Orange Sesame Chicken

I love everything about Asian food; from the soft crunch of a water chestnut to the sweet and spicy sauces, I love it all! What I love about this particular dish is the sweet and tangy elements it yields.  And if you'd like, you can even make it a little spicy.
Orange chicken is super easy to make at home because it doesn't require some of the more difficult-to-find ingredients like some others.  Most of the ingredients in this dish I keep on hand but you may want to check your kitchen before hand.  

**Ingredients**

2 Chicken breast (cut into bite sized pieces)

1 cup jasmine rice

1 tbsp flour

1/2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp sesame seeds

2 tbsp red chili sauce

2 tbsp orange marmalade

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tbsp agave nectar or honey

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 tsp sesame oil

Green onion for garnish

Drizzle of olive oil for cooking chicken

1. In a large plastic bag combine chicken with flour and corn starch.  Shake until chicken is coated.
2. In a large sauce pan, drizzle olive oil, enough to cover entire pan and turn on med-high heat.
3. While your oil is heating up, get your rice going.
4. Using tongs, add chicken to pan making one layer.  Cook on all sides until golden brown.  (you'll probably have to do two batches) 
5. After your chicken is golden brown, place on a paper toweled plate.  Repeat until all chicken is used.  
6. Set your chicken aside and add all other ingredients, except sesame seeds and green onions to the pan.  Simmer on low until thickened, whisking every few minutes.  If you find it to be too thin after about 7 minutes, stir in a little cornstarch.  
7. Once your sauce has thickened, add your chicken and sesame seeds to the pan and stir until coated.
8. Serve over rice and garnish with sliced green onion.  

Carrot-Ginger Soup

Hello all!! Been a while.  I hope everyone had a great Turkey day! Are ya'll ready for Christmas?  Christmas!! I cannot believe it's only 10 days away, so crazy! The time is just flying by.  None of this has anything to do with the recipe I am about to post but as I sit here in my kitchen looking at all my Christmas decor, I just can't help but think how it feels like the Holidays were just here!
Anyway, in the midst of all this crazy holiday business, here's a super yummy and quick soup you can whip up on those nights or days, you don't feel like spending a lot of time on a meal.
I love creamy soups and bisques and this hit the spot! I bought a bunch of carrots for beef stew but didn't end up making it so I decided I'd just make a carrot soup.  I had intentions on a carrot thai soup using coconut milk but forgot it at the store!! I swear, in my older age, if I don't make a list I will surely forget at least one item, dives me nuts! I luckily had some cream to help make it a bit smoother.  Cream is something that I went from never having in my fridge, to having all the time since Fall began...not complaining though.
The thyme and truffle oil really help give this a woodsy taste that goes great with this "cold" weather we are having here GA. And the greek yogurt is a cool compliment to the kick the cayenne gives.

**Ingredients**

3 large carrots (peeled and chopped into similar sized pieces)

1/2 shallot (thinly sliced)

1 garlic clove (roughly chopped)

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tbsp ground ginger

Sprinkle of Paprika

2 sprigs thyme

2 1/2 -3 sups veggie stock

Splash of cream

Dolop of ff greek yogurt

Drizzle of olive oil

Truffle oil

1. Drizzle olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add shallot and garlic.  Saute until tender.
3. Add veggie stock and carrots.  Bring to a low boil and then let simmer until carrots are tender.
4. Once carrots are tender, turn off heat and let cool for about ten minutes.
5. Using a blender or food processor, add mixture and blend until smooth.   
6. Add mixture back to pot over low heat and add cayenne, ginger, a splash of cream and the leaves of 1 thyme sprig.  Stir together and let heat back up. 
7. Serve with a dollop of greek yogurt, more thyme leaves, drizzle of truffle oil and a sprinkle of paprika on top.  

Roasted Cauliflower Mash and Acorn Squash topped with a Balsamic Reduction

Since Turkey Day is a mere two days away, I thought I'd share this extremely yummy (and different) side dish.  I REALLY love cauliflower mash! So much that I use a whole head and eat it all myself within 2 sittings.  I generally make it on its own but this last time I was cooking for just myself so I decided to umph it up.  I've made cauliflower mash before but never have I cooked acorn squash.  To be honest it was a pain in the ass to cut and cube but very tasty!
Although this dish ate like a vegetarian meal, you could totally have it as a side dish.  You can simply put the mash in a large serving dish, top it with the squash, then drizzle with balsamic reduction.
I had this for dinner and lunch the next day but broken down its probably about 4-6 servings.

I hope ya'll have a super Turkey Day with the ones you love and are most thankful for!! Gobble Gobble!!

**Ingredients**

1 head cauliflower

1 small yellow onion (sliced)

1 acorn squash (cubed)

1/4 Cup balsamic vinegar

Drizzle of olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

2/3 Cup veggie stock

Heavy splash of whipping cream

Several sprigs of thyme

Chili powder

Cayenne

Cinnamon

1. Cut your head of cauliflower in half.  Remove green leaves, and cut off as much of the stalks as possible, then pull apart and cut until you have them all separated.
2. Link on how to properly cut an acorn squash: http://www.marthastewart.com/973767/how-cut-acorn-squash
3. After you have your cauliflower and squash cut, place them on a large roasting pan; one on each side.
4. Toss the cauliflower in olive oil, salt pepper and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
5. Toss the squash with olive oil, sprinkle of cinnamon and chipotle powder.  
6. Roast on 350 for about 30 min. 
7. In the mean time, slice your onion then add it to a small sauce pan over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil and 1 tbsp butter.  Cook the duration of veggies until caramelized. 
8. In  the smallest pot you have, add balsamic vinegar.  Bring to a slight boil until reduced by half, about 7 min.  Then turn off heat.  
9. Once veggies are done, remove and place cauliflower in food processor.  Blend with 1 tbsp butter, stock and cream.  When you've gotten a really smooth texture add to a large bowl and stir in onions.  
10. Serve topped with squash, drizzle of balsamic glaze and fresh thyme.   

 

Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup

Throughout this Fall/Winter you will see a lot of soups, chilis and stews from me.  They are easy, comforting and warm you to your core on those chilly winter nights. Not to mention they feed a crowd and leftovers are easy to freeze and take out at a later date.
This soup is full of flavor, low carb and low sodium.  If you can, cook your chicken in a crock pot so it's easier to shred but if you don't have time, just cook it on a low boil in some chicken or veggie broth on the stove; that is what I did because I didn't know I was making it until I left work.
This would be a great alternative to tacos on taco tuesday! Its really tasty, healthy and fast for you busy families!

**Ingredients**

2 Chicken breast shredded

1 Can petite diced tomatoes

1 Can low sodium black beans

1/2 Yellow onion chopped

1 Garlic clove minced

1 32 oz Swanson Tortilla flavored broth

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1 Cup cooked brown rice

Good handful of cilantro roughly chopped

Avocado slices

1. In a med sized pot add your chicken breast and cover with veggie or chicken broth.  Lightly boil chicken for about 20 minutes.
2. While your chicken is cooking make your rice. Once its done just turn off heat. (Cooking time will vary depending on what kind you get)
3. When the chicken is done, set aside and let cool.  When cooled, shred with a fork.
4. Drizzle olive oil in large pot over med heat.  Saute onion until tender then add garlic.
5. Add black beans, tomatoes, chicken, lime juice, half of cilantro, and stock.  
6. Stir together and let simmer for about 10 min.  
7. Serve over rice and top with cilantro and avocado slices.  

Southern Style Collard Greens

I said in my last entry I wanted to post my collard recipe but didn't have a picture; I ended up making them last Sunday and was sure to take a picture.  I've loved collard greens since I was a child, weird I know.  I remember asking my grandmother to make me "that leafy stuff"...I was never a picky eater nor am I now.  There are few things I don't care for but will try and have them cooked multiple ways before totally ruling them out.  With that being said, I can understand why one may not particularly care for these "leafy things" but if you do then you'll love this recipe!! I have been making them for quite some time and finally think I've nailed down the perfect recipe.  If you are one of those who have never tried collards or have only had them from a can, I implore you to try these at least once!! You may love them!

**Ingredients**

1 Bag of chopped collard greens (in the produce section of grocery store)

1 Ham hock (in the pork section of your grocery store) DO NOT leave this out! 

1/2 Yellow onion chopped

1 Garlic clove minced 

1 Box veggie stock

Drizzle of olive oil for sauteing onion and garlic

1/2 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 Tbsp onion and garlic powder

1 Tsp mustard powder

1 Tsp cumin

Pinch of red pepper flakes

2-3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 

Sriracha (optional)

Salt & Pepper to taste 

1. In a large pot or dutch oven over med heat, add olive oil and saute onion until soft then add garlic. Cook a min more. 
2. Add the ham hock plus rest of ingredients.  
3. Using a wooden spoon push greens down and make sure they are almost covered with liquid; you may need to add a little bit of water.  
4. Cover and let simmer until greens are tender, stirring occasionally.  I cook mine about 45 min to an hour.  
5. Serve with your favorite southern main dish and corn bread! 

Check on your greens towards the end to insure they are not too mushy.  You want to avoid cooking them to death!! 

Brunswick Stew

Last weekend we went to SC to my sisters to celebrate our oldest sister and her husband's birthdays.  They are only a few days apart and have known each other their whole lives, pretty neat huh?  For dinner we had bbq chicken with the great southern staples: baked beans, collards and mac n cheese.  And for dessert we had two yummy cakes! I won't go into detail about almost ruining my brother in laws cake but I will say that his was a beautiful vanilla-vanilla made by his wife, because he doesn't care for chocolate.  It somehow ended up with crushed whoppers all over it! OOPS!! MY BAD! It was entirely my fault...hope he's forgiven me.
Anyway, we had a lot of chicken leftover and I was kicking myself on our ride home sunday because I didn't take any with me. I thought I would've loved to have used it to make brunswick stew.  I text the sister who's house we had left and gave her the idea.  She has a brut of a husband and two little ones so I knew this would be an easy and filling dinner for them. I of course was craving brunswick stew at this point and realized I did not need leftover bbq chicken to make it.  Upon arriving home, I took my happy ass to the store to gather all my ingredients.  I spent all afternoon cooking only to have my husband, who had been golfing, ask if I wanted to come meet him and his buddies for sushi and that we could have the stew the next night, it'll be even better then he said.  True! So I quickly changed clothes and headed for sushi.  It was delicious! And on monday night I reheated the stew and it was even better than it would've been the night before! I have eaten it several times already and plan on taking some to work for lunch today! So, if you can, make this a day ahead. This was perfect for this yucky rainy cold weather we've had all week.  
I would also love to post my collard recipe even though I did not take a picture of them.  I am pretty sure I have perfected my recipe;)

**Ingredients**

2 Chicken breast

1 1/2 cups Stubbs bbq sauce (I used the spicy)

1 Can whole kernel corn

1 Can crushed tomatoes

1/2 Yellow onion chopped

1 Large garlic clove minced

1/2 14oz bag of lima beans

2 Cups beef or chicken stock

1/2 Tbsp yellow mustard

1 Tbsp chipotle sauce

1/2 Tbsp olive oil 

1 Tbsp butter

1/2 Cup apple cider vinegar (or less if you don't care for vinegar but do NOT leave it out completely)

1 Bay leaf

1/2 Tbsp garlic and onion powder

1/4 Tsp mustard powder

Sriracha (optional)

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Start by cooking your chicken in the crockpot with the bbq sauce on high for a few hours.  Let cool, then shred and set aside until you're ready to make the stew.
2. In a large pot or dutch oven over med high heat, add oil and butter.
3. Add chopped onion and saute until tender then add garlic and cook a min more.
4. Add all other ingredients, including shredded chicken, and let simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

* If you want to grill your chicken first to get a good char on it, you can but then I would still recommend putting it in the crock pot to finish cooking because this allows it to get really tender and makes shredding it super easy.

Shrimp and Corn Chowder

Im not so good about prefacing a recipe with a story, especially when its just a random night that I think "hey! I'll make this!".  And some times I can get too wordy.  Hopefully those of you who follow this blog or just read it for the recipes will appreciate that because I for one, hate food blogs that go into a whole long story before actually posting the recipe.  I mean, I suppose if there is a super special meaning behind said recipe it makes sense but either way I just keep scrolling until I see ingredients and instructions.  With that being said, its another reason I don'r really follow recipes and just make up my own...unless its by a super famous chef or something.  Anyway, I love a good chowder  and the hubs like shrimp so I made this!  I ate more potatoes than shrimp though.  Not liking shrimp very much is a texture thing for me, nothing more.  I love seafood but in moderation. EXCEPT for crab legs!! I could eat an ass ton of crab legs!!! Nothing better than fresh crab legs and lots of melted butter mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
oh sorry, just drooled on myself.  Anyway, this recipe lends loads of flavor and is one where you just dump, aside from some chopping, the ingredients and let simmer until done.  I think they're called "one pot" dinners or something.  Or maybe it because it's  a soup, that part is just understood?

**Ingredients**

7-8 Medium sized shrimp (cut in half)

6-7 Small red potatoes (halved, quartered, then cut again) 

1 Can whole kernel corn

1/2 Cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Cups veggie unsalted veggie stock

1 Tbsp creole seasoning (see jambalaya recipe)

1 Red bell pepper finely chopped

1 Small yellow onion diced

1 Bay leaf

Chives

Paprika

Salt and Pepper to taste

Sriracha (optional)

1. In a large pot or dutch oven add oil and butter over a med-high heat.
2. Let melt, then add onion and bell pepper, cook until tender.
3. Add garlic and cook a minute more.  
4. Then add corn, potatoes and stock.
5. Let simmer on low for about 10-12 minutes (until potatoes are fork tender)
6. Once the potatoes are done, put about half the mixture in a blender with cream.
7. Pulse until it has a smooth yet chunky texture.
8. Add back to pot.
9. Add bay leaf and shrimp and cook for about 10-15 minutes.
10. Serve and top with chopped chives and a sprinkle of paprika.

Blistered Tomato Pasta with Parmesan Truffle Oil Breadcrumbs

Ok, well the title of this dish says it all!! It is simple and requires just a few ingredients but DAMN it is GOOD!! Its one of the reasons I love Italian food-simple but full of flavor and texture.  Not to mention you should have all of these ingredients on hand, except for the herbs de provence and truffle oil. These are two "fancier" items in my cabinet but don't let the price of them deter you because a little of both go a long way. I was out of bread crumbs as well as bread but I did have hamburger buns, so I just toasted them in the oven, ground them up in blender and then toasted them in a pan with a little olive oil!! You just gotta think people!
 While this does not call for any meat, it does call for bacon grease so its not technically a vegetarian dish.  You can substitute with olive oil but bacon grease lends so much more flavor!! UGH this is making my mouth water just typing this.  So, yeah, make this and drink a good bottle of red wine with it! I recommend drinking red wine with everything actually.  :-)

**Ingredients**

• 1 Cup cherry tomatoes
• About 1 tbsp per serving of toasted bread crumbs
• Angel hair pasta enough for 2-3 servings
• 1 tbsp bacon grease + 1 tbsp olive oil
• Truffle oil for drizzling
• 1 garlic clove minced
• About 1/2 cup red onion
• Juice of half a lemon
• Red pepper flakes
• Herbs de provence
• Salt & Pepper
• Grated parmesan cheese

1. Heat oven to 375
2. Put tomatoes on a baking sheet with olive oil and salt & pepper.  Roast for about 20-25 min.  
3. While these are roasting, saute your red onion in a pan with bacon grease, garlic and lemon juice.  
4. Cook until onions are soft then turn the heat off. 
5. A few minutes before tomatoes are done cook pasta, leave in water!
6. Toast about 1/3 of a cup of bread crumbs in a pan with a tad of oil, set aside. 
7. Take tomatoes out and add to onions.  Turn heat back on to a low-med.
8. Add a hefty pinch of herbs de provence and red pepper flakes to tomato and onions.  
9. Stir all together. Then using tongs add pasta straight from pasta water.  
10. Coat noodles with mixture. 
11. Add noodles to a bowl then top with breadcrumbs, sprinkle of grated parmesan and a drizzle of truffle oil.  Do a light drizzle because truffle oil is very strong and can easily over power a dish. 

"MANGIARE MANGIARE"!!!

Short Rib Guinness Chili

Hey guys! Long time no blog :-/ my bad! I make tons of chili every fall/winter and try something new quite a bit.  This is a pretty standard base for most of them but I changed the meat a little.  Not sure what was so different about this one but Michael said it was my best yet! I didn't disagree and neither did the family I work for; I took them some because this makes a shit load.
If you like a good hearty chili, this is perfect.
NOTE: I cooked my short ribs in the crock pot with a little beef broth for a few hours then cut them into small cubes and added them later to the chili..

 **Ingredients**

• 4 oz chorizo
• 1 package ground turkey or beef
• 1 package boneless short ribs
• 1 box Pomero chopped tomatoes
• 1 Guinness beer
• 1 1/2 Cup sodium free beef broth
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Can dark kidney beans
• 1 small yellow onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 Tbsp garlic & onion powder
• 3 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 Tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tbsp cayenne
• 1 Tbsp oregano
• 2 Bay leaves
• Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Cook the short ribs on high for a couple hours with a little beef broth in a crock pot. Before beginning your chili, take them out and let cool,  .
2. In a large deep pot, add chorizo and cook for several minutes then add onion and cook several more minutes. 
3. Add garlic and ground turkey and a little olive oil.
4. Cook until turkey is thoroughly done. 
5. Chop your short ribs into small cubes and add to meat mixture.
6. Add all other ingredients.   
7. Let simmer for at least 45 minutes.
8. Serve with cheese, sour cream, jalepeno slices and corn bread!! 

ENJOY!!! :)

Spicy Jambalaya

As soon as cooler weather hits I start craving dishes like this; along with stews, soups and chili. So when I asked the husband if he would rather have this or shrimp and corn chowder, he of course chose this! Its one of his favorite meals.  I am not a huge shrimp eater so I chopped med sized shrimp up and used a whole link of sausage and some chorizo, for good measure;) ya'll know how I love that stuff! Plus, it really does add great flavor to what ever you put it in.
I used quiona instead of rice so this jambalaya came out a little "soupy" but it was delicious!! I cooked the quiona separately but you could cook it in the same pot as everything else and it will soak up some of that liquid and be thicker. The sausage I used is my FAV for spiciness.  It's a cajun sausage so its pretty spicy so if you're reluctant then just use plain andouille.

** Ingredients**

8 oz chorizo

1 pack of Rajun Cajun sausage (cut on a diagonal in bite sized pieces)

6-8 med sized shrimp (chopped)

1 small yellow onion

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 tbsp chopped garlic

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock or 2.5 cups if you cook quiona in the same pot 

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp Worcestershire

1 tsp sriracha (optional)

1.5 tbsp creole seasoning (recipe follows)

2 bay leaves

1 cup quiona

Creole Seasoning

2.5 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp cayenne

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried thyme

1. In a large pot, cook chorizo and sausage.  Once they are cooked, take them out of the pot and set aside.  
2. While the sausages are cooking, place your shrimp in a bowl with some of the creole seasoning and coat, Set aside.
3. Add the onion in the same pot as the sausage, (there should be enough grease so your don't need oil) cook until tender then add garlic. Cook for about 1 min more then add chopped veggies,tomato paste, Worcestershire, bay leaves, creole seasoning, one cup of stock plus cooked chorizo and sausage.
4. Let this cook on a low simmer for about 30 minutes.
5. In the mean time, chopped your shrimp into bite size pieces and make your quiona separately. When its done just turn off burner.  
6. IF you're wanting a thicker jambalaya, add quiona to the pot plus an additional 1.5 cups of stock after all ingredients have been simmering for 15 min.  
7. Add shrimp with about 5 min remaining, stirring a few times to make sure they cook thoroughly.  
8. Serve in large bowls!!  

Mixed Tortelloni with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Heres a super quick dinner for ya!! And one inspired by the husband.  He text me at 9 o'clock in the morning suggesting ravioli for dinner. Um yeah, sure! Not sure what made you think of ravioli at 9 in the morning but whatever. Since I was working later I told him to just get store bought; he ended up bringing home three boxes of different Tortelloni: chicken & prosciutto, cheese & roasted garlic and sweet Italian sausage by Buitoni. 

For the base of the sauce I used 2 tbsp of the sauce from the paprika chicken. Don't worry you don't have to make all of that sauce for this but I will tell you how to make just a little of it. Super easy!  You also don't have to use all three types of Tortelloni you can just pick one or two.

 **Ingredients**

• Your choice of Tortelloni (an entire pack for just 1 kind, half or less for 2 packs or more) 
• 2 tbsp paprika sauce (if you don't have this previously made just melt 2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp stock, splash of white wine, add 1 minced garlic clove, chopped fresh sage, 1/4 tsp paprika, and whisk) 
• 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste 
• 2 tbsp stock 
• 1/2 cup cream 
• Handful of shredded Parmesan cheese
• Two handfuls of baby spinach (optional) 

1. Start a pot of water on the stove for Tortelloni. 
2. In a sauce pan add paprika sauce and tomato paste. Whisk until blended. 
3. Turn off heat and boil pasta according to package directions. 
4. Once the pasta is almost done, Add cream to sauce and whisk then add cheese whisking until smooth. 
5. Drain pasta. 
6. Add spinach to sauce and stir until wilted. 
7. Add pasta to sauce and toss together until well coated. 
8. Serve with a little Parmesan on top.  

Paprika Chicken & Spinach with White Wine Butter Sage Sauce

um yeaaahhhh, this was not the healthiest of sauces because it has 5 tablespoons of butter, but, who cares!! Some times you just gotta make a dish like this. It was delicious and easy! The most unhealthy part was the super cheesy hasselback potato I served with it though. Which was also delicious, sinful actually. What's better than potatoes and cheese?!?!

 While this is not my recipe, I used sage instead of the herb it called for, thyme. And I've already thought of how to cut back on calories and fat in the sauce; use low sodium chicken or veggie stock instead. I personally wouldn't totally cut out the butter because it's what makes it a bit creamy and glossy. 

I'm just going to post the link to the recipe below the photo. It calls for thyme so don't be alarmed by the difference in my title but like I said I used sage because that's what I had on hand. I love sage this "thyme" of year! <---bad joke. Anyway, make this!! Ill post the potato recipe separately  

http://www.thekitchenpaper.com/paprika-chicken-spinach-white-wine-butter-thyme-sauce/

**Beauty Post**

OK!! So I have this infatuation with long sexy robes, while this is not an actual robe persay, I made it one! This is a "floor sweeper" I believe; a really long flowy cardigan type top that is long enough to just  "sweep" the floor. I wore it last Sunday for the second time in 5 months; I paired it with dark flared jeans and a loose silk  tank. But the whole time I just kept thinking how awesome it would be as a robe! So tonight, I just took the sash from my wedding robe and made this! My point of this post is to think outside the box about some of your favorite pieces. I'm actually thinking of wearing this as a dress for an upcoming wedding. Ill just add a nude slip undergarment, and sew it temporarily wrapped with a piece of fabric. 

   

Mediterranean Turkey Burger

Yall know I love a good burger but I sometimes feel like I make the same one a lot. Last night as I was staring into my fridge, I saw my left over marinera and immediately wanted meatballs. So I thought about how I could make a burger that that was reminiscent of spaghetti and meatballs and came up with this! They must've been really good because the hubs had two! 

 **Ingredients** 

-Burgers-

• 1 package lean ground turkey 
• 2 tbsp black beans (mashed) 
• 1 tbsp capers (finely chopped) 
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 2 tbsp red onion (finely chopped) 
• 1 tbsp sundries tomato paste 
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire 
• 1 tbsp broth 
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning 
• 1 tsp lawrys med. salt 
• 1 tsp garlic/onion powder 
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 
• Cracked black pepper
• Thinly sliced Parmesan cheese (I had a triangle that I took and made a few thin slices) 
• Squash and zucchini (you'll just need one thin slice of each per burger) 
• Marinara (just enough to top burgers with) 

1. Mix all ingredients (except squash, zucchini, cheese and sauce) together in a mixing bowl. 
2. Use an ice cream scooper and use one scoop plus a little more, form patties and put on a baking sheet. 
3. Heat your grille to about 350, then spray or rub with oil. 
4. Cook patties for 6-7 min per side adding the cheese on top for the last 2 min.
5. Put your zucchini and squash on the same time as the cheese, flipping once. 

-Basil Pesto Mayo- 

• 1 tbsp Store bought pesto
• 2 tbsp mayo 

1. Mix together & put in fridge until ready to use. 

Once your burgers are done, spread mayo on top and bottom of toasted bun, then the patty followed by the veggies and top with marinera!! 

Pulled BBQ Chicken Tacos w Habanero Coleslaw

oh my gosh these were delicious! And super easy. I made pulled BBQ chicken Saturday for the game and had some left over and since today is Taco Tuesday....I made tacos! Even if you don't have left over chicken this would still be easy to make; I made the chicken in the crock pot with Stubbs spicy BBQ sauce so the only thing I made tonight were the pickled onions & coleslaw. And the fried jalapeños were left over from dinner Friday night! (Which are not pictured because I forgot them before I took this picture) While they are not necessary, they sure did add great texture.

 

**Ingredients** 

-BBQ Chicken-

• 2-3 chicken breast 
• 2 cups Stubbs spicy BBQ sauce 
• 1/2 Tbsp cumin 

1. Add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on low for 6 hrs. 
2. Shred when done. 

-Habanero Coleslaw-

• 1/2 habanero de-seeded and minced 
• 1 1/2 cups chopped bagged coleslaw 
• 1/4 tsp cumin, garlic & onion powder 
• Pinch of sugar 
• 2 tbsp mayo 
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 1 tbsp white distilled vinegar 
• Salt & Pepper to taste 

1. Add all ingredients, except coleslaw, to a bowl and whisk together. 
2. Add coleslaw and mix. 
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 min. 

-Quick Pickled Red Onion- 

Red onion

• 2 tbsp White vinegar 
• 1/4 tsp salt 

1. Thinly slice red onion. Enough to have about 6 slices per taco. I didn't measure these 
2. Add to small bowl with vinegar and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 min. 

-Misc.- 

• Tortillas 
• Lime wedges 
• Mexican crema 
• Fresh Cilantro 

Once everything is done you'll just need to assemble your tacos! I heated my tortillas and started with a small mound of coleslaw, then chicken, crema, onion, cilantro and a squirt of lime. They were so yummy and the crunch of the coleslaw mixed with the creaminess of the crema was perfection!! 

Happy Taco Tuesday!!! 

Roasted Veggie Risotto

I've made this dish many times because it's so easy and SO good! You can use whatever vegetables you like; I used cherry tomatoes, squash, zucchini, broccoli, red onion and carrots. Just chop them up in bite size pieces, roast with olive oil salt&pepper and put on risotto! I then topped it with balsamic reduction and parm cheese.  

If you wanted to add meat to this you could but it's super yummy without it. I recommend pancetta! 

**Ingredients** 

1/2 yellow squash

1/2 zucchini 

About 1/2 cup red onion 

1/2 cup broccoli florets 

1/2 cup carrot sticks chopped 

1 cup cherry tomatoes 

2 tbsp Olive oil split 

Salt & Pepper to taste 

1 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional) 

Parmesan cheese 

1/2 Cup Balsamic vinegar 

-For Risotto-

1 Small yellow onion 

1 Garlic clove 

1/2 cup white wine 

1 tbsp butter 

5-6 cups low sodium chicken or veggie stock 

Pancetta (optional) 

1. Preheat oven to 375. 
2. Slice you squash & zuchini in half length wise, then cut into bite size chunks. Cut carrots into bite size chunks as well as the red onion. 
3. Cut off as much of the stems on broccoli as possible and break the florets up into bite size pieces. 
4. Leave tomatoes whole. 
5. On a roasting pan, add veggies and toss in olive oil, salt pepper & a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Roast for about 25 min. 
6. While the veggies are cooking, make the risotto according to instructions on container. 
7. In a small pot add balsamic vinegar and bring to a simmer. Let reduce by half then take off the heat. This takes about 10 min or so. You'll know it's done when it coats the back of a spoon really well and is syrupy. 
8. When everything is done, plate by adding risotto to a wide shallow bowl then top with veggies, balsamic reduction and sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. 

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Most of the time I prefer buffalo wings over a sandwich but on this particular evening I decided on the sandwich. It was the first night of regular season NFL football so naturally I had to make something 'manly'. This were super easy and delicious! 

 
**Ingredients** 

2 Chicken breast 

Sliced pepper jack cheese 

Hot wing sauce (I used franks) 

2 Slices of thick cut bacon 

Blue Cheese Dressing 

Whole wheat buns 

1. Place chicken in ziplock and marinate with hot sauce. Just enough to coat it. 
2. Heat grille to about 350-375. 
3. Spray grille with a non stick spray. 
4. Add chicken to hot grille and cook about 7 min per side or longer if they're really thick. 
5. Using a basting brush, frequently brush each side with hot sauce. 
6. While chicken is cooking, fry your bacon. 
7. Once chicken is done let cool then slice in thin strips and place a few on a bun. Top with a slice of cheese then melt it in the microwave for about 25 seconds. 
8. Break one piece of bacon in half and put on top of chicken then pour the blues cheese dressing on. 
9. Done!! 

I served these with corn on the cob but carrot sticks, chips, or a pasta salad would be a great accompaniment to these sandwiches! 

Lemon and Green Pea Pasta

This is a crazy easy, healthy and flavorful dish I made last night. And meat free:) I had left over lasagna noodles, already cooked, so I just cut them into little square pieces. Then I Added them to a sauce pan with a little butter, garlic, water-to help separate the noodles, peas, lemon juice, salt pepper and red pepper flakes; its that easy. You could totally make this wig meat if you wanted. I would do pancetta or chicken. You can also use any kind of pasta too. 

**Ingredients** 

1 cup of frozen peas 

1 cup pasta 

1-2 garlic cloves chopped 

1 tsp red pepper flakes 

1 tbsp water 

1 tbsp unsalted butter 

Juice of 1 lemon 

Parmesan cheese, grated 

Salt and Pepper to taste 

1. Melt butter in a sauce pan, then add the peas, garlic, lemon juice and red pepper flakes. 
2. Sauté for a min or so then add water and cooked pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
3. Toss to coat then plate in small bowl. 
4. Top with grated Parmesan. 

Green Tomato Salsa Verde

This was super easy to make, is versatile and will keep for a while! 

 
**Ingredients**

• 3 cups chopped green tomatoes 
• 1 cup finely chopped onion 
• 2 garlic cloves 
• 1/2 cup lime juice 
• Pinch of sugar 
• 1 tsp of salt 
• 1 tsp cumin 
• 1/2 habanero (seeds included) 
• Olive oil 

1. Add everything but onions and oil into a blender or food processor. 
2. Pulse together until all ingredients are blended and you have a chunky consistency. Add oil and pulse one more time to blend. 
3. Pour into a bowl and mix in onions. 
4. Store in a mason jar with secure lid. 

Southwest Juicy Lucy

As much as I would like to be able to claim the invention of the "juicy Lucy", I cannot. It was created in St Paul at a place called Blue Door Pub. The traditional burger calls for American cheese but I wanted to put a southwest twist on it, hence the Southwest in the title, so I used pepper jack cheese, among other ingredients to make it SW. 

 This burger is a little messy but worth it!!!

*Ill post the green tomato salsa verde separately  

 
**Ingredients**

• 1 lb ground chuck
• 8 oz chorizo 
• 4 slices of bacon
• 8 slices pepper jack 
• 1 tsp Worcestershire 
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder 
• 1/4 tsp black pepper  
• 1 egg per burger 
• 1 avocado 
• 1 1/2 tbsp plain ff Greek yogurt 
• Juice of 1/2 lime 
• 1 tsp cumin 
• Soft hamburger buns 

1. In a bowl add meat(s), Worcestershire, garlic powder and pepper. Mix. 
2. Divide the meat into 8 equal portions and place on a work surface. Using your fingertips, press 2 portions of the meat into 2 rough 1/4-inch-thick patties that are each about 1 inch wider in diameter than the hamburger buns. 
3. Stack 4 slices of cheese and cut vertically and horizontally making 16 small square pieces of cheese. 
4. Add each stack of cheese to center of 4 of the patties. 
5. Place the patty without cheese on top of patty with the cheese and press edges together really well. 
6. Wipe your grille pan or grille with oil then heat the grille or grille pan to 375-425. 
7. Add burgers then let cook 3-4 min, do not touch or press on burgers!!! Flip and add a slice of pepper jack to each patty and cook 3-4 min more. 
8. While burgers are cooking, cook your bacon and make the avocado "mayo"- smash avocado in small bowl then add yogurt, cumin and lime juice. Mix well and put in fridge. You can also make this ahead of time. 
9. Once burgers are done, put on a clean plate and let them rest while you fry your egg(s). Lightly toast buns before you turn your grille off. 
10. Drain your pan you used for bacon but do NOT wipe clean. Turn the heat back in to med-high heat. Crack egg in the pan and cook about 1 min per side. 
11. Smear avocado mayo on bottom and top bun. 
12. Add burger patty, egg, bacon and top with green tomato salsa verde and top bun!!(Recipe separate) 

Whole Wheat Lime Tortilla Chips

I looooooove chips, of any kind, but potatoes being deep fried aren't always the healthiest, tastiest no doubt though. Don't think you can't make baked ones that aren't just as good because you can! 

These are super simple and fast to make. And you can make as many or few as you want. 

(The cheese dip pictured is store bought. I added chopped pickled jalapeños)

 
**Ingredients** 

• 3 whole wheat tortillas or more of you want to make them for a crowd 
• Pam olive oil cooking spray 
• Zest of 1 lime 
• Salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne, chili powder & cumin

1. Simply cut the tortillas into triangles (stack them to make this easier) 
2. Mix the salt & lime zest together
3. Mix spices together 
4. Lay each 'chip' onto a baking sheet, spreading them out in one layer 
5. Spray each side of the tortillas with the Pam. 
6. Sprinkle each side with salt & lime zest
7. Broil on high for 2 minutes per side (watch these carefully bc they can burn really quickly) 
8. Flip after two minutes using tongs 
9. Take out & toss with chili powder, cayenne & cumin 
10. Serve with cheese dip, salsa or guac! 

BBQ Chicken and Waffle with Thai Coleslaw

Yesterday was National Waffle Day and I'm sure today is "national ____ day". Is there going to come a time when every day is a celebration for something?! "Happy National No Underwear Day!" "Happy National I drive a Honda day!" But seriously, when will it end? Either way, until it does I'm still happy to celebrate the days of favorite foods like chocolate, pizza, tacos and oh yes, waffles! 

Sunday I made shredded BBQ chicken in the crockpot but we didn't end up eating it so I used it last night. I didn't want a traditional waffle meal, breakfast, so I thought of a way to use the chicken and incorporate waffles; chicken and waffles of course! I decided to make the sandwich open faced but you could also use two waffles to make 'buns'. This was a pretty simple meal because I used Stubbs BBQ sauce-the best store bought IMO, and frozen waffles. I would've made those but I don't have a waffle maker. And the chicken was already cooked. But you could always start the chicken the day of. Then the coleslaw I made, super easy and a bit non traditional; I love mixing southern with Italian and Asian/Thai. The sriracha mayo is just that, Sriracha+mayo. 

This was bursting with flavor and so good Michael had two servings 😃 I served it with baked corn on the cob. <--- pat of butter, season salt, wrap in foil, bake @ 350 for about 25 min 👌🏿 

  **Ingredients**

• 2-3 Chicken Breast 
• Frozen Belgium Waffles (1 pp)
• 2 1/2 cups finely shredded cabbage 
• 1 Tsp garlic & onion powder 
• 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds 
• 1/2 Tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste 
• 2 Tbsp low fat mayo + 1 tbsp for sriracha mayo
• 1 Tsp fresh ginger (I used the kind in the tube) 
• 2 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar 
• 1/2 Tbsp honey 
• Sriracha
• Salt & Pepper 
• 1 Cup Stubbs spicy BBQ sauce 
• Pickles (sweet or dill) chopped for topping

1. Cook chicken and BBQ sauce in crockpot on low for about 6 hours. Let cool then shred with a fork.
2. In a med sized mixing bowl add 2 Tbsp mayo, curry paste, vinegar, honey, garlic-onion powder, sesame seeds, salt & pepper to taste.
3.  Whisk together then add the the cabbage a hand full at a time, mixing with a spoon until it's well coated. 
4. Cover with plastic wrap and let refrigerate for about 20-30 min to let flavors marry. 
5. In a small bowl add 1 tbsp mayo and a good squeeze of sriracha. You can make this as mild or spicy as you'd like. 
6. Cook waffles according to package. 
7. Plate your waffle, smear on sriracha mayo then top with chicken, slaw, a drizzle of BBQ sauce and chopped pickles. 

I loved this dish because it combined two of my favorite cuisines, soul food and Thai! 😋 it was sweet, spicy and had great texture. 

Sundried Tomato Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Oh man this was good!! And easy!! You can leave the gravy off and it'll still be delicious. I'll post that recipe separately because it's not just for this chicken. 

This recipe serves two so like anything else, just double, triple etc for more servings. 

I took two chicken breast and butterflied them. All that means is you take a large knife & almost slice the breast in half, then open it and flatten it out. It should look like this:  yes I'm aware of what the one on the right looks like 

*when working with raw meat I use a different cutting board to not contaminate my good wooden one. 

I then combined the goat cheese in a small mixing bowl with the bacon, tomatoes and basil using a large spoon.  

 After that's combined, spread mixture on chicken breast and fold over to close and secure with toothpicks if you need to. The pic below is obviously before I folded them over.

Once they're closed, spray with Pam or olive oil  & sprinkle with the dry seasonings and bake at 350 for about 30 min. Plate and top with gravy if you choose to!  

**Ingredients**

• 2 Chicken breast (butterflied)
• 4 oz softened goat cheese 
• 3-4 sundried tomatoes chopped 
• 3 pieces of bacon cooked crispy then crumbled
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped basil 
• Italian seasoning 
• Garlic powder 
• Onion powder 
• Olive oil or Spray Pam 
• Salt & Pepper 

1. Pat chicken dry with paper towel then butterfly. 
2. Mix goat cheese, tomatoes, bacon & basil in bowl. 
3. Spread cheese mixture into chicken breast. 
4. Fold chicken over and secure with toothpicks. 
5. Spray or wipe top of chicken with oil. 
6. Season with Italian seasoning, garlic & onion powder, salt & pepper. 
7. Bake at 350 for about 30 min. 
8. Plate and top with the onion gravy & serve with sides of your choice. I served this with roasted red potatoes topped with a balsamic reduction. :-) 

Pork Tenderloin Taco Rice Bowl

Here's another super easy and quick dinner for yall! There are literally only 3 main ingredients...pork, rice and beans. Then add some seasonings, Fresh Avacado, yogurt dressing, lime and you're done. 

 
**Ingredients** 

• 1 Hormel peppercorn pork tenderloin 
• 1 box Mexican rice 
• 1 can black beans 
• 1/2 tbsp Cumin
• 1/2 tbsp garlic & onion powder 
• 1 tsp chili powder 
• 1 tsp oregano 
• 1/4 tsp cayenne 
• 1 tsp paprika 
• Fresh diced Avacado
• Black pepper 
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil 
• Bolthouse Farms Cilantro Avacado Yogurt dressing   
• Lime wedges 

1. Cook tenderloin according to directions. 
2. Cook rice according to directions. Once done add a can of black beans that have been strained. (I use chicken broth to cook my rice in instead of water to give more flavor) Mix and leave covered on stove to keep warm. 
3. Take out tenderloin and let cool. Once cooled slice then cut into chunks or leave in strips. 
4. Put pork in a mixing bowl and add spices, olive oil and some lime juice. Mix well. 
5. On a high heat grille pan, add pork to heat back up, about a 1-2 min. 
6. Add rice and beans to a bowl then top with pork, diced Avacado and lime wedge! 

**You can also add any other toppings you'd like such as diced onion, tomatoes, shredded lettuce or fresh cilantro! You can also make tacos but we had no more tortillas bc a certain someone ate all but 1 of them! So with that one, I cut it into triangles, sprayed with Pam, salted and broiled on high about 1 min per side and had tortilla chips:)