sour cream - lemon pie with a butter crust.

ok, what? it's snowing. SNOWING. in oregon. right now...in march. the weather has been so bipolar lately, i'm totally freaked out, like everyone else.
anyway.
my wonderful, sweet, handsome husband is never really super into the sweet things that i make from time to time. the normal stuff like cookies, brownies, cakes, he's all "meh..."
so his birthday is coming up, and i asked him what i could make that he would really enjoy, and that would be a challenge for me/out of the normal realm. it was a delicious pie, if i do say so.
here's what you need:

CRUST:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, chilled and diced
• 1/4 cup ice water

(from all recipes)

in your stand mixer (or hand-held) or just using a bowl and spoon, mix up the flour and salt. cut in the butter until the mixture is in tiny crumbs.

stir in the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until you've got a ball'o'dough. then cover in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 4 hours, or overnight

to make the crust super flaky, i rip the dough apart after rolling it out
and layer the pieces. cover the crust with foil and bake at 450 for 8 minutes. remove foil, and cook for another 5-7 minutes, and cool.
you want the crust to be super light, because this pie isn't hearty - it's delicate, and needs a chewier, mild crust.

PIE FILLING:

1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
3 egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
(from taste of home)

combine the sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. slowly stir in lemon juice and milk, then egg yolks and lemon zest. stir constantly, over medium heat, until mixture is thickened.  remove from heat, stir in the butter and let the mixture cool to room temperature. stir in sour cream and get out your ready pie shell. pour it in, and top with the freshly whipped cream. make sure to refrigerate! eat eventually continually!

farfalle with garden vegetables and grated parmesan

good afternoon, friends! it is a GORGEOUS day here in the great northwest, and today i've created something just as fresh and lovely.
what i love most about this dish, besides its deliciousness, is that it's super filling, and almost vegan (minus the parm). i have a soft spot in my heart for vegan fare, as i have been sporadically vegan for the past 3 or so years. veganism is arguably the most healthy way of eating you can have as a human, and i wish i possessed the knowledge and non-cheese-addictedness to be successful at it. oh well - we do what we can, right?
here's what you need:

1 lb. organic farfalle pasta, cooked to package directions
3 cloves garlic, minced
8-10 cherry tomatoes, chopped
squeeze lemon juice
1 head of organic broccoli, chopped
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp himalayan pink salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups fresh, organic, baby spinach
2 dashes olive oil
1/3 cup grated, fresh parmesan

firstly, steam the brocolli. then  put your dashes of olive oil and smart balance in the pan. add the broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, and all spices. saute for about 5 minutes, or until spinach is wilted.

add garlic and saute for another couple of minutes. add the parmesan, lemon juice, and saute for 2 more minutes. you should be smelling total heaven about now.

spoon mixture over the cooked farfalle, and sprinkle more cheese over each serving. enjoy the sunshine, and your awesome pasta!

a little something extra...

one of my favorite pictures ever.

i have been cooking and blogging and blogging and cooking...so here's a little break from that and instead, some pictures of my super adorable family!!

looking super stoked for his 3rd birthday!

brother!

my elsa and her bff, naveah

swag. <3

creminis and carmelized vidalias in a rosemary butter sauce.

whew! that's a dish title!
something i cook a lot (A LOT) with is smart balance. used as an alternative to butter, smart balance not only has significantly less calories and cholesterol (no animal fat), but is packed with omega 3s, vitamins, calcium, protein, plant sterols, and has 0 trans fat. plus!

march is national heart month, so in honour of it, i am using it in every recipe i prepare this month. when cooking savory dishes, i almost always use smart balance, but in baking i'm a hardcore butter believer...so we'll see!
today for lunch, i was eyeing my trader joe's spinach and chives linguine, and scoured the fridge for vegetables i needed to use up. i am kind of over thick alfredo-y sauces right now, and i was in the mood for something super buttery and rich. SO, this is what i came up with! enjoy!
here's what you need:

• 1/2 vidalia onion, sliced lengthwise, into thin strips
• 5 big cremini mushrooms, sliced lengthwise and then in half
• 1 large chicken breast, sliced thinly into strips
• 1 package spinach and chives linguine, cooked (or just spinach linguine, which you can get anywhere)
• 1/2 cup fresh, grated parmesan 
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella (or 2 string cheeses, which is what i used!)
• 3/4 cup smart balance
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp himalayan pink salt

firstly, put the smart balance in a large frying pan. add onions and let saute for 3 minutes, then add chicken, salt, pepper, and then saute another 3 minutes.

add mushrooms, both kinds of cheese, and then the rosemary. simmer on medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

put pasta on a plate, and pour some of that goodness all over it! enjoy, and happy heart health month!

it's almost spring!

hellooooo. i am definitely enjoying this amazing spring weather we are having. i am still holding on to the last threads of winter meals, though. comfort foods in the summer are just not the same.

growing up, we didn't eat much beef. it was eternal chicken. not that it was a bad thing, but if you know how to season and prepare ground meat dishes, they can be out of this world delicious.
this meatloaf recipe is of my own creation, and i am super proud of it. the key to making a good meatloaf is to have the outside sticky and moist, and the inside moist but not mushy.
 i make mine into mini loaves because i feel like you can taste everything better with a smaller portion, and you can slather more sauce onto the outside. also, it doesn't feel like you're eating a huge, plain slice of beef. gross.
i also added super finely chopped collard greens, because you should add it to everything. collards are super high in vitamin C and soluble fiber, and also contain many nutrients that provide your body with super potent anticancer properties! pretty impressive, collards.
of course i wouldn't tell you to put something into all your dishes if it would make them taste horrific; the great thing about collard greens is that they're very, very mild flavored.

here's what you need:

LOAVES:

• 1 lb hormone-free, grass-fed ground beef or turkey
• one bunch organic green onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
• 2 cage-free eggs
• 1/4 vidalia sweet onion, chopped finely
• 1/4-1/2 cup breadcrumbs (depending on how moist you want your loaves)
• 1/2 bunch organic collard greens, chopped finely
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp sea salt

SAUCE:

• equal parts organic ketchup, white wine or apple cider vinegar, brown sugar

cook the ground beef with the salt and pepper, until browned. place the meat in a medium bowl. for the loaves, mix all ingredients together, and form into little loavy shapes. in a separate bowl, mix the sauce together, and once all your loaves are arranged on a greased cookie sheet, take a pastry brush and load 'em up with that delectably sticky, sweet, and sour sauce. bake at 350 for around 45 minutes, but check them after 30.

last chance for soup!

the weather is getting warmer and sunnier, which is awesome. but i loooove me some hearty, home-made soup, and it's definitely a winter thing, so i am making the most of these last few, chilly days.
this is a red-based soup, which i usually am not a huge fan of, but i created this amazing, deliciously filling soup, and i know you will love it. plus, it's vegan (minus the parmesan for topping). bonus!
here's what you need:
1 lb pasta (ravioli, tortellini, penne, spaghetti)
1 can tomato soup
3 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
5 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 tbsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp garlic salt
10 oz fresh collard greens (or spinach)
parmesan cheese for topping

saute onions in large pot on medium heat, for about 6 minutes, then add carrot, collards, and garlic, and saute until onion is clear. add tomato soup and veggie broth and all spices. bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes. add pasta and cook according to directions on package. top with parmesan.
HOW GOOD IS IT!??

fresh weather calls for fresh foooods.

hello, all!

this weather has been so gorgeous here in the berg, and it really makes me crave my favorite kind of food - italian! but with a twist...and kind of also greek/mediterranean-ish. one of my favorite breakfast anytime meals is fresh mozzarella, (you know, the kind in water) vine-ripened tomatoes, and fresh bread. i pour olive oil and salt+pepper on the cheese and tomatoes, and that just makes everything better.
one of my for real favorite breakfast foods is straight up scrambled eggs. as my friend and i were out shopping at trader joe's a few weeks ago, she told me about this ridiculous infusion of the two aforementioned food items, and so, duh, i had to make it.

what you'll need (for one serving):        
1 tomato, sliced
3 eggs, whisked
 3 tbsp milk
dollop of olive oil for sauteing
1/4 cup fresh mozzarella
1/4 tsp pesto (or more, to your liking)                            
---  use what ever veggies you like ----       
3 mushrooms, sliced
1/8 cup sweet onion, sliced
1 cup fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste

cook onion in olive oil for 2 minutes, then add mushrooms, spinach, and salt+pepper. once the spinach has wilted, add eggs, milk, mozzarella, and pesto.
scramble everything together but the tomato; that goes on top when your eggs are done cooking.


how good is that? i'm obsessed.
ok, on to some amazing honey oat bread. i really think everyone should make bread how i do. it is fool proof, and always delicious. here's what i always start off with:

2 cups of warm water in a huge bowl
1 1/2 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp sugar

whisk all these ingredients together until dissolved, and let sit for fifteen minutes. there should be a big, shallow bubble from the yeast rising on top of the water. add whatever kind of flour you desire, (i even rotate scoops of organic, unbleached white and wheat sometimes, to make a more nutritious but still delectable and fluffy hybrid bread) until you have a good dough going, and knead for five minutes (the more you knead, the airier your bread will be).
then cover with saran wrap and leave it in the fridge overnight, then bake at 350 anytime during the day for about 30 minutes, and bam! awesome, homemade bread that will have your friends making fun of you and calling you suzie homemaker.
here are some variations i do with my bread : (though the first part - water, yeast, sugar, ALWAYS stays the same, it's the foundation of bread!)
*half wheat/sprouted grain flour, half white flour
*extra sugar
*honey in place of sugar
*molasses in place of sugar
*sea salt on top of the dough before you bake it
* add thyme, oregano, cinnamon, any spice you want in the dough and on top
* brush a whisked egg+water mixture over the top of the unbaked loaf
*put oats, quinoa, barley, any kind of raw grain in the dough


for this particular loaf i put a little bit extra sugar, and then squeezed some honey and sprinkled some oats into the dough. after forming it into a loaf shape, i placed the dough on a greased cookie sheet, and added more oats on top and made slits with a butcher knife.


i've been making a loaf of bread a day, and we always eat it by nighttime, if it's just plain old french bread with olive oil and sea salt, or honey oat/sprouted barley wheat. enjoy!!