Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Back in the New York Groove










Hi! I've moved back into New York City and am starting to get back in the swing of things. This semester I'm living in a dorm in the West Village. This is an area that I don't know very well, but I'm so excited to explore! I had my first day of class yesterday and the saga continues today. My classes are super spread out which means that I will be taking multiple trips to campus throughout the day. Mostly I've been enjoying large cups of coffee and eating things with avocado. Yesterday I went out for a drink with Francesca and Chloe to catch up and rehash the day. Afterwards I went down to the East side with Francesca and Joe for silliness and ramen.





Thursday, January 17, 2013

Lately












1. Homemade eggs benedict
2. Jimmy's Birthday cake made by Ella and me
3. Homemade spicy chocolate gelato by Ella, Jeff and me
4. Cuddling and watching tv on my iPad
5. Diner pancakes
6. Leftover Steak and eggs
7 & 8. Skiing at Hunter Mountain with Molly
9. Lunch at Red eye with Jeff - turkey, brie, pear and avocado
10. Cuddling with Butchie
11. Brunch crepes with Jeff: Smoked salmon, goat cheese, avocado and onion

Monday, January 14, 2013

Philly




















I went to visit my brother and Katherine this weekend in Philly. I got to see David and his puppy on my way down which was nice! We spent the whole time in Philly eating, playing with Basil Bunny and catching up. I couldn't have asked for a nicer weekend! I know you probably thought eating delicious, gluttonous food was reserved only for tramping around Europe but that's just not true. On the menu: spicy PB&J, maple bacon and white chocolate pretzel donuts, ranch fried chicken, enchiladas with lobster, crab and shrimp, churros and a burger with bacon, cheese and an egg. A bit overindulgent wouldn't you say? That's just who I am. Katherine took me to City Planter, the greatest plant store where I got a couple things for terrariums. Also as a side note: the blue sweater I'm wearing was knit by Katherine. Isn't it beautiful?

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Dinner menu











Last night I cooked dinner for Julia and her boyfriend. Julia has dietary restrictions so I tried to create a menu that she could eat without getting deathly ill. On the menu: Parmesan chicken, apple cheddar latkes and kale chips (a main staple of my diet while I'm at school). We had lots of wine and catching up and it was a great night! Also how cute is this ill pup Eli? He wouldn't stop licking my pant leg while I cooked.

Parmesan chicken, courtesy of Ina:
Ingredients
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
Unsalted butter
Good olive oil

Directions
Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4-inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.

Apple cheddar latkes, courtesy of A Cozy Kitchen:
4 apples (1 large honey crisp & 2 granny smiths), peeled, cored and halved
1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 cup aged sharp cheddar, grated
1 large egg
Vegetable oil

1. Using a box grater, coarsely shred the apples, lengthwise, into a medium bowl. Toss the grated apples with the juice from one lemon and sprinkle in the salt. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and freshly ground pepper. In another small bowl, lightly beat the large egg and set aside.

3. After the apples have sat, gather them in the center of a few layers of cheesecloth and squeeze out the excess juice. Place them back in the medium bowl and add the flour mixture and cheese; toss until the apples are evenly coated. Add the beaten egg and mix until completely combined.

4. Place a skillet over medium-high heat, and pour in vegetable oil until it reaches 1/2 inch up the sides. Once the oil is hot, for each latke, place a heaping tablespoon of the apple mixture into the pan, slightly flattening the latke with the back of a spoon. Cook the latkes on their first side for about a minute or two or until golden brown. Carefully flip and cook the opposite side for an additional minute. Transfer to paper towels to drain and then place them in a preheated 200˚F oven to keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining apple mixture. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of black pepper.


Kale chips:
1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Directions
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.




Wednesday, January 2, 2013

2013











New Year's Eve allows time to reflect on all that has happened in the past year. I think this past has been one, if not, the best years of my life. Between tramping around Europe, making new and amazing friend and learning alot about myself it truly has been an amazing year. I had a great New Year's Eve spending it with friends and seeing many people I haven't seen in a while. I don't have any New Year's resolutions this year because they usually fade away after only a couple weeks. Instead I'd like to wait until I'm settled back in New York to create a new routine that involves eating healthy, doing more yoga and keeping an open mind. Have a great year!