Italian Sausage & Mushroom Skillet Lasagna + Nambé GIVEAWAY

May 8, 2013June 21, 2016 The Culinary Chronicles5 Comments

When I was living in LA for grad school, my roommates and I would often find time between classes and work to make dinner together. They were modest meals that came out of our tiny kitchen and on our grad student budgets– but they were always fun and memorable. Especially because we barely had any cookware or pans!

One pot meals were a necessity and boy did we come up with some doozies! A million different types of fried rice, stroganoffs, breakfast scrambles, stir-frys, and one of my tried and true favorites—skillet lasagnas.

Skillet lasagnas were perfect! Not only were they delish and filling but you literally only needed a pan and one stove top burner to make it.

No ovens, no baking dishes and no extra pots needed to boil the noodles ahead of time. Just the thing when you’re short on time—and cookware.

So when I got my little hands on this gorgeous sauté pan from our friends at Nambé, nostalgia kicked in and I had to give it a roll.

Nambé’s new cookware line is FANTABULOUS! Sturdy, heats evenly, easy to clean and is just so pretty. Since they’re so snazzy, you can move them directly from the stove to the dining table! Cookware to Serveware? Where were you when I was in grad school?!

And since you are the sunshine of my day, YOU will have the chance to win a set of four (4) of their new CookServ Sauté Pans (8, 10, 12 and 14 inches) courtesy of the awesome team at Nambé! Check out these beauties:

Nambé has partnered with several different blogs for this joint giveaway of these stunning pans that are retailed at 650 buckaroos. Want to know how to win?

It’s Easy-Peasy!

Simply click on the following link to enter the Nambe Giveaway powered by Rafflecopter

ps. Whether you have only one pan in your pantry or a dozen, you’ll really want to make this Italian Sausage & Mushroom Skillet Lasagna. Sooooooo yummmyyy!

pps. Don’t forget to enter this rad giveaway and BEST-O-LUCK!!!

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Italian Sausage & Mushroom Skillet Lasagna
Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound spicy Italian sausage
2 cups sliced crimini mushroom
1 cup diced white onions
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoon tomato paste
3 16-ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes
10 ounces dried lasagna noodles (about 2/3 of a regular sized box)
1½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
kosher salt and black pepper
6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

In a large skillet that has a lid; heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil to medium heat. Removed the casing from the sausage and add to the skillet. Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage and cook until lightly brown. Add in the mushrooms and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms have softened. Remove the sausage and mushrooms to a clean plate.

Add an additional tablespoon of oil to the skillet and cook the onions until softened and translucent. Add the garlic, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute before adding in the tomato paste. Allow the mixture to cook for an additional minute to allow the items to become aromatic. Transfer the sausage and mushrooms back to the skillet and stir to combine.

Using a blender or immersion blender, puree the tomatoes with its juices until smooth.

Break the lasagna noodles into 1-2 inch pieces and layer on top of the ingredients in the skillet. Pour the pureed tomatoes and chicken stock over the noodles. Allow the liquids to come to a slight boil. Cover and simmer the lasagna for 20-25 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Continue cooking until the noodles become al dente.

Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper and lay pieces of mozzarella over the top. Garnish with basil leaves and serve warm.

**If you would like a bit of crunch, turn on your oven broiler after placing the mozzarella cheese and place the skillet about 4 inches away from it. Allow to brown for about 30-45 seconds but be sure to keep an eye on it to avoid burning the lasagna.

Desserts/Pastries

Gingerbread-Pear Cupcakes + Nambé Winner!

November 27, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles15 Comments

Is it just me or is time FLYING by?!

I feel like I was just wondering what my Halloween costume was going to be and within a blink of an eye, Thanksgiving has come and gone and now we’re barreling towards the Winter Holidays. YIKES!

But with the Winter Holidays comes all the flavors that I adore —- and gingerbread probably tops the lot.

These gingerbread cuppies are wonderfully spiced, deeply flavored with molasses & fresh ginger and are quite moist. I added in some pears for an additional level of flavor and texture and think they paired well with the spiced frosting. However, if you feel like cutting out some sweetness, simply serve the cupcakes inverted as the pears will act as a wonderful “topping”. Either way, your guests will adore you for them.

And now for the winner of our Nambe platter! Drum Roll please………….

CONGRATS Ryan M. who said he would use this platter to feature local cheeses and jams he has made this year. MMMmmm!! Ryan, please check your email for instructions.

THANK YOU to everyone who participated! And a big THANKS to our friends at Nambe!!!!

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Gingerbread-Pear Cupcakes with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes approximately 24-28 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Batter
2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons baking soda
¾ cup molasses
1¼ cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, beaten
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 cup chopped pears

Frosting
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon molasses
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5-6 cups confectioner sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line muffin tin with paper cups.

In a bowl, sift together the flour and dried spices. Set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk together the boiling water, baking soda, sugar and molasses until combined. Stir in the vegetable oil. Allow the liquids to cool slightly. Mix in the dried ingredients and then the eggs, vanilla extract and fresh ginger. Once the batter has been combined, carefully fold in the pears.

Fill the paper cups three-quarters full and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of them comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans on a wire rack 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Whip in molasses, cinnamon, and cloves. Gradually whip in the confectioner sugar, ½ cup at a time. Continue adding sugar until you reach your desired consistency. Fill a piping bag with the frosting and pipe large swirls on top of the cooled cupcakes.

Desserts/Pastries · Giveaways · Sponsored

Pomegranate-Pear Tarts + Nambé GIVEAWAY

November 21, 2012June 21, 2016 The Culinary Chronicles76 Comments

If you are anything like me, you’re still finalizing what dishes you’ll be making for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I’ve got the desserts squared away but still need to commit to an appetizer or two……Baked Brie? Cheesy Mushroom Bread? Oh, the options…

But if you are in need of a dessert to wow your guests, you must try out these beautiful Pomegranate-Pear Tarts.

You can use whatever types of pears you like but I find that either Bartletts or Anjous work out best. I also put a light honey-glaze to provide a little bit of sweetness and a sheen. As for the pomegranates, they added a great freshness and crunchy texture while giving a bit of tart flavor. Alternatively, you can sprinkle the tops with crushed pistachios.

Not only are these tarts eye-catching and delicious but they only take a few minutes to put together! Perfect for holiday entertaining when I always seem like I’m racing the clock.

And since this is a time for giving Thanks….our amazing friends at Nambe are giving us a chance to say THANK YOU to our readers with a giveaway!

One reader will have the chance to win this gorgeous Handled Tray !

~~How to Enter:~~ THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED…Thanks!

Leave a comment and tell us what the first thing you’ll serve using the Nambe Handled Tray

For extra chances to win, leave a separate comment for each indicating which of the below you did:

Subscribe to The Culinary Chronicles & get automatic emails when new posts are published (If you already Subscribe, leave a comment indicating so);
Like the Nambé Facebook Fan Page (If you already “Like” Nambé, leave a comment and let us know); or
Like our Facebook Fan Page (If you already “Like” us, leave a comment indicating so); or
Follow @CulinaryChron on Twitter (If you already Follow us, leave a comment indicating so).

The deadline to enter is Monday, November 26th at 5pm (PST) and the winner will be announced the next day.

THANKS so much Nambé and HAPPY THANKSGIVING FRIENDS!

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Pomegranate-Pear Tarts
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Bartlett or Bosc Pears, cored and sliced lengthwise to 1/8 inch width
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon warm water
¼ cup pomegranate arils
fresh whipped cream or ice cream, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, gently roll the puff pastry to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut the sheet into 4 equal squares.

Transfer the puff pastry to a parchment paper lined baking sheet, leaving ample space in between each square.

Leaving a ½ inch border of the puff pastry around each square, shingle the pear slices so that all 4 pieces have been covered. Gently fold over the dough on each side of the squares and pinch the corners to seal.

In a small bowl, mix the honey and water together until combined. Brush the tops of the pear slices with the honey glaze. Transfer the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Rotate the sheet halfway through baking.

Remove the tarts from the oven and cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the tarts with the pomegranate arils and serve immediately with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.

Breakfast/Brunch · Pizzas · Pork

Breakfast Pizza + Nambé Giveaway WINNER!

July 24, 2012November 5, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles5 Comments

You could throw an egg on anything and it would be freaking delicious. Sandwiches, ramen noodles, pasta, rice……

Seriously.

So when I dove into Motorino’s Pizza al’ Uovo on my recent trip to NYC— I was in HEAVEN. Oooey-gooey fried eggs that just spilled into a crisp pizza covered with pancetta, basil and pecorino. SOOO good! I was hell bent on making my own version when I got home though I did make a few ingredients substitutions based upon my personal flavor preference. True– it’s nearly impossible to achieve the same type of crust that a wood fire oven can produce but overall I was very happy with it. You’ll be surprised to see how easy this is to make and it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser at your next brunch party.

But now for what you all have been waiting for….the winner of the fabulous Nambé Fish Platter

Drum Roll please………….

CONGRATS Jessica who said she would serve Gambas al Ajillo on the Nambé Fish Platter. Jessica, you will have until 5pm PST on Wednesday, July 25th to respond to our email and accept or another winner will be selected.

THANK YOU to everyone who participated! And THANK YOU Nambé !

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Breakfast Pizza
Serves 2

Dough:
1 Cup Lukewarm Water
1 Packet Instant Yeast
2 Cups Bread Flour, plus more for dusting the work surface and hands
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Tablespoon Sugar
*Makes approximately 3 medium-sized pizzas

Toppings:
1 Tablespoon Corn Meal
Olive Oil
2 Large Eggs, crack into individual small bowls
2 Ounces Fresh Mozzarella, sliced and patted dry
4-5 Slices Bacon, par cooked and cut into large pieces
2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Basil Leaves
Black Pepper

Prepare the pizza dough. Combine the water with the yeast and let set for 10 minutes until the yeast is dissolved and bubbly. Combine the rest of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add the yeast-water and mix until the ingredients have just combined. Cover and allow to rest in a warm area until it doubles in size—about one hour.

One hour before baking, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F with a pizza stone on the lower rack. If cooking the pizza on a baking sheet, preheat 30 minutes before baking.

When the dough has rested, take approximately 1/3 of the dough and flatten it with your hands on a floured surface. Use a floured rolling pin to gently roll the crust about 1/8 of an inch. Transfer the dough to a pizza peel (if baking directly on stone) or onto a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with corn meal. Gently brush the crust with olive oil.

Lower the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. If using a pizza peel, carefully slide the pizza in the oven on the stone. If using a baking sheet, place pizza in the oven. Par bake for about 6-8 minutes until slightly golden. Pull from the oven and carefully pour the eggs on top. Place the fresh mozzarella cheese and bacon around the pizza and sprinkle with the grated parmesan cheese. Return to oven and continue baking for an additional 6-8 minutes or until the eggs have just set and the bacon has crisped. When done, remove the pizza and top with fresh basil leaves and black pepper. Serve immediately.

Giveaways · Seafood · Sponsored

Crispy Red Snapper with Chili Tamarind Sauce + Nambé GIVEAWAY

July 16, 2012June 21, 2016 The Culinary Chronicles56 Comments

You know what can make me do the Happy Dance?

When I can cook something pretty and then serve it on something pretty. Win-Nguyen in my book.

So when our generous friends at Nambé gave me the chance to create something to showcase their beautiful Fish Platter, I jumped at the opportunity!

I love making whole fish—it retains a lot of moisture and I believe, often enhances the flavor of the fish. I opted to drizzle this crispy red snapper with a sweet and sour tamarind chili sauce—and trust me, you will LOVE the flavor and texture balance.

And guess what? Not only can you make this Crispy Red Snapper but you will also have the opportunity to win the stunning Fish Platter! Woo Hoo!

How to Enter:

Leave a comment and tell us what the first thing you’ll serve using the Fish Platter

For extra chances to win, leave a separate comment for each indicating which of the below you did:

Subscribe to The Culinary Chronicles & get automatic emails when new posts are published (If you already Subscribe, leave a comment indicating so);
Like the Nambé Facebook Fan Page (If you already “Like” Nambé, leave a comment and let us know); or
Like our Facebook Fan Page (If you already “Like” us, leave a comment indicating so); or
Follow @CulinaryChron on Twitter (If you already Follow us, leave a comment indicating so).

The deadline to enter is Sunday, July 22nd at 5pm (PST) and the winner will be announced the next day.

Best of luck friends and THANKS so much Nambé!

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Crispy Red Snapper with Chili Tamarind Sauce
Serves 2

Ingredients:

Chili Tamarind Sauce
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2-3 Thai chili peppers, finely minced (more or less depending on heat preference)
1/3 cup tamarind juice concentrate
2 tablespoons palm sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Fish
1 (2 pound) whole red snapper, head-on and thoroughly cleaned
Vegetable oil (for frying)
½ cup red bell pepper, julienned
2 scallions, diced
1 cup fresh cilantro

In a sauce pan, heat the vegetable oil and sauté the shallots and garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Add in the chili peppers and cook for an additional minute. Add the tamarind juice concentrate, palm sugar, fish sauce and water. Continue cooking over medium-low heat while stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Lower the heat and gently simmer until the sauce has thickened. Taste the sauce and adjust with the desired level of sweetness or heat by adding more chili peppers, palm sugar or tamarind juice concentrate.

While the sauce is reducing, rinse the fish with cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Score both sides of the fish about every 1½ inches. Fill a heavy bottom pot or wok with oil deep enough to submerge your fish. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F and carefully slide the fish into the oil. Fry the fish until golden brown—about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the fish from the oil and drain on a cooling rack that has been placed on top of a sheet pan. Allow to drain for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a serving dish.

Cover the crispy fish with scallions, red bell pepper and drizzle the sauce all over the top. Add the fresh cilantro and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Giveaways · Pork · Seafood · Sponsored

Spicy Mussels with Andouille Sausage + Nambé GIVEAWAY

April 18, 2012June 21, 2016 The Culinary Chronicles59 Comments

Man, oh man……

This is a doozy.

You might as well just jump through the screen and hug me now.

Not only do I have a DELISH recipe to share with you but we have a FABULOUS GIVEAWAY!!!!! Oh yes, it’s another Win-Nguyen Situation!

Our generous friends at Nambé have offered to give one of our readers a STUNNING Cradle Pasta Bowl. I’m not kidding friends. When I took mine out of the box, I literally gasped! Forget about calling it a “pasta bowl”, it’s a work of art!

I had so many different dishes I wanted to display in this beauty but finally settled upon a flavorful and easy summer meal– Spicy Mussels with Andouille Sausage. I often steam mussels in white wine with tons of citrus and herbs but wanted to kick up the flavors a bit this time around. The spice and richness from the Andouille were perfect! The broth is extremely satisfying as it melds the earthiness of the sausage with the briny goodness from the mussels and clam juice. I think it’s best enjoyed with a hunk of crunchy bread and a glass of crisp vino but it would also go well with some linguine. Exquisite!

But as delectable as these mussels are, I’m sure you want to know how to win the lovely Cradle Pasta Bowl, right? Well the good news is that you have FIVE (5) separate chances to win! To enter:

Leave a comment and tell us what the first thing you’ll serve in the Cradle Pasta Bowl;
Subscribe to The Culinary Chronicles & get automatic emails when new posts are published (If you already subscribe, leave a comment indicating so);
Like the Nambé Facebook Fan Page and leave us a comment here indicating so (If you already “Like” Nambé, leave a comment and let us know); or
Like our Facebook Fan Page (If you already “Like” us, leave a comment indicating so); or
Follow @CulinaryChron on Twitter (If you already Follow us, leave a comment indicating so).

The deadline to enter is Monday, April 23rd at 12pm (PST) and the winner will be announced the next day.

Best of luck friends and THANKS so much Nambé!

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Spicy Mussels with Andouille Sausage
Serves 6

½ pound Andouille Sausage, casings removed
½ cup diced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
1½ cups dry white wine
1 cup clam juice
1 32-ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
½ cup chopped Italian parsley, plus more for garnish
5-6 lemon slices
4 pounds fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
vegetable oil
kosher salt
black pepper

Heat a heavy bottom pot with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add in the sausage and use a wooden spoon to crumble up the meat while it’s browning. Once cooked, remove the sausage to a plate.

Lower the heat to medium and cook the shallots for 2-3 minutes until tender but not browned. Add in the garlic, chili flakes and cook for an additional minute. Turn the heat back up to high and add in the white wine. Deglaze the pan with the wine and use the wooden spoon to scrape up the brown pits. Reduce the liquids by half. Add in the clam juice and tomatoes (with its juices). Once the liquids come to a slow boil, carefully add in the mussels, thyme, parsley, and lemon slices. Stir in the cooked sausage and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the mussels have opened. Remove the mussels to a serving dish. Check the broth for seasonings and adjust as needed with the kosher salt and pepper. Ladle the broth over the mussels and garnish with additional parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately with warm bread (baguettes or ciabatta).