Tag: tampa foodie

Cookies, Recipes

Butter Beer Cookies

Whisk Away Kitchen

If you love Harry Potter then these cookies are definitely for you! 

But if you’re not much of a fan, no worries- you will still love them! These cookies are chewy flavored with butterscotch, vanilla and white chocolate. 

My friends and I are Universal Studio Annual pass holders so we visit the parks and Harry Potter world regularly. Butter beer is always a must when we are there so when a friend sent me a recipe for cookies, I was inspired to create my own! I hope these cookies transport you right into the wizarding world!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 sticks Unsalted Butter Melted
  • 1 cup Light Brown Soft Sugar
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Medium Egg
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 cups all purpose Flour
  • 3 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 box Butterscotch Cook & Serve Pudding
  • 1 ½ cups White Chocolate Chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl, using an electric/stand mixer, combine the butter and both sugars on medium speed for several minutes, until fully combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix again.

Add the flour, baking powder, butterscotch pudding mixture and white chocolate chips, and fold until combined. 

Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit .

 Line 2-3 large baking trays. Roll into about 12 balls or use a medium size cookie scoop. 

Place on lined baking sheets.

Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden and just crisping up at the edges 

Let cool on a wire rack

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On the Side, Recipes

Country Squash Casserole

Whisk Away Kitchen

This recipe reminds me of visiting the Dillards House in Georgia. My family has a cabin in Franklin, North Carolina; about twenty minutes from the Dillard House. It is one of my favorite places to eat whenever I visit. Think family style with generous portions of the best homemade Southern dishes you’ve ever had. Every time we would go in the summer they would serve up this buttery summer squash casserole. 

This country squash casserole is great for a summer side dish, a cookout, a family dinner, and pretty much any other occasion where you’re feeding a crowd. Another major plus is that it requires just 5 minutes of prep time and only a handful of ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 small yellow squash, thinly sliced
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1 stick of butter, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ cup water, or more as needed
  • 35 buttery round crackers, crushed
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Melkt one tablespoon of butter on a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until fragrant. 

Place squash in the skillet and stir to mix with onion and garlic. Pour in water. Cover, and cook until squash is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and place in a large bowl.

Mix cracker crumbs and cheese together in a medium bowl. Stir half of the cracker mixture into the cooked squash and onions.

Mix eggs and milk together in a small bowl, then add to the squash mixture.

Stir in 4 tablespoons of melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cracker mixture, and dot with the remaining butter.

Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, and starting to bubble and the topping is lightly golden brown in color, about 35 minutes. You can also broil on low for the last few minutes to finish browning the panko topping.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately. 

Healthy, Recipes

Shrimp Pad Thai with Spaghetti Squash

Whisk Away Kitchen

This homemade Pad Thai with spicy shrimp, spaghetti squash, peanuts and cilantro for a low carb dish you will prepare again and again. It’s super easy to make, the entire dish can be ready in 15 minutes flat.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large Spaghetti Squash
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lb. Shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 pint mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 Eggs Beaten
  • 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 Tablespoons Peanut butter
  • 2 Tablespoons Rice vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
  • 1 Tablespoon Sriracha
  • 1 TablespoonSesame seed oil
  • 1 Cup Bean Sprouts
  • ½ Cup Dry Roasted Peanuts
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • ½ Cup Chopped fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Cut squash in half and remove membrane and seeds. Then brush both sides with olive oil, inside and out. Bake on a foil lined baking sheet until tender (45 minutes) with the cut side down.

Once cooked, remove from the oven allow the squash to cool upright for 10 minutes. Using a fork, rake the inside of the squash and move the spaghetti to a bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add in the shrimp and cook on each side until pink and no longer translucent.  Remove from the pan.

Add the onions to the pan and saute, about 3-5 minutes.  Push the onion to one side and add the mushrooms, saute until cooked. Mix the onion and mushrooms together, season with salt and pepper. Make well in between the vegetables, add the beaten egg.  Scramble the egg with a spatula, then combine with the vegetables.

Add in the garlic, peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce,sesame oil and Sriracha.  Stir until all combined and scrape any browned bits or egg from the bottom of the skillet.

Add in the cooked spaghetti squash, peanuts, and lime juice.  Toss with tongs until combined.  Top with the cilantro and shrimp and serve.

Recipes, Sunday dinner

Truffle Salisbury Steak

Whisk Away Kitchen
Tender seasoned beef patties smothered in mushrooms & shallots baked in a rich a decadent gravy.

Salisbury steak is the ultimate comfort food. Here’s a twist on an oldie… In this recipe I made some slight changes to dress it up!

The patties are made with lean beef because it has a lot of flavor but it’s not overly greasy. The meat is mixed with truffle oil, barbeque sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cheese and seasonings, then formed into oval shaped “steaks”.

The patties are cooked to golden brown, and then a simple gravy is made with shallots, mushrooms, beef broth and a little flour which is used as a thickener.

The end result is tender flavorful patties that are just smothered in rich gravy. 

You can serve them over mashed potatoes or my favorite wild rice. 

INGREDIENTS 

Meat Mixture:

  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce 
  • 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ cup shredded Italian blend cheese
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley 
  • 1 egg
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon truffle oil or olive oil

Gravy:

  • 4 shallots, thinly slices 
  • 1 pint sliced mushrooms 
  • 2 cups beef broth, more if needed for thinning
  • 1 teaspoon truffle oil, if using
  • 1 tablespoon barbecue 
  • 4 dashes Worcestershire
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme 
  • 2 tablespoon flour, add more if needed
  • Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

For the meat mixture: 

Combine all the ingredients. Knead until all combined. Form into 4 to 6 oval patties.

Fry the patties in a skillet with the butter and oil over medium-high heat on both sides until no longer pink in the middle. Remove from the skillet and pour off any excess grease.

For the gravy: 

Reduce the heat to medium and add in the mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes then add in the sliced shallots. Stir and cook until golden brown and somewhat soft, for several minutes. Add the beef stock, truffle oil, barbecue, and Worcestershire. Sprinkle in the dried herbs and combine. 

Make a well in the middle of the pan and add the flour. Whisk until combined. 

Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and more broth if needed for thinning. Then return the patties to the gravy. Spoon the gravy over the top and let them simmer and heat back up for a couple of minutes.

Serve over wild rice, white rice or mashed potatoes. 

On the Side, Recipes

Grilled Corn Salad

Whisk Away Kitchen

This corn and Shishito pepper salad gets loads of flavor from the grill. Don’t be scared away by the peppers. Shishito peppers are a mild spicy East Asian pepper that is often served in Asian restaurants as an appetizers. They incredibly versatile and work in so many different kinds of recipes. But the real star of this recipe is the summer corn, fresh from upstate New York. My best friend’s mom sent him a bunch and I was lucky enough to grab some!

Grill some chicken thighs or salmon to serve alongside. Trust me this will become your new favorite summer salad!!

Ingredients

  • 4 ears corn, husked
  • 6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil plus 1/3 cup, divided
  • 2 shallots, rough chop
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 
  • 6-9 shishito peppers 
  • 3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

INSTRUCTIONS 

Place a grill basket on a grill; preheat on high for 10 minutes.

Toss peppers, shallots and tomatoes with 2 teaspoons of oil in a medium bowl. Transfer to the grill basket.

Brush corn with 2 teaspoons of oil. 

Place the corn directly on the grates. 

Grill the vegetables, turning occasionally, until lightly charred in spots, 8 to 10 minutes for the corn and peppers. 

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1/3 cup oil, vinegar, garlic, honey, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Cut the corn from the cobs.

Add the corn, tomatoes, and peppers to the dressing along with the feta; stir gently to combine.

Healthy, Recipes

Summer Zucchini Skillet

Whisk Away Kitchen

This quick, one-pot ground turkey skillet with zucchini, corn, tomatoes, and black beans is great for weeknight dinner or meal prep!

INGREDIENTS

  • 14 ounces from 2 medium or 1 large zucchini, quartered and sliced 3/4 inch
  • 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3/4 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
  • 1 can diced tomato, drained 
  • 1 jalapeño, diced
  • 1 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon honey 
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup white wine or water
  • lime wedges, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

Spray a large skillet over high heat with oil and brown the turkey, season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon cumin.

Cook, breaking the meat up until the turkey is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Push the meat to the side, add the onion and cook 1 minute.

Add the black beans, corn, tomato, jalapeño pepper, garlic, and stir with 1/4 cup wine/water.

Add the zucchini remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cumin.

Mix and cover, cook low 4 to 5 minutes or until the zucchini is tender crisp.

Serve with lime wedges and more cilantro if desired.

Healthy, Recipes

Zucchini Noodles with Sausage and Kale

Whisk Away Kitchen

This zucchini noodle recipe is keto friendly and packed with flavor!

Using a simple zucchini spiralizer or a vegetable julienne peeler, this meal just requires a few ingredients. You can adapt it any way that you want. Add sausage, tomatoes or more vegetables to make it a perfect fit for your family. 

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 medium zucchini, spiralized
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 pound sweet Italian ground sausage 
  • 4 cups kale, chopped
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS 

Using your favorite vegetable spiralizer, turn your zucchini into noodles; set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. 

Add sausage to the pan, using a wooden spoon to break down meat into bite-sized pieces. 

Cook until cooked through and golden brown, about 7-9 minutes. 

Add kale to the pan and sauté until it starts to wilt and turn bright green, about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Toss in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and zucchini noodles to the pan, sauté until zucchini is just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. 

Right before removing from the heat, stir in the parmesan cheese and toss until melted. Check for seasoning then add salt or pepper to taste.

Healthy, On the Side, Recipes

Grapefruit Salad with a Citrus Cilantro Dressing

Whisk Away Kitchen

This salad is perfect for summer!

It is refreshing and tart, with arugula, sliced red onions and creamy goat cheese, all topped with a citrusy cilantro dressing. It’s great as a side salad or add some protein to make it an entrée! It is especially delicious served alongside salmon!

INGREDIENTS 

For the dressing:

  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, packed, stems mostly removed
  • 1 medium-sized pink grapefruit, juiced
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½  tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

For the salad:

  • 4–5 cups arugula
  • 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1 large pink grapefruit, sliced with skin on or peeled and split into wedges
  • 1/2 medium-sized red onion, peeled and sliced thinly

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the dressing:

Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend on high until well combined but bits of cilantro still remain.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Just shake or stir before adding to the salad.

Assemble the salad:

In a large bowl, add the arugula, goat cheese, grapefruit and onion. Add the desired amount of dressing and toss to combine.

Healthy, Recipes

Cheeseburger Stir Fry

Whisk Away Kitchen

Are you looking to cut out carbs but love burgers?

This recipe is for you! It’s packed with that burger flavor we all love minus the carbs!!

You can switch out the ground turkey for beef or even pork and feel free to add a drizzle of ketchup if you are not too worried about the carbs!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground turkey 
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 bag coleslaw salad bag 
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced 
  • ½ cup diced dill pickles
  • ¼ cup diced pickled jalapeños 
  • 3 tbsp Dijon mustard or your favorite mustard 
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Salt & pepper 
  • Fresh parsley for garnish 

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium heat.

Once hot, add the ground turkey and break it up to cook.

When turkey is no longer pink, add the garlic and onions, salt and pepper, and saute for 2 minutes.

Add the coleslaw bag, jalapeños and pickles. Put a lid on the skillet and let the coleslaw cook down for about 3 minutes – until cabbage is tender.

Once cooked down, stir in the mustard and water. Allow excess water to cook down, and if your mixture is really dry, add a tablespoon of water in.

Stir in the shredded cheese.

Garnish with parsley. 

Adapted from 

https://mealplanaddict.com/low-carb-cheeseburger-stir-fry/

Early Riser, Healthy, Recipes

Zucchini Quiche Minis

Whisk Away Kitchen

While these crustless low carb quiches are small, they offer big flavor, and they are a cinch to make.

I just started doing Weight Watchers so I’ve been trying to create low carb and low point meals. I was pleasantly surprised how delicious these turned out and they’re only one point each!

Ingredients 

  • 2 small zucchini, finely chopped
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 6 large eggs or substitute with egg beaters
  • ½ cup flour
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons Olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Salt and pepper 

Instructions 

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat two 24-hole nonstick mini muffin pans with cooking spray.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon egg mixture into each prepared hole, making sure to stir mixture in bowl after filling each one.

Bake until bottoms are golden brown and quiche is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and let quiche cool for a few minutes in pan; remove quiche to a wire rack to cool more (and repeat with remaining ingredients if necessary).