Super Side: Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes

I'm always on the hunt for versatile side dishes, particularly those that take very little preparation and monitoring. I don't like to have too many things going on at once while I'm in the kitchen - cooking is a de-stresser for me, and I like to keep it as laid back as possible. I love to find sides that I can pair with almost anything; I end up using them so often that I don't even need to look at the recipe after awhile (I like that, too). Today's recipe is one of those.

The first time I ever tried to make this dish was at my husband's request. We were having crab legs, and he mentioned that we should "make those really good potatoes that usually come with the crab leg plate at Joe's [Crab Shack]. You know, the red ones?" Yes, I did know. Willing to try it, I ran to the store to buy the ingredients for what ended up being a super delicious accompaniment to our dinner. We haven't been back to Joe's since (it's too expensive, and honestly? our homemade dinner was WAY better!).

These potatoes are like your favorite little black dress - you can dress them up or down, depending on the occasion. For example, they are casual and delightful when paired with crab legs and a side of garlic butter, but sophisticated and classy when prepared with a stuffed chicken breast and baked asparagus. Versatile? Absolutely. Delicious? Of course!

The BEST thing about this recipe? I'm giving it to you two ways. These are both extraordinarily easy, and both come out really yummy. Really, your schedule will determine which method you'd like to use, as one takes significantly longer than the other.

Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes

1 lb. red potatoes, quartered

2 tbs olive oil

8 garlic cloves, chopped

4 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp kosher salt

Fresh Rosemary sprigs (or 4 tsp dried rosemary)

Method 1: Oven

  Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake covered for 45 minutes. Uncover and stir potatoes, then return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Method 2: Slow Cooker (as pictured above)

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cover. Set to low and cook for 4 1/2 hours, or until potatoes are fork tender.

You will find that the results differ slightly between these two methods (the slow cooker version will produce a softer potato than the oven-roasted method). Both, however, extract the wonderful rosemary and garlic flavors and infuse them right into the potatoes. So good!

Until next time...

Cheers!

Weeknight Bites: Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa

As I've said over and over again, I am always on the lookout for easy, quick-fix recipes that are also super yummy. While some of you might think that's a bit of an oxymoron, I promise you that it's not. At the risk of sounding like Rachael Ray, if you've got 30 free minutes in a day, you've got enough time to cook a great meal. In fact, you can make a restaurant quality dish that is not only easy to prepare but healthy for you at the same time. On top of that, you'll save yourself a lot of money in the process.

Don't let the title (or ingredients) of today's recipe scare you; while it sounds fancy (and it is - looks great, doesn't it?), this is honestly an extremely easy recipe. If you don't like pork, try making the salsa and pairing it with grilled chicken breast or tilapia instead!

Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa

1 lb. pork tenderloin, fat trimmed

1 mango, peeled and cubed*

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

1 tbs cider vinegar

2 tbs olive oil

salt

black pepper

cayenne pepper

Season pork with salt, pepper and cayenne. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and add pork, cooking for 9 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin reads 145 degrees. Remove from skillet and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine mango, red onion, serrano pepper, olive oil, cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt and fresh mint leaves in a medium bowl. Mix well to combine flavors.

Slice pork tenderloin diagonally into 1/2 inch portions. Serve with mango salsa on top or on the side, whichever you prefer.

*To easily cut up/cube your mango, find the "stem" of the mango. Place your knife 1/2 inch to the left or right of the stem and slice straight down to avoid the pit. Repeat on the other side. Once you have the meat of the mango, take the mango (peel-side down) in the palm of your hand. With a small pairing knife, make vertical slices every 1/4 inch or so in the flesh of the mango - be careful not to pierce the skin! Once the vertical lines have been completed, do the same with horizontal lines across to make cubes. Push the mango "inside-out" to push the flesh towards you, and slice off the bottom of each cube near the peel.

If you'd like to try this with chicken or fish instead of pork, cook the chicken in the skillet for 8 minutes per side or fish for 4 minutes per side. You will not need the rest time on chicken or fish that you do with the tenderloin.

I challenge you to try this dish and see if you agree that it's as easy as I've promised - and hopefully as delicious, too! This is a great dish for entertaining, because it's relatively hands-off and quick on time. This allows you less time in the kitchen and, most importantly, more time with the people you love. I can't wait to hear what you think.

Until next time...

Cheers!

Cheese Lover's Paradise: Cheddar & Feta Casserole

For some reason, I'm awful about keeping breakfast ingredients in the house. I almost never have the things I need to make any of the staples that should be enjoyed on the weekends: no pancake mix, nothing to make blueberry muffins, no bacon...heck, I don't even have cereal in my pantry most of the time. That being said, I do usually have eggs (oddly enough) and extra ingredients from dinner recipes I've tried out for the week. I semi-stumbled onto today's recipe by combining a few ingredients that I needed to use, all left over from my weekly experiments. Basically, I found a recipe with a couple of the things I wanted to use (feta cheese being the main one) and then changed it up based on what I had in my pantry and fridge. Obviously, the final outcome was delish - that's why I'm sharing it with you!

Cheddar & Feta Casserole

 Olive oil cooking spray

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat baking dish lightly with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine next 9 ingredients and stir until mixed well. Spoon into baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove casserole and top with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Place back in oven for 10 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the casserole comes out clean. Cool at least 5 minutes prior to serving.

The original recipe that I found for this was quite different from the one that I've shared with you. For instance, it called for dill weed, which I voluntarily omitted, and broccoli, which I didn't have. It also called for cottage cheese, which was substituted with ricotta for this recipe. What I'm trying to say is...don't be afraid to change things up every once in awhile. Instead of taking each recipe I give you (or anyone else gives you, for that matter) at face value, think about how you could twist it to best suit your tastes. Of course, you'll always have some recipes that you don't feel you want to tweak, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. But don't be afraid to take some risks every now and then, and don't get discouraged if your experiments don't turn out the way you thought they might. If anything, look at each attempt as a learning experience, and know that by playing with flavors, you're also training your palette and becoming a better chef in the process.

I made this recipe as more of a "crustless quiche," but you could honestly eat it anytime during the day. It has a breakfast feel because eggs are one of the main ingredients, but there's no reason that you couldn't make this for brunch, lunch or even dinner.  

Until next time...

Cheers!

Weeknight Bites: Cajun Scallops with Red Onion & Arugula

Have you noticed that your tastes tend to change over time? Just a little over five years ago I didn't eat seafood - at all. I look back on it now and think I must have been crazy. The truth is, I didn't like it then. I'm not sure exactly what happened, whether my tastebuds went through some sort of mid-20's crisis or perhaps just needed a change, but whatever it was turned me into a seafood fan practically overnight. For some reason, whenever I think about my new(ish) affinity for food from the ocean, I can't help but remember one particular camping trip I took with my family in high school. We went to Cape Hatteras, and I remember vividly how I refused - REFUSED - to eat crab legs. I'm pretty sure I insisted on a chicken sandwich instead. I laugh about it now...I just didn't know what I was missing.

While today's recipe isn't one for crab legs, it is for another type of seafood that I wouldn't have touched with a ten foot pole back in my younger days. Oh, how naive I was. Today, I give you scallops. Ah, heaven on earth.

Now, this recipe isn't exactly for the faint of heart. I'm not talking about a delicate, salt-pepper-olive oil scallop pan-seared to perfection (although that certainly has its place in my repertoire and one day, I'll give it to you - promise). No. This dish is SPICY. And man do I love it.

Cajun Scallops w/Red Onion & Arugula

1 tsp olive oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced & separated

1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp butter

1 garlic clove

3/4 lbs fresh scallops

2 tsp hot sauce (like Texas Pete)

 1 cup (packed) Arugula

Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add onion, 1 tsp Cajun seasoning and black pepper and saute for three minutes. Add butter and garlic and saute for 30 seconds.

Sprinkle scallops with remaining Cajun seasoning. Add to skillet and cook 3 minutes. Sprinkle with hot sauce and flip. Cook 3 minutes. Remove scallops from skillet and set aside (keep warm).

In the same skillet, add arugula to red onion and garlic mixture. Saute arugula until wilted. 

Plate arugula and red onion mixture first, then place scallops on top. Serve immediately. 

This recipe serves two, so if you have more mouths to feed you'll want to increase your portions. Remember, the spice level is high! If you'd like to tone it down a bit, omit the hot sauce and go a little lighter on the Cajun seasoning. This should bring down the heat level somewhat. Enjoy!

Until next time...

Cheers!

Super Side: Couscous with Cucumber & Black Olives

Summer brings with it lots of sunshine, warm (okay, HOT) weather, relaxation, and pool-side hangouts with friends and family. It's not uncommon for nights to last long after the sun sets as we spend time together, enjoying the weather, conversation, and great summertime food. Summer means that we get to dust off the grill and make those yummy staples we all look forward to during the winter months: BBQ chicken, steak, ribs, grilled veggies...mmmm, so good!

Backyard barbeques practically scream for everyone to contribute, and there are tons of different sides to choose from. Most of them are easy and portable, which means that you can whip them up in a matter of minutes and stow them in the car (or in your hands) for a quick trip over to wherever your get together is taking place. Today, I've got a great take on a pasta salad that's healthy, refreshing and delicious. The light, fresh flavors will have your friends coming back for seconds, so make sure to bring enough to go around!

Couscous with Cucumber & Black Olives

1 box couscous (original flavor), prepared per box instructions

2 tbs EVOO

Juice of one lemon

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cucumber, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

1 can sliced black olives, drained

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tbs dried)

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (or1 tbs dried)

In a large bowl, combine ingredients 2 - 10, mixing well. Add prepared couscous and toss until well mixed. Cover and place in refrigerator for one hour to allow flavors to blend. Once chilled, serve immediately. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Simple, right? I added black olives to this recipe, but feel free to omit them if you don't like them. In fact, these flavors are so versatile that you can add your own favorite veggies, changing up the taste to match your mood. Go ahead, make it your own!

Come back later this week, where I'll share my Cajun Scallops recipe - along with many others that I know you'll love! Until next time...

Cheers!