June, 2013 | I Can Cook That

“Dirt” Flower Pots

“Dirt” cake reminds me of hot summers, barbecues, and outdoor eating. When I was a kid, I used to get so excited for dessert once I spotted the flower pot set out on checkered tablecloth with the other desserts. This “Dirt” Flower Pots dessert is really easy to make, requires no cooking, and looks just adorable. You can really dress it up with flowers, worms, or even mini Scottie dogs.

As a member of the Walkers Shortbread Ambassador program, I was sent packs of Walkers’ pure butter Scottie Dog Shortbread cookies, which help support the company’s sponsorship of The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (ASPCA). Walkers has recently launched a Chocolate version of the cookie as well. In 2012 (the original Scottie Shortbread was launched in January 2012, Walkers raised over $25,000 for the ASPCA. For 2013, the company has doubled its minimum donation amount to $50,000. Ten cents from the sale of every Scottie Dog Shortbread 3.9-ounce carton and 20 cents for larger cartons will be donated to the ASPCA.

To help spread the word about these cookies and their partnership, Walkers is giving away a Scottie Dog Tin! To enter, just use the widget below. Note: This Giveaway is now closed.

Now, back to the recipe.

Ingredients (serves 8, or makes 4 small flower pots):

1 package of Oreos
2 graham crackers (optional)
2 packs of instant chocolate pudding
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
3 cups milk
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz whipped topping
1 box of Walkers Scottie Dog Shortbread Cookies (Chocolate or Original)
Gummy worms (optional)

For decoration (optional):

small flower pots (I used 6 inch pots)
organic flowers, or fake flowers
straws

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Meatball Subs

When I know I have a busy week coming up, I try to think of quick dinners I can make during the week. If I can make a huge batch of something on Sunday and just reheat the meal on a weekday, even better. So this weekend, after a visit to the Italian Market, I decided to make a bunch of meatballs so that we could have meatball subs later in the week. The tomato sauce is basically a more chunky version of my normal tomato sauce. I also added sausages to the sauce so that we could also make Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches if we so choose. The best part is that you can make a huge portion of this, freeze it, and use when needed. The sauce, although heavy on the meat, would also work as a yummy pasta sauce.

Ingredients (serves 8; with added sausage, serves 12):

2 lbs ground sirloin
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, cut from its casing
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dried basil, divided
2 tablespoons dried parsley, divided
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 lbs sausage (optional)
1 can (28 oz) strained tomatoes (or 1 box of Pomi strained tomatoes)
2 cans (28 oz) chopped tomatoes (or 2 boxes of Pomi chopped tomatoes)
1/3 cup dry red wine
8-12 Italian rolls/subs
Provolone cheese, optional

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Diner en Blanc Picnic Food Inspiration

Today is International Picnic Day, so what better time to do a roundup of some of my favorite foods that are picnic friendly? With Diner en Blanc fast approaching, it’s also time to start thinking about what to make for the big event!

Diner en Blanc is celebrating its 25th anniversary and has grown to include a dozen participating cities. The first Diner en Blanc was held in Paris and included just a few of its founder, François Pasquier’s, friends. Now, thousands worldwide congregate to be a part of this great event! Philadelphia’s Diner en Blanc will be held on Thursday, August 22 and the wait list is being formed now. You can sign up for the wait list here.

Philadelphia’s first Diner en Blanc was held last year and it was a huge success. This year, 2,300 participants will be notified of the secret location moments before. Guests arrive with their own tables, chairs, place settings, and meals and enjoy the outdoors and company together. Each attendee is dressed head-to-toe in white, with a white table cloth, and white chairs. Photos from last year’s event are truly beautiful! With the beautiful white place settings, the food can really be the star. So bringing a colorful, delicious, and easy meal is key! Here are some of my suggestions for the big night:

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Lower Calorie Sangria

Last year, I gave my dad sangria for Father’s Day. He loves sangria, so I thought I’d make it a yearly thing.

This time around though, I was also trying to sneak something by him. Instead of using sugar in the sangria, I used Monk Fruit In The Raw, a natural substitute. My father is diabetic, and Monk Fruit In The Raw is diabetic friendly (according to their website, “Monk Fruit In The Raw contains less than one gram of carbohydrates (by food exchange measure) and may be used in conjunction with food programs for people with diabetes as well as with guidelines for people with diabetes who use carbohydrate counting.”)

Now, I understand sangria in itself is not exactly diabetic friendly. But he is able to enjoy a glass or two once a year. The real reason I am trying the Monk Fruit In The Raw within the sangria is to see if he can taste a difference. You see, not only is he diabetic, but he is what some refer to as a “super taster.” He can tell you the secret ingredient in a recipe, and knows whether a wine is worth drinking. But, boy can he be picky too.

Unlike stevia, which leaves behind an aftertaste, Monk Fruit should be undetectable. So this is the first test to see if I can sneak Monk Fruit In The Raw into future recipes for my dad. So what is a Monk Fruit? Monk Fruit is a vine-ripened fruit found in Asia that kind of resembles a tiny watermelon. Monk Fruit In The Raw is made from Monk Fruit extract, which is about 300 times (!) sweeter than sugar. To make it measurable for consumption, dextrose (a natural bulking agent) is blended with the extract. Monk Fruit In The Raw also comes in a Bakers Bag, which is measurable cup-for-cup like sugar (in volume, not weight). The Bakers Bag contains Maltodextrin, which is also a natural bulking agent, that does not change the flavor of the sweetener. I used the Bakers Bag for this recipe.

Lower Calorie Sangria Ingredients:

1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (~3 oranges)
1 bottle Rioja wine
1/4 cup Monk Fruit In The Raw (Bakers Bag)
1 apple, cored and sliced
1 orange, thinly sliced and quartered
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 limes, thinly sliced
club soda, to taste

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Clams with Spicy Sausage

I (like most people, I’m sure) cook mostly things I want to eat. Every now and then, I will get a special request and will go outside my comfort zone (like this Meatloaf recipe, or this Sriracha Deviled Eggs recipe) but when it comes to a weeknight dinner, I’m really selfish about what I cook. So I thought it might be nice if I finally made something that was up my boyfriend’s alley more so than mine.

Don’t get me wrong, I still like what’s going on in this recipe. I just don’t usually make meals with sausage. But I was reminded of this recipe for Clams with Spicy Sausage as a suggestion to make on World Oceans Day as a Perfect Protein blogger (more information on that in my post on Thai Coconut Mussels), which was June 8. So. Um. I’m a little late. But this recipe is too tasty not to share!

This recipe can be found in the book The Perfect Protein: The Fish Lovers Guide to Saving the Oceans and Feeding the World and is from the ultimate seafood chef, Eric Ripert. This man knows his fish; one of his restaurants, Le Bernardin is known as a seafood mecca. But this recipe is really easy to make and cooks quickly, making it perfect for weeknight meals. I altered the recipe slightly but the gist is still the same.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon curry powder
the zest of 1 lemon
1 andouille sausage, thinly sliced
1 cup low sodium chicken stock
2 dozen littleneck clams, well scrubbed
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
lemon wedges, for serving

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Thai Coconut Mussels

I am excited to announce that I will be a Perfect Protein Blogger for the summer, to help promote a book called The Perfect Protein: The Fish Lovers Guide to Saving the Oceans and Feeding the World. Written by Andy Sharpless, the CEO of Oceana, and Suzannah Evans, the book discusses how protecting, maintaining, and consuming wild seafood can help to fight both famine and obesity globally.

I am only a few chapters in to the book and already find it fascinating. The general idea behind the book is to try to eat seafood, but to try to eat WLLS: Wild, Local, Little, and Shellfish. Many supermarkets, such as Whole Foods, label their seafood which makes sticking to these more sustainable choices a cinch. But even without the labels, you can still find sustainable options at your local grocer.

As a food blogger, I immediately went to the back of the book, where there are 21 sustainable seafood recipes from some of the nation’s top chefs. They all sounded delicious, but I decided to start off my Perfect Protein posts with a recipe that is simple but packs a ton of flavor into the dish: Sam Talbot’s Thai Coconut Mussels. I love making mussels because they cook up so quickly. This recipe takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. (For another take on mussels, check out my recipe for Mussels in White Wine Garlic Sauce)

I altered the recipe a bit to make it into a meal for 2 instead of an appetizer. I also subbed in some ingredients for what I could find. All of these ingredients can be found in Whole Foods.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lemongrass
2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut
1 pound mussels, debearded, scrubbed well, and washed clean
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sambal (chile-garlic paste)
1 (13.6 oz) can coconut milk, divided
2 tablespoons torn cilantro leaves, stems discarded
2 tablespoons torn mint leaves, stems discarded
juice and zest of 2 limes
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup white rice, preferably jasmine rice

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Blueberry Mushroom Risotto

Blueberry Mushroom Risotto. Hear me out. I know you read the title of this post and probably thought I’ve officially lost it. But I promise you this is amazing. I first heard about this bizarre combo in a book called The Flavor Thesaurus: A Compendium of Pairings, Recipes and Ideas for the Creative Cook. This book is fantastic. It lists pairings, common and strange, to help make your cooking a bit more adventurous. I page through it all the time, and have learned some yummy pairings. But the one that has stuck out to me the most is the mushroom and blueberry combination.

Apparently northern Italy cooking commonly pairs fruit with mushrooms according to the book. Who knew? My fellow Philadelphian (and internationally known chef) Marc Vetri also has a porcini and blueberry lasagna in one of his cookbooks: Il Viaggio Di Vetri: A Culinary Journey.

So when I found myself the proud recipient of a bunch of mushrooms from To-Jo Mushrooms, I knew it was finally time to try it out. It has been a really crummy, rainy day so I was craving comfort food. Risotto is a perfect rainy day food: hearty, creamy, and absolutely delicious! I’m a huge fan of mushroom risotto so I was excited to try this spin on it. In the past, I’ve made a traditional Mushroom Risotto, as well as a Wild Mushroom Farro Risotto.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup shallots, sliced
3 slider mushrooms, sliced (or 2 large portobello mushrooms)
1/4 cup assorted dry mushrooms, optional (I used a mixture of morel, chanterelle, and trumpet mushrooms)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups beef stock
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup fresh blueberries
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
salt and pepper, to taste

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Grilled Mission Figs with Mascarpone and Spiced Honey

I mentioned in my previous post (Prosciutto, Fig, and Arugula Flatbread with Balsamic Reduction) that I have quite a few fresh figs at the moment. No complaints here, but I do want to use them all and not waste any, figs are delicious, and grilled mission figs are the best!

Not only are grilled mission figs super tasty, but they are good for you too. (I love when that happens!) According to California Figs, one serving of fresh figs (1/2 cup or 3-4 medium figs) delivers 5 grams of fiber (20% of your suggested daily value), 354mg potassium (10% DV), and 53mg calcium (6% DV) with just 120 calories. Figs are also fat, sodium, and cholesterol free.

Dried figs are available all year round, but fresh figs have a shorter availability period. Mission Figs, which I am using in this recipe, are available longer than most figs and can be found fresh from late May through as late as November. Because they are mostly a summer produce, I just have to add them to the grill!

I also received a bunch of really awesome kitchen gadgets while at the conference. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m a huge fan of OXO and already had my own set of graters, so I actually have an extra set to give away! (Update: I actually have TWO sets to give away so there will be two lucky winners!) I use my set of graters all the time. The zester is my favorite, mainly because every time I work with any form of citrus, I make sure to zest it before juicing to add extra flavor to the dish. The coarse grater comes in handy with soft and semi-soft cheese, but can be used for anything that needs a larger grate. The medium grater is perfect for carrots, chocolate, and the like. What makes OXO stand out is the ease of use of these tools. After one use, you’ll know what I mean! So be sure to enter for a chance to win a set of these below.

This recipe for Grilled Mission Figs with Mascarpone and Spiced Honey is based off a recipe on Whole Living. The only large difference is that I grilled the figs beforehand.

Ingredients:

4 large fresh, ripe figs, stems trimmed, halved lengthwise
olive oil (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
1/3 cup mascarpone, softened
1/3 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 sprigs fresh mint
lemon zest, to taste (optional)

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Prosciutto Fig and Arugula Flatbread

!This weekend, I attended a conference in Philadelphia. As a “local blogger” I received quite a few food perks due to my proximity to the conference. I was sent home with a case of Gerolsteiner Mineral Water, a whole watermelon (and a heavy one at that!), and a case of fresh California Mission Figs. Poor me, right? 🙂

So. Figs don’t last terribly long which means I might have a few fig posts in a row. But figs are so much more versatile than you expect and can be really quite fantastic in a savory dish, especially in this Prosciutto, Fig, and Arugula Flatbread!

Flatbreads are a great weeknight meal, although you have to let your dough sit out at room temperature for at least an hour. So, more specifically, they are great for nights where you get home in time to leave out the dough, go do some chores/errands, and then want to whip up a quick meal.

Whenever I think of figs, my mind immediately goes to bacon-wrapped figs (I’ve done a post in the past with bacon-wrapped dates which I used as a substitute for figs in case you have any interest), which can be easily translated from an appetizer into a main meal by turning the recipe into a flatbread. When visiting my boyfriend’s brother last summer, they made us an absolutely delicious grilled flatbread with prosciutto, figs, and goat cheese which was my inspiration for this dish. I added some baby arugula and a balsamic reduction as well to give it a little more bite.

Ingredients (serves 2 as a main dish and 4 as an appetizer):

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
8 oz dough, at room temperature
cornmeal for dusting (or flour)
olive oil
6 oz crumbled goat cheese
3-4 mission figs, thinly sliced
1 oz prosciutto, torn into thin strips
1/4 cup lightly packed baby arugula
salt and pepper, to taste
grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

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