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Category Archives: Cooking

Moroccan Lamb & Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

07 Tuesday Feb 2017

Posted by in Cooking, Dinner, Lamb, Recipe, recipe development, Uncategorized

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I’m so excited to be continuing my partnership with Superior Farms in 2017. For my first assignment, I was asked to create a cold-weather comfort food dish using ground lamb. Appropriately enough, the day I developed the recipe, Seattle received a healthy doze of fresh snow.

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For me, comfort food usually involves potatoes, but looking around my kitchen, I only found sweet potatoes. And that’s where the idea for Moroccan Lamb & Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie originated. To bring everything together, I added harissa, the North African condiment made from roasted red peppers, chile peppers, garlic, coriander, olive oil, and other spices. Harissa packs a lot of flavor and is so handy to keep in your refrigerator.

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Moroccan Lamb & Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thirds
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4-6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound ground lamb
4 tablespoons harissa, divided
salt
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted and sliced green olives
green onions or cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer potatoes until tender, 15-20 minutes.

3. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, and lamb. Stir and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Continue to crumble up the lamb as it cooks. Drain excess fat.

4. Add 3 tablespoons of harissa and cook for a minute. Add chickpeas and tomatoes, stir, and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until most of the juices are absorbed. Stir in olives and season with salt.

5. Drain potatoes and mash with the remaining tablespoon of harissa and season with salt.

6. Spread potatoes over the lamb, drizzle with olive oil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. For extra color, broil for a few minutes and garnish with green onions or cilantro.

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I’m typing the recipe after snapping photos and helping myself to a serving of the pie (ok, 2 servings, but who’s counting?). You guys! It’s seriously good. Definitely comforting. Definitely flavorful. So colorful! Please make it and let me know your thoughts!

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Kale and Basil Vegan Pesto Recipe

08 Monday Aug 2016

Posted by in Cooking, Paleo, quick and easy, Recipe, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Kale & Basil Vegan Pesto

I don’t often make my own pesto, but this year, the basil on my patio is out of control, and as I’m continuing my journey on whole30, I decided to add this bright, vibrant condiment into my kitchen collection. Since I had some kale hanging out in the refrigerator, approaching its death, I decided to save it and mix it in with the basil.

This pesto has no cheese in order to be whole30 compliant, so it’s perfect for those who keep to a vegan lifestyle as well. Since I was making the pesto in my Vitamix, I was able to combine all ingredients at once and blend together. If your mixer or blender is less powerful, pulse the basil and kale first with walnuts and garlic, before drizzling in the olive oil and lemon juice. And as always, be sure to taste and adjust to your liking.

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Kale & Basil Vegan Pesto

Kale  & Basil Vegan Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups basil leaves
1 cup kale leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
1/3 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2-4 cloves of garlic
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in the food processor or a blender. Pure until desired consistency. Adjust with extra oil for a thinner pesto.

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Kale & Basil Vegan Pesto

I’ve served this kale and basil pesto over sauteed sweet potatoes with the spiralized chicken and apple sausage. I can see it going into eggs, zucchini noodles, and salads during next week.

Enjoy!

National Hummus Day: Sabra Rosemary with Sea Salt Hummus Bagel Bites

13 Friday May 2016

Posted by in Appetizer, Cooking, quick and easy, Recipe, recipe development, Uncategorized

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It’s no wonder I’ve named my blog Snacking in the Kitchen. I love to snack! Whether in between breakfast and lunch, lunch and dinner, or dinner and bedtime, snacking offers a quick, easy, fun, and, most importantly, satisfying way to feed yourself and your friends and family. So, when Sabra approached me to develop a recipe with their hummus to celebrate National Hummus Day and highlight their Unofficial Meal concept, I jumped right in.

Bagel Bites with Sabra Hummus and Lamb (4)

I drew inspiration for this recipe from one of my favorite breakfast plates: a toasted bagel with cream cheese, lox, sliced cucumber, red onion, and capers. I replaced the bagel with bagel chips, used braised lamb in place of salmon, and finally, loaded Sabra’s Rosemary with Sea Salt Hummus with chopped up cucumber, capers, and red onion.

Give this a try and I bet you’ll be right there with me celebrating National Hummus Day!

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Sabra Rosemary with Sea Salt Hummus Bagel Bites

Ingredients

1 cup Sabra Rosemary with Sea Salt Hummus
1/4 cup chopped English cucumber
2 tablespoons chopped capers
1 tablespoon minced red onion
bagel chips
1/4 cup chopped Braised Lamb Shanks
fresh dill for garnish

Directions

1.  Mix hummus with cucumber, capers, and onion.

2.  Spoon hummus over bagel chips, top with lamb, and garnish with dill

3.  Eat!

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Didn’t I promise this was going to be quick and easy? Try the recipe and let me know how you’re celebrating #NationalHummusDay and #UnofficialMeal. And be sure to get a $2 off coupon from Sabra to help your celebration.

 

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Disclosure: this is a sponsored post. Sabra has provided samples of hummus and compensation for the recipe development. All opinions are my own.

How to Prepare Braised Lamb Shanks

08 Sunday May 2016

Posted by in Cooking, Gluten Free, Lamb, quick and easy, Recipe, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

There’s no denying my love for lamb. I mostly order it at restaurants, but when I got a chance to receive an order of two lamb shanks from Superior Farms, I decided to give cooking lamb at home another try.

With time and ingredient constraints (the refrigerator was looking especially empty that day), I developed this simple recipe using just lamb shanks, onion, garlic, white wine, and…..wait for it…. sparkling lemon water! Go with me on this one.

To prepare the lamb, I used my brand new French oven from Staub – the one I won a few months ago and lovingly named Amelia.

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Braised Lamb Shanks with Wine and Lemon Sparkling Water

Ingredients

2 lamb shanks
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet onion, sliced
4-6 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2-1/3 cup dry white wine
1 can of lemon flavored sparkling water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Pat lamb shanks dry with paper towels and generously season with salt and ground black pepper.

3. Heat oil in a French oven over medium-high heat and sear the shanks on all sides until browned. Do this in batches, if necessary.

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4. Remove the shanks onto a plate; drain excess oil and fat from the French oven. Add onions and garlic and caramelize over medium heat until softened, about 10-15 minutes.

5. Nestle the shanks among the onion, pour in the wine, and braise the lamb shanks covered in the oven for 1 hour.

6. Add in a can of lemon flavored sparkling water and continue braising for another 2 hours, until the lamb is tender.

What’s next is up to you. I chilled the shanks overnight and enjoyed them, thinly sliced in salads, over sautéed potatoes and mushrooms, and on sandwiches.

Here are some of my other favorite lamb recipes:

Inside-Out Gyro-Style Lamb Roulade with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Pita Chips, and Feta Recipe

How to make Lamb Burgers With Pesto at Home, plus a Watermelon Salad with Feta and Basil ~ Recipes from Snacking in the Kitchen

Pomegranate Molasses Roasted Leg of Lamb

“Baaa!” says the lamb. “Yum!” I say ~ Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks

 

Chocolate and Hazelnut Tart with Apricots

04 Monday Apr 2016

Posted by in Baking, Cake, Chocolate, Cooking, Dessert, Nuts, Recipe, Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

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This year, I decided to bake myself a birthday dessert. I wanted something simple to make, decadent, and filled with chocolate. I turned to Giada De Laurentiis recipe for Chocolate-Pistachio Fudge Tart and made a few changes to make it my own.

 

As I’ve been obsessing about Oregon hazelnuts from Trader Joe’s, I decided to replace pistachios with roasted hazelnuts. I also replaced the heavy cream with half & half to lighten up the texture and the calorie load. I was at first worried that using half&half would not set up the chocolate filling, but it worked just fine. As the chocolate was melting into the hot half&half, I added a few extra ounces of chocolate, to make the filling thicker.

The tart came out just right. A balance between the creamy, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate filling and the crunchy, slightly salty nut and graham cracker crust. The topping of dried apricots is optional. I liked the golden, slightly sour bursts of fruit. I can also see how this same recipe would work well with fresh raspberries or strawberries. Happy birthday to me!

 

Chocolate and Hazelnut Tart with Apricots

Ingredients

Crust:
1 1/2 cups roasted hazelnuts
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 whole graham crackers
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups half&half
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch pie pan or springform pan with butter.
  2. Pulse hazelnuts in a food processor until roughly chopped. Add the graham crackers and pulse until finely chopped. Drizzle in the melted butter and pulse until incorporated. Press the mixture evenly over the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and lightly press the crust into the pan; cool completely.
  3. Heat half&half, vanilla extract, and salt until just beginning to simmer. Pour over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Whisk together until smooth and pour into the crust. Refrigerate until set, then sprinkle with chopped apricots and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Sun Basket Meal Delivery Review

27 Sunday Mar 2016

Posted by in Cooking, Gluten Free, Paleo, Recipe, Uncategorized

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Sun Basket Grilled Sausages

Grilled Sausages with Red Pepper Chutney and Braised Kale

My name is Anna, and I’m to this point I was a meal delivery virgin. A short conversation with the marketing team from Sun Basket changed my status. I picked three recipes from their website and had them ship to my house within a few days. I cooked all three recipes within a week, sharing one with a friend, and splitting the other two into several meals (leftovers!).

Here are my thoughts.

Benefits:

  1. On time delivery.
  2. All ingredients are included (other than salt, pepper, and oil).
  3. Fresh, organic, seasonal produce and animal proteins.
  4. Generous portion amounts.
  5. Easy to follow recipes that result in flavorful, healthy, satisfying meals.
  6. No wasted food.
  7. Each recipe introduces you to an ingredient you might not be familiar with.
  8. Accurate times for preparations and cooking, most recipes are done in 40 minutes.
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Chicken Garam Masala with Yogurt and toasted Naan

Recommendations:

  1.  Be sure to read through the entire list of ingredients and directions first. You can save a bit of time by changing up the steps and prepping the ingredients while cooking.
  2. Cut down on oil. Most steps in the recipe asked for 2 tablespoons of oil to sear or saute. You can easily cut this down to 2 teaspoons.
  3. Taste as you go.
  4. For some dishes, like the Chicken Garam Masala, I cooked a side of rice. The Grilled Sausages were for dinner, and I almost topped it off with a sunny side egg.

Verdict:

I would genuinely recommend Sun Basket for families or individuals who want to try new recipes. With this delivery system you can choose between paleo, vegetarian, and gluten free recipes. Enjoy!

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Shrimp Coconut Curry with Purple Potato

I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own. Meals were provided to me at no cost.

 

One Pan Supper: Roasted Vegetables and Salmon

20 Sunday Mar 2016

Posted by in Cooking, Dinner, Fish, quick and easy, Recipe, Uncategorized

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I’m an expert at doing dishes. In fact, it’s been a part of my job for the last four years. I’d do 2-3 full loads of dishes twice a week, twice a month, plus have more to wash by hand. And as much as it can be therapeutic sometimes to play with soapy water and see immediate results of your labor, saving on washing dishes gets gold stars in my book!

With this recipe, you’ll minimize on the number of dishes you’d need to wash while making a super impressive yet easy for a family of 4. If you’re cooking for 1 or 2, don’t despair. You’ll end up with plenty of leftovers for a few lunches.

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One Pan Supper: Roasted Vegetables and Salmon

Ingredients

3 pounds baby potatoes
4-6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 parsnips, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 thyme sprigs, divided
1 pound salmon fillets
1 lemon, sliced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F with a sheet pan placed on the middle rack.

2. Toss potatoes, garlic, parsnips, and onion with 2 teaspoons of oil. Season with salt, pepper, and add two sprigs of thyme. Add vegetables to the preheated pan in a single layer and roast for 20-25 minutes.

3. Use the remaining olive oil on top of salmon and season with salt. Layer thyme sprigs and lemon over the top.

4. Stir the vegetables and make space for the fish. Add salmon fillets to the roasted vegetables and bake for another 10-12 minutes.

Dinner’s ready! Remember those leftovers I have mentioned earlier? Imagine the chilled roasted salmon on top of a sandwich. Toss the roasted vegetables with a garlic yogurt and dill dressing. Whatever you decide to do with these, please, be mindful of your coworkers and don’t reheat leftovers in the microwave. They shall thank you!

Love the recipe? Share the link, post pictures and tag on instagram with @snackinkitchen.

Taco Tuesdays

13 Sunday Mar 2016

Posted by in Cooking, Mexican, quick and easy, tacos, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

I might argue that tacos are the perfect food. They are portable, super versatile, quick and easy to prepare (relatively speaking at least, once you’ve got all your sauces and fillings ready), affordable, and are plainly fun to make.

Taco Tuesdays have become a tradition all around the nation. Some restaurants even change up their menus to serve these Mexican-inspired delicacies.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy a taco? Are you a corn or flour tortilla fan? (I prefer corn, lightly charred). Do you like a few fillings or load up your tacos to the brim? (I’m a loaded kind of girl, the more, the better – this makes it a bit more difficult to eat the tacos, but so much more enjoyable and satisfying).

Back in the day when I was following a whole30 eating plan, I made my tacos as lettuce wraps. Look at the beauties below! I filled the lettuce with seasoned ground beef, spicy guacamole, and mango-tomato salsa. Skip the sour cream and cheese, and add a serving of plantain chips.

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Another reason to love tacos? They are perfect for parties! Set up a variety of fillings and toppings in individual bowls and let your guests build their own. It’s fun for them and makes your life as a host easier.

Here’s a sample of my taco tray with fajita-style peppers and onions, tender braised and shredded beef, slow cooked beans, salsa, guacamole, pickled radishes, sour cream, and lime.

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Got a favorite taco? Share away!

Life Lessons in the Kitchen: Patience

26 Friday Feb 2016

Posted by in Cooking, Ideas, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, Writing/Publishing

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Caramelized Onions

Life has taken a few interesting turns in the last few months. With it, it brought a level of stress and anxiety. As much as I am trying to stay positive, I find it difficult. And so, I walk into the kitchen and turn to cooking, to feed, to soothe, to take a moment from thinking about everything that is happening and everything that is not. This sounds like one of those non-specific Facebook posts, does it not? But without going into details, I’ll just say that a lot of balls are up in the air right now and I’m failing at juggling.

But back to the kitchen. One onion, a few cloves of garlic, and thyme. And time. That night’s meal prep was an exercise in patience. Thin onion slices, mingled with minced garlic and a sprig of thyme with a bit of olive oil. Over medium heat, they softened up, sweetened up, and turned tender. There was no hurry, no cranking up the heat, no multitasking. Just the sweet and savory aroma filling the kitchen. At the end of the process, I splashed a little bit of rice vinegar and turned off the heat.

There are so many uses for this jam-like onion condiment. I spread the onions on a piece of sourdough bread, topped with sharp Cheddar, and thin slices of crispy pear. A second piece of bread went on top, lightly pressed, and transferred to a skillet. The end result was a perfectly crispy and gooey grilled cheese sandwich.

Happy stomach, happier heart.

Shishito Peppers – Culinary Memories from Spain

15 Tuesday Jul 2014

Posted by in Appetizer, Cooking, Five Ingredient Dish, Gluten Free, Grilling, Healthy, Meatless Monday, Mystery Ingredient, Peppers, Snacks, Spain, Spanish, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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The other day, I picked up a package of shishito peppers at a local Asian supermarket. It’s somewhat amusing, because to me, padron peppers are associated with Spain. That’s where I had them for the first time, on my first trip to the country. In fact, they were part of the first meal my sister and I enjoyed in Madrid. The memory has stuck, and I have often ordered these relatively small and mild green peppers at Spanish tapas restaurants.

Back to the pack I bought. It has been sitting in my refrigerator for a bit too long. Every time I’d see the green peppers staring at me, I thought I should roast them or perhaps broil, but preheating the oven on these hot summer days is just unbearable. And so, today I cooked them in my trustworthy cast iron skillet. Boy, were they delicious!  I could almost taste Spain as I ate one, by one, finishing up almost the entire skillet.

Note: the same could be done with padron peppers.

Padron Peppers from Spain

Ingredients

1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 pack shishito peppers, 2-3 cups
coarse sea salt, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat cast iron skillet to high. Add oil and wait for it to start shimmering.
2. Add peppers to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until the skins begins to char and blister, about 5 minutes.
3. Season immediately with salt and eat (seeds and all!)

My smoke alarm went off several times as the peppers were cooking and continued to sound off after the peppers were off. You might want to open your windows and turn on the exhaust fan (fair warning!).

Enjoy 🙂

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How to “Grill” Lettuce ~ Broiled Romaine

21 Monday Apr 2014

Posted by in Cooking, Five Ingredient Dish, Gluten Free, Grilling, Healthy, Meatless Monday, Recipe, Salad

≈ 2 Comments

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Salad lovers, rejoice!  Romaine lettuce, it’s your time to shine.  You are no longer the supporting role, the “bulk” or the “bed” for the salad.  You are the main ingredient!  No longer cold and chopped, you are heated and charred, held together, and presented in all of your beauty.

I’m talking about grilled lettuce.  Have you had a chance to try it yet?  I’ve had my first grilled Caesar Salad a few summers ago and was hooked.  The thing is, I don’t have a grill at home, and spent many months without this delicious take on salad.

And then, almost like in a dream, I thought of trying preparing grilled romaine under a broiler!  A miracle of miracles – it worked!

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“Grilled” Romaine Lettuce Salad

Ingredients

1 romaine lettuce

1 tablespoon of olive oil

salt and ground black pepper to taste

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Directions

1.  Slice romaine in half, lengthwise.

2.  Drizzle with olive oil on the cut side and season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.  You can use your favorite seasonings here and spices, but I chose to keep the salad simple and let the natural sweetness of romaine lettuce shine.

3.  Place lettuce on a baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes, or until the desired charred is reached.  I broiled mine on both sides for extra char.

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What’s next is up to you.  I topped romaine with diced cucumbers, red bell pepper, crumbled feta and basil.

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What will you put on your “Grilled” romaine?

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Easter Mini Bundt Pan Frittatas

18 Friday Apr 2014

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Eggs, Gluten Free, Holidays, Recipe

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Easter Mini Bundt Frittatas Breakfast Recipe1

If you are celebrating Easter, I’m wishing you a Happy one!  While Easter is not in my holiday rotation, I did want to share this recipe for Easter Mini Bundt Pan Frittatas that will be ideal to make with Easter ham leftovers.  Serve this up for brunch and make an extra batch to pack for easy breakfast throughout the week.

You can certainly bake these in a standard cupcake pan, but I was fortunate to find these gorgeous mini bundt pan at my parents’ and was happy to make it my own.  The frittatas were my first project and I’m certainly looking forward to future bundt creations!

Easter Mini Bundt Pan Frittatas

Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil

1 cup diced ham

1 cup diced asparagus

1 cup diced yellow bell pepper

1/4 cup diced green olives (used jalapeno stuffed)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

6 eggs

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 6-container bundt pan with cooking spray or vegetable oil.

2.  Combine ham, asparagus, bell pepper, olives and dill and divide evenly among the bundt pan cups.

3.  Whisk together eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the filling.

4.  Bake in the oven until puffy and the eggs are set, 20-25 minutes.

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And that’s it guys!  Hop on over to your table to enjoy these delicious frittatas.  And as always, experiment with your favorite filling ingredients – cooked chicken, sauteed mushrooms and spinach, add a jalapeno for some spice – all appetizing possibilities!

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Thai Sticky Rice with Mangoes from Pok Pok Restaurant ~ Dessert

27 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by in Breakfast, Cookbook, Cooking, Dessert, Gluten Free, Mango, Recipe, Rice

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Thai Sticky Rice with Mangoes Recipe08

The last time you dined at a Thai restaurant, do you remember what you ordered for dessert?  More likely than not, you enjoyed a bowl of sticky rice, topped with sweet mango.  If you were lucky enough to taste this at a Portland Pok Pok, consider yourself lucky.  This is probably one of the most talked about Thai restaurant in the United States.  Although I haven’t had a chance to eat at Pok Pok yet, I got a chance to try many of its dishes few weeks ago, during my cookbook club meeting.  Our cookbook selection was “Pok Pok: Food and Stories from the Streets, Homes, and Roadside Restaurants of Thailand” by Any Ricker, JJ Goode, Austin Bush and David Thompson.

Among the dishes, there was pad thai, fried egg salad, pork ribs, and much more.  For my selection, I picked Andy’s recipe for Sweet Sticky Rice with Mangoes and Sesame Seeds, published in Food & Wine magazine.

You can find the full recipe on the site.  I found out, later, that it was different from one published in the book, perhaps an easier, more shortcut version.  In this version, the rice is prepared in the microwave instead of steaming, and there are several ingredients missing, that perhaps could be harder to find at a local grocery store.

As such, I adjusted the Food & Wine published recipe but cutting down on the salt and adding vanilla to the coconut sauce.  I also chose to use black sesame seeds to offer contrast to white rice and yellow mangoes.

You start by combining coconut milk with sugar and salt in a saucepan and simmering it until slightly thickened and the sugar melts.  Feel free to throw in a vanilla bean into the sauce.

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For the rice, you might need to head down to your closest Asian grocery store.  You’re looking for long grain Thai rice, also called sweet, sticky, or glutinous rice.

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Soak the rice for an hour, then rinse it, and cook in the microwave in three stages, until it’s tender.

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Meanwhile, you’ll make the second batch of coconut sauce (i added a vanilla bean to this one as well) with sugar and salt – you will add it to the cooked rice and stir it in until it’s fully absorbed.  Be sure both the rice and the sauce are still warm.

Toast black sesame seeds and peel and slice mangoes.  If at all possible, it’s best to use champagne mangoes.

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Serve the rice in individual bowls along with coconut sauce (the first batch you made), mangoes, and sesame seeds.  I arranged the mangoes over the bowl of rice and sprinkled with sesame seeds – looks like a happy bumble bee, doesn’t it?

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Faro and Vegetable Salad Recipe

17 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by in Cooking, Grains, Healthy, Kale, Lunch, Meatless Monday, Salad

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faro and vegetable salad recipe5

Do you love whole grains?  Are you a fan of bringing in daily lunch but making it only once a week?  Are you tired of pb&j sandwiches?  Then this Faro and Vegetable Salad just might be what you will want to make and pack up for your daily lunch this week.  Packed with nutrients and vitamins, it’s colorful, cheerful, crunchy, and delicious.  The zesty lemon-mustard dressing is light and can be kept separate from the salad, to be added right before serving.  Don’t have faro on hand?  This will work equally well with brown rice and wheat berries.

Faro and Vegetable Salad

faro and vegetable salad recipe6

Ingredients

1 cup faro
2 cups water
1 bunch kale, torn into pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 English cucumber, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
2 carrots, shredded
2 tablespoons dill, chopped

Dressing:
1 lime, juiced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Faro and Vegetable Salad

Directions

1.  Add faro and water to a medium saucepan over medium high heat.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer faro until tender, about 15 minutes.  Add in kale, cover, and let sit for a few minutes for kale to wilt.

2.  Combine cooled faro and kale with the remaining vegetables.

3.  Whisk together dressing and pour over faro and vegetables.  Toss gently.

Pack this lunch daily and you’ll be happily fed.  Want to mix it up?  Add grilled chicken, tofu, or shrimp along with the salad.  Love cheese?  Add crumbled feta cheese to your daily lunch.  As the salad sits in the fridge, the vegetables take on somewhat of a marinated quality and the faro soaks up the dressing nicely.

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Brine Your Chickens!

20 Thursday Feb 2014

Posted by in Allrecipes.com, Chicken, Cooking, Recipe, Video

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I have a confession to make.  Yesterday I made my first brined chicken.  For someone who has been cooking for quite some time, it’s honestly shameful.  Why have I roasted whole chickens without brining them first in all the previous years?  This overnight brined chicken was ridiculously juicy, tender, and flavorful.

Roasted Chicken Brine Recipe

I got to test the brining method on the set of Allrecipes.com video studio, using the Simple Chicken Brine recipe.  The recipe was indeed, simple.  A mix of water, salt, sugar, soy sauce and olive oil.  I resisted adjusting the recipe by adding extra seasonings and herbs, but will experiment the next time I decide to brine.

The whole chicken bathed in the brine overnight, then got rinsed and patted dry.  I stuffed it with lemon, fresh thyme, onion and celery before getting it into a hot oven, seated on a bed of more onion and celery.

Roast the chicken in a 400 degrees F oven for about an hour – depending on the size.  Make sure the internal temperature registers at 165 degrees F.  Allow the bird to rest, loosely covered with foil, to keep warm, before carving.  One of the benefits of brining, is even a bird that might be slightly overcooked, will still be juicy.

If every chicken I ate came out looking so beautiful and delicious, I’d be a happy girl!

Keep an eye out for a video to show you how we made the brine.

Would love to hear your experience in brining – do you have a favorite recipe to share?

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Savory French Toast

24 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by in Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Recipe

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Savory French Toast

Before I grew up into loving sweet French Toast, enjoying the custard soaked thick slices of challah bread, sometimes dusted with confectioners’ sugar or dunked into heated maple syrup, I remember gobbling up bites of Savory French Toast.  I was still a child, and if memory serves me correctly, this dish was prepared by my Dad for special weekend mornings.  I’m sure my Mom has made that as well a time or two.

This is my take on this childhood recipe – Savory French Toast.

Ingredients

2 eggs

2 tablespoons half & half

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 Brioche slices

1 tablespoon olive oil

Serve with: smoked salmon, cucumber and tomato salad

Directions

1.  Whisk together eggs, half & half, milk and the spices.

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2.  Coat brioche slices in the egg custard.

3.  Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat.

4.  Cook brioche  3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.

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If you are looking to add more flavor, consider sprinkling the toast with grated Parmesan cheese and watch it melt!

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Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

12 Sunday Jan 2014

Posted by in Cooking, Gluten Free, Recipe, Soup

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Spiced Butternut Squash Soup
Time for soup again.  Butternut squash has been a regular on the soup rotation, and this time, I cook it together in coconut oil with onion, celery, carrot and a spiced mix of curry, cayenne and cumin.  This smooth, earthy, slightly spiced soup was the background for the Curried Roasted Chickpeas I shared with you earlier this week.

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
4-6 garlic cloves
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 cups chicken broth (use vegetable for a vegetarian version)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

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Directions

1.  Melt coconut oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat.

2.  Add onion and spices and cook until onion begins to soften and spices release their fragrance, 5-7 minutes.

3.  Add squash, carrot and celery; cook another 5 minutes.

4.  Cover with chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer the soup until the vegetables are soft, 30-45 minutes.

5.  Puree the soup until smooth and season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.

And don’t forget to make a batch of Curried Roasted Chickpeas to go along with the soup.

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Thanksgiving Timeline ~ Get Organized & Eat Deliciously, On Time!

26 Tuesday Nov 2013

Posted by in Allrecipes.com, Cooking, Holidays

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Confession time.  While Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, I will actually be spending it away this year, in Canada.  I am truly sad to be missing the shared meal with family and friends, the leftovers the following day, and delicious aromas of the meal prepared at home. But don’t feel too bad for me.  I have already enjoyed several Thanksgiving meals this year.  Why?

At allrecipes.com we have filmed countless videos for recipes and Thanksgiving menus just this year.  Stuffing, pies, gravy, mashed potatoes, turkeys, and even Pumpkin Fluff Dip, we have prepared it all, tasted it, and I even was able to make a mashed potatoes-turkey-cheese melt sandwich.

My favorite Thanksgiving project was working on this video for Thanksgiving Guide Minute-by-Minute where we show you how to prepare the entire meal on the day of Thanksgiving.  The order in which to prepare the dishes, the prep-ahead steps, and even fit in a few breaks for wine.  Pay close attention and you might just find me in a cameo.  Hint – I am sipping a bubbly cocktail.

And here is a beautiful infographic put together by our Design Team.  Print it out and have it handy on the T-Day, and it’s almost like all of us at Allrecipes.com are there with you, helping you mash the potatoes, season the gravy, and carve the turkey.

Thanksgiving Timed Right

Happy Thanksgiving!