Cranberry Orange Biscuit Pudding

• 4 leftover biscuits (I used Pillsbury Grands)
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar in the raw
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/3 c cranberry sauce
• 1/4 c cran-raisins
• 1 tsp orange zest

Preparation:

Cut leftover biscuits into cubes. Place bread in a baking dish. In a bowl combine all other ingredients. Pour over bread pieces and soak until soft. Bake at 350° for 35 to 45 minutes, or until custard is firm. This can be served for breakfast or as a dessert!

Adrienne's Chicken Empanadas

I made a whole roaster chicken for Xmas dinner and had tons of leftovers. I decided to make empanadas but I went a little non-traditional with the filling: no olives or hard boiled egg.

The filling:

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken shredded (mine was leftovers and had a hint of rosemary!)
1/4 cup extra sharp cheddar finely grated

1/4 cup super finely chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 c diced red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tsp I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light

In a pan combine onion, garlic, and fake butter. Stir occasionally and after onions are cooked add all remaining ingredients except for the cheese. Turn off heat and stir in cheese last. Set aside to cool in fridge.

Empanada dough:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup partially frozen butter (cut into small cubes, place the butter cubes in the freezer until ALMOST completely frozen)
1 large egg
1/3 cup ice water
1 tablespoon vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl sift together flour and salt.
2. Blend in the cold butter cubes using you fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal (the mixture should be pea-size).
3. In a small bowl whisk together egg, ice water and vinegar.
4. Add to the flour mixture, stirring with a fork just until incorporated (the mixture will look somewhat lumpy).
5. Transfer the mixture onto a LIGHTLY floured surface.
6. Gather the dough together with your hands and gently knead with the heel of your hand once or twice (just enough to bring the dough together, do not overwork the dough or it will be tough!).
7. Form the dough in a semi-flat ball or rectangle.
8. Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
9. Roll out the dough, then cut into desired size circles.
10. Fill with favorite fillings then close the dough over the filling as you would a pierogi.
11. Brush the ends with egg wash then seal together with a fork.
12. Pan fry in vegetable oil on each side till golden brown. I made mine early in the day so I plan to reheat in the oven later.

At first they were really big and awkward.

But then I got the hang of it! YAY! Trick: A wine bottle can be a great rolling pin substitute!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Tired of the traditional pepperoni pizza? This is sure to be a pleaser and it's much healthier!

What you'll need:

BBQ Sauce

Chicken

Whole wheat pita

Part-skim mozzarella

white onion

sugar

EVOO

How to make it:

Place a pita on a baking sheet and spread about 1 tbsp of bbq sauce on it. Take your white onion and dice it. Add to pan with the EVOO and saute for a minute. Add 1 tsp sugar. Let them bad boys caramelize. Spoon onto your pizza. Chop chicken into bite size pieces. Cook in same pan as the onions. Spoon on top pizza. Add cheese. Back at 350 under cheese is melted. Serve.

Jellied Cranberry Sauce with Fuji Apple

It's almost Turkey day! Here's one side dish I'm doing! I got this one from Food and Wine magazine folks. Here's how to make it:

1. One 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
2. 1 large Fuji apple, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3. 1 cup sugar
4. 3/4 cup water

1. Line an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap and spray the plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries with the apple, sugar and water. Bring to a boil and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently until the cranberries are completely broken down and the sauce is very thick, about 15 minutes. Scrape the cranberry sauce into the prepared pan and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. Invert the jelly onto a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap. Garnish with fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs. Slice with a serrated knife before serving.

Make Ahead! The cranberry sauce can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Serve chilled.

Pylos

So my mom was in town for her b.day and I took her to lunch at Pylos in my hood to celebrate the occasion for a light lunch. If you like rustic greek food, then this is where you need to be! When we got there (around 2ish) there was one other couple in the whole place so we felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. We got the Spanakopita appetizer to start (crispy savory greek phyllo pastry filled with fresh spinach, feta and aromatic herbs). It was so good - I forgot to take a photo. My mom had a dish called Htenia Me Fasolia Kai Roka - which was grilled sea scallops tossed with white beans and arugula and served with a dressing of extra virgin greek olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

I had the Horiatiki: the classic greek village salad, with fresh tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, capers, kalamata olives, feta and a simple dressing of extra virgin greek olive oil and red wine vinegar. I absolutely LOVE greek salads and this one did not disappoint - everything was super fresh.

Skrimp Pasta

Ingredients:

2 c Pasta (linguine used here)

String beans (fresh) - about 2 good fistfuls (not sure how much that is)

1/4 c Cherry tomatoes

2 c cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp

1/4 c EVOO (a lot - I know)

1 tbsp crushed garlic

1/4 c white wine

1 tsp parsley

salt, pepper to taste

Directions:

I boiled my string beans for 5 minutes then set aside. Then I started cooking the pasta. When pasta had a few minutes left I sauteed the garlic in EVOO in a frying pan and then added the beans. After 2 minutes of stirring the beans I added the shrimp. Stir it up - try to get that EVOO over everything. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook 2 more minutes. Kill heat. Drain pasta - do NOT rinse pasta under water! Drop it into frying pan. Mix it all. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve. Mmmm....so fresh and yummy.

Asparagus wrapped Prosciutto Bundles

YAY for yummy side dishes again! I made this for lunch one day and for a side dish for dinner. I fed it to my hubby and even though he says he hates asparagus, he ate all of it! Success!

Ingredients:

Asparagus (try to get the tiny guys)

Crushed garlic

Prosciutto

Salt, Pepper

Directions:

Rinse your asparagus and nestle a few into a bundle. Start at one end of the prosciutto and start rolling. Once your beautiful bouquet is bound together, brush with chopped garlic. Roast at 450 for 15 minutes. It's a salty, hammy, asparagus-y delight! And NO OIL needed! Amaze.

Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric

I love roasting veggies! Usually I go simple - EVOO and salt and pepper with a squeeze of lemon, but this recipe is fun and different on a chilly afternoon. Great as a healthy snack, light lunch, yummy side dish -whateves. For those of you not familiar with Turmeric, it has a distinctly earthy, slightly bitter, slightly hot peppery flavor and a mustardy smell. It's got a beautiful orange color and sprinkles on nicely! I used it when I made by Moroccan Bastilla ages ago and figured I could get good use out of it again.

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower cut into bite sized pieces

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp powdered ginger

1 tsp powdered garlic

salt

pepper

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Get your oven hot as hell. Toss cauliflower in EVOO. Sprinkle remaining ingredients. Toss well. Bake for around 15 minutes at 450. Serve immediately. Optional: Squeeze a little lemon on top. Yum!

BigLittle Get Together

Last night we had a little Virginia Beach reunion and we hired the wonderful ladies of BigLittleNYC to cater the dinner. Oh and it was Halloween themed of course. First course: Ghostly cauliflower soup with with cranberry "blood" and puffed cumin and cardamon rice "maggots"with micro basil. This course was paired with an oaky Rioja called Muga Blanco.

Second course: Crispy Skin Chicken Breast with sorrel and roasted romanesco and garlic bat wings with garlic and ginger puree. Honestly, I was cutting my chicken with a butter knife. I've never had chicken this juicy before! This course was paired with another Spanish wine called Clos Lojen - fruity and light, like a Beaujolais.

Carrot souffle with maple vanilla vegan ice cream and candied puffed rice. Soooo good. I despise dessert wine so for dessert we had two pairings. A bigger Rioja called Beronia Gran Cru and a sherry called Alvear Oloroso Asuncion. Seriously, I love Oloroso now- especially the hazelnut finish that lingers and lingers. I'm going to have to go buy more of that stuff!

Polenta Lasagna

Ok, so this isn't my photo. I took a photo on my phone, email it to myself and then deleted the photo. When I checked my email though...nothing. Bummer. Anyhoo - I made this a few days ago and had leftovers today for lunch. It was still yummy!

Ingredients

• 1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 lb extra lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced zucchini
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (16-ounce) tube of polenta, cut into very thin slices
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Mix 2 tbsp marinara sauce with water into an 8-inch square baking dish to cover bottom, and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in beef; cook. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add marinara sauce; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
• Arrange polenta slices over marinara in baking dish, and top evenly with half of beef mixture. Layer zucchini over mixture; layer spinach over zucchini. Repeat 2 more times. Sprinkle with cheese on top.
• Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Navy Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can of white beans
• 1 can Chicken Stock and fill it about 5 - 6 times with water
• 2 cups leftover ham (diced)
• 2 teaspoons parsley
• 1 cup of diced onions (about 1 small onion)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, diced
• Salt and pepper
• 
  

1 Add diced onions and let them sweat it out for a few minutes in a pot. Add chicken broth and water.

2 Add the ham and beans and seasoning. Cook on low for about 1 hour until the soup is cloudy. Serve. Perfect on a rainy or cold day. :)

Chicken Apple Sausage over Lentils w/Garden Salad

This dinner is super yummy and healthy and can be made two ways: the easy way or the hard way.

SAUSAGE HARD WAY:

Make your chicken apple sausage (Directions here)

SAUSAGE EASY WAY:

Buy it already made. Gourmet sausage can be found in the meat section of your grocery store. I cut mine up and saute in a frying pan with a little olive oil.

LENTILS HARD WAY:

Buy dried lentils and cook them. Directions found here.

LENTILS EASY WAY:

Buy them already cooked. Trader Joe's sells them this way. So does Key Foods. Microwave them for 3 minutes and add to your pan of sausage.

SALAD HARD WAY:

Make a Lentil salad from scratch here. Spoon on top your sausage/lentil mixture.

SALAD EASY WAY:

Buy it already made. They sell it where they sell all the hummus. It will say "Lentil Garden Salad" on the container. After I make my plate I spoon this on top. It makes it very pretty and adds more texture and acid.

Garnish with Alfalfa sprouts. Just buy those. Don't grow them.

The choice is yours. Dinner in 10 minutes or...like 5 hours.

Crustini

Snack time is a callin' and this hits the spot!

To make this, you'll need:

French Bread or any type of baguette

olive oil

herbed goat cheese

Sage Honey

Salt and Pepper

Just cut the bread into slices and top with EVOO, then salt and pepper, then goat cheese, then drizzle with sage honey. Toast. Done. Amazing.

Soft Taco Bake

This doesn't look nearly as appetizing as it tasted, but it's stupid easy to make and delicious.

To make this you'll need:

Ground beef

Refried beans

Chopped tomato with green chilies (canned)

Shredded cheddar cheese

Soft Taco shells

1/2 c Cheese sauce (like salsa con queso or Velveta)

Taco seasoning

Sour cream

Directions:

Brown the ground beef in a pan and add the taco seasoning with a little bit of aqua. Turn off heat and set aside. In a baking dish (preferably one you make lasagna in) take soft taco shells and place on the bottom of the pan. (I cut my shells so I could arrange the round shells to fit a rectangle dish).

Put in some ground beef (it won't cover every space). Use the refried beans and the canned tomatoes to fill in the space. Top with shredded cheese. Add a layer of taco shells, repeat. Pile that sh#t as high as you like or like me, until I run out of ingredients. Top the whole thing with the cheese sauce (not a lot - like 1/2 a cup). Cover in foil and bake at 350 for 30 min. Serve with sour cream (optional).

Also optional: For a kick you could top with hot pepper slices. Or shred some lettuce and add a little green garnish.

Beef "Stir Fry" with Chinese Noodles

Sorry for my hiatus. I've been really bad about keeping this updated. I'll try to be better at that, folks. :) Funny thing is I'm taking photos of my food all the time - I just forgot to blog about it!

So, here we have a yummy beef dish. I call it a stir fry because it has all the makings of one but the way I prepared this was I actually roasted the veggies in the oven first.

To make this you'll need:

4- 5 cups assorted veggies (I used cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, celery, tomato, onion, carrots)

Beef Cubed (You know the stuff you see for stews - I took that and diced it up much smaller)

Ponzu Sauce

Chopped Garlic

Olive Oil

Stir - Fry Sauce (Unless you want to make your own, I just bought some)

Chinese Noodles (I got mine in the produce section. They were already cooked and I just reheated with boiling water but they sell dry ones too. Either are fine)

Directions:

Roast the veggies first. I put one tablespoon of EVOO and try to coat as much of the vegetables as I could. Sprinkled with salt and pepper and then blasted them for about 25/30 min at 450. (I like them to brown). After you cut up your meat into tiny bites sauté it in a pan with garlic and Ponzu sauce. When the meat is almost done cook the noodles and the turn the heat off the meat. In a big bowl combine veggies, meat and cooked noodles. Add a little stir fry sauce and mix. Everything is hot so the stir-fry sauce will get hot too. (It was kinda hard for me to separate the noodles - they like to clump together. I tried to separate them as I was mixing in the stir-fry sauce).

Enjoy!

Warm Bacon and Poached Egg Salad

Christina Shorter, this post is for you. Tomorrow you will make this for brunch. It's delicious. Every gal loves a good salad, especially when you amp it up with warm bacon and runny egg yolk! Sounds fattening, but surprisingly not that bad for you. (275 cal total for the salad)

For the salad you will need:
Baby Arugula
1/8 red onion diced
1/2 c cherry tomato (halved)
2 tbsp light balsamic dressing (mine was Newman's Own and it was 45 cal)
4 pc bacon (mine was Oscar Mayer and it was 70 cal for 2 pieces)
4 eggs (160 cal for 2)

First, boil some water. While that is getting to a boil mix the arugula, onion and tomato together. Start frying your bacon. If you know how to make poached eggs then go for it. I cheat. I take measuring cups and line them with saran wrap. I break open an egg into the cup and then tie up the ends of the saran wrap with the egg inside. I saw this online before and it totally works. Once your water is at a boil, drop the sacks into the water and start your timer for 3:50! When the timer goes off gently take the sacks out and lay them on a paper towel. Untie each one VERY carefully. They are going to be hot so be careful! Add the dressing to your salad now. Mix well. Once the bacon is crispy, blot with paper towel and then throw into your salad mixture. Crush the bacon up with a fork. Put the salad mixture on a plate and carefully top with your poached eggs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Eat it. (serves 2)

* I made this for Curtis and I made toast for him. You could totally add toast or croutons if you need that bready crunchy element.

Um, you are welcome. :)

This Little Piggy

had roast beef...and it was like if Arby's had done the Arby melt right...(according to Curtis Williams). But seriously, this little spot in the East Village is amazing - and cheap too. The sandwich was $5.50 and it was juicy, meaty and cheesy wonderfulness. I highly recommend when you are debating what to eat for lunch/dinner that you give this spot a chance.

Stuffed Peppers

These peppers are super easy to make. First, take 2 green peppers and cut tops off. Cut in half and de-seed. Drop in boiling water and cook until tender (about 10 min). Remove from water and let cool in a baking dish. In a separate pan, fry up ground beef (I used 90% lean) and add marinara sauce (any jarred sauce will do but I used Prego Traditional). Then I took Uncle Ben's Brown rice (the kind that comes in a pouch and only takes 90 seconds to cook) and I added that to my meat sauce. Stop cooking and stuff your peppers. If you don't want to cut your peppers in half you don't need to. I only did because they don't stand up very good sometimes - plus I didn't want to eat a whole one. I topped the pepper with sliced cheese (use mozzarella). Brown the cheese by putting in oven on broil for like 1 to 2 minutes. Done, son!

The Foods of Iceland

Ok - so we got back from Iceland a month ago, but I haven't blogged about the food just yet...until now...

First up, this hot dog stand on the side of the road is like the country's National food - seriously. Bill Clinton ate here back in the day (and oddly had a heart attack a week later, but that didn't stop us!) I ordered "The Clinton" - which is just mustard - but not like yellow mustard - more like a brown sweet sauce. We also ordered one with the works (I split that with Curtis). It had the mustard but also crunchy onion bits and maybe something else - ketchup? I liked that one better actually.

We also had our fair share of burgers in Iceland. Once we ate at Hamborgarafabrikka, which coincidentally enough is a famous "Reality TV Show". I use that term loosely because you can tell the show is scripted but it's supposed to be like Icelandic reality TV. Anyhoo - this burger here is one that our friend Justin ordered. Love that fried egg on top - it just looks like a cholesterol nightmare! haha

We also went to this more traditional burger place - Burgerjoint. This one here is the original and the best. The burgers here are more like a typical fast food burger but the meat is fresh and all burgers come with cheese!

So, this photo is funny but we didn't eat any sheep's head or lamb face - but I did try fermented shark - but idea. At first it didn't taste like anything (but I plugged my nose - they smell is HORRID!) then all of a sudden my tongue started going numb (I swear they soak that stuff in formaldehyde!) So I spit it out. Never again. The legend is that virgins pee on the shark meat and then they bury it in the ground for several years to develop the flavor. Umm...yeah...you can tell just by that that it can't be good! haha Anthony Bourdain actually said it was the worst thing he's ever eaten and he's eaten some horrible things!

Speaking of Tony, we did make it to one restaurant that he praised highly called "3 Frakkur" or "The 3 Coats" or also translated as "The 3 Frenchmen". There we enjoyed wonderful halibut with wasabi mash. So good! I also tried whale for the first time. (I know, that's bad...) Whale tastes like steak - not like fish at all. (Pictured above) This place is featured on Food and Wine and is a treasure to chef's worldwide. The gallery on the website has Jamie Oliver posing with the Chef.

Lastly, we ate at FishMarket and had the tasting menu - about 8 or 9 dishes that ranged from huge mussels, to sushi, to fish to lamb...it was so much food! Fish Market uses Iceland’s freshest ingredients to prepare original fish, meat and sweet dishes with a modern twist. They buy direct from the country’s farmers and fishermen to guarantee the sustainability and quality of our dishes. Everything was delish!

The best part of Iceland wasn't the food (although the food was great!) It was definitely the people - love you Kristin and Steini!

El Camion

This place just opened up in our hood recently and we went to go check them. The drinks were on happy hour prices when we went around 7 pm ($5 a pop, so we had 2!). Then we ordered a bunch of tacos and split them so we could try a bunch!

The Carne Asada tacos were ranked a 3.5 out of 5. Not because they were bad - just that the others were so much better! The grilled skirt steak was marinated in a jalapeno and cilantro marinade and served with caramelized onion and guacamole.

Next, Baja style Fish tacos. Ranked 4 out of 5. Crispy fried cod in a flour tortilla with red cabbage and cucumber slaw and avocado crema. Mmm...

Lastly, Tacos El Pastor! The best of the bunch! 5 out of 5! Orange and Chipotle marinated pork with a grilled pineapple salsa. Delish!

East Village peeps - go check this spot out!

Imperial Woodpecker Sno-balls

Imagine a hot summer day in NYC. You've been laying out on the lawn on the Hudson river all day and now you are walking home, dripping with sweat. As you make your way through the West Village you see a beacon in the distance. Beyond the air, rippling from the heat - you see a sno-ball shop. "Holy, hell...", you mutter, "I need that in my life right now...".

This place is super cute and is all about sno-balls served in Chinese take-out boxes. Curtis got the dreamsickle flavor with a condensed milk drizzle - umm...YUM! I got the green apple - so good!
Highly recommend to cool down on a hot day! Warning - the green apple will turn your mouth and tongue green! ;)

Clinton Street Bakery

I've blogged about this place before here but it was October of last year when my cousin was here and coincidentally the last time I was there. Why so long ago? Because I have to wake up at 7 am during the week to get there when they open to avoid a 2 hour wait. This place is jam-packed by 8:30 am - every day!

If you know me you know that I HATE waking up early and I also HATE waking up and eating breakfast immediately. I'm also not a fan of drinking coffee and eating food at the same time (makes me feel gross). I like to wake up - have a cup of coffee - then eat breakfast 2 hours or so later. That's just me. That's how I roll. But not my husband. He has been craving their blueberry pancakes for months now and I finally agreed to go with him. (That's love, folks...)

If you ever make it to NYC, go try the blueberry pancakes. They won't disappoint. Oh and get the sugar cured bacon - it's like ham candy. Ridiculous! Just make sure to wake up early for it!

Masitas De Puerco

Hey Kiddies - it's been awhile, I know...

This dinner was so good that I forgot to take a photo of it! But I found one on someone else's blog and it looks about right.
Ingredients:
2-1/2 lb. fresh pork loin12 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed1 large onion chopped1/2 cup sour orange juice (or 1/4 cup unsweetened orange juice & 1/4cup lime juice)2 cups water1 cup pure Spanish olive oil1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 fresh onion sliced into ringslime wedges1 teaspoon oregano1 teaspoon cumin

Directions:Cut pork into 2 inch chunks. To prepare marinade: mix together garlic,chopped onion, orange juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, oregano, cumin andsalt. Pour over pork chunks and marinate for at least 3 hours orovernight in the refrigerator.

Remove meat from marinade. Place in pot with two cups of water and 1/2cup olive oil. Simmer, uncovered until all water boils away -- about30 to 45 minutes. Brown the pork in the oil until crispy on theoutside -- DO NOT overcook! Add onion slices and saute briefly.Garnish with lime wedges. Serve with white rice.

Guilt Free Ribs

This recipe has been passed around a few times (originally it came from Men's Health Magazine) but I found it in an article my friend Rachel wrote here. (I don't have a grill, I made mine to serve 2 and I didn't have all the original ingredients so I doctored my recipe a little)

Ingredients:

1 rack baby back ribs

1 liter bottle of Dr. Pepper

2 tbsp cup salt

3 tablespoon chili powder

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1/2 tablespoon canola oil

1/4 onion, minced

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoon Henderson's Relish

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

a pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

Place the ribs in a large baking dish or on a cookie sheet. Pour in Dr Pepper to cover them, reserving at least 1/2 cup for the sauce. Add the salt and soak the ribs in the fridge overnight or at least 2 hours.

Heat the oven to 350°F. Remove the ribs from the liquid, dry them, and rub with the chili powder. Place them on a baking dish, add 1 cup of water, and cover tightly with foil. Cook for 2 hours, until the meat nearly falls off the bone.

For the barbecue sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until they’re soft and fragrant, and add the ketchup, Worcestershire, vinegar, cayenne, and 1/2 cup of Dr Pepper. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

Set the oven to broil, and brush the ribs with sauce. When the oven is hot, stick them in for a few minutes to get them a little crispy. When done, remove and brush with more sauce.

Saucy Balls

I made spaghetti with whole wheat penne for dinner. These balls were a little on the creative side (trying to clean out the fridge before our vacation on Wednesday), but they came out pretty good.

Start with ground beef, bread crumbs and ricotta with fennel, honey and orange. (Thanks Lauren for the yummy ricotta - I re-purposed it!) They ended up sweet, savory and tangy!

My balls. They chilled in the fridge for 2 hours.

Then I deep fried them in duck fat. Yup.

Golden brown delicious. Added some high quality tomato sauce and baked off in the oven to finish for 30 minutes. (Covered in foil at 350).

Vamos!

Huevos Rancheros.

Eggs Benedict with potato hash

The food here was ok at best. The best part was the fresh made guacamole and the warm chips they serve with it. AND the unlimited frozen margaritas for only $6.

Greek Yogurt Chicken

Ingredients

Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1- 8oz Container plain fat free Greek yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. Garlic powder
1 tsp. Cumin
1 C. Whole wheat bread crumbs
Extra virgin olive oil for cooking (about 2 tbsp. total) and one lemon (used right before serving)











Directions





Pepper both sides of the chicken and set aside. In a bowl whisk together the yogurt, salt and pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp cumin. Place the chicken in a re-sealable bag and pour the Greek yogurt mixture on it. Then massage the yogurt into the chicken and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for a half an hour to an hour. Meanwhile in a pie dish add the whole wheat bread crumbs and remaining garlic powder, cumin, more salt and pepper. Stir the mixture with a fork to combine. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. When chicken is done marinating coat one piece at a time into the bread crumb mixture and coat both sides; repeat until all pieces of chicken are coated in bread crumbs. Pre-heat a skillet with extra virgin olive oil to medium high and sauté chicken breast on one side, flip after two minutes or until golden brown crust has formed. Place pan with chicken in the oven to finish the cooking process, 5-10 minutes depending on how thick your piece of chicken is. When thoroughly cooked remove from oven and squeeze lemon on top of the warm chicken to serve.