Quick, Seared Tuna ♥

I make this quite often and I get lots of questions about it. So, here is the "recipe" ... I use that term lightly because it is so simple! I love to get tuna tataki at Sushi Gen here in Shreveport and one of my favorite pastimes is trying to mimic my favorite meals from my favorite restaurants. I started with my spin dip, modeling it after the amazing tip at the Oyster Bar [which they no longer serve!] and had great success. Since then, I've been able to recreate several recipes that I can make for less than going out on the town. [such a homebody]

Tuna tataki is served over pickled onions and fresh cucumber and with a sauce that is distinctively Asian, so I'm just showing the tuna prep/recipe only which will make it up to you how to serve it. I think that it is a super versatile protein [about 7g per oz - same as beef!] that can be incorporated into any style or palate. We put it over different salads, wrap it up with veggies, serve it as an appetizer when guests are over, dip into ginger sauce and eat with noodles for a heavier choice. So many options!

You'll need:
1 tuna steak - thicker the better, about 6oz
roughly 1 cup spice/herb mix of your choice 
1 tbsp olive oil
medium sized tupperware

Fish have their own natural oil, so you won't need to dredge the steak in anything to get the spice mixture to stick. Mix your spices/herbs in the tupperware dish, add the tuna steak and press the mixture into all sides, covering the steak completely.

Get your pan nice and hot, you're going to want to have a good, quick sear on this. I add just a little bit of olive oil [tbsp or so] while it is warming. Sear the steak for about 2 minutes on each side. I think it is easier just to use my hands and start with the thin sides first, finishing with the broad sides. Tongs are helpful if you're new to the technique and silicon tipped tongs are best since they won't cut into the sides of the steak. 

When you're done, place the tuna steak back in the tupperware [where your spice mix was], seal it and stick it in the freezer for about 45 minutes or if you're planning well in advance, a few hour in the fridge will have the same effect. Cooking it did will ensure the crust stays solid and the steak will slice beautifully. 

Enjoy!

Bébé ♥

"You can't plan your own baby shower!" ... I heard this from nearly everyone. I'm here to tell you that you can, indeed, plan your own baby shower, if you like that sort of thing. And if you have amazing friends who will help you pull it off, you're officially as lucky as I am!

When I told Cookie I was pregnant [she was the first to know after Brandon because we work together and there was no way that I could keep it from her!] we immediately started talking about parties. As you well know, I love to throw parties. Themed parties being my favorite, Cookie and I started narrowing down the ideas.

I don't like baby showers. There, I said it! Most of them are just "too much" for me to handle with the terrible games [Really? Melting candy bars in diapers and measuring how FAT a pregnant person is? Who the hell came up with this torture?] and the present-opening, etc. So I decided that I really just wanted a garden party at tea time that would also double as a celebration in anticipation for Winnie's arrival. My rules were simple ... men and women were invited, there must be a themed cocktail, no games, and I wasn't going to open presents while everyone stared at me and giggled. I got 3 out of 4, so needless to say, I'm very pleased with the outcome. In the end, I realized that the opening of the gifts isn't really about the gift-getter, but the gift-giver. People like to see you open presents they give you. So, I sat down on a beautiful velvet couch and opened them one by one like a good little [giant] pregnant lady.

I don't like a hard theme, just a feel ... so I went with ethereal, with a dash of French country. So, lots of ethereal decorating provided by Cookie ... greenery, fresh flowers, dropped off that morning by Ashlee Kirby, jute and burlap over linen, white, clear and green glass pieces everywhere. I chose lavender as the complementary color, so we had dried lavender spread around in the centerpieces. Everything was lovely. For the cocktail, I mixed equal parts of Bombay Sapphire Gin & Verdi Spumante, lemon juice and a sprig of mint. We also served sweet tea, hot peppermint tea with honey sticks and cucumber water. [beyond pissed that I didn't get a picture of the beverage station!] For the food, I made pasta salad with andouille sausage, cucumber sandwiches [Daigle and I invented a new kind; rye toast with herbed cream cheese, layered cucumbers and a sprig of dill ... divine!], home-style fries with dried herbs. Daigle made a fantastic cheese spread with croissants, open-faced mini shrimp po-boys, and some really awesome fruit salsa with cinnamon and gingerbread pita chips. As for the dessert table, we had cupcakes  and macarons from Buttercups provided by Mari Williford, key lime pie, white chocolate-dipped rice crispy treats, so much delectable fruit and my personal favorite ... kiwi sorbet! I'll be posting some recipes soon; the sorbet was kind of a "wing it" situation for me since I didn't like most of the recipes online, which often happens. But it turned out perfect and was a big hit.

The Symphony House on Centenary's campus provided a beautiful venue. The hundred-year-old historical house is now used by the Shreveport Symphony Guild and can be rented as a venue at a decent price. Cookie, Daigle & I made all the food and decorated the dining room [complete with  wood floors, 15 ft ceilings, a full size harp and grand piano] to the nines. I had such a wonderful time! I'll be posting recipes soon, but for now, here are some pictures ...

I'd like to offer a special thank you to those who came to celebrate with us. There was a lot going on that day including another shower, a wedding, a funeral, and the Cork Wine Festival. So, it truly means a lot to me that you came! I'd also like to thank my hostesses Ashlie Daigle and Cookie DuBois for providing lots of fabulousness for me to work with. I could not have had my dream shower with out you!

♥

Seared to Perfection ♥

This has become one of my favorite things to cook. So easy and simple but really delicious and healthy, too! The act of searing steak is used to literally seal in the juices of the meat that you're cooking. In the case of tuna, it's really more of an attempt to use the herbs and seasoning to create a seal on the outside, while keeping the middle nice and raw.

Here's what you'll need:
1 large, very thick tuna steak, not frozen! Usually about .75lb [Kroger usually has them.]
1/3 bottle Montreal Steak seasoning [low sodium]
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp sage
1 tbsp rosemary
The spice measurements are not exact. I really just kind of do it "to taste" ... the only thing to keep in mind is that the Montreal Steak seasoning is the main part. And don't add more salt! So, don't use garlic salt, use garlic powder to make sure you're not adding more salt.

What to do:
Preheat a skillet with a little olive oil. You want it to be pretty hot, so medium high would be best.


In a large Tupperware [you'll need it to be flat on the bottom & have a top], mix together all the seasonings. Dredge the tuna steak in the mixture. The fish has it's own oils, so you won't need to dredge it in anything prior to the mix. Make sure you have all of the tuna completely covered and then start searing the steak in the pan. It's best to start with the outer edges. Sear each side of the tuna for about 2 minutes only. When you're finished, place the seared steak back into the Tupperware, seal the top and put it in the refrigerator for a few hours. Placing it in the refrigerator allows the steak to get firm enough to slice, as well as completing the herb seal. Whoo!

To serve, slice into thin, even slices and serve as an appetizer or as the main dish of a meal. This goes amazingly well with all salads. Although it is essentially raw fish, it doesn't taste like Asian cuisine like sushi can. [I don't like to eat sushi with anything other than Asian foods and flavors.] It truly goes well with a large variety of foods as well as wines and beer. Pairing with a Guinness and some artichoke bread is a great idea, as well as with white wine and a salad. Or even for a quick lunch with some coconut water or iced tea. I can't sell it enough.

Now ... for the best part! There's more! I've got a great little dip you can make to serve it with. The most important thing to remember about this dip is that you only need a teeny tiny bit when you use it!

Mix the following in a small bowl:

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette dressing

1 tbsp milk

[you can add wasabi if you wish!]

Enjoy! ♥

French Quarter Fairytale

.

These were all taken with my iPhone ... I wasn't interested in lugging around my big ass camera everywhere we went. I think they're pretty good and they convey that blurry romantic feel that New Orleans just oozes. I feel home when I'm there, but I know I couldn't live there for a number of reasons. Hillary & Rue are officially married!! This was a wonderful weekend full of love and magic ... a great way to start the new year. ♥

Pumpkin Bread Pumpkins

You can make pumpkin bread two ways ... use Alton Brown's recipe, or buy from a box. Now that pumpkins are readily available, I think Mr. Brown's recipe is they way to go! I'll copy it below for you to try, but I thought I'd go ahead and add my little advice for serving; cute silicone baking cups to create the precious Jack-o-lantern design and the best thing to serve this sweet pumpkin bread with is plain old Philly cheese whipped with fresh orange zest. Soften the cheese [25 sec in the microwave or just let it thaw a bit so you can whip it] and fold in the orange zest. Whip until spreadable and serve with warm pumpkin bread! Yum!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups shredded fresh pumpkin
• 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.

In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine both mixtures and fold in the shredded pumpkin and pumpkin seeds. Once the ingredients are all incorporated pour into a non- stick 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan. If your pan is not non- stick coat it with butter and flour.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. At this point a knife inserted into the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. For muffins temperature should also be 325 degrees F., but bake for 30 minutes.

Kickasserole

This is fantastic. I took a recipe for chicken Florentine casserole and kind of changed it up a little bit. [bacon bits? seriously? no ...] I don't usually do casseroles, besides big Italian dishes that you give to people after their relatives die.  I love to make baked ziti and other comfort foods, but I usually steer clear of this type of dish. Casseroles feel like cheating, I think. But, I'm sure I'll make them more often now since this was so delicious. Here's how to make this "Kickasserole" if you'd like to give it a try!

You'll need:

4 chicken breasts

1 can of spinach, strained

1 pkg mushrooms, sliced

1 can of  cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup 1/2 & 1/2

1/3 cup of butter

1/4 cup parmesean

3 cloves of garlic

salt, pepper, Tony's, etc.

fresh basil, ripped

Italian seasoning [your choice!]

2 cups mozzarella cheese

In a large saucepan, season chicken breasts with pepper, salt & "blue top" Tony's. Cook the chicken in olive oil and one clove of minced garlic. While that is cooking, mix the spinach and chopped mushrooms in the bottom of a Pyrex dish. [9x14] When the chicken is done, place it on the mixture and prepare the following cream sauce in the same saucepan. Add cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 & 1/2, parm cheese, butter and italan seasonings to the saucepan and simmer until ... delicious. I really don't remember how long. 10+ minutes probably. Add basil last, then cover the chicken and veggie mix with the cream sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 until golden bubbly [about 25 minutes.] It will be golden and it will bubble, I promise. 

Easy! Great served with rice or angel hair pasta and a salad. ♥

Turkey Burgers ♥

Surprise! More food! I have been craving hamburgers lately, but I can't eat beef [long story ...] so I thought I'd showcase one of my favorite "cheat" foods. We try and substitute turkey when possible; ground turkey is 98% fat free! There is less grease [less guilt!] and when seasoned well, the taste is delicious. I love making turkey tacos and similar meals with lots of different elements, making the turkey an easy switch; but with burgers, the meat is the concentrated point of flavor, so it's best to do a lot of prep-work if you're not able to eat classic beef hamburgers.

These are so easy and delicious! Just take your ground turkey and add minced veggies like onion, garlic and bell peppers to taste. [leave the tomatoes for slices on the burger itself] If you want to go majorly "veggie," dump in a 1/2 cup or more of each, but if you're just wanting to add a little flavor, simply add a few tablespoons of each. Rosemary works really well with turkey, so I usually add quite a few chopped sprigs. Now, the trick to the moisture is to add a beaten egg. Turkey is nearly fat free, which means there is less grease, therefore less moisture. So beat an egg and add it to the mixture. Lastly, I like to add salt and pepper after I've pattied them up. Just grill these like you normally would and serve with all the trimmings! We don't have a real outdoor grill, so I always pan-fry mine. We chose to make these cheeseburgers [colby shred] and serve corn on the cob and some BBQ chips for the perfect summer meal.

Bonus: you'll find that the clean-up is easy without all that grease ... yay!

Tip: Kraft Mayo with olive oil is delish on these!