Note: I was sent a review copy of A Return to Ireland by Judith McLoughlin in order to make this Vegetarian Shepherds Pie. Opinions are mine alone.
You may have noticed I have quite a few Irish (and Irish-American) recipes on this blog. I truly love traditional Irish cooking; it is pure comfort food to me.
But Irish food has come a long way from just traditional meat and potatoes, and Judith McLoughlin’s A Return to Ireland (paid link) showcases some beautiful modern interpretations of classic Irish cooking.
As a Shepherd’s Pie fanatic, I was intrigued by a recipe within the cookbook for a meatless version that substitutes a mixture of lentils and mushroom for the traditional ground beef or lamb, and then enhances the traditional mashed potato topping with a mixture of other mashed root vegetables.
The result is a wonderfully hearty and delicious Vegetarian Shepherds Pie!
Ingredients (serves 6):
Vegetable Base
6 tablespoons butter (substitute olive oil to make vegan / dairy free)
1 (8 oz) container sliced mushrooms
2 medium onions, chopped
1 leek, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 ribs celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or coconut aminos to make gluten free)
2 1/2 cups green lentils
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
6 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Mashed Topping
2/3 lbs celery root, peeled and chopped
2/3 lbs parsnips, peeled and chopped
2/3 lbs carrots, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
4 tablespoons butter (or olive oil to make vegan / dairy free)
Well. It became fall weather basically overnight, which means it is time for more slow cooker recipes! This recipe for Slow Cooker Short Ribs is melt-in-your-mouth tender and is basically the most comforting meal ever made when served over mashed potatoes.
This recipe is adapted from Delish and will definitely serve a crowd or can be made ahead of time and frozen.
Ingredients:
5 lbs bone-in beef short ribs, sliced crosswise
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos to make gluten free)
I can’t tell you how many times my InstantPot has saved me for dinner. All too often, I’ll look up from my computer at 7pm and realize I haven’t even thought about what we are going to eat! This recipe for Pressure Cooker Chicken Adobo is one of those time-saver meals – it takes about 45 minutes to make. (For comparison, my Pork Belly Adobo recipe takes about 2 hours to make, not including time to let the meat marinate!)
This recipe comes together quickly but tastes like it’s been cooking all day. Ah, the magic of the InstantPot!
Ingredients:
4 drumsticks
4 chicken thighs
ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 large onion, chopped
2/3 cup low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos to make gluten free)
Note: I was sent coupons from Nasoya in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
Despite working from home for nearly a year now, I feel like I have less time to cook! I have a feeling I’m not alone, so I wanted to share a healthy, quick, and comforting recipe for a yummy Crunchy Noodle Salad that you can get on the dinner table in ~40 minutes.
This Crunchy Noodle Salad is made with glass noodles, sugar snap peas, shredded carrots, bell peppers, and crispy tofu tossed in a yummy peanut dressing, and can be served at room temperature or cold, so it makes for a great dinner-plus-leftovers option.
Don’t let the whole vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free part of this recipe throw you, it will fill you up! I this recipe uses Nasoya’s Organic Super Firm Tofu that delivers 15g of protein per serving to keep you full. Nasoya’s Organic Super Firm Tofu is also pre-pressed and drained so it’s perfect for quick dinners. Plus Nasoya’s Organic Super Firm Tofu is non-GMO project verified, USDA organic, cholesterol free, gluten free, and made with no preservatives. Nasoya is widely available in most grocery stores; I stopped into my local Shop Rite (it’s also available locally in Philly at Walmart Supercenters, Giant and Giant Heirloom Markets, The Fresh Grocer, and Wegmans), plus you can use their store locator to find which local grocers near you carry it.
Ingredients (serves 4):
6 oz glass noodles
8 oz sugar snap peas
1 package Nasoya Organic Super Firm Tofu, cubed
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 scallions, sliced
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup tamari (or low sodium soy sauce if you don’t need this recipe to be gluten-free)
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon roasted white sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
NOTE: I was sent Carthage Co.‘s Dadasi Dinner Plate in order to write this post with a recipe for Marinated Swordfish. Opinions are mine alone.
Unsurprisingly, I have quite the affinity for dishware. I especially love plates, bowls, and platters that are matte (they present and photograph beautifully!) No matter how pretty dishware is, I still need it to work for my lifestyle, so I look for options that are microwave and dishwasher safe as well.
I was recently introduced to Carthage Co., which offers exquisite, ethically-sourced pottery made by Tunisian artisans, including plates, glasses, pitchers and serving-ware. The best part? This artisan stoneware is both attractive and affordable, plus its dishwasher and microwave safe! Named after the ancient city of Carthage that once served as a connecting point of Mediterranean trade, the Carthage Co. mission is to provide a valuable point of connection that starts in Tunisia and ends at your dinner table. The company works to honor and empower Tunisian artisans and create jobs in the U.S., partnering with local manufacturers that employ and empower their communities with dignity and equity.
source: Cathage Co.
I immediately gravitated toward their Dadasi collection, which is even more beautiful in person. I personally love the basalt color, it really make the food served on it pop!
I wanted to show off my snazzy new plate with a recipe that’s really become a staple in my household: Marinated Swordfish, served over rice with sautéed baby bok choy. I’m not going to pretend it’s the prettiest recipe, but it sure looks nice on the Dadasi plate, doesn’t it? It’s amazing what a difference a good looking plate can make to the presentation of a meal!
This recipe requires very little hands-on time, but you do need to allot some time for the swordfish to marinate.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos/tamari to make gluten free)
A few weeks ago, I became an aunt! My sister and brother-in-laws are new parents to a beautiful baby girl. My husband went up to visit them recently, so I sent him up with some frozen food options to stock their freezer, including some of these Mandu Korean Dumplings.
I thought dumplings would be a perfect freezer friendly meal that also doesn’t add much to the cook time. You can cook mandu straight from the freezer, no need to thaw!
This version has a mixture of ground beef, pork, and vegetables, but the recipe can easily be adapted to fit whatever you have on hand, or have a craving for.
Note: This post is sponsored by Nasoya. All opinions are mine alone.
I’ve been sharing fairly meat-heavy recipes recently, so it’s about time I shared a meatless (and vegan) option that is perfect for busy weeknights, so here’s a yummy recipe for Thai Basil Vegetable Dumplings with Spicy Peanut Sauce.
Nasoya, the nation’s leading brand of tofu, has two flavors of Vegan Dumplings (Tofu Vegetable and Thai Basil Vegetable) that can be ready to eat in as little as 10 minutes!
Source: Nasoya
The Tofu Vegetable Dumplings (filled with tofu, mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, ginger, green onions, and sesame oil) and the Thai Basil Dumplings (filled with tofu, red bell peppers, green peas, carrots, and basil) are USDA Certified Organic and also contain 6-7 grams of plant-protein per serving. Nasoya can be find at most retailers, including Acme, ShopRite, Giant, Weis, and Wegman’s. Check out Nasoya’s retail finder here to find your nearest location that sells Nasoya products.
This quick recipe for Thai Basil Vegetable Dumplings with Spicy Peanut Sauce uses the Thai Basil Vegetable Dumplings, but the Tofu Vegetable Dumplings can definitely be substituted.
I’m seriously loving using my pressure cooker! My husband was out of town while I was experimenting with this recipe, so I enlisted the help of a couple of friends to be my taste testers. Luckily they were willing to oblige!
The unsuspecting friends showed up without knowing what exactly I was planning on preparing – they are very trusting! 🙂
I had a craving for bulgogi recently, so I decided to make a pressure cooker Korean beef. Bulgogi is typically made with thin, marinated slices of beef that are then barbecued. The marinade is usually a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic with a touch of crushed red pepper.
This recipe is inspired by the flavors of bulgogi, but instead of grilling thinly sliced beef, it instead uses chuck roast beef and a pressure cooker to make a super tender, shredded version.
Ingredients (serves 8):
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more if needed
4 lbs chuck beef, cut into cubes, excess fat trimmed
1 small onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 tablespoons beef stock
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos to make gluten free)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
green onions, sliced, for garnish
white sesame seeds, for garnish
4 cups cooked rice
To make, cut the beef into large chunks. Season with salt and pepper. (Go light on the salt, the soy sauce will provide all the salt you need!)
Press the “saute” function on your pressure cooker. Press the “cook time” button and increase the time to 25 or 30 minutes (it took me about 25 minutes to brown up all of my meat.) Press the “adjust” button and choose “more/high.” Press “on/start.” The pressure cooker will beep five times when it is preheated.
Carefully add the vegetable, oil and then add some meat to the pressure cooker (without crowding the beef).
Brown the meat on all sides. Remove from the pressure cooker and continue with the remaining beef.
When done browning the last batch, remove the final pieces and set aside. Press “stop/cancel” to turn off the saute function.
If needed, add a bit more vegetable oil. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add a little bit of beef stock (1 or 2 tablespoons) to the pressure cooker and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pressure cooker using a wooden or plastic spoon.
In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce (or coconut aminos), sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and ginger.
Add back in all of the beef to the pressure cooker, as well as any juices from the beef.
Pour in the soy sauce mixture, evenly covering the beef.
Close the lid, ensuring that the steam valve is closed. Select the meat/stew pressurized cooking function. Press the “adjust” button and choose “more/high” to set it for 45 minutes. Press “on/start” to begin cooking.
Once the unit has reached optimal cooking pressure (~15 minutes), the unit will beep once and start counting down from 45 minutes. You’ll notice that the pressure release valve (red) rises up during this time.
The pressure cooker will beep 3 times to alert you when cooking has finished. It will automatically go on to “keep warm” mode for up to 6 hours. Once cooking is complete, turn off the pressure cooker by pressing “stop/cancel” and unplugging the power cable.
Let the unit cool down for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the float valve drops down. Using an oven mitt, move the pressure release value to the “release” position to let out any remaining pressure in the unit. Wait again for the float value to drop down before opening the pressure cooker.
The meat should be really tender.
Remove the meat from the pot, keeping the liquid in the pot, and shred with two forks. Add to a large bowl.
Measure out about 1 cup of the cooking liquid and add to the bowl.
Fill bowls with rice and top with the shredded beef. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and serve.
The beef is wonderfully flavorful and juicy. My friends and I just gobbled this up! It’s most certainly not spicy so if you prefer some heat, add a bit more crushed red pepper.
This is a great make ahead dish as well. If doing so, add some more of the cooking liquid to the container before refrigerating, so that when you reheat it, there is still plenty of juicy liquid to drizzle over the top!
I also made the rice in the Cosori Multicooker and it came out great! (Tip: if you have extra cooking liquid, substitute some of that in for the water/broth in your rice.)
If you’re looking for more information about the Cosori Multicooker, check out my review post here (plus a recipe for Barbacoa Beef Tacos).
4 lbs chuck beef, cut into cubes, excess fat trimmed
1 small onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 tablespoons beef stock
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos to make gluten free)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
green onions, sliced, for garnish
white sesame seeds, for garnish
4 cups cooked rice
Instructions
To make, cut the beef into large chunks. Season with salt and pepper. (Go light on the salt, the soy sauce will provide all the salt you need!)
Press the “saute” function on your pressure cooker. Press the “cook time” button and increase the time to 25 or 30 minutes (it took me about 25 minutes to brown up all of my meat.) Press the “adjust” button and choose “more/high.” Press “on/start.” The pressure cooker will beep five times when it is preheated.
Carefully add the vegetable, oil and then add some meat to the pressure cooker (without crowding the beef).
Brown the meat on all sides. Remove from the pressure cooker and continue with the remaining beef.
When done browning the last batch, remove the final pieces and set aside. Press “stop/cancel” to turn off the saute function.
If needed, add a bit more vegetable oil. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add a little bit of beef stock (1 or 2 tablespoons) to the pressure cooker and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pressure cooker using a wooden or plastic spoon.
In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce (or coconut aminos), sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and ginger.
Add back in all of the beef to the pressure cooker, as well as any juices from the beef.
Pour in the soy sauce mixture, evenly covering the beef.
Close the lid, ensuring that the steam valve is closed. Select the meat/stew pressurized cooking function. Press the “adjust” button and choose “more/high” to set it for 45 minutes. Press “on/start” to begin cooking.
Once the unit has reached optimal cooking pressure (~15 minutes), the unit will beep once and start counting down from 45 minutes. You’ll notice that the pressure release valve (red) rises up during this time.
The pressure cooker will beep 3 times to alert you when cooking has finished. It will automatically go on to “keep warm” mode for up to 6 hours. Once cooking is complete, turn off the pressure cooker by pressing “stop/cancel” and unplugging the power cable.
Let the unit cool down for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the float valve drops down. Using an oven mitt, move the pressure release value to the “release” position to let out any remaining pressure in the unit. Wait again for the float value to drop down before opening the pressure cooker.
The meat should be really tender.
Remove the meat from the pot, keeping the liquid in the pot, and shred with two forks. Add to a large bowl.
Measure out about 1 cup of the cooking liquid and add to the bowl.
Fill bowls with rice and top with the shredded beef. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and serve.
I’m fairly certain all avid cooks dream of the day they will receive their first piece of Le Creuset cookware or bakeware. Le Creuset products are also a staple on wedding registries. So when I was contacted to help spread the word that a Le Creuset store was opening in the King of Prussia Mall (outside Philadelphia) I absolutely wanted to get the word out. How exciting! I’m pretty pumped to visit it for the first time. The store is near the Macy’s; you can park and enter through the Orange Garage. (Address: 160 N Gulph Road • Suite C226A • King of Prussia, PA 19406)
To celebrate, the Le Creuset store hosted three separate events this past weekend, including bubbles bites with Yellow Springs Farm, a cooking demonstration with chef Ben Thomas, and sweet treats and coffee with Aux Petites Delices and La Colombe.
I was also sent a beautiful Rectangular Dish with Platter Lid, which is great for casseroles as well as for marinating in the dish and using the platter to serve.
To try it out, I decided to make a Filipino recipe I’ve been eyeing up for a while: Pork Belly Adobo. The recipe is pretty simple; you marinate the pork belly in a soy sauce marinade, brown the pork, and simmer in the marinade to finish cooking. But the result is fan-tas-tic.
Ingredients:
1 cup low sodium soy sauce
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
5 pounds boneless pork belly, cut into 2-inch pieces
A while back, I was given the chance to taste test some of the Cheesecake Factory‘s new menu items, which they do twice a year (who knew?) I was able to sample some cocktails and bites from across the menu. I, naturally, also wanted to try to make one of the recipes at home.
Cocktails included:
Cucumber Mojito – Gin and St. Germain with cucumber, basil and mint
Blood Orange Martini – Vodka, blood orange liqueur and blood orange juice
Irish Coffee Manhattan – Jameson Irish coffee served ice cold and straight up
Espresso Martini – Vodka with cold brew coffee
Other new menu options included:
Korean Fried Cauliflower – crispy cauliflower tossed in a sweet and spice sauce, topped with toasted sesame seeds and green onions
Chicken Taquitos – Crispy corn tortillas with grilled chicken, green chile, corn, onion, cilantro and cheese. served with avocado cream and salda verde
Skinnylicious Chicken Pot Pie – Sauteed chicken breast, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, peas and carrots in a light cream sauce, topped with puff pastry
Chicken Mango and Avocado Salad – Mixed greens, fresh pineapple, tomato, cucumber, red peppers, crispy wontons and almonds
Pasta Napoletana – Italian sausage, pepperoni, housemade meatballs, mushrooms, peppers, bacon, onions and garlic in a tomato sauce served over parmesan cream pasta
Seared Ahi Tuna – Served over white rice with sriracha aioli, stir-fried vegetables and wasabi butter sauce
Truffle-Honey Chicken – Fried chicken breast with truffle-honey, asparagus, and mashed potatoes
Chicken Riesling – Chicken breast, mushrooms, bacon, onions and garlic in a white wine Riesling cream sauce with buttered parmesan pasta
Carne Asada Steak Medallions – Certified Angus beef with sauteed peppers, onions and cilantro, served with a creamy ranchero sauce, fresh corn and white rice
Chicken Parmesan “Pizza Style” – Chicken breast coated with breadcrumbs, covered with marinara sauce and melted cheese. Topped with angel hair pasta in an alfredo cream sauce
Crispy Pineapple Chicken and Shrimp – Crispy chicken and shrimp with snow peas, mushrooms, onions, garlic, peppers and cilantro in a sweet and spice sauce, served with white rice
(The lighting in there is very dim so please excuse the quality of these photos)
The Cheesecake Factory has over 250 items on their menu, so there is sure to be something for everyone’s taste buds.
I tried my hand at recreating the salad we were served, with some adjustments to try to make it a bit more “home cook” friendly to make this Chicken Mango and Pineapple Salad.
Ingredients (serves 2):
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce (store bought, or recipe below)
5 oz baby lettuce mix
1/4 cup fresh pineapple chunks
1/4 cup fresh mango, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons julienned carrots
2 tablespoons tortilla strips, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thin
1 tablespoon almond slivers, toasted
1/2 tsp black sesame seeds
1 teaspoon fresh mint, thinly sliced
Dressing
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
pinch of salt and pepper
juice of 1/2 an orange
Teriyaki Sauce (makes 1/2 cup – you’ll need ~1/4 cup for this recipe):
I am always looking for a new and different slow cooker meal. I personally could eat a tomato-based sauce with meat over rice, pasta, polenta, you-name-it every day. My husband would prefer something new every now and then, which is fair.
So this time, I attempted to make a takeout favorite — Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken!
This recipe is really simple, but it can become a legit salt lick if you aren’t careful about your ingredients. Be sure to use lower sodium soy sauce and unsalted cashews!
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ChineseNYeats #CollectiveBias
Next Monday begins the Year of the Monkey, according to the Chinese Lunar New Year calendar. Celebrations are held around the world, particularly in places with large Chinese populations, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Locally, Philadelphia’s Chinatown holds a bunch of different events to celebrate, including a parade and a midnight dance performance on the 8th.
My favorite place in the city, Reading Terminal Market, along with the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, is featuring demonstrations of the cuisine and cultures of Asia next weekend. To get in the spirit, I decided to make one of my favorite Thai dishes: Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken.
This recipe comes together really quickly with the help of Minute Rice, Dole and Kikkoman.
For this recipe, I used White Minute Rice, Dole Pineapple Chunks, and Kikkoman Less Sodium Soy Sauce and Sriracha Sauce, which I picked up at my local Wegmans, which were found in the rice aisle, canned fruit aisle, and Asian foods aisle, respectively.
I don’t think I’ll ever have enough 30 minute weekday recipes, especially healthy ones! Here’s another one from Cooking Light, that includes salmon, brown rice, snow peas, and quick pickled radishes for a bunch of flavor, crunch, color, and a little tanginess.
I am a carb fanatic — I’d eat pasta with some day-old bread every single day if I could. But on really hot summer days, sometimes you need something that feels lighter while still filling you up. Cooking Light’s Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps are a nice filling meal that are perfect on warm days; pulled pork is wrapped in Boston Bibb lettuce rather than added to a roll. The result is a super yummy and crunchy dinner!
I use my slow cooker year-round and this adaptation is no exception. Slow Cookers are such a simple way to get an awesome meal on the table in no time. Plus, it gives your oven a break!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 white onion, quartered
1 (2 1/2-pound) boneless pork shoulder, trimmed
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted chicken stock
1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chile paste) (gluten free is available)
1 1/2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos to make gluten free)
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.
