Rockin' Ribeye & Fresh Veggies

My husband and I are definitely carnivorous people; after a long week we crave protein and iron. I purchased a beautiful ribeye from my local market and picked out some fresh veggies to pair it with. We had a big dinner the night before so we need something that wouldn't bog us down.

Ribeye is hard to mess up, you sprinkle with salt, pepper, drizzle with olive oil and throw it on the grill (or grill pan).

As for the veggies I sliced up some broccolini, onion, red pepper and garlic. Sprinkled them with salt, pepper and olive oil then sauteed them until nice and crisp.

This is an easy, healthy, five ingredient or less meal. Enjoy!

xo Lo

Cakes 'n Eggs

One ridiculously hot Sunday morning...I awoke with a grumbling stomach yearning for an all-around awesome breakfast! While my handsome husband, caught up on his zzzs, I started my into the kitchen.

After assessing my fridge and pantry I scrounged up: eggs, pancake batter (thanks to a friend's wedding favor), blueberries and veggies.

I decided to make fluffy scrambled eggs with a short stack of buttermilk-blueberry pancakes accompanied by Vermont Maple syrup.

For the eggs I started with chopping some onion and mushrooms, then I threw them in the saute pan with a touch of olive oil to get nice and golden. Next I beat up the eggs, added a touch of water and poured that into the saute pan, covering the veggies. I immediately added salt and pepper to the eggs, while stirring them often, to make sure they wouldn't stick to the pan. The heat should be on medium to make sure the eggs don't overcook.

Meanwhile, I was given pancake batter as a wedding favor gift, all I needed to add was water and an egg, once that was beaten up, I decided to add some blueberries. Then I made sure the skillet was hot, added olive oil and poured in the batter using a 1/3 measuring cup. Once the pancake bubbles on the side flip over for a few minutes.

Once the eggs are nice and fluffy, grate your favorite cheese on top, sprinkle with green onion and serve. Pile the stack of pancakes, drizzle with syrup. Ta da! Dive in to an all-around awesome breakfast for anyone!

Ahoy Matey! Come aboard for some Seafood Pasta!

Boy has it been crazy lately! My husband and I just started back to school as teachers and he as a football coach, so our lives are pretty hectic. Regardless of our schedules, we vow to slow down and eat healthy meals together. After I visited my brother up in Boston, I came back to an empty fridge with a lingering craving for seafood.

I decided to make a stop at our local market for some fresh squid and Cherry Stone clams. Once I got home I found some tomato sauce, onion, garlic, broccoli and whole wheat penne pasta. My menu had begun to form in my chef-tastic mind.

Seafood Pasta

1 lb squid (or shrimp/lobster/crab)
2 lbs cherry stone clams (or oysters or regular clams)
1 box whole wheat penne pasta
1 large 13 oz can of tomato sauce (plain)
1 small yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
1/2 head of broccoli
5 cups seafood stock
salt
pepper

First thing you want to do is put one cup of seafood stock and two cups of water into a pot to boil for the pasta. Next chop up your onion, crush your garlic and add that to a saute pan on medium high heat, with olive oil. Once the water is boiling, pour in the penne with a bit of olive oil. Stir it around so it won't stick. Stir your onion and garlic, once it's golden, add the tomato sauce- let simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pull out your squid and begin to cut up the body into inch size pieces. If you have tentacles, leave them as is. Put the squid back into the fride to keep cool before cooking.

When the pasta is done, pour in a colander and set aside. Stir the tomato sauce occasionally, add in salt and pepper to taste. Grab your clams from the fridge, throw them in a sauce pan, add some seafood stock and cook at medium heat, covered. Once the twenty minutes are up, add the clams (they should've popped open), cover the sauce and clams for five minutes. Add in the squid for two minutes and serve over penne pasta. Top with a bit of crushed red pepper and basil if you feel a bit festive!

This dish will satisfy any seafood craving, take a bite, close your eyes and pretend you're sitting seaside with waves crashing on the sand.
Enjoy! xo Lo

Sassy Southwestern Beef Tacos

Lately, schedules in our house have taken a turn into c-r-a-z-y. My husband is a football coach and I am a teacher...our school year is about to start and two-a-days are in full throttle, for football season. Finding time to make healthy, fast meals out of leftovers, is crucial this time of year. The other night I had put some beef chuck into the fridge, from the freezer to thaw. I had leftover corn-on-the-cob, white corn tortillas, veggies and canned black beans.

I decided to marinate the chuck in a simple, zesty marinade, sear it on the grill pan, roast the corn and saute the veggies. The assembly would transform the ingredients to Southwestern beef tacos with a side of corn and black beans.

Zesty Marinade

2 Tbsp Worcestireshire
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp red cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chili pepper
1 tsp italian seasoning

Once your chuck is thawed, rub this marinade all over and let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Afterwards, add a bit of olive oil on the grill pan and place the chuck to grasp beautiful sear marks. Cook for 15-20 minutes (depending on how you prefer your beef to be cooked.)

Roasted Parmesan Corn

Take the corn on the cob, drizzle with olive oil, parmesan, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Sauteed Onions and Mushrooms

Slice up 1/2 batch of mushrooms and 1/2 an onion. Heat a saute pan with olive oil, add veggies, salt and pepper then cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

Black Beans

Place the black beans in the sauce pan with a bit of salt and pepper and heat on low.

Assemble by frying up your tortillas in a touch of olive oil, slice your beef into strips, layer on your sauteed veggies, grate your cheddar or colby jack cheese. Ladle your beans into a side dish, top with a bit of grated cheese and green onion. Place corn on the plate and your mouth should be watering.

Enjoy! xo Lo

Whippin' up a snack!

While I was running around my home washing dishes, doing laundry, vacuuming the carpets my stomach started grumbling. I looked at the clock, and completely forgot to feed myself breakfast, during my cleaning frenzy.  So I took a break, peeked inside my fridge, to see what goodies I had, to whip up into something spectacular. I had recently made a loaf of homemade white bread, I had leftover cream cheese, fresh cucumbers and soft-boiled eggs.

Instantaneously, I knew I wanted to pile them all up together, into a delightful mid-morning snack. First I toasted my fresh bread on a grill pan until it was crispy and golden. Next, slice your cucmbers and egg. Lather on your luscious cream cheese, top with cucumbers and the slices of soft-boiled egg. Sprinkle with a touch of salt and pepper and voila! Dig in...you can thank me later :)

xo Lo

All-American Cuisine

I pride myself on being able to create leftovers into fabulous, healthy meals. Do you ever end up with a ton of extra bread, that you don't know what to do with? I have a savory, tasty recipe that will help use up that leftover bread!

Savory Bread Pudding

a loaf leftover bread (hamburger buns, bagels, etc)
1 cup milk
3 eggs (I didn't have eggs so I used this substitution: 1 egg= 2 Tbsp water + 2 Tbsp flour + 1/2  Tbsp butter + 1/2 tsp baking powder)
1/2 package of mushrooms
1/2 yellow onion
Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, thyme)
salt
pepper

Cut your bread into cubes, place into a bowl. Add milk, eggs (or substitute) and seasoning on top of bread. Let bread soak up wet ingredients for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, saute onions and mushrooms with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. After bread has soaked up wet ingredients, pour mushroom mixture on top. Fold ingredients together. Spoon mixture into small bowls and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Ta da! Great usage of leftover bread!

Fresh Summer Salad

Mixed greens
1/2 cucumber
cherry tomatoes
strawberries

Rinse lettuce, slice cucumbers (keep the skin on for more nutrients), slice tomatoes in half, slice strawberries. Toss salad in a bowl.


Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp agave nectar (or honey)
1/2 lemon juiced
salt
pepper

Whisk olive oil, agave nectar, lemon juice and seasoning together until they meld together. Add more honey or lemon depending on taste.

Easy NY Strip Steak

The best way to cook a steak is with simple seasoning of salt and pepper, place on a grill or saute pan. Cook 5 minutes per side or however you like your steak cooked.

Meals with Four Ingredients or Less!

My best friend mentioned to me she wanted to see some meals with four ingredients or less so here ya go D! During the week it can be hard to plan meals, your brain is often somewhere else, kids may be screaming, a home may need cleaning. Well no worries: I've got just the thing! Here are two delicious, healthy recipes you can make with four ingredients or less, and serve for breakfast, dinner or snack.

Banana Disks with Peanut Butter & Agave Nectar
1 banana
3 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp agave nectar

Slice up your banana into thick disks and scoop a bit of peanut butter on each disk. Drizzle with agave nectar (or honey) and enjoy! My mom always made breakfast for my brother and I growing up, this was one of my favorite breakfast dishes! Now I crave it for a snack or a simple breakfast. Full of protein and potassium, this dish will knock your socks off.

One Pan Chicken

4 chicken cutlets
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup onion
1 can black beans
salt
pepper

This dinner can be made in one pan! Add your frozen peas to an oiled pan, dice up your chicken and add that to the pan. Open your can of black beans and pour the beans with the sauce into the pan. Sprinkle the top with sliced onions, salt, pepper and cover for 10 minutes. Stir, cover for another 7-10 minutes and serve.

These are for you busy moms, stay at home dads, workaholics, healthnuts and college kids!

xo Lo