On a Whim Baked Spicy Dill French Fries.

Last night (Nick) made burgers and asked me to make a side. At the boys house there are some slim pickins'. I rummaged through the fridge and found a bag of potatoes.. so baked french fries?
This side has minimal ingredients and you can use any type of spice you desire. I chose dill+crushed red pepper. Feel free to experiment!


Baked Spicy Dill French Fries.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 small Yukon Gold potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dill
• pinch crushed red pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 + place baking rack closest to the top. Spray baking pan with nonstick spray

Wash and slice potatoes into thin strips

Place potatoes into a large bowl and run under cold water. Swish around until the water is cloudy. Drain and repeat a few times until the water runs clear. Doing this washes away a lot of the surface starch and will make your fries crispier.
Place potatoes in a colander and dab of excess water.

In a large bowl toss the potatoes in olive oil until well coated then add spices. Toss a few times so the spices are spread evenly on the potatoes.

Place potatoes in the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for 20 minutes more.

Enjoy!

Honey Soy Glazed Salmon.

Being Greek and raised with a Mediterranean influenced diet I have an indescribable love for honey. I had ginger root left over from the other night that I wanted to be sure I used before went it bad (I hate wasting food) So I came up with this, combining 2 of my favorite ingredients; ginger+honey.

This is the perfect 'weekday dinner'. It's so simple. Mix ingredients, marinade, bake. After working a LONG day at work I am 'ok' with simple, effortless dinner.


Honey Soy Glazed Salmon.

Ingredients:

• 2 filets of salmon
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon stone-ground mustand or Dijon
• 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger root
• pinch of crushed red pepper if you to give it a kick

Place salmon in a shallow bowl or dish

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl then pour over salmon, reserving about 1/4 cup.

Let marinade for about 30 minutes, meanwhile preheat oven to 400

Remove fish from marinade; set marinade aside. Place fish in a greased baking dish and bake for 15- 20 min, baste a few times with leftover marinade. When done the salmon should be flaky and easy to fork.

Drizzle remaining marinade over salmon and enjoy!

Crispy Orange+Ginger Beef.

I had sirloin in my freezer for awhile now and wanted to try something different. I had all these ingredients except for the fresh ginger root. Luckily, I have a market 1/2 a block from my apartment!

The orange+ginger in this dish really pop. Make sure you use the fresh ginger, if not you're really missing out.

Crispy Orange+Ginger Beef

Ingredients:

•  1 1/2 pounds beef top sirloin cut in thin chunks
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 orange, squeezed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (I use low sodium)
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 cups of oil for frying ( I used light olive oil)

*Serve with rice of choice and steamed broccoli. I used brown jasmine rice, I am a huge fan of fragrant rice.

Lay beef strips out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Allow to dry in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

 In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, rice vinegar, orange juice, salt and soy sauce. Set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare rice of choice and broccoli

Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Toss dried beef in cornstarch to coat.

 Fry in the hot oil in small batches until crispy and golden brown; set aside on a paper lined plate. Drain all of the oil from the wok except about 1 tablespoon.

Add orange zest, ginger and garlic to the remaining oil, and cook briefly until fragrant (about 1 minute).

Add the soy sauce mixture to the wok, bring to a boil, and cook until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.

 Add beef, and heat through, stirring to coat (about 3-5 minutes).

Serve over rice+broccoli

~j

Greek New Years Cake (Vasilopita).

This post is a little late but hopefully you guys can try this out next New Year's!

Holiday traditions are very important to me. I love the traditions my family has created over the years, it excites to me add my creations on top of those. This tradition is the perfect end to the holiday season and a perfect way to start the new year.

The meaning of Vasilopita is to bless the home and bring good luck for the new year.  A coin is hidden within the cake before baking, then on New Year's a slice is cut for the house, all members of the family (youngest to eldest), groups and present visitors. The person who receives the slice with the coin is rewarded with good luck for the year!

Vasilopita  

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 eggs
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds
• 1/4 powder sugar

Preheat oven to 350

Grease a 10" round cake pan

In a medium bowl with a mixer cream the butter and sugar together until light. 

Stir in the flour and mix until the mixture is well combined.

 Add in the eggs one at a time and keep well blended.  Blend in the baking powder and milk then lastly combine the lemon juice and baking soda.

Pour into the greased cake pan. 

You can either add in the coin before baking or cut a slit in the cake after baking and then hide the slit with power sugar. I am a fan of adding in the coin pre-baking. Make sure you wash/sanitize the coin, I like to wrap it foil as well.

Bake for 20 minutes

Remove and sprinkle the remaining power sugar and almonds. Bake for an additional 20 - 30 min.

Cut a piece for the home, then each member of the family starting with the youngest. If you have guests over make sure you cut a slice for them as well!

I'm sure you're curious who got the coin this year? Nick and I did!

 I cut one for each of us and "us", each member of our families and my roommate.

Here's to an amazing 2011!!

Buffalo Chicken Dip.

Superbowl: food, commercials, food, commercials, more food and maybe occasionally a team you actually are excited about!

Since the Superbowl is around the corner I wanted to post some of my game day favorites!

My friend Josh always requests this so I figure it has to be blog-worthy

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:

• 2- 8 ounce packages of cream cheese (I use light)
• 1 cup of your favorite buffalo sauce ( I don't have a favorite yet so I always try something different)
• 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup of ranch or blue cheese dressing ( I'm a blue cheese girl)
• 2 chicken breasts

(pictures to come)

Preheat over to 350

Salt and pepper the chicken breasts, grill, then finely chop

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, stir well

Pour evenly in a 9x9 glass baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbling

Stir and serve with celery and tortilla chips

I guess this go around I am going to have to say GO PACK GO!

~J

Rosemary Beef Tenderloin with Shallots + Red Wine Glaze.

Ahh the holidays! I really love everything about the holiday season, especially since I moved up north! I don't mean to dis my home state (Florida), but with the brisk air, city decor and the possible chance of snow I find myself doing something 'christmas' everynight!
Over the past 2 years my boyfriend and I started a few Christmas traditions of our own. One being our very own Christmas celebration! This year for the 'Christmas Celebration" I wanted to try and make something new. Everything in this dish I love, so I put it all together and got the best beef tenderloin I have ever tasted, really... promise!

Rosemary Beef Tenderloin with Shallots and Red Wine Glaze

Ingredients:
Serves 4-5

• 1.5 lbs Beef Tenderloin
• 10 springs of rosemary
• 8-10 shallots, trimmed and peeled
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Let tenderloin come to room temperature, about 45 minutes.

 Preheat oven to 425 degrees with rack in center.

Arrange 4 rosemary sprigs in a medium roasting pan; place tenderloin on top. The place the other 4 rosemary sprigs on top of the tenderloin. Arrange shallots around tenderloin. Rub meat and shallots with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast 25 minutes. Turn shallots for even browning; if roast is dry, baste with more oil or pan juices.

 Cook until shallots are golden about 10 to 15 minutes more

Meat should register 120 degrees with meat thermometer (I like it on the pink side) timing will vary with thickness of meat. Transfer meat and shallots to a medium platter. Let sit 20 minutes at room temperature before carving.

Meanwhile, chop remaining rosemary into small pieces. In a saute pan over high heat, scrape the remains from the roasting pan into the saute pan - add wine,stock and rosemary. Let simmer until liquid has reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes. 

Serve over the beef and shallots. I served this dish with grit patties (coming soon)

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!!

-J