Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes with Strawberry Maple Syrup

Note: I was sent a Breakfast kit from Krusteaz in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

For the last couple of years, I have had the opportunity to work with Krusteaz to bring attention to a fun way to switch up your dinner routine in February.

Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes with Strawberry Maple Syrup

February is National Hot Breakfast Month, so to celebrate, Krusteaz encourages you to have breakfast for dinner once a week. As someone who never gets a hot breakfast on weekdays, I’m all for this idea, and have made a couple of yummy breakfast-for-dinner recipes in the past, including Cheesy Corn Pancakes and Frog in a Hole.

Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes with Strawberry Maple Syrup #BreakfastMonth #Krusteaz #ad

To help you celebrate National Hot Breakfast Month, Krusteaz is giving away a Breakfast Night Kit to one reader!

The kit includes:

  • two boxes of the following breakfast mixes: Buttermilk Pancake Mix, Belgian Waffle Mix, Blueberry Pancake Mix, Wild Blueberry Muffin Mix, and Cinnamon Swirl Crumb Cake and Muffin Mix
  • Kitchen items including a whisk, a tote bag, and pancake batter pen
  • A selfie stick, to help capture the fun!

Further details will be after the recipe.

This year, I decided to have a sweeter breakfast for dinner option, in honor of upcoming Valentine’s Day: Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes with Strawberry Maple Syrup.

This recipe uses Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake mix with a few additions to make Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes. I served them with a simple Strawberry Maple Syrup to top them off!

Ingredients (makes 6 4-inch pancakes):

Strawberry-maple syrup:

  • 3/4 cup chopped strawberries
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup

Continue reading Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes with Strawberry Maple Syrup

Blueberry Almond Flour Muffins

NOTE: I was sent some products from Bob’s Red Mill to make this post. All opinions are my own.

I have a busy week ahead of me, so I wanted to do some food prep this weekend.

Weekday breakfasts for me are typically on-the-go, if I have breakfast at all.

So when I have the chance to make breakfast ahead for the week, I try to make it a healthier option.

Bob’s Red Mill sent me a few of their products recently, including Almond Flour. I love the  subtle flavor almond flour adds to baked goods.

Blueberries are a tasty complement to almonds so I decided to make Gluten-Free Blueberry Almond Flour Muffins for the week. They are topped with Bob’s Red Mill’s Gluten-Free Rolled Oats to add some texture.

Ingredients (makes 9 muffins):

Continue reading Blueberry Almond Flour Muffins

Chimichurri Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Onions

My husband and I just moved into a new home, so I wanted to make one of my first meals here extra homey!

This recipe for Chimichurri Roasted Chicken is perfect for a Sunday night and is hearty to feed 6 people.

The original recipe used cilantro in the chimichurri, but I didn’t have any on hand, so I used parsley instead.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 bone-in chicken breasts
  • 3 bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1.5 pounds baby red potatoes
  • 2 small red onions, cut into wedges

Continue reading Chimichurri Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Onions

Pomegranate Margaritas

You can never have too many festive cocktails to help you celebrate this time of year, don’t you think, especially one that uses in season fruit, like these Pomegranate Margaritas!

This recipe for Pomegranate Margaritas makes a beautiful drink, perfect for small gatherings!

I made my own juice for this recipe (instructions below) but you can just purchase pomegranate juice at your grocery store to make this a super quick recipe.

Ingredients: (makes 4 servings)

  • Lime wedge, plus more for garnish
  • Coarse Kosher Salt
  • Ice
  • 4 ounces white tequila
  • 2 ounces Triple Sec or Cointreau
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
  • the juice of 1 lime
  • Club soda, to taste

Continue reading Pomegranate Margaritas

Slow Cooker Pomegranate Baby Back Ribs

I still have plenty of pomegranate recipes for you, which is great timing because they are in season right now! Here’s a recipe for Slow Cooker Pomegranate Baby Back Ribs!

This recipe for Pomegranate Baby Back Ribs is based on a Martha Stewart Recipe for short ribs. My husband loves baby back ribs, so I decided to adapt the recipe to use them instead. And because I love using my slow cooker, I made it a slow cooker recipe!

Ingredients:

  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 lb baby back ribs, cut to fit in your slow cooker
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
  • 10 sprigs thyme
  • 3 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1 cup dry red wine, such as Merlot
  • 1/4 cup corn starch, or as needed
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, for serving

Continue reading Slow Cooker Pomegranate Baby Back Ribs

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Note: I was sent a holiday cookie decorating gift basket from De’Longhi, and one to give away. All opinions are mine alone.

With the holidays upon us, it’s always nice to find extra ways to give back. This season, De’Longhi, an international leader in household appliances, is helping to give back by donating 10% of its delonghi.us sales site-wide until December 20th to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is a national non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for safer, more effective treatments for pediatric cancer, the #1 disease killer of children in the U.S. For the first time, CookiesforKids’ Cancer has launched a Challenge Gift Campaign where all of the money raised from now to December 31st will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $250K. Visit Delonghi.us to purchase products and see all of the great holiday gift ideas De’Longhi has to offer. Visit Cookiesforkidscancer.org for more information on ways to donate!

To help spread the word, De’Longhi sent me a holiday cookie decorated gift basket to help make some yummy cookies which included The Cookies for Kids’ Cancer Cookbook.

The gift box includes:

  • set of holiday cookie cutters
  • 3-pack of holiday colored icing
  • pair of cappuccino glasses
  • coffee
  • Cookies for Kids’ Cancer: Best Bake Sale Cookbook

I decided to make the cookie that started it all, a recipe for Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies that was developed for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer’s first bake sale.

This recipe is legit.  They are the perfect balance of chewy, buttery, and chocolately. It’s no wonder the recipe is so popular!

De’Longhi was generous enough to also make a holiday cookie decorating gift basket for an I Can Cook That reader! More details on the giveaway after the recipe.

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb  (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Continue reading Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Very Berry Pie

Note: I was sent a Glass 9″ Pie Plate, a Steel Pie Server, a Double Pastry Wheel, and a 1″ Pastry Brush from OXO. All opinions are alone.
This time of year get’s crazy busy doesn’t it?  I feel like December always flies by! Before you know it, the holidays are here. And prepping for them can be tough; it’s difficult to figure out what can be made ahead of time without sacrificing quality.
This Very Berry pie recipe is here to save the day! It can be prepared ahead of time and frozen.
I call this a Very Berry Pie, because it has 5 (!) different types of berries in it: Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Strawberries and Cranberries. It uses frozen berries to make prepping even easier.
 
When ready to bake, thaw in your fridge overnight and then bake. Simple right?
Making it even more simple is the use of an OXO Glass 9″ Pie Plate. All OXO Glass Bakeware is made of thermal shock resistant borosilicate glass, so you don’t need to bring it to room temperature before adding it to your oven! (The other glass baking dishes are perfect for pre-made sides for your holiday dinners as well!)
Source: OXO.com

 

OXO has many other tools that help make preparing for the holidays even easier. You’ll see quite a few of them pop up throughout this post.
Ingredients:
For the pie crust:
  • 1 1/3 cups cold butter
  • 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup ice-cold water
  • Note: You can also buy pre-made pie crusts. I won’t tell.
For the pie filling:
  • 2 (16 oz) bags frozen mixed berries (mine had blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries)
  • 1 (16 oz) bag frozen cranberries
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top of the pie
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 egg white

Continue reading Very Berry Pie

White Chocolate Peppermint Covered Pretzel Balls

Philadelphia has so many wonderful winter holiday events and traditions. Some of my favorites include the Christmas Light Show at Macy’s (originally Wanamaker’s), seeing the neighborhood lights in South Philly, checking out the Holiday Railroad at Reading Terminal, and of course, going to Christmas Village.

Source: Russ Brown Photography

Every year my husband and I make sure to pick up a new ornament for our tree at Käthe Wohlfahrt or at one of the other amazing Christmas Ornament vendors.

This year, the Christmas Village has moved back to City Hall. The open-air German market is one of the largest in the country. Every year, I love walking through the stands to see the eighty international and local merchants and artists.

Source: Christmas Village in Philadelphia

Naturally there are quite a few food stands as well as stations to pick up hot mulled wine and other beverages served in a snazzy 2016 Collectors Mug.

This year, the Village also as a Carousel that you can purchase tickets to ride. (Check out my Instagram feed to see video of me enjoying the carousel maybe a little too much.)

Source: Christmas Village in Philadelphia

While walking around the Christmas Village, I snacked on Pretzelphoria’s Peppermint Party, which are pretzel balls coated in white chocolate and crushed candy canes.

The peppermint coated pretzel balls were an awesome combination of minty, sweet, and salty. I wanted to make my own spin at home!

Ingredients:

  • 2 (12 oz) bags of white chocolate chips (I used mini)
  • 1 tablespoon peppermint extract
  • 1 (8 oz) bag mini pretzel balls

Note: You’ll need a few tools to make this recipe: double boiler (or a metal bowl on top of a pot with some boiling water in it), wax paper, cookie sheet

Continue reading White Chocolate Peppermint Covered Pretzel Balls

Eggnog Cupcakes

With Thanksgiving behind us, I was ready to get in the holiday spirit and wanted to incorporate eggnog into a baked treat; the flavor of eggnog translates so well into dessert!

These Eggnog Cupcakes are vanilla cupcakes with eggnog substituted for milk. They are topped off with a dollop of whipped topping and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup eggnog
  • 1 can whipped topping
  • ground cinnamon, for sprinkling

Continue reading Eggnog Cupcakes

Pasta Alla Norma

Created with De Cecco

Pasta night at my house is a very important night. Every Sunday, we have a pasta dish, but like to switch up what exactly the dish is. It’s always fun to experiment with new ingredients, with pasta always being the constant.

So it is pretty important for me to use premium pasta, like De Cecco Authentic Italian Dry Pasta. Since 1886, De Cecco has made its pasta in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. The 130-year-old company still uses its original family recipe and high-quality ingredients to create a variety of pasta types.

De Cecco pasta is made with only the best coarse durum semolina, whereas flour is used in most other ordinary pasta brands. This translates into De Cecco being a firmer pasta that doesn’t get mushy or fall apart, even if you overcook it by a minute or two.

This week, I had a hankering for eggplant, so I decided to make Pasta Alla Norma. Pasta Alla Norma is a pasta dish with fried eggplant slices tossed in a chunky tomato sauce. The dish is topped with grated ricotta salata and basil.

Note: Ricotta Salata in America doesn’t pack as much punch as its Italian counterpart. If you can find it, go for an Aged Ricotta Salata. If not, use a bit of grated pecorino Romano along with your Ricotta Salata.

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium sized eggplants (look for ones that feel heavy for their size)
  • ½ cup olive oil, plus more if needed
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 (28 oz) can of San Marzano whole tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
  • 1 (16 oz) box De Cecco spaghetti
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced basil
  • ¼ cup grated ricotta salata
  • ¼ cup grated pecorino Romano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Continue reading Pasta Alla Norma

Pomegranate Glazed Lamb Meatballs

My goodness the holidays are approaching quickly. What happened to 2016?!

This is the time of year for parties and of course party appetizers. This party appetizer for Pomegranate Glazed Lamb Meatballs is so simple to make, but it is fancy enough to serve at a dinner party.

I found this recipe in New York Times’ cooking section and just had to try it out. Lamb meatballs with a pomegranate molasses glaze? Sign me up!

I served the Pomegranate Glazed Lamb Meatballs with some plain Greek yogurt with mint leaves mixed in, simple but a great complement!

Ingredients:

Lamb Meatballs:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • the zest of 1 orange
  • 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (recipe below)
  • 1/2 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, for garnish
  • Chopped fresh mint, for garnish

Pomegranate Molasses:

  • 2 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Continue reading Pomegranate Glazed Lamb Meatballs

Fesenjan Persian Chicken Stew with Walnut and Pomegranate Sauce

I am still working through my supply of pomegranates; I’m having so much fun finding different ways to use the arils!

This recipe caught my eye immediately during my search for pomegranate recipes. It uses both pomegranate molasses (made from pomegranate juice) and pomegranate arils.

Fesenjan is a Persian stew made with ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses, and typically chicken.

And, well, it’s not the prettiest dish I’ve ever made but the flavors are absolutely fantastic!

This recipe is from Simply Recipes.

Ingredients:

Chicken Stew:

  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (recipe below)
  • 1/2 pound walnut halves (about 2 cups)
  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces,
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Salt
  • 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds, for garnish
  • chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Pomegranate Molasses:

  • 2 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Continue reading Fesenjan Persian Chicken Stew with Walnut and Pomegranate Sauce

Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce

 

My house is filled with pomegranates and pomegranate arils. Being a food blogger is tough 🙂

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, so I wanted to share a recipe for one of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes: cranberry sauce!

This recipe uses pomegranates two ways: in a pomegranate molasses and as whole arils, or seeds. Pomegranate molasses can be found in well-stocked grocery stores or Middle Eastern food stores. But I also show you how to make it below if you so wish.

Ingredients:

Cranberry Sauce:

  • 1 bag (16 oz.) cranberries, thawed if frozen
  • 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar (or light brown sugar to make less sweet)
  • 4 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (recipe below)
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 containers POM POMS Fresh Arils (about ~1.5 cups)
  • the juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

Pomegranate Molasses:

  • 2 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Continue reading Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce

Pomegranate Olive Oil Cake

I love love love pomegranates. The burst of tanginess is awesome in both sweet and savory dishes.

It is once again pomegranate season (the season runs from ~October through ~January), so I am thrilled to be cooking again with one of my favorite ingredients.

POM Wonderful must have heard about my love of their products, because I was contacted to try out their POM POMS Fresh Arils and pomegranates. I will have a few recipes over the coming weeks, but lets start with something a little sweet.

This recipe for Pomegranate Olive Oil Cake is from the POM Wonderful website. It is topped with a Vanilla Crème Anglaise, a drizzle of olive oil, and some fresh pomegranate arils.

Ingredients:

Olive Oil Cake

  • ¾ cup POM POMS Fresh Arils
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour + 1-2 teaspoons flour, separated
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 4 whole eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • the juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Vanilla Crème Anglaise

  • 15 egg yolks
  • 1 quart whole milk
  • 1 quart heavy cream
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups sugar

Garnish

Continue reading Pomegranate Olive Oil Cake

Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans

My slow cooker gets such a workout this time of year. But I’m not willing to fully give up “summer” foods just yet. I had a craving for baked beans recently, so I decided to make a batch in my slow cooker and serve it with a cheeseburger and cornbread. Yum. This recipe is a “Boston Baked Beans” recipe, meaning it uses molasses in the recipe.

This recipe uses bacon that was sent to me by ButcherBox, a company that delivers 100% grass-fed beef and other protein to your door.  The company partners with a collective of small farms to deliver high quality products at an affordable price.

Butcher Box is a subscription service, so the boxes are mailed monthly.

 

The boxes come with 7-10 pounds of meat (20+ servings). There are a bunch of options: All Beef, Beef & Chicken, Beef & Pork, or Mixed (Beef, Chicken & Pork, which is what I received).

The Mixed box includes 100% grass-fed beef, organic chicken, and all-natural pork. Most of the meat comes frozen (the bacon was not), so you can stick it right in your freezer and eat when convenient for you. I’ll have future recipes using the rest of the ingredients in the box, but for now, they are in my freezer.

This recipe also includes the best way to make bacon, in my humble opinion. Making bacon in the oven allows you to make quite a bit at a time, and the bacon doesn’t shrink up as much as it cooks. On to the recipe!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound dry navy beans, soaked in water overnight
  • 10 oz bacon, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • additional water or beef broth, as needed

Continue reading Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans

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