Month: December 2020

If my Great Grandmother were still here I’d like to think she would be proud of where I have come with my cooking. She was the OG chef in our family! Married to my Great Grandfather during WWII, moved to America from Italy and she brought all her delicious recipes with her. If you asked anyone who has ever tasted her cooking I guarantee you they would say they miss it and it was always amazing! Luckily for me she passed her skills down to my Grandmother who has passed some secrets down to me! 😎

One of my favorite dishes she used to make was Pesto which was usually paired with some little steaks or chicken type dish. My Grandmother taught me how to make it and I cook this dish at least 2 times if not more a month. I used to cook it so much I was requested to cut back on the amount of times I cook it 😂😅 And even now if my Grandmother was to ask me what I want for dinner my answer would first and always be pesto! 🤤

Then usually it is followed with a request for something that I like to call “little steak, chicken, or pork cutlets”. Pesto pretty much on anything makes it delicious in my opinion… However, for this recipe that is the ingredient I cannot share. Remember when I said there were some family recipes that I couldn’t share? Well this is one of them. However, you can buy pesto pretty much anywhere now premade. (It’s much easier than making it!) The second piece of this recipe however is super easy!

So before we dive in let’s talk Bread Crumbs! I don’t know about you but one of the things I can never seem to have enough of in my cabinet is bread crumbs. Something that I buy when I know I only have 1 container left, because I use them so often I do not want to run out. You will see throughout my blog posts that Progresso Italian Style Bread Crumbs are my go to and used often.💃🏼

What you will need for the Little Cutlets:

• Pork Cutlets (I usually buy two packages *you can use steak or chicken as mentioned above)
• Progreso Italian Style Bread crumbs
• 4 eggs (all depends on how many cutlets but you can always make more egg wash if needed)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oil

In a frying pan add enough oil to go about a half inch up from the bottom of the frying pan. Place on medium – high heat. Oil needs to be 350° in order to fry. I would stick closer to medium heat because you do not want to burn them. *The thermometer I recommended in my last blog can be used to check the oil temp as well just by dipping the tip in the oil

Crack 4 eggs into a bowl add salt and pepper and whisk away. Put aside. Clean your pork and I usually use a paper plate to dump my bread crumbs on.

Your gonna coat both sides of the pork cutlet in the egg wash and then coat both sides of the cutlet with bread crumbs then transfer to the hot oil to fry.

PRO TIP:

1. Although best to avoid eggshells at all cost we are all human! So if that tiny annoying shell drops in don’t worry just use the larger intact half of the eggshell to scoop it out. It sort of works like a magnet and is way easier than any other way of trying to get it out trust me I’ve been fingers deep in eggs it’s gross. 💁🏼‍♀️😅

2. I create an assembly line for this recipe as it makes it way easier to cook. I have my Pork cutlets followed by my egg wash then my bread crumbs. Right next to the hot oil pan. So I go from egg wash to bread crumb right to the hot oil to fry. Less mess when I do it this way ass opposed to prepping the cutlets first. Which you can do if you want.

Your going to fry the cutlets until they are golden brown or if you like it crispier like me I sometimes overcook or turn the oil up at the end to do a few cutlets this way. I’d say let the cutlet fry for 2 minutes check the bottom see if it’s starting to brown if it’s golden brown flip it over if not let it continue. Then repeat.

When golden brown I use a fork to pick up the cutlet and let the grease drain out till its only dripping. Then I transfer the cutlet over to a wire rack and let the remaining grease drip off. Once finished with all the cutlets I make my side dish and then serve.

In my house usually 3-4 disappear as I cook 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

Recipe:

• 8 Pork Cutlets
• 2 cups Progreso Italian Style Bread crumbs *if you need more add
• 4 eggs
• Dash Salt
• Dash Pepper
• 2.5 cups of Oil

1. Clean pork cutlets and pat dry bang out if you want thinner cutlets at this time
2. Pour 2.5 cups of oil into frying pan on medium heat
3. Crack the 4 eggs into a bowl and shake some salt and pepper
4. Whisk the eggs salt and pepper together
5. Pour 2 cups of progresso breadcrumbs onto a plate
6. Take a pork cutlet and place into egg wash bowl coat both sides of the cutlet with the egg wash
7. Place the pork cutlet into the bread crumbs and coat both sides of the cutlet with the bread crumbs
8. Place cutlet into hot oil
9. Cook cutlet until bottom side in the oil is golden brown
10. Once the bottom is golden brown flip the cutlet and cook till the entire cutlet is golden briwn
11. Drain and transfer to wire rack to allow remaining grease to drop off
12. Serve with your choice of side when all cutlets are finished frying

YES, Shrimp 🍤 for under $20 and it probably would of been less if I decided to pick a different Alfredo sauce. Ever heard of this show called Guys Grocery Games? Well I am obsessed with it, pretty much with anything involving Guy Fieri and television is my go too. Also, love the Bon Appétit free television channel available through your Smart TV on TV plus. I have learned so much through cooking shows and I enjoy watching them so if you like cooking start watching you pick up on so many tricks and techniques.

So back to Guy and his Groccery Games. On GGG as most of you will probably know they run around the supermarket grabbing ingredients sometimes with limitations and have to cook a dish all within a certain timeframe. So I got to thinking one night why can’t I pull off something quick and easy like they do in under 20 minutes?

Well turns out I could!

What you will need:

Under $20
Pre-made Coconut shrimp (I got mine from Mckinnions) $7.50
Jarred Alfredo sauce $6
Penne $1.50 (half a box)
Fresh garlic and chives minced $2 at most

Boil and start cooking your pasta (add salt to your water 😉) in one pan. Now get another sauce pan out for the Alfredo.
I diced the garlic and some chives. Then I put some olive oil in the sauce pan. I got the sauce pan and the oil hot and threw the dice garlic and chives and sautéed till garlic browned. Dumped the Alfredo into that same sauce pan and added salt, pepper, garlic salt, and seasoned pepper. Turned the heat to low so that it would slowly heat up and take on the flavor of the sautéed stuff. Stirring it constantly and letting it heat up you want to make sure the heat is low enough and your stirring enough so that you do not burn it and then leave yourself a heck of a mess to clean up 😕

When the pasta is done strain and add to Alfredo. Stir and serve however you please – today like I chose a bowl! Then I chopped up some leftover fresh chives for a picture and honestly I just like chives 😝 🙂

Next heat up enough oil on a frying pan to coat the bottom so it looks like a small puddle but you don’t need to go up super high in the pan it’s ok if you do just a waste of oil in my opinion. I then fried the precooked shrimp to golden brown the coconut crust and give it a nice crunch. Transfer them after turning and browning both sides to a cooling rack. (Oil typically needs to reach 350° to fry something so let it heat up for a little)

Ingredients

• Pre-Made Coconut Shrimp
• 1 Jar Alfredo Sauce
• Half Box of Penne Pasta
• 2 Cloves Fresh Garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon of Fresh chives minced
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
• 1/2-3/4 Oil set aside (this will depend on pan size)
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

1. Add 4 cups of water to a sauce pan and place it on medium high heat to boil the water for the pasta.
2. Once the water comes to a boil add your pasta you will cook for about 10 minutes.
3. Add approximately a teaspoon of oil to a sauce pan and place on medium-high heat
4. Mince/Dice both the Garlic and the Chives and toss those into the sauce pan with the oil turning it closer to medium heat sauté until garlic pieces start to turn golden
5. At this time get your frying pan out for the Shrimp and place on medium high heat. Add the 1/2 cup of oil to the pan and let it heat up to approximately 350°
6. Add the Jar of Alfredo to the sauce pan with the Garlic and Chives turn to low heat and allow the Alfredo to heat up slowly so it can take on the flavor of the chives and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.
   • You can add cheeses at this time if you want to thicken the jar of Alfredo sauce up. It all depends on the brand.
7. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce pan with the Alfredo in it stir the pasta in. (Leave on Low heat and place a lid over the top to keep it warm while you quickly fry up the shrimp)
8. Now take the Pre-Made Coconut Shrimp and place flat in the frying pan let fry for approximately 60 seconds on one side and flip it. Keep doing this till the cocunut pieces turn golden brown it shouldnt take more than 4 flips for this. (Careful not to overcook remember its already cooked)
9. Transfer the finished fried shrimp to a rack to let cool and finish cooking all the shrimp.
10. Once shrimp is completed plate your Alfredo (Or use a bowl like I did) and add the shrimp to the plate, garnish with chives if youd like.