Caprese eggplant stacks are irresistible. Roasted eggplant brushed with flavorful pesto, gooey, melted fresh mozzarella and perfectly ripe summer tomatoes. It’s a hit with vegetarians and meat eaters alike!
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cheese
Idaho®Potato Breakfast Casserole
Thank you to Idaho® Potatoes for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own.
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I really enjoy making a great spread and sitting around the table for a couple of hours while sipping on coffee and picking on the bountiful feast in front of me. Mother’s Day is next weekend and if I were able to spend it with my Mom, this is what I’d make for her. If you would like to solidify your position as her “favorite”, make this for her and you’ll have it in the bag for good.
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Pork Burger with Hatch Chiles and Pickled Red Onions
It’s Burger Month again and this time, I made a pork burger! If you’ve been around here awhile, you know my deep-seated love for all things pork and that love extends to pork burgers. I wanted to create something that reminded me of pork tacos. I wanted heat, the vinegary bite from pickles, the creaminess of avocado all mixed with the juicy pork burger. I think I nailed it.
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Pimento Cheese Potato Salad with Fried Chicken Tenders on Potato Biscuits
This post is sponsored by Idaho® Potato, thank you for helping to support Pook’s Pantry. As always, all opinions are my own.
Potato salad gets a spicy makeover when it meets all the components for pimento or pimiento cheese. Paired with fried chicken tenders on a cheddar dill potato biscuit, it makes the perfect picnic lunch.
When I was a kid, one of my favorite places to go was Greenfield Village. It’s like stepping back in time. Everyone is dressed in costume and there are various “shoppes” that make candles, leather goods, etc. It is also home to the Henry Ford museum, which is wonderful. All this cool stuff aside, the reason I really loved going there was the chicken. Seriously. I’d get my box lunch of chicken and potato salad, go sit on a blanket in the grass and I was happy as a clam. (Where did this saying come from? Are clams REALLY happy?!)
If only the younger me could’ve gotten her hands on this chicken tender biscuit sandwich! Oh, that would have been one happy little girl! Drizzled with spicy honey, this sandwich is so dang good! The soft biscuit gives way to the crunchy coating on the chicken and then the spicy honey hits your tongue for one incredible bite. Let’s talk for a minute how we get that coating, shall we?
CHEF’S TIP:
When breading anything, this is the Standard Breading Procedure. Flour, then egg and lastly breadcrumb. Place your breaded items on a cooling rack set inside of a sheet pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24. This helps the breading to stick to whatever you are coating, in this case – chicken, instead of falling off during cooking.
This would be the PERFECT menu for hanging out in the backyard with some friends. It also makes a great boxed lunch! Get a few containers, pack them up and you’re off! Does your company do picnic lunches for a day retreat? Wouldn’t this be a better option than a soggy turkey sandwich and a bag of crushed chips?
The spicy honey really make this sandwich go from good to GREAT! If you don’t like too much spice, you can reduce the amount of chilies or pull them out of the honey sooner so they don’t have a chance to infuse as much heat.
See below? These containers are PERFECT!
Potato Salad, how I love thee…
Pimento Cheese Potato Salad with Fried Chicken Tenders on Cheddar Dill Potato Biscuits
2017-04-20 07:18:20
Serves 8
Potato Salad gets a spicy makeover with all the flavors of pimento cheese. It's paired with fried chicken tenders on a cheddar dill potato biscuit for a perfect picnic lunch.
Prep Time
2 hr 30 min
Cook Time
45 min
For the Pimento Cheese Potato Salad
- • 2 pounds Idaho® Russet potatoes (I used Norkotah), peeled and diced into 1” pieces
- • 1 ½ cups shredded habanero cheddar cheese, or other spicy cheddar
- • 1 cup mayonnaise
- • 2 tablespoons diced pimento peppers
- • 3 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
- • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- • 2 teaspoons dried mustard
- • 2 tablespoons grated onion
- • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- • 1 teaspoon black pepper
- • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Fried Chicken Tenders
- • 16 chicken tenderloins
- • 1 ½ cups All-Purpose flour
- • 3 large eggs, beaten
- • 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (Japanese style breadcrumb)
- • 1 teaspoon salt
- • ½ teaspoon black pepper
- • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- • 2 cups buttermilk + 3 sprigs rosemary for soaking
- • 3 cups canola oil for frying
Spicy Honey
- • 1 cup honey
- • 2 red chili peppers (such as Thai chilies)
Potato Cheddar Dill Biscuits
- • 1 - 3.4 oz. package Honest Earth® buttery home-style instant potatoes
- • 7 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 ½ cups)
- • 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
- • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- • ½ teaspoon white pepper
- • 2 large eggs + 1 yolk
- • ½ cup light cream + 2 tablespoons for brushing on top
- • 1 ½ sticks cold unsalted butter, diced
- • 1 tablespoon dill
- • ½ cup grated extra-sharp cheddar
For the Potato Salad
- Fill a large pot with cold water and add potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for approximately 12 – 15 minutes, or until “fork tender”.
- While potatoes are boiling, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
- When potatoes are cooked, remove from heat and drain. Lay out on a baking sheet for faster cooling and to allow them to dry a bit before adding to mayonnaise mixture.
- When potatoes have cooled to room temperature, toss them in the mayonnaise mixture and grate a few tablespoons of cheese on top.
For the Chicken and Honey
- Place chicken tenders in buttermilk & rosemary and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove chicken from buttermilk, pat dry and set aside. Discard buttermilk.
- In a food processor, pulse both breadcrumbs together until uniform in consistency.
- In three separate bowls, set up breading station: In the first bowl - flour, salt, pepper and paprika. In the second bowl - eggs and in the last bowl – the breadcrumbs.
- Whisk the ingredients together in the first bowl and then dip the chicken tenders into the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour, then dip in egg and lastly in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Lay on a cooling rack set inside of a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight before frying. This helps the coating to set.
- Heat oil over medium – high heat. Fry each tender for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
- In a small saucepan, combine honey and chilies over low heat. Let it barely come to a simmer, you do not want it to boil. Let chilies infuse honey for about one hour, then remove chili peppers if desired. Drizzle spicy honey over chicken tenders for sweet heat.
For the Biscuits
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl: combine cream, eggs and yolk. Whisk to combine thoroughly. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment: Combine flour and diced butter and let mixer run until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 4 – 5 minutes. Add instant potatoes, baking powder, dill, cheddar, salt and pepper. Mix for a few seconds until it is combined.
- Pour cream mixture into bowl of mixer and mix until just combined, do not overmix. Remove bowl from mixer and with a rubber spatula, fold dough from bottom of bowl to the top to make sure all of the flour mixture has been incorporated.
- Using a 3 ½ - 4 ounce scoop, portion 8 biscuits onto the sheet pan.
- Brush tops with cream and sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if desired.
- Bake for 18 – 20 minutes, cool on pan for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Pook's Pantry https://www.pookspantry.com/
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Weekly Meal Plan – Dinner Divas : Week 1
This week is the kick-off to something new around here. I’ve collaborated with a few of my favorite blogger gals to bring you a week’s worth of dinner ideas! How it works: Every Friday morning, a new meal plan will show up in your email. It will consist of 5 dinner options, plus 2 extras. Those two extras could be side dishes, dessert, drinks, etc. The menus will feature (mostly) healthy, seasonal foods that don’t take all day to prepare. Getting the meal plan delivered to your inbox on Friday morning gives you the chance to make your shopping list and get organized for the week ahead. With all the springtime activities and summer break right around the corner, I hope this weekly meal plan provides inspiration and makes life a little easier… one meal at a time.
Weekly Meal Plan – Week One
One Pot Chicken and Spinach Pasta with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce – Pook’s Pantry
Skillet Pork Marsala with Roasted Asparagus – The Chef Next Door
Chicken Bahn Mi Vegetable and Rice Bowl – Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Crispy Black Bean Burritos – Comfortably Domenstic
Low Carb Chicken Fajita Lunch Bowls – Pook’s Pantry
Smashed Roasted Beets with Pesto and Goat Cheese – The Wimpy Vegetarian
Summer Salad with Roasted Apple Vinaigrette – Pastry Chef Online
Thank you so much for joining us! We look forward to seeing you here every Friday for more weekly meal plans!
One Pot Chicken Pasta with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
One pot meals are a lifesaver. Whether it is a special occasion or a busy weeknight, getting dinner on the table quickly, with a minimum of dirty dishes is always a win in my book. This one pot chicken and spinach pasta with creamy sun-dried tomato sauce is a crowd pleaser every single time.
I’m going to come right out and say it: I’m not a big Valentine’s Day person. There. Judge me if you must. I do however, enjoy making a nice meal for the one I love. We always stay in for Valentine’s Day and I’ve done the big, fancy dinners that take hours to prepare and minutes to devour. While that’s lovely and all, I spend half the night in the kitchen. This one pot meal is super delicious and did I mention… ONE PAN to wash? Furthermore, I have better things to do on Valentine’s Day, like eat the entire box of candy.
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Langostino Mac & Cheese with Crispy Bacon and Chives #SundaySupper #JuneDairyMonth
This post is sponsored by Florida Dairy Farmers in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.
Langostino are the perfect compliment to this mac and cheese dish. The saltiness of the bacon and creaminess of the pasta plays perfectly against the buttery seafood.
This week, I am partnering with Florida Milk to talk a bit about what they do as a part of my post. I happen to be a fan of farmers. I grew up surrounded by family farms, so I have an appreciation for them. I am also acutely aware that without them, food would be scarce to say the least.
When I moved to Florida a few years ago, I, like most people, really only thought of beaches or theme parks and not much else. But, did you know there are more than 130 dairy farms here and most of those farms are primarily owned and operated by second and third-generation farming families. They are hardworking men and women who care for their cows and the land, and they are leaders in their communities. Meet some of Florida’s Dairy Farmers here!
A few fun facts about Florida Cows
The majority of the dairy cows living in Florida are Holsteins (the black & white cows) and most dairy herds range in size from 150 to 5,000 cows. That’s about 123,000 dairy cows in Florida (with Lafayette and Okeechobee being the leading dairy counties) that collectively produce about 2.34 BILLION pounds of milk a year. That equates to 277 million gallons of Florida-produced milk at the grocery store.
I’m celebrating “Dairy Month” with one of my all-time favorite foods: Macaroni and Cheese. It has long been one of my comfort foods. Mac & cheese has been around for hundreds of years, so I’m sure it has been a comfort food for many. When I was a teenager, it was my favorite after school snack. You know the one – the box with the shockingly orange powdered cheese. I hadn’t yet learned how to make mac & cheese from scratch, so to my untrained palate it was gastronomic bliss! I have since learned the delights of real macaroni and cheese. Thankyouverymuch.
While I still enjoy plain macaroni and cheese (probably more than I should), I wanted to “fancy it up” a bit and add in sweet langostinos with a handful of crispy bacon. (Langostinos look like tiny lobsters, but are actually more closely related to certain species of crab.) Normally, I use extra-sharp cheddar in my mac & cheese because I like the pronounced cheesiness. However, when paired with the delicate flavor of langostinos, the cheese should complement and not overpower them so I went with a mellow cheddar. Feel free to add in other cheeses. Play around with the recipe, swap out one for another, try different combinations… just make sure you keep the same quantity. Cooking should be fun and creative, recipes like this are a perfect place to start experimenting.
Mac & Cheese is perfection. Pasta mixed with a creamy cheese sauce, topped with a layer of (even more) cheese & breadcrumbs and baked. It’s so simple and satisfying.
Enough talk, let’s get cooking…
Langostino Mac & Cheese with Crispy Bacon and Chives
2016-05-26 13:45:48
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked according to package instructions
- 5 TB. unsalted butter
- 4 TB. AP flour
- 2 C. whole milk
- 1 C. Half & Half
- 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese + 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top
- 1 1/2 C. langostinos, cooked
- 1 C. cooked bacon, chopped
- 2 TB. chives, chopped
- 1/4 C. seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 TB butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375
- In a small pot, combine milk and half & half. Heat until warm, cover and set aside.
- In a medium pot, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Turn heat up to medium and whisk roux for 2 -3 minutes. Add milk mixture and whisk to combine. Using a rubber spatula, go around the edges of your pan to make sure all of the flour gets incorporated.
- Continue whisking frequently until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add dry mustard, salt, pepper and 2 cups cheddar. Stir continuously until smooth and uniform.
- Spray or butter 9x13 baking dish, set aside. In a large bowl, combine: cooked macaroni, cheese sauce, bacon, langostinos and chives. Stir to combine.
- Pour into glass baking dish. Stir together 1 TB melted butter, breadcumbs and remaining cheddar. Sprinkle over macaroni and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until bubbly and browned on top. Remove from oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Langostinos are most often sold frozen, already cooked.
Pook's Pantry https://www.pookspantry.com/
Pin it to your Pasta board!
Want to meet the cows, get recipes from the Florida Milk Kitchen (including a lavender milk bath!) and see what’s new on the farms? Check out Florida Dairy Farmers and keep up with Florida milk in the news and in the schools.
You can also keep up with Florida Dairy Farmers on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
Here are more recipes from the folks at Sunday Supper featuring Florida milk:
Milk in the Morning:
- Blueberry Coconut Muffins by Take a Bite Out of Boca
- Lighter Breakfast Quiche by The Healthy Fit Foodie
- Spinach Artichoke Strata by Helpful Homemade
- Strawberry and Cream Breakfast Smoothie Bowls by Family Foodie
- Strawberry Orange Banana Sunrise Crepes by The Gold Lining Girl
Milk during the Day:
- Fettuccine Alfredo by Recipes Food and Cooking
- Hamburger Gravy by My World Simplified
- Homemade Mozzarella by An Appealing Plan
- Langostino Mac and Cheese with Crispy Bacon and Chives by Pook’s Pantry
- Margherita Penne Pasta by Life Tastes Good
- Simple Polenta Recipe by Healing Tomato
- Summer Corn Soup by Casa de Crews
- Sweet Onion Tart by Flour On My Face
Milk in Desserts:
- Boozy Hazelnut Frozen Hot Chocolate by GO Epicurista
- Cannoli Cupcakes with Chocolate Pistachio Crunch by The Crumby Cupcake
- Chocolate Eclairs by Love and Confections
- Hot Milk Sponge Cake with Blueberries by The Hungry Goddess
- Mini Bread Puddings with Whiskey Caramel Sauce by Dessert Geek
- Nutty Cookies & Cream Ice Cream by Family Around The Table
- Strawberry Milkshake by Desserts Required
- Southern Buttermilk Pie by Sunday Supper Movement
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement
Food Wine Conference 2016 Recap #FWCon
Where do I even begin? This past weekend was a whirlwind.
I arrived in Orlando on Thursday afternoon so I could spend some much needed time with old friends before the conference went into full-swing. There were so many hugs and smiles followed by raucous laughter, eating and drinking. Some of my friends I actually know in real life and some of them I met IRL for the first time last week. We “talk” to each other every week online, in groups on facebook, through emails, etc. But we are spread out across the globe, so we rarely have the opportunity to see each others faces and just hang out and talk like friends do. That was the absolute highlight of my weekend. “Meeting” people I have adored for years and finally getting to wrap my arms around them.
Work Hard, Play Hard
This year, I was a brand ambassador for Idaho Potato and I have to tell you, it was a match made in (potato) heaven. I spent the majority of my weekend with the folks from Idaho Potato and I had a blast with them. They were some of the most wonderful people I have ever met in my life. Here’s evidence of how much fun we had – 
See those awesome potato gloves in the top right? Part of my swag bag from them… I love them! And Don & Linda!!! The people from Famous Idaho Potatoes know how to have a good time!
Thank A Farmer
One of the sessions I enjoyed most was our sponsors speaking about farming. As you know, I grew up in a rural community and I was fortunate enough to be aware of the source of my food. I was surrounded by local farms and many of my classmates were farm kids, so the sight of dirt-caked boots is not unfamiliar. One common theme from each of the sponsors: Idaho Potato, Certified Angus Beef, Cabot, CK Mondavi and Florida Strawberry Growers Association was their passion and commitment. Dan from Idaho Potato said something that really rang true : “You have to love what you do to be a farmer”. There is so much care and love that goes into what they do everyday and the amount of work that it entails to produce what they raise/grow on their farms is staggering.
Friendships, New & Old, are Good for the Soul
So Much Fun with these Gals! Copious amounts of food (and drinks!) were consumed this past weekend, all with these beauties by my side. This really is the BEST part of the conference for me. It’s not all play… we’re WORKING! It might look like we are just hanging out and having fun all the time (and we kinda are), but we are also talking shop most of the time. How to grow our blogs, what photo editing program works best for us, what we learned in the session we just attended, etc. Oh, and pass the margaritas, please…
Oui, Chef!
On Sunday, there was a cooking competition. We had a handful of mystery ingredients and had about 10 minutes to figure out what to do with them. There was Certified Angus ground beef, Fingerling Idaho Potatoes, Blueberries from Wish Farms, wine from CK Mondavi and cheese from Cabot, a tomato based vinaigrette dressing and a sweet and spicy sauce… Everything had to used and the focus of our dish had to be blueberries. We put our heads together and came up with a menu, I was nominated to cook (I had 15 minutes!) and then make 3 identical plates. It was a little crazy, but we pulled together and made it happen with time to spare!
Here are a few more shots from this amazing weekend!
From making facial masks with Greek yogurt to dressing up for our Denim and Diamonds bash, a great time was most certainly had by all!
A huge thank you to Idaho Potatoes for making my first experience as a Brand Ambassador so fantastic! They provided an AMAZING lunch for us and were gracious enough to give me links to the recipes so I could share them with all of you!!!
Thai Curry Idaho Potato Soup https://idahopotato.com/recipes/thai-curry-idaho-potato-soup
Carnitas & Potato Hash: https://idahopotato.com/recipes/dos-caminos-carnitas-and-idaho-potato-hash-1
Penne with Arugula Pesto, Idaho Red Potatoes and Spring Vegetables: https://idahopotato.com/recipes/penne-with-arugula-pesto-idaho-red-potatoes-and-spring-vegetables
Potato Cakes with Mint Chutney: https://idahopotato.com/recipes/potato-cakes-with-mint-chutney
Salmon Calcutta with Idaho Fingerling Potatoes: https://idahopotato.com/recipes/salmon-calcutta-with-idaho-fingerling-potatoes
Chocolate Potato Donuts with Creme Anglaise: https://idahopotato.com/recipes/chocolate-potato-donuts-with-creme-anglaise
Idaho Potato Pound Cake: https://idahopotato.com/recipes/idaho-potato-pound-cake-gluten-free
Italian Sausage and Peppers Burger #BurgerMonth
When I realized that after 5 years of doing this blog, I didn’t have a single burger recipe on here, well… you can imagine my dismay. I have failed. In an attempt to make it up to you, I made a burger with the flavors of Italian sausage and peppers.
My most awesome carnivorous friend, Kita of Girl Carnivore put this epic #BurgerMonth event together and this is my contribution.
It’s the quintessential Brooklyn street fair food. There are food trucks at every single fair or festival selling that spicy sweet mix of sausage, peppers and onions. The scent of it wafting through the air brings back memories of walking through booths of games, cotton candy vendors and frozen lemonade stands.
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Mushroom, Kalamata Olive and Feta Stuffed Phyllo with Whipped Feta Dip
I don’t know about you guys, but I could eat Greek food almost every day and not get tired of it. The flavors are right up my alley: lemon, garlic, oregano, etc. I think I was about 13 years old the first time I ever had a gyro and discovered what would be a life long love affair with Greek food.
Growing up in a small town, we didn’t really have many places to “hang out” and the mall was the spot where we gathered. Specifically, The Food Court. It had the obligatory salad place, pizza chain, Chinese take-out, etc… But one day, a Greek restaurant went in.
Color Me Intrigued. I wanted to try it, but I was skeptical because he never had any customers.
I figured it had to be questionable if there wasn’t a line around the corner. Still, I would give it the once over pretty much everyday. I would smile and nod politely as I made my way to the predictable pizza place. Even as a kid, I was fairly open to new things and I remember walking past it repeatedly, as if I was casing the joint, trying to decide if I wanted to give it a go.
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