Spice up Your Weekday Meals with Chimichurri Sauce

I am always looking for healthy easy ways to spice up dinner to make it a little more fun and exciting. The answer: Chimichurri sauce. Originated from Argentina, this is the perfect way to dress up any meal time. I love making a simply grilled chicken, fish, or steak and throwing this sauce on top; hello easy weekday meal!

What you will need:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
4 cloves of garlic
1 shallot
1/2 to 1 jalapeno (depending on how much heat you like)
2 cups cilantro
1 cup parsley
1/3 cup fresh oregano
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt

Directions:
Combine vinegar, garlic, shallot, jalapeno and salt in bowl of food processor and let sit for 10 minutes. Add in cilantro, parsley and oregano.

 
Pulse to blend. Add in olive oil and blend again.

 

Taste and feel free to add more of the above ingredients as you feel are needed. You can add more jalapeno for heat or more cilantro for a citrusy flavor.

 

Top any grilled meat with your chimichurri sauce and enjoy. You can also use this sauce to spice up salads or dip bread in. You can store sauce in fridge and use through-out the week.

 

Bon Appetit!



Eggplant Brushetta

What you will need

2 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
1 medium eggplant (sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds)
1 loaf of your favorite bread
8 ounces mozzarella
olive oil
Salt and pepper
Marinara sauce (store bought or you can make your own with this recipe)

Preheat your oven to 475 degrees. In a shallow bowl, whisk two eggs together with a dash of salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl, pour in your bread crumbs.

Dip your eggplant rounds into egg then into breadcrumbs ensuring your coat thoroughly. Transfer to greased baking sheet. Repeat till all eggplant slices are done. Place baking sheet in over until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

While eggplant are cooking, slice bread loaf lengthwise and place cut side up on baking sheet. Press slightly in middle to make a well. Place in oven for 2-5 minutes just to get a light browning on bread otherwise your bread might get soggy in the middle.

Top lightly toasted bread with marinara sauce, baked eggplant slices, and mozzarella cheese. Put back in over for about 6-9 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is toasted.

Once baked, you can cut into slices and serve. If you have fresh basil, it would be great to add a rough chopped basil on top.

 

Bon Appetit

Honey Roasted Onion Tart

This is one of my favorite appetizers. Its not too much prep work, and it gives you a lot of down time while everything cooks for you to prep your dinner or straighten up before a dinner party. The flavors in this dish work together so well that almost any guest will be impressed with your use of flavors! YUM YUM! 

What you'll need:

1 sheet sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed

3-4 bacon slices

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup white wine

2 large sweet yellow onions cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

3/4 cup crème fraîche (you can use sour cream to substitute)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (you can use dry if you can't get fresh)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Using lightly floured rolling pin, roll out puff pastry on lightly floured surface to 14x10-inch rectangle. Pastry will be very thin but still manageable. Transfer dough to large cooking sheet that has been lightly floured. Fold 1/2 inch of pastry edges in toward center on all sides. Press firmly on pastry edges with fork to form rim. Chill crust in refrigerator.

Cook bacon in small skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings from skillet. Whisk honey, wine, and reserved 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in large bowl. Add onions; toss to coat. Line another large baking sheet with tin foil. Spread onion mixture in even layer on sheet. Roast 30 minutes or until lightly browned and translucent. Turn onions over, allowing rings to separate. Roast until onions are caramelized, turning often for even browning, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven; cool onions slightly.

Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Mix crème fraîche, sea salt, black pepper, and nutmeg in small bowl. Using spatula, spread crème fraîche mixture over crust to folded edge. Arrange onions atop crème fraîche. Sprinkle with bacon. Bake tart until crust is light golden brown and topping is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with thyme. Cut into little squares and transfer to a serving plater. 

Bon Appetit!