humbleonion – Page 6 – Katie Curtis

Ciabatta Sammies (2 Ways)

25 March, 2017/in humbleonion/by Katie

What happens when you tweak one of your favorite Ina Garten sandwiches to make it vegetarian?

Good things. Good, good things. I actually LOVE pouring through vegetarian cookbooks and visiting vegetarian cafes, because despite what your kids may tell you, vegetables are delicious. Finding new ways to use them and bring out there surprising flavors is one of my favorite kitchen adventures.

So when I started to think about some of our favorite meals, and how we could make them meat-less, I turned to one of our favorite Ina Garten recipes. I saw her make these chicken tender sandwiches on her show years ago, with sweet peppers and onions, and goat cheese for a tangy kick. Since then it has become an easy quick week-night dinner that my husband loves, but it also makes a great go-to party food recipe, since it is easy to assemble and feeds a crowd. Preparing a long sandwich and slicing it on a cutting board looks rustic, tastes delicious, and clean up is easy.

When I went to go look for the original recipe online, I couldn’t find it, but luckily it is so easy you barely need one. When I whipped it up recently for dinner for the kids, who don’t love goat cheese, I used shredded Monterey Jack Cheese instead. But my husband and I love it with goat cheese.

But it got me thinking, based on my love of portabellas to replace meat these days, wouldn’t this sandwich be delicious with sautéed mushrooms too?

For the chicken version, you just get 2 skillets heated with oil, and let them cook:

But why not make that second skillet mushrooms? They don’t love a crowded pan so two sliced portabellas should fit easily in one large skillet.

The result was super delicious. I almost prefer it to the chicken version, especially when you drizzle a little of this balsamic creme reduction on it (available in most grocery stores right next to the balsamic vinegar section. If you don’t have it you can just drizzle a little balsamic on the bread, or make your own reduction buy reducing it like this.

This was so, so good! Sometimes stores carry Ciabatta rolls instead of loaves, and they taste just as delicious, let me tell you.

Not sure a recipe can get any easier, or more flexible. But the results are always delicious!

Happy Cooking! xoxo Katie

Ciabatta Sammies 2 Ways (printer version here):

1) Chicken, Peppers & Onion Ciabatta Sandwiches

4 T. olive oil, divided

1 package of chicken tenders (usually between 1 and 1.5 lbs)

2 peppers (I used red and orange for color)

2 onions, sliced

Salt & pepper

1 loaf of ciabatta or 4 ciabatta rolls

2-4 oz. goat cheese or other favorite shredded cheese such as montery jack

Directions:

Heat 2 T. oil in 2 large skillets on medium high heat. Season chicken with 1 t. salt and ¼ t. pepper. When hot, add peppers and onions to one skillet with 1 t. salt, and chicken tenders to the other. Cook chicken until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Cook peppers and onions until tender, stirring frequently, about 10-15 minutes.

To assemble sandwiches, slice ciabatta, and arrange peppers, onions and chicken on bread. Add cheese on top, replace top of loaf, then slice and serve.

2) Vegetarian Version with Sliced Portabella Mushrooms

Instead of cooking chicken tenders in second skillet, slice 2 portabella mushroom tops, season with salt and pepper, and saute until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Assemble sandwiches as above, and use Balsamic Reduction, or sprinkle top of loaf with ½ t. Balsamic vinegar, if desired.

Corned Beef & Cabbage

16 March, 2017/in humbleonion/by Katie

Hi Friends! I wanted to repost this yummy Corned Beef & Cabbage meal in honor of St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow. Our Internet was down due to winter storm Stella. But hope you are celebrating! Slàinte!

I grew up in a big Irish family, and every St. Paddy’s Day we had a yummy boiled dinner of Corned Beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes. I remember the tang of Cider Vinegar making the meat and the veggies delicious, and I was surprised when none of the online recipes I scoured included Apple Cider Vinegar. So I added some to mine and it turned out just like I remember, tangy and salty and tender. (I put some carrots on my son’s plate and he tasted it, and said, “I’ll need about 20 more of these!”).

The key to doing a boiled dinner is to cook it low & slow. Give yourself time – this one takes 3 hours, though the prep time is 10 min. and you can leave it on the stove – and to keep the heat LOW. A crockpot works too.

Don’t forget to pick up some brown bread or rye bread on the side, and serve with plenty of mustard and horseradish.

Corned Beef Dinner with Cider Vinegar and Vegetables (printer version here

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs. corned beef

5 carrots, peeled and chopped

4 potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 small cabbage, cut into wedges

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 T. salt

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

enough water to cover beef

Directions:

Place corned beef in dutch oven, big heavy pot, or Crock pot and fill with water to cover the beef.

Stovetop: Place heat on high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for 1 hour, skimming the top of any fat or foam, and then adding vinegar, seasonings, and vegetables. Cook for 2 more hours on low simmer or until vegetables are tender.

The key is to cook it low and slow, to tenderize the meat. If the meat is cooked at too high for too long it gets tough.

Crockpot: Place meat and water in crockpot with enough water to just cover brisket. Cook on high setting for 2 hours. Then add vinegar, seasonings, and vegetables, and cook for another 2 hours or until vegetables are tender.

Serve with brown bread, mustard and horseradish.

Creamy Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

8 March, 2017/in humbleonion/by Katie

CREAMY STUFFED PORTABELLA MUSHROOMS

This poor food blog is so neglected you may be wondering, does she even care about us anymore? Does she even care about food?

The answer is yes, and yes. But if you haven’t heard yet, I’ve been distracted by a certain book release next month and some other news that I will share soon! We also went north for New Hampshire’s February break to go skiing and I forgot my laptop. Turns out the break was really needed – I’ve been glued to it and it was nice to take a real break, and to connect with family and friends in the flesh after we’ve been hibernating all winter.

Since the last time we’ve chatted, Lent snuck up on us, as it always does (except for the Mardi Gras part, which totally gets our attention because hello, party). The one thing I do every Lent that I usually stick with 100% is giving up meat on Friday. Because of this, I thought I would come up with a few recipes that use meatless ingredients but still feel like a meal. Today I am giving you my favorite new recipe: Creamy Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms.

I love portabella mushrooms. In the summer, I soak them in some balsamic, olive oil, s&p and diced garlic clove in a zip lock bag, and then grill them. Inside two hamburger buns, with some blue cheese or lettuce and tomato, you hardly even notice you don’t have meat in your meal.

But this recipe – I’ve made it a few times, and every time I love it more. You know how good stuffed mushrooms are as hors d’oeuvres? Well, imagine sitting down with a knife and fork to a plate of these all your own.

You start by roasting the portabellas with garlic, salt and pepper. Then you start make the filling by sautéing smaller mushrooms with garlic and butter.

You add these dairy beauties:

The ideas is to create a thick creamy sauce, and ricotta does that in a jiffy, along with the melted fontina. You can use milk to thin it out but the cream (I have made it with half and half but this time I had whipping cream) is what gives this dish its decadence, I think. If you don’t have ricotta, you can easily make a sauce starting with a roux, which is roughly whisking 2 T. butter + 2 T. flour for a few minutes, then mixing in 2 cups of milk, plus the cheese but it takes longer and I think the flavor is much better with the ricotta. Also this sauce would be amazing mixed with some pasta for another meal idea.

Then, you add the remaining cheese and broil it until the cheese is browned, about 5-7 minutes.

Creamy Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms (printer version here):
Creamy Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms:

4 Mushroom Caps
2 T. olive oil
s&p
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 T. butter
½ t. tarragon
2 cloves diced garlic, divided
½ cup ricotta cheese
¼ cream or half and half (or milk)
1 cup grated fontina, gruyere, or monterey jack (good melting cheese), divided
2 sprigs of thyme (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place Portabella caps on cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, 1 t. salt and ¼ t. pepper and 1 diced garlic clove. Roast in oven for 20 minutes.

While those cook, heat large frying pan on medium high heat. Add butter and melt. Add mushrooms, garlic and ½ t. salt, ¼ t. Pepper, being careful not to crowd pan or they will steam – use two pans if needed. Saute until fragrant and soft, about 10 minutes.

Add ricotta, cream, and ½ cup shredded cheese, and stir until combined and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Take mushroom caps out of oven and let cool for 1 minute.

Add creamy mixture to mushroom caps, then cover with remaining ½ cup cheese and a few thyme leaves. Broil for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is browned to preferrence. (I love the cheese when it is very cooked).

(Serve with pasta or wild rice and peas.)

A Southern Dinner

27 February, 2017/in humbleonion/by Katie

(Hi Food Lovers – just a note to say as I completed my edits for my book I got behind on everything, including blogging here. I am attempting to make it up to you with not just one recipe, but a whole meal. These recipes are truly all new favorites on our rotation, and it feels so good to be back sharing a love of food with you here.)

It’s hard to step your baby toe into a love of food without feeling the effects of Southern Cuisine on America. Southern Cooking has become synonymous with cooking with soul, or love, or heart, or something approximating all three. But you don’t need to get philosophical to know that southern food just tastes good. With its mixture of rich fatty meat, an ample supply of butter and cheese, and tangy, vinegary liquids, most of which have been cooked long and slow, its hard not to end up with something that will make your belly and your soul very happy.

So when my southern friend Christy sent me her recipe for Collard Greens around New Years, followed up with some lovely gifts and priceless staples like grits and seasoning they use in their kitchen to achieve that authentic flavor, I knew I wanted to see if my Northern Kitchen could make those flavors appear.

Turns out, it can. I thought I’d use some of these gifts for a whole southern meal, complete with a rib recipe that we’ve been loving. The result was amazing fall-apart ribs, collard greens that were so flavorful, they tasted like they were from a restaurant in the south, and baked cheddar grits that were so good they’ll make your toes curl. Or at least make you want to curl up for a nap. All of these make up such quintessential comfort food, it’s no wonder it’s called soul food.

So let’s start with the my favorite:

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Collard Greens à la Christy

This recipe has a short cut that I highly recommend: buy the seasoning packet from Uncle Wiley’s which my friend sent me. Whatever kind of magic is in there, it sure makes for some delicious greens. If you don’t want to bother, just play around with your garlic powder, salt and pepper until it tastes seasoned. The salt pork adds some salt too so go easy at the start of it simmering.

This recipe delivers you a huge pot of good for you greens, plus a whole bunch of broth that I sipped for the next three days and just made me feel amazing. I was writing a lot that week, and I would get so excited when I brought up a hot, salty mug to sip while I worked. Christy said it’s called “pot likker” and all I know is its pretty life affirming. Or at least during editing season. I found my collard greens at my local store so hope yours carries it too.

Collard Greens à la Christy (printer version here):

When I got the photo of the recipe, it was officially titled “Collards and Peas” which just sounds like a great dish, doesn’t it? She said her husband traditionally makes the peas separate from the collards by boiling them in a little chicken broth, which is what I did. Then you just serve it together. But here is the cast of characters:

“Collards and Peas”

3/4 container of peas, soaked overnight, then cooked in chicken broth (can use frozen)

1/2 an onion

3 bunches collards, sliced

1 salted pork pack (I had a large package and just used a slice that was about one inch thick and it was just right)

garlic, salt and pepper (or use Uncle Wiley’s seasoning packet)

3 stalks celery (I sliced them and loved them, but you don’t have to if you want to just use it for flavor)

dollop of chicken bullion

Optional: add a splash of malt vinegar at the end.

Directions:

Trim collards from stems which are bitter. Then chop them up and place them in a huge pot of water. Add pork, onion, spices, and a huge dollop of chicken bullion. There is no right or wrong ratio for the peas and collards, essentially just throw everything into a pot, bring to a boil, then simmer until leaves are tender. You can also served with black-eyed peas and diced tomato.

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Oven-To-Grill-Ribs

So you’re going to want to pin this recipe too.

I don’t know about you, but after having eaten great ribs from friends and restaurants, I was sort of in the camp that I would let them make them and I’ll happily eat them.

But then I found this recipe from Chef Charlie McKenna in Better Homes & Gardens, who has some deep southern roots and an award winning BBQ restaurant in Chicago. He made ribs seem…doable. So when my daughter asked for ribs for her birthday a while ago, I tried them, and they were SO easy and SO good: falling of the bone, smokey, juicy, and well-seasoned.

The secret is you flavor them up with mustard and the rub, then cook them low for 2 hours, sealed in a tin foil envelope, so they stay really juicy. Then flash grill them for 10 minutes with BBQ sauce. The rub mixture makes enough for 3-4 rack of ribs, and I store mine in a tightly sealed jar. And I have made my own sauce, but in a pinch, I have used a good jar too.

I love that you can cook these all year round if you use an indoor grill pan. One rack of ribs feeds our family very comfortably.

Oven-to-Grill Ribs (printer version here):

Ingredients

13 1/2 pound rack pork loin back ribs
1/4cup yellow mustard
1cup BBQ Rub
1/2cup BBQ Sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. With a pastry brush, spread the mustard all over both sides of the ribs. Generously sprinkle the rub all over both sides of the ribs.
Place ribs in the middle of a double thickness of heavy foil cut 6 inches longer than the ribs. Wrap ribs in the foil. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until tender (the two middle bones of the rack should start to pull apart easily).
Remove ribs to a tray (discard liquid in foil packet). Spread the sauce all over both sides of the ribs. Grill on the rack of a covered grill directly over medium heat for 15 minutes, brushing with additional sauce every 5 minutes, turning once. Adjust heat as necessary to prevent burning.

BBQ Rub

Directions

Place celery seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds in a spice grinder and grind until fine. Mix together with remaining ingredients. Store leftovers in a dry, cool place.

BBQ Sauce

Directions

Whisk all ingredients together in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill up to 2 weeks.

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Baked Cheesy Grits

Normally I test totally new recipes like this, but turns out Baked Grits are very easy and with the help of butter and cheese turn out delicious no matter what you do. (Ok, scorching the bottom of pan might not work). I merged a number of recipes online, which were all very similar, keeping notes as I went, and they turned out just the way I was hoping. Maybe it was the authentic grits sent from Georgia? Now my mind is dreaming about fried polenta.

Baked Cheesy Grits (printer version here):

5 cups chicken broth

1 1/4 cups grits, rinsed

4T. Butter

1/2 t. garlic salt

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1 cup (4 oz) sharp cheddar, divided

1 cup (4 oz) monterey jack

1/2 cup milk

3 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Bring chicken broth just to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; gradually whisk in butter and grits. Reduce heat, and simmer, whisking constantly, 5 to 7 minutes or until grits are done. Remove from heat.
Add seasoning, milk, half the cheddar cheese and all of the monteray jack cheese. Stir until completely combined and cheese is melted. Taste for seasoning, adjusting if needed. Add eggs and combine well. Pour into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining half cup of cheddar cheese.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until mixture is set. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

I hope you take a trip to the South via your taste buds and try these out! They are delicious and memorable, and with friends like Christy, definitely Soul Food.

xoxo, Katie

Giada’s ‘House’ Soup

27 January, 2017/in humbleonion/by Katie

Oh, January. You’re so cold. And you make me want to curl up on the couch and watch TV and eat popcorn. Which then makes my pants feel tight.

Luckily, you also make me crave a big bowl of steaming soup.

I recently got Giada DiLaurentiis’ new cookbook, Happy Cooking: Make Every Meal Count without Stressing Out.

She is not the first chef to point out how lovely it is that soups are so flexible and can use up odds and ends in the fridge, but she had me at kale and sausage, and even more when she added lemon and Parmesan cheese rind to the broth (one of my very favorite cooking tricks – it adds instant umami).

She calls for farro which I often have a hard time finding – (I finally found a source though and I can’t wait to make David Leibovitz’s Farro with Mushrooms and Bacon). So I used lentils instead, and I loved it. It would be great with white beans, rice, chick peas, Northern Beans…you get the idea.

The lemon and the Parm in the broth makes this soup so comforting and flavorful. And of course, you feel great after you eat it.

Also – if you saw my Instagram Story about how I made strawberry fruit leather, I got the recipe from this cookbook. But you can find a similar recipe here and a video here though I love that Giada uses 2 T. agave and 2 T. lemon juice with 1 pint of fresh strawberries and it tasted so fresh and bright and good.

So look out, February. I’m coming for you. And I have a big pot of soup that will fuel me through.

Happy Eating, xoxo Katie

Giada’s “House” Soup (printer version here):

Gilda’s Note: This soup was created to use up odds and ends, so feel free to substitute the grains, beans, pasta, and veggies with the ones you want to use up. Just don’t omit the cheese rind or lemon; they give the soup a lovely savory flavor.

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 leek white and tender green parts, washed well & finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped (Giada recommends 1 sliced and 1 chopped)

½ fennel bulb, cored and finely chopped

Kosher salt

½ t. Crushed red pepper flakes

¾ c. dried small white beans, such as navy

½ -¾ cup lentils (Giada’s calls for farro but I wanted to use lentils)

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 quarts chicken broth

2-3 fresh thyme sprigs

1 (2×3 inch) piece of Parmesan rind

½ lemon

13 oz. turkey kielbasa or any kind of sausage (I used chorizo), cut into half-moons

4-5 large leaves of Tuscan kale, ribs removed, chopped

Freshly grated Parm for serving

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the leek, carrots, and fennel, season with about ½ t. salt and the red pepper flakes, and saute slowly until very soft but not browned.
Add the beans and the lentils and toast for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes with their juices and the chicken broth, thyme, Parmesan rind, and half lemon. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer and cook for about 40 minutes or until the beans are tender but not mushy. Season to taste with salt.
Add the kielbasa, kale, and sliced carrot. Cook until the kale and carrot are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove and dicard the thyme sprigs, Parm rind, and lemon (squeeze into the soup before discarding). Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of Parm if you like.

Best Instapot Beef Stew

22 January, 2017/in humbleonion/by Katie

Oh, my goodness. This is Heaven in a bowl.

This recipe makes me so glad that I am still blogging about food. (Novel almost finished! A week or two before I hit send to the publisher and I am so, so proud of how it’s turned out. Will keep you posted when they tell me its available.)

After I did an IG story where I made beef stew in the Instapot, I had a bunch of people ask me how I make it, so I was determined to snap some pics the next time we had it. Lucky for you, we made it last night. The sun set while it was cooking away and we took a nature walk, so these last few shots are only lit with artificial lights, which is my photo pet peeve. But the recipe is SO amazing, I have to spread the love, sub-par pics and all.

To start with, you just shake your cubed meat in a ziplock bag with the flour and salt and pepper. I tend to buy the already cubed meat from my farmer or local grocer, but cutting up a chuck roast or pot roast or even steak are fine too. Then brown them. (If you are trying to make this whole30 compliant, skip the flour and use Coconut Aminos instead of Soy Sauce. I think Worcestershire sauce is ok? If you want to be on the safe side use 2 cups beef broth + 1 cube beef bullion).

Note: This recipe calls for 2-2.5 lbs of meat, or enough for 6+ servings. You can sauté them in the Instapot on the sauté setting. But the bottom of the Instapot is small, so you have to do it in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. I usually just brown half in the instant (top picture) and half in a pan (bottom picture). You can see that both yield that lovely caramel brown color on the meat that adds so much flavor.

The key is to get the browned bits up with the beef stock, so don’t forget to de-glaze the pan with a cup or so of beef stock or the liquid mixture after you dump the meat into the Instapot. This is just 2 cups beef stock, 1 T. Worcestershire, 1 T. Soy sauce, and 3 T. tomato sauce.

Once all the browned meat is nestled into the Instapot with the liquid mixture and brown bits, add 2 bay leaves and 4 or so thyme branches, then put the lid on. Turn the Instapot “Meat/Stew” setting on, and it might default to 50 minutes, or 30 minutes. Use the +/- buttons to set it to 40 minutes. It will first just say “On” like this, but as the minutes start to tick down you will see the number of minutes left.

When it is done cooking you can see the amazing dark gravy that the Instapot produces:

While this cooks, chop up your veggies. I use 4 carrots, 4 potatoes, 2 celery, all cut to 2-inch size pieces, plus 2 onions sliced. When the 40 minutes is up, just toss all the veggies in, and add 1 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper on top.

Then, hit the Meat/Stew setting again, and using the +/- buttons set it for 15 minutes. When it is done you get:

What is in the bowl can be Whole30 compliant. What is outside of the bowl cannot.

The Instapot is fairly easy to use, the only thing that stresses me out is getting the lid on and off sometimes, but otherwise it is strait forward. If you have any questions using it feel free to leave me a comment or message me on IG.

I am blown away for the third time by how delicious this recipe is in the Instapot. I am convinced it makes the meat even more flavorful and tender than any other method. I hope you get to try this soon with your family. Mine licked their bowls. So so yummy.

Happy Eating, xoxo Katie

Best Instapot Beef Stew (printer version here):

Serves 6

4 T. extra virgin olive oil*

2-2.5 lbs. cubed stew meat

2 t. salt

1 t. Pepper

4 T. flour* (omit for whole30)

2 c. beef stock

1 T. Worcestershire sauce*

1 T. soy sauce*

3 T. tomato paste

3-4 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

4 carrots

4 potatoes

2 celery stalks

2 onions, sliced

* Items with asterisk may be omitted or substituted to make recipe whole30 compliant

Directions:

Cook Times: Brown Meat = 5-10 minutes – Meat + Liquids = 40 min. – Veggies = 15 min. Total = 60-70 min.

Set Instapot to Saute setting and let it get to Hot. (You will need to cook the meat in batches to not crowd the bottom of the Instapot. To save time, you can cook half in Instapot and half in a pan, so here I preheat a large pan on stove to medium high heat and add 2 T. oil. and cook second batch in pan while first batch cooks in Instapot.)

Add cubed meat to ziplock bag, and add flour, salt and pepper. Shake well to coat evenly.

Add half of seasoned meat to Instapot, half to hot pan (or cook in 2 batches in the Instapot). Cook until meat in each until it is browned, about 5-6 minutes, stirring both pans frequently to brown all sides. While it cooks, mix together beef stock, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste and mix together.

When meat is browned, put all meat into Instapot along with bay leaves and thyme. Deglaze pan with some of liquid mixture, scraping up brown bits, and add along with the rest of the liquids to Instapot. Add lid, and set Instapot to Meat/Saute setting for 40 minutes. Allow steam to release when done.
While meat cooks, chop carrots, celery and potatoes into 2 inch chunks. When meat is done, add to pot along with 1 t. salt and ½ t. Pepper. Add lid and set Meat/Saute setting to 15 minutes. When done, let steam out and then remove lid.

Healthy Eats & Wellness Ideas

10 January, 2017/in humbleonion/by Katie

Happy New Year friends! After our time away in the mountains we came back about as refreshed as you can be skiing with 4 kids (my husband is seriously passionate people!) My husband had lots of work trips as soon as we got back, and I have had almost constant solo parenting which is why he is sending me away this weekend with my best friends. The spa appointments are made and that point of relaxation with girlfriends and wine is what I am thinking about during this LONG stretch of cold winter weeks.

I am trying to bring that Spa-like mindset into our days despite the cabin fever tendencies. Long books, bubble baths, essential oils, spa-food and music playing. Something to make up for the void from all the delights of the senses that get used in December. Plus I hate feeling deprived as I get healthy and so do my kids. So I am trying to find things to add to our surroundings that make us feel better instead of reminding us of what we are going without, you know, like sunshine and sugar.

So here is the list I’ve come up with of things that are helping me – and the kids. I can’t believe how much each one of these things has been met with great results with them! I hope they help you and your family too.

1. Afternoon Snacks –

The window after school is a tough one for me. I feel like I have the same conversation over and over again about sugar and nutrition. I was on a mission to find things they wanted but weren’t horrible.

So here is our substitution for Ice Cream – we keep these stashed in the freezer:

And cookies:

They are loving both of these! The muffins are made from this pancake mix which is full of whole grains and protein, and I add fruit in too.

Honorable Mention: We also got a Sodastream and they are loving it! I can get healthy-ish flavors or a little juice to add to the water and we don’t have to have a conversation about sugary drinks.

Ok, next up, let’s talk about vehicles for Veggies.

2. Soups:

Soup is winter’s answer to all those salads and raw veggies we eat all summer.

My kids love this soup – something about the comfort food factor I think. They totally forgot they were eating cauliflower. But the key to this soup is you can use ANY VEGETABLE and it will still taste good.

Think of this recipe below as a templet, and then improvise.

You can throw handfuls of the bottom of your veggie drawer and it will still taste good if you sauté onions, add broth, simmer for 20 and puree. I just tried this one Skinnytaste’s Cookbook, and it is a gem. (I actually just went to get you the link to her website and her latest post is almost this exact recipe + some Brussel sprouts thrown in.) So experiment and have fun. Tweak it to any diet you are doing – Whole30 or Gluten-Free, leave out the flour, leave out the onions, if you do the other things, trust that warm salty veggies in pureed form will still taste good.

Skinnytaste’s Cauliflower Soup (printer version here):

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp unbleached flour (all purpose is fine too)
1 medium head cauliflower – chopped
1/2 cup chopped onions
4 cups fat free chicken broth (veggie broth or chicken bullion + water work too)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, make a roux by melting the butter on low heat. Add the flour and stir about 2 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, onions and cauliflower and set heat to medium. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes.) Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (from skinnytaste.com)

I like it with some of the whole roasted veggies on top so I will make soup with one head and roast another at the same time for salads etc.

Here are some other soups and salads we love:

Lemon and Dill Soup from A Life From Scratch (Hi Courtney!)
Crockpot Lentil Detox Soup from A Pinch of Yum (and prayers for their sweet baby’s passing).
Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Chicken Tortellini Soup – this is a go to for us, since I buy rotisserie chicken every other week. I make a broth with the bones, cut up the meat for the soup, and just add tortellini and whatever veggies are in the drawer.
Giada’s Creamy Artichoke Soup – I live on this soup. Especially when I am PMSing since I crave salt and potatoes. Leeks are a diuretic so they help flush out water retention too.

3. Salads:

This Cannelloni Bean Tuna Salad is my go to since I always keep everything on hand. It is everything canned + some fresh herbs, olive oil and lemon juice. This concept can be stretched in a million ways but this is my favorite: cannelloni beans, artichokes, tuna, and red onion, with some parsley, evoo and lemon juice.

Winter Spa Salad with Lemon Chicken
Lentil Quina Salad
I can’t wait to try this gorgeous beet salad from Manger. (At the end of the post).
Making this Bahn Mi Salad (or maybe this Bahn Mi Bowl) tomorrow night.
Every one of these 10 salads from Real Simple look amazing. I am just loving dressing greens simply now with lemon juice, olive oil and vinegars, salt & pepper too.

4. Other Greens:

Now that my herb pot is covered in snow, I always make sure I keep lots of herbs on hand (you can wrap them in damp paper towels and put them in ziplock to keep them longer.) I use them up in making stock, but I hate having everything on hand for a recipe except for fresh cilantro and rosemary. It keeps reminding me that the winter will thaw, and we will have herb pots again.

I also try to buy some fresh new houseplants to make up for all the greens we take down after Christmas.

5. Isagenix –

I know there are a lot of diet companies out there, and I was SO completely skeptical about this program when I first heard about it. But then I had the luck of having my whole circle of friends try it, and now it is spreading through my kids school. And moms are just losing weight and feeling great. I feel like the nutrition in their shakes is just the best, though I know people who love Shakeology and Argonne, so do whatever works for you. I just had the best results with this shake because it just made me feel nourished.

I came back from vacation knowing I was just going to hope back onto my shakes for breakfast and with the hope of clean eating most of the time. The reality was we had pizza and fast food on the weekends. But this program has 2 day cleanses that really reset your brain and your belly, and let you get back on track. I am on my second day of fasting (with specially designed drinks and amino-acid rich chocolate wafters that make your brain feel like you are getting a boost) and I feel great. Lose jeans after a holiday is why I love this program!

What are your favorite ideas when you try to get your family healthy? I am all ears.

Happy (Healthy) Eating!

xoxo, Katie

{Crowd Pleasing} Mac & Cheese Bar

21 December, 2016/in humbleonion/by Katie

Having a houseful for Christmas or New Years?

Want to serve something decadent?

Want to serve something in one pot? Enter this Mac & Cheese Bar.

This is the perfect crowd friendly meal for a festive occasion – I made this last year for my families Christmas Eve party and it was so fun to watch our relatives grab piles of lobster in the middle of winter (something they would never do) and my kids top theirs with bacon. They were also my very favorite leftovers for sure.

The idea hit me because chefs are always offering AMAZING mac & cheese dishes at restaurants, and I often can’t decide which ingredient I would want the most.

Mac & Cheese with Lobster? Mac & Cheese with Bacon? Mac & Cheese with Truffles?

Why not share the love and have toppings with all of these goodies? I invited a few friends over last weekend to share this and fell in love with it all over again. It is SO good and SO easy (my favorite combo).

Start your favorite Mac and Cheese recipe – mine is Martha Stewart’s Perfect Macaroni and Cheese recipe below (I always double it ~~for leftovers~~ in case someone is really hungry.) She calls for baking it with bread crumbs on top, but since I want people to stir in all their goodies, I reserved the breadcrumb topping and sautéed that with some butter and thyme to make my first topping: breadcrumbs. I thought this would be a little lackluster but oh how wrong I was. It was the perfect texture to complement everything else on the plate.

Then I bought frozen lobster, thawing it a few hours before serving. Then crumbled some bacon.

I added a side salad and we all ate like kings. This is every bit comfort food and luxury combined. The next day, I found a jar of black truffles and tried some on top. SO decadent. You only need a little. I found my jar at Homegoods, but you can order it here.

Note: If you want to keep the mac & cheese warm throughout the party you can use a crock pot! I pulled my Dutch Oven out right before dinner and it was kept warm with the lid.

Topping Ideas:

// Bread Crumbs with Thyme: sauté reserved bread crumbs in butter, adding fresh or dried thyme.

// Lobster: buy frozen and thaw in fridge over night or in warm water 2-3 hour before serving.

// Crumbled Bacon: cook as package directs (usually 375 for 12-14 minutes) and cool. Crumble and serve.

// Onions/Shallots: these would be good sautéed or deep fried until they are crispy

// Black Truffle: use a small amount of minced, oil, or shaved.

If you like diced tomatoes or avocados, those would work too. The sky is the limit.

The only thing that could make a plate of this more delicious is to add some sangria (thanks Molly!):

I hope you find a way to make this ( or gently hint to someone else to make it!). It is so fun and fills up hearts and bellies. My favorite kind of food.

I am going to take the rest of the year off and enjoy my family and go skiing up north. Here is wishing you and your families cheer and peace this Christmas and the Happiest, Healthiest of New Years.

Happy Eating! xoxo, Katie

Perfect Macaroni and Cheese (from Martha Stewart, find printer version here):

You can easily divide this recipe in half or double it (like I did!). Serves 12
6 slices good-quality white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces (note: I reserved this as a topping)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar
2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyere or 1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated pecorino Romano
1 pound elbow macaroni

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread pieces in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into the bowl with bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

2. Slowly pour hot milk into flour-butter mixture while whisking. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.

3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup pecorino Romano. Set cheese sauce aside.

4. Fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 fewer minutes than manufacturer’s directions, until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup pecorino Romano; scatter breadcrumbs over the top (or reserve if using for a topping). Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; serve.

Topping Ideas:

// Bread Crumbs: sauté reserved bread crumbs in butter, adding fresh or dried thyme.

// Lobster: buy frozen and thaw in fridge over night or in warm water 2-3 hour before serving.

// Crumbled Bacon: cook as package directs (usually 375 for 12-14 minutes) and cool. Crumble and serve.

// Onions/Shallots: these would be good sautéed or deep fried until they are crispy

// Black Truffle: use a small amount of minced, oil, or shaved.

Garlicky Roasted Shrimp + Christmas Treats

16 December, 2016/in humbleonion/by Katie

So, between finalizing edits on my novel, my husband’s work Christmas parties, and all the decorating and gift giving, I feel like I am in college finals or maybe a Zen Buddhist video game: be serene. be patient. know the reason for the season. Also, your kids need Seasonal hats for hat day today, your husband is wondering why you bought all the candle lights for the windows if you aren’t going to put them up, and (cackling laughter) NONE of the gifts you picked out on Amazon for the cousins will be here in time for Christmas, even though they said Prime next to it, and you need to head to the mall STAT. Plus you are hosting Christmas for like 30 people.

It is easing all of my angst to find recipes that are quick and yummy, and I am sharing them with you on the off chance that you are in a similar state? No?

Let’s start with this Garlicky Roasted Shrimp recipe, shall we?

It is from Cook’s Illustrated, and honestly, it looked so good from the (black and white) photo it was all I could dream about after I saw it. I was thrilled to find out that it only takes 10 MINUTES to make. And it is so so good. There’s a whole sidebar in the magazine about how the brining keeps it moist and the shells on make all the proteins and sugars contribute to savory depth of flavor…blah blah blah JUST KNOW THEY ARE SO GOOD, OK?

About the only thing you may have to contribute as far as prep/effort is if your shrimp don’t come already de-veined. If that is the case you will have to put little elbow grease in but mine came deveined and ready to brine. I didn’t have any anise seeds and omitted them, though I did add some salt. And the other variations – Peruvian and Asian-inspired – look dreamy too.

There are SO many other amazing food ideas that I have seen recently, I thought I would do a round up of recipes I either know are easy and delicious or I want to believe they are because they look that good.

Bacon Goat Cheese Pops: SWOONING over these. I was going to do a whole blog about them, BUT I just did the cheese ball, so, here it shall lie. My husband loves everything that is going on here – the bacon, the goat cheese, the nuts, and they only take minutes to make.
Baked Ricotta with Balsamic Brown Butter – I LOVE this blog and their original recipes, and this one is a shining example. They are mostly gluten free, and my husband loves sweet potatoes, so using them as a dipping device is genius. This seems great for a party or just a quiet night by the fire.
I am hosting Christmas this year and I am making these Filet of Beef Sandwiches with Horseradish Sauce from Ina Garten. I am actually thinking of serving the filet sliced with the (you can hear the angels sing amazing) sauce and garlic bread. At one of the work Christmas parties with my husband we had no where to sit, I just put my filet of beef on a piece of garlic bread and it was almost the only thing I could focus on while I was eating it, it was so good. Just kidding. Not really.
When it comes to sweets, my crew really just wants a brownie. So I am making these Brownie Cookies for cookie exchanges. I plan to coat some in chocolate ganache frosting & peppermint candy cane crumbs and the others in carmel with sea salt. Check my Instagram feed for the final product.
These Pretzel + Reese’s Peanut Butter bites look easy and delicious – my favorite combo. And while you are on this site (I Heart Naptime), check out the microwave caramels – they are genius.
For Christmas morning, I am going to make the Candied Bacon (bacon cooked with brown sugar on top) for my husband. I had it at a wedding this fall and it reinforced my belief that we can’t live without having this on our next holiday. So have it we shall.

Hope you are staying warm (and sane). Happy Eating/Cooking/Wrapping/Making Merry!

Xoxo, Katie

Garlicky Roasted Shrimp (From Cook’s Illustrated, printer version here):

1/4 cup salt

2 pounds shell-on jumbo shrimp (16-to-20 per pound)

4 T. butter, melted

1/2 cup vegetable oil

6 garlic cloves

1 t. anise seeds (optional)

½ t. red pepper flakes

1/2 t. Salt

¼ t. pepper

2 T. fresh parsley, chopped

1 lemon, sliced into wedges for serving

Defrost shrimp overnight in refrigerator or in a bowl of cold water for 30-45 minutes.
If you are able to find non-deveined shrimp, then use kitchen shears or a paring knife to cut through the shell and use a paring knife to cut to 1/2″ deep and remove the vein. (Mine were already deveined). Leave the shell on for protection against the hot broiler. Add 1 quart of water to a large bowl and dissolve 1/4-cup of table salt, and place the deveined shrimp to brine, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Set an oven rack so that it is 4″ from the broiler heating element, and begin to pre-heat the broiler. In a second large bowl, add butter, vegetable oil, pressed garlic, anise seeds, pepper flakes, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Drain shrimp and pat them dry using paper towels. Add shrimp and parsley to bowl containing the oil mixture, and toss to combine, ensuring that oil gets worked into the inside of the shrimp.
Place shrimp in single layer on wire rack set over a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet. The wire rack will allow air-flow around the entire shrimp. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, rotating half-way through broiling.
Flip the shrimp and broil the second side for 2 to 3 minutes more, again rotating the pan halfway through broiling.
Put cooked shrimp on a clean serving platter and and serve immediately, with lemon wedges.

Other variations:

Garlicky Roasted Shrimp with Cilantro and Lime

Omit butter and increase vegetable oil to ½ cup. Omit anise seeds and pepper. Add 2 t. Lightly crushed coriander seeds, 2 t grated lime zest, 1 t. Annatto powder to oil mixture in step 2. Substitute ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro for parsley and lime for lemon wedges.

Garlicky Roasted Shrimp with Cumin, Ginger, and Sesame

Omit butter and increase vegetable oil to ½ cup. Decrease garlic to 2 cloves and omit anise seeds and pepper. Add 2 t. Toasted sesame oil, 1 ½ t. Grated fresh ginger, and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds to oil mixture in step 2. Substitute 2 thinly sliced scallion greens for parsley and omit lemon wedges.

From Cook’s Illustrated Special Collector’s Edition of Winter Recipes 2017 edition

Christmas Gift Ideas For Foodies

6 December, 2016/in humbleonion/by Katie

Have a foodie in your life? Or maybe you’re the foodie and everyone is like, what do you want for Christmas? Here are a few things I’ve found on the web and beyond that I have been loving (and perhaps adding to my own list!). Hope your fellow foodie heart will like them too.

1. These mini latte bowls and pasta bowls from Anthropologie:

Aren’t they so cute? The big ones are the perfect size to hold while you are cozying up with past in front of a movie or a fire. And the mini ones are perfect for ice cream sundaes and tiny servings of pudding or cobbler, or just to use as ramekins.

2. Copper Measuring Cups:

It seems like I can never have too many measuring cups. I am loving these ones by Sur La Table – they look like mini copper pots.

3. The Insta Pot –

You may have seen me on IG stories showing you how I use mine, but if you are not familiar with it, it is just 6-in-1 (or 7-in-1 depending on your model) pot that can be a Pressure Cooker, a Slow Cooker, A Steamer, A Ricer and…that’s all I know. I love the Insta Pot because it is a BIG time saver. I can steam veggies in 7 minutes, I can reduce a slow cooker 3-4 hour recipe to 50 minutes. I make pulled pork, lamb curry, beef stew, all in a fraction of the time. Great for those afternoons when you realize you forgot to take something out of the freezer in time to slow cook it. It goes on sale sometimes for or , but this is a great gift at any price.

4. Veal Demi-Glace –

Whenever I am eating something at a restaurant and I think ‘how did they get this deep flavor?” the answer is usually veal stock, or veal stock that has been reduced to a demi-glace. It is something most home cooks aren’t going to make on their own (when was the last time you had bundle of veal bones? Or 20 hours to roast them?) Enter this little jar of goodness – the Williams-Sonoma Veal Demi-Glace. I just ordered two – one for me and one for a gift, but I kind of want to order more.

5. Ina’s New Cookbook –

I mean, we all ready love her, but isn’t Jeffery the cutest? Now we love him too. As usual, the recipes are very approachable, original, and look strait up delicious. She includes her VERY easy recipe for homemade ricotta which is enough of a reason to buy the book. I love how Ina describes her passion: “I have no greater pleasure than cooking for the people I love, particularly my husband Jeffrey.” Amen, sister.

6. Black Trumpet Cookbook –

This book is for the food lover who is always looking to grow and learn more about flavors and techniques. Chef Mallett is my very favorite Portsmouth chef, and his dedication to local farmers and communities is inspiring. He started out as a food writer, which may be why I love this book since it is filled with wonderful stories and experience (food+words=my jam). Pretty much everything about this book is rich with flavor.

7. The pasta pot with strainer lid:

Even if the only thing you make in the kitchen is mac and cheese, this whole operation just strikes me as very very useful. I am amazed this hasn’t been around as long as, say, toaster ovens because holy convenience. I think it would be great for making chicken stock too – I always seem to tumble hot pieces of carrots and celery everywhere when I strain mine. (p.s. This color is sold out, the link is for one that is available.)

8. The Remy Side Chair from Restoration Hardware:

Foodies usually like to gather around a table, and with 4 kids, I really appreciate a chair I can wipe down. I am swooning over these that I saw on Jones Design Company and hoping to pull the trigger on them soon since they are on sale!

9. Basically, the whole Magnolia Market includes lots of great gift ideas but I really love these Turkish Tea Towels:

10. …and I also love these cutting boards.

I use my rustic cutting boards all the time, for crusty bread on the table with soup, quick cheese board if friends pop by, anything. A must have for food lovers and really reasonably priced for the amount of charm and rustic appeal they give.

11. This Fermentation Crock might not look pretty but if they love pickles and sauerkraut, they will LOVE this.

I found a more modern version of it here but from what I gather it is not hard at all to do in just a simple pot. Chef Evan talks about it in his cookbook, and my blogging friend Nature Girl Natalie post pics of it on Instagram. But just a simple google search yields tons of ideas like this post on Fermented Foods You Can Make At Home.

12. These Beaded Plates from Target:

I have shopped around quite a bit to replace our old everyday china and this one is coming up a winner. They are really inexpensive but look just as great as their Pottery Barn/William Sonoma counter parts. My husband is on notice about these:)

13. Orange Blossom Water here or King Arthur Flour (lots of great flavors & seasonings on this site!):

This is a great stocking stuffer. A little bit of this in cookies, crepes, macaroons, tea, salad dressings, simple syrup – even perfume! – for a subtle gentle flavor. I learned about this French trick from my favorite food blog, Manger. Here is her great Madeleine recipe which uses it. And I noticed a lot of other great flavorings at King Arthur Flour – Rose water, Pizza dough spices – so look around and see if you find something new.

14. Last but not least, if you have someone on a health kick they will love this Spiralizer from Martha Stewart.

I find the smaller ones hard to use, but this one is pretty sturdy for a good price. If you are looking for good recipes for veggies that have been spiraled, The Skinny Taste’s website is great (also great for the Insta Pot too!).

I am compiling a list of beautiful recipes for Christmas and Holiday gatherings next, so be on the look out for it!

Hope you are having a (somewhat) relaxing Advent- if you have already mailed out your Christmas cards or remembered to move your Elf everyday you are waayyy ahead of me.

xoxo Katie