Currently Browsing: Kinda Spicy

Charred Sugar Snap Peas on the Grill with Hazelnut-Sesame Sauce

Charred Sugar Snap Peas on the Grill with Hazelnut-Sesame Sauce

Tender crisp with a smoky essence ~ these peas are finished with a zesty and spicy nutty sauce… time to heat up the grill! An AMAZINGLY Delicious Side Dish!! Add proteins and noodles you like for a complete meal.

Grilled Pineapple Salsa a la Plancha

Grilled Pineapple Salsa a la Plancha

This vibrant salsa with a bright and fresh taste adds pizzaz to many meals. (Yes you can just devour with a spoon! ) Easy to prepare – pineapple cooks on a seasoned cast iron skillet until beautifully caramelized and golden.

Crab Tostadas Bites with Avocado-Cucumber Mash

Crab Tostadas Bites with Avocado-Cucumber Mash

For the recipe: Make Crisp Corn Tortilla Triangles / Lump Crab Salad / Avocado-Cucumber Mash Jumbo Lump Crabmeat’s flavor is left to shine… additions are bright and flavorful: mango, red pepper, chives,  jalapeño, lime juice and and the littlest bit of mayo to bind. Make your own crisp tortilla triangles by simply shallow-frying cut fresh […]

Unbelievable Mild Apple Cider Hot Sauce

Unbelievable Mild Apple Cider Hot Sauce

A mild kick – this homemade hot sauce you can slather on! Easy and fun to prepare in just a few minutes. Homemade Hot Sauce adds zip to healthy, often ordinary table fare. You’ll have control of the ingredients and level of heat. I love a flavorful “mild version” although you can add a higher level […]

Shaved Carrot Slaw

Shaved Carrot Slaw

A great little side dish, sweet & sour with a little kick. Heirloom Carrots make it special. Great served with: Glazed Hoisin Salmon with Pine Nuts (see recipe)

Summer Charred Tomato Salsa Over Brined Grilled Chicken

Summer Charred Tomato Salsa Over Brined Grilled Chicken

Learn how to Char Tomatoes over a wood fire to make the perfect light Summer Salsa. Brining Chicken Breasts insures a juicy interior. Soaking wood chips – and adding them to a V-shaped metal smoking box transforms a gas grill to something special… a smoky essence lingers in the Salsa and Chicken.

Shrimp & Farmers’ Market Vegetable Sauté

Shrimp & Farmers’ Market Vegetable Sauté

A quick sauté using what’s local. Florida Pink Shrimp Team with Local Bi-Color, Striped Peppers and Purple Scallions. Delicious and Healthy! I’m all for a quick weeknight dinner with farm-fresh local ingredients… especially in Summer! Look for never frozen Florida Pink Shrimp – so sweet with a beautiful rosy hue. Dust them with pantry herbs; smoked paprika […]

Quick Scallion Kimchee

Quick Scallion Kimchee

The perfect condiment to add flavor and a layer of heat to many foods. Try it with my Spring Minty Pea Soup

Karen’s Corn Salsa

Karen’s Corn Salsa

This simple corn salsa has a puréed base which gives it stability and creaminess.

A little condiment with big, bold flavors

Karen’s Quick Harissa Sauce / Paste

The main ingredients in this zippy and zesty Harissa are chili peppers, red bell pepper, caraway seeds, cumin and extra virgin olive oil. Can alter the spiciness… the pungent and earthy flavor of  the caraway seeds make it special.. and quite versatile! A quick sauce, packed with flavor and gorgeous color. Keep some in the fridge […]

A Mexican style rich stew with chicken, lots of vegetables, spices, tomatoes, chiles, sesame seeds, cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate.

Incredible Mole Chicken & Vegetables on the Stovetop

A Mexican style rich stew with chicken, lots of vegetables, spices, tomatoes, chiles, sesame seeds, cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate. Slow and even stovetop heat produces succulent ingredients. A one-pot meal… it’s all in there ~ chicken, vegetables, garbanzo beans and a complex just-spicy-enough mole sauce.

A Mexican style rich stew with chicken, lots of vegetables, spices, tomatoes, chiles, sesame seeds, cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate.

Incredible Instant Pot Mole Chicken & Vegetables

A Mexican style rich stew with chicken, lots of vegetables, spices, tomatoes, chiles, sesame seeds, cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate. An Instant Pot (easy pressure cooker) produces succulent ingredients. A one-pot meal… it’s all in there ~ chicken, vegetables, garbanzo beans and a complex just-spicy-enough mole sauce.

Homemade Kale Chips with miso and cashews are crunchy with an addictive flavor

Spicy Red Kale Chips with Cashews and Miso

Crispy, light & flavorful – these chips are quite easy to make. The ultimate healthy snack! Recipe: Baked and RAW Make a flavor paste~seasoned topping and simply massage into leaves and bake. An explosion of flavor!

An Instant Pot transforms this Tandoori Chicken into a fall-off-the-bone delicious delight!

Fabulous Tandoori Chicken in an Instant Pot

New Year’s Cooking Resolution: Try Something New. An Instant Pot transforms this Tandoori Chicken into a fall-off-the-bone delicious delight! Recipe given for oven method too.

A hearty bowl of Chili with extra vegetables, plenty of chipotles and homemade Chili Powder for the ultimate flavor.

Turkey Chili with Homemade Chili Powder

A hearty bowl of Chili with extra vegetables, plenty of chipotles and homemade Chili Powder for the ultimate flavor. Gluten-Free. This is a big batch of Chili! Low in fat and chock full of all the good things in life: beans, fresh spices and loaded with vegetables.

Homemade chili powder with Guindilla Chiles and Pasilla Negro Chiles

Karen’s Homemade Chili Powder

Use the kick of chili peppers with complementary spices to create lively Mexican or Tex Mex fare. Mildy spicy ~ better than store-bought… you grind it fresh! Used as a spice to add pungency or piquancy and flavor to dishes. Homemade Chili Powder adds authentic essence and a freshly ground chili flavor that’s only mildly […]

A Zesty and Mildly-Spicy Seasoning Blend. Perfect for everyday cooking – adds a Caribbean flair!

Karen’s Caribbean All-Purpose Seasoning

A Zesty and Mildly-Spicy Seasoning Blend. Perfect for everyday cooking – adds a Caribbean flair! A mildly spicy seasoning with a little kick. Blending yourself insures freshness – and very low sodium. Try with my recipe: Spiced Caribbean Chicken Meatballs in Coconut Milk Gravy

A Zesty Salsa with an extraordinary- fresh flavor.

Raw Tomatillo Salsa

A Zesty Salsa with an extraordinary- fresh flavor. Choose tomatillos that are ripe, firm  with a nice vibrant green color.

Karen’s Fresh Caramelized Corn and Roasted Tomato Salsa

Charred and stirred in a skillet, then cooled, this summer salsa packs a lot of flavor! Who doesn’t love a good homemade salsa? Summer corn is at it’s glory right now! Varieties like Silver Queen (a generic name for white corn), Golden Bantam for yellow and Butter and Sugar for bicolor corn – take your pick…all […]

A lovely melange of seasonal vegetables with cherry tomatoes, and three types of peppers

Jamaican Triple Pepper Sauté

A lovely melange of seasonal vegetables with cherry tomatoes, and three types of peppers

A spicy Jamaican mixture including hot chili peppers, allspice, cinnamon, and thyme.

Karen’s Amazing Jerk Chicken

This Jerk Marinade EXPLODES with Flavor! A spicy Jamaican mixture including hot chili peppers, allspice, cinnamon, and thyme.

Layer the cherry salsa with the tortilla chips and cheeses and bake

Fresh Cherry Salsa

During the height of the “cherry season” ~ try this wonderful Cherry Salsa that’s tart, spicy with a hint of sweetness. Add to layers of tortilla chips and cheeses for the ultimate, updated NACHOS ~ YUM!

It's mildly spicy, creamy, savory flavor makes it more than just delicious… it’s addictive!

Karen’s Butter Chicken

Most Probably the Best Known of all Indian Dishes ~ It’s mildly spicy, creamy, savory flavor makes it more than just delicious… it’s addictive! Note: I use coconut milk instead of heavy cream in many classic recipes… I think it’s delicious. This recipe is well worth the time – the second time you prepare it, it […]

Yes, even the cherished recipe for guacamole can be modified, respectfully, for a deeper flavor and other favorable nuances.

New Guacamole with Roasted Zucchini and Lime Zest

A luscious and velvety Guacamole! Lower in fat but high in flavor – add some roasted zucchini for the perfect blend! Yes, even the cherished recipe for guacamole can be modified, respectfully, for a deeper flavor and other favorable nuances.

Pecan Chicken and Waffle Appetizer with Sautéed Collards and Maple-Bourbon Drizzle

Pecan Chicken and Waffle Appetizer with Sautéed Collards and Maple-Bourbon Drizzle

The Ultimate Appetizer with Southern Charm ~ Grilled Chicken with Pecans and a Maple-Bourbon Glaze on top of crisp Buttermilk Waffles and Sweet and Sour Sautéed Collard Greens On a recent trip to Charleston, South Carolina I fell in love with the cuisine of the low country; the flavors and lingering aromas. The picturesque city with […]

Sizzling Flounder with Soy, Lemon and Sesame

Sizzling Flounder with Soy, Lemon and Sesame

To commemorate Chinese New Year, I am sharing one of my all-time favorite recipes: Sizzling Flounder. Simple Asian flavors surround this healthy, light and delicious dish – a must try for my readers.

Hearty Mediterranean Fish Soup

Hearty Mediterranean Fish Soup

 This hearty and flavorful soup will transport you to southern France with your first spoonful. A fragrant, saffron and fennel scented soup has a tomato base and luminous chunks of tender white fish.

Grilled Halibut with Fresh Blueberry Salsa

Liven up Simple Grilled Fish with a snappy, slightly spicy, a touch sweet, Blueberry Salsa. Perfect for a lovely weeknight dinner, lavish lunch or for company. 

Grilled Shrimp with Padrón Peppers ~ Ancho Chile Spiked Compound Butter

  Throw a fiesta with this flavorful recipe – fire up the grill, and discover the flavors of Mexican cuisine, updated with fresh ingredients. Skewered Shrimp and subtly spicy Spanish Padrón Peppers are simply grilled, inside or out with a spiked Compound Butter and topped with a Roasted Pepper Salsa. Padróns are similar to their cousin, […]

Roasted Pepper Salsa

A quick salsa, perfect for topping your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes

Asparagus, Apple, Black Bean and Goat Cheese Taquitos

Spring Asparagus teams with Black Beans, Goat Cheese and Sautéed Apples inside these Corn Tortilla Taquitos. Serve them with a Tomatillo Salsa Verde for ultimate meal or appetizer!

Thai Ramen Noodle Bowl with Chicken, Veggies, Basil and Peanuts

 

Charred Clementine Salsa

Put all those zesty winter Clementines to use with this Healthy and Vibrant Salsa, I’m loving it over Chile and Honey Glazed Salmon

Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup

A classic twist on Mexico City’s Soul Food Soup. Fresh, intense flavors combine with vegetables and pulled chicken – your go-to-healthy-soup for the winter season

Chicken Etouffee with Butternut Squash and Apples

Chicken Etouffee with Butternut Squash and Apples

A modern Fall Cajun and Creole style stew – with wonderful vibrant flavors. Étouffée is a French word which means “smothered,” and is typically served over rice.

Smoked Vinegar Mop and Sauce with Onion and Garlic – Great with Grilled Chicken

Baste this vinegar-based Mop on chicken as you grill… adds flavor and moisture. A wonderful layer of lingering smoky pungency. Basting Mop Sauces are not sweet. They are slathered over meat, usually a slow-cooking process where a sweet, thick barbecue sauce would burn. You might have read in many BBQ recipes “baste with sauce only at […]

Quick Refrigerator Pickles – Asian Style

Super Easy, Super Crunchy ~ Super Delicious!

Plum and Blackberry Salsa – A Passion for Purple

Savor summer and incorporate super-sweet sun drenched fruit in this recipe for a chunky, heavenly salsa. Eat by the spoonful, and use as a topping for fish.

Turkey Enchiladas filled with Sweet Potatoes, Peppers, Onions finished with a Low Fat White Sauce, Salsa and Cheese

Turn your leftover turkey into a sensational meal! Out of season, roast chicken breasts on the bone (seasoned); cool, bone – and cut into cubes.

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