Buffalo Chicken Crack – Oh, I Mean Dip

Posted on January 22, 2016 by kelleychisholm

Kel's buffalo chicken dip

Buffalo chicken dip absolutely is my favorite hot dip right now and it is truly addictive, trust me. My sweet and beautiful niece, Ashleigh, brought some to a potluck family dinner last year and she gave credit to her Mom for making it. It really didn’t matter who made it – I was in dip nirvana once I had my first bite. I ate so much that I had no room for anything else, which was fine by me. I even packed a few containers and stashed them in the fridge downstairs just to make sure I had some of this awesome dip for several days to come.

This dip is just like buffalo chicken wings without all of the mess, and it’s so easy to assemble. I added some diced celery to the mix for some crunch, but that is certainly optional. Many online recipes call for canned chicken in this recipe, but I add a bit of extra flavor by sautéing a chicken breast in olive oil, seasoned salt and fresh ground pepper, and then chopping it once cooled.

Chop chicken with PC salad choppers

If you’re going to an upcoming Super Bowl party, bring this and you will be a big hit! Seriously. Actually, bring this to any party. Especially one of mine!

Continue reading →

Posted in Appetizers, Meat and Poultry, Recipes, Tools of the Trade | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Mom’s Marvelous Eye Round Roast, For Dinner or Lunch

Posted on January 15, 2016 by kelleychisholm

 Kel's Cafe eye round roast

One of my favorite meals that Mom makes is a tender and tasty eye round roast. She coats the meat with garlic salt, pepper and celery seed, which gives it a wonderful and flavorful crust. So when eye rounds when on sale the other day, I knew what we’d be having for dinner later that week. I decided to make a simple au jus with the pan drippings, wine and beef broth, perfect for pouring over the meat and the accompanying mashed potatoes.

You will need a roasting rack when cooking this roast to ensure necessary air circulation. If you don’t have a rack, you can make one simply by taking sheets of aluminum foil and twisting them into strips to place the roast on. Or, use thick slices of onions to put under the roast.

Makeshift roast rack

Continue reading →

Posted in Meat and Poultry, Recipes | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Poached Pears and Vanilla Ice Cream – Yum!

Posted on January 8, 2016 by kelleychisholm

Poached pear with ice cream

I found some pretty red pears on sale (which is often the case in late fall and winter) and decided to poach them in red wine for some sort of dessert. I found a great recipe on the Epicurious website, where the poached pears were paired with vanilla ice cream – elegant yet so simple!

I was lucky to find ripe red pears at the store, but, as I mentioned in a 2011 post on Pear and Bleu Cheese Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette, if you cannot find ripe pears, that’s okay – they are one of the few fruits that do not ripen well on the tree. Place firm, unripe pears in a paper bag at room temperature for a couple of days. To check for ripeness, gently press the neck of the pear – when it gives in to gentle pressure it’s ready to eat. Once a pear is ripe, it can be refrigerated for four to five days.

Red pears

I tinkered some with the recipe from Epicurious by reducing the amount of granulated sugar and adding some brown sugar in its place. I also added a vanilla bean and used fresh mint as a garnish. You may notice in the ingredients photo bottled orange juice, but I was able to squeeze half a cup from the orange used for the zest. You should try this too, as fresh is always better!

Continue reading →

Posted in Desserts, Vegetables/Vegetarian/Vegan | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kel’s Homemade Eggnog, White Russian Style

Posted on December 20, 2015 by kelleychisholm

Kel's homemade eggnog

I love this time of year when eggnog finally arrives in the grocery stores, but this year I decided to make my own, after reading all the artificial colorings, flavors, etc. on the side of the carton. Not as convenient as opening the carton and adding alcohol, but definitely worth the effort, which really was not that much at all. My homemade eggnog is not as heavy as the store-bought kind and just tastes fresher. And I can enjoy it year round!

Choose your eggnog spirits!

My biggest dilemma was what kind of alcohol to add to the mix, so I polled some friends on Facebook asking if they preferred rum or bourbon in their eggnog. The responses were mixed and I also received votes for adding brandy. But the suggestion that intrigued me most was from my good friend Jill, who recommended I make White Russian eggnog with vodka and Kahlua. Great call, Jill – these were delicious!

Continue reading →

Posted in Cocktails and Mocktails, Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kel’s Ropa Vieja

Posted on December 4, 2015 by kelleychisholm

Kel's Ropa Vieja

One of my of my favorite dishes on the buffet at Mesa Latin Kitchen (now closed) was the Ropa Vieja, a shredded beef and vegetable stew that is popular in Latin America. It was so absolutely wonderful that I knew I’d have to recreate it in my own kitchen, especially since I love braised meats as well as tomatoes and olives, which are the true stars of this dish.

Since I had never cooked Ropa Vieja before and didn’t have Mesa Latin Kitchen’s recipe, I searched online and decided to combine a few of them, relying heavily on Saveur’s Cuban-Style Shredded Beef and Emeril Lagasse’s Ropa Vieja. Most of the recipes I looked at called for flank steak, but I went with Chef Lagasse’s choice of beef brisket, mainly because it was the better bargain when shopping. Either cut of meat will work, as long as it’s pull-apart tender once it’s cooked.

Almost ready!

I used my Ninja 3-in-1 Cooking System to easily sear the meat and then slow cook it, but you can use a big Dutch oven instead. I’ve included tips for both vessels in the preparation section. So was my creation as wonderful as Mesa Latin Kitchen’s? Probably not, but on the other hand it was pretty darn close. Oh, and before I forget – this stuff is even more awesome the next day once the flavors have had even more time to meld, so make enough for leftovers – you will thank me later!

Continue reading →

Posted in Meat and Poultry, Recipes, Slow Cooker, Soups and Such | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Finally, Brussel Sprouts I Like

Posted on October 30, 2015 by kelleychisholm

 Bowl of Brussel Sprouts

I have tried and tried and tried to like brussel sprouts, honestly I have. I never cared for them as a kid, which was strange because I liked most vegetables growing up, including most leafy greens, spinach, cooked broccoli and cabbage. I’ve tried to keep an open mind about brussel sprouts as an adult, occasionally not substituting them for a different side in restaurants, with no success. I had almost given up on them, until recently that is.

Brussel Sprouts as a side dish

A few years ago my (now former) senior editor and friend, Jerry Jackson, sent me a recipe for “Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta and Balsamic Vinegar” that sounded, well, tolerable. Anything is better with bacon (or in this case, pancetta) and I love balsamic vinegar, so when I saw brussel sprouts on sale I decided to give them one final chance. I had recently found a stashed-away, printed copy of Jerry’s recipe, so I was ready, albeit skeptical, to finally give it a try. Jerry has never steered me wrong with any of his recommendations and I’m happy to report that is still the case. Finally — some brussel sprouts I like and will definitely make again.

One of the best things about this recipe, in addition to its great flavors, is that it only requires 6 ingredients (that includes salt and pepper, my friends) and is so easy to assemble and prepare. So if you’re a brussel sprout hater like I was, give it a try!

Continue reading →

Posted in Recipes, Vegetables/Vegetarian/Vegan | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Kel’s Chile Rellenos, Perfect for a Mexican Meatless Monday!

Posted on October 11, 2015 by kelleychisholm

Kel's Chile Rellenos

When we go out for Mexican food, one of my favorite meatless entrees to order is chile rellenos. I love the mildness of the poblano peppers and usually get them at the Farmer’s Market because they are usually fresher and less expensive than those from the grocery store. I like to fill these chiles with some a combination of queso fresco and monterey jack cheese, but pepperjack would also be a great choice for a little extra kick.

Char peppers on grill

You can either bake or fry chile rellenos. I prefer the fried version because it gives the peppers some crunch, and let’s face it, everything is just better fried. I make a fresh tomato-based sauce with some green chiles to go with the peppers, but if you want to save time (or if tomatoes aren’t in season), use your favorite jarred salsa instead. Serve with some seasoned black beans and you’re good to go!

Continue reading →

Posted in Recipes, Vegetables/Vegetarian/Vegan | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen by Amelia Saltsman: Buy This Book!

Posted on October 1, 2015 by kelleychisholm

 Seasonal Jewish Kitchen cover

Recently I was sent a review copy of The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen: A Fresh Take on Tradition by Amelia Saltsman (2015). What a jewel of a cookbook! Since I am not Jewish, I was quite interested to take a close look at the recipes and learn more about traditional and contemporary Jewish cooking. In addition to learning quite a bit about Jewish cuisine from its roots to today’s emphasis on seasonality and sustainability, I now have a number of recipes I can’t wait to try!

According to some of the promotional material I received with The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen, Amelia Saltsman “is the daughter of a Romanian mother and an Iraqi father who met in the Israeli army and immigrated to Los Angeles where she was born and raised. Her cooking reflects her eclectic background, with the diverse flavors and cultural touchstones that have made her first cookbook, The Santa Monica Farmers Market, a beloved classic. Amelia’s name is synonymous with intuitive, seasonal cooking and she is regularly sought out for her expertise by publications such as Bon Appétit, Cooking Light and Vegetarian Times.”

Saltsman bio 2

Continue reading →

Posted in Products | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Roasted Carrot and Sweet Potato Tzimmes, Courtesy of Amelia Saltsman

Posted on September 17, 2015 by kelleychisholm

Place all tzimmes ingredients in large casserole

To be honest, until I received a review copy of The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen: A Fresh Take on Tradition by Amelia Saltsman, I had never heard of the Yiddish term tzimmes, which is a casserole of vegetables, fruit and occasionally meat. As I was paging through this wonderful cookbook, I decided to try this recipe as part of my upcoming review, and was so glad I did. What a wonderful and fresh combination of flavors that tastes as good as it looks. And it’s so easy to make — just peel and chop a few vegetables, juice some oranges and a lemon, place in a casserole dish, and voilà!, roasted perfection.

Tzimmes recipe from cookbook

Tzimmes is often a side dish for Rosh Hashanah and Passover, but you certainly don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy it. Serve it with any meal to make it more festive, especially in the fall with its beautiful colors! It makes a great side dish for chicken or brisket, or keep it vegan and serve it with quinoa as a main course.

Continue reading →

Posted in Recipes, Tips, Vegetables/Vegetarian/Vegan | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Channel Your Inner Cookie Monster with These Great Mixes From Krusteaz and Enjoy a Back-to-School Giveaway!

Posted on September 6, 2015 by kelleychisholm

Fun cookie shapes!

The folks at Krusteaz are spoiling me again, this time with several great cookie mixes, just in time for back-to-school snacks or lunchbox treats. I was thrilled to open my latest box of goodies from Krusteaz. In addition to receiving two boxes each of six different cookie mixes (Meyer lemon, triple chocolate chunk, double peanut butter, brown sugar oatmeal, butter vanilla sugar and oatmeal scotchie), also included in the package were Curious Chef® cookie cutters and measuring spoons, a lunch bag, an oven mitt, two aprons, some recipes and a selfie stick. Sweet!

Krusteaz goodie package

Continue reading →

Posted in Desserts, Products | Tagged , , , , , , | 36 Comments