4 May 2018 Cheese Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Cheese Stuffed Poblano Peppers

May 4, 2018 By

Poblanos are mild chili peppers with lots of great flavor and just a bit of spice. The peppers originated in Puebla, Mexico and can also be found dried, where they’re known as ancho chile.

Cheese Stuffed Poblano

I’m always looking for low-carb side dishes to serve when we grill meats. That’s not easy as we often go to carby sides when we grill…potato salad, mac & cheese, pasta.

Last weekend, I’d made some of my fresh salsa (chopped tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno and minced onion) for another meal and thought…what if I used this tasty salsa to top a stuffed poblano!? This was a well-received and easy-to-make side dish that we served alongside grilled pork chops. One other thing I loved was that I was able to make these in the toaster oven so I didn’t have to heat up the whole kitchen with my standard oven – winning!

You can make these peppers in advance, cool them then reheat them for a few minutes in a 425 degree oven – party perfect!

Ingredients

  • 2 large poblano peppers
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • Pinch of sales and pepper.
  • 4 ounces grated Cheddar/Jack cheese mix
  • Homemade or store-bought salsa
  • 2 Tbsp. Crema Mexicana or sour cream
  • ½ lime

Poblano Cheese Stuffing

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Find a flat spot on the poblano and lay it on your work surface. With a sharp paring knife, cut the top of the pepper (leaving the end and stem intact) to make an opening for the cheese to go into.
  3. Rub the oil over the peppers then salt and pepper the interior.
  4. Divide the grated cheese between the two peppers, note that you may have too much cheese depending on the size of your peppers.
  5. Place the stuffed peppers on a baking sheet and cook for about 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
  6. Top each pepper with fresh salsa and a drizzle of Crema Mexicana (or sour cream). Squeeze the lime over the peppers.

Makes two side dishes.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Mexican, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , ,
13 April 2018 Pancetta and Sundried Tomato Creamy Spaghetti

Pancetta and Sundried Tomato Creamy Spaghetti

April 13, 2018 By

Here’s a new installment in the “There’s Nothing to Eat in this House” series featuring an easy pasta dish. When lunch plans get cancelled at the last minute and the fridge is low on supplies because I’m heading out of town, I make pasta with pantry and fridge staples.

Pancetta and Sundried Tomato Creamy SpaghettiToday, I had some leftover pancetta so I sautéed it with some jarred/in oil sundried tomatoes then added a bit of light cream and freshly-grated Parmesan for a tasty, creamy sauce. I then tossed some Delverde spaghetti (best dried pasta ever) in the sauce and BOOM, there was a tasty, quick lunch ready to eat in 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. diced pancetta
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped sundried tomato
  • ½ cup light cream
  • ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1 ½ cups cooked spaghetti (or other cooked pasta)
  • Pinch each salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil.
  2. Add the pancetta and cook for 2 minutes, until lightly-browned.
  3. Add the sundried tomato and cook for another minute.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the cream, and cook for a minute, stirring to prevent scorching.
  5. Add the ¼ cup of cheese and cook an additional 30 seconds.
  6. Add the pasta to the sauce and cook for 30 seconds until well-coated in sauce.
  7. Season with salt and pepper then top the pasta with the tablespoon of Parmesan.

Serves one.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Entrees, Italian, Pasta Tagged With: , ,
6 April 2018 Seared Salmon & Lemon Labneh

Seared Salmon & Lemon Labneh

April 6, 2018 By

Seared Salmon & Lemon LabnehWe received this fabulous salmon and simple recipe in our Blue Apron kit this week and it was one of my favorite dishes from the meal program thus far. I loved all the bold flavors and the various texture. I don’t zest my lemon and instead finely chop the rinds it for bigger lemon flavors to match against the salmon.

I’ve written about freekeh before, it’s an ancient grain popular in the Middle East and the Mediterranean that I use in place of rice in hot dishes and salads.

The rich seared salmon paired with the chewy freekeh and dates then topped with creamy, lemony labneh is a sure winner that’ll become a staple dish at our home.

Ingredients:

  • 1 10-ounce skin-on salmon fillet
  • ½ cup cracked freekeh
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 zucchini
  • 4 dried medjool dates
  • ¼ cup labneh cheese
  • 1 pink lemon (or regular lemon if you can’t find pink)

Freekeh Directions:

  1. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Once boiling, add the freekeh and cook, uncovered, 24 to 26 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Cover to keep warm.

Food Prep Directions:

  1. Using a peeler, remove the rind of the lemon, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest (or use a zester). Quarter and deseed the lemon.
  2. Halve the zucchini lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick pieces.
  3. Peel and roughly chop the garlic.
  4. Pit and roughly chop the dates.

Lemon Labneh Directions:

  1. While the freekeh continues to cook, in a bowl, combine the labneh, the juice of 2 lemon wedges, and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fish Directions:

  1. Once the freekeh has cooked about 15 minutes, pat the fish dry with paper towels. Transfer to a cutting board, skin side down. Cut into 2 equal-sized pieces; season with salt and pepper on both sides.
  2. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the seasoned fish, skinless side down. Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook 4 to 5 minutes on the first side, or until lightly browned. Flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through.
  3. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate. Cover with the aluminum foil to keep warm.

Zucchini Directions:

  1. To the pan of reserved fond, add the sliced zucchini in an even layer; season with salt and pepper. (If the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil.) Cook on medium-high, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and slightly softened.
  2. Add the chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened. Turn off the heat.

Serving Directions:

  1. To the pot of cooked freekeh, add the cooked zucchini, chopped dates, lemon zest, the juice of the remaining lemon wedges, and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Serve the cooked fish with the finished freekeh. Top the fish with the lemon labneh.

Serves 2.

Filed Under: American, Entrees, Fish, Greek Tagged With: , , , ,
20 March 2018 Baked Ditali Pasta and Creamy Tomato Sauce

Baked Ditali Pasta and Creamy Tomato Sauce

March 20, 2018 By

pasta and creamy tomato sauceThis baked ditali pasta and creamy tomato sauce casserole is delicious and simple to make. This is a Blue Apron pasta recipe that was a huge hit at our home for its taste, ease of preparing and for its cheesy, comforting qualities.

I love that the broccoli and pasta are cooked at the same time in one pot – how fab is that!? The garlic/breadcrumb topping is packed with bold flavors and provides a nice crunch.

Ingredients:

  • 6 ounces ditali (also called ditalini) pasta (or other small tubular pasta)
  • ½ pound broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 1 yellow onion, small diced
  • 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning (mix of basil, sage, oregano, savory, rosemary, thyme and marjoram)
  • ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 cloves garlic, finely chopped then smashed into a paste
  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. capers
  • 4 ounces fresh Mozzarella cheese, torn into small pieces

Pasta and Broccoli Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 475°F.
  2. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high.
  3. Add the pasta and broccoli pieces to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8-9 minutes (or two minutes less than package directions), or until the broccoli is bright green and the pasta is al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

Sauce Directions:

  1. While the pasta and broccoli cook, in a large pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the diced onion, Italian seasoning and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened.
  2. Add the tomatoes (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
  3. Add the heavy cream and cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Casserole Assembly Directions:

  1. Place the garlic paste in a bowl and add the breadcrumbs, olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.
  2. To the pot of cooked pasta and broccoli, add the sauce, capers and the reserved cooking water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Transfer the pasta mixture to a baking dish (9×9 or 11×7). Evenly top with the cheese and seasoned breadcrumbs.
  4. Bake the casserole 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbly around the edges. Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle with olive oil. Let stand for at least 2 minutes before serving.

Makes 2 generous entrée-sized portions or 4 side dish portions.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Cheese, Entrees, Indian, Pasta, Sides, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
27 February 2018 Easy Veal Saltimbocca

Easy Veal Saltimbocca

February 27, 2018 By
Veal Saltimbocca

Veal Saltimbocca Over Spinach

Veal Saltimbocca is a specialty in Rome and is a simple dish of veal scallopini, wrapped in Prosciutto and fresh sage, sautéed then served in a buttery pan sauce.

When I lived in South Florida, there was a place called La Pergola in Hollywood that was fantastic, in the most perfect old school Italian way. I’d often go there solo with a book and watch the all-male staff work the front of house with flair and a bit of flirtiness. My go-to meal was a tableside Caesar salad and the fantastic Veal Saltimbocca. The veal wasn’t a complicated dish, but it was tender, flavor-packed with sage leaves and spinach and a favorite.

I hadn’t made Veal Saltimbocca in 20 years when an urge for the classic came over me last week. In this version, there isn’t a ton of butter-laden sauce, but it’s still great and a bit lighter. The spinach component from the original dish comes in the form of garlic sautéed spinach, which eliminates the need for pasta for those nights where going low-carb is wanted.  

PS: Don’t like veal? Simply use chicken scallopini.

Veal Saltimbocca

Wrapping Veal with Prosciutto

Ingredients:

  • Large bunch of sage leaves (will need about 15 leaves)
  • 2 veal scallopini (about ½ pound), pounded thinly and evenly
  • 4 slices Prosciutto
  • 4 Tbsp. butter, divided
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
  • 16 ounces baby spinach
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • Splash of white wine or Marsala wine
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Press 4-5 sage leaves on each scallopini. Wrap each scallopini with two slices of Prosciutto.
  3. In a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the two scallopini to the skillet with the sage leaves side down. Cook for 3 minutes, until the Prosciutto is crispy. Carefully flip the scallopini and cook 2 minutes on the second side. Place the skillet in the oven and cook 5 minutes.
  4. While the scallopini are in the oven, add the olive oil to a sautéed pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then add the spinach and pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes and set aside, covered.
  5. Remove the scallopini from the skillet and place on a plate covered in foil. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Chop about 6 sage leaves and add to the butter. Once the sage butter is lightly browned, add the wine and stir to deglaze the pan of the yummy veal bits. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
  6. To plate, add sautéed spinach to two plates, top with the veal then a drizzle of the sage butter.

Serves 2.

Filed Under: Beef, Entrees, Italian, Veal Tagged With: , , ,
22 February 2018 Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

February 22, 2018 By
Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

Bacon-wrapped scallops – add this to my list of ‘not really a recipe, but…’ deliciousness. I hadn’t made bacon-wrapped scallops since perhaps the 90s but needed to prepare something quick for a last minute invite of friends and had bacon and scallops so I thought…old school, but why not!?

I served these with a mixture of ketchup, mayo and Sriracha as a dipping sauce and the spice was pleasant with the fatty bacon.

Ingredients

  • 6 slices of thick-cut bacon
  • 12 large scallops

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Cover a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
  3. Cut the bacon slices in half, lengthwise.
  4. Wrap a strip of bacon around each scallop and secure the bacon with a toothpick.
  5. Place the bacon-wrapped scallops on the foil-covered baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes or until the bacon is crisp.

Makes 12 bacon-wrapped scallops.

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Seafood Tagged With: ,
17 February 2018 Easy Pears Foster

Easy Pears Foster

February 17, 2018 By

Pears FosterBananas Foster is a dessert originally-created at Brennan’s Restaurant in New Orleans back in the 1950s. The popular dish consists of ripe bananas cooked in a butter, dark rum, banana liquor and brown sugar sauce then topped with vanilla ice cream. It’s decadent, old school and a most perfect dish.

When I was growing up in Canada, my mom recreated this dish with canned pears instead of bananas as canned goods were a necessity during long winter months. I don’t know if it’s because this was a childhood favorite, but I actually like the pear version even better than the original banana version. I don’t even care that we still make it using canned pears versus using fresh one – it’s fabulous.

Ingredients:

  • ½ stick (1/4 cup) butter
  • ½ tsp. ground cinnamon (optional. I leave it out as I don’t like cinnamon)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup banana liqueur
  • 29-ounce can of pear halves, drained of their liquid (rinsed if in syrup)
  • ¼ cup dark rum
  • 4 scoops vanilla ice cream
Pears Foster Flambe

Pears Foster Flambe

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the butter, cinnamon (if using) and the brown sugar. Cook gently until sugar is dissolved, stirring continuously.
  2. Add the banana liqueur and pears to the skillet and cook until the pears begin to brown, turning them a few times for even color.
  3. Take the pan off the heat and carefully add the rum (SEE VIDEO OF THE FLAMBEED PEARS). Place the skillet back on the burner – be careful as the alcohol will ignite (we call this flambé). Allow the rum to cook off for a minute (flame will dissipate).
  4. Divide the pears among four serving dishes, top with the pan sauce and then ice cream. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Filed Under: American, Desserts, Fruits Tagged With: , , ,
13 February 2018 Top Dishes for Mardi Gras Celebrations

Top Dishes for Mardi Gras Celebrations

February 13, 2018 By

According to Wikipedia, Mardi Gras, also called Fat Tuesday, refers to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday”, reflecting the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season.

I’ve always liked Mardi Gras. When I was a young child in Canada, my grandma used to dress my sister and me up in costumes and take us trick or treating on her street. Back then, kids dressed up just like for Halloween and collected treats.

Now that I’m an adult, the holiday is still centered on treats, in the form of actual food and I don’t miss a chance to celebrate with New Orleans-worthy dishes. Here are some of my top dishes for Mardi Gras celebrations.

Crawfish Bisque

Easy Mardi Gras Beignets

Easy Crawfish Etouffee

New Orleans Jambalaya

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Veronique

 

Filed Under: American, Chicken, Desserts, Entrees, Seafood, Soups, Vegetables
14 December 2017 Easy Miso Butter Sauce

Easy Miso Butter Sauce

December 14, 2017 By

Miso Butter SauceMy hubby fixed our Blue Apron dinner last night and our dish, pork chop with miso butter sauce was outstanding. What made the dish was the rich, slightly salty, umami-packed miso butter sauce. It would go great with steaks or chicken or vegetables or just about anything.

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp. sweet white miso paste
  • 1 Tbsp. soy glaze
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 Tbsp. butter

Directions:

  1. Whisk the first 3 ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Add sauce to a sauté pan (even better if you just cooked your protein in the pan and there’s fond leftover) over medium heat and cook for 30 seconds, whisking constantly.
  3. Turn off the heat, add the butter and whisk for another 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.

Yields enough sauce for two entrees.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Japanese, Sauce Tagged With: , ,
4 December 2017 National Cookie Day

National Cookie Day

December 4, 2017 By
Koulourakia

Koulourakia

Today’s National Cookie Day and I thought I’d share my blog’s top five cookie recipes with an international flair to help celebrate this sweet “holiday”.

Koulourakia – Greek Cookies

Dutch Butter Cookies

Pepparkake – Spiced Cookies

Pepernoten – Bite-Size Dutch Spiced Cookies

Berliner Kranser Cookies

What are your favorite international cookie recipes?

Happy baking!

Filed Under: Danish, Desserts, Dutch, Greek, Norwegian Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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