almost guilt-free. [goat cheese-stuffed turkey burgers w. roasted red pepper relish]

March 21st, 2012 by | comments

Since I’m late to post, happy belated St. Patrick’s Day! From the posts I’ve seen, it looks like you all ate and drank pretty well on the holiday. I ate terribly over the weekend, so I’ve tried to get back on track this week.

Though I can’t say burgers are the healthiest option, this recipe uses ground turkey, which is leaner, and I used thin style hamburger buns. That helps a little…right?

Regardless, these burgers were juicy and full of flavor–from the slight tartness of the lemon and zest to the tangy goat cheese inside the patty to the slightly spicy roasted red pepper relish.

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make it work. [ground beef pasta]

March 14th, 2012 by | comments

Standard Caroline move–I went grocery shopping this weekend without any recipes in mind. I decided to pick up some ground beef, figuring I’d find a desirable recipe somewhere on the Internet.

Though, when I got home and considered making beef stroganoff or a Hamburger helper type mac and cheese, I of course didn’t have all the ingredients. So that’s why they recommend making a grocery list. Ah, makes sense.

Anyways, this simple beef pasta is something I whipped up mostly with ingredients already on hand. It’s not a pasta I’d typically make, but the flavors worked well together–particularly the Worcestershire and soy sauce.

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keep coming back. [lemon bars]

March 9th, 2012 by | comments

I’m sure most of you have your go-to recipe for specific appetizers, dinners and desserts–and that’s the case for me and these lemon bars. I’ve used this recipe for a few years and have never tried a different one. I’ve yet to find a reason to do so, considering the bars are always a hit wherever I bring them.

BUT, if I were to ever stray from this recipe, first on my list is Greg’s recipe from the Euro Pane Bakery in Pasadena. Considering the rave reviews of the bakery on Yelp, I have no doubts that the lemon bars are as delicious as they say.

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pretty bird. [garam masala chicken w. roasted vegetables]

March 5th, 2012 by | comments

Sweet Caroline’s Cooking is taking a quick trip to India today. Believe it or not, I’ve never cooked or featured an Indian dish, though I love the spices and flavors. Mr. Egg Me On, I’m sure you’re saying in your head, oh dear, another chicken recipe, but I promise this one is extremely different from any other recipe I’ve made!

The sweetness of the butternut squash and onions wonderfully juxtaposed the starchy potatoes and chicken bathed in garam masala, ginger and garlic. But the best part of this dish? Yup, the yogurt-soaked, golden brown crispy skin. Sinful!

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that’s the way the cookie crumbles. [old-fashioned peanut butter cookies]

February 28th, 2012 by | comments

I find it odd that I haven’t shared my all-time favorite peanut butter cookie recipe. I remember my mom and grandma baking these for me growing up. I’d gobble down three or four cookies fresh from the oven every time. Since learning how to make them myself, I still do the same thing. They’re just that good. The cookies have a slightly crunchy exterior, with a soft interior–my ideal texture for a cookie. So, what are you waiting for? Go preheat that oven. ;)

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unexpected. [tagliatelle w. prosciutto & orange]

February 24th, 2012 by | comments

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Prosciutto and orange? Sure, why not. I was so intrigued by the recipe that I had to make it last night. Boy, am I ever glad that I did. The sweet and salty combo was unique and refreshing–neither flavor overpowered the other. And as I’m sure you’ve noticed, I love pasta, so I’m always up for trying something new. I’ll definitely be making this one again! Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend.

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Lean on Lamb – The Supper Club, round two. [braised lamb shanks w. white beans & tomatoes]

February 17th, 2012 by | comments

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Sorry I’ve been MIA this week! I focused all of my time and energy on preparing and hosting my second lamb supper club. If you recall, the Tri-Lamb Group approached me last November to take part in the company’s supper club series. The Tri-Lamb Group is “a collaborative initiative of lamb producer organizations from the U.S., New Zealand and Australia which focuses on educating Americans about lamb.” The company selects food and lifestyle bloggers in LA, Boston and Washington, D.C.

Just as last time, the Tri-Lamb Group provided me with a recipe and all the ingredients. I was only in charge of providing hors d’oeuvres and side dishes.

I kicked off the night with a few simple appetizers, including fresh shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce, veggies with homemade ranch dressing and an out of this world hot cheese dip (recipe below).

For the main course, I made the Tri-Lamb Group’s recipe for braised lamb shanks with white beans and tomatoes, served alongside a salad with dried cranberries, slivered almonds, feta cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. My friend Danielle concluded the dinner party with a divine three-layer strawberries and cream cake from Vanilla Bake Shop.

I want to thank McKinzey at Fleishman-Hillard, Inc. for all of her help throughout this supper club series. I had an absolute blast, and I know my dinner guests would say the same!

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not quite kid-friendly. [spiked cereal-milk shake]

February 10th, 2012 by | comments

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A few months ago, Conan had pastry chef Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar on the show. During the episode, she taught Conan how to make cereal-milk white Russian milkshakes. I couldn’t get over the brilliance and creativity (and simplicity) of this drink–I had to recreate it.

I excluded the Kahlua in my version, but that didn’t take away from the rich and sweet vanilla flavor. This grown-up milkshake just might be my new go-to dessert. ;)

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back to baking. [lemon cupcakes w. graham cracker crust, blackberry filling & blackberry buttercream]

February 6th, 2012 by | comments

We made and ate an excessive amount of food for the Super Bowl. From seven layer dip to spinach artichoke dip to deviled eggs (oh yes, with bacon grease) to homemade chicken tenders to pork sliders to veggie platters…the list goes on.

I was in charge of bringing dessert and wanted to bake cupcakes since I hadn’t in a while, which is odd considering it’s one of my favorite desserts to make. These weren’t just any cupcake though–not only were they filled with a blackberry puree, but they also had a graham cracker crust, which provided a pleasant textural contrast to the light lemon cake. The cupcakes were a hit at the party and I will most definitely be making them again, as should you!

Though I didn’t have a preference who won yesterday, the majority of our party was rooting for the Patriots. So, obviously it wasn’t the desired outcome for them, but congrats to the Giants fans.

Just a glimpse of half of the (half-eaten) food from yesterday.

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