Bagels for dinner

So I am watching my guilty pleasure Wishmaster on Demand and want to eat light. It is like 90 degrees in NYC and the thought of cooking over a hot stove? Forget about it! What better way to eat than a sandwich? Mines gives you all of the flavor of your favorite bagels with less calories and fat. Ready to lighten up?


Alexa's Chicken salad on Bagel
you will need:
2-cups poached chicken or water based canned
1-tsp curry powder
1-tbsp-low fat mayo
1-tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 diced shallot or scallion
2-Thomas thin bagels
salt and pepper to taste
optional: 1 tbsp chopped celery




In a bowl take the chicken and shred, Add the mayo, mustard, scallions or shallots, curry salt and pepper. Chill for 15 minutes. Toast the bagels. Add 2 tablespoons of chicken salad to each bagel and enjoy. Use the leftovers and add to cooked pasta or roasted potatoes.

Happy Eating.

Just ribbing

What's a better way to celebrate the summer solstice than by having a barbecue. If how ever you still have to work and waiting for Saturday to get your hands around some delicious fall of the bone finger licking ribs can not wait. There is a way to get your fill until then.

you will need:
6-8 pork or beef ribs
1/2-cup of ketchup
1-tsp- balsamic vinegar
2-cloves garlic minced
3- sprigs Thyme
1-tsp sugar or Splenda
1-tbsp hot sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a pot put the ribs and add the vinegar, sugar, garlic, thyme, salt, hot sauce and half the ketchup. Combine well. Place ribs in an aluminum lined pan and bake for 1 1/2 hour. Add the rest of the ketchup and cook an additional 1/2 hour or more depending on your oven. You will have ribs that are fall off the bone delicious. Granted, it won't be like on an open flame, but these ribs you can make anytime and no mother nature to battle either.

Happy Eatiing!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Even in warm weather I sometimes want to eat a winter favorite. And there is nothing more delicious than homemade spaghetti and meatballs. And no, that "Italian Chef" in a can version either. I am talking about the real thing. You will have it on your plate in 30 minutes. You will see how easy and with some traditional swaps an even healthier version.

You will need:

1-pound of 90% lean beef

1-pound of thin spaghetti 

1/2-cup Panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup grated onion or finely chopped

1-tbsp Chili Powder

1-tbsp Cumin 

1-tsp chopped parsley 

2-cups Tomato Sauce (low sodium brand)

1/2-cup low sodium chicken broth

2-tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large pot boil water and cook pasta per directions on the box.  In a large skillet heat 1 tbsp of olive oil. In a bowl combine beef, half the breadcrumbs, half the parmesan, onion and spices and combine careful not to over mix. Roll into approximately 1 1/2 inch balls. Cover with the remaining breadcrumbs and sear on all sides. Remove from heat. drain some of the excess oil. Heat remaining olive oil over low heat and add the tomato sauce and broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the meatballs and cook for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Add pasta, parsley and remaining parmesan and serve. Simple yet delicious and always better than anything from a can.

Buon Appetito!

Saturday in New York

When you get there early enough, there is no better place than Manhattan. It's still relatively quiet and you can walk everywhere and even drive in and find parking! My mission for today was to try at least 3 to 4 different places to eat. And what better place to hit than the Village. It has tiny restaurants that are local favorites to posh restaurants. And everything in between.

First Stop: was some kind of fair starting from East 9th and ending on East 14th Street. There where scarves and roasted sweet corn being sold next to each other but as it was early, I needed some breakfast. So hopped up on an espresso, I hit the crepes stand and got a crepes of butter, lemon and sugar. So delicious

Second Stop: Artichoke Pizza on 14th Street. This tiny little dingy place had a line at 11:00 am when they opened. I had to see what all the fuss was about. Getting inside, I was less than impressed. It was dirty. I mean nothing but dust in the ceilings and walls. Some gaudy photos of the Kennedy's smiling with exaggerated teeth which I will admit was creepy. But I tried not to let my inner critic, I am a Virgo, get in the way of trying this lauded pizza. My verdict? I liked the sicilian a little but the large artichoke and spinach slice was too runny and lost the crispy crust I am fond of. In the interest of honesty, the staff could not be less interested in the line that formed behind me and totally ignored them and patrons left. 

Third Stop: Pluck U on West 3rd Street. My favorite chicken wings place. As someone who has had the promise land of wings at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY, this comes pretty close. I get a box of 30 wings  and always the hot sauce, none of that mild or BBQ nonsense. There are sides, like curly fries and something called munchers which are fried balls of potato and cheese. I like it with just the celery sticks an blue cheese sauce on the side. Make a trip out there, you will not regret it.

Fourth Stop: Home. So much walking, so much eating that the thought of one more place was not an option. I had a great culinary day.

Happy Eating!

Quick and Easy

When you don't have time or are just catching up on the first two seasons of True Blood, and the thought of cooking is making you crazy: I have compiled 2 meals you can make in 20 minutes for both!

Meal #1: "Kiddie Fare" No cook eats: A sandwich. It's easy can be assembled in 2-3 minutes and when stocked with good for you ingredients like lean meats, cheese, lettuce and tomato make a great quick eat which is filing. which is always an option. Add some baked chips if you are like me who has to have chips with her sammies. Total time: 5 minutes tops unless you toast the bread. Add 2-3 minutes.

Meal # 2: "Veggittata"There is some prep work involved. Take 3 eggs beaten with a tsp of cream or lowfat milk and pile on with as many good for you veggies as you have in your refrigerator. Cook on a non stick skillet until it sets and then pop in the broiler until golden and bubbly. Total time: 15 minutes start to finish.

As you can see, delicious, nutritious meals in no time.



Cheers!

Getting my Full (Irish Breakfast)

The rolling Emerald hills. The delightful Irish brogue. The Guinness. A tis Ireland. Since I will need to dust off passport and take a long trip to Dublin, I need to get my fill of all things Irish now. I wanted to find the best authentic Irish breaky. After many an exhaustive search of the best pubs in New York from The Dubliner to Sullivan's. And through each agonizing pint, I realized I can make me own breakfast at home. And I will. Until then This is the best place I found: http://www.finneganswakenyc.com/

It feels like a true Irish pub even before you get inside in. I loved my breakfast which I had for brunch. Prices are great starting at 10 bucks and you get all of this. And a pint too!

I enjoyed it so much and can promise you will find a great place with good food and drinks and a feeling of being in the Emerald Isle. 

Sláinte

(to your health)

Goin out on a Monday

Mondays are obviously not a great day for most of us. Weekend went by to fast and now back to grind. A great way to change that is to go out on Monday night. Yes Monday. It will help you keep the feeling of the weekend going no matter how busy you were today as it surely went by very quickly with co-workers stories of weekend escapades.

I am a member of the bridge and tunnel crowd now much to my chagrin, well except for my large and inexpensive apartment (no complaints) and as such have to find great area restaurants. I reside in the lovely  Bayside. Quiet place to lay my head and only 2 blocks from Bell Boulevard with it's restaurants and it's varied ethnic cusisine from Mexican, Thai, Chinese, Greek and on tap tonight, Japanese.

There are 2 great locations, Okinawa which is pricer and more authentic sushi and sashimi and my fave Mr. Wasabi. With it's large portions and great service, they ensure you will not only leave full but keep coming back for more. I got the Volcano roll, Boston Roll, Wasabi Cheese and Eel Rolls. They are as always delicious and you should ask the helpful staff to recommend a good beer or get the saki if you are more daring. I always love it there and loved going with girlfriends and splitting the rolls. We would get like 6 different kinds and the bill was like $35 dollars for the whole thing.

Eel & Boston Rolls

Overall a great value, nice setting and yummy food. Not as authentic as Okinawa, but if you are feeling like a more experimental version of sushi or are new to it, I can not recommend this place enough.

Wasabi Cheese & Volcano Rolls

Cheers!

Monday test Tasting

I am not by nature a fruit lover, lucky I eat my veggies but for whatever reason fruits never appealed to me and knowing how important it is to get these important foods into my system got me to wonder, how can I get my daily requirements without actual chewing or minimal chewing. I decided to purchase the not exactly cheap fruit2day drinks. It was $2.99 2-6oz bottles at my local grocery and price my go up or down depending on where you buy.

According to their website: http://www.fruit2day.com/ they claim to provide you with 2 servings of your daily fruit intake has 110-120 calories, no sugar added and "all-natural" which can mean many things and are not specified in the site. I e-mailed the company for more information on what exactly makes it all-natural as you will observe has an asterisk on the site and am waiting the reply.

The "lab"decided on Mango Peach.We tasted several bottles as well as actual mango and peach. Tasted them for tartness and sweetness which should only come from the fruits themselves. We realized that the drink was a bit of a false sell. It also has white grape juice, pineapple puree and other ingredients all from concentrate. We did however enjoyed the little pieces of mango and I believe peaches in the drink. For those like me who do not make the time for actual fruit, it will do in a pinch. 

Verdict: Sweet, delicious but save some bucks and get the real thing.

Cheers!

Simply Appetizing

When you are celebrating a milestone birthday or just a girl's night in and you are providing the meals, why not make it easy for yourself? I have assembled some of my favorite store bought or easy to make dishes that can feed a crowd or just and intimate gathering. I believe that the guide to any successful gathering is made up of no more than 5 different items to eat and 2 desserts. Drinks of course are unlimited.

The Food
Crispy shrimp dim sum you "made"consisting of spring roll, wonton and shrimp purse complete with an authentic Thai sweet chili sauce. Courtesy of Phillips and a toaster oven set to 300 degrees until GBD (golden brown and delicious).

crispy dim sum
Second mini bite: Sliders. perfect one handed classic burgers on the grill with mayo, ketchup and raw onions. Here's the how. Take your ground chuck or sirloin and shape into 1 inch patties. season liberally with Kosher salt and pepper and grill until desired doneness. The meat must have fat. I used a 85/15 fat to lean ratio for moist burgers you can assemble and cook when party arrives. Or better yet let them do the cooking.

Sliders

Third mini bite: Salad. To help with the richness of a burger or fried anything. Take your favorite lettuce and season with olive oil and balsamic vinagrette salt and pepper. Add a squeeze of orange for some sweetness. Crisp and refreshing. A nice alternative to any vegetarians at your party.

Salad

Fourth mini bite: Shrimp Cocktail. No party is complete without it! You can purchase it from a fish monger or supermarket chain. But if you have some time during the day, you can prepare the flash frozen shrimp yourself at more than half the cost. Your choice. The sauce can be from a jar or using ketchup, hot sauce, horseradish and some lemon juice you can make your own.

Shrimp Cocktail

Fifth mini bite: Can be any assortments of potato chips and dips. Try to get baked chips and use salsa instead of creamy based dips. You will want to save the calories for dessert!

Chips and salsa

The Drinks: Have no less than 3 types of beers: Dark, light and a standard brand. For liquors, vodka works best as it can be combined with anything. Or use a rum, My fave is Bacardi, it pairs well with anything. And for the SATC loving ladies, you can buy Smirnoff's apple martini blended. If you have wine afficionados, get one quality white and one red. You don't even need to spend over 10 bucks for each. A great white Ecco Domani Pinot grigio 2007 is 9 dollars.

Cheap White Wines

Corona beer 

The Dessert: Saving the best for last. Here may I strongly suggest you forgo the "homemade" You know cake from a box and spend a couple of bucks at a great Italian bakery or restaurant. My pick: Edgar's Cafe. Get the birthday girl or boy or bring over to a house warming a chocolate mousse or tiramisu. Just in case someone does not like either, bring some Ben and Jerrry's. 

Chocolate Mousse

If you get people to do some of the work themselves, then you can actually enjoy your next birthday or gathering. Put on a great CD or watch a cheesy flick and have fun!

Cheers

Crispy Black Bean Cakes

Black bean with there traditions steeped in Cuban and various other ethnic cuisine have found  away into my culinary rotation when I decided to make these luscious hearty beans into crispy cakes. I have never had them any other way since. I have experimented with different items in them and have made the following recipe over 5 times so far. This is Alexa's Crispy black bean crab cakes. Try them tonight for a simple and healthy dinner! The following recipe makes 5-6 cakes.

You will need
1-15oz can black beans rinsed and drained
1/2 cup crab meat
1-tbsp habanero chili (sub with jalapeno) diced
2-cloves minced garlic
1-small shallot minced
1-scallion diced
1-egg slightly beaten
1/3 cup of Panko bread crumbs
2-tbsp olive oil
2-tbsp parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Optional:
Sour cream, lime

In a skillet heat 1 tsp of olive oil in non stick pan. Add the shallot, garlic and chili and cook for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool In a large bowl place the black beans and mash about 1/3 of them. Add the egg, crab meat and half the bread crumbs. Add the cooked mixture and parsley. Combine being careful not to over mix if you are using lump crab meat. Form into patties in the desired size. Place the patties in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes. In the skillet add the olive oil and heat. Remove patties from freezer. Using the remaining bread crumbs coat the patties and place in the skillet, careful not to overcrowd. Cook in a medium medium high heat  until golden about 3 minutes. Turn over and cook on the other side. Remove to a plate and let cool.

You can eat it simply with sour cream and hot sauce or over a bead of mixed greens seasoned with a bit of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Cheers!

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Latinolicious

So in a rather warm Tuesday afternoon and me still sans trabajo and have to do something with all of my spare time and decided to make my sweetie a yummy quick Dominican dish. I used help like rice with flavorings, my personal fave is Goya yellow rice low sodium if you can find it, it's worth it. Grain fed thin cut pork chops seasoned with salt and pepper and pan fried in corn oil. And the topper? Fried plantanos. You call them plantains or green bananas. Here's how to prepare them: you take the plantain and with a firm grip and a sharp knife you slice across the length of it. If done correctly, you should be able to peal the skin off with out much trouble. But if you are like me and tend to overdue Everything, you make need to make a second slice. Slice them like a normal banana or slightly across. Sear them for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and use the plantain skin or a cup or if you have a great market like mines a tostonera. It's 2 bucks and makes mashing them into discs so much easier and it's more authentic. Place back in the pan and cook until GBD (golden, brown and delicious) It took me about 30 minutes to make this entire meal. It looks terrific but next time, I will make something much easier. Enjoy everyone.

Cheers!