This recipe for Arepas Pabellón is inspired by a visit to an absolutely delicious Venezuelan restaurant. Last week, I checked out one of Philly’s newest restaurants: Puyero Venezuelan Flavor.
source: puyeroflavor.com
Located just off of South Street on S 4th, the restaurant serves Venezuelan street food including arepas, patacones and tequenos, plus yummy desserts like churros.
The 22-seat restaurant is vibrant and colorful, very welcoming. I enjoyed reading a selection of Venezuelan sayings that decorate one of the walls; my favorite: “Más hambre que piojo en peluche” or “I’m hungrier than a tick on a teddy bear.”
Owned by brothers Simon and Gil, and Gil’s wife Manuela, the restaurant has a very “homey” feel to it. The entire menu is available for lunch and dinner, with brunch options coming in the spring. You can also order delivery through Caviar (which I’ve totally already done. Hence the photos below, showing my delivery food).
While there, I tried quite a few menu items, but my favorites were the tequenos, white cheese wrapped in deep fried dough, and arepas pabellon, which is an arepa filled with shredded beef, black beans, fried sweet plantains, and white cheese.
I wanted to try to make Arepas Pabellón for myself at home. This recipe can be made ahead of time, reheated, and assembled when ready to eat.
Shredded Beef:
garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup crushed tomatoes
4
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Arepas:
1 1/2 cups masarepa (a type of cornmeal found in the international section of most supermarkets. white or yellow is fine)
Chelo Kebab or Chelow Kebab is a Persian dish made with steamed saffron rice and kebabs. This version parboils the rice which then browns in a large pan, covered with a cloth, and steams with a little bit of butter to deliver a crispy, golden crust.
The lamb kebobs are marinated for hours to lock in flavor. The result is probably one of my favorite dishes I’ve made recently; it’s well worth the morning prep to have an amazing dinner!
Ingredients:
Kebab:
2 onions, very finely chopped (or pureed)
2 garlic cloves, minced (or pureed)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
We’ve been pretty lucky weather-wise in Philadelphia recently, but are back to it feeling like actual winter. Blah.
I’ve been dreaming of warmer weather (and warmer weather recipes)! I must not be the only one, because the Florida Keys & Key West are hosting an awesome event tomorrow night to help the Philadelphia area dream of the sun and sand.
Tomorrow, 24 of Philadelphia’s top food writers and influencers are getting behind the stove to face off “Iron Chef style” at Walnut Hill College. The influencer who creates the best Keys-inspired dishes within the time limit will win a trip to the Florida Keys and be named an honorary Keys Chef. Guest judges from the Keys will include Chef Bobby Stoky and Philadelphia’s favorite son Pat Croce. The sold out event includes an evening of food, cocktails, fun and friendly competition.
How awesome would it be to win a trip to the Keys? The Florida Keys are a string of tropical islands off the southern tip of Florida and are known for their awesome fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving. In fact, the Keys have the only living coral barrier reef in the U.S., not to mention awesome food and drink. The most well known dish from the Florida Keys is Key Lime Pie.
I was bummed that I wouldn’t be able to attend, but still wanted to get in on the fun, so I decided to make a spin on Key Lime Pie — Key Lime Pie Cupcakes!
Key Limes are smaller than “normal” limes and are a bit more tart. These little guys don’t give off a lot of juice though, so it takes quite a bit to make this recipe. Key Lime Pie is made with key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk to make a smooth, tangy pie filling with a graham cracker crust.
Ingredients:
Crust:
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
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
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
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.
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.
I recently received a nice email from Deiss Kitchenware, a German-based company that makes some snazzy kitchen products. They were kind enough to send me their Citrus Zester and Cheese Grater. I knew I had to make a dish that let me zest and grate my little heart out to try their product, like this recipe for Linguine with Lemon Sauce!
This recipe for Linguine with Lemon Sauce is so simple, and uses mostly ingredients you probably already have on hand. (What? I’m the only person with some Parmigiano Reggiano on hand at all times?)
Ingredients:
4tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter
the zest of 1 lemon
1 (16 oz ) box dried linguine
1/2 cup heavy cream
the juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus extra cheese to serve on the side
Note: I was sent a review copy of Dutch Treats: Heirloom Recipes from Farmhouse Kitchens
I live in Philadelphia, and a one of the largest influences on our local food is definitely Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. Despite growing up here, I haven’t cooked many traditional Pennsylvania Dutch recipes, although I certainly have been known to eat them!
Recipes include Shoofly Cake, New Year’s Pretzels and the original recipe for Snickerdoodles. Dutch Treats explores the vast diversity of authentic baked goods, festive breads and pastries that we call Pennsylvania Dutch (named for the German-speaking immigrants who settled there starting in the late 1600s).
I enjoyed reading the back stories to all of these delicious baked goods as I paged through the book. From learning about traditional holiday treats, to why pretzels are considered good luck, the cookbook was an interesting read as well as a great source of yummy recipes.
I decided to make Raspberry Pockets, using a recipe for Almond Pastry Dough that dates back to a late 18th century recipe. I edited the recipe just a bit to use Orange Blossom Water instead of Rose Water, because that was what I had on hand. I also made the cookies a bit larger than suggested.
Ingredients:
For Almond Pastry Dough
5 cups pastry flour
1 cup superfine (caster) sugar
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tablespoon salt
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter
2 egg yolks (reserve the egg whites for the raspberry pockets)
Note: I was sent a jar of Maille Rosemary Honey Mustard to try. Opinions are my own.
I’m kind of obsessed with my new Coyote OutdoorGrill. I’ve basically made a game out of finding things I can grill that are a bit outside of the box. (To see some of my other recipes I’ve made using my beloved grill, check them out here.) So, today, I bring you a grilled cheese plate, specifically a Grilled Camembert Cheese Plate.
Cheese with a thick outer rind, like a Camembert or Brie, are perfect for grilling. The inside becomes this beautiful gooey dip that I just cannot get enough of.
Just sticking a round of cheese on a grill honestly wouldn’t make for much of a recipe, so I decided to grill the whole cheese plate! I paired my lovely cheese with Grilled Rosemary Cashews and Brandied Rosemary Cherries. To finish off the plate, I included honey for drizzling as well as Maille’s Rosemary Honey Mustard that comes in the most beautiful green sandstone jar.
I was sent a jar of the Honey Mustard and I knew it would be the perfect addition to this cheese plate!
Note: I was sent a Coyote Outdoor Grill to participate in the #CoyoteChallenge. All opinions are mine alone.
Last night, we finally broke in our snazzy new Coyote OutdoorGrill; it’s about time I started the Coyote Challenge! (Granted, I just got back from my honeymoon; it’s difficult to grill when you’re in a different country!) We had friends along for the adventure, so we made a few simple items to try out the grill.
Despite it being July, none of us had eaten corn on the cob yet! So naturally, we decided to make a quick grilled corn with an easy chive butter to test out the vegetable/fish grates. There isn’t much to it, so this recipe for Grilled Corn with Chive Butter was the perfect way to try out the grill for the first time.
We also shared a huge delicious piece of steak that Steve (our grill-master for the evening) had marinated first in an IPA (yum) and then transferred it into a more traditional herbed marinade (double yum). It was so juicy and delicious!
There were some other yummy grilling experiments that took place, but discussion of those are for another post. On to the recipe!
Ingredients:
4 ears of corn, shucked
1/4 cup salted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, plus more for garnish
So. This is kind of an autumnal meal. But it’s been raining and chilly for about a week now, so I’ve been making more “comfort food” kind of meals. And this one is a definite go-to of mine, it’s so tasty!
I found the recipes for the Chicken and Brussels Sprouts and the Potatoes both on Cooking Light. The chicken and potatoes both cook at 450 degrees F, so these recipes pair perfectly together for a meal that’s on the table in under 40 minutes!
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
12 ounces halved baby potatoes
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider
2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons butter, divided (or margarine or olive oil to make dairy free)
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ShrimpItUp #CollectiveBias
We all have nights that you don’t have time to run to the grocery store before heading home for dinner. These nights happen to me more than I’d like to admit, but I try to keep myself prepared for them by keeping my freezer stocked and my pantry full.
This recipe for Butterfly Shrimp over Asparagus Pasta is a great “pantry meal;” almost all of the ingredients are made with things from your freezer or ingredients you almost always have on hand. The star of the recipe is those deliciously breaded SeaPak® butterfly shrimp on top of the pasta, because, let’s be honest, most dinners are better with a little bit o’ shrimp!
I picked up a Party Size box of SeaPak Butterfly Shrimp from my local Walmart, which you can find in the freezer section. (There are a few SeaPak varieties available, so for good measure, I also grabbed a Party Size box of Coconut Shrimp, yum!) Walmart may not typically be your first thought for frozen section seafood products, but SeaPak delivers solid quality seafood in a bunch of varieties (plus, they are super tasty). To save even more, there is a coupon for $0.75 off any SeaPak product available now!
The party size is great because you can either serve a crowd easily, or make as much as you want and freeze the rest for later. One box delivers 7 servings, so my fiance and I have them on hand for multiple meals!
Ingredients (serves 4):
1/2 of the party size box of Seapak Butterfly Shrimp
1/2 box (~6 oz) spaghetti
1 8 oz package frozen asparagus spears
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
the juice of 1/2 lemon (save the other 1/2 for serving)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped (optional)
Cook pasta according to package directions for “al dente.” Drain, saving about 1/3 cup of the pasta water. Set aside.
While waiting for the pasta to cook, bake the butterfly shrimp. Preheat your oven to 425°f. Add half of the shrimp in a single layer to a baking sheet. When the oven is preheated, add to the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 11-12 minutes, turning the shrimp over half way through.
frozenflipped after 6 minutescooked
Steam the frozen asparagus according to package directions, but cook for only half the time given on the package (they will finish cooking in the dish). Remove, and when cool enough to do so, chop into bite sized pieces (about 1 inch long).
Add the butter to a large saute pan over high heat. When melted, add the asparagus, stirring to coat.
Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the broth and pasta. If there doesn’t seem to be enough liquid, add a bit of the reserved pasta water until you think there is enough liquid. Cook for another minute, stirring to combine.
Add in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, stirring to evenly coat everything in the mixture. Remove from heat and squeeze the lemon juice over the dish.
If using, sprinkle with parsley and mix to combine. Spoon into 4 separate bowls and top with the SeaPak butterfly shrimp.
What I like best about this recipe is that you can adjust it to substitute whatever you have on hand! Throw in some frozen peas or broccoli instead of the asparagus, or use a different type of pasta (rotini? bowties? whatever you want!). Just don’t forget the shrimp on top!
1/2 of the party size box of Seapak Butterfly Shrimp
1/2 box (~6 oz) spaghetti
1 8 oz package frozen asparagus spears
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
the juice of 1/2 lemon (save the other 1/2 for serving)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions for "al dente." Drain, saving about 1/3 cup of the pasta water. Set aside.
While waiting for the pasta to cook, bake the butterfly shrimp. Preheat your oven to 425°f. Add half of the shrimp in a single layer to a baking sheet. When the oven is preheated, add to the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 11-12 minutes, turning the shrimp over half way through.
Steam the frozen asparagus according to package directions, but cook for only half the time given on the package (they will finish cooking in the dish). Remove, and when cool enough to do so, chop into bite sized pieces (about 1 inch long).
Add the butter to a large saute pan over high heat. When melted, add the asparagus, stirring to coat.
Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the broth and pasta. If there doesn't seem to be enough liquid, add a bit of the reserved pasta water until you think there is enough liquid. Cook for another minute, stirring to combine.
Add in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, stirring to evenly coat everything in the mixture. Remove from heat and squeeze the lemon juice over the dish.
If using, sprinkle with parsley and mix to combine. Spoon into 4 separate bowls and top with the SeaPak butterfly shrimp.
Like much of the east coast, Philadelphia got hit with a blizzard last weekend. Which meant I had a whole weekend to make a bunch of meals, like this Carrot Ginger Soup!
This Carrot Ginger Soup from Cooking Light is comforting and creamy without any cream! The hint of curry powder brings such a nice warmth to the dish.
It makes 12 servings, so it’s a great recipe to stock your freezer. I love it as a side to my sandwich or salad for lunch!
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (or margarine to make dairy-free)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth to make vegetarian)
