Avocado Spinach Egg Salad Clearly, I was put on this Earth to show you that you can eat all your favorite foods and still be healthy as can be. All you have to do is throw some vegetables in (fact: I am not a dietitian, so if this proves false for you, please don’t sue me). Egg salad is one of my very favorite foods on this wonderful Earth. Plus, egg salad isn’t usually the healthiest thing. Avocado Spinach Egg Salad Sandwiches (makes 5-6 sandwiches):Print this recipe! 7 eggs, hardboiled4 oz. plain greek yogurt2 avocados1 stalk celery, chopped1 C baby spinachHot pepper flakes to tasteGood bread, toasted if you want Of course, you’ll want to start by hardboiling your eggs. And mash them up with the Greek yogurt (Chobani, of course!). Now, peel and pit your avocados. And mash those up, too. Now, all you do is combine the egg with the guac! I wasn’t sure what kinds of spices I would be using when I first started making this salad, but I decided it only needed a few hot pepper flashes to kick it up a bit. [Sues]
A BREAKFAST SALAD? Like most people, I am trying embark on 2012 with a renewed commitment to health, joy, and calm. Maybe my lofty aspirations will last only a few days before the roller coaster of life, obligations, and not-so-good habits take over. Day five and I'm going strong.... only 360 to go. A nourishing breakfast can never be a bad thing and this recipe has become quite popular at our house. I finally have my soft boiled eggs down to an art, and the rest of the dish is so simple that you whip up the whole thing in about 10 minutes. I was eating my bowl of soft-boiled eggs, toast, and arugula and Abby remarked, "Hey, that's a salad." Yes. INGREDIENTS (printable recipe) one or two farm eggs (room temp)one or two slices of your favorite bread for toastingunsalted butterhandful of arugula leavessea saltfreshly ground black pepper To bring your eggs to room temp, submerge them in a bowl of really warm (but not boiling hot) tap water. Fill a small sauce pan with 3-4 inches of water. Enjoy! Serves one.
Crispy Chicken Wraps Update 6/2012: Taken after the model of these delicious wraps, I threw these together for dinner one night nearly three years ago in a frantic attempt to feed my hungry family and use ingredients I already had on hand. And the result was such a smashing success that we’ve continued to enjoy this recipe at least monthly since (and that’s saying a lot coming from the lady who doesn’t repeat many meals). Full of flavor, these wraps are a snap to make. The method turns out a delightfully crunchy tortilla that is filled with rice, chicken, beans, spices and cheese. And they make great leftovers. Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps Note: This is one of the most adaptable recipes on here (reading through the comments will prove that – your variations sound amazing!). Ingredients Directions Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Printed from Mel's Kitchen Cafe (www.melskitchencafe.com)
Broccoli Cheddar Soup Comfort in a bowl. That is what this soup should be called. As Sugarcrafter, where I got the recipe, stated, I love the broccoli cheedar soup at Panera Bread. Not surprisingly, this soup was even better! Since I was craving this soup, I made it as soon as I saw it in a bread bowl. There was one missing step in the recipe on her site (adding in the garlic), so I added it in the recipe below. *Update* I made a bread bowl today for the leftovers of this delicious soup. Broccoli Cheddar Soupadapted from Sugarcrafter 1/4 cup butter 1/2 chopped onion 1 clove garlic 1/4 cup flour 1 cup half-and-half 1 cup milk 2 cups chicken stock (I used bouillon cubes + boiling water) 1/2 lb fresh broccoli, chopped 1 cup carrot, shredded and chopped 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp cardamom 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese 4 ounces grated Colby jack cheese (I used Velveeta) Salt and pepper to taste Hot Sauce (optional) Sauté the onion (and garlic) in the butter over medium heat.
Grilled Chicken and Club Sandwich with Avocado and Chipotle Caramelized Onions Armed with my (half devoured) batch of chipotle caramelized onions, the only question was, what to use them in? With the recent success of my grilled chicken club sandwich I was thinking that the chipotle caramelized onions would be a perfect fit. In fact with the chioptle this was sandwich was kind of reminding me of an avocado BLT with fried egg and chipotle mayo and I was thinking that the cool and creamy avocado would finish things off perfectly and complement the spicy heat of the onions! With the chipotle caramelized onions already prepared, this sandwich is as simple to make as cooking some bacon, grilling up the chicken and slicing some fresh vegetables. When using a chicken breast in a sandwich like this you want it to be relatively thin so that it gets cooked all the way through before you burn the outside and dry it all out and you can either pound a small breast thin or slice a larger one in half. Grilled Chicken and Club Sandwich with Avocado and Chipotle Caramelized Onions
When the Dinner Bell Rings FRUGAL TIP OF THE DAY: Clean brass and copper. Mix equal parts Gold Medal Flour and Morton Salt, and add one teaspoon Heinz White Vinegar to make a paste. Spread a thick layer on the brass and let dry. Rinse and wipe off paste. Peeling Oranges for Recipes When using oranges to make a fancy dessert or salad, remove the white membrane on them by soaking the oranges in boiling water for 5 minutes before you peel them. FRENCH SILK CHOCOLATE PIE 1/2 c. butter, cut in 8 equal parts 1 (1 oz.) square unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled 1 tsp. vanilla 1 (8 inch) baked pastry shell 3/4 c. sugar 2 lg. eggs Whipped cream In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Snack Cup Of Potatoes I wanted to do something similar to the twice baked potatoes. First I made a batch of my cheesy spinach potatoes. When I am looking for a snack, I just take one out and pop it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Chicken Wings (Nuwave/Flavorwave Oven) So easy to make, from the freezer to the table.
Stromboli I know lots of people are gearing up for the Super Bowl this weekend. Good times, yummy snacks, and funny commercials. If you're looking for another recipe to throw amongst your spread, look no further... this Stromboli is guaranteed to please a crowd! When I saw a guest post at Liv Life for Football Party Stromboli, I knew I had to make it for Matt. To say my husband likes football (or any other sport for that matter) would be an understatement. My hubby LOVES his football, and he loves when I make him good stuff to munch on while he's watching a game. Kim's post called for frozen dough, which is definitely an option if you're looking for a little less preparation. IngredientsYields 2 loaves 1 (.25 oz) package active dry yeast 1 1/3 cups warm water (110° to 115°) 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 tsp salt 4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour Filling:The quantities below are for 1 Stromboli. Directions In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, dissolve yeast in warm water. Punch dough down.
Make pizza without dough I don’t really know why I’m hogging all my fashion posts, just don’t feel like posting them right now. Last week I was running back and forth between my desk and my kitchen. I was debating whether or not to just call for pizza- ugh- pizza…again? I’d sit in front of my computer for 5 minutes looking up “vintage luichiny platforms” on google (if they’re not luichiny from the 90′s they’re no good), and then I’d scurry back into the kitchen to see if I could wing a meal with the ingredients I had on hand. I’d be going back and forth about 10 times before I could even make a decision. Just as I was reluctantly about to call for pizza (dominos thin crust …shriek……too..much..salt), I saw all these potatoes lying around and suddenly I had an idea to make a potato pizza…I love pizza but I was also getting tired of it. Here is a shot of all the toppings I’m going to use for each of the pizzas. For the crust, I placed a potato through a cutter, the result is a fine angel-hair like texture.
Italian Grilled Cheese Who doesn’t love a good grilled cheese? And, I know it’s totally Ameeeerican to make the classic: American cheese, mayonnaise and bread. But, why not change it a bit and use REALLY fresh and natural ingredients?!?!? Love it! There’s nothing more delicious than fresh and homemade ingredients. Soooo, go to your farmers market and get the freshest tomatoes and basil you can find, grab some mozzarella balls, and assemble this amazing meal. Basil & Oregano Pesto Ingredients 1 cup fresh basil leaves1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves (or just more basil leaves)1 garlic clove1/4 cup of walnuts1/8 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon pepper2-3 tablespoons olive oil How-To Put all of the ingredients in a food processor, blend and set aside. Basil & oregano pestoMozzarella cheese, slicedTomato, slice. Put your griddle (or panini press) on medium heat.Spray with cooking spray.Assemble your sandwiches.Cook until lightly browned and the cheese has melted.Cut in half and serve right away. Servings: 3 sandwiches Related posts:
Spiced Plum Butter Spiced Plum Butter I know I posted a fruit butter recipe on Monday but I had another one waiting in the wings that I had to share with you. You see, the same day I went peach picking I also went sugar plum picking. I had never picked plums before so I had no idea what to expect. Anyway, I left the farm with over five pounds of plums and no idea what to do with them. Enjoy!!! Spiced Plum Butter Yield: 3 1/2 cups Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 3 - 3.5 hours Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes - 4 hours Ingredients: 3 1/2 pounds sugar plums 1 1/4 cups sugar 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Directions: Split plums in half, remove pits, and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Rinse saucepan and return puree to pan along with allspice and cinnamon. I did not process this fruit butter so you must keep this stored in the refrigerator.
Cheesy Pepperoni Bread Fightin’ Texas Aggie Football is in full swing, so naturally we’re watching every single game on tv (the ones we don’t go to in person). I don’t know about you, but I need something yummy to snack on while I watch a football game, otherwise I get….bored. In fact, usually once the food is gone I pretty much lose interest in any sporting event. I know…I guess that makes me what Joel calls a “2 percent-er” . Oh well. A few weeks ago when we were enjoying one of the (few) particularly good Aggie games on tv, I whipped up this cheesy pepperoni bread and BOY did we gobble it down! Cheesy Pepperoni Bread 1 can store-bought Pillsbury Italian or French bread (you could absolutely make your own dough- I was just short on time) 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese sliced pepperoni marinara sauce for dipping Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Recipe source: adapted from Brown Eyed Baker Share:
Grandma Pizza I’ve never been to New York. My sister lived there for a while, but back then, I was too broke to visit, and she was too broke to rent an apartment big enough to do a jumping jack in. So, I have yet to experience the miracle of a real-deal New York pizza. That’s why, when I saw this recipe for Grandma Pizza in “Cook’s Country,” I had to try it. Grandma Pizza is a Long Island specialty. I assume the brothers were cool with that. So, what makes this pizza so different? For one thing, making the dough is so easy, you might worry you’ve done something wrong. When I first saw the dough, I didn’t think there was any way it would eventually stretch to cover the whole baking sheet. It was impressive. The other strange thing about this pizza is that the toppings are used pretty sparingly. New York, what else have you been holding back?
Lemon Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki and Feta « Can You Stay for Dinner? First it was falafel, then burgers, and now, chicken gyros. This place reeks of a street food fair. Someone get me a curbside cart. [Please come over? My criteria is rigid: all food I make lately must be stuffed inside a buttery flatbread and then wrapped once more in parchment or foil. I simply won’t budge. Daniel likes to remind me we’re not actually eating on the street so there’s no need to sit cross legged on the window ledge and litter on our floor. Such a square, that one. This doughy flatbread is filled with lemon-oregano marinated chicken, chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, shredded romaine, creamy and cool tzatziki sauce, and crumbled feta. One messy, chin dribbling bite is lemon and bright parsley and garlic and tang. Make it. We can litter and graffiti my wall. Lemon Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki and Feta makes 2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the oregano, thyme, garlic, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the yogurt and dill.
Circle B Kitchen - Circle B Kitchen It’s spring and that means artichoke season where I come from back on the Central Coast of California. Sigh….artichokes. Even though I haven't lived in California for several years now, I'm still crazy about 'em and am very thankful to Whole Foods for bringing fresh ones to the Midwest for me. If you’ve spent any time at all in my recipe index, you would know with certainty that I am powerless to resist the charms of the artichoke. So when I came across this recipe from Everyday Food, it took me about a nano second to grab my bag of frozen artichoke hearts out of the freezer and run to the stove. So here’s the thing. But then the second time I made it, more tinkering...I doubled the sauce ingredients and eliminated both the butter and the lemon juice, and stirred in a couple tablespoons of goat cheese instead. So here I am encouraging you to get your artichoke thing on… canned, fresh or frozen, it’s all good. Chicken with Artichokes and Angel Hair Pasta Click here for a printable recipe