Cheesy Stuffed Burgers

Sometimes, all a girl wants is a great burger and a beer. And that, my friends, is where places like Corner Bistro, Black Market, DuMont, Joseph Leonard, and Shake Shack come in (five best burgers in New York, according to me). But when you can't stand the long lines or the inevitable wait for a table, it's reassuring to know you can whip up a comparable version right at home, even without a big, fancy outdoor grill (lack of grills and outdoor space is something that we New Yorkers seriously struggle with--I've learned to embrace my broiler).

I made these for dinner a couple of nights ago when knew I was in for hours of late-night paper-writing for my NYU art class and I needed something substantial to keep me going. Whole Foods was clean out of ground turkey so I used beef, and used up some grated Parmesan I had hanging out in my fridge as the accompanying cheese. I happen to love arugula in my burgers (something I picked up from Joseph Leonard), and I dressed the whole thing with good, old-fashioned ketchup. Heaven. xo

Cheesy Stuffed Burgers
From My Father's Daughter, by Gwyneth Paltrow
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup peeled and finely minced yellow onion
1 tablespoon very finely chopped rosemary
1 pound ground turkey or ground beef chuck
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup coarsely grated cheese of your choice
4 sprouted grain or whole wheat burger buns

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over low heat. Add the onion and rosemary and cook for about 10 minutes, or until quite soft and sweet. Let the onion mixture cool a bit and then put it in a large mixing bowl with the turkey, salt, and pepper. Mush the ingredients together with a wooden spoon or with your hands. Divide the mixture into quarters. Divide each quarter in half and form into 2 patties. Place 2 tablespoons of cheese onto one pattie and sandwich with the other, pinching the edges. Repeat this process with the remaining turkey and chees.

Preheat your grill or broiler to high. Cook the burgers for 5 minutes on the first side, flip, and cook for 4 more minutes, or until the burgers are browned and firm. Serve them on grilled sprouted grain or whole wheat buns with all of your favorite fixings.

Makes 4 delicious burgers.

Beauty Shop: DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew

It's a pretty commonly recognized fact that you should switch lotions and moisturizers according to season. When it's cold and dry outside, your skin needs something heavier and creamier, something more nourishing than usual. And when it's hot and sunny, and your skin is producing more of it's own moisture, a lighter formula will do, preferably one with some sunscreen in it. Well ladies and gents, I think I've found the perfect summer moisturizer. I've always loved DDF products in general--they were developed by an extremely respected dermatologist and it shows. They're gentle on the skin, hypoallergenic, and most importantly, effective.

My skin tends to err on the side of oily (I try to look on the bright side by telling myself I'll look younger longer), so his super light oil-free day lotions have always been ideal for me. I just discovered this version with sunscreen added in, and I couldn't be happier--perfect for long days at the park or weekends at the beach.

You can buy it HERE for $40. Picture by Mark Iantosca. xo

Lalo's Famous Cookies

I never thought I'd see the day when I actually advocated a healthy cookie. The very term seems like an impossible oxymoron to me, but with Memorial Day weekend in Montauk right around the corner, I have little other choice at the moment but to try to eat sensibly. Incidentally, I've always been a fan of sandy cookies that involve some sort of jam, so when I came across this recipe in Gwyneth's cookbook, I tagged it right away as something to make in the very near future.

It's a recipe of her mother's, and believe it or not, there isn't a single bad ingredient in it--no sugar, no white flour, no eggs. It's a completely healthy, vegan cookie. So healthy, in fact, that Gwyneth claims she lets her kids eat them for breakfast. And the kicker? They are absolutely delicious. Truly. I ate six of them in one sitting, barely pausing for a breath. Bake them this week and see for yourselves. xo

Lalo's Famous Cookies
From My Father's Daughter, by Gwyneth Paltrow
Ingredients:
4 cups barley flour
3 cups raw whole almonds crushed in a food processor (about ten 2-second pulses)
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup canola oil
1 cup real Vermont maple syrup
Your favorite jam (I used strawberry) 

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients except for jam together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Form into tablespoonful balls and space them evenly on cookie sheets. Using your index finger, make an indent in each cookie. Fill each indent with a small spoonful of jam. Bake until cookies are evenly browned, about 20 minutes. Let cool before eating.

Chicken Milanese

This week has been a big one. CA Creative moved into brand new offices. I've had several inspiring, amazing meetings with brands that I respect and admire. I've finally met my goal of working out five times per week. I've signed a fantastic new client. The list goes on. And as amazing as it's been, it's left me very little time to cook or blog (apologies on the extremely sporadic posts--I promise I'll be back on my regular posting schedule next week).

And in the midst of all this craziness, this is the recipe that has prevented me from eating fattening, unhealthy take-out. Chicken milanese. The simplest, most delicious dish you will ever make. I made this on a Tuesday night when I had a 45 minute break between work and events, and it was a serious lifesaver. Here it is, my lovelies--the ultimate busy workday meal. xo

Chicken Milanese with Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula
Adapted from My Father's Daughter, by Gwyneth Paltrow
Ingredients:
For the Chicken Milanese:
4 skinless, free-range, organic boneless chicken breasts, washed and thoroughly dried
1 cup milk
2 cups Japanese panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Tomatoes and Arugula:
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
Coarse salt
2 cups wild arugula
1 tablespoon high-quality balsamic vinegar

Directions: 
For the Chicken Milanese:
Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of baking parchment paper. Using a mallet, pound the chicken breasts until they're very, very thin--you should be able to almost see through them--about 1/16-inch thick. Put the milk in a shallow bowl and the bread crumbs on a large plate. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk and then dredge it in the bread crumbs, tapping off the excess. You should have a thin, even coating.

Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet big enough to hold 2 pieces of chicken in a single layer. Cook for about 4 minutes on the first side, or until evenly browned and crisp. Flip and cook for an additional 2 or 3 minutes, or until the other side is browned and crisp and the chicken is firm to the touch. Wipe out the skillet and repeat with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and the remaining 2 pieces of chicken.

For the Tomatoes and Arugula:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the tomatoes in a small baking pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they're split and blistered and super sweet.

While the chicken is cooking, toss the arugula with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Fold the tomatoes into the arugula.

Place one piece of chicken on each of four dinner plates and mound a handful of arugula over each piece, making sure everyone gets plenty of tomatoes. Serve with a big smile.

White Gold

Considering the sudden 80 degree heat wave we had here in NYC today, I'm getting a bit of a head start on my Memorial Day whites. This is pretty much my summer uniform--comfy, loose white tee with sleeves rolled up, white skirt, high open toes, and sometimes a hat to shield my face from the sun. The hat, incidentally, is by Hat Attack, who is generously donating 20% of their web sales to the Skin Cancer Foundation for the month of May. Pretty good reason to add to your summer hat collection, I would say.

I'm wearing a Hat Attack hat, Charlotte Ronson tee, Theory skirt, Giuseppe Zanotti shoes, Chanel bag, assorted friendship bracelets. All pictures by Mark Iantosca. xo

Sauteed Greens with Onions and Soy Sauce

One of my favorite meals in the city comes from downtown cult favorite restaurant Lovely Day, and isn't really so much a meal as it is a couple of sides. Namely, their sauteed Chinese broccoli with ginger, garlic, and soy eaten with some plain white rice. Simple as can be, but somehow deeply satisfying and healthy to boot. I've tried to replicate the recipe a few times using various dark leafy greens like chard and broccoli rabe, but was never able to get it quite right. Until I saw this recipe in Gwyneth's cookbook last weekend. (Of course, Gwyneth would be the one to nail this one.)

I chose to make this side dish with a beautiful bunch of dark kale I found at the market and did exactly as the recipe said, sauteing it up with good olive oil, some sweet caramelized onions and a splash of soy sauce. That's it. Easy. And, dare I say, even better than the original from Lovely Day. (Nothing quite beats homemade.) Try making it yourself and eat it for dinner with a scoop of nutritious brown rice. That's what I'll be doing. I mean, let's face it, with bikini weather just about a month away, we could all use a little more of these healthy greens in our lives. xo

Sauteed Greens with Onions and Soy Sauce
From My Father's Daughter, by Gwyneth Paltrow
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 pound seasonal greens (kale, Swiss chard, etc.), stems removed and discarded, leaves washed and roughly torn
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes, or until just softened and a little crisp on the edges. Add about half the greens and the water--these will wilt significantly after a minute or two. Add the remaining greens and stir for another 3 minutes or until the greens are wilted but still maintain a little bite. Add the soy sauce, cook for one more minute, and serve.

Beauty Shop: Living Proof Shampoo and Conditioner

I was first introduced to the Living Proof brand a couple of years ago at Sundance when they were launching. I remember getting my hair blown out by one of the founders of the line and marveling at how soft and silky it was afterwards. There's a crazy innovative technology behind the products that was developed by world-class scientists from leading universities--incredibly impressive. Fast forward two years and now they're selling out of Sephora like hotcakes and changing hair textures for the better around the world. Pretty amazing.

This stuff smooths my hair like no other product has ever done before, leaving it completely frizz-free even when I air dry it (which is, er, every day--laziness combined with zero time does not a good hair combo make). Plus, it smells fantastic, which we all know counts for a lot. Buy it HERE. Photo by Mark Iantosca. xo