Archives For Fabulously Simple

Guys, I made fish. (!!!)

Prosciutto-Roasted Sea Bass

What, not exciting enough for you? Allow me to elaborate.

Fish is something I love ordering out, but I rarely cook it at home. I’ll do it occasionally during the week, but I’ve never really took it upon myself to make something delicious. It’s usually more along the lines of getting something together for dinner that’s fast and healthy. I’ll throw a piece of salmon in the oven with a little lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper and call it a day.

And I wonder why I’m not excited to cook it!

I watched Ina make this the other day, and I was inspired. Finally! Just what would we do without Ina Garten? I don’t want to think about it.

Her version looked lovely for fall but I thought, this sea bass idea would be equally perfect anytime of year. I served it alongside my summery peach panzanella but you could do virtually any side. A simple roasted tomato dish would be perfection right now, too.

The beauty of this dish is that it comes together in NO TIME. I am not exaggerating. This is shockingly simple.

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It’s totally not weird to get excited about, say, the most ridiculous salted caramel buttercream … or THE perfect shade of tangerine lipstick you’ve been looking for everywhere.

Arugula-Creme Fraiche Pasta

But what happens when you get excited about a meal that’s super-simple … something easy enough for a weeknight, even? Well, then you know you’re onto something.

I’d been eyeing this easy idea in my favorite cookbook {pretty sure I should start getting paid for these mentions} for a while. The idea seemed so simple, it was like – whaaaa?

Crème fraîche = pasta sauce. That just about sums it up.

Add a little lemon and seasoning, and crème fraîche becomes a perfect vehicle for pasta. Now, toss that with a few handfuls of fresh arugula and grated Parmesan and you’ve got a gorgeous and satisfying meal.

You could very easily stop right there, as the original recipe suggested, or you could pop in a few more additions and make it just a litttttle bit better. In my crazy-brain, the arugula, lemon, and Parmesan were speaking to me … asking – no, begging – to be transformed into a riff on a deconstructed arugula pesto. Who am I to argue with such an idea?! Enter in the garlic, pine nuts, and basil – and you’re there. Simple as that.

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If it’s possible to improve upon a simple baked round of Brie, then I think I must’ve done it.

Cooking and serving it in a baking dish rather than leaving it whole is nothing groundbreaking. It’s so simple, in fact, I wondered why I hadn’t thought of it before. I love baked Brie, but sometimes it can get messy. And so I figured, why not stick the whole thing in a baking dish and see what happens?

Well, as you can imagine, love happens. Rich, creamy, sinfully cheesy LOVE.

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Guys. I’ve got something super-awesome for you today!

And, it’s super-easy. I even made a video to prove it.

This asparagus tart is what I like to call a “back-pocket” recipe. You won’t ever need a recipe again after you’ve made it once – and after watching it on video, you probably won’t even need a recipe on your first shot!

Yep, you can pull this one out of your back-pocket anytime you need it. And when might that be, exactly? Well, to start – Easter. This would make an outstanding choice as an Easter hors d’oeuvre, because Easter happens to fall in the springtime, when asparagus is at its lovely peak. It would be equally perfect for brunch with the girls, or even a simple lunch with your better half and a bottle of your favorite white on a gorgeous spring day.

This tart is so impressive and pretty, and what’s even better than that? It tastes delicious, too. Did I mention it’s easy to make? This is a triple-double-win, peeps.

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It’s time …

… to start thinking about … asparagus … !!!

You might have other, more exhilarating things to get your heart fluttering right now. Not a bad thing! I suppose I do, too – but as we know, it’s the edible things in life that get me weak in the knees.

The edible things, that grow from the ground, that allow us as people who enjoy food to truly get excited about putting good stuff into our bodies.

Ah, the power of a vegetable at its prime.

Or should I say, the power of a roasted vegetable at its prime. Because when you roast asparagus – like most other veggies – at a very high heat, something magical happens. I’m going to trust that you’ve done this before. Because I’m pretty sure I’ve talked about it ad nauseam. But – the real question remains: Have you ever topped said asparagus with fried capers? And perhaps more importantly – poached eggs?

Swoon.

There’s a lot of magic happening in this dish, and if you’re afraid of poaching eggs, well, then I triple-dog-dare you to try it. If you, too, go weak in the knees for a creamy egg yolk running over your toast, ridiculously-delicious roasted asparagus, hash browns, whatever – then you simply must learn how to poach an egg. Because more often than not, restaurants will undoubtedly screw this up, which leads me to throw a temper tantrum in my head because now my breakfast is ruined, and all I really wanted was a proper eggs Benedict and why must I suffer from an overcooked egg yolk that doesn’t. run. anywhere. ?

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If this is any indication of how the success of The Food Matters Project is going to go, then we’re in for a ridiculously good ride.

Last week, I was so happy to be introduced to that brilliant roasted red pepper “pesto” concoction. And this week, I’m positively thrilled that this totally unexpected combination made its way into my kitchen.

The original recipe can be found on Marcia’s blog, Twenty by Sixty. Marcia – thank you! You rock for picking this recipe. It’s easy to pick something that feels safe, but that’s not what went down here. In fact, I’m curious to see how many people in the group had big enough cojones {excuse my Spanish} to try it.

I replaced the figs with dates since figgy season is over, and I absolutely loved the result. There is something a little freaky about fruit baked into your pasta, if you ask me…so I think the dates were a great choice, since they’re less watery than, say, pears – which was what I was toying with trying. I will say, however, that this recipe has opened up my mind to trying the pears or even apples in the future.

The dates added a delicate sweetness that just came around every now and then – the perfect amount. And then, there’s the cheese. It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with cheese, any and every type; the smellier, the better. Dates are a classic pairing with blue cheese, and so I went with gorgonzola dolce – also known as the sweeter, milder, and creamier cousin to classic gorgonzola. If intense blue cheese turns you off, this might be a good starting point for you.

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One day, if I ever own my own company or have any say in the schedule of another life’s work, National Margarita Day will be an official holiday. Mark my words.

And I don’t know about you, but for me that means we’ll also have the following day off.

On second thought, I’m thinking we should make it National Margarita Week altogether. There are just too many delicious variations on this all-time favorite cocktail of tequila and citrus, and we need time to celebrate them all.

For now, we can start with this insanely perfect Meyer lemon version. I truly now believe that Meyer lemons were put on this Earth for the purpose of dirty dancing with tequila and orange liqueur. This cocktail would be entirely perfect on its own stopping right there, as the Meyer lemons already strike that perfect balance needed for margarita-making; if you’re unfamiliar with Meyer lemons, they are thought to be a cross between lemon and a mandarin or orange – and so that is what makes them perfect for a margarita…they provide that extra sweetness needed for balancing the tangy-ness of the lemon.

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Call me old-fashioned, but I think every woman should know how to cook a steak for her man.

And with Valentine’s Day around the corner, what better time to knock this one off of your bucket list?

{To all of my meat-loving lady readers: You might just decide to make this one for yourself – and there ain’t no shame in that}

I’ve heard of engagement chicken, sure. And there are few things I love more than a good roasted chicken. But – if I were a betting woman, and the future of your relationship status depended on one meal and one meal only, I’m putting my money on steak.

Lesson of the day: Cooking up steaks better than they do at Ruth’s Chris is the real way to a man’s heart. Fact.

And guess what? No grill required! You might be surprised to know that many steakhouses don’t use use a grill to cook filet mignon. I don’t even remember where or when I first learned how to do it, but I’ve been cooking them this way for years now. I know it was before I saw Ina’s recipe because I remember feeling so proud when I saw that she made them the same way! You know, me and Ina, on the same page – NBD.

The method is super-simple – so simple that you’re going to be dumbfounded when you sink your teeth into one of these delicious steaks.

Here’s the secret: Sear on the stove, and finish in the oven.

That’s it. Seriously. This is so simple, you don’t even need a recipe. Get a little oil going over high heat in a cast-iron or stainless steel oven-proof skillet, sear the meat on each side for a minute or two until it develops a beautiful browned crust, and then just add a pat of butter to each steak before throwing ‘em in the oven for 6 minutes or so. Let them rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes and you’ll get the most perfectly cooked medium-rare filets every time.

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Welcome to the inaugural post for The Food Matters Project!

Each week, a group of food bloggers and home cooks are coming together to cook our way through The Food Matters Cookbook: 500 Revolutionary Recipes for Better Living by Mark Bittman.

I’m not gonna lie. This cookbook is overwhelming. Overwhelming in a way that I want to make at least 90% of the 500+recipes in this beast of a book. Overwhelming even moreso in a way that when I first read about what the “Food Matters” philosophy represents and stands for, I was so inspired that I decided to start this project.

In a nutshell, it’s about eating more plants and natural foods. In turn, we’re talking less meat and processed foods. And it’s about how all of that’s good for our health – duh – and the environment, too.

I selected this recipe to kick-off the launch of our project. It was so, so hard to pick just one. I’ve already cooked at least 5 or 6 recipes from the book, because they’re all just so simple and easy for everyday cooking. (If Mark Bittman’s new to you and if you’re a new-ish cook, I highly recommend you check out another book of his as well: How to Cook Everything.) There’s something about the way he explains things that’s so easy to understand, and his recipes are totally no-nonsense. He gives options and ideas for how to adapt almost any given recipe, so you can truly feel confident in what you’re doing if you’re new to experimenting with different flavors or ingredients. He makes cooking fun – and easy.

You know where I stand on this: If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong. And yes, this applies even to healthy, easy-enough-for-a-weeknight cooking.

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BLT wraps with basil aioli.

February 2, 2012 — 2 Comments

White bread. A thick smear of mayo, full-fat – preferably homemade. Crispy slices of thick-cut bacon. Cool, crisp Boston lettuce leaves. Thick, juicy bright red slices of heirloom tomato…well-seasoned, of course.

It’s a good time.

That folks, is a real BLT – a traditional BLT. It’s a truly perfect sandwich, if you ask me. The only problem with this  sandwich is that it’s fairly limited by season. If you can’t get your hands on the perfect tomato, then you’re missing an imperative part of the sandwich. A BLT is the poster-child of simple food = beautiful food, and that means all of your ingredients must be, well, perfect.

Which is why I bring you this winter-friendly version of everyone’s favorite sandwich, the BLT.

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