Tortellini with Brown Butter, Garlic & Basil

If you're looking for a really flavorful, quick side dish this Tortellini with Brown Butter, Garlic & Basil is it! Brown butter adds a wonderful nutty flavor to many dishes like pasta, vegetables and one of my favorites...home popped popcorn! If you've never tried making brown butter before, here is how you do it. The entire process only takes a few minutes. 

Loaded Mashed Potato Gratin

If you're looking for a tasty side dish to make for a crowd, this Loaded Mashed Potato Gratin is PERFECT! With bacon, sour cream, and cheddar cheese, how can you go wrong!  You can prepare the mashed potatoes up to a day ahead of time; then bake when you're ready. Which means less time in the kitchen and more time with your guests. Even when not entertaining, I like to make extra mashed potatoes so that there are some left over. Then I whip up some of these Corn and Cheddar Mashed Potato Fritters which the girls BEG me for every time I make mashed potatoes.

Copycat Capital Grille Au Gratin Potatoes

First,  I hope you all enjoyed Soup Week and thank you to everyone that entered the giveaway for the KitchenAid 2-Speed Hand Blender. The winner was Rachel T. from Virginia. Congratulations Rachel!

WARNING! I went off my diet here a little bit folks because I just had to replicate one of our favorite side dishes at Capital Grille...Au Gratin Potatoes. My husband and I don't get to go out alone often as a couple, I mean really alone. No kids, no other couples, just us. So when the opportunity presented itself recently because previous plans had fallen through, I took a chance and logged into Open Table (love this site!) and booked dinner for two at one of our favorite restaurants, The Capital Grille. The closest chain is about 1/2 hour away, but it is also connected to a mall where we needed to do some Christmas gift returns anyway so it worked out perfectly.

If you've never been, the restaurant offers mostly steak and seafood options on their menu and the sides are ordered separately, similar to many other high end steak houses. Oh and the wine list is larger than the menu...we love our wine. :) In any event, we each just ordered a small filet as their portions are very large and opted to share two sides: Sauteed Spinach with Garlic and Au Gratin Potatoes. My husband really likes their Mashed Potatoes; which I've shared here on the blog before, but he never tried the au gratin version (which he loved!).

So after our evening out, I started to look around online to see if I could find the recipe. And...I couldn't. That is until I found a quick blurb on the restaurants' Facebook page where another guest had asked how to make the same recipe. The restaurant replied with the ingredients used, but not a specific recipe. Hence, my version of Capital Grille Au Gratin Potatoes were formed.

What did my family and I think of my latest experiment? Heaven. Pure Creaminess. Heaven. Yes, I said it twice. They were seriously THAT good and tasted just like the restaurant version. So if you're looking to treat your  sweetie this Valentine's Day with a decadent, home cooked meal, you will have to add this recipe for Au Gratin Potatoes to your menu. Trust me, you won't be sorry! ~Enjoy!


Copycat Capital Grille Au Gratin Potatoes
Prep Time: 20 minutes    Cook Time: 30-40 minutes      Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 3 Medium Russet Potatoes, peeled
• 3 tbsp. Butter, divided
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 c. Heavy Cream
• 1/2 c. Shredded White Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 c. Shredded Jarlsburg Cheese
• 1/2 c. Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
• 2 c. Potato Chips
• 1 c. French Fried Onions

Equipment Needed 

• 4-7(ounce) Ramekins or Oven Safe Dishes
• Mandoline or Sharp Knife
• Baking Pan
• Small Saucepan
• Food Processor

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, thinly slice potatoes and place into your ramekins. (You may have to cut the potatoes in order to fit them if the potato is too large). Place the ramekins on a baking sheet. 
3. In a small saucepan, melt 1 tbsp. of butter over low heat; then add the garlic. Saute garlic for 1 minute; then whisk in flour to form a roux. 
4. Stir in the heavy cream and mix until the roux has dissolved; then add your cheeses. 
5. Simmer the sauce for 5-8 minutes until all of the cheese has melted; then pour the mixture over the potatoes in each ramekin. (Fill as much as you can to the top leaving space to add your topping). 
6. While the sauce is cooking, add the potato chips and fried onions to your food processor and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. 
7. Melt the remaining 2 tbsp. of butter and add to the topping. Mix well then sprinkle the topping over each ramekin. 
8. Place the entire pan into the oven and bake 30-40 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the potatoes are tender. 

Nutrition Facts per Serving You really don't want to know, but if you do here it is! =)

Calories 700, Carbs 36.8g, Fat 56.4g, Protein 11.2g, Fiber 1.9g, Sugar .9g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Sauteed Spinach with Dried Cherries

I just love spinach; especially this time of year when it helps boost your immune system with all of it's vitamins and minerals. But when making it as a side dish, you have to purchase quite a bit  to get enough to serve everyone as it shrinks a lot when cooked. I prefer using baby spinach leaves; which are generally tender and a little sweet versus the larger spinach leaves; which tend to be more bitter. Whatever type of spinach you are preparing, remove the spinach from the heat as soon as the leaves start to wilt as they will continue to cook and you want them to be bright green in color.


When making spinach as a side dish, I generally make this Sauteed Fresh Spinach with Garlic, but was in the mood to try a little something different. I had some leftover dried cherries laying around from when I made the Baked Brie, so I added some of those. The cherries gave the spinach a nice, mildly sweet flavor that went well with a pork dish I'll be sharing with you tomorrow. ~Enjoy!


Sauteed Spinach with Dried Cherries
Prep Time: 5 minutes  Cook Time: 3 minutes Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 20oz. Fresh Baby Spinach
• 1/2 c. Dried Cherries

Directions

1. Rinse and dry spinach; then remove any large stems. 
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat; then add the spinach and dried cherries. 
3. Saute until the spinach has wilted; approximately 2-3 minutes. 

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories 94, Carbs 13.2g, Fat 2.3g, Protein 3.7g, Fiber 4.4g, Sugar 6g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Crock Pot Greek Mashed Potatoes

Today I'm going to be sharing a new experiment with you for Crock Pot Greek Mashed Potatoes. This is one of those recipes that started out one way in my head; then wound up another. Not a bad thing mind you, just different.

Top 15 Side Dishes

I'll be taking the next couple of days off to prepare for our Thanksgiving feast and spend time with family and friends, so I compiled a list of the 15 Most Popular Side Dish recipes on the blog. Stop back on Monday for a post you won't want to miss where some of my blogging friends and I will be giving away a $600 Visa Gift Card just in time for your holiday shopping.

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving from my kitchen to yours! 

Roasted Butternut Squash with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Butternut squash is a type of winter squash that is orange in color, similar to pumpkin, and has a sweet nutty flavor. It's not something I've ever made before. In fact, I don't even remember eating it growing up. The first time I had it was when my mother made Butternut Squash Soup a few years ago and I loved it. This year, I decided to try to make the squash myself and wanted to use some of my favorite flavors like garlic, sun dried tomatoes and fresh rosemary, and roasting this squash seemed like the best plan.

Cranberry Pear Sauce

Let's see a show of hands. How many people use canned cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving? I always did. It was just what I grew up with and yes, I even liked the jellied version that had to be sliced. (No judgement please). That is until last year when I made my own version after seeing how easy it was on some of my favorite blogs. 

Butter Roasted Carrots & Parsnips with Oregano

I'll admit it. Until a few years ago I never even tried a parsnip; which looks like a cream colored carrot. The parsnip was originally planted by the Romans and used as a sweetener before cane sugar, but wasn't introduced in the United States until the nineteenth century. You can eat the parsnip raw; however, it is more commonly consumed cooked, and is especially high in potassium.

Recipe ReRun: Asiago & Basil Red Bliss Potato Croquettes & Better It With Benefiber Cook-Off Event

Today I'm sharing another Recipe ReRun with you for these Asiago & Basil Red Bliss Potato Croquettes for a few reasons.

1. They're FANTASTIC and need to be repeated for all those new to CEK! I originally posted these in March 2012 as I had some leftover mashed potatoes and was looking for a new way to utilize them. They were baked, not fried, so they are a little healthier and the flavor combination of Asiago and Basil was phenomenal.

2. The last few days have been quite hectic for me and I haven't had the time to write up a new post. Sorry. I do have quite a few recipes to share with you and I've been coming up with some new experiments for Thanksgiving so look for those in the coming weeks.

3. And lastly...tomorrow, Thursday, October 24, 2013 I will be in Herald Square in NYC participating in the Better it with Benefiber Cook-Off from 8am-10am! I was selected, along with two other food bloggers, to make breakfast utilizing Benefiber in our recipes for Top Chef Contestant judges. It's going to be so much fun so be on the lookout for some pictures on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well as a post with the highlights. And if you live in the area, stop by to say hello!

Enjoy the recipe and I'll see you all back here on Monday!

**The winner of the Jolie Ravioli Giveaway was chosen. Did you win?

Rosemary & Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese

Sometimes all it takes is just a small taste of something and my mind starts wandering with all of the different combinations of food I could possibly make. Such is the case with this Rosemary & Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese.

I attended a small gathering recently to celebrate a close family friends' 75th birthday. At the party, which was hosted by his son and daughter in law, they had figs topped with goat cheese, rosemary and a jam (I can't remember what it was, but think it might have been apple) as one of the appetizers. They were amazing! I just loved the flavor combination and knew it would make a wonderful mixture in some other of our favorite dishes as well.

Well...my first attempt was a success! Everyone loved this Mac n' Cheese variation, even my 11 year old. She can't wait to try my new experiments when she gets home from school and we have a deal that I don't share what's inside the dish until she tries it. Even she was pleasantly surprised that it contained Goat cheese (which she never wanted to try before), but mixed with the cream cheese and rosemary, it was very subtle, yet rich and filling. If you want to impress your family and friends, you can make this as a main entree or as a side dish. It would also make an elegant addition to a buffet selection during the upcoming holidays.

Rosemary & Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese
Prep Time: 15 minutes  Cook Time: 15 minutes  Total Time: 30 minutes  Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 14.5oz. Box Multigrain Macaroni
• 4 tbsp. Butter
• 2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 c. Milk (I used 2%)
• 8oz. Cream Cheese
• 3.5oz. Crumbled Goat Cheese (I used Alouette)
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
• 1 c. Italian Flavored Breadcrumbs
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente; then drain and place back in the pot. 
3. While the pasta is cooking, melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; then whisk in the flour forming a roux. 
4. Gradually whisk in the milk until the roux has broken up and there are no lumps. 
5. Next, add the cream cheese, goat cheese and rosemary. Keep whisking until the cheese has completely melted and the sauce is creamy. 
6. Add the sauce to the cooked macaroni and mix well; then place in an oven safe baking dish (8"x8"). 
7. Place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl; then melt the remaining 2 tbsp. butter (either in the microwave or a small pan). Add the butter to the breadcrumbs, mix together and sprinkle on top of the macaroni.
8. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the breadcrumbs are lightly brown and the macaroni is bubbly. 

Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts 

Calories 465, Carbs 51.7g, Fat 21.4g, Protein 17.9g, Fiber 4.9g, Sugar 4.1g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Rosemary & Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese Shopping List

Spinach Risotto

Raise your hand if you have fallen victim to purchasing boxed rice mixes at your local supermarket. I have. See my hand waving! It's convenient and easy, especially when you just don't think you have the time to make anything else. Just throw it all into one pot and in 20-25 minutes, you have a side dish to serve with your meal.

Well what if I told you that you could make a rice side dish without all of that added sodium, using fresh ingredients and it tastes even better than the boxed variety? Well you can! AND it still only takes 20-25 minutes...bonus! I LOVE making my own risotto because then I can control what I add to it and it's also a great way to use up leftovers or small amounts of something, like fresh spinach, that you might not have enough of to make something else. Besides, homemade always tastes much better!


Spinach Risotto
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes           Serves: 6 (as a side dish)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 c. Arborio Rice
• 4 c. Light/Fat Free Chicken Broth
• 1 c. Water
• 3 c. Fresh Baby Spinach, packed
• 1/4 c. Romano Cheese, grated

Directions

1. In a large, non-stick saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat and stir in the rice. 
2. Stir until the rice turns slightly brown, then add the chicken broth one cup at a time, allowing the liquid to evaporate after each addition. Add the water and when that has evaporated halfway, stir in the spinach and cheese. 
3. Mix until the spinach has wilted and the rice is creamy in texture. 

Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts 

Calories 155, Carbs 26.8g, Fat 3.3g, Protein 4.3g, Fiber .2g, Sugar 0g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Spinach Risotto Shopping List

If you love risotto like my family does, check out some of my other varieties too. There are even more in my cookbook! 

1. Balsamic Risotto with Grilled Chicken, Spinach & Sun Dried Tomatoes
2. Portobello Mushroom, Zucchini & Sage Risotto
3. Roasted Garden Vegetable Saffron Baked Risotto
4. Basil, Leek & Asiago Cheese Risotto
5. Lemon Thyme Pesto Risotto
6. Pumpkin & Sage Risotto
7. Chorizo, Peas & Colby Jack Risotto

Tomato Gratin

If you or someone you know has a garden, then I'm sure you have been or will about to be inundated with tomatoes. September is the "last hurrah" of tomato season here in NJ and every year, my in laws grow more tomatoes than they know what to do with. Lucky for me, I get them to experiment and cook with their overabundance. Some recipes I create are healthy. Others not so much. I guess I'm just having one of those "I don't care what I eat" weeks after yesterday's Beef Stroganoff. Anyway, this recipe for Tomato Gratin certainly falls into this category, but man is it worth it! 

Tomato Gratin

Prep Time: 10 minutes  Cook Time: 25 minutes  Total Time: 35 minutes    Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6 Large Roma Tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 c. Asiago Cheese, shredded
• 1/4 c. Fresh Basil, chopped
• 1 c. Italian Flavored Breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp. Butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Layer tomatoes in an 8"x8" oven safe baking dish; then top with garlic and drizzle with oil. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven. 
3. In a small bowl, combine the cheese basil, breadcrumbs and butter. Mix until it is crumbly; then sprinkle on top of the tomatoes. 
4. Place the dish back in the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned. 

Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 340, Carbs 19.4g, Fat 23g, Protein 11.3g, Fiber 2.1g, Sugar 1.3g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Tomato Gratin Shopping List

Buffalo Roasted Potato Wedges

Over the summer, one of my daughters friends contacted me for the Grilled Chicken Buffalo Pasta recipe I made a while back because she wanted to make it herself. Then it occurred to me that the easy combination could be used on a variety of things and these Buffalo Roasted Potato Wedges were born. We don't like food overly spicy, so I just added a touch of hot sauce, but if you're like my niece...the hotter the better so add as much as you like. These made a nice side dish with some baked chicken, but would go with just about anything. I also loved how there are only three ingredients...BONUS!

Buffalo Roasted Potato Wedges
Total Time: 60 minutes            Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 5 Medium Russet Potatoes, peeled
• 4 tbsp. Butter, melted
• 2+ tsp. Louisiana Hot Sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
2. Cut each potato into approximately eight wedges by slicing the potato in half lengthwise; then cutting each half into quarters. Place them in a bowl. 
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat; then add in the hot sauce. If you like it hotter, add more sauce to your liking. 
4. Add the melted butter to the potatoes and toss to coat; then line them on a baking sheet. 
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking process until they are golden brown. 

Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 239, Carbs 32.5g, Fat 11.5g, Protein 3.9g, Fiber 2.5g, Sugar 1.3g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Buffalo Roasted Potato Wedges Shopping List

Eggplant Fritters

About two years ago, I had my first fritter while vacationing in Greece. They were made with zucchini and I loved them so much, I even made my own version upon my return and added the recipe to my cookbook. Before leaving for vacation, I was trying to clean out my refrigerator and realized I had an eggplant in there that I never got a chance to use. I do that all the time. I go to the farmers market. Purchase so many fruits and vegetables that I can't possibly eat in one week, then go on a cooking frenzy trying to use them all up in different ways before they go bad!

So I decided to make these Eggplant Fritters. I really liked them, but the kids...not so much. Though they didn't eat them right out of the frying pan; which really wasn't a fair assessment as these do taste much better when eaten right after frying. You could also bake these if you wanted to save some of the calories and fat, but you wouldn't get that crispiness that comes from frying them.

Eggplant Fritters

Prep Time: 15 minutes                Yield: 8

Cook Time:  8 minutes                Serving: 1 each

Total Time:  23 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Medium Eggplant (approx. 1 1/2 c grated)
• 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
• 1 Plum Tomato, small dice
• 1 Scallion, chopped
• 1 Egg
• 3/4 c. All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Rinse eggplant under cold water, remove the top and bottom and grate the eggplant using a hand grater or food processor with the grater attachment. 
2. Place the grated eggplant in a clean dishtowel and squeeze out any extra liquid; then add to a bowl. 
3. Add the garlic, basil, tomatoes, scallions, egg, flour, and baking powder to the eggplant and mix well. If the mixture is still a little too wet and won't form a small ball without falling apart, gradually add a little more flour. 
4. Heat the oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium to medium-high heat. 
5. Using a kitchen soup spoon, scoop out the eggplant mixture and place in the hot oil. Repeat for all fritters and flatten them down using the back of a spoon or spatula. 
6. Cook 3-4 minutes per side until they are lightly brown and have fluffed up a bit. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 158, Carbs 13.7g, Fat 10.6g, Protein 2.7g, Fiber 2.9g, Sugar 1.8g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Eggplant Fritters Shopping List