Less stress, More enjoying ...Holiday gifts

I am usually the person who is late to a party because I am waiting for last minute to get a gift for the host or birthday gifts etc. Now, after 10 years I think I learn to start now with my holidays shopping list. Here are some gifts to help you to spend more time catching up with your friends.

1. Crown Ring from Lilac Bijoux ($5 flat shipping) 
2. His & Hers pillow covers from Etsy  
3. L’Oreal Infallible Le Rouge in Bold Bordeaux  
4. Josie Maran Argan Sugar Scrub 
5. Popbar Hot chocolate on a stick! (or you can make them yourself- recipe to come) 
6. Mingle Decanter 
7.Bentwood Breakfast Tray   
8.Chipper & Sprite Serving Set  
9. Limited Edition Golden Monogram Mug 

Mom's Cooking

Going to my mother's house for dinner with Andrew is never a poor experience, instead is a long 4 hour dinner with appetizers, wine, desserts, cocktails and a lot of laughing. This is why I feel like Thanksgiving is, actually, everyday at my mom's home.

Now, she does not take two weeks, two days, or two hours planning for a fabulous dinner. She spends 45 minutes. Between thinking what she 'feels' like eating, what does she has at home, and what she needs to get at the store. And she is fast! While she cook the salmon in the over, she already stared the rice/polenta or potatoes. While the rice and the salmon are cooking; she places broads, cheeses (the exotic kind) fruits, and some kind of meat (smoked salmon, salami, prosciutto) When I arrive to her house, she is gracefully putting together a salad. 

How she does it? I am still trying to figure our her secrets.

Our secret to Salmon

Salmon might be the protein that I like to experiment more than any others. With that said, I have found a way to accomplish a great taste that never goes wrong.
No matter how big or small the piece that you will be cooking is, try this next time you are going to cook salmon;

• Warm up the oven at 350 degrees while you do this next step.
• In a non-sticky pan cover it with a thin layer of olive oil and place on a medium heat. When oil is warm (not hot) place the unseasoned salmon (face down, meaning pink side down and gray side facing up) on the pan and let it sear for about 45 seconds or until it is slightly golden ( you don't want to cook it!). Make sure the salmon doesn't stick to the pan, that way it wont loose its form.
• Have a oven safe dish ready to place the seared salmon and any spaces that you want to put on top. In the image below I coated the salmon with finely cut cilantro, green shallots, salt and pepper and lemon.
• Cover the dish with thin foil and let it cook for 12-15 minutes (the time really depends on the salmon thickness, rule of thumb is 10 min per inch of thickness) 

Enjoy!

Caramelized Turnips and Dill

I have been gone for a while...but I am back, and I hope not to abandon you again. Between school, work, our dog Lucy, the change of season, and lack of intensive of my part by not believing on my blogging abilities. I got a  raise of 'hope' and decided to keep documenting my recipes.

Listening to Jamie Cullum (who I met a few years ago) talented musician, piano player, excellent English accent, etc. Got me into the groove of fall and what the nature has to offer in this gorgeous season.

You'll need:

-Turnips (peeled and washed)

*think of turnips as potatoes, so if you are cooking for 4 people, use 2 medium size turnips per person.

-Fresh dill

-4 tablespoons of organic brown sugar 

-Sea salt (optional)

- 1 tablespoon of olive oil

In a medium saucepan, add the tablespoon of olive oil and warm up the oil with a medium heat. Add the clean, peeled turnips cut in cubes or diced and let them golden. When turnip have acquire this crisp and golden outer, carefully sprinkle the brown sugar. I start with small amounts so the sugar sticks to the turnip not the pan. 

When you have used all the sugar make sure you keep turning the turnips, let them sit on the pan and in a beautiful plate for serving, place the turnips and add the dill. 

Optional sauce for turnips: In a mixing bow, put 3 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt, add a little drops of lemon juice, mix well and add a few capers for a burst of flavors. Sour and sweet is always a good combination! 

Enjoy!

Mid-season pasta for Dinner

Usually in the summer I eat light meal but that doesn't mean I lack of carb cravings. With the beautiful zucchinis, carrots, corn and tomatoes I have received from my friend's garden I made a colorful pasta dinner for Andrew and I to enjoy a Sunday evening at home.

(Serves 4) You will need :

• 1/2 Red pepper 
• 2 Carrots (used 2 long carrots cut in circles)
• Shiitake mushrooms (I count 3 mushrooms a person)
• 2 corn (cooked)
• Fresh tomatoes (the more the merrier) 
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 of a white onion 
• 4 chicken brats (I get the Spicy Italian Chicken at Trader Joe's)
• basil
• 1 zucchini
• 1 bag of orecchiette pasta (this is my favorite pasta)
• S&P

First make the pasta by following the instruction on the bag. In a non stick grill pan add the sliced brats, carrots and pepper. As soon as they get a little golden color, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. I have a two burner grill pan so I move the vegetables and the brats to one side and place the corn (to give it a little grill taste) on the other side. As soon as the carrots start to soften (this is the vegetable that take the most to cook) add the shiitake mushrooms. Don't forget to check on your pasta.

In a sauce pan, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and the 2 garlic cloves diced, keep the burner in low. Cut the white onion fine slices then add to the sauce pan. As soon as the onion softens add everything in the grill pan in the sauce pan but the corn. Keep in the pan in medium heat and add the diced tomatoes.

TIP: I sautee the onion and garlic in a separate sauce pan to keep the taste of the garlic and not let the rest of the veggies sit on the onion and the garlic for too long. Also when adding the tomatoes, the juice preserve nicely in the pan. 

Dice the zucchini and place them on the grill pan, next to the corn. Add S&P to the zucchini slices and a little olive oil, not too much because zucchini releases a lot of water and with the olive oil, it can get saggy. To prevent that I grill it in the pan and then add it to the sauce pan.

Place the corn in a cutting board and cut the kernels, place in the sauce pan with the rest. The zucchini should be ready to add in the pan as well. First, remove from grill, make sure they are soft and cut slices in half to facilitate the intake. Add the zucchini in the sauce pan as well and set the burner in med-hi heat to make sure when you serve the food, it is still hot.

Serve pasta in a beautiful plate and pour the colorful mixture on top, you can put slices of a semi-firm cheese as asiago (fresh) and adorn with fresh basil leaves.

Pepperoncini pebre (Chilean style)

After making this pebre or salsa, I grabbed a bag of sweet potatoes tortilla chips and finish more than half of the bowl you see in the picture. In Chile, we eat it with empanadas, shrimp and a toast or with ceviche.

What you'll need;

• 1 pepperoncini 
• 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup  of a green pepper
• S&P
• Olive oil
• half of a small onion (I cut it very small and used less than 1/4 cup)
• 1 Garlic clove

Clean out all the seeds from the pepperoncini and wash well.In a cast iron pan I roasted the pepperoncini until it was slightly burn around the sides. Cut the pepper in tiny cubes and place in bowl. Next, cut the white onion into fine peaces.TIP: if you place a colander and run the water through the onion while you cut it it will help with the tears. If you find that the onion is too strong to eat, after cutting it leave it in the colander and put about a tablespoon of salt and press the cut onion tight with the salt. Then rinse with water, this will release the strong taste and will feel softer in your mouth. 

Add the juice of the lemon to soften the pepper and onion. Dice the pepperoncini, and cut the garlic in fine, tiny pieces.

 Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Now, enjoy!

Roasted Tomatoes Spaghetti (17 minutes )

When you only have 2 guests, 45 minutes to eat (well) and head out, you really have to be creative to pull a dinner meal together in less than 20 minutes and it has to be good.

On my way home I was coming already late so I was thinking; what do I have at home!? Turns outs I gather the following:

-An exotic taste garlic I got at the farmers market last weekend 

-A handful of fresh basil

-A gifted basket of cherry tomatoes from my co-worker's garden 

-Shaved Parmesan

-Whole wheat spaghetti 

                 

Pre- heat the oven at 450 as soon as you get home. In a big casserole bring up to boil 4 pints of water with a little olive oil, on high heat. In a cookie sheet ( I am limited in kitchen accessories) pour some olive oil and cut the garlic in fine pieces and put all the tomatoes in there. I had cherry and medium size tomatoes so I cut the medium size tomatoes to release some juice. Salt and pepper them and put them in the oven for 5 minutes.

As soon as you take out if the oven the cookie sheet, smash the tomatoes with a flat surface ( careful with the juice!) 

I used a mug and a cloth to protect me from the juice. When you are done smashing them (tip: smash them once, you still want to keep the form of tomato) . Put them back in the oven, this time broil them until your spaghetti is ready.

In a big dish place the drained spaghetti and put them basil leaves.

Then place the tomatoes. 

Last, but not least, some Parmesan. And you are ready to surprise your guests.