Balsamic Caramel French Toast

I wanted to make something special for my mom for Mother's Day so I chose this recipe from my French Toast cookbook that I got in Paris. She loved it! However because I had to get everything done in time for church at 9am and my memory card was almost full from a wedding the night before, I didn't get to take a ton of pictures.

Pain Perdu au caramel balsamique (Balsamic Caramel French Toast)

serves 5-6

Ingredients:

12 slices of sourdough bread

2 eggs

1 1/4 cup milk

8 Tablespoons butter

For the caramel:

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 Tablespoons pine nuts

Directions:

 1. Prepare the caramel: In a saucepan, mix sugar with 2 Tablespoons of water. Heat, stirring, until the mixture reaches a beautiful golden color. Add the balsamic vinegar and bring to a rolling boil.

2. Add the cream to the caramel and stir. When the mixture once again reaches a boil, remove from heat, mix in the pine nuts and set aside.

3. Prepare the French toast by dipping the slices of bread in mixture of beaten eggs and milk, then cook them in the melted butter (about 2 Tablespoons for every 3 slices of bread). Drizzle with caramel and serve.

Bon Appétit!

Zucchini Ricotta Crêpes

Nothing like cooking with home grown ingredients!

Zucchini Ricotta Crêpes

serves 4-6

For the crêpes:

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

1. Sift together flour, sugar and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk together with an electric mixer. Beat in flour mixture until smooth; stir in melted butter.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 2 tablespoons for each crepe. Tip and rotate pan to spread batter as thinly as possible. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

For the sauce and filling:

Ingredients:

1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons low-fat milk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 zucchinis, chopped
1 small yellow squash, chopped
1 cup chopped sugar snap peas
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Stir sour cream, 1/4 cup chives, milk, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, squash, sugar snap peas and corn and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in ricotta, Monterey Jack, the remaining 1/4 cup chives, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring gently, until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Fill crêpes with vegetable-cheese mixture and served topped with reserved sauce.
   
   
   Bon Appétit!

adapted from EatingWell July/August 2008

walnut raisin cinnamon rolls

Walnut Raisin Cinnamon Rolls aka "Life Changing" Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp active dry yeast
1/2 cups warm water
2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 tsp. salt
7 cups flour
2 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup chopped walnuts

icing:
8 oz cream cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 Tbsp milk

directions:
Combine milk, sugar, 1 stick of butter, and salt. Heat to dissolve sugar. Cool. Add half flour and beat well. Beat in yeast, eggs, and water. Gradually add remaining flour to form a soft dough, kneading about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until double in size (1-2 hours). Punch down and let set 10-15 minutes. Roll out on oiled surface in a rectangle shape. Spread with remaining butter and sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts. Roll up lengthwise. Cut into 1 1/2 inch slices and place on greased pan. Cover and let rise till double (30 min-1 hour). Bake at 350 about 18 min.

For icing: Whip the cream cheese until light and smooth, gradually add about half of the sugar. Add vanilla and milk. Gradually add remaining sugar, spread over warm cinnamon rolls

piña colada quesadillas

Piña Colada Quesadillas 

serves 4-6 

Ingredients:

10-12 medium flour tortillas

1 medium pineapple, cut into squares
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 boneless, skinless grilled chicken breasts, shredded
About 2 cups grated cheese (Colby, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or mexican blend)
3/4 cup freshly torn cilantro

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Add pineapple and toss with salt and cinnamon, cooking until caramelized and golden, flipping occasionally – about 6-8 minutes. Remove pineapple and place in a bowl, then add another 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil, tossing in onions with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes, then remove from the skillet and place in the bowl with the pineapple.
Reduce the heat in the skillet to low, add another 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil. Place a tortilla down, then cover in a sprinkling of cheese, chicken, the pineapple, onions and cilantro, then add another sprinkle of cheese. Fold and cook both sides until golden. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Enjoy!

citrus obsession

 I don't know what has gotten into me lately, but I have been kind of obssessed with grapefruit. It has definitely become my go-to breakfast and sometimes even an after school snack. However, I cannot for the life of me figure out how to make a grapefruit smoothie that doesn't taste like barf. So no recipe this time, but here are some pretty pictures.

the perfect salmon recipe

I found this recipe years ago from Better Homes and Gardens and never got around to trying it out until this last Easter. It was fast, easy, and tasted even better than it looked. Enjoy!

Barbeque Salmon with Fresh Nectarine Salsa

ingredients

• 4 4- to 5-oz. fresh skinless salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick
• 3 Tbsp. bottled barbecue sauce
• 2 nectarines, pitted and chopped
• 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
• Lemon wedges

directions

1. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Lightly sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Place 2 tablespoons of the barbecue sauce in small bowl; brush sauce on both sides of the salmon.
2. For charcoal grill, cook salmon on greased grill rack directly over medium coals for 8 to 12 minutes or until salmon flakes when tested with a fork, turning once halfway through grilling. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place salmon on greased grill rack over medium heat. Cover and grill as above.)
3. For nectarine salsa, in medium bowl combine nectarines, blueberries, pecans, and the remaining 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce. Season with salt. Serve salmon with salsa and lemon wedges. Serves 4.

The Big Apple!

I went to New York back in March with my photography class to visit some studios and get a feel for the world of commercial photography that many of us will be entering a year from now. We didn't have a lot of free time between appointments to go sight seeing, but we definitely took our lunch and dinner hours seriously and hit up a lot of fantastic restaurants. Here are some photos from the trip.

Union Square Greenmarket
Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 8am-6pm

I am a sucker for farmers markets and if I lived in New York I am sure I would buy most of my produce here. I also tried pear cider for the first time and it was kind of amazing.

Dumbo Kitchen
108 Jay Street, Brooklyn
Monday-Friday 7am-10pm
Saturday 9am-7pm
Sunday 9am-4pm

They had lots of tasty looking options but I got chicken parmesan with butternut squash and a mixed berry cheescake.Perfection.

Brooklyn Bridge and Jane's Carousel

A carousel on the water next to the Brooklyn Bridge? Yes please.