If you saw the poke recipe I shared recently, I’ve got the perfect little something to serve alongside it: Fiery Edamame. And fair warning, this stuff is seriously addicting.
You know how there are some foods you simply can’t stop eating? That’s me with this edamame. It has just the right amount of heat to give it a kick, while the creamy, spicy sauce keeps you reaching for just one more. Thank goodness for the shells, they’re pretty much the only thing slowing me down.
I’ve been making this recipe a lot lately because it’s ridiculously easy. We’re talking less than 10 minutes from start to finish, making it perfect as a quick snack, appetizer, or side dish. Pair it with my fresh ahi poke and you’ve got yourself a meal that feels a whole lot fancier than the effort required.
And hey, edamame is packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, so I’m going to go ahead and consider that permission to polish off the entire bowl.
Spicy, creamy, messy, and completely irresistible, grab some extra napkins and dig in!
INGREDIENTS 14 oz bag of frozen edamame in pods 1 tbsp garlic, minced 1 tsp sesame oil 2 tbsp chili paste 1/4 c mayonnaise 1 tbsp soy sauce sea salt sesame seeds
STEPS
Prepare the edamame per the package instructions, drain, and transfer to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, sesame oil, chili paste, mayonnaise, and soy sauce.
Pour the sauce over the edamame and toss to coat.
Transfer to a serving dish a sprinkle with a little sea salt and sesame seeds.
Well, hello there! It’s been a minute. Or, you know… almost three years.
I certainly didn’t intend to disappear from Diva di Cucina for that long. I’ve missed this little corner of the internet. Sharing recipes, taking way too many pictures of food, and connecting with all of you. But somewhere along the way, life got busy. Really busy.
And the truth is, as much as I love blogging, my family, friends, and work will always come first. Between all the things that fill my days (and nights and weekends), the blog just kept getting pushed a little further down the list. You know how it goes. You tell yourself, I’ll get to it next week. And then suddenly three years have passed. How does that even happen?!
At the beginning of this year, I made a vision board and set an intention to make my way back here. Nothing crazy. I wasn’t going to promise myself weekly posts or some ambitious content calendar I knew I couldn’t keep up with. My goal was simply to find a better balance and start sharing recipes again, even if it was only once a month.
So here we are, with just four months left in the year, and I am barely making good on that intention. But you know what? I’m here! And I can’t think of a better way to toast my return than with a cocktail. Cheers to that!
This margarita is the perfect combination of spicy and sweet, and it is ridiculously easy to make. You literally just throw all the ingredients into a shaker and mix vigorously. That’s it! Somehow, though, the finished drink feels fancy enough that people will think you put in way more effort than you actually did. My favorite kind of recipe.
The sweet, tropical pineapple balances out the kick from the jalapeño, while the lime keeps everything bright and refreshing. You can easily adjust the heat depending on how spicy you like things.
It’s the perfect drink for a lazy afternoon by the pool, a summer BBQ with friends, taco night on the patio, or simply celebrating the fact that you finally did the thing you’ve been saying you were going to do all year.
So cheers to finding balance, following through on intentions (even if it takes a little longer than planned) and making time for the things that bring us joy.
And cheers to being back. I’ve missed this. Now, who wants a margarita?
Note: If you don’t like things spicy and just want a mild jalapeno flavor, do not put the jalapeno slices into the drink shaker, just add them to the glasses. Shaking the jalapenos with ice in the shaker releases those spicy oils and infuses the flavor into the drink.
INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 c pineapple juice 1/2 c silver tequila 1/4 c orange liqueur (I prefer Grand Marnier or Cointreau) 2 tbsp lime juice, fresh squeezed 1 jalapeño, sliced lime wedges (optional) tajin or salt for the rim (optional)
STEPS
Pour some tajin or salt on a small plate.
Rub a lime wedge around the rim of two glasses and dip the glasses into the tajin or salt to coat and fill with ice.
In a drink shaker, combine the pineapple juice, tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, half of the sliced jalapeño, and some ice and shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds.
Strain the margarita into the prepared ice filled glasses and garnish with the other half of the jalapeno slices.
During the hot summer months my body craves lighter refreshing meals and I just hate running the oven when it is 105º outside. We eat a lot of salads and tacos to keep it quick and simple, but it is always fun to mix it up with some new flavors.
I just absolutely LOVE this peanut sauce with all the other ingredients coming together. You have this flavor medley of peanuts, garlic, and ginger which are so good together and then you get this nice sweetness from the mangos and a little kick from the jalapeño, and that is all just in the sauce and toppings! Don’t forget about all those flavor packed veggies and shrimp in the layered in the lettuce cup too.
This recipe is incredibly versatile. While I myself enjoyed these as lettuce wraps, my husband and son had theirs in a flour tortilla as more of a fusion style taco (they like their carbs) but this would make an amazing entrée salad too if you just wanted to chop up the lettuce and use the sauce as a dressings. Either way, you will not be disappointed!
Note: These take less than 15 minutes to cook and assemble but there is a little bit of prep time needed to slice and dice all the veggies. If you have a busy week ahead, you can absolutely prep ahead of time by chopping up all the veggies and storing them in some sealed containers or bags.
Last year in my garden we were harvesting more tomatoes than we knew what to do with! We were having Panzanella Salad and Marinated Tomatoes almost every week. Once my jalapenos came in, I was all about that fresh salsa! Who doesn’t love that fresh salsa flavor!? Store bought salsa just does not compare.
This recipe is pretty much goof proof. You just add all the ingredients to the blender and blend. Yes, it really is that simple!
Just serve up with a side of some crispy salty tortilla chips or along with your favorite tacos or burritos.
Note: If you over blend your salsa, it can become sort of frothy. If this happens, just cover and store in the fridge for a couple of hours and it should settle. Fresh salsa can last in the fridge covered for up to two weeks. The flavors get better and better with time.
INGREDIENTS 1/4 white onion 2 tsp garlic, minced 1 jalapeno 4–6 medium sized tomatoes 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground cumin 1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves juice from 1 lime pinch of sugar (optional, to balance the acidity of the tomatoes)
STEPS
Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno to a food processor or blender and pulse a few times to chop.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the blender and blend to desired consistency.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to really come together. (Optional)
You know how you have some food items that you literally just cannot get enough of? Like, you would eat every bit of it if you weren’t sharing and then when it is all gone you are using your fingers to get every last drop out of the bottom of the dish. That is me with this Creamy & Spicy Garlic Edamame. I literally would lick the bowl clean like a 5-year-old does with their ice cream bowl if I could get my tongue to the bottom of it. Too graphic? Sorry! The sauce is just so freaking good! It has just the right amount of heat that you feel a little burn but the creaminess of the sauce helps to tame it and you just keep going back for more.
I have been making this recipe a lot lately. It is a quick (I am talking less than 10 minutes start to finish) and easy side dish that goes great when I am making a stir fry or big batch of ramen but it also makes an awesome snack. Edamame is high in protein and fiber and is rich in vitamins and minerals, plus it is just fun to eat. It is probably a good thing that they have a shell because that is the only thing that slows me down when I have a bowl of these in front of me. 😉
INGREDIENTS
14 oz bag of frozen edamame in pods
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp chili paste (Sambal Oelek is my go to)
1/4 mayonnaise
1 tbsp soy sauce
sea salt
sesame seeds
STEPS
Prepare the edamame per the package instructions, drain, and transfer to a large bowl.
In a small bowl whisk together the garlic, sesame oil, chili paste, mayonnaise, and soy sauce.
Pour the sauce over the edamame and toss to coat.
Transfer to a serving dish a sprinkle with a little sea salt and sesame seeds.
If your mouth isn’t watering just looking at this pic, then you must be dead. And if you are doing everything you can to keep from drooling on your keyboard or phone, then please, give this recipe a try. You will have no regrets. Absolutely calorie worthy.
This is actually a copycat version of the Loaded Korean BBQ Beef Fries from my favorite local food truck, Turnt Up Tacos and Tortas. The first time I had them, I was HOOOOOOKED!
I start off with a base of thin crispy fries and cover them in finely shredded jack cheese and then pile on a mound of my sweet and spicy Korean Beef and then top that with a cabbage and carrot-based coleslaw made with a creamy sesame ginger sauce and then don’t forget about that spicy sriracha drizzled over the top to give it a kick. The flavors are so freaking good, I tell ya! Mmmmm… mmmmm… mmmmmmmmm!
I have actually started serving this as a meal in my house with each person getting their own plate of loaded fries (yes, loaded fries as a meal, it even has most of the food groups) but you could absolutely make one big pile of loaded fries and share them with friends as an appetizer or shared plate.
Note: The sesame oil and ginger paste go in both the Korean beef as well as the creamy sesame ginger sauce so pay close attention when preparing.
INGREDIENTS
bag of frozen french fries
1 lb ground beef
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c soy sauce
1 tbsp & 1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger paste, divided
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
salt and pepper
3 c green cabbage, shredded
1/2 c carrots, shredded
1/2 c mayonnaise
1 tsp white sugar
1/4 c milk
2 c jack cheese, shredded
Sriracha sauce
2 green onions, chopped
sesame seeds
STEPS
Bake or fry the French fries according to the package directions.
While the fries are baking, cook the ground beef over medium high heat breaking it apart as it cooks.
Once the beef is cooked through, drain off most of the fat.
Add in the brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the ginger paste, red peppers, salt, and pepper.
Simmer over medium heat for a 4–5 minutes stirring occasionally.
While the beef is cooking, put the cabbage and carrots in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, white sugar, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, the other 1/2 teaspoon of ginger paste, and the milk to make the creamy sesame ginger sauce.
Toss about 3/4 of the creamy sesame ginger sauce with the cabbage and carrots and set aside the rest to drizzle over the top.
When the fries are done transfer them to the plates.
Top each pile of fries with the jack cheese, cooked Korean beef, and the coleslaw.
Drizzle the remaining creamy sesame ginger sauce and sriracha sauce over the top.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and finish off with green onions.
Okay, here we go, first recipe post of 2020! I feel like it should be something super extreme and mind blowing since you have all been waiting for so long but here we are in the middle of a pandemic and that just seems unrealistic. How are you all doing? Are you cooking at home more than ever? I know I am. I’m trying to use this as an opportunity to eat at home more and save some moolah.
These pork tacos were one of the first meals I made when we went into official “lock down” a couple of weeks ago. When all this really started I did an inventory of what we had in our box freezer and noticed we had TONS of ground pork so I wanted to do something different with that. Ground pork is just not a typical protein to cook with since it has such a different flavor compared to ground beef or ground turkey.
Not to go tooting my own horn or anything, buuuuuut these turned out so freaking good! There are so many great flavors wrapped up in the tortilla. You have the sweet corn salsa, the tangy cilantro lime crema, and then the savory pork cooked in a tomato sauce that has a nice little kick to it thanks to the jalapeño. Nothing too crazy heat wise, my ten-year-old chowed down on them. If you are looking to spice up your typical “Taco Tuesday” give these a try.
Hang in there folks! We are all in this together! Huge virtual hugs (and more recipes) coming your way! xoxox—Diva di Cucina
INGREDIENTS FOR THE CORN SALSA
1 tbsp olive oil
15.25 oz canned corn
2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
1/3 c cilantro, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
INGREDIENTS FOR THE CILANTRO LIME CREMA
1/3 c sour cream
2 tsp lime juice
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp water
INGREDIENTS FOR THE PORK
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground pork
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
1/4 c red onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
6 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp cumin
1/3 c water
salt and pepper
OTHER INGREDIENTS
tortillas (I loved these with white corn tortillas)
cotija cheese
cilantro, chopped
STEPS FOR CORN SALSA
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat and add the corn.
Cook the corn for about 5 minutes stirring every minute or so.
Transfer the corn to a medium sized bowl and add the remaining corn salsa ingredients.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir and set aside.
STEPS FOR THE CILANTRO LIME CREMA
In a small bowl, whisk together all the cilantro lime crema ingredients and set aside.
STEPS FOR THE PORK
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan the corn was cooked in and turn up to medium-high heat.
Add the pork to the skillet and break apart using a spatula.
Once the pork has started to brown, add in the jalapeño, red onion, and garlic.
Continue to cook until the pork is all brown and cooked through and the onion and peppers are tender.
Mix in the tomato paste, cumin, and water and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cook for another 2–3 minutes allowing the sauce to thicken up.
TACO ASSEMBLY
Warm up your tortillas and top each one with a scoop of the meat, a scoop of the corn salsa, a drizzle of the cream, some cotija cheese crumbles on top, and finish it off with a sprinkling of cilantro.
I recently hosted a bridal shower brunch and of course we had bottomless mimosas but I also made these super cute bloody mary shooters that are the adult equivalent of grilled cheese and tomato soup. I used a spicy bloody mary mix so it had a nice kick but then you take a bite of that crispy mozzarella stick to cool down your mouth. Just the best combination ever! Plus, how cute are they?!?!
This recipe makes 12 but I recommend you make double from whatever you think you will need. Just trust me on this one. These will disappear!
Note: I made these using 2 ounce shooter glasses. If you use 2 ounce glasses this recipe will make 12 portions. You can find the mozzarella sticks in the freezer section of your local grocery store.
INGREDIENTS
12 mozzarella sticks
14 oz your favorite bloody mary mix
10 oz vodka
celery greens
STEPS
Bake the mozzarella sticks per the package instructions.
In a pitcher, mix together bloody mary mix and vodka.
Distribute the mix evenly among the shot glasses.
Garnish with a sprig of celery greens and lay a mozzarella stick across the top.
Last year for our anniversary dinner, my husband took me to this swanky restaurant in downtown Sacramento. Their special of the night was a spicy pork ramen bowl. It is totally not something I would typically order but that chilly October night, it just sounded so good. And it was. The spicy broth warmed me right up and it was just so rich and flavorful. Not at all what I had expected. I thought it would be similar to a beef broth but it had so much depth to it.
Ever since then, I have been experimenting with perfecting my version of a pork ramen bowl. I think I have the delicious meal pretty much dialed in. The broth is flavorful and the meat so juicy and tender. This dish warms you from the core out and is a perfect dinner as evenings start to cool with the seasons.
Note: This recipe will make between 4–6 ramen bowls.
INGREDIENTS
3 lb boneless pork shoulder
salt and pepper
6 c chicken broth
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp miso broth concentrate
8 tsp chile garlic sauce (4 for the broth, 4 for finishing)
2 tsp ginger paste
2 c shiitake mushrooms
large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 (3 oz) packages ramen noodles (dispose of flavor packets)
4-6 boiled eggs, peeled and halved
1/2 c green onions, chopped
STEPS
Season the pork with salt and pepper and place in a crock-pot.
In a large bowl whisk together the broth, soy sauce, miso broth concentrate, 4 teaspoons chile garlic sauce, and the ginger paste.
Place the mushrooms and sliced onions around the pork shoulder in the crock-pot.
Pour the broth mix into the crock-pot.
Cook on high for 4–5 hours or low for 7–8 hours.
When ready to serve, carefully transfer the pork from the crock-pot to a cutting board.
Allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes and then shred using forks.
While the meat is resting, cook the ramen per package instructions and drain completely.
Distribute the noodles among 4–6 bowls.
Top each pile of noodles with a scoop of the shredded pork.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions and mushrooms from the crock-pot and place around the bowls.
Using a ladle, top off each bowl with broth from the crock-pot.
Add two boiled egg halves to each bowl.
Place a teaspoon of the chile garlic sauce on the top of each pile of meat.
Every once in awhile you find a recipe that is perfect for entertaining, this is it! There is nothing fancy about it but it is delicious and it will feed an army. No joke, this recipe can feed anywhere from 6-8 people. Or in my case, made 2 dinners for 3 of us, which I have no complaints about. I would eat leftovers of this recipe every day. The flavors just get better and better while all those yummy flavors fuse together. This recipe is so filling and hearty which is great PLUS it all comes together easily in one large pot which means fewer dishes to wash. And who is going to complain about having fewer dishes? NO ONE!
Just serve this dish along with a big green salad and you will have some happy and lucky folks sitting at your table.
INGREDIENTS
olive oil
1 lb chicken, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
12 oz andouille sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
salt & pepper
large yellow onion, chopped
red bell pepper, chopped
yellow bell pepper, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
6 oz can tomato sauce
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 1/2 c long grain white rice
32 oz chicken broth
3 green onions, chopped
STEPS
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot and add sausage.
Cook sausage for 3–4 minutes and then add chicken.
Continue cooking for 8–10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Transfer the cooked sausage and chicken to a bowl or plate and set aside.
Add another 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pot and add in the onion, bell peppers, celery and garlic.
Cook the vegetables for 6–8 minutes or until they are tender.
Place the chicken and sausage back in the pot and add in 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, thyme, basil, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, rice, and chicken broth.
Stir the pot and bring to a boil.
Once the pot starts to boil, cover with a lid and reduce heat to low.
Allow the jambalaya to simmer for 30–40 minutes. (Check it after 25 minutes and add an additional 1/2 c of water or broth if all the fluid is already absorbed and give it a good stir to ensure it isn’t burning to the bottom of the pot.)
Remove the jambalaya from heat and allow it to sit for 3–5 minutes.
Transfer a heaping spoonful to a plate or bowl and topped with the chopped green onions.
