Tag: Make Ahead

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

You’ve probably noticed that I’m a huge fan of slow cooker recipes; I have almost 50 slow cooker recipes on this blog! Slow cooker meals work great for make ahead meals, feeding a crowd, and getting that “cooked-all-day” flavor.

I was sent Phyllis Good’s latest cookbook Stock the Crock, which is right up my alley. The cookbook has 100 delicious, tried-and-true recipes, plus 200 easy to follow variations for any dietary preference, such as gluten-free, paleo, vegan, etc.

There are a ton of awesome sounding recipes, but a recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala caught my attention. Gotta love a make-at-home takeout favorite!

This recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is incredibly simple but really delivers on flavor.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (15 oz) can tomato puree
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 2 small onions, chopped, divided
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • pinch sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 1/4 cup red onions, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

Continue reading Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Slow Cooker Parmesan Herb Pork Loin with Chunky Tomato Sauce

For whatever reason, I tend to shy away from making pork or ham.

So when my friend and I were having our cooking marathon, I figured it was a good time to add one in for some variety.

We found this Southern Living recipe for Slow Cooker Parmesan Herb Pork Loin with Chunky Tomato Sauce on myrecipes.com. I couldn’t resist a freezer friendly slow cooker meal, especially when it’s served over pasta!

(Please excuse the quality of these photos. This recipe was too good not to share, even with crummy photos!)

Ingredients:

  • 3 small onions (~2 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion)
  • 1 large carrot (~1 cup chopped carrots)
  • 1 large fennel bulb (~1 3/4 cups chopped fresh fennel bulb)
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 3 1/3 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 (1.5 lb) boneless pork loin roast
  • 1 (16 oz) box spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

Continue reading Slow Cooker Parmesan Herb Pork Loin with Chunky Tomato Sauce

Fall Sangria

Summer stuck around for a while in Philadelphia; it’s now October and the weather is just starting to feel like fall, so it’s time for some Fall Sangria!

I’ve wanted to make a fall sangria for weeks now, but wanted to wait for cooler weather to truly enjoy it!

I picked up a bottle of spiced rum from a local distiller, Cooper River Distillers a while ago, and have been patiently waiting for fall weather to enjoy their Driftwood Dream Spiced Rum in a recipe.

This fall sangria recipe includes red wine, apple cider, pomegranate juice, and spiced rum to make a tasty fall-inspired sangria.

Sangria:

  • 1 bottle red wine
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
  • the juice of 1/2 orange
  • 3/4 cup spiced rum
  • 1/4 cup spiced simple syrup (recipe below)
  • 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 orange, thinly sliced into half moons
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
  • cinnamon-sugar, for garnish, if desired

Spiced Simple Syrup:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 5 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 allspice berries
  • 2 cardamom pods, smashed
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Continue reading Fall Sangria

Pistachio Sugar Cookies

I almost always have pistachios in my house, they are a favorite of my husband and me. We both love them on their own, as a garnish, or incorporated into different recipes.

The flavor of pistachios is buttery and sweet, so they work really well in a number of different recipes. They are great in savory recipes sprinkled on top of a meal, or added to baked goods.

October is National Cookie Month, so what better time to try out a new cookie recipe?

This Pistachio Sugar Cookies recipe incorporates one of my favorite nuts into a chewy sugar cookie.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup shelled pistachios, divided
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Continue reading Pistachio Sugar Cookies

Frozen Cinnamon Peach Oatmeal Cups

Note: I was sent a box of various Bob’s Red Mill products to make the below recipe. Opinions are mine alone.

I’m still rolling through the freezer-friendly recipes my friend and I made a couple of weeks ago. This recipe for Cinnamon Peach Oatmeal Cups was specifically for her oldest son, who absolutely loves oatmeal, particularly when topped with cinnamon and fresh peaches.

 

This freezable version of Cinnamon Peach Oatmeal Cups substitutes in frozen peaches, but the tradeoff for convenience should make it worth it.

These make a tasty breakfast readily available any day of the week, and can be customized to fit specific tastes.

We made these using Bob’s Red Mill Organic Regular Rolled Oats, which Bob’s Red Mill was kind enough to send my way.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Organic Regular Rolled Oats
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more, to taste
  • 6-12 frozen sliced peaches (depending on muffin/cupcake tins used)

Continue reading Frozen Cinnamon Peach Oatmeal Cups

Lemony Red Lentil Soup

Note: I was sent a box of various Bob’s Red Mill products to make the below recipe. Opinions are mine alone. 

Lentils are one of those foods that I wish I had experimented with earlier in my cooking. They are easy to cook, really tasty, and packed with nutritional goodness. Just one serving (1/4 cup) of red lentils has 14g of fiber and 13g of protein. Red lentils in particular are great for soups and stews because they cook really quickly and break down when heated, making for a nice thickened base.

This Lemony Red Lentil Soup is adapted from a New York Times Cooking recipe. I mostly kept to the original recipe, but increased the spice and lemon and added in another carrot.

The half chunky half smooth soup is super comforting and makes for a really satisfying lunch or dinner.

My friend and I made this during our cooking day and froze it for future meals.

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  •  1/4 teaspoon ground chile powder, plus more for garnish
  • 1 quart chicken broth (or vegetable broth to make vegetarian)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Red Lentils
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
  •  The juice and zest of 2 lemons
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

Continue reading Lemony Red Lentil Soup

Coconut Matcha Muffins

Note: I was sent a package of Matcha Green Tea from Tenzo Tea in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I’ve been on a bit of a muffin kick recently. I’m trying to make sure we have as many “quick meals” as possible on hand during the busy fall season!

 

I was recently contacted by Tenzo Tea, a matcha green tea company that is based in Los Angeles. They were kind enough to send me some Tenzo Matcha to try in a recipe.

 

Matcha is finely powdered green tea leaves. To make into a tea, you just add a teaspoon of matcha powder to hot water and whisk until frothy. Because you ingest the whole tea leaves (rather than just steeping leaves in normal tea), there are a bunch of health benefits attributed to matcha.

I have never tried matcha before, but my sister is a huge fan, so I figured it was worth my time. Coconut matcha lattes seem to be quite a popular way to enjoy matcha, so I decided to turn that into a muffin I could enjoy during the week.

 

I based this recipe off of Smitten Kitchen’s Double Coconut Muffins, with a few tweaks.

 

Tenzo Tea was kind enough to provide a promo code for I Can Cook That readers. Use code cancook to receive 15% off a one-time purchase!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons matcha powder
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Continue reading Coconut Matcha Muffins

Freezable Ratatouille

This Freezable Ratatouille is another recipe my friend and I made last weekend during our cooking marathon. This time of year is perfect for making a huge batch of ratatouille and freezing it!

Ratatouille is a produce-heavy dish, using eggplants, zucchini, onions, and peppers. My friend doesn’t really love eggplant, so I used fairy tale eggplants which are smaller, with thinner skins and are a bit sweeter than regular eggplants.

This Freezable Ratatouille also allows you to do a lot of the prep work ahead of time. The vegetables are cooked separately, so prep work does go into a bunch of bags, but it makes the cooking process much easier. We used a recipe from The Kitchn as our base.

Ingredients (makes 8 to 10 servings):

  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 3 medium green bell peppers, chopped
  • 6 to 8 medium zucchini, cut into bit sized pieces
  • 4 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 fairy tale eggplants
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1/4 cup basil, sliced into ribbons, plus more for garnish
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Freezable Ratatouille

Chunky Beef and Vegetable Chili

Note: I was sent a box of various Bob’s Red Mill products to make the below recipe. Opinions are mine alone.

This past weekend, a friend and I got together to stock our freezers. The fall is a super busy time of year for most, so we wanted to have a variety of meals ready to make some nights (and mornings) easier. We settled on eleven (11!) recipes, organized a shopping list split between the two of us, and set up prep work (chopping veggies for the most part) for the night before. The next morning, we met at my place and got to cooking!

Chili is a go-to freezer recipe. Not only does it freeze well, but it works great on its own, with cornbread, over polenta, as a “dip” with corn chips, with eggs for breakfast, etc. This recipe originally began as a vegetarian chili, but we had more ground beef leftover, so in it went!

I am a firm believer that dried beans make for a tastier dish than canned beans. There is some prep work needed, but it is very much worth it. I used Bob’s Red Mill Red Kidney Beans and Cannellini Beans for this recipe.

source: bobsredmill.com

We made a LOT of this chili, somewhere around 20 servings, so I’ve scaled it down for this post to make it more appropriate. Feel free to double if needed.

Note: I will share and link all of our recipes below. It was quite a successful cooking day!

Ingredients (makes 8-10 servings):

  • 12 oz dried Bob’s Red Mill Red Kidney Beans (~1/2 bag)
  • 12 oz dried Bob’s Red Mill Cannellini Beans (1/2 bag)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (in bite sized pieces)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large red bell peppers
  • 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (28 oz) can no-salt-added tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Continue reading Chunky Beef and Vegetable Chili

Blackberry Peaches and Cream Cake

Note: I was sent some coupons for Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk in order to make this Blackberry Peaches and Cream Cake. Opinions are mine alone.

Last weekend, I had friends over for dinner. Planning what to eat dinner was pretty easy, until I realized I hadn’t thought of a dessert!

Luckily, I had picked up some Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk the last time I was at the supermarket and had the remaining ingredients on hand as well so that I could make this Blackberry Peaches and Cream Cake.

Not only is this Blackberry Peaches and Cream Cake super tasty, it can be made with pantry items without needing to make another trip to the supermarket. So it’s the perfect “just in case” recipe to make when needed!

This recipe is adapted from a recipe on Eagle Brand‘s website for Peaches and Cream Cake.

Ingredients:

  • 1 package angel food cake mix (or frozen angel food cake, thinly sliced)
  • 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 (4-serving size) package instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 pint heavy cream (or frozen whipped topping)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon orange extract
  • ~1.5 pounds frozen peaches, thawed
  • ~1 pint fresh blackberries (or frozen fruit of your choice, thawed)

Continue reading Blackberry Peaches and Cream Cake

Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad

My mom makes a mean pasta salad. Her mayo-less version is a mostly traditional Italian pasta salad which marinates in an Italian salad dressing for a few hours before enjoying.

This Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad version is based on hers, but I decided to make it all the more summery but adding grill-friendly vegetables.

This is mostly a make ahead recipe. Right before serving (or while grilling up the main dish), you just add the veggies to the grill, then toss into the pasta.

I made this Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad for friends with my recipe for Grilled T-Bone Steak with Gremolata.

Ingredients:

  • 2 boxes tri-colored pasta
  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 bell peppers, any color, chopped
  • 1 (8 oz package) sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 1 yellow squash, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

Marinade

  • 2 tablespoons garlic salt
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1 cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 cups olive oil

Continue reading Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

 Note: This post is sponsored by Moyer Beef. All opinions are mine alone.

Sunday night in my house is pasta night, which almost always means pasta with a meaty tomato sauce. I tend to make Meatballs in Tomato Sauce in batches about once a month and freeze it for future Sundays.

It’s funny, I make this recipe all the time and yet

  1. I had no clue what measurements I was putting into my sauce, and
  2. never posted the recipe to my blog!

Continuing my partnership with Moyer Beef, I decided it was about darn time I actually figured out what exactly I make every month and to share it on here.

These meatballs are half ground beef and half hot Italian sausage. It adds a touch of heat to the overall sauce without being actually spicy.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

  • 1 lb 80% lean ground beef (I used Moyer Beef’s 81% lean ground beef chuck)
  • 1 lb hot Italian sausage removed from its casing
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Tomato Sauce:

  • 1 lb beef short ribs (1-2 pieces)
  • 1 lb 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 2 (28 oz) cans strained tomatoes (can substitute tomato puree)
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Blackberry Peach Slow Cooker Crumble

My husband absolutely loves peaches, specifically peach desserts. However, peeling and slicing a bunch of peaches is kind of a pain. So, hooray for frozen cut peaches! Also hooray for slow cooker dessert recipes, like this Blackberry Peach Slow Cooker Crumble!

This recipe, adapted from a Cooking Light recipe, is really simple. Just mix together a few ingredients, add to your slow cooker, and wait.

Three hours later, your house will smell fantastic, and you’ll have enough Blackberry Peach Crumble to feed a crowd! Just top with ice cream and dig in!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill Regular Rolled Oats)
  • 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour)
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (or margarine for vegan-friendly), melted and cooled to room temperature
  • Cooking spray
  • 5 (10 oz) bags frozen cut peaches, thawed
  • 3 cups blackberries

Continue reading Blackberry Peach Slow Cooker Crumble

Arepas Pabellón

This recipe for Arepas Pabellón is inspired by a visit to an absolutely delicious Venezuelan restaurant. Last week, I checked out one of Philly’s newest restaurants: Puyero Venezuelan Flavor.

source: puyeroflavor.com

Located just off of South Street on S 4th, the restaurant serves Venezuelan street food including arepas, patacones and tequenos, plus yummy desserts like churros.

The 22-seat restaurant is vibrant and colorful, very welcoming. I enjoyed reading a selection of Venezuelan sayings that decorate one of the walls; my favorite: “Más hambre que piojo en peluche” or “I’m hungrier than a tick on a teddy bear.”

Owned by brothers Simon and Gil, and Gil’s wife Manuela, the restaurant has a very “homey” feel to it. The entire menu is available for lunch and dinner, with brunch options coming in the spring. You can also order delivery through Caviar (which I’ve totally already done. Hence the photos below, showing my delivery food).

While there, I tried quite a few menu items, but my favorites were the tequenos, white cheese wrapped in deep fried dough, and arepas pabellon, which is an arepa filled with shredded beef, black beans, fried sweet plantains, and white cheese.

I wanted to try to make Arepas Pabellón for myself at home. This recipe can be made ahead of time, reheated, and assembled when ready to eat.

 

Shredded Beef:

  •  garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 4
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce

Arepas:

  • 1 1/2 cups masarepa (a type of cornmeal found in the international section of most supermarkets. white or yellow is fine)
  • 1 1/2 cups water, or more if needed
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Fried Sweet Plantains:

Other Fillings:

  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • queso blanco

Continue reading Arepas Pabellón

Cape Malay Curry

My husband and I (obviously) love trying new and different recipes. Living in Philadelphia, we are lucky enough to have a pretty solid restaurant scene, covering quite a range of cuisines. So my interest is always peaked by a recipe I haven’t tried before that comes from a different part of the world and I can make at home, like this recipe for Cape Malay Curry.

Cape Malay Curry comes from Cape Town, South Africa. Beginning in the 17th century, slaves from Indonesia and Southeast Asia were brought to work the farms of Cape Town, South Africa. Known as Cape Malays, the name “Cape” is derived from the Cape of Good Hope and “Malay” refers to the community’s Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean ancestry.

The Cape Malay community has had a lot of influence on South African foods, particularly with the introduction of certain spices, hot sauces, and curries. This chunky beef stew is a sweet and savory curry dish, which reminds me a bit of my husband’s favorite meal, Slow Cooker Chicken and Chickpea Tagine, so I had a feeling we’d like this recipe.

This is definitely a weekend meal; it simmers on the stove for 2 hours. However, it could easily be multiplied to make a large batch and frozen for future meals.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 1/4 cups less-sodium beef broth
  • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper (about 1 medium)
  • 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
  • 1/3 cup apricot spread
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk (or coconut milk to make dairy-free)
  • 1 cup cooked rice

Continue reading Cape Malay Curry

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