Comfort Cups

Meatloaf Cups

Mac N' Cheese Cups:

Since my discovery of kid's food cups, I've been on a mission to see how many possible meals I can create in a muffin pan.  My last two experiments, Meatloaf and Mac n' Cheese Cups, were as delicious as they were successful with my twins, and the best part of all is that I have a freezer-full of leftovers for rainy days in our near future.

Dirt Cups

My girlfriend Allyson claims she isn't the crafty type, yet she'll show up to playgroup with adorable dirt cups for the kids or host a girl's dinner with the most creative centerpieces you've ever seen (think chalkboard mugs lining the table filled with gorgeous flowers and rolling pin place cards). 

Her latest craft-dirt cups-was a huge hit with our playgroup and I thought I'd pass it along since it's perfect for Halloween. And let's be honest, it's adult-friendly too.

Playdate 5.0

Any parent can attest that when 3 PM hits, there is still a lot of day to be had. Since some afternoons tend to drag, I love to spice them up with a "make your own pizza" party for my kids.  I invite over their friends, buy pre-made dough, sauce, and cheese from Whole Foods, and let the kids stretch, roll, poke, and play with the dough.  Afterwards I usually throw theirs out (toddlers tend to throw it on the floor more than anything), and make a large pizza for their dinner. (If they actually don't throw it on the floor then bake it using my simple directions below).

Scared to make homemade pizza? Don't bother-it's easy peasy. Just buy pre-made dough from Whole Foods or your local pizzeria and follow my simple directions:

Cheeseburger in Paradise

After months of serving my twins deconstructed burgers nightly (browned turkey, beef, or chicken mixed with ketchup, shredded cheese, and avocado), I discovered Cheeseburger Cups and they've changed my life in terms of clean up.  My kids gobble them down like a Thanksgiving turkey and I feel satisfied knowing that they're reaping the nutritional benefits of eating meat.  

*Feel free to substitute ground turkey or chicken.  And go for the fattier cuts (like the thigh). Your kids need the fat for brain development.

Cheeseburger Cups:

Eat your Greens

Looking for a new salad? Here are two of my new favorites.  If you don't have the time to make the dressing, go for balsamic vinaigrette.  It works just as well.

Baby Lettuces with Feta, Strawberries and Smoked Almonds:
*make sure to use smoked and not regular almonds... it makes all the difference

Ingredients: 2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 small shallot, minced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup EVOO
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
12 cups packed assorted baby lettuces (about 6 oz)
1 quart strawberries, hulled and halved
4 oz feta (preferably French), crumbled (1 cup)
1 cup smoked almonds,

In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, honey, shallot and vinegar.  Stir in the EVOO and season with salt and pepper.  Put the lettuces in a big bowl.  Add the strawberries, feta and almonds.  Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss well and serve.

Nectarine and Blue Cheese Salad with Plum Vinaigrette:

Ingredients: 2 black plums, halved, pitted, chopped
1/2 cup EVOO
4 tsp ume plum vinegar or red wine vinegar
kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
12 cups (lightly packed) mixed greens (such as arugula or frisee)
4 nectarines or peaches, halved, pitted, cut into eighths
8 oz firm blue cheese, such as Cabrales, sliced
1/2 cup almonds, preferably Marcona


Bring plums and 3/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally and mashing plums with the back of a spoon, until plums have completely broken down, about 15 minutes.  Pour plum mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much purée as possible; discard solids in sieve. Let purée cool.  Add oil, vinegar, and 2 Tbsp. water to purée; whisk to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Divide greens among plates. Scatter nectarines, cheese, and almonds over, dividing equally, and drizzle some of dressing over. Season with salt and pepper.DO AHEAD: Dressing can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

***This vinaigrette also goes well on a salad with apricots, goat cheese, and pistachios.

PC: Food and Wine and Bon Appetit

California Chili

The minute the leaves start to change, the only thing I crave more than Fall clothes is a hearty bowl of chili. Since I love trying modern classics, I decided to try Giada's California Chili and let's just say it was love at first bite.  The quinoa and toasted pine nuts add the most perfect crunch to the spicy and savory chili.  Like always, I served it with Ina's corn muffins (I keep them in the freezer), and crushed blue tortilla chips, white cheddar, and onions.  It was a Sunday love fest.

Spaghetti Burger

What do you do when you feel like a hearty bowl of spaghetti yet your husband feels like a juicy burger? You combine them (of course) to create a sensational Spaghetti Burger! Thanks Rachael Ray for letting me kill two birds with one stone with this quirky, yet awesome, burger combo. (It's all about the compromise, I tell you).

On the same note, this burger is spicy and the real deal.  I served it with roasted eggplant wedges to keep it balanced.  I'll definitely be making it again and again.

Asian Made Simple

Asian food is one of my favorite go-to's for week night cooking.  It's flavorful, comforting, and therapeutic since it requires a lot of chopping and handling.  After sampling a few of my friend's flavorful dishes at a recent Cooking Club, I'm never at a loss for a better-than-takeout meal.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
Servings: 3

Ingredients:
3-4 boneless chicken breasts
salt/pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp ketchup
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Rinse the chicken, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper (1 good pinch of each).  Coat the chicken in cornstarch and then the egg.  Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the chicken in two batches until browned (the chicken will not be fully cooked through).  Place the chicken in a greased 9x13 pryex.  In a separate bowl, mix the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce and pour evenly over the chicken.  Bake for one hour and turn every 15 minutes.  Serve with brown or white rice and enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Allyson Becker from Lifeasalofthouse.blogspot.com

P.F. Chang's Mongolian Beef
Servings: 2
12 oz sliced beef tenderloin (Whole Foods will do this for you)
1 tbsp soy bean oil (I used olive oil)
1 tsp garlic
2 oz soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp rice wine
2 oz green onion sticks, 3" long

Heat the oil in a saute pan.  Add the beef and cook for 30-60 seconds or until cooked.  Beef should be slightly browned around the edges and gray throughout the rest of the surface.  Add the garlic and toss for about a minute.  Add the rice wine, soy sauce, and sugar and bring to a boil.  Cook and reduce the sauce around the beef until all sauce has caramelized onto the beef (it should take around 5 minutes).  The pan should be dry before proceeding.  Add the green onion and toss into beef.  Serve with rice.

Recipe courtesy of Emily Hoffman from P.F. Changs

Martha's Cashew Chicken
Servings: 4

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" cubes
1 tbsp cornstarch
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil, such as safflower
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 scallions, white and green parts separated, each cut into 1" pieces
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
3/4 cup raw cashews (4 oz), toasted

In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until chicken is coated; season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat.  Cook half the chicken, tossing often, until browned, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.  Add remaining oil and chicken to skillet along wtih garlic and white parts of scallions.  Cook, tossing often, until chicken is browned, about 3 minutes.  Return first batch of chicken to pan.  Add vinegar, cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.  Add hoisin sauce and 1/4 cup water, cook, tossing, until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Stir in scallion greens and cashews.  Serve immediately over white rice, if desired. 


PC: Tablefortwoblog.com, pfcb.com, Martha Stewart