...this bleeding heart bleeds coffee...

...with such a hectic schedule, I seriously do appreciate my alone time...but there is no better company during this time then the perfect, most necessary cup of coffee...

...for something new, add a sprinkle of sea salt, nutmeg, & cinnamon into the grinds before brewing or french-pressing it...

...bringing home to the table...

PASTA FAGIOLI!!!

…bringing home to the table…

…between full-time school & attempting to caffeinate the masses in the nicest way possible, a girl can get sick & tired… when there are no free moments, & no relaxation time you just have to make them for yourself……so when this girl is stressed she ends up cooking…after my third day in a row traversing to manhattan for classes & exhibits to scribe endless papers on, I decide to make a comfort dish that would make me feel at home…I called my mom before I had even set foot off the train to find out exactly how to bring home to me…

…My grandma and mother always made our family pasta fagioli on chilly winter nights…it was easy to prepare, hearty & tasty, & whenever we ate it, I always knew I was loved… on this particular evening I was feeling a bit cranky when I was compelled to try making this for the first time…

…Recipe is as follows courtesy of my adorable mother…though I may have added a few tiny changes…

…Sautee 1 very finely chopped medium yellow onion & 1 cup finely chopped celery

Once the onion & celery have cooked until translucent, add 3 cups crushed tomatoes & 2 cups of water. Add 1 cup of fresh basil, & season to your taste with sea salt & fresh ground black pepper…Simmer for about 15 mintues & keep watch, making sure to stir frequently…

Add 2 cups cannellini beans & 1 cup of red kidney beans…you can buy them dried & cook them, but I prefer the convenience of canned beans for this recipe…especially if you are under the weather, you want a fast & easy remedy…

…while this is stewing away, start a boiling pot of salted water to cook 2 cups of pasta…ditalini is usually the go-to pasta for this dish, but I used what I had in the apartment, which was organic whole wheat penne & it worked out just fine.

Make sure the pasta is cooked al dente! It will continue to cook a bit once it is added to the soup.

When the pasta is ready, drain , but save 1 cup of the starchy, salty water…Add the pasta & the reserved pasta water to the soup…just give it a last sweeping stir & it is ready to serve…Generously grate Parmigiano on top & serve with a crusty hunk of Italian bread on the side…

...have cookies, will travel...

mexican hot chocolate...one of my favoritest cozy drinks to make of all time...in a small saucepan over a low flame, stir in 1 cup of your favorite chocolate broken into small pieces with 1 1/2 cups of half&half...faithfully stir...once the chocolate has melted & combined with the half&half, add the tiniest pinch of sea salt, & a sprinkle of chili powder...grate nutmeg& cinnamon in next...give it a few more stirs...it will be thick & very rich, so I suggest serving it in espresso/demitasse cups atop mismatched saucers...lightly dust the top with more cinnamon...you have your delicously cozy mexican hot chocolate...I was inspired to turn this drinking chocolate into cookie form...I had been promising friends that I would bake & mail them cookies for some time...so this seemed like the perfect chance to make it happen...I found a few simple sugar cookie recipes to have a basic template...I tweaked some of the ingredients & added my own spin on it...I can honestly say these cookies are the best cookies I have ever baked in my entire life...for serious...I fervently hope they travel well & taste as good when they reach their destinations...los angeles, oakland, & baltimore...
recipe is as follows...
...using a bright red kitchenaid mixer (<3) mix together 2 cups of softened&salted butter with 2 1/2 cups of sugar...you can use regular white sugar, but the golden brown raw sugar works well too...once mixed, add 3 tsp of vanilla & 2 eggs...
…in a separate bowl, mix together 3 cups of flour, 1 cup of cocoa powder ( I like Trader Joe’s!), 2 tsp of baking powder, 1 tsp sea salt, 1tsp of cayenne pepper, 2 tsp of grated nutmeg, 2 tbsp of grated cinnamon…once combined, slowly add to butter/sugar mixture while mixer is on a slow speed…
…once mixed amazingly well, roll the dough into tiny 1 inch balls, and place on greased cookie sheet…bake in a 375 preheated oven for 8 to 12 minutes….make sure to check on the cookies every few minutes to your desired level of baked <3

...all about kale...

...kale...an intimidating vibrant, green leafy vegetable...i already have a great torrid love affair with spinach...brussel sprouts?... not so much...but kale?...I just don't know if this lonely heart can do it...but I decided to go for it...I have been hearing all about the virtues of kale & for a girl who has her heart tattooed on her sleeve, I was going to go all out...I combined it with a few of my favorite basic ingredients there was no way it could be wrong...so my first experience with kale is as follows:
generous&copious amounts of extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 sweet potatoes, cubed
2 small white onions, chopped
2 cups portobello mushrooms, chopped
6 cups of kale
sea salt & ground black pepper to season
...sautee the garlic & onions until translucent, add sweet potatoes & cover...stir furiously or just stir...
once the sweet potatoes have softened, add the mushrooms & kale & cover again...
...let simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes...

...love,love,love...this simple dish was delightfully awesome...I shared it with my roommate jenny, & upstairs neighbor octavia...we were so enamored we did a repeat, preparing it a second night in a row...

rosie cannolli

...cannollis from lyndhurst pastry shop in lyndhurst, nj are by far the best I've ever had...I was able to experience some of this legendary goodness from the comfort of my own home of yonkers instead of having to traverse to my hometown to pick up the goods...thanks to one of the best people around, rosie, who made her way to the pastry shop @ 7am to procure these delightful treats and train it over here...sometimes in the constant busyness of life, there is nothing as peaceful & comforting than being with an old friend so familiar that it is like being with family...here's to rosie! <3

...pumpkin goat cheese empanadas...

Drizzle a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in pan, once heated add 1 clove of fresh crushed garlic, & one small finely chopped white onion...clean & chop 2 cups of portobello mushrooms& add to pan...toss all the ingredients so everything is coated with the olive oil...once the onion is translucent & the mushrooms have softened, add 1 cup of goat cheese & 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin puree...stirring slowly until all ingredients have combined & the result is a creamy & the color of a burnt sunset...if you are a carnivore such as I am, you can add shredded chicken now...i like to use chicken breast and thighs, lightly tossed in olive oil & sea salt & black pepper&then roasted...if you are a vegetarian just prepare without the chicken...
...remove from heat....
...you can make your own empanada dough or buy premade in the freezer aisle @ the supermarket....
have your dough ready to fill...you can fill with your dough right away, or refrigerate your filling until you are ready to use...place 1 heaping tablespoon in each dough disc...brush the edges with water, the fold the dough over for a half moon...seal the half moon by gently pressing down on the dough with a fork...
for the crispiest, tastiest option, fry in vegetable oil, until golden brown on both side...for a healthier option, brush the tops with egg whites..bake @ 400 degrees, until crisp & brown...

...makes 10 to 15 empanadas, depending upon how heaping your tablespoons are!...