Expanding My Horizons

For dinner tonight I decided to try something different - quinoa.  I have heard about how healthy and yummy it is, so when I saw red quinoa at Trader Joe's the other day, I knew I had to make it.  Since quinoa is rather hearty, I decided to pair it with a lighter protein - grilled shrimp.  The quinoa was nutty and delicious and the shrimp were so flavorful.  My husband loved everything, so it was definitely a success.  Enjoy!

Cranberry and Almond Quinoa
(Serves 4 as a side dish)

1 cup quinoa (I used the red kind) - prepare according to the package instructions
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 Tbl extra virgin olive oil

Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions.  Set aside when finished cooking.  In a large skillet or saucepan, heat 2 Tbl of olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the onions and saute until translucent and soft.  Add the almonds and saute until lightly toasted - approximately 5 minutes.  Add in the cranberries and saute for another 2 minutes.  Add the other 2 Tbl of olive oil and then add the quinoa.  Add the balsamic vinegar, stir and then season with salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

Grilled Garlic and Basil Shrimp
(Serves 2)


1 lb 15-20 count shrimp, shelled and deveined
4 cloves garlic, minced
5-10 basil leaves, julienned
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
Lemon slices (optional)

Pat the shrimp dry and put in a large bowl.  Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl, except the lemon, and massage all over the shrimp.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so all the flavors combine.  Grill the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side (until they start to curl and turn opaque).  After they're cooked, you can squeeze some lemon on top if you'd like.  Enjoy!

5 Star Saturday Night

Garlic Haricots Verts, Seared Scallops, Orange Buerre Blanc

My husband and I don't go out to dinner often, but we love trying to create restaurant-quality dishes at home.  Last Saturday night we made a FANTASTIC dinner in our own kitchen and we couldn't have been prouder of the the outcome.  This meal might seam fancy, but using frozen haricots verts and frozen wild New England scallops from Trader Joe's, we made a 5 star dinner on a 1 star budget!  Enjoy!

Garlic Haricots Verts
(Serves 4)

2 lbs of frozen haricots verts (thin grean beans)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbls. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add olive oil and then the haricots verts a minute later.  Cover and cook until the haricots verts are thawed but still have a bite to them.  Uncover and add garlic.  Cook until all the water has evaporated and the haricots verts are cooked to your liking.  Make sure the garlic doesn't burn or it will become bitter.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy!

Orange Buerre Blanc


2 large oranges (You'll need the zest of one and the juice from both)
1/2 of a small onion or 2 shallots, minced
1/4 cup white wine (preferably pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc)
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter
Pinch of kosher salt, to taste

Place a small saucepan over high heat and add orange zest, orange juice, onion/shallot, and white wine.  Let cook until the liquid has reduced by half.  Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk in butter one tablespoon at a time (do not add the next tablespoon until the previous one is fully melted).  Add salt to taste and serve.  You can strain the sauce if you'd like.  Enjoy!

Seared Sea Scallops
(Serves 2-4 people)

1 lb 10-20 count sea scallops (I buy the frozen ones from Trader Joe's)
1 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbl. canola or vegetable oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Pat dry the sea scallops (the drier they are, the better they sear).  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat a saute pan over high heat and add oils.  When oils starts to slightly smoke, place the scallops in the pan and DO NOT MOVE THEM!  If you move them, they will not develop a nice crust.  Also, don't crowd the pan with too many scallops.  Let cook undisturbed for 2 minutes.  Flip over and let cook for another 1-2 minutes.  My secret to perfectly cooked scallops is to touch them.  Undercooked scallops will feel slightly soft/gooey.  Perfectly cooked scallops will ever-so-slightly spring back when you touch them.  As soon as they feel like this, take them out of the pan.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Top Chef Inspiration

French Onion Grilled Cheese

Every Wednesday night my husband and I have a "Top Chef" date night.  After we put the fishies to bed, we relax on the couch with some cocktails and watch the newest episode of "Top Chef" on Bravo.  Last week's episode involved a challenge where the contestants had to take a classic dish and disguise it.  One chef was assigned French Onion Soup and my husband and I both thought she really failed at the task - she still made soup!  My creative juices started flowing and I came up with the following recipe for dinner the next night.  This dish has all the best parts of French Onion Soup, yet the convenience of a sandwich.  It is such a deliciously decadent treat!  Enjoy!

French Onion Grilled Cheese
(Makes 3-4 medium-sized sandwiches)

4 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 loaf of good, hearty bread (I used a crusty wheat artisan loaf)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1 Tbl for every sandwich)
3 large onions, sliced
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 stick unsalted butter
Beef Au Jus (I just made some from a packet - I was lazy)

Put a saute pan over medium heat and add the butter.  When the butter has melted, add the onions, salt, pepper, and thyme.  Let cook on medium until really well caramelized, at least 30 minutes.  When finished, set the onions aside.  Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat (you may need to turn the heat down if the sandwich is browning too fast).  Assemble the sandwiches with your desired amount of cheese and onion.  Put 1 sandwich in the pan and let the bottom  turn golden in color.  Flip the sandwich.  On the now golden top, sprinkle some cheese.  When the bottom is golden, flip the sandwich again.  Sprinkle cheese on the top.  Let the bottom cheese-crust lightly brown and then flip and do the same to the other side.  Repeat this process with all additional sandwiches.  Serve with au jus for dipping.  Enjoy!!

Request Time

My husband normally brings leftovers for lunch everyday.  His co-workers often ask for recipes after seeing (or smelling) his lunch.  This one was requested by the lovely Michelle.  She remembered some Acorn Squash Risotto I made a few months ago.  It's an awesome side dish and one of my husband's favorites.  I roast the squash in advance and then add it in with the risotto after the step where you toast the arborio rice.  Use the risotto recipe in the post below this and just omit the sundried tomatoes and spinach.  Enjoy!

Roasted Acorn Squash

1 acorn squash, sliced in half with the seeds scooped out

1 Tbl butter, melted

1/2 cup orange juice

1 Tbl brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 400.  Place the two halves of acorn squash on a baking sheet, cut side up.  You can cut the bottoms of the squash halves to sturdy them if they are really wobbly.  Combine the orange juice, melted butter, and brown sugar.  Spoon the orange juice mixture on top of each piece of squash.  Most of the mixture will collect in the center of each piece.  Sprinkle the squash with the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.  Roast at 400 until the squash is very tender (approximately 40 minutes).  When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and use right away for the risotto or refrigerate for later use.

Sundried Tomato and Spinach Risotto

I love making risotto!  A lot of people think it's a very difficult dish to make, so the only time they have it is if they're at a restaurant.  I like to think that over the years I've "perfected" my risotto and now I make it fairly often.  Hopefully I've been able to explain it so you too can make it at home without being intimidated.  You can surprise your spouse and/or dinner guests with a restaurant quality dish without spending $15 a plate!  In this recipe I used spinach and sundried tomato since I had them both on hand, but feel free to substitute other ingredients.  Enjoy!

Sundried Tomato and Spinach Risotto
(4 main course servings or 8 side-dish servings)

1 medium yellow onion, cut in a small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
1/2 bag of pre-washed baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 cup white wine (I usually use pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc)
48 oz. low-sodium chicken broth
extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbl unsalted butter
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese



In a saucepan, heat the chicken broth on medium heat.  Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and lightly cover the bottom of the pan with extra-virgin olive oil.  Saute the onion until it is translucent.  Add the sundried tomatoes and garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.  Make sure the garlic doesn't burn.  If the pan looks dry, add a little more olive oil.  Add the rice to the pan and saute for approximately 3 minutes or until it starts to turn golden in color.  Next add the wine and stir.  When the wine has all evaporated, add in 1 cup of chicken broth and stir.  Let the broth fully absorb into the rice before adding more.  Keep adding the chicken broth 1 cup at a time until the rice is al dente - tender but not mushy (you have to taste the rice as you go along).  When the rice is al dente, add another 1/2 cup of chicken broth and stir in the spinach leaves.  Next, stir in the butter.  Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the parmesan.  Enjoy!

25th Anniversary Salad

For my parents' 25th Anniversary, I wanted to do something really special and sentimental. I knew it would mean a lot more to them if their children (and son-in-law) cooked for them, rather than pay for dinner at a nice restaurant. My husband, my 4 brothers, and I all worked hard to create the perfect night for them. We set up a "restaurant" in our basement and wined and dined mom and dad with some of their favorites. The following salad was the first course. It is a little bit labor-intensive, but sooo worth it. Most of the work can be done in advance so you can just put it all together when it's time to eat. I hope you enjoy it as much as they did!

25th Anniversary Salad

(Serves 4)

1 bag of pre-washed mixed greens

4 slices of pancetta

1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes

1 lb 16-20 count shrimp (peeled and deviened, tails removed)

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (if you don't like a little kick, you can omit this)

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

4 parmesan baskets (1 cup of parmesan, recipe below)

Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place each slice of pancetta on a broiler pan. Crisp in the oven, flipping them over every 5 minutes until dark brown (be careful not to burn!). When cool, chop into matchstick-size pieces. Next, place a piece of parchment paper on a buttered baking sheet - the butter will keep the parchment stick from moving around when you're placing the parmesan on top. To make the parmesan baskets, sprinkle 1/4 cup of parmesan into the shape of a circle. Repeat 3 more times (to make 4 total bowls). Place in the oven and let melt. Remove from the oven when the parmesan starts to turn slightly golden - approximately 6 minutes. The next part is a little tricky. Place 4 drinking glasses upside down and very carefully invert each parmesan circle over them. Gently mold each basket around the bottom of the glasses and keep them there until they are cool. You have to do this while the parmesan is still warm so it can mold into a basket.

Everything up until this point can be done in advance. 5 minutes before you serve the salad, place a saute pan over medium high heat. Drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil in the pan and let it heat up. Season the shrimp with the salt, pepper, garlic, and cayenne. Saute the shrimp for approximately 2 minutes on each side until done. When you are ready to serve the salad, place the mixed greens in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the desired amount of vinaigrette on top and toss. Next, place each parmesan basket on a plate and fill with the dressed greens. Place the cherry tomatoes and crispy pancetta on top of the greens. Place equal amounts of shrimp on each salad and serve.

Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

1 head of garlic (with the top cut off)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbl dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

*It's best to make this several hours before using so that it can fully flavor*

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the head of garlic in a piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the garlic with foil and roast for at least 30 minutes. The garlic is ready when it's soft and starting to turn a slight caramel color. Let cool. Remove 5 cloves of garlic by squeezing them out of their skins (this should be very easy if properly roasted). Place those along with the balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard in a blender. Cover and blend. While blending, slowly pour the olive oil in the top of the blender so it emulsifies with the other ingredients. When finished blending, taste the dressing and add your desired amount of salt and pepper. Remember, though, that the flavor of the dressing will develop a lot more over the next few hours, so be careful not to over-season...you can always add more salt and pepper before serving. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Dinner Date at Sage

My husband and I had a rare treat last night...a date! My mom was nice enough to watch the fishies while we went out to dinner and then bowling with some friends. For dinner, we chose to go to a favorite restaurant of ours, Sage Urban American Grill. It is located in St. Louis, right next to the Anheuser Busch brewery.

Sage was hopping when we arrived, so the hostess directed us to a nice booth at the bar. We started off with a few cocktails and my husband was ecstatic when the bartender was heavy-handed with his whiskey on-the-rocks. I decided to go for a nice summer drink and ordered coconut rum with pineapple juice. Mom and dad's night out was off to a great start!

We decided to split an appetizer and my sweet hubby let me pick. I chose the Vietnamese spring rolls with shrimp. The thought of a cold refreshing spring roll filled with crunchy carrots, soft noodles, perfectly sauteed shrimp, and the herbaceous combination of basil, cilantro, and mint had me drooling with anticipation. I was definitely NOT disappointed when the 4 beautiful pieces arrived. They were accompanied by a delicious peanut sauce with a bit of a kick. I have to admit that even after the spring rolls were gone, I kept dipping my fork into the addicting sauce.

Next, came the entrees. Before I go to a restaurant, I almost always check their website to scope out the menu. Since I did this the day before we went, I already had an idea of what I would order (unless the specials swayed me in a different direction). My husband picked the seafood special for the night: blackened escolar served over fettucine with mussels, red pepper, and chipotle butter sauce. I excitedly ordered the applewood-smoked pork tenderloin, served with creamed corn, sauteed spinach, chipotle cheddar mashed potatoes, and crispy shoestring potatoes.

When our plates arrived, my husband and I both immediately leaned over our plates to smell the deliciousness. I couldn't wait to dig in! My pork had a great smoky flavor and was perfectly moist and tender. The creamed corn was so sweet and fresh - not heavy at all. The chipotle cheddar mashed potatoes were perfectly creamy and the shoestring potatoes added the perfect amount of texture to the dish. The spinach was perfectly cooked and provided a nice light taste to break-up the richness of everything. My husband's dish was fabulous as well. The fettucine was served with four mussels surrounding the plate and a rather large piece of escolar on top. The fish was one of the moistest pieces of fish I've ever tasted and the chipotle butter sauce was just the right complement to the seafood.

At this point, we had both finished our entire plates and were so stuffed that we had zero intentions of ordering dessert (even though we both have a sweet tooth). One of the best parts about Sage, though, is their mini-desserts. When our waitress approached the table with a tray of oversized shot glasses filled with all different kids of yumminess, we knew we couldn't resist. The size of the shot glasses was probably equivalent to the only room left in our stomachs and for $2, who could say no? I decided on the decadent chocolate truffle and my husband (aka the cookie monster) chose the cookies and cream. My dessert was rich chocolate cake layered with whipped cream and chocolate ganache...heaven! My husband's dessert was basically a cookies and cream mousse. He was so thrilled that it tasted exactly like an Oreo.

By the time we left, I was so happy that I had worn a dress; if I had on anything with a button, it would most definitely had been undone as soon as we got in the car. The food and service were excellent and we will most definitely be going back to Sage again and again. Thank goodness we went bowling afterward so I could burn off some of those calories!