Breakfast Burrito Bowl of Champions

Hola! Once again, I am back from a long hiatus… Truth is I recently got back from Mexico, and then there was St Patrick’s Day, and then I ran a half-marathon, and overall I’ve just had so many pre-graduation things to do that my blog has been slipping through the cracks of my schedule. But all good things come to those who wait and so I finally picked up the slack and took a 30 minute break today to share this post with you.

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Farewell to Fall Spaghetti Squash with Fried Egg and Mushrooms

Right before Thanksgiving, my class was fortunate enough to host the Canal House cooks for the afternoon. Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton form the duo that produces the Canal House Cooking books. These two women create the recipes, cook for, photograph, and publish their own “magazine” three times a year. While their cooking has European undertones, an American heritage influences most of their recipes.

Passion Project: Spaghetti Carbonara with Pancetta

I don’t care much for bacon… Never have, and probably never will. I didn’t grow up with it, and though I enjoy the occasional strips that come with my scrambled eggs at hotel breakfasts, I have never bought a single pack. It’s not like I have anything against it, but it simply never crosses my mind. What I do love, however, is “pancetta”. Think diced Italian bacon, a.k.a the perfect addition to any pasta sauce. The most famous of them all being “Carbonara”.

Best of 2014 – My Top-14 Recipes of the Year

Happy New Year everyone!

To celebrate the end of my first year as a food blogger, I looked back at the posts I published and picked my own top 14 recipes. Throughout the year, I posted over 90 of them so I hope this selection of some personal favorites makes your job easier when browsing at the recipe index. To be honest, food blogging’s been much more challenging and time consuming than I thought it would be, but oh so satisfying! Scrolling through my recipes, I realize that this initially small project of mine turned into something much bigger than I expected. I am really proud of my work, which I can now call my favorite hobby and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do. So without further ado… I present Stovetop Story‘s 2014, top-14 recipes (in no particular order)! Here’s to another great year!

Heidi Swanson’s Quinoa Patties

Not surprisingly, I love food blogs! Which isn’t breaking news considering I have my own. What I mean by that, is that I also spend a ridiculous amount of time reading a lot of them. Seriously though… They’re addicting! I find it way more entertaining than watching TV, or stalking people on facebook. It’s such an amazing source of inspiration! Among my favorite ones, is Heidi Swanson’s 101cookbooks. If you’ve never been on it, you should definitely take a look and I promise you won’t be disappointed. I actually like it so much that I also bought her book. This quinoa patties recipe is one of my favorites. It’s so perfect that the only changes I made are to use a different cheese and type of herbs. It’s a great quick meal if you have leftover cooked quinoa in your fridge, and you can keep the batter for an extra couple of days and cook the patties to order. Bon appétit!

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Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients: serves 2

• 1 1/4 cup cooked quinoa (cooled down)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 yellow onion (chopped in food processor)
• 1/6 cup grated Romano cheese (you can also use Gruyère or Parmesan)
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1/6 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• salt, pepper to taste
• 1 tsp olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix the cooked quinoa with the eggs and salt. Next, add the grated cheese, onion, parsley, garlic, and breadcrumbs. Mix well and let the batter sit while it absorbs the liquid. It should be moist, but it should easily hold.
2. Next, form patties and heat olive oil in a pan. Cook the patties for about 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip them over and cook for about another 7 minutes.
3. Top with a mashed avocado, good olive oil, fresh mozzarella or chopped tomatoes.  Salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle with tabasco.

TIP: These patties are delicious on their own, but a variety of toppings take them to the next level! I always mix and match them and eat the patties with a big bowl of salad!