Showing posts with label home cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home cooking. Show all posts
Thursday, January 10, 2013
TOP News: Habitat's 2013 Cooking Class Schedule
Monday, April 30, 2012
They see me rollin'...
During a recent trip to Giant Eagle, PID and I noticed that Pillsbury biscuit and crescent roll products were on sale at three for $5 so, of course, we snagged six.
What this means is that we had quite the unnecessary excess of reduced fat crescent rolls. I half expected the Dough Boy to pop out and poke US in the belly button.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Home Cookin': Quiche Brunch
We're doing something unconventional with this post: sharing back-to-back recipes.
Typically every weekend PID and I indulge in our Saturday morning waffles, thanks to a well-utilized gift of a waffle maker from Papa-PID two (maybe three...) Christmases ago. But this weekend, we were flat out of waffle mix. So as I love to do, I dug around in my refrigerator and dreamed up an alternative. A simple, easy, delicious quiche.
For three years in high school, I worked at a tiny little breakfast and lunch only eatery in Mt. Gretna called the Porch & Pantry Cafe where a woman named Barb made the most amazing food from scratch. Sugar coated blueberry muffins competed with the stickest and gooiest cinnamon buns I'd ever seen. Butter-brushed brioche buns were home to sloppily delicious roast beef and horseradish sandwiches washed down by hand squeezed lemonade or tea-cooler. It was there that I caught my very first glimpse of the joy of baking. But out of every recipe she trusted us gals with, the quiche stood fast in my mind as the simplest, yet most delicious breakfast/brunch solution ever.
This week, it was time to reminisce and whip together a Bacon, Spinach, Mushroom & Cheddar Quiche.
Less than 45 minutes after I made the decision to make the quiche, PID and I were fighting over the last piece. Yes. Two of us ate the entire pie of quiche. Don't judge. It was delicious and we were hungry. You'll do the same once you give this recipe a try.
Here's what you'll need for the quiche:
1 store-bought, refrigerated pie dough
6 eggs
1 1/4 c. buttermilk (can substitute with heavy cream or whole milk)
2 c. fresh baby spinach, chopped
1 c. mushrooms, chopped
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
5-6 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
1.) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2.) Roll out your pie dough and coat it with a small bit of flour on each side, then place it in your pie pan.
3.) Whisk together your eggs and milk, then gently stir in your mushrooms, spinach, cheese, bacon, salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into your pie pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until your quiche no longer jiggles.
4.) Enjoy!
See? INCREDIBLY simple. This is a great weekend morning (or brunch) meal and, although PID and I are mini-PID-free at the moment, it would be an excellent way to get your kids into the kitchen and enjoy eating their vegetables.
We drizzled Frank's Red Hot onto our quiche and went gaga. The slight crunch of the bacon and the crispiness of the crust made for a great variety of texture with the creaminess of the eggs.
SO give it a try next time your short on time and big on breakfast. You'll be ever-so-glad you did.
Typically every weekend PID and I indulge in our Saturday morning waffles, thanks to a well-utilized gift of a waffle maker from Papa-PID two (maybe three...) Christmases ago. But this weekend, we were flat out of waffle mix. So as I love to do, I dug around in my refrigerator and dreamed up an alternative. A simple, easy, delicious quiche.
For three years in high school, I worked at a tiny little breakfast and lunch only eatery in Mt. Gretna called the Porch & Pantry Cafe where a woman named Barb made the most amazing food from scratch. Sugar coated blueberry muffins competed with the stickest and gooiest cinnamon buns I'd ever seen. Butter-brushed brioche buns were home to sloppily delicious roast beef and horseradish sandwiches washed down by hand squeezed lemonade or tea-cooler. It was there that I caught my very first glimpse of the joy of baking. But out of every recipe she trusted us gals with, the quiche stood fast in my mind as the simplest, yet most delicious breakfast/brunch solution ever.
This week, it was time to reminisce and whip together a Bacon, Spinach, Mushroom & Cheddar Quiche.
Less than 45 minutes after I made the decision to make the quiche, PID and I were fighting over the last piece. Yes. Two of us ate the entire pie of quiche. Don't judge. It was delicious and we were hungry. You'll do the same once you give this recipe a try.
Here's what you'll need for the quiche:
1 store-bought, refrigerated pie dough
6 eggs
1 1/4 c. buttermilk (can substitute with heavy cream or whole milk)
2 c. fresh baby spinach, chopped
1 c. mushrooms, chopped
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
5-6 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
1.) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2.) Roll out your pie dough and coat it with a small bit of flour on each side, then place it in your pie pan.
3.) Whisk together your eggs and milk, then gently stir in your mushrooms, spinach, cheese, bacon, salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into your pie pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until your quiche no longer jiggles.
4.) Enjoy!
See? INCREDIBLY simple. This is a great weekend morning (or brunch) meal and, although PID and I are mini-PID-free at the moment, it would be an excellent way to get your kids into the kitchen and enjoy eating their vegetables.
We drizzled Frank's Red Hot onto our quiche and went gaga. The slight crunch of the bacon and the crispiness of the crust made for a great variety of texture with the creaminess of the eggs.
SO give it a try next time your short on time and big on breakfast. You'll be ever-so-glad you did.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Home Cookin': Bacon Wrapped Cod
I'm so thankful for PID. He is such a patient and wonderful man who is kind enough to cook dinner for us most nights. His backwards schedule allows him to be home around 3:15, so it makes sense that way. But recently we've been training for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon together which means running instead of eating when I get home from work. This has been a blessing in disguise because, while we're eating a bit later, it gives me the opportunity to get back into the kitchen.
This week we forgot to thaw out meat before leaving in the morning, so we dug through the freezer to find something -- anything -- that would de-thaw quickly. I found some mystery white fish. Perfect. Now what in the world to do with it...
I opened up both refrigerator doors and stared blankly for a moment or two before the bacon caught my eye.
The night's menu instantly developed in my head: bacon-wrapped "Mystery Fish" with a stone-ground mustard beurre blanc on a bed of wilted swiss chard and wild rice.
I should admit that I don't just go around dreaming of beurre blancs. When I saw the bacon, I had vaguely remembered seeing a recipe in my Cook like a Top Chef cookbook that would work. So I channeled Chef Hosea on this one and began by pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees.
Here's what you'll need for the fish:
4 pieces of flaky white fish (like Cod, Halibut, Arctic Char or Mahi Mahi) about 4-6 oz each
4-6 slices of bacon (I would NOT recommend using Turkey Bacon)
2 tbs Canola oil
salt and pepper
Here's what you'll need for the beurre blanc:
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 green onion
12 peppercorns (I used 4 black, 4 green and 4 white)
1 large bay leaf
1/4 cup heavy cream
1.5 sticks of unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
2 tablespoons stone-ground mustard
Here's what you'll need for the bed:
8 stalks fresh swiss chard
lemon juice
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 dry white cooking wine
salt and pepper
1 package Uncle Ben's 90-Second Ready Rice Long Grain & Wild
Prepare your fish first by seasoning your fish with salt and pepper, wrapping each piece in bacon and seasoning again.
Then set aside and get started on your beurre blanc. That may seem a bit backwards, but of all of the items, the sauce takes the longest.
In a medium saucepan, heat your wine, lemon juice, onion, bay leaf and peppercorns over medium heat, reducing until noticeably syrupy.
Next, add your heavy cream and reduce to a thick, milky sauce.
Here's where i'd suggest getting started on your fish. Heat your oil on medium-high heat in an oven-safe saute pan and, when it's screeching hot, sear your fish until your bacon darkens and your fish reaches a golden brown, flipping for even cooking -- about 4 minutes per side.
Keep an eye on your fish and when they reach their desired color, transfer your pan into the oven, roasting until just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.
While your fish is searing and your beurre blanc is reducing, heat your olive oil in a large dutch oven on medium heat, then add your white wine, swiss chard, lemon juice, salt and pepper and steam for 2-3 minutes.
Next, toss your rice in the microwave for 1:30. That's the easy part.
Now it's back to your beurre blanc (while still keeping an eye on your fish). Add your butter, a few cubes at a time, whisking until fully incorporated.
Strain the sauce through a sifter into a new saucepan, add the mustard, stir and keep warm on low heat.
When your fish is ready, remove it from the oven and cover with aluminum foil or a high lid while prepping your plate.
Layer your swiss chard, rice and fish on top of one another, then drizzle your beurre blanc across the fish and the plate...
...and ENJOY!!!!
I may have written this recipe in a roundabout way, but I know that I always have a hard time properly timing my cooking and I was hoping this may help you to prioritize. To clarify the beurre blanc recipe, here it is all at once:
Heat wine, lemon juice, peppercorns, bay leaf and onion on medium-high heat in a medium saucepan, reducing until syrupy. Add heavy cream and reduce to a thick sauce. Add butter cubes and whisk until fully incorporated, then strain into a new saucepan and add mustard. Keep warm. Be patient with the reductions, they take quite a few minutes to reach their proper consistencies.
This recipe didn't take long at all and was a fairly simple execution -- and was utterly delicious! It also feels pretty cool to be able to say I made a beurre blanc....and it wasn't hard at all! Top Chef Blake? Ya never know...
What's your favorite sauce to brag about having made?
This week we forgot to thaw out meat before leaving in the morning, so we dug through the freezer to find something -- anything -- that would de-thaw quickly. I found some mystery white fish. Perfect. Now what in the world to do with it...
I opened up both refrigerator doors and stared blankly for a moment or two before the bacon caught my eye.
The night's menu instantly developed in my head: bacon-wrapped "Mystery Fish" with a stone-ground mustard beurre blanc on a bed of wilted swiss chard and wild rice.
I should admit that I don't just go around dreaming of beurre blancs. When I saw the bacon, I had vaguely remembered seeing a recipe in my Cook like a Top Chef cookbook that would work. So I channeled Chef Hosea on this one and began by pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees.
Here's what you'll need for the fish:
4 pieces of flaky white fish (like Cod, Halibut, Arctic Char or Mahi Mahi) about 4-6 oz each
4-6 slices of bacon (I would NOT recommend using Turkey Bacon)
2 tbs Canola oil
salt and pepper
Here's what you'll need for the beurre blanc:
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 green onion
12 peppercorns (I used 4 black, 4 green and 4 white)
1 large bay leaf
1/4 cup heavy cream
1.5 sticks of unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
2 tablespoons stone-ground mustard
Here's what you'll need for the bed:
8 stalks fresh swiss chard
lemon juice
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 dry white cooking wine
salt and pepper
1 package Uncle Ben's 90-Second Ready Rice Long Grain & Wild
Prepare your fish first by seasoning your fish with salt and pepper, wrapping each piece in bacon and seasoning again.
Then set aside and get started on your beurre blanc. That may seem a bit backwards, but of all of the items, the sauce takes the longest.
In a medium saucepan, heat your wine, lemon juice, onion, bay leaf and peppercorns over medium heat, reducing until noticeably syrupy.
Next, add your heavy cream and reduce to a thick, milky sauce.
Here's where i'd suggest getting started on your fish. Heat your oil on medium-high heat in an oven-safe saute pan and, when it's screeching hot, sear your fish until your bacon darkens and your fish reaches a golden brown, flipping for even cooking -- about 4 minutes per side.
Keep an eye on your fish and when they reach their desired color, transfer your pan into the oven, roasting until just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.
While your fish is searing and your beurre blanc is reducing, heat your olive oil in a large dutch oven on medium heat, then add your white wine, swiss chard, lemon juice, salt and pepper and steam for 2-3 minutes.
Next, toss your rice in the microwave for 1:30. That's the easy part.
Now it's back to your beurre blanc (while still keeping an eye on your fish). Add your butter, a few cubes at a time, whisking until fully incorporated.
Strain the sauce through a sifter into a new saucepan, add the mustard, stir and keep warm on low heat.
When your fish is ready, remove it from the oven and cover with aluminum foil or a high lid while prepping your plate.
Layer your swiss chard, rice and fish on top of one another, then drizzle your beurre blanc across the fish and the plate...
...and ENJOY!!!!
I may have written this recipe in a roundabout way, but I know that I always have a hard time properly timing my cooking and I was hoping this may help you to prioritize. To clarify the beurre blanc recipe, here it is all at once:
Heat wine, lemon juice, peppercorns, bay leaf and onion on medium-high heat in a medium saucepan, reducing until syrupy. Add heavy cream and reduce to a thick sauce. Add butter cubes and whisk until fully incorporated, then strain into a new saucepan and add mustard. Keep warm. Be patient with the reductions, they take quite a few minutes to reach their proper consistencies.
This recipe didn't take long at all and was a fairly simple execution -- and was utterly delicious! It also feels pretty cool to be able to say I made a beurre blanc....and it wasn't hard at all! Top Chef Blake? Ya never know...
What's your favorite sauce to brag about having made?
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Home Cookin':Attack of the Homegrown Zucchini!
It's about that time of year when home-gardeners back yards are overcome with a jungle of Zucchini plant leaves. Some years are better than others when it comes to how well the vegetables themselves grow. For PID and I, saying this this was an "on" year was a bit of an understatement.
This dish was a PERFECT summer meal. It was crisp and cool and had the perfect amount of citrus-y zing to it. As I mentioned -- I loved the contrast of the crispiness of the thinly sliced chicken against the spinach and zucchini-- but some may enjoy a juicy bite!
The second meal on the menu last night was a Lemon Wine Risotto with Peas and Zucchini. So um....lest I remind you that I write a RESTAURANT blog for a reason. I am not a trained (or talented) chef and I think it goes without saying that I'd never made a risotto before.
Let me start by giving a piece of novice advice: If you do not have 35 solid minutes to dedicate to NOTHING but your risotto...if you don't have the patience or stamina to stand and stir the entire time... then you should not even attempt to make a risotto. This dish slightly resembled the girl my best guy friend dated in high school: high maintenance, but in the end -- beautiful.
Here's what you'll need for 6 servings:
2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups water
4 tablespoons of butter
1 large zucchini -- cut into small cubes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (you can find it at Giant Eagle -- but it can also be substituted for medium grain white rice)
1 cup thawed frozen peas
1/2 cup dry white wine, like Pino Grigio
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper
Here's what you'll do:
1) In a large skillet, heat your water and chicken broth on low heat and keep it warm
2) Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in another large saucepan over medium heat and add your zucchini cubes -- toss and season with salt & pepper -- cooking and stirring often 8 minutes. When your zucchini is complete, use a slotted spoon to transfer the zucchini cubes to a plate lined with a paper towel and cover.
3) Reduce heat to medium-low and add your onion, cooking about 5 minutes or until soft, then season with salt & pepper
4) Re-raise the heat back to medium and add the rice -- cooking until the edges are translucent (about 3 minutes). Then add the wine and cook another 2 minutes to combine.
5) Begin adding your broth liquid to the rice, 1 cup at a time, cooking the rice and stirring constantly until the entire cup is seemingly absorbed before adding the next. This should take you about 25 minutes. Important: DO NOT STOP STIRRING! I know most people have non-stick saucepans...so it may not be as big of an issue for you...but as an unmarried young professional who has never had a reason to register for anything or a surplus of money to spend on a new set, I'm stuck using family hand-me-downs which were crafted prior to Teflon times.
6) Once all the liquid has been incorporated in to the rice, immediately add the peas and gradually add your lemon juice - stirring all the while, then add the zucchini and stir again with the final tablespoon of butter and another flavoring of salt & pepper.
7) Serve with the grated Parmesan cheese on top and be prepared to NOM.
So there you have it. My wrangle with the Attack of the Homegrown Zucchini. I didn't have time for dessert, but if I did i PROBABLY would have made these suckers -- which I attempted for my other (slightly underdeveloped) blog, Life is Cake. They didn't make this post because -- duh -- no zucchini. I didn't want to mess with my Iron Chef-esque status in Battle Zucchini (*said very excitedly...*)!
And so I say unto you in the words of some guy from TV's uncle....
ALLEZ CUISINE!
This was our first pick of the season. For the record, that is a massive apple.
We knew we had a lot of Zucchini to use and not a lot of time to use it before a) it went bad or b) we had to pick another one. So I took it upon myself to create a full Zucchini themed dinner. I was inspired by a Martha Stuart cookbook which was given to me by a dear FORT...but I made a few adjustments to make these dishes my own. PID seemed to enjoy it -- let's hope you do too!
My first course was a Cilantro Zucchini Chicken Salad with a Lime Vinaigrette. This was a simplistically delicious dish that didn't take a lot of time to create. Here's what you'll need for 4 healthy servings:
1 medium Zucchini -- sliced thin
2 large boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup + 1 tbs olive oil (I used Roasted French Walnut Oil from the folks over at A Taste of Olive - YUM!)
1/4 cup cilantro -- chopped
1/2 cup red onion, sliced thin in rounds
2 cups fresh spinach leaves -- chopped
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts -- whichever you prefer
Salt & pepper
Here's what you'll do:
1) In a large bowl, whisk together your lime juice, oil, and a heft helping of salt & pepper and add your zucchini slices, allowing to marinate
2) Here's where you can make a call based on the amount of time that you have available: Either heat your tablespoon of oil on medium, season your chicken breasts with salt & pepper and cook until browned (about 8 minutes per side). OR!!!! You can do what I did and slice your chicken breasts in to thin slices and season each one individually with salt and pepper before heating your oil on medium and cooking the slices until browned (about 4 minutes per side). The upside to the latter? It takes less time. I personally liked crispier chicken slices, but I know some (/most) may not. Doing it the former way makes for much juicier chicken.
3) When your chicken is finished cooking, rip the pieces or breasts apart with your hands until you have small chunks.
4) Toss the chicken in the bowl with the zucchini, vinaigrette, pecans, cilantro, onion and spinach.
5) Serve and enjoy!
The second meal on the menu last night was a Lemon Wine Risotto with Peas and Zucchini. So um....lest I remind you that I write a RESTAURANT blog for a reason. I am not a trained (or talented) chef and I think it goes without saying that I'd never made a risotto before.
Let me start by giving a piece of novice advice: If you do not have 35 solid minutes to dedicate to NOTHING but your risotto...if you don't have the patience or stamina to stand and stir the entire time... then you should not even attempt to make a risotto. This dish slightly resembled the girl my best guy friend dated in high school: high maintenance, but in the end -- beautiful.
Here's what you'll need for 6 servings:
2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups water
4 tablespoons of butter
1 large zucchini -- cut into small cubes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (you can find it at Giant Eagle -- but it can also be substituted for medium grain white rice)
1 cup thawed frozen peas
1/2 cup dry white wine, like Pino Grigio
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper
Here's what you'll do:
1) In a large skillet, heat your water and chicken broth on low heat and keep it warm
2) Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in another large saucepan over medium heat and add your zucchini cubes -- toss and season with salt & pepper -- cooking and stirring often 8 minutes. When your zucchini is complete, use a slotted spoon to transfer the zucchini cubes to a plate lined with a paper towel and cover.
3) Reduce heat to medium-low and add your onion, cooking about 5 minutes or until soft, then season with salt & pepper
4) Re-raise the heat back to medium and add the rice -- cooking until the edges are translucent (about 3 minutes). Then add the wine and cook another 2 minutes to combine.
5) Begin adding your broth liquid to the rice, 1 cup at a time, cooking the rice and stirring constantly until the entire cup is seemingly absorbed before adding the next. This should take you about 25 minutes. Important: DO NOT STOP STIRRING! I know most people have non-stick saucepans...so it may not be as big of an issue for you...but as an unmarried young professional who has never had a reason to register for anything or a surplus of money to spend on a new set, I'm stuck using family hand-me-downs which were crafted prior to Teflon times.
6) Once all the liquid has been incorporated in to the rice, immediately add the peas and gradually add your lemon juice - stirring all the while, then add the zucchini and stir again with the final tablespoon of butter and another flavoring of salt & pepper.
So there you have it. My wrangle with the Attack of the Homegrown Zucchini. I didn't have time for dessert, but if I did i PROBABLY would have made these suckers -- which I attempted for my other (slightly underdeveloped) blog, Life is Cake. They didn't make this post because -- duh -- no zucchini. I didn't want to mess with my Iron Chef-esque status in Battle Zucchini (*said very excitedly...*)!
And so I say unto you in the words of some guy from TV's uncle....
ALLEZ CUISINE!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Ice Cream Cupcakes!
I know I don't do many "I Cooked" entries anymore, but I've just gotta do it this time! One of my favorite bloggers in the world, Stef at The Cupcake Project, is hosting a contest with the folks at Scoopilicious for the best ice cream cupcakes. Not sure if many (or any) of you know this, but I'm somewhat of a cupcake freak. I eat them, I bake them, I covet them.....
So diet, I beseech thy forgiveness. But darnit, I'm makin' cupcakes.
The contest goes a little something like this:
1) I come up with a recipe for an Ice Cream Cupcake.
2) I blog about my recipe.
3) I post a photo on the Cupcake Project Facebook wall.
4) I eat every last one of the cupcakes I make.
So I did a lot of thinking, visited a few of the judges' blogs to determine proper brown nosing methods, and finally decided to stick with what I know: sweet, simple and satisfying.
What my mind and taste buds landed on was this:
Light 'n' Fluffy Strawberry Shortcakes!
Here's what you'll need for the Cupcakes (12 yield)
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. cake flour
3/4 c. egg whites (about 6)
1/2 c. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. meringue powder (optional)
dash of salt
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees (note, this is hotter than for normal cupcakes which are typically baked at 350). In a small bowl, combine your powdered sugar, flour and meringue powder and set aside. Beat the egg whites at medium speed for 1 minute, then add in the tartar. Beat at medium-high speed and gradually add in the granulated sugar, then the vanilla, then the almond extract, then the salt. Let this mixture beat at medium-high for about 5 minutes or until it starts looking like a meringue and begins to peak. Gradually begin to mix in the flour/powdered sugar mixture until smooth. It should look, feel and taste much lighter than your typical cupcake mix.
Spray cupcake tin with Baker's Joy (aka my best friend) and fill each tin to the very top with the mixture. Drag a knife through each tin to break up any air bubbles, then flatten the mixture so there are no peaks.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
Here's what you'll need for the Whipped Cream Icing:
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp. meringue powder
2/3 c. granulated sugar
Beat the cream on high and gradually sprinkle in the meringue powder. When it starts to peak, gradually add in the sugar. Continue beating on high for about 4-5 minutes and you're done! Easy peasy, lemon squeezey!
Here's what else you'll need:
1 container of fresh strawberries save 12 small berries whole, chop the rest
1 container of Breyers Strawberry Ice Cream (or your favorite brand -- just make sure it's got the delicious chunks in there)
After your cupcakes have cooled, use a cupcake corer (or a spoon, or knife, or whatever you've got handy...) to core a substantial chunk out of the center of the cake.
Then, take a few chunks of your chopped strawberries and set them in the bottom of the cored center. Take a spoonful of your strawberry ice cream and scoop it on top of the chopped strawberries, smoothing it out over the top of the cupcake.
If you'd like, drop a few more chopped strawberries on top of that. I didn't -- but after tasting it was thinking it might be good! Then, either with a piping bag or a spoon, ice your cupcake. As a garnish, take one of your remaining full strawberries and slice it three times up the center, then twist it out in to a fan. Voila!
Now for the best part...... TAKE A BITE! I assure you, you won't be sorry!
So there you have it, my entry for The Cupcake Project and Scoopilicious' Ice Cream Cupcake contest! I hope you find it simple, sweet and satisfying as PID and I did!
So diet, I beseech thy forgiveness. But darnit, I'm makin' cupcakes.
The contest goes a little something like this:
1) I come up with a recipe for an Ice Cream Cupcake.
2) I blog about my recipe.
3) I post a photo on the Cupcake Project Facebook wall.
4) I eat every last one of the cupcakes I make.
So I did a lot of thinking, visited a few of the judges' blogs to determine proper brown nosing methods, and finally decided to stick with what I know: sweet, simple and satisfying.
What my mind and taste buds landed on was this:
Light 'n' Fluffy Strawberry Shortcakes!
Here's what you'll need for the Cupcakes (12 yield)
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. cake flour
3/4 c. egg whites (about 6)
1/2 c. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. meringue powder (optional)
dash of salt
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees (note, this is hotter than for normal cupcakes which are typically baked at 350). In a small bowl, combine your powdered sugar, flour and meringue powder and set aside. Beat the egg whites at medium speed for 1 minute, then add in the tartar. Beat at medium-high speed and gradually add in the granulated sugar, then the vanilla, then the almond extract, then the salt. Let this mixture beat at medium-high for about 5 minutes or until it starts looking like a meringue and begins to peak. Gradually begin to mix in the flour/powdered sugar mixture until smooth. It should look, feel and taste much lighter than your typical cupcake mix.
Spray cupcake tin with Baker's Joy (aka my best friend) and fill each tin to the very top with the mixture. Drag a knife through each tin to break up any air bubbles, then flatten the mixture so there are no peaks.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
Here's what you'll need for the Whipped Cream Icing:
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp. meringue powder
2/3 c. granulated sugar
Beat the cream on high and gradually sprinkle in the meringue powder. When it starts to peak, gradually add in the sugar. Continue beating on high for about 4-5 minutes and you're done! Easy peasy, lemon squeezey!
Here's what else you'll need:
1 container of fresh strawberries save 12 small berries whole, chop the rest
1 container of Breyers Strawberry Ice Cream (or your favorite brand -- just make sure it's got the delicious chunks in there)
After your cupcakes have cooled, use a cupcake corer (or a spoon, or knife, or whatever you've got handy...) to core a substantial chunk out of the center of the cake.
Then, take a few chunks of your chopped strawberries and set them in the bottom of the cored center. Take a spoonful of your strawberry ice cream and scoop it on top of the chopped strawberries, smoothing it out over the top of the cupcake.
If you'd like, drop a few more chopped strawberries on top of that. I didn't -- but after tasting it was thinking it might be good! Then, either with a piping bag or a spoon, ice your cupcake. As a garnish, take one of your remaining full strawberries and slice it three times up the center, then twist it out in to a fan. Voila!
Now for the best part...... TAKE A BITE! I assure you, you won't be sorry!
So there you have it, my entry for The Cupcake Project and Scoopilicious' Ice Cream Cupcake contest! I hope you find it simple, sweet and satisfying as PID and I did!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Super Easy "Broke & Hungry" Sausage Pasta
Are you like PID and I? Super busy, slightly low on cash after an insane holiday and, generally speaking, hungry?
You've had to have noticed that my restaurant reviews have dwindled in December. They'll be back in January with a heavy focus on eating right while dining out, but in the meantime we've been looking for ways to whip up quick, hearty, delicious and inexpensive meals in the interim.
And wouldn't you know it? Red Pack tomatoes came to our rescue. They'd approached me a while back asking if I'd review their canned tomatoes. Originally I'd politely declined because the nature of my blog, as you know, is Pittsburgh restaurant reviews. But because I've decided to occasionally delve in to the world of home cooking, I figured "why not?" I love, love LOVE tomatoes (I've even been known to eat them like apples) but I'm not typically big on using canned. So it was worth a shot to check out Red Pack and see how they shape up!
A few short days later this awesome little kit showed up at my door:
Woah! Way more than I'd ever expected. The best part of it all were the two massive cans of whole and diced tomatoes and three awesome recipes.
But the main basis behind this post is how to create a dish super cheap, super fast, and super delicious. I have no doubt about the delicious part, but for me super fast and super cheap meant utilizing only what I already had in my pantry.
So I'm excited to share with you the fastest, easiest and most delectable recipe I can for those nights you're running behind like PID and I so often are. Six simple ingredients, 12 quick minutes. Boom.
So we'll start at the beginning. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. When I do this, I often like to add olive oil and salt to a) keep the pasta from sticking and b) give it a touch of predetermined flavor.
Once your water is on the stove, you can get to chopping.
Start with your hot Italian sausage because you'll want to throw that in the skillet first. I like to chop my sausage when I'm going to sautee it with veggies because it renders the juice that way to flavor them. (If you're simply cooking sausage to serve on it's own, DON'T chop them first like this. Keep the juices in tact so they emerge when you bite in to it). So just take four sausages and chop them in to one inch "links." Heat a fry pan with olive oil to a medium heat until it's hot enough to flow around the pan freely. Then plop your sausage in the pan and get 'em cooking!
At this time, your water should be boiling. I had nest pasta on hand, but any angel hair or spaghetti will do. If you use straight pasta, I always like to live by the rule that 1 fistful = 4 people. So for two, use about a half a handful and break it in half before tossing it in the pot. This'll make life easy for your fork and save you from that awkward, tedious "pushing the pasta in to the boiling water" step.
Then you'll quickly move on to your veggies. I was lucky enough to have diced onions on hand, but if you don't, I'd suggest chopping them last in case you're like me and have to leave the kitchen due to tear overload. Also, your onions will maintain more flavor the longer they are in tact. If you do this though, I'd wait until you begin the onion to throw the sausage in the skillet.
I'm going to teach you how to prepare a pepper the way mama TOP taught me. It starts with three simple steps:
1.) chop top
2.) chop bottom
3.) Swipe! (hold the pepper in your non-dominant hand, insert the knife in the open area adjacent to the pit, rotate the pepper around the knife so the seed pit simply falls out and you're left with a hollow pepper.
Voila!
You'll only need half of each pepper and you'll want to chop each in to 1" pieces. Once your veggies are chopped, throw the onions, red and green peppers in to the pan. Truth be told, a little minced garlic wouldn't be so bad to add. But I wasn't in the mood.
Once my peppers and sausage were cooking away, I finally broke in to the Red Pack! I opened the can and instantly an amazing and surprising aroma leapt out. I say surprising because again, I'm not accustomed to canned tomatoes. So when I could smell fresh tomatoes the moment the can was open, It made me feel a bit more comfortable. Then, I'll be honest, I bit in to one the moment I took it out of the can. Unconventional? Probably frowned upon? Maybe. But it tasted pretty darn good. I won't venture so far as to say it tricked me in to thinking it didn't come from a can, but it certainly shattered my aforementioned opinion of canned tomatoes. And already peeled for me? Perfect, thanks!
So with the tomatoes, I quartered them and tossed 5 in to a small pot with a cup of my favorite red sauce and a cup of the leftover juices from the can of Red Pack. I brought it to a simmer, then turned the heat down to low to keep it warm. I thought about it for about two seconds and realized I needed to season it. So I spun my herb lazy-susan around and landed on one of Brother PID's Christmas gifts from Penzey Spices in the Strip District!
I tossed in a pinch or two and stirred up the sauce.
As soon as your pasta is done (How do you tell? Simply use a fork to pull out one strand of pasta and fling it at the cupboard. Did it stick? It's done!) grab a colander and strain it, then immediately plate. Give your sausage and veggies a quick stir and, if you feel comfortable with their "doneness" place a heaping spoonful on top of the pasta. Then, pour the sauce and tomatoes on top to seal in the flavor!
Finally, sprinkle a bit of freshly grated Parmesan and you are done!
This may have seemed like a long post, but let me break it down to show you just how easy it is:
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons diced or 1/3 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minded (optional)
4 links Hot Italian Sausage, sliced in to one inch pieces
1 small can Red Pack whole peeled tomatoes, quartered, juices reserved
1 cup of your favorite tomato sauce
1 tsp herbs de province or similar dried herb
4-5 tbs grated Parmesean cheese
1.) bring water, salt and 1 tbs oil to a boil
2.) add pasta, cook until limp
3.) heat remaining tbs oil in fry pan to medium heat
4.) add sausage to fry pan
5.) cook 1-2 minutes, allowing to brown on one side
6.) flip sausage, add vegetables and garlic
7.) heat tomato sauce, tomatoes, and remaining juice from tomato can in a small pot to medium heat
8.) stir in herbs and reduce heat to low
9.) plate pasta, add meat and vegetables
10.) pour tomato mixture over dish, add parmesean cheese
Literally this dish took barely more than 15 minutes from start to table and cost me absolutely nothing -- but wouldn't cost much more than a few dollars if you had to shop for the ingredients. It's absolutely wonderful if you're short on time or dough and doesn't taste too shabby either! PID gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up...
And TOP DAWG was admiring the aroma, hoping and praying we'd drop a forkful.
The best part about this little endeavor was overcoming my fear of canned tomatoes. Red Pack, I need to thank you for making me a believer. They seriously are bursting with flavor and are very obviously a very high quality product at a very affordable price. I admit defeat...and excitement.
And the great thing about this dish as it stands on it's own. Who needs a side dish when you've got this much substance and this much flavor? This superhero meal works alone.
So until next time, enjoy cooking cheap, fast and hearty :)
Bon Appetite!
**Red Pack Tomatoes provided me with samples and other goodies in order to facilitate a review. All opinions are honest and my own and this post was written solely by me**
You've had to have noticed that my restaurant reviews have dwindled in December. They'll be back in January with a heavy focus on eating right while dining out, but in the meantime we've been looking for ways to whip up quick, hearty, delicious and inexpensive meals in the interim.
And wouldn't you know it? Red Pack tomatoes came to our rescue. They'd approached me a while back asking if I'd review their canned tomatoes. Originally I'd politely declined because the nature of my blog, as you know, is Pittsburgh restaurant reviews. But because I've decided to occasionally delve in to the world of home cooking, I figured "why not?" I love, love LOVE tomatoes (I've even been known to eat them like apples) but I'm not typically big on using canned. So it was worth a shot to check out Red Pack and see how they shape up!
A few short days later this awesome little kit showed up at my door:
But the main basis behind this post is how to create a dish super cheap, super fast, and super delicious. I have no doubt about the delicious part, but for me super fast and super cheap meant utilizing only what I already had in my pantry.
So I'm excited to share with you the fastest, easiest and most delectable recipe I can for those nights you're running behind like PID and I so often are. Six simple ingredients, 12 quick minutes. Boom.
So we'll start at the beginning. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. When I do this, I often like to add olive oil and salt to a) keep the pasta from sticking and b) give it a touch of predetermined flavor.
Start with your hot Italian sausage because you'll want to throw that in the skillet first. I like to chop my sausage when I'm going to sautee it with veggies because it renders the juice that way to flavor them. (If you're simply cooking sausage to serve on it's own, DON'T chop them first like this. Keep the juices in tact so they emerge when you bite in to it). So just take four sausages and chop them in to one inch "links." Heat a fry pan with olive oil to a medium heat until it's hot enough to flow around the pan freely. Then plop your sausage in the pan and get 'em cooking!
At this time, your water should be boiling. I had nest pasta on hand, but any angel hair or spaghetti will do. If you use straight pasta, I always like to live by the rule that 1 fistful = 4 people. So for two, use about a half a handful and break it in half before tossing it in the pot. This'll make life easy for your fork and save you from that awkward, tedious "pushing the pasta in to the boiling water" step.
Then you'll quickly move on to your veggies. I was lucky enough to have diced onions on hand, but if you don't, I'd suggest chopping them last in case you're like me and have to leave the kitchen due to tear overload. Also, your onions will maintain more flavor the longer they are in tact. If you do this though, I'd wait until you begin the onion to throw the sausage in the skillet.
I'm going to teach you how to prepare a pepper the way mama TOP taught me. It starts with three simple steps:
1.) chop top
2.) chop bottom
Voila!
You'll only need half of each pepper and you'll want to chop each in to 1" pieces. Once your veggies are chopped, throw the onions, red and green peppers in to the pan. Truth be told, a little minced garlic wouldn't be so bad to add. But I wasn't in the mood.
Once my peppers and sausage were cooking away, I finally broke in to the Red Pack! I opened the can and instantly an amazing and surprising aroma leapt out. I say surprising because again, I'm not accustomed to canned tomatoes. So when I could smell fresh tomatoes the moment the can was open, It made me feel a bit more comfortable. Then, I'll be honest, I bit in to one the moment I took it out of the can. Unconventional? Probably frowned upon? Maybe. But it tasted pretty darn good. I won't venture so far as to say it tricked me in to thinking it didn't come from a can, but it certainly shattered my aforementioned opinion of canned tomatoes. And already peeled for me? Perfect, thanks!
So with the tomatoes, I quartered them and tossed 5 in to a small pot with a cup of my favorite red sauce and a cup of the leftover juices from the can of Red Pack. I brought it to a simmer, then turned the heat down to low to keep it warm. I thought about it for about two seconds and realized I needed to season it. So I spun my herb lazy-susan around and landed on one of Brother PID's Christmas gifts from Penzey Spices in the Strip District!
As soon as your pasta is done (How do you tell? Simply use a fork to pull out one strand of pasta and fling it at the cupboard. Did it stick? It's done!) grab a colander and strain it, then immediately plate. Give your sausage and veggies a quick stir and, if you feel comfortable with their "doneness" place a heaping spoonful on top of the pasta. Then, pour the sauce and tomatoes on top to seal in the flavor!
This may have seemed like a long post, but let me break it down to show you just how easy it is:
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons diced or 1/3 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minded (optional)
4 links Hot Italian Sausage, sliced in to one inch pieces
1 small can Red Pack whole peeled tomatoes, quartered, juices reserved
1 cup of your favorite tomato sauce
1 tsp herbs de province or similar dried herb
4-5 tbs grated Parmesean cheese
1.) bring water, salt and 1 tbs oil to a boil
2.) add pasta, cook until limp
3.) heat remaining tbs oil in fry pan to medium heat
4.) add sausage to fry pan
5.) cook 1-2 minutes, allowing to brown on one side
6.) flip sausage, add vegetables and garlic
7.) heat tomato sauce, tomatoes, and remaining juice from tomato can in a small pot to medium heat
8.) stir in herbs and reduce heat to low
9.) plate pasta, add meat and vegetables
10.) pour tomato mixture over dish, add parmesean cheese
Literally this dish took barely more than 15 minutes from start to table and cost me absolutely nothing -- but wouldn't cost much more than a few dollars if you had to shop for the ingredients. It's absolutely wonderful if you're short on time or dough and doesn't taste too shabby either! PID gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up...
And TOP DAWG was admiring the aroma, hoping and praying we'd drop a forkful.
The best part about this little endeavor was overcoming my fear of canned tomatoes. Red Pack, I need to thank you for making me a believer. They seriously are bursting with flavor and are very obviously a very high quality product at a very affordable price. I admit defeat...and excitement.
And the great thing about this dish as it stands on it's own. Who needs a side dish when you've got this much substance and this much flavor? This superhero meal works alone.
So until next time, enjoy cooking cheap, fast and hearty :)
Bon Appetite!
**Red Pack Tomatoes provided me with samples and other goodies in order to facilitate a review. All opinions are honest and my own and this post was written solely by me**
Thursday, December 9, 2010
I....COOKED?!
So tonight, PID and I had planned on heading out to a new restaurant in the city to review. However, I am sick as a dog. I've been plugging and chugging all week, but today I just felt out of it. So I wasn't up for a trip out to eat.
So I thought about it and figured I'd try something new and different. Cooking for myself!
Now I should mention that I work late and take the bus. So PID usually gets home a good 1-2 hours before me. And because I'm blessed with the greatest boyfriend who ever lived, he typically cooks a delicious dinner (which is great since I'm a pretty lousy cook).
But today, after napping for about six straight hours, I had some time so I decided to surprise him by giving dinner a go.
Now I know TOP is not a recipe blog, but that's not to say I can't toss in a home-cooking experience or two from time to time! And tonight, amidst the coughs and sniffles (don't worry I used a tissue or two...) I somehow managed to make a delicious meal! So I figured it was a good place to start.
I perused a few (dozen) recipe books until I found something that fit my criteria: 1.) PID and I would both enjoy it equally, 2.) It was novice cook-friendly and 3.) I had the ingredients in the house because I sure as heck wasn't goin' anywhere. So I went with the Crispy Apricot Pork Loin and Mango/Palm Salad with a Lime Vinaigrette.
So let's start with what my meals were SUPPOSED to look like:
Because the salad took 15 minutes of prep time and the pork was 15 minutes of cook time, I started with prepping the pork.
I started by preheating the oven to 425 degrees as Step 1
Then I gathered my ingredients. Everything you need for (my version of) this recipe is right here! It was all already in my kitchen:
2 Pork Loin Chops (bone-in if you have it...I just happened to)
2 slices Multi grain bread
2 cups Honey bunches of oats or your favorite whole grain cereal
4 tps apricot jam or preserves
1 tps EVOO (and non-stick spray or another tsp for the baking pan)
Salt and pepper
So for step 2 you'll want to crumb the bread. My recipe called for me to tear the bread in to large pieces and then put it in the food processor and then place it in the food processor, pulsing until large crumbs form. But, small problem, I don't have a food processor (it's on my Christmas list, though!). So I used the old chop and smoosh method where I chopped it up in to little crust-less bits and then rubbed my hands together rigorously with the bits inside until they crumbled.
So that was all my recipe called for, but I was looking for a bit more flavor. So I grabbed my box of Honey Bunches of Oats and crushed about two cups in to crumbs in a ziplock bag.
Now the recipe called for a drizzle of olive oil amidst processor pulses, so I just drizzled it in and shook the bag. Set the bag aside.
Step three brings you back to the pork. First, season your meat generously with salt and pepper (I like to always use sea salt and ground peppercorns to bring it up that extra notch. After the meat is seasoned, spread one teaspoon of apricot jam on each side of the pork chop.
Then, bring back your bag of crumbs and evenly coat the top of each loin. (I coated the bottom even though the recipe didn't specify and all that happened was a gooey mess that didn't crisp -- so don't worry about it).
Step 4 is to simply place in the preheated oven and cook 14-16 minutes until the crust reaches a golden crisp and the pork is cooked through (should register about 150 degrees if you have a meat thermometer...which I do not). I ALWAYS use aluminum foil on top of baking pans. It eliminates the mess, cuts back on the dishes, and it's non-stick feature is quite fabulous. Still, I'd prep it with a bit of non-stick spray just in case.
Now...I had a bit of apricot jam leftover and didn't want to waste it, so I decided to invent a sauce (not featured in the recipe). I simply took the extra (it was about 1 teaspoons), squeezed in about 1-2 teaspoons of honey dijon mustard, and mixed in about 1 teaspoon of sour cream. Voila! Delicious pork dipping sauce :)
So now that the meat was-a-cookin', I got to work on the salad.
Again, all of the ingredients were already in my pantry (luckily, because I'd recently purchased a few cans of Hearts of Palm after my great experience at Mallorca).
1 can (14-15 oz.) Hearts of Palm
2 leaves of fresh lettuce
1/2 a small red onion
1 ripe mango
4 tsps dijon (or honey dijon) mustard
1/4 cup of lime juice
For step 1, just whisk the lime juice and dijon mustard in a small bowl and set aside.
Step 2 was kinda rough for me. Chopping the hearts of palm in half longways and then in to 1 inch pieces was a cinch.
But have you ever peeled and chopped a mango!? Cuz uh...I certainly have it. Originally I figured it was something like a pear. But let me tell you it's not. First of all I'd never peeled a pear. Secondly the pit is ENORMOUS and I had no idea where it started and stopped. So this was quite a task for me. But I managed to slice it in to 1/2 inch cubes just fine...eventually.
Then it was on to finely chopping the red onion. Here's where I REALLY struggled. Me + onions does NOT = love. My eyes cannot take it. I had to remove myself from the kitchen four separate times. Looks like I'm more cut out to be a restaurant reviewer than I am master chef. But I powered through it...
So next you toss them all in a medium bowl with half of the vinaigrette mixture and salt and pepper to taste.
Finally, gently lay an entire leaf of lettuce inside each bowl and pour the mixture in. You can add the remainder of the vinaigrette as a sort of dressing on top (or not!) and finally, sprinkle a bit more salt and pepper to taste on top.
So after 15 minutes, check on your pork chops. If they're not golden brown and crispy looking, leave them in for another minute or so. Mine were just right!
So now that you have your chops and your salad, you're ready to eat! I paired mine with a few fresh plum tomatoes sprinkled with sea salt and crumbed feta over a bed of fresh baby spinach. But it seemed like asparagus would be another great veggie to pair well with this dish! So here's what I thought:
The pork was excellent! PID seemed to agree (he swelled my head with compliments) so I will make this again in a heartbeat! It was juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside with a great sweet/savory kick to it. Personally, I was pretty proud of my invented sauce and thought it really helped make the dish.
In terms of the Mango Palm salad, It was REALLY tasty, but if I ever make it again I'll use a little less than a 1/4 cup of lime. It felt really lime-y to me. I might also add fresh chopped cilantro -- I feel like it could really help.
Overall I loved these recipes! I felt like a real live chef like the ones I watch on Wednesday night on BRAVO! (Go, Spike, go!)
Ya know.... I might try this cooking thing again! (that is, if I ever find the time).
If you try one of these recipes let me know how it went for you in the comment box below! I'd love to hear it!
Bon Appetit!
So I thought about it and figured I'd try something new and different. Cooking for myself!
Now I should mention that I work late and take the bus. So PID usually gets home a good 1-2 hours before me. And because I'm blessed with the greatest boyfriend who ever lived, he typically cooks a delicious dinner (which is great since I'm a pretty lousy cook).
But today, after napping for about six straight hours, I had some time so I decided to surprise him by giving dinner a go.
Now I know TOP is not a recipe blog, but that's not to say I can't toss in a home-cooking experience or two from time to time! And tonight, amidst the coughs and sniffles (don't worry I used a tissue or two...) I somehow managed to make a delicious meal! So I figured it was a good place to start.
I perused a few (dozen) recipe books until I found something that fit my criteria: 1.) PID and I would both enjoy it equally, 2.) It was novice cook-friendly and 3.) I had the ingredients in the house because I sure as heck wasn't goin' anywhere. So I went with the Crispy Apricot Pork Loin and Mango/Palm Salad with a Lime Vinaigrette.
So let's start with what my meals were SUPPOSED to look like:
 |  |
Because the salad took 15 minutes of prep time and the pork was 15 minutes of cook time, I started with prepping the pork.
I started by preheating the oven to 425 degrees as Step 1
Then I gathered my ingredients. Everything you need for (my version of) this recipe is right here! It was all already in my kitchen:
2 Pork Loin Chops (bone-in if you have it...I just happened to)
2 slices Multi grain bread
2 cups Honey bunches of oats or your favorite whole grain cereal
4 tps apricot jam or preserves
1 tps EVOO (and non-stick spray or another tsp for the baking pan)
Salt and pepper
So for step 2 you'll want to crumb the bread. My recipe called for me to tear the bread in to large pieces and then put it in the food processor and then place it in the food processor, pulsing until large crumbs form. But, small problem, I don't have a food processor (it's on my Christmas list, though!). So I used the old chop and smoosh method where I chopped it up in to little crust-less bits and then rubbed my hands together rigorously with the bits inside until they crumbled.
Step three brings you back to the pork. First, season your meat generously with salt and pepper (I like to always use sea salt and ground peppercorns to bring it up that extra notch. After the meat is seasoned, spread one teaspoon of apricot jam on each side of the pork chop.
 |  |
Then, bring back your bag of crumbs and evenly coat the top of each loin. (I coated the bottom even though the recipe didn't specify and all that happened was a gooey mess that didn't crisp -- so don't worry about it).
Step 4 is to simply place in the preheated oven and cook 14-16 minutes until the crust reaches a golden crisp and the pork is cooked through (should register about 150 degrees if you have a meat thermometer...which I do not). I ALWAYS use aluminum foil on top of baking pans. It eliminates the mess, cuts back on the dishes, and it's non-stick feature is quite fabulous. Still, I'd prep it with a bit of non-stick spray just in case.
Now...I had a bit of apricot jam leftover and didn't want to waste it, so I decided to invent a sauce (not featured in the recipe). I simply took the extra (it was about 1 teaspoons), squeezed in about 1-2 teaspoons of honey dijon mustard, and mixed in about 1 teaspoon of sour cream. Voila! Delicious pork dipping sauce :)
So now that the meat was-a-cookin', I got to work on the salad.
Again, all of the ingredients were already in my pantry (luckily, because I'd recently purchased a few cans of Hearts of Palm after my great experience at Mallorca).
1 can (14-15 oz.) Hearts of Palm
2 leaves of fresh lettuce
1/2 a small red onion
1 ripe mango
4 tsps dijon (or honey dijon) mustard
1/4 cup of lime juice
For step 1, just whisk the lime juice and dijon mustard in a small bowl and set aside.
Step 2 was kinda rough for me. Chopping the hearts of palm in half longways and then in to 1 inch pieces was a cinch.
But have you ever peeled and chopped a mango!? Cuz uh...I certainly have it. Originally I figured it was something like a pear. But let me tell you it's not. First of all I'd never peeled a pear. Secondly the pit is ENORMOUS and I had no idea where it started and stopped. So this was quite a task for me. But I managed to slice it in to 1/2 inch cubes just fine...eventually.
 |  |
Then it was on to finely chopping the red onion. Here's where I REALLY struggled. Me + onions does NOT = love. My eyes cannot take it. I had to remove myself from the kitchen four separate times. Looks like I'm more cut out to be a restaurant reviewer than I am master chef. But I powered through it...
So next you toss them all in a medium bowl with half of the vinaigrette mixture and salt and pepper to taste.
Finally, gently lay an entire leaf of lettuce inside each bowl and pour the mixture in. You can add the remainder of the vinaigrette as a sort of dressing on top (or not!) and finally, sprinkle a bit more salt and pepper to taste on top.
So after 15 minutes, check on your pork chops. If they're not golden brown and crispy looking, leave them in for another minute or so. Mine were just right!
So now that you have your chops and your salad, you're ready to eat! I paired mine with a few fresh plum tomatoes sprinkled with sea salt and crumbed feta over a bed of fresh baby spinach. But it seemed like asparagus would be another great veggie to pair well with this dish! So here's what I thought:
The pork was excellent! PID seemed to agree (he swelled my head with compliments) so I will make this again in a heartbeat! It was juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside with a great sweet/savory kick to it. Personally, I was pretty proud of my invented sauce and thought it really helped make the dish.
In terms of the Mango Palm salad, It was REALLY tasty, but if I ever make it again I'll use a little less than a 1/4 cup of lime. It felt really lime-y to me. I might also add fresh chopped cilantro -- I feel like it could really help.
Overall I loved these recipes! I felt like a real live chef like the ones I watch on Wednesday night on BRAVO! (Go, Spike, go!)
Ya know.... I might try this cooking thing again! (that is, if I ever find the time).
If you try one of these recipes let me know how it went for you in the comment box below! I'd love to hear it!
Bon Appetit!
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