“Jim Dandy on the Cape” Cocktail

Philadelphia is a food lovers dream. The city is filled with amazing restaurants around every corner. I love living here because no matter where I go to eat, I am inspired by what the restaurants are able to deliver. I do my best to emulate my favorite dishes and drinks throughout the city, with a bit of a twist.

"Jim Dandy on the Cape" Cocktail

I recently attended a new menu launch event at Serrano. An Old City staple, Serrano has been open for over 25 years. I’ve only eaten here once before, before attending a show at Tin Angel upstairs, so I was excited to revisit the restaurant. Serrano is a cozy restaurant that’s warm atmosphere feels like miles away from the busy Old City streets.

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from Serrano’s website

Chef Gina Rodriguez has compiled a truly delicious spring seasonal menu. The restaurant was also debuting two new cocktails, The 6th Thyme and Jim Dandy in the Everglades. The 6th Thyme is made with in house made mead (made with locally sourced honey), Aperol, thyme, and white cranberry juice. The drink was garnished with a sprig of thyme, a perfect spring drink. Jim Dandy in the Everglades, made with orange vodka, peach bitters, and Proscecco was refreshing and right up my alley.

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The 6th Time (Left) and Jim Dandy in the Everglades (Right)

I decided to do my own spin on the Jim Dandy in the Everglades to go along with my review of Chef Rodriguez’s menu. My recipe uses a homemade cranberry-orange vodka but keeps the rest of the drink true to form. (The addition of the cranberry is why my drink references the Cape instead of the Everglades).

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S’mores Shake

I am so excited to share this cookbook with you. It’s an entire cookbook dedicated to Milkshakes! I have a serious ice cream addition, so it should go without saying that I love milkshakes. Although I’m never one to turn down a simple chocolate or cookies and cream milkshake, this cookbook brings milkshakes to a completely different level. Malts & Milkshakes: 60 Recipes for Frosty, Creamy, Frozen Treats has everything from the classics, to modern flavors, and even boozy shakes. The Author, Autumn Martin, is the founder of Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery in Seattle, so she knows her desserts!

All of the recipes can be made using ingredients found in your supermarket, but it also includes recipes for making your own homemade ice cream if you’re feeling particularly fancy. There are so many inventive recipes in this book: eggnog, earl grey, salted caramel, and mango rose milk shakes to name a few. And those don’t even include the boozy milkshakes! My two favorite ones from that section: Chocolate Espresso Whiskey Malt and Chipotle Spice Sipping Chocolate Shake. This book is not messing around!

Another favorite was the S’mores Shake. Few things symbolize wonderful summer memories like S’mores. Chocolate, Marshmallow, and Graham Crackers sound like a perfect combination in a milkshake too! I changed the recipe up ever so slightly, but the general idea is still in tact.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 marshmallows, roasted
  • 1/4 cup milk (I used skim)
  • 6 scoops vanilla ice cream (~3 cups)
  • 2 scoops chocolate ice cream (~1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup crumbled graham crackers, plus more for garnish

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Brisket Ragout Over Pasta

As someone who went to Catholic school for most of my life, kosher cooking isn’t exactly something I was exposed to. I have a general understanding of what it means to keep kosher, but I really never took the time to delve into what it really means. I was recently sent a cookbook called The Kosher Carnivore: The Ultimate Meat and Poultry Cookbook by June Hersh. Not only is it filled with really delicious sounding recipes, but the author took the time to even include a “Kosher 101” in the introduction.

Did you know that giraffes are considered acceptable for human consumption as identified in the Torah? (Sorry, thought that was a fun fact). Animals that chew their cud and have cloven hooves are considered acceptable, which includes the more commonly eaten cow and lamb. Bird-wise, it seems a little more lenient. In general, predators or scavenger birds are prohibited but most birds are ok for consumption. Meat is considered kosher when it meets a specific criteria when slaughtered and butchered. Kosher eating also means that meat and dairy cannot be within the same meal, but neutral foods, like oil and eggs, can be used.

Whew. Ok. Now that I’ve completed Kosher 101, I’m ready to try to make a staple of Jewish cooking: brisket, specifically Brisket Ragout over Pasta! At the suggestion of the author, I shredded the brisket and served it in a ragout over pasta.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (2.5-3 lb.) brisket
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • olive oil
  • 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
  •  2 leeks, cleaned and and sliced
  • 2 medium onions, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes, drained
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 box farfalle pasta, cooked al dente
  • 1 cup panko
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

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Matzo Ball Soup

One of my favorite parts of learning to cook is having the chance to learn about cultures through different foods. I love paging through cookbooks that contain recipes I’ve never tried and learning something about the history and tradition behind these recipes. In preparation for Passover, I was sent a copy of The New Jewish Table, written by Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff Gray of Washington D.C.’s Equinox Restaurant. The cookbook takes traditional Jewish recipes and turns them into beautiful modern dishes.

The cookbook is filled with a ton of re-imagined comfort foods, and is broken into seasons to make the most of seasonally available product. The last few pages of the book also has suggested menus for Jewish holidays. I hope to cook through the Passover menu over the coming days because it all sounds so delicious (besides the gefilte fish, sorry haha.)

 

The Grays’ have filled the cookbook with personal stories and notes throughout that give a family feel and a background to their traditions which is a really nice touch. Each recipe is also labeled by type of recipe to make it easy to keep kosher: dairy, meat, parve, or mixed. Todd Gray’s childhood traditions are also present throughout the cookbook and include a few nods to traditional Pennsylvania Dutch recipes. (I particularly liked these recipes because, well, what is more comforting that food from the Pennsylvania Dutch?)

 

This cookbook almost reads like a memory book and is filled with wonderful stories, photographs, and obviously recipes. The New Jewish Table would be great for someone who is interested in learning about Jewish traditions through food and those who have grown up with these traditions and are looking for a fresh update to their family favorites.

 

I decided to make the recipe on the cover, called “Not Exactly Aunt Lil’s Matzo Ball Soup.” The recipe is a more polished version of Ellen Kassoff Gray’s Great Aunt’s soup. It has noodles in it, but to make it for Passover, this version below has omitted them. Todd Gray’s spin on this traditional recipe turns a comforting dish into a truly beautiful dish. I altered the dish very slightly, but my version is below. To see the original recipe, be sure to pick up a copy of this cookbook.

This recipe falls into the “meat” category. It is also appropriate for Passover.

 

Ingredients:

Caramelized Shallots:

  • 2 cups chopped shallots
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Matzo Balls:

  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons margarine, melted
  • 1/4 cup club soda
  • 1 cup matzo meal
  • 1/2 cup chopped Caramelized Onions (above)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Soup:

  • One 3-pound whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (ask your butcher to do this for you)
  • 1 large yellow onion, quarterd
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • 2 small carrots, chopped
  • 1 medium turnip, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 bunch parsley, washed and blotted dry
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 12 black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon salt

Garnish:

  • 2 cups finely diced carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup finely diced turnips
  • 1/2 cup sliced scallions, both green and white parts

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Nudo Colomba Easter Cake Review

With Easter almost here, I am having visions of Peeps and Cadbury Eggs. I’ve mentioned before my family’s Easter tradition includes a Bunny Cake. But many Italian families celebrate the holiday with a sweet Easter Cake. I personally have never had one before so I was so excited to when Nudo asked me to try their version. Nudo Italia has an absolutely delicious Colomba Easter Cake on their website for a limited time.

photo courtesy of nudo-italia.com

The Colomba cake is filled with tasty bites, including candied orange peel and amaretto. The dove-shaped cake (la colomba means “dove” in Italian) is topped with sugar and almonds.

photo courtesy of nudo-italia.com

This cake is huge, perfect for a large family. I ate this for breakfast and as a dessert (for a few days!) and loved it for both. The cake is fluffy and perfectly sweet.

The cake is delicious with a cup of coffee, espresso, or a hot chocolate. I went with hot chocolate and loved the pairing!

Nudo’s limited edition Colomba ($25) is available on Nudo-Italia.com now. It is the perfect addition to any Easter table, as well as the most delicious gift for a host or hostess.

Dark Chocolate Lava Cakes

I like any excuse to brag about Philadelphia. I can’t help it, I’m proud of where I live. So I get even more excited when the bragging involves food. Recently, National Geographic named Teuscher Chocolates the Best Chocolate in the World. Teuscher hails from Zurich, Switzerland but we have our very own store here in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia actually has quite a chocolate history, we even used to have a Confectioner’s Row (N 3rd St in Old City in case you’re interested). Wilber Chocolate, Whittman’s, and even Hershey’s got their start in the Philadelphia confectionery scene. And many brands continue that tradition to this day, including Teuscher, located in the Bellevue.

To celebrate being the Best Chocolate in the World, Teuscher Philadelphia contacted a few of us local bloggers and offered to let us sample some of their chocolates. Honestly, who’s going to say no to that?!

You may have seen some of my Instagram photos about their chocolates. Every piece seemed to be better than the last. I was hoarding them, eating one a day, until they sadly were all gone. The house specialty is not to be missed: the Classic Champagne Truffle. Made with dark chocolate ganache coated in milk chocolate with some Dom Perginon champagne creme, these are little bites of happiness and luxury. They even have Dark Chocolate Champagne Truffles! But their other choices really hold their own. The Chocolate Citrus Peels were amazing, but my ultimate favorite was the fleur de sel caramel. I cannot even put into words how good it was!

If that wasn’t enough to make me giddy, I also walked away with a bar of Teuscher’s Chocolate 99, a 99% chocolate bar that is somehow not overly bitter, perfect for baking. The chocolate has no chemicals, additives, or preservatives either.

To show off this beautiful chocolate, I decided to make Chocolate Lava Cakes, which are super easy to make and would impress any Valentine (hint hint). And because chocolate makes me feel oh so warm and fuzzy inside, I wanted to share some of this chocolatey goodness with one lucky reader! I am giving away an assorted box of Teuscher Chocolates! (More below)

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 Chocolate 99 Baking Bars
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup flour

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Huevos Rancheros Tacos

There is something so fun about having breakfast for dinner. Not only is it an easy way to whip up a meal with things you probably already have on hand, but it is so nice to have something so familiar and yet out of the ordinary.

Lindsay Landis and Taylor Hackbarth (of Love and Olive Oil) have compiled a cookbook filled with breakfast treats with a spin, making them perfect for  dinner. The cookbook, Breakfast for Dinner: Recipes for Fritatta Florentine, Huevos Rancheros, Sunny-Side-Up Burgers, and More! is plain drool-worthy. The photos are fantastic and each recipe sounds better than the last! It has a little bit of everything in its pages, including main dishes, appetizers, and desserts. Each recipe has an inventive twist on a traditional breakfast dish, which made it so difficult to decide which recipe to try first! When I asked my boyfriend to help choose, he responded, “Mmm… can’t we just make every one of them?”

Photo care of Quirk Books

We were finally able to decide on the Huevos Rancheros Tacos because we are big taco fans (I have 7 listed on this blog as of this post) and I loved the idea of turning Huevos Rancheros into delicious dinner!

Ingredients:

Ranchero Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large jalapeno, seeded and chopped
  • 1 (15 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, seeded and chopped, plus 1/2 tablespoon adobo sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground pepper, to taste

For tacos

  • 1 (15 ounce) can refried black beans
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or oregano

Note: this recipe is reproduced from the Breakfast for Dinner cookbok

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Gift Idea: a*pour toi Boxes & Giveaway!

It should come as no surprise that my go-to gifts tend to be food related. I love gifting Philadelphia-themed gift baskets, assorted tea presents, and engagement cookies. New to my list are these beautiful gift boxes from a*pour toi.

The founder, Julie Hasson, began this company recently to provide gourmet treats that feel like they have been picked with care just for your recipient. Julie works with Dr. Tara D Seneviratne who specialized is nutrition and endocrinology to help select every item in the box.

This option is brand new, it is being launched to the public in mid-January. But I was given the opportunity to try a box beforehand. I was sent an a*pour toi box for free, but my opinions below are my own. a*pour toi, which translates to “a gift for you,” is also hosting a giveaway on my blog, with the winner receiving their very own gift box! (The box ingredients change monthly, so you may receive different treats than I did. Please see below on how to enter!)

Halibut with Coconut-Red Curry

I am very vocal about my love of Cooking Light and myrecipes.com in general. I think it is a fantastic resource to find delicious recipes of all kinds and sort them easily and helpfully. I was recently sent a copy of myrecipes’ America’s Favorite Food: 200 Top-Rated Recipes from the Country’s Best Magazines which is a collection of recipes from All You, Coastal Living, Cooking Light, Health, Real Simple, Southern Living, and Sunset magazines.

What makes this cookbook different than any I’ve ever seen, is that it incorporates a Scan-It/Cook-It technology. Once you download the free Digimarc Discover app onto your smartphone, you are able to scan photos and info boxes in the cookbook which opens up how-to videos, shopping lists, and related recipes. Brilliant!

When I scanned the photo of the recipe I was making (Halibut with Coconut-Red Curry Sauce), it opened a how-to video to see how to prepare the dish, which is a wonderful tool for beginner cooks. The recipe also includes a side bar with substitutes and even tips on how to cook fish without smelling up the whole house.

This is the perfect cookbook for all levels of home cooks and I’m happy to be able to giveaway a copy of this cookbook! Check out the widget below to enter…

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
  • 4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger (or a punch of ground ginger)
  • 1 cup light coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon sugar  (or 1 teaspoon stevia)
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 3/4 teaspoon red curry paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice  (about 1 lime)

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Mini Cranberry-Vanilla Coffee Cakes

What is it about tiny treats that make the food taste better? I love perfectly portioned food so I was excited to be sent Petite Treats: Mini Versions of Your Favorite Baked Delights. The cookbook has recipes for mini donuts, muffins, scones, pies, and bundt cakes. The recipes sound absolutely delicious but to make most of the treats, you’ll need quite a bit of hardware: mini bunt cake pans, mini donut pans, mini scone pans, mini cupcake pans, etc. There are a few recipes that use a normal muffin pan that sounded really appealing, including mini cakes, but I decided to make the mini coffee cakes so I could have breakfast all week.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 1 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries (I used frozen cranberries, thawed)
  • 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter,at room temperature, divided
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

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Pasta with Wild Mushroom Sauce

Oh pasta, how I love you. Pasta, or any Italian food for that matter, is my ultimate comfort food choice. I was sent Lidia Bastianich’s newest cookbook: Lidia’s Favorite Recipes– 100 Foolproof Italian Dishes, from Basic Sauces to Irresistible Entrees, which after my first page through, I already knew would be one of my favorite cookbooks. Lidia Bastianich obviously knows her Italian dishes, she’s been in the cooking industry for most of her life; she has a number of best-selling cookbooks, owns 6 restaurants, and is basically the face of Italian cooking on PBS. I’m also happy to let you all know that I will be giving away one copy of this awesome cookbook! More on that after the recipe…
The cookbook makes Italian recipes approachable. A lot of the recipes include childhood favorites of mine, Chicken Parmigiana, Spaghetti and Meatballs, and Italian Wedding Soup. There are recipes that the photos look so fantastic I can’t wait to try them (I’m specifically talking about the rice balls. Oh. My. Goodness.)
But I had to test out the cookbook with my favorite Italian staple: a pasta dish.  The Tagliatelle with Wild Mushroom Sauce sounded just wonderful. But something didn’t want me to make this recipe. My supermarket didn’t have wild mushrooms or tagliatelle! Well, the show must go on. This is my somewhat adapted version of the recipe, Pasta with Wild Mushroom Sauce.
Ingredients: (makes 6 servings)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed and peeled
  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced and baby bella mushrooms
  • 4 fresh sage leaves
  • 1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock to make vegetarian)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh or dry thin pasta (spaghetti, tagliatelle, etc.)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

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Cream of Tomato Soup

“The secret of good cooking is, first, having a love of it. … If you’re convinced that cooking is drudgery, you’re never going to be good at it, and you might as well warm up something frozen.”
– James Beard
James Beard is basically the father of American cooking as we know it today. He, along with the beloved Julia Child, is basically the “foodie” community’s version of The Beatles. As Julia Child put it, “in the beginning, there was James Beard.” So when I was offered to review a new compilation of some of his best recipes, I couldn’t wait to dig in. The cookbook, The Essential James Beard Cookbook: 450 Recipes That Shaped the Tradition of American Cooking is in stores beginning today.
The cookbook is filled with what we think of today as quintessential recipes: coleslaw, potato salad, pot roast, chicken pot pie. But James Beard’s travels through France as well as inspiration from the Chinese cooks who worked at the hotel his mother owned. Each page is filled with both new and different recipes as well as classic approaches to everyday food (ex. roasting a chicken). The editors did a great job of going through and adding notes to help enhance the recipes as well, including insight into what an ingredient is and what can be substituted.
I really had a tough time choosing a recipe to do this post. It’s really tough to pinpoint what James Beard is known for, because, well, he’s known for everything! I finally settled on his Cream of Tomato Soup recipe.
This recipe, passed down from his mother, is a classic comfort food choice. I loved the idea of making a family recipe and was intrigued by the process. (The onset of Hurricane Sandy may also have had some input into my decision.)
Ingredients:
  • 2 28-oz cans of Italian plum tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 cup Beef Stock
  • 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 whole cloves, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoon all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • Chopped fresh basil or fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
This recipe is adapted from James Beard’s The Essential James Beard Cookbook

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

One of my favorite parts of reading other blogger’s pages is checking out the “about me” sections of their blogs. It’s always so interesting to read how bloggers began cooking, how they decided to start and blog, and what else in life interests them. So when I was offered a copy of White Jacket Required: A Culinary Coming-of-Age Story written by Jenna Weber of the wonderful blog Eat Live Run I couldn’t wait to dig in!

The book follows Jenna as she graduates college and makes the decision to go to culinary school to fulfill her dream of becoming a food writer. The book allows the reader a deep dive into Jenna’s journey to follow her dreams while dealing with life along the way. Like me, Jenna seems to pinpoint specific times in her life by food that sticks out from that time period. Throughout the book, her story is peppered with delicious recipes from her childhood as well as recipes she developed through her career.

One of the recipes stood out to me: Jenna’s recipe for Pumpkin Whoopie Pies. I am pumpkin obsessed, and I have wanted to make whoopie pies for a while now but was always kind of intimidated by them. Jenna’s recipe seemed approachable so I took the plunge.

I’m pretty sure whoopie pies can now be found basically everywhere but they originally hail from the Pennsylvania Dutch. (I gotta tell you, the Philadelphia area really has some awesome food. It’s no wonder I became a food blogger with all this inspiration surrounding me!) Whoopie pies are just cake-like cookies with creamy goodness sandwiched in between. They are oh so fluffy and just, well, make me happy.  So let’s see if I can do them justice..
Ingredients:
   Cookies:
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 1 can pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
   Buttercream filling:
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
  • 3/4 cup shortening

Tiny Food Party!

If you’ve noticed an uptick in my interest of miniature food, the cookbook Tiny Food Party! is to blame. Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park, who also write on their blog Spoon Fork Bacon, have developed an entire cookbook based on tiny versions of dozens of food. The recipes range from breakfast favorites to delicious desserts. Tiny Food Party! also includes themed menus so you can throw your own tiny food party to your friends delight. 
Brian at Bridges,Burgers & Beer and I were given the opportunity to test out the recipes in this cookbook in the best way possible: by hosting a Tiny Food Party! 
Menu:
  Appetizers:
o    Pajeon (Korean scallion pancakes) w/ Sesame Soy Sauce
o    Seafood Cocktail Cups
o    Onion Rings w/ Roasted Red Pepper Aioli & Buttermilk Ranch
o    Potato Salad Bites
o    Caprese Skewers
   Main Bites:
o    Chicken n Waffles
o    Lamb Sliders
o    Shepherd’s Pie
o    Country Style Eggs Benedict
Desserts
                        o    Fudge Puppies
o    Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches
o    Cinnamon Spiced Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting and Candied Bacon

We invited over a bunch of friends to help us test out the above food. We did require a few tools that might not be in everyone’s kitchen: A mini muffin tin, a deep fryer (you can use a normal pot, and then you just need a candy thermometer), biscuit cutters, and slider buns. Past that, the ingredients should be available in your local grocery store.
At first look, the cookbook had both of us really excited. So many things stood out to us we had one heck of a time cutting it down to a few choices. I did think there were a high number of fried foods but hey, if it’s tiny, it’s not nearly as bad for you (right?)
After my first trip to Wegman’s (why has no one brought me here before?! I’m in love!), we split up the menu so we could both do some prep stuff before the party. I was able to make the seafood cocktail cups, potato salad bites, and all of the desserts completely ahead of time. 
We met a few hours before the party and went on a cooking rampage. Shepherd’s Pies were filled, Caprese Skewers were … well,  skewered, and the Onion Rings were prepared throughout the night (we even got some frying help from Zoe from Row Home Eats, thanks so much Zoe!)
In review, we decided the size of the Pajeon pancakes weren’t different enough to be considered mini, so Brian cut the size down a bit more for effect. The seafood cocktail cups were a hit, I loved that they were served in a cucumber cup and were quite easy to make. The mini onion rings, made from shallots, took a ton of prep work. Poor Brian was probably having nightmares of shallot slicing by the end! The Potato Salad Bites were served in mini wonton cups which made the overall flavor quite bland unfortunately. But the actual potato salad was quite delicious! I’ve already decided the Caprese skewers will be a staple for any party: they are so easy to make and the presentation is fantastic.
Panjeon
Seafood Cocktail Cups
Mini Onion Rings
Potato Salad Bites
Caprese Skewers
The mini mains were definitely the crowd favorites. The Chicken and Waffles, served on mini Eggo Waffles (in the freezer section of your supermarket) were drizzled with a bit of honey. We substituted chicken thighs for the chicken tenders suggested and were really pleased with the results. We could not get enough of these!
The Lamb Sliders were also absolutely fantastic. Brian flips a mean (mini) burger! The sliders were topped with a mini slice of cheese, roasted red pepper aioli, caramelized red onions, and arugula. I know, sorry, your mouth is now watering. There was a good bit of prep work for these but it was well worth it. I loved that when it came down to the actual party, it was basically just assembly!
The Country Style Eggs Benedict was the biggest surprise, at least for me. Served on a mini biscuit, we used quail eggs and drizzled them with a roasted garlic cheese sauce. I could eat these all day! 
The Shepherds Pies were gone before I could grab a taste, so I’m going to call those a win. My only complaint as someone with Irish blood was that the recipe used cumin.  Cumin?   Anywho, it was delicious. And I hate to admit it, but the cumin was a big part of that tastiness. We had some trouble making the little puff pastry cups the pies were made in so be sure to actually prick the bottoms of the dough before baking. Those little guys puff like crazy!
Dessert was a mixed bag, completely due to human (a.k.a Kaitlin) error. You’ll never believe this, but ice cream sandwiches don’t travel well. Insanity, right? If you could get past the meltiness of the ice cream sandwich, these were super tasty.  Ah well.
The Fudge Puppies were another favorite. We used the leftover mini waffles from the Chicken N Waffles and dipped them in melted chocolate. We then rolled them in crushed banana chips. Mmmm.  Best part of these was I was able to make them the day before, refrigerate them, and bring them out when needed. No day of work required.
Last but certainly not least were the Cinnamon Spiced Cupcakes. I’ve gotta tell you, the frosting for these cupcakes stole the show. It was oh so creamy and delicious. Topping it with pieces of candied bacon didn’t hurt either.
Overall, people left full and happy. Brian and I were pret-ty proud of ourselves after turning out all of this food! We’ve already decided that we are Tiny Food Party addicts. Although the next time we have a tiny food party, we think a potluck version would work best so that we can munch on all the bites at the same time!
 
The cookbook is really extensive but it’s got me thinking… what else would you make in tiny food form? Mini grilled cheese dipped in a “tomato soup?” Mini whoopie pies? The options are endless!
This cookbook is actually being released today, October 9. You can find it at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at your local store.

Salmon Teriyaki Stir Fry

 There is a good chance I have a rice problem, I love all things rice. My go-to meal in a pinch is always risotto. So when DailyBuzz Food had an opportunity to work with RiceSelect through their Tastemaker program, I jumped at the chance. RiceSelect is one of my favorite rice brands.  You may notice their nifty containers popping out of a bunch of my posts so I was really excited to work with their rice. The catch was that they sent me one of RiceSelect’s rice randomly, I didn’t get to choose it. When I opened up the package, I discovered brown rice. Hum. I’ve never worked with brown rice before, but I was up for the challenge!
I decided to make a stir fry teriyaki dish using my favorite protein, salmon. Normally stir fry is a quick dinner choice but brown rice takes quite a bit of time to cook. But it gives you plenty of time to prep your veggies and hang out with your dinner guests!
Ingredients: (I cut this recipe for Salmon Teriyaki Stir Fry down to two servings to make it easier. Multiply as needed)
  • 1/2 cup RiceSelect Texmati Brown Rice
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup broccoli florets
  • 1/2 cup snow peas
  • 1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts (I used canned)
  • 1/2 pound salmon
  • 1/2 cup Teriyaki sauce, divided (recipe below)
  • 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine
  • 1 tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Continue reading Salmon Teriyaki Stir Fry

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