Category: Nut Free

One Pot Jamaican Curry Chicken and Potatoes

Note: I was sent an 11-Inch NanoBond Skillet from Hestan Culinary in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

Before I get to this awesome recipe for One Pot Jamaican Curry Chicken and Potatoes, I wanted to share with you a new addition to my kitchen that I’m madly in love with. One of the most important tools in any cook’s kitchen is a skillet. I use my skillets more than any other pot/pan in my house (although my Dutch oven gets a pretty good workout too). So having a good, sturdy, evenly cooking skillet is super important. I’m not exactly kind to my pots and pans… they get frequent use, and my husband isn’t the best at remembering not to use metal utensils on my non-stick cookware (sigh)… so having a skillet that can put up with some abuse is really important to me.

Which is why I’m so excited to share the 11-Inch NanoBond Skillet from Hestan Culinary, handcrafted in Italy. Not only is it beautiful, the NanoBond technology makes this skillet darn near indestructible.

Here are some of the features:

  • Molecular titanium bonds thousands of nanolayers for a lifetime of beauty
  • 400% stronger than stainless steel
  • 35% better heat conduction than aluminum-clad cookware

Additionally, the skillet is high-heat tolerant to 1050°F! So it’s perfect for searing meats or even cooking right on the grill.

To test out my new skillet, I wanted to make something I’ve been craving for a while now: Jamaican Curry Chicken and Potatoes.

This one pot (or skillet) wonder simmers chicken and potatoes in a seasoned curry sauce until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Jamaican mild curry powder (I used Jamaican Choice)
  • 1 habanero pepper
  • 2 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, washed and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 fresh thyme sprigs, plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • cooked rice, for serving

Continue reading One Pot Jamaican Curry Chicken and Potatoes

Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork

I have used Butcher Box (note: affiliate link) for a while now, and love the quality of the meat and seafood they offer. I tend to switch up what comes in my boxes so I can work with different cuts. My latest box had a boneless pork butt, so I figured it was about time I created and shared a pressure cooker pulled pork recipe.

I do have a few other pulled pork recipes on my blog, and they are all fantastic, but they are slow cooker based. So here’s a recipe that helps get that yummy pulled pork on your table a bit faster using an Instant Pot or other multi cooker without losing that cooked-all-day flavor!

Ingredients:

Spice Rub:

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon each of:
    • smoked paprika
    • hot paprika
    • ground cumin
    • salt
    • ground pepper

Barbecue Sauce:

  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups ketchup
  • 1 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Other ingredients:

  • 3 lbs boneless pork butt, cut into cubes
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth

Continue reading Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork

Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredo is essentially glorified mac and cheese (or more accurately, mac and cheese is a less glamorous fettuccine alfredo). I had a craving for some fettuccine alfredo on one of the multiple snow days we just saw in Philadelphia, and luckily I had everything on hand to make this ultimate comfort food, so it’s about time I shared a recipe for easy fettuccine alfredo!

This recipe for easy fettuccine alfredo uses just 9 ingredients, including salt and pepper. It doesn’t exactly reheat well though, so it’s not the best make ahead meal, but I have a good feeling it will be polished off in no time!

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 1 (16 oz) box fettuccine
  • salt, to taste
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 8 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
  • ground pepper, to taste
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Continue reading Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

Soup Joumou (Haitian Beef and Squash Soup)

Happy New Year! There are a bunch of traditional dishes around the world to help usher in a new year. In past years, I’ve shared a Black Eyed Peas Hash, Black Eyed Peas with Collard Greens, and a bunch of recipe for what to do with the leftover champagne (assuming you have any), like this Champagne Risotto Primavera and these Honey Citrus Champagne Cupcakes.

Some traditional dishes eaten on New Year’s Day have less to do with the new year and more to do with a country’s history. So this year, I’m sharing my adaptation of an Independence Stew from Haiti. Celebrated every January 1, Haiti proclaimed independence from French colonials on New Year’s Day 1804 following a 13 year revolution. Soup Joumou, a comforting stew traditionally made with beef, pumpkin, pasta, and a bunch of veggies and spices, has become a New Year’s Day dish to commemorate Haiti’s independence.

I adapted this recipe from Epicurious, scaling it down quite a bit and swapping butternut squash for the pumpkin because I couldn’t find any pumpkin that wasn’t already pureed.

 

Ingredients:

Marinade:

  • 1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 bell pepper (any color), coarsely chopped
  • 1 scallion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/4 cup parsley leaves
  • 1 basil leaf
  • the juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Remaining Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, divided
  • 1 pound stew beef cubes
  • 7 cups chicken or beef broth, divided
  • 2 beef bones
  • 1 pound butternut squash, cut into cubes
  • 2 medium russet potatoes (about 1 pound), finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, sliced
  • 1/4 small green cabbage (about 1/2 pound), very thinly sliced
  • 1/2 small onion, sliced
  • 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
  • 1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, finely chopped
  • 1 small turnip, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon habanero chile hot sauce, or to taste
  • 1 cup uncooked rigatoni
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 parsley sprig (optional)
  • 1 thyme sprig (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (omit to make dairy free)

Continue reading Soup Joumou (Haitian Beef and Squash Soup)

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Note: I was sent some baking tools from OXO in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

If you follow this blog, you know I am a huge fan of OXO-branded, well, anything. And every year, OXO helps to raise funds for childhood pediatric cancer research, supporting Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. In order to bring awareness to this organization each year, OXO has organized food blogger cookie swaps, which I’ve participated in since 2012.

Here are some of my old cookie swap and Cookies for Kids’ Cancer posts, in case you’re in a baking mood:

This year is a bit different. Instead, OXO is sponsoring The Cookie Chain, which empowers people to raise funds for pediatric cancer research and awareness of Cookies for Kids’ Cancer by baking, sending, and sharing packaged cookies to friends and loved ones. Participants can sign up via Cookies for Kids’ Cancer for a Cookie Chain kit including cookie bags, stickers and postcards about the promotion.

source: cookies for kids’ cancer

In the hopes of getting as many people involved as possible, I jumped at the chance to set up my own Fundraising page and got to baking! To help me get my bake on, OXO sent over some of their awesome baking tools. Here are some more details on those baking tools:

  • Silicone Baking Mat (paid link): The OXO Good Grips 2 Piece Half-Sheet Pan and Baking Mat Set is the perfect pair for any baking adventure. The reusable Silicone Baking Mat replaces parchment by transforming sheet pans into a non-stick surface. The food-safe silicone and fiberglass construction resists grease and residue and fits perfectly into the Half-Sheet Pan. Dishwasher safe. The Non-Stick Pro Half-Sheet pan is made from durable commercial-grade aluminized steel with a micro-textured pattern that promotes airflow under and around food for even, consistent cooking. The two-layer scratch- and stain-resistant coating is PFOA free and ceramic reinforced for exceptional performance for years to come.
  • 3 Piece Mixing Bowl Set: Non-slip bottoms ensure the Mixing Bowls stay put on countertops and feature a soft, comfortable handle that’s easy to grip. The wide lip and spout make it easy to pour ingredients. Bowls nest for convenient storage.
  • Dough Whisk: When it comes to mixing dough by hand, a spoon just won’t cut it. You need a dedicated dough whisk to cut through thick dough. The solid stainless steel wires prevent sticking while the unique shape incorporates wet and dry ingredients with less effort. The innovative handle shape and soft, comfortable grip reduce pressure on your hands to prevent fatigue while you work. Once your cookies are in the oven, it’s easy to clean dough from between the coils. Dishwasher safe.
  • Medium Cookie Scoop: This size 40 portioner is designed for easy scooping and consistent shaping. The soft grip absorbs pressure while you squeeze to smoothly release your cookie dough. Dishwasher safe.
  • Baker’s Dusting Wand: With a quick twist to open and close, and a half-solid, half-perforated globe design, the Baker’s Dusting Wand is designed to prevent clumps, dumps and powdery messes. Perforation allows for evenly floured baking pans and lightly dusted baked goods. Sized to fit in most flour containers for storage.
These baking tools were the perfect excuse to make a cookie recipe I had been eyeing up for a while now, Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies!
My recipe is based off a NYT Cooking recipe that can be found here. This recipe utilized both baking powder and baking soda so that the cookies rise and then fall quickly, created the crinkled effect on the cookies.
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 (0.67 oz) tube of red food coloring gel (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more as needed

Continue reading Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

I’m all about making as many things as possible ahead of time to make actual dinners or events easier to manage. And Thanksgiving is certainly no different. Slow Cooker recipes, like this Slow Cooker Creamed Corn, are perfect for make ahead sides for Thanksgiving!

This recipe for Slow Cooker Creamed Corn is super easy and can be made a few days ahead of time if needed. But, because it’s in your slow cooker, it’s also easy to make the day of while not using precious stovetop and oven space!

Ingredients (serves 6-8):

  • 6 (10 oz bags) frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 (8 oz) block of cream cheese, cut into cubes
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into slices

Continue reading Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

Coconut Curry Lentil Chickpea Bowls with Kale

I really love receiving cookbooks for review, especially when they are filled with recipes that are both intriguing and simple to make. Since I received a copy of The “I Love My Instant Pot” Anti-Inflammatory Diet Recipe Book for review, I have become obsessed with this recipe for Coconut Curry Lentil Chickpea Bowls with Kale.

It’s insanely easy to make, is filling, and is absolutely delicious!

I’ll admit, it isn’t the prettiest meal I’ve ever made, but the combination of ingredients makes for a crave worthy dish you’re sure to put in your rotation!

 

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup red lentils
  • 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened lite coconut milk
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups chopped and deveined kale
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

Continue reading Coconut Curry Lentil Chickpea Bowls with Kale

Freezable Breakfast Burritos

Ironically, I’ve been having a hard time getting into a cooking groove during this pandemic. Even though I’m now home basically ALL the time, my job seems to have gotten even busier, and I’m in the process of getting my MBA so I seem to have even less time in the day to cook. Which means I need to get back into doing some food prep on my weekends more than ever, like making these Freezable Breakfast Burritos.

Breakfast is probably one of the hardest meals for me to actually make. For one, I’m not terribly good at making eggs. Plus, I’d much rather roll out of bed and start working immediately. So any make ahead recipes that I can quickly heat up are super helpful.

These Breakfast Burritos are perfect for hectic mornings.  They are freezable, so you can take them out of the freezer the night before and just microwave them quickly in the morning. Plus, they are completely customizable to whatever you like in your breakfast burrito! This makes 10 breakfast burritos, so feel free to adjust as needed (my husband and I can polish these off within 2 weeks).

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 (19 oz) bag of tater tots
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb breakfast sausage, casing removed (you may be able to find just ground breakfast sausage without the casing as well)
  • 10 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • hot sauce, to taste (optional)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 10 (8-inch) flour tortillas

Continue reading Freezable Breakfast Burritos

Pressure Cooker Puttanesca Pork Ragu

I think fall cooking might be my favorite kind of cooking. I love comfort food meals that make the whole house smell good! And anything I can put over pasta is guaranteed to be a winning recipe in my house. So this Pressure Cooker Puttanesca Pork Ragu is right up my alley.

I came across a recipe for a puttanesca-style ragu and knew I had to try out my own version! Puttanesca sauces typically have a bunch of brine-y ingredients in them — capers, olives, anchovies — in a tomato sauce that may have a little heat to it as well. I honestly don’t make many puttanesca-inspired dishes because, well, I don’t love olives. But my husband does, so I figured it was worth a try!

This recipe uses a pressure cooker to get that cooking all day flavor in much less time. You’re still looking at a just under 2-hour recipe though, so plan ahead!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 10 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
  • 3 (4.5 oz) tomato paste tubes
  • 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 1/4 cup drained capers
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 cup dry wine, red or white
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder
  • salt and ground pepper
  • cooked pasta, for serving
  • grated parmesan cheese, optional
  • chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Continue reading Pressure Cooker Puttanesca Pork Ragu

Homemade Bruschetta

Note: I was sent vinegar from Lindera Farms, including their Ramp Vinegar, in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

Hands down, my favorite summer produce are tomatoes. Peak tomato season in the Philadelphia area begins just after July 4th and continues through mid-October, so it is the perfect time to share a recipe highlighting tomatoes like this Homemade Bruschetta!

Luckily, tomato season has coincided with the opportunity to try out a bunch of yummy vinegar from Lindera Farms, a small artisan vinegar producer in Virginia.

source: www.linderafarms.com

Lindera Farms takes locally and sustainably sources agricultural products and ferments them into wines which are then aged into vinegar. They have a wide selection of vinegars (nearly 30 types!) and pantry goods, including soy sauce, hot sauce, and syrups.

The ingredients from Lindera Farms are raised in a non-interventionist process, meaning they don’t introduce anything to the growing process. The process is subject to the whims of the environment completely; think Darwinian farming. The positives of this practice are that you get these stronger, more resilient, more flavorful fruits, herbs, and flowers with no carbon footprint or residual impact to the environment.

The results speak for themselves. The few vinegars I’ve sampled so far all have incredibly different flavors, acidity, and finish than what you can typically find in your supermarket. For example:

  • The Gardener Vinegar came about through Lindera Farms’ continued efforts to curb food waste. They collect organic summer vegetables from small local farms to make a complex and vegetal vinegar. The result is a very high acidic, savory vinegar with notes of cucumber, tomatoes, peppers and leeks. Lindera Farms suggests using it with salad greens, summer veggies, fish, or poultry, or even adding it to your favorite Bloody Mary recipe (I love this idea!)
  • Lindera Farms’ Apple Cider Vinegar is made with organic Virginian Heirloom Apples, and then is aged with applewood, adding a smooth, smoky finish. The Apple Cider Vinegar has a medium acidity, and medium-low sweetness, and can be used anywhere you’d use traditional apple cider vinegar, or just for probiotic consumption. (I used it in a pulled pork recipe, and it was fantastic)
  • I used the Ramp Vinegar in the recipe below. Ramps are a garlicky wild onion, and the ones in this vinegar are foraged in the woods of the Shenandoah valley. The result is a savory vinegar with notes of garlic, ramps, and onions with medium acidity. Lindera Farms suggests using it as a substitute anywhere you might use lemon and garlic in a dish. (I recently used it in my Italian Pasta Salad)

I have yet to tap into the other Lindera Farms vinegars, but I’m sure they are going to be just as delicious.

Traditional bruschetta uses balsamic vinegar, but I thought the garlic/onion flavors in Lindera Farms’ Ramp Vinegar would enhance the fresh flavors of the tomatoes and basil.

On to the recipe!

Ingredients (serves 4 as an appetizer):

  • 4 plum (roma) tomatoes, evenly diced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Lindera Farms Ramp Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Italian bread, sliced and toasted for serving

Continue reading Homemade Bruschetta

Smoked Potato Salad with Bacon and Sriracha Mayo

Note: I was sent a sample of Bear Mountain Gourmet Blend BBQ Wood Pellets in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I absolutely love grilling, and love to grill anything I can get my hands on. I do not have much experience with smoking foods on my grill though. So when Bear Mountain contacted me about trying some of their wood pellets, I couldn’t wait to get started!

source: bearmountainbbq.com

Smoking adds an additional layer of flavor to your grilled foods that can completely change the taste of a dish. If you’re new to smoking your food, wood pellets are a great “intro” option – you don’t have to soak them ahead of time and they can be used on any normal grill. Bear Mountain offers a bunch of different blends to pair with poultry, seafood, lamb, pork, beef and vegetables. Their wood pellets don’t use any fillers, binders, or bark so their premium all-natural wood pellets deliver a perfect, clean smoke – every time.  They’ve also refined the pellet-making process, creating the perfect pellet structure with only 5% moisture.  This means that Bear Mountain pellets grant the perfect burn, infusing mouth-watering flavor with little ash to clean up.

source: bearmountainbbq.com

I was looking through Bear Mountain’s recipes for a little inspiration and was intrigued when I cam across a recipe for  potato salad that smoked the potatoes on the grill before tossing them in a yummy sriracha mayo.

I decided to add some bacon to further highlight the rich, smoky flavor of the pellets. The result is this amazing Smoked Potato Salad with Bacon and Sriracha Mayo!

Ingredients:

  • 2 pound red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1-2 cups Bear Mountain Gourmet Blend BBQ Pellets
  • 4 slices of cooked bacon, finely chopped
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha, depending on your preferences
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions

Continue reading Smoked Potato Salad with Bacon and Sriracha Mayo

Pan Fried Salmon with Brown Lentils, Cherry Tomatoes, and Basil

Note: I was sent a PDF copy of Beach House Dinners: Simple, Summer-Inspired Meals for Entertaining Year-Round by chef Lei Shishak in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I think we could all use a bit of escape right about now. So what better way to get in a beach-state-of-mind than through easy home cooking? I recently had the opportunity to page through Lei Shishak’s new cookbook: Beach House Dinners: Simple, Summer-Inspired Meals for Entertaining Year-Round, which is filled with over 80 recipes perfect for summer cooking.

Lei Shishak is the founder of Sugar Blossom Bake Shop in San Clemente, CA and the author of Beach House Baking, heralded by USA Today as one of the top 10 cookbooks of summer 2014, Beach House Brunch and Farm-to-Table Desserts. She is an established pastry chef who trained at the CIA in New York and has worked in restaurants in Sun Valley, Los Angeles and Orange County.

I’m not going to lie, quite a few recipes caught my eye — Coconut Shrimp, Creamy Thai Curry Quinoa, Pot Roast Tagine, Israeli Pearl Couscous — this cookbook is filled with awesome sounding recipes! I decided to highlight a beautifully simple but oh so flavorful salmon recipe to show off this cookbook.
I adjusted Lei’s original recipe of Pan Fried Salmon with Green Lentils for what I had on hand, so be sure to pop over to her blog or to pick up this cookbook to try the original version. Green Lentils have a slight peppery flavor to them, so I bet they would make this dish even more amazing!
Ingredients: (serves 4)
Lentils:
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup brown lentils
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter, unsalted (or margarine, to make dairy free)

Salmon:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 (1/4 lb) salmon fillets
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 (10 oz) container cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

Continue reading Pan Fried Salmon with Brown Lentils, Cherry Tomatoes, and Basil

Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

Note: I was sent a bottle of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

It seems like everyone has really taken to home baking while staying-at-home during this pandemic. I’ve been impressed with everyone’s sourdoughs, banana breads, and other baked goods! So why not add another awesome option to your repertoire: Cinnamon Rolls, or more specifically, Brioche Cinnamon Rolls!

Nielsen-Massey recently published a new video showing how to Knead Dough by Hand, which comes in handy while making this recipe.

This recipe for Brioche Cinnamon Rolls is based off a recipe from the Nielsen-Massey website as well.

Ingredients:

Dough:

  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 2/3 cups flour, divided
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large whole eggs, divided
  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cubed

Cinnamon Roll Filling:

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Almond Extract

Vanilla Icing:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract

Continue reading Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

Slow Cooker Lamb in Zesty Lemon Sauce

 Note: I was sent a copy of The Greek Slow Cooker for review. Opinions are mine alone.

It’s been quite a while since I posted. Since sheltering-in-place became our new normal in Philadelphia, I’ve been cooking a lot of my old recipes, but haven’t had the creativity (or honestly, the energy) to make many new recipes. In the hopes of having some inspiration, I started paging through some of the many cookbooks I have, and came across this recipe for Arnaki Lemonato – Slow Cooker Lamb in a Zesty Lemon Sauce.

This recipe is from The Greek Slow Cooker: Easy, Delicious Recipes from the Heart of the Mediterranean.

Written by Eleni Vonissakou, the cookbook is a great source of Greek dishes adapted for slow cookers and includes 75 different Greek recipes. I adapted the recipe below a bit for what I was able to get through my local grocery delivery options.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs baby potatoes (cut the larger ones up so that the sizes of all the potatoes are similar)
  • 2 large carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • the juice and zest of 2 lemons, divided
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 3 garlic cloves, pressed in a garlic press, or very finely minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sumac (can omit if you cannot find this spice)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 lbs lamb shoulder (I used lamb shoulder chops)
  • 2 medium onions, quartered

Kitchen Tools Used:

Continue reading Slow Cooker Lamb in Zesty Lemon Sauce

Lemon Orzo with Crab and Herbs

NOTE: I received a copy of The Everything Mediterranean Instant Pot® Cookbook: 300 Recipes for Healthy Mediterranean Meals―Made in Minutes by Kelly Jaggers in order to write this post with Lemon Orzo with Grab and Herbs. Opinions are mine alone.

I am very much on the pressure cooker bandwagon. It’s awesome for tough cuts of meat, cooking beans, and other processes that can take forever, but my favorite use is speeding up recipes just enough to make them weeknight friendly!

I was recently sent The Everything Mediterranean Instant Pot® Cookbook: 300 Recipes for Healthy Mediterranean Meals―Made in Minutes by Kelly Jaggers, and after paging through it for a few minutes, I knew this would be a big hit in my kitchen. My husband and I are huge fans of Mediterranean-style food (if you haven’t noticed from my posts…) and the adaptation of these recipes for an Instant Pot means it hasn’t left my kitchen counter since I received it!

We don’t actively follow the Mediterranean Diet, but following it can help reduce inflammation, avoid disease, and lose weight, making it popular for anyone looking to live a healthier lifestyle. The Everything Mediterranean Instant Pot Cookbook shows you how to recreate classic Mediterranean meals in under an hour using the much-loved multi-cooker, the Instant Pot. With more than 300 recipes for delicious meals, snacks, and even desserts, you’ll have everything you need to create healthy, fresh, and fast meals every day of the week!

As I mentioned, I’ve already made a few recipes in here, but I wanted to share this recipe for Lemon Orzo with Crab and Herbs, which I’ve slightly adapted from the original in the cookbook.

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium shallot, minced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 cups water (or chicken broth for more flavor)
  • 8 oz orzo
  • 8 oz jumbo lump crab meat
  • the juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish

Kitchen Tools Used:

Continue reading Lemon Orzo with Crab and Herbs

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