I Can Cook That | Food and Beverage Recipes

Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry

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
2 red bell peppers, sliced
1 onion, vertically sliced into thin slices
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Continue reading Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry

Tortilla Crusted Fish with Strawberry Avocado Salsa #strawberrymonth

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
2 tablespoons olive oil

Salsa:

1 cup finely chopped strawberries
1/2 an avocado, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
zest of one lime
juice of 2 limes
2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper

Continue reading Tortilla Crusted Fish with Strawberry Avocado Salsa #strawberrymonth

Mother’s Day Gift Options from GourmetGiftBaskets.com

Mother’s Day is just days away! If you’re still scrambling to find the perfect gift for your mom, GourmetGiftBaskets.com has developed a number of awesome gift baskets that would be perfect for this Sunday!

Gifts range from chocolate dipped strawberries to spa gift baskets. Some of my favorite food-themed gifts include:

Bountiful Harvest Fruit Gift Basket ($99.99) – Nestled in a beautiful willow branch basket is an arrangement of freshly harvest orchard fruits, including crisp apples, juicy oranges, and sweet pears, plus irresistible snacks, like classic farmhouse cheddar, handcrafted popcorn, and a hearty trail mix.

Mother’s Day Wine basket ($89.99). Mom will find two bottles of coveted wines (Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva by Alto Tierrucav and Chardonnay by Backhouse) along with an array of delectable accompaniments: a sensational summer sausage, deli-style crackers, smooth Wisconsin cheese, mocha chocolate California wine wafers and more.

LadyBug Insulated Lunch Tote ($69.99) loaded with goodies including peanut M&Ms, honey mustard and onion pretzel bites, pepperoni pizza combos, Cheez-its, crackers, Rice Krispie treats, Oreos, snack mix, Mike & Ikes, a protein bar, spearmint gum, a Healthy Choice micro soup, and even a Bursting Berry Blow Pop.

Mother’s Day Golf Gift Basket for $54.99. This creative basket is really a cooler in the shape of a golf bag that can be transported easily to the course or other sporting events. It’s replete with sweet and savory snacks, including: chocolate wafer petites, sugar cookies, snack mix, roasted peanuts, Fuji apple crunch dried fruit, jelly beans, roasted edamame, and a blueberry, pomegranate & almond orchard bar.

GourmetGiftBaskets.com is also generously offering I Can Cook That readers the chance to win the Golf Gift Basket! Unfortunately, the winner will not be chosen until Mother’s Day, so be sure to pick up a gift for your mom!

Looking for more inspiration? Check out the rest of GourmetGiftBaskets.com’s Mother’s Day gifts here!

Enter to win by using the widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Honey Mustard Roasted Rainbow Carrots

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!

Ingredients

1 (12 oz) bag rainbow baby carrots
1/2 red onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon local honey
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

Continue reading Honey Mustard Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Peanut Butter Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars

If you follow my Instagram, you may have seen what “tough” research I had to do this weekend for this post. With the 3rd Annual South Street Spring Festival just days away (Saturday, May 2), I visited Sweet Life Bakeshop at 7th and South to try their signature Banana Pudding.

This. Pudding. Is. Fantastic. I gobbled up the whole thing in minutes, so I’m surprised I even was able to get a photo of it beforehand!

Sweet Life Bakeshop’s banana pudding will be available at the South Street Spring Festival, along with nearly 30 other eateries, bars, and food trucks, so come hungry! From 11am to 8pm this Saturday, 8 blocks of South Street (between Front and 8th) will be shut down and turned into a huge (and free) block party!

Headhouse Plaza will also be in on the fun, so be sure to check out 2nd Street between South and Lombard. The plaza will be transformed into a giant lawn concert complete with grass, lawn chairs, games and beach balls!

Along with all of the delicious food, South Street will feature more than 40 bands on three stages and seven performance areas. Over 100 boutiques, small businesses and other other retailers will cater to your style, beauty, health, fitness and other shopping needs. In conjunction with the Festival, Brauhaus Schmitz will host the third annual German Maifest on the 700 block of South Street, with German beers, dancers, music, food, flower headbands and even a Maypole. Outside of Atomic City Comics (638 South Street) look for free giveaways and character appearances during Free Comic Book Day.

Whew! Ok so, to highlight one of the amazing offerings, I decided to make a spin on Sweet Life’s banana pudding — Peanut Butter Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars! This recipe is adapted from a Southern Living Banana Pudding Cheesecake recipe, but adds in some peanut-buttery goodness and then is topped with a drizzle of chocolate and some fresh whipped cream.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
22 vanilla wafers
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

optional garnishes:

whipped cream
1 oz semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons heavy cream
vanilla wafers

Continue reading Peanut Butter Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Earl Grey Cakes

We are coming up on Mother’s Day again! Every year, I make my mom a little treat that almost always include citrus and/or bergamot, and this year is going to be no different! (Previous years treats: Lemon Tart with Raspberry Shortbread Crust, Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes, and Lemon Earl Grey Squares; I even made her a Grapefruit Bergamot body scrub!)

I thought I’d try something a bit different (and chocolatey) this year, while still including Bergamot in the recipe (bergamot is what gives Earl Grey it’s signature flavor). This adapted recipe from Real Simple is for Mini Chocolate Earl Grey Bundt Cakes. Aren’t they cute?

This year, I am taking it one step farther and pairing a dessert with actual brewed tea to highlight one of the many awesome options for Mother’s Day Gifts from UncommonGoods (which you can find here and here). Wouldn’t this make an awesome Mother’s Day basket — Mini Chocolate Earl Grey Bundt Cakes, Loose Tea Leaves, and this gorgeous Glass Teapot with Stand?

UncommonGoods is one of my go-to sites for cool gifts that can’t be found just anywhere. It’s an online marketplace offering creatively designed, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices. Offerings include handmade goods (half of what is sold on the site is made by hand) and personalized gifts. All merchandise is produced without harm to animals or people, and about one-third of the collection incorporates recycled and/or upcycled materials. UncommonGoods also donates a portion of each order to a non-profit of your choosing including: American Forests, Women for Women International, City Harvest, and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).

This beautiful Glass Teapot with Stand would make an amazing Mother’s Day Gift for any tea-loving mom, like mine.

The Teapot holds 30 oz of tea and comes with a removable glass tea infuser so you can make a perfectly brewed pot of tea using loose tea or tea bags with ease.

The bamboo stand includes room for a little tea light to keep your beverage warm as you enjoy it.

I used DavidsTea Glitter and Gold black tea, which is why you may notice a little shimmer to the tea. So pretty!

On to the recipe!

Ingredients:

6 Earl Grey tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose Earl Grey
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
3 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Continue reading Chocolate Earl Grey Cakes

Smoked Sausage with Rigatoni

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

Cheddar Corn Casserole #10minutewow

Ham is a given at my family’s Easter dinner table. And I’m not going to lie, I’m not the biggest fan. But I do love all of the sides that accompany it! So I wanted to share a side dish that would pair well with the ham but not take forever to prepare.

This Cheddar Corn Casserole from Del Monte’s website is filled with pure deliciousness: corn, cheese, breadcrumbs, bacon… what’s not to love?

The recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep and then 35 minutes to cook. Del Monte actually has a section on their website highlighting all of their recipes that have 10 minutes or under prep time, so you can worry about the main dishes instead of the sides!

Ingredients:

3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, about 12 oz.
2 Tbsps. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. black pepper
¾ cup milk
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
⅔ cup sliced green onions, divided
1 tsp. hot sauce
4 cans (15.25oz.ea.) Del Monte^® Whole Kernel Corn, well drained
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (omit to make vegetarian)
½ cup diced red bell pepper, optional topping

Continue reading Cheddar Corn Casserole #10minutewow

Virtual Mad Men Finale Party – Steak in the Pan with Butter, Potatoes au Gratin, and a Perfect Manhattan

This Sunday is the beginning of the end of Mad Men. Sniffle. I have been a huge fan of the show for years and am sad to see it end. But that doesn’t mean I can’t still throw a little party of my own in celebration of the final premiere!

All week, bloggers have been featuring their own spins on Mad Men-inspired recipes to gear up for the premiere this Sunday, when we will have a Virtual Mad Men Finale Party!

I adapted some recipes from The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook: Inside the Kitchens, Bars, and Restaurants of Mad Men by Judy Gelman and Peter Zheutlin. I wanted to cheers to Mad Men in style, so I made a version of Trudy’s Rib Eye in the Pan, Individual Potatoes au Gratin, and Perfect Manhattans.

If you’re a Mad Men fan, you probably remember Trudy calling Pete at the office early into their marriage asking what he wanted for dinner. His response: “Rib eye, in the pan, with butter.” So Pete, this one’s for you! This version is a pan-seared New York Strip Steak with cognac butter. (I made New York Strip Steaks instead of Rib Eye, because that would have just been way too much meat for me.)

The steaks are paired with an adapted version of Julia Child’s Potatoes au Gratin, served in individual crocks.

And what’s a Mad Men Party without a cocktail?? I decided to make a more modernized version of a classic, called a Perfect Manhattan, which refers to using equal parts sweet and dry vermouth.

If you want to also Party Like a Mad Man, you’re in luck! I also have a copy to give away! Details after the recipes.

Adapted from The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook

Ingredients:

Steak in the Pan with Butter:

4 boneless New York Strip Steaks, ~1 inch thick
4 teaspoons canola oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 oz cognac
8 tablespoons butter

Potatoes au Gratin

3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 pound raw potatoes (about 2-3 large potatoes), peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, crumbled (I used Valley Thunder from Valley Shepherd in Reading Terminal)

Perfect Manhattan

8 oz rye whiskey (I prefer Dad’s Hat’s version that is finished in Vermouth barrels)
2 oz dry vermouth
2 oz sweet vermouth
8 dashes bitters
maraschino cherries for garnish

Continue reading Virtual Mad Men Finale Party – Steak in the Pan with Butter, Potatoes au Gratin, and a Perfect Manhattan

Curry Shrimp in Coconut Milk

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.

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.

In case we weren’t full enough, we were also served mashed yams with scallions, green beans, and braised 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)
1/2 cup plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 1⁄2 tablespoons of sugar
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Continue reading Curry Shrimp in Coconut Milk

Spring Cleaning with OXO

What is it about spring that finally motivates me to clean? As the outside thaws out, I finally get the drive to reorganize and do a deep clean, especially things I have been putting off. I tend to start in the kitchen and work my way into other rooms. I live in a tiny apartment, so once organized spaces get cluttered and messy quickly.

OXO is my go to for all things cleaning and organization, so I was really excited to receive some cleaning tools from them! These tools are great throughout the house, but I’ve only made it through my kitchen cleaning so far!

As soon as I opened the compact dustpan, I knew it would forever have a home in my kitchen. I actually didn’t use this for spring cleaning exactly, but it is the perfect tool for countertop messes, including a flour-dusted surface (after baking).

The brush snaps into the dust pan and the pan’s flat bottom allows it to stand up, so it’s really easy to store on the countertop or on a shelf. (It’s so thin though it can easily be stored in a drawer as well). The dust pan’s soft rubber lip allows you to press down on the pan while sweeping with the brush to get every little bit into the pan.

The Large Sweep Set with Extendable Broom was put to the test almost immediately; I spilled a container of rice when I went to grab it from a cabinet!

The sweep set includes a full-size broom and extra-large dustpan. When it’s fully extended, the broom and dustpan are great for sweeping large areas. The broom also retracts to easily sweep dirt piles into the dustpan. The dustpan features teeth to comb out dirt (which I love; I have a cat so this is a great tool!) and a flexible lip that conforms to surfaces so dust is not swept underneath it. The dustpan also locks open for easy emptying. The broom snaps into the closed dustpan for upright, compact storage.

I was probably the most excited for the Electronics Cleaning Brush, and so was my DSLR camera! As a food blogger, my poor camera is subject to flour, splatters, and all other non-camera-friendly kitchen hazards.

The OXO Good Grips Electronics Cleaning Brush is made of a slim silicone wiper to remove dust from small, hard-to-reach places including between keyboard keys and around the edges of a monitor screen, while soft bristles are gentle enough to clean camera lenses. The Brush comes with a cap to protect the silicone wiper and the bristles retract into the device, keeping both tools clean but ready to use.

are other tools I was sent that I will be using in other areas of my apartment:

The OXO Goodgrips Dust Pan and Brush Set is the perfect tool to store near my cat’s litter box. The whisk-broom shape makes it easy to sweep from above and the rubber lip along the front edge of the Dustpan conforms to surfaces, making sure every last bit is swept up. The Brush also features a soft, non-slip handle for a comfortable grip. Snap the Brush into the durable Dust Pan for convenient storage.
I also received expandable drawer dividers which I can’t wait to use in my bedroom drawers when I get to that room! The set includes two Dividers that are each 4” tall and expand from 11” to 17” to fit most drawers front to back or side to side and does not require tools for installation!
The Microfiber Delicate Duster traps and holds dust instead of just pushing it around, and it does so without the need for cleaning chemicals, which is perfect for use on electronics like your TV or monitor. After dusting, the head of the Microfiber Delicate Duster pops off with a push of a button and is machine washable.

Have you begun your spring cleaning? What tools are you using to get your home tidy?

Who Are You When You’re Hungry? #WhenImHungry

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WhenImHungry #CollectiveBias

Almost every weekday afternoon, I hit a wall of sorts. With a commute that can near two hours one way, I have plenty of time to think about the delicious dinner I plan to prepare when I get home. But 90+ minutes of dreaming about my next meal means I get hungry. And I mean hungry. Add in a late train, or some other minor inconvenience, and we’ve entered the hangry stage, which no unsuspecting other commuter (or my poor fiance) is equipped to deal with. I’ve even made myself my own little hashtag for these very moments in life — #crabbyKait.

So to avoid #crabbyKait and all the joys that come with her, it’s nice to have a little something on hand to take the edge off without being so big as to ruin the dinner I am looking forward to a bit too much.

Cue SNICKERS®, and their new products that are perfect for those that need just a little something — SNICKERS® Almond, SNICKERS® Xtreme, and SNICKERS® Peanut Butter Squared. The combo of chocolate and caramel gives me the little sugar rush I need, plus the nuts help keep me full until I get home. Luckily there is a Walgreens on the way to the train station and I can stock up before heading home! All three bars can be found in the candy aisle (along with SNICKERS® original bars.)

SNICKERS® Almond is pretty straightforward– it’s everything in a normal SNICKERS® bar (nougat, caramel and milk chocolate), with almonds subbed in for the peanuts.

SNICKERS® Peanut Butter Squared is made with caramel, nougat, milk chocolate, roasted peanuts and peanut butter squished into two square-shaped nuggets. These are great when you only need a little bite to get you going again — each pack comes with two squares so you can have one piece and save the other (or share with an equally hangry friend).

SNICKERS® Xtreme is made of a single layer of crunchy roasted peanuts and smooth caramel with milk chocolate (there is no nougat in these, so there’s more crunchy goodness in this versus the original SNICKERS® bar.) The Xtreme bar comes in a “2 to Go” format that’s ideal for sharing or eating some now and saving the rest for later.

I’m sure I’m not alone with my Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde reaction when I’m hungry! You can check out some great SNICKERS® recipes and fun stories on the SNICKERS® social hub as well.

SNICKERS® also wants to see who you are when you’re hungry. Enter the SNICKERS® “Who are you when you’re hungry?” contest by uploading a personal photo or video from yourComputer, Facebook, Instagram or use the SNICKERS® Meme Generator to create something new! Voting begins at Noon on 5/11/15 and ends at 11:59:59AM ET on 7/15/15.

Swordfish with Macadamia Nut Crust and Papaya Salsa

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 ALOHA invites 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

Ingredients:

Papaya Salsa:

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup diced papaya

Swordfish:

1/2 cup unsalted macadamia nuts
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
4 swordfish steaks, about 6 oz each
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Continue reading Swordfish with Macadamia Nut Crust and Papaya Salsa

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Nests

Every Easter, my fiance’s mom makes peanut butter nests for her sons to take home. They are made with chow mein noodles, mixed in a melted peanut butter sauce, shaped into little nests and topped with egg-shaped chocolate candies. And I absolutely love them! I look forward to eating more than my share of them each year, but this year I just couldn’t wait.

I had a craving for something chocolatey and peanut buttery so, I decided to make mine with semi-sweet chocolate as well as peanut butter. We were visiting my fiance’s brother and his wife last weekend, so I used them as an excuse to make the recipe!

They try to eat vegan as much as possible, so when I began assembling the ingredients for this recipe and realized how simple this recipe would be to make vegan, I did so! You can easily make these Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Nests non-vegan if you so choose.

Ingredients:
1 (12 oz) package chow mein noodles
1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
12 oz vegan semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup creamy peanut butter
~12 oz Jordan almonds or dark chocolate covered almond “eggs” (or any other candy that is egg-shaped if not making vegan) — you’ll need roughly 85 egg shaped pieces

Continue reading Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Nests

MARY’s Secret Ingredients Giveaway

Have you heard of MARY’s Secret Ingredients (MSI) subscription boxes?

Source: https://www.maryssecretingredients.com/

They are snazzy limited edition culinary surprise boxes that come out seasonally (4 boxes a year) and are filled with fun culinary-themed items. The boxes are filled with unique gourmet, artisanal ingredients as well as small kitchen products. To get an idea of what comes each season, check out previous boxes here.

Mary also has a blog, LOVE – the secret ingredient, where she shares recipes using each of the box’s ingredients, which is so helpful when you need some suggestions on how to use what is in the box.

The first box of the year is being prepared now, and will be shipped on April 25th. There are only 100 subscriptions available each season, so it is best to sign up for them as early as possible.

What makes these boxes even more special is that MSI helps fight hunger and is a proud supporter of Feed the Children.

The boxes are $25.95, while the average value of each box is $45.00! The team at Mary’s Secret Ingredients is offering one I Can Cook That reader a FREE spring box! Use the widget below to enter!

For those who are interested in a year subscription, Mary is also offering I Can Cook That readers a special promo code for $16 off a full year subscription! Use MSICANCOOKTHAT when signing up to receive the discount! (Note: the promo code expires April 25, 2015)

Lastly, Mary’s Secret Ingredients is also currently running a Crowdfunding Campaign to allow them to grow and donate more money to Feed the Children. There are some cool rewards for those that donate, including receiving a cooking class with Mary. Check out the campaign here. There are just a few days left to donate!

a Rafflecopter giveaway