Kitten with a Whisk

Got leftover potatoes? Make these!

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:13:00 +0000

Recipe for Restaurant Recreation: Arby's Loaded Potato Bites

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and all week I’ve been seeing articles about how to cut the calories in the meal or what to eat so that you don’t consume a bazillion calories. I see it every year and it kinda drives me batty.

Holiday calories don’t count! We all need to splurge a little every now and then. To me, “splurge” means enjoying a piece of pumpkin pie – not three – without any guilt.

The recipe I’m sharing with you today is a great way – other than potato pancakes – to use up leftover mashed potatoes. If you’ve ever been to Arby’s and love their Loaded Potato Bites than you are in luck because they were the inspiration for this recipe. And they are pretty spot on too - crispy on the outside, and soft and cheesy on the inside with bits of bacon and scallions. A guilty pleasure for sure, but share them with some friends and I swear you won’t be sorry.

I should have taken a shot of the inside of these babies for you, but I ate them instead.

Whoops!

Loaded Potato Bites
*Makes 18-24 bites depending on size
Print it!

Ingredients:
- 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- 2/3 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 strips bacon
- 1/3 cup scallions, chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 ¼ - 1 ½ cups Italian bread crumbs
- Oil for frying
- Salt and Pepper
- Ranch or Honey Mustard for dipping

Directions:

1. Take potatoes out of the fridge and let sit for a few minutes to take the chill off a bit. Meanwhile shred the cheese, chop scallions, and cook bacon then dice finely. Add potatoes and flour to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine well, then add cheese, bacon, and scallions. Take about a heaping tablespoon of mixture and roll with hands into a small ball. It if doesn’t hold its shape, add a little more flour to make the potatoes sturdy. Repeat until done.

2. Heat oil in a medium sauce pan – or use your fryer – over medium/medium high heat to about 350-375 degrees. Whisk egg into a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place bread crumbs in an additional bowl. Dip each ball in egg and then roll in bread crumbs until fully coated. Set aside on a sheet pan.

3. Test oil with one ball. The oil should bubble when potato is in oil and ball should take about 1-2 minutes to brown and cook through. (If takes longer the oil needs to be hotter, if it browned too quickly on the outside and the inside is still cold, the temperature needs to be lower.) Once oil is ready, add potato balls in small batches and fry for 1-2 minutes – it will depend on size. Remove with slotted spoon and place on paper lined plate to allow excess oil to drain off. Repeat until done.

4. Allow to cool for a minute or two and serve with dipping sauce.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey Day Favorite: Green Bean Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 20:27:00 +0000

Let me start by saying it was never my intention to make and post a green bean casserole recipe for this blog. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of recipes out there claiming to be the best, better than Campbell’s, better than your mother’s, and most are completely made from scratch.

The world didn’t need another one. Yet here I am, posting one.

Why?

Because I needed to use up a lot of green beans and I happened to like the way it came out.

You see, when Brent and I do our major bulk shopping trips, we always pick up some frozen vegetables. Sure, we prefer fresh, but some nights you just don’t feel like shopping so we keep a few options on hand. We decided it was a totally wise decision on our part to buy a 5lb bag of frozen whole green beans for two people.

It’s been 3 months and we still aren’t through the whole bag yet. So one night I decided to take a stab at making green bean casserole since I had mushrooms to use up as well.

Now I’m not going to tell you it is better than anyone else’s, or the best ever, but I will say this…

I can’t tell you what the hell else I made for dinner that night and I might never make the original version again. Even though I always did doctor that recipe up a bit anyway.

It’s good, maybe not the best, but I did add bacon to it, so it does have that going for it. BUT you can totally leave it out of you are a vegetarian. Just substitute with more butter =) Win-win!

So below is my recipe that I totally threw together and it ended up coming out pretty good. For the record, I was planning on frying my own onions up for the top, but Brent said that was ”ridiculousness” and we decided on the panko topping listed below. Which I thought worked pretty well because you need that crispy onion topping on a GBC.

Also, if you want to use fresh green beans instead of frozen, just blanch them first and you should be good to go.

Green Bean Casserole

*Serves 4-6
Print this recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 pound frozen whole green beans, thawed
- 3 slices bacon, cut into strips
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 1 extra large garlic clove, minced
- 2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms
- 3.5 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 pinches nutmeg
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Scant ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper

Directions:

1- In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat cook sliced bacon until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon – leaving the grease in the pan – and set aside in a medium bowl.

2- Turn heat to low and add shallots and garlic to pan with bacon drippings. Sauté for 4-6 minutes or until shallots have softened. Remove with slotted spoon and add to reserved bacon.

3. Still using the same pan, bring heat up to medium and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

4. Melt another tablespoon of butter to pan. Add flour and whisk together to make a roux. Cook together for about 30 seconds or so, then add milk and whisk together to incorporate. Bring heat to medium high and allow to come to a low boil, whisking occasionally. Whisk in nutmeg and Dijon mustard and allow to cook for 8-10 minutes or until sauce has reduced and thickened. Taste sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Turn off heat and stir in reserved bacon, mushrooms, shallots and garlic. Fold in greens beans and place in a glass baking dish. (I used a 7x11.) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes covered.

6. After 30 minutes melt 1.5 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan. Add garlic powder and onion powder and stir to incorporate. Toss in panko and toast for 2-4 minutes.

7. Remove green beans from oven and spread panko bread crumbs over the top. Return to the oven, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for several minutes before serving.

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Simple Supper: Blackened Fish Sandwiches

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:21:00 +0000

I can’t deny the fact that living in the Tampa Bay area for so long hasn’t left some sort of impression on me. I love a good sunset, I know how to combat humidity riddled hair days, I wear sandals 360 days a year, and I love a good fish sandwich.

Before moving here, I’d never had a fish sandwich. Sure, I’d had fried whole belly clam rolls, or hot lobster rolls – very tradition New England fare – but not a simple fish sandwich. Florida converted me to them. I suppose it was only a matter of time.

If you ever travel to the Tampa area, I highly suggest you seek out a Grouper Sandwich. Pretty much every local restaurant serves them, so you won’t have to search hard. You can get them fried, grilled, or blackened. I prefer them fried with a slice of cheese and Brent likes them blackened. I honestly don’t know one person who has ever ordered one grilled, but you can if you want.

You may be wondering why the post it titled TILAPIA and I’m talking about grouper. The point is that grouper can be pretty pricey, so when I get a craving for something similar, I opt for the more wallet friendly and readily available Tilapia. While you can’t mistake tilapia for grouper, enough of the notes are there to hit the spot when I don’t feel like dining out. An added bonus is that tilapia cooks fairly fast and dinner can be done in about 20 minutes.

This particular night, I went for a blackened tilapia and made an avocado and dill spread to balance out the heat.

Blackened Tilapia Sandwiches with Avocado-Dill Spread
*Makes 2

Ingredients:
- 2 tilapia fillets, roughly 4-6oz
- 2 sandwich buns, any kind you prefer
- ½ a Hass avocado
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- Squeeze of lime juice
- 1 teaspoon paprika*
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt*
- ½ teaspoon black pepper*
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper*
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder*
- ½ teaspoon onion powder*
- 1/8 teaspoon celery salt*
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use more for more heat)*
- 1 tablespoon butter or oil
- Lettuce, tomato, and onion if desired
* Or just use any blackened seasoning you like.

Directions:

1. Start by cutting open the avocado and scooping out the flesh. Mix together in a small bowl with sour cream, dill, and a little lime juice. Stir well to combine and set in refrigerator.

2. Mix together all the blackening ingredients and place on a plate. Clean tilapia fillets and pat dry. Press each side of the tilapia into the blackened seasonings, coating well.

3. Heat butter or oil in large sauté pan over medium high heat. Once pan is hot, add tilapia and sear for 4-5 minutes. Flip carefully to sear the other side. Turn heat down to medium for second side and allow to cook for 4-5 more minutes, or until fish is flaky.

4. Serve on lightly toasted buns with avocado-dill spread, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and onions.

print this recipe!

This sandwich was pretty fantastic. The avocado was a great match to the blackened seasoning and it was light, but still filling and satisfying. If you don't like tilapia, or can't find it, use any kind of white fish you prefer and just adjust the cooking time if needed.

Enjoy!

Florentine Crusted Pork Chops

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:20:00 +0000

It’s starting to get dark earlier now.

This means taking pictures indoors because it is impossible for me to have dinner ready before 7pm. Other than that, I actually do like changes the clocks back. I need the light in the morning to get moving. That, and a good, strong cup of coffee.

Brent, on the other hand, hates it and will bitch and moan about it until we spring forward. It’s another one of those little things that we are polar opposites about. But he is also able to sleep until 8:30 AM during the week while I’m trying to get up by 6:30AM.

How is that even fair?

So let’s talk about food for a minute! This is a FOOD blog after all. Currently my house is on a pantry cooking challenge. It gets interesting when we go through these challenges, which is about every 3 months or so. Some meals are complete and utter failures, and other times, a pretty great new dish comes together.

This dish, thankfully, is the latter. I had some boneless pork chops I wanted to use and after brainstorming, this idea is what came along. The chops were crispy, but still moist inside, and the spinach and cheese on top kept it from being a plain ol’ boring fried chop. And I was surprised but pork chops actually went well with a side of pasta. I don’t think I’ve ever tried it before.

There is one thing I would do differently next time and that would be waiting to use fresh spinach that had been steamed or sautéed up. But there was no need to go to the store just for that when I had frozen that would work just fine. Use whichever you have on hand!

Florentine Crusted Pork Chops

*Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
- 4 boneless pork chops, pounded 1/3” thick
- 1 egg
- Splash of water
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 – 1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Whisk egg in a small bowl and add a splash of water. Lay bread crumbs and flour out on separate plates. Season flour with salt and pepper. Add canola oil to a large sauté pan and heat to medium high heat.

2. Take each pork chop and dredge each side in flour, then dip in egg, and finally fully crust them in panko. Add to large sauté pan once hot and cook on first side for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook for 2-3 minutes.

3. Remove chops from pan and place on a baking sheet. Top each with an equal amount of spinach (be sure to squeeze out the extra liquid) and cheese. Place under broiler for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with a side of pasta marinara and enjoy!

Do any of you have simple, tried and true pork chop recipes?

Baking at Midnight: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:30:00 +0000

One thing that Brent and I differ on is keeping snacks on hand in the house. I have a strict policy of not buying sweets or junk food at the store, because honestly if they are in the house I will eat it. ALL of it. I have no self-control.

Sure, I get cravings for cookies, brownies, and chips, but the craving is rarely strong enough to make me want to drive to the store and go buy some. Brent on the other hand never resists he sweet tooth. That man will leave the house at any time of night if he wants some ice cream.

The point I’m getting at is that the “don’t buy it” game plan has served me well for a number of years. Until recently when I started to keep things like flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and chocolate chips on hand.

Do you see where this is going? Do you know how easy it can be to convince yourself at midnight on a Friday that baking cookies is a suburb idea?

I do. And I have 3 extra pounds to prove it.

A recently new product is Reese’s MINI Peanut Butter cups. I love Reese’s and the second I saw the commercial I knew I wanted to try making some cookies with them.

These cookies are pretty awesome. They are soft, slightly chewy and not overly sweet. Oh and the big peanut butter filled bites? They rock. If you have a well-stocked pantry, all you will need is the Reese’s to make them! Resistance is futile.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

*Makes 2 dozen(ish)

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

- 2 sticks room temperature butter

- 2 cups sugar

- 2 eggs

- 2 teaspoons vanilla

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- ½ teaspoon salt

- 2 ½ cups of Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and sugar together until smooth. Add vanilla and eggs. Beat again until mixture becomes fluffy and light.

2. In a separate bowl combines flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. Stir to combine, and then add gradually to mixture of butter/sugar/eggs beating until fully combined. Gently fold in Reese’s cups.

3. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Drop small golf ball-sized amounts of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Allow to cool completely before storing.

A couple of notes:

- I needed about a large bag and half of mini Reese’s.

- The dough will seem stiff – it’s totally OK.

- If using a spoon to drop the cookies, it is helpful to spray it just a bit with cooking spray.

- These will keep for about 3 days in an airtight container.

And if you’re wondering what to do with the leftover Reese’s that didn’t make it in to the batter. I suggest tosses them in the freezer for moments of weakness.

Recipe adapted from: Hershey’s Perfect White Chip Cookies Recipe

Grinders - A Summer Favorite

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:48:00 +0000

Summer is starting to wind down and the Autumn Equinox is only a few days away and will mark the official start of fall. Personally, fall is my favorite season…even though here in Florida it isn’t exactly colorful and crisp and cool. Still, the humidity seems to subside a little and we do have some beautiful days of bright blue cloudless skies with a slight gentle breeze every so often.

This past summer has been a bit strange for me. Personal circumstances disrupted my everyday routine of working, studying, cooking, and blogging, which lead to my absence here. Amidst all the chaos and craziness that summer brought, I think the best moments for me were the quieter ones. One of our favorite things to do during the summer is on Sunday nights to pack a small picnic – or pick up a pizza- and head to the beach to eat, take a stroll, and enjoy the sunset. If you live anywhere near a beach, I highly recommend ending your weekend on such a relaxing note.

These grinders – or subs/hoagies as other regions call them – are one of my top three favorites. At Coffee’s in Old Lyme, CT they make an amazing Italian Grinder and these are my almost-as-good- as-the-real-thing recipe. Sometimes simple is best and these definitely hit the spot whether at a park, on the beach, or tailgating before a football game.

The recipe below gives some very adaptable guidelines for amounts of each ingredient. Feel free to adjust as desired.

Italian Combo Grinders
* Makes 4 grinders (6”)
(Printable recipe)

Ingredients:
- 2 foot long Italian baguettes
- 1/3 pound sliced deli pepperoni
- 1/3 pound sliced deli ham
- 1/3 pound sliced deli capicola
- 1/3 pound sliced deli cooked salami
- 1/3 pound sliced provolone cheese
- Thinly sliced tomatoes
- Thinly sliced red onion
- Shaved iceberg lettuce
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Dried oregano
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Slice open baguettes ¾ the way through. Layer in deli meats and cheese and then top with tomatoes, onions, and lettuce. Lightly drizzle on olive oil and red wine vinegar, then season gently to taste with salt, pepper, dried oregano, and parmesan.

If traveling, wrap tightly in aluminum foil and seal in a Ziploc if placing in a cooler of ice.

My black thumb strikes again!

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:22:00 +0000

I was lucky enough to inherit a lot of great qualities from both of my parents, but their green thumb was definitely not one of them. It’s pretty much a give in that I will eventually kill any plant I’m put in charge of. I can’t even keep those little “lucky bamboo” plants alive longer than a month or so. I have no idea why I seem to have such a honker of a black thumb, but I figure I can’t excel at everything in life and accept it as a small flaw and then go eat some ice cream.

Still, every year I am so jealous of people who can plant a little garden and get beautiful veggies and herbs by summer’s end. This year I decided to give herbs a try and I was met with some success. I planted basil, cilantro, parsley, chives, dill, and oregano. What I ended up with is a lot of weeds, a sprout of dill, a little tiny bit of cilantro, the start of some parsley and more basil than I know what to do with at this point. The basil has pretty much become a monster plant.

Surprisingly Brent knows more about growing herbs than I knew he did, and has helped me out a wee bit. But then he keeps saying we should give some of the basil away and I’m thinking not. I grew something! From a seed. It’s like my baby and there is no way someone else is going to reap the benefits of my diligent watering everyday. Especially since everything else was pretty much a bust.

This picture was about two weeks ago and it has gotten even bigger!

So I’ve been dreaming up as many ways to use the basil as possible. One dish I knew without a doubt I was going to make once I could pillage some leaves was a caprese salad. For me the caprese salad screams summertime with fresh ripe tomatoes, sweet mozzarella, and bright basil. It’s an absolutely perfect salad and I could probably eat it everyday if given the chance.

While the last thing the world needs is another recipe for such a simple salad, I figured I’d share the basic idea here because just posting my failed attempt at growing herbs isn’t all that exciting. And I’ve come realize that I do one thing that most people do not… I add some red onion. Is that weird? I just like the contrast of flavor it has against the other ingredients. Don’t use too much though or it will overpower everything else.

On the day I went to pick up the tomatoes, the larger vine-ripened and beefsteaks weren’t looking so hot. They were kinda pale and not a juicy red color, so I went with roma that day. Use any kind you prefer.

Caprese Salad
*Serves how ever many you want!
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:
- fresh, beautifully ripe tomatoes
- fresh mozzarella
- red onion
- basil
- balsamic vinegar
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper

Fast and Loose Directions:

- Evenly slice your tomatoes and mozzarella to be about the same size. Generally I use about 25% less mozzarella than I will tomato. Layer on a plate.

- If doing larger slices of tomato and mozzarella, thinly slice red onion, or mince red onion if using smaller, bite-sized portions. As a general rule, I will only use about the same amount of red onion as I will basil. Layer in or on top of salad.

- Tear or mince basil. You can leave it whole as well and layer in-between the mozzarella and tomatoes.

- Season with salt and pepper, than lightly drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Enjoy!

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Pesto Chicken Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 01:18:00 +0000

If you were to ask me to list my top three most hated foods, the list would most certainly include mayonnaise. I just can’t stomach it and therefore I steer clear of a lot of summer favorites such as potato salad, macaroni salad, and chicken salad. This recipe is my solution to that problem and is probably one of my favorite new recipes I’ve come up with in the last couple of months. It’s very satisfying but not overly heavy, and if you buy a rotisserie chicken to use, you won’t even need to turn the oven on. An added bonus is that it’s a little healthier given that mayo has a good amount of calories in it.

The “hardest” part of making this salad is the prep work, other than that it comes together in a snap and is a great make ahead lunch or light summer supper. When we had this for dinner a couple of weeks ago we served it with a lightly toasted flatbread and some mixed greens but you can certainly enjoy it alone, either warm or cold.

Pesto Chicken Salad

*Serves 4- 6
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:
- 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
- 1 cup baby swiss cheese, cubed
- ½ cup chopped prosciutto
- ¾ cup artichokes, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, minced
- 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon prepared pesto
- Salt and pepper

Optional: flatbreads, pita bread, fresh spinach, arugula, or mesclun greens

Directions:

1. Prep and chop the chicken, tomatoes, cheese, prosciutto, artichokes, and red onion. Add to a large mixing bowl.

2. In a small bowl mix together pesto and yogurt. Add to the larger with the other ingredients and toss to combine thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow to sit for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to develop.

Seriously Awesome Burgers

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Fri, 27 May 2011 01:35:00 +0000

Last night I came home from work and the last thing I felt like doing was putting any effort into cooking. I knew we had some burgers in the freezer, so I pulled them out to thaw and decided tater tots for a side.

Classy, I know.

Once Brent threw them on the grill, I decided that I was just going to eat mine with cheese, mustard, and ketchup. No fancy pants toppings this time! Just a damn good and simple burger.

Until, I decided that bacon didn’t sound too bad…and if I was cooking bacon I could certainly take 5 minutes to sauté some crimini mushrooms because I need to use them up… and oh no, we only have one slice left of the good cheese, so why don’t I use up the goat cheese in there from that failed dish I attempted the other night… oooh I have a lonely little sun-dried tomato…I’ll make a goat cheese sun-dried tomato spread for it! That jar has been taking up way too much space in the fridge anyway.

And right there folks, is how I almost always get carried away with dinner. Sometimes I think there should a twelve step program of some sort for this type of behavior. But then…what would I share with you?

These little beauties were delicious and completely satisfied my burger craving. The burger was juicy, the bacon crispy, and the goat cheese sun-dried tomato spread was awesome. It was the perfect compliment to the burger and other toppings. I devoured these with no shame, juice dripping down my chin, and inevitably onto my shirt, which now is probably ruined. Not that this is anything new to me, I tend to always get something on me from either the cooking or eating part of the process.

With Memorial Day coming up, the spread would be a great and simple addition to your cook out. It seriously takes less than 2 minutes to whip together, and that includes pulling out the ingredients!

Grilled Burgers topped with Bacon, Crimini Mushrooms
and a Goat Cheese Sun-dried Tomato Spread
*Serves 4
(printable recipe)

What you need:
- 4 six ounce burgers, 1/2"-3/4" thick - 4 buns
- 4 slices of bacon, cooked
- 1 cup of sliced mushrooms, white or crimini
- 1 tablespoon butter or oil
- 2-3 sun-dried tomatoes, depending on size
- 1/3 cup goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon milk
- salt and pepper
- lettuce, tomato, and onion if you wish

(Click here for a tip on making burgers at home. Scroll down to the end.)

What to do:
1. In a sauté pan over medium heat add your butter/oil and mushrooms. Sauté for approx 5-7 minutes or until mushrooms are lightly browned.

2. Once your burgers are formed, season them any way you like. I sprinkled ours with a little garlic powder, onion powder, season salt, and black pepper.

3. Heat your grill to high and place burgers on when ready. Cook to desired temperature. About 10-12 minutes for medium, it will depend on your grill’s temperature. If you want your buns heated or toasted, add it at this time as well.

4. While burgers are cooking combine goat cheese, milk, and sun-dried tomatoes into a blender or food processor. Pulse until sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese are fully combined. There might still be a few small chunks of tomatoes, which is fine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

5. Assemble burgers by smearing equal amounts of sun-dried tomato goat cheese spread and top with bacon and mushrooms.

Enjoy!

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Make-At-Home Frozen Burritos

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Sat, 21 May 2011 02:56:00 +0000

I have a dirty little secret.

But before I tell you what it is, here is the thing…I get burnt out on cooking some nights. As much as I love trying to come up with interesting new things to eat for dinner, there are days when I have no inspiration. Or maybe it was a crazy stressful day and all I really want is a margarita.

Either way, there are nights were I will eat frozen burritos for dinner.

Brent and I try to keep some frozen items stocked up for when we want a quick snack or lunch on the weekend. We try and mix it up most of the time, but recently Brent has developed a deep love for the frozen burrito, so they are almost always on hand. They are usually his “second dinner”. That is if he isn’t having a late night bowl of ice cream.

Side note: How is it that boys can eat whatever they want and not gain a pound? I swear if I had his eating habits, I’d double in size in less than a month.

Back to burritos! So this past weekend we ran out, and Brent asked me to put them on the grocery list. Instead, I decided that it was time to make them at home and see how it goes.

My personal belief is that anything you make at home will be healthier, and better for you, than what you may get in a restaurant or buying it pre-made. This does not mean by any means that I won’t get down with that stuff every so often; I just try to keep it to a minimum. To me, it’s all about balance and moderation.

I’m happy to say that I think these worked out perfectly. They froze fine and heated up without a problem. And they tasted pretty good too!

My favorite thing to do when I have a frozen burrito (or two) for dinner is to load it up with fresh veggies on top. After I heat them up and melt some cheese on top, I chop up whatever produce I happen to have on hand and toss it on. Add a little sour cream, salsa or my favorite Cholula and it’s ready to be devoured.

In this picture, I used radicchio, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions and Cholula. I’ve also topped them with mixed greens, spinach, arugula, red onions, and avocados to name a few. I will say that adding the veggies make me feel a little less guilty, and actually make it a more satisfying meal. And it’s ready in no time, so that is a definite plus on a busy or exhausting night!

Make-at-Home Frozen Burritos
*Makes 10-12 burritos
(printable recipe)

What you need:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 15.5oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or more if you want them extra cheesy)
- 10-12 large flour tacos/tortillas (approx 8 inches)
- 2/3 cup water
- ¾ cup salsa, (mild, medium, or hot, whichever you prefer)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flake (optional)
- salt and pepper, added to taste
*You could also just use a taco seasoning packet if you have one handy.

What to do:

1. Brown your ground beef in a large sauté pan over medium high heat until fully cooked. Drain off grease and return to pan.

2. Add water, beans, and seasonings to beef and simmer on low for 15 minutes, covered. Stir occasionally.

3. After 15 minutes, remove lid, add salsa and simmer an additional 10 minutes or until nearly all excess liquid is gone. Turn off heat and allow to cool.

4. After mixture has cooled enough to handle, heat a few tortillas up in the microwave for 15 seconds to help with flexibility. Spoon roughly 3 or 4 tablespoons of the mixture into the center length of the tortilla and top with a small amount of cheese. Fold the short sides in and then roll up. Repeat until done.

5. Lay burritos flat on a baking sheet and allow to freeze. Once frozen, place burritos in a freezer ziplock bag and store. If you think you won’t be eating them relatively soon, you can wrap individually with saran wrap before placing in the bag. Just remember to remove it before tossing into the microwave.

6. To reheat, place in the microwave for 2-3 minutes for one burrito. Add an additional 1-2 minutes for additional burritos.

And don’t forget to add your veggies! Not only to they make the burritos more filling, they look prettier too.

Enjoy!

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Shrimp and Andouille Cajun-style Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Wed, 18 May 2011 01:53:00 +0000

There are few things I love more than pizza and I love to experiment and come up with new topping combos. I’d guess we have pizza about once every ten days. And while we never tire of it, we do get burnt out on buying it. Once I discovered that out local grocery store sells fresh dough, it was on! Especially since I don’t have what I consider the proper amount of space, or tools, in my current kitchen to tackle making my own. Let’s face it… I don’t really have the patience for “letting things rise” either.

I’ve made many pizzas over the last few months hoping to share them with you. Unfortunately pizza is kind of a hard thing to photograph, but I was happy enough with these shots to share them with you.

Brent is always in charge of forming the crust when we make pizza. I’ve tried to figure it out, but he has experience doing it at a restaurant, so now I just delegate the job to him.

After I clean the countertops off thoroughly and threaten the cats with water torture treatment if they come anywhere NEAR it, Brent gets to work rolling, flipping, throwing flour all around, and stretching the dough out to the perfect shape.

Normally I have all the toppings set up to go as soon as he is done. For this pizza I did a Shrimp and Andouille Sausage pizza complete with two kinds of cheese, peppers and onions and a slightly spicy sauce. Prepping the ingredients is very easy, just be sure you slice the veggies as thin as possible – a mandolin is great for this! I cube the andouille up to be about the same size as the shrimp after I clean it, remove the shell and cut it into thirds.

I’m slightly obsessive about toppings being the same size. It's weird, I know.

Next it’s just time to shred some cheese and mix together the sauce. I went simple with tomato sauce with some added herbs, but you can just use your favorite brand!

Pop it into a piping hot oven and in less than 15 minutes, it’s ready!

I would have loved to use green peppers for some color, but Brent hates them so we went with yellow.

Use whatever color you prefer.

I think what surprised me most about this pizza was how the andouille gave it a lot of flavor throughout, but didn't overpower the other ingredients. The veggies were cooked just right with out being mushy or undercooked, and the shrimp was tender. I’ll definitely make this one again.

Shrimp and Andouille Cajun Pizza Recipe

*Serves 4

(printable recipe)

What you need:

- 1 16oz pizza dough

- 1 andouille sausage link

- 8 shrimp, 31-40 size

- ¼ bell pepper, any color

- ¼ onion

- 4oz mozzarella cheese, approx ¾ shredded

- 4oz cheddar cheese, approx 3/4 shredded

- 6-8oz tomato sauce

- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

- ¼ teaspoon onion powder

- ¼ teaspoon chili powder

- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flake

- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

- 3 tablespoon butter

- 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

- flour for dusting

- salt and pepper

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Start by mixing the garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and red pepper flake with the tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes over low heat.

2. Meanwhile prep your toppings by shredding the cheese, slicing the vegetables very thin, cubing the sausage and cleaning the shrimp, removing the shells, and cutting into thirds.

3. Roll out your dough into any shape you prefer. Use plenty of flour to prevent sticking to the pin/counter. Once you reach your desired shape and thickness, transfer to baking sheet.

4. Spread an even amount of sauce over dough, leaving about an inch border along the edge. (You may not need the full amount. Sauce to your liking but be careful not to over sauce.) Next cover pizza with both cheeses, followed by veggies, shrimp, and andouille.

5. Bake for 12- 14 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and bottom crust is lightly browned. The time will vary based on your dough’s thickness.

6. While pizza in baking, melt butter in a small dish. Once melted add parmesan and stir to incorporate. Brush over pizza crust once pizza is removed from the oven.

7. Let pizza sit for a few minutes, then slice and serve.

Enjoy!

Baked Spinach and Sausage Stuffed Tomato

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Mon, 16 May 2011 02:18:00 +0000

In general, I think the theory that our taste buds changed every seven years is true. When I was little I didn’t care too much for tomatoes, but now I like them for the most part. Except, I still hate the squishy guts inside. I love the idea of stuffing tomatoes and baking them till they are slightly soft. This is probably because I have a slight obsession with stuffing items with delicious concoctions. It’s safe to say that anything stuffed makes me happy. And if you pair something stuffed with any kind of dip or sauce, I have seriously died and gone to heaven.

Anyway, this recipe can do triple duty in your kitchen. It can be served as a main course, an interesting side dish, or if you use roma tomatoes, it can be a great appetizer. This makes 4 large vine-ripe or beefsteak tomatoes, but if you want to make it as an app, go with about 6 roma tomatoes and halve them.

Even though my cheese got a little too browned, I couldn't not share these with you.

Italian Sausage and Spinach Baked Stuffed Tomatoes
*Makes 4
(printable recipe)

What you need:
- 4-5oz loose mild Italian sausage
- 4 large beefsteak or vine-ripened tomatoes
- ¼ cup minced onion
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/3 cup frozen spinach, squeezed of excess liquid
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
- salt and pepper

What to do:

1. Start by sautéing the onion in the olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Next add sausage and garlic. Sauté until sausage is fully cooked and brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile, slice the top part of each tomato and fully cleaning out the inside. Sprinkle each with a small amount of pepper and garlic salt and set aside.

2. Once sausage has cooled add spinach, breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese. Season lightly with pepper and salt. Stuff an even amount of mixture into each tomato. Top with mozzarella cheese.

3. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until mozzarella is browned and tomato has wilted slightly. Cover tomatoes loosely with foil until the last 5 minutes. This will help prevent the cheese from being too browned – like mine.

Thoughts: I turned my back on these for a moment and my cheese was a little browner then I usually prefer. So “picture-wise” that was a flaw, but other than that these were really great. The tomatoes were juicy and tasted like a fresh sauce. The stuffing had just enough moisture and wasn’t mushy. And the sausage and spinach filling was a nice pairing to the sweetness of the tomato. We enjoyed these will a simple side salad for a light dinner, and it was perfect for a warm spring night.

Foodbuzz Event at Carrabba's Italian Grill

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Wed, 11 May 2011 02:29:00 +0000

Over the weekend I was invited to participate in a Foodbuzz Tastemaker Event at a local Carrabba’s Italian Grill. This was such a wonderful opportunity to not only get a "behind the scenes" look at Carrabba’s and their food philosophy, but also the chance to meet with other Foodbuzz Featured Publishers. Brent came along with me for the experience.

Before I get started, let me give you a little background on Carrabba's. The first Carrabba's started in 1986 as a family restaurant in Houston. Several year's later, they partnered with the parent company of Outback Steakhouse and added several more locations. Today Carrabba's Italian Grill operates in over half of the U.S. with nearly 250 restaurants.

I've eaten at Carrabba’s many times over the years and honestly I've never been disappointed with their food. I think they are one of only two - maybe three - chain restaurants that have consistently good food that is seasoned perfectly and cooked well. After meeting with many of Carrabba's employees this past weekend, I realized that this is due to two simple factors - passion for what they do and fresh ingredients.

Our event was hosted at the Carrabba's Italian Grill at 700 N. Dale Mabry in Tampa, FL. Brent and I know this location well because it isn't too far from where we use to live.

Once everyone arrived and introduced themselves, we walked over to the open kitchen to watch a demonstration of pasta cooking techniques and pizza making.

Jay, Joel, and Josh lead the demonstration

These guys had a wealth of knowledge and shared so many great tips on the best way to cook pasta.

Some highlights include:

- Always cooking pasta in clean, boiling water.
- Add salt once the water is at a full boil.
- They recommend cooking no more than one pound of pasta to one gallon of water.
- Use a spoon or ladle to stir short cuts of pasta, and a two prong serving fork for long pastas. Always use a spoon for filled pastas such as ravioli.
- Never rinse your pasta!

I think the best tip we were given was that when cooking long pastas, instead of dropping it right into your pot, you should swirl it around first to soften it.

They also recommend adding 1oz of salt to one gallon of water. I personally think that is too much for my taste, but to each their own.

During the pasta demonstration they prepared the above rigatoni for us to taste, as well as a simple pesto pasta and another one with their house red sauce. I believe it's technically called the pomodoro sauce... but don't hold me to that. I was a wee bit too busy eating at that moment.

Both of these pastas were simple, but very tasty. A side salad and a hunk of bread and I would be in comfort food heaven.

One seemingly small detail they shared with us was how they cut their boiling time for a pot of pasta from 20 minutes to 7 by changing the type of pot they use. Having worked in hospitality for years and seeing first hand how many restaurants don't care about "improving" on things that work "just fine", I really appreciated their approach and trying to find ways to make what they do more efficient.

I was tempted to ask if I could buy on these pots from them. Like Carrabba's (and nearly all restaurants for that matter), I cook with gas at home and it takes FOREVER for me to boil water.

From pasta we moved onto the pizza station and the wood-burning grill. Here Jay took the lead.

Jay might look familiar to you, he can be seen in Carrabba's commercials.

As we shifted down the line, it went from great to even better. I love pasta, but I don't think I could live without pizza.

Jay walked us through making two pizzas that we would later get to enjoy - he made a plain cheese and a classic margarita.

There were a few things that really stuck with me during this part of the demonstration. The first - add a light layer of olive oil and brush it all over to your dough before adding anything else. This will keep the crust from getting soggy. I've only started making pizzas at home recently so this was new to me and was a great takeaway tip.

Carrabbas strives for the best and freshest ingredients as possible. Joel said while they prefer roma tomatoes for the pizza, with the recent recall, they went wth grape instead.

Jay also explained to us the importance of seasoning from high above your dish. I do this instinctively at home because it makes me feel "fancier" for some reason. (Just being honest!) But he explained that this allows the entire dish to have an even amount of seasoning.

Pizzas are in the oven!

Finally it was time to sit down and enjoy some great food and speak a little further with the Carrabba’s team. I'll start with the food! For our meal, we were treated to their seasonal specials.

Peach Sangria
White Zinfindel, Absolut Apeach Vodka, Patron Citronge with a splash of citrus. Served with fresh lemon wedge and a strawberry

I believe I've mentioned on here before that I don’t' like peaches or peach flavored food. Maybe I should change it to I don't mind peach because I actually liked this drink a lot. Light, refreshing, slightly fruity. A perfect summer sangria in my opinion.

Margarita pizza

Fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese

The crust was fantastic and full of flavor. I’m a sucker for wood or brick oven pizzas.

Olive oil and herb dipping sauce

The herb mixture is made fresh and in house. They also told us that the bread they serve takes 30 hours to make before it hits the table.

Yes, you read that right - 30 hours. For Bread.

Parmesan-crusted Chicken

Pounded thin and then coated in a panko, parmesan, and romano cheese mixture. Topped with an arugula, tomato, and parmesan salad tossed in lemon vinaigrette.

Joel told us the inspiration for this dish was something he threw together for dinner one night while cooking for his family. The side is zucchini which is sautéed in the pomodoro sauce. Even though the chicken is essentially fried, this dish isn't heavy. The lemon vinaigrette and peppery arugula paired nicely with the crispy chicken.

Prosciutto-wrapped pork tenderloin

Served with an apple and fig port wine sauce.

The pork was juicy and just slightly pink inside which is how I prefer it. The sauce was slightly sweet and paired nicely with the pork.

Pasta Rambo

Shrimp, mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes in a lemon basil butter sauce and served over

linguini.

Out of the three dishes, this is the one I would have ordered if I just went for dinner randomly one night. It has all of my favorite ingredients, so of course I loved it.

Lemoncello Bread Pudding

Brioche baked with vanilla beans and custard. Served with vanilla ice cream and homemade lemoncello.

To be honest with you - I don't like bread pudding. All bread pudding, not just this one for the record. It's a texture thing for me, but I tried a few bites. It had a slight lemon flavor and wasn't overly sweet. Overall, I was found the flavor pleasing. If it had been cheesecake I would have devoured the whole thing.

As we were enjoying our meal and savoring each bite, we were able to have a Q&A with Joel, the proprietor DJ, and some of the Carrabba’s corporate staff. This was by far my favorite part of the day. They each shared their passion for the food, what they each do within the company, as well as how they got started with Carrabba’s. Joel for example has been with the company for 21 years, which can be rare feat in the restaurant business. Their enthusiasm was quite infectious and they are truly committed to upholding Carrabba's motto of "when you're here - you're family".

And if they hadn't been gracious enough, we each left with a bag filled with some goodies.

Included was a note from the proprietor, a salt and pepper grinder, Carrabba’s olive oil and their housemade herb mixture. Which I kept opening and taking deep sniffs of the rest of the afternoon. Smelled like Italian heaven.

A huge thanks to the staff at the South Tampa Carrabba's and Carrabba's corporate staff. We had a great time getting to know you and seeing behind the scenes a little bit.

Full disclosure: This was a marketing event hosted by Carrabba's for Foodbuzz Featured Publishers. While we did receive free food, drinks, and items to take home, the thoughts expressed in this post are my own.

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Strawberry Bistro Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Fri, 06 May 2011 15:43:00 +0000

This is my favorite salad of all time. It has mixed greens, strawberries, walnuts, bleu cheese, tortilla strips, and raspberry vinaigrette. Now if you’re thinking that all those ingredients don’t sound good together - don’t worry, I was really skeptical myself the first time I tried it. When the waitress described the salad to me, I must have looked hesitant because she assured me it was tasty, and she was right. Years later, when I worked at Grillmarks as a bartender, I’d have to assure many guests too and I can’t recall one time they didn’t like it.

Such a pretty salad!

Side note: I don’t recommend going to work at one of your favorite places to eat; you will inevitably gain a minimum of 10 pounds. Trust me on this.

The “glue” that pulls all the ingredients together is the raspberry vinaigrette. I’ve never had another one like it. It’s sweet, tangy, and slightly thicker than your normal vinaigrette dressing. I’ve tried several store brands over the years trying to get one that was close, and failed miserably at home many times over attempting to replicate it. And then the other week, I happened to see a bottle of raspberry vinaigrette and the color was the closest I’d seen yet. (The color of Grillmark’s vinaigrette was PINK. Like really pink.) So I snatched it up and decided to make salads for dinner.

Strawberry Bistro Salad
*Serves 4 as side salad
(printable recipe)

What you need:
- 6-8 oz mesclun mixed greens
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
- 1/3 cup bleu cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1/3 cup Marie’s Raspberry Vinaigrette
- 1 ½ tablespoon plain yogurt
- tortilla strips*
*My store has them in the same aisle as the croutons

What to do:

1. Start by toasting your walnuts in a dry sauté pan over low heat for about 6-8 minutes. Give them a toss every couple of minutes until fragrant. Core and slice strawberries.

2. Mix the raspberry vinaigrette with the yogurt. I did this to make it a bit thicker like the original.

3. In a large bowl, or on individual plates, combine greens, bleu cheese, walnuts, strawberries, tortilla strips, and drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette. Serve and enjoy.

Thoughts: Success! While the vinaigrette wasn’t exactly spot on, it was {thisclose} to being perfect. This is the closest I’ve gotten to date, and it definitely satisfied my craving. This is such a light and refreshing salad for summer. If you want to make it more of a meal, you can add grilled chicken or salmon. Both go beautifully with it.

Savory Springtime Tart with Ham and Asparagus

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:07:00 +0000

I originally made this tart months ago on a day when I apparently was not “all there”. Not unlike like the day I asked Brent how I could thicken up pasta sauce. The answer of course is tomato paste but I was having a blonde moment.

Well, maybe I should say a “brown out” since I’m a brunette.

When I made this recipe originally it was fantastic and we both loved it. There was one minor glitch however. When I decided to make this for dinner, the store didn’t have gruyere. (Big FAIL to you Mr. Grocery Store.) I was NOT in the mood to try another store, so I went to the deli and asked them to slice me the amount I needed. I found out later that gruyere from the deli doesn’t melt all that nicely. So instead of a nice cheesy, melty layer of gruyere…this had little thin sticks of gruyere. Brent said he liked it like this, but I was bummed for several reasons and even though I kept the pictures, I never posted it.

I decided to make it again since Easter is this weekend, and I think it would be an absolutely fantastic way to use up leftover ham. I made a few adjustments from my first attempt and I think it was for the better. This recipe has ham, asparagus, gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and a Dijon béchamel sauce. It is the perfect storm of yummy goodness.

Savory Springtime Tart
*Serves 4-6 as an appetizer
(printable version)

What you need:
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 scant tablespoon flour, plus additional for dusting
- 1 cup milk
- couple of dashes ground nutmeg
- 2.5 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup ham, cubed small
- 6-8 medium asparagus spears
- 4 oz gruyere cheese, shredded
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Helpful item: Parchment paper

How to do it:

1 – In a medium sauté pan add 2 tablespoons of butter and diced onion. Sauté over medium low heat, keeping pan covered when not stirring occasionally. Cook until onions are caramelized, about 25 minutes. Click here for more detailed instructions on caramelizing onions.

2- While onions are cooking, take asparagus spears and trim the ends. (To find out where to trim, take a few and “snap” them by bending. They will naturally break where you will want to cut.) Next slice them thin and on a bias. Set aside.

3. When onions have about 10-15 minutes left start your Dijon béchamel by melting 1 tablespoon of butter in a small sauté or sauce pan. Once butter is melted and starts to bubble, add the flour and whisk together for a minute or two. It will form a roux and turn a sandy brown color. Add your milk and whisk until there are no more lumps. Turn heat to medium high, whisking occasionally, until milk starts to bubble and thicken. Add nutmeg, Dijon, and continue to whisk until sauce becomes smooth. It’s done when it’s thicker than gravy and thinner than marinara sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4- Unfold your puff pastry and lay flat on a surface lightly dusted with flour. Roll out to make a 9x12 rectangle. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Take a knife and lightly scored around the edges leaving a ¾ inch border. Then take a fork and lightly prick the puff pastry all over to prevent air bubbles.

5- Top the puff pastry with an even layer of béchamel, then top with onions, ham, asparagus, and gruyere inside the border. Lastly, lightly brush border with olive oil.

6- Place in a 400 degree preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is a golden brown. Allow to cool, then slice and serve.

Thoughts: This tart was made to go together. Mustard always goes great with ham or asparagus, gruyere is a common pairing for cheesy asparagus dishes, and caramelized onions rock on almost anything. The crust was flakey and butter and held up well to the toppings. The asparagus developed a nutty flavor that contrasted well to the sweetness of the ham and onions. The Dijon was mellow in the background, but added depth of flavor and pulled the whole thing together. It got a very enthusiastic nod from Brent when I asked if he liked it. His mouth was full at the moment =)

This is a perfect recipe for an appetizer, brunch, lunch, or a light dinner when paired with a simple salad. I normally don’t say this, but I think this might just be my favorite recipe to date that I’ve posted. Promise not to tell the other ones?

Sam Zien’s Beer and Brown Sugar Pork Chops

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:40:00 +0000

A couple of years ago I happened to catch Sam Zien’s cooking show. His personality and approach to cooking immediately drew me in. I’m not much of a fancy or fussy cook and I tend think food doesn’t have to be overly complicated to be damn good. I certainly can “get down” with those types of meals every now and then, and I appreciate the time and skill they take, but it’s not realistic to me for everyday food. Still, I felt Sam’s approach was very similar to that philosophy.

This recipe that I’ve adapted from his is the first that we tried. I can come up with a dozen different ways to prepare a chicken breast at the drop of a hat, but for some reason I find it harder to do with a good pork chop. This recipe takes some forethought but is simple to prep and the end result is delicious.

Beer and Brown Sugar Pork Chops

A little char never hurt anyone =)

*Makes 4 chops
(printable recipe)

What you need:
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup of dark beer – we used Yuengling, he used New Castle
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 4 boneless pork chops, about ¾ inch thick

How to do it:

1. Mix marinade together. Place chops in an airtight container and pour marinade over it. Make sure chops are fully submerged and refrigerate overnight.

2. Heat grill to medium high heat and grill chops for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn chops once halfway through. Chops are done when they are white throughout, firm, and internal temp is 160 degrees.

Thoughts: These are slightly sweet and very juicy. The brown sugar and beer give the chops tons of flavor and the garlic and ginger work great together with the beer. This recipe is one that we keep in heavy rotation at our house. If you’re looking for a winning pork chop recipe, I highly recommend giving this one a shot.

Recipe adapted from: Sam Zien

Peel n Eat Shrimp - A Great Summer Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 17:55:00 +0000

A few weeks’ back– ok ok, months - Brent’s mother had a get together at her house for the family. She was having a good ol’ southern fish fry and I decided to make some peel n’ eat shrimp to share while we all waited for Brent to fry up pounds and pounds of tilapia, catfish, and grouper.

I’ve wanted to make peel n’ eat shrimp at home since October when Brent and I took a short getaway to Orlando and we had some pretty great ones at Jimmy Buffett’s MargaritaVille at City Walk. Normally I don’t eat “messy” things like this in public, but they turned out to be a perfect midday snack as we took a break in between the two parks.

Old Bay Peel n’ Eat Shrimp
*Serves 10-12 as an appetizer
(printable recipe)

What you’ll need:
- 4 lbs 31-40 uncooked shrimp, shell on and deveined
- 2 cups light beer
- 1 tablespoon crab boil
- 1/3 cup old bay seasoning
- extra old bay for sprinkling if desired – I used about 2 tablespoons
How to do it:

1- Make sure your shrimp are properly deveined and clean but the shells still on. In a large pot add beer, crab boil, and old bay. Fill pot 2/3 full with water and bring to a boil.

2- Once pot is boiling add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp is just pink in color. Remove from heat and drain.

3- Allow shrimp to cool and sprinkle with extra seasoning if you like. Chill shrimp for at least an hour before serving.

Thoughts: These are perfect for a summer get together – preferably an outside one! Keep them well iced and a garbage bowl near for the shells. People can dig in, peel, and enjoy. Pair them with the cocktail sauce recipe below or whichever brand you prefer.

Cocktail Sauce
*Makes approx 1.5 cups
(printable recipe)

I adapted this recipe from Ina Garten.

What you’ll need:
- ¾ cup Heinz chili sauce
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 3.5 teaspoons prepared horseradish*
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon Cholula sauce or any hot sauce
* More or less adapted to your taste

How to do it:

- Mix all ingredients together and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Thoughts: I loved this recipe. Store bought cocktail sauces can be hit or miss so I wanted to make my own. It had just enough kick and wasn’t too sweet or ketchup-y. If you have a favorite brand feel free to use that instead.

Shrimp recipe adapted from: Old Bay

Cocktail recipe adapted from: Ina Garten

Pinkberry Comes to Tampa!

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:28:00 +0000

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to the Grand Opening event for the Tampa Bay area’s first Pinkberry store. For those of you who aren’t familiar with it – Pinkberry is a premium frozen yogurt chain that first opened in West Hollywood in 2005. I have friends in California, so I was familiar with their product but never had the chance to try it. So when their local PR rep invited me to the VIP event last Thursday, I said yes without thinking twice!

When I told Brent about the event, I was actually surprised he agreed to go with me. While I love yogurt – frozen or not – he is not a big fan of it. Still he was very interested in going and wanted give it a try and I think he’s glad he did. In fact, I think he may actually like frozen yogurt now.

We showed up at about 7:15 Thursday night. The official start time was 7PM and it was already pretty busy. I really shouldn’t have been that surprised since Tampa Tweeps were twittering about the Grand Opening and free Pinkberry all day. Foodies were definitely excited about it. The Tampa store is located in Westshore Plaza mall next to PF Changs and Maggiano’s. The latter which loaned their patio for the event.

After we arrived we went to the bar to get some refreshments. They had created two special cocktails for the event using the frozen yogurt. I made sure to try both of them.

A little hard to make out

The first one I tried was the Pomegranate cocktail which was made with Pinkberry pomegranate frozen yogurt, prosecco, pomegranate syrup and was garnished with fresh raspberries. It had a lovely pink color which matched the bright pink tablecloths. My friend C would have loved it.

Out of the two specialty drinks this one was my favorite. It was slightly sweet, creamy, and the alcohol flavor didn’t overpower the fruitiness.

A while later I tried the Original flavor. This one was made with the original Pinkberry frozen yogurt, limoncello, vodka and had fresh blueberries for garnish. It had a more prominent alcohol flavor and was a bit tart but still refreshing.

Shortly after we got there we noticed Pinkberry employees circling with some samples. We grabbed a few and a nearby table and started to sample. We tried all six flavors they were offering that night: Mango, Original, Lychee (the seasonal flavor), Coconut, Chocolate, and Pomegranate.

Original

The original flavor was not too sweet and a little tangy. Brent described it as a “mellow sour cream flavor”, but to me it was more Greek yogurt tang. It had a light creamy texture and would be a great blank canvass if you wanted to load up on toppings.

Chocolate

It was dark and the flash was necessary - my apologies

Smooth, silky, dark and creamy. This was rich and decadent and better than many high quality chocolate ice creams I’ve had. This one tied with the pomegranate for my favorite.

Pomegranate

This flavor was light with the perfect balance of sweet and tartness. I think this flavor came in second in creaminess to the chocolate but was divine nonetheless. The color was also a beautiful pale purple which I found pleasing. I would definitely get this one again and maybe try combining it with the chocolate.

Coconut

I’m picky with anything coconut as I’m not a huge fan of it really. However, the frozen yogurt was very good. The coconut flavor was subtle and not overpowering, which for me was key. I would order it again if I was in the mood for something tropical. Brent liked it very much too.

Mango

I’m even less of a mango fan than coconut but I loved this one. The mango flavor was light and sweet. And the yogurt had a very creamy consistency.

Lychee with Lime

I think I was most excited to try the lychee flavor. I can remember eating lychee jelly candies as a kid and loving them. The lychee is served with a little lime wedge which is the perfect companion for the frozen yogurt. Slightly tart and acidic, this was Brent’s favorite out of the three. I loved it too but it was not as creamy of a consistency as some of the other flavors.

As the Pinkberry peeps were passing out the samples, they would direct you to the topping bar to make your selections. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many options. They had marshmallows, gummy bears, fruity pebbles, chocolate chips, several kinds of fresh fruits and nuts, coconuts, waffle crisps, animal crackers, captain crunch, and that is just to name a few!

Toppings Heaven

Brent made several selections for his cups but I kept mine simple for the night. Normally I would be all about some toppings but I think I really just wanted to enjoy the frozen yogurt. I did however taste test a few topping by themselves and found them all fresh and of good quality.

There was a good long line when we left.

We really enjoyed being some of the first in Tampa to enjoy Pinkberry and it seems they had a great response to the grand opening. I’ve actually already made Brent promise me we can go back this weekend for some more. A big thanks to Erin for allowing up to partake in the fun!

To learn more about Pinkberry, or if you have a store near you, visit www.pinkberry.com

So for those that have been to Pinkberry before – what are you favorite combinations?

Go Bold Burgers

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 02:40:00 +0000

Recipe: Grilled Burgers with Arugula, Bacon, Bleu Cheese, and Caramelized Onions

The other night I was outside and could smell someone grilling something and wham! I wanted a burger. I think smelling meat cooking on a grill is a lot like smelling popcorn. You didn’t really have any urge to have it, until the smell wafted over to you.
Burgers are fairly common at our house because they are quick, don’t take a huge amount of effort, and we almost always have the 3 essential ingredients (meat, buns, cheese) on hand. Those three ingredients are the jumping off point; from there we put on whatever is available and tickles our fancy. In all honesty, I don’t think we’ve eaten the exact same burger more than twice.

As I was starting to caramelize the onions I realized that I have never posted a single recipe on here for a burger. So I decided to change that!

Consider this a freestyle recipe

Go Bold Burgers

*Makes 4 burgers
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:
- 4 six ounce burgers, ½” – ¾” thick *See tip below
- 4 buns
- 6 slices of bacon, cooked
- 1 small/medium onion, sliced
- seasoning for burgers, whatever you prefer
- crumbled bleu cheese
- arugula
- tomatoes, sliced
- butter for caramelizing, couple tablespoons
- optional: course ground or Dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Start by caramelizing your onions in butter over medium-low heat. (Click here for my “How To”.)

2. Once your burgers are formed, season them any way you like. I sprinkled ours with a little garlic powder, onion powder, season salt, and black pepper.

3. Heat your grill to high and place burgers on when ready. Cook to desired temperature. About 10-12 minutes for medium, it will depend on your grill’s temperature. When you have about a minute left add your cheese to the top. If you want your buns heated or toasted, add it at this time as well. Be sure to keep an eye on them! Once cheese is melted and buns toasty, remove from grill.

4. Top burgers with even amounts of arugula, onions, bacon, and mustard. Serve and enjoy!

Thoughts: Where do I start? These guys have a LOT of flavor going on! Each element worked perfectly in sync together and the burgers were juicy and held up nicely to the toppings. The arugula and mustard gave them a kick, which the sweetness of the onions play off of nicely. And you got a nicely salty element from the bacon and bleu cheese. Perfectly balanced all around. I loved every bite.

*A Tip on Burgers: One thing that we have found to be really helpful is to buy a large amount of ground beef, take it home, form some patties, and freeze them. When you form the burger, try to make it thicker on the outside with a little indentation in the middle. Burgers plump when you cook them so this will help your burger obtain a “flat” shape when it’s done. Also, I don’t season them before freezing because I don’t like the idea of “committing” to any sort of flavor in advance, but you can if you wish. To freeze them we just place two burgers flat in a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible, and lay in the freezer flat until frozen. Just take them out when you need them and allow to thaw.

What are your favorite burger toppings? I love finding new and exciting ways to top a burger!

Cinnamon and Brown Sugar Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:28:00 +0000

I have a lot of love for pancakes. When we (me, my sister, and cousins) were little my grandfather would make us pancakes and they were the absolute best. We would get so excited if Grampie was making pancakes for us, especially the pancake men! He even got up early on the morning of my high school graduation to make them for me while everyone else was still asleep. I actually think that is the last I’ve had them. Funny how we remember those little details like that in life. I’ll have to put in a request the next time I’m home.

To this day I can’t tell you what secret ingredient was in there to make them extraordinary. In fact, I think he used Bisquick. Perhaps it was all the love and care that they were made with? Or maybe it was the fact that he made them for us at lunch time? I’m guessing it was the former.

Needless to say it’s slightly disappointing that Brent doesn’t like pancakes. He has a food aversion to buttermilk that stems from some childhood trauma. Even regular pancakes I make without buttermilk he has a hard time enjoying. So I set out to make something a lil different, but not too crazy. Somehow this idea came to me and I ran with it.

Cinnamon and Brown Sugar Pancakes
*Serves 3-4
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 ¼ cups milk*
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Extra melted butter or cooking spray for the griddle
* The original recipe called for 1 cup but I found the mixture to be too thick. If you like a thick batter, use only 1 cup of milk.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. Whisk mixture to incorporate. Melt butter in the microwave and add brown sugar. Stir to melt sugar. Allow to cool, then add milk, vanilla and egg and then mix together.

2. Add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients and stir to combine. There will be some lumps, don’t worry about them.

3. Heat a nonstick griddle to medium-high heat until hot. A drop of butter or water will sizzle when it’s ready. Lightly grease your griddle with melted butter or using cooking spray. Pour a small amount (about ¼ cup) of batter unto the hot griddle. I use a measuring cup to do this. It works great!

4. Cook pancake until golden brown on the bottom and bubbles start to form on top. About 2-3 minutes. Then flip and cook an additional minute or two until the other side is also golden brown. Continue with the rest of the batter until gone – don’t forget to re-grease your pan in between batches!

5. Serve immediately or transfer to a warm ovenproof plate in the oven until ready.

Thoughts: I’ll start off with the most important part – Brent liked them! And I found them to be pretty great too. They were fluffy with the right amount of “spring” to them. The cinnamon flavor shined but wasn’t overpowering, while the vanilla played nicely in the background. I found that the brown sugar added some depth of flavor as well. Obviously it has a different kind of sweetness than white sugar does, and I thought it complimented the cinnamon beautifully. I think it worked in that secret ingredient way that makes people say “what is THAT?” in a good way.

I think these would be perfect to make for a Saturday or Sunday morning breakfast this weekend! And if your pantry is anything like mine, you already have all the ingredients on had. How easy is that?

Pancake recipe adapted from: The Joy of Baking

Buffalo Chicken Nacho-Style Potato Chips

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:53:00 +0000

I put this recipe in the category of “what in the world was I thinking”; because it is sinfully tasty and let’s be honest - I really should be eating healthy things for dinner, not potato chips loaded with chicken, bleu cheese, bacon, and a spicy, creamy wing sauce.

Though the potato chips were baked and homemade… so I had that going for me at least.

Still, I make these sorts of recipes on nights when Brent is working late so I can eat all of it with no shame. In fact, when he came home at 10:30PM and asked what I had for dinner and if there were leftovers, I hesitated to tell him. I mean what girl eats a whole pile of nacho-style potato chips for dinner?

I do apparently. I just can’t help it. While I love yogurt, fruit, and veggies…I can’t help loving sour cream, butter, and cheese more.

So here is the recipe for you to try. Share them with a friend and or scarf them down all on your own – it’s up to you!

Buffalo Chicken Nacho-Style Potato Chips

*Serves 4 as an appetizer
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:
- 1 chicken breast
- 6-8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3-4 teaspoons of buffalo wing sauce, adjust to your taste
- ½ cup bleu cheese
- ½ cup scallions, chopped
- homemade potato chips or regular ones

Directions:
1. Season your chicken breast anyway you like and cook anyway you prefer until no longer pink. Set aside and allow to cool, then shred. You could also use a store bought rotisserie chicken.

2. In a small bowl mix together sour cream and wing sauce.

3. Lay potato chips on a baking sheet with little to no overlap. Drizzle with wing sauce and then top with chicken, bacon, bleu cheese, and scallions.

4. Place under the broil for 6-8 minutes or until bleu cheese starts to bubble.

Thoughts: These are ridiculously good. They are spicy, salty, crispy… so so good. They are a complete guilty pleasure that you absolutely must make. If you like wings and nachos, then you will definitely love these. Don’t worry, there are still a few more weeks until bathing suit season!

Homemade Dark Russet Potato Chips

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:35:00 +0000

Growing up my mom called these “Home Fries” and would serve them if we had hamburgers for dinner on the weekend. I always thought of them more like potato chips but a little more substantial since they are thicker. This is actually going to be a two part post because while you can certainly enjoy these by themselves, I actually made them for a really guilty pleasure.

First things first.

Homemade Potato Chips

*Serves 4
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

- 2 large russet potatoes
- 1.5 tablespoons oil – veggie, olive, canola – whatever you prefer (I used olive oil)
- Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Clean your potatoes well. Peel off the skin if you wish, I leave them on. Slice your potatoes thin and evenly. No more than 1/8 of an inch, but a little thinner is better. A mandolin is perfect for this, but not necessary.

2. You will probably have to do this in a couple of batches or using more than one baking sheet at once. So take a portion of the oil and brush a good amount on the sheet. Then take the potatoes and swipe them in the oil on one side and set them down on the other. Similar to how you would dredge chicken or fish in flour. Keep them in a single layer.

3. Bake in a 300 degree oven for about 24-28 minutes or until the chips are browned. Remove from the pan onto a plate lined with a paper towel. Allow excess oil to be removed and season with salt and pepper. (Or just salt if you prefer.) Repeat until done. Serve immediately.

Thoughts: The most important thing is to slice the potatoes as evenly as possible, otherwise they won’t cook evenly. These are crispy and taste so much like a potato chip from the bag you may never buy a bag of chips again. If you don’t prefer the dark russet variety (the Cape Cod variety is my favorite), just take them out when they are a light golden brown. Since they are slightly thicker than regular potato chips, they are also excellent for dipping!

Note: Once the chips are completely cooled, you can store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Check back tomorrow for my 2nd part of this post!

Smoked Gouda and Pancetta Potatoes Au Gratin

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 14:18:00 +0000

So the other day I posted a quick poll about what type of potato dish I should make with leftover smoked gouda and pancetta. I didn’t get any feedback before diner time, so I made an executive decision to make the au gratin style. I've made gratins many times so I just went with my standard ratios and adjusted them for the size dish.

I’m an incredibly indecisive person, so this was tough.

I was so happy with how these turned out. It doesn’t always happen that when testing a new recipe I come up with on the fly comes out so well. Sometimes it takes two or three trials before I feel a dish is good enough to share. I got lucky on this one…not that I would have minded making them a few more times because they are really, really yummy.

Smoked Gouda and Pancetta Potatoes Au Gratin

*Serves 4
(printable recipe)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb russet potatoes
- 1.5 cups of smoked gouda, shredded
- 2 ¼” thick slices of pancetta, diced small
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
- splash of oil
- salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a small sauté pan over medium high heat, add a small amount of oil and the diced pancetta. Sauté until pancetta is browned and then remove from heat onto a paper towel to remove excess oil. Peel your potatoes and slice 1/8” thick. If you have a mandolin – bust it out! Set aside.

2. In a small sauce pan add milk, heavy cream, butter, garlic powder, and onion powder. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted, stirring occasionally. Add a dash of salt and pepper.

3. In a small casserole dish (mine was approx a 5x5) lay a single layer of potatoes slightly overlapping. Next layer a light amount of cheese and sprinkle some pancetta.

This is as I was finishing the second layer of potatoes

Repeat two more times and then add your top layer of potatoes and cheese, but not the pancetta on the top layer. Pour milk/cream mixture over potatoes and cover.

4. Place in a 350 degree oven and cook for 40 minutes. **Place a sheet underneath the dish just in case of spillage** Then remove cover and top with panko bread crumbs. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until panko is lightly browned.

5. Remove from oven and let stand 10 or so minutes before serving.

Thoughts: These were spectacular. The potatoes were cooked perfectly and the gouda melted nicely to create a rich and slightly smoky sauce. I find pancetta to get a bit of a sweet taste when browned so it was a nice addition to the gratin. I think it helped keep the smokiness from being too overwhelming. The panko was something new I tried. I normally don't add any type of bread crumbs on top of my regular gratin, but at the last minute I thought it would be something different... make it a lil more special if you will. I really like the texture and extra crunchiness it added. The smell wafting out of the oven when these were baking was almost torture they smelled so good. Brent liked them as well and we ended up “fighting” over who got to take the leftover for lunch the next day. I'm definitely going to make these again.

Being less wasteful with Homemade Croutons

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 07:09:00 +0000

If you ever have a large amount of bread leftover that you need to use up, this is great way. Not only do you save money because you aren’t spending money of prepackaged croutons, but you will be able to get your money’s worth out of each loaf of bread.

Homemade Croutons

Ingredients:

- approx 6-8 cups of day old bread cut into 1” cubes*

- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

- 1 teaspoon black pepper

- ½ teaspoon garlic powder

- ½ teaspoon onion powder

- ¼ teaspoon paprika

- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

*This is roughly ½ loaf of long French or Italian bread.

Directions:

1. Cube bread and spread on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle spices evenly over bread. Toss to evenly distribute seasoning.

2. Place in a 300 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until bread turns a pale golden color and are fully toasted. Give them a shake once halfway through cooking time. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Printable Recipe

What kind of crouton flavors do you like?

POLL: What should I make for dinner tonight?

noreply@blogger.com (Kitten with a Whisk) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:13:00 +0000

Tonight we're grilling an awesome pork chop recipe that I hope to share with you guys in the next few days. I'd like your input on how to prepare one of the sides!

I have potatoes, smoked gouda, and pancetta that need to be used. I can't decide if I want to make twice-baked potatoes, au gratin, or just mashed potatoes with the gouda and pancetta.

Which would you choose? Leave your vote in the comments below, and I'll make the winner and share the recipe (or what went wrong, if it fails) soon.

If it helps, steamed broccoli will be our veggie.