Simple Supper and a Surprise

Considering we live in Florida, we do not eat nearly enough seafood.  I might buy something at the market and cook it that night or the next day, but I want to get in the habit of incorporating seafood into dinner at least twice a week.

On Sunday night I made sauteed Florida shrimp with mushrooms, green onions, ginger, and a jalapeno.  I served it with spiced roasted eggplant and a little quinoa.  It was spicy, but pretty good. I then took all the shrimp shells and made a nice broth - something I wouldn't recommend doing in an open air apartment as I had to light candles for the remainder of the evening as dinner was lingering.   But, the broth was delicious.

Last night I made a one pot dish that was a play off of this Cooking Light recipe but I had no fennel.  It was delish, took thirty minutes, and was a nice light weeknight dinner.  I roasted brussel sprouts with balsamic to serve along side.

Here's the recipe for the simple fish stew -

1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 pint cherry tomatos, halved
3 garlic cloves, diced
2.5 cups seafood stock
2 cups marianna sauce
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/4 t paprika
1 lb white fish, cut into 1" pieces; I used tilapia
salt and pepper to taste

Add oil to pot and heat up (on medium), 2 minutes, add onion and saute for 3-4 minutes.  Add carrot and celery, saute 8-10 minutes, add garlic, tomatos, red pepper flakes and paprika.  Stir for 3 minutes actively, until tomatos burst.  Add seafood stock and tomato sauce, stir and bring up to a simmer, simmer for 5 minutes uncovered.  Add fish and bring heat down, cook uncovered for ten minutes. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

Also some of my lady friends did a Secret Santa this year.  It was a treat to come home on Monday and find a package waiting with a gift from an old friend.  She is the cutest and the note said, "Because I love your blog."  I love it some much and it brings a smile whenever I walk by the guest bedside table.

Recipe - Ole NYC standard

When I lived in the West Village I would stay in many a night and make this little chicken dish for myself and then eat the left overs for a few days.  It seemed fancy since it had white wine in it with the "good Dijon."  It is best served with rice and a steamed or roasted veggie.  Last night I did asparagus.  See if you like it!

Dijon chicken with mushrooms and tomatos

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
1 pint cherry tomatos, sliced in half
1 pint button mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 T capers
2.5 T dijon mustard
1 cup white wine (any will do)
Half lemon, juiced
S&P
Olive oil

Dice all veggies while chicken is browning in pan on medium-high heat with a bit a salt with 1 T olive oil.

Remove chicken from pan with tongs and set aside, lower heat to medium and add onion, saute for 8-10 minutes.

Add tomatos, mushrooms, wine, mustard, dash salt and pepper, turn heat up to high, once bubbling, turn to low, add chicken and capers and simmer for 12-15 minutes.  Add lemon juice right before serving.  Serve over rice and with other vegetable.

Enjoy!

Be my guest - part one

I love guest rooms.  I think it is a space where one can experiment more with design; there is more freedom with a guest room.  I enjoy making my houseguests feel welcome and cozy in our home, and I wanted to share some of my thoughts for creating a warm room for guests to stay.

On my Christmas list this year is a glass carafe. It is a lovely personal touch for out of town guest on the bedside table.   Below are a few I found online to share.

Images 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Friday round-up!

Back to Miami after a work and personal travel week.  I was in Montreal for a quick three-day trip last weekend - update to come asap.  Loved that city. 

This weekend we're headed to watch Alice in Wonderland at the Barnacle (coolest name for park) for a public showing and picnic.  Sunday is our first Dolphins game with R's work people. November, Miami, spouse work colleagues - outfit is very TBD.  

A couple things to share today:

We had THE best African Peanut Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potatos in Montreal. I am trying one asap. 

Holiday wreaths that are so beautiful and fun. 

Great Florida holiday wrapping paper. 

This purchase is probably happening soon. 

Hunting for a Christmas tree skirt that I find attractive/not outrageously expensive for two years now.   This one (gold) may do, still not sold...

This makes me tingly. 

Recipe - roasted tomato soup

The ladies I work with and share an office (there are three of us in a room) love soup as much as I do.  I have been hyping up my soup game but have not brought in anything as I've promised.  Until today. Last night I made a version of smitten kitchen's roasted tomato soup.  It was good, I could make some tweaks I think to make it even better.  See the recipe below with my tweaks.  I served it with shredded mozzarella cheese on top and a slice of Asiago peppercorn bread from Trader Joe's.

My version of roasted tomato soup -

3.5 pounds roma tomatoes, sliced down the middle
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper
1/8 t roasted red pepper flakes
1/4 t dried thyme
4 c vegetable stock


Preheat oven to 250, place tomatoes face up on sheet and roast for 2 hours. Take garlic and wrap tightly in tinfoil, put on sheet with tomatoes. Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil and heave seasoning of salt and pepper.

Pour veggie stock in pot with red pepper flakes and thyme. Once tomatoes are done, remove with tongs from sheet along with garlic cloves (peeled) to blender or food processor and plush one-two times so they are still course. Add mixture to broth in pot, bring to boil and then simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This soup is MUCH better the next day, making this a day ahead would be ideal.

Image via smitten kitchen. 

Friday round-up!

Happy almost weekend!  This weekend we're going to a friend's BYOP carving party, I'm checking out a new Pilate's class, and have some other high-paced activities on tap...

I bought this sweater and it is THE best.  Staple.  I cannot wait for it to either get cool enough to wear it in Miami or wear it when I go North for a work trip soon.

I read a New Yorker piece on Jack Dorsey (Twitter founder) last night.

I'm going to try out this dip this weekend as a base, but jazz it up a bit.  I will post the recipe if it is worthy.

I read this post on Monday via A Cup of Jo and passed it along to some of my work friends with kids.  I think it is so important for women to be supportive of each other, even if they are in different life situations.  What I have learned is that we all think that we should be doing more and/or doing things better most of the time.  It's exhausting.

Who knew the roof of Chicago City Hall was so green?

Cute earrings. Holiday lite.

Image

Fall doorways

Almost November and time to look at some pretty doors.  Excited to post this by season.   xo

All images via my Pinterest.