounded turkey mixture into the pepper. Mold it so it fits inside.

3. Drizzle hoisin sauce on top of the peppers, and top with fresh chopped basil.

4. Cook for about 15ish minutes at 375*, then lower to 325* until peppers are brown around the edges.

FOR THE CREAMY MINT PEA SOUP

You'll need:

3-4 cups Fresh or frozen peas
3 cups Milk
Fresh mint
Paprika
Cinnamon
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder

1. Defrost the peas (if frozen). Place in a blender with milk and above ingredients, and puree until creamy.

2. Warm soup on stove- or serve chilled.

FOR THE SUMMER SALAD

You'll need:

Tangerines
Bananas
Strawberries

1. Obviously this is super easy. But so colorful and summer-like! And yummy! I just sprinkled a little sugar and stirred it together.

Voila! Yummy rainy night dinner. Now I'm going to surprise Amy and Aaron with this dinner... (Mazel Tov, Aaron on your confirmation- and Amy, I hope this helps in the kitchen while Aaron's arm is healing).

Guacamole for Dinner, Rice Krispie Treats at Midnight

It's Finals week, and that said, it leaves little time for cooking or experimenting in the kitchen (not like I've had a ton of time anyway this semester to cook/bake). Maybe it's the intense studying- you know the kind- where you've been reading so much that English finally has lost its form, and you're forced to look up a simple English word on dictionary.com. Or maybe the tiredness of the brain leads us to crave bizarre things, such as guacamole and rice krispies. (And no, I'm not striving to make this a blog about snacks deemed delicious and trendy in the 1950's).



I bet though, now you are craving said food.

P.S. Aaron makes the best guacamole; I'll post his famous recipe on here later... but for now, I *should* be reviewing (or learning, in some cases) the material for my finals, and finish munching on these rice krispie treats.

Marinated Chicken w. Roasted Asparagus, Potato/Onion/Asiago Kugel, and Sweet Potato Apple Crisp

Yum, this was a good dinner! Though it was awhile ago, I think I remember how I whipped this together...

For the chicken, I was lazy- I simply cooked the chicken on the stove in a frying pan with General Tso's Sauce that I had bought at TJ Maax (Oh, and if you haven't been there, you should go).

For The Roasted Asparagus, You'll Need:

Fresh asparagus
Butter/Olive oil (I like to do half butter and half olive oil)
Parmesan Cheese
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper

1. For the roasted asparagus, preheat the oven to 375*, and cut the ends off of the asparagus. They *should* easily snap off, if not, you can use scissors.

2. Melt some butter and olive oil either in a frying pan or microwave. Now spread melted butter over the asparagus, so they are all coated evenly.

3. Now you can place the asparagus on a cookie sheet, and sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese over them.

4. They should be done in about 10 minutes. Don't let them burn!

For The Potato/Onion/Asiago Kugel, You'll Need:

Potatoes
Onion
Asiago cheese
Eggs
Salt
Pepper
Lots of butter.

For this, follow my other recipe for kugel (See the Potato and Leek Kugel recipe), but this time, add more butter and asiago cheese. :-)

For The Sweet Potato Apple Crisp, You'll Need:

About 4 sweet potatoes
Apples of your choice (2-3)
Cinnamon
Sugar
Citrus Juice
Butter

1. I start by boiling the sweet potatoes in a pot; this makes the skin come off much easier. Also, cutting them into slices goes pretty quickly.

2. Cut up the apples and place them in a frying pan that has melted butter in it. Coat them with sugar and cinnamon, to your liking.

3. Once they start getting bubbly, add citrus juice of your choice (I used a Sprite-like soda, but you could use apple juice, lemon juice, etc.)

4. After the sweet potatoes are still somewhat firm (not too mushy), remove them from the boiling water. Once they're cooled off, peel the skin off and cut into slices. Place several slices in a pan (I used a banana bread type pan), and place apples directly over the sweet potatoes, and continue layers until the ingredients are gone. Sprinkle brown sugar on top and bake at 400* until the top is bubbly and the potatoes are cooked through.

With Spring here, what has everyone been eating lately?

Balcony Garden

Aaron and I started our balcony garden! Here is Week 1 of our plants. We planted multiple kinds of flowers (which I'll specify in the later months when they start blooming more visibly), herbs (mint, apple mint, basil, oregano, chives), peppers (multi-colored), strawberries (!) and tomato plants. I can't wait to have semi-garden food to eat and cook with. In feng shui, they say that your plants/garden is representative of one's health. Hopefully I'll take good care of these plants! :-)

Matzah Pasta

For those who observe Passover, leavened bread or bread products cannot be eaten during this time (or anything that rises, expands, or may have been in contact with grains). I decided to try out what a lot of others have been doing (and raving about how good it is)- matzah pasta.

You'll need:

3 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Several pieces of matzah (I used egg matzah- it's the best tasting)
Sauce of your choice (I used an alfredo sauce and a marinara sauce)
Parmesan or Asiago on top

1. Preheat the oven to 375*. Place the butter in the pan you're using, and place in the oven. Once the butter is melted and sizzling, remove the pan from the oven.

2. Now, take the broken pieces of matzah and spread them around in the butter mixture. Place (dry) matzah atop the ones coated in butter. Drizzle olive oil on top of these pieces.

3. Bake (without sauce) for about 15 minutes, until the pieces are golden brown. Now, add whatever sauce desired on top of the matzah pieces. I used alfredo and marinara- it was delicious! I also added grated asiago cheese on top.

4. Bake for about 10 more minutes. Once it's bubbly on top, and the cheese is golden, remove the pan, and let it cool.

It's surprisingly good!

Recommended wine: Yarden.

Foodie Adventures

I could say that I've been a "bad" blogger lately, but truthfully I have just been so busy with school and other activities that I haven't cooked much at all!

I recently got back from a trip to New Jersey. We stopped at a bed and breakfast (which was comfortable, but the breakfast left something to be desired), and then the next day spent the afternoon in the great city of Philadelphia.

Longing for the Picasso exhibit, and Philly cheesesteak, we ventured downtown to the Art Museum. Unfortunately, there was about an hour-long wait in line, and we had about a 4-5 hour time limit before we needed to leave for New Jersey.

At this point, we were hungry for FOOOD! We came across Reading Terminal Market:



Aaron has traveled to Europe several times, and so this huge market didn't amaze him as much as it did me. I tried shwarma for the first time (similar to a gyro, except with more veggies and served on levash), and it was delicious:

Lamb shwarma



We also found a cheese shop where we sampled many different kinds of gourmet cheeses. We ended up going home with a bleu cheese, a brie, and an amazing gouda cheese. I've had these kinds of cheeses before, but nothing like what we brought home or tried at that cheese shop:



We also explored China Town, where we got some delicious pastries- sponge cake with mousse or buttercream frosting that was only $2, and other donuts and pastries that were super cheap, too, usually around 50 cents to $3.



Philadelphia is so much fun... this was my second time visiting... and it's never long enough.

I'll write more soon.

Rustic Hamentashen

I should be studying for a Soc. Theory exam tomorrow, but I took a much needed break to make these yummy cookies! I tried to put a spin on these traditional cookies for Purim, since my fiance has complained of their typical dryness.

For the cookies you'll need:

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter/margarine, sliced into thin pieces
1/2 cup cream cheese or Neufchatel
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the cookies' filling you'll need:

1/2 cup Milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup Jelly of your choice (I used grape)

1. Add flour, sugar, butter, and cream cheese to a bowl. It's hard to stir, so feel free to get your hands dirty and knead the dough a little bit. You'll know the consistency is good when it is crumbly but can still be packed into a ball. After you've done this, refrigerate the dough for about an hour.

2. To make the filling, just add chocolate chips and jelly into a saucepan and simmer while the dough is in the fridge.

3. Roll the dough out (if you have a rolling pin) and cut into triangular pieces.

4. Add several spoonfuls of the mixture onto the cookies, and fold the three sides over the filling.

5. Bake at 375* for about 15 minutes or until they're golden. Even if the cookie feels cool, don't burn your mouth on the filling! They'll need to cool for about 10 minutes.

Little did I know that Aaron does not care for grape jelly; but he still ate them :-)

Enjoy with a glass of milk! Yummy late night snack.

Potato Soup

I made this several days ago when I was starting to get sick. My Mom's potato soup was sort of her staple food item. I always vary the recipe a little bit. I normally add a lot of milk, and a lot of basil, but here's what I did this time:

Water (add some Better than Buillon, or Chicken Broth)
Milk
Potatoes
Carrots
Onion
Basil
Parsley
Salt
Pepper
Mozzarella or Ricotta
Parmesan
Hot sauce
Butter
Olive Oil

1. Start by boiling some water. As the water gets hot, peel potatoes and cube them. Add them to the pot. Now reduce to a simmer.

2. Chop the onion, and add to a small frying pan with butter and olive oil. I added brown sugar to mine, but you can flavor them or not, they'll still turn out great. Saute the onions until they're golden brown. Now add them to the soup.

3. Add milk, and grate (peeled) carrots into the soup. Turn the heat up a bit, and add the spices: basil, parsley, salt, pepper. Once it's hot, add the cheese and the hot sauce.

4. Once the potatoes are cooked, it could be served, however, I like my soup a day or two after I've made it. The flavor is more vibrant, and the broth is usually creamier or thicker.

I recommend serving with a salad, and toasted French baguette w/ butter or olive oil.

*Note: I don't really measure when I cook, so I'll only occasionally post the amounts of what I've added. Seeing as how about 2 people read this blog, I don't think it will be a problem. :-)

Potato & Leek Kugel served alongside Roasted Beets

I adapted this recipe from a normal potato kugel recipe that I make. I added leeks alongside the potatoes this time, which gives it a nice, creamy texture and flavor.

And, for dinner I served roast chicken, roasted marinated beets, grapes, and French baguette with garlic brie. (Applesauce or sour cream can be added to the kugel, I preferred sour cream with this recipe).

You will need:
4 Potatoes
1-2 leeks
4 eggs
1-2 tablespoons butter
White wine (optional)
Salt
Pepper

1. Start by washing the leeks. Occasionally leeks can be dirty, so you may have to wash them several times as they are cut. Now, trim the whiskers on the end of the leeks. Cut them horizontally, but not cutting through the white, thick part at the end. Now cut them vertically. Place into a frying pan with melted better and cook for about 15 minutes (add white wine if desired).

2. As the leeks are cooking, peel the potatoes, and place them in the food processor, or grate them by hand. Whisk the eggs, add the salt and pepper and the grated potatoes.

3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and set 11x7 inch glass baking dish (I don't have casserole dishes yet, so I use a pie dish) in oven with butter. When the fat or butter is melted, add potato mixture. Bake for 1 hour or until brown.

For the beets:

1. Wash off the beets, cut off the stems (save them!) and place them on a sheet in the oven at 400 degrees. Let them roast until they are tender (about 30 minutes).

2. Let them cool. The skin should now easily come off of the beets. Slice the beets, sprinkle them with pepper. This time I added a dressing to them: 2 tablespoons store-bought or made from scratch Raspberry Vinegar, a little Dijon mustard, several tablespoons of hazelnut oil, and a little bit of extra-virgin olive oil.

* Side note: The roasted beets also do nicely in a salad, with goat or feta cheese.

Recommended wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Serves 4-6 people.

"Grown Up" Mac and Cheese

I am home sick today, so I wanted to make some comfort food. Super quick and easy.

You will need:
1-2 cups Rainbow Rotini Pasta
1 Tablespoon butter
1 1/2 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon flour
1 cup sharp cheddar
Mustard
Salt
Pepper

1. Boil a pot of water on the stove. Once it starts to boil, add the pasta and cook until soft (or according to your preference).

2. Drain the pasta. To save dishes, use the same pot you used to boil the pasta to make the roux.

3. For the roux: Add the butter, let it melt slowly. Add the flour, and mix until it forms a paste. Now add the milk, turning up the heat slightly. Once this thickens, add the cheese, salt, pepper, and mustard.

4. Once the roux is made, pour it over the pasta. Garnish with parsley. Yum!

Serves 1-2 people. Approx. 12 minutes to prepare.

Toasted Almond Tilapia with Avocado Potato Salad

Oh me oh my. This turned out fantastically. What I thought would be a long dinner to prepare actually ended up being quick and delicious.

For the tilapia, you'll need:
Tilapia filets (2-4)
2 Tablespoons butter (for pan)
Parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper

For the Avocado Potato Salad, you'll need:
2 Avocados
4 Red potatoes
Minced garlic
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup dressing/mayo
A little bit of mustard/something tangy
Parsley
Cilantro
Salt
Pepper

1. Start by cutting up the potatoes (make sure to evenly cut them; this I learned from Chef Novelli from Chef Academy on Bravo- this helps them cook evenly). Add them to a boiling pot of water, drain once soft (test with a fork).

2. As potatoes boil, cut up avocados and place in a medium sized bowl. Add minced garlic, salt, pepper, parsley and cilantro.

3. Melt butter in frying pan. Once melted, add almonds (can be chopped or whole). Careful not to burn the butter! Now add the tilapia filets. Sprinkle parmesan and salt and pepper atop them. Cook each side evenly- you'll know they're done when they are slightly flakey. It's easy to overcook tilapia... (So many years of my mother's fear of uncooked poultry have translated into me being overly cautious!) but I didn't overcook it this time.

4. As the tilapia is cooking, drain the potatoes and add them to the bowl of avocados. Add sour cream, mayo, mustard/tangy sauce, and gently mix together.

Serves 2-4 people. About 20 minutes to prepare.

I was inspired to try a potato/avocado salad with tilapia. I've always eaten tilapia with aioli because I'm not a huge fish/seafood eater. The mustard and mayo combo in the potato salad complemented the tilapia much like aioli does.

Spanakopita- Or something like it

I recently made this dish for my fiance's work party. There were a lot of leftovers; the host had tons of food there, but at least he said that this recipe was amazing :-)

Unfortunately, I did not have any feta cheese, so this recipe is a bit improvised.

You will need:
1 package of frozen phyllo dough (Can be found in the frozen/dessert section)
1 cup of melted butter
2 packages of frozen spinach, then drained
1 package Neufchatel cheese (Has less fat than cream cheese)
1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups Ricotta cheese
Chopped onion
Minced garlic
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 375*. Make sure to let the phyllo dough thaw out before unrolling it. Otherwise, it will break apart. Spread in layers of three, adding a spoonful of butter in between layers.

2. By the 7-9th layer, add the spinach/cheese mixture. Smooth it out gently on the phyllo dough.

3. Add 7-9 more layers on top of the spinach/cheese mixture, adding a spoonful of butter after placing 3 layers of phyllo down, and so on. Also add butter to the very top layer.

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the phyllo dough is golden brown.

This dish is great as an appetizer for a party, or could even be a dinner for 2-3 people. Approximately 30 pieces. Enjoy!

Stuffed Pitas with Pepper & Goat Cheese, Faux Deviled Eggs, and Pomegranate Bitter Herb

To create this yummy vegetarian brunch, you will need:

FOR THE STUFFED PITAS:
2 peppers (sweet or multi-colored)
Minced Garlic
An Onion
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Crumbled Goat Cheese
Pita

FOR THE FAUX DEVILED EGGS:
3 Eggs
Ricotta
Basil
Paprika
Salt
Pepper

FOR THE BITTER HERB:
Swiss chard or beet leaves/stalk
Minced Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Pomegranate Balsamic Glaze (You can find this in a sauce aisle at your grocery store)

1. Boil water in a pot. Once boiling, place in 3 eggs. Watch the clock closely: The secret to great hard boiled eggs is 14 minutes; it leaves the yolk nice and yellow with no grey rim.



2. While the eggs are boiling, cut up 2 peppers (in slices) and about half of an onion. Cut up garlic (or spoon out some minced garlic) and add to a frying pan coated with olive oil. Saute onion and garlic first; once golden, add peppers. Saute until golden brown and cooked through.

3. Cut up swiss chard/bitter herb. Add to small frying pan coated in olive oil. Add a tablespoon of minced garlic, then add the pomegranate glaze. Add the bitter herb slowly, and coat the olive oil mixture over the herb. Simmer/cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until somewhat wilted (but not brown).

4. Halve pita bread (about 3 pitas) and toast in toaster or in oven at about 350* for 5-10 minutes.

5. Take out eggs and place in cold ice water. After a couple minutes, peel the shell off of the egg and cut the eggs into halves. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and paprika on. Add a tiny spoonful of ricotta on top, then top with basil (fresh is best).

6. By now, the peppers and the chard should be done. Take pitas out of oven, add peppers, sprinkle with goat cheese. The "faux" deviled egg serves as a great side, but is even better when cut up and added to the pita!

Serves 2-3 people. 40-ish minutes to prepare.

* Additional: I made this with leftover Champagne from the night before. I filled a glass with half champagne, half cranberry juice. The not-so-bubbly tastes yummy this way!