I have been having a crazy couple of weeks, so despite cooking a bunch of weeknight-friendly meals, I haven’t had much of a chance to write any posts to share those recipes! This one is too tasty to not share right away though.
This Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry from Cooking Light’s latest issue is super simple and really flavorful. I served it with Cashew and Green Onion Rice (because I didn’t have any bulgar on hand) and it was an awesome complement!
The whole recipe took about 20 minutes to make (including the rice) so it’s a nice option for busy weeknights. I made a couple of substitutes to the original recipe, so be sure to check out the original to see if it’s more your style.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 poblano chile, thinly sliced
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite sized pieces
May is National Strawberry Month! I have many a strawberry-filled recipe on my blog (like this recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes) but most are desserts. Strawberries are considerably more versatile than I give them credit for and can be used in all sorts of recipes from breakfast, to drinks, to dinner. Driscoll’s recently contacted me to highlight National Strawberry Month so I decided to make a more savory recipe this time around!
The sweet strawberries in this recipe help offset the spiciness of the jalapeno and work really well with the creaminess of the avocado to bring a super balanced salsa.
This recipe for Tortilla Crusted Fish with Strawberry Avocado Salsa is adapted from two separate recipes; a blue tortilla crusted fish recipe from Food Network, and a Strawberry Avocado Salsa recipe from Cooking Light.
Ingredients:
Fish:
the juice of 1 lime
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and freshly ground pepper
12 ounces corn tortilla chips
4 mahi mahi fillets (about 6 ounces each), or any other white fish you prefer
Hooray for spring weather! As the days get warmer, the produce offerings also get better. It’s the perfect time of year to experiment with more veggies!
Door-to-Door Organics, a home delivery organic and grocery company, is a great way to receive seasonal and organic fruits and vegetables. Their produce is USDA Certified Organic and is locally sourced whenever possible. You choose a produce box size (little, small, medium, or large), type (fruits, veggies, or mixed), and delivery frequency. A few days before it will be delivered, you will receive an email with what will be in the box. You can make up to 5 substitutions, which is really a great feature.
You can also shop for other groceries and add them to your delivery, including diary, meat, bread, etc. Their Facebook page is also an awesome resource. You can find some recipes, links to some of their helpful blog posts, and get more information about Door-to-Door Organics!
I have been using Door-to-Door Organics for a few weeks now (I get the Little Mixed Box box delivered every other week courtesy of a coupon given to me by Door-to-Door Organics) and was so excited to see that my latest delivery had beautiful rainbow baby carrots in it!
I love when my food has vibrant colors, so I couldn’t wait to roast these beauties up. My box also came with a red onion, a head of garlic and some fresh Italian parsley, perfect accompaniments to the carrots.
This recipe for Honey Mustard Roasted Rainbow Carrots is really simple and takes about 30 minutes, depending on how soft you like your carrots (I like mine to have some crunch to them!)
If you want to try Door-to-Door Organics for yourself, they were nice enough to offer a discount for I Can Cook That readers! Use the coupon code ICANCOOKTHAT to receive $10 off!
Whew. I am having a crazy busy month, so unfortunately my cooking is suffering. I can never have too many weeknight meal options (ie. meals that can be on the table in 30 minutes or less) at my disposal, so here’s another quick and easy dinner that comes together quickly- Smoked Sausage with Rigatoni! I tend to usually make chicken or seafood recipes, so I am finally doing a quick beef recipe!
This recipe for Smoked Sausage with Rigatoni uses Hillshire Farm’s Beef Smoked Sausage to add some yummy flavor to a quick fire roasted chunky tomato sauce. It’s a great alternative to chicken to snazz up a midweek meal.
The beef sausage cooks up in no time. Using the same pan to cook the sausage and to make the sauce gives the sauce a subtle smoky flavor that’s so tasty!
Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) box rigatoni, cooked according to package directions
1 package Hillshire Farms Beef Smoked Sausage, cut into slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (~1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves
2 (14.5 oz) cans Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
salt and pepper, to taste
grated Parmesan cheese, optional
#spon: I’m required to disclose a relationship between our site and Hillshire. This could include Hillshire providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.Continue reading Smoked Sausage with Rigatoni
Next week, many Philadelphia restaurants will be participating in Caribbean Cuisine Week.
The week, held from April 8th – April 10th this year, helps raise funds to send over 700 high school athletes from Trinidad, Jamaica, St. Vincent and Grenada to attend the 2015 Penn Relays.
The Penn Relays is the largest track and field meet in the United States and draws over 110,000 people to Philadelphia each Spring.
CCW partners with restaurants throughout Center City by encouraging the Chefs to prepare Caribbean inspired dishes and offer as specials. The restaurants will donate 5% of food proceeds from the three day period to help bring the students to Philadelphia.
The list of participating restaurants can be found here. One of the restaurants participating, 48th Street Grille in West Philly, invited some local bloggers to check out their offerings. 48th Street Grille is a Caribbean-American restaurant led by Executive Chef Carl Lewis Sr. who is originally from Jamaica and brings the flavors and spirit of his home to his food.
Appetizers included garlic roasted shrimp, jerk chicken quesadillas, 5 island wings, and my personal favorite, conch fritters.
Garlic Roasted ShrimpJerk Chicken Quesadillas5 Island Wings
Fried Conch Fritters
We were also treated to quite a few of their entrees, including sweet chili glazed salmon, jerk chicken, and savory curried chicken, which were all amazing. I am fairly certain I had dreams about the curried chicken sauce that night (I loved it so much, I didn’t even take a photo! boo), while my fiance was wowed by the flavors and tenderness of the jerk chicken.
Chili Glazed SalmonJerk Chicken
In case we weren’t full enough, we were also served mashed yams with scallions, green beans, and braised cabbage.
Mashed Yams with ScallionsGreen BeansBraised Cabbage
I wanted to share with you a Caribbean-inspired recipe given to me by CCW, in case you don’t live in the area and can’t participate next week.
I turned this recipe for Curry Shrimp in Coconut Milk into a main dish by serving it over coconut rice, but it also would work well as an appetizer.
Ingredients:
2 (14 oz) cans lite coconut milk, divided
1.5 cups uncooked rice (or about 1 can full)
2 tablespoons margarine
1 cup onion, chopped
1 1⁄2 tablespoons curry
1/2 cup bell peppers, diced (I used an assortment of green, red, and orange peppers)
I can’t say that I know much about Hawaiian food, past that I assume is it fish-heavy and influenced by tropical and Asian/Polynesian flavors (with their favorite canned meat, Spam, sprinkled in, of course). So when I was given the opportunity to review Tommy Bahama‘s FLAVORS of ALOHA: Cooking with Tommy Bahama (paid link), I was really curious to see what the cookbook had in store.
The cookbook is filled with quite the range of dishes, from appetizers to dessert. Written by Rick Rodgers, the cookbook transports you to Hawaii through 100+ island-inspired recipes including:
Tuna Poke with Guacamole and Flatbread
Flavorful Ono Oxtail Soup
Saimin with Asian Chicken Broth (arguably Hawaii’s state dish)
Steamed Sea Bass with Ginger Dipping Sauce
Huli Huli Pork Tenderloin and Pineapple with Old-School Teriyaki Marinade
Pineapple Crème Brulee
Hibiscus Lime Cooler
The cookbook also contains little facts about Hawaiian culture and history as well as tips for eating, drinking, and “living the life,” FLAVORS OF ALOHAinvites aspiring cooks of all abilities to embrace the Tommy Bahama spirit by taking an “island time” approach to cooking for family and friends. Plus the photos are gorgeous!
I wanted to use this opportunity to work with a seafood I rarely make (although I am absolutely going to have to make the Kona Flan in the near future!) and adapted the cookbook’s recipe for Mahi Mahi with Macadamia Nut Crust and Papaya Salsa to use swordfish instead.
Adapted from Flavors of Aloha, Cooking with Tommy Bahama
Did you know that February is Hot Breakfast Month? If your schedule is anything like mine, the closest you get to a hot breakfast on a week day is instant oatmeal. So why not switch up a weeknight dinner and serve breakfast instead?
Coinciding with National Hot Breakfast Month in February and to make sure everyone can regularly enjoy both the simplicity and fun of breakfast for dinner, Krusteaz has officially named every Wednesday Night in February “Breakfast Night.”
To make Breakfast Night super simple, Krusteaz sent me some of their Baking Mixes so I could have breakfast for dinner!
My fiance absolutely loves breakfast, so he was so excited for us to switch it up and have a sweet and savory dinner. I used Krusteaz’ Blueberry Belgian Waffle Mix to make pancakes (I don’t have a Belgian waffle maker), and cut out the center of each pancake to make a spin on Frog in a Hole with Blueberry Pancakes. (Frog in a Hole is usually made with a piece of toast that has the center cut out to make room for an egg.) I added some crumbled bacon for good measure on top as well.
You only need to add water, oil, and eggs to the Krusteaz Blueberry Belgian Waffle Mix to have your batter ready to go, the blueberries are already in there! Krusteaz was also kind enough to allow me to host a giveaway. You can receive a bunch of their yummy mixes, including:
Happy Carnevale! Carnevale is celebrated in Italy 40 days before Easter. It is the last hurrah before Lent begins. (It’s similar to Mardi Gras). The word “carnevale” actually means “no meat” in Latin, so the best way to celebrate this holiday is with some protein before fasting begins for Lent.
Redpack Tomatoes sent me a package of assorted canned tomatoes to get me in the spirit of Carnevale, and included some tasty recipes to go along with it. I decided to make Chicken Parmesan, one of my favorite comfort foods. I adapted the recipe from Redpack, but decided to bake the chicken rather than pan fry it, so here is my recipe for Baked Chicken Parmesan.
Redpack is also offering one reader the chance to win the same kit I was sent! It includes:
1 20-oz can of Redpack crushed tomatoes
1 28-oz can of Redpack whole peeled tomatoes
1 28-oz can of Redpack diced tomatoes
1 6-oz can of Redpack tomato paste
Details on how to enter after the recipe below.
Redpack is also hosting a Facebook promotion running until March 4 where 1,000 Redpack followers will win a Redpack branded apron each week. One grand prize winner will receive a pasta stock pot, pasta-related serveware, and a selection of Redpack products.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
cooking spray
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 shallots, peeled and chopped
1 (28 oz) can Redpack Crushed Tomatoes in Thick Puree
I am so excited to share this dish for Steamed Mussels in Saffron Broth with you for a few reasons:
I love mussels and am always looking for a new recipe to add to my rotation
This recipe looks fancy pants because it has saffron in it
BUT it’s really simple to make!
This is actually yet another recipe sent my way through the Cooking Light Diet plan. (That plan is on a roll. The menus are amazing!) They suggest serving it with an easy rice noodle mixture but if you’re feeling a little more carb-y, you could serve this with day old bread, over rice, or with pasta.
This sauce is amazing. I actually packaged up the leftover broth to use to make rice the next day. Why yes, I did love it THAT much.
This is another recipe from the Cooking Light Diet Plan. These tacos are great for a weeknight meal because it’s an under 30 minute recipe– it’s honestly mostly assembly.
As a reminder, if you’d like to try the Cooking Light Diet Plan along with me, use the code DIETSAVE20 to receive a special discount!
Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
I have recently started using Cooking Light’s new diet plan. Subscribers receive a calorie-driven weekly meal plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks customized for their dieting goals and food preferences curated by the editors of CookingLight. It allows you to substitute in other options if you aren’t digging the ones selected, and even has the option to list “Dining Out” or “Leftovers” if you have a non-cooking meal.
So far, I’ve been really impressed with the selection of recipes and how tasty they are. The recipes also take into account time constraints, so they aren’t like 2 hour recipes on a week day (very much appreciated!) If you want to try the Cooking Light Diet Plan along with me, use the code DIETSAVE20 to receive a special discount!
I wanted to begin sharing some of the recipes I have been sent to give you an idea of what options are offered. This recipe for Crab Cakes with Spicy Mustard Sauce was an awesome weeknight meal. It comes together in under 30 minutes and is super satisfying. (I am a huge fan of quick weeknight dinners; in fact, I have a whole section of “weeknight meals” on my blog.)
Ingredients:
1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 1/3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided
1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
I have been meaning to make this recipe forever; seriously, years. I don’t know why it took me this long because it’s a pretty easy recipe, but for some reason I kept putting it off. And boy do I regret that. It’s so tasty! Honestly, what isn’t better with some peanut butter?
Chicken Satay is skewered chicken marinated in a peanut sauce that is typically eaten as an appetizer or street food. By adding a side of brown rice, this turns into an easy dinner!
This recipe actually has you ground your own peanuts with some other ingredients to make a sauce rather than starting with peanut butter. The result is really tasty!
Ingredients:
1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon toasted cumin seeds
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (~2 limes)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 garlic cloves
1 shallot, peeled
1/3 cup light coconut milk
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 serrano chile, stem removed
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
I love Chicken Piccata, it’s a simple recipe that really delivers on flavor. Plus, I usually have the ingredients needed on hand! Cooking Light’s latest issue has a recipe for Chicken Piccata that browns the lemons to intensify the lemon flavor while taking away some of the “bite.”
This recipe would go great with a side of green beans and/or mashed potatoes. You could also add the chicken piccata over some egg noodles or other pasta, like I have with my past recipe for Chicken Piccata with Spaghetti.
I spent the last two weeks in total holiday mode. With my birthday, Christmas, and getting engaged all in the past couple of weeks, it’s been one big celebratory meal! I’ve done very little cooking and a whole lot of eating, so it’s time to get back into a normal cooking/eating schedule again.
