Yearly Archives: 2013
Cauliflower, Potato & Cheddar Pierogi for #SundaySupper
| June 16, 2013 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Pasta and Noodles, Sides, Weekend Meals |
For Sunday Supper this week, we’re celebrating Father’s Day! When most people think of Father’s Day, they probably think of backyard barbecues, bacon, or beer. My Dad can cook a pretty mean ribeye, but grilling just isn’t what I think of when I think of him and food. What do I think of? Split pea soup. Kale and pig knuckle soup (way before kale was trendy). Bratwurst boiled in beer. Pinklewurst, bloodwurst, head cheese and other icky meats. Liver and onions. Peanut butter and pickles. Cream cheese and jelly.
Basically, a lot of stuff that I had no interest in making (except for the kale soup, which is awesome but not exactly seasonal.) He’s Polish and we ate Mrs. Ts all the time when I was a kid, so I made pierogi. And I went ahead and made ‘em healthy by using whole wheat flour and swapping out some of the potato in the filling for cauliflower.
These pierogi are a little labor intensive but, once you get the hang of it, they’re pretty easy. They also freeze really well, so you might as well go ahead and make extra.
As for the age-old question of what to serve with pierogi besides sausage? I served them with a salad that I’ve been loving lately: spinach, strawberries, toasted almonds, and blue cheese with balsamic vinaigrette.
Happy Father’s Day!
Yields about 20 pierogi.
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons fat free Greek yogurt
- ½ cup skim milk
- 1 medium starchy potato, peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup frozen cauliflower florets
- 2 ounces Cabot sharp light cheddar, shredded
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Mix together the flour, salt, yogurt, and milk to form a thick dough. Knead until smooth, 10-15 minutes. (If you have a Kitchen Aid mixer, now’s the time to break out your dough hook, otherwise you’ll get a nice arm workout.) Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, fill a large stockpot with water. Add the potato and cauliflower and bring to a boil. Cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool. Mash, then stir in the cheese (for a creamier filling, you can also stir in a tablespoon or two of sour cream).
- Divide dough into quarters. Working with one quarter at a time, use a pasta roller or heavy rolling pin to roll to ⅛″. Cut out circles with a 3″ round cookie cutter. Spoon a scant teaspoon of filling onto half the dough rounds; top with a second round and pinch to seal the edges. Repeat with remaining dough. Refrigerate the scraps and re-roll once chilled.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Gently transfer the pierogi to the pot; cook until they float, about 5 minutes. Melt butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the boiled pierogi and cook 1 minute on each side.
Be sure to check out what everyone else brought to this week’s Sunday Supper and join us in our weekly Twitter chat tonight from 7-8pm EST.
Dad’s Favorite Main Dishes:
- Father’s Day Ribs by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Chorizo Burgers by La Cocina de Leslie
- Whiskey Sliders by Cravings of a Lunatic
- Beer Can Chicken by Crazy Foodie Stunts
- Pesto Shrimp Roll Sandwich by Growing Up Gabel
- Cast Iron Filet Mignon with Wine Sauce by I Run For Wine
- Grilled Tilapia with Blueberry Mango Salsa by Runner’s Tales
- Chicken Wings for Dad by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
- Fish with Black Bean Sauce by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Spaghetti with Homemade Meatballs by Curious Cuisiniere
- Tamale Pie Ring by Treats & Trinkets
- Grill-Roasted Chicken & Vegetables by Foxes Loves Lemons
- Grandma Papina’s Lamb Stew by Webicurean
- Barbecue Beans and Ribs by Food Lust People Love
- Skillet Meat Lasagna by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Panko Crusted Snapper by Supper for a Steal
- Gluten Free Bourbon Honey Grilled Pork Chops by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
- Boiled Shrimp for Father’s Day by The Catholic Foodie
- Dad’s Famous Baby Back Ribs by Family Foodie
- Turkey Stuffed Peppers by Ruffles & Truffles
- Lightened Up Fish Biriyani With Fresh Dill by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Cauliflower, Potato, and Cheddar Pierogi by Healthy.Delicious
Dad’s Favorite Appetizers and Sides:
- Spicy Caramelized Bacon Wrapped Smoked Oysters by Noshing with the Nolands
- Tuna Pasta Salad – Dad’s Recipe by Juanita’s Cocina
- Grilled Bok Choy by Shockingly Delicious
- Bacon-Cheddar Potato Salad by Home Cooking Memories
- Couscous Tabbouleh by Soni’s Food
Dad’s Favorite Desserts
- Dad’s Cheesecake by Table for 7
- Cheese Crackers by The Urban Mrs
- Coconut Cream Pie by Cookin’ Mimi
- Chewy Oat Cookies with a Banana Bread Influence by What Smells So Good?
- Homemade Nutter Butters by Pies and Plots
- Shoot for the Stars Chocolate Cupcakes by Ninja Baking
- Golden Coconut Bars by Magnolia Days
- Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies by NeighborFood
- Velvet Cookies by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Pecan Pie by Small Wallet Big Appetite
Bumble Bee SuperFresh™: Spicy Shrimp Romesco
| June 14, 2013 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Reviews, special projects |
The following is a sponsored review BumbleBee SuperFresh™ I was provided with samples of the product to try at home and was paid to blog about my experience.
As much as I’d like to cook a delicious dinner every night, it just doesn’t always happen. Weeknights are rough – especially Mondays. It takes me a while to get into the swing of things each week. By the time I get home from work on Monday night, I’m usually ready to collapse on the couch. Yup, around here Mondays are take-out night. Or at least, they were.
Thanks to Bumble Bee SuperFresh™, I can prepare a delicious meal in minutes without even having to think about it. Can you believe that whole plate of food up there took less than 10 minutes to prepare? The most difficult part was slicing the zucchini.
Chicken Bacon Scallion Potstickers
| June 9, 2013 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Asian, Chicken and Poultry, Light |
These chicken, bacon, and scallion dumplings with spicy garlic dipping sauce are my entry into round one of the Saucy Mama “Sliced” recipe contest. For this contest, participants are tasked with creating unique recipes using Saucy Mama mustard and a secret ingredient that changes from round to round. I really hope that I make it to the dessert round, because I already have some fun ideas, but I need to make it though the appetizer and entree rounds first. For this round, we were asked to make an appetizer that uses bacon and if I didn’t know better, I’d think that I really outdid myself with these chicken potstickers. The flavor is bold with big flavor from the bacon, mustard, and lots of garlic, yet they’re still light and fresh. The filling has a fine texture that reminds me of a meatball and the wrapper is the perfect combination on chewy and crisp.
These potstickers may look (and taste!) fancy, but they’re incredibly easy to make. With the exception of the dumpling wrappers and sauce, all you need to make these are common panty staples and a half hour. They’re perfect as an appetizer or even as a light meal. If only I had known that making potstickers were so easy, I would make them all them time!
The technique for these is really easy once you get the hang of it: Cook the potstickers for a minute in a little oil – just long enough to crisp up the bottom. Then, pour in some water and cover them to allow them to steam and let the filling cook. At this point, they’ll be pretty stuck to the pan, but once you uncover them and let the water evaporate off, they’ll unstick and pop right off. It’s like magic! It does take a few tried to get the hang of it. Since they cook so quickly anyway, I recommend cooking one at a time the first try or two until you have the technique down. Of course, they’ll still taste delicious even if the wrapper tears!
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 ounces bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- 4 scallions, whites and greens chopped
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon Saucy Mama creamy garlic mustard
- 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
- 24 dumpling wrappers
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons dumpling sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon Saucy Mama creamy garlic mustard
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Cut the chicken breast into small pieces, approximately 2 inches long. Add to a food processor and process until finely ground, about 20 seconds. Stir in bacon, scallions, ginger, mustard, and soy sauce.
- Place one dumpling wrapper in the palm of your hand. Scoop a teaspoon of chicken onto the center of the wrapper. Using you other hand, dampen the outer edge of half the wrapper with a little water. Fold the wrapper over the filling and press to seal. (If you want, you can fold little pleats into the seam.) Repeat with remaining wrappers.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the potstickers, seam-side up. Cook 1 minute, or until the bottom is golden brown. Pour in the water. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Remove cover and cook until water evaporates, about 2 minutes. Gently remove from pan.
- Prepare the dipping sauce by whisking together dumpling sauce, chili garlic sauce, mustard, and sesame oil.
Disclosure: I was provided with samples of mustard to use in the recipes that I develop for the “Sliced” contest but was not compensated in any other way.
Brown Butter Banana Blondies
| June 6, 2013 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Desserts, Indulge |
I have a love-hate relationship with blondies. I want to love them, but they never seem to hold up to their promise of being a butterscotch version of a brownie. The best brownies are soft and chewy; blondies, not matter how delicious they might look, always seem to be disappointingly dry and cookie-like. This week I decided I’ve had enough and set out to create a blondie recipe that actually has the texture of a chocolate brownie. And to make thing more difficult, I wanted to make them with whole wheat flour.
You guys, I did it! These brown butter banana blondies full of rich, butterscotch-y flavor, with toasted notes from browned butter and just a hint of banana and they’re every bit as fudgey and chewy as the best box-mix brownies. They even have that thin, crackly top layer that the best brownies have! Total success.
Your kitchen will smell a-mazing while these bake. The timer will go off just when the scent is almost unbearable… then you’ll have to wait for them to cool. It’s kind of a huge tease, but it’s well worth it.
I can’t keep my hands off of these, so it’s a good thing that half the batch is headed off to Roxana from Roxana’s Home Baking as part of this month’s Leftovers Club exchange. I met Roxana earlier this month and she’s super nice. She’s also an expert baker and took home first prize in the Amazing Apps recipe contest at Eat, Write, Retreat! I hope she likes these blondies as much as I do!
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1-1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup pus 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
- ½ cup bread flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 banana, mashed
- ¼ cup toffee baking chips (optional)
- Heat oven to 350*F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch square pan with buttered parchment.
- Add the butter to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Melt the butter, then cook an additional minute or two, stirring constantly, until it becomes golden brown and smells caramely and slightly nutty. Remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar. The sugar will melt and combine with the butter to form a thick, soft mass that feels a little like a tootsie roll. Let cool.
- Stir the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla into the cooled sugar. At the point, the batter will be thin and smooth. Add the flours, stirring until just blended. Fold in the mashed banana and toffee chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 25-35 minutes, or until the center is slightly springy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let blondies cool completely before slicing and removing from the pan.
Be sure to check out all of the other Leftovers Club recipes!
Blackberry Ketchup for #SundaySupper
| June 2, 2013 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Fruit, Light, Summer |
I’ve been feeling kind of blah about cooking for the past few weeks. I just finished up a massive project that involved developing a bunch of new recipes in a very compressed tim period and all of my creativity has been sucked up. Plus, after what felt like the longest most miserable winter ever, summer is finally here in full-force. It kind of just makes me want to grill hot dogs and call it a night.
I’ve had homemade condiments on my mind ever since my trip to Toronto earlier this year, and when I saw that the theme for this week’s Sunday Supper was summer berries I knew that it was time to take the plunge. As tempting as it was to just throw some berries on a salad (like this herb salad with lemon-poppy vinaigrette and fried goat cheese, which is always a favorite) I wanted to make something a little more creative.
This blackberry ketchup was surprisingly simple to make – it only takes a few minutes to throw together – and it’s absolutely delicious. It’s a great way to perk up a grilled bratwurst and is a nice change from tomato ketchup on your fries. The sweetness of the fresh berries is balanced out by tart apple cider vinegar and warm spices. It’s sweet and slightly jammy, but it definitely has a vinegary punch to it… you won’t want to put this on toast!
(I haven’t tried it yet, but I also think this blackberry ketchup would be great as a base for barbecue sauce!)
Yields about 1 cup.
- ½ pint blackberries
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- dash cayenne pepper
- Add berries, vinegar, and water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat and let simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The berries will soften and pop.
- Set a mesh sieve or fine colander over a bowl. Pour the liquid through, pressing on the berries with the back of a spoon to force as much as the pulp though as you can (leaving the seeds behind). Discard the seeds and return the remaining liquid to the pan.
- Add the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and seasoning. Simmer 10 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and cool completely.
I’ve been participating in Sunday Supper for about a month now, and it’s very quickly become the highlight of my week. I love the camaraderie – it’s a great group – but I also love being “forced” to make something new at least once a week. As always, be sure to check out what everyone else made and join us for our weekly Twitter chat tonight (Sunday) from 7-8 EST!
Breakfast & Brunch
- Angel Food French Toast with Blueberry Lemon Sauce by Neighborfood
- Blueberry Lemon Baked Doughnuts by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
- Blueberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal by Pies and Plots
- Overnight Strawberry Stuffed French Toast by In The Kitchen With KP
- The Best Blueberry Muffin by Supper For a Steal
Sweet & Savory Berry Recipes
- Herbed Pork Tenderloin with Wild Blueberry Sauce by Noshing With The Nolands
- Red, White, and Blue Chicken Salad by MarocMama
- BBQ Strawberry Pizza by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
Jams, Jelly, Sauces & More
- Blackberry Ketchup by Healthy. Delicious.
- Four-Berry Jelly by Blueberries and Blessings
- Mixberry Jam with Merlot by The Urban Mrs
- Roasted Strawberry Tarragon Butter by Gourmet Drizzles
- Strawberry Freezer Jam by Growing Up Gabel
Desserts
- Strawberry Crumb Bars by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- No-Bake Frozen Berrylicious Cracker Cake by Shockingly Delicious
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Dessert by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Chips by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Lattice-Top Blueberry Pie by Hip Foodie Mom
- Caramelized White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake by Vintage Kitchen
- Strawberry Shortcakes by Juanita’s Cocina
- Berrylicious Ice Cream by NinjaBaking.com
- Stove Top Berry Crumble by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Strawberry Yogurt Popsicle by Mama’s Blissful Bites
- Peggy’s Cove Blueberry Grunt by Kudos Kitchen By Renee
- Chocolate-Raspberry Yoghurt Cookies by What Smells So Good?
- Strawberry Ice Cream by Basic N Delicious
- Financiers with a Summer Berry Salad by The Lovely Pantry
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad by Curious Cuisiniere
- Strawberry-Chocolate Frozen Yogurt Parfaits by The Weekend Gourmet
- Summer Berry Salad with a Honey Citrus Dressing by Runner’s Tales
- Strawberry Pop-Tart Ice Cream by Foxes Love Lemons
- Strawberries with Cannoli Cream by Comfy Cuisine
- Strawberry Quesadillas by La Cocina de Leslie
- Almond Cake with Blackberry Mascarpone Filling by Ruffles & Truffles
- Oregon Strawberry Sundae {Dairyfree} by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
- Blackberry Pie w/Brandied Whipped Cream by Webicurean
- Vo-Vo’s Famous Strawberry Cheesecake by Family Foodie
- Raspberry Mousse by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Mini Strawberry Cheesecake with Walnut Crust by Soni’s Food
- Salted Caramel Strawberries With a Crunchy Nut Coating by Sue”s Nutrition Buzz
- Strawberry Blueberry Stuffed Monkey Bread by Daily Dish Recipes
Cocktails, Drinks & Smoothies
- Berry Berry Smoothie by Momma’s Meals
- Blueberry Infused Vodka by Big Bear’s Wife
- Blueberry Moscow Mule with Homemade Ginger Beer by I Run For Wine
- Goji Berry Martini by Magnolia Days
- Irish Cobbler by girlichef
Party Planning
- Recipes + Tips to Create A Summer Berry Cocktail Bar by An Appealing Plan
Cucumber-Basil Spritzers
| May 30, 2013 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Beverages, Light, Summer |
This post was originally written in June 2011, after I got back from the first ever Eat, Write, Retreat Conference. I’m headed off to the conference again this weekend and with any luck I’ll come back with even just a fraction of the inspiration and energy that I did last time. The Cucumber-Basil Spritzers are one of my favorite summertime drinks – I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
_________
When I was in DC for Eat, Write, Retreat last month, one of my first stops was happy hour at Cuba Libre to catch up with some of my old friends. As instructed by the placard on the bar in front of us, Mary asked the bartender about their “new seasonal drinks.” We were rewarded with a cucumber-basil mojito, which was one of the most deliciously refreshing drinks that I’ve ever had. It didn’t take me long to order another.
I knew I wanted to recreate this drink at home, and thought that it would be perfect for our Memorial Day cookout. However, when Memorial Day rolled around it was so swelteringly hot that the mere thought of alcohol made me nauseous. I didn’t want to abandon the idea of a cucumber-basil drink though, so I reinvented the mojitos as a nonalcoholic spritzer. Despite the lack of rum, these spritzers taste surprisingly close to the drink that they were inspired by. The combination of cucumber, basil, lime, and bubbles instantly relaxes you, and is the perfect way to cool down on a hot day. I guarantee that we’ll be enjoying this drink all summer long.
I didn’t want to post a real “recap” post , but Eat, Write, Retreat was so amazing that I can’t help but sharing a little. If you heard about any of the drama that happened at the other “conference that shall not be named” that was held the same weekend, there was none of that at EWR. At all. It was a great group of about 60 attendees, who were all there to learn, grow, and share. The conference had such a community atmosphere to it, and I came home with new friends, new skills, and tons of inspiration. I’ve been to a few other food blogging conferences (Foodbuzz and BlogHer) and, in my opinion, EWR was hands-down the best one. I can’t wait for next year!
Here are a few of the many lessons/inspirational tidbits that I took home with me. Many of which apply not only to blogging, but to life in general:
- Don’t take shortcuts. Always try to make everything better.
- Communicate. Share. Give.
- When traveling, get off the beaten path and explore.
- Don’t strive to be “the next so-and-so.” That’s already been done. Be original.
- Do what you love, do what you love, do what you love. And always be authentic.
- And perhaps most importantly: if your suitcase contains a 3-gallon ziplock bag of dry thyme, you WILL get a note from the TSA informing you that your bag was searched. Even if said bag also contains a griddle pan, a mandolin, and a ridiculous amount of other fantastic swag. (I’m also pretty sure they helped themselves to a few Goo Goo Clusters while they were searching. I can’t say that I blame them.)
- 1 Cucumber
- 2 Limes
- ½ cup Water
- ⅓ cup Sugar
- 8 Basil Leaves
- 1 liter (32 ounces) Club Soda
- Peel and seed the cucumber. Add the cucumber and ¼ cup water to the bowl of a food processor. Process until the cucumber is liquefied.
- Make lime simple syrup by combining sugar, lime zest, and remaining water in a small saucepan. Heat until sugar has melted. Chill until ready to serve. (The cucumber puree and simple syrup will keep for several days in the refrigerator)
- To make the drink: place 2 basil leaves, juice from ½ a lime, and 1 Tbs of your simple syrup in the bottom of a glass. Use the back of a spoon to muddle the basil. Add 2 Tbs cucumber puree and top with 8 oz club soda. Stir gently to mix.
- Sit back, Relax, and Enjoy!
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