Quesadillas stuffed with chicken, poblanos, and corn

I'll admit, these quesadillas are not as simple than the ones I made in college.  In college, I'd throw a little cheese between flour torts and microwave for 30 seconds.  Yep, these aren't as easy, but boy are they tasty.  These are grown up quesadillas!  Plus, they are great for using up leftover chicken.  Of course, if you're looking for a good vegetarian dish, eliminate the chicken altogether.

What you'll need:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
1 ear corn, kernels scraped from the cob
salt and pepper
1 lime
1 small red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 tomatillos, peeled and chopped
cilantro, small handful, chopped
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp cumin
3-4 large flour tortillas
2 cups monterey jack cheese
*leftover chicken  - I used the leftovers from the Red Chile-Chicken Tacos

What to do:
Preheat the oven to 275.  In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the peppers and corn and cook for ten minutes or until the corn browns.  Add the salt and pepper and the juice of a half of a lime.  Transfer peppers and corn to a small plate and clean this skillet to use later.

In another skillet (yes, I know, I try to eliminate cleaning extra dishes, but this needs to be in a new skillet), heat a little olive oil.  Add the onion and garlic and cook for only a few minutes.  Throw in the tomatilos and cook for 10-12 minutes. Add the juice of a half a lime, cilantro, honey cumin, salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet (the one you just cleaned) and warm a large tortilla until it bubbles just a bit.  Flip and cover half the tortilla with a little chicken, cheese, and the pepper/corn mixture.  Fold over and cook for another minute.  Transfer to the over.  Continue this same process until you run out of tortillas.

Cut into wedges and top with the tomatillo salsa.

Dog Treats: Frozen yogurt with blueberries

It's summer in south Florida; we're all hot - including the little doggies.  When I found this recipe in Rachael Ray's magazine, I thought it would be just perfect for Nikko and Capone.  Everytime Chris and I eat our frozen treats, the two of them give us the staredown.  Now, I don't have to feel so guilty.

The first time I gave this treat to the dogs, Nikko tried to devour the entire cube all at once.  He shoved it his mouth and chewed and chewed and chewed.  Capone, on the otherhand, needed a little help.  He tried to bite it; that didn't work.  He tried to lick it; that worked.  Since Capone took so long to eat his, Nikko wanted more.  Oh, the dogs...

Easy ingredients:
16 oz plain lowfat or nonfat yogurt
1 pt fresh or frozen blueberries
1 ripe banana smashed

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.  Divide into two ice cube trays and cover with plastic wrap.  I only had mini muffin trays, so I used those. Allow to freeze solid.


That's it!

Red Chile-Chicken Tacos

Yum, yum, yum.  These chicken tacos combined so many flavors.  Plus, they were simple, simple simple.  I can't remember where I found this recipe.  It's possible it was in the Rachael Ray magazine, which is better than the show since I don't have to listen to her voice.

What you'll need:
4 dried ancho chiles (next time I'm going to try pasilla negro chiles)
Boiling water
1 15 oz can sliced pineapple with its juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 onion, peeled
1/4 dark brown sugar
1 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper
4 chicken breasts (or you can use a whole chicken - it's just more work)
bag of shredded cabbage with carrots
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1/4 cup mayo
a pinch of cayenne pepper
tortillas, corn or flour
cheese - whatever you want

Tear the chiles into pieces and throw away the stems and the seeds.  Place in a bowl and pour the boiling water over the chiles to cover.  You may need to cover with a plate in order to submerge the chiles.

Allow them to soak for about 30 minutes.  Let them cool.  Then, peel off the skin.  Put the chiles and 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid into a food processor or blender.

Add 2 pineapple slices, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, onion, brown sugar, cumin, a pinch of salt and pepper. Combine until smooth.

Clean the chicken and pat dry.  Put into a Ziploc bag and pour the chile sauce into the bag.  Put the chicken in the fridge and allow to marinate for at least 3 hours or overnight.  If you have a whole chicken, make sure you add the marinade to the inside cavity too...and obviously, this won't fit in a Ziploc.

After marinating, transfer the chicken and sauce to the crock pot and cover.  Cook on high for the first hour and then on low for a few more hours or until the internal temperature reads 165.  It should cook for a total of 3-4 hours.

While the chicken is cooking, make the slaw. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded cabbage and carrots with the scallions and four chopped pineapple slices.  Add in a bit of the pineapple juice to taste and toss in a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little heat.  Allow the slaw to cool in the fridge.  

Once the chicken is cooked, transfer it to a plate.  Pour the sauce into a saucepan and simmer until the sauce thickens.  If you used a whole chicken, you will need to skim the fat first.  

Using two forks, shred the chicken and add to the sauce.

Serve with flour or corn tortillas, pineapple slaw, and cilantro-lime rice (found in the Braised Pork Tacos recipe).

Enjoy!

Poblano Chicken

Since Peru, I've been experimenting with more peppers.  So, in the next few recipes, you'll see a bit of a Peruvian influence.  I came across this recipe one morning last week.  While organizing my spin playlist, The Rachael Ray show was on in the background.  She's so annoying, but just when I was about to flip the channel, she spoke my language - poblano peppers and cheese!  I'll admit, I had to flip the channel anyway.  As she threw the cheese on the top of the dish, she said something like, "Yeah, I did it."  That was my breaking point.  I'm not sure if it's her squeaky, but loud voice or her mannerisms, but she drives me crazy.  In any event, I got the basics.

What you'll need:
3 poblano peppers - chopped and seeded
1 cup chicken stock
1 small onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
a small handful of cilantro
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used pepper jack because that's what I had in the house)

What to do:
In a food processor or blender, combine the peppers, chicken stock, onion, cloves, cilantro, and salt and pepper until smooth.

 In a saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter.  Add the flour and whisk.  Pour in the milk and cream and raise the heat just a bit. Add the poblano sauce and allow to simmer and thicken for about 15 minutes (just enough time to brown the chicken).

Heat the oven to 375.

In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pan.  Brown the chicken on both sides.  Put the chicken in a casserole dish and pour the sauce over the chicken.  Then, cover the chicken and sauce with the cheese.  Bake the chicken for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is brown a bubbly.

I served this with rice, but you could shred the chicken and serve in tortillas.

Enjoy!

Watermelon Mint Sorbet

I am obsessed with watermelon - especially when in the middle of the summer when it's sticky hot and the watermelon is cold and sweet.  So, I knew this was a must try recipe for my ice cream maker.  I'll tell ya, I wasn't let down.  This watermelon mint sorbet was the perfect combination of refreshing and sweet (and so easy).  You can even add a little rum!

What you'll need:
1/4 to 1/2 of a large watermelon
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)
1 tablespoon freshly chopped mint (or eliminate if you don't like mint)
1 tablespoons simple syrup (you may need more or less depending on the sweetness of the watermelon)

Chop the watermelon in large pieces and throw into a food processor or blender along with the lime juice and simple syrup (make sure the simple syrup is cool).  If you want to add a bit of rum, do so here. Blend until smooth.  Then add the mint and allow the mint to chop into small flecks.  Pour mixture into a bowl.  Cover and allow to cool in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and allow to churn for 20-30 minutes.

Then pour into a glass container with a lid and put it in the freezer for a few hours.

Once you take it out, you may need to let it rest for a few minutes, but you should be able to scoop it out easily!

Enjoy!  I certainly did!  Next week, I'm going to try a mango habanero sorbet.  

Gnocchi with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

My basil plant is out of control.  With this heat and humidity, the basil might take over my entire back yard by the end of the summer.  So, the next few recipes are all going to involve basil! This recipe is super easy, semi-healthy, and delicious.  Since I was too lazy to go to the store, I just used what I had in the house, which means no pine nuts for today's pesto.  It's certainly something you can add if you MUST have pine nuts in your pesto.  You can also vary your pasta.

What you need for 4 servings:

Packaged gnocchi or any type of pasta (if you're feeling adventurous, you can make your own gnocchi)

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil - if you use sun-dried tom in oil, use one 8 oz jar)

3/4 cup of olive oil (eliminate if you use the sun-dried tom in olive oil)

2 garlic cloves

Salt and pepper

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup Parmesan

Cook the pasta according to instructions.  Before straining reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, add the sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and basil to a food processor and blend until the mixture is combined.  Stir in the Parmesan cheese. 

Add the cooked pasta to a medium sized bowl and toss in the basil.  Add a bit of the cooking liquid to create a bit of creaminess.  Top with freshly grated cheese and serve.  Because the husband likes a little meat with his meal, I cooked up a few Aidells Caramelized Onion Turkey Meatballs on the side.  I also made a small salad with champagne vinaigrette.  Oh so good!

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Bean "Burger"

I know I've said this before, but summer is my FAVORITE time of year. The heat certainly isn't in my top ten favorites reasons, but regardless, I'll take any temperature in the summer...just because it's summer. To add to my previous list, I love summer because

• I can watch the summer concert series on the Today Show. Who doesn't love Maroon 5?
• I can hit the grocery store on a weekday.  Seriously, this improves my life in a gazillion ways.
• I have more than 15 minutes to make an eat my lunch - which brings me to my latest recipe.

(Have no fear.  More to come on my list later!)

After returning from Peru on Sunday, I felt like I just couldn't recover. My body moved in slow motion and craved sleep.  I thought for sure I picked up a bug, but I suppose climbing countless steps, sleeping only a few hours, and eating poorly could run me down. Today I finally felt better (of course this could have something to do with the fact that I didn't have to wake up for a workshop).  My body begged me for clean, wholesome food.  Hitting the grocery store, I was ready to make a healthy, fun lunch!

Btw, Peru was AAAAAmazing.  I would recommend this vacation to anyone who wants to learn about a rich, cultural history and spend time outdoors.  

I know it looks like I'm chillin' in the above picture, but it was really only for 51 seconds before we were on the move again.

 Of course Machu Picchu was the highlight.  So amazing.

The countryside of the Andes offered peaceful views.

The Salt Mines.  I thought for sure I was going to slip and fall into the salt.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was visiting a local school.  We brought school supplies for these kids.  They were incredibly sweet and grateful.

On to the food stuff -

I found this original recipe on Pinterest and I tweaked it just a bit. Oh boy did it turn out delicious!  Plus, both the sweet potatoes and the cannellini benefits are loaded with nutritional benefits.  Sweet potatoes are a good source of potassium, iron, and magnesium (a great anit-stress mineral).  Sweet potatoes also contain B6 and Vitamins C and D.  Cannellni beans have twice the iron of beef! They are also loaded with Thiamine, which improves reaction time and boosts brain power.  Not only that, but Cannellni beans reduce cholesterol, reduce headaches, and give you more energy. The agave nectar adds just a touch of sweet, but it won't spike your blood sugar.  Sooooo, these burgers aren't just yummy, but the ingredients get used to make you a better YOU!  My body needed this to get back on track.

What you need for 2 servings:

1 small sweet potato or a 1/2 of a large one 

1 can of cannellini beans drained (or chick peas)

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 tbsp tahini

2 tsp agave nectar

1 tsp Montreal seasoning

A few dashes of cayenne pepper

Panko breadcrumbs

Olive oil 

Optional:  buns, avocado, lettuce, tomato, tzatziki

Cook the sweet potato either by roasting in the oven or the easy way - microwave it.  I peeled the sweet potato, chopped it in big chunks, and microwaved it for 3 minutes. 

Drain and rinse the beans and combine with the cooked sweet potato.  Mash the two together until smooth. Then add the flour, tahini, agave nectar, Montreal seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Combine all the ingredients.

Add olive oil to coat the pan, and turn the heat to medium high.

Pour breadcrumbs into a bowl.  Then, take a bit of the sweet potato mixture and form a patty.  It will be sticky, but still easy to make a patty.  Completely cover the entire patty in the breadcrumbs, and then drop it (gently) into the pan.  Continue this process with the remaining mixture. Allow the "burgers" to brown on both sides.

You can have your "burger" on a bun, in a lettuce wrap, or with avocado on top.  Feel free to add other veggies as well.  Regardless, this sweet potato burger is crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside - the perfect combination.

On a side note, I made a few mini "burgers."  They too turned out just perfect.  Because the are bite size, they make a good snack or side.  As a side note:  I made this yesterday.  Today, I had the leftovers and they were just as good!

Braised Short Ribs over Penne

So, girl's night book club was moved to Sunday night this month.  We're out of work and life is good.  I decided to make my friends a special dinner. I'll be honest though, I didn't take as many pictures as I wanted.  We had quite a busy morning bringing the dogs to the mobile vaccination center.  I usually bring them to the posh vet, but after the $500 bill last year, I thought I'd save a little money this year.  And save we did, but at another cost - we had to bring Capone in public.  I know - he's an adorable dog - INSIDE my house.

Needless to say, it was a stressful morning.

Nikko can confirm that!

Anyway, back to the book club and wanting to do something special...it's important to note that our book club did NOT read Fifty Shade of Cheesy Writing, er, I mean Gray.  We read The Fault in our Stars by John Greene.  This book was recommended to me by my good friend's daughter, Becca (good choice, Becca).  The Fault in Our Stars is actually a teen read, but it is beautifully written AND incredibly sad. What I like the most about the book, though, is that the main character, Hazel, is such a strong female role model; she's witty, intelligent, and knows what she wants.  This gave us plenty to discuss.

Braised Short Ribs over Penne

What You'll Need:

Bone in Short Ribs (I used 5 big, meaty ones for 6 people)

Salt an Pepper

Olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed

1 cup red wine

1 cup beef broth

1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 pounds penne pasta, cooked according to directions

Heat the oven to 325.

Rinse the short ribs and dry completely with paper towels.  Salt and pepper the short ribs on all sides.  Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottom pot (I used a cast iron pot). Add the short ribs and brown on all sides.  Remove the short ribs and set aside.  

Add more olive oil to the pot and add the onions.  Cook about 5 minutes and then add the garlic.  Then add the tomatoes, wine, broth, and mustard.  Bring the mixture to a slight boil and scrape up all the juicy bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.  

Put the ribs into the pot and stir to cover the ribs.  Cover an place into the oven.  Let cook for 3 hours.  If the meat falls off the bone, it's cooked.  Otherwise, keep cooking.  

If finished, remove the pot from the oven.  At this point, your house will smell amazing, and you'll want to eat before your company even gets there!  

This is the hardest part, AND it's really not that hard.  Remove the ribs from the pot.  Shred the meat into small pieces - it should just fall apart.  You'll need to separate the fat and remove the bone (the bone may have just fallen out).  Once the meat is shredded and de-fatted (yeah, I just made that word up), set to the side. 

Use a spoon and gather the oil that has settled on top of your sauce.  You can use a separator here as well.  Then, add the meat back to the pot.  

Pour cooked penne into a nice, large pasta bowl and add short ribs and sauce.  Toss to coat.  Add freshly grated parmigiana cheese and parsley.

I served this with a Caprese salad.  It was the perfect compliment. 

For dessert, I made homemade black cherry and nutella frozen Greek yogurt.  If you haven't bought the Cuisinart ice cream maker, I suggest you get one. NOWWWWWW! I got mine at Costco.  

Orecchiette with Turkey Sausage

Pasta, pasta, pasta...I could eat pasta every night, but I limit it to once a week.  This one is an adapted Giada recipe.  She uses broccoli rabe, which is awesome in the recipe.  I didn't have any broccoli rabe, so I substituted arugula, spinach, and mushrooms.  Try this recipe with either.  If you use the broccoli rabe, cook it in salted, boiling water for about a minute. Then transfer it to a bowl of ice water to cool.  You can even use this same water to boil your pasta.

What you need:
1 pound orecchiette pasta - cook according to directions
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound turkey (or chicken) sausage, casings removed
1 small onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
mushrooms (optional)
sun dried tomatoes (again, optional - I had then in the fridge)
1 teaspoon flour
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
3/4 cup Tuscan chicken broth (add more if the mixture becomes too thick)
Broccoli rabe (see note above), arugula, and/or spinach
A pinch of dried crushed red pepper flakes

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and  garlic and cook for just a few minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.  Add the sausage and cook until the sausage is cooked through. Stir in the sun dried tomatoes.  Then sprinkle on the flour and stir to coat.  Cook for 2 more minutes.  Squeeze the juice of a 1/2 a lemon into the pan. Add the Tuscan chicken broth and allow the ingredients to simmer.  If you want, add the crushed red pepper. Finally, add the broccoli rabe and coat (if using spinach and/or arugula see note below).  Yummmm... Writing about food makes me really hungry.  Too bad I can't make this right NOW!  But no, I'm teaching spin tonight.  Then I can eat.

Finally, put spinach and/or arugula (if using) in the bottom of a large pasta dish.  Place the steaming pasta on top and allow the pasta to cook the greens.  I usually reserve a bit of the pasta cooking water to add if I need more liquid. Pour the skillet ingredients over the pasta.  Combine.  Then, top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Remember, this recipe is adaptable to whatever you have on hand.  Change a few things!

White Bean Chicken Chili

I love all things soup and chili.  Again, key reason - EASY.  Plus, you can really just throw in anything you have around the house and the recipe will still turn out great.

It's summer in south Florida.  That means it's time to grill and make cool summer salads.  I get that, but sometimes, yes sometimes - even in the sweltering humidity, I need comfort.  White Bean Chicken Chili gives me COMFORT.

Here's what you'll need: 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium sized onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound ground chicken

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 tablespoon flour

3/4 bottle of beer - I usually use Corona 

2 cans stewed, diced, or chopped tomatoes - I use the Rotel

1 cup beef or chicken stock

1/2 cup green salsa

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 bunch greens - Swiss chard, kale, spinach - any will do

Jalapeno Jack Cheese

cilantro

1 - 2 cups ditalini pasta (or shells) - cook to directions

In a dutch oven or pot, heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add the onion and cook just a few minutes until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.  Add  the ground chicken, salt, cumin, and chili powder.  Cook, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked.  Stir in the flour.  Then add the beer and allow to reduce. Scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Next, add the tomatoes, stock, beans, and chili.  I also add a bit of the cheese to the cooking pot...yummm...this makes the chili a bit creamy. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 30-45 minutes.  If you want to add a little heat, add a tad of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. Add the greens and cook a few minutes more.

Now, add a bit of the cooked pasta to the bowl, ladle the soup/chili on top.  Top with cilantro and cheese.  I  would also suggest sour cream!

Asian Chicken Burgers

I must be on an Asian kick lately.  Last week we had summer rolls and this week Asian burgers.  I found this recipe on Pinterest and figured I should give it a try.  The end result = A+. This dinner tasted like one big pot sticker.  And, the best part (beyond being simple) is that it's healthy!

What you need for four burgers:
Burgers -
1 package ground chicken breast
1 egg
2 tablespoons liquid aminos or soy sauce
2 green onions, slice
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (yumm)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups coleslaw mix, chopped (use the rest of the package for the slaw)

Combine all of the above ingredients and mix.  Mold into four burgers.  They'll be pretty sticky and mushy, but have no fear, they'll come out tasty.  Set the burgers on a plate and put in the fridge for a few minutes while you make the slaw.

Slaw-
3 tablespoons liquid aminos or soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less depending upon how hot you like your food)
a few shakes garlic powder
a few shakes ginger powder
2 green onions, sliced
the remainder of the cole slaw mix

Combine all the ingredients except the cole slaw in a large bowl and whisk together.  Then, add the cole slaw and combine.  Set the mixture in the fridge so that the flavors have a chance to combine.

Grab the burgers.

Use cooking spray, olive oil, or peanut oil to coat the bottom of a medium sized pan.  Heat over medium-high heat.  Once the pan is warm, add the burgers.  Allow to cook for five minutes on each side.  Serve with a heating mound of cole slaw on top.  Oh yummmm!  I just love the fresh taste of ginger in these burgers.

Enjoy!

Power Bars

These little goodies are my favorite go to snack.  I usually have a small bar every day around 11, and I'm good to go until lunch. One batch of these last the husband and me two weeks.  Obviously, peanut butter and all things nuts (and Nutella) are a part of my everyday diet.  These are a (semi) guilt free pleasure.  The other day, just for fun, I spread a bit of Nutella on a bar.  That may have been a bad idea.  Boy was it good.  I'm not so sure that still counts as guilt free pleasure.  Nutella is healthy, right?  Recently, I started making homemade greek frozen yogurt with Nutella....ok, enough about the Nutella and onto the recipe (Nutella frozen yogurt to come later).

What you need:

1/2 cup of different raw nuts (sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, flax seeds)
6 pitted dates
1/2-3/4 cup of raisins (or any dried fruit)
3 tablespoons dark chocolate morsels
3/4 cup all natural peanut or almond butter (no sugar added)
3/4 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup oats (certified gluten free)
2 1/2 cups brown rice cereal
Nutella (optional)

Combine the nuts, dates, raisins, and dark chocolate in a food processor and pulse several times until coarsely ground. Set to the side.

Over low to medium heat, combine the peanut butter and agave nectar.  Allow the mixture to combine, but don't allow it to burn.  Add the vanilla and stir. Add the nut mixture and combine. Then, gradually add the oats and cereal and mix until combined.

Spread the mixture onto a cookie sheet.  Put wax paper over the top and use a rolling pin to mold the mixture together tightly.  Place in the fridge and allow to cool before cutting.

Summer Rolls

Just the title of this dish brings up warm memories of childhood delight - kick the can, lemonade slushies, countless hours as a mermaid, and catching lightning bugs  - not because I spend my childhood in small town Bristol, PA eating Asian Summer Rolls (ya, right - it was more like cheese steaks and fried dough) but because this recipe contains the word SUMMER.  I am fascinated with all things summer...and in less than 10 working days, it will be here! yay!

It's been quite a while, but my sister taught me how to make these quite a few years ago.  We spend some good sister bonding time (during the summer - yep, summer) in the kitchen rolling up these little puppies. We let them cool in the fridge while we headed to the beach. Then, after hours of basking in the sun, we'd come home and gobble up our fresh Summer Rolls.  I'll be honest, the experience wasn't nearly the same today. My sister wasn't here to help me (sigh). It seemed to take me a while to get the rice paper wraps to cook just right. The first 4 or so ended up in the garbage with holes and tears.  Once I got going though, it was pretty easy.

These are really quite simple as you can add any ingredients you want.

Here's what I used:
rice paper wraps (I found these in my local Asian market)
shrimp - cooked and cut into pieces
shredded carrots or Asian slaw
spinach
rice noodles, cooked - splash with rice vinegar after draining
cilantro, chopped
green onions, sliced
cashews, roughly chopped

Soak the rice paper wrap in warm water until soft.

Place onto a clean plate and add your ingredients.

Roll up like a fajita.  It's more fun (and much easier) if you have a little help.

Serve with Peanut Sauce (I made the sauce the night before):
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
a dash cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar

Add olive oil to a small pot and let warm over medium heat.  Cook the onion and the garlic for a few minutes.  Add the cayenne pepper and cook for one minute more.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Give the mix a good stir to combine.  Allow it to cook for several more minutes.  There are so many great recipes for peanut sauce.  This one just happens to be simple.  I like simple - just like I like summer :)

I used an Asian slaw mix, so I made a little salad with the leftovers from the slaw and the noodles.  I added a ginger-peanut dressing and tossed.  It was the perfect side.

Monday Night Chicken

Oh boy, oh boy.  This one was sooooo good and easy!  It's Monday night - my dreadful gym day. This is the day of a million squats and even more lunges.  I know it's good for the jeans, but man, they hurt.  So, when I get home, I want something satisfying, but I don't really want to work.  This was perfect.

You'll need:
Organic chicken breast - I have two: one for me and one for The Husband. You use as many pieces of chicken as you need.  When I was single, I would freeze individual chicken breasts and pull them out as needed.

Olive oil
Salt/pepper
1 lemon
mushrooms (however many you have or want)
1/4 cup of chopped onions
small handful of sun dried tomatoes - I have the Costco version, so I add them in a lot of dishes.
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup to 1 cup of chicken stock - I use the Cottage Inn White Wine for this recipe

Set the oven to 425.  Coat the bottom of a cast iron skillet with olive oil.  Salt both sides of the chicken breast and once the oil is heated, add to the pan.  Let the chicken sit until the underside is nice and brown.  Don't move the chicken around too much.

Turn the chicken over, and squeeze a half of a lemon on the brown side of the chicken.  It's starting to look good here!

Put the skillet in the preheated oven and let bake until the chicken is done - probably about 10-15 minutes.  Then, in an effort to skimp on washing dishes - yes, remember, my legs are tired - no extra dish washing for me.  Actually, The Husband washes the dishes, so technically, it doesn't matter how many dishes I use.  But, I really love him.  So, in an effort to save dish washing time, remove chicken from the skillet and tent with foil.  

Return the skillet to medium high heat and add a bit of olive oil and the butter to coat the pan.  Once hot, add onions and mushrooms.  Cook for about 1 minutes and add sun dried tomatoes.  After about another 2 minutes, cover the mixture with the flour and stir in.  Add the chicken stock and the remaining lemon juice.  At this point, I'm really starving, but I know if will only be another minute!

 Cover the chicken with the mushroom mix and top with fresh parm cheese. I served this with a small arugula  salad made with with homemade dressing.  That recipe will just have to wait until another day.  I'm exhausted!  In all, this dinner from start to finish took less than a half hour to make.  It's easy, good, and healthy.  Let me know if you try it!

Braised Pork Tacos

Sunday dinner is my favorite of the week.  I feel like I can finally let food cook - slowwwww.  And that's just what I normally do on Sundays.  The husband and I usually have a few of our favorite people over, and I get to cook! Yay.

This is one of my favorite go to recipes.  It's so simple, cheap, and always makes the company happy.  I've experimented with braised pork recipes and finally found the ultimate one from the Pioneer Woman (she is my hero).  Hold on; it's a good one.  Add cilantro lime rice and pickled red onions and you've got yourself a complete meal!  This recipe serves 6 big eaters.

Ingredients:
1 whole Large Onion
1 whole Pork Shoulder ("pork Butt") - 5 To 7 Pounds
Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 can (or less or more) Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce
2 cans Dr. Pepper
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar


Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Peel the onion and cut it into large wedges. Put them in the bottom of a big dutch oven.

Clean the pork and dry it with paper towels.  Salt and pepper the pork and put it on top of the onions. Put the fat side of the meat up here.  Put the chipotle in adobo on top of the pork.  Add both cans of Dr. Pepper.  Then add the brown sugar.  I know, it's looks pretty gross here in the picture, but trust me, it's good. Really, really good.

Put the lid on top and put the pot in the over. Cook for at least six hours, turning the roast two or three times during the cooking process. Check meat after six hours.  If it doesn't fall apart, keep cooking it. At this point, the whole house smells AAAAAmazing!

Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board. Using two forks. shred the meat, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve.

I served this dish with tortillas (eventually, I'm going to make my own), cilantro lime rice, cherry tomato salsa, and pickled red onions (oh, and chipotle Gouda cheese).  

For the rice, cook any rice according to directions.  Once finished toss the rice with olive oil, cilantro and the juice of one lime.  

To make the salsa, I used the leftover cherry tomatoes from last week's recipe.  Chop each cherry tomato in half.  Add chopped onion, garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper.  Toss with olive oil and white wine vinegar.  Allow this to sit in the fridge.

The pickled red onions add such a good flavor to the pork.  I make this while the pork is cooking. In a small pot, bring 1 1/2 cups of white wine vinegar, 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, teaspoon of salt, a dash chili pepper and bay leaves to a simmer over low heat.  Slice one whole red onion and put into a glass container with lid. Pour the hot liquid over the onions.  Cover and shake the mixture.  Put in the fridge until you are ready to serve.