by Rachel | Studio Cuisine on May 6, 2013
I told you I would bring back Must-Make Mondays!
I’m short on time, so my love of Iowa Girl Eats might not be adequately expressed in this post, but I can assure you, this is one blog you must check out! Kristin’s blog has been one of my favorites since my food blog reading obsession began about a year ago. She’s your go-to-girl if you’re looking for quick and easy weeknight dinners, and her step-by-step photos make each and every recipe so enticing! Just check out these chicken gyro sliders or this spinach and artichoke dip chicken. While recipes for sweets are less common, she won’t steer you wrong with those either. Case in point: these raspberry lemonade crumb muffins.
They’re light and fluffy and scream spring/summer with their lemon flavor and juicy raspberries. I dare you to eat just one (disclaimer: it’s not possible). These photos just don’t do them justice, so pop on over to Iowa Girl Eats for the recipe!
by Rachel | Studio Cuisine on May 2, 2013
With grad school wrapping up and a new job around the corner, my meals have become two things: quick and easy.
Despite all the shortcuts I take for my meals (can you say canned tuna on a bed of lettuce?), one shortcut I refuse to take is with store-bought granola. The minimal effort it takes to make your own is worth the peace of mind knowing exactly what went into it. Taking 30-45 minutes to whip up a big batch ensures I’ve got enough granola to top my morning yogurt for at least a couple weeks.
This particular granola comes from one of my favorite blogs that I’ve mentioned in the past, How Sweet It Is. I’ve mentioned Jessica before in my Must Make Mondays post (that I’ll reinstate one day, I promise). Her recipes are creative, her photography is gorgeous, and you better bet I’ll be one of the first people in line to buy her cookbook when it comes out.
So in the style of the brown butter queen, I took a page from her book and added it to this granola. It adds a level of complexity that is unmatched. Add in some almonds, ground flax, and dried cranberries and you’ve got a healthy granola that totally negates the impact of the minimal amount of butter.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup toasted sliced almonds
- 1/2 ground flax seed
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 heaping cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruit)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, whisking constantly until butter begins to brown. Remove from heat and stir in honey and vanilla extract.
- In a large bowl, stir together oats, almond, ground flax, cinnamon, and salt. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until mixture is fully coated.
- Spread granola over parchment or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, stir, then bake for another 10 minutes. From this point forward, stir every 3 minutes until granola is light brown (this took 6 minutes for me). Let cool completely, then stir in dried cranberries. Serve as desired (over yogurt, like cereal with milk, etc.)
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http://www.studiocuisineblog.com/2013/05/02/brown-butter-granola/
by Rachel | Studio Cuisine on April 15, 2013
After a few baked good recipes in a row, I figure I owe you something on the healthy side.
This post is a product one of absolute favorite magazines (and who am I kidding, the only magazine I read), Bon Appetit. I was so so happy when my birthday present this year came in the form of a subscription to this magazine (Thanks Lo!). I was burning way too big of a hole in my wallet spending $5 an issue when an entire yearly subscription is only $12. While this particular recipe comes to you as a result of that $5 I spent in an airport shop back in August of last year, you can rest assured that future recipes will be much kinder on my wallet.
These Asian-inspired lettuce wraps are a fresh, flavorful lunch option that I personally have been eating for almost a week now. They pack a big umami punch and are oh-so-satisfying. If you’re not a fan of ground turkey, feel free to substitute ground chicken, pork, or beef. I’m convinced that these Asian flavors would work well with any of the above. Wrapping these babies in lettuce makes them a quick and easy meal that you can enjoy as warmer weather is upon us.
Turkey Sausage Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp fish sauce, divided
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 Thai chile, jalapeño pepper, or 1/2 serrano chile, minced and divided (with or without seeds)
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 head Bibb or romaine lettuce, leaves separated
Instructions
- To make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons fish sauce, lime juice, half of chile (or jalapeño pepper), and two tablespoons water. Set aside.
- To make the turkey sausage: In a medium-sized bowl, stir together remaining two tablespoons fish sauce, remaining chile or pepper, ground turkey, garlic, oyster sauce, and flour.
- Heat 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
- Using wet hands, form turkey mixture into eight small patties.
- Working with four patties at a time, place patties in skillet and cook 3-4 minutes per side, turning once. Place on paper-towel lined plate to cool. Add remaining 1 and 1/2 tablespoons to skillet and let heat up. Repeat the same process with remaining four patties.
- Place patties in a lettuce leaf and serve with dipping sauce.
Notes
Adapted from the September 2012 issue of Bon Appetit.
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http://www.studiocuisineblog.com/2013/04/15/turkey-sausage-lettuce-wraps/
