pook

Instant Pot White Beans with Tomatillos and Poblano

February 21, 2017

White beans are the perfect introduction to the Instant Pot. If you are new to the Instant Pot craze, or even if you’ve had yours for a while now, these beans will make their way into your regular rotation. Tomatillo Poblano White Beans are my new favorite thing. I had a batch of my Beef and Beer Chili going in another instant pot, so it was a feeding frenzy over here.

I made them a few weeks ago when there was some football game. Everyone was making *quite* the fuss over it. Well, I had promised nachos for this sporting event and I delivered BIG thanks to these beans. I warmed some tortilla chips in the oven, sprinkled a few things on them and then heaped these beans on top. It was so dang good!!!

…

Winter Market Buddha Bowls with Potato, Quinoa and Beets

February 8, 2017

This post is sponsored by Idaho®Potatoes. All opinions are my own.

Potatoes. Everyone loves them and they are available year round. However, I’m sure you get stuck in the same potato rut like I do. You need new ideas! Well, this one is our new “Go-To”. It has tons of veggies, it’s healthy, it’s gluten-free and if you leave the egg off, it’s vegan.
We all have a piece of that or a hunk of this in the fridge just waiting to get used up in something , right? Here is the perfect way to use up a few of those ingredients that are hanging out patiently awaiting their destiny.

…

Spicy Roasted Smashed Potatoes

January 10, 2017

These smashed potatoes are roasted until super crispy then bathed in a spicy cinnamon malt vinegar sauce. They have a crispy outside and a tender, fluffy inside. The flavor is amazing and just spicy enough. Like my roasted fingerlings with shishito peppers, they have just a bit of heat.

If you are looking for a new way to serve potatoes, this is it! I made these smashed potatoes a few days ago with the intention of saving them for dinner that night. I have news for you, they didn’t survive the afternoon.

We ate a few and then we ate more. We even ate them cold because they were delicious. Normally, the phrase “crash & burn” has a negative connotation to it, but not in this case.

If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info. This post is sponsored by Idaho® Potatoes. All opinions and photos are my own.

…

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

December 14, 2016

Bittersweet chocolate cupcakes topped with a peppermint swiss meringue buttercream – Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are a dreamy little cupcake perfect for the holiday season.

Grownups can enjoy a mug of homemade peppermint hot chocolate with these tasty treats to make the holidays extra jolly.

Perfect for holiday parties or sharing with friends and neighbors, these peppermint hot chocolate cupcakes are a hit with kids and grownups alike.

…

Roasted Red Flannel Hash with Country Sausage

December 13, 2016

This week, we have a very special guest post! You all know her as Pastry Chef Online, but she is my “Sissy”. She is like family to me. If I could choose a sister, it would be her. We met years ago and it was an instant kinship. She is a talented pastry chef, a great friend and a generous, kind and compassionate person. I am lucky to call her friend and we are all lucky that she has made us Red Flannel Hash with Country Sausage!

…

Lobster Chips with Spicy Saffron Aioli

December 6, 2016

Dress up your favorite Idaho® Potatoes with lobster and saffron aioli for a special holiday appetizer! Salty, crunchy thick-cut chips are a sturdy base for buttery lobster tail. Topped with a spicy saffron aioli and chives, it makes an elegant nibble for any party. This post is sponsored by Idaho® Potatoes. All opinions are my own.

The holiday season is upon us, which means HOLIDAY PARTIES! It’s a special time of year, so I don’t feel guilty about a little splurge. The end of one year, the beginning of a new one… It’s a time to celebrate with friends and family and it’s a time to pull out all the tricks and SHINE! I make one or two special appetizers for parties and lobster on thick-cut potato chips is no slouch. The saffron aioli elevates it to “high falootin’ status” and this appetizer is always the first to disappear. It looks much fussier than it actually is, everything except the chips can be made in the morning and set aside in the refrigerator for later. This is key when you have lots to do before guests arrive.

…

Holiday Candy Bark

November 22, 2016

This week, Betsy from Desserts Required is doing a guest post! I love Betsy and I know you will too! We’ve been friends for a few years now and I must tell you, when you are around her – a good time will be had, whether you like it or not! 🙂 She is a ball of energy, a ray of sunshine and has a serious sweet-tooth just like your truly. Betsy is a “girl’s girl”, a cheerleader & champion of her friends, the kind of friend everyone should have.

Hello Pook’s Pantry readers!

I am so excited to guest blog while Cheryl takes some much needed time to recover from her surgery. I met Cheryl at Food Wine Conference a couple of years ago and last year she was my roommate. To say that I love and adore her would be an understatement. I mean, seriously, you already know how fabulous her sense of humor is in addition to her talent in the kitchen but I got to see it firsthand. Cheryl was on team Betsy’s Balls in the Chopped competition and, holy moly, can that woman cook!

My blog is Desserts Required and I live by the mantra, “Without desserts, life would not be as sweet.” If there is a delicious dessert within reach, driving distance or flying distance, I am always up for giving it a try. That goes for candy, too.

Since Thanksgiving is two days away, I thought it would be best to offer a quick and delish option to make; Holiday Candy Bark. I love the idea of making something that is as easy to serve at home as it is to take to someone for a hostess gift.

The key is to use high quality chocolate. I love bittersweet chocolate but Holiday Candy Bark will work just as well with semisweet, milk or even white chocolate. When I was at Whole Foods buying dried cranberries and unsweetened shredded coconut, I had trouble locating dried apricots. I was directed to a bin of very dark, almost black, apricots. I thought something was wrong with them but learned that they were Turkish apricots and, as such, did not contain sulphur, which gives that very bright unnatural orange color. Although, initially, I wanted that bright orange color, I opted for the natural dried fruit. Feel free to use whichever dried apricot you prefer.

Assembly is a breeze. It’s just a matter of adding layers of dried fruit, coconut and toasted pecans over most of the melted chocolate and then drizzling more melted chocolate over the top to keep the goodies in place.

Best of all, Holiday Candy Bark is great throughout this holiday season. I’ve even heard a rumor that Santa loves a batch with his milk and cookies!

Find DR on twitter, facebook & instagram!

Holiday Candy Bark

A delicious, no-bake treat perfect for hostess gifts and holiday gatherings!

Ingredients

1 cup 141 grams dried cranberries, chopped
1 cup 172 grams dried apricots, chopped
1 cup 120 grams pecan pieces, toasted
½ cup 40 grams unsweetened shredded coconut
2 pounds 910 grams bittersweet, semisweet, milk or white chocolate, melted

Instructions

Line a 9” x 13” baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. Add 4/5 of the melted chocolate and use a small offset metal spatula to spread it evenly in the pan. Top with the cranberries, apricots and most of the pecans and coconut.
Drizzle half of the remaining chocolate over the top. Sprinkle the remaining pecans and coconut over this. Lastly, drizzle the rest of the chocolate on top to ‘glue’ the pecans and coconut onto the bark.
Place in the freezer for 20 minutes. If the block of chocolate is too hard to cut through, allow it to sit out on the counter until a knife cuts through the chocolate without breaking it into shards of chocolate. Cut in squares.

Picadillo (Cuban-Style Hash)

November 12, 2016

Picadillo is Spanish for “hash” (or “mince”). Essentially, this is a Cuban version of the good old American mélange, eaten on its own or used as a filling for empanadas. Spanish influences, specifically Andalusian, are obvious due to the addition of olives and raisins. Picadillo is often served topped with hard-cooked or fried eggs and is usually accompanied by fried plantains.

…

Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken

November 6, 2016

A little bit sweet, with garlic and ginger, and as spicy you’d like it, this fragrant, saucy chicken dish is made in a slow cooker. It’s super simple and requires very little hands-on time. Serve over rice with a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice.

…

Baked Eggs in Mini Bell Pepper Cups

October 25, 2016

Baked Eggs in Mini Pepper Cups

Baked eggs are the perfect brunch item. Put those baked eggs inside mini bell pepper cups and now it’s an adorable brunch item perfect for serving on special occasions. Make a few variations and your guests can help themselves, leaving you to enjoy your guests instead of being stuck in the kitchen. I had bell peppers on my list. Not these sweet little things, but the grown up kind. When I laid eyes on these, somehow the big guys lost their appeal. I’m a sucker for cute little things. …

Search Recipes

pook

Ingredients

Instructions

Did you make this recipe?