This was our second time experimenting with a baked French Toast. Previously we have made Paula Deen’s decadent southern style baked french toast, which was absolutely amazing, but also packed in about a pound of butter. Gotta love that lady. This version comes from the other spectrum of the Food Network. It is an Ellie Krieger recipe and thus it is a lot lighter and healthier.
Whichever one you end up making, I am sure your guests will be pleased.
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It’s our second month in the Secret Recipe Club and this month we were assigned Liv Life. The blog has a lot of seasonal, California inspired dishes, so we were quite at home with Kim’s recipes. The only problem was choosing which one to make!
Chefanie Frasco and I perused the collection and both came upon the recipe for Manchego Jalapeño Cornbread. Growing up in Missouri we often had cornbread with family meals, so I was very excited to give this recipe a try.
I heard about this dish from my good friend, Farb, and instantly was intrigued. I’ve never had raw asparagus before and figured it would taste weird and bitter, but I was so wrong. When you shave it super thin all that bitterness is taken away and what’s left is this delicate crunchiness. Once you get the hang of using the vegetable peeler, the dish is a breeze to put together. Continue reading
A lot of the protein in my diet comes from beans since I don’t eat very much animal protein. Needless to say, I am a huge fan of beans. They are so versatile; you can add them to salads, soups, burgers and grain dishes. This week’s recipe is one of my new favorite weeknight dinners – Chickpea and Tahini Burgers. Ready in about 15 minutes or less, these will satisfy even a hungry man (Nathan, my recipe guinea pig). The Mediterranean spices and spicy yogurt sauce are super delicious and add a ton of flavor to otherwise sort of bland chickpeas.
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This week’s post comes from our contributions to the Spa Week blog. I made this dish a while back and I am still thinking about it! In this super easy recipe we roast three spring veggies and toss with a quick arugula pesto for a winning side dish. This dish would go great with a spring lamb, roasted chicken, or piece of salmon and would also be a great addition to a pot luck or dinner party. Asparagus is rich with anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, which are great for your body inside and out. It also contains a ton of Vitamin A, which has been proven to benefit the skin. It’s what retinoid face creams are derived from.
Roasted Spring Vegetables with Arugula Pesto
Adapted from eatingwell.com
Ingredients:
4 cups red new potatoes, 1 to 2 inches in diameter, halved or quartered depending on size
4 cups baby carrots
1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds
5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
For the Pesto:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup baby arugula for garnish
1 clove garlic, peeled
5 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup finely shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Method:
Position two oven racks on upper third and lower third of oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
Toss potatoes with 2 teaspoons of oil and spread on a baking sheet. Roast in lower third of oven for 5 minutes.
Toss carrots with 2 teaspoons of oil and spread on another baking sheet and roast in top third of oven for 15 minutes after the first 5 minutes that the potatoes have been roasting.
Toss asparagus with remaining one teaspoon of oil, add to the baking sheet with the potatoes and continue roasting all veggies for 8-10 more minutes until asparagus is tender.
To make the pesto:
Mince garlic in food processor. Stop and add arugula, cheese, pine nuts, 1/4 oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pulse until combined.
Toss the roasted veggies with 1/3 cup of pesto and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and serve.
