Spinach & Lemon Quinoa Bake I came across this recipe and just knew I had to make it vegan. After a few modifications, it’s now an awesome vegan dish that is even easier to put together than the original recipe. Recipe Notes I replaced the cottage cheese and eggs with vegan sour cream and Ener-G egg replacer . I left the breadcrumbs out to make it lighter/healthier, and everything still holds together nicely. Planning Ahead & Serving Tips If you’re already preparing quinoa for another meal this week, make an extra cup of it and shave the first step off this recipe! Spinach & Lemon Quinoa Bake Total time Author: Angela @ Vegangela.com Recipe type: Main, Side, Starter, Appetizer Bring broth and quinoa to boil. Adapted from Martha Stewart Living magazine, September 2001
Chocolate Wasted Cake Ever since my brother started using the phrase "I wanna get chocolate wasted" from the movie Grown Ups I've been wanting to make this cake for his birthday. Being a chocoholic myself, I had no trouble coming up with ways to fill this cake with layer upon layer of chocolatey goodness. Just looking at this cake, I think you'll agree that it definitely deserves its name. Photo Credit: Ryan Rivera To create this chocolate beauty, I baked two layers of delicious chocolate cake. Then, I drizzled each cake layer with some Kahlua. Then, I completely covered the sides of the cake with Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips. Next, I topped the cake with an assortment of chocolate candies. Last, I drizzled some melted chocolate all over the cake. I hope this cake inspires you to create your own chocolate wasted cake. Special thanks to Jef at My Food Geek for sharing some food photography tips with me recently. liqueur for drizzling on the cake layers (i.e. chocolate, coffee or almond)
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. 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. Add the onions back in, along with the broccoli and carrots.
Crispy Bourbon Glazed Salmon I am always looking for new and exciting ways to eat fish. It has turned out that I’ve made at least one new seafood dish every week for the last month. We love seafood so much and now that the spring is coming, I find myself craving it more and more. If only we lived in an area where fresh seafood was accessible. I really don’t discriminate when it comes to seafood. It’s my go-to way for preparing salmon. When my mom made that romano crusted fish last week, she also baked some store-bought bourbon glazed salmon that left us all less than impressed. I was thrilled with the results. The recipe makes a good bit so you have leftovers – simply store it in the fridge and use for a glaze or dipping sauce later. It compliments the salmon so perfectly that you can serve it as the main course, in a taco, in a salad (boo!) Bourbon Glazed Salmon makes about 1/2 cup of glaze 1 pound fresh salmon 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt 1/2 tablespoon black pepper 3/4 cup bourbon 2/3 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon honey
Macaroni and Cheese Farewell, blue box. You have been forever replaced. I don’t care if you are ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. Your successor boasts gooey, real cheese bubbling underneath a breadcrumb topping… I’m melting just thinking about it. Have I mentioned before how I adore the Smitten Kitchen blog? I’ve followed Deb’s blog ever since she caught my eye with this recipe for Homemade Oreos. I digress. Now, this dish cannot be whipped together at the drop of the hat. When you are making a dish which calls for shredded cheese, you should almost always shred your own. After grating the cheese, make the béchamel. Then you’ll mix in your spices. Now, mix in half of the shredded cheeses. Cook the pasta only until the outside is fully cooked, but the inside is not. Add the pasta to the cheese, give it a good stir, and put it in a buttered dish. Top with the other half of the cheeses. And the breadcrumbs. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are toasted. 3 tablespoons butter Butter an 8?
Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower 'Wings' Looking for a healthier (and kinder) alternative to chicken wings? Try these juicy, tangy, and spicy buffalo cauliflower “wings”! Deliciously versatile and with just enough “kick,” these bite-sized pieces of cauliflower offer an eerily similar experience to eating chicken wings. SpicyBuffalo Cauliflower ‘Wings’ 1 cup water or soy milk 1 cup flour (any kind will work—even gluten-free!) Preheat the oven to 450°F.Combine the water or soy milk, flour, and garlic powder in a bowl and stir until well combined.Coat the cauliflower pieces with the flour mixture and place in a shallow baking dish. Makes 4 servings Honey Glazed Chicken and Bacon Bites I had an idea. Actually, it was more like my three hundred and forty-sixth idea for this month and I now have the hips to show for it. No biggie, I consider it a small sacrifice for eating food that tastes this good. So I asked myself: “Would it be a really crazy idea to wrap loads of bacon around chicken strips and brush them with a spruced up honey marinade?”. Why yes, Kay, it would be. But frankly, I like crazy. See, now that’s what happens when you blog from your desolated home or kitchen (in the burbs). Anyway, it turned out nothing short of a phenomenal idea that I simply have to share here in my little corner of the www. Ingredients: 1 pound boneless chicken breasts 20 thin bacon slices 3 tbsp honey 2 tsp coarse mustard fresh lemon juice Optional: salt Directions: Cut the chicken breasts—or fillets, as we call them here—in thin strips. Note: I’m using the Dutch equivalent to bacon in this recipe. Grab a bowl and combine 3 tbsp honey with 2 tsp coarse mustard.
Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells When I'm in my cooking 'zone', creative juices tend to flow and I start throwing random things together so nothing goes to waste. This recipe is a result of using up leftover ingredients I had from other dishes I prepared for the freezer. I figured chicken, pesto and cheese would work with pasta fairly well and so I hoped for the best. I come from the school that any good tasting filling is versatile in different applications, whether it be stuffed into baked dough, layered or stuffed with pasta or even used as a pizza topping. This dish came about after realizing I had quite a few leftovers of pesto, cooked and shredded chicken, various cheesse and jumbo pasta shells. Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells original Joelen recipe In a large pot over high heat, boil water and prepare pasta shells as directed on package. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, except the 1/4 cup of cheese for the topping.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Peanut Butter Cups Soooooo… you know that episode of Sex and the City where Miranda has to dump dish soap on top of chocolate cake just so she will stop eating it?? Uh. Yeeeeeah. These are like… of that caliber. And that totally almost happened to me. I ate what felt like a million, then had a plate of 5-day old green bean fries from the fridge and called it lunch. I definitely recommend those. For lunch. Face? Inhale. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Peanut Butter Cups [cookie dough adapted from cookie dough dip] makes 24 cups 2 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter 3/4 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips In a small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Line a mini muffin with with liners. Remove muffin tin and cookie dough, then place 1 teaspoon of cookie dough (I somewhat rolled mine) into the chocolate cups. Sigh.
Cajun Chicken Pasta Note: Since this recipe is featured on the Food Network episode this morning, I’m bringing it to the front for easy reference. This really is one of my favorite recipes here on The Pioneer Woman Cooks, and I regularly hear from people who’ve made it with great success. Crowd-pleaser! This is an exceedingly yummy, decadent pasta dish with chicken, vegetables, and lots and lots of scrumptious carbs. Just remember: part of the deliciousness of this pasta dish is the spicy kick. Here’s how you make it. The Cast of Characters: boneless, skinless chicken breast, olive oil, butter, Cajun spice (make your own or buy the prepared stuff; whichever you prefer), salt, pepper, red onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, fresh parsley, low sodium chicken broth, white wine, and heavy cream. Oh. Start by slicing the veggies: Lop the top and bottom off of the red pepper… Then slice the pepper down the middle. Rip out the innards… Then make slices—not too thick, not too thin. Be generous! Yum. Enjoy!