Thursday, August 16, 2018

Weekly Favorites 08/05/18 to 08/11/18

Last week, for Weekly Favorites, I decided to go with a sweets and desserts theme. This week, I decided to go with another theme, and include all pasta articles!

Baked Lumaconi Pasta Shells with Chicory and Porcini - via The Pasta Project

I've always loved stuffed and baked pasta dishes. Pasta stuffed with mushrooms is one of my favorites!

Creamy Tomato Alfredo Tortellini with Sautéed Arugula and Hot Sausage - via The Sweet & Savory Couple

If I'm being honest, I have to admit that I've never been a huge fan of Alfredo sauce. I am however, a fan of tomatoes and Italian sausage. And, I've always been fascinated by tortellini!

Corn Pasta with Bacon and Pecorino Romano - via Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

We've been cooking with a lot of corn lately. Coincidentally, we made a corn and bacon pasta dish just like this a few weeks ago with some chicken! This combination of pasta and bacon and corn is great!

Rigatoni Filled with Spinach and Gorgonzola - via Make it Kitchen

Maybe it's because I watched a lot of Popeye when I was little, but I love spinach! It's great in salads, but especially in pasta! Pasta stuffed with cheese and spinach is a delicious combination!

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Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Seafood Pasta Diavolo

I've always loved pasta, especially with seafood. The textures and flavors go so well together. It's especially good with some added spice, like Seafood Pasta Diavolo! Diavolo sauce, or fra diavolo sauce, is typically a tomato based sauce with some red pepper or other spice added to it to give it some heat.

Let's cook!
Seafood Pasta Diavolo
Seafood Pasta Diavolo


 The Recipe:

  • 1 14.5 oz Can Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 Shallot - Diced
  • 4 Garlic Gloves - Diced
  • 1 Cup Dry White Wine
  • Scallops
  • Whole Clams
  • Shrimp
  • Crushed Red Pepper
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Linguine
  • Fresh Parsley
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

To start, heat the olive oil over in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Pan sear the scallops for about a minute on each side, until well seared and golden brown. Remove the scallops and set aside.

Lower the heat to medium. In the remaining oil, sauté the shallot and garlic with red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. I like mine spicy, so I use a lot of red pepper flakes. When the garlic is golden, deglaze with the wine. A sauvignon blanc works great for this. Add in the tomatoes. When the sauce begins to reduce, add in the shrimp and cover. Keep an eye on the shrimp. They will cook really fast. Flip the shrimp about halfway through. You'll know to flip them, when the pink color starts to creep up the sides. 

After you flip the shrimp, add the clams and scallops in, and cover. When the clams open, the sauce is done, and you're ready to eat! I served this with linguine, but a spaghetti or angel hair would work as well. A fresh pasta would work great too. Sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley on top. This would also pair well with some cheesy garlic bread!

**A note about the seafood. I made this dish just for me. I used five shrimp, four clams, and three scallops. Depending on how many people you are cooking for, you would need to increase the amount of seafood. Use these numbers as a guide.

Happy eating!
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Sunday, August 5, 2018

Weekly Favorites 07/29/18 to 08/04/18

One of the great things about me getting behind in the blog posts, is that you get two posts in one day! Here's another batch of weekly favorites. This week, it's all sweets and desserts!

Almond Ice Cream Bars - via Game of Cookies

 When you've got two little boys at home, you have to stay on your toes. Finding new snacks to keep them occupied and interested can be a challenge. This one they can even help make themselves!

Macadamia & Raspberry White Chocolate Blondie - via Tania's Kitchen

This blondie has a few things going for it. The texture isn't the heavy texture you normally get some blondies. I've had some that are more like a cookie bar than a blondie. These flavors mesh together so well and have that added sweetness after being dusted with powdered sugar. This actually looks like it could make a good breakfast cake!

Sticky Date, Toffee Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce - via Tania's Kitchen

The thing that drew me in to this recipe, was the butterscotch sauce. Hot fudge is great on ice cream, but I've always been a sucker for a good butterscotch sauce! Combine that with the toffee pudding, and you've got a winner for me!

Chocolate Afghans - via Tania's Kitchen

You may have now noticed, that I dove headfirst and explored Tania's Kitchen this week! She as some great recipes beyond these three here! I always like to have an assortment of things out when I have friends over for dinner, and these look not only super yummy, but also super easy to make! They also look portable, which is a must for parties when most people are standing around, talking!

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Weekly Favorites 07/22/18 to 07/28/18

I had every intention of getting this post up last weekend. I had all of my favorite posts ready to go! Here they are, a week later!

Grilled Turkey Kabobs - via Happy Foods Tube

I don't grill a lot of turkey, but these kabobs caught my eye! These flavors sound really good, and I especially like the idea of serving it over rice!
Cookies - via Kitchen Thyme

Kitchen Thyme is a an aggregator of sorts, featuring bloggers. Their posts tend to feature on a theme. This one, is all things cookies! I've always had a sweet spot for oatmeal raisin cookies, but the ones that really caught my eye are the Fudgy Chocolate Chunk Cookies!

Red Wine Pasta from Barolo with White Ragu - via The Pasta Project

If you've followed along at all, you know I'm an eater of all things pasta! Nothing seems too exotic. This ragu is making my mouth water just thinking about it!


Elegant and Delectable with Poached Egg and Bacon Bits - via Cooking with Anadi

 We do a lot of avocado toast around here. Usually it's just like it sounds, avocado and toast. Stepping up to a guacamole sounds amazing and full of healthy nutrients! Can't wait to try this one out!
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Sunday, July 22, 2018

Weekly Favorites 07/15/18 to 07/21/18

Another new batch of favorite food and restaurant articles!


 Easy Protein Pancakes - via Maune Legacy

 Don't me wrong, I love pancakes for breakfast, especially smothered in whipped cream, macerated strawberries, and maple syrup. But sometimes, I think it would be nice to get a little bit more nutrients out of them. This pancake recipe, packs an extra punch of protein!
Foodie Girl Chicago - via Kitchen Thyme

At first glance, I was drawn to the idea that this is a blog featuring bloggers, kind of like what I'm doing here! But then, I looked at the recipes Foodie Girl Chicago is writing. These all look amazing! The Lamb Meatball Gyro Bowl and the Mexican Street Corn Pasta were instant winners for me! I'm going to be back, visiting Foodie Girl Chicago's page to look for more!
Couscous Salad with Mixed Beans, Feta Cheese and Olives - via Green Lentil

I really need to start eating better. The trouble is, a lot of healthy food just doesn't sounds good to me, most of the time. This Couscous Salad on the other hand, sounds like something I could without hesitation. Maybe it's the fact that the salad in the picture is smothered in feta, a small weakness of mine. Either way, I am going to be eating this!



 Tomahawk Steak - Reverse Sear - via Shakey Eats

 Look, if you haven't tried out the reverse sear method for grilling steaks, you need to stop waiting on get right to it. I was hesitant at first. Steaks are expensive, and I really didn't want to through money away with an unfamiliar cooking method. As long you as you a decent grasp of grilling meat or cooking them in a pan over the stove top, it's hard to mess this up. It's all about indirect heat anyway. Shakey Eats even gives it an added shot of butter if you needed any extra coaxing!



 Saint Arnold Beer Garden Now Open for Houston Brewery Tourists - via Ronnie Crocker

 This is cool. I've been a fan of these guys for as long as I can remember. Opening their new location was a big deal back in 2009, and they have continued to grow it. Now, with another expansion with a beer garden right next door, this is just another reason beer travelers and tourists to stop by and check out the brewery!

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Saturday, July 21, 2018

Cast Iron Fajitas

If you've been following along for any period of time, you've probably noticed that I love fajitas! Whenever I go to a Mexican restaurant, at least two things are almost guaranteed to happen. First, I'll probably look over the entire menu, only to go back and decide on fajitas. Usually beef, sometimes with shrimp, and sometimes a chicken and beef combo.

Cast Iron Fajitas
Cast Iron Fajitas

A few weeks ago, I got a sample of the Kingston 10 Jamaican Jerk Spice from Seasonality Spices. When I opened the package to get my first smell, I immediately realized that this spice mix would be perfect as a fajita seasoning! I got a skillet and made some Cast Iron Fajitas!


Kingston Spice Mix from Seasonality Spices
Kingston Spice Mix from Seasonality Spices
The Recipe:
Cast Iron Fajitas
Skirt Steak in the Cast Iron Skillet

  • 10 oz Skirt Steak
  • 1 Tablespoon of Kingston 10 Spice Blend
  • 2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
  • 3 Garlic Cloves - Minced
  • 1 Onion - Sliced
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper - Sliced
  • Tortillas

Let the skirt steak marinate in the soy sauce, Kingston 10 spice mix, and garlic for about an hour.  Start heating a cast iron skillet over medium heat while you coat the skirt steak with the seasoning. 





It is important to remember to use a lower heat when you use a cast iron skillet. A good seasoning on your cast iron can take a long time to achieve. If the heat is too high, it can cook the seasoning right out of the cast iron. This took me a long time to learn.



Marinated Skirt Steak
Marinated Skirt Steak



When the cast iron is hot, it's time to put the skirt steak on. Cooking time is going to depend on personal preference and how done you want the meat. I like a nice crust on the outside, while it still pink in the middle, about a medium-rare.

When the steak is done, remove and set aside to rest. The cast iron is going to have retained a lot of heat from cooking the steak and will be perfect for the peppers and onions! As an added bonus, the peppers and onions will absorb some of the flavors left behind from the steak!

While the peppers and onions are cooking, slice the steak. I like to cut it in half and then turn it 90 degrees to cut across the grain. This makes the steak more tender and easier to eat.

Peppers and Onions in Cast Iron
Peppers and Onions in Cast Iron
With the peppers and onions removed, the last thing to do, is to put a couple of tortillas in the cast iron for a minute or so on each side to heat them up and get them a little crispy.

With all of your ingredients ready, it's time to assemble your fajitas with your favorite condiments. I like cheese, salsa, beans, and guacamole!
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Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Weekly Favorites 07/08/18 to 07/14/18

Time for another batch of favorite food and restaurant articles! This week, I'm exploring articles from Red Thai Curry Prawns, to Fried Squash Blossoms!


Chocolate Coffee Nice Cream - via Daffodils and Lemons

 It's interesting to me that even though I am in no way trying to cut out any specific foods in my diet, I keep finding myself drawn to recipes using alternative ingredients. At any rate this "nice cream" looks pretty good to me!


Classic Red Thai Curry with Prawns - via Annalena's Heart(h)beat

 Typically, I don't make curry, but when I get the chance to eat it, I always do! I like my curry pretty spicy too! I find that the spice goes really well with the coconut milk typically found in curry recipes!


Morning Maple Cranberry Oat Pecan Bars - via Fork and Spoon Recipes 

 Some mornings, you just have to have a quick breakfast. And let's face it, sometimes that quick and breakfast needs to be something portable. These bars are definitely fit the bill for quick and portable breakfast, and the pack a huge punch of nutrition!

Fried Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Crab and Mascarpone - via Brina's Bites 

 Alright, full disclosure here, these fried squash blossoms instantly reminded of Gilmore Girls. There's no shame there. I'll spare you the details of the scene. After the Gilmore Girls moment had passed, I explored the recipe. First, I love crab. Second, the crab and mascarpone combination is so good! I definitely want to try my hand at making these!

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