Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen

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"True Blood" Inspired Hoecakes

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We started watching True Blood a few weeks ago, and just finished season 3 last night. One of the characters on the show loves to eat hoecakes fried in bacon grease. So this morning, when I woke up, I looked at Dino and jokingly said, "Go make me some hoecakes in bacon grease", and he left the room and went downstairs. I then did a quick search for a recipe for future reference, and I saw that Paula Deen had one. I figure she'd know hoecakes better than most people! So I emailed him the recipe.

True Blood Inspired Hoecakes

After I fed the baby, I came downstairs... and Dino was actually frying bacon and making hoecake batter. Score! These are really tasty- they're like a mix between a pancake and cornbread. Yum! They're pretty heavy though, so be warned! After we finished eating breakfast, he told me that he saw that I emailed him the same recipe that he looked up. Talk about serendipity!

True Blood Inspired Hoecakes

Hoecakes

Paula Deen

Total Time: 20 min
Prep: 5 min
Cook: 15 min
Yield: About 17 hoecakes

  • 1 cup self-rising flour
  • 1 cup self-rising cornmeal, or from a mix (recommended: Aunt Jemima's)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ¾ cup buttermilk
  • ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon water
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • Oil, butter, clarified margarine, or bacon grease for frying

Mix well all ingredients, except for the frying oil. Heat the frying oil or butter in a medium or large skillet over medium heat. Drop the batter, by full tablespoons, into the hot skillet. Use about 2 tablespoons of batter per hoecake. Fry each hoecake until brown and crisp; turn each hoecake with a spatula, and then brown the other side. With a slotted spoon, remove each hoecake to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Leftover batter will keep in refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

The littlest hoecake fan in the house:

Baby eating in a high chair.

We also created these mini-chocolate chip hoecakes with the leftover batter. They were amazing!

Mini Chocolate Chip Hoecakes

Korean BBQ Party: Kong Namul (Seasoned Bean Sprouts)

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I took a Korean cooking class a few weeks ago, and they sent us home with a packet of all of the recipes that we made that day. Dino and I decided to have some friends over for dinner tonight, and I thought it would be a great time to recreate a few of the dishes from that day. This is one of the sides (banchan) that we made that day. It's a really simple and flavorful way to prepare bean sprouts.

Kong Namul (Seasoned Bean Sprouts)

Kong Namul (Seasoned Bean Sprouts)
Institute of Culinary Education
Adapted from The Korean Table - Taekyung Chung and Debra Samuels

Yield: Makes 2 cups

In this namul soybean sprouts are steamed until almost all the water is evaporated, creating a tangle of crunch sprouts. Soybean sprouts - the traditional choice for this namul - must be cooked thoroughly before eating. If you are using mung bean sprouts, steaming for 2 minutes is plenty of time. It is important to dress them while warm for maximum absorption of the seasonings.

1 teaspoon salt
¾ pound soybean or mung bean sprouts
¼ cup minced green onion
1 tablespoon crushed roasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

1. In a medium saucepan with a lid, combine ½ cup water, ½ teaspoon of the salt and the soy bean sprouts. Bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat, cover, and steam the sprouts for 8 to 10 minutes (or 2 minutes for mung bean sprouts).

2. Drain the sprouts and transfer to a serving bowl.

3. Mix the sprouts with the green onion, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, the crushed roasted sesame seeds and sesame oil.

This will keep for 2 days in the refrigerator.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Honeyed Figs with Ricotta and Thyme

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Figs stuffed with ricotta, honey, and fresh thyme.

I was at a new Korean market nearby, and when I walked in and saw the produce sections, there were some beautiful figs that practically jumped off the shelf at me. I knew I wanted to do something with them for dessert tonight. I took the stems off and split them into 4 pieces, cutting almost all the way through, stuffed them with part-skim ricotta, drizzled them with honey and sprinkled some thyme leaves from my garden over the top. It was fresh, simple and delicious!

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Oven Dried Strawberries

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Strawberry slices on baking sheets.
I love dried strawberries - the intensified strawberry flavor is so tasty, and it's way healthier than candy! I hadn't thought to try it out myself until recently when I came across this post while browsing Pinterest. My mother-in-law just gave me 2 containers of strawberries that needed to be used quickly, and I figured this would be a great way to deal with them all at once (although, trust me, I could probably sit down and devour them all fresh. I looooove berries!). All I did was slice the tops off of the strawberries and then used an egg slicer to cut them all into nice, uniform slices. I spread them out on 2 cookie sheets and baked at 210°F for 3 hours.

Strawberry slices on baking sheets.

Unfortunately, the directions on the site were really vague, and what I did didn't end up working out too well. Don't get me wrong - they taste good, kinda like a fruit roll-up, but they didn't totally dry out, and they stuck to the cookie sheets really bad. I didn't want to leave them in the oven for longer because they were getting close to burning on the edges. I'll have to see if I can find another method of doing this that doesn't involve a dehydrator. I'm sure it's possible, but this way just didn't work out for me.

Grass Fed Beef Sliders

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Slider with toppings on a plate.

We were away on our first family vacation with Ian for the last few days, and we were so ready to get back to eating good food. I mean, don't get me wrong...the Jersey Shore has some good food, but it seemed like the only options were fried fish, pasta and steak. I was glad when we got home and Dino remembered that we had picked up some grass fed ground beef from the Farmers' Market a while back. He made the most adorable sliders, and they were absolutely delicious. I topped mine with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, red onion, dill pickles, ketchup, mustard and mayo. YUM. Just remember, when cooking grass fed beef, you have to be really careful not to overcook it. It cooks a lot faster than the stuff you usually buy in the grocery store, and it gets tough pretty easily. We had these beauties with some cole slaw, potato salad and macaroni salad from the deli. Good stuff!

Slider with toppings being held.

Kale and White Beans with Crunchy Bacon Panko Topping

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This is one of those meals that falls under the heading of vegetarian...plus bacon. I can't help myself sometimes. I love vegetarian food, but when I was putting this dish together in my head, it was just screaming for some bacon. So this is what I came up with. We squeezed lemon over our dishes right before serving, and it really brightened the dish up. This is a great way to use up leafy greens, and the topping ads lots of nice crunch. Dino and I ate this as a main course, and almost finished off the whole batch, but it would be great as a side dish, too.

Bowls of kale and white beans with crunchy bacon panko topping.
Kale and White Beans with Crunchy Bacon Panko Topping
Ashley Covelli

4 slices center cut bacon, sliced into lardons
large shallot, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 large bunch kale, roughly chopped
large can (1 lb 13 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
½ c panko
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 T fresh parsley, chopped
zest of 1 lemon
lemon wedges, for serving

In a large skillet, brown bacon until crispy. Remove from pan onto a small plate lined with a paper towel. Add shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes to the bacon fat and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add the kale, stirring, and cook, covered, until wilted down, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and cover until heated through.

Meanwhile, Heat oil in a small skillet. Add panko, salt and pepper and toast, stirring occasionally, until browned. Put in a bowl and mix in lemon zest and parsley.

To serve, top kale mixture with bacon and panko mixture, squeeze generously with lemon. Enjoy!

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Supper Club: Avocado Paletas

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I wanted to do something with avocados for our Supper Club, and when I saw this post over on Serious Eats, I knew this was what I wanted to make. This was ridiculously easy to put together, and the "batter" tasted delicious. They turned out nice and refreshing. I really liked the lime flavor in addition to the avocado.

A close-up of an avocado paleta.

Avocado Paletas
Paletas: Authentic Recipes for Mexican Ice Pops, Shaved Ice & Aguas Frescas - Fany Gerson

The paleta is slightly sweetened and gets its creaminess from the natural avocado oils rather than any dairy.

YIELD: Makes 8 to 10
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Paleta molds, sticks

1 cup water
½ cup sugar
2 small ripe avocados
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1. Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.

2. Cut the avocados in half lengthwise. Remove the pit and scoop the fl esh into a blender, along with the cooled syrup and salt. Blend until smooth, scraping the sides as needed. Add the lime juice and blend just until combined.

3. If using conventional molds, divide the mixture among the molds, snap on the lid, and freeze until solid, about 5 hours. If using glasses or other unconventional molds, freeze until the pops are beginning to set (1 ½ to 2 hours), then insert the sticks and freeze until solid, 4 to 5 hours. If using an instant ice pop maker, follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Supper Club: Coconut Shrimp with Orange Dipping Sauce

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This month's Supper Club theme is Californian cuisine. Dino wanted to make coconut shrimp, and he had picked one recipe out, but I asked him if he wanted to make one with a sauce.

He found a recipe (the site is no longer live) that caught his attention. He was also glad to bust out the deep fryer again.

He fried them in batches of 6 shrimp at a time, and they turned out great! They were nice and crispy from the panko, and the dipping sauce was the perfect accompaniment. We'll definitely be making this recipe again.

Coconut shrimp with orange dipping sauce.

Coconut Shrimp with Orange Dipping Sauce
Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice

Yield: 3-4 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Deep-fried shrimp coated in coconut flakes and panko crumbs with a sweet and spicy orange dipping sauce.

1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup panko crumbs
1 cup sweetened or unsweetened organic coconut flakes (I use sweet)
1 pound medium-large shrimp, cleaned, deveined and butterflied (optional)
vegetable oil for frying
½ cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons rice or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
a dash or more of red pepper flakes

Set up a dredging station for the shrimp by placing the flour in a wide, shallow plate or bowl; beat the eggs in a small bowl and combine panko and coconut in a separate, wide, shallow plate or bowl. Coat shrimp with flour, dunk into egg mixture and then into coconut crumbs, patting the crumbs on if needed. Set on a large platter and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile combine orange marmalade, rice vinegar, dijon and red pepper in a small bowl; refrigerate.

Add about 2 inches of oil to large, deep pan or skillet and heat to 350 degrees F. Fry shrimp in batches until light golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towel lined plates. Serve with orange dipping sauce.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Penzeys Forward Grilled Chicken with Tomatoes

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Grilled chicken with tomatoes and peas.

The weather was so beautiful today that we ended up hanging out at the park for a while around the time I usually cook dinner. So when it started getting dark, we decided we needed a quick dinner. I used some Penzeys Forward on chicken breasts and Dino grilled them up with some grape tomatoes that I skewered. We had some Texas toast in the freezer, and I heated up some frozen peas. It wasn't anything too spectacular, but it did the trick. Next time, I think I'll pound out the chicken breasts so they cook more evenly, and marinate them with seasoning and olive oil for a bit before we grill them.

Veggie Sauté Over Quinoa

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I had a bunch of veggies in the fridge from the Farmers' Market that I wanted to use up, so I came up with this vegan dish. It was really satisfying! The flavors went really well together. I can see mixing this up with any veggies you have on hand. I was curious about whether or not it was possible to cook quinoa in the rice cooker, and I came across this post. I used the rice cooker method and it turned out perfectly, just as advertised 🙂

Sautéed veggies over quinoa.

Veggie Sauté over Quinoa
Ashley Covelli

2T extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
striped eggplant, diced large
yellow and/or green zucchini, diced large
2 pattypan squash, diced large
small yellow onion, diced
handful of shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced
pint of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1-2 T balsamic vinegar
cooked quinoa

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and stir until fragrant. Add in the firm veggies (eggplant, zucchini, squash and onion) and cook until tender. Add mushrooms and tomatoes and let soften. Splash in balsamic and stir until reduced. Serve over quinoa.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Raw Kohlrabi and Beet Slaw

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Ramekins of kohlrabi and beet slaw.
I tried kohlrabi for the first time a few weeks ago at the Farmers' Market. It was really good! It's nice and crispy, kind of reminiscent of jicama or celery root. I used a mandoline to julienne one giant kohlrabi and 2 pretty big beets. I tossed it with a quick vinaigrette of white balsamic (I had one infused with serrano and honey...use a regular white balsamic or white wine vinegar to keep this vegetarian/vegan), 2 tablespoons of lime juice, chopped parsley, chives, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. It was delicious! I'll definitely make it again.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Big Flavors Turns 6! Quinoa Mexi 6 Layer Casserole

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Mexican quinoa casserole in a baking dish.
Wow. I can't believe it's already been 6 years. This blog has become a huge part of my life, and I've made a ton of awesome friends through it. I've also experimented with a lot of new foods, which has been an amazing experience. Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive of my food journey, and to the endless people who taste, comment and share recipes with me. My kitchen has come a long way since I started this blog, and I'm hoping it keeps going strong in the years to come.

I found this recipe and thought it would be a great way to celebrate with a theme of 6. It's a healthy and tasty recipe that is sure to please a crowd. I had a friend come over to help us eat this casserole, and she really liked it. Me and Dino were big fans, too, and I can see making it again. Probably not until I have a few people over, though, as it makes a lot of servings. The technique with the quinoa was new to me, but it worked really well! I found the casserole a bit runny from the tomato liquid, so maybe next time I'll drain some off. All in all, a nice, healthy way to ring in year 6!

Plate with Mexican quinoa casserole and a salad on the side.

Quinoa Mexi 6 Layer Casserole
SparkRecipes - BUN3KIN

5 WW points per serving

Minutes to Prepare: 2
Minutes to Cook: 30
Number of Servings: 8

1 cup quinoa
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 lb ground turkey (93/7)
1 small onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon coriander
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons oregano
4-6 dashes hot sauce
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 (19 ounce) can black beans, rinsed
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, broken up by hand
1 cup salsa
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Prepare Quinoa: Rinse in a sieve under running water. Dry Roast in a skillet for approximately 7 minutes until a crackling sound is heard. Boil 1.5 cups of water in a small saucepan, add the dry roasted quinoa. Turn down the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

While quinoa is simmering, heat oil in large skillet. Add garlic and chopped onions, cook 2 or 3 minutes.
Add turkey, spices and hot sauce. You may want to add a little salt and pepper here also. Brown.

Spread quinoa in a large baking dish.

Layer remaining ingredients in this order: Turkey, corn, tomatoes, salsa, black beans and finally the grated cheese.

Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes.

Broil for an additional 3-5 minutes to turn the cheese golden.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

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When I heard how hot it was supposed to be outside this weekend, the first thing I thought of to make was an ice box pie. This one looked nice and simple, and it came together pretty quickly.

The best part was that I put it together last night, and since the "batter" didn't have any raw eggs in it, I was able to enjoy licking the spatula! This pie is decadent and delicious, and definitely something I'd love to make again.

Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

Frozen Peanut Butter Pie
Bon Appétit January 1996

1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1 purchased 6-ounce chocolate cookie pie crust

Blend powdered sugar, peanut butter, cream cheese and vanilla in processor until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of work bowl. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Beat cream in medium bowl to soft peaks. Fold cream into peanut butter mixture in 2 additions. Spoon peanut butter filling into crust and smooth top. Freeze pie until filling is firm, at least 3 hours. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and keep frozen. Let stand room temperature 20 minutes before serving.)

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Supper Club: Sunny Orange Lemonade (with Rum!)

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Dino found this drink recipe to go with our picnic theme, and then came up with the brilliant idea to add rum to it. It was nice and refreshing!

Two glasses of orange lemonade.

Sunny Orange Lemonade
Allrecipes - Martha Schwartz

"Here's a beverage that'll really hit the spot. Filled with tangy goodness, it'll quench your thirst any time of year. 'I like to use tree-ripened lemons and oranges that are so abundant here in Florida,' notes Martha Schwartz from Sarasota. 'It's a must for beach picnics.'"

Original Recipe Yield 6 servings

4 ¼ cups water, divided
1 cup sugar
¾ cup lemon juice
¾ cup orange juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
ice cubes
Lemon slices

In a saucepan, bring 1-¼ cups water and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes; cool. Transfer to a pitcher; add lemon and orange juices and peels. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Stir in the remaining water. Serve over ice. Garnish with lemon if desired.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Spicy Mustard BBQ Sauce

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Dino revamped the BBQ sauce that he used to make to go with the Lazy Texas Brisket. It turned out really great! It's got a bit of a kick, but it won't totally knock your socks off. He reduced it until it got nice and thick, and we all loved it alongside the beef.

Spicy mustard BBQ sauce in a glass jar.

Spicy Mustard BBQ Sauce
Dino Covelli

1 cup cider vinegar
¼ cup yellow mustard
1 t salt
⅓ c ketchup
¼ t cayenne
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
1 ½ t molasses
1 c dark brown sugar
½ c raw honey
4 T butter

Bring all ingredients except butter to a boil then simmer, uncovered. Once it reaches a thickness of your liking, remove from heat and add butter. Enjoy!

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Lazy Texas Brisket

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We've made this recipe a few times, both with brisket for our Supper Club and also with a nice grass-fed top eye round roast from the Farmers' Market for a birthday celebration.

Slicing brisket on a cutting board with gravy boat alongside.

Dino wanted to revamp the barbecue sauce, and it turned out extremely well. When we made it with a roast, it was on the small side, and we overcooked it a bit. But it still turned out nice and juicy. The sauce helped it out, too.

The other key thing that we did was to make the rub and put it on the brisket the night before, and let it cure overnight. The next morning, we wrapped it in foil and baked it. It rocked!

Plate of assorted food.

And here's a shot of the whole meal (minus dessert):

Spicy Sautéed Beet Greens with Garlic Chips

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Don't toss out those beet greens! This simple side dish recipe only requires 4 ingredients and delivers lots of flavor.

Spicy Sautéed Beet Greens with Garlic Chips: Don't toss out those beet greens! This simple side dish recipe only requires 4 ingredients and delivers lots of flavor.

There was a day when I used to ask the vendors at the local Farmers Market to trim the greens off of my beets for me before I took them home from the market. I figured I was saving a step by having them do it for me.

Prior to that, I would take my beets home and cut off the greens as soon as I brought them into my tiny kitchen. I'd toss the greens right into the garbage so as not to take up any precious real estate in my crisper drawer.

Then one day, I was making my favorite Slow Cooker "Roasted" Beets recipe and I thought I should try to figure out a way to use up the beet greens. I hated that I had been wasting them for so long, but I wasn't sure how I should go about preparing them. So I decided I should treat them like any other dark leafy green, like kale or spinach, and just sauté them simply on the stovetop.

Grilled T-Bone Steaks with Dill-Horseradish Mayo

And like many of my best ideas, I assumed it would be wise to add oodles of garlic to this dish. More specifically garlic chips.

Garlic chips are super simple to make. Simply slice up a few cloves of garlic as thinly as you're able and place them into a nonstick skillet that has a layer of olive oil in it. You want to make sure the heat isn't already on when you start off - you're going to be gently warming the garlic and oil and the same time. This lets the garlic flavor infuse into the oil gradually as the sliced garlic slowly crisps up.

And make sure you save that garlicky delicious oil in the pan - we're going to be using it to sauté the beet greens, giving them a double hit of garlic flavor.

I like adding a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes in with the beet greens to give them a nice spicy kick as well. It pairs really well with the other flavors here, but I'm sure it would still be delicious without them if you aren't in the mood for spicy food.

This dish goes well with so many different types of meals. I've served it alongside main courses like Grilled T-Bone Steaks with Dill-Horseradish Mayo, Foil Packet Soy-Lime Salmon with Green Beans, and even as a filler for our leftover nights.

So next time you get beets, make sure you save those greens!!

Mango-Strawberry Salsa

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My in-laws' birthdays are 2 days apart, so we decided to have them over for a joint birthday dinner. For an appetizer, I picked this salsa. It was nice - very different from any fruit salsa I've had before. The balsamic makes it nice and tangy, and the fresh fruit is a nice change from a typical salsa. I had a lot of extra liquid in mine, so I ended up straining it before serving.

Mango-strawberry salsa with tortilla chips.

Mango-Strawberry Salsa
Allrecipes - Sarah Waller

"A refreshing summer salsa for those who want something not so spicy. Extremely easy and very flavorful. Serve chilled with tortilla chips."

Prep Time: 20 Min
Ready In: 40 Min
12 Servings (3 cups)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
⅔ cup orange juice
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 diced fresh mango
2 pints strawberries, diced

Stir together the balsamic vinegar, orange juice, lemon juice, and lime juice in a large bowl. Gently fold in the mango and strawberries until blended. Allow the mixture to rest at least 20 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 51 | Total Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Parchment Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Dill

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Salmon on parchment paper squares with lemon and fresh dill

I got some wild salmon from the market and wanted to try my hand at grilling it on our new gas grill. I've never manned (womanned?) a full-sized grill before (only my dear cast iron grill pan!), so Dino supervised to make sure I didn't blow anything up.

I didn't want to worry about the fish sticking, so I decided to try a parchment method that I read about a while back. It worked out really well, and I didn't even break the grill!

Parchment Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Dill

Ratatouille-ish Sauté with Fresh Summer Veggies

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I picked up some veggies from the Farmers' Market and wanted to make a nice side dish, along with some garlic and tomatoes from my garden. This turned out beautifully! The mix of veggies was just perfect, and the acidity from the tomatoes and vinegar really tied it all together. The butter added creaminess and the fresh dill paired really well with it. I was reluctant to call it a ratatouille because it seems like there is no real clear definition on what exactly that is, but as far as I can tell, they all contain onions. My dish didn't, and we agreed that it really didn't need any. I'll definitely make this again - it was fresh and beautiful!

Sautéed veggies in two serving dishes.

Ratatouille-ish Sauté with Fresh Summer Veggies
Ashley Covelli

extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 baby eggplant, cut into large dice
1 green zucchini, cut into large dice
¾ cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
kernels from 2 ears of corn
1 T white wine vinegar
1 T Lemon-Dill Compound Butter

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and heat until fragrant. Stir in eggplant and zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until brown and tender. Add the tomatoes, corn and vinegar and stir to get all of the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan. Cover the skillet and let the flavors meld together for a few minutes. Once the tomatoes have softened, add in the compound butter and stir until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Lemon-Dill Compound Butter

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Lemon-dill compound butter with a knife for spreading.

I wanted to make a flavorful compound butter to go with tonight's dinner, so I took about 4 tablespoons of butter and mixed in the zest of a lemon, around a tablespoon of freshly chopped dill, some kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. This stuff rocked, and I'll be using it in a few more dishes soon.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Asian Turkey Cabbage Cups

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This was a really tasty and refreshing meal that was pretty easy to put together. I loved the addition of fresh herbs to the meat mixture, and the fish sauce really does make all the difference in the world. Dino added some Hoisin and Sriracha to his cups, and really enjoyed them like that. I had mine straight up.

Turkey mixture served with cabbage cups.

Asian Turkey Cabbage Cups
Cooking Light November 2009

Cool, crisp napa cabbage leaves cradle a hot and spicy herbed filling in this quick dish.

1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 ¼ pounds ground turkey
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
12 large napa (Chinese) cabbage leaves (about 8 ounces)
¼ cup chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and turkey to pan; cook 7 minutes or until turkey is done, stirring frequently. Drain turkey mixture; place in a large bowl. Add green onions and next 8 ingredients (through jalapeño); toss well. Spoon ⅓ cup turkey mixture into each cabbage leaf. Top with peanuts.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Root Beer-Can Chicken

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Root Beer-Can Chicken

This is the second time we've made this chicken recipe. It's awesome. We don't take the skin off of the chicken when we make it for a few reasons...first off, the skin adds a lot of flavor (even though I'm a weirdo who doesn't typically eat chicken skin), secondly, I misread the recipe BOTH times and didn't see that it said "skinned" until after I applied the spice rub. Lastly...skinning a chicken sounds like a royal pain in the you-know-what to me, so eh...I say leave it on. The root beer can bastes the chicken from the inside, making the meat insanely moist. This time around, Dino used mesquite wood chips (soaked in beer) to add a smoky flavor to the chicken.

Root Beer-Can Chicken

Root Beer-Can Chicken
Cooking Light June 2010

This is a family-friendly take on beer-can chicken in which we use an opened root beer can to support a whole bird on the grill. The liquid inside the can adds moisture, resulting in succulent, tender meat. Complete the meal with roasted red potatoes and a sweet-tart broccoli slaw.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast half or 1 leg quarter)

1 ½ teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon ground red pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 (12-ounce) cans root beer, divided
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 (3 ½-pound) whole chicken, skinned

1. Prepare grill for indirect grilling, heating one side to medium.

2. Combine first 7 ingredients and ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

3. Open both root beer cans; pour 18 ounces into a small saucepan. Set remaining root beer aside (in the can). Bring 18 ounces root beer to a boil. Cook until reduced to ⅓ cup (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat. Add remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, butter, and vinegar, stirring until smooth.

4. Rub paprika mixture evenly over chicken. Holding chicken upright with the cavity facing down, insert reserved opened root beer can into cavity. Place chicken on unheated side of grill. Spread legs out to form a tripod to support the chicken. Cover and grill for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into meaty portion of thigh registers 160°, basting chicken every 20 minutes with sauce.

5. Lift chicken slightly using tongs; place spatula under can. Carefully remove chicken and can from grill; place on a cutting board. Let stand 10 minutes. Gently lift chicken using tongs or insulated rubber gloves; carefully twist can and remove from cavity. Discard can. Carve chicken.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 371
Fat: 15.1g (sat 6.2g,mono 5g,poly 2.4g)
Protein: 35.6g
Carbohydrate: 21.4g
Fiber: 0.2g
Cholesterol: 121mg
Iron: 1.9mg
Sodium: 502mg
Calcium: 32mg

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Asparagus On The BBQ

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Asparagus bundles wrapped in bacon.

We had some friends over today, and we wanted to fire up the grill again. I had seen a recipe from Nibbles of Tidbits on Pinterest, and thought it would be fantastic (I mean, c'mon...who doesn't love bacon-wrapped anything??). The asparagus I picked up had pretty tough stems, so I trimmed them pretty short. I didn't realize that I should have wrapped them almost completely (instead of like a cute little bacon-y belt) to keep the asparagus from getting singed on the grill. I also thought it might be a little better with a bit oil and a squeeze of lemon squeezed at the end to add a little moisture and some acid. Ah well...next time!

Lemon-Garlic White-Bean Dip

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I thought this dip looked like a good alternative to hummus. It was pretty good, but we thought it was a little too thick. Next time, I'd add more olive oil and maybe some other spices. Or I'll just try another white bean dip recipe altogether. The lemon and parsley was a nice addition.

A bowl of lemon-garlic white bean dip with raw veggies alongside.

Lemon-Garlic White-Bean Dip
All You July 2011

Yield: Serves 8
Cost per Serving: $.36

1 15.5-oz. can small white beans, drained and rinsed
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest $
2 tablespoons lemon juice $
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil $
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Assorted crudités, optional
Homemade Potato Chips, optional

In a food processor, process beans, garlic, lemon zest and juice, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper and oil until smooth. Pulse in parsley. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Cover; chill for 30 minutes. Serve with crudités or chips, if desired.

Big Flavors Rating: 3 Stars

Tofu Masala

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I love Indian food, and I love tofu, so I thought this dish would be great! It was good, but nothing special. A big note if you plan to make it is to let the water reduce almost completely to add flavor to the dish, otherwise it's pretty bland. I served it over basmati rice with some Greek yogurt that I mixed with cucumber and salt.

Plate of tofu masala with chickpeas over rice.

Tofu Masala
Allrecipes - nicotori

"This flavorful blend of spices, vegetables, and tofu is great served over basmati rice."

Original Recipe Yield 3 servings

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu, cubed
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons garam masala
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups water

Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cubed tofu, and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes; remove from the skillet and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium, and pour in the remaining canola oil. Stir in the onion, garlic, and green pepper. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.
Return the tofu to the skillet along with the garbanzo beans and tomato. Season with garam masala, salt, and pepper, and pour in the water. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until thickened to your desired consistency. Remove from the stove, and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 332 | Total Fat: 16.9g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Big Flavors Rating: 3 Stars

Father's Day: Coffee-Marinated Grilled Pork

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Coffee-Marinated Grilled Pork

For the third year in a row, we made this amazing pork tenderloin recipe for Father's Day. This is the first time we made it on a gas grill, and it was still great! The coffee and macadamia nuts give it a really nice crust.

Pork tenderloin is such a versatile ingredient! Some of our very favorite recipes utilize it, like this balsamic marinated pork tenderloin, this pan-roasted pork tenderloin with balsamic tomatoes, these peanut noodles with roasted pork tenderloin + honeyed oranges, and this breaded pork tenderloin with lemon caper sauce.

Coffee-Marinated Grilled Pork

Coffee-Marinated Grilled Pork
Bon Appétit July 2007

½ cup freshly ground coffee beans
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup mild-flavored molasses
¼ cup dry-roasted macadamia nuts (about 2 ½ ounces)
¼ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup soy sauce
2 small garlic cloves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon mirin (sweet japanese rice wine)
1 jalapeno chile, coarsely chopped
1 ½ teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 ½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
2 pork tenderloins (about 2 ½ pounds total)

Puree all ingredients except pork in processor until almost smooth. Transfer to large resealable plastic bag. Add pork; release excess air, seal bag, and turn to coat. Chill 24-48 hours.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Grill pork until thermometer inserted into center registers 145 degrees F, turning often, about 25 mins. Transfer to work surface; let stand 10 mins. Thinly slice.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Cedar Plank Grilled Swordfish with Lemon and Thyme

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Cedar Plank Grilled Swordfish with Lemon and Thyme.

Dino's parents got him a gas grill for his first Father's Day. It was delivered on Friday, and we just couldn't wait until Sunday to break it in, so I picked up a big swordfish steak from the Farmers' Market. It was our first time grilling swordfish, and our first time using cedar planks. The cedar gave it a really nice flavor - but it's really potent. Not something I'd want too often.

Swordfish topped with lemon and thyme being grilled on a cedar plank.

I soaked the plank in beer for an hour and then drizzled some olive oil on one side of it and sprinkled it with salt. I cut the swordfish into two pieces and put it on top. I drizzled more olive oil on top, added salt and pepper, some fresh thyme and lemon slices. Dino cooked them on the grill until they were perfectly flaky.

Cedar Plank Grilled Swordfish with Lemon and Thyme.

We also had some grilled asparagus (he put them in foil packets with a soy/teriyaki/ginger/honey mixture poured over them), and grilled orange bell peppers. It was a great meal!

Cedar Plank Grilled Swordfish with Lemon and Thyme.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Honey Limeade

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I don't know if I've ever had limeade before, and I had bought a bunch of limes for mojitos, so I picked up a few more to make a batch. It was really good! It's tangier than lemonade, and nice and refreshing for a hot summer day. I didn't particularly taste the honey, so I think the title is a little bit misleading, but it was good nonetheless.

Two glasses of honey limeade garnished with lime wheels.

Honey Limeade
Allrecipes - NIKKY_1ST

"A refreshing drink on a hot day. Serve over ice."

Prep Time: 15 Min
Ready In: 15 Min

Original Recipe Yield 6 servings

1 cup lime juice
5 cups water
⅔ cup white sugar
2 tablespoons honey

In a pitcher, combine lime juice, water, sugar and honey. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Chill in refrigerator.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 118 | Total Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Spiced Garlic Scape Marinated Chicken with Couscous

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Chicken served over couscous with lemon and purple basil.

We planted some garlic last fall, and the scapes were ready to be picked. It wasn't enough to make a pesto or anything, so I decided to try out a marinated chicken dish. This turned out OK, but I think I overcooked the chicken, so it was kind of dry. It was especially surprising since I marinated it in Greek yogurt, which usually makes chicken really tender.

For the marinade, I used 2 chopped garlic scapes, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, ½ teaspoon each of turmeric, cumin and coriander, and some salt and pepper. I added 2 cubed boneless skinless chicken breasts and marinated it in the fridge for 2 hours.

To cook, I sliced a white onion and chopped the other 2 garlic scapes. I pan fried the chicken and onions in olive oil until they were cooked and served it over couscous, garnished with some purple basil.

Big Flavors Rating: 3 Stars

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs

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I came across this recipe on Flipboard and had all of the ingredients on hand, so I whipped it up for lunch. It was really tasty! The lemon and herb combination is great, and the parmesan adds a nice saltiness. I added quite a bit of pepper at the end, and it was great!

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs
Bon Appétit

The beauty of this basic recipe is that it can be tweaked in numerous ways. For a spicy version, add some sriracha sauce. Try swapping out the lemon juice for lime juice and use feta cheese instead of Parmesan and mix in some chopped fresh cilantro and chopped red onion or shallot. For a curried chickpea salad, leave out the Parmesan and add curry powder to taste, dried currants, sliced green onions, and shredded carrots.

2 servings
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes

1 15- to 15 ½-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, pressed
⅓ cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Coarse kosher salt

Combine rinsed and drained chickpeas, chopped fresh basil, chopped Italian parsley, fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and pressed garlic clove in medium bowl. Add grated Parmesan cheese and toss gently to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Season chickpea salad to taste with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

DO AHEAD Chickpea salad can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Serve salad chilled or at room temperature.

Nutritional Information
One serving contains:
Calories (kcal) 362.6
%Calories from Fat 40.2
Fat (g) 16.2
Saturated Fat (g) 4.0
Cholesterol (mg) 13.3
Carbohydrates (g) 35.8
Dietary Fiber (g) 7.5
Total Sugars (g) 1.9
Net Carbs (g) 28.3
Protein (g) 18.6
Sodium (mg) 378.1

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Rotini with Portobello Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, and Goat Cheese

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This was a great vegetarian dinner. The mushrooms are nice and meaty, and the goat cheese and caramelized onion flavor combination is awesome. I used whole grain rotini instead of ziti. It takes a while to make this because the onions take some time to caramelize, but it's worth it.

Bowl of rotini pasta with mushrooms and caramelized onions.

Ziti with Portobello Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, and Goat Cheese
Food & Wine

SERVINGS: 4

Meaty mushrooms are enhanced by sweet caramelized onions and just enough tangy melted goat cheese in this delicious year-round pasta.

2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 pound portobello mushrooms, stems removed, caps halved and then cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
¾ pound ziti
3 ounces soft goat cheese, such as Montrachet, crumbled
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1. In a large frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat. Add the onions, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are well browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from the pan.

2. In the same pan, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Add the mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and brown, about 8 minutes. Add the reserved onions, the parsley, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and the pepper.

3. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the ziti until just done, about 13 minutes. Reserve ¾ cup of the pasta water and drain. Toss the ziti and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water with the mushroom mixture, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the goat cheese, and the Parmesan. If the pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water. Serve with additional Parmesan.

SUGGESTED PAIRING
While the mushrooms need a red wine, the goat cheese goes best with a wine that has plenty of acidity. A Pinot Noir from Oregon is an ideal choice for both.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Fresh Apple, Carrot, Orange Cucumber Juice

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Dino wanted to make a big batch of juice, so he picked up a bunch of produce. We didn't have room for the beets he bought, so we'll add those after we drink some of what we have now.

This turned out really nice - the cucumber really made it extra refreshing.

We have a huge 2-gallon pitcher, and this pretty much filled it up.

A glass of orange juice.

Fresh Apple, Carrot, Orange Cucumber Juice
Dino & Ashley Covelli

Makes about 2 gallons

3 lb bag apples
5 lb bag carrots
4 lb bag oranges
½ English cucumber

Using a juicer, process apples, carrots, oranges and cucumber. Whisk and enjoy!

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Marinated Tofu with Stir-fried Veggies

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I came up with another tofu marinade for dinner. This one would be vegetarian if you omit the fish sauce. We really liked this, and the meatiness from the mushrooms was great with the peppers. Brown rice rounded this meal out well.

Tofu and stir-fried veggies with rice.

Marinated Tofu with Stir-fried Veggies
Ashley Covelli

1 block extra firm tofu
¼ c low sodium soy sauce
1 T Dijon
½ t fish sauce
1 t sesame oil
1 t chili garlic sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
vegetable oil, for frying
yellow bell pepper, sliced
red bell pepper, sliced
4 ounce package sliced shiitake mushrooms
handful frozen peas
basil leaves, sliced, for garnish

Slice tofu into 8 pieces, and then cut each piece in half so you end up with 16 squares. Whisk ingredients (through garlic) together and pour half into the bottom of a container (I use a long rectangular tupperware) to marinate. Add the sliced tofu, and pour the rest of the marinade on top. Let marinate for an hour (or as long as you can).

Heat some vegetable oil in a large, nonstick skillet. Add the tofu slices, reserving the remaining marinade. Fry tofu on both sides until golden. Remove from skillet and add peppers to the pan. When they get tender, add the mushrooms and peas. Once the peas have warmed through, add reserved marinade and let it reduce. Serve alongside tofu on top of rice and garnish with basil.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Mojitos

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While my parents were visiting, we found out that my dad has never had a mojito. GASP!! So we decided that we needed to make a batch to go with dinner. We decided on turkey tacos. They were great as always. The mojitos were good, but they weren't quite sweet enough, and had a little too much lime. The next batch had twice as much sugar and half the amount of lime, and it was a lot better.

Glasses of mojitos garnished with fresh mint.

Mojito
Mixologist app

2 oz Light Rum
Soda Water
2 teaspoon Sugar
4 Mint Leaf
1 Lime

Muddle sugar and mint in beer mug. Squeeze both halves of lime into the glass, leaving one hull in the mixture. Add rum, stir, and fill with ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Big Flavors Rating: 3 Stars

Petite Sirloin with Caramelized Onions

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A plate of steak with caramelized onions, salad, and mashed potatoes.

I bought some petite sirloin steaks and asked Dino if he would grill them up on the cast iron grill pan.

I wanted some caramelized onions to go with them, and he got on it! He seasoned the steaks with salt and pepper, cayenne and garlic powder.

He added a little brown sugar to the onions to help sweeten them up a bit more. I made mashed potatoes with green onions and a nice salad to go alongside.

It was a nice meal, and a great team effort! Next time, I'll have to see if Ian wants to make a dessert for us 😉