Creamy Enchilada Soup with Black Beans

My heart goes out to the victims and families in Boston.  I hope that they find peace and healing during such a difficult time. 

It's finally starting to warm up out there!  The sun is starting to come out and I'm sure we can all relate when I say that it feels like Prozac from the sky!  Oh how I love the sun.  But, it's still not too warm for another rich and creamy soup to keep us company during the cooler evening.  I made this after discovering a random block of cream cheese in my fridge.  I'm sure at some point I had a reason for purchasing it, but it had long escaped me, never to return.  However, I'm glad I did, because otherwise this soup never would have made it's grand entrance into our home.

I know I've mentioned this before, but I love salsa verde.  I love ANYTHING that calls for it, so I knew that I would love this soup before ever trying it.  It's got such a smooth texture, but a nice tangy flavor, making for a very satisfying meal.  The rice and beans really bulk it up too.  The only change I would make for next time is only adding a half a block of cream cheese instead of the entire thing.  It would be enough to make it creamy, but not quite as thick.

Creamy Enchilada Soup with Black Beans
Adapted from Scattered Thoughts of a Craft Mom

Ingredients

32 oz chicken broth
2 cans of green enchilada sauce (I used Trader Joe's salsa verde.  It packs a punch, but I liked it.)
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup corn, canned, fresh or frozen
 24 oz chicken breast, cooked and shredded, or chopped
1 can black or white beans, drained and rinsed
1 block cream cheese (I used reduced fat), cut into cubes
3/4 cup dry rice
salt and pepper to taste

Garnish
cilantro
tortilla chips
cheddar cheese
avocado
green onions

Directions

In a large pan, combine broth, enchilada sauce, water, cumin, chile powder, onion powder,  and garlic powder.  Bring to a boil.  Add rice and lower heat to a simmer.  Cook for about 30 minutes, until rice is cooked through and soft.  Add corn (no need to thaw if frozen), beans, and chicken.  Cook for about five minutes.  Add cream cheese, stir until melted and combined.  Remove from heat, and serve.  Garnish as desired.

Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

 I eat a salad for lunch almost every single day.  I love filling a bowl full of bright greens and other colorful veggies for a healthy midday meal.  But if you're going to have a salad every single day, you've got to be careful to keep it interesting, otherwise you'll get so bored that you'll end up coveting your sons mac and cheese and pigs in a blanket (not that I have ANY idea what that's like.)

This is a salad that I'm already looking forward to making again.  I love peanut sauce, so to have an entire salad coated in it's velvety, sweet flavor is just heaven.  There is a lot you can add to this salad to keep it fun, hot cooked rice noodles, crispy wonton strips, chopped sweet peppers, or you could sub shrimp or pork instead of chicken. 

Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
From The New Way to Cook Light

Ingredients

6 cups torn romaine lettuce
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless cooked chicken breast (go rotisserie!)
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 cup shredded carrot
3/4 cup sliced celery
2/3 cups light coconut milk
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons lower sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/8 tablespoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
4 lime wedges, optional

Directions

Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl.  Combine coconut milk and next 5 ingredients (through red pepper) in a small saucepan, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, or until mixture thickens slightly, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat, and cool 2 minutes.  Pour warm coconut milk mixture over lettuce mixture.  Sprinkle with peanuts, and serve with lime wedges, if desired.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Per Serving: 262 cal, 11g fat, 27g prot, 17g carbs, 4g fiber

Linked up with Taste and Tell

Salsa Verde Chicken and Dumplings

First of all, a very belated thank you for all the sweet comments about our upcoming move this June.  In all honesty, I'm experiencing a bit of denial.  As excited as I am to go, I'm also sad to leave a place that I'm just now becoming comfortable in.  We've been really lucky to meet some awesome people in New Jersey, not to mention how great it is having NYC so dang close.  But, life is an adventure and I'm ready to soak in all that California has to offer.

And even though I haven't started buying boxes or searching for apartments, I have become painfully aware of how much food I really don't want to move across the country, or throw away.  Once again it's a race against the clock to eat all of the random freezer and pantry items that I tend to collect.  And for some unexplainable reason, I'd managed to accumulate about five big jars of salsa verde.  Every time I go to Trader Joe's I have to buy some, even if I'm already drowning in it.  It's a compulsion.

So I was very excited to find this recipe at Kevin and Amanda's site.  And let me tell you, chicken and dumplings do not get better than this.  So creamy, with big chunks of chicken and soft fluffy dumplings, it's as close to wrapping yourself in a warm blanket as it gets.  The salsa verde adds a great twist, giving it just a big of tang, and a delicious flavor.  My only regret was not adding more veggies in it.  Next time I'll definitely be adding handfuls of carrots, celery and peppers for more nutrition and color.

Salsa Verde Chicken and Dumplings
Borrowed from Kevin and Amanda

Ingredients

For the Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 jar (16 ounces) salsa verde (2 cups)
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk (or 2/3 cup half and half)
18 oz (about 4.5 cups) cooked, chopped chicken, I used rotisserie

For the cornbread:
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 � 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallion greens

Directions

1. Sauce: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large oven-proof skillet. Whisk in the flour to make a paste. Add broth, salsa verde, and evaporated milk (or half and half) and whisk vigorously until thick and bubbly. Stir in chicken and turn heat to low to keep warm.

2. Cornbread: Meanwhile, heat milk and butter in a small saucepan until melted and steamy. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and scallions in a separate bowl with a fork. Pour in milk mixture and stir to form a dough. Drop spoonfuls of dough into the skillet with chicken mixture.

3. Transfer skillet to oven and bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, until cornbread is cooked through, and the edges are crisp and golden brown.

Southwestern Chicken Barley Chili

I'm sitting here thinking of something witty, or charming, or at best, slightly interesting to say.  But it's late, and as my eyes glaze over while I'm staring helplessly at the screen, I suddenly discover that in the picture above you can see my reflection.  In the spoon.  Of me taking said picture.  Ha!

Okay, rather than try to be cute, here goes.  Make this chili!  The flavors in it are so rich and warm and addicting, you will not want to stop eating this.  My son and I happily gobbled this up for lunch two days after eating it for dinner, and that boy hates being fed leftovers.  It's also filling, belly warming, comfort food, without being creamy or too heavy.  Just the thing for those cold snow covered days!

Southwestern Chicken Barley Chili
Ever so slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup medium barley (not quick cooking)
4 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
dash cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into bite-size pieces (I used chopped rotisserie chicken)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
garlic salt, to taste, I put that stuff in everything, it's a sickness, I can't help it
chopped cilantro (optional)
shredded cheddar (optional)
tortilla chips (optional)
avocado (optional)

Directions

In a large pot (about 6-quarts), combine the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, barley, water, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano and cayenne (if using). Stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and add the chicken. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer the chili for 40 minutes, until the barley is tender and chewy and the chicken is no longer pink. Stir occasionally, while it simmers to prevent sticking and to make sure it stays at a steady simmer. After 40 minutes, add the beans and corn. Stir to combine and simmer for five more minutes.  Add garlic salt to desired taste.  Serve the chili with optional garnishes, if desired.

The chili will thicken considerably upon cooling. Add chicken broth or water as needed to achieve a desirable consistency (especially if reheating the leftovers).

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

 

Lately I've been craving summer and all that it entails.  Just the thought of getting a tiny burn on my cheeks and nose puts me in a good mood.  One huge summer activity in our family is getting the boat on the lake and spending the day skiing, swimming, or sometimes even just docking the boat and enjoying the beautiful day under a tree.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the day are the epic picnics that my mom packs.  This woman's ability to pack an amazing spread will go down in history.  Always so much food, always an abundance of paper and plastic ware and everything is always delicious!  

One item that I continuously request now are my mom's chicken salad sandwiches.  I didn't know how much I liked chicken salad until the day I tried hers.  What baffled me was how simple they were to make.  No secret ingredients, no complicated technique.  Just good fresh ingredients, light mayo and seasoned salt, that's it!  And it's amazing every time!

As a quick side note, I don't actually measure my ingredients when making stuff like this.  These are estimates.  But don't sweat it, do everything to your own personal taste, I don't think it's possible to screw this up.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients

3 cups chopped cooked chicken (I use rotisserie)

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1/4 cup chopped green or red onion

1/4 cup chopped almonds

1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)

1/2 cup chopped apple (only do this if you plan to serve it immediately.  If not either omit, or add right before serving, otherwise it will make salad watery)

1/2-1 cup light mayo (add or subtract according to how creamy you'd like it.)

1 tablespoon Seasoned Salt (add or subtract to taste, I like mine fairly strong)

Pepper to taste

Directions

In a large bowl combine all ingredients except mayo, seasoned salt, and pepper.  In a small bowl, mix mayo, seasoned salt, and pepper and add to salad.  Toss to coat.  Serve either on a bed of lettuce, sandwich bread, or croissants that have been split lengthwise. 

Five Spice Chicken with Jade Rice

 

It's been a very good week for our family.  After the disappointment of not getting accepted in a surgical residency last year, Glenn got in for this year!  We're heading to Loma Linda California this summer!  It's quite the move, going from New Jersey to California, but we're so relieved and excited about the adventure. 

But now we talk about food, which today is this wonderful Five Spice Chicken that I found on Rebecca's blog a few months ago.  I adore dinners like this, rich in flavor, nutritious, but also quick and easy to make, perfect for the weeknights.  I think the five spice powder is completely underused, it's such a gorgeous aromatic spice, which is perfect for chicken.   


Five Spice Chicken with Jade Rice
From Chow and Chatter

Ingredients

Chicken

1/2 teaspoon 5 spice powder

1/2 teaspoon ginger/garlic paste

one tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoon soy sauce 

dash of sesame oil 

6 bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks

Rice
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup spinach
2 cloves of chopped garlic
2 eggs whisked a little with a pinch of salt and pepper
dash of soy sauce
1/4 an onion chopped

Directions 

Combine the ingredients for the chicken marinade and marinate the chicken in it for 2-3 hours.

Roast in oven, covered, at 350 for 20 minutes and then another 15- 20 minutes uncovered.

For the Jade fried rice, saute the garlic and onion until soft. Add the spinach until cooked down.   Add rice, cook to combine, about 3 minutes.  Add egg and stir until egg is completely cooked.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

I'm going through a bit of a Buffalo Chicken obsession right now.  If it even slightly resembles the flavors of the classic chicken wing, I have to have it, or pin it :)  Who in the world though that chicken, drenched in hot sauce, smothered in blue cheese would be so good?  I don't know, but I sure would like to give whoever it was, one heck of a high five.

I found this wonderful salad on Shelbys page a few months ago and I've been in love ever since.  I've been known to whip up a huge bowl, and enjoy it for lunch every day until it runs out.  And I'm always sad when that day comes.

The flavors of this salad go so perfectly together.  The sauce has a great kick, thanks to the hot sauce and is balanced out with the pungent blue cheese.  It's spicy, but not too spicy for kids.  It's creamy, it's crunchy, and it really hits the spot when you need a savory dish full of flavor.  It's the perfect side dish for pot lucks and picnics, even if they are on your living room floor in front of the TV :).

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
By Grumpy's Honey Bunch

Ingredients

8 oz dried rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 stalks celery, diced
1 green onion, thinly sliced, including green top
1/3 cup roasted red pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (I used canned chicken once when I was in a hurry, it turned out great)
1/2 cup Mayonnaise (I used low-fat)
2-3 tablespoons Frank's Red Hot Sauce (use according to taste, I like a lot, but if you're feeding a crowd, you may only want to do 2)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon roasted red pepper brine (the juice the peppers are in)
2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Directions

Mix pasta, celery, onion, roasted red pepper and chicken in large mixing bowl.  Set aside.

Mix together Mayonnaise, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper brine and crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. 

Toss mayo mixture with pasta mixture and chill.  Enjoy

Chicken Canzanese

We survived! It has undoubtedly been one of the longest weeks of my life, but we're safe and that's what matters. The hurricane hit us around midnight with a screaming loud vengeance. Since my husband was out of town, I spent the night with one little foot under my ribs and one in my face.  My kids were way too scared to go to bed.  I couldn't blame them, the wind made my steel door shake so loudly that you would have thought a heard of aliens were desperately trying to come in.  The power was out that night, and just returned yesterday, six days later.  You never could have told me that the power was going to be out that long.  Luckily, thanks to good neighbors and friends, we all got through it.  My husband made it back safely, and I will never again take heat or light for granted.  My thoughts and prayers to those who lost so much and are still waiting for heat and power.  I hope things return to normal very quickly!

Back to the food...I'm going to just go ahead and say it, this might be the best chicken I have ever had...like, ever.  I'm already a huge fan of dark meat chicken, but add luxurious ingredients like bacon, wine and fresh herbs, and I'm practically floating out of my chair.  I would happily pay good money for something like this at a restaurant.  This is a bit time consuming, but SO worth it.

Chicken Canzanese
From What's Cooking Chicago?

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces of diced prosciutto or bacon (I used bacon)
2 garlic cloves sliced lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, (trimmed of excess fat and skin)
2 teaspoons flour
2 cups dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock or broth
4 clove buds
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, minced
15 whole fresh sage leaves
2 bay leaves
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
kosher salt

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 325?, with the rack at middle-lower position. Season the chicken lightly with kosher salt, ground black pepper and garlic powder as desired.

In a large skillet (I used my 12" cast iron skillet), heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and saute the prosciutto/bacon until fragrant, and add the garlic slices and minced garlic, cooking for just a minute or so until lightly golden. Remove and place in a small bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet without cleaning the pan, add the rest of the olive oil and heat until very hot. Add the chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook without disturbing for about 8 minutes or until golden brown. Flip pieces over and cook another 5 minutes. You may need to do this in batches. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Remove some of the rendered fat from the pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Make a blond roux by adding the flour to the pan, and stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon or spatula until fragrant, about one minute. Add the wine and broth, slowly, stirring to make a smooth, slightly thin sauce, continuing to scrape the bottom until all the browned bits have been scraped up off the bottom of the pan. If the sauce begins to lump, whisk vigorously until it smoothes out. Add in the whole cloves, red pepper flakes, sage leaves, bay leaves, and reserved prosciutto/bacon and garlic.

Add the chicken to the pan in a single layer, skin-side up so it rests above the liquid. Place the skillet uncovered into the preheated oven and bake until chicken is completely tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Check on the chicken after about 15 minutes after you place it in the oven - the broth should be barely bubbling. If it is boiling or not bubbling at all, raise or lower your temperature slightly, accordingly.

Remove chicken from pan to a serving platter and tent loosely with foil, leaving the sauce in the skillet. Remove the sage leaves, rosemary stem, cloves and bay leaves and discard. Place skillet over high heat on the stovetop, and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook the sauce until it has reduced and thickened. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, butter, and minced rosemary. Pour sauce around chicken, and serve.

Served with rice to soak of that sauce, and sauteed mushrooms, because well, it just seemed appropriate for this dish.

Tex-Mex Pinwheels

We're big sandwich people at our house.  My husband always keeps a fresh loaf of homemade bread in the box, and sandwiches are made on an almost daily basis.  It's nice that my kids like them so much, packing lunches for them in the morning is a snap.  But every now and then we all need a change.

These little pinwheels were a total hit with kids and adults.  They are full of flavor, but still mild.  They are soft, bite sized and will go a long way when feeding a crowd.  You can't go wrong with favorites like chicken, cheese and olives.  Serve them as an appetizer, or one of the main dishes, you can't go wrong.


Tex-Mex Pinwheels
A Blog About Food

Ingredients

8 ounces light sour cream
8 ounces light cream cheese, softened
4 oz can chopped green chiles
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon cumin (or to taste)
1 tablespoon chili powder (or to taste)
garlic salt to taste
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, diced into very small pieces
1 cup olives, diced
5 10-inch flour tortillas

Directions

In a mixing bowl combine sour cream, cream cheese, green chiles, cheddar cheese, green onions, and seasonings to taste.  Then gently fold in olives and chicken.

Divide evenly and spread over each tortilla, leaving about half and inch of space at the edge.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours (I made mine the day before).  Unwrap, cut into 1-2 inch pieces and serve either cold or at room temp.

Chicken Provolone

I find weeknight meals to be a bit tricky sometimes.  After a long busy day, I rarely want to spend an hour plus in the kitchen.  However, I also don't want to always be turning to boxed pizzas or takeout whenever I've had a long day.  I just want a delicious, home cooked meal that I can whip up in twenty minutes or less, with little cleanup afterwards.  Is that asking too much?

The good news is, thanks to amazing bloggers such as yourselves, AND an endless variety of cookbooks and magazines, there are a ton of ideas out there.  This I found from an old Taste of Home magazine that I'd managed to hold on to.  Seasoned chicken breast, baked with basil, ham and provolone makes for a gooey and flavorful main dish.  Throw in some rice and a side of seasonal fruit and dinner is served in no time.  Now, back to homework, dishes, reading to the kids, cleaning the house, bathtime...

Chicken Provolone
Taste of Home, Healthy Cooking July 2008

Ingredients

4 skinless boneless chicken halves 4 oz each
1/4 teaspoon pepper
cooking spray
8 fresh basil leaves
4 thin slices prosciutto or deli ham
4 slices Provolone cheese

Directions

1.  Sprinkle chicken with pepper.  In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

2.  Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet: top with basil, prosciutto and cheese.  Broil 6-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Skinny Sour Cream Enchiladas

 Sometimes there is nothing better than tastes and smells from your childhood.

And for me, that means opening cans and boxes that I normally never would.

Cans full of Cream of Chicken Soup and such.

I know, I know.  It's not ideal.  But when one is in need of something, creamy, comforting and deliciously nostalgic, one does what must be done.

Besides, I did serve it on a bed of lettuce.  And that makes everything okay, right? :)

Skinny Sour Cream Enchiladas
Slightly adapted from Skinny Mom

Ingredients

 16 oz. fat free sour cream
1 can fat free cream of chicken soup
1 tbls. fresh chopped cilantro (1/2 tbls. dried)
2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
1 cup chopped olives
1 can Mexican Rotel
1 cup chopped onions (optional)
8 low carb tortillas
1 cup shredded pepper jack and colby cheese blend
1 can diced green chiles

Directions


In a saucepan, mix together sour cream, soup and cilantro. Heat through and set aside.
This is will get to the bubble up/boil stage quickly and make a huge hot mess if you don�t keep stirring.

Combine the chicken, rotel, olives, onions and green chiles in a pan sprayed with cooking spray. Heat until onions are transparent. Or if you omit onions like I have done, for a few minutes to blend the flavors and juices.


Warm the tortillas until flexible. (I microwave them for 10 seconds sandwiched between two dam paper towels.)  Fill each tortilla with about 2 tbls. of the chicken mixture.  Top each with about a tablespoon of cheese.  Roll the tortilla up and place seam side down in a 8�11 dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Pour and spread remaining sauce over the enchiladas.  Top with remaining cheese.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Club Pasta

 Not near as embarrassing as a wardrobe malfunction, it seems as though I have suffered a pasta malfunction.  You see my friends, what you see before you started as bowtie pasta, but clearly it did not turn out that way.  Does anyone know if dried pasta actually expires?  Is there a date when your pasta will fall to pieces in your boiling pan?  I don't remember buying bowties in 2001, but maybe I did.

Fortunately tastes was not compromised and this still ended up being a delicious dinner.  I posted this recipe For-E-VER (name that movie) ago, and now I'm re-posting it because it's so simple and delicious.  All the great flavors of a club sandwich tossed together in a warm pasta?  You can't beat that with a stick.

Club Pasta

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of oil
4-5 slices of center cut bacon, chopped, cooked and drained
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups of cooked and chopped chicken or turkey breast
8-10 roma or compari tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup shredded parmesan, mozzarella, or provolone
1 12 oz box bowtie pasta, cooked according to directions
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions

In a large skillet heat oil and add garlic.  Cook for 1-2 minutes and add chopped tomatoes.  Cook for another four to five minutes until tomato skins are softened.  Add pasta, chicken and bacon.  Cook in pan for five-eight minutes until all ingredients are heated through and well combined.  Add cheese and parsley and stir until cheese melts.  Serve immediately.

Gorgonzola Chicken Salad

I would love to be more of an innovator in the kitchen and invent my own recipes. I have a lot of respect for those that are. Most of my creations are at least inspired by recipes that I find in books or online. It's rare that I'm able to come up with anything on my own, and when I do, it's usually out of necessity. This was one of those times. Right before we moved I was desperate to eat every morsel out of our fridge before I took a trip to the grocery store. I didn't plan to move a bunch of food, and I absolutely hate to throw food away, I honestly lose sleep over wasted food. So with some leftover chicken and Gorgonzola cheese, this lighter and tasty salad was born. Protein seekers rejoice, with all the chicken, cheese and yogurt, this salad packs a serious punch!  

Gorgonzola Chicken Salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
1 apple, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
 2 green onions, or one shallot, chopped
3/4 cup fat-free greek yogurt
2 tablespoons low fat mayo
1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
3 tablespoons blue or gorgonzola cheese (more or less to taste)
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

In a medium sized bowl, combine chicken, apples, celery, almonds and dried cranberries, and onion.  In a small bowl combine remaining ingredients except salt, pepper and parsley.  Mix dressing into chicken mixture and combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste and fresh parsley.  Serve either chilled or at room temperature, as sandwiches, wraps, or on a bed of lettuce.

Spicy Chicken-Spinach Lettuce Wraps

To once again quote Barney from How I Met Your Mother, "If you want to make God laugh, just tell him your plans." I don't think anything could be closer to the truth for us these last few weeks.

To make a long story short, after spending the last few months expecting to either stay in Philly, or move to California, we woke up one morning and discovered that neither were going to happen for us. Not only that, but we had absolutely no clue where we were going to go after my husband graduated from dental school. After a LONG week of stress, tears and uncertainty, my husband finally landed an Oral Surgery internship in New Jersey! It was probably the last place we expected to end up, but we are so excited. New York will be close and from what I've heard, New Jersey is beautiful.

So those are our plans. And of course, being the weird food blogger that I am, the first thing I thought was "I hope I have better lighting in my new apartment for my food pictures!" Haha, you understand, right?

I found these lettuce wraps on Emily's blog at The Open Pantry. I just love visiting this blog. It's bright and fun, and not only does she post delicious recipes, but this girl can make an adorable cake!

We loved these lettuce wraps. They're low carb, low fat, but high flavor, and just delicious with either a peanut sauce or sweet chili sauce.


Spicy Chicken-Spinach Lettuce Wraps
Adapted from The Open Pantry

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Turkey (or diced chicken)
2 tsp Sesame Oil
2 tsp Canola Oil
1-2 tsp Garlic Chili Paste
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
3 tsp Ginger, minced
4 Green Onions, Chopped
2 cups Baby Spinach
1/2 cup Carrots, shredded or minced
1-2 Tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
2 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar

Directions

Heat the sesame and canola oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, garlic chili paste, carrots and green onions to the wok. Cook for 1 minute, add the ground turkey. Cook until the turkey is no longer pink. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, and spinach. Toss together, cook for 1 more minute and remove from heat. Serve turkey mixture with red lettuce leaves as wraps and top with spicy/sweet soy sauce and peanuts. Enjoy!

Chicken Tostadas with Avacado Dressing

For some reason, October always ends up being one of the busiest months of the year for me. And in all honesty, I can't even tell you what it is that constantly has me running all over town! I've just been happy if I get a minute to read a few chapters from my book, or a chance to check in on my blog buddies. So I might be scarce for a while, but hopefully not for long.

I made these delicious and colorful tostadas back in September. And while it's not exactly "fall food" it might be a light and fresh lunch or dinner for a day when you're in the mood for it. This was quick to assemble, and very tasty. Definitely don't leave out the avocado dressing, it was my favorite part!



Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Dressing
Cooking Light August 2011

Ingredients

2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (start with less and add gradually, I didn't think it needed this much)
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 ripe peeled avocado
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
4 (6-inch) flour tortillas
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalape�o pepper, minced
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled queso fresco

Directions

1. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 teaspoon oil to pan. Cook 1 tortilla 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Repeat procedure with 2 1/4 teaspoons oil and remaining tortillas.

3. Add remaining oil to pan. Add garlic and jalape�o; saut� 1 1/2 minutes. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes. Place 1 tortilla on each of 4 plates; top each tortilla with 1/2 cup chicken mixture, 1/4 cup lettuce, 2 tablespoons tomato, and 1 tablespoon cheese. Top each serving with 3 tablespoons dressing

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Happy Friday everyone! How has your week been? Is it just me, or does October always feel uncharacteristically busy? Maybe it's the upcoming holidays, or maybe I'm finally just getting my stuff done instead of reading a book for a change, ha! Either way, it's flying by.



Pinterest came to the rescue with this dish after realizing that it was 5'oclock and I had absolutely no idea what we were going to eat that night. It was honestly one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had, the flavors were delicious, and it was so easy to make. My husband and I had to fight over who got the leftovers :) And of course, any dish that my kids will eat is an instant winner in our house. Make this pasta, I promise you won't regret it.

Check out the recipe here, Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour is an adorable blog. Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Just in this last year, I have discovered my love for the flavors of Buffalo Chicken. And it's a good thing too, it seems to be everywhere these days! In the form of sandwiches, pastas, casseroles, and of course, you can't beat the old fashioned wing.


I found this idea on Pinterest, in need of using up the last bit of KC Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade I received as a part of the Foodbuzz Program. It's so easy, and so tasty! The chicken comes out tender, spicy and slightly sweet, which is the perfect thing to pair with pungent blue cheese and crisp lettuce. Wrapped in a tortilla and you have a finger licking lunch on your hands. It will definitely warm your belly on these cooler fall days.

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Ingredients

4-5 flour or whole wheat tortillas
5-6 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
1 1/2 cup Buffalo Chicken Marinade or preferred hot sauce
Blue Cheese or Gorgonzola crumbles
Blue Cheese or Ranch dressing
chopped lettuce and tomato (optional)

Directions

In a crockpot, combine chicken thighs and Buffalo Sauce. Cook on high for 3-5 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and falls apart easily. Shred chicken with sauce.

Assemble wrap with chicken, Blue Cheese, dressing, lettuce and tomato. Wrap tightly and fasten with toothpicks if desired. Enjoy! Napkins recommended!

Buffalo Chicken done Two Ways

Gosh, I've been a lousy blogger.

I would love to tell you that it's because I've been insanely busy saving the world, or throwing awesome crazy parties, but here's my lame excuse...

I've been reading.

A lot.

Can one have an unhealthy obsession with books? I suppose there are way worse obsessions, but seriously, when shopping, sunlight, and mealtimes start to become obstacles, rather then enjoyable, perhaps it's time to address some issues.

Luckily I have managed to squeeze in a meal here and there. Two of them were courtesy of Masterpiece's Buffalo Chicken marinade, a sample I received for free as a Foodbuzz member.


First let me say something about the marinade itself. It's delicious. I'm definitely not a Connoisseur of buffalo wings, by any means, but I did really like this sauce. It's very tangy, and hot, and proved itself to be versatile for several different uses.



The first thing I made was a Buffalo Chicken risotto that I could not stop thinking about. I was almost certain that if I made it, I was going to be the only one who liked it, but my husband and I both lapped this up like starved puppies. My husband even declared it the best risotto he had, but considering the fact that it was infused with classic "man-food" I wasn't too surprised. My mouth still waters every time I think of this dish.



Buffalo Chicken Risotto
Cuisine Magazine April 2011

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup hot sauce, or Masterpieces Buffalo Chicken Marinade
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup minced celery
1/2 cup onion
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup dry arborio rice
1/2 cup lager beer, or white wine (I used wine)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken

chopped celery
blue cheese crumbles
blue cheese dressing (I used homemade)

Directions

For the brodo, simmer broth, hot sauce, honey, and worcestershire in a saucepan over medium heat.

For the risotto, sweat minced celery and onion in butter in a large saute pan over medium heat until slightly softened, 3-5 minutes. Stir in rice and saute until each grain is coated in butter.

Deglaze the pan with beer or wine and stir until completely absorbed, 1-2 minutes. Add brodo to the pan in 1/2-cup increments; simmer and stir frequently until each addition is almost completely absorbed before adding the next, about 45 minutes total. Stir in chicken and heat through.

Garnish each serving of risotto with chopped celery, blue cheese crumbles, and blue cheese dressing (don't skip this part, it really makes the risotto!)



The second thing we made were these delicious buffalo chicken salads. Really no recipe needed for this one. Warm cooked, shredded chicken, coated with the buffalo chicken marinade, over the stovetop. On a large bed of lettuce (yes there really is lettuce under there), top with broccoli, celery, sliced cucumbers, chicken, blue cheese crumbles, and tortilla chips. Serve with a side of blue cheese dressing as well. This was very delicious, and rather healthy. The chicken and blue cheese make this a very flavorful salad.



I'll go ahead and dedicate these manly chicken dishes to all the fathers out there, Happy Father's Day! I sure am grateful for my dad, and the father of my kids.

And now to come full circle, are you a reader? If so, what kind of books do you like to read?