Doctored Up French Fries

I had a bag of store bought french fries in the freezer and thought that instead of just baking them plain I'd doctor them up a little.  Not only will it give them more flavor, it will also make them fancy enough to serve dinner guests.  Perhaps the kids will even be adventurous and try something new.  Last night I made garlic and parsley flavored fries.  I'm thinking if you are a cheese lover, after they are baked you could even sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese on top. Here's the recipe I came up with!

Doctored Up French Fries
Serves 4-5 people

1 bag store bought french fries (whatever variety you prefer)
1 cup parsley, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
non-stick spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place parsley, garlic, salt, and olive oil in a mini food processor and process until finely chopped.  If you don't have a food processor, combine ingredients in a small bowl, but be sure to mince garlic and chop the parsley very finely.  Pour parsley mixture over the french fries in a large bowl and use your clean clean hands to distribute it evenly over the fries.  Place fries in a single layer on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  If you want to add parmesan cheese, do so now.  Serve with ketchup or a spicy mayo and enjoy!!

Artichoke Parmesan Spread

Not sure if you've noticed, but I've been on a baking kick lately.  This post is not a dessert, it's actually a very healthy and full of flavor recipe!  It can be a spread for a bruschetta or a sandwich, a dip for veggies or chips, or even mixed with pasta!  It even has some protein because of the parmesan, but if you are a vegan feel free to sub in some silken tofu or just leave it out completely!

Artichoke Parmesan Spread

(makes enough to spread on at least 2 french baguettes)

1 box/bag of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

2 cloves garlic (feel free to add more if you like)

1 cup parsley, roughly chopped

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tablespoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup freshly grated or shredded parmesan cheese (If you want to omit the cheese, replace with 1 cup silken tofu)

2 cups balsamic vinegar (for glaze on top)

Place all ingredients, except the vinegar, in a food processor.  Blend until mixture is combined and smooth.  Spread the mixture on slices of toasted baguette. (To do that, place slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 7 minutes.) 

To make the balsamic glaze, pour vinegar into a small non-stick pot over medium-high heat.  Let simmer until the vinegar gets thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  This process takes about 30-40 minutes. Drizzle glaze over the bruschetta and enjoy!!  The glaze should keep in an air-tight container for a few weeks in the fridge. Use leftover glaze for salads, chicken, shrimp, sandwiches, pasta, veggies, etc.  

Pasta with Artichokes

This is a great pasta dish to make along side some grilled chicken or fish.  It's easy to make, not much preparation, and definitely can be done in 30 minutes or less!  I actually made it twice in one week, and everyone who ate it loved it very much!  The first time I only put artichokes in it.  The second time I added portabella mushrooms, zucchini, and grape tomatoes.  Another good addition would be toasted pine nuts.  

Pasta with Artichokes

(serves 6-8 people)

1 box pasta, any kind, cooked

1/2 cup olive oil

4 tablespoons butter

1 bag frozen artichokes (Trader Joe's has a good one!)

7-8 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1 cup wine

juice of 2-3 lemons

zest of 1 lemon, optional

1 bunch parsley, chopped

Start by preparing the pasta and while it's cooking do the following: In a deep large pan melt the butter and the olive oil over medium heat.  Once melted add the frozen artichokes (halved tomatoes, chopped mushrooms, and zucchini too, if you are using).  Let veggies saute for a few minutes then add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper to the pan.  Saute for another 7 minutes and add white wine (whatever you have left in the fridge) and the juice of 2-3 lemons (and zest, if using).  Deglaze the pan and scrape the little bits off the bottom.  Add cooked pasta and chopped parsley, mix to combine and serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese! Enjoy!

NOTE: If you want more of a saucey sauce, add more wine, butter, and olive oil at the end.

This is the one with the extra veggies...the tomatoes end up breaking down adding to the sauce! It's really delish!

Mixed Veggie Quinoa Salad

Here's a recipe for a salad that I served to a bunch of people at work for lunch!  They all enjoyed it and I think you will too!  Of course, there's quinoa in it!  You know I loooovvvvvveeee QUINOA!!!  I just believe it's a great grain to add to any salad, and it's super easy to make!  So why not have it?!


Anyways, I fed 7 people with this recipe and served it for Lunch, but it could easily be the main dish if you added some grilled chicken, fish, or tuna to it!  To make it for more people add more of all the vegetables and add another cup of quinoa.  I realize I don't have a photo for you but count on me for this one!!  


Mixed Veggie Quinoa Salad
(serves about 7 people for lunch)
1 cup measure of uncooked quinoa, cooked
To cook quinoa: Combine  1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water in a pot, bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer for about 15 minutes. If there's still some water left in the pot don't worry, just drain the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. 
2 sweet potatoes cut into a medium dice, roasted
2 zucchinis cut into a medium dice, roasted
(To roast vegetables: Preheat oven to 400 degrees, toss veggies in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and then place on a baking sheet, roast for about 20 minutes)
4 large tomatoes, cut into medium chunks
4 persian cucumbers, cut lengthwise and sliced
3 ears of RAW corn, kernels shucked 
1 cup chopped parsley
1 large bunch fresh arugula, chopped (you can substitute any greens for this)
3-4 medium balls of fresh mozzarella cheese, medium diced


Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette
1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 cup water 
2 shallot chopped
salt and pepper, to taste


Combine all ingredients for the salad in a large bowl. To make the dressing combine all ingredients in a mini food processor or blender.  Drizzle over salad and toss well to combine! Dress the salad right before serving. Enjoy!

Picnic in the Park

Yesterday was such a gorgeous day, it was perfect for a nice little picnic in the park!  Of course I made us something delicious to eat!  I made us some roasted eggplant and white bean spread with some Stacy's Pita Chips for dipping!  And then I threw together a very yummy hearty sandwich with grilled chicken, arugula, tomato slices, mashed avocado, and spicy light mayo served on a whole wheat baguette!  Doesn't that sound amazing??  I think so (and so did my friends)!

What's your favorite picnic sandwich???

Tomato Pine Nut Salad

I love this salad!  My mom created this salad years ago and it's always been one that my family loves very much.  My siblings and I get super excited when we see that my mom prepared it for a Shabbat dinner. This salad is so easy to make yet so delicious!  It's one of my favorite salads and I make it a lot when I have company over.  Everyone loves it and they look forward to having it when they come over!  I actually get requests for it!  It only has 4 ingredients plus extra virgin olive oil. If you are one of those green herb haters you are not going to love the salad so stay clear but you can always make it without the greens!  I prepare a side bowl of salad minus the greens for one of my friends and she still loves it.

Tomoto Pine Nut Salad (serves 6)
2 containers of grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
2 bunches of flat leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 cup toasted pine nuts (NOT ONES FROM CHINA, see risk of eating pine nuts section)
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

To toast the pine nuts, place the nuts in a dry pan and turn heat to medium.  Toast pine nuts until golden brown, be sure to keep a close eye on them because they can burn quickly.  Once pine nuts are toasted place in a large salad bowl.  Add the halved tomatoes and chopped parsley to the bowl.  Drizzle olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper into the bowl. Mix to combine and serve immediately.

Beet and Endive Salad

Going clockwise starting with the roasted sweet potato coins, beet and endive salad, and mushroom quinoa. Here's a closer look at the beet and endive salad. Roasted Beet and Endive Salad

2 Endives sliced

2 Roasted beets

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

For the Dressing

1 tablespoons dijon mustard

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

the juice of 1 lemon

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and pour over salad before serving!

I'm in Love

I'm in love with quinoa! Anything you put in it just makes it more amazing and adds to its nuttiness! It's easy to make, I've perfected the method. They key is to make sure the ratio of quinoa to water is 1:2 cups. Combine in a pot, bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes. If there's still some water left in the pot don't worry, just drain the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. I also like to run cold water over the quinoa so the cooking doesn't continue.

The other night I had my friend over for dinner and I threw together a bunch of stuff to eat. One being sauteed mushrooms with garlic and white wine, and then last minute decided to combine it with the cooked quinoa. What a marvelous idea, it was so freaking good, both my friend and I can't wait to eat it again! Here's the recipe...

Sauteed Mushroom Quinoa (serves 2-3)

1 cup cooked quinoa, (red or white is fine, I used white this time)

1 package wild mushroom blend

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cloves of garlic chopped

a splash of white wine, whatever is open

salt and pepper to taste

1 handful of chopped parsley

Place olive oil, mushrooms, and garlic in a saute pan. Saute in medium hear for about 5 minutes. Pour a splash of white wine in the pan and stir the mushrooms around. Cook for another 10 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Let cool in the pan.

Place cooled cooked quinoa back into a pot and combine with the cooked mushrooms, and parsley. Heat up and serve as a side dish or vegetarian main dish. Enjoy!

Truffle & Herb Mac and Cheese

The last time I made macaroni and cheese was on Valentine's Day. I had tried something new. I normally always just follow Ina Garten's recipe for mac and cheese but that day I tweaked it just a bit by adding white truffle butter to the roux and to the bread crumbs that topped the mac.

It's been a few months and it's time for another dose of mac and cheese! This time I'm going to change it even further. I've been to restaurants where they prepare a herb mac and cheese and it's usually good. I'm going to kick it up another notch, sorry I had to say that, by adding in some herbs and garlic.

Remember a few days back I posted a recipe for potatoes?? Well, I am going to use the greeen garlicky herb oil with the addition of 1 tablespoon chopped basil and add it to the cheese sauce before I add the cooked macaroni. I think it's going to be super delicious!!! Just in case it's not as delicious as I think it sounds, I decided to make two separate mac and cheeses. I made one small ramekin of the herbed mac and cheese and then made a bigger one of the regular truffle mac and cheese that I always make, I know that one would be good. As for you weird people who don't like green foods, I know a couple of you folks, yes you....just omit adding the green garlicky herb oil and your mac and cheese should turn out green-free!

After eating the ramekin of the mac and cheese with the herbs it is safe to say that it's my new favorite. It's a more mature macaroni and cheese, for us adults. The mixture of truffles and garlic gives the dish a fantastic aroma and taste. Serve this meal along with an arugula and tomato salad and it is sure to be a hit!

Here's the recipe...

Truffle & Herb Mac and Cheese

(serves 8 people)

1 pound elbow macaroni

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, separated

2 tablespoons white truffle butter

½ cup flour

1 quart skim milk

Salt and pepper, to taste

8oz shredded sharp Cheddar

12oz shredded gruyere cheese

1 cup green garlicky herb oil (with basil added)

1 ½ cups bread crumbs

Cook the macaroni in boiling water for about 10 minutes until tender but still firm. Drain well and set aside.

In a deep skillet, melt 6 tablespoons butter (5 tbsp unsalted and 1 tbsp truffle butter) over medium heat. Add the flour to make a roux and cook, stirring, to remove any lumps.

Pour in the milk and cook until the mixture is thick and smooth. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Add in the green garlicky herb oil. Off the heat, stir in both cheeses and stir until melted. Add the cooked macaroni and stir until macaroni is well coated.

Melt the remaining butter (1 tbsp unsalted and 1 tbsp truffle butter) and combine with the breadcrumbs, sprinkle on top of macaroni.

Transfer the mixture to a 3-quart baking dish. Preheat the over to 350 degrees. Bake for about 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Green Garlicky Potatoes

Here's a picture of the potatoes before they got cooked.

Green Garlicky Potatoes

2 cups italian parsley

10 garlic cloves

1/2 cup rosemary

1 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 pounds of potatoes (whatever kind you like to use, I used baby yellow dutch potatoes)

Place first five ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until ingredients are chopped and blended well. Pour green garlicky goodness over cut potatoes and mix with your hands to coat potatoes. (you can cut them like I did above, or into fries, or coins, etc.) Make sure they are evenly sized so that the cooking time is the same. Spray baking dish with Pam or olive oil and place potatoes onto pan. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Be sure to turn, flip, and shake the potatoes every 10 minutes. you know they are done when they are fork tender and golden brown along the edges.