Dry Brine Turkey Method
This was a big hit on Instagram so I figured I’d give it a more permanent spot on my website. If you are more of a video person, check out the saved story highlight “Turkey Time” on my home instagram page. Give More Love To …
Tag: Dinner
Pesto Ricotta Pappardelle
This pesto ricotta pappardelle was one of the best dinners I have made in a long time, so I had to put it on the site as soon as possible as to remember what I did. I took a class with Meryl from Pasta Social …
Carnitas Inspired Pork Roast
We used to (pre-COVID) spend most of our New Year’s Eve holidays at a rented cabin with a whole lot of friends. Generally a few people would sign up to cook for everyone each night. The year we rang in 2018, my friend Sara made this carnitas inspired pork roast in a crockpot that was SO good I asked her for the recipe. This is heavily inspired by that!
I have since made this a few times and I change it up based on what we have around in the house, but it has yet to disappoint. One step that I added that I’m really excited about is broiling the meat when it’s done in the crockpot. This gets those crispy edges, like the carnitas you get at a restaurant!
It’s super versatile and can be paired all sorts of ways. I like to eat this carnitas inspired pork roast on nachos, with mac-n-cheese and BBQ sauce, or even on a salad!
Ingredients:
- 2-3 pounds of pork roast
- 1/3 cup orange juice (fresh or bottled)
- 1/3 cup vinegar (I used a combo of apple cider vinegar and white vinegar)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
- 2 tbsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cayenne powder (more or less to taste)
- 4-5 whole cloves or 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp all-spice
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper
- 1 shot of tequila!
Instructions:
Start by browning your pork roast on all sides in a hot skillet. I do about 2 minutes per side, so it’s nice and browned. Place in the crockpot.
Add remaining ingredients to the crockpot and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Once you are nearing the end of time, the pork should be mostly fork-tender. Shred the pork and stir it into all the juices.
Once you’re ready to eat, remove the shredded pork from the crockpot and spread it out on a baking sheet. Place under a broiler for 5-7 minutes or so, until it’s nice and browned and crispy! Watch closely to prevent burning.
Carnitas Inspired Pork Roast
An easy crock-pot pork roast that is super versatile
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds pork roast or pork butt
- 1/3 cup orange juice fresh or bottled
- 1/3 cup vinegar combo of white and apple cider
- 1/4 cup lemon juice fresh or bottled
- 2 tbsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cayenne powder more or less to taste
- 4-5 whole cloves or 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp all spice
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- salt and pepper
- 1 shot tequila
Instructions
- Start by browning your pork roast on all sides in a hot skillet. I do about 2 minutes per side, so it's nice and browned. Place in the crockpot.
- Add remaining ingredients to the crockpot and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Once you are nearing the end of time, the pork should be mostly fork-tender. Shred the pork and stir it into all the juices.
- Once you're ready to eat, remove the shredded pork from the crockpot and spread it out on a baking sheet. Place under a broiler for 5-7 minutes or so, until it's nice and browned and crispy! Watch closely to prevent burning.
New Orleans Red Beans and Rice
Though I live in Nashville now, I am originally from New Orleans. I grew up eating the BEST food ever – we are so spoiled there! All of my family members are great cooks (some of them professional chefs). In New Orleans, you eat Red …
Greek Meatball Salads
These Greek meatball salads are inspired by Cava. We really like to order delivery from Cava any time I don’t feel like cooking but we want something on the healthier side. It is a Chipotle-esque model (but Mediterranean) where you pick from a long list …
Corn Risotto and Scallops
Fresh corn in the summer is one of my favorite vegetables. Fresh herbs on top of creamy rice is also one of my favorites. This corn risotto combines the two and it’s amazing. I paired it with seared wild scallops for the perfect summer dinner.
Risotto can be made many different ways. Amanda Frederickson makes her corn risotto using a corn stock. I use mine using a homemade chicken bone broth. I pretty much always keep bone broth in the freezer for times like these!
This risotto is also onion and garlic free to make it low-fodmap, but you can definitely add onions if you eat them. Risotto is traditionally made with arborio rice, but I have used jasmine in the past and it worked!
Corn Risotto Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 4 cups warm bone broth
- 2 cups fresh corn (or frozen!)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- pinch of salt
- Fresh herbs like basil and mint
Instructions:
- Saute the bell pepper (or onion) in the olive oil until soft.
- Add in the rice and the white wine. Turn heat to medium-high. Stir until wine is absorbed.
- Slowly add in one cup of broth at a time. Stir until it each addition is absorbed. This may take up to 30 minutes. Never leave your risotto unattended.
- Once the last cup is added in, stir in the corn.
- Optional step: remove about 2 cups of the risotto and blend it in a high speed blender. Stir back into the risotto for a creamy effect.
- Stir in the cheese and salt, top with fresh herbs, and serve!
Scallops:
Pat them very dry. Melt about 1 tbsp butter and a splash of olive oil in a hot hot pan. Add in about 1 pound of scallops, making sure not to overcrowd. Cook for 1-2 minutes each side. They should not stick if the pan is hot enough. Remove and serve with the risotto.
Corn Risotto with Seared Scallops
The perfect summer dinner of fresh corn risotto with seared sea scallops.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Corn Risotto
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bell pepper finely diced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 4 cup bone broth warmed
- 2 cup fresh corn
- 1/2 cup parmesan
- pinch sea salt
- fresh mint and basil
Seared Scallops:
- 1 lb wild sea scallops
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Saute the bell pepper (or onion) in the olive oil until soft.
- Add in the rice and the white wine. Turn heat to medium-high. Stir until wine is absorbed.
- Slowly add in one cup of broth at a time. Stir until it each addition is absorbed. This may take up to 30 minutes. Never leave your risotto unattended.
- Once the last cup is added in, stir in the corn.
- Optional step: remove about 2 cups of the risotto and blend it in a high speed blender. Stir back into the risotto for a creamy effect.
- Stir in the cheese and salt, top with fresh herbs, and serve!
Scallops:
- Pat them very dry.
- Melt about 1 tbsp butter and a splash of olive oil in a hot hot pan. Add in about 1 pound of scallops, making sure not to overcrowd. Cook for 1-2 minutes each side. They should not stick if the pan is hot enough. Remove and serve with the risotto.
Tomato Soup with Homemade Gnocchi
Another pantry staple meal! I had never made homemade gnocchi and I’m amazed it’s so simple. I followed @pastasocialclub recipe on their website and ate it with this tomato soup I made up on the fly. Gnocchi is made with very minimal ingredients that you …
Chicken Pot Pie
I grew up absolutely hating chicken pot pie. Peas and cooked carrots in a hot sloopy mess? No thank you, said me until 2019. Now I literally can’t get enough and I wish I could eat it every day! Here’s my onion & garlic -less …
Miso Ramen Bowls
Servings: 3-4
Miso Broth Ingredients:
-8 cups water
-6 tbsp red miso paste
-2 sheets nori (dried seaweed)
-2 scallions, sliced thin
-2 carrots
-2-3 pieces of bok choy
Chicken (or Tofu!) Marinade Ingredients:
-1 pound chicken breast or 1 block of extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
-2 tbsp rice vinegar
-2 tbsp tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
-1 tbsp miso paste (white or red is fine)
-1 tsp maple syrup or honey
-1 tsp toasted sesame seed oil
Ramen Eggs:
-1 soft boiled egg per person or serving
-2 tbsp tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
-2 tbsp rice vinegar
-Water to cover
Ramen Bowl Ingredients:
-Ramen noodles or glass noodles
-Vegetables like carrots and bok choy
-Nori (dried seaweed)
-Scallions
Instructions:
1. A few hours before you are ready to eat, start your broth. This isn’t completely necessary but it will give you the deepest possible flavor! Add the water to a large pot and bring to a low simmering boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in the red miso paste. Add in the veggies and stir. Cover and simmer on low until dinner.
2. At the same time, mix everything for your chicken or tofu marinade and pour over the meat. Place in the fridge until closer to dinner time.
3. Add the soft boiled eggs to a bowl and cover in the tamari, rice vinegar, water mixture. Set in the fridge until dinner time.
4. Once you’re ready to eat, turn the oven on to 400 degrees F. Roast the carrots for 10 minutes. Then add the chicken and bok choy to the pan and return to the oven for another 10-12 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. If using tofu, cook until tofu is crispy to your liking – might take a little bit longer than the chicken.
5. In the mean time, remove the veggies from the miso broth and toss them.
6. Cook your noodles either directly in the broth or in a pot to the side. Drain them.
7. Construct your bowls with noodles, broth, chicken/tofu, veggies, egg, seaweed, and scallions!
Miso Ramen Bowl
Savory miso broth with lots of vegetables and ramen noodles
Ingredients
Miso Broth Ingredients:
- 8 cups water
- 6 tbsp red miso paste
- 2 sheets nori (dried seaweed)
- 2 scallions, sliced thin
- 2 carrots
- 2-3 pieces bok choy
Chicken (or Tofu!) Marinade Ingredients:
- 1 lb chicken breast OR extra firm tofu
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp miso paste red or white is fine
- 1 tsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Ramen Eggs:
- 1 per person soft boiled egg
- 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- water to cover
Ramen Bowl Ingredients:
- ramen noodles or glass noodles
- vegetables like carrots or bok choy
- nori (dried seaweed)
- scallions
Instructions
- A few hours before you are ready to eat, start your broth. This isn’t completely necessary but it will give you the deepest possible flavor! Add the water to a large pot and bring to a low simmering boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in the red miso paste. Add in the veggies and stir. Cover and simmer on low until dinner.
- At the same time, mix everything for your chicken or tofu marinade and pour over the meat. Place in the fridge until closer to dinner time.
- Add the soft boiled eggs to a bowl and cover in the tamari, rice vinegar, water mixture. Set in the fridge until dinner time.
- Once you’re ready to eat, turn the oven on to 400 degrees F. Roast the carrots for 10 minutes. Then add the chicken and bok choy to the pan and return to the oven for another 10-12 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. If using tofu, cook until tofu is crispy to your liking – might take a little bit longer than the chicken.
- In the mean time, remove the veggies from the miso broth and toss them.
- Cook your noodles either directly in the broth or in a pot to the side. Drain them.
- Construct your bowls with noodles, broth, chicken/tofu, veggies, egg, seaweed, and scallions!
Baked Chicken and Broccoli Mac-n-Cheese with Sourdough Breadcrumbs
Servings: 6-8 Mac-n-Cheese Ingredients:-16oz noodles of choice (I used gluten free brown rice rotini)-4 tbsp quality butter-1 tbsp garlic infused olive oil (or 1 tbsp olive oil + 2 cloves minced garlic)-1/4 cup all purpose flour (or gluten free flour blend)-2 cups whole milk-1 cup …