Blueberry-almond buttermik pancakes

Summer fruit is beyond amazing right now.  It's really hard to choose my favorite...nectarines, plums, figs, berries, tomatoes...it's truly the height of the best food of the year in my humble opinion.

I found myself with a ridiculous amount of blueberries the other day and decided to create a delicious blueberry pancake recipe.  I included almond flour, buttermilk (love the tanginess), fresh lemon zest and some almond extract in addition to a ton of fresh berries and am pretty darn happy with the results...I hope you agree!

I like to top these with butter, a tiny bit of real maple syrup and something with a bit of tartness like yellow nectarines or raspberries.  Such a treat!

Makes 12-14 pancakes

1 c. all-purpose or gluten-free flour
1 c. almond flour
1/4 t. sea salt
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda

2 eggs - beaten
2 c. buttermilk
1/2 t. almond extract
1 t. vanilla
1 T. maple syrup
1 t. lemon zest
2 c. blueberries

butter or coconut oil for griddle

Add the flour, almond flour, sea salt, baking powder and baking soda to a medium bowl.  Whisk to combine.

In a separate medium bowl add beaten eggs, buttermilk, almond extract, vanilla, maple syrup and lemon zest.  Whisk until well combined. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.  Gently fold in the blueberries.

Preheat a griddle over medium heat.  When hot, lightly brush the griddle with butter or coconut oil.  Working in batches, pour batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto the hot griddle.  It should sizzle a little when you pour it on.  Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side - until edges are dry and they are nicely browned.  Flip and cook 2-3 minutes more.

Serve with butter, a little real maple syrup and more beautiful berries (or yellow nectarines!) of your choice.

Black bean cakes with avocado and slaw

These little meatless wonders are a perfect vegetarian (vegan, even!) meal.  The black bean cakes are packed with flavor and protein and topped with a simple tangy, crunchy slaw.  Add a couple heaping spoonfuls of rich, buttery avocado and some bright, zesty lime juice + hot sauce and you've got yourself something pretty darn near perfect for dinner.

Serves 4-6 (makes 12 cakes)

1 t. olive oil
1 onion - finely chopped
2 medium cloves garlic - finely chopped
2, 15-oz cans black beans, drained
4 oz. can diced, roasted green chilis, drained
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. oregano
1 t. chili powder
1 T. Cholula hot sauce
2 t. apple cider vinegar
2 t. maple syrup
1 egg - beaten
1/4 c. medium ground cornmeal
1/2 c. fine corn flour (or all-purpose flour)

olive oil for cooking bean cakes

slaw:
1 small cabbage, very finely sliced
4 watermelon radishes (or regular radishes) - quartered and thinly sliced
2 t. sugar
1 t. salt
2 T. vinegar
3 green onions - whites & greens thinly sliced
1 small jalapeno - minced (optional)

2 avocados - coarsely mashed
1-2 fresh limes
Cholula hot sauce (optional)

Heat olive oil in a skillet over over medium-low heat.  Add onion and cook until translucent, about 7 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Turn off heat and let cool slightly.

Place black beans in a large bowl.  Coarsely smash the beans with a potato masher or fork until about half the bean are mashed.  Add the sautéed onion and garlic, green chilis, salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder, Cholula, vinegar, sugar, egg, cornmeal and corn flour to the beans.  Stir to combine all ingredients, making sure flour is incorporated.  Let mixture rest 10 minutes.

To make the slaw, put the cabbage and radishes in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with sugar, salt and vinegar and toss to combine.  Let slaw sit 10 minutes.  Drain off any accumulated liquid, add the green onions and jalapeño (if using) and toss again.

Heat enough olive oil to coat a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Scoop a 1/4 c. of the black bean mixture into your hand and gently form into a small patty (your mixture will be very soft), about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter.  Make sure your cakes are not too thin so they stay together when cooking & flipping.  Place in the hot skillet and repeat.  You will need to work in batches.

Cook each black bean cake about 4 minutes on each side until browned and crispy.  You may want drizzle a little more oil into the pan after you flip them so they brown nicely on both sides. Remove and place on a baking rack to retain crispiness while cooking the rest.  These are extra tasty when served right out of the skillet while hot & crispy!

To serve, top black bean cakes with a heaping spoonful of avocado and a mound of slaw.  Generously squeeze fresh lime juice over everything and drizzle with a little Cholula, if desired.

Smoked trout toast with pickled onions

This smoked trout toast recipe is the perfect brunch food (I wanted to get this posted before Easter, but people brunch all the time, right?).  It's reminiscent of the whole lox-n-bagels spread, but with some tasty twists & turns (smoked trout is so mild & yummy, you'll love it).  I actually really like it for a simple dinner with a green salad, and it's a great appetizer when you are entertaining (it's really pretty...bound to impress).  

Don't let the idea of making pickled onions intimidate you - it takes 5 minutes and is foolproof.  They're beautiful & great to use in tons of ways - on burgers, in tacos, even in a fancy grilled cheese...yum!

I suggest using a baguette that is on the lighter, airier side vs. something ultra-dense for this recipe, or it can get a little difficult to sink your teeth into.  You could also do all the same toppings on toasted bagels and be very, very happy.

Serves 12

pickled onions:
1 red onion - thinly sliced
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
1 T. sugar
1 t. kosher salt

1 light & airy French baguette (not a super dense one)
softened butter

8 oz. cream cheese
1 Persian cucumber - thinly sliced
8 oz, smoked trout - torn into approx. 1/2 inch size pieces
2 T. capers
1 hard boiled egg - finely chopped (I use my mini food processor to make it super easy!)
1 T. chopped, fresh dill
zest and juice of 1 lemon
fresh ground pepper

In a small saucepan, combine red onion, apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt.  Bring to a boil and cook one minute, stirring.  Turn off heat and let cool & pickle for one hour, stirring occasionally.  Drain off liquid.

Preheat oven broiler.  Cut baguette in half crosswise into 2 pieces.  Then slice each piece in half lengthwise, so you have 4 long pieces.  Butter each cut side.  Place bread on rimmed baking sheet, buttered side up.  Set the baking sheet on a rack set a third of the way from the top of the oven and broil 3-4 minutes or until lightly toasted (watch carefully!).  Remove from oven.

Spread the toasted baguettes evenly with cream cheese.  Then top with sliced cucumbers, trout, capers, hard boiled egg, chopped dill, lemon zest, lemon juice and a few grinds of fresh ground pepper.  Top with pickled onions (you won’t use them all - save the rest for another use!).  Then slice each baguette quarter into 3 individual size pieces for serving.  Place on a serving tray and voila!

Strawberry-mint sparkler

The other day my talented, beautiful and amazing fellow blogger friend, Piper Chuthakeio (of the very stylish mommy/fashion/lifestyle blog Coconut & Bean) and I decided that we needed to get together for a little blog love-fest.  And what better way to collaborate than over a tasty, sparkly spring cocktail photo session, shot by our other talented, beautiful & amazing friend, Ashley Forchelli, of Ashley Forchelli Photography (definitely check out her work!).

We all think this super seasonal strawberry-mint simple syrup concoction with some bubbly Prosecco and a bit of extra oomph from  a little ice-cold vodka is the perfect alternative to regular mimosas for your Easter brunch.  It's also a great way to liven up a boring Tuesday morning like we did.

Here are a couple cute behind-the-scenes pics of me and Piper prepping the berries and having fun in the kitchen. Click on Piper's blog, Coconut & Bean for a great step-by-step photo guide of the recipe.

Berry slicing action.

                                

Cheers, my dears!

A stylish way to keep this yumminess chilled...

Quick tip: Make sure to allow enough time for the simple syrup to cool and chill, and Happy Easter!

Strawberry-mint simple syrup:
2 c. quartered strawberries
4 whole sprigs mint
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. water

1/3 c. fresh lime juice
1 c. ice-cold vodka
1 very chilled bottle of dry Prosecco or brut sparkling wine/champagne

Garnish:
fresh mint leaves
thinly sliced limes

Combine the strawberries, mint sprigs, sugar and water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer.  After 5 minutes, coarsely mash the berries in the pot with a potato masher to release their juices.  Simmer 5 more minutes. 

Turn off heat and allow to cool to room temperature.  Strain liquid into a bowl, pressing berries with a spatula against the strainer to get all their strawberry deliciousness out.  Chill syrup in refrigerator (can be made up to a 5 days in advance - store in refrigerator).

When ready to serve, combine the fresh lime juice, cold vodka, Prosecco or sparkling wine and 1 cup of strawberry-mint simple syrup in a pitcher or bottle that you can keep on ice (you may have a little syrup left over - drizzle it on ice cream or pancakes!).

Pour into glasses and garnish with mint leaves and lime slices, if desired.  Keep chilled in the refrigerator or in an ice bucket & enjoy!

Triple-layer lemon cheesecake

This is a recipe I've been super excited to share and have been waiting for just the right moment.  Well, the time has finally arrived, as it was my husband's birthday recently.  It is my family's ultimate, hands-down favorite and most-requested birthday/special occasion dessert...the Famous Maggiore Triple Layer Lemon Cheesecake.  I inherited this recipe from my mom.  I'm not sure where she originally found it, but a huge thank you to the initial source, wherever you are!

If you've never made a cheesecake, don't be daunted.  It's really quite easy and straightforward.  Over the years of making this particular recipe and scores of other cheesecakes for food styling jobs, I've amassed a few basic tips that make baking foolproof and prevent cracking:

Cheesecake baking tips:

1 - Always use room temperature ingredients - cream cheese, eggs, and in this case, sour cream.

2 - Mix your ingredients gently, on the lowest mixer setting, until just combined, so as not to whip air into it, which can cause cracking.

3 - Always place a source of moisture in your oven under the cheesecake while baking...I heat up a kettle of boiling water and the pour it into a 9 x 13 baking dish set on the lowest rack of my oven right before I put the cake in.  This keeps it nice and steamy in there!

4 - Do not over bake your cheesecake.  Follow the recommended baking time.  The center of your cheesecake will be quite jiggly & wobbly while still hot, but that is ok as it will firm up as it cools.

5 - When the recommended baking time has expired, turn off the heat and prop open the oven door (I use a couple folded hot pads).  Cool for at least an hour (or completely) this way before removing and cooling the rest of the way.


serves 12-16

crust:
2 1/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. sugar
6 T. melted butter

cream cheese layer:
3, 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
3 T. lemon juice
zest of one lemon
1 t. vanilla

sour cream layer:
1 pint sour cream, room temperature
3 T. sugar
1 t. vanilla
 
glaze:
1/2 c. sugar
1T. + 1 t. cornstarch
1/2 c. water
2 T. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  On the lowest rack of oven, place a 9 x 13 baking pan of hot, steaming water - this will keep the oven moist while baking and help prevent cracking.

Combine graham crumbs, sugar & melted butter & stir to combine.  Press crumbs into bottom and up the sides of a 10” spring form pan.  Bake crust for 5 minutes.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, mix cream cheese and sugar and beat on low with the paddle attachment until just combined and there are no lumps.  Add eggs one at a time, again, using a low setting.  You don’t want to whip air into the mixture so don’t use a high setting on your mixer!  Add zest, lemon juice and vanilla and mix until smooth and combined.  Pour into crust and bake 35 minutes.

Mix sour cream, sugar & vanilla together in a bowl.  Gently pour sour cream later over cream cheese layer and spread evenly.  Bake another 15 minutes.

Turn off oven but do not remove cheesecake.  Prop the oven door open and allow the cake to sit in the slowly cooling oven for at least an hour.  Remove and cool to room temperature.

To make the glaze, add 1/2 c. sugar to a small saucepan.  Mix cornstarch into water and add to the sugar in the pan.  Add lemon juice.  Heat until boiling and cook for 2-3 minutes, until thickened and clear.  Cool.  Spread evenly over room temperature or cooled cheesecake.  Cool in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight.

Pork green chili

The thing that makes this pork green chili so darn special is the roasting of your own chilies.  This may sound hard or daunting, but it is not.  It couldn't be easier and the results will make you very, very happy.  (You can use the same method below to roast bell peppers - yum.)

I used Anaheim chilies only because they are mild and I still have spice-sensitive eaters in my house (still?!?!) but they were flavorful and earthy and robust and I loved them.  If you want to spice it up, you can use the Anaheims in any combination with the famed New Mexico "Hatch" green chilies or toss in a couple roasted jalapenos...feel free to play around with it!

Serves 6

3 pounds pork shoulder roast (aka butt roast - it's not from the behind!) - cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
3 t. grapeseed or canola oil, divided
1 medium onion - chopped
4 cloves garlic - chopped
4 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. tomatillo salsa
6 Anaheim chilies
3 small potatoes - peeled and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

Garnishes:
Greek yogurt or sour cream
fresh cilantro - chopped

Season pork with a generous amount of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.  Heat 1 t. of the oil in a large, heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat.   Working in two batches, sear pork until browned on all sides - about 5-7 minutes per batch.  Remove from pot and set aside.

Add the remaining oil and turn heat to medium low.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-9 minutes.  The browned bits in the pot from the pork should start to loosen as the onion cooks.  Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.  Return the pork to the pot and add chicken broth and tomatillo salsa.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a vigorous simmer.You will simmer the pork, uncovered, for about one and a half hours, stirring occasionally.

As the pork simmers, prepare your chilies:  Preheat the broiler,  place Anaheim chilies on a rimmed baking sheet and place under the broiler.  Roast chilies, flipping once, until skins are completely charred on both sides - about 10-15 minutes total.  Remove from oven and place in a plastic or paper bag to stream for 10 minutes.  Remove from bag and the skins should just slip right off.  Remove the stems and seeds and chop.  Add them to the pot with the pork.

After the first one and and a half hours add the potato.  Continue to simmer for another 20 minutes, until potatoes are cooked though, the pork is very tender and the liquid has reduced and thickened to a stew-y consistency.

Serve topped with a dollop of Greek yogurt or our cream and fresh, chopped cilantro.

Smoky lentils with sausage & greens

I love lentils....they have endless delicious possibilities & are a great protein base for tons of different add-in's & spices.  I like 'em cold and mixed in a salad, hot and spicy and mushy with super flavorful Indian flavors, or as in this recipe, more hearty & stewed, mixed with smoky sausage, healthy collard greens and roasted bell peppers.  

For this preparation I like to use black beluga lentils (pictured) or French green lentils.  They really retain their shape and have a firmer texture when cooked than some of the other varieties.

I also recommend sprinkling on some Aleppo pepper when serving.  If you are unfamiliar with this spice, it's high time you picked yourself up some :).  It comes from a Turkish chili that has a moderate amount of spice, but also kind of an underlying raisin-y sweetness with a hint of salty tangy-ness (wow, that's a lot of adjectives!).  I sprinkle it on pretty much everything - eggs, pasta, pizza, any protein...click HERE to order it on Amazon...you will love.

Serves 6

1 t. olive oil
1/2 large onion - chopped
1 large carrot - diced
1 large celery - diced
2 medium cloves garlic - minced
15-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes - drained
2 1/2 c. chicken or veggie broth
1 c. black beluga lentils, or French green lentils
1 t. salt
fresh ground pepper
1 t. smoked mild paprika

1 t. olive oil
12 ounces pre-cooked smoked sausages
1 bunch collard greens
1/2 c. chopped roasted bell peppers

garnishes (optional):
crumbled sheep’s milk Feta
Aleppo pepper

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add the onion, carrot & celery and cook 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Add the tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil.  Add the lentils & return to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook 15-20 minutes, or until lentils are tender.

While the lentils are simmering, you can prepare your sausage & collard greens.  Pull the collard leaves off of their though stems and roughly chop.

Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat.  Add sausages and cook, turning often until plump, warmed through, and slightly charred - about 5 minutes.  Remove from pan.  While pan is still hot, add the collard greens and sauté 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until they appear bright green and wilted.  Season with salt & pepper.

Slice sausages into bite sized pieces. Add sausages, collard greens and roasted bell peppers to the lentils and stir to combine.  Add more salt & pepper if necessary.  Serve in bowls topped with crumbled Feta and finish with a sprinkle with Aleppo pepper.