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Gluten Free Banana Bread

2/26/2020

I've been trying to find the best way to make a healthier banana bread without gluten or dairy and after tons of awful, grainy and tasteless test runs, I finally did it! The best part is that you only need 2 bananas - that's usually the amount we have leftover and over-ripening in our house anyways so it always works out perfectly. It makes enough for a smaller size loaf, but if you want a big loaf and maybe a few muffins on the side you can double the recipe!

The recipe below is just for basic banana bread. When I'm feeing fancy I like to add in a few tablespoons of oatmeal and or a few tablespoons of chocolate chips.

What you need:

2 ripened bananas - should be speckled and brown
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp celtic salt
1/3 cup grape seed or coconut oil
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup oat flour
1/2 cup your fave gf flour - I used Pamela's
1 tsp baking soda
Optional (oats for topping & choc chips)

What to do:

Grease a bread pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the mashed bananas, sugar, honey, cinnamon and salt.
Beat in the oil, eggs and vanilla.
Next, add in the flour and baking soda. Gently stir to combine, you don't want to over-mix bc it will result in a flatter loaf.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes. If you want to dress the loaf with oats and chocolate chips, do that here.
Remove the baking pan from the oven, cover and seal it with tinfoil in order to prevent the top from burning.
Bake for 15 more minutes and then let it cool outside of the oven for 15 more minutes before slicing and serving.

Vegan "cacio e pepe"

2/15/2020

I've been trying to eat a little less dairy lately and I wanted to see if I could recreate one of my all time favorite cheesy dishes without real cheese. Okay, so I'll admit it, it's not the same as the original dish that Italian grandmothers have been whipping up in Rome for years. But it's GOOD! It's just missing that sharp sharp taste that pecorino romano cheese gives off. Also, butter isn't a typical ingredient of cacio e pepe but since this is a vegan version, the (vegan) butter helps to add more of that silky texture that melting real cheese into the pasta water creates in the traditional non-vegan version.

Originally, I wanted to use this vegan parmesan cheese I've had in my fridge for a while (Follow Your Heart brand) but at the last second I realized that there are chickpeas on the ingredient list so I had to abandon ship and just use nutritional yeast. If you can eat chickpeas, I might try half nutritional yeast and half the vegan parm - it might taste more cacio e pepe-ish and cheesy that way.

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta (I used Jovial Foods gf bowtie)
2 tbsp vegan butter
2 tsp black pepper (freshly cracked peppercorns are best)
1/4 cup pasta water
1 tbsp nutritional yeast

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. (1/2 lb of pasta is usually 1/2 of a standard size box btw - enough for two people or three side dishes.)
Melt the vegan butter in a skillet and toast the peppercorns in it - heat should be closer to low than medium. Toasting the pepper brings out its flavor more which is an essential step in making traditional cacio e pepe.
Once the pasta only has a few more minutes to go, scoop out the 1/4 cup of water and add it to the skillet with the butter and pepper and turn the heat up so that it's hot enough to cause the mixture to start to bubble.
Add the cooked pasta and the nutritional yeast to the bubbling sauce mixture and stir. If you're using the vegan parmesan cheese I mentioned in the intro, add that in here too and stir.
Once the pasta is mixed with the sauce it's ready for serving. I always top with a little more black pepper too!

Bolognese

1/28/2020

I actually call this one Marcy's bolognese because the mom of a family that I used to babysit for would ALWAYS make this and it was always soooo different and good.

It makes a pretty decent portion, I would say enough for a family of 4-6 but you can freeze the leftovers and reheat in a pot anytime!

What you need:

2 tbsp butter
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
2 minced garlic cloves or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg (powder form is fine)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup whole milk (optional)
1 lb ground beef (the less lean the better tasting IMO!)
8 oz tomato sauce
12 oz whole tomatoes (I use the juice they come in too - whole jar)

What to do:

Add the butter, onion, celery, and carrots, garlic and nutmeg into a large and deep skillet or sauce pot and cook them until fragrant - about 10 minutes on med-high heat.
Break apart the beef to the size you would like the chunks to be in the sauce and cook in a skillet with a little salt, pepper and olive oil. Once it's cooked through, add it to the veggies.
With the heat still on med-high, add in the wine and let the alcohol evaporate and reduce until there isn't a ton of liquid accompanying the veggies and meat.
Optional, add in 1/2 cup whole milk and let simmer while it reduces by half the portion. I don't think the recipe needs it but sometimes that's how Marcy made it.
Next, add the tomato sauce to the veg/meat and then crush the whole tomatoes (I use my hands and leave them super chunky because I love the big pieces) and then add that in as well.
Season with salt and pepper, you could add in Italian herbs here too but I like it plain because I for some reason love the sort of tart flavor that the nutmeg gives off.
Let the sauce simmer for a half hour or so (with a lid off if you want the sauce to be more thick and meat heavy) and with a lid on if you want it to be a little more thin and saucey.

Cauliflower Gnocchi

1/23/2020

Just like the rest of the world, I'm in love with Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi. I love carbs, but if it's possible to eat a little healthier without noticing that carbs are missing, I'm game. I know there's a handful of you that don't have access to a Trader Joes or if you do, you live in an area where it's constantly sold out so I wanted to try and make a copycat recipe from scratch at home!

So the ingredients on the back of the TJ's package say cauliflower, cassava flour, potato starch, olive oil and salt. I actually had everything I needed at home to get started on recipe testing! Pamela's Products sent me a box full of goods so I had their cassava flour which is 100% yucca root so gluten free, paleo, non-GMO and vegan. I also have a lot of tapioca starch at home because I use it to make steamed rice noodle rolls so I subbed that for the potato starch that's in the TJ's recipe - Bob's Red Mill has tapioca starch so it isn't too hard to find in stores, unlike the Asian brand I have and use at home.

I decided to boil the cauliflower vs use it raw. I just felt like the moisture from boiling it (even though I removed most of it) was needed in order to create a softer texture gnocchi.

DON'T SKIP READING THIS PART!!
Every cauliflower head is a different size. The one I used was fairly large so keep that in mind. (I would say that once riced, the head I used produced somewhere between 2-3 cups of cauliflower and it make like 3 batches of 20 gnocchi pieces.) The best way to figure out if you have the right ratio of flour/starch to cauliflower would be to make one little gnocchi and sear it on both sides in a skillet with oil and then taste-test it and adjust the ratio from there. I found that adding in more flour or starch makes the gnocchi more firm so if your results are soggy - add more of the flour/starch in small equal amounts and taste test again.

A few cauli gnocchi life hacks:
If you don't have a food processor or want to save time, you could probably purchase pre riced cauliflower and use that - just make sure if it's frozen, you try and get most of the liquid out of the cauliflower so that it's easier to combine with the flour and mold into pieces.

Also, for more flavor, you could add parmesan cheese or (vegan) nutritional yeast. I would say a a couple of tablespoons. Also not against the idea of seasoning the cauliflower with garlic powder or herbs like oregano, parsley and basil.

You can either fry or bake them. I fried them in a skillet with olive oil and fresh sage but the trick to frying and keeping the shape in tact would be popping them in the freezer for 15 minutes before adding them to the skillet! No need to freeze with baking since they sit still on the baking sheet the whole time. I also bet you could air fry them but I don't own an air fryer so I would check other bloggers recommendations for temperatures and settings.

What you need:

1 medium sized head of cauliflower (makes 3 batches of about 20 gnocchi)
1/3 cup cassava flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional for flavor)
1/2 tsp celtic salt (regular is fine too, cetlic is just healthier and more natural.)
1/2 tbsp olive or grape seed oil
1 additional tbsp of olive or grape seed oil if cooking them via skillet
Parchment paper or non-stick spray if cooking via oven

What to do:

Cut the head of cauliflower into florets and boil for 6-8 minutes or until you can cut through it easily with a butter knife.
Use a food processor to blend the florets until you have a cauliflower rice texture.
Remove the rice from the processor and set on a dish that's lined with a few paper towels and then press down with more paper towels repeatedly in order to remove as much liquid as possible.
Combine the cauliflower, cassava flour, starch, garlic powder and salt in a large bowl.
Use your hands to grab teaspoon sized scoops and squish them into a ball with the palm of your hand. Press on them to get them to shape like a gnocchi and then lay it flat.
If frying in a skillet with olive oil, stick the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes before searing for a few minutes on each side in oil. If baking, put some parchment paper on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12ish minutes on each side at 400 F.
Store any leftovers in the freezer and use whenever! I froze them on the cookie sheets first overnight and then added them all into the same ziplock bag once they were firm to keep them from sticking together.

Grandma's Pierogies

1/22/2020

I grew up eating these delicious little dough pockets every single year on Christmas Eve! They're a family staple from my dad's side. My Grandma learned how to make them from her mom (who I was lucky enough to have around for a lot longer than most people can say about their great grandparents!) This recipe has been passed down for generations from Polish roots so it's v authentic and v special to lots of people in my family.

My Grandma's recipe makes about 30-50 pierogies depending on how big you make them and how much of the dough you repurpose as you go along. (The key to making the most out of the dough scraps is covering them so that nothing dries out!) I really love how there's milk, butter and sour cream in the dough recipe - it makes it so much more stretchy and playable compared to a basic flour/water/egg dough mixture.

What you need:
(Dough)

5 cups flour
1/4 cup melted butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 pint sour cream

(Potato filling)

5 lbs yukon gold or russet potatoes
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp salt

What to do:

Peel the potatoes and cut them in half. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are soft and can be sliced easily down the middle. (About 25 minutes - larger potatoes will take longer.)
Combine all of the dough ingredients by hand and knead until smooth for about 15 minutes. Let the dough rest covered for 10 minutes.
While the dough rests, mash the cream cheese and salt into the potatoes until smooth. Lumps are okay, just not huge lumps. (If your potatoes are too lumpy and you accidentally overcooked them, add a few tablespoons of milk and try mixing them in a blender or stand mixer.)
Split the dough in half or into fourths and cover whatever portions you don't plan on immediately working with in order to prevent the extra dough from drying out.
Roll the dough out until it's about 1/4 inch thick. Use a cup or a circle cookie cutter to cut out the individual pierogi wrappers. They should be around 2-3 inches in diameter.
Important! The side of the wrapper that's underneath and touching the surface you're working on is the side you want to put 1 tbsp of potato filling onto. Since it hasn't been exposed to the air like the top side has, it will stick together better when you go to seal it.
Since the dough is very playable, so feel free to stretch it around when you're getting ready to wrap and seal the flattened dough around the potato filling in order to not have anything bursting out the seems. You can pinch the edges to seal, or use a fork. Sometimes I like to use the end of a chopstick because I like the look and texture of it when things are more spread out.
Melt some butter and add diced onion to a large skillet and cook on medium heat until they start to caramelize. (This will be the bath for the pierogies once they are done cooking.)
Boil the pierogies in a large pot of salted water for about 8 minutes, they should float once they're done.
Transfer the peirogies to the onion and butter mixture and cook for a few minutes. If you like crispy pierogies - cook and flip them longer than a few minutes until the sides start to crisp up and brown a little bit.
Serve with sour cream. My family loves to eat them with salt, pepper and hot sauce too!

Fried CHicken with Garlic sauce

1/13/2020

This totally looks like a normal fried chicken sandwich but what you can't tell from the photo is that it's not just any old fried chicken sandwich - it's a buttery, garlicky fried chicken sandwich. That's right. I roasted garlic and then mashed and combined that with melted butter in order to create the best non-buffalo tasting fried-chicken sauce I've ever had.

What you need:

6 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
2 tbsp seasoned salt (Lawry's)
1 head of garlic (use 6-8 cloves depending on how strong you like your garlic)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 stick of salted butter
3 cups veg oil for frying the chicken
2 cups flour
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
6 brioche buns
lettuce
pickles
mayo

What to do:

Brine the chicken thighs in 4 cups of cold water with the seasoned salt for at least two hours. (Overnight at the most and I find that a gallon ziplock bag works perfect.)
Roast the garlic. Slice off the top part of a head of garlic, place it on a sheet of tinfoil and pour about 1 tbsp good quality olive oil over the top. Wrap the tinfoil around the garlic head and make sure it's completely covered. I roasted my garlic head for 25 minutes at 400 F.
After the garlic has been roasted, the cloves should easily slide out and should be super soft so that you can mash with a fork. I prefer to blend them with the melted butter in a food processor - if you don't have them a whisk should work too!
Heat 3 cups of vegetable oil in a large pot. Every stove is different but I crank mine 3/4 of the way to as high as it can go. (If you're normal and own a thermometer, the oil should be around 350 degrees F.)
Combine the flour, garlic powder and salt in a large bowl and dredge each piece of chicken in it before dropping into the oil and frying until golden brown. (About 8-10 min)
Spread a little of the garlic butter onto each brioche bun piece and toast in the oven for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Brush a generous amount of the garlic butter onto the fried chicken pieces before assembling the sandwiches.
I did bun, lettuce, pickles chicken, mayo and then top bun. Serve and eat while they're hot!

Cinnamon & Oatmeal Pancakes

12/16/2019

I really wanted to make chocolate chip oatmeal cookies the day I invented these pancakes but I was out of brown sugar and v low on chocolate chips so I decided to make pancakes instead. I used cinnamon to give it an extra sweet taste since I originally was craving chocolate.

I know everything is supposed to taste better when it's made from scratch but I love Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix. It's just so good and always turns out so fluffy - plus, I use the kind where you have to add eggs and oil so it's not as big of a shortcut as the kind of pancake mixes where you just add water.

What you need:
For the pancakes

Aunt Jemima Original Pancake Mix (I doubled the directions for 1 batch)
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1 tsp cinnamon

For the syrup

1/4 stick of butter
1/2 cup of your favorite maple syrup
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup milk + more to even out the texture

What to do:

Make the pancake batter according to packaging instructions and combine with the oats and cinnamon. Set aside while you make the syrup - this allows the oats to soak for a few minutes before cooking.
Melt the butter in a small skillet and cook on medium-high heat until it starts to bubble and turn brown (about 6-8 minutes.)
Add the brown butter, syrup, sugar and cinnamon to a mixing bowl. Slowly start to add in the milk and whisk while doing so to combine everything. You want to add milk to the point where it looks like a frosting, but the texture is like syrup so that it can easily spill over the pancakes.
Cook the pancakes. My favorite method would be to use butter to grease the skillet and then start off by pouring 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet and then pouring a few more tablespoons of batter right into the center of that so that it forces the pancake to spread out a little more in the pan and creates a golden brown "ring" around the pattern of the bottom of the pancake. So good!!
Top with the homemade syrup and eat! I like to sprinkle a little cinnamon, confectioner sugar and more oats on top if I'm feelin' fancy.

Hot Chicken

9/4/2019

I'm sure you guys get it by now. I'm in love with fried chicken. Pretty sure I feel the same way about pasta. There's just soooo many different styles and flavors to choose from but the main ingredient stays the same. Versatile - that's the word I was looking for!!

Anyways, I spent a couple of days frying up different kinds of chicken in my kitchen and I would have to say that my favorite part of chicken fried "Nashville hot chicken" style would be the chicken thigh. You just can't beat that juicy dark meat especially once you've put the time and effort into soaking it in buttermilk for 24 hours.

Let me know if you have any questions below! And as always, the serving size for this recipe is for around 2-4 people. (Two starving people, three normal people, or four people who feel like snacking together.)

What you need:

Chicken - either 12 wings, 6-8 thighs or 6-8 chicken breasts (you can do a mix of thighs and breast too just make sure the total is around 6-8 pieces.)

For the brine:

3 cups buttermilk
3 tsp seasoned salt
2 tbsp hot sauce

For frying:

4-6 cups of vegetable oil
2 cups flour
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp seasoned salt

For the hot chicken sauce:

2 tbsp cayenne pepper (more if you like extra hot)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp finely ground black pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil taken from the scorching hot frying chicken

What to do:

Soak the chicken for 2 hours or up to overnight in the buttermilk, seasoned salt and cayenne pepper.
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot. I usually crank the heat to a little over medium. (To test if the oil is hot enough, carefully flick a tiny dash of water into it - make sure you stand back so you don't burn yourself. It will make a crackling noise if it's at the right temp. If it makes a super loud crackling noise that's almost scary, you've got the heat up too high!)
Combine the hot chicken sauce spices (not the oil that's listed because that comes from the hot pot) in a medium sized heat proof bowl and set aside until later.
Combine the flour, garlic powder, and seasoned salt in a large bowl. Make sure its mixed well.
Coat each piece of chicken (right out of the wet brine) in the flour mixture and then carefully place it into the hot oil. Cook until golden brown - usually 8-10 minutes. I usually do a few at a time so the pot I'm using isn't overcrowded.
While the first batch is cooking, scoop out that 1/2 cup of hot oil and carefully pour it into the spice bowl and mix. Set aside until it's time to brush the chicken before serving.
Set each piece of golden brown finished chicken on a cooling rack that has a paper towel layer underneath to catch the oil drippings.
Using a spoon or basting brush, coat each piece of chicken in the hot sauce before serving.
Best if served with white bread and thick crunchy pickles!! Ranch definitely helps with the heat too. :)

Pork Belly Poutine

8/9/2019

Poutine is something that I'll never stop dying over. French fries, gravy and cheese curds. Hot damn.

There's a restaurant in Cleveland called the Greenhouse Tavern and they make a dish real similar to poutine but it has juicy pork belly bits, a fried egg and whole grain mustard on it - it's so good and my version of poutine is totally inspired by it.

What you need:
(For the fries)

4 large potatoes
3 cups vegetable oil

(For the pork belly)

1/2 lb pork belly
Salt & pepper

(For the Gravy)

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
5 oz beef broth
5 oz chicken broth

(Other)

1/2 cup white cheddar cheese curds
Quail eggs
Parsley

What to do:
(For the fries)

Slice the potatoes in to thick french fry pieces and soak them in cold water for 2-3 hours.
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot to around 300 degrees F and cook the fries in batches for 5 minutes at a time. After, set them on a paper towel to soak up the grease. (They aren't done, this is just to get them ready for the next step.)
Next, increase the oil heat to 400 degrees F and cook the fries in batches again, this time until they are golden brown. (About 7 mins.)
Season lightly with salt and set on paper towels to soak up any excess grease.

(For the pork belly)

Season the pork belly with a good amount of salt and pepper. (1 tsp of each.)
Roast the pork belly in the oven at 450 degrees F for 20 minutes - middle rack. Flip and roast on the other side for 20 more minutes.
You'll notice that the edges of the pork belly are a little crispy from cooking in its own grease so use a very sharp knife to slice it all up into cubes.

(For the gravy)

To make the gravy, melt the butter in a skillet and use a whisk to combine the flour and gravy to make a roux.
Slowly pour in each broth, little by little and whisk on low to combine and thicken. If it's too thick add more broth and if it's too thin, increase the heat and it will thicken up.

(Assembly)

Fry the quail eggs in a skillet. Each one takes about 60 seconds since they are so tiny.
Pour a little gravy on the serving platter, and then create a pile of fries on top of it.
Sprinkle the cheese curds and pork belly on top of the fries and then douse the whole thing in the rest of the gravy.
Top with parsley and the quail eggs. Serve/eat while it's still hot!

Pork Tacos + Pineapple Crema

7/23/2019

I'm REALLY obsessed with tacos al pastor right now. Seeing that I don't have any devices at home that can cook meat on a spit for hours on end, I decided to not try and do that, lol. I seasoned a pork shoulder with the same flavors as tacos al pastor and cooked the meat in a crockpot so that the pork turned into soft and juicy shredded meat.

Also, this is very much a long recipe. The best way to make it not feel like that is to start marinating the pork around dinner time and wake up and get it going in the crockpot in the morning so that it'll be ready by the next day's dinner time. It makes a lot of pork, I'd say to buy enough taco shells for around 6 people. You can refrigerate the leftover meat and it'll stay good for a few days.

What you need:
(For the pork)

1 pork shoulder (around 4 lbs)
1 tbsp dried cumin
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp pepper
3 tbsp achiote paste
2 tablespoons guajillo chili powder
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup diced pineapple

(For the crema)

1 cup Mexican crema (or sour cream)
3/4 cup of the pineapples mentioned above (after they've cooked in the crockpot with the meat.)

What to do:

Mix all of the ingredients except the diced pineapple in a large bowl and marinate the pork shoulder overnight.
Place the pork shoulder in the crockpot and pour the marinade over the top of it.
Add in the cup of diced pineapple and cook on high for 8 hours.
Separate the pineapples from the meat and stick them in the fridge right away to cool.
After the pineapple has cooled (about 10 minutes, blend it with the crema in a food processor. Stick it back in the fridge to keep cool until it's time to use.
I like to char my corn tortillas in a cast iron skillet before assembling the taco - so do that. Add the meat, pineapple crema and then top with a little shredded chihuahua cheese. I love dipping these tacos in spicy pineapple habanero salsa!!

FOJ Boneless Wings

7/10/2019

What if I told you you didn't have to go to your favorite local chicken wing joint to eat the best boneless wings of your life?? I've tried hundreds of times to make them at home and they've never turned out like how they taste from a restaurant. UNTIL NOW, and guess what? It happened on accident, lol.

I was frying chicken to put on sliders for a recipe that I was working on and the batter turned out not so great. So I dipped the chicken into flour, after dipping it into the batter to see if that would help and I'm so glad I did!!

What You Need

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts (I prefer thighs, way juicer!)
3 tbsp cornstarch
Buffalo sauce (or wing sauce of choice)
Vegetable oil for frying

To Make The Batter

1 cup AP flour
1 1/4 cups water
1 tbsp seasoned salt
1 tsp garlic powder

What To Do

Slice the chicken into large nugget-sized pieces.
Soak the chicken in a salt water or buttermilk brine for at least 2 hours and at the most, overnight. (If you're doing a salt water brine, the ratio is 1 tbsp salt: 1 cup of water.)
Remove the chicken pieces from the brine and coat them in the cornstarch. Let them sit out and absorb some of the starch for 15 minutes.
Mix the batter ingredients. The consistency should be similar to pancake batter, more thick than thin. (Add more flour if it's watery and add more water if it's too thick.)
Heat the oil in a deep dish pan on the stove until it's hot. Test how hot the oil is by sticking your spoon in it with a little batter on the end. If it bubbles around the batter, it's hot enough.
Mix the chicken pieces in with the batter. Set aside a large shallow bowl of flour (around 1 cup) to coat each chicken piece as it comes out of the batter mixture.
After each wing has been coated in batter and then flour, drop in the hot oil. Cook as many at a time that fit comfortably into the pot without overcrowding for about 10 minutes, until golden and crispy.
Fill a large tall bowl with a decent amount of buffalo sauce and toss the wings in the sauce while they are still hot. Pour in more sauce if you need in order to fully coat the wings. Serve with tons of napkins!

10 Min Mac & Cheese

6/25/2019

“It ain’t easy bein’ cheesy” is a straight up lie because you can achieve the ultimate cheesiness in under 10 minutes with this recipe. #foolproof

Also, if you want to make this into a baked mac and cheese situation with bread crumbs, just use an additional 1/2 cup of heavy cream in the recipe. Once it's finished, top with a handful of breadcrumbs and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and cook in an oven-safe dish for 15-20 minutes at 400 F. (I like to add more cream to ensure that the pasta doesn't dry out while baking.)

A few notes: You could use milk if you don't have heavy cream since the cornstarch is a thickening agent - the sauce just won't be as luscious from all the fat in the heavy cream! One time I made it with half heavy whipping cream and half 2% milk and it turned out just fine. I also have a vegan macaroni and cheese recipe that's bomb if dairy doesn't suit you. If you can't eat gluten, the sauce is naturally gluten free so just swap out the pasta for your favorite brown rice pasta! Gotta look out for all my homies with food sensitivities or allergies. <3

If you're cooking ahead of time, pour the finished product into an oven safe dish before refrigerating. My favorite way to reheat it is to add a cup of Velveeta cheese cubes to the top and then pour in 1/2 cup of whole milk before warming in an oven for 30 minutes at 300 degrees F. The Velveeta isn't necessary but it just takes everything to another level. I do think that the milk is necessary though because it tends to dry up a little bit when it's been sitting in the fridge.

What you need:

1/2 lb rotini or elbow pasta
2-3 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp cornstarch
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. If you don't salt the water you might need to add salt to the finished sauce.
Melt the butter in a medium sized skillet on medium heat. Add the heavy cream and bring it to a low bubble.
While heating the cream, mix the cornstarch in with shredded cheese. (This helps evenly distribute it for the next step.)
Add the starchy cheese mixture to the hot bubbling cream and mix around until it's all cheesy and melted.
Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and combine before serving. (See instructions above for reheating if you're making ahead of time)

Pho Stir Fry

5/17/2019

Pretty sure pho is famous for it's slow simmered broth but I loooove picking out all of the noodles and spicy jalapeños whenever I'm eating it. A few people replied to my IG story saying it's not pho since I used soy sauce, but I'm allergic to hoisin sauce since there's peanuts in it so I had to improvise. It still has the flavors of pho with the beef broth, lime and ginger that I used and that's good enough for me. Ps, this recipe will serve two people or one VERY hungry person.

So it's not traditional pho, but it's still really phoking good, okay?!

What you need:

1/2 lb steak, shaved or very thinly sliced
3 tbsp soy sauce (2 for marinade, 1 for stir fry)
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 fresh jalapeños, sliced
1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 of a white onion sliced very thin
10 oz rice noodles
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp rice vinegar
cilantro for topping

What to do:

Slice and marinate the steak in soy sauce over night. It's easier to slice really thin if you throw it in the freezer for 10 minutes because the texture of it hardens a bit.
Cook the steak slices in a wok with 1 tbsp canola oil until they brown. Remove from wok and set aside.
Cook the ginger and jalapeños for 2-3 minutes in the leftover canola oil/steak juice until fragrant.
Add the beef broth and onion and simmer until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
Cook the rice noodles while things simmer.
Next, add the steak, rice noodles, bean sprouts, lime juice, 1 tbsp soy sauce and rice vinegar to the wok. Mix it all together and fry for a few minutes.
Transfer the stir fry to a bowl, top with desired pho toppings and eat!

Chow mein Noodles

4/15/2019

The trip to your local Chinese grocery store is so worth it for these chow mein noodles. You could try to skimp and use spaghetti - but it won't be the same!

Growing up I used to pound my Grandma's cabbage and noodles which consisted of butter, onion, cabbage and egg noodles. This dish is inspired by that but it also has some Asian influence!

Also, yes I am allergic to sesame seeds, but the person I was cooking dinner for isn't so I put them on her dish! :)

What you need:

1 lb chow mein noodles
3 tbsp regular or vegan butter
1/2 head of cabbage, finely shaved
3 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp minced ginger
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

What to do:

Add the butter to a large wok or non-stick skillet and cook the shaved cabbage, garlic and ginger on medium heat until it wilts and is very tender. (About 10 minutes.)
While cooking the cabbage, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package instructions.
Add the cooked noodles, soy sauce and vinegar to the cooking cabbage and combine everything while continuing to cook on medium for 5-7 more minutes.
Top with sesame seeds and serve hot!

Chicken, Cabbage & Ginger Dumplings

4/6/2019

Fact: adding cabbage to dumplings makes the filling a whole lot softer. It's less like a dry meatball inside of there and more like a juicy piece of meatloaf. I always get questions about what kind of dumpling wrappers I use and since I'm too lazy to make homemade dumpling dough, I buy gyoza wrappers from a local Chinese grocery store in Cleveland. (Nee How in North Olmsted or any of the grocery stores in Cleveland's Asia Town.)

If you think about it - a dumpling is very similar to certain food from other cultures, like a pierogi or an empanada. Meat or veggies stuffed into dough. I've learned about the common ingredients that are used in Asian cooking from following other food bloggers for years but also even just going out to eat at my favorite Chinese restaurants in Cleveland and seeing what's used in the food I order! So from there, I take what flavors I like and use them in my kitchen. I'm so thankful for Asian cuisine - I seriously cannot get enough of everything dumpling and noodle related.

Ps - if you prefer a slippery dumpling texture instead of the pan fried crisp, you can boil them for about 8 minutes (they should float when they are done.)

What you need:

40-50 circle dumpling wrappers
1 lb ground chicken (I prefer dark meat...way juicer!)
1/2 head of cabbage, finely shaved
1 egg
1/2 tbsp minced ginger
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt

What to do:

Combine all of the ingredients except (except the dumpling wrappers) in a large bowl and let it marinate and combine for 15 minute in the fridge.
Place about 1 teaspoon of filling in each dumpling and fold. (There are folding examples on my IG highlights.)
Freeze whatever you don't plan on eating for up to a two months in a zip lock bag.
Pour about 2 tablespoons of canola oil into a large non-stick skillet and place the dumplings face down in the hot oil. Cook until the bottoms brown a bit (about 5 minutes) and then add 1/3 cup of hot water to steam them. Cover with a lid immediately after adding the water and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the dumplings are steamed.
Serve with chili oil or a mixture of black vinegar and fresh ginger.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwiches

4/2/2019

I legit never think to buy buttermilk when I'm grocery shopping but I saw it the other day and decided I wanted to try and make some seriously good buttermilk fried chicken. I typically use a salt water and garlic brine but this was SO MUCH BETTER!

I was trying to stop myself from eating the chicken all on it's own after it came out of the hot oil. The seasoned salt is such a clutch ingredient in turning the chicken that really pretty golden color and it smells amazing.

What you need:

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
2 cups AP flour
2 1/2 tbsp seasoned salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
5 cups canola oil (for frying)
1/2 head of cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup mayo
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp black pepper
4 sets of brioche buns
Favorite hot sauce for sandwich

What to do:

Put the chicken in a zip lock bag with the buttermilk, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Make sure everything is mixed inside of the bag - let it soak for a half hour at room temp or for up to 2 hours in the fridge.
To make the breading, combine the flour, seasoned salt and garlic powder. Mix with a fork to evenly distribute the flavors.
Heat the oil in a large pot. It's ready to fry the chicken once you splash a few drops of water into it and the contact makes a crackling noise!
Once the chicken has soaked in the buttermilk long enough, dredge it in the flour and make sure each piece is really coated before frying.
Cook the chicken two pieces at a time. Watch the chicken once you put it in - if the color turns brown super fast the oil is too hot, it should take a little time to get that perfect golden brown (around 8-10 minutes.)
Chop the cabbage and combine it with the shredded carrots, mayo, rice vinegar sugar and black pepper to make the coleslaw.
Assemble the sandwich! Slaw on the bottom, chicken on the slaw, and cheese or hot sauce on the top bun.

Deep Fried Goat cheese & Rice Balls

3/28/2019

I love fried balls of any sort. Lol.

But for real, goat cheese is the GOAT - and I love arancini so this is sort of like a weird version of that. Also, how good is goat cheese with honey?? The best combo since pb & j.

What you need:

2 cups cooked white rice
8 oz goat cheese
1/2 cup flour
1 large egg
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups canola oil for frying
honey for drizzling and dipping

What to do:

Combine the freshly cooked hot rice with the goat cheese and roll into 2 oz balls (a little smaller than a golf ball) and refrigerate the rice and cheese balls for 15 minutes.
Heat the oil in a deep and small sized sauce pan on the stove.
Mix the salt in with the flour and then coat each rice ball in flour, then egg, then panko bread crumbs before dropping into the hot oil. Make sure the whole thing is covered nicely, you can dip in egg again to get more crumbs on the ball.
Fry 4-5 balls at a time for 5-7 minutes until golden brown.
Eat immediately and drizzle and dip with honey.

Chicken and Dumplings

3/6/2019

I used to beg my mom to take me to Cracker Barrel so that I could eat their chicken and dumplings and this is so much god damn better than that. LOL.

It's actually so easy to make dumplings, I was shocked when I started googling to find out how. I used dark meat because I think there's way more flavor and it's way juicer. #teamdarkmeat

WHAT YOU NEED:

4 chicken thighs
1/2 white onion
3 minced garlic cloves
3 big carrots
3 celery stalks
4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp baking soda
8-10 rough chopped sage leaves
Salt and pepper as needed for serving

WHAT TO DO:

Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and sear each side in a soup pot with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Dice up the onion, carrots and celery and add it into the pot.
Place the thyme and garlic into the pot as well and pour in all of the chicken broth. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Mix the flour, buttermilk, baking soda and chopped sage leaves in a medium mixing bowl until you have a sticky dough texture.
Remove the chicken from the soup after it's done cooking and shred it up. Set aside for now.
Drop a full tablespoon of dough into the bubbling soup one at a time. They get bigger as they cook so save room and do a couple batches of 4 dumplings at a time. (I put the finished ones into the bowl where I keep the chicken during this step.)
Once the dumplings are done, add the chicken back into the soup and serve hot.

Lemon vinaigrette bucatini + Garlic Bread Crumbs

3/6/2019

I love this recipe, the combination of that extra virgin olive oil + the zesty lemon flavor gives me all the light and crisp flavor feels. Adding more of the olive oil into the bread crumbs and then topping with more lemon zest at the end is what takes this one to another level.

What You Need

1/2 lb bucatini pasta (fresh is best)

To Make The Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup EVOO
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons)

To Make The Breadcrumbs:

6 garlic cloves
5 slices of Italian bread
1 tbsp EVOO
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

What To Do

Boil a large pot of water to cook the bucatini pasta.
To make the breadcrumbs you'll want to process the bread in a food processor. Add in the minced garlic, EVOO and parmesan after the bread is crumbs are...crumb sized lol.
Toast the breadcrumbs in the oven (350 F, for 5-7 minutes) or stovetop until crispy - the olive oil helps them crisp up. Set aside until it's time to top the pasta.
While you are waiting for the pasta to cook, make the vinaigrette by vigorously whisking together the EVOO and lemon juice. Save the lemons to use their zest in the next step!
Combine the vinaigrette with the pasta, plate it and then top with the bread crumbs, some lemon zest and fresh parmesan cheese. Season with salt & pepper as needed.

Beer & honey Mustard wings

3/6/2019

It's no secret that I love making fried chicken of all sorts. I think it might be the only other food that I consistently post about besides pasta, noodles and/or dumplings. I don't own a deep frier so I just use a large pasta pot for frying the wings. (If you're in the same boat, be sure to use a tall enough pot so that the hot oil doesn't splash out.)

I don't have a thermometer to check to see if the oil is hot enough for frying different types of food. I just run my finger tips under the sink faucet and then flick a little tiny bit of water into the pot of oil as it's heating. Once the water reacts and makes a crackling sound, it's hot enough to fry stuff.

This recipe isn't the same without Cleveland's famous Bertman Original Ballpark Mustard. Just sayin'. Go Tribe. For real though, I put this stuff on everything - as I am writing this I'm squirting some out onto crackers that I'm snacking on, lol. The obsession is real. If you're going to use other stuff, dijon is the next best thing.

WHAT YOU NEED:

24 bone-in chicken wings (drums & flats)
4 cups canola oil for frying

Brine:

1 beer (12 oz can or bottle)
3 cups cold water
1 tbsp garlic powder
3 tbsp salt

Breading:

2 cups AP flour
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp salt

Wing Sauce:

2 tbsp beer
2 tbsp melted butter
1/3 cup honey
3/4 cup mustard
1 tsp salt

WHAT TO DO:

Soak the chicken in the brine in the fridge for 2 hours. I've learned that if you let it soak too long, the meat turns a non-appetizing color.
Put the pot of oil on the stove and set the heat to medium - test the heat after 6-7 minutes with the method I mentioned above.
In a large bowl, mix the breading ingredients and toss the wings in it so that they are completely coated.
Once the oil is hot, drop in the wings. I do 8 at a time for 8-10 minutes, but it depends on how big your pot is - make sure theres enough space for them to all breathe and cook.
While the wings are cooking, mix the sauce and have it ready in a very large bowl.
Once the wings are golden and crispy, remove from heat and set them onto a paper towel (to absorb a little oil) and then immediately toss them in the wing sauce.
I like to dip the wings in more honey and I also think they taste best if served with the beer you used in the recipe! (Ps - you'll need 679 napkins too.)

Lemon-Butter Tagliatelle

9/18/2018

Fresh lemon juice, wine, garlic, butter, pasta and parmesan. These are a few of my favorite things. You've probably noticed by now that I have a couple different lemon recipes. This one is meant to be a bit lighter than the creamy lemon pasta, there's no cheese in the actual sauce so it's more silky and doesn't get melty or stick together as much.

You don't have to use tagliatelle pasta. You can use whatever shape you like, but I think a longer flat noodle tastes the best because that's the way I ate this dish for the first time in Italy. Make sure you remember to add a little of the starchy pasta water into the sauce. That + butter makes for the ultimate silky pasta.

What You Need

1/2 lb pasta
4 tbsp salted butter
Juice from 1 large lemon
1/4 cup white wine (chardonnay)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt & pepper to season
Parmesan cheese for topping

What To Do

Cook tagliatelle according to package instructions. (Note: if you salt the water enough, you won't have to use as much salt in the seasoning of the sauce.)
While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a skillet on low-medium heat. Squeeze in the lemon juice and whisk.
Add in the white wine and turn the heat up a tad so that it's bubbling. Let the alcohol cook out of the sauce for 2-3 minutes - the flavor that's left behind after the sauce reduces is so good. (If you don't consume alcohol, you could skip this part.)
Mix in the garlic powder, pepper and salt.
Add in the heavy cream, 1/4 cup at a time with whisks between each pour.
Continue to whisk on and off for 8-10 minutes while it simmers and turns into what will look like an alfredo sauce.
Save 3 tbsp of the starchy pasta water before draining the pasta and add it into the lemon butter sauce then whisk. Let it simmer for a couple minutes.
Mix the sauce with the pasta and top with fresh parmesan cheese and more black pepper, it should be as silky as your silkiest nightgown!

Honey Butter Fried Chicken Sandwich

9/13/2018

I'm obsessed with honey butter fried chicken. That is all.

What you need:

1 thin sliced chicken breast per sandwich (breading is for 3-5 sandwiches)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
3 cups canola oil
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp honey
sriracha mayonaise
Sandwich buns, I used English Muffins

What to do:

Brine the chicken breasts - soak them in 3 cups cold water, 3 tbsp salt for about an hour.
Heat the canola oil in a pot, I estimated 3 cups, but as long as the oil is 2 1/2-3 inches from the bottom of the pot you are using, you're good. I usually turn my stove up to 8/10 heat setting.
Mix the flour, salt, garlic powder and cayenne pepper in a bowl.
Coat each piece of chicken in the flour and deep fry as many that fit comfortably into the pot of oil. You don't want them to be too crowded because they could stick together and the breading will rip.
Once the pieces of chicken are golden brown, take them out of the oil and place them on a paper towel.
Heat the butter in a large bowl and mix in the honey after it's melted. Coat the chicken in the honey butter.
Toast the English Muffins.
Spread the Sriracha Mayo onto the bottom of each English Muffin - be generous, it's good stuff.
Put the chicken between the two muffin ends and eat!

Creamy & Cheesy Lemon Pasta

9/12/2018

Like I said in my IG post, I would probably eat dirt if there was fresh lemon juice squeezed all over it. This recipe is slightly different from my lemon butter pasta recipe, because there's parmesan cheese all up in this sauce.

You can use any kind of noodle, I was in the mood for bowtie on the day I created this recipe. I've been using garlic powder instead of fresh garlic in some of my sauces lately because I feel like you just can't beat the flavor concentration. It's so strong and I don't think that I get the same flavor when I use fresh garlic? Which doesn't seem right, but my tastebuds don't lie.

What you need:

2 cups bowtie pasta (uncooked)
1/2 stick butter
1 cup heavy cream
Juice from 1 lemon - about 1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder

What to do:

Cook the bowtie pasta according to package instructions. Be sure to salt the water that you're going to boil!
Melt the butter in a large skillet and then add in the heavy cream little by little while whisking. It will start to bubble - that's when you add the lemon, cheese and garlic powder. Mix.
Turn the heat setting to simmer and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes while you whisk it every 2-3 minutes - it should get thicker like an alfredo sauce.
Season the sauce with salt and black pepper before pouring it over the noodles.
Top with more parmesan cheese and more fresh lemon juice if desired.

Wonton Noodle Soup

9/3/2018

I've always wanted to try wonton soup with actual noodles in it, but the traditional way it's served involves a few things I can't eat. cc: shrimp, sesame oil. About a month ago I went out to eat at Saigon on East 4th Street in Downtown Cleveland and had to watch my friend slurp it down from across the table - talk about FOMO. I decided to make my own version, a version that wouldn't kill me.

You'll want to use fresh wonton egg noodles. You can read more about them + see a photo if you click here and check out The Woks of Life's blog. (If you scroll past the wonton noodles on that page, you'll also see the yellow square wonton wrappers that you'll need!) Both can be found at Asian grocery stores - if you're from CLE, I do all my noodle/dumpling shopping at Tink Holl Market in Asia Town.

For the portion sizes, I would say that 1 bundle of wonton noodles + 4-6 wontons and 2 cups of broth equals one serving. That said, this recipe makes enough for two eaters!

What you need:
(Broth)

4 cups wonton soup broth - I didn't have any so I used chicken broth and seasoned it with other flavors to make it taste a bit like wonton soup. If you're going that route - follow below.
4 cups chicken stock
5 garlic cloves sliced in half
5 pieces of peeled ginger - same size as garlic cloves cut in half
1/2 cup chopped scallions
2 tbsp soy sauce

(Wontons)

Yellow (thin & square) wonton wrappers
1 lb ground pork
3/4 cup chopped scallions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp chinese black vinegar
1 tbsp shoaxing wine
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt

(Noodles)

2 small bundles of fresh wonton noodles - see below for how to identify them at the store

What to do:
(Broth)

Heat the pre-made wonton soup broth - if you're going to use the chicken broth method, heat the garlic and spices in a tbsp of neutral oil to get the flavors out and then add the broth and let that simmer for 30 minutes.
You don't have to, but I like to remove the garlic and ginger chunks from the broth, cover with a lid and keep it at a low simmer until serving.
Once the noodles and wontons are cooked, they go into the broth. I cook them in separate water because sometimes the flour from the wrappers can thicken and change the texture of the soup broth a bit.
Serve in bowls. Top everything with fresh scallions and blanched baby bok choy. (Blanched means placing the bok choy into boiling water for 20 seconds and then rinsing under freezing water to halt the cooking process.)

(Wonton)

Mix together all of the wonton filling ingredients. After combined cook a teaspoon sized scoop of it in a non-stick skillet like you would a sausage patty and taste it when it's done. If it feels like it needs more of a certain flavor, feel free to add that in!
Place a teaspoon of the filling mixture into the center of the square wonton wrapper.
Wet the parts of the wonton surrounding the filling with your finger after dipping it in water.
Fold each corner upwards around the meat so that they connect above the meat, press together to seal. It should look like a little purse or money bag when you're done. Make sense? If not, click here to see photos of it on @souperdiaries website - scroll down to "pouch wontons."
Repeat steps 2-4 until you run out of fillings or wonton wrappers. You can freeze whatever's leftover for up to 3 months.
Boil the wontons in water for 6 minutes, do this step when you're ready to put them into the soup.

(Noodles)

Boil the noodles for 2-3 minutes right before adding them into the broth, time it up so that the wontons and noodles are done right around the same time. While cooking the noodles, stir them constantly - they like to stick together since they are so thin and chewy.

Brie Macaroni and Cheese

8/15/2018

Brielieve it or not, brie is probably the easiest kind of cheese to use for mac and cheese since it's so melty. If you're having trouble scooping it out of the wheel, you can stick it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to loosen up the insides!

What you need:

1 cup uncooked macaroni noodles
1 12-13oz wheel of double cream brie
2 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
Salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the macaroni noodles according to package directions.
Using a sharp cheese knife, cut a circle about halfway down around the top layer of the wheel of brie. Be careful not to go too far down and puncture the bottom layer.
Scrape off the top layer of the brie rind (the hard white part.) When you're done, you should have a brie bowl - it's sort of like carving a pumpkin, but way better.
Scoop out all of the creamy brie and put it into a small pot.
Add the milk or cream to the brie in the pot and heat it on the stove (low/medium heat) until it's all melted.
Pour the melted brie sauce over the cooked macaroni noodles and mix well.
Fill the brie bowl with the pasta and top with salt and pepper