A Pantry Affair

Quick Tip: Don't you know dried fruit is the new crouton?

It’s true!  I get a kick out of proving my point the first time friends visit for dinner.  The shock and awe as they take their first few bites of my dried cranberry salad is absolutely priceless.  You know they’re only trying it becuase they don’t want to offend me - but I don’t mind becuase after a bite or two it’s clear this is, surprisingly, the most amazing salad they’ve ever had. 

So here it is world, my famous Dried Cranberry Salad recipe -

• Mixed baby greens
• Sliced red and yellow peppers
• Diced cucumbers
• Crumbled feta cheese
• Dried cranberries

Any light vinegarette dressing - anything from a balasamic to sun-dried tomato vinegarette will do.  My personal favorite though is my homemade orange and shallot vinegarette.  Recipe coming soon!

ENJOY!

Comments

8pm

Quick and easy meal #2 - A fun & colorful summer dinner

I love digging through my fridge and cooking elaborate meals from whatever ingredients I can find, but some nights that just takes too much effort.  On those days, I put on my quick and easy meal-maker hat (a chef’s hat would be little much in for this one) and put out dinner’s like this colorful Buffaloe Chicken with corn and berries.   

Buffaloe Chicken

1. Pre-heat a non-stick skillet with 1 tsp of canola oil per chicken breast to med-high
2. Cube fresh chicken breasts (1 per person)
3. Toss chicken cubes in light flour and add to skillet
4. Salt and pepper to taste
5. Once chicken is cooked thoroughly, remove from heat, drain and coat with your favorite buffaloe wing sauce
6. Serve with your favorite blue cheese dressing for dipping - There are some store-bought blue cheese dressings out there that taste more like moldy mayonaise.  Ken’s Steakhouse Chunky Blue Cheese is the only one I’ve found that doesn’t.

Ken - if you’re reading this - as much as I appreciate your ability to keep that moldy-mayo flavor at bay, your dressing is still missing what a really good, homemade blue cheese can do for hot wings.  May I suggest you start using buttermilk and add some more garlic?  If you want to taste the most perfect blue cheese dressing to understand what I’m saying, come on down to Cary, NC and try the blue cheese dressing at the Carolina Ale House.  That, my friends, it the true best! Unfortuntately, they don’t sell it at Harris Teeter : (

Steamed Corn (This one’s REALLY EASY!)

I live on Birds Eye Steamfresh veggies.  They are so easy and delish!*

1. Remove the bag of frozen corn from the freezer.
2. Place it in the microwave and cook on high for 3-5 minutes.
3. Empty the bag into a bowl and add salt & pepper to taste.
4. Then EAT! Mmmmmm!!  I love veggies!

*Mostly.  I’m not a big fan of the one’s with sauces already in them.  But remember, I’m a food snob.  That said, the best thing about these frozen bags of goodness is that the veggies are always super-fresh and perfectly steamed.  I never have to worry about the grocer not having a fresh stock or my staple veggies, corn and broccoli, not being in season.  They even have Steamfresh rice!  No more boil-in-a-bag for me! (Again, I have to caveat that with the fact that I don’t like the rice and veggie combo options.  I’ll add my own, thank you.)

And it just gets easier…

The berries

1. Just buy, rinse, mix and serve.  Nothing like fresh fruit to top off a great meal!

ENJOY!

Comments

12pm

Grocery Guide: Coffee Creamer

I consider myself somewhat of a grocery snob.  If the box is wrinkled, if the can is dented or if the veggie cooler is too cold I move on to the next item.  You should see the looks I get from the stock boys as I pick up and inspect at least 5 apples before finding one that I’m satisfied with.

I choose only the best, freshest ingredients because I believe the ingredients are what make simple food amazing.  For that reason, I’m starting a new series on this blog: Grocery Guide where I’ll share my lists of the best ingredients in different categories to help you wade through the shelves and choose the best grocery items for your pantry.

Inspired by a comic about my biggest addiction, coffee, I’ll start this series by sharing with you my picks for the best coffee creamers:

Best Seasonal: Coffee-Mate Peppermint Mocha

I love the holidays because my favorite specialty coffee comes back on the menu at Starbucks.  But when I don’t want to spend $5 to get my caffeine fix, Coffee-Mate’s Peppermint Mocha creamer provides the next best thing sans the whip-cream and red sprinkles.

TIP: Want to save the calories?  Just add 1/8 cup skim milk, 1 tsp Purevia and a dash or two of peppermint extract to your morning brew.

Best Non-dairy: Silk French Vanilla

Bought this one day when it was a VIC special and all I can say is WOW!  With half the fat and sugars of the Coffee-Mate version, this creamer is huge on flavor and the perfect option for anyone who is going dairy free.

Best Original: Coffee-Mate Fat Free Original

I’m not generally a big fan of plain creamers, mainly because I’ve spoiled my tongue with years of deliciousness and plain flavors just don’t do it for me anymore.  Nonetheless, when I am forced to go plain I prefer Coffee-Mate.  They make the creamiest fat-free creamer I’ve found, making it the best at bringing out the flavors in my favorite coffees.

Best Non-refrigerated: French Vanilla Concentrate

I thought for the longest time that the only non-refrigerated creamer came in powder form until I found this little gem!  It was just sitting there in it’s happy little pump bottle in the coffee aisle at Sam’s Club.  I love this becuase the pumps make for the perfect pour every time and I can just leave it right there on the counter next to the coffee maker.  As long as you can get past the white, gooey glop at the bottom of your cup before adding coffee, this is a great alternative when you’re serving a large group since it doesn’t have to stay cold.

TIP: Since it’s not typical creamer, this product is a little on the sticky side.  I put mine into the cup first, then add coffee to make sure it mixes well.

Best All-around: Coffee-mate Vanilla Caramel

Brandon bought this one a few months ago thinking it was Hazelnut (they are the same color after all) and I’m so glad he did.  Vanilla Caramel creamer is my new favorite find!  When you’re not worried about the fat, the dairy, the sugar or the fridge, go for the good stuff.  When I started out to write this post, I didn’t expect Coffee-mate to sweep the awards, but with choices like Vanilla Caramel, which has the perfect amount of flavor without too much of the sweet stuff, how could they not?

ENJOY!

Comments

12pm

Penne in Pink Sauce: Engagement Party Entree #2

Another Italian classic inspired by Daniel’s famous Penne Ala Casa, this is an easy, super-delicious party favorite.  I made it the easy way for my party with pre-made sauces but I promise someday I’ll share how to make it from scratch.

Here’s how to make Penne in Pink Sauce for 10:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 16 oz boxes of penne noodles
• 6 cups of your favorite marinara sauce (I love Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce - for this recipe you’d need about 3 jars)
• 4 cups Alfredo sauce (Try Bertolli’s Garlic Alfredo with Aged Parmesan Cheese)
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese (HINT: you won’t need as much of this if you use a cheesy Alfredo sauce)
• 4 cups chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 6 oz fresh baby spinach (yes, use an ENTIRE bag, those dark greens are good for you!)

Making it is EASY!

Just cook the pasta for 2 minutes less that the box says.

Do I sound like a broken record yet?  My general rule for the perfect al dente pasta is to cook for 2-3 minutes less if I’m continuing to cook the pasta in a sauce, and 1 minute less if I’m just serving from the pot.

While the pasta is cooking, combine and heat thoroughly the sauces and sun-dried tomatoes.

Once the pasta’s ready, add penne and spinach to the sauce.  Once the spinach wilts, serve it up!

Need some meat?

If your like me, a meal without meat is just not a meal - so add some baked chicken to the mix!  Just top chicken breasts with salt, pepper, fresh garlic, basil and a bit of olive oil.  Cover the pan in aluminum foil and cook for 40 minutes at 325.  Slice the chicken into bit size pieces and add at the sauce mixing stage above.

ENJOY!

10am

Healthy Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce

For entree 1 of 3 from our engagement party menu, I packed in the healthy to my Baked Ziti. (Shhhh…don’t tell anyone…)

Even Brandon can pull off this classic dish so I won’t fool you into thinking what I made was any kind of masterpiece.  Instead, the trick to my Baked Ziti is making a healthy, nutrient-packed meal that even the pickiest kids (like my brother) will eat.

Here’s the recipe to serve 6-10.

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz box of protein enriched ziti
• 4 cups marinara sauce
• 2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
• 1/2 bag (3 oz) fresh baby spinach
• 2 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
• 1 lb 93% lean ground beef
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper

How to make it

1. Start by combining the beef, garlic, salt and pepper in a skillet and cook on Med-high until the meat is browned - but be careful not to overcook - remove from the heat immediately and drain any excess grease
2. Cook the pasta in boiling water for 2 minutes less that directions on the box
3. While the pasta is cooking, combine meat, ricotta cheese and spinach.
4. Add cooked pasta and marinara sauce to the meat mixture and pour into a 9x13 baking pan.
5. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes (just until the cheese starts to brown)
6. Then serve!

Tip: Want to make it now and eat it later?  After topping with the mozzarella cheese, seal tight with plastic wrap and aluminum foil then freeze.  When you’re ready to eat, just take it out of the freezer, remove the plastic but recover with the aluminum foil and bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes.  When the center is warm, remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes just until the cheese starts to brown.

Should you bake with the aluminim foil shiny side in or out?

According to the experts it doesn’t matter.  But because I’m a little OCD and it’s hard for me to break habits, I think I’ll still cook shiny side in : )

ENJOY!

Comments

1pm

Engagement Party Menu Preview

Tomorrow’s the big day (well the first of many) and with a little help from my bestest I’ve come up with the perfect menu:

Entrees

• Baked ziti with ground beef, spinach and fresh mozzarella

[UPDATE: unfortunately, the fresh mozzarella didn’t make it into this dish but it would have been mmmmmm good!]

• Penne in pink sauce with sun-dried tomatos and spinach
• Braised beef tortelini with mushrooms in a medeira wine sauce

Sides

• Dried cranberry salad
• Wild mushroom tarts

Dessert

• Mini cannolis

[UPDATE: Didn’t have time to make cannolis so I grabbed these Rasberry and Brie Filled Fillo Rolls from BJ’s instead. They were amazing!]

• Fudge dipped brownies

So that’s it!  Between dress shopping, wedding planning and entertaining the family, let’s see if I can pull it off by tomorrow afternoon!

Stay tuned!

Comments

8am

Easiest, Good Speghetti and Meat Sauce ever

Some nights I really just don’t feel like cooking (I know, can you  believe that?)  But with 2 grown men at home who can’t be happy with just a yogurt and some crackers, I usually end up cooking anyway.  So tonight, I decided to throw together one of those “I don’t care, I’m not eating anyway” meals and it ended up being so good I stuffed my face anyway!  It was so easy - I’m holding this one in my back pocket so when I have kids I can tell them to go cook me this dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground hamburger
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp gralic powder
• 1 TBL dried minced onions
• 1 jar Classico Sausage & Peppers
• 1/2 box Barilla Whole Grain Rotini
• 1/2 cup Kraft grated parmesan cheese

How to make it

Add hamburger, salt, pepper, garlic powder and minced onions to skillet and brown meat on medium high.  Remove grease then add sauce, heating throughly.

Cook pasta per directions on the box.  (I add 2 TBL salt and 1 TBL olive oil to every pasta pot becuase I love the flavor it adds.)

Top with load of parmesan cheese and eat up!

ENJOY!

Comments

9pm

Blackened Citrus Grouper

So Brandon’s been complaining for the last couple weeks that every time I buy fish, it’s salmon.  Since I love him, I decided to mix it up so last night I went to the grocery store and decided to bring home whatever fish looked good.  As I’m sure you guessed, the grouper looked wonderfully fresh and it was just the perfect size so I picked it up.  Only to get home and realize, I can’t remember ever cooking grouper (or eating it, though I’m sure I have) so I had no idea how to cook it!

Don’t worry, I sifted through a Food Network and Epicurious to find 2 common themes in grouper recipes (blackened and citrus.)  So with that as inspiration, Blackened Citrus Grouper became tonight’s dinner:

Ingredients

• 1.25 lbs grouper
• 2 TBL lime juice
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 TBL honey
• 1 TBL olive oil
•  4 TBL cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 TBL garlic powerder (or 1 tsp fresh minced garlic)

How to make the most delicious grouper:

1. Pre-heat a non-stick skillet to medium
2. Citrus sauce: Whisk together lime juice, lemon juice, honey and olive oil
3. Blackening rub: Combine cajun seasoning, salt, and garlic powder (if using fresh minced garlic, add it to step 1)
4. Soak grouper in the sauce then lay it flat on a cutting board
5. Coat the grouper with the rub
6. LIGHTLY oil pan
7. Cook a 1 inch thick peice of grouper for 5 minutes on each side then add citrus sauce to the pan
8. Continue to cook grouper in sauce for another 2-3 minutes on each side.  During this time, the sauce should reduce to about 25%.
9. Remove grouper from the pan and let it rest for at least 2 minutes before cutting and serving.

Side Dish - Citrus & Garlic Sauteed Spinach

While the fish rests, make up a quick side of sauteed spinach.  Keep the pan on medium heat and add to the reduced sauce 2 cups of fresh baby spinach per person.  Sauteed the spinach until its cooked throughly and serve on top of the fish. 

Tip: I love spinach but am not a fan of the texture when it’s cooked.  Severing it on top of meat or fish is a great way to get this tasty vegetable down without it feely all smooshy in your mouth : )

ENJOY!

Comments

8pm

Quick Tip: Perfectly Frozen Buffalo Wings

How do you make store-bought, frozen buffalo wings as crispy and delicious as the ones you get at your favorite bar without deep frying them?

Just follow the baking directions on the back of the package (sorta.)  Increase the baking temp by 50 degrees and reduce the time by 15 minutes.  For example, the fresh-frozen Tyson chicken wings I made last night said to cook at 375 for 50-60 minutes.  Instead, I did 425 for 45 minutes and MMMMM were they delicious, crunchy and perfectly juicy.

ENJOY!

Comments

4pm