Recipes
Below is a compilation of recipes I’ve used or made up myself. Sometimes I will write out the recipe and sometimes I will direct you to a link. I will make note of any suggested changes or substitutes. These are organized by category, i.e., breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, dessert, cocktails, etc. Enjoy!
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BREAKFAST
Avocado/mushroom/onion Egg whites on Toast (per brianthony)
- Toast 2 slices multi-grain bread. Hold off on any butter.
- With a fork, smash and evenly spread 1/2 of an avocado between the two slices of toast, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Thinly slice 3 mushrooms, (I had white button on hand), as well as red onion, however much you prefer. Then, mince 1/2 clove garlic. Sauté all in a small dab of butter, season, hold.
- Whisk 3 egg whites until barely frothy with 2 tablespoons 1% milk, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric. Season with salt and pepper, and scramble in a non stick using minimal butter/oil. (use a rubber spatula to scramble until small curds form and creamy texture is achieved. Don’t over cook!
- Pile eggs on the toast, top with mushrooms and onions.
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BRUNCH
Caramelized onion/goat cheese/tomato quiche (serves 6-8)
Ingredients:
1 9 inch oven-safe pie dish
1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed (leave on counter for 40 minutes)
1 large yellow or sweet onion, sliced (note when onions are cooked, the quantity reduces by ½)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 large tomato, chopped (do not use inside watery part of tomato)
3 eggs
½ cup (2-percent) milk
½ cup of heavy cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs of your preference (I like basil in this dish)
¼ tsp salt and a pinch for onions
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
¾ ground nutmeg (* this is key)
4 ounces of goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400º F.
Start caramelizing onions. Heat the pan on medium-high heat, and coat the pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Once olive oil is shimmering, add the sliced onions. Stir to coat. Let onions cook for 5-7 minutes, and add 1 tbsp of butter. Reduce heat, and stir occasionally. After 10 minutes, add a pinch of salt. Let onions cook down until nice dark brown (not burnt though). Set aside.
Unfold and roll out thawed puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface to 11 x 11 square and fit in pie dish. Trim or curl over edges.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, goat cheese, tomato, herbs, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Combine onions into egg mixture. Pour egg mixture into the puff pastry, bake until pastry is golden brown and puffed, and center of quiche is set (check with toothpick). About 15-20 minutes. Set aside and let cool until warm or serve at room temperature.
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Tips: I suggest adding two pinches of nutmeg. Do not let the puff pastry get too warm when thawing, as it is difficult to work with. Cut squares with a knife dipped in hot water for easy cutting.
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Tips: Use any dried fruit and nuts you like. I usually ditch the figs and cashews to keep it very simple. While the recipe says to add in the dried fruit at the end, I find the dried cherries hold up in the oven, so feel free to add ahead of time. The apricots on the other hand will burn, so wait until the end to add. I also add two pinches of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg for added flavor. [If looking for a healthier version, leave out the coconut, and add flax seeds, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds]. Your house will smell delicious either way!
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Spinach/Gruyere/Mushroom Quiche (Serves 6-8)
Ingredients:
1 (9 inch) frozen pie crust in pie pan, thawed (follow instructions on pie crust for thawing)
1 (10 ounce) package of frozen spinach, thawed (follow instructions on box)
1/2 lb of mushrooms of your preference sliced or quartered
3 eggs
½ cup (2-percent) milk
½ cup of heavy cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (any you like, I used chives)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
¾ ground nutmeg (* this is key)
2-4 ounces of grated gruyere (depends on how much cheese you like)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375º F. Prick crust all over with a fork.
Cook spinach (follow directions on package; either microwave or use stove top- if in a rush, just microwave).
Do not wash mushrooms as they are sponge-like, and will retain a lot of water. Simply wipe dirt with a damp paper towel or cloth, and slice or quarter.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, grated cheese, herbs, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Combine spinach and mushrooms into egg mixture. Pour egg mixture into the pie crust, bake until lightly browned (40-45 minutes), and until the center of the quiche is no longer wet (check with toothpick). Set aside and let cool until warm or serve at room temperature.
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LUNCH
Weight Watchers American Potato Salad
SES used a dash of sugar in lieu of splenda and light-mayo instead of fat-free.
Ina Garten’s Orzo Salad with Roasted Veggies
Using grilled veggies is just as good!
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DINNER
Steamed Clams with Sake, Soy, Butter & Garlic
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Mushroom Dashi
recipe also found here
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DESSERT
Tips: I leave out the orange and lemon zests… I find it makes the pie bitter. I also often cheat and use store-bought pie crust [sorry Ina].
Also, be careful not to put too much egg wash on the top. I’ve made this mistake, and two things happen: I end up with slightly burnt crust, and the crust gets too weighed down and collapses as seen in below photo… no bueno! Don’t worry, it still tasted insanely good.
Candied Lemons [as toppers]
See here.
Grilled Peaches with honey!
Ingredients:
Peaches and honey! Aluminum foil and grill are necessary.
Instructions:
Slice peaches in quarters. Place on large sheet of aluminum foil, and drizzle with honey. Wrap up peaches in foil, and place on a medium-heat grill (about 375 degrees). Grill for about 10 minutes or until softened & grill marks appear, turning the peaches once. Be careful not to mash the peaches or let them slide in between the grill slats- been there done that!
TIP: You really want to make sure the peaches are ripe. Give them the touch & smell test- if they’re slightly soft and smell like peaches, they’re probably ripe. The riper the peaches the sweeter, and the sweeter the peaches, the better they’ll grill (natural sugar starts to caramelize them).
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COCKTAILS
JP’s Ultimate Bloody Mary
What makes JP’s Bloody Mary recipe ultimate is the skewer.
Skewers: you can use any combo of meats, cheeses and pickled items. JP uses blue cheese stuffed olives, pickled mushrooms, pickles, and pepperoni.
The Bloody part: Fill shaker with ice, top ice with celery salt, add a dash of Worcestershire, and frank’s red hot. Add cayenne and black pepper to taste. Add vodka, tomato juice and shake! [everyone recommends a different vodka:tomato juice ratio. I say start with 1:1 and then add to taste]
Pour into glass and add skewer. You can substitute all ingredients except the vodka with a Bloody Mary mix or spicy V8.
P.S. Did you know there are over 15 variations of the classic Bloody Mary?! The Bloody Cab, the Bloody Bishop, the Bloody Murphy, and the Bloody Molly are to name a few! THANKS JP!
