Texture and color close-up of the roasted turkey
Cooking up a storm!
Featured Dinner Idea
Making a Crab Cake Dinner
Crab cakes are the easiest and in my opinion, one of the fanciest dinners you can prepare in less than 30 minutes. The side dishes you can serve with a crab cake really vary according to the weather and depending on taste. In the summer time, I prefer the good old fashioned coleslaw and fries, but try pairing it with string beans marinara or corn, also fried potatoes and asparagus goes well or try a citrusy salad and crostini bread as a side or a simple open face brioche bun with the crab cake on top and the citrusy slaw, the possibilities are endless! Bon Appetit!
Ingredients for Crab Cakes:
1 lb. Jumbo Lump crab meat
15-20 crushed saltine crackers
1 cup of Olive Oil Mayonnaise
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1 tb. Lemon Juice
1 finely chopped shallot *optional
1 finely Chopped green onion *optional
*optional ingredient is McCormick seafood seasoning 1/4 tsp.
Steps:
Crush the saltine crackers in a ziplock bag, not too fine. In a bowl, add the crab meat, mix all the ingredients together and the saltine crackers and once everything mixes well, form the patties with the help of a spoon, then carefully fry them in canola or olive oil turning them very gently until golden. They hold together pretty well without adding egg, but you can also add 1 egg. I prefer no egg because it changes the flavor of the crab cake.
*Optional: You can use green onions instead of shallots. Enjoy!
Featured Classic Thanksgiving Staples
Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients:
1 lbs. Elbow pasta
1/2 cup of flour
8-9 cups of milk
1 stick of butter
5-6 cups of cheese: 2 cups sharp cheddar/2 cups Mexican blend cheeses/1 cup of Asiago
1 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of breadcrumbs (optional to sprinkle on top before putting in the oven)
1 large rectangular glass baking dish
Process:
Cook pasta according to box instructions and set aside. In a medium sized pot, melt butter and make a roux with the flour, add the 8 cups of milk gradually. Whisk carefully as you go, removing all lumps and making a velvety sauce in low heat. Season with nutmeg, paprika and salt and pepper. Add one cup of cheddar and one cup of Asiago or Parmesan (you can choose either one depending on preference) add these two cups of cheese to the sauce. Stir very well until smooth. Save the rest of the cheese to layer with macaroni pasta and sauce one layer at a time, alternating with cheeses, the top layer should be cheese and sprinkle it with the bread crumbs and a dash of paprika for color. Bake the Mac and Cheese lightly covered with foil or uncovered for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees depending on the oven until the top part is a little golden and all cheese is melted.
*Tip: The reason I suggest 8-9 cups of milk is because you have to play with the texture of the sauce and make sure that it is not too thick, as everything will thicken with the heat and the baking. Also, the amount of cheese is a matter of preference, and the amounts I am giving you yield a very cheesy and velvety mac and cheese already, however "when it comes to cheese, the sky is the limit that is why it is called Macaroni and Cheese" -Sandra
*Need a visual?..Watch my Youtube video in the blog section.
Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients:
2 lbs. of frozen Brussels sprouts
8 oz. of bacon (diced)
1 tablespoon of real maple syrup
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1 whole red onion (cut in wedges or half sliced)
1/2 tablespoon of Olive Oil
1/2 cup of Maple glazed pecans (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Process:
Crisp the diced bacon in a semi shallow pan about (3 inches high) in low heat, once bacon renders the fat, set aside and let it cool down. Add the diced onions and the brussels sprouts into that same pan with only half of the bacon grease that is left on the pan and a little bit of olive oil about a teaspoon. Sauté the onions, brussels sprouts and add salt and pepper at this time, at this point add the balsamic vinegar stir and de-glaze the pan and then add the maple syrup. (Optional)*You may also add maple glazed pecans at this time.
Tip *Do not overcook the sprouts, cooking time for the spouts approximately 10 minutes covered, from the time you add them. Use the small ones for tenderness.
Famous Creamed Spinach
Ingredients:
2 lbs. of chopped frozen spinach
1 small white onion chopped
1/2 cup of half and half
8 oz. of cream cheese
1 cup of Parmesan cheese
4 tbs. butter
1/4 teaspoon or less of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
Process: Sauté the finely chopped onion in butter and then add the chopped spinach, make sure the onion is not brown, cover pan and cook spinach for few minutes, season to taste and stirring well add the cream cheese, stir until the cream cheese melts. Add the half and half or heavy cream and a cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
*Optional: You may bake this dish or just serve as is. If you decide to bake it, do so for 20 minutes at 400 degrees covered in foil after topping with breadcrumbs and more Parmesan.
Easy Deviled Eggs
Ingredients:
1 dozen hard boiled eggs
1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
3 tablespoons of mayonaise
1 tablespoon of Relish
1 tablespoon of Siracha
1 teaspoon of Ketchup
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
Sprinkle salt and pepper
Process:
Cut the eggs in half carefully, separate the yolks and place them in the food processor with ingredients above. To make them more spicy "deviled" , add more Siracha or Tabasco sauce. Pipe the filling into the hard boiled egg whites once placed in a special deviled egg serving dish ( a must have) and sprinkle with finely chopped fresh parsley.
Amandine String Beans
2-3 lbs. string beans washed and cleaned
3 tablespoons of real butter
1 finely sliced small shallot
1/2 cup of sliced almonds
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Process:
Place semi shallow pan on the stove with very little water barely covering the bottom with about a teaspoon of salt, blanch the string beans for a few minutes until they start to get tender and drain and set aside. In the same once dried pan, sauté the shallot in butter, add the sliced almonds until golden toasted stirring constantly and pour over the drained beans previously arranged in a nice serving dish making sure that all the beans are covered in the buttery sauce.
Happy Holidays from Practical Recipes!
Featured Dinner
Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients:
2 lbs. peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 stick of real butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves of garlic thinly sliced or chopped
3 chives or/and 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 tablespoon gf chicken bullion (You may omit this and use 1 tsp. of salt)
1/4 cup of white wine
The juice of one lemon about 2 tbs.
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. sea salt
In a large skillet, melt half of the stick of butter and add the olive oil also. Melt butter in low heat and be careful not to brown the butter, immediately add garlic and parsley and quickly add shrimp in one layer at a time and toss while cooking on both sides until shrimp turns orange, add black pepper and sprinkle salt. Do not overcook shrimp. This should take about three minutes total. Cook all the shrimp stirring and turning them over and then quickly transfer to another plate. Leave the liquid in the skillet that is the base of your sauce, only transfer the shrimp and scrape the pan to make the sauce by adding the other half of the stick of butter, chives, wine, lemon juice, bullion and stir this thin sauce constantly until it reduces (thickens a bit) for a few minutes then quickly return shrimp to the skillet and evenly coat the shrimp with the sauce. Serve over Spaghetti or Linguini top with fresh finely chopped parsley.
*Parsley is preferred over chives for this dish. You may use both.
*GF is Gluten Free ( A better option and available at stores)
Featured Summer Recipe
Zucchini Parmesan
If you have fresh zucchini and yellow squash from the farmer's market or bought it at the store, here is our best recipe:
Ingredients:
3 Large Zucchini
3 Large Yellow Squash
5 medium plum tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
6-7 basil leaves
1 diced red bell pepper
1 ball of fresh Mozzarella (8 oz.lb)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon All Purpose Flour
Substitute Rice flour or GF flour
Salt Pepper
Gluten Free Chicken Bouillon (optional)
Process:
Wash and slice zucchini and yellow squash, you can use one or the other, I use both for color and festiveness of the dish. Dry well and sprinkle with sea salt, set aside in a strainer. In the meantime, in a small deep pan, boil the tomatoes, peel and crush. If you prefer to use organic canned tomatoes that is also fine or you may also use a good organic marinara sauce. Get your small pot ready for the sauce with the olive oil and place the basil leaves and the red bell peppers in the oil to saute in low heat and then add the garlic, stir and add the crushed tomatoes, make sure you do this in low to medium heat. Season this sauce with salt and pepper and you may also sprinkle half an envelope of chicken bouillon powder, if you want the flavor to be richer, but it is entirely optional. This sauce should take about 10 minutes. Set aside.
Coat each slice of zucchini with flour and lightly fry in olive oil for a couple of minutes each slice do not overcook. Place on paper towel to drain. Arrange the zucchini and the sauce and cheeses in layers as if you are making a lasagna dish, starting with the tomato sauce then sprinkle 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese then add a layer of the zucchini, then place some thinly sliced mozzarella cheese on top and repeat steps then add some sauce on top and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Tip: Slice zucchini by cutting in half first and slicing it the long way in 4 even slices each piece, meaning 8 slices per zucchini.
Visit Practical Recipes on Facebook or Youtube. Original recipe by: Marietta Cilea.
Use yellow, green or both!
Cream Chicken with Capers and Marsala
A Practical Original Recipe by: Sandra Posey
Ingredients:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Fillets
4 Minced garlic cloves
Fresh Parsley 1 bunch finely chopped
Capers-3 Tablespoons
Butter-4 tablespoons
Pan Searing Flour (Substitute rice flour *GF)
White or Sherry Wine
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream/Whipping Cream 1 Pt.
1 pinch of salt (can be omitted because capers are already salty)
1 tsp. of Black Pepper or to taste
1 Packet of Goya Seasoning Chicken Bullion
Angel Hair Pasta (Capellini)
*GF If desired, for a gluten free dish, substitute for Gluten Free Pasta and Gluten Free Rice Flour. All readily available in most supermarkets.
Steps:
You will need one large pan to prepare the chicken (not too shallow) with enough room for the sauce it will create and a large pot for boiling your pasta. Start by coating your chicken fillets with flour in zip lock bag or just coat evenly, then melt the butter, add the garlic and finely chopped parsley first then stir and then add the chicken, brown for a little bit add pinch of salt black pepper and chicken bouillon, add the capers and the wine and scrape the pan until it forms a little paste and de-glaze pan until nothing is sticking and let it simmer in the wine. Once chicken is cooked, lower your heat to the lowest setting and slowly add cream, 3/4 pint of cream, simmer in very low to make a delicate sauce for 3 minutes, do not boil. If the sauce is too thin add more cream, it will simmer down to a thicker sauce. Your pasta should be cooking simultaneously with your chicken so that you drain the noodles when the chicken is ready, follow the instructions on the box for a perfect "al dente" pasta every time. Make a little nest with the pasta and serve next to the chicken and pour a little sauce over it.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
This recipe should not more than 30 minutes. Enjoy!
*Helpful Tip: Steamed asparagus or glazed baby carrots add great color to this dish.