Recent Eats - Volume 1

A round-up of my favorite bites and other food drama from the past few weeks

It probably comes as no surprise that I love cooking, eating, and generally just spending time in the kitchen. I'm glad to be able to have a forum to share my food-ventures on the internet, but really what makes it onto the blog is only a fraction of what ultimately comes out of my kitchen. Because of that, I'm starting a new series called Recent Eats where I will share what I'm cooking and eating, and other food musings as I see fit! 

Birthday Brunch! 

My husband and I celebrate our birthdays two days apart (Me, May 17 and he, May 19) so we have gotten into a not-so-formal tradition of smashing our two birthdays together for some kind of celebration...usually at our place...usually with me doing most of the cooking. This year was no exception! And because we are trying to be hip at age 27, we decided this year called for brunch and a casual 8 bottles of champagne polished.

 

As for the food, I made a ridiculous amount of waffles from the Joy of Cooking cookbook (any home cook needs this! It's my bible!) with warm syrup, two types of quiche (sausage and peppers with cheddar, broccoli/spinach/mushroom with fontina), avocado toasts with marinated tomatoes and vanilla yogurt with berries and granola! 

Snapchat Crispy Gnocci BLT Salad

A few weeks ago, I started sharing some behind the scenes/bonus recipe and meal ideas on Snapchat (@jkomdabomb). Last night, I whipped up a Crispy Gnocchi BLT Salad and wow did you guys enjoy it! I have a few tweeks I want to make to the recipe before posting it here, but be sure to check it out before it disappears for some meal inspiration to get you through the week! 

Mango Salsa

My friend was in a "salsa-off" for Cinco de Mayo and we spent a couple of hours (no exaggeration) making, tweaking, and tasting a delicious mango salsa. It had everything you could want in a salsa: juicy tomatoes, spicy jalapenos, sweet and tangy mango, crunchy corn, black beans, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, yum! Just thinking about it makes me hungry again. We won't discuss whether or not he won the competition, but I like to think that, if nothing else, we personally won. Because we ate a lot of chips. And drank a lot of wine.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Although it looks like summer is finally here to stay, a few weeks ago there was still a chill in the air in Boston so I whipped up one last big pot of soup to bid adieu to winter. I made this amazing roasted cauliflower soup from Two Peas and Their Pod, but added some Italian sausage to the mix. It was so delicious! Two thumbs up for this recipe.

Dove Peanut Butter Squares Pudding Cookies

I am absolutely obsessed with pudding cookies - soft, cakey cookies that stay fresh for days thanks to a packet of dry pudding mix. Chocolate, vanilla, lemon, you name it! A few weeks ago I made my classic chocolate pudding cookie recipe but instead of chips, I chopped up Dove Peanut Butter Squares and mixed them into the dough. Wow. Decadent and delicious, I wish I had another!

Grilled Salmon with Coconut Lime Rice and Mango Pico

Spring has sprung so let's eat our fruits and veggies!

If this dish is not a tropical vacation on a plate, I don't know what is. If you've been craving sandy beaches and warm sunshine, this meal is for you.

Alright. Let me be honest for a minute. You guys SHOULD know that prior to enjoying this meal I had a major fire alarm incident in my apartment. Like...indoor grill pan + 3 room apartment = "WARNING! SMOKE IN MASTER BEDROOM!"

I am very grateful that my fire alarm works, but it is next to impossible to get it to stop even from cooking smoke. I had every window open plus the porch door and was using all of my upper body strength to wave a pillow in an attempt to get the horn to stop beeping. Thank God my landlord is also the best, because she came to my rescue. And then, it was time to eat.

So this Grilled Salmon with Coconut Lime Rice and Mango Pico was actually worth all the trouble. In fact, if you monitor your grill pan carefully, this meal is no trouble at all! Sweet and tangy mango pico is the perfect compliment to a soft coconut jasmine rice and a lightly marinated salmon fillet.

The salmon marinade is simple yet delicious. I combined agave nectar with lime juice and a splash of soy sauce and minced garlic. When the salmon goes on the grill, the agave caramelizes and the lime juice becomes bright and lovely. This is my new go-to salmon preparation (minus the fire alarm...). Dinner for one is served!

Spicy Taco Layer Dip

I love this time of year. When summertime rolls around that means it's just the right time for backyard barbeques and cookouts.

I also happen to love the food that comes along with cook-outs. Grilled chicken, juicy burgers, crispy hot dogs, creamy pasta and potato salads. All American good food.

This Spicy Taco Layer Dip is the perfect dip for a backyard barbeque. The warm, creamy layers blend together with just the right amount of heat for an extra kick. Spicy taco seasoning and medium heat salsa give this dip some extra oomph. Melted shredded chedder on top along with rich cream cheese on the bottom tempers that heat for a well balanced dip. Serve alongside your favorite tortilla chips and celery sticks.

Oh, by the way. If you're looking for something that is quick and simple to bring to your Memorial Day barbeques this weekend, I'd say this dip has you covered. Prep time is less than 15 minutes, and after just a few minutes under the broiler it's ready to be served.

And I guarantee your fellow party-goers will be coming back for seconds and thirds and fourths.

The layers are quite simple. It all starts with softened cream cheese in a deep, round or oval baking dish or casserole dish. I actually used the 1/3 less fat variety of the cream cheese, because why not save a few calories here and there?

On top of the cream cheese goes refried beans. The beans don't really add much in the way of taste, but this layer is a good filler and stretches the dip even further. They are creamy and tender, and the perfect partner to the cream cheese.

A pound of ground meat (I used ground turkey, because that's what I had on hand) gets browned and crumbled with 1 medium onion. A package of taco seasoning and a touch of water go in to create that amazing juicy taco meat we all know and love. Don't deny it, there's no reason to.

Taco meat on top of beans.

A jar of salsa on top of taco meat. I used medium, but if you're a crazy hot and spicy lover, you can bump it up to hot salsa.

Shredded cheddar cheese on top.

The dip goes into a hot oven for just about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and just starting to brown and the layers are heated through. The salsa will loosen up a little bit, but after it sits for a few minutes, it gets absorbed by the meat and beans for carefree dipping.

That's all it takes for a delicious, gooey taco dip. Garnish the top with chopped fresh chives, chopped tomatoes, or black olives if your heart so desires. I hope you and your friends can enjoy this dip all summer long!

Blackened Fish Tacos with Cucumber Salsa

Does food ever take you places? Like, to distinct points in time? Some of my greatest memories are around food.

I guess that's not surprising. I really love food. It's a blessing and a curse all in one.

This meal, these Blackened Fish Tacos with Cucumber Salsa, they took me to Virginia Beach. In Virginia Beach, my friend and I escape the norm and enjoy watching dolphins on the beach, drinking daiquiris by the pool, and taking bike rides down the boardwalk. We've gone there twice now, and needless to say we are pretty much regulars.

Confession...the last time we were in VA Beach this past September, I sat at the bar and ate an entire pound (A POUND) of crab legs by myself. I sat there alone, and I ate the crab legs--all of them--alone.

I feel like I can be myself there.

I am totally obsessed with these fish tacos because they are light and fresh, with just the right amount of heat on the blackened fish. They took me to warm beaches and sunny skies (much different from the 21 degree weather blessing the city of Boston right now...). Oh, and the prep is a cinch!

The cucumber salsa is so simple and elegant. It totally beats out soggy lettuce on these tacos.

Diced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, yellow bell peppers and green onions are tossed with cilantro and lime juice. A simple seasoning with salt and pepper and garlic powder finishes the topping.

Flounder fillets are seasoned heavily with a mixture of chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, Mexican blend, salt, and pepper.

A pan is heated up and canola oil gets so hot that it is just starting to smoke. The fillets are placed seasoned side down and cooked for 2 minutes on each side over medium heat.

This will sear those seasonings right onto the fish. Crispy and spicy and flaky flounder, oh my!

Once the fish is cooked, heat up tortillas right over your gas burner or in a dry frying pan. I used corn tortillas because I like the grainy texture. Feel free to use a flour or whole wheat tortilla as well!

To build the tacos, add a layer of flaked fish to the bottom of the tortillas.

Slice an avocado and place 2 pieces on top of the fish.

Shredded cheese on top of the avocado, and the cucumber salsa is sprinkled right on top.

Serve with lime wedges and non-fat sour cream dusted with chili powder!

This meal is a great twist on Taco Tuesday, and it is much lighter and more figure friendly than your typical beef/cheese/sour cream combo. Use any fish you have on hand, and get ready to have dinner in nearly 20 minutes!