LOVE BIRD

LASDI ©

We don't really celebrate Valentine's Day at Vintağe.  I mean, we DO, but we don’t REALLY. There are several reasons.  One, we celebrate our love for one another EVERY DAY!  No need to pick out one day in particular to prove it as far as we're concerned.  Second, a traditional Valentine’s with all the gifts, roses, candy, and the like, seems like frivolity for our finances.  Now that doesn't mean we don't love love, and we think the world of people who DO celebrate the day!  And being the Themer I am, February means an entire month of wearing red, hearts, and cooking in theme, too!  

This particular meal was definitely dedicated to the Love of My Life, The Hubster.  It was simple, but tasted complex, easy, yet tasted as though I'd been cooking all day!  

Being the low-carb girl of The Fam, I made the rice with bean pasta shaped like rice for the low-glycemic effect, but you can use regular arborio rice or even brown or long grain!  The key here is to make the meal with love, present it with love, and LOVE IT when ya eat it, no matter WHAT time of year it is!

LOVE BIRD

4 slices bacon (see notes)

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

4 chicken breasts

sea salt, pepper to taste

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 stick butter

1 cup parmesan

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb cooked rice of your choice

1 large jar of roasted red peppers in water

1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350, put bacon on a baking sheet, and cook to desired doneness (see notes).  While the bacon is cooking, heat a heavy pan (I use my cast iron!) until lightly smoking.  Salt and pepper chicken on both sides, sprinkle a little evoo into the pan and carefully add the breasts.  Keep on medium-high heat and sear until caramel brown, about four minutes on each side.  Remove from the pan and set aside; remove bacon from the oven and also set aside.

Add chopped onion and pepper to the pan and lower heat to medium.  Cook until slightly translucent and a bit of brown starts to show.  Sprinkle it with a little sea salt and pepper and stir.  Meanwhile, add butter to a medium-sized saucepan on medium heat.  Once melted, add parmesan and the cup of heavy cream, stirring until combined.  Add your cooked rice and stir.  Remove onion/pepper mixture from the pan and add to the rice mixture, gently folding until combined.  Place in a warmer to thicken to a risotto-like consistency and to stay warm until you're ready to plate.

Add the roasted red peppers and jar water to the chicken pan on medium heat, and cook on high until the water has evaporated.  Remove from heat.  With a hand blender, carefully blend until the peppers have a thick consistency.  Add the 1/4 cup heavy cream and blend again.  Place the pan back on medium heat and add your seared chicken breasts to the pan.  Allow to come to a slight boil, flip the chicken breasts and cook another few minutes until tender.

Plate your rice, then gently place your chicken on top using a small spoon to pour some of the sauce in the pan on top.  Place bacon on top of the chicken.  I also used a red pepper to top the whole thing with a "heart", but that's totally optional!  

Enjoy this rich meal with a glass of rosé and dedicate it to the love of YOUR life, too!

NOTES: I use uncured bacon with no nitrites or nitrates, which can intensify the flavor.  Don't use smoked bacon of any kind in this recipe as it will change the flavor profile.  I also put the bacon in the shape of a heart before putting it in the oven to go along with the theme!  Then I lay the red pepper heart on top for added HEART!

DROP IT LIKE ITS HOT

LASDI©

It is SO HARD during the holidays to eat healthy, isn't it??  What is it about the season that makes us (me included!) think that it's a free-for-all?  Well this year I have been super-intentional about making sure The Hubster and I don't constantly indulge, but rather try to make healthy foods that taste rich and delicious; like we're not missing out.

So for Meatless Monday (which does NOT sound rich and delicious, does it?) I decided to make something souper-rich (see what I did just there?) with an Asian flare.  And this low-almost-no carb meatless dish did NOT disappoint!  Hot soup on a cold day!  PS  This is so easy it shouldn't taste like the indulgence we experienced!

CARAMELIZED ONION AND EGG DROP SOUP

1 onion, halved, both halves sliced thinly

3 tbs extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

1 tsp sea salt

pepper

32 oz box chicken broth

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 green onion, chopped coarsely

3 eggs

1 tbs water

2 tbs sesame oil

Sprinkle evoo into a soup pot and heat on medium-high for about one minute.  Add onions, stir, and let them cook, untouched, for about three minutes.  Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste, stir, and let them cook, untouched, for another three minutes.  Stir, and let cook, untouched for another five minutes. or until caramelized and brown.  Pour chicken broth and soy sauce over onion and bring to a boil, add green onions then turn heat down to low.  Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes and turn heat back up to medium.  Whisk eggs and water in a separate bowl until well-blended and a little frothy.  Slowly pour into the soup mixture, whisking the soup as the eggs go in.  Cook an additional minute or two.  Turn off heat, add sesame oil and gently stir.  Serve with garlic sesame not-bread sticks. 

NOTES: I garnished with chopped parsley, but cilantro would also work here, or no garnish at all would still be yum!

GARLIC SESAME NOT-BREAD STICKS.

(a variation of Fat Head Dough)

3/4 cups almond flour

2 tbs cream cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

1 tbs garlic powder

pinch of sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 egg

1/4 cup sesame oil

sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a bowl, add almond flour, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper.  Microwave for one minute.  Stir and microwave another 20 seconds.  Add egg and stir until egg is blended into dough.  place between two pieces of parchment paper (see notes) and shape into a rectangle about 1-inch thick.  Remove top piece of parchment paper and bake for about fifteen minutes or until just golden brown.  Spread sesame oil over top of baked dough, sprinkle with desired amount of sesame seeds and bake another five minutes.  Take pizza cutter and slice into bread sticks.  DIP INTO CARAMELIZED ONION AND EGG DROP SOUP!!

NOTES: Parchment paper is key here.  I've tried this with foil and it is sorely disappointing.  PARCHMENT PAPER.  Trust me.

This combo is PERFECT and comforting for this cold holiday weather as well!  Merry Christmas!

Let's Be Brie(f)

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Oh, man.  I cannot TELL you how much this catering gig lit a fire under me!!  I had SO MUCH FUN doing this particular one because instead of a meal, it was a ton of apps for a ton of people.  And it was a SUCCESS!!  Among (many) other things, there was Teeny Tacos, Creamy Cake Truffles, Barbecued Meatballs, Stuffed Mushrooms, Pesto & Goat Cheese Stuffed Cherry Peppers, Shrimp in Texas Red Sauce, and so, soooooo much more.  One of the faves seemed to be the Streusel-Topped Baked Brie I made.  Considering the holidays, this is the recipe I'm sharing today.  It's so easy and very fast to make, but seems so sophisticated and like you spent all day in the kitchen!  I served mine with really hearty and rustic wasa crackers, but you can serve with whatever you like!  Happy Holidays indeed!

STREUSEL-TOPPED BAKED BRIE

1 full round of brie

cooking spray

1 cup pecan pieces

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 sugar

2 tbs pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Gently cut the top of the brie round off and lay it back on top of the cheese from where you cut it from.  Spray a circular baking sheet with cooking spray and place the brie in the middle.  Bake for exactly twelve minutes.  While the brie is baking, combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  After twelve minutes, take the brie out of the oven and sprinkle streusel mixture all over the top.  Bake another five minutes.  Take out of the oven and let cool completely.  Serve with crackers or just eat it with a spoon!  

NOTES: If any cheese runs out onto the baking sheet while cooking, you will be able to scoop it up in its entirety if you want to place it on a platter.  Simply place the crackers over it or for a rustic look, don't cover it up.  Let that melty-cheese look do all the talking!