foodie wednesday: haddock en papillote

first and foremost, i want to wish a happy anniversary to my parents!  today is their 37th wedding anniversary and the 6th anniversary of the very first day that craig and i met.  coincidence, i think not ; )

ok, now time for some good food!  one of my favorite ways to cook fish is "en papillote", meaning in a pouch.  i put olive oil, a fish filet and some yummy seasonings in a foil packet, bake it and voila! - moist, delicious, perfectly cooked fish.

for my rendition of haddock en papillote, you'll need:

1 lb filet of haddock
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup hearty marinara
1 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
pan
foil

preheat oven to 375.

1. place foil in pan and drizzle with 1/2 the olive oil.  (make sure you have enough foil to wrap up and around the fish and toppings to seal in all the yumminess.)

2. place haddock on foil and season with salt & pepper and sprinkle with olives.

3. in a bowl, mix together the marinara and white wine.  pour over fish.

4. bring edges of foil together and fold over a few times to create a seamless packet.

5. bake for 25 min.  remove from oven and open the foil - allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

we enjoyed our hearty haddock with a fresh garden salad and wild rice.  the rice was great for soaking up all the delicious juices.

bon appetit!

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foodie wednesday: chicken for a crowd

a few weeks back, craig and i entertained 12 for dinner.  the menu?  chicken with mustard cream sauce, spanakopita and a garden-fresh salad.  it's not always simple to cook for a large group, but with proper planning...and the right recipes...it can be stress-free.

enter "chicken for a crowd".  growing up, i always loved when my mom would make chicken with mustard cream sauce.  there was just something about the simple goodness of chicken paired with the decadent creaminess of the sauce - yum!  so, when it came to cooking for a dozen, i defaulted back to my childhood favorite.

what you'll need...

1 quart heavy cream (not a low-cal recipe, by the way...)
1 13oz jar of grainy dijon
4 lbs chicken tenders
salt & pepper

preheat oven to 375

1. whisk together cream and mustard in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat.  bring to a gentle simmer.

2. arrange chicken tenders in 2 large oven safe dishes and season with salt & pepper.

3. pour 2/3 of sauce evenly over chicken and roll the chicken in the sauce to fully coat it.

4. reserve final 1/3 of sauce to put out when serving.

5. bake for 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and sauce is bubbly.  allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.  (and remember to put out the extra sauce!)

this recipe is extremely simple and totally delicious - can't beat that!  also, you can prep this dish up to a day in advance and just cover it with foil and keep it in the fridge.  if you've had it in the fridge, i recommend bringing it out of the fridge 30 min prior to cooking to take the chill off before putting it into the oven.

mmm...mmm gooood!

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foodie wednesday: farmhouse meals

food tastes better on a farm.  a few weeks ago craig and i had the pleasure of house sitting at a bucks county farmhouse – taking care of horses, donkeys, dogs and chickens.  but, despite the extra chores, that week was one of simple pleasures, good conversation and quiet moments.

one simple pleasure being food.  uncomplicated, delicious dishes that allow the true essence of the thoughtfully chosen components shine through.  farm food is simple food, fresh food, hearty food. with that in mind, I wanted to share a few recipes that will hopefully offer farm-like appeal, whether you can see grass from your window or not.

overnight oats

this is my breakfast almost everything morning. there’s something so comforting about hearty oatmeal that never fails to speak to my sense of “home” and my longing for something comforting.

½ ripe banana

½ cup oats

½ cup soy milk (any milk will do)

1 tbsp peanut butter

cinnamon & nutmeg to taste

1. in a cereal bowl, mash banana with the back of a fork.
2. dust banana with cinnamon & nutmeg and add oats.   mix and mash some more.
3. add in soy milk and stir.
4. cover and leave in fridge overnight (hence the name “overnight oats”).
5. in the morning heat oats in the microwave (i usually opt for 2 minutes on power level 50), and then add in the peanut butter and sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon.  the warm oats will start to melt the peanut butter.  yum!

rustic quiche

quiche is often a go-to in my house, and when you’re privy to fresh-laid eggs, it’s a must!  to some it may seem intimidating (since it’s “french”), but this one-dish meal is really a great last-minute, no-frills dinner.   

1 (pre-made) pie crust

6 eggs

½ cup half & half

1 red pepper, chopped

1 cup baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 tsp garlic, chopped

¼ cup shaved parmesan

¼ cup feta

salt & pepper

1 tsp curry

1 tsp fresh chopped rosemary

1 tsp fresh chopped thyme

1 tsp olive oil

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. in a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and red pepper, mushrooms and shallots. mix in garlic and season with salt & pepper. cook until mushrooms and peppers are tender and shallots are translucent.
3. in a bowl, scramble eggs with half & half, curry, herbs and salt & pepper.
4. press pie crust into 9 inch pie plate.
5. pour cooled veggies into crust and pour egg mixture over top. sprinkle with feta and parmesan.
6. bake for 30 minutes until eggs are solid and top and crust is lightly browned. allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing.

farmhouse cocktail

this “cocktail” is a sure-fire winner!

1 bottle red wine

1 corkscrew

2 glasses

1 person to “cheers” with

1. put bottle in fridge for 20 minutes prior to opening to settle the temperature.
2. uncork.
3. pour into 2 glasses.
4. sip.
5. smile.

i hope these recipes offer you the sense of hearth and home that i was totally soaking up during that week on the farm.  perhaps it’s the few chilly days that we’ve been graced with lately or the fact that fall is approaching, but as i write this, i’m ready to hunker-down and pour myself a farmhouse cocktail right about now.

{this piece was originally written for new jersey life health & beauty}

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foodie wednesday: clams & crab cakes

last week, craig & i had my parents and my sis, hannah, over for a seafood feast.  we enjoyed steamed clams as our appetizer and then had crab cakes and a garden-fresh salad for dinner.  of course, dinner was accompanied with glasses of white wine and lots of good conversation & laughs : )

clams with white wine & garlic

1 lb little neck clams, rinsed & cleaned
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
3 tbsp butter
salt
juice from 1/2 a lemon
other 1/2 cut into wedges

1. melt 1 tbsp butter in a medium pot over medium heat.  add the garlic & shallots, season with salt and cook for 2-3 minutes until mixture is fragrant.

2. add wine & lemon juice and increase heat to medium-high until liquid comes to a simmering boil.

3. add clams and cook, covered, for 5-7 minutes, until clams have opened.  (discard any clams that are still closed!)  while clams cook, melt the final 2 tbsp of butter and pour into a small bowl.

4. using a slotted spoon, transfer clams to a large serving bowl and pour the broth into a small bowl for dipping.

5. serve clams with shallot-garlic-broth and butter for dipping and lemon wedges.

i loved scraping the bottom of the broth bowl to get some shallots/garlic for my clam.  with a squeeze of fresh lemon, i was good to go!

low-carb crab cakes

crab cakes often rely on breading to give them bulk.  this recipe relies on awesome, lump crab to make these cakes extra delicious : )

1 lb lump crab
2 large eggs
2 (heaping) tbsp grainy mustard
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
salt & pepper

preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. in a large bowl combine the crab, eggs, mustard and parm.  season with salt & pepper.

2. once evenly combined, form crab mixture into patties.  i opted for 8 large cakes.

3. put bread crumbs in a shallow bowl and lightly coat each patty.

4. spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and arrange cakes.

5. bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping once half way through baking.  crab cakes should be golden brown and scrumptious looking!

enjoy with horseradish mayo, light ranch dressing or even guacamole...and a lemon wedge, of course!

our seafood feast was seemingly decadent, but actually rather wholesome.  with the proper combination of decadent ingredients, you can enjoy both a healthy & deliciously fulfilling meal.

bon appetit!.