In The Kitchen: Lemon Ricotta Pancakes w/Strawberries

I wanted to make my sister a nice quick birthday breakfast [she's now 22], and of course she requested pancakes. I am usually not a fan of pancakes, however these Lemon Ricotta Pancakes looked absolutely delicious on Bobby Flay, and I knew I had to give them a try one day.  I ran to Food Network to check out the recipe, and it received stellar reviews across the board. They were absolutely delicious. The ricotta and lemon curd gives these pancakes more of a light, airy, sophisticated taste versus regular pancakes. I could definitely go for these every weekend! 

The best part about this recipe? It only takes about 20 minutes to prepare and plate the dish, not bad eh? I did make a small modification though, the original recipe called for raspberries to use as garnish, but I only had strawberries on hand. You can substitute any fruit you like! 

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes w/ Strawberries [Adapted from Food Network]

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Butter, for griddle
• 1 (11-ounce) jar prepared lemon curd
• Fresh strawberries, for garnish
• Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Directions

Preheat a nonstick griddle. Combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk together the cheese, eggs, milk, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl. Whisk the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Brush the hot griddle with butter. For each pancake, pour approximately 1/4 cup measure of the batter on the griddle and cook on both sides until light golden brown. Repeat until no batter remains.  

Empty the contents of the lemon curd into a small saucepan and warm over low heat. Alternatively, remove the lid and place in a microwave oven on 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stopping after 1 minute to stir the curd. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the curd over the pancakes, top with fresh strawberries, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

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30 Minute Weeknight Meals: Pasta Pomodoro

As a child, my favorite meal was spaghetti. I ordered spaghetti from Bob's Big Boy, spaghetti from Ihop, wouldn't agree to a family outing unless spaghetti was on the menu, and celebrated every birthday at The Spaghetti Factory. As I grew older, I started to experiment and fall in love with other pasta dishes [which is why there are so many variations on my site, I will switch it up soon I promise], and Pasta Pomodoro remains one of my favorite to date.

This dish is light, yet fulfilling with or without the addition of meat. Don't let the simplicity of the ingredients and this recipe fool you, it is highly flavorsome. If you're looking for a quick, delicious, healthy weeknight meal that can be prepared on a budget, try this on for size!

I recommend using fresh Parmesan Cheese in lieu of the powdered variety, or even Parmigiano Reggiano if you want to splurge. Also I find that fresh tomatoes work much better versus canned tomatoes. I actually took the recommendation of one of the reviews and purchased Campari Tomatoes instead of the Roma Tomatoes the recipe called for. The substitution of Campari Tomatoes made for a rich, fresher tasting sauce. 

 

Pasta Pomodoro [Adapted from All Recipes.Com]

Ingredients

2 (8 ounce) packages angel hair pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups Campari Tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 (10.75 ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth

crushed red pepper to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Pour olive oil in a large deep skillet over high-heat. Saute onions and garlic until lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium-high and add tomatoes, vinegar and chicken broth; simmer for about 8 minutes.
3. Stir in red pepper, black pepper, basil and cooked pasta, tossing thoroughly with sauce. Simmer for about 5 more minutes and serve topped with grated Parm cheese.

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In The Kitchen: Lemon Cream Cupcakes

I found this decadent recipe on All Recipe's .Com, one of my new favorite hangouts. These delicate, moist, lemon-flavored treats didn't stand a chance in my household; we consumed them almost immediately. The great thing about this delightful little recipe is that it doesn't require a lot of complex ingredients, yet the cake is sure to please those that have more of a sophisticated palette. 

Those that aren't very fond of super-lemony sweets will find these cupcakes delicious, as the lemon-flavor in this recipe isn't overpowering at all; but rather faint. For all of my lemon-lovers out there, you can double the amount of zest called for in this recipe, or even add a tiny bit of Lemon Extract or Lemon Essential Oil. 

To my beginner cooks out there, this is a very easy recipe to follow provided you don't make any adjustments with the Baking Powder & Baking Soda. I would also leave the cream cheese in the recipe as well, it is what adds to the light, smooth, airy texture.

Lemon Cream Cupcakes [Adapted from All Recipes.com]

Ingredients - Yields 30 cupcakes

1 cup butter or margarine, softened << I used butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sour cream

Frosting Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon milk

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, cream butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, vanilla, lemon peel and milk; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes.  

 

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Epicure: Panko-Crusted Chicken

I have to give my mom all the glory for introducing me to this Panko-Crusted Chicken recipe [if I don't she'll kill me..lol]. This no frills recipe requires minimal ingredients and a basic knowledge on how to navigate your way through the kitchen. If you can add oil to a skillet and brown meat, there's no way to foul this one up! The addition of Panko breadcrumbs versus traditional yields more of a light, flaky, and slightly crispy outer crust you're sure to love. Panko breadcrumbs are readily available in the Asian or "ethnic" isle of your local grocery store.

I recommend using fresh Basil for this recipe because it makes for more of a rich, earthy flavor. 

Panko-Crusted Chicken [Adapted from Mom]

Ingredients:
Can of Coconut Milk
4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt & Pepper to taste
5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup chopped Basil
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs

Directions:

• Soak chicken overnight in 13 oz of Coconut Milk [one can will do]
• After 24 hours has elapsed, remove chicken from Coconut Milk and pat dry with clean paper towel
• Season chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Add egg whites to a small bowl and toss in the fresh basil. Mix well
• Coat each piece of chicken in egg white mixture and set aside
• Dredge chicken in Panko crumb mixture until well-coated 
• In a large skillet over medium heat, add Extra Virgin Olive Oil and heat
• When oil is hot, add chicken and pan fry until golden brown on both sides 

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Epicure: Lemon Sandwich Cookies

I am a fan of most things lemon. Lemon cake, lemonade, even lemon pancakes. So when I spotted these pretty little lemon sandwich cookies on Martha Stewart's site, I immediately added them to the recipe rolodex.

They were extremely easy to make, however a bit time consuming [the cookie dough has to chill for about an hour]. These heavenly cookies were the perfect marriage of lemony-buttery goodness with a kick of sophistication. You can make these as regular lemon cookies, or your can add a generous dollop of sweet, creamy lemon filling for sandwich cookies. - If you're one for hosting dinner parties, double the recipe; these make divine after-dinner delectables! 

Lemon Sandwich Cookies [adapted from Martha Stewart]
Ingredients:

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling

2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add flour (dough will still be stiff); finish mixing with a wooden spoon.

2. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, pat into a disk about 1/2 inch thick. Wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour (and up to 3 days).

3. Unwrap dough; place on a lightly floured piece of parchment or waxed paper. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough about 1/8 inch thick (if dough cracks, let it warm up slightly).

4. Cut out cookies with a 1 1/2-inch round cutter (reroll scraps once, chilling of too soft). Place 1 inch apart on two baking sheets; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until barely beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

5. Form sandwiches: Place about 1 teaspoon creamy lemon filling between two cookies, sugared sides facing out; squeeze gently.

Creamy Lemon Filling

Ingredients:

1 package (4 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1 to 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and zest until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup confectioners' sugar, mixing until smooth. Mix in remaining sugar as necessary to create a firm but spreadable filling.

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Epicure: French Potato Salad

There is something so alluring about French Cuisine, however the recipes can get a bit complicated so I prefer to admire them on the pages of my cookbook vs. tackle them in my kitchen. I stumbled across this yummy recipe for French Potato Salad in Ina Garten's book and it screamed foolproof so I made a short shopping list and headed to market to gather my ingredients. 

The use of fresh herbs and Champagne Vinegar [you can sub white wine vinegar] results in crisp clean flavors, perfect for a light lunch or an accompaniment to almost any dish. This is definitely going to be on the rotation of quick, easy and delicious meals! 

French Potato Salad - Ina Garten

Ingredients:

• 1 pound small white boiling potatoes
• 1 pound small red boiling potatoes
• 2 tablespoons good dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 10 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced scallions (white and green parts)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves

 Directions:

Drop the white and red potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain in a colander and place a towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for 10 more minutes. As soon as you can handle them, cut in 1/2 (quarters if the potatoes are larger) and place in a medium bowl. Toss gently with the wine and chicken stock. Allow the liquids to soak into the warm potatoes before proceeding.

Combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add the scallions, dill, parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

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In The Kitchen: Macarons With White Chocolate & Raspberry Ganache

This weekend I was feeling quite adventurous so I made my way over to one of my favorite sites and dug up Helen Dujardin's handy PDF entitled; Demystifying Macarons. I decided to go with the basic French Meringue recipe coupled with a White Chocolate Raspberry Ganache. I'm going to be very honest, these are very temperamental [a few batches completely failed], however the payoff is absolutely divine. They were delicious, not Laduree delicious, but comparable to what you would find in a 'normal' pastry shop. 

I will definitely make them again, however next time I will go easy on the red food color [they were a tad too red], and make sure I pipe evenly so that I don't have lop-sided Macarons [some of mine looked like  prehistoric artifacts]. The key to making Macarons successfully is making sure that you let the egg whites sit out for at least 1-2 days, and also keeping an eye out for the batter so that you don't over-stir. For the recipe and the manual [which I recommend reading over a few times before attempting], please click here.

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Epicure: Chicken Tetrazzini

Have you ever made a meal that was so good you had it for breakfast the next morning? Meet Chicken Tetrazzini, an amazing baked Chicken Linguine dish with a rich cream-based sauce. This recipe has been on my radar for sometime, but because of the mass of butter, heavy whipping cream, and the addition of 4 cups of Whole Milk, I decided to save this for a cheat day. 

It was labeled an intermediate dish, but I wouldn't say that it was complicated to make. Time consuming yes. Difficult no. Indeed it has several steps, and it includes a reduction, but it's so easy, a beginning cook could complete it with stellar results.  

Chicken Tetrazzini - Recipe Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:                                                                                                                                               

• 9 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk room temperature
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 12 ounces linguine
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup dried Italian-style breadcrumbs

Directions:                                                                                                                                                    

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until pale golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly. Coarsely shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become pale golden, about 12 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Drain. Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.

Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes. 

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