I am taking this week off to cook and spend time with friends and family. I'll be back next week with Beef Enchiladas, Spinach Salad with Jalapeño Vinaigrette, and Tres Leches Cake. I wish everyone a delicious and relaxing holiday!
Thanksgiving! 🦃 🍂
Sausage, Spinach, and Croissant Strata + Maple Roasted Carrots + Pecan Pie Bars
This week's meal includes Sausage, Spinach, and Croissant Strata, Maple Roasted Carrots, and Pecan Pie Bars. It's a warm, cozy meal, perfect for chilly nights.
Sausage, Spinach, and Croissant Strata is a casserole containing croissants, egg-milk mixture (custard), baby spinach, cheese, and pork sausage. The whole thing soaks overnight, which allows the croissants to absorb the custard. It is then baked, becoming soft and gooey on the inside and crunchy on the top. It's a delight!
The Maple Roasted Carrots are fresh carrots roasted with butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes. That's all you need for a perfect roast carrot, and these certainly don't disappoint!
The Pecan Pie Bars have a tender shortbread crust and a sweet pecan filling. They are chewy, crunchy, sweet, and salty. It's like a pecan pie in bar form. Delish!
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! I will be taking next week off to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. However, I will be back the following week with Beef Enchiladas, Spinach Salad with Jalapeño Lime Vinaigrette, and Tres Leches Cake.
Chicken, Bacon, Leek Pot Pie + Mixed Green Salad with VK Vinaigrette + Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
This week's meal includes Chicken, Bacon, Leek Pot Pie, Mixed Green Salad with VK Vinaigrette, and Apple Cider Doughnut Cake.
The Chicken, Bacon, Leek Pot Pie is a delicious twist on a traditional pot pie. It has the chicken, but I've added bacon and leeks. It's a creamy, savory delight topped with a buttery, flakey crust. It's likely to require a nap after eating.
Mixed Green Salad with VK Vinaigrette is a simple but delicious spinach salad. It consists of fresh baby spinach leaves, shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and a classic vinaigrette: fresh garlic, champagne vinegar, dijon mustard, and olive oil.
Apple Cider Doughnut Cake is a delicious cake that tastes like an Old Fashioned Apple Cider Doughnut topped with cinnamon and sugar. It's a delightful fall treat!
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! Next week's meal includes Strata with Sausage and Greens, Maple-Roasted Carrots, and Pecan Bars.
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Cheese Tortellini + Rosemary Focaccia + Halloween Monster Cookies
This week's vegetarian meal includes Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Cheese Tortellini, Parmesan Focaccia, and Halloween Monster Cookies.
The Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Cheese Tortellini is a hearty tomato soup made from roasted Roma tomatoes, canned Italian San Marzano tomatoes, and made-from-scratch vegetable stock. Roasting the Roma tomatoes creates a deep, sweet tomato flavor. Made-from-scratch vegetable stock adds a complex and rich flavor. In addition, there is plenty of fresh basil in the soup, which, as everyone knows, pairs perfectly with tomatoes. I then add heavy cream and cheese tortellini to the soup, making it suitable for dinner.
The Parmesan Focaccia is my favorite focaccia bread topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy. It adds a savory, salty, cheesy topping to my favorite focaccia bread.
The Halloween Monster Cookies are sweet and nutty cookies packed with flavor and textures. The cookies are made with butter, oatmeal, and brown sugar, and I mix in pecans and Reese's Pieces. They are delicious and a perfect way to celebrate my favorite spo0o00000ooooky holiday!
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! Next week's meal includes Chicken, Bacon, and Leek Pot Pie, VK Spinach Salad, and Old-Fashion Doughnut Cake.
Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork with Corn Muffins + Broccoli Salad + Banana Pudding
This week's meal includes Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork with Corn Muffins, Broccoli Salad, and Banana Pudding. It's a Valentine Kitchen favorite.
For the Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork with Corn Muffins, I braise my pork shoulder with VK BBQ sauce and Dr. Pepper. Yep, you read that correctly, Dr. Pepper. The sugar and the spices from the soda create a beautifully seasoned and moist pork shoulder. I serve the meat with a side of VK BBQ Sauce and a Corn Muffin with Honey Butter.
The Broccoli Salad is one of my favorite picnic midwest salads. It's broccoli, raisins, sunflower seeds, and bacon. The dressing is mayo-based and a little tangy, and very sweet. I add finely minced red onion to the dressing. It's sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy, and chewy. You can't get enough!
Banana Pudding has quickly become a favorite. I make my vanilla pudding from scratch, so it's extra special. All the flavors soak into one another for a dessert like no other.
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! Next week's vegetarian meal is Tomato Basil Soup with Cheese Tortellini, Focaccia, and Halloween Monster Cookies.
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup + Parmesan and Pepper Scones + VK Apple Crisp
This week's meal includes Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (a VK favorite), Parmesan and Pepper Scones, and VK Apple Crisp.
The Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is a flavorful and hearty soup that does the job of dinner. I start by making the most delicious stock. I make it with whole chickens, onions, celery, white wine, and chicken stock. I use the stock to make the soup and add shredded chicken, carrots, toasted wild rice, and cream. It's so delicious. And just the right thing for chilly fall nights.
The Parmesan and Pepper Scones are tender and soft scones filled with freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. They are perfect dipped in the soup!
For dessert this week, I'm serving a VK Apple Crisp. It's made with Honeycrisp apples from Washington State, my favorite apple variety. The apples are cooked with local apple cider plus warm fall spice and then topped with oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans.
I hope you love this week's meal as much as I do. Next week's meal is a VK favorite: Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork with a Corn Muffin, Broccoli and Raisin Salad, and Banana Pudding.
Butternut Squash Lasagna + Spinach Salad with Maple Vinaigrette + Pumpkin Spice Cannoli
I am back from Colorado, and fall has arrived in Des Moines. It's my favorite season of the year. This week's vegetarian meal includes Butternut Squash Lasagna, Spinach Salad with Maple Vinaigrette, and Pumpkin Spice Cannoli.
The Butternut Squash Lasagna layers butternut squash, bechamel with fresh sage, and fontina cheese. The butternut squash is roasted and then puréed with imported amaretti cookies, olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Next, the bechamel is made with butter, shallots, nutmeg, and fresh sage. Finally, it's layered with imported Italian pasta and fontina cheese.
The Spinach Salad with Maple Vinaigrette is a fall twist on my Spinach Salad with VK Vinaigrette. It is the perfect companion to the Butternut Squash Lasagna. It consists of fresh baby spinach leaves, candied pecans, and a classic fall vinaigrette: maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and olive oil.
Pumpkin Spice Cannoli is a crisp cannoli shell dipped in white chocolate and filled with ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese, pumpkin purée, and pumpkin spice. It's a delicious Italian fall dessert.
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! Next week's meal includes Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, Salt & Pepper Biscuits, and Apple Crisp.
Vacation!
I'm in Fort Collins. My wife, Maggie, and I are visiting our sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law. We are enjoying the mountains, fall weather, and colors. I'll be back next week with a fall vegetarian meal, Butternut Squash Lasagna, VK Spinach Salad, and Pumpkin Spice Canollis. I hope everyone is enjoying the lovely fall weather! 🍂
VK Chili + Corn Muffins with Cinnamon Butter + Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
This week's meal is perfect for chilly fall nights: VK Chili, Corn Muffins with Cinnamon Butter, and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
Everyone has an opinion on chili. There are a million ways to make it, and they pretty much all taste delicious. However, this is my favorite version of chili. VK Chili is full of ground turkey, kidney beans, cannellini beans, tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños for a bit of heat. It's simmered all day, so it has a deep and rich flavor. It's topped with extra-sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.
The Corn Muffins are incredibly moist and delicious and are served with Cinnamon Butter.
My Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are a favorite in our house. They are exactly what I want in an oatmeal cookie. They are chewy, moist, oaty, and not too sweet. I brown the butter, which gives them a deep nutty flavor, and add a little extra salt to keep them from being too sweet. There is also less flour and more oats than most oatmeal cookie recipes, so they are extra oaty. Just the way I like them!
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! Next week I will be out of town. My wife Maggie and I are traveling to Fort Collins, CO, and The Badlands National Park to celebrate our SIXTH wedding anniversary. I'll be back the following week with a delicious fall vegetarian meal.
Fall Cobb Salad + Brown Bread Dinner Rolls + Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
This week's meal includes a Fall Cobb Salad, Brown Bread Dinner Rolls, and Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. It's perfect for when we're ready for fall, but summer isn't ready to say goodbye.
The Fall Cobb Salad consists of freshly trimmed spinach dressed with a maple vinaigrette. The toppings on the Fall Cobb Salad are oven-roasted chicken breast, thick-cut bacon, blue cheese crumbles, Honeycrisp apples, caramelized butternut squash, candied pecans, and dried cranberries. All toppings come individually packaged. It covers all your favorite fall flavors and is also reminiscent of the beloved Cobb Salad.
I served the Fall Cobb Salad with a Brown Bread Dinner Roll. The roll is sweet, soft, and delicious. It pairs great with the fall flavors of the salad.
For dessert this week, I am serving Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. I adore pumpkin desserts just like the rest of the world. No shame. They are light, fluffy, and perfectly pumpkin spiced.
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! Next week's meal includes VK Chili, Corn Muffins, and Oatmeal Cookies.
Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin + Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans + VK Chocolate Chip Cookies
This week's meal includes Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin, Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans, and VK Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin is my favorite pork loin recipe. I have been making it for years, and it never disappoints. It's marinated overnight with lemon juice, thyme, rosemary, and a lot of fresh garlic. I serve the pork with Sauce Robert (pronounced ROH-bare). Sauce Robert is a traditional French brown mustard sauce with a ton of flavor and is perfect with the Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin.
Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans are french haricots verts that are par-cooked in salted water and then bundled. First, I brush the little bundles with butter, garlic powder, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper. Next, I wrap each bundle in a thick slice of par-cooked bacon. Finally, I finish them in the oven, topped with brown sugar. They are delicious and a real crowd-pleaser.
VK Chocolate Chip Cookies are my favorite chocolate chip cookies. They are giant full of chocolate chunks and topped with a bit of sea salt. Just the way I like them.
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do. Next week's meal is Fall Cobb Salad, Dark Dinner Rolls, and Oatmeal Cream Pies.
VK Mac and Cheese + Garlic Roasted Cherry Tomatoes + VK Brownies
This week's meal includes VK Mac and Cheese, Garlic Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, and VK Brownies. Classic comforts as we begin to transition into fall!
The VK Mac and Cheese is classic, creamy, and cheesy. The cheese sauce is made from my favorite, Tillamook Extra-Sharp Cheddar and gruyère cheeses. It's topped with homemade breadcrumbs and baked until it is hot and bubbly on the inside and crispy on the top. Perfect comfort dinner.
The Garlic Roasted Cherry Tomatoes perfectly complement the decadent mac & cheese. The tomatoes get sweet and soft in the oven, and the acidity provides relief from the rich mac & cheese. They are one of my all-time favorite side dishes.
VK Brownies are extreme chocolate brownies made with semisweet chocolate, a lot of cocoa powder, and walnuts. There is also espresso powder and vanilla extract, which give the brownies excellent chocolate flavor. They are fudgy and delicious!
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do. Next week's meal is Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin, Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans, and VK Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Meatball Sandwiches + VK Caesar Salad + Tiramisù
This week's meal is new and includes Meatball Sandwiches, VK Caesar Salad, and Tiramisù. All my favorite Italian-American classics.
The Meatball Sandwiches are meatballs made with ground pork, ground beef, oregano, garlic, and feta cheese. These are my family's favorite meatballs. I make them all the time. The meatballs are served on a freshly baked Italian sub roll and a simple but delicious tomato sauce. The sandwich will not come assembled, but it's easy to put together and warm up in the oven!
Caesar Salad is always a crowd-pleaser, and this one does not disappoint. There is crisp romaine, crunchy croutons, creamy dressing, and salty parmesan. It's the most perfect and delicious salad.
Tiramisù is a classic Italian-American dessert. It's made with mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, coffee, rum, and cocoa powder. The creamy filling is layered between coffee-soaked ladyfingers. My version is classic and delicious.
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do. Next week's meal is a vegetarian favorite, VK Mac and Cheese, Garlic Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, and VK Brownies.
Chicken Taco Salad, VK Tortilla Chips, and Sweet Corn Cookies
This week's meal includes a Chicken Taco Salad, VK Tortilla Chips, and Sweet Corn Cookies. We have to get in all the corn we can before summer is over.
The Chicken Taco Salad has A LOT of really yummy components. It starts with fresh romaine lettuce dressed with my favorite Jalapeño-Lime Vinaigrette. It's sweeter than spicy but has a bright background for the salad. Next, the black beans are cooked with onion, jalapeño, garlic, and cumin. Then, the chicken is poached in chicken stock with onions, garlic, cumin, and chili powder. It's flavorful and juicy. Finally, the salad is topped with VK Crema, cherry tomatoes, fresh Iowa corn, and Chihuahua cheese. The whole thing is one giant flavor bomb!
The VK Tortilla chips are made from corn tortillas and fried by my hands. They are the perfect crunchy side with the salad. And any of the salad toppings work great as a dip with the chips.
The Sweet Corn Cookies are cookies made from corn flour, corn meal, and all-purpose flour. They are similar to sugar cookies but have a hint of corn flavor. I first had them at one of my favorite local restaurants, Lachele's. This is my version, and I hope you love them as much as I do.
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! Next week's meal is new and includes a Meatball Sandwich, Caesar Sandwich, and Tiramisù.
Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork with Corn Muffins + Broccoli and Raisin Salad + Banana Pudding
This week's meal includes Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork with Corn Muffins, Broccoli and Raisin Salad, and Banana Pudding. It's a Valentine Kitchen Favorite.
For the Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork with Corn Muffins, I braise my pork shoulder with VK BBQ sauce and Dr. Pepper. Yep, you read that correctly, Dr. Pepper. The sugar and the spices from the soda create a beautifully seasoned and moist pork shoulder. My pulled pork started from Ree Drummond's recipe, and I've modified it slightly over time. Finally, I serve the meat with a side of VK BBQ sauce and a corn muffin with honey butter.
The Broccoli and Raisin Salad is one of my favorite picnic midwest salads. I am using local broccoli from my favorite farm, Blue Gate Farm. It's broccoli, raisins, sunflower seeds, and bacon. The dressing is mayo-based and a little tangy, and very sweet. I add finely minced red onion into the dressing. It's sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy, and chewy. You can't get enough!
Banana Pudding has quickly become a favorite. I make my vanilla pudding from scratch, so it's extra special. All the flavors soak into one another for a dessert like no other.
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! Next week's meal is new and includes a Meatball Sandwich, Caesar Sandwich, and Tiramisù.
VK BLT + Cantaloup, Mozzarella, & Fresh Basil Salad + Confetti Cupcakes
This week's meal includes VK BLTs, Cantaloup, Mozzarella, & Fresh Basil Salad, and Confetti Cupcakes. I'm taking advantage of summer's bounty while tomatoes are ripe and cantaloupe is sweet!
VK BLTs are, hands down, my favorite summer sandwich. It's the best combination of flavors and textures. It's salty, sweet, soft, and crunchy. I am taking it to the next level by serving it on handmade focaccia bread with Basil Mayonnaise. The sandwich will not come assembled, but it's a cinch to put together and ensures all the components taste fresh and delicious.
The Cantaloup, Mozzarella, & Fresh Basil Salad is a simple salad, and that's precisely why I love it. Cantaloupe tastes like candy right now and is perfectly paired with creamy and salty fresh mozzarella; it's a match made in heaven. The salad is seasoned with basil, sea salt, red pepper flakes, and freshly ground black pepper. And that's all it takes for a perfect summer salad.
For dessert this week, we'll be celebrating my sister Natalie's birthday with her all-time favorite birthday treat: Confetti Cupcakes! I'm making it from scratch, not a box. It's a white cake filled with colorful sprinkles and topped with marshmallow buttercream and MORE sprinkles. It's delicious, colorful, and perfect for celebrating my sister.
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! Next week's meal includes a VK favorite Pulled Pork with Corn Muffin, Broccoli and Raisin Salad, and Banana Pudding!
Tomato and Corn Quiche + Garlic Roasted Potatoes with VK Herb Dip + Peach Crisp
This week's meal includes Tomato and Corn Quiche, Garlic Roasted Potatoes with VK Herb Dip, and Peach Crisp. At the beginning of the summer, I made a quiche inspired by a lunch I had in Montbrison, France. It was so popular I decided to make it a trio of quiches for my summer vegetarian meals. This final quiche of the season is a Tomato and Corn Quiche. I like to think of it as an Iowa quiche!
The Tomato and Corn Quiche is a simple, delicious quiche. The crust is flakey and tender. The filling is a creamy custard with Iowa tomatoes, Iowa Corn, goat cheese, and fresh thyme. It tastes like Iowa summers.
The Garlic Roasted Potatoes are small buttery potatoes roasted in olive oil, fresh garlic, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until golden brown and crisp. They are simple and delicious. I serve them with VK Herb Dip. It's greek yogurt, dill, chives, parsley, and lemon juice. It's the perfect accompaniment with the Garlic Roasted Potatoes.
The Peach Crisp is made with fresh Missouri peaches. Peaches are my all-time favorite food. To me, there is nothing better than a perfectly ripe peach. I top the Missouri peaches with butter, flour, brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon. I recommend picking up some vanilla ice cream on the way home!
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! Next week's meal includes Focaccia BLT, Cantaloupe and Fresh Mozzarella Salad, and Funfetti Cupcakes!
Greek Salad with Grilled Lemon Chicken + "Made from Scratch" Flatbread + Lemon Sugar Cookies
This week's meal includes Greek Salad with Grilled Lemon Chicken, "Made from Scratch" Flatbread, and Lemon Sugar Cookies.
The Greek Salad with Grilled Lemon Chicken is a summer salad packed with flavor and color. There is crisp, green romaine lettuce, bright red cherry tomatoes, green locally grown cucumbers, deep purple kalamata olives, salty feta cheese, grilled lemon chicken breasts, and bright tzatziki dressing. It's a delicious, refreshing, and filling summer salad.
The "Made from Scratch" Flatbread is a tender, salty flatbread made with greek yogurt. It's the perfect side with the salad and the perfect way to eat up extra tzatziki!
The Lemon Sugar Cookies are a simple sugar cook with a lot of lemon flavor. I use lemon zest, lemon extract, and lemon sugar to pack a lot of lemon flavor. They are light, bright, and delicious!
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! Next week's meal includes Tomato and Corn Quiche, Garlic Roasted Potatoes with VK Herb Dip, and Peach Crisp!
Beef Enchiladas + Spinach Salad with Jalapeño Vinaigrette + Coconut Macaroons
This week's meal includes Beef Enchiladas, Spinach Salad with Jalapeño Vinaigrette, and Coconut Macaroons.
The Beef Enchiladas are made with beef chuck that is braised in tomato sauce, onions, garlic, chile powder, cumin, coriander, and red wine. The enchiladas are made with corn tortillas filled with the shredded beef and chihuahua cheese and topped with the sauce. They are then topped with queso fresco, VK Crema, and green onions. They are delicious.
The Spinach Salad with Jalapeño Vinaigrette is a simple salad with a lot of flavor. I adore simple spinach salads. The vinaigrette is made with jalapeños (seeded and cored, so it's not too spicy), lime juice, garlic, olive oil, sugar, and salt to balance everything out. The recipe for the Jalapeño Vinaigrette is from Julia Turshen's book, Simply Julia. The salad is topped with queso fresco, a fantastic Mexican cheese that is salty and crumbly.
The Coconut Macaroons are not french macarons, which are also delicious. Instead, Coconut Macaroons are mounded cookies made from shredded coconut, egg whites, and sweetened condensed milk. I then dunk them in dark chocolate to make them extra delicious.
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! Next week's meal includes Chicken Gyro Salad, Pitas, and Strawberry-Buttermilk Ice Cream!
BBQ Chicken Skewers + Corn Bread Crouton Salad with Buttermilk Herb Dressing + VK Brownies
This week's meal includes BBQ Chicken Skewers, Corn Bread Crouton Salad with Buttermilk Herb Dressing, and VK Brownies. A summer meal like no other.
The BBQ Chicken Skewers are made with brined chicken breast that is grilled—then coated in VK BBQ sauce that is a little sweet and a little tangy. There is nothing better than perfectly grilled chicken in the summer!
Corn Bread Crouton Salad with Buttermilk Herb Dressing contains fresh local lettuce from Bluegate Farm, sweet cherry tomatoes, and a buttermilk herb dressing. The buttermilk herb dressing is buttermilk, lemon juice, basil, parsley, and green onions. It's glorious. The really special part of the salad are the corn bread croutons. The recipe is inspired by a recipe in The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook.
VK Brownies are rich chocolate brownies made with the best chocolate and include walnuts. There is also espresso powder and vanilla extract, which give the brownies excellent chocolate flavor. They are fudgy and delicious!
I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! Next week's meal will include Beef Enchiladas, Spinach Salad with Queso Fresco, and Coconut Macaroons.