Note: I was sent a copy of The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook, 100 Recipes to Nourish Body and Soul in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
It is most certainly Instant Pot season! Work (at least for me) is busy this time of year, and yet, I crave meals that take a while to cook! Using an Instant Pot saves me a ton of time, so I tend to use it a lot this time of year.
I was recently sent a copy of The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook by Paula Shoyer, which is filled with so many delicious sounding Kosher-friendly dishes! With The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook (paid link) (paid link), Shoyer has curated 100 irresistible recipes for every table that even a novice cook can prepare in minutes. It is filled with modern takes on classic Jewish recipes, with all recipes offering options to adapt for special diets and allergies.
As I was paging through, I kept going back to a recipe for Persian Lamb and Herb Stew. I love a good lamb recipe, so I was excited to try this out! I adapted the below recipe ever so slightly from the original in the cookbook.
January is the time of year where many set goals for themselves for the next 12 months, with a lot of those goals centered around diet and exercise. I am not a registered dietician, and am not here to tell you what’s best for you to eat, but I do hope to offer a range of recipes for you to peruse.
Adding to my repertoire, this recipe is adapted from a Keto-inspired cookbook called The Dirty, Lazy, Keto Cookbook. The cookbook is written by Stephanie Laska, who lost more than half her body weight be adjusting the traditional keto diet into something she could stick with without using expensive, hard-to-find ingredients and without adhering to so many strict rules.
The general gist of the keto diet is based on a low-carb, high fat, adequate-protein diet that forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates for weight loss. These Bacon Egg Bites have very few carbs per serving, but will keep you full through a busy morning. The addition of multiple types of dairy make for fluffy, creamy eggs that can be transported to work or eaten quickly before heading out the door, a perfect breakfast for busy mornings!
What I really like about this recipe is it’s completely adaptable to what you might have on hand. I used this as a bit of a fridge cleaner, so feel free to substitute ingredients as you see fit!
Note: this recipe is adapted from The Dirty, Lazy, Keto Cookbook’s recipe for Starbucks Egg Bites
Ingredients:
4 strips no-sugar added bacon, cooked and crumbled
6 large eggs
1 cup shredded cheese of your choice (I used manchego)
1 (8 oz bar) full-fat cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup baby arugula (or whatever greens you have on hand – kale or spinach would also work)
What. Is. With. This. Rain? I feel like it’s never going to stop raining in Philadelphia! It is now mid- to late May and all I want to do is enjoy some warm weather on my deck. Even if the weather isn’t cooperating, I can still pretend it’s summer with the help of David Burtka’s cookbook: Life is a Party.
Chef, actor, and entertaining authority David Burtka knows that every day can be a party. Over a lifetime of throwing epic gatherings, the Cordon Bleu-trained Burtka has perfected the formula for creating easy and perfect get-togethers at home. Now, in the pages of his debut cookbook, he’s sharing all of his secrets and an intimate look into the lives of one of Hollywood’s favorite families. Everything you need to throw a memorable party, or to make a delicious weeknight meal, can be found in the pages of Life is a Party. The cookbook is broken into sixteen party themes – from cozy game nights at home to elegant New Year’s fêtes-are built around doable, show-stopping menus that take the guesswork out of high-impact hosting. Complete with endless and fun ways to mix-and-match dishes, create stunning decor, prep ahead, and get guests involved, David helps you put all the elements in place to make every party a success without ever losing your cool.
The cookbook is broken into seasons to help plan party themes for different holidays and weather. Each party theme is better than the last! But after this weather, I knew I had to make a summer-themed recipe to help me dream of nicer days. I was drawn to a cocktail from the “Sunday Funday” party theme: Mojito Slushies. This yummy spin on the classic cocktail is the perfect refreshing cocktail to cool you down from hot summer days! This recipe is also a great make ahead recipe, with minimal work when you’re ready to serve it.
I also have a copy of Life Is A Party to give away! More details after the recipe.
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups water, divided
1 large bunch fresh mint
2 cups fresh lime juice (12-16 limes),
ice
24 oz white rum (or 24 oz lemonade for a mocktail)
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
It is fitting that I am able to host this giveaway so close to my blog anniversary! One of my biggest inspirations for learning how to cook and starting a blog to document it was Cooking Light Magazine. My mom on a whim picked up a copy of the magazine while at the supermarket. As I paged through, I was surprised with how simple the recipes seemed to be and how absolutely delicious they all sounded. After cooking a couple of the recipes, I was hooked. Three years later, Cooking Light remains a huge inspiration as I continue to learn how to cook.
One of the best parts of learning to cook is being able to experience different cultures in your very own kitchen. America alone has a ton of different cooking styles with different areas and cities having signature dishes. Allison Fishman Task, a contributing editor of Cooking Light, traveled across America to discover native dishes across the nation. The lightened up versions can be found in Lighten Up. America! Favorite American Foods Made Guilt-Free. The cookbook tackles everything from fried green tomatoes to Philly cheesesteaks.
You can win a copy of this cookbook for your very own! Details after the recipe…
I am always in search of new seafood recipes so I gravitated towards the recipe for Beer Steamed Clams and Mussels. To Philadelphia-ize it, I used a local beer from Philly Brewing Company called Walt Wit.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 shallots, chopped
5 sprigs marjoram
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bottle Walt Wit (or another Belgian White)
the juice and zest of one orange, divided
10 clams (I used larger clams but I’d suggest using Littlenek)
As the weather cools down, I want more and more comfort food. I gravitate towards pastas, all forms of a warm meal, and food with a little spice to it to keep me feeling toasty, like this Cedar Plant Fired Salmon.
Carrabba’s must know I’m not alone. They have recently launched a new Fire Finished menu and I was lucky enough to do a tasting of it! Last week, I headed over to a local Carrabba’s and tried the following:
Fire Roasted Mushrooms stuffed with sausage, red bell peppers, fennel, sauteed onions, brioche breadcrumbs, artichoke hearts, and romano cheese.
Photo courtesy of Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Cedar Plank Fired Salmon first pan-seared then topped with a crab cake and fire-roasted on a cedar plank then finished off with a lemon butter sauce. Served with roasted asparagus mushrooms and red bell peppers.
Photo courtesy of Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Bistecca Ardente: Center-cut sirloin wood-grilled then topped with blue cheese, roasted tomatoes, and basil.
Photo courtesy of Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Rigatoni al Forno: Rigatoni tossed in housemade marinara sauce, romano and mozzarella cheese and topped with Italian fennel sausage, mozzarella and fresh ricotta cheese finished off in a wood-burning oven.
Photo courtesy of Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Nonna Testa: Penne pasta with wood-grilled chicken in a housemade pesto cream (basil, pine nuts, walnuts) with spinach and zucchini, topped with mozzarella and baked in a wood-burning oven.
Creme Brulee prepared with Madagascar vanilla bean topped with torched turbinado sugar, whipped cream, and strawberries.
Photo courtesy of Carrabba’s Italian Grill
The fire-roasted mushrooms were a great start to the meal. I love fennel so I was happy this flavor came through. The mixture is lightly stuffed in the mushrooms so they remain nice and light. Really tasty!
The cedar plank-fired salmon was one of my favorite dishes. I loved it so much, I tried to recreate it! The salmon was perfectly cooked and the crab cake was a great addition. The cedar flavor shown through without being overpowering. Check out my recipe below to make at home.
The Bistecco Ardente was so juicy, especially for being cooked to medium-well. The blue cheese can be a tad overpowering though so I scooped a bit off so that I could get the taste of the steak, tomatoes, and basil as well.
The Rigatoni al Forno gave me more of my beloved fennel flavor. I liked that the pasta on top got crispy from the wood-burning oven, but would’ve liked more sauce to complement the pasta.
Nonna Testa was another of my favorites. Man this was good. The wood-grilled chicken was really juicy and flavorful and there was the perfect amount of pesto cream on the pasta (lightly dressed so it’s not overly heavy). I love spinach and zucchini so I couldn’t have been happier with this dish!
Now I’m pretty sure I’ve never met a creme brulee I didn’t like but this version was really really tasty. The vanilla flavored custard was so creamy and I loved the light touch of torched sugar to give a very thin crust to the dish without overpowering the custard with too much sugar.
Needless to say, I left super full and really happy with the tasting. The staff at the Springfield Carrabba’s were so attentive and helpful too! Thanks for a great meal!
The managing partner, Ernie, even took the time to explain all of the dishes and answer any questions we had. When I told him I was planning on doing a giveaway so that my readers could try this tasty menu, he gave me a copy of the Carrabba’s Italian Grill Cookbook (paid link) for myself and one to give away! The cookbook does not include recipes for the fire finished menu (because it’s so new) but many of Carrabba’s signature dishes, including Chicken Bryan, Mama Mandola’s Sicilian Chicken Soup, and Margherita Pizza are included within its pages. So special thanks to Ernie for the cookbooks!
In addition to the cookbook, I am also giving away a $25 gift certificate to Carrabba’s so that one reader can try out some of the menu for themselves. Details after the recipe!
Note: It is very difficult to make smaller portions of crab cakes because crab meat is usually sold in 1 pound containers. I made about 9 crab cakes and saved the leftovers for dinner the next night. If you are unable to do that, you can purchase pre-made crab cakes from your local supermarket.
Ingredients (serves 2):
CRABCAKES (makes 9, only use 2 and save the rest for up to one day):
1 tablespoon butter
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 lb jumbo lumb crab meat
1/3 cup panko
1/2 cup mayo
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
the zest of one lemon
CEDAR PLAN FIRED SALMON
1 tablespoon butter
2 8-oz salmon fillets
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cedar plank board
LEMON BUTTER SAUCE
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, divided (I used ghee, a clarified butter)
Contest Details: Contests open to US only. Limit one winner per household/per family from the 50 blogs participating in the promotion. Individuals winning more than one giveaway will receive 1 set of cookware and the other winning entries will be disqualified and an alternate winner will be chosen.
Today is the last day to enter my giveaway! Be sure to enter, the prize is pretty fantastic! As a friendly reminder, I am giving away a 12 Piece T Fal Cookware Set sponsored by Cooking Planit!
My goodness I have some exciting news for you! Through my work with Cooking Planit, a great website/app that helps plan meals from food shopping to getting it all on the table at the same time, I and 49 other bloggers will be hosting an amazing giveaway!
For 25 days straight starting Monday, August 19, two bloggers at a time will give readers the chance to win a 12-piece T-Fal Cookware set. That’s right, you can win a set of nonstick pans and stainless steel pots courtesy of Cooking Planit, T-Fal, and 50 pretty fantastic bloggers!
You are welcome (and encouraged!) to enter all of them, which gives you 50 chances to win this cookware set! I received one in preparation for this giveaway and will have a review of the set on I Can Cook That on August 26, so be sure to pop in here to enter!
Contest Details: Contests open to US only. Limit one winner per household/per family from the 50 blogs participating in the promotion. Individuals winning more than one giveaway will receive 1 set of cookware and the other winning entries will be disqualified and an alternate winner will be chosen.
If you’ve noticed an uptick in my interest of miniature food, the cookbook Tiny Food Party! is to blame. Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park, who also write on their blog Spoon Fork Bacon, have developed an entire cookbook based on tiny versions of dozens of food. The recipes range from breakfast favorites to delicious desserts. Tiny Food Party! also includes themed menus so you can throw your own tiny food party to your friends delight.
Brian at Bridges,Burgers & Beer and I were given the opportunity to test out the recipes in this cookbook in the best way possible: by hosting a Tiny Food Party!
oOnion Rings w/ Roasted Red Pepper Aioli & Buttermilk Ranch
oPotato Salad Bites
oCaprese Skewers
–Main Bites:
oChicken n Waffles
oLamb Sliders
oShepherd’s Pie
oCountry Style Eggs Benedict
–Desserts
oFudge Puppies
oSnickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches
oCinnamon Spiced Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting and Candied Bacon
We invited over a bunch of friends to help us test out the above food. We did require a few tools that might not be in everyone’s kitchen: A mini muffin tin, a deep fryer (you can use a normal pot, and then you just need a candy thermometer), biscuit cutters, and slider buns. Past that, the ingredients should be available in your local grocery store.
At first look, the cookbook had both of us really excited. So many things stood out to us we had one heck of a time cutting it down to a few choices. I did think there were a high number of fried foods but hey, if it’s tiny, it’s not nearly as bad for you (right?)
After my first trip to Wegman’s (why has no one brought me here before?! I’m in love!), we split up the menu so we could both do some prep stuff before the party. I was able to make the seafood cocktail cups, potato salad bites, and all of the desserts completely ahead of time.
We met a few hours before the party and went on a cooking rampage. Shepherd’s Pies were filled, Caprese Skewers were … well, skewered, and the Onion Rings were prepared throughout the night (we even got some frying help from Zoe from Row Home Eats, thanks so much Zoe!)
In review, we decided the size of the Pajeon pancakes weren’t different enough to be considered mini, so Brian cut the size down a bit more for effect. The seafood cocktail cups were a hit, I loved that they were served in a cucumber cup and were quite easy to make. The mini onion rings, made from shallots, took a ton of prep work. Poor Brian was probably having nightmares of shallot slicing by the end! The Potato Salad Bites were served in mini wonton cups which made the overall flavor quite bland unfortunately. But the actual potato salad was quite delicious! I’ve already decided the Caprese skewers will be a staple for any party: they are so easy to make and the presentation is fantastic.
Panjeon
Seafood Cocktail Cups
Mini Onion Rings
Potato Salad Bites
Caprese Skewers
The mini mains were definitely the crowd favorites. The Chicken and Waffles, served on mini Eggo Waffles (in the freezer section of your supermarket) were drizzled with a bit of honey. We substituted chicken thighs for the chicken tenders suggested and were really pleased with the results. We could not get enough of these!
The Lamb Sliders were also absolutely fantastic. Brian flips a mean (mini) burger! The sliders were topped with a mini slice of cheese, roasted red pepper aioli, caramelized red onions, and arugula. I know, sorry, your mouth is now watering. There was a good bit of prep work for these but it was well worth it. I loved that when it came down to the actual party, it was basically just assembly!
The Country Style Eggs Benedict was the biggest surprise, at least for me. Served on a mini biscuit, we used quail eggs and drizzled them with a roasted garlic cheese sauce. I could eat these all day!
The Shepherds Pies were gone before I could grab a taste, so I’m going to call those a win. My only complaint as someone with Irish blood was that the recipe used cumin. Cumin? Anywho, it was delicious. And I hate to admit it, but the cumin was a big part of that tastiness. We had some trouble making the little puff pastry cups the pies were made in so be sure to actually prick the bottoms of the dough before baking. Those little guys puff like crazy!
Dessert was a mixed bag, completely due to human (a.k.a Kaitlin) error. You’ll never believe this, but ice cream sandwiches don’t travel well. Insanity, right? If you could get past the meltiness of the ice cream sandwich, these were super tasty. Ah well.
The Fudge Puppies were another favorite. We used the leftover mini waffles from the Chicken N Waffles and dipped them in melted chocolate. We then rolled them in crushed banana chips. Mmmm. Best part of these was I was able to make them the day before, refrigerate them, and bring them out when needed. No day of work required.
Last but certainly not least were the Cinnamon Spiced Cupcakes. I’ve gotta tell you, the frosting for these cupcakes stole the show. It was oh so creamy and delicious. Topping it with pieces of candied bacon didn’t hurt either.
Overall, people left full and happy. Brian and I were pret-ty proud of ourselves after turning out all of this food! We’ve already decided that we are Tiny Food Party addicts. Although the next time we have a tiny food party, we think a potluck version would work best so that we can munch on all the bites at the same time!
The cookbook is really extensive but it’s got me thinking… what else would you make in tiny food form? Mini grilled cheese dipped in a “tomato soup?” Mini whoopie pies? The options are endless!
This cookbook is actually being released today, October 9. You can find it at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at your local store.
Food is just as much about the joy of the process as it is about enjoying eating the dish. So when I was sent The Cookie Dough Lovers Cookbook, I was excited to be more whimsical than I usually am when cooking. The cookbook is filled with recipes that incorporate an egg-less cookie dough, which means it is safe to eat it raw. Recipes range from breakfast foods to desserts. The photos are stunning as well, I had a tough time choosing a recipe! What I really love about this cookbook, though, is that it allows your creativity to wander. The recipes listed are probably fantastic as is, but can also work as a base for whatever you want to change. The cookbook is also filled with really helpful tips to successfully complete the recipes inside.
I was also asked if I wanted to take part in the Cookie Dough-lympics. Now who in their cookie dough loving mind is going to turn down a chance to be in the Cookie Dough-lympics? The competition is a month long, where me and other food bloggers have adapted recipes within this lovely cookbook. I’m the last (and hopefully not the least) blogger to participate so I hope you’ve had a chance to check out all of the other bloggers creative posts. If not, I have links to their blogs listed below.
I decided to make the Cookie Dough-Filled Crepes. I must have had some inspiration from Elvis because I decided to use a peanut butter cookie dough instead of a traditional chocolate chip. I also added some nutella to really make it delicious. I topped the crepes with sauteed bananas to complete my decadent breakfast.
Ingredients:
For crepes:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooked to room temperature, plus more for cooking
I was recently sent the Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook to review. Paging through the cookbook, I really loved the number of how-to’s included in the book. Everything from how to cook an omelette to what kitchen utensils every beginner cook needs. The recipes are really simple with beautiful photos to help you throughout; it’s basically a better version of my blog! 🙂
The cookbook isn’t just for beginners though, there are plenty of recipes that are helpful for any level of at-home cook. There is a recipe for gnocchi I can’t wait to try! (I attempted to make gnocchi once before, but they didn’t end up being happy little pillows of deliciousness; they were pretty dense. Sigh)
I decided to try to make their cherry pie. I have only made pie crust once before so I was excited to try again. Plus, I recently bought a Babycakes Pie Maker and had yet to try it out. The recipe for the cherry pie was followed by a how-to for making a lattice pie top so I wanted to try that out as well.
Ingredients:
Filling:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup cranberry juice
4 cups frozen pitted tart cherries, thawed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pie crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
7 tablespoons cold water
Note: I will give the directions as if I was making a large pie and will add commentary where the mini pie maker has different instructions. (I’m guessing most people don’t have a mini pie maker lying around!)
To make the filling, combine the sugar and cornstarch in a large saute pan.
Stir in the cranberry juice until smooth.
“Smooth” might be more appropriate
Bring to a boil, stirring for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Remove from heat and add the cherries, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening until crumbly.
Gradually add the cold water. Start with 5 tablespoons and add 1 or 2 tablespoons more if needed. Toss with a fork until a ball forms.
Divide the dough in half with one ball slightly larger than the other. (You don’t have to do this if making mini pies.)
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger ball to fit in a 9-inch pie plate. When ready to transfer to the pie plate, loosely roll the dough around your roller and unroll into the pie plate. Trim dough 1 inch beyond the edge of the plate. (The mini pie maker comes with a cutter so I used that to get the correct shape. I then used another tool that comes with the product to push the dough into the mini pie plate.)
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Add the filling. (For mini pies, this is about 2-4 tablespoons of the filling per pie)
The book also goes through how to make a lattice-topped pie! Roll out the remaining pastry dough into a 12-inch circle. (I just used the cutter provided with my mini pie baker). With a pastry wheel (? No idea what a pastry wheel is. Feel free to use a pizza cutter or a knife), cut the dough into 1/2 inch to 1 inch wide strips.
Take half the strips (I just went every other that was cut) and lay them across the pie in with 1/2 inch to 3/4 inches between them.
Fold back every other strip.
Take one strip of dough and lay it perpendicular to the strips already on the pie. Unfold the folded strips over the perpendicular strip and fold back the strips that are running underneath that strip.
Lay down a second strip and continue the process until the lattice top is finished.
Trim the strips to fit in the pie and fold bottom pastry up over the edges of the strips and seal. (I couldn’t do this for mine, but I bet they would have looked much nicer!)
Bake at 425 F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for 45-50 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack. (I baked mine for 15 minutes and cooled on a wire rack).
I was quite happy with how these turned out. I think they needed a bit more sugar, but I think I used the wrong type of frozen cherries (mine were no sugar added). I also think a little lemon zest would really up the flavor of these quite nicely.
I also made a normal topped pie
I’m so excited about the lattice top! I obviously added a bit too much filling because it spilled over, but when I make a real pie, I now know how to do the lattice on top, yay!
To sweeten it up, I just topped the mini pies with ice cream. That solved the problem!
