Julie & Julia inspiration – Bruschetta

Although I didn’t think that I was going to see this movie in theaters, the bf and I were inspired by the good food that we ate at Fiore and decided to go on Saturday night to see Julie & Julia. I had enjoyed the book when it first came out and was iffy about the movie being a let down, but it turned out to be a cute and satisfying movie. One of my favorite scenes is when Julie is making bruschetta for her boyfriend – the food styling in the movie is pretty amazing and this scene made the bruschetta look like the most delicious bruschetta in the world. I was determined to get some as soon as possible. By coincidence, I had just bought some beautiful heirloom tomatoes from the market that I love in Brooklyn (take that tomato blight!) and my basil plant has been basking in the summer sun and growing abundantly. I had also picked up some italian bread at Trader Joe’s to make pressed sandwiches, and the bread also turned out to be perfect for bruschetta. For the topping, I diced the tomato and chopped up a handful of basil. I added a sprinkling of sea salt as well as kosher salt, ground black pepper, some garlic powder, a splash of balsamic, a bit of ground italian herbs, and a bit of cold press olive oil to round it out. I made the bread exactly the way that Amy Adams (as Julie) made it in the movie – pan frying in olive oil. Nothing is quite as satisfying as listening to the sizzle of bread toasting up in hot olive oil and smelling the toasty aroma waft through the kitchen. After I removed the bread slices from the pan, I immediately rubbed both sides of the bread with a cut garlic clove and topped each slice with a heap of the bruschetta topping. Now that makes for a good Monday dinner!

Tuesday Dinner: Chicken Marsala

Here is my own version of chicken marsala, adapted from various versions that I found online. It’s simple, quick, and makes enough food to feed me for at least 3 meals!

Chicken Marsala

• 1 to 1.5 c. Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 c. Marsala wine
• 1/4 c. Chicken stock, warmed.
• Butter
• Olive Oil
• Flour
• Corn starch
• salt, pepper
• 4 pieces of chicken breast (each about the size of a deck of cards)
• 1-2 cups cooked pasta (optional)

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper, dredge in flour.
2. Heat 1/2 tbsp. butter + 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan until butter is melted. Swirl to coat pan.
3. Add chicken to pan, brown on both sides.
4. Remove chicken and set aside.
5. Add garlic and shallot to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until fragrant.
6. Add mushrooms, mix well.
7. Add marsala wine and chicken back to pan.
8. Mix 1 tbsp. corn starch with chicken stock. Add to pan.
9. Cover, and cook until chicken is done (about 20 mins.). If desired, add pasta to pan about 5-6 minutes before everything is finished cooking.

Homemade Hamburger Helper

So I was in the mood for pasta tonight and decided to make my own homemade version of Hamburger Helper. This dish is very easy to put together and make in large batches – a great way to make enough for dinner and have leftovers for lunch the next day!

• 1 c. dried pasta (makes about 2 cups cooked)
• 1/4 lb. ground beef
• 1 link kielbasa sausage, diced
• 1 1/2 c. marinara sauce
• 2 cloves garlic
• Splash of red wine

1. Cook pasta in boiling water until a little bit undone (before al dente). Drain pasta and remove from heat. Reserve about 1/4 c. pasta water.
2. Brown the ground beef in a saute pan. Drain the grease.
3. Return browned beef to the pan, add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add a splash of red wine and reduce for about a minute.
4. Add diced kielbasa and marinara sauce. Bring sauce to a simmer.
5. Add cooked pasta and pasta water.
6. If desired, mix 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tbsp of warm water to dissolve and add to sauce and pasta mixture.
7. Simmer until sauce reduces to desired consistency.
8. Serve with steamed broccoli on the side.

Holla for Challah

Who doesn’t love french toast at brunch? For a while now, I have been craving challah french toast and with the bf visiting this past weekend, it was the perfect time to whip up this special breakfast for the both of us.

Challah French Toast

4 to 5 slices challah bread, each about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick

2 eggs, beaten

enough 2% milk added to the eggs to make approximately 1 cup

pinch of salt

pinch of pumpkin pie spice, with more for dusting

1. Mix eggs, milk, salt and spice in a measuring cup. Pour mixture into a bowl with a flat bottom.
2. Soak slices of bread in the milk and egg mixture.
3. Fry with vegetable oil (or butter, if you are feeling decadent) until browned and crisp on both sides.
4. Serve with honey or nutella.

Ma Po Tofu

The best sauce packets are made by Lee Kum Kee, and at $0.88 a packet, a great deal. Unfortunately the only place that I’ve found that sells them is Asia Supermarket in Philly, so I always stock up when I go to visit. The ma po tofu sauce that they sell in New York are both expensive (over $2.00 a packet) and not good at all. With ma po tofu, the key is the “ma la” flavor, where you feel the spiciness numb your tastebuds … mmmmm mmmmmm!