Basic Vegetable Pie

I love savory pies and tarts, and when you cheat and use store bought crust they are super easy and delicious! You can throw in any combination of vegetables that you crave, so it really is a limitless, easy meal or snack.

The basic essentials are the crust, an egg, and a few tablespoons of cheese, and everything else is up to you!

Ingredients:

• Crust (pie shell, puff pastry, etc.)
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons cheese (feta, goat, shredded cheddar, etc.)
• Vegetables (lightly sauteed to reduce wateriness) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Chop and saute your veggies (combination suggestions are at the bottom of the post!), then spread them over the crust. Beat the egg and the cheese, adding a splash of milk to thin it out if necessary. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies, and bake for 15-20 minutes until crust is deep golden and the filling has set. 
2. Cool for 20-30 minutes, then serve! 

Enjoy!

Filling combinations:

• zucchini, mushrooms, garlic
• jalepenos, corn, green chiles
• peas, broccoli, garlic, green pepper
• caramelized onions, mushrooms

Farfalle with Spicy Tomato Meat Sauce

I first had this dish when I was ten years old. My aunt whipped this up at her house, and it was game over for everyone in my family. Best. Pasta. Ever.

We have always called it "farfalle" but that's actually just the name of the noodle we use! You can use the full name that I just made up because I didn't want you to think I just posted on how to boil noodles... or you can just call it Farfalle like I do.

Whatever you call it, prepare to become addicted. Seriously, 10+ years and the deliciousness of this dish has not worn off at all for me!

These are just general guidelines for this dish -- make it your own by adding more or less of any the ingredients to suit your hungry belly!

Ingredients:
Hot Jimmy Dean Sausage (or 16 oz. of ground pork sausage)
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 yellow onion,diced
1 green bell pepper, diced


Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Bring a large pot of water to boil, satl generously, and cook the noodles as directed. Drain them and put them back into the pot with a splash of olive oil.
2. Add the sausage once the pan is hot, breaking it apart to avoid big clumps of sausage. After two minutes of browning, add in the garlic, onions, and peppers. Cook until the sausage is cooked through, stirring occasionally (roughly 8-10 minutes).
3. Add the desired spices (dried oregano, basil, pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, etc.) and stir to mix in. Add the tomatoes, cook until heated through.
4. Pour the meat sauce over the noodles and serve immediately. 

Enjoy! This pasta dish goes great with a mixed green salad or a plateful of asparagus! 

Ways to tweak it: add more or less garlic, ditch the onions for picky eaters, add a teaspoon (or more!) of cayenne to give it extra kick, use regular sausage instead of spicy, add in other veggies like zucchini or corn... anything you like!

Asian-style Ribs

Ribs ribs ribs! The first time I made ribs I baked them in the oven... and I was pretty stressed out by the end of the day because after all of my brushing and basting and slow-cooking, they were a tad dry. There is nothing worse than dry pork ribs! However, last summer I purchased a slow-cooker and ever since then I've never had a worry in my mind about dry ribs. 

If you don't own a slow-cooker, I highly recommend taking the plunge -- I bought mine, a very basic 3 qt. slow-cooker with either low or high settings for about $30, and next time I will lay down the big bucks for a self-shut off and timer. 

You can change up the sauce if you don't like Asian-style ribs, but these are especially delicious alongside Veitnamese spring rolls, salad with sesame ginger dressing, or sauteed veggies with soy sauce.




NOTE: Start making these ribs 7 1/2 hours before you want to serve them! About 7 hours and 15 minutes go to actual cooking time, so just reserve about 5 minutes at the start, a few minutes at the 6 hour mark to fiddle around, and a few more minutes at the 7 hour mark to transfer them to the oven.


Ingredients:

• 1 rack of ribs (or more, depending how large your slow-cooker is)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 2 tablespoons garlic chili paste
• 3 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely minced
• 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger (or half teaspoon dry ground ginger)
• 4 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (or any other asian sauce like hoisin or teriyaki)

Directions:

1. Cut up the ribs into large sections, and fit it all into the slow cooker. 
2. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, sriracha, garlic chili paste, garlic, ginger and seasonings until combined. Pour over the ribs in the slow-cooker.
3. Turn the slow-cooker on low heat and let the ribs cook untouched for 6 hours. 
4. After 6 hours you can rearrange the ribs to get the top ones down into the sauce, making sure to spoon sauce over all of the ribs first. Add more soy sauce if it is getting low. 
5. Preheat the oven to 450 F and slow-cook the ribs on high for another hour. Transfer the ribs to a foil-lined and lightly greased baking sheet, spreading them out to be in a single layer. Brush the sweet chili sauce over the ribs on the top-side (this is where you can use your imagination and use whatever asian-style sauce you like).
6. Bake on the top third of the oven for 15-25 minutes, depending on how crisp you want the ribs to be.

Enjoy!

Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar

You know, growing up I never ate a brussel sprout? Not even one? So when people would complain about them I never really knew what to say because I'd never been subjected to them. Thanks mom and dad. NOT. Maybe they were fed too many brussel sprouts as kids, and maybe they just didn't like them. But I love them.
 My first brussel sprout was on Christmas day in my second year of university, also my first Christmas away from family. My friend's mom served a side dish of brussel sprouts that had been steamed and then quickly sauteed in butter and garlic... I was instantly converted. Since that fateful Christmas day I have tried a few variations of brussel sprouts, and the following recipe is my favorite. The best thing about it is that you can add whatever you want to it and it still tastes delicious... By anything think pine nuts, bacon, goat cheese... think salty goodness. 

I know I just posted a balsamic vinegar recipe, but just keep reading and prepare to say 4 words you never thought you would utter: I love brussel sprouts!


Ingredients:

• Brussel Sprouts - about 20 (or 5 per person_
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 
• Salt, pepper to season at the end

Directions:

1. Wash the sprouts and remove any ugliness like brown leaves. Slice an X into the base of each little bulb (make sure you don't slice the whole thing apart, you just want to score it!). Preheat the oven to 450 F.
2. Place the brussel sprouts in a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover them. Put the pan over medium-low heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
3. Once the sprouts are fork tender, spread them out on a greased, rimmed baking sheet. Bake the sprouts for 15 minutes in the top third of the oven, turning once halfway.
4. While the sprouts are crisping up, put the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat and reduce until it is a thicker consistency, almost like a slightly warmed syrup. 
5. Remove the brussel sprouts from the oven once they are getting brown and toss them in the balsamic vinegar reduction. Serve immediately and devour them. 

Enjoy!

Cookbook Shoutout

I am slowly expanding my cookbook collection, and I wanted to share the titles that I have (and adore!). Click on the title to see it in its full glory at Amazon :)

The Vegetarian Student Cookbook

French Food at Home

Pies & Tarts

The New Creative Crock Pot Cookbook

Low-carb Meals in Minutes

Betty Crocker's Cookbook

Mediterranean Fresh

Cooking Seafood

Salmon House on the Hill Cookbook

The Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home

The Bon Appetit Dinner Party Cookbook

The Bon Appetit Cookbook

Basil and Peach Pizza

The universe wanted me to have this pizza for dinner. My sister emailed me a recipe from two peas & their pod that looked so delicious and summer-perfect that I knew I would have to make it soon. Check out the pictures of their Peach, Basil, Mozzarella, & Balsamic Pizza that had my mouth watering and my tummy grumbling! Ooooh weee!

Oddly enough, when I went to the grocery store a few hours after drooling over their blog, all of the piza ingredients were on sale! Okay, Universe, I hear ya! I'll do it! ...

I tweaked the recipe and cheated on the crust... yes, I buy pre-made pizza shells and they are amazing! One time I tried to use store-bought dough, and my BF had to intervene before I had a meltdown because I couldn't roll it out properly. Never again! Well... never again for now :) My version is not nearly as beautiful, but it sure is tasty!

I really hope you try this pizza because it is so yummy!

Ingredients:

• Mini pizza shell
• 1 tsp. minced jalepeno
• 5 large basil leaves, finelychopped
• 1/2 peach, thinly sliced (unless you can resist eating the other half, in which case you can use the whole peach)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Mozzarella

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 525 F, and heat a small skillet over high heat. Once the pan is hot, add a tiny bit of olive oil and the peach. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly to make sure everything gets cooked and soft!
2. In a separate small pan, reduce the balsamic vinegar to about half the quantity over medium-low heat. 
3. Combine the peaches, balsamic, and basil in a bowl, and mash!
4. Spread the peach mash on the pizza shell, top with mozzarella, then sprinkle on the jalepenos. Cook in the center of the oven on a baking sheet (or hot pizza stone) for 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and brown. 

Enjoy!!!

Mexican Side Dishes

I love love love love love Mexican food. There is a restaurant in Denver that I have been going to my whole life... My mom started going there when she was in high school and there is a reason it's still around (not that you're old, mommy!). Smothered bean burritos! Green chili! Shredded beef enchiladas! Huevos rancheros! ... and don't forget the Shirley Temple. I swear, it's like root beer and pizza - shirley temples and Mexican food are the ultimate food+drink combination.

Now, it's pretty simple to whip up a mexican main dish (burritos, fajitas, tacos... same basic ingredients, just a different method of putting it all together). Side dishes, on the other hand, are easily forgotten in my experience. Here are some tried and true sides (each with three variations!) for your fiesta.

Guacamole

Ingredients:

• 2 large avocados
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt/Pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme

Directions:
Halve the avocados, toss the pit, mash with remaining ingredients in a bowl. 

Variations:

1.  Simple Guacamole: add in 1/4 finely diced red onion, 2 chopped tomatoes, and a dash of cumin.
2. Spicy Guacamole: add in 1/2 finely diced jalepeno, a dash of hot sauce, and a pinch of cayenne powder.
3. Loaded Guacamole: add in 1/2 cup corn (you can even sautee them to give a more roasted flavor), 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, and 3-6 roughly chopped slices of pickled jalepeno.

Refried Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 can refried beans
• Salt/Pepper/Cumin/Dried Oregano

Directions:
Add the beans to a small sauce pan, cook over low heat until ready to serve, stirring occasionally (5-10 minutes).


Variations:

1. Drunken Beans: Add 1 can of beer to the beans. 
2. Spicy Beans: Add 1/2 chopped jalepeno, 3 dashes hot sauce (Cholula!), 1 minced clove of garlic  and oil. Cook on low for 2 minutes before adding the beans.
3. Veggie Beans: Add a dash of hot sauce, chopped black olives, corn, chopped cilantro, and 1/4 chopped red onion to the beans.

Salsa

Ingredients:

• 4 large tomatoes
• 1/2 yellow onion
• Cilantro
• Salt/Pepper
• 2 bell peppers (red, green, yellow, orange, whatever!)

Directions:
Chop all ingredients to the desired size (I like everything to be roughly the same so it all has an equal chance of making it onto a tortilla chip) and mix in a large bowl. Refrigerate :)  This salsa is best when the flavors have had at least 6 hours to meld... The longer you can hold out, the better!!

Variations:

1. Roasted Salsa: Preheat oven to 450. Chop all ingredients and put all except cilantro in a 9x13 pan with a drizzle of oil on top. Roast for 20+ minutes, or until tomatoes are starting to wrinkle and your oven smells like heaven. Let the veggies cool, then puree them with the cilantro in your blender.
2. Sweet and Savory Salsa: Add diced mango/pineapple/apples. Any and all are great additions!
3. Garlicky Salsa: You guessed it.. add garlic! You can lightly toast it first, sautee it in oil to infuse the flavor even more, or add it in raw!