Cheers!

   So here it is, as I promised... our sweet, girly, fruity drink that is perfect for ladies night. I just thought it would be nice to have a mixed drink rather than a wine... we always do wine, so it was high time to change it up a little bit. Just think about pineapple, rum and limes put together to create a dense and delicious Hawaii-inspired cocktail. Sounds good, doesn't it? As always, you can adjust the amount of ingredients... you can make it as strong, as sweet, and as limey as you like, but here is the general recipe:

Ingredients:

*  1 fresh pineapple, cored and cubed
*  3-4 cups Ginger Ale
*  3 limes
*  3 cups of rum
*  2 cups water
*  1 cup sugar
*  small bundle of mint
*  2 cups of ice

Directions:

1. To make simple syrup: in a skillet, combine 2 cups of water with 1 cup of sugar. Bring to boil, add mint bundle, turn off the heat and let it cool completely. When cold remove the mint and set aside.
2. In a blender, combine cubed pineapple with  simple syrup and blend until smooth.
3. Combine blended pineapple with rum, lime juice and Ginger Ale. Taste everything as you are adding ingredients so you make is exactly as you like it (you may want to adjust the amount of some ingredients).
4. Add ice and serve.

   Delicious! I think it would be really good also with other types of fruit ... I can't wait for watermelon season to begin! That sounds like a perfect fruit to make a drink with.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Another one bites a dust!

   Yep... we are losing another member of our "get-together-eat-drink-and-gossip" club. She got an awesome job and she is moving to a far far away land with a slick chance of ever coming back (unless she can't deal with the separation from us). I think we should start some kind of recruitment program to try to fill the opening... so if you are funny, a little bit sarcastic, love to eat, drink, and gossip... send us your application! Last weekend we had one of our final get-togethers and we started it with a super healthy and super delicious edamame dip as an appetizer! Well, we started it with a great drink... but for that you will have to come back next time. Here is the recipe for a dip:

Ingredients:

*  1 12oz bag frozen shelled edamame, thawed
*  1 cup plain yogurt
*  1 tbsp lemon juice
*  2 tbsp fresh chopped basil
*  1 tsp garlic powder
*  1 tbsp olive oil
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and well combined.
2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve with pita chips.

   Fresh, creamy and nutritious. I don't think you can find an appetizer that is better for you than this one. There are only healthy ingredients in it... yogurt, edamame, lemon juice and olive oil - pure health on a plate... and it tastes fantastic too! If you are curious about our girly fruity drink that goes great with the dip... come back in a few days!

Enjoy,
Magda.

No skimpy shirmp!

   What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Chinese food? Shrimp fried rice - that's my choice! So simple, but so delicious! I love to make my own at home because I can pack it with whatever ingredients I want and with as much ingredients as I want (no skimpy restaurant shrimp portions). I load mine with lots of veggies (especially snow peas - love, love, love), scallions, and pile it with a mountain of freshly cooked shrimp. I know your mouth is watering right about now... I know mine is! Here it is (serves 4):

Ingredients:

*  1 lb raw shrimp
*  2 cups brown rice
*  1 cup snow peas
*  1 cup froze carrot/peas mixture
*  1 red bell pepper, chopped
*  6 scallions, chopped
*  2 eggs
*  2 tbsp butter
*  2 tbsp olive oil
*  1 tsp garlic powder
*  salt

Sauce:
*  1/4 cup soy sauce
*  1 tbsp hoisin sauce
*  1 tbsp agave nectar
*  1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Cook brown rice in salted water for 30 minutes, drain and set aside.
2. In a deep skillet melt butter, add shrimp season with garlic powder and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes until pink and cooked. Remove the shrimp from a skillet and set aside.
3. Into the same skillet add olive oil and when it's hot add bell peppers, snow peas, carrots/peas, and scallions. Saute for 4-5 minutes on high heat. Add prepared sauce and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
4. Add eggs and cook for 2 minutes constantly mixing.
5. Add cooked rice and shrimp and mix everything to combine.

   Oh that juicy, juicy shrimp! Crispy veggies, juicy shrimp, super flavorful sauce... how can you not like it? You add what you like, as much as you like, and no need to pay for a second helping... perfect (homemade) takeout!

Enjoy,
Magda

Aromatherapy!

   Basil, lemon, and cardamon... how does that smell to you? If you don't know, let me tell you - it smells fantastic!!! Smells great and tastes even better. Check out my baked pasta with lemon/cardamon/basil sauce and delicious edamame for some protein. I don't know why I didn't create this dish earlier, it's definitely our new comfort food and I'm planning on making it very often... yes, it's that good! Recipe serves 2-6 and I mean it's big enough for six portions, but so good that two people could eat it at one sitting (looong sitting).

Ingredients:

*  1 lb large rigatoni pasta
*  1 cup shelled edamame
*  1 cup fresh chopped basil
*  2 lemons (zest and juice)
*  1 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
*  3 tbsp butter
*  3 tbsp flour
*  3 cups milk
*  1/2 tsp ground cardamon
*  salt

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente.
2. In a deep skillet melt butter, add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes constantly whisking.
3. Add milk, cardamon and a little bit of salt. cook (whisking) for 3-4 minutes until it thickens.
4. Add edamame and 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, mix to combine, and transfer into a deep bowl.
5. Add basil, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add pasta, mix to combine, and transfer into a baking dish.
6. Top with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and bake at 360F for 25 minutes.

   Oh, that fantastic smell... I think they should bottle it and sell it as an aromatherapy scent! The pasta on the top is crispy and browned and the deeper you dig the more it becomes creamy and cheesy.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Spring in the oven!

   When I think about a "Springy" dish I think about something green, light, and with lots of veggies! Eggs aren't bad either and since we buying our eggs from farmers nowadays...we tend to eat much more of them (not like I didn't have my fair share of them before!). Imagine asparagus, potatoes, feta cheese and eggs... doesn't is sound delicious? Check out this Spring-inspired quiche, serves 4-6:

Ingredients:

*  1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie dough
*  2 medium potatoes
*  2 cups chopped fresh asparagus
*  1 cup fresh chopped parsley
*  5 eggs
*  1 1/2 cups milk
*  2 tbsp flour
*  1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
*  2/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
*  1 tbsp turmeric powder
*  1 tsp olive oil
*  salt

Directions:

1. Peel and dice potatoes and boil them in salted water for 10-15 minutes until soften, but not completely cooked. Drain and set aside to cool down.
2. Cut asparagus into 1.5 inch pieces, put into boiling water for 3-4 minutes and transfer into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
3. Place pie crust in a large pie baking dish, brush with olive oil and prick it with a fork so it wont puff up. Pre-bake at 350F for 6-7 minutes.
4. In a bowl whisk eggs together with milk, flour, turmeric, and some salt (to your liking). Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese and most of the feta cheese, mix to combine.
5. Fill pie crust with cooked potatoes and asparagus, cover with egg mixture, and sprinkle with remaining feta and Parmesan. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Let it stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.

   I think feta cheese is one of my favorite things about this quiche. I mean asparagus is great too... but cheese always beats everything. You can enjoy it warm or cold, it's good both ways.

Bon appetit,
Magda

Baked and beautiful!

   Another dish which proves that you don't need meat and that you won't even notice it's not there. The secret is simple... you need to make the dish delicious, satisfying and loaded with proteins. I took two of the most common vegetarian ingredients: brown rice and black beans, and transformed them into this rich and flavorful Mexican-style rice casserole. Lots of beans, lots of cheese, and lots of cilantro... and I have to admit, it's pretty good! Recipe serves 8:

Ingredients:

*  4 cups brown rice
*  1 tsp ground cumin
*  1 tsp five spice
*  1 tsp salt
*  2 15oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
*  1 15oz can tomato sauce
*  2 cups frozen corn, thawed
*  1 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
*  2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
*  4 eggs
*  1 cup milk
*  2 McCormick packets of Original Taco Seasoning
*  1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1. In a large pot boil rice with salt, cumin and five spice. Cook for 30 minutes, drain and set aside to cool down.
2. In a large bowl whisk eggs with milk, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning. Add corn, drained beans, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, and cilantro.
3. Add cooled rice, mix everything to combine and transfer into a deep baking dish.
4. Top with remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese and panko bread crumbs. Bake at 375F for 30-40 minutes. Let is stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.

   Smells awesome! Cheese and bread crumbs on the top create a nice gooey crust (yes, crust can be gooey!), cilantro and taco seasoning give it this distinguish flavor that just makes you want to eat more and more. If you want to convince your carnivore partner to eat some vegetarian dishes... this is the way to go!

Enjoy,
Magda.

Grandma's Proziaki!

   I know it's way past St. Patrick's Day and everybody already forgot about Irish soda bread, but not me. I was going through some recipes and I saw one for this bread. I heard about it, but I never had one... at least that's what I thought until I read the recipe. I could not believe my eyes... Irish soda bread is nothing other than my grandma's "proziaki"! Seriously, how could I not know about that? Every time (and I mean every single time) we would go to visit my grandma, we would always request them. She would form disks of dough and bake them directly on her old-fashion firewood cooking stove...man it was the best thing in the world!!! And they call it Irish soda bread? No way... it's Grandma's Proziaki, period! So here is the recipe, that couldn't be any simpler ... I did stick to the "bread" shape and I added something extra to make it my own!

Ingredients:

*  4 cups all purpose flour
*  1 3/4 cups buttermilk
*  2 tsp baking soda
*  1 tsp salt
*  3/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
*  3/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
*  1 tsp olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine flower, baking soda, salt, and seeds. Mix to combine.
2. Slowly add buttermilk mixing until incorporated into a flour.
3. Place dough onto a floured surface and knead until it forms a ball.
4. Transfer dough onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper, shape it into a round loaf, brush the top with the olive oil, and cut a X on the top.
5. Cover it with aluminum foil and bake at 425F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for additional 15 minutes until golden brown.

   The outside is crispy while the inside is dense and moist. Oh yeah, put a little bit of butter or cream cheese on a hot slice of bread and it's like you are in my grandma's kitchen! Brings me right back to when I was a little kid. I really like it with the pumpkin and sunflower seeds, I think it's a great addition.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Still loving our veggies!

   Even though our vegetarian experiment ended few days ago, we decided to reduce our "meat intake" from now on anyways. We liked being vegetarians, we saved some money, we lost few pounds, it was a win-win situation. From now on we will use meat as a "treat" from time to time. If we feel like having a burger - we will definitely have one, if we want a piece of chicken - we will have one as well, no questions about it, but most of the time we will eat meat-free. So I predict that you will see many more vegetarian recipes here than meaty ones. Here is one of them - garbanzo curry in coconut milk:

Ingredients:

*  2 15oz cans garbanzo beans, washed and drained
*  1 large onion, chopped
*  1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
*  1 13oz can coconut milk
*  1 small (8oz) can tomato sauce
*  1 tbsp cumin seeds
*  1 tbsp mustard seeds
*  1 tbsp white dal
*  1 tbsp ground coriander
*  1 tbsp garam masala powder
*  1 tbsp curry powder
*  1 tbsp light brown sugar
*  2 tbsp olive oil
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a deep skillet heat the olive oil to high temperature and drop in cumin seeds, mustard seeds and white dal. Stand back and immediately cover the pot with the lid - it will splatter. Cook in oil for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add chopped onions, reduce the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften.
3. Add tomato sauce, coconut milk, cilantro, scrape the bottom of  pot and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add garbanzo beans, season with brown sugar and salt, and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes until sauce thickens.
5. Serve with cooked rice or quinoa.

   Creamy, tangy, a little bit spicy, and very satisfying! I just love coconut milk, not only is it smooth and silky, but also it's delicious and comforting. With a dish like that, you won't even notice that there is no meat at the table!

Enjoy,
Magda