September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Annually, OXO highlights this month with a program benefiting Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, founded by two OXO employees who’s son battled pediatric cancer. Cookies for Kids’ Cancer provides inspiration and support to allow anyone to easily get involved in fundraising to find a cure for pediatric cancer.
To show support, OXO will donate up to $100,000* to support Cookies for Kids’ Cancer through the sales of specially marked items, bake sale matches, and other fundraising efforts. And that’s where this post comes in! OXO sent me a set of cookie-baking tools including specially marked OXO baking products with this Cookies for Kids’ Cancer sticker:
But they aren’t stopping there. For every stickered item sold, OXO will donate 25 cents in support of pediatric cancer research as part of its $100,000* pledge to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. Look for specially marked OXO products at participating retailers in September. (Here’s a list of OXO products that include the sticker.)
* In 2014, OXO will donate up to $100,000 to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer through specially marked baking tools, bake sale matches and other fundraising efforts. Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is a recognized 501c(3) public charity duly incorporated under the laws of the state of New Jersey. Your donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. 100% of proceeds raised by Cookies for Kids’ Cancer fund pediatric cancer research.
So my cookie-baking set came with a Cookie Press with Disk Storage Case, as well as a Cookie Spatula and a 3 Piece Spatula Set. OXO was even kind enough to send over their newest Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons! I have never made Spritz cookies before so I was really excited to try the Cookie Press out. Although Spritz cookies are typically thought of as a holiday cookie, OXO’s Cookie Press comes with plenty of other non-winter shapes, including a Leaf, Daisy, Sunflower, Buttercup, Fleur-de-lis, Butterfly, Shell, and Heart! (More winter-y shapes include a Bear, Snowflake, Tree, and Wreath)
The Republic of Tea is one of my favorite tea companies, their tea is so good! (One of my go-to’s is their Earl Greyer Tea) I also really like their packaging; the tins make it easy to transport and keep the tea bags more fresh than they would be in a box.
What makes this tea particularly noteworthy is that the caffeine content of this tea is enhanced with green tea extract and pure caffeine isolated from premium tea leaves, so it’s a great morning pick-me-up. This tea also has a natural coconut flavor and a touch of licorice flavor, making for quite the tasty tea! It’s really yummy with a splash of milk. To really enhance the coconut flavor, add a little turbinado sugar to your tea too. (You can now understand why my boyfriend stole this tea from me!) The HiCAF Toasted Coconut Black Tea is also gluten free, carb free, with no added sugars.
I love using tea and coffee in recipes and the flavors of this tea just begged to be used in a dessert! The inspiration for this recipe was a Sunset recipe for a Blackberry-Black Tea Sorbet. Because there is already a flavor of coconut in the tea, I wanted to further enhance that by turning this recipe for a sorbet into a vegan ice cream using coconut milk.
Making ice cream is really easy but it takes quite a bit of preparation. First, you need an ice cream maker. (Luckily my mom had one!) The bowl of the ice cream maker has to be frozen for at least 24 hours before it’s ready to use. For this particular recipe, the tea bags need to be steeped in the coconut milk, cooled, and refrigerated before making the ice cream. Plus the whole ice cream mixture needs a few hours in the fridge to get cold. Whew!
So, if you’re making this, be sure to prepare ahead!
I have been in full on grilling mode recently. I can’t seem to get enough of recipes made on the grill! So as the end of summer continues to creep closer, I am trying to get in all of the grilling I can. As much as I would love to grill in the colder months, I’m a wimp and know I just won’t stand out in the cold.
I’ve used indoor counter top grills in the past and really wasn’t thrilled with the cooking results — it didn’t seem to heat up enough to get proper grill marks, all of the juices would flow out of the grill making for a very dry protein, and I’d always under or overcook the meat.
Source: https://optigrill.t-falusa.com/
So when I was contacted to test out the T-fal OptiGrill as part of T-fal’s OptiGrill Blogger Bash, I had some reservations about if this grill would really live up to expectations. Well, I was really pleasantly surprised! What sets the OptiGrill apart is its Precision Grilling Technology that adjusts the cooking time and temperature depending on the type of protein and the thickness of whatever you’re cooking.
Source: https://optigrill.t-falusa.com/
The T-fal OptiGrill has a cooking level indicator with a color changing display that notifies you when your protein has reached rare, medium, or well-done. It also beeps when your food reaches each of the cooking stages. (Keep in mind that if you want your meat to rest before slicing, it continues to cook. So if you wanted a steak at medium rare and planned to let it rest for 5 minutes, you should probably take it out when the OptiGrill hits the “rare” notification.)
Source: https://optigrill.t-falusa.com/
The grill comes pre-programmed with 6 settings that adapt cooking temperature and times for different types of food: burger, poultry, sandwich, pork/sausage, red meat, and fish/seafood. There is also a frozen food function button so that you can cook your protein even when frozen; just push the snowflake button and then one of the 6 pre-programmed buttons. The grill will defrost and cook the protein in one easy step! When cooking fruits and veggies, just use the manual mode, which allows you to determine when the food is done cooking. The OptiGrill also takes into account the thickness of your food using an integrated thickness sensor so that the protein is fully cooked correctly.
The grill is made of brushed stainless steel with die-cast aluminum plates with a non-stick coating. The plates are removable for easy cleaning and are even dishwasher safe. The plates are angled so that drippings can flow into the removable drip tray, which surprisingly doesn’t leave the meat tough, dry, or chewy.
Want to see the grill in action? I decided to test it out with a yummy recipe from Cooking Light that uses both chicken thighs and chicken breasts. Chicken is so easy to overcook leaving a dry meal so I thought it would be a perfect way to test what this grill can really handle. This recipe also includes grilled pineapple so I was able to test out the manual setting as well. I made the marinade from this recipe for Jerk-style Chicken and the salsa from this recipe for Jerk Chicken with Grilled Pineapple Salsa.
I also am giving away one T-fal OptiGrill to one lucky reader, courtesy of T-fal OptiGrill! Details below the recipe.
Note: I was sent a T-fal OptiGrill to test for this review. T-fal is also offering one I Can Cook That reader the chance to win their own T-Fal OptiGrill. All opinions are my own.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1/4 cup fresh lime juice plus 1 tablespoon, divided (about 3 limes)
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon brown sugar (substitute 1 tablespoon molasses to make paleo)
I love the flavor that grilling adds to a recipe but I struggle with grilling protein to the correct temperature. This means we sometimes end up with dry, chewy and overcooked food or, even worse, super rare/raw meat.
Luckily, Verizon Wireless’ Philadelphia Tri-State Region team gave me the opportunity to try out an iGrill thermometer that not only displays the temperature, but also uses Verizon’s LTE 4G network to send me an alert when my protein has reached the temperature I want!
I was so excited about this product that I decided to really test it out and used it on a pretty finicky meat: lamb. Lamb is a protein that should be cooked to medium rare and not much more. It gets really tough and chewy if overcooked. It’s pretty easy to overcook as well; lamb continues to cook after being removed from heat so it has to be removed before reaching the ideal internal temperature for medium rare. Plus, it’s a pretty expensive meat so you want it to be perfect!
The iGrill Thermometer takes a lot of the guesswork out of the process. The thermometer comes with two probes so you can track the temperature of two meats at the same time. You just insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat (not touching a bone). The thermometer pairs with your phone through Bluetooth. Using the iGrill app on your smartphone, you can set a temperature or a timer to alert you when your meat is finished cooking. Pretty nifty, right?
Ingredients:
2 racks of lamb, rib bones frenched
salt and pepper, to taste
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
the zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, finely crumbled
note: “Frenched rib bones” means that the meat has been cut away from the end of the rib so that part of the bone is exposed
Grilled corn is one of my absolute favorite foods of summer. There is just nothing like a cob of sweet corn charred over a grill. Mmm. But as much as I love a simple corn on the cob, sometimes I need a little variety. This recipe from Bon Appetit gives me my beloved grilled corn, plus fresh herbs and tomatoes. What’s not to love?
This recipe also allows me to show off some of my favorite grilling tools, courtesy of OXO. I was sent some grilling essentials as a participant in OXO’s #WhatAGrillWants campaign, including a Corn Stripper, Silicone Basting Brush, and 16″ tongs. I was also sent a Bladed Meat Tenderizer (which I plan on using for steak in an upcoming recipe… stay tuned) and a Little Salad Dressing Shaker that is the perfect size for 2 servings; I will have a post including that little guy soon too!
source: oxo.com
The Silicone Basting Brush is perfect for grilling because it is head resistant, odor resistant, and easy to clean. I used it this time around to rub the corn with olive oil before grilling. The center bristles have circular gaps that hold on to the liquid as you transfer the sauce from the bowl to the food and the tapered outer bristles let you baste easily. Because the bristles are heat resistant to 600 degrees F, it’s a great tool to add an extra layer of barbecue sauce to a protein while grilling! The basting brush is also dishwasher safe.
My boyfriend was most excited about the 16″ tongs. They are stainless steel but have non-slip handles that make them safe for barbecuing. The long length is very much appreciated when working over a hot grill! The tongs also lock closed with a large pull tab that also doubles as a hole for hanging, great for my peg board! (You can also get the tongs in 9-inch and 12-inch sizes).
The corn stripper is the perfect tool for this recipe. I’ve mentioned on here before that I have a (ridiculous) fear of knives. So when trying to strip corn off a cob, I get a bit anxious. This tool makes it SO much easier without the risk! The corn stripper has a container that actually stores the kernels as you strip them from the cob; it holds up to 1/2 cup. You can then just pour the kernels out of the top of the container and you’re good to go!
Now that I’ve gone through all of my nifty tools that made this recipe a breeze, maybe it would be a good idea to actually share the recipe, no? 🙂
Ingredients:
6 ears of corn, husked
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh basil leaves, large leaves torn
I am trying to get into the habit of making (and wanting) smoothies for breakfast. They are so simple to make and work great for meals on the go. My boyfriend is a huge fan of green smoothies, where he adds various fruits to the blender along with some kale. I don’t mind them, but I thought I’d baby step my way into the smoothie world with something a little more my speed: an oatmeal banana smoothie with espresso and chocolate hazelnut. Mmmmm.
This recipe is adapted from Foxes Loves Lemons, a fellow food blogger as well as a recipe developer. Her recipes are mouthwatering and her pictures are just amazing! She also manages to post daily which just blows my mind. How she manages to deliver such amazing posts daily is beyond me!
My recipe below is a touch different than Foxes Loves Lemons because I wanted to incorporate Nocciolata, a dark chocolate and hazelnut spread, into my smoothie. To see the original version, check out her blog post here.
Nocciolata is made with no chemicals, artificial flavors, GMOs, or palm oil. What it is made with is certified organic ingredients including dark chocolate from the Antillean Islands, Italian hazelnuts (16%), brown sugar, skim milk and Bourbon vanilla extract. Yum! Nocciolata can be found in many stores including Wegmans, King’s, and Whole Foods to name some in the Philly area. For a list of stores that carry Nocciolata, check out their webpage.
source: https://www.nocciolatausa.com/
Ingredients:
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups almond milk
1 banana, cut into chunks
1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon Nocciolata spread
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 cup ice
Disclaimer: I was sent a free sample jar of Nocciolata to try. My opinions are my own.
A while back, I was given the opportunity to visit Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse. Naturally, I jumped at the chance. Davio’s has been a staple in the Philadelphia food scene for a while now. Located in Rittenhouse Square, Davio’s still seems to be a bit of a hidden gem due to it’s location on the second floor of a building, although it isn’t difficult to find (the entrance on 17th Street is clearly marked).
The restaurant is known just as much for it’s service and ambiance as it is it’s delicious food. The staff really know how to make your night feel special. The dining room’s large windows and tall ceilings add to the traditional and comfortable feel of the restaurant — it is located in the historic Provident Bank Building. The space is also equipped with a bar that I hear is quite a popular destination for happy hour.
My entire meal was absolutely delicious. Every dish seemed to be better than the last! I have included a run down of everything we ate (we basically needed to be rolled out of the building) and I also wanted to try my hand at one of the specials they were serving that night: A Grilled Octopus Salad over Arugula.
My version is heavily based on Davio’s with a few changes: Davio’s also included chorizo in their version (yum!) and used yellow peppers rather than red. This was my first time working with octopus so it was a little nerve wracking but turned out amazing!
I just received my fourth Stitch Fix box! (You can check out my previous posts here and here). I need some help deciding what to keep though. I’m so indecisive!
New to Stitch Fix? Here’s a run down on what exactly it is …
You sign up online and fill out a Style Profile that takes about 10 minutes. It asks you everything from your height and weight, to if you prefer dresses over pants, and if you’re a mother. The profile tries to get a feeling of your style by showing you different outfit combinations and asking you to rate them as well. They also ask for your price point on different items and will try to stick within your budget. There is a section for you to write additional thoughts to further help the stylist (“I hate polka dots;” “Green is my favorite color;” etc.) and you can even link to a Pinterest board so they have a better sense of your style.
Choose when you want your box delivered. (Right now, it looks like you have to choose it at least 6 weeks in advance.) There is an option to sign up for a monthly box if you’d like, but it is not required. A stylist will review your Style Profile as well as any comments you left on the profile and will choose five items for your box. When the box ships, you will be charged $20 for the styling. You can apply this $20 towards anything you keep from your shipment; if you choose nothing, they keep the $20 fee.Note: The boxes typically arrive 1-2 days earlier than the day you choose. For some, this may be a plus. But I personally would prefer if they would deliver on the day I requested. Because they arrive on days I’m not home, I have to find time to go to the post office to retrieve the box.
When the box arrives, Stitch Fix strongly suggests you try on everything, even if at first look you don’t think you like one of the items. The items all come with a styling card to give you an idea of what to wear with them so you can use clothing you already own to see how the item looks as an outfit.
You have three days to decide what you want to keep. Stitch Fix provides a pre-paid mailing bag so it’s easy to ship things back. You fill out a survey on the website with what you plan to keep, the fit/style of the item, and any additional comments you may have. As I mentioned above, if you buy anything, the $20 styling fee is applied towards your purchase. If you keep all five items, you are given a 25% discount on everything.
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!
You may have noticed in November that some of the photos in my posts were taken with the Samsung Galaxy Camera. I was given the opportunity through Verizon Wireless’ Philadelphia Tri-State Region team to try out this nifty little guy.
You can never have too many pie recipes during the holidays! This one for Caramel Apple Pie is a great spin on a traditional apple pie that adds caramel to really amp up the flavor. The recipe comes from Organic Valley and uses their Salted Butter, Whole Milk, and Eggs. Note: I was sent a coupon to receive one Organic Valley product for free.
Organic Valley is a co-op of organic farmers based in La Farge, Wisconsin. The cooperative was founded in 1988 and markets its products in all 50 states as well as Canada and Japan. Organic Valley promotes organic agricultural methods, with each participating farm certified as organic by the National Organic Program.
A problem I still run into when cooking/baking is I rarely read the directions all the way though before starting (a huge no no). So I made a completely different pie crust by accident because I got confused as to where the sugar and egg was supposed to go in the original recipe. Luckily it turned out fine (whew!) but for the original recipe, be sure to head over to the Organic Valley website.
2 pounds organic Granny Smith apples (10-11 medium-sized apples or 4 large), peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch thick slices (coat slices with juice of 1 lemon to prevent browning)
There are some really fantastic sounding recipes in this cookbook. Just look at how I tabbed this book trying to decide which to make for this post!
Included in the cookbook, which features 120 recipe, are:
Forbidden Rice with Hearts of Palms, Mushrooms and a Jalapeno Vinaigrette
Bay Shrimp with Cannellini Beans dressed in Shallots and Cayenne Pepper
Red Miso Short Rib Braise
Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake
Unique Lemonade concoctions like Peach Ginger, Pear Basil, and Cantaloupe Sage
With descriptions like that, I have to point out that these recipes are surprisingly unfussy and manageable to make at home. I decided to make the salmon because 1. it sounds delicious and 2. I have never poached fish before and I love trying out new techniques.
This recipe takes about 40 minutes from start to finish so it is great for a special weeknight dinner (or as a mid-week pick me up!) I changed the ingredients ever so slightly so to see the original, check out the cookbook, available in stores now!
Have you heard of Stitch Fix? It’s an online personal styling service that sends five articles of clothing (sometimes with a piece of jewelry mixed in) to your home. You get to try on the items in your own home, allowing you to see first hand if you have pieces to complement it or not.
For those that know me, fashion is, uh, not my strong suit. I honestly rely on the generosity of my sister to send me hand-me-ups (she’s younger than me) and to help me figure out how the heck to look presentable. So I was intrigued with this service.
So how does it work?
You sign up online and fill out a Style Profile that takes about 10 minutes. It asks you everything from your height and weight to if you prefer dresses over pants and if you’re a mother. The profile tries to get a feeling of your style by showing you different outfit combinations and asking you to rate them as well. They also ask for your price point on different items and will try to stick within your budget. There is a section for you to write additional thoughts to further help the stylist (“I hate polka dots;” “Green is my favorite color;” etc.) and you can even link to a Pinterest board so they have a better sense of your style.
You get to choose the date that your box will be delivered. (Right now, it looks like you have to choose it at least 6 weeks in advance.) There is an option to sign up for a monthly box if you’d like but it is not required. A stylist will review your Style Profile as well as any comments you left on the profile and will choose five items for your box. When the box ships, you will be charged $20 for the styling. You can apply this $20 towards anything you keep from your shipment; if you choose nothing, they keep the $20 fee.
When the box arrives, Stitch Fix strongly suggests you try on everything, even if at first look you don’t think you like one of the items. The items all come with a styling card to give you an idea of what to wear with them so you can use clothing you already own to see how the item looks as an outfit.
You have three days to decide what you want to keep. Stitch Fix provides a pre-paid mailing bag so it’s easy to ship things back. You fill out a survey on the website with what you plan to keep, the fit/style of the item, and any additional comments you may have. As I mentioned above, if you buy anything, the $20 styling fee is applied towards your purchase. If you keep all five items, you are given a 25% discount on everything. Wow!
Cool, right? So let me show you how mine turned out!
Note: My photography skills are limited to food. I didn’t realize how poorly I take photos until this attempt so I apologize.
If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you may be aware that I went to the most piggy event I’ve ever been invited to, Cochon EPIC, back at the end of July. I went through a considerably long stage in my life where I absolutely refused to have any kind of pork product: no ham, no ribs, not even bacon. As I began cooking for myself, I realized that pig wasn’t nearly as awful as I thought and have since slowly started incorporating it back into my life (although I still don’t fully get ham and probably still need some time before I decided to try it.)
Anyways, going to this event was a big deal for me. I was about to eat pig, and basically nothing but pig, for an entire event. I couldn’t pass up this challenge especially when Crispin Cider offered me a ticket! One thing I’ve definitely learned in cooking is that there is rarely an ingredient I actually don’t “like.” I may not like the preparation, but to discount an ingredient entirely isn’t fair. So what better way to give pork a chance than with some of the best local chefs preparing it? “EPIC” is the perfect way to describe this event. It was absolutely insane. The chefs used all parts, and I really mean all parts, of the pigs to deliver outrageous treats for attendees: pork-fat matzo balls, cured pork loin “lox,” pork blood waffles, pork snow cones, and naturally, a scrabble bar (we are in Philly after all). I also was completely star struck to see all these amazing chefs in one location: David Katz, Kevin Sbraga, Marc Vetri, Jason Cichonski and more! I grabbed a Crispin cider to wash all the porky goodness down and was really pleasantly surprised by the taste. It is, well, crisp, and really refreshing. I tend to think of cider as a fall beverage, but Crispin easily translates into a summer drink as well. And it pairs wonderfully with pork. So naturally, I needed a bit of a break from pork after the event, but I couldn’t stop thinking about making a dish with pork and Crispin Cider. I found a recipe for Slow Cooker Pork and Cider Stew on the Whole Foods website and used it as a base for my recipe below.
I’ve mentioned on here many times, I really stink at getting an entire meal on the table. I can usually handle making the main dish and then I just scramble to throw a salad together and call it a meal. So when Cooking Planit told me about their app, it was like they had made it with me in mind!
The app, available for the iPhone and iPad (android coming soon) can also be accessed online. Your usage is synced up through your login, so you can browse on your computer, iPhone, and iPad seamlessly. (The app is currently on sale for $0.99 for iPhone and $1.99 for iPad)
The overall goal of Cooking Planit is to get a meal, sides included, on the table at the same time. The app includes tons of recipes that come already packaged as meals, but you can also mix and match to suit your tastes.
Once you choose your recipes/meal, you can add it to “My Cookbook” to store for future use. When you’re ready to go food shopping, just add the meal to your grocery list. The app gives you the option of planning for 2, 4, or 6 servings which I absolutely love! The grocery list can be viewed as a list by aisle (produce, dairy & eggs, canned goods, etc.), images (in case you have no idea what a leek looks like), or by recipe so you can see what you need for which recipe. Once you find and purchase your ingredients, just check them off and remove them from the list.
When you’re ready to get cooking, just bring up the recipe and click get started. The app will walk you through the meal, step by step, so that all parts of the recipe will finish at or around the same time. The app even shows you which cooking equipment, kitchen supplies, and appliances you need to make your meal, almost foolproof! It also lets you know how long it will take to make from start to finish. I liked being able to browse the recipes online at work, get the grocery list up on my phone at the supermarket, and then use my laptop at home to view the directions while I cooked. Super easy! The iPhone/iPad app also has voice control, so if you’re elbow deep in cooking, you can give voice commands like “Move On” or “Go Back.” When parts of the recipe need a timer, automatic timers show up at the top of the screen for you. The app will also tell you when to slow down so that all parts of the recipe finish at the same time.
So I decided to try it out and give the results below! I (of course) messed with the recipe slightly so my version is below. I chose “Sunday Supper” but changed it to Baby Back Ribs instead of Short Ribs and used my slow cooker instead of the oven.
