Category: Nut Free

Speck and Anchovy Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Note: I was sent a sample of Speck Alto Adige PGI in order to write this post. All opinions are mine alone. #sponsored

During the winter, I cannot get enough comfort food recipes. To me, Italian food is the ultimate comfort food — usually quite simple to make, with a few high quality ingredients that make the meal good enough to share with company. 

I wanted to highlight an ingredient that you may not have heard about before: Speck Alto Adige PGI. From the Alto Adige region of Italy, Speck Alto Adige PGI is ham that has been air cured and lightly smoked. It can be used in recipes that call for bacon or prosciutto, and add a nice smoky, herby flavor to the dish. When buying, look for the PGI certification. The PGI certification of Speck Alto Adige means “protected geographical indication” and ensures that you are buying an authentic product made in its area of origin under strict guidelines. 

To highlight the uncommon but delicious flavor of Speck Alto Adige PGI, I decided to make a speck and anchovy pasta topped with garlic breadcrumbs.

This recipe for Speck and Anchovy Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs is based off an Epicurious recipe and delivers great flavor without a lot of effort. It just so happens to mostly use ingredients that I tend to have around my house, so that was a nice perk too!

Ingredients:

  • 8 garlic cloves, divided
  • 2 cups of day old bread, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • the zest of 1 lemon
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 half cup olive oil, divided
  • 4 oz cubed speck
  • 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 (16 oz) box linguine
  • 2 oz freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Continue reading Speck and Anchovy Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Pressure Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip

My goodness, 2018 was a quick year. I cannot believe it’s the end of December! I wanted to post a recipe that would be welcome at any New Year’s Eve party, and with the help of a pressure cooker, can be made in no time with little effort!

This recipe for Pressure Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip takes just 20 minutes to make – you dump most of the ingredients in (including the frozen spinach, no need to defrost!) and let it do its thing.

It can also easily be doubled to serve a large crowd; just make sure your multi-cooker is large enough to hold it all!

Ingredients (serves 8):

  • 1 (10 oz) box frozen chopped spinach
  • 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 (8 oz) container parmesan cheese
  • 1 (8 oz) bag shredded low moisture mozzarella cheese
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • crackers or toasted baguette rounds, for serving

Continue reading Pressure Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

I’m hoping you’ll allow me to post one more cookie recipe this season. These Chewy Gingerbread Cookies are too good to not post!

Every year, my mom and I bake multiple cookie recipes to give to friends and family. While there are some that we bake every year, (like these Hot Cocoa Cookies), we try to make a new cookie each time. After many years of trying to make gingerbread cookies and failing at the decorating part, we decided to try making gingerbread cookies instead.

This recipe makes a wonderfully soft and chewy cookie all with the yummy flavors of gingerbread.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons sugar

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Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie is one of my absolute favorite cold weather meals. It’s really simple to make and has all the components of a solid meal, just stacked into a layered pie form! 

I like to make shepherd’s pie on weekends, assemble, refrigerate, and then cook later in the week on a busy weeknight. This recipe is based off a shepherd’s pie recipe from the Food Network.

Ingredients:

Potatoes:

  • 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Filling:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced small
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 lbs ground lamb
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas

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Shredded Chicken Salad

I’m trying to do more food prep on weekends for busy weekdays. Breakfasts are relatively easy; I make a batch of muffins and freeze the extras for future weeks, or make overnight oats or chia seed pudding in individual jars. For dinner, I tend to make something in my slow cooker and/or pressure cooker and then buy ingredients for short weeknight-friendly meals for the rest of the week. But lunch can be a bit of a challenge. We make salads from time to time, but I wanted to branch out a bit and make something we could add to a sandwich – shredded chicken salad.

I made this from scratch using my Pressure Cooker, but you could also use shredded rotisserie chicken.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):

Chicken:

  • 3 pound whole chicken
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth

Chicken Salad:

  • if not making your own chicken: 1 (3 lb) rotisserie chicken
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • the juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup red grapes, quartered
  • 3 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

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Pressure Cooker Chicken Orzo Soup

I feel like I’ve been baby-stepping my way into this recipe. I started by making a Pressure Cooker Whole “Rotisserie” Chicken, followed by Pressure Cooker Chicken Broth. So I’m taking it one step further and making Pressure Cooker Chicken Orzo Soup!

This recipe actually builds from the two previous, with some minor changes. For simplicity, the entire recipe from start to finish is below so you don’t have to go to multiple posts to make it. The multi-pot shortens the time of making a solid chicken soup, but it is still a labor of love. Total time to cook is roughly 3 hours.

It freezes well, so it’s a great recipe to make now to have on hand for sick days!

Ingredients: (serves 8)

Chicken:

  • 1 (3 to 4 pound) whole chicken – I used a 3 pound chicken
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup water

Soup:

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 yellow onions, chopped, divided
  • 4 carrots, peeled and chopped, divided
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped, divided
  • 6 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 4 sprigs fresh parsley
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh oregano
  • up to 8 cups water
  • 1 cup uncooked orzo (or rice to make gluten free)

Continue reading Pressure Cooker Chicken Orzo Soup

Chocolate Pumpkin Rugelach

I love the combination of chocolate and pumpkin together. So when I was trying to think of an update to a traditional cookie, my mind went right to these flavors, which brings me to this recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Rugelach.

Rugelach are the perfect cookies for this combo. Traditional rugelach uses an apricot spread that is sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, walnuts, and raisins, and then rolled into a spiral. The pumpkin butter takes the place of the apricot spread, and mini chocolate chips are substituted in for the walnuts and raisins.

 

I based this recipe off the recipe I used in my Apricot and Raisin Rugelach post last month, based off a recipe from American Cookie: The Snaps, Drops, Jumbles, Tea Cakes, Bars & Brownies That We Have Loved for Generations.

 

Ingredients:

Dough:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 8 oz cream cheese, at room  temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough

Pumpkin Butter:

  • 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup water
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling:

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice if you have it)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 (10 oz) bag mini chocolate chips
  • 1 cup pumpkin butter (recipe above)

Egg Wash:

  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 teaspoon water

Continue reading Chocolate Pumpkin Rugelach

Bloody Marys

I’ve been told I make a pretty darn good Bloody Mary. Although I can’t take much credit for it; I’ve been using my grandpa’s recipe for years now.  My “responsibility” at Thanksgiving every year is to keep the pitcher of Bloody Marys full, so I’ve had some practice.

I’m finally sharing my recipe on here to highlight a fun event happening in South Philly this weekend at one of my favorite bars: Moonshine. Chef Christine Hazel, of Hell’s Kitchen and Chopped fame, is hosting a Brunch Cooking Class this Sunday, December 9th, at 11 am. The class includes learnings how to make some brunch dishes, dish samples, and 2 signature cocktails. You can get tickets here. (I’ve already purchased mine, so come hang out with me!)

Source: Christine Hazel

So why not get the brunch cocktail party started now?

Ingredients: (serves 4)

  • 2 cups tomato juice
  • the juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • the juice and zest of 1 lime
  • 2 oz Worcestershire sauce (some brands are gluten-free)
  • 10-15 dashes hot sauce (depending on how much heat you’re looking for)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 oz vodka
  • ice
  • for garnish (optional): celery stalks, lemon wedges, lime wedges, olives

Continue reading Bloody Marys

Thanksgiving Leftover Skillet Pizza

It probably goes without saying that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love spending time with my family and digging in to awesome food! My aunt and uncle have hosting Thanksgiving for years now, and they always make a point to make more than we could ever eat so we have leftovers.

I could eat Thanksgiving leftovers every day, but sometimes its nice to switch up the presentation a bit.

This recipe for Thanksgiving Leftover Skillet Pizza makes the most of whatever leftovers you have on hand!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup shredded cooked turkey
  • 3-4 tablespoons cranberry sauce
  • 3/4 cup each shredded mozzarella and shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • All-purpose flour
  • 8 ounces prepared pizza dough, at room temperature (or cauliflower crust to make gluten free)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup mashed potatoes
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup cooked vegetables, (I used Brussels sprouts)
  • 1/2 cup crumbled stuffing
  • Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • cranberry sauce and gravy, for serving

Continue reading Thanksgiving Leftover Skillet Pizza

Pressure Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I really love sweet potatoes. I have a pretty bad sweet tooth, so sweet potatoes are right up my alley. Growing up, we used to always have them mashed with a ton of butter and topped with roasted marshmallows. Mmm.

This version for Pressure Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes is a bit more stripped down, no marshmallows here. The natural sweetness is allowed to shine through (although I do enhance it a bit with some maple syrup)!

Plus, because I cooked the sweet potatoes in my Pressure Cooker, this recipe is done in no time!

Ingredients:

  • 4 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into similar sized pieces
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (or coconut oil to make dairy free/vegan)
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • thyme, for garnish

Continue reading Pressure Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes

One Pot Chicken with Orzo

Who doesn’t love a “one pot” meal? No one wants to do a ton of dishes after dinner!

I love cooking with my cast iron skillet, which is actually my grandmothers. Cast iron does a great job of evenly heating food and searing meat, and stands the test of time. Every meal I make in my cast iron feels kind of special, knowing my grandmother also used to cook in the same skillet.

This recipe, adapted from Epicurious, is a nice comfort food dinner, with juicy chicken thighs, sautéed fennel and leeks, and hearty orzo, and is perfect for chilly nights.

Ingredients:

  • 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 fennel bulb, chopped
  • 1 leek, white and pale green parts only
  • 8 ounces orzo
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Continue reading One Pot Chicken with Orzo

Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper Pasta)

Note: This is a sponsored post, powered by BrandBacker. I was sent samples of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to make this post. Opinions are mine alone. 

Some ingredients are so wonderful, that you don’t need much else to make a beautiful dish. Parmigiano Reggiano is most certainly one of those ingredients.

Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is made in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, and Mantua, Italy. Made by a collective of farmers and producers, Parmigiano Reggiano has just three ingredients: milk, salt, and rennet. with over eight centuries of cheese making experience, every wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is carefully tended to by workers who wipe, brush, and turn them every ten days. The outsides of the wheels dry over time to form a natural and edible rind. The wheels are typically aged for 18 to 36 months, with 24 months being the most common. So how do you know you have real Parmigiano Reggiano cheese? Look for the pin-dots on the rind, which are imprinted on every wheel.

This process results in a hard, dry cheese with a pale gold rind and a straw colored interior with a wonderful rich and sharp flavor. Pre-grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese doesn’t do the freshly grated stuff justice. And the best way to highlight the flavor of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano is in this super simple recipe for Cacio e Pepe, or translated to Cheese and Pepper.

Traditional Cacio e Pepe is made with just 4 ingredients, but my Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper Pasta) has 7 ingredients – pasta, freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, pepper, salt, garlic, butter, and olive oil. The result is a simple but decadent pasta dish with the most luxurious, silky cheese sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (16 oz) box linguine
  • salt, for the pasta water
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
  • 1 large garlic clove, very thinly sliced
  • 2 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving

Continue reading Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper Pasta)

Ranch Chickpea Cucumber Salad

I’ve been trying to think up more bring-to-work lunch ideas recently. We tend to just eat leftovers or traditional salads for lunch, which can get boring quickly.

So when my Hungry Harvest (note: this is a referral link) came with absolutely huge cucumbers, I figured I could make a slightly different lunch (or a make ahead side for dinner) with it!

This dish has chickpeas to make it a bit more hearty, red onions for flavor (and color), and of course, cucumbers. I tossed all of those in a lemony, zesty ranch Greek yogurt mixture.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large (or two medium) cucumber(s), cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 (15.5 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  •  1 1/2 teaspoons ranch seasoning mix
  • the zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

Continue reading Ranch Chickpea Cucumber Salad

Tex Mex Stuffed Peppers

The school year has begun. I don’t have kids, but I am married to a teacher, so this time of year gets pretty hectic. Which means it’s about time I started stocking my fridge and freezer on weekends so weeknight dinners are a bit more manageable.

These Tex Mex Stuffed Peppers are a super tasty (and easy) make-ahead meal. You can cook these over the weekend and reheat during the week, or freeze before cooking, thaw, and cook when ready to eat!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 4 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • 1 cup jarred salsa (mild or medium)
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (8 oz) box of yellow rice, cooked according to package directions
  • 6 bell peppers
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Continue reading Tex Mex Stuffed Peppers

Blackberry Orange Margaritas

I’m not going to lie. I’m a bit of a margarita wimp. I prefer my margaritas as fruity as possible. I do have a Grilled Margarita recipe, but my other margarita recipes have pomegranates and blood oranges in them. Yum.

Anywho, I came across this recipe for Blackberry Orange Margaritas in Cooking Light and knew I’d like this one! The original recipe adds spicy serrano tequila, but I decided to keep this one spice-free.

Ingredients:

  •  6 ounces tequila
  • 12 ounces fresh blackberries
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons agave nectar

Add the blackberries, 1 cup orange juice. 1/2 cup lime juice, and 2 tablespoons agave to a blender and process until smooth.

Strain through a sieve, discarding the solids. Use a spoon to press down on the sieve to strain the liquid.

Stir in the tequila. Divided mixture among 4 ice-filled glasses and serve.

Tangy, slightly sweet, and super refreshing. Exactly what I want in a cocktail!

I love the color of this too. The photos don’t really do it justice. Definitely a statement drink that would be perfect for the next time you’re entertaining. You can also make this ahead of time and pour when ready to serve.

Print
Blackberry-Orange Margaritas

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Calories per serving: 180

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces tequila
  • 12 ounces fresh blackberries
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons agave nectar

Instructions

  1. Add the blackberries, 1 cup orange juice. 1/2 cup lime juice, and 2 tablespoons agave to a blender and process until smooth.
  2. Strain through a sieve, discarding the solids. Use a spoon to press down on the sieve to strain the liquid.
  3. Stir in the tequila. Divided mixture among 4 ice-filled glasses and serve.
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