Filtering by Author: Nicole Straight
Ask Chef Nicole: Asian Turkey Vegetable Potstickers
Features Asian Ask Chef Nicole Chef Talk kids activity Recipe Kid FriendlyChef Nicole has mastered the art of the kid-friendly recipe that works just as well the adults in the crowd. These Asian Turkey Vegetable Potstickers are a perfect hands-on activity for all ages. Personally, all that folding took me right back to those origami craft projects from my younger days. These little GBD packages are deceptively simple to make and very tasty. We also have a vegetarian version below. Try 'em in your house and let us know what you think.
Asian Turkey Vegetable Potstickers
Chef Nicole: Chocolate Ganache Cake w/ Hazelnut Praline
Features Ask Chef Nicole Chef Talk Recipe Dessert
Ok people...there are tons of delicious recipes on CTbites, but this is hands down my favorite to date. Chef Nicole won an award for this Almost Flourless Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Hazelnut Praline, and after your first bite, you'll know why. We used dark chocolate left over from the "Sustainable Dark Chocolate Tasting" we had earlier in the week, so it was truly outrageous. (More on that later). Bonus: The extra ganache can be used to dip fruit into resulting in a beautiful accompaniment to this decadent treat. Forget flowers this Valentine's Day...just make cake.
Almost Flourless Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Hazelnut Praline
Roasted Cauliflower Soup with White Truffle Oil
Features Ask Chef Nicole Soups healthy Recipe Comfort Food
Uh....It has white truffle oil in it. Need we say more?
Roasted Cauliflower Soup with White Truffle Oil
½ onion finely chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
1½ C. cauliflower florets
5 C. (40 oz.) chicken stock
1 Tbs. smoked salt (Penzey’s in Norwalk sells one and Whole Foods sells a delicious Chardonnay smoked fleur de sel)
cracked black pepper
¼ c. chives for garnish
truffle oil
Winter Comfort Food: Lamb with Leeks & White Beans
Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Comfort Food
On a snowy day, there is nothing like slow cooked meat and savory beans. Braising (where the main ingredient is seared, or browned in fat, and then simmered in liquid on low heat in a covered pot) is a low-effort way to get that great tender fall-off-the-bone meat we all crave.
If you are still stalling on your New Year's Eve menu, this is an easy recipe to make for both a dinner party or a cozy quiet night at home.
Hmmm..I may need to go pick up some lamb shanks and whip up a pot right now.
Lamb with Leeks and White Beans
Entertaining: Shrimp, Mango & Jalapeno Lettuce Cups
Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Recipe
Need a menu item for your New Year's Eve party? Why not try these elegant and easy to prepare lettuce cups filled with shrimp and mango? They have a great subtle kick, and can be made with slightly un-ripe mangoes so you don't have to drive all over town looking for the perfect fruit.
Here is the real beauty of this dish. You can prepare almost all of this recipe ahead of time so you can actually enjoy the party instead of slaving away in the kitchen while your guests party on without you.
Check out my directions for pre-prepping below:
Shrimp with Lime, Mango and Jalapeno in Lettuce Cups
Cookies Part 1: Give the Gift of Homemade Cookie Dough
Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Recipe Kid Friendly Dessert
Who doesn't appreciate a tin of cookies around the holidays? Well we've got some great tried and true recipes for cookies of all shapes and flavors. But before you pop these Coconut-lime Snowballs, Chocolate, Pecan and Orange Biscotti, Dark Chocolate Chewy Cherry Cookies, Lemon Snickerdoodles, or Chewy Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies in the oven....why not gift without the heat? A gift of uncooked cookie dough allows the recipient the freedom to enjoy his or her cookies whenever desired. Plus YOUR gift won't go stale while your mail carrier or teacher attempts to consume the other 10 tins they received.
Just wrap your dough in parchment, wax paper, or plastic wrap, and let your giftee know that it might be a good idea to get this parcel into the fridge as soon as possible. (Cooking instructions are helpful as well). For those of you who just want to bake up some delicious cookies, here are the recipes mentioned above.
Butternut Squash Chevre Ravioli in Sage Butter
Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Kid FriendlySure the cold weather brings fewer local fruits and vegetables, but have no fear, there's one versatile fruit (yes, it's a fruit) that you can count on in any season. I'm talking about the formidable squash, specifically the Butternut Squash that keeps us nourished with Vitamins A & C throughout the Fall and Winter months.
This recipe for Butternut Squash Chevre Ravioli in Sage Butter falls into the category of elegant comfort food. You could include this dish in a dinner party menu or serve 'em up for a weeknight family dinner. The goat cheese and browned sage butter add nuance to your more standard squash ravioli and the result is remarkably delicious.
These little pasta pockets look complicated but they are actually quite simple to construct if you follow my step-by-step video with added tips and tricks.
Butternut squash chevre ravioli in sage butter
Homemade Holiday Gifts: Vanilla Sugar & Extract
Ingredients Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Recipe Dessert
Tired of giving your teachers and hosts the same bottle of wine, gift certificates, or coffee table books? Why not make your own eatable holiday gifts this year? CT Bites makes gift planning easy with our ongoing December feature "Homemade Holiday Gifts." No, we're not getting out the hot glue gun. We're getting crafty in the kitchen with delicious gift ideas that everybody will enjoy: Homemade Vanilla Extract & Vanilla Sugar.
Ask Chef Nicole: Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe
Thanksgiving is my all time favorite holiday, there’s no pressure to give gifts, and the whole day is about being together with people you love (or at least like very much) and think about all of the things I am grateful for. And of course, there’s the meal…
When it comes to Thanksgiving, I must admit I am a bit of a purist. I want to know that this annual meal will taste exactly as it did last year and the year before that. The recipes I use are the ones my mother used and the ones her mother used. While I have made some small changes over the years (mostly to make life easier) the flavors are exactly the same as I remember them when I was young. My other favorite thing about Thanksgiving is the day after Thanksgiving sandwich, which is basically a little bit of everything (warmed just a little) stuffed between 2 soft pieces of white bread.
When you make these recipes, be sure to make a little extra so you have enough for those yummy “day after sandwiches." Here are three of my favorites: Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Prosciutto, Chestnuts and Apple; Mapled Sweet Potatoes; Classic Cranberry Sauce.
It's Breakfast Time: Eggs in Phyllo, Pita or Tortilla Cups
Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Breakfast Kid Friendly
You wake up on Saturday morning. You're feeling guilty about feeding your kids frozen waffles every day this week. It's time to break out of the mould and try out a new recipe...something with a little pizazz. How about eggs? Boring you may say, but these are not just any eggs. This is an egg breakfast that comes wrapped in its own carb (in the form of phyllo, tortilla, or pita cups). With the addition of veggies, cheese, or meat you've got a whole meal in one tasty little package.
They look complicated but they only take about 20 minutes, and your family will love the results.
Eggs in phyllo, pita bread, or tortilla cups
Ask Chef Nicole: Chicken Pot Pie...Easy Comfort Food
Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Comfort Food Kid FriendlyA few days ago I had some puff pastry left over from one of my cooking classes, and given the autumn chill, I decided to make a chicken pot pie. I used to love these growing up, and my mother loved making them-- remove from freezer, open box and bake 40 minutes. My recipe is not quite that simple as it is made from scratch, but short of a frozen entree, this chicken pot pie is as easy as it gets.
Don't be intimidated by the ingredients. The foundation for this savory baked pie is the mirepoix (diced onion, celery and carrot) which you can purchase from Trader Joe's. Now how's that for convenient? Feel free to leave out whatever veggies you don't have on hand, and don't be afraid of frozen vegetables. If you're tight on time, they can be a great shortcut.
Enjoy, and watch my step-by-step video for additional cooking tips.
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
What's in Your Lunchbox? Do-it-Yourself Pizza Dippers
Kids Bites Ask Chef Nicole What's in your Lunchbox? kids activity Recipe Kid Friendly
What snack food is more universal and beloved than pizza? As a play on this perennial favorite we thought we would create a deconstructed pizza that kids could have fun assembling at their desks. Instead of standard pizza crust, we are using tortillas for their flexibility and wrap-ability. Sure, you could cut up some handmade triangled pizza crust, or even pita bread for this one. Build them any way you want.
You will need a few small containers for proper travel, but your children will be the envy of the classroom.
Turkey pepperoni, shredded cheese and tortilla “pizza dippers”
Halloween Recipes: Screamin’ Meanie Pulled Pork Bites
Kids Bites Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Recipe Kid Friendly
Here is yet another fun and tasty party pleaser. We have listed two techniques for the creation of this delicious dish. Your selected preparation will depend on your expendable time, and your desire for home made fare vs. store bought ingredient assembly. We made these both ways over the weekend, and you will be happy with the results either way.
If you are not a regular pulled pork eater, try it. The sweetness of the BBQ sauce, and the tenderness of the slow cooked pork makes this a real treat.
Technique #1 I'm short on time:
Screamin’ Meanie Pulled Pork Bites (Mini corn bread and pulled pork sandwiches)
Easy Halloween Party Recipes Part 1: Bloody Fingers
Kids Bites Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Recipe Kid Friendly
Halloween is around the corner, and this week, in honor of this ghoulish holiday, CT Bites will feature a daily recipe to help you plan the perfect Halloween party. These dishes are both adult and kid-friendly, and are simple time-saving delicious meals that will leave you plenty of time for dress-up. This is the first in our series, and really... what defines the real joy of Halloween more perfectly than eatable severed body parts?
These "Bloody Fingers" are an updated version of a perennial favorite, pigs in a blanket. I like to use chorizo, but you could substitute chicken apple sausage or Portuguese linguica.
Bloody Fingers in a Blanket (AKA chorizo in puff pastry)
Soup's On!! 17 Bean & Barley Soup Mix from Trader Joe's
Features Ask Chef Nicole Soups Recipe Kid Friendly
Soup season is upon us bringing to the table a plethora of wonderful Fall dinner options. I am always on the hunt for interesting new contenders for my weekly line-up, so I jumped on a tip from a friend who recommended that I check out the 17 Bean & Barley Mix from Trader Joe’s.
The bag's ingredient list has an interesting assortment of, you guessed it, 17 types of barley and dried beans, including black eyed peas, pinto, lentils and navy. You would certainly enjoy this bean mix up straight, but I decided to throw in some added protein and a little varied flavor with the help of some smoked turkey wings, (although you could use a ham hock or bacon as well).
Here’s my recipe for Hearty Bean & Smoked Turkey Soup. This soup can also be made vegetarian by omitting the turkey and using vegetable stock. It is a simple weeknight entree everyone will enjoy.
Ask Chef Nicole: Quick & Easy Mini Meatloaves
Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Comfort Food Kid Friendly
Sometimes the meatloaf can be a daunting dinner entree...not because it is difficult to prepare, but because it is lacking visual appeal when sliced table-side. In thinking about how to make the meatloaf a more attractive kid-friendly entree, I decided to pull from my arsenal the kitchen pan most pleasing to the under 12 set...the muffin tin. Recreated in smaller, (and dare I say cuter) rounds, this classic comfort food is both delicious and healthy, especially with the added vegetables sneaked in the mirepoix base. (Hey, if Reagan was able to count catsup as a vegetable, I'm counting carrots, celery and onion.) If you are somebody who purchased those ridiculous brownie pans to maximize the crispy edges, you will love these. Enjoy!
Watch Chef Nicole's step-by-step video for proper mini meatloaves preparation.
Halloween Party Recipes Part 2: Caramel Popcorn Balls
Kids Bites Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday kids activity Kid Friendly Dessert
What's a party without the popcorn? These sweet and salty treats are always a favorite (remove spiders before eating). This recipe lends itself nicely to child participation...as long as they don't mind getting a little sticky.
To amp up the gruesomeness, melt some white chocolate in the microwave or over a double broiler and add 2-3 drops of red food coloring. Then drip the "blood" over the finished popcorn balls.
For a more savory snack, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to the caramel.
Caramel Popcorn Balls
Ask Chef Nicole: Healthy Apple Granola Muffins
You asked for it, so here is another great snack idea for your kids (that you older folks will enjoy as well). You have likely made several trips to the farm by mid- October, or feel like you are mid-orchard as you stroll through the overflowing piles of fresh apples and pears at your local market. In keeping with the season, I came up with these delicious muffins as a perfect anytime snack... plus they freeze beautifully. For a little extra decadence, spread on some fresh apple butter. Please note that pears can be substituted. Enjoy, and tell your kids to post their opinion on the site!
Healthy Apple Granola Muffins
Ask Chef Nicole: Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Ask Chef Nicole Soups Recipe Farm FreshLocal CT farms are long on butternut squash these days so it is readily and inexpensively available at all your local farm stands and markets. This fruit has a wonderful sweet creamy consistency and nutty flavor, thus lending itself nicely to soups without requiring added fat or sweetener.
When you are selecting your squash, look for fruit that feels heavy for its size and has a nice hard, deep colored skin free of blemishes. The more orange the skin color, the riper and sweeter the squash.
This is a very simple recipe that has great nuance from the curry, cumin, and lime zest. It has become a mainstay in my household every Fall.
Curried Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
