Janie's Kitchen
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Meatballs with a Ricotta Surprise
Grass–fed beef meatballs with a ricotta surprise are full of flavor, moist and tender with every bite. Place in a large bowl of marinara sauce and you have the perfect savory meal. I had the great opportunity to cook for KitchenSurfing. A company that “builds a community marketplace for chefs and kitchens; give everyone access … Continue reading
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I have baked these chocolate chip cookies over and over, again and again trying to perfect the recipe. I think I got it. The (2) two secret ingredients that make these cookies stand out from the rest of chocolate chip cookies is the buttermilk and the smoked sea salt. … Continue reading
Cherry Almond Focaccia with Cherry Almond Chocolate Ice Cream was not only incredible to eat, but also fun to make. Seth and I had invited one of his colleagues over for dinner. I have always wanted to try baking focaccia bread and thought this would be the perfect occasion to challenge myself. Bon Appetit coincidentally … Continue reading
The perfect dessert conversation dish. Full of mint and cilantro, your guests will have fun deciding which ice cream flavor they can taste more of. I had a lot of fun making this ice cream. I wanted to create something that was identifiable such as the popular mint ice cream, but with a twist. I … Continue reading
Healthy “Fried” Chicken. How can fried chicken be healthy? That’s an oxymoron if you ask me. Yes, I know that fried chicken usually isn’t healthy, but that is why I wanted to challenge myself to find a way to indulge in this naughty dish without the guilt. For Easter Sunday, I wanted to make our … Continue reading
Paris… the City of Lights. Bountiful in wine, music that will make you fall in love all over again, baguette (and the butter), croissants, foie gras, champagne and of course… the rain. Seth and I were in France last year for a quick weekend. We had one thing on our agenda… to eat. We wanted to … Continue reading
My husband, Seth’s birthday was last week. I assumed he would want me to make his favorite red velvet cake for his big day, but he surprised me. He told me he wanted an all white birthday cake with fresh strawberry filling. I was relieved to not have to make a red velvet cake because I … Continue reading
Seth first made this dish for me when I came out to visit him when we were dating. We went to Eataly (an Italian gourmet “energetic marketplace” in NYC) for “supplies;” he handpicked three White Truffles from Alba, Italy. We sat at one of their bars and ordered a bottle of wine and enjoyed the holiday … Continue reading
This pizza was a winner except for one thing… I did not put enough meatballs on it. I first made this for my birthday party and everyone loved it. In my Spaghetti & Meatballs recipe, I mention the meatballs themselves were so good that I should have served them as mini snacks while I was in the kitchen making the … Continue reading
Spaghetti & Meatballs were a treat when I was growing up. I don’t necessarily remember ever having homemade meatballs, but I do remember going out to eat and always requesting it. As I got older I started to realize how meatballs were made, specific ingredients, the frying process, and needless to say, I now don’t like them … Continue reading
I enjoy being creative with different spices when it comes to marinades, vinaigrettes and stocks. I have become acutely aware of the ingredients I put into my body. There were certain brands that I thought were healthy for me and upon further researching the ingredients on the labels I was shocked to find out how unhealthy they … Continue reading
I’ve always wanted to be able to master making pizza. Unfortunately I am far from being a master, but having fun continually trying. Once a week I make Seth a pizza from scratch. I’m constantly trying to come up with new recipes that will out–do the last one. We enjoy pizza days because there is always … Continue reading
This lox pizza is a special Sunday brunch treat that is fun for everyone to enjoy. The flavors of the capers, dill, and creme fraiche blended with eggs and salmon was the perfect savory breakfast for Seth and me. Wine Pairing: Champagne I use the lox in many of my recipes. I have a recipes for ”Lox … Continue reading
I decided to try making a blueberry buttermilk cake. In turned out being an easy, healthy dessert recipe to ‘wow’ your friends with. I had left over buttermilk from pancakes the other morning and didn’t want to waste it. We had our dear friends John and Danna join us for a Sunday brunch. They … Continue reading
I made the grave mistake of taking my youngest nephew to his first doughnut store while in Colorado. One step into the doughnut store and Luke was screaming of a pre sugar rush with the colorful choice of doughnuts to choose from. I not only allowed him to pick almost every doughnut variety from the … Continue reading
Who doesn’t love pop tarts? Growing up I always wanted the naughty, incredibly bad for you Smore’s pop tarts. Not exactly the most nutrient rich breakfast, but heck, I was in high school not knowing what goes into those artificially–rich tarts. Today, I love making pop tarts from scratch. To make them healthier without the detected … Continue reading
This might very well be the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made. For Christmas last year I made this batter twice and was able to make a 4–tiered cake with cream cheese frosting in–between each layer. This recipe is so much fun to mix it up with: cupcakes, muffins, bundt cake, you name it, the … Continue reading
Serves: 4 ppl. Prep Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 1 hr. Total: 1 hr 20 min. Difficulty: Easy I revamped the Chicken Salad with healthier ingredients. I love walnuts, and find they help curb your appetite. I roasted the raw nuts and mixed them in this salad. Fun Tricks: The walnuts … Continue reading
Yields: 2 Cups Prep Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 0 Total: 20 min. Difficulty: Easy I made this healthy feta dip recipe to go with my Yogurt Indian Chicken. I wanted to add a creamy flavor part to my pita bread that would hold up to the Indian spices. I labeled … Continue reading
Yields: 3 Cups Prep Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 0 Total: 20 min. Difficulty: Easy I made this early in the day so the flavors could marinate together all day while Seth and I were working. I took the healthy pesto and put it in a plastic bag with two D’Artagnan chicken … Continue reading
Yields: 3 Cups Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 0 Total: 15 min. Difficulty: Easy This is an incredibly healthy pesto dip recipe. You can rub on chicken, salmon, and steaks. You can also use them for potato salads, a dollop for your soup, or cut vegetables. The list goes on … Continue reading
Yields: 3 Cups Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 0 Total: 15 min. Difficulty: Easy This healthy recipe is a twist on traditional pesto with basil and pine nuts. I have always enjoyed the aroma of cilantro. You can use this pesto recipe on your pizzas, chicken, soups and salads. Toast the … Continue reading
Yields: 3 Cups Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 0 Total: 15 min. Difficulty: Easy I like changing things up with pesto ingredients. This arugula pesto recipe incorporates a subtle bitter note from the arugula which is healthy, unique and fun to add in sandwiches, soups, chicken and fish entrees. … Continue reading
Serves: 4 to 6 ppl. Prep Time: 2 + hrs. Cook Time: 2 +hrs. Total: 4 + hrs. Difficulty: Medium One of our dearest friends was visiting us on his way back home to Spain. I was making Mexican food and we got on the topic of Spanish cuisine. He told me about … Continue reading
Serves: 4 ppl. Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 45 min. Total: 1 hr 15 min. Difficulty: Easy I make this vegetable soup when I’m feeling under the weather or craving something hearty. It’s an incredibly healthy soup that allows all the flavors to marinate perfectly together. Wine Pairing: Gamay, Beaujolais Cru … Continue reading
Serves: 2 ppl. Prep Time: 10 min. Total: 10 min. Difficulty: Easy Piña coladas = happiness! This tropical smoothie puts a smile on my face every time. The sweetness of the pineapple and creaminess from the yogurt makes even the most difficult mornings better. INGREDIENTS: 1 c. Pineapple (frozen) 1 Banana 1 C. … Continue reading
Serves: 2 to 4 ppl. Prep Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 0. Total: 20 min. Difficulty: Easy I made this healthy salad when I was craving blackberries, the burrata was a last minute touch. We had a about 1/3rd of a cup left from our dinner the night before and I wanted … Continue reading
Serves: 4 to 6 ppl. Prep Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 35 min. Total: 55 min. Difficulty: Easy I made this herbed potato salad for the first BBQ party we attended this past summer. I forgot to tell everyone it was a healthy, yogurt based dressing. I think everyone thought I used mayonnaise … Continue reading
Yields: 3 Cups Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 30 min. Total: 45 min. Difficulty: Easy I made this eggplant dip for my pizza birthday party. I wanted to have some healthy appetizers that we jammed pack with fresh vegetables. Everyone liked the subtle flavors of mint and parsley blended together … Continue reading
Yields: 3 Cups Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 0 Total: 15 min. Difficulty: Easy I love making spreads, dips, marinades, and desserts with yogurt. The tzatzki flavor is wonderful, texture creamy, and it’s almost always better than the alternative when it comes to fat, calories and cholestoral. This is my … Continue reading
Yields: 2 Cups Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 0 Total: 1 hour Difficulty: Easy I really enjoyed making this recipe. I’ve always wanted to make my own hummus. My first attempt was a total disaster! My mother–in–law was visiting us and I wanted to have some healthy snacks out while Seth … Continue reading
Yields: 3 Cups Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 30 min. Total: 1 hour Difficulty: Easy I first made this for my birthday pizza party. I wanted to have my guests enjoy a healthy snack they could nibble on while I was making the pizzas. It was a total hit! Seth … Continue reading
Serves: 2 ppl. Prep Time: 10 min. Total: 10 min. Difficulty: Easy This mint smoothie is incredible scrumptious. I love making this not only for breakfast but sometimes for a dessert. You can even make this into a cocktail by adding your favorite rum. Always a fun, healthy, pre–game drink! INGREDIENTS: 1 … Continue reading
Serves: 2 ppl. Prep Time: 10 min. Total: 10 min. Difficulty: Easy Coming up with new healthy smoothies has become a daily challenge because every morning Seth and I have a smoothie for breakfast before he goes to work. Just the other day he told me how much healthier he feels … Continue reading
Serves: 2 people Prep Time: 10 min. Total: 10 min. Difficulty: Easy When I was about 10 years old my family took a road trip to southern California. On the way to see the Colorado Rockies practice during off-season, we stopped on the side of the road for a date milkshake. The … Continue reading
Serves: 2–4 ppl. Prep Time: 10 min. Total: 10 min. Difficulty: Easy This is a fun breakfast smoothie to make. I usually make these on a Friday morning to celebrate the beginning of the weekend. It tastes like dessert but you know you’re getting great nutritional value as well. The color of this … Continue reading
Serves: 2 people Prep Time: 10 min. Total: 10 min. Difficulty: Easy Coming up with new healthy smoothies has become a daily challenge because every morning Seth and I have a smoothie for breakfast before he goes to work. I would drink this smoothie … Continue reading
Serves:1 loaf or 4 mini loaves Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 1 hr. Total: 1 hr 30 min. Difficulty: Easy My sister got me hooked on zucchini bread when I was working in San Francisco. I flew out to Maui (where she lives with her husband and my two adorable nephews) for a quick … Continue reading
Serves: 2 Prep Time: 10 min. Cook Time: 10 min. Total: 20 min. Difficulty: Easy This is just a one word breakfast dish: yummy! Truffles and eggs go together like peas and carrots. Eggs are the perfect delivery mechanism for truffles. INGREDIENTS: 4 Eggs (divided, 2 egg whites + 2 whole … Continue reading
Serves: 2 Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 5 min. Total: 20 min. Difficulty: Easy This is a variation of my Lox & Bagels recipe. It’s more decadent because of the eggs and milk, but it’s full of wonderful flavors and is a great breakfast/brunch option when hosting people. … Continue reading
Serves: 8 to 10 ppl. Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 40 min. Total: 1 hr 10 min. Difficulty: Easy This granola is not only easy to make but it also brings back childhood memories. I love graham crackers. Being able to incorporate them into the granola is perfect for eating cold or with yogurt … Continue reading
Serves: 8 to 10 ppl. Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 40 min. Total: 1 hr 10 min. Difficulty: Easy I love making homemade granola. It’s more rewarding knowing what ingredients you’re ingesting, especially in the mornings to jump-start our day. INGREDIENTS: 2 C. … Continue reading
Serves: 4 to 6 people Prep Time: 2 hrs. Cook Time: 2+ hrs. Total: 4+ hrs. Difficulty: Easy I serve this healthy recipe sometimes on its own or as a side dish with chicken or pork tenderloin. In the morning, I’l reheat and add an olive oil fried egg on top and … Continue reading
Yields: 2 Cups Prep Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 10 min. Total: 30 min. Difficulty: Easy I made this one night for dinner. We were having baked red snapper and I thought a tomatillo salsa would be a nice healthy contrast in flavors to go over the fish. It turned out … Continue reading
Serves: 4 ppl. Prep Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 15 min. Total: 35 min. Difficulty: Easy Wine Pairing: A rich chardonnay When I was in Colorado recently I went to visit my cousin Laura and her family for dinner. My sister and her boys joined us and before you knew it … Continue reading
Serves: 4 ppl. Prep Time: 2 hrs. Cook Time: 15 to 20 min. Total: 2 hrs 20 min. Difficulty: Easy Seth and I are big fans of Chipotle. This includes the company Chipotle as well as the actual pepper. We are always having fun coming up with ways to incorporate this flavorful, smoky … Continue reading
Serves: 4 people Prep Time: 10 min. Cook Time: 45 min. Total: 55 min. Difficulty: Easy I love using brown rice verse white rice. Nutritionally better for you and has a nuttier taste that I prefer. This recipe has the perfect latin flavors for your side dish in a meal. Seth … Continue reading
Serves: 8 large pancakes Prep Time: 10 min. Cook Time: 10 min. Total: 20 min. Difficulty: Easy Pancakes are a favorite of mine. My mom made Swedish pancakes when my brother and I were growing up. When we go home to visit it’s our “welcome home” breakfast. The pancakes are always … Continue reading
Serves: 2 Prep Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 0 Total: 20 min. Difficulty: Easy I’ve made guacamole since I was in my teens. Everyone has their own guac recipe, but this one is always a winner when I put it out as an appetizer while I’m making the rest of dinner. … Continue reading
Yields: 2 Cups Prep Time: 40 min. Cook Time: 10 min. Total: 50 min. Difficulty: Easy Seth and I have a slight obsession with green chile. So much that we actually order Bueno Autumn Roast “Hot” Green Chile from Sante Fe. The company froze the green chile and shipped it to us overnight. Needless … Continue reading
Serves: 2 to 4 ppl. Prep Time: 45 min. Cook Time: 1 hr. Total:1 hr 45 min. Difficulty: Moderate I came up with this mexican potatoes dish when Seth and I were hosting a Mexican themed party. I wanted to have a hearty and healthy side dish. When I was in Madrid, … Continue reading
Yields: 1 Pint Prep Time: 40 min. Cook Time: 0. Total: 40 min. Difficulty: Easy There are so many variations to this tomato salsa recipe. Change it up however you want: spicier, mild, more smokiness, etc. Salsa is so much better to make from scratch than to buy it from … Continue reading
Yields: 4 Pints Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 4+ hrs. Total: 4 hrs 30 min. Difficulty: Easy Vegetable stock is a great healthy recipe to make and have stocked up in your freezer whenever you need it. I use this recipe a lot for my pasta and grains recipes. When you allow … Continue reading
Yields: 3 Pints Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 4+ hrs. Total: 4hrs 30 min. Difficulty: Easy Chicken stock is a staple in our home. Whenever we start to run low I’ll add these ingredients to my shopping list and stock back up again. No need to ever having to buy … Continue reading
Yields: 3 Pints Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 4+ hrs. Total: 4 hrs 30 min. Difficulty: Easy There is nothing better than veal stock. This is important. One of the main differences between most home kitchens and a good restaurant is that they take the time to make different stocks and … Continue reading
Serves: 6 Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 2 + hrs. Total: 2 1/2 hrs. Difficulty: Medium This recipe wasn’t actually developed because of too much alcohol the night before but because I had ground turkey in the fridge and thought I would make a healthy Chili Burrito recipe with my leftovers. … Continue reading
Yields: 2 Cups Prep Time: 45 min. Cook Time: 30 min. Total: 1 hr 15 min. Difficulty: Easy I love making homemade catsup. Pre–made catsup from your local grocery store has so many unhealthy preservatives. And take a glance at the amount of sugar…yikes! This recipe uses agave syrup instead … Continue reading
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 3+ hrs. Cook Time: 5 min. Total: 3+ hrs. Difficulty: Moderate I’m not going to lie, this recipe is labor intensive. It’s not one of those you start to make when you get home from work. You will need to have made the BBQ sauce two days prior (It … Continue reading
Serves:24 halves Prep Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 10 min. Total: 30 min. Difficulty: Easy Who doesn’t love deviled eggs? They are full of mayonnaise and egg yolks. My Grandma always made the most delectable deviled eggs but I always felt so guilty after having jammed half a dozen of them … Continue reading
Serves 8 Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 10 min. Total: 25 min. Difficulty: Easy Pancakes are usually a Sunday breakfast treat. I love pancakes, especially with maple syrup or even a maple and agave syrup blend. I change the recipe for a healthier pancake batter by using spelt flour and blending … Continue reading
Serves: 1 Crust Prep Time: 2 1/2 hrs. Cook Time: 45 min. Total: 3 + hrs. Difficulty: Easy Making homemade pie crusts are so much satisfying than buying a pre–made crust. It makes any pie, quiche, tort or tart that much more enjoyable with every bite. You can make the dough … Continue reading
Serves: 8 Prep Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 18 min. Total: 38 min. Difficulty: Easy As with zucchini bread, I attribute my love for scones to my sister. When we went to London she ordered scones wherever we went for breakfast. Being that she’s my older sister, I naturally copied everything she did. Today, every time I see … Continue reading
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 25 min Total: 35 min Difficulty: Easy You say “ricotta” I say “frittata” “Ricotta Frittata, Ricotta Frittata.” Okay, that was a little cheesy, but can you blame me? The title is catchy and fun. For me, a frittata is a step up from the basic omelette. I … Continue reading
Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 10 min. Total: 45 min. Difficulty: Medium Who doesn’t love eggs benedict? It’s my husband’s favorite guilty pleasure breakfast. Just the other day, Seth wanted me to tell him how to make hollandaise sauce. Once I explained how much butter goes into it he realized why it’s a “guilty … Continue reading
The Perfect Pairing My husband, Seth and I believe we are the “perfect pair” when it comes to many things, especially food and wine pairings. Seth and I love wine (especially Champagne). It can elevate a dish or meal like nothing else. We wanted to provide brief notes on a few of the more popular grape … Continue reading
