I don't know if this will only resonate with my ~women out there~ but do you ever have those sore, achey, tired, and lazy days that just call for soup? Like only soup. Those days that are so long and trying that the only thing you can fathom doing after work is sitting on the couch and eating a big, warm, tasty, comforting, bowl of soup? Likewise, are you that kind of person who wants to indulge in emotional comfort eating but also get your greens in? If so, continue reading.

​This ramen recipe is simple, straight forward, quick, and totally satisfying. It's also as customizable as you want it to be, which is my favorite kind of recipe. The final product is tasty, warming, and nourishing, and just as impressive as the restaurant version, even without the artistic presentation of the vegetables as it's normally served. That's why I call this "lazy" ramen- you're gonna kick it old school and just dump your soup into a bowl and enjoy.

​Click the link below to continue reading!

I love weekend dinners at home. I like to use the extra hours to make some of Sterling's favorite meals that take a little longer to make than week nights allow. Today we started our day with some errands and a hike up Stone Mountain, and then spent the afternoon relaxing and watching our favorite show, Power, while I made these veggie steak roll ups with a sweet soy mirin glaze. It was a great ending to a great weekend. 

Serves: 2
Cook Time: 15 min, plus 2 hours to marinate (or at least 20 min)

Ingredients:
For the veggie steak roll ups
• 3/4 lb thinly sliced sirloin
• 1 large red pepper, sliced into matchsticks
• 1 large orange or yellow pepper, sliced into matchsticks
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 4-5 green onions, thinly sliced in long strips
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• 1/2 tsp coconut sugar or light brown sugar
Tools: julienne peeler (optional, may manually cut carrots into matchsticks but it's annoying and a lot of my recipes require a julienne peeler so just get one they're inexpensive), toothpicks.

For the Soy Mirin Glaze 
• 3 garlic, diced
• 2 green onions, sliced thinly on the bias, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup mirin plus 1 tsp for later
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp ginger (freshly grated or tubed)
• 1/2 tsp each white and black sesame seeds (for garnish, optional)
• 1-2 tsp ground red pepper powder (optional, for heat)

Directions:
• Pat steak dry and place in large, shallow dish. Combine all glaze ingredients and pour over steak, covering completely. Cover dish and refrigerate for 1.5 hours, then remove and bring to room temperature for 15-30 minutes.
• Heat half a tsp of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add carrots and cook for 1-2 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add peppers and cook another minute. Add green onions, then season with salt and pepper, 1 tsp of mirin, and coconut/brown sugar. Remove veggies from skillet and just slightly increase heat.
• Remove steaks from dish and arrange on a cutting board- RESERVE the sauce for later. Lay a small bundle of veggies at most narrow end of steak, then roll tightly tightly inward toward wider end. Secure with toothpicks. Starting seam side down, cook steaks for 2-3 min on each side, or until desired doneness. Remove steaks from skillet and reduce heat to medium.
• Add sauce to skillet and cook until liquid starts to boil, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and continue to stir frequently until thickened. Remove from heat.
• Remove toothpicks from steak roll ups, then spoon sauce over top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and more green onion.
• Serve hot and enjoy!

Alia is my mom and this is her recipe :) 

My mom's been making this recipe in chicken form since I was born. It was always the number 1 most requested dish for parties and BBQs, and my personal request for all holiday meals. Imagine crispy fried slices of chicken breast smothered in sticky, sweet, spicy, garlicky sauce. It was like crack. She'd make double batches so that I could have leftovers the next day, and I would always eat the leftover chicken cold- directly out of the tupperware because it was so good I wasn't willing to wait the 1.5 minutes it would take to heat up in the microwave.

Well, in the summer of 2012, Sterling came to visit me at my parent's house in Chicago. My mom, the ultimate number 1 most gracious host and human on earth, knew that Sterling's favorite food was shrimp (in almost any form), and so, for the first time in 20 something years, made a shrimp version of her famous chicken. The game was changed forever.

I've gone back and forth on whether I wanted to share this recipe. Part of me is like- this is my claim to fame... I get to say shit like "my mom makes the best shrimp you've ever had" and be right. Do I really want to give up those bragging rights? But, after much deliberation, I decided it's my responsibility as a good friend to share this with you. And ultimately, none of us can really make this as good as my mom, so might as well spread the love.

Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Adapted from my mom's recipe
​

Ingredients:
• 1 lb frozen raw shrimp (shelled, deveined, and thawed)
• 1.5 cups cornstarch, plus 1 half tbsp
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 heaping tsp green onion, plus more for garnish, thinly sliced on the bias
​• 1 tbsp sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1.5 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1.5-2 cups vegetable oil, or enough to fill a pot 2-3 inches deep
• 1 tsp coconut oil or sesame oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:
• In a large pot or wok, heat vegetable oil to 350 degrees.
• While oil is eating, take cleaned shrimp and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add beaten eggs to a large mixing bowl and season with pepper. Add cornstarch to a separate large mixing bowl. Toss shrimp first in eggs, then in cornstarch until thoroughly coat. Add more cornstarch if necessary, until shrimps are all evenly and thickly coated.
• Once the oil has reached 350 degrees, slowly add shrimp 1 by 1, and let fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook no more than 10 shrimp at a time (overcrowding will reduce the temperature of the oil).
• Once shrimp are golden brown and crispy, remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on a lined plate. Repeat until all shrimp are fried.
• Combine sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, green onion, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes. 
• While shrimp is cooking, heat tsp of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant and golden. Add sauce mixture and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently.
• Combine half tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp of water. Stir into the sauce and let simmer until sauce thickens. Stir frequently, careful not to let burn. Reduce heat as necessary. 
Note: sauce is done when you can run a wooden spoon down the pan and draw a quick line through the liquid
• Turn off heat, add shrimp, and stir to coat. Garnish with more sesame seeds and green onions and serve immediately. 

Goes GREAT with garlicky mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts... just sayin. ​

Let that sink in. Creeeeamy grits with crispy bacon and caramelized corn (cooked in the bacon fat, hello!) topped with cajun shrimp and shallots. Hello, I said. Hello.

Serves: 2
Cook Time: 25-ish minutes
Adapted from Wendy Weekend Gourmet

Ingredients:
***Can be made dairy-free by omitting cheese (the corn adds hella flavor anyway) and subbing half & half with dairy-free milk of choice (I prefer almond)***
• 3 slices of bacon, chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 cup chicken stock (or veggie for my pescetarian frenz)
• 1 cup half & half 
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 shallots, diced
• 2 green onions, finely sliced on the bias (plus more for garnish, if desired)
• 1 lb shrimp
• 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
• 1/2 tbsp thyme
• 2 tbsp dry white wine (optional)
• Freshly cracked black pepper and salt to taste 

Directions:
​• Heat a large skillet over med-high heat. Once hot, add bacon and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon and set aside.
• Drain all but 1 tbsp of the bacon grease and add the corn. Cook for 5-8 minutes, or until corn is golden brown and bacon-y. Stir occasionally. Once browned, remove corn and set aside.
• In a medium sauce pot, add half & half and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and slowly whisk in the cornmeal. Lower heat to low and continue whisking until cornmeal is incorporated. Add salt, pepper, thyme, corn, and cheddar cheese, and cook until cornmeal has thickened. Honestly, this could take anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes. Don't ask me why.  I think it has something to do with how hot your milk and stock are. I'm not a scientist, though.
Note: add more milk as needed if grits get too thick. you want them to be nice and creamy.
• While the grits are cooking, add coconut oil to the same skillet that you cooked the bacon in, and heat over med-high heat. Once hot, add shallots and green onions, and cook until shallots are translucent, about 30-45 seconds. Add white wine and cook down for 30 seconds, then add shrimp and cajun seasoning. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Cook shrimp until pink, about 3-4 minutes per side, and remove skillet from heat.
• Pour a hearty bowl of grits, sprinkle generously with bacon, and top with a heaping helping of shrimp (make sure to get the shallots and green onions in there). Top with fresh green onion and serve hot.

ENJOY!

Man, this pasta is BOMB. It's creamy and hearty with a hint of sweetness from the caramelized onions, and a delicious earthy note from the mushrooms. My secret is that I use dried mushrooms when I make this pasta. Don't be intimidated by dried mushrooms- they can be found in any grocery store, usually right next to the fresh mushrooms or in the canned foods aisle, and just require 1 or 2 more steps than when working with fresh mushrooms. Of course, you can totally use fresh shroomies, but I love using the dehydrated puppies because their flavor is more concentrated, and the rehydrating liquid adds amazing depth to the cream sauce. The results are tremendous! ​When paired with a nice, full bodied red wine, this dish is the ultimate comfort food. Also pairs well with Netflix and a Saturday night in.​

Hello from Atlanta!! As most of you know, Sterling and I moved from Chicago to ATL last week. He received a promotion (woop woop!) about 6 weeks ago, and it brought us here. I'll be doing a little blog post about the move in the next coming days... right now let's focus on the food.

Memorial Day was this past Monday. Sterling grilled up some chicken, burgers, and hot dogs on the balcony, and I made mac & cheese, creamed corn, baked beans, and veggie kabobs. We had a few new friends over, drank a few drinks, ate a few plates of food, and lounged by the pool. Summer is approaching (allegedly it's not actually summer yet, although this Atlanta HEAT is telling me otherwise), which means cookout season is upon us. One of my new goals is to be more conservative with the amount of food I waste, striving to make meals solely with what I've got in the fridge and pantry. Back in Chicago, we were around the block from a grocery store, so I literally stopped in every day after work to pick up ingredients for dinner. It was expensive and wasteful. So, in the light of conserving food and embracing cook out season, I came up with this quick and easy pasta idea that uses leftover veggie kabobs. 

This may come as a surprise to you, but veggie kabobs are usually the last to go at a cookout, so there are usually plenty of skewered leftovers. Add 'em to some whole grain pasta with sautéed garlic and tomatoes, and you're good to go. It aint fancy, but it's delicious, quick, and practical.

Serves: 2
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
• 8 oz whole grain pasta
• 2 veggie kabobs, removed from skewers (should yield about 1 heaping cup of veggies)
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• Quarter tsp garlic powder
• Half tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
Optional toppings: chopped italian flat leaf parsley, basil, sun dried tomatoes

Directions:
• Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and set aside
• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet and add leftover veggies until heated through
• Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute
• Add tomatoes, stir, and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until tomatoes have softened without becoming mushy
• Stir in pasta, season with salt/pepper and garlic powder, and drizzle with remaining olive oil, as desired
• Finish with optional toppings of choice and serve hot!

When I was in high school, I went to the same restaurant for lunch every thursday. I always sat in the same booth, and I always ordered the Penne Puttanesca. I love the tangy tomato sauce with the salty capers and the briny olives. I would smother my pasta in parmesan cheese and finish the leftover sauce by spreading it onto half a loaf of french bread. Now, while I will not sit here and pretend that I don't do the exact same thing when I go out to eat now, I will say that I have lost my teenage metabolism and do strive to lighten it up now and then. This puttanesca that I present to you tastes almost exactly like that dish I remember so fondly- only it is carb and anchovy free. Which means that now I can eat that half loaf of french bread without thinking twice.

I know I previously said that I don't consider zucchini noodles to be an adequate substitute for pasta, but I was wrong. I was so wrong. Today I've learned that it's all about the sauce, man. I've made a pretty vast range of sauces to cover my zucchini noodles in the past- alfredo, creamy red pepper, lentil marinara, pesto- and while it all tasted good, it just never felt as satisfying to me as a big ass bowl of pasta. I do not know what the difference is here today, but I have half of this puttanesca left over and I am so satisfied that I am actually leaving it for my lunch tomorrow. It's salty, briny, tangy, spicy, texturally pleasing, smells amazing. I dunno. It just works. It is really damn good, and I am so excited to share it with you.

Serves: technically makes 4 servings, but it's zucchini which means it's less filling than real pasta so let's call it 2 servings, shall we?
Cook time: 10 minutes (no joke)

Ingredients:
• 3 zucchini, julienned. (as mentioned in my last zucchini noodle post, you'll only want to use the firmer parts. stop peeling once you've reached the seedy, softer center)
• 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (I use the "fire roasted" flavor)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Half a large sweet or white onion, diced
• 1 1/2 heaping tsp capers
• 2 heaping tbsp kalamata olives, sliced thinly
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings: red pepper flakes, fresh basil, shaved parmesan

Directions:
• In a nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onions. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.
• Add garlic and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add diced tomatoes, and heat for a minute, stirring occasionally. Then add olives and capers, and stir to combine. Let simmer for 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.
• Next, add the zucchini in bunches. It'll seem like too much zucchini at first, but as it cooks, the zucchini will release its' moisture and get smaller. Keep adding and stirring continuously until all of the zucchini has been incorporated. Cook for another 30 seconds to a minute, or until all of the zucchini is coated in the sauce and heated through. It should still have a bite to it.
• Remove from heat, top with desired optional toppings of choice, serve hot, and enjoy :)

Continuing with the weeknight dinner thing, this is a quick meal that I swear by when I want to make something good, but really don't feel like cooking. I'm sure you have those nights too, so keep this one in your arsenal! Chicken parm is often served with spaghetti, so I love the idea of cutting out the extra steps and just preparing the whole meal together. This pasta is cheesy and crumbly, and highlights all of the flavors of chicken parm, all in one little dish. Best part- it takes about 30 minutes to make, and because you'll be poaching the chicken, requires very minimal hands-on time. I like to poach the chicken because it keeps the meat super tender... And requires little effort. To round out the meal, I like to serve this with a side of vegetables, like sautéed garlic green beans.

As a side note, I have actually always preferred eggplant parm to chicken parm, and I think this would be SO great as a vegetarian version. I'll try it with eggplant sometime and let you know how it goes. Or YOU can make it and let ME know how it goes... Morgan M., I'm lookin at you, girl.

​

Ingredients (makes approx. 3-4 servings):
• 8 oz pasta (penne is my preference, because you get a little burst of sauce with each bite. Bowtie is what I had on hand, and is a great substitute)
• 1 large chicken breast
• 1 garlic clove (gently smashed)
• 24 oz marina (my favorite to use is this spinach and parmesan flavor)
• 1/3 cup Italian panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I like a mix of mozzarella and 6 blend Italian)
• Salt
• Ground black pepper and cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:
• Preheat oven to 375° and grease an 8"x10" dish.
• Rinse chicken breast under cold water and place in a small saucepan with your garlic and 1/2 tsp of salt. Add cool water to the pot, covering the chicken by about an inch. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook chicken for about 10 minutes, or until opaque through the middle.
Note: chicken will need more or less time depending on thickness. Smaller cuts will need about 9 minutes, larger could go up to 14. 
• While chicken cooks, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for ten minutes. 
• Add panko breadcrumbs, basil, garlic powder, and oregano to a small bowl. Stir to combine. (Yes, I knowwww this is already Italian flavored, but adding more herbs and seasoning just kicks the flavor up a notch, and flavor is what we're all about here at Trilla's Table)
• Once chicken has cooked, remove from the water, let cool, and then cut into bite sized pieces. Season both sides with a pinch of black pepper.
• Building in layers, add half of the pasta to your baking dish, then half of the chicken, half of the marina, and a generous sprinkling of cheese. Give the dish a little shake to help the marinara reach all of the pasta, then repeat these steps with the remaining half. Top with the panko breadcrumb mixture.
Note: I like to taste the marinara first to see if it needs any more seasoning. Feel free to add more seasonings or herbs to your liking. I usually add cracked black pepper, garlic powder, and basil.
• Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Stir fry is one of my favorite week night dinners to make. It's quick, easy, healthy, and a great way to use up almost any leftover veggies you've got in the fridge. I'd say the two keys to making a good stir fry are 1) keeping just the right amount of crispiness in the veggies, and 2) the SAUCE. After experimenting with dozens of stir fry sauces, I can confidently say that THIS one is perfection. It's creamy, savory, and bright, with a hint of spice.  After adding it to the noodles, I can usually be found scraping the remaining sauce out of the bowl and spooning it into my mouth. No judgment. 

This stir fry also goes well with shrimp (if you're into that, which I am not, but Sterling is), so I'll give you the ingredients for the quick marinade I like to make for the shrimp, and how to prepare them.

This is my ultimate number one favorite stir fry that I've made to date. It's so colorful, vibrant, quick to make, and deeelicious. I think it'll be your favorite too. 

Ingredients (makes approx. 4 servings):
Noodles:
• 10 oz stir fry rice noodles (I like this kind from Thai Kitchen)
• 1-2 tbsp coconut or olive oil 
• 1 heaping cup broccoli (cut into florets)
• 1/2 cup cauliflower (cut into florets)
• 1/2 cup red cabbage (sliced)
• Half large red bell pepper (sliced)
• Half large green or yellow bell pepper (sliced)
• 3 large carrots (julienned and cut into 1-2" slices)
• 1/3 cup frozen edamame (thawed)
• 2 cloves garlic (diced)

Sauce (increase by 1 unit per ingredient if you like it mo' saucy)
• 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 4 and  1/2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sriracha (or more, to taste)
• Half tbsp fresh ground ginger (or the tubed kind)

Shrimp
I use the large frozen ones, shelled and deveined. Since I'm only ever making the shrimp for Sterling, I typically make like half a pound, give or take, so please adjust your marinade ingredients accordingly. In any case, you don't need a lot of marinade, just enough to mostly cover the shrimp. 

Marinade
• 2-3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sriracha

Optional toppings:
Toasted sesame seeds
Sliced green onions or scallions
More sriracha

Directions:  
Noodles:
• Cook rice noodles according to package instructions, and prepare sauce (by whisking all sauce ingredients together) for later.
• In a large skillet with deep sides (I use a small wok... That I own.....), heat 1 tbsp oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add broccoli, cauliflower, and a dash of salt. Stirring occasionally, cook until both are tender and broccoli is bright green. Add 1 more tbsp of oil if needed. The broccoli should be totally cooked through and tender, but should still have a slight crisp.
Note:  my favorite trick to cooking fibrous veggies, such as broccoli, without extra oil is to add a tbsp of water to the skillet. My mom taught me this.. Hi Mom! Stir continuously until water evaporates. Keep doing this until you've reached desired tenderness. Add an additional pinch of salt as well.
• Once broccoli and cauliflower are tender, add cabbage, peppers, and carrots. Cook about 3-4 minutes, or until tender. Stir occasionally.
• Add edamame and garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant
• Pour half of your sauce over the veggies, then add the rice noodles and top with remaining sauce. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and onions

Shrimp:
• Add marinade ingredients to a bowl, add shrimp, and toss. Let marinate for 10 minutes
• Spray a large skillet or grill pan with non-stick cooking spray, and heat over medium high heat
• Once hot, add shrimp and cook each side for 2-3 minutes, or until opaque and slightly pink

Top your noodles with your shrimp (or dont!) and enjoy!!   

Guys. This is my no-fail, go-to, melty mac & cheese. I make it for every holiday, so I guess it's become my "signature dish." I bake it in the oven just long enough that the top layer gets a little crispy and seals in all the oozing, gooey cheese underneath. Y'all all know you love mac & cheese, so I'm not gonna even try to sell this one to you. Just keep reading if you want to learn how to make perfect mac & cheese EVERY time.
​

First, you gotta make a roux. This is what will make your mac & cheese niiice and rich and creamy. In a large sauce pan, melt your butter until it starts bubbling, then add in your flour and whisk vigorously to remove all clumps.

Once your flour is totally incorporated and has gotten nice and brown (a process that takes no more than a minute), you'll start whisking in your milk and cream. I like to add just a few tbsp at first, which makes it easier to blend. Whisk til smooth, then add the remaining milk and cream slowly, while whisking quickly and continuously.

Thennnn, you're gonna add the cheese. I like to use several different kinds.

Once your cheese has melted and your sauce has thickened, you'll pour it over your pasta (which will already be waiting for you in a greased dish), and then pop it in the oven!
​
While it cooks, your kitchen (or entire 1 bedroom apartment) will be filled with the intoxicating smell of warm, bubbly cheese. It is torture. Praying for you.

But when it's done, you'll have this. A beautiful, crisp top layer covering miles and miles of melty cheese and pasta. Ugh. I just love it so much.

Ingredients (makes approx 4 servings. I usually triple this to serve 8-10 for holidays..shown above):
• 1.5 cups elbow macaroni
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 cups milk and half & half combined
• 1/2 tsp salt (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or more, to taste)
• ***secret ingredient*** 1/2 tsp mustard powder (trust me! it adds this bite that you just can't get with anything else)
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I use cheddar, colby jack, and 6 blend Italian)

Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta for 10 minutes (just under al dente). Once cooked, drain and transfer to a greased dish (about 8" x 10")
• Over low/medium heat, melt butter
• Add flour by the tbsp and whisk until totally incorporated. Let cook until browned and bubbly (no more than a minute)
• Gradually pour in milk/cream and whisk continuously to avoid clumps
• Add in your cheese, salt, pepper, and mustard powder, and stir to combine. Allow cheese to melt and sauce to thicken, stirring occasionally
• Once thickened, *carefully* taste the sauce to make sure it's seasoned well, add more salt and pepper if necessary, and then pour sauce over pasta, and bake for about 25-30 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown

That's all, folks!

Note: you'll bake your mac & cheese for more or less time, depending on how deep your dish is. About 25-30 for a 2 inch dish.
Note: feel free to manipulate the bake times depending on how funny you like your mac & cheese. I personally like mine a little firmer.

​