Three Meals with Blue Apron- Part 1

We see the commercials on television all the time, those upscale membership clubs that deliver everything you need for a home cooked and somewhat bistro influenced meals. Very clever idea and a great way to get people cooking fresh and healthy food themselves, almost like cooking school in a box. The lovely ladies at The Spoon and Pint surprised The Chef and I with a three-meal package from Blue Apron so I didn't waste any time getting on the website and choosing our three menus. The choices were like dishes I'd order in a  restaurant but the recipes make it easy to prepare at home.

What did I choose? The first meal package I chose was the Shiitake Burgers with Miso Mayonnaise and Roasted Sweet Potato. Meal number two is Seared Chicken and French Lentils with Arugula and Feta Salad. The third and final meal is Kale and White Cheddar Quesadillas with Radishes and Fried Eggs. 

Opening the box was an experience as well. The box is packed with insulated lining and huge ice packs. All the ingredients are individually packaged and clearly marked. Produce is packed in plastic bags so you can clearly see what is in each bag. Eggs tucked safely in a cardboard carton. Meats are wrapped and packed separately from the fresh produce and knick knacks- the knick knacks are the small bits and bobs, like packets of spices, miso paste, mayo, cheeses and things like that.

Each recipe includes a recipe card with a picture and description of the finished dish, a list of ingredients with photos, and step by step directions on the back. It's almost impossible to make a mistake with these kits. The ingredients are packed in pre-measured amounts, all you have to do is assemble the ingredients and follow the directions, which also includes a picture of the steps. The very first step is to prepare your mise en place, and the rest just flows.

The first recipe we are going to share is the Kale and White Cheddar Quesadillas with Radishes and Fried Eggs. This recipe is a unique take on what many people consider a kid menu item, the quesadilla. Using corn tortillas instead of flour is the first difference- corn tortillas add a lot more flavor and texture, in my opinion. Next replacing the huge glob of cheese with healthy sauteed kale and a small amount of white cheddar makes this a lighter and much more nutritious dish. It comes with a seasoning packet that you can use to spice it up as much or as little as you want. The radishes, served thinly sliced, add an authentic touch to the dish and the fried egg on top is a modern and on-trend way to boost the protein in a dish that usually is served dripping with gloppy cheese and messy salsa. 

Let's take a look at the ingredient list-

2 eggs

4 corn tortillas

3 radishes

1 clove garlic

1 lime

1 bunch kale

2 tb creme fraiche

3 oz white cheddar cheese

1 tsp quesadilla spice blend*

*Ancho chile powder, Chipotle chile powder and cumin

Simple, clean and easy, right? Let's make quesadillas.

Prepare the ingredients- Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Remove and discard kale stems, roughly chop the leaves. Quarter the lime. Grate the cheese. Cut off and discard the stems and root of radishes, halve lengthwise then thinly slice crosswise.

The kale is so fresh and crisp- it's hard to believe this came
through the mail and wasn't picked from my garden.

Cook the kale- In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add the garlic and kale, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, one or two minutes until the kale is wilted. Add 1/4 cup of water and up to 3/4 of the spice blend, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently 3 to 5 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the water had cooked off. Turn off the heat, stir in the juice of two lime wedges, season with salt and pepper.

Make the lime creme fraiche- While the kale cooks, in a small bowl combine the creme fraiche and the juice of the remaining lime wedges. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble and cook the quesadillas- Place the tortillas on a clean, dry work surface. Divide half the cheese between two of the tortillas; top with the cooked kale and remaining cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Complete the quesadillas with the remaining tortillas.

Wipe out the pan used to cook the kale. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and heat over medium high heat until hot. Add the quesadillas and cook 2-3 minutes per side until the tortillas are browned and the cheese has melted. Place on two plates; set aside in a warm place.

Wipe out the skillet and heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium heat until hot. Crack the eggs into the pan, keeping them separate. Season with salt and as much of he remaining spice blend as you'd like. Cook 4 to 5 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks re done to your desired doneness. 

Season the radishes and plate your dish- Place the radishes in a bowl and drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss to coat thoroughly. Top the cooked quesadillas with the radishes and fried eggs. Serve with the creme fraiche on the side. 

That was SUPER easy to prepare. So how did they taste? AMAZING. I'll be honest, I expected this one to be my least favorite of all the meals. I only chose it because the other three options were things I knew The Chef would not like or were salmon, and we all know how I feel about salmon. The kale was such an unexpected ingredient in a quesadilla but it was so delicious. The white cheddar cheese was just the right amount of cheesiness. I'm one of those rare people who thinks Americans use waaaaay too much cheese in cooking, it's cheese on everything, but these were just perfect. The seasoning packet added a nice heat without being too hot, the lime creme fresh added a nice creamy touch. It's quite common to find radishes in Latin dishes and they added the perfect crunch here. The egg took some coaxing on my part. I'm definitely not a runny yolk lover, but I was a big girl and ate most of my egg without complaining. It was good, but I would probably leave it off next time. All in all, this was a tasty and filling dish.

The packaged dinner clubs/memberships are a pretty cool idea really. I didn't have to grocery shop for anything at all and had a freshly prepared dinner in about 20 minutes. I like what Blue Apron stands for too. The company focuses on organic produce and meats, cage free eggs and sustainability. Our box contained a booklet with the story of Bill Niman, the well known California rancher who raises livestock, and shares his story and opinion on grass fed vs grain finished cattle. It was a great read and very informational. We also got an ingredient card focusing on olive oil, it's different types and a recipe for classic vinaigrette. Blue Apron is a great company with a great product and I'm sure we will be cooking with them many times in the future.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free with no expectation that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Dinner at Mom's- Carbonara and Kale

Kale is still king. King of the salad bowl anyway. This green leafy superfood that was once the culinary buzzword of the moment is still hanging on as a favorite for diners everywhere. In many ways, kale is the new spinach! This salad plays off the old 70s classic- warm spinach salad- which was often prepared tableside and with a lot of theatrics. No need for all that nonsense anymore. 

Whenever I have my family over for dinner it has got to be special. They have come to expect something quiet special when Mom cooks. It's my own fault, but it's also something I really love doing, and makes me very very happy. On this particular occasion, my middle child is coming for dinner. Laurie, if you remember from THIS blog post, is a busy restaurant manager and has days off that aren't compatible with most of us weekend people. It's a rare treat to get to spend time with her. She called me a few days ago and said "Mooooooother you need to make me homemade spaghetti tonight" and while we couldn't make that day work, we did plan for tonight. Whatever I want to cook, she said, she will eat it. Now I just need to plan a menu! One of Laurie's favorite dishes growing up was Spaghetti alla Carbonara- the real authentic recipe with raw eggs, butter and cream, and to be honest, it's so fast and easy I was more than happy to make it. 

Like I said this recipe is a spin-off of that 70s classic, warm spinach salad. No need for a fancy dressing and a lot of fuss- it all comes together in a skillet and bowl and the vinegar and a little bacon fat make the best dressing to coat those hearty leaves. I won't bore you with another lecture on the health benefits of kale, just take my word for it- this stuff is good for you. So let's have dinner and then we will talk more about Laurie, my middle child.

Warm Bacon and Kale Salad

1 large bunch kale

6 slices bacon

good Balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Parmesan cheese (a hunk for shaving)

In a heavy skillet (cast iron is great) toast the almonds over medium low heat until golden brown. Remove to a plate to cool. 

Wash the kale thoroughly, shaking to dry. Strip the leaves off the center stem and tear into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

Cut the bacon into half inch pieces. Place in the skillet and cook until brown and crispy. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Pour off about half of the bacon fat then add the kale. Cook, turning with tongs just until the kale brightens. Remove to a bowl. Sprinkle with the bacon pieces and a sprinkle of salt. Drizzle with Balsamic vinegar to taste. Toss. Pour salad onto a serving platter; sprinkle with the almonds and shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Like I said Laurie often requested Carbonara growing up. Luckily I grew up in an all-Italian neighborhood and got to spend time in Italy experiencing real Italian food, not the Americanized sanitized and processed versions, and old style Carbonara is one of those dishes. Here is how to make this classic-

4 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup half and half, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, cut up, room temperature
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
6-8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves
pinch of red pepper flakes
freshly minced parsley
1 lb thin spaghetti

Begin by combining the eggs, half and half, butter and parm in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a skillet cook the bacon until crisp, remove and drain; reserve a tablespoon of the fat. Add the onion and cook 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook one minute. Remove to a small plate and spread out to cool slightly.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Mix the bacon and onions into the egg mixture. Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and immediately add to egg mixture, tossing to coat the pasta. The heat cooks the eggs. Toss in the parsley and serve immediately.

Before adding the pasta. The heat melts the butter and
cooks the eggs

Laurie arrived promptly at 7 pm for her special dinner at mom's house and invited a friend of hers to join. Knowing me well, they arrived with a fantastic bottle of ten year old Cabernet and we had a wonderful time eating, talking, laughing and drinking wine. Laurie has been working her way up in the restaurant scene in Des Moines for several years and has gained so much knowledge in many areas- the behind-the-scenes, the food, the customer service, managing staff and developing quite an appreciation for good food and good libations. Keep an eye on this girl. She is going places!

The End of the Trend

Sometimes I like to throw a question out and ask what all our readers think about a subject. So I did that. I posted this question on Facebook and then we'll talk about the answers-

"What is a current food trend that you wish would just go away?"

A couple people missed the mark, with answers like "McDonald's" and "high food prices"- not even in the ballpark. But I did get some great responses. What were they?

Kale- I for one am late to the kale party, but I definitely can understand this answer. For a while it seemed like everyone was making kale chips. Kale in smoothies with fruit kind of.......grosses me out. As a new kale eater I am just learning how to integrate this leafy green into different dishes but I can understand how anyone who follows food trends just might already be over it. Even when I posted a request to friends to help me find some interesting recipes for kale, I was overwhelmingly answered with kale chips. I'm pretty sure I don't want dried up leaves to munch on. So yes, the kale explosion is over. Time to move to the next super food.

Balsamic vinegar-  I am not on board with this at all, but I am a balsamic worshiper. I don't really see it as a trend, or even a trendy ingredient really. Sadly, most of what we use in the US is not true balsamic, even in upscale restaurants- rather it's a reduced and further sweetened vinegar with caramel coloring. A taste of real, true balsamic is a real treat.

Battered and deep fried anything-  I am not a fan of deep fried foods, in general. I rarely, if ever, deep fry anything I cook, and don't normally order fried foods if eating out. Not because I'm watching what I eat but just because I prefer to not eat so much oil and I am terrified of fire, so I don't even own a fryer. The worst time of year for these battered and fried treats are during the summer months, when all the fairs and festivals are going on- fried food vendors are everywhere,and they fry EVERYTHING- candy bars, Oreos, sticks of butter........ yuck.

Cupcakes-  Yep. I agree. Cupcakes are everywhere, even on television. Cupcake bakeries, cupcake competition shows. We have certainly gone into overdrive since the original Sprinkles Cupcake Bakery opened and created a monster. Pinterest is filled to the brim with cupcake recipes and decorating ideas. People are passing on the traditional wedding cake and instead doing cupcake displays. And don't get me started on cake POPS. Yes, I agree. It's time to say goodbye to cupcakes.

Paleo-  I had to look this one up. I've heard people talk about it and know a handful of people who eat a paleo diet but I really didn't know the specifics. Supposedly the diet is meant to reflect the foods that would have been available to people living during the Paleolithic period. Basically protein and non-starchy vegetables and fruits. No grains. Generally I am not a fan of any restrictive diet that takes large groups of food out of our diets. 

Clean Eating-  Apparently The Chef and I have accidentally been following this trend and didn't realize it. Clean eating is simply avoiding processed or refined foods and sticking to whole and unprocessed foods. We do so because we COOK but I can understand why others would choose this lifestyle. Processed food is full of junk. Period. As a trend, it's like any fad diet. It will be a buzzword for a while, and then fade away. In reality, clean eating is just what people did a couple generations ago before humanity became focused on fast and easy.

Food on a stick-  This is another food that goes hand in hand with fair season. Meant to be easy to eat while wandering around the fairgrounds, I can agree, this is a little overboard. The Iowa State Fair has no shortage of foods on a stick and a great many of them could be eaten without a stick just as easily, if not easier. Rice Krispie Treat on a stick. Um.....no. Get rid of the stick. Salad on a stick? Again, no. Impossible to dip into dressing and NOT have it all over your face. Have a seat and eat a salad. 

Bacon everything-  I love bacon. I cook with bacon. Sometimes, that is. Think about it- bacon wrapped everything is all over Pinterest and food blogs. Bacon ice cream. Bacon candy. Bacon donuts. Bacon wrapped hot dogs, tator tots, steak, whole turkeys, meatloaf, meatballs. Bacon vodka. Bacon milkshakes. Bacon OVERLOAD!!! Enough already!

Chimichurri-  The friend who gave this answer said "Chimichurri is the new aioli" and I absolutely agree! Aioli, a holdover from the mid 90s, was one of those things I thought would never go away. Mayo with a fancy name.... get out of here. I am seeing the same thing with chimichurri. I have made it once. That was enough. Not a big fan. I see this one everywhere- all kinds of recipes, as a marinade, a finishing sauce, a drizzle, a condiment. It's also not an especially attractive sauce. This one I also agree- chimi needs to go.

Chipotle pepper- As a pepper lover, I don't dislike chipotle, but I totally understand why the person who gave this answer did- chipotle is pretty much the bacon of the pepper world. It's in everything. It's everywhere. It's nothing special to begin with- roasted smoked jalapeno. Dried they look like......something a dog left behind. In adobo sauce they are just smooshy and gross. It's time to move on. Not to ghost peppers, either. Been there done that.

Pumpkin everything-  This one is a seasonal trend that will be gone before we know it. But it will be back, year after year. Every autumn pumpkin and pumpkin spice are given the "bacon treatment" and are added to everything- coffee, ice cream, cake, pie, savory sides, pancakes, candles, soap and room sprays. *cough*

And my food trend I wish would go away- sliders. Seriously people, they are just little sandwiches. That's all. White Castle may be credited with inventing the slider, but it's gone Frankenstein since then. Every sandwich appears in miniature, on menus, blogs, Pinterest, in cookbooks. Some of them are just plain goofy. BLT Sliders are just BLTs- quartered!!! Peanut butter and jelly sliders? No. Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Sliders? NO! Those are just leftovers on a dinner roll- something we have been eating for decades. Kind of like the cupcake craze, it's time to make a real sandwich again and stop with the miniatures!

So, The Chef and I want to hear from you guys. What is a food trend you would like to see go away?