Ok, I know it’s far-fetched.  Ice cream to “spare?”

BUT … hear me out. I think vanilla ice cream is boring.  

Don’t get me wrong. It has its place.

And in my mind, its place is to further strengthen another dessert.

Take for example, brownies. I love a warm, rich, chewy, chocolaty  brownie. BUT … add some vanilla ice cream and chocolate fudge, and oh my look out. Now you have a dessert worth writing blog posts about.

And while I could share my brownie recipe here, the warm brownie sundae would be too cliché.  So instead I’m going to share with you my cherry crisp recipe.  

Of course you can also turn this recipe into an apple crisp, peach crisp, blueberry crisp … it’s really your choice. But this recipe is SO good … served warm … with vanilla ice cream.  

And it’s so easy, your guests, your husband, your family, whomever, will feel like you really put in special effort, even though you really just made it to use up the vanilla ice cream in your freezer.

So the next time the grocery store has a sale on vanilla ice cream and you can’t resist, go ahead and buy an extra gallon.  You have the perfect companion for a dessert guaranteed to make even us “non-appreciative of the vanilla flavor” ice cream lovers get excited.

Until our next meal, Rebecca

Warm Cherry Crisp

Ingredients:

Cherry Crisp

• 2 and 1/2 Cups Frozen Pitted Cherries
• 3 Tbs White Sugar
• 1 and 1/2 Tbs All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Cup Regular Rolled Oats
• 1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 Cup Butter or Margarine, Softened
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Nuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Thaw the cherries, but do not drain, and then place them in a 2-quart baking dish.
3. Stir in the white sugar and 3 tablespoons flour.
4. For the topping, in a medium bowl combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, and nutmeg.
5. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
6. Stir in the nuts, and then sprinkle the topping over filling.
7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the topping is golden.
8. Cool slightly. If desired, serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Tip: I love this stuff warm and by itself.  So don’t feel like you have to buy vanilla ice cream in order to make it.  With or without, it’s dessert worthy. Enjoy!

You’re sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee reading the entertainment section of the Sunday paper.

It seems like there haven’t been any good movies out for a few weeks now.

You reach for a a bite of your english muffin, and just as you crunch down he says calmly, “I invited my boss and his wife over for dinner this week.”

You choke a first, but quickly recover with an, “Oh really? What night?”

“Tuesday,” he replies.  

Ok, that’s an entire day to prepare.  No worries there.  

“Any requests?” you ask, having no idea what his boss likes to eat, but wanting to make a good impression on both him and his wife.

“How about salmon?”

Score!  That’s an easy one…

In case you don’t know, I loathe salmon.   But my husband loves it, and so I have worked diligently over the past few years to find recipes that everyone – even salmon haters – will enjoy.

This salmon recipe looks and tastes like something very special, yet is really easy to make so you won’t spend too much time in the kitchen.  

And while you may not believe me at first glance, I recommend doubling the chutney.  You’ll find yourself standing over the stove eating it with a spoon.  Oh yeah.  It’s that good.  

So next time your partner tells you his boss is coming to dinner with his wife  over the Sunday morning paper, continue enjoying the moment.  You have the perfect salmon recipe guaranteed to impress.

Until our next meal,

Rebecca

Baked Salmon with Apple-Date Chutney

Ingredients:

Baked Salmon with Apple-Date Chutney

• 4 Salmon Fillets (Each About 5-6 Ounces)
• 6 Tsp Olive Oil
• 3 Tsp Curry Powder
• 1 Cup Chopped Red Onion
• 1 1/2 Cups Chopped Peeled Green Apple
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Pitted Dates 
• 4 Tbs Apple Juice
• 2 Tbs White Wine Vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  
2. Brush each salmon fillet with 1/2 teaspoon oil. 
3. Sprinkle each with 1/4 teaspoon curry powder, salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Broil salmon until just opaque in center, about 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness. 
5. Meanwhile, heat remaining 4 teaspoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat. 
6. Add onion and sauté until onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. 
7. Mix in apple, dates, apple juice and remaining 2 teaspoon curry powder. 
8. Cook 2 minutes longer. Mix in vinegar; simmer 1 minute. Season chutney to taste with salt and pepper. 
9. Transfer salmon to plates. Spoon chutney alongside and serve. 

Recipe originally featured in Bon Appetit Magazine, November 1997

Have you tried this recipe?  Or do you have any questions for me?

I invite you to leave a comment below!

It happened again.

You went to the store to buy chicken breasts for your favorite recipe.

It was just you and your friend for dinner though, so you only needed two breasts.

But for some reason, the store insisted only packaging them in threes.

You don’t want to throw out the extra one.

But you know if you put it in the freezer, you’ll just end up throwing out the freezer-burned thing in a few months, along with the other third breast from the last time you bought chicken.

Now while chicken salad is certainly not a unique concept, this recipe give an old standby a unique spin that will change the way you look at extra chicken.  

In addition to the blend of flavors and crunch texture, what I love about this recipe is once again it allows for your own creativity in the kitchen.  

Maybe you prefer more mayo, or you hate nuts.  Maybe you’d like to try substituting dried apricots for the golden raisins.  Or you’re allergic to apples, so you want to replace them with chopped celery.  It’s totally up to you! 

So instead of cursing the meat department at your local store, grab a pot of water, bring it to a boil, and throw the breast inside. Boil it until it’s cooked through, and then shred it up into small pieces. You have the perfect recipe for a delicious chicken salad, that will have you thanking the meat clerk for his ridiculous three-piece chicken breast packaging.

Until our next meal,

Rebecca

Curry Chicken Salad

 
Ingredients:

Curry Chicken Salad

• 2 Cups Cooked Shredded Chicken
• 1/4 Cup Mayo
• 2 Tsp Curry Powder
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Granny Smith Apples
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Pecans
• 1/4 Cup Golden Raisins

Directions:

1. Mix the shredded chicken and mayo in a medium bowl.
2. Add the curry powder and mix until blended.
3. Stir in apples.
4. Stir in nuts and raisins.
5. Serve alone, on a mound of greens, or in a pita pocket for a tasty lunch treat. 

Tip: If you prefer to use fresh chicken over canned, learn how to easily shred cooked chicken by watching the video below!

Have you tried this recipe?  Or do you have any questions for me?

I invite you to leave a comment below!

Yep, sometimes we just need a reason to eat blue cheese.

And if putting it on a salad makes us feel better about it, so be it.

We prefer not be judged.

** Attention Blue Cheese Haters, Vegans, and the Lactose Intolerant **

Don’t worry, my husband loves this salad without the blue cheese.  You’re in the clear on this one.

But back to my fellow blue-cheese lovers …

It’s that combination of the strong blue cheese flavor, paired with a sweet fruit flavor that makes your mouth water.  And then possibly paired with a full bodied red wine!

And since we can’t live on cheese plates alone (ha!), sometimes we have to look for clever ways to enjoy the flavor without completely throwing caution to the wind and indulging every day.

This salad gives you a reason to enjoy blue cheese on a random weekday, makes a rather ordinary dinner feel a little more special, and takes VERY little effort on your part.

The perfect win-win-win!

So the next time you need a reason to eat blue cheese, and your next wine and cheese night is more than a day away, relax.  You have the perfect recipe.

Until our next meal,

Rebecca
 

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad with

Cider Vinaigrette Dressing

Salad Ingredients:

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

• 1 Medium Bunch Romaine
• 2 Medium Red or Green Pears
• 1/2 Cup Crumbled Blue Cheese
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts

Cider Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/4 Cup Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tbs Honey or Agave Nectar

 Directions:

1. Pour all of the cider vinaigrette ingredients into a container with a tight-fitting lid.  Shake well until blended.  (Shake again before pouring over salad)
2. Tear salad leaves into bite-size pieces and place mounds on individual plates.
3. Dice pear into bit-size pieces and add on top of romaine.
4. Sprinkle nuts over the salad, followed by the blue cheese.
5. When ready to serve, shake the vinaigrette again and drizzle over the salads.   

• Servings: 4
• Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Have you tried this recipe? Do you have a question or comment for me?
I invite you to leave it as a comment below!

Don’t you dare throw those bananas away.

Instead, do a quick fist pump and yell “woo hoo!”

You’re about to experience a treat that words just can’t do justice.

Sure you think you’ve had good banana bread.  But this recipe took me several attempts to perfect and it is now, without a doubt, the best banana bread I’ve ever tasted.

Warning: Once you make this recipe you will probably experience some or all of the following…

You’ll find yourself buying bananas in bulk just so that you’ll have extra to have turn brown.

You’ll start playing “banana nazi” forbidding people to eat bananas at your house.

Your friends will start snooping around your kitchen more often to see if you have any banana bread to eat.

Your house guests will come to expect it.

And you will be asked for the recipe time and time again.

By making this recipe you are consenting that you understand these risks and will not hold me responsible.

So the next time your bananas turn brown, get excited!  You have the perfect recipe for delicious banana bread that will once again make your house smell amazing.

Seeing a trend here?  Who needs incense when you have good smelling recipes?  I actually have a loaf in my oven right now as I’m writing this. 

Until our next meal,

Rebecca

Side note: I make this recipe with 1/2 oatmeal for a reason.  It started because I was trying to put oatmeal in recipes to keep my husband’s bad cholesterol down.  But it ended up giving the bread such great texture, that we fell in love with it.  If you prefer though, you can use 2 cups of flour instead of one cup of each.  It’s still as delicious, but I highly recommend you try it with the oatmeal.
 

Oatmeal Banana Bread

Warm Delicious Banana Bread

• 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Cup Cooking Oats
• 1 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Cup Butter, Softened
• 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Eggs, Beaten
• 4 Mashed Overripe Bananas
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended.
5. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture and add vanilla; stir just to moisten.
6. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack.

Have you tried this recipe? Do you have a question or comment for me?
I invite you to leave it as a comment below!

I love this time of year.

With the Easter holiday comes crisp white clothes and fresh recipes!

It’s time to put away all of your heavy soup and rich dessert recipes, and pull out your light springtime blends, chock full of fresh fruit and cool flavors.

Strawberries are a plenty this time of year.  And your local market is practically giving them away.  At prices like that, you’d like to go ahead and take advantage of the two-pound container.  But how will you use them?

Smoothies are an easy option.  Or you could pair them with some angel food cake and whip cream for a fast and easy dessert. 

But what about putting them in a salad?

“Strawberries in a salad!?!”

Yes that’s right.  Strawberries in a salad.

What you get here is not only an awesome salad full of flavor, but also a very pretty accent to any spring dinner table.  The sharp contrast of the green spinach and red strawberries make this salad attractive enough to be the center focal point of any table.

Plus, you’ll love the sweet dressing that ties this recipe together.  It can be used for other salads, so you may want to make extra while you’re at it.

So go ahead and buy that two-pound container of strawberries.  You have the perfect recipe for a spring salad that will put them to good use.

Until our next meal,

Rebecca

Strawberry and Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

Strawberry Spinach Salad

• 2 Tbs Sesame Seeds
• 1 Tbs Poppy Seeds
• 1/2 Cup White Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/4 White Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 Tsp Paprika
• 1/4 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tbs Dried Minced Onion
• 10 Oz Fresh Spinach, Torn
• 1 Quart Strawberries, Sliced
• 1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds

Directions:

1. In a container with a tight lid, combine sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and onion. 
2. Shake well and chill for at least one hour. (This can also be made the day before.)
3. When ready to serve, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds in a large bowl.  Pour dressing over salad and toss. 

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Serves: 4

Have you tried this recipe? Do you have a question or comment for me?
I invite you to leave it as a comment below!

Ok, so while most of the ingredients in my coconut curry recipe are either used up or can be stored for ages, fresh ginger always seems to be left over.

You approach that funny looking root in the grocery store.

And every time you think to yourself: “OK, I’m only going to buy what I need for this recipe.”

You get home, peel the ginger, and start mincing.  Only to find out you’re stuck with at least 50 percent of what you bought.

You race to your online recipe website to find something to use it with, but are immediately paralyzed by the incredible number of recipes containing minced ginger.

But then you remember – Rebecca at WhattoCookWhen.com.  She’ll have the answer.

And here it is – Panko Crusted Pork Cutlets with a Pineapple and Ginger Salsa. 

The fresh taste of pineapple and fresh ginger meld together beautifully to create a fresh salsa topping for pork cutlet breaded with a delicoius panko crust.  And if you’ve never used panko breadcrumbs, you’re in for a treat.   You’ll be looking for recipes to use them again.

I’ve broken the recipe into two parts, because the salsa is also fantastic on chicken and mild white fishes like flounder and orange roughy.  And the breading is also equally good on either meat.

So the next time you realize you bought too much ginger, smile and think to yourself “thank goodness I over estimated my ginger needs!”  I have the perfect recipe.

Until our next meal,

Rebecca

Panko Crusted Pork Cutlets with a Pineapple and Ginger Salsa

Pineapple Ginger Salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 Cups Diced Pineapple
• 2 Tbs Sugar
• 2 Tsp Fresh Ginger, Minced
• 3/4 Cup Water
• 2 Tsp White Wine Vinegar
• 4 Boneless Pork Loin Chops (Trimmed)
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 1/4 Cup Panko (Japanese Breadcrumbs)
• 1 1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin
• 1/3 All-Purpose Flour
• 3 Tbs Canola Oil

 Pineapple Salsa Directions:

1. Stir pineapple cubes, sugar, minced ginger, and water in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. 
2. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until pineapple is soft, stirring often and adding more water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry, about 30 minutes.
3. Stir in white wine vinegar. 
4. Season pineapple salsa to taste with salt and pepper.

Pork Chop Directions:

1. Meanwhile, pound pork between sheets of waxed paper to 1/2-inch thickness.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend.
4. Mix panko breadcrumbs and ground cumin in another medium bowl. 
5. Place flour on a plate.
6. Dredge pork in flour; dip into beaten eggs, then turn in panko mixture to coat, pressing to adhere.
7. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat.
8. Add pork and cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
9. Serve pork with pineapple salsa.

Tip: Pounding the meat until is 1/2-inch thick all over is an awesome technique for shortening the cook time, and making sure your meat gets cooked all the way through.  I use it any time I plan to cook meat on the stove.

Serves: 4

Prep/Cook Time: 40 Minutes

Original recipe published in Bon Appetit Magazine. 

Have you tried this recipe? Do you have a question or comment for me?
I invite you to leave it as a comment below!