Corned Beef Hash & Holiday Celebrations!

Well it's been quite a while since I last posted and a lot has changed! Long story short, I have a new job and a new apartment in Portland, I'm in graduate school and over the past few months I've had virtually no free time to write, so I took a bit of a hiatus...... But by popular demand (actually only like three people asked me) the blog is BACK! I'm so excited to share some delicious recipes I've made during my blogging off season, and it's perfect timing with the holidays coming up.

To kick of the restoration of my blog, I want to share a recipe for one of my favorite foods in the entire world. It's invariably the star of any brunch spread, it'll cure the worst hangover you've got and when it's served with nature's gravy (runny yolk, people) it's quite possibly one of my favorite bites on earth. Wash it down with a spicy bloody mary for the ultimate dining experience...

We had a little Christmas brunch celebration with a group of friends and it was fantastic. Everyone made a dish and our final spread included a variety of pancakes, copious amounts of bacon, coffee cake (I'll be blogging that later!), smoked salmon crostinis, eggs baked in french bread, mimosas, homemade bloody marys and of course corned beef hash. It was such a wonderful way to get in the holiday spirit and spend time with great people.... and of course dance to Christmas music which is just about my favorite thing on earth to do.

All of us were in unanimous agreement that canned corned beef hash just isn't right. That's not to say I haven't eaten it (and enjoyed it) from time to time, but its greasy mashed cat-food-ish consistency and instant artery clogging capabilities don't nearly compare to a homemade hash with tender actual shreds of beef and fresh veggies. I enjoy a hash where the meat-to-veggie ratio is a solid 3-1. I used 3 lbs of corned beef and two large russet potatoes, one large carrot and one onion. This way, you aren't skimping on the beef which is of course the best part! To send this home even further, I cook a few pieces of bacon and use the rendered fat instead of oil. I was pumped to make it and share it with all my buds to celebrate the holidays; Nothing makes me happier than cooking for friends. My boyfriend is a self proclaimed hash connoisseur and he said it was one of the best he's had so that's a good sign!

Most corned beef briskets come with a spice packet, but I prefer to mix my own (see corned beef mix recipe at the bottom of page). If yours doesn't come with a spice packet and you'd rather not make your own, pickling spice works just fine; they often have a recipe for corned beef on the side of the label! You can cook the beef the night before and keep in the fridge for quicker prep in the morning/more hands free time to drink your bloodys!

With a fresh coat of snow on the ground and Christmas right around the corner, it's hard not to be overjoyed spending time with good people and overindulging in delicious food and many drinks! If you're having friends or family over for brunch, or you just want to treat yourself, this is a perfect recipe that'll put a smile on anyone's face.

Happy Holidays and enjoy cooking for all the wonderful people in your life!








Corned Beef Hash

Ingredients:
3 lbs corned beef brisket, cooked and chopped/shredded, whichever you prefer
3/4 pieces of bacon
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, grated
2 large russet potatoes, grated
Salt & pepper
1 tsp thyme
Fresh parsley

Directions:

• Cook bacon over medium-high heat in large skillet (the larger the better as you want as much surface area to crisp those potatoes) until crisp. Remove from pan and reserve a couple tablespoons of the drippings. If there isn't about 3 tbsp, add a tbsp bit of butter :)
• Add chopped onions to the pan and cook until it is beginning to brown. 
• Make sure potatoes and carrots are as dry a possible, you can place them in a paper towel and squeeze moisture out. If they're very moist they will steam instead of crisp. Add them to the pan with the onion. Add in the dried thyme and season with pepper. Be careful about adding salt because the corned beef is likely already quite salty.
• Cook until tender. This will take about 15 minutes.
• Stir in the corned beef and crumbled bacon and cook until it's warmed through and crispy... Remember to scrape the crispy bits off the bottom of the pan, those are gold. 
• Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with nature's gravy.

Corned Beef Spice Mix

Ingredients:
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp dill seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp allspice berries
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
three cloves
2 bay leaves

Directions:
Mix together spices and use when simmering or slow cooking a corned beef brisket.

Grilled Chicken w/ Cucumber Relish & Yogurt Sauce

I think we're all in agreement that this winter was by far the lamest of all time. I suppose it was nice to not have to dig my car out of a seemingly endless mound of snow, or worry about crashing on the way to work every day.... But it didn't feel like the season even existed and I didn't make it to the slopes once!

Now that it's April and I'm completely over it and ready for warmer weather, of course we get snow! I guess that's New England, for ya. Well, needless to say I was in desperate need of some freshness and a hint of Spring and this totally hit the spot. Tender, juicy grilled chicken topped with a bright cucumber relish with fresh tomatoes, served with a dollop of cucumber dill yogurt sauce.....

The flavors all together are so light and refreshing that it brought a bit of Spring to a dreary April day. It would be the perfect meal to have sitting outdoors on a hot night.... Paired with a nice cocktail or beer, of course! You could stuff this all in a pita for lunch as well.

If you want to spice it up a bit, the relish would be nice with a pinch of red pepper flakes for a kick. Feel free to use the yogurt sauce as a salad dressing or dip for veggies!

Fingers crossed that a sunny Spring is on it's way!





Grilled Chicken w/ Cucumber Relish & Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breasts or thighs
1/2 cup Italian dressing
2 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
Yogurt sauce:
1 cup non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup minced cucumbers
1 tbsp dill
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Relish:
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup seeded & chopped tomato
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
Rep pepper flakes, optional

Directions:

• Marinate chicken in Italian dressing for a few hours or overnight. 
• Shake off excess dressing and season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through. 
• To make the yogurt sauce, mix all ingredients together and season with salt and pepper to taste.  
• To make the relish, mix all ingredients together and season to taste.
• Serve chicken with relish and sauce.

*Recipe adapted from www.dinneratthezoo.com

Avocado Cream Sauce/Dressing

I apologize in advance for those of you that thoroughly enjoy my posts about bacon mac n' cheese and peanut butter s'mores bars and homemade Snickers because the next few weeks are going to be some tree-hugging, earthy crunchy recipes due to this crazy candida diet. It's all good stuff though!!

Weirdly enough, the hardest part to me about this diet is the "no vinegar" rule. I can deal without processed foods because I eat that stuff minimally anyways. The vinegar is exceptionally hard because it means no BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, salad dressing or basically any condiment..... All things that make the healthy stuff taste better!

I made this avocado cream sauce to go with fajitas (except subbed lemon for lime) to fill that void in my life and fell in love with it. I got great reviews from a number of eager taste testers, as well. Since then, I've been dipping veggies in it (raw and roasted), using it as a salad dressing and sauce for cooked meat (chicken, steak and scallops at this point). It has all been so good.

Dip your fries in it! Spread it on a sandwich! Use instead of mayo! It's so versatile, healthy and delicious.

The tangy-ness of the yogurt and creaminess of the avocado meet gloriously in the middle for a perfect ratio. You get the hint of avocado and freshness of lemon with a tiny kick from cayenne and it pairs well with just about anything you put it on.

I'm so thankful for this recipe because I was starting to have serious condiment withdrawals! My next plan is to mix in some fresh dill and other seasonings to create a guilt free ranch. I suppose this diet won't be too bad after all..... A lot of work but some good fun, too!




Avocado Cream Sauce/Dressing

Ingredients:
1 avocado
1/2 cup plain, unsweetened, nonfat yogurt (regular or Greek, organic is ideal)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt, pepper and cayenne to taste

Directions:

• Place all ingredients together in food processor and pulse until smooth. Adjust ingredients to your flavor preference.

Spaghetti Squash w/ Ratatouille

I'm sorry that it's been a while since I have posted anything but I do have a good reason! Basically I've had to be on a miserable diet due to my GI track being super lame (full of bad bacteria, not full of good bacteria). It's an "anti-candida diet" and is based around consuming minimal sugar, because sugar is what feeds the bad stuff that I'm basically trying to kill off. Lovely, right?

Well, cutting out things such as: basically all processed food, all refined sugar, maple syrup/honey, bread/baked goods, fruits, any vinegar, potatoes, corn, alcohol (!), caffeine, dairy except for plain unsweetened yogurt, peanuts, etc.... Calls for a lot of food prep, confusion, grocery shopping, starving and basically no extra time to blog. I actually made the worst pancakes ever yesterday..... I was planning on blogging them!

So I've been experimenting a bit and spending a lot of money on crazy ingredients. I'm starting to think I should get some sort of frequent buyer discount for Bob's Red Mill brand items!

But to the point of this post. I made roast spaghetti squash with ratatouille that was exceptionally good and really satisfying, which is tough to come by on this darn diet! It's an awesome work week lunch to pack up.

Praise the lord I can still eat meat, because it was delicious with chicken - And I would just die otherwise. I bet it would be wonderful with ground beef in the sauce, or served with meatballs! It's a fairly simple recipe to prepare (the hardest part about it is cutting the damn squash open) and it is LOADED with vegetables. Squash, eggplant, onions, peppers, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes.... How much healthier can you get?

If you aren't on a painful diet like mine, I would suggest sprinkling a little parmesan cheese on top. Also, I altered this recipe because I couldn't find a tomato sauce without sugar added at the grocery store, so I used a can of crushed tomatoes instead and added a teeny tiny pinch of stevia (the only sweetener I'm allowed) to cut the acidity.

This photo is my lunch packed for work. I added some steamed broccoli in there for even more veggies and it was a great meal. It's filling, well seasoned, satisfying and just all around delicious and guilt free. I'd make this whether I was on this diet or not! If you happen to be on a highly specific diet, do check the tomato cans for added sugar!

This recipe does make quite a bit, so be prepared for leftovers for lunch or to share with family and friends!



Spaghetti Squash w/ Ratatouille

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium eggplant, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 zucchini (or summer squash), chopped
Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste
1/4 cup red wine (if you aren't on a crazy diet)
6 oz can tomato paste
14 oz can diced tomatoes
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Pinch of sugar (or stevia)

Directions:
To prepare the squash:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
• Slice the squash in half (if it is impossibly hard to cut, poke a few holes with a sharp knife and microwave it for a few minutes) and remove the seeds. Brush lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Roast in oven for 35-40 minutes or until it's tender. Let it cool enough to handle and then use a fork to scrape the sides to create the "spaghetti". 

For the sauce:

• Heat a couple tbsp of oil in a pot over medium heat. 
• Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until just slightly soft. Add the garlic and stir, then add remaining chopped vegetables. Season with the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. 
• Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. 
• Add the red wine and stir to scrape any pieces stuck to the pan. Let that cook down for a minute or so then add in the remaining ingredients. 
• Cover and lightly simmer for another 15 minutes or so.
• Top spaghetti squash with sauce, and optional parmesan cheese.

Cheesy Tater Tot & Brussels Sprout Casserole

Cheese. Tater tots. Brussels sprouts..... Three of my favorite things all baked up in a delicious casserole that is flavorful and comforting. It's a great accompaniment to chicken or steak and it's easy to throw together. I would assume as well that it might be a good way to sneak some veggies into a picky child's diet!

Even if you aren't a fan of brussels sprouts (which blows my mind because they are the most fantastic vegetable on earth), I'm confident you'll like this. It all blends in very well together! 

The tots are roasted to get nice and crisp then tossed with shaved and sauteed brussels sprouts, with shallots, garlic, cheese and sour cream. I season it with just salt, pepper and Italian herbs - Simple comfort food!

When I served this for dinner, everyone in my family not only loved it, but were excited about a dish that is unique yet uses a nostalgic childhood favorite ingredient. 

A bit of crumbled bacon would be a delicious addition to this recipe, as well. We were eating it with steak and chicken so I didn't feel the need to add another meat to the table, but on another day it would have been great. 

It will please kids and adults alike and is easy to prepare.... No need to even peel potatoes!




Cheesy Tater Tot & Brussels Sprout Casserole

Ingredients:
28 oz bag frozen tater tots
3 cups shredded brussels sprouts
1 clove garlic, minced (or more if you prefer!)
3 shallots, chopped
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 egg, scrambled
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Red pepper flakes optional

Directions:

• Cook tater tots according to package directions then reduce oven heat to 375 (most tots are cooked at 425).
• In a skillet, heat a bit of oil over medium heat. Saute shallots for a few minutes, just until they start to turn translucent. Add in garlic and brussels sprouts and cook until they start to turn lightly golden brown - about 5 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes. 
• Mix in the sour cream, egg, dijon mustard, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, half the parmesan and the seasonings into the brussels sprout mixture. Toss tater tots to coat.
• Pour mixture into lightly greased casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and some extra seasoning if desired. 
• Place 375 degree heated oven and bake until cheese is melted and golden brown; About 15-20 minutes.

Peanut Butter S'Mores Bars

The first week in March seems to be a big time for birthdays. My sister and I are a day apart and there were multiple people in the office right around this time as well. I wanted to make something easy to share with classic flavors everyone would love...... So chocolate and peanut butter it is!

I came across this recipe and knew it would be great. A graham cracker cookie stuffed with chocolate, peanut butter and fluff..... What could be better than that killer combo?! It reminds me of the blonde brownies my mom used to make when we were kids, which is a glorious thing. I don't know a single human who wouldn't love this treat....Sweet, salty, chewy, fudgy, chocolately.....

Mmmmmmmmmm.....

My nana lost her taste a while ago and can only taste very few random things. After she ate this at my birthday dinner (yes I cooked my own birthday dinner and dessert), she told me it was the best brownie she had ever had in her life. She could actually taste it! If that isn't enough to convince you to try this recipe, I give up!

I brought a batch to work and my colleagues loved them. It's such a great treat because the flavors are so classic but it's still a unique treat. I made one batch gluten free and they came out great. You can find gluten free graham crackers at the grocery store, just be prepared to spend about $5/box! (If you eat gluten free all the time like me though, you will surely be used to these wild prices!)

Put the Spring Break prep diet on hold and trust me, you'll be happy you made these!





Peanut Butter S'Mores Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour (or gluten free all purpose flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs (of GF graham crackers)
14 oz milk chocolate

1/2 cup peanut butter
7 oz Fluff

Directions:

• Line a 8x8 pan with parchment paper
• Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Slowly beat in the flour, baking powder, salt and graham cracker crumbs. 
• Press 2/3 of the dough into the baking dish. 
• In the microwave or a double boiler, melt the chocolate and the peanut butter and stir to combine. Pour over the dough and let sit in freezer until hardened - just 15 minutes or so. 
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread the fluff over the hardened chocolate. 
• Roll out the remaining dough and place on top of fluff. (Optional to top with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt)
• Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the top is nice and golden brown. 
• Let cool completely before cutting to avoid a gooey mess! 

(Recipe adapted from Pinchofyum.com)

Fresh Quinoa Salad

Want a healthy, flavorful and vibrant dish perfect for lunch in the office or a side dish to dinner? Look no further my friends, I have just the recipe. This quinoa salad is tossed with a zesty lime dressing and loaded with fresh veggies. It's a dish you can feel great about eating and it's super simple. I've made a number of different quinoa salad recipes and I really liked how bright and healthy this one is. You can add more cumin and red pepper to spice it up if that's what you're lookin' for, as well.

I prefer to add more veggies than most quinoa salad recipes to lighten it up a bit. It's a delightful taste of summer in these occasionally dreary Winter (if you call this weather Winter) days, and a great energy boost to get you through the day.

I love having something in the fridge that I know is really easy to pack up for lunch. Sometimes you just don't have the time to make a sandwich or pack up leftovers and that's when you end up spending unnecessary $$ on lunch. I gotta save up for my Costa Rica trip in April here!

Change it up with whatever veggies/nuts you have on hand. You can even get super crazy and add chunks of cheddar, goat cheese or feta.




Fresh Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and grated or sliced thin
1 English cucumber (or 2 smaller ones), seeded and chopped
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper


Directions:

• Heat 2 tsp oil in small pot on medium heat. Add quinoa, stir, and allow to toast for just about a minute - it will be slightly fragrant and that's when you know it's ready. Add in 2 cups of water and the bouillon cube and cook to package directions. Set aside to cool.
• Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, oil, sugar, cumin, red pepper, salt and pepper. 
• Toss all ingredients together and alter seasonings if necessary.