quick fire challenge: bruschetta with a twist

need an appetizer in a flash? i was at the point of starvation last week and needed something to hold me over until dinner. i turned to my mishmashed fridge and had to work with whatever was in there -

ingredients:
fresh diced tomatoes
mozzarella cheese wrapped with prosciutto (check out the link just in case you're confused)
evoo
s&p
garlic
sliced sour dough bread
fresh basil

directions:
toast bread in oven for 5 minutes. once bread is toasted, cut clove of garlic in half and rub cut side down all over top of bread. in bowl, mix together tomatoes, the meat-wrapped cheese, evoo, and s&p. spoon on top of warm bread. place back in the oven and broil for 1-2 minutes...until cheese is melted. sprinkle with basil and you're done. how simple is that?

take that top chef.

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the other white meat: panko crusted pork chops and sis's zuchinni cakes

pork chops were on sale this week so i indulged in a little pork fun. i don't eat pork that often so this was a pretty new adventure for me. i turned to my trusty cooking light for a recipe and voila, i found panko crusted pork chops with creamy herb dressing. to compliment the other white meat, i also whipped together some zucchini cakes with what i had on hand.

my zucchini cakes
ingredients:
1 zucchini, grated
couple tablespoons of parmesan cheese
1 egg white
1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
fresh parsley
s&p
1 garlic clove, grated
evoo

directions:
grate zucchini and place in dish towel. squeeze all juice out until completely dry. in small bowl, mix together cheese, egg white, bread crumbs, s&p, parsley & garlic clove. form into little patties, should form about six in total. heat pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook cakes for 3-4 minutes per side. flip and cook on other side.

oh one other thing - when i plated up my meal, i topped off the my cakes with the creamy herb dressing too. eat up!

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party of 40: chicken salad bites, blt stuffed tomatoes, roasted garlic shrimp, fried mac and cheese bites, and mini pesto burgers

this past weekend, my roommates and i were ready to play hostesses with the mostesses. ready to party, we opted for a rooftop party and our invitation promised our 40+ guests sunsetting views of our nation's capitol, tunes that make you wanna dance, and of course, tasty treats. my sparky sous chef (ashley) and i got to work in the kitchen with a mission to impress our guests.

so for a little party, our menu:
- chicken salad bites in phyllo cups
- blt stuffed tomatoes
- roasted garlic shrimp with spicy cocktail sauce
- fried mac and cheese bites
- and mini pesto burgers (courtesy of sister leonard)

...and our outcome:

believe it or not, everything was actually really simple, so get on board. here's how we did it:

chicken salad bites in phyllo cups:
cook and dice two large chicken breasts. mix together with s&p, light mayo, light sour cream, craisins, and celery. bake pre-made phyllo cups in oven. when done, individually scoop chicken salad into cups. sprinkle with parsley.

blt stuffed tomatoes:
cut small circular hole in top of large cherry tomatoes. scoop out seeds and juices. in ziploc bag mix together light mayo, s&p and a couple dashes of hot sauce. cut corner of bag and pipe into tomatoes. garnish tomatoes with small piece of bacon and lettuce.

roasted garlic shrimp with spicy cocktail sauce:
place peeled and de-veined shrimp on baking sheet. liberally season with evoo, s&p and minced garlic. cook at 400 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes. serve with jarred cocktail sauce. kick it up a notch by adding extra teaspoons of horseradish. can be served hot or cold.

fried mac and cheese bites:
cook package of velveeta mac and cheese add a couple slices of chopped bacon. place in casserole dish and let sit in fridge overnight for best results. cut mac and cheese into in bite-size square pieces. prepare three dunking bowls: panko bread crumbs, egg whites, flour. first dunk in flour, then egg, then panko. let set for a couple of minutes to let bread cup really stick to bites. when oil is ready, place three mac and cheese bites in at a time. let cook for 4-5 minutes, depending on size. serve immediately.

sister leonard's mini pesto burgers:
combine ground beef with s&p and form mini beef patties. grill 3 minutes per side, depending on how you like it. add provolone cheese and let melt. add dollop of pesto and place on miniature bun. (sorry we didn't take a pictures of these delicious treats...)

special thanks to my little sous chef. she's still learning.

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two sisters, cupcakes, and a dream

once upon a time, two sisters dreamed of owning a signature cupcake shop where their daily wardrobe featured blonde ponytails, batter-splattered tees, and sugar-coated blue jeans. they even began to name their not-yet famous cupcakes after specific family members.

this weekend i stumbled upon georgetown cupcake and remembered that long lost dream. the cupcakery shares a similar story. two sisters longing to do something they love, together.

if they can do it, we can do it. sis, you still in? will you move back to dc?

oh sis, and did i mention one of the sisters drives a range rover?

(photo credit - expressnightout.com)

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real simple: stuffed chicken breasts with tomato salad

i'm not even through lunch and already thinking about dinner tonight. my theme this evening - simple, please. i'm a little tired from the smokey robinson concert last night and need a recipe that requires minimal effort and thought.

who better to turn to then real simple magazine? they're showcasing a perfect summer meal with fresh ingredients. it's also clocking in at a measly 310 calories. makes it even better.

and don't run away - it's much easier than it looks. meet you in the kitchen...let me know how it turns out.
stuffed chicken breasts with tomato salad
ingredients:
- 1 6.5-ounce jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 2 tbsps. grated parmesan
- 2 tbsps. fresh thyme leaves
- 4 6-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tbsps. plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- s&p
- 2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 8 baguette slices, toasted (i'm using sourdough)

directions:
mix the artichokes, parmesan, and 1 tbsp. of the thyme in a small bowl. cut a 2-inch pocket in the thickest part of each chicken breast. stuff a quarter of the artichoke mixture into each pocket. rub the chicken breasts with 1 tsp. of the oil and season with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. heat grill pan to medium. grill the chicken, turning once, 6 to 7 minutes per side. mix the tomatoes, shallot, vinegar, s&p, and the remaining oil and thyme in a large salad bowl.

and some quick sis tips:
- don't have fresh herbs on hand? use 2/3 tbsp. of dried thyme instead.
- don't dig artichokes? sub with olive tapenade, pesto, or chive/garlic cream cheese.
bon appetit, friends.

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get yourself one: skinny girl margarita

do it. it would make me so very happy to know you're on the way to have one as well. and if not, ok fine. whip up the skinny girl margarita at home.

(photo credit - yumsugar.com)

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inspector gadget: avocado-cucumber toss

i was walking through williams sonoma the other day and found this gadget. what gal (or guy) wouldn't want to pit, slice, and smash an avocado within seconds? hint hint.

feeling inspired? i thought so. try out this scrumptious side dish:

avocado-cucumber toss
ingredients:
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp evoo
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 12 tomatoes)
1 cup avocado, peeled (about 1 medium)
2 cup cucumber, chopped

directions:
combine first 4 ingredients in a jar - cover tightly - and shake vigorously. place tomato, avocado and cucumber in a bowl; add vinegar mixture, and toss gently to coat. serve immediately. makes for you and three amigos.

(photo credit - williamssonoma.com)

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