thankful!

thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.
it is so lazy, family oriented, and all about FOOD.
yum.

i am a lover of the classics; i love turkey and stuffing and sweet potato casserole...

Each year our family goes ALL OUT for thanksgiving. We start with 2 hours of appetizers, consisting of corn chowder, cheeses, various crackers, bottles and bottles of wine, and this year SUSHI. Homemade, phenomenal sushi, with chili mayonnaise. A bit non-traditional, but delicious.

spice and ease.

{roasted sweet potatoes}

Yesterday afternoon was a lazy one.
I came home and spent the afternoon in my apartment making jewelry and puttying around with new craft supplies.
But I needed a good lunch.
So I whipped up some spicy fish, cabbage-lentil soup, and roasted sweet potatoes. So easy. And so yummy.


{broiled white fish with onions and spice, and lentil-cabbage soup}

Broiled Fish:
1 Filet whitefish, tilapia, or other flaky fish
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Sliced Onions
Spices (I used Jerk seasoning)

Drizzle the fish in olive oil, spread with onions and spice, broil for about six minutes, or until fish is flaky and cooked through.

Sweet Potatoes:
Slice a sweet potatoe into wedge-like pieces. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon of Olive oil and 2teaspoons of garlic salt. Cook at 425 for 15 minutes, and then broil them for a couple minutes until crispy.

Cabbage Lentil Soup:
This was a reheat for me.
Here is the recipe.
I added a head of shredded cabbage to my pot while the soup was simmering.

temperature dropping.

{crab-cake stuffed pitas and roasted red pepper and tomato soup}


{garlic roasted asparagus and balsamic french bread toasts}


This week, it has gotten progressively colder. If you know me, you know full well that I hate winter. I loathe it actually. I think my body temperature runs at 2 degrees below the normal population, so I walk around in the cold, bitter at the misery I am experiencing.

However, I do have to say, that comfort food is one of my favorite things. Winter offers a lot of opportunities to hole up in my apartment and make, eat, and enjoy comfort food.

Warm, savory things, have been my niche lately. This week, I was house-sitting. It was wonderful to be in a large, well-stocked kitchen, with endless possibilities at my fingertips. For dinner, I made crab-cake stuffed pitas, roasted red-pepper and tomato soup (from Trader Joes) and garlic-roasted asparagus with pine nuts. Two of my dear friends came for dinner, and our table conversation consisted of an analysis of what it means to "play the game."

Highlights:
1. To play the game, its a lot like throwing the ball back and forth.
2. In order to play the game, you have to trust that the other person wants, and is willing to catch the ball from you.
3. Some girls play the game out of insecurity... Throwing the ball every direction hoping someone will catch it; or not throwing the ball at all, because they don't trust that anyone wants to catch it.
4. Really, there is no formula to "the game." And most of the time, you learn how to play, while you play.


Anyways. Here are some recipes. Try it out.

Crab-Cake Stuffed Pitas
Serves 4

4 Pre-made Crab-cakes, or home-made if you have the time!
4 Whole-Wheat Pitas
2 Cups Shredded Cabbage
8 Tablespoons Hummus
1 Cup Sliced Red Peppers
1/2 Sliced Avocado
Other assorted Vegetables
Feta Cheese

Cook the crab cakes according to directions. Meanwhile, warm pitas in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Slice each pita and stuff with hummus, cabbage, peppers, avocado, and other vegetables. When the Crab cakes are finished cooking, slice them in half and put two-halves in each pita. Top with Feta Cheese and garlic mustard if desired.


Garlic Roasted Asparagus:

2 Cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Bunch of Asparagus
1/2 Cup Pine-nuts

Mince garlic. Stir into olive oil. Place asparagus on cookie sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil mixture. Sprinkle pine nuts over the asparagus. Bake at 450degrees for about 15 minutes.


Balsamic French Bread Toasts:

Slice a loaf of french bread. Dip each slice in a mixture of equal parts balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cheese of choice (I used mozzarella and Parmesan). Bake in the oven with the asparagus (or at 450degrees for 15 minutes).
These are a great addition to any soup!

chaicake monday.

oh my goodness.

it has literally been a month sincei have posted. that is RIDICULOUS.

i guess it is representative of the last month though. it has been a time of chaos, and unfortunately the documentation of food in my life has taken the back-burner.

today, however, i am going to attempt to jump back in.

mondays are interesting. they are usually full, with meetings, class, and more meetings.

tonight, i was able to slow down a bit and enjoy some homemade pizza, roasted sweet potatoes and chai cake with friends.

this morning, while mulling over dinner's upcoming menu, i invented a chai cake in my head. i love chai, fall flavors, and i LOVE ending a good meal with a fabulous dessert. so here is the recipe... it is an explosion in your mouth. literally.

chai cake with chai glaze:

1 stick butter

2/3 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 heaping scoops of chai powder (about 6 Tablespoons-i used the kind from Trader Joes)

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 package brown sugar instant oatmeal

1/2 flour

Glaze:

1/4 cup sour cream

1 heaping scoop of chai powder

2 cups powdered sugar

2-6 Tablespoons of Milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

For the cake, cream together butter and sugar. Add chai powder, and vanilla and blend til smooth. Add eggs one at a time. Slowly stir in flour and baking power and salt. Pour batter into a well greased 8x8 or 9x9 square pan.

Make the filling by blending all ingredients until crumbly. Pour evenly over the top of cake. (It will sink during baking.)

Bake the cake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, make the glaze. Mix the sour cream, chai powder, and sugar, slowly adding milk until the consistency is glaze-like.

When the cake is done, serve warm with each piece individually poured with glaze.