Cheers to a Best Friend

There is nothing better than a best friend. For a shoulder to cry on even when you know you are in the wrong but just want someone to tell you your not, for a go-to to call up after a long day of work and need a reason to slam a bottle of wine, well.. just for someone to give you a huge hug and know they will always be there for you no matter what. This particular friend I am writing about is not really a friend actually, she's a sister. We have been through everything together, I mean everything. Dorm room fights at 3am, sneaking booze into the high school dance, late night dancing with no cares in the world. Recently my sister, best friend, whatever you want to call her, graduated from Thomas Jefferson Medical School and I have never been so proud. It was truly a moment in life that I will never forget. Me and six other family members flew to Philly to see this magic moment for our very own eyes. When it comes to accomplishments within all of our high school friends, we are all very blessed. We all landed solid jobs out of college and have all taken our own directions and made something for ourselves. I know within friends there is always friendly competition. She trumps it all, sorry ladies. I was in the orthopedic field for six years and have only met one female orthopedic surgeon. You go BB!!

I am posting this for all of you out there with a best friend, who has been there for you through the best and worst of times. Thank you B for all your love and support through everything. 

This post is for B, who puts a huge smile on my face when she decides to dive right into testing out one of my recipes and giving it her all. For your continued effort, I aploud you! Here is one for you to test out my love......and yes your love, Peter, will be very happy :)

Kale and Spinach Stuffed Shells with Sundried Tomato Pesto:

Jumbo Shells

1 bag of fresh spinach

1 cup of fresh chopped kale

2 garlic gloves, chopped

1/2 a yellow onion, chopped

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup marscapone cheese

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup parma cheese

salt/pepper

Sundried Tomato Pesto:

1/4 cup toasted walnuts

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes with oil

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup parma cheese

salt/pepper

Cook shells until al dente...you don't want to boil them all the way because you are going to bake them.

In a pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil for 2 mins then add in spinach and kale. Cook until just wilted. Add in the cherry tomatoes. Cook for 2 mins.

In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta, marscapone, and parma cheese. Mix as best you can and then add in the hot spinach/kale mixture so it helps melt the cheeses for easier mixing. 

Take the mixture and carefully spoon it into the shells. Set aside. 

In a food processor pulse garlic, walnuts, sundrieds, olive oil, parma cheese, and salt/pepper, until smooth. Top the shells with the pesto and bake on 400 degrees for 45 mins or until golden brown.

Grilled Summer Peach and Burrata Toasts:

Slice up your favorite bread, I prefer sourdough. Brush it with olive oil and grill until you see grill marks. Then layer it with fresh burrata cheese and grilled peaches. Toss arugula with olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon, salt and pepper. 

Quick healthy portobello pizzas!

Portobello pizzas: 

portobellos

marinara sauce

mozzarella cheese

roasted walnuts

Parmesan cheese

garlic powder

salt/pepper

flax seed

olive oil

For the walnut crumble: 

Coat the portobellos in olive oil and roast on 400 for 10-15 minutes. Then top with your favorite marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese. 

In a food processor combine roasted walnuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt/pepper, flax seeds, and olive oil. Combine until all mixed together to create a crumble to top. Bake until golden brown.

Enjoy!

This summer was full of really great foodies moments, shared with some really great people that I will never forget. One of my favorite past times this summer was our girls dinner club with my adopted grandmother Janis Judd. Janis is unlike anyone I have ever met. Her spirit and love for life attitude is not only capturing, but contagious. She makes me want to live everyday like it might be my last and really grasp all that life has to offer. Janis was diagnosed with Parkinson's awhile back, but has not let that stop her from enjoying what she loves to do. One of those loves, is cooking. She wrote a cookbook called "Boulder Cooks" where she featured local Boulder chefs favorite recipes. She is currently working on her next cookbook, which should be just as inspiring as the last one!
Janis has not only inspired my cooking, she has inspired my life on a level that I can't really explain. I will attempt to explain and here is what I do know after being around Janis's infectious spirit; Life is too short to fret at the small stuff, to not apologize after a fight with a loved one, to not tell someone you love them, to not give a stranger a giant smile for no reason, to not find a longer route home to listen to a great song, life is just too short. Forgive and forget. Life life to the fullest, just as Janis does.

Here is what I created in her honor and hopefully will be part of her next cookbook! Janis when you read this don't worry I am having a glass of wine also in your honor!

Summer Shrimp Salad:

15-20 boiled shrimp
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
finely chopped fresh dill- amount to your liking
fresh lemon slices for serving

sauce:
1 cup vegan mayo
1 tablespoon dijon
1/2 fresh squeezed lemon
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
dash of Hendrickson's famous St. Louis dressing or dash of sugar
dash of salt and pepper

Eat up life's little pleasures.

San Fran/Napa Girls Gone Wild

Summer is a time to travel, explore, be adventurous, eat outside, and share these great memories with family and friends. I recently went on a gals trip to San Francisco and Napa. Great times would be an understatement. At times I almost felt guilty that I was truly having that much fun. It is times like those, that remind you how lucky you are. Lucky to have people to be able to do that with, lucky to be able to explore new places, and just lucky that you land in a hotel with the entire Raiders Football Team.

We go to check into our hotel and there they are, bellied up to the bar and ready to party, a bunch of Raiders players. Some hilarious cats to say the least! Seeing the dedication they had at night to drink heavily and then the dedication to get up early in the morning and train all day long, in turn gave me the dedication to drink all day at wine tastings and then precede to go to great delicious drawn out dinners at night. I did just that, like a champ might I add. Here are some places we explored and some recipes I took from the amazing fun filled girls weekend.

First stop San Francisco for some fresh delicious, down home lunch eats in portable boxes screaming "take me to the beach".

We made it to a local eatery called, Blue Barn. The definition of everything I'm about, fresh, fast, and simply flavorful. I went for the Big Tuna, which was some of the best tuna salad I have ever had in my life. Fresh pole-caught albacore tuna, very very light mayo, fresh tomatoes, watercress, and fresh made toasted whole wheat bread. My sister and her friend split a delectable fancy grilled cheese and the tostada salad. Both equally amazing but both in their own ways. The tostada salad was so fresh and delicious full of romaine....which in my opinion one of the most under appreciated green. It is in my mind, the only lettuce out there that stands up to powerful and creamy dressings that deserve a strong lettuce. It was loaded with toasted corn, black beans, tomatoes, jicama, scallions, herbs, pumpkin seeds, tortilla strips, white cheddar and chipotle-agave vinaigrette. If you are thinking "give me now", yep you would be thinking right. I was so in love with this place that I contemplated making a one hour detour off the 101 just to get it for the long airport haul. I didn't get it, but I am still dreaming about it.

Next stop Sausalito for some bayside fare. As a family we were in Sausalito for Eddie's birthday nine years ago, so we thought it was only fitting we return. We stumbled upon Barrel House Tavern, by stumble I mean lucked out. This place was any foodies dream come true, especially on their birthday. When I say it over looked the water, I mean literally. You were hanging over the water. Here we decided we needed a bottle of Rose and some oysters to start. Very fresh and very flavorful. Next we got a definition of summer dish. Fresh grilled white peaches, balsamic dressed arugula, and topped with pistachios and honey. Happy Birthday to Eddie. 

Next stop Napa stayed tuned.....it was an adventure. 

This summer night's dinner was inspired by my boss Elizabeth. In our latest summer magazine she created the most delectible grilled polenta bites, that I just had to give it a try on my own. I make regular basil/pine nut pesto quite frequently, so this time I wanted to experiment with a new twist on the original. I decided to try my spin on a sundries tomato and roasted walnut pesto. I highly recommend giving this one a try, as a topper for a dish, add it to some mayo for a sandwich spread, or add it to fresh pasta for a scrumpcious supper time meal. 

Sundried Tomato Pesto:

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup toasted walnuts

1/4 cup roasted garlic cloves

1/3 parma cheese

himalayan sea salt

fresh ground pepper

Stove top sautéed polenta:

Food Merchants Basil/Garlic Precooked polenta

olive oil

Directions: in a food processor, combine all pesto ingredients and blend until your favorite consistency

Polenta:

slice polenta into 1/2 inch rounds and sauté with a covered pan for 10-12 minutes until soft, goofy, and a bit of a crust

Godere!!

Like I said in the last post, there is just something about springtime that jacks up my happiness level to an ultimate high. I can't deny that the weather is definitely part of it, or it could be that I'm a spring baby. Either way, spring time in Colorado gives me a high that is all natural, baby.

On this particular day, I told my sisters to come to Denver for the day to have a little lunch date. Inspired by the spring weather and blooming flowers here is what I created: 

Veggie reuben: 

Whole Foods pretzel buns

1 large heirloom tomato

cucumber

banana peppers

avocado

sprouts

spinach/arugala mix

vegan thousand island dressing

swiss cheese

- First, put the sliced tomato on the bun. Then layer the cucumbers, banana peppers, and then swiss. Melt in the broiler. Then add avocado, spinach/arugala blend, sprouts and top with thousand island and bun. 

Healthy banana pudding:

your favorite vanilla greek yogurt

bananas

honey

-Layer the yogurt, then slice banana's, drizzle honey over it. healthy desert made easy peasy. 

This was a day that was filled with mimosas, laughter, and love. It's the little things in life that make the world go 'round. Make the most of a day off, eat up the sunshine, share some laughs, be positive for one whole day- there is literally always something to smile about.