I'm starting a new series here on Nourish where I share my favorite dishes that I've made or eaten at restaurants each week. Hopefully this will help you discover restaurants and try out new recipes at home!
Sunday, January 5th- Spaghetti Pie at DiAnoia's Eatery
I've never had spaghetti pie before and now it's all I want to eat. I hadn't been to brunch at DiAnoia's Eatery in a while and this dish was new to me. It's such a unique concept! The spaghetti was perfectly al dente, while the outside shell was crispy. They perfectly contrasted each other. Of course, DiAnoia's signature sauce has the ideal balance of sweetness and spice. It really stands out in this dish. It's a must have next time you're at DiAnoia's for brunch. Now if I can just convince them to put in on their dinner menu...
Monday, January 6th- Homemade Baked Buffalo Wings from Bon Appétit
The baked buffalo wing recipe from Bon Appétit's sister website, Basically, is a revelation. I love chicken wings, but restaurant ones are always deep fried and not the healthiest option. Plus, I don't want to be deep-frying items at home, it's messy and annoying. These baked wings are the perfect solution! They're super easy with minimal prep. They take some time in the oven, but it's the perfect excuse to catch up on your latest Netflix addiction while they bake. I made two changes to this recipe to better fit my palette: I didn't add brown sugar to the buffalo sauce, as it would've been too sweet for me and after I put the sauce on the wings, I put them back in the oven to allow the sauce to seep into the wings a bit. They were almost as crispy as if I had deep fried them and they tasted great dipped in some ranch.
Tuesday, January 7th- Avocado Toast at First Watch
Fact: I am obsessed with First Watch's entire menu, but I'm especially obsessed with their avocado toast. It's ruined all other avocado toasts for me. It's perfectly seasoned and little lemony. Plus, the whole grain bread First Watch uses is hearty and healthier for you than your typical white bread. I usually pair this dish with a Morning Meditation juice and then I'm feeling ready for the day after a challenging workout at Cyclebar.
Friday, January 10th- Turkey Sandwich at Mediterra Café
You can't go wrong with anything at Mediterra Cafe, but their turkey sandwich is hands down the best item on the menu. Mediterra is primarily a bakery, so you know their bread is going to be amazing. The turkey sandwich is served on heartland grain bread, which is thick and has a bit of a nutty flavor. In addition to the turkey, the sandwich is filled with your typical sandwich fixings, such as havarti cheese, tomato, and mesclun. The veggies add a nice crisp texture to the sandwich and the lemon aioli highlights their freshness. What stands out in this sandwich is the zhoug, which is a spicy condiment made with cilantro, jalapeños, and garlic. It added a little heat and flavor to this otherwise normal turkey sandwich.
Friday, January 10th- Homemade Pierogies
My best friend, Claire, and I decided to make some pierogies together on Friday night. They can be a bit of a process, so it's nice to have a partner in the kitchen, so you're not doing all of the work yourself. We made simple potato cheese pierogies with a recipe I had from when I took a pierogi making class (I'll share it below). The recipe is fairly easy, it's just time consuming. The only trouble I had was that my dough was a bit dry, but all I had to do was add a bit more water and voilà my problem was solved. These cheesy beauties are best served up with some butter and onions.
Butter Pierogi Dough
Yields 30-36 (depending on the size of the pierogi)
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients with stand or hand mixer. Mix for 3-4 minutes until dough is smooth. Remove from the mixer and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Remove from the refrigerator and divide the dough into 3-4 pieces. Roll each piece out to about 1/8 inch think and cut out 2 1/2 inch circles.
Potato Cheese Pierogi Filling
Yields 24
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds potatoes
1/2 pound grated cheddar cheese
6 oz onions
Butter
Directions:
1. Cut and sauté the onions in butter until translucent.
2. Peel and cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water, remove drain and mash until smooth. Mix in cheese and cooked onions.
3. Place small balls of the mixture in the middle of the rolled out pierogi dough. Enclose the mixture int he dough and pinch together to seal.
4. Bring a large shallow pot of salted water to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook the pierogies in batches for about 2 mins. Remove each batch with a slotted spoon. Sauté the pierogies in butter until lightly browned on both sides.