Appetizers and Sides , food photography , gallery , lifestyle photography , props , recipes , studio shoots , visual living
Molly’s Farmers’ Market Lasagna with Homemade Noodles
When Molly was up for showing me how she makes homemade lasagna noodles rolled entirely by hand I was pumped. I can’t eat them but, man was I happy to shoot her making these beauties (and housing all the layers between noodles)! This lasagna was a BIG hit in our houses. It’s chock full of flavorful vegetables and the perfect satisfying dish for any meatless Monday (or wednesday, or thursday…). I actually think I like it better than it’s meaty cousin. GASP! Shhhh don’t tell, snitches get stitches!
Molly’s artisanal noodle making was so very beautiful to shoot that I’ve included more images than usual to take ya’ll on the “maker’s” journey with us. Kick back and enjoy because there’s plenty of work to come when you make and roll your own lasagna noodles the old-fashioned way;) You can do it! Let’s see those muscles!
- 3 c.+ All purpose flour
- 4 Eggs
- Pinch of Salt
- 1 tbsp of warm water
- 1 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 Yellow Squash
- 1 Green Zucchini
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper
- 1 Large Yellow Onion
- 1/4 c. chopped fresh herbs (we used Basil, Thyme, and Rosemary)
- 1/4 c. light dry red wine (we used Pinot Noir)
- 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp. minced garlic
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 c. chopped fresh herbs (we used Basil, Thyme, and Rosemary)
- Fresh ground pepper
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Spatchcock (Butterfly) Miso Butter Roasted Chicken
We’re not much into Turkey in my family. I understand the historical significance of turkey at the Thanksgiving table, but personally I find it pretty much “bleh”. That said, many people are left wanting without poultry at the Thanksgiving feast so we usually bake up a big fat ham and roast a large chicken for those die hard traditionalists. This is one of those chickens.
My old self, the one who had a bit more time, a bit more sleep, perhaps a bit more motivation, was big into vegetable chopping. I made meals where I’d easily spend an hour just chopping all the veggies often with no meat in sight. In truth, I found raw meat repulsive to all of my senses. Fast forward to when I grew the F up and started cutting the backbones out of chickens and making bone broths from gnarly knuckles, shins and feet. Oh how things have changed!!
While I still love my Brined Thyme Roast Chicken recipe, it requires more planning ahead to brine that bird than I can often muster these days. I spend so much time grabbing a toddler as she ceaselessly tests the laws of gravity! This spatchcock chicken is quick to prepare and leaves you with very little raw chicken-y mess, if ya know what I mean. Time to put on your big kid pants and cut out that backbone!
Crispy, golden, savory miso skin with no fuss and few dishes. What’s not to love?
HOW TO SPATCHCOCK (butterfly) A CHICKEN:
1- Place whole chicken breast side down. Using strong kitchen shears, cut alongside one side of the backbone. Rotate the bird to cut along the other side of the backbone. I freeze the backbone to use in bone broth later.
2- Spread the chicken rib cage open breast down and cut a deep notch in the sternum cartilage to allow it to open easily. Now flip the bird breast side up and it should lie flat and look like a… you guessed it, butterfly. Easy Peasy!
*Tip: I usually spatchcock the chicken in the same pan I am roasting it in, one less raw chicken-y thing to clean. Winner, winner chicken dinner!
- 1 whole chicken patted dry, approx. 5-5 1/2 lbs
- 3 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 Tablespoons white miso
- 1 teaspoon smashed garlic (~ 3 cloves)
- 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 pint brussel sprouts
- drizzle olive oil
- salt and pepper
~ Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
~ Smash together butter, miso and garlic. I salt the chicken in addition to the saltiness of the miso, but it may be a good idea to taste your mixture as miso can vary greatly and you may not want additional salt. Butter the pan you’ll be using with this mixture, then place chicken breast side up in pan and rub half of the butter mixture under the skin and the other half on top of the skin.
~ In a bowl, toss brussel sprouts with a drizzle of olive oil and scatter around the bird.
~ Sprinkle the chicken and brussel sprouts with thyme, salt and pepper.
~ Roast uncovered at 400 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes or so for a chicken this size. Cook time will vary greatly depending on the size of your bird, so roast until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh or breast. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
~ Plate the veggies from the pan then bring the remaining juices to a simmer, scraping any little bits of deliciousness off the pan to deglaze it and removing any chunks of skin etc. Simmer for a couple of minutes and pour juices over carved meat.
ENJOY!!!
Appetizers and Sides , food photography , gallery , props , recipes , studio shoots
Butter Sauteed Medjool Date Yogurt Bowl
This is one of those nutritious bowls that seems super duper fancy and only steals about 5 minutes of your life! If you got this at a restaurant you would be floored. Seriously, it’s incredible and so quick and easy that you could make it daily while simultaneously chopping ungodly amounts of fruit for a toddler fruit monster. I know because I do;)
Customize however you like. Sometimes I do a few shakes of pumpkin spice and that’s delicious. Chia, flax, nuts you name it! It’s all good!
- 5 medjool dates, pitted
- pat pasture butter
- greek yogurt
- small chunk of honeycomb
- a few almonds (not pictured)
- sprinkle of maldon sea salt
- sprinkle of chili powder
- sprinkle of ground vanilla bean
~ In a frying pan, melt butter over low-medium heat. Add dates, sprinkle with salt, and sauté turning regularly so they don’t burn. Once they’re a bit crispy on all sides they’re done! It only take about 5 minutes so keep an eye on them because they’ll burn quickly.
~ Assemble your yogurt bowl with the remaining ingredients. Top with the dates and pour the brown butter from the pan over the yogurt. YUM!
ENJOY!!!
My darling friend Emily comes from a long line of impressive bakers. She has much coveted pie traditions with her sweet mother and beloved departed nana. It’s so wonderful to keep those beautiful traditions alive from generation to generation. It keeps us grounded and reminds us where we came from and that we are part of something bigger. We are simply a leaf on a giant tree deeply rooted in the past. There is something profoundly comforting in that anchor when this life can sometimes feel as if you’re bobbing like a canoe in the sea! Some traditions, especially those based in food, allow each generation to keep the old but also customize a dish to make it a bit of their own. This pie is exactly such tradition with small tweaks to herbs, spices and ratios to make this an adapted version of a treasured recipe. Beautiful! For the original recipe passed down from Emily’s nana and some family photos of wonderful women check out her mama Lori’s blog.
Emily makes just about the flakiest, lightly crisp crust I have ever seen (or heard)! Rarely am I so heartbroken to avoid gluten. My husband tells me that flakey crust is a buttery, delicious delight. Emily cuts the butter into the dough by hand, which she says makes all the difference. I believe it! That crust…hubba hubba!
So go cover your kitchen in flour and start (or preserve) a lovely family tradition!
ps: I meant to post this recipe before the holidays but got wrapped up in my own holiday celebration with my little girl’s first Christmas and meeting all of her east coast family. What a beautiful time:)
* makes 2 6-inch pies (or 1 10-inch pie)
CRUST
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 pound + 2 2/3 Tablespoons butter, chilled
- 1/4 cup very cold water
FILLING
- 3/4 pounds ground beef
- 3/4 pounds ground pork (butt/shoulder)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon sage
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoons allspice
- 1/4 teaspoons pepper
- 1 egg white, beaten for brushing crust
~ In a large bowl, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Sprinkle in water 1 Tablespoon at a time and toss with a fork until dough begins to come together. Gather into a ball and divide dough into 2 equal balls, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
~ In a large dutch oven, saute onion and garlic. Add beef and pork and cook through. Mix in herbs and spices.
~ On a large floured surface, divide one dough ball in half (if making mini pies, if making 10″ single pie do not divide dough) and roll out one of the halves. Lay in a 6″ pie tin. Using a slotted spoon, spoon filling into crust until flush with top of pie pan. Roll out other half of dough ball, place over filling and seal and trim edges. Brush crust with egg white. Repeat for remaining 4 pies.
~ Bake at 375 degrees for around 30 minutes until golden brown.
ENJOY!!
Looks at that perfect crust! YUM!
Thank you to these inspiring matriarchs….
Appetizers and Sides , food photography , gallery , lifestyle photography , recipes , studio shoots , visual living
Cheesy Cauliflower Bake with Herb Sauteed Mushrooms
Holy smokes this recipe is AMAZING! It’s one of those winter meals I could be gross enough to eat every single day and just get hopelessly fat. Every. Single. Day. Sure it’s a formidable amount of cheese and cream but, hey, it’s cauliflower not pasta so that has to count for something, right?! RIGHT?!?!?!? Ha! Anyway, this is crazy delicious, silly easy and may just help warm you through these bitter cold nights most of the country is suffering. Bletch! Try it, you’ll love it! Nevermind how very wintry it looks. So lovely…
- ~2 pounds cauliflower, a large head – washed and cut into florets
- 1 cup cream
- 1/2 cup 2 % milk
- 3 eggs, beaten
- few slices crusty sourdough bread, torn into bites
- 4 ounces meaty mushrooms, shitakes or trumpet really sing here but any mushroom will work
- butter, enough to saute mushrooms
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 Tablespoon dried thyme)
- 1/2 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
~ Prepare and ice bath in a large bowl in the sink.
~ Heat the oven to 400°F and grease a baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
~ Blanch the cauliflower in salt water for 2 minutes. Drain, plunge into ice bath until cooled, drain again or dry VERY well.
~ Heat a generous amount of butter in a skillet and saute mushrooms with rosemary and thyme until softened and fragrant.
~ Whisk together the cream, milk, cheese and the eggs, season with salt, ground black pepper. Reserve a bit of this mixture and toss the remainder with the cauliflower and bread. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Pour the reserved portion of the mixture over the cauliflower in the baking dish (this makes the top beautifully cheesy;). Bake for 35 minutes or so until the liquid is absorbed and the top is golden brown. Bake time may vary depending on the depth of the baking dish used so keep an eye on it.
Savor and ENJOY!!!
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Eggplant Ratatouille Rolls!
I’ve become a bit obsessed with eggplant these days. Eggplant and mushrooms are enough to make me a mostly vegetarian because they are so dang meaty and amazing. This dish has both so you feel like you’ve eaten something heavy and sinful but, truly, this is packed full of healthy veggies and general awesome-ness. Full disclosure: The rolls are beautiful for food photography but time consuming so if you’re not looking to impress feel free to just slice the ingredients and layer them in the casserole dish instead. Same taste, different aesthetic, quicker process!
What are some our your favorite eggplant and mushroom dishes? Please share!!!
- Olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 Tablspoon dried thyme
- 3 pounds tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, sliced 1/2″ thick
- salt and pepper
- 4 medium japanese or 3 small regular eggplant, sliced 1/4″ thick lengthwise
- 3 medium zucchini, sliced 1/8″ thick lengthwise
- 4 oz beech mushrooms
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into sticks
- fresh basil, sliced
~ Heat olive oil in a skillet, add garlic, thyme and tomatoes. Bring to simmer and cook until liquid is a bit reduced. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour into the bottom of a casserole dish.
~ Heat more olive oil in same skillet, add bell pepper and flash saute at medium high heat for 3-5 minutes. Salt and pepper lightly.
~ Lightly salt both the eggplant and zucchini and let drain in two colanders for 20 minutes or so.
~ Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
~ On a work surface, stack a slice of eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, mozzarella, mushroom, and a bit of basil and roll up. Arrange rolls upright in casserole dish.
~ Brush tops of rolls with olive oil and cover with foil. Bake for an hour or more or so until cheese is bubbling and veggies are tender, removing foil halfway through baking (30 minutes).
~ Let rest for 10 minutes then serve.
ENJOY!!!
I sort of have a thing for brown butter. I’m not a “Butterton” but I do believe in the magic culinary powers of butter and you won’t find me demonizing it, ever. Good grass fed butter has an ideal omega-6 to omega-3 ratio and nutrients that its grain fed counterparts lack. Not to mention the flavor, dear God the flavor!!! Don’t misunderstand me though, I am by no means classifying this particular delicious, indulgent recipe as healthy. Make it to eat with friends so you don’t end up chowing down on the whole casserole dish! Spread the love, and the calories!!
Anyway, I made this and brought it to a Thanksgiving feast and people loved it. The smokey mild heat and savory brown butter flavor of this recipe is surprising for a sweet potato dish, which are traditionally sweet. I hope you dig it too!
- 2 Tablespoons browned butter
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8-1/4″ thick (food processor does a great job!)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2-1/2 Tablespoons chipotle puree (adjust to your personal taste)
- salt and pepper
~ Season the cream mixture with salt and pepper and put evenly over the sweet potatoes.
Soup is awesome. Period. I fancy myself a diplomatic and tolerant gal, but the simple truth is that soups, stews and chowders are irrefutably fantastic foods. Nearly each and every time I cook, no matter the time of day, I have to fight the urge to make a soup. I’m aware I have soup issues, but I simply don’t care. Today we’re giving in to those carnal soup urges and let it all happen. I recently went back east to celebrate my little sister’s wedding. It. Was. Fantastic. Fall in New England is a beauty I often forget about since I only tend to see it in the frozen, yucky winter. My SoCal soul never did care much for winter. That said, as the weather cools I get a mean hankering for some legit New England chowder. I need the real deal salty, fishy, slightly creamy kind of chowder, not the clumpy, gloopy, flavorless imitations that can be found, well, almost everywhere. This is a FLOUR-LESS chowder recipe that uses the starch from the potatoes as a mild thickener instead of relying on flour or (gasp!) cornstarch to give the soup body. Let’s hear it for gluten-free goodness!
The other great thing about this recipe is that you can really mix it up using different seafood combinations. I like to use a half cod, half flakier fish (dover sole etc.) as well as tiny shrimp, some clams, and sometimes even some lobster when I’m feeling frisky! This makes for a wonderful array of textures and flavors. Mmmmmmm. This time I used milk, but sometimes I use cream depending on my desired “health factor” at the moment. Both work quite well, though the cream makes for a richer soup broth.
Tastes like home to me!!! I hope you love this as much as I do. So curl up with a bowl of soul food, a pup (or two or three;) and a good movie and enjoy!
p.s: Speaking of my sister’s wedding, the wood round in this photograph was one of many made for her centerpieces and cake stand, several of which I shipped here from the east coast (yeah, that was a heavy box!). The skilled Zack Frank cut the rounds with precision and my clever mother stripped and oiled them, yup, craftiness definitely runs in my family!
- 6 strips high quality bacon OR 4 ounces salt pork, diced fairly small
- 2 onions
- 2 Tablespoons dried thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1-1/2 pounds Dutch gold baby or new potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1/4″ slices
- 1 quart fish or chicken stock
- 1 bottle clam juice
- 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1-1/2 pounds cod
- 1-1/2 pounds flakey fish like dover sole
- 1 can tiny shrimp
- 2 cans chopped clams
- sea salt and fresh pepper
- 1-1/2 cups top cream whole milk or cream (for a richer broth)
- finely chopped chives for garnish
~ Heat a large dutch oven or stock pot over low heat then add bacon/salt pork. After it has rendered a healthy bit of fat, turn up the heat a bit and cook until crispy. Remove pork with a slotted spoon and reserve on a paper towel lined plate.
~ Add onions, thyme and bay leaf to the rendered fat and saute, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 10 minutes.
~ Add potatoes, stock and clam juice to cover potatoes and bring to a boil. Cook vigorously for about 10 minutes until potatoes have softened but are still a bit firm. If the stock isn’t thick enough, smash a few potatoes against the side of the pot to release their starches.
~Season aggressively with salt and pepper. Once you add the fish you don’t want to have to stir too much so over season just a bit in anticipation of the milk. Stir in fresh thyme.
~ Reduce heat to low and add the fish. Cook for about 5 minutes or so then remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes, it will continue cooking.
~ Gently stir in milk. Divide among bowls and top each bowl with diced chives and the reserved crispy bacon.
Serve and ENJOY!!
I had a realization that we simply don’t eat enough nachos in my house. It’s a food that gets a bad rap from all the plastic cheese product and mushy sauces we typically associate with nachos. Ick. In reality it is a quick and versatile food and can be a vehicle for all kinds of crunchy veggies and savory flavors. We put an egg on everything here. If we’re not sure what a dish is missing, we throw an egg on it and “viola!” perfection. Eggs make everything better, meats, veggies, soups…bliss. An egg on nachos was a natural next step and, boy, was it a brilliant one at that. The man and I made these for friends the other day and let’s just say they went over VERY well.
So go on, throw an egg on it! You know you want to…
- Corn tortilla chips, enough to cover the bottom of the pan (I like baked)
- Extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Dubliner cheese, shredded
- Black beans
- Fresh charred corn kernels * place ear of corn directly on stove grate over a low flame, rotating periodically, until perfectly charred.
- Tomato (chopped)
- Jalapeño, seeded and diced
- Avocado, sliced
- Red onion, thinly sliced
- Egg over easy
- Cilantro, chopped
- Srirachi
other options:
- sauteed mushrooms
- green onions
- sauteed zucchini
~ Raise the top oven rack to 5-6″ below the broil flame. Turn on the broiler.
~ Spread chips on baking sheet or cast iron frying pan and sprinkle with cheese. Broil for 4-5 minutes, keep an eye on it.
~ Meanwhile, make over easy egg.
~ Once the cheese melted and bubbling (4-5 minutes), remove the pan from the oven. Top with all the veggies, beans, cilantro and egg. Then squirt some sriracha on there and go to town!
ENJOY!!
Sometimes simplicity is the mother of all invention. The symbiotic balance of natural flavors can be so much tastier than the over-sauced foods you sometimes get at restaurants. I love food, not just prepared food but the individual ingredients. While it’s fun to taste the latest trend in fine dining, essence of this and foam of that, I prefer the clean flavor of foods in their natural state. This is a lucky preference because it enables me to enjoy a healthier diet (for the most part) and be fairly lazy in the kitchen:D
This appetizer recipe is delightful, easy, and perfect for warm weather. I like using everything bagel chips here because they provide a nice crunch and are smaller than baguette crostinis which makes for a better bread to creme fraiche/salmon ratio. I hate having these delicious toppings but mostly just getting a mouthful of bread with each bite. The smaller size also allows for these little nuggets to be a one bite wonder, much less messy that way if you’re anything like me.
Alaskan sockeye salmon is one of the best sustainable wild fish options available, not to mention it’s chock full of healthy fats. It’s a bit “steak-ier” than regular salmon which works very well here.
Oh, did I mention this is super quick. Yup, super quick!
- 1 fillet Alaskan sockeye salmon
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 large shallot, sliced into think cross-sections ring separated
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon or so drained capers
- 1/4 cup creme fraiche
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of half of a small lemon
- bag of everything bagel chips
- fresh dill sprigs
~ Preheat broiler and raise oven rack to 5-6″ below flame.
~ Sprinkle filet with freshly ground pepper and broil on foil lined baking sheet for 6-9 minutes depending on thickness. Cool for a few minutes then flake fillet with fork.
~ Heat coconut oil in a small saucepan and fry shallot in oil until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they burn quickly. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towel on a plate. Reserve shallot infused oil for another use. Let cool then sprinkle with sea salt.
~ Whisk together creme fraiche and lemon juice in a bowl. (You can also dice the capers and add them as well as the crispy shallots and lemon zest to simplify the recipe if you prefer)
~ Top each bagel chip with salmon flakes, creme fraiche mixture, one caper, lemon zest and a sprig of dill.
ENJOY!!!
food photographer, food photography, los angeles, crystal cartier
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