Bread Crumbs | I Can Cook That

Eggplant Meatballs

The end of April can mean only one thing, Flavors on the Avenue is almost here! Held the last Sunday of every April, Flavors on the Avenue is one of my favorite annual events. The food festival is held on E Passyunk Ave from Broad St to Dickinson St this Sunday, April 28 from 11am to 5pm.

Over two dozen of the region’s best restaurants will fire up street food, small plates, and signature dishes along the Avenue, ranging on average from $3.00 to $6.00 and will be pay-as-you-go. Craft beef, wine, and seasonal sips will also be available, sold by select restaurants, plus a Founders Brewing Co. Tasting Tent. Restaurants participating include:

Barcelona Wine Bar
Bing Bing Dim Sum
Brigantessa
Cantina Los Caballitos
Chhaya Cafe
El Sarape Restaurant
Essen Bakery
Fond
Fuel
ITV Philly
Izumi
Le Virtù
Mamma Maria Ristorante
Manatawny Still Works
Noir Philadelphia
Paradiso Restaurant
Pistola’s Del Sur
Plenty Café
P’unk Burger
Redcrest Fried Chicken
Saté Kampar
Stogie Joe’s Tavern
The Bottle Shop
Teas n’ Mi
Tre Scalini
Vanilya Bakery

In addition to all of the yummy food options, look for live music and entertainment throughout the festival, plus bring the kids for free family fun activities in kid zones up and down the avenue.

Retail, family, and fashion shops along the avenue will also be participating; look for shopping, sidewalk sales, special events, workshops, and much more!

This is an event that I’ve been attending since it first began as Flavors of the Avenue, under a tent. In 2017, the event moved along the avenue itself and has become the largest event on E Passyunk.

To read some of my past posts highlighting this event, check out:

This year, I wanted to highlight one of the many vegetarian options that will be offered on Sunday: Eggplant Meatballs from Brigantessa! I attended a media event for Flavors this year and was struck with how many delicious meatless options will be offered this year.

Every Sunday is pasta night in my house, so we went for a meatless Sunday, substituting in these yummy Eggplant Meatballs for our usual Meatballs in Tomato Sauce.

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 small onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced (or use a garlic press)
2 (28 oz) cans tomato puree
1 bay leaf
4 tablespoons chopped basil, divided, plus more for serving
salt and pepper, to taste
2.5 cups bread crumbs (I used Italian bread crumbs)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
crusty bread or pasta, for serving

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Black Eyed Peas with Collard Greens

Happy New Year! I’m a bit late in posting this recipe, but honestly, this comfort food Southern staple for Black Eyed Peas with Collard Greens makes for a delicious meal on any cold winter night.

Black eyed peas are a New Years Day staple in the South, as eating them on New Years Day is thought to bring you prosperity throughout the year.

This version is a bit of a fridge and pantry cleaner. Or, at least it was for me after hosting a New Years Eve party.

I used leftover sandwich rolls to make bread crumbs, leftover bacon from New Years Day morning, collard greens from a Blue Apron meal I forgot to make (oops), and then added in what was left of the onions, garlic, carrots and herbs I had on hand, which kind of turned this recipe into a cassoulet of sorts.

Ingredients:

1 cup dried black eyed peas
6 oz bacon, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 sprigs of rosemary, divided
4 sprigs of thyme, divided
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
about 1 cup chopped day old bread (I used one sandwich roll)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch collard greens, ribs discarded, leaves chopped
2 cups cooked rice

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Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are one of my favorite appetizers, they always hit the spot! So when Jimmy Dean contacted me about their new Fully Cooked Sausage Crumbles, I knew I wanted to use the crumbles in stuffed mushrooms.

I adapted this recipe from one I found on the Jimmy Dean website. It comes together very quickly, in about 30 minutes. It’s simple enough to whip up when you need an appetizer in no time!

Ingredients:

12 oz medium sized mushrooms, stems removed
1 package Jimmy Dean® Sausage Crumbles, Original
1 garlic clove, minced
2 eggs
¾ cup dry Italian bread crumbs, divided
½ cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil

#spon: I’m required to disclose a relationship between our site and Jimmy Dean. This could include Jimmy Dean providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

Continue reading Stuffed Mushrooms

Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade

I realized I have never posted a recipe for crab cakes. That is ridiculous! So today’s the day. I found this recipe for Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade in one of my Cooking Light recipes and altered it a bit for what I happened to have in my pantry.

Crab cakes:

1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
2 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup bread crumbs, divided
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

Remoulade:

1/4 cup canola mayonnaise
2 teaspoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon capers, chopped
3/4 teaspoon champagne vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

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Lobster Mac and Cheese

I have wanted to make Lobster Mac and Cheese for the longest time. So when I was having a crummy week, I thought it would be the perfect pick-me up. (I treat myself really well, don’t I?) Continental, a restaurant in Old City and Midtown, Philadelphia, have the most fantastic Lobster Mac and Cheese. Made with orzo, the restaurants use Fontina and Gruyere cheese to make a creamy, crave-worthy meal. I used a FoodNetwork.com recipe as a base with Continental’s version as inspiration.

I headed to DiBruno Bros. to pick up my cheeses, and they were somehow out of both Fontina and Gruyere. Sad day. DiBruno Bros. never disappoints though, and the cheesemonger helped me choose two cheeses: Comté and Tomme de Berger. Comté is very similar to Gruyere but is from France (rather than Switzerland). It has a slight nutty flavor to it, and melts wonderfully (it’s commonly used in fondue). Tomme de Berger also has a bit of a nutty flavor and is a blend of sheep and goat’s milk. If you can’t find these, substitute Gruyere for the Comté and Fontina for the Tomme de Berger.

Ingredients:

2 cups orzo
1 pint milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
8 ounces Comté cheese, grated
6 ounces Tomme de Berger, grated
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 pound cooked lobster meat
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
2 garlic cloves, minced
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Creamy Spring Pasta

I was talking to my mom on the phone earlier this week and she mentioned she was making a creamy pasta with peas (her favorite) for dinner. Naturally, I had some taste bud jealousy and decided that I needed to have that as well this week. Cooking Light’s most recent issue had this Creamy Spring Pasta which sounded fantastic so I was able to!

Ingredients:

3 quarts water
2 ounces French bread baguette, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 batch of asparagus, cut diagonally into two inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas and carrots mixture
6 ounces fresh spinach fettuccine
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
3 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup packed)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the torn bread to a food processor (I just used my Magic Bullet) and process until it becomes coarse crumbs.

Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add one minced garlic clove to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the breadcrumbs and cook for 3 minutes, sitting frequently. Remove from pan and set aside. Wipe the pan down so that you can use it again.

Your pot should now be boiling. Add the asparagus and peas and carrots to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to remove from the water (you need the water to cook the pasta). Add the vegetables to a colander and rinse with cold water.

Add the olive oil to the saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic cloves and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. While the onion and garlic are cooking, add the flour to a small bowl and gradually whisk in the chicken broth. Add this to the saute pan. Also stir in the milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 1 minute.

Add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and reserve.

Remove the milk mixture from heat. Add the Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, salt and pepper, stirring until the cheeses melt.

Add the pasta and reserved vegetables and toss to coat.

Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and tarragon and serve.

Doesn’t it just look like spring?

The sauce does a really great impression of a cream sauce. I honestly don’t think I’d be able to tell the difference between this sauce and one made with heavy cream.

I wish I had added some of the tarragon to the sauce as well to get more of that flavor, but it was still nice as little bites of tarragon flavor.

Asparagus this time of year is just perfect. It was still crisp and bright so it stood out through the cream sauce.

And the toasted bread crumbs were awesome. An extra crunch to top off the dish!

Guest Post: Gourmet Turkey Burger with Island Slaw from Positively Cooking

I have another amazing guest post for you today! Adrienne, from Positively Cooking, agreed to share one of her delicious recipes with us. Positively Cooking is chock full of delicious and nutritious meals that use easy to find ingredients. Her Gourmet Turkey Burger with Island Slaw is not only beautiful (I mean, look at these photos) but it is a healthy and delicious meal as well. Check out her recipe below and be sure to pop over to Positively Cooking to see all of the other mouth watering recipes her blog has to offer!

A savory, juicy burger is pretty hard to beat. When that burger is full of nutrients, easy on your waistline, easy on your budget, and needless to say tastes delicious, a burger is near impossible to beat. Using ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, I have developed my Gourmet Turkey Burger w Island Slaw from my own personal cravings for a filling, tasty meal.

You don’t need to wait until sweet summertime to enjoy burgers from the grill. Since I am an Ohio girl (and stuck inside during the winter months… ugh), I grilled mine stovetop on a griddle and also tried it on my George Foreman – both will leave your burgers beautifully cooked through and juicy. That being said, I am already looking forward to enjoying this recipe with some Sangria this weekend because hey, enjoying refreshing dishes like this helps an Ohio girl like me get through the winter!Enjoy!

Gourmet Turkey Burgers

1 lb. ground turkey

1 bell pepper, chopped and seeded

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cups spinach, roughly chopped

1 egg, beaten

½ cup breadcrumbs

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

Honey Mustard, to garnish

Avocado, to garnish

Cheese slices, to garnish

Whole wheat buns

In a medium-size mixing bowl, place your ground turkey. Add in all ingredients [OTHER than garnishes – Honey Mustard, Avocado, and Cheese] Combine thoroughly.

With meat-mixture, form into one big “ball” and divide into 4-6 even sections. Form each section into a burger patty. [Tip: make the center of your patty thinner than the rim, to ensure it is cooked through.]

Grilling? Place patties on foil, and grill at medium-high heat for about 8 minutes on each side. Remember, your George Foreman counts!

Cooking stovetop?Lightly coat skillet with cooking spray. Cook patties over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, turning once.

Serve your burgers with desired toppings [As mentioned before, I suggest honey mustard, avocado, cheese, and of course Island Slaw]

Tips: Sub ground beef for the ground turkey if that is what you prefer.

Island Slaw

1 bag shredded cabbage

¾ cup All-Natural Light Coleslaw Dressing OR Light Poppyseed Dressing

1 can pineapple tidbits, drained

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

½ cup walnuts, crumbled

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for coleslaw. Mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tips: I encourage you to enjoy the Island Slaw right on top of your Gourmet Turkey Burger

Doesn’t this sound like the perfect way to make you feel like warmer weather really is just around the corner? The Island Slaw has such beautiful colors in it; pineapple, mandarin oranges and walnuts together must be heavenly! And that is one snazzy looking burger; I love that it has spinach as well as chili powder to add some extra flavor.

Many thanks to Adrienne for sharing this recipe! Don’t forget to stop over at Positively Cooking to say hello and check out all the other yummy meals Adrienne has cooked up! (Some of my personal favorites include Blackberry Salmon, Skinny and Spiced Jalapeno Poppers, and Coconut French Toast with Sauteed Peaches)

Risotto Balls with Marinara Dipping Sauce

I love when you can incorporate leftovers from one meal into a new dinner the next night. I am a huge fan of risotto, but it can get a little old eating reheated risotto after a few nights. Risotto balls are the perfect way to still use those leftovers but have a completely different meal. I used my leftover Mushroom Risotto for this recipe, but feel free to use whatever you might have.

Ingredients:

1 cup risotto

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

1 large egg

6 fresh mozzarella balls

1 tablespoon fresh basil, roughly chopped

1 shallot, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup marinara sauce (I used Pomi Tomato Basil sauce)

Oil, for frying

Add the risotto, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, basil, and the egg to a small bowl. Mix to combine.

Form the risotto into palm sized balls, adding a mozzarella ball in the center and forming the risotto around the mozzarella ball. (It should make 6 risotto balls)

Add the remaining bread crumbs to a plate. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (This will help the risotto balls keep their shape when you fry them.)

While waiting for the 30 minutes to pass, chop the shallot and garlic. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to a saute pan over medium high heat. Add the shallot and garlic.

Cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup marinara sauce and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes. Keep warm.

Heat the oil to 350 to 375 degrees. (I was a bit low on canola oil so I actually only ended up putting about an inch depth of oil in the pot. It still turned out fine, but having enough to cover the risotto balls would make this easier/quicker to make.) Add the risotto balls two at a time.

Cook until cooked, turning to cook evenly (about 3-5 minutes). Transfer to a paper towel. Serve while still hot with the marinara sauce.

These are crunchy little balls of deliciousness. I didn’t know risotto could taste better than it already did until now!

The risotto was so yummy I completely forgot about the mozzarella ball in the center, but was more than happy to come upon it!

It didn’t melt all the way, which I would have preferred, but it was still delicious. The marinara sauce was the perfect dipping accompaniment. I love the Pomi Tomato Basil sauce because it really doesn’t need anything to make it taste awesome. (I’ve written two posts in the past about all the positives of Pomi. Check them out here and here)

Is it bad that I might put some risotto to the side from now on just so I can have these the next day?