Every Mother’s Day, I make my mom a citrus-themed dessert. She loves lemon desserts, so I’ve made Earl Grey Lemon Squares and a Lemon Tart with Raspberry Shortbread Crust in the past. This year, I decided to make cupcakes, specifically Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes!
Why am I sharing this pink Gemelli with Brown Butter Beet Sauce recipe with you today? Well, I had a craving for beets … of all weird things to get a craving! Anyway, as I was searching for a yummy beet salad recipe, I came across a recipe for Cavatelli With Brown Butter Beets, Ricotta and Pistachios.
I was intrigued; I’ve never thought to use beets as a sauce for pasta!
What’s great about this recipe for Gemelli with Brown Butter Beet Sauce and Herbed Citrus Ricotta is that it doesn’t take that much time to make! Beets are typically roasted for 45ish minutes in the oven, but this recipe grates the beets before sauteing to cut down on their cooking time.
I changed the method a bit but the general idea is still there. The result of this Gemelli with Brown Butter Beet Sauce is a beautiful brightly colored pasta with great flavor. It reheats wonderfully as well!
Ingredients:
3 beets, peeled and finely grated in a food processor
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta
1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, more to taste, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 16 oz box gemelli (or other pasta of your choice)
I have to admit, kale is really not my favorite green. It tends to, well, taste like a leaf. So I was intrigued when I came across this recipe for Crispy Coconut Kale on Food 52 by Ashley Couse of Bloom & Nourish. The recipe pairs the kale with oven-roasted salmon, spicy sweet potatoes and creamy coconut rice. I couldn’t wait to try these flavors together!
Note: This recipe for Crispy Coconut Kale with Roasted Salmon Sweet Potatoes and Coconut Rice is gluten free and is thisclose to being Paleo. To make it Paleo-friendly, just do not make the rice.
Ingredients:
1 cup jasmine rice, uncooked (omit to make paleo)
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons coconut aminos
1 tablespoon Sriracha
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1 bunch lacinato kale, ribs removed and sliced into strips
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)
I’ve never fully understood traditional potato salad. Mayo on potatoes just doesn’t appeal to me, especially on hot summer days where you always seem to find it as a side at barbecues and picnics, which is why this recipe for Whole Grain Mustard Potato Salad appeals to me!
I came across a whole grain mustard based potato salad from 1st & Fresh Catering a while back that had no mayo and was absolutely delicious. I’ve been meaning to try to make my own version ever since. So when our friends said they were having people over this weekend to barbecue, I knew exactly what I was going to make! (These poor friends of mine are always my taste testers for new recipes, from Cornbread to Brownies with Grilled Fruit. Hopefully they don’t mind!)
This recipe does include some Greek yogurt to keep the dish creamy but is fairly minimal. To kick the flavor up a notch, I included some of Healthy Solutions Spice Blends’Salmon with Dill Spice Blend. The spice blend includes dill (of course), onion powder, and garlic powder along with some other spices that I thought would really complement the whole grain mustard. The result is a spicy potato salad that is sure to be a hit!
Note: Healthy Solutions Spice Blends sent me samples of some of their blends including the Salmon with Dill.
On Saturday, May 3 from 11:00 to 8:00 pm, eight blocks of South Street will showcase the best restaurants, bars, food trucks, live music, and shopping the street has to offer at a huge block party! The free, all-ages Spring Festival will be held on South Street between Front and 8th and will also run along the 2nd Street Plaza between South and Lombard. There will also be three main stages and eight other performance areas along the festival featuring live music.
During the Festival, Brauhaus Schmitz will also host their second annual German Maifest on the 700 block of South Street featuring German beers, dancers, music, food, flower headbands and even a May pole!
I was invited to attend a media preview at Brahaus Schmitz and got to taste and sip some of the offerings you can find at the Festival.
Everything was delicious! Be sure to look out for the sausage and potato salad from Brauhaus Schmitz, the Shepard’s Pie from Cavanaugh’s Headhouse, the Short Rib Tacos from Bridget Foy’s, the Sliders from Redwood, and the Lobster Rolls from Headhouse Crab and Oyster. Twisted Tail was also serving up Mint Juleps which should not be missed!
We also got to learn some German dance moves! Many thanks to all the chefs, mixologists, and everyone else who helped make the media event a success!
I decided to try my own hand at making a Lobster Roll and found this recipe for Lobster Rolls with Shaved Fennel and Citrus in Cooking Light’s Global Kitchen Cookbook. These are a bit different from the Headhouse Crab & Oyster ones so be sure to check out their version at the Festival!
Ingredients:
3 cups coarsely chopped cooked lobster meat
2 tablespoons olive oil mayonnaise
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb (about 1 medium bulb)
After a “meh” Stitch Fix box in December (I didn’t even post about it although I kept two items), I was really hoping this box would be a better fit. There were still some misses, but for the most part I really enjoyed what I was sent!
Passover begins tonight so I wanted to share a recipe I found from Martha Stewart for Haroset Braised Short Ribs that is Passover-friendly. The recipe can be made ahead of time and reheated but I just made it all in one day (this is definitely a recipe that involves some time to make– 5-ish hours. It might work well as a slow cooker dish. I will have to try that in the future!)
The short ribs are braised in Manischewitz wine and then served with a deconstructed Haroset, resulting in a really delicious dish!
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless beef short ribs
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
5 small carrots (about 1 pound), 1 roughly chopped, 4 halved lengthwise and reserved
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 cups Blackberry Manischewitz wine
3/4 cups red-wine vinegar
1/4 bunch fresh thyme
1/4 bunch fresh curly-leaf parsley, plus sprigs for garnish
It’s that time of year again, East Passyunk Avenue’s “Flavors of the Avenue” is almost here! From noon to 4 pm on Saturday, April 26, the best of East Passyunk’s restaurants will be offering samples of their signature dishes and drinks.
General admission for the Food Tent opens at 1pm and includes Skinny Girl wine and Samuel Adams beer. Outside of the tent enjoy a free street festival with live music by We Are Fauna and The Drive-Ins, vendors and the April Showers craft show at the Fountain hosted by Crafty Balboa.
Tickets are $30 for General Admission but are going fast, so be sure to pick up your tickets ASAP! VIP tickets are actually already sold out!
I attended a media night to sample some of the offerings and am so excited for the main event. I attended the actual event last year and it did not disappoint! I have a review of some of the samples I had during the media event but also wanted to share my version of a drink recipe that was served by Stateside called a Pom Collins cocktail – a spin on a Tom Collins with pomegranate juice. Unfortunately this delicious drink will not be served at Flavors of the Avenue … you’ll have to stop by Stateside after to enjoy it!
When making dinner on weeknights, I am always looking for a recipe that I can have made in 30 minutes or less. But that doesn’t mean I’m willing to compromise on flavor! This Food and Wine recipe braises the chicken in a shallot and more sauce and then is topped off with some lemon juice. Serve it with steamed asparagus for a delicious spring-themed dinner!
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (or olive oil to make paleo)
Stuffed mushrooms are one of my favorite appetizers, they always hit the spot! So when Jimmy Dean contacted me about their new Fully Cooked Sausage Crumbles, I knew I wanted to use the crumbles in stuffed mushrooms.
I adapted this recipe from one I found on the Jimmy Dean website. It comes together very quickly, in about 30 minutes. It’s simple enough to whip up when you need an appetizer in no time!
Ingredients:
12 oz medium sized mushrooms, stems removed
1 package Jimmy Dean® Sausage Crumbles, Original
1 garlic clove, minced
2 eggs
¾ cup dry Italian bread crumbs, divided
½ cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
#spon: I’m required to disclose a relationship between our site and Jimmy Dean. This could include Jimmy Dean providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.
I’m so ready for spring. I am trying to will the warmer weather to be here ASAP by making a bunch of spring-themed posts. Sara Lee must have read my mind because they contacted me about using their yummy pound cake in a recipe — what better way to show off Sara Lee Pound Cake than with a trifle?
These mini berry trifles use fresh berries, pound cake, and fresh whipped cream with lemon curd, making a yummy and bright spring dessert. I made them in mini trifle bowls but you can adapt this recipe to go in a traditional trifle bowl.
Ingredients (makes 4 mini trifles):
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 jar ( roughly 11 oz) lemon curd
1 Sara Lee pound cake, defrosted
strawberry jam
1 pint blueberries
1 pint raspberries
2 strawberries, halved
#spon: I’m required to disclose a relationship between our site and Sara Lee. This could include the Sara Lee providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.
Yes, it’s technically spring. But. It snowed last night here. So it’s not time just yet to delve into super springy recipes. Sigh.
So this recipe for Pesto Pasta with Peas is a happy medium. The bright green color is a nod that spring weather is (hopefully) not too far away. It is still a warm dish though, so it is good for colder nights. (This recipe from Inda Garten is originally a pasta salad, so it can absolutely be eaten cold as well)
Ingredients:
Pesto:
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pine nuts
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pasta:
3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
fresh pesto (see recipe below), to taste
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
Brown rice can take a while to cook but it makes for a great base for a yummy meal. If you don’t want to wait for traditional brown rice to cook, you can always use the microwave pouches to get this dinner ready in no time. This recipe is from Cooking Light. Ingredients:
This is probably apparent with the different types of recipes I post but I really like some variety in what I eat. As a kid, I ate the exact same meals every day because I was so picky, so now that I’ve (luckily) grown out of that, I want something new and different each time I cook.
I was just send Cooking Light’s latest cookbook: Global Kitchen: The World’s Most Delicious Food Made Easy that is filled with recipes from around the world. The recipes can be made with ingredients you can find in your supermarket, making it a great way to experiment with new flavors. There are so many recipes I plan to try in this book, and you can expect to see quite a few showing up on my blog! Cooking Light also sent me an extra copy of Global Kitchen so I am giving one away at the end of this post!
This recipe for Fish in Coconut Curry (Mtuzi wa Samaki) takes a bit longer than most I post on here (~45 minutes) but is well worth the time. Because the recipe makes a really delicious sauce, I served it over rice. I also adapted it slightly to fit with what was available at my supermarket.
According to Global Kitchen, the recipe is based on a Tanzanian dish although fish curry originated in Zanzibar: Tanzania sits at a crossroads in the spice trade routes from India. That’s why Indian spices ended up in so many Tanzanian dishes like this fish curry. The dish originated in Zanzibar but is now enjoyed all over the eastern coast of Africa. Coconut milk enriches the curry and gives it a tropical flavor.Ingredients:
