Roasted Red Snapper w/ White Balsamic Tomatoes

Every year Tres and I take a trip to Destin with friends. Because we all stay on the same condo, one night becomes a big cook-fest. I plan a menu of fresh gulf fish paired with delicious produce and have some girlfriends come over to help me cook. This year I made this snapper, and it was a huge hit! 

WATCH FULL VIDEO HERE!!!

Grocery list: 

• 4 (4-6 oz) snapper filets

• Kosher salt

• Pepper

• 2 lbs plum tomatoes - chopped

• 2 cups basil - chopped, plus extra for garnish

• 1/4 cup white balsamic reduction

• 3 garlic cloves - minced

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flake

• 1/2 cup white wine

• 1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place each snapper filet on a large piece of aluminum foil. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Fold the sides of the foil up to make a shallow bowl around each filet. Place on a baking sheet. 

2. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, balsamic reduction, garlic, red pepper flake, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. Mix together, taste, and add extra salt and pepper if needed. Spoon the tomato mixture over each filet, completely covering the fish. Add about 2 tbsp of white wine and drizzle 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to each filet. Fold the sides of the foil up to close, making a package but leaving a small opening in the top.

3. Roast fish for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Serve each filet on a plate with the tomato mixture and juices on top. Top each piece with extra basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!! 

Truffle Sliders

Once upon a time, I took Tres to the Pearl Jam concert at Wrigly Field in Chicago, and since then we have become Chicago summer regulars. In addition to an awesome concert scene and perfect weather, Chicago has easily become one of my favorite food cities. I had the best sliders of my entire life at Sable Kitchen and Bar in this great city! We found out about the place from a local, and the cocktails and food did not disappoint. When visiting a city with tons of great restaurants, we rarely go back to the same restaurant more than once, but we ended up at Sable three times for their truffle sliders!! So of course, I had to recreate them when I got home, and I have to say, mine are pretty close to the real thing! 

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE!!! 

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp butter

• 2 onions - sliced thin

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 lb Ground Chuck (80 lean/20 fat)

• 3 oz truffle butter - room temperature

• 4 oz Taleggio or Havarti cheese

• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp honey

• 10 mini burger buns or rolls

• 1/4 cup mayo

• 1 tsp truffle oil

Heat grill to medium-high. On your stovetop, heat olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low. Add onions, balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Put the lid over the pan and let onions cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and let onions continue to cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When ready they should be soft, brown, and caramelized. 

While the onions cook, prep the sliders. In a medium bowl, add ground chuck, 2 oz truffle butter, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix ingredients together lightly with a fork - just enough to combine. Be careful to not over mix or the meat will get tough. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, shape the meat into 10 patties. In the center of each patty, make an indention with your thumb (this will keep sliders from puffing up too much when grilling). 

Add 1 tbsp of honey to the leftover 1 oz truffle butter and mix together. Open each burger bun and spread the mixture on the inside of each bun. 

Place buns on the grill, cut side down and toast for about 1 minute. Grill sliders for about 2 minutes on each side. When you flip the burgers, top each one with a slice of cheese and close the lid the last minute. 

5) In a small bowl, add the mayo, truffle oil, and 1 tsp honey and mix together. Build burgers by spreading the mayo mixture on the buns. Top with the cheesy burger and the caramelized onions. 

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!! 

Andrea's Cooktales - Series 2, Episode 8 - Truffle Sliders

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL RECIPE!

Cream Taco Dip

This recipe will forever and ever go first on my game day snacks recommendation list. This dip is beyond the best dip that literally ever existed on earth. I don’t know how to more dramatically explain it in words. I’ll bluntly put it this way, if you’ve ever made a cheese dip, Velveeta dip, or chili cheese dip and thought it was fabulous, get rid of it and make this one. I promise it’s 100,000 times better than any dip you’ve ever made. You’ll never make another cheese dip recipe. People show up to my house hoping I have this on the stove or in the Crock Pot.

One year when I was a kid and out of school for the summer, I went to a pool party where I had the best meaty, spicy, creamy cheese dip of my life! I loved it so much, my mom got the recipe from the host. More than 20 years later, that recipe is still in our family and has been a staple for parties and summer get togethers ever since. I've turned up the volume a bit on the recipe, making it a little more zesty and fun! This is the perfect Memorial Day weekend or go-to summer party recipe! 

SEE THE VIDEO HERE!!!
Grocery List:

• 1 lb chorizo

• 1 10 oz can Rotel

• 1 15 oz can chili no beans

• 1 15 oz can ranch style beans

• 1 large package Velveeta cheese

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions: 

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, cook the chorizo over medium heat until done, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain the fat from the pot.

2. Pour in the Rotel, chili, ranch style beans, and stir together. Cube the Velveeta and add to the pot. Stir everything together until melted.

3. Add the heavy whipping cream and stir to combine. Let the dip heat completely and serve with tortilla chips.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!! 

Andrea's Cooktales - Series 2, Episode 6 - Cream Taco Dip

GET THE FULL RECIPE HERE! 

Bacon Wrapped Date Flight

How many of you go out to dinner and can't ever make up your mind what to order off the menu? I tend to sit down and drive myself crazy with a decision on what to order every time I go out to dinner. I consider myself a "little of this and a bite of that" type of gal. I want to try a few bites of EVERYTHING. I mean, what if I order the wrong thing? As I've told my husband before, "my taste buds get bored... I want it all." It's not uncommon for me to go to a restaurant (sometimes even alone) and order several apps and a dinner entree, particularly when I'm traveling. After all, what if I never get to eat at that restaurant again, and I miss something unforgettable? There's no denying different foods, flavors, and variety is important to me when it comes to my meals. That's why I respect the ever-living heck out of the Spanish. A little thing called tapas exists because of these fine folks, and we are finally picking up on it in the US. That's why I love the concept of a "small plates" or a "bites" menu when I walk into a restaurant. I don't need 100 bites of the same thing... I need 100 bites of several things. I'd like to tell every restaurant out there: GIVE ME ALL YOU HAVE BUT NOT A LOT OF IT! Besides, a "tasting" menu is just so fun.

There's something festive about sitting with a group of friends trying little bites with wine sips in between and debating on which bite or plate was the best. Because bacon wrapped dates have become so popular, I decided it'd be fun to have a "flight" of them - Maple Espresso, Cinnamon Sugar, Lemon Rosemary, Chipotle, and Balsamic Honey. This is so much fun for small get togethers or parties, and you could even have everyone vote at the end. Y'all do this at your next party and let me know which date wins!

Grocery List (serves 4 people 5 dates):

For all the dates:

5 small bowls

5 spoons

5 pieces of foil - cut approximately 12 inches and folded around the edges to make a wall around each edge

10 slices of bacon - cut in half

10 dates - pitted and cut in half

For the Maple Espresso dates:

1 tbsp espresso

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

For the Cinnamon Sugar dates:

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

For the Lemon Rosemary dates:

2 lemons - zested

1 tsp rosemary

For the Chipotle dates:

1 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 tbsp adobo sauce

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1 pinch cayenne

For the Balsamic Honey dates:

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Step 1:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Make the mix for each date flavor. In the first bowl, mix together the espresso, brown sugar, and maple. In the second bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar. In the third bowl, mix together the lemon and rosemary. In the forth bowl mix together the chipotle, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne. In the fifth bowl mix together the balsamic, honey, and vanilla.

Step 2:

Wrap the dates. You should have 20 date halves and 20 bacon halves. Wrap each date, and if necessary, you can secure with a toothpick. Step 3: Working with one mix at a time, dip 5 bacon wrapped dates into each mix. Completely cover each date, using as much of the mix as possible. Wash hands in between dipping dates into each flavor so they don't mix with the others. Place each flavored date on a piece of foil keeping like flavors together.

Step 4:

Place foil sheets on two baking sheets - two on one baking sheet, three on the other. It's important that the foil pieces have a wall around each edge so flavors don't mix (it also makes for easy cleanup). Bake until bacon is crisp, about 15 minutes. I like the plate these individually so everyone has a "flight." Or you can just use five small plates or one large plate with the dates piled. Labels would be fun or you could play a guessing game and have guests guess the flavors in each!

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!!

Fig Toast

One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday or Sunday morning is tip-toe out of bed without waking Tres and have breakfast made for him before he gets up. I make my coffee, pull out whatever ingredients I picked up from the market during the week, and create something with whatever I have on hand. I never turn on the TV or listen to the radio. I just simply enjoy the silence I have in the kitchen. It's so relaxing. I did this very thing yesterday and loved the recipe I made so I wanted to share it with you. We've all heard of Avocado Toast but for a much "sweeter" version, try Fig Toast!

Grocery List (for 2):

2 pieces thick cut bread

2 tbsp butter

4 ripe figs - chopped

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

1 inch honeycomb (or more honey)

Balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Step 1:

Toast and butter the bread.

Step 2:

With a fork, smash the figs together in a bowl with the honey, cinnamon, and salt. Spread the mixture thickly and evenly over the bread.

Step 3:

Slice and crumble the honeycomb over top of the mixture. If you don't have honeycomb, no problem! Just drizzle a little more honey over the top.

Step 4:

Drizzle the toast with balsamic.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!

Fig and Prosciutto Salad with Mint Dressing

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Simple weeknight dinners are sometimes the best dinners. Easy salads on Monday nights make me think of two things: 1) little stress in the kitchen and 2) clean eating for an after weekend detox. After a long Monday at work, particularly a stressful one, nothing beats coming home, putting our feet up, watching TV, and eating a good meal. Sure, it's always great to do a more formal meal at the dining table or even a fun little wine dinner out on the patio every once in awhile during the week, but most Mondays call for sitting in front of the TV and vegging. Like most of the world, we have become Netflix binge watchers and it's what I love to do on Monday nights. A few hours of mindless TV is just simply something great to look forward to after being at work all day. And nothing makes it more special than doing it with the person I love the most, all while having a delightful meal sitting in between us and the TV. I came up with this simple salad recipe last night and couldn't wait another day to share it!

Grocery List (for two):

5 oz spinach and arugula salad mix 6 large figs (dates would also work if you can't find figs) 3 red radishes - thinly sliced 4 oz goat cheese 4 oz thinly sliced prosciutto 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1/2 lemon - juiced and zested 1/4 cup mint - minced 1 tsp honey 1/3 cup olive oil Salt Pepper

Directions:

Step 1

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Cut each fig in half and toss them all with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set a grill pan to medium high heat. Grill the figs for 3 minutes cut side down. Flip them and grill another two minutes. Set aside to cool down then slice each half into two pieces. Step 2

Toss radishes with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill radishes slightly for about 1 minute per side. Set aside to cool.

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Step 3

Prep the salad dressing. Mix together balsamic, lemon juice and zest, mint, honey, and a dash of salt and pepper. Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking. Taste the dressing and add salt and pepper to desired taste.

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Step 4

Prep the salad. Toss greens into a bowl and add pieces of the sliced prosciutto on top. Crumble the goat cheese over the greens and prosciutto and add cooled radishes and figs. Add the dressing and toss together.

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CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!