Pork stuffed with Swiss Chard

Stuffing pork chops isn't a new idea but this is definitely different from what you usually see. Traditional pork chops are usually done with buttery breadcrumbs which I do enjoy but you don't always want something so heavy. During the summer its so easy to just head down to your local farmer's market and find beautiful vibrant vegetables. From the brilliant red chard to the purple cauliflower that I recently posted I can't help but be drawn to these items.

Sometimes I end up with a fridge that is packed with produce and a schedule that just doesn't let up. You can make this stuffing in advance and then store it in the fridge for a few days before using it. It makes your whole dinner easier when you prep in advance! If you want to make this dish even better try brining your pork chops overnight to infuse even more flavor and juiciness into the meat.

Read on for the recipe!

Greek Salmon Lettuce Cups

Lettuce Cups or wraps are a common site in Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants around me. One of the first times I ever saw them was in the Asian Fusion restaurant P.F. Changs. Its been years since I have been to one of these and to be honest my Asian inspiration stops there! This dish uses traditional Greek flavors with a little twist. If you are trying to eat low carb, lettuce wraps can be a great invention since a single leaf of lettuce is almost no calories! I love using fresh local ingredients and when I saw this Boston lettuce at my local farmer's market the other day I decided that I had to create something fresh and healthy. I have done a few other versions of this type of dish using shrimp and crab so don't be afraid to make this your own based on the ingredients that you have handy.

What do Lettuce Cups have to do with phylo dough and grape leaves you ask? Well the connection here is in the spices that I used - garlic, parsley, oregano and lemon were my base ingredients. There are two ingredients that always makes me think Greek that I didn't include - Feta Cheese and Olives. My boyfriend only has one real food hate and that is olives so they usually aren't in the house unless I get them on takeout and while I do often use grated cheese on my pasta with seafood I didn't think that the flavors really worked in this situation. This recipe calls for about 1 lb of wild salmon (I used Coho which is a bit thinner than other types) if you can't find wild salmon or don't want to spend the money consider using another type of wild fish versus using a farmed fish. The health benefits of wild fish are greater than the farmed versions so the difference in price is absolutely worth it!

click through for the recipe

Asian Veggie Soup

Soup is one of those meals that I can't help ordering even if summer is in full swing outside. It is a staple of my diet all year long and I love to come up with some different ideas from standard chicken noodle and the Italian soups like Pasta Fagioli I ate growing up. I have tried to make Tom Yum soup a few times but I always get discouraged because it doesn't taste "right" and it takes so long and uses hard to find expensive ingredients. Sometimes its easier and cheaper just to order take out! This soup is a take on Tom Yum and other south east Asian soups but it uses  ingredients that are easier to find at the ethic market. Since I am a believer in sweating out the heat, this soup base is great for summer time!

I used boxed chicken broth to make this base but please feel free to take the homemade route and either make your own chicken stock or be even more traditional and go for a shrimp stock. If you are interested in making an authentic bowl of Tom Yum check out the directions on Chez Pim.  You can make a million different version of this soup - noodles or none, chicken, shrimp, veggies etc so feel free to add or subtract as you like...one of my favorite treats is pre-made frozen dumpings! The basic broth is really versatile and can pull together all those "why did I buy this?" ingredients that are starting to sag in the crisper drawer.

Click through for the recipe!

Vegan Bean and Grain Salad

This winter I decided to take a few days off from meat. I love vegetables and usually have more veggies with my meal than any other type of food but there generally is some meat in there (even if it is only chicken broth or a slice of bacon for flavor.) I wanted to challenge myself for a week to see if I could eat totally vegan (so no dairy or other animal products). Unfortunately I forgot about plans with some friends that involved helping her make a roast beef with all the fixings so I didn't get to go a week but I did have a great time coming up with this delicious lunch option that is easy to make ahead and can be packed up for work.

I really love eating a fresh healthy salad for lunch but most mornings I am not in the mood to start peeling vegetables and cleaning off lettuce so I had to do some advance planning. But a little time on Sunday made the week go by so easily! I was able to pack up individual servings of the bean and grain salad along with a baggie full of lettuce. When I lunch time arrived mixed all of the ingredients together and added a tiny squirt of balsamic dressing. You can also eat this warm as a side dish to almost any dinner!

Eggplant Cups

Let me share one of my favorite money saving ideas.....hosting a dinner in can be less expensive than paying your share of the bill at a restaurant. Add in the comfort of a casual dinner spread over a few hours at our home compared to being rushed out of your table, the awkward moments of how to split the check and then the early goodbyes to go home our separate ways and dining at home wins in so many ways. This is especially true when you have friends who are willing to do dishes since the clean up is absolutely my least favorite part of hosting! So many thank you go to all my awesome friend who don't hesitate to grab an apron and get scrubbing.

I am an avid reader of SmittenKitchen blog and I was super excited to see her post on the feature in Everyday Food , one of my favorite Martha publications. I loved her creative use of eggplant as a little shell to "stuff" - you know my love of stuffing veggies and eggplant isn't going to escape. I didn't really follow her recipe exactly - its a bit past fresh tomato season and well I forgot mint at the store (at least remembered parsley for my chicken roasting/soup making later this week) but I want to give some credit to the inspiration for tonight's dinner. I served these eggplant cups alongside some grilled steak tips (a cut that I NEVER see in NJ but grew up loving in New England!) and roasted zucchini.

Fresh Basil "Chimichurri"

When your trusty basil plant keeps producing fragrant green leaves night after night it can sometimes seem hard to keep up. Pesto sauce gets a little boring - try this Latin spin that is based on a Chimichurri.

Blend together basil, 1/2 c olive oil, 3 garlic gloves, 1 tsp crushed red pepper and a squeeze of lemon to make it extra fresh. Serve on top of any grilled meat or vegetable.

Tomatoes - two ways!

I love shopping at the Farmer's Market but at times it can be a little expensive so I am always looking for a deal. A few weeks ago, I notice that my normal farmer had bags of about 6 large tomatoes on sale for $3. Normally these tomatoes are close to $3 each (since they are almost a pound each!) but since they were already nice and ripe they had them on "clearance". I was able to find a bunch that wasn't over-ripe and since I was going to use them right away anyways I was happy to buy them ripe and ready to use.

One of my favorite meals in summer time is tomato salads. There is nothing so simple and perfect but dependent on the ingredients. Tomatoes are something that still really only taste right in the summer. One bite of a fresh summer tomato is enough to make me want to swear off all of the super market varieties that range from acceptable to almost orange and mealy! But unfortunately, winter will be back soon enough and there will be 8 months worth of salads that rely on these sad tomato like substances!

The first variation is a traditional Italian tomato salad. This is an easy side that is welcome at my dinner table any night. It is best when you make it in advance and give it some time in the fridge to meld together. This is a simple mix of diced tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, fresh basil and some salt and pepper. If you want to turn it up a little a splash of balsamic can also be added. Or some fresh mozzarella to turn it into a Caprese Salad.

The second is more of a chunky salsa using the fresh flavors of Mexican cooking. For this version, I rough chopped the tomatoes with some red onion, green bell pepper, garlic, lime, cilantro and of course olive oil,  salt and pepper. These flavors are naturals with the sweet ripe tomato and the addition of some hot peppers (I used a jalapeno and a cherry bomb) kicks this up to another level. Make sure you are careful with the hot peppers though and use caution when chopping and with your hands after as the oil from the peppers can remain on hands for some time. 

Cannelli Bean Stuffed Mushrooms

I just love to stuff vegetables. They come in so many cute sizes and shapes and they make for a perfect individual serving. Usually there is some grain in stuffing - commonly breadcrumbs or rice but I have used a few quinoa alternatives as well as grain free stuffing. This dinner uses a white beans as the base of the stuffing which is a protein packed way to get all your nutrients in. I love mixing the beans with fresh herbs and citrus to give it a bigger punch of flavor. This recipe is very simple and easy and can be adapted for other vegetables. I served the mushrooms on a simple salad- they can be made in advance and packed up for a quick meal. 

Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Cap 
4 large mushroom caps - gills and stem removed 
1 zucchini - diced
1 yellow pepper - diced 
1/2 onion - diced 
1 c parsley - freshly chopped
1 can canellini beans - strained and rinsed 
1 c feta cheese 
juice of 1 lemon 
2 garlic cloves - diced
salt & pepper
olive oil


1) Coat the mushroom caps with olive oil and season with salt & pepper - place in a hot pan
2) When liquid starts to seep out of the cap remove from the heat 
3) Add oil to pan, heat oil 
4) Saute garlic then add onions and peppers.
5) Once softened add beans and the zucchini 
6) After a few minutes remove from heat and stir in parsley, feta, lemon juice and season with salt & pepper
7) Place mushrooms back into pan and add a spoon full of topping, cover and heat on medium for 5-7 min until cheese is melted and herbs softened
8) Carefully remove from pan with spatula - can be served hot or cold

Sausage Stuffed 8 ball zucchini

You might remember a similar post last year where I stuffed these adorable 8 ball zucchini with tomato basil quinoa. This year I have gone for a heartier version and used sausage (squeezed out of the casing) for the stuffing. I didn't use any grains but I think that rice would be a perfect addition to this dish if you would like to have a starch. These little squash aren't around for long - I only see them at the farmer's market for a few weeks each year but I can't pass them up! If you can't find 8 ball squash you can always use green squash with the center hollowed out a bit to make a "canoe". 

 

In case you haven't been experiencing the ridiculous heat that has been all over the east coast, let me fill you in - putting on the stove in my house this month is just not allowed...PERIOD! This means that my big hopes for my triumphant blog return have been delayed a bit since no stove means no cooking which means no dinners to post about! The best thing about this recipe is that I figured out a way to make these without having to use the oven! Yes, you do need to use the stove top but technically you could make these on the grill. Imagine what your guests will say when you take these adorable little sausage stuffed zucchini out instead of a big juicy steak? OK maybe you should warn them first because while they are delicious...a giant steak should never be messed with!

White Wine Steamed Clams

I grew up in New England, where summer time is synonymous with clam bakes. Even now that I have lived away for over 5 years, I still get an urge when fresh clams start showing up in the store. However when you live in a small apartment, sometimes having a steaming kettle full of fresh seafood (and the stinky trash that goes along with it) is less than appealing. That doesn't mean you have to forget those summer time memories - just scale things back to apartment size! The traditional clam boil includes clams, lobsters, steamers, mussels, corn and potatoes boiled up in a beer and water mix (cooked in a giant sand pit if you have one but more often just in a big pot on a gas burner). But for us, since clams were on sale at the market, it was an easy decision to just grab a few dozen little necks and get cooking.

For our clam bake we are going to do things a little different though.... no surprise for those who read this blog often. I do enjoy a nice beer I was thinking more along the lines of white wine and garlic flavors. This recipe is a bit more of a French style than a New England one but I suppose when you have deliciously fresh clams on hand, its hard to go wrong! Instead of using a large stock pot to steam my clams I used a large saute pan with under an inch of brother in the bottom - just enough to steam but not boil.

Greek Potato Salad

I love summer BBQs just as much as the next girl but traditional fare is...well boring and full of bad fats! Now I am not one to start preaching about fat and calories  (especially when most of my recipes involve a fair amount of "good" olive oil) but eating mindless gobs of mayonnaise when there isn't any taste just isn't my style. I decided to come up with this potato salad recipe that has tons of flavor by using my favorite type of green salad as inspiration. I used large red potatoes cut into bite sized pieces, however small marble sized potatoes would be very cute as well!

Because this salad is mayo-free its a little easier to store and serve at a hot summer BBQ, there is some cheese in it however so don't leave it out too long! We have an olive- hater in our family so serving anything "Greek" style can be a little challenging. The best part of this salad though is that the olives (or the cheese is there is a dairy-free person) can be tossed in to individual taste.

Crab stuffed Portobella mushroom cap

Every year my uncle makes a wonderful appetizer for family holidays, it is actually a spin off of something that my grandfather started making.... crab stuffed mushrooms. I decided to take this from an appetizer to main course by increasing the size of the mushroom! Portobello caps make the perfect single serving dinner, you can dress them down with sauce and cheese and make it into a "pizza" or class it up with ingredients like crab. The hearty texture makes it a great substitute for meat, no matter if you are a true vegetarian or just celebrating meatless Mondays. I love mushrooms in just about any form. We are lucky enough to have a great mushroom "farmer" (perhaps cultivator is a better word?) that visits the Union Square Farmer's Market regularly, Bulich Mushroom Farms.

This recipe is quite simple and really no different that many of the crab cakes that I have made before. Since the mushroom cab provides some of the structure I felt that I could leave out the breadcrumbs and make this pure crab-tastic indulgence. I did however make a few "true" crab cakes by adding about 1/2 c of breadcrumbs to the leftovers (I unfortunately only had 2 mushroom caps on hand and the pound of crabmeat quickly dominated them!)

click through for the recipe!

VIDEO POST! Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri Sauce

Hello Readers......

something about this post is not like the others..... one of these things is not the same! We have stepped into the 21st Century and now have video... thanks so much to Newman's Own and Foodbuzz for sending me this amazing Flip video camera. In the next few days we will be posting some of our videos on the blog. Because I still am learning some of these videos are not exactly perfect (editing is harder than it looks!) but they should help you master some new techniques in a new way. So far the feedback is great, my friends and family love the new style and we hope to bring you a new video post every few weeks after we get the initial 4 videos up. We have already had a request on cooking a whole chicken and making a baked good. I would also like to do a seafood dish but please feel free to leave suggestions in the comments. If there are recipes already on Carla's Tasty Treats that you would like to see in video form we just might be able to help!

Thanks again

Carla

Please click through if you would like to see the complete recipe written out

Shrimp Stir Fry

Always my go-to when I don't have anything else left in the house but its still wonderfully delicious! Tonight's dinner is shrimp with portabello mushroom, snap peas, red and green pepper and onion - topped with cilantro

White Chicken Chili

With the North East in the middle of one of the worst winters in memory, its no surprise that hearty, warm soups are being requested more often. For me, it seems like I can barely go a day without having a soup of some kind! New Jersey is pretty much know for its diners - often open all night and serving up what generally is pretty close to homemade comfort food. Diners are not really know for bending to the newest food trend, classics like tuna melts, greek salads and even meatloaf are the staples of these places served with a cup of their homemade soups and a scoop of pudding for dessert. But that is their charm - no matter what diner you do to you almost don't need a menu because you know what they serve...it hasn't changed in probably 50 years!

I recently had a delicious bowl of chili at the Windsor Diner in Clark, NJ and I just couldn't stop thinking about it for days. It was everything that a bowl of chili should be...and came with ample sour cream and salsa on the side so you could dress it up as you wished. This White Chicken Chili on the other hand, is pretty much the complete opposite! While it is delicious, warming and comforting it is more delicate rather than hitting you over the head with a hunk of ground beef. I have tried other recipes before but this was a new one for me and I think that it came out really well. I used my 7.5Q dutch oven to make the chili and let it cook in there for a few hours in the oven to really marry the flavors together. It was a little more soupy than my other attempt but I actually liked it and felt it had more flavor... use a bit less chicken broth if you would prefer a more stew/chili appearance.

click through for the recipe! 

Lightened Up Cassoulet

Traditionally a French dish, cassoulets use a variety of rich meats to flavor a baked bean dish. This rustic dish is like many other baked bean dishes made around Europe - there are as many recipes as there are grandmothers out there! This dish is simple and easy to make - don't be scared by the long ingredient list. It works wonderfully as a lazy Sunday afternoon project when you have time to sit and wait for the flavors to combine perfectly. This will also work for slow cookers - so feel free to prep it in advance and come home to a delicious hot meal.

Generally, very rich meats like goose or duck are used as the main ingredient with additions of pork sausage and bacon to give flavor to the white beans. I decided to lighten my dish up by using chicken thighs and chicken andouille sausage. I do think that a bit of bacon would have been an excellent addition lending some of the smokey flavor that bacon is famous for to the dish. I also strayed from the original by using a mixture of red kidney beans and white cannellini beans which was more a decision based on my pantry supplies than tastes. I also didn't have any onions in my house...but I added some shallots to compensate.

 

Click through for the recipe! 

Carrot and Squash Soup - Thanksgiving Recycle!

We had over quite a group for Christma-Channuk-Thanksgiving-mas. Twelve people for a sit down dinner which was our largest crowd ever. It was so much fun and we really enjoyed having all of our friends over. This year I tried more than ever to have the left overs from dinner go home with my guests as I usually need a break after prepping for a big party. But I was left with a few of the baby squash and it was an east decision to make a delicious soup in time for the cold front that moved in.

Baby Squash and Carrot Soup
1 c maple glazed carrots     (I also add a tiny splash of aged balsamic vinegar to the glaze)
6 roasted baby squash halves - skin removed (split in half, cover with olive oil and savory herbs and roast at 350F for 45 min)
2 c milk 2%
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp all spice
1 tsp cinnamon
salt & pepper
special equipment: immersion blender

1) In a large pan, heat the milk over a medium flame.
2) Add the squash pulp and carrots and let come to a simmer
3) CAREFULLY! Remove from heat and blend till smooth
4) Add seasoning

I also recycled my stuffing into croutons by spreading it out onto a cookie sheet and baking at 350F for 15 min
Stuffing:
1 loaf brioche loaf - cut into 1" cubes, covered in olive oil and toasted for 15 min
4 tbsp butter - melted
1 c carrots - sliced
1 c onion - diced
1 c red bell pepper - diced
2 c mushrooms - chopped1 tbsp fresh sage - minced
4 cloves garlic - minced
3 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
1 c walnuts
1 c vegetable broth (or chicken broth)

1) In a pan with some oil, saute the onions, peppers and carrots until soft.
2) add mushrooms and allow all moisture to evaporate
3) In a large bowl - mix together melted butter, bread cubes, vegetable mix, herbs and walnuts
4) Place in a large buttered casserole dish and add broth
5) Cover with foil and place in oven 350F for 35 -40 min - remove foil for last 10 min or so to brown top

Winner Winner even more Chicken for dinner?

I know I have mentioned this already before but I really love boneless skinless chicken thighs. This cut is less expensive and more tasty than the breasts. Because it has a slightly higher fat content it will stay moister as well. I find that it is well suited for searing and then oven finishing. Though I have had my spice blends for a while now I am still amazed at how easy and delicious it is make dinner

To make this broccoli rabe a little more interesting I gave it a bit of a kick by adding some fresh squeezed lemon and a bit of crushed red pepper while I was cooking it.

Rosemary, Garlic & Mustard Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

Shhh! I have a secret - while I might wish that I was a world traveling, music loving, NYC bar hopping super star sometimes in real life I sometimes am just absolutely unable to leave the 4 walls of my living room behind. I am currently in the middle of a particularly busy November that had me away from home more than half of the month (18 days). I knew that this weekend would be one of the only chances that I had to cook at home and I was really excited to eat something that didn't come wrapped in its own single serving package! Before I left I had stocked up on a few things so that I would have some supplies when I got back waiting for me....because as I have mentioned before grocery shopping on the weekends is just not an option!

Pork tenderloins are one of the fastest and easiest dinners to serve a crowd. Because of their even size and shape, it cooks well in the oven and can be quickly done to a perfect medium. The benefits and the downfall of pork tenderloin lies in its low fat content - as a very lean meat, it is prone to being dry if overcooked (similar to a chicken breast). Don't be afraid of cooking it though! Just invest a few dollars into a meat thermometer and you will never have to second guess if it is done enough for safety but still retains enough juices to make it delicious. I removed this pork tenderloin around 142 F which is in the medium range - it then rested for about 10 -15 min while we all gathered around the table and sorted out seating assignments (we had to vote on who got the "kids" chair....luckily as the hostess I was given the head of the table!) The pork was served with a side of string beans dressed in 15 yr balsamic and red & purple roasted potatoes.

Mexican Chicken Stew and a give away!

Recently I have learned about an amazing new protein to use for dinner... boneless skinless chicken thighs! I know these aren't new but I have just always used chicken breasts. Since my resolve a few years back to get over my fear of raw chicken, I have come a long way. From only cutting partially frozen or cooked chicken to actually roasting a whole one, even if I did need help getting the giblets out! Now I have found out how tasty and delicious the thigh is especially when seasoned correctly. This dinner was made possible by one of my new favorite discoveries. Seasoning Rubs are such an easy way to add a lot of flavor with out many calories (careful though some rubs have sugar added)

Because the thighs are boneless, you can get this dinner done pretty quickly though I think that you would also be fine adapting this to a crockpot or dutch oven and letting the chicken cook down. Feel free to change the heat level of the dish by adding more or less hot peppers, my CSA just sent home a bag of the little hot ones and I couldn't resist them all cute colorful ...luckily they didn't over power things.

I was lucky enough to get a goodie bag of Goya treats from Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program that helped the make this dinner possible and want to share! Please leave a comment below and I will pick someone at random to win a prize pack with coupons and 2 recipe books containing some great easy dinners using Goya products.