Today we took a walk around boarded up Hamilton Park (new sidewalks and curbs and seems like a lot of the drainage pipes are in) then swung by the new bakery on jersey but yet again it was closed! I swear I have the worst luck with that place -- my third try to get some treats and still empty handed. Seems they are open tomorrow so maybe I will have to make a better effort. We headed back down Newark Ave to check out the redevelopment project (new streetscape) and perhaps a few appetizers one of the thai/sushi places. As we were walking I pointed out Saigon Cafe as I had heard it was quite good and so we decided to check out the menu outside. The summer specials included about 5 or 6 things that sounded delicious (soft shell crab, blue crab fried rice, mahi mahi, NJ tomato...yum). After agonizing over the menu we decided on the spring rolls & chicken satay, both served with veggies to make fresh wraps, to start. Followed by beef rendang and one of the summer specials stuffed NJ tomato- which turned out to be a tomato shell stuffed with pork and in a tomato soup.
Everything was so delicious and really fresh tasting. I loved my meal and the coconut in the beef dish was amazing. We took a takeout menu home and I can't wait to order from here.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wednesday 6/24/09 - Spinach, mushroom (and chicken) enchiladas
After searching for mexican the other day and being met by a dirty bodega, I was craving it. I decided on this vegetarian recipe but ended up adding a bit of chicken (except for my veggie friend). I took this from the cookinglight.com site and as usual it was delicious - I always enjoy their recipes.
Creamy Spinach - Mushroom Skillet Enchilada
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic clove (minced)
1 tbsp garlic greens (minced)
2 tbsp sweet onion (diced)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
12 oz mushrooms sliced
8 oz baby spinach
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp light cream cheese
1 jar (16 oz) green salsa
10 wraps
1 c mexican blend 2% cheese
1 c lt sour cream
cilantro garnish
10 chicken tenders - marinaded
1) heat grill pan - cook chicken tenders flip after 4 min
2) heat olive oil - add garlics, onions, cumin and chili powder - combine
3) saute 5 min - add spinach and salt - wilt
4) take off heat and drain all liquid
5) return to pan and add cream cheese - heat on low and stir to combine - take off heat
6) add 1 c salsa to frying pan on med-low - dredge wrap
7) add 1-2 tbsp filling to wrap, 1 chicken tender - shredded, fold in half then fold edges in and place in pan w fold facing down
8) after all are rolled - layer remaining salsa and cheese on tops
9) cook in broiler for 10 min or until melted and brown
10) serve w sour cream and cilantro
I made a zesty black bean and corn salad for the side and some wild rice mix
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp garlic greens
2 1/2 c fresh corn kernels (about 4-5 ears - boil and cut off cob)
1/4 c fresh lime juice
1 tsp white vinegar
3/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 c grape tomato - cut in half
3/4 c sweet onions - diced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro
2 tbsp jalepeno - seeded and minced
1 tbsp fresh oregeno
1 can black beans - strained, rinsed and drained
1) add oil to pan and sautee garlic - add corn and sautee until browned
2) combine other ingredients and mix in corn mixture
3) serve cold
Creamy Spinach - Mushroom Skillet Enchilada
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic clove (minced)
1 tbsp garlic greens (minced)
2 tbsp sweet onion (diced)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
12 oz mushrooms sliced
8 oz baby spinach
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp light cream cheese
1 jar (16 oz) green salsa
10 wraps
1 c mexican blend 2% cheese
1 c lt sour cream
cilantro garnish
10 chicken tenders - marinaded
1) heat grill pan - cook chicken tenders flip after 4 min
2) heat olive oil - add garlics, onions, cumin and chili powder - combine
3) saute 5 min - add spinach and salt - wilt
4) take off heat and drain all liquid
5) return to pan and add cream cheese - heat on low and stir to combine - take off heat
6) add 1 c salsa to frying pan on med-low - dredge wrap
7) add 1-2 tbsp filling to wrap, 1 chicken tender - shredded, fold in half then fold edges in and place in pan w fold facing down
8) after all are rolled - layer remaining salsa and cheese on tops
9) cook in broiler for 10 min or until melted and brown
10) serve w sour cream and cilantro
I made a zesty black bean and corn salad for the side and some wild rice mix
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp garlic greens
2 1/2 c fresh corn kernels (about 4-5 ears - boil and cut off cob)
1/4 c fresh lime juice
1 tsp white vinegar
3/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 c grape tomato - cut in half
3/4 c sweet onions - diced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro
2 tbsp jalepeno - seeded and minced
1 tbsp fresh oregeno
1 can black beans - strained, rinsed and drained
1) add oil to pan and sautee garlic - add corn and sautee until browned
2) combine other ingredients and mix in corn mixture
3) serve cold
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Tuesday 6/23/09 - fusilli with greens, beans and onions
Tuesday is CSA day and I haven't been very good about keeping up with my veggies... when I took a look in my fridge there was a bit of a slimy mess waiting for me. I had to toss out the watercress (and some other cilantro) from delivery #1 and the fava greens were getting close to the end. This week we got some beets (w greens), onions, garlic curls, romaine, carrots, basil and some more daisies. I still haven't gone to the store this week since we were away in delaware all weekend (though tomorrow we might have company), so it was a mix of the veggies from the CSA , pasta and chicken sausage.
This mix is a blend of:
1 lb whole wheat fusilli
2 spicy italian chicken sausage (casing removed)
1 tsp olive oil
2 onions (diced)
2 garlic greens (diced)
1 onion green (diced)
1 can pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can diced tomato (or fresh if you have them!)
1 c fava greens
3 c beet greens
salt & pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 c italian blend cheese 2%
2 tbsp dill
1) cook pasta according to directions
2) in a wok pan, heat up oil and add sausage
3) once browned and crumbled, add onions and garlic to pan and sautee together
4) add the beans and tomatoes - season with salt and pepper
5) once pasta is almost complete, add the greens to the pasta pot - boil for 5 min
6) drain pasta and greens
7) combine all the ingredients together, layering in cheese and seasoning
This mix is a blend of:
1 lb whole wheat fusilli
2 spicy italian chicken sausage (casing removed)
1 tsp olive oil
2 onions (diced)
2 garlic greens (diced)
1 onion green (diced)
1 can pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can diced tomato (or fresh if you have them!)
1 c fava greens
3 c beet greens
salt & pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 c italian blend cheese 2%
2 tbsp dill
1) cook pasta according to directions
2) in a wok pan, heat up oil and add sausage
3) once browned and crumbled, add onions and garlic to pan and sautee together
4) add the beans and tomatoes - season with salt and pepper
5) once pasta is almost complete, add the greens to the pasta pot - boil for 5 min
6) drain pasta and greens
7) combine all the ingredients together, layering in cheese and seasoning
Friday, June 19, 2009
Friday 6/19/09 - Work breakfast winner
Friday is bagel day at our office. Since I had brought some eggs in earlier this week (we are lucky enough to have a full kitchen available for our use) I decided that I wanted to make something fun! I sacrified my grill ham and cheese sandwich (suppose to be lunch) for my breakfast treat... but it was definitely worth it! 
To make this you will need:
1 wheat bagel - sliced in half and toasted
2 eggs
2 slices of deli ham
2 slices of cheese (I had munster but chedder would have been nice)
2 tbsp salsa
squirt of pam non-stick spray
1) in a hot frying pan coated with pam - crack the eggs and fry for about 2-3 min each side.
2) place the ham in the pan to the side to heat it up
3) place the cheese on the toasted bagel, follow with the ham and the egg on top
4) serve with a spoon full of salsa on each side
Thursday 6/18/09 - more burgers... and a steak to share
Jeremy was suppose to have Softball tonight but since the east coast has temporarily been moved into the middle of the rainforest yet another game was cancelled. I had a steak for me but nothing else in the house really and since we are going on vacation I didn't want to buy anything (not to mention the rain makes me melt so I couldn't go outside!) so we had the left over burgers from earlier in the week. 
Jeremy took a pic of his since it was a lot nicer looking. I only used one slice of bread and no mayo (yuck!).... I wish we had rolls but I only bought two when I was shopping since I figured this would just be dinner on Tuesday night. This time I did blue cheese crumbles on top instead of the swiss (though its hidden under all the condiments anyways) .
We also shared this lovely steak. I never really go for steaks with the bone in however these looked good and more importantly were on sale.... for $8.99/ lb we go a hugh hunk of meat! 
As always this was cooked to a barely medium rare...and was delicious! (this is just my half the whole thing was more than twice that size with a big bone down the back)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Wednesday 6/17/09 - Seafood Risotto
A certain vegetarian friend was planning on coming over tonight for dinner so I was trying to think about something I could make that would work for all of us. While I love to eat my veggies (and even made a special trip to the farmers market to get something fresh) it just doesn't seem right to be serving just vegetables for company.... crazy I know but I just feel like I need a meat or fish.
This risotto was going to be a compromise. I planned to make it vegetarian and then cook the seafood separately (bay scallops and shrimp) and then those who wanted it could add it in. But as it turns out we ate alone so I ended up cook it all together (and good thing cause I forgot to buy veggie broth).
Risotto isn't too hard however it does take a bit more time and attention than other dinners. Especially as someone who is used to pan-searing foods for 5 min or so spending 25 min stirring can be a lifetime when your hungry.
1 c aborio rice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 carton chicken broth
2 small texas sweet onions- sliced & quartered
4" onion greens - diced
10 mushrooms - sliced thin
1/2 lb shrimp - peeled and deveined
1 lb bay scallops
1 tbsp bay seasoning
handful of dill (reserve a tbsp for garnish)
salt & pepper
1) heat chicken broth in sauce pan to a simmer
2) place oil and butter in hot wok pan on med high
3) add rice and toast until it begins to pop - about 5-7 min (or longer for more rice)
4) add about 1/2 c of the warmed chicken broth and stir until all absorbed - repeat until all broth is gone and absorbed in (about 4-5 additions taking about 5-7 min each)
5) in a separate saute pan - add the scallops, shrimp and bay season and let brown (about 3 min and flip)
6) add the onions & mushrooms and saute until soft
7) combine rice and seafood mix - add dill, salt & pepper to taste
8) serve with some fresh dill to garnish
This risotto was going to be a compromise. I planned to make it vegetarian and then cook the seafood separately (bay scallops and shrimp) and then those who wanted it could add it in. But as it turns out we ate alone so I ended up cook it all together (and good thing cause I forgot to buy veggie broth).
Risotto isn't too hard however it does take a bit more time and attention than other dinners. Especially as someone who is used to pan-searing foods for 5 min or so spending 25 min stirring can be a lifetime when your hungry.
1 c aborio rice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 carton chicken broth
2 small texas sweet onions- sliced & quartered
4" onion greens - diced
10 mushrooms - sliced thin
1/2 lb shrimp - peeled and deveined
1 lb bay scallops
1 tbsp bay seasoning
handful of dill (reserve a tbsp for garnish)
salt & pepper
1) heat chicken broth in sauce pan to a simmer
2) place oil and butter in hot wok pan on med high
3) add rice and toast until it begins to pop - about 5-7 min (or longer for more rice)
4) add about 1/2 c of the warmed chicken broth and stir until all absorbed - repeat until all broth is gone and absorbed in (about 4-5 additions taking about 5-7 min each)
5) in a separate saute pan - add the scallops, shrimp and bay season and let brown (about 3 min and flip)
6) add the onions & mushrooms and saute until soft
7) combine rice and seafood mix - add dill, salt & pepper to taste
8) serve with some fresh dill to garnish
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Tuesday 6/16/09 - Mushroom Swiss Burgers
During my trip to Fairway this evening, I had an idea for a fun little dinner. None of the meat or fish really jumped out at me but I did like the look of the sign for steak burgers. Instead of normal ground meat they had ground sirloin and I couldn't resist. At first I asked for a 1/2 lb but then decided that a little extra would be better.
I made the patties up with some onions greens (CSA), garlic greens (CSA) and a few tbsp of beef & burger rub (better in burgers than it was as a beef rub). I made the burgers a bit too fat and round rather than big and flat but they were about 1/4 lb each (though the rolls dwarf them). They were cooked up in the grill pan of course! Two slices of swiss cheese topped each burger.
The mushrooms were sliced thin and sauteed in some oil and then a splash of dark beer was added to flavor them a bit. The spinach went into the same pan as the mushrooms (the mushrooms went into a bowl) and was sauteed up as well.
The bun was lightly toasted and topped with ketchup and even a bit of mustard (I skipped on the mayo which Jeremy liberally applied).
I ended up putting my spinach right in the bun and making it a spinach, mushroom and swiss burger.... I wish we hadn't finished off the pickles last night!
I made the patties up with some onions greens (CSA), garlic greens (CSA) and a few tbsp of beef & burger rub (better in burgers than it was as a beef rub). I made the burgers a bit too fat and round rather than big and flat but they were about 1/4 lb each (though the rolls dwarf them). They were cooked up in the grill pan of course! Two slices of swiss cheese topped each burger.
The mushrooms were sliced thin and sauteed in some oil and then a splash of dark beer was added to flavor them a bit. The spinach went into the same pan as the mushrooms (the mushrooms went into a bowl) and was sauteed up as well.
The bun was lightly toasted and topped with ketchup and even a bit of mustard (I skipped on the mayo which Jeremy liberally applied).
I ended up putting my spinach right in the bun and making it a spinach, mushroom and swiss burger.... I wish we hadn't finished off the pickles last night!
Sunday 6/14/09 dinner - Lasagna at last
After last weeks frozen lasagna scare, I promised to make Jeremy a homemade one. However it wasn't that easy.... of course first I needed sauce and that took a night. Then it was time for the party and I wasn't up for a giant mess in the kitchen. Sunday, however, was perfect. Because of our giant breakfast, we skipped lunch which gave me a days worth of time to cook.
While lasagna isn't that hard to make it is a bit labor intensive.... better suited for a lazy sunday than after work.
You will need: (9x 12 pan - about 6 BIG servings)
~4 c of sauce (meat or marinara)
1 32 oz ricotta cheese (I get part skim)
1/2 c grated cheese
2 eggs
2 tbsp parsley
1/4 tsp cinnamon or nutmeg (I use pumpkin pie spice which is a blend of both)
salt and pepper
1 package shredded italian blend cheese
about 15 lasagna noodles
1) boil the noodles according to the package - salt the water and add a splash of oil to help with the sticking - rinse with cold water when done
2) combine the ricotta cheese, grated cheese, egg, parsley, cinnamon , salt and pepper- mix
3) in a rectangle pan - layer sauce, noodles, cheese mix, shredded cheese - 2 times
4) end with a layer of noodles, sauce and shredded cheese
5) cover in aluminum foil and place in over at 350 F for about 30 min
6) remove foil and cook for another 20 min or until cheese is bubbling
7) serve with grated cheese
While lasagna isn't that hard to make it is a bit labor intensive.... better suited for a lazy sunday than after work.
You will need: (9x 12 pan - about 6 BIG servings)
~4 c of sauce (meat or marinara)
1 32 oz ricotta cheese (I get part skim)
1/2 c grated cheese
2 eggs
2 tbsp parsley
1/4 tsp cinnamon or nutmeg (I use pumpkin pie spice which is a blend of both)
salt and pepper
1 package shredded italian blend cheese
about 15 lasagna noodles
1) boil the noodles according to the package - salt the water and add a splash of oil to help with the sticking - rinse with cold water when done
2) combine the ricotta cheese, grated cheese, egg, parsley, cinnamon , salt and pepper- mix
3) in a rectangle pan - layer sauce, noodles, cheese mix, shredded cheese - 2 times
4) end with a layer of noodles, sauce and shredded cheese
5) cover in aluminum foil and place in over at 350 F for about 30 min
6) remove foil and cook for another 20 min or until cheese is bubbling
7) serve with grated cheese
Sunday 6/14/09 breakfast - hangover cure!
Two days after my party and I still wasn't really up to doing much besides hanging out on the couch but since Pilates didn't have an appointment for us I decided to cook up whatever I had in the house (including the last of the thick sliced bacon! yum)
(sorry for the fuzzy pic... wrong setting on my camera apparently!)
The standard hangover cure is, of course, a stack of bacon! Mmmmm nothing better to get a rumbly tummy in order. The pile of eggs were cooked up by first sauteing some onion greens (CSA), broccoli (left over crudite plate), campari tomatoes and mushrooms. I made a mixture of about 6 eggs with a splash of milk and a pinch of fresh dill. I cooked the eggs in somewhat of a frittata style (low heat with the cover on) and topped them with some pico de gallo and shredded cheddar cheese. It may not look as nice as the omelets that I make in my 9" omelet pan but it was a lot faster and easier than making up his and then mine (the only draw back to the small pan- its single serving! but it sure does look pretty)
To complete the plate a few handfuls of baby red potatoes were quartered and then cut in half again and boiled up. Then pan fried in the bacon grease the remained in the pan after the majority was poured off and discarded. I added some of the sweet texas onion (CSA) and seasoning (salt, pepper, spanish paprika & garlic powder).
With a breakfast like this lunch is definitely on hold indefinitely!
(sorry for the fuzzy pic... wrong setting on my camera apparently!)
The standard hangover cure is, of course, a stack of bacon! Mmmmm nothing better to get a rumbly tummy in order. The pile of eggs were cooked up by first sauteing some onion greens (CSA), broccoli (left over crudite plate), campari tomatoes and mushrooms. I made a mixture of about 6 eggs with a splash of milk and a pinch of fresh dill. I cooked the eggs in somewhat of a frittata style (low heat with the cover on) and topped them with some pico de gallo and shredded cheddar cheese. It may not look as nice as the omelets that I make in my 9" omelet pan but it was a lot faster and easier than making up his and then mine (the only draw back to the small pan- its single serving! but it sure does look pretty)
To complete the plate a few handfuls of baby red potatoes were quartered and then cut in half again and boiled up. Then pan fried in the bacon grease the remained in the pan after the majority was poured off and discarded. I added some of the sweet texas onion (CSA) and seasoning (salt, pepper, spanish paprika & garlic powder).
With a breakfast like this lunch is definitely on hold indefinitely!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Friday 6/12/09 - Party Time!
After a few weeks of planning, the day of the party was finally here. Most of the cleaning and prep was accomplish in the days before making the actual party very stress free. I decided to work on making food that wouldn't require a lot of prep, oven time (since it gets hot enough in our place without the oven going full blast) or fussing during the party.
The final menu looked like this:
pull pork sandwiches w/ mini slider rolls & pickles
jerk chicken skewers
cheese fondue w/ white and wheat baguette rounds
layered mexican dip
crudites plate w/ blue cheese dip
cheese plate (a goat, brie, cheddar, blue and edem)
garlic and herb dipping cheese
assorted chips & crackers
and for dessert.... a strawberry rhubarb tart.
The pulled pork was probably the easiest and most raved about.... I made it in the crock pot using a recipe from a coworker but basically it was:
(approx 20 sliders or 10 full size)
3.5 lb pork shoulder
1 bottle bull's eye sweet & tangy BBQ sauce (or your favorite or homemade)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1)add the pork to the crock pot with about 1 cup water and set to high for 5-6 hours (or low for 10-12)
2) discard all cooking liquid and remove bones/ fat and shred pork with two forks
3) place pork back into crock pot and add remaining ingredients - cook on high for 1 hour (or low for 2)
the strawberry rhubarb tart was also a big hit and a spin on something that I have been making with my Aunt Sandra ever since I was small.
I started with a pate brisse crust
2.5 c flour
1 c butter (cut into 1" chunks)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 -1/2 c ice cold water (add slowly until dough sticks together)
1) combined dry ingredients and mix in the butter with a pastry cutter
2) slowly add the water to the dough crumbs until it begins to form a ball
3) divide dough into two and then roll each half into a ball
4) place between wax paper and roll into a disk
5) let rest in fridge for about 20 -30 min
6) roll dough out (about 1 " larger than diameter of pan) to fit pan
7) dock the dough (make little holes so there aren't any air bubbles) with a fork, line it with foil and use beans to weigh down crust
8) cook at 400 for 25 min
(I used a bit more than half of the dough and the rest is in the freezer for tart later this week)
to make the filling:
4 c strawberries (sliced) - 1 nice one left whole
1 c rhubarb - peeled and diced
1/4 c sugar
1 packet knox gelatin
1/2 c hot water
1/2 c blueberries
other: tart pan, immersion blender, strainer
1) separate out nicest strawberries and save for tart
2) add the other 2 c strawberry and 1 c rhubarb and sugar to sauce pan
3) as they start to cook down use the immersion blender to make smooth
4) dissolve gelatin in the hot water and add to fruit mix - mix well
5) once mix comes to a boil remove from heat and strain out all solids
6) layer the nice strawberries in the tart shell with the whole one at the center - start from the outer edge and work in making a spiral - fill any gaps with left over berries and then scatter the blueberries around
7) pour in the fruit mixture and let set in fridge overnight
this goes great with a fresh whipped cream!
The final menu looked like this:
pull pork sandwiches w/ mini slider rolls & pickles
jerk chicken skewers
cheese fondue w/ white and wheat baguette rounds
layered mexican dip
crudites plate w/ blue cheese dip
cheese plate (a goat, brie, cheddar, blue and edem)
garlic and herb dipping cheese
assorted chips & crackers
and for dessert.... a strawberry rhubarb tart.
The pulled pork was probably the easiest and most raved about.... I made it in the crock pot using a recipe from a coworker but basically it was:
(approx 20 sliders or 10 full size)
3.5 lb pork shoulder
1 bottle bull's eye sweet & tangy BBQ sauce (or your favorite or homemade)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1)add the pork to the crock pot with about 1 cup water and set to high for 5-6 hours (or low for 10-12)
2) discard all cooking liquid and remove bones/ fat and shred pork with two forks
3) place pork back into crock pot and add remaining ingredients - cook on high for 1 hour (or low for 2)
the strawberry rhubarb tart was also a big hit and a spin on something that I have been making with my Aunt Sandra ever since I was small.
I started with a pate brisse crust
2.5 c flour
1 c butter (cut into 1" chunks)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 -1/2 c ice cold water (add slowly until dough sticks together)
1) combined dry ingredients and mix in the butter with a pastry cutter
2) slowly add the water to the dough crumbs until it begins to form a ball
3) divide dough into two and then roll each half into a ball
4) place between wax paper and roll into a disk
5) let rest in fridge for about 20 -30 min
6) roll dough out (about 1 " larger than diameter of pan) to fit pan
7) dock the dough (make little holes so there aren't any air bubbles) with a fork, line it with foil and use beans to weigh down crust
8) cook at 400 for 25 min
(I used a bit more than half of the dough and the rest is in the freezer for tart later this week)
to make the filling:
4 c strawberries (sliced) - 1 nice one left whole
1 c rhubarb - peeled and diced
1/4 c sugar
1 packet knox gelatin
1/2 c hot water
1/2 c blueberries
other: tart pan, immersion blender, strainer
1) separate out nicest strawberries and save for tart
2) add the other 2 c strawberry and 1 c rhubarb and sugar to sauce pan
3) as they start to cook down use the immersion blender to make smooth
4) dissolve gelatin in the hot water and add to fruit mix - mix well
5) once mix comes to a boil remove from heat and strain out all solids
6) layer the nice strawberries in the tart shell with the whole one at the center - start from the outer edge and work in making a spiral - fill any gaps with left over berries and then scatter the blueberries around
7) pour in the fruit mixture and let set in fridge overnight
this goes great with a fresh whipped cream!
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