Avocado Smoothie

 Avo smoothie

1/2 avocado

equal parts w/ almond milk & coconut water

greens spinach, cinnamon

hemp seed (It's the protein)

Chia Seed Pudding

 Chia Seed Pudding

3 T. chia seeds

1 Cup almond milk.

Mason jar. Takes 15 minutes. 

Add blueberries, strawberries, apricots + coconut.

(Same protein as an egg. 12 Grams fiber. Same Omega as a piece of salmon.)

Tabouli (Dana's)

 5 T. Hemp Seeds

Parsley (As much as want- not too much)

Cucumber (4-5 spoonfuls)

Red + Yellow cherry tomatoes (same amount as cucumber)

Salt

Lime juice squeezed over top.

Mix together. Can add a little olive oil, but doesn't need it.

Egg Bake (Spinach + Feta)

(from Patty)

6 slices white bread cubed (I don't remove the crust) 

6 eggs

2 cups milk 

2 10oz. pkg. frozen spinach- thawed + squeezed well to remove liquid 

1 cup coarsely chopped tomatoes 

2 5oz. pkg. crumbled feta cheese 

1/2 cup chopped onion 

1/4 t. dry mustard 

1/2 t. oregano 

1/2 t. salt 

1/4 t. pepper 

 Beat eggs + milk. Add spices and continue beating until well blended. Stir bread, spinach, tomatoes, onion + feta into egg mixture. Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake @ 350 degrees 45-50 minutes. Let set 10 minutes before serving.

Egg Bake (Italian Sausage + Cheese)

(from Patty) 

 6 slices white bread cubed (I don't remove the crust) 

6 eggs 

2 cups milk 

1 lb. ground Italian sausage- browned + drained 

1 red pepper chopped 

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 

1/2 cup chopped onion 

1/4 t. dry mustard 

1/2 t. salt 

1/4 t. pepper 

 Beat eggs + milk. Add spices and continue beating until well blended. Stir bread, sausage, red pepper, onion + cheese into egg mixture. Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake @ 350 degrees 45-50 minutes. Let set 10 minutes before serving.

Breakfast Souflee'

(From Meg) 

1 pound sausage (cooked + drained) 

6 slices bread 

3 Tablespoon butter 

1 + 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese 

5 eggs 

2 cups 1/2 & 1/2 milk 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon dry mustard 

 Butter bread and cut into cubes. Put bread in bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle cooked + drained sausage over top, then sprinkle with cheese. Then beat remainder of ingredients and pour on top of cheese. Refrigerate overnight. Bake in preheated 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Charcuterie Board 101

Angie's Charcuterie Board

 (Feeds maybe 8 women)

2+ hard cheeses (I got mine from Trader Joes...Coastal Syrah Toscano + Cut Green Goddes Gouda)

1 (or 2) soft cheeses (I used Triple Creme Brie and Boursin)

Prosciutto + another thinly sliced meats or sausage.

Truffle Marconi almonds (Trader Joe's). Could use plain marconi or pistachios.

Parmesan Whisps 

Blueberries, Raspberries, Grapes

Olives (mixed or green?)

Golden Figs (from Trader Joe's. Will cut in half next time)

Fig spread

Dried Oranges (from Trader Joe's or other dry fruit, craisins?)

Honey (looked great, but nobody touched it)

Dark Chocolate chunks? (I didn't on mine but may in the future)

Garnish w/ fresh Rosemary.

Great crackers. Everyone loved the Herb Rosemary pistachio crackers. Chicago flats, Crunchmaster Multi-grain sea salt crackers, Triscuit Cracked Pepper + Olive oil, Raincoast.

Start your board with the bowls of olives and other jars. Evenly place the cheeses, then roll up the sliced meats.

Add in the fruit, dry fruit, nuts and crackers to fill in holes (or serve crackers on the side if not enough room).

I served this with wine + blackberry cobbler w/vanilla ice cream. Actually, I had the cobbler prepared to make, but my super kind + thoughtful friends brought chocolates + chocolate chip cookies, so I baked it + served it to my husband when he got up north to join me for the weekend. 

My only regret is that I served it on the dining room table. Next time I will put it on the coffee table instead, so people can gather around it + enjoy it with their wine, cocktails or sparkling water! 

Blackberry (or any berry) Cobbler

Best Blackberry Cobbler ever!

 -4 cups blackberries

-1 cup sugar

-1 cup flour

-1/4 tsp. salt

-1 egg

-1/4 tsp. almond extract

-1 Tablespoon lemon juice

-6 Tablespoons butter

Butter a glass pan. 9 x 6 (or 9 x 13 if you double it)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Rinse blackberries and put them in the dish.

Drizzle lemon juice and almond extract over top of the blackberries

Mix together sugar, flour, salt and egg. It will be chunky.

Spread the mixture evenly over the blackberries. 

Melt butter and drizzle over the top of everything.

Bake for 25 minutes--until golden brown and bubbling.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Yum!

Chicken Shawarma Bowls (Gaby's)

 Homemade Pita chips: 

400 degree oven. 

Cut the pita bread in half and then half again (like pizza) and w/Olive oil and then Garlic Powder, Paprika, *Optional Zattar & Sumac

Bake for 15-20 minutes (keep watching them).

Taziki:

Full Fat Plain Greek Yogurt 1-1/2 cups. (Stoney Fields is good)

Fresh Garlic

Fresh Dill... chopped small

Cucumber Persian... chopped pretty fine.

Lemon (Santa Cruze Pure Lemon is good)

Salt, Pepper

Chicken Breasts (4) (If big slice length-wise so not too thick to grill.)

Marinate (1-2 hours ahead of time or not...):

Olive Oil, Lemon, red pepper flakes, cumin, paprika, oregano, garlic 

Grill or Grill Pan... Make sure it's hot before you cook. Cook 4-5 minutes each side. 

Bowl: Lettuce, Cucumber, Sliced Chicken, Grape Tomatoes, Avocado,  Homemade Taziki, Feta cheese (always buy in the brine).  Serve w/Homemade Pita Chips

Gaby's Summer Salad

Greens (Arugula, Spinach, Romaine)

Persian Cucumbers (4-5)

Avocado (1-2)

White Peaches, Nectarines, Reg Peaches (4)

*Optional: Strawberries, Blueberries, Fresh Corn 

Dressing: 

Olive Oil (1/4 cup)

Champagne Vinegar (or Apple Cider or any kind) (4-5 Tablespoons)

Garlic cloves (2)

Lemon juice

Salt, Pepper

Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup freshly grated)

Eat 5 days/week in the Summer with any kind of protein.

Chicken, Salmon, Shrimp

This is AWESOME!

Caroline + Arie's Perfect Brunch

 

C + A hosted the BEST Brunch ever yesterday! I wanted to add her recipes here so I can find them easily!  

Menu:

• Best Bloody Mary Bar // Mimosas
• Overnight French Toast w/Coconut Syrup
• BLT's
• Homemade Hash Browns
• Fruit
• Arie's Famous Dutch Apple Pancakes
• Coffee w/ Bailey's

The Groeneveld's

The Guests

Tomato Jam

• 1 1/2 pounds good ripe tomatoes (Roma are best), cored and coarsely chopped
• 3/4 to 1 cup sugar (she used 3/4 c)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated or minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 jalapeno or other peppers, stemmed, seeded and minced, or red pepper flakes or cayenne to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
2. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture has consistency of thick jam, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, then cool and refrigerate until ready to use; this will keep at least a week. 

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

• 12 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche
• kosher salt  + freshly ground black pepper
• a little shredded cheese

1. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk until light, frothy, and uniform in color. Strain the eggs through a fine mesh stainer into a separate bowl.
2. Combine the butter and creme fraiche in a large nonstick sauce pan. (Caroline cooked hers in the oven so they wouldn't fall apart and stay on the BLT. Pour the eggs into the pan and turn the heat to low and cook slowly; mix gently using a heat-resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon until soft curds form, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat (the eggs will still be somewhat wet). Season with salt and pepper, and add any flavoring additions (cheese). Let stand for 1 minute more to allow the heat of the pan to finish cooking the eggs. 

BLT:

Toasted Brioche bread without the crust, mayonnaise,  glazed bacon (thick cut with pomegranate molasses, dijon mustard, pepper baked), arugula, scrambled eggs, tomato jam, avocado. 

Served with Potatoes & Fruit.

Amazing! 

BLT & Hash Browns

Overnight Berry French Toast w/Coconut Syrup

• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• Zest and juice of 1 small orange
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 baguette, cut into 1/2-inch diagonal slices.
• 2 cups berries (any combination of raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup chopped walnuts *optional
• 1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• grand mariner

Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, syrup, orange zest and juice, and vanilla together. Dip the bread slices in the egg mixture and arrange in two rows in the baking dish. Tuck berries between slices and along the edges. Pour remaining egg mixture over top of the bread and berries. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the French toast from refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, walnuts, and brown sugar. Sprinkle over the bread and berries. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Check after 30 minutes and cover with foil if the top is getting too brown. Serve with maple syrup. (Or coconut syrup!)

Arie's famous dutch apple pancakes with cinnamon & sugar. *Secret recipe (3rd generation!) Delicious!

Cheers!