Baked Coconut-Basil Turkey Meatballs

Remember that lesson on combinations and permutations in math class back in the day? That one where you had to figure out how many different combos you could make from a list of items? {Yeah, me either. Math never was my thing.} That's what I think of sometimes when I'm grocery shopping and cooking each week.

If you look in my fridge or pantry, I will almost always have the same staple ingredients from which I make our weekly meals and anything else I'm inspired to cook up. One of the benefits of cooking at home often is that you start to build a well-stocked pantry with items that can be used in various ways. For the most part, certain things like spices, dry goods and condiments last a while, which can be a good thing if you're up for a challenge in creativity... but a bad thing if you can only think of a handful of ways to combine them in a recipe. {"What the HECK am I supposed to do with the rest of this jar of poultry seasoning?!"}

Even though I'm always coming up with new things to share on the blog, the truth is that we get into eating ruts just like everyone else. Ground turkey meat is almost always on rotation in our house because it's inexpensive, relatively healthy and liked by all who live here. BUT, there are only so many variations of sloppy joes, chili and meatballs I can make before we all want to say a permanent goodbye to the gobbler.

The more ingredients you have on hand, the more combinations you can make so that will help you use up ordinary ingredients in extraordinary ways! {Your taste buds and family members will thank you.}

I often look up recipes for different types of cuisines and figure out how to use every day ingredients in exotic new ways, and these Coconut-Basil Turkey Meatballs did not disappoint. I found the idea for the recipe while flipping through an old Cooking Light magazine, and substituted some of my own pantry items for the ingredients I didn't have. {Yes, I totally used puffed rice cereal in meatballs. That's called ingenuity, folks.}

Since I already had this stuff in my pantry and fridge for every day cooking, all I had to do was combine the flavors in different ways to create something new, fresh and really good! I loved how the coconut added another layer of flavor to the spicy meatballs. The sweet and sour tang of the honey and citrus juices made a perfect accompaniment for dipping, too.

You don't have to use basil strictly for Italian cooking, or coconut flakes explicitly for baking. The honey you drizzle over your morning bowl of oatmeal doesn't have to stay in the breakfast category. Like I said, even a box of cereal came in handy since I rarely have bread crumbs around!

I challenge YOU to look at the ingredients you buy every week with new eyes and see how many ways you can combine them into something original! Now THAT'S a lesson on combinations that's worth remembering... and eating! :)

Coconut-Basil Turkey Meatballs 
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine, January 2011 

1 pound ground turkey {or chicken}
2/3 cup crisp rice cereal {or panko bread crumbs}
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup chopped basil
1 tablespoons chili paste {like Sambal Oelek}
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons low sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 egg, beaten
Pinch of salt


For Sauce:
Juice of half a lime
Juice of one small orange {I used a blood orange, but any will do}
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon vinegar {preferably rice vinegar}
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
Pinch of red chili flakes

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a large baking pan by lining with a piece of aluminum foil and brushing lightly with olive oil. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the meatball ingredients until well combined.

3. Using a standard ice cream scoop, scoop out the meat mixture and shape into balls. {You should get about 10 medium-large meatballs.} Place meatballs a few inches apart on the prepared baking pan.

4. Brush the top of each meatball with a drop or two of oil. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

For Sauce: Place all the sauce ingredients in a lidded jar. Secure the lid tightly and shake vigorously to combine.

Serve hot meatballs with a side of dipping sauce.

These make a great appetizer or a good dish to serve alongside rice or asian-style noodles.

Citrus Pork Stir Fry

It's happening.

In the past week I have:

- Honked at "irresponsible kids" skateboarding in the middle of the road
- Pulled silver hairs from my head
- Slathered my face in expensive moisturizer before bed
- Thought to myself that my new comforter was the best Christmas gift I've gotten in a while
- Realized that Josh Duhamel looks even better with salt & pepper hair
- Admitted {out loud} that my favorite radio station is Legends 100.3 {think Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennet... etc.}
- Fallen asleep before 9:30pm

I also saw a photo of myself from just 5 years ago and thought, "Gah, I look so... rested."

I'm a mom. In my mid-thirties. And there are times I see young girls and think that their shorts are inappropriately short.

::: Buries head in laundry pile composed entirely of yoga pants :::  

Getting to this part of life has made me realize the importance of quick dinners. Mostly because by the time my husband gets home, I cook, we eat, clean up and go through the playtime-bath time-bedtime routine for our kiddo, we have about 45 seconds left before both of us "shut down" for the night. {Meaning, we pass out on the couch while attempting to watch something.} I'm all for anything that will shorten the evening "to do's" and lengthen our downtime together.

Whether or not you're facing the realities of aging, this Citrus Pork Stir Fry will be a welcome addition to your weekday cooking repertoire.

I never used to know what to do with thin-cut boneless pork chops because they're so easy to overcook if you're pan searing or baking them, but I love how they work with this stir fry. They're the perfect thickness for cutting into thin strips like you'd get in a takeout meal. If you're not into pork, you can sub it out for chicken or even portobello mushrooms for a veggie version. You can also use any vegetables you have on hand to toss into this dish: peppers, zucchini, snow peas, you name it!

I used orange juice and zest here, but I've also made it with lime juice and it turned out just as good {though a little more on the tart side}.

The citrusy sauce brings it all together for a fast, filling meal that will leave you with plenty of time for doing whatever it is you'd rather be doing after dinner... or let's face it, for getting some extra shut eye.

Maybe that'll get back that "rested" look I haven't seen in a while.

Citrus Pork Stir Fry
Adapted from Martha Stewart 

1 pound thin-cut boneless pork chops, sliced into strips
1 small onion, sliced
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup carrots, sliced into strips {I used halved baby carrots}
4 scallions, chopped {plus extra for garnish}

For sauce:
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 teaspoons sriracha
1 garlic clove, grated or minced
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar {or white balsamic}
1 tablespoon cornstarch

1. Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a wok or a large pan over high heat. Add pork to hot oil and cook until lightly browned {it doesn't have to be all the way cooked through at this point}. Remove pork from pan with a slotted spoon and place on a plate. Set aside.

2. Add onion, broccoli and scallions to the hot oil and cook until the vegetables are beginning to become tender.*

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients. Whisk until smooth, making sure you don't have any lumps of cornstarch.

4. Add pork {and juices that have accumulated on the plate} back into the pan with the vegetables. Pour in sauce and toss together to coat. Cook until the sauce thickens a bit, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cover the pan and turn the heat down to low to allow the pork to cook through, about 3-5 more minutes.

Before serving, add the remaining scallions for a fresh crunch.

Serve hot with a side of rice or quinoa.

*If the pan is too dry or beginning to burn, add about 1/4 cup water to the pan and scrape up the brown bits.

Sriracha-Honey Glazed Broccoli Meatballs

I'm a few weeks behind, but Happy New Year!

Our year has gotten off to a jam-packed start, and I've definitely been struggling with getting back into the blogging routine. It happens. {More often than I'd like to admit.}

While I've hardly been home during the first few weekends of the new year, I've spent my weekdays at home cleaning, purging and organizing in order to get a fresh start on 2016. I'm talking open those junk drawers, throw out old underwear, eliminate expired makeup, toss chipped dishes, down to the nitty-gritty cleaning, folks. Few things make me happier.

I've seen a lot of bloggers and friends set "intention words" to focus on for the year, which is very evolved, mature and introspective of them... but I can barely decide on what I'm going to eat for lunch let alone choose one major life area to focus on for the entire year.

It's no secret that I'm nowhere near concise when it comes to words. So I guess if I had to choose just one word, it would be, "Do." Ok, maybe that's a bit broad. How about, "Engage." {Am I doing this right?} What I mean is, I would like to make this the year of "Less Talk, More Action."

So, yeah... that right there is pretty much why I don't participate in this activity.

Though I haven't intentionally been, you know, intentional until right this second, I think I've done a pretty good job of "doing" in the past few weeks. For example, I've FINALLY started cutting up old college t-shirts that have been living in a bin in my closet for the past :::slurs number::: years, waiting patiently to be turned into a t-shirt quilt. {I don't quilt, but I plan on sending out the project to someone who can complete it for me.}

I've tried to be better about taking action on things immediately so they don't pile up, like emails, snail mail, dishes and laundry. I've taken lots of time to sit down on the floor with my little guy and play hard instead of waiting for him to get cranky because I'm not paying enough attention to him. {Hence the radio silence on the blog.}

I still have a lot to work on, specifically when it comes to professional goals that I keep putting on the back burner or planning to get to "down the road." It's time to get going! How do you take it one day at a time while springing into action??? A bit of a paradox, but I'm hoping to figure it out sometime. {Sooner than later, please.}

If part of your goals include cooking up easy but enjoyable food this year, then I'm here to help you take action with these Sriracha-Honey Glazed Broccoli Meatballs. If you can chop, mix, and turn on an oven {and stove top burner}, then you can make these in less than 30 minutes.

I always make meatballs with ground turkey since I don't eat red meat, but you could use whatever meat you'd like. The glaze {which I adapted from an old Martha Stewart Everyday Magazine recipe that I found during my organization overhaul} would make pretty much anything taste good, from vegetables to styrofoam. {I'm not responsible for anyone who decides to try it on styrofoam.}

These turkey meatballs are great to serve alongside rice or quinoa, or to set out as a fairly healthy bize-sized snack during sports-watching and parties. They're a little sweet {thanks to grated carrot and honey}, a little salty, and a hint spicy.  They even contain broccoli to up the veg factor. Basically, they've got it more together than I do.

{Note: If you don't already use a spring-loaded cookie scoop-type contraption for portioning out your meatballs and other items that need to be approximately the same size, then I highly recommend adding one to your shopping list. They make this task easy peasy.}

I won't use the "R" word that rhymes with "schmezolutions", but what kinds of things are you focusing on going into 2016?

Sriracha-Honey Glazed Broccoli Meatballs
Makes about 24 1inch meatballs

1 pound ground turkey{or ground beef}
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup finely grated carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped broccoli florets

For Glaze:
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger {or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger}
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon water
1 heaping teaspoon cornstarch

Optional: Sesame seeds or green onion

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil and spray lightly with oil. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients and stir together with a fork until the mixture is somewhat uniform, but try not to mash it down or overwork it.

3. Using a cookie scoop, scoop the meat out and roll it into meatballs. Place them on the prepared baking pan an inch or two apart. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

For Glaze:

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together all the glaze ingredients over medium-high heat.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together about a tablespoon of water and a teaspoon of corn starch until completely smooth.

3. Add the cornstarch slurry to the saucepan and whisk for about 30 seconds. Let the mixture come to a bubble, whisking while the glaze thickens. Cook for another minute or so, then remove from heat.

4. Pour into a large clean bowl. When the meatballs are ready, remove from the oven and place them in the bowl with the glaze, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or green onion if desired.

Serve as an appetizer or alongside rice or quinoa for a complete meal.

Asian-Inspired Stuffed Peppers

I've been somewhat of an innkeeper lately with a friend of ours staying over at our house a few days a week as he completes a work project up our way. It has been no trouble at all having him as a house guest; in fact, it's brought back some fun memories since he was my husband's college roommate and my neighbor during my first year at the University of Florida.

We often give him credit for bringing us together since he knew before we did that we were meant for each other. So I figure least I can do is give the guy a hot meal and a place to stay since his foresight is part of the reason for my happy marriage.

But there is nothing that makes you think about your eating habits like having a house guest. I've found that the days that he stays with us, I try to offer variety and creativity in my cooking rather than just tossing together whatever is easiest as I would do if it were just the two of us. {Because it's completely fine to serve "chicken. again." to your husband on a regular basis.} You'd think that with all the time I spend in the kitchen, this wouldn't prove to be a difficult task... but you'd be surprised how often you fall back on boring "reliable" when no one else is looking.

In a way, having someone else to feed has been a creative cooking exercise of sorts, which I greatly appreciate because I've been in a bit of a rut.

After returning from a weekend of indulgence at the Food & Wine Conference, I've been trying to get as many vegetables and healthy things as possible into my meals. But feeding two guys is no time to serve "light & fit" dishes, unless you want rustling in the pantry as they look for something to snack on immediately after dinner. That's how these Asian-Inspired Stuffed Peppers happened.

Hearty enough to satisfy the guys, but healthy enough to fit into my allowances for the week, they proved to be a crowd-pleaser. I bulked up just a pound of ground turkey meat with a variety of veggies and added quinoa for extra protein and fiber, which stretched the filling enough to fill 6 large pepper halves {and feed two hungry men}. The simple sauce bumps up the flavor factor and makes you want one forkful after another.

These peppers were thumbs up all around and still simple to make, which made for a happy visitor and pleased regulars, too. Don't wait for a house guest to try these out with your family!

Asian-Inspired Stuffed Peppers
Makes 6 stuffed pepper halves

3 large green bell peppers, seeded & sliced in half lengthwise
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 pound ground turkey meat
1/2 cup carrot, diced or chopped
1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
1 small zucchini, diced
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sriracha {or more if you like heat}
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
1 tablespoon cornstarch


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil. Place halved bell peppers on pan and set aside until ready to fill.

2. In a large, deep skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and saute until softened and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes. Add turkey meat to skillet and saute until no longer pink.

3. Toss in carrots, broccoli and zucchini and cook for about 4-5 minutes until just starting to soften. Add quinoa and stir to combine.

4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together soy sauce, water, sesame oil, sriracha, ground ginger, garlic and cornstarch {try to make sure there are no cornstarch lumps if possible}. Add to meat and vegetable mixture and stir until everything is well-coated and sauce is slightly thickened.

5. Spoon filling evenly among bell pepper halves. Bake for about 5-20 minutes or until the peppers become slightly tender.

Serve hot or warm.

Beer-Steamed Sesame Ginger Shrimp Dumplings | Simply Organic #WeeknightWin

Even though I have been swept up in a baby whirlwind, cooking dinner is still super important to me.

It's what makes me feel like I still have a non-mommy purpose. It lets me unwind and decompress.

But the truth is, I probably have about 45 seconds to figure out what I'm cooking, prep the ingredients, prepare the meal and get it on the table before I collapse into a heap of exhaustion at the end of the day. It's a real conundrum.

So, what's a girl to do? {Besides pour herself a generous gallon glass of wine.}

I'm fairly certain that Simply Organic tapped into my brainwaves and created their line of Steam Gourmet Parchment and Seasoning Kits as a solution to my problems. Because look:

A healthy meal. In, like, no time at all. With minimal cleanup.

Now I got your attention, didn't I?

These little kits are pretty fantastic because 1. It basically tells you what to cook and how to cook it,  2. It gives you most of the stuff you need to make it taste good, and 3. It's organic and healthy so you can feel good about what you're feeding your family.

Each kit comes with a cooking suggestion, 2 spice packets and 2 parchment bags for steam cooking. All you have to do is buy the protein or veggies you want to make, season them, toss them into the bag and -- voila -- dinner.

Except, you know me... I like to make things complicated. So I looked at the kit and I thought, "I wonder what else I could do with this besides the obvious?"

And these dumplings were the answer.

Instead of making Sesame Ginger Salmon with the kit, I whipped up a quick batch of dumplings with wonton wraps and shrimp, nestled them on a bed of prepackaged stir-fry veggie mix, and poured some beer over them {because, why not?}. The result was a really fun and flavorful dish that took almost no time at all but still made me feel successful at creating a "Weeknight Win".

Pretty awesome, right?! Simply Organic is hosting a "Weeknight Win" recipe contest and I'd love for you to vote for this tasty dish! Head over to the voting page to cast your vote!

Beer-Steamed Sesame Ginger Shrimp Dumplings

1 Simply Organic Sesame Ginger Salmon Parchment Seasoning Kit
1 bag pre-chopped stir-fry vegetables (broccoli, snow peas, carrots, cabbage, etc.)
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 scallions, chopped
Approximately 20 wonton wraps
1/4 cup Japanese beer (or vegetable, chicken or seafood broth, if preferred)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Place parchment bag on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Arrange vegetables in the bottom of parchment steam bag.  Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, drizzle sesame oil over chopped shrimp; toss to coat. Sprinkle seasoning packet over top and add chopped scallion; mix until all shrimp are well-coated with seasoning.

3. Arrange wonton wraps on a clean work surface for easy dumpling assembly. Fill a small bowl with water. (You'll use this to help seal each dumpling.)

4. Scoop about a teaspoon of shrimp filling onto each wonton wrapper. Wet the tip of your finger in the water and run it along the outer edge of each wonton wrap. Fold in half so that the corners meet and you have a sealed triangle.* Indent the flat side of the dumpling and bring the outer corners together to form a tortellini-like shape, if desired. Repeat until all the filling is used up.

5. Place dumplings on top of vegetables in the parchment bag. Pour about 1/4 cup of beer (or broth) over top, making sure to wet the dumplings.

6. Fold open end of bag under twice to seal the bag. Bake for about 15-17 minutes or until the dumplings are steamed and the vegetables are tender-crisp. (The shrimp should be pink and opaque.)

To serve, carefully open the parchment bag (there will be hot steam, so be careful!) and divide onto serving plates. Serve with soy sauce for dipping if desired.

*You may shape the dumplings any way you wish!

Coming Clean: {Raw} Baby Dragon Bowl with Five-Spice Dressing

The steamy South Florida summer has me craving lots and lots of cold, crisp, raw veggies.

Perhaps it's the body's natural way of cooling down and re-hydrating after spending time outdoors. {It's a sauna out there.} Or maybe it's the thought of spending time on the beach in minimal clothing. That's enough to motivate me to eat my veggies, for sure.

A few weeks ago I discovered broccoli slaw at a friend's get together. {Probably the healthiest thing I've ever eaten at a party!} It totally hit the spot. I may have eaten most of it while everyone else was munching on potato chips. They had no idea what they were missing.

Since then, I've been buying broccoli slaw and crunching away happily for a healthy lunch or refreshing snack. It's strangely addictive!

I've never given much thought to the whole raw foods lifestyle. Quite frankly, I don't know how long I could go without roasting some veggies {have you noticed that almost every veggie tastes good roasted?}! But I'm never opposed to trying out new recipes, especially when they're delicious, healthy, and add an extra dish to your cooking repertoire.

I recently met with Aime Dunstan, event planner extraordinaire and owner of It! Weddings & Events to talk about a really fun collaboration that's coming up this Fall. {!!} While I was at her adorable headquarters, she let me flip through the pages of one of her recent projects.

Palm Beach Entertaining: Creating Occasions to Remember is an exclusive sneak peek into the homes of some of Palm Beach's most adept hosts and hostesses. From cozy lakeside gatherings to full-blown lavish affairs, this book reveals that entertaining with style doesn't always have to be overwhelming or over the top. {Although, let's face it, it helps to have a jaw-dropping island residence as the backdrop!}

One of the best parts of the book is that each host shares some recipes and menus that you can easily recreate for your very own "Palm Beach Perfect" soirée! The other bonus: Net proceeds of the book go to the Children's Home Society, benefiting children and families through adoption, early childhood development programs, and family support services. {What's not to love about that?!}

As I browsed all the gorgeously plated bites, this particular recipe for a "Baby Dragon Bowl with Five- Spice Dressing" caught my eye with its bold flavors and completely raw ingredients.

Zucchini is julienned into long "noodles" and combined with a variety of other veggies and exotic spices creating a light and refreshing dish. Can't you picture yourself eating this surrounded by pure island paradise?? {Or, you know, on the couch in your jammies?} ;)

{Psst... Aime may just be giving away a copy of this amazing book in the near future... say tuned for details!}

Whether you're looking to explore raw "cooking" or entertain like Palm Beach's fanciest, I highly recommend trying out this tasty recipe!

Baby Dragon Bowl with Five-Spice Dressing
Slightly adapted from Palm Beach Entertaining

Serves 4

3  cups zucchini, julienned
1  red bell pepper, chopped
½ cup chopped broccoli, chopped
½  cup baby {or regular} bok choy, chopped
¼  cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Five-Spice Dressing {recipe follows}
½ cup  slivered or sliced almonds, divided
Optional: sesame seeds

1. In a large bowl, toss together the prepared zucchini, bell pepper, broccoli, boy choy, cilantro, and almonds.

2. Pour dressing over veggies and toss to coat all ingredients. Sprinkle remaining almonds and sesame seeds, if desired, over the top.

Five-Spice Dressing
Makes 1 cup

¼ cup wheat-free tamari
1 tablespoon coconut vinegar {available in specialty stores or here}
Scant ¼ teaspoon five-spice powder
1-2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 to 2 tablespoons raw almond butter
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger root

1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk together until well incorporated.

{Any unused dressing can be stored in the refrigerator up to 4 days.}

Coming Clean: Teriyaki Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Last week was QUITE a week.

The kind of week that leaves you curled up in the fetal position wanting nothing but a sippy cup of wine and a never ending supply of chocolate. {Too bad I've been avoiding both things. Rough.}

Among other things, I thought I lost the blog for about 24 hours. Well, not the blog itself, but the domain.

If you have a blog or business with a website, then you understand what that means.

Losing your domain means that people can no longer reach your site by typing in the web address they are accustomed to visiting. {In my case, www.thekitchenprepblog.com}

Why is that bad?

Well... let's put it this way. Say you owned a sweet little business on 123 Main Street. Over the course of a year, people begin to notice you and stop by often. They tell their friends about you and their friends start to drop by, too. You get business cards made, the paper and local magazines write features about you, and everyone knows that 123 Main Street is your spot.

One morning, you wake up to go to work and discover that your business has been moved to another address. It's still in tact, but no one knows you're there. And when they go to your old location, they're greeted with a sign that says, "For Sale" with no indication that you're still open elsewhere.

That's kind of what happens when you lose your domain.

Normally, it isn't a big deal to renew a domain if it expires, which is what caused this issue to begin with. The problem is, I purchased my domain through Google over a year ago and had no idea how to sign in to the console that contains the renewal button. It was telling me that my username & password were wrong and, unfortunately, there is no direct customer support readily available from Google.

You can imagine how frustrating that is. It should have been a simple process, but there was no one to help me with my problem, leaving me in a bit of a lurch.

In the short span of 24 hours, I developed my own "Stages of Grief".

1. Panic. "What the $@*! is happening?!?!?!!"
2. Worry. "Oh my gosh, how in the world do I fix this quickly?"
3. Ambitiousness. "This isn't a problem. I will just call around until I find someone who can help."
4. Frustration. "What do you mean you can't help me. What do you mean there's no one I can talk to???"
5. Rage. "YOU BETTER FLIPPIN' FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THIS RESOLVED!"
6. Hopelessness. "This is it. This is the death of my blog."
7. Pity. "Why is this happening to me? I've worked sooooo harrrrrrd." :::tears:::
8. Apathy. "Oh well. There went that."
9. Hope. "I have to go to sleep. Maybe tomorrow it will get fixed."
10. Elation. "You mean, Google DOES employ actual LIVE people that can help me?!?!!"

Somehow or another, by the grace of all that is good & holy, I wound up speaking to a man in a department that had nothing to do with my issue who sent me an email with a link to open a support ticket.  In the morning {about an hour before leaving for my first day at a NEW JOB}, I received an email from Google that was sent by a real, live person.

After a while of getting nowhere emailing back and forth, Garreth from Google {who, incidentally, sounded exactly like Officer Rhoades from the movie Bridesmaids} called me. By phone. Can you believe it?  He was able to point me in the right direction as far as resolving my issue but wasn't allowed to tell me what my username & passwords were, leading to the world's most frustrating "Hot/Cold" game.

But, we figured it out. I was able to renew my domain and nearly offered Garreth the rights to our firstborn child.

I wanted to sing. I wanted to dance. I wanted to beat the living &$#@ out of Google for putting me through this.

Meanwhile, we still had to eat.

Have you ever tried cooking when you're really upset about something? It's not fun. Those are the days when the temptation for a drive-thru start to lurk in the corners of your mind.

Don't do it.

Instead, do this. It's not terribly difficult, and you'll feel so much better after you get some sweet & savory goodness in your belly.

Ground turkey shows up a lot in our meal rotation when we're busy because it's so easy to make and the possibilities are endless. You can make turkey Sloppy Joes {which we often make in a variety of ethnicities using different spices & ingredients}, tacos, chilis... you name it.

This time, I made these easy and delightful Teriyaki Lettuce Wraps. Homemade Teriyaki sauce is simple to put together, and it forms the saucy base that gives these their satisfying flavor. You can serve these as lettuce wraps like I did, or over rice or quinoa for a quick meal on even the longest days.

It's so good to be back after my mini-catastrophe. I hope to be at this "address" for a LONG time to come!

Teriyaki Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Sauce adapted from Food Network

For Sauce:
1/2 cup reduced sodium tamari {gluten free soy sauce} or your preferred soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup carrot, shredded
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
1 lb ground turkey {lean for reduced fat & calories}
5 scallions, thinly sliced {plus extra for garnish if desired}
1 can diced tomatoes, lightly drained {make sure there's no high fructose corn syrup in there!}
1 cup Teriyaki Sauce

1 head bibb, butter, or iceberg lettuce, leaves carefully separated, rinsed, & dried


For Sauce:

1. In a medium sauce pan, whisk together tamari, water, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, and ginger until well combined. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl, and whisk until completely smooth.

2. Add to sauce pan and whisk until well incorporated. Bring sauce up to a boil, whisking often, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened and bubbly. Set aside. {Makes 1 1/4 cups}

For Turkey:

1.  Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot, and cook until tender and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute more.

2. Add ground turkey meat and stir together with onion mixture, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon or a potato masher {my favorite method for ground meat}. Cook until no longer pink.

3. Add scallions and diced tomatoes and stir together well. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, then add in 1 cup of the Teriyaki Sauce. Bring to a bubble until thickened. {If the sauce remains too watery, combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch & 1 tablespoon water until smooth, then stir in to ground turkey and simmer until thickened.}

4. Spoon into a serving dish and keep warm.

For Serving:

Serve with lettuce leaves to make "wraps", or over rice or quinoa. You can optionally garnish with extra scallions, shredded carrot, peanuts, crispy rice noodles... etc.

Prep Praises: Echo Restaurant in Palm Beach, Florida

     

How do you know if you have a passion for food?

For Chef Josef Morera, executive chef at The Breakers Hotel owned Echo Restaurant in Palm Beach, it was pretty obvious. While his high school aged counterparts were wrapping up their nights on the town in the wee hours of the morning, he was headed to work in the kitchen under the tutelage of a renown chef. That's a tough path to choose for an 18 year old guy just out of high school.

Making that decision was an easy one for Chef Josef -- though he had never cooked a day in his life, he just knew he wanted to dedicate his life to the culinary arts. And after getting a chance to taste his creations, I'd say it was a wise choice!

Steve and I were invited to visit Echo after hearing endless praise about the restaurant, so we decided to make it our Friday night date spot last week. For us, going out to eat is kind of a big deal since we choose to eat at home more often than not, but our curiosity was piqued by the rave reviews about this Palm Beach hot spot that's been open since 1999.

Upon arriving for our 7:45 reservation {which Chef actually forgot to secure for us. Oops!}, we were almost immediately ushered over to a small table in the back amidst both large groups and couples noisily enjoying Echo's fare. Though you might think of Palm Beach as a little on the stuffy side, Echo's patrons seemed comfortable in the trendy yet laid back atmosphere.

As we sat down I took in the vibe - the modern, yet organic setting set the stage for Echo's unique representation of the elements through food. {More on that later.} Being a girl who's all about the details, I was thrilled with little touches like the metal chopsticks which sat atop free form plates that reminded me of sea glass, and the earthy swirled water glasses.

Once settled, our server {quite possibly one of the most adorable girls ever}, brought over a cocktail menu for us to peruse and some Edamame for us to nibble on. The descriptions of their creatively crafted libations made it difficult for me to choose {I get a bit giddy over a good drink menu}, but after counting out the vodka based drinks {vodka = imminent migraine/slow death for me}, I selected the Cardarum Cooler [$13], made with Mount Gay rum, Cointreau, Housemade Cardamom Syrup, Orange, Pineapple, & Lime juices and Coconut-Dusted Rim. {Um. Yes, please.}

Our drinks arrived {Steve went the boring route with a Sapporo beer}, and we happily sipped while browsing the extensive menu.

 *Note: At this point I had a hard time concentrating because the noise level was a little out of hand, in part because we were seated directly next to an older couple whose conversation you could easily hear on the other side of the room. My favorite part of the night was when the gentleman loudly proclaimed, "That girl is taking pictures of all the food." Yes, yes sir I am. Haha! {As discrete as I was trying to be with no flash, it's hard to conceal a large DSLR camera.}

The menu is divided into sections by Element - Wind, Earth, Fire, & Water. Sushi & Sashimi, Dim Sum, & Noodle selections round off the menu and provide a little something for everyone. 

Our Dinner Selections

Starters

Edamame

Steamed Shrimp Dumplings

Served with Spicy Mustard & Sriracha and Soy Sauce

Salt & Pepper Calamari*

Sliced Calamari Steak, Scallion, Thai Chili, Crushed Black Pepper 

with Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce

Seafood Cucumber Roll*

Tuna, Salmon, Hamachi, Kani Kama, Masago, Asparagus, Scallions,

wrapped in a Soy Sheet and Cucumber

Entrees

Peking Duck**

Housemade Mandarin Pancakes, Cucumber, Scallion, Hoisin Sauce

Sweet & Sour Halibut

Crispy Tempura, Sweet and Sour Sauce, Vegetable Chop Suey

Dessert

Soufflé

Coconut with a Malibu Coconut Cream

*Chef's Selections

**Steve's original selection was Thai Roast Duck, but after speaking with

Chef, his decision was swayed!

The Steamed Shrimp Dumplings [$11] were perfectly cooked little nuggets of fresh shrimpy goodness. I'm a huge spicy mustard fan so I dipped mine in the mustard/sriracha combo and had some happy taste buds!

Chef sent out a plate of the Salt & Pepper Calamari [$13], which is quite possibly the best calamari I've ever had the pleasure of eating. Cut into small "planks" {which Chef explained comes from the fact that they receive large, fresh "steaks" of squid that they cut up}, seasoned to perfection, and fried with an super light & airy coating, this dish defies your notions of what calamari can be. {No round, greasy rubber bands here!}

Another plate was sent out for us with a beautiful Seafood Cucumber Roll [$18]. Now, I like sushi, but I'm very unadventurous when it comes to rolls. {I'm talkin' California Roll & Smoked Salmon Rolls, folks.} I'm not one to choose expensive sushi restaurants as a dinner spot. But I have to say that this roll was the perfect palate cleanser before our entrees. I was surprised to enjoy the crunchy, refreshing texture of the cucumber "wrap" paired with the paper thin fish & crisp veggies.

Though we were stuffed already, {Well... I was. Steve is never full.} we still had entrees waiting in the wings! Steve originally ordered Thai Roast Duck [$26], but was convinced after talking to both our server and Chef Josef to switch to the Peking Duck [$63] which comes almost in the same form as a fajita station. Neither of us had ever tried duck, so it was a fun experience. The shredded duck was served with veggies and a steamer basket of fresh "pancakes", which you smear with a rich, thick hoisin sauce and form into a little duck burrito. After one bite, Steve was sold!

I chose the Sweet & Sour Halibut [$28] because it was highly recommended to me, and Chef agreed that it was a great choice. Presented in a crisp wonton basket, thick chunks of halibut lightly tossed in a delicious sauce give way under the crunch of a tempura coated shell. Though it was very tasty, I'm not accustomed to eating fried food and could only manage about 2 bites before I threw in the towel. If you're a fan of tempura, this is a great dish to try! If I chose fish again, I'd go for a steamed dish such as the Miso Sea Bass or Whole Red Snapper.

So... dessert. About 20 minutes into sitting at our table, our server {who, aside from being adorable was also extremely knowledgeable about the menu} came over to inform us that if we were interested in ordering the Souffle dessert, we needed to order it early as it takes 25 minutes to bake. I don't think I let her finish her sentence before I almost shouted, "YES!". Yeah, yeah... so I said I had no room left. But, LOOK at this thing!

Imagine biting into a sugary cloud coated in sweet toasted coconut. That's basically what this is. A big puff of sweet, tropical air. Or, you know, Coconut Soufflé [$13]. Whatever. This dessert is all about the presentation. In fact, the new {less noisy} couple seated next to us ordered one immediately upon seeing ours arrive at the table. To be honest, I preferred the Malibu Coconut Cream on the spoon to the actual dessert, but I'm very glad we tried it and I highly recommend it to fans of meringue or soufflés.

At the end of our meal, Chef Josef stopped by our table for a visit and stayed long enough to tell us about his beginnings in the world of food; how he was thrown to the wolves by having to run a banquet sized omelet station... on one working burner. How he worked his way up from dish washing and food prepping to where he is now. To him, every grueling moment, every hour of insomnia, made worth it by seeing the faces of those who receive the dishes that he prepares with his hands but creates with his heart.

Such a good sport. He SO did not want to have his picture taken. Haha!

All in all, we left Echo stuffed fully understanding it's namesake -- something that continues to resonate  with you long after your first introduction.

Disclosure: Several of the dishes mentioned in this post were provided free of charge. No other compensation was received for this review. As always, all opinions written here are my own.

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While these Toasted Coconut Meringues with Coconut Custard are no where near as entrancing as Echo's souffle, they are a pretty fancy little dessert you can whip up right at home. Crisp, coconut meringue "cups" are sprinkled with toasted coconut flakes, then filled with a dollop of silky coconut custard and drizzled with chocolate. Heavenly.

Toasted Coconut Meringues with Coconut Custard
Meringues adapted from Ina Garten, Coconut Custard adapted from Martha Stewart

4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes, lightly toasted

Special Equipment: Piping Bag, open star tip, parchment paper or silicone baking mat

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Whisk for about 1-2 minutes until it starts to become frothy, then gradually stream in 2/3 cup sugar.

3. Continue to whisk until the mixture becomes shiny and thick. Add the vanilla extract and coconut extract, and beat well.

4. Stop the mixer and remove the whisk attachment. Dip it into the meringue and pull it out straight up, then turn it over so the meringue forms a "peak". If it holds its shape {"stiff peaks"}, its ready. If not, continue to whisk and test every so often until it does.

5. Sprinkle in the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar, and carefully fold it in to the meringue as not to deflate all the fantastic whisking you've done.

6. Fit a piping bag with an open star tip. Fill the bag with meringue. Pipe about 2 inch swirls {like you are frosting a cupcake, except flat} as the "floor" of your cup, then pipe a "wall" on top of the base. This cup will help hold the custard filling later on.*

7. Sprinkle the meringues with toasted coconut flakes, if desired. Bake the meringues for 2 hours. They should be dry and crisp, but check to make sure they are not browning. For truly crisp & set meringues, turn off the oven and allow them to sit for 3 to 4 more hours, undisturbed {or even overnight}.

*If all this talk of piping bags and star tips intimidates you, skip it! You can scoop a dollop of meringue onto the parchment or silicone and make a "well" in the center using a spoon. This will make for a more rustic presentation, but it will still work just as well & be just as delicious! Never pass up a recipe just because

For Coconut Custard filling:

1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup whole milk {or if you find you've run out like I did, half & half}
7 ounces {1/2 a can} coconut milk
2 egg yolks
A drop of coconut extract

1. Set a small heatproof bowl and a fine mesh sieve nearby.

2. In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt.

3. Slowly add milk, whisking continually, until the mixture is smooth {make sure there are no lumps}. Whisk in the coconut milk, egg yolks, and coconut extract.

4. Over medium heat, whisk the mixture constantly until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Note: This will happen VERY suddenly. Don't step away for even a second! It will go from pretty liquidy to a thick pudding-like texture quickly. Just keep whisking.}

5. Once the mixture is thickened {again, it will happen all of a sudden}, remove it from the heat and continue to whisk, whisk, whisk until smooth. Reduct the heat to low, and whisk over low heat for about a minute. {Have I said "whisk" enough times yet?}

6. Remove from heat and scrape into the mesh sieve, set over the heatproof bowl. Using the whisk or a spatula, press the custard through the sieve to ensure that there are no lumps. You should have a gorgeously silky custard.

7. Cover the custard with plastic wrap, with the plastic wrap directly touching the top of the custard so it does not form a skin. Refrigerate until cool. {Make sure to lick the spatula. Mmmm.}

For Assembly:

1. The custard will have solidified a bit if it's fully cooled. Whisk it vigorously to make it as smooth as possible. Fill each meringue "cup" with about a tablespoon of custard. {I put it in a zip top plastic bag & snip the tip for easy filling.} You will have leftover custard.

2. Drizzle with melted chocolate {or caramel, even. Holy cow, I have to go try that immediately.} and sprinkle with toasted coconut if desired.

3. Stand back and look at this work of art before devouring!

Makes 18-20 meringues depending on size.