Month: April 2021


Apr
2021

Southwestern Rice Salad

categories: Salads, Side Dishes
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Southwestern Rice Salad is a yummy side or meatless main dish. Rice, black beans, corn, and peppers are mixed in a lightly seasoned dressing.
Southwestern Rice Salad is a yummy side or meatless main dish. Rice, black beans, corn, and peppers are mixed in a lightly seasoned dressing.

If you’re looking for a delicious and unique salad, side dish, or meatless main dish, I’d like to recommend this Southwestern Rice Salad. I got the original recipe about 15 years ago from one of my “Taste of Home” magazines. At the time I thought it sounded really interesting, so I saved the recipe. Guess what? It is REALLY tasty!

The salad features cooked rice with black beans, corn, carrots, bell peppers, garlic, cilantro, red onion, tomatoes and wait for it… crunchy salted peanuts!!! The salad is dressed with a simple Southwest-inspired salad dressing, and then is served chilled. Who knew something so unusual sounding could taste so good? But it IS good!

The entire salad can be ready in 30 minutes. If you want to save time, prep the veggies and other ingredients while the rice is cooking. That will shave some time off the preparation! I also recommend chilling the salad after it is finished and dressed (for best flavor), but that is up to you. Here’s how to make Southwestern Rice Salad:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Rice

Place uncooked long grain rice in a saucepan with water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Simmer the rice (covered) on low heat for 15 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat. The rice should be tender and the water will have been absorbed.

Let the rice sit (still covered), for 5 minutes, then rinse with cold water to cool it down. Drain the rice after rinsing and place the cooled, cooked rice in a large serving bowl.

Long grain white rice is cooked in water until done and fluffy.Cooked rice is rinsed then drained before adding it to salad bowl.

Time To Make The Southwestern Rice Salad

TIP: If you want to save time, do the following steps while the rice is cooking. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil until hot on medium heat. Add chopped green pepper, red onion, carrots, and minced garlic. Sauté these veggies until they are crisp-tender. Stir often while cooking so the garlic won’t burn in the skillet (and become bitter).This should take 4-5 minutes. 

 When done, add this veggie mixture to the cooled rice in the bowl, and stir well, to combine.

Chopped green pepper, carrot, red onion, and garlic are cooked in oil until tender.The cooked veggies are added to the cooled rice in salad bowl.

The next ingredients you will add to the Southwestern rice salad are corn (frozen, but thawed), black beans, tomatoes, salted peanuts and chopped fresh cilantro. Place them in the bowl with the rice and stir gently, until all the ingredients are combined. Isn’t it colorful? 

Corn, black beans, tomatoes, cilantro and salted peanuts are added to the Southwestern rice salad.Southwestern Rice Salad is very colorful after adding all the ingredients.

Make The Salad Dressing

The last thing you need to prepare is the simple salad dressing to coat the Southwestern rice salad. It’s EASY! Use a wire whisk or a fork to fully mix olive oil, fresh lemon juice, cayenne pepper and ground cumin in a small bowl. Mix these salad dressing ingredients for about a minute to ensure the oil and juice are fully integrated. Now you’re ready to add it to the salad!

Pour the salad dressing over the Southwestern rice salad, and toss well, to ensure all the salad is mixed well with the dressing. Once done, refrigerate the salad until it is time to serve. The flavors really come together the longer the salad is refrigerated, so if you have the chance to make this salad early in the day, the better. If not, you can certainly serve the salad right away, if that is your preference.

Salad dressing for the salad is made with lemon juice, olive oil, cayenne and ground cumin.

Ready To Serve Southwestern Rice Salad

Once the salad is dressed and refrigerated for a bit, it is ready to enjoy! Southwestern rice salad is filling, thanks in part to the black beans and rice, so it can be enjoyed as a meatless main dish, or you can enjoy it as a side dish for chicken, beef and pork. The salad has lots of flavor, and makes enough for 12 servings, so there is plenty to go around.

Store any leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. My husband keeps getting spoonfuls of leftovers out of the fridge throughout the day to eat as a snack or to have with his lunch or dinner. He definitely loves this lightly seasoned, chilled salad! The crunchy peanuts are a welcome surprise, too!

After chilling in the refrigerator, the Southwestern Rice Salad is served in a white bowl.A close up look at the Southwestern Rice Salad, full of veggies.

I hope you have the chance to make this yummy, filling Southwestern rice salad. I truly believe you and those you love will enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by today, and I sincerely hope you will come back again soon. Have a great day!

Looking For More SALAD Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of great tasting salad recipes for you to enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: “Taste of Home” magazine, June/July 2006 edition, page 8, published by Reiman Publications, Inc.

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Southwestern Rice Salad
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Southwestern Rice Salad is a yummy side or meatless main dish. Rice, black beans, corn, and peppers are mixed in a lightly seasoned dressing.

Category: Main Course Salad, Salad/Side Dish
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: Southwestern rice salad
Servings: 12
Calories Per Serving: 305 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1⅓ cups water
  • ⅔ cup long grain white rice , uncooked
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup chopped green bell pepper
  • ½ cup chopped red onion (or shallot)
  • 1 medium carrot , peeled and chopped
  • 3 large garlic cloves , minced
  • 16 ounces frozen corn , thawed
  • 15 ounces canned black beans , rinsed and drained
  • 2 medium Roma tomatoes , chopped
  • 1 cup salted peanuts
  • ⅓ cup fresh cilantro , finely chopped
For Salad Dressing:
  • ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Place rice in a saucepan with water; bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pan. Simmer rice (covered) on low heat for 15 minutes; remove pan from heat. Let rice sit (covered), for 5 minutes; rinse rice with cold water; drain. Put rice in large serving bowl.

  2. TIP: If you want to save time, do the following steps while rice is cooking. In large skillet, heat vegetable oil on medium. Add green pepper, red onion, carrots, and minced garlic. Sauté until crisp-tender (4-5 minutes), stirring often so garlic won't burn. Add to rice; stir.

  3. Add corn, beans, tomatoes, peanuts and cilantro to rice; stir to combine.

  4. Use a wire whisk or fork to fully mix olive oil, lemon juice, cayenne and ground cumin in a small bowl. Mix well to ensure oil and juice are fully combined. Pour dressing over salad; toss well, to coat. Cover and refrigerate salad until time to serve. Store leftovers, covered, in refrigerator up to 4-5 days. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Southwestern Rice Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/12th of total))
Calories 305 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Sodium 198mg9%
Potassium 410mg12%
Carbohydrates 28g9%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 1056IU21%
Vitamin C 16mg19%
Calcium 38mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Southwestern Rice Salad is a yummy side or meatless main dish. Rice, black beans, corn, and peppers are mixed in a lightly seasoned dressing.


Apr
2021

Greek-Style Chicken Wings

categories: Appetizers, Chicken, Main Dishes
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Greek-Style Chicken Wings can be oven-baked, or cooked in an air fryer! These marinated wings are served with homemade tzatziki sauce for dipping.Greek-Style Chicken Wings can be baked or cooked in an air fryer! These marinated wings are served with homemade tzatziki sauce for dipping.

Do you enjoy eating chicken wings? We sure do! A couple of years ago I purchased an air fryer with some gift cards I was given on my birthday. That was the beginning of my love for cooking (and eating) chicken wings.

This recipe for Greek-style chicken wings is simple. The wings can either be baked in the oven OR can be prepared in an air fryer, whichever is most convenient for you. I have included directions for both in the recipe card.

Greek-style chicken wings are marinated several hours, so remember to plan ahead if you are making this recipe! The marinated, seasoned wings are then cooked, then served with a simple Greek inspired homemade tzatziki sauce for dipping. It’s an easy recipe to prepare, and the wings taste wonderful! Here’s how to make them:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Marinating The Greek-Style Chicken Wings

Because these wings taste best once they have marinated for several hours, be sure to plan ahead! Making the marinade is EASY! Simply combine the ingredients in a bowl. The marinade is made from lemon juice, olive oil, honey, oregano, garlic, and salt.

Once fully combined, pour the marinade over the chicken wings. You can either have the wings in a large re-sealable bag or in a shallow large container with a lid. Turn the wings, to ensure all are coated with marinade, then cover, and refrigerate for 6-8 hours (or overnight).

A Greek marinade is mixed together for the chicken wings.Pouring the marinade over the chicken wings before refrigerating.

Make The Tzatziki Sauce For Serving

I also make the dipping sauce ahead of time, because it will need time to fully chill, so the flavors can develop well. The sauce, also known as tzatziki sauce, is made with plain yogurt, feta cheese, chopped cucumber, dill, garlic and salt is a cinch to make!

Place the tzatziki ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend or process until the sauce is smooth. Transfer the sauce to a small serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate until fully chilled and you are ready to serve. The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead.

Ingredients for tzatziki sauce are placed in a blender to combine.After blending ingredients, the tzatziki sauce (for dipping) is smooth and creamy.

Baking In Oven Directions

If you are BAKING the Greek-style chicken wings, preheat the oven to 400°F. Drain the marinade off the chicken wings (discard the marinade). Place the wings on a wire rack sitting on top of a 9×13 or 15×10 baking pan.

Bake the wings for 35-40 minutes, flipping them over to the other side halfway through the cooking time. Once they have finished baking, I usually turn the oven to BROIL, and keeping the wings about 5-6 inches away, and brown them under the broiler for a couple minutes to help to “darken and crisp them up”. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn! When browned, they are ready to serve.

Greek-style chicken wings are baked after marinating in sauce.Chicken wings are broiled after baking, to brown them up more.

 Air Fryer Directions

If you are using an air fryer to cook these Greek-style chicken wings, preheat your air fryer to 380° F. Place the marinated wings in the air fryer basket. Lay the wings into the basket, trying to keep as many of them in a single layer as possible.

Cook for 12 minutes, then turn the wings over to the other side. Place the basket back into the fryer, and continue to cook for an additional 12 minutes. Increase the temperature to 400°F., and cook for 4-5 more minutes. When done, the wings should be browned all over, and crispy on the outside. They are now ready to serve.

Greek-style chicken wings cooking in air fryer after marinating in sauce.

Serve The Greek-Style Chicken Wings

Serve the Greek-style chicken wings with small bowls of tzatziki sauce for dipping on the side. You can also serve the wings with the traditional slices of carrots and celery on the side, if desired. The carrots and celery taste great, dipped in the sauce, as well.

The Greek-style chicken wings are serving with dipping sauce, carrots and celery.

I hope you enjoy these Greek-style chicken wings, whether you bake them OR air fry them! If you like wings, be sure to check out my yummy recipes for baked Asian chicken wings, and buffalo honey hot wings, too!

Be sure to check out ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. There a LOT of great recipes to make and enjoy! Have a great day, thank you for visiting my blog, and I hope you come back soon.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: “Taste of Home” magazine, April/May 2007 edition, page 23, published by Reiman Publications, Inc.

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Greek-Style Chicken Wings
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Marinating Time (inactive)
6 hrs
Total Time
6 hrs 55 mins
 

Greek-Style Chicken Wings can be oven-baked, or cooked in an air fryer! Marinated wings are served with homemade tzatziki sauce for dipping.

Category: Appetizer, Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Greek
Keyword: Greek-style chicken wings
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 581 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
Marinade For Wings:
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 3 pounds chicken wings (approx. 20 wings)
For Tzatziki Dipping Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup chopped, peeled cucumber
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill weed or 2 Tablespoons fresh, chopped dill
  • 1 large garlic clove, peeled
  • 1 dash salt
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Make Marinade For Chicken Wings: Whisk marinade ingredients well in a small bowl (lemon juice, olive oil, honey, oregano, garlic and salt). Pour marinade over chicken wings (use large re-sealable plastic bag or covered, shallow container). Toss wings, to ensure they're coated with marinade; cover and refrigerate 6-8 hours (or overnight).

  2. Make tzatziki sauce: Place yogurt, cucumber, feta, dill, garlic and salt in blender or food processor. Blend or process until sauce is smooth. Transfer sauce to small serving bowl; cover and refrigerate until fully chilled. Sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead.

If Oven-Baking:

  1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Drain marinade off wings (discard marinade). Place wings on a wire rack fitted on top of a 9x13 or 15x10 baking pan. Bake wings on the middle rack 35-40 minutes, turning them over halfway through cooking time. Once done, turn oven to BROIL, keeping wings 5-6 inches away from broiler element. Brown them under broiler for 1-2 minutes to help brown them. Don't let them burn! Once browned and cooked through, they're ready to serve.

If Using An Air Fryer:

  1. Preheat your air fryer to 380° F. Place marinated wings in air fryer basket, in a single layer, if possible. Cook for 12 minutes, then turn wings over. Place basket back into the fryer; continue to cook for 12 more minutes. Increase temperature to 400°F. and cook 4-5 more minutes. Once wings are crispy brown and cooked through, they're ready to serve.

To Serve:

  1. Place hot wings on serving plates. Serve with tzatziki sauce for dipping, and slices of celery and carrots on the side. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Greek-Style Chicken Wings
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 581 Calories from Fat 369
% Daily Value*
Fat 41g63%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 160mg53%
Sodium 512mg22%
Potassium 361mg10%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 40g80%
Vitamin A 408IU8%
Vitamin C 7mg8%
Calcium 163mg16%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Greek-Style Chicken Wings can be oven-baked, or cooked in an air fryer! Marinated wings are served with homemade tzatziki sauce for dipping.


Apr
2021

Pumpkin Spice Waffles

categories: Breakfast
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Pumpkin Spice Waffles are an amazing breakfast treat all year long! Golden brown, crispy, and simple to make- you’re gonna love ’em!
Pumpkin Spice Waffles are an amazing breakfast treat all year long! Golden brown, crispy, and simple to make- you're gonna love 'em!

Do you enjoy waffles? We sure do in our home! Every few weeks, my husband will ask if we can have waffles for breakfast, and out comes our trusty ol’ waffle iron. We don’t have waffles too often (gotta keep our girlish figures, right? *wink wink*), but when we do, we love ’em!

The easy recipe I want to share today is for pumpkin spice waffles. With the inclusion of canned pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice mix in the batter, there is a really nice Fall-inspired flavor to these yummy breakfast treats! They’re crispy, golden brown, and delicious! Remember- even though they are “Fall-inspired” doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this hearty breakfast year-round! Here’s how to make them:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Batter

Whisk buttermilk, pumpkin puree, melted butter and eggs together in a large mixing bowl. Continue to whisk these wet ingredients until the mixture is smooth.

Pumpkin puree, eggs, buttermilk and butter are whisked together for the batter.The wet ingredients are whisked for the pumpkin spice waffles batter.

In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk (or stir) together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. NOTE: I make my own pumpkin pie spice mix… you can find my recipe here.

Pour the wet batter into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir the batter only until all ingredients are mixed and moistened. It’s okay if the batter is still a little bit lumpy… just don’t overmix.

Flour sugar and spices are combined for the waffle batter.Pumpkin-flavored batter is added to the dry ingredients for the waffles.

Cook The Pumpkin Spice Waffles

Preheat your waffle iron, brushing with oil, if required by manufacturer instructions. If using a standard sized waffle iron, you will use about 1/2 cup of batter for each waffle (for a yield of 4-6 waffles). If using a Belgian waffle maker (as shown below), you will use about 1 cup of batter per waffle (for a yield of 3 waffles). 

Cook the waffles according to manufacturer instructions and timing recommendations. Depending on the type waffle make you use, they will typically cook for somewhere between 3-5 minutes. When done, the pumpkin spice waffles should be crispy and lightly browned. Remove waffle, and serve immediately.

Note: The batter for this recipe is fairly thick, so do not use with a “pour into the top” type of waffle iron (some newer models). The first time I made these I tried a new type of waffle iron I had been given, where you pour the batter through a type of funnel into the top without opening the waffle iron. Complete failure, cause the batter was too thick for the funnel loader. My bad.

One of the pumpkin spice waffles cooking in a waffle iron.Once done, pumpkin spice waffles are golden brown and crispy on the outside.

To serve, top the hot pumpkin spice waffles with a bit of butter, and drizzle with maple syrup. Serve hot, and enjoy!

Butter and drizzled maple syrup top off the pumpkin spice waffles.

We really enjoy the warm Fall-inspired flavors of these pumpkin spice waffles. I hope you will too! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you come back again soon. Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More Waffle OR Pancake Recipes?

You can find all of my waffle or pancake recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have several, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: https://damndelicious.net/2019/11/22/pumpkin-spice-waffles/

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Pumpkin Spice Waffles
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Pumpkin Spice Waffles are an amazing breakfast treat all year long! Golden brown, crispy, and simple to make- you're gonna love 'em!

Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pumpkin spice waffles
Servings: 5 (4-6) standard size waffles
Calories Per Serving: 332 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1¾ cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1¼ cups buttermilk
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Whisk buttermilk, pumpkin puree, melted butter and eggs together in a large mixing bowl. Continue to whisk until mixture is smooth.

  2. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk (or stir) together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour wet batter into bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir only until all ingredients are mixed and moistened. It's okay if batter is a little bit lumpy... don't overmix.

  3. Preheat waffle iron, brushing with oil, if suggested by manufacturer instructions. If using a standard sized waffle iron, use about 1/2 cup of batter for each waffle (yield of 4-6 waffles). If using a Belgian waffle maker, use about 1 cup of batter per waffle (yield of 3 waffles).  Cook according to manufacturer instructions. Depending on the type waffle make you use, they will typically cook for somewhere between 3-5 minutes. When done, waffles should be crispy and lightly browned. Remove waffle; serve immediately, topped with butter and maple syrup. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric calculation was made based on 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin Spice Waffles
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 332 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 105mg35%
Sodium 861mg37%
Potassium 385mg11%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 8118IU162%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 159mg16%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Pumpkin Spice Waffles are an amazing breakfast treat all year long! Golden brown, crispy, and simple to make- you're gonna love 'em!

 


Apr
2021

Skillet Grilled Rockfish

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood
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Skillet Grilled Rockfish is an easy, tasty dish that’s ready in 15 minutes! Well-seasoned fish fillets are cooked in butter until browned.
Skillet Grilled Rockfish is an easy, tasty dish that's ready in 15 minutes! Well-seasoned fish fillets are cooked in butter until browned.

A couple of years ago, my husband brought home some rockfish from the grocery store. Since we had never ever had rockfish before, it took a few minutes to come up with a plan on how to fix it. My recipe for pan-seared rockfish with fresh herbs was my first try, and we really loved it! We are big fans of rockfish, and love it’s delicate, mild flavor.

Nowadays we keep a package or two in our freezer, and have found it be be delicious, versatile, perfect for grilling, stovetop cooking or baking, and yummy on fish tacos! This recipe (as printed below) is for two servings, but the recipe can EASILY be doubled or tripled. Let me show you how easy it is to make this version of skillet grilled rockfish!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Spice Mix For The Fish

The spice mix for the rockfish is made using several common ingredients. They are flour, cornmeal, onion powder, basil, garlic powder, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper. You can combine them in a small bowl or place the ingredients directly into a re-sealable plastic bag (and mix them together).

The spice mix gives the fish a nice flavor, but it’s not overpowering AT ALL. The flour and cornmeal help to form a nice crust on the fish after cooking in melted butter (it browns nicely), and the variety of spices make it taste good!

A seasoning mix for the rockfish is mixed in a small bowl.

Lightly pat the rockfish fillets semi-dry on paper towels, then place them into a plastic re-sealable bag with the spice mixture inside. Gently shake or flip the bag over several times until the fish has been coated with the spices.

Rockfish fillets are combined with the spice mix in a re-sealable bag.After the rockfish fillets are coated with spice mix, they're ready to cook.

Time To Make Skillet Grilled Rockfish!

Now that the rockfish has been seasoned, it’s time to cook them. Melt butter in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) on medium heat. Once the butter has melted and the skillet is really hot (but not smoking), place the rockfish into the skillet. Let the fish cook for 5-6 minutes, without moving them in the pan. This will allow it time to form a nicely browned crust on the bottom.

Skillet grilled rockfish fillets are cooked in melted butter in a skillet.

Once you can see that the bottom of the fish has a nice browned color to it, carefully turn the fish over to the other side. Continue to cook for another 5-6 minutes.

NOTE: The cooking time may vary a tiny bit, due to varying thicknesses of fish being used. Once done cooking, both sides of the fish should be crusty and browned. The fish should also flake easily with a fork.

The skillet grilled rockfish fillets are flipped over halfway through cooking time.

Time To Eat The Skillet Grilled Rockfish!

And just like that… the skillet grilled rockfish is done, and ready to eat! See how easy this dish is to make? Transfer the fish to serving plates, and garnish with a lemon wedge, if desired. Serve immediately, and enjoy your easy, delicious seafood dinner!

A serving of skillet grilled rockfish on a plate with broccoli, rice and garlic bread.When done cooking, the crusty, browned rockfish should flake easily.

I really hope you will have the opportunity to make skillet grilled rockfish for yourself or your family. We sure enjoy it, and hope you will, too. Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More ROCKFISH Recipes?

You can find all of my seafood recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have several recipes featuring rockfish, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe adapted from: “Taste of Home” magazine, June/July 2005 edition, page 40, published by Reiman Publications, Inc.

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Skillet Grilled Rockfish
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

Skillet Grilled Rockfish is an easy, tasty dish that's ready in 15 minutes! Well-seasoned fish fillets are cooked in butter until browned.

Category: Entree-Seafood, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: skillet grilled rockfish
Servings: 2
Calories Per Serving: 331 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Spice Mix:
  • ⅛ cup all purpose flour
  • ⅛ cup cornmeal
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ⅛ teaspoon (EACH) salt and pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For Fish:
  • 12 ounces rockfish fillets (two 6 ounce fillets)
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 lemon wedges (for garnish-optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Combine spice mix ingredients in a small bowl OR place directly into a re-sealable plastic bag (and mix them together).

  2. Lightly pat fish dry on paper towels; place fish into bag with spice mix. Gently shake/flip bag several times until fish is covered with spices. Tip: only season TWO pieces of fish at a time.

  3. Melt butter in large skillet (preferably cast iron) on medium heat. Once melted, and skillet is hot (but not smoking), put rockfish in skillet. Let fish cook for 5-6 minutes, without moving them in the pan. This allows time to form a nicely browned crust on the bottom. When bottom of fish is nicely browned, carefully turn fish to other side. Continue to cook for 5-6 more minutes. NOTE: Cooking time may vary a bit, due to different thicknesses of fish. When done, both sides of fish should be crusty/browned, and should flake easily with a fork.

  4. Transfer fish to plates. Serve immediately, with a lemon wedge on top of fish, if desired. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Skillet Grilled Rockfish
Amount Per Serving (1 fillet)
Calories 331 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 115mg38%
Sodium 373mg16%
Potassium 749mg21%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 438IU9%
Vitamin C 10mg12%
Calcium 44mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Skillet Grilled Rockfish is an easy, tasty dish that's ready in 15 minutes! Well-seasoned fish fillets are cooked in butter until browned.

 

 


Apr
2021

Cream Of Asparagus Soup

categories: Soups, Vegetable Dishes
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Make four servings of delicious Cream of Asparagus Soup in under 30 minutes! It’s so easy to make – serve as a main dish OR as a side dish.
Make four servings of delicious Cream of Asparagus Soup in under 30 minutes! It's so easy to make - serve as a main dish OR as a side dish.

We love asparagus, especially in the Spring when it is readily available at much lower than normal prices! Recently my husband picked up a couple large bunches of asparagus at the grocery store, so we enjoyed some of them pan-steamed until crisp-tender and served with chicken.

The rest of the fresh asparagus was used for this wonderful tasting cream of asparagus soup! YUYM! The original recipe came from one of my OLD “Taste of Home” magazines (from 21 years ago!), but it is a timeless, fantastic recipe you’re gonna love! One of the reasons I love this soup is because not all of the asparagus is pureed until creamy. Half of the soup is pureed in a blender or food processor to make it creamy; but some of the tender small pieces of asparagus are left intact in the soup. I like that!

This cream of asparagus soup is incredibly EASY to make, as well. If you enjoy fresh asparagus, I’m confident you’ll enjoy a bowl of this delicious soup. Here is how to make four servings of cream of asparagus soup:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Vegetables For The Soup

The first thing you will do is sauté chopped onion and minced garlic in a large saucepan. Heat oil on medium-low heat until hot, but not smoking. Add the veggies, then cook for 3-4 minutes (until tender). Stir often, to ensure the garlic does not burn and become bitter. 

Chopped onion and minced garlic are cooked in oil in a large saucepan.

Add the fresh asparagus pieces, low-sodium chicken broth, and red pepper flakes to the saucepan. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat to Low, and cover the saucepan. Let this mixture simmer (covered) on low for 13-15 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender. Once done, remove the pan from the heat.

Asparagus, chicken broth, and red pepper flakes are added to the cream of asparagus soup in pan.

Make The Cream Base For The Soup

Remove about HALF of the asparagus mixture (including broth), and place it in a blender (or food processor). Add cream cheese, sour cream and dried dill weed or fresh chopped dill. Process these ingredients in the blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. 

Half the soup mixture is transferred out of the saucepan into a blender for processing.Cream cheese, sour cream and dried dill are added to asparagus in blender and processed until creamy.

Pour the creamed mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining ingredients, and stir to fully combine the cream of asparagus soup. Turn the heat to Medium, and cook, just until the soup is heated through. The cream of asparagus soup will be thick, creamy, and have small pieces of tender asparagus in there, as well.

Pureed cream of asparagus soup is added back into remaining ingredients in saucepan.After stirring, the cream of asparagus soup is thick and creamy.

Serve The Cream Of Asparagus Soup

Once the cream of asparagus soup is fully heated through, it is time to serve! See how easy that was? Ladle the hot soup into four bowls, and lightly sprinkle each portion with ground nutmeg on top. That’s it! Grab a spoon, and enjoy this delicious, thick, creamy, soup! Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a saucepan or in the microwave.

The cream of asparagus soup is sprinkled with ground nutmeg and served hot, in a white bowl.

I truly hope you try this delicious cream of asparagus soup. We LOVE it, and trust you will, too. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to visit my blog. Have a great day, and come back for another visit real soon.

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find all of my soup recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of them you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: “Taste of Home” magazine, April/May 2000 edition, page 17, published by Reiman Publications, Inc.

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Cream of Asparagus Soup
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Make four servings of delicious Cream of Asparagus Soup in under 30 minutes! It's so easy to make - serve as a main dish OR as a side dish.

Category: Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cream of asparagus soup
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 119 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion , finely chopped
  • 2 medium garlic cloves , minced
  • 3 cups fresh cut asparagus (1" slices) woody bottom part of stem removed/discarded
  • 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth (or regular)
  • ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 ounces light cream cheese , OR regular, cut in small cubes
  • 2 Tablespoons light sour cream (or regular)
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill weed , OR 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg , for garnish
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Heat oil on medium-low heat until hot, but not smoking. Add onion and garlic; cook 3-4 minutes (until tender). Stir often, to ensure garlic doesn't burn and become bitter. 

  2. Add asparagus pieces, chicken broth, and red pepper flakes to saucepan. Bring broth to a boil, then reduce heat to Low. Cover the saucepan. Let simmer (covered) on low 13-15 minutes, or until asparagus is tender. Once done, remove pan from the heat.

  3. Remove HALF the asparagus mixture (including broth); place in blender or food processor. Add the cream cheese, sour cream and dill. Process until smooth and creamy. Pour creamed mixture back into saucepan (with remaining ingredients), and stir to fully combine soup. Cook on Medium heat only until soup is heated through.

  4. Ladle hot soup into four bowls; lightly sprinkle each portion with ground nutmeg. Grab a spoon, and enjoy this delicious, thick, creamy, soup! Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a saucepan or in a microwave.

Nutrition Facts
Cream of Asparagus Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 119 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 14mg5%
Sodium 153mg7%
Potassium 452mg13%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 931IU19%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Calcium 84mg8%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make four servings of delicious Cream of Asparagus Soup in under 30 minutes! It's so easy to make - serve as a main dish OR as a side dish.


Apr
2021

Orange Cashew Chicken

categories: Asian, Chicken, Main Dishes
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Orange Cashew Chicken is a yummy twist on a Chinese classic! Chicken, veggies and cashews are cooked in a thick, Asian-inspired orange sauce.
Orange Cashew Chicken is a yummy twist on a Chinese classic! Chicken, veggies and cashews are cooked in a thick, Asian-inspired orange sauce.

Many, many years ago… long before I ever even had the remotest thought of starting a blog, I jotted down a recipe on an index card and filed it away in an old wooden recipe box of mine. Back in the days before Pinterest… and before I even had a computer! Recently I stumbled upon this old recipe, and decided to share it here on the blog, because it is soooo good! I don’t even know who to properly credit for the old original recipe, but this orange cashew chicken sure tastes great!

The recipe is INCREDIBLY EASY to make, and it’s not an understatement to say I LOVE IT! When I make it, I do the prep work ahead of time (cut the veggies/chicken, and make the sauce (easy peasy). Then when I’m ready to cook our meal all that is needed is to stir-fry the chicken and veggies for about 8 minutes, add the sauce, and cook 2 more minutes to let the sauce thicken. That’s it!

If you enjoy traditional cashew chicken, you can check out my recipe for that, too. But… you’ve just got to try this one for orange cashew chicken. I truly think you will love it! Here’s how easy it is to make:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepping First Is The Key!

If you prep the ingredients first, this dish is a cinch to cook in only about 10 minutes! Pat boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry with paper towels. TIP: The reason you want to dry them this way is so that when they hit the hot skillet, the extra moisture doesn’t “steam” the chicken. You want the chicken to “sear” and brown slightly.

Cut the chicken breasts into 1″ cubes. Thinly slice two medium carrots, and roughly chop up the celery until you have 1/2 cup. Set aside (or refrigerate, if saving for later in the day) until ready to prepare this dish.

In a small bowl, combine the orange sauce ingredients, and whisk or stir together until fully combined. The sauce ingredients are orange juice (fresh or commercially prepared work well), cornstarch, soy sauce, honey, and ginger (fresh or dried). Set aside.

Chicken breast, carrots and celery are cut and ready to stir-fry.An Asian-inspired orange sauce is whisked and is ready to add to orange cashew chicken.

Stir-Fry The Chicken And Veggies

When ready to cook, heat 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Let the oil get really hot (but not smoking) before adding anything to the skillet. This will allow the chicken to brown nice and quick.

Add the chicken, carrots and celery to the hot oil. Cook the chicken and veggies for about 8-9 minutes, stirring often. When done, the chicken will be lightly browned, and the veggies will be tender. Once done, reduce the heat to medium-low.

Carrots, celery and chicken are stir-fried in hot oil until cooked and tender.After stir-frying, the chicken is lightly browned and veggies are tender.

Add The Orange Sauce

Give the orange sauce a good stir, then add it to the skillet with the chicken mixture. Stir to combine, and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly as the sauce will quickly thicken in the skillet.

Once the sauce has cooked for 2 minutes, add the cashews to the skillet. Stir, to coat everything very well with the thickened sauce.

The sauce is added to the orange cashew chicken and cooked for 2 minutes.Roasted cashews are added to the thick orange sauce, chicken and veggies in skillet.

At this point, the chicken, veggies and cashews should be hot, and the sauce will be nice and thick. That means the orange cashew chicken is ready to serve! See how easy that was?

Once heated through, the orange cashew chicken is ready for serving.

Time To Serve The Orange Cashew Chicken!

Orange Cashew Chicken is best when served on top of a bed of steamed rice. I highly recommend serving this dish with rice (a perfect pairing)! Sprinkling the chicken with sliced green onions and sesame seeds is a nice garnish and pop of color for this dish as well, but that is optional.

The chicken and veggies are tender, and the thick orange sauce is… wonderfully scrumptious! All the flavors of this orange cashew chicken “play well together”. I truly feel you and your friends or family will love this dish, too!

Orange Cashew Chicken is served on white rice, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog today. I hope you have a great day, and trust you will come back soon for more great recipes like this one! Take care, and may God Bless You.

Looking For More “Asian-Inspired” Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have quite a few recipes for Asian-inspired foods, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: unknown (found my handwritten recipe card in an old recipe box from many years ago-no source noted)

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Orange Cashew Chicken
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

Orange Cashew Chicken is a yummy twist on a Chinese classic! Chicken, veggies and cashews are cooked in a thick, Asian-inspired orange sauce.

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: orange cashew chicken
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 410 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use 2 LARGE breasts)
  • 2 medium carrots peeled
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • 2 Tablespoons Vegetable oil
  • ½ cup roasted cashews
For Orange Sauce:
  • ¾ cup orange juice fresh or commercially prepared
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 3 Tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium, if available)
  • 2 Tablespoons corn starch
  • ¼ teaspoon dried ginger (or 1 tsp. fresh, finely grated ginger)
  • ½ teaspoon orange zest (finely grated peel) OPTIONAL
For Serving (Optional): Hot steamed rice, sesame seeds and sliced green onions
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Cut chicken into 1" cubes. Thinly slice carrots, and roughly chop celery. Set aside (or refrigerate, if saving for later in the day) until ready to cook.

    2. Make Sauce: In small bowl, whisk or stir sauce ingredients together until combined. Set aside.

    3. Heat oil on medium-high heat in large skillet until really hot (but not smoking). Add chicken, carrots and celery to hot oil. Stir-fry for 8-9 minutes, stirring often. When done, chicken will be lightly browned on all sides, and veggies will be tender. Once done, reduce heat to medium-low.

    4. Stir sauce, then add it to chicken mixture. Stir to combine; bring sauce to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Once sauce has thickened, add the cashews,; stir to combine with chicken, veggies and sauce.

    5. Serve orange cashew chicken on top of hot, steamed rice. If desired (optional), sprinkle the top of each serving with sesame seeds, and a few sliced green onions. Serve hot... and enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE: The caloric calculation does not include rice (optional for serving with this dish).

    Nutrition Facts
    Orange Cashew Chicken
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
    Calories 410 Calories from Fat 162
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 18g28%
    Saturated Fat 8g50%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 73mg24%
    Sodium 567mg25%
    Potassium 774mg22%
    Carbohydrates 36g12%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 24g27%
    Protein 28g56%
    Vitamin A 5279IU106%
    Vitamin C 27mg33%
    Calcium 37mg4%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Orange Cashew Chicken is a yummy twist on a Chinese classic! Chicken, veggies and cashews are cooked in a thick, Asian-inspired orange sauce.


    Apr
    2021

    Making Stabilized Whipped Cream

    categories: Desserts, Tip Of The Day
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    Making stabilized whipped cream is easy! This sweetened cream will hold it’s shape for days- perfect for decorating pies, cheesecakes, etc.!
    Making stabilized whipped cream is easy! This sweetened cream will hold it's shape for days- perfect for decorating pies, cheesecakes, etc.!

    Ever baked a gorgeous pie or dessert, topped it with some piped whipped cream, only to see that whipped cream collapse or lose it’s shape after a few hours (or the next day)? I have, and that’s why I make and decorate with STABILIZED whipped cream which holds it’s shape for days, just like the pretty pies at a bakery!

    Did you know making stabilized whipped cream is EASY to make by adding a simple ingredient? Yep that’s right! By adding unsweetened gelatin, you will be able to pipe gorgeous whipped cream decorations onto your favorite desserts, and they will still look fantastic 3-4 days later!  I’ve used stabilized whipped cream quite recently to decorate a Mint Brownie Pie (shown above), and on a Lemon Cream Cheese Tart, Here’s how to make it:

    Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

    Making Stabilized Whipped Cream

    TIP: Before beginning, place a large mixing bowl and a whisk attachment (for stand mixer or electric mixer) in the freezer for 5 minutes to get them chilled. This will help the whipped cream to thicken a bit quicker when you make it!

    Okay… here we go. Unflavored gelatin (or gelatin) is the secret ingredient! You can find this at most grocery stores in either the baking section or the jello section. The way I buy it is in small envelopes (see photo below). This recipe yields two cups of whipped cream, and will only use a TEASPOON of gelatin powder, which is less than one envelope of the powder, and this stuff will last a long time, so it’s a good investment.

    Add 4 teaspoons of water to a small, microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin powder on top, and let it sit, undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Then place the bowl of gelatin in the microwave. Cook on high for 10 seconds… just long enough to fully dissolve the gelatin! Give it a stir, then let the gelatin cool a little before adding it to the whipped cream (as shown below).

    Unflavored gelatin powder is used to make stabilized whipped cream.Gelatin powder is sprinkled on top of water and is left to sit for 3-4 minutes.

    Preparing The Whipped Cream

    Remove the bowl and whisk attachment from the freezer. It should be nice and COLD! Whip heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed until it starts to thicken a bit and soft peaks can be formed.

    Whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla are beaten until soft peaks form.

    Slowly add the microwaved and cooled gelatin to the whipped cream while whipping on medium speed until stiff peaks form. TIP: It’s important to not just DUMP the gelatin all at once into the whipping cream mixture or else it might get clumpy, okay? 

    Gelatin and water are microwaved until powder dissolves, then let cool.Gelatin mixture is slowly added to whipped cream, as it is being beaten.

    How Do I Know When It Is Ready To Use?

    You can tell if the peaks are stiff enough by turning off the mixer, and lifting the whisk attachment up from the whipping cream several times. When “done”, stiff peaks of whipping cream will stand up firmly on their own, and they shouldn’t collapse or fall over in the bowl.

    That is how you will know the stabilized whipped cream is ready! You can transfer it to a pastry bag and refrigerate it until you are ready to decorate or serve your dessert. You can store the stabilized whipped cream for several days in the pastry bag or in a sealed container. It will hold it’s shape for several days on a refrigerated dessert.

    Whipping cream is beaten until it easily forms stiff peaks.Making stabilized whipped cream lets you pipe it onto desserts and it will hold it's shape.

    That’s it! See how easy it is? Pretty soon you can be making stabilized whipped cream, too! Your beautiful desserts with their nice whipped cream decorations will thank you for it!

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram:     jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: Danielle, at livewellbakeoften.com.how-to-make-stabilized-whipped-cream/

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    Making Stabilized Whipped Cream
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    0 mins
    Total Time
    10 mins
     

    Making stabilized whipped cream is easy! This sweetened cream will hold it's shape for days- perfect for decorating pies, cheesecakes, etc.!

    Category: Dessert, Tip, Topping
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: stabilized whipped cream
    Servings: 1 (2 cups total)
    Calories Per Serving: 957 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 4 teaspoons water
    • 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
    • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
    • ¼ cup powdered sugar (confectioner's)
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Before beginning, place a large mixing bowl and a whisk attachment (for stand mixer or electric mixer) in the freezer for 5 minutes to get them cold. This helps whipped cream to thicken quicker!

    2. Add 4 tsp. water to a small, microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle gelatin on top; let it sit, undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Place bowl of gelatin in microwave. Cook on high for 10 seconds... just long enough to dissolve gelatin! Stir, then let gelatin cool before adding to whipped cream

    3. Remove bowl and whisk attachment from freezer. Beat whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla (using whisk attachment) on HIGH until it begins thickening and soft peaks can be formed.

    4. Slowly add cooled gelatin to whipped cream while whipping on LOW speed. Once combined, turn mixer to MEDIUM speed; beat until stiff peaks form. TIP: Don't dump gelatin all at once into whipping cream or it might clump.

    5. You can tell if the peaks are stiff by turning off the mixer. Lift up the whisk attachment from the whipping cream several times. Stiff peaks of whipping cream will stand up firmly on their own, and won't collapse or fall over. Transfer whipped cream to a pastry bag to decorate. Store stabilized whipped cream for several days in pastry bag or sealed container. It will hold it's shape for several days on a refrigerated dessert.

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE: Caloric total is for the entire 2 cups of prepared whipped cream.

    Nutrition Facts
    Making Stabilized Whipped Cream
    Amount Per Serving (1 TOTAL AMOUNT (2 cups))
    Calories 957 Calories from Fat 792
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 88g135%
    Saturated Fat 55g344%
    Cholesterol 326mg109%
    Sodium 100mg4%
    Potassium 183mg5%
    Carbohydrates 37g12%
    Sugar 30g33%
    Protein 8g16%
    Vitamin A 3499IU70%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 158mg16%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Making stabilized whipped cream is easy! This sweetened cream will hold it's shape for days- perfect for decorating pies, cheesecakes, etc.!


    Apr
    2021

    Lemon Cream Cheese Tart

    categories: Desserts, Pies/Tarts
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    This Lemon Cream Cheese Tart is a bit tangy, a bit sweet, and tastes fantastic! A creamy lemon filling is baked on a shortbread-style crust.
    This Lemon Cream Cheese Tart is a bit tangy, a bit sweet, and tastes fantastic! A creamy lemon filling is baked on a shortbread-style crust.

    Recently I made a Lemon Cream Cheese Tart, which my husband and I enjoyed on a snow and ice-covered Valentines Day. We each enjoyed a piece, and then gave the remaining slices to several neighbors as a Valentines treat (since we were snowbound, AND so we wouldn’t gobble up the entire thing ourselves!). It is so incredibly GOOD!

    At 7pm on Valentines night, our power went out due to snow and ice, so we were glad we had enjoyed our homemade dinner and dessert earlier! Our power ended up being out Sunday night through Tuesday afternoon, but our generator helped keep the food in our fridge cold (hooray). Candles and flashlights also quickly became our best friends!

    All that said… this lemon cream cheese tart tastes wonderful! The foundation for it is a shortbread-style crust, and the yummy lemon and cream cheese filling is amazing! Put them together, and top with sweetened whipped cream… it’s dessert perfection!

    I received a printed recipe card for this dessert at a women’s event over 15 years ago (which indicated the original recipe was from Bon Appetit magazine). This dessert is sooo delicious, and we love it! It’s also fairly simple and straightforward to make. Here’s how:

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

    Make The Crust

    The first thing you will do is to preheat your oven to 425°F. The next thing to do is make the crust! The easiest way to make it is with a food processor, but you can also use a hand-held pastry blender or two forks for this step, if desired.

    Place flour and powdered sugar in a food processor, and add chunks of really cold butter. Pulse until the butter becomes about the size of peas and mixture forms small clumps. NOTE: If using pastry blender or 2 forks, cut in the butter into the flour mixture in a bowl until it reaches the same consistency.

    Pour the crumbly crust mixture into a 9″ tart pan (that has a removable bottom).

    Butter, flour and powdered sugar are processed until tiny crumbs form for crust.Crumbly crust mixture is poured into a tart pan (with a removable bottom).

    Time To Bake The Crust

    FIRMLY press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan. Continue to press until you have a firm crust and sides. Once the crust is pretty solid, put the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes (this helps really chill the butter).

    Remove the pan from the freezer. Place it on the middle rack in a preheated 425°F. oven. Bake the tart crust for 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. When done, remove the crust from the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350° F. Place the pan on a wire rack, and allow it to cool completely before adding the lemon filling.

    Crust mixture is firmly pressed into the tart pan to form a solid base and sides.After baking, the crust for the lemon cream cheese tart is golden brown.

    Prepare The Lemon Cream Cheese Filling

    You can make the lemon cream cheese filling while the tart crust bakes OR while the tart crust is cooling after baking. Your choice. You can beat the filling with an electric mixer OR you can place the ingredients in a food processor to thoroughly mix.

    I like to use a food processor, because I feel like it really gets the filling smooth and mixed well. I have tried it with electric mixers, but sometimes, if the cream cheese isn’t soft enough, the cream cheese doesn’t “break down” as completely. You will just have to continue beating until it becomes smooth.

    Beat (or process) softened cream cheese until very smooth. Add granulated sugar, lemon juice, eggs, and finely grated lemon zest (peel). Continue to process until smooth and well-blended.

    A lemon and cream cheese filling is mixed together for the tart.

    Bake The Lemon Cream Cheese Tart

    Pour the lemon cream cheese mixture over the top of the COOLED tart crust. It will come almost up to the top of the pan. Carefully place the lemon cream cheese tart on the middle rack in the oven. Bake the lemon cream cheese tart 350°F. for 30 minutes.

    When done, transfer the tart pan to a wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature. Once at room temperature, cover the tart with plastic wrap. Place tart pan in the refrigerator to chill at LEAST one hour, but more if you have time. This tart can be prepared, covered and refrigerated up to one day ahead.

    The tart crust is covered with the lemon cream cheese filling and then baked.

    Once the lemon cream cheese tart has been completely chilled, carefully remove the tart from the pan, by carefully pushing up from the bottom. TIP: If it does not release easily, run a butter knife carefully around the sides of the pan.

    When ready to serve, the chilled lemon cream cheese tart is removed from the pan.

    Garnish And Serve The Lemon Cream Cheese Tart

    The lemon cream cheese tart is now ready to serve, as is, OR you can “fancy it up” a bit with whipped cream. I make stabilized whipped cream to decorate this dessert, which means the cream will hold it’s shape for several days, so I can decorate the entire tart. It’s also fun to garnish the tart with lemon slices and/or fresh mint leaves, for extra color!

    You also slice pieces, and then garnish each slice with aerosol whipped cream or you can make your own whipped cream (not stabilized) to decorate each slice. I have included instructions for homemade in the Notes section of the printable recipe at the bottom of this post.

    Lemon Cream Cheese Tart, garnished with whipped cream, lemon slice and mint leaf.A slice of lemon cream cheese tart, served on a white plate.

    I truly hope you will have the opportunity to make this delicious lemon tart! The crust is sturdy, very easy to cut, and pairs well with the sweetness and tartness of the lemon topping in this dessert.

    Thank you for stopping by, and I trust you will come back soon for more yummy recipes. Have a GREAT day!

    Looking For More Delicious TART Recipes?

    You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have several delicious fruit tart recipes, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

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    Original recipe source: Bon Appetit Magazine, (October 1995 edition).

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    Lemon Cream Cheese Tart
    Prep Time
    30 mins
    Cook Time
    30 mins
    Refrigeration Time (minimum-inactive)
    1 hr
    Total Time
    2 hrs
     

    This Lemon Cream Cheese Tart is a bit tangy, a bit sweet, and tastes fantastic! A creamy lemon filling is baked on a shortbread-style crust.

    Category: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: lemon cream cheese tart
    Servings: 8 (or 10 smaller slices)
    Calories Per Serving: 282 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    For Crust:
    • 1 cup all purpose flour
    • 8 Tablespoons COLD butter =1 stick
    • ⅓ cup powdered sugar confectioner's sugar
    For Filling:
    • 5 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 7 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 4 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
    • 2 large eggs
    Optional: whipping cream, lemon slice, mint leaves for topping (see NOTE below)
      US Customary - Metric
      Instructions

      1. Preheat oven to 425° F.

      2. MAKE CRUST: Place flour and powdered sugar in food processor; add cold butter chunks. Pulse until butter becomes the size of peas and mixture forms small clumps. (If using pastry blender or forks in a bowl for this step, cut in butter until it reaches the same consistency). Place crust mixture in a 9" tart pan (with removable bottom).

      3. FIRMLY press crust mixture onto bottom and up the sides of tart pan. Continue to press until you have a solid crust and sides. Put pan in the freezer for 15 minutes (to chill butter). Remove pan from freezer. Place on middle rack in a preheated oven. Bake crust for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. When done, remove pan from oven- REDUCE OVEN TEMP TO 350° F. Place pan on a wire rack; let crust cool completely before adding lemon filling.

      4. MAKE LEMON FILLING: Using a food processor or electric mixer, process or beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add granulated sugar, lemon juice, eggs, and lemon zest. Continue to process until smooth and well-blended.

      5. Pour the lemon filling into the COOLED tart crust (it will come almost to top of the pan). Carefully place tart on middle rack in oven. Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes. When done, transfer tart pan to a wire rack; allow tart to cool to room temp. Once at room temp., cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at LEAST one hour, (but more if you have the time). Tart can be prepared, covered and refrigerated up to one day ahead.

      6. Once completely chilled, carefully remove the tart from the pan, by carefully pushing up from the bottom. TIP: If it does not release easily, run a butter knife carefully around the sides of the pan to loosen the crust.

      7. To serve: Cut tart into slices. Garnish each slice (or top of the tart) with a dollop (or dollops) of whipped cream, a lemon slice, and a fresh mint leaf, if desired. Store leftovers, covered, in refrigerator. Enjoy!

      Recipe Notes

      NOTE: It is recommended you top each slice (at serving) with whipped cream if you are NOT using a stabilized whipped cream (to prevent whipped cream from losing shape). Can also use aerosol whipped cream, OR can beat 1/2 cup chilled heavy whipping cream and 2 teaspoons powdered sugar in a chilled bowl until stiff peaks form, then pipe decoratively around the top of the tart or individual slices before serving.

      Nutrition Facts
      Lemon Cream Cheese Tart
      Amount Per Serving (1 slice (1/8 of total))
      Calories 282 Calories from Fat 135
      % Daily Value*
      Fat 15g23%
      Saturated Fat 9g56%
      Trans Fat 1g
      Cholesterol 86mg29%
      Sodium 202mg9%
      Potassium 97mg3%
      Carbohydrates 32g11%
      Fiber 1g4%
      Sugar 19g21%
      Protein 5g10%
      Vitamin A 516IU10%
      Vitamin C 6mg7%
      Calcium 41mg4%
      Iron 1mg6%
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

      Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!This Lemon Cream Cheese Tart is a bit tangy, a bit sweet, and tastes fantastic! A creamy lemon filling is baked on a shortbread-style crust.