The Whit » Jennifer Romanchak

Twenty-Something and Starving

Jennifer Romanchak — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 22:21:59 +0000

Well, folks, this is it. The only things separating me from my diploma now are final exams. It’s absolutely insane how fast these last four years went by! It’s been quite a journey, I must say, and there is plenty for me to be thankful for. There is nothing I have enjoyed more, though, than providing recipes for all of you culinary artists out there.

Don’t forget, if you’d like to keep up with me or find any of my latest recipes, you can find me at twentysomethingandstarving.com.

Here’s something sweet to remember me by:

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

For the coffee cake:

1 ½ cups flour (I use a half and half ratio with whole wheat flour)

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon zest

¼ cup lemon juice

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt

For the raspberry cream cheese filling:

8 ounces low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon lemon zest

½ cup seedless raspberry jam

For the streusel topping:

½ cup old fashioned oats

½ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup walnuts, chopped

½ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. For the cake, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice and yogurt. The batter may look curdled or lumpy, but it’s okay.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and slowly and mix until they just combine. Pour into a greased baking pan.

5. For the raspberry cream cheese filling, beat all ingredients together with an electric mixer. Pour in an even layer over the cake batter.

6. For the streusel, combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl using your hands. Make sure the butter is well incorporated and still slightly chunky.

7. Top the coffee cake with the streusel and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Twenty-something and Starving

Jennifer Romanchak — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:54:14 +0000

Growing up, there was nothing I dreaded more than the day my mother made tuna salad. The moment she took that can of tuna out of the pantry, I would head for the hills. The smell was awful, and the addition of mayo and raw onions did nothing but make it even more smelly and less appealing.

After sharing with you such an appetizing tale of my childhood with you, I know you’re hungry! It wasn’t until very recently that I decided to try to see past my prejudices and actually give canned fish a chance. Not tuna, though; tuna lost its chance a long time ago. This time around, it was canned salmon.

I love salmon! It’s delicious prepared a million different ways and it’s so darn good for you. It’s high in protein, low in fat and is a good source of thiamin, phosphorus and vitamins B6 and B12. Salmon is also one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which the human body needs but can’t produce on its own. Omega-3’s are said to aid in the prevention of blood clotting and heart disease.

Canned salmon still has all of the nutrients fresh salmon does, but it’s actually affordable on a college budget. That being said, it’s still smelly. Not as bad as tuna, but I guess fish in a can is just supposed to be smelly.

I actually have two recipes to share with you. The first is for a super simple salmon cake made with canned salmon and whole wheat cracker crumbs that is fried very quickly in some light vegetable oil. The second is for a roasted red pepper and chive “tartar sauce” or salad dressing.

I hate mayo. I also hate pickles. Those are the two main ingredients in tartar sauce, which is traditionally served with crab cakes or fried fish. This is a much healthier, tastier sauce to go with your salmon cakes … and it’s an amazing salad dressing, too!

Super Simple Salmon Cakes

3 (6 ounce) cans of salmon, drained
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups whole wheat cracker crumbs, divided (I used Ritz)
1 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
2 teaspoons oregano
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon chives, minced
The juice of half a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil, for frying

1. Pour 1/2 cup of cracker crumbs onto a large plate, set aside.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Flatten the top of the mixture and score it with your hands to make 6 even sections.
3. Take one section and form it into a ball. Flatten so it’s about 1 inch thick. Press into the plate of cracker crumbs until the surface is completely covered. Set aside.
4. Repeat with the 5 remaining sections.
5. In a large frying pan, heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add half of the salmon cakes and cook for 3 to 4 minutes a side or until golden crust forms. Repeat with remaining 3 salmon cakes.
6. Serve with lemon and roasted red pepper dressing.

Roasted Red Pepper Dressing
1 small jar roasted red peppers (about 4 whole peppers)
1 8-ounce container plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chives, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until just combined. Serve with salmon cakes or over your favorite salad!

Twenty-Something and Starving

Jennifer Romanchak — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:52:23 +0000

Breakfast is probably my favorite meal. I simply love it! I think that breakfast has infinitely more options than lunch and dinner. Breakfast time is the only time of day appropriate for a meal that can be sweet, savory or a combination of the two. I’m fond of combining them, but that’s besides the point.

Today, I will discuss eggs. I adore eggs. They are insanely versatile and nutritious to boot. One extra large egg is about 80 calories and has a whopping seven grams of protein.

Eggs had a bad reputation for a while because they also contain quite a bit of saturated fat and cholesterol. Some folks will just eat egg whites to avoid all of the fat and cholesterol that’s found in the yolk.

Though understandable if you’re eating, say, a dozen eggs a week, it’s really quite safe to consume egg yolks occassionaly without concern for weight gain. The yolk is where all of the vitamins are! And who doesn’t love breaking open the golden center of the egg with a piece of toast and watching the bright yellow yolk river run all over your plate?

Being a north Jersey girl, I love eggs with taylor ham and cheese on a hard roll or an everything bagel; absolutely delicious! But I know it’s not really practical nor healthy to have a sandwich like this all the time. When I’m home and I want an egg sandwich, this is what I make.

Eggs Florentine Sandwich

1 egg and 1 egg white
1 multigrain/whole wheat English muffin
1 slice swiss cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 handful baby spinach, washed and dried
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Begin by heating a small skillet over medium heat. Cook your eggs to your liking – I like mine over-easy.

2. When your eggs are almost cooked all the way, place the slice of cheese on top. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic. Cover until the cheese is melted.

3. Toast your English muffin if you wish, and top with the egg and melted cheese. Top with fresh baby spinach and serve with fruit.

Twenty-Something and Starving

Jennifer Romanchak — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:30:54 +0000

So here’s a fun fact: my fiance Johnny loves to watch “The George Lopez Show.” This results in me being forced to watch, or at least listen to, “The George Lopez Show.” The other night, after having successfully zoned out on my computer, I was disrupted by my darling Johnny shouting, “Jen! I want chorizo and eggs!”

Que?

“Johnny, do you even know what chorizo is?”

“Well, kinda. George Lopez likes it. It sounds tasty. Can you make it for me?”(Shakes head)

“Sure, babe. I’ll make you chorizo and eggs.”

And there my friends, was my inspiration for breakfast and of course, this recipe.

A Spanish tortilla is a traditional Spanish dish, often served as tapas. The recipe is typically quite simple, usually containing olive oil, eggs, potatoes, onions, salt and pepper. I chose to spice mine up with some chorizo to please my man, but feel free to use whatever meats or vegetables you have lying about your refrigerator.

Spanish tortilla de patas y chorizo

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

4 eggs

4 small red potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

1/2 of a small red onion, sliced thin

1/4 cup bell pepper. diced

2 links Spanish chorizo, casings removed

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and onions. Season with salt and pepper.

2. In a separate pan, brown the chorizo.

3. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside.

4. Add the peppers and cooked chorizo to the potatoes and onions.

5. Arrange ingredients in one even layer in the pan. Add the eggs.

6. Allow to cook about 10 minutes, or until the eggs are mostly set, making sure to use your spatula around the edges to keep it loose in the pan.

(Note: Traditionally when the eggs set, you flip the tortilla onto a plate and slide it back into the pan. If you’re feeling adventurous, go for it. This morning I was not, so I placed the pan into a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 5 minutes more to set the top).

7. Remove from oven and let set for about 10 minutes before serving.

8. To serve, carefully flip tortilla onto a plate. Slice into wedges and enjoy!

Twenty-Something and Starving

Jennifer Romanchak — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:08:30 +0000

Dinner parties are probably one of my favorite things … ever. There is nothing better to me than spending time with great people while drinking excessive amounts of wine and eating delicious food. If you can name something better, I’ll bake you cookies. Really. Try me.

Anyway, over spring break I had a lovely little gathering with my boyfriend Johnny and two of our friends. The menu? Chicken en croute with garlic roasted tomatoes and asparagus.

Sound complicated? It’s not! “En croute” is just a fancy French way to say something is wrapped in pastry dough. The recipe I came up with for chicken en croute includes a leek and mushroom stuffing and some good strong brie, which gets gooey and delicious once it’s baked in the oven.

This meal sounds kind of intimidating, but I promise it’s actually quite a no-brainer and it fed four people (plus leftovers) for about $8.50 a person! You won’t get a meal this fancy at any restaurant for that cheap.

For the chicken en croute:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 boxes (4 sheets) of puff pastry dough

1 bunch leeks, sliced (fun food fact: When leeks grow through the soil, they trap lots of dirt and grit inside their leaves. When you prepare a leek, you’ll actually want to slice it first, then soak it in a big bowl of water. Swirl it around a bit, and all of the grit will sink to the bottom! Scoop the leeks out with a slotted spoon to leave all of the dirt in the bowl).

1 pound baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon minced garlic

8 ounces brie cheese, sliced into four servings

Salt and Pepper to taste

Flour for dusting

1 egg, beaten

For the garlic roasted

tomatoes and asparagus:

1 container cherry or grape tomatoes

1 pound asparagus spears, woody ends removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the tomatoes with salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil and spread them on a foil-lined baking sheet.

3. Bake for about 30 minutes, until fragrant and the tomatoes burst. Remove from oven and set aside.

4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.

5. Add the leeks and cook for about 3 minutes or until they begin to become translucent. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking 5 minutes longer.

6. Add the wine and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

7. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

8. Flour your work surface and spread out one sheet of puff pastry dough. In the center, add 1/4 of the leek mixture, 1/4 of the brie and top with the seasoned chicken breast.

9. Fold the pastry dough over top of the chicken, long ways. Then fold the other half on top of that. Use the beaten egg to seal the edges.

10. Fold the outside edges on top and flip the chicken on a greased baking sheet.

11. Repeat with the remaining 3 chicken breasts.

12. Brush the top of the pastry dough with the beaten egg.

13. Using a sharp knife, make three incisions in the top of each pastry to avoid excessive puffing while baking.

14. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.

15. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire baking rack and cool 5 minutes more.

16. While the chicken is cooling, bring a large pot filled with 2 cups of water to boil.

17. Once boiling, add the asparagus. Let cook for 3-4 minutes, until bright green in color and tender.

18. Drain, return to pot and add the reserved tomatoes. Heat until tomatoes are warmed through.

Twenty-Something and Starving

Jennifer Romanchak — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:10:09 +0000

As usual, I was on a tight budget this week and I didn’t want to go too crazy when I went grocery shopping. Suffice it to say, I was absolutely tickled when I saw that shrimp were on sale at my local grocery store.

Usually $8.99 per pound, these shrimp cost only $3.99 per pound. How freakin’ exciting is that? I love sweet deals!

Most of us are familiar with Caprese salad, which is simply fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese. The term “Caprese” means “in the style of Capri,” which is an island off the southern coast of Italy where these three ingredients are readily available and used often in local cuisine.

I knew I had pasta at home. I thought a little more and recalled that I had some garlic, white wine and mozzarella cheese as well. It didn’t take much for me to decided to nab some grape tomatoes and fresh basil for one of the most scrumptious quick-cooking dinners I’ve made in quite a while.

Shrimp Caprese with Penne

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 pound penne pasta

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on how big you like your tomatoes), seasoned with salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup fresh basil, torn

1/2 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed

1. Cook the pasta to package directions and desired doneness. When you strain the pasta, set aside about 1/3 cup of the pasta water for the sauce.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet with the garlic and red pepper. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook about 3 minutes per side until they’re a lovely pink color.

4. Add the wine to the pan and cook another 2 minutes.

5. Add the cooked pasta, reserved water, basil and mozzarella.

6. Stir to combine and serve immediately.

Twenty-Something and Starving

Jennifer Romanchak — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:47:16 +0000

Well, the “snowicane” (as the people on the Weather Channel called it) has come and gone. Though my family in the Great North (Jersey, that is) are beyond snowed in right now, I am left with nothing more than a slushy parking lot and a lovely white coating over all of the ugly old snow. No complaints here.

Obviously, a snowy day makes me want to bake. Who doesn’t want to bake on a snowy day? I immediately ran into an issue: I had no butter. What the heck am I supposed to bake with no butter?

What I did have was flour, sugar, vegetable oil and apple sauce. Add some cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves and it kind of sounds like apple pie, right?

But it’s not apple pie; I wanted to make cookies. Apple pie cookies!

These absolutely delectable, perfectly moist and slightly sweet with just the right amount of spice cookies just so happen to be vegan, too!

Apple Pie Cookies

2 & 1/4 cup flour (I used 1 cup whole wheat, 1 and 1/4 all purpose, but use what you have on hand)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients until combined.

3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the apple sauce, sugars and vanilla.

4. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing well to incorporate. Add the second half and repeat. The dough will be pretty sticky.

5. Scoop dough by the teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet. (Don’t attempt to roll them out; the dough will just stick to your hands. Instead, wet your fingers once your cookie sheet is lined and press down the cookie dough with your fingers, rewetting them when the dough starts to stick again).

6. Sprinkle the top of each cookie with a little of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

7. Bake for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and the tops are golden brown.

8. Let cool for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking rack to cool completely. Or you can eat them while they’re still hot from the oven. They’re good either way, I promise!

Twenty-Something and Starving

Jennifer Romanchak — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:05:21 +0000

I remember when I was little, my mom made pineapple upside-down cake once and I absolutely loved it. It’s such a fun dessert!

As it sits in its pan, it looks just like a plain old yellow cake to the untrained eye. Flip it, and like magic it’s a gooey, glorious cake topped with golden pineapple rings and brilliant red cherries. Yum!

I couldn’t tell you the last time I had pineapple upside-down cake. That is, until I made it last weekend!

For this particular pineapple upside-down cake, I sort of cheated. Gasp! Being that I wasn’t preparing it in my kitchen, I wasn’t certain what ingredients would or wouldn’t be readily available to me. So, rather than running out to buy extra ingredients I was missing, I decided to use a box of yellow cake mix as the base of this moist, delicious cake.

So simple to make and so darn tasty, this pineapple upside-down cake is sure to please even the pickiest of cake connoisseurs.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 (20 oz) can pineapple rings, juice drained and reserved

1 jar maraschino cherries

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 stick of unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons dark rum

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a cake pan of your choice, combine the melted butter, brown sugar and rum (it should be sticky and syrupy). Line this mixture with pineapple rings, placing cherries in the center of each ring and any empty spaces. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil and pineapple juice and whisk until the batter is combined and free of lumps. Pour over pineapple mixture.

4. Bake at 350 degrees until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Be sure to loosen the edges of the cake with a knife.

6. Carefully place a large plate or platter on top of the cake pan. Flip the cake over onto the plate and carefully remove the cake pan.

Twenty-Something and Starving

Jennifer Romanchak — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:11:47 +0000

With all this snow lately, I’ve been cooking up a storm. Snow days mean no class and no work. This last time around I had a pile of dishes in the sink, a room to be cleaned and homework I could have gotten a head start on. What’s a girl to do when she’s stuck inside all

Delightfully comforting on a snowy day,  this bacon, broccoli  and cheddar quiche is the absolute perfect  brunch meal.

Bacon, Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

1 frozen, ready-made pie crust (thawed)

4 large eggs

1/2 cup 2% milk

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

5 slices of thick cut bacon, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1/2 bag steam-in-a-bag frozen broccoli prepared to package directions, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350º.
2. Prick the bottom of your pie crust all over with a fork to prevent bubbles from forming during cooking, and place in the oven for about five minutes, just until you begin to smell it. Remove and set aside.
3. Place the chopped bacon into a large frying pan. Cook over high heat until brown and crispy, about seven minutes Add the red onion during the last minute of cooking time. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and pepper until it forms a smooth mixture. Add the cheese, broccoli, and bacon. Mix to combine.
5. Pour the egg mixture into the reserved pie crust. Top with remaining cheese.
6. Cook for 40 minutes or until the eggs are set and the cheese on top is melted and brown.
7. Let cool about 15 minutes before serving.

Twenty-Something and starving

Jennifer Romanchak — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:00:51 +0000

In regards to my finances, I still haven’t fully recovered from our most recent holiday season. I won’t get into exactly how much I spent on those closest to me; it pains me to think of it. What I will get into is when you’re someone like me who loves to cook, being broke blows, especially with Valentine’s Day breathing down my neck.

When it comes to Valentine’s Day, I think there are four different kinds of people. First, there are those who love it, and expect to be showered with obscene amounts of gifts and affection from their significant others. Then there are those who think Valentine’s Day is nothing more than a commercialized holiday that’s meant to increase candy, flower and jewelry sales. The third type thinks it’s nonsense to have one day of the year to express your love for others because “you should be doing it all year long already.” Finally, there are those who are indifferent towards the holiday.

Personally, I fall into the indifferent category. If someone wants to go out of their way to shower me with chocolate and flowers, who am I to stop them? But if someone falls into one of the anti-Valentine’s Day categories, that’s their prerogative and I can just go nab myself some peanut M&Ms to satisfy my chocolate craving.

The recipe I came up with for this week would make a lovely and affordable Valentine’s Day feast if you’re the type of guy or gal with a special someone you’d like to prepare a tasty, healthy meal for. If you’re one of those folks who could care less about V-Day, well, this dinner is delicious either way!

Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breasts
with Roasted Tomato & Pine Nut Farfalle

For Chicken:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 6 oz jar store bought pesto
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
½ cup baby spinach, washed and chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

For Pasta

1 box farfalle pasta
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
¼ cup pine (pignolli) nuts, toasted in a dry pan for 5 minutes
1 handful fresh basil, torn into bite sized pieces
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. To begin, pour tomatoes onto a foil lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and place in an oven at 400° until the tomatoes begin to pop open and become fragrant, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, place one chicken breast between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a large, heavy skillet (a meat tenderizer works well too), thin out chicken to about ¼ inch thickness using even blows to the breast. Repeat with remaining three.

3. For filling, combine the pesto, ricotta, spinach and garlic in a large bowl and stir until combined.

4. To stuff, take a thinned out chicken breast and spread with ¼ of the cheese mixture. Roll the chicken breast around stuffing. Secure with toothpicks. Repeat with remaining three.

5. Season chicken breasts liberally with salt and pepper. Place in a pan with some olive oil over high heat and cook for 5 minutes on each side until a nice, golden crust is formed. Transfer to a baking sheet and cook in a preheated oven at 400° for 10 more minutes until chicken is cooked through.

6. Prepare pasta to package directions and desired doneness. Add roasted tomatoes (and all the oil left on the pan), toasted pine nuts, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. If it seems dry, add a little more olive oil.

7. Serve the chicken atop the pasta sprinkled with more basil if desired.