Finger Licking Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings

Most of the time we go out to eat chicken wings, and usually order it Buffalo style.  This time, I have created an Asian/Caribbean fusion version of this recipe that you will find absolutely delicious.

Serves: 6 – 8 as an appetizer – 4 as an entrée with a side dish.
Level of difficulty: Easy – medium

Ingredients:  

  • 4 lb. whole chicken wings
  • 3 tbsp. soy sauce, low sodium
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 handful of cilantro
  • 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
  • 4 tbsp. honey
  • 2 scallions, chopped for garnish
  • Salt and ground pepper to taste
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional


Preparation: 

1) In a blender, or food processor, combine soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, cilantro, vinegar, ginger. Blend together, but make sure there are bits and pieces of garlic to give it some texture. Set aside.

2) Place the chicken wings in a single layer on a large tray, season lightly with salt and black pepper to taste, (Soy sauce tend to be salty, please take it easy on the sodium) on both sides. Pour the mixture on the wings, drizzle the honey. Mix well with your hands, and make sure the wings are nicely coated with mixture. Cover with foil.

3) In a 350 degree oven, place the wings on bottom rack, bake for 30 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven.

4) Remove foil. Broil on the middle rack for 10 minutes. Turn them, broil other side for an additional 1o minutes.  The entire cooking process takes about 50 minutes.  (30 minutes baking, 20 minutes broiling) The wings should have a nice golden brown color, with a caramelized sauce. Please make sure, the chicken is cooked through before attempting to taste it.

Place the wings on a serving platter, with the sauce on the side. Garnish with scallions. Serve with a side dish of your choice, or as an appetizer. My family devoured all the wings in a blank of an eye. They thought it was a home run!

Happy Cooking! Keep Smiling at your food and your food will smile back at you.

 

Strawberries, Chocolate & Cannoli Cream

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Strawberries, Chocolate & Cannoli Cream

I am friends with a lot of foodies, chefs and home cooks on Facebook. Every day, I see tons of wonderful dishes on my news feed. Once in a while, a recipe catches my attention and this one was one of them. If you are not into baking, you will love the simplicity of this delicious dessert made with fresh strawberries, chocolate & cannoli cream. Make it and you will wow your loved ones.

Serves 3-4 Level of difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 15 oz. container whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 capful of vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch of cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped chocolate (I used 70% cocoa)
  • 1/2 lb. of sliced strawberries.

Preparation:  

In a medium-sized bowl, blend the ricotta and sugar together with a spoon. Add the vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate. Mix well. Chill in the fridge for a few hours to let the flavor “ripen”. When it’s chilled enough, and almost ready to be served, slice the strawberries and set aside.

Place the cannoli cream in cups or small bowls, arrange the strawberries on top to make a beautiful presentation. Voila! The dessert is ready to be relished. My family loved it, and I hope yours will too.

Summer Picnic Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad
Crumbled bacon

Crumbled bacon

Pasta Salad

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Pasta salad Mise-en-place

Pasta salad mise-en-place

 

This pasta salad makes the best summer side dish, and the best part of it, you can prepare it ahead of time. This salad goes well with grilled New York strips or skirt steaks. In this recipe I am using the elbow pasta shape, but fusilli or bow ties are great alternatives. Put on your apron and let’s get cooking!

This recipe yields a large bowl of pasta salad, but the recipe can be divided in half to feed fewer people. 

Serves: 10 – 15 as a side dish

Level of difficulty: Easy to medium

Prepping time from start to finish: 1 hour

Chilling time: 3-4 hours in the fridge

Ingredients: 

  • 1.5 lb. pasta, elbow shape, cooked al dente
  • 1/2 lb. of bacon, crumbled
  • 4 boiled eggs, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 ribs of celery, chopped
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, diced
  • 1 cup mayonnaise*
  • 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsps. Mrs. Dash, Italian Medley, no sodium
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 

Preparation:

1) Bring pasta water to a boil. Add a handful of salt. Cook pasta al dente as per package’s direction.

2) Drain pasta well and pour it into a large mixing bowl.

3) Add all the ingredients and mix well.

4) Cover and chill in the fridge for a at least 3-4 hours. The colder the salad, the tastier it will be, and this will allow the flavors to infuse nicely.

Upon serving, remove from the fridge and drizzle more olive oil to moisten the salad.

* If you don’t like mayonnaise, substitute it with more olive oil, and add some red wine vinegar. It will be similar to a vinaigrette dressing. Taste and adjust the spices as needed.

Wine pairing suggestion: Pink Flamingo Rose made with 100% Grenache produced by Vranken Pommery. 

This refreshing wine boasts a summery salmon color, and offers aromas and flavors of berries, strawberries, peach and apricot.

I hope you will make this delicious pasta salad to bring to your next picnic. Please let me know how it turned out!

Happy Cooking & Sipping!

Gina Martino Zarcadoolas, aka Foodiewinelover
Culinary Personality, Food & Wine Blogger
Author of the cookbook: Cuisines, Corkscrews & Cultures: https://atomic-temporary-72612853.wpcomstaging.com/product/cookbook/
Level-2 Certified world-renowned – “WSET: Wine, Spirit, Education, Trust”
Level-2 Certified Sommelier & Italian Wine Scholar Student (Prep course and Unit 1 completed)
Winner of 2019 Italian Wines “Salice Salentino USA Bloggers” Award, held in Puglia, Italy
Brand Strategist

 

 

 

 

 

Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad

pasta salad

veggies

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In my house, we love our pasta in all shapes and forms. Most of the time, I make it as a hot dish, but with summer upon us, (at least for us, South Floridians), I decided to make a killer Pasta Salad. I normally use the elbow shape just for cold pasta salads, since it’s the perfect size to blend well with all the chopped ingredients. You will never see me use this shape with any kind of red sauce, except for macaroni & cheese. LOL! I know, it’s an American thing!  This time, I served it as an accompaniment to some grilled New York strips. My family went crazy over it, and ate, and ate, and ate to their heart’s content.

This recipe will yield a very large bowl of pasta salad, but it can easily be divided in half.

Serves: 10 – 15 as a side dish
Level of difficulty: Easy to medium
Prepping time from start to finish: 1 hour
Chilling time: Minimum of 4 hours in the fridge

Ingredients: 

  • 1.5 lb. pasta, elbow shape, cooked al dente
  • 1/2 lb. of bacon, crumbled
  • 4 boiled eggs, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 ribs of celery, chopped
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, diced
  • 1 cup  mayo*
  • 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp. Mrs. Dash, Italian Medley, no sodium
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Lots of extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

Preparation:

1) Cook bacon, crumble it and set aside.

2) Chop up all your veggies.

3) Get all your ingredients, condiments, and spices ready.

4) Boil eggs, chop them up set aside.

5) Boil salted water for pasta, and cook according to package directions.

6) Drain pasta well, and pour it in a very large mixing bowl.

7) Add all the ingredients and mix well.

8) Drizzle with olive oil. Mix again, cover and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours. The colder the salad, the tastier it will be. This will allow the flavors to infuse nicely.

Right before serving, remove from the fridge, and drizzle more olive oil to moisten the salad.

* Notice that my salad is not saturated with mayonnaise, however if you don’t like mayonnaise at all, just substitute it with more olive oil, and add some red wine vinegar. It will be similar to a vinaigrette dressing. Taste, and adjust the spices as needed.

My son Matthew is a very picky eater, and he said, he’s never had such a good pasta salad before. The compliments were pouring in, as I sat and watch the bowl of pasta salad slowly disappearing before my eyes.  This was a good sign that I had prepared a wonderful culinary creation. My job was done in the kitchen, and I was happy with the results.

I hope the next time you get invited to a picnic, you will offer to make this very refreshing pasta salad.

Happy Cooking From My Kitchen To Yours!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Affogato

Affogato

 

Gelato

Espresso

I prefer making savory dishes over sweet ones, because I don’t like to measure the ingredients. (well, all that changed, until I started blogging). However, when making desserts, you have to measure every ingredient and be precise, otherwise, you may end up with a “leaning tower” cake. That’s why I never took a liking to baking, it’s too complicated for me. Today, a friend of mine inspired me, when she posted an article on Facebook from Tasting Table about Affogato.  It is an Italian dessert that requires two simple ingredients. I made it tonight , and my family couldn’t get enough of its deliciousness.

Level: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 2 scoops of very cold gelato, Vanilla flavored
  • 1 shot of hot espresso (no sugar, added)

    Preparation:

    Place gelato in a bowl or cup, pour the hot espresso over it, and serve immediately. The gelato will be drowning in the coffee, and the taste will be amazingly scrumptious. This is a last-minute dessert, that is sure to please your loved ones. You can add some liqueur such as Amaretto, if you want to.

I hope you will try this easy and delicious treat.

Enjoy!

Affogato

 

Gina’s Ultimate Paella

Paella

 

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I have been in the quest for making a perfectly delicious Paella for a long time. I have tried different recipes, using various ingredients, but this time, everyone in my family raved about the taste. Here is my latest version of Paella. Paella originated in Spain, and the most famous one is Paella Valenciana.

Serves 8 as a main dish – Degree of difficulty – Easy to Medium
Prepping and cooking time from start to finish: 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups rice ( 16 oz.) Valencia
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 – 12 oz. can of beer (I used Corona) *
  • Saffron thread, 2 pinches *
  • 2 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 6 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 lb. mussels
  • 18 clams
  • 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, + more to drizzle
  • Chorizo sausage, 2 links, cut up in pieces
  •  red bell pepper, 1/2 cut in julienne
  •  4-6 oz. frozen peas, rinsed and drained well
  •  Hot sauce to drizzle
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Flat leave parsley, for garnish

Preparation:

For this traditional dish, I recommend a Paella pan, 15 inch in diameter.

1) Peel and deveined shrimp, wash and scrub mussels and clams well. Chop onions, garlic, chorizo, bell pepper, get all your spices and ingredients ready.

2) On medium high heat, in Paella pan, heat up olive oil, and brown the chorizo, 2-3 minutes. Add onions, 1-2 minutes, then add garlic, 1 minute. Add the rice and stir well, 1-2 minutes. Add the beer, water, paprika, salt, pepper, saffron, and let it come to a boil. Lower the heat, add all the seafood one by one. Sprinkle the peas around the pan, and decorate with the bell pepper like you see in the picture. Let it simmer and reduce a little, for about 5 minutes or so. Cover with aluminum foil and turn the burner off.

3) In the meanwhile, pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees, and place the paella on the second shelf from the bottom. Bake for at least 30 minutes. Check for doneness, once the rice is cooked, everything else should be done, because the seafood takes the least amount of cooking. If rice is not done, you may put it back in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Remove from the oven, take off foil, drizzle liberally with olive oil, garnish with the parsley, and place on the table. Serve with hot sauce, as a condiment.

This may take some practice, don’t expect to hit a home run the first time, however if you did, it’s because, you followed my directions, step by step.

*If you don’t want, or cannot have alcohol, substitute with chicken broth, or water. Make sure, you use the same amount of liquid.

* If you don’t have saffron, use a product called Sazon, by Goya, con cilantro y tomate, (with cilantro and tomato) it comes in a package that can be found in the Spanish aisles of your grocery stores. Beware, they tend to be salty, and contain MSG, however, they give wonderful flavors. Use two packets, for this recipe. I have used them before, but WITHOUT THE beer and paprika. (Use chicken broth or water, or a combination of both. This way is equally delicious.

There so many variations to this dish, you can also add bay scallops, and or chicken. We eat chicken often, I just didn’t want to part with it this time. There are some authentic recipes that call for rabbit. If you want to fancy it up, for a dinner party, place a lobster in the middle. Your guests will be very impressed with the presentation.

I served a nice chilled Rose’ with the Paella. It was a heavenly pairing. The rose’ is light and refreshing, and beautifully complements the rich flavors of the beer and paprika.

I had the pleasure of having Paella in Barcelona, and it was an amazing dining experience that I will always cherish.

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Always cook with a smile, and your food will smile back at you!

 

 

Surprisingly Delicious Turkey Chili

 

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Every once in a while, I make a very good chili with ground sirloin. However this time, in keeping with my healthy eating theme (which lasted barely a week), I decided to make a Surprisingly Delicious Turkey Chili. It was so good that if I didn’t tell my family it was turkey, they could have easily been fooled.

Serves: 4 -6 as a main meal, or 8 – 10 as a side dish
Degree of difficulty: Easy –  This recipe can easily be divided in half.

Ingredients:

  • 2- 20 oz ground turkey
  • 2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3 tsp. chili powder
  • 1.5 tsp. cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • Salt & black pepper to taste
  • 1.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth *
  • 2 cups chopped tomatoes
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 4 tbsp. olive oil
  • Hot sauce to taste *
  • garlic powder, a sprinkle *
  • Grated cheddar cheese
  • Dollop of sour cream
  • flat-leave parsley for garnish

Preparation:

1)  In a medium size pot, over medium high heat, heat olive oil, sweat the onions and peppers, for 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste, and brown it while stirring.  Add ground turkey, brown for 5-10 minutes by stirring occasionally. DO NOT TASTE IT YET!!  TURKEY IS STILL RAW AT THIS POINT.

2) Add all your seasonings, cumin, cayenne pepper, chili powder, salt, black pepper, stir well.

3) Add the beans, broth, tomatoes, bring to a boil, then, lower the heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking on the bottom of the pot. At this point, go ahead and give it a taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary. Toward the end, add your hot sauce. If chili is too thin, uncover, and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. This will allow the chili to evaporate a little and become thicker in consistency. The entire cooking time should take about 1 hour or so.

Place in a bowl, garnish with grated cheese, parsley and a dollop of sour cream.

I hope you will make this wonderful chili for your family, because it is very hearty and healthy.  They will enjoy it, I promise you.  You can eat it by itself, or as a side dish. Of course, my family was looking for the hot dog, and I kindly responded, not this time!

*Chicken broth, hot sauce, garlic powder are NOT featured in the picture, but they are part of the recipe.

Your meal will always taste better if you cook with passion. Don’t look at it as a chore, I know it’s not easy, especially after a long day’s work.  If you’re not up to cooking, stay away from the kitchen and order out. (It doesn’t have to be expensive)  Another option, is to make the chili ahead of time, it will taste better the next day.

Happy Cooking from My Kitchen To Yours!

Seared Balsamic-Glazed Sea Scallops

Sea Scallops

Sea Scallops

 

Scallops marinating in balsamic vinegar

Scallops marinating in balsamic vinegar

 

Searing/pan frying the scallops

Searing/pan frying the scallops

 

Caremelizing scallops

Caramelizing scallops

 

Seared Balsamic-glazed Sea Scallops

Seared Balsamic-glazed Sea Scallops

 

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The bottom of your pan should look like this, when you’re done.

 

This is probably the easiest, and most delicious way to eat sea scallops. I don’t make them often, because they are on the expensive side. However, once in a while I like to splurge on these scrumptious sea mollusks. They are a good source of protein, and healthy for you.  This method requires very little time to prepare them.

WARNING: SOME PEOPLE MAY BE ALLERGIC TO SHELLFISH

Serves 3-4  Yields about 18-20 large sea scallops
Degree of difficulty: Very easy Cooking time: 6 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1.25 lb.large sea scallops, preferably fresh, not frozen
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
  • Olive oil for searing/frying

Preparation:

1) In a medium size bowl, season sea scallops with freshly ground black pepper. Add the balsamic vinegar, mix well. Let it marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes. Turn them at least once. Do not let it sit too much longer in the marinade.

2) On high heat, (almost the highest setting) in a large, stainless-steel frying pan, barely cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Make sure, it is hot, if not, you will not obtain the nice golden brown color.

3) Drain the scallops as much as you can, (do not use a paper towel) and place it on the hot pan, in a single layer. Cook on high heat for about 4 minutes. I use the kitchen timer. BE CAREFUL, OIL WILL SPLATTER A LITTLE, and the stove will get messy.

4) Lower the flame to medium, flip scallops, and cook other side for about 2 minutes. That’s it!!! DO NOT OVERCOOK, AS THEY WILL GET CHEWY.

I served the scallops with brown rice, and broccoli. The entire meal took about 30 minutes to prepare from start to finish. I hope you will try it soon.

Happy Cooking From My Kitchen To Yours!

Gina

 

 

Perfect Broccoli Rabe

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Broccoli Rabe also known as Rapini is a green cruciferous vegetable. It has a pungent flavor, slightly bitter, but very healthy for you. It is particularly associated with Southern Italian cuisine. You have to acquire a taste for it, but once you do, you will love it. It is delicious with Italian sausage, or by itself as a side dish. Today, I will share with you, a very simple method of cooking, one that will help preserve its beautiful greenish color.  This method will also help retain its vitamins.

Ingredients: 

  •   1 head of Broccoli rabe
  •   6 garlic cloves, chopped
  •   2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Preparation: 

1) Wash the broccoli rabe thoroughly. Chop off the thick stems at the bottom, and discard them. Rough chop the leaves and buds. Set aside.

2) Over medium-high heat, in a medium sized pot,  heat up olive oil, sautee the garlic until it releases its aromas. Drop the chopped broccoli rabe, give it a couple of stirs. Cover and let it steam in its own juices for about 4-5 minutes.  Voila! You will have perfectly cooked Broccoli Rabe. If you overcook it, it will be wilted, and not have the same health benefits.

Happy Cooking!

Cauliflower With Pancetta

 

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is such a healthy veggie, and I’ve got the perfect recipe for you.  If you are not a big fan, you may change your mind after trying this nutritious and delicious dish.

Ingredients:  

  •  1 cauliflower, cut into florets
  •  2 tbsp.  extra virgin olive oil
  •  1/2 lbs.  pancetta, chopped
  •  1/2 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs
  •  Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Salt to taste (go easy, pancetta is salty)

Preparation:

1) Steam/boil cauliflower in salted water, until cooked. Drain, and set aside. (Do not overcook as it will continue to cook with the pancetta.)

2) On  medium-high heat, in a large skillet, heat up olive oil, brown pancetta. Add cooked cauliflower, breadcrumbs,  black pepper, and mix well.  Continue cooking, until it’s nice and brown. Add more oil if necessary.

Voila, you just made a gourmet veggie dish, that is sure to please your loved ones.

Bon Appetit from Gina’s Kitchen

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