Author: Jess Singer

Mom’s Birthday Celebrations at Margaritaville, Hollywood Beach FL

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Our adventures began in the afternoon when we arrived at the brand new Margaritaville Resort in Hollywood Beach, Florida. We walked into the enormous lobby, where we were greeted by a giant royal blue flip flop and a lounge area with swings hanging from the super high ceilings. You knew at this moment you were in paradise and the next thing you heard was Jimmy Buffet’s “cheeseburger in paradise” playing in the background!!! We checked in at the front desk and were pleasantly surprised to be upgraded because it was my moms birthday and Christmas!  We originally had booked an intercostal view double room. When we went up to our room and walked in we were floored. We had been put into one of the two bedroom suites. One bedroom had a king bed with a makeup station and a full bathroom. The other room had two beds and another full bathroom. The living room had two couches, a table, fridge and minibar. The best part of the room was the view from the balcony …

Pittsburgh Brunch at Meat and Potatoes 

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After a day of skiing at Seven Springs Resort on Saturday with Stevens sister Liz and her boyfriend Jorge, we decided that Sunday would consist of lounging and brunching. What is better than the best place in Pittsburgh to build your own Bloody Mary for brunch?! So, we headed to Meat and Potatoes downtown. Luckily they were able to accommodate us today, but reservations are strongly encouraged, since this is one of the most sought after brunch spots in the city. Jorge had the Meat and Potatoes take on an old fashion made with bacon bourbon, orange vanilla infused maple syrup, and barrel aged bitters. The drink that took the stage was Steven’s morning manifesto, which we will all be dreaming about until next time. This “libation” includes cold brew coffee, myer’s rum, cereal cream, and orange zest. This was the best coffee cocktail that we have ever had. The girls went with the DIY Bloody Mary, one with honey siracha infused tequila and the other with Tito’s vodka. The waitress brought us our glasses …

For my Lehigh family! 

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The best thing happened today. We are driving to Pittsburgh, PA to visit Stevens sister Liz and her boyfriend Jorge for a fun filled weekend (more posts to come soon from Pitt). As we began driving I said to Steven “just go like you’re driving to Lehigh”, since that is the first part of the drive from NYC to Pitt. When we passed the Clinton diner, a phone call began on Bluetooth… “Hello, Bolete (‘Bo-leet’), how can I help you?” Says the voice on the other end. At this point, my face lit up like a child who was just told they were going to Disneyworld. “Hi, do you have availability for two in the tavern at 6:30?” Asked Steven. To our surprise, there was availability on a Friday night. We arrived about 30 minutes later and the place looked exactly as we left it. The restaurant is set on the first floor of a Stagecoach Inn with the most comforting yet simple decor. We have been dining here since we discovered them in 2010 …

Butternut Squash Soup

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With the extremely frigid temperatures, snow, slush, rain and many of us feeling under the weather, one of the best ways to warm up is a great homemade soup.  Butternut squash can easily be found in the markets in the winter and the pears in this recipe give it significant depth.  This recipe makes enough for about 8-10 servings and is great to freeze for another cold day, but we are hoping these are the last few this winter. Ingredients: 4lbs butternut squash 4 tablespoons hazelnut oil 3 tablespoons avocado oil (can substitute grape seed oil) 1 onion, chopped finely 2 pears, pealed and diced into 1 inch pieces 4-8 cups chicken or vegetable stock bouquet garni: 6 sprigs of thyme, 4 bay leaves, 2 smashed garlic cloves, 1/4 cup Italian parsley, 1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns 6 fresh sage leaves french baguette 1 tablespoon olive oil Sea salt (to taste) 1/2 cup chopped parsley crushed hazelnuts 6oz creme fraîche Directions: Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise and drizzle flesh with hazelnut oil.  Place face down on baking sheets and bake …

And we’re back…

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We went on a little bit of a hiatus.  Here is a little update on where we are at this point… Jess begins Dental School at New York University College of Dentistry in August 2016.  Steven has been studying, working as a paramedic, and beginning the application process for medical school. It turned out to be a lot more work to continuously update the blog than we had thought it would be, BUT we love sharing our creations in the kitchen and journeys with our family and friends too much to give up.  We are back with a big announcement….. In April, we are making our way to Asia for a TWO MONTH trip!! We are beyond excited for the cultural, culinary and adventurous experience.  We will be visiting: Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and South Korea.  First, we would love for all of our friends and family to either comment on this post or email us at chasincravings@gmail.com with any suggestions.  Second, we will do our best to post while we are away with …

Avocado Egg Salad 

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Who guessed it?!  While thinking about how to create a twist on the traditional egg salad, and make something that is a lot lower in cholesterol, I decided to incorporate the only fruit that naturally aids in lowering cholesterol, avocados!!  This egg salad is mayo free and uses fewer yolks than egg whites. This recipe makes a large batch of avocado egg salad. You can make the avocadonaise and use what you need of it and store the leftover just like you would guacamole.  In order to prevent browning of the avocado, store in a tight sealing container. Cover top of avocadonaise with plastic wrap and ensure that the plastic wrap is completely touching the entire top of the avocadonaise. Then place another piece of plastic wrap over the top of the container and seal shut.  Store any leftover avocado egg salad the same way. I prefer a creamier egg salad so this recipe instructs for a larger ratio of avocadonaise to egg. If you like a drier egg salad you can use less avocadonaise. …

Shrimp Teriyaki Soba with Brussel Sprouts and Yellow Beans

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This is a great hearty and healthy dinner that is ready in under 30 minutes, but when you taste it you would never be able to guess. This recipe serves 1 person with some leftover for a cold lunch salad. Ingredients: 12 medium shrimp 10 brussel sprouts  Small bag of frozen yellow beans (you can also use fresh yellow beans or string beans) 2 oz dry soba (one serving size or one bundle, depending on how it is packaged) 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce  2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil   Instructions: Marinate the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of teriyaki sauce and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. If you like the brand of teriyaki sauce that you normally buy then just use that. I have found that most brands that I try are too sweet and have too much garlic in them so I doctor that by adding some extra soy sauce. In a medium sauce pan boil water and cook the soba for 2 minutes less than the instructions. Usually the instructions say …

Brussel Sprout and Radicchio Slaw

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Cole slaw with mayo and cabbage is always great with your sandwiches, but sometimes it is nice to have some new flavors and a healthier side dish.  This slaw uses brussel sprouts and radicchio to make a gluten and dairy free side dish that everyone will love.  It is easy and a great prepare ahead dish for when you are having a party.  It is also great to make at the beginning of the week and enjoy it throughout the week as it gets better and better with time! Ingredients: 1/4 cup canola oil 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup 1/2 teaspoon celery salt Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed 1 small head radicchio 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts Instructions: Begin the process about 1 hour before you are planning to serve this salad.  The slaw develops fuller flavor as it sits and the dressing soaks into the veggies.  You can …

Cheese Straws

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There is no better way to impress your guests than with something they think they can only get at a fancy restaurant. These cheese straws are so incredibly easy that you could have your kids or the non-cook in the family help!! Another great aspect of them is that you can use your favorite cheeses, not just the ones that I used. Ingredients: 1/2 cup finely shredded Gruyere 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan 1 egg 1 tablespoon water 1 package of puff pastry Flour for dusting Yields about 24 cheese straws Instructions: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the puff pastry using flour to ensure it does not stick to the rolling pin or working surface.  At the end, the pastry should be about 16 inches by 24 inches. Exact size is not critical, just make sure it is not super thin. Prepare your cheese mixture by combining the shredded 1/2 cup of gruyere and 1/4 cup of parmesan.  Also, prepare the egg wash by beating 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush …

Baked Spaghetti Squash

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When you are in the mood for Italian, but don’t want all of the calories of pasta, turn to spaghetti squash for your answer! This gluten free and one pan dish is easy and so tasty. The recipe makes 1 whole 9×11 pan of spaghetti squash “lasagna”. Ingredients: 1 large size spaghetti squash (or 2 smaller ones) 15 ounces of ricotta 1 medium size fresh mozzarella 1 container of spinach 1 clove of garlic 1 cup tomato sauce (fresh or jarred) Extra Virgin olive oil Salt and pepper Instructions: Preheat the oven to bake at 400 degrees. Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and drizzle with olive oil. Lightly coat a 9×11 Pyrex or aluminum pan with olive oil and place the squash cut side down on the pan. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes. While the squash is baking, combine the ricotta, egg, spinach, minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large mixing bowl. Also, slice the fresh mozzarella into 1/4 inch slices. Remove the squash from …