What's Cookin, Chicago?

Norwegian Cruise Line: A Family Vacation Idea!

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

It's Friday... and we're on vacation! Well, kind of. The Baron, Joel and I are soaking up some Florida sunshine here at Walt Disney World in Orlando. For me, it's the Food Blog Forum that will keep me busy this weekend, while my favorite boys enjoy their fun adventures in Mickey Mouse's playground. It's a win win for everyone!

I look forward to share our experiences soon and there will be a lot to share because I'll be meeting some amazing food bloggers. It will also be a good opportunity to share traveling experiences with a three year old lol. Although this is our first big trip together, I'm sure it won't be our last. Someday, I'd love to go on a cruise...

In fact, I was looking into cruise vacations to take in the future and in the process, I learned about the Norwegian Cruise Line. I was pretty impressed! From what I learned, Norwegian Cruise Line gives families their best vacation ever with Freestyle Cruising® and exclusive Nickelodeon™ entertainment. With Norwegian’s youth program, kids will never be bored with all of the below new enhancements.

Their new youth program is active, inventive, creative and filled with a wide range of optional activities. This is especially great since the program will keep kids of all age groups active and entertained throughout the entire cruise. I especially love that it also encourages kids to play all day with non-stop activities and themed events.

The Norwegian Cruise line also has:
• Circus activities
• Counselors
• Sporting activities/events
• Nickelodeon activities/events (especially on Norwegian Gem)
• Overall family-friendly ship features (i.e. slides, pools, family entertainment)

When figuring out what type of family vacation to go on, I really look for specific amenities like:

• community pool - Joel loves being in the water and can be entertained in a pool for hours
• all inclusive dinners - where there's something for everyone on the menu and is already included in the vacation to avoid additional expenses
• family friendly places & activities where both kids and parents can relax and play together

Some posts that I also found helpful in planning a family cruise are the following... and while you check out these links, enter the sweepstakes they are hosting for a chance to win a cruise for a family of 4 - unfortunately I won't be able to enter, but maybe YOU will!:

Eclectically Vintage - http://goo.gl/ISYUU
Parenting Miracles - http://goo.gl/VdXhK
Tea Rose Home - http://goo.gl/FY9qT
The Java Mama - http://goo.gl/kiiu1
kojodesigns - http://goo.gl/7uf9j

At this point, I'm definitely considering a Norwegian Cruise for our next family vacation but if you're in the market, I'd check them out! You can follow Norwegian Cruises via Twitter at @CruiseNorwegian #NCLBH #ad

We'll be back next week.... 'See ya real soon!'

Carrots & Cabbage Kielbasa

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:16:00 +0000

Cabbage is typically seen more on menus during the month of March because it's popularity around St. Patrick's Day menus. But I'm growing more fond of cabbage each time I cook it. It seems to be quite the underestimated vegetable. This Carrots & Cabbage Kielbasa was one I did serve during a St. Patrick's Day meal but it's delicious any time of year. Polish Kielbasa flavors a melange of onions, garlic, carrots and cabbage for a delicious side dish to share...

When making this dish, it came about as a means to cook up everything at once to save time and eliminate the use of additional pots and pans. This is easily a one pot dish that's great for potlucks! For a vegetarian option, omit the kielbasa and use water instead of chicken stock. We enjoyed this with corned beef but it's equally good with a pork roast.

Carrots & Cabbage Kielbasa
original Joelen recipe

1 tablespoon unsalted butter1 tablespoon olive oil1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 pound baby carrots
1 pound Polish kielbasa, diced
1 head of cabbage, coarsely shredded or chopped
1 tablespoon sugar1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste1/2 cup water or chicken stock

In a large skillet over medium heat, add butter and olive oil. Add onions and garlic, sautéeing until softened.

Add the baby carrots and continue to cook for 10 minutes or until carrots have cooked to an al dente.

Once carrots are cooked to an al dente, add the kielbasa and cook until the edges have become slightly crispy.

Add the cabbage and stir to coat with kielbasa and carrots. Season with sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Add water or stock and cover, cooking for 7-10 minutes or until cabbage has cooked through.

Uncover and stir before serving.

Steak Diane

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:30:00 +0000

Fire up those grills... summer's coming! It's crazy to think summer is just a little over a month away. What happened to spring in the midwest?! But thankfully we're getting some warm and sunny weather here in Chicago and that means steaks will soon be making it on the grills. Because it hasn't been so warm and grilling all year round isn't always an option for me, using a skillet on the stovetop or oven is a nice alternative. Good steak is possible without a grill! In fact, this Steak Diane is a simply prepared steak in a sizzling hot skillet, dressed with lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and a touch of butter for added richness...

The Baron likes his steak on the rare side so this didn't take long to prepare at all. We both agree that a really good steak requires nothing more than salt and pepper but this simple sauce was a nice change of pace. After the steaks are cooked on the stovetop to your preference, the sauce comes together rather quickly in the same skillet to pick up the fond left behind from the steak.

Steak Diane
recipe adapted from Food

Ingredients
4 ribeye or strip steaks
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter (divided)
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon parsley, minced

Cooking Directions

Season steaks with salt and pepper.
In a skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons butter.
Add steaks to skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Remove to serving platter and keep warm.
To the skillet, add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cook for 2 minutes then add parsley. Pour over steaks just before serving.

Chicken Florentine Alfredo

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:27:00 +0000

If there's a pasta dish I can rarely say no to, it's chicken alfredo. There's something about that creamy cheese sauce that is so irresistable! But to give the traditional chicken alfredo dish a little spin, I love adding spinach for some color and flavor. This Chicken Florentine Alfredo introduces chopped spinach to the pasta party with the same creamy, Parmesan sauce and where specks of spinach adds a delicious touch of color and flavor...

When I come home from a long day at work, getting dinner on the table is the first task I work on after getting through the door. Whatever I can do to make dinner easier is the main strategy. For this dish, I found preparing the chicken and cooking the pasta to an al dente beforehand saves me a bit of time. In assembling this dish, both the chicken and pasta warm up nicely when combined with the sauce that comes together pretty quickly on the stovetop. As for the pasta, my favorite gluten free pasta would have to be from RP Pasta. Their pasta is fresh and can be found in the refrigerated section and offer a few kinds - fettuccine, linguine, fusilli, lasagna sheets...

Chicken Florentine Alfredo
recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman

9 ounces, fettuccine pasta {GF RP Pasta}
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cups dry white wine (or low-sodium chicken broth)
1/2 cup half-and-half
10 ounces chopped frozen spinach
3 tablespoons heavy cream
low sodium chicken broth, as needed for thinning
3/4 cups parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, Minced

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook through by browning on both sides and done in the middle. Remove from the skillet, and set aside.

Add butter to the skillet with the minced garlic, stirring to avoid burning. Cook for 1 minute and add wine (or broth). Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer for a few minutes.

Add frozen spinach, half-and-half, cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until all combined and allow liquid to thicken. If it gets too thick, add a little chicken broth.

Meanwhile, cut the chicken into thin strips., set aside.

Remove the sauce from heat and add Parmesan to the pan, followed by the pasta. Toss to coat and add the chicken. Continue to toss and if it gets too thick, you can thin it out by adding a little chicken broth. Serve immediately.

Hugs & Quiches For Mother's Day...

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:12:00 +0000

This weekend is Mother's Day... how will you be celebrating those wonderful women in your life that have nurtured and cared for you in some way? In the past we've done family brunches and if you plan on hosting one this weekend, how about a quiche to bring to the table? Here are 9 quiche recipes to check out that are perfect for Mother's Day brunches...

Denver Quiche

Southwestern Quiche

Mediterranean Quiche

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

Spinach Mushroom Quiche

Bacon Brie & Artichoke Quiche

Mini Cheese Quiche Bites

Bacon Spinach Quiche

Ham Broccoli & Cheese Quiche

All Aboard Joel's Birthday Train!

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:44:00 +0000

Today is a very special day. Three years ago today, I found myself in the hospital having a baby a whole month early. He was in my arms at 35 weeks and 5 days, weighing in at only 4 pounds, 15 ounces and 18.5 inches long. Joel remained in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit {NICU} for a week before I was able to take him home. Life has never been the same since and is continually full of love and laughter with him in it.

Fast forward to today... Joel is now 3 years old!

Those that know me really well understand my love of birthdays - especially Joel's. After having been told years prior that I wouldn't be able to bear children, I accepted the reality. But then, my miracle baby came. Now I fully celebrate Joel's existence, for him being alive, well and healthy on his birthday. It does help that my birthday is exactly a week before lol. And since I love to entertain, our birthdays are no exception!

This year, it seemed pretty obvious that my little Thomas the Train fanatic would have a birthday centered around his favorite little engine...

For his birthday, he decided to have a Thomas the Train themed party, naturally. I mean, Joel is a hardcore fan. Just take a look at his bedroom... {and he's gotten a lot more Thomas the Train stuff since this picture was taken several months ago}:

This past Saturday was when I hosted his 3rd birthday party. Joel took a very active role in helping me plan his party too. He helped picked out decorations, favors, activities, etc. It made for great mom and son bonding time! For his invitations, I used a picture from Halloween last year when Joel dressed up as a train engineer/conductor. An Etsy seller helped to create the invitations in the shape of a train ticket.

The venue was our local park district community center, which we pretty much had all to ourselves. It was great to have ample space both indoors and outdoors for all our 60ish guests who attended. The beautiful weather certainly helped!

The party room was decorated with a large Thomas the Train mural on a mirrored wall. Red and blue helium filled balloons dotted the room. Thomas the Train banners were hung above one of the food stations. Colorful balloon printed tablecovers were used to add more color. We also brought Joel's fold up Thomas the Train play hut/tunnel for the kids to play with inside. For favors, inside the Thomas the Train treat bags I packaged up coloring pages with a set of Thomas the Train crayons, a colorful tube of gumballs, a wooden train whistle and also had conductor/engineer cloth hats for the kids to wear. Joel even wore a Thomas the Train inspired birthday tshirt!

For food, we took inspiration from fair/carnival eats. I had a commercial popcorn machine which made the party smell amazing. To add some fun to the popcorn, I used some delicious popcorn seasoning from Urban Accents. My mom made some Filipino empanadas filled with beef and vegetables. The Baron's mom, Marnee, brought some fresh and colorful fruit and vegetable platters with The Baron's favorite spinach dip. We also had nachos where folks could top them as they wanted. And per Joel's request, we had lots of pizza.

Our sweets table and cake display has a pretty memorable story. As we were setting up the party room, Joel wanted to be helpful as he usually is. All of us who were working on decorating, setting up food, etc were so busy to notice that Joel was near the table that had his birthday cake on top. Even more so, we didn't think he was able to reach the cake since it was clearly well out of his reach... so we thought. Then out of nowhere, I heard a 'PLOP!'. Followed by an 'Uh oh!' I turn around and there stood Joel. With his birthday cake turned upside down on the floor.

Needless to say, my mom and The Baron went out to quickly get a replacement cake. After attempting 3 nearby grocery stores with no luck on such short notice, my brother and his partner went out to look for a cake. Now I was down 4 people to help me set up and the party was soon to start with folks already trickling in. Gah!

My brother and his partner definitely saved the day and brought back the cake pictured below. We thought it was funny that Joel's name was placed in "quotes" - not sure why either lol. I had these edible images to put on the sides of the cake to work with the theme, so that helped. Even the fresh and colorful blackberries and strawberries worked well. To finish it off, I had a Thomas the Train candle which looked perfect set in the middle of the pile of fruit. The cupcakes I got through a local bakery, which were half chocolate and half yellow. I topped the cupcakes with Thomas the Train candy decorations too. For a little whimsy, I also picked up this light up musical cake topper which we placed with the cupcakes.

The weather was gorgeous on his party day. I was thankful that despite the rain we got the day before, I was able to have a large Train bounce house for the kids to play in. The kids loved it and could jump and bounce as much as they wanted. The adults and parents loved it because it's like the ultimate pack and play where the kids could be contained. It was a win win for everyone and I wouldn't hesitate getting a bounce house again for future parties. Another great thing about the venue is that steps away from this area pictured is a nice enclosed playground. The kids and adults had a lot of freedom to roam and play, which is a great bonus when you have 20+ kids with lot of energy around.

I was so glad to see everyone having a good time and Joel doing a great job as a party host/guest of honor. He made his rounds to talk to everyone! I loved that he visited every table to say hi and to thank people for being there on his special day. And everywhere I looked, there were smiles all around...

To incorporate an activity aside from the bounce house and playground, Joel picked out a Thomas the Train pinata. I opted for a pull string Thomas the Train pinata which was much safer for the kids and adults. The kids had a lot of fun pulling the strings and when the right string was pulled, everyone rushed to grab the candy that fell out. It was a lot of fun to watch the kids get so excited!

Then it was back inside for cake! Joel gathered everyone inside and said a few words of thanks to the room full of family and friends that came to celebrate his birthday. Once the candle was lit, I couldn't help but look at the cake laughing to myself at what brief chaos it caused lol. We all sang Happy Birthday to Joel, he blew out his candle.

While folks were enjoying cake and cupcakes, we passed out the birthday favors to everyone. The kids seemed to love the goodies and the hat, which many of them wore for the remainder of the party. Us adults and parents did our best to gather up as many kids in front of the Thomas the Train mural for a group picture... but that clearly wasn't going to happen. Instead, here's a few pictures I managed to get lol...

I did manage to get this group picture of Joel and some of his friends! They obviously enjoyed the afternoon with us...

Then it was time to say our goodbyes. As our friends and family left, Joel wasn't shy to send them off with hugs. And lots of them!

Some folks open gifts towards the end of the party but I found that it to be difficult to keep a room of so many toddlers still and engaged while someone else is opening presents. So instead, we decided it would be best to bring the gifts home and open them there.

After the party, we went home and had Joel play in his room while we set up the living room so he could open up his gifts. When we were ready to bring him out. he was so stunned to see his presents all over the room... and I was so incredibly grateful for our friends and family who were so generous.

By this time of the day, Joel was already winding down. He was getting tired from opening the gifts... and he received plenty of new Thomas the Train goodies to add to his ever growing collection lol.

Shortly after the last gift was opened and everything was cleaned up, we went out to dinner. There was no way anyone was stepping foot in the kitchen to cook after such a long and eventful day. We went to a place not far from home and within 10-15 minutes into dinner, Joel fell asleep at the table.

Yep, my little baby boy is growing up so fast... and I'm already looking forward to the fun year ahead to make new memories, hit some milestones and enjoy every single day Joel fills my life. I often tell Joel this:

"Out of all the kids in your class at daycare, amd in your entire school and all the schools around the world... and even the kids playing your school playground, in our favorite park and in all the parks and playgrounds around the world... and out of all the little boys and girls that live near us and very far away.. there is only one little boy I love so very much and want to be a mommy to. Do you know who that is, Joel?...That little boy is you and only you."

Happy 3rd Birthday Joel!

... Love, Mommy

Denver Quiche

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Happy Tuesday! It was a long but eventful weekend, that I needed a day to recuperate. Hope you had a great weekend and was spoiled with beautiful spring weather like we were in Chicago. I'll be sharing more about my weekend tomorrow with lots of pictures! But for today, I'm focusing on friends and friendships. It's inevitable that friends come and go throughout our lives. The Baron's best friend recently moved out west with his partner over a month ago and it was bittersweet, at least for me. I was looking forward to hanging out with themduring the upcoming summer months... but the opportunity came for them to move closer to family. Although I'm happy for them, I selfishly wished they still lived in the area. The good thing is, The Baron and I have a reason to go to Denver, CO and visit! So this post is dedicated to Geoff and Jeremy. When a buttery pie crust is filled 'mile high' with diced onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, ham and cheese, all baked in a rich egg custard, it's only fitting that it's called a Denver Quiche...

Before Geoff and Jeremy moved, we had met up in Milwaukee for dinner at the Public Market. While there, we did some browsing at the various food shops and stalls that lined the market. Just before leaving, Geoff picked up a quiche to take home with plans to enjoy it for breakfast the next day. And on the car ride home, I learned that The Baron had never had quiche before. Well it was obvious that I needed to make a quiche for The Baron to try. [I should really start making a list of foods I've gotten him to try for the first time.] When I thought about what kind to make, I took inspiration from one of my favorite omelettes - the Denver omelette.

The crust was made with gluten free flour but you can certainly use all purpose flour. If you're in a hurry or just want the convenience, feel free to use premade frozen pie crusts or even the roll out refrigerated crust. Either way, the crust will need to be par baked before using.

For the filling, you can use whatever you'd like and in this case, I used onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, ham and cheese. You just have to be careful not to fill it with too many ingredients. I aim for a nice balance of egg custard and mix in ingredients... but again, adjust to your own tastes and preferences.

Denver Quiche
recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Crust:
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
5.6 ounces all-purpose or gluten free flour* (about 1 1/4 cups)
Filling:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup diced onions
1/4 cup diced deli ham
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated cheddar cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
freshly chopped parsley for garnish
To prepare crust, place butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Combine milk, salt, and egg yolk in a separate small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add milk mixture to butter in the large bowl, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the flour slowly; beat just until combined. Press mixture into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap; cover and chill for 1 hour to firm up.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°.
Unwrap and place the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a 10-inch circle, just a little larger than a standard 9 inch pie plate. Carefully place the rolled out down into the pie plate and form. Crimp the edges as you wish. When you're done, freeze the crust for 15 minutes so it holds its shape.
Bake the slightly frozen crust in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling. Keep oven set at 350 degrees.
To prepare filling, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, mushrooms and onions; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add the ham and sauté until warmed through.
Combine the milk, cheese, salt and eggs in a large bowl, whisking to incorporate. Stir in vegetable and ham mixture then pour filling into the previously baked crust.
Bake the quiche at 350° for 35 minutes. To serve, cut into wedges and garnish with parsley.

*Gluten free flour blend:
This is the best combination for my personal uses and has never failed me. I purchased a majority of the ingredients at an Asian market (at less than $.99/lb) and the other ingredients marked were Bob Red Mill brand. Cornstarch was Argo brand.

300 grams superfine brown rice flour (Bob's Red Mill)
250 grams sweet rice flour (Asian market)
150 grams tapioca flour (Asian market)
100 grams sorghum flour (Bob's Red Mill)
100 grams potato starch (Asian market)
100 grams cornstarch (Argo brand)

Whisk together the above flours and store in an air tight container. To use, measure out 140 grams for every cup called for in your favorite baking recipe (NOT yeast bread recipes.) Add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum for every cup used in the recipe as well to help with texture and binding. Voila! You can bake gluten free with confidence!

Cinco de Mayo Round Up 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Happy Friday! I'm particularly excited about this upcoming weekend because it will be full of birthday celebrations for both me and Joel. Saturday we're celebrating Joel's 3rd birthday with a Thomas the Train themed party. He is ridiculously excited and helped me plan it down to the important details. Then on Sunday, we're celebrating my birthday with both my parents and The Baron's parents over lunch at one of my favorite restaurants. Granted, I won't be feasting on Mexican inspired fare this Sunday for Cinco de Mayo, but if you plan to or want to, here's a delicious round up of Mexican inspired recipes to celebrate with!

Chicken Pozole Rojo

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Cilantro Pork Tamales

Chorizo Quesadillas

Pork Carnitas Sopes

Spicy Pork Tinga Enchiladas

Spicy Mexican Pork & Rice

Spicy BBQ Chicken Tostadas

Chipotle Pork Carnitas

Spicy Chicken Mexican Lasagna

Unfried Ice Cream

Churro Bites

Chocolate Tres Leches {Cup} Cake

Baked Penne a la Vodka

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Thu, 02 May 2013 14:05:00 +0000

This is the time of year where there's a lot to celebrate in my family. The month of May marks the beginning of our family birthday season and with that, we usually have some sort of reunion. in fact, tonight, my sister and her family are flying in from Virginia to spend the weekend and attend Joel's 3rd birthday party {more on that tomorrow!} I love when my family comes together and although it will be a brief visit with my sister, it will be a fun one. Speaking of family, growing up my siblings and I loved to make dinner together. I usually would find a recipe, gather the ingredients and my sister would help me prepare it. Then my brother would come along and sneak in a taste and claim to be the resident taste tester. Baked pasta dishes, especially lasagnas, were a favorite of ours to make because it was easy to put together, everyone could help contribute something to the meal and it was relatively affordable too. Now that we're older and live apart, it's much harder to get together to cook with my siblings. So I'm dedicating this dish to my brother and sister. This Baked Penne a la Vodka combines {gf} penne pasta with a rich and creamy tomato sauce, spiked with a little vodka and baked under a blanket of mozzarella cheese...

This was a dish that The Baron and I enjoyed. I mean, who could resist pasta with a tomato cream sauce and baked with cheese? It was easy to put together in advance and it's freezer friendly too. If you can find San Marzano tomatoes, I would highly recommend it. They may be a little pricier but worth every penny. These tomatoes have a bit more tomato flavor with a slight sweetness and less seeds. If you haven't used San Marzano tomatoes before, this would be a good recipe to try them in!

Baked Penne a la Vodka
recipe adapted from The Gourmand Mom

1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 shots vodka
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound prosciutto
1 can whole plum tomatoes, rinsed, drained and seeded {or San Marzano}
2 small cans tomato paste
2 cups heavy cream2 cups half & half
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, finely minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 stick butter, cut into pieces {8 tablespoons}
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese1 lb penne pasta, cooked per package directions
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons oil. When hot, add onions and garlic, sauteing until softened. Add prosciutto and saute until slightly crisp.

Remove skillet off stove and carefully pour in vodka. Stir and place skillet back on stove. Cook off the vodka for a few minutes.
Add the rinsed, drained and seeded tomatoes to the pan, breaking them up by hand into chunks.
Add tomato paste to the skillet and stir to incorporate.
Add heavy cream and half & half, stirring to incorporate for the sauce.

Stir in a tablespoon of butter as a time into the cream sauce.

Add the Parmesan cheese to slightly thicken.

Stir in half of basil into the sauce and reserve the remaining basil some for garnish. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place cooked pasta into a baking dish and top with vodka sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and pasta is warmed through.

Before serving, garnish with remaining basil.

Unfried Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:47:00 +0000

Guess who's celebrating a birthday today?! Yes... I'm another year older. I'm officially 3 years away 40 {omg - did I just type that?!}. But thankfully, I was blessed with great genes and I look {and perhaps act} younger than I really am - so I'm told. Having a birthday to kick off the month of May is like having a precursor to the festive and delicious celebration of Cinco de Mayo. So to celebrate my birthday and to have a little teaser to the weekend's Mexican inspired festivities, here's an Unfried Ice Cream to share. It's cool, creamy, crunchy, and sweet with a touch of spice... and perfect for any celebration, including birthdays...

After making these the first time, it's become our preferred way to enjoy ice cream at home. The combination of the crunchy coating, hint of cinnamon, creamy ice cream and all the extra deliciousness that comes with whipped cream and our preferred ice cream toppings {we especially like chocolate and caramel}really makes this a special dessert. Another bonus is that these can be easily made in advance and just stored in your freezer for a quick dessert... which may or may not be a good thing lol.

Unfried Ice Cream
recipe adapted from Tidy Mom

3 cups toasted rice or corn chex cereal, finely crushed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 cups Vanilla Ice Cream
ice cream topping of your choice {caramel, chocolate, berry, etc}

Preheat oven to 350°

Place cereal in a gallon sized storage bag with cinnamon and melted butter. Seal bag and toss everything together to incorporate the cinnamon and butter.

Transfer mixture to a parchment or foil lined baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes in preheated oven or until crunchy; cool completely.

Meanwhile, scoop ice cream into balls and place on a freeze safe baking sheet for 1 hour or until firm.

When cereal has cooled, transfer to a clean gallon sized storage bag. Place a frozen ice cream ball into the storage bag and shake to coat completely. Return coated ice cream balls to the freezer to chill until ready to serve.

To serve, plate and and drizzle with your preferred ice cream topping and garnish with whipped cream.

Margherita Flatbread

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Well I had a fantastic weekend with friends and family where we went to a waterpark resort in Wisconsin Dells. One of the great things about our trip was that we rented out a large 2 bedroom suite that included a full kitchen. Having this available to use for our meals during our stay saved us some money and I was able to get my kitchen therapy fix. One of our meals included this Margherita Flatbread. A savory flatbread crust is topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, zesty tomato sauce and shreds of fresh basil and diced tomato for a quick and easy meal or snack...

I've partnered up with Flatout's New Thin Crust Flatbreads because Joel is a big fan of pizza and I love how kid friendly the flatbreads are. He helped me make this and enjoyed every minute of it. Another great thing about these New Thin Crust Flatbreads is that they don't take long to cook up - our yummy flatbread pizzas were ready in only six minutes!

Being at the resort away from home, I was thankful that there was a Walmart Supercenter store nearby to grab last minute items and even groceries. When I was there shopping for a few ingredients, I was glad to see Walmart carrying Flatout's New Thin Crust Flatbreads. So if you have a Walmart nearby, you can pick up the flatbreads there. If you're wondering where you can find Flatout's New Thin Crust Flatbreads, here's a link to help!

Now these Flatout's New Thin Crust Flatbreads are not gluten free. I enjoyed them with a gluten intolerance supplement. But if your family is not particular about gluten and they love pizza, they'll enjoy these for sure. Another thing to note is that these can be baked up in the oven or be used on the grill. I opted for baking in the oven since we didn't have a grill accessible at the resort we stayed at.

Definitely check out their Facebook page where they are featuring 30 Days of Grilled Pizza recipes as well as the "Let's Eat!" sweepstakes they are hosting that includes a trip for two to Chicago's Taste of Chicago (includes airfare, hotel and $150 spending cash.) I would love to have a reader win - it is Chicago afterall! Maybe we can even meet up while you're in town! Enter the giveaway below through Facebook...

Flatout Flatbread "Taste of Chicago" Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Margherita Flatbread
recipe from Flatout Flatbread

1 Flatout® Thin Crust Flatbread Spicy Italian
½ Medium Tomato, diced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, sliced fresh mozzarella or shredded Italian cheese blend
6 Small fresh Basil leaves
2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar (optional)

For the grill - Preheat grill to 350°F. Pre-bake the flatbread on the grill for 1-2 minutes. Remove flatbread from grill. Top with cheese, tomato and basil. Return flatbread to grill; close lid. Continue to grill for four minutes or until cheese is melted through. Remove from grill; drizzle with balsamic if desired before serving.

For the oven - Place Flatout Flatbread on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for two minutes. Remove and top with cheese, tomato and basil. Return back to oven and bake for four minutes or until cheese has melted. Remove from oven; drizzle with balsamic if desired before serving.

Chicken McMarnee Fingers

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:30:00 +0000

My child is a statistic in that he enjoys chicken fingers like many other children. We've hit that phase where he enjoys it several times a week. However rather than resorting to the already prepared and processed versions in the grocery store's freezer case, I've opted to make them myself at home. Our favorite way these days is made with sour cream and onion potato chips! These Chicken 'McMarnee' Fingers are crispy, crunchy, and healthier chicken strips with hints of sour cream and onion flavor baked in...

I got this recipe from The Baron's mom, Marnee awhile back and after making it, we were all hooked. Potato chips are a staple in my gluten free kitchen and as I've done before, they make a great coating on meats. With chicken, we particularly enjoyed the sour cream and onion chips but you can use whatever kind you like for a different spin. Not a fan of flavored chips? Stick with the classic plain for a simple variation.

Chicken McMarnee Fingers
recipe adapted from The Baron's Mom, Marnee

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup crushed Sour Cream & Chive flavored potato chips {Pringles* has wheat starch}
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Put chicken breasts in a shallow pan and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Whisk egg and water together in another shallow pan.

Combine potato chips, melted butter and parsley in a gallon sized storage bag.

Dip seasoned chicken in egg wash and then place in storage bag with potato chip mixture. Seal bag and shake to coat the chicken. Transfer coated chicken to a baking pan and repeat with all chicken strips.

Bake in preheated oven uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through; juices run clear.

Italian Potato Breaded Pork Chops

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:15:00 +0000

When it comes to gluten free cooking, you may be surprised how easy it is to adapt everyday recipes into something gluten free. Sometimes it takes a little thinking outside the box but it's possible and gluten free living doesn't need to be expensive or involve stocking your pantry with specialty items. Take for example these Italian Potato Breaded Pork Chops. Pork chops are seasoned and coated in a savory coating of crushed potato chips, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese before cooking up flavorful and crispy for a gluten free meal...

Having been living gluten free now for over a year and a half, it has definitely gotten easier to adapt to a gluten free diet. I have an intolerance for gluten so what may work for me may not necessarily work for those who have celiac disease. I will admit there are times when I do have some gluten laden foods and that's when I'll take a gluten intolerance supplement which helps tremendously. At first it was tempting to just indulge in all gluten laden things when I started using the supplement but after finding out the hard way, it wasn't the smartest thing for me to do lol.

The original recipe called for panko breadcrumbs. Finding gluten free panko may not only be challenging but expensive too. So rather than paying more than I needed to, I looked into my pantry and used crushed up potato chips instead. And they worked deliciously! So whenever a recipe calls for panko, I reach for potato chips to save me time and money. See... gluten free living isn't that hard!

Italian Potato Breaded Pork Chops
recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

1 cup crushed potato chips
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 large eggs
6 bone in pork loin chops, about 1/3 inch-thick (1 1/2 pounds total)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Combine the cheese, italian seasoning and potato chips in a shallow dish. set aside. Lightly beat the eggs in another large shallow dish. Sprinkle the pork generously with salt and pepper. Dip the pork, 1 piece at a time, in the egg, allowing the excess to drip off, then dredge the pork in the potato chip mixture, patting to coat completely. Place the pork on a small baking sheet.

Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork to the hot oil and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then transfer them to a clean baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and fry the remaining pork.
Serve warm.

Oxtail Stew

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

It's practically the end of April, yet the weather is on a serious delay and it feels like winter. I know many folks are so anxiously awaiting for spring to actually arrive and stay longer than a day or two! But I guess one good thing about the weather is that it allows me to enjoy some comforting dishes a little while longer. I recently made this Oxtail Stew that is so rich, meaty and flavorful with a tomato based sauce and studded with peas and pearl onions. Served atop a bed of rice, this is a stick to your ribs, hearty meal on a chilly spring day...

For those that are not familiar with oxtails, this is a cut of beef from the tail end. It's a cut that is especially great for slow cooking and braising until it falls off the bone. The Baron was new to this cut of beef and so it's taking him some time to understand it since he has aversions to meat on bones. Nonetheless, Joel and I loved this dish - and all things made with oxtail. If you prefer, you can substitute the oxtail with beef stew meat for something similar... but it won't give off the same silky rich texture that oxtails do.

Oxtail Stew
recipe adapted from Sunny Anderson

4 pounds oxtails
2 large Vidalia onions, chopped
3 scallions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 bunch fresh thyme
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
4 teaspoons hot paprika
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons hot sauce
6 cups low-sodium beef broth
4 teaspoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons salt
1 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cup frozen pearl onions

In the base of a slow cooker or crockpot, add oxtails, onions, scallions, garlic, thyme, red pepper, paprika, bay leaf, and hot sauce and marinate at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally.

Place the base into the slow cooker or crockpot. Add enough water to just cover the oxtails and cook on low for 6 hours, occasionally adding water to keep oxtails covered with liquid.

After 6 hours and the oxtails have become tender, add the tomato paste, and 2 more cups of beef broth and water, if needed. Cook on high for another hour,, skimming fat off top and stirring occasionally.

In the last 15 minutes of cook time, season with 2 tablespoons salt, add the peas and pearl onions and stir.

Just before serving, remove oxtail from the bone - as it should naturally fall off from the long cooking. Serve over rice.

Broccoli Mac & Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Macaroni and cheese has a way with children. Well, my child at least. It seems like Joel is on a macaroni and cheese kick and the good thing is, I enjoy it just the same. But I will admit that I'm not one for the blue box kind. Oh no... I prefer making macaroni and cheese from scratch if at all possible. These days it's pretty much inevitable since I have to use gluten free pasta for my gluten intolerance. Now pasta and cheese is just good all by itself, however I prefer jazzing it up in different ways. Take for example this Broccoli Mac & Cheese which incorporates broccoli florets and pasta in a rich, velvety, creamy cheese sauce. Blue box, step aside... a big boy version has come to the table...

I'm really fortunate that Joel enjoys his vegetables more than I anticipated. Often times the first thing he's eat off his dinner plate are his vegetables because I try to keep them colorful and the most appealing on his plate. {Thank goodness it's working, at least for now!} He's a big fan of broccoli and macaroni & cheese... so I figure why not combine the two? When I found a recipe for it online, I knew it was going to be a hit not only with Joel but the Baron as well. We loved how the cheese sauce went well with the broccoli and pasta, tying everything together deliciously...

Broccoli Mac & Cheese
recipe adapted from Cooking Light

3 cups frozen broccoli florets
8 ounces uncooked macaroni or gluten free macaroni
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten free flour
1 1/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 ounces reduced-fat processed American cheese, cut into pieces
2 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup packed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook pasta in boiling water according to package direcations; drain and set aside to keep warm.

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, melt butter in pan. Add the onion and garlic, cooking until softened.

Add the flour over the sauteed onions and garlic and whisk. Allow the flour to cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with the whisk.

Gradually add milk to the flour mixture in pan and bring to a boil, while continuing to whisk. Cook for 1 minute or until the milk slightly thickens and remove from heat.

Stir in the American cheese and cheddar cheese; stir until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in broccoli and pasta.

Return the saucepan over medium heat and warm up until heated through. Serve immediately.

Beef & Cabbage Stir Fry

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and are ready for this new week ahead. Now that tax season is officially in that most of us have already filed our taxes by the deadline, I can't help but think of budget meals. A budget friendly meal I made recently is this Beef & Cabbage Stir Fry. This is a dish my mom made growing up and is considered a nostalgic favorite among me and my siblings. Ground beef is stir fried with shredded cabbage and a soy sauce based sauce before serving up over steamed rice. Easy, affordable and delicious...

What makes this a budget meal is that it uses affordable ingredients and stretches it out to feed plenty. Ground beef, half a head of cabbage {roughly 2-3 cups shredded} and some Asian pantry staples like soy sauce {or in my case, gluten free tamari}, oyster sauce and cornstarch are stir fried together. It comes together rather quickly so you can easily have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

When I made this for The Baron and Joel, I was immediately taken back to my childhood. I even called my sister while we had dinner and she asked for a picture of our meal so she could live vicariously through it lol. I'm so glad that The Baron liked this dish... and he liked it so much that he had seconds! {Actually we all did lol!}

Beef & Cabbage Stir Fry
recipe adapted from my mom

1 tablespoon soy sauce or gf tamari
2 teaspoons {gf} oyster sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 1/2 pounds ground beef {80/20}
2-3 cups shredded regular cabbage

In a small bowl, combine together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and cornstarch; set aside.

Heat wok or large skillet over high heat and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, swirling to coat. Add onion and garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground beef, breaking it up in the wok. Cook, undisturbed, 2 minutes, then stir-fry until meat is browned and most of the rendered liquid is absorbed

Add the cabbage over the ground beef and let it steam undisturbed on top of the beef for about 2 minutes.

Stir soy mixture in the bowl and add to skillet. Stir-fry the cabbage, beef and soy mixture together until sauce is simmering and slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:30:00 +0000

It's been a long week for many folks... and I cannot be more excited for the weekend. Aside from the lazy mornings in pajamas, the hot cup of coffee to jump start the day and just having the weekend to spend with loved ones, one of my favorite parts of the weekend is breakfast or brunch. It's the one time of the week where I can make something for my family and take my time doing so. To end this week on a sweet note, here's a recent breakfast I made - Cinnamon Raisin French Toast. Cinnamon raisin bread is drenched in a sweet custard then cooked on a skillet until golden brown and crispy on the edges while maintaining a soft middle. Add a touch of warmed maple syrup and a healthy pat of butter and you're in breakfast heaven...

Actually, I take that back. The Baron is behind this one because he lovingly made me breakfast one morning. I guess we can both take credit for this one because I prepared the custard and dipped the toast while The Baron finished the rest. He may not be in the kitchen all the time for meals but when he is, he certainly takes his cooking tasks seriously. In making this, I was banned from checking on the toast as they cooked in the skillet. In fact, he'd give me a stern look when I came too close to the stovetop lol. But I can't complain... this was delicious and perfect, thanks to the guy who carefully made sure it was cooked to perfection with the outside crisp and the inside soft. I hope you have a wonderful breakfast this weekend with someone you love, just as I did...

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast
recipe adapted from Panera

8 slices 1/2” thick Cinnamon Raisin Bread (or Rudy's GF bread)
4 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the French Toast custard, combine using a hand whisk the milk, heavy cream, eggs, honey, vanilla extract and the salt. This custard can be made well in advance. Give a brisk stir before making the toast.
Transfer the custard to a casserole or open shallow dish for dipping.

Dip one slice into the custard and turn over after about 15 seconds. Transfer the slice to a plate while dipping another slice into the custard.

Place a large skillet on a medium fire. Allow the pan to heat thoroughly before pouring 1 Tablespoon of the melted butter into the pan.

Place both slices carefully into the skillet and cook on each side until golden brown or about 2 minutes.

Repeat steps 3-5 until all the French toast is cooked.

An optional step is to place each finished French toast onto a baking sheet in a preheated oven until all are ready to serve. Serve warm with real maple syrup.

Pepperoni Pizza Sliders

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Not too long ago I made these Hot Ham & Cheese Sliders which my family loved. It went over so well the first time that I made them again at least 3 times since! So playing off of that recipe, I gave it a pizza twist and came up with these Pepperoni Pizza Sliders. Pepperoni, mozzarella cheese and a tangy pizza sauce are tucked into savory rolls and drizzled with an Italian herb and butter before baking until warm and melty...

I firmly believe that you can transform any dish into a sandwich. To exemplify that, just check out fellow Chicagoland native and Food Network Star, Jeff Mauro - The Sandwich King! Inspired by his creativity and how much we enjoyed the hot ham and cheese sliders, why not turn a pizza into a slider sandwich? I basically made pizza ingredient substitutions to make this and you can adapt this however you'd like. Do you like peppers and mushrooms on your pizza? If so, saute them and add it in the slider! Do you prefer a white alfredo sauce over the traditional red sauce? If so, use that instead! In the end, it'll be delicious and easy... and if you're looking to get your kids in the kitchen, this recipe is great. Joel really enjoyed making this with me!

Pepperoni Pizza Sliders
recipe adapted from various sources online

For the sandwiches:
3/4 cup pizza sauce
12 Hawaiian rolls (I used the Savory Butter variety & Udi's GF Dinner Rolls)
24 slices large deli pepperoni (or 1/2 lb pepperoni slices)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

For the topping:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 tablespoons onion powder
1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

a few dashes Worcestershire sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread pizza sauce onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a large slice (or a few small slices) of pepperoni and a some shredded cheese inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them close together into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet.

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches, just enough to cover the tops; let sandwiches sit for 10 minutes to absorb the butter and seasonings. At this point, sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead, covered and kept in the fridge ready to bake.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes or until tops are slightly brown and crispy. Serve warm.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Spring is here along with tons of rain. At least it's not snow! The dark and cloudy skies make me long for something comforting these days. A comforting dish I recently made is this Chicken Noodle Casserole. Similar to a classic tuna noodle casserole, this one swaps out the tuna for shredded rotisserie chicken and the traditional mixed vegetables with mushrooms in a creamy cheese sauce and {gluten free} pasta...

So The Baron is not a fan of fish. That pretty much crosses out comfort food like tuna noodle casserole... or does it? As I was looking for dinner recipes, I came across this one from Paula Deen using chicken in place of tuna. It turned out wonderfully with gluten free pasta (of course regular pasta works fine too) and I added some mixed vegetables and mushrooms for more texture, color and flavor. This is a great dish to make in advance and freeze too. I suggest making extra... leftovers are delicious of this dish!

Chicken Noodle Casserole
recipe adapted from Paula Deen

2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 cup milk
3 cups cheddar cheese, gratedSalt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked, shredded rotisserie chicken
4 cups egg noodles, cooked and drained (approximately 2 cups uncooked)
1/2 cup sour cream1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

2 tablespoons butter + 1/2 cup {GF} breadcrumbs
freshly chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 x13 inch baking dish.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, sauté until near translucent. Add garlic and mushrooms, cook until softened.

Stir in the flour and cook until it's all absorbed. Slowly add the milk and let it come to a slight boil as it thickens.

Add 2 cups of cheese, reserving 1 cup of cheese for the casserole topping. Once the cheese is melted into the sauce, add salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in the chicken, sour cream and pasta into cheese mixture to coat.

Pour mixture into a prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Combine the softened butter and breadcrumbs, then sprinkle on top of casserole

Bake the casserole uncovered for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Tangy Mustard Potato Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Welcome back from the weekend! Hope you had a fun, if not relaxing weekend and are ready to take on a new week. The temperatures here in Chicagoland have been more reminiscent of spring and it's made me anxious for picnic season. I plan on having many picnics in the coming months to take advantage of the weather. A favorite picnic item in my usual basket is a good potato salad. I've tried a handful of recipes but this Tangy Mustard Potato Salad is currently my favorite. Cubed Yukon Gold potatoes are tossed in a tangy mustard sauce with bell peppers, celery, green onion, chopped eggs and parsley and chilled for a great side dish...

Joel loves picnics... and I don't blame him. We would often go to the neighborhood park, pack and picnic and just relax under the sun. He asked me recently when we would be going on a picnic and I can't wait until it gets a little warmer... We're almost there!

This potato salad is a great one to pack for a picnic because it's something you can make in advance and perfect when it's chilled before serving. You can easily hide veggies in this salad {which is always a good thing with growing toddlers} and if you have a 'meat & potatoes' type of guy like I do, this salad will have him raving too. We particular like potato salad like this one with other picnic fare such as fried chicken, BBQ ribs, and sub sandwiches. So hurry up Midwestern spring... you're a bit late this year and you've got quite a few people anxious to go on a picnic!

Tangy Mustard Potato Salad
recipe adapted from Food

2 pounds small red or Yukon gold potatoes, cut into cubes

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup minced green onion

2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup diced bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1 tsp. sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder

Boil potatoes in boiling water to cover about 10 minutes until tender. Rinse with cold water and drain. Place in large bowl.

Add in the remaining ingredients; mix well.

Cover and chill the salad for 1 hour before serving.

Fried Apple Corn Muffins for a Sweet Southern Baby Shower!

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

A dear friend and fellow food blogger, Nikki of Seeded at the Table (previously known as Pennies on a Platter) is about to bring a new baby boy into the world. Many bloggers have gathered together for a virtual baby shower to celebrate such a blessing to their family! Not too long ago, Nikki and her family moved to Mississippi a few months ago, so it seems only fitting to welcome their little bundle of joy in true Southern Style with a southern food theme. A special thanks goes to Jessica (of Sunny Side Up) and Kelsey (of Apple a Day) who coordinated this great virtual baby shower and to all the participating bloggers that made it such a fun event to participate in.

Please check out both Jessica's and Kelsey's sites for the round up of the Southern spread we created in honor of our glowing mother to be, Nikki!

The first time I met Nikki was at a holiday party of a mutual friend and former food blogger, Emily. When Emily and I met for the first time, she mentioned how I really need to meet her long time friend, Nikki. At the time, Nikki lived in the western Chicago suburbs and we finally met in person at a holiday party Emily hosted at her parents' house in the northern Chicago suburbs several years ago. After meeting Nikki, I knew we could easily be friends. We share many of the same beliefs and values, she has a passion for food, family and faith, and she has a personality that is just so positive you can't help but enjoy being around her. The last time I saw Nikki in person was in San Francisco at the FoodBuzz Festival in 2011. We had a great time together with fellow food bloggers and hopefully we'll have a chance to see each other again when she comes to the Chicagoland area to visit friends and family. Despite not seeing each other very often, I love that technology allows us to keep in touch almost daily... through social media and of course, our own blogs. I'm thrilled for Nikki and her family as they welcome another blessing into their lives. Congratulations Nikki! :)

For the virtual Southern Shower, I made these Fried Apple Corn Muffins. Before you scrunch up your nose at the idea of apples and corn together, let's think about this. Fried apples are a common side to southern meals like bbq ribs. The sweetness of fried apples plays off the saltiness of many dishes they are served with. Now corn muffins or cornbread is also a popular side to southern meals. Depending on the recipe, cornbread has a slight sweetness too. So you have sweet apples and a slightly sweet cornbread... why wouldn't they work well together?

This recipe was fantastic and I wondered to myself why I hadn't thought about combining the two together before. I have to thank the lovely folks of Glory Foods for the recipe and for also providing me with some of their products to try the recipe out for myself. It was so simple to assemble, prepare and bake using their cornbread mix and prepare fried apples. Now if you're so inclined to make them from scratch, by all means do so! But I could use some shortcuts in the kitchen every now and then when I have a toddler to run around after.

Speaking of which, this recipe was so easy that Joel was able to make it! He loved stirring the ingredients together in a big bowl and helping me line a muffin tin with muffin cups. So if you have kids who love to be in the kitchen {like Nikki's son, Judah}, this would be a great recipe to try.

Another special thanks goes to Glory Foods. for the recipe and ingredients to make these delicious muffins. It was perfectly fitting to feature them in our Southern Baby Shower since they have a wonderful line of Southern food products available.

Fried Apple Corn Muffins
recipe from Glory Foods

1 (15-ounce) can Glory Foods® Sweet Traditions Fried Apples, drained
1 (7.5-ounce) box of Glory Foods® corn muffin mix
1 egg
1/4 cup 2% milk
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons light brown sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons of white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the corn muffin mix, egg, milk, and baking powder.

Chop Glory Foods® Sweet Traditions Fried Apples into small chunks and add to the bowl; mix all the ingredients until fully incorporated - the batter will be slightly lumpy.

Place the mixture into muffin tins. Once they are filled properly, sprinkle sugar mixture over tops of unbaked muffins.

Baked 15 to 20 minutes. Sugar will crust over tops.

Baked Vegetable Penne

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

How often do you make vegetarian dishes or meatless meals {if you're not on a vegetarian/vegan diet}? I think I'm going to try to incorporate more meatless meals into my dinner rotation - at least shooting for once a week. Even though the Lenten season is over, when some folks give up meat, it's no excuse to stop enjoying meatless meals. This Baked Vegetable Penne is a dish I made not too long ago that was hearty and filling with the melange of red bell peppers, zucchini, summer squash, and mushrooms baked with cheese and pasta...and without meat!...

We loved this dish because it was full of flavor and leaned towards the healthy side with all the different vegetables incorporated into it. As you can see from the picture above, there are slices of Italian sausage that I served this with... because The Baron is very much a 'meat & potatoes' type of guy so I snuck in some meat on his plate lol. But this recipe is really adaptable. If your family must have some meat, add some Italian sausage or use your favorite meat sauce for the marinara sauce. This is a great dish for a freezer meal too. Prepare as directed and instead of putting it into the oven, wrap it up for the freezer. When you're ready for the dish, defrost and then pop it in a 450 degree oven, and bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until warmed through and cheese is melted.

Baked Vegetable Penne
recipe adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis

2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cremini mushrooms, halved
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
1 pound penne pasta {regular or gluten free}
3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
1 cup grated fontina cheese or Parmesan
6-8 slices mozarella cheese1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, fontina cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.

Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and Mozzarella slices. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

Memphis Baby Back Ribs

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:30:00 +0000

Food with bones... does it bother you at all? You know, foods like ribs, chicken wings, lamb shank, oxtail, whole fish, etc. I personally am a fan of foods that I can eat off the bone. I'm also a 'clean bone' eater in which I prefer to eat whatever possible off the bone before discarding. Am I alone on this one? Anyone else? So naturally, when it comes to ribs, I'm all about picking a rib up and savoring each bite off the bone. Take for example, these Memphis Baby Back Ribs. A zesty rub coats baby back ribs and then is slow roasted in an oven until tender. Seriously, there are just some foods that demand to be eaten off the bone and this is one of them...

So now that you know how much I enjoy eating food off the bone, The Baron is another story. He's not a fan. In fact, for the past several months we've been together, I didn't even notice that he has issues with food on bones. Namely, he prefers to remove meat off the bone before eating it - something he informed me of after I asked him why his ribs still had plenty of meat left on them after dinner one night. Ha! He's this way when it comes to ribs, chicken wings and pretty much anything served on the bone lol. Nonetheless, we enjoyed these ribs and they were wonderful with a loaded baked potato and salad.

If you're sensitive to heat, you can reduce the amount of cayenne or even omit it all together. Sauce is optional, as some folks like their ribs dry. We happen to like sauce on the side and a little baked on for that messy factor :)

Memphis Baby Back Ribs
recipe from Dave Lieberman

2 pounds baby back ribs

For the rub:
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
25 grinds fresh black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil1/2 cup preferred BBQ sauce

Preheat over to 300 degrees F.

Mix the rub ingredients together well in a small bowl.

Remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs, then rub the vegetable oil onto the ribs. Pour the rub over the ribs and work the rub fully and evenly into the ribs.

Spread the ribs out evenly on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until tender and juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. In the last 10-15 minutes of baking, brush the tops of the ribs with your preferred BBQ sauce and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes.

Serve with your preferred BBQ sauce if desired.

Pepperoni Croissant Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:30:00 +0000

When it comes to entertaining, a life saver for me is having crescent roll dough on hand. This was something I used to carry often before I began living gluten free. Croissant dough was an ingredient I could make all sorts of appetizers and snacks with, because everything tastes great with buttery croissants, right? Well, these Pepperoni Croissant Rolls are no exception and made an appearance on a recent dinner party I hosted. Pepperoni, string cheese and italian seasoning is rolled and baked into flaky croissant dough for a savory roll perfect for guests or just all to yourself...

This was something my friend, Kelly, made for one of my recent dinner parties. It was delicious and from the recipe, really easy to put together. Essentially its a buttery croissant stuffed with pepperoni and cheese - yum! It isn't gluten free {sadly} but I was able to enjoy a little bit with a gluten supplement. So if you have no issues with gluten or are able to use gluten supplements for a gluten intolerance, these are definite something to make and try!...

Pepperoni Croissant Rolls
recipe from Taste of Home

1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
16 slices pepperoni, cut into quarters
2 pieces string cheese (1 ounce each), cut into quarters
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Unroll crescent dough; separate into eight triangles. Place eight pepperoni pieces on each. Place a piece of cheese on the short side of each triangle; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Roll up each, starting with the short side; pinch seams to seal. Sprinkle with garlic salt and remaining Italian seasoning.
Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Chicken Pozole Rojo

noreply@blogger.com (Joelen Tan) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Spring is finally here! Well, it has been here technically but for the weather this past weekend made it feel like spring. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend - did you enjoy any deliciousness? Now that the temperatures have been in the upper 50s/lower 60s, the rain we're having has put a damper on being outdoors. When it's rainy out, I love a good bowl of soup and recently, I made this Chicken Pozole Rojo. It's a delicious soup full of chicken, hominy, poblano peppers in a rich and flavorful chile broth that's perfect for rainy days...

Pozole is a common Mexican soup or stew made with hominy, which are dried maize kernels - they look like giant corn kernels. These kernels have soaked in an alkali solution {lye} which causes it to puff up and double in size. They are naturally gluten free and are essential in pozole recipes. You can find hominy in the grocery store by the canned beans section or any Latin or Mexican market. {Goya is the brand I prefer.} This one is a red or 'rojo' version due to the dried chile powder used. Think of it like a chicken tortilla soup with puffy corn mixed in - yum! I especially liked how filling and flavorful it is and we enjoyed this with !ueso Chihuahua cheese quesadillas...

Chicken Pozole Rojo
recipe from My Recipes

3 large poblano chiles (1 lb. total)6 garlic cloves1 large onion
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) white hominy, rinsed & drained1 1/2 pounds boned, skinned chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano*, divided2 tablespoons olive oil3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth3 tablespoons ground red New Mexico chiles*Garnishes: sliced avocado, lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, and sour cream
Preheat broiler. When hot, broil poblanos on a baking sheet until blackened, turning as needed, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, whirl garlic to mince. Cut onion in chunks and pulse with garlic until chopped; set aside. Drain hominy; set aside.
Cut chicken into 1- to 1 1/2-in. chunks and sprinkle with salt and 1 tsp. oregano. Heat oil in a 5- to 6-qt. pan over high heat. Brown half the chicken lightly, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Reduce heat to medium-high. Add onion mixture and remaining 1 tsp. oregano to pan and sauté until onion is softened, 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave broth until steaming, about 3 minutes. Add ground chiles to pan and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds.
Add broth, hominy, and chicken to pan. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer to blend flavors, 10 minutes.
Remove stems, skins, and seeds from poblanos and discard; chop poblanos. Stir poblanos into posole and cook 1 minute. Ladle into bowls; top with garnishes.

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Boil potatoes in boiling water to cover about 10 minutes until tender. Rinse with cold water and drain. Place in large bowl.

Add in the remaining ingredients; mix well.

Cover and chill the salad for 1 hour before serving.