I recently attended a super fun event to celebrate the delicious new items that Olive Garden has introduced on their menu.
I joined the Olive Garden team along with several other local journalists and bloggers at Elevated Acre in Downtown Manhattan which is a beautiful outdoor space overlooking the East River with views of the Brooklyn Bridge.
We enjoyed their private label wines out on the deck
(I love their new Tuscan Red table wine!) and then all sat down at a huge table to start the festivities and get first dibs on the menu tasting. #NeverEndingTable
We met the Olive Garden marketing team and their Executive Chef who told us about their new menu innovations,
and then we got to taste all of them over a few hours, which of course was the fun part!
We all love their classic breadsticks and salads right?
Well you have to try their new Breadstick Sandwiches – we tried the Eggplant Parmesan and Spicy Calabrian Chicken..delicious!
The coolest new items we tried are their new Deep Dish Spaghetti Pies..they’re like spaghetti quiches baked in a shell with all kinds of yummy fillings but in pie form! The Chicken AlfredoPie was amazing…
and so was the classic Spaghetti and Meatballs Pie made with 7 cheeses, bacon, meatballs and homemade sauce. So good and totally fun.
And we can’t forget dessert – they served us an incredible Chocolate and Caramel Lasagna – layers of gooey caramel, chocolate and cake similar to Tiramisu..OMG. TO. DIE. FOR. And the perfect ending to a perfect Italian meal!
Check out the great photos of the event below and visit their website for more info on these awesome new menu creations and specials in your area.
The house was packed full and we had a blast seeing some live music with old time and new superstar artists such as Snoop Dog and Wiz Khalifa, Dierks Bentley, Cheap Trick, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Nick Jonas, Goo Goo Dolls and more!
National Concert Day 2016 was brought to fans by Citi and Pringles. Citi is the preferred credit card of Live Nation, offering Citi debit and credit cardmembers access to presale and preferred tickets for select tours throughout the summer via Citi’s Private Pass Program, the bank’s entertainment access program. Last year alone, Citi worked with more than 1,400 artists ranging from preferred tickets and early access to concert tickets, to curated special events and VIP experiences. For more information, or to purchase presale tickets to the after show on May 3, Citi Presents AWOLNATION, visit www.citiprivatepass.com.
Pringles is helping fans celebrate summer with music and memories, kicking off at Live Nation’s National Concert Day. For those looking to make the most out of summer, head to LiveNation.com/Pringles for the Pringles Summer Jam offer – score four tickets for the price of three! Share all of your summer fun and check out the memories from other fans across the country by following #PringlesSummerJam.
From experiencing live music under the stars at an outdoor amphitheater to rocking out at an arena or taking a road trip to a music festival, this summer 2016 will bring millions of music fans together to see their favorite artists. From Country, Indie & Alternative Music, Classic Rock, Rock, Metal, Hip-Hop, Electronic Music, Comedy and Pop – there is something for everyone. For tickets and more information, visit www.livenation.com
CHECK OUT THE VIDEOS OF JOAN JETT AND CHEAP TRICK PERFORMING LIVE BELOW!
Spring is finally here in full bloom, and I’m so excited to cook with fresh, seasonal ingredients! One of my favorite pasta dishes to make for spring is this tasty and fresh Homemade Spring Fettuccine with Pancetta, Peas & Asparagus.
It features homemade fresh spinach and egg fettuccine made with flour, eggs and olive oil, topped with crispy pancetta, fresh scallions, garlic, baby green peas and asparagus in a tasty parmesan cream sauce.
You simply make the dough in your KitchenAid 14-cup food processor,
knead it and cut it into a few pieces,
then use the KitchenAid pasta attachment to roll it out the pasta sheets
and cut into lovely fresh fettuccine
served with a gorgeous Parmesan cream sauce with fresh veggies all tossed around with the pasta and cheese right in the pan.
It’s so delicious and easy to make and tastes like Spring in a bowl!
Homemade Spring Fettuccine with Pancetta, Peas & Asparagus
Yield: Serves 6 to 8.
This Spring-forward recipe features homemade fresh spinach and egg fettuccine made with flour, eggs and olive oil, topped with crispy pancetta, fresh scallions, garlic, baby green peas and asparagus in a tasty parmesan cream sauce. It's light, easy to make and totally delicious!
Ingredients
Basic Egg Pasta Dough:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
Generous pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon of olive oil, optional
Spinach Pasta Dough:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/3 package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
Generous pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon of olive oil, optional
Pancetta, Peas and Asparagus Parmesan Cream Sauce:
Sea Salt for pasta water
4 ounces Pancetta (Italian-style bacon), cubed
4 scallions, trimmed and sliced length-wise
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup shelled fresh peas, blanched or frozen baby peas, defrosted
6-8 stalks fresh asparagus, trimmed and halved
2/3 cup chicken stock, low sodium
½ cup heavy cream or half and half
½ pound fresh egg fettuccine pasta
½ pound fresh spinach fettuccine pasta
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish
Instructions
Basic Egg Pasta Dough:Place the eggs in KitchenAid 14-cup food processor and pulse to beat. Add 1 cup of the flour, salt and olive oil and process on speed 2, adding more flour until a ball forms on the blade. If you add too much flour, the dough will break into pellets. If this happens, turn the mixture on to a pastry board and gather it into a ball, adding a touch of water, if necessary. If the dough becomes too soft, knead it on the board, adding more flour. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes then cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 20 minutes until ready to roll and cut with the pasta attachment.
Divide dough into 3 or 4 pieces and process with the KitchenAid pasta roller until pasta sheets are flattened to desired thickness, starting with setting 1, processing several times up to setting 3 or 4. Next, feed the dough sheets through the KitchenAid fettuccine pasta cutter and toss fresh pasta with flour or cornmeal to dry, covered with plastic wrap until ready to cook.
Once ready to cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the fresh pasta for 2 to 3 minutes, until the pasta floats to the top. Drain and toss with a small amount of olive oil to avoid pasta from sticking together, while preparing Pancetta, Peas and Asparagus Parmesan Cream Sauce (recipe follows).
Makes about ½ pound. You can also double the recipe for a full pound and freeze a portion of it to use later.
Spinach Pasta Dough:
Place the eggs in your KitchenAid 14-cup food processor and pulse to beat. Add 1 cup of the flour, spinach, salt and olive oil and process on speed 2, adding more flour until a ball forms on the blade. If you add too much flour, the dough will break into pellets. If this happens, turn the mixture on to a pastry board and gather it into a ball, adding a touch of water, if necessary. If the dough becomes too soft, knead it on the board, adding more flour. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes then cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 20 minutes until ready to roll and cut with the pasta attachment.
Divide dough into 3 or 4 pieces and process with the KitchenAid pasta roller until pasta sheets are flattened to desired thickness, starting with setting 1, processing several times up to setting 3 or 4. Next, feed the dough sheets through the KitchenAid fettuccine pasta cutter and toss fresh pasta with flour or cornmeal to dry, covered with plastic wrap until ready to cook.
Once ready to cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the fresh pasta for 2 to 3 minutes, until the pasta floats to the top. Drain and toss with a small amount of olive oil to avoid pasta from sticking together, while preparing Pancetta, Peas and Asparagus Parmesan Cream Sauce (recipe follows).
Makes about ½ pound. You can also double the recipe for a full pound and freeze a portion of it to use later.
Pancetta, Peas and Asparagus Parmesan Cream Sauce:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the fresh egg pasta for about 2 to 3 minutes and drain. Cook the fresh spinach pasta for about 2 to 3 minutes and drain. Toss lightly with olive oil and set aside while making sauce.
Prep the fresh ingredients (trim and slice scallions length-wise into thin strips, mince garlic, measure out peas, trim and halve fresh asparagus, chop parsley) with your KitchenAid paring knife and Chef’s knife and place on your KitchenAid Bamboo Cutting Board.
Measure out the other ingredients (chicken stock, cream, and grated Parmesan cheese) in small bowls and set aside.
Heat your KitchenAid Copper Core large skillet over medium-high heat, cook pancetta for a few minutes until crispy and browned, drain and set aside.
Drain the fat from the skillet and add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook until wilted about 2 minutes. Scatter in the peas and asparagus and cook until just tender, about 3 more minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the sauce to a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by half.
Add the heavy cream or half and half, and continue to simmer until liquid thickens a bit, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir the cooked pasta with a little olive oil, and add it directly to the sauce in the large skillet, stirring to coat the pasta with the sauce.
Cook over high heat until liquid is reduced to make a creamy sauce. Remove from the heat and toss in the grated Parmesan cheese, and garnish with fresh parsley and freshly ground black pepper, serving immediately in warm bowls.
Pi Day, the mathematical holiday, is celebrated on March 14th (3/14) around the world. Pi (Greek letter “π”) is the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.14159.
And even though it’s a less common holiday to be celebrated, it’s simply another great reason to whip up a cocktail. And what better to include in your Pi(e) Day drink than PIEHOLE Whiskey?
In honor of the occasion, I’d like to share three delicious spring cocktails, created by the National PIEHOLE Sweetheart (and New Orleans Bartender) Brooke Flaherty.
Lucky Apple
1.5 oz. PIEHOLE™ Whiskey with Apple Flavored Liqueur
3 oz. Ginger Beer
A splash sour mix
A splash of lemon-lime soda
Garnish with lime wedge
Cherry Punch
1.5 oz. PIEHOLE™ Whiskey with Cherry Flavored Liqueur
4 oz. Ginger Ale
.5 oz. Pineapple Juice
.5 oz. Orange Juice
Juice from half of a lemon
Garnish with a cherry and orange
Pecan Sweet Tea
1.5 oz. PIEHOLE™ Whiskey with Pecan Flavored Liqueur
I’m excited to announce that I will be participating in the Designing Dining Workshop at Bard Graduate Center in NYC on Saturday April 16th! This three-session workshop (over 3 weekends, see schedule above) investigates the visual design, materials, and traditions of presenting creative tablesettings. Participants experiment with table stylings, craft their own metal spoon, and learn how best to photograph food and drink.
I will be teaching the Session 3: Framing Food workshop where I will be discussing the principles and history of food styling and photography, with a hands-on workshop experience for participants to style and photograph their own culinary masterpieces at the event.
We are currently raffling off one (1) free ticket (worth $250) to the workshop to all three sessions! All you have to do is leave a comment below on why you would like to attend the workshop and I will be choosing a winner randomly who will be contacted by email before the event by March 25th.Make sure to include your email when you comment below!
I made myself a pledge to focus on being healthier and happier since the New Year has started… getting more sleep, balancing work and life better, focusing on my business and my brand with a revived passion, reaching out to friends and family more often, traveling more, eating healthier and getting more walking around the city in, and just choosing to be happy every day, no matter what. NO EXCUSES.
BUT, see the thing is…I hate diets. They never last (at least not for long), and I slowly grow tired of counting calories and feeling deprived and end up eating like a maniac and ruining all the good i just did by torturing myself on the diet in the first place. So I’ve decided to go in a different direction by simply cutting sugar out of my diet, eating more healthy lean proteins and fresh veggies and cutting DOWN on carbs, not fully out. It seems to lessen the pain of a diet and I truly feel better and am more conscious of what I eat by tracking the amount of carbs I’m taking in. So far, so good.
So I decided I wouldn’t fully deprive myself of the carb-laden pasta dishes I crave in the Winter and that I’ve been missing out on, and made a Chicken, Spinach, Mushroom & Bacon FettuccineAlfredo that’s absolutely to die for. I used some lower-carb fettuccine pasta (Carba-Nada, which I got on Amazon for $10 and it only has 17 grams of carbs in 1.5 cups of pasta...LOVE IT). I sautéed some chicken breasts, shallots, garlic, bacon and added some spinach and mushrooms to make the base for the pasta. Then I made a delicious Alfredo sauce with half and half, unsalted butter, whipped cream cheese and shredded Parmesan cheese, thinned down with some water to make a semi-healthier version of this luscious, velvety (and usually super rich and fattening) pasta sauce.
I hope you’re getting through the Winter OK yourselves, and if not, whip up a batch of this deliciousness. Guilt-Free. You’ll be just fine, I promise. 😉
1/4 cup - 1/2 cup water, as needed for desired sauce consistency
Instructions
CHICKEN, SPINACH & MUSHROOM PASTA
Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions, drain and set aside. Reserve some of the pasta water to add back in to the pasta sauce later on, for consistency.
Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy and cooked through. Drain on paper towels, crumble and set aside.
Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts, brush olive oil on and season with kosher salt and pepper to taste.
Drain bacon grease from saute pan and raise heat to medium high. Saute chicken breasts, about 6 minutes per side, until a nice browning occurs and chicken is cooked through. Set aside, and keep warm with tented foil. (NOTE: You may also grill the chicken if desired at the same cooking time).
In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter and saute shallots for a few minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add sliced mushrooms and saute for another few minutes until they are soft.
Defrost frozen spinach in microwave for 5 minutes, drain and then add spinach (you can also add fresh spinach now) to the pan with the shallots, garlic and mushrooms. Cook for a few minutes until all cooked through, add crumbled bacon and season with freshly ground black pepper. Turn heat to low and keep warm while making the Alfredo sauce.
ALFREDO SAUCE
In a medium saucepan, melt butter, cream and whipped cream cheese over medium-low heat.
Add shredded Parmesan cheese and season with freshly ground black pepper. If sauce seems too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water to the sauce to thin it down to desired consistency.
Pour the Alfredo sauce into the pan with the spinach and mushroom mixture, slice the chicken into slices or chunks and add to the sauce and stir together well.
Serve hot over the pasta (or you can mix the pasta into the sauce ahead of serving, whatever you prefer).
So February is here and so is National Almond Day! I absolutely love almonds – not only are they packed with tons of vitamins, minerals and fiber, but they also taste amazing! I love toasting almonds for salad toppings, making almond crust for chicken or fish, and best of all baking them into lovely, nutty,scrumptious desserts…especially cookies..mmmmm.
I recently got a new KitchenAid®12″ Convection Digital Countertop Oven, and I am absolutely in love with it! Not only is it a toaster oven, but it’s also a fully functioning convection oven with nine different pre-programmed functions, including Pizza, Bagel, Cookie, Asado Roast and Keep Warm. It has a large capacity with enough room to roast a chicken or make a 12″ pizza, and of course enough space to bake a large batch of cookies. I LOVE THIS THING!
Since we are in the dead of winter and in the spirit of National Almond Day, I thought a big batch of cookies was in order. I made some delicious Almond Shortbread Cookies with Blood Orange Glaze. They’re super buttery and crisp with a sweet, tart and refreshing hint of blood orange – perfect for a chilly day with a cup of tea. And they’re really easy to make too..check out the link below for my recipe on the Kitchenthusiast food blog and enjoy!!!
So the big day is right around the corner – the Super Bowl, yay! I’m not really partial to either team and am not even a huge football fan, but i LOVE LOVE LOVE the Super Bowl simply because of the fun parties, the commercials, and the food and drinks, of course.
So in spirit of the football party season, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite game day recipes that are perfect for a crowd. Finger foods, appetizers, dips and spreads and small bites to party in style!
Check out this link for some amazing Football Snack Stadiums like the one above
Here’s to #FOOTBALL #FOOD and may the best team win! 🙂
Since the holidays are coming soon, we all know what THAT means..lots of holiday parties with food and drinks, and with that in mind, I’ve decided to commit to eating healthier and lighter the next few weeks.
I absolutely love my KitchenAid® Spiralizer Attachment that goes with my KitchenAid® Stand Mixer – and I’m so excited to make some healthier low-carb meals! It comes with five different blades for peeling, coring and slicing and is perfect for fresh fruits and vegetables. I love pasta and rice, but spiralized veggies are such a great substitute when I want to lighten up my recipes and eat low carb.
I thought a delicious comfort food dish with a healthy twist would be perfect for the cooler months, and decided to make a Red Curry Beef with Zucchini Noodles.
I used lots of fresh, organic ingredients: beef, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic and green beans, and then made a lovely curry sauce with coconut milk, red curry paste, fresh lime juice, fish sauce, some beef broth and a dash of Sriracha to spice it up.
The larger Chef’s knife was great for cutting up the large chunks of beef and sweet potatoes with its sturdier grip and large super sharp blade.
My heavy duty KitchenAid ceramic cast iron pot is perfect for making this dish – it cooks evenly and is large enough to make a large pot of curry or stew, and is ovenproof to 500 degrees!
The KitchenAid spiralizer attachment is also easy to use! All you need to do is attach it to the KitchenAid mixer, and the spirals come right out perfectly cut. Then you just briefly cook them in a saucepan with some olive or peanut oil, season them with some salt and pepper.
Top the #zoodles with this luscious and creamy curry – lots of great flavors and textures, sweet and spicy – all in one pot. Delish!
This is such a great Winter comfort food dish to make and it’s so easy to make with all the right tools… You’ll definitely want to make this Red Curry Beef Zucchini Noodles for dinner – tonight!
2 1/2 pounds lean stewing beef, (chuck or round), cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup red curry paste
2 cans (13.5 ounce) unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce (optional)
1 large handful French green beans, trimmed
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into medium chunks
1 (8 ounce) can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped or torn, for garnish
1-2 Thai green chilies, sliced fine, for garnish
1/2 cup peanuts, for garnish
Instructions
Attach the KitchenAid® Spiralizer Attachment to your KitchenAid® Stand Mixer and choose your desired spiralizing blade. Attach the vegetable skewer to the Spiralizer and secure it to the zucchini. Move the spiralizing blade to the end of the zucchini and turn on the Stand Mixer to low (level 2) to make the spiralized zucchini noodles. Make sure you place a bowl underneath to catch the zucchini noodles as they fall. Set the noodles aside or keep them in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Cut the beef into 1 1/2 inch large chunks and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in your KitchenAid® 6.0Qt Cast Iron Cookware and brown the beef in two batches until lightly browned on all sides. Remove the beef from the pot and transfer to a bowl, set aside.
Add the onion and garlic to the same pot and sauté over medium heat for about a minute. Add the curry paste, stirring into the onions and garlic, until lightly fragrant, for about 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk, and deglaze the pan, stirring up all the crispy brown bits with a wooden spoon. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, beef broth, Sriracha (if using) and bring the liquid to a boil.
Add the green beans and sweet potatoes and stir into the liquid. Next add the browned beef back in and stir together well. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about an hour and 45 minutes. Add the bamboo shoots into the curry and let simmer for another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in your 10? Skillet from the KitchenAid® Stainless Steel 8-Piece Set over medium heat. Add the zucchini noodles, with some salt and pepper to taste, and sauté for a few minutes until the noodles are soft.
Serve the noodles in bowls topped with the Red Beef Curry, garnishing with fresh chopped basil, sliced Thai green chilies and peanuts.
So here it is, the last day of the year 2015..oh how time flies, and so much has happened! I’m so thankful for all the wonderful opportunities that have come into my life and the lessons learned along the way. Here are some of my Top / Most Popular posts from The Artful Gourmet blog this year — and wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year 2016!