Super Bowl Nachos

My favorites foods for the Super Bowl (and really any football viewing party) are all classic game-day recipes, and today's recipe is no exception.

Here's a little secret though: I don't care about the Super Bowl. Yes, it's in San Francisco Santa Clara, and yes, I did go to watch fireworks at Super Bowl City, but don't count me in for watching the game. I'm actually going to be on a plane flying from Dallas to San Francisco (we're celebrating Z's mom's birthday this weekend). Given I have no attachment to either team, or really any pro football team for that matter, I am just going to finish reading the Nightingale on the plane.

That being said, there is something delicious about traditional football party food. Onion dip, wings, BBQ--all of it is so so delicious (and dangerous for the waistline). Nachos in particular are my weakness.

I like this recipe because a) it's vegetarian. Any vegetarian meal I can get Z to enjoy is a win in my book; b) it requires no specialty ingredients. You can buy everything at the normal grocery store and c) it looks great when you serve it directly from the cookie sheet, so no extra dishes!

Hope you have a great Super Bowl Sunday, whether you watch the game or not! Just make sure to eat a plate of nachos for me.

Super Bowl Nachos

Inspired by Bon Appetit

Serves 4-6

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 red onion

1 clove garlic

1 jalapeño

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

6 ounces tortilla chips

2 cups shredded cheese, Mexican blend

Sour cream

Salsa

Guacamole

Lime wedges

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, jalapeño to skillet and stir until softened. Transfer to a food processor, add black beans, lime juice, 1/4 cup of water, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange half of chips on a baking sheet. Top with half of beans, then half of the cheese. Repeat with the remaining chips, beans, and cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Add the sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and lime wedges to the sheet (one in each corner), then serve.

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Crispy Za'atar Chickpeas

Z knows better than anyone else that I love presents. For me, presents aren't just things, but rather highlight the time and effort someone took into finding you that perfect gift.

Presents don't have to be silk pajamas, jewelry, or a new scarf (though I won't say no to those either). I love small tokens of affection, like little packages in the mail filled with delicious treats, that always seem to arrive come the holiday season. And while you can spend quite a pretty penny at Dean and Deluca, you can easily create delicious food gifts at home on a realistic budget.

These crispy chickpeas are simply delicious, and one of the best food gifts to give and receive! Everyone can eat them (no worrying about dairy, gluten, nuts), and they are just the right amount of salty, crunchy, and addictive. Pour some into a cellophane bag, tie with a cute ribbon, and start mailing them to friends and family across the country. 

These chickpeas are so easy to make that I am also going to whip up a triple batch for Z's and my annual Channukah party. Finding a dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegetarian snack option can be difficult, and these will be a great addition to any holiday party. 

Crispy Za'atar Chickpeas

From NYTimes

2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed if canned

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Za'atar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Spread chickpeas out on a paper towel. Pat dry, then let dry for an hour at room temperature. 

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread chickpeas evenly on the pan, and bake for ~ 30 minutes, stirring and rotating every 10 minutes. Chickpeas should be crunchy. 

Place chickpeas in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, Za'atar, and salt. Toss, then enjoy!

Hummus with Pita Chips

Yes, you can buy a pretty decent hummus at the store for $5 (you better be buying Sabra), but no supermarket hummus can compare to the amazing creaminess and taste of homemade hummus. I still dream about the hummus in Israel, served at nearly every meal with fresh pita and herbs.

Here in the Bay Area, Z and I like to travel down to Oren's Hummus in Palo Alto for fresh hummus and grilled chicken, but given the traffic and driving time, we don't make it down nearly as much as we would like. For weekends when a hummus craving strikes (which for me is about every other week to be completely honest), homemade hummus is the way to go.

Cooking hummus at home is really straightforward. It does require some foresight and thought, so buy the ingredients during the week and start the soaking process on Friday night when you get home from work/happy hour/dinner. By Saturday at noon, you'll have a giant bowl of homemade hummus for weekend football parties and fall picnics.

Every good hummus needs a vehicle to eat it with, and my personal favorite is homemade pita chips. Homemade pita chips are healthier than store bought chips, have way more flavor, and are easy to throw together at a moment's notice. Inspired by Mediterranean flavors, I flavored my chips with sumac and thyme.

I find that each person has their own hummus preferences, so feel free to treat this recipe as a guideline. Add more lemon juice, garlic, and herbs to your liking. Add in some roasted tomatoes or garlic. I serve mine topped with olive oil and a sumac/thyme combination, but grilled meats, pine nuts, and chopped veggies would all be outstanding.

Hummus and Pita Chips

From The New York Times and Ina Garten

1 1/4 cups dried chickpeas

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons light tahini paste

4 cloves garlic, crushed

4 tablespoons lemon juice

6 1/2 tablespoons cold ice water

1 package pita

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Sumac

4 sprigs fresh thyme

Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with cold water twice its volume. Let soak overnight. 

The next morning, drain chickpeas. In a medium saucepan, combine drained chickpeas and baking soda over medium high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add 6 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cook at a simmer, skimming foam and chickpea skins off the top of the water, for 20 to 40 minutes, until chickpeas are tender (in my testing, it was about 20 minutes). When done, the chickpeas should crumble easily when pressed, but should not be mushy.

Drain chickpeas. Place chickpeas in food processor, and process until you get a stiff paste. With machine running, add tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice, and salt (1 1/2 teaspoons). Slowly drizzle in ice water, and let process for 5 minutes until you get a smooth and creamy paste. If it is too thick, add more water as necessary. 

Transfer hummus to bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 30 minutes. Refrigerate if not eating right away--will last up to 2 days in the fridge.

For pita chips: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut each pita into 8 slices. Toss pita slices with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, pepper, sumac, and thyme. Spread pita slices onto a baking sheet, and cook for 10 minutes, tossing at 5 minutes. 

Enjoy! 

Brie and Honey Butter Sandwiches with Homemade No-Knead Bread

There’s no other way to say it: you got to make this sandwich, and you better do it with homemade bread. The sandwich is so simple that every ingredient counts, and this is no place to skimp on quality or calories! 

The sandwich is just bread, brie, honey, and butter, but it’s a heavenly combination that you can use on repeat. At tea parties, picnics, or just as a Sunday afternoon snack, there’s no place this sandwich doesn’t fit it (unless you are maybe going to a picnic with a friend who is both dairy AND gluten-free, which in this case, why are you eating a meal with this person?!?!). 

Z and I had this sandwich at Shed, and it was so delicious that we wanted to recreate it at home. I’m glad we did! It forced me to try the speedy no-knead bread recipe from The Times. I like the speedy recipe compared to the original because it allows for more flexibility; no waiting a full 24 hours here. It’s one of the simplest recipes around, and one of the greatest dinner party tricks. “Hi friends, you made a salad, that’s cool, well I made BREAD”. No need for your friends to know that the salad was probably harder to make than this loaf of bread. 

Is it the most perfect bread loaf around? No. But it’s pretty delicious and goes great with cheese, so make sure to stock your fridge with Brie!

Brie and Honey Butter Sandwiches with Speedy No-Knead Bread

From The New York Times

For Bread:

3 cups bread flour

1 packet instant yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

Oil as needed

For Sandwiches:

Serves 2, adjust as necessary

2 tablespoons softened butter

1 1/2 teaspoons honey, plus more for drizzling

6 thin slices of brie (3 for each sandwich)

2 slices of bread (use 4 if you want it to be a closed sandwich, but I prefer open-face here)

Combine flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups water, stir until blended. The dough will be shaggy. Cover dough with plastic wrap, and let it sit for 4 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. 

Lightly oil a work surface, and place dough on it. Fold the dough onto itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes. 

Immediately start heating up the oven, setting it to 450 degrees. Put a heavy 6-8 quart heavy pot in the oven. When the dough is done resting, carefully remove the pot from the oven. Put the dough into the oven, seam side up. Shake the pan once or twice. 

Cover the pan with a lid, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid, and back for another 15-30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool pot on a rack, then take out bread and slice.

Combine honey and softened butter together in a small bowl. Spread the butter equally over the two slices of bread. Top with 3 slices of brie on each piece of bread, and drizzle more honey over if desired. Enjoy! 

Summer Salad with Basil, Blue Cheese, Corn, and Heirloom Tomatoes

I am in denial that summer is basically over, and that is why I'm serving up a recipe today with some of summer's best produce--heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn, basil, and arugula. Not to mention a hearty portion of blue cheese!

My friend A introduced me to this salad a few weeks ago. She stole the idea from her neighborhood salad/sandwich spot, and made it for me one night for dinner. I brought a big bowl of this salad to a potluck recently, and my friends devoured the salad quickly. Once you make it, you'll find yourself wanting it for dinner basically every night. Which isn't really a bad thing, since you'll only find these ingredients for maybe a few more weeks. So make this summer salad for dinner tonight.

As an adult, summer isn't quite as fun as it used to be. Living in the city means no friends with pools, working means no long summer vacations, and residing in San Francisco means piling on sweaters come June. Z and I will be escaping for a week to Hawaii very very soon, so we'll have to get our fill of warm weather, swimming, and vacation then, before the long grind to the holidays.

I'm thinking of fall recipes already--items for college football tailgates, Rosh Hashanah, and cozy Sunday night dinners. Before that though, let's make this salad over and over again, holding onto summer just a little bit longer.

Summer Salad with Basil, Blue Cheese, Corn, and Heirloom Tomatoes

2 ears of corn (white, yellow, bi-color--it doesn't matter!)

1/2 tablespoon of butter

4 cups of arugula, washed, rinsed, and dried

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt

Pepper

2 medium-sized heirloom tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

3 tablespoons chopped basil

Cut the kernels away from the corn cob. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat, add the corn, and cook until just barely cooked (3-6 minutes, depending on the corn). You just want to lose the starchiness of the corn. 

Toss the arugula with balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper according to taste. Add half the corn, tomatoes, blue cheese, and all of the basil. Toss and plate on a large serving platter. Top with the rest of the corn, tomatoes, and cheese. Enjoy!

Hot and Sour Soba Noodle Salad

I've been keeping this soba noodle salad recipe a secret for a while now. I discovered it in via the New York Times back in March, and I quickly made these soba noodles my go-to dinner meal. I'm sorry for keeping such a delicious, easy, and healthy recipe a secret from you!

This recipe combines two of my favorite Asian flavors into one: gingery peanut sauce and hot and sour soup. My dad is famous for his peanut sauce recipe, which is always requested when my sister returns home from school. My family and I love hot and sour soup, and I still add a ton of vinegar into my soup because I'm convinced the soup is never sour enough. Clearly, any soba noodle recipe that combines the two is going to be a hit in my book. 

Z hates soba noodles (another article of proof that I must really love him, because who doesn't like soba noodles?), so I put this recipe into heavy rotation when Z was out of town. Since we rarely eat tofu when Z is home (surprise, surprise, he also doesn't like tofu), I used this as my opportunity to marinate some firm tofu in a gingery, garlic peanut paste, and added it on top.

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat, and they have a strong nutty flavor. While they are typically not gluten free, you can sometimes find 100% buckwheat noodles which would be gluten free! 

Hot and Sour Soba Noodle Salad

Recipe via the NYTimes

Note: my version calls for a double amount of garlicky peanut paste that I use to marinate the tofu. Cut the paste in half if only making the noodles. 

Paste for Sauce:

4 tablespoons peanut butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2-4 teaspoons red pepper oil (start with 2, and add more to taste)

Pinch of cayenne

2 large garlic cloves, minced

4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

Salt

Fresh ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons sesame oil

4 servings of tofu (drained and pressed to remove water)

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth

1/2 pound Japanese buckwheat noodles

1 cup diced cucumbers

For the paste: Heat the peanut butter for 10 to 15 seconds in a microwave. Combine with soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper oil, cayenne, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Whisk together, and then whisk in sesame oil. 

Spread half of the mixture evenly over tofu, and place in fridge. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour. 

Using remaining paste, whisk in canola oil and broth. Set aside. 

Bring large pot of water to boil, and then add the noodles. When water comes back to a boil, add a cup of cold water to the pot. Allow the water to come back to a boil, and then add another cup of cold water. Have water come to a boil again, and add a third cup of water. When the water comes to a boil, the noodles are done. 

Drain the noodles and toss immediately with the dressing. Add remaining ingredients, including tofu, and toss again. Serve immediately. 

Grilled Corn Salad

Corn is the epitome of summer foods for me. As soon as the weather starts to warm up (well, warm up everywhere but here in foggy San Francisco), you begin to see piles of corn at supermarkets and farmers markets, and it disappears almost as quickly. 

As a child, we stuck to the classic boiled corn on the cob; only three minutes in hot water and a final pat of butter was all corn needed. I didn't even know that people grilled corn until I was in college, when Z and I tried Mexican-style grilled corn.

These were no ordinary corn on the cobs. They were grilled to have a dark charred exterior, and then covered with cojita cheese, lime juice, and red chili pepper. It has great flavor balance-smoky corn exterior, sweet corn kernels, salty cheese, acidic lime juice, and spicy red pepper. 

Inspired by these corns on the cob, I've created a corn salad recipe here that uses the same flavor profile. We served it on the 4th of July, and it's a perfect meal to bring for summer dinner parties, pool parties, and picnics. 

Grilled Corn Salad

3 ears of corn

3 tablespoons mayo

1 lime

1/4 teaspoon of red chili pepper

4 tablespoons shredded cojita cheese

Prep corn for grilling by shucking the corn and lightly rubbing the outside with olive oil. Place corn in a hot pan or on an electric skillet. Turn every 5 minutes until the corn is dark and charred throughout.

Next, cut the corn off of the cob, and place the kernels into a bowl. 

In a small prep bowl, combine the mayo, lime juice, and chili pepper. Top the kernels with the dressing and toss. 

Add in cojita cheese and toss again. Feel free to adjust salad to match your taste--add more pepper for heat or more lime for acidity.

Ratatouille

In Paris about three years ago, my family and I ducked into a small little cafe for lunch. It was early August, and most of the cafes were empty.

After placing our orders, the waitress returned with a tiny bowl of ratatouille. She explained that her grandmother made the ratatouille for the cafe, and though we did not order it, she thought we would like to try a few bites.

It was my first time trying ratatouille, and I still remember how delicious the stew was with a delicate thyme flavor.

Back here in America, I have found it difficult to find ratatouille in restaurants. Though it is a fairly simple stew of garden fresh vegetables, it simply isn't popular here in America.

I had a craving for ratatouille a few weeks ago, and I realized the only way I was going to eat some was if I made it myself! Luckily, thanks to my slow cooker and America's Test Kitchen, I was able to cook a giant pot of ratatouille.

This is a great recipe to make when you have a busy week. Ratatouille is incredibly healthy (vegan!), and it pairs well with eggs, chickpeas, and chicken. Z and I like to eat our ratatouille with toast and fried eggs.

Enjoy!

Ratatouille

10-12 Servings

From America's Test Kitchen

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 eggplants, cut into 1-inch chunks

3 zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 onions, halved and sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices

2 red peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/3 inch thick slices

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained, juice reserved

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Salt and pepper

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown half of the eggplant lightly on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer eggplant to the slow cooker. Repeat the browning process with another tablespoon of oil and eggplant. Transfer the second batch of eggplant to the slow cooker.

Working in two batches, repeat the browning process with zucchini and transfer the zucchini to the slow cooker.

Heat remaining two tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are softened, about eight to ten minutes. Stir in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in reserved tomato juice, and smooth out any lumps. Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker.

Stir the tomatoes into the slow cooker. Cover and cook vegetables for four to six hours on low. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the basil, salt and pepper. Serve with grated cheese. 

Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates

Goat cheese stuffed dates is my new go-to snack/salad addition/appetizer. It can be your new favorite too.  Yes, they sound very impressive. Yes, I promise they are easy to make. Yes, your friends will be jealous impressed with your new-found cooking skills. 

I love finding out that my favorite restaurant treats (like these dates during happy hour) are simple enough to recreate at home. Why not have our own happy hour right at home with some great drinks and these dates?

Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates

Serves one
Recipe from Dash and Bella

8 pitted dates

1/4 cup goat cheese

Splash of balsamic vinegar

Splash of olive oil

Preheat your broiler. Fill each date with goat cheese--no need to be perfect here! 

Set the dates on a baking sheet. Splash with olive oil and vinegar. 

Place under the broiler for approximately four minutes. You want the dates to be warmed thoroughly, the cheese to turn a little brown, but make sure the dates do not burn.

Serve alone, in a citrus salad, or any other way you please!

Sautéed Chickpeas

Now that I am cooking all of my own food, I notice that I eat substantially less meat than I used to. In college, I had a chef that prepared a whole buffet of food for lunch and dinner, Monday through Friday. Even though our chef Anthony always had a vegetarian option, I always found myself reaching for the beef, salmon, or chicken instead of the tofu. 

Nowadays, I mostly eat vegetarian lunches and dinners Monday through Friday. It is so much lazier easier, cheaper, and healthier! Vegetarian proteins, like legumes or quinoa, can be prepared early in the week, keep relatively well, and are easy to throw into salads, soups, or stir-fries. 

This recipe for sautéed chickpeas is quite popular at my house. One of my roommates, Maya, probably makes it once a week for all of us. It comes together quickly, but has complex flavor thanks to the dried herbs and vinegar. Maya like to eat these chickpeas with canned tuna on top, but I just prefer the chickpeas by themselves.

Sautéed chickpeas are my new go-to food when I come home at 7:30 from work, and all I want to do is eat, curl up in bed, and finish reading The Goldfinch. You probably have all these ingredients on hand, so why not try subbing this in for your boring chicken breast and rice dinner?

Sautéed Chickpeas

1 tablespoon butter (use olive oil to make this recipe vegan!)

1/2 chopped red onion

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 

1 can chickpeas

1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence

Fresh black pepper and salt to taste

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat.

Add in the onion, and stir for 3-4 minutes until softened.

Pour in the balsamic vinegar, and cook over medium heat until the vinegar begins to evaporate.

Add in the chickpeas, herbs, and salt/pepper. Stir until chickpeas are hot.

Serve with rice.

Roasted Tomatoes

A few weeks ago, I went to see Philomena on a Friday night. I planned my night so that I had a few minutes to grab a sandwich from Taylor Gourmet, one of my favorite local sandwich shops. Turns out, Friday night is probably the worst time to go to Taylor Gourmet. Due to the Friday lunch rush, they completely ran out of bread by the time I showed up. 

While they offered to make a sandwich on regular grocery-store bread, I couldn't help but feel disappointed. Instead, I opted for one of their salads, Society Hall, instead. Society Hall is a kale salad with Parmesan, walnuts, roasted tomatoes, and honey herb vinaigrette.  It was  one of the best kale salads I ever had--and I immediately wanted to whip up some roasted tomatoes to throw into my salads for work.  

These roasted tomatoes come together in about two hours, but require basically no work.  You toss the tomatoes with olive oil, thyme, and garlic, then throw them into the oven for two hours. I love throwing them into salads with some chickpeas and kale, adding them to my sandwiches, or serving them as a side at dinner with some roast chicken. I make a batch now on Sundays, and then I store them in the fridge over the week.  This recipe is perfect for early spring--when you are ready for fresh tomato salads, but the tomatoes aren't quite ripe yet.

Enjoy!

Roasted Tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced

Handful of thyme springs (7-10 sprigs)

Pinch of salt

Freshly cracked pepper

1 lb. of tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Pour the olive oil into a shallow baking dish, then add the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.Cut the tomatoes in half, then toss the tomatoes with the oil and seasonings. Lay the tomatoes cut side down in the pan.Bake for two hours, until the tomatoes are completely soft and wilted. The tomatoes keep for about five days in the refrigerator.