Avocado Toast

I feel like I'm moving a million miles an hour these days. Perhaps that's hyperbole, but I am movin', so I'll cut right to the point- A GIRL'S GOTTA EAT and creative cooking and leisurely eating is certainly not in the cards until this here catering season comes to a screeching halt. Until I've got the time, I'll just have to eat fast food. Enter the avocado.













Now this is what I call fast food! It's healthy, tasty, totally satisfying and, well, fast. What you see pictured below is unadorned avocado toast. Go ahead dress her up though... add olive oil and some cayenne pepper for color. Top with a handful of spicy arugula, a spritz of lemon juice and freshly cracked black pepper. Or throw on some diced pickled jalapeno. Yummmy vinegary jalapenos;) Whatever you do, get on the avocado bandwagon. Pick up a couple once a week, give them a day or two to ripen and you'll have a happy breakfast, lunch or dinner at the ready.














Avocado Toast
serves 2

1 ripe avocado
2-4 slices of bread, depending on the size/shape and how hungry you are
salt

• Cut the avocado in half by rotating a sturdy knife around the pit. Rotate the halves to split and remove the pit. Slice avocado (see below).
• Toast bread to desired darkness. Spoon avocado onto toast and spread evenly. Sprinkle with salt.
• Enjoy!

Roasted Carrot Soup

This warm weather is for the birds. It is December after all. It's soup season. Soup season! So, I'm gonna soup and stew and roast and braise and thumb my nose at this weather by mashing my pretty purple carrots into a soothing soup. You heard me. I need to be soothed during this hustlin' and bustlin' time of year.

Roasting the carrots and onions until they are caramelized and slightly blackened brings out their sweet earthiness. The lemon juice brightens and balances. I feel better already.














Roasted Carrot Soup

8 medium carrots (about 1 1/2 lb), cut into 1 inch pieces
2 red onions, quartered
8 garlic cloves
olive oil
salt and pepper
3 1/2 cups water or vegetable stock
juice of 1/2 a lemon

• Preheat the oven to 400.
• Place carrots on one baking sheet (lined with parchment for easier clean up, if you like) and the onions and garlic on another. Toss vegetables with olive oil, season liberally with salt and pepper and roast until they are soft and slightly blackened, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot, boil the water or stock. Add the cooked vegetables and puree with a hand blender until smooth, adding more hot liquid for a thinner soup. Alternatively, puree in batches in a blender or food processor.
• Stir in the lemon juice, add salt to taste and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
• Enjoy!

Bourbon Spiked Cider

Aahh, it's SUNDAY NIGHT. After a holiday weekend, no less! Ease into the work week with a warm bourbon spiked cider. Sip and relax...it's not Monday yet.


















Bourbon Spiked Cider
serves 2

1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
4-5 whole cloves
orange peel
3-4 oz bourbon

• In a small saucepan, combine the cider, cinnamon, cloves and orange peel. Bring to a slow bowl, turn heat down to low, and allow to simmer for anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours (you are simply infusing the cider with the spices, so the longer they steep the more their flavors will shine through).
• Divide the bourbon between two glasses and pour over hot cider. Garnish glass with a cinnamon stick, if you like.
• Enjoy!

Spiced Pepitas

Hello my dear friends. I hope you've been eating well! Add these sassy seeds to soups or salads for great flavor and texture. Mixed greens in an orange vinaigrette with buttery roasted squash, tart pomegranate seeds and sugar & spice pepitas. I'll take it!

Or, serve 'em as a bar snack at a holiday cocktail party. They. are. addictive.














Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
makes 2 cups

1 T chili powder
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt, plus more to taste
1/2 t. cayenne
1/4 t. cumin
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg white
2 cups pepitas (hulled and roasted pumpkin seeds)

• Preheat oven to 350 and grease a nonstick baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, mix together the first six ingredients.
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg white until frothy. Add the sugar and spice mixture and combine thoroughly; then stir in the pepitas.
• Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden and dry, about 17-18 minutes.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle lightly with salt, stir and separate seeds slightly. Cool until room temperature.
• Enjoy!

Apple Muffins

These muffins are a great fall treat. Eat 'em for breakfast on-the-go, as an after school snack, or serve them drizzled with warm caramel sauce for dessert.














Apple Muffins
makes 12

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 T cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup vanilla yogurt, stirred well (buttermilk is great too)
2 large apples, coarsely chopped

• Preheat oven to 450 and either grease or line a 12 cup muffin tin.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
• In a mixing bowl, cream the butter until it has lightened in color and become slightly fluffy. Add the sugar, mix until combined, then add the egg. Slowly add the yogurt; mix well.
• Stir the dry ingredients into the wet and, while there are thick streaks of flour, add the apple. Mixture will be very thick.
• Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter into the muffin cups.
• Bake for 10 minutes, turn the temperature down to 400 and bake for 18-20 minutes.
• Cool in tin for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Enjoy!

Roasted Eggplant Dip

I implore you to double, triple or quadruple this recipe. Seriously, so that no one gets hurt in the rush to scoop up every last bit of dip. It's THAT tasty! The roasted eggplant is silky smooth after a whiz in the food processor. And with loads of parsley and a touch of lemon, it's herbaceous and bright. The perfect antidote for a blustery fall day.














Roasted Eggplant Dip
serves 2

3 small eggplants
2 garlic cloves
juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Pierce each eggplant with a fork several times. Roast until tender, 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and remove the pulp from the skin.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the eggplant, garlic, lemon juice and parsley. Pulse until combined.
• With the processor running, slowly add the oil. Combine until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with toast, pita, bread sticks, vegetables...
• Enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers

This is a great way to finish off extra ground beef. When you're cooking for two, a pound o' meat goes a long way. Use half to make a couple of burgers and the rest to make these yummy stuffed peppers. Oh, and the rice from last nights Chinese takeout is an ideal filler. Waste not and eat well!














Stuffed Peppers

4 small bell peppers
1 T oil
3 jalapenos, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup rice, cooked and cooled
3 T parsley
1/2 T Hungarian paprika
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/8 t. allspice
1 1/4 cup tomato sauce, divided
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 egg

• Cut the tops off the peppers, scoop out the seeds and stems, and dice the tops.
• In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil and cook the chopped pepper, onion and garlic, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add the rice, parsley, paprika, salt, pepper and allspice. Stir well and allow to cool, about 10 minutes.
• When rice mixture has cooled, add 1/4 cup tomato sauce, then the beef and egg. Stir to combine.
• Fill the peppers with stuffing and set upright in a small sauce pan. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower flame to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Spoon a liberal amount of sauce over the peppers and continue to simmer until the peppers are tender, 15-20 minutes.
• Peppers can be prepared 1 day in advance. Chill cooked peppers in sauce and reheat slowly when ready to eat.
• Enjoy!