Seared Halibut with Zucchini Noodles

I will admit I will use jarred pasta sauces in a pinch. Last night Bill and I returned from a little getaway and I had to go into the office for a few hours. Normally I will make my own from this recipe but will buy this in a pinch.

You won’t need much sauce for the recipe so when you have time, it’s really worth it to make your own and use the extra for other recipes. Next time I make this, I plan to make it a little more mediterranean and add capers and kalamata olives. Be on the lookout for that recipe!

Seared Halibut with Zucchini Noodles
Serves 4

1-1/2 lbs halibut, portioned into 4 pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 medium zucchini
1 cup tomato marinara sauce

Pat the halibut dry and set aside.
Spiralize the zucchini. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until shimmering.
Add the zucchini noodles and toss lightly for 1 minute. Add the sauce and toss to combine. Cover with the lid and turn the heat to low.
In another skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the halibut and sear on each side for 90 seconds. Return to the first side and cook until flaky, 2-3 minutes, turning once.
Remove the zucchini noodles from the skillet and place on a plate. Lay the seared fish on top and serve.

Enjoy!

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My Go-To Ramen

It’s so funny to me to think back to college when I was broke and would eat that horrible ramen! I remember it being around $.10 per package. That’s scary! I think everyone has had eaten that package at one point in time!

Now, ramen restaurants are popping up all over! Why are they so popular now?

Thankfully ramen is very easy to make at home and the quality can be low (the low priced highly processed versions) to homemade using udon or soba noodles or even zoodles if you want!

The best is to make it at home. Of course it is because you can control your ingredients and make the way you want!

When I am in a pinch, this is my go-to meal. I like to use Lotus Foods Rice Ramen. I prepare it as the package directs using Pacific Chicken Broth in place of the water and adding green onions. I also will add a hard boiled egg, pork or chicken or bok choy (or a combination of all of them).

How do you cook your ramen?

No Rules Cookware

Do you ever get tired of telling others to not use metal cooking utensils in your cookware? Do you audibly groan when you realize the coating on your cookware flakes off into your food? Have you had your cookware longer than five years? Does food stick to your pans? Do you hate cleaning it?

I’m so excited to introduce you to No Rules Cookware! And what’s even better? I MEAN IT!

First though… why does having good cookware matter?

One big difference between expensive and inexpensive cookware comes down to the quality of the product’s materials and construction. You want to cook dishes evenly. Inexpensive cookware sets are notorious for uneven heat distribution, which results in dishes that are partially over or under cooked.

Many dishes require starting the recipe on the cooktop and then transferring to the oven. Inexpensive, low-quality cookware is often made with plastics and have handles that are not oven safe. Also, not all nonstick coatings are oven safe. Did you know that?

Good quality cookware will last you for 10-20 years, while a low-quality set may only last for 2-3 years.

Have I hit any nerves? That wasn’t my intention. I think it’s important to be educated on a product you’ll use daily. Think about it… you purchase a vehicle with safety in mind and you’re not even ingesting anything that results from it!

Enough of that. Let’s move on to the fun! Introducing Pampered Chef’s exclusive nonstick and stainless collections!

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The nonstick collection contains seven new pieces, including a cookware set. The stainless nonstick has two pieces.

The nonstick is best for eggs, soups and stews, fish and delicate foods. The handles are removable for easy storage and they are dishwasher safe! They are oven-safe and no, your metal utensils will not ruin them! I used to yell at my mom for stirring things using a fork! I’m sure she’s happy she’ll never hear that from me again!

It’s constructed from cast aluminum alloy and has a 4-layer titanium reinforced coating. What does that mean? It means that in the rare circumstance the pans get scratched, you’d have to make it through 4 layers before hitting metal. Plus, it’s PFOA free. Did I mention that it comes with a lifetime guarantee?

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The nonstick stainless is best for searing meats and making pan sauces. These are the pans I use in my kitchen daily. They are also dishwasher and oven safe. You can use any utensil in these pans and they are also PFOA free. If you have an induction cooktop, these are the pans for you! These also have a lifetime guarantee. They have a Tri-Ply construction including 18/10 stainless steel satin interior layer and a polished stainless 18/0 exterior layer.

How can you get your hands on these pans? There are two ways:

Visit my website and place an order.
Host a Pampered Chef live cooking party or virtual party and get it FREE, half-price or discounted. Simply contact me here for more information.

Mediterranean Puttanesca Pizza

Traditionally, puttanesca sauce is named for the ladies of the night and contains tomatoes. This one I changed up a bit and instead of the tomatoes, I used roasted red pepper strips. I find them less acidic and to have more flavor. This dish has a ton of flavor and is very quick to make and the topping can also be used as a ragu for sprialized noodles.

Mediterranean Puttanesca Pizza
Serves 4

Crust:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 pounds russet potatoes, spiralized
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon roasted red pepper flakes
1 egg

Topping:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 anchovy filets
2 cups roasted red pepper strips
1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
vegan parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat the oven to 375˚F.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the spiralized potatoes and sprinkle with the salt and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg. Add the almond flour and mix to combine.
Add the potatoes to the bowl and toss to coat with the egg/almond flour mixture. Spread evenly on a round baking stone and press to flatten. Bake 15-20 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned.
While the crust is baking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the garlic and anchovies. Lightly sauté until the anchovies have dissolved into the oil.
Add the red pepper strips, olives and capers and heat through.
Remove the crust from the oven and slide a spatula under the crust to loosen from the stone, if necessary.
Add the toppings and sprinkle with vegan parmesan cheese, if desired. Return to the oven 5 minutes longer to heat through.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the parsley. Cut into wedges and serve.

Enjoy!

SHOP MY KITCHEN!

Potato Pizza Crust

When I was researching my new diet, I came up with several pizza crust recipes that fall into the *what I can eat* category. Some I bought that I found that they just didn’t have the texture of REAL pizza crust or they were mealy. When you get used to eating in a new way, you adjust to many things but certain textures has been something that I haven’t quite gotten used to.

What I love about this one is that it can crisp up enough to be able to pick it up and eat it like real pizza. Also, it has a neutral flavor so it won’t take away from your choice of toppings.

Potato Pizza Crust
Serves 4

1-1/2 pounds russet potatoes, spiralized
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg
3 tablespoons almond flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Heat oven to 375˚F.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, lightly beat the egg in a medium bowl. Add the almond flour, salt and pepper and mix gently, then set aside.
Remove the potatoes from the skillet and add to bowl with the egg mixture. Toss to coat.
Spread the potatoes onto a baking stone to the edges. Flatten with the back of a spoon to even out.
Bake 15-18 minutes or until brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and loosen from the stone with a spatula, if necessary.
Top with desired toppings.

Enjoy!

SHOP MY KITCHEN!

Ooey Gooey Chocolate Chip Chewy Bars

When I knew my new Snack Bar Maker was going to arrive in a few days, I started researching GF/DF bars I could make. I stumbled upon this one on the PETA website.

This was a test ~~and only a test LOL~~. I had everything I needed to make them and I always find that very exciting! I made them last night and while they were a partial fail, I will definitely make them again!

What I learned: I needed to fill the wells with less mixture. Next time I will use a medium scoop (2 tablespoons) instead of the large scoop (3 tablespoons). They puffed up a bit and spilled over the edges. Also, I will bake them a few minuets longer so they set more. I let them rest in the wells overnight to completely set.

These are fantastic and very flavorful! I forgot I had sunflower seeds so I used pepitas instead. I liked the color they gave the bars.

When you try them, enjoy!

SHOP MY KITCHEN!

Who Likes FREE?

Did you know that each month Pampered Chef offers a FREE gift with purchase? When you go to the big box stores and spend $75, do they give you a FREE gift? No?? Well – Pampered Chef does!

This month you’ll get a FREE Ice Cream Scoop with your qualifying order!

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SHOP MY KITCHEN!