Tag: I Can Cook That

New Jersey Style Loco Moco

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.

adapted from Love and Olive Oil’s Loco Moco Recipe

Ingredients:

Coconut Rice:

  • 2 cups white sticky rice
  • 1 cup coconut milk

Soy Reduction:

  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or low sodium coconut aminos to make gluten free)
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha

Toppings:

  • 4 slices pork roll
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • ground pepper, to taste
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro

 

Note: White sticky rice is sold as sweet rice and can be found at specialty grocers and Asian food stores. I was able to find it at Wegman’s.

 

Continue reading New Jersey Style Loco Moco

Quick Meatball and Pasta Bake

Most Sunday nights in my house are Pasta Night. Typically, we just thaw a batch of homemade tomato sauce from the freezer to mix in with the pasta, but I am all out of my tomato sauce at the moment! Cooking Light to the rescue!

 

 

This recipe from Cooking Light is really quick and easy — it takes about 30 minutes to make. I adapted the recipe a bit, but the general concept remained the same. For the original recipe, visit myrecipes.com.

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces uncooked mini bow tie pasta (or ziti, rigatoni, etc.)
  • 1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 ounces 90% lean ground sirloin
  • 8 ounces sausage, removed from its casing
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 (28-ounce) can unsalted crushed tomatoes
  • 2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)

 

Continue reading Quick Meatball and Pasta Bake

Grilled Fruit with Bourbon Butter Sauce #BourbonBBQ

Did you know that May is National Barbecue Month? The weather is perfect for going outside and grilling, and with Memorial Day behind us, it’s time to take full advantage of grilling season!

 

I’ve partnered with Four Roses Bourbon to make an oh-so yummy summer barbecue-themed dessert. A lot of the steps of this can be made ahead of time to make serving the dessert easy enough for a weeknight.

 

This dessert includes ice cream, grilled fruit, a spiced bourbon butter sauce, and toasted pound cake pieces… what more could you ask for?!

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Four Roses Bourbon Yellow
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 cardamom pod (crushed with a knife)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 peach, quartered and pitted
  • 1 plum, quartered and pitted
  • 1/5 pound cake (~2 oz) cut into small cubes
  • vanilla ice cream

Continue reading Grilled Fruit with Bourbon Butter Sauce #BourbonBBQ

Slow Cooker Saucy Chicken Over Rice

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.

Ingredients:

  • 4 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (or 2 lbs thighs and 2 lbs drumsticks)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 3 cups hot cooked rice

Continue reading Slow Cooker Saucy Chicken Over Rice

Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry

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
  • 2 red bell peppers, sliced
  • 1 onion, vertically sliced into thin slices
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

 

Continue reading Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry

Tortilla Crusted Fish with Strawberry Avocado Salsa #strawberrymonth

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
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Salsa:

  • 1 cup finely chopped strawberries
  • 1/2 an avocado, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • zest of one lime
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper

 

Continue reading Tortilla Crusted Fish with Strawberry Avocado Salsa #strawberrymonth

Honey Mustard Roasted Rainbow Carrots

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!  

 

Ingredients

  • 1 (12 oz) bag rainbow baby carrots
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon local honey
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

Continue reading Honey Mustard Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Peanut Butter Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars

If you follow my Instagram, you may have seen what “tough” research I had to do this weekend for this post. With the 3rd Annual South Street Spring Festival just days away (Saturday, May 2), I visited Sweet Life Bakeshop at 7th and South to try their signature Banana Pudding.

This. Pudding. Is. Fantastic. I gobbled up the whole thing in minutes, so I’m surprised I even was able to get a photo of it beforehand!

Sweet Life Bakeshop’s banana pudding will be available at the South Street Spring Festival, along with nearly 30 other eateries, bars, and food trucks, so come hungry! From 11am to 8pm this Saturday, 8 blocks of South Street (between Front and 8th) will be shut down and turned into a huge (and free) block party!

Headhouse Plaza will also be in on the fun, so be sure to check out 2nd Street between South and Lombard. The plaza will be transformed into a giant lawn concert complete with grass, lawn chairs, games and beach balls!

Along with all of the delicious food, South Street will feature more than 40 bands on three stages and seven performance areas. Over 100 boutiques, small businesses and other other retailers will cater to your style, beauty, health, fitness and other shopping needs. In conjunction with the Festival, Brauhaus Schmitz will host the third annual German Maifest on the 700 block of South Street, with German beers, dancers, music, food, flower headbands and even a Maypole.  Outside of Atomic City Comics (638 South Street) look for free giveaways and character appearances during Free Comic Book Day.

Whew!  Ok so, to highlight one of the amazing offerings, I decided to make a spin on Sweet Life’s banana pudding — Peanut Butter Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars! This recipe is adapted from a Southern Living Banana Pudding Cheesecake recipe, but adds in some peanut-buttery goodness and then is topped with a drizzle of chocolate and some fresh whipped cream.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 22 vanilla wafers
  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

optional garnishes:

  • whipped cream
  • 1 oz semisweet chocolate
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • vanilla wafers

Continue reading Peanut Butter Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Earl Grey Cakes

We are coming up on Mother’s Day again! Every year, I make my mom a little treat that almost always include citrus and/or bergamot, and this year is going to be no different! (Previous years treats: Lemon Tart with Raspberry Shortbread Crust, Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes, and Lemon Earl Grey Squares; I even made her a Grapefruit Bergamot body scrub!)

 

 

I thought I’d try something a bit different (and chocolatey) this year, while still including Bergamot in the recipe (bergamot is what gives Earl Grey it’s signature flavor). This adapted recipe from Real Simple is for Mini Chocolate Earl Grey Bundt Cakes. Aren’t they cute?

 

 

This year, I am taking it one step farther and pairing a dessert with actual brewed tea to highlight one of the many awesome options for Mother’s Day Gifts from UncommonGoods (which you can find here and here). Wouldn’t this make an awesome Mother’s Day basket — Mini Chocolate Earl Grey Bundt Cakes, Loose Tea Leaves, and this gorgeous Glass Teapot with Stand?

 

 

UncommonGoods is one of my go-to sites for cool gifts that can’t be found just anywhere. It’s an online marketplace offering creatively designed, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.  Offerings include handmade goods  (half of what is sold on the site is made by hand) and personalized gifts.  All merchandise is produced without harm to animals or people, and about one-third of the collection incorporates recycled and/or upcycled materials. UncommonGoods also donates a portion of each order to a non-profit of your choosing including:  American Forests, Women for Women International, City Harvest, and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).

 

 

This beautiful Glass Teapot with Stand would make an amazing Mother’s Day Gift for any tea-loving mom, like mine.

 

 

The Teapot holds 30 oz of tea and comes with a removable glass tea infuser so you can make a perfectly brewed pot of tea using loose tea or tea bags with ease.

 

 

The bamboo stand includes room for a little tea light to keep your beverage warm as you enjoy it.

 

 

I used DavidsTea Glitter and Gold black tea, which is why you may notice a little shimmer to the tea. So pretty!

 

 

On to the recipe!

 

Ingredients:

  • 6 Earl Grey tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose Earl Grey
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Continue reading Chocolate Earl Grey Cakes

Smoked Sausage with Rigatoni

Whew. I am having a crazy busy month, so unfortunately my cooking is suffering. I can never have too many weeknight meal options (ie. meals that can be on the table in 30 minutes or less) at my disposal, so here’s another quick and easy dinner that comes together quickly- Smoked Sausage with Rigatoni! I tend to usually make chicken or seafood recipes, so I am finally doing a quick beef recipe!

 

This recipe for Smoked Sausage with Rigatoni uses Hillshire Farm’s Beef Smoked Sausage to add some yummy flavor to a quick fire roasted chunky tomato sauce. It’s a great alternative to chicken to snazz up a midweek meal.

The beef sausage cooks up in no time. Using the same pan to cook the sausage and to make the sauce gives the sauce a subtle smoky flavor that’s so tasty!

Ingredients:

  • 1 (16 oz) box rigatoni, cooked according to package directions
  • 1 package Hillshire Farms Beef Smoked Sausage, cut into slices
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped (~1 cup)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 2 (14.5 oz) cans Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • grated Parmesan cheese, optional

#spon: I’m required to disclose a relationship between our site and Hillshire. This could include Hillshire providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment. Continue reading Smoked Sausage with Rigatoni

Cheddar Corn Casserole #10minutewow

Ham is a given at my family’s Easter dinner table. And I’m not going to lie, I’m not the biggest fan. But I do love all of the sides that accompany it! So I wanted to share a side dish that would pair well with the ham but not take forever to prepare.

This Cheddar Corn Casserole from Del Monte’s website is filled with pure deliciousness: corn, cheese, breadcrumbs, bacon… what’s not to love?

The recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep and  then 35 minutes to cook. Del Monte actually has a section on their website highlighting all of their recipes that have 10 minutes or under prep time, so you can worry about the main dishes instead of the sides!

Ingredients:

  •  3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, about 12 oz.
  • 2 Tbsps. all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • ⅔ cup sliced green onions, divided
  • 1 tsp. hot sauce
  • 4 cans (15.25oz.ea.) Del Monte® Whole Kernel Corn, well drained
  • 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (omit to make vegetarian)
  • ½ cup diced red bell pepper, optional topping

 

Continue reading Cheddar Corn Casserole #10minutewow

Virtual Mad Men Finale Party – Steak in the Pan with Butter, Potatoes au Gratin, and a Perfect Manhattan

This Sunday is the beginning of the end of Mad Men. Sniffle. I have been a huge fan of the show for years and am sad to see it end. But that doesn’t mean I can’t still throw a little party of my own in celebration of the final premiere!

All week, bloggers have been  featuring their own spins on Mad Men-inspired recipes to gear up for the premiere this Sunday, when we will have a Virtual Mad Men Finale Party!

I adapted some recipes from The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook: Inside the Kitchens, Bars, and Restaurants of Mad Men by Judy Gelman and Peter Zheutlin. I wanted to cheers to Mad Men in style, so I made a version of Trudy’s Rib Eye in the Pan, Individual Potatoes au Gratin, and Perfect Manhattans.

If you’re a Mad Men fan, you probably remember Trudy calling Pete at the office early into their marriage asking what he wanted for dinner. His response: “Rib eye, in the pan, with butter.” So Pete, this one’s for you! This version is a pan-seared New York Strip Steak with cognac butter. (I made New York Strip Steaks instead of Rib Eye, because that would have just been way too much meat for me.)

The steaks are paired with an adapted version of Julia Child’s Potatoes au Gratin, served in individual crocks.

And what’s a Mad Men Party without a cocktail?? I decided to make a more modernized version of a classic, called a Perfect Manhattan, which refers to using equal parts sweet and dry vermouth.

If you want to also Party Like a Mad Man, you’re in luck! I also have a copy to give away! Details after the recipes.

 

Adapted from The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook

Ingredients:

Steak in the Pan with Butter:

  • 4 boneless New York Strip Steaks, ~1 inch thick
  • 4 teaspoons canola oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 oz cognac
  • 8 tablespoons butter

Potatoes au Gratin

  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 cup finely chopped onions
  • 1/2 pound raw potatoes (about 2-3 large potatoes), peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, crumbled (I used Valley Thunder from Valley Shepherd in Reading Terminal)

Perfect Manhattan

  • 8 oz rye whiskey (I prefer Dad’s Hat’s version that is finished in Vermouth barrels)
  • 2 oz dry vermouth
  • 2 oz sweet vermouth
  • 8 dashes bitters
  • maraschino cherries for garnish

Continue reading Virtual Mad Men Finale Party – Steak in the Pan with Butter, Potatoes au Gratin, and a Perfect Manhattan

Curry Shrimp in Coconut Milk

Next week, many Philadelphia restaurants will be participating in Caribbean Cuisine Week.

The week, held from April 8th – April 10th this year, helps raise funds to send over 700 high school athletes from Trinidad, Jamaica, St. Vincent and Grenada to attend the 2015 Penn Relays.

 

The Penn Relays is the largest track and field meet in the United States and draws over 110,000 people to Philadelphia each Spring.

 

 

CCW partners with restaurants throughout Center City by encouraging the Chefs to prepare Caribbean inspired dishes and offer as specials. The restaurants will donate 5% of food proceeds from the three day period to help bring the students to Philadelphia.

 

The list of participating restaurants can be found here. One of the restaurants participating, 48th Street Grille in West Philly, invited some local bloggers to check out their offerings. 48th Street Grille is a Caribbean-American restaurant led by Executive Chef Carl Lewis Sr. who is originally from Jamaica and brings the flavors and spirit of his home to his food.

 

 

Appetizers included garlic roasted shrimp, jerk chicken quesadillas, 5 island wings, and my personal favorite, conch fritters.

 

Garlic Roasted Shrimp
Jerk Chicken Quesadillas
5 Island Wings

Fried Conch Fritters

 

We were also treated to quite a few of their entrees, including sweet chili glazed salmon, jerk chicken, and savory curried chicken, which were all amazing. I am fairly certain I had dreams about the curried chicken sauce that night (I loved it so much, I didn’t even take a photo! boo), while my fiance was wowed by the flavors and tenderness of the jerk chicken.

 

Chili Glazed Salmon
Jerk Chicken

 

In case we weren’t full enough, we were also served mashed yams with scallions, green beans, and braised cabbage.

 

Mashed Yams with Scallions
Green Beans
Braised Cabbage

 

I wanted to share with you a Caribbean-inspired recipe given to me by CCW, in case you don’t live in the area and can’t participate next week.

I turned this recipe for Curry Shrimp in Coconut Milk into a main dish by serving it over coconut rice, but it also would work well as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

  • 2 (14 oz) cans lite coconut milk, divided
  • 1.5 cups uncooked rice (or about 1 can full)
  • 2 tablespoons margarine
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 1⁄2 tablespoons curry
  • 1/2 cup bell peppers, diced (I used an assortment of green, red, and orange peppers)
  • 1/2 cup plum tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 1⁄2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Continue reading Curry Shrimp in Coconut Milk

Swordfish with Macadamia Nut Crust and Papaya Salsa

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 ALOHA invites 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

Ingredients:

Papaya Salsa:

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallots
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 cup diced papaya

Swordfish:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted macadamia nuts
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 4 swordfish steaks, about 6 oz each
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Continue reading Swordfish with Macadamia Nut Crust and Papaya Salsa

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Nests

Every Easter, my fiance’s mom makes peanut butter nests for her sons to take home. They are made with chow mein noodles, mixed in a melted peanut butter sauce, shaped into little nests and topped with egg-shaped chocolate candies. And I absolutely love them! I look forward to eating more than my share of them each year, but this year I just couldn’t wait.

 

I had a craving for something chocolatey and peanut buttery so, I decided to make mine with semi-sweet chocolate as well as peanut butter. We were visiting my fiance’s brother and his wife last weekend, so I used them as an excuse to make the recipe!

 

They try to eat vegan as much as possible, so when I began assembling the ingredients for this recipe and realized how simple this recipe would be to make vegan, I did so! You can easily make these Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Nests non-vegan if you so choose.

 

Ingredients:
1 (12 oz) package chow mein noodles
1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
12 oz vegan semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup creamy peanut butter
~12 oz Jordan almonds or dark chocolate covered almond “eggs” (or any other candy that is egg-shaped if not making vegan) — you’ll need roughly 85 egg shaped pieces

 

Continue reading Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Nests

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