Holidays -- 2011 wrap up

Cranberry Blackberry swirl mini-cheese cakes

The holidays are always a stressful time, and nothing is more stressful (for me, anyway) than a meal that doesn't turn out. My Thanksgiving dinner this year included a few panic-attack-inducing flops, but one of the highlights was my cranberry blackberry sauce (recipe below) that I used not only as a condiment, but swirled into mini greek yogurt cheesecakes for dessert.


Cranberry Blackberry Sauce
18 oz cranberries (a bag and a half); divided
water
scant 1 cup sugar
2 cups blackberries
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
zest and juice from one lemon


Pour one bag of cranberries into a pot and fill add about an inch of water to the pan. Bring to a simmer and wait for cranberries to pop. Then add sugar, blackberries, spices, and lemons and stir to dissolve sugar. After 1-2 minutes, add the rest of the cranberries and bring back to a simmer. I like to add the cranberries in stages because it offers more texture to the sauce, but they could certainly all be added at once. Also, I wish I used way less sugar for this-- I like my cranberry sauces on the tart side I guess. As it stands, you can still taste a little of the tartness, but the syrupy sweetness of the sugar and blackberries is more pronounced.

Stuffing with sausage, acorn squash, and kale. 

After surviving Thanksgiving relatively unscathed, I went full force into Christmas planning. Tim and I baked about six different types of Christmas cookies.  

They included: sugar cookies shaped like Christmas trees, maple nutmeg sugar cookies (see Smitten Kitchen for a recipe), peanut butter cookies with dark chocolate kisses (Tim's favorite!), chocolate thumbprint cookies with dark chocolate peppermint ganache, and the least pretty of the bunch-- candy cane butter cookies. I still can't believe how ugly they were! I followed the recipe to a T, but somehow the candy canes melted all over the pan. Oh well, at least they tasted like Christmas. 

Christmas tradition at my mom's house for the last few years has been to have crab legs and Caesar salad (a much better tradition than the oyster stew at my dad's house).  This year, we had just enough leftover crab to make an amazing crab frittata the next morning. Yellow bell peppers, shallots, parsley, and Parmesan all complimented the sweetness of the king crab. It was the perfect holiday brunch! 

Vegan Brownies (with Pumpkin!)

The thought of vegan baked goods frightens me. But, when I saw a vegan chef win Cupcake Wars (I can't stand this show yet my DVR is set to record it) a few months ago I was inspired.

Tonight I tried to bake vegan brownies. I used a recipe from All Recipes, but it called for an ungodly amount of oil (1 cup-- yuck!) so I changed it up a bit. The end result was okay.... the brownies are more cake like and less fudgy that I like, but taste pretty good. The pumpkin is barely noticeable, so in the future I might replace it with smooshed banana or apple sauce (and then I could cut down on the sugar as well!) Also, I might cut down the oil to even 1/4 cup and up the water and/or fruit component.

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar (I used more like 1 3/4 cups)
• 3/4 cup dutch cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup coffee
• 1/4 cup water
• handful of dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350, grease 9 x 13 pan. Combine dry ingredients and then whisk in wet ingredients. Spread half the batter in the pan, sprinkle with chocolate chips, and spread with other half. Bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy! 

Peach, Pecan, and Bourbon Crisp

So, at some point this summer I made an amazing peach (I told you I was obsessed) crisp. I don't remember at all what I made, but just that I put bourbon and brown sugar in with the peaches, and crushed pecans in the "crisp" portion. And it was delicious.

Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese and Honey

Earlier this year while perusing a cook book, I came to the realization that I have never tasted a fresh fig. This is obviously absurd, so I bought a pint the very second they came into season. I toyed over what recipe to try them in, and I ended on this one from love and olive oil because it looked simple, gorgeous, delicious and most importantly fast (I'm extremely impatient after all).

The end result was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Who knew figs, goat cheese, honey, and pepper could make a girl so happy!?

Peach Crumb Bars

Peach-mania 2011 continues. It wasn't enough to make peaches and cream pie, bourbon peach crisp, stone fruit pie, baked peach oatmeal, and a peach cherry upside down cake-- My favorite fruit of the summer has found its way into yet another dessert.

I was on dessert duty for this week's "vampire night" and I was not only inspired by the sweet taste of summer I call peaches, but by this recipe from Smitten Kitchen (originally from AllRecipes). Obviously I swapped out blueberries for fresh peaches, and I made some other changes to enhance the new flavors.


Crumb Crust:
1 cup granulated sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 sticks butter
1 egg

Fruit Filling:
6 peaches, cored and diced (peels on because I like the texture, and as previously mentioned, I am lazy)
6 TBSP corn starch
1/3 cup sugar
zest and juice of one lemon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 9x13 pan. Comine ingredients for crumb crust until crumbly (mine was like a mixture of pea-size lumps and grainy/sandy stuff). Press half of mixture into bottom of pan. Combine peaches with lemon juice and zest and toss with dry ingredients until coated. Distribute evenly over crust. Sprinkle remaining crumbly stuff over the top and pop in the oven for 45 minutes. Cool completely and then transfer to refrigerator. Once chilled, cut into pieces and enjoy!

These bars are buttery and crumbly (as advertised) and are sweet but not too sweet. I also love how the nutmeg enhances the natural sweetness and flavor of the peaches. I am pretty sure I could eat the whole pan!

Stone Fruit Mini-Pie

I may have a problem;  I cannot stop buying peaches. I could eat them three meals a day, but somehow I cannot eat them fast enough, which means I constantly have overripe peaches on hand and need something to do with them.

A few weeks ago, I had a few of these yummy fuzzy babies in my bowl, along with some plums (which I always buy and then never want to eat) so I threw together a mini-pie.

I had half a pie crust in my mini-pan, along with two diced peaches, a diced plum, two tablespoons of brown sugar, and a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg (my other obsession).

Yum. Especially a la mode, but that's another story.

Grilled Eggplant Goat Cheese Salad

My eggplant crop has been relatively prosperous this season, and I have been searching the interwebs for new and exciting ways to use it. This recipe at Love & Olive Oil seemed especially promising.

The unique combination of flavors is really interesting, and the smoky char from the grill adds something special. This, according to my mother, is the "best eggplant dish ever", but also seems to be a perfect storm of flavor. If one ingredient was missing, or another added, the whole balance would be off. So just try it as is! You can serve it while the eggplant is still warm, or allow it to cool. It's pretty great both ways.

• one small eggplant, sliced and sprinkled with salt 
• olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• 2 TBSP fresh mint, roughly chopped
• 2 TBSP (give or take) pine nuts, toasted
• 2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
• salt and pepper

Allow salted eggplant to sit until some moisture is drawn out. Brush with oil and put on a hot grill (medium heat) for 6-8 minutes, turning half way. The eggplant should still have some structure to it, but have nice grill marks. Remove from grill and put on a serving plate. Drizzle with oil and balsamic, add all the goodies (mint, pine nuts, and goat cheese) over the top, and sprinkle with your good friends salt and pepper. Enjoy!

**photos to come

chocolate nanner bread

I have made this before and it was just as delicious this time. The perfect way to distract myself from the fact that my honey was stuck in a hurricane all weekend. It is quite possibly the best banana bread I've ever had, not just because it's chocolate or the fact that it's socially acceptable to eat it for breakfast even though tastes like cake, but because the consistency is to-die-for. Oh, and there's no butter in it so I trick myself into thinking it's "healthy!"

http://www.evilshenanigans.com/2011/03/chocolate-banana-bread/

There are no photos because I ate it too fast. :)

Spicy Pork Burgers and Chard with White Beans

I am so far behind in blogging that I have actually made both of these recipes (or something resembling them) twice now! Disgraceful!

The pork recipe as follows is how I made it the first time-- the second I didn't really pay attention to the amounts of each spice and herb I was throwing in, though it had pretty much the same end result. They are flavorful and have a little kick but are not overtly spicy (as in, you could definitely take add some cayenne or up the amount of red pepper flakes if so desired). The fennel and sage give the burgers the distinct Italian sausage flavor that is so good. In the future, I might try this with a mixture of pork and turkey, or even just ground turkey to make an even leaner burger.



Burgers:
1 lb ground pork
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground fennel
1 tsp ground sage
salt and pepper to taste
provolone cheese

Mix all ingredients (except cheese, duh), and form into patties (3-4). Grill 5 minutes on each side, throwing the provolone on with a minute to go so it gets nice and melty. Top with lettuce and tomato (I have also topped it with garlic seared chard which was delicious) and put on a toasted sesame bun. Enjoy!



Chard

1 yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 TBSP olive oil (I used basil oil because I have some and why not)
a big bunch of swiss chard, diced
two tomatoes, diced and salted
1 tsp Italian-ish seasoning blend. I used "Bouquet Garni" by Penzey's
2 tsp dried parsley
S&P
1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed. I wanted to use cannellini but all the store had was northern

Sautee onion and garlic in EVOO until translucent. Add chard and toss to coat with the now infused oil and yummy onions and let wilt. Add seasonings-- especially salt to draw some moisture out. Then, add diced tomatoes and the beans. As soon as it's warm throughout, stuff your face with this superfood!

The second time I made this recipe I actually used canned crushed tomatoes and turned it into a pasta sauce for some angel hair pasta. It was delicious. I love the flavor and texture combinations-- sweet tomatoes, creamy beans, crisp and bitter chard. And you can eat this guilt free because of all the nutrients that are jam-packed into every bite. Tim even asked for seconds! On a vegetarian dish!

Swiss Chard and Red Onion Mini-Quiche with Goat Cheese and Fresh Herbs

While my garden has been lacking in certain areas (see measly carrot crop), I have had an incredible overabundance of swiss chard. I have made seared and steamed and creamed chard and chard in soup and on pizza, and when I thought of putting chard in a quiche I was incredibly excited-- and then I was kicking myself for not thinking of something so obviously delicious and easy earlier.

• 1 bunch swiss chard (it cooks down-- a LOT)
• 1/2 small red onion
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• S& P
• fresh herbs of your choice. I used oregano and basil because I have them in abundance.
• 3 large eggs
• 1 oz. goat cheese
• 1 oz. parmesan
• pie crust for a mini-pie dish or ramekin

First I sauteed the red onion in the olive oil until just softened and then added in the chard. To speed up the wilting process, I added in 1/4 cup of water and let it boil out. Seasonings and herbs went in next. In a separate bowl, I whisked the eggs. And I prepared the mini-pie dish with the crust. I put the goat cheese in the bottom of the pie dish, added in the onions and chard, and poured the egg over. Sprinkled with parm, and popped in a 400 degree oven for just about 15 minutes.

This was a fast, easy, and super tasty dinner, and I ate the leftovers for breakfast the next day! Other than the pie crust, it was super healthy as well.

*** so.... my memory card on my phone was deleted and I lost a ton of photos including this one. Whoops!

Cherry Peach Upside Down Cake

What do you get when you have two overripe peaches, a pint of cherries on the brink of moldiness,  and a box of yellow cake mix? A cherry peach upside down cake! Or maybe I'll call it something more pretentious like a "stone fruit inverted confection" to equalize the whole "cake mix" thing....

Anywho-- this baby was good. Despite using summer ingredients, the cake is spicy and almost fruit-cakey. It was super yummy and I am taking the rest of it to work to share (because I do not need to eat a whole cake! It's still swimsuit season for goodness sake!)

First, I melted 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar in the bottom of a 9 inch round springform pan. Then, I sprinkled in a tsp of nutmeg (might be a little heavy, but I loooove nutmeg) and a dash of cinnamon and my fruit which was all sliced up. I tossed it around so it was all coated in a caramel-y goodness. Then, I poured the cake mix over the top and baked for 45 minutes.

Flipped it over and voila! The ooey-gooey caramel on top leaves the cake glistening and moist and the aroma of fruit and nutmeg filled the air. YUM. This would be heaven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Easy peasy, and so yummy you will forget it came out of a box.

Edamame Hummus

I was inspired to make a hummus like dip out of edamame after trying one at my brother and sister-in-laws house a few months ago. Theirs used white beans, not chickpeas, and thus was incredibly light and creamy and fresh in both flavor and texture. I only had chickpeas in the house so this was more like hummus with some green flecks in it (and some added nutrional value). Not the greatest creation of my life, but oh well.

- one can chickpeas, rinsed
- juice of one lemon (I think a lime would be even better in here!)
- two cloves garlic (more or less to taste)
- dash of cayenne
- 1/2 cup frozen edamame (just the beans)
- s & p
- olive oil (around 1/4 cup, but more or less depending on your desired consistency)

***photos to come later

Peaches and Cream Pie

So, my memory card deleted and I have no photos of this but man oh man did it taste good. I made it for my "True Blood Supper Club" with friends Lisa and Mandy and we ate 3/4 of it in one sitting!

I was inspired by this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I followed it pretty closely except:
- I cut peaches into sixths instead of quarters and I still thought they were a little bit too big.
- I made my own fake creme fraiche by whisking together whipping cream and sour cream (equal parts)... and I think I used more of it in the pie than was recommended and I served it on top of the pie later.
- I used a store bought crust *hangs head in shame* and I didn't parbake it ahead of time b/c I'm impatient

Store-bought crust or not, this was freaking delicious. It wasn't too sweet and the integrity of the perfect summer peach was really upheld. I probably could have eaten more, but 3/4 of the pie seemed like enough for one night. :)

4th of July Cook Out

My sister Alison and her husband TJ were visiting over the 4th of July (yes, I am aware that the 4th of July was over five weeks ago) from Atlanta. We had a great weekend hanging out in Iowa City at jazz fest, and heading around town for wine tastings, fossil searching, and window shopping in the Amana Colonies. On the 4th, I made a big dinner for Alison, TJ, Tim, and my Dad who came up from the Quad Cities. I failed to take photos of the food, but it was pretty tasty!

Pork Tenderloin 2 ways-

For both of these, I grilled them on medium for about 40 minutes, turning throughout. Then, I let them rest under a loose foil tent for ten minutes. This is the most important step when it comes to having juicy pork!

1. Cajun -- I just mixed cajun spices and dried parsley and put the dry rub on the meat right before grilling.
2. Orange and fennel -- I put 2 TBSP of olive oil, the zest and juice of an orange, 1 TBSP of honey, a tsp of whole fennel seeds, a tsp of ground fennel, and a roughly chopped sprig of tarragon into a big zip lock and threw the pork in with it. After a quick "massage", I let it rest in the fridge for several hours to let the marinade really soak in.

Warm Acini di Pepe and Corn Salad  -- see previous entry for recipe.

Strawberry Goat Cheese Spinach Salad: 
Spinach + strawberries + goat cheese + pecan + red onion + poppyseed dressing. YUM!

Easy Grilled Potatoes:
These are a summer staple. I simply slice red or yukon gold potatoes thinly (using a food processor is a snap) and combine with sliced onions or minced garlic, a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Then, I take a large piece of aluminum foil, spray the bottom with Pam, and put the taters right on. I seal up the packet and throw it on the grill for 20-25 minutes. The potatoes on the bottom char, but the ones on the top just steam, and when you toss it all together it's perfection! The garlic and onions just melt into it. I make these at least once a week using different combinations of herbs and seasonings and I have never had a bad batch.


Seared Greens with Golden Raisins:
Oh man, I don't even remember what I did here... But it involved sauteing an onion in some olive oil, and then searing the greens and pouring vinegar and raisins in right at the last second. It was good. 

Broiled Zucchini

Wow, going on vacation (twice) and moving do not a consistent blogger make. I have barely cooked in the last six weeks, but everything I have cooked is very far behind in being blogged about. It's my mid-August resolution to get caught up before the semester begins, so here we go!

My friend Jamie grew an over achieving zucchini plant this year which produced jumbo-fruit at an alarming rate. Luckily, Jamie likes me and is generous and gave me two of these beauties. Oh, and I guess I traded her for a grocery bag full of swiss chard... I had big plans to bake chocolate zucchini bread or try something new and exciting (zucchini fries anyone?) but in all the craziness of the last month I just lacked the ambition. So, one night, between packing boxes to haul out to my car, I quickly whipped this up. It could not have been easier and would be a super yummy side dish for a summer meal.

• thinly sliced zucchini
• olive oil 
• S&P
• herbs of choice
• parmesan cheese

Turn on the broiler. Arrange zucchini slices on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings and cheese if you are using it. Put under broiler for 5-10 minutes (depending on heat of broiler and thickness of zucchini) until cheese and edges of slices are golden brown. 

Peach Baked Oatmeal

I have been on a peach kick lately, haven't I? I guess there isn't another fruit that so perfectly captures the feeling of a warm summer day. This morning, because it's a Saturday, and because I have some extra ripe peaches, I decided to make myself a decadent but hearty treat. Baked Oatmeal! I did a twist on my original recipe.

• 1/2 cup quick cooking Irish oats (b/c that's what i have)
• 1/2 cup plus 1 TBSP milk (I have 1% organic)
• 1 egg (organic, free range b/c that's how I roll)
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp Almond extract
• 1 TBSP peach syrup (my sisters live in Georgia and gave me this as part of a gift last year, any sweetener would be good). 
• 1 peach, diced (peels on b/c I'm lazy and don't mind the texture)
• honey to drizzle on top

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a baking dish-- a large ramekin would work, I have mini-pie pans that I love. Mix ingredients in a bowl until combined and put in pan. Drizzle with honey and put in the oven for 30 minutes.

What results is a dish of oatmeal that is golden brown on the outside, and gooey and creamy on the inside. It is sweet, but not too sweet, it is warm and soothing, and is jam packed full of healthy things like fiber and protein. My perfect breakfast!

*photos to come

Grown Up BLT

There's nothing like a BLT. The saltiness of the bacon, the sweetness of the tomato, and the freshness of the lettuce blend in perfect harmony. Tonight I made a quick BLT for myself for dinner, and without even meaning to, I classed it up quite a bit. Behold, an open face BLT for grownups!

• 1 piece of whole grain toast (I actually used a "sandwich thin")
• Garlic thyme aioli (mayo + minced garlic + lemon thyme from my garden
• 2 pieces peppered thick cut (local!) bacon
• arugula leaves
• 1 sweet yellow tomato, thinly sliced
• sea salt (tomatoes need salt to bring out their sweetness) and black pepper

Assemble ingredients in the order they are listed and enjoy! This could obviously be a regular sandwich and not open-face, but I had enough filling for two sandwiches but only one sandwich thin.

Haircut Dinner?

Before

Last week, I cut 10 inches (or maybe more) off my hair, and donated it to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths program which makes wigs for women with cancer.This is the fourth time I have donated my hair (and probably last since it is starting to go gray), and it has been emotional every time.

After!

Eight and a half years ago, my best friend Mariah died of cancer. She was the strongest and most vibrant person I've ever met, and I still miss her every day. But, her memory lives in me, and I try to channel her passionate spirit in everything I do. While I can't bring Mariah back, and I'm not cut out to do research to prevent cancer or provide support for those suffering like some of my other amazing friends are, something I have been able to do is give my hair so women undergoing chemotherapy have one less thing to take away their dignity.

My "hair cut" meal last Wednesday night was in honor of Mariah. One of her favorite meals was Chicken Fettuccine. For her that meant fettuccine alfredo with chicken, but I took some creative freedom and made one of my specialties. While I'm sure I was not the first person to think of this, it is one of the best dishes that I have ever come up with on my own.

This meal was delicious, and meaningful and reminded me that while adjusting to my new short hair may take awhile, it is worth it to be able to honor Mariah in this way one last time.

Sort of a lame photo, but a delicious meal

Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken stuffed with Goat Cheese

• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 oz goat cheese
• fresh garlic
• fresh herbs (I used Rosemary and basil this time)
• 4 slices of prosciutto
• olive oil

Mince the garlic and chop the herbs and mix into the goat cheese. Set aside. Put chicken breasts on a cutting board and slice into them to create little pockets. Fill with goat cheese and press the pocket shut. Wrap with prosciutto, putting seams on opposite side of the goat cheese pocket. Grill on Medium heat for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through.

Fettucine with Wine Sauce

• fettucine pasta
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced or grated
• red pepper flakes
• 2 TBSP butter (or butter substitute)
• 2 (or so) cups dry white wine
• grated parmesan 

Heat water for pasta. When it boils, salt heavily and add pasta. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, sautee garlic in olive oil until it becomes tender. Add red pepper flakes and wine and simmer to reduce wine by about half. Reduce heat to low and add butter to sauce. When pasta is one or two minutes shy of perfection, drain and add to pan with wine sauce. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water to add in case pasta dries out. Toss pasta with parmesan (about 2 oz), season liberally with black pepper and a bit of salt, and serve.

Balsamic Honey Rosemary Pork Chops, Hasselback Potatoes, and Creamed Chard

Balsamic Honey Rosemary Marinade:
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 TBSP honey
- 2 sprigs rosemary, roughly chopped
- tiny sprinkle of salt

Put marinade in a zip lock with the pork chops and massage around for a few minutes. Then refrigerate for at least two hours, but as long as overnight if you really want (I did mine in the morning before work so it was about 8 hours).

The pork chops developed a fantastic carmelization on the grill thanks to the honey, and the balsamic helped to tenderize the meat. I *loved* these pork chops, and ended up eating two (because sometimes I am a pork chop). Tim just thought they were "okay", but I might keep this marinade in the rotation.

Hasselback Potatoes
I saw this crazy delicious looking photo on serious eats and just had to make them myself. I sliced the potatoes thinly, stopping about a 1/4 inch from the bottom of the potato. Then I rubbed the potatoes with smart balance oil and then rubbed a combo of salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and dried parsley-- making sure to get some of the yumminess in between all the slices! Then you bake for 45 minutes at 375 (give or take depending on the size of the taters.)

These potatoes look incredible, but their taste doesn't quite match up. I mean, they were good, but not heaven-sent amazing.

Creamed Chard
I take great pride in saying that the swiss chard I used was from my garden!! I didn't really follow a recipe here, but just threw together things I had. First, I sauteed a bit of red onion (yellow would have been better)  in some olive oil, and then I threw i the chard stems until they were softened. Then, I added the chard leaves (that I cut into strips) and continued to sautee. When everything was nice and soft, I just poured a teeny bit of cream (usually I just use milk, but I had cream leftover from baking for Tim's birthday) over the top and stirred to combine. This was yummy, but the red onions discolored the cream so it looked kinda gray.... not very appetizing.

"Light" Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes

I'm not the biggest cheesecake fan, but I am in a relationship with someone who is. While I had elaborate plans for a birthday cake for his big day (he turned 30 about two weeks ago!) I was paranoid my cake decorating skills would be that of a kindergartener so I made some back-up treats.

I saw a few different recipes on the interwebs lately that piqued my interest. First, was a recipe for oreo cheese(cup)cakes that used an oreo cookie as the crust. These seemed completely adorable, and almost looked like they'd taste good. I also saw a recipe for a greek yogurt cheesecake that made even my mouth water.

So... I kind of combined them.

a shot of the oreo "crust"

• 8 oz Neufchatel Cheese at room temp  (Does anyone in the world know how this is pronounced?)
• 1/2 cup sugar -- I used superfine because it is what I have on hand
• 1 rounded cup of Greek yogurt (I used fat free, but I bet it would be even better with 2% or full fat)
• 4 egg whites at room temp
• cinnamon and vanilla to taste (I used a dash of each)
• 16 reduced fat oreos in the bottom of cupcake cups
• 6 reduced fat oreos all smashed up. (I used the food processor but if I did it again I'd just put them in a baggie and break them. They ended up way too uneven in the good old FP. Half dust, half giant chunks...)

Preheat oven to 275. Whip egg whites until frothy and then whip in all other ingredients (except oreos). Then fold in the Oreo crumbs and fill the cupcake liners (with Oreos in the bottom)-- I filled exactly 16. Then bake for 22 minutes, allow to cool to room temperature on your counter and then put in the fridge before serving.

These were so delicious that I ended up making them again for book club! The second time I  used golden oreos and put sliced strawberries on top. The cupcakes are the perfect portion controlled size of cupcake, and they taste just enough like yogurt to make me very happy!

yum!

Shrimp, Scallop, and Veggie Kabobs with Mint Pesto

I'm tired of blogging. I need to stop procrastinating and just write about things when they are fresh in my mind! But, it's too late for that now. Last Wednesday I made some kabobs on the grill and they were pretty tasty.

I made shrimp, bay scallop, cherry tomato, and one with red onions and green peppers. I marinated the shrimp and scallops in a mint pesto (mint leaves, parsley leaves, almonds, water, olive oil, and garlic-- in food processor) which was surprisingly good. I would make it again-- especially on a lamb burger or something!

I served the Kabobs with a spinach and arugula salad with edamame, pecans, and goat cheese. It was kind of a weird combination, but all I had on hand. The dressing was balsamic vinegar mixed with some of the mint pesto. I saved the extra to drizzle on the Kabobs.

I have nothing else to say about this and feel like I sound like a robot. So.... I'm going to be done now.

Chorizo and Seafood Paella

I love me some paella! Actually I love any one-pot meal that is flavorful and spicy and healthy and full of surprises. I always forget about making them (probably because they are not very friendly if you are cooking for one or two, and require a crowd of at least six), but last weekend I was inspired. By no means is this dish a traditional paella in any way other than the type of sausage and seasonings I used. If I were to swap out the chorizo for andouille and the saffron for cajun seasoning, this could have just as easily been jambalaya! I didn't follow a recipe when I made it, nor did I measure anything, so this is all just from memory... hopefully it's accurate, because man oh man was this yummy! If you are making your own paella, definitely experiment! You can skip sausage altogether (but in that case you should sautee the veggies in 2 TBSP of olive oil), you can add chicken, you can add other seafood, and you can definitely switch out the veggies!

Chorizo and Seafood Paella -- serves 6 (or in my case, 2 with many leftovers)

• 2 (local!!) chorizo sausages*
• 1/4 lb shrimp
• 1/4 lb bay scallops
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 Spanish yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3-4 threads saffron
• turmeric
• paprika
• cayenne
• parsley (save some for garnish)
• secret ingredient: 1 TBSP cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice 
• chicken broth

*My chorizo sausages were made from local pork (so exciting!) and were uncooked. They were about the size and color of brats. Typically, you will find cured or smoked chorizo near the deli counter which will be thinner and much darker in color. You can basically follow the same instructions as the fat will still be rendered from them. 

Slice the chorizo thinly and put in the bottom of a large pan (I started in a cast iron skillet, but had to switch to a larger dutch oven by the time I added the rice). As the fat is rendered out of the sausage, add in the onions and garlic. When they are translucent, add in the peppers and the seasonings. Add the chocolate in too-- this was the first time I've ever put chocolate in paella, but I saw it on an episode of Grill It with Bobby Flay and decided I had to try it!  Then, pour in the frozen peas, the canned tomatoes, and the rice. Allow the rice to cook without any extra moisture for a few minutes so it can absorb some yummy flavors. Then, pour the broth over the whole thing and let it simmer for 20 minutes; add more broth as necessary, or if there is too much, just let it cook longer. This dish is high maintenance in that is has many ingredients, but it's low maintenance in that it cooks in one pot, and you really can't over cook it (well, the only thing you can overcook is the seafood but if you followed my directions you haven't added it yet!) Right before serving, put the seafood on top of the rice mixture and allow the flavorful steam to cook it. I put the shrimp on about 7 minutes before eating and the scallops on about 5 minutes before and they were both perfect! Garnish with parsley, and enjoy! (But watch out, it's very hot).

Baby Swiss Chard, White Bean, and Tomato Soup

Remember last week when I went on and on about how great soup is? Well, today was another "yay soup" day. I was down in the dumps, it was gray and rainy outside, I was super hungry after the gym, I was out of town for the weekend so I had no groceries.... and magically, with a few moves of my knife and turns of a can opener I had delicious, nutritious soup in front of me!

Luckily, I went out to my garden today to do some weeding. In addition to pulling out a garbage can full of creeping charlie (how do I get rid of that stuff?) I also decided to do some thinning of my Swiss Chard. To quote my friend Lisa, thinning is "psychologically difficult". It was getting obvious that I had let the difficulty get the best of me because every other plant was still baby tiny. I pulled them all out and was just about to throw them in the compost when I realized that they were probably just as delicious is full grown chard. So, in the house they came, and in the soup they went!

• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 2 cups baby Swiss Chard leaves and stems
• S&P
• something spicy-- I used cayenne and chili powder
• 1/2 can northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 small can diced tomatoes (juice and all)
• enough chicken broth to cover it all in the pot

First, I sauteed the onion in the canola oil. Then, I threw in the chard. Most of the pieces I threw in whole, but one or two were big enough that I tore them into bite sized pieces. I stirred everything around to coat the leaves in the little oil I used. I also added sea salt and black pepper at this point, and my "something spicy" after a few stirs. The salt will draw the moisture out of the leaves and help them wilt faster (I was all about "fast" tonight-- the whole meal took ten minutes to make). As soon as the leaves were tender and the onions translucent, I added in the beans, tomatoes and broth (obviously if you used vegetable broth this would be vegetarian-- vegan, really). Then, I brought it to a boil, and served it!

I had three little crostini to dunk in my soup, and I actually ended up garnishing it with a dollop of Greek yogurt (not pictured because I ate it too fast). The soup was great. It was flavorful and had great textures. The beans were creamy, the tomatoes juicy, and the chard had just enough crispiness to make a difference. Plus, I just felt good eating this. It is full of vitamins and low in fat. After a weekend full of graduation party food, I was craving anything without frosting.

I don't know that I'll make anything exactly like this in the future, but that is the beauty of soups-- each one is special.

Crispy Quesadilla with Spinach, Black Bean, and Tomato

This was a super quick lunch I made about a week ago. Basically, I assembled the quesadilla  in the following order: corn tortilla, cheddar, spinach, black bean, tomato, cheddar, corn tortilla.

This looks like Pac Man...

Instead of trying to flip this bad boy in the pan, I actually put both tortillas in the pan (just sprayed them with cooking spray first) on high heat. I piled the layers on to one, and just cheddar onto the other. After the tortillas started to crisp up, I put the loaded one on a plate, and topped it with the other. The melty cheese acted as glue, and the veggies got just warm enough to get tender. I garnished it will my favorite-- some Greek yogurt. The crispy texture of the tortillas was really good, though they were difficult to eat without making a mess. Luckily this meal was just for me, and not part of a date night :)


**oh, I remember this not being bland, so I'm pretty sure I had some cayenne or chili powder sprinkled on the black beans....

Watermelon Margaritas-- Take Two!

Did anyone ever see Brian Boitano's show on the Food Network? It was called What Would Brian Boitano Make? and it was bleep-ing hilarious. I only saw two episodes but they are ingrained in my mind as some of the funniest cooking television I've ever seen. First of all, how is it fair that an Olympic medalist has talents other than figure skating? Secondly, why aren't there more celebrity shows like this" You know, where they actually have a talent and are teaching us something! (HGTV has the Vanilla Ice one, so they are doing their part....)

I haven't seen this fantabulous (I'm pretty sure he'd approve of this description) in a couple years, but his recipes are archived on www.foodnetwork.com so I decided to take a gander through them. When I saw this recipe for watermelon margaritas I had mixed feelings. They sounded great, but after such a lousy experience last time I was nervous to waste more expensive booze and delicious watermelon (which I brought home from my mom's Memorial Day picnic. Thanks to friends Susie and Mel for sharing-- it was great!)

Anyway, these margaritas were much better than my last go-round... I could actually taste watermelon, and the tequila was very smooth. But I really need to invest in a mesh sieve so it has less of a "smoothie" texture. I tried to press it through a colander with very small holes instead and it didn't really do the trick. I still liked mine, but I'm not convinced Tim loved it since he nursed it for about three hours. But, he did finish it, so that is what counts.

Oh, and I almost forgot! For the ice cubes, I froze a couple of cubes of watermelon. This was really a cute idea and great in theory, but in practice it just helped add to the slightly thick texture. I might do this again for a sangria or something... along with frozen grapes. Can't wait!

Steak, Salad, and Sauce (I love alliteration)

I am actually up to date on blogging! It's a miracle! This is a meal I made just two days ago for Wednesday night date night with Tim. It wasn't the best meal ever, but I am pretty much obsessed with the poblano yogurt now.

Grilled Sirloin Steak and Red Onion Slices 
I put a dry rub on the steaks of cayenne, chili powder, minced garlic dried parsley, fresh cilantro, lime zest, cumin, S&P. It was very tasty, but the steaks were a bit tough. The onions just had canola oil, salt, and pepper and I grilled them for about five minutes. The thicker slices should have gone for a minute or two more but overall they were great!

Poblano Yogurt Sauce

• poblano pepper
• 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• garlic powder (better if it was fresh and also roasted but oh well)
• sea salt

Fiesta-Green Goddess Salad

• spinach and arugula leaves 
• avocado, diced
• cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (thawed or cooked or whatever)
• cilantro
• juice from half a lime
• 1/4 crumbled feta cheese
• 1 TBSP poblano yogurt dip

Everyone (I assume) has heard of Green Goddess salad. It's a delicious blended yogurt-y, green-y salad dressing over a delicious bed of greens and fresh veggies. After taking a bite of my poblano yogurt sauce, I realized that if I thinned it down just a bit (with the juice of a lime), it would make a fantastic salad dressing very similar to a green-goddess dressing. But, keeping with my spicy "fiesta" theme, my other toppings all somewhat resemble Mexican food (except the feta of course, but just go with me).

As with all salads, I toss the greens with the dressing first so each leaf is coated and I don't use too much dressing (yay low calorie), then I throw on half of the toppings, toss once or twice, and then put the rest of the toppings on before serving.

Quote of the night: "Is this Arugula?" -Tim  This may not seem like a big deal to anyone else, but I am just so proud that my "picky eater" boyfriend can now successfully identify arugula. He's turning into a regular foodie!!

Preakness Party

I know nothing about horse-racing other than the fact that I love watching the Triple Crown. For 90 second intervals, three times a year, I am the biggest horse-fan around! This year I was on a bus during the Kentucky Derby, so I decided to have a Preakness party to make up for it. So, I had entirely Baltimore and Preakness themed menu!  Last year, Tim and I had a Preakness party of our own which was some what disastrous. The crab cakes were ungodly salty and the drinks were so strong we both fell asleep immediately after the race. This year was much more successful. There were lots of sundresses, a few hats, and plenty of crab to go around...

Black Eyed Susans 
The Black Eyed Susan is the official drink of the Preakness. There are many many recipes for this drink floating around online. Last year I made one that tasted dangerously like orange juice and not at all like bourbon. This year, I could not remember what that recipe was (perhaps it was for the best... didn't need another 6 pm nap time) so I found a new one. This year I picked one that used all fresh juices and no simple syrups or sour mixes. The drink was weaker than last year, but actually tasted stronger. I liked the drink, but many of my guests were very sensitive to the bourbon flavor and shied away.

• OJ
• Bourbon
• Vodka
• Pineapple
• Lime Juice

Hot Crab Dip

half-devoured deliciousness

Who doesn't love a creamy, cheesy dip? Especially when it is loaded with crab and packs a spicy punch!  I actually made two dips in one: one for my vegetarian friends, and the other for me (I mean.... for everyone else).

• 1 8 oz package cream cheese at room temp
• 1 8 oz package fat free cream cheese (so sneaky) at room temp
• 1 can jumbo crab meat-- I got this out of the canned tuna aisle. I am sure that fresh crab meat would be even tastier, but this was much friendlier on the budget (only $3 or so a can) and tasted just great.
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
• 2 TBSP mayo (mine is kraft olive oil)
• Old Bay seasoning (I used probably 2 TBSP, but it's definitely "to taste")
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar (reserve 2 TBSP to sprinkle on top)
• tobasco sauce

nom nom nom

Basically, I combined all ingredients except crab in a mixing bowl and mixed it up until the seasonings were evenly dispersed throughout the cream cheese. Then, I scooped out half the mixture and put it in a mini pie pan (for the veggie version). Then, I dumped in the crab and re-mixed it all up and put that into another mini pie pan. I topped both dishes with cheddar cheese (and put some extra scallions on the veggie one so I knew which was which), and popped in a 375 oven for about 12 minutes.

This dip was a-MA-zing. It was great on celery, on crackers, and even straight off a spoon.... don't worry I waited for the guests to leave before I did that. I will definitely be making this again (because otherwise I think Tim would leave me), and I might try to "health it up" even more by using all fat free cream cheese, or maybe some neufachtel cheese.

Crab Cakes
My crab cakes were somewhat disastrous again. This time, the salt level was right, but they just completely crumbled on the griddle. I managed to salvage enough for people to enjoy, but I "forgot" to take a picture. Whoops. 

"Crab" Boil
Nothing seems more authentically Baltimore than a crab boil. But, half my guests were vegetarians, and I am cheap so instead I just boiled veggies in crab seasonings and doused it all with butter. I'm pretty sure nobody noticed the crab was missing.

• five ears sweet corn, cut in half (clearly this corn was not from Iowa... and it was just okay)
• 2 pounds B-sized red potateos
• 11/2 large white onions, sliced into wedges
• Garlic (I think I used fresh cloves AND garlic powder)
• a TON of Old Bay Seasoning (3 TBSP?)
• fresh thyme and sage from my garden
• butta (okay, I actually used Smart Balance and olive oil mixed together)
• S&P

Boil all ingredients. Done.
Okay, not really. First, I coated the onions and taters  in seasonings and put in the bottom of a kettle and cooked for 5 ish minutes. THEN, I covered them with water and brought to a boil (and I likely added more seasoning to the water). I boiled for 20-30 minutes and then added the corn just about 5 minutes before serving. To serve, I put in a large bowl and I poured a mixture of melted butter, oil, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme over the whole thing and garnished with thyme sprigs from my garden. Simple but YUM.


Lady Baltimore Cake

A Lady Baltimore Cake is just white cake with white frosting, and a filling of frosting mixed with dried fruits (golden raisins and cherries for me) and pecans. I cheated and used box cake mix and canned frosting. I added lemon zest to the cake mix and the filling to freshen it up a bit, and I covered the top in pecans to hide my pour frosting job. And, I can't lie, it was pretty tasty.



My friend Jillian totally outdid me with a Smith Island Cake-- it was 8 layers of chocolately, sugary, peanut buttery goodness. I wish I had a photo-- the only one I took was blurry because I was reaching forward to eat the whole thing whilst taking the picture.

In order for the guests to place bets, I made little cutouts of the jockey jerseys with horse information. After a few Black Eyed Susans, people got pretty in to it! After Shackleford upset Animal Kingdom, the winnings were split three ways between my friends Aaron, and Matt, and ME!

Party = success!

Garlic and Chive Fritatta, and Hashbrowns

Hashbrowns
I'm sure I did something against someone's hashbrown religion here, but all I did was put a few spuds in my food processer to shred them, then I tossed them with S&P, garlic powder, and a few herbs I can't remember anymore, and then browned them in a fry pan with 1TBSP of canola oil. They were super crispy, and more like a giant potato pancake than typical hashbrowns, but I loved them. l.o.v.e.d.


Garlic and Chive Fritatta
Fritattas are so easy-- you just sautee your "mix-ins" (garlic and chive in this case) in a bit of olive oil for a few minutes, then pour some beaten eggs over it. After the eggs are cooked on the bottom you throw it under the broiler for a few more minutes to brown the top. It takes just a few minutes, you never have to worry about the egg sticking to the pan, and usually they are very healthy and filling.  I think I added some parmesan and milk to my eggs (I can't remember-- it was like two months ago), which makes the eggs extra fluffy.

Warm tomato, olive, and chickpea salad

A month ago (or more- who knows, I am so behind), I made a quick dinner for myself that was inspired by a warm olive salsa that I saw someone making on food network. They were putting it on fish, but I just added a bunch of other stuff and ate it like a salad. It was a decent meal, but nothing I feel strongly about making again-- mostly I just enjoy how pretty it was!

Warm tomato, olive, and chickpea salad

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1/2 vidalia onion, diced
• 3 small garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can chick peas, drained and well-rinsed
• 1/4 cup pimento stuffed green olives, rough chopped
• 3 small vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped (it was about a cup I'd say)
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• zest and juice of half a lemon
• 1/4 rough chopped parsley, plus a handful for garnish

Marinated Pork Chops and Roasted Asparagus

***This post is probably a month overdue, which is too bad since it was one of Tim's favorite meals ever. I will have to repeat this marinade!

Pork Chops

• 2 boneless 4 oz pork chops
• 2 TBSP soy sauce
• 2TBSP olive oil
• 2 TBSP Worcestershire
• garlic powder (I would have used fresh garlic, but when I got it out, I realized it was so old that it was sprouting new garlic.... which led me to wonder, can I plant that bad boy in my garden? Probably not.)

Put chops and marinade ingredients into a zip lock. Mash it all up and throw it into the fridge for up to 8 hours (the longer the better). When you're ready, take the chops out and grill-- or if you are like me and your grill runs out of gas after 2 minutes, put under the broiler.

I did the asparagus (fresh from the farmers' market) the same way I usually do-- olive oil, salt, pepper.

This meal took a whopping ten minutes to prepare, and it was great. The salty briney marinade on the pork really tenderized it. I actually cooked the pork and the asparagus on the same pan under the broiler, so they juices all mixed together and flavored the veggies too-- yum! This would be a fantastic weeknight dinner since it was so easy-- and a side of minute rice or a quick salad would balance it out! (Since we just had bruschetta, we didn't need anything else).

Fish Tacos

***This post is ten days overdue and out of order. 

Tonight, I made fish tacos. I wanted them to be awesome. Tim thought they were, but I was left wanting more (literally- I have eaten like ten things since).

I seasoned the tilapia and shrimp  with one of my favorite Penzey's Spice (a little plug for Penzey's-- they have the best herbs and spices) blends called Arizona Dreaming (a little cayenne, a little chipotle-- you get the idea) and grilled it up really quickly, and then chopped up all the meat and piled it on corn tortillas. The toppings were: chipotle crema (1 canned chipotle in adobo blended up with a cup of sour cream), cilantro, salsa fresca, white onion, and red cabbage.

It just fell flat for me. It didn't taste great (though this version of the chipotle crema was much better), and I am still so hungry. Ugh. And I have 3/4 of a head of red cabbage in my fridge that I have no idea what to do with. Neat.

Warm Red Cabbage Salad

*** a week overdue, and out of order. 
What does one do with an entire head of red cabbage? One googles "red cabbage recipes" and finds a zillion different slaws and salads... and then one chooses the recipe that most resembles the contents of one's fridge.

Okay, I need to stop. Anyway, I had most of a giant head of cabbage left after last night's fish tacos and I am really against wasting food, so I decided to make something resembling this recipe from 101 cookbooks this evening for dinner.

Warm Red Cabbage Salad

• Most of a head of red cabbage; quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1/2 white onion, finely diced (also leftover from fish taco night)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup great northern beans from a can; drained and rinsed (this was a last minute addition because I used the rest of the can earlier this week for a quick tuna salad lunch)
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• S&P
• fresh rosemary and parsley
• 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
• 1 oz chevre goat cheese, crumbled

Saute onion in oil and season with S&P. After a few minutes, throw in the garlic, raisins, almonds, beans, and fresh herbs (keeping some for garnish) and continue to saute. Add more S&P as necessary. As onions are becoming tender, put cabbage on top. Slowly and carefully toss cabbage with toppings. Cook about five minutes until cabbage seems to lose some of its edge, but so long it turns flimsy. Drizzle with balsamic and toss in serving dish. Garnish with herbs and goat cheese.

This salad was better than expected in flavor; however, it was quite difficult to eat. The cabbage was difficult to get with my fork. If I ever find myself with a large abundance of this veggie again, I would chop it into very small pieces, or even shred it so I could avoid this annoying situation. I might go for the balsamic/onion/rosemary/raisin/chevre flavor combo again though, because yum!

Sweet Potato and Chard Gratin

Last week, my friends Lisa and Mandy came over for a discussion of the latest Sookie Stackhouse book (see my other blog for details). When the three of us hang out, we always have a-ma-zing meals (and are each responsible for the entree, salad, or dessert). This time, I was responsible for the entree. I was ready to go with fish tacos when I found out that neither Lisa nor Many like them! So, I saved the tacos for another day and scrambled for a new idea.

As usual, I went to my trusty smitten kitchen for advice. Even though a gratin seems kind of wintery, this Sweet Potato and Chard Gratin sounded great! My version is fairly similar bar a few changes:
1. My chard looked way different and the stems were thick and tough so they went straight to the compost instead of in the dish.
2. I used my food processor to chop the taters (and onions... and shred the cheese) so they were a little on the thin side-- I just used two layers instead of one.
3. I used 1% milk instead of whole milk and I think the bechemel tasted just fine! (I also added ground thyme to it)

I made everything the night before, so it was all in a casserole dish in my fridge just waiting to be popped in the oven (400 degrees for an hour).

It was absolutely delicious! Sweet, savory, creamy, and filling. And very light! Each of six servings (fairly large since it was our main-dish. If you were serving this as a side you could probably serve 10-12) only had 290 calories so it is definitely a guilt free dish.

Shrimp Quesadillas and Warm Acini di Pepe and Corn Salad

***this post is 2-3 weeks late, and is very much out of order. oops!

Last night's dinner was good. Really good, in fact. So good that I ate leftovers for breakfast! I made shrimp quesadillas (inspired by Pionner Woman's Quesadillas de Camarones) and this warm corn and pasta salad my mom used to make.

Shrimp Quesadillas --  (serves two with leftovers)
The quesadillas were a little higher calories than I'd normally like to eat for dinner, but I think the future I could just use one tortilla and a little less cheese. Otherwise, they are very healthful. Lot's of veggies, a little protein-- what's not to love?

• 8 shrimp, deveined and peeled
• half a yellow onion, diced
• 1 small green pepper, diced
• 1 small red pepper (I used half a large, but same idea), diced
• four whole grain tortillas, sprayed lightly with cooking spray
• olive oil
• red taco sauce
• colby jack cheese 

Pioneer Woman does a fantastic tutorial for how to assemble these, but basically you sautee the veggies til they are soft, then cook the shrimp in the red sauce and chop it all up. Then you assemble quesadillas-- tortilla, cheese, veggies, shrimp, cheese, tortilla. Cook long enough to heat through and melt cheese. Cut into pieces and enjoy!

Acini di Pepe and Corn Salad
Have you ever seen acini di pepe in the past aisle? They are like tiny dots of pasta-- as if someone took spaghetti noodles to a mandolin. They almost act like couscous in this dish, which I'm sure could be used instead. Also, at some grocery stores it's easier to find pasta stars. As long as you use something grainy that is smaller than a corn kernal, you are set!

• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• sea salt
• 4 oz acini di pepe (or whatever you use)
• 1 cup or so frozen corn kernels

Boil acini with package instructions. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a saute pan and then cook garlic until translucent. Throw in the scallions and plenty of sea salt. When the pasta is done and drained, add it and the frozen corn to the pan and toss around. The corn cooks almost immediately, and you don't want to over cook it because you want to keep it nice and crisp. Garnish with more scallions on top, and enjoy!