Vanilla Yogurt & Granola w. Blackberries

A classic BLT with Sriracha mayo was a perfect match to complete my brunch couple. And so the rainy day laundry & cleaning & bloggin begins…

BLT w. Sriracha Mayo

I’m glad I recalled that David Ansill (of Pif & Ansill restaurant notoriety) had revamped the menu* at the relatively new Ladder 15 – 1528 Sansom Street. Our waitress was great and beyond adorable, so I took her recommendation on the Pear Complex from their (also newly revamped) cocktail menu. DELICIOUS! We started off the meal with the Curried Lamb Empanadas. The three rich, crispy, & dense pockets were  savory and perfectly paired with an Apple Chutney & Mango Yogurt.

Curried Lamb Empanadas w/ Apple Chutney & Mango Yogurt

Ahh, the new buzz menu item around Phily – the Ladder 15 Burger! This burger is on a new level of decadence. Eff a kobe burger… a sizzling bone full of marrow & truffle sauce are where it’s at! For those that can’t handle it, they have a classic burger, too. Both are paired with perfectly crisp fries & parmesan mayo dipping sauce… with caviar on top?!?!

Burger 15 - Prime Sirloin, Braised Short Rib, Red Wine Mushrooms, Grilled Red Onion, Bone Marrow, & Truffle Sauce on Metropolitan Bakery Brioche**

Ansill’s self-titled restaurant (that unfortunatley closed last Summer) had a buzz menu item of its own – Korean Tacos! I never had the opportunity to try them, so it was exciting to have a second chance. The order came with (2) soft tacos – a Pork Belly one & a Braised Short Rib one. They were of a richness beyond my imagination with a fatty Korean BBQ marinade, kim chi, scallion, & sesame seeds. I WILL be back for these again soon… and to try whatever flaming dish I envied as it was delivered to another table.

Ansill's Korean Tacos - (1) Pork Belly & (1) Braised Short Rib

The highlight of the experience was not one, but two visits to our table by Chef Ansill. He made a welcome point to show Sarah his vision on topping off the Burger 15 and popped over again to see how we were enjoying everything. Now that’s a chef I can surely respect & support!

*Check out Ansill’s full new Ladder 15 menu HERE!

**Thanks to Metropolitan Bakery for their Twitter shoutout of my Burger 15 pic on Flickr!

Red Curry Chicken Pitas w/ Cucumber Dill Tzatziki

I came across a recipe for Mashed Cannellini Beans on elly says opa and thought it’d be a perfect side dish for my Red Curry Chicken Pitas. I switched up the rosemary for fresh thyme and simmered the beans with Garlic & Chicken Stock. They look good enough eat even before I mashed them!

Simmering White Beans

After a few smashes with the potato masher & a dash of chili powder, the White Beans were a perfect consistency & pairing for our snowed in dinner. Next time I have to remember a splash of white truffle oil!

Mashed Cannellini Beans w/ Garlic & Fresh Thyme

RED CURRY CHICKEN PITAS w/ MASHED WHITE BEANS

• Red Curry Chicken
• Cucumber-Dill Tzatziki Sauce
• Chopped Romaine Lettuce & Roma Tomatoes
• Whole Wheat Pitas
  
• Mashed White Beans w/ Garlic & Fresh Thyme

1. Stuff Pita halves with Lettuce, Tomato, & Red Curry Chicken. Top with dollops of Tzatziki.
2. Pair with a hearty scoop of Mashed White Beans and finish them with a dash of Chili Powder on top.
3. Enjoy!

Red Curry Chicken

Prepared for (2) people

• Chicken Breast – (2) breasts – rinsed, patted dry, & cubed
• Greek Yogurt - (1/3) of a 6oz container – I prefer Fage Total 0% or 2%
• Red Curry Paste – (1) T

1. Combine Chicken cubes, Greek Yogurt, & Red Curry Paste in a mixing bowl and coat thoroughly. Marinate in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat a saute pan on Medium and add (2) T of Olive Oil.
3. Once the oil is glistening, add the chicken and brown each side until cooked through. Or you can kebab the marinated Chicken cubes and throw them on the grill.

Cucumber Dill Tzatziki

Makes about (1/2) cup

• Greek Yogurt – (2/3) of a 6oz container – I prefer Fage Total 0% or 2%
• Cucumber – (1/2) cup – peeled, seeded, halved lengthwise, & sliced thin
• Garlic - (1) T, minced
• Shallot - (1/2) bulb, sliced paper thin
• Fresh Dill – (1) T , chopped
• Lemon Juice - (2) tsp
• S&P – to taste

1. Put sliced cucumber in a colander and salt generously. Toss to coat and allow to rest in sink for about 5 minutes to draw out moisture.
2. Combine drained cucumber and other ingredients in a mixing bowl and fold gently.
3. Chill for at least 15 minutes in the fridge before using.

Mashed White Beans w/ Garlic & Fresh Thyme

Adapted from elly say opa!’s recipe

• Cannellini / White Beans - (1) 15oz can, drained
• Garlic - (1) T, minced
• Chicken Stock - (1) cup – feel free to use veggie stock instead
• Lemon Juice – (2) tsp
• Fresh Thyme – (2) tsp
• S&P – to taste

1. Bring a saute pan or wok to medium heat and add about (2) T of Olive Oil. Once glistening, add Garlic and brown about 1 minute.
2. Add beans and saute about 3 minutes.
3. Pour in chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer over Medium-Low heat.
4. Once stock has almost completely evaporated (about 10-15 minutes), add Fresh Thyme and combine.
5. Immediately turn off heat, add Lemon Juice, and mash beans with a potato masher or puree in a food processor until desired consistency. Add splashes of additional chicken stock to smooth if necessary.
6. Serve immediately with a dash of Chili Powder on top.

Vanilla Yogurt & Bear Naked Banana Almond Granola

Some positive vibes via SOJA always makes my Monday better, too!

Vanilla Yogurt & Bear Naked Banana Almond Granola

Posted in Quickie, via Blackberry Tagged: almond, banana, bear naked, breakfast, dannon, granola, vanilla, vanilla yogurt, yogurt ]]> http://nolovemoresincere.com/2009/08/03/yogurtandgranola/feed/ 0 nolovemoresincere http://nolovemoresincere.com/2009/07/02/summerdinner/ http://nolovemoresincere.com/2009/07/02/summerdinner/#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:19:16 +0000 Erin L. http://nolovemoresincere.wordpress.com/?p=32 Keep reading →]]> Here in Philly, it’s been raining almost daily for I dunno, 5+ weeks now!! So it was a nice treat to grill a summer dinner on a clear night with my girls. The real anecdote of the evening is strictly girl talk, but we had nothing to hide when it came to our appetites.

Herbed Zucchini Ribbons & Red Curry Chicken Skewers

Our feast included:

Curried Chicken Kebobs ~ marinated overnight in red curry paste & Greek yogurt, skewered, & grilled

Herbed Zucchini Ribbons ~ sliced lengthwise with a mandolin, S&P, fresh herbs (basil, mint, & thyme from my garden), olive oil, & grilled in a pan

Sunshine’s Tangerine Cabbage & Bleu Salad

Sunshine’s Wheat Pellet Puffy Wheels ~ deep-fried in olive oil

Cucumber Mint Yogurt Sauce ~ Greek yogurt mixed with cubed cukes, fresh mint, minced garlic, & salt

Fresh Chopped Tomatoes

Pocketless Pita

Ariel’s Oatmeal Cookies ~ soft & delicious

Sunshine’s Sangria ~ lemon, orange, lime, peach, & plum

The Mighty Cuke & The Mighty Grill

Grillin' Kebobs & Zukes!

Summer Feast

Summer Plate

Sunshine's Puffy Wheelies

Sunshine prepping her Sangria