28 October 2019 Easy One Pot Cheesy Baked Pasta

Easy One Pot Cheesy Baked Pasta

October 28, 2019 By

I love one pot/pan dishes. I especially love them when they’re as simple and delicious as this easy, cheesy pasta dish.

I had a lot of basil left from my summer crop, so I added a giant handful to my already basil-packed marinara sauce that I took out of the freezer for this purpose. I used Rigatoni by my favorite pasta company, Delverde, but ziti, penne or other pasta would be just fine.   

This is a perfect dish for on a busy #MeatlessMonday

Ingredients:

  • ½ pound rigatoni pasta (I use Delverde brand)
  • 2 cups Basil-Packed Marinara Sauce (or other marinara sauce), warmed
  • ¾ cup diced fresh Mozzarella
  • 3 ounces freshly-grated Parmesan, I use Sartori Tuscan Reserve Shaved Blend
  • ½ pound sliced fresh Mozzarella

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In an oven-safe pot/pan, cook the pasta 1 minute less than what’s indicated on the packaging. Drain and reserve.
  3. Over medium heat, bring the sauce to a simmer in the pan the pasta was cooked in. Add the pasta to the marinara sauce and toss to coat.
  4. Add the diced Mozzarella to the pasta and stir to distribute evenly.
  5. Sprinkle the parmesan over the pasta then top with the sliced Mozzarella.
  6. Place the dish on a baking sheet to prevent oven drips and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the broil to high in the oven and broil for 5 minutes, or until the sliced Mozzarella is melted and bubbly.

Yields 2 generous entrée-size servings.

Filed Under: Cheese, Entrees, Italian, Pasta, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
3 September 2019 Grilled Paella

Grilled Paella

September 3, 2019 By

Paella, a traditional dish of Spain, is a favorite at my home in the summer time. The dish can feature a variety of proteins: seafood, fish, sausages, chicken….it’s very versatile.

With Lobster Tail Added

Since we’re huge fans of grilling, I’ve developed a fantastic paella version that I cook on my Weber charcoal grill with some wood chips for added smoky flavor.  

Don’t have chicken thighs but have chicken breasts? Don’t think twice, use what you have. Want to switch up mussels for clams, go ahead! Want to amp up the fish/seafood and skip the chicken and sausage….you get the gist, use what you’d like!

This version uses what we’ve come to like best. I cook the paella in my 12-inch cast iron pan and it’s the perfect size for two healthy eaters. This recipe can easily be doubled, just use a bigger pan.

Ingredients:

  • A handful of wood chips (Hickory is a good option), soaked in water for an hour
  • ¼  cup olive oil
  • ½ medium onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 links of fresh Chorizo or Andouille, cut in ½ inch thick slices
  • 1 ½ cups short-grain rice, such as Calasparra or Bomba (could use Arborio in a bind)
  • ½ tsp. saffron
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
  • 1 cup clam juice
  • 1 ½ cups seafood broth (could use chicken broth)
  • ½ cup dry white wine (if you prefer to omit the wine, replace with an additional ½ cup chicken broth)
  • ½ cup chopped tomatoes
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
  • Dozen mussels or littleneck clams, cleaned
  • ½ lemon
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley (optional)
Andouille Paella
Paella Rice and Onion

Directions:

  1. If using a charcoal grill, heat the briquettes until half are gray-ashy, then add wood chips (if using a gas grill, heat to medium).
  2. Place a 12-inch cast iron pan (or similar size paella pan) over the fire and warm for 2 minutes.
  3. Heat the olive oil then add the onion and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add the garlic to the onions and cook for a minute.
  5. Add the chicken thighs and the sausage stir then cover the grill and cook for 3 minutes, stirring to ensure even browning. Remove the chicken and sausage and wrap in foil to keep warm.
  6. Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat in the oil, then cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. Add the saffron, the salt and the pepper and stir to combine. Return the chicken and the sausage to the pan then add the three liquids and the tomatoes and stir well to ensure any browned bits are picked up. Bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes, covered, NOT stirring to help create the lovely crust on the bottom of the pan called Socarrat.
  8. Add the shrimp, cover the grill and cook for 3 minutes.
  9. Add the mussels/clams, hinge-side down in the rice, cover the grill and cook for 3 more minutes.
  10. Remove the pan from the heat, squeeze a half lemon over the paella and sprinkle some parsley, if using.

Serves two.

Filed Under: Chicken, Entrees, Fish, Seafood, Spanish Tagged With: , , , ,

Easy Cilantro Rice

July 30, 2019 By

This easy cilantro rice is so easy to prepare but so tasty. It pairs beautifully with a variety of proteins like grilled chicken, steak, pork chop or fish and the bonus is that you’ll have leftover chimichurri sauce leftover for other meals!

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. In a medium pot, combine the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water. Heat to boiling on high then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook, without stirring, for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed, and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork. Cover to keep warm.
  2. Halve, peel, and thinly slice the onion. Cut off and discard the stem of the pepper; remove the core, then thinly slice lengthwise. Combine in a bowl. Thoroughly wash your hands immediately after handling the pepper.
  3. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced onion and pepper; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Add 2 tablespoons of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Transfer to the pot of cooked rice; add the cilantro sauce and stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Makes 2 servings of rice.

Filed Under: American, Asian, Entrees, Mexican, Sides, Vegetarian Tagged With: , ,
29 June 2019 The Shannon Rose’s Guinness BBQ Pulled Pork

The Shannon Rose’s Guinness BBQ Pulled Pork

June 29, 2019 By

Don’t have a smoker but love BBQ pulled pork? The Shannon Rose Irish Pub (http://theshannonrose.com) has a very tasty alternative that requires just an oven and some rich Guinness stout.

The Shannon Rose’s Guinness BBQ Pulled Pork, with slow-roasted pork simmered in Guinness BBQ sauce and topped with pepper jack cheese on a toasted brioche roll, is a customer favorite. Adding Guinness to the barbecue sauce creates a sweet and sharp balance, using the stout’s smoothness to keep it from being overpowering.

The Shannon Rose’s Guinness BBQ Pulled Pork

BBQ Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1 oz shallots
  • 1 cup Guinness
  • 1 qt BBQ sauce
  • ½ cup honey

Dry Rub Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp paprika
  • 3 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp white pepper
  • 2 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp coriander
  • 1 tbsp Cajun spice

Other Ingredients:

  • 8lb Pork Butt
  • 1.5-gal water
  • ¼ cup liquid smoke
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

BBQ Sauce Directions:

  1. Mince shallots and sauté over medium heat in vegetable oil until softened, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add Guinness and allow to reduce.
  3. Whisk in BBQ sauce and honey. Set aside.

Dry Rub Directions:

  1. Combine all the dry rub ingredients together.

Pulled Pork Directions:

  • Rub the pork butts with 1 cup of the dry rub, making sure all surfaces are covered.
  • In a deep pan, combine water, liquid smoke & vinegar and place in pork butts.
  • Cover with aluminum foil and cook at 300 degrees for 6 hours. Finished pork should be dark brown and pull apart with ease.
  • Remove from the liquid and let cool.
  • Once cooled, pull pork into bite-sized pieces.
  • Heat and mix the pulled pork with the Guinness BBQ sauce.
  • Assemble your sandwich by placing Pepper Jack cheese on the bun with a heaping scoop of pulled pork. Top with frizzled onions, coleslaw or your favorite condiment.

About The Shannon Rose

The Shannon Rose Irish Pub provides a chef-driven menu using fresh, high-quality ingredients, blending Irish pub classics and new tavern favorites. For its thirsty guests, The Shannon Rose Irish Pub features more than 30 beers on tap – including Guinness, Harp and Smithwick’s – and a wide selection of premium scotch malts and Irish whiskeys.

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Entrees, Pork, Sandwiches Tagged With: , ,
26 March 2019 Quick Orecchiette in Tomato Sauce with Sausage

Quick Orecchiette in Tomato Sauce with Sausage

March 26, 2019 By

In my expanding list of “there’s nothing to eat in this house’ recipes, this one is a winner. This is a one pot wonder where I cooked the sausage with the pasta to save time and it worked great.

Don’t have Orecchiette on hand? Don’t fret – use any dry pasta you have in your pantry.

Ingredients:

  • ½ pound dry Orecchiette pasta
  • 1 Tbsp. salt (for pasta water)
  • 2 links hot Italian sausage (could use mild if you don’t like hot)
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp. each salt and black pepper
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, pureed in food processor (some small chunks are perfect)
  • 10 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup cubed, fresh Mozzarella
  • ¼ cup freshly-grated or shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan over high heat, bring water to a boil. Add the Orecchiette and the sausage links to the water and cook one minute less than recommended on the pasta packaging. Drain the water and roughly chop the sausages in bite-size pieces.
  2. In the same pot, warm the oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the salt and pepper and cook for 15 seconds. Add the cooked sausage and the pureed tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add the cooked pasta and the basil to the sauce and gently stir to coat. Continue cooking for one minute.
  4. Add the Mozzarella to the pasta and stir to combine.  Cook an additional minute.
  5. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the pasta.

Makes 2 servings.

Filed Under: Cheese, Entrees, Italian, Pasta, Pork Tagged With: , ,

Copycat Hooters Chicken Wings

February 6, 2019 By

My guy and I like Buffalo chicken wings and his favorites are the ones from Hooters (it’s about the wings, really lol). I’ve perfected their buffalo shrimp recipe (you must try them) and I think we now have a pretty great handle on their chicken wings.

This recipe is for medium spicy Buffalo chicken wings but just decrease the hot sauce if you prefer mild wings.

Buffalo Sauce Ingredients:

  • ¼ pound butter (1 stick)
  • 1 cup hot sauce (I use Frank’s)
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
Wings Coating

Wings Coating Ingredients:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 12 chicken wings (we use flats and drummettes)
  • Peanut or vegetable oil for frying
  • Blue cheese dressing, carrot and celery sticks, optional

Buffalo Sauce Directions:

  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over high heat. Add the hot sauce, garlic powder and lemon juice – whisk to combine. Set aside on low heat until ready to use.
Tossing Wings in Sauce

Wings Directions:

  • In a shallow dish (I use a pie plate), combine the flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika and garlic powder. Coat the wings in the flour mixture, place the wings on a platter and refrigerate for one hour. Coat wings again with the flour mixture (may have leftover flour mixture).
  • Add oil to a deep fryer and bring temperature to 375 degrees (could use a deep saucepan also). Add 6 wings and fry for 13 minutes for medium-sized wings or 15 minutes for extra-large ones. Place cooked wings on a wire rack for a minute to drain excess oil.
  • Pour the hot buffalo sauce in a large heat-proof bowl and toss the wings in the sauce.
  • Repeat frying, draining and tossing in the sauce the remaining 6 wings.
  • Serve with blue cheese dressing, carrot and celery sticks if using.

Makes a dozen wings.

Let me know what you think once you try these!

Enjoy,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Chicken, Entrees, Snacks, Starters Tagged With: , , ,

Easy Grilled Lobster Tails

January 5, 2019 By

I grew up 20 miles from Maine in Quebec so lobster is something we ate a lot of when I was growing up. While I think a lobster boil is hard to beat, I sometime like grilled lobster tails to pair with a steak. Who doesn’t like a great surf and turf?

This recipe is a breeze and so fun do to for an outdoor party. Once you have the Lobster Butterfly Technique down, everything else comes together in minutes.

Ingredients:

  • 2 8-ounce lobster tails
  • ½ cup butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ½ tsp. paprika
  • Big pinch of salt and pepper
  • Grated zest of ½ lemon (I use a microplane for this)
Lemon Butter

Directions:

  1. Coat a few layers of paper towels with a neutral oil like vegetable or Canola. Grease the grates of a grill. Preheat the grill on medium-high for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Using the Lobster Butterfly Technique shown in the linked video, use kitchen shears to cut down the shell of the lobster tail from fleshy end to right before what I call the tail ‘feathers’. Gently pull the meat out of the shell leaving the meat attached to the tail feathers intact. Lay the meat over the shell.
  3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, place the butter, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Cook stirring occasionally until the butter starts to brown slightly, about 4 minutes. Take off the heat.
  4. Spoon half the butter mixture over the lobster meat. Carefully place the lobster tails on the grill, meat side up, cover and cook for 12 minutes, basting once during the cooking process.
  5. Rewarm the remaining butter and serve with the lobster tails for dipping.

Serves two.

Filed Under: American, Entrees, Seafood Tagged With: , ,
9 November 2018 Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta

Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta

November 9, 2018 By

Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta

A couple weeks ago, I visited the greatest little Italian deli and market in Hoboken, NJ called M & P Biancamano (check them out on Facebook). My girlfriend wanted to stop in as Biancamano is her last name and had wanted to visit for years but just hadn’t. The store is fantastic and my senses were on overload as soon as we walked in the door.  

The refrigerated case contained the makings of a feast. What caught my eye immediately was the fresh pasta, straight out of Italy, from a town near where the store’s owner’s family immigrated from. I took home the Fusilli Calabresi from I Sapori Del Vallo and the milkiest, softest, most melt-in-your-mouth fresh Mozzarella I’ve had. The cheese is made in house, every day using a very traditional method – it’s worth a visit to the store just for a taste of it.

M & P Biancamano

When I got home, I debated how to use the fabulous pasta and thought the yellow tomato sauce with lots of fresh basil I’d made with my own crop of tomatoes would be a suitable pairing. I also incorporated some heat with spicy Italian sausage meat that I sautéed until it had crispy bits in my cast iron pan – YUM! Any old marinara sauce could do, but fresh is best. I included my easy marinara recipe below which uses Roma tomatoes, but this recipe used yellow instead of red.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh pasta, ideally tubular like a fusilli or penne
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed and torn into bite-size pieces
  • 1 ½ cups Basil Packed Marinara Sauce (or store-bought)
  • ½ tsp. each salt, pepper (can use red pepper flakes instead of pepper if you’d like more heat)
  • ½ cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. Fresh Pasta

    Cook pasta 1 minute less than recommended on the packaging (pasta will continue to cook in the sauce).

  2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the sausage pieces and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the pan runs dry, add a drizzle of olive oil.
  3. Add the marinara sauce to the sausage and cook for 3 minutes, until the sauce has evaporated a bit and is thicker, stirring a few times.
  4. Add the pasta and cook for 2 minutes, tossing so the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the skillet.
  5. Add the salt and pepper, stir to incorporate and turn off the heat.
  6. Serve with a grating of Parmesan. I served this dish right in the pan, family style.

Serves 4.

Filed Under: Entrees, Italian, Pasta, Pork
22 October 2018 Pesto and Roasted Zucchini Panini

Pesto and Roasted Zucchini Panini

October 22, 2018 By

We love panini at our home and try to make them for lunch every few weeks. My guy loves them loaded with meats like cold cuts or grilled chicken (here’s his blackened chicken version), and I think the vegetarian versions, like this Pesto and Roasted Zucchini Panini, are also fantastic.

We served this Pesto and Roasted Zucchini Panini with a side of roasted cauliflower tossed in a mixture of red wine vinegar/Parmesan and garlic and it was delish.

If you don’t have a panini press (it’s a great investment), you could use a grill pan and weight the panini down with another pan to ensure you get a great crisp bread exterior.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Ciabatta rolls
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 medium zucchini, cut crosswise into ½-inch rounds
  • ⅓ cup basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
  • 1 ounce roasted red peppers, chopped
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

  1. Halve the rolls long ways/horizontally and rub the olive oil over the exterior.
  2. In a medium nonstick pan over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil. Add the zucchini rounds in an even layer and season with salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Turn off the heat.
  3. Spread the pesto on the inside of the rolls. Top the bottom pieces of the rolls with the zucchini rounds, roasted pepper, Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses. Season with salt and pepper. Place the roll tops over the toppings.
  4. Heat a panini press or, alternatively, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a grill pan over medium-high heat.
  5. Add the panini to the press and grill 5 minutes. If using the grill pan, make sure to use a second pan over the panini to press them down for a crisp exterior, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the panini to a cutting board and carefully halve on an angle.

Makes two sandwiches.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Entrees, Italian, Sandwiches, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
4 October 2018 Quick and Easy Fish Stew

Quick and Easy Fish Stew

October 4, 2018 By

Cod StewThis is a 20-minute fish stew that simmers in a fragrant, rich and addictive coconut milk broth. This recipe comes together fast and I cook it in my large cast iron pan and serve it directly in the pan with perfectly-cook Jasmine rice. Very comforting dish!

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ large onion, diced (I used a Spanish onion)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp. minced ginger root
  • 15-ounce can diced tomato
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • ½ cup light sur cream
  • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 medium red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 ½ pounds wild-caught cod (or other white flesh fish – striped bass, mahi mahi and haddock are good substitutes), cut into eight portions
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

  1. Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the diced tomato, coconut milk, sour cream and tomato paste and stir well to create a homogenous broth. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add the peppers and the cod pieces. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cover the pan and simmer for 10-12 minutes, turning the fish carefully halfway through the cooking process. Turn off the heat and sprinkle the dish with cilantro. Serve with Jasmine rice.

Serves 4.

 

Inspired by this recipe.Cod Stew

Filed Under: Asian, Entrees, Fish, Thai Tagged With: , , , , ,
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