Panko |

Brisket Ragout over Pasta

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Kaitlin

As someone who went to Catholic school for most of her life, kosher cooking isn’t exactly something I was exposed to. I have a general understanding of what it means to keep kosher, but I really never took the time to delve into what it really means. I was recently sent a cookbook called The Kosher Carnivore: The Ultimate Meat and Poultry Cookbook by June Hersh. Not only is it filled with really delicious sounding recipes, but the author took the time to even include a “Kosher 101″ in the introduction. Did you know that giraffes are considered acceptable for human consumption as identified in the Torah? (Sorry, thought that was a fun fact). Animals that chew their cud and have cloven hooves are considered acceptable, which includes the more commonly eaten cow and lamb. Bird-wise, it seems a little more lenient. In general, predators or scavenger birds are prohibited but most birds are ok for consumption. Meat is considered kosher when it meets a specific criteria when slaughtered and butchered. Kosher eating also means that meat and dairy cannot be within the same meal, but neutral foods, like oil and eggs, can be used. Whew. Ok. Now that I’ve … Continue reading →

Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Kaitlin

I realized I have never posted a recipe for crab cakes. That is ridiculous! So today’s the day. I found this recipe in one of my Cooking Light recipes and altered it a bit for what I happened to have in my pantry. Crab cakes: 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed 2 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper 1 1/2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 green onions, finely chopped 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 cup bread crumbs, divided 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided Remoulade: 1/4 cup canola mayonnaise 2 teaspoons minced shallots 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 3/4 teaspoon capers, chopped 3/4 teaspoon champagne vinegar 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Crispy Flounder and Roasted Tomatoes

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Kaitlin

These Lipman Tomatoes just keep on giving! This time around, I used their gorgeous cherry tomatoes. Cooking Light had a wonderful recipe in their most recent issue for Crispy Flounder and Roasted Tomatoes. Fish is a favorite of mine for weeknights because it cooks so quickly; this meal took me 25 minutes from start to finish. Ingredients: (this serves 2) 2 tablespoons capers 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pint cherry tomatoes Salt and pepper, to taste A few basil leaves, thinly sliced 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 2 (6-ounce) skinless flounder fillets Cooking spray 1 tablespoon olive oil Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. While waiting for the oven to heat up, combine the capers, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the cherry tomatoes in an oven safe dish. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes. When there is about 10 minutes left on the tomatoes, combine the panko, parsley, and thyme in a shallow dish. Coat the fillets with the cooking spray and dredge the fillets in the panko mixture. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick saute pan over medium-high … Continue reading →

Garlicky Meatball Pasta with Avocado-Butter Lettuce Salad

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Kaitlin

Despite having an Italian mother, I have never made meatballs before. I’m almost embarrassed to admit it. Whelp, at the age of 26, I believe it is time to finally get my hands dirty and make some meatballs. One of Cooking Light’s 40 Fast Menus in Under 40 Minutes had a recipe for meatballs, so I used it as my base for this recipe. For the Pasta: 9 ounces refrigerated fettuccine 12 ounces ground sirloin 2 sausages, removed from their casings 1/2 cup panko 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil 2 garlic cloves, minced 3/8 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 large egg, lightly beaten 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 3/4 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated For the Salad: 1 cup chopped red onion 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 3 cups torn butter lettuce 1 cup sliced avocado Because this is a very simple sauce, I’d suggest going for a premium high-quality marinara sauce, like a Pomi or a Muir Glen Organic. Bring a pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, combine the beef, sausage meat, panko, basil, … Continue reading →

Crispy Herbed Shrimp with Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Kaitlin

Have you ever opened up a food magazine, and have decided by a photo only that you want, no need, to make that recipe? I didn’t even look at the title, or read the ingredients, before I had earmarked this recipe to make. Shrimp, asparagus, and tomatoes? This is right up my alley. The best part of cooking with seafood is that it’s almost always a quick meal. This Cooking Light recipe can be made in only 40 minutes, perfect for a weeknight dinner. Ingredients Shrimp: 3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided Chive Aioli: 1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt 1/4 cup canola mayonnaise 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon paprika Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes: 1 pound asparagus, trimmed 1/2 cup grape tomatoes 1/3 cup sliced shallots 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Cooking spray Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Start by … Continue reading →

Salmon Croquettes with Lemon Tarragon Aioli

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Kaitlin

I am so excited to share this recipe with you. I loved it so much! I found this recipe from Saveur and knew I had to try it. This recipe is perfect for a Friday night meal, but I suggest making them ahead of time if you can. They need to be chilled for at least one hour so that they retain their shape when cooking. Ingredients: 1/2 cup white wine 3 tbsp. Old Bay seasoning, divided 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided 1 1-lb. boneless salmon filet 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted 4 scallions, finely chopped 2 eggs, beaten Juice of 1 lemon Canola oil for frying, or olive oil to pan fry To make, add 4 cups water, wine, 2 tablespoons Old Bay, and 1 tablespoon salt in a large saute pan (make sure you have a top for the saute pan). Bring to a boil. Add the salmon, skin side down. Turn off the heat and cover the salmon. Let the salmon cook in the liquid for 10 minutes. Transfer the salmon to a plate skin side up and let cool. The salmon will not be fully cooked through. Peel … Continue reading →

Goat Cheese Stuffed Lamb Burgers

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Kaitlin

Oh yes, you read that correctly. A delicious grilled lamb burger, with goat cheese inside. I have been craving this for a good week now and finally managed to find ground lamb (you’d be surprised how difficult that is for some reason) to make them. If you’re in Philadelphia, rumor has it ground lamb is pretty easy to come by in the Italian Market. I couldn’t find it in Reading Terminal or the supermarket but while in Delaware, I managed to find it in Janssen’s Market in Greenville. So big thanks to Janssen’s for fulfilling my craving! Now, on to the recipe. I used a recipe off of Finish Your Broccoli‘s blog that she made a while back to make the actual burger. I took some liberty in making it but for the most part it’s basically the same. Ingredients: 1 pound ground lamb 3 tbsp plain yogurt 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs 2 tbsp minced fresh mint 1 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp ground cumin Pinch cayenne 4 oz log goat cheese 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp chopped parsley 1tbsp chopped basil Tzatziki (I have a recipe in the link, or you can … Continue reading →

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Kaitlin

So I realized today that this post is my 200th! How crazy is that? Okay, back to your regular programing…Winter weather really makes me crave comfort food. When it snows (like it did this weekend) my need for comfort food escalates. I’ve been looking for any excuse to make another mac and cheese recipe, so I jumped at the chance to make it during the snow. I originally printed out this recipe from Cooking Light, but I changed it so much to fit what I could find it’s barely recognizable. The overall method is basically the same though. Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided 1/2 an onion, diced 1 bay leaf 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 box uncooked elbow macaroni 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 4 ounces cubed sharp cheddar cheese 3 ounces cubed gouda cheese Panko breadcrumbs Grated fresh Parmesan cheese Fresh parsley, chopped Nutmeg, to taste Add the milk, onion, bay leaf, and garlic to a large saute pan over medium heat. Heat until small bubbles form around the edges but be sure to not burn it. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 15 minutes. Cook the macaroni according to package … Continue reading →

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Kaitlin

Who honestly doesn’t love a stuffed mushroom? Little bite sized bits of happiness: mushroom, crab meat, cheese, and crunchy bread crumbs. I always have my fingers crossed that these party staples show up as an appetizer at any and all social events. So I thought it was about time that I attempted to make them myself. I finally whipped up a batch to eat while watching the games on Sunday. They are actually quite easy to make and are awesome right out of the oven or cooled to room temperature. Taste of Home had a great recipe I decided to try. My only “big” change was that I substituted Old Bay in for the cayenne. I’ve spent many a summer on the Chesapeake and now can’t eat crab without at least a little bit of this seasoning! Ingredients: 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon Old Bay 1 can (8 ounces) crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed 2 containers of fresh baby bella mushrooms 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese Cooking spray You can substitute button … Continue reading →

Fish & Chips

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Kaitlin

There is something so comforting and delicious about fish and chips. Traditionally a big take-away (take out/ to go) meal, cod, halibut, tilapia or another firm whitefish is typically battered, fried, and served with chips, or to us Americans, fries. I absolutely love fish and chips, but I don’t exactly love the whole frying component (I mean, I do. It’s delicious. But it kind of negates the point of eating fish). I wanted to try to make a baked version that would hopefully keep its crunch. I decided to give it some slight American flair and added Old Bay seasoning to the batter and on the fries. Ingredients: 4 tilapia fillets 1 cup flour 2 eggs, beaten 2 cups panko 1 tablespoon Old Bay 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 russet potatoes 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon Old Bay Salt & pepper, to taste Tarter sauce Malt vinegar Lemon wedges, optional Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. To make the fries, cut the potatoes into 1 inch thick pieces. I didn’t peel mine, but you can peel the potatoes beforehand if you choose. Add to a bowl and fill the bowl with hot water. Allow the potatoes to sit in the … Continue reading →