Midnight Pasta w/ Garlic, Anchovy, Capers & Red Pepper Flake

Hello, it’s been a while. Life has been happening; I traveled abroad, I left my job of 4 years and went into private practice and in the meantime, I kind of got into a cooking funk. I was making the same couple meals, eating just because I had to, not because of my usual enjoyment. So this past week I decided I needed to do something about it! I had bought some tinned fish while at Borough Market in London [one of my fav places] and figured I should make pasta with it! I found this recipe from NYT Cooking and it is absolutely going to be a staple. It is so quick and easy, relatively little prep is required and it’s easy to modify with how many people you are cooking for. It’s time to step out of your comfort zone & cook with some tinned fish!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 LB Spaghetti
  • 3 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil + 1 TSP Oil from Anchovies
  • Salt
  • 4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 4 Anchovy Filets, rinsed and roughly chopped
  • 1 TBSP Capers, rinsed
  • 1/2 TSP Red Pepper Flakes
  • 2 TBSP Chopped Parsley
  • Parmesan

Let’s Get Cooking

In a large pot, fill with water & salt well. Bring to a boil and cook the spaghetti to just under al dente, about 1 minute less than required cooking time. Drain when done but don’t forget to reserve the pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking, warm the olive oil in a small skillet over MED heat. Add in the garlic and cook for about 1 min, don’t let it brown. Stir in the anchovies, capers, and red pepper, cook for about 30 sec and turn heat to low.

Add in the reserved pasta water, and turn heat back up to MED-LOW. Add in the cooked pasta + parsley and toss well to coat. Add in the parmesan and once the sauce thickens, plate & enjoy.

Made with Love,

Hannah

Crab Cakes

Being in mostly land-locked Ohio, I don’t always get access to seafood, which I love very dearly. I was craving crab cakes the other day and rather than trust a restaurant, I figured I’d make them myself, thanks to a recipe from Instagram by GetFitwithNeil. Check out your local fish monger to get some fresh lump crab!

Ingredients

  • 1 LB Jumbo Lump Crab Meat,
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 2 1/2 TBSP Mayo
  • 1 1/2 TSP Dijon Mustard, I’ve used whole grain as well and it’s good
  • 1 TSP Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 TSP Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1/4 TSP Salt
  • 2 TBSP Fresh Parsley, I do 1 TBSP Dry
  • 1/2 Cup Panko
  • 1/4 Cup Celery, finely chopped

Aioli:

  • 1/2 CUP Mayo
  • 1/4 CUP Sour cream
  • 1 TSP Lemon Juice
  • 2 TSP Hot Sauce
  • 1/4 TSP Paprika
  • 1 TSP Dijon/Whole Grain Mustard
  • Salt to taste

Let’s Get Cooking

Mix together the eggs + mayo + mustard + Worcestershire + old bay + salt + parsley + celery in a large bowl.

Add in the crab meat, gently breaking some of it up and the panko. Gently mix until it all comes loosely together.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape the crab cakes and place on the baking sheet.

Place in the fridge for at least an hour so they came come together.

Heat a non-stick pan and lightly coat the bottom with oil, when the pan is hot add in the crab cakes and cook for about 3-5 min each side, until the bottoms are golden brown.

To make the aioli: mix all the ingredients in a small bowl together, salt to taste.

Serve warm with aioli.

Enjoy!

Made with Love,

Hannah

Homemade Dill Pickles

I think there is something special about making something yourself that you could easily buy at the store, like pickles! This is my second year with making my own pickles and canning them, it makes me feel so sustainable, especially when using my own produce. Canning to me is a lost skill, mostly something my grandparents and those before them did, so I am excited to start learning this for myself and fill up my shelves! Foodie with Family helped me with the canning basics. I was going for a super garlicky-dill pickle here and I revamped the recipe a little from last year, as it takes 6-weeks before I can try them out I will comeback with a flavor-update. I made 2 quarts worth, so edit this recipe as you need.

Ingredients

You’ll need pint-sized Mason jars and a large pot with a lid and rack in order to seal the jars, it is helpful to have the rack but not necessary.

  • 8 Garlic Cloves, smashed, 2 per jar
  • 16 Black Peppercorns, 4 per jar
  • 1/8 TSP Allspice, per jar
  • Bunch of Dill, about 4 small stalks per jar
  • 1/4 TSP Mustard Seeds. per jar
  • 1/8 TSP Red Pepper Flakes, per jar
  • 1 1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/2 White Vinegar
  • 4 Cups Water
  • 2 TBSP Pickling Salt
  • 4 Bay Leaves, 1 per jar
  • 1 LBS Pickling Cucumbers, washed, ends cut off, halved then quartered

Let’s Get Canning

First things first you need to sanitize your jars & lids. I submerge my jars & lids in boiling water for 5 minutes, then safely remove and let cool.

Prep all your ingredients, cut your cucumbers, peel and smash your garlic.

Prep the jars: to each jar add, 2 smashed garlic cloves + 1 bay leaf + 4 stalks of dill [ go crazy with it ] + 4 peppercorns + 1/8 TSP Allspice + 1/4 TSP Mustard Seeds + 1/8 TSP Red Pepper flakes. Add in the cucumbers on top, I went about 10 cucumbers per jar, they can be a little packed, but don’t force them in.

To make the brine, scale it according to the amount you’re making. In a saucepan, combine Apple Cider Vinegar + White Vinegar + Pickling Salt + Water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, pour into your prepared jars, making sure you leave 1/2″ headspace at the top.

Place the lids on the jars and gently tighten the ring around the jar, just enough that it has some resistance. This is when your huge canning pot comes in handy.

Bring the water to a rolling boil in your canning pot. Once boiling, add in your sealed jars, since I used pints, Foodie with Family noted I needed to boil for 15 minutes before removing and letting cool. The popping sound you may hear while cooling is completely normal! Allow to cool overnight before checking the seal. If the lid bounces back after pushing in the middle then be sure to move to the fridge, if there is no give they are good to sit on the shelves! Be sure to date the lids with the date the pickles were made. The pickles are ready in 6 weeks, so see you then for the taste test!

Made with Love,

Hannah

Zucchini Fritters

With it being the middle of July we can finally begin to reap benefits from our harvest! Though I did not grow these zucchini’s myself, my mom gave me TONS from the farmers market. After making 2 loafs if zucchini bread [I recommend trying out my chocolate zucchini bread], I was not sure what else to make. I came across this zucchini fritter recipe from Bon Appetit and I figured it was the perfect side dish. It was a fantastic use of the zucchini that is great on it’s own or topped with your own creation.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 LBS Zucchini, grated
  • 1/2 TSP Salt
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
  • 3 TBSP Chives, finely chopped
  • 1 TBSP Cornstarch
  • Fresh Cracked Pepper
  • 1/3 Vegetable Oil

Let’s Get Cooking

Place the zucchini in a strainer and toss with 1/2 tsp salt. Let sit for 10 minutes then wring the zucchini dry with a cheese cloth or kitchen towel.

Place the zucchini in a large bowl, add in the egg + flour + chives + cornstarch + salt + pepper.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over MED heat. Working in batches, drop 1/4 cupfuls into the skillet, flattening slightly. Cook until golden, about 3 sides each. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate & season with salt.

Serve warm.

Made with Love,

Hannah

BLT Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

When you have all of the ingredients of a BLT just hanging out in your fridge you are obligated to make one; even more so when we will have delicious fresh tomatoes right off the vine! To tie this all together I thought a homemade blue cheese dressing would work perfectly and add a little funkiness.

Ingredients:

Blue Cheese Dressing:

  • 1 Cup Mayo
  • 1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 TBSP Dried Parsley
  • Juice of 1/2 Lemon
  • 1/2 Cup Blue Cheese Crumbles
  • 2 Cloves Garlic, finely minced
  • 2 TBSP White Onion, finely minced
  • Salt + Pepper, to taste

BLT Salad

  • 2 Heads Romaine, washed & chopped
  • 1 Container of Cherry Tomatoes, halved
  • 1 Avocado, diced
  • 1 Cucumber, sliced then halved
  • 3-4 Radishes, sliced
  • 3-4 Bacon slices, cooked & chopped

Let’s Get Cooking

In a medium-sized container with a lid, combine all of the blue cheese dressing ingredients. Stir well and taste, add more of whatever you feel it needs! Place it in the fridge and let it all come together for about an hour.

In a large bowl, add in your salad ingredients and mix well! I plated my salad, making sure I had a little bit of everything before topping it with dollops of the blue cheese dressing and extra cracked black pepper.

It’s creamy, it’s crunchy, it’s fresh, & delicious!

Made with Love,

Hannah

Barefoot Contessa’s Summer Garden Pasta

I live & die for any recipe that shows off the fresh ingredients. This Barefoot Contessa Summer Garden Pasta is the ONE. I mean the one and only pasta you need to be making this summer. Not only is it so freaking easy to make, but it also shows off the most beautiful produce that you may just be growing in your backyard right now!!! Since this is a no-cook sauce, you heard me, no cook; be sure to allow the tomatoes to sit the full 4 hours to really infuse that oil and soften up. I made mine with some Ohio City Pasta, which is always a favorite to grab at the Hudson Farmer’s Market, but feel free to use whatever pasta you desire. Barefoot Contessa made this dish for 6, I did enough for just 1 person.

Ingredients

  • 5 Cherry Tomatoes, halved
  • Good Olive Oil
  • 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 5 Large Basil Leaves, julienned + more for serving
  • 1/2 TSP Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • Salt + Pepper
  • Single Serving of Pasta
  • Parmesan Cheese

Let’s Get Cooking

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes + 1/4 Cup Olive Oil + basil leaves + red pepper flakes + salt + pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room femp for about 4 hours.

When ready to serve, bring a pot of water with a drizzle of olive oil + salt to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Dain the pasta and add to the bowl with the tomatoes. Top with cheese & extra basil leaves.

I hope after your take your first bite you put your fork down and lean back in your chair in awe of how delicious this dish is.

Made with Love,

Hannah

Pickle Chicken Salad

I LOVE chicken salad, as you can see with this being my third recipe. It is such a versatile meal, you want to make it spicy, sweet, tangy, the world is yours. I was inspired by a creator, Nutritiously Easy, on TikTok who made a pickle chicken salad. I’m a pickle girl, exclusively Claussens, so I had to make it, and holy shit I could eat the whole bowl myself. I have been eating it in a lettuce wrap with some kettle-cooked potato chips for lunch and honestly, I don’t think things could get any better.

Ingredients

  • 3 Claussen Pickles, diced
  • 1/2 Cup Mayo
  • Fresh Dill, chopped
  • 1 TBSP Dijon Mustard
  • Splash of Pickle Juice
  • Rotisserie Chicken, chopped
  • 3 Celery Stalks, diced
  • Green Onion, diced
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Let’s Get Cooking

Break down your rotisserie chicken,, removing the skins, and chopping them into bite-sized pieces. Be sure to save that and make chicken stock!

Prep all the rest of your ingredients and grab out a large bowl.

Toss in your chicken + Mayo + dijon + celery + pickles and mix well. Add in your salt + fresh dill + pickle juice + green onions + loads of black pepper. Mix well and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, I stand by that it always tastes better the next day. Top with more black pepper to taste.

I hope you enjoy it, I know I have been!

Made with Love,

Hannah

Lemon Cupcakes with Blueberry Frosting

One of my favorite co-workers turned back to work from being on maternity leave, so I wanted to do something special to welcome her back. I decided on cupcakes as they are easy to share! This recipe comes from Baked By Rachel, Rachel’s cupcakes feature a lemon curd that I decided to leave out, but follow along with her recipe if you’d like to add. I added a little extra lemon juice & zest as I like my cake really punchy. I also ran out of powdered sugar when making the frosting, so it wasn’t my best, but we are all works in progress.

Ingredients

Blueberry Puree

  • 1 1/2 Cup Blueberries,
  • Zest of 1 Lemon
  • 2 TBSP Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 Cup Sugar

Lemon Cake

  • 1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 TBSP + 2 TSP Lemon Juice
  • Zest of 1 Lemon
  • 1/2 TSP Salt
  • 1/2 TSP Baking Soda
  • 1 1/4 TSP Baking Powder
  • 1 1/4 Cup Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Sour Cream

Frosting

  • 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 3 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 3 TBSP Blueberry Puree

Let’s Get Baking

To make the blueberry puree: combine blueberries + lemon zest + lemon juice + sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over MED heat, stirring occasionally. As the blueberries begin to soften, mash them and continue cooking until the sauce thickens. Once thickened, press the mixture through a mesh strainer into a clean bowl and allow to cool.

Preheat your oven to 350F and prepare your cupcake cups.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter + sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs + lemon juice + lemon zest, scraping the bowl as needed. Add in salt + baking soda + baking powder. Alternate the additions of flour & sour cream, mixing until combined.

Divide the batter into prepared cups and bake for 16-18 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting.

To make the frosting: beat the butter, adding in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time. Drizzle in 1 TBSP of blueberry puree at a time. Mix until fully combined & no streaks remain. Transfer to a piping bag and decorate as you desire.

Enjoy!

Made with Love,

Hannah

“Romaines of the Day Burger”

A Caesar salad with chicken and some french fries is a summer staple for me. That tangy Caesar dressing and those croutons are just so complimentary. Rather than croutons, grab some hamburger buns, and let’s turn this salad into a delicious burger. The best part is, with the leftover romaine and dressing you have, you can make your adored chicken Caesar salad with the leftovers! and yes, Caesar salad dressing is made with anchovies, so just get over it, you’ve been eating it this whole time anyways.

Ingredients

  • 1 2oz Tin or Jar Anchovies packed in water
  • 2 TSP Garlic, minced [I used 2 cloves]
  • 1 TSP Dijon Mustard
  • 1 TSP Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Cup Mayo
  • 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
  • 3 TBSP Lemon Juice
  • 1 TBSP Olive Oil
  • 1 LB Ground Beef
  • 4 Hamburger Buns
  • 1 Head Romaine Lettuce, leaves chopped

Let’s Get Cooking

Grab your food processor and dump the tin of anchovies and the water in, blend into a paste.

In a small bowl, combine 3 TSP of the anchovy paste + garlic + mustard + Worchestershire + mayo + parmesan + lemon juice + olive oil. Set aside, I let mine sit for about 3 hours in the fridge, you don’t have to let yours sit that long!

Mix the remainder of the anchovy paste in with the beef and form 4 patties. Season both sides with salt & pepper and cook the burgers according to your desired doneness.

BUILD YOUR BURGER: Bottom bun, chopped romaine, burger, Caesar dressing, top bun.

Made with Love,

Hannah

Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole

Though it’s just me I have to get ready in the mornings, sometimes that can be more than enough. Anything that makes mornings easier, I am about, and this breakfast casserole from ChewoutLoud is one of them. First off it’s so easy to prepare, and secondly, I feel like I am getting all my necessary nutrients in the morning, which is always a win. What I also love about these casseroles is you get to tweak them based on what you have in the kitchen; don’t have kale? Use spinach! Don’t have peppers? Cool, don’t use them! Make it your own! I added some extra spices to my sweet potatoes because I feel at times they can be bland.

Ingredients

  • 4 TSBP Olive Oil
  • 1 LB Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
  • 2 TSP Turmeric
  • 2 TSP Chili Powder
  • 1/2 Cup Yellow Onion, diced
  • 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1/2 Cup Bell Peppers, diced
  • 1 LB Ground Breakfast Sausage
  • 2 Cups Kale, chopped
  • 14 Large Eggs
  • 1/2 Cup Milk
  • Salt & Pepper

Let’s Get Cooking

Preheat the oven to 400F

On a baking sheet, combine sweet potatoes + 2 TBSP olive oil + turmeric + chili powder + salt + pepper & toss to coat. Bake for about 20 minutes or until soft.

While the sweet potatoes are cooking heat the remaining 2 TBSP of oil and add in the onions + garlic and cook until translucent on MED heat. Add in the peppers & cook for about 1 minute more. Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish.

In the same skillet, cook the breakfast sausage until cooked through. Drain and add to the baking dish. Add in the roasted sweet potatoes + kale, toss to combine.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs + milk + salt + pepper. Pour into the baking dish and bake uncovered for about 25-30 minutes or until the eggs are set.

Serve immediately, or cut once cooled and wrap in foil and freeze!

Made with Love,

Hannah