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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
