classic beef stew

classic beef stew

when it's cold outside and you want to serve a meal that warms you from the inside out, pull out your slow cooker, set it in the morning and settle in for a lazy afternoon with a good book (or, like me, use your freed up afternoon to finish doing laundry and return those emails you forgot to send earlier in the week : )

mercado on kent

pickled sardines w/ plantains

scallops

seafood paella

pain perdu

mercado on kent - absolutely worth a visit
recently some friends and i went to mercado, probably looking more forward to the fresh baked breads than anything. wow, we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into! we walked into the stark, modern building and were instantly hit with a satiating aroma coming from the bakery downstairs. it was almost 8pm and they were still cranking out their delicious goods. we sat, had our wine opened (it's b.y.o., for now) and browsed the somewhat limited but delictable looking menu. while we took our time deciding, gorgeous little rolls were sent over. we tasted a traditional sourdough, chocolate chip (would pair marvelously with a latte on a sunday morning), an everything type and a whole wheat option. all were very tasty, especially when dipped in the red pepper / chili oil served on the side. if that weren't enough to whet our appetites, the kitchen then sent out some fried sage and some sort of spicy green pepper, um-hmm.

we decided to start with pickeled sardines. i expected a brackish type dish you'd normally find but these were light and packed with tangy citrus flavor. the sardines were followed up with a warm mushroom salad, mercado's version of fried mozzerella (but much more delicious) and some stuffed peppers. all were mouthwateringly amazing.

for dinner we stuck with the seafood options (good friday friendly). the scallops were caramelized on the top and bottom, then tender and billowy after the first bite. they also had an olive tapenade type puree served along side. mmm, i'm smiling just thinking about it! after that, our seafood paella was full of distinctive saffron flavor and each of the mussels, shrimp, clams and scungilli were cooked to tender perfection.

we ordered a few desserts but the chocoloate pain perdu was the best by far. it was served atop chocolate consume and was complimented with a velvety dollop of cream and a milk chocolate straw. this lavish dish proved a perfect ending.

go... soon!

http://www.facebook.com/mercadoonkent

bright tofu stif-fry

bright tofu stir-fry

don't let the number of ingredients scare you away.  this dish is fast, healthy and scrumptious.  the bright, crisp flavors of the veggies paired with the layered textures of the tofu make for a perfect weeknight entree.  you also won't feel bad for eating that last pint of icecream after something as light as this ; ) 

prep: 20 mins

ingredients:

2 tablespoons lite soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/2 lemon, juice squeezed

2 tablespoons good olive oil (plus more to cook mushrooms)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon sriracha hot sauce (or to taste)

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 package extra firm tofu

1/2 head purple cabbage, de-cored and sliced thin

1/2 lb sugar snap peas

1 lb white button mushrooms

2 cloves minced garlic

2 large carrots, julienned (or 2 handfuls of pre-packaged skinny baby carrots, once they're thrown in the mix, no one will be able to tell you didn't julienne them yourself!)

little gingerbread men

little gingerbread men

i took on the task of doing the baked goods for my condo building's last holiday party. i loved this recipe because i was able to do a large quantity of smaller sized cookies that could be gobbled up in just a few bites. i loved the earthy, crunchy texture of the cookie paired with the citrusy icing layered in between. adults will love this refreshing spin on a classic holiday favorite-

prep: these boys take a while, makes for a nice weekend activity : )

ingredients:

• 1-1/2 sticks butter, softened
• 1-2/3 cups sugar
• 1 orange, zested
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup extra for rolling

• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground dry ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 1 lemon,juiced

orange frosting, recipe follows

tasty kale chips


baked kale chips

of course i'd love to reach for a bag of fritos every time i get the munchies but i'm not sure my skinny jeans would be very appreciative of that...  i make kale chips when i'm craving something salty and crunchy.  you'll eat these things up-
prep: 5 mins
cook time: 30 mins

ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

pre-heat your oven to 400.  strip leafy greens from stems, wash and spin dry.  spread kale onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and a pinch of cayenne to taste.  let cook until all edges are crispy and some start brown (be sure to flip at least once during cooking).  once cooled, store in plastic sealed bag.