Halloween Recap and Curtain Solutions!

Wow what a great Halloween weekend! I hope everyone had fun, I know I did!..Speaking of what went down this Halloween....I spent my weekend in the greatest city of all....BOSTON!...Now Halloween candy is no doubt...very delicious...but what is even more yummy...is all the amazing food being cooked up in several Boston Restaurants. On Saturday night, Brad, myself and my brother went to the restaurant, Paramount, before our big Halloween party at the Liberty Hotel. We all got burgers (mine was the veggie Black Bean Burger!)...and split a bottle of pino grigo wine. The burgers were amazing! One of the best I've had in Boston! And because my passion does not solely rely on food....the decor of the restaurant was spot on. It was quaint and cozy. Miniature tea lights accompanied the small restaurant's cafe mood and the staff was friendly and attentive. Paramount is the ideal date spot!...Needless to say we had an fantastic night out full of friends, laughs, Halloween punch and various celebrity sightings such as...lady gaga, tiger woods, little red riding hood, dancing with the stars (That was Brad and I's costume) and a Facebook status!

The next morning my Brother and I ventured to Clink, a seek, chic restaurant at the Liberty Hotel. We were starving...........endless cups of Halloween punch will do that to you! My Brother got French Toast served with warm maple syrup, a raisin/date compote and crispy Bacon (in the picture!) and I ordered creamy scrambled eggs served in a mini cast iron pot with a side of multi-grain toast and a gigantic bowl of fresh berries! It was a great, well-deserved breakfast that I highly recommend you try if you are in the city!

.....In 2 weeks, Brad and I will be hosting our first party in our new home. It is scary but exciting at the same time. We are keeping the guest number on the small side. I love to entertain, so I consider this party to be somewhat of a "soft opening" (restaurant lingo) for us. Many of my close relatives have not seen our new home yet, so this party is really for them to finally take a peek inside. The theme of our party is of course, "Wine." Brad and I are going to set up various bottles of White Wine on our kitchen island, and do a blind tasting for my guests. Only Brad and I will know the true identity of the brands of wine. At the end of the night, if one of our guests enjoys a certain glass of wine over another, they will receive pre-printed information cards from us on the wine they enjoyed the best as they exit. I do not have our food menu down on paper yet, but I am thinking it will consist of small finger foods and sandwiches.....But food is the least of my worries!...Brad and I only have 2 weeks left to get the house in order. We are still in the process of unpacking, painting and decorating. My goal is to finish all of our painting and decorating before our party...which means we have so much work to accomplish this week and next.

One small, but expensive decorating task that I have been putting off our "Curtains"...(insert loud, scary music)...dun, dun, dun! I dislike curtain shopping, but it is something, that when completed...makes a room look that much better. Last night, Brad and I put up our bedroom curtains which look amazing. I have the before and after pictures below!

Before!

After!

These curtains were a great price and fairly easy to put up! It truly gives our bedroom that much more of an elegant touch! I will be posting more before and after pictures of our progress this week in getting the house ready for our first get together!

A Homemade Drive-thru Breakfast!

T.G.I.F! ...only 6 more hours to go until the weekend. The best part about the weekend is being able to wake up on Saturday and actually be able to cook a really good breakfast....french toast, pancakes, muffins....(YUM) ....all these dishes take a little extra time to make right...which is why they typically get left behind during the busy weekday mornings. However, this morning...I decided to change up the ole cereal breakfast, and swap it out for something, quick, tasty and that will surely get you in the mood for the weekend!!

I was ready and downstairs before Brad this morning, So I wanted to make a special breakfast to kick off our Friday...but I had limited time. I wasn't sure what exactly to make, and I was beginning to get sick of the whole egg n cheese sandwich. I decided to go with what I saw first in the fridge........I immediately began to slice up strawberries (2 for $5 at Shaws this week!)....in order to incorporate fruit into my dish. I then remembered we had Van's frozen organic waffles in the freezer (our favorite frozen waffle brand)..which sparked an idea. I quickly began to heat up a small teaspoon of butter in a pan on the stove. I then grabbed one egg and cracked that into my pan with the butter. While the egg was cooking...I whipped out my toaster, and threw in my waffles. When the waffles were toasted perfectly (cripsy but soft at the same time) and the egg was cooked through (just enough so that the yolk was intact, but not hard)....I buttered and staked my waffles up and placed the cooked egg on top. ***Here is a little secret...take a little of the left over melted butter in your egg pan and drizzle it over your creation (trust me on that one!) I then took my sliced strawberries and lined the plate around the waffles. I served with maple syrup and a side of OJ. The taste of the crispy, soft, buttered waffle mixed with warm egg yolk, drizzled with maple syrup cannot be beat! I call this dish.."Drive-Thru Waffles" because it is quick and tasty!

Brad was thrilled. And so was I. It took a mere 10 minutes to put together but looked and tasted like it really took a lot longer! Guys love a hardy breakfast (especially the ones that come from drive-thru windows)...and this had all the makings of one too...but without the guilt! Vans Organic waffles are great for you....full of fiber and vitamins, and eggs are a wonderful source of protein. Your guy will be impressed...and will forget he even missed out on his drive-thru mess of preheated bacon, ham, and cheese grossness!...and whats better than making your guy breakfast..and receiving the famous slogan "thank you!..have a great day :)"

Game Night Stir-Fry!

AH Happy Hump Day!...mid way through the week..rolling towards the weekend! I really look forward to the weekend...where cooking, eating, and life does not seem on fast forward. I always feel pressed for time during the week...and constantly looking to hurry up and cook something fast. Speaking of pressed...Brad and I have found a really great new weeknight dinner that we can make quickly...and is extremely yummy! Pressed Pannis!...When ingredients are lacking, and we are hungry...a pressed panni is the perfect tasty solution. You can put whatever you like into your panni as well. Now, Brad and I own a panni press, which WE LOVE!...If you don't have a panni press, don't worry...a griddle, pan, etc...can be used..it just wont give it that "pressed" look and taste.

Brad made a "BTSM"....Bacon, Tomato, spinach and Mozzarella Panni...paired with a simple green side salad (shown in the photo). He put it on thick whole wheat bread. We used a little butter on the bread to prevent sticking...and to give it a nice grill up effect. I made a "TBVC"...Turkey Bacon, Veggies, and Cheddar cheese Panni. I sauteed, onions, pepper and the turkey bacon in a pan. I took out oatmeal bread and spread a little butter on it....and placed it on the panni press grill. Once my veggies were sauteed, I placed them on top of the bread and put the cheese on top. They both came out so delicious!...and the great part was, prep is about 15ish minutes, and cooking time is about 10 for both!...really quick, and really tasty!

Speaking of another great, quick and easy weeknight meal....last night...the Big Celtic home opener was on...which meant...Brad was in no mood to linger in the kitchen. So in order to make a quick, yummy and filling dinner...I took ground turkey and sauteed it in a pan with a little OO. After about 5 minutes...I tipped the pan over to its side to get rid of the excess fat...so that the turkey cooks up crisp. Meanwhile, I cut up some onions and peppers. I threw those in the pan with the turkey...and seasoned everything with pepper, salt and a little oregano. In another pot, I began to boil water, which I eventually placed a full cup of brown rice in. I prepared a small green side salad, while everything was cooking. Once everything was ready to go, I took my turkey stir fry and place it on a dinner plate, along with the rice. I took some cool feta cheese and sprinkled it over the top.


I called this dish..."Game Night Stir Fry." Its a healthy meal...unlike the original stir fry which can be filled with unnecessary sauces....and it's also a hearty meal. It filled Brad up, and he was ready to watch the game. Many guys like to accompany a big game with greasy take out food....because its quick..and has big game appeal. But women...we don't need to sacrifice anymore. With this game day stir fry...you have a quick, healthy meal ready to go for the both of you in less than 30 minutes...now that's something to cheer about!

Recipe for Game Night Stir-Fry:
-1/2 package or organic ground turkey meat
-1 onion
-2 Peppers
-Reduced Fat Crumbled Feta Cheese
-OO (Olive Oil)
-3/4 to 1 cup Brown Rice
-Butter Greens
-Grape Tomatoes
-Pepper
-Salt
-Oregano

Give Me a Break!

It's that time of year....the time where Halloween candy is a hot topic among foodies, bloggers, and fitness gurus. I always find it funny when the topics of "What Halloween candy is better for you to eat versus others." I was reading a fitness article online which said "Refrain from eating your tiny chocolate bars such as mini snickers, kit kats, butterfingers, etc." I almost laughed out loud. The truth is....so many of these publications and Jillian Michaels alike, get their panties in a bunch around this time of year. I am no fitness guru nor certified dietitian, but if you can't enjoy 1 mini snickers bar on Halloween, then your refusing your right to live a good life. Now, I said 1 (maybe 2)...I do not mean 10, 15, 20...that's when things can get out of control. But look...its Halloween, 1 time a year...if you want your favorite piece of candy...then go for it. Its a great night as well to take a walk outside, and check out all the funky and wacky costumes...so if you feel guilty about it...just get out there and take in the fresh air with a good walk. I will say the same about Thanksgiving and Christmas as well. Don't stress yourself out about...should I eat a piece of Pumpkin Pie or not?...EAT IT!....I might be the only blog out there telling you to do...but I mean it. If you refrain from goodies...most of the time...than its okay to indulge once in a while.

So I say...Go for the mini snickers bar...I know that I am going to go for the mini twix bars...they are just to good!

Boo-Licious Cookies!

Hello! Happy Monday…

Monday never has the same ring to it as Friday does, but nevertheless, the good news is that the Monday work day is almost over (at least for those on the east coast). I cannot believe that Halloween is this weekend ! I still do not have my costume figured out yet…but I think it is going to have something to do with dancing.

I was quite busy in the kitchen this past weekend. Friday night…I was up baking till the wee hours. I was making Halloween cookies to bring to a Halloween party. I thought it would be an easy task…however I was forgetting all the essential baking items needed to do cut out cookies…like a rolling pin?! (ive only lived in my house for 2 months…and I am still needing so much). Good thing Brad is handy…because we ended up wrapping a wine bottle in plastic wrap and using that as our rolling pin! The sugar cookie recipe is really easy as well. I used a boxed sugar cookie mix….which all you need is the mix, 1 egg, ¼ cup of flour and milk. Mix that all together until the dough forms. Then place flour down on paper…..and roll out our dough. (see photos below). I cut out pumpkin and leaf shape cookies. They cook for about 9 minutes at 375 degrees. That was the easy part.

Once the cookies are cooled….the decorating beings. I decided to make half whoopie pie cookies and half just plain cut outs.

Recipe for whoppie pie frosting:

-1 stick of butter

-teaspoon of vanilla extract

-Confectionary sugar (as much or as little as you like)

All you do is blend those ingredients together. For a much more “butter” taste, use less sugar. For a more rich...creamy frosting taste, use more sugar. It’s that simple. I added some orange food dye to my mix.

I also used another type of frosting…which was more soupy in texture and much more sugary. All I did to create that was use confectionery sugar and water. That’s it. This frosting can be used to write words and give cookies a really great color shield. I colored that frosting red and black.

To create my fall leaf cookies, I mixed the orange and red together in swirls on top of the cookie. They came out really good!...I used the orange on my pumpkins as well….with the black. I made boo cookies, mini pumpkins with pretzel stems and covered some in chopped up heresy’s chocolate and walnuts to give a really fall feel to them. This was such a fun project to work on. The guests really enjoyed these cookies!

The next morning….I woke up and made Brad French toast as a thank you, for putting up with my cookie night. I made a simple French toast recipe that calls for 2 eggs per 4 pieces of bread, milk, a dash of sugar, a dash of cinnamon and a little melted butter…all mixed together. I heated up my griddle and dunked each piece into the mixture. I let the toast simmer and cook on the griddle for about 7ish minutes at medium heat. I served with butter and maple syrup!...YUM! …that picture is making me hungry right now!

As you begin to think about your Halloween costumes…keep this in mind….Yes Halloween is a time to dress up in something crazy…but its also a great time to dress up in something that makes you look fantastic! For example, One year I was sandy from grease. I got to wear a cute outfit…the whole night!...so instead of going for a big banana…try something that really shows you off!

Fenway Park Cacciatore & Pumpkins!

Happy "Thank God It's Friday!" I am so ready for the weekend! Brad and I ate Breakfast together this morning at the kitchen table. Brad had a bowl of stale cheerios..(he found that out after the first bite) and I had harvest farms cinnamon crunch with almond milk...yum! What made it really special was the view that we had! The trees in our backyard are really showing their true fall colors, and a little sun light peeking through made for a great picture!

I am really looking forward to a relaxing dinner tonight. Right now I am debating having breakfast for dinner (mainly because we are almost out of real dinner food, and are too lazy to go grocery shopping) but also because we both love breakfast and usually don't get a good one in during the work week. Last night however, I made what I call "Fenway Park Cacciatore” (cacciatore is Italian for tomato sauce with peppers and onions). When Brad asked..."what's for dinner?"I knew that if I mentioned a dish with the words "F.E.N.W.A.Y P.A.R.K" that it would spark some kind of excitement. Now us women, when we think about Fenway Park, the first thought that comes to mind is cute Jacoby Ellsbury in his Uniform! (Don’t tell Brad)…but when men think about Fenway Park, their mind usually wanders to Hot dogs, Beer and Sausage! I can’t name a guy who does not crave on a weekly basis a juicy, smoked sausage from the ballpark loaded with greasy peppers and onions on a thick toasted bun?! But that food description does not really fit the mold for a nice weeknight dinner meal to share together. So with that, I was on a mission to create the perfect healthy sausage infused ball park meal…and “Fenway Park Cacciatore” was born!

Fenway Park Cacciatore Recipe:

-1 bell red pepper

-1 green pepper

-1 sweet yellow onion

-Olive Oil (OO)

-4 Apple Cheddar chicken sausage

-1/2 Jar of tomato sauce (the lower amount of sugar the better) or make your own from canned, peeled tomatoes

-Pepper

-Salt

-Oregano

-Parmesan cheese

-Grated cheddar cheese

-Bagged spinach

-grape tomatoes

To begin, place a pot of lightly salted water on the stove top to boil. Next, grab your cutting board. Chop your red/green peppers and onion. Chop them the long way, so that you end up with long, thin strips of each. Next, heat up some OO in a sauce pan on medium heat. Then pile into the sauce pan your cut up veggies. Use as many or as little veggies as you want. If you are not obsessed with veggies, then just use half of the pepper and onion, and place the remaining in a zip lock bag for later! The veggies will begin to heat up in the pan. Give them a stir or 2. They should begin to soften and brown. The onions will begin to caramelize, but don’t let them fully caramelize….play around with the heat. Season your peppers and onions with a pinch of salt and lots of pepper. After the veggies look like they are on their way…take your chicken sausage out of the fridge. Chicken sausage is a great healthy alternative to real sausage. The flavored chicken sausage is the best…especially if you are dealing with a fussy man. In keeping with the fall flavors, I choose Apple Cheddar flavored chicken sausage. Place your sausage links in the sauce pan. Let them cook for about 5 minutes with the veggies…so that all the flavors have time to come together. Stir, flip, and roll your sausage, making sure it is cooking evenly. Once the sausage looks like it is browning (chicken sausage cooks up fast)…(see picture below...coming soon)…get your red sauce ready!...

Brad is a huge tomato sauce jar guy…I am not so much of a fan…I prefer to make my own, but the jar is not bad, as long as the sugar count is low. I like to add my own sauce seasonings however. Pour the sauce in the pan with the veggies and sausage. Add some grated pepper, oregano and a little Parmesan cheese to the mix. Stir, Stir, and put on simmer. Okay, now it’s time to get your pasta into the pot of boiling water. I choose to use whole wheat angle hair, but any type of pasta will do! You could even use lasagna links to give it a true sandwich look! I let my pasta cook for about 10 minutes, which is al dente.

Stay with me….Your almost done! Once pasta is cooked, drain from pot and add a little butter so it does not stick together. Place a serving of pasta onto a plate. Then pile on your sausage links and sauce with peppers and onions on top! If you have it…..take a little grated cheddar cheese and sprinkle on top. Cheddar and apple are 2 flavors that are meant to be together! I paired my dish with a mini spinach salad with OO and grape tomatoes...now you are ready to Serve!..(see picture below)

This dish is packed with all sorts of healthy goodness. Its a real "Man's Meal" You have all the ingredients for a great sausage feast minus all that nasty grease….trust me, your guy will not even realize what he’s missing! Plus, this is a meal that you can enjoy together!

Don’t forget…it’s a great weekend to get those pumpkins carved before Halloween. Brad and I plan on craving ours this weekend. If you are not into that whole…”scary face pumpkin look,” and want something a bit more classy to impress your neighbors…then I have a helpful hint for you. Print out a large cursive monogram letter of your last name initial. So for example…mine is J. Trace the letter onto your pumpkin in a light pencil. Then with a knife, crave out the letter, but do not puncture the skin all the way through, so that you are left with no holes. Place a couple tea lights (battery operated…safety first)…inside, so that your letter lights up and looks illuminated!

Happy carving!

Anyone can Stuff this Chicken!

Happy Thursday peeps! I have a slight confession to make....I cheated on my kitchen last night. Yes, Brad and I went out to dinner (his idea). We went to Legal C bar, and loaded up on yummy fish and wine. It was so relaxing, and just the thing we needed for a mid week break. We typically go out to dinner on the weekend, but going out on a wednesday was surprisingly better. Not only did it help to break up the week a bit, but the restaurant was less crowded, no wait and better service! And the best thing about it was the fact that I had no dirty dishes to clean!...My stove top which is a gas top...is becoming increasingly stressful. It gets very dirty and greasy after I am done cooking and it usually takes longer to clean than to cook! My right arm muscle is growing by the day because of the amount of effort it takes to scrub it down. I was so thankful for a night off!

When Brad and I first moved into our new home, I was anxious to start trying new recipes. The first recipe that I attempted was Mediterranean stuffed chicken! My favorite cheese, is Feta, so anytime that I can incorporate that into a dish...I am one happy girl. This is a simple dish...that comes with its own "wow" factor....which means if you are feeding guests who are not cooking savvy then you will no doubt impress them with this dish!

To start buy:
-Chicken Cutlets
-Spinach (not frozen) typically bagged in the salad aisle
-Reduced Fat crumbled feta cheese
-Olive Oil
-Orzo Pasta
-Grape tomatoes
-Pinch of pepper
-pinch of salt
-Pinch of oregano
-Grated Parmesan cheese
-Dijon mustard

Okay to start this off all you need is baking sheet lined with tin foil. While you set that up, make sure your salted water is on the stove, ready to boil. Take your chicken cutlets and rub a dash of olive oil (just a dash) over each piece. Next take a teaspoon of your mustard and spread that over your chicken cutlet as well. Then layer the top of your cutlet with spinach and feta (as much or as little as you like!). After that, start with the skinny pointed end of the chicken and begin to slowly roll it up, making sure the spinach and feta is tucked inside. Once rolled, season with salt, pepper, oregano and dash of olive oil over the top. It should look like the picture below (of me!)


Next add in your orzo to the boiling water...typically 10-12 minutes is good, but follow the instructions on the box to how you like your pasta cooked. Brad loves Al Dente, so I usually follow that time route. Now place your chicken under the broil in your stove for about 10 minutes (until chicken is lightly browned on top and cooked through). Take the Chicken out, let sit for about 1 minute and cool while you drain your orzo. Mix in grated parm cheese, grape tomatoes and little butter with the Orzo in a serving bowl...and your about done! Arrange a chicken cutlet on a plate with a serving of Orzo....and SERVE! Here is a picture of Brad with completed dish!

It was delicious! Oh and don't forget about the Wine!...a white wine goes great with this dish...because of it's light texture and cheeses!...A Pino or Riesling would be the best choices! Eat and Drink up!

Fall flavored mac n cheese

Fall is in full swing here in New England. The view from my kitchen looks out onto a dense array of trees full of fire red, yellow and orange leaves. One of the best things about fall other than the picturesque landscape is the fall themed food. Pumpkin, Apple, Walnut, Cranberry....and of course butternut squash. My husband, Brad, told me last week that he was in the mood for some Mac N Cheese...the perfect cold weather comfort food. We typically try to eat healthy during the week, with a spulrge here and there on the weekend. So with that, I was on a mission to find the perfect healthy Mac N cheese. I came upon a couple recipes, but decided to settle on a fall themed one..."Butternut squash Mac N Cheese."Ironically the word "butter" is stuffed inside butternut squash...but when used correctly it can be just as tasty and creamy as real butter. Plus you get a half of days worth of veggies in this one dish! Last night I attempted this recipe...and as you can see in the picture it came out surprisingly well!

It is easy to make! All you need is:
-1 package frozen butternut squash
-1/2 cup of skim or 1% milk
-Variety of reduced fat shredded cheese (cheddar, Parmesan, mozzarella, ricotta)...use whatever combo suits you the best
-pinch of dried mustard
-Pinch of pepper/salt
-Macaroni Noodles
-Unseasoned breadcrumbs or fiber one bran cereal

To begin, bring salted water to a boil and add in your noodles. Boil for about 5 minutes, until al dente...remove and put into a mixing bowl. Next...in a sauce pan...put in your frozen butternut squash and milk. Heat on medium while stirring together. Once a liquid mixture is formed...add in your cheeses...as much or as little as you like!...stir, stir...until mixture becomes thicker, creamier...and cheesier! Add a hint of dried mustard (which i forgot myself)...stir..and remove from heat. Once removed add mixture to your noddles in the mixing bowl. Mix together and pour into a casserole dish. Now for the breadcrumbs you have 2 options. For an extra healthy version...grind fiber one cereal, pepper, salt and a touch of oregano in a mini chop until breadcrumbs are formed. Sprinkle on top of mixture. Or take 2 teaspoons of breadcrumbs..and mix them with your fingers with pepper, salt and grated Parmesan cheese...sprinkle on top. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees and then place under the broiler for 2ish minutes and done!

It is a great fall meal...full of great nutrients. I paired mine with a side salad. It was a great dinner....one that I will be repeating throughout winter!

Day 1

Welcome to Court's Kitchen! A little background on myself to start...

1. I am a Newylwed (2 months to be exact).

2. First time homeowner

3. Martha Fan

4. Julie&Julia Fan

5. My Motto: "The simplest pleasure in life is time spent together in a kitchen"

I am young, half way through 23...and I am slightly old fashioned. I enjoy my time spent at home, with my husband...cooking, decorating, relaxing, wine exploration, etc, etc. After a long day at work...I cannot wait to get home to my kitchen. I feel revived when I begin to cook.

I am always skeptical of the food that I cook, mostly because prior to my married life...I did not spend much time in the Kitchen...but then again I was in College and living at home...it simply was not on my radar. And as much as I love to cook...it would not be the same without sharing my food with my family and husband. I was never one to cook and eat alone, it simply is not for me. I like to sit down at the dinner table and eat together...I find that the food tastes better over good conversation.

I believe that we live our lives most of the time...in a kitchen. You fight, laugh, scream, cry, smile, hug, kiss...mostly in the kitchen. It is where any couple spends a good portion of their time together. You come home from work...you meet in the kitchen. You wake up...and walk downstairs to the kitchen. You eat your meals there....you may even pay your bills there. Major moments in life and things that we say to each other...all happen in the kitchen. It is where we gather...and where (society) has gathered for decades. The kitchen truly puts our relationships to the test. I remember watching the scene from the movie "The Break-Up." It is by far one of the most intense fight scenes between a couple in movie history. That fight took place, in you guessed it, the Kitchen. Jennifer Aniston's character, wanted help with the dishes, and Vince Vaughn's character only wanted to relax and play video games. They began a fight which turned out to be more than just about doing dishes. Fights over Kitchen chores, food, dinner, etc...are common between couples, and usually mean they are having problems elsewhere. Food brings people together, that's why long drawn out intense conversations usually take place in the kitchen. It is where we have our most intense fights...and our biggest hugs. If you can find love in the kitchen everyday (whether just with yourself, your partner, your friend)...then you are on your way to living a happy, satisfied life.

I decided to chronicle my kitchen and homeowner adventures...not because I believe what I cook and do is at all very important...but because there are not many women my age (or that I have found) that share these same passions. I believe time spent in the Kitchen...good or bad..is important to maintaining a healthy life and relationship....so if your out there...(and not my mother...Thanks Julie...)...comment back!