If only I had extra hands...

... to pat myself on the back. I'm so proud of my little masterpiece dinner I made for my dad. Yes, I know in the gourmet food world the ingredient list used here is still pretty short and overly simple, but in my little food world I just graduated from snacks to entrees. That alone makes me want to do a kellie kapowski banana jump.

So dad and I watched the news, and did the usual discussing of political and world events while I was bustling around in the kitchen. I had intended to kick him out in time to go to Yoga (because I have been notably MIA lately, enough so that the instructor asked if I was taking a hiatus, oops) However dad and I were having a good time and lively discussion and I decided zen and inner peace would just have to wait, dammit.This meal was the result of me googling recipes that could generally be made from the contents of my refrigerator. One eggplant later I created a the feta and spinach stuffed chicken breasts on a rice pilaf (question, what exactly constitutes a pilaf? Is a pile of rice under a piece of meat a pilaf? Using all of my restaurant menu knowlege, I'd say yes). I also made this grilled veggie and feta salad. I will be making all of these things again and my completely full right now stomach is getting excited for the next time I can have the leftovers!

Grilled Veggie Salad with Feta & Mint (Ellie Krieger)

• bell pepper
• eggplant
• zucchini
• EVOO
• Red wine Vinegar
• dried oregano
• grape tomatoes, (note: do not eat entire bag of grape tomatoes while cooking so that you only have three left to put on the salad)
• chopped fresh mint
• crumbled low-fat feta cheese

Feta Stuffed Chicken

I took the 1/2 of the chicken breasts that I had to make this. Something about a huge chunk of meat is seriously unappetizing to me. 1/2 portions worked much better and didn't leave us too full.

• chicken breast
• cup spinach leaves
• low-fat feta
• Tbsp butter
• bread crumbs

Pre-heat oven to 350. Slice the chicken breasts into halves and then slice a pocket through the center. In the pocket pack feta on top of spinach leaves. Dust pan and chicken with EVOO spray. Put a dollop of butter on top and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Bake for 25 minutes.

For dessert I whipped ricotta with some lemon and honey and topped with dark chocolate chips. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmm...Quick and decadent. Points for using the margarita glasses too!

In an effort to use the REST of my ricotta, I decided to make a quiche. In between trips to the secret laundry room on my floor (no more going to the basement... hooray!) it's $1.00 cheaper per load and I don't have to haul my life up and down 5 flights (okay i know there's an elevator, but still) amazing discovery.... to be celebrated with baking breakfast food at 10pm, don't you think?

I used Caitlin's recipe (shout out, oh hay!) for quiche using black beans and a mexican-ish theme. It was delicous. Disclaimer: I don't have a round pan. How have I gone this long in the adult world with only square pans? Apparently I'm a square? It's hip to be square? No? I got nothing.

the pre-bake picture. Ingredients are as follows:

Black Bean Quiche (see bride run)

• eggs
• red pepper
• spinach leaves
• black beans
• red onions
• brown rice
• ricotta cheese
• shredded cheddar cheese.

Sooooooo good.

Yesterday for lunch I threw together a Waldorf chicken salad sandwich. It is pictured on a small green cutting board.... as opposed to a green screen. This sandwich does not have special effects nor will it be featured in a video game or action movie.

Waldorf Chicken Salad: (Ellie Krieger)

• chicken breast
• grapes
• NF yogurt
• low-fat mayo (or nayo!)
• all natural ground mustard
• thyme
• walnuts

The original recipe called for an apple too, which I ommitted due to a lack of apples in my pantry, although the additional crunch would have been lovely.

Alas, my lovelies. I will soon be traveling for work and staying to see the brother on the east coast.. which will pretty much last until after Halloween. This also means I won't be cooking and I won't be feeling so inclined to photograph food when I'm at company dinners. This from the girl who accidentally ate the steamed artichoke leaves whole at the last company dinner and was slyly trying to remove them to my napkin after chewing on them for about 15 minutes. Seriously, sometimes it's all I can do to not set myself on fire at these things. I am sure, though room service and pricy meals can be fabulous, I will be looking forward to returning to my own kitchen where healthier and wholesome options await. Secrest out.

The hostess with the mostest

Apparently... i love entertaining. Despite the fact that I was running behind although I had all afternoon to cook and when my guests called to say they were en route, I hadn't showered and my kitchen and rest of apartment looked like a hot mess, which then caused me to rush and run around like a lunatic. It was Jaclyn's birthday and she and company came over for sangria and appetizers before we headed to a martini bar and then the usual spots for more booze and some dancing. It was truly a night that incorporated all that is the namesake of this blog. high five.


Here is the spread.... beauteous, no? I made a healthy seafood bruschetta, ricotta dates, spinach-parm rolls, babaganoush and crudites and some freaking fantastic sangria (if i do say so myself). The plates are courtesy of my going overboard at target on friday.


Seafood Bruschetta:

• shrimp
• crab meat
• mint
• parsley
• chives
• EVOO
• lemon juice
• garlic cloves
• french bread

I got this recipe out of the Better Homes and Garden's cookbook my mom gave me when I graduated from college. I thumbed through it enthusiastically but basically let it collect dust for a few years. I wasn't using it as a table prop or anything, but it was close to being that obsolete. When I started to get back to cooking which coincided with my family's health issues, I realized that, ironically (or serendipitously, you decide) the book had a breast cancer section where they featured healthy recipes. My mom and I made this bruschetta this summer and it was as fabulous then as it was last night. Note to self: cook more with my momma :)

My experience with dates before yesterday was limited to an Amelia Bedelia book where she was supposed to put dates on the calendar and got the meanings mixed up. Oh that Amelia Bedelia.

Anyway, these are the best and easiest fancy snack ever. As Jaclyn said: 'heaven'

• 8 dates, sliced long ways and pitted
• ricotta cheese (i upgraded to get the good stuff, spending some serious time with the cheese guy at the grocery store)
• pistachios
• honey

Spinach-Parm Roll-ups. There is probably a fancier name I could give these. Too bad I'm not feeling very creative this morning as I'm sucking down my gatorade, and nursing a headache. Roll ups is all you get my friend.

• pre-made pizza dough (not so health foodish or wheat, lay off, i didn't have so many options here)
• 1/2 cup fresh parmeson (i grated it myself, and it was not kraft, seriously could this get more impressive)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
• 1 egg

heat the garlic and onion in a skillet with EVOO, then add spinach and seasoning, mix with parm before putting spreading on pizza dough. roll up pizza dough and brush with a whisked egg and bake for 15 minutes at 400.

Here is the Ba-Ba-Ganoush from the other day, which supposedly was to be improved after the flavors have been able to sit and meld for a while. I was as blah about this the second time. I am sure not all ba-ba-ganoush is this blah, but this was. blah. the worst part was that I cut up WW tortillas into triangles brushed with EVOO and sea salt and put under the broiler for a few minutes. Too bad it was a few minutes too long because I got sidetracked and when I checked on them the second time they were completely charred. My apartment STILL smells like burnt tortilla strips. boo.

SANGRIA... whoop whoop!

• 2 bottles red wine (I used Mississippi Red from local MO winery)
• 6 shots of gin
• 6 cups ginger ale
• 2 oranges
• 2 lemons
• 2 limes
• 2 handfuls of frozen berries
  
  Booze and fruit... what a fantastic combo.

Ever since I got this little pitcher on clearance at Pier1 I've been dying to put something interesting in it... does this not scream Sangria or fresh squeezed lemonade? with vodka? You kind of can't see it, but I wrote 'Jacyln's' B-day on it with chalk. Too bad I waited until it was full to write it so it sort of looks like I did with my toe.

For all my dinner party successes there was one true disaster. The grossest brownies ever. Because I have all of the ingredients I plan to give it another shot. The problem was that I skipped a step and tried to incorporate it later, out of order. It didn't work. Even the burnt melted batter was really gross.

The evening was fun and by the end was filled with lots of dancing (yay!!) but shoes are not always conducive to dancing and then walking 8 blocks home from the bars. This night was no exception. To relieve our suffering feet we decided to switch shoes for the walk home... and because we (okay..I) wanted to try on each other's shoes because they were freaking adorable. Not pictured are the pairs of shoes from Jaclyn's other friends including a phenomenal pair of grey leather boots. I will be getting some this season. what recession? new fabulous boots are a requirement for cool weather. Plus I would be doing my patriotic duty by contributing to getting the economy back with my foolish consumerism... right? right.

We are not crippled, we just wanted to feature the sides of the shoes in the event the top picture was not doing it justice. so cute. seriously.

All in all a successful dinner party. I feel like I'm a heartbeat away from a book deal and a show on cable access. Hey if Wayne and Garth can do it..