Month: July 2020

Saffron Arancini with Saffron Sauce

Saffron Arancini with Saffron Sauce

Saffron Arancini with Saffron Sauce are on the regular rotation on our dinner menus. While arancini are usually served as an appetizer, I like to serve them as a main course accompanied by a salad. And, while I’ve always thought of saffron as an exotic 

Chicken and Waffles with Sriracha Honey Sauce

Chicken and Waffles with Sriracha Honey Sauce

I was inspired to make Chicken and Waffles with Sriracha Honey Sauce, after a visit to the Grand Floridian Hotel, the flagship resort at World Disney World in Orlando, Florida. While there we dined a couple of times at their Grand Floridian Cafe, and saw 

Spicy Chicken Topped Corncakes

Spicy Chicken Topped Corncakes

Spicy Chicken Topped Corncakes are the perfect dish for families that love Tex-Mex flavors. Fresh corn is blended with masa harina to form small cakes, that are topped with spicy chipotle chicken, salsa verde, guacamole, and sour cream. We’ve been on a real Mexican food kick over here, and even my pickiest eater gobbled this up.

The Equipment You’ll Need

  • A Food Processor- You will need this to grind up the corn, make the chicken’s chipotle sauce, and make the salsa verde. If you don’t have a food processor, I think you could get away with just chopping everything up finely.
  • A Cast Iron Skillet- This is the best pan for frying the corncakes. If you don’t have one, any large skillet can be used.
  • A Dutch Oven- This is to braise your chicken. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, use a heavy 4 or 5 quart pot instead.

The Ingredients for Spicy Chicken Topped Corncakes

  • The Corn- I used fresh corn, because it is the height of corn season here. You could easily substitute frozen corn.
  • The Masa Harina- I like the Bob’s Red Mill brand.
  • The Chipotles- These come in cans and can be found in the Hispanic food section of the supermarket.
  • The Tomatillos- These look like small green tomatoes, in husks, which you need to peel off.

How I Made Them

  • First, I made the chicken.
  • Next, I made the corncakes, and then reheated them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, right before I served them.
  • Then, I made the salsa verde, and guacamole, and chopped the onions to garnish the dish.
  • I served this dish with roasted cauliflower.

I was inspired to make this dish after my daughter ordered a similar dish at a restaurant in Lambertville, NJ. Those corncakes came topped with corn, black beans, and avocado. We decided to make our corncakes with spicy shredded chicken, and really loved them. If your family loves Mexican food, this would be a great recipe to add to your repertoire.

Spicy Chicken Topped Corn Cakes
Spicy Chicken Topped Corn Cakes
spicy Chicken Topped Corncakes
Spicy Chicken Topped Corncakes
spicy Chicken Topped Corncakes

Spicy Chicken Topped Corncakes

Corncakes topped with spicy chicken, salsa verde, sour cream, and guacamole.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Tex-Mex
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Food processor
  • cast iron skillet or other large skillet

Ingredients
  

For the Spicy Chicken:

  • cups cilantro
  • 4 chopped plum tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp. chipotles in adobo sauce
  • 3 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 cup chicken broth

For the Corncakes:

  • 3 ears corn
  • 3 eggs
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup masa harina
  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 3 tbsp. vegetable oil

For the Salsa Verde:

  • 4 chopped tomatillos
  • 1 chopped jalapeno
  • 2 tbsp. chopped red onion
  • ¼ cup cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • juice of 1 lime

For the Guacamole:

  • 1 avocado
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp. lime juice
  • 2 tbsp. minced cilantro
  • 2 tbsp. minced red onion

Additional Toppings:

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ½ cup minced red onion

Instructions
 

For the Spicy Chicken:

  • In a food processor, pulse the cilantro, tomatoes, chipotles, and tomato paste, until the tomatoes are chopped well.
  • Season the chicken thighs with the spices, and lightly brown them in a Dutch oven in the olive oil. Brown three chicken thighs at a time. When the chicken is all browned, add the chopped vegetables and the chicken broth. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken to a plate, shred it , and add it back to the sauce.

For the Corncakes:

  • In the microwave, steam the corn for 5 minutes. Take off the kernels and put 2 cups of them in a food processor and process until they're finely chopped.
  • Put the corn in a large bowl, and add eggs, sugar, salt, masa harina, and flour.
  • Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, and melt the butter and oil. When the oil is hot, scoop the batter up in quarter cups, and fry until golden brown on both sides.
  • These can be served right away or reheated at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, in the oven.

For the Salsa Verde:

  • Process all the ingredients in the food processor.

For the Guacamole:

  • Mash the avocado and stir in the rest of the ingredients.

To Serve:

  • Top the corncakes with the spicy chicken, salsa verde, guacamole, sour cream, and chopped onions.
Keyword Chicken, corn, corncakes, salsa verde
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Blueberry Swirled Dutch Baby with Raspberry Cream

Blueberry Swirled Dutch Baby with Raspberry Cream

This Blueberry Swirled Dutch Baby with Raspberry Cream is a fantastic breakfast to serve both to family and guests. It is easy enough to make this for an everyday breakfast, but special enough to serve for holiday breakfasts. I actually made this today, as a 

Lobster Salad with Tarragon and Chives

Lobster Salad with Tarragon and Chives

Lobster Salad with Tarragon and Chives is the quintessential summer dish for many New Englanders. To me, nothing is more evocative of a day spent by the sea, than this sumptuous mixture of lobster, mayonnaise, and herbs. Once this salad is made it can be 

Ricotta Zeppole with Peach Sauce

Ricotta Zeppole with Peach Sauce

Ricotta Zeppole with Peach Sauce are little Italian deep-fried doughnuts, that are quick and simple to make, and delicious to eat. They are popping up on restaurant menus all over the country, and for good reason – everyone loves them! Although they are very easy to make, there are some special tools that you will need to make them.

The Equipment You’ll Need

  • A sieve- You’ll need this to sift together your dry ingredients, otherwise someone may get a bite of baking powder, which is not pleasant. My kids can detect a minuscule speck of baking powder with barely a nibble of their baked goods, so good sifting is essential to me. If you don’t have a sieve, you could use a sifter, or a whisk. But, the sieve will also come in handy when it’s time to sprinkle the zeppole with powdered sugar.
  • A deep fry thermometer- This is essential to making this recipe. If the zeppole are cooked at the wrong temperature they will be either raw inside, or just greasy.
  • A Dutch oven- I prefer this kind of heavy pot for deep frying. It really does the best job of maintaining the perfect temperature.
  • A Food Scale- I always weigh my flour when I’m baking. It gives me much more consistent results. I also weighed my ricotta cheese, because too much or too little could really throw off the recipe.

The Ingredients Needed for Ricotta Zeppole with Peach Sauce

  • Fresh Ricotta Cheese- Fresh ricotta cheese has a much purer and better taste than supermarket ricotta. It’s also much thicker, so I highly recommend it for this recipe. You can find it at Italian grocery stores.
  • Vegetable Oil- I like to deep fry with Crisco vegetable oil. You could also use canola or peanut oil.
  • The Peaches- Peaches are great, but apricots or nectarines would be equally good in this recipe. In the winter, I would use Granny Smith apples, and just cook them a little longer.

How I Made Them

  • First, I drained my ricotta cheese for a few minutes.
  • Then, I made the peach sauce.
  • Meanwhile, I sifted the dry ingredients together, and heated my oil.
  • Next, I finished mixing all the ingredients together.
  • Then, I started to fry my zeppole. I had to take care that my oil was at exactly 350 degrees. Once it was too hot, and my little doughnuts were brown on the outside but raw inside. It all worked out though. I simply dusted the sugar off of them, reheated my oil, and refried them. I worried they’d be too greasy, but they were absolutely delicious.
  • Finally, I drained all the doughnuts well, and then dusted them with powdered sugar, using my sieve.

My mother-in-law is very fond of serving these zeppole at all hours of the day. She magically appears, bearing a plate of sugary fried dough, when you’d least expect it. This afternoon, I decided to be a Zeppole fairy, too. I whisked, and I fried, and I sugared, and then I had Alexa summon my family to the kitchen. They all loved the zeppole, and I was very pleased with myself, serving my family such a nice, unexpected treat at 4pm! Until I realized, I had just enough time to scrape the now calcified dough off my kitchen, and then it would be time to make dinner.

Ricotta Zeppole with Peach Sauce
Ricotta Zeppole with Peach Sauce
Ricotta Zeppole with Peach Sauce

Ricotta Zeppole with Peach Sauce

Italian doughnuts made with ricotta cheese and dusted with powdered sugar, with a fresh peach dipping sauce.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Dutch oven
  • deep frying thermometer
  • Food processor
  • Sieve for sifting

Ingredients
  

For the Ricotta Zeppole:

  • 8 ounces fresh ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup flour (120g)
  • 3 tbsp. white sugar
  • 1 tbsp. baking powder
  • tsp. salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 2 cups vegetable oil

For the Peach Sauce:

  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 2 cups peeled and diced peaches

Instructions
 

  • Drain the ricotta in a sieve over a bowl.
  • In a Dutch oven, heat the 2 inches of oil to 350°.
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder sugar, and salt, into a large mixing bowl.
  • In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and ricotta. Then add this to the bowl with the flour, and stir everything until just combined.
  • When the oil reaches 350° drop dough in using a tablespoon. Fry about 6 zeppole at a time. Cook them until they are a dark golden color. Use a long spoon to turn them over. Drain them on a rack set over a sheet pan. When they're all done dust them with confectioner's sugar, and serve them right away with the Peach Sauce.

For the Peach Sauce:

  • In a medium skillet, melt the butter and brown sugar together.
  • Add the peaches and cook about 5 minutes until they're softened.
  • Puree them in a food processor and serve.
Keyword doughnut, ricotta, zeppole
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Lemon Butter Fettuccine with Artichokes

Lemon Butter Fettuccine with Artichokes

Lemon Butter Fettuccini with Artichokes is a great meatless meal that the whole family will enjoy. Although my young children rejected many vegetables, for some reason they both always liked artichokes. So, I’m always looking for recipes that incorporate them, when they’re in season. The 

Chicken Fajitas with Queso Fundido

Chicken Fajitas with Queso Fundido

Chicken Fajitas with Queso Fundido is a fun and tasty twist on classic chicken fajitas. I made these for dinner last night, and they were a big hit with the family. The queso fundido sauce is nice change from guacamole, which is what we usually 

Black Truffle Burgers and French Fries

Black Truffle Burgers and French Fries

Black Truffle Burgers and French Fries is a trendy restaurant meal that is super easy to recreate at home. And, while I’ve had many delicious burgers and truffle fries at restaurants, I’ve had many that have not lived up to my high foodie standards. Oh, to order a burger you’ve been fantasizing about all day long, and then have it brought to you completely raw inside, or as dried up as a little brown rock. Or, when you’ve been dreaming of trufflicious French fries, but the fries you actually get taste like plain Jane fries, with barely a whisper of truffle terrrificness. I know I’m not the only one who’s suffered these burger and truffle fry tragedies, so follow my lead and make these Black Truffle Burgers and French Fries in your very own home.

The Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

  • A cast iron skillet- I think cast iron skillets make the best burgers. But, if you don’t have one, any skillet will do. Or, you could grill them outside, if that’s what you prefer. Of course, if you grill outside, manning your deep fry operation will be a little more complicated.
  • A Dutch oven- I think Dutch ovens do a great job of maintaining a constant temperature for your deep frying. But, any deep pot can be used.
  • A Deep Fry thermometer- Don’t attempt these French fries without one. You must know what temperature your oil is out to avoid soggy fries and burning down your house.

The Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Ground Chuck- I used chuck meat, but you could also use ground sirloin, but your burgers may be a little drier.
  • Black Truffle Cheese- Also called moliterno al tartufo, this hard pecorino cheese, is laced with black truffles. It is absolutely delicious, and I also have a recipe posted using it for Black Truffle Macaroni and Cheese. If you can’t find it, try substituting provolone or parmesan.
  • Black Truffle Oil- You’ll use this in the aioli and the fries. If you can’t find this, or want to save the money, just replace it with equal parts of the black truffle cheese.
  • The Tomato- It’s July, and if you live near a farm, there are amazing tomatoes to be had. I was afraid the tomato would conflict with the truffle flavor of the burger, but instead it added a nice sweet, juicy flavor.
  • The Oil- You need to use vegetable, canola, or peanut oil to fry these truffle fries. I like Crisco vegetable oil, and keep large jugs of it in my pantry.
  • The Potatoes- I used Idaho russet potatoes.

How I Made the Black Truffle Burgers and French Fries

  • The very first thing I did was heat the oil in my Dutch oven. Then, I peeled and sliced my potatoes, and submerged them in a bowl of water.
  • I also seasoned my beef and formed it into 4 patties. And, I toasted my buns in the butter.
  • When the oil was hot, I drained my potatoes, and dried them off well. Then, I fried the potatoes in 4 batches. I also started to cook the burgers in my cast iron pan. We like our burgers very well done. If you like them rarer, you should wait a bit before starting your burgers. As the potatoes fried, I sliced the vegetables, made the aioli, grated the cheese, and minced the parsley.
  • Next, I heated the oil up higher, and refried the potatoes.
  • As soon as the fries came out of the oil for the second time, I sprinkled them with salt, and tossed them with the seasonings.
  • I served everything with my Strawberry Fields Salad, which I made and refrigerated earlier in the day.

Not only was this meal delicious, but it was really fun to make. I think burgers are so simple to make at home, that I’m truly curious why people even bother ordering them at restaurants. I know I’m super picky, but besides the fact that restaurant kitchens don’t always cook your burgers to the doneness you’ve requested, they also just make their burgers too big. Am I the only person who doesn’t want to gnaw on a half pound of beef on a tiny bun? These Black Truffle Burgers use a quarter of pound of beef each, and I wound up slicing a patty in half before placing it on my bun. And, that’s the beauty of cooking at home. You can truly have your food, just the way you want it.

For a long time, I let deep frying French fries intimidate me. I tried countless recipes for oven fries, and air fryer fries. I’ve tried lots of different brands of frozen fries. But, it really only takes about 30 minutes to make a few batches of fries in a Dutch oven. So, I hope you’ll try both these recipes, and enjoy this restaurant treat at home.

Black Truffle Burgers and French Fries
Black Truffle Burgers and French Fries
Black Truffle Burgers and French Fries
Black Truffle Burgers and French Fries

Black Truffle Burgers and French Fries

Juicy burgers topped with black truffle cheese, arugula, ripe summer tomatoes, truffle aioli, and served with truffle fries.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Dutch oven
  • deep frying thermometer
  • cast iron skillet

Ingredients
  

For the Black Truffle Burgers:

  • 1 pound ground chuck meat
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 cup black truffle pecorino cheese
  • 2 tbsp. minced parsley
  • 1 large tomato, sliced
  • 4 slices red onion
  • 1 cup baby arugula
  • 4 brioche buns
  • 1 tbsp. butter

For the Black Truffle Aioli:

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp. black truffle oil
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper

For the Black Truffle French Fries:

  • 2 large potatoes
  • 2 cups vegetable oil
  • cups black truffle pecorino, finely grated
  • 2 tbsp. minced parsley
  • 2 tbsp. black truffle oil
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt

Instructions
 

For the Black Truffle Burgers:

  • Sprinkle the ground beef with the salt and pepper, and form into 4 patties.
  • Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat, and add the olive oil. When the skillet is very hot, add the burger patties. Cook on both sides to your desired doneness.
  • Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter, and toast the insides of the buns.
  • When the burgers are almost done top with some cheese and parsley.
  • Spread some aioli on the buns, and add the burgers, arugula, onion, and tomato.

For the Black Truffle Aioli:

  • In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together.

For the Black Truffle Fries:

  • Peel the potatoes, and slice them vertically into ¼ inch slices. Cut each of those slices into thin fries. Place all the fries in a large bowl of cold water.
  • In a Dutch oven, heat one inch of oil to 325° using your deep fry thermometer. When the oil reaches that temperature, drain your fries from the water, and using towels, dry them off well.
  • Fry one quarter of the fries, just until they start to turn golden. Drain them on a wire rack, in a small pile. Repeat with the other 3 batches of potatoes.
  • Bring the oil up to 375° and refry the first batch of fries until golden brown. Repeat with the other 3 batches, draining each on the wire rack, and sprinkling each batch with salt right away.
  • Mix the cheese, parsley, and truffle oil in a bowl and toss all the hot fries in there, until they are all coated with cheese.
Keyword burgers, fries, truffles
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Shrimp Tacos with Chimichurri and Slaw

Shrimp Tacos with Chimichurri and Slaw

Shrimp Tacos with Chimichurri and Slaw, are an easy and delicious meal sure to please the whole family. Spicy and plump gulf shrimp, topped with a cilantro-filled chimichurri, a tangy red cabbage slaw, and creamy chipotle sauce, all nestled in a buttery flour tortilla, creates