We recently discovered Jon’s, a local chain of family owned international markets, and I’m, literally, in love. The deals on meat and fresh produce are unbelievable! A few weeks ago Drew snagged 15 limes for $1!! We usually get 3 for $1 at Ralph’s or Trader Joe’s. Three pounds of Roma tomatoes for $1!!! Can you believe these prices?
Anyway, I digress. The bargain-hunter in my can’t resist the deals. But we recently got a bunch of fresh peaches for pocket change, and unfortunately, because we’re both so busy, we totally forgot we had them and they started to get soft. These peaches were so beautiful and juicy, I couldn’t waste them. I had recently caught an episode of Paula Deen’s cooking show on Food Network, and although most of her food is very rich and fatty, this one was simple and let the peaches stand out. The recipe is available here, and I followed it to the letter, except for the glaze (I thought the filling was enough to complement the peaches, and didn’t want to overpower them with too much fluff).
Don't let fresh fruit spoil--dress it up in dessert!
While there are no step-by-step instructions since this recipe isn’t my own, I do want to take a second to rant about a hidden torture inherent in cooking. I already love shopping for shoes and jewelry, but add a fetish for fine cookware and a yearning to expand my kitchen’s capabilities, it’s impossible to not want every awesome piece of bakeware, every kind of pan and pot that exists, and every cool gadget that seems useful but turns out dispensable. This recipe made me think I need a removable-bottom tart pan! Paula’s made it look so easy on TV, and I’ll admit it was a pain to roll out the crust in a cookie sheet and attempt, unsuccessfully, to shape it to something decent looking. There’s a reason there are no pictures of the tart whole–it was not pretty! My filling spilled everywhere and burnt onto the cookie sheet, although the crust that remained exposed was delicious, and the overall effect was fantastic! It just wasn’t something I’d serve for company. I catch myself thinking, if I had that fabulous tart pan, I’d be a better cook, but then remind myself the challenge is half the fun, and the silly look of a tart on a cookie sheet inspired me to invent a pizza-looking dessert (with a tart crust, custard “sauce” and fruit) that would be both fun and tasty (stay tuned!). Adversity makes us resourceful and smart, and even the little challenges in the kitchen can make you not only a better cook but also a creative one! One day, I will have every fancy gadget, pot and pan possible, but for now I’ll stick to a minimalistic approach (fittingly, in my small apartment kitchen) and try to invent solutions to my setbacks… Let’s see how it goes!
The lonely last slice... this disappeared quickly!
Everyone who knows me or is even familiar with me knows I hate to waste (come on, I’m from the Third World!). My too-small clothes go on a hand-me-down mission between my fabulous sisters and my mom, I reorganize several times a year for the sake of not having to throw anything semi-useful away, and I never throw out food if I can avoid it! But, obviously, nobody likes eating the same dish all week-long, and I’m no exception, so I make it my challenge to bring new life to already prepared food so I’m economical, environmental, and inventive!
My very first tip when it comes to reusing leftovers is to package all components separately! If you have leftover pasta, sauce, and meat, give them all their own Tupperware or Ziploc bag– just because you enjoyed them all together tonight doesn’t mean that’s the only way to serve and eat them! This way, you can utilize each component separately and not be confined to say, eating the same chicken with the same rice because they got all over each other in the same box!
I had a turkey burger patty left from the Carl’s Jr. imitation the night before, and since Drew hasn’t gotten used to his weird new work schedule (lunch at 10 am!) yet, he brought home some El Pollo Loco chicken that his work had provided for lunch. When I see two different already-cooked meats, I immediately think of jambalaya. What’s brilliant about a dish like this is that you can add virtually anything you want as far as spices and veggies, and you only dirty one pot! Depending on your stove, pot, and ingredients, it will be ready in 30-45 minutes! Drew loves this one because it has some heat and lots of developed flavors that play off the spice, and it’s so hearty and filling, all in one plate! He’s gladly been taking the leftovers to work for lunch!
Cook up a steamy Cajun meal from leftovers!
To see the recipe, read more.
Filed under: Uncategorized
I’m so sorry for the wonky layout in the last entry, particularly with the pictures! I don’t have the energy to go edit it word by word, but I promise I’ll make entries look more aesthetically pleasing from now on!
Filed under: recipes
I’m such a sucker for comfort food. Drew’s new schedule (6 am!!) is hard on him while he’s getting used to it, and after he mentioned several times he was craving a greasy Carl’s Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger, I decided to try a healthier version at home.
Now, this sucker is NOT healthy to begin with, so a lot of alterations had to be made! For 4 burgers, I substituted ground turkey (1 pound) for the fatty ground beef; lean turkey bacon (about 3 strips) instead of the regular pork kind; whole wheat buns for a little extra fiber, and eliminated the heavy mayo dressing in favor of extra Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce (side note: Drew is a huge fan of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce, and I love it for my pulled pork, but it’s been pricey at the grocery store lately so we just go for what’s on sale. I want to try making my own soon, but so far we’ve learned, BBQ sauce is pretty hard to mess us!). A thin slice of spicy, smoky Pepper Jack cheese negated the need for gobs of melty cheddar since it packs a bigger punch for less cheese! Of course, I couldn’t cut corners with the crispy fried onion rings– they make the burger so unique and indulgent in the first place! I made them the traditional way but used fewer than Carl’s Jr. is known to pile on!
With a salad, I calculated this meal to be about 650 calories (give or take) which is reasonable for a weight-maintaining diet (let’s face it, with the way I cook, I’m in no place to try losing weight, ha!). In comparison, just the burger, no fries, at Carl’s Jr. weighs in at 710 calories (not to mention 33 grams of fat, 13 of them the health-clogging saturated kind)! So in my eyes, we got to treat ourselves to a hearty burger right at home, for virtually no money and far less health (and weight) consequences!
A big sloppy, tasty treat!
Let’s see how they’re made! Click to see more, including a recipe and some step-by-step pictures! (more…)
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The inevitable has come! Drew (the boyfriend) and I are struggling to fit into our clothes because of all the decadent treats we’ve been scarfing down!
I’m going on a brief hiatus from sweet treats! Not that I’m going to stop making desserts entirely, but I’m going to cut them out of the daily repertoire for the sake of healthier eats.
My temporary mission is to modify my current favorite recipes to be a little more waist-friendly and prevent me from ballooning to 400 pounds! But Drew and I were discussing our favorite meals, and I realized I’m a little limited in my stove-top cooking options–I NEED A GRILL PAN! It’s difficult to limit the amount of oil used per meal when you’re limited to cooking on non-stick, which almost always results in sauteeing.
So I will embark on a quest for a reasonably priced, good quality grill pan that will sear and grill my meats and veggies sans fat! Until I find it, I’m going to explore the virtues of the oven and alternative ways of preparation so I can limit our fat intake and try to make my meals at least feel healthier!
Drew’s been craving Carl’s Jr lately, and just started a tough new schedule at work, so I’m thinking of treating him tonight for dinner with a Carl’s Jr-style burger, slimmed down. I’ll let you know how it went!!
This weekend, my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I found a recipe for a wonderful marinade and decided to use a whole package for a simple baked chicken dinner for my boyfriend and me. We were hungry, but nonetheless, two whole chicken breasts were left over. Why waste them? I let them cool and put them in Tupperware and refrigerated until I had a chance to make them part of a new dish!
So Monday night came around, and I wanted something light and easy to start the week off. The chicken breasts inspired me to make a tossed pasta salad, so I roasted up some peppers (I had been craving roasted red peppers– it’s the inner Bulgarian girl screaming out) and started brainstorming an idea for my pasta salad.
First up was roasting the peppers. I have a very shallow broiler so I like to cut them in half to prevent any of them from scraping the top, but you can skip this and roast them whole if your broiler has enough room. I simply sliced two large red bell peppers the long way, cut off the stem and any white parts, and scoop out the seeds. Place them cut-side down on a cookie sheet or roasting pan, and stick them under the broiler until the skins blacken and blister, about 7-10 minutes. Take them out. Let them cool about 15 minutes and then peel off the skins. If they’re cooked enough, the skins will come off fairly easily and the insides will be slimy.
While doing all the prep work, I threw a pot of water to boil and prepared some rotini (swirly) pasta to cook. I always add a dash of salt to the pasta water, but that’s an optional step.
The pepper mixture, ready to go
Chop the flesh into bite-sized strips. In a bowl, I added the peppers, about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, about 2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion, a few chopped basil leaves, some red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. I mixed it well to make sure the olive oil coats everything and set it aside to let the flavors blend. At this step, you’re welcome to add your herbs of choice, as well as other veggies. If you’re omitting the meat to make it vegetarian, add some black or white kidney beans for some extra protein.
Now we’re ready to prepare the chicken. I had pulled it out of the fridge to let it soften, and wiped off any of the leftover sauce and marinade with a paper towel. I chopped the chicken into roughly 1 inch cube-shaped pieces, and set them aside in another bowl.
It’s important to remember when reusing leftover meat, especially lean, cooked meat like chicken, that it has dried significantly from its original glory, so it’s always good to add more moisture to reconstitute it to a moist texture. I wanted a light flavor in my pasta
Re-moistened chicken, ready to go into the salad
salad, so I opted for a simple balsamic dressing, since the vinegar will play off nicely with the sweetness of the peppers. In a bowl with the chicken, I added 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup good balsamic vinegar, the juice of half a lemon, and about 1 tsp lemon zest. I personally don’t normally like cooking with lemon zest (honestly, it reminds me a bit of the artificial lemon scent in dish soap!) but I decided it would be a worth a shot, since fresh lemons practically embody summer cooking for me. Mix the dressing and chicken very well, and set aside to let the chicken to absorb the flavors. Make sure the liquid at the bottom of both bowls gets added to the salad, because that’s where all the flavor is, and the olive oil tends to drip slowly and consequently gets left behind often!
Now it’s time to assemble the salad in just a few easy steps. Make sure the pasta is thoroughly cooled at this point (if your glasses get steamy while you’re standing over it like mine do–it’s not ready yet!). If the pasta is ready before the other fixings, drizzle some olive oil or add a teaspoon of butter or margarine into the drained pasta to keep it from sticking together, and add a bit more salt if you’d like. Building the salad is easy as one-two-three. Add the chicken, and toss thoroughly. Then add the pepper mixture, making sure all the juices of both the chicken and peppers get incorporated into the pasta. At this point, the pasta will absorb some of the dressing, so I like to add an additional swirl of olive oil and a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella–I always prefer fresh, balled or sliced mozzarella, but this time I only had the shredded variety on hand, so I used that. Parmesan might work well too, especially in delicate shaved slices, or even a richer cheese like Gruyère can be shredded in. If you like feta (and of course I do, I’m Bulgarian!), that would be an excellent choice too, since the delicate, soft flavor goes so well with the garlicky but sweet peppers. (more…)
(Ignore the cheesy Marie Callender’s motto for a headline–I just couldn’t resist!)
Obviously, cream puffs and other pastries are not typical weeknight dinner fare, but when the College Girl’s kitchen entertains, I like to up the ante and make something really special. The recipe is quite easy, but meticulousness is crucial, because every step must be followed by the book to ensure a perfect pastry. I made these when welcoming a friend home from months abroad, and I hope the homey touch of handmade pastries for her dinner was just the warm welcome she expected from America! Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion, commemorating a big event, or just indulging, these puffs and éclairs are crowd-pleasing treat!
my first éclair! Not beautiful, but definitely tasty!
The chocolate éclairs turned out so dreamy! I used the same choux pastry dough as for the cream puffs, which is actually much more versatile than I thought! This basic puff pastry dough can also be used to make savory appetizers, bite-sized little treats filled with a variety of dressings to play off the soft, plain but still stellar pastry. The recipe for this dough can be found here.
BUT back to the éclairs! I don’t have a large pastry bag to pipe beautiful tubes to fill, so I just used a spoon and clean fingers to shape somewhat tube-shaped forms, about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. I baked at 400 degrees for about a half hour, and as Candy from SoupBelly emphasizes, you must absolutely resist the urge to open to oven to peak at them until at least 5 minutes before the cook time is over, or your puffs/éclairs will collapse and be droop pastry instead of puff pastry.
As they bake, prepare the filling and glaze (custard cream and chocolate ganache, respectively).
I scoured the internet far and wide to find a tasty from-scratch custard cream, and found this recipe from another blog, and the post itself is very helpful in assembling éclairs if it is your first time with this kind of pastry! Never underestimate the power of photos to help walk you through something new!
The custard cream is fairly simple, but mine didn’t work quite right for some reason–it just wasn’t as rich or decadent as I would’ve liked. I think the big mistake was substituting extra all-purpose flour for the cornstarch (2 parts flour for each part cornstarch requires)–while this is a common technique used when you don’t have cornstarch on hand, I found that it just washed down the rest of the flavors. Sure enough, I picked up some cornstarch this weekend so I won’t end up short handed with mediocre custard cream!
The last touch is the chocolate icing on the éclairs– the rich chocolate ganache just puts the perfect spin on an already well-balanced dessert. This part is by far the easiest, so I would encourage if you’re going to cut corners with anything else (for example, getting prepared puff pastry dough, or using vanilla instant pudding for the filling), definitely keep the ganache authentic–you’ll be glad you did!
What’s brilliant about ganache is that it’s so multi-purpose–the leftovers can be used to ice a cake, or for chocolate-dipped strawberries! The possibilities are endless!
Chocolate Ganache Icing
1 cup heavy cream (although I’ve successfully substituted milk and half-and-half if I don’t have heavy cream on hand)
1 tsp. vanilla extract (or almond if you want a more nutty flavor)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (more if you want a rich sauce, just be careful!)
Pour the chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk or cream and vanilla over medium heat until small bubbles form on the outside of the cream. DO NOT let the cream boil! Once it’s heated through and the bubbles get bigger, slowly pour the cream mixture over the chocolate chips.
With a fork, work quickly to smash and blend the chocolate chips. The sauce will first look like chocolate milk with dark chunks (pale brown with visible dark chunks of chocolate), and as you blend, will eventually darken and smoothen to become a dark, solid, silky sauce. Set aside until ready to assemble the éclairs. DO NOT refrigerate until after you’ve assembled the éclairs, as the ganache will harden quickly once put in the fridge. It will stay viscous enough to coat if you leave it at room temperature.
The Finished Product
Now to assemble the éclairs.
Remove the tubes from the oven after they’ve baked to golden-brown goodness. Let them cool about 10 minutes, then poke holes in the butt end (either end works, really) with a sharp knife. Using a pastry bag (or even a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off), pipe the custard cream into the inside. These are a bit larger than my mini cream puffs, so make sure to pipe enough filling into each tube to fill it sufficiently. Once they’re all filled, stir the ganache to make sure no lumps have formed. Dip the top of each éclair into the bowl with the ganache (you may have to transfer to a smaller, shallower dish) to coat the top, and set on a wax-paper lined plate to catch the drips. Let cool for about 15 minutes and ENJOY!
I garnished mine with a little powdered sugar, but they were just as tempting without it! I made large (about 4 inches long, 2 inches wide when baked) éclairs, but you can definitely get a higher yield if you make them minis!
I had lots of pastry dough, so I made another batch of the puffs since I had extra whipped cream left over. I used the leftover caramel sauce from my beignets and drizzled this batch of puffs for an extra sweet kick. Here are the puffs:
cream puff decadence
I wish I had a bridal or baby shower or some kind of elegant event to bring these to! I’m sure they would be a crowd pleaser!
Tonight I’m going to make a summery pasta salad with some leftover roast chicken from the weekend. I don’t have a set recipe, but I definitely want to throw some sweet roasted peppers in, maybe with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of Parmesan just to capture the essence of summer. I’ll let you know how it goes!
It’s no mystery that I have a sweet tooth. While my preferences might change based on my moods, there’s very little that will deter me from a sweet little something at the end of my meal.
The boyfriend and I went to dinner at Grand Lux Cafe, which has the most amazing baked-to-order desserts. We sprung for the beignets, channeling my current pastry obsession, and they reinvigorated the part of me that loves baking!
I tried making my own this weekend with my multi-purpose dough (which I will write more about soon!) but they turned out a bit dense–although still scrumptious! I enlisted the boyfriend as my sous chef, and he brilliantly rolled then, fresh out of the pan, in cinnamon sugar, and we served them with a warm chocolate sauce and a gooey caramel sauce for dipping. Not restaurant-caliber, but boy did we enjoy the treat on a Sunday night!
That endeavor prompted me to try cream puffs- my absolute favorite pastry around. Weird little back-story: my family sees a Bulgarian dentist in Glendale (which is quite a drive from the South Bay for my parents), which is predominantly an Armenian area. The dentist and his assistant wife tipped us off years ago to the most decadent pastry shop/bakery just a few minutes away, and we make it a ritual to go after every visit (to make the drive do double-duty!). They have lots of syrup-laden treats similar to those popular in Bulgaria, and lots of gourmet desserts–my favorite growing up, no doubt, were the cream puffs and éclairs. Several years and a minor obsession later, I decided to make my own.
I can’t take credit for this recipe, but I strongly suggest everyone checks out Soupbelly, one of the most fun and inspiring cooking blogs I’ve seen!
I didn’t have a chance to take pictures, because I was entertaining some friends, but by following the directions to a T, they came out literally… PERFECT! I used a cheapo pastry bag (which I bought at the 99 cents store and broke on my first try–do not recommend!) to fill them with delicate whipped cream, and although they weren’t as stuffed with cream as I like, the result was nothing short of phenomenal! I will definitely be trying it again, and maybe even shooting for éclairs!
Now on to discover a delicious custard filling recipe–I’ll report back (with pictures!) if I do venture out to make the éclairs soon!
Delicious, delicate cream puffs!
Filed under: Uncategorized
So I’ve been gone for quite a while. If i had any followers (hint, hint), this would be an utter disgrace, but I promise I have a good excuse.
The college girl’s kitchen is now the young-professional’s kitchen! I graduated from UCLA with my Bachelor’s degree this past June, and in the midst of finding a job, moving in with my foodie boyfriend, and all the little changes that came along with the big ones, I’ve been a busy, busy girl!
But I have a whole batch of new recipes (both inspired and original), all sticking to my original MO–simple, cheap, and delicious meals that any busy guy or gal can make on a weeknight, whether you’re in college, at work, or anywhere in between!
I have to say, my affinity for creating original recipes with what I have on hand has turned into one of my saving graces! When we were so busy decorating the apartment, scouting cheap furniture (yes, my apartment is all Ikea-ed out!) and replenishing my professional wardrobe, I had little time to go to the grocery store to stock up on the pantry items I like to have on hand. So I was left to fend with what I had, and I’ve really developed a knack for making flavors work together! I’m tooting my own horn a bit, but I have to say I’m really proud with the strange but delicious meals I’ve created lately.
Please stay tuned–lots of good stuff coming soon, I PROMISE!
Kisses from the kitchen,
G
Filed under: recipes | Tags: bread side, Bulgarian, recipes, stuffed peppers
Bulgaria is a little country with a long history nestled in Eastern Europe near Greece and the Black Sea, and its cold winters yielded a variety of hearty, warm dishes. Stuffed bell peppers are one of my favorites. As I kid, I would only eat the filling and leave the pepper for my mom to finish, but I grew to love the taste of peppers and now savor each one along with the tasty filling.
My mom usually makes this recipe with ground pork, and I prefer using ground turkey (more lean), but since I was entertaining a couple of vegetarian friends, I decided to eliminate the meat and add some canned cannellini beans instead for some protein.
I used my usual dough to make some garlic cheese rolls (refrigerated pizza or breadsticks dough works great as well!) and they were a great side for the rich filling and tangy peppers. The bread crumb and cheese topping is my own spin–I’m a cheese fanatic and especially in the vegetarian version of this dish, a little extra protein is appreciated!
I used red peppers, but all colors work–it’s just a personal preference! I made a bit extra filling, and this veggie version is perfect as a rice side dish to some other left overs!
Bulgarian-style Stuffed Red Peppers
Check out below to see the recipe!
