November 30, 2010 by Jaclyn

Lighter Twice-Baked Potatoes

Would you believe that I had never made twice-baked potatoes before? Shoot, I’ve barely ever even eaten them. I don’t know why… the few times I’ve had twice-baked potatoes, I liked them. I liked them very much indeed. I always make sure to grab the little bite-sized TBPs from buffets when they’re there, but for some reason it never really occurred to me to bake them at home.

Then last spring, hubby and I visited our friends in Texas, and they fed us twice-baked potatoes. Holy home cookin’ revelation, Batman! They’re not hard, and they’re always appreciated. Why not whip some up at home? Well, time got away from me, as it often does. But the other night, I found myself looking for a quick side dish to whip up, with a bag of Yukon Golds languishing in the bottom of my freakishly organized pantry. So I thought I would lighten up the traditional twice-baked potato by mixing it with nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, mayonnaise, or Ranch dressing. It’s not a complete health food, of course… there’s a bit of cheese in there, if you hadn’t noticed. Hey, protein, right? Anyway, the flavor is spot on and the guilt isn’t quite as debilitating. Go ahead, have one.

5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 + 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese mix
~1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Scrub Yukon Gold potatoes and wrap in two paper towels (one large packet is fine; no need to individually wrap the potatoes). Place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave 8 minutes, until potatoes are soft. Remove from microwave and allow to rest a few minutes until potatoes are soft enough to handle.
Meanwhile, position a rack a few inches below the top of your oven and preheat the broiler to high.
Halve the potatoes. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the insides of each potato half, making sure to leave enough potato flesh so that the shells retain their structural integrity. (How’s that for words? I’m a lawyer!)
Place potato flesh in a bowl and combine with yogurt, 1/2 cup cheese, salt and pepper. Using a fork (or potato masher, if you are fancy like that), mash together the potatoes, yogurt and cheese until they are combined and fluffy, but don’t be too precious about lumps. We’re going for rustic here.
Scoop potato filling back into shells. Press a pinch of reserved cheese on each potato half.
Broil approximately 5 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly and filling is warmed through.

Makes 10 potato halves.

Source: Covered In Flour

Also, just because I can…

This is Ezra. He’s my new nephew. He’s part beagle, part rat terrier, part Doberman, ALL cuteness. Hi, Ezra!

November 13, 2010 by Jaclyn

Rustic White Beans and Mushrooms

Ohhhhh, yes please. This is one of those dishes that you can make all year round, but it’s particularly satisfying in fall. The creamy white bean and the caramelized onions and savory mushrooms come together to create an earthy, heavenly, mish-mosh of flavors and textures. Paired with some whole-grain bread (or Ezekiel English muffins, as I did here ’cause I’m lazy), it’s a perfect dish to throw together and make you feel like life is worth living even on a rainy Monday. I promise. And you know I don’t make promises I can’t keep.

Rustic White Beans and Mushrooms

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large leek, sliced thin
1 package gourmet mix mushrooms (or shiitakes)
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Warm the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and saute gently until soft. Remove from pan and reserve.
In the same pan, saute the mushrooms until they are golden and caramelized, 10-12 minutes. Keep them moving and add more olive oil if necessary (but only if necessary).
When the mushrooms are caramelized, add the leeks back and pour in the beans. Mix well, season with the salt, pepper, and dried herbs, and warm the beans through. Serve over whole grain bread or pasta.

Source: Adapted from Veganomicon, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero

November 9, 2010 by Jaclyn

Rue Cler, a.k.a. Foodie Paradise

While we were in Paris, hubby and I stayed in a cute hotel off of Rue Cler, which was one of the prettiest, most picturesque corridors in the city. First and foremost, Paris is a city of neighborhoods – much like D.C. Hubs and I gave great thought to which neighborhood we wanted to make our home base for our five (awesome!) days in my new favorite city. Our guidebook (Rick Steves, which I highly recommend) suggested Rue Cler among a few other neighborhoods, and we knew almost instantly it was for us.

Rue Cler is a little street located close to many of the major sights. It is a neighborhood where locals actually live, and staying there, you can begin to feel what it might be like to be a Parisian. You stop for your morning cafe creme at Cafe Rousillon…

Pick up some fromage, the smellier the better…

Check out the fresh catch at the seafood market…

Browse for produce (all so fresh, amazing!) at Top Halles corner market, an offshoot of the famous Les Halles superstore…

These strawberries were to die for. Seriously. Best strawberries ever.

And finally, you relax with an aperitif (kir royale, anyone?) in one of the little sidewalk cafes. Tres magnifique!

Rue Cler was the perfect neighborhood for newbies to the Paris scene. Hubby and I felt like locals, but we were a short walk or a hop, skip and a jump on the Metro away from the major tourist attractions we wanted to hit. Perhaps the best thing about Rue Cler was that we were just a ten minute walk from the Eiffel Tower! We made it a ritual to pick up a Rue Cler picnic for breakfast each morning (a fresh baguette from one of the boulangeries, a wedge of Brie from the fromagerie, a pint of strawberries from Les Halles, and cafe creme from Cafe Rousillon) and walk over to the Eiffel Tower to start our days in its shadow. It was a very, very good way to welcome another morning in Paris. And all possible thanks to the abundance of Rue Cler.

November 6, 2010 by Jaclyn

Paris: Iconic

Paris. The city of light, the most romantic place in the world. Where to begin?

Eating Berthillon ice cream on Ile St. Louis.

Paris was basically everything I dreamed that it would be, and more. The iconic images of Paris – the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame – were all even more spectacular in person than in pictures. The people were warm, friendly and welcoming. The art was beautiful. The food was tremendous. I think I’ll just let this city speak for itself in pictures…