I am a huge fan of quick and easy meals, or “set it and forget it” meals — when I come home after work, I want to eat within 45 minutes of being home! But, on Sundays I have the time to experience the magic that is slow roasting — something beautiful and delicious happens when food cooks at a low temperature for a long period of time.
I originally thought I might change this recipe for Slow Baked Chicken Thighs into a slow cooker recipe so that I could once again, set and forget it. But the recipe called for basting the chicken over a period of time so I thought I should stick to the original method of cooking. (I have never basted anything before; how I managed to avoid this technique for almost three decades is beyond me.)
Past the basting part, this recipe really isn’t very labor-intensive. You do need to give yourself around 2 and a half hours to make it though, so this is definitely a weekend recipe. This recipe for Slow Baked Chicken Thighs is in the latest issue of Cooking Light. And it’s worth the wait. This is one of the best chicken meals I’ve made in recent memory.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup(~1 larger bulb) fennel bulb, cut into thin slices
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, drained
6 garlic cloves, smashed and torn into large pieces
With the weather starting to cool off a bit, I had a hankering for something a little more hearty that I could still prepare on a weeknight. This recipe from Cooking Light incorporates mushrooms and turkey sausage into a tomato sauce to make a filling but lighter meal. The polenta is kicked up a notch with the addition of some cream cheese to add some decadence to the whole dish. I kept this recipe mostly in tact and just messed with some of the amounts for the ingredients. To see the original recipe, click here. Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
3/4 cup chopped onion
20 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
2 large (or 4 small) garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon coconut aminos (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
I have another busy week this week so I needed some easy meals that can be prepared quickly. Pasta is usually a great option and this recipe for Cheese Ravioli with Pesto is no exception. It comes together in about 15 minutes!
I found this recipe on Cooking Light. The pesto is more of a “pesto” and stays pretty chunky. But don’t be fooled, those little flecks of green are packed with flavor!
As kids are going back to school (or may even be back!) and the “busy season” of work creeps closer, it’s necessary to find recipes that can be prepared ahead of time so that weeknight meals can be on the table as quickly as possible. My favorite tool for really yummy dishes that I can just reheat is my lovely slow cooker.
Cooking Light had a recipe for Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice that is perfect for weekend prep and weeknight meals. This particular recipe has a good amount of prep time before putting everything in the slow cooker so I’d suggest making it on a weekend versus a weeknight morning. (If you want to make this before work, set aside 30-45 minutes to get everything ready to put in the slow cooker.)
A couple of notes before I dive into the recipe. You actually soak the dried red beans in water overnight, so don’t forget to do that that night before you plan on making this recipe. Also, dried kidney beans apparently contain a toxin that is not killed at low temperatures (like in a slow cooker) so you have to boil them for 10 minutes before slow cooking. (Who knew?! Definitely don’t skip that step!) This recipe makes 8 servings so you can also freeze the red bean mixture for future meals if you won’t finish it during the week. Ok! Let’s cook!
Ingredients:
1 pound dried red kidney beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 oz andouille sausage, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise
Hi all! I’m happy to introduce Chris from HealthSmartLiving.com! His blog is filled with tips on hydroponic gardening, healthy cooking, juicing and overall nutritious recipes. His website even includes a review of juicers. Juicing is a foreign concept to me and looking through his blog helped answer a lot of questions I had about it.
Today, he is sharing a Spicy Tomato Juice recipe make from home grown tomatoes that looks oh so tasty! Let me turn it over to Chris…
I love August in Chicago. It’s warm, sunny, and all of my gardening efforts start to pay off. Even though we live in downtown Chicago with a 400 square foot yard, we still manage to pack a pretty good fruitful garden in. This year we grew tomatoes, peppers, onions and various herbs.
You also have to be prepared to use a lot of fresh vegetables or watch them go bad. I hope to learn canning someday but it won’t be this year. Recently I made my first batch of tomato gazpacho and it was amazing. It also was really time consuming so I would call it a special occasion dish.
Another simpler way I’ve found to use a LOT of tomatoes, jalapenos, and onions is by juicing my own tomato juice. My wife and I started juicing this spring as a way to get more fruits and vegetables in our diet and to improve our overall health. We have really enjoyed it and I’ve even dedicated a section of my personal blog to juicing. It covers all the basics to get started.
I have been in full on grilling mode recently. I can’t seem to get enough of recipes made on the grill! So as the end of summer continues to creep closer, I am trying to get in all of the grilling I can. As much as I would love to grill in the colder months, I’m a wimp and know I just won’t stand out in the cold.
I’ve used indoor counter top grills in the past and really wasn’t thrilled with the cooking results — it didn’t seem to heat up enough to get proper grill marks, all of the juices would flow out of the grill making for a very dry protein, and I’d always under or overcook the meat.
Source: https://optigrill.t-falusa.com/
So when I was contacted to test out the T-fal OptiGrill as part of T-fal’s OptiGrill Blogger Bash, I had some reservations about if this grill would really live up to expectations. Well, I was really pleasantly surprised! What sets the OptiGrill apart is its Precision Grilling Technology that adjusts the cooking time and temperature depending on the type of protein and the thickness of whatever you’re cooking.
Source: https://optigrill.t-falusa.com/
The T-fal OptiGrill has a cooking level indicator with a color changing display that notifies you when your protein has reached rare, medium, or well-done. It also beeps when your food reaches each of the cooking stages. (Keep in mind that if you want your meat to rest before slicing, it continues to cook. So if you wanted a steak at medium rare and planned to let it rest for 5 minutes, you should probably take it out when the OptiGrill hits the “rare” notification.)
Source: https://optigrill.t-falusa.com/
The grill comes pre-programmed with 6 settings that adapt cooking temperature and times for different types of food: burger, poultry, sandwich, pork/sausage, red meat, and fish/seafood. There is also a frozen food function button so that you can cook your protein even when frozen; just push the snowflake button and then one of the 6 pre-programmed buttons. The grill will defrost and cook the protein in one easy step! When cooking fruits and veggies, just use the manual mode, which allows you to determine when the food is done cooking. The OptiGrill also takes into account the thickness of your food using an integrated thickness sensor so that the protein is fully cooked correctly.
The grill is made of brushed stainless steel with die-cast aluminum plates with a non-stick coating. The plates are removable for easy cleaning and are even dishwasher safe. The plates are angled so that drippings can flow into the removable drip tray, which surprisingly doesn’t leave the meat tough, dry, or chewy.
Want to see the grill in action? I decided to test it out with a yummy recipe from Cooking Light that uses both chicken thighs and chicken breasts. Chicken is so easy to overcook leaving a dry meal so I thought it would be a perfect way to test what this grill can really handle. This recipe also includes grilled pineapple so I was able to test out the manual setting as well. I made the marinade from this recipe for Jerk-style Chicken and the salsa from this recipe for Jerk Chicken with Grilled Pineapple Salsa.
I also am giving away one T-fal OptiGrill to one lucky reader, courtesy of T-fal OptiGrill! Details below the recipe.
Note: I was sent a T-fal OptiGrill to test for this review. T-fal is also offering one I Can Cook That reader the chance to win their own T-Fal OptiGrill. All opinions are my own.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1/4 cup fresh lime juice plus 1 tablespoon, divided (about 3 limes)
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon brown sugar (substitute 1 tablespoon molasses to make paleo)
I love the flavor that grilling adds to a recipe but I struggle with grilling protein to the correct temperature. This means we sometimes end up with dry, chewy and overcooked food or, even worse, super rare/raw meat.
Luckily, Verizon Wireless’ Philadelphia Tri-State Region team gave me the opportunity to try out an iGrill thermometer that not only displays the temperature, but also uses Verizon’s LTE 4G network to send me an alert when my protein has reached the temperature I want!
I was so excited about this product that I decided to really test it out and used it on a pretty finicky meat: lamb. Lamb is a protein that should be cooked to medium rare and not much more. It gets really tough and chewy if overcooked. It’s pretty easy to overcook as well; lamb continues to cook after being removed from heat so it has to be removed before reaching the ideal internal temperature for medium rare. Plus, it’s a pretty expensive meat so you want it to be perfect!
The iGrill Thermometer takes a lot of the guesswork out of the process. The thermometer comes with two probes so you can track the temperature of two meats at the same time. You just insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat (not touching a bone). The thermometer pairs with your phone through Bluetooth. Using the iGrill app on your smartphone, you can set a temperature or a timer to alert you when your meat is finished cooking. Pretty nifty, right?
Ingredients:
2 racks of lamb, rib bones frenched
salt and pepper, to taste
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
the zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, finely crumbled
note: “Frenched rib bones” means that the meat has been cut away from the end of the rib so that part of the bone is exposed
Summer months are just meant for barbecue. And not just barbecued foods on the grill; your slow cooker can make some mean pulled pork for you as well! This recipe for Pulled Pork with Bourbon Peach Barbecue Sauce is perfect for a crowd and is great on a kaiser bun with some coleslaw!
I found this recipe in my Cooking Light magazine, made it over the weekend, and enjoyed it during the week for a quick meal to assemble. I also froze half of the pork to bring to the beach for my extended family to enjoy and it held up great! I changed the recipe a bit because I ended up with a 5.5 pound pork shoulder so I altered the amounts to compensate for that.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
One of the first products I noticed in the basket was Smoked Mozzarella. I’ve had smoked mozzarella in the past and found the flavor to be a bit… overwhelming… so I was interested to see if I could get it to work well in a recipe instead of becoming the only flavor you can taste. But Formaggio’s smoked mozzarella was a pleasant surprise! The smoky flavor is present without being overpowering and works to enhance other flavors instead of covering them up.
I haven’t made a pizza recipe on here in a while (since October! Wow!) so it’s about time I rectified that with this BLT Pizza! I honestly would not have typically chosen this recipe from my latest Cooking Light magazine, but my boyfriend spotted it on the cover and put in a special request. He typically eats whatever I decide to make without complaint, so I figured I could make something out of my typical repertoire just this once 🙂
This BLT Pizza is pretty self explanatory: pizza with bacon, “lettuce” (arugula), roasted tomatoes, and even a mayo base. It does take some time to make though (~1 hour) so either plan accordingly on a weeknight or save this recipe for a weekend!
This is also the first time I used a pizza stone (very exciting, I know). I’ve apparently had this little guy for a while but completely forgot about it! If you don’t have a pizza stone, just use a large cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
Ingredients:
1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Hummus is really easy to prepare and the addition of the beets makes this one a show stopper. Whip up a batch of this Roasted Beet Hummus to serve with a crudite platter at your next gathering!
Ingredients:
2 red beets
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
8 garlic cloves, halved
grated lemon rind of two lemons
fresh lemon juice from two lemons
1/4 walnut oil (or good olive oil)
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
A while back, I was given the opportunity to visit Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse. Naturally, I jumped at the chance. Davio’s has been a staple in the Philadelphia food scene for a while now. Located in Rittenhouse Square, Davio’s still seems to be a bit of a hidden gem due to it’s location on the second floor of a building, although it isn’t difficult to find (the entrance on 17th Street is clearly marked).
The restaurant is known just as much for it’s service and ambiance as it is it’s delicious food. The staff really know how to make your night feel special. The dining room’s large windows and tall ceilings add to the traditional and comfortable feel of the restaurant — it is located in the historic Provident Bank Building. The space is also equipped with a bar that I hear is quite a popular destination for happy hour.
My entire meal was absolutely delicious. Every dish seemed to be better than the last! I have included a run down of everything we ate (we basically needed to be rolled out of the building) and I also wanted to try my hand at one of the specials they were serving that night: A Grilled Octopus Salad over Arugula.
My version is heavily based on Davio’s with a few changes: Davio’s also included chorizo in their version (yum!) and used yellow peppers rather than red. This was my first time working with octopus so it was a little nerve wracking but turned out amazing!
One of the best parts of Steak is how simple it is to prepare. You really don’t have to do much to a steak to make a delicious meal. But sometimes you want something a little different. This recipe for Flank Steak with Tomato Bruschetta is still super simple but ups the flavor of the steak with smoked paprika and a creole seasoning. The original recipe uses a pre-made creole seasoning, but I just substituted in some spices I had on hand to make my own version.
This quick Bruschetta is really tasty on bread, but be sure to use any leftover to put on top of the steak as well!
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
a pinch of salt and pepper
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
Cooking spray
2 cups cherry tomatoes
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 small shallot, chopped
8 (1-ounce) slices whole-wheat French bread baguette
Somehow I have never had the classic French dish Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic. With my love of garlic, this seems like a huge oversight! I adapted this recipe from a Cooking Light recipe.
The garlic cloves are simmered in a broth until tender and work to lightly perfume the chicken. If you’re a garlic lover like me though, I suggest spreading the softened cloves on to crusty pieces of bread — they turn into a wonderful paste that is oh so tasty!
Because of the large number of cloves you need for this recipe, I suggest just buying pre-peeled cloves – it will save you a ton of time, making this an easy weeknight meal.
Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts and thighs
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
40 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
24 (1/4-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut French bread baguette
Mussels are one of my favorite quick meal options — they take just 5 minutes to cook! This recipe for Smoky Portuguese-Style Mussels infuses the broth with turkey kielbasa and smoked paprika before steaming the mussels in the broth, resulting in a really flavorful dish. The broth is really spectacular, so be sure to serve this dish with a sliced baguette. (Note: the whole dish takes about 30 minutes to cook.)
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons canola oil
4 ounces chopped turkey kielbasa
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 pound red potatoes (I used assorted baby potatoes)
