pie dough, rolled out 3 1/2 pounds strawberries pinch of kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons corn starch 3/4 cup sugar zest from 1 orange 1 egg yolk, whisked whipped cream or cool whipStrawberry Pie
Author note: Use your favorite homemade pie dough recipe or premade pie dough for this recipe. There are also pre-made frozen pie crusts available that will work for this recipe if you do not feel like using a pre-made dough. Be sure the crust is thawed before baking it. I tend to like less sugar in strawberry pie, however if you prefer a sweeter strawberry pie, add an additional 1/4 cup of sugar.
Instant Pot Cannellini and Sausage Soup
Instant Pot Cannellini and Sausage Soup
Author note: This soup is freezer friendly.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 pound mild Italian sausage (removed from casings)
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1 14.5 ounce can (low sodium) diced tomatoes
1-pound dry white beans, soaked for at least 8 hours
8 cups low sodium chicken stock
3 bundles sage leaves, tied together
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- Place the oil and sausage into the Instant Pot. Using the sauté feature cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking up the sausage as you cook. Stir often to prevent sticking. Add the onions and garlic. Continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and scrap up all pieces stuck to the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Add the beans, stir to coat.
- Add chicken stock, sage leaves and salt. Stir to combine and scrap up any remaining pieces on the bottom of the pan. Seal the Instant Pot and pressure cook on high for 8 minutes, natural pressure release for 20 minutes.
- Release any remaining pressure. Remove the sage leaves and stir in the vinegar. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread.
Pan Seared Scallops with Shallot Crème Fraiche
1 pound large sea scallops 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup dry white wine juice of one lemon shallot crème fraiche, see below for recipe fresh tarragon, chopped fresh parsley, chopped fresh dill, chopped for the shallot crème fraiche 8 ounces crème fraiche 1/2 shallot, finely diced.Pan Seared Scallops with Shallot Crème Fraiche
Author note: Scallops do not take long to cook. However, in order to achieve a good brown sear on the scallop, they should be patted dry before cooking and the pan must be extremely hot.
Recipes that Create Leftovers
Currently, many of us are preparing three meals a day at home, and this, even for the most ardent of cooks can be daunting.
I have found that BIG meals that create leftovers will be beneficial to some during this “time-at-home” season. Leftovers are a great way to skip a day or two of cooking and will allow you to focus on the other tasks that need attention: work, home schooling and exercise.
Below are some APLK “big meals” that will hopefully give you a day or two away form the kitchen.
Best,
Rebecca
Instant Pot Rosemary White Bean Chicken Soup
Beer Braised Pork Shoulder with Hatch Chiles
How-To Make Scrambled Eggs: a kids cooking tutorial
Recently, my daughter asked to cook without assistance.
Rejoice! She wants to cook on her own. However, on this first request I had to ask myself “what recipe can I give her to let her experience a nod of independence from me but also experience kitchen success?”
To know how to properly cook an egg is a fundamental kitchen skill that is easy to acquire. That’s why I selected scrambled eggs to represent her “Kitchen Independence Day.”
In order to prepare her for this freedom I had to walk through the scrambled egg process 2-3 times. However, besides just knowing the steps to cooking scrambled eggs I required a few other things from her before allowing her to cook by herself. She needed to prove that she
- can gather all the equipment on her own (i.e. know where the bowls are, where the whisk is stored, where the eggs are in the fridge). Knowing your way around the kitchen is critical to cooking success.
- can turn the stove on by herself and adjust it to the proper heat level (safety first)!
- knows how to hold and use a knife
- clean up the entire workstation after she is finished cooking (my mother always said “a good cook cleans up after herself!”).
A few notes on equipment and ingredients
Having the proper equipment makes scrambled eggs easy to cook AND clean up. I use a Baletti ceramic skillet I purchased at Market Street. The ceramic coating works just like a Teflon nonstick, but it is free from toxins. These amazing pans can be found near the spices and oils.
A rubber spatula (also available at Market Street!) makes for an easier time to stir the eggs and scrape up any pieces of the egg that sticks to the bottom or side of the pan. 
I am currently obsessed with Vital Farms. They offer a variety of dairy products, and two of my favorites are their Pastured Raised Eggs and their butter. “What grows together goes together” is a perfect description for these two quality products found at Market Street’s dairy section.
Now that you have energy and confidence to start letting your children cook in the kitchen independently I say “good luck, and congratulations!”
How-to-Make Scrambled Eggs
Author note: If you want to equip your children with kitchen skills but don’t know how to teach them, follow this easy guide below. Read this tutorial together and then, if you feel like they are ready, let them cook! You’ll be getting breakfast in bed soon due to this kid-friendly scrambled eggs tutorial.
Equipment and Ingredients
- Butter knife and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- non-stick pan (I prefer a ceramic pan)
- 2 bowls (1 medium and 1 large) and 3-4 eggs
- whisk
- rubber spatula
- kosher salt
Prep and Cook
- Using a butter knife, cut the butter and place into the nonstick skillet
- Place skillet onto stove.
- Crack one egg at a time into the medium bowl. Place the egg shells into the small bowl. Repeat until all eggs are cracked.
- Turn the stove on to medium-low heat.
- Whisk the eggs until frothy.
- Once the butter is melted, swirl the pan to let the butter coat the sides of the pan.
- Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and stir the eggs using the spatula.
- Season the eggs with two to three pinches of kosher salt. Be sure to scatter the salt evenly over the eggs.
- Continue to stir the eggs for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve warm
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Market Street. All opinions are my own.
Happy Meals (and other recipes to make you feel good)
During some of the most difficult moments in life I have found distraction and happiness in the kitchen. Creating is therpuetic and I hope these recipe will be the good medicine you might be needing.
Tuck into your homes and be sure to wander into the kitchen to create a meal (or snack) that will lift up your heart.
Thank you for letting me be a part of your kitchen– I love cooking by your side.
–Rebecca
Malfouf (Cabbage Rolls)
Malfouf (Cabbage Rolls)
Adapted By Rebecca White from Tamara Abuomar
Author note: Malfouf is a Jordanian cabbage roll. Recently, I had the honor to learn how to make this Jordanian dish from my friend and neighbor. Together, we wrote Tamara’s family recipe down for readers like you. This version of malfouf has been adapted for the electric pressure cooker. Depending on preference, feel free to peel the garlic cloves or not. Be prepared to remove any hard stems or undercooked parts of the cabbage leaves. Some leaves will not cook evenly due to the thick stem that is found in cabbage. Larger leaves may need to be halved. Any remaining filling can be frozen if using fresh ground beef and any remaining cabbage leaves can also be frozen (plastic bags are a good storage container). To read more about Jordanian food, read my article in The Dallas Morning News.
1 head green cabbage
3/4 pounds ground beef
3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups basmati rice, uncooked
3 teaspoons Himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
10 garlic cloves, crushed
juice from 4 lemons
- Slice the bottom layer off of the base of the cabbage. Make four indentions around the stem of the cabbage to allow water to seep in to thoroughly cook the interior.
- Fill a stock pot with water and bring to boil and reduce to a simmer. Place the cabbage into the stock pot and cook until softened, rotating and pushing off layers of leaves while cooking over medium-low heat, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the cabbage and place into a colander. Place the colander on top of a large stock pot. Let the cabbage strain for 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
- Place the ground beef, olive oil, uncooked rice, salt, pepper, cinnamon and ground cardamom into a large mixing bowl. Mix well until combined. If the mixture seems dry, add additional olive oil. This mixture needs to be fragrant. Add additional cardamom and cinnamon to preferrence.
- Take a cabbage leaf and place a small amount (1-2 teaspoons) of the beef mixture into the bottom third of the cabbage leaf. Roll until the beef mixture is completely covered. Squeeze the rolled cabbage leaf in your hand. This will help to spread the rice and beef mixture throughout the leaf. Place seam-side down. Continue this process until all the cabbage leaves are used.
- Place the cabbage rolls into the Instant Pot insert and create one solid layer of rolls. Add a few garlic cloves and a generous sprinkling of cardamom. Continue this process until all cabbage leaves are used. Fill with water until the last layer of rolls is barely covered.
- Secure with the lid and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Release pressure naturally (10-15 minutes). Gently strain excess liquid and remove malfouf from the Instant Pot. Serve with lemon juice and salt to taste.
