Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

Ingredients
6 boneless/skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup orange juice 
1/2 cup orange marmalade 
1/4 cup soy sauce 
1 clove garlic, minced 
2 Tablespoons ketchup 
Flour 


Remove any fat from chicken thighs and roll each in flour until well coated. Set chicken thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker. Combine orange juice, marmalade, soy sauce, garlic and ketchup in a small bowl. Stir until well blended. Pour sauce over chicken thighs. Cook  on low setting for 4 hours. Remove the thighs from the slow cooker. Serve dish alongside fried rice. Enjoy!
Recipe was found on Pinterest.

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

When the leaves start to turn colors and fall is in the air my thoughts turn to slow cooker recipes. What a great way to make a delicious meal while you are away at work. This potato soup is a super easy, tasty fall dish that will sure to be a favorite. 

Ingredients:

Salt and Pepper

32 oz frozen diced potatoes, thawed
1/2 cup frozen chopped onion, thawed
1/2 cup diced celery
32 oz chicken broth
1 cup water
3 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
real bacon pieces
4 green onions, chopped 

In slow cooker stir in potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water. Cover slow cooker and cook on low heat setting for 6 hours. Whisk together flour and milk into a bowl and mix into slow cooker. Increase the heat setting to high. Cover slow cooker and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Stir in the cheese and continue stirring until melted. (If you would like the soup to be thicker, mix together a bit of water and flour and pour into slow cooker until the desired consistency is achieved). Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with bacon pieces and chives. Enjoy.

Shrimp Bisque

I am always on the lookout for a delicious shrimp bisque. Any time I am at a restaurant where this is on the menu it's a definite must! Follow this recipe and you will have all of the tools to make an amazing shrimp bisque right in the comfort of your own home.

Ingredients
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 pound shrimp with shells
2 bay leaves
2 peeled and chopped carrots
2 chopped celery stalks
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup long white rice
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 parsley sprigs
2 thyme sprigs
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup finely chopped chives

Peel the shrimp and keep the shells. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large stock pot. Add shrimp shells to stock pot and cook for 5 minutes. Stir shells frequently. Add 1 bay leaf and 8 cups of water. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes. Set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain stock. Discard solids. Let stock cool slightly then place in refrigerator to chill completely. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally for 4 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to stock pot. After melted, add in carrots, celery, and onion, cook over medium heat, 10 minutes or until ingredients are soft. Remove pot from heat and add in brandy. Return pot to heat and stir until almost evaporated, 2- 3 minutes. Add rice and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Add shrimp stock, 1 bay leaf, parsley, thyme, and cayenne. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside 6 shrimp and stir remaining shrimp into bisque. Remove the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Puree bisque in a blender until smooth. You will have to do this in batches. Pour bisque through a fine mesh strainer and into a new pot. Discard any solids. Stir in the cream and reheat bisque over medium heat. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add more cayenne if desired. Finely chop shrimp and mix with chives in a small bowl. Divide bisque into bowls and place shrimp mixture on the top of each bowl. Enjoy!

Crab Cakes Drizzled with Spicy Cream

This past Saturday night I had a few girl friends over for a dinner party and this was the main course. These crab cakes are surprisingly easy to make and taste delicious. One of the guests commented that she has never tasted a crab cake that she has liked until now. In my book that is considered a success! :) This recipe serves 6.

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayo

4 green onions, finely chopped

2 eggs, lightly beaten 

2 tbsp course ground mustard

4 tsp lemon juice

3 tsp old bay seasoning

1 jalepeno finely chopped, deseeded

2 lb crab meat

2 1/2 cups panko

2 tbsp finely chopped chives

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

 2 tbsp sour cream

 2 tbsp or preferred amount Siracha hot chili sauce

In a large bowl wisk together mayo, green onions, eggs, mustard, lemon juice, old bay seasoning, and jalapeno. Add in 1 1/2 cups panko, chives, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients together. Form 12 crab cakes on a platter. Chill for 15 minutes. While cakes are chilling whisk together whipping cream, sour cream and desired level of chili sauce. Set bowl aside. Pour 1 cup panko in a side bowl. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Coat both sides of crab cakes with panko. Fry crab cakes for 3 minutes each side or until golden brown. Drizzle cream over crab cakes. Serve with a salad and lemon wedges. Enjoy!

Roasted Shrimp with Rosemary and Thyme

Our trip to California was absolutely amazing. We visited Newport Beach and had a chance to eat some amazing Seafood. After touring the beach town, we flew to San Francisco and toured Napa Valley and Sonoma where we wined and dined the entire week. I think my pants are feeling a bit snug after the trip but it was completely worth it!

Now time to eat healthy for the week before the 4^th of July.  This shrimp dish was taken from Fine Cooking and serves 4. It is sure to please a crowd with its herb infused oil. Serve over a bed of rice and with a side of roasted vegetables and you have yourself a tasty and healthy dinner.

Ingredients

6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
6 fresh thyme sprigs
3 large fresh rosemary sprigs, halved
1-1/2 lb. extra-large shrimp (26 to 30 per lb.) peeled
1-1/2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
Salt & Pepper

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the olive oil, thyme, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon of pepper in a mixing bowl. Pour mixture the mixture into a baking dish and bake for 10-12 minutes.
Add the shrimp to the dish and coat with oil. Bake the shrimp for 8-10 minutes, until pink and firm.Add the vinegar and ½ teaspoon salt and stir well. Let the shrimp cool for about 5 minutes. Serve shrimp and the sides of your choice and enjoy!

Tuna Pasta

And the adventure begins. Last night I cut an entire bunch of what I thought was parsley from our garden. Once I got it inside and starting cutting I realized that the parsley was actually cilantro. Oops. I must have been so excited that our garden was finally starting to bloom that I wasn't paying attention. It was in fact the first time I have yet to cook with something that I actually planted in the garden. But the fresh herbs were definitely worth the wait!!

Our Garden.

When I am cooking new recipes, or even old ones, I like to prepare every ingredient that I can before I start the actual process of cooking. Below is a step by step way to make Tuna Pasta with capers and fresh herbs (if you don't have a garden, no worries. You can purchase all of these herbs at your local grocery store).

This Tuna Pasta serves 2 and only takes around 25 minutes to make!

Tuna Pasta.

Ingredients
Salt and Pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (More for drizzling over pasta).
Red pepper flakes to taste
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup yellow tomatoes
1/2 cup red tomatoes
3 cups penne pasta, (Approximately 1/2 pound)
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1/8 cup parsley
4.5 ounce canned tuna in olive oil
1 tablespoon capers
Pecorino Romano Cheese (Or other cheese if you prefer)

Finely chop the garlic, rosemary and parsley. Half tomatoes if using mini. If using regular size tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces. Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Heat oil in a skillet over medium- high heat. Once oil is ready, add red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Take out garlic and red pepper flakes and set aside in a bowl (don't worry if you cannot remove all of them, you will be adding back in later). Add the tomatoes to the oil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the rosemary, salt, and pepper and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add back in  half of the garlic and red pepper flakes. Remove from heat. Stir in the tuna(with oil) and capers. Set sauce aside. Cook the pasta in boiling water for around 7 minutes or until al dente. When ready, strain the pasta and drizzle olive oil over. Stir in the pasta with the sauce. Sprinkle parsley and grate pecorini romano cheese over pasta.   Enjoy!

Finished Pasta with Grated Cheese.

Spicy Chicken Tacos

                                                      

I don’t know about you but rain always puts me in a sour mood. All I want to do is curl up on the couch with a glass of wine and a good movie on the television. However this dish should change your mind. Serve with rice and you have yourself a perfect rainy Tuesday night dinner. Who knows you might even be in the mood for a homemade Margarita.

Special Cooking Equipment: Food Processor (blender will work as a substitute).

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

salt

4 large boneless chicken thighs with skin (about 5 ounces each), pounded 1/3 inch thick

1/2 pound tomatillos—husked and quartered

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 large jalapeño with seeds, chopped

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons cilantro leaves

1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Large pinch of cayenne pepper

Vegetable oil, for frying

Warm corn tortillas, for serving

In a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the lime juice with 1 teaspoon of salt, stirring to dissolve the salt. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

In a food processor, combine the tomatillos, garlic, jalapeño, onion and cilantro and process to a coarse puree. Transfer the salsa to a bowl and stir in the avocado and the remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice. Season with salt.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour with the pepper, cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

In a large skillet, heat 1/3 inch of oil until shimmering. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess. Fry the chicken over moderately high heat until well-browned and crisp, about 3 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Cut the chicken into thin strips and serve with the tomatillo salsa and warm corn tortillas.

*Taken from Food and Wine Magazine.

Asparagus Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce

This weekend is one of those rare instances where we absolutely have no plans. We are always so busy on the weekends that a “no plan” weekend is a welcomed change. Naturally, I have every intention to relax on the deck with a mojito in hand, go to the Farmer’s Market to hopefully score some fresh ingredients, and maybe even frequent a local winery. But more importantly, I am going to take full advantage of this opportunity to cook and bake some interesting dishes. If, like me, you have more time than usual or if you are having friends over and looking to impress then Asparagus Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce is the dish for you! This delicious dish was taken from my favorite cooking magazine Fine Cooking and will serve 4. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!

Special Utensils: Food processor (may use a blender as a substitute), zester, pastry brush

Ingredients:
Sea Salt
1 lb thick asparagus, trimmed, spears cut into 1 inch pieces, tips reserved
6 tbs. mascarpone (can be found in the cheese section at your local grocery store)
1/3 cup whole milk ricotta
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 tsp anchovy paste
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
Pinch of cayenne
Salt and pepper
36 wonton wrappers
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup blanched almonds (directions on how to do this below), chopped
Freshly grated lemon zest to taste

Side Bar: If you are unsure how to blanch almonds, see directions below:
Bring water to boil on high heat. Once water is boiling, add in the almonds. Boil the almonds for 1 minute. Strain the almonds into a colander and place the strained almonds into a bowl of cold water. Wait until the almonds cool, dry with a paper towel and place in a small bowl. You now have blanched almonds!

Bring water to boil in a medium pot over high heat. Make sure to salt water. Have a bowl of ice water ready. Boil the asparagus tips for 2 minutes. Transfer the tips to the ice water. Once cool transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Repeat above with the asparagus spears. Dry them with a paper towel. In a food processor chop 1 1/2 cups of the spears very finely and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the remaining spears to the tips.

Add the mascarpone, ricotta, parmesan, anchovy paste, garlic and cayenne to the chopped asparagus. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange 18 wonton wrappers on the counter. Put 1 level tbs. of the asparagus filling in the center of each wrapper. Be sure to keep mixture in the center, making closure of the wonton easier and secure. Using a pastry brush moisten the edges of each with water. Top each with another wrapper and press the edges firmly to seal, expelling any air bubbles as you seal. If you don't plan to cook the ravioli immediately, cover them with a damp cloth.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat and add the almonds, shaking the pan. Cook until the butter turns light brown, about 6 minutes, and then immediately transfer to a small bowl.

Add the ravioli to the boiling water. (I do this in batches, 6 ravioli at a time). When they rise to the surface, after about 1 minute, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to plates. Spoon the brown butter mixture over the ravioli. Top with the reserved asparagus pieces, a grinding of pepper, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and a little lemon zest, and serve.

Recipe for Salmon with Lentils and Mustard Herb Butter

Good Afternoon Readers,

In a week from tomorrow, B and I will be traveling to California. In light of this we have both been trying to eat a little healthier than usual. (Although you might not have been able to tell from some of my recent blog posts). Additionally, being that Thursday is my favorite week night, I am in the mood to try out a new recipe in our kitchen this evening. I have located this delightful French recipe from again one of my favorite cooking websites: Epicurious. If all goes to plan, on the menu tonight will be Salmon with Lentils and Mustard Herb Butter. I am also going to serve Roasted Asparagus on the side. Cook Alongside with me this evening and be sure to let me know how it goes! Enjoy!

Ingredients
For mustard-herb butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 teaspoon chopped tarragon
2 teaspoons grainy mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

For lentils
1 cup French green lentils
4 cups water
2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 to 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

For salmon
4 (6-ounce) pieces skinless salmon fillet
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Make mustard-herb butter:
Stir together all ingredients with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

Cook lentils:
Bring lentils, water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid, then drain lentils.
While lentils cook, chop leeks, then wash . Cook leeks in butter in a heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add lentils with reserved cooking liquid to leeks along with 3 tablespoons mustard-herb butter and cook, stirring, until lentils are heated through and butter is melted. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and keep warm, covered.

Sauté salmon while leeks cook:
Pat salmon dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total).

Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then sauté salmon, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total.

Serve salmon, topped with remaining mustard-herb butter, over lentils. Enjoy!

*Recipe taken from Epicurious.

Spicy Dill Turkey Burgers

It’s a hot one this evening!! If you are craving a burger but don’t feel like getting out in this scorching heat then Spicy Dill Turkey Burgers on a grill pan are the perfect selection. Serve roasted asparagus and a salad of your choice alongside this tasty treat for the perfect meal.

Special Cooking Equipment: Grill Pan. We just purchased one from Bed Bath and Beyond and it works great!

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons reduced-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh dill
2 teaspoons hot sauce of your choice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground turkey

Directions
Combine red onions, yogurt, dill, hot sauce, salt, and garlic in a bowl. Combine the turkey with the other ingredients. Shape the turkey into 4 patties. Place a lightly oiled grill pan on medium- high heat. Once the griddle is preheated, cook the Turkey burgers for 7 minutes per side, turning only once or until no longer pink. Serve with toasted buns and the accompaniments of your choice. Lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and spicy ground mustard taste great with these burgers. Enjoy eating these tasty burgers in the coolness of your home!

Red Thai Shrimp Curry

I have always loved Curry and eating Thai food is one of my favorites. However, I was always intimidated when it came to cooking it. I was ecstatic when I came across this recipe in Fine Cooking.While visiting my friend Renee in Austin, I discovered that this recipe was easy to create, fun to cook with friends and tastes delicious!! And the best part of it all is that the possibilities are endless. Here is my take on the recipe.

Red Thai Shrimp Curry
Serving Size 4

Ingredients:
1- 13.5 oz can coconut milk
1/4 cup red curry paste
1 cup lower salt chicken broth
1 lb shrimp
6 whole leaves: fresh or thawed frozen wild lime leaves +1 tbs. (substitute 1 tsp. finely grated lime zest)
three 1/8 inch thick slices fresh ginger
1 cup bamboo shoots
1/2 cup shitake mushrooms
1/2 cup Japanese/ Chinese eggplant
1 cup bok choy
2 tbs. light brown sugar
1 tsp. fish sauce
1 cup basil

Make the curry paste:
Shake the can of coconut milk. In a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat, simmer 1/2 cup of the coconut milk stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 3-5 minutes.
Add curry paste, whisk well and cook, continuing to Wisk, for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth and the remaining coconut milk. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat.

Once the curry paste is simmering, add in the lime leaves and ginger for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Add in the brown sugar and the fish sauce. Add in the eggplant and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Add in the shitake mushrooms and simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Add in the bamboo shoots and bok choy and simmer for 1 minute.

Remove the curry from the heat add in basil and 1 tbs. lime leaves. Enjoy!

An interesting tool for creating a wide variety of Thai Curry dishes can be found online at http://www.finecooking.com/articles/cyor/thai-curry.aspx

*Recipe retrieved from Fine Cooking Magazine.