Tag Archives: recipe

Quickie: Southern Catfish Burritos

Posted by Erin L. in Quickie and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

With Dre getting done work at late, I have to think of quick, easy dinners for us. Last week, I whipped up what I call “Southern Burritos.” I seasoned Catfish Fillets with Minced Garlic, Tony Chachere’s seasoning, Sriracha, & Olive Oil and pan-fried them in bacon fat.

Burritos aren’t complete without rice & beans, so Dre made some Rice-a-Roni (read: quick) with sauteed Red Peppers & Onion to jazz it up a bit. Glory Foods Seasoned Blackeyed Peas are a favorite go-to side dish and were a perfect addition. After adding the Catfish, Rice, & Beans to a Whole Wheat Tortilla, we topped them off with Romaine & Sour Cream for delicious Southern Catfish Burritos!

Southern Catfish Burrito

Leftover Lightning! Chinese BBQ Chili Chicken & Lump Snow Crab Egg Rolls!

Posted by Erin L. in Leftover Lightning!, To Taste ~ Recipe and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dre got me an awesome deep fryer for Christmas and it took some debate on what to christen it with. Making Egg Rolls is new to me but seemed easy enough. Dre & I popped over to our local Asian market and picked up some ingredients to make the basic cabbage filler. Thank god for my Frankenberry so I could pull up some pics to discern Chinese Cabbage from the wall of greens in front of me. I love how it looks crimped when you slice it thin.

Chinese Cabbage

I added some shredded Carrot, Bean Sprouts, minced Ginger, Garlic & Shallots, Sesame Oil, Soy Sauce, and S&P. After a quick toss, it was a perfect fresh slaw to begin my egg rolls. I had some leftover Pan-seared Chicken Breast from Thursday’s dinner and leftover Snow Crab from Friday’s dinner. Both seemed like perfect proteins to add to my Egg Rolls. I chopped the Chicken and tossed it with Chili-Garlic Sauce, Chinese BBQ Sauce, & Clementine Zest. Half of the Cabbage mixture was mixed with the Chicken and we piled the fresh lump Crab Meat on top of the rest.

Chinese Chili BBQ Chicken & Cabbage Egg Roll Filler

Chili BBQ Chicken & Cabbage Egg Roll Filler

So far, so good! Rolling was easy enough as Dre took over with the crab and I rolled the chicken mixture.

Soon to be... Chinese Chili BBQ Chicken Egg Rolls

Once we got in a rhythm, we banged out almost two dozen perfect egg rolls sealed with an egg wash and love.

Egg Rolls

I heated some (very expensive!) peanut oil in my Presto Cool Daddy and dropped in batches of 2-3 egg rolls at a time. Dre whipped up a Ginger-Hoisin-Soy Sauce from scratch and poured some Sweet & Sour Chili Sauce for us to dip them in. I’m proud to see him turn into such a great kitchen helper. Once the Egg Rolls crisped, drained, & cooled, we were ready to snack!

Fried Chinese Egg Rolls

Chinese Egg Rolls ~ makes about 18-22 egg rolls

  • Chinese Cabbage – (2) bunches, shredded or sliced thin
  • Fresh Bean Sprouts – (1.5) dry cups
  • Carrot – (2) large, shredded – about 1.5 dry cups
  • Garlic – (2) T, minced – about (3-4) cloves
  • Ginger – (2) tsp, minced
  • Shallots – (1) large, minced
  • Soy Sauce – (2) T, preferably low sodium
  • Toasted Sesame Oil – (1) T
  • S&P
  • Egg – (1) whisked in a dish for an egg wash
  • Egg Roll Wrappers – (18-22) – usually in the frozen section, not be mistaken for spring roll wrappers, lumpia wrappers, etc.
  1. Toss all ingredients (except egg & egg roll wrappers) until mixed thoroughly.
  2. Add chopped protein if desired – semi-cooked shrimp, crab meat, chicken breast
  3. Lay an individual wrapper on a hard surface so it’s shaped like a diamond. Paint the edges with the egg wash using a pastry brush or back of a spoon.
  4. Spoon cabbage mixture towards the bottom point of the wrapper, I’d say what looks like about 2-3 hot dogs put together. Make sure to squeeze any moisture from the mixture before spooning on wrapper to avoid sogginess!
  5. Fold bottom point on top of mixture and roll once, tightly. Fold in each side and continue to roll and seal.
  6. Deep fry 2-3 at a time at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until crispy.
  7. Shake out oil and then drain on paper towels.
  8. Enjoy with Soy Sauce, Sweet Chili Sauce, or the Asian Dipping Sauce below.

Asian Dipping Sauce

From the Best Answer on Yahoo! Answers for an “egg roll” dipping sauce

  • Soy Sauce – (1/4) cup, preferably low sodium
  • Toasted Sesame Oil – (1/2) tsp
  • Garlic – (1) tsp, minced – about (1) clove
  • Green Onion/Scallions – (1) tsp, minced – about (1) stalk
  • Hoisin – (2) T
  • Ginger – (1/4) tsp, minced
  • White Sugar – (1/2) tsp
  1. Combine ingredients in a small bowl, cover, & chill for 1-2 hours so flavors can marinate.
  2. Serve warmed or at room temperature with egg rolls, spring rolls, wontons, dumplings, potstickers…

To Taste: Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Posted by Erin L. in To Taste ~ Recipe and tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

A tiny cabbage bloom on top of my Brussels sprout stalk.

I was pretty stoked when I came across full stalks of Brussels Sprouts! They were about 2.5 feet long with about 40 fresh tiny little cabbage heads. I appreciated their natural state and minimal packaging, plus, they’re in season! I think Brussels Sprouts  are delicious and am on a quest to erase the stigma they have.  If you’ve had them (or haven’t) and claim you don’t like them, it’s probably because they weren’t made with enough love. Many a friend can attest to me forcing my yummy Brussels Sprouts on them, and just as many will admit that they enjoyed them. I make sure to enhance my Brussels Sprouts with Worcestershire, Sauce Garlic, Shallots, Bacon, Sriracha, Fresh Ground Pepper, Chicken Stock & Love and sauté them to a tender caramelized finish.

Brussels Sprouts, sautéed & simmered

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

  • Fresh Brussels Sprouts – about 20 or so
  • Minced Garlic – (2) T
  • Shallot – (1) bulb – peeled & minced
  • Bacon – (2-3) pieces, cooked & crumbled
  • Worcestershire Sauce – (1) tsp
  • Sriracha – (1) tsp or a quick swirl
  • Chicken Stock – (1) cup
  • Olive Oil
  • Fresh Ground Pepper – to taste
  1. Rinse Brussels Sprouts, remove any browned out leaves, & cut in half lengthwise.
  2. Heat pan on Med-Hi and coat with Olive Oil.
  3. Add Garlic & Onion and cook about 4-5 min, until tender & aromatic
  4. Add Brussels Sprouts to pan and sauté 10-15min, tossing regularly until caramelized
  5. Add Bacon, Worcestershire, Sriracha, Pepper, & Chicken Stock. Sitr & bring to a boil.
  6. Reduce to Med-Low. Simmer until liquid reduces to a minimal amount and sprouts are tender.
  7. Tell me you don’t think they’re delicious!

To Taste: Smokey Bacon Mac & Cheese

Posted by Erin L. in To Taste ~ Recipe and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dre’s main request for Friday’s dinner was Mac & Cheese WITH BACON to accompany my Roasted Tomato, Mushroom, & Smoked Mozz Stuffed Chicken Breasts. On a shopping trip last week, I picked up the most adorable red casserole dish and this was the perfect opportunity to christen it. I needed to refresh myself on Mac & Cheese basics and Alton Brown seemed like my go-to man. I forgot how easily you can turn a basic rue, some milk, onion, & cheese (and bacon, of course) into the most comforting of foods. Mmmm, Mac & Cheese!

Shredded Mozz, Cheddar, Smoked Gouda, & Velveeta

I put Dre in charge of finishing up the Mac & Cheese. He crumbled bacon and tossed it into the macaroni & melty cheese mixture. The jumbo macaroni were perfectly filled up with the bacon & gooey cheesiness. He gets half the credit on this cooking venture for that move!

Smokey Bacon Mac & Cheese

No Baked Mac & Cheese is complete without a crunchy crust and why not have it add to the cheesiness! Dre crushed up some Cheez-Its, tossed with melted butter, and sprinkled on top. It added a crunchy texture to the creamiest, yummiest Mac & Cheese I’ve ever tasted, if I do say so myself! And how cute is that casserole dish?!

Smokey Bacon Mac & Cheese w/ a Cheez-It crust

Smokey Bacon Mac & Cheese

adapted from Alton Brown’s Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

  • Macaroni – (1) lb, cooked al dente
    • Farfalle, Orchiette, Spirals & Shells all work well, too
  • Butter – (3) T + (2) T
  • Flour – (3) T
  • Milk – (3) cups
  • Whole Grain Mustard – (1) T
  • Paprika – (2) tsp
  • Bay Leaf – (1)
  • White Onion – (1/2) med onion, chopped
  • Shredded Cheeses – (4) cups or more
    • I used (2) cups Mild Cheddar, (2) cups Mozzarella, & (1) cup of Smoked Gouda
  • Velveeta – (8) oz, cubed
  • Smoked Bacon – (4-5) slices, cooked & chopped (optional, I guess…)
  • Cheez-Its – (1.5) cups, crushed
    • Next time, Goldfish!
  1. Cook macaroni until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  2. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
  3. Melt (3) T of butter in a heavy pot on Med and add flour. Stir for about 5 min until it turns a light caramel brown, watching closely.
  4. Add Milk, Mustard, Paprika, Bay Leaf, Onion, & S&P and stir. Bring to a simmer on Med for about 5 min. Remove Bay Leaf.
  5. Immediately add the cheese mixture to the pasta in a large bowl or your stock pot and coat. The bacon crumbles can go in now, too.
  6. Pour mixture into a large, greased baking dish or casserole.
  7. Crush (1.5) cups of Cheez-Its in a sealed plastic baggie and then toss with (2) T melted Butter in a bowl. Sprinkle over Mac & Cheese.
  8. Bake for about 30-40 min until bubbling. Remove and let it sit for (5) min before eating.

To Taste: Roasted Tomato, Mushroom, & Smoked Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breast

Posted by Erin L. in To Taste ~ Recipe and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I love Thanksgiving! Family, friends, turkey/stuffing/gravy-filled meals, and four days to fill with whatever I felt like doing. I went Black Friday shopping, but dodging salespeople & shopping bags got old pretty quick. I just wanted to be in my warm kitchen cooking yummy food!

The grocery store was pretty empty (whew!), so I quickly grabbed my ingredients… and some Stoli to get me thru a long evening in the kitchen. I’ve got nothing to do tomorrow! I kicked off my prep work at 4pm-ish to have the meal almost complete when Dre got done work. The components of the main dish took up most of my time: roasting grape tomatoes with garlic & fresh basil; sautéing mushrooms with minced onions & butter; and, gleefully pounding chicken breasts to a 1/4 inch thick. Every smokey, juicy morsel of the resulting Roasted Tomato, Mushroom, & Smoked Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts reminded me that  it’s always worthwhile.

Tomatoes with Garlic, Basil, & Olive Oil to be Roasted

Just Stuffed

Roasted Tomato, Mushroom & Smoked Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Roasted Tomato, Mushroom & Smoked Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Roasted Tomatoes

  • Grape Tomatoes – (1-2) pints, halved
  • Minced Garlic – (2) T or more
  • Fresh Basil – a few chopped leaves
  • Olive Oil – (3-4) T, to grease dish & coat tomatoes
  • S&P
  1. Coat baking dish with olive oil or line with non-stick sprayed foil.
  2. Add all ingredients and toss with olive oil.
  3. Cook 30-40 min in a 400 degree oven. Stir a few times until tomatoes are bubbling, but not burnt.
  4. Make a big batch, leftovers are great on French bread and added to pasta sauce

Sautéed Mushrooms

  • White Mushrooms or Creminis or Baby Bellas -(2-3) cups, cored and sliced
  • White Onion – 1/2 med onion, chopped
  • Butter – (2) T
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan on Med. Add onion & cook about 2 min.
  2. Add mushrooms and give them room to breath. Julia says so.
  3. Stir and cook until tender.
  4. Use leftovers on a quick pizza or in pasta sauce, red or alfredo.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

  • Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast – (3-4) breasts – trimmed, sliced lengthwise, & pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
  • Smoked Mozzarella or Gouda – 1 oz per breast
  • Roasted Tomatoes
  • Sautéed Mushrooms
  • Chicken Stock – (1) cup or so
  • S&P
  • Stovetop to Oven Sauté Pan
  • Long toothpicks or Bamboo picks
  1. Pound filleted chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness between sheets of plastic wrap.
  2. Add a few spoonsful of tomatoes & mushrooms onto half of each chicken breast.
  3. Layer slices of smoked cheese.
  4. Fold chicken breast in half and secure by sewing a toothpick or bamboo pic to secure. S&P each side of the breast.
  5. Pan sear breast in olive oil on Med-High until golden brown, about 5 min on each side.
  6. Add chicken stock to pan and bring to a boil.
  7. Cover pan with lid or foil and tranfer to 375 degree oven.
  8. Bake for 20 min, let cool for 5 min, and serve with pan jus.
  9. Leftovers make one KILLER sandwich!

To Taste: Chipotle Turkey Chili

Posted by Erin L. in To Taste ~ Recipe and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The weather is getting cold and it couldn’t be a better time for my bi-annual batch of Turkey Chili. Each time, it’s delicious in its own way, but this round may be my best to date! It was smoky & spicy with a hearty texture from the mix of Ground Turkey & Turkey Kielbasa. I topped it with shredded Cheddar and Sour Cream and paired it with Egg Noodles for leftovers.

Chipotle Turkey Chili w/ Cheddar & Sour Cream

Chipotle Turkey Chili

  • Turkey Kielbasa – (1) package cut into half moons
  • 85/15 Ground Turkey – (2)lbs, browned & drained
  • Chili Mix – 1/2 packet of Hot, Medium, 0r Mild
  • Sriracha – a few squirts
  • White Onion – (2) medium, chopped
  • Garlic – (2) T, minced
  • Crushed Tomatoes – (1) large can
  • Chicken Stock – (1) can, low-sodium
  • Black Beans – (1) small can
  • Chipotles in Adobo Sauce – (2) peppers from can, chopped
  • Worcestershire Sauce – (4) heavy dashes
  • Dried Parsley – (1) T
  1. Brown the Ground Turkey in an oiled pan and transfer to Crock-Pot or Dutch Oven.
  2. Saute Onion & Garlic in same pan with a tablespoon of butter until aromatic & translucent.
  3. Combine Onions, Garlic, & remaining ingredients in Crock-Pot or Dutch Oven.
  4. Cook on HIGH 3-5hours or LOW 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally until you can’t resist a bowl!

To Taste: Homemade Apple Butter

Posted by Erin L. in To Taste ~ Recipe and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

In a gluttonous haze, we forgot to buy a jar of Apple Butter on our trip to the Amish Country. It’s apple season, so it seemed reasonable enough to channel my PA Dutch roots and make a batch of my own. I bought a variety of apples and was amazed by my fully intact thumbs after peeling them with a paring knife. Quite proud of myself, actually!

Golden Delicious

I referenced one of my favorite recipe sites, 101cookbooks, as I appreciate their dedication to an honest approach to cooking. After boiling the apple down in apple cider and a whirl in my Grandma’s 1970s era Cuisinart, I had fresh applesauce. Once chilled, each bite tasted as crisp as all the apple pieces I sampled along the way! I returned the majority of the applesauce to the pan with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, & the remaining liquid. After 2.5 hours of reducing, stirring, & a delicious scent, I had a worthy batch of Apple Butter for Dre & Lexi to enjoy! I’m actually not a fan, but sharing such a warm, delicious treat with the people I love makes it all worth it.

PA Dutch Apple Butter on an Eggo

PA Dutch Apple Butter
adapted from 101cookbooks – Apple Butter with Carolina B.

  • Apples – cored, peeled, & cubed – I used (1) lg Empire, (3) med Macintosh, & (3) med Golden Delicious
  • Apple Cider – about (2-3) quarts – enough to cover the apples in a large saucepan
  • Sugar – roughly (1) cup – probably good with brown sugar, too
  • Lemon Juice – from a 1/2 lemon
  • Cinnamon – a few dashes to taste
  • Nutmeg – a few dashes to taste, though I hate to admit I didn’t use fresh ground
  1. Simmer apple cubes with enough cider to cover in a large saucepan. Skim layer of foam as cider reduces.
  2. Once tender, transfer apple to blender or Cuisinart with a slotted spoon and puree to desired texture. Spice now or leave plain for applesauce.
  3. Return applesauce to saucepan and simmer on med-low for say… 1.5-2.5 hours, stirring regularly.
  4. Once thickened to a rich brown color, spread on an English Muffin and enjoy!