My lab headed over to Sweet Cheeks in Fenway to stuff ourselves with BBQ for lunch one day last week. The restaurant was recently opened by Tiffani Faison, who was a finalist on both Top Chef Season 1 and Top Chef All-Stars. You can probably guess that I was pretty excited to check it out!

Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed with my pulled pork sandwich. The meat just wasn’t as tender and juicy as the pork at Blue Ribbon, and the sandwich was advertised as being served on Texas Toast, which I always thought was thick slices of garlic bread, but apparently is just normal slices of white bread? I did like that they had a couple different sauce options, and I will definitely be returning to see how Sweet Cheeks’ ribs and brisket stack up at some point. Their sides, however, blew Blue Ribbon’s out of the water. I wanted to dive into the mac & cheese, and my favorite part of the meal actually turned out to be their farm fresh salad. I know, I know, I was surprised too, who would expect a killer salad at a BBQ joint? The greens were tossed with hazelnuts, Brussels sprouts, and grapes, and the combo was perfectly balanced. It was so tasty that I decided I needed to make a salad featuring grapes and Brussels sprouts at home!

I mixed a large bunch of spinach and mixed spring greens in my salad bowl, along with roasted Brussels sprouts, halved grapes, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and a healthy dose of shaved pecorino romano cheese. Then I took portions out throughout the week and dressed it with balsamic vinaigrette as I went along. I even caught Apolinaras dipping into the salad bowl a couple times – if that doesn’t indicate how delicious this is, I don’t know what does. Thanks to Sweet Cheeks for the inspiration!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Grapes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
8 ounces mixed greens (I used half spring mix and half baby spinach)
2 cups roasted Brussels sprouts
2 cups halved grapes
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup shaved pecorino romano cheese
1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:
To assemble the salad, mixed greens, roasted Brussels sprouts, grapes, dried cranberries, pecans, and shaved pecorino romano cheese in a large bowl and toss until well mixed. Evenly distribute on 8 plates and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition: 210 calories, 15.1g fat, 3.9g fiber, 4.5g protein per serving
Cost: $1.45 per serving

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I just love mini meatballs in soup! They turn almost any broth into a legitimate one pot meal and are just so delicious and cute. I make mini meatball soup fairly often and this time around decided to give my bowl a little Indian twist.

I whipped up a creamy tomato and red pepper soup spiced with a bunch of my favorites – coriander, cumin, ginger, garam masala, cayenne pepper, and turmeric. Then I mixed in the mini meatballs, which were packed with garlic, ginger, cumin, fennel powder, and cayenne pepper. Mmm, this is such a warm, comforting, and hearty meal! I probably should have gone the extra mile and garnished the dish too, but it was late, and I was too hungry to mess around with it any further. I’m guessing a swirl of Greek yogurt and sprinkle of cilantro on top would be delicious though!

Indian Spiced Mini Meatball Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 large egg
1/2 cup panko
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons fennel powder (ground fennel seeds)
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Soup:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground tumeric
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
To make the meatballs, heat oven to 375˚F. Place ground turkey, egg, panko, garlic, ginger, cumin, fennel powder, cayenne pepper, and salt in a large bowl and knead with your hands until well mixed. Shape into 50 mini meatballs and place on a large cookie sheet. Bake at 375˚F for 12-14 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink in the center.

To make the soup, heat canola oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add onions and sauté 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic and sauté 30 seconds; stir in coriander, cumin, ginger, garam masala, cayenne pepper, and tumeric and sauté an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, and roasted peppers, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth or place batches in a blender and process until smooth. Stir in apple cider vinegar and salt. Mix in cooked meatballs. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 366 calories, 18.0g fat, 2.3g fiber, 38.3g protein per serving
Cost: $2.63 per serving

When I posted the recipe for my Fiesta Potato Pie a little over a year ago, I got a lot of comments about the fact that I used instant mashed potatoes to make the crust. I know, I know, I don’t normally buy instant mashed potatoes either, but I actually developed the recipe for a Hungry Jack instant mashed potato contest! I didn’t win, but still thought the recipe was blog worthy, and I did like the fact that I could easily control the moisture level of the crust by using the potato flakes. Anyway, everyone wanted to know if the crust could be made with real potatoes instead, which I totally understand, so when I was brainstorming ways to use up my 15 pounds of potatoes, I decided to tackle the crust once again!

I’m so glad I did because it turned out beautifully – crusty on the outside and soft and buttery on the inside. This time I filled the unique crust with layers of caramelized onions, shredded gouda cheese, and goat cheese…soooo good! I served the wedges alongside a healthy dose of roasted Brussels sprouts, but a salad would also be lovely. Also, the tart is easier to slice once it’s cooled off a bit.

Cheesy Caramelized Onion Tart with a Mashed Potato Crust
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large yellow onions, sliced (12 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 pounds golden potatoes, peeled, and cut into chunks
1/3 cup milk (I used 2%)
2 cups shredded gouda cheese
4 ounces goat cheese

Directions:
Heat 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil over medium low heat in a large nonstick pan. Add onions, cover, and cook 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook an additional 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until caramelized. Add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute; stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add potato chunks to the pot and boil for 10 to 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and mash in a large bowl; stir in milk, remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Heat oven to 350˚F. Press mashed potatoes into a greased 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and bake at 350˚F for 40 to 45 minutes or until potato crust is golden brown. Push the center down with the back of a spoon.

Evenly spread half the caramelized onions in the cooked potato pie crust. Evenly crumble goat cheese on top and then half the shredded gouda cheese. Top with remaining caramelized onions and shredded gouda cheese. Bake for 5 minutes at 350°F or until cheese is melted. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes, use a toothpick to loosen the edges if needed, and remove from tart pan; cut tart into wedges. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition: 398 calories, 21.0g fat, 6.2g fat, 14.1g protein per serving
Cost: $1.52 per serving

This pasta has Apolinaras’ name written all over it. I guess you could call him my muse from time to time. He looooves mushrooms and was so happy when I encouraged him to go ahead and put the pricey fresh shitakes in the grocery cart the other day. When I told him I was planning to use the mushrooms in a pasta dish with a creamy goat cheese sauce, he did a cute little happy dance in the middle of the aisle!

Luckily, the pasta came together beautifully and lived up to his high expectations – he loudly proclaimed multiple times that it was his very favorite pasta dish I’ve ever made! Of course, I had to take this with a grain of salt because any dish with mushrooms and goat cheese would steal his heart. I do really like that while this dish tastes incredibly indulgent, it’s really not that bad for you. I used whole wheat farfalle that I purchased at Eataly, but any shape would work well. You could also add some chicken or shrimp if you’d like a bit more protein.

Farfalle with Mushrooms and Goat Cheese Sauce
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pound whole wheat farfalle pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
24 ounces mushrooms, sliced (I used half baby bellas and half shitakes with the stems removed)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
10.5 ounces goat cheese (1 log from costco)
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Prepare pasta according to the package directions, drain, and place in a large pot.

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick pan and add mushrooms. Sauté 8 to 10 minutes or until tender; add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute.

Meanwhile, make the sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook one more minute or until mixture starts to brown. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and whisk in pecorino romano, goat cheese, and salt. Heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Add the sauce and mushrooms to the pot with the cooked pasta and mix well. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition: 531 calories, 21.8g fat, 7.5g fiber, 22.0g protein per serving
Cost: $2.92 per serving

I don’t usually buy a lot of produce at Costco, since it’s tough for just the two of us to eat our way through their large packages of fruits and veggies before it all spoils (although I do regularly make an exception of their Brussels sprouts and berries because we gobble those right up!), but the other day a 15 pound bag of potatoes ended up in my cart. I was craving roasted potatoes and feeling way too lazy to head to the regular grocery store just to pick up a smaller package. Plus, I was feeling up for a little potato challenge!

The first thing I did when I got home was whip up a potato hash with bacon, onions, and apples. It’s great for breakfast, but I enjoyed it most topped with a lovely piece of salmon glazed with maple syrup and crusted with chopped pecans and panko. This yummy meal also came together in a flash since I made the hash the day before and then just quickly cooked up the salmon before dinner. Ok, I’m off to brainstorm some more potato recipes – only 6 pounds left to go!

p.s. The winner of my Milk Bar giveaway was Bianca – congrats!

Maple Pecan Salmon over Roasted Potato, Apple, and Bacon Hash
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Roasted Potato, Apple, and Bacon Hash:
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 slices hickory smoked bacon, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt

Maple Pecan Salmon:
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup panko
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
4 salmon fillets (ours were 7 ounces each)

Directions:
To make the hash, heat oven to 400°F. Place potato pieces on a large baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Roast at 400°F for 50 to 60 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, place chopped bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until crispy; drain on paper towels. Place onions and apples in the bacon grease and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Mix roasted potatoes, bacon, onions, apples, and salt together in a large bowl.

To make the salmon, heat oven to 350˚F. Mix pecans, panko, and salt together in a small bowl. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick skillet and sear the salmon fillets, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Place seared fillets in a large baking dish and use a pastry brush to evenly brush with maple syrup. Evenly sprinkle pecan panko and press gently into the salmon. Bake salmon for 10 to 12 minutes at 350°F or until cooked through. To serve, divide the hash evenly among 4 plates and place salmon on top. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 964 calories, 58.2g fat, 6.0g fiber, 63.7g protein per serving
Cost: $4.70 per serving

New products from Trader Joe’s continually make my day. My Halloween Pumpkin Quesadillas, Yuzu Miso Mahi Mahi, and Vanilla Joe-Joe Strawberry Cheesecake just wouldn’t have been the same without their orange quesadillas, Yuzu Citrus Tisane Beverage, and Vanilla Joe-Joes, respectively. And now TJs has come to the rescue one again!

A few months ago, I fell in love with Ben and Jerry’s Late Night Snack, a luscious vanilla ice cream swirled with fudge covered potato chips and ribbons of salty caramel, which was created my Jimmy Fallon. Mmm, the combo of flavors was just so unique and addicting that after my first bite, I immediately thought a cookie with similar flavors would also be fantastic. Unfortunately, my first two attempts to whip them up were utter failures because putting potato chips in cookie dough just doesn’t work so well – the flavor is muted and they don’t stay crispy. Luckily, my problem was solved the other day when I noticed Trader Joe’s is now selling milk chocolate covered potato chips – what a genius idea! Instead of baking potato chips into the dough, I decided to top my cookies with these chips instead.

I topped sugar cookie bars with a layer of Trader Joe’s Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce and a bit of pretzel crumble (because pretzels are also one of my favorite late night snacks!) and then sprinkled some chopped milk covered potato chips on top as soon as they came out of the oven. The chocolate melted just enough to adhere the chips to the bars, but the potato chips stayed nice and crispy – yum! Oh, and while I will continue to buy the chocolate covered potato chips from Trader Joe’s because I tend to make a huge mess whenever I temper chocolate, you could certainly make them yourself if you don’t have a TJs nearby!

Late Night Snack Bars
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup pretzel crumbs (I pulsed a handful of pretzels in the food processor until crumbs formed)
1/3 cup Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce from Trader Joe’s (from a 10 ounce jar)
1 cup lightly chopped Milk Chocolate Covered Potato Chips from Trader Joe’s

Directions:
Heat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Mix in eggs and vanilla extract; stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until soft dough forms. Place 1/4 cup dough in a medium bowl and stir in pretzel crumbs until well incorporated. Spread remaining dough in bottom of a greased 8×8-inch pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350˚F or until dough is puffed in the center. Remove from oven and evenly spread caramel sauce on top with back of a spoon, leaving edges to the bars around the outside of the pan. Crumble pretzel dough evenly on top and bake an additional 10 to 12 minutes at 350˚F or until a toothpick comes out clean. Immediately top with chopped chocolate covered potato chips. Cool completely, about 1 hour, and cut into bars. Makes 16 bars.

Nutrition: 205 calories, 9.9g fat, 0.8g fiber, 2.5g protein per bar
Cost: $0.42 per bar

There’s nothing quite like NYC during the holidays. The city is all decked out and just so festive! We were fortunate to spend a couple days eating our way through the city with my parents over Christmas. Read on for our foodie highlights and a fun giveaway from Milk Bar!

The very first thing we did was head over to the Shake Shack by our hotel by Bryant Park. The burgers were tasty and the refreshing beer was cheap, but my chocolate custard “concrete” with chocolate covered pretzels, peanut butter sauce, and marshmallow sauce, really stole the show!

The next day we checked out the Macy’s windows and took the subway down to the Lower East Side to visit Doughnut Plant. This was at the top of my foodie wish list  and definitely worth the trip.

The carrot cake and blackout (chocolate cake donut filled with chocolate crème and topped with chocolate frosting and cookie crumbs) donuts were extraordinary, and the valrhona chocolate and seasonal panettone donuts weren’t far behind – go, go, go here if you’re ever in NYC!

Then we headed up to Papaya King for lunch, which I couldn’t resist visiting since 1. hot dog eating is required when you’re in NYC and 2. it was just featured on Anthony Bourdain’s new layover show. Plus, it was super close to the Met, our next destination! I thought the hot dogs were pretty average actually, but the papaya drink was just delightful and after having one sip, immediately regretted only ordering a medium.

On Christmas Eve we walked around Times Square and did our best not to get too cheesy in M&M’s World.

Then we walked around Central Park for a bit and introduced my dad and Apolinaras to Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery, which my mom and I loved during our last trip to NYC. The Chicken Dumpling Soup and Nutter Butter Cookies were just as good as I remembered, and Apolinaras’ shot rib sandwich just melted in my mouth.

That evening we had a terrific time exploring Eataly, a 50,000 square foot “Italian Food Hall” brought to the Flatiron district by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich. The emporium houses a bunch of restaurants, each featuring one aspect of Italian cuisine (e.g. fish, meat, pasta, panini, etc) and an amazing market with rows and rows of speciality Italian goods. We chowed down on panini, and I had the best hot chocolate of my life!

We took it easy on Christmas Day and just ventured out for a Chinese lunch at Szechuan Gourmet. Other fun activities over the next couple of days included seeing the musical Billy Elliot, touring Radio City Music Hall, and shopping up a storm with my mom. We also visited the United Nations, where Apolinaras’ late father worked as a journalist and checked out the apartment where he lived for four years. On the food front I had a surprisingly good wasabi tuna wrap at Pig ‘N’ Whistle, and we had Kati Rolls a couple of times, which are Indian flatbreads stuffed with delicious meats and veggies, mmm.

And finally, we also made it to Milk Bar, the pastry shop headed by Christina Tosi, which is part of David Chang’s Momofuku empire. We sampled all the cookies and had a scrumptious pistachio croissant. I was scared the compost cookies wouldn’t live up to my high expectations, but I really liked them! My favorite treats, however, were the corn cookies, because they were just so unique and tasted exactly like fresh sweet corn, in a really good way. In fact, I couldn’t help but pick up Christina Tosi’s new cookbook and some of Milk Bar’s freeze dried corn powder, so I can make my own corn cookies at home whenever I crave them! Of course, I was thinking of you all too and picked up an extra set for a giveaway!

To enter to win, just leave a comment on this post letting me know which restaurant/bakery/food truck you most want to visit in NYC. I need to start working on my list for next time! Entries must be in by 11:59 pm EST on Monday, January 9.

The fine print: I’m sponsoring this giveaway myself. The winner will be picked with random.org on Tuesday, January 10 and announced shortly thereafter.

1. We’ll start with the recipe that got the most page views (by far!) – French Onion Mac & Cheese. Ah, I can’t blame you for all for loving this one – it’s goooood. Soup and mac & cheese are my too favorite comfort foods, and this recipe combines the best of both worlds.

2. My Nutella Strawberry Pancakes, however, got the most comments. Nutella just makes everything better!

3. Now we’ll move along to some of my favorites. The appetizer of the year award goes to my Plantain and Black Bean Quesadillas, because plantains just always make me happy, and these quesadillas are pretty healthy too so you can snack away with no guilt.

4. My tastiest main dish may just have been these Shrimp Tacos with Corn Salsa, which we enjoyed several times last summer.

5. Now picking a favorite dessert was definitely my toughest decision because I have a huge sweet tooth and desserts are my specialty. Plus, there are all categories of desserts – do I go with an easy bar cookie recipe or show stopping cheesecake? So tough, but I’m going to pick my Valentine’s Day Heart Cookies. These cute cut-out chocolate cookies are topped with a layer of eggless cookie dough and chocolate ganache, need I say more? Amazing and easily adaptable to your favorite holiday!

6. My Apple Coffee Layer Cake is definitely my favorite breakfast item – I was determined to make a layered coffee cake that was festive enough for a birthday breakfast celebration!

7. On to Apolinaras’ favorite dish! Ok, so Apolinaras doesn’t really have the time to go through all my recipes and pick one, but he requests stuffed chicken breasts all the time. He enjoyed both my Blackened Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Blue Cheese and Bacon and Spinach, Bacon, and Blue Cheese Stuffed Pecan Coated Chicken Breasts, but I think the blackened version would come out on top, simply because it doesn’t have any spinach in it, haha.

8. I also wanted to highlight my favorite photo of the year. I’m trying to get better about using props in my pictures, but I tend to be really lazy about it. By the time the food is ready, I just want to eat! I think I got it right with this shot of my Chicken and Soba Romaine Salad with Thai Vinaigrette though. Plus, this is one delicious and satisfying salad.

9. My favorite restaurant inspired dish had to be these Helmand Hamburgers. I love how almost any dish can inspire a tasty and unique burger. I created these after my first trip to an Afghani restaurant.

10. I also really enjoy giving traditional dishes a little twist of my own. These Chicken Parm Eggplant Stacks are such a nice way to amp up this Italian classic. I made chicken parm (coated with my secret ingredient – croutons!) and then topped it with ricotta cheese, roasted eggplant, marinara sauce, and mozarella cheese, mmmm.

11. And finally, my weirdest most innovative recipe of the year. I think I got the side eye when I covered this Hawaiian Omelet with coconut, but I have to give the win to my Red Curry Risotto, where Thai unexpectedly meets Italian. You get the perfect amount of rice and curry sauce in each bite – I loved this!

It’s been so much fun looking back at all my recipes from 2011. It makes me feel so productive (and hungry!). Thanks to you all for joining me on my culinary adventures and Happy New Year!

Happy Hanukah! Merry Almost Christmas! We’re on a bus right now headed to New York City, where we’ll be spending the holidays with my family. I’m really looking forward to eating our way through the city, and I’m especially excited about heading over to The Doughnut Plant, which my friend Britt has been urging me to check out forever. She knows how much I love donuts – I’m so excited!

I also kind of love the fact that the internet is working on our bus, and I’m blogging away. Multitasking just makes me happy – I wish I could do this daily during my regular commute! Anyway, I won’t be cooking for Christmas this year, but if I was, I think I would add this mac & cheese to the menu. It’s super creamy and packed with fontina, asiago, and goat cheese. Plus, the festive red and green sun dried tomatoes and roasted broccoli, respectively, just make me smile. I even snuck in some protein-packed chicken for Apolinaras, so this was a one dish meal for us, but you could leave it out and feature it as more of a side dish too. Happy Holidays to everyone!

Christmas Mac & Cheese (aka Three Cheese Mac & Cheese with Roasted Broccoli and Sun Dried Tomatoes)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 head broccoli florets (I had 5 cups, 11 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound orecchiette pasta
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk (I used 2%)
2 cups shredded fontina cheese
1 cup shredded asiago cheese
8 ounces goat cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, well drained

Directions:
Heat oven to 400°F. Place broccoli florets on a large cookie sheet and drizzle evenly with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes at 400°F or until tender.

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and place back in a large pot.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat and sauté chicken for 5 to 7 minutes or until fully cooked and no longer pink in the center. Remove chicken from pan and place in the pan with the pasta; add roasted broccoli to the same pot.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook one more minute or until mixture starts to brown. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and mix in fontina, asiago, and goat cheeses, and salt. Heat 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth, whisking occasionally. Mix cheese sauce with the pasta, chicken, and broccoli in the large pot; stir in sun-dried tomatoes. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition: 847 calories, 31.3g fat, 5.6g fiber, 57.5g protein per serving
Cost: $2.20 per serving

We currently have a bunch of cookies in our snack drawer at work, and lately I’ve been reaching first for the gingersnaps dipped in chocolate. They are just so good! Then the other day I had a light bulb moment – you know what would be even better? Gingersnaps topped with Nutella! I couldn’t get this idea out of head, but since I’ve been on a bit a cookie overload, I decided to bake some Nutella gingerbread scones instead this weekend.

Baking with Nutella is always somewhat tricky because even if you put a hefty dose of the stuff in your batter, you often can’t really taste it in the finished product. On top of this dilemma, I also wanted to balance the Nutella and strong molasses gingerbread flavors. But don’t worry, I was up for the challenge, and instead of mixing Nutella into my scones, I stirred in both cocoa powder and toasted hazelnut flour, which I bought last summer from King Arthur Flour. I also added molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, and then after the scones cooled, spread a bit of Nutella on top of each one. Is there anything Nutella can’t make better?

Nutella Gingerbread Scones
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup toasted hazelnut flour (I bought mine from King Arthur Flour - but you could also pulse toasted hazelnuts in the food processor until ground to make your own)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons molasses
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Nutella

Directions:
Heat oven to 375˚F. Place all-purpose flour, hazelnut flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Place flour mixture in a food processor and add in cold butter chunks. Pulse several times with a food processor until a coarse meal forms; place in a large bowl. Mix cream, molasses, egg, and vanilla extract in another small bowl. Stir wet into dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.

Place dough onto a greased pizza pan, knead several times if needed, and form into an 8-inch circle. Cut the circle into eight wedges and separate the scones on the cookie sheet with a spatula so they are each at least 1 inch apart. Bake at 375˚F for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each scone comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour, and then evenly spread 1 tablespoon of Nutella on top of each scone. Makes 8 scones.

Nutrition: 395 calories, 23.2g fat, 2.6g fiber, 6.3g protein per scone
Cost: $0.66 per scone

I’m finally starting to get into the Christmas spirit!  I’ve been humming along to Christmas carols and doing a bit of online gift shopping. I love finding the perfect little something for everyone. I’ve also already squeezed in a little holiday baking!

I made my first batch of cookies this weekend to share at Shannon’s annual cookie swap! There were tons of decadent treats and such lovely company – Boston really has the best food blogging community. To check out what everyone brought (and vote for your favorite cookie!), check out Shannon’s recap here.

My bar cookie contribution was centered around warm spices (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves), an ooey gooey layer of caramel, and a crunchy pecan topping. After whipping up a spiced sugar cookie dough, I mixed a small portion of it with both ground and chopped pecans. I baked the remaining dough, topped the partially baked bars with caramel sauce, and then crumbled the pecan dough on top and finished the up in the oven. Yum!

Spiced Caramel Pecan Bars
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup ground pecans (I pulsed whole pecans in the food processor until ground)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 10-ounce jar Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce from Trader Joe’s 

Directions:
Heat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Mix in eggs and vanilla extract; stir in flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, baking powder, and salt until soft dough forms. Place 1/2 cup dough (4.5 ounces) in a medium bowl and stir in ground and chopped pecans; knead until the nuts are well incorporated. Spread remaining dough in bottom of a greased 13×9-inch pan. Bake 15 minutes at 350˚F or until light golden brown on the edges. Remove from oven and evenly spread caramel sauce on top. Crumble pecan dough evenly on top and bake an additional 13 to 17 minutes at 350˚F or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour, and cut into bars. Makes 32 bars.

Nutrition: 201 calories, 11.5g fat, 1.1g fiber, 2.3g protein per bar
Cost: $0.26 per bar

Whenever I need a little afternoon pick me up at work, I head over to the Starbucks across the street from my lab. I was never really into coffee until a few years ago when I tried lattes – mmm, just thinking about them makes me smile, and since a latte is mostly protein-packed milk, it’s a pretty healthy snack…..right? I especially love going during the holiday season because of all the festive choices – caramel crème brulee, pumpkin, gingerbread – so good! Peppermint mochas are also one of my favorites and I was inspired to make some fun brownie bites with this flavor combination.

I stirred espresso powder and peppermint extract into my brownie batter and baked little brownie cups in a mini muffin pan. As soon as they came out of the oven, I made an indentation in each one with the back of a teaspoon and then filled the valleys with a peppermint espresso chocolate ganache. After the ganache set, I topped them with whipped cream and mini chocolate chips. Crushed peppermint candies would be a great garnish too. These would be perfect for a holiday party!

Peppermint Mocha Brownie Bites
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Brownie Bites:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder (I used this one)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

Toppings:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
24 tablespoons whipped cream (I just used a spray can)
2 1/2 tablespoons mini semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
To make the brownie bites, heat oven to 350°F. Microwave the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a microwavable bowl at high power until the butter is melted, about 1 minute. Stir until smoth, then mix in the vanilla extract. Meanwhile, beat the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and then add in the melted chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt until a smooth batter forms; stir in peppermint extract. Evenly spread batter into 24 cups of a greased mini muffin pan. Bake at 350°F for 17 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Immediately press the back of a teaspoon measuring spoon into each brownie to make a round indentation in each mini brownie bite. Let brownies cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack and let brownies cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the ganache by placing regularly sized chocolate chips, heavy cream, and espresso powder in a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Continue stirring until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, microwaving 10 additional seconds, if needed; stir in peppermint extract. Evenly spoon ganache into the indentation of each mini brownie cup. Place in the refrigerator and cool for an hour or until set. Right before serving, top each bite with 1 tablespoon whipped cream and mini chocolate chips. Makes 12 servings of 2 brownie bites each.

Nutrition: 260.4 calories, 15.6g fat, 1.3g fiber, 2.7g protein per serving
Cost: $0.47 per serving

We’re back from New Zealand! It was an absolutely amazing trip, and I can’t wait recap all the highlights and share a few recipes inspired by our journey! I’ve gotten into the habit of keeping a detailed journal with notes about all our activities and meals whenever we travel, mainly because I don’t want to ever forget a single moment. While I was skimming through it during our flight home, I couldn’t help but start outlining a few recipe ideas. I love how traveling inspires my creativity, even though sometimes it takes a few months before I actually get around to making the dishes. Case in point with these burgers.

When we visited Nosh up in Portland, Maine, back in May, I immediately knew I wanted to recreate their tasty Nosh Burger (pork and beef patty/blue cheese spread/bacon/fried egg/roast garlic sauce/brioche bun), and finally got around to doing so right before we left for New Zealand.

Since I enjoy getting a bit of bacon in every bite, I mixed cooked chopped bacon right in my ground turkey patties instead of putting it on top. I decided to amp up Nosh’s roasted garlic sauce by making a roasted garlic cherry jam glaze, which added a nice sweetness and kept the burgers moist. I struggled a bit with adding the perfect amount of gorgonzola. It can be tricky since you don’t want the blue cheese to overpower the other flavors, but finally got the right balance for my palate with the amount below. Definitely feel free to experiment and see what works best for yours though. Thanks to Nosh for the inspiration!

p.s. Did you notice my cute piggy cutting board in the pic? Nosh is known for their tempura bacon and general pork love, so I couldn’t help but break it out for the photos!

Bacon Burgers with Roasted Garlic Cherry Glaze and Gorgonzola Cheese
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Gorgonzola Cheese Spread:
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
3 tablespoons milk
1/8 teaspoon salt

Roasted Garlic Cherry Glaze:
1/2 head of roasted garlic, finely chopped (I used this technique)
1/2 cup cherry jam
1/8 teaspoon salt

Bacon Burger Patties:
6 hickory smoked bacon slices, chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 cup grated yellow onion
1 teaspoon salt

Assembly:
6 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted

Directions:
To make the gorgonzola cheese spread, mix gorgonzola cheese, milk, and salt together in a small bowl until smooth and refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the roasted garlic cherry glaze, place roasted garlic, cherry jam, and salt in a small bowl and mix well.

To make the bacon burger patties, heat oven broiler. Place chopped bacon in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat and sauté for 7 to 9 minutes or until crispy. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels. Place cooked bacon, ground turkey, grated onion, and salt in a large bowl and gently mix all the ingredients together with your hands; form 6 burgers that are slighty larger than your buns. Place patties on a large cookie sheet and broil for 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through and no longer pink in the center.

To assemble the burgers, evenly spread gorgonzola cheese spread on the bottom piece of each bun. Place a patty on top and evenly spread the roasted garlic cherry glaze on top of each burger. Add the burger tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers.

Nutrition: 495 calories, 18.3g fat, 5.0g fiber, 32.6g protein per burger
Cost: $1.87 per burger

I have a love-hate relationship with carrots. Carrot cake is my very favorite (although I’m not sure that really counts!), and I tend to enjoy hearty carrot chunks in vegetable and chicken noodle soup, but raw carrots just don’t do it for me. I always pick around them in salads or pawn them off to Apolinaras. I’ve recently warmed up to roasted carrots though and actually really loved them pureed in this soup, alongside some roasted parsnips.

I mixed the roasted carrots and parsnips with shallots, garlic, and a touch of toasted cumin and ginger to warm things up. Then I pureed the veggies along with some chicken stock and added a touch of cider vinegar for some acid and heavy cream for richness. I garnished the soup with croutons made from pumpkin bread, which I’ve been wanting to make ever since I whipped up these cornbread croutons. So good – roasting veggies always makes them better!

Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Pumpkin Bread Croutons
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
1 pound parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 large shallots, chopped (1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 thick slices pumpkin bread (I used my pumpkin beer bread), cut into crouton-sized cubes

Directions:
Heat oven to 400˚F. Place carrots and parsnips on a large cookie sheet and drizzle evenly with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix well and roast at 400˚F for 40 minutes or until tender.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add shallots to the pan and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Stir in ground cumin and ginger until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add roasted carrots and parsnips, chicken broth, and salt to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth; stir in heavy cream and apple cider vinegar and heat 2 to 3 more minute or until warmed through.

Meanwhile, place pumpkin bread cubes on a large cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 400˚F, then flip over the cubes and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Ladle soup evenly into 4 bowls and top with croutons. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 292 calories, 15.6g fat, 5.3g fiber, 5.3g protein per serving
Cost: $1.58 per serving

We’re at the San Francisco airport right now, and I’m feeling quite productive working on a blog post while we wait to board our flight to New Zealand! We’re so excited to explore the country and take a much needed break from the daily grind. We’re already off to a great start – we somehow scored exit row seats for the 13 hour flight and enjoyed surprisingly delicious sushi at the airport.  The only downside is that we won’t really be celebrating Thanksgiving this year, but if we were home, I know I’d be making this dessert (along with pumpkin pie, of course!).

I started by baking up an oatmeal cookie crust in a tart pan and then filled it with a white chocolate cheesecake and a tart topping made from dried cranberries and lignonberry jam from IKEA. It’s just perfect for any holiday celebration and yes, that’s a Christmas placemat – apparently I got it out early this year!  I’m hoping to post about once a week while we’re traveling since I really love blogging, but we’ll see how it goes.  I hope everyone in the states has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

White Chocolate Cheesecake Tart with an Oatmeal Cookie Crust and Cranberry Topping
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Oatmeal Cookie Crust:
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups instant oats

White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling:
2/3 cups white chocolate chips
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cranberry Topping:
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup lingonberry jam
1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
To make the oatmeal cookie crust, heat oven to 350˚F. Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and stir until creamed. Mix in vanilla extract and egg; stir in flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until soft dough forms. Stir in oats and press cookie crust dough evenly in greased 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom, bake 15 minutes at 350˚F or until light golden brown at the edges and puffed in the middle.

To make the cheesecake filling, place white chocolate chips in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute; stir until smooth. Beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl, stopping to scrape side occasionally, until smooth. Mix in eggs, the melted white chocolate chips, and vanilla extract until smooth. Carefully pour cheesecake mixture into the center of the partially baked cookie crust (the cookie will deflate), leaving a crust around the outside edges. Bake at 350˚F for 28 to 32 minutes or until cheesecake is set around edges and centers are almost set but just slightly wiggly. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until completely set and chilled.

To make the cranberry topping, place cranberries and jam in a food processor and pulse until smooth, about 1 minute. Spread topping evenly over the cheesecake filling and top with white chocolate chips. Makes 16 servings.

Nutrition: 412 calories, 22.7g fat, 3.0g fiber, 5.3g protein per seving
Cost: $0.47 per serving

I’m sort of in denial that it’s somehow already November, but the bright side is that peppermint mochas and gingerbread lattes are back, and I’m finally getting some use out of all my cute boots. Plus, now that there’s a bit of a chill in the air, I’ve been brainstorming up some ideas for comfort food! Soup and mac & cheese always top my list, but chicken pot pie also warms me up, especially when it’s topped with puff pastry.

For my version, I made individual servings with my cute little French onion soup bowls again, but any small oven-safe dishes would work well. I couldn’t resist topping them with the aforementioned puff pastry, and I decided to give them a bit of Caribbean twist. I spiced the filling with jerk seasoning and added roasted sweet potatoes and plantains in with the chicken. Ahh, plantains just make me happy, and I really loved this flavor combo. It’s a cold weather comfort dish with some island flare, ironic perhaps, but very tasty!

Jerk Chicken and Sweet Potato Pot Pies
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 medium yellow plantains with brown-black spots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk (I used 2%)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons jerk seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 box puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water

Directions:
Heat oven to 400˚F. Place sweet potato pieces on a large cookie sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix until evenly coated with oil and roast at 400˚F for 15 minutes. Add plantains to the cookie sheet, mix well, and roast for an additional 10 minutes at 400˚F or until sweet potatoes and plantains are tender; place roasted veggies in a large bowl.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet and add chicken pieces. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Remove chicken from heat and place in the bowl with the sweet potatoes and plantains. Add chopped onions to the skillet and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Add onions to the bowl with the veggies and chicken and mix well.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook one more minute or until mixture starts to brown. Whisk in milk, chicken broth, jerk seasoning, and salt and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Place in the bowl with the chicken and veggies and stir until well combined. Evenly distribute filling into 6 mini oven-safe pot pie serving dishes. Place dishes on a large cookie sheet.

Roll out puff pastry and cut to fit over the 6 dishes (I used 3/4 of the package). Place cut puff pastry on top of the dishes. Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl; brush egg wash evenly over the puff pastry and poke a few holes in the top of each puff pastry. Bake at 400˚F for 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition: 707 calories, 30.2g fat, 5.2g fiber, 46.8g protein per serving
Cost: $2.40 per serving

I have a thing for biscuits. The love affair started when I was growing up and always used to gobble them up at KFC and McDonald’s (actually, McDonald’s breakfast biscuit sandwiches are still one of my guilty pleasures when we’re travelling!). I also have fond memories of buying those buttery biscuits that you can pop out of a can and bake at home when I first started dating Apolinaras. Of course, now I know my way around the kitchen and also enjoy making them at home, but I also always order biscuits if they’re on a menu. When we were at Screen Door in Portland, for example, you bet I subbed a warm fluffy biscuit for the boring old toast that came with my meal!

The main Screen Door attraction was their fried chicken and sweet potato waffles. I’d actually never had chicken and waffles before, and now I feel like I may be disappointed if I ever order them anywhere else because they were that good! They also had biscuit sandwiches with fried chicken on the menu, and both these dishes inspired today’s brunch recipe of crispy pecan chicken and sweet potato biscuit sandwiches with maple butter!

I whipped up sweet potato biscuits with brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, and then sandwiched pieces of crispy pecan and panko coated baked chicken spiced with paprika and cayenne pepper. Of course, I also couldn’t resist spreading a nice dollap of maple butter on top. Yum!

Crispy Pecan Chicken and Sweet Potato Biscuit Sandwiches
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato Biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (I usually stick the cut butter in the freezer briefly while I’m prepping the dry ingredients)
1 cup mashed roasted sweet potatoes (I roasted two and had a bit leftover)
1/3 cup buttermilk

Crispy Pecan Chicken:
3/4 cup pecans, pulsed in the food processor until finely ground
3/4 cup panko
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 large boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into half lengthwise and again in half the other way so you have 12 pieces of chicken total that fit each biscuit
2 large eggs, beaten

Maple Butter:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Directions:
To make the sweet potato biscuits, heat oven to 450˚F. Place flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt in a food processor and pulse once to mix. Add cold butter pieces and pulse several times or until coarse crumbs form. Mix mashed sweet potatoes and buttermilk together in a large bowl; stir in flour mixture. Knead the dough a few times until it comes together, being careful not to overwork the dough or warm the butter up too much. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll 1/2-inch thick with a lightly floured rolling pin. Use a 3-inch round cup or cookie/biscuit cutter to cut out 12 biscuits, re-rolling dough scraps as needed. Place biscuits on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 450˚F for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

To make the chicken, heat oven to 350˚F. Mix ground pecans, panko, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt in a shallow pan. Put the flour in a shallow dish and lightly dredge both sides of the chicken pieces in it. Place the beaten eggs in another shallow dish and dredge both sides of the flour coated chicken in the egg mixture; place chicken pieces in the pecan mixture and coat well on all sides. Place coated chicken on a large greased cookie sheet and bake at 350˚F for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center.

To make the maple butter, mix butter and maple syrup together until smooth.

To serve, cut the biscuits in half and butter the top cut sides. Add the chicken on top of the bottom biscuit half and place the buttered top half of the biscuit on top. Makes 12 sandwiches.

Nutrition: 377 calories, 20.1g fat, 2.0g fiber, 19.0g protein per sandwich
Cost: $0.83 per sandwich

And, Portland is such an incredible town for foodies. I’ve been looking forward to sharing all the restaurants we checked out ever since we got back. We flew in on a Thursday and immediately headed out to get our nails done and begin the wedding festivities with Britt’s bachelorette party. Gilt Club helped us design a lovely family style meal, and then we danced the night away.

The next morning Apolinaras, and I ventured out to Voodoo Doughnut. I’ve heard about this place for years, and being a huge donut fan, couldn’t wait to get my hands on some! My favorites were the Bacon Maple Bar and Old Dirty Bastard, a yeast donut with chocolate frosting, Oreo’s, and peanut butter, which I’m so glad Britt recommended. The donuts definitely lived up to the hype. So much so, that we returned on Sunday to pick some up to bring home with us!

The rehearsal dinner on Friday was at Beast, where we were treated to an amazing six course meal by Chef Naomi Pomeroy, who you may recognize from Top Chef Masters. I was tickled to catch a glimpse of her before we settled in for our meal, and while I don’t usually get my camera out at nice restaurants, I couldn’t help myself this time.

Our favorite courses of the night were the charcuterie plate, which featured many delectable bites, including a foie-gras bon-bon, steak tartare and quail egg toast, and pork pate with prunes and pistachios, and the main course of rib-eye steak with horseradish salsa verde, fallen cauliflower soufflé, roasted radicchio, and duck demi-glace – soooo good!

The next day was the wedding! We spent the morning getting ready and sipping on apple juice mixed with champagne. I loved my hair and just had to share a pic. It’s so fun having long enough locks for different styles.

The wedding was at the funky Jupiter Hotel, where we also stayed. Here’s the beautiful bridal party (plus Sahil, Britt’s bridesman!).

This is a classic shot that Annika and I always take. Everyone always comments on our height difference so we like to play it up. Looking at these pictures make me already miss everyone.

And finally, one with Apolinaras!

Other foodie highlights included brunch at Miss Delta, late night slices at Sizzle Pie, a mouth watering roast beef sandwich from Laurelhurst Market, and brunch at Screen Door. Definitely check out Screen Door if you’re ever in town. They feature Southern specialties, and I’ve already created two dishes inspired by our meal there! The first is based on what I ordered, the fall breakfast hash. It’s nice to enjoy some roasted veggies in the morning.

My hash included lightly curry spiced sweet potatoes, butternut squash, cauliflower, and kale. I started by roasting the potatoes and then added in the other veggies in at different times so they would all turn out perfectly. I baked a couple eggs on top for Apolinaras, who enjoys runny yolks, and scrambled up some cheesy eggs for myself on the side. My second recipe inspired by Screen Door will be up next!

Fall Breakfast Hash with Cheesy Scrambled Eggs
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Fall Breakfast Hash:
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes (5 cups or 25 ounces)
1 small butternut squash, peeled, and cut into bite-sized cubes (5 cups or 25 ounces)
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces (5 cups or 17 ounces)
3 packed cups deveined and coarsely chopped kale leaves (2 ounces)
1 teaspoon salt

Cheesy Scrambled Eggs:
12 large eggs
6 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
To make the fall breakfast hash, heat oven to 400˚F. Place olive oil and curry powder in a small bowl and stir well. Place potato cubes on a large baking sheet and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Stir well so all potatoes are coated evenly with the oil and spread on the baking sheet. Bake at 400˚F for 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven, add squash cubes, sprinkle with 1 additional tablespoon olive oil and stir well. Bake an additional 15 minutes at 400˚F. Remove pan from oven, add cauliflower, sprinkle with 1 additional tablespoon olive oil and stir well. Bake an additional 15 minutes at 400˚F. Remove pan from oven, add kale, sprinkle with 1 remaining tablespoon olive oil and salt, and stir well. Bake an additional 5 minutes at 400˚F.

To make the cheesy scrambled eggs, whisk eggs, milk, and salt together in a small bowl; stir in cheese. Pour mixture into a large greased nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook until eggs are set, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Serve eggs on top of or next to fall breakfast hash. Makes 4 large servings.

Nutrition: 572 calories, 28.7g fat, 16.0g fat, 26.7g protein per serving
Cost: $2.63 per serving

Is it phyllo or fillo dough? Whatever the spelling, I haven’t made anything with these crispy flakey layers of buttery deliciousness in a couple years, which is such a shame. But, last week when I was picking up some frozen puff pastry for an upcoming recipe, I noticed these cute little mini phyllo cups and spontaneously threw a couple packages in my cart. The filling possibilities are endless, and two mini cups only have 25 calories total – not bad!

For this version, the recipe title says it all. I mixed some of favorite ingredients together for the filling – caramelized onions, sautéed apples, and smoked bacon. Then I topped the bites off with some crumbled gorgonzola. Perfect for a party!

Caramelized Onion, Apple, and Bacon Phyllo Cups with Gorgonzola
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, sliced (4 cups)
1 large tart apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
4 strips hickory smoked bacon, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
26 mini phyllo shells from 2 1.9-ounce packages, prepared according to package directions
1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

Directions:
To make the caramelized onions, heat 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil over medium low heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add onions, cover, and cook 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until caramelized.

To make the apples and bacon, heat chopped apples, remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter, and brown sugar in a small pot over medium heat; sauté for 10 to 12 minutes, or until apples are softened and lightly browned. Wipe pan clean and place bacon in it. Sauté over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until crispy, stirring occasionally; drain on paper towels.

To assemble the shells, place caramelized onions, cooked apples and bacon, and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Evenly distribute the mixture among the mini phyllo shells. Top evenly with crumbled gorgonzola. Makes 13 servings of 2 cups each.

Nutrition: 108.6 calories, 7.2g fat, 0.9g fiber, 2.6g protein per serving
Cost: $0.54 per serving

To create these lovely pink treats, I first made a raspberry puree by simmering some frozen raspberries with a touch of sugar and water. Then I strained the mixture to remove the seeds and froze it in an ice cube tray. This way, I didn’t have to dilute my smoothies by adding any extra ice. The next day, I whirled up my frozen raspberry cubes in the blender along with frozen mango chunks (which you can buy ready to go at Trader Joe’s – thanks for the tip Shannon!), Greek yogurt, and milk. Mmmm, these smoothies were super creamy and really satisfied my sweet tooth after dinner.

And yes, because I’m a huge dork, I attempted to top my smoothies with a little pink breast cancer ribbon. I cut the design out of some parchment paper and then just sprinkled a healthy amount of pink decorating sugar on top. I spontaneously bought two huge sets of colored sugars the last time we visited King Arthur Flour, and I love having any excuse to get them out. The ribbons didn’t turn out perfectly, but I still thought they were pretty cute.

Thanks to Jen for hosting such an inspirational blogging event!

Raspberry Mango Smoothies
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 12-ounce bag frozen raspberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3 cups frozen mango chunks (I found these at Trader Joe’s)
1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)

Directions:
Place raspberries, sugar, and water in a small nonstick pan and heat over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until or raspberries have broken down, stirring occasionally. Strain to remove the raspberry seeds and cool completely to room temperature. Fill an ice cube tray with the puree and freeze until solid.

To make the smoothies, place frozen raspberry puree cubes, frozen mango, Greek yogurt, and milk in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth, about 1 minute. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 201 calories, 1.3g fat, 6.4g fiber, 7.2g protein per serving
Cost: $1.30 per serving