Cooking for Keeps Recipes

Homemade Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cream Pies Nicole, 01 Jun 04:53 AM One of my biggest character flaws is the ability to find blame on someone other than myself, no matter what. Kevin receives the brunt of all the displaced blame, and it’s become quite the ongoing joke in our relationship, so much so, that whenever anything goes awry, Kevin will immediately ask how we can trace fault back to him. Luckily, I’ve realized this shortcoming in myself, and I’m happy to report that I’ll now accept at least twenty percent of the blame… One thing I know I can absolutely blame on Kevin, is my unwavering sweet tooth. Before he came along, I could pass up any cookie, piece of candy, or chocolate that came my way, and now, I’m like a weak five year old who can’t keep her hands out of the cookie jar. Pregnancy only accelerated my love of all things sweet, and I indulged in one of my very favorite confections – an oatmeal cream pie – at our neighborhood bakery at least once a week. Even with my absent sweet tooth as a kid, I was always a sucker for an oatmeal crea... Read More

Spicy Tuna and Mango Soft Spring Rolls Nicole, 26 May 10:20 AM It’s my job to make food look pretty, so it’s a rare occasion when something I create is deemed too pretty to eat, but sometimes, it happens. So is the case with these spring rolls. The way the rice paper is perfectly translucent, showing off the sliced avocado. The deep, red, almost purple raw tuna shining like jewels. The vivid yellow mango that screams summer. All makings of a bite worthy of a magazine cover – if I do say so myself. But…nothing is ever too pretty to eat, for me at least. I’ve been pushing aside my more ambitious recipe ideas for a few months now in lieu of easier ones I can easily start and finish during naptime. I was feeling comfortable with my scaled back content, but recently I started to miss the challenge that something daunting brings to the table, so I made a compromise with myself – one challenging or time consuming recipe per week. Soft spring rolls have been something I’ve wanted to tackle for eons, but the mere thought of it, gave me anxiety. Rice ... Read More

Mozzarella Stick Chicken Burgers Nicole, 24 May 04:45 AM Today was one of those days where time completely got away from me. Typically I’ll shower and get ready when the baby goes down for his morning nap, but he’s become a nightmare of a napper, so today, I didn’t get to shower. I didn’t get to brush my teeth. Or make the bed. Or even look in the mirror. When Kevin got home at 5:15, I was completely confused because I was sure it was only 3pm. He was a little taken aback when he saw me, still in my pajamas with a messy ponytail sticking out from the side of my head, and a half-dressed baby on my hip. Him being the wonderful husband and father that he is, sensed my flustered demeanor and without a word, took the babe for a walk so I could shower and feel like a human – god bless that husband of mine. The only items I managed to check off my list today were a few blogging housekeeping items, tidying up the babe’s nursery, emptying the dishwasher, and assembling and photographing these insanely delicious mozzarella stick chicken burgers. ... Read More

Five Ingredient Creamy Chicken Marsala Nicole, 20 May 04:23 AM I have friends that cook, and friends that don’t cook. Obviously. The friends that don’t cook, love to eat, and while we have great takeout options around the city, occasionally they’re forced to put a skillet to a stove. For those handful of friends, a recipe must include ingredients that are commonly known, even to the most novice of cooks, it must take 30 minutes or less, and preferably, the ingredient list shouldn’t have an obscene amount things to purchase outside your standard pantry items. I have a few five ingredient recipes within the archives of this site, and, according to those friends that “don’t cook,” these are the most prized items lurking around. They’re not intimidating, they don’t require a trip to a specialty store, and they’re still a heck of a lot more impressive than some greasy fast food. Because I want my friends to be able to actually cook some of the recipe I create, I’ve made a promise to them to create more five ingredient meals, plus now that I’m a ne... Read More

Sweet and Spicy Baked Ribs Nicole, 17 May 04:36 AM My Dad makes killer ribs; they’re tender but don’t fall apart. They’re smoky, but not overpowering. They’re spicy, but not too spicy. They have a wonderful char on them, but they aren’t burnt.  In short, they’re pretty flawless – although I’m sure he’d argue otherwise. The only problem?? He uses a smoker, and I don’t own one. So, typically, that means I only get ribs when he makes them, or, as a close second, when I make the trek to our favorite barbecue joint, which, as you can imagine, isn’t often enough. Can I let you in on a little secret I’ve recently discovered though?? You don’t actually NEED a smoker to make perfect ribs to serve at your next barbecue. You need an oven, a good quality cut of pork ribs, and a great recipe – and guess what? I’ve got the recipe.  Bonus? Besides the ribs and one or two other ingredients, all the items you need are staples probably residing in your pantry this very moment. As most rib recipes go, you want to start off with a super flavorful dry ... Read More

Corn, Crab, and Lobster Quesadillas Nicole, 13 May 04:26 AM Crab. Lobster. Corn. Cheese. Do I need to say more?? I could, but I won’t. Happy weekend! Corn, Crab, and Lobster Quesadillas   Print Prep time 15 mins Cook time 35 mins Total time 50 mins The most decadent quesadillas on the planet. Crab. Corn. Lobster. And so much cheese. Author: Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps Serves: 15 quesadillas Ingredients ¼ cup red wine vinegar 1 tsp. sugar ½ cup sliced red onion 2 - 6 oz. lobster tails 1 tsp. olive oil 2 large poblano peppers 3 ears of corn 8 oz. lump crab ½ lb fontina cheese, grated 1 large avocado 2 tsp. lime juice ¼ tsp. salt 5 burritto-sized tortillas Instructions Heat a gas grill to a medium-high heat. Add red wine vinegar and sugar to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and add onions. Cook until starting to wilt, stirring frequently, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside and let rest in liquid. Use a sharp knife to cut lobster tails lengthwise down the middle. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add lobste... Read More

Teriyaki Salmon Burgers Nicole, 10 May 04:45 AM About a month ago, I was finally able to finagle my engagement ring on and off my finger without it getting stuck below my knuckle. It was one of the lingering side effects of pregnancy that just wouldn’t go away. I was extremely close to making peace with the fact that I’d just have to go get it re-sized since my finger was forever swollen – and then one day, boom, it slid right on. It’s been coming on and off every day since. Except for tonight. Tonight when I went to go take my ring off before I washed my face and got ready for bed, it stayed firmly on my finger no matter how much I tried to wrangle it off. I immediately became frustrated, why wasn’t it coming off?? Did I put on MORE weight? Was I dehydrated? Did my ring shrink? And then I remembered…I pretty much drank the homemade teriyaki sauce I slathered on these salmon burgers. It was a good ol’ fashioned sodium overload. I’d never made homemade teriyaki before – at least not with the intent of making teriyaki – and man... Read More

Creamy Cobb Pasta Salad Nicole, 06 May 09:41 AM Ahhh … spring (and almost summer!)… We’ve said goodbye to the last of the snow, chill and heavy winter coats; now, warmer weather, sunshine and plenty of backyard barbecues are standard – and I love a good barbecue. Give me hot dogs, hamburgers, deviled eggs, salads, good friends and cold beer, and I am one happy lady – I imagine you would be too. Of course, like any other red-blooded American, I’ve hosted and attended my fair share of backyard barbecues, and the one item that — without a doubt — I always serve or bring along is some sort of pasta salad. I don’t know if it’s my unwavering love for different shapes of starchy carbs or what, but I don’t feel like a barbecue is complete without a pasta salad. The type of pasta doesn’t usually matter to me, but I have to say I’m a total sucker for creamy-based pasta, regardless of whether it’s cold or hot, and today is no exception. One requirement I do have for all my pasta salads?? They must have lots of “stuff” in them, and by “stu... Read More

Five Ingredient Watermelon Margarita Granita Nicole, 05 May 04:30 AM Happy Cinco de Mayo! In my former pre-baby life, I would have planned at least three Mexican-inspired recipes to share with you well before the actual holiday, but since I have a tiny human, planing ahead is something of the past. Maybe I’ll get with it when Teddy goes off to college. Since you probably don’t share my procrastinating traits in your party planning, maybe I can tempt you with a last minute dessert/cocktail addition to your menu? I’ve had a margarita-inspired granita recipe in the depths of my recipe idea journal for years now, and each time summer or Cinco de Mayo rolls around, it gets pushed away for some reason or another. But this year, I made it my mission to follow through, even it was at the eleventh hour, and I had to wear my fussy-I-refuse-to-nap little Teddy while I tried to capture the perfectly light flakes of granita before they melted. Have you heard of granita before?? It’s a frozen Italian dessert similar to a snow cone of sorts. It typically starts ... Read More

Fizzy Blueberry Basil Punch Nicole, 02 May 04:24 AM There are at least a dozen items to check off your to-do list when you’re throwing a party, but if you’re anything like me, the two most important things — the food and drink — are the first items I plan. When it comes to drinks, I always like to offer my guests the standards — water, soda, beer and wine — but I also try to have one “signature drink” that can be served either with liquor or as a mocktail for those who aren’t of legal age or want to abstain for other reasons. I used to go with a store-bought frozen juice, mix it with whatever liquor I had on hand, and then top it off with a bit of bubbly (or seltzer water), but I’ve come to find that making a fun drink from scratch is just as easy, and SO much better. Typically every drink I make correlates to the season we’re in, so now that we’re deep into spring and making our way into summer, something fruit-based is exactly what I’m craving. Plus, you’ve got to buy up that fresh fruit while it’s available! When I think of a “c... Read More