Lobster? Shrimp? Limoncello? YES PLEASE. For Christmas, my brother got me a fabulous pasta cutter, so obviously, I needed to make ravioli for New Year’s Eve 🙂 I wanted to make something super tasty and intricate to really test myself, so what better than homemade ravioli with lobster and shrimp? This was probably the hardest recipe I’ve tried so far. It required a lot of steps and a lot of elbow grease. Halfway through rolling out the dough I strongly regretted not purchasing the KitchenAid pasta attachment I saw on sale during Black Friday. But, I will say the payoff…
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Continue ReadingThis recipe took a lot of time and planning, trying to figure out which flavor profiles would blend well together and how it should best be served. Squid is a very mild mollusk, that while fairly delicate cooking-wise, can hold its own against robust flavors. I love lemons and feta, so that was a no-brainer. However, it was a matter of which seasoning and spices would help balance out the dish. I opted to go with dill and mustard seed to help add a little depth to the ground turkey, since that can be a bit bland sometimes, and then…
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Continue ReadingHappy (almost) fall! I cannot wait for colder weather. Colder weather means sweaters, golden leaves, apple-picking, and hearty recipes for peak coziness. As an attempt to marry Summer and Fall together, I wanted a lighter take on Coq au Vin. Rather than the heartiness of a Burgundy-based sauce, I opted for the crispness of dry white wine. The dry white wine called for a lighter vegetable base, and just the tiniest tweak to ingredients of my original Coq au Vin recipe: Parsnips: A root vegetable that is most closely related to carrots, I opted for a combination of the two.…
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Continue ReadingI love eggplants. I think they are such a versatile vegetable and are just freaking delicious. For this recipe, the eggplants are pretty much the star. We’re skipping the noodles and using these veggies to help support the other ingredients, like the cheese and tomato sauce, for a healthy version of your classic lasagna. Key Notes: Eggplant: When slicing the eggplant, be sure to BLOT BLOT BLOT. These vegetables have such a high water content. It’s important that you don’t skip the necessary steps to dry them and roast them. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with chewy “noodles” in your lasagna. …
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Continue ReadingEggplants aren’t just for sending dirty texts, boys and girls. It’s also one of the most versatile vegetables that can hold up to intense spices and flavors without losing the integrity of the meal. For this dish, I wanted to lean into the freshness of the eggplant and pair it with the tanginess of Italian sausage. Add in some fresh heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella? You are in for a treat. While eggplants are fairly sturdy, they are such a pain to cook. Not cooked enough? Chewy. Cooked too much? Mushy. You need to find the perfect balance, and it can…
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Continue ReadingI won’t lie. Carrot Ginger soup always sounded gross to me, right up there with Butternut squash soup. There are just some things that should not be soup. Could not have been more wrong! I recently tried Carrot Ginger soup at a B&B and was blown away by how delicious it was. The sweetness of the carrots & coconut milk with the zestiness of ginger really put this soup over the edge. I felt so inspired I wanted to try it myself! I was shocked to see how easy it was to make. This soup is so simple in its…
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Continue ReadingThe first time I cooked a whole chicken, I was terrified. Boneless/skinless chicken breasts or thighs are definitely my go-to. But an entire chicken? Hell no. I think I spent hours scouring the internet and Pinterest for a simple recipe that would not end in tears and a partially cooked chicken. I ultimately made my first whole roasted chicken (after several terrified calls to my dad), and it was honestly so much easier than I imagined. This recipe is a bit more intricate than your typical roast chicken recipe, as it calls for a 14-24 hr brine for the chicken.…
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Continue ReadingHealthy comfort food seems like it should be an oxymoron. Yet somehow, it’s possible. I know, I didn’t trust this recipe either the first time I tried it. But it is delicious! I stumbled upon this recipe when I tried Whole 30 the first time. About halfway through my 30 days, I was CRAVING comfort food. I was searching high and low for a Whole 30-approved recipe that would hit the spot, and finally found one that would satisfy my cravings (with some tweaking, of course). I’ve made this recipe so many times now, and it is definitely one of…
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Continue ReadingCoq au vin literally translates to “rooster with wine”, and is a traditional rustic French dish that is hearty and delicious. If you want a meal that will surely impress your friends, family, or a first date, this is it!! Sounds difficult right? WRONG. This dish, made even more famous by Julia Child (all hail, Queen J), is so simple. But boy, does it pack one hell of a flavorful punch. Personally, I am a fan of any dish that involves wine so I was very excited to try this for the first time and it did not disappoint! The…