Q Street Kitchen

It was a long and hungover Friday yesterday (turns out my 30-year-old body does not bounce back from school-night drinking the same way it did at 25) but I had plans to grill for some friends at Q Street. After deciding on a very low-maintenance plan for protein, my default was to make what my boyfriend terms “Michelle’s Salad” as a side - butter lettuce, tomato, hearts of palm, avocado, feta, and walnut oil vinaigrette.

However, being tired was no excuse for being boring, so I decided to branch out and create something new. One random craving for Greek Salad, some eye-catching orange bell peppers, and a leftover bag of arugula/spinach mix later, voila – a beautiful summer salad that will brighten up any table. It couldn’t be easier. 

(Not pictured: fresh, juicy Kalamata olives for garnish, which I had on the side due to some picky dinner guests. Can’t please ‘em all.)

Keep reading

I have a confession to make: I absolutely LOVE the Hillstone restaurant chain. I know foodies are supposed to eschew corporate food chains in favor of unique and innovative concepts, but there’s no denying that Hillstone does what it does very well – classic (if not innovative) perfectly prepared dishes with great flavors, such as falling off the bone BBQ ribs, house-smoked salmon, and French Dip with perfectly juicy slices of prime rib and fresh French bread.

It was at a Hillstone outpost called the Rutherford Grill, one of my favorite restaurants in the Napa Valley, where I learned to love what is now one of my absolute favorite vegetables: the artichoke. Previously I thought artichokes were either bland and boring cooked whole, or mushy and sour canned hearts. At Rutherford I discovered perfectly tender leaves with a complex flavor from a garlic marinade and smoky wood grill, accompanied by a tart remoulade-style dipping sauce. A true masterpiece.

Eventually I decided I had to recreate this at home. It takes a little time but it’s not particularly complicated or difficult, and the result is 100% worth the effort. Now I can visit Rutherford even from 3,000 miles away in DC!

Keep reading

Perfect for riding out blizzard days at home! (Or in DC’s case… getting home from a long day at work/school, wishing you had had a snow day…)

This recipe was born out of two simultaneous cravings I had last weekend, for a hearty beef chili and Mexican tortilla soup. Why not combine them, I thought? I had also learned in cooking school this week about thickening sauces/soups with masa harina and how it lends a wonderful corn flavor to the usual boring flour roux or cornstarch slurry. And so the Tortilla Chili was born. (Of course, not containing tortillas or any classic chili ingredients, I know this is really just a Mexican chicken stew, but that doesn’t sound as nice.)

This recipe uses either a slow cooker or slow oven braising to cook boneless, skinless chicken thighs to their most tender, and to allow the flavors to blend as much as possible before serving (the stew also tastes doubly good as leftovers for up to a week after cooking). I added a bunch of veggies to the stew for texture, flavor, and color – not to mention more healthy vitamins and minerals! – and finish it with a stir of cilantro and a dollop of sour cream and green onions. 

Keep reading

Coming off of a ridiculously indulgent Thanksgiving weekend (even more so than usual, which is hard to imagine), all I wanted in the entire world on Monday night was something lean and green for dinner. Being myself, however, some plain steamed vegetables just wouldn’t do… I just can’t bring myself to forego taste entirely! So I decided to try my hand at something new: a fish that isn’t salmon.

Keep reading

Continuing on with my inexplicable new obsession with cauliflower… I decided to try my hand at this delicious-sounding recipe from Bon Appetit. Just a couple small adjustments: I seasoned the cauliflower with turmeric and a bit of cumin before roasting, and replaced the breadcrumbs with pine nuts to be low-carb friendly for my roommate.

The result was a perfect pairing for the paprika chicken thighs that I’m still perfecting - to be shared soon. Enjoy!

Keep reading

Another veggie that I used to despise, now one of my favorites and a go-to weeknight recipe. If you cook the cauliflower evenly at a high enough temperature, it gets almost burnt and crispy around the edges, giving it a nice texture and smoky flavor.

What you’ll need:

Keep reading

This is obviously a classic sandwich filling, but I wanted it as a dinner entree so I added some tomatoes to make it saucey and served it on top of soft Parmesan polenta. It was definitely a winner.

What you’ll need:

• Your favorite Italian sausages from the grocery store (you can use any kind: sweet/mild, spicy, interesting spices/herbs, or anything except for the breakfast-flavored ones) - about 2 per person eating
• 3 bell peppers of different colors (I prefer red, orange and yellow, but green would work too if you like their flavor), sliced thinly lengthwise 
• 1 large yellow or Vidalia onion, sliced thinly lengthwise

Keep reading

The easiest and most delicious grill food, ever.

What you’ll need:

• 1 or 2 flank steaks (about ½ pound per person eating)
• 1 cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup rice or cider vinegar (or if you have neither, any vinegar will do)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• A few garlic cloves, pressed
• A few grinds of black pepper (or a few sprinkles of cayenne pepper)

What to do:

• Throw all ingredients into a double zip lock plastic bag and marinate as long as possible, preferably overnight.

Keep reading

Always a winner, right Nat?

What you’ll need:

• 2-3 packages sliced mushrooms (you can do baby bella, wild mushrooms, a mix of both - whatever your preference)
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped (dried is okay too)
• 1 large shallot, finedly chopped
• A few garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
• Dry white wine (about ½ cup)
• A dollop to ½ cup of cream or half and half (optional)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Thinly shaved Fontina cheese
• Fresh loaf of French or Italian bread, sliced to your preferred thickness (I like to do about ½ inch thick)

Keep reading

The mother of all delicious meaty red meat dishes. And one of my personal favorites, because it marries two of my favorite foods: red meat and mushrooms (of course the puff pastry doesn’t hurt either).

The traditional Beef Wellington calls for the meat to be wrapped in pâté and duxelles (a pureed paste of mushrooms, onions, shallots, and herbs) and sometimes prosciutto before being wrapped in pastry and roasted. However the version I make, which I learned from my dear momma, is thankfully a bit less complicated. 

As much as I love pâté and creamy mushroom paste and prosciutto, I cut those steps out as they require more equipment, which I usually neither have the time nor patience for, and dexterity, which let’s be honest is not my strong suit. I opt instead for a simple mushroom sauté in place of all of that, because really, what more do you need aside from beef, mushrooms, and pastry? 

Keep reading