Spicy Lentil Coconut Soup

I made this soup on a chilly Sunday and it was oh, so satisfying. Spicy curried Indian flavors with a smooth creamy coconut finish. Jake and I devoured the leftovers too. 

I can't take credit for this recipe, I found it here and am so glad that I did. I plan on adding this soup to my arsenal of warming winter recipes.

I followed the directions nearly to a t, but I added already cooked lentils (since I had them on hand) and a bit more spice and salt. I'm a big believer in tasting as you cook and adjusting spices accordingly. I squeezed some extra lime in there too. 

If you're in the U.S. of A you'll need to convert everything from metric. If I were a nice blogger I would do it for you. But alas, I am not.

Grapefruit Margaritas

It was rainy and overall kind of yuck here in Charlotte this weekend. Margaritas seemed like the perfect way to brighten up the day. I had some grapefruit juice on hand, so whipping these up was a cinch.

I've been working on building my food and beverage photography portfolio, so usually this means anything that I make that looks half decent is quickly brought out into my studio to be photographed. I hope to share lots of new recipes on No Place Lyke Home, as I find my footing in the world of food photography!

Grilled Artichokes with Lemon, Garlic & Parmesan Aioli

There's nothing quite like fresh, in-season artichokes. I'm willing to argue that they're the prettiest produce in all of the land. In fact, they are so beautiful that I photographed them before and after cooking them. This recipe is posted on my food photography blog -- so head on over!

The B E S T Waffles

You guys, I've come across the best waffle recipe ever. I'm not kidding. I simply had to share this one with you. You should make these tomorrow morning -- better yet make breakfast for dinner tonight. 

These are lighter than the average waffle with the perfect crisp to chewy ratio. I couldn't remember the last time I had eaten a waffle but something came over me yesterday. I had a craving that could only be satisfied by homemade waffles with melted butter and real syrup.

I think the real key to keeping these waffles fluffy and light in the center are the whipped egg whites. Sure, it's a little extra work - but I think it made all of the difference.

 

Recipe (yields 7 medium waffles):

Ingredients: 

1 1/3 cups flour
4 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs - separated
1/2 cup melted butter  

1 3/4 cups milk

1 lemon (juice and zest)

Directions:
Whisk all dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. Add the yolks to the dry mixture and put the whites in a separate small mixing bowl. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. I suggest using a hand mixer for this, as doing this by hand would require some serious muscle. Add milk, lemon juice and zest and melted butter to dry ingredient mixture and mix thoroughly in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer. Fold (gently stir in) egg whites into mixture. For my waffle iron I used just under 3/4 cups of the batter.

 

*Tip: Keep waffles warm by resting them side-by-side (do not stack) on a cookie sheet in an oven set to 275.
*Bonus tip: use measuring cups to determine the exact amount of batter your waffle iron requires for the perfect waffle that doesn't overflow. I found that just eyeballing it makes it nearly impossible to get consistent waffles.

Enjoy and please let me know if you give these a try!

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

I believe everyone should have a scratch-made chocolate chip cookie recipe in their repertoire. This one comes from my mama, which was inspired by Ghiradelli. 

 

Last week, our long time family friends came for a visit. We chose to bake up some chocolate chip cookies. Is there a better way to bond and catch up than cooking together in the kitchen? I think not.

After all of our hard work (and some taste testing) we ended up with the perfectly warm, gooey yet crisp, melty, chocolatey goodness below.

Recipe yields 4 dozen cookies

 

Ingredients: 

11 1/2 ounces chocolate chips (we love the Ghiradelli premium semi sweet chips)
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups unsifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Heat oven to 375ºF. Stir flour, baking soda and salt together; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla to sugar/butter mixture, one at a time and mix on low until incorporated. Gradually add and blend dry mixture into cream mixture. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Drop tablespoons of cookie dough onto cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

No Fail Salmon & Greek Inspired Quinoa

Every once in a while I stumble on a recipe that strikes the perfect balance between simple and delicious. This method of cooking salmon has never failed me and I hope that it will treat you just the same.

To jazz this whole healthy eating thing up, I added a Greek inspired quinoa salad on a bed of arugula.

Salmon:

Rub salmon with olive oil. Zest* the lemon on top. Squeeze lots of lemon over the fish.  Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and dill. Put in a baking dish. Stick the salmon in a cold oven and heat it to 400 once you put it in. Depending on the size and thickness of the salmon cook time can vary from 14-18 minutes (I just keep my eye on the fish when it nears the end time). It always comes out moist and flavorful!

Greek Quinoa:

Rinse quinoa well. Place on stove top in salted water, bring to a boil, stir constantly, gradually add more water as it absorbs (this should take about 15-20 minutes of cooking). Once the water starts to absorb more slowly, taste quinoa to ensure that it has softened but is still al dente. Fluff with a fork.

Let cool and add:

Peeled and chopped cucumbers (I peel mine, cut lengthwise, use a spoon to remove the seeds and then chop), pitted kalamata olives, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped red peppers.

On the side make a vinagrette of 3 parts olive oil, 1 part dijon mustard, a splash of white wine vinegar and fresh squeezed lemon. Whisk to combine well. Toss vinagrette with quinoa salad.

Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder and dill. If you're into cheese, add some feta!

For added health benefits pair with a bed of greens.




*Citrus zest is one of my favorite ways to add extra flavor and aroma to a dish since it contains essential oils. This is my favorite zester, which you can also use to finely grate cheeses like parmesan. Go get one!

Vegetable Quinoa Soup

I've resolved to eat healthier in 2013 (anyone else with me?). This means my food related Pinterest board is fast filling up with things like "Golden Beet Salad" rather than "Loaded Baked Potato Soup". Added bonus, Jake and I have been spending more time in the kitchen together.

I found this recipe while perusing Pinterest for healthy dinner options. After a two day juice fast, this soup looked hearty and delicious (and it was). Head on over to Two Peas and Their Pod for the recipe. For an extra kick, add red pepper flakes.

The Huffington Post Kitchen Daily Feature

Some exciting news, a recipe from No Place Lyke Home is featured today on The Huffington Post Kitchen Daily! The recipe featured is one of my favorite easy summer dishes, cilantro lime salmon, you can find the original recipe posted here.

If you made your way over from The Huffington Post, welcome! If you are a reader of No Place Lyke Home and would like to check out the feature on The Huffington Post Kitchen Daily click here.

Recipe: Cilantro Lime Salmon

Last week we had take-out or microwaveable food for dinner every single night (please make me feel better and tell me that I am not the only person who has done this). I felt gross and borderline neglectful of my husband.

In an effort to ensure that this doesn't happen again any time soon, I've been working on adding easy dishes that both of us enjoy to my meal time repertoire.

This dish takes about 20 minutes to make - oh yeah, and it's healthy and flavorful - triple whammy!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb salmon fillet cut in half (serves 2-3)
• Salt & pepper
• Juice and zest from 3 limes
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• A dash of Cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Generously season salmon with salt and pepper, add a dash of cumin and half of the lime zest. Arrange salmon in a shallow baking pan.  Roast until salmon is flaky, about 10 to 13 minutes. Use a flat spatula to remove fillets.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, and sugar; fold in cilantro and lime zest. Spoon sauce over fish.

I served mine with a roasted sesame asparagus - I'll share that recipe here soon.

Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, it's a new staple in our house!

 Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Food*

Avocado Pesto Fettuccine

I have been drooling on my keyboard at the multitude of avocado pasta recipes flooding the Internet lately. But, it wasn't until I saw this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, A Cozy Kitchen, that I rushed to make my own.

This dish combines everything that is wonderful about Pesto and Avocado. The sauce is light, yet creamy, with a bright summery finish. Best of all, it is easy to make!

Ingredients:
1 package fettucccine
2 cups of fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. pine nuts
2 Lemons (zest and juice from both)
3 Cloves of garlic
1 Tsp sea salt
2 Tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I added this for some spice - but it is not necessary)
4 Tbsp olive oil
Fresh cracked pepper to taste
2 avocados (using ripe quality hass avocados makes a major difference)

 Instructions (serves 4):
1. Boil fettuccine in salted water. Cool until al dente. Reserve one cup of pasta water and strain.
2. In a food processor or blender combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest and juice, seasoning (salt, pepper and red pepper flakes). Blend ingredients until well combined.
3. Slowly add olive oil while food processor is running.
4. Add avocado and blend until mixture is smooth. Now it is time to taste, season accordingly - I added extra lemon, salt and red pepper flakes. I also used the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce out a bit since it was too thick.
5. In a large bowl, toss fettuccine with sauce until well coated.


Enjoy!

Ellie's Creole Chicken Gumbo

My paternal grandmother, "Grandma Ellie", had such a loud personality. From her bedazzled clothes, to her boisterous and contagious laugh - it was impossible not to smile when she was in the room. 

Grandma Ellie's favorite possession was her Polaroid camera. Not a single family event would go by without her gathering all of us grand kids (read: forcing us kicking and screaming) together for a photo. I have to laugh, because I have followed in her footsteps in this regard. Yes, lovely family, I can see your eyes roll when I exclaim, "Picture time!".

Two recipes in particular come to mind when I think about Ellie - Spanish rice and chicken gumbo. These were staples for her. When I was older, I learned that her gumbo wasn't exactly home made (Campbell's had me fooled). For me this only adds to Ellie's quirky charm.

In Ellie's honor I'd like to share an easy (I'm talking 40 minutes from start to finish and it's all cooked in one pot!) and satisfying chicken gumbo recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 5 celery stalks chopped
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 10 ounces corn (use canned or frozen to save time)
• 1 can diced tomatoes and chilis (I used Rotel's spicy mix to add some heat)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons creole seasoning (I found this in the spice aisle of my grocery store, it includes paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper)
• 10 ounces cut okra (to shave off time, use frozen or canned)
• 8 ounces smoked andouille sausage halved and sliced (I used precooked, again to save time)
• 1 rotisserie chicken (about 2 1/2 pounds), skin and bones removed, meat shredded (about 4 cups) (this is a BIG time saver)
• 4 cups chicken broth.
• White rice (I made 3 cups)

Instructions:

1. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil on medium. Whisk in flour and cook until pale golden, 5 to 7 minutes (be sure to whisk continuously). Stir in bell peppers, celery, onion, garlic, creole seasoning and oregano. Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender 10 to 12 minutes (stir occasionally).
2. Add 4 cups chicken broth to vegetables. Bring to a boil. Stir in shredded chicken, okra, corn and diced tomatoes and warm through (about 2 minutes). Salt and pepper to taste. For extra spice, add Tabasco sauce. To plate, ladle gumbo over white rice.

Serve with sweet tea and cornbread, y'all :)


Do you have a favorite family recipe? I'd love to hear about it!


*Recipe altered and adapted from marthastewart.com

Recipe: Coconut Red Curry Soup

I have been a huge fan of Asian cuisine, particularly Thai, for as long as I can remember. I love red curry (the local Thai place that we hit up puts pineapple in theirs!). One of my favorite soups is, Tom Kha Gai, which is a coconut milk based soup with lemon grass, cilantro, mushrooms and chili peppers.

It struck me that I could combine my two favorites... I present you with, Coconut Red Curry Soup. This recipe is the perfect combination of spicy, tangy, creamy deliciousness!

Recipe serves 6 (large dinner size portions):

(Disclaimer: I made this soup fairly spicy, if you are not a huge fan of spicy food, halve the red curry paste and don't add the sriracha sauce.)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cans (24oz) coconut milk
2-3 cups (I did this to taste) chicken or vegetable stock (use vegetable if you would like this dish to be vegetarian friendly)
4 oz red curry paste (check the Asian section of your grocer)
2 zucchinis
2 red peppers
2 carrots
1 can baby corn
Fresh spinach (I probably added about 5 generous handfuls - fresh spinach shrinks down a lot when cooked)
2 cans bamboo shoots
1 tblsp garlic
2 tblsp fish sauce
3 tablespoons sriracha sauce
juice from 4 medium sized limes
Noodles of your choice I used "curly Japanese noodles" from the Asian section in my grocery store

Instructions:

Julienne (chop into thin strips) red peppers, zucchini and carrots. Meanwhile, in a saute pan on medium high heat add one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add garlic and saute, careful not to burn. Toss in zucchini, red peppers and carrots. Season with salt and pepper (tip: if vegetables start to brown, lower heat - you are simply trying to cook vegetables until tender).

In a separate stock pot on medium high heat add one tblsp of vegetable oil. Add red curry paste and let simmer (while stirring) for 30 seconds. Whisk in the coconut milk and vegetable/chicken stock. Whisk in lime juice, fish sauce and sriracha sauce. Once broth reaches a boil, lower heat. When vegetables are tender, toss them in. Toss in bamboo shoots and quartered baby corn. Add spinach handful-by-handful. You will notice that it begins to shrink down right away. Follow instructions on the back of whichever noodles you choose and keep them separate from the soup.

Add noodles to a serving bowl and ladle soup on top. Garnish soup with cilantro and a lime wedge. I typically keep any soup that calls for noodles or pasta separated, so that the noodles do not overcook when reheating the soup.

I think that this soup would be great with the addition of chicken or shrimp (for all of you non vegetarians out there) but it is delicious as is.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Chicken Piccata

I've kind of been slacking in the kitchen for the past few days, so I thought I would make it up to my husband with a satisfying meal. I've always loved Chicken Piccata, but have never actually made it myself. I searched through cookbooks and online recipes, and eventually ended up combining a few and adding my own twist. I kept it simple, and let me tell you - it was delicious! Comforting, with bright and lively flavors. I served ours on a bed of arugula, which I think pairs nicely with the tartness of the lemon and saltiness of the capers. Enjoy!

 

 Ingredients

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts butterflied, cut in half and pounded out until fairly thin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Enough flour for dredging
8 tablespoons unsalted butter 
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice  - Lemon zest from one lemon
1/2 cup (or a bit more if needed) chicken stock 
1/4 cup brined capers (rinsed)
1/3 cup fresh parsley (chopped)

Instructions: 

It is important to start with very thin chicken breast. To accomplish this, it helps to both butterfly the chicken and pound it out (I usually put mine on a cutting board, stretch plastic wrap to fully cover the chicken and use a rolling pin to pound it a couple of times to become thinner). Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge (coat both sides of) chicken in flour and shake of excess. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter with 5 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to lightly sizzle (careful not to get the oil to the point of smoking), add chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is bowne, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate.

 

Add the lemon juice, chicken stock, remaining olive oil and capers (remember to rinse them first!) directly to the pan that the chicken was cooked in (do not wash out or rinse pan in between). This will allow you to deglaze the pan, scraping up bits from the pan for extra flavor. Also, the flour left in the pan from the chicken helps to thicken the sauce. Add the remaining butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, whisking regularly - careful not to burn. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Recipe: Bananas Foster Pancakes

Every once in a while I will cook something over the weekend that just can't wait until Monday to make an appearance on the blog. The recipe for these insanely delicious bananas foster pancakes needed to be shared ASAP.

I found the inspiration for this recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, Closet Cooking. Both a Bisquick and a from-scratch recipe are listed below.

Ingredients:

Pancakes:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 egg

2 tsps cinnamon

2 overripe bananas (peeled and mashed)

Sauce:

1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsps brown sugar

2 tbsps unsalted butter (melted)
2 ripe bananas (peeled and sliced)
2 ounces dark rum

Directions:
1. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon) in a large bowl.
2. Mix the wet ingredients (milk, egg, sugar, butter and bananas) in another bowl.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients slowly. Making sure not to over mix.
4. Heat pan and melt about half a tbsp of butter in it.
5. Pour a little less than 1/4 cup of the batter into the hot pan and heat until the edges start to look dry and the surface starts to bubble (about 2-3 minutes).
6. Flip the pancake and cook the other side until the bottom is golden brown (about 1-2 minutes).
7. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a separate pan (I had mine on a medium high heat about a 6-7 on a scale of 1-10).
8. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and let the mixture come to a simmer.
9. Add the bananas and cook until caramelized on both sides (about 3 minutes on each side).
10. Add the rum and simmer (about a minute).

Top the pancakes with the sauce and serve while hot.

To use Bisquick:
1.) Follow recipe on Bisquick box (2 cups Bisquick, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs)
2.) Add 1 tbsp sugar.
3.) Add 1 tsp vanilla.
3.) Add 1 tsp cinnamon.
4.) Add 2 overripe mashed bananas and mix together.
5.) Pour 1/4 cup of the mixture into the pan and heat until the edges start to look dry and the surface bubbles.
6.) Flip and heat opposite side for about 2-3 minutes.

Follow instructions above for sauce.


If you are looking for a way to amp up your typical pancake recipe, look no further. Enjoy!

Recipe: Deconstructed Lasagna Soup

The cold that I had last week has now moved on to my husband. I thought a homemade soup might do some good for our sick selves. I found a recipe for Lasagna Soup on closetcooking.com, and it was simply perfect. I normally find myself tweaking recipes or adding some ingredients for more flavor, but Kevin of Closet Cooking really knocked this one out of the park. Follow the steps below for a satisfying and comforting soup that is sure to make you come back for seconds.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound pasta
• 4 ounces ricotta
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 2 cup mozzarella, shredded
• 1 handful basil, chopped

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Add the sausage (to remove casings simply cut a long line down the center and they should peel right off) and cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes, breaking it apart as you go. Set aside.
3. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and fennel and saute until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. (Once finished remove bay leaf)
6. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes and remove from heat. Once pasta is cooked add the sausage back in. 
7. Mix the ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella and serve the soup garnished with a tablespoon of the mixture along with the basil. 

Enjoy!

Ice Cream Inspired Cookies

My plan was to post this tomorrow, but the cookies were so good I couldn't wait to share. Both cookie recipes were inspired from popular ice cream flavors. I made a cookies & cream cookie (with crushed Oreos) and a mint chocolate chip cookie (with Andes mints). They were both delish, but the mint chocolate chip is now one of my all time favorite cookie recipes. No surprise, it was the winning Betty Crocker recipe in 2010.

Cookies & Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe here from the fabulous blog, lovintheoven.com

Ingredients:

1 stick softened butter 

6 Tablespoons sugar 

6 Tablespoons brown sugar 

1 egg 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 ¼ cup flour 

½ teaspoon baking soda 

½ teaspoon salt 

11 Oreo Cookies broken into pieces

1 cup chocolate chips (after trying this recipe I think white chocolate chips might be even better)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Mix butter, and sugars until well combined. Add egg and vanilla until mixed well.

Place flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl, stir to combine. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients combine well. Gently stir in broken oreos (hint: put oreos in a large ziplock bag to crush them without the mess) and chocolate chips until combined.

With a medium cookie scoop, scoop onto baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix (this is a powdered mix - you can substitute this for your favorite sugar cookie recipe from scratch and simply add the mint extract, food coloring, chocolate chips and Andes mints)

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 teaspoon mint extract

8 drops green food coloring

1egg
1 cup creme de menthe baking chips (I used coarsely chopped Andes mints)
1cup semisweet chocolate chunks

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg until soft dough forms. 

Stir in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks. 

Using medium cookie scoop, drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. 

Enjoy!

Recipe: Cheddar IPA Soup

I apologize for being M.I.A. lately. Let me make it up to you with an easy and unbelievably delicious winter recipe. Serve this as a starter to a festive meal or as lunch for out-of-town holiday guests and you will surely hear rave reviews.

Cheddar IPA Soup 

Recipe serves 4

Ingredients: 

2 12 oz. cans/bottles of beer- I recommend a high quality hoppy IPA (India Pale Ale)

1 qt. heavy cream

2 tbs. flour

1lb grated cheddar cheese (the sharper the better)

1/3 cup melted butter

1/8 tsp. ground white pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions:

Heat melted butter on stove top and whisk in flour to make a roux. Cook until golden. Meanwhile, boil beer on a separate burner. Once beer comes to a boil slowly whisk in the roux (butter/flour mixture). Once thickened, add cream and bring to a low boil. Slowly add cheese until melted, continuously stir until smooth and fully melted. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. I also added lemon zest and a bit of nutmeg for added flavor. 

Serve with croutons. I made mine from a rosemary bread cut into large squares, topped with olive oil and Parmesan and toasted in the oven.

*Recipe adapted from The Grafton Inn

Recipe: Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

 

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara was one of my favorite dishes to eat while I lived in Rome for a semester. A definite comfort food, this dish is easy to make and packs a lot of flavor. I made this for the family during our trip to Wisconsin and everyone seemed to really enjoy it. The recipe below is slightly adapted from the Food Network's Tyler Florence. 

On a side note, I realize that I have not posted many healthy recipes here... I think it is fair to say that comfort food reigns supreme over here at No Place Lyke Home. My brother-in-law and I joked during Thanksgiving that if we opened a restaurant we would name it, "Sh*t Slathered in Butter". Sounds delish, right? An homage to Paula Deen.

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, cubed or sliced into small strips
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped

Directions 

Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the spaghetti will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished; it is very important that the pasta is hot when adding the egg mixture, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (as they say in Italian "al dente.") Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if you wish.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta (or bacon) and saute for about 3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic into the fat and saute for less than 1 minute to soften.

Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat (very healthy ;)). Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (this is done off the heat to ensure this does not happen.) Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Season the carbonara with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Pass more cheese around the table. 



Buon Appetito!

Panko Fried Green Beans with Spicy Mayo Dipping Sauce

Last night the Packers were on Monday Night Football. Since we live in the south, it is a rare treat that we get to see Packers' games live on television. I made an easy football watching snack that was crunchy, spicy and satisfying. This is a crowd pleasing recipe that is super simple to make, try it out at your next get together!

Ingredients:

Fresh green beans, washed & trimmed
Flour
Eggs
Panko Bread Crumbs
Seasoning (salt, pepper, cayanne & garlic powder) 
Vegetable or Canola Oil
Lemon Juice or 1 lemon

Instructions:

Wash and trim fresh green beans. Put 3 bowls in a row - the first bowl will have seasoned flour (salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder), the next bowl will have eggs that have been whisked, the final bowl will be panko bread crumbs.

Heat oil on stove until hot enough to fry, if you have a liquid thermometer you can use this, if not gently toss a very small amount of flour into the oil- if it bubbles vigorously the oil is hot enough. Be careful not to get the oil so hot that it smokes. Use canola oil (it has a higher smoking point) if you are not used to frying.

Dip green beans first into the flour, then the eggs and lastly, the panko. Gently put them into the oil. They should bubble quite a bit, if they do not bubble, your oil is not hot enough. Leave these in long enough for the panko to become golden brown- turn them once. Use tongs or a spider to remove green beans and set them on wadded up paper towels on a plate or on a rack so that excess oil can drip off. Top with a little extra salt and pepper to taste and a squeeze of lemon.

Sriracha Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:
Mayonnaise
Sriracha Sauce

Start with mayo as a base. Whisk in sriracha sauce (we love this stuff in our house) a little at a time. I added quite a bit because my husband and I love spicy food.

Enjoy!

Sharp Cheddar and Bacon Corn Casserole

This weekend I tested a recipe that I found here, and did not have to change a thing. It was absolute perfection. Very sinful, but what do you expect from a recipe who's first ingredients are bacon, butter and cheese? Below is the original recipe, with a few minor adjustments. I suggest using this as a side dish with a roasted chicken and pair with a less rich side dish, like asparagus or roasted veggies (something green, people!). We may even be making this for Thanksgiving. I photographed the finished product below. 

      Original recipe found on Pinterest pinned from here

4 slices bacon, finely chopped

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ cup flour

3 cups milk

4 oz. cream cheese, cubed

2 oz. Velveeta, cubed

2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

1 tsp. paprika

3 lb. fresh or frozen corn kernels

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (wait until the very end to salt this dish- the cheese and bacon really add enough saltiness)

Heat oven to 375°. Heat bacon in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium heat, and cook, stirring, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add butter and garlic to pan with bacon, and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk, and bring to a boil; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 2 minutes). Add cream cheese, Velveeta, cheddar, and paprika, and cook until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in corn; season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a 9″ × 13″ baking dish and bake until top is golden brown and bubbling (about 40 minutes). I put mine under the broiler for about 5 minutes on low to really brown up the top. Let cool before serving.

 

Enjoy!