For the Love of a Slurpee

Hi Friends. I have to tell you about one of my funnier moments of the day. 

So, tonight I've been busy packing everything I own into a jumbling tower of cardboard boxes. My boyfriend and I have FINALLY found a rental home. Yay! And thank gawd, cause we are leaving for vacation in Hawaii in T-Minus 6 days! ahh! 

Anyways, I packed up all my food without thinking and the only thing open at this ungodly hour is 7-11. 

Yes. I. Live. A. Glamorous. Life.

So I head over to see what kind of 5 star meal I can pick up from my local convenience store. I decide on a huge mango slurpee, a single chicken nugget and a slice of (probably 18 hour old) cheese pizza. I go to pay the cashier for my semi-ridiculous late night dinner purchase and BAM- My credit card gets declined! With a few customers piling up behind me (giggling no less) and my face getting a little redder, I asked him to try it again. 

Nope. Declined. Again. 

Sweet. My $3.98 dinner was DISSED!

So I had to walk my sorry butt back home to fetch some cash money.

And here's the worst part, my slurpee melted by the time I got home. Wahhhhh!

I made a large business-related purchase today so I guess the purchase looked fishy and the credit card company froze my card. Thanks Mastercard. 

Sun Dried Tomato, Spinach, Cheese Ravioli

Oh pasta, how I love thee :)

If there was one food I was forced to eat for the rest of my life it would be pasta.

And lots of it.

I had some fun in the kitchen the other night whipping up a batch of homemade ravioli, making up the recipe as I went.

If you are weary of making homemade pasta, don't worry! This recipe takes shortcuts (hello, wonton papers) and it's not all that time consuming! Promise!

Happy cooking my Italian chefs!

Prep: 25-30 minutes | Cook: 2-3 minutes | Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

1 package prepared wonton papers (40-45)

12 ounces ricotta cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped or grated parmesan cheese

1/3 cup bread crumbs

5-6 sundried tomatoes, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups spinach

2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

1 teaspoon garlic powder

juice of half a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Chop basil, sundried tomatoes and parmesan cheese. Set the basil and sundried tomatoes aside. Throw the chopped garlic and olive oil in a pan on medium heat. After garlic begins to sizzle a bit, throw the spinach in and sautee for about 2 minutes, or until leaves begin to wilt. Remove spinach mixture from heat place and place on a cutting board. Finely chop spinach and garlic mixture. Place mixture in a large bowl.

Add the chopped basil, sundried tomatoes, ricotta cheese, juice of half a lemon, breadcrumbs, parsley, and garlic powder to the large bowl and mix! Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Place a large pot of salted water on the stove and set to boil! Now it's time to fold!

Lay the wonton papers flat on a dry surface so that they are faced towards you in the shape of a diamond. Place a generous amount of cheese mixture in the center of each wonton paper. Dip your finger in water and line the bottom edges in water. Fold the ravioli over so that the two edges you moistened meet the two edges that you did not moisten. Use your fingers to press the triangle together, making sure that the edges are well sealed. Grab the farthest points of the wonton papers and bring them together in the center...kind of like you are folding the "arms" of the ravioli. Use a bit of water to seal the arms together. repeat several dozen times :)

Ravioli can be cooked immediately after the folding party is complete! Cook in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and serve the ravioli however you like. I tossed mine with olive oil and more parmesan cheese. You can also toss with a spicy tomato sauce or pesto sauce. Yumm! 

Ravioli can also be placed in the freezer, in a single layer until frozen. Once frozen, place in a plastic bag until ready to eat. Cook in salted boiling water for 7-9 minutes.   

Roma tomato, parmesan cheese & garlic chive spread on toasted ciabatta bread

Yesterday, I wanted to mix things up from the usual so instead of hitting a standard grocery, I went shopping at a small Italian Market in Little Italy. Most items are either made fresh at the restaurant next door or bought at the local farmers market. I picked up freshly baked ciabatta bread, roma tomatoes, parmesan cheese and a pre-made garlic chive spread... all the ingredients for an amaaaazing sandwich. Yes, I cheated with the pre-made stuff, but I found a recipe for fresh garlic and chive spread here. 

Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 3 minutes | Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:

2 slices ciabatta bread

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 roma tomato, sliced

2 tablespoons garlic chive spread

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Slice ciabatta bread and roma tomatoes. Cover both slices with shredded parmesan cheese and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Spread the garlic and chive spread onto one slice of the ciabatta bread. Top with tomatoes and the other slice of bread and... enjoy!     

Oh, and P.S.- This is by far the best t-shirt maybe... ever? Find it here: www.seibei.com

MAKE ME A SANDWICH!

hehehe

Roasted Balsamic Brussel Sprouts with Gorgonzola, Parmesan and Pine Nuts.

Brussel sprouts are totally underrated, wouldn't you agree? If you don't, give this recipe a try- it just might make you a believer! Here is a recipe that I fine tuned to my own tastes and it came out tasting heavenly! Welcome to your favorite new side dish: Roasted Balsamic Brussel Sprouts with Gorgonzola, Parmesan and Pine Nuts. Serve this as a side dish or eat them all by yourself as a meal, like I did tonight! 

Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes | Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic3 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons gorgonzola cheese  
1 tablespoon pine nuts (lightly toasted)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit. Cut brussel sprouts into halves and place in a mixing bowl. Toss sprouts with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and salt/pepper to taste. Arrange sprouts in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking sheet. Line with tin foil if desired and spray with non-stick spray. Roast for 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until sprouts are slightly crisp and golden brown. While sprouts are roasting, toast pine nuts in a dry pan about 2-3 minutes, until barely starting to brown. Set aside. When  sprouts are finished roasting, place back in mixing bowl and toss with parmesan and gorgonzola cheese. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with pine nuts. Make sure to serve hot. BONUS TIP: Walnuts and/or blue cheese can be substituted for the pine nuts and/or gorgonzola for a richer flavor.