Did you know that I have over 1,000 recipes on my blog? That’s a lot of cooking inspiration! So it’s probably not a surprise that I like to look back on old recipes I’ve made and either use them as is or change them up a bit and make a new recipe! This recipe for Sambal Chicken with Peppers and Tomatoes is heavily inspired by my old post for Spicy Moroccan Chicken Skewers, which is originally a Cooking Light recipe.
The chicken has a light heat to it, which adds nice flavor to the overall dish. I grilled my chicken, but you can also sauté it on days where the weather isn’t cooperating for grilling!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons chile paste (such as sambal oelek)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 bell pepper, seeds and membranes removed, sliced
I am in full preparation mode for my sister’s upcoming baby shower. We are doing a honeybee theme, I’ve been working on a beehive cake, honeycomb decorations, and honey-filled beverages, including this Bees Knees Batch Cocktail.
The Bee’s Knees is a Prohibition-era cocktail made with gin, lemon juice, and honey simple syrup. This batch cocktail version adds lemon seltzer to make it more of a sip-able day cocktail with a little bit of fizziness.
Ingredients (makes 20 servings; multiply/divide as needed):
Before I share this recipe for Cheesesteak Dip, I will be honest. I’m not a football fan. But I am a fan of bragging about Philadelphia, so I have to at least acknowledge the Eagles heading back to the Super Bowl! And, naturally, I’m doing it the only way I know how: through food.
There are quite a few “Philly Cheesesteak Dip” recipes out there, but as a Philadelphian, I’m a bit perplexed with why they all have bell peppers in them. I have never had a cheesesteak with bell peppers on it! So, I decided it was time for me to do my version. It doesn’t taste exactly like a cheesesteak (the cheese-to-steak proportion is out of whack), but it’s tasty and in the end, maybe that’s all that matters!
I am a “provolone wit” kinda girl, so my recipe is based on that: sauteed onions, a mixture of sharp and mild provolone, and shaved beef.
Ingredients (makes 16 servings):
2 tablespoons butter (or vegetable oil, if preferred), divided
I hope you’ll allow me one more festive holiday recipe. Honestly, these Holiday Spiced Nuts are so tasty, they can (and should!) be enjoyed all year!
Around Thanksgiving, I was in Lancaster, PA and popped into Lancaster Central Market. While there, I stumbled upon Totally Nutz, which sells various cinnamon glazed nuts. They were so addicting, I wanted to try my own at home!
This recipe includes a bit more of the “holiday” spices than just cinnamon and includes four different types of nuts: pecans, walnuts, almonds, and cashews for a tasty sweet and spiced mixture!
I am quite the fan of Eggnog (as well as its coconut-y cousin, Coquito), so once it hits December, I am up for any excuse to have a little sip of it!
The Mixer, a website with recipes for cocktail making for all occasions, must know of my affinity for eggnog, because they sent me a recipe for an Eggnog Martini that I just had to try and share!
This recipe is quick and easy because it uses store-bought eggnog. To make it even more simple, stir up a large batch so when you’re ready to enjoy with friends, all you have to do is pour it into glasses!
Eggnog is synonymous with the holidays, so I wanted to share The Mixer’s recipe ASAP so you can enjoy it with friends and family as well!
Note: I was sent a copy of America’s Test Kitchen The Complete Modern Pantry Cookbook in order to write this review. Opinions are mine alone.
Recently, my husband and I moved to the suburbs. One of the biggest adjustments has been having to make basically every single meal at home, where when we lived in Philadelphia, we were able to get amazing takeout whenever I was too wiped to cook or hadn’t gone food shopping.
So when I was contacted to review America’s Test Kitchen The Complete Modern Pantry Cookbook (paid link), I jumped at the chance. This book gives you more of a blueprint than tried and true recipes so that you can easily use whatever you might have on hand. The Complete Modern Pantry has a ton of information and tips to help home cooks reduce waste, save money, and get the most out of their grocery purchases.
The CompleteModernPantry is anchored in the realization that every pantry is unique. Rather than expect all readers to have similarly stocked pantries, the recipes and suggestions in this book focus on what the ingredients do for the finished dish, instead of what they are. This book also looks to remove many of the common hurdles to creativity by empowering home cooks to:
Utilize a wide range of tangible variations and suggested improvisation to core Test Kitchen recipes so new ingredients don’t need to be purchased.
Understand key principles to everyday recipes (and some not-so-everyday) so they feel confident iterating on them based upon what is on hand in their kitchen.
Recognize how simple changes to a few ingredients in a recipe can make a big impact on the appearance and flavors of a dish- getting rid of the monotony of common meals.
The book has plenty of information on how to store fruits and vegetables in a way that will extend shelf life, recipes that rely on frozen items such as frozen tilapia which is cost effective are included as are tips on making the most of ingredients.
I was really impressed with a lot of the main dishes in this cookbook but I couldn’t stop thinking about this recipe for Spicy Carrot Dip that would be perfect to serve last minute guests, so I wanted to highlight it here.
This recipe uses fresh carrots, plus a bunch of spices and hot sauce to deliver a flavorful dip! I actually had all of these ingredients already on hand, making it super easy to make.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
Note: I received a cooler bag with BrightFarms local leafy greens and salad ingredients in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
I am so excited to share this Autumn Delicata Squash Salad recipe with you, thanks to BrightFarms!
I recently received a lovely delivery from BrightFarms, the leading provider of locally grown packaged salads.
BrightFarms operates hydroponic greenhouse farms right outside the communities where they are sold, including one in Selinsgrove, PA, about 150 miles from Philadelphia. The indoor farming company has revolutionized what’s possible in the agricultural industry by growing produce indoors and in carefully controlled greenhouses without ever using pesticides.
Their products are:
Pesticide-Free: Proudly pesticide free and non-GMO to keep your family safe
Greenhouse/Sustainably Grown: Greenhouses provide the ideal environment to grow 365 days/year to peak flavor
Locally Grown: Greens are grown, harvested & delivered to stores in as little as 24 hours, so BrightFarms greens are at peak freshness and flavor when arriving in your fridge
My BrightFarms cooler bag was filled with a bunch of goodies, including the ingredients to make this delicious Autumn Delicata Squash Salad!
Well. It became fall weather basically overnight, which means it is time for more slow cooker recipes! This recipe for Slow Cooker Short Ribs is melt-in-your-mouth tender and is basically the most comforting meal ever made when served over mashed potatoes.
This recipe is adapted from Delish and will definitely serve a crowd or can be made ahead of time and frozen.
Ingredients:
5 lbs bone-in beef short ribs, sliced crosswise
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos to make gluten free)
To make this recipe easier to come together, I strongly suggest using a mandoline (I love the one that comes in Oxo’s Mini Complete Grate and Slice Set [paid link]) to slice the fennel and red onion. I am quite accident prone, so I also strongly suggest purchasing a cut-resistant glove (paid link) so that you keep all of your fingers cut-free.
Ingredients:
2 (8 to 10 ounce) portions albacore tuna
3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon ground coriander
salt, to taste
ground pepper, to taste
1 large navel orange
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and very thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted Castelvetrano olives (I like to keep half of them whole and chop the other half)
the juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons reserved fennel fronds, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
Seafood is a favorite weekday dinner of mine because it usually takes under 30 minutes to make a seafood dish. This particular recipe for Sheet Pan Balsamic Fish with Roasted Tomatoes has become a staple in our home because of the relatively easy clean up as well – most of the meal is made right in one sheet pan!
I like to serve this over rice or couscous to soak in all of the juices on the sheet pan. This makes 2 hearty servings, with plenty of the tomato mixture to enjoy!
I know it is quite late in the season for a soup recipe, but I made this Leek and Potato Soup recently and just had to share it. This is a fairly traditional Irish Leek and Potato Soup, but the simplicity means you can really make it your own with some tweaks if you wanted.
Leeks are in season late winter to early summer, so this soup is great for those slightly cooler days, or when you’re looking for something simple to make that is ultimate comfort food.
This recipe uses under 10 ingredients and can be made in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
3-4 leeks (depending on their size), sliced
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
One of my favorite things about having a blog is the opportunity to try new recipes and learn new cooking methods. I have never made Panna Cotta before, but it seems to be a relatively simple dessert to make.
Panna Cotta, which means “cooked cream” in Italian, is an Italian dessert traditionally made with sweetened cream and gelatin. Because of the gelatin, it maintains the shape of whatever vessel it is in.
It would have probably made sense to try to make a class panna cotta first, but my husband and I love all things pistachio, so I decided to try to make a Pistachio Panna Cotta as a treat for us!
