Day two of amazing weather and the grill is back in full force!! Made these killer burgers with tons of garlic mixed into the meat, my pesto aioli, uncured bacon and good blue cheese........YUMMY!
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Cooking on the grill
Sunday was an absolutely perfect day here in Spokane. They don't happen often so you have to jump on them while you can! Cj asked for her favorite dinner, awesome news because it can be cooked entirely on the grill and keep the kitchen nice and cool. So, without further blogger nonsense here was our menu:
- Grilled chicken sandwiches with balsamic, pesto aioli
- Finger potatoes with olive oil and sea salt
- Grilled corn on the cob
- Grilled blue, black and strawberries over ice cream
Let's start with the chicken sandwiches: these are actually really simple. Chicken breasts slathered in the balsamic pesto aioli and grilled to perfection, small ciabatta rolls (also slathered in balsamic pesto aioli) and grilled, top the chicken with Swiss cheese and let it get good and melty, top with uncured bacon, tomato and fresh basil......yummy!
Finger potatoes are always easy and always a hit. Wash the potatoes and then toss them in olive oil and sea salt. Place them in a foil pouch and let them cook, indirect heat please, for 10 minutes before you put the chicken on and then the entire time the chicken is cooking.
Corn on the cob, everyone has their own way of cooking it. Have fun and experiment!
Dessert: after washing everything cut up the strawberries into smaller pieces and place in a homemade foil container, add as many blue and blackberries as you wish and grill away until bubbly. Let sit for about 10 minutes to cool and then serve over vanilla ice cream. I have made this with every possible variation of berry and each time it has been a HUGE hit!
Enjoy!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Roasted Broccoli
This house has become addicted to roasted broccoli! So incredibly simple and good that you will never want broccoli any other way!
What you need: broccoli cut up however you like it, olive oil, garlic (use or don't use, your choice), sea salt. Toss all together to coat broccoli and then place on a lined cookie sheet and put into a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Yummy!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Coconut Curry Shrimp
Good evening all!
Tonight was my first attempt at curry of any kind and it quickly became a "can we have this again?" dish. I served it over Jasmine sticky rice :)
Very simple recipe: oil heated, onion, garlic, shrimp, red curry paste, light coconut milk and fish sauce.
Tonight was my first attempt at curry of any kind and it quickly became a "can we have this again?" dish. I served it over Jasmine sticky rice :)
Very simple recipe: oil heated, onion, garlic, shrimp, red curry paste, light coconut milk and fish sauce.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Sometimes this happens
Finally made it home tonight around 7:30. Got off work at 6 and then kid duty started. I will fully admit that this doesn't happen often but when it does I don't mind it completely. Nothing really beats a tuna sandwich with dill pickles and potato chips on top served along side a good beer.
Kristen
Monday, April 9, 2012
Sante Fe Chicken in the Crock pot
Good evening!
Monday's are a very busy day at this house. Between work, Cj's soccer practice, Zak at climb team and scouts we have little time to actually make dinner. We decided months ago that Monday's would be crock pot day and it rocks! I serve this two ways: 1. over rice and 2. in tortillas. I usually give people the option because it is simple. We also serve it with grated cheese, sour cream and avocado. Enjoy!
Ingredients: 3-4 chicken breasts, 2 cans diced tomatoes w/chiles, 2 cans chicken broth (we use the organic kind), 6 scallions diced up, 8 oz. frozen corn, 1 or 2 cans black beans, 2 t garlic, 2 t onion powder, 2 t cumin, 2 t cayenne pepper or to taste.
Directions: Throw it all in a crock pot and cook on low for 10 hours. Take the chicken out and shred it. Place chicken bake in the bean mixture and let sit for 10 minutes or so. It's ready to serve after that.
I will say that we plan on doing onions and peppers in the mixture next time, we all missed that.
Monday's are a very busy day at this house. Between work, Cj's soccer practice, Zak at climb team and scouts we have little time to actually make dinner. We decided months ago that Monday's would be crock pot day and it rocks! I serve this two ways: 1. over rice and 2. in tortillas. I usually give people the option because it is simple. We also serve it with grated cheese, sour cream and avocado. Enjoy!
Ingredients: 3-4 chicken breasts, 2 cans diced tomatoes w/chiles, 2 cans chicken broth (we use the organic kind), 6 scallions diced up, 8 oz. frozen corn, 1 or 2 cans black beans, 2 t garlic, 2 t onion powder, 2 t cumin, 2 t cayenne pepper or to taste.
Directions: Throw it all in a crock pot and cook on low for 10 hours. Take the chicken out and shred it. Place chicken bake in the bean mixture and let sit for 10 minutes or so. It's ready to serve after that.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Baked Apple Pie Filled Spring Rolls w/cardamom whipped cream
These are just TOO GOOD!!! Super easy to make and so yummy! The hint of cardamom in the whipped cream was perfect with these as well. Oh, cold these are just as amazing. We did mix things up a bit and add blueberries to our second batch..yum!
Quick shout out to Devin Scott and Zak Silver for basically making these and to Jen Scott, professional photographer extraordinaire and my wickedly cool friend!
Recipe: Egg roll wrappers (15), two eggs beaten for brushing onto the wrappers. Filling: 2 apples peeled and diced, 1 lemon juiced, 3 1/2 T instant tapioca pearls, 2t cinnamon, 1/2t nutmeg, 1/4t all spice.
Mix all the filling ingredients and let sit for 10 min, place 2T of filling onto egg roll wrapper, following egg roll wrapping directions and brushing with egg wash fold into cute egg rolls, place on a lined cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 min at 375.
Whipped cream: just make your basic whipped cream however add 1/2t of cardamom while mixing. Enjoy!
Quick shout out to Devin Scott and Zak Silver for basically making these and to Jen Scott, professional photographer extraordinaire and my wickedly cool friend!
Recipe: Egg roll wrappers (15), two eggs beaten for brushing onto the wrappers. Filling: 2 apples peeled and diced, 1 lemon juiced, 3 1/2 T instant tapioca pearls, 2t cinnamon, 1/2t nutmeg, 1/4t all spice.
Mix all the filling ingredients and let sit for 10 min, place 2T of filling onto egg roll wrapper, following egg roll wrapping directions and brushing with egg wash fold into cute egg rolls, place on a lined cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 min at 375.
Baked Jalapeno Poppers
Another recipe from SkinnyTaste.com and again, it was a hit. If you haven't found this site please do yourself a favor and go check it out.
As with any recipe involving a hot pepper, please remember to wear gloves when cutting and taking the seeds out. I have a horrible contact story that I don't wish upon anyone!! These made everyone happy and were simple....two very good things. I had two extra chefs helping and they did fantastic! Thanks Zak and Devin!!!
Basic recipe: 12 jalapenos cut in half and seeds and membrane taken out, 1/2 a package of light cream cheese, 3 scallions chopped, garlic to taste (mix this all together well), put cream cheese mixture into each jalapeno then dunk the entire thing in an egg wash and roll in panko crumbs. Bake and eat!
Enjoy!
As with any recipe involving a hot pepper, please remember to wear gloves when cutting and taking the seeds out. I have a horrible contact story that I don't wish upon anyone!! These made everyone happy and were simple....two very good things. I had two extra chefs helping and they did fantastic! Thanks Zak and Devin!!!
Basic recipe: 12 jalapenos cut in half and seeds and membrane taken out, 1/2 a package of light cream cheese, 3 scallions chopped, garlic to taste (mix this all together well), put cream cheese mixture into each jalapeno then dunk the entire thing in an egg wash and roll in panko crumbs. Bake and eat!
Homemade Chocolate (Sugar free and Vegan)
Good morning everyone!
The sun is out, the sky has a particularly amazing hue to it and I am home alone having a mimosa and listening to what I want to on the stereo....kinda nice!!
Like the title says this is a simple recipe for some KILLER chocolate that is absolutely sugar free and vegan (if you know anyone that is). The basic recipe is easy and then you just add what you want to it to make it your own. We just put it one foil on a cookie sheet however molds would be perfect. So far we have made cacao nibs and raspberries, just cacao nibs, plain, blueberries and one with a Chambord. All were fantastic but the cacao nib and raspberries was gone in a day!
Here's the recipe: 4 T coconut oil melted, 1/4 cup Agave, 1/2 + 1T of good cocoa powder. Mix the melted coconut oil and agave together very well then pour mixture into the cocoa. Mix really, really well and then add your favorite things....easy!
Enjoy!
Kristen
The sun is out, the sky has a particularly amazing hue to it and I am home alone having a mimosa and listening to what I want to on the stereo....kinda nice!!
Like the title says this is a simple recipe for some KILLER chocolate that is absolutely sugar free and vegan (if you know anyone that is). The basic recipe is easy and then you just add what you want to it to make it your own. We just put it one foil on a cookie sheet however molds would be perfect. So far we have made cacao nibs and raspberries, just cacao nibs, plain, blueberries and one with a Chambord. All were fantastic but the cacao nib and raspberries was gone in a day!
Here's the recipe: 4 T coconut oil melted, 1/4 cup Agave, 1/2 + 1T of good cocoa powder. Mix the melted coconut oil and agave together very well then pour mixture into the cocoa. Mix really, really well and then add your favorite things....easy!
Enjoy!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Pad Thai
Made Pad Thai for the first time and other than a noodle issue and a double batch not being enough for 5 people, it was a success. I want to play around a bit with how long I soak the noodles and adding shrimp or chicken for protein but that's about it.
Happy Friday!
Kristen
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Texas Cheese Fries
Yes, I said Texas Cheese Fries!!!! I have made them twice now and they are spectacular and so incredibly easy. I take no credit for them because I got the recipe off of SkinnyTaste.com but did change a few things up and think I added to the overall recipe. We used Yukon gold potatoes the first time and regular russets the second. Both were wonderful so I don't think that really matters. Use real garlic instead of garlic powder....why garlic powder even exists is beyond anyone in this house!!! I also did a layering technique and did fries, cheese, bacon, green onions and jalapenos and then repeated it again before baking until the cheese was melted. Also, did a Greek yogurt ranch dip with garlic that was perfect for dipping!
Enjoy!
Kristen
Enjoy!
Monday, April 2, 2012
Baked Oatmeal with Bananas and Apples
Ok, another round of the baked oatmeal but this time with apples instead of blueberries and a cinnamon/nutmeg mixture instead of just cinnamon. Used more flax seed as well with the oatmeal.
Baked Oatmeal with Bananas and Blueberries
Found this recipe on skinnytaste.com and thought I would give it a shot. Zak and Ceej are so weird about oatmeal....it's super annoying! I topped theirs with a little whipped cream......the whole dish was a hit!
Basic Caesar Salad with Garlic Shrimp
Ceej got to pick dinner tonight and she went with a fav: Caesar salad with garlic shrimp. I love this dinner because A) it's yummy, B) it's easy and C) it's yummy :)
Tomatoes, fresh grated parmesan, croutons and a very morphed dressing (my crew are specific people!) Were topped with shrimp that had been marinating in garlic and olive oil all day....delicious!
Lots of crazy dancing in the kitchen for this dinner.....Kristen
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