Tag: I Can Cook That

Thai Coconut Mussels

I am excited to announce that I will be a Perfect Protein Blogger for the summer, to help promote a book called The Perfect Protein: The Fish Lovers Guide to Saving the Oceans and Feeding the World. Written by Andy Sharpless, the CEO of Oceana, and Suzannah Evans, the book discusses how protecting, maintaining, and consuming wild seafood can help to fight both famine and obesity globally.

Thai Coconut Mussels

I am only a few chapters in to the book and already find it fascinating. The general idea behind the book is to try to eat seafood, but to try to eat WLLS: Wild, Local, Little, and Shellfish. Many supermarkets, such as Whole Foods, label their seafood which makes sticking to these more sustainable choices a cinch. But even without the labels, you can still find sustainable options at your local grocer.

As a food blogger, I immediately went to the back of the book, where there are 21 sustainable seafood recipes from some of the nation’s top chefs. They all sounded delicious, but I decided to start off my Perfect Protein posts with a recipe that is simple but packs a ton of flavor into the dish: Sam Talbot’s Thai Coconut Mussels. I love making mussels because they cook up so quickly. This recipe takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. (For another take on mussels, check out my recipe for Mussels in White Wine Garlic Sauce)


I altered the recipe a bit to make it into a meal for 2 instead of an appetizer. I also subbed in some ingredients for what I could find. All of these ingredients can be found in Whole Foods.

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lemongrass
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut
  • 1 pound mussels, debearded, scrubbed well, and washed clean
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sambal (chile-garlic paste)
  • 1 (13.6 oz) can coconut milk, divided
  • 2 tablespoons torn cilantro leaves, stems discarded
  • 2 tablespoons torn mint leaves, stems discarded
  • juice and zest of 2 limes
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup white rice, preferably jasmine rice

Continue reading Thai Coconut Mussels

Blueberry Mushroom Risotto

Blueberry Mushroom Risotto. Hear me out. I know you read the title of this post and probably thought I’ve officially lost it. But I promise you this is amazing. I first heard about this bizarre combo in a book called The Flavor Thesaurus: A Compendium of Pairings, Recipes and Ideas for the Creative Cook. This book is fantastic. It lists pairings, common and strange, to help make your cooking a bit more adventurous. I page through it all the time, and have learned some yummy pairings. But the one that has stuck out to me the most is the mushroom and blueberry combination.

Apparently northern Italy cooking commonly pairs fruit with mushrooms according to the book. Who knew? My fellow Philadelphian (and internationally known chef) Marc Vetri also has a porcini and blueberry lasagna in one of his cookbooks: Il Viaggio Di Vetri: A Culinary Journey.

So when I found myself the proud recipient of a bunch of mushrooms from To-Jo Mushrooms, I knew it was finally time to try it out. It has been a really crummy, rainy day so I was craving comfort food. Risotto is a perfect rainy day food: hearty, creamy, and absolutely delicious! I’m a huge fan of mushroom risotto so I was excited to try this spin on it. In the past, I’ve made a traditional Mushroom Risotto, as well as a Wild Mushroom Farro Risotto.

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup shallots, sliced
  •  3 slider mushrooms, sliced (or 2 large portobello mushrooms)
  • 1/4 cup assorted dry mushrooms, optional (I used a mixture of morel, chanterelle, and trumpet mushrooms)
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • salt and pepper, to taste

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Banana Bread Muffins

When I have time on Sundays (which isn’t terribly often), I like to make a batch of muffins so I have breakfast for the week. Because I had some overripe bananas, this week I decided to make Banana Bread Muffins. I was recently sent some coupons to try Kretschmer Wheat Germ products so I thought adding some of the Honey Crunch would add some nice texture and flavor to the muffins.

So what exactly is wheat germ? Wheat germ comes from the wheat kernel, which is the part removed when refining whole grains into white flour. Wheat Germ is a great source of Vitamin E, B vitamins and folic acid. You can find it in the cereal aisle. Wheat germ can be used in recipes calling for flour or breadcrumbs so its quite versatile. I’ve also used it in smoothies.

So that you can try wheat germ for yourself, Kretschmer is giving away some coupons good for free wheat germ products to an I Can Cook That reader! More on that below.

Ingredients (makes 12 cupcake-sized muffins, of 6 large muffins):

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup Kretschmer Honey Crunch Wheat Germ
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
  • 1/4 cup applesauce
  • 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • cinnamon, to taste

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Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salad

I am in a grilling mood so there is going to be an influx of barbecue recipes on here, I think very few people will complain. We finally have a grill, but haven’t set it up yet (oops) so I am still making this recipe on my grill pan. This is a recipe from Cooking Light in the latest issue. I made a few changes just based on what I could find but the recipe is primarily in tact.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
  • 3 tablespoons 0% Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallots
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon  chili powder
  • 2 ears yellow corn, shucked
  • 1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
  •  1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 sliced peeled ripe avocado

Continue reading Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salad

Lemon Tart with Raspberry Shortbread Crust

Almost every citrusy post I have on my blog is dedicated to my mom. She is obsessed with orange, lemon, bergamot, etc. So in honor of Mother’s Day, here’s another one!

As a Walkers Official Blogger Ambassador, Walkers Shortbread sent me an awesome assortment of treats my way to make a spring/Mother’s Day themed post. Walkers Rapsberry Thins was in the mix, my mom also loves raspberries, so I decided to use the rapsberry thins to make a shortbread crust for a lemon tart. To make it even more citrusy, I topped the tart with candied orange peel.

 

Ingredients:

Candied Orange Peel:
  • 2 oranges
  • Water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
Crust:
  • 1/2 cup finely ground Walkers raspberry shortbread thins cookies (about 6 cookies)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup salted butter (cold cut into small chunks)

Lemon filling:

  • 3 meyer lemons
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup meyer lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Mediterranean Stuffed Mini Peppers

I am less than one month away from attending Eat Write Retreat in Philadelphia and am getting so excited for it! Not only is the lineup awesome, but I get to meet a ton of other bloggers, what could be better? As we get closer to the big weekend, the attendees were sent a secret ingredient and were asked to try to incorporate into an appetizer recipe. I received California raisins, which people tend to think of more for sweet foods, but play off savory dishes oh so well. It goes without saying that I haven’t been able to get California Raisins’ classic commercial out of my head since I received them! OXO generously also sent us a few spiffy tools to help create our recipe; I can never have enough of their products!

Raisins are a great addition to a meal to add some sweetness without any added sugar. The dried fruit is loaded with antioxidants and fiber while being fat free and cholesterol free. Did you know that one serving of raisins (just 1/4 cup) has more potassium than a banana?

 I have a friend that absolutely raves about Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers that her grandmother used to make for her, with rice, nuts, spices, and golden raisins. I decided to make an appetizer version, using mini sweet peppers. My version of these Mediterranean Stuffed Mini Peppers are stuffed with a lamb-farro mixture that includes tomatoes, raisins, pine nuts, and a touch of lemon zest (using my new snazzy OXO zester (paid link)). The peppers are then topped with feta cheese and broiled to make this recipe for Mediterranean Stuffed Mini Peppers!

Ingredients (serves 8):

  • 16 mini sweet peppers, seeded
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped (no more than ½ cup)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ lb ground lamb
  • 2/3  teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 teaspoon cumin
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1  tablespoon tomato paste
  • the zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons golden raisins
  • 2 teaspoons raisins
  • 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
  • ½ cup cooked farro – I used Tuscan Fields vegetable farro
  • ¼ cup Feta, or to taste

Continue reading Mediterranean Stuffed Mini Peppers

Seared Scallops and Steak with Manhattan Sauce

I tend to make dinner based on what I’m in the mood for and my boyfriend just has to at least pretend to enjoy it. That involves a lot of fish, pasta, and rice which I’m sure can get a bit boring. So I thought it might be nice if I finally made some steak. But, naturally, I still included some scallops, because I’m still the one cooking! This recipe for Seared Scallops and Steak with Manhattan Sauce from Rachael Ray is simple, quick, but absolutely delicious. It’s a perfect date night meal.

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1 tablespoon
  • 2 New York Strip Steaks
  • 4 large diver sea scallops
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 large shallot, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/3 cup sweet vermouth
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 pound asparagus spears, trimmed
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tablespoon chives

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Steak Tacos with Lime Mayo

I had corn tortillas left over from making the Fish Tacos with Tomatillo Sauce. I needed another taco recipe that was completely different flavor-wise than the fish tacos, so I went for Cooking Light’s Steak Tacos with Lime Mayo in the May issue. (Note: the May issue has a ton of taco recipes, even a dessert one!)

Ingredients:

  • 20 baby sweet peppers
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
  • 3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
  • the zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 2 garlic cloves, mined
  • 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • 1/2 cup refrigerated fresh salsa
  • 2 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

Continue reading Steak Tacos with Lime Mayo

Fish Tacos with Tomatillo Sauce

I’m having a busy week at work, so I need some quick meals that still taste delicious but I can make in no time. My go-to for quick meals are Cooking Light’s tacos. I don’t know how they do it, but their taco recipes are awesome. Here’s one of their newest, from this month’s issue.

Ingredients:

  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 medium tomatillos, husked and rinsed
  • 1/2 medium jalapeno pepper
  • 1/2 cup cilantro stems
  • 3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 2 cups very thinly sliced red cabbage
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

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Watermelon Feta Salad

East Passyunk Avenue is hosting “Flavors of the Avenue” this Saturday, an event where 25 restaurants will be handing out samples from their menus. I was given the opportunity to go to a media tasting for this event a few weeks back and have been unable to think about anything else since! I am SO excited for this event!

I must not be alone, pre-sale tickets are completely sold out, although some limited tickets will be available at the entrance to the tent on Saturday. During the media tasting, I was able to sample food from 7 of the participating restaurants.

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Fizzy Old-Fashioned

Last weekend, I had some friends over to celebrate my boyfriend’s birthday. I made a bunch of little bites for everyone to snack on, but I also wanted to offer a cocktail or two for everyone to try, like this Fizzy Old-Fashioned!

The most recent Cooking Light had this recipe for a Fizzy Old-Fashioned cocktail that sounded like a perfect warm weather drink. The recipe plays off a traditional Old Fashioned (muddled sugar and bitters, bourbon, orange rind) but adds in Blood Orange Soda to give it more flavor and a beautiful color!

Ingredients (4 servings):

  • 3/4 cup bourbon
  • The juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Peach bitters (or whatever bitters you have)
  • 2 cups chilled blood orange soda (such as San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa)
  • Ice
  • Garnish: orange rind twists

Note: Bourbon does include grains that contain gluten. However, distilled alcohol is considered gluten-free because the process of distillation removes the harmful gluten protein, which is why I have this recipe listed as gluten free. If you are highly sensitive to gluten, bourbon may be off limits for you.

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Rhuby-Lavender Lemonade

This weekend, we had two beautiful spring days: a little bit of chill in the air but sunshine and clear skies. To celebrate the return of outdoor weather, I wanted to make a lemonade. I found this Martha Stewart recipe for Lavender Lemonade and kicked it up a notch by adding in some Rhubarb Tea, a spirit made here in Philadelphia by the people at Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (the same makers of Sage, Root, and Snap).

Rhubarb Tea, or Rhuby, is made from rhubarb, beets, carrots, lemon, petitgrain (an essential oil extracted from the green twigs of a bitter orange plant), cardamom, pink peppercorns, coriander, vanilla, and pure cane sugar and delivers a tangy yet sweet flavor, perfect for this drink! Even better, the ingredients are all certified organic.

Ingredients (this recipe makes 4 drinks):

  • 4 lemons
  • 1/2 cup dried lavender
  • 1/2 cup raw honey
  • 6 oz Rhubarb tea

Continue reading Rhuby-Lavender Lemonade

Peeps S’mores

Anyone else still have a house full of Peeps following Easter? Those poor little marshmallow leftovers are past even their somewhat stale crunchy stage and are just kind of hanging around at this point. So I decided it was about time to put them to good use. Peeps S’mores time!

Ever since I made the S’mores Milkshakes, I have had S’mores on my mind. So what better way to utilize a house full of sugar coated marshmallows than by making a batch of festive after-Easter Peeps S’mores?

Ingredients (makes 2 servings):

  • 2 graham crackers, halved
  • 1 chocolate candy bar, halved (milk or dark, I prefer dark)
  • 2 Peeps

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S’mores Shake

I am so excited to share this cookbook with you. It’s an entire cookbook dedicated to Milkshakes! I have a serious ice cream addition, so it should go without saying that I love milkshakes. Although I’m never one to turn down a simple chocolate or cookies and cream milkshake, this cookbook brings milkshakes to a completely different level. Malts & Milkshakes: 60 Recipes for Frosty, Creamy, Frozen Treats has everything from the classics, to modern flavors, and even boozy shakes. The Author, Autumn Martin, is the founder of Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery in Seattle, so she knows her desserts!

All of the recipes can be made using ingredients found in your supermarket, but it also includes recipes for making your own homemade ice cream if you’re feeling particularly fancy. There are so many inventive recipes in this book: eggnog, earl grey, salted caramel, and mango rose milk shakes to name a few. And those don’t even include the boozy milkshakes! My two favorite ones from that section: Chocolate Espresso Whiskey Malt and Chipotle Spice Sipping Chocolate Shake. This book is not messing around!

Another favorite was the S’mores Shake. Few things symbolize wonderful summer memories like S’mores. Chocolate, Marshmallow, and Graham Crackers sound like a perfect combination in a milkshake too! I changed the recipe up ever so slightly, but the general idea is still in tact.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 marshmallows, roasted
  • 1/4 cup milk (I used skim)
  • 6 scoops vanilla ice cream (~3 cups)
  • 2 scoops chocolate ice cream (~1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup crumbled graham crackers, plus more for garnish

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Brisket Ragout Over Pasta

As someone who went to Catholic school for most of my life, kosher cooking isn’t exactly something I was exposed to. I have a general understanding of what it means to keep kosher, but I really never took the time to delve into what it really means. I was recently sent a cookbook called The Kosher Carnivore: The Ultimate Meat and Poultry Cookbook by June Hersh. Not only is it filled with really delicious sounding recipes, but the author took the time to even include a “Kosher 101” in the introduction.

Did you know that giraffes are considered acceptable for human consumption as identified in the Torah? (Sorry, thought that was a fun fact). Animals that chew their cud and have cloven hooves are considered acceptable, which includes the more commonly eaten cow and lamb. Bird-wise, it seems a little more lenient. In general, predators or scavenger birds are prohibited but most birds are ok for consumption. Meat is considered kosher when it meets a specific criteria when slaughtered and butchered. Kosher eating also means that meat and dairy cannot be within the same meal, but neutral foods, like oil and eggs, can be used.

Whew. Ok. Now that I’ve completed Kosher 101, I’m ready to try to make a staple of Jewish cooking: brisket, specifically Brisket Ragout over Pasta! At the suggestion of the author, I shredded the brisket and served it in a ragout over pasta.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (2.5-3 lb.) brisket
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • olive oil
  • 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
  •  2 leeks, cleaned and and sliced
  • 2 medium onions, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes, drained
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 box farfalle pasta, cooked al dente
  • 1 cup panko
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

Continue reading Brisket Ragout Over Pasta

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