Basil Pesto

As promised from yesterday, I have made basil pesto.  I made three times the size of the pesto that you buy at the store, for a fraction of the price! I have always wanted to take the time to make pesto, and quite frankly, I am shocked that I have waited this long to make it! Freshly made pesto is delicious.  Don't get me wrong, the store bought kind has always been a staple for us, but now, after making this, I am not sure if I will ever buy store bought again!  Also, when I was buying the walnuts, the man selling all of the nuts at the farmer's market told me that you can actually use cashews instead of walnuts.  He said that it makes a wonderful pesto..... if you want, take his word and try cashews... if not, take my word when I say that the walnuts worked great! Maybe I will try cashews next time?!

Ingredients:
3 cups fresh basil leaves
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon lemon juice (I squeezed 1/4 of a lemon)
1/4 cup walnuts (sorry pine nuts... you are too pricy!)
1/2 grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:

Here are all of the ingredients needed! Super simple... and if you make your own, it will save you a ton of money in the long run!

 1. Add the basil, lemon juice, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper to a food processor.  Mix well.  You may have to open it and scrape the sides down a few times, but it will eventually mix all together.

2. With the food processor running, add the olive oil to the basil mixture.

This is what is will look like when it is finished!

I stored the pesto in a mason jar.  You can keep this in the refrigerator for a while.  If you want to, you can freeze this as well.  If you freeze it, make sure to add a teaspoon of olive oil to the top before freezing.  When you take it out of the freezer, let it sit until it gets to room temperature.  The olive oil on the top will ensure that the pesto is not watery when thawed out.

I added a dollop of pesto to my white bean and turkey soup from my previous post! I am sure that I will make more recipes using this pesto later this week!

Until next time...

-A

Trying something new!

I wanted to make white-bean and turkey chili.  After I was half-way through with making this new dish, I began to wonder if I was really making a 'chili.' Therefore, I looked up the exact definition of what is chili is indeed.  It said that besides chili being a type of spicy pepper, chili is "a spicy stew of beef and red chilies or chili powder, often with beans and tomatoes." After looking up this definition, I not only decided that what I was making was not quite a chili, but it was rather a stew.  So, I looked up the definition of a stew... and that wasn't it either.  I decided that I would just call this recipe a soup because it does have a little broth in it, and to be honest, all of the definitions were confusing me and making me re-think previous decisions to call meals certain things.  Anyways, I know that the holidays are coming up and I am sure that the last thing that you want to make right now is something with turkey.  Well, this could also be made with ground beef, or ground chicken.  Actually, you could possibly use shredded chicken, or make this a day after Thanksgiving with your left-over shredded turkey.  For me, it is fun to experiment with different substitutions.  You may end up liking it better, or you may go back to the original version.  Whatever meat you decide to use, I am sure that you will find this recipe comforting.  We are still sitting in 80 degree weather, but the comfort of a nice hearty soup was certainly necessary on this November evening!  The herbs used in this dish are so uniquely put together, that your taste-buds will probably experience a new taste.  I am sure that you have quite a few of the herbs in your pantry, and if not, eliminate some of them, and try something new!You may be surprised as to what you will find!

White Bean Turkey 'Soup'

Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
a pinch of red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicy)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon flour
1 lb. ground turkey meat
1 can cannellini beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can great northern beans, drained
 3 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Add the chopped onion to 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well.

Here are the 5 garlic cloves that I used.  If you do not like garlic as much as me, you could most definitely use less!

2. Mince the garlic cloves.

3. Add the garlic to the onion mixture and mix well.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add the sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, oregano, red pepper flakes, and cumin.  Mix well.

5. Add the flour and mix well.

6.  Add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth.  As you mix it, the mixture will begin to thicken.

 

7. Drain and rinse the beans.

8. Add the beans to the onion mixture and mix well.

9. In a separate pan, cook the turkey meat. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir well until all the way cooked through.  (about 8 minutes)

10.  Add the rest of the chicken broth to the bean mixture.

11.  Add the turkey meat to the chicken broth and beans.

12.  Mix all of the ingredients together.

13. Put a lid on the soup and let it simmer for about 20 minutes so that all of the flavors incorporate together.

Here is the final product! I added a little basil pesto to the top of mine... I am saving that recipe for tomorrow! Enjoy!

Until next time...

-A

Apple Tarragon Chicken Salad

For some reason, I have been in the mood to make chicken salad.  Not just any chicken salad, a fall-ish chicken salad... and no, don't worry, I will not try a chicken salad with pumpkin.  I wanted one filled with herbs, fruit, walnuts, and of course... chicken! I had an apple in my refrigerator, one chicken breast, some leftover tarragon, and I just got walnuts today at the market to make pesto tomorrow.  Apple Tarragon Chicken Salad was born.  Sometimes, when you just try a little of this and a little of that, it make a delicious dish.  I was not sure how this would taste when I was putting all of the ingredients together, but I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted the first bite! I toasted some french bread, and I had a nice little lunch today, with a new favorite sandwich! Of course, you could always forgo the bread and serve this over lettuce with a apple-cider vinaigrette of some sort!

Ingredients:
(This makes 2 servings, if you want to make more, you would need to double the amount)
1 chicken breast, boiled and diced
1/2 cup minced apple
2 teaspoons freshly chopped tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon mayonaise
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1/2 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Boil the chicken in a saucepan over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes.

2.  After dicing the apples, add to a container that you can store in the refrigerator.

3.  Add the tarragon.

4.  When the chicken is cooked and cooled, dice the chicken into your choice of size.

5. Add the chicken, mayonaise, spicy mustard, honey, and salt and pepper to the container.

6.  Chop the walnuts into tiny pieces so that they are easy to chew.

7.  Add the walnuts to the salad and mix well.

Serve on a nice piece of bread, or over some fresh lettuce! Enjoy!

Until next time...

-A

Tzatziki Sauce

It has been quite stressful around here.  Even though I am not the one personally going through applying to residencies, I can definitely feel the stress of it all.  Every day, our conversation goes something like this....

Me... on my lunch break: "Hey, have you heard back from anyone?"
T...at home: "Nope, not yet."
Me: "Ok, well let me know."
T: "I always do."

Some days, I get a little better news and hear that he has heard back from so-n-so, but more than likely, he doesn't hear back from anyone.   We applied to 77 places, and it has been a struggle to hear back from all of them.  He has heard back some 'no's' and those conversations are never good, but we move past it.  We are hopeful... well, we are trying to be hopeful.  It is hard when you cannot do ANYTHING about it, and I am not one to give up control of situations.  All that being said, even though I am not the one applying, it has taken a toll on me.  I have not been taking the time to plan adventurous meals.  I have not tried may new things.  Quite frankly, I have been repeating a lot of the same recipes that are already on here.  This weekend, T is going to New York for an interview, I am going to sit down, take time for my own thoughts, and plan out some recipes.  Cooking helps me to ease my stress, and that is exactly what I am going to do this upcoming weekend.

Until then, here is a great recipe to add a little 'greek' flare to your menu! Tzatziki sauce! Most recipes make such a huge batch, this recipe is a perfect amount.  You could obviously add mor yogurt is you feel that you need to, however, I like being able to taste all of the unique flavors together!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, shaved (will show you later)
1 tablespoon fresh dill
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Add the greek yogurt to a bowl.

2.  Peel the cucumber.

3.  Cut the cucumber in half.

4.  Deseed the cucumber.

5.  Dice the cucumber.

6.  Add the diced cucumber to the yogurt.

7.  Add the lemon juice.

8.  Shave the clove of garlic into the dish,

9.  Add the sugar.

10. Add the dill and mix well.

11. Add salt and pepper to taste.

12.  Mix well.

We served it with garlic and lemon chicken, zucchini and corn saute, and couscous.  I placed the rest in the refrigerator and it lasts for about a week.  It honestly gets better each day that it sits in the refrigerator.  I finished it off today with a few pita chips! Enjoy!

Until next time...

-A

Pumpkin Spice Scones... just like Starbucks!

Ok... the weather has turned again.  Just when I thought that it was getting cool out and starting to feel like November... in Florida at least... it got hot again! Ugh!  Oh well.  I woke up this morning, wanted a fancy fall breakfast, saw that I had left over pumpkin in the fridge, and I most certainly did not want it to go to waste.  Pumpkin Scones entered my mind! I frantically searched until I found the perfect recipe, and make a few tweaks of my own.  Every fall, just when the cute red cups come out at Starbucks, we always get a Pumpkin Scone on the side.  I have never made them, because honestly, the word scone scares me.  I will never let that word 'scare' me again, because honestly, it was super easy.  Yes, there are a lot of steps, but the whole thing took me a little over 30 minutes, from start to finish! This is definitely something you should try! Especially if you like the Pumpkin Scones at Starbucks, just like we do! Once you make these, you will always make your own! I promise!

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons greek yogurt
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 large egg

For the powered sugar spiced glaze:
1 cup powered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
(if it is too runny, you can add more powered sugar

Directions:

1.  In a food processor, add the flour.

2.  Add the sugar, baking powder, and salt.

3.  Add the spices.

4.  Mix well.

5.  After the dry ingredients are mixed well, add the cubed butter.

6.  Mix until it looks like grits.

7.  In a separate bowl, add the pumpkin, egg, milk, and greek yogurt.

8.  Whisk together.

9.  Add the wet ingredients into the food processor with the dry ingredients.

10.  Mix until all of the ingredients are incorporated together.

11.  On a flat surface (I used my granite countertop), add a few tablespoons of flour.  

12.  Place the dough mixture on top of the flour.

13.  Knead together until this shape is formed.

14.  Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or lined with a silpat pad.

15.  Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into triangles.  I first cut them into 6 pieces.

16.  Then, I cut them into 12 pieces.  They do not have to look perfect! Look at mine! 

17.  Place these in a 425 degree F oven for 14 minutes.

18.  Meanwhile, you can make the glaze topping.  Add the milk to a mixing bowl.

19.  Add the powered sugar.

20.  Add the spices and mix well.

21.  After 14 minutes, take the scones out of the oven.

22.  Place on a cooling rack. 

23.  When they are almost to room temperature, place them on a plate.

24.  Drizzle the glaze over the scones.

25.  Take the scones off and wash the plate, or transfer the scones to another plate.  You do not want them to get soggy from the extra glaze left on the bottom of the plate.

26.  Here is the final product! As you can see, all 12 did not make it to the final picture.  We ate a few along the way! They were really good warm, but you can wait to eat them when the glaze finishes drying. Enjoy!

Until next time...

-A