I live in an apartment that has no outdoor space, so we clearly do not have access to a grill, which is causing me to only want grilled food! Luckily, I have a grill pan so I can get my fix, and I’ve been using it nonstop!
A really simple weeknight favorite of mine is to grill up some shrimp and serve over rice. This recipe is quick and easy to make, but delivers on flavor! Blue Chair Bay Rum sent me a bottle of their Coconut Rum that I knew would be perfect for a glaze on grilled shrimp. The glaze caramelizes beautifully, adding a nice char and sweetness to the shrimp.
I adapted this recipe from a Cooking Light recipe, adding more hints of coconut to play off of the Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
the juice of one lime
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 1/2 pounds)
6 sugarcane swizzle sticks, each cut into 2 pieces
One of my favorite cookbooks is Love and Olive Oil‘s Breakfast for Dinner. (I did a post highlighting their Huevos Rancheros Tacos a while back.) So it’s probably not surprising that I make a few recipes from this cookbook on a regular basis. One that I love to make in particular is their version of the Hawaiian dish Loco Moco.
Typical Loco Moco is usually made with white rice, topped with a hamburger patty (or spam), a fried egg, and brown gravy. Love and Olive Oil’s version substitutes coconut sticky rice for the white rice, uses ground pork instead of the hamburger patty, and finishes the dish off with a sweet-spicy-salty soy sauce reduction rather than brown gravy.
I decided to alter their recipe slightly to give it a local spin; this version is topped with pork roll (or Taylor ham) instead of the ground pork, and this recipe for New Jersey-style Loco Moco was born!
Pork Roll is originally from Trenton, New Jersey (hence the name of this post), but can also be found in parts of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. The pork product is thinly sliced and pan fried and is a staple in most breakfast places in the area.
This Slow Cooker Saucy Chicken Over Rice is one of my favorite go-to recipes, so I was really surprised to find that I hadn’t shared it on my blog yet!
My fiance is a runner, so I tend to make this recipe a few days before the race because it has a nice balance of carbs and protein with no dairy. (Note: every runner is different and has their own preferred menu on the days leading up to a race, this just happens to be one of my fiance’s favorites.)
This recipe from MyRecipes.com is a really simple slow cooker meal that involves about 15 minutes prep in the morning before popping everything into the slow cooker. The result is a yummy, tender, chicken recipe that freezes and reheats great as well! I’ve adapted the recipe slightly, but the general concept is still there. If you’d like to see the original, visit MyRecipes.com.
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
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
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!
Bob’s Red Mill has been providing gluten-free flours, cereals, baking mixes, and grains for over 30 years. The company is so committed to it’s gluten-free promise that they even have a separate gluten-free packaging division to ensure their products are purely gluten-free.
Camilla V. Saulsbury’s new cookbook showcases the breadth, depth and versatility of Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free grains. As more and more people move towards a gluten-free lifestyle (either due to allergies or other health reasons), one of the easiest ways to transition to a gluten-free diet is to embrace the many grains available that are naturally gluten-free.
The cookbook, Bob’s Red Mill Everyday Gluten-Free Cookbook, includes 281 whole-grain recipes for entrees, side dishes, baked goods, desserts, etc. that include grains such as amaranth, quinoa, millet, and teff. The book also includes a section describing the grains, their uses, and how to store them.
There are a bunch of really delicious sounding recipes in the cookbook, but I wanted to try a baked recipe because that seems to be the toughest type of recipe to make gluten-free and still maintain the same texture and taste.
This recipe for Gluten Free Coconut Cardamom Carrot Bread uses a mixture of sorghum flour, millet flour, and potato starch to make a gluten-free bread. The bread is flavored with grated carrots, coconut flakes, and cardamom.
Before sharing the recipe, I thought it might be helpful to give some information about the different ingredients used in this recipe that may be a bit unfamiliar.
Sorghum Flour is a good source of protein, iron, dietary fiber and antioxidants. Sorghum promotes a healthy metabolism due to its high magnesium and copper levels. The starch and protein in sorghum flour take longer than other similar products to digest, making it particularly helpful for those with diabetes. Sorghum flour adds slight sweetness to baked goods and can be added or substituted in any recipe that calls for flour. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Millet Flour is a good source of protein, essential amino acids, and dietary fiber, as well as manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium. Millet flour helps keep the digestive tract operating smoothly and lowers the risk of diabetes and heart disease. It has a light, mild flavor and works well in sweet or savory baking. Millet flour delivers a cake-like crumb to baked goods. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months or in the freezer for up to 12 months.
Potato Starch is used as a thickener for sauces, soups, and stews, or is used in baking with a combination of other flours (rarely by itself) and is a natural way to add moistness to many baked goods. Store potato starch in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months or in the freezer for up to 1 year.
Virgin Coconut Oil can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. When kept at room temperature, coconut oil will go in between being a liquid and a solid, which doesn’t affect the oil’s quality. It’s easier to measure out larger amounts of coconut oil when it is a liquid, so run the jar under warm running water before opening to liquify when measuring for this recipe.
This cold weather just won’t let up, so my cravings for comfort foods keep on coming! This recipe for Braised Chicken Thighs with Wild Rice Pilaf comes from the March 2015 issue of Cooking Light. It takes a little longer to make (~1 hour) so it’s probably better for a weekend meal.
You brown the chicken thighs in the same pot that you make the rice in, so it adds a subtle roasted flavor to the rice as well. This Braised Chicken Thighs with Wild Rice Pilaf recipe is also a one pot meal, so less dishes! The pilaf is loaded with carrots, Brussels sprouts, and golden raisins and work surprisingly well together!
Today (February 19) is National Chocolate Mint Day! With the cold temperatures across most of the U.S., I think we can all use a nice warm beverage to keep us toasty, and this is the perfect food holiday for such a beverage! So, I present: Spiked Mint Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate!
Blue Chair Bay must feel the same way, so I developed this non-dairy hot chocolate beverage to pair with their Coconut Spiced Rum. The coconut rum, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove is the perfect accompaniment to hot chocolate, don’t you think? To enhance the coconut flavor in the rum, I decided to use coconut milk which makes a rich and creamy hot chocolate base.
Rum always reminds me of warmer weather, and the Coconut Spiced Rum is no exception. Blue Chair Bay offers a collection of premium-blended rums inspired by multi-platinum singer-songwriter Kenny Chesney’s love of the island lifestyle. So even though most of us probably are not soaking up the sun at the moment, we can have our own little escape with this winter-weather treat!
For readers over 21 years of age, I also have an exciting giveaway! Blue Chair Bay has offered to give one bottle of Blue Chair Bay Rum to a lucky winner! Details after the recipe.
I am so excited to share this dish for Steamed Mussels in Saffron Broth with you for a few reasons:
I love mussels and am always looking for a new recipe to add to my rotation
This recipe looks fancy pants because it has saffron in it
BUT it’s really simple to make!
This is actually yet another recipe sent my way through the Cooking Light Diet plan. (That plan is on a roll. The menus are amazing!) They suggest serving it with an easy rice noodle mixture but if you’re feeling a little more carb-y, you could serve this with day old bread, over rice, or with pasta.
This sauce is amazing. I actually packaged up the leftover broth to use to make rice the next day. Why yes, I did love it THAT much.
This is another recipe from the Cooking Light Diet Plan. These tacos are great for a weeknight meal because it’s an under 30 minute recipe– it’s honestly mostly assembly.
As a reminder, if you’d like to try the Cooking Light Diet Plan along with me, use the code DIETSAVE20 to receive a special discount!
Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
I have been meaning to make this recipe for Chicken Satay forever; seriously, years. I don’t know why it took me this long because Chicken Satay is a pretty easy recipe, but for some reason I kept putting it off. And boy do I regret that. It’s so tasty! Honestly, what isn’t better with some peanut butter?
Chicken Satay is skewered chicken marinated in a peanut sauce that is typically eaten as an appetizer or street food. By adding a side of brown rice, this turns into an easy dinner!
This Chicken Satay recipe actually has you ground your own peanuts with some other ingredients to make a sauce rather than starting with peanut butter. The result is really tasty!
Ingredients:
1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon toasted cumin seeds
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (~2 limes)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 garlic cloves
1 shallot, peeled
1/3 cup light coconut milk
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 serrano chile, stem removed
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
I spent the last two weeks in total holiday mode. With my birthday, Christmas, and getting engaged all in the past couple of weeks, it’s been one big celebratory meal! I’ve done very little cooking and a whole lot of eating, so it’s time to get back into a normal cooking/eating schedule again.
Now that Santa has waved from his sleigh in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, it is officially the Christmas season! (Does anyone else use this reference, or just my family?)
New York may have the “official” start of the Christmas season, but Philadelphia is filled with its own wonderful holiday traditions from the old (going to the old Wanamaker building, now Macy’s, to see the holiday light show) to the new (ice skating at the outdoor rink on the Delaware Waterfront), but one of my absolute favorites is going to Christmas Village, located in LOVE Park (15th and JFK Boulevard).
Going to the open-air German Christmas Market, open daily between Thanksgiving and Sunday, Dec 28, is a priority of mine this time of year. Sixty-five international and local merchants and artists offer high-quality gifts that are sold in decorated tents and wooden houses located throughout Center City’s famous LOVE Park. With toys, apparel, jewelry, decorations, home goods, artwork and more, there will be something for everyone on Santa’s list.
Daily market hours starting Black Friday through the last Sunday in December will be Friday through Saturday 11:00am to 8:00pm, and Sunday through Thursday 11:00am to 7:00pm. Christmas Eve hours are 11:00am to 5:00pm (closed on Christmas Day).
Follow the smell of gingerbread and waffles to a full menu of European food, sweets and drinks, including mouthwatering German bratwurst or schnitzel served on a warm roll (Brötchen). Wash it all down with a warm mug of traditional German Glühwein (spiced mulled wine) or rich hot chocolate.
On top of the great shopping and dining experiences, be sure to check out the huge Christmas Tree in LOVE Park, a Wish Wall in conjunction with the Make-a-Wish Foundation, a new kid’s zone on the weekends, theme days and weekends, tasting cheese and wine tours, live music during evenings and weekends, and other surprises to be announced.
So to get in the spirit, I wanted to make a traditional German Holiday Cookie to celebrate the return of Christmas Village! Cinnamon Stars (or Zimtsterne) are made with almond flour base so they are actually gluten free. And even better, they can be stored for quite a while, and taste even better as time passes, making these the perfect cookie to give as a gift!
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more for rolling
16 ounces sliced almonds, with skin (about 4 1/2 cups)
