Happy New Year!

Time really does fly and after an amazing year filled with so many blessings what better way to usher in the new year than with a long time family tradition of nourishing the soul with amazing food that's said to bring health and prosperity in the new year. Black-eyed peas represent good health, collard greens represent money and together they make the most delicious meal you will ever enjoy on New Year's Day!

Black-Eyed Peas

Ingredients
makes about 6 servings
1 lb bag of dried black-eyed peas
1 lb of smoked ham hocks
1 chicken bouillon cube
Lawry's seasoning salt to taste

Preparation
Place dried beans in a large bowl and add enough cool water to completely cover the peas; let them soak overnight. Drain, rinse, and sort the peas. Place them in a large pot with ham hocks, bouillon cube, and add just enough water to cover the peas and pork. Bring to a simmer and cook on low heat for about 2 1/2 hours or until peas are tender. Adjust seasonings to taste. Pull the meat off the ham hock bone and spread throughout. Serve with white rice.

Collard Greens
Ingredients
makes about 4 servings
3 bunches of collard greens
1/2 lb smoked turkey neck or leg
1/2 sweet onion
2 Tablespoons of butter
1 Tablespoon Lawry's Seasoning salt
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 chicken bouillon cube
3 cups of water

Preparation
Pick the leaves off the stem of the collard greens and wash the leaves thoroughly several times. Place remaining ingredients in a large pot and bring to a simmer over low heat. Chiffonade the collard greens by stacking a few leaves on a cutting board, roll them into a cigar shape, and cut the roll into thin slices. Add the greens to the smoked meat broth, cover and cook on low heat for about 45minutes-1 hour until collards are bright green and tender. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve immediately.

Gracie's 1st Christmas

It's Gracie's 1st Christmas! Aside from all the great food and time with family, this holiday season I am most excited to pass on my family traditions and do all the fun stuff with Grace that my mother did with me. What's more fun than baking cookies for Santa? She's only 11 months old and I'm so happy that she was able to actually help make the cookies! 

Betty Crocker Classic Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

makes about 5 servings

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg

2 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preparation

Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract, and egg in a bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Heat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease cookie sheet. Divide dough in half, roll each half out to a 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut into desired shapes. Place on cookie sheet and bake for about 7 to 8 minutes until edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Decorate and enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

New York's Eataly!

I was 15 when I made my very first visit to New York City on a summer vacation and have been in love with the Big Apple ever since! Great food, amazing shops, outstanding shows...what more could you ask for? I just love the energy there. Every time I touch down in the city, I instantly get into a New York state of mind :-). I will make any excuse to come to the Empire State and when I do one of my favorite places to visit is Eataly! This epicurean mecca celebrates everything food! I love seeing all the beautiful produce, fresh fish, meats, cheeses, hand-made pasta, artisan bread, and of course my favorite: charcuterie! They have fantastic restaurants, fun classes, lots of rare and special books, and an extensive wine selection. This is hands down one of my favorite spots. I guarantee this specialty market is a Flatiron gem that will not disappoint!

Turkey Meatballs

Spaghetti with homemade meatballs is my favorite rainy day comfort food. Whenever its gloomy outside or raining, it always reminds me of one of my favorite meals my mother made growing up.We had spaghetti with homemade meat sauce a lot, and living in Florida sometimes it rained a lot too--so I guess somewhere in my brain the connection between the two was made and its been my rainy day craving ever since. I love the sweet smell of sautéed onions, garlic, and crushed tomatoes simmering away. On dreary days it seems like time stands still, which is perfect for rolling out homemade meatballs. For special occasions I will do a beef and pork blend but for my family I always make turkey meatballs. They are so moist and flavorful and taste just as great. So here is my take on simple rainy day turkey meatballs. 

    

Ingredients

Meatballs (makes about 12 meatballs):

1 lb lean ground turkey

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Sauce:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 cup sweet onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/3 cup red cooking wine

1-28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 bay leaf

Preparation

In a medium bowl, mix parsley, cheese, bread crumbs, milk, salt & pepper into the turkey meat until just combined. Make sure the ingredients are well incorporated but don't over mix. Using hands roll out mixture into 1 1/2 inch meatballs. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a sauce pan. Add meatballs, browning them for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove meatballs from pan and set aside.

Using the same pan, add chopped onions and cook them over medium heat until translucent. Raise the heat to medium high and add garlic and then the red wine to deglaze the pan-- getting all the brown bits of flavor off the bottom of the pan from cooking the meatballs. Let the wine reduce by cooking it for about 45 seconds. Lower the heat to low and add in crushed tomatoes, seasonings, sugar, and bay leaf. Stir until the onion mixture is blended into the tomatoes. Add the meatballs back into the pain with any juice that has run off. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the meatballs on low for about 45 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano. 

Honey Dijon Brussels

I came across some beautiful bright green brussels sprouts today at the market...definite purchase! I really enjoy these bold little sprouts of flavor. Whether in a salad, deep fried, roasted, shredded, or even grilled--I simply can't get enough of these little green guys. I decided to keep it simple yet flavorful by tossing these babies in a country Dijon mustard and local honey glaze.

    

Ingredients
serves about 4 people
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1lb. brussels sprouts
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon country Dijon mustard

Preparation

Fill a medium sized bowl with ice cubes and cool water to create an ice bath, set aside. In a large pot bring several quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add salt and sprouts to the boiling water. Blanch brussels for about 3 minutes. Remove the brussels from the boiling water and shock them by placing them into the ice bath. After the brussels have cooled, drain and remove them from the water and clean them up by slicing about an 1/8 of an inch off the bottom stem. In a sauté pan, heat butter, honey, and mustard over low heat until melted and well combined. Raise the heat to medium, add the sprouts; tossing them in the mustard glaze until the veggies are well coated and warmed through.

Easy Roast Chicken

When I'm at the meat counter during my weekly shopping trips I prefer to buy whole chickens. Murray's chickens are my favorite. I don't really like to freeze meat so whatever I buy this week, we eat. A lot of times when I buy a pack of chicken legs or a pack of chicken breasts they never last, it seems like I have to cook them today or else!... despite the later "use by" date printed on the package. But I find that my chicken stays fresher longer when I buy a whole chicken and butcher it myself. Butchering a chicken isn't for everyone, but if you are up to it there are a million ways to do it. You just have to find what you are most comfortable with. Although I buy a chicken every week and do all sorts of different things with it, sometimes I decide to just roast the entire thing. Sometimes there is leftover chicken perfect for a salad or a sandwich or something. Just like there are a million ways to butcher a whole chicken, there are a million and one ways to cook it. I find the easiest way to cook and serve a whole chicken is by removing the back bone and laying it flat. The chicken cooks evenly and beautifully. This particular recipe will have your home smelling so fragrant and delicious, people will think you've been cooking all day!

  

Ingredients
serves about 4 people
2 Tablespoons of butter
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 large clove of garlic, sliced
2 Tablespoons of flat leaf parsley, chopped
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
1 3-5 lbs whole roasting chicken
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

      

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small sauce pan, melt butter, olive oil, and garlic over low heat. Once melted an warmed through, remove from heat and add parsley, thyme, and lemon juice. Set aside. Rinse chicken and pat it dry. On a stable workspace with a cutting board for raw chicken and a sharp chef's knife, sit the chicken up on the board. Identify the spine. Starting at the very top of the chicken, slice down both sides of the spine removing the back bone. Lay the chicken flat on a sheet pan. Using a brush liberally place the melted butter mixture all over the chicken. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Place in oven and cook for 45 minutes to an hour or until the juices run clear. Let the chicken rest out of the oven for about 10 minutes before serving.

Mixed Berry Crumble

There is something about the combination of warm, gooey, fruit deliciousness mixed with crispy, golden-spiced oatmeal topping that I just love. That amazing combo is a mixed berry crumble and I love to make them. Crumbles are relatively simple yet so delicious. You can use fresh fruit or frozen which is perfect because you can enjoy your favorite crumble anytime of year! Also, the recipe is pretty standard that you could swap in or out any fruit you'd like. I love mixed berry because it's so tart. Most children seem to like strawberry and banana, and apple is always a crowd pleaser but the possibilities really are endless. Crisps and crumbles are the perfect dessert to make with little ones because of it's simple nature and minimal need for knife use. You can also swap in whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour instead of all purpose if you want an even healthier dessert. Some people like to completely cover the fruit with the oat topping but I prefer to let the fruit shine with little bites of the crispy topping here and there.

Ingredients
serves about 6 people
Fruit:
5 cups of frozen mixed berries
3 Tablespoons flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Topping:
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup light brown sugar
   1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
   6 Tablespoons butter, cubed

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl combine berries, flour, sugar, and lemon juice; toss until well coated. Place berry mixture into a glass pie dish. For the crumble topping, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add in the cubed butter. Using your hands, incorporate the butter into the oat mixture until combined and crumbly. Sprinkle the oat and butter mixture all over top the berries. Cook in the oven for about 50 minutes or until the fruit is bubbly and the top is golden brown. Let it sit for about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Vegetables are a delicious and simple addition to any meal or spread and a great way to eat the rainbow! This easy recipe is a crowd pleaser and doesn't take too much time or skill. Whether its hummus, bean dip, or a vinaigrette I always like to add some sort of dip to these veggies when I'm serving them in a party setting. Recently I was invited to a potluck that was southwestern themed. While my daughter Gracie was taking a nap, I prepared these roasted vegetables. In addition to adding some chili powder and cumin to the veggies I also made a quick salsa verde to accompany them. The vibrant colors and bold flavors make these roasted veggies my go-to favorite!

      

Ingredients
*You can adjust the amount of vegetables for your needs but this is perfect party platter size for about 20 people

4 red peppers, cut into 1 1/2in strips
4 yellow peppers, cut into 1/12in strips
4 zucchini squash, cut across diagonally in 3/4in slices
3 red onions, cut into 1/2in thick slices, keep rings together
1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed
2/3 cup olive oil
5 teaspoons minced garlic
10 sprigs of thyme
 3 Tablespoons salt
1 1/2 Tablespoon pepper
4 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder (optional)
4 1/2 teaspoons of cumin (optional)



Preparation 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place red peppers on a sheet tray in one layer, paying close attention that the vegetables are not on top of each other. Do the same with the yellow peppers, zucchini, red onions, and asparagus. You want to keep each group of vegetables separate. Toss the vegetables on each tray with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of garlic, 2 sprigs of thyme, about 2 teaspoons of salt, about 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon cumin being extra careful not to separate the rings of the onion. Make sure the vegetables are arranged back in a single layer before placing in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes. Flip the vegetables and cook for another 7 minutes. Serve room temperature.

Gracie's First Fall Festival

Fall is one of my absolute favorite times of year! I love the beautiful colors and changes in the leaves, as well as the taste of crisp apples and the sweet earthy aromas of roasted root vegetables. With the smell of pumpkin spice in the air, I was so excited to bring my baby girl to her very first fall festival! We decided to go to Old Hyde Park Village.

 

Unfortunately because we live in Florida this fall has been a bit steamy but we weren't going to let a little heat and humidity bring us down. There were lots of activities for the kids and they even had apple cider and donuts! Grace is still pretty little so instead of the arts and crafts we set our sights on the pumpkin patch. My daughter always makes me laugh. She is such a fearless explorer, always so interested in new things. You can't tell from the pictures but she was terrified of all those pumpkins!