Overnight Kale Salad

I love big gatherings with family - whether it's Christmas, Easter, etc..., big gatherings mean big food fiestas. But, that also means big, calorie-heavy food... and given my attempt at a healthy life style, I absolutely LOVE this new recipe - Overnight Kale Salad - for it's simplicity and it's yummy goodness.

While it is super quick and with few ingredients, it does require advanced planning, as the dressing you put on it "cooks" the kale overnight!  Brilliant!

Note: I turned on the wrong camera setting on my phone, turning the pictures slightly brownish... the kale is actually a beautiful, deep green...

Take the kale...

...and cut the ribs out, then chop it...

...add it to a bowl...

...then in another bowl, whisk the vinegar, olive oil, honey, shallot, salt and pepper...

...then pour it over the kale salad, mixing with hands (or a couple of salad forks), pop into fridge and forget about it until the next day!

The next day, toast the pine nuts...

...remove the pomegranate seeds from the shell...

...and then plate!  Put the kale mixture down, add the cheese, pine nuts and pomegranate seeds on top, and ENJOY.

I served this kale salad alongside mashed sweet potatoes and one of my all time favorite Bobby Flay meals - seared lamb chops with cranberry chutney.  Seriously, the cranberry chutney is PHENOMENAL, and I've made it several times.  Overall, the meal was PERFECT for a winter night, even if the kale salad wasn't warm.  And, of course, there were several bottles of wine :)

Kale is a super food, and thus I felt good serving such a nutritious dish to the fam.   They seemed to enjoy it, and I really liked it - the cheese gave it a nice cheesy flavor but the focus was on the flavors of the juicy pomegranate combined with the slightly wilted kale (due to it's "cooking" overnight with the vinaigrette dressing).

Overnight Kale Salad
From Women's Health Magazine

Serves 4, Prep time: 5 minutes, Cook time: Overnight

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp champagne or other white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp finely minced shallot
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 2 bunches dinosaur or curly kale (about 1 lb), center ribs and stems removed, leaves sliced into thin ribbons
• 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts 

Directions

1. Whisk together vinegar, shallot, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Toss kale in dressing to coat evenly. (The dressing will seem light, but the kale will wilt down to half its volume.)
3. Transfer kale to a lidded container and refrigerate overnight.  
4. Divide kale among plates and top with pomegranate seeds, grated cheese, and pine nuts.
5. Enjoy!!!! 

Butternut squash mac&cheese with apple and caramelized onions

I love macaroni and cheese.  Love.  Actually, I just love cheese.  But putting it on macaroni and letting it melt is awesome.  Unfortunately, it's not very healthy, and I am trying to eat more healthy these days.

So when I came across this recipe (again, from Pinterest!) for a reputedly healthy Butternut squash mac & cheese with apples, caramelized onions and bacon, I almost didn't believe it could be any good (and who puts APPLE in mac and cheese, anyways?!?!).  Instead of bacon, I decided to serve it with ham on the side, as my Mom used to make ham and mac&cheese for dinner when I was growing up, and as my family was visiting me for the holidays, I wanted to pay her home-cooking homage :)

Funny story about the ham, though - I thought I was just buying a slice of a whole ham.  Turns out, I bought an entire ham.  Yup.  For real.  Good news is that ham freezes really well, so I will be eating ham for the next few months....

So here's how I made this lovely Butternut squash mac&cheese with apple and caramelized onions:

First, slice the onions, then heat some butter in a pan and start caramelizing them...

Stir every now and then...

...meanwhile, cut up a Granny Smith apple...

...and make sure to chop it into bite sized pieces:

If you don't go for canned pureed butternut squash (I don't...), then cook the butternut squash and puree it yourself :)... add the broth, cream cheese, and evaporated milk and stiiiiir it all together until everything is melty and gooey (another benefit of not going with canned butternut squash... once you cook it and puree it, it's nice and warm to help you get the gooey-ness :)...

About 10 minutes to go on caramelizing the onions (they take about 30 minutes), start cooking the whole wheat pasta (I don't recommend going for "al dente" with whole wheat...), and when fully cooked, let it drain into a colander...

Now, toss the pasta with the butternut squash mixture...

...then add the apple, onions and cheddar cheese...

...and fold in!!! EXPERIENCE JOY!!!

...then, have your Dad slice the Giant ham you accidentally bought...

...into beautiful slices such as this...

...And... then start plating. Then start eating.  Savor the beautiful flavors.  The butternut squash is the creaminess that helps you cut out all that cheese (but of course, there is still some cheese), which is why this actually is a healthier version of the real thing.  And the crisp apple helps add a tart and fruity element, which honestly pairs so well with the ham that I'm now patting myself on the back for buying a whole ham :)

And of course, I was so hungry that I completely forgot to take a picture of my plate... sadness.  But trust me, it was good.  HIGHLY recommend, in fact :)

Here's the full recipe (minus the ham), slightly adapted from Pinch of Yum:

Butternut squash mac&cheese with apple and caramelized onions

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  30 mins

Total time:  35 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• ½ box whole grain elbow macaroni (about 2.5 cups dry)
• 1 cup canned butternut squash puree
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
• ¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 oz low fat cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup onions, sliced thinly
• 1 large crispy apple, chopped or grated

Directions

1. Heat butter in a skillet over low heat. When melted, add onions and let caramelize for at least 30 minutes for the best flavor. Keep heat on low/low-medium.
2. Cook the pasta according to directions. Drain and return to pan over low heat. Add butternut squash, chicken broth, evaporated milk, and cream cheese. When combined, add in salt.
3. Add onions and apples to the pasta. Stir to combine and add a tablespoon more broth or milk if needed.
4. Just before serving, mix in cheese and stir until melted. 
5. Devour.

Note: Because there’s very little butter, it can “dry out” quickly, especially once off the heat. Add a tablespoon of water, milk, or broth if you need to get it back to its original creaminess.

Sweet potato-chicken hash with poached eggs and green chile hollandaise

Every now and then, you come across a random dish and it's so freaking good that you try to recreate it.  While eating lunch one day, I tasted this corned chicken and sweet potato dish with rosemary, and it was just so incredibly savory... so I set off in search of a recipe.  And of course, Bobby Flay, Iron Chef with Southwestern flavors, did not disappoint.

This recipe wasn't savory, but it sure was full of amazing spices and a touch of sweetness, thanks to a drop of honey and the sweet potatoes. Overall, this is one of my new favorites, and such a different breakfast dish to swap into the rotation!

Here's how I did it:

First, I boiled two sweet potatoes, then removed the peel...

...and then diced them:

Then, I roasted some poblano peppers over a gas burner....

 

....and once they were nicely roasted, placed them in a bowl with saran wrap over so they could continue steaming...

...then I took a paper towel and peeled the roasted skin off...

...before seeding and mincing, and set aside...

I cooked up a few chicken breasts and poached them in water, then let them cool and diced them up as well...

...then added the diced sweet potato, minced chipotle pepper, chopped cilantro and canned green chiles to the bowl...

...then mixed it all up...

...formed it into patties, and instead of frying it (like the original recipe calls for), I baked them in the oven for about 15 minutes...

Next step?  Poach the eggs and make the hollandaise sauce!  Heat water plus a few tablespoons of white wine vinegar, then crack eggs into a measuring cup (I used a 1/2 cup) to help "ease" the eggs into the water for poaching... when done poaching (about 3-5 minutes), remove with a slotted spoon, place on paper towels to help dry off...

No pictures for the hollandaise sauce (other than the roasted poblanos), but take 3 large egg yolks + some spices, mix with a hand held mixer, then slowly add melted butter in, continuing to stir.  Fold in the chopped poblano peppers.  Boom.

PLATE! Hash + eggs + hollandaise sauce :)

 EAT.  Enjoy. THIS was soooo yummy.  The family loved it, even the little guy (just kidding, he's too young... and SUPER CUTE!!!!

Here's the full recipe:

Sweet potato-chicken hash with poached eggs and green chile hollandaise
Recipe, slightly adapted from Iron Chef Bobby Flay

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 can of chopped chile peppers
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 9 cups water
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 8 eggs
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Pinch white pepper
• 1 large poblano pepper, roasted, skinned, seeds removed and finely chopped**
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted until foamy

Directions
To prepare the hash:
1. In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes, peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
2. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and place in a saucepan of simmering water. Poach for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. Cut each breast into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. Place the potatoes, chicken, scallion, cilantro, chipotles, chile peppers, and honey in a large bowl and mix gently until combined, season with salt and pepper. Form into 4 equal-sized patties.
4. In a heated oven, bake for 15-20 minutes on 350 or until golden brown.
5. Season the patties with salt and pepper to taste

To prepare the poached eggs:
1. Heat the water and vinegar until simmering in a large frying pan.
2, Break each egg into a cup and gently add to the water.
3. Poach for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the yolk is nearly cooked.
4. Remove the eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon to drain the liquid and top each hash patty with 1 poached egg.

To make the green chile hollandaise:

1. Place the yolks, salt, pepper in a blender and mix until smooth.
2. Slowly, drop by drop add the warm butter to the mixture and blend until emulsified.
3. Place in a bowl and fold in the chopped poblano peppers.
4. Serve immediately or place the bowl over a pot of simmering water to keep warm, stirring occasionally.

#20 Visit the NY Botanical Gardens

I've been living in the NYC area since July 2004, and one of the things on my "to see in NYC" list has been to visit the NY Botanical Gardens during the holidays.  They have this amazing Holiday Train Show and I've always wanted to see it.  And yet, in my eight and a half years here, I've never made it out there... sad...

But don't despair!  This year, I finally decided I was going.  And, I made my family go with me!

At the time, it seemed to be a good decision to drive there, but the ride was crazy... 5 adults + 1 baby in an SUV, driving through crazy NYC traffic... oy.  No bueno.  I was concerned that the train show would be lame, and our hour drive through insane traffic with the stress level elevated would be all for nothing...

But, we made it, safe and sound, and it turned out to be a great experience with no lame-ness in sight, phew!!

The first thing we saw was a beautiful pond with a replica of the Statue of Liberty in the center...

At the entrance, I asked my brother-in-law to snap a photo:

I did not expect what I saw when we entered the Holiday Train Show.  I figured there would be trains, (which there were), but I didn't expect to see replicas of NYC homes and landmarks made to scale!!! 

Me and a Subway train :)...

Me and the "GW Bridge"...

The GW... so pretty!

The arch in Washington Park...

My senior year in college, for my last Architecture class, I wrote a paper on the Vanderbilt's 5th Avenue home (which was built in the late 1800s and demolished in the 1920s to make way for skyscrapers, even though the home cost almost $100million in today's dollars to make!!!)... anyway, there was a mini replica of that home, so of course I snapped a pic :)...

...St Patrick's Cathedral...

My Dad and I with other major NYC landmarks :)

The Little Red Lighthouse!  This lighthouse is right under the GW bridge on the NYC side... which I have fond memories of biking past :)...

...anyway, what you may not have known is that ALL of these replicas are made from natural material... and I don't mean wood and stone.  I mean twigs, leaves, etc!!!  Incredibly detailed, ornate and beautiful.  Such a cool experience.

I highly recommend a visit, and make sure you go after the sun sets so the holiday lights shine more brightly :)  It's only showing until Jan 13th, so you need to act quick, or wait until next year... but it is also worth the wait as well :)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

Halfway there...

January 7, 2013: It's my half birthday!  Yay, celebrate with me! (Do a little jig, drink your favorite beverage, blow out some candles on a giant cake)...

Which also means that I'm halfway through my "30 now that I'm 30" challenge... and that scares the crap out of me, as I have a lot left to finish...

To date, I've completed 8 out of the 31 (yes, 31...):

• #4 Dress like a superhero
• #5 See a Steelers game in enemy territory
• #11 Visit my parents in Alabama
• #14 Go to a concert
• #19 Travel somewhere else on my bucket list
• #20 Visit the NY Botanical Garden (post coming sooon!!!)
• #21 See the Book of Mormon on Broadway
• #26 See Fuerza Bruta

 And I am working on seven others...

• #3 Read 30 more books: I continue to choose 1000 page books to read, so I'm severely behind my goal with only 7 books... 
• #7 Create (and follow) a financial plan: I looked at what I spent in 2012 and made revisions to fight into a budget while still meeting my savings goals... for now, I'm just trying not to spend ANYTHING... that's pretty hard... sigh, #FirstWorldProblems
• #10 Do the Insanity 60 day challenge: I completed Day 30 of Insanity yesterday!!!
• #16 Learn how to fly a helicopter: Lesson booked!!!  Two weeks from now, I will be flying high :)
• #18 Cook 30 more recipes: I've been cooking up a storm lately, as may be evident by the multiple food-related blog posts...
• #25 Take a writing class: Travel writing class starts next Tuesday!!
• #28 Complete the counted cross stitch piece: I haven't touched it in a few weeks, but I promise I have been working on it... need to step up my game, though...

 So a long way left to go, but, as you know, I thrive on challenges... so BRING IT ON!!!!

"Ohhh, ohhh!  We're halfway there, ohhh ohhh!  Livin' on a prayer!!" - Mr Jon Bon Jovi

#5 See a Steelers game in enemy territory

I'm a huge Steelers fan.  It's not just a team, it's a way of life.  I love yinzers, the Rooney family, the gold bridges, and how all three Pittsburgh sports teams - Steelers, Pirates and Penguins - share the same colors, Black and Gold.

And just as much as I love the Steelers, many other teams hate us. While our biggest rivals are the Ravens, we also are lucky enough to have other rivals due to our lengthy history. For example, the Raiders and Cowboys. So when the 2012 schedule came out, and we were scheduled to play in Dallas... I just knew.  I needed to go to that game.  I needed to #5 See a Steelers game in enemy territory.  Not only would it be cool to visit another stadium, but it's JERRY WORLD, for goodness sakes - one of the most incredible, over indulgent spectacles.  I just had to go!  (Plus, I'm not ready yet to attempt a Ravens game... strong possibility I'd get shanked in the stands haha...)

So I arrive late Friday night (before the Sunday game) to hang out with my buddy Mark, his fiancee Deana, and my Steeler-watching buddy Jon.  On the way from the airport, we saw the Steelers team tractor trailer on the interstate... we took pics, then I rolled the window down and waved at the driver, who honked his horn :) 

Everywhere we went in Dallas that weekend (before the game on Sunday), we saw people wearing Steelers gear.  It was AWESOME to see how we had invaded Dallas, but let's be honest, we know that the Steelers don't just travel well, we also live EVERYWHERE :)

One other INCREDIBLE moment was when the Steelers official twitter account responded to my tweet stating I would be at the game... "see you there" !!!!!!!  Just three little, simple words, no big deal normally, but the fact that it came from the official Pittsburgh Steelers twitter account was just awesome... I felt special :)

My buddy Mark happens to be a tailgate aficionado... and he had prepared several courses for our pregame meal.  Here I am on our way to the stadium, squeezed into the middle seat, surrounded by tailgate gear :)

I have to hand it to the Cowboys, they're tickets are pretty sweet looking....

The weather started out chilly before the sun came out, but no worries, I had my Steeler socks :)

Chef Mark, pulling a double "F U" to Cowboys fans with his Steelers gear AND a NY Giants chef coat:

Gorgeous fiancee Deana in all her Steelers finery :)

When the sun came out, I got a bit sleepy, so I took a brief nap in the car...

Just one of the many fabulous dishes Mark made - pierogie and kielbasa pizza!!!!

On our way to the stadium, picture time:

And of course, we needed a group picture in front of the stadium - don't worry, we asked a Steelers fan to take it hahah :)

We arrived just when the cheerleaders were performing the famous Cowboy Cheerleaders dance - high kicks into a split... and this photo also gives you an idea of my seat location and the MASSIVE screen which is about 50 or 60 yards long... I had to keep reminding myself to look at the field, not at the screen, but it was truly incredible...

Inside the stadium, proudly waving my towel (along with 30,000 other Steelers fans, apparently!)

Whenever they showed pictures of the crowd on the big screen, people behind/around kept holding up or showing their black and gold gear... TOO FUNNY (and AWESOME).

As you may know, the Steelers did lose the game in OT, sadly, but it was a GREAT GAME.  Some big plays on both sides of the ball.  I was proud of the way my Steelers played, proud of the way that Steelers Nation represented, and just happy to be a part of such a great event.

Thanks to Mark and Deana for hosting!  I had a great weekend, even if it was in "enemy territory" :)