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Why We’re Marinating Just About Everything in Mayo

This article is a part of Mayo Week—seven days celebrating all things mayonnaise—presented in partnership by our friends at Primal Kitchen.
Mayonnaise is a savior in a spread, a miracle in a jar, a genie in a bottle. Besides decking out our sandwiches…

This article is a part of Mayo Week—seven days celebrating all things mayonnaise—presented in partnership by our friends at Primal Kitchen.

Mayonnaise is a savior in a spread, a miracle in a jar, a genie in a bottle. Besides decking out our sandwiches and dressing up our grain bowls, it makes the fluffiest pancakes, the fudgiest chocolate cake. It can even remove watermarks from tables, stickers from jars, mistakes from the past.

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Basil Pesto Recipe

This basil pesto recipe is a flavor-packed classic Italian sauce starring basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese! Got…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This basil pesto recipe is a flavor-packed classic Italian sauce starring basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese!

Basil Pesto Recipe

Got a load of fresh basil? Then run, don’t walk, to make a batch of this basil pesto recipe! It’s savory, garlicky, creamy, peppery, and you can slather a smear on anything. Is there anything better? Use it to take pasta from plain to magnificent, or throw it on a pesto pizza for maximum flavor. If you’re never made basil pesto at home: now is the time!

What’s in this basil pesto recipe?

Basil pesto is a sauce that originates in Italy (the city of Genoa, more specifically). The word pesto comes from an Italian word that means “pounded” or “crushed”. A pesto can refer to any type of sauce that is crushed, but pesto alla genovese, the version of pesto from Genoa, is the most popular version. The traditional ingredients in basil pesto are fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and salt.

Pesto ingredient notes

Pine nuts are traditional in basil pesto, but they can be pretty expensive here in the US. In this pesto recipe, you can use cashews or walnuts as a substitute. We’ve tested and both turn out fabulously! You can use any type of nut you prefer. Our favorite is pine nuts because they make for the best classic flavor. But the cashew version is delicious, and we always have cashews around.

Another feature we added to our basil pesto recipe is a squeeze of lemon juice! It helps to brighten the flavors and takes this sauce to a while new level.

Basil Pesto

How to make this pesto recipe

Basil pesto is traditionally made in a mortar and pestle to grind the ingredients together, but modern recipes typically use a blender or food processor. You’ll simply blend up all ingredients, then add the olive oil until the sauce becomes creamy.

Here’s how to make basil pesto:

  • Toast the nuts for a few minutes in a dry skillet, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
  • Place the nuts, Parmesan cheese, and garlic in a food processor and blend until finely chopped.
  • Add fresh basil leaves, lemon juice and salt. Start the food processor and add the olive oil in a steady stream. Add a bit more olive oil to bring to the desired consistency, if necessary.

Pesto variations

There are many ways to change up pesto! Here are a few variations on basil pesto for you:

  • Easy Vegan Pesto or Vegan Cashew Pesto: Want pesto without cheese? These pesto recipes use tricks to substitute a cheesy flavor.
  • Walnut Pesto or Cashew Pesto: Swap out the pine nuts for a delicious spin!
  • Kale Pesto: You can substitute kale for basil in the off season! This spicy variation is also tasty.
  • Arugula Pesto: Spicy arugula also works as a substitute for basil!
  • Basil Sauce: This sauce is similar to pesto, without the nuts and cheese! It’s remarkably good.
Basil pesto sauce

How to freeze pesto

Here’s an important note! The best way to store homemade pesto, if you’re not going to eat it all at once, is to freeze it. Here’s how to freeze basil pesto:

  • Pour the pesto into an ice cube tray and pop in the freezer.
  • Once frozen, remove the cubes and place them in a freezer safe sealed container.
  • When you’re ready to eat, you can pop out small servings of pesto. Place them in a container and allow to come to room temperature on the counter or in the refrigerator.

Growing and storing basil

Ever grown basil? Basil is easy to grow at home: it’s very hardy as long as you place it in full sun! Basil adds an aromatic flavor to such a wide variety of recipes. If you’re looking to grow your own basil plant, go to this step-by-step guide, How to Grow Basil.

When you harvest branches of your basil plant and bring them inside, they’ll wilt after about an hour unless you follow this trick! Place a little water in the bottom of a large ball jar, then place the stems inside, cut side down. Add the top and it will stay fresh for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator! (See How to Store Basil for more.)

Basil Pesto Recipe

Ways to use pesto

Once you’ve made your basil pesto: what to do with it? There are thousands of recipes for how to use basil pesto online and in cookbooks. To help you sort through the clutter, here are our best recipes with pesto:

This basil pesto recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, use Vegan Pesto.

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Basil Pesto Recipe

Basil Pesto Recipe


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: Heaping 1 cup (about 18 tablespoons)

Description

This basil pesto recipe is a flavor-packed classic Italian sauce starring basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese!


Ingredients

  • ½ cup raw unsalted pine nuts, cashews, or walnuts*
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 medium garlic cloves
  • 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup olive oil, plus additional as needed

Instructions

  1. In a small dry skillet, toast the nuts over medium high heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the nuts to a bowl and allow them to cool slightly. (This step is optional, but brings out a more robust flavor in the nuts.)
  2. In food processor**, combine the nuts, cheese, and peeled garlic. Process until finely ground, 20 to 30 seconds.
  3. Add the basil, lemon juice and kosher salt. Turn on the food processor and gradually pour in the olive oil. Once combined, turn off the food processor. Blend in a bit more olive oil if desired, to achieve a looser texture. Stores for about 1 week in the refrigerator and several months frozen.

Notes

*Pine nuts are traditional, but can be expensive. We’ve tested both cashews and walnuts and they have great flavor. Since we often have these stocked in our pantry, we use these variations more often than pine nuts. 

**You also can do the same method using a mortar and pestle, adding the basil leaves gradually and crushing them against the sides of the mortar. 

  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Blended
  • Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: Basil pesto, basil pesto recipe, Pesto recipe, Pesto

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Peanut Noodles

This peanut noodles recipe makes a fresh and simple meal! The bowl stars creamy peanut butter sauce, crunchy veggies, cilantro,…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This peanut noodles recipe makes a fresh and simple meal! The bowl stars creamy peanut butter sauce, crunchy veggies, cilantro, and lime.

Peanut noodles

Need dinnertime inspiration? Cozy up to a bowl of these creamy, zingy peanut noodles! This is one of our favorite fresh, easy dinner recipes and it comes together in less than 30 minutes. The peanut butter sauce is lusciously creamy, bursting with flavor from soy sauce, fresh lime juice and honey or maple syrup. Mix it together with luscious noodle strands and crunchy veggies and top with loads of fresh cilantro and crunchy peanuts. You’ll never want the bowl to end!

Ingredients in this peanut noodles recipe

There are many ways to make peanut noodles: here’s our favorite way to do it! It starts with a simple 5-ingredient peanut sauce and a handful of vegetables. For the noodles, you can use whatever type of long noodles you like! We used udon, but you can use soba or substitute rice noodles for a gluten-free option. It even works with spaghetti in a pinch! Here are the ingredients for this peanut noodles recipe:

  • Udon or rice noodles (or noodles of choice)
  • Creamy peanut butter
  • Soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos)
  • Sriracha hot sauce
  • Lime juice
  • Maple syrup or honey
  • Neutral oil
  • Carrots
  • Red pepper
  • Green onions
  • Snap peas
  • Cilantro, for garnish (optional)
  • Chopped peanuts, for garnish (optional)
Peanut Noodles

Rinse your noodles to remove starch

Here’s an important note about cooking this recipe: rinse the noodles after they’re done cooking! Rinsing pasta is not required for something like Italian spaghetti or penne. But for udon, soba and rice noodles, rinsing is helpful to remove the starch that builds up during cooking.

If you don’t rinse, the noodles can become very gummy and mushy, absorbing the sauce and becoming dry instead of saucy. Rinse your noodles after cooking, and you’ll notice a big difference.

Protein adders for peanut noodles

This peanut noodles recipe is very simple: stir together the peanut sauce, cook the noodles, cook the veggies, and stir it all together! On its own, it’s a tasty vegan dinner recipe. Because it doesn’t have a protein other than the peanut butter, you may want to add more protein to make it more filling. Here are a few ideas:

Peanut Noodles

Storage info

These peanut noodles are best the day they are made, because the creamy sauce smothers the pasta best when it is piping hot! When you refrigerate peanut sauce, it becomes very thick and solid (just like peanut butter does in the refrigerator).

You can store the noodles for up to 2 days refrigerated. Before serving, reheat them on the stovetop and add a splash of water or lime juice to make the sauce creamy again. You may also want to add a few pinches of salt or a little soy sauce to enhance the flavors.

Diet variations

This peanut noodles recipe is versatile and can flex to meet many dietary needs. Here’s how to adjust the recipe:

  • Dairy-free and plant-based: Make the recipe below
  • Vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey
  • Gluten-free: Use rice noodles and tamari instead of soy sauce
Peanut Noodles recipe

More easy dinner recipes

This peanut noodles recipe is an easy dinner recipe that’s ready in under 30 minutes (that also happens to be a vegan dinner!). Here are a few more quick and easy plant-packed dinner recipes you might enjoy:

This peanut noodles recipe is…

Vegetarian, dairy-free, plant-based and vegan. For gluten-free, use tamari and rice noodles.

Print
Peanut noodles

Peanut Noodles


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4

Description

This peanut noodles recipe makes a fresh and simple meal! The bowl stars creamy peanut butter sauce, crunchy veggies, cilantro, and lime.


Ingredients

  • 12 ounces dry udon, soba or rice noodles
  • 6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
  • 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos)
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more for garnish if desired
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey
  • 6 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 6 ounces snap peas
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro, for garnish
  • Chopped peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water (this removes extra starch so the noodles don’t become gummy).
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the peanut butter, soy sauce, Sriracha, lime juice, honey, and water.
  3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the vegetables and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until just tender and lightly charred.
  4. Remove the heat. Add the cooked noodles, sauce, and the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt to the pan and stir to combine. Add 2 tablespoons or so of water and apply heat it until it becomes smooth and saucy.
  5. Serve topped with torn fresh cilantro leaves, chopped peanuts and lime wedges, if desired. The dish tastes best the day it is made, but leftovers store up to 2 days and are best reheated (the sauce turns thick when cold, so reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water or lime juice and a pinch or two of salt).
  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Peanut noodles, peanut butter noodles, peanut noodles recipe, peanut sauce noodles

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

The Most Popular Barbecue Sauces, Ranked

Barbecue sauce does not belong in the top tier of condiments. It certainly doesn’t crack the top five (ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, and ranch are all superior). However, barbecue sauce—typically a reduction of tomato, sugar, vinegar, and sp…

Barbecue sauce does not belong in the top tier of condiments. It certainly doesn’t crack the top five (ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, and ranch are all superior). However, barbecue sauce—typically a reduction of tomato, sugar, vinegar, and spices—is still a practical and enjoyable condiment. Often thick, tolerably sweet, and with a glimmer of spice, it’s an adequate partner for anything that’s warm, salty, possibly grilled, and maybe a bit greasy. Think: typical barbecue offerings like ribs, chicken, pulled pork, baked beans, but also fried foods (nuggets, fries, wings, etc.), pizza, and burgers.

Unlike ketchup or mayonnaise—which thankfully maintain fairly standard tastes and consistencies (the eradication of watery mayo is one of society’s greatest feats)—barbecue sauce covers a wide spectrum of flavors and textures. Within the United States, this condiment has many different regional iterations. For instance, in North Carolina, the sauce is thin, vinegar-forward, and orange in color. If you head further south to Alabama, you’ll find a mayonnaise-based, “white” barbecue sauce. Of course, there are international variances as well, chiefly represented by the rich histories of Japanese and Korean barbecue sauces, often flavored by soy and mirin.

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Creamy Turmeric Mango Vinaigrette

Friends, we know mangoes are SO good it’s challenging not to devour them all right off the cutting board. But take it from a fellow mango enthusiast: This time it’s worth letting them make it to the blender. You’re going to want a batch of this bright,…

Creamy Turmeric Mango Vinaigrette

Friends, we know mangoes are SO good it’s challenging not to devour them all right off the cutting board. But take it from a fellow mango enthusiast: This time it’s worth letting them make it to the blender. You’re going to want a batch of this bright, naturally sweet turmeric mango vinaigrette around for a salad recipe coming tomorrow!

Grab your blender and 9 ingredients (mostly pantry staples) and let’s do this!

This dressing is as simple as blending and enjoying!

Creamy Turmeric Mango Vinaigrette from Minimalist Baker →

Easy Panang Curry Paste

Oh, curry! You never let us down. We’ve done green and red curry pastes, but considering panang curry is one of our favorite Thai curries, it was time we tried our hand at homemade panang curry paste!
Our inspired version is vegan, gluten-free, and nat…

Easy Panang Curry Paste

Oh, curry! You never let us down. We’ve done green and red curry pastes, but considering panang curry is one of our favorite Thai curries, it was time we tried our hand at homemade panang curry paste!

Our inspired version is vegan, gluten-free, and naturally sweetened but makes a similarly rich, peanutty, savory-sweet curry that’s just as good as takeout (stay tuned for that recipe!).

Easy Panang Curry Paste from Minimalist Baker →

Aji Verde Sauce (Peruvian-Inspired, Dairy-Free)

This sauce is SO good we licked the blender clean. Inspired by Peruvian aji verde, this dairy-free version is equally creamy, spicy, smoky, and vibrant! 
Just 5 minutes, 1 blender, and 8 ingredients required for this versatile condiment perfect fo…

Aji Verde Sauce (Peruvian-Inspired, Dairy-Free)

This sauce is SO good we licked the blender clean. Inspired by Peruvian aji verde, this dairy-free version is equally creamy, spicy, smoky, and vibrant! 

Just 5 minutes, 1 blender, and 8 ingredients required for this versatile condiment perfect for bowls (recipe coming soon), salads, tacos, roasted potatoes, chicken, and so much more. Let us show you how it’s done!

What is Aji Verde?

Ají verde is a green hot sauce commonly served at Peruvian restaurants.

Aji Verde Sauce (Peruvian-Inspired, Dairy-Free) from Minimalist Baker →

The BEST Carrot Top Pesto

Wondering what to do with carrot tops? Make pesto! If you’ve made it before and thought “Hmm, that’s resourceful, but I wouldn’t make it again,” we urge you to give this version a try! Thanks to a little help from fresh basil, it&#821…

The BEST Carrot Top Pesto

Wondering what to do with carrot tops? Make pesto! If you’ve made it before and thought “Hmm, that’s resourceful, but I wouldn’t make it again,” we urge you to give this version a try! Thanks to a little help from fresh basil, it’s just mildly earthy and worthy of saving in your recipe box! 

It adds an herby brightness to pasta, quinoa, roasted carrots, potatoes, chicken, and much more. Bonus? It’s dairy-free and comes together in just 5 minutes in a food processor or blender.

The BEST Carrot Top Pesto from Minimalist Baker →

Herby Green Tahini Sauce (5 Minutes!)

There’s a (not-so-secret) secret that can take an average plate of veggies to the next level. Want in? It’s sauce! The secret sauce, if you will. We’re BIG fans of all kinds of sauces because they add flavor and pizzazz with minimal effort, and this he…

Herby Green Tahini Sauce (5 Minutes!)

There’s a (not-so-secret) secret that can take an average plate of veggies to the next level. Want in? It’s sauce! The secret sauce, if you will. We’re BIG fans of all kinds of sauces because they add flavor and pizzazz with minimal effort, and this herby, garlicky green tahini sauce does just that! 

Just 5 minutes and 8 ingredients required for this Mediterranean-inspired condiment, friends.

Herby Green Tahini Sauce (5 Minutes!) from Minimalist Baker →


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Homemade Bechamel Sauce

Inside: Keep reading to find out how to make this delicious bechamel sauce, which can be used in a lot of great recipes, from scratch. Today I want to share …

The post Homemade Bechamel Sauce appeared first on My Latina Table.

Inside: Keep reading to find out how to make this delicious bechamel sauce, which can be used in a lot of great recipes, from scratch.

homemade bechamel sauce adorned with a flour

Today I want to share a basic recipe bechamel, which is a creamy white sauce that is easy to make and goes great in a variety of recipes. In Mexican cuisine, flavorful sauces play such an important role. That is also the case in Italian cuisine, seeing as how a lot of pasta dishes have a variety of different sauces.

This recipe is super easy to make and is one of my favorite recipes when I am getting ready to do some Italian cooking. My kids love Italian food, so we often are experimenting with different types of pasta and sauces, including this one.

What is béchamel sauce?

Bechamel is one of the “mother sauces” of Italian cuisine. In its basic form, it is a white cream sauce that consists of a combination of butter, flour, and whole milk. It can be used in a variety of Italian recipes, but is most well known as a layer in lasagna. It also can be used as the base sauce for macaroni and cheese and other pastas.

creamy white sauce in a bowl

How do you make bechamel?

This is one of the most simple recipes that you can make. To start, you need the following ingredients:

  • 1 stick of unsalted butter
  • 4 tablespoons of flour
  • 4 cups of cold milk (whole)
  • 1 tsp of ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp of black pepper
  • Salt to taste

ingredients for a creamy white sauce

Start by heating up a large saucepot over medium heat and add the butter, letting it melt. Be careful not to let it burn, because that will affect the flavor.

After the butter has melted, add the flour to the pot and mix well until a somewhat thick paste forms. The French term for this initial mixture is a roux and is what will eventually thicken this sauce. Let it cook over low heat for a couple of minute, but do not let it burn.

Add a cup of milk, stirring constantly, and then slowly add the rest of the milk. You will want to stir it constantly for about 5 minutes, or until it starts to thicken. At that point, you can add the nutmeg, pepper, and salt to taste and stir.

stirring the bechamel sauce

The final result should be a smooth, creamy sauce. The longer you leave it over the heat, the thicker it will become. If it gets too thick, add a bit more milk and continue stirring.

That is it! Now that you have your bechamel sauce, you can use it in your favorite Italian recipes or even as a sauce for tasty veggies.

Let me know in the comments below how it turned out and what your favorite way to serve it is.

creamy white sauce in a bowl
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Homemade Bechamel Sauce

This creamy white bechamel sauce is easy to make and goes great in a variety of Italian recipes.
Course Appetizer, Sauce
Cuisine Italian
Keyword bechamel, sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 14 minutes
Servings 16 1/4 cup servings
Calories 95kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Stick unsalted butter
  • 4 tbsp flour
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt more or less to taste

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a large saucepot over medium heat
  • Add the flour and mix well until a roux is formed. Let cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn.
  • Add the milk one cup at a time, stirring constantly.
  • Stir for about 5 minutes, or until it reaches your desired consistency.
  • Add the nutmeg, pepper, and salt to taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 11/4 cup serving | Calories: 95kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 276IU | Vitamin C: 0.004mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 0.1mg

The post Homemade Bechamel Sauce appeared first on My Latina Table.