Quickie: Cheesy Smashed Cauliflower

Posted in Quickie, Recipe - To Taste with tags , , , , , , , , , , on November 4, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

I finally took Dre on an Amish adventure complete with a stop at Shady Maple Smorgasbord. I regret, however, that I went to one of my favorite places to eat and didn’t take any pictures! We did however, make a few stops at the farm stands on our scenic ride home. At one spot, I picked up a beautiful head of farm fresh Cauliflower. I knew if anyone was going to enjoy it with me, I’d have to transform it. I remembered an episode of 30 Minute Meals I’d seen where Rachel Ray “whipped up” a batch of her Smashed Cauliflower with Cheese. I decided to stick almost exactly to the recipe except for adding some Smoked Gouda (from the never ending wedge). The smokiness added great depth to the dish. I didn’t even have to pass it off as mashed potatoes (though you know I tried!) and I’m really looking forward to making this a regular side dish in my rotation.

Farm Fresh Cauliflower & our Jack-o-Lantern

P.S. We also picked up a pumpkin on our Amish adventure that Dre & I carved for Halloween. BOO!

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Leftover Lightning! Roasted Turkey, Zucchini, & Tomato Pizza!

Posted in Leftover Lightning! with tags , , , , , , , , , , on November 4, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

Enjoying the house to myself for an evening, which usually means I have a cram a bunch of relaxation & chores in one night. Amongst laundry, the World Series, & making homemade Apple Butter for Dre, I needed to make sure I had a good dinner. I’ve been getting back into cooking on the regular, but kept it fairly easy this week as I’m battling the infamous flu. Luckily, I had plenty of leftovers to work with: Pizza Sauce from Lazaro’s delivery on Sunday (Mmmm, Garlic Knots!); leftover Dijon Turkey loin and Roasted Zucchini & Grape Tomatoes from Monday’s quick din; and, a leftover 8″ mini Boboli shell (leftover from last night as I pretty much ate this exact dinner last night). I layered the pizza with sauce, diced turkey, & veggies and topped with shredded Mozz & Smoked Gouda (my fave, still leftover from Make Your Own Pizza night). 10 minutes in the toaster oven on 450 and YUMMM!

Roasted Turkey, Zucchini, & Tomato Pizza via Leftovers

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Family Dinner: Swift Half Game Day

Posted in Family Dinners, Restaurant Rewind, Weekend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 26, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

I took a momentary hiatus from blogging as my priorities shifted a bit over the last month or so. Tonight’s priority, however – watching the Eagles on the couch with Lexi. Less than two minutes into the game tonight, DeSean Jackson ran 67yds for a touchdown. At the risk of sounding cliche, it made me think maybe it’s time for me to get back in “the game.” I luckily had an easy return with a blog post already drafted about a perfect September day enjoying my utmost priorities! GO EAGLES!

It was about time for Dre to meet the parents, so we planned a sunny Sunday afternoon to watch the Eagles game in Philly. We met at the Piazza at Schmidt’s, knowing Dad was interested in seeing the new hip spot in the city. Food and drink is an important part of family time so we snagged an outdoor table  at Swift Half with a perfect view of the Piazza’s jumbotron tv . After a round of beers and conversation, my sister Kerry joined us just in time to place our lunch order. Dre matched Kerry’s request of a B.E.L.T, stacked accordingly with an over-medium fried egg. I went with their Traditional Burger, served medium-rare with Applewood Smoked Bacon & Colston Bassett Stilton. Their fresh, shoestring cut Idaho fries paired with the sandwiches may now be in my top ranking in the city, just under Misconduct’s.

B.E.L.T. - Swift Half

B.E.L.T. - Swift Half

Burger from Swift Half

Traditional Burger with Applewood Smoked Bacon & Colston Bassett Stilton

Dad doesn’t front when it comes to his love of Scrapple, retelling stories of making homemade batches at Penn State. Swift Half managed to serve it in a most appetizing way for a non-fan like me – battered, fried triangles paired with a Maple Ketchup & Potato Hash. Mary Ann, the biggest Eagles’ fan I know, went with an epitomous game day snack of Potato Skins with Applewood Bacon crumbles, Melted Cheddar, & an Herb-Mayo dipping sauce. We all shared the Fudge Board for dessert highlighting Bacon Fudge, Vanilla Fudge, & Pistachio Fudge.

Despite an embarrassing loss by the Eagles, it ended up being a fantastic Sunday afternoon relaxing, laughing, & eating with the most important people in my life.  We even enjoyed seconds with Swift Half’s tender and tasty Buffalo Shrimp, which were eaten too fast for me to snap a pic! And no lie, now less than 2 minutes to halftime and there goes DeSean Jackson with another touchdown. All these great memories of food, family, & football – I think I’m officially back in the game.

Scrapple, Potato Hash, & Maple Ketchup - Swift Half

Scrapple, Potato Hash, & Maple Ketchup - Swift Half

Bacon & Cheese Potato Skins - Swift Half

Bacon & Cheese Potato Skins - Swift Half

Bacon Fudge, Vanilla Fudge, & Pistachio Fudge - Swift Half

Bacon Fudge, Vanilla Fudge, & Pistachio Fudge - Swift Half

Check out Swift Half’s Website and Twitter. Yum!

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Family Dinner: Labor Day BBQin’

Posted in Family Dinners, Recipe - To Taste with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 13, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

I couldn’t make it thru Labor Day weekend without some BBQ action, so I dug deep into the freezer for some ground beef & turkey to make burgers. The budget was tight, so I did my best to work with what I already had, including fresh Plum Tomatoes, a variety of Bell Peppers, & Sweet Corn on the Cob from my Zern’s stop on Saturday night. I seasoned the burgers, tossed them and the corn onto a hot grill, & chopped veggies for a light, simple Pasta Salad. Friends arrived, beers were cracked, & BBQ action we had!

Labor Day BBQ

Labor Day BBQ

Labor Day BBQ:

Grilled Beef & Turkey Burgers – Topped w/ American, Triple Smoked Bacon, Ripe Plum Tomatoes, Romaine, Ketchup, Gulden’s, & Mayo

Balsamic Pasta Salad – 1lb of Mini Shells, Farm Fresh (non-waxed) Cucumbers, Yellow Peppers, Violet Hybrid Peppers, Ripe Plum Tomatoes, & Shredded Asiago – Dressing: 3T Balsamic (or any vinegar), 1T Olive Oil, S&P, Fresh & Dried Herbs, 1 tsp Hot Chili Garlic Sauce, 1 tsp Dijon Mustard

Grilled Sweet Corn on the Cob – Finished with Butter & Salt

Labor Day BBQ Feast

Labor Day BBQ Feast

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Tip Time! Freezing Bacon

Posted in Tip Time! with tags , , , , on September 8, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

Every time I visit my hometown, Pottstown, I’m sure to make a stop at Zern’s Farmers Market. They have the cheapest produce, amazing butchers, & everything (literally everything!) you could imagine. I had Lindsay, my best friend from home, and her beautiful daughter, Franchesca, in tow so it was a quick trip. I look forward to next time so I can shoot more photos to share the wonders of a Zern’s experience with you all!

One item I’m sure to pick up on every visit is Triple Smoked Bacon. There’s really nothing that compares to the taste & freshness. I could smell the smokey essence the whole car ride back to Philly! Seeing that I stock up between visits, I usually cook a pound to eat fresh and freeze the rest. I wish I could find where I learned this trick, but when I search “bacon” in my history, far too many websites come up!

Triple Smoked Bacon

Triple Smoked Bacon - photo via Dre

To freeze bacon for easy access, I roll up each slice & place into an airtight storage container.  I prefer this approach as it’s more green versus separating slices with wax paper & using storage baggies. With this “roll & freeze”  method, you can easily pull out as many pieces as you’d like & they’re not stuck together.

Enjoy bacon & enjoy it often! It’s good for your soul.

Triple Smoked Bacon - Rolled for Freezing & Easy Access

Triple Smoked Bacon - Rolled for Freezing & Easy Access

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Leftover Lighting! Hot Pockets!

Posted in Leftover Lightning!, Recipe - To Taste with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 8, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

Sarah was kind enough to leave behind some Pizza Dough for us to experiment with after our “Build Your Own Pizza Night”, describing it as the “weird batch”. Dre & I decided to give its “weirdness” a whirl with some Sunday night stromboli & calzone.

Sarahs Weird Delicious Dough!

Sarah's "Weird" Delicious Dough!

I fulfilled my new addiction to the sweetness of Roasted Tomatoes by popping a batch in the oven while I began filling the dough. I opted for leftover Roasted Yellow Peppers & Zucchini from our “Build Your Own Pizza Night” with Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage, Mozzarella, Asiago, Tomato Sauce, & Fresh Basil. Per my lactose intolerant boyfriend’s request, I filled his with “just cheese” including Mozzarella, Asiago, & Ricotta with a swipe of Tomato Sauce, a thick layer of Roasted Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, & extra Minced Garlic. They weren’t too pretty going into oven once folded and likewise once they were baked, but they were delicious! The “weird” dough created a flaky crust a la a homemade Hot Pocket, versus a traditional stromboli/calzone crust. Yum!

My Veggie Hot Pocket

My Roasted Veggie "Hot Pocket"

Dres Cheesey Tomato Hot Pocket

Dre's Cheesy Tomato "Hot Pocket"

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Top Chef / Home Cook: Build Your Own Pizza

Posted in Family Dinners, Recipe - To Taste, Top Chef / Home Cook with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 8, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

Last season of Top Chef, we started a tradition of “Family Dinners” at my house to watch each week’s episode along with a home-cooked meal! Tom, Dre, & Lex were the regulars at last season’s dinners, but couldn’t be happier to add Sarah to this year’s season. She brought along her homemade pizza dough for the return of Top Chef AND the return of “Build Your Own Pizza Night,” my favorite dinner theme!

The original plan was to do grilled pizzas, but after a summer of cooking and roasting Grape Tomatoes (via The Bitten Word’s amazing recipe) & Yellow Bell Peppers for pizza toppings, my grill ran out of gas. At least we always have the oven for back-up. I also prepared sauteed Zucchini, Chicken Andouille Sausage, Crab Meat, & Creole Shrimp, along with shredded Mozzarella, Smoked Gouda, Asiago, & Ricotta Cheeses, as topping options. Can’t forget some tomato sauce, as well! We all got to loading our shells with Dre opting for a Crab White Pizza & Tom piling on just about everying!

We were 3 episodes behind with all of our busy schedules, so we got together on a Thursday night to cook & recap via the DVR while the pizzas baked to perfection…

Dres Crab White Pizza - Pre-Baked

Dre's Crab White Pizza - Pre-Baked

My Pizza w/ the works

My Pizza w/ the works

Build Your Own Pizza Night

Homemade Pizza Dough a la Sarah

Roasted Tomatoes, Yellow Bell Peppers, & Zucchini

Chicken Andoille Sausage

Crab Meat

Creole Shrimp

Mozzarella, Smoked Gouda, Asiago, & Ricotta

Fresh Basil & Lemon-Thyme

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Weekend Update: Chicken under a Bri… Something Heavy

Posted in Recipe - To Taste, Weekend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 8, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

My boyfriend has come to love food porn as much as I do, so when he sent me Pinch My Salt’s step by step photo blog of Grilled Chicken Under a Brick, I couldn’t wait to get my spatchcock & grill on! Dre & I were both working late on a Friday night, and seeing that I already learned my lesson in grilling in the dark, I decided to at least get my meal prepped that night for a yummy pre-work lunch the next day.

When there’s chicken of any kind on sale, I impulsively pack my already stuffed freezer with as much as I can. I thawed one of the roasting chickens to make some space for my next grocery trip, watched this very helpful video on butterflying a whole chicken, & got to butchering! Call me sadistic (I’ll spare my veggie friends/readers from seeing the pics), but I really enjoyed the whole hands-on process of removing the spine & breast bone of my chicken so it could lay flat for its visit to the grill.

I picked some Fresh Herbs from my garden, chopped, & combined with Olive Oil & Minced Garlic for a simple chicken rub. I coated both sides of the chicken & marinated in the fridge overnight. I also peeled & cubed a butternut squash; to me, its serves as a starch & veggie side to any meal.

Spatchcocked Chicken w/ a Basil, Lemon-Thyme, Parsley, Rosemary, Garlic, & EVOO Marinade

Spatchcocked Chicken w/ a Basil, Lemon-Thyme, Parsley, Rosemary, Garlic, & EVOO Marinade

Grilled Butternut Squash with Fresh Herbs, Spices, & Garlic

Grilled Butternut Squash w/ Fresh Herbs, Spices, & Garlic

Saturday morning, we got the grilled warmed to about 350 degrees per the Whole Foods recipe that Pinch My Salt referenced. I seasoned the Butternut Squash with Fresh & Dried Herbs, Paprika, Red Pepper Flakes, S&P, Garlic, & Olive Oil and divided them among 4 foil pouches while the chilled chicken came up to temperature. When it came to grill time, I realized that, uh…  umm… I didn’t have any bricks! So the only troubleshoot I could come up with was a heavy, foil-covered cast iron pan, which proved to be a perfect substitution. The original recipe called for a 3-4lb chicken, but I was working with a 7lb bird, so it took about 20-25 minutes per side. I tossed the squash pouches onto the grill, too, as they were tender after flipping a few times in about 40 minutes. Towards the end of grilling, the drums of the chicken fell off, but it fortunately gave them some extra time to cook when the breast & wings were perfect.

All future birds cooked in my household will surely be spatchcocked & grilled, as this was the juiciest & tastiest one I’ve ever made. Looking forward to a Turkey Under ALOT of Bricks this Thanksgiving!

Grilled Chicken Under a Cast Iron Pan

Grilled Chicken Under a Cast Iron Pan

Grilled: Chicken Under a “Brick” & Herb Butternut Squash

Butterflied Whole 7lb Chicken – Rubbed & marinated w/ Basil, Lemon-Thyme, Parsley, Rosemary, Minced Garlic, & EVOO, grilled under a Cast Iron Pan

Grilled Butternut Squash – Cubed & tossed w/ Fresh & Dried Herbs, Paprika, Red Pepper Flakes, S&P, Garlic, & Olive Oil, grilled in foil packets

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Quickie: Reading Terminal Market

Posted in Quickie with tags , , , , , , , on September 8, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

While my mom was in town, we made a trip to Reading Terminal Market to have lunch & cruise the amazing food & such you can find there! Iovine Brothers Produce had some amazing & fresh product to admire, which made me question why I’m not splitting my produce shopping between them & the cheap finds at the Italian Market.

Romaine from Iovine Brother Produce @ Reading Terminal Market

Iovine Brother Produce @ Reading Terminal Market

And no Reading Terminal Market visit is complete for me without a Turkey Sandwich on Homemade Sourdough w/ Mayo from Bassett’s Original Turkey!

Turkey Sammie w/ Mayo on Homemade Sourdough - Bassetts Original Turkey in Reading Terminal Market

Turkey Sammie w/ Mayo on Homemade Sourdough - Bassett's Original Turkey in Reading Terminal Market

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Just sayin… chefs never cease to amaze me!

Posted in Just sayin... on September 3, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

Today, I had one of my best culinary experiences ever! At work, we hosted a tasting for the upcoming Liberty Medal at the National Constitution Center, with Steven Spielberg as this year’s recipient. My parent company, Libre Management, enlists some amazing chefs to work on their many culinary adventures. I had the honor of photographing the execution & culinary delights behind the scenes of the tasting… and, of course, got to sample the chefs’ amazing creations!

I can truly say today was an honor. I not only had the opportunity to practice my photography skills, but got to do so alongside such reknowned chefs who didn’t skip a beat to answer my curiousities or offer a taste.

Thank you Chef Louis Chabot, Chef Luke Palladino, Chef Guillermo Pernot, & Chef Jean-Marie Lacroix, for an experience I’ll never forget!

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Quickie: Snacktime w/ Chef Derek III

Posted in Quickie with tags , , , , , , , , , on September 2, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

I really thing he’s trying to make us fat! Today, Chef Derek delivered some amazing homemade Macaroons w/ Lemon-Chocolate Ganache. YUM!

Fresh Baked Macaroons w/ Lemon-Chocolate Ganache

Fresh Baked Macaroons w/ Lemon-Chocolate Ganache

UPDATE: Derek just brought a sample of Corn & Chive Spoonbread for us to try too! Got a quick pic before we devoured it.

Corn & Chive Spoonbread

Corn & Chive Spoonbread

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Family Dinner: Spicy BBQ Slow Cooked Pulled Chicken Sammies

Posted in Family Dinners, Recipe - To Taste with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 1, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

I couldn’t wait to cook for my mom, as she made the trek all the way from beautiful Hawaii to visit Ker & I. Nothing is more comforting after a long travel (especially 3 flights & 14+ hours later) than a home cooked meal. The night before her arrival, I decided to dig out the ol’ Crock Pot. I usually rely on it to keep me warm during the winter months, but I had 6 chicken split-breasts waiting for a simmer.

I’d estimate that I make some version of pulled chicken in my Crock Pot about 4x each year, but never the quite the same recipe. This round, I took a Spicy BBQ approach for some summery flair.I tossed all the ingredients into the pot and set in the fridge with a can of chopped tomatoes on top so I wouldn’t forget to add in the morning. At 830am, I turned the Crock Pot on ‘Lo’ and headed to work. I love coming home to the aroma of a 9-hour simmer! Ker picked the bones out (a scorching & tedious task) & pulled the chicken. It simmered for another hour so the flavors could fully infuse.

I melted sharp cheddar on Whole Foods Onion Focaccia flat-breads, topped with leftover warmed collard greens, & a healthy pile of my Spicy BBQ Slowed Cooked Pull Chicken. I paired the plate with a Summer Roasted Vegetable Salad that I quick prepared the night before and finished with Rice Vinegar & Fresh Herbs before serving.

I always make a ton of chicken when I’m working with my Crock Pot. It works well on sandwiches, tortillas, quesadillas, salads, pizzas, inside a spring roll, & over rice to serve as extended leftovers. Get creative! I freeze a portion of every batch, too, to enjoy on a lazy dinner night!

BBQ Spicy Pulled Chicken, Melted Cheddar, Collard Greens, & Onion Focaccia w/ Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad

BBQ Spicy Pulled Chicken, Melted Cheddar, Collard Greens, & Onion Focaccia w/ Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad

Spicy BBQ Chicken Sammies w/ Summer Roasted Vegetable Salad:

Spicy BBQ Slow Cooked Pulled Chicken – BBQ Sauce, Soy Sauce, Worcestershire, Shallots, Garlic, Jalapeno, Olive Oil, Chili Powder & a Can of Chopped Tomatoes, marinated overnight & slow cooked in the Crock Pot for 10 hours

Whole Foods Onion Focaccia Flat Breads

Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Leftover Collard Greens from my Grilled Crab Dinner

Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad – Roasted Yellow Squash, Cherry Tomatoes, & Sweet Peppers w/ Minced Garlic & EVOO, cooled & tossed w/ S&P Lemon-Thyme, Thai Basil, Parsley, & Rice Vinegar

Only regret is forgetting to add chipotles to the chicken. It really could have used a some smokey, spicier layers. Til next time…

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Weekend Update: Grilled Snow Crab Legs

Posted in Recipe - To Taste, Weekend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 1, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

Wasn’t too long ago that I was just sayin’ that you shouldn’t grill in the dark… especially crab legs. So I took on the task of grilled snow crab legs for a Sunday late-lunch/early-dinner w/ Dre. I decided to get all the sides started before I threw the crabbiness on the grill, so I could give it my undivided attention.

Earlier that week, I bought 2 large bunches of Collard Greens from the Italian Market. It was alot of greens for only $2! I rinsed & chopped them before sauteing in garlic, shallots, EVOO, & butter and simmering in chicken stock. I didn’t have any turkey bacon on hand as a usual ingredient in my greens, so just settled for some Sriracha & Worcestshire to jazz it up. I STILL had Grape Tomatoes from my Spicy Fish Tacos & Avocado-Salad and Sweet Peppers from my Mexi-Risotto, so I tossed them into a Rice-a-Roni Spanish Rice Mix.

Dre whipped up a batch of Cornbread using trusty ol’ Jiffy mix. We tossed in some jalapenos & the leftover sweet peppers, and sprinkled with shredded sharp cheddar halfway thru. With the greens sauteing, rice simmering, & cornbread baking, it was time for crab!

I few pokes, a brush of butter, & 5 minutes on each side, we had ourselves a summer afternoon feast. Oh, and MOJITOS! After some experimenting, Dre mixed up a perfectly refreshing batch.

Grilled Crab Legs, Spanish Rice, Collard Greens, Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread, & an Apple Mint Mojito

Grilled Crab Legs, Spanish Rice, Collard Greens, Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread, & an Apple Mint Mojito

Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread

Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread - Photo: Dre

Grape Tomatoes

Grape Tomatoes

Fresh Collard Greens from the Italian Market

Fresh Collard Greens from the Italian Market

Summer Grilled Crab Feast:

Grilled Snow Crab Legs – Brushed in butter before grilling, dipped in Butter after

Sauteed Collard Greens - Wilted w/ Shallots, Garlic, & Olive Oil, simmered in Chicken Stock w/ S&P, Worcestershire, Dried Herbs, & Sriracha

Spanish Rice – Sauteed Garlic, Sweet Peppers, & Grape Tomatoes added to Rice-a-Roni Spanish Rice

Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread – Sauteed Sweet Peppers & Jalapeno added to Jiffy mix, topped w/ Shredded Sharp Cheddar

Mojito w/ Apple Mint from my Garden

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Quickie: Lazaro’s Veggie Stromboli

Posted in Quickie with tags , , , , , on September 1, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

Took a quick break from my speed blogging to order some delivery from Lazaro’s Pizza with Lex. We’ve popped in for slices & ordered delivery from the pizza shop on 18th & South since we moved to Grad Hospital/Point Breeze 3 years ago. Their in a close 2nd to my favorite Philly pizza (next to Lorenzo’s) and def my favorite cheesesteak. Tonight, we enjoyed their medium Vegetable Stromboli with a shared dozen of Hot Wings & our usual 2-liter of Sprite.

Lazaros Veggie Stromboli w/ Tomatoes, Spinach, Mushrooms, Peppers, Brocolli, Sauce, & Mozzarella

Lazaro's Veggie Stromboli w/ Tomatoes, Spinach, Mushrooms, Peppers, Brocolli, Sauce, & Mozzarella

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Leftover Lightning! Sweet & Spicy Garlic Shrimp Lettuce Wraps!

Posted in Leftover Lightning!, Recipe - To Taste with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 1, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

Portioning is definitely not my forte when it comes to cooking… but who can deny leftovers! With my Spicy Fish Taco dinner, I went a bit overboard with the Mexi-Risotto! I also had an avocado, grape tomatoes, romaine, & green onion to use at their peak freshness. I defrosted some U-30 shrimp and made the tastiest Sweet & Spicy Garlic Sauce (recipe via Big Oven) to toss them in! I added some extra water in the end as the result was a bit too sticky for me, but I’ll def be keeping this simple recipe in my back pocket & suggest you do too! Next time I may just make the sauce & pour it over rice (or drink it straight)!

I wasn’t sure about the blend of flavors once I combined all of my lettuce wrap ingredients, but they meshed perfectly!

Sweet & Spicy Garlic Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

Sweet & Spicy Garlic Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

Sweet & Spicy Garlic Shrimp Lettuce Wraps:

Sweet & Spicy Garlic Shrimp – U-30 Shrimp tossed in this amazing & easy Big Oven Recipe

Leftover Mexi-Risotto

Tomato-Avocado Salsa – Leftover Avocado, Grape Tomatoes, & Green Onion w/ Lime Juice & S&P – made by Dre

Whole Romaine Leaves

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Weekend Update: Spicy Fish Tacos & Mexi-Risotto

Posted in Recipe - To Taste, Weekend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 1, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

One of my favorite quick & economical meals is Spicy Fish Tacos. Acme offers frozen Tilapia fillets in single portions at $1.00 apiece, so my freezer is always stocked with the easy to defrost packets. Summer hosts the best vegetables so fresh avocado, grape tomatoes, romaine, & green onion were mandatory additions! I had a bit more time on my hands on this quiet Sunday evening, so I had no qualms spending a bit more time in the kitchen pairing it with a Sweet Pepper & Cheddar Risotto. Thank goodness for Dre, my handsome kitchen assistant, as he took on the tiring task of continually stirring the rice.

Spicy Fish Tacos w/ Mexi-Risotto

Spicy Fish Tacos w/ Mexi-Risotto

Spicy Tilapia, Grape Tomatoes, Romaine, Green Onion, & Flour Tortillas

Spicy Tilapia, Grape Tomatoes, Romaine, Green Onion, & Flour Tortillas

Spicy Fish Tacos & Mex-Risotto:

Spicy Tilapia Fillets – Marinated in Sazon, Sriracha, Garlic, Shallots, & Lime Juice, Pan-Fried

Flour Tortillas

Mexi-Risotto – Red, Orange & Yellow Sweet Peppers, Cheddar, Garlic, Shallots, Chicken Stock, & Arborio

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Quickie: Whipped by Potatoes

Posted in Quickie, Recipe - To Taste with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 1, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

I LOVE LOVE LOVE mashed potatoes, but not the starchy process of peeling, chopping, & boiling the tubers. The best parts are using my prized Cuisinart Stand Mixer and, of course, eating them!

Whipped Potatoes w/ Fresh Herbs via my Cuisinart Stand Mixer

Whipped Potatoes w/ Fresh Herbs via my Cuisinart Stand Mixer

I kept the rest of my dinner quick with the entree & side:

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken Breast – Marinated in Italian Salad Dressing & Balsamic Vinegar, Pan-fried

Fresh Snow Peas – Sauteed w/ S&P, Shallots, Garlic, EVOO, & Butter

Whipped Potatoes – White Potatoes, Whipped w/ S&P, Lemon-Thyme, Parsley, Basil, Garlic, Shallots, Milk, & BUTTER! in my Cuininart Stand Mixer

A tall glass of Dr. Dre-2O

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken Breast, Sauteed Snow Peas, & a Mountain of Whipped Potatoes

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken Breast, Sauteed Snow Peas, & Whipped Potatoes

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Quickie: Snacktime w/ Chef Derek II

Posted in Quickie, via Blackberry with tags , , , , , , on August 19, 2009 by nolovemoresincere
Chef Derrick to the rescue, again! Woke up at 4am to get to work at 6am, so needed a midday pick-me-up to regain any chance of productivity.
Today he delivered this delicious Nectarine & Granola Galette to my desk with a bowl of fresh whipped cream. Wish we had snacktime like this every day!

Netarine & Granola Gallete

P.S. I have 4 meals in the queue waiting to be blogged about so you can continue to drool over their deliciousness! Between lots of wedding planning @ work and a visit from Mama, running low on blog time. Promise updates SOON!!

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Quickie: Snacktime w/ Chef Derek I

Posted in Quickie, via Blackberry with tags , , , , , , , , on August 12, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

As many of you know, I not only love cooking, eating, & sharing meals with friends & fam – I work in the food biz, too! This November I’ll celebrate 6 years with Max & Me Catering. I moved up the ranks from the greenest of banquet servers to my current title of Senior Sales Manager. I have the not always glamorous, but very rewarding, job of planning weddings, fundraisers, convention events, & corporate galas from the the menu & timeline to the look & “feel” of the events. But enough of all that… it’s really the food I care about!

Today, Sous Chef Derek made us an awesome summer afternoon snack! Possibly the best “shortcake” I’ve ever had & damn sure the best biscuits! Apparently some sort of process involving freezing & grating butter & sour cream is what makes them so scrumptious! Can’t wait until the next Max & Me snacktime…

Homemade Biscuits a la Derek w/ Strawberries, Peaches, & Fresh Whipped Cream - via Blackberry

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Weekend Update: Mmmm, Bacon Sunday

Posted in Family Dinners, Weekend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 4, 2009 by nolovemoresincere

Sunday morn, the man & I made a quick Italian Market trip for some fresh bacon! We popped into Cappuccio’s Meats  (1019 S. 9th St.) for 2lbs & headed home for a very late day brunch for 4. My awesome mama sent me Kona Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix from Hawaii, the perfect main course. I’m glad I remembered I had a heart-shaped pancake mold in my kitchen gadget stash, as they were adorable & delicious with ripe bananas & strawberries!

Heart-shaped Banana Kona Chocolate Chip Pancakes (breath), Fresh Banana & Strawberries, Bacon, & OJ

Heart-shaped Banana Kona Chocolate Chip Pancakes (breath), Fresh Banana & Strawberries, Bacon, & OJ

Bacon Sunday wasn’t complete without another round of fried piggy greatness! The next best way to serve bacon besides straight-up at breakfast is the trusty BLT. I stuck to a pretty traditional setup of Bacon, Ripe Tomatoes, & Romaine on Country White Bread.

My man requested some Garlic-Herb Mayo to finish it off & I couldn’t let him down! The result was perfection on a new level!

Shallot-Garlic-Herb Mayo – Classic Hellman’s w/ minced Garlic & Shallots, sauteed in bacon fat (of course!), & chopped Parsley, Lemon-Thyme, & Thai Basil

BLT w/ Sauteed Garlic-Shallot & Fresh Herb Mayo on Country White Bread

BLT w/ Sauteed Garlic-Shallot & Fresh Herb Mayo on Country White Bread

Visit my Flickr Photostream for more pics of my Heart-Shaped Brunch & Garlic-Herb BLT!

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