Thai Green Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice

This post brought to you by Campbell’s Dinner Sauces. Weekend-worthy dinners with only weekday-level effort needed! Learn more at https://www.campbell.com/sauces.


There are a bunch of reasons why people are not too keen on cooking, especially on weeknights. Not having enough time, the convenience of just ordering food, and the stress of having all of the right ingredients on hand, and the fear of messing up the recipe are common reasons.

Campbell’s has a new line of products out that alleviate a lot of the above issues: Campbell’s Skillet Sauces and Campbell’s Slow Cooker Sauces. The idea is brilliant, the sauce needed to make a delicious meal is already prepared for you. You just add your protein of choice! To learn more about the sauces, check out their interactive Facebook app that gives more information about both the Skillet and the Slow Cooker Sauces.

Because the sauces are already prepared, your cooking time is minimal. Most of the flavors would be amazing with sauteed chicken breasts, with a meal on the table in under 20 minutes! As a member of the DailyBuzz Brand Ambassador Program, I was given the chance to work with some of these new Campbell’s sauces, which are currently available in supermarkets, typically in the Gravy or Boxed Dinner Kit aisles.

I had a tough time choosing which sauce I wanted to feature on here so expect some of the other sauces to show up in the future. I decided to go with the Thai Green Curry sauce because a homemade curry can be quite time consuming, so it is super convenient to have a pre-made version.

I thought I’d snazz up my quick weeknight meal option by adding a few ingredients to the sauce that still cook up quickly: green beans and red peppers. I also used shrimp as my protein of choice. You can purchase shrimp in your supermarket in the frozen aisle. Look for the peeled and deveined ones, but be sure to grab uncooked shrimp. Shrimp cook up so quickly, and by purchasing the already cleaned ones, you’ll save yourself a bunch of time.

The Thai Green Curry Sauce includes lemongrass, basil, coconut milk, cilantro, and a subtle heat from jalapenos. There is enough sauce for 4 servings, and has just 70 calories a serving.

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
  • 1 can coconut milk plus 1/2 can water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 16 oz frozen peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed
  • 1 packet of Campbell’s Thai Green Curry Sauce
  • 1 cup frozen cut green beans (do not thaw)
  • fresh basil, for garnish, optional

Continue reading Thai Green Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice

Cedar Plank Fired Salmon

As the weather cools down, I want more and more comfort food. I gravitate towards pastas, all forms of a warm meal, and food with a little spice to it to keep me feeling toasty, like this Cedar Plant Fired Salmon.

Carrabba’s must know I’m not alone. They have recently launched a new Fire Finished menu and I was lucky enough to do a tasting of it! Last week, I  headed over to a local Carrabba’s and tried the following:

  • Fire Roasted Mushrooms stuffed with sausage, red bell peppers, fennel, sauteed onions, brioche breadcrumbs, artichoke hearts, and romano cheese.
Photo courtesy of Carrabba’s Italian Grill
  • Cedar Plank Fired Salmon first pan-seared then topped with a crab cake and fire-roasted on a cedar plank then finished off with a lemon butter sauce. Served with roasted asparagus mushrooms and red bell peppers.
Photo courtesy of Carrabba’s Italian Grill
  • Bistecca Ardente: Center-cut sirloin wood-grilled then topped with blue cheese, roasted tomatoes, and basil.
Photo courtesy of Carrabba’s Italian Grill
  • Rigatoni al Forno: Rigatoni tossed in housemade marinara sauce, romano and mozzarella cheese and topped with Italian fennel sausage, mozzarella and fresh ricotta cheese finished off in a wood-burning oven.
Photo courtesy of Carrabba’s Italian Grill
  • Nonna Testa: Penne pasta with wood-grilled chicken in a housemade pesto cream (basil, pine nuts, walnuts) with spinach and zucchini, topped with mozzarella and baked in a wood-burning oven.
  • Creme Brulee prepared with Madagascar vanilla bean topped with torched turbinado sugar, whipped cream, and strawberries.
Photo courtesy of Carrabba’s Italian Grill

The fire-roasted mushrooms were a great start to the meal. I love fennel so I was happy this flavor came through. The mixture is lightly stuffed in the mushrooms so they remain nice and light. Really tasty!

The cedar plank-fired salmon was one of my favorite dishes. I loved it so much, I tried to recreate it! The salmon was perfectly cooked and the crab cake was a great addition. The cedar flavor shown through without being overpowering. Check out my recipe below to make at home.

The Bistecco Ardente was so juicy, especially for being cooked to medium-well. The blue cheese can be a tad overpowering though so I scooped a bit off so that I could get the taste of the steak, tomatoes, and basil as well.

The Rigatoni al Forno gave me more of my beloved fennel flavor. I liked that the pasta on top got crispy from the wood-burning oven, but would’ve liked more sauce to complement the pasta.

Nonna Testa was another of my favorites. Man this was good. The wood-grilled chicken was really juicy and flavorful and there was the perfect amount of pesto cream on the pasta (lightly dressed so it’s not overly heavy). I love spinach and zucchini so I couldn’t have been happier with this dish!

Now I’m pretty sure I’ve never met a creme brulee I didn’t like but this version was really really tasty. The vanilla flavored custard was so creamy and I loved the light touch of torched sugar to give a very thin crust to the dish without overpowering the custard with too much sugar.

Needless to say, I left super full and really happy with the tasting. The staff at the Springfield Carrabba’s were so attentive and helpful too! Thanks for a great meal!

The managing partner, Ernie, even took the time to explain all of the dishes and answer any questions we had. When I told him I was planning on doing a giveaway so that my readers could try this tasty menu, he gave me a copy of the Carrabba’s Italian Grill Cookbook (paid link) for myself and one to give away! The cookbook does not include recipes for the fire finished menu (because it’s so new) but many of Carrabba’s signature dishes, including Chicken Bryan, Mama Mandola’s Sicilian Chicken Soup, and Margherita Pizza are included within its pages. So special thanks to Ernie for the cookbooks!

In addition to the cookbook, I am also giving away a $25 gift certificate to Carrabba’s so that one reader can try out some of the menu for themselves. Details after the recipe!

Note: It is very difficult to make smaller portions of crab cakes because crab meat is usually sold in 1 pound containers. I made about 9 crab cakes and saved the leftovers for dinner the next night. If you are unable to do that, you can purchase pre-made crab cakes from your local supermarket.

Ingredients (serves 2):

CRABCAKES (makes 9, only use 2 and save the rest for up to one day):

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 1 lb jumbo lumb crab meat
  • 1/3 cup panko
  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • the zest of one lemon

CEDAR PLAN FIRED SALMON

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 8-oz salmon fillets
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cedar plank board

LEMON BUTTER SAUCE

  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, divided (I used ghee, a clarified butter)
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • the juice of two lemons

Continue reading Cedar Plank Fired Salmon

Chicken with Honey Sofie Beer Sauce

A few weeks back I was invited to go to a super cool event hosted by Goose Island Beer. The last week in September was Goose Island Migration Week in Philadelphia and one of the events was a Painting and Tasting at New Deck Tavern. While sipping on Goose Island’s delicious beer, a painting instructor guided us through painting a Goose Island themed painting!

Creativity is not my strong suit. I can’t sing, dance, act, play an instrument… you get the idea. So I was excited and somewhat intimated by this whole process. But it was awesome. And here’s the end result!

Me, my friend Ericka, and our works of art

Please ignore that my oranges look like peaches. And that my goose on the glass looks more like Nessie. I’m still pretty jazzed with how it turned out! Ericka’s turned out great! I tried to switch it with mine before she signed it, but alas.

The Process

The feature of our painting was a glass of Goose Island Sofie in its signature glass. Sofie is a Belgian Style farmhouse ale (Saison) that is aged in wine barrels with orange peel.

This beer is SO good. I first heard of it through my sister who just loves Sofie, but this was the first time I had ever had it. After the event, I couldn’t stop thinking about Sofie so I picked up a four pack the next day! I wanted to use Sofie in a recipe and highlight the citrus notes in it, so I used this recipe I adapted to make this Chicken with Honey Sofie Beer Sauce. I marinated the chicken in orange juice prior to cooking to emphasize the orange peel flavor of the Sofie beer.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup fresh orange juice (~2 oranges)
  • 1 tablespoon olive  oil
  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons chopped shallots
  • 1 cup Goose Island Sofie beer
  • 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • orange zest, optional
  • 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Continue reading Chicken with Honey Sofie Beer Sauce

Honey Buttermilk Biscuits

I’ve used Melt Buttery Spread in a few recipes on here, including delicious Skinny Iced Pumpkin Cookies, Tim Tam Tarts with Raspberries and Rose Water Whipped Cream, and Shrimp Florentine Pasta.

Melt Buttery Spread is made of virgin coconut oil, flax seed oil, palm fruit oil, and canola oil — all healthy cooking oils and “good fats.” The coconut oil doesn’t make Melt taste like coconut butter though, the flavor is more mild. Typical buttery spreads are made of hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, which have been liked to obesity, heart disease, etc. Melt is also organic, gluten free, soy free, kosher, and has 50% of the saturated fat and fewer calories than butter, so it is a healthy butter alternative. The melting point of the buttery spread is also close to butter’s (unlike most buttery spreads) so it is easy to use as a butter substitute in baking.

Melt has recently developed two new spreads: Honey Melt and Chocolate Melt. I was sent coupons so that I could try these new spreads so I picked up some of the Honey Melt. The spread would be great on its own, just on waffles or on a dinner roll, but I wanted to highlight how great Melt is when baking.

I found this Honey Buttermilk Biscuits Bobby Flay recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits with Butter and Honey on FoodNetwork.com and substituted in the Honey Melt.

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 oz (8 tablespoons) Honey Melt
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing tops
  • Freshly ground black pepper, optional
  • Honey, for serving

Continue reading Honey Buttermilk Biscuits

Wild Mushroom Truffled Pizza Topped with Runny Eggs

.Pizzas are a great weeknight meal option; it’s easy to make it out of products in your pantry and can be customized for whatever you’re in the mood to eat that night (or what you need to clean out of the fridge!) There is a pizza place near me in Philly called Nomad Pizza that has one of my favorite pizzas: their Truffle Pecorino pizza. The pizza is topped with cheese, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, truffle oil, and a runny egg.

I wanted to try out a version of this pizza for myself. I used a mixture of baby bella, maitake, and shiitake mushroom caps and made a quick garlic truffle oil to drizzle on for extra flavor to make this recipe for Wild Mushroom Truffled Pizza Topped with Runny Eggs.

Ingredients:

  • 1 store bought pizza dough
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • a drizzle of white truffle oil
  • 1 package of sliced shiitake mushroom caps
  • 1 package of sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup maitake mushrooms (or any wild mushroom you prefer)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 oz ricotta
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 4-6 oz brie (I used Champignon German Brie with mushrooms)
  • 2-4 oz Boschetto al Tartufo (Boschetto with Truffles) – you can also just use any mild cow cheese you’d like
  • 2 eggs

Continue reading Wild Mushroom Truffled Pizza Topped with Runny Eggs

Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)

I am in a never ending search to find ways to make chicken into a new and different meal. Cooking Light’s September issue had this recipe for Japanese Chicken Meatballs, or Tsukune, that were mentioned as a great “party snack.” I decided to change the recipe size and pair it with grilled baby bok choy and some rice to make this traditional appetizer/snack into an entrée.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

  • 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
  • 5 ounces sliced shiitake mushroom caps
  • 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger, divided
  • 2 minced garlic cloves, divided
  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  • 1 teaspoon red miso (soybean paste)
  • 1 pounds ground chicken
  • 1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 large egg white

Sauce:

  • 6 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
  • 6 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • The juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced

Remaining ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
  • ½ cup long grain rice
  • 1 cup water or chicken broth
  • 1 baby bok choy

Continue reading Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)

Seared Steak with Mushroom Marsala Sauce

I live near-ish Kennett Square, PA, the “mushroom capital of the world.” For the last 28 years, Kennett Square has hosted an amazing Mushroom Festival the first weekend following Labor Day. I love this festival. There are cooking demonstrations, contests, farm tours, and of course, a ton of mushroom filled dishes. But honestly the best part of the festival is the ability to stock up on all different kinds of mushrooms.

So for the week following the Mushroom Festival each year, I gorge myself on all things mushroom. You may have noticed that each year this blog gets very fungi-filled in September. (Past posts: Mushroom Risotto, Mushroom Green Bean and Farro Salad with a Poached Egg and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette, and Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon).

Beef and Mushrooms are really wonderful together, which is why you see them paired so often. To get the most flavor out of these ingredients, I wanted to sear steak (I used filet tail), cook the mushrooms in the same pan, and then make a sauce with some of the browned bits left in the pan.

I made this one-pot dish in a new offering from Calphalon and Williams-Sonoma: the Elite Nonstick line of pans. I received a 3-piece set which includes a 10″ Fry Pan and a 3 quart Saute Pan with a lid. These are some snaz-zy pans. I literally swooned when I opened them up. There are a bunch of great qualities to these pans that make them perfect for this recipe. The Elite Nonstick line of cookware has a textured sear nonstick surface, which seals in flavor when browning or searing. The pans are metal-utensil safe, so you can use your metal whisk or spatula without scratching the cookware. The cookware is also dishwasher safe, making cleanup a breeze.

Source: Williams-Sonoma.com

Elite Nonstick just launched on Williams-Sonoma.com on September 12 and will be available in Williams-Sonoma Stores on September 27. The cookware is sold as an 11-piece set, or as individual pieces. But I am excited to announce that Calphalon is giving one I Can Cook That reader a 10″ Elite Fry Pan, valued at $150! I’ll have more on the giveaway at the end of this post.

Source: Williams-Sonoma.com

So let’s see what these awesome pans can do! I used the 3 quart saute pan for this recipe.

Source: Williams-Sonoma.com

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 8-oz steaks (I used filet tails)
  • 2 shallots, chopped
  • 2 cups assorted mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup Marsala wine
  • 1/4 cup beef stock
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • fresh chives, sliced, for garnish

Continue reading Seared Steak with Mushroom Marsala Sauce

Slow Cooker Pork with Cider Broth over Spaetzle

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you may be aware that I went to the most piggy event I’ve ever been invited to, Cochon EPIC, back at the end of July. I went through a considerably long stage in my life where I absolutely refused to have any kind of pork product: no ham, no ribs, not even bacon. As I began cooking for myself, I realized that pig wasn’t nearly as awful as I thought and have since slowly started incorporating it back into my life (although I still don’t fully get ham and probably still need some time before I decided to try it.)

Anyways, going to this event was a big deal for me. I was about to eat pig, and basically nothing but pig, for an entire event.  I couldn’t pass up this challenge especially when Crispin Cider offered me a ticket! One thing I’ve definitely learned in cooking is that there is rarely an ingredient I actually don’t “like.” I may not like the preparation, but to discount an ingredient entirely isn’t fair. So what better way to give pork a chance than with some of the best local chefs preparing it? “EPIC” is the perfect way to describe this event. It was absolutely insane. The chefs used all parts, and I really mean all parts, of the pigs to deliver outrageous treats for attendees: pork-fat matzo balls, cured pork loin “lox,” pork blood waffles, pork snow cones, and naturally, a scrabble bar (we are in Philly after all).  I also was completely star struck to see all these amazing chefs in one location: David Katz, Kevin Sbraga, Marc Vetri, Jason Cichonski and more!   I grabbed a Crispin cider to wash all the porky goodness down and was really pleasantly surprised by the taste. It is, well, crisp, and really refreshing. I tend to think of cider as a fall beverage, but Crispin easily translates into a summer drink as well. And it pairs wonderfully with pork. So naturally, I needed a bit of a break from pork after the event, but I couldn’t stop thinking about making a dish with pork and Crispin Cider. I found a recipe for Slow Cooker Pork and Cider Stew on the Whole Foods website and used it as a base for my recipe for Pork with Cider Broth below.

Ingredients:

  • 3 leeks, white and light-green parts only, sliced
  • 2 lbs pork loin
  • 2 red apples, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup baby carrots
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • ¾ cup Crispin Cider
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 box spaetzle

Continue reading Slow Cooker Pork with Cider Broth over Spaetzle

Salmon Salad with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

For some reason I really haven’t mastered the whole crispy skin thing for fish. Which is kind of ridiculous. I eat/prepare salmon probably once a week on average. Anyways, even when I fail at achieving crispy skin, I still thoroughly enjoy my salmon dish. And this is another one of those cases. This recipe for Salmon Salad with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes should result in crispy skin. And. Well. It just didn’t, but it’s absolutely delicious anyways!

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes (I used heirloom)
  • 2 teaspoons plus 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets, skin-on
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
  • 4 oz mixed baby lettuce leaves

Continue reading Salmon Salad with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Seafood Arrabbiata

My boyfriend and I have been trying to eat less meat and increase our seafood, shellfish, and vegetarian dinner options. In general, vegetarian and fish dinner options are also a great choice for a weeknight dinner because they take very little time to prepare.

 

This recipe for Seafood Arrabbiata from Cooking Light incorporates a few different types of shellfish into a spicy tomato broth that is served over pasta.

“Arrabbiata” means “angry” in Italian alluding to the spiciness of the dish. You can alter the spices to your liking. I’d suggest adding very little crushed red pepper, and then having a shaker of red pepper when serving so each person can customize their level of heat.

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 1 (16oz box) uncooked linguine
  • 2 tablespoons chili olive oil, divided  (I used Nudo Olive Oil with Sicilian Chillies), (can substitute regular olive oil)
  • 8 ounces sea scallops
  • 8 ounces peeled and deveined medium shrimp
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or 1/2 teaspoon if using regular olive oil)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste, optional
  • 1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup tomato puree
  • 1/2 cup clam juice
  • 24 littleneck clams
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

Continue reading Seafood Arrabbiata

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

My poor slow cooker never gets a break. Even in the summer, I use it quite a bit! Slow cooker meals are great because they don’t heat up your entire kitchen, and usually make at least 8 servings, great for a party or for leftovers. Plus, you can put the ingredients in a slow cooker, go to work, and have dinner nearly finished when you return!

My love of tacos is fairly obvious on my blog. I’ve made everything from Huevos Rancheros Tacos to Steak Tacos with Lime Mayo to even Kung Pao Chicken Tacos. But I’ve basically avoided doing a pork taco, mainly because I just don’t eat much pork.

But I need some variety every now and then, so I decided to finally try my hand at making some. This recipe for carnitas from myrecipes.com is really simple. All of the ingredients can be found in your local grocery store.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder
  • 10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 chipotle chiles canned in adobo sauce, drained and chopped
  • 20 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
  • 2/3 cup chopped onion
  • 2/3 cup fresh salsa (I have a Fresh Salsa recipe on my blog. Just omit the corn.)
  • 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 10 lime wedges

Continue reading Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Chicken Piccata with Spaghetti

One of my earlier posts on this blog was a chicken piccata recipe. I used to make chicken piccata probably once a week, because it was one of the only recipes I knew! But since I’ve committed to learning how to cook, I haven’t made it in probably 2 years (there are so many recipes I have to try, I rarely go back to my previous go-to recipes). So I decided to revisit the recipe with a few tweaks.

I’ve seen commercials for Land O Lakes Sauté Express products and just loved the idea. The Sauté Starters, made with butter, olive oil, and spices, are an easy way to cook up chicken or fish effortlessly. The Sauté Express Sauté Starters are specifically made for cooking on a stovetop and are portioned out in one ounce servings, enough to cook two chicken breast or fish fillets. So I thought the Garlic & Herb Sauté Express would be great in chicken piccata.

Because I use the same pan to both make the sauce and cook my chicken, my piccata is browner than most you’ll find in restaurants. So I apologize for the presentation. But trust me, the flavor makes it worth it!

 

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 lb chicken tenderloins (about 8 pieces)
  • 2 squares Garlic & Herb Sauté Express, divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • 1/3 cup white wine (whatever you have around the house)
  • ¾ cup chicken stock
  • The juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 box spaghetti (or your favorite pasta)
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
  • 2 tablespoons drained capers
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

  Continue reading Chicken Piccata with Spaghetti

Gazpacho with Grilled Pickapeppa Shrimp

Cooking Light’s August issue had a recipe for Pickapeppa Chicken and Mango Kebabs (that I plan on making soon) that required me to buy a bottle of Pickapeppa sauce. I had never heard of this sauce before and I was intrigued. It’s a Caribbean condiment referred to as “Jamaican ketchup” that is basically a sweeter A1 sauce, made with tomatoes, onions, mangoes, peppers, and other spices.

I thought this sauce sounded like it would be great on shrimp, so I decided to incorporate it into another Cooking Light recipe from the same issue: Gazpacho with Shrimp.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (10-ounce) container grape tomatoes, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced English cucumber, divided
  • 1 cup diced red bell pepper, divided  (about 2 peppers)
  • 3/4 cup diced Vidalia or other sweet onion, divided
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 5/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes, drained
  • The juice of one lemon
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ cup pickapeppa sauce
  • 20 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 8 ounces)

Continue reading Gazpacho with Grilled Pickapeppa Shrimp

Grilled Sirloin Steak with Mango Chile Salad

I realized a few days ago that I rarely make steak. I tend to gravitate towards fish and shellfish recipes because they are usually so simple and quick to prepare on weekdays. But grilled steak is also a really great quick option, especially on hot days when you don’t want to use your stove. (Are you seeing a theme in my posts recently? My apartment is on the top floor and it gets quite warm up there in the summer months so my stove gets a break for the most part from June to August.)

The latest Cooking Light had a recipe for a simple grilled sirloin steak served with a really beautiful mango chile salad. The whole recipe from start to finish took less than 30 minutes, perfect for a weeknight!

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 1 pound sirloin steak, trimmed
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • The juice of one lime
  • 1 medium ripe mango, peeled and diced (I used a Haden mango)
  • 1 red jalapeno pepper, seeded and roughly chopped (you can use green if you can’t find red)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

Continue reading Grilled Sirloin Steak with Mango Chile Salad

Fresh Salmon Burgers

Everyone loves a good hamburger at a summer barbecue, but sometimes you just want something a little different. Salmon burgers are a really delicious option and are healthier too. Homemade salmon burgers are really easy to make and blow the frozen ones in the supermarket out of the water. This recipe from Coastal Living takes about 5 to 10 minutes to prep and then just another 5 minutes to cook. To snazz up the salmon burger a bit, I also made a Greek yogurt topping and added some lemon and garlic to the buns before toasting.

Ingredients:

Salmon Burgers:

  • 1 slice white bread
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • sliced cucumbers, optional

Buns:

  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • the zest of one lemon
  • 1 teaspoon dill, chopped

Greek yogurt sauce:

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dill, finely chopped
  • the zest and juice of 1 lemon

Continue reading Fresh Salmon Burgers

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