Tag Archives: food

Pico de Gallo Bruschetta

July has been one hot month for us in the Northeast and now that the humidity has broken (at least temporarily), maybe I’ll actually start using my stove or oven again.  On really hot days, when you can’t get your thermostat to get any cooler than 80 degrees, sometimes you want to do as little moving around as possible.  On days like that, I have to find something light to eat and this Pico de Gallo Bruschetta seemed like a good bet.

Crusty baguette slices are toasted and lightly covered with cheese before being topped with fresh tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, basil and lime juice.  The result is a light and summery bite that seems perfect for a warm night.  Although you have to turn the oven on briefly to toast the bread, it’ll be worth it in the end but honestly, you could just scoop this cool tomato mixture right on untoasted bread.  Do whatever you feel like, just stay cool doing it!

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The ingredients:

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Preheat oven to 425°F. Brush baguette slices with olive oil, and place on a baking sheet. Bake 7 minutes or until light golden brown.

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Remove from oven; sprinkle evenly with cheese, and bake 1 minute or until cheese is melted.

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Combine tomatoes and remaining ingredients in a bowl; spoon mixture onto bread slices.

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Serve immediately.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions: 

  • Basil instead of cilantro

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source: Coastal Living Magazine

California-Style Bibimbap

I went to a Korean restaurant with my friends Jade and Scott a while back and, not knowing much about Korean food, couldn’t bring myself to eat anything other than chicken teriyaki.  I kept eyeballing Jade’s bibimbap because if it weren’t for the meat, this seemed like a dish I would totally be all over: rice, veggies, chili paste, egg, yum!  So when I came across this vegetarian version, California-Style Bibimbap, I stared in disbelief – could it be true?  I was all over it.

Bibimbap is a signature Korean dish usually made with beef but this version takes the beef out and instead uses spinach (or kale), peppers, and avocado.  The spinach and pepper are sautéed until the spinach is wilted and the pepper is slightly soft and spooned over fluffy jasmine rice (hello…a new fave, even if it is a dreaded white rice).  Fresh avocado is added and an egg (either fried or over-easy) tops the dish.  The whole bowl is then dressed with a sesame oil-soy sauce mixture and dotted (or splattered if you so incline) with hot and spicy sriracha.  I cannot even begin to tell you how obsessed with this dish I am.  I plan on making tons of (non-traditional) variations of this using broccoli, carrots, celery, bok choy, mushrooms, asparagus or chicken in the future.  I made this on Sunday, texted Jade a picture right away, and continued to eat it all day long.  It’s no wonder that I couldn’t get Hanson’s “MMMBop” out of my head all day.

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The ingredients (I forgot the avocado):

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Put rice and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook rice until water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

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Meanwhile, heat grapeseed oil in a large nonstick frying pan. Cook kale, bell pepper, and garlic with salt over medium heat until kale is wilted, 3 to 5 minutes.

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Divide rice among 4 bowls and top with vegetable mixture and avocado.  Fry eggs in the same pan until done the way you like. Slide each egg into a bowl.

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Mix sesame oil and soy sauce and drizzle over bowls.

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Drizzle with Sriracha or sprinkle with togarashi.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Sunset Magazine

Cheesy Pigs in Blankets

I’ve been oddly hungry for hot dogs lately which, if you’ve been following me for a hot minute, means turkey dogs in my world.  It’s rare that I buy turkey dogs but there was just something that came over me which made me, no required me, to purchase those weird meat stick things.  I came home from the grocery store and pulled out the hot dogs and whole-wheat buns with the plan to have one right away.  But those precious, soft, and seemingly fresh buns turned out to have a pocket of mold right in the middle of the pack.  So into the trash they went.  I ended up having a hot dog on its own with nothing but yellow mustard which was okay but I didn’t want to eat a whole pack of dogs that way.  I remembered this recipe for Cheesy Pigs in Blankets and went back to the store the next day specifically for pizza dough to make these little piggies.

Turkey dogs are halved and rolled up with mozzarella cheese into triangles of pizza dough and baked until plump and golden brown.  A mixture of ketchup, barbecue sauce and yellow mustard makes for a perfect dipping sauce for these little bites which can be made for either a light dinner or impressive appetizers.  I loved pigs in a blanket as a kid and I’m now reminded of how much I love them as an adult.  I may never eat a hot dog with a bun again.

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The ingredients:

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Let dough stand, covered, for 20 minutes.  On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12 x 4–inch rectangle.  Cut rectangle into 4 (4 x 3–inch) rectangles; cut each rectangle in half diagonally to form 8 triangles.

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Divide cheese evenly among triangles; place in the center of wide ends.

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Place 1/2 hot dog at the wide end of each triangle; roll up, pinching ends to seal.  Arrange rolls on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

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Bake at in a preheated 425°F oven for 12 minutes.  Combine ketchup and remaining ingredients.  Serve with rolls.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Finely shredded mozzarella cheese

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light magazine

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