Thick, creamy, and a low-carb alternative to Baked Potato Soup!
Loaded baked potato soup is prime comfort food, but it’s also loaded with calories. My lightened-up version swaps the potatoes for cauliflower while keeping all of the comforting appeal. Roasting the cauliflower takes this soup to the next level. Topped with all your favorite fixings, there’s nothing potato soup can do that this soup can’t.
Divide cauliflower between two large baking sheets. Drizzle each baking sheet with a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and scatter 4 thyme sprigs on top.
Bake until cauliflower is golden and tender, about 20 minutes.
In a large pot (or dutch oven) over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy, about 8 minutes. Drain cooked bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate, reserving fat in the pot, then chop bacon into small pieces.
Add onion and celery to bacon fat and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute, then pour in wine. Cook until wine has mostly reduced down, about 2 minutes.
Add roasted cauliflower to the pot and pour over chicken broth. Add bay leaf, all seasonings and remaining thyme sprigs. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the cauliflower is falling apart, about 20 minutes.
Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs from soup. Let the mixture cool slightly then carefully pour it into a blender. Cover that center opening with a towel, holding your hand over the towel, and process the soup mixture on low at first (gradually increasing the speed) until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour the smooth soup back into the Dutch oven on the stovetop.
Whisk in the heavy cream and sour cream.
Set it over medium heat to let it warm through, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper, if needed
Serve warm with cheddar, chopped bacon, and chives.
As many of you know, I joined the initiative #EducateYourself. I knew some but I am learning so much more. As a foodie, I wanted to learn more about the Black Culinary community, this is where I learned about James Hemings and his brother.
The story of James Hemings is fascinating, here’s a little taste.
In the 18th century, James Hemings was one of America’s most accomplished chefs. He was also Thomas Jefferson’s slave. Hemings grew up as a household slave in Monticello, Jefferson’s Virginia estate. He could read and write and Jefferson trusted him. So when Jefferson sailed to France in 1784 to become America’s trade minister, he brought Hemings with him. While in Paris, Hemings was trained in the art of French cooking. He studied first with the caterer and restaurateur, Monsieur Combeaux, apprenticing with pastry chefs. After three years of study he became the head chef at the Hôtel de Langeac, Jefferson’s residence that functioned also as the American embassy. Here his dishes were served to international guests, statesmen, authors, scientists, and European aristocrats.
In 1796, James Hemings was freed by Jefferson on the condition that James would train his younger brother to replace him as chef in the Jefferson household. In 1802, Jefferson served a “macaroni pie” at a state dinner, more than likely prepared from a recipe by James and cooked by his brother. Since that time, the dish has been associated with the United States. Unfortunately, no written record of the Hemingway’s mac and cheese survives.
Enslaved chefs played a huge role in refining some of America’s current staple foods, like mac and cheese.
If you want to learn more about James Hemings. Check out: Thomas Jefferson’s Crème Brûlée: How a Founding Father and His Slave James Hemings Introduced French Cuisine to America written by Thomas J. Craughwell . There’s even a children’s picture book, My Name Is James Madison Hemings written by Jonah Winter.
Here is my Mac & Cheese recipe, inspired by the 1824 cookbook “The Virginia Housewife” written by Mary Randolph. It is believed that Randolph’s recipe may have been one of James Hemings creations.
Pair this Mac and Cheese with Scout & Cellar 2019 Fiddleneck Chardonnay, Lake County, California
INGREDIENTS
Butter, to grease the dish
16 ounces large elbow macaroni
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 cups Milk
2 cups Half and Half
2 cups Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 cups Italian cheese blend. shredded
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
½ teaspoon Smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon mustard powder
Topping:
1 sleeve Ritz Crackers, crushed
¼ cup butter, melted
½ cup shredded cheese
¼ tsp Smoked paprika
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and butter a 3 qt baking dish (9×13″). Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add the dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente.
While pasta is cooking, mix all 3 cheeses in a large bowl. Remove ½ cup of the mixed cheese and set aside, you will use this for the topping.
Drain the pasta and drizzle olive oil over the pasta and combine to keep from sticking.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often.
Slowly pour in the 2 cups of the milk, while whisking constantly, until smooth.
Next, slowly pour in the 2 cups of half and half, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.
Continue to heat over medium heat, whisking often, until thickened.
Lower the heat and stir in seasonings and whisk together.
Stir in 1 ½ cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine.
Stir in the rest of the cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
In a large mixing bowl, combine pasta with cheese sauce, stirring to combine fully.
Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.
For the topping, mix the 1/4 remaining cup melted butter, remaining cheese and crushed crackers together in a bowl; scatter the cracker mixture evenly over the macaroni.
Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the top is lightly golden brown for about 15 minutes.
I don’t like to waste food so whenever possible I try to find ways to use different ingredients.
In this case, I had an abundance of orange Habaneros and Basil. My dad and brother love spicy foods, actually they like to say the SPICIER the better!
So I created three different Habanero sauces.
Habanero, Lime & Basil Hot Sauce
Habanero, Lime & Basil Vinaigrette
Habanero Avocado Basil Cream sauce
Remember, I told you I had a LOT of habaneros so I basically created a base sauce and then switched things up for each sauce, added a little here, and a little there. You may be wondering, why carrots? Carrots have a natural sweetness so I wanted to up the sweetness (and the flavor) without having to add too much sugar. The instructions for each sauce are the same, saute the carrots, onion and garlic, then drop all into a blender with all the other ingredients. Three habaneros was enough heat for me, but when I made my dad and brother’s jars I added two more. I’m serious when I say they like it HOT!
PLEASE make sure to wear gloves when handling the habaneros! I learned this the hard way. LOL.
Hot Sauce Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 habanero peppers, stem and seeds removed
1 cup Basil, packed
¼ cup water
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup Apple cider vineg
¼ cup olive oil
⅓ cup crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Vinaigrette Ingredients
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 habanero peppers, stem and seeds removed
1 cup Basil, packed
½ cup Apple cider vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup water
¼ cup lime juice
⅓ cup crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Cream Sauce Ingredients
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 habanero peppers, stem and seeds removed
2 avocados
1 cup Basil, packed
½ cup Apple cider vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup water
¼ cup lime juice
⅓ cup crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir the carrots, oil, onion, and garlic in the hot oil until soft, about 5 minutes; transfer to a blender.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the blender; blend until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
You may need to add more water by the tablespoonful, until the sauce reaches the consistency you like.
Pour into the container of your choice and refrigerate.
There’s nothing better than a Taco party! Not only does everyone love tacos, but you can make it all ahead of time and be able to sit down with your guests and eat. You can’t have a Taco party without SALSA! And your chips, tacos and meats deserve the best!
These fresh salsa recipes are super simple and crowd favorites!
Let’s get the Fiesta preparation started!
Pico De Gallo is a classic Mexican recipe made from fresh tomato, cilantro, red onion, and lime juice..
Fresh Pico de Gallo Salsa
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped red onion
I clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Salt & Pepper to taste
Stir all together in a bowl.
Serve.
Salsa Verde
Salsa Verde is really easy to make from scratch, all you need are tomatillos, onion, jalapeño, lime, and cilantro. This salsa Verde is fresh, bright, and not too salty like store-bought versions.
4-6 tomatillos
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 Jalapeño pepper
Salt to taste
Preheat the broiler with a rack about 4 inches below the heat source. Place the tomatillos and jalapeño on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until they’re blackened in spots, about 5 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, carefully flip over the tomatillos and jalapeño with tongs and broil for 4 to 6 more minutes, until the tomatillos are splotchy-black and blistered.
Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, combine the chopped onion, cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice and ½ teaspoon salt.
Once the tomatillos are out of the oven, carefully transfer the hot tomatillos, jalapeño and all of their juices into the food processor or blender.
Pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth and no big chunks of tomatillo remain, scraping down the sides as necessary. Season to taste with additional lime juice and salt.
The salsa will be thinner at first, but will thicken up after a few hours in the refrigerator.
Cilantro Lime Sauce
This Cilantro Lime sauce has incredible flavor and only requires a handful of ingredients. It’s a fresh, creamy!
1 small bunch cilantro
3 cloves garlic
3 tbsp lime juice
1 medium avocado
2 tbsp water
½ tsp each salt and pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
Did someone say Pizza? Brian and I love making homemade pizza with the girls!
Now of course, you can just go to the grocery store and buy the pre-made pizza dough but what’s the fun in that! While we practice the Stay at Home Order, get in the kitchen and make your own pizza dough. It’s super fun especially to do with loved ones!
I have two recipes listed below; one for your regular pizza dough and one for deep dish pizza dough. They both are delicious!
Basic But Delicious Pizza Dough
Ingredients
1 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for bowl to rest dough
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 cups All purpose flour, plus more to roll dough
Mix 1 cup warm water with the package active dry yeast and let the yeast bloom and foam, 5 minutes. Add EVOO, honey and salt and whisk together.
Whisk together the 3 cups of flour and salt.
If you have a food processor, slowly pour the honey mixture, to the food processor and pulse until the dough comes together in a sticky ball, about 20 to 30 seconds. No food processor, no worries, you can use a rubber spatula!
Place the dough onto a floured work surface and knead, using the heel of your hand, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. This can totally count as your arm workout for the day!
Using a paper towel, pour a small amount of EVOO into a large bowl and coat the bottom and sides. Add the dough, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Let the dough stand until it is doubled in size, about ten minutes to one hour. The longer you allow it to stand and rise, the more flavor you will have. I totally just sounded like Yoda! LOL! Okay back to the recipe.
After ten minutes, plop the dough onto a floured cutting board. Punch the dough, literally, punch down on it and then puff it back up.
We like to make several different types of pizzas so we usually make 3- to 4-inch mini pizzas. If you want just one big pizza, skip this next step.
To make 3- to 4-inch mini pizzas, cut each dough ball into 4 piece wedges, then press or stretch into shape into a ball.
Want one big pizza? Press the dough out on the work surface into a 9 to 12 inch round, a long rectangle or an oval. Now if you used to work at a pizza place like Brian, you can get fancy and toss the dough up in the air. Or you can be like me and start at the center and work outwards, using your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick.
Here’s a little tip: let the dough relax 5 minutes and then continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter.
Use your fingertips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings). Let rest another 10-15 minutes.
Looking for Deep Dish?
Brian is from Chicgao and he absolutely loves Malnatis! So one night, we tried to recreate their famous pizza. I’m not saying we nailed it but we came pretty close! If you are looking for a Deep Dish Chicago style pizza, here you go!
Ingredients
3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
½ cup yellow cornmeal
1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
2 and 1/4 teaspoons yeast (1 standard packet)
1 and 1/4 cups slightly warm water
1/2 cup unsalted butter, divided (1/4 cup melted, 1/4 cup softened to room temperature)
olive oil for coating
Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. If you do not have a stand mixer, use your hand mixer and a very, very large bowl. If you do not have any mixer, you can do this all by hand.
Make sure you are using a LARGE bowl! The first time, we made this pizza dough, flour flew everywhere, which the girls and I turned into a flour food fight! I’m pretty sure Brian is still finding flour in places in his kitchen that flour should not be.
Give those ingredients a quick toss with your mixer on low or with a large wooden spoon.
Into the flour mixture, slowly pour the warm water and 1/4 cup of melted butter. Make sure it is not very hot or it will kill the yeast. Likewise, make sure the butter isn’t boiling hot. If you melt it in the microwave, let it sit for a few minutes before adding into the bowl. On low speed, beat (or stir) the dough ingredients until everything begins to be moistened. Continue on low speed (or remove from the bowl and knead by hand if you do not own a mixer), beat the dough until it is soft and gently pull away from the sides of the bowl and falls off of the dough hook- about 4-5 minutes. If the dough is too hard (it will be textured from the cornmeal), but if it feels too tough, beat in a teaspoon of warm water. Alternatively, if it feels too soft, beat in a tablespoon of flour.
Remove the dough from the bowl and form into a ball. Lightly grease a large mixing bowl with olive oil and place the dough inside, turning it around so that all sides of the dough are coated. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow it to rise for 1-2 hours or until double in size.
While we wait for the basic or deep dish dough to rise, we usually make the sauce but I’ll tell you more about the sauce soon, below.
After an hour, remove the dough and place it onto a floured surface. Roll it out into a 12-inch circle. You want to stretch it out as much as you can to make a large circle. The dough needs to be stretched out enough to cover the bottom and sides of the baking pan. Remember we are making a deep dish dough!
Using a rolling pin as a guide, place over a 9×2-inch (23×5 cm) deep dish cake pan or cast-iron skillet. We use our cast iron. We love cast iron, check out my blog in the Tips & Tricks section and you’ll understand. : )
Using your fingers, press the dough into the skillet or pan. Make sure it is nice and tight fitting inside the pan. Trim any excess dough off the edges with a small knife. Brush the top edges of the dough with a little olive oil.
Now for the sauce!
The sauce is just as important as the dough! Yes, you can buy the jar stuff but come on! Why not go all the way! I’m going to share with you my Sicilian Pizza sauce and then I’ll share with you the best replica Malnati’s sauce.
Sicilian Sauce Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp onions, chopped
4 garlic, chopped
3 14 oz cans Italian tomatoes
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Italian herb
1 bay leaf
Best Replica Malnati’s Sauce Ingredients.
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, grated (about 1/3 cup)*
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, but recommended)
3 garlic cloves, minced
one 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes*
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
Sicilian Sauce Directions
Melt the butter and the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan.
When all the butter is melted, add the onions and garlic, salt well, and saute over medium heat for about 7 – 8 minutes, until the onion rings begin to lose their shape and soften.
Add the canned tomatoes (with their juices) and bring to a simmer.
When simmering, reduce the heat and maintain a slow simmer for about two hours, stirring frequently.
Add the sugar, tomato paste and Italian herbs (if using dried herbs add now, if using fresh, add about 10 minutes before blending), stir and continue to simmer for about another hour.
Best Replica Malnati’s Sauce Directions
Place butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and allow it to melt. Once melted, add the grated onion, salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Once the onion has slightly browned after about 5 minutes, add the garlic, tomatoes, and sugar. Turn the heat down to low-medium and allow it to simmer until it’s hearty, fragrant, and thick- about 30 minutes. You’ll have about 2 and 1/2 cups of sauce at this point. If you have more than that, keep simmering until the amount has reduced. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to be used.
Now for the Pizza toppings, get creative! Brian and I have tried several combinations, I listed our favorites but honestly anything goes!
Malnati’s Toppings
½-1 cup of Malnati’s sauce, or more depending on how thick you like your sauce
Ravioli stuffed with a fresh pear and cheese filling and sauteed in a buttery sauce with crispy pancetta, this ravioli recipe is a fancy dinner made easy!
The sweetness of the pears complements the salty and creamy cheese filling of these easy ravioli. It’s sweet and savory, my two favorite flavors!
As you know by now, I love making homemade pasta and that doesn’t stop with the basics like spaghetti and fettuccine – I also enjoy making homemade ravioli.
First, you will want to make the filling.
Peel and core the pears. Then using the fine side of a box grater, grate the pears and Pecorino into a bowl and combine. Add ¼ cup of the mascarpone, 2 Tbsp. of the chopped parsley, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Set to the side.
If you are making your own pasta, which I highly recommend, follow my Homemade Pasta recipe blog post.
If you don’t want to make your own pasta dough, you can also use store bought wonton wrappers to cut down on time.
Roll pasta dough into long strips. I used a pasta machine attachment on my stand mixer to make it easier.
Press a ravioli cutter stamp or circle cookie cutter into the flour and then press down firmly to cut out raviolis or wonton wrapper. Place on a prepared lightly floured cookie sheet.
This is a ravioli cutter, I purchased from Williams Sonoma.
Scoop about 2 tsp. of the filling into the center of the ravioli. Place another ravioli round on top. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, moisten the exposed pasta around the filling. Starting in the center, gently press and shape the dough around each mound, working out to the sides and forcing out any air.
Repeat this process until all ravioli is made. Place in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
In a large pot of boiling water, add ravioli and once they float to the top, cook another couple of minutes, save about ¼ cup of the water and drain the rest. You will want to use the reserved pasta water to help thicken the sauce later.
For the sauce, melt the butter and sauté the shallots and garlic. I love shallots, while similar in taste to an onion, I think they have a bit more “refined” flavor and are more delicate, and softer.
Once the shallots and garlic are slightly brown, add in the chopped pancetta. Pancetta is an Italian salami made of pork belly meat that is salt cured. You can find pancetta in the deli at most local grocery stores, like Publix. If you can not find Pancetta, bacon will work too. Cook the pancetta until crispy.
Add the stuffed ravioli to the same pan, and coat with the buttery sauce for about 2-3 minutes. Slowly add the reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time into the pan, this will thicken the sauce slightly. Continue to sauté the ravioli for about 2 more minutes, you want to heat the ravioli all the way through. Lastly, stir in the chopped parsley.
Place the cooked ravioli on a plate, spoon the buttery sauce over the top and sprinkle with toasted chopped walnuts. Yum!
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. Bartlett pears, peeled and cored
8 oz. Pecorino Toscano cheese
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 lb. fresh pasta
4 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped pancetta
2 shallots, diced
3 Tbs. chopped toasted walnuts
DIRECTIONS
Using the fine side of a box grater, grate the pears and Pecorino into a bowl. Add the mascarpone, 2 Tbsp. of the parsley, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Kitchen Aid Pasta Roller: Using the roller attachment, roll the pasta into a thin sheet and cut into 12-inch-long pieces.
Hand method: Roll out the pasta and cut into 12-inch-long pieces.
Press a ravioli cutter stamp or circle cookie cutter into the flour and then press down firmly to cut out raviolis. Place on a prepared floured tray.
Scoop about 2 tsp. of the filling into the center of the ravioli. Place another ravioli round on top. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, moisten the exposed pasta around the filling. Starting in the center, gently press and shape the dough around each mound, working out to the sides and forcing out any air.
Transfer the ravioli to a lightly floured baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cooking.
Bring a large pot two-thirds full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add half of the ravioli and cook until they float and are al dente (tender but firm to the bite), 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the ravioli to paper towels to drain. Repeat to cook the remaining ravioli. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
In a large, deep sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Sauté the chopped shallots and garlic for 2-3 minutes. In the same pan, add the pancetta and cook until crispy. Season with salt and pepper. Add the ravioli and gently stir to coat with the butter. Add the reserved cooking water as needed to create a sauce. Stir in the remaining 1 Tbs. parsley.
Transfer the ravioli to a warmed serving bowl, sprinkle with the walnuts and serve.
These Zucchini Taco boats are made with fresh zucchini stuffed with seasoned ground beef, bell peppers, and topped with cheese and salsa. But the filling could literally be anything, from chicken and corn, to meatballs with tomato sauce!
They are low carb and keto diet friendly.
Start with 3 or 4 small zucchini.
I used a small cookie scoop to scoop out the middle of the zucchini, but you can also use a small spoon. I got a little close to the edge on one of them, but don’t worry about it. The meat filling will cover it up. I love using the insides of the zucchini I scooped out to add filler, so place the insides to the side.
Pour 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa in a baking dish- I used Pace. Lay the boats on top of the salsa and sprinkle each with salt.
Now it’s time to make the filling. Heat a pan over medium-heat and cook the meat. You can use any ground meat, I used ground beef. Once the meat is cooked, transfer to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the same pan and add a drizzle of EVOO.
Sauté the insides of the zucchini. Make sure to cook it down to reduce the liquid. Then add bell peppers,- any color, I used red and yellow. Sprinkle it with chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir together and cook for about two minutes. Add the red onion and garlic. It should start to smell like it’s almost Taco time!
Continue to cook until vegetables are softened and water has absorbed. Lastly, add the meat back to the pan, and stir together. Once it is combined, it’s time to fill up the boats. Go ahead and fill those babies up- don’t be shy! Let the meat spill over if you need to.
I love cheese and, what’s a taco if it doesn’t have any cheese on it? Cover the filled boats with shredded cheese. I used Cheddar but Monterrey Jack or a Mexican blend would work great, too.
Place the baking dish in the 400°F preheated oven and cook for 20-25 minutes.
This recipe is great if you’re looking for a low-carb option for tacos, or need to get more veggies into your diet. Try them out for Taco Tuesday and enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
4 Zucchini
1lb Ground Beef
1/2 cup Mixed Red & Yellow Bell Peppers, finely diced
1/2 cup Red Onion, diced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Chili Powder
2 teaspoons Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Salt
8 ounces Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Salsa
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°F
Prepare your zucchini, cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a measuring spoon (teaspoon) to hollow out the zucchini forming a boat… save the insides and set aside.
Pour salsa into a baking dish.
Place the zucchini boats in the same baking dish and sprinkle a small amount of salt over them.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef. Once cooked, transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the same pan and add a drizzle of EVOO.
Add the inside of the zucchini, water will release. Let it cook down to reduce the liquid, then add bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir together and cook for about two minutes. Then add the red onion and garlic.
Continue to cook until vegetables are softened and water has absorbed. Add the meat back to the pan, stir together.
Once combined, fill each zucchini boat with the beef and vegetable mixture.
Top the zucchini boats with cheddar cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes or until zucchini has softened and cheese is melted.
Eggplant Parmesan is one of my favorite Italian comfort foods. The one thing to keep in mind when cooking eggplant, is eggplants hold onto moisture, like a sponge. So if you’re not careful you can end up with a mushy mess.
So the best method to make eggplant parmesan is to pull the moisture out of the eggplant prior to frying it.
How do we pull moisture out of the eggplant?
You sprinkle salt on the eggplant slice and let them sit for 45 minutes to one hour.The salt pulls out the moisture from the eggplant.
It also helps to cut the bitterness of the vegetable and makes it “sweat”. You will notice little drops of moisture on the surface of the disks. Removing the moisture from the eggplant will prevent it from releasing it during cooking.
After the 45 minutes, all you have to do is just pat them dry and dust off the excess salt and then you’ll be ready to start making your eggplant parmesan! I guarantee you will have a much crispier and less soggy eggplant parmesan dish!
Now of course, you can bake or roast the eggplant for eggplant Parmesan, and they are tasty but frying the eggplant gives the dish a deep caramelized flavor that can not be mimicked by baking.
I like my eggplant a tad thick so I slice mine about ¼ thick, using a sharp knife. Grab two shallow dishes, crack two eggs in one dish and whisk. I like to add some seasoning, like granulated garlic and black pepper, to my whisked eggs but that is totally up to you. Pour 1 ½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs in the other dish. I love cheese and feel you can never have too much so I sprinkle ¼ cup of grated Parmesan into the breadcrumbs and whisk until combined.
Take each slice, dip it into the egg mixture, roll in the bread crumbs and shake off any excess. Place the breaded eggplant slices on a plate or large baking sheet and repeat until all eggplant slices have been coated.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil into the skillet. I always use my cast iron skillet but any skillet will work. I have become a big fan of cast iron in the last year. Check out my Tips & Tricks page for why.
Once the skillet is hot, slowly slide two-three breaded eggplant slices into the oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, they should be a nice golden brown. The first batch will take longer than the rest as the oil heats up. You will want to keep a close eye on them and watch out for oil splatters.
Line a large sheet pan with foil, this will make for an easy clean up. Add a layer of eggplant slices then dollop 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce on top of the eggplant slices. The idea isn’t to smother the layers with sauce. On top of the eggplant slices, sprinkle a generous amount of mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. The more cheese the better, in my opinion.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and brown on top. I use the broiler for 5 minutes to get the cheese nice and brown – you don’t have to, but if you do, watch it carefully!
There is nothing better than the smell of fresh basil. It reminds me of my grandparents’ backyard when I was a child. My grandfather, Papa, always had a basil plant in his backyard. Here’s a great tip for cutting basil. Stack the basil leaves on top of each other and roll up like a cigar. Then make thin slices from one end of the basil cigar to the other. Sprinkle on top of your eggplant parmesan and serve.
INGREDIENTS
1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4″ thick slices
2 tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 eggs
4 tbsp vegetable oil, for lightly pan-frying
2 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought
2 cups whole milk mozzarella shredded
1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
Handful of fresh basil leaves sliced, for garnish (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Salt both sides of your eggplant slices and place them in a large colander in the sink. Let the liquid drain for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
When your eggplant slices have finished draining liquid, brush off the excess salt.
In 2 shallow plates, add breadcrumbs to one and whisk eggs and in the other. Dip both sides of the eggplant slice into egg mixture then cover with breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess. Place on a plate or large baking sheet and repeat until all eggplant slices have been coated.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil into the skillet. Once the skillet is hot, add two-three eggplant slices at a time to the skillet and cook on both sides until golden brown, remove and set on a large plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until you’ve pan-fried them all.
On a large sheet pan, add a layer of eggplant slices then using dollop 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce on top of the eggplant slices. The idea isn’t to smother the layers with sauce. On top of the eggplant slices, sprinkle a generous amount of mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and brown on top. I use the broiler for 5 minutes to get the cheese nice and brown.
The smells of Spanish cooking never fails to set my tastebuds alight.
Spanish food looks good and tastes great. But the smell of Spanish food cooking adds to the anticipation of dinner, and to the experience of eating it!
I loving making recipes that remind me of being a little girl at my grandparents’ houses.
I love using Chorizo in my cooking, whether it’s for my mom’s Spanish Bean Soup, a breakfast hash or tacos! It adds little richness and spice to a dish. The two most common types of chorizo here in the United States are Mexican chorizo and Spanish chorizo.
Here’s a some quick tips on the difference.
Spanish Chorizo
Spanish chorizo is usually cured or smoked and wrapped in a casing. It does not need any further cooking or preparation to enjoy. I like to eat Spanish chorizo as-is on a charcuterie board with cheeses and a glass of red wine.
Mexican Chorizo
Mexican chorizo is most commonly sold raw and must be cooked before consuming. It should be pan-fried or browned like any ground sausage. I love Mexican chorizo, it’s a highly versatile ingredient for adding huge flavor to any dish. It works seamlessly with soups, chilis, sauces, or as a topping for potatoes, pasta dishes, and breakfast hashes.
For this recipe, I used Mexican chorizo since I will stuffing it into chicken.
I always like to marinade my chicken, especially if I’m using breast. I find chicken breast to not have much flavor on it’s own.
I usually make my own marinade but I had a bottle of Goya Mojo Chipotle Marinade in the frig and it’s pretty good so I figured let’s save some time!
The first step of this recipe is to dump your chicken breast into a ziplock bag and pour enough of the marinade in to cover the chicken.
If you have the time, marinate it over night, if not at least 1 hour.
Now it’s time to get to slicing and dicing! This is where my boyfriend, Brian comes in handy!
Before you start, make sure you have a trash bowl next to your cutting board. I learned this tip from one of my favorite chefs, Rachael Ray! I use my Meme’s old metal colander, it makes me feel like she’s in the kitchen with me!
Evenly, dice the onion, garlic and red bell peppers.
Here’s another tip! When you cut your red bell pepper or any pepper make sure to cut it skin down. This will make it so much easier for your knife and you!
While you are slicing and dicing, heat your skillet. Place the chorizo in a skillet over medium heat and break it up into tiny pieces with a wooden spoon while cooking. Transfer the chorizo to a large bowl lined with a paper towel and let the oils drain from the chorizo.
Next, using that same pan, wipe out most of the oil with a paper towel, but leave some of the chorizo oil, and sauté your onion. Sprinkling the Saxon Con Azafran (I use the Baida brand). Continue to sauté for about 4-5 minutes until tender, then add the red bell pepper and sauté until tender. I add the garlic last because garlic can burn if cooked too long and that is not good for any dish. Sauté all together, for 4-5 minutes until fragrant.
Transfer the veggies and chorizo to a large bowl and stir together. This is the filing a.k.a Chorizo stuffing for your chicken!
By now, the aroma from your kitchen should be calling to your family and neighbors to come over for dinner!
PreHeat your oven to 325F
Next up, prepare the yellow rice! I personally love VIGO yellow rice! It’s made right here in Tampa! If you have never visited the VIGO store in Tampa, you must! They also offer field trips for students!
First melt the butter and EVOO in a saucepan. Then add the rice. A great tip I learned from Gordan Ramsay is to first toast your rice!
The secret to a better pan of rice lies in seasoning and flavoring the grains before they even hit that pot of boiling water.
Once the grains are coated and start to toast (you should smell a deep nutty aroma), take it a step further by tossing in some aromatics — like chopped shallots, garlic, ginger, and/or spices — into the pan. For this recipe, toss in the garlic! Toast for just a few minutes, until the rice starts to look slightly brown on the tips and smells fragrant and nutty. Then add in the 2 cups of chicken broth. Stirring occasionally, bring the broth to a boil. Cover saucepan tightly. Reduce heat to simmer and allow to cook for 20-25 minutes.
Now it’s time to take out all the stress from the day! Grab your mallet or rolling pin; chicken, and cutting board.
Place the chicken on the cutting board and cover it with wax paper or plastic wrap (keep it covered, you don’t want chicken juice on your rolling pin or mallet). After giving the chicken breast a good pounding on both sides, use your rolling pin to roll it out like pie dough to approcimately 1/4 thick (but keep it in the covered since you don’t want chicken juice on your rolling pin.)
Sprinkle Badia Sazon With Saffron over the chicken. Take a scoop of Chorizo stuffing about 1-2 tablespoons and place it at one end of the chicken breast. Do not let your scoop touch the chicken, you are going to want to save the leftover stuffing for future meals, I used mine in quesadillas the next day! It’s also good in a breakfast hash or even as a salsa!
Unravel the cheese… yup I said unravel! It’s like a ball of yarn but cheese! Super fun!
Cut 2-3 inch strips and place on top of the Chorizo stuffing.
Now roll the chicken, making sure to tuck in the cheese and stuffing. You’re basically rolling the chicken like you would a tortilla for a burrito.
You can use tooth picks or kitchen twine to tie the chicken, so it does not come undone. I used twine but tooth picks are much easier. 😉
Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat and drizzle with EVOO. You don’t have to use cast iron – a large skillet will do but I much prefer cooking with cast iron!
Sear the stuffed chicken breasts for 4 minutes on each side until browned. (They will not be fully cooked. You will finish them off in the oven.)
Some of the cheese will ooze out, but don’t worry it will taste amazing like fried cheese!
Take the skillet off of the heat, and pour in 1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth. Place the skillet into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165F.
Now it’s time to plate the dish! I love creating the presentation of the meal!
Take a ladle and press the rice to form a dome, then place the chicken next to it with the cheese oozing onto the plate. YUM!
Get creative and post your plated presentation below in the comments, I’d love to see it!!!
Ingredients:
Goya Mojo Chipotle Marinade
4 Chicken Breasts
1 large Onion – diced
5 garlic cloves- minced or diced
2 red bell peppers – diced
1 pound Mexican Chorizo
1 ball of Oaxaca Cheese
2 teaspoons Badia Sazon With Saffron
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth
Yellow Rice Ingredients:
10 oz. Vigo Yellow Rice packet
1 tbsp unsalted butter
Olive Oil – EVOO
1 clove garlic – minced or diced
2 cups Chicken Broth
Instructions:
1. Place the chicken in a large Ziploc bag and pour marinade over the chicken. Leave in refrigerator at least one hour or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 325F.
3. In a large skillet, sauté Chorizo until cooked through. Place the chorizo in a large bowl lined with a paper towel.
4. In the same skillet, sauté the diced onion, sprinkle with Badia Sazon With Saffron seasoning. Add the diced red bell peppers, stirring occasionally until soft. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant.
5. Pour onion, red bell pepper & garlic mixture into a large bowl. Add the chorizo into the bowl and stir together.
6. Lay down 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Use the smooth side of a mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken. Start in the center of your chicken and work your way out, until chicken is 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick.
7. Scoop the Chorizo stuffing onto one side of the flatten chicken breast.
8. Lay a 2-3 inch slice of cheese on top of the chorizo stuffing.
9. Roll up the chicken, tucking in the stuffing and cheese.
10. Stick a couple of toothpicks in near the opening to keep it all together.
11. Heat up a pan to medium-high heat (I used a cast iron skillet) and sear the meat on both sides about 4 minutes for each side.
12. Pour in 1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth.
13. Lower the heat and continue cooking the meat on the stove until it’s done or, if you’re using a cast iron skillet, you can put the skillet in the oven. Just make sure you cook it until the center reaches 165ºF on a thermometer
14. Serve immediately over yellow rice. Enjoy!
Yellow Rice Instructions
1. Melt butter and EVOO over medium heat in a sauce pan.
2. Pour packet of yellow rice into the saucepan. Toast the rice until the edges are slightly brown.
3. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
4. Pour 2 cups of chicken broth into the saucepan and bring to boil, stirring for about one minute.
5. Cover saucepan tightly. Reduce heat to simmer and allow to cook for 20-25 minutes.
My first tip is make sure you have a wooden spoon or several!
My Meme, grandmother, use to always say a wooden spoon is a must have in the kitchen!
And yes, just like the episode of Everyone Loves Raymond, we had the large wooden spoon and fork on the kitchen wall in my Meme & Papa’s house. But that was not the wooden spoon, she was speaking of.
Why Wood?
Wooden spoons don’t quickly heat to scalding temperatures, melt, or scratch pots and pans. A wooden spoon can be used to stir any dish in any type of pot/pan. It can muddle lime and mint for a Mojito, stop a pot of pasta from boiling over, and fold together the wet and dry ingredients of cookie batter.
While all of these facts already tip the scale in favor of wooden spoons, there is also an emotional reason to use them.
Wood retains memories in a way that metal and plastic cannot. It shows signs of use. It changes color and texture, wears and ages, even changes shape.
I can look at one of my wooden spoons and see a slight bent from cooking my first Christmas meal, or the dark spot from the sangria I made for my friends last summer. And when I use the wooden rolling pin that belonged first to my grandmother, then to my mother, and now to me, I cannot help but feel that I am cooking in the company of all past meals that the rolling pin helped roll and with the help of all the hands that have done the rolling before me.
Now I have taken her advice, and have several wooden kitchen utensils. They are my go to!
Whisk Away Kitchen 