Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
No part of this publication shall be reproduced, transmitted, or sold in whole or in part in any form, without the prior written consent of the author. The only
exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review. All trademarks and registered trademarks appearing in this guide are the property of
their respective owners.
Copyright 2011 by Lacey Baier of Sweet Pea Chef.
Cover design by Lacey Baier
Book design by Lacey Baier
All images and recipes, unless otherwise noted, by Lacey Baier
Thanks and
Acknowledgements
THANK YOU
First and foremost, this cookbook
is dedicated to my little girl,
Jordan Lily, and my amazing
husband, Dustin. Without either
of you, this would never have
been possible.
Thank you for your interest in my
Cookbook! I wanted to put
together a collection of some of
my favorite recipes from my
blog, a sweet pea chef. Even if
you've already seen some of these
recipes on my site, I hope this
cookbook provides for better
access and storage of my recipes.
Introduction
TABLE OF CONTENTS
appetizers
tomato bruschetta
best crab cakes
chicken lettuce wraps
beef
7
8
9
salads
spinach and strawberry salad
with poppy seed vinaigrette
caprese salad with garlic
balsamic vinaigrette
chicken caesar salad
homemade croutons
17
18
19
26
27
28
36
37
38
39
pork
appendix
10
11
12
13
sides
mashed sweet potatoes
garlic parmesan green beans
potato salad
thyme-roasted carrots
29
30
31
32
seafood
chicken
chicken parmesan
easy orange chicken
shredded chicken enchiladas
pizza
lemon-dill aioli
garlic aioli
pico de gallo
creamy dill sauce
homemade pizza dough
alfredo sauce
pesto
40
40
40
41
41
42
42
closings
43
sweets
14
15
16
33
34
35
tomato bruschetta
If you share my love for water chestnuts, youll probably really enjoy these chicken lettuce wraps.
I combined ground chicken, chopped water chestnuts (yum!), garlic (of course!) and some other
goodies, like hoisin sauce, fresh ginger and sesame oil.
These wraps not only have a delicious flavor from the browned chicken and Asian seasonings,
but the double crunch from the water chestnuts and lettuce is what really makes these special.
Try them out for a tasty lunch or appetizer!
In my family, meals
usually revolve around
a meat of some sort.
Even our salads have
chicken, shrimp or
steak. This salad is an
exception to that rule.
It's THAT good.
Dustin doesn't even
miss the meat! Adding
some chopped walnuts,
candied pecans or
sliced almonds adds a
nice touch to the
texture. This salad is
good enough by itself
but it can be served as
a side salad quite nicely
as well.
2 bunches spinach, rinsed and torn into bitesize pieces (or 1 large bag of baby spinach)
4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/3 cup glazed walnuts (or sliced almonds)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
In a large bowl, toss together the spinach,
strawberries and walnuts. In a medium bowl,
whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar and
poppy seeds. Pour over the spinach and
strawberries. Toss to coat.
homemade croutons
chicken parmesan
This recipe is deceptively healthywell, for chicken parmesan, that is.
The chicken is lightly breaded, browned in a skillet for some flavor and
color and then baked. Its so delicious, especially with some simple
linguine or spaghetti noodles.
Not only is this quite a simple meal to make, but you probably have
most, if not all, the ingredients in your pantry or refrigerator. Plus, its
a healthy Chinese recipe that is very fresh, light and vibrant.
This chili recipe is quite flavorful. Its sweet, tangy and bold with a little
kick to it. Plain and simple. Not pretty. Not fancy. Just chili.
2 cups water
1 lb. lean ground beef (I use 80/20)
2 cups onion, chopped (about 3/4 medium onion)
6 oz. tomato paste
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
hot dog buns
hot dog franks, preferably grilled
shredded cheddar cheese
Heat water and ground beef in a large pot or Dutch oven over
high heat. Once boiling, add onion and reduce to medium heat.
Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the meat into small
pieces.
Add tomato paste, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and
the spices and stir together, making sure all the meat is broken
into pieces.
Stirring occasionally, simmer over low heat until chili is very
thick, about 15-20
Serve over grilled hot dogs and garnish with shredded cheese.
philly cheesesteaks
makes 6 sandwiches
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
8 large cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
3/4 pound rib-eye steak, thinly shaved or sliced between 1/8-inch 1/16-inch
6 slices (approximately 1/3 pound) provolone cheese, each cut in half
6 sandwich rolls or Kaiser buns, split mostly in half
Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add onions,
mushrooms and bell peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, until caramelized
(about 8 minutes). Add the garlic, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce and
cook for another minute until garlic becomes fragrant and evenly distributed.
Push mixture to one side of the skillet.
Add the rib-eye to the empty side of the skillet, breaking up into small pieces
with your spatula. Cook until well browned, about 2-3 minutes. Combine
meat with vegetable mixture and remove from heat.
Divide steak mixture evenly on the buns. Top with sliced provolone.
It may sound weird, but this recipe means a lot to me. Every time I make these ribs, it brings me back to making ribs with my mom. I learned
from her a technique for how to make tender, fall-of-the-bone ribs. I also really like that Dustin brags to people about how good my ribs
are. It makes me feel nice.
1 rack of pork baby back ribs
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. sweet BBQ sauce (preferably with honey
or brown sugar)
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Combine all ingredients for the sauce and set
aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and
add ribs. Simmer ribs, covered, for 40 minutes.
Remove ribs from water and place on baking
sheet lined with aluminum foil. Coat the ribs
with barbecue sauce. Place ribs under oven
broiler for 8-10 minutes, until sauce starts to
bubble and caramelize. Feel free to grill these
ribs if youd like, but the sauce doesnt stay on
them as well as in the broiler.
pizza out of the oven, allow it to cool for a few minutes so that the
cheese has time to set. Garnish with fresh, julienned basil leaves if
desired. Slice pizza and serve.
The pizza is fantastic. I use fresh mozzarella, good quality sausage and pepperoni and homemade tomato sauce. I have to say
this pizza now contends for the position of my favorite homemade pizza. It was that good. Ive already made it again. Twice.
*1 pizza crust (see appendix)
1/2 cup tomato/marinara sauce
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 Boars Head Natural Casing
Pepperoni, sliced
1 link sweet Italian sausage,
casing removed
6 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese,
thinly sliced
potato salad
It seems to me that most potato salad recipes tend to differ on one major ingredient: mustard. I like to invite mustard to the party with my
potato salad. I also like to leave the skin on the potatoes. Not only does this add a pop of color to the salad, but it is less work to prepare
and actually adds nutrients which totally means you can have extra servings.
thyme-roasted carrots
This is a super easy side to make that goes well with a lot of different types of meats. The sweet and salty flavors and soft texture of the
carrots are delish. Roasting carrots brings out their natural sweetness, so not many additional seasonings are needed. If you feel like it,
however, you could add a splash of balsamic vinegar, honey (or both!) or some sprigs of fresh rosemary to the carrots.Personally, I like them
nice and simple.
10-12 whole unpeeled carrots, split lengthwise
2 tbsp. fresh whole thyme leaves (no stems)
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
optional: balsamic vinegar, honey, fresh rosemary sprigs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cover a sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Drizzle olive oil over carrots on the sheet pan. Season
with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Toss carrots
until evenly coated with oil and seasonings. Arrange
carrots on sheet pan. Toss fresh thyme leaves over carrots.
Roast in oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden and tender.
These muffins come out perfect: soft and dense, filled with banana
flavor and nutty goodness. I sprinkle some crushed walnut bits on
top just before baking for a nice little crunchy touch. This recipe is
quite easy to makeyou dont need a mixer or to dirty many dishes
either. Score!
Makes 18 regular muffins
As excited as I was to make this pie, I was even more excited to eat it!
Dustin suggested I make my Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (page 37) to
go with it. LOVE him! After having them together, I really cant imagine
having the pie without the ice cream, nor would I ever want to!
Through a mouth full of pie and ice cream, Dustin muttered, I think
this is the best thing Ive ever eaten. Talk about a statement, right?
Ive always thought I wasnt a real big fan of crumble toppings, but that
was before trying this crumble topping recipe. The easy crumble mixture,
along with the fresh blueberries, is almost like eating a blueberry
cobblerbut better (if thats even possible). The fresh blueberry filling is
dense with plump blueberries.
watermelon sorbet
Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 1-2
minutes. Whisk in sugar, just a little at a time, until all the sugar is added.
Once all sugar is added, whisk for about 1 minute longer. Add the cream,
milk and vanilla and stir to blend. Careful not to whisk at this time, as that
will create bubbles and the resulting ice cream will not be as rich and
dense.
Transfer mixture to ice cream maker. Follow according to your ice cream
makers instructions. Freeze for at least 3-4 hours prior to serving.
This is not your ordinary mint chip ice cream, folks. You wont find mild
mint flavors or unnecessary green food coloring to trick you into
thinking your ice cream tastes minty. No itty-bitty slices of thinly
shaved chocolate here. What youll get is a refreshing, creamy,
homemade mint ice cream with chunks of heaven wrapped with mint and
chocolate. So. Very. Good.
APPENDIX
lemon-dill aioli
garlic aioli
1 1/2tbsp garlic, minced
1 egg, at room temperature
1 1/2cups olive oil
1-1 1/2tbsp. fresh lemon juice,
to taste
1/2tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black
pepper
In a blender or a food processor,
puree garlic with egg. With the
food processor or blender
running, add the olive oil at a
pico de gallo
very slow, steady and thin
stream. You should see the
mixture start to emulsify. Add
lemon juice to loosen mixture.
Once the mixture has
emulsified, add kosher salt and
pepper and combine for another
10 seconds. Taste for
seasoning. Transfer to a bowl,
cover and refrigerate.
*If youd like an easier method,
just add 1 clove minced garlic,
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice and
some freshly ground black
pepper to 2 tablespoons
mayonnaise.
APPENDIX
1 cup water
3 cups bread flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. olive oil plus extra for
brushing dough
2 tsp. yeast
separately on a lightly-floured
surface until the right size to fit on
the pizza stone.
APPENDIX
alfredo sauce
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 package (4 oz) cream cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup milk
3 oz. grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Melt butter in a medium, nonstick saucepan over medium
heat. Add cream cheese and
garlic powder, stirring with wire
whisk until smooth. Add milk, a
pesto
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Enjoy!