Cooking

working girl cuisine: apple pecan salad with goat cheese

apple pecan salad with goat cheese recipe

Since nobody’s thrilled about Tax Day tomorrow (except possibly Uncle Sam), let’s celebrate something much more exciting today: National Pecan Day.

Obviously, there’s no better day to bring you one of my favorite go to recipes. I tend to make this a lot when Nate’s out of town for work, because 1) cooking for yourself is already no fun, 2) this recipe’s ingredients are perfect for just 1 person, and 3) it’s just so quick!

This recipe is an adaptation from one of my favorite local restaurants. The only prep involved is cutting up part of an apple. Easy like a Sunday morning.

apple pecan salad with goat cheese

Pecan Salad with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

1 package of Baby Spinach
1 Granny Smith Apple
1 package of Crumbled Goat Cheese
1 bag of Pecan Pieces
1 bag of Julienned Carrots (not shown in picture, but I usually add them in for some extra nutritional value!)

Directions:

Cut up the apple into small cubes. Use about 1/4 of the apple per person. Leftover apple can be put in a ziplock baggie and stored in the fridge for later use.
Fill bowl or plate with spinach. Top with apple, goat cheese crumbles, carrots (if using), and pecans as you wish.
Drizzle with salad dressing, and eat up! (I like a dressing that isn’t overpowering and is slightly on the sweet side, like a Poppyseed.)

gift guide: for the entertainer

Hope everyone had a very relaxing Thanksgiving filled with extraordinary amounts of food, family, and fun! I cannot get over the fact that yesterday was the first day of December. Did it creep up on anyone else??

I will be starting a series of gift idea posts geared towards different personas. I’m always on the hunt for gifts that are specific to the person, yet unique and useful too!

The first gift guide is geared toward the Entertainer. We all know that someone who loves to have dinner parties at their house, cook up a bunch of food, or has that killer wine collection. It may seem like this person has all their bases covered but here are some interesting items they may not have:

tabletop collection is simple yet elegant
gold bar cart at a great price
stylish wood cutting boards that are great for serving breads or cheeses
metallic coasters add an unexpected element of style
set of whale measuring spoons are cute for the sea lover
Scandinavian style salt & pepper grinders

For links to the following items, go to our gifts board on Vim & Vintage’s Pinterest page.

working girl cuisine: tomato bisque

Hello November! New month = new blog segment!

In this new feature, once a month I will spotlight a recipe that even the girl on the go can prepare and serve with ease. Often times after a long hard day making bank, I don’t feel like cooking. But instead of spending all my money I just made on fast food or going out to eat, I’ve found some good go-to, cost-effective recipes that are not time-consuming and make for some amazing leftovers.

——-

Truth be told I don’t even like tomato soup. But when I came across this recipe my whole world changed. (Actually, when I first had Beach Bar‘s famous tomato soup my whole world changed. And this recipe is very similar to that, so all you Beach Bar lovers back in Michigan & beyond: take note!)

Yes, this amazing soup may be a little on the rich and hearty side, but it’s super easy to make, and absolutely PERFECT for the crisp fall weather. There will be plenty of leftovers to share, but I’m not lying when I say that this soup actually is better the 2nd day or 3rd day.

TOMATO BISQUE (6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter
1 onion, minced
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp basil (dried)
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 cans diced tomatoes
5 cans Campbell’s tomato soup
2 cups half and half
1 8oz stick of cream cheese, softened at room temp
Mozzarella cheese, shredded or freshly crumbled (optional)
Garlic croutons (optional)

Sauté butter and minced onion together in a large saucepan for about 5-7 minutes on medium heat.
Add seasonings, diced tomatoes and tomato soup and mix together.
Add the half and half and cream cheese ( note: the softer the cream cheese the better it mixes in. You could even put in the microwave for a few seconds before adding)
Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Turn up heat to high for a few minutes until soup is very hot, almost bubbly. The reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for at least 10 minutes. (The longer the ingredients mix together the better the soup will be. I think it tastes best a couple of days after you make it.)
Top with mozzarella cheese and garlic croutons if you desire, and serve!

Happy weekend!!! xo

healthy turkey meatloaf (you won’t even miss the beef!)

Hola friends. The other day I made this treasure for dinner. It’s been a favorite in our household since I saw it on the Today Show a few years back. The best part is that it’s pretty healthy – only 205 calories and 3.5 grams of fat per slice!

Mom’s Turkey Meatloaf, by Ellie Krieger

Ingredients:

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1 medium onion, peeled
2 pounds ground turkey breast (I buy the extra lean)
1/2 cup seeded and chopped red bell pepper (1/2 medium pepper)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste (I usually use 1/4 teaspoon)
One 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce

Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Thinly slice about a 1/4 to 1/3 of the onion into rings, and set aside. Finely chop the remainder of the onion.

Then chop your red pepper.

Mix your oats and milk in a small bowl. Let sit for a few minutes.

Combine the milk-oats mixture, eggs, gr. turkey, veggies, ketchup, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce into a large bowl.

Mix all ingredients. (As in, with your hands! Don’t be afraid to get them dirty 🙂 )

Now transfer your giant meatball into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Form into a log that is about 5″ wide by 2″ high.

Top with tomato sauce and onion. Fact: putting the little onion rings on top is my favorite part (yes I’m a huge dork).

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour to an hour and a 1/2. Thermometer should read 160 in the middle of the loaf.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve with your favorite side of veggies! Hope you enjoy!!

(Recipe Source: Ellie Krieger)

holiday in the {hollywood} hills

Did anyone catch the this month’s Lonny mag??

I just had to point out the awesome home of L.A. based designer Mark D. Sikes. It’s insane how effortless a home can appear while remaining so refined in the smallest of details. While you’re drooling, take note of all the natural elements that give the space a serene and earthy atmosphere. Here’s a few of the highlights: