Archive for Food Network
Cocktail Hour – Mexican Hot Chocolate With A Kick
Posted by: | CommentsMy love affair with tequila started years ago when I was hanging out at our weekend spot, Annies, and one of my friends Albee took me under his wing to teach me about tequila. I made the common mistake of ordering Albee’s brand of choice, Jose Cuervo with the lemon & salt. Albee looked at me with a face of shock and disbelief and quickly taught me that the proper way to enjoy Cuervo is to take it straight. Now when the craving for tequila hits, I prefer a good shot of Cuervo straight. I never really got into the Patron hype.
I discovered the Partida Tequila brand of tequila by chance and received some lovely samples to test drive. Can I say, while I adore Cuervo, my new tequila of choice is Partida Tequila. If you are a tequila fan like this gal here and are sick of the Patron overload, check out Partida Tequila Brand. It is out of this world.
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MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE, COCKTAIL STYLE
Adapted from Tyler Florence, Food Network
Ingredients:
- 3 ounces (tablet or cone) Mexican chocolate or bittersweet chocolate
- 3 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Tequila (to taste) [I used Partida Tequila Blanco]
- Pinch salt
- Whipped Cream
- Cinnamon Sticks For Serving/Stirring
Directions:
- Break up the chocolate into smaller pieces using a sharp knife.
- In a saucepan, combine the chopped chocolate, milk, sugar, and salt over medium-low flame.
- Heat and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and milk is very hot, but not boiling, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and froth the chocolate milk with a mini whisk or molinillo.
- Pour into mugs.
- Add tequila to taste (heavy hand is not always best here) and stir.
- Add a dollop of whipped cream and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
First Up, Select Your Tequila of Choice. I chose the Partida Tequila Blanco for this recipe
Gather Your Ingredients
This small disk of chocolate is not for snacking but for cooking.
Chop the Chocolate Into Smaller Pieces
Add the Milk
Let the hot chocolate simmer away happily
This is the molinillo but you can use a wisk too.
Time to add the Tequila
The Final Result – Cocktail Hour Has Commenced
*FTC Disclaimer: Tequila Samples were provided by representative.
Tried and True: Chicken Parmesan Made Lighter
Posted by: | CommentsIn this month’s issue of Clean Eating Magazine, Food Network’s Robin Miller made a Guiltless Chicken Parmesan and I have to admit, this way of making Chicken Parm is a tried and true. I will never go back to the traditional way of making this. The flavor added by the Dijon Mustard was fabulous. And, at under 500 calories, well that is an added plus.
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GUILTLESS CHICKEN PARMESAN WITH PASTA
Recipe courtesy of Robin Miller & Clean Eating
Ingredients:
- Olive Oil Cooking Spray
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 1./2 cup onion, divided
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp. dried oregano, divided
- 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp. reduced fat Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
- 4 4oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1-inch thickness
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 8 oz. cooked penne (or your favorite pasta)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, until vegetables are soft.
- Add 1 tsp. oregano and stir to coat. Cook 30 seconds, until oregano is fragrant.
- Add tomatoes and tomato paste and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, combine panko, Parmesan, remaining 1 tsp. oregano, thyme, salt and black pepper. Mix with a fork to combine.
- Brush both sides of each chicken breast with the Dijon mustard. Transfer each breast to panko mixture and turn to coat both sides.
- Arrange chicken on prepared baking sheet. Coat surface of chicken with cooking spray.
- Bake 20 minutes.
- Top each chicken breast with 2 to 3 tbsp. of tomato sauce and 2 tbsp. mozzarella.
- Return chicken to oven and bake 10 minutes more, until crush is golden brown and cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Arrange pasta on a serving plate and top with remaining tomato sauce. Serve chicken with pasta on the side, garnishing both with basil.
Gather The Ingredients
Simmering The Sauce
Panko Breading
Mustard – So Much More Flavorful Than Egg
Mozzarella and Homemade Sauce – Yes please…
The End Result…
Soup’s On: Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the challenges I face is when one has leftover rotisserie chicken, what do you do? There’s only so much chicken salad that a gal can make. Well, faced with a partial leftover chicken taking up valuable real estate in my refrigerator, I thought “Soup”. However, I was not in the mood for my normal Southwestern Chicken soup. Sadly, I found myself in a winter recipe rut. My tried & true recipes were not an option and add a case of the winter blahs and I found myself in a winter recipe rut.
Giada de Laurentiis had a recipe for a Lemon Chicken Soup with Spaghetti but since I’m not much of a spaghetti fan (don’t ask – it’s a childhood thing), I looked in the pantry and substituted egg noodles. I also added the zest of one lemon and some garlic and celery and I found a new spin on an old favorite.
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Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup
Recipe adapted Giada de Laurentiis, Food Network
Ingredients
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1-2 lemons) [I used one lemon and the zest]
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 (2-inch) piece Parmesan cheese rind, optional [I just added some extra parmesan]
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 rib of celery, sliced into moons
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces, *see Cook’s Note [I used 2 cups of egg noodles]
- 2 cups diced cooked rotisserie chicken, preferably breast meat
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Kosher salt
Directions
In a large stockpot, bring the chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind, if using, to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add the carrots and celery and simmer until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is tender, for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken and heat through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and the Parmesan rind and discard. Stir in 1/2 of the cheese and the parsley. Season with salt, to taste. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
*Cook’s Note: You can use any short pasta from your pantry as a substitute for spaghetti.
Gather the ingredients
That bay leaf looks lonely among the chicken broth, garlic and lemon zest/juice, no?
No thumbs were butchered when slicing the veggies *phew*
Warm Comfort At Last – SO Good!
A Ray Of Sun In A Sea Of Snow – Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Posted by: | CommentsI am praying that this winter ends quickly. This onslaught of snow has me craving things that remind me of summer and these Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze did the trick. It was not too sweet and had the perfect texture. You might want to make this for your family and friends and even your coworkers. It is guaranteed to blast away the winter doldrums.
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Lemon Ricotta Cookies With Lemon Glaze
Recipe courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 lemon, zested
Glaze:
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 lemon, zested
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cookies:
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
Glaze:
Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container.
Gather The Ingredients
Zest & Juice the Lemons (I used Meyer Lemons – divine!)
Mix In The Dry Ingredients
Glaze and Let Cool
Tried and True: Vinegar and Coarse Salt Chipotle Roasted Potatoes
Posted by: | CommentsOrdinary steak and potatoes sounds so bland doesn’t it. I often roast potatoes and onions for a side dish instead of the ordinary mashed or baked potato. Roasting seems to give them so much flavor. Ingrid Hoffmann made Vinegar and Coarse Salt Chipotle Roasted Potatoes a couple weeks ago and I thought that perhaps it might be a different flavor. Growing up, one of my friends, Val, often had a penchant for Salt & Vinegar chips and during many a gossip session at her house, I learned to appreciate the flavors of salt and vinegar.
This recipe doesn’t disappoint. Adding some cumin and chili powder to the mix just was the flavors that sent this from “great” to “phenomenal”. Two points to ponder – one, you must let the potatoes sit for 10 min. or so to soak up the flavors of the marinade and two – start checking the oven at 60 minutes but you might have to leave them in there for 75 minutes. Most of the review comments suggested that oven temps vary.
I served this with steak and the next morning, any leftovers went into a killer frittata.
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VINEGAR AND COARSE SALT CHIPOTLE ROASTED POTATOES
Recipe courtesy of Ingrid Hoffmann
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 6 small or 4 large russet potatoes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
- 1 small red onion, cut into medium wedges
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, mix vinegar, cumin and chili powder. Slice potatoes into 1-inch size chunks. Toss potatoes with vinegar mixture. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
Drizzle olive oil over potatoes and place them in a single layer in large rimmed baking pan or roasting dish. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove potatoes from oven, add onions and mix together. Return pan to oven and roast for an additional 20 minutes. (if still not roasted fully, add another 15 minutes to the mix)
Lining Up The Ingredients
Let the potatoes marinate – patience is key!
Add the onions
Serve with steak sliced over the top and enjoy!
Tried and True: Nigella’s Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
Posted by: | CommentsThe other night I stood in front of my fridge staring blankly in while thinking “There’s NOTHING to cook”. It was a nice change from morning closet whine “I have NOTHING to wear” lament. So, while I was debating to order out, a thought popped into my head, “I have pancetta – heavy cream – eggs – spaghetti – Nigella’s Spaghetti Alla Carbonara!”
Nigella makes everything look easy – and she’s right. I could see why she joked that she could eat it straight out of the pan. Bonus, I even had vermouth from one of my recent additions to the Philly liquor cabinet. This is a recipe that will be tried and tried and tried again…
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Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
Recipe courtesy of Nigella Lawson
Ingredients:
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 2 cups cubed pancetta rind removed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Freshly ground nutmeg
Directions
- Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta.
- In another large pan that will fit the pasta later, cook the pancetta cubes in the oil until crispy but not crunchy.
- Pour over the white wine or vermouth and let it bubble away so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of salty winey syrup left. Take the pan off the heat.
- In a bowl, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, and pepper.
- Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, but since you want it kept al dente start checking it 2 minutes before end of the recommended cooking time.
- When the pasta is done, remove approximately 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Put the pan with the bacon cubes back on the heat and add the drained pasta, tossing well to coat with the syrupy pancetta.
- Take the pan off the heat again and add the eggs and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything to mix.
- Thin with pasta water, if needed.
- Grind over some more pepper and grate over the nutmeg to serve.
Lining up the ingredients…
Let the vermouth meld with the crispy pancetta
Mixing the egg & cream mixture with the pancetta coated pasta
Make sure to reserve some pasta water
Voila – Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
Pumpkin Seed Cherry Trail Mix-More Addictive Than Pistachios
Posted by: | CommentsOne of my favorite must watch tv shows is NCIS and it never fails that when USA Network is showing a marathon, I always get sucked in. What can I say, I think Gibbs (Mark Harmon) is hilarious and you know how I am about my crime dramas. One of the quotes that the USA Network always shows is Abby telling Gibbs that something is “more addictive than pistachios. Well, have you ever eaten just one pistachio?”
Well, I have to warn you that this Pumpkin Seed Cherry Trail Mix from Food Network’s Claire Robinson is way more addictive than pistachios. Not only is it healthy for you but you will find yourself grazing throughout the day on it. It’s super simple to make and I’m sure much healthier than, oh, let’s say a bag of Doritos. I added some dried cranberries I had lying in the pantry which was a nice switch from the cherries.
Now let’s see how long this super tall jar lasts in this household…
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Pumpkin Seed Dried Cherry & Cranberry Trail Mix
Recipe courtesy of Claire Robinson, Food Network
Ingredients
- 2 cups baby pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- 3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 6 tablespoons pure Grade B maple syrup
- Coarse salt
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin seeds, almonds, and sunflower seeds and the syrup until evenly coated. Spread the nuts and seeds out, in an even single layer, on the lined baking sheets and season with salt to taste. Bake the nuts, stirring several times with spatula or wooden spoon, until just golden, about 20 minutes.
Cool the nuts completely on the pan, then add the cherries and cranberries and toss to combine. Store cooled trail mix in an airtight container at room temperature.
Lining Up The Ingredients….
Thank God for Silpat! Everyone Into The Pool…
Mix, Mix, Mix
Store In Airtight Container, Preferably With Combination Lock… All Mine!
Tried & True: Grilled Salmon with Citrus Salsa Verde
Posted by: | CommentsWith my recent injury, I have to admit, I have been a bit apprehensive about getting back into the kitchen. It was so bad last night that I finally caved and confessed to Diana that I failed the Eat In Challenge when I ordered takeout. Tonight my mind was full of “What Ifs” What if I whacked my thumb again? What if I cut yet another finger? What if I just couldn’t cook? I was plagued by self doubt but when I started started slicing up the orange, I began to quelch the nagging what ifs.
Giada de Laurentiis made this grilled salmon with a citrus salsa verde on a recent episode that caught my attention. As you all know, I’m trying to learn how to incorporate agave into more of my recipes. What I didn’t factor was the time it would take to make the citrus salsa, especially with the frankenthumb. All in all, this is a keeper. The citrus salsa pairs up well with the salmon and is worth the effort.
I decided against making some quinoa or couscous as I had some leftover watermelon in the fridge from yesterday’s Whole Foods run. Instead I decided to pair the salmon with another tried & true recipe watermelon salad with ricotta salata.
In other news, I was happy that the UPS guy dropped off a present today – my new Canon Rebel XSi so the photos finally came out somewhat decent. After dropping my prior camera in corn pudding batter, it just hasn’t been the same. Anyone have any food photography or SLR tips for a gal?
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Grilled Salmon With Citrus Salsa Verde
Recipe courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis
Ingredients:
For the Salsa:
- 2 large oranges
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 scallions, finely sliced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Salmon:
- Vegetable or canola oil, for oiling the grill
- 4 (4 to 5-ounce) center cut salmon fillets, skinned, each about 3-inches square
- 2 tablespoons amber agave nectar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
For the Salsa:
- Peel and trim the ends from each orange.
- Using a paring knife, cut along the membrane on both sides of each segment.
- Free the segments and add them to a medium bowl.
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, scallions, mint, capers, orange zest, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes.
- Toss lightly and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
For the Salmon:
- Put a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.
- Brush the grilling rack with vegetable oil to keep the salmon from sticking.
- Brush the salmon on both sides with the agave nectar and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Grill until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
- Transfer the salmon to a platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Spoon the salsa verde on top of the salmon or serve on the side as an accompaniment.
Line Up The Ingredients…
The Final Product
Watermelon Ricotta Salad
Giada’s 10 Essential Tools For Your Kitchen
Posted by: | CommentsThanks to the fabulous gals over at GiadasKitchen.com I happened to catch this interesting video from the Today Show where Giada de Laurentiis talks about the 10 Essential Tools For Your Kitchen…
Update: The Video is having technical difficulties. You can view it HERE
Did she forget anything?
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Ten in 10: Making Changes…
Posted by: | CommentsWhen Recipe Girl talked about doing “Ten in 10“, I thought “No time like the present.” See, everyone commits to diets, runs to the gym during the first couple months of the year but then you see things tapering off. As BR once taught me, it’s about life changes.
While uploading some pictures from back in the day, I also encountered some pics that I was none too pleased with – namely those pictures of when I was 75lbs heavier than what I am now. At the time I was in a seriously bad relationship, had made some really bad choices and decided enough was enough. BR helped get me on the right track and 75 lbs came off with LOTS of hard work (and lots of cursing at him while he made me do sit ups). I think the problem with diets is that it’s like a quick band-aid on a problem, not a lifelong change. In today’s society of processed foods and drive-thrus, I think we’re always looking for the quick fix and I decided that I was going to take these 10 weeks to make some changes for the better.
I am not a fan of breakfast and I’m working on making changes with that. Normally when I have breakfast first thing, it never fails – I get severely sick. Don’t know why. However, after watching an episode of Simply Delicioso, I saw Ingrid Hoffmann making a Berry Mint Salad along with an Old Fashioned Avena Oatmeal Smoothie. That didn’t look too bad as berries never seem to drive my stomach insane. The Avena smoothie takes some prep work as much has to be done the night before. It’s simple but the end result is well worth it. I am happy to report that I didn’t even want a coffee that morning and you know for this coffeeholic to say that, it has to be good. The energy I had all day was insane. Considering that I’m not much of a fan of oatmeal, I was surprised I liked it as much as I did. I did halve the recipe and I substituted Agave for the sugar. The berry salad put quite the twist on your typical fruit salad and will be a tried and true in this household.
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Old Fashioned Avena Oatmeal Smoothie
Recipe adapted from Ingrid Hoffmann, Simply Delicioso
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
- 6 cups milk, plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup sugar or agave
- 1 cinnamon stick
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Directions
Place the oats and milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a rapid simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, until the oatmeal is thick, about 10 minutes. Add sugar or agave, to taste, nutmeg and cinnamon stick and set the oatmeal aside to cool slightly.
Transfer the oatmeal to a container and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours or overnight. Strain the liquid, remove the cinnamon stick, add the vanilla and add more milk if you want it thinner. Serve cold.
Gather the Ingredients….
Don’t forget to strain the mixture in the morning…
The End Result…
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Recipe courtesy of Ingrid Hoffmann
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh strawberries
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon orange juice
- 1 banana, sliced
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Place the strawberries, raspberries and blueberries in a medium glass bowl. Add mint leaves and orange juice and toss. Place fruits in serving bowls and place bananas slices on top.
Prepping the Berries in the Lotus (Ingrid made a comment re: how much pesticide is on berries and, yup – I got a tad paranoid)
Drain the berries really well…
Gather your other ingredients…
The Final Product….
