Easy Salad Nicoise Dinner

If your family is stuck on what you should make for dinner, try whipping up this beautiful tuna salad that utilizes fresh produce. Last weekend my mom and I put this salad together using vegetables we bought from the San Rafael farmer's market. Salad Nicoise is a French salad that usually has fresh or canned tuna, green beans, hard-boiled eggs, capers, salad greens and potatoes, but you can practically add whatever you want. It also usually has anchovies on top, but my family doesn't like those too much. You do whatever you want; the salad bowl is your oyster. 

Serve with fresh crusty bread and you've got a great, light dinner! Leftovers are also great for lunch :)

Ingredients (no exact amounts, you know how much salad you can eat!): 

The Basics: 

mixed greens, butter lettuce, or crisp romaine

boiled small potatoes like fingerlings. Or try small purple ones!

hard boiled eggs, chilled and thinly sliced

steamed green beans, or pickled ones (we used a combination of both)

high-quality canned tuna (packed in either water or oil) OR sushi-grade Ahi tuna, either raw or cooked rare
capers (what food category are these little green balls in!!?!?)
anchovies, if you wish. 

Various other fruits, vegetables and fixings:

Fresh avocado

red and yellow peppers

sliced cucumbers

tomatoes

carrots

chilled asparagus

raw broccoli

olives (or olive tapenade)

cooked garlic

feta or other cheeses

Meyer-Lemon Vinaigrette: 

2:1 ratio of vinegar to olive oil (we prefer more vinegar, less of an oily taste, but adjust to your tastes)

1 tsp Meyer lemon or regular lemon juice (basically you only need one, again its to taste)

honey mustard

chives, finely chopped

generous dash of salt and pepper

various fresh herbs

Directions: 

1. Arrange all ingredients in a huge bowl. Make the dressing and let people pour it on their own salad. Bon Appetite!

Cinnamon French Toast

Here's an ode to the classic French toast. Wake up 5 minutes earlier and prepare this sweet, French toast with sliced bananas for breakfast before school. Or get through this week and make it Sunday with your family. One of my favorite childhood memories is making French toast with my dad on Sundays before Hebrew school (yes, I am a Jew). So many different kinds of bread work in this recipe, however I suggest using soft, eggy challah or stale whole wheat bread. Make sure to cut thick slices! Serve with warm maple syrup and sliced bananas or your favorite jam (I like blueberry!)

Ingredients (makes 1 serving):
I egg
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp brown sugar (white sugar may be substituted)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
a few drops of almond extract (optional)
1 tsp maple syrup (my secret!)
pinch salt
1-2 thick slices of bread, depending on the size (challah, brioche, other stale bread)
 butter, microwaved maple syrup, jam, powdered sugar, bananas or fresh fruit, etc

Directions: 
1. In a small bowl (preferably with a deep, wide bottom), crack the egg and whisk until the yolk is well combined. Add the milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, almond extract and salt. Add the tsp of maple syrup to the egg mixture (more maple-y goodness!)

2.  Dip the bread in the egg mixture until evenly coated on both sides. Wipe excess, dripping egg off the bread.

3. Heat a medium non-stick pan over medium heat. Place the French toast in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the bottom side golden brown. Use a spatula to flip the bread over on the other side and cook for 3-4 minutes again.

4. Meanwhile, microwave the maple syrup (if you want it hot). Remove the toast form the pan,    place on a pretty plate and then add your desired toppings.  Enjoy!!!

Should I Upload My Mom's Blondie Recipe?

It is really goooood! Like a chewy brown sugar bar cookie with two different kinds of chocolate chips and walnuts. Comment below if you've ever tried them and want the recipe, otherwise it will just be my little secret.... :P

White Chocolate Cherry Cookies

SOooo sorry for the lack of posts lately. Stupid Blogger hasn't been functioning properly so I haven't been able to access my website. As a matter of fact, it'll be lucky if you guys can even see this post..AWKK

Since I am writing to myself, I don't really need to explain how good these cookies are. I'm proud of myself for coming up with the recipe from scratch, especially cuz I've been so down in the dumps lately because of all my crappy grades this year. Did I tell you guys that I am a junior in high school now? Yeah...I know... you don't have to remind me how much this year is gonna suck.

This cookie has a rich, buttery texture that complements the smooth white chocolate and tart dried cherries. Each cookie is small can mean a lot to someone who needs to be cheered up. This recipe goes out to my friend Carol, who has praised this cookie beyond belief. Thanks for boosting my ego Carol! :)

Ingredients (makes about 20 cookies): 
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup white chocolate chips (preferably of good quality like Ghirardelli's)

Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium mixing bowl until well combined. Set aside.

3. Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well blended.

4.  Switch the electric mixer to low speed. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture slowly in 2 additions (*baking talk: pour half of the dry ingredients in until blended, then add the other half). The dough should be fairly thick and dense, but avoid over blending. Otherwise your cookies will be TOUGH!

5. Turn off the electric mixer. Use a spatula to fold the chocolate chips and cherries into the batter. 

6. Scoop dough into small balls using an ice cream scooper, two spoons or your clean hands. Place cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart, so plan on making 9-12 cookies per cookie sheet. 

7. Bake in the oven for 16-20 minutes when the cookies have risen and are light brown around the edges. The cookies should not spread out too much (if so, your butter was too cold) and they should stay relatively the same size as before they were baked. 

8. Transfer baked cookies to a wire rack to cool for about 10-15 min. Then eat with a glass of cold milk :) 

Banana Bites

Oh no. Its Sunday...Does anyone besides me secretly hate Sundays, solely because you have Monday to look forward to? I hate doing my homework all day and thinking about  all the tests the next week. Ugh.

Good news though! If you want something to look forward to other than schoolwork, try making these chocolate covered frozen banana slices coated with shredded coconut. Freeze them overnight, and then eat them after school tomorrow! They're like a little reward for getting through school.  The chocolate-y, frozen treat will surely give you the boost you need to do your homework. They are so good, it wouldn't surprise me if you can't get through next week without eating one of these!

* This recipe was kindly suggested by my good friend Molly, who also took the photographs for this week's post.  She is so talented and has amazing photography skillzz! <3  (Ignore the strawberries in the pics; they were a fail)

Ingredients (makes about 8-10 banana bites): 
2 medium-sized bananas
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened or sweetened)
toothpicks (optional for ban(banana pops)

Directions: 
1. Cut each banana into fourths or fifths, depending on how big of a banana bite you want.
Arrange on a small cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. For banana pops, stick a toothpick in each banana slice, slimy side up.

2. Put the chocolate and peanut butter in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave for 40-60 seconds, or until melted.  Stir with a spoon until well combined.

3. Using two spoons or your hands, evenly coat each banana bite with the melted chocolate-peanut butter mixture. For banana pops, this step is much easier since you can hold onto the toothpick. 

4. Sprinkle shredded coconut on top. Repeat with all banana bites. Place the bites in the freezer until completely frozen, about 2-3 hours or overnight.  Enjoy!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffles

 Isn't it so fun to get fancy with fuzzy iphoto effects?! I'm pretty proud of the above picture, if I do say so myself...

I don't really know why I decided to make chocolate truffles today, but I am nevertheless happy I did! I think it may have had something to do with the foggy, cold weather out today, which reminded me of the holidays and of warm, fudgy winter treats. These truffles take very little time to make and require few ingredients, like many of my other recipes!

What makes this truffle recipe special is the hint of cinnamon in the rich and creamy candy. This recipe is inspired by Mexican hot chocolate, which is basically regular hot chocolate with cinnamon and a pinch of chili powder. I ditched the chili and enhanced the deep chocolate flavor of these timeless truffles with cinnamon powder, vanilla extract and flakes of sea salt.

Sorry if I am giving you this recipe in the wrong season! I've never really chosen to eat foods "only in the winter" or "only in the summer". If you like eating truffles any day of the year, make these now! Or save the recipe for wintertime or the end of the school semester when you need a sweet idea for teacher gifts! I'll probably repost again later in the year. :)

Ingredients (makes about 20 truffles): 
1-1/2 cup chocolate chips (I only had mini "morsels" on hand but normal milk or semi-sweet  will work fine)
1-14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp cinnamon powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp sea salt
sprinkles, colored sugar crystals,  more cocoa powder, etc. for rolling in the truffles

Directions: 
1. Stir sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue to stir until the chocolate melts, then add the cocoa and cinnamon powders, vanilla extract and salt.

2. Keep stirring with a plastic or wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth. Pour into a medium bowl and refrigerate until thick, about 1-2 hours.

3. Take your truffle mixture out of the fridge. Pour desired sugars and sprinkles in separate bowls and set up mini cupcake liners on a plate for serving. Use two spoons to scoop up small pieces of truffle and roll them in sprinkles. The candy may be sticky, so use the other spoon to scrape it into the sprinkle-filled bowl.
 4. Gently roll each truffle into a ball, evenly coating them with sugar and sprinkles.  Place each truffle in a paper liner, then chill in the fridge again until firm. Eat and enjoy, then store leftovers in the fridge.

  I used vanilla-scented turbinado sugar (coarse, unprocessed sugar crystals), chocolate jimmies (sprinkles) and cocoa powder (so classic) to coat my truffles.

Giada De Laurentiis's "Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Pecorino Cheese"

If there was any cookbook I would say you must own, it would be Giada's Family Dinners by the Food Network italian chef Giada De Laurenttis. Every Italian dish i've made in her cookbook tasted fantastic and looked beautiful. I also really love her Everyday Pasta book because pasta is literally my favorite food next to sourdough bread and princess cake and all of the recipes are simple to make and absolutely delicious. I HIGHLY recommend the cinnamon-pancetta spaghetti carbonara and the chicken with lemon cream dish. 

As you guys may know, my mom has been very sick lately, so my dad and I have basically been fending for ourselves for dinners (ie. takeout). However, it was really cold and foggy outside today, and somehow that made me feel in the mood to warm, home-cooked dinner. And whenever I cook, I always turn to one Laurentiis's cookbooks. Although i've added a few extras like chicken breast, the following recipe is completely credited to her. 

This recipe can be made in under an hour, so its actually really simple for teens to make! Try it guys!!!

Ingredients (Serves 4):

2 chicken breasts, cubed into 1-inch pieces 

lemon juice (optional)

1 tbsp olive oil

Cooking Spray

1/2 large onion, chopped

2 bunches swiss chard, washed and torn into large pieces

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 (14-1/2 can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup white wine (like Chardonaayyyy) say it in a fancy accent!!!

pinch dried red pepper flakes

8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti (or regular if you don't have whole wheat)

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, chopped

 Pecorino cheese (hard, Parmesan-like cheese; substitution: Parmesan)

Directions: 

1. Spray cooking spray evenly on the bottom of a large heavy frying pan or coat pan with a thin layer of olive oil. Let the oil heat up, then cook cubed chicken in the pan over medium-high heat until nice and golden brown, about 10-12 min. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice, then remove from the pan and place in a small bowl.

2.  Add 1 T olive oil to pan and then cook the onion until golden, about 8 min. 

3. Add the chard and cook until the leaves are wilted and significantly smaller in size, about 2 min.

4. Time to add my favorite flavoring-garlic! Cook the garlic with the onions and chard for about 1 min. 

5.  Add the chicken back in, then pour the canned tomatoes and the wine in the pan.  Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and a couple spoonfuls of cheese. Stir, let boil, then cover with a tight fitting lid. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 5-10 min.

6. While the sauce is simmering, boil whole wheat pasta in a large pot full of salted water. Cook until pasta is "al dente" (al-dent-tay), meaning the pasta is firm when bitten and not crunchy or too soft.
7. Drain and then add the steaming hot pasta to the sauce. Stir gently. Serve pasta dish with a sprinkle of chopped olives and a spoonful of grate Pecorino or Parmesan cheese. Bon Appetito! :)

Perfect Omelet

Good Morning Everyone! Well, technically its past noon so it's not the morning, but since I slept late I still consider 1:00 p.m. as early in the day. Yesterday I had a hysterically funny and friendship-filled night at my two best friends' birthday party (they're twins). It was such a blast relaxing and dancing and screaming with all of our oddball friends! This morning a few of us made a special birthday breakfast for them consisting of an awesome feta cheese and avocado omelet, sausages, cinnamon challah bread and guacamole. Remember how I used the word "special"? Since I am becoming such a fervent food blogger, I just had to whip out my handy iphone camera and take some shots of our omelet for you all. I had only made an omelet a few times beforehand, and none of them tasted as good as this one! The egg was fluffy and creamy while the cheese added a nice tang that complemented the smooth avocado. Salsa and guac is a must when eating this omelet! (Cinnamon challa bread didn't really go well with the eggs, but it tasted great on its own) 

Ingredients (Serves 2): 

4 eggs

splash of milk

1 tbsp butter

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 avocado, cut into chunks (save the other half  for the guac recipe at the end of the blog!)

2-3 chives, washed + dried

salt+ pepper

Directions: 

1. Crack eggs in a medium bowl. If there are any pieces of shell in the eggs, use a half of a shell to carefully scoop out the bits, NOT a spoon or your finger (won't work). 

2. Mix in a splash of milk and stir with a whisk until well combined. Add salt and pepper. 

3. Cut chives into small pieces. Set aside.

4. Heat a small (6-8 inch) omelet pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and let it coat the bottom of the pan evenly. 

5. Pour the whisked eggs into the pan and cook until the bottom of the eggs are cooked but the top is still runny, about 3-4 minutes. 

6. Place the chives, feta cheese and avocado chunks on one half of the omelet, leaving a slight border of plain egg along the edges to prevent the filling from pouring out of the omelet.

7. Lower heat to medium-low. Use a cooking spatula to carefully fold the unfilled side of the omelet over the filling mixture so it looks like a taco. Press the spatula on the top of the omelet and apply pressure for about five seconds. 

8. Continue to cook for another 30 sec or so. We liked our omelet crispy on the outside and little runny on the inside but you can cook it for however long you want. 

9. Turn off heat. Tilt the pan to one side and use the spatula to carefully slide the omelet on a plate. Garnish with more chives and enjoy! 

My friend the omelet expert! She swears that adding avocado is good on anything!

5 Min Guacamole Recipe

1. Depending on what ingredients you have, you will basically need whatever amounts of avocado, tomatoes, lemon/lime juice, onions (optional) you have on hand.  

2. Mash your avocado, chop your tomatoes and onions, and juice your lemon/limes. Combine and add salt/pepper to taste. 

3. To make things even easier, you can just mix fresh avocado with a tablespoon or two of packaged salsa! Serve with your omelet!