Italian Sausage Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers

This is a yummy and super easy meal that is perfect for a weeknight.  You can easily prepare these peppers the night before and then throw them in the oven to bake when you get home from work cutting down on your time even more.  I call for Cubanelle peppers which are one of my favorites!  They have a mild heat yet taste sweet at the same time, especially after cooking.  But if you prefer a spicier pepper, Hungarian Hot peppers are a great substitute.   When I make these, I like to use a combination of Cubanelle peppers and mild Italian Sausage.  It has just the right amount of spice, but mild enough for the kids to enjoy.  Jackson my 6 year old couldn't stop raving about these at dinner.  He even ate the pepper!   It was too cool. 

Italian Sausage Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers
4 Cubanelle Peppers (banana or Hungarian Hot peppers will also work nicely)
1 lb ground Italian Sausage (sweet, mild or hot are all delicious choices!  Use your favorite)
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with pam, and cover bottom with a bit of spaghetti sauce, just to keep everything moist. Sauté onion and minced garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil until soft and translucent. Add the ground Italian sausage and sauté until no longer pink. Pour pork mixture into a large bowl and add bread crumbs, salt and pepper, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and one beaten egg. Stuff them into halved cubanelle peppers (banana or Hungarian hot are also good choices). Top with remaining sauce and shredded mozzarella. Cover and bake for 50 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes. Serve alongside a nice green salad and some crusty bread, enjoy!

I apologize for the not s great photograph.  I am having problem with the memory card for my camera.  So iphone it was today! 

Creamy Salsa Chicken in the Slow Cooker

Hi friends!  Here is another great crock pot recipe to add to your weekly rotation.  It is awesomely delicious and, just what makes crock pot recipes so popular, it comes together in under 10 minutes.  It will make your kids crazy happy to eat dinner and if you serve it at a party, I can guarantee it a huge hit.   What I love most about it is how versatile it is.   We love it tossed in a salad with rice for homemade burrito bowls, wrap the chicken in tortillas for a delicious taco, or when served alongside tortilla chips it  makes a great dip for parties.

When I was making Creamy Salsa Chicken this last time I found an awesome product, Greek Cream Cheese. It is 1/2 the fat of regular cream cheese, 2x the protein and full of all those wonderful live active cultures.  I gave it a whirl and loved it!  I hope it wasn't a fluke finding it in the store because it was so great.  Definitely right up our alley.  I'm not being paid to promote this stuff- i just love it and wanted to share!  Using the greek cream cheese even made this a healthy dish, total bonus.  But everything in moderation is really the key, right?!

On a side note, guess who is invited to be on television again! New Day Cleveland invited me to share my recipe for Tortellini Soup on January 22nd at 10:00am on channel Fox 8! What a cool way to start my new year :)  Time to go dress shopping!

Creamy Salsa Chicken in the Slow Cooker

3-lbs boneless skinless Chicken (either breasts or thighs is fine)

1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans, drained

1 (15 ounce) jar chunky salsa 

1 medium onion chopped

1 (8 ounce) block of cream cheese 

Spray the inside of the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.  Place chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker and top with the drained corn, black beans and chopped onions.  Pour the salsa on top.  Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6.  One hour before it is finished cooking, carefully pull the chicken out of the slow cooker and shred.  Put the chicken back into the slow cooker and gently stir to combine.  Place the block of cream cheese on top of the mixture and replace the lid.  After 30 minutes stir the cream cheese into the chicken mixture until fully combined.   

This recipe is so versatile! It is delicious served over rice, wrapped in a tortilla, topped onto a salad or even as a dip with chips.  Enjoy! 

Hot Pepper Jelly Pork Shoulder in the Crock Pot

Happy New Year my sweet friends!!  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season filled with friends and family, traditions kept and new memories made. I know I did!  This year was all about our boys, and taking a little break from blogging was a nice way to decompress and keep my mind focused on the true meaning of the season.  But now that it is all over I am SO excited to get back into it all!  I know I missed you- and I sure hope you missed me!  

Being it is January and the New Year is upon us, I thought it fitting to share a recipe for pork that we have been going wild over lately!  It is supposed to be good luck to eat pork on New Years day, but I think all of January is good enough too ((wink, wink)).   Right now you can also usually find the pork shoulder (also labeled pork butt) marked down after the big holiday making it the perfect time to stock up.  Our grocery store had them buy one get one free!  I LOVE when that happens!  Being an already budget-friendly cut of meat, this is a huge savings.  

This recipe takes Hot Pepper Jelly, which is a bit sweet but also packs a nice bite from the hot peppers, some brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and a good squeeze of Dijon mustard making a sauce which tenderizes and flavors the meat so, so, so amazing. We are seriously addicted to this recipe and I know you will be too!  

**I've been asked on my facebook page if this is a spicy dish.  It actually isn't hot at all. You get all the flavor of the hot peppers, but none of the heat. You may get a zip here and there depending on the heat of the jelly you use. But I wouldn't call it hot. Both of my boys can eat it and love it. **

Hot Pepper Jelly Pork Shoulder in the Crock Pot 
1 (3-5lb) pork shoulder (also labeled as the butt)
1 large onion, chopped
1 Cup hot pepper jelly
1/4 Cup Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Spray inside of crock pot with nonstick cooking spray.  Place the chopped onion in the bottom of the crock pot.  Rinse the pork shoulder, pat dry and put into the crock pot on top of the onions.  Season WELL with salt and pepper- don't be afraid of the salt and pepper folks!  Whisk the jelly, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and Dijon mustard together and pour over pork.  Do not be tempted to add any water or liquid to the crock pot. It isn't necessary because the jelly melts down and the pork creates its own juice while cooking.

Cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours or on LOW for 8-10. Around the last hour or so of cooking time, you want to check your meat by taking the lid of the crock pot off and giving the pork a pull with a fork.  It should be fall-apart tender.  If it isn't, let it cook until it is!  It is well worth the wait.  When it is at fall-apart stage you can carefully remove it from the crock pot, and using two forks, pull the meat apart and then add it back to the pot for an additional 30 minutes to absorb more of the juices.  Lately I have been just pulling it gently apart into chunks while inside the pot instead of shredding it outside so we can have larger pieces.  But both are fine- do to your preference!

Serve alongside rice, or mashed potatoes with lots of juice on the side to pour on top.  You can also stuff into buns or mini rolls for sliders- kids love this!  And the left overs we always use in soft taco shells for carnitas. With so many options, this is sure to be a hit in your home!

Crock Pot Round-Up!

The sweaters are on and the boots are out; movie time surrounded in tents of afghans and extra pillows, it is autumn and the first thing I think of is COZY!  It is just plain chilly out there so being able to come home to warm house that surrounds you in delicious smells is a wonderful thing!  Crock pots are easy, almost effortless, yet when done right, gives you a multitude of fantastic and different meals that can taste like you slaved all day to make them.  Here are some of my favorites!

Soups

Fresh Corn Chowder
Easy Chili
Candy's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Pulled Meat

Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
Thai Style Peanut Pulled Chicken in the slow cooker served with an Asian Slaw
Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker
Mustard and Vinegar Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Entrees 

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Chives
Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Beef Roast with Tomato Ragout (Slow Cooker)
Texas BBQ Pot Roast (not pictured)

Here's to the season for Slow Cooking!!  Now go out, make a few, and spend more time with your families!

Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

This is a yummy slow cooker meal that is a nice change up from the every day.  There are only a handful of ingredients; the sun-dried tomatoes being the real star.  They go from hard and dry to soft, sweet yet slightly tart after hours of cooking in the crock pot.  The chicken is juicy and moist rounding it out and creating a warm and comforting meal.  Both of my kids gobbled it up no questions asked and even had it for lunch the next day just as willingly.  That has to say something, huh?!  5 Star Slow Cooker meal for sure.  We enjoyed it served over elbow macaroni and topped with snipped chives and freshly grated parmesan cheese.  

Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
3 lbs chicken, boneless, skinless breasts or thighs
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut into slivers

Don't forget to spray the inside of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray for easier clean-up!

Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker.  Add the onion, garlic, chicken stock, and basil. Scatter sun-dried tomatoes over top and cover.  Cook for 4-6 hours on LOW or 2-3 on HIGH.  Serve over noodles or rice.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Happy 1st day of October!  Autumn is officially here, and I welcome it with open arms!  Time to bust out the afghans, cozy sweatshirts and sweaters, and snuggle with those you love.  And it is also the time to warm your insides with a nice warm bowl of soup.  This broccoli Cheese soup will do just that.  The Tobasco Sauce in the soup is just used for flavor, not for heat.  If you want it spicy, I like serving the bottle on the side so others can add as they like.  This soup screams for crusty bread so don't forget it!

Broccoli Cheese Soup
1/2 stick of butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup flour
2 cups broccoli, chopped
1 cup half and half or whole milk
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Tobasco Sauce, a few dashes to taste (I used about 12)

Melt the butter in a large stock pot over medium-high heat add the onion and carrots and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and allow to cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes more.

Slowly stir the half-and-half and chicken stock into the mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time allowing the mixture to thicken before adding more. Once all the liquid is added,
stir in the broccoli and cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Stirring occasionally, allow the soup to simmer until the the cheese has melted completely, about 10 minutes. Add up to an additional 1 cup of water or chicken stock to reach your desired soup thickness.

If you like a thicker soup, remove 1/2 from pot, and puree with an immersion blender.  Once smooth return to pot and stir to combine.

Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese for a garnish. Serve with nice crusty bread to sop up every last bit of the soup!

Udon Noodle Salad with a Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette

3's a Charm!  Today I am making my third guest appearance on the television show New Day Cleveland!  I don't think I could ever get tired of this much fun!  This morning they asked me to share a recipe that is great for getting back into the school mode.  Right away I thought of my Udon Peanut Noodles.  It is something simple to prepare with all of the new schedules us as parents are trying to juggle, but also great for the learning minds!  This recipe is on a very regular rotation in our home.  I could probably eat this on a weekly basis, no joke!  We LOVE it!

This is a chilled pasta dish, easily working perfect packed in the lunch boxes giving a nice change up to the sandwich they normally might carry.  The sauce is made with peanut butter, which kids seem to get a kick out of!  But the recipe is also chock full of vegetables and lean protein that makes us more then happy to serve it to them!  It is a meal I can feel good about giving and also enjoy eating myself!

There is a slight spice but nothing that my own children feel is too hot.  But please feel free to adjust to your families preferences!

There is a similar recipe I have already shared with you, but this one I did some tweaking and love it even better.  I made the sauce lighter, more vibrant and better for a cold dish. I hope you all love it as much as we do!

Udon Noodle Salad with a Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette

For the Noodles:
1 Package Thick Udon Noodles, cooked according to package directions, then chilled (spaghetti or linguine would also work just fine)
The meat from one prepared rotisserie chicken, chopped
2 Cups carrots, julienned (I bought the bag in the produce aisle all prepped for me already)
2 Cups english cucumber, julienned
2 Cups cabbage, shredded (again, I used the coleslaw bag in the produce department)
4 green onions sliced, white and green parts
2 Cups Sugar Snap Peas
2 Cups bean sprouts
2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds, toasted
3/4 Cup shelled peanuts, chopped

Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette
Makes 1 cup

1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
4 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp. dry ground)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Add all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Using a hand blender (or stand up blender), mix everything until smooth, about 30 seconds.

You may also use a hand whisk to make the vinaigrette, although the blender makes quicker work of it! If you do not own a blender, microwave peanut butter for 15 seconds, softening to make mixing easier. Add to remaining vinaigrette ingredients. Whisk everything until fully incorporated and beginning to froth. Set aside.

In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the udon noodles for about 5-7 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold running water. Set aside.

Using a DRY large frying pan, heat the sesame seeds on Medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally. Remove from pan when they begin to turn a light brown and become fragrant (about 3-5 minutes). Do not allow to burn!

Combine the cooked noodles, chicken, cucumber, sprouts, carrot, green onions, sugar snap peas, peanuts and toasted sesame seeds, reserving some of the veggies and sesame seeds and peanuts for garnish. Pour the Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette over the salad. Toss until well coated.

Serve chilled, garnished with the reserved veggies, peanuts and sesame seeds. Don't forget to have Sriracha on the side for those who like to add a little extra heat! Yum!

I will be back to share of my awesome experience and also to post a link of my clip for all of you that may have missed it!  See you soon!

Traditional Meatloaf

Meatloaf.  Comfort food at its best.  I just love it!  And for something so simple, people sure have lots of different recipes for it!  some use just beef, some add veal to the mix.  Others cover it in ketchup or BBQ sauce.  And other recipes call for diced veggies, like peppers, carrots or even corn and black beans to be added in.  Sometime you are directed to use oatmeal and other call for crackers or breadcrumbs.  And while all of these recipes are delicious, and trust me, I try every single one I find, This one is the most simple and to us the most delicious.  Sometimes just the most basic of things turn out to be the very best.

Be sure to follow the directions to remove the meatloaf from the roasting pan right away or otherwise it will begin to soak up all the greases that were removed during cooking- no one wants greasy meatloaf- yuck!  This recipe is taken from Trisha Yearwood's cookbook Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen, but honestly it probably most resembles all of our mom's- before recipes started to get complicated!

My pictures only show one loaf.  That is because, well, we just couldn't wait  and gobbled up the other one before I could photograph it!

Traditional Meatloaf
2 lbs lean ground beef
20 Saltine crackers
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Gently mix the beef, cracker crumbs, egg, ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, and onion until blended.  Shape the mixture into 2 loaves and place side by side crosswise in a 9x13-inch pan.  Bake the loaves for 1 hour, or until they are browned.  Transfer to a platter immediately and allow the loaves to cool slightly and firm up before slicing.  Garnish if desired with fresh herbs.

recipe from Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen by Trisha Yearwood

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Chives

This recipe is wonderfully satisfying, creamy and so delicious.  When the chicken was finished cooking, I did it on high for exactly 3 hours, the chicken was moist and juicy.  But the sauce was very thin at this point, so I removed the chicken and as much of the veggies as I could scoop out and added my rue.  The sauce was thickened perfectly fine at this point, so if you don't want to take this next step that will be OK.  But I could see the potential for a velvety smooth sauce.  So I decided to try out my brand new (!!) Immersion blender and I was 100% right. The consistency of the sauce after blending was so lovely I highly recommend taking the time for this extra step.

Everyone gobbled it up and Jackson asked for seconds (happy Mommy moment!).  And there is only one bowl leftover for today!  I served this over some warm noodles but rice and even potatoes would be delicious too. We all agreed this recipe will be frequenting our tables a lot!

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Chives
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts/thighs or a combination of the two
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 cup baby carrots
1/4 cup butter, melted (1/2 stick)
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened
2 Tablespoons fresh chives, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried) plus extra chives for garnish
12-ounce can Evaporated Milk
2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning (I love Heinen's Two Brothers Seasoning, but McCormick Tuscan Seasoning is nice too)
1/4 cup beef stock
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced and sauteed (optional) Or you can add them 1 hour prior to completion to cook that way

for the rue
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons water

Place chopped onions and carrots into 3-4 quart slow cooker. Cut chicken breasts into wide strips and place on top of the vegetables in slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, softened cream cheese, evaporated milk, Italian Seasoning, chives, stock, and pepper and stir until blended. Pour over chicken in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (or High for 3-4).  You can add the mushrooms 1 hour before it is finished to the Slow Cooker, but I prefer them sauteed and added once everything is done.  It does make one extra pan the later way, so you choose.

Once finished cooking, remove chicken and vegetables to a plate and set aside. In a small bowl combine 2 Tablespoon of Cornstarch to 2 Tablespoons of cold water and blend until smooth. Stir into the sauce in the crock pot, replace lid and cook for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. At this point you can leave the sauce as is and add chicken back in and serve. But I used my immersion blender (regular blender would work too) to blend for a few seconds to get the sauce super velvety smooth.

Add the chicken back into the thickened sauce and stir.  Serve over noodles or rice.  Garnish with reserved chives and enjoy with you family!

Chicken in a Tomato and Caper Sauce

This dish comes together in just under 20 minutes, making it a perfect meal for a work night.  But the flavors are so robust and delicious, also making it special enough for a date night or when entertaining with friends.  I love, love this recipe!  Every time I eat capers I talk about how much I love them.  They are briny and salty, and have a unique flavor all their own. They should definitely be seen in more recipes.  Yum! You will probably want to have a nice crusty loaf of bread at the table too to sop up all the sauce. Nothing should be left behind with this one!

Chicken in a Tomato and Caper Sauce

4 chicken breasts (1 lb)
1 medium onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained (I used Italian style, but traditional would work also)
1 Tablespoon capers, drained
2 Tablespoons pine nuts
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chicken stock (or water)
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Pat chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in pan over medium heat.  Sauté chicken until nicely browned. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Melt butter in pan and add the sliced onion and garlic.  Sauté until translucent. Add the tomatoes, pine nuts, parsley, thyme and chicken stock.   Season with salt and pepper.  Stir well to deglaze the pan, scrapping the bottom to incorporate all of the chicken juices and seasonings.  Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Gently smash the capers on your cutting board to bring out their flavors and then add them to the pan.   Cook 1 minute.  Return chicken to the skillet and cook until heated through.

Serve over smashed potatoes or rice.

Turkey and Black Bean Burritos

This is an awesome way to use up some of that leftover turkey from Thanksgiving and the upcoming Christmas dinners.  It gives it a completely new life and packs a ton of wonderful flavor.  Our whole family loved it, including both of my little boys.  Owen, I think has a favorite new food!  Black beans and babies really are a perfect combination.  It is easy for them to feed themselves, they are super healthy and with this seasoning it made it flavorful but not overpowering.  In our house, we like to serve all of the toppings in individual bowls so everybody can fix their own burrito as they like.  I found that with kids, any opportunity they can make it themselves, they are more inclined to add a variety of ingredients and then love the taste because they "cooked" it themselves.  This works awesome with salads too.  The more colorful, the more often kids are to try them.

Turkey and Black Bean Burritos

10 oz cooked turkey (or chicken), shredded
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 medium onion, sliced into strips
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 packet Taco Seasoning (I like to get the low sodium variety)
3/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

to serve
flour tortillas
lettuce, shredded
tomatoes, chopped
sour cream or greek yogurt
taco sauce
shredded cheese

Saute in a medium skillet the peppers, onions and garlic in olive oil until they are soft and tender. Add the cooked, shredded turkey/chicken, black beans, water and taco seasoning.  Stir well to combine and creates a sauce.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.  Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.  Transfer to a large bowl and serve alongside tortillas and all the toppings for a burrito free for all.  Enjoy!

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Stir-Fry

This recipe comes together so super fast, it makes it the perfect weeknight meal.  But the incredible flavors, easily knock it up to "Better Then Take-Out" quality.  When you are craving food from your favorite Chinese restaurant, make this instead.  It is very inexpensive, using up ingredients that you will already have in your fridge.  I called this a Summer Vegetable stir-fry, but honestly you can use whatever veggies you have on hand.  This is the perfect meal when you really need to clear out the crisper drawer!  A little of this, a handful of that- Be Creative!  

I borrowed the marinade from Aarti Seqeira.  She uses it for her Banh-mi Wraps, but I thought it would work out nice here, and goodness gracious I was right!  Yum!  If you aren't familiar with Chinese Five Spice or Garam Masala, don't be nervous.  You can find them both in either the spice aisle or International Food aisle of your local grocery store.  These are very traditional spices used in Chinese and Indian cuisine, that include cinnamon, fennel, ginger, cloves, star anise, pepper, cumin, coriander and cardamom.  I love how she blends of the two of them together- wow is this a flavorful stir-fry.  But not at all overpowering, I promise.  The sauce thickens up, thanks to the cornstarch, and adds a nice silkiness to the dish making it wonderful over a bed of rice.  

Both of my boys LOVED this and one is 4 years old and the other is 9 months!  Owen, my 9 month old, has been really into table food.  One of his favorites is brown rice.  Since we were having it with our meal, I gave him a little with some of the sauce to see if he would like it.  He not only liked it, he loved it, opening his mouth like a little birdie asking for more.  So more I gave him, but with some of the vegetables this time and he liked that even better then the first spoonful!  He just couldn't stop gobbling it up!  It just goes to show that you really need to not be afraid of giving kids different flavors then they are used to.  More times then not they will really love it.  You can always stir a little bit of apricot preserves to the children's serving if they like things with a little sweetness to them.  It blends nicely.

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Stir-Fry
1 pound chicken, cut into bite-size chunks
1/2 cup broccoli floretts
1 yellow summer squash, cut into 4ths or 6ths depending on size of squash
1 medium sized sweet onion, cut in half and then into wedges
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 bell pepper, cut into bite sized chunks
4 scallions cut into 1" pieces
1/2 cup peas (frozen work quite nicely)
*feel free to substitute any of the vegetables with whatever you have on hand. You honestly can't go wrong with a stir-fry!

For the Chicken Marinade: 
1/4 cup soy sauce 
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar (splenda works great here)
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)

For the Sauce: 
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Place the cut up chicken into a gallon-sized resealable bag. Add all of the marinade ingredints and seal bag tightly. Throughly massage bag to evenly distribute the marinade all over the chicken. Set aside on the counter top while you are chopping your veggies and making your sauce.

Once veggies are all chopped, using tongs, transfer your chicken to a wok or large skillet. Sautee over medium-high heat for about 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Add the veggies, except for the peas and scallions, and continue to sautee until they begin to soften, about 4-5 more minutes.

In a small bowl, combine broth, soy sauce and cornstarch. Add to chicken and vegetable mixture and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium/medium-low, add in the peas and scallions and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens.  Serve over rice or hot rice noodles and enjoy!

Simply Southwest Egg Rolls

Ok, so these are super yummy!  It was such a fun twist on Mexican food.  This egg roll recipe is from the Tastefully Simple website where they have lots of fun recipes to use along with their products.  The items used in this particular recipe were the Simply Southwest Seasoning & Rub, their Corn, Black Bean Salsa and the same Hoppin' Jalapeño & Bacon Dip Mix that is in my giveaway.  This was definitely a favorite recipe of all the ones I have tried so far from their website.

The Simply Southwest Egg Rolls are very simple to make- took me probably no more then 20 minutes to prepare, plus the time to bake or fry.  I decided to try both methods.  Frying obviously was delicious- what isn't yummy fried?  But in my quest to loose my "baby weight" I also wanted to see if baking would produce still the nice "crunch" you are looking for with an egg roll and reduce some of the added fat that frying can add. The baked ones were definitely great, but I did have a problem with the cheese oozing out of many of them.  I probably overloaded my egg rolls, considering that the recipe states that it makes 15 rolls and I only got 12. This I am sure had a lot to do with my oozing.  Other then that, I don't feel we missed out on anything that the fried ones had.  It takes a smidge longer, but I can live with that if it means a healthier option.  I will definitely make them again and will choose the baking method (less mess, less added fat).



Simply Southwest Egg Rolls
Submitted by Rosemary (MN) HQ Resident Chef

Ingredients
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small dice
2 tsp. olive oil
2-3 tsp. Simply Southwest™ Seasoning & Rub or Fiesta Party Dip Mix
1 cup Corn, Black Bean Salsa
1 1/2 cups finely shredded Cheddar cheese
16 oz. package egg roll wraps
Vegetable oil
Prepared Hoppin' Jalapeño & Bacon™ Dip Mix

Directions
Sauté chicken in olive oil and Simply Southwest Seasoning™ & Rub or Fiesta Party Dip Mix™ until chicken is no longer pink; cool. Add next 2 ingredients to cooled chicken. On work surface, place one egg roll wrap with a corner pointing toward you. Place 1/4 cup filling on egg roll wrap, roll egg roll skin over filling. Fold in sides, wet inside edge of egg roll skin with water; press to seal like an envelope. Heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in frying pan over medium heat. Fry egg rolls in hot oil until browned on all sides and heated through. Slice egg rolls in half; serve hot with prepared Hoppin' Jalapeno & Bacon Dip. Can be made ahead and reheated by baking at 400° for 15 minutes or until hot and crisp. Makes 15 egg rolls.

**Added note: if you want to bake instead of fry, line baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and arrange egg rolls on top.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Don't forget to enter for a chance to win this party pack from Tastefully Simple!  Click {here} to enter the giveaway! Drawing ends on June 6th, so hurry up!

For ordering information, please contact Melissa Kroft, Independent Consultant ID# 0060063 at www.tastefullysimple.com/web/mkroft or email her at melissakroft@sbcglobal.net. She will be more then happy to hook you up with all of your needs or set you up with a local consultant in your area.

"Sweet" and Smokey Turkey Shepherd's Pie

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"Sweet" and Smokey Shepherd's Pie
adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients
2 large (orange) sweet potatoes, also named yams, peeled and cubed
1 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed
Coarse salt
cooking spray
1 1/3 pound ground turkey breast
1 tablespoon smoked paprika, available in small cans on spice aisle of market
(You may substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons each sweet paprika and cumin combined- which is what i did.)
Coarse black pepper
2 tablespoons, 5 or 6 sprigs, fresh thyme leaves
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 ear of corn, kernels cut off (you may also use 1 cup frozen corn)
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cubanelle pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream or greek yogurt, divided
3 tablespoons butter
1 large egg, beaten
fresh chives, chopped or snipped

Directions
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the potatoes until tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

Heat a deep, large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray your pan evenly with nonstick cooking spray. Add ground turkey to the pan and break it up. Season the turkey with smoked paprika, salt and pepper, and thyme. When turkey browns up, add onions and carrots. Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, then add red pepper, corn and peas cook another 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook flour 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and combine. Add 1/2 cup of sour cream and combine. Simmer mixture over low heat.

Preheat your broiler to high.

When potatoes are tender, add a ladle of cooking water to the egg. Drain potatoes and return to the warm pot to dry them out a little. Add remaining 1/2 cup sour cream, butter, half of the chives, and salt and pepper. Smash and mash the potatoes, mashing in the beaten, tempered egg. If the potatoes are too tight, mix in a splash of milk.

Pour turkey mixture into a medium casserole dish. Top turkey with an even layer of smashed potatoes and place casserole 5 inches from hot broiler. Broil the potatoes until golden at edges and remove the casserole from the oven. Garnish the casserole with the remaining chives and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.

This is a wonderful recipe; completely comforting and full of a great mingling of flavors.  The original recipe from Rachael Ray adds in bacon and uses only Idaho potatoes.  I am heading towards my big grocery shopping day, so I needed to improvise with what ingredients I still had in my pantry.  I only had  one Idaho potato and two sweet potatoes, and I also had one ear of corn.  So I thought it would make a nice contrast adding in the sweet potatoes and sweet corn to play on the smokiness of the paprika.  I also omitted the bacon from the original recipe because I was fresh out- I know, how depressing!  We definitely didn't miss the bacon, although I am sure it would be a tasty addition.   We all agreed that this recipe is a keeper and one that will easily slide into our regular rotation of favorite meals.  It is also a huge kids pleaser!  Jackson love, LOVED this meal.  He gobbled his right up telling me it was so yummy.  And the fact that it only goes under the broiler for about 5 minutes, you get a nice comfort meal without heating up your kitchen.  Perfect.


**Be sure to come back tomorrow for My Retro Kitchen's next giveaway!  It is an awesome one provided by my friend Melissa Kroft of Tastefully Simple!!  You don't want to miss out on this one- I promise!

Sesame Chicken with Broccoli and Rice

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Sesame Chicken with Broccoli and Rice
adapted from Miss in the Kitchen

2 cups rice
12 oz. broccoli florets, steamed

for chicken:
3 chicken breasts, cut into 1 to 1/2 chunks
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
Canola or Peanut Oil for frying

for sauce:
1/2 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

for chicken:
Whisk milk and egg in a shallow bowl.  Throughly combine flour, cornstarch and salt in a shallow dish.  Miss in the Kitchen recommends using a pie plate.  I never thought of that, but goodness it is perfect!  Now you are going to dredge the chicken in flour, then dip in the egg/milk dish and then back in flour. This will give you a perfect coating to make these guys nice and crispy.  Heat about 2 inches of oil in a wok, deep skillet or Dutch oven to about 350 degrees. Fry chicken in batches until browned and chicken is cooked through. Remove to paper towel lined plate to drain.

for sauce:
In a medium sauce pan, add water, chicken broth, and vinegar. In a small bowl combine sugar and cornstarch together, stir into liquid. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until it comes to a boil. Lower heat and cook just until thickened. She recommends either pouring the sauce over the chicken (which we like to do, that way nothing gets too soggy) or dip each piece of chicken in the sauce.  Serve it over the broccoli and rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

We love, love, loved this dish!!!  If you are a regular reader here you know how much we like our Chinese take out.  With trying to watch our budget and making things a (bit) healthier I have been looking for take out alternatives.  This recipe has easily become a new favorite in this house.  It is sweet, crunchy, and although the chicken is fried, it tastes so fresh and bright.  You could definitely cut back on the fat by using grilled or sautéed chicken.  But please try it the original way first.  The crunch of the chicken is awesome and holds up to the sticky sauce really nicely.  Scott's most beloved dish from a Chinese take-out restaurant is easily Sweet and Sour Chicken.  He orders it without fail just about every single time.  Tonight he told me that he wouldn't ever have to get Chinese from a restaurant again.  This says a lot!  Thank you Miss in the Kitchen!

Pork Chops Stewed in an Olive, Tomato and Lemon Sauce

Last nights dinner was a pure creation of "What do I have in my pantry that I can pull together to make for dinner tonight?"- and it was AMAZING!  I am so excited with how the flavors worked together.  It had some sweetness from the tomatoes, a bit salty and briny from the olives and the lemon juice rounded everything off with that hint of acid and citrus.  It was a beautiful dinner, and one that I would be proud to serve for company. The best part- it all came together in under 30 minutes!  

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Pork Chops Stewed in an Olive, Tomato and Lemon Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Cooking spray
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 garlic cloves smashed
1/2 cup vermouth or dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup sliced green olives
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped (or one tablespoon dried)
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Heat canola oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow bowl and dredge pork in flour, turning to coat; shake off excess flour. Add pork to pan and cook 2 minutes on each side to get a nice sear. Then put the lid on, turn the heat down to medium (you still want to hear a sizzle) and cook 3 more minutes a side or until browned. Remove pork from pan.

Add the onions ot the pan a sauté until just beginning to caramelize. Add garlic to pan; sauté 10 seconds. Add vermouth, chicken stock, lemon juice, rosemary and tarragon.  Simmer over high heat letting the liquid reduce a bit- about 2 minutes.  Turn your heat down to medium and add the olives, and tomatoes.  Whisk in 1 teaspoon of flour to thicken the sauce; simmer 5 minutes. Return pork to pan; cook 1 minute to give the pork a bit of a reheat.  Serve over potatoes or steamed rice and nice crusty bread on the side to sop up all those delicious juices.

Moroccan-Spiced Chicken With Rice

This recipe is one of my all time favorite chicken dishes.  I came across this recipe in one of the many Nestle cookbooks I own.  It was sandwiched between cookies and brownies, and I almost missed it.  I am so glad I didn't!!!  It is a wonderful meal, that while using some very common ingredients you can make something that tastes quite different and even a little exotic.  There is a TON of flavor in this dish, but nothing is too spicy or overpowering- my 3 year old absolutely loves it!  Now I know the thought of putting raisins in the rice might seem odd, but please don't omit them.  They completely round out the dish.  The raisins plump up nicely and add just the perfect touch of sweetness to balance the flavors of cumin and paprika.  Oh and guess what, it is soooo simple!  It is a quick weeknight meal, but also special enough to serve while entertaining.

When I made this on Tuesday night I had to do a few alterations.  I found that I was fresh out of cumin, so I substituted 1 tablspoon of curry powder plus a few shakes of cinnamon and a few shakes of chili powder in place of it.  I also didn't have any canned diced tomatoes.  Instead, I replaced them with 4 fresh tomatoes I diced, but still incorporated the juices.  I also didn't have any almonds on hand, so I just omitted them.  The dish was just as amazing!  This just goes to show how important it is to get to know your spices and not to be afraid to play around with them a bit.

Moroccan-Spiced Chicken With Rice
6 cups cooked long or medium grain brown or white rice
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground paprika
6 chicken thighs, skin removed**
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ Carnation evaporated milk
1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes, drained
2/3 cup raisins
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup toasted, slivered almonds (optional)

Preheat oven 375º F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Combine cumin, salt, black pepper and paprika in small bowl; sprinkle 2 teaspoons spice blend on both sides of chicken thighs.

Heat olive oil and garlic in large skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken in skillet; cook for 4 minutes per side or until browned.

Meanwhile, combine cooked rice, evaporated milk, tomatoes, raisins, lemon juice and remaining spice blend in large bowl. Pour rice mixture into prepared baking dish. Place chicken thighs on top of rice mixture.

Bake for 40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Sprinkle with almonds before serving.

**Boneless chicken thighs can also be used. Reduce bake time by 10 to 15 minutes.

Oven Baked French Toast with Praline Crunch Topping and Strawberry Syrup

Last night I enjoyed another amazing Girls' Night In with Bonnie and Dawn for our cooking adventure.  The theme for the evening was Breakfast for Dinner.  Yeah, it really was that good!  I am going to do things a little differently and share each of our recipes in three different posts.  I have Dawn's Aunt already awaiting this recipe (Hi there!) and still need to gather up the recipes from the other girls.  So stay tuned, Bonnie's Quiche and Dawn's Dessert are both worth the wait!!  Yumm!

I apologize that the picture quality isn't so great.  I forgot my own camera, but luckily Dawn's sister Michelle came through and let me use hers.  I didn't know all her camera's bells and whistles, plus the fact that I was really hungry and just wanted to gobble everything up immediately! (Ok, ok... so this was probably the real reason...)  But you get the idea.  And you can just trust me- This. Meal. Is. Delicious.  Heaven, really.  It is rich, decadent, and truly a special dish.  This would be a perfect thing to make for a nice brunch or a holiday gathering with family and friends.  

Oven-Baked French Toast with Praline Crunch Topping
1 loaf of french bread
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter or margarine, softened**
3 large eggs
1 2/3 cups half and half or whole milk (I used fat free half and half.  This stuff is amazing.  Tastes just like the full fat stuff but is fat free!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sugar (or praline crunch topping, recipe follows below)

Slice the bread into 10-12 (1-inch-thick) diagonal slices, set the ends aside for another use.

Generously butter 1 side of each slice and arrange slices, buttered sides up, in 1 layer in a buttered 13x9 glass baking dish, squishing them slightly to fit if necessary. (**If you are baking this with the praline crunch topping it is not necessary to butter the bread ahead of time.  Just skip this step and jump ahead)

Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until combined well. Pour evenly over bread. Chill, covered, until bread has absorbed all of custard, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, depending on bread.

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Bring mixture to room temperature and sprinkle bread with the sugar or spread with the praline topping (recipe follows). Bake, uncovered, in middle of oven until bread is puffed and top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Praline Crunch Topping
1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine all ingredients and blend well. Spread evenly over bread before baking.

This praline crunch topping I halved from Paula Dean's recipe.  Honestly next time I make it I will use even less butter.  Of course it was absolutely delicious, but really not necessary to use so much.  And to think her original recipe called for 2 sticks of butter!!!  I will probably use about 3/4-1/2 stick of butter next time.

Strawberry Syrup
1 10-oz jar of good quality strawberry perserves
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons apple juice

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer on medium heat until warm and the consistency thins out like a syrup.  Serve warm, drizzled on top of french toast, pancakes, or even ice-cream.

Easy Enchiladas

Lately I have had such a craving for Mexican food.  Cheesy, gooey wonderful Mexican.  I was looking back at the April/May edition of Taste of Home Magazine this week and came across this recipe for Easy Enchiladas- and goodness they looked tasty!  The perfect thing to satisfy this pregnant girls' craving.

They were indeed easy- took no time to prep.  And all of us loved them.  Even Jackson enjoyed it.  But then again what doesn't he like that involves cheese and chicken?!  Scott told me I could make this anytime, it was delicious!   These enchiladas were a big hit and I feel they would make for the perfect weeknight meal.

Easy Enchiladas
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, couldn't tell one bit)
8 Flour Tortillas (8 in)
1 cup (8 oz) plain yogurt or sour cream (I used Dannon Nonfat Plain Yogurt, again, tasted wonderful)
1 cup salsa
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (1 1/4 oz) sliced black olives, drained
Shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes, optional

In a small bowl combine chicken and cream cheese. Spoon about 1/4 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll up tightly. place in a greased 9x13 baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine yogurt and salsa; spread over tortillas. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and olives. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Seve with lettuce and tomato if desired.

*recipe from Taste of Home Magazine