Melissa d’Arabian’s new book was sent to me this week for a quick review and yey!! GIVEAWAY!! We have two books to give away and a taste tested recipe below.
Raised by a single mother who was putting herself through college and medical school, Melissa d’Arabian grew up in Tucson, Arizona, with a coupon-cutter mentality and on a shoestring budget in a humble home where waste was never a temptation but where cooking together was a favorite pastime. After winning season five of “The Next Food Network Star,” Melissa’s relatable cooking show “Ten Dollar Dinners” premiered on Food Network in August 2009.
Her debut cookbook offers 140 recipes divided into 11 chapters (Appetizers & Snacks, Soups, Salads, Pasta, Chicken, Fish & Seafood, Pork & Beef, Vegetables, Starchy Sides, Desserts, and even Breakfast). Melissa also gives you all of her insider tips on strategies for saving and grocery store pricing. Her list of “must have” pantry items is also a great guide for stocking the essentials while they’re on sale.
Since the #2 strategy for saving is “Incorporate bean night once a week” I decided to tackle d’Arabian’s Black Bean “Nacho” Burgers. Now, I will admit, being the carnivore that I am, bean burgers have never been high on my “gotta have’em” list, but in the name of savings, I am proud to say, they will now be part of my regular meal line up. Even my 14 year old son said they were delicious, and very, very filling. The recipe claims it makes 4 servings, but I think you could make the burgers smaller and serve 6. They are that filling.
Black Bean “Nacho” Burgers
Ingredients
2 cups cooked blacks beans
1 cup finely crushed tortilla chips
1/2 cup salsa, plus extra for serving
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 scallion (white and green parts) trimmed and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 hamburger buns
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Sour cream, for serving optional
1. Use a food processor or potato masher to smash the beans in a large bowl until you have a rough-textured and chunky mixture with a few semi-whole beans left. Stir in the tortilla chips, salsa, cheese, egg, scallion, salt and pepper. Set the mixture aside for 10 minutes to allow the chips to absorb some of the liquid, then shape into 4 patties.
2. Place the patties on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 350%. Place the buns on a baking sheet and place in the oven until warm to the touch, 4 to 6 minutes. While the buns warm, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Set the burgers in the pan and cook until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and serve the burgers topped with salsa and sour cream (if using) on the warmed buns.
You can also use fat free plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream. I recommend mixing the yogurt with the salsa and topping each burger, delicious and oh so healthy.
Ten Dollar Dinners goes on sale Tuesday, August 14th, and Melissa d’Arabian will be kicking off her cross-country book tour with a signing at Costco in Bridgewater, NJ (325 Promenade Blvd) at noon that day.
In honor of her debut Cookbook and the launch of her book tour, we are giving away two Free books for two lucky winners.
How To Enter: Just leave a comment with your email address in the comment section below. You can earn extra entries by Tweeting and/or Facebooking this Giveaway. Just be sure to come back and let us know you did so.
This Giveaway will end on August 17th at 11:59pm.
I started by sautéing some onions and garlic in a little olive oil. I followed up by adding some shredded rotisserie chicken, diced chilies, salsa, and 2 different types of chili powder. I came very close to using my basic pantry chili powder, but ended up buying the chipotle chili powder suggested by the recipe’s creator. If you reproduce this recipe at home, I would definitely suggest that you spring for the chipotle chili powder. Live dangerously! The chipotle gives this dish smokiness and complexity, as well as a fiery kick to your taste buds.
To assemble the dish, the recipe called for corn tortillas to be dipped in enchilada sauce before assembling the enchiladas. Do not make my rookie mistake by rushing the soaking process-let those tortillas soak and bathe in the sauce for a little while. They will be a lot more pliable and easy to fill with the sautéed chicken mixture.
Mom Made Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas (Serves 4-6)
Cape May Craft Beer & Crab Fest, Saturday, August 11th from 11am-8pm. Held at the beautiful grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., Cape May, an all-day festival featuring local and regional craft beers to wash down favorite summer picnic foods. Click for more details.
Silverton Farms Screening Food Inc., Friday, August 10th at 8pm. The owners of Silverton Farms in Toms River are hosting the first-ever movie night outside at the farm. They will be screening Food, Inc., a documentary about corporate food production in the U.S. The event is free and kids are welcome. You are encouraged to bring blankets and/or chairs to sit on. There will be a concession stand with organic popcorn and other goodies, but guests are also welcome to bring their own snacks if desired. There is no RSVP required, but if you are planning to go, you can stop by the farm or call ahead to let them know: 732-244-2621.
hMag Lackawanna Music Festival, Saturday, August 18th. Pier A in Hoboken. Sponsored by Ben & Jerry’s (we can only hope they bring ice cream). The event will be hosted by MTV’s Matt Pinfield and will feature the headliner band Tokyo Police Club. Other bands will include Vacationer, Shinobi Ninja, Body Language, Lights Resolve, We Barbarians, The Nightmare, River Band. Pilsener Haus will also be providing a Biergarten at the event as well. The music portion of the event is free but people are required to RSVP.
Shore Chef Crab Cake Cook-Off, Saturday & Sunday, August 18th & 19th from 12pm-5pm. Monmouth Park. Shore Chefs compete for the best crab cake award and the coveted People’s Choice Award. Taste fare from your favorite local restaurants. Crab cakes, fried catfish, and clam chowder bread bowls are just a few of the favorites. 
Chili Cooks Against Cancer, Saturday, August 25th from 11am-6pm. West Windsor. The ICS Sanctioned contest includes three chili categories – Red Chili, Verde (green) Chili and Salsa ICS Sanctioned contest includes three chili categories – Red Chili, Verde (green) Chili and Salsa. Chili Lovers? Come out and taste Chili or volunteer to be a judge, either way you’ll have a wonderful time. Kids Activities and Live Entertainment as well as beer! Click for details.
Grape Stomping Festival, Sunday, August 26th from 12pm-5pm. Renault Winery in Egg Harbor City will host this fun event. Enjoy wonderful food including their “world famous sausage & pepeprs” and more, beer and wine, crafters, entertainment, activities for kids and of course grape stomping where you get to meet Lucy! 
Great Tomato Tasting, Wednesday, August 29th from 3pm-dusk, Pittstown, NJ. This event includes the very popular tasting of over 60 heirloom and hybrid tomato varieties, chef demonstrations, guided educational wagon tours of the farm’s research plots, tastings of honey, basil, apples and peaches, professional advice offered by the Hunterdon County Board of Health Staff on stink bugs, mosquitoes and black flies – pesky insects near and dear to local residents, and “square foot” gardening demonstrations for those interested in small, productive gardens. 
BBQ & Craft Beer Festival, Saturday & Sunday, September 1st & 2nd. Monmouth Park. Ribs, pulled pork, brisket – it’s all back and better than ever, served up by some of the Garden State’s best BBQ joints. In addition, cool off with a cold one in the beer garden. 
Sickles on the Road: Discover the Best of Edible Princeton, Saturday, September 15th from 9am-6pm. Spoil yourself this fall and join Sickles On The Road for a day of culinary discovery in Princeton! Hosted by Kirsty Dougherty, On The Road Tour Director and Sickles’ Chef Carol Maxwell, this is an insider’s look at the burgeoning culinary scene of Princeton and a chance to try your hand at mozzarella cheese making! More info. 
Atlantic City Seafood Festival, Saturday & Sunday, September 15th & 16th. A two day extravaganza of fun, food and entertainment celebrating the treasures of the Atlantic Ocean while highlighting our sea side city. The festival will offer event goers the opportunity to treat their taste buds to a large variety of dishes prepared by area restaurants and culinary personalities. Click for more details.
Can’t-miss fried choices ($6) are the Arancini – fried risotto balls filled with peas and Mozzarella and the Carciofo – fried artichoke hearts served with tangy lemon aioli. The Arancini are ultra-crunchy on the outside with gooey, creamy risotto on the inside – a truly delectable treat.
I have wanted to have dinner at Renault Winery Resort and Golf in Egg Harbor City for some time now and finally found the perfect time. The resort hosts many wonderful culinary events on their expansive grounds that include their own vineyards. Renault has wine tastings with food pairings, farm to table feasts, wine tours and wine making and many other delicious happenings throughout the year.
The men stayed untill the end of the event as the owners of their respective mean machines pulled away in all their glory, some even “burning rubber” as they exited the property. I in the meantime had made my way inside the resort to Joseph’s Restaurant to select a table by the window. My husband eventually joined me sans my son and his pal (who both decided to skip dinner, kids!) and we began the part of the days’ event at Renault that I most looked forward to enjoying.
We both chose a salad to start as our primi, Burrata Mozarella with vine ripe tomatoes and twelve year old Balsamic vinegar and fresh basil for me and romaine hearts with creamy parmesan, croutons and finished with shards of parmesan and freshly ground black pepper for him. What’s not to like? All fresh and seasoned perfectly. I decided I also wanted a Flatbread, which was crisp and topped with some of my favorite bites, Kalamata Olives with Fresh Mozzarella and Roasted Tomatoes and Arugula before our main course.
Tortelloni with Cheese with Imported Prosciutto in a Blush Sauce and my husband’s selection of Double Cut Pork Chops with Saba (aged vinegar made from red wine), Cippolini Onions, Herbs, Potatoes Gratin and fresh Carrots. The double cut pork chops were juicy and tender, which is hard to find and much to my husband’s delight with delicate potatoes and tender onions. My tortelloni were cooked just right, (a major pet peeve with me) and well crafted with a creamy cheese center. I loved the blush sauce and the imported Proscuitto gave the dish a nice smokey undertone.
Supporting small business is something I strive to do and family-owned restaurants are a category I hold dear. I visited Bella Campania recently in nearby Hillsdale after an absence of a few years. I was pleasantly reminded of what I enjoyed on my earlier visits with husband and kids in tow. While the kitchen was slammed (7PM on a summer Thursday evening) and nearly every table occupied, 30 year old Chef Chris Tarta was keenly focused on not only take out, but warmly greeting customers as they entered and exited while manning the kitchen nearly solo. Tarta is a determined guy, buying Bella Campana at the ripe age of 23 when then-owners planned to sell the restaurant and he was a sous chef.
Our server Joe recommended Fried Calamari ($10) in the Portugese style (as opposed to traditional, Buffalo or Balsamic varieties). This was a winner. The crispy calamari had a fresh, briny flavor and delicate texture underneath a bit of crunch left over by flash frying. Tarta tossed it with a garlicky lemon butter mixture of julienned smoked and sweet peppers and chopped parsley for a flavor-packed mouthful. This was everyone’s hands-down favorite. From texture, taste and addictive quality, Fried Calamari Portugese is a clear winner.
Salads and soups are prepared lovingly and have a homey goodness to them. My daughter loved the Pasta Fagioli ($5) with its simple, honest flavors of tomatoes, garlic and beans.
Hunger relief hit a jackpot in Atlantic City last weekend with a $10,000 donation during the Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival.
They presented summer pudding with roasted stone fruit tarts at Saturday night’s Sweet & Stylish fashion show, where Southern Branch Executive Director Margie Barham and Mr. Uniacke accepted the $10,000 check from Joseph Giunta, vice president of non-gaming operations for Caesars Entertainment and Katie Dougherty, director of public relations for Caesars Entertainment in Atlantic City.
If you find yourself on the way to Cape May, a stop at Jessie Creek Winery is a must!
Right now Jessie Creek offers 5 wines, two whites and three reds. I am glad to see that this new winery decided to go for quality over quantity. Morrison and Reale have worked closely with several established wine makers in New Jersey to carefully craft their first vintage. And it shows.
The winery is located on the grounds of The Inn at Jessie Creek, an elegant bed and breakfast in a beautifully renovated 1846 farmhouse. Choose from 4 large suites all with private baths, TV, and high speed internet. Just imagine enjoying an evening bonfire with a glass of wine or sunrise over the vineyard.
Peach Party, Saturday, August 4th from 11am-2pm. Collingswood Community Center. Join the Food Bank of South Jersey for the debut of our first-ever food-rescue product, Just Peachy Salsa! You’ll get to taste it, buy it, and hear how we did it. This salsa comes with chunks of real Jersey peaches and packs a little heat. During the event, local chefs will also be serving up tastings that showcase the Jersey peach. Then you be the judge and cast your vote for the best recipe on your way out! More info.
An Evening in Our South Jersey Garden, Culinary Workshop, Tuesday, August 7th from 6pm-9pm. Culinary Workshops Offer Taste of Global Cuisine at Atlantic Cape. Learn how to get the most out of your farmers market or garden co-op. Receive tips on preparing locally grown eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes, and end the night by making strawberry-rhubarb pies and blueberry desserts. To register, call 609-343-4829 or visit 
Sweet treats and many New Jersey bakers were on display at the Sweet & Stylish event at the Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival held at Ceasar’s Atlantic City Hotel & Resort.
By far, our favorite dessert was a green tea meringue nestled in a pool of yuzu cream from Philippe Chin French Asian Bistro in Somers Point. Yuzu is a Japanese fruit that tastes very similar to a lime. The light and flaky cookie and fluffy creme was a zesty, tart and refreshing change from cupcakes and tarts offered by the other bakers.
The fashion show was co-hosted by Nadia and Hoboken’s Buddy Valastro, of Carlos’s Bakery, which is featured on TLC’s “Cake Boss.” Nadia was right at home on the runway and did a fantastic job announcing the fashions from bebe, but Buddy seemed a little out of place, and compared the metal decorations on a dress to the draping of cake frosting. The highlight of the show was when the bakers got to strut their stuff on the catwalk and have the spotlight with a special guest appearance by Southern cuisine queen Paula Deen, who also loved Nadia’s bacon filled chocolate.
Kabab Paradise is a spotless, take-out and eat-in restaurant featuring succulent Afghan dishes in Morris County. Using an interesting combination of charcoal and lava rocks as the flame and heat source for its busy grill, this restaurant is known to stop traffic in its tracks on bustling Beverwyck Road with the incredible aromas it exudes.
On a recent visit, my party enjoyed an attractive platter of hummus ($3.99 for small and $6.99 for large), made on the premises. The small portion, enough for two diners, is beautifully presented with just the right amount of fruity olive oil.
Kabab Paradise is a must-try for a casual meal prepared using fresh ingredients by a team focused on making customers fantasize about their next visit as they walk out the door, completely satisfied. A second location in South Bound Brook (60 Main Street) makes it convenient for both Central and Northern New Jersey patrons to enjoy Kabab Paradise.
