Showing posts with label Brunch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brunch. Show all posts

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Crispy Baked Parmesan Garlic Wings


Here in the Cook Lisa Cook home, we adore wings. Some of the wings we've blogged about were our Baked Buffalo Wings, Baked Teriyaki Wings, Baked Tandoori Wings, and Baked Chinese Five-Spice Wings.  One thing you'll notice about all the wings which we make is, every-single-one is baked.  We bake them hot and fast so they remain juicy and moist inside and even without frying, they have a wonderful golden & crispy skin.  We each have our favorite but honestly, lately, I feel like we've been in a wing rut and in need of a new flavor.  Enter, Crispy Baked Parmesan Garlic Wings.  What made me think to make these was, I was making for Maisie, the gluten-free version of one of my favorite childhood dishes, noodles with butter, parmesan & garlic and thought, wouldn't that be wonderful on some wings.  Seeing as we had just purchased wings and we were going to do the same-old-same-old, we just went with the new idea and winged it...get it? Winged it... ;)  The new wing recipe was a hit!  Buttery, garlicy and cheesy all on a perfectly cooked and crispy skinned wing. Perfection and delighted to have a new flavor in our wing line-up!

Crispy Baked Parmesan Garlic Wings


Line a baking sheet with foil and place a baking rack on top. Using a paper towel, dry the wings off as well as possible. Place the wings in a large bowl and sprinkle with the baking powder, salt, pepper and 1 tsp of the garlic powder. Using your hands, toss to coat well. Place the wings, skin side up, so that they are close but not touching one another, on the rack. Allow the wings to dry with the mixture on them for about 30 minutes. Heat oven to 500F. Bake wings for 20 minutes, until golden brown. If at the 15 minute mark, you notice that they are not browning nicely, place the wings under the broiler for the remaining 5 minutes. (I have a convection oven and use the roast setting so our wings are cooked from top and bottom.) During the last 5 minutes of cook time, melt the ghee or butter and add to a large bowl. Stir in the 1 TBS. garlic powder & 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan. Once the wings are fully baked, using tongs, add them to the bowl of buttery garlic cheese and toss to coat. Add the parsley and give a final toss. Place wings on serving plate and sprinkle with the shredded Parmesan and remaining 1/8 cup grated Parmesan.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!


Thursday, February 9, 2017

Gluten Free Cassava Flour French Crepes

Maisie's crepes filled with Nutella...Yumminess!

Maisie adores crepes, but as she's gluten free, they haven't in the past come always out as delicious or as close to regular crepes as we would have liked.  That was until we started using cassava flour in place of other flours.  Cassava crepes cook up beautifully and taste gorgeous! The only difference when making cassava crepes compared to those made with all-purpose flour is, they need to be cooked a bit longer, because cassava flour can tend to produce a gummier texture.  But, if the crepes are cooked just that little bit longer, they come out perfect with the right amount of elasticity, chew and with no gumminess.  The crepes hold together well and reheat beautifully.  We store them in the refrigerator, folded in quarters, stacked one upon another and wrapped tightly with plastic wrap to keep in the moisture. Reheat time in the microwave is 10-15 seconds.   





Add the eggs to the jar of a blender and process on medium-high for about one minute.  Add the melted ghee, sugar & salt.  Blend until fully combined,  Add the milk and process on medium-high for one minute.  Stop and add the cassava flour.  Process on high for two minutes then reduce to low for an additional 2 minutes, so that most of the air bubbles are removed.  (This whole process can be done in a bowl with beaters but it doesn't blend quite as well so the batter would need to be strained through a fine sieve to remove any remaining lumps before frying.)

Heat a crepe or fry pan on medium and add enough ghee or butter to lightly coat the pan.  For a 7-inch pan I use 1/8 cup of the batter.  Once pan is heated add the batter and swirl pan to evenly spread the batter.  Allow the crepe to cook until the edges start to brown.  Use an offset spatula to release the edge of the crepe from the pan.  Once the edges start to curl, gently place offset spatual under the crepe and flip the crepe over.  Cook the second side for 15-20 seconds, until lightly browned.  To remove crepe from pan, Turn pan over and bang onto a foil lined baking sheet.  

Immediately add new batter to the pan and repeat the process.  If the batter does not spread well and sputters, your pan is too hot.  Also, because there is so much ghee/butter in the batter, I never find it necessary to re-grease my pan after the inital time.  Because the pan in the beginning will be "over greased," the first one or two crepes don't spread and come out well, but enjoy them as they are for the cook and though not perfect, definitely delicious.   

Enjoy!

Saturday, January 7, 2017

Creamy Tomato Soup ~ Instant Pot

It's a snowy day here in Georgia and nothing is better than a hot delicious bowl of soup.  Maisie put in her request for Creamy Tomato Soup.  As we had all the necessary ingredients in the house, her wish was granted.  This recipe was made in our 8-qt Instant Pot but could easily be made in any pressure cooker or even in just a pot on the stove.  We enjoy the soup with a bit of added heavy whipping cream, just for some extra creaminess, but even without the cream the soup is creamy delicious!

Creamy Tomato Soup ~ Instant Pot


  • 4 Tbsp. ghee or butter
  • 1 med. onion, large dice
  • 2 small potatos, peeled and large dice
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper 
  • 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes
  • 1 - 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1 - 14.5 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 -  6 oz. can tomato paste
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (optional)


Heat pressure cooker and add the ghee.  Once metled, add the diced onion and sautee until tender.  Add the potato, garlic & black pepper.  Mix well and saute until the garlic is fragrant.  Add the sundried tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and salt.  Close the pressure cooker and steam release valve.  Set high pressure for 10 minutes.  When time is up, allow for 10 minutes of natural release and then release any remaining pressure with quick release.  Use an immersion blender to blend the soup smooth.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste.  If using the cream, stir in before serving.  

Enjoy

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Egg-in-the-Hole

11201168_10153644611041663_228969263182478133_n Have you ever had a dish which you always enjoyed growing up but over the years it was forgotten?  Well that’s the deal with this easy, past loved recipe from our Secret Recipe Club assigned blog this month. We were perusing Laura’s blog, Mother Would Know, and saw her recipe for Egg-in-the-Hole and all the delicious memories returned.  It was a done deal as to what was going to be made this month, especially as Maisie had never tried Egg-in-the-Hole and no child should be deprived of it’s deliciousness!  Like Laura, we grew up having this made with cheap white bread but Laura suggests using the best bread you can find.  In our case, because of Maisie’s gluten allergy, we went with gluten free bread which worked perfectly and was a huge hit with little Miss. M. 

11987165_10153644611146663_2479034864772133001_n Laura is an attorney that loves to cook and though she’s never worked in a restaurant and doesn’t have a certificate or degree in cooking she has the best credentials of all.  As she says, “My credentials are the meals that I make, the fun I have in the kitchen, and the fact that even people who aren’t my kids call me when they have cooking quandaries,” sounds perfect to me!  Laura’s site is filled with plenty of great recipes for the home cook or any cook so check it out.

11947455_10153644610991663_4362786329513498423_n Egg-in-the-Hole (from here)

Heat a skillet and add a generous pat of butter.  Using a juice glass or biscuit cutter, cut out a round hole in the center of the slice of bread.  Place the slice of bread and the cut-out hole side by side in the pan and allow to slightly brown.  Turn the hole as necessary until golden and remove to a plate.  Once the first side of the bread slice is slightly golden, flip it over and add your egg to the hole.  It is fine if the egg white is completely contained or spills out over onto the bread, it’s all good!  Cook the egg in the bread until the white is almost completely set and then flip it over to continue cooking to desired consistency.  Remove to plate, add salt & pepper to taste and enjoy along with the toasty cut out bread circle.

Enjoy!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts: 

Baked Teriyaki Chicken Wings 
Baked Jalapeno Popper Dip 
Chipotle Stuffed Mushrooms 
Sriracha Deviled Eggs
Grilled Pizza Sandwich
Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Mascarpone Soup 
Hearty Bacon, Turkey & Vegetable Frittata
Chicken Satay with Sunbutter “Peanut” Sauce
Asian Pork Chops
Mango Salsa 
Pomegranate Molasses Salad Dressing
Beef Keema  
Roasted Grape Tomato, Garlic & Poblano Ragu
Mexican Feast: Cream of Ancho Chile Soup, Roasted Poblano Burger with Chile de Arbol Guacamole & Pork Crusted Baked Poblano Fries
Zesty Zucchini Skillet
Garlic Seafood in Coconut Milk
Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles
Fijian Ceviche
Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes   
Chicken Burgers with Spinach & Mushrooms 
Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp 
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake 
Loaded Potato Soup
Lemon Almond Biscotti 
Creamy Mints 
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken 
Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings 
Fried Green Tomatoes 
Chicken Satay Noodle Salad 
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 
Candied Popcorn
Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad 
Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella CrĂŞpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry


Check out the new SRC blog for more exciting recipes from past reveals

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Curried Deviled Eggs

1511703_10153463969706663_6496915431054466567_nWe’ve been on a bit of a deviled eggs kick here in the Cook Lisa Cook house as the eggs are a super simple delicious, ready to grab bite, for a meal or a snack.  They’re also a nice treat along with our Chipotle Stuffed Mushrooms to enjoy with a drink on these hot summer afternoons when we’re kicking back and relaxing on our dock doing nothing but looking out at the water and listening to nature.  We’ve continued to enjoy the Sriracha Deviled Eggs but this week decided to change things up a bit and made some awesome Curried Deviled Eggs.  Again, super simple to make and ready to eat at a moment’s notice. 

11377207_10153463969806663_307825590304444136_nCurried Deviled Eggs

In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Carefully add the eggs to the pot and bring the water back to a full boil.  Allow the eggs to boil for 30 seconds. Cover tightly and reduce heat to low so that it’s just at a simmer.  Cook for 11 minutes. Using a large slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the hot water and place in a bowl of ice water.  Allow the eggs to cool for at least 15 minutes before peeling under cool running water.

Once the eggs are peeled, slice in half and remove the yolks to a bowl and place the hollowed out whites on a platter.  Using the tines of a fork, mash the yolks.  Add in the mayonnaise, curry powder, mango chutney and pepper.  Combine until smooth and add salt to taste.  Place the yolk mixture in a piping bag or Ziploc bag fitted with a star or round piping tip.  Fill each egg white with the yolk mixture.  Dust with curry powder.  Serve cold.

Enjoy!

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Grilled Pizza Sandwich

10453313_10153221584711663_3750192831993381339_n It’s crazy that it’s already April, I swear that time is passing at breakneck speed.  Flowers in the garden are popping up and blooming, Maisie’s level 7 gymnastics season is over and as crazy as it sounds, she has only twenty days left in fifth grade and in her current school.  It feels like we just celebrated Christmas yet here we are planning for summer and some time off!!  And here it is again, Secret Recipe Club time.  This month our assignment was Nicole’s blog, Daily Dish Recipes.  We all had fun perusing Nicole’s blog and drooled over many of her recipes, including her garlic herb spiralizer fries, chicken scampi appetizer bites and her asparagus dip, but when Maisie saw Nicole’s grilled pizza sandwich she was all over it and the decision was done and made. 

10615432_10153221584486663_366078801547884549_nThe sandwich was super simple to make and as it uses everyday ingredients, we had everything in the house.  We of course adapted Nicole’s recipe to fit Maisie’s allergies and her tastes.  The wonderful thing about this sandwich is that it can be adapted any way you’d like.

10305062_10153221584631663_5946957916972381308_nThe sandwich was a huge hit with Maisie, who ate the entire thing in record time, because in her words, “it’s delicious and I’m starving after practice.”

10431551_10153221584551663_8698957454084661735_nGrilled Pizza Sandwich (adapted from here)

Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread.  Lay one buttered side down in a cold pan and turn the pan on to medium low.  Immediately start building the sandwich with a layer of mozzarella, then add the pepperoni, a dash of garlic powder and top with the remaining slice of buttered bead, buttered side facing the ceiling.  Cover the pan and allow the sandwich to cook until the bottom is golden brown then flip the sandwich over, cover again and cook until the bottom is again golden.  Remove from pan, slice and serve with pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce.

Enjoy!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts: 

Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Mascarpone Soup 
Hearty Bacon, Turkey & Vegetable Frittata 
Chicken Satay with Sunbutter “Peanut” Sauce 
Asian Pork Chops 
Mango Salsa 
Pomegranate Molasses Salad Dressing 
Beef Keema  
Roasted Grape Tomato, Garlic & Poblano Ragu
Mexican Feast: Cream of Ancho Chile Soup, Roasted Poblano Burger with Chile de Arbol Guacamole & Pork Crusted Baked Poblano Fries 
Zesty Zucchini Skillet 
Garlic Seafood in Coconut Milk 
Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles
Fijian Ceviche
Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes   
Chicken Burgers with Spinach & Mushrooms 
Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp 
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake 
Loaded Potato Soup
Lemon Almond Biscotti 
Creamy Mints 
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken 
Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings 
Fried Green Tomatoes 
Chicken Satay Noodle Salad 
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 
Candied Popcorn
Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad 
Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella CrĂŞpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry

Check out the new SRC blog for more exciting recipes from past reveals

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Mascarpone Soup

1609683_10153170165466663_1127957751874947766_n We truly can’t believe that it’s March already but on the other hand, we’re happy that spring is right around the corner as it’s been a cold winter for us southerners.  And on these cold winter nights there’s nothing more wonderful than a bowl of hot, creamy and comforting soup.  It was just one of those cold days when we perused Leigh’s blog, Chit Chat… Chomp, this month’s Secret Recipe Club assignment.  Leigh’s food choices are very similar to ours in that she leans towards fresh, gluten free, organic, fructose-free, healthy foods so when reading through her blog, we found so many offerings that fit in with our diets which we were tempted to make.  Her gorgeous photography skills had us wanting to jump right into the screen and devour every item she displayed.  In the end though, because it was a freezing cold day, we were tempted by the comfort of soup.  We actually debated between two soups, her Mushroom & Cashew Soup and her Roasted Tomato Mascarpone Soup and the tomato soup won out only because we had all the ingredients in the house.  I mean seriously, who wants to trek out to the store when it’s freezing outside!  We thought about also making her Zucchini Quiche to enjoy with the soup but that would have entailed a trip to the grocery, so that was going to be left for another day!  Can you tell that we don’t particularly care for freezing cold weather?  Thinking about it, while we’re here freezing, Leigh is on the other side of the world in Melbourne enjoying summer…maybe we should go visit her!  Hey Leigh, want some visitors????

Anyhow, back to the soup.  The soup was oh-so simple to make and the flavors were divine.  The soup wasn’t overly creamy, just enough to balance out the acidity of the tomato.  We changed the recipe only slightly, adding an extra red bell pepper and we chose to leave out the brown sugar.  When the soup was served, some of us chose to add an extra dollop of mascarpone and a sprinkle of chives which topped off the soup perfectly.  It’s still cold out there so make some delicious soup, our version or Leigh’s and while you’re enjoying your soup, check out Leigh’s blog, all her recipes, gorgeous photography and all of her travels to France, oh-so interesting to read.

 10997327_10153170165516663_5154935888850178579_n Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Mascarpone Soup  (adapted from here)

Preheat oven to 375F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and add a drizzle of olive oil.  Place the tomatoes, onion, bell peppers & garlic onto the pan and stir to coat everything with with oil.  Season with a little salt & pepper.  Roast for 45-60 minutes, until the the vegetables are soft and beginning to caramelize slightly.  Remove from the oven and carefully add all the contents of the pan, juices too, to a blender.  Secure the lid and hold it down with a towel as you process the ingredients until smooth.  Once smooth, add the tablespoon of mascarpone and blend until incorporated.  Serve immediately, adding an extra little drizzle of olive oil to each portion and if desired, a nice dollop of mascarpone.

Enjoy!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts: 

Hearty Bacon, Turkey & Vegetable Frittata 
Chicken Satay with Sunbutter “Peanut” Sauce 
Asian Pork Chops 
Mango Salsa 
Pomegranate Molasses Salad Dressing 
Beef Keema  
Roasted Grape Tomato, Garlic & Poblano Ragu
Mexican Feast: Cream of Ancho Chile Soup, Roasted Poblano Burger with Chile de Arbol Guacamole & Pork Crusted Baked Poblano Fries 
Zesty Zucchini Skillet 
Garlic Seafood in Coconut Milk 
Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles
Fijian Ceviche
Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes   
Chicken Burgers with Spinach & Mushrooms 
Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp 
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake 
Loaded Potato Soup
Lemon Almond Biscotti 
Creamy Mints 
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken 
Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings 
Fried Green Tomatoes 
Chicken Satay Noodle Salad 
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 
Candied Popcorn
Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad 
Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella CrĂŞpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry

Check out the new SRC blog for more exciting recipes from past reveals

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Hearty Bacon, Turkey & Vegetable Frittata

10806338_10153067723316663_7211561691650685267_n It’s difficult to believe that our previous time participating in The Secret Recipe Club was way back in November!!  In some ways it feels like a long time ago, but with the holidays and all that they entail, the time passed quickly.  It’s really good to be back and participating again.  This month we were assigned Mellissa’s blog, A Fit & Spicy Life.  Mellissa is a healthy, wine-loving, dog-loving, recipe-loving gal and reading her blog allows a glimpse into her fun-loving life.

10931327_10153067723411663_4078590235970482856_n It was a cold, gray, rainy night the evening we perused Mellissa’s blog and the idea of something warm, comforting & easy was what made us stop and drool when we spotted her Bacon & Vegetable Frittata.  Seriously, there’s nothing easier, more comforting or delicious than a hearty breakfast for dinner so that’s exactly when and what we enjoyed, using Mellissa’s Bacon & Vegetable Frittata as the inspiration and guide for our meal.  Mellissa mentioned in her post, that a frittata “can be the best dish to use up all those veggies that are about to go bad” so we raided our veggie drawer and used what we had.  Also, to make it a bit heartier and because we had it already defrosted and it needed to be used, we added ground turkey to the mix.  In the end, with the inspiration of Mellissa’s recipe as our guide, we enjoyed a perfectly hearty breakfast for dinner frittata…and it reheated beautifully for meals later in the week.  Check out Mellissa’s Bacon & Vegetable Frittata and all her other recipes on A Fit & Spicy Life.

10906248_10153067723281663_6060949946048800638_nHearty Bacon, Turkey & Vegetable Frittata (adapted from here)

  • 8 Eggs
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground pepper 
  • 6 slices bacon, divided
  • 2 cups fresh chopped (chunky) broccoli
  • 1 lb. ground turkey or chicken
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • salt & ground pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup oven roasted tomatoes
  • 1 cup grated Monterey jack cheese

Heat oven to 325F.  In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy whipping cream, nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. salt & 1/2 tsp. pepper, and set aside.  In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy.  Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside.  Pour off all but 2 TBS. of the bacon fat and return the pan to the heat.  Add the broccoli and cook until tender and golden in spots.  Remove the broccoli from the pan and set aside.  Add the ground turkey & minced garlic to the pan and season with salt & pepper.  Cook the turkey until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.  Add the roasted tomatoes just as the turkey finishes cooking.  Remove the pan from the heat and add back in the cooked broccoli.  Dice three of the bacon strips and add those to the pan along with the grated cheese, stir to combine.  Pour the contents of the pan into a 10-inch silicon cake pan which has been placed on a baking sheet, or if your pan is oven-proof, just keep the ingredients in the pan and continue.  Pour the egg mixture over the turkey/broccoli mix and top with the remaining three strips of bacon (each cut in half.)  Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly delicious.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts: 

Chicken Satay with Sunbutter “Peanut” Sauce 
Asian Pork Chops 
Mango Salsa 
Pomegranate Molasses Salad Dressing 
Beef Keema  
Roasted Grape Tomato, Garlic & Poblano Ragu
Mexican Feast: Cream of Ancho Chile Soup, Roasted Poblano Burger with Chile de Arbol Guacamole & Pork Crusted Baked Poblano Fries 
Zesty Zucchini Skillet 
Garlic Seafood in Coconut Milk 
Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles
Fijian Ceviche
Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes   
Chicken Burgers with Spinach & Mushrooms 
Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp 
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake 
Loaded Potato Soup
Lemon Almond Biscotti 
Creamy Mints 
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken 
Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings 
Fried Green Tomatoes 
Chicken Satay Noodle Salad 
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 
Candied Popcorn
Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad 
Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella CrĂŞpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry

Check out the new SRC blog for more exciting recipes from past reveals

Monday, December 1, 2014

Chile Relleno Casserole

10408544_10153026166381663_7536828326446344676_nWe adore Chile Rellenos but they are an absolute pain in the bottom to stuff and fry,  so we enjoy them as a once in a while treat when we happen to go to a Mexican restaurant…which trust me, isn’t all that often. 

10168010_10153026169626663_4809715156382651063_n This though is an easy casserole and it has all the wonderful flavor of the real thing, without all the work and also without any of the gluten that is used for the typical fry coating.  There are many recipes for similar casseroles on the internet, but this version, of no recipe in particular, is our favorite.  It’s not overly spicy hot, just tingly so.  The balance of flavors is spot on and the casserole reheats perfectly, who could ask for more?  Make and enjoy!

10885379_10153026170131663_1996835004615993391_n Chile Relleno Casserole

Preheat oven to 375F.  Char the skin of the peppers, either on an outdoor grill, over the burner of a gas stove or under the broiler.  Once the skin is charred on all sides, put the peppers in a bag to allow them to sweat.  While the peppers are sweating, heat the olive oil in a skillet and sautĂ© the onions until golden.  Add the beef to the onions and brown until fully cooked. Once the peppers have cooled enough to be handled, remove the stem and seeds and the skin.  Grease an 8x10-inch pan with olive oil and arrange three of the peppers to cover the bottom of the pan.  Cover the peppers with the beef & onion mix.  Spread the cheese on top of the beef.  Lice the remaining poblano into strips and arrange over the cheese.  In a bowl, whisk together the heavy whipping cream, eggs, cumin, salt & pepper.  Pour the cream mixture over the cheese.  Bake for 35-40 minutes uncovered, until golden and bubbly.  Serve hot, room temperature or cold, all ways are delicious.  Top with sour cream if desired.  To reheat, place desired portion on a plate and heat in microwave.

Enjoy!!

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Coconut Crusted Tilapia in a Coconut Garlic Lemon Sauce

Coconut Crusted Tilapia w Coconut Garlic Lemon SauceA fast but fancy, perfect for family or company, delicious way to enjoy tilapia or other white flaky fish.  The fish cooks quickly in a pan making a crunchy delicious crust while keeping the fish moist and tender.  The coconut milk adds a creaminess to the strong lemon garlic sauce without adding dairy so perfect for everyone in our home with diets and allergies.  Interestingly we all love this fish freshly made but I think we like it even better the second day.  Got to love easy leftovers! 

Coconut Crusted Tilapia in a Coconut Garlic Lemon Sauce

Sauce

Rinse and with paper towels, pat dry the filets and then season with 1/2 tsp. salt and fresh cracked pepper. Set aside.  Prepare 3 shallow bowls.  In the first mix the arrowroot, garlic and onion powders. In the second bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and water together. In the third bowl, mix the shredded coconut, paprika, thyme, and 1/2 tsp. salt.

In a large skillet, melt 1-2 TBS. of coconut oil over medium-high heat. Lightly dredge the fish in the arrowroot mixture, shaking off any excess. Then dip the fish in the egg mixture and finally dredge it in the coconut mixture, again shaking off any excess.  Lay the filet carefully in the hot pan. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

Cook until you see the edges of the filets turn opaque and the bottom crust is golden brown and crispy, then carefully turn the filets allowing the second side to crisp and brown.  Do not over-cook as you want to keep the fish moist.  Add additional coconut oil if necessary. Once cooked, remove the fish to a plate.

In the hot pan add the minced garlic and sautĂ© quickly until fragrant but not browned.  Add the lemon juice and stir in any remaining crunchy bits in the pan.  Add the coconut milk and stir well.  Simmer the sauce until reduced and it thickly coats the back of a spoon.  Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt & pepper.  Plate the fish and top with the sauce.

This was served with a delicious and perfect accompaniment, Coconut Carrot Soufflé, click on the link for the recipe.

Enjoy!

Monday, January 20, 2014

Coconut Carrot Soufflé

Coconut Carrot Souffle A delicious personal-sized side dish or grab-and-go snack.  These petite soufflĂ©s have all the flavor of carrot cake with the texture of a light baked custard.  With no added sugar it’s decadence with none of the guilt!

Coconut Carrot Soufflé (adapted from here)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line six muffin cups or custard cups (placed on a baking sheet) with foil cupcake liners.  Place the carrots and carrot juice in a pot and bring to a simmer.  Cover partially and cook until the carrots are very tender.  Remove the lid and bring to a boil.  Cook until all of the carrot juice has been absorbed and evaporated.  Add the carrots and all the other ingredients except for the shredded coconut to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.  Divide the batter equally between the six cups.  Sprinkle the shredded coconut on the tops of the carrot batter.  Bake for 30 minutes, until slightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool slightly and then remove the foil liner.  Enjoy hot or cold.  Reheats easily in the microwave.

Enjoy!

Related Posts with Thumbnails