Tag: delicious

Breads · Garden

Delicata Squash and Sage Biscuits

cathysmahaLeave a comment

This recipe has been in my ‘must try’ stack for two years. Finally, I had the delicata squash and the motivation to make them and I was not disappointed. Oh my gosh, they are so flaky and delicious. My garden sage was plentiful, so it was the perfect time. Wouldn’t these be wonderful for the Thanksgiving table?

Delicata Squash and Sage Biscuits

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 medium-small delicata squash (½ cup squash purée)
  • 2 cups unbleached white flour
  • 2 ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • 2 Tbsp. cane sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled
  • 1 small bunch of fresh sage (1 ½ tsp. chopped and 10 whole leaves for garnish)
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • For the egg wash:
    • 1 small egg
    • 1 Tbsp. milk
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Slice the delicata squash in half, lengthwise. Remove all the seeds and stringy pulp around the seeds. Place the squash halves cut-side facing down on a baking sheet. Roast in a 400F oven for about 30 minutes or until a knife pierces the flesh like soft butter. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit. Scoop out the roasted flesh and discard the skins. Mash by hand with a potato masher, or if you wish, purée with a hand blender until smooth. Measure out 1/2 cup of squash purée. Chill the purée in the fridge.
  2. 2In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Using a box grater, grate the cold butter into the flour mixture. Place this mixture in the freezer while you prepare the wet ingredients (about 5 to 10 minutes).
  3. 3In another bowl, mix the chilled cream, squash purée, and finely chopped sage. Whisk together until smooth. In another smaller bowl, make the egg wash by beating the egg and 1 Tbsp. of milk together.
  4. 4Remove the dry ingredients from the freezer. With a pastry cutter or your hands, make sure the grated butter is fully incorporated into the flour (it should look like bread crumbs). Gently add the squash and cream mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring just until the dough starts to come together. Using your hands, lightly knead the dough in the bowl, until uniform, but avoiding overhandling it.
  5. 5Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and either roll or simply press the dough out to 3/4 inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2 inch round or square cookie cutter, cut out the biscuits. Brush the tops with egg wash and gently press a whole sage leaf on top of each biscuit. Place on a lightly buttered baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in a 400F oven, until golden on top. Transfer the biscuits to a cooling rack and serve warm.

Recipe from PBS Food Recipes

Fish

Zesty Shrimp and Avocado Rice Bowls with Cilantro Lime Sauce

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Zesty Shrimp and Avocado Rice Bowls are so easy to make and absolutely delicious. After making it, I’ll experiment by adding other ingredients such as cucumber, shredded carrot and perhaps mango. This is a great

Zesty Shrimp and Avocado Rice Bowls with Cilantro Lime Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
  • 1 ripe avocado, diced
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup chopped Cilantro
  • optional: 1/2 cup shredded carrots, cucumber or mango
  • Cilantro Lime Sauce:
    • 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
    • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • Pinch of black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Prepare the shrimp: In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  2. Start cooking the rice. 1 cup rice and 2 cups water.
  3. Cook the shrimp: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until pink and cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Make the cilantro lime sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream (or yogurt), cilantro, lime juice, water, salt and pepper until smooth.
  5. Assemble the four (3 for a bigger serving) bowls: Divide the cooked rice among the bowls. Top with the cooked shrimp, diced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion and chopped cilantro. (optional: shredded carrots, cucumber or mango).
  6. Drizzle with sauce: Drizzle each bowl generously with the cilantro lime sauce.
  7. Serve immediately: Enjoy your zesty and refreshing shrimp and avocado rice bowls.

Note: I ate the bowls leftover as well as fresh. They were good straight from the frig or microwaved for a few seconds to take the chill off.

Recipe from awesomefood

Meats

Tri-Tip Steak

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Tri-Tip steak is rather new cut to prepare but I have found it to be tender and delicious. The rub for this recipe is bursting with flavor. If you are sensitive to spicy heat, you can tone down the spice. I prepared the steak on the grill as directed and it turned out perfectly. Using a Meater Pro thermometer has helped me assure that I am not over or under cooking meats.

I served the steak with steamed baby potatoes and broccoli. The plate looks messy because of all of the juiciness of the steak. Yummo!

Tri Tip Steak

INGREDIENTS:
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 beef tri-tip roast (2 pounds)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • Optional: Condiment of choice such as chimichurri, herb garlic butter, or bourbon cream sauce
DIRECTIONS:
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire, vinegar and honey. Place steak in dish; pour marinade over steak; turn to coat. Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°. Remove steak from the marinade; discard marinade. Pat steaks dry with paper towel. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder; sprinkle over steak.
  3. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Brown steak on all sides.
  4. Place steak on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, fat side up. Roast until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°), 50-55 minutes. Remove from oven; tent with foil. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. If desired, serve with condiment of choice.

Recipe from TasteofHome

Breads

Blueberry Banana Bread

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Banana bread is always a hit but with extra blueberries on hand, I had to try this recipe. The grandboys went crazy over it. Who knew this combination could be so good!

Blueberry Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 mini loaf pans.
  2. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
  3. Beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light in color and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract; beat in mashed bananas.
  5. Add flour mixture a little at a time, beating until just combined into a thick batter. Fold in blueberries until evenly distributed.
  6. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pans.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer loaves to cool completely on a wire rack.

Recipe from AllRecipes

Fish

BBQ Salmon Bowls With Mango Avocado Salsa

cathysmahaLeave a comment

BBQ Salmon Bowl with Mango Avocado Salsa is absolutely delicious! The salmon is so quickly roasted in the oven and 6 minutes was perfect for the salmon filet I made. The mango salsa is delicious by itself. I served this dish with the Cucumber Edamame Salad. Eating the leftovers, cold, was great the next day and so refreshing on a hot day. I’ll be making this recipe over and over again.

BBQ Salmon Bowls with Mango Avocado Salsa

INGREDIENTS:
  • Salmon:
    • 1–2 lbs. fresh salmon
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 2 teaspoons onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (more for a larger filet)
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Mango Avocado Salsa:
    • 2 mangoes, diced
    • 1 avocado, diced
    • 1/4 cup minced cilantro
    • 1/4 cup minced red onion
    • 1/2 jalapeño, minced (optional, to taste)
    • 1 teaspoon honey
    • 2 tablespoons lime juice + 1 teaspoon lime zest
    • salt to taste
  • For Serving:
    • 1 1/2 cups of rice cooked according to instructions
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Mango salsa: Toss all ingredients in a bowl to combine. Taste, adjust, try not to eat the whole bowl.
  2. Cook your rice: Get your rice cooking according to package directions.
  3. Get the oven ready: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Alternatively, you can set it to 500 degrees on the broil setting for medium rare with a yummy crispy top – the risk here is that you have to watch closely so it doesn’t burn the sugar. If taking this route, make sure one of the oven racks is close-ish to the top, about 6 inches or so.
  4. Salmon: Mix the spices and the olive oil to make a paste. Place the salmon skin side down on the baking sheet. Rub the paste liberally over the top part of the salmon. Bake for 6-12 minutes depending on the thickness of your salmon and your desired doneness. See notes if you’re not sure.
  5. Bowl it up: Pile up some rice, pull off some of salmon, and spoon that mango avocado salsa over the whole thing. Add a lime squeezer for good measure. IT’S SO GOOD.

Recipe from PinchofYum

Asian Dishes · Salads

Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Thai flavors are so delightful that I can’t seem to get enough. This Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing is so delicious and packed with protein. I used spinach and the salad kept well for a couple of days. You could optionally serve the dressing only at the time of serving to better preserve the lettuce or spinach. A delicious favorite of mine!

Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing

INGREDIENTS:
  • For the Salad:
    • 1 cup cooked quinoa
    • 2 big handfuls mixed greens OR baby spinach
    • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped or thinly sliced
    • 1/2 cup shredded carrot
    • 1/2 cup shelled edamame
    • 2 green onions, chopped
    • 3 tablespoons peanuts, minced
    • handful fresh cilantro, chopped
  • For the Peanut Dressing:
    • 1/4 cup peanut butter
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 1-1/2 Tablespoons gluten free Tamari
    • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • heaping 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, pressed or minced
    • juice of 1/2 lime (other half sliced into wedges)
    • 1/8 teaspoon salt
    • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
    • 2 Tablespoons hot water
DIRECTIONS:
  1. For the Peanut Dressing: Add all ingredients to a bowl or mason jar with a tight fitting lid then whisk or shake well to combine. Set aside.
  2. Divide remaining salad ingredients between two bowls then drizzle with dressing and serve with lime wedges.
  3. Optional: Cook quinoa in chicken stock for more flavor. You can also add chicken or another protein.

Recipe from Iowa Girl Eats

Desserts

No Churn Nutella Ice Cream

cathysmahaLeave a comment

One of grandsons LOVES Nutella so I decided to try this recipe. It was easy to put together and no churn time is necessary. I didn’t have hazelnuts on hand so we will enjoy it plain. As the original recipe states, it is rich so you don’t need to eat more than a scoopful. While the photo isn’t fantastic, the flavor is!

No Churn Nutella Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 can Condensed milk 395g or 14oz
  • 200 g (.70 cups) Nutella
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil get the light (tasting) variety
  • 2 cups Cream heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup Roasted hazelnuts, chopped (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the condensed milk, nutella, vanilla and olive oil
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream until soft peaks form
  3. Carefully fold ⅓ of the cream into the nutella mixture, being careful not to deflate the cream
  4. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold through
  5. Pour the mixture into an ice cream container or prepared pan
  6. Sprinkle with roasted hazelnuts and seal with the lid (or cover with plastic wrap and foil, making sure it is completely airtight)
  7. Place in the freezer for 6 hours before serving
  8. Take the ice cream out of the freezer for about 10 minutes before serving, to allow it to soften and be easier to scoop
  9. Notes:
    • If you can’t find roasted hazelnuts, raw hazelnuts can be roasted in a moderate oven for 10 minutes – just place them on a lined tray and give them a roll around after 5 minutes
    • This ice cream is super rich and delicious -1 scoop is often enough

Recipe from AppleCakeAnnie

Pastas

Chile Crisp Fettuccine Alfredo With Spinach

cathysmahaLeave a comment

What a flavorful, delicious pasta dish! I a spicy wimp so I was surprised that I need to double the amount of chile crisp to get the flavor punch I was looking for. I shared leftovers with one of my daughters and she was equally a fan of this recipe.

Chile Crisp Fettuccine Alfredo With Spinach

INGREDIENTS:
  • Salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chile crisp, plus more to taste (I used double this amount to get the flavor I was looking for)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (I used Half & Half)
  • 1 pound dried fettuccine
  • 1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach
  • ¾cup finely grated Parmesan (2¼ ounces), plus more for serving
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water heats, melt the butter with the chile crisp in a very large skillet or Dutch oven over low heat.
  2. Whisk in the cream and keep warm over low. (It should steam, not bubble.)
  3. Cook the fettuccine until al dente according to the package directions. Use tongs to transfer the noodles to the cream mixture, reserving the pasta water.
  4. Add the spinach and turn with tongs until the noodles are well coated.
  5. Add the Parmesan and toss, still over low heat, until the noodles are slicked with a creamy sauce, adding a spoonful or two of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Divide among serving dishes and top with Parmesan and more chile crisp, if you’d like. Serve immediately.

Recipe from TheNewYorkTimes

Italian Dishes

Italian Sausage Stuffed Summer Squash

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Last year I had many yellow squash in my garden. While I like roasting vegetables or making lemon yellow squash bread, I needed a new recipe. This recipe is so delicious! I doubled the recipe and the leftovers were just as good as when it was first served. The photo makes it look like I burned the squash, but I did not and it was perfect. You can bake for a lesser time as well. I also experimented with delicata squash and found the rind was too tough. You could easily substitute zucchini for the yellow squash.

Italian Sausage Stuffed Summer Squash

INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 squash halves
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 4 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 2 links of Italian sausage hot or sweet
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
  • ½ C parmesan cheese
  • ½ C shredding cheese Mexican mix or low monster mozzarella
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • garnish with fresh basil or fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS:
  1. tart by cooking the sausage in a nonstick frying pan. Sauté on medium heat until they are lightly browned about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the sausage from the frying pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350.
  3. Sauté the finely chopped onions, crushed garlic and diced bell pepper in the drippings from the sausage. Cook until the onions are translucent and the peppers have softened about 5 to 6 minutes.
  4. Next, add the oregano, cumin, and red pepper flakes to the pan and mix thoroughly with the onions and peppers. Sauté for two minutes to bring out the flavors of the spices.
  5. Place the sausage, peppers and onions mixture into a medium size bowl. Mix in the breadcrumbs, shredded cheese, parmesan cheese and egg and set the mixture aside.
  6. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil or parchment paper for easier cleanup.
  7. Cut the squash down the middle lengthwise. Using a spoon to scoop out the seedy interior of the squash and discard. Place the squash cut side up on the cookie sheet.
  8. Scoop the sausage mixture in to the wells of the squash.
  9. Bake for approximately 40 to 60 minutes. It depends on the size of the squash.
  10. Notes
  11. You want to use both a Parmesan cheese and some kind of shredded cheese. I usually have both a nice brick of Parmesan Reggiano and the cheap crumbled cheese in the refrigerator. For this recipe I find that the crumbled pram works just fine to add that salty nutty flavor, so I save the nice parm for other dishes.
  12. I have used both shredded low moisture mozzarella and cheddar Colby Jack (“Mexican cheese mix”) shredded cheese. They’re both good and I actually like them Mexican cheese mix the best, but don’t be afraid to experiment and just use what’s in your house.

Recipe from Balancing Bowls

Pastas

Pumpkin Rigatoni with Rosemary Walnut Crispies

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Pumpkin Rigatoni with the savory, delicious rosemary walnut crispies is a real treat. Daughter, Megan, first made this (substituting the pasta) and it was divine. I made it a couple of weeks later and, again, loved the results. The Rosemary Walnut Crispies can be made in advance to save prep time. I opted to add cooked, shredded chicken to add some protein, a nice addition. The rosemary walnut crispies would be delicious on a pear or other fall salad!

Pumpkin Rigatoni with Rosemary Walnut Crispies

INGREDIENTS:
  • Pumpkin Rigatoni:
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1–2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • squeeze of lemon
  • 1 lb. rigatoni
  • Optional: 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast
  • Rosemary Walnut Crispies:
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1–2 tablespoons brown sugar (I like 2)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
  • black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Rosemary Walnut Crispies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Run the walnuts through a food processor until they have a chopped texture. Arrange chopped walnuts on a small sheet pan and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss with rosemary, butter, sugar, salt, and pepper. Set aside to cool.
  2. Pasta: Cook according to package directions. Drain.
  3. Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce: While the pasta cooks, heat the butter in a skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant (do not brown the garlic – it tastes bitter). Add the pumpkin and broth; simmer until smooth. Add the cream and salt; simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Add a little squeeze of lemon juice if you’re into that. Add cooked pasta to the sauce. Optional: stir in shredded chicken
  4. Assemble: Serve pasta in shallow bowls with a sprinkle of the walnut crispies on top, and a little sprig of rosemary for a fancy garnish if, you know, you’re fancy.

Recipe from PinchofYum with modification to add chicken.