Dinners, Sauces

Recipe—Baked Sea Scallops with a Mushroom Cream Sauce

Diva di Cucina

I am a lover of all things seafood. Whenever I see seared scallops on a cooking show my mouth starts to water. They always look perfectly seared, and of course the professional chefs make it look so easy. Being a fan of scallops, I wondered why I had yet to ever cook them myself. I think it is the fear of cooking such an elegant piece of meat and ruining it. Over the weekend I was feeling adventurous and thought I would finally give it a shot.

This recipe turned out to be so easy and it looked like something out of a fancy restaurant. The scallops just melt in your mouth. The rich sauce paired really nicely with the scallops. In fact the sauce was so good I think it would pair well with beef or chicken too. I served my scallops over couscous, but I’m sure it would go just as well with rice or pasta. This sophisticated dish is perfect for your next date night. Give it a try. You won’t be disappointed!

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 large shallot, finely chopped
10 small white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 c white wine
1/2 c chicken broth
1 c heavy cream
Dash of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 dashes hot sauce
14–20 large sea scallops, patted dry
1 c breadcrumbs (I use Texas Toast croutons coarsely crushed)
1/3 flat leaf parsley, chopped

STEPS

  • Place an empty baking dish in oven and preheat oven to 400º.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat and add the shallots and mushrooms, cook 5 minutes.
  • Add 2 tablespoons butter and flour to softened shallots and mushrooms and cook 1 minute then whisk in wine, reduce 30 seconds.
  • Add stock and bring to a bubble.
  • Stir in cream and heat through.
  • Season sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper, and a couple dashes hot sauce, and reduce heat to low.
  • Heat a skillet over high heat.
  • Season the scallops with salt and pepper and dress with 1 tbsp olive oil.
  • Sear the scallops to caramelize 1–1 1/2 minutes on each side.
  • Mix breadcrumbs with chopped parsley.
  • Transfer the seared scallops to the heated baking dish and cover them with sauce and your breadcrumb mixture.
  • Finish scallops in oven about 7–8 minutes until brown and bubbly.
Side Dishes

Recipe—Oven Roasted Zucchini

Diva di Cucina

Zucchini is definitely one of my favorite vegetables. I find that it goes great with all types of protein and is even a nice way to top off a pasta dish. This is one of my favorite ways to serve zucchini. It is relatively quick and easy, and of course delicious. You just toss it in the oven while whipping up the rest of dinner. The thyme is a great compliment to the zucchini and adds a nice blast of flavor.

INGREDIENTS
4 zucchini, sliced
1 white onion, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 425º.
  • Toss together zucchini, onion, olive oil, thyme, and salt and pepper on a baking sheet.
  • Roast 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Dinners, Sauces

Recipe—Beef Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic Horseradish Cream Sauce

Diva di Cucina

When it comes to Christmas dinner this girl loves her beef. Every year we either cook prime rib or beef tenderloin. This recipe calls for beef tenderloin but feel free to try the seasoning and sauce recipe with prime rib. Both turn out fantastic! I prepare this recipe every year and it has never disappointed. The roasted garlic horseradish sauce is spectacular! For lunch the next day spread some of the sauce on a roll with leftover meat and there will be fireworks in your mouth. Oh how I can’t wait for Christmas dinner and the leftovers that come with!

Note: I recommend making the sauce the night before so that it has time to chill and thicken. This large of a tenderloin will serve 12–16 people. Plan on 1/3–1/2 lb per person. Feel free to half the rub recipe and use a 3 lb tenderloin but be sure to adjust the cooking times. The temperature is really what you need to pay attention to.

ROASTED GARLIC HORSERADISH CREAM SAUCE INGREDIENTS
1 large head of garlic, left intact
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 c heavy cream
1/4 c drained bottled horseradish
1/8 tsp white pepper

STEPS

  • Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°.
  • Cut off and discard top fourth of garlic head and place on a large sheet of foil.
  • Drizzle exposed garlic with oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt.
  • Wrap the seasoned garlic head tightly in foil.
  • Roast garlic until tender, about 1 hour, then open foil and allow to cool.
  • While garlic is cooling, simmer the cream in a heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3/4 c, about 20–25 minutes, then transfer to a bowl.
  • Squeeze the garlic cloves into a small bowl, discarding skins, and mash together with horseradish, pepper, and the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt.
  • Stir the garlic mixture into the cream.
  • Chill until ready to use.

BEEF TENDERLOIN INGREDIENTS
1 (6 lb) beef tenderloin roast, tied
1 c cracked black pepper
4 tsp granulated beef bouillon
4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 475°.
  • Pat tenderloin dry.
  • Stir together pepper, bouillon, salt, cornstarch, oregano, garlic powder, and paprika in a small bowl.
  • Rub oil over tenderloin, and then cover with seasoning mixture, rubbing it into meat.
  • Put tenderloin on a rack in the roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 425° and cook until thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 130° for medium rare, probably 50–60 minutes.
  • Let beef stand on rack in pan for 10 minutes before carving.
  • Cut beef into 1/4-inch thick slices and serve with the roasted garlic horseradish cream sauce.
Sweet Treats

Recipe—Peanut Butter Cookies

Diva di Cucina

With the holidays taking up so much of our time I love having a quick and easy cookie recipe that I can whip up in no time. Plus, these are inexpensive to make. You can probably even find all of the ingredients in your pantry at home. This is a classic peanut butter cookie that goes fantastic with a big cup of milk. These cookies turn out soft but still have a slight crumble. The fork marks add a nice decorative touch, but aren’t necessary. I hope you and your families enjoy these melt in your mouth cookies!

Note: For a little extra something try adding in peanut butter chips, M&Ms, or topping each cookie with a Hershey’s kiss. 

INGREDIENTS
1/2 c softened butter
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Sugar for sprinkling on top

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 375º.
  • Mix together the first six ingredients.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
  • Roll into balls and place at least an inch and a half apart on a greased cookie sheet.
  • Press down with a fork leaving hatch marks on top.
  • Sprinkle cookies with sugar.
  • Bake for 8–10 minutes.
Appetizers, Sauces

Recipe—Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade

Diva di Cucina

If you are from California then you should know that it’s crab season! Since crab is so affordable, and as fresh as can be right now, I thought I would share my favorite crab cake recipe. These crab cakes are perfectly crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside. The spicy remoulade is the icing on the crab cake here.

Note: You can make miniature crab cakes for a delicious hors d’oeuvre or large cakes for a main dinner entrée. If you have leftovers just put them in the oven for 12–14 minutes at 375º turning once and they will be delicious and crispy to enjoy all over again.

CRAB CAKE INGREDIENTS
1/4 c minced onion
2 tbsp minced green bell pepper
1/4 c melted butter
1 lb crabmeat, drained and flaked
3/4 c breadcrumbs
1 egg
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestshire sauce
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp dry mustard
dash cayenne pepper
1/2 c breadcrumbs
vegetable oil for frying
lemon wedges

STEPS

  • Sauté onion and green pepper in butter until tender and remove from heat.
  • Add in crabmeat and next nine ingredients mixing well (add in extra mayonnaise if needed to hold mixture together).
  • Shape into 10–12 patties.
  • Coat patties with additional breadcrumbs.
  • Refrigerate for at least 60 minutes. By refrigerating the patties, they are less likely to break apart when frying. (I make my remoulade during this time.)
  • Pour oil into a heavy skillet so that it is at least 1/4 inch deep.
  • Fry cakes in hot oil (375º) for 3–4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
  • Serve with spicy remoulade and lemon wedges.

SPICY REMOULADE INGREDIENTS
¼ c mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp of cayenne pepper

STEPS

  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
  • Add additional cayenne pepper to taste. I like mine spicy!

If the spicy remoulade isn’t really your thing, my mango salsa pairs up nicely as well. See the recipe here:
https://divadicucina.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/recipe-mango-salsa/

Fun Food Facts

Fun Food Fact—Apple Cider vs Apple Juice

Diva di Cucina

Apple juice and apple cider are equally delicious beverages made from apples, but the two are very different. Both apple cider and apple juice are made by cutting and grinding apples into a puree that is a similar consistency to applesauce. The puree is wrapped in cloth and put on racks in layers. A press then squeezes the racks and the fluids flow into refrigerated tanks.

Apple cider does not undergo any additional processing and is bottled immediately. The residual pulp is what gives cider that cloudy appearance. Cider does not typically have any sugar added. With apple juice, the fluid is filtered to remove any solid particles and is pasteurized so that it stays fresh longer. Often times sugar is added to apple juice to help sweeten it.

Note: For a festive holiday treat add a splash of Torani Classic Caramel Syrup to a hot cup of cider. Snuggle up and enjoy! 

Sauces

Recipe—Cranberry Orange Sauce

Diva di Cucina

divadicucina_cranberrysauce

What’s Thanksgiving without the cranberry sauce? Out of all the traditional holiday sides, cranberry sauce is by far one of my favorites. It is a must have! This recipe is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. The inclusion of orange and lime sets off the tangy flavor of the cranberries really well. Not only is this fantastic with turkey, but it is also great with cream cheese on a toasted bagel. After you try this you will say sayonara to that canned stuff!

Note: I recommend making this recipe at least 6 hours before serving. I typically do it the day before. It allows the sauce to thicken and set. If you would like to preserve this, spoon into sterilized jars, cover tightly, and refrigerate. This will last up to one month.

INGREDIENTS
2 c sugar
1 orange, juice and zest of
1 lime, juice and zest of
1/4 c cider vinegar
1/4 c red wine
1/2 c dried cranberries
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/2 c fresh cranberries
1/4 c Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

STEPS

  • Combine sugar, zests, juices, vinegar, wine, dried cranberries, and the cinnamon stick in a pot.
  • Cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly.
  • Bring to a boil and let boil for 3 minutes.
  • Fold in fresh cranberries and orange liqueur.
  • Simmer and stir occasionally until most of the cranberries break open (approximately 15 minutes).
  • Remove from heat and allow sauce to cool.
  • Dispose the cinnamon stick and transfer to your serving dish.
  • Place in the refrigerator and keep chilled until ready to serve.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sweet Treats

Recipe—Apple Pie Bites

Diva di Cucina

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is the sweet aroma of fresh baked pies wafting through the house. These apple pie bites are so delicious and easy that you will be making them year round. You know the saying “easy as pie,” well these are easier than pie. They take about 10–15 minutes to assemble and 14–18 minutes to bake. Serve up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and oh my goodness! They are delish! I baked them for my son’s fall harvest festival at school and they were much less cumbersome to serve and eat than an actual pie.

Note: Allow pie crusts to sit for 10 minutes before using. They will be much easier to work with. I use parchment paper on my cookie sheet to help with easy clean up. The melted sugar can caramelize and get messy.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 c sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 package refrigerated pie crusts (15 oz)
3 tbsp melted butter
2 apples, each cut into 8 wedges

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 425º.
  • In a small bowl mix sugar and cinnamon, set aside 2 tbsp.
  • Unroll both sheets of pie crust on a large cutting board.
  • Brush the pie crusts with 2 tbsp of the melted butter, leaving some to brush over the top.
  • Evenly sprinkle the pie crusts with the sugar mixture.
  • Cut each sheet into 8 triangular strips approximately 8 inches long.
  • Wrap a strip around each apple wedge with the sugar side of the crust against the apple starting with the wide end.
  • Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper as you finish each one.
  • Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tbsp of sugar mixture.
  • Bake at 425º for 14–18 minutes or until golden brown on top.
  • Serve warm and enjoy!
Sauces

Recipe—Marinara Sauce

Diva di Cucina

Who doesn’t love a big bowl of pasta smothered in a thick flavorful marinara sauce? It certainly is always a big hit in our household. I find jarred pasta sauces to be far too sweet for my liking. After trying this marinara recipe you will never again want a jar of Prego. I typically double the recipe and freeze it for future use. I’m sure canning it would be great also. This recipe makes a fantastic sauce to be used on homemade pizzas, over chicken parmigiana, paired up with your favorite pasta, or even as a dipping sauce.

Here’s a little history for you. Marinara sauce is the term for a simple tomato sauce cooked with herbs. It dates back to Italy as far back as 1550. The name loosely translates to “sailor-style” sauce in Italian. One theory for the name was because marinara could easily be prepared on ships. Due to the high acid content from the tomatoes, and the absence of meat, the sauce did not spoil easily, making it ideal for those at sea before refrigeration techniques existed. The other theory on the origins of the sauce is that the wives of sailors developed it. Marinara could be prepared quickly once the wives caught a glimpse of the ships offshore, making it possible to serve their husbands a hot meal as soon as they returned home, often serving it with the sailors fresh catch.

Note: For some extra veggies I occasionally add in some chopped mushrooms and green bell peppers when cooking the onion. If you would like to make a rich meat sauce brown 1 lb ground beef and 1 lb Italian sausage with your onion and garlic, and follow the rest of the recipe as usual. The meat sauce is killer in lasagna! (Lasagna recipe coming soon)

INGREDIENTS
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans diced tomatoes
3 (14 1/2 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 tsp red pepper flakes

STEPS

  • Brown onions and garlic in olive oil.
  • Add remaining ingredients.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Add water until sauce reaches desired consistency. I typically add about a 1/2 cup. Feel free to add more water as it cooks.
  • Keep in mind that it will thicken up quite a bit as it simmers.
  • Reduce heat to low and simmer for one hour.

Mangia!

Dinners

Recipe—Zucchini “Pasta” with Basil Cream Sauce

Diva di Cucina

In this recipe the zucchini replaces the noodle in what I would consider a flavorful spinoff of pasta alfredo. I have served it with just garlic bread but it also goes great with a grilled chicken breast for some added protein. The most time consuming part is slicing up the zucchini and carrots, once you get that done the meal comes together really quickly. To get a jumpstart on dinner cut up your vegetables the night before or in the morning and this dinner will take you less than 10 minutes.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 c chicken broth
1/2 c white wine (If not available substitute additional broth.)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 large carrot cut into julienne strips
2 large zucchini, cut into 1/8” strips
2 yellow squash, cut into 1/8” strips
1 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1/4 c parmesean cheese, grated
1/4 c mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 c half and half
salt and pepper to taste

STEPS

  • In a large skillet bring stock, wine, and cayenne pepper to a boil over high heat.
  • Add zucchini and carrot, cover and cook until tender, about 3–4 minutes.
  • Drain off most of the liquid.
  • Add remaining ingredients to skillet and toss together. 
  • Cook just until the half and half comes to a boil and the cheese is melted.
  • Garnish with a fresh basil sprig and serve immediately.