On Growing Up

Centered on the lawn between the maple that no one could climb regardless of effort expended and the honey suckle covered fence that gave every kid in the neighborhood devil splinters at least once, stood a short little apricot tree.

It had only one perfect branch so we took turns: two in the grass, one perched in the childish seat.

The latter designated the picker, dedicated to eyeing each fruit, squeezing it between index and thumb in search of the perfect ripeness, as breeze played through their grubby little hands under sun filtered through the greenest leaves.

Although these California gems set a standard hard to beat, apricots are to this day one of my standard treats, stuffed into cookies, smeared as jam onto peanut butter toast, or tossed into a salad like this.

Stone Salad

Inspired by last years version

Ingredients

• 1/2 c wheatberries
• 1/2 c edamame
• 1/4 c fresh mint, finely chopped
• 2 T oil
• 2 T vinegar
• Salt, as desired
• Pepper, as desired
• 2-3 c kale, washed and chopped
• 2 apricots, sliced
• 2 radish, slivered
• Almonds, chopped
• Feta, crumbled

Combine

1. Add the wheatberries to a small pot, cover with 1-2 inches of water and a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. After 15 minutes reduce the temperature to medium and cover the pot.  Cook for another 30 minutes until the wheatberries are translucent (adding more water if necessary) then add the edamame on top, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes until the edamame is steamed through.
3. Drain and excess water from the pot.
4. Toss the mint, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in large bowl.  Add the kale and gently toss until the leaves are well covered.
5. Gently toss in the wheatberry-edamame mixture, top with apricots, radish, almonds, and feta.
6. Enjoy!

Herby Salmon Salad

A word to the wise says it's best to pack (read: hide) lazy dinners with flavor.

Lots and lots of flavor.

So much flavor, that your taste buds are blown away - taking with them your shameless lack of labor, and leaving behind the few extra moments you now have to savor a tasteful meal.

The kind of flavor that arrives with a big bang with this salmon salad.  A salad in which dill and garlic are rubbed onto the filet before it's baked, peppery arugula is tossed in a fresh onion vinaigrette, then sweet apricots, strong blue cheese, and warm roasted almonds are mixed into the greens for bursts of contrasting flavor.

Later long day, hello good night!

Herby Salmon Salad

Ingredients

For the salmon:

• 12 oz salmon
• lemon juice
• dill, dried
• garlic, powdered
• salt and pepper for taste

For the salad:

• Arugula, as desired
• a few apricots, chopped
• Blue cheese, crumbled
• Roasted almonds, chopped

For the dressing:

• 1 T vidalia onion
• 1 T red wine vinegar
• 1 T olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 t mustard seeds

Combine

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Place the salmon on the middle of the baking sheet then squeeze some lemon juice over it and sprinkle with dill, garlic, salt, and pepper as desired.
3. Bake for 15 minutes until crisping on the outside but juicy and tender on the inside.
4. Meanwhile, blend the vidalia onion, vinegar, oil, and spices together.
5. Toss the arugula with the dressing until well coated.
6. Toss in the apricots, blue cheese, and roasted almonds.
7. Top with the salmon and enjoy!

Apricot Arugula Salad

It's great if you went out and bought all the ingredients to make my Apricot and Cream scones, but now I'm sure you have a bits of left-over ingredients that you don't know what to do with!

While tossing some chopped apricots on your granola or oatmeal is always a great way to utilize them, if you are looking for a more creative way to incorporate them into another meal this salad is an ever greater way to utilize them.

One of my fall favorites, this salad is full of warm, strong flavors that welcome a little sweetness.  It's a perfect meal for these weird, warm fall days we are having in NY but still savory enough to enjoy in colder weather.

Of course, as with most meals I make, this salad can be served two ways:

1. For dinner, served with a nice, big glass of red wine to make you feel fancy and sophisticated.
2. Packed for lunch starting with a base layer of balsamic, then chicken, then mushrooms and onions, apricots, blue cheese, and arugula to make you feel like you totally have your life together.

So many wins here, so get cooking!

Apricot Arugula and Balsamic Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb chicken
• 1-2 T Olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1-2 T balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 6 mushrooms, sliced
• large handfuls of arugula
• balsamic vinaigrette
• 6 apricots, chopped
• blue cheese crumbles, as desired
• Salt and pepper

Combine

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Trim the fat off the chicken, let marinate in balsamic vinegar for ~20 minutes, then lightly oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through, then cut into slices.
4. Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a large skillet, then saute the onions and mushrooms until the mushrooms are juicy and the onions are golden.
5. Toss arugula with a little balsamic vinaigrette then top with onions, mushrooms, chopped apricots, chicken, and blue cheese crumbles.
6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy!

The Butter Within

Where have I been lately?



Hiding from the world while eating delicious, delicious things without sharing a word about them!  I decided the best way to make up for my absence is with a treat-yourself-recipe for scones: the hidden gem of the pastry world.


They're like buttered toast but the butter is already in the bread - how could you not love them?


Yes, with a Paula-Dean-style description like that you can be sure these come with a hefty caloric tag.  While I think we should usually usually opt for a low-fat-low-sugar breakfast, I am one of those firm believers that being healthy includes giving yourself a treat every now and then.  These "cream cheese" and apricot scones are top notch for a sweet cheat-treat.  The creaminess gives the dough a super rich and savory flavor while the apricots and hint of vanilla brighten each bite for a delicious start to these cold fall days.  No judgement to those of you who add a little more butter on before eating.


Bon appetit!

Apricots and Cream Scones

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c wheat flour
• 1 1/2 c white flour
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/2 c butter, room temperature
• 3/4 package neufchatel cheese (for lower fat) or cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 t vanilla

Combine

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flours, salt, and baking powder together.
3. Use your hands or a pastry cutter to blend the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture until it is evenly a crumbly consistency.
4. In a separate mixing bowl whisk the milk, egg, and vanilla.
5. Fold the milk mixture into the flour mixture and knead a few times until well combined but not too sticky.
6. Sprinkle some flour on a clean tea towel or cutting board and use this as a surface to shape the dough into disk or square.  Cut the dough into 6-8 even sized wedges or squares.
7. Spread around the baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes.  They are done when they are just browning on top and when they are springy rather than squishy when pressed lightly.
8. Enjoy!

Three's Company or Something Like That

I think that's how the saying goes, right?

If not, they'll be re-writing it after they try this killer grilled cheese.

It reminds me of a fight between siblings... but like in a good way.

You know, Brie is the eldest child up strong against sweet little Apricot, the youngest of siblings.  Every trio has a mediator and coming in with a bang we have spicy Arugula to break things up.

Except nothing will be broken up because these flavors are literally melted together...almost like a post-fight group hug.

Grilled Brie Sandwich with Apricot and Arugula

Ingredients

• 2 slices sandwich bread
• 1 T apricot preserves
• 1 small handful of arugula
• Brie as desired
• Mayo/shortening as needed

Combine

1. Lightly toast your bread.
2. Brush the outsides of the bread with mayo or shortening.
3. Spread the apricot on the inside of one slice, layer with arugula, top with lots of Brie, then cover with second slice of bread - keeping the oiled side out.
4. Transfer to a pan over medium-low heat, cheesy side down first.  Heat until bread is crispy and cheese is melted.
5. Carefully flip with a large, flat spatula and heat the second side until the bread is crispy.
6. Cut in half, diagonally of course, and enjoy!

Glazed

Weekdays are seriously hard enough already without having to also stress about how to put together a tasty, nutritious, filling, dinner.

Usually when I tell my friends what I made for dinner their first question is "how long did that take you though?"  The answer: not that long!

Slaving away in the kitchen is overrated regardless of whether or not you've had a long day; here is a fool proof recipe and some tips on how to get it on the table!

I usually toss my protein in the fridge then put everything else I need on the counter.  Start by prepping your cooking utensils, in this case turn on the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper/foil.  It's super inconvenient to do this at the last second so doing it first gets it out of the way.

Next I prep my spices.  In this case you are whisking together your glaze and  keeping some oil, salt, and pepper handy.

For this dinner I chose a side of asparagus, beets, and an arugula salad.  Grab a cutting board, a knife, and a veggie peeler.  First rinse and peel your beets, then slice them up, pour a little olive oil into your hands then hand toss the beets over your cutting board.  Scatter them around the edges of baking sheet and give them a 5 minute head start in the oven.

Meanwhile, rinse your asparagus, then chop off the woody end parts, and hand toss them in olive oil. Scatter your asparagus around the edges of the same baking sheet - its okay that they will over lap the beets.

Place your salmon in the center of the baking sheet and cover generously with glaze.  Bake for 15-20 more minutes depending on the size of your salmon and how cooked you prefer it.

While you wait for the salmon to cook toss your side salad in a dressing of choice: I usually make a quick and dirty balsamic by tossing some Dijon with balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Use a meat thermometer to check the temp on your salmon then plate up and enjoy!

Apricot Glazed Salmon

Ingredients

For the Asparagus and Beets

• Asparagus spears, rinsed
• 1 medium beet, rinsed, peeled, sliced
• 2 T olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Salmon

• 1 1/2 T all natural, unsweetend Apricot preserves
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 t pure onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Salad

• 1 handful fresh Arugula
• 1-2 t dijon
• blue cheese crumbles

Combine

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree.
2. Whisk the apricot preserves, balsamic, onion powder, salt and pepper together.  Taste the glaze and adjust the spices to your liking.
3. Toss the beets in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and spread around the edges of a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving a space in the center where you will place the salmon.  Give these a baking head-start while you prep the asparagus and salmon.
4. Chop the root-ends of the asparagus off then toss the spears in the rest of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Set aside.
5. Spread the asparagus around the edges of the baking sheet on top of the beets.
6. Place the salmon in the center of the sheet and spoon the glaze all over the top of the salmon.
7. Bake everything for 15-25 minutes until cooked throughout.
8. While you wait for the salmon, toss arugula with a few teaspoons of dijon and top with crumbled blue cheese.
9. Enjoy!