Recipe for Creole-Seasoned and Pan-Fried Pork Cutlets with Tomato and Red Bell Pepper Salsa

There are lots of you out there counting down to the Superbowl, and I might impress the Saints fans by saying I planned these Creole-seasoned pork cutlets in honor of the big game, but that would be a lie. This recipe actually came about because I had pork loin chops and red bell peppers hanging out in the fridge and a few wayward cherry tomatoes on the counter. Rubbing the chops with a Creole-seasoned mix before I pounded them into cutlets was just an experiment that worked, and luckily I had the sense to take some photos while I made this, because it turned out to be a keeper.

Click to continue reading

Friday Night Photos: Two Thumbs Up for New Red Iguana Location in Salt Lake City!

It was nearly four years ago when I first acknowledged my love for Salt Lake City's Red Iguana Restaurant in a post on the blog. Then a few weeks ago I was excited to hear that Red Iguana 2 was opening, literally blocks away from the original location. Now you can go to one Red Iguana and if it's standing-room-only with people waiting for tables, it's a 5 minute drive to the other location. I think that plan was a stroke of marketing genius on the part of Lucy Cardenas, the personable and charming owner of the Red Iguanas. I've been to the new Red Iguana several times since it opened, and I love the new Red Iguana 2 just as much as the original one. It's been a while since I shared restaurant photos for Friday Night Photos, but these are some of the dishes that make eating at the Red Iguana always so memorable.

Click to continue reading

Recipe for Braised Cauliflower with Garlic and Anchovies

(Updated and added to Recipe Favorites: January 2010.) I'm guessing at least a few of you saw the word "anchovies" in the recipe title and weren't excited about it. I felt that way about anchovies for a long time, but when I finally started cooking with them a few years ago, I really came to appreciate the salty and umami-rich flavor that the tiniest amount of anchovies or anchovy paste can bring to a dish. In this recipe, the combination of garlic and anchovies turn this simple dish of braised cauliflower into something that you'll want to make over and over, which is why I think it's perfect to be added to my category for Recipe Favorites.

Click to continue reading

Kalyn's Kitchen Picks: FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer Machine

I'm years behind in spotlighting the FoodSaver Vacuum Sealermachine as one of my Kalyn's Kitchen Picks, because this product is something I've owned for over 20 years and use all the time to freeze or store foods I buy in bulk. Interestingly, what has kept me from featuring the FoodSaver is also a good reason to recommend it, because the one I use is now so old it doesn't look much like the newer models, so I didn't want to take a photo of it. After I'd had my original FoodSaver about 10 years it quit working (completely my fault, because I had sucked water into the machine when vacuum-packing Feta cheese). I called FoodSaver and for a very small fee they sent me a refurbished model that I've used ever since! (Just for the record and to keep the FTC happy, FoodSaver has no idea I'm featuring this product, and they have never given me samples or paid me in any way to promote their vacuum-packing systems.)

Click to continue reading

Recipe for Ground Turkey and Bean Stew with Cumin, Green Chiles, and Cilantro

A reader named Katherine from Sacramento sent me the link to green chile chicken and pink bean stew that inspired this turkey and bean stew with green chiles. I used ground turkey instead of chicken thighs, and Rancho Gordo Yellow Indian Woman Beans instead of pink beans, but I kept the generous amount of garlic, cumin, and diced green chiles from the original recipe. I also added a can of refried beans to thicken the stew, and although it ended up being not not overly photogenic, this turned out to be the kind of comforting stew I'd love to have in the freezer for a quick dinner. Don't skip the lime wedges for serving this; they're the perfect finishing touch.

Click to continue reading

Five Fun Things on Friday (1-22-10)

Photo of Southern Utah Desert from PDPhoto.org

Once again it's time for some Friday Night fun. These links are all things I've spotted on the web this week. (The truth is, I find most of them on Twitter, where I spend far too much time some days.) Keep reading to see why photos of Southern Utah are featured in this weeks intro.

Click to continue reading

Recipe for Eggs Fried in Olive Oil with Wilted Greens and Sumac

When I was a kid, my mom used to fry eggs in bacon grease. Mom would cook the eggs until they were slightly crispy on the edges, and mom's fried eggs, with a whisper of bacon grease flavor, were something I loved for breakfast back in the day. Fast forward quite a few years, and I now like olive oil much more than bacon grease, so I have no idea why it took me so long to try this way of cooking eggs. The idea of frying eggs in olive oil is something I thought might be a nice option for Phase One Breakfasts that so many people are looking for this time of year. If you're not on a diet, or not on phase one, I'd add some 100% whole wheat toast to this for a breakfast that might just be better than mom used to make.

Click to continue reading