Yogurt Herb Dip in a Bread Bowl

It's 7:00pm on Thursday night, you have 10 people coming over tomorrow evening for pre-dinner drinks, and you're chained to your desk until 6 o'clock. Your hair is begging for a wash, you have no IDEA what to wear, and you don't exactly have time to pull out your inner Martha Stewart. What is a girl to do?!

Fear not, I have the perfect solution for these types of situations. I actually learned this one from my mother who managed a hectic lifestyle of shopping, playing tennis, raising three children and entertaining on the weekends. It is a simple appetizer that is ridiculously easy to throw together, presents beautifully, and is sure to impress your guests. As an added benefit it pairs well with pretty much any type of booze;-)

This go to appetizer is simply a "Yogurt Herb Dip in a Bread Bowl". The dip is made with fresh ingredients, key to making the flavor pop, and it is deceivingly healthy, which makes you feel less guilty about indulging before you indulge. The bread bowl is rustic in appearance and makes an impressive display. It also makes the assembly and clean up extremely easy. As the host, you also have the advantage of coming home to left overs. The dip soaked interior bread bowl makes the perfect late night nosh.

Before I send you off to the recipe, I do want to share with you two VITAL tricks that really "kick it up a notch."

One: In the dip, I saute the hell out of an onion and puree it. This adds a unique smokey sweetness to offset the tang of the yogurt. 

Two: Rather than throwing out the guts of your bread ( yes, I'm a Jew. I hate wasting food) Cut it up into large croutons, toss the cubes in EVOO and salt, and toast them in the oven for about 25 minutes. These bring unbelievable texture to your bite and to the display.

Oh, and one more thing.... try to let it sit over night if you can. Similar to a blind date, give the ingredients time to mingle and get to know one another, the change in flavor is shocking. 

Have fun tonight and don't stress! Yogurt Herb Dip is here to save the day... er, night!

____ Recipe: Yogurt Herb Dip in a Bread Bowl ____

Sunday Night Dinner

What a beautiful "Spring" day in NYC it was! The brisk dry air and warm sun felt fantastic in comparison to the stale winter we had. I really feel as though the season has officially changed. Thanks Groundhog Chuck for seeing your shadow... I can't say the same for Phil though (brush up on those skills buddy).

With this fresh new season upon us, I decided to freshen up Sunday night dinner with something on the lighter side, a little fishy! Tonight I am cooking a Panko Crusted Cod. The crust, which is kept to just one side of the fillet, is seasoned with lemon zest a fresh marjoram. The combination of light white fish, crunch of panko, and zing from the zest and herb really wake up your palate. Furthermore, I first brushed the crusted side of the fish with a swipe of dijon. This little addition not only keeps the crust on the little stinker, but it adds one more healthy punch of flavor.

Keeping in mind that there is still a bit of a chill in the air, I paired our fish with a wintry side, so we have a bit of vivacity and a bit of comfort on our plate. My go to side this winter, not to mention Chris's favorite, is my Spaghetti Squash Marinara, tossed with roasted garlic, roasted tomato, and mushrooms. This side is clearly a guilt free alternative to spaghetti and is highly addictive.

Oops! Squash is done! Gotta fly, but try this recipe out! It's a great way to cook something delish, feel good about yourself, and shift into the new season :-)

____ Recipe: Panko Crusted Cod and Spaghetti Squash Marinara ____

Cranberry Fig Sauce

Cranberry sauce is a dish most commonly associated with Thanksgiving. Yes, cranberries were introduced to us by the Native Americans, and yes, it really does add flavor to an otherwise bland slab of turkey, but there is no reason that this tangy, sugary, and tart treat should only be enjoyed one day out of the year. If you are a 'sauce from the can' kind of person, then you really don't know what I'm talking about when I say this should become a staple in our everyday diets. There is nothing in your pantry like freshly cooked cranberry sauce that is layered with deep flavors and texture. When warm it is the perfect dressing to a scoop of vanilla ice cream, when cold it is divine mixed into your morning yogurt or spread on a piece of toast.

The foundation for my kind of cranberry sauce, soon to be your kind, is the use of fresh ingredients, and a combination of sweet, tart, and citrus. In order to build this, I choose to use fresh from the vine cranberries, an orange, and dried mission figs. All ingredients are tossed into a pot and reduced until a chunky and aromatic sauce forms with a deep crimson hue. As soon as you take that first bite, your mouth will be giddy over the layers of flavor and rolling textures, not to mention blushing from it's liaison with the cranberries.

This is the simplest sauce to make and will soon find a permanent spot in your refrigerator.

____ Recipe: Cranberry Fig Sauce ____

Sunday Night Dinner

One of the benefits of living in NYC is the proximity to scrumptious food. Within one square mile of my apartment there are three grocery stores, one of the most famous farmer's markets in the country, at least four of the top rated restaurants this city has to offer, and a multitude of establishments serving food from every culture in the world. Though this is certainly a perk that most New Yorkers take for granted, it is also something we frequently take advantage of ... sometimes, to our dis-avail, nearly ever night.

For this reason, I make an effort to cook a healthy and flavorful dinner every Sunday night. Not only is it an escape from the constant eating out/ordering in/taking out, but it's also a fantastically fun way to close out the weekend.

Come on lazy bones... put down those chop sticks, pull out your skillet and let's get cookin'!

____Recipe: Cider Braised Pork Chop with Roasted Butternut Squash Mash_____