With the Winter Olympics underway, I've been thinking a lot about how to incorporate this historical event into my recipes. Obviously, the top answer is by exploring all of the culinary creations other countries have to offer.
I've been doing quite a bit of research in the last few weeks to prepare, looking into mostly Asian, Mediterranean and Mexican recipes as these are typically the flavors I like most. However, I didn't want to miss out on anything, so I also looked into recipes that used ingredients I'd either never used or never heard of.
What better way to enhance my palate than during the Olympics, right?
This recipe is a bit of a cheat, obviously. I've never been to Greece (although it's definitely on my Bucket List), so I don't know if they have a side dish like this over there in the glorious Mediterranean. But, like most Americans, I go nuts over a flavorful pasta salad, especially in the summer. This is a combination of that delicious salad and classic Greek flavors.
The tomatoes, the cucumbers, the feta... Oh my Gosh can I tell you how much I've been eating feta lately?? On everything, that's how much. I even put some in my eggs for breakfast this morning. I can't stop. I think I made this salad less because it represents the Olympic homeland, and more because I just wanted to eat more feta!
This salad is super flavorful and updates your traditional pasta salad recipe into something new and different. It's perfect for sitting in your warm house watching people compete for Olympic Gold on television... hint hint!
Greek Pasta Salad
2 lb. garden rotini (tri-colored), cooked
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 cup diced cherry tomatoes
1 cup canned artichokes hearts, drained and diced
1 cup kalamata olives
1 cup crumbled feta
3-4 cups Lemon Dill Vinaigrette
1 tbsp. dried oregano
Salt & Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Serve cold.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Brown Sugar & Bourbon Marinade
I ate steak last week.
It was delicious.
It was covered in a store-bought marinade. I won't name any names, but I think you can probably guess. A lot of times when I'm trying to develop my own recipe, it starts like this. I'll buy a store-bought item like seasoning and test it out to see if its a flavor that I'd enjoy regularly. If I'd eat it again, then I look into how to make an at-home version that mimics the bought version.
Needless to say, I really liked that steak. So, I bought some more steak. And, a few extra ingredients that didn't include bourbon because that was already in my liquor cabinet.
I don't have a problem. I just like my bourbon.
Cooking with bourbon, that is.
So, I spent a while tweaking this marinade the way I wanted and soaked a big fat steak in it. This steak was tender and so flavorful that I didn't even need any steak sauce.
Making seasonings and marinades is one of my favorite ways to experiment in the kitchen and this is my new favorite steak marinade to date!
Brown Sugar & Bourbon Marinade
1/2 cup beef stock
1/3 cup bourbon
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp onion flakes
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb. flank steak
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Let meat soak in marinade overnight.
Grill as desired.
It was delicious.
It was covered in a store-bought marinade. I won't name any names, but I think you can probably guess. A lot of times when I'm trying to develop my own recipe, it starts like this. I'll buy a store-bought item like seasoning and test it out to see if its a flavor that I'd enjoy regularly. If I'd eat it again, then I look into how to make an at-home version that mimics the bought version.
Needless to say, I really liked that steak. So, I bought some more steak. And, a few extra ingredients that didn't include bourbon because that was already in my liquor cabinet.
I don't have a problem. I just like my bourbon.
Cooking with bourbon, that is.
So, I spent a while tweaking this marinade the way I wanted and soaked a big fat steak in it. This steak was tender and so flavorful that I didn't even need any steak sauce.
Making seasonings and marinades is one of my favorite ways to experiment in the kitchen and this is my new favorite steak marinade to date!
Brown Sugar & Bourbon Marinade
1/2 cup beef stock
1/3 cup bourbon
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp onion flakes
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb. flank steak
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Let meat soak in marinade overnight.
Grill as desired.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Cookie Dough Fudge
Oh my sweet baby Jesus.
Why did I have to stumble upon this?
This is not good for me. This is not good for anybody. I mean, look at it this list of ingredients. It's not figure friendly. Or, heart friendly. Or, diabetes friendly.
Is 'diabetes friendly' a thing? I don't know. This fudge has me utterly perplexed. All I know is my stomach hurts right now because I housed so much of this and I think I can feel this fudge abusing my internal organs, including my pancreas.
That description of my current state of physical health is not meant to deter you from making this. Not in the least, really. If you consume a normal amount of this fudge (read: not the whole pan), you shouldn't have this issue.
This fudge is super easy and when I say, delicious, I really, truly, absolutely, 100% mean it. Like, my new favorite fudge. Like, my new favorite recipe, Like, the answer to my prayers.
All dramatics aside, I really really really really really really want you to make this so you can see just how perfect and wonderful it is!
Cookie Dough Fudge
(adapted from Mel's Kitchen Café)
Why did I have to stumble upon this?
This is not good for me. This is not good for anybody. I mean, look at it this list of ingredients. It's not figure friendly. Or, heart friendly. Or, diabetes friendly.
Is 'diabetes friendly' a thing? I don't know. This fudge has me utterly perplexed. All I know is my stomach hurts right now because I housed so much of this and I think I can feel this fudge abusing my internal organs, including my pancreas.
That description of my current state of physical health is not meant to deter you from making this. Not in the least, really. If you consume a normal amount of this fudge (read: not the whole pan), you shouldn't have this issue.
This fudge is super easy and when I say, delicious, I really, truly, absolutely, 100% mean it. Like, my new favorite fudge. Like, my new favorite recipe, Like, the answer to my prayers.
All dramatics aside, I really really really really really really want you to make this so you can see just how perfect and wonderful it is!
Cookie Dough Fudge
(adapted from Mel's Kitchen Café)
2/3 cup butter, melted and warm
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
4 cups Confectioner's sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
In a bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Stir until all of the brown sugar dissolves.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixture. Stir until the batter is well-combined.
Pour batter into a greased 8x8 pan.
Chill overnight.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Naan
With the Winter Olympics underway, I've been thinking a lot about how to incorporate this historical event into my recipes. Obviously, the top answer is by exploring all of the culinary creations other countries have to offer.
I've been doing quite a bit of research in the last few weeks to prepare, looking into mostly Asian, Mediterranean and Mexican recipes as these are typically the flavors I like most. However, I didn't want to miss out on anything, so I also looked into recipes that used ingredients I'd either never used or never heard of.
What better way to enhance my palate than during the Olympics, right?
One of the first thing I decided to try was this naan recipe. Naan is a traditional Indian bread that can be used as a slice of bread for open-faced sandwiches, a side for soaking up sauce, or even as a pizza dough if you're so inclined.
Naan is soft and chewy and filled with little air pockets the way most of my other favorite breads are, so I knew that this was going to be either revolutionary find for me, or the disastrous end of my waistline as I know it!
Naan
I've been doing quite a bit of research in the last few weeks to prepare, looking into mostly Asian, Mediterranean and Mexican recipes as these are typically the flavors I like most. However, I didn't want to miss out on anything, so I also looked into recipes that used ingredients I'd either never used or never heard of.
What better way to enhance my palate than during the Olympics, right?
One of the first thing I decided to try was this naan recipe. Naan is a traditional Indian bread that can be used as a slice of bread for open-faced sandwiches, a side for soaking up sauce, or even as a pizza dough if you're so inclined.
Naan is soft and chewy and filled with little air pockets the way most of my other favorite breads are, so I knew that this was going to be either revolutionary find for me, or the disastrous end of my waistline as I know it!
Naan
1 cup lukewarm water
1/3 cup sugar
4 cups flour
1 egg
2 tsp salt
1/2 stick butter, melted
In a large bowl, add yeast, water and 2 tbsp. of sugar. Let sit for a few minutes. Bubbles should start to appear. Add the rest of the sugar, flour, egg and salt. Knead for 5-7 minutes, or until the dough becomes elastic. Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a slightly damp cloth. Store in a warm place for 1 hour to let rise.
Punch down dough. Make about 10-12 equally sized balls of dough and flatten them onto cookie sheets, about 1/4" thick. Let sit covered for an additional hour to rise.
Brush one side of the dough with butter and place butter-side-down on a grill over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Brush the top with butter and flip, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Apple Sharlotka
Today marks the first official day of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
I can't really say for sure which Olympics are my favorite. It seems like whichever one is coming up next is my favorite. Even as I type this recipe out, I'm watching the Opening Ceremonies. I'm also taking breaks between typing to wolf down slice after slice of this Apple Sharlotka.
It's supposedly a Russian delicacy, but I'm too enthralled in the food, the blogging and the television to bother with researching dessert origins right now.
My biggest thought while watching this is not even about the Olympics, but more about the fashion. I know, I'm such a girl, sometimes. But, seriously, can't we make the official outfits a little more fashionable. I mean, you're representing a whole country in a world-wide competition. We need to get the same company that does the Oregon Ducks football uniforms or something. If you're not familiar, look it up because they look AWESOME. We need to stand out and wow the world. You know, besides our athletic ability and stuff...
Ok, I'm done.
Anyway, I didn't expect to post this because I don't usually write posts like this. Truthfully, I'm just not a big cake fan. Really, I'm not a big baker, so when I find a cake that works for me and tastes good, you know it's really something special and I'm going to share it with you.
This cake is not a cake, though. Not in my world, anyway. This is so moist and full of apples that it's like a pie with bits of cake running through it. That definition may not sound appealing, but it's actually super good. And, I definitely American-ed it up with a ton of extra spice reminiscent of mom's Apple Pie so it's sharper and more flavorful than the first time I made it.
Get into the Sochi Olympic spirit and get your apples out for this dessert!
Apple Sharlotka
(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Confectioner's sugar for dusting
Preheat oven 350F.
Toss the sliced apples in lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Pour apples into a greased 9-inch springform pan.
In a mixer, beat eggs, flour, sugar and vanilla together to form a batter.
Pour batter over apples.
Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely. Dust with Confectioner's sugar before serving.
I can't really say for sure which Olympics are my favorite. It seems like whichever one is coming up next is my favorite. Even as I type this recipe out, I'm watching the Opening Ceremonies. I'm also taking breaks between typing to wolf down slice after slice of this Apple Sharlotka.
It's supposedly a Russian delicacy, but I'm too enthralled in the food, the blogging and the television to bother with researching dessert origins right now.
My biggest thought while watching this is not even about the Olympics, but more about the fashion. I know, I'm such a girl, sometimes. But, seriously, can't we make the official outfits a little more fashionable. I mean, you're representing a whole country in a world-wide competition. We need to get the same company that does the Oregon Ducks football uniforms or something. If you're not familiar, look it up because they look AWESOME. We need to stand out and wow the world. You know, besides our athletic ability and stuff...
Ok, I'm done.
Anyway, I didn't expect to post this because I don't usually write posts like this. Truthfully, I'm just not a big cake fan. Really, I'm not a big baker, so when I find a cake that works for me and tastes good, you know it's really something special and I'm going to share it with you.
This cake is not a cake, though. Not in my world, anyway. This is so moist and full of apples that it's like a pie with bits of cake running through it. That definition may not sound appealing, but it's actually super good. And, I definitely American-ed it up with a ton of extra spice reminiscent of mom's Apple Pie so it's sharper and more flavorful than the first time I made it.
Get into the Sochi Olympic spirit and get your apples out for this dessert!
Apple Sharlotka
(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Confectioner's sugar for dusting
Preheat oven 350F.
Toss the sliced apples in lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Pour apples into a greased 9-inch springform pan.
In a mixer, beat eggs, flour, sugar and vanilla together to form a batter.
Pour batter over apples.
Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely. Dust with Confectioner's sugar before serving.
Buffalo Chicken Taco Salad
So... I don't know if this really counts as a taco salad.
I mean, it's got corn chips in it, but that's really about it. There's no beef, no taco seasoning... the taco seasoning might be only reason a taco salad is a taco salad. But, if we go by that logic, this is nothing more than a Buffalo Chicken salad, and that gets confusing with what we consider traditional, spread-on-a-sandwich chicken salad.
You can see why my head hurts on this one.
Names aside, I felt like a found a gap in buffalo chicken recipe development. There's just not enough sides with this classic flavor. I mean, there's chicken wings themselves, which pretty much work as a side for any pizza or pub-style meal. But outside of that, chicken wing sauce is reserved for the main dish or an appetizer. We all look for ways to be creative with chicken wing sauce as either a meal or a pre-cursor to the meal, but we never seem to look at ways to serve it as a side dish.
So, I decided to set to work, coming up with something that I could serve at one of my favorite types of events: the summer barbeque.
It could be because I'm just so sick of winter, but filling up on this salad makes me feel a little bit better, knowing that summer will eventually be here, even if it feels decades away right now.
This recipe gives me the buffalo chicken flavor I crave on a daily basis while saving room for all of the other sides that await me at a good ol' fashioned barbeque.
Whatever you want to call it, it's spicy and crunchy and creamy and wonderful all rolled into one delicious side dish!
Buffalo Chicken Taco Salad
1 lb. shredded or canned chicken
1/2 head of lettuce, roughly shredded
3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
4 cups Buffalo-flavored tortilla chips
1 1/2 - 2 cups Ranch or Bleu cheese dressing
1-2 tsp hot sauce, depending on your spice preference
Combine all ingredients into a large bowl.
If you're transporting the salad, wait to add the chips until just prior to serving to keep them crisp.
I mean, it's got corn chips in it, but that's really about it. There's no beef, no taco seasoning... the taco seasoning might be only reason a taco salad is a taco salad. But, if we go by that logic, this is nothing more than a Buffalo Chicken salad, and that gets confusing with what we consider traditional, spread-on-a-sandwich chicken salad.
You can see why my head hurts on this one.
Names aside, I felt like a found a gap in buffalo chicken recipe development. There's just not enough sides with this classic flavor. I mean, there's chicken wings themselves, which pretty much work as a side for any pizza or pub-style meal. But outside of that, chicken wing sauce is reserved for the main dish or an appetizer. We all look for ways to be creative with chicken wing sauce as either a meal or a pre-cursor to the meal, but we never seem to look at ways to serve it as a side dish.
So, I decided to set to work, coming up with something that I could serve at one of my favorite types of events: the summer barbeque.
It could be because I'm just so sick of winter, but filling up on this salad makes me feel a little bit better, knowing that summer will eventually be here, even if it feels decades away right now.
This recipe gives me the buffalo chicken flavor I crave on a daily basis while saving room for all of the other sides that await me at a good ol' fashioned barbeque.
Whatever you want to call it, it's spicy and crunchy and creamy and wonderful all rolled into one delicious side dish!
Buffalo Chicken Taco Salad
1 lb. shredded or canned chicken
1/2 head of lettuce, roughly shredded
3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
4 cups Buffalo-flavored tortilla chips
1 1/2 - 2 cups Ranch or Bleu cheese dressing
1-2 tsp hot sauce, depending on your spice preference
Combine all ingredients into a large bowl.
If you're transporting the salad, wait to add the chips until just prior to serving to keep them crisp.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Stuffed Chicken Marsala
Oh, the weather outside is... disgusting.
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my newfound hermit status for 2014, I am sharing a list of some of my favorite copycat recipes from restaurants I love.
This version of stuffed chicken marsala is super special to me because I love marsala wine sauce. But, I feel like the restaurant versions are always lacking something. It's either too salty from store-bought chicken stock, or the marsala wine is completely underwhelming, or the chicken is fried, which I think makes for a goopy mess when the coating melts into the sauce.
Not okay.
This recipe encompasses the strong flavor and pleasing texture that I look for in a good chicken marsala. Stuffing it with goodness is just an extra bonus. I'd say that this is restaurant quality, but truthfully, this is way better!
Stuffed Chicken Marsala
2 lb. chicken breasts
1/2 cup milk
1 cup Italian-seasoned panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 white onion, diced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup marsala wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, for garnish
Cheese Filling:
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup cream cheese
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt & Pepper to taste
Preheat oven 350F.
For the cheese filling, mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
Use a butterfly technique to cut chicken breasts widthwise. Spoon 1/2 of the cheese filling on each butterflied half. Cover the cheese with the top of the butterflied chicken.
Coat the chicken breasts in milk, then roll in bread crumbs. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked and bread crumbs are golden brown.
In a sauté pan, cook onions in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant and translucent. Add mushrooms and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes.
Add marsala and chicken broth to the sauté pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes. Stir in cream and cook an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove chicken from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Pour marsala sauce over the chicken. Garnish with parsley before serving.
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my newfound hermit status for 2014, I am sharing a list of some of my favorite copycat recipes from restaurants I love.
This version of stuffed chicken marsala is super special to me because I love marsala wine sauce. But, I feel like the restaurant versions are always lacking something. It's either too salty from store-bought chicken stock, or the marsala wine is completely underwhelming, or the chicken is fried, which I think makes for a goopy mess when the coating melts into the sauce.
Not okay.
This recipe encompasses the strong flavor and pleasing texture that I look for in a good chicken marsala. Stuffing it with goodness is just an extra bonus. I'd say that this is restaurant quality, but truthfully, this is way better!
Stuffed Chicken Marsala
2 lb. chicken breasts
1/2 cup milk
1 cup Italian-seasoned panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 white onion, diced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup marsala wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, for garnish
Cheese Filling:
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup cream cheese
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt & Pepper to taste
Preheat oven 350F.
For the cheese filling, mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
Use a butterfly technique to cut chicken breasts widthwise. Spoon 1/2 of the cheese filling on each butterflied half. Cover the cheese with the top of the butterflied chicken.
Coat the chicken breasts in milk, then roll in bread crumbs. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked and bread crumbs are golden brown.
In a sauté pan, cook onions in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant and translucent. Add mushrooms and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes.
Add marsala and chicken broth to the sauté pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes. Stir in cream and cook an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove chicken from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Pour marsala sauce over the chicken. Garnish with parsley before serving.
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