easy peasy turkey dinner

This is a new recipe that was originally planned for turkey patties but, ended up being more like picadillo. I was even surprised how delicious it is! It will definitely be a regular in my dinner recipes. Added benefit is that its super healthy.

Ingredients

1 pack of ground turkey (the lean kind)

1 red pepper diced

1/2 white onion

1 garlic clove

1 handful of mushrooms diced (optional)

1/2 can of tomato sauce

hot curry powder

sweet paprika

olive oil

salt/pepper

1/2 cup of red wine

splash of chalula

Directions

Saute garlic and onions in olive oil till slightly translucent. Add ground turkey and brown while breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Once turkey is browned slightly add red pepper, mushrooms and season with salt/pepper, hot curry powder, sweet paprika, chalula...cook for for about 3 minutes. Then start gradually adding tomato sauce this will take another 3 minutes or so. Add the red wine and let cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the liquid has reduced. Bingo! Thats it! Taste while cooking to make sure you have seasoned to your liking.

I served with some left over whole wheat pasta and steamed brocolli but, over rice, in tacos or lasagna filling would be delish too!

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banana bred

It's a classic recipe that all good housewives, mothers, girlfriends, singles, lovers, sisters, brothers and plumbers should have a good version of, banana bread! I found this one on simplyrecipes.com and its so simple you don't even need heavy kitchen machinery. In this version I added some nutella laced on top but, you can jazz yours up how ever you like, dulce de leche, walnuts, chocolate chips or other fruits.

Ingredients

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed (I smooshed mine but, I don't think that makes a difference?)

1/2 cup of melted butter

1 cup of sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 pinch of salt

1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With a wooden spoon (or spatula or fork for smooshing), mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda (I used baking powder, I just realized this and it tastes delicious so either way is fine) and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

fig-ured it out

This fig cake craving was ignited by a recipe my sister in laws, sister in law makes that is so delicious but, I was too embarrassed to ask for the recipe incase I was shot down. So I happen to stumble across one in Food & Wine Magazine's March issue that a Turkish chef picked up from his Scandinavian grandmother's recipes, and let me just say pretty damn close to the inspired version except it involves raspberries! My husband actually likes it more since its a bit crunchier, ha! Better yet, its easy.

Raspberry-and Fig Cake

Active: 20 min; Total: 1 hr  40 min

Makes one 9 - Inch Cake

Dry bread crumbs, for dusting (I didn't do this)

1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 stick of butter, melted

Finely grated zest of 3 limes

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 pint of raspberries

4 figs, cut into eighths (I did additional figs including folded in the batter)

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch spring-form pan and coat with bread crumbs. (I used an 8 inch pan and no bread crumbs). In a bowl, using a hand held mixer, beat the granulated sugar and eggs at high speed until fluffy. 2 minutes. Beat in the butter and two-thirds of the zest. At low speed, alternately beat in the flour and lime juice until almost incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the batter until smooth (this is where I add extra figs cut into fourths).

2.Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Gently press in the raspberries and figs. Bake the cake on the bottom third of the oven for 40 minutes. Transfer to the upper third of the oven and continue baking for 35 minutes longer, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached.

3.Transfer the cake to a rack to cool. Run a thin knife around the edge and release the spring-form (if you use this). Dust the cake with confectioner sugar and remaining lime zest (I dont do this either I just add extra to the batter). Cut into wedges and serve.

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genius

g whizzz

Last night I had a date with my dad and decided to take him somewhere new! Gigi in Midtown is another perfect example of what Miami has been screaming for a niche of downtown cool casual inexpensive hipster restaurants that bring on the good food and good vibe and leave behind overpriced and over done. Service was friendly and cool. Decor was understated and laid back. Food was mostly on point and the menu is short and sweet. 

Some highlights were the Gigi Buns we tired the chicken ones and it was a literal pillow of heavenly flavor that melted slowly onto my taste buds and made from a serious party in my mouth! The BLT pork belly and pickles was great minus all the flat bread but, take some away and the pickled veggies and pork belly together were awesome. Shiitake Mushrooms with dancing fish flakes were just, to die! We had to order those twice. Corn from the grill, yum. Pink Key West Shrimp, holla!

The Snapper Ceviche wasn't worth it the fish was tasteless and it laid on a shmear of what was supposed to be sweet potato puree but it was more like flavorless baby-food. The presentation was beautiful but, I don't want to look at it I want to eat it. The Beef Noodles were drowning in sauce and the noodles were a bit soggy, next time I will definitely go for a rice bowl or try another noodle bowl. Dessert, usually my favorite  part of the meal was disappointing the peach crumble was anything but, a peach crumble and the carrot cake got lost in layering and forgot about taste...

Besides some of the not so good dishes this place is for sure a new favorite spot. For a Wednesday night it was slammed good thing we arrived early so we sat straight away. One last thing I must mention is that it gets noisy I mean loud! So if your thinking quiet conversation this isn't the place when it gets busy.

Thanks for dinner Dad!

maybe mb

An impromptu trip to Palm Beach last weekend lead us to try Michelle Bernstein's new restaurant MB at the Omphoy Hotel. Lets start with the food and work our way backward, the food was hit or miss. Amazingness was found in the Burrata appetizer laced with paper thin slices of Serrano ham and figs and the main dish Corvina cooked with Foie made for a sweet meaty dish. Other appetizers that was a crowd pleaser were the spinach and feta croquettes and Foie Gras was great! Our friends had the Curry Snapper as a main dish which lacked curry flavor and was a bit bland  as for food negatives I will stop there but, I would definitely go back to try her friend chicken!

Ambience was so weird. Yes, I said weird the hotel is new and feels totally out of place and during construction and interior design they forgot a vibe. The restaurant is a far cry from her corky decor at Michy's or downtown Sr. Martinez. Its cold and dark. Service was great very friendly. People watching in Palm Beach is priceless. 

All in all it was worth the try but, like her other restaurants it's hit or miss.

zoom zuma

It's currently on the top of everyones list of places to be, eat and drink! Zuma located in the Epic Hotel is the newest international transplant to hit the Miami scene that is actually foodie worthy! I can say that each Japanese inspired dish is delish except for the ribs, not worth it when everything is wonderfully mouthwateringly superb. Although the restaurant itself is rather on the large size it still has a warm feeling and there is a smart looking crowd and "eh" service but, everything else makes up for this point. I suggest if you haven't been then your obviously late to the party so don't be left out and get on it! If the prices intimidate you Monday-Wednesday they offer Miami Spice Menu so take advantage while it lasts through September and try it out.

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