foodie wednesday: farmhouse meals

food tastes better on a farm.  a few weeks ago craig and i had the pleasure of house sitting at a bucks county farmhouse – taking care of horses, donkeys, dogs and chickens.  but, despite the extra chores, that week was one of simple pleasures, good conversation and quiet moments.

one simple pleasure being food.  uncomplicated, delicious dishes that allow the true essence of the thoughtfully chosen components shine through.  farm food is simple food, fresh food, hearty food. with that in mind, I wanted to share a few recipes that will hopefully offer farm-like appeal, whether you can see grass from your window or not.

overnight oats

this is my breakfast almost everything morning. there’s something so comforting about hearty oatmeal that never fails to speak to my sense of “home” and my longing for something comforting.

½ ripe banana

½ cup oats

½ cup soy milk (any milk will do)

1 tbsp peanut butter

cinnamon & nutmeg to taste

1. in a cereal bowl, mash banana with the back of a fork.
2. dust banana with cinnamon & nutmeg and add oats.   mix and mash some more.
3. add in soy milk and stir.
4. cover and leave in fridge overnight (hence the name “overnight oats”).
5. in the morning heat oats in the microwave (i usually opt for 2 minutes on power level 50), and then add in the peanut butter and sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon.  the warm oats will start to melt the peanut butter.  yum!

rustic quiche

quiche is often a go-to in my house, and when you’re privy to fresh-laid eggs, it’s a must!  to some it may seem intimidating (since it’s “french”), but this one-dish meal is really a great last-minute, no-frills dinner.   

1 (pre-made) pie crust

6 eggs

½ cup half & half

1 red pepper, chopped

1 cup baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 tsp garlic, chopped

¼ cup shaved parmesan

¼ cup feta

salt & pepper

1 tsp curry

1 tsp fresh chopped rosemary

1 tsp fresh chopped thyme

1 tsp olive oil

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. in a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and red pepper, mushrooms and shallots. mix in garlic and season with salt & pepper. cook until mushrooms and peppers are tender and shallots are translucent.
3. in a bowl, scramble eggs with half & half, curry, herbs and salt & pepper.
4. press pie crust into 9 inch pie plate.
5. pour cooled veggies into crust and pour egg mixture over top. sprinkle with feta and parmesan.
6. bake for 30 minutes until eggs are solid and top and crust is lightly browned. allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing.

farmhouse cocktail

this “cocktail” is a sure-fire winner!

1 bottle red wine

1 corkscrew

2 glasses

1 person to “cheers” with

1. put bottle in fridge for 20 minutes prior to opening to settle the temperature.
2. uncork.
3. pour into 2 glasses.
4. sip.
5. smile.

i hope these recipes offer you the sense of hearth and home that i was totally soaking up during that week on the farm.  perhaps it’s the few chilly days that we’ve been graced with lately or the fact that fall is approaching, but as i write this, i’m ready to hunker-down and pour myself a farmhouse cocktail right about now.

{this piece was originally written for new jersey life health & beauty}

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foodie wednesday: clams & crab cakes

last week, craig & i had my parents and my sis, hannah, over for a seafood feast.  we enjoyed steamed clams as our appetizer and then had crab cakes and a garden-fresh salad for dinner.  of course, dinner was accompanied with glasses of white wine and lots of good conversation & laughs : )

clams with white wine & garlic

1 lb little neck clams, rinsed & cleaned
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
3 tbsp butter
salt
juice from 1/2 a lemon
other 1/2 cut into wedges

1. melt 1 tbsp butter in a medium pot over medium heat.  add the garlic & shallots, season with salt and cook for 2-3 minutes until mixture is fragrant.

2. add wine & lemon juice and increase heat to medium-high until liquid comes to a simmering boil.

3. add clams and cook, covered, for 5-7 minutes, until clams have opened.  (discard any clams that are still closed!)  while clams cook, melt the final 2 tbsp of butter and pour into a small bowl.

4. using a slotted spoon, transfer clams to a large serving bowl and pour the broth into a small bowl for dipping.

5. serve clams with shallot-garlic-broth and butter for dipping and lemon wedges.

i loved scraping the bottom of the broth bowl to get some shallots/garlic for my clam.  with a squeeze of fresh lemon, i was good to go!

low-carb crab cakes

crab cakes often rely on breading to give them bulk.  this recipe relies on awesome, lump crab to make these cakes extra delicious : )

1 lb lump crab
2 large eggs
2 (heaping) tbsp grainy mustard
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
salt & pepper

preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. in a large bowl combine the crab, eggs, mustard and parm.  season with salt & pepper.

2. once evenly combined, form crab mixture into patties.  i opted for 8 large cakes.

3. put bread crumbs in a shallow bowl and lightly coat each patty.

4. spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and arrange cakes.

5. bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping once half way through baking.  crab cakes should be golden brown and scrumptious looking!

enjoy with horseradish mayo, light ranch dressing or even guacamole...and a lemon wedge, of course!

our seafood feast was seemingly decadent, but actually rather wholesome.  with the proper combination of decadent ingredients, you can enjoy both a healthy & deliciously fulfilling meal.

bon appetit!.

foodie wednesday: hearty lunch

with all this cold(ish) weather we've been having here, i've been totally feeling hearty food - soup, chili and red wine (is that a food?).  the other day, trying to satisfy my fall-food craving, i made a simple, yet completely delicious meal. 

here's what i came up with:

1 link chicken sausage - used sweet italian, but my real favorite is spinach & feta
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup baby bella mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup water
1 tsp olive oil
1 small tomato, sliced
basil
salt & pepper

serves 1

1. put olive into a saute pan and heat.  after a moment, add the (defrosted) link of chicken sausage and enjoy the "sizzle".

2. allow the sausage to get a crispy coating on both sides before adding the onion & mushrooms.  saute the veggies and then cut the sausage into chunks to make certain they cook all the way through.

3. cover and continue to cook.  (if veggies and/or chicken are starting to stick, add 1/4 cup of water before covering.)

4. when chicken is cooked thoroughly and onions & mushrooms are caramelized, season with salt & pepper.

5. serve with fresh tomato and basil.

after my habitual cut-and-mix-mix-and-cut

this meal was the perfect size for a hearty lunch but could definitely work for any meal!  you could whip up some scrambled eggs and serve this as a side, or you could add the mixture to pasta or top couscous with it.  yum!

bon appetit : )

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foodie wednesday: egg pizza

a few nights ago, i was feeling pizza.  i seem to always default to my favorite, go-to toppings - like roasted veggies - so i was determined to push the envelope (at least a bit) more than usual...

and this is what i came up with:

egg pizza

1/2 olive oil dough recipe {here}
1/2 cup shredded chicken (i used leftover bbq chicken)
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
3 eggs
2-4 oz crumbled feta
1/2 cup marinara sauce
cracked pepper
chopped basil

preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. sprinkle cornmeal on pizza stone (or a baking tray) and stretch dough.

2. spread the dough evenly with the sauce, followed by 3 cracked eggs (yolks intact), chicken, olives and feta.

3. bake for 15-20 min & then remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting.

4. season with cracked pepper and then sprinkle with fresh basil.

mangia!  mangia!

craig really loved this protein-packed pizza because the eggs added an awesome, creamy richness to the meal.  definitely will make it again!

you wondering what i did with the other 1/2 of the dough???  we enjoyed it the other night topped with homemade pesto mixed with a little marinara, olives and provolone cheese.  so yummy too : )

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