Breakfast in Bed

Lazy days...so rare...so precious.  Days when a doorbell ring evokes the eternal question, "how do I make my bed without actually getting out of it?"

I am an ardent admirer of the immaculate domesticity that Martha Stewart represents.  Model, Mom, Entrepreneur; Martha is an incredibly industrious and accomplished woman.  I have never aspired to be Martha,  but when I make a Martha recipe my expectations are always high and they are never disappointed.

Breakfast is my favorite meal (wait,  unless dessert is considered a meal?) and breakfast is best consumed in bed.  Eggs scrambled with cheese and Martha Stewart's Pumpkin Pancakes were the perfect fare for my lazy day.

Click here for Martha's Pumpkin Pancake recipe.

In Praise of Pale Food

Whether it's a spectacular curry or a vivid array of produce, I have always believed that good food comes drenched in color.  For many children however there's nothing so comforting as white food.  You know what i mean:  Bread, sauce free pasta, french fries.  They like their food bland and beige.

My sister went through the white food stage and while I've always had a more adventurous palate I was charmed nevertheless by Melissa Clark's recent NY Times essay "In Praise of Pale Food." I can't wait to try Clark's Chicken Pot Pie!

I've included a recipe for a mostly white dish of my own, albeit one decked in decadent red sauce.


Stuffed Shells with Sausage & Spinach

1 egg
18 pasta shells
16 oz ricotta cheese
1 cup fresh spinach
1 tbsp Parmesan
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried fennel
1/2 tsp Spanish paprika
a pinch of sugar
a dash of salt
black pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups marinara sauce
1 1b ground Italian sausage
1 cup shredded mozzarella and Romano cheeses

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Simmer garlic in olive oil over medium heat.  Add sausage and cook until browned.  Season with fennel, paprika, salt, pepper and sugar.  Remove stems for spinach and chop until fine.  Blend ricotta and egg until smooth.  Add Parmesan, basil, oregano and garlic powder.  Add sausage and spinach.

Bring of water to a boil.  Add pasta and return to a rolling boil.  Cook until tender (approximately 12 minutes).

Drain shells.  Drizzle glass pan with olive oil.  Transfer shells to glass pan.  Stuff shells with Ricotta mixture.  Drizzle liberally with marinara.  Sprinkle with Italian cheese blend.

Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly.

Ode to A Blueberry Muffin

Me and blueberry muffin...we've got a thing going on.  I think I recently received the best culinary compliment of my life.  "I don't know what you did to my wife.  She's having some kind of experience over there."  Let me tell you, every moment spent with these muffins is an "experience."


Blueberry Crumb Muffins 

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 stick of butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries


Crumb Topping

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp cinnamon and all-spice mixture
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin.

Combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add butter and knead the mixture into a crumby texture.

Combine flour, sugar and baking powder.

Whisk melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla together until well combined.

Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry, and folding quickly to blend. Add blueberries.

Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, sprinkling crumb topping atop each muffin.

Bake muffins until golden brown, approximately 20 minutes.

What's in a name?

Does this look like a professed food lover's fridge?  I've been debating what to call this post, which highlights the barren wasteland beyond my white refrigerator door.  By the way that log of goat cheese, yep the sole inhabitant of the top drawer, it's expired.  I recently went shopping and remedied the situation but this travesty went on for over a week.

I won't call this poverty.  That would be an insult to the poor.  Mayor Cory Booker's recent food stamp challenge highlighted the nutritional challenges of dining below the poverty line.  I have no such struggle. If I was being literal I'd call it "end of season sales"...a friend also suggested "minimalism."

xo ( off to eat some raspberries...that's right I am now the proud owner of produce!)
dani

Coconut Curry Chicken

White wine and scallions add a splash of refinement to this earthy eastern classic.  Enjoy xx

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic minced
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup white cooking wine
4 tbsps curry powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp tumeric
3 scallions, diced
3 chicken breasts, cubed
3 cups cauliflower
3/4 cup green peas

Saute garlic in olive oil.  Blanch cauliflower in boiling water.  Add chicken and sauté until tender.  Add white wine, scallions, coconut milk, vegetables and spices and simmer about 15 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.  Serve hot with garlic naan.

Impromptu Dinner Party

Mushrooms simmered in wine...a hint of cream...subtly flavored with oregano, marjoram and lemon peel.  Need I say more?

Dani's Marsala

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup all purpose flour 
• 2 cups baby bella mushrooms
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¾ cup Marsala cooking wine
• ¾ cup low sodium chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 3 tsp oregano, sweet basil, lemon peel and marjoram spice blend
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt 2 tbsps of butter and whisk in 1tsp spice blend.  Dredge Chicken in butter.

Combine flour with 1 tsp spices.  Dredge chicken in flour mixture. Reserve remaining flour for sauce.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken when the oil is hot. Fry chicken for 6 minutes on each side golden brown.  Transfer chicken to a glass baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Melt remaining butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until browned.  Add wine and chicken stock.  Bring to a simmer.

Whisk in flour, cream and 1 tsp spice blend.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour mushrooms and sauce over chicken and serve.

The Ultimate Comfort Food

Macaroni and Cheese is my favorite dish for a blustery winter night.  For those who think adding whole wheat pasta is downgrading a classic, let me assure you the result is as yummy as the original and even heartier.

Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese


1 1/2 cups milk
One 12 oz can evaporated milk
1/4 stick unsalted butter, melted, cooled to room temp
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
12 oz shredded cheese (mozzarella and romano blend)
1 box whole wheat penne
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp smoked paprika

Pre-cook pasta about 5 minutes.

Spray the inside of your crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Combine milk, evaporated milk, eggs, butter, and salt in crockpot and whisk until until smooth.

Add the shredded cheese blend and macaroni. Gently combine mixture coating pasta evenly.

Sprinkle the bread crumbs, smoked paprika and Parmesan on top. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to LOW and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until custard sets and pasta is tender.