Showing posts with label recipes - under 30 minutes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes - under 30 minutes. Show all posts

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Scallops with Tomatillo Sauce from Cinco de Mayo Salsas

During my trip to the Strip District last Saturday, I made my usual stop at Cinco de Mayo Salsas at the Pittsburgh Public Market.  Arturo asked me what I was in the mood for, and I explained that I've been very busy and have little time to cook, so he offered this extremely easy and fast recipe that takes only about 10 minutes!

Ingredients

Sea scallops, large
Flour
Butter
Shallot or garlic
Heavy cream, 4 tbsp
One (8 oz) container of tomatillo sauce from Cinco de Mayo Salsas

Directions

Lightly dust sea scallops with flour and saute with a little butter and shallot or garlic.  Lightly heat tomatillo sauce and heavy cream (do not bring to boil).  Pour over scallops.

I served it over a bed of wilted spinach cooked in olive oil and garlic.  The scallops go well with pasta as well.

Amazingly simple, no? ;)

Scallops with Tomatillo Sauce from Cinco de Mayo Salsas
Scallops with Tomatillo Sauce from Cinco de Mayo Salsas

Click here for more recipes using Cinco de Mayo Salsas, available at the Pittsburgh Public Market during the winter and all around town during the farmers market season.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Grilled Salmon with Creamy Tomatillo Sauce from Cinco de Mayo Salsas

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have been cooking a lot with Cinco de Mayo Salsas lately.  It's been a bit of a godsend, as I've been too busy to experiment in the kitchen or tackle more complicated recipes.  During one of my trips to the Pittsburgh Public Market, I was convinced to pick up some Roasted Tomatillo Salsa - owner Arturo's favorite - made with roasted tomatillo, roasted jalapenos, onions, garlic, and cilantro.  He recommended mixing it with heavy cream and them on salmon, so that's what I did:

Ingredients

1 (8 oz) container of Roasted Tomatillo Salsa from Cinco de Mayo Salsas
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
4 (4 oz) salmon fillet
Salt and pepper

Directions

Mix salsa and heavy cream together and keep warm.  Season salmon with salt and pepper, then grill salmon on both sides until done.  Serve with sauce.

So easy yet tasty!!  The perfect busy girl's recipe.

Roasted Tomatillo Sauce from Cinco de Mayo Salsas
Roasted Tomatillo Sauce

Grilled Salmon with Creamy Tomatillo Sauce from Cinco de Mayo Salsas
Grilled Salmon with Creamy Tomatillo Sauce from Cinco de Mayo Salsas

Click here for more recipes using Cinco de Mayo Salsas, available at the Pittsburgh Public Market during the winter and all around town during the farmers market season.

Prosciutto and Orange Cream Sauce with Szechuan Orange Spice Linguine from Olio Fresca

Continuing with my series of recipes using Olio Fresca pasta, I recently came up quite possibly the best recipe I ever concocted.  I had made Olio Fresca's Szechuan Orange Spice Linguine before with shrimp, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and parsley with decent results, but my comment at the time was that a citrusy sauce would bring out more of the orange flavor in the pasta.  So this time, I tried something completely different: I made an orange cream sauce and tossed the pasta with prosciutto, orange zest, parmesan cheese, and other spices, and the result was so remarkable I couldn't believe I came up with this myself!  The orange flavor in the pasta really shines through in this simple recipe, and the prosciutto was a great accompaniment.  I suspect bacon might work well, too.

Prosciutto and Orange Cream Sauce with Szechuan Orange Spice Linguine
Prosciutto and Orange Cream Sauce with Szechuan Orange Spice Linguine

Ingredients:

1/4 lb prosciutto, torn into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup orange juice
Zest of 1 small orange
Grated parmesan cheese, to taste
1 lb Olio Fresca Szechuan Orange Spice Linguine
Ground black pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper, to taste
Chopped parsley, to taste
Cooking spray

Directions:

Cook pasta for about 2 minutes, just before al dente.  Drain.

Spray skillet with cooking spray and heat prosciutto on medium heat for a few minutes, until heated through.  Add heavy cream, orange juice, parmesan cheese, ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper.  Once heated, add pasta and toss.  Serve, topped with orange zest and parsley.

Check out other recipes using Olio Fresca products here.  To purchase Olio Fresca pasta, check out their website for currently available products.

Pittsburgh's Passion Linguine from Olio Fresca with Clam Sauce

So Super Bowl weekend is coming up, and I know the Steelers aren't in it this year (boo!), but I still need to complete this very belated Steelers-related post I had been working on for a long time but never got around to finishing!  Sometime before the NFL season is officially over would be good, I thought.  Besides, maybe the pain of not making it past the first round of the playoffs this year has subsided enough that it would now be safe to mention the Steelers again...

Anyway, a little background:  I was never much of an NFL fan before I moved to Pittsburgh, and I can't say that I've become a convert, but now that I'm making Pittsburgh my home, I've certainly been doing my part to embrace our hometown Steelers.  For my first Hallowe'en in Pittsburgh, I donned a #43 jersey, gold football pants, and a wig, and when the Steelers made it to Super Bowl XLV last year, I joined everyone else in town in waving my terrible towel and cheering on my team.

When I found out several weeks ago that Olio Fresca Pasta would stop selling at the Pittsburgh Public Market, I made a few trips out there to stock up on my flavored pasta supply.  One of the varieties I got was the Pittsburgh's Passion Linguine - black squid ink mixed with yellow saffron linguine.  I thought it might be a fun way to support the Steelers during the playoffs, so I made this for the first round game between the Steelers and the Broncos.

The owners of Olio Fresca had said that the Pittsburgh Passion Linguine would go well with a clam sauce, and I just so remembered having seen a recipe for that posted by fellow Pittsburgh food blogger Molly at Cooking For My Dad - perfect!  I followed Molly's recipe pretty closely, except I used six rather than four cloves of garlic, and instead of canned minced clams, I used about 3/4 of a pound of fresh clams and 1/2 cup of clam juice.  It turns out great!  (Thanks, Molly!)

Pittsburgh Passion Linguine from Olio Fresca with Clam Sauce
Pittsburgh's Passion Linguine with Clam Sauce

And what do you think about the football-shaped bowl? ;)

Unfortunately, the Steelers lost a close one that day, but I'm sure they'll be back next year stronger than ever.

Check out other recipes using Olio Fresca products here, and there will be more to come soon!  To purchase Olio Fresca pasta, check out their website for currently available products.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Creamy Italian Sausage Fettuccine with Spanish Peanut Sauce from Cinco de Mayo Salsas

I know I've been posting a lot lately about my dining out adventures, but I've actually been cooking a lot as well!  Lately, I've been doing a lot with Olio Fresca products and Cinco de Mayo Salsas from the Pittsburgh Public Market, and I plan to write a series of posts featuring them.

Since I first discovered Cinco de Mayo Salsas not long ago, I have become a loyal fan.  Last time I wrote about Cinco de Mayo Salsas, I posted owner Arturo's Chicken with Spanish Peanut Sauce recipe.  The Spanish Peanut Sauce is probably my favorite of Arturo's salsas, and here's a second recipe he taught me, and the result is so phenomenal that I've already made this three times in the past month!

Ingredients:

1 lb Italian sweet sausage, removed from casings
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 (8 oz) tub of Spanish Peanut Sauce from Cinco de Mayo Salsas
4 servings of fettuccine
Spices to taste

Directions:

Cook fettuccine according to package directions until just before al dente.  Drain.

In a large skillet, cook sausage until brown while crumbling with your spatula.  Add Spanish Peanut Sauce and heavy cream.  Once heated through, add pasta and toss.

Creamy Italian Sausage Fettuccine with Spanish Peanut Sauce from Cinco de Mayo Salsas
Creamy Italian Sausage Fettuccine with Spanish Peanut Sauce from Cinco de Mayo Salsas

Pittsburgh friends, if you want to make an easy yet delicious meal and support a local small business owner at the same time, go to the Pittsburgh Public Market on Saturdays, buy some Spanish Peanut Sauce from Arturo, and give this recipe a try!  You won't be disappointed!

Click here for more recipes using Cinco de Mayo Salsas, available at the Pittsburgh Public Market during the winter and all around town during the farmers market season.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Roasted Cranberry Chicken

Every time I hear someone complain about the cold weather, I cringe a little.  The truth is, I really don't mind the cold weather.  In fact, I love the festive atmosphere of fall and winter, the delicious traditional holiday food (mmm...pumpkin pie!), and not to mention I was a winter baby, which I think means I am pretty much obligated to like winter.

One of my favorite things about the cooler weather is that cranberries are now back in season!  I have been waiting for months to finally get to make this Roasted Cranberry Chicken - a recipe that has become a favorite since I discovered it last year.  It is easy, requires little prep, and the sauce is sweet and flavorful.  The thyme adds a deliciously fine touch.  This recipe will definitely be making a regular appearance on my dinner plate this fall and winter!

Roasted Cranberry Chicken
Roasted Cranberry Chicken

P.S. "Natural" lighting of this photo brought to you by the magic of full spectrum light bulbs - a girl's favorite prop for fall/winter food photography!

Recipe courtesy of:
Better Homes and Gardens (get the recipe here)


Monday, October 24, 2011

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Life has been rather busy for me in the past few months, and at times like these, I do less experimenting in the kitchen and stick with old standbys instead that are quick and easy.

A few weeks ago I had a particularly busy weekend and didn't have much time to make food for the week like I normally do.  So I skimmed my recipe collection for something super easy and quick, and came upon this Mexican-inspired dish that I have enjoyed before.  It requires very little preparation, and for the chicken I just get a whole rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, rip out the skin and the bones, as well as the legs for other use (typically immediate consumption :P), and the remaining meat is just about the right amount as specified in the recipe.

I have a feeling I'll be making this a regular rotation in the next few busy months!

Chicken Tamale Casserole
Chicken Tamale Casserole

Chicken Tamale Casserole
Chicken Tamale Casserole

Recipe courtesy of:
Cooking Light (get the recipe here)

Monday, September 5, 2011

Turkey Pesto Sandwich

Several blog posts ago I wrote about my overgrowing basil and parsley and making pesto with them, which I served on pasta.  Two weeks later, I still had some leftover pesto (luckily, it was still good!) so I needed to find a way to use it up, but I felt like trying it on sandwich this time.  Off to the internet I went, and found this great Turkey Pesto Sandwich recipe from Cooking Light that was super easy (perfect, since I've been busy and don't have time for complicated recipes) and surprisingly tasty.  I have to admit, I wasn't too sure how well it would turn out because the recipe almost seemed too simple, but the pesto spread turned out great.  I also used smoked turkey and added fresh basil leaves which I think intensified the flavor in a good way.  The buffalo mozzarella imported from Italy couldn't have hurt either.  I'm definitely keeping this one in the rotation!

Turkey Pesto Sandwich
Turkey Pesto Sandwich, pre-broiling

Turkey Pesto Sandwich
Turkey Pesto Sandwich, ready for consumption!
Recipe courtesy of:
Cooking Light (get the recipe here)

Monday, July 4, 2011

Curried Apple Couscous

I have been making this delicious Curried Apple Couscous for a few years now and I'm a huge fan because it is so good and amazingly easy to make.  The combination of the crunchy toasted pinenuts, the freshness of the mint, the sweet tartness of the apples, and the spiciness of the curry is so exotic yet flavorful that it is hard to believe that this dish can be achieved in under 30 minutes!

Curried Apple Couscous
Curried Apple Couscous


By the way, 101 Cookbooks blogger Heidi Swanson's cookbook just came out and I really want a copy.  It's too bad my birthday isn't coming up!  Also check out 101 Cookbooks for some amazing food photos.


Recipe courtesy of:
101 Cookbooks (get the recipe here)

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Portabello Parmesan

This is one of my go-to recipes whenever I need something quick, easy, and delicious.  I had originally seen it on my friend Ken's blog, but I think the original recipe is from the Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis.  I love that it takes only about 30 minutes and always comes out great.  This time, to my surprise, the dish was particularly tasty, and I think the credit goes to the portabello mushrooms from McGinnis Sisters.  I'm anticipating a busy several months ahead and I have a feeling I will be making this a regular dinner menu item!

Portabello Parmesan
Portabello Parmesan

Recipe courtesy of:
Food Network (get the recipe here)