Avocado and Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Tags

avocado, chicken, gluten free, lettuce, quick, wrap

My sweet boyfriend is out of town at annual training with the Army for 3 weeks. What does that mean for me, other than being lonely? DIET TIME! Since dating, I have gained those 10 pounds of “happy weight” that everyone dreads. How can I NOT eat when someone makes me a delicious dinner? How can I NOT drink a beer when there are several new, fun breweries and pubs? So I have been enjoying too much. These three weeks are crunch time! Exercise more. Eat less. Wish that it was easier to lose than gain…. Cheers to more bunny food!

Avocado and Chicken Lettuce Wraps

• 1 chicken breast from a rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 2 large leaves from iceburg or romaine lettuce
• 1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
• Red onion, to taste
• 2 small tomatoes, quartered
• 2 slices of cheese
• Dijon mustard, to taste

Pretend like you are making a burrito. Lay the leaf of lettuce on a plate. On one third of the lettuce, layer the chicken, avocado, onion, 4 pieces of tomato, the slice of cheese broken in half, and mustard to taste. Gently roll the lettuce up into a burrito shape. Makes 2 rolls.

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Grilled Peaches

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dessert, fruit, gluten free, grilled, peaches, quick, Southern

It’s that perfect time of year…. PEACH TIME!

Nothing beats sweet, juicy Southern peaches warm from the summer sun. I don’t like to do too much to them. I want to embrace their perfection, not mask it. This dessert is a quick one, perfect to thrown on the grill while you each the burgers you just made.

Grilled Peaches

• 2 ripe peaches, halved
• 2 tbsp honey
• Cinnamon, to taste
• Almond slices to garnish

In a bowl, drizzle the peach halves with the honey. Sprinkle with cinnamon to taste. Place on grill over medium heat. Grill for 2 minutes per side. Garnish with the almonds. Serves 2.

Ravioli with a Fresh Tomato Sauce

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cheese, Dinner, fresh, mushrooms, pasta, quick, ravioli, sauce, tomato, vegetarian

This is a quick work night dinner or busy weekend lunch that you can make to use up the last of this season’s tomatoes. I am sad that winter is coming but looking forward to fall foods… I can’t wait for soups, chowders, and root veggie hash. Mmmm!

Ravioli with a Fresh Tomato Sauce

• 2 servings of fresh cheese ravioli
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 5 leaves of basil, sliced very thinly
• 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 small onion, chopped
• Olive oil
• Parsley, chopped, to garnish
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Prepare the ravioli per package instructions. In a skillet, heat up about 1 tbsp. olive oil and sauté the mushrooms, garlic, and onion until tender. Add the tomatoes and warm through. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the basil. Place al dente ravioli on plates; top with sauce and garnish with chopped parsley. Serves 2.

Ham and Havarti Pizza with Onions and Apples

Tags

apples, cheese, Dinner, ham, havarti, Italian, onions, pizza, quick

These little pizzas are a snap to throw together one a busy work night. Buy the flatbreads so you don’t have to make crust. Even your kids can make these. And the salty/sweet combo is amazing.

Ham and Havarti Pizza with Onions and Apples

• 3 oz thinly sliced deli ham
• 1/3 cup Havarti cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced onions
• 1/2 tart apple, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 2 flatbreads

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the two flatbreads on a pizza stone. In a small bowl, add the onions, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Toss to combine. Spoon evenly over flatbreads. Take the thin apple slices and lay evenly over the onions. Roll the ham into a cigar and slice thinly. Sprinkle ham over apples. Top with the cheese. Bake until cheese is melty and slightly browning. Serves 1 or 2 with a large side salad.

Quick Pickled Onions

Tags

appetizer, condiment, gluten free, onions, pickled, quick, red, snack, vegetarian

Every get together of our Foodie Friend group, someone requests these quick pickled onions. They go with damn near anything. Hamburgs, hot dogs, BBQ, soup beans, Mexican food, charcuterie, cheese plates, dried fruits…. See what I mean…. You want to make these. Just do it.

Quick Pickled Onions

• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 5 to 10 whole peppercorns
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced

In a sauce pan, combine all ingredients except the onion. Bring to a boil. In a glass bowl, add the onion and pour the hot vinegar over the onion. When room temperature, refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

A Simple Pasta Dinner

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cheese, garlic, Italian, main dish, parmesan, pasta, quick

I love to cook but some nights I am just not in the mood to be in the kitchen for an extended period of time. This pasta dish is quick, easy, and satisfying. Plus the leftovers are good too!

Spicy, Garlicy Pasta

• 1/2 box of spaghetti
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp of chili pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook spaghetti until it is al dente. Drain and set aside. While the noodles are cooking, gently heat the garlic, chili flakes, olive oil, salt and pepper until fragrant. Pour over the noodles and toss to coat everything evenly. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serves 2.

Greek Flatbread Pizza

Tags

asiago, cheese, flatbread, food, greek, kalamata, main dishes, parmesan, pizza, prosciutto, quick

Working late the past couple of weeks has really put a crimp in my cooking style. I can’t stand just eating fast food or frozen junk. This pizza is super quick and very tasty. Thank goodness for flatbreads. You can just throw on your toppings and bake. Poof! Tasty meal in less than 30 minutes. Really.

Greek Flatbread Pizza

• 1 flatbread pizza crust
• Your favorite sauce or pesto
• 3/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 10 kalamata olives, halved
• 3 to 4 thinly sliced slices of prosciutto
• 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved
• 5 mushrooms, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the flatbread on your pizza pan (I used a pampered chef stone. LOVE IT!). Top the crust with the desired amount of sauce or pesto. Add the olives, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms. Evenly sprinkle the cheese over the veggies. Scatter the prosciutto over the cheese. Bake the pizza until the cheese is melty and the edges of the proscuitto is lightly browning on the edges. Serves 3.

 

Bacon and Asparagus Pasta

Tags

alfredo, asparagus, bacon, food, Italian, main dish, pasta, quick

Here is a quick pasta dish I threw together using the ingredients in my fridge. It took no more than 20 minutes. A perfect dish for a work night meal.

Bacon and Asparagus Pasta

• 1/2 lb raw bacon, diced
• 1 lb asparagus, woody stems removed
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 lb pasta of your choice
• Alfredo sauce
• Parmesan cheese to garnish

In a skillet, saute the chopped bacon until crispy. At the same time, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain off all but a tablespoon of bacon grease. Add the asparagus and garlic; saute until the asparagus is bright green and tender. Combine the crispy bacon, asparagus, pasta, and the desired amount of alfredo sauce. Heat until warmed through. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serves 2 to 3.

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.

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.