Chicken Caesar Salad

Tags

anchovy, caesar, chicken, dressing, easy, garlic, quick, salad

I love a good Caesar salad. It is simple, savory, and delicious. Plus it is super easy to make. I am a hard core believer in homemade salad dressing. Bottled Caesar is disgusting compared to homemade and this one is so simple there is no reason not to make it.

Chicken Caesar Salad

• Cooked chicken (I use leftover rotisserie chicken)
• Croutons
• Parmesan shavings
• Lettuce
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 2 egg yolks
• Salt and pepper to taste (I don’t use salt because the fish is salty enough)
• 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Get out a small bowl in which to combine your dressing ingredients. On a cutting board, finely chop the garlic and anchovies together until they make a paste. Add to the bowl. Add the egg yolks and mix together well. Add the mustard and lemon juice. Stir again. Add the olive oil and whisk vigorously, until the dressing looks creamy.

In a bowl, add lettuce, chicken, croutons, and Parm shavings. Top with desired amount of dressing.

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Cheesy Baked Chicken Taquitos

Tags

appetizer, baked, cheese, chicken, easy, main dish, Mexican, taquitos

I love taquitos, even the frozen ones. But I don’t love the price, the high sodium levels, or that they are so processed with ingredients I can’t even begin to pronounce. I didn’t want something complicated, though. This recipe is a perfect match for my food needs. You can make up a whole bunch of these and then freeze them for later use. Plus, they are easy to make so you can get your kids evolved.

• Servings: 4 to 6
• Time: 40 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

• 3 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup salsa verde
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1 tsp chipotle chile powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• pinch cayenne pepper
• A couple of shakes of red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tbsp finely chopped onions
• 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 12 to 15 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. Stir in the chicken and the shredded cheese. Taste then season with salt and pepper as needed.

When you make the taquitos, the tortillas need to be pliable. Dampen a couple of paper towels and layer the tortillas on a plate in this order – two tortillas, paper towel, two tortillas, paper towel. Microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, until they are soft and pliable.

Spoon 3 tablespoons of filling onto the tortilla and roll tightly.  Place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat until all the filling is used.

Spray the taquitos lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden-brown.  Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole. Inspired by this recipe from Pink Parsley. 

Ham, Cheddar, and Potato Frittata

Tags

breakfast, casserole, cheese, easy, egg, food, frittata, gluten free, ham, meal, quick

My new job is great. It is not great to home at 630pm (at the earliest) every night and still have to fix dinner. I know I could just not cook but what would I eat for lunch the next day? Cafeteria food is ok sometimes but it’s greasiness and boring flavors get old. I mean, how many slices of pizza and chicken strips can one person eat?!? This meal is quick and good for any of the three meals in busy day.

Ham, Cheddar, and Potato Frittata (from Alaska From Scratch)

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 cup russet potatoes, peeled and chopped in small, uniform cubes
• 1 cup diced ham
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1-1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup green onions, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a 9 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Melt butter. Add potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until  tender (mine took about 12 minutes, but it will depend on how small you cut them). Add diced ham to the potatoes and cook another 2 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, 1 cup of cheese, green onions, salt and pepper. Pour into skillet, give a quick stir, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Remove lid from pan and top with remaining cheese. Transfer skillet to broiler and broil until eggs are set (no longer jiggling and firm to the touch), cheese is melted, and top begins to only gently brown. Garnish with more green onion. Cut into wedges. Serves 6.

Omelette Pie?!

Tags

bacon, breakfast, easy, eggs, food, lorraine, mushrooms, quiche, Southern

When my husband came in the kitchen last night, he gave this dish a funny look and said, “What’s that?” I told him it was a quiche. He said, “No one here is French! It’s omelette pie!” Regardless of what you call it, it’s tasty and easy to through together. Perfect for breakfast during the hurried holidays or for a lovely brunch with friends.

Quiche Lorraine

• 1 prepared pie crust
• 1/2 pound of bacon, fried and diced
• 6 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• Olive oil
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 eggs
• Slat and pepper to taste
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup grated gruyere (I used cheddar because it’s what I had)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the crust in a pie pan and prick the crust with a fork to prevent bubbles. Parbake the crust until just starting to show color. Remove from the oven until the filling is prepared.

In a small skillet, saute the onions and mushrooms together. Pour off any extra juices. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and the cream. Add the milk and nutmeg, whisking again.

In the crust, sprinkle the bacon. Top with cheese and the mushroom mixture. Pour the eggs over it all. Place the quiche in the oven and bake until set, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

Herb and Citrus Roasted Chicken

Tags

chicken, citrus, easy, gluten free, herb, meat, oven, quick, roasted

Busy fall weekends full of football and pumpkin patches and hiking through the leaves needs a quick main dish that required only a bit of prep for a lot of flavor. This recipes gets you there…

Herb and Citrus Roasted Chicken (from the Comfort of Cooking)

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 whole lemons, one juiced and one sliced
• 2 whole oranges, one juiced and one sliced
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 4 lbs of chicken thighs (leave the bones and skin intact)
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp dried rosemary
• Chopped fresh herbs), for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, garlic, sugar, lemon juice, orange juice, Italian seasoning, paprika, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper.

Place chicken in a rimmed 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Place parts skin side up and spread them out evenly in the pan. Pour olive oil mixture all over chicken, turning pieces to coat all sides. (If you marinated the chicken in this mixture, still add it all in). Arrange slices of lemon, orange and onion around and under the chicken. Sprinkle all over generously with thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Bake uncovered for about 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked and juices run clear. Remove parts to a serving platter and garnish with additional chopped fresh herbs, if desired. Serves 8.

Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce

Tags

asparagus, blender, easy, food, hollandaise sauce

I shuddered at the thought of making hollandaise sauce before this recipe. Even the name seems so much more up-scale and gourmet than I can even begin to be. Who has the time/desire to whisk into oblivion? That constant adjusting of heat to avoid scrambling your eggs instead of fluffing them. Too much for me, I said to myself. Leave that to the pros.

Then Cecilia at the Kitchen’s Garden posted this. She is a busy working woman with no time for all that whisking. Too many animals, asparagus beds, and other farmy projects to spend time on a sauce. Her taste is very good; if she approves of it, I knew it was sure to be good.

I was not let down.

Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce

• 3 egg yolks (I used farm fresh eggs, which have a much better yolk color!)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 10 tablespoons melted unsalted butter (if using salted butter, skip the added salt)

In a blender, place the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne. Blend at high speed for about 20 to 30 seconds, until you see the eggs changes color (they become lighter). Slowly drizzle the hot, melted butter into the eggs all the while running the blender at the lowest speed possible. Be sure to cover the mouth of the blender because it will tend to splatter everywhere. After the butter is added, blend another 10 seconds or so to be sure everything is incorporated. Makes about a cup. Serve over asparagus or eggs benedict.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Tags

appetizer, cream cheese, easy, jalapeno, popper, quick

This past weekend was super busy. The in-law came to visit and I was invited to the baby shower of a dear friend (along with three other events I had to skip). The picture below is of all my lovely former co-workers. It is a more attractive photo than the poppers 🙂 Having such friends is a blessing!

Jalapeno Popper Dip

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 4 ounces canned diced jalapeno peppers, drained
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the cream cheese and mayo. Add the jalapenos and mix well. Top with the parmesan cheese and microwave for 3 minutes. Serve with bread or torilla chips.

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

Tags

balsamic, crockpot, Dinner, easy, glaze, meat, pork, Supper

I found this fantastic recipe at C+C Marriage Factory, a great little blog with gorgeous photos and even better recipes. This is the first that I have tried of hers but I anticipate many in the future. I served them the Rosemary Olive Oil Buns posted yesterday. It was a fantastic meal!

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

• 1 (2 pound) boneless pork tenderloin (or regular pork loin)
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking (I had to pour off some extra liquid before this step). Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

Fish Tacos

Tags

Dinner, easy, fish, Mexican, quick, Supper, tacos

I love fish tacos and it is one of my go-to meals. I love the variety it provides- different fish, seasonings, and toppings. Plus it is just another way to eat more guacamole 😉

On a side note- a great discovery at the grocery- Mission Brand Carb Balance tortillas. While they are rather expensive ($4.19 for 8 tortillas), they taste fantastic and are good for you. One tortilla has 120 calories, 19g of total carbs, and 13g of dietary fiber. There is a net of 6g of carbs. How awesome is that?!? According to a Colorado State University article, the average 19-50 year old female should eat 25g/day; the average male, 38g/day. So if you eat just one tonight, you are almost half way there! For your general health, as well as that of your colon, dietary fiber is a must. Why not get it in a tasty way?

These tacos are served with Mexican Rice, guacamole, sour cream, and a quick black bean (more fiber!) and corn salsa. Filling without being bulky and super delish!

Fish Tacos

• 4 tilapia fillets
• Seasonings to taste: garlic and onion powder, salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper
• Pam spray

Spray Pam on the bottom of a glass pan large enough to fit your fish fillets. Sprinke the fillets with the desired amount of seasonings. Bake at 400 degrees until flaky, approx 10 to 12 minutes. Served in a warmed tortilla with your desired toppings, including salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, or black olives.

Lemon Garlic Tilapia

Tags

Dinner, easy, fish, lemon, quick, simple, Supper, tilapia

It seems like we don’t have enough fish in diets. I am trying to work on that. This recipe is a good addition because it is so simple and tasty.

Lemon Garlic Tilapia

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 clove garlic, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Rinse tilapia fillets under cool water, and pat dry with paper towels. Place fillets in baking dish. Pour lemon juice over fillets, then drizzle butter on top. Sprinkle with garlic, parsley, and pepper. Bake in preheated oven until the fish is white and flakes when pulled apart with a fork, about 20 minutes.