Seared Steak with Kale Salad

The original recipe called for Swiss Chard and ummm we've tried that stuff and it just isn't our thing - but we love Kale salads so whenever I have a recipe for Chard - I sub out for Kale. Yum. The trick is you have to let olive oil wilt the kale while you are cooking so it isn't so tough. I also like to sear our steaks on the stove top in a cast iron skillet and then finish them in the oven. The cooking time depends on how thick the steak is though so I can't give an exact time. I set my oven tempt o 375º though no matter the thickness of the steak.

Seared Steak with Kale Salad

Seared Steak with Kale Salad

Serves 2

ingredients

• 1/2 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped into bite size pieces

• 2 Tbsp EVOO

• 1 cup crusty bread cubes

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

• 1 Tbsp anchovy paste

• 1 clove garlic, smashed

• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 3/4 lb boneless beef sirloin steak, fat trimmed

• 1 tsp fresh mint, chopped

• 1/4 cup diced mozzarella cheese

directions

1. Put the Kale in a large bowl. Heat cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 Tbsp EVOO and bread cubes and season with S&P and maybe even some garlic powder. Cook tossing, 4-5 minutes until golden and toasted. Remove from skillet and add to the Kale.

2. Add the anchovy paste to the skillet, stirring, Add the garlic and 1 Tbsp EVOO and cook until garlic is golden. Add the maters and warm slightly, then whisk in lemon juice and season with S&P. Pour the dressing over the Kale and toss, set aside to wilt.

3. Wipe out the skillet carefully with a paper towel and turn up the heat to high. Season the steak with S&P and mint on both sides. Add remaining 1/2 Tbsp EVOO to skillet and sear the steak until browned for about 5 minutes. Turn the steak and transfer to the oven for 10-12 minutes for medium depending upon thickness of steak. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5-10 minutes to rest. Slice against the grain and serve with Kale salad. Note: Add mozzarella and tomatoes to the salad as well while the steak is cooking.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Food Network.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

I've really been slacking on the blog lately - whoops! It's just been really busy around here planning a wedding ya know!!! :-) So this is a really healthy salad that is not lacking any flavor - it sounds kinda strange to grill lettuce right??? Well, try it because it's delicious!!! And.... are you scared of using anchovies like I used to be? So there's now a tube of anchovy paste that you can buy so you don't have to touch or smell those hairy fishies - and seriously they add a salty flavor that isn't fishy - so just try it. Plus the tube can be stored in the fridge for a recipe that calls for anchovies later on, ya know?!? Sidenote, we don't have a grill right now so I used my cast iron grill pan indoors to make this meal. If your house doesn't have proper ventilation like mine, open a window because it'll get smokey. Awright, Awright here's how I made it...

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Serves 2

ingredients

• 2 large cloves garlic (we like garlic in dis house)

• 1/4 cup EVOO, plus more for brushing

• 2-4 anchovy fillets or 1/2 TBSP anchovy paste

• Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus zest

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

• French bread cubes, toasted about 1 cup

• 2 romaine lettuce hearts, halved lengthwise

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

directions

1.  Preheat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Make the dressing by combining garlic cloves, olive oil, anchovy paste, lemon juice/zest in a blender until smooth and season with S&P.

2. Pound the chicken with a mallet until about 1/8" thick. Season with S&P, garlic powder and some dressing on both sides. Grill the chicken until golden brown and crispy (3 minutes per side), set aside to rest before chopping.

3. Toss the toasted bread cubes with some olive oil, S&P and garlic powder in a non stick skillet until tasty. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Brush the romaine with some dressing on both sides and grill until charred, 2 minutes on each side. Chop and place in a large bowl. Chop up the chicken and add to the bowl with the romaine along with some Parmesan, croutons and some dressing. I also added some halved grape tomatoes to ours as well but that is optional. It's all about what you like! Season with S&P and add more dressing as needed.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Food Network.

Chille Relleno Burgers & Cheesy Chile Rice

Well we finally busted out some green Chile (the hot) for this meal and we barely talked to each other while eating dinner because it was that good. I mean really when green Chile is involved, the taste buds are happy in this house. With this recipe I was introduced to 2 new techniques of cooking/making burgers. First off, was sprinkling the salt in the pan before cooking the beef - this created a delicious crust on the meat. Secondly, was the spice mixture on the bun. Such a simple way to add more flavor to an already amazing burger. The original recipe called for tomatoes and I substituted them for roasted red bell peppers because it's what I had on hand and we didn't miss the tomato at all. In fact, I would recommend just using the red bell peppers if you have them.

Chile Relleno Burgers

Serves  2

Chile Relleno Burgers

ingredients

• 2 Hot roasted green chiles, seeds removed and halved lengthwise

• 2 roasted red bell peppers, seeds removed and chopped

• 1/2 small onion, quartered

• 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled

• 2 burger buns, split open

• 1 egg white, lightly beaten

• 1/4 tsp each dried oregano, Chile powder & ground cumin

• 1/2 lb ground beef chuck

• 2 slices pepper jack cheese

• Kosher Salt

directions

1. Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with foil and non stick spray. Place the onion and garlic on the sheet and broil for 5-6 minutes until charred. Cool slightly, then peel the garlic. Chop the garlic, onion and tomatoes and toss in a small bowl with salt to taste.

2. Preheat the oven to 350º. Brush the bun tops with egg white. Mix the oregano, cumin & Chile powder in a small bowl with your fingers, sprinkle on the bun tops and put the tops and bottoms on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes.

3. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Form your beef patties, make an indention in the centers of each patty. Sprinkle the skillet with coarse sea salt or kosher salt, cook the burgers until browned on bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip, then top burgers with green Chile, onion/pepper mixture and then a slice of cheese on top to keep it all in place. Cover and cook 3 minutes, turn off heat for medium cooked burgers and let them rest on a plate. Serve on spiced buns and leftover onion/pepper mixture on side as well.

Cheesy Chile Rice

Serves 4

 

Cheesy Chile Rice

ingredients

• 2 cups cooked rice

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1 cup chopped white onion

• 4 oz chopped green chiles

• 1 cup shredded chipotle cheddar cheese

• Salt & cayenne pepper to taste

• Grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

directions

1. Preheat oven to 450º. In a large bowl combine all ingredients except Parmesan and butter.

2. Butter a casserole dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Spread the rice mixture in the dish and top with more Parmesan cheese. Dot the top with butter and bake for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Food Network.

Chicken & Black Bean Tostadas

I first made this dinner for just us a few years ago, give or take and man we devoured it - I mean we definitely left the table feeling a little too full just because we ate so much. I decided to dig up the recipe and add it to the menu this week and I am so glad I did because it didn't disappoint he second time around. Between the creamy beans, the yummy chicken and the tangy cabbage and yogurt sauce it really is a great balance of flavors. Another bonus is that it's pretty dang easy to whip up if you are in a hurry, especially if you have leftover chicken in the fridge. So, here's how I made it...

Chicken & Black Bean Tostadas

Chicken and Black Bean Tostadas

Serves 4

ingredients

• 1/8 cup canola oil

• 8 corn tortillas

• 15.5 oz black beans (low sodium), drained & rinsed

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

• 1 large clove garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo (minced with some sauce)

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

• 2 tsp brown sugar

• 2 cups finely shredded cabbage

• 1 bunch radishes, julienned

• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1 large chicken breast, cooked & shredded (you could also use a rotisserie chicken)

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Heat 1/2" oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. You can also tear a bit of corn tortilla off and put in oil to see if it's ready to start frying. Fry tortillas one a time until golden and crisp on each side. Drain on paper towel lined plates. Note: you can simply buy tostadas at the store and omit this step altogether but making them fresh sure is tasty!

2. Cool the oil slightly and discard all but 2 tablespoons. Add the beans and cumin, some S&P and cook stirring for a few minutes. Add the broth and cook, smashing (use a potato masher) the beans, until saucy. 

3. Whisk the garlic, adobo sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice, sugar and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup oil to make a dressing. Add the cabbage, radishes and cilantro and toss together until well coated. Mix the yogurt, 2 tbsp lime juice in a small bowl and then season with S&P. I also like to put a little bit of grated lime zest in the yogurt sauce as well. 

4. Top each tortilla with beans, chicken, cabbage salad and yogurt sauce and your mouth will be very thankful because this meal is amazing!!! 

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Food Network.

Grilled Naan Pitzas

We do love making all different kind of pizzas in this household - don't we? On that note - here's another fun recipe on naan bread! I have also discovered that it does truly freeze well so buying it in bulk is definitely worth it. These delicious pizzas were all veggies and cheese for me but I gave in and added some ground turkey for Q's this time around. Both versions turned out great but I liked the meatless version better :-P. For the ground turkey, I used 1/4 lb and browned it up in a skillet with some EVOO, salt, pepper, cumin & garlic powder.

Grilled Naan Pitzas

Grilled Naan Pitzas

Serves 2

ingredients

• 1 tomato

• 1/2 Tbsp EVOO, plus more for brushing and drizzling

• 1 1/2 cups baby arugula

• 1/4 cup black olives, chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

• 1 small red onion, cut into 1" thick rounds

• 2 pocketless pitas or naan bread

• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese at room temp

• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, diced (or more!)

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Core the tomato and squeeze the juices and seeds into a large bowl. Whisk in EVOO and season with S&P. Add the arugula on top but don't toss just yet, set aside. Dice up the tomatoes and toss in a small bowl with olives and rosemary.

2. Preheat the grill to medium high. Brush the onion rounds with EVOO and season with some salt. Grill 3-4 minutes until soft and slightly sweet, 3-4 mins per side. Transfer to a plate and separate the rings. Reduce the grill to medium.

3. Brush the naan with EVOO and grill until slightly charred on both sides. Top with some of the tomato/olives, ricotta, mozzarella and onion. Cover and grill until the cheese melts, 2-3 minutes more.

4. Toss the arugula with dressing and pile on top of the pizzas. Season with salt and red pepper flakes and a drizzle of EVOO on each as well.

If you decide to add any meat to this dish, simply add on top of cheese layer. It's really a refreshing and light meal - I could eat it every week. NOM NOM NOM NOM.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Food Network.

Baked Beans Casserole

I had these at a family cookout last weekend and since I loved them so much I got the recipe and made them for a cookout today as well. They turned out great and were a big hit! The original recipe came from the Deen Brothers and I only made a few minor changes. Unfortunately, I forgot to snap a photo this time so you will have to imagine what they looked like. Here's how I made them, oh and since they are so hearty you could have them by themselves as a meal.

Baked Beans Casserole

Serves 8-10

ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

• 2 large white onions, finely chopped

• 1 lb ground round or other lean beef

• 2 - 28 oz cans baked beans

• 3 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar

• 1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1/2 tsp each kosher salt and black pepper

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 lb bacon

• 8-10 shakes of hot sauce

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a casserole dish with some cooking spray and set aside. 

2. In a cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beef; cook for 10 minutes breaking up the meat until fully cooked. Drain any excess fat out of the pan if necessary. Set meat in a large mixing bowl. Return skillet over medium heat and cook 1/2 lb of the bacon. Drain on paper towels and chop into 1/2" pieces. Add to the beef in the mixing bowl as well. 

3. Add the rest of the ingredients except the 1/2 lb slices of bacon to the mixing bowl and stir until combined. Pour into casserole dish and top with whole bacon slices or you can dice them up as well on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45-50 minutes until thick and bubbly. Uncover and preheat broiler. Broil for 5 minutes until the bacon is crisp.  Let rest for 5 minutes before serving so you don't burn your tongue off!

Some other ideas for this is to top brats/hot dogs, nachos, burritos or tacos with em they are sooo good!

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from The Deen Brothers.

Carrot Mushroom Barley Stew

I made this really great stew  from a recipe I found in my Food Network Cookbook. It was probably one of the best soups/stews I've ever made - I couldn't believe it. It had no meat but it was fantastic! If you have an avid meat lover in your household, try adding sweet Italian sausage, hot breakfast sausage or grilled chicken thighs, chopped up. I did have a bit of a hard time finding carrot juice but stumbled upon it in the produce section where the OJ was - man was it pricey! So I ended up buying a small bottle which was just the right amount that I needed for this recipe. Instead of adding 3 cups of water I added chicken stock but you could also use vegetable stock too. I'd say if you can't find the carrot juice or don't want to spend the $$$, I would definitely try this recipe with some spicy hot V8 juice too. That was my plan until I actually found the carrot juice. I was really excited to share this recipe because it was that good! Next time I make it, I will be doubling to freeze for those nights when you just don't feel like cooking.

Carrot Mushroom Barley Stew

serves 4

ingredients

• 2 cups carrot juice

• 3 cups chicken broth

• 10 oz baby bella shrooms, stems removed & reserved, caps sliced

• 2 Tbsp EVOO

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 cup quick cooking barley

• 1 large white onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 stalks celery with leave, finely diced

• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled (I used molcajete to crush the rosemary)

• 4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2" pieces

• 4 1/2 cups kale, stems removed and chopped

• 1 Tbsp grated, peeled ginger

• 1/2 Tbsp garlic pepper

directions

1. Bring the carrot juice, 3 cups chicken broth and shroom stems to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. In a dutch oven, heat EVOO and 2 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add the shroom caps and barley and cook until the barley is toasted, about 5-6 minutes. 

2. Add the garlic, onion, celery and rosemary to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

3. Increase the heat to high and half of the carrot juice mixture, leaving the shroom stems in the pan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is almost absorbed, about 5-6 minutes. 

4. Using a strainer over the dutch oven to catch the shroom stems, add the remaining carrot juice mixture, the kale and ginger and cook, stirring, until the barley and veggies are tender, about 5 more minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp butter, then serve.

You can serve this with some crusty bread or croissants for dredging. It's a hearty soup with lots of flavor. I did add some ingredients to the recipe to adapt to our tastes, etc. For me, the soup was hearty enough from the mushrooms not to miss any meat and perfect for fall. I love this time of year!!!

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Food Network's Great Easy Meals.

Sausage, Pork Chops and Kraut

I had a bunch of sauerkraut leftover from a meal earlier this week and wanted to find a meal to use it up on and found this one - it turned out to be a good one. The recipe called for juniper berries but I looked in 2 different stores for them and couldn't find 'em so I subbed in black peppercorns. I also think I may have cut up the pork a little too thin so if you make it slice the pork in thick slices so it doesn't shrink up too much.

Sausage, Pork Chops & Kraut

ingredients

• 1/2 lb sauerkraut, rinsed
• 4 small red skinned potatoes, halved
• 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 boneless smoked pork chop, trimmed & thickly sliced
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 apple, grated
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• Whole-grain mustard, for dipping

directions

1. Soak the kraut in a bowl of warm water to take the edge off a bit. Simmer the potatoes in water over medium heat until fork tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and keep warm.

2. Heat the veg oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat, Prick the sausages with fork and add to the pot with the pork; cook until browned on one side, 2-3 minutes. Turn the meats and add the onion, garlic, coriander, pepper and salt to taste. Cook until onion is golden browned, 4-5 minutes. Add the apple and cook for 1-2 minutes.

3. Drain the kraut, then add to the pot along with the chicken broth and 1/2 cup water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, then uncover and cook until thickened, 5 minutes. Transfer to plates with potatoes and serve with parsley on top and mustard on the side for dipping.

This will make 3 servings.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Food Network.

Corned Beef Reubens

So I decided to make Reubens with the leftover Corn Beef & Cabbage meal we had earlier this week.  I have to say they turned out great because we ate them for 2 nights in a row. :-) We ate the veggies from leftovers as a side too - yum! The recipe below will make enough for 2 sammies for 2 people! You can stack as much meat and toppings as you'd like as well.

Corned Beef Reubens

ingredients

• 4 slices Rye Bread

• 2 Tbsp Thousand Island Dressing (store bought or recipe follows)

• 3 Swiss cheese slices

• sauerkraut

• thinly sliced corned beef 

directions

1. Preheat the broiler. Place 4 slices of bread on a baking sheet and put under broil to lightly toast for 30 seconds or less. Turn and repeat. Remove from broiler. Remove 2 slices of bread and leave the 2 slices on baking sheet.

2. Spread some dressing onto the slices of bread on baking sheet. Then layer beef, sauerkraut and end with 1 1/2 slices of Swiss cheese on top of each. Place under broiler until cheese is melty and slightly browned and bubbly. While the bottom half is cooking under the broiler, spread some dressing on bread slices for top of the sammies.

3. Remove sammies from broiler and place top piece of bread on top of cheese while it's still hot. Slice in half and serve.

If you want to make your own Thousand Island dressing, here's a great recipe I use from Food Network...

Thousand Island Dressing

ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayo (I used olive oil mayo with cracked pepper)

• 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce (found on Asian aisle)

• 2 Tbsp each sweet pickle relish, chopped chives, 1 chopped hard boiled egg

• juice of half of 1 lemon

Whisk the following ingredients and chill until ready to serve in a small mason jar with a lid.This will make about 1- 1/2 cups of dressing so you will have lots of leftovers to use on salads or dip for veggie snacks.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Me and Food Network.

Corned Beef with Cabbage, Carrots & Potatoes

I decided to make an Irish classic for dinner out of the blue this weekend and it turned out great. The addition of yummy veggies and the apple juice create a great flavor to the meat. Like most crock pot meals this one is super easy and not much chopping or prep time involved at all. Here's how we made it...

Corned Beef with Cabbage, Carrots & Potatoes

ingredients

• 3.5 lb Corned Beef Brisket with spice packet
• 5 carrots, julienned
• 1 lb baby red potatoes, washed & quartered
• 1 medium white onion, halved and sliced thinly
• 3/4 small head cabbage, chopped
• 3 cups water
• 6 oz apple juice (not from concentrate)

directions

1. Place the potatoes, onions and water in the slow cooker and stir. Place brisket (fat side down) on top of the veggies, then pour the apple juice over top, then the spice packet over the top of  the meat.

2. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours until meat is fork tender.

3. Add the carrots when there are only 3 hours left of cook time and add the cabbage during the last hour of cook time.

4. Remove the meat from the crock pot and let rest 10-15 minutes. Slice across the grain and serve with the veggies on the side.

I like to put a little spicy brown mustard on the side to dip the veggies and meat in as well - yum! I picked up some ingredients to make Reubens with the leftovers for later this week, so hopefully they taste just as good.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Brooklyn FarmGirl.

Chicken Apricot Panini & Sweet Potato Fries

This meal could be made for lunch (if you have the time!) or dinner. It wasn't very complicated, had very few ingredients and tasted great! I love making sweet potatoes too. Q really loved this one! We decided if you add maybe some bacon and cheese to it, then it would be perfect!

Chicken Apricot Panini

ingredients

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, halved
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Canola oil
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• S & P
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 1/8 cup apricot preserves
• 1/8 cup mayo
• 4 slices thick bread or Bolillo rolls
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 Tbsp EVOO
• Pinch of Cayenne pepper

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 475º. Toss the potato with EVOO, salt, pepper & cayenne. Distribute evenly on a baking sheet and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for about 20-25 minutes on the other. The timing will be based on how thick you cut the potato, so just watch them.

2. Heat canola oil & 1 Tbsp  in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. When you flip the breasts over to cook the 2nd side, add the sage leaves. Flip the sage leaves once until they are crispy. Remove from skillet and let rest on a paper towel.

3. In a small bowl combine the apricot preserves and the mayo, set aside.

4. Spoon some sauce on each side of the bread/bun, then add onion and sage leaves to bottoms, then the chicken and top lid of the bread/bun.

5. You can use either a panini press, foreman grill or just a regular cast iron skillet to grill the panini. I used the skillet and used a cast iron press to mash them down. If using a skillet, make sure to flip them once to get both sides of the bread brown and crispy. Slice in half and serve with the potatoes. I mixed up some Sriracha sauce with ketchup for dipping the taters in as well.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman & Cook This, Not That.

Thai Chicken Pizza

I can't rave enough about Pioneer Womans' cookbook... in fact I have already pre-ordered her newest one that comes out in less than 2 weeks. Yay! Anywho... I tried this concoction last week and there were a few things that I was kinda skeptical about but it turned out to be a delicious pizza you'd probably find in a fancy restaurant or something. Here's the recipe... it seems like there are a lot of ingredients but it's really not that difficult to make...

Thai Chicken Pizza

ingredients

• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1/8 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp fish sauce (I used oyster sauce b/c it's what I had in the fridge)
• 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 4 Tbsp Thai Sweet chili sauce
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• S&P
• 1 lb pizza dough
• EVOO
• 6 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped cashews or peanuts

directions

1. Preheat oven to 500º and arrange the rack to lowest position in the oven.

2. To make the peanut sauce: Add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, 2 Tbsp Chile sauce, peanut butter to a food processor. While processing, add the water slowly until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more of anything you think it might need.

3. Season the chicken with Salt , pepper & garlic powder. Grill or saute in a pan until cooked throw. Let cool slightly and slice or shred, set aside.

4. Assemble the pizza by rolling out the dough, spread 2 Tbsp chili sauce as the base. Top with mozzarella slices and chicken. Bake for 12-15 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and browned. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

5. If you anticipate leftovers don't add any additional toppings until you serve up the pizza. If you plan to eat the whole thing then top it all baby! Top with bean sprouts, carrots, cilantro and drizzle the peanut sauce all over. End with chopped nuts. Serve the peanut sauce on the side for dipping your crust in!

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman

Banana Bread with Walnuts & White Chocolate

Banana bread is such a great thing - great for breakfast, dessert or just a snack. After discovering the original recipe in one of my cookbooks (Cook This, Not That) and using Greek yogurt - I really crave it now. I've made it in all different combinations... here is just one of them.

Banana Bread with Walnuts & White Chocolate

ingredients

• 4 very ripe bananas, peeled & mashed
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 4 Tbsp butter, melted & cooled slightly
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º, coat a 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. Combine the wet ingredients into a bowl (I used my stand mixer) and blend together. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) until combined. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

3. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top out with a rubber spatula. Place pan on the lowest rack in your oven and bake for 55 mins - 1 hr 10 mins. You can tell when it's done by placing a toothpick in several spots and it comes out clean. Let rest on stove top for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a cooling rack to come to room temperature.

I store mine in tightly wrapped plastic in the fridge to make it last longer. This blend of ingredients makes the moistest, most flavorful banana bread I've tried. 

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Cook This Not That.

Simple Pepperoni Pizzas

We try to keep several pieces of Naan bread in our freezer for nights when I want to whip something up fast. This pizza came out great for that. The Naan bread only needs about 15-20 mins to defrost. All you need is some shredded cheese, sauce & pepperoni slices. I really like the turkey pepperoni, it's not as greasy and has a good bit of spiciness to it. Then just season it to taste and bake for 10 minutes or so. 

ingredients

• 2 pieces Naan Bread
• 15 slices of turkey pepperoni
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• shredded mozzarella
• dried oregano, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, salt & pepper

directions

1. Preheat oven to 475º, line a baking sheet with foil and coat with nonstick spray. Place the naan on the foil and layer with sauce,cheese, pepperoni & spices.

2. Bake for 10 minutes until cheese is all melty and gooey. Let pizza rest for 5 minutes before cutting. 

Enjoy!

Italian Meatball Soup

I love love love this soup - will be making again and again. The stock has so much flavor and the combination of veggies gives it great texture. And little meatballs popping up makes it pretty much a perfect soup! Top it with some fresh parsley and Parmesan and a little bread on the side??? yes please! I really didn't change anything from her recipe and it turned out amazing!

Italian Meatball soup

ingredients

• 3/4 lb ground beef
• 1 large egg
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 7 tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 3 tbsp EVOO
• 7 cups low sodium beef stock
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 whole fresh bay leaves
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 celery, diced
• 1 medium russet potato, diced
• 1/2 lb coleslaw mix or you can slice your own cabbage
• crusty bread for mopping

directions

1. Make the meatballs by combining beef, egg, garlic, 3 tbsp parsley, lemon juice, s&p, oregano and Parmesan with your hands. Form into 1" balls and place on a baking sheet to separate and get ready for browning them. Heat EVOO over medium high heat and brown meatballs in batches. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and let rest on a paper towel lined plate.

2. Next add some salt, beef stock, tomato paste into the pot with the drippings and stir until combined. In some cheesecloth, add 4 Tbsp parsley, bay leaves & the peppercorns, tie off and place in pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Remove the herbs in the cheesecloth and add the diced veggies, cabbage and meatballs. Simmer the soup for 20-30 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.

When serving the soup top each with some parsley, Parmesan cheese and a loaf of crusty bread for mopping.

This will make 8-10 servings. Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Camping Breakfast Burritos

These are a staple for at least one morning every time we go out to the mountains for a camping trip. They are everything a good breakfast burrito should be - chock full of spicy sausage, taters, eggs, onions, tortillas & best of all Green Chile!

Camping Breakfast Burritos

ingredients

• 1/2 lb hot breakfast sausage
• 6 eggs
• shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups refrigerated hash browns with peppers
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup green Chile
• flavored burrito sized tortillas (spinach is our favorite)
hot sauce

directions

1. In a cast iron skillet brown the sausage over medium high heat, remove from skillet and drain on paper towel lined plate.

2. Add hash browns and cook until browned and slightly crispy, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add the green Chile, cooked sausage and onions into the skillet and cook for several minutes.

3. Crack the eggs and lightly beat in a small bowl. Add to the skillet and cook until eggs are set.

4. Warm the tortillas over an open flame until pliable. Stack some cheese then the sausage/egg mixture, more cheese, hot sauce and roll it up, EAT! YUM!

This will make enough for 6 servings, they make great leftovers too!

Enjoy!

Beef & Sausage Chile and Cornbread

I made this scrumptious version of chile for our camping trip and it was enjoyed by all of us... not hard to make and cooks in only 45 minutes. I cooked up some cornbread muffins from those little inexpensive Jiffy box mixes and they turned out great. The recipe came from a Cook this not that cookbook but I changed a few things and here's how I made it...

Chile

ingredients

• 1 Tbsp canola oil

• 2 medium white onions, chopped

• 2 large cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 1/4 cup chili powder

• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef

• 1/2 lb hot breakfast sausage

• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

• 12 oz low sodium beef broth

• 1 Tbsp chopped chipotle in adobo sauce

• 28 oz whole tomatoes

• 15 oz white cannelini beans

• 15 oz pinto beans

• S & P

• Hot sauce

• Toppings:  diced avocado, cilantro, red onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, green bell peppers - basically whatever you want!!!

directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cumin, oregano, chili powder, cinnamon and cook for 3 minutes, stirring.

2. Add the meats and tomato paste and stir until the meat is cooked through. Add the bay leaf, cocoa powder, broth, chipotle and tomatoes (break them apart with your hands before adding to the pot). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. 

3. Add the beans and season to taste with S&P. If you like it hotter add a few dashes of hot sauce and/or cayenne. Cook for 10 minutes until beans are warmed through. 

Serve with cornbread. You can make this a day or two ahead of time and omit the beans. When ready to cook, reheat and add the beans so they don't lose their texture and fall apart.

This will make 6 servings.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Cook This Not That.