Garlic Green Beans

There is almost no side dish I love more than garlic and green beans. It's sort of a classic side dish, and when I started dating my Spanish boyfriend it was on the table at least once a week.

The method for making these is super simple and you can genuinely adapt the recipe for probably any vegetable.

stuff: 
1 lb of green beans (or a prepackaged bag)
3 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp olive oil


directions: 

1. Peel the garlic and thinly all 3 slice cloves.

2. Add a small amount of cold water to a pot (just enough to cover the bottom), add green beans, cover and set to medium-low heat and steam for 10-15 minutes or until beans are just slightly soft.

3. Remove beans from pot and set aside.

4. In a nonstick skillet heat the olive oil until shimmering and add garlic, cooking until lightly browned but not burned, once the garlic is just barely browned toss in the green beans you set aside earlier and sauteé with the garlic and olive oil until the beans are slightly blistered.

5. Remove beans and garlic from a skillet, sprinkle lightly with salt and serve.

Two Cheese, Bacon, and Broccoli Quiche

I am on a bit of an egg frenzy these days. A major factor in my food choices has to do with the fact that I have farm fresh eggs available everyday due to the fact that my parents raise six chickens.

I have at least 3 unpublished posts that are egg related (things are getting a little ridiculous so I had to only post the very best) and this quiche was one of them.

I was inspired by a recent trip to a bakery in santa cruz that normally offers a seasonal quiche, but we ordered and unfortunately didn't get to have the slice we wanted because they ran out right before us.

I hadn't made a quiche in a few years because one of the first quiches I ever made ended up taking like 6 hours because I was totally unfamiliar with the crust process, but this quiche turned out more than perfect (if I do say so myself) because I ended up using a premade crust (easy to find at any local supermarket -- I went with an organic spelt crust, but you could just as easily grab a normal marie calendars crust too!)

You'll need:

6 eggs
salt & pepper to taste (I usually go with two big sprinkles, but this has bacon which is already salty so feel free to use your own discretion here!)
1 premade frozen pie crust
1 cup fresh broccoli
1/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbsp goat cheese (crumbled)
4 slices bacon
1/2 cup milk
1/2 yellow onion, chopped finely
splash of water

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350° F. In a pot, add a shallow amount of water and place a steaming basket into the pot, adding trimmed broccoli florets. Cover with a lid and cook until tender, but still crispy (about 5-10 minutes)

2. Cook slices of bacon in a pan until desired crispiness

3. Drizzle splash of olive oil into a pan and  sauteé onion on medium heat in a nonstick pan until slightly caramelized.

4. Crack eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk together adding milk, water, salt and pepper. Add the onion, cheddar cheese, broccoli, bacon into the egg mixture.

5. Pour mixture into the pie crust and then drop crumbled goat cheese sporadically in the mixture and place in the preheated oven.

6. Bake for 40-45 minutes. (The quiche might not *look* perfectly set, but I assure you it will usually be done in 45 minutes)

7. Serve hot, or let cool and serve 30 minutes later. Enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner. (Or all three if you're like me!)


I hope you enjoy this little quiche recipe and have fun modifying it to your liking!

Simple Summer Salad

Too often during a California summer I have nights where the mere idea of turning on the grill or stove is just too much extra work for dinner. Salads in the summer are an easy option and are quick to prepare without having to use the stove, which might increase the risk of elevating the temperature of an already hot room.

My parents make this salad all the time in the summer, but I lightened up the dressing by replacing most of the mayonnaise in the dressing with 0% non-fat greek yogurt.

This salad has just what it needs to be good but without going overboard with crazy additions. Fresh butter lettuce, refreshing spring onions, a cold hard boiled egg, heirloom tomatoes, and an english cucumber.

Ingredients: 

Head of Butter Lettuce
1 Hard boiled egg
1 Cucumber
1-2 Scallions
1 Lemon
1 Tomato cut into wedges
1/2 tbsp Mayonnaise
2 tbsp 0% non fat greek yogurt

For the dressing:
serves 1

In a bowl mix together 2 tbsp of greek yogurt, and 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise. Squeeze fresh lemon juice to taste. (Roughly 1/2 a lemon)

Drizzle dressing over the salad, enjoy!

Let's Eat Lots of Lobster

I was born in Maine. The best thing about having family on the East Coast was pretty much their ability to bring tasty morsels (aka lobster) to California during each and every visit. Since 9/11 bringing live lobster has become super expensive because they require you to check them (you used to be able to consider them carry on) on top of the already pricey 15/lb.

Living in the Bay Area I generally have access to exceptional foods of all kind. I had never looked for lobster here before just because I always considered the lobster flown from Maine to be the best (color me spoiled rotten right?). Someone recently reminded me how abundant live seafood is at asian markets  for relatively low prices, so I walked into one this Sunday morning hoping to find lobster for Father's day at a price that would not break the bank entirely.

I must have been in luck because I found some down the street from my house for 7.99/lb (a steal for anyone who knows lobster prices), and bought two at roughly $35 per lobster (It was for my dad so I can justify the total splurge).

At four and a quarter pounds per lobster I did not know what I was getting myself into. Typically the best lobsters are no more than 2lbs. These were still pretty tasty but the shells were nearly impossible to break open (We had to use hammers to crack the suckers open!) because they were so big.

It was fun and worth it considering the last time I'd had live lobster was more than 4 years ago, and my dad seemed truly happy to have been able to eat some. (I felt lucky too, and shared with my kid sister because seriously they were too huge not to share!) I don't know when the next time I will be able to spend $80 on lobsters, but I'm glad I did because my dad is certainly worth it after everything he has done for me in my 24 years of life.

xoxo

Siobhain 

Spicy Chicken Sausage, Kale & White Bean Soup

So  first of all let me give credit for this recipe where credit is due... I have seen this soup and variations on several of my favorite blogs (Pioneer Woman, Skinny Taste, and Bev Cooks). However each blogger has put their own unique twist on it. You really can customize this recipe (changing the protein, spices, veggies etc) to fit your own tastes, which is one of the things I love so much about it.

This soup has definitely become a repeat in my dinner rotation because it is so flavorful, hearty and easy...(Let me again emphasize how easy this one is.. you don't have to be anywhere near being a professional chef to develop flavors in this!). Most importantly, it is boyfriend and family approved. Kale is kind of scary because it is touted as a health food, but it is a really delicious ingredient when in the right recipe.


You'll need: 

(Recipe serves 4)

2 1/2 Uncooked Chicken Sicilian Sausage (I get mine from trader joes, but feel free to improvise if you can't find this)
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 onion minced
5 cups chicken broth
Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 1/2 cups Tuscan Kale
Pinch Red Chili Pepper Flakes (to taste)
1/2 tablespoon pepper (to taste)
Pinch salt (to taste)
1 can white beans (cannelini beans) rinsed and drained
Olive oil to taste


Steps: 

1. Mince garlic and onion, in a pot eyeball roughly 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add onions. Cook until translucent adding minced garlic, cook until lightly browned and set aside.
2. Remove casing from sausage, crumble and cook on medium until golden brown or cooked through. Add cooked sausage to the pot with onions and garlic.
3. Add 5 cups of broth to the pot and set to medium and bring to a boil. Add white beans, kale and chili flakes to taste. (More or less based on preference).
4. Cook for at least 15 minutes or until kale has slightly softened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set stove to simmer until ready to serve.
5. Serve soup and garnish with a pinch of parmesan cheese.
6. Enjoy!!

What is a dish you frequent in your dinner rotation?