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I just got done with a whirlwind assignment for 7, yes, SEVEN, monkey bread recipes for the good folks over at Momtastic. What’s funny is I never had monkey bread before I was asked to write a few recipes for it. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of eating some monkey bread then I don’t have to tell you the research was beyond delicious. Apparently Monkey bread recipes are a huge hit over on Momtastic and it was such a blast taking a popular recipe and playing around with both sweet and savory flavors. I think I came up with some real winners and whether you are looking for brunch, lunch a side dish or dessert, there will definitely be something for you. Think; Parmesan & Garlic, Pepperoni Pizza and even Chai Spiced Flavored Monkey bread. But if you are a purist, then the first recipe is for you and the recipe for Cinnamon Sugar Monkey Bread can be had by hoping on over to Momtastic now. I’ll keep you posted as the other recipes go live but, until then, rock this recipe!
We all know what to cook for our Saint Patty’s Day feast, it’s really a no brainer, right? How many of us are guilty of forgetting the beverages for a celebratory event? Sure, beer is classic and goes fabulously with corned beef, but I love to kick it up a notch with a drink that’s a little more fun and festive. You all know how much I love my signature cocktails, so I played around a bit today and came up with this awesome Shamrock Sipper. The flavor of this cocktail is similar to that of a mojito only it uses vodka instead of rum. It’s light and refreshing and the light green color makes it the perfect cocktail to toast your friends with this Saint Patty’s Day. Enjoy!
Shamrock Sipper
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup ice
2 ounces vodka
1 ounce sweetened lime syrup (Rose’s is a popular brand)
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 1/2 ounces club sold, cold
Instructions:
1. Place mint leaves into the bottom of your cocktail shaker and muddle them a little (smash/bruise them with the back of a spoon. This will release the flavor in the leaves.).
2. Add ice, vodka, lime syrup and lime juice. Put the cover on the shaker and shake for 20 seconds. Pour into a tall glass and top with club soda. Garnish with mint leaves.
I love creating holiday recipes that have an element of crafti-ness to them. It’s fun to stretch your creative wings and come up with a totally fun and festive idea. The kids love it and who am I kidding, I will use any excuse to give my food a “theme”. The other day my kids and i made these crazy easy, super adorable cupcake pops using store-bought mini cupcakes. We popped them on a pretty red and white straw and had Cupcake Pops in a flash. How adorable would these be for the class bake sale or even to hand out as edible Valentine’s?
Part of the reason I love writing recipes is because of the research process. Reading, watching and yes, eating are all part of the job. It’s fascinating to learn about a family and their culture through their recipes. The process makes me feel like part historian and part detective. Sometimes you have to dig deep because, as many of us have discovered, retrieving an old recipe doesn’t always come easy. Many recipes exist only in the memory and can only be translated via demonstration. How many of us have had a relative tell us “I don’t have it written down, but I can show you.”? Those moments are priceless because they are the very essence of family and tradition. What really connects us through food are the memories attributed to a certain dish and the person we remember making it. Smell, taste and touch are all sense that can instantly remind us of a time, place, or person and nothing does that better than food.
Whenever I set out to create a new recipe I do everything I can to learn about the way it’s traditionally made and then I set out to make it my own. Sometimes the changes are minor and other times more drastic. Reading this you might be saying “I do the same thing with my recipes”, and that’s probably true. The wonderful world of cooking is this amazing mix of traditional and new ideas. Each recipe has a history and a story all it’s own, making it as unique and special as it’s creator.
These stuffed peppers are a great example of re-working a classic— a slight spin on a family favorite. I took our family stuffed pepper recipe and decided to bump up the flavor a bit by adding fresh herbs and swapping out traditionally used white rice for super fragrant jasmine rice. The change may not *seem* all that drastic but I assure you they took this dish from simple to special. The flavor is unique all the while preserving the traditional recipe. I think my Grandma would be proud.
Note: this recipe can easily be made vegetarian by omitting the sausage. You can even add in beans to bump up the protein. If using beans, stir pre-cooked beans into the rice mixture before filling peppers. Bake as indicated below.
Stuffed Peppers
Serves 4- 8 (depending on portion size)
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for greasing pan and drizzling over top of peppers
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 chicken or pork sausages, casings removed
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 cups cooked jasmine rice
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15 ounce can) of diced tomatoes, well drained of its juice
4 red bell peppers, cut in half, stems and seeds removed
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with foil and coat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
2. In a large skillet heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add in onion, garlic and sausage meat. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, break up the chicken sausage. Cook sausage until meat is no longer pink and onions are soft, about 6-8 minutes. Allow to cool while you put together the other components of the filling.
3. In a large bowl combine rice, 1/2 cup of cheese, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper, diced tomatoes and cooled sausage mixture. Stir gently until combined. Place each of the peppers, cut side up onto prepared baking sheet and divide filling amongst them. Top evenly with remaining 1/4 cup of parmigiano cheese and a sprinkling of breadcrumbs. Drizzle each with a little olive oil and bake until peppers are tender, about 25-30 minutes. Serve peppers warm as a side dish or as a main coarse alongside a salad
If you’re anything like me, by this time of year you are all partied out. Well, almost because New Years Eve is still on it’s way. We have a new house so this year I’ve hosted a lot of soirees and it’s been awesome. Seeing family and friends and enjoying each others company over delicious food and bev is definitely a plus, but it can be a bit of a struggle to entertain when you have little ones. Truth be told, I’ve been able to keep the pace with party season by striking a balance between casual and more formal entertaining ie; some cocktail parties and some sit-downs.
Becoming a parent has changed the way I entertain, but it hasn’t changed my love or desire to celebrate with family and friends. My time and budget may be limited but I figured out early on, I can still entertain like a rockstar without breaking my back or the bank. Cocktail parties are one of my favorite way to entertain casually and on a budget. One or two signature cocktails (fancy description for a mixed drink) and some bite sized noshes and you are all set to paaar-taay!
I’m a sucker for all things “mulled” come winter holiday time. There’s something just so comforting and festive about the combination of aromas that make up mulling spices. Warm a sachet of fragrant mulling spices into some warming cider or wine and you are will be in beverage heaven. And just the smell of mulling spices simmering on the stove brings an instant holiday atmosphere to your home. I cannot think of a better drink to serve to guests as they come into your home from the cold.
Mulling spices are easily found in many stores this time of year but you can easily put together a sachet of your own and while your at it, make a big batch and give it out as hostess gifts. You will not regret it.
Cranberry Mulled Wine
Serves 6
Ingredients:
3 cups cranberry juice
1 bottle of Cabernet or any favorite dry red wine
1/4 cup honey
3 cinnamon sticks
the peel of one orange
5 whole cloves
3 star anise
fresh cranberries to garnish Instructions:
1. Place spices into a pre-made sachet (you can buy them in the spice aisle at the supermarket) or place them into a piece of cheesecloth and tie with a string. In a large saucepan, combine cranberry juice,with the sachet of spices, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 8-10 minutes. Pour heat proof glasses and garnish with fresh cranberries.
So, Thanksgiving has come and gone and probably so have the leftovers, right? You may even be sick of the flavors of Thanksgiving or you might be like me, obsessed with them! In fact, I love to create recipes using Thanksgiving flavors that are easy enough to do any night of the week, any time of year. If you get creative, you definitely don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to enjoy the flavors of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce. No, ma’am!
If you’re still obsessing over those flavors too, check out my recipe for these Turkey Meatball Sandwiches. They are super easy to make and pretty darned good for you too thanks to the addition of shredded sweet potatoes and the fact that they are baked, not fried. I know these will be a new favorite around your house. I mean, who doesn’t love a meatball sammie? Get ready to bookmark this recipe and add the flavors of Thanksgiving all year long.
I realize it’s been a while since I posted here and for that I am very sorry. You should know that it’s not for my lack of love for this site and all of you, but rather because, well, you know, life got in the way. Moving to a new state, raising two little boys and dealing with a crazy girl named Sandy. All of that, plus work has had me running around like a turkey without it’s head (bad Thanksgiving humor coming from an ex-vegetarian —for shame!).
I know it’s very close to T-day. My plan was to hit you with many delicious recipes way in advance to the big day but I have been so busy writing tasty recipes for other sites, I left myself zero time to post them here. I’m guessing many of you are still on the hunt for delicious recipes and if you are, these are for you. I have lost of tasty recipes to share via all of the wonderful partners I’m working with, including Samsung’s Make Your House Work For the Holidays Facebook page. We have apps, sides, drinks and even a delicious roast turkey breast that’s so simple and flavorful you’ll want to bookmark this recipe for other days of the year, not just Thanksgiving. Give ‘em a try and let me know what you think.
Thank you for reading, commenting and the every day love you give me. I will continue to create recipes with the family in mind in the hopes that you’ll share it with them. After-all, food made with love is meant to be shared.
I live in NJ and right now we are preparing for Hurricane Sandy to arrive. I had to stop watching TV because it is really making me nervous. Of course we should all be as prepared and informed as possible, but sometimes you just gotta turn the media off, ya know?
I’m Italian and that means you cook when your happy, sad, nervous or indifferent. Basically, I’m cooking all the time. My type of hurricane prep means cooking and eating A LOT! Cooking has a way of calming me so I know that my nervous energy is best spent doing something constructive like filling my family’s bellies. That being said, I decided to ignore the TV for a while and bake up something delicious while we still have power. YIKES! I figured this was a great opportunity to bake up a pie and fill my home with the delicious smells of sweet potato and cinnamon. At the last minute I decided to toss in some fresh ginger to add a little zip and it was such a good move! This pie is definitely a recipe you’ll want to bookmark for the upcoming holidays. it’s got that classic smooth and creamy sweet potato pie texture with a nice perk from the spiciness of ginger. Perfect.
Now go and bake up this pie while the electricity is still on. And most importantly, if you are in the path of the hurricane, stay safe and warm and dry.
Sweet Potato Pie with Ginger
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 store bought pie dough
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes (about 2-2 large potatoes)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups milk
3 large eggs
½ stick butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub sweet potatoes so the skin is clean and wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. Use a fork to prick through the foil into the skin of each potato. Place potatoes onto a baking sheet and roast in the center of the oven until tender, about 1 hour. Allow potatoes to cool before removing skin and placing into a food processor. Process potatoes until they are smooth and creamy.
Turn the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Roll out the dough onto a floured surface until it is big enough to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Place dough into the pie plate and set in the refrigerator until you make the filling.
Place two cups of pureed sweet potatoes into a large bowl along with sugar, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, salt, milk, eggs, butter and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined. Place prepared pie plate onto a rimmed baking sheet and pour into prepared pie dough. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn temperature down to 325 and cook the pie for 1 hour more. Remove pie from the oven and allow the pie to cool completely before cutting.
I recently joined a Fresh Box program here in my new town (still so weird saying “town”). The program is through the wonderful Alan’s Orchard in Westfield, NJ. It’s basically a store dedicated to local sustainably farmed and certified organic produce. They also sell free-range poultry, grassfed beef, dairy products and many, many other goodies. The Fresh Box program kind of works like a CSA in the sense that you pay a weekly fee and in exchange receive a box full of seasonal, local garden fresh fruits and veggies. It’s AMAZING! It’s one of the many exciting new things I get to do here in New Jersey. We had many CSA’s in Brooklyn where I used to live, but none were near my little out of the way neighborhood of Gravesend. I had longed to join a program like this but it was never convenient for me and now it is!
Each week I look forward to my Fresh Box because I never know what’s going to be in it. It’s great to eat local for so many reasons and being a part of a program like this is a wonderful way to stretch my culinary muscles and expand my families palate with new and exciting tastes and textures. This week we were given some awesome tomatillos, jalapenos and cilantro along with many other delicious goodies (hello, plums and dandelion greens!). Recipe ideas were swirling in my head as I looked over the beautiful bounty laid out before me and unpacking the box is literally like Christmas for someone like me. I wanted to eat everything that instant but it was dinnertime and I need to make something quick! I already defrosted some boneless, skinless chicken breasts so I knew that I needed something to jazz those boring babies up. Suddenly the tomatillos, jalapenos and cilantro I was eyeing earlier made total sense. Tomatillo sauce! Yes! It would be the perfect pairing for our ordinary chicken breasts. And what a fun and simple way to jazz it up. I grilled up the chicken, made the sauce and in 20 minutes, dinner was served.
This sauce is spicy, I’m not gonna lie. You can easily adjust the heat by adding more or less jalapenos. It has a bright, fresh flavor that really akes up the taste buds. Not only is the sauce perfect as a topping for poultry, it’s equally delicious on fish, pork, beef or even as a salsa chips or a topping for tacos.
Thanks Alan’s Orchard! Can’t wait to see what you have for me next week!
Spicy Tomatillo Sauce
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients:
6 tomatillos, outer husks removed and rinsed
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black peper
1/2 Jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed
Instructions:
1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Gently drop the tomatillos into the boiling water and cook for 8-10 minute or until they begin to turn a slightly darker shade of green. Remove tomatillos from water with a slotted spoon and place onto a paper towel.
2. Place tomatillos, garlic, cilantro, salt, pepper, jalapenos and cilantro into t a blender of a food processor. process until smooth (you can actually do a chunkier version if you want too), about 3-4 minutes. Serve over grilled chicken or your favorite protein.
Note:Sauce is best consumed the day it’s made but can easily be made one day in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container (I love to use mason jars).
