Don't Call it a Comeback!

First and foremost, Happy 2011 peeps! To put it frankly, 2010 was a shitty year for a lot of people. But hey, we got through it right? One of my last dishes of the year was courtesy of Mark Bitman once again. I'm not the biggest fan of gnocchi, but there was something about Bitman's Ricotta Gnocchi recipe that appealed to me. Here's how it went down:

Scoop out pasta dough, I used a tablespoon and fingers. Add the dough to a large pot of boiling water.

Then transfer to a small pan and sautee in a pan with fresh sage. 

So you'll notice my gnocchi is darker than Mr. Bitman's. There is an awful lot of multi-tasking involved with this dish. I got distracted and the gnocchi started to brown. I thought they looked even more beautiful and it added another texture to the dish.  

I diced some campari tomatoes then simmered them in a pan for a few minutes. The lightness and sweetness of the tomatoes were a perfect contrast to the saltiness of the cheese. 

Superb!

Last Night's Dinner/Today's Lunch

This dish ain't no trouble at all. Boil some water with a bit of salt & olive oil. Then add the pasta once the water is boiling rapidly. Saute strips of tofu in some oil olive and season with kosher salt & sesame seeds. Cook until each side is crispy, then remove them from the pan. Add Italian chopped plum tomatoes, yellow peppers, and arrabbiata sauce. Simmer for about 7-10 minutes, add the tofu, and plate over pasta. Garnish with pecorino romano & black pepper. 

Color Blocking.

In honor of New York's fashion week I watched The September Issue. It's a brilliant documentary about Vogue's largest and most influential edition of the year. It's fascinating to watch even if you aren't deep into the fashion world. The Color Blocking shoot, which was quite contentious in the doc, inspired my cooking over the next few weeks. Peep the trailer and my take on the concept.

Mac, Cheese, & Tomatoes.

Flax Oatmeal w Dried Cranberries

Roasted Golden Beet, Carrots, & Purple Potatoes

Onions & Orange Pepper

Pimenton Perch & Purple Potato Hash

Teriyaki Tilapia w Steamed Spinach, Garlic, & Orange Peppers

On The Vine Tomatoes, Mesclun Lettuce, & Organic Ciabatta

Spicy Coconut Rice with Peas & Crispy Curry Tofu

Sweet Jesus, How Was I Ever Vegan?

Oh the lusciousness that is alfredo sauce. I really cannot understand why people buy jarred alfredo when it is so easy to make at home. Basic recipe: butter, half & half or heavy cream, chopped garlic, & parmesan cheese. Melt the butter, add the cream, let them simmer, then add garlic & cheese. Come on now, how simple. I added steamed broccoli, sauteed shrimp, and linguine to the sauce.

Broccoli & Cheddar Quiche

Hello good people! I know it's been a minute now, I've been busy but I'm getting back in the habit. I have managed to keep cooking and taking photos. {Word!} Last week, I made a very simple, very delicious broccoli cheddar quiche. And mes amis, it's goes a little something like this:

4 Eggs

1 cup of any kind of milk you wanna use. {1/2 & 1/2 is recommended but who wants to die of a heartache at 50? I used soy milk.}

A few dashes of salt

A few dashes of garlic

A few dashes of oregano

1/2 - 2/3 of a cup of chopped brocc

3/4 of a cup of shredded cheddar

1 whole wheat pie pan {No time to make it from scratch, but hey you feel free to!}

Basically, you stir 1-5 together in a medium size bowl, layer the brocc & cheese in the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top, bake for 350 degrees for at least 45-50 minutes. Oh so easy & fantastic with a salad. 

Get Your Mac On!

It's Friday, so Ms Christiana's getting her mac on . . . old black lady style. I was a vegan for many years so I hadn't cooked mac & cheese since I was in HS. Anyone who comes from a Black Southern family knows that this wicked dish is an easier said then done. It takes patience, good timing, and a bit of finesse. My family doesn't f with eggs or extra milk or any of that ish. We go for a straight rue over pasta, then pop it in the oven. I used cavatappi because it looks more fun then a standard macaroni. I also used a New Zealand Cheddar which is on sale at Whole Foods this week. The cheese is a bit oily, but it melted well. I dashed some pimenton on top for a bit of color contrast. To put it simply, the shit was good.