Recipes tagged with: hsn

Kale chips are super easy to make or can be super easy to mess up!  We know that is true.  They are just so yummy...

Here is what you need to know to make the perfect crispy kale chips!

First take your kale and remove the ribs. You can easily do this by holding the bottom rib from the leaf with one hand and use the other hand to grip onto the rib and move your hand up the leaf separating the two from each other.  Next, either chop or tear the leaves into small pieces and place in your colander.  Rinse throughly then dry.  I like to lay paper towels down on my counter then create an even layer of the leaves.  Top with another layer of paper towels and press down.  You want the leaves dry before baking them into chips.  If they wet... they will burn!  

I love starting my Italian cooking with pancetta and onions! This is a great way to make a traditional Italian Sauce.

Amatriciana goes great with seafood, chicken cutlets or even pasta! It does have a different taste than your Italian marinara but once you give it a try…

You will love it.. Sometimes I add capers right before serving! Cooking Italian is certainly my favorite! Enjoy…

My family loves popovers and I enjoy making them for them.  We all so the popover dance together.  I had some fresh asparagus and my Lodge Cast Iron pan was on the stove already to sauté them.  Last minute I decided to create a large popover and I was so happy that everyone just loved it.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family did!  xo Cindy

Note:  My pan is 12 inches and this recipe was developed to fit this pan.  I you have the 10 inch pan you will want to alter the recipe.

I know - I know - I am Italian.  However, we have Labanese friends and they would bring over pita bread, grape leaves and kibbeh.  So good!  I remember how my Nana's friend could take a large pieces of pita and rip it in 1/2 the long way so each person got one half of a large pita and made us an amazing sandwich.  Sometimes I wish i was that little girl in at my Nana's house!

I love lamb and that is the traditional way to make kibbeh but not everyone enjoys it so I decided to make it with beef and will put out a large platter to serve the kibbeh by adding grape leaves, hummus, tabouleh,  lettuce, cucumbers, feta cheese, olives and extra-virgin olive oil.

Enjoy

I always think banana bread when those bananas are nice a ripe on the counter.  Today I decided to make more of a breakfast cake in a 9 inch pan.  Slicing the bread with a side of fresh fruit was a  perfect weekend breakfast with our coffee as we sit outside enjoying the amazing Florida weather.

I normally double or triple this recipe and freeze them in individual containers. I try to make it basic then depending on the recipe I can add more flavors such as wines or chicken broth. When making a marinara/sauce remember that dried herbs hold their flavor and color when slow cooking. If you are using fresh herbs don’t add them in until you are finished with the cooking process and just before serving. If you have fresh tomatoes then use them starting with 3 pounds.

**Cindy’s Tip!: Use with your favorite recipe or divide and store in your refrigerator or freezer. **

You can also find this recipe in my cookbook:

At the lake during the summer it's easy to make a dish, get in the boat and head over to a friends house.  I get to have my granddaughter Brooke with me all summer so my dishes need to be kid approves.  

I decided to make sloppy joes then it was easy to wrap and just warm at our friends house.  These were a big hit and fed 5 adults and 6 kids.  There was about 2 tablespoons left in the pan!  

I love veal mixed with my meat as it really lightens up the texture and taste amazing.  You can also use pork or just all meat.  Of course, the kids just knew it was sloppy joes - They all loved it...  

My stomach does not do well with green bell peppers but you can certainly use them in this recipe.  I went for the red and yellow.  This is also a great dish to use your Cast Iron Pan!

Enjoy xo

These pork chops were simply amazing.  Using my Cast Iron pan was perfect for our dinner.  Get it really hot to sear the chops then the oven will do the rest.  I did let the pork chops marinade for a few hours in the refrigerator seasoned with salt, pepper, fresh rosemary and thyme from my garden then olive oil.  

I made these for 3 of us!  I used the Center Cut Pork Chop Loin but you can use any cut for this recipe.

Enjoy xo

Before I begin let me just say for the record. Bone Suckin' Sauce reached out to me and asked if I would test out their products.  We said sure since we love to BBQ on our Big Green Egg.  We have made a few different recipes using their products and we just LOVE their products.  

These ribs are amazing.  Go ahead and get some of their sauce and make some ribs!

Enjoy xo

What you need!

• Plate Setter
• V-Rack
• Disposable pan (aluminum)
• Slop Mop for your BBQ sauce

In Florida we can get some amazing fresh fish.  While at the market I spotted Yellow Tail Snapper wild caught and local.  I had all of the other ingredients to make this amazing dinner for 2.  This is a great dinner if you are following the Paleo diet or a healthy Mediterranean diet

Note:  You don't have to buy blackened seasonings as I am sure all of the spices are at home in your cabinet.  

Julienne is a knife cut where you slice long strips and keep them all in the same length. 

Perfect for company at the lake!

Cindy's important tip! Be sure to zest the lemon first then squeeze for the fresh juice!

This is another way I share my love for Cauliflower and Italian together!  This is delicious!  Go ahead and give it a try.  Enjoy xo Cindy

We just love summer vegetables.  At our summer lake house we love to grill and entertain.  My husband and I just love salmon and my Cauliflower Rice Succotash was the perfect accompany for our dinner.  Everything was cooked on the grill and we ate outside.

Perfect summer dinner with friends.

Cindy's Note:  I made this dish on the grill.  You can also prepare in your own kitchen stove top. Feel free to boil the corn.

As I have been surprisingly on several cauliflower recipes a taco was inspired while walking through the farmers market and watching everyone eating various tacos!  This was experimenting yummy!!!!

Enjoy xo

These are perfect for any entertaining!  These will go fast so make plenty!  I serve out of the pot with toothpicks next to them for easy serving.

I love custard and coconut with a little chocolate so this recipe was created.  I was just in my kitchen looking in the cabinet and this is what happened.  So good..  However, I ate the left over custard that was in the pan before dinner.  Needless to say I didn't eat my dinner :)

Seriously! This is the easiest blackened pan seared snapper you will ever make.  This is also amazing.  I served it with haricots vert topped with fried shallots.  I will share that now.

Take a sauté pan over medium heat.  Add in 2-3 tablespoons of oil.  Once the oil is very hot (how do you know it's very hot did you ask?  Great questions - when the oil starts to move to the side of the pan)  Toss in thinly sliced shallots and cook until crispy.  Remove from pan.  Keep oil in the pan.  When ready to make the haricots vert add them to the hot pan with some garlic, salt and pepper.  Cook until tender, remove from pan and top with shallots.  

Next tip! Did you know most seafood departments will provide the seasonings.  Yes, that is true.  We got this snapper at Whole Foods and they seasoned for us.  How easy was that... 

Enjoy xo

Caponata is a Sicilian dish that was always served as an appetizer.  You can dice it very small and use a dip with endive leaves or prepare chunky.  It is a great accompaniment to many dishes such as a grilled swordfish or over roasted chicken.

Don't you just love fresh herbs in the summer.  We have pots of herbs along our walk way and it smells amazing.  At the lake we do a lot of entertaining and making my Fresh Herb Chimichurri Chicken Kabobs are always a hit!  

I like to marinade the prepared kabobs in the refrigerator for several hours.  Then save some of the pesto to serve along side the kabobs.  Delicious!

Cindy's Tip!  If using wooden sticks be sure to soak in water for at least 30 minutes before preparing the kabobs. That will prevent the sticks from burning while grilling!

I am really enjoying creating bowl recipes!  It's fun enjoying all of the flavors together.  Not to mention we just love meatballs in our family.  I hope you love this recipe!

Cindy's Note:  You can use spaghetti squash, rice noodles or even zucchini noodles.  I used linguini just because but also made it again and used spaghetti squash.  Very yummy!!!  

Spaghetti Squash - After I baked the squash and removed the strands then put in a bowl.  I added fresh ginger, salt pepper and chopped cilantro then drizzled a little sesame oil!  Amazing....

Sorry I took the picture before we garnished and ate!  We just couldn't wait.....  

This recipe went great with my pan seared pork chops!

Thank you to my friends at DiFiori for the best pasta around!  Their gnocchi was amazing.  We love you guys.

Enjoy xo

We only eat corn late summer when it's tender and sweet.  At the lake house we entertain often and preparing this dish in advance was a great way to feed a crowd while enjoying local summer corn!  We loved the spice from poblano and jalapenô peppers!  

Go ahead and give this a try.  If you can't find local fresh corn then use frozen corn.  (I actually added a frozen bag of white sweet corn as 4 extra friends were coming over and I was afraid there would not be enough).

Enjoy xo

PS

I love my LeCreuset Pan!  Stove, Oven to Table!  Perfect.....

Living at the lake for the summer making potato salad or macaroni salad are served most often.  You can feed a crowd on these sides.  I decided to grill the potatoes and not boil as we normally do.  This potato had a nice smoky flavor and really added great texture to this salad.  I add celery and carrots for some extra crunch and freshness.

This was a great salad and hope you enjoy as well.