Capreese Portabello Grilled Mushrooms

I went to a restaurant a few weeks ago and had a meal that made my mouth sing out.  I love those moments that food can provide.  Sheer bliss. However there is the moment directly after you finish your meal where extreme sadness washes over you knowing that you can't eat this every day without making yourself broke.

That's how this recipe came to be.

I love it because it is flavorful, quick to make and is filling!

There is no right or wrong way to do it and no specific amounts.  Triple it or make it for one... doesn't matter.

Ingredients

Portobello mushroom

Mozzarella

Pesto

Cherry tomatoes divided in half

Basil

Balsamic Vinegar

Directions-

1. Brush off dirt and scoop out the gills of the mushroom. (I don't wash them as they take on to much water. Lightly oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on if you wish.

2.  Place on a heated grill pan and grill until heated through. 

3.  Add into the bottom of the mushroom, pesto, mozzarella, and cherry tomatoes and heat until melted.

4. Remove from the grill and add basil and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

**Pro tip- You can reduce the balsamic vinegar in a pan until it becomes thicker.  Then drizzle it on the mushroom.

This is such a good recipe and it is healthy!

Can't go wrong with that.

Zucchini Pineapple Loaf

Let me apologize for my not sharing one of my favorite recipes with you.  This loaf has great texture and flavor.  The pineapple and soaked dried fruit help keep it from getting dried out.  I consider these healthy and far from desert because they have fruit AND VEGETABLES! You can't get better than this.  I also love the fact that you can make these as muffins so that it is more grab and go friendly.  MAKE THIS RIGHT NOW!

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

3 eggs

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups grated zucchini, squeezed dry in paper towel

1 can (8oz.) crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup golden resins or cranberries (optional) soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes and then drained

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 5x9 inch loaf pans.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk flour, soda, powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom until combined.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs for one minute.  Add sugar, mix until combined.  Add oil and vanilla, mix until combined.

Add zucchini and pineapple and stir with a spoon.

The mixture should be really thick.

Divide the batter between the two loaf pans.

Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and cool the loaf in the pan for 5 minutes and then flip to finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Melt in your Mouth Pork in a Crockpot

I have a slightly unhealthy relationship with my crockpot.  I love it!  There I said it.   Who wouldn't fall in love with a kitchen appliance that cooks for you while you run errands.  I love coming home to my crockpot who slaves away all day and makes my house smell delicious.  I will not be breaking up with my crock any time soon.

Ok.  All joking aside, this is a crazy easy dish to prep and the flavors and smells will remind you of Thanksgiving.  This is another one to bring into the regular rotation.

If you don't make this... you are loosing an opportunity to make your belly happy!  Thanks to my coworker who recommended this recipe to me.

Ingredients

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3 Tablespoons Honey

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup minced onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons driver rosemary

2 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon Thyme

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 Pork Tenderloin

1 Tablespoon corn starch

3 Tablespoons cold water

Directions

In a large crockpot, add all of the ingredients except fort the last three and mix until combined.  Then add the pork to the mixture.  Add the crockpot lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the pork is fork tender.

Once the pork is finished cooking take It out and shred with 2 forks.  Strain the liquids and place in a small pot.  Heat the liquids to a simmer and while that is coming to a boil.  In a small ramekin place the corn starch and cold water and mix together.  Add the corn starch liquid to thicken into a gravy.  Once the sauce is thickened add the shredded beef back into the gravy and serve warm.

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Summer is right around the corner and I am so very ready for it to happen! Say goodbye to the spiced pumpkin lattés and sweaters and hello to smoothies and short shorts.

However I got my braces recently tightened and so that means that for the next few days I get to eat like a damn toddler.  I needed soup.  I had pinned this recipe on my Pinterest ages ago and I really wanted to make it.

This soup is very tasty and fresh.  This will make it into the regular rotation of soups.  I made notes at the end of the recipe for some changes that I will make next time to make this meal perfect it but even as is this soup is a real winner!!!  I would serve it with a fresh cucumber and feta Greek salad!

Adapted from A Spicy Perspective

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
10 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1 large lemon (all of the zest and juice from 1/2)
2 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 cup Israeli (pearl) couscous
2 ounces crumbled feta (I used a mixed herb)
Cilantro, Finely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Put olive oil in a large stock pot.  Once oil is hot add the garlic and onion to pot and cook until the onions begin to soften and become translucent.  Add the chicken broth, zest and red pepper flakes to the onion mixture and place the chicken to the pot as well.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 min.   Add couscous to the pot and simmer for another 5-8 minutes.  Take the soup off the heat and add the lemon juice and feta (I added the feta to my individual bowl so everyone could determine how much they wanted).  Take the cooked chicken out of the pot and shred the chicken with two forks and add it back to the pot. Season soup with Salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish soup with cilantro. At this point the soup is completed.


Next time:I think I would make a cornstarch slurry or a roux to make the soup a bit thicker I would add 2 cups more chicken broth, and double the amount of couscous to 2 cups.

Frozen Lemonade

Last week the weather spiked up and make me so hungry for Summer to get here.  I wanted something refreshing to beat the heat.

I am not sure this is even blog worthy to post but it made me damn happy.  Drinks don't need to be really fancy.

Sometimes I forget that my blender doesn't need overly complicated ingredients.

Enjoy and lets bring summer on!

Ingredients

Ice

Raspberry Lemonade

Directions

Blend together and serve!

Got Herbs?

Look at this sad pitiful basil plant.  I think it was sitting too close to my window.  Needless to say.  There were a lot of big leave and it needed to get a "Hair Cut".  I didn't want to make pesto so I wanted to dry them out for future use.

So I picked off the larger leaves and went to the internet.  I found multiple tutorials about how to dry softer herbs.  

I placed the leaves on a double lined paper towels on a microwave safe plate.  Then place a single layer of herbs on the plate and put a layer of paper on the top. 

**Please note that this recipe (mainly the times in the microwave) work best with soft herbs.  Microwave times will vary with herbs like rosemary. 

I placed this in the microwave for 40 seconds.  Then check in on the herbs to see if they are dry.  Then microwave in 20 second increments until the herbs are completely dry.  Mine took about 1 minute and 20 seconds total.

Please check your herbs at each increment as your herbs can burn.

IF you dry them out correctly you will have amazingly strong and fresh tasting dry herbs! 

This is great for those extra herbs in your fridge that are going to go bad in a few day!

Peach Cobbler

So I made this the other night and it was so fricken delicious.  Can we say FOOD GASM!   Sorry about the shady picture but you know when you have a cake in front of you that is so irresistible that you just ram your face into it and then think about taking food porn pics after...This was that recipe for me.  You get a picture of the mangled leftovers that I shamefully (without regret) ate by myself.

You will not regret making this.  It is buttery and sweet and creamy.  Everything you could want and so much more.

Go make this...for yourself and if you are giving you can share with someone you love.  If you are going solo on this bad boy...light some candles and set the mood for a sinful night in. It's that good!


Peach Cobbler
adapted from lilluna

Ingredients
1 15 oz. can of peaches with juice
1 15 oz. can of peaches drained
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 tsp. baking powder
½ cup butter
pinch of salt
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Melt cube of butter in 9x9 pan in oven.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, milk, baking powder and salt. Mix well.
Take out the pan with the melted butter and pour batter mixture over it. Also pour cans of peaches (with the juice from one can) over it. Do not mix.
Bake for 45-60 minutes or until browned and batter is set.

Serve with ice cream!  Don't forget this part!