When I think of stuffed shells I usually think of some kind of cheesy mixture stuffed inside pasta shells, topped with tomato sauce and melted cheese. These shells couldn’t be farther from the norm. As part of my Mother’s Day Menu, I wanted to make stuffed shells with crab…almost a deconstructed crab cake, stuffed in pasta shells. Also, since crab in its natural form is found in shells, I thought it would be pretty cute to stuff a crab mixture into shells of a different kind. I wanted to make a Béchamel sauce (this is a white sauce; it’s basically just milk that is thickened […]...
Shakriya (Arabic Meat in Yogurt Sauce)
I’m going to be honest right from the start. This soup really is an acquired taste. The first time I had it, not only did I think the very idea of it was strange (it’s basically yogurt soup), but I didn’t like how it tasted either (it was tangy!). I was able to spend quite a bit of time in the Middle East when my hubby and I first married…and the longer I stayed the more my tastes changed. It was right around the time I started enjoying slimy green soup that I also started to like Shakriya. Even though Mike and I no longer live […]...
Tropical Chicken Salad
I know a lot of people who don’t think salad can be a satisfying meal. They think of it as fine for a first course or a side dish, but never a main course. If you’re one of those people, make this salad. It will change your mind. There are so many different flavors and textures going on…the tender, nutty chicken…the crispy, sweet banana chips…the tang from the yogurt-based poppy seed dressing. It all works together amazingly well. Unsweetened, desiccated coconut was the one thing I wanted to add to this salad but in my haste forgot (it’s so hard to be patient when something smells […]...
Fishbowl (Salmon Noodle Bowl with Greens & Garlic-Ginger-Honey Glaze)
Japanese noodle bowls are relatively new to me. As a kid the closest I came to experiencing a noodle bowl was when my mom would make egg drop soup with ramen noodles (a delicious dish she learned from a friend of hers who was married to a Japanese man). I had my very first actual noodle bowl at Wagamama in London only a couple years ago. Since then, I’ve been hooked. Noodle bowls are great for cleaning out the fridge, since you can use just about any combination of veggies and lean protein that you have on hand. This combination is one of my absolute […]...
Valentine’s Day Menu: Blush Pasta & Individual Beef Roulades
Here’s the next part of our Valentine’s Day meal, the blush pasta and individual beef roulades. (For the full recipe, see my post here.) To finish off our Valentine’s menu, soon I’ll posting my recipe for dark chocolate mousse! :)...
Turkey Bolognese
Bolognese sauce, or ragù alla bolognese, is a full-bodied meat sauce originally from Bologna, Italy. Traditionally this sauce contains “beef, pancetta, onions, carrots, celery, tomato paste, meat broth, wine, and (optionally) milk or cream.” (You can read more about bolognese sauce here.) I based this recipe on Emeril Lagasse’s Spaghetti Bolognese, altering it to make it a little healthier and to accommodate ingredients that I normally keep in my pantry and/or fridge. Instead of pancetta I use turkey bacon, which gives it a nice, slightly smoky background flavor without the added fat of pancetta; then I use ground turkey to pair with the turkey bacon. […]...
All Through the Year Cheer Prize Announcement & Recipe for Salmon Sliders on Bagels
If you want to participate in this month’s All Through the Year Cheer event, remember that your recipe can be for anything that says Christmas to you! You can submit as many recipes as you want, and there will be a prize for the winner… (Photo from Cooking Light) The prize is a one year subscription to Cooking Light magazine! Onto the sliders! Who doesn’t love a good bagel? Yeasty, slightly sweet, slightly salty…crisp and golden on the outside, chewy and dense – but not too dense – on the inside. If you’ve ever had lox (which is cured salmon) with cream […]...
Easy Turkey Wellington
When it refers to a recipe, the term “Wellington” usually refers to dishes in which beef, salmon, turkey, or another meat is coated with pâté de foie gras and duxelles (duxelles is a mixture of minced mushrooms, shallots, and herbs that have been cooked in butter) and then wrapped in puff pastry and baked. Sadly, this is no such dish. I had the idea that this year I wanted to make Turkey Wellington with some turkey breast slices leftover from Thanksgiving dinner; on Thanksgiving I meant to save a few intact slices of turkey breast to make it. In my haste to clean up after […]...
Turkey Croquettes
This recipe is a great way to use up leftover turkey, and although croquettes might sound complicated, these are really just shallow-fried patties made from cooked, shredded turkey and a few vegetables and seasonings. What a way to dress up leftovers!...
All Through the Year Cheer Announcements & Recipe For Roasted Eggplant & Garbanzo Bean Stew Over Polenta
Brandy and I are pleased to announce that we made a blog site specifically for All Through the Year Cheer! Head on over to All Through the Year Cheer later today because Brandy’s announcing our Thanksgiving event! You’ve probably noticed the new All Through the Year Cheer button on my right sidebar, which is linked directly to the new blog. If you want, you can grab our new button…just go to All Through the Year Cheer, click on the tab at the top called “Grab Our Button,” and it will tell you exactly what to do. Now for the eggplant stew! Eggplant happens […]...