Garcon de Croissant

Mapo Tofu

2010-09-19T14:29:00.001-07:00

Ma po tofu is one of my favorite Chinese dishes and is surprisingly very easy to make (thanks to the recipe by a fellow Seattle food blogger Nook & Pantry). The two key ingredients for this classic Szechuan dish are Szechuan peppercorns and chili garlic sauce, both of which can be found in local Asian markets (if you live in the Seattle area, try Uwajimaya). Szechuan peppercorns are very tongue-numbing, so be sure to adjust the amount for your tolerance level.

Szechuan peppers are reddish in color and very fragrant.

Important final step: make sure to mix cornstarch with water before you pour it into the tofu mixture.

(Adapted from Nook & Pantry; makes 2-4 servings)

Ingredients:
1 block soft tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 oz ground pork
2 tbsp chili garlic sauce
1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
1 tbsp soy sauce
6 green onions, chop the white part and cut the green part into 3-inch sections
2 tsp ginger, minced
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
Salt to taste

Directions:
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat.
- Cook the ginger, the white part of green onions and Szechuan peppers for a minute.
- Add the pork, garlic, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, white pepper and sugar and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the tofu, the rest of the green onions, chicken stock and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After simmering, add the cornstarch mixture and bring up to a simmer again and cook until thickened.
- Garnish with chopped green onions.

Banana Bread

2010-09-14T23:45:00.001-07:00

I buy bananas all the time because they're so cheap and, unlike exotic fruits, they're available all year round. I usually eat some by themselves and freeze the rest for smoothies (mango + banana + soy milk = so good!). But every once in a while I like to bake banana bread for breakfast or a snack. Usually recipes call for greasing the pan and flouring it first, but since I didn't have butter I lined the pan with parchment paper instead. I think this is actually a better way of baking because you're guaranteed the bread would not stick to the pan and therefore come out beautifully. Not to mention clean up is a lot easier!

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cup flour

Directions:
- Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F.
- Mix the bananas, sugar, vanilla, eggs and oil.
- Mix the dry ingredients and add to the banana mixture.
- Pour the batter into a parchment paper-lined pan.
- Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Figs, Blus Cheese and Prosciutto - Two Ways

2010-09-09T17:11:00.001-07:00

I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend with friends and family. I'm so exited figs are finally available at local grocery stores! I recently made two very similar appetizers using seasonal figs. If you end up trying both recipes, let me know which one you like better!

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED FIGS
Ingredients:
5 figs, halved
5 slices prosciutto, halved lengthwise
Blue cheese
Black pepper or aged balsamic vinegar

Directions:
- Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F.
- Stuff some blue cheese into the fig and wrap prosciutto around the fig.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Serve with black pepper or aged balsamic vinegar.

FIG TART
Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg, beaten
5 figs, sliced
2 slices prosciutto, cut into 1-inch strips
Blue cheese, crumbled
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cook the onion in the pan with the butter and salt for 15-20 minutes until lightly caramelized.
- Roll out the puff pastry sheet on a floured board a little bit.
- Brush with the egg wash and place the figs, onion, blue cheese and prosciutto evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes.

Cheese and Green Onion Rolls

2010-09-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

The other day I watched Ina Garten make a simple appetizer using frozen puff pastry on Barefoot Contessa and I was inspired to do the same. Since I had leftover cheese from Costco (yes, everything is big there!) that I was trying to use up, I decided to make puff pastry rolls with cheese and green onions. These rolls are great by themselves as an appetizer, but they also make a wonderful side dish for a soup or a salad.

Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cheese, shredded (e.g., cheddar, gruyere)
3/4 cup green onions, chopped (scallions are also great!)
1 shallot, chopped
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tsp thyme, chopped

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the puff pastry sheet on a floured board a little bit.
- Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle the rest of the ingredients evenly.
- Roll up like a jelly roll.
- Cut into 20 pieces.
- Bake for 15 minutes.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

2010-09-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

I love making and eating appetizers more than regular meals. Appetizers are usually easier and less time-consuming to make and since they're small, you can comfortably eat main courses and desserts afterward. Appetizers are also great by themselves. I like to make them when I'm not that hungry or when I don't have much time before friends are coming over. Bacon, dates and cheese are three things I always have in the fridge, so I decided to combine them to make a super easy and delicious appetizer. What I love the most about this appetizer is that you get a perfect blend of different textures and flavors: crunchiness and saltiness from the bacon, sweetness from the dates, and creaminess from the cheese.

Ingredients:
10 dates, pitted
5 bacon slices, halved
2-3 oz cheese (e.g., blue, feta, goat, ricotta cheese)

Directions:
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Stuff cheese into dates.
- Wrap bacon around each date and secure with a toothpick.
- Bake for 15 minutes, turning the dates two, three times.
- Drain on a paper towel.

Cupcake Jones - Portland, OR

2010-08-29T21:18:00.001-07:00

I actually cooked a few meals over the past few days (including yummy, picture-worthy dishes!), but somehow I kept forgetting to take pictures. Anyway, here are some photos of the cupcakes I bought in Portland a while back.

In the box above: "downtown cupcake brown" and "velvet painting".

As you can see from the picture above, the "velvet painting" is a red velvet cupcake with a filling inside (vanilla pastry cream) and is topped with cream cheese icing and a candied rose petal. How cute is that little pink garnish? The cupcake was so moist and scrumptious. I wish the Cupcake Jones people would open a store in Seattle so I can have my cupcake fix every week!

Are you a fan of cupcakes like I am? What's your favorite flavor?

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

2010-08-25T22:56:00.001-07:00

I've tried dozens of other chocolate chip cookie recipes before, but nothing compares to the Jacques Torres recipe that was featured in the New York Times a few years ago. This recipe is easy and the cookies always come out perfectly. I've made these cookies on numerous occasions and my friends and family can't get enough of them. And even if they could, I have no problem eating 4 or 5 cookies on my own!

(Adapted from Jacques Torres; makes 1 1/2 dozen cookies)

Ingredients:
2 cups minus 2 tbsp cake flour
1 2/3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 lb bittersweet chocolate chips
Sea salt

Directions:
- Cream butter and sugars until very light; add eggs one at a time and vanilla until well mixed.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined; add chocolate chips until combined.
- Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place "generous golf balls" of dough.
- Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
- Bake until golden brown (18-20 minutes).

Unlike most cookie recipes, this one uses a blend of cake flour and bread flour.

The original recipe calls for feves or oval-shaped chocolate pieces. I used regular chocolate chips from Nestle Toll House.

This is the hardest part of the recipe. I know you're tempted to bake the cookies right away but the dough has to sit in the fridge overnight.

This is a crucial part and the part I often forget: sprinkling sea salt on top of the cookies.

Finally the cookies are ready! Don't you just love the smell of freshly baked cookies?

Por Que No? - Portlant, OR

2010-08-23T18:08:00.000-07:00

Before leaving Portland to head home, we stopped at Por Que No? for an early supper. It's a casual "hole-in-the-wall" kind of restaurant with fresh, home-made Mexican food.

I had horchata to cool down in the summer heat. Horchata is a refreshing cold drink popular in Latin America and Spain and is often made with rice, almonds, cinnamon, vanilla and sugar.

Tacos here are really good! We had two types of beef, one pork and one chorizo. The chips here are really good too. Sorry I forgot to take pictures: I was too busy eating! I'll definitely stop by at this taqueria next time I'm in town.

PS: I'm still trying to find a good Mexican restaurant in the Seattle area. Do you guys have any suggestions?

Andina - Portland, OR

2010-08-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

Andina in a Peruvian restaurant located in the Pearl district of Portland. I've been there once before and liked it so much that I decided to go back again on my recent trip. They have entrees, but since I like eating a little bit of everything, I ordered some tapas.

Traditional cebiche (bottom right) was very good.

The little specks in the bread are quinoa, which the Incas referred to as "chisaya mama" or "mother of all grains." Bread is served with three dipping sauces: peanut, passion fruit and jalapeno.

Yuca rellena served with cheese sauce.

Grilled diver scallop with soy sauce and brown sugar and crispy onion rings on top. Too bad you only get one scallop!

Beef empanadas with raisins and olives.

Cured tuna loin with guacamole-like salsa. This was my favorite dish.

Finally dessert! I wanted to get a bigger dessert, but unfortunately my stomach didn't have enough room. So I settled with one cookie: an alfajor filled with warm, gooey manjar blanco, which I thought was dulce de leche.

After doing some research online, I discovered that manjar blanco tastes very similar to dulce de leche but is slightly lighter in color. And the main difference lies in preparation. Dulce de leche is made with condensed milk whereas manjar blanco is made with whole milk.

Portland, OR

2010-08-17T21:55:00.001-07:00

I had so much fun with my family in Portland. If you've never visited there before (especially if you live in the Seattle area), I highly recommend that you take a weekend trip like I did.

Here's a quick summary of the city:
Pros:
- Great food
- Great music scene
- Individuality of the people
- Pedestrian friendliness (no need to drive; no need to worry about parking)
- Beautiful parks and gardens
- Saturday Market (also open on Sunday)

Cons:
- Too many homeless people (panhandlers on every block!)
- Weather (around 90 degrees F when I visited!)

Thanks for visiting my blog! In the upcoming posts I'll talk about the restaurants I visited in Portland.

Olympic Sculpture Park - Belltown

2010-08-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

Olympic Sculpture Park in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle is one of my favorite places to visit on a sunny day. It's a fun (and FREE) place to experience modern art in an outdoor setting with a sweeping view of local landmarks (i.e., the Space Needle, Mount Rainier). A great place for a stroll with a date, eating al fresco with friends or enjoying some quiet time with your favorite book!

Eagle (the red sculpture on the top left) by Alexander Calder

Wake by Richard Serra, one of the most successful artists of this era. He is famous for using sheet metal.

Washer/dryer (made of plywood) in the weeds by Whiting Tennis. It's one of those art pieces where I think "I could do that myself!" Of course, the reality is I probably couldn't.

Father and Son by Louis Bourgeois.

Split by Roxy Pain.

My favorite piece at this park: Typewriter Eraser, Scale X by Claes Oldenburg.

You can also look at this sculpture from highway.

Sorry for the lack of food posts in the last few days. I'm off to Portland now. Have a nice weekend!

Pike Place Market

2010-08-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

Sorry for slow updates. My in-laws are visiting and we have been busy doing touristy things! Here are some pictures from Pike Place Market.

Piroshky-Piroshky, probably made famous by Anthony Bourdain's visit, is one of the most popular vendors here. They make a really yummy cheese and green onion piroshky.

At Beecher's you can sit on these cute milk-jug stools and watch them make fresh artisan cheese.

HUGE Nutella jars at DeLaurenti Specialty Food & Wine, one of my favorite stores here. They have great cannoli.

Pike Place Market has a great selection of fresh fish.

And flowers. Each bouquet is usually $5 or $10. A lot of bang for your buck.

Finally, the original Starbucks founded in 1971. A pop quiz: do you guys know where the name Starbucks comes from?

Blondies

2010-08-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

I've always preferred blondies over brownies. I guess I'm not as into chocolate as most people. Since I had an early dinner today (around 5pm) and was still hungry, I decided to make some blondies. They are very easy to make and use ingredients that are probably in your pantry already. I tweaked the recipe by America's Test Kitchen by skipping nuts and adding more chocolate chips. The blondies turned out good but not amazing. In my opinion, Zingerman's makes the best blondies and I'm still trying to find a recipe that replicates their magical taste. Do you guys have any ideas?

(Adapted from America's Test Kitchen; makes 36 tiny bars)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
12 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
- Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F.
- Line a 13 by 9-inch pan with foil and spray with Pam.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk the sugar and butter; add the eggs and vanilla until mixed.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until combined; fold in the chocolate chips.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes.

Arugula, Watermelon and Feta Salad

2010-08-02T21:11:00.000-07:00

This salad is the ultimate salad for summer: it's light, refreshing and bursting with the flavor of a seasonal fruit. I really liked the combination of the sweet watermelon paired with the peppery arugula (one of my favorite vegetables) and the tangy feta cheese. Even though I was initially hesitant to add that much mint, I'm glad I did! It really adds a great flavor. The vinaigrette by itself is a bit bland but the salad has the perfect amount of saltiness thanks to feta. I had this salad as a main course, but I bet it would make an awesome side dish for grilled lamb or shrimp! Do you guys have a favorite summer salad?

(Adapted from Ina Garten; makes 2 servings)

Ingredients:
SALAD
3 cups baby arugula
2 cups watermelon, rind removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup mint, julienned
6 oz feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

VINAIGRETTE
1 small shallot, minced
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:
- Put all the vinaigrette ingredients in a container with a lid and shake until emulsified.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine.

National Cheesecake Day!

2010-07-30T13:53:00.001-07:00

Did you guys know that July 30 is unofficially declared National Cheesecake Day in America? To celebrate this special holiday, I went to a local Cheesecake Factory chain for lunch to indulge in half-price cheesecakes! I had Tex-Mex Eggrolls for an appetizer first and then had Chocolate Coconut Cream Cheesecake for dessert. My friend got a new cheesecake they're debuting called Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake (pictured in the back). My cheesecake was pretty good! I'd definitely get it again. I tried a bite of my friend's cheesecake but wasn't too impressed. If you're a big peanut butter fan, unlike me, then I'm sure you're enjoy their new creation.

Apparently other cheesecake stores are also having some kind of celebrations, so make sure to check their websites for great deals. Happy Cheesecake Day!

Hummus

2010-07-27T21:56:00.001-07:00

Hummus is one of my favorite ways to snack on fresh vegetables (it's a lot healthier than mayonnaise-based dips!). I usually just buy pre-made hummus at grocery stores but I decided to make my own today. It's super easy and much cheaper, not to mention it only takes seconds to make. I found tahini (sesame paste) in the kosher isle of QFC. The good thing about making your own hummus is that you can control what goes inside. If you like your hummus to be really creamy, you can add more olive oil. Make sure you adjust ingredients slowly though. It's a lot easier to add things than to remove them. I made plain hummus, but you can have fun with toppings. Toasted pine nuts, roasted peppers, and olives add great flavors.

Ingredients:
1 16-oz can of chickpeas, drained
4 tbsp water
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp olive oil + more for garnish
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
Some paprika

Directions:
- Blend all the ingredients (except for paprika and extra oil) in the food processor until creamy and mixed.
- Drizzle some olive oil on top and garnish with paprika.

Bellevue Arts Fair

2010-07-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

I went to the Bellevue Arts Fair in Downtown Bellevue, WA on Saturday and saw some cool paintings and sculptures by the local artists. I should've posted this on Saturday so I could've encouraged some of the local readers to check out the festival (it ended on Sunday). Oh well, maybe next year!

I really liked these giant animal sculptures (they move too!), but I don't think I have the money to buy or place to put them!

These coat racks are a great way to recycle your old spoons and forks. It would be cute to have one of these in the kitchen for hanging aprons and other cooking-related items.

I promise I'll do a food post soon. Thanks for reading!

Strawberry and Rosemary Shortcake

2010-07-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

Strawberries are in season right now, so I used that as an excuse to make strawberry shortcakes. Who can resist strawberries and homemade whipped cream on top of freshly baked biscuits right out of the oven? To the classic Betty Crocker recipe, I added a little bit of dried rosemary. Ever since I watched Giada De Laurentiis make her Strawberry and Rosemary Scones on Food Network, I've wanted to try this flavor combination. To be honest, I was a little skeptical at first, but my strawberry and rosemary shortcakes turned out really tasty! I liked the woodsy warmth from the rosemary with the sweetness from the strawberries. Do you guys know of other seemingly strange flavor combinations?

(Adapted from Betty Crocker; makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
STRAWBERRIES
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup granulated sugar

SHORTCAKES
1 cup flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 stick butter
1/2 egg
1/3 cup milk

WHIPPED CREAM
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:
- In a bowl, mix the strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar and let stand about 1 hour.
- Heat the oven at 425 degrees F.
- For the shortcakes: Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl; cut in the butter with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs; add the egg and milk until mixed.
- Drop the dough by 4 spoonfuls and bake for 12 to 14 minutes.
- Beat the whipping cream with sugar and vanilla long enough to form soft peaks.
- Assemble the strawberries and whipped cream on top of the shortcakes.

Vegetable Panino

2010-07-19T23:05:00.000-07:00

I've always preferred hot sandwiches over cold ones, so when I finally got a grill pan over the weekend I was very excited to make my first panino ever. I had some vegetables in the kitchen, so I decided to roast them and use them as fillings for the sandwich. Provolone is a great choice of cheese for this sandwich as it's sharper than other types (i.e., mozzarella) and melts beautifully. The basil adds freshness to otherwise a bit greasy sandwich.

Ingredients:
2 slices bread (I used ciabatta)
2 slices roasted eggplant
2 slices roasted red pepper
1 tbsp roasted onions
3 fresh basil leaves
1 slice provolone cheese
2-3 tsp butter or olive oil
Pam

Directions:
- Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F.
- Slice the vegetables, coat with oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast the vegetables on a cooking sheet for 15 minutes.
- Heat panini grill over medium heat and spray Pam.
- Brush one side of each slice of bread with butter or olive oil (I used herb butter).
- Assemble the sandwich by placing the vegetables, basil and cheese between the two slices of bread (buttered side inside).
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until brown and crispy.

Baked Salmon with Herb Butter

2010-07-19T00:15:00.000-07:00

I had originally made herb butter with the intention of making Chicken Kiev. But when I realized that I had accidentally bought chicken tenders and not breasts, I decided to use the butter for a salmon dish. The butter melts beautifully on the baked salmon and the shallots and lemon juice in the butter really enhance the flavor of the fish.

Ingredients:
1 8-oz salmon fillet
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt

Directions:
- Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F.
- Coat the salmon with oil and season with salt.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes until cooked.
- Serve with 1/2 to 1 tbsp herb butter on top of the fish.

Herb Butter
Ingredients:
1 stick butter
2 shallot, finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt

Directions:
- Mix all the ingredients.
- Refrigerate for an hour until solidified.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-07-16T22:24:00.000-07:00

I was craving something sweet after dinner, so I decided to bake some cookies. I recently bought "The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook" on the recommendation of a friend, so I decided to try one of the recipes in the book. This recipe is very similar to many of the popular cookie recipes except for two things: it uses melted butter (as opposed to room temperature butter) to achieve a chewy texture and an additional egg yolk to prevent the cookies from becoming tough. I didn't want to make too many cookies, so I halved all the ingredients.

Ingredients:
1 cup + 1 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- Beat the butter and sugars until smooth; add the eggs and vanilla until incorporated.
- Mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients until combined; add the chocolate until incorporated.
- Divide the dough into 9 portions and place them on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.

Roasted Vegetables with Cheese

2010-07-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

This is one of the first recipes that my mom taught me when I was in college. It's easy, fast, and healthy. I used eggplant, zucchini and red bell pepper, but you can also use other vegetables such as yellow squash and red onion. Make sure all the diced pieces are about the same size, so that they'll cook evenly. Adding 1/2 tsp of dried rosemary or basil also enhances the flavor of this dish. Leftover makes a great filling for an omelette or a frittata.

Ingredients:
1 eggplant, cubed
1 zucchini, cubed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp crumbled cheese (i.e., blue cheese, feta)
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Coat the vegetables with oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Spread the vegetables evenly on a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle cheese on top.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.

Steak Salad

2010-07-14T22:59:00.000-07:00

In the past, I've had so many failures cooking a steak. It would be too raw to eat (and I'd have to resort to using a microwave to finish cooking - a really bad idea!) or too overcooked that it looked and tasted like rubber.

One problem was that I was reluctant to use high heat... I was afraid that too much smoke in my apartment might set off the fire alarm for the whole building, irritating every single resident in my apartment complex. Now that I know that it's OK to use high heat as long as I leave the window open and let the smoke out, cooking a steak is not so intimidating!

Ingredients:
1 steak (I used rib eye)
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt
Pepper
1/2 bag of arugula
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp blue cheese, crumbled

Directions:
- Bring the steak to room temperature.
- Pat dry the steak with paper towels.
- Rub the steak with vegetable oil and season.
- Sear the steak for 4 minutes on each side in a pan over medium to high heat.
- Take out the steak, cover with foil, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Slice the steak.
- Mix the arugula with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Put the sliced steak over the salad and crumble blue cheese on top.

Greek Yogurt with Honey, Dates, and Nuts

2010-07-13T15:58:00.000-07:00

I usually eat savory breakfast with eggs. But when I'm not in the mood and don't have time to bake, I often opt for Greek yogurt. I've tried a few other brands, but Fage is the best in my opinion. It's all natural and has a very thick, creamy texture.

To the yogurt, I added honey and chopped dates for sweetness and toasted pine nuts for crunchiness and nutty flavor. Because pine nuts have a high fat content, you don't need to use oil when toasting them. Pine nuts tend to go rancid fairly quickly, so make sure to store them in the freezer. I used pine nuts, but you can pretty much use any type of nuts you have in your pantry. Candied nuts are great too.

Ingredients:
1 7-oz Greek yogurt
3 dried date, chopped
1-2 tbsp honey
1-2 tbsp nuts (i.e., pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, almonds)

Directions:
- Toast the nuts in a single layer in a pan over medium heat.
- Shake the pan regularly to ensure even browning.
- When the nuts are lightly browned, turn off the heat and let them cool.
- Assemble all the ingredients.