Author: kimcrossin

Romesco Sauce
June 26, 2024

Romesco Sauce

Romesco Sauce If you have never had romesco sauce you are in for a treat.  It is creamy, slightly smoky and sweet from the roasted red peppers and has some umami from parmigiano reggiano. This sauce is perfect to make during summer when red peppers …

Sauce, Summer
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by kimcrossin
Skirt Steak with Roasted Pepper & Peach Salsa
June 19, 2024

Skirt Steak with Roasted Pepper & Peach Salsa

Skirt Steak with Roasted Pepper & Peach Salsa This perfectly cooked skirt steak with a fresh roasted red pepper and peach salsa is a perfect summer dinner for a weekend or special night. I love to pair this with melting potatoes served with a romesco …

Healthy-ish, Mains, Summer
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by kimcrossin
Nantucket Lobster Rolls
June 6, 2024

Nantucket Lobster Rolls

Nantucket Lobster Rolls

Lobster Rolls have a lot of strong opinions about them but mine is that I absolutely love them. People either strictly prefer mayonnaise or butter as a sauce for the lobster.  I’ve heard others who obviously haven’t had one that knocked their socks off and weren’t fans of lobster meat in a hot dog bun. 

My husband and I order lobster rolls any chance we get and our favorite lobster roll comes from Nantucket. Our cousin grew up on the island with her sister and parents who have hosted us a few summers in a row a while back (pre- married with kids era). Kerry knows the ins and outs of the food and drink scene and is a highly trusted source. She recommended Barlett Farm’s lobster roll to us out of all the restaurants on the island who have them on their menu. It’s is to die for. The sauce is slightly creamy, lemony and herby but doesn’t take away from the succulent and sweet lobster. My mouth is watering, is yours?  

This is my version of the lobster roll from Bartlett’s Farm. The lobster gets tossed in a little bit of butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. Then we made a sauce with a little bit of mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, scallions, parsley, tarragon and chives.  The lobster then gets coated in as much of the sauce as you’d like and stuffed inside of a buttery and toasted New England style hot dog bun. 

What You'll Need

  • Lobster
  • Butter
  • Mayonaise
  • Lemon
  • Parsley
  • Tarragon
  • Scallions
  • Chives
  • Hot Dog Buns

To Make the Sauce

  • Mayonnaise, lemon juice and lemon zest: In a medium mixing bowl combine the aforementioned ingredients and whisk to thoroughly combine.
  • Herbs: Add in all of the chopped herbs and mix together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Assemble the Lobster Rolls

What Type of Lobster Should I Use?

Whole Lobster: An average 1 pound lobster tail will give you about 3 1/4 ounces of meat. Ask your fish monger to steam it for you to save time!

  • Remove the lobster meat from the shell.
    • First twist off the two large legs with claws.
      • Use a meat mallet to break the claw shell. Carefully remove the claw meat. 
    • Next, twist the tail apart from the head. Save the head to make stock.
      • Wrap the tail in a kitchen towel and using your hand squeeze the rounded side to crack it from the top to about 2 rings from the bottom.
      • Carefully remove pieces of the shell from the tail. Continue using the towel to assist with grip and avoiding any sharp pieces from cutting into you.
      • Once the top of the shell is removed from the tail, gently wiggle the meat out from the bottom.
    • Use crackers and a pick to remove the meat from the knuckles. 
    • Cut the meat into bite sized pieces. 

Frozen Lobster Meat

    • Thaw it and pat it dry
      • I like to drain it through a fine mesh sieve first then  lay it out on a dish towel and pat it dry with another towel. 
  •  

Dress the Meat

Butter

  • Toss the lobster meat with melted butter. Season with a pinch of salt. 

Creamy Lemon & Herb Sauce:

  • Drizzle the sauce over the buttery lobster and gently toss to coat. 
      •  

Serve

  • Toast New England Style Hot Dog Buns
    •  Brush each side with butter and toast in a skillet or on a grill over medium- medium-high heat until golden brown. 
  • Fill the toasted buns with the lobster meat. 
  • Serve with a side of chips or french fries. 

Nantucket Lobster Rolls

These lobster rolls are a little buttery, slightly creamy, a touch lemony and have a lot of fresh herbs. These are the perfect summer lunch or dinner when you want something simple yet special.
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Butter, Chives, Herbs, lobster, lobster roll, Mayonnaise, Newengland hot dog bun, Parlsey, Scallions, Tarragon
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • Meat Mallet
  • Seafood Cracker Set
  • Kitchen Towel
  • 2 Medium Bowls

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Lobster Meat cut into bite sized pieces
  • 4-6 Tbsp Butter
  • 1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 tsp Lemon zest
  • 2 Tbsp Scallions sliced, green parts only
  • 1 1/2 tsp Tarragon chopped
  • 2 tsp chives sliced
  • 1 tsp parsley chopped
  • 4 New England Style Hot Dog Buns

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl add the lobster meat and toss to coat with a couple tablespoons of butter. Season lightly with salt.
  • In another medium bowl combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest and herbs. Whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Drizzle the creamy lemon & herb sauce over the buttered lobster meat and toss to coat.
  • Toast the buns by brushing them with a little bit of butter and placing them in a skillet or on the grill over medium-medium-high heat until golden brown.
  • Fill the buns with the lobster filling and serve with chips or french fries!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Featured, Mains, Sandwiches & Tacos, Seafood, Spring/Summer Feature, Summer
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by kimcrossin
Blackened Salmon Bowls
May 15, 2024

Blackened Salmon Bowls

Blackened Salmon Bowls This bowl is nourishing and absolutely delicious. The salmon get’s blackened in a sweet and spicy mix and cooks to perfection in the air fryer. It sits on top of some grains and gets a fresh, crunchy side of red cabbage and …

Featured, Healthy-ish, Mains, Seafood, Spring, Spring/Summer Feature, Summer
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by kimcrossin
Candied Bacon
May 15, 2024

Candied Bacon

Candied Bacon This may be a bold statement but in my honest opinion candied bacon is one of the best appetizers you can throw down at any party. Bacon is always a crowd pleaser but when you caramelize it in brown sugar and maple syrup …

Appetizer, Breakfast & Brunch, Fall/Winter Feature, Featured
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by kimcrossin
Green Goddess Dressing
April 24, 2024

Green Goddess Dressing

Green Goddess Dressing

This dressing is so good with salad or even served as a dip along side raw veggies on a crudité board. It’s perfect for spring and summer when you want to use some fresh herbs. Here we use parsley, dill and chives to give us the beautiful green color. It’s herby and bright but also has a ranch vibe from the creaminess. 

What You'll Need

Make the Green Goddess Dressing

In a blender combine and blend 

  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup mayo + 2 Tbsp
  • 1/4 cup sour cream + 1 tbsp 
  • 1/4 cup dill
  • 1/4 cup parsley
  • 1/4 cup chives
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder 
  • Salt and pepper 

How to Use the Green Goddess Dressing

  • Serve as a dip along with raw vegetables on a crudite board. I love to make a snacking board with raw veggies, pretzels, pita chips, green goddess dip and hummus. 
    • Vegetables I love to use: 
      • Carrots  
      • Colorful Mini Peppers – slice in half and remove any seeds and membrane
      • Green beans – trim the ends, blanch in boiling water for two minutes and then submerge in an ice bath. 
      • Cucumber

Green Goddess Dressing

This dressing is so good on salad or even served as a dip along side raw veggies on a crudité board. It's perfect for spring and summer when you want a burst of fresh herbs or have a bunch to use up. Here we use parsley, dill and chives to give us the beautiful green color. It's herby and bright but also has a ranch vibe from the creaminess. 
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Course: Dressing, Sauce
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chives, Crudite, Dill, Dip, Dressing, Herbs, Parsley, Ranch, Raw Vegetables, Salad
Servings: 0

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Milk whole or 2%
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Mayo
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp Sour Cream
  • 1/4 cup Parsley packed
  • 1/4 cup Dill packed
  • 1/4 cup Chives packed
  • 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and cohesive,

Notes

Adjust the viscosity by adding more mayo & sour cream for a thicker consistency for a dip. 
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Dressing, Sauce, Spring
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by kimcrossin
Ultimate BBQ Chicken Salad
April 24, 2024

Ultimate BBQ Chicken Salad

Ultimate BBQ Chicken Salad I am not a salad person unless it is loaded and in this case it is. This ultimate chicken BBQ salad has tender honey BBQ chicken bites, charred corn, avocado, caramelized onions and roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas. Then it gets …

Healthy-ish, Mains, Soups & Salads, Spring/Summer Feature, Summer
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by kimcrossin
Brown Sugar Spiced Chicken Thighs with Moroccan Carrots & Chickpeas
April 19, 2024

Brown Sugar Spiced Chicken Thighs with Moroccan Carrots & Chickpeas

BROWN SUGAR SPICED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH MOROCCAN CARROTS & CHICKPEAS This meal was inspired from a recipe I tried in a cookbook called good clean food by Lily Kunin. You can find her cookbook linked HERE. It’s a plant based cookbook that is categorized by recipes …

Healthy-ish, Mains, Spring
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by kimcrossin
Healthy Spaghetti Squash Alfredo with Chicken and Broccoli
April 13, 2024

Healthy Spaghetti Squash Alfredo with Chicken and Broccoli

Healthy Spaghetti Squash Alfredo with Chicken and Broccoli

If you’re looking for something healthy, quick, easy and very satisfying I’ve got you covered. This spaghetti squash gets filled with chicken and broccoli and smothered in a creamy cashew Alfredo sauce. Oh also, it’s also made with less than 10 ingredients. The sauce is made with softened cashews, onions, garlic, nutritional yeast and some salt, garlic powder and water. Say what!? You heard me right. It may sound weird but I promise you it is absolutely delicious.  If you’re questionable I urge you to give it a try but you could easily substitute an Alfredo sauce made with milk and parmesan cheese too. On the other hand, if you want to omit the chicken and make this vegan this is a perfect vegan dinner. Just add peas in place of the chicken. 

What You'll Need

  • Spaghetti Squash – 1 medium sized spaghetti squash or frozen works too!
  • Broccoli – 2 medium sized heads of broccoli for about 3 cups of bite sized pieces. You can also use frozen broccoli thawed and drained. 
  • Chicken – I love to use a rotisserie chicken for this because it makes it that much faster!
  • Cashews – You want to use raw cashews that have either been soaked in water overnight or you can gently boil them for 10 minutes. 
  • Onion – 1 medium onion
  • Garlic – 2 large garlic cloves
  • Nutritional Yeast – Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy umami flavor to the Alfredo sauce without adding cheese. It also happens to have a lot of vitamins and minerals as well as all nine essential amino acids making it a complete protein. 
  • Garlic Powder – Because I love garlic powder. It adds more of a roasted garlic flavor vs a sharp garlic flavor. 
  • Fresh Bread Crumbs – I prefer fresh bread crumbs that I make from a few slices of bread that I throw in the blender or food processor. You can substitute store bought bread crumbs or panko if you wish! 

To Make the Cashew Alfredo Sauce

  • Soak or Gently Boil the Cashews
    • Cover the cashews with water and allow to soak overnight at room temperature. 
    • Bring the cashews and water up to a gentle boil and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. 
    • Drain the cashews
  • Sauté the Onions & Garlic
    • In a pan over med-low heat add a little olive oil, the chopped onions and a little salt. Cover and stir occasionally for about 7 minutes. 
    • Add the garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes longer. 
  • Blend
    • In a blender combine the softened cashews, the onions and garlic, nutritional yeast, garlic powder (optional), salt and water. 
    • Blend until smooth.
  • Season to taste!

Make the Spaghetti Squash Chicken & Broccoli (Cashew) Alfredo

  • Preheat the oven to 350°
  • Prepare the Spaghetti Squash 
    • Pierce holes in the spaghetti squash and microwave for 5 minutes.
      • This makes it easier to cut in half.
    • Cut in half length wise.
    • Remove the seeds – use a spoon to scrape the seeds out.
    • Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and place cut side down on a baking sheet. 
    • Bake in the oven at 350° for about 30 minutes until easily pierced with a fork. 
    • Pull the strands of the spaghetti squash with a fork
  • Broccoli 
    • Cut the broccoli florets into small bite sized pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl with 2-3 tbsp of water. Cover with plastic wrap and pierce some holes in the top.
    • Microwave for 2 1/2 minutes and let stand for 3 more minutes.  
    • If using Frozen Broccoli – unthaw and drain of any water
  • Chicken 
    • If using Rotisserie Chicken –  cut the breast meat off of the bone and cube into 1 inch pieces. Use any dark meat if you would like as well!
    • My favorite method for easy juicy chicken breast. Learned from Katie Lee Biegel on the Kitchen.
      • Preheat the oven to 300° 
      • Pound the chicken breast a little bit until it’s an even thickness.
      • Sear on both sides for 1-2 minutes.
      • Put a lid on the pan and transfer to preheated oven for 8 minutes. 
      • Take the pan out of the oven and let sit for 8 more minutes with the lid on.
  • Combine & Mix
    • In a large bowl combine the spaghetti Squash, cubed chicken, broccoli and the cashew Alfredo sauce. Fold and mix together to thoroughly coat. 
    • Transfer back into the spaghetti squash boat or into a 9 x 13 casserole dish. 
  • Breadcrumbs
    • Pulse 3 slices of bread in a food processor or blender
    • Drizzle in a tablespoon or so of olive oil and mix together. 
    • Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the spaghetti squash with chicken and broccoli
  • Bake
    • Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the top is browned and it’s bubbling.

Spaghetti Squash Chicken and Broccoli with a Cashew Alfredo Sauce

If you're looking for something healthy, quick, easy and very satisfying I've got you covered. This spaghetti squash gets filled with chicken and broccoli and smothered in a creamy cashew Alfredo sauce.
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Alfredo, Baked Chicken Cutlets, Broccoli, Cashew Alfredo, Cashew cheese sauce, Spaghetti Squash
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 Medium Spaghetti Squash
  • 2 Medium Heads of Broccoli 3 cups bite sized pieces
  • 3 Cups Chicken cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 Large Onion chopped
  • 4 Cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 Cups Raw Cashews soaked overnight or *see notes
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder optional
  • 1 Cup Water Add up to 1/4 cup more water to reach desired consistency
  • 3/4 Cup Fresh Breadcrumbs *see notes
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Instructions

Bake the Spaghetti Squash

  • Preheat oven to 350°
  • Pierce holes in the spaghetti squash and microwave for 5 minutes. Cut in half length wise. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a sheet pan.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.
  • Once cool enough to handle use a fork to pull the strands of spaghetti squash.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°

Make the Cashew Alfredo Sauce

  • Heat a pan over medium-low - medium heat and drizzle in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally and allow to sweat with the lid on for about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes longer.
  • Combine the cashews, onions and garlic, nutritional yeast, garlic powder if you're using (optional), salt and 1 cup of water. Blend until smooth. Add up to 1/3 cup more water to reach desired viscosity.

Make the Chicken and Broccoli (Cashew) Alfredo

  • Put the broccoli florets into a microwave safe bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of water. Cover with plastic wrap and pierce holes in the top. Microwave for 2 1/2 minutes then let stand for 3 more minutes.
  • In a large bowl combine the spaghetti squash, chicken, broccoli and cashew alfredo sauce. Mix until everything is thoroughly coated in the sauce. Transfer the mixture back to the spaghetti squash boats or into a casserole dish.
  • Mix together the breadcrumbs with about a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle on top.
  • Bake in a preheated oven at 400° for about 25-30 minutes until browned on the top and bubbling.

Notes

  • CASHEWS : Soak the cashews overnight at room temperature OR gently simmer the cashews in water for 10 minutes to soften before blending.
  • BREAD CRUMBS: Tear up 3 slices of bread and put in a food processor, blender or magic bullet. Blend until they turn into fine breadcrumbs. You can also use store-bought. 
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Healthy-ish, Mains
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by kimcrossin
Shephard’s Pie
March 20, 2024

Shephard’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie Every year when St. Patrick’s Day comes around it’s time for me to make Shepherd’s Pie. Shepherd’s Pie is a mixture of lamb and vegetables that cook in a flavorful gravy, then it all gets topped with mashed potatoes and bakes until the …

Mains, Winter
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by kimcrossin