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Our Journey Begins

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Toasting to our first night in Rome, April 2018 at the Piccolo Abruzzo Ristorante, Rome, Italy

Welcome & thank you for joining us.

We are identical twin sisters Teresa & Barbara, who grew up on Long Island, New York and now happily reside in North Carolina.  We were born 6 minutes apart…Barbara arrived first, which would only be relevant if our parents were King & Queen; which they were not, but she never misses an opportunity to remind me! 😂

Italian food is our heritage and cooking has become our passion. Now that we are both retired we rediscovered our passion for cooking. Here you will find our favorite family recipes that have been handed down for three generations along with some new favorites that we hope you will enjoy as much as we do.

About Teresa: After retiring as the controller of a construction management firm, my husband Jack & I moved from the Village of Northport, NY to coastal North Carolina. Our children & grandchildren still reside on Long Island and we go back as often as we can to see them. When not cooking, I still pursue my love of creating fine jewelry in gold, silver, and gemstones along with golfing with friends and playing Mah Jongg.

About Barbara: After just retiring as the Credit & A/R manager for a food supplement company, I accompanied Teresa on the day she moved at the suggestion of my husband Gary. We could write a book on the hilarious adventure during the long ride down, but that’s another story! I fell in love with the community and called Gary to tell him “we” bought a new house in NC! He thought I was joking but 11 months later we moved into our new home. He’s a keeper after 48 years… Our children reside on Long Island and southern California.  I also enjoy creating jewelry when I have the time; however, I’m just not as passionate anymore about jewelry making as Teresa is.

 

Did you try our recipes? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below or Tag @twinsinthekitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #twiinsinthekitchen.

 

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Happy Thanksgiving

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Sending you our warmest wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours. We are grateful for your continued support.
Teresa & Barbara

Gluten-Free Mini Turkey Meatballs 😋

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Gluten-Free Mini Turkey Meatballs

  • Servings: 105 1-inch round
  • Difficulty: Easy

Turkey is a great alternative to beef as it reduces the amount of unhealthy fat in our daily consumption. Our turkey meatball recipe is easy & healthier alternative to beef meatballs. These meatballs add low-fat protein to homemade soups or broths like in our homemade Italian Wedding Soup (see link below). They are also perfect for an appetizer with your favorite dipping sauce or a perfect complement to your favorite pasta dish, just choose the size you want to make. Not only are these meatballs packed with flavor, but they are also gluten-free.  To get our mini meatballs uniform in size, we used the 1-inch side of a melon baller, which is the perfect size for adding to our Italian Wedding Soup. Any size you make them will be delicious!

Ingredients

  • 20.8 oz (1.3 lbs) ground turkey
  • 1/2  large onion, finely minced
  •  3-4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (see note for dried amounts)
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped (see note for dried amounts)
  • 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (see note for dried amounts)
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup 4C Gluten-Free Seasoned Breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano, grated (Locatelli)

    Directions

    1. In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey with all the ingredients.
    2. Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
    3. Spray lightly with cooking spray.
    4. Wearing food-grade gloves, put a dab of EVOO on one glove, and rub your hands together. This prevents the meat mixture from sticking to your hands while forming into round balls.
    5. Using a 1-inch melon baller, scoop enough meat mixture to fill the baller. Shake into your hand and roll into a ball. Place each meatball onto the prepared baking sheet in even rows.
    6. Bake at 350ºF for 10-12 minutes on the upper rack. of your oven. After 10-12 minutes put on broil for 2 minutes to lightly crisp the meatballs.
    7. Remove from oven and immediately remove to paper towels to drain. When completely cooled, place in plastic food storage bags and freeze. If using immediately, drop into your favorite broth or soup. Italian Wedding Soup

    Melon Baller – use the smaller 1″ size baller
    Large rimmed baking sheet lined with foil
    Bake 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes
    Drain on paper towels
    Gluten-Free Turkey Mini Meatballs
    Note: When using dried herbs in place of fresh, use the standard ratio of 1 tsp dried herbs for every 1 Tablespoon of fresh herbs.

     

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    Gluten-Free Apple Crisp 🍎

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    Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

    • Servings: 6
    • Difficulty: Easy

    We're keeping things simple for Thanksgiving this year so we will forgo the traditional apple pie & pumpkin cheesecake for our (OH so simple & delicious) gluten-free apple crisp. Not having to make pie crust saves a lot of time in the kitchen with better than pie results! We use Gala apples for this recipe as they are juicy, sweet, and hold their shape well. It’s a big hit with our family by itself or topped with a little vanilla ice cream or a Klondike Heath Bar divided (pictured below).

    Ingredients

      • cast-iron skillet (10-inch preferred but  12-inch will do)
      • 5-7 large Gala apples (approximately 1200 g), peeled, cored & cut into wedges
      • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
      • 1/3 cup white sugar
      • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
      • 1½ tsp cinnamon
      • 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
      • 3 Tablespoons salted butter
      • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
      • 1/4 water
      • Crispy Topping
      • 3/4 cup gluten-free flour (we use Bob’s Redmill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
      • 2½ Tablespoons brown sugar
      • 2½ Tablespoons white sugar
      • 3/4 tsp baking powder
      • 1/2 tsp table salt
      • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
      • 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) salted melted butter
      • 3/4 oats (regular old fashioned or Quaker 1 minute)
      • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

    Directions

    1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
    2. In a large bowl place the apples, lemon juice, white sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Toss until all apples are well coated and combined. Set aside.
    3. Melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in a heated cast-iron skillet.
    4. Add the 1/3 cup of brown sugar. Stir to combine well.
    5. Add the apple mixture to the skillet, mix well. On medium-low heat keep a simmer while preparing the topping.
    6. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, 2½ Tablespoons of brown sugar, 2½ Tablespoons of white sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
    7. Once combined, add the 8 Tablespoons of melted butter. Stir well to combine.
    8. Add the oats and chopped pecans.
    9. Stir the apples in the skillet, liquid should start to thicken. Add 1/4 cup of water over the apples and combine. It will create a syrupy mixture when done.
    10. Remove skillet from the heat and sprinkle the crispy topping mixture evenly over the top.
    11. Place the entire cast-iron skillet in a pre-heated 375º F over and bake for 35 minutes until the crispy top is golden brown edges are bubbling.
    12. Best served while hot but delicious cold or at room temperature too. Top with vanilla ice cream for an added treat!

    Note: To cut your total prep time in half, peel, core & slice your apples ahead of time.  Sprinkle some lemon juice on them to prevent apples from turning brown then cover & refrigerate until you start the mixing portion of ingredients.

    Melt 3 T butter
    Add brown sugar
    whisk brown sugar & butter
    Add the apple mixture
    Simmering apples in skillet
    Crispy topping mix
    Combined topping mix
    Sprinkle topping mix over apples in skillet
    Baked at 375 for 35 minutes
    Served with Klondike Health Bar ice cream

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    Italian Wedding Soup 🇮🇹 😋

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    Italian Wedding Soup

    • Servings: 6
    • Difficulty: Easy

    There was a time when our favorite go-to soup came in a can, Progresso Italian Wedding Soup. Something about the little meatballs and tiny pasta is so comforting on cold, dreary days. In our quest for healthier eating, we offer you this recipe which is so easy & quick to make using all fresh ingredients. You'll never buy canned anymore! It can be made on the stove, crockpot, or even an Instapot and can be frozen so you might want to double the batch! Meatballs can be made ahead of time using leftover meatball mixture and made into small 1/2 to 3/4 inch rounds. Store-bought meatballs can also be used, just cut to mini size. The featured picture in this post was using leftover frozen, cooked meatballs that were cut into quarters. Last week we were making meatballs so we kept some of the mixture and made mini's that we froze in the picture below. With just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, you can whip up this delicious, hearty soup for any weeknight meal served with crusty bread.

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tablespoon EVOO
    • 1  large onion, diced
    • 2 large celery stalks, diced
    • 2 large carrots, diced
    •  4 garlic cloves, minced (approximately 2 Tablespoons. Add more or less to suit your taste.
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 1 tsp dried basil
    • 1 Tablespoon dried parsley (or 1/4 cup fresh & chopped)
    • salt & pepper to taste
    • 8 ounces Ditalini (small round hollow tubes) or Acini de Pepe Pasta (tiny round pasta) or Orzo (cook separately)
    • 8-10 ounces fresh baby spinach, torn into pieces (escarole or endive can be substituted)
    • 8 cups chicken broth (We used a combination of chicken, beef, and vegetable broth but anyone broth is fine.)
    • 1/2 to 3/4-inch pre-made meatballs (use leftover meatball mixture or meatloaf mixture to make ahead or you can substitute with store-bought meatballs i.e. Costco)
    • Pecorino Romano, freshly grated cheese (Locatelli) or Parmigiano Reggiano (not the stuff in the green container, please!)

      Directions

      1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the EVOO.
      2. Once the pot is hot enough, add the onion, celery, & carrots & saute for about 5-7 minutes to soften.
      3. Add garlic, oregano, and basil. Saute another minute longer.
      4. Add torn spinach. Season with salt & pepper.
      5. Add the broth/broths.
      6. Bring to a boil.
      7. Add the cooked or raw meatballs.
      8. Lower heat and simmer an additional 8-10 minutes, until meatballs are heated thoroughly if pre-cooked or a little longer if cooking raw in the soup.
      9. Ladle hot soup into your favorite bowl, add the pasta and top with grated cheese.

      Add torn spinach to celery, onion and carrots
      Add broth to pot and bring to a boil. Add meatballs and simmer 8-10 minutes.
      Frozen mini meatballs for future use.
      Enjoy with a piece of crusty bread.

       

      Note: To make this soup gluten-free, use GF broth, GF pasta, and & GF bread or breadcrumbs in your meatball mixture.

      Meatballs can be fried in oil or baked in the oven, whichever you prefer.

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      Italian Rainbow Cookies – Twiins Style

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      Italian Rainbow Cookies - Twiins Style

      • Servings: 8 doz
      • Difficulty: Medium

      It's our favorite time of year again as we start our holiday baking together. It doesn't matter if the holiday is Thanksgiving or Christmas, we have been baking together for over 40 years, a holiday tradition we love. Christmas music is playing in the background while we reminisce about our childhood & Christmas's of long ago. One of our family's favorite holiday cookie is the Italian Rainbow cookie that you see in every Italian bakery all year round. We also make this recipe Gluten-Free by substituting Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour for the all-purpose flour! They are the first to disappear from the holiday cookie tray...you, your family & friends will love them. ❤️❤️

      Ingredients

      • 1 jar apricot preserves (12-16 ounces)
      • 1  12-ounce bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
      • 1  12-ounce can of Solo almond paste
      • 1 tsp almond extract
      • 2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted (for a gluten-free substitute use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour)
      • 1 cup sugar
      • Food Coloring, red & green (if you want a more yellow layer, add yellow coloring to the 3rd bowl)
      • 3 sticks unsalted butter
      • 1/4 tsp salt
      • 4 large eggs, separate yolks and whites
      • chocolate sprinkles (optional)
      • 3  9×12 baking pans

      Directions

      1. Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.
      2. Grease all three baking pans heavily with butter then line each pan with parchment paper or wax paper, leaving enough overhang to lift and slide out of the pan after baking.  Grease heavily again.
      3. In a large mixing bowl, break up the almond paste, butter, sugar, almond extract, sugar, and egg yolks. Beat until light & fluffy, about 10 minutes on a medium speed stand mixer.
      4. Beat in flour & salt.
      5. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. With a wooden spoon, fold in egg whites to the almond mixture until you no longer see the whites.
      6. Divide the mixture equally into 3 bowls. (To be accurate, weigh each mixture on a digital scale)
      7. Add food coloring to each bowl, leaving the 3rd bowl plain, or add yellow coloring if you prefer a more yellow layer. Mix color in well.
      8. Spoon each color into separate prepared baking sheets. Spread evenly then bake at 350º pre-heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Do not let the edges brown.
      9. Layers are done when you can gently touch the center and it bounces back. Remove from oven and place on cake racks for 5 minutes to cool.
      10. Holding the overhang ends of the parchment paper, carefully lift and slide the layer, supporting underneath, onto a flat surface (countertop).
      11. Cool completely.
      12. Use a large cookie sheet and invert the first layer (red) onto the cookie sheet. Carefully remove parchment paper.
      13. Heat the preserves until it bubbles. Using a fork mix well to loosen some of the chunks. Remove from heat and using a spatula, spread enough preserve to evenly cover the entire layer. Don’t worry if it drips down the sides.
      14. Repeat for the middle layer (plain or yellow).
      15. After inverting the last layer (green, do not spread with preserves). Cover with parchment paper and place a baking sheet on top. Weigh it down with some heavy books or cans for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator or overnight.
      16. Remove from the refrigerator when ready to add the chocolate layer.
      17. Trim all edges to be uniformed with a very sharp knife. (Don’t throw out the trimming…they are great to taste).
      18. Melt chocolate in the microwave* a little at a time until melted through.
      19. Spread melted chocolate over the top layer and down the sides. Add optional chocolate sprinkles while chocolate is still warm.  Refrigerate uncovered for at least one hour then cut into 6 or 7 even rows & bite-size pieces of your choice when ready to serve.
      20. Line an airtight container with parchment or wax paper and store layers in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Should last about 10 days if kept in the refrigerator.

      Mix food coloring in separate bowls
      Spread batter evenly in pan
      Remove before edges brown
      Add apricot preserves between first 2 layers
      Cut into 6 rows
      Spread melted chocolate on top and sides
      Enjoy!

      Note:  It has been our experience that Nestlé’s chocolate chips will seize if melted using the double boiler method.  Nestlé’s appears to have changed their formula as we used to use the double boiler method up until last year. We recommend using the microwave for best results.

      Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below or Tag @twiinsinthekitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #twiinsinthekitchen.

       

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      Thai Sweet Chili Chicken Gluten-Free – Twiins Style

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      Thai Sweet Chili Chicken Gluten-Free - Twiins Style

      • Servings: 6
      • Difficulty: Easy

      It's no secret our second favorite cuisine after Italian is Thai. Who can resist crispy, tender chicken bites coated in a scrumptious sweet chili & sesame seed sauce just like your favorite Thai restaurant? Since we haven't been going out during this pandemic, we wanted to reproduce the meals we would order at a restaurant. Tonight we served it over Jasmine brown rice which soaks up the flavorful sweet chili sauce. Our husbands gave us rave reviews so we hope your family will too. Try this recipe for a quick & easy weeknight meal or impress your friends & family with great appetizers once you can gather again. 😋😋

      Ingredients

      • deep skillet or wok
      • oil for frying (peanut or canola or olive)
      • 4 large skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1½-inch cubes
      • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
      • 3/4 cup gluten-free flour (Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
      • 3/4 cup corn starch
      • 1½ cups Thai sweet chili sauce (store-bought or homemade, check the label to make sure it’s GF)
      • 1/3 cup sliced green onions
      • 2-3 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted in a small, dry skillet
      • 2 cups brown jasmine rice
      • 4 cups gluten-free chicken broth

      Directions

      1. Place brown jasmine rice in a medium bowl filled with cold water, enough to cover rice. Set aside for 20 minutes. (soaking in water helps breakdown the bran and keeps the rice from sticking together.)
      2. While the rice is soaking, use this time to start prepping the chicken & the remainder of ingredients.
      3. After 20 minutes, drain the rice and place in a medium saucepan. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
      4. Once boiling, lower heat to a low simmer and cover. Cover and cook approximately 40 minutes, check after 30 minutes.
      5. Using a shallow bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt & pepper and mix well.
      6. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs.
      7. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg then roll into the flour mixture to coat well. Repeat with all of the chicken pieces.
      8. Heat about 3-inches of oil in a wok or deep skillet. Make sure oil is very hot before adding dredged chicken.
      9. Fry 5-8 pieces of chicken at a time, depending on the width of your skillet, until golden brown. Do not overcrowd as it will cause the chicken to steam instead of crisping.
      10. Remove and drain on paper towels then repeat until all the chicken is cooked.
      11. Heat chili sauce until hot. Pour over the chicken bites to combine. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and green onions.
      12. Spread cooked rice on a plate and top with sweet chili chicken bites. Garnish with extra green onions and enjoy!

      Prep all ingredients
      Frying dredged chicken pieces in a wok
      Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet
      Place cooked chicken bites on paper towels to absorb excess oil
      Thai Sweet Chili Chicken ready to serve
      Plate & ready to eat & enjoy!

       

      NOTE: If you want to include more vegetables in your meal,  steam some broccoli or cut green beans and add to the chicken before serving.

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      Healthier Italian Cannoli Cream – Twiins Style

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      Healthier Italian Cannoli Cream - Twiins Style

      • Servings: 8 Small Cannoli
      • Difficulty: Easy

      Today marks a very special milestone birthday for us. To add to our celebration we're making a healthier version of our favorite birthday dessert...Cannoli. We weren't sure how the texture would be effected using part-skim ricotta instead of whole milk ricotta, but as it turned out we were very happy with the results, The texture isn't quite the same but hardly noticeable. Since we didn't want to give up our favorite dessert using part-skim ricotta was a huge success for us. If eating healthier means you think you have to give up your favorites, we proved you don't have to. ❤️❤️

      Ingredients

      • 12.5 ounces part-skim milk ricotta (drained for 2 days in the refrigerator to remove all excess liquid)
      • 4 ounces granulated sugar
      • 0.083 ounces vanilla extract
      • 1 tiny drop of cinnamon oil
      • 1 drop Fiori di Sicilia
      • 1/2 Tablespoon candied citron, diced (optional)
      • 1/2 Tablespoon candied orange peel, diced (optional)
      • 1-2 Tablespoons semi-sweet Mini chocolate chips (may substitute with bittersweet chips, depending on your preference.)
      • chopped nuts or mini chocolate chips, your preference, for garnish
      • powdered sugar

      Directions

      1. In a medium bowl place the drained ricotta cheese into the bowl, mix to combine with a spatula until smooth. (You can use a stand mixer if you prefer but this is a small batch so it’s not needed)
      2. Add granulated sugar and fold in until dissolved completely. The texture should be smooth, not grainy.
      3. Fold in the vanilla & cinnamon oil.
      4. Blend until incorporated.
      5. Gently fold in the citron, and/or candied orange, and mini chocolate chips.
      6. Place in a pastry bag and refrigerate until ready to pipe into cannoli & serve.
      7. Before piping, cut the tip of the pastry bag large enough to allow the chips to pass through.
      8. Garnish the ends to your liking and sprinkle with a little powdered sugar.
      9. Enjoy!

       

      Notes: If making cannoli you can save time by purchasing the pre-made shells from Amazon or Costco.

      Do not fill cannoli until ready to serve or your shells will be soggy.

      Cannoli Cream Filling can also be used for cakes, cupcakes, and as a pastry filling.

       

       

      Fold in and blend all ingredients. Refrigerate overnight or a minimum of 2-3 hours before serving.

      Cannoli Cream Filling from Twiins in the Kitchen
      Decadent Cannoli Cupcakes – Twiins Style (Gluten-Free)
      Gluten-Free Cannoli Cupcake

       

       

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      Twiins Stir-Fry Leftover Rotisserie Chicken & Vegetables 🥢🥢

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      Twiins Stir-Fry Leftover Rotisserie Chicken & Vegetables

      • Servings: 4-6
      • Difficulty: Easy

      The other night we had a rotisserie chicken from Costco and wound up with both breasts leftover. I looked in the refrigerator to see what I had and grabbed the vegetables I thought would go together and started dinner. When my youngest son was in elementary school, I became friends with the mother of one of his friends who happened to be Chinese. Wanda was a fantastic cook (they used to have a Chinese restaurant) and she could turn anything into a scrumptious meal. One day she came over and showed me how to make stir-fry & fried rice that was to die for. I took copious notes for both recipes but for the life of me, I cannot find them. Dinner turned out great in spite of not having the written instructions. I guess I remembered more than I thought I would. One of these days I'm going to try the fried rice.😋 🥢

      Ingredients

      SAUCE

      • 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
      • 4 Tablespoons soy sauce
      • 2 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
      • 2 Tablespoons honey
      • 6 garlic cloves, minced
      • 2 tsp sesame oil
      • 2 ½ teaspoons cornstarch

      STIR-FRY

      • 6-7  Tablespoons peanut oil, approximately, divided (canola oil can be substituted)
      • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
      • 2 large leeks, 1/4-inch slices, up to the green
      • 2 rotisserie chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1-inch strips (I used Costco rotisserie chicken, both breasts, skin removed)
      • Kosher salt, to taste
      • 6 red sweet peppers, cored & seeded then cut into 1/2-inch wide strips (bell peppers can be substituted)
      • 3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch thick half-moons
      • 2 medium broccoli crowns,  cut into small florets
      • 8 white mushrooms, sliced 1/3-inch thick
      • cooked rice or Thai rice noodles
      • 2-3 scallions, sliced for garnish (optional)

      Directions

      1. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Set aside.
      2. Heat your wok (or large deep skillet) until a drop of water immediately vaporizes. Drizzle 2 Tablespoons of peanut oil and swirl around the wok. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Push all the garlic to the sides of the wok.
      3. Add another 2 Tablespoons of peanut oil  & swirl around the pan. Add the broccoli & season with kosher salt. Stir-fry broccoli until it just starts to turn the edges brown & has softened somewhat 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
      4. Add enough of the remaining peanut oil & swirl around the pan. Add the mushrooms, zucchini, sweet peppers, & leeks. Season with kosher salt to taste.
      5. Stir-fry until browned and softened about 1-2 minutes.
      6. Move vegetables to sides of the wok and pour the cornstarch sauce into the middle of the wok. Stir constantly until it just starts to thicken.
      7. Add the strips of leftover rotisserie chicken and stir to heat throughout.
      8. Serve over your favorite rice or noodles & garnish with scallions.

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      Authentic Steak Fajitas – Twiins Style

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      Authentic Steak Fajitas

      • Servings: 4-6
      • Difficulty: Easy

      Whenever we go to a Mexican restaurant we can smell the sizzling steak fajitas with onions & peppers as soon as we open the door & walk-in. We both start to drool! The smell is wonderful & my husband will order them 9 out 10 times. Since we don't go out for dinner during this pandemic I figured I'd give it a try. I'm so glad I did. These fajitas are incredibly authentic tasting and very satisfying all in one. Overall it seems to take a long time to make but that's because of the marinating time. Believe me, they are worth the effort!😋

      Ingredients

      • 1 lb flank steak, sirloin tip steak, or skirt steak (I used sirloin tip steak here)
      • 1 large green Bell pepper, 1/2-inch thick slices
      • 1 large red Bell pepper, 1/2-inch thick slices
      • 2 large onions, sliced
      • 3 Tablespoons EVOO  (for sauteeing onions & Peppers)
      • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

      MARINADE

      • 3 – 4 limes juiced (about 1/2 cup) (I used 3 large limes)
      • 2-3 scallions, white & green parts, diced
      • 3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
      • 4 cloves garlic, minced
      • 2 tsp EVOO 
      • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
      • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
      • 1/4 tsp coriander ground, optional

      FAJITA SEASONING

      • 1 Tablespoon corn starch
      • 2 tsp Lawry’s Roasted Chili & Garlic granules (regular chili powder may be substituted)
      • 1 Tablespoon salt
      • 1 tsp smoked paprika
      • 1 beef bouillon cube, crushed (don’t use paste that you refrigerate)
      • 1/2 tsp onion powder
      • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
      • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
      • 1/4 tsp cumin, ground

      FIXINGS

      • 8-12 flour tortillas, warmed (estimate 2 tortillas per person unless they are big eaters like my hubby!)
      • Sour cream
      • Guacamole
      • Shredded cheddar
      • Pico de gallo
      • Salsa
      • fresh cilantro for garnish

      Directions

      Night Before:

      1. Whisk together the lime juice, soy sauce, scallions, minced garlic, 2 tsp EVOO, cilantro, red pepper flakes & coriander.
      2. In a large plastic food baggie, pour the marinade over the steak, seal well, and refrigerate overnight (at least 8-12 hours) flipping once or twice. (Usually, I place the food baggy on a plate then put it in the refrigerator so there is no accidental leaking in my fridge.)

      Next-Day Cooking:

      1. Heat 3 Tablespoons of oil in a large (12 or 13-inch) skillet on medium heat. When the oil is hot enough (look for rippling or striation lines in the oil. Best way to tell the oil is hot enough but not yet smoking.)
      2. Add the onions & bell peppers. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
      3. Add the soy sauce and cook another 20 minutes to caramelize the onions. They should be a dark golden brown color. Remove from skillet & set aside.
      4. Mix all of the fajita seasonings together in a medium bowl.
      5. Prepare an outdoor grill to medium-hot. If using the same skillet as the onions & pepper, bring the heat to medium-high.
      6. Remove the steak from the marinade and generously sprinkle with fajita seasoning all over.
      7. Grill meat to an internal temperature of 130-135º F regardless of how to grill it.  (Approximately 3-4 minutes per side) I pan-seared my marinated steak in the same skillet I used to cook onions & peppers.
      8. Once it reaches the 130-135º internal temperature remove immediately and let the steak rest for 10 minutes. After resting cut against the grain into thin slices, no thicker than 1/4-inch (or to whatever thickness you like).
      9. Carefully place the caramelized onions & peppers back into the hot skillet to heat for about 3-4 minutes. (They will sizzle)
      10. Place the meat on top of the onions and bring it to your table.
      11. Squeeze some fresh lime juice over the fajitas. (optional)
      12. Serve with warmed tortillas, sour cream, shredded cheddar, salsa, or whatever you like.

      Caramelize onion & bell peppers
      Serve with warmed tortillas
      Top with fajita seasoned grilled flank steak and your favorite toppings

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      Ciambotta Twiins Style (Italian Summertime Vegetable Stew)

      Published on by Twiins in the Kitchen2 Comments
       

      Ciambotta Twiins Style (Italian Summer Vegetable Stew)

      • Servings: 6-8
      • Difficulty: Easy

      If you’re lucky enough to have a have a garden with an abundance of fresh vegetables, you must try making some Ciambotta (pronounced chim-botta)! Even if you don’t have a garden, grocery stores are full of a variety of fresh, local produce during the summer. It’s a delicious and nutritious way to use your harvest or take advantage of the fresh produce available now. Ciambotta can also be spelled giambotta, depending on the region of Italy. This version is a southern Italy farm dish. The great thing about this dish is you can use whatever veggies you like. The key is big, equal size cubes or chunks... and it’s naturally Gluten-Free. I served it with crusty whole wheat French bread drizzled with EVOO and Za’atar seasoning. It was delicious. Enjoy. 😋❤️

      Ingredients

      • 1 large yellow onion, cubed
      • 8-10 cloves large garlic, peeled and diced
      • 1/4 cup EVOO
      • 4-5 golden Yukon potatoes, cubed
      • 6 large Roma tomatoes, skin & seeds removed, cubed
      • 2 medium eggplants, ends removed and cubed
      • 2 medium zucchini, ends removed and cubed
      • 1 large green bell pepper, washed, seeded & cut into big chunks
      • 1 large red bell pepper, washed, seeded & cut into big chunks
      • 1 large yellow or orange bell pepper, washed, seeded & cut into big chunks
      • 2 handfuls of fresh spinach (optional)
      • 1 jalapeño (I used jalapeño) or long Italian hot pepper (optional)
      • Salt & pepper, to taste
      • 20 fresh basil leaves, torn right before adding
      • 1 sprig Greek oregano, (optional)

      Directions

      1. Boil the Roma tomatoes for a few minutes until the skin starts to crack. Remove from boiling water and cool. Once cool enough to handle you can easily peel off the skin., Cut them in half, remove the seeds and cube.
      2. In a minimum 6 qt deep Dutch oven, On medium-high,  heat EVOO until it starts to shimmer.
      3. Add the onions and garlic and turn several times until fragrant, about 1 minute.
      4. Add the tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeño pepper, zucchini, potatoes, give it a good turn.
      5. Add the eggplants last. Turn well and cook about 10 minutes.
      6. Add salt and black pepper to taste and tear the basil leaves, sprig of Greek oregano (if using) and add to pot. Stir together.
      7. Lower flame to medium-low and cover. Cook about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
      8. Now is a good time to prepare any pasta or crusty bread.
      9. For the bread: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Slice the Italian or French bread into 1/2-inch slices and place on foiled baking sheet. Drizzle each piece with EVOO then sprinkle with Za’atar seasoning, garlic powder, & a little sea salt.
      10. Bake about 4 minutes until golden brown. (Bake when Ciambotta is just about done)
      11. Serve in pasta dishes with crusty bread on the side or over pasta & garnish with  fresh basil leaves.

      Notes: Serve with crusty gluten-free bread to keep completely gluten-free or use Italian or French bread to soak up the juices! Can be served with pasta too.

      Recipe adapted from Pasquale Sciarappa.

      Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below or Tag @twiinsinthekitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #twiinsinthekitchen.

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