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Baked Mahi Mahi with (soy) Chorizo Confetti

Posted on May 21, 2013 · Leave a Comment

baked mahi mahi with soy chorizo confetti When meeting with one of my favorite Clients 2 weeks, we got to talking about her Pescatarian lifestyle. I was intrigued and after reading numerous articles, learning all of the health benefits, I decided I would try it for 1-month. It’s been 2 weeks and I can honestly say it has been a breeze. As someone who loves seafood and was raised on tofu, protein packed meals haven’t been a challenge. (Of course, with proper meal planning)

Meat lovers, not to fret. I’m a lover of food and like I said, I would try it for 1-month.

This past Sunday was a beautiful one in Chicago which I spent in the park, reading my favorite cooking magazine Cooking Light. The April issue featured 40 meals under 40 including one for Pan-Grilled Chicken with Chorizo Confetti. My revised baked Mahi Mahi version is served with soy chorizo.

Entertaining Tip: Baked is always better than pan searing, grilling, frying etc. when entertaining. Not only is it a healthy alternative but less time in the kitchen means more time with your guests.

Now I know what you’re thinking. Soy Chorizo. Gross. I had my girlfriend Frankie over for dinner and only told her it was soy AFTER her first bite. The Trader Joe’s stuff is seriously to die for. For my version of chorizo confetti I also omitted the carrots and instead added more fresh peppers. Vegetable stock completes this Pescatarian meal.

cooking light instagram

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A Perfect Event – “Let them eat cake!”

Posted on September 26, 2012 · Leave a Comment

I couldn’t be more excited for tonight’s A Perfect Event eMagazine launch party. In just 2 hours we will be tasting and toasting with friends, family, clients and colleagues in celebration of the beautiful eMagazine. If you haven’t read the first fall issue, you’re in for a treat! It’s choc filled with gorgeous pictures of Paris, fall entertaining inspiration and endless eye candy contributed by Debi’s fabulous “tastemakers”. Check it out here!

For a behind the scenes peak at what A Perfect Event has been up to check out Debi’s blog – I can’t WAIT to try the Swirlz Marie Antoniette cupcakes! They are vanilla pink champagne cakes paired with vanilla moscato cakes. And get this?! Filled with champagne sabayon. To. Die For!

Hope to see many of you at A Perfect Event tonight – and stay tuned for a recap filled with gorgeous pics tomorrow! 

(Catherine – I’m still so obsessed with your gorg invite. :)

 

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Protein Packed Breakfast – Frittatas and Triple Berry Muffins

Posted on September 25, 2012 · Leave a Comment

I loved granola and the occasional Corn Pops cereal as a kid (there was no over the top sugary cereal in my mother’s healthy household!). Give me a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch for a snack today and I’m one happy camper. However, as an event planning adult who’s on her feet bouncing all over the city, I need major protein in the morning! My smoothies will always be a favorite. Another favorite of mine? My spinach, goat cheese and bacon frittatas and amped Trader Joe’s triple berry bran muffins.

My spinach, goat cheese and bacon  frittatas have made it to my girlfriend’s bachelorette party, at the office for a team breakfast and for a mother’s day brunch for my mom and godmother. All rave reviews! Incredibly simple and also make a delicious dinner paired with an herbaceous side salad. And if 12 feel like a lot to have on hand cut the recipe in half. Eat two for dinner and save the remaining four for breakfast with you and your man. These are always a crowd pleaser – he’ll thank you.

(serves 6)

Ingredients:

  • 12 eggs
  • 2-3 oz herb goat cheese (I love Trader Joe’s Silver Goat Chevre, Garlic & Herb)
  • 1 small sweet onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1-6oz package of spinach (when it comes to leafy greens go organic)
  • 6-slices of low sodium turkey bacon (can easily omit for a meatless meal)
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray your muffin tin with cooking spray so your frittatas won’t stick (no cupcake liners! I have a friend, who shall remain nameless, try this) In a large bowl scramble your 12 eggs. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large sauté pan sauté your onion with 1 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, cooking until soft for about 5-6 minutes. Next add your spinach until entire bag is wilted down, 3-4 minutes.

While onions and spinach are cooking, fry up your bacon OR pop in your 375 degree oven. This is my favorite way to cook bacon – no grease flying and couldn’t be easier! Turkey bacon is much thinner than regular bacon so keep an eye on it – you may need to flip 4-5 minutes in. It’ll take no longer than 10 minutes to cook your bacon. Once bacon is cooked, slice into thin strips.

Evenly distribute your spinach and onion mixture into the 12 muffin tins. Next divvy up your egg and top with a few crumbles of goat cheese and bacon. Pop into the oven for 8-10 minutes. Simple and delicious. Enjoy!

The perfect side, staying with the muffin theme, is a protein packed muffin. I often make these Sunday night to have for breakfast throughout the week. They are also a great protein-packed snack! Trader Joe’s provides you with all the goods however I add the following to really amp up the flavor and protein.

  • 3/4 cup chopped dates
  • 1/2 cup flax seeds

Follow the TJ instructions on the box and make sure to store in an air-tight container.

What are your favorite protein-packed breakfasts? I’m always looking for new recipes so please share!

 

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Planning a Girls Night – Fall Edition

Posted on September 19, 2012 · Leave a Comment

My high school bestie got married this past April which meant I, the MOH, got to plan a fabulous bachelorette party in honor of our Rachel. In spirit of Rachel’s love for wine tasting (or really anything involving vino!) and need to get away for some R&R, I planned a girls weekend getaway in Saugatauk, Michigan. It was THE perfect girls trip. One we’ll never forget. After leaving our beautiful house, which I rented on my favorite vacation site vrbo.com, we all vowed to get away to Michigan again come winter.

This got me thinking…why wait until a special occasion to celebrate all of your girlfriends? Yes, we’re all busy with a million and one things to do. However, it is so very important to set dates with your girls where you can truly talk, catch up, and celebrate the amazing friendships that you just couldn’t live without. There will always be dinners, bars and dancing (still great fun!) however I urge you to take the time to plan something special. Something you can do year after year. This will give everyone something to not only look forward to but most importantly get you in the habit of making these occasions an extra reason to get together.

This past summer a coworker of mine went sailing for a girlfriend’s birthday. Once I heard this I instantly thought this could be the perfect summer girls night! I instantly sent a note to my girlfriends where 6 of us raised our hands to set sail one Wednesday evening for a night of sailing, girl talk and vino; all while watching the Chicago sunset followed by beautiful Navy Pier Fireworks.  From Frankie dressing extremely “nautical” (still love those metallic Sperry’s) to Britt capturing every moment in the making (yes, I’m lucky enough to have a best friend who’s also a photographer!). Below are a few of my favorites. I can’t recommend Go Sailing enough – the staff is beyond helpful with the boat coming equipped with everything you can imagine. From a planning perspective it couldn’t have been easier! Each girl brought a different appetizer to share, as well as a bottle of wine.

Ladies, this will forever be a night to remember.

Okay, Spring – Check! Summer – Check Check! Now here comes fall…

Thanks to Frankie and Claire, they came up with the idea for a fall girls day jam packed with the works; Pumpkin picking & hayrides followed by a girls sleepover with other “Fall Activites”. Love that I am the go-to planner for my friends and they came straight to me to get the ball rolling! This October we will be getting together for a day of fall fun. Activities that I’m bringing to the table? A make-your-own caramel apple bar with all the fixings plus stations to both carve and decorate pumpkins. Also spiked mulled cider and vino. What could be better?

Can’t wait, to create yet another tradition with the greatest friends a girl could ask for. Party planning logistics and menu to come!

What traditions do you and your girls look forward to year after year? Do share!

 

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(no) Takeout Tuesday – Eggplant Parmesan Stacks

Posted on August 7, 2012 · Leave a Comment

You’ll hear me say this time and time again; a stroll through the Daley Plaza Farmer’s Market is THE best lunch break you can take. Fresh produce, gorgeous flowers and decadent baked breads and sweets. A break in my work day and inspiration for a healthy dinner. I just love this farmer’s market! This past Thursday I discovered beautiful white (who knew?!) and purple eggplants at the Nichols Farm & Orchard stand where in the mix I spotted the below gorgeous hybrid. You really do eat with your eyes first so I knew I just had to create something delicious with this. It was too pretty to leave behind!

In spirit of Meatless Mondays I created the below Eggplant Parmesan Stacks. With a more entertaining-friendly presentation this stack not only showed off the gorgeous vegetable but was much healthier than the heavy classic. I served it with brown rice pasta with a tomato goat cheese sauce.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your stacks with a side of pasta:

 (serves 2-3)

  • 1 small to medium eggplant
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 cup panko
  • 2 tsp dried Italian seasonings
  • 2 servings brown rice (or whole wheat) spagetti pasta
  • 1 tbsp goat cheese
  • 3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups of your favorite jarred marinara
  • drizzle of olive oil

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Slice your eggplant into 1/2″ slices.

Setup your dredging station. Mix grated parmesan cheese, panko and Italian seasonings in a low dish or medium plate. Scramble egg in a low dish (pie pan works great).

Dip both sides of the eggplant in your egg wash, next panko mixture and then place in a pyrex or other glass baking dish. Cover dish with foil and pop into the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven,spread one spoonful of marinara sauce on each slice of eggplant (this will allow the panko to crisp up before placing sauce on eggplant). Cover back up with foil for remaining 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven one last time and sprinkle grated parmesan over each eggplant slice leaving 1 tbsp for your finished stacks; you’ll be surprised how a little bit of cheese goes a long way here. Return to oven set on broiler to brown up your cheese for 1-2 minutes. Keep your eyes on the oven, this goes quick!

15 minutes into bake time boil your salted water for the pasta. Cook pasta to al dente, drain and return to pot. Drizzle with a little olive oil and add remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce and 1 tbsp of goat cheese. Melt cheese into pasta and serve hot with eggplant stacks.

To create your eggplant stacks place 3 pieces per stack, starting with the largest on the bottom working your way to the top. Top fresh pasta and eggplant with remaining grated parmesan and enjoy! In spirit of my fav. show Master Chef I sliced the eggplant so you can all get a look inside (Jeremy, I knew you’d love this picture! ).

Some tips that can save you time, calories and money by making your own Italian dishes:

  • High Quality Cheese – a little goes a long way. The reason only a small amount of cheese is needed for this dish is due to the freshly grated, high quality parmesan cheese. This strong, decadent tasting cheese adds flavor without all the calories of loaded mozzarella.
  • Dress up jarred marinara. A huge time saver for weekday meals! Love creamy (naughty) sauces? Add a small spoonful of flavorful goat or cream cheese plus herbs for a fraction of the calories of heavy cream sauce. Want more veggies? Toss fresh spinach into the sauce plus some garlic powder for extra punch. The opportunities are endless here.

What are you favorite restaurant/takeout Italian dishes? Do tell! Anything you want a short cut for?

 

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Engagement Party & Shower Gifts + DIY Signature Frame

Posted on July 30, 2012 · Leave a Comment

First up in celebratory wedding festivites is the engagement party followed by the bridal shower.

For the engagement go for something simple and sweet. Sure, a nice bottle of vino does the trick but what else could you give? Are you a MOH or bridesmaid? A years subscription, pending how long the engagement of course, is a great gift that keeps on giving every month. The Knot is a favorite of mine (and many!) with Brides being another great option. Is your bride the “type A” kind of girl? A planner/organizer makes a great gift, as well as tickets to a bridal expo in your area for inspiration. Is there something the couple loves to do together? For my friends Mike and Molly I knew a cheese 101 coffee table book with classic cheese dome was a perfect gift fitting Molly’s classic entertaining style and Mike’s culinary school background. Endless options here!

Now it’s time to shower the couple. Registries help guide gift giving but again, a little planning and creativity can turn a gift of bath towels to a gift of relaxation heaven. Add bubble bath + bride and groom rubber duckies + aromatherapy candles and your towels  have become a romantic bubble bath.

Tip: Create a signature shower gift that any friend would love. One that’s very you! For me, my friends know cooking is a passion of mine. One that I love to share. My now go-to gift takes the wok on almost any registry + other Asian staples and viola! You have Chinese takeout at home for any day of the week.

Other great gift basket ideas? Salad kit (salad spinner + salad bowl and tongs + salad dressing shaker) Pizza night (pizza stone + seasonings/dry ingredients + cutter + grater) Wine night (wine glasses + wine club subscription) and Cake Kit (Cake stand + Icing kit + sprinkle/decor).

My girlfriend Rachel had two showers so I also wanted to make her something she could cherish and hang in her house for years and years to come. I love the keepsake signature frames for those attending your rehearsal dinner to sign. All frames that I found were $50+ and were nothing special. Pretty plain and boring. Here’s how to make a DIY signature frame which allows you to not only customize your frame, mat color and message but also helps save a little cash too. A win-win!

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Photo Mat Board (Tip: Michael’s sells signature mat boards which provide ample space for love notes to the couple)
  • 8×10 photo of the couple
  • Mod Podge and paint brush
  • Scrapbook paper to create your “i do”
  • “i do” print out to create your stencil (Tip: Michael’s sells pre-cut letters in select cardstock paper. My bride to be loves sparkles so I created my own however check these pre-cut letters first for an even easier frame)

And what to do:

Print out “i do” in the font and size of your choice. Trace and cut letters out, placing in the center of your frame. Glue with mod podge paint for a clear, glossy finish with paint brush. Wait until completely dry and write your love wish to the happy couple. Place in frame, wrap with permanent sharpie for guests to use at rehearsal dinner.

This is always a favorite gift and another way for the couple to display their gorgeous engagement pictures. I promise, the couple will love it!

 

 

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(no)Takeout Tuesday – Mexican Pizza with Corn Salsa

Posted on July 11, 2012 · Leave a Comment

One lazy Saturday night the boyfriend and I found ourselves craving Mexican yet didn’t want to venture out to Zocalo, one of our favorite Mexican tequila bars. We were feeling some cervezas yet wanted to enjoy and relax from the comfort of our couch (aren’t those nights the best sometimes?!). So naturally I turned to my Latino Flavors Pinterest board for inspiration – ladies, it’s great to Pin/Re-pin however if you never make or do, what’s the point?!

I found this recipe which inspired my own version adapted below, adding lean ground beef. Look how incredible it turned out! Believe me, it tasted even better. I had a few ears of corn on hand (it’s summer, please enjoy while you can!) which led to the below cilantro lime corn salsa. This stuff was not only great with tortilla chips but went deliciously well with the pizza.

MEXICAN PIZZA (serves 2-3)

Ingredients (adapted from honeywhatscooking.com)

  • Corn Tortillas – 4 tortillas (2 tortillas per pizza. Corn is much healthier than flour and adds a crunch)
  • Spray Canola oil
  • Refried beans – 1/4 cup per pizza
  • 90% lean ground beef – 1/2 lb
  • Taco seasoning – 1 tsp
  • Scallions – 1 bunch (chopped)
  • Jalapeno – 1/2 a jalapeno (deseeded & finely chopped)
  • Tomato – 1 (chopped)
  • Salsa
  • Mexican Cheese Blend – enough to cover the pizza
  • Sour Cream Reduced Fat – 1 dollop per pizza (optional)
  • Hot sauce (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees for tortillas and pizza. Cook ground beef, drain fat. Add taco seasoning and cook according to seasoning instructions. As beef simmers spray tortillas with canola spray and cook in 400 degree oven just until crisp. Spread refried beans on each tortilla, topping with 1 spoon of salsa spreading over entire tortilla. Once beef is cooked spoon even amounts on all four tortillas.

Top each tortilla with the chopped tomato and scallions, finishing with cheese. Cook two tortillas per baking sheet in oven for 5-10 minutes to heat through. Remove from oven and stack tortillas creating two pizzas made of two tortillas each. Finish in broiler for 1-2 minutes to brown cheese.

Top with a dollop of sour cream and hot sauce – and the below corn salsa.

CORN SALSA (serves 2-3)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of corn kernels (if you don’t have fresh corn thawed frozen kernels would work too. If you have time to grill the corn, even better!)
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • salt and pepper to taste

After everything is chopped simply combine. Fresh salsa couldn’t be easier! Make ahead for a party and play with the amounts of cumin and chili powder, pending how smoky or spicy you like your salsa.

These recipes were a total success and deserved a few of these to celebrate. I urge you to whip one up any day of the week – they are a cinch to make and I promise your Mexican craving will be fixed. Delicioso!

 

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A Tutu for the Birthday Girl

Posted on July 10, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Zoey, Jeremy’s niece, is the first baby I have seen grow up from a teeny tiny infant to the big girl that she is today – just a little over one year old. Watching her slither around at Christmas in her Santa’s outfit to taking solo steps at her birthday party are moments I’ll never forget. I just knew for her 1st birthday I wanted to make her something special that in play dates to come would make her feel like the princess that she is.

A tutu!

What better gift for a 1-year old? Zoey looked so cute crawling and walking at her birthday party in her all-consuming tutu. I think my favorite moment was watching her with her Dad after the other big kids hit the pinata. Zoey had a few ideas of her own as to what that fairy wand was for…

Best little girls gift ever! I followed these directions for a tutu and found this guide to making a wand a cinch. A few tips:

  • Pick a contrasting accent to cover the elastic closure. I found an adorable hot pink feather clip at Joann Fabric’s that I found to be 10x’s cuter than a bow. Kid hair pieces found at any convenient or dollar store would also work great.
  • Stick with the small individually-sold rolls of tulle. trust me, it’s way easier to work with and Joann Fabric’s have a variety of colors to choose from.
  • Yoga mats work perfectly for tying your knots. Make sure you tie your knots in the same direction, to keep a consistent look throughout the entire tutu.
  • Glue the dowel in various places to keep your ribbon secure. Kids play tough and you don’t want your wand to unravel.

Zoey, I can’t wait for the years to come and all of the girly presents I get to make and spoil you with!

Have other great gifts for little boys and girls? Do tell!

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A Cookbook for Grandpa

Posted on June 28, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Due to crazy schedules and my brother’s last minute tonsillectomy my family decided to push back my brother’s birthday/Father’s Day celebratory combo. Proud to say I am hosting the BBQ and can’t wait to plan the menu. Ooh how food, menu and party planning can distract me; more on that to come later.

For my Grandpa, in spirit of a belated Father’s Day and all of the summer foods we will be eating, I wanted to create a recipe book that was not only simple enough for him to cook but was filled with his favorites. I don’t know about your Grandpa but mine is not on Pinterest! He is also not computer savvy and has next to no resources on how to create easy, weekday meals. This man sets timers for hard boiled eggs and pasta and all he wants to do is make an eggsalad sandwich like Grandma used to…

…then it hit me. I am going to use my favorite photo publishing site Shutterfly to create a recipe book for my Grandpa filled with his favorites. Egg salad, spagetti and meatballs and meatloaf – not to mention a few of my own recipes and tips to encourage him to experiment in the kitchen.

I cannot recommend Shutterfly photo albums enough for gifts. There are endless ways to personalize and so often our photos stay forever stuck on our phones and cameras. Get creative with photo albums, just like I’m doing here for my Grandpa’s recipe book. Below is the book I created for Jeremy – we had a $20 limit for our one year anniversary (it fell after both of our birthdays AND Christmas so we encouraged creativity!) and between the awesome coupons Shutterfly has I was able to create the below “Year in Review” with just $12.

An Anniversary gift for my boyfriend – our “Year in Review”

Have you created any fun photo books outside of the expected? And to see the recipes I will be adding to my Grandpa’s book please check them out on Pinterest!

 

 

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Girls Night Ideas

Posted on May 23, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Throw a cocktail party at your place for your girls! A great on-trend theme is everything bite sized with various small plates to share. The theme for my Housewarming party is:

SO…I needed a deadline. I’m an account girl who lives by deadlines. I’m also a creative soul who could play with fabrics, throw pillows and accents until the cows come home. What better way to solve my lingering apartment decor project than with a deadline of a housewarming party for my girls?!

Even if you’re not working against your own decor deadline, I encourage you to put down your cell and resist the go-to resos at your favorite restaurant. By throwing your own cocktail party you can relax, slowly linger over your delicious ‘tails and do what you set out to do – truly catch up with the girls you never get to see enough. THEN after much needed time with your friends, hit the town! You’ll get the best of both worlds. A total win-win!

A few tips on planning your girls night cocktail party:

  • Send an evite: We live in a digital era so for something low-key like random lady get togethers, go with an evite. I often get a pulse for who can make a few dates via email however (you know my mantra!) resist the boring bullets with deets for your friends. This is how I communicate financials at work and my ladies deserve something way more fun. My favorite evite site is not evite surprisingly, but Pingg.com. The above adorable (and still free!) evite is from Pingg. So many darling options.
  • Pick a theme: I cannot take credit for the ever-so-clever name “Nibbly Bits” (Thanks Nicky!) however I have never heard anything cuter. Think of the girls you are rounding up and try and recall their taste buds and what they often order at restaurants. Any vegetarian gals? I have one who is allergic to champagne (poor thing) and one who doesn’t eat a lot of meat. Keep these things in mind. With small plates being so popular right now it was a no brainer for this cocktail party. I’m also always looking for a way to inspire so with my small plates theme I just knew my girlfriends would want to recreate some of these recipes for their boys, friends and families of their own. More theme ideas will come out on my next post for menu and cocktail planning.
  • Make it easy: Something my fav. party planner, Debi Lilly, reminded me of when speaking at her Room & Board event. Make it easy on yourself! This is definitely a party planning tip I am trying to get much better at. It’s so easy to pick those fancy recipes you have been pining over on your Pinterest board. Stop! Pick things that you can make ahead so you can enjoy your own party (I’m going to take my own advice for this party!). It can be awkward for your guests to arrive when you are still running around trying to get things in order. Yes, help is always welcomed but plan a party where you can knock out the nuts and bolts ahead of time. Both you and your guests will thank you
  • Plan ahead: If possible, grocery shop before the day-of. Pick out everything the night before; the dishes and glasses that you will serve on, as well as your linens and any other decor elements you are going to utilize to spice up your space. You’ll be shocked how time fly’s the day of. Trust me!
  • It’s okay to say “yes” to help at your party: Having a cocktail party is also a great way to financially stretch what would have otherwise been a pricey dinner. If your guests offer to bring something, the more the merrier! I’m a 20-something girl who loves to entertain so this gesture is always appreciated. My ladies are helping out with the champagne department. A little help goes a long way for not only you as the host, but for everyone attending.

Inspired to throw your own Girls Night Cocktail Party? What are some must-haves for your lady get togethers?

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