Foodie Friday #31

okay, this is the big daddy of desserts. period. fair warning: if you make these, you will be addicted. trust me, i'm living proof. ridiculously, sinfully GOOD and quite easy-peasy to make. here goes...

Molten Spiced Chocolate Cabernet* Cakes

~ click HERE to drool over, uh i mean, read the recipe.

*this recipe does not retain alcohol, so if you have a personal conviction about not partaking of alcohol, you can still enjoy this yummy dessert. just thought i'd throw that out there ;)

Foodie Friday #30

so i made this up the other day.

threw together whatever i had in my fridge and this kinda just appeared! haha!! enjoy!

Sauteed Rainbow Veggies and Italian-Style Chicken Cutlets

sugar snap peas

baby bella mushrooms

grape tomatoes

garlic

onions

olive oil

butter

dried basil

dried oregano

salt 

fresh ground black pepper

red pepper flakes

chicken breasts

flour (to make this GF and paleo-friendly, substitute white flour for an alternative flour)

Good Seasons Italian dressing (the kind you make in that glass shaker thingy with water, apple cider vinegar, oil, and the season packet)

Marinate however many chickens breasts you want to make in the Italian dressing for at least 1 1/2 hours but i would say no more than 8 hours as over-marinated meats get mushy (once again, didn't know that until i met my husband...who knows like uh a lot about cooking. trust me on this one ;) 

Saute garlic and onions in olive oil until golden. Add snap peas, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Stir and let sit for awhile until mushrooms are fully cooked and tomatoes are getting 'soggy' (skin's getting wrinkly) and peas are semi-soft but NOT mushy. Add salt, pepper, seasonings to taste. Set aside. Add more oil and some butter to pan and set to med heat. Place marinated breasts in a ziplock bag (without marinade juice!) and pound with that pounder thingy until just a tad thinner. Generously dredge in flour and then add to pan. Cook on med heat about 10 min per side. Cut into one breast to make sure meat is white all the way through. Do NOT overcook - if you cook chicken until it's dry and 'mealy', then you are overcooking poultry. Doneness means white throughout but still juicy. It takes practice - believe me. I'm in the thick of it right now! lol! Place veggie mixture on dinner plate and nicely arrange a breast on top. Sprinkle with freshly-grated parmesan cheese, if desired. this is SUCH an easy recipe and one of our faves - quick, healthy, colorful, and DELISH! :D

the dish in progress!

Foodie Friday #29

um, yeah...so i'm kinda 'off' on my days but, oh well...a busy mom/part-time professional's gotta do what she's gotta do, right? ;) this is so yum and so easy to prepare. it also makes a great gluten free/paleo option, as well for those of who going that route.

and yes, i said it: BETTER than Chang's! haha!

Better-Than-Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps

olive oil

garlic (2-3 cloves)

onion (1 bunch green or 1 whole yellow)

carrots (2-3)

peas (about 1 cup)

red pepper (1)

cilantro (1 bunch)

chicken breasts (I do two for Luke & myself)

fish sauce (a couple splashes)

plum sauce (a couple splashes)

soy sauce (a couple splashes)

siriacha sauce (hot chili sauce - however much you want. i just do everything to taste)

hot chinese mustard (about 1 t., optional)

peanuts (or almonds!)

sautee chopped garlic & onions in olive oil until golden brown. add chopped veggies and stir fry for a couple minutes (5-8). pound breasts lightly and cut into small pieces like pic below. turn skillet onto high-med to high heat. add more olive oil (i sometimes add some veggie or coconut oil as well). throw chicken in and stir briskly to stir fry. add spices/sauces and keep stirring - do NOT overcook chicken. this process shouldn't take long at all. many people tend to overcook chicken (myself included until i met my gourmet-chef hubby who set me straight ;) add veggies back in with chicken. coarsely chop peanuts and add right before eating. spoon into fresh romaine lettuce leaves. yummo!!

Foodie Friday #28

mmm, mmm, mmmm!!! these really hit the spot. not sure if its the crispy bacon, creamy eggs, luscious cheese, or colorful sautéed veggies but this became a 'keeper' real quick in the Grant home ;) enjoy!!

Breakfast Queso-dillas

4-6 eggs, beaten

dash of milk 

garlic powder

fresh ground pepper

salt

Queso (however much you want)

red bell pepper

green bell pepper

red onion

4-6 strips bacon, fried, crumbled

Tortillas

Mix first six ingredients in bowl. Set aside. Chop peppers and onion and sautee in either butter or EVOO in pan. Add egg mixture to sautéed veggies. Cook until eggs are to your liking. Add bacon pieces. Take another small saucepan and apply a pat of butter. when melted, add your tortilla and crisp both sides until a nice golden brown. plop on a plate and spoon on egg/veggie mixture. voila!!

Foodie Friday #27

Southwest Shrimp-Corn Chowder

This dish is perfect for a winter day. Of course, we really don't get those here in Florida, but it's delicious nonetheless! Beware: it is a tad on the spicy side, but you can modify that by changing the number of peppers used. I love a 'kick' to stuff so keep that in mind when looking over the ingredients! haha! It's rich & creamy without being in the least bit 'heavy'...no butter, no cream so it's healthy for you and packed with veggies. I serve it with tortilla strips and chopped cilantro on top alongside a crusty chunk of warm bread. yum!

Original recipe can be found HERE. my modifications are below...

~ used olive oil instead of butter

~ chopped a whole yellow onion instead of green onions

~ chopped a whole red bell pepper

~ chopped two serrano chili peppers and 1/2 of a poblano pepper

~ two cans of undrained green chilies

~ added a bit more flour than it called for since i added twice the amount of green chilies

~ 2 c. each of milk and chicken broth

~ 2 c. potatoes

~ a bit more salt than called for.

~ rounded teaspoonful of cumin

~ 1 (7 oz) can of Mexicorn (Green Giant brand of corn, red/green chopped peppers), drained

~ 1 (15oz) whole kernel sweet corn (NOT cream corn!!), drained

Using modifications above, follow recipe. Serve with homemade cheese quesadillas or fresh loaf of French bread. done!! freezes well for future dinners.

Foodie Friday #26

so it's late and baby & i should be in bed (in fact, this night owl girl who used to stay up until unmentionable hours of the morning...er...night has been going to bed for the past few months no later than 10:30/11:00!) but i'm waiting on a load of towels to finish the spin cycle so i can throw them in the dryer. plus, i've got a touch of heartburn and the LAST thing i want to do when this happens is lie on my back - yuck. anyway, i thought i would take this opportunity to write my latest 'Foodie Friday' post...a type of post that has not been written in a shameful amount of time! the recipe below is adapted from one given to me by my dear Coastie friend, Ivey. She and her hubby enjoying cooking together much like Luke & myself. it's SUPER easy, healthy, makes a ton, and quite delish! bon appetite!

Festive Black Bean Soup

yellow onion (1 large)

celery

carrots

garlic (i use 3 cloves)

4 cans black beans, rinsed (or soaked beans)

6-8 cups chicken broth (i used low sodium, organic)

salt

pepper

cumin

chili

hot sauce

garlic powder

whatever else strikes your fancy!!

chop veggies and pour into large stockpot. saute in oil until soft but not mushy. add black beans, broth, seasonings to taste. Cook for about an hour until flavors 'marry'. Stir occasionally. now, you can either serve it as is or puree in food processor or blender. We typically eat it un-blended. Serve over white rice to make a compete protein (optional).

'Festive' Toppings...

cilantro

chopped tomatoes

chopped green onions

assorted spicy peppers

black olives

avocado

sour cream

4-cheese Mexican shredded cheese or plain cheddar

hot sauce

whatever! :)

the 'healthy' version (Luke's!)

the 'yummy' version (with sour cream & melted cheese!)

a sampling of toppings!!

Foodie Friday #25

i made this the other evening for a dinner party. A few of us Coastie couples get together every few months to share a meal. It's a lot of fun and is always a great time to try out a new recipe. this one was a winner. the crunch of the broccoli & bacon coupled with the smooth cream curry dressing was simply delish.

Curried Broccoli-Almond-Bacon Salad

Salad…

1-1/2 lbs broccoli crowns (or two medium-sized bunches)

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1/2 cup dark raisins


1/2 cup roasted slivered almonds (I just broil them for a minute or two)

Dressing…

1/2 cup mayonnaise


1/2 cup sour cream


3 Tbs granulated sugar


3 Tbs cider vinegar


1 Tbs curry powder

1/2 tsp salt

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Cut broccoli crowns into little trees. Place broccoli in large bowl along with onions, raisins and almonds. In separate bowl, combine mayo, sour cream, vinegar, curry powder and salt. Stir well. Pour dressing over the broccoli salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-hours. Sprinkle bacon bits over salad just before serving.

(sorry, no pics! we ate it too quickly! hee hee)

Foodie Friday #24

so HERE is the recipe for this edition of Foodie Friday. BUT...i made a few changes. check 'em out below. i made this soup on a cool, stormy spring day (actually, yesterday) and paired it with a homemade..ahem..Panera made crusty french baguette. it was delish, makes a ton, and isn't so bad for you ;)

Lizzy's changes...

1) i added more celery, onions, and mushrooms than it called for. why? just cuz.

2) to make it a bit lower fat, you can substitute the 3 T. of butter for EVOO. i didn't. i heart butter.

3) i used a cup of whole raw milk instead of 1/2 cup of half and half. worked great.

4) i added 3 T. cooking wine. again, why?? just cuz.

thoughts...i didn't have time to roast chicken pieces, so i just sprinkled 3 organic chicken breasts with salt, fresh ground pepper, and Tastefully Simple's Garlic Garlic mix; i baked them in the oven at 450 for about 10 minutes on each side. perhaps a bit longer. then i took two forks and shredded the meat. super easy. and think next time i'm going to add more broth. the rice really soaks up the liquid so the next day, you are left with more the consistency of chicken 'n' rice casserole but it was still very yummy. sorry, no pics. i had a 4 hour photo shoot today and i'm kinda pictured-out at the moment! lol!

Foodie Friday #23

made this soup yesterday...with FABULOUS results! it was a chilly day and this dish really hit the spot. totally a keeper. okay, the original recipe calls for 7 hours of cooking time. i didn't have that kind of time, so i tweeked it a bit and cut it down to 3 1/2 hours. boo-yah! but both versions are posted below. Thanks to my dear friend, Erica, for the recipe!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts

optional toppings:

shredded Cheddar

diced tomatoes

diced onions

fresh avocado
sour cream
crushed tortilla chips (optional) or lime-chili tortilla strips (Target, baby!)

Directions (7 hr version):

1. Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.

2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Shred chicken. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve with desired toppings (oh, and we made rice too!)

Directions (3 1/2 hr version):

1. Preheat oven to about 435. lay chicken breasts on cookie sheet. cook for about 20 minutes.

2. Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for high heat, cover, and cook for 2 1/2 hours.

2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Shred chicken. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking on high for 1 hour. Serve with desired toppings.

sorry, no pics this week! we ate it too fast! :)