The New Improved Rai Rai Ken

 Rai Rai Ken moved ya'll. They are still on 10th St but now they are a few doors down and guess what? They have more space (which means more seating) and new additions to the menu. Hollar! These beauties are steamed pork buns. They were yummy, but not the best in NYC.

 My beauty - Miso Ramen. It is divine: chicken, cabbage, noodles, fried garlic slivers, scallions. Mmmm... soooo good.

We left with parting gifts - our own ramen to make at home! How sweet?! I love this place.

Toasties

Ah, the places to eat around the office. Most of them bad and super expensive. Today I went to Toasties on John St. and while I usually get the  House #1 combo (pastrami and corn beef with swiss, coleslaw and Russian dressing), today I got the Philly. I should've stuck to my #1. This sammy is okay but the meat was a little too fatty for me. The good part about Toasties is that you can split this sammy with someone and still be full - so it's not super expensive when you do that. Do yourself a favor - if you go here, just get the #1 and DON'T go right at noon. (Unless you want to wait 20 min)

Molasses Cornish Game Hen

I've always wanted to cook one of these little guys and I finally got around to it. It was successful, but man this guy is messy to eat! It's like your own Thanksgiving on a plate. Carve it up! I ended up picking all the leftover chicken for lunch tomorrow.


What you need:

1 Whole Cornish Hen (could use chicken of course)

2 tbsp dark molasses

2 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp soy sauce

pinch of ginger powder

1 tsp of garlic powder
(double the recipe for 2 birds) 

What you do:

Combine all the ingredients together. Brush half of the molasses mixture onto the cornish hen. Cover with foil and bake for half the time that the cornish hen states or, if using chicken, cook as you normally would. Halfway through take the foil off and brush occasionally with the molasses mixture until cornish hen is cooked through. The birds (as tiny as they are) take about an hour to cook.

Chorizo Braised Brussel Sprouts

I love bacon braised brussel sprouts so I figured - why not? Chorizo can be just as good. It was.

You need:
2 - 3 cups brussel sprouts, ends chopped and halved
2 tbsp EVOO
1 chorizo, diced
1/2 c white onion, diced

You do:
In a pot (with a lid) add oil and onion. Cook for one minute. Add chorizo and cook for one minute. Add sprouts then cook on low heat with the lid on for about 8-10 minutes. (This will help to steam the greens so they are cooked through). Remove the lid and let cook another 5 minutes. Serve. Perfect side dish!

Mexican Radio

Every time I eat Mexican in NYC, I always compare it to Mexican Radio. Why do I love Mexican Radio so much? I'll tell you...first, the ambiance. It's a big enough restaurant that you NEVER have to wait (at least I never have). And it totally has this Day of the Dead vibe with skulls and flowers everywhere. Not to mention the fun hot sauces on every table. I don't think I've ever used one but I love reading their names. This one (pictured above) is called "Kiss your ass goodbye". Love that. The drinks are also spot on. This frozen margarita was delish and totally worth the 3 brain freezes I endured. Also, their sangria is super good too.

 Another reason why I love Mexican Radio - the nachos appetizer. You only get about 8 chips, but each one has the perfect amount of toppings. It's such a beautiful thing. I had to explain to my friends that they needed to get this as an appetizer. I was like, "It's not like bar nachos where you get half a bag of chips with gobs of crap on it. And it won't fill you up with unnecessary chips." Seriously - other restaurants take note! This is how you NAIL nachos.

Dinner. Another winner. I had the chicken enchiladas with the Suiza sauce (salsa verde). Tangy with a little heat - soooo delicious. The chicken is so good. It's totally pulled from whole chickens and shredded. You can tell they have integrity when it comes to their ingredients. They are also consistent. I always get the same dish when I reorder it. Love that! If you LOVE Mexican food and you live in the city - try this place. It won't disappoint. 

16 Handles

After a fantastic meal with friends and after I couldn't possibly consider eating one more bite, we made our way to 16 Handles. I have never been to this place before so as we were walking there I was getting the low down of how this place works. First, you pick your flavor of frozen yogurt. You can pick more than one - they have 16 flavors (hence, the 16 handles bit). So, what does a gal who ISN'T hungry select? Two flavors: birthday cake and red velvet cake fro yo. Hey, it's non-fat. It's okay. Well...then you hit up the toppings bar. The toppings bar is straight up insane. They have fruit balls that resemble caviar (which I didn't take but nice molecular gastronomy!) and they have yogurt chips (the only other seemingly healthy thing). The rest? Cheesecake bites, brownie bites, chocolate chip cookie dough bites, "liquid" Nestle Crunch (stupid good) and these things that I forget - I want to say they were called clodhoppers? (Vanilla coated crunchy things). The toppings made every bite different. So delicious. I shoved mine in the freezer after we made our way back to the apt but I totally finished it a few hours later. Amaze.

Sausage Pasta with Walnuts and Sage Butter

I've made a dish similar to this before. It's super yummy and serves up nicely as leftovers the next day.

What you need:
1/2 box ziti or penne pasta
1 package of sweet sausage - about 6 to 8 links (casing removed)
1/2 cup walnuts (toasted)
4 tbsp Asiago cheese, shredded
1stick butter
1/2 c fresh sage, chopped or about 2 tbsp powdered sage
1/2 yellow onion, diced

What you do:
Boil your pasta. In a frying pan add diced onion and 2 tbsp butter. Saute a few minutes until onions are cooked then add the sausage. Try to crumble the sausage as you add it to the pan. You can also break it up while it's cooking. As pasta is finished drain and set aside. Add toasted nuts to the frying pan. Mix. In a separate pot melt remaining butter with the sage. Cook for 2 minutes then combine everything - butter into the sausage mixture first, then pasta. Mix well. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Chipotle Brown Butter Ribeyes

I'm on a roll today! I know my sous chef appreciated this since he loves chipotle. It def has a kick but you can put as little or as much of the sauce as desired.

Ingredients

• 1 well trimmed, 1 1/2-inch thick, rib-eye steak
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (sea salt or kosher salt)
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, (not garlic powder)
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 2 ounces canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 3 ounces beer (recommended: Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale)

Directions

Season both sides of the well trimmed rib-eye, as well as the edges with the pepper, salt and granulated garlic. If you have a good thick steak, it can handle a lot of seasoning. If you are using a thin steak, be easy on the salt. Put half of the butter in a very hot skillet, gently so you don't splatter hot butter all over the place. Add the onions first. The more rare the steak you desire, the longer you should saute the onions before starting the meat itself, (3 to 4 minutes for rare, etc). Now, gently add the steak to the skillet and sear thoroughly on each side to your desired doneness.

When the steak achieves the desired temperature, remove to a plate, leaving the onions in the pan. After you remove the steak from the heat source, it continues to cook, so I take my steaks off a little ahead of time. Add the rest of the butter after you have let the skillet come back up to temperature. Stir in the chipotles and deglaze the pan with the beer. Pour over the steak once the beer has reduced by half and serve.

Colossal Crab Asparagus Bisque

This bisque is ridiculously good. I swear, when I cook like this I feel like I'm a real champion. The soup is creamy and delicious and when the warm soup pairs with the cold crabmeat it's unbelievable. The effort is not even that hard! You'd think making a bisque this good would be super complicated, but it's not. I found this recipe on the Food Network's website. I cut down the recipe by almost half since I was only making enough for two people. If you like crab and asparagus you need to make this!


Ingredients for the soup:
1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths (tough ends removed and discarded)
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 white onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (approximately, or as needed to create roux)
1/2 pint heavy cream

For the crab souffle:
1/2 pound colossal crabmeat
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lemon, juiced plus 1 or 2 lemons cut in wedges, for garnish

Directions
Bring stock and bay leaves to a boil in a large pot. Cook asparagus until tender and add to stock pot. Melt butter in a separate saucepan and gently saute onions, celery, and carrots (miorepix - A mixture of diced carrots, onions, celery and herbs sauteed in butter. Sometimes ham or bacon is added. Mirepoix is used to season sauces, soups and stews, as well as for a bed on which to braise food, usually meats or fish) until tender, then gradually add flour (with a non-reactive utensil such as a wooden spoon), and cook until similar to a roux. Transfer to the pot of stock to thicken soup. Let simmer for 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves from soup. *Blend to a puree with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender or food processor. Add cream to the soup, and keep warm over low heat. (Good ol' NYC living required me to do mine in batches since I don't own a blender - just a tiny food processor).

For the crab "souffle," mix crab, mayonnaise, thyme, salt and pepper, and squeeze of fresh lemon juice, trying to avoid breaking up the lumps of crabmeat. Place a scoop of the crabmeat in the center of soup bowl and ladle the asparagus soup around. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

Cayenne Orange Zest Brownies

I know there are tons of ways to doctor brownie mix. You have the OBVI's: you can add nuts and different types of chips (peanut butter, butterscotch or chocolate chips). The LESS THAN OBVI's: adding cream cheese into the batter, or crumbling up peppermint patty's into the batter. And then there's MY WAY: (hint: my way is always going to be more savory over sweet) I add one tsp of cayenne pepper and a healthy dose of orange zest (about 1 tbsp). The result: a spicy chocolate brownie with a citrus finish! How do YOU doctor your brownies?

Bar 10 at Westin, Times Square

I met up with an old friend last night and boy did we catch up for lost time! Our evening started out really nice and tame. We went to Bar 10 located at the Westin hotel in Times Square. Actually, they call it Times Square but it was really 43rd and 8th (near Port Authority). Technically, I guess it is Times Square, but it's two avenues too far over IMO. Anyways, why did I go here? Great question! I purchased a TravelZoo deal back in late February and I had failed to use it. Since it was expiring soon,  I cashed in! I paid $35 for a voucher that gave me 4 drinks and a Mediterranean platter. The drinks alone were $16 each! Our tab was over $80 and we only had to pay the tax and tip. Awesome! If you don't know about TravelZoo, you need to know. The first beverage I had was a blood orange Manhattan. It was good, but super sweet. I switched over to a nice Sauvignon Blanc after that and I enjoyed that too. The atmosphere was okay. We sat by the window so we could people watch outside but inside was a lot to watch too. People were dressed up getting ready to go out, business men were yapping it up at the bar and a bunch of girls were giggling together for what probably was their girl's weekend. A mixed crowd and not my scene at all but I didn't mind it. The server was attentive but not annoying. Overall, I could go back but only if I had another coupon. I'm not paying $16 for a drink.

Egg Salad on Potato Chive Focaccia

I've never made egg salad with curry powder before and I've also never made it without onion. I have to say, Martha Stewart's recipe for egg salad was pretty good in my book. I served mine on fancy bread but you can serve it on whatever - whole wheat bread, kaiser rolls - even crackers.

You need:

• 9 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
• 1/3 cup prepared mayonnaise
• 1 celery rib , diced into small pieces
• 3/4 teaspoon mustard powder or 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon Madras curry powder , optional you can also add cayenne pepper instead of the mustards if you like a spicy flavor
• salt and pepper
• 1 small radicchio or 1/2 c arugula, washed and spun dry
• 8 -12 slices Potato Chive Focaccia (found in the bakery of a gourmet grocery)

Directions:

1. In medium bowl, place eggs, mayonnaise, celery, mustard powder, curry powder, salt, and pepper and gently mix until combined.
2. You can toast the bread or leave it untoasted and spread an additional layer of mayonnaise on each half of bread. Line half of the slices with radicchio or arugula leaves. Spread with an even layer of egg salad. Top with remaining slice of bread.

Bison Burgers

Last night we dined on bison burgers! Bison is apparently healthier for you than regular ground beef. I wanted to know by how much so I looked it up. It has the fewest amount of calories and fat than beef, pork, chicken or salmon. What the?

NUTRITION

	Fat (grams )	Calories (kcal)	Cholesterol (mg)	Iron (mg)	Vitamin B12 (mcg)
Bison	2.42	143	82	3.42	2.86
Beef (choice)	10.15	219	86	2.99	2.65
Beef (select)	8.09	201	86	2.99	2.64
Pork	9.66	212	86	1.1	0.75
Chicken (skinless)	7.41	190	89	1.21	0.33
Sockeye Salmon	10.97	216	87	0.55	5.80
Source: USDA

Ingredients:

1 pound ground bison meat
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 c shredded mild cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
lettuce and tomato (optional)
4 buns, split


Directions

1. Preheat a griddle to medium-high. In a bowl combine meat, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper.
2. Make 4 equal-size hamburger patties, taking care not to overwork the patties.
3. Place on griddle. Cover the burgers with a stainless steel bowl or other heat-proof, dome-shape object, and cook for 6 minutes. Turn the burgers over and cover with the dome and continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes, for medium.
4. Put buns in toaster oven and cook until lightly toasted. Serve each burger on a roll with 1 lettuce leaf and 1 tomato slice per burger.

Pork Stir Fry

This  hard to see photo is my pork stir fry bake... it's super easy to make and tastes delicious. Not to mention very healthy for you.

What you need:

8 oz pork center cut loin chop (no bone)

Assorted veggies cut bite sized (I have carrots, green and red peppers, red onion, broccoli, baby corn, and water chestnuts)

1/8 c low sodium soy sauce

1/8 c ponzu sauce

1 tbsp Mirin

2 tbsp EVOO

What you do:
Heat oven to 350. Dump veggies into casserole dish. Cut the pork into tiny bite sized chunks (removing any visible fat). Add pork to veggies. Pour in the EVOO and combine well (coating all the pieces). Add soy sauce and ponzu sauce. Toss and make sure everything is coated. Cook uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with noodles or rice or nothing at all.

London Broil Rub

 I made this for dinner and we ate it on the roof with friends. I was so distracted that I didn't take a photo of the final product, but it was delish. I went slightly heavy on the chili powder but otherwise - it was good. I'd rather have over seasoned food than under seasoned food.

Ingredients

• 1 (2-pound) London broil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 recipe Dave's Rub, recipe follows

Directions

Rub London broil with olive oil and then coat generously with the dry rub. Let stand for about 15 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
Place meat on grill and grill for about 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing on the bias.
Serves 4, Calories: 354

Dave's Rub:

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 4 pinches salt
• 15 grinds black pepper

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly in a small bowl.

Mexican Scramble

So, it was hard for me to take a photo of this and have it actually look appetizing, but trust me - it tastes good! This is a very hearty breakfast that kind of feels bad for you, but really isn't. Made without any healthy substitutes, this clocks in at 385 cal.

What you need:
4 eggs (You can substitute 6 egg whites or Eggbeaters for a healthier version)
3 tbsp skim milk
1/2 c black beans, rinsed and drained
1 chorizo, diced
1 slice American cheese (or fake cheese, like Smartbeat)
1 tsp fake butter
Salt and pepper to taste

What you do:
In a frying pan saute the chorizo with the butter for one minute. Add the beans. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Whisk eggs and milk together and dump on top of bean mixture. Take the cheese and break into 4 pieces, scattering them in each corner. Cook eggs on medium heat by stirring them occasionally. Serve once eggs are cooked and cheese is melted.

11 B

11 B is on 11th street at the corner of Ave B. The name is of the restaurant is very straightforward and so is their pizza. It's simple NY style pizza. The crust is thin, but not paper thin (like Gruppo). It's the perfect amount of cheese and the tomato sauce is just right. A large cheese is $14 and will satisfy 4 people easily. As simple as this is, it screams, "I am a perfect New York pizza!" If and when I ever leave this city, this is the kind of pizza that I will miss the most.

5 Napkin Burger

So we finally made it into 5 Napkin Burger. They opened one up in Union Square about a month or two ago and we decided to check it out. We had the classic: 10oz. custom ground beef, caramelized onions, gruyere cheese, rosemary aioli, and a soft white roll. It was soooo good! Curtis thought it was a bit salty, but since I love salt I disagreed. The fries were good too. I was starving when we sat down for dinner and beyond full after eating this. Oh, I also had the margarita to go with this. It was tasty, but came in a martini glass. What the? IMO the beverage wasn't worth the $9. The burger was worth every penny.

Meatloaf

I went all Betty Draper on it tonight (Mad Men reference for those of you who don't know) and made a meatloaf. I had to use my own recipe since my friend Zoe never gave me hers! That's right Zoe. I called you out. :) This was good - had a kick to it that we both enjoyed. I made it all homey by serving it with mashed potatoes and corn (cut from the cob).

Ingredients

• 1 c bread crumbs
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and broken
• 18 ounces ground sirloin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg 
• 1/2 c shredded carrot (which I didn't have)

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup catsup
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Dash Chipotle hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.  In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, powdered garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Mix well.  Combine the onion, carrot and minced garlic in a separate bowl and mix well. Then combine that bowl with the ground sirloin and then with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Bake for 35 minutes or until inside temp reads 155 degrees.

Combine the catsup, cumin, hot sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.

Carribean Coconut Tilapia

If you want to get technical, I've made this and posted about this before - but it was WAY back in 2010 and I don't think you guys read my blog like that so guess what? It's back! Oh, and I gave you step by step photos this time. YAY! You love it... This is a crowd pleaser - I know because back in 2010 I made it for like, my whole family - grandmother, uncle, cousin, parents - everyone enjoyed it. Except they were a little weirded out with the lemongrass. I don't think they knew what it was. I served my fish over couscous but you can use whatever you want. (e.g. last time I used rice).

To do this too you will need:
Lemon Grass, 4 - 5 stalks, quartered
Cilantro, 4 tablespoons finely chopped
Coconut Milk, 1 10 oz can
Onion, 1 small whole chopped
Butter, 3 tablespoons
Garlic, 3 tablespoons
Tomato Sauce, 1/2 cup
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Favorite fish, 4 large steaks

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 350. In a small sauce pan heat up onions, garlic, and butter.

Saute for two minutes, pour in tomato sauce and cook for two minutes.

Pour in a can of coconut milk, cilantro, lemon grass, salt and pepper. Turn off heat and let sit.

In a baking dish place the fish and pour coconut sauce over top. (You can't even SEE my fish! HA!) Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes or until fish is fork tender. Tip: Don't eat the lemongrass!

Greek Couscous Salad

I love Greek salad, but I make it so much sometimes I get sick of it. I saw a similar recipe on a box of couscous so I took it and I made it my own. This was my lunch today and I thoroughly enjoyed it! You could add chicken to make it a heartier meal but I didn't have time. I should've though. I may not have eaten 2 girlscout cookies and a bag of chips later if I had a more hearty lunch. DOH!

You need:
1 package Plain Couscous
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c cherry tomatoes (halved)
1/2 c green and red pepper chopped
1/3 c red onion, chopped
3/4 c crumbled feta cheese

Make the couscous as directed on package except omit the butter/oil and add pepper. Combine everything and let chill overnight or for at least 4 hours. Stir in cheese before serving.

Note: I added cucumbers to mine when I also stirred in the cheese. It was great!

Sabor de Mexico

If you find yourself craving Mexican at lunch time near WTC, then you should probably just go here. This place doesn't understand portion control. At all. I decided to be "healthy" and get the burrito bowl. Ha. Let's see: cilantro and lime rice? Check. Pinto beans? Check. Shredded chicken? Check. Salsa verde? Check. Chunky tomato salsa? Check. Sour cream? Check. Cheese? A little, but yes, check! Oh and there's some lettuce in there too so BAM - now it's a salad. Genius. If you're not a fat cow you can split this with someone and it will lower on the scale from "Horrendous lunch decision" to "Slightly horrendous lunch decision".  I'm just kidding. It's not THAT bad for you. There was lettuce, remember? I mean...it could be worse. It could be a 20 piece nugget.

Homecook Heidi

 We hung out with friends last night to watch a movie and our lovely friend, Heidi, made us dinner. The chicken was heritage (like the bird we ate on Turkey day) and it was really delicious. She bought her marinade from Fresh Direct but I forgot what it was called. The peas and rice made it feel nice and comforting - like something I ate growing up. I ate it all - even the peas! (Ok, half the peas). 

This salad was so simple yet super delightful. I loved the yellow cherry tomatoes and the shredded cheese (I think it was Parmesan). It doesn't look like it, but the greens were perfectly dressed in a light dressing and mixed well. I hate it when salad dressing isn't evenly distributed over your greens. Thanks for dinner neighbor! :) Oh, we brought dessert but since it was store bought, it wasn't blog worthy.

Asian Style Ribs

Dinner is served! Proud of myself - I can't lie. These ribs are tender and pack a little heat, but not too much. Delish!

Ingredients
2 pounds baby-back pork ribs, cut into individual ribs
4 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp scallions, thinly sliced
3 tsp Sriracha
3 tablespoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons honey
2 cap fulls of Liquid Smoke
3 tbsp Ponzu sauce
1 tsp Kosher salt
Fresh cracked pepper 

6 cilantro sprigs for garnish
1 small orange, sliced thinly for garnish

Directions

1. Heat oven to 300° F. Place the ribs in a large roasting pan and season with 1 teaspoon pepper.
2. In a small bowl, combine all remaining ingredients; spoon the glaze over the ribs. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake until the ribs are tender, about two hours.
3. Heat the broiler. Remove foil and brush drippings on top of ribs. Broil until just beginning to char, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the scallions and garnish with cilantro and oranges.

Cucumber Salad

It's starting to feel like summer! Especially with this delicious crisp and refreshing salad. Serve it with something yummy - like ribs! ;)

Ingredients

• 1 English cucumbers
• 1/2 small red onion
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 and a half tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped (or you could go traditional and use dill)

Directions

Slice the cucumber lengthwise, remove the seeds, and slice thinly. Thinly slice the onion.

In a colander, toss the cucumber and onion with the salt and let it sit and drain for 20 minutes. Press the liquid out of the vegetables and rinse well with cold water. In a medium bowl combine the vinegar and sugar and stir well. Add the cucumber mixture and toss to coat. Stir in the parsley.

Perfect Soft Boiled Eggs

Growing up, my dad used to eat soft boiled eggs. I used to think they were disgusting and then one day I tried them and now I love them! Making them can be tough, but lucky for you I researched this and I have the fail proof method!
Step 1: Get a pot of salted water to a boil. Make sure you have enough room in the pot so the eggs don't bang around and hit each other. Also, make sure you have enough water in the pot so that your eggs are completely submerged under water.

Step 2: Take a pin and puncture the wider part of the egg. I used a regular safety pin and placed it on the egg and gently tapped on it with the bottom of a spoon. Worked perfectly.

Step 3: Once the water is at a gentle boil, run eggs under hot water for 1 minute then add to pot. This ensures that the cold eggs don't crack when they meet boiling water.

Step 4: Using a spoon, lower eggs into pot one at a time. For extra large eggs set timer for 5 minutes exactly. Yolk will be nice and runny. For large eggs subtract a minute. Medium eggs subtract 2 minutes. Never cook less than 3 minutes.
Step 5: Remove eggs and rinse under cold water. Let them cool for 1 minute so you don't burn your hands.

Step 6: If you have an eggcup, use it. If not just use a bowl (like my dad would do). Crack the side of the egg (near the top) and remove the top of the egg. You can dip and scoop while the egg stays in its shell. Serve with buttered bread and a little salt and pepper on the side of the plate.

S'mac

I had some friends over the other night for a "Crafts and Cocktails" evening of fun. We drank margaritas, we made mobiles (which were more complicated than they seemed) and we ate Sarita's Mac and Cheese. We order the 4 cheese: Cheddar, Muenster, Gruyere and a touch of Pecorino and then we added slab bacon. MAN! Is it good. We ordered the Mongo size. That thing is as big as a pizza and could feed an army!

Shrimp Miso Soup

This is a very light and very yummy soup. You could make it a starter to a great meal or eat it with a bowl of rice for dinner. I had it for lunch on a rainy day and it was very satisfying.

You need:
1/2 pound shrimp, tails removed
1 zucchini
4 tbsp dashi miso paste
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp scallions, chopped
Pepper

Do it:
Get 4 cups of water in a pot and add the miso paste. Once dissolved, add the mirin and soy sauce. Stir. Add shrimp. Cook for about 3 minutes. Using a mandolin or a peeler, slice the zucchini into ribbons then add it to the pot. You can serve topped with scallions and a dash of pepper.

Pasta Soul

A coworker of mine created a pasta dish once called, "Pasta Soul". It was basically wheat pasta with healthy additions. So, I liked the name so much I decided to make my own.

What you need:
1/2 box whole wheat penne
6 oz chicken breast, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 cup of spinach
1 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 small shallot
1/4 c EVOO
1/4 cup fresh parsley
6 basil leaves
salt and pepper

What you do:
Get a pot of salted water up to a boil and add your pasta. Cook 7-10 minutes until tender. Separately, add 1 tsp of olive oil to a big frying pan. Add garlic and pine nuts and cook for about 1 minute then add the chicken. While chicken is cooking, put the shallot, basil, parsley and about 5 teaspoons of oil in a blender. Blend it. When pasta is done cooking drain (do not rinse pasta - EVER!) and add it to the chicken. Add zucchini and remaining EVOO, cook for 1 minute. Add your shallot mixture and mix well. Add spinach last and stir until wilted. Serve!

Tortilla Frittata

This Sunday brunch is no April Fool's joke. It's yummy in your tummy and will be devoured in minutes. (At least ours was...)

Ingredients:

Stone-ground tortilla chips (lighter than usual tortilla chips) - enough for one layer in an ovenproof pan

2-3 oz shredded white cheddar

1 tbsp scallions, sliced

4 large eggs

1/4 c sour cream (or you can use Greek Yogurt)

1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

4 strips turkey bacon

Hot Chipotle Sauce 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Lightly oil an oven proof pan. Layer the chips into the bottom of the prepared pan. Top the chips with half the cheese.

Whisk the eggs with the sour cream and chopped herbs till fluffy and pour the mixture all over the chips. Season with sea salt and fresh pepper. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake in a hot oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the eggs are set and the frittata is golden. While the frittata is cooking, fry up your turkey bacon. Crumble one piece of bacon on top of each serving. Sprinkle the hot sauce around on the plate for dipping. 

Note: You could also serve with a tablespoon of store-bought salsa or your own salsa.