#cooking blog

Chicken Tacos w. Pico de Gallo

• 4 skinless chicken breasts, de-boned
• juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• black pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 ripe tomatoes, cubed
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• handful fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar / lemon juice
• salt & pepper to taste

• guacamole
• sour cream
• tortillas

http://simply-delicious-food.com/2014/05/20/chicken-tacos-pico-de-gallo/

Cherry & Pomegranate Sangria

• 2 Granny Smith Apples, chopped
• 1 orange, cut into wedges
• 1 punnet fresh cherries
• 1x 750ml bottle Moscato
• 500ml pomegranate juice
• ice cubes

http://simply-delicious-food.com/2014/06/18/cherry-pomegranate-sangria/

Homemade Wholegrain Vegan Crackers

• ¼ cup almond meal
• ¾ cup whole spelt flour - whole wheat flour works, too!
• 1½ Tablespoons vegan buttery spread, melted
• 1¼ Tablespoons sugar
• ⅓ teaspoons salt
• about ¼ cup of water
• coarse sea salt for sprinkling

http://theprettybee.com/2014/03/whole-grain-vegan-cracker-recipe.html

Roast Leg of Lamb w. Tzatziki & Tabbouleh

6 shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp coriander
1 ½ tbsp salt
1 tbsp red chile flakes
1 (6 lb) leg of lamb (bone-in)

Tzatziki
2 cups Greek yogurt
juice of 2 lemons
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced shallots

Pomegranate Tabbouleh Salad
 2 cups water
1 cup bulgur
½ cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup mint, chopped
¼ cup green onions, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 cup cucumber, chopped
¼ cup sliced almonds
½ cup pomegranate seeds
¼ cup feta
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon jucie
1 ½ tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

http://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2011/03/roasted-leg-of-lamb-with-tzatziki-and-pomegranate-tabbouleh.html

Butternut Salad w. Cider Dressing

3 Cups Baby Spinach
3 Cups Butter Lettuce
2 lbs. Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into 1’ cubes
½ Cup Toasted Pistachios
1 Cup Pomegranate Seeds
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Real Maple Syrup
Block of Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
Salt, Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes

Cider Dressing//
¾ Cup Apple Cider
2 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tbsp. Shallots
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
¼ Cup Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

http://www.sproutedkitchen.com/home/2009/11/25/butternut-salad-with-cider-dressing.html

Cauliflower & Brown Rice Gratin

• 2 lbs. cauliflower
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ of a red onion, minced
• ½ tsp. sea salt and pepper, more as needed
• 2 Tbsp. unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups milk, room temperature
• ¼ tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. cayenne
• ½ tsp. dried Italian herb
• ½ cup grated parmesan, plus more for topping
• ¾ cup shredded gruyere, plus more for topping
• fresh chopped, parsley for garnish

http://www.sproutedkitchen.com/home/2014/3/12/cauliflower-brown-rice-gratin.html

Gluten Free Vegan Brownies

• 3.5 oz 70% dark chocolate (100 grams)
• ⅓ cup coconut oil (80 grams)
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (30 grams)
• ½ cup cooked red beans (100 grams)
• ¾ cup dates (100 grams)
• ¼ cup coconut milk (50 milliliters)
• ⅓ cup ground almonds (45 grams)
• 2 bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract(optional)

http://minimaleats.com/gluten-free-vegan-brownie/

Vegan Chili 

I am so happy to finally share this recipe! 

Ingredients 

1 medium yellow onion, diced 

6 cloves garlic, minced  

1 large red bell pepper, diced 

1 ½ large green bell pepper, diced 

1 large sweet potato, diced 

1 can red kidney beans, rinsed 

1 ¼ cup dry lentils, rinsed 

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes 

2 cups vegetable broth

½ jar of tomato passata 

1 tbsp tomato paste 

Pinch of sugar [to cut the acidity just a little]

Seasoning blend (you will not use all of this unless you want to): 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp kosher pepper, ½ tbsp cumin, ½ tbsp ancho chili powder, 1 tsp New Mexico chili powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp hot paprika, ½ tsp dried oregano. 

Cilantro for garnish

Toppings of your choice 

Directions 

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat a few tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. 

Once the oil has come to temperature, add in the garlic, onions, and diced peppers.

Season with the seasoning blend and cook until the onions become translucent. 

Once the onions are translucent, add in the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, passata, and sweet potatoes. 

Season as desired. 

Bring the mixture to a boil.

Once boiling, add in the lentils and red kidney beans.

Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to a simmer, and allow the lentils to cook thoroughly, stirring occasionally for about 25 minutes. 

After 20-25 minutes, remove the lid, add in the tomato paste. Stir to incorporate. 

Taste and season according to your preference. 

Add in the pinch of sugar to balance the flavors. 

Let the chili thicken uncovered for a few minutes. 

Serve while hot, garnished with your favorite toppings. 

Enjoy! 

Buttermilk Waffles 

Ingredients for Waffles

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups flour (all-purpose)

2 eggs

2 tbsp sugar

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup melted butter

1 tsp cinnamon

Dash vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Directions for Waffles

Pre-heat your waffle iron

In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients together using a whisk

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and combine until everything is incorporated

Spray your waffle iron with non-stick spray and cook waffles per your manufacturer’s instructions

Serve with warm syrup. 

Enjoy! 

Thai Tom Yum Soup 

I can’t take credit for this entire recipe. Tonight’s dinner was something quick and easy, but still so flavorful and delicious. Tom Yum soup is one of my most favorite soups, and tonight, I supplemented a canned broth that I buy from my favorite farmer’s market with lovely seasoned chicken breast [I wish I had shrimp on hand], sautéed onions and garlic, a few jalapeños, chili paste, and coconut milk. I finished the dish by adding some rice noodles I had on hand in the panty. Everything was garnished with fresh cilantro and devoured. The broth that I buy is heavily seasoned and so delicious that it was perfect and reminded me of the authentic soup I truly love. 

Snickerdoodles 

My take on a comforting classic. 
*makes 12 cookies 

Ingredients 

1 cup + 5 ½ tbsp all purpose flour 

¾ cup granulated sugar 

1 stick unsalted butter, softened 

1 egg, room temperature 

1 1/8 tsp baking powder 

¼ tsp salt 

½ tsp vanilla extract 

1 ¼ tsp cinnamon 

Cinnamon sugar - ¼ cup sugar + ½ tsp cinnamon

Directions 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a small bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and set aside. 

In another small bowl, combine the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is smooth and most of the sugar has dissolved. 

When the butter and sugar mixture has come together, add in the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated. 

Once the wet ingredients have come together, add in the dry ingredients and mix until the cookie dough begins to form, being sure to not over-mix.

Using a large tablespoon measure or small ice cream scoop, scoop out the cookie dough and roll it into a ball, then generously toss it into the cinnamon sugar. 

Repeat this process until you have 12 balls of cookie dough. 

Place them a few inches apart on the baking sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool before serving. 

Enjoy! 

Homemade Cheese Ravioli with Meat Sauce 

This was absolutely perfect in every single way. It’s rich with flavor, slightly spicy, and a great dinner for a winter weeknight. 

I will post a detailed ravioli recipe in another post – the focus of this recipe is the meat sauce. 

Ingredients 

1 small yellow onion, diced 

5 large cloves garlic, minced 

1 lb Italian chicken sausage (hot or sweet) 

1 full jar tomato passata 

2 cups spinach, roughly chopped 

1 tsp granulated garlic 

1 tsp granulated onion

1 tsp dried basil 

1 tsp dried oregano 

½ - 1 tbsp granulated sugar 

Pinch red pepper flakes 

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper, to taste 

1 lb cooked cheese ravioli 

Directions 

Heat a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. 

Once the pot has come to temperature, drizzle a few tbsp of olive oil into the bottom and add in the onions and garlic. 

Sweat the onions and garlic until the onions become translucent. Season with salt and pepper.

Once the onions are translucent, raise the temperature to medium high and add in the chicken sausage.

Break apart the sausage using a wooden spoon, season with granulated onion and garlic and cook until browned.

As the chicken begins to brown, add in the entire jar of tomato passata [making sure to add water to the jar to add the excess], dried basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar and stir. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken. 

During the final minutes of simmering, cook the ravioli, drain and reserve a small amount of pasta water. 

Raise the heat to medium once again, and add in the spinach and stir. 

Add in the ravioli and toss into the sauce. 

Garnish with fresh parsley or basil and serve. 

Enjoy! 

Chicken & Shrimp Fajita Soup 

A personal favorite that I recently came up with. It’s spicy and spice-filled. It’s absolutely perfect on a cold winter day. 

Ingredients 

1 ½ lb chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces 

½ lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail-off

½ large onion, finely chopped 

½ of one yellow, green, orange, and red bell pepper, cut into strips and then halved 

6 large cloves garlic, minced 

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes

1 can black beans, rinsed 

3 cups chicken broth 

2 tbsp tomato paste 

3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped 

1-2 tbsp adobo sauce 

Seasoning blend: 1 tbsp granulated onion, 1 tbsp hot paprika, 1 tbsp ground black pepper, 1 tbsp dried cilantro, 2 tsp ancho chili power, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp granulated onion, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp ground chipotle pepper

NOTE: You will not use all of the seasoning blend unless you want your soup heavily spiced. Save the remainder of the spice blend in a small glass jar or airtight container  

1 serrano pepper, chopped with seeds, optional 

Kosher salt to taste 

Olive oil 

Fresh cilantro for garnish 

Directions for Dutch Oven 

Heat a dutch oven over medium heat for 10 minutes. 

In a small bowl, toss the chicken thighs in a few tbsp of olive oil and season generously with the spice blend. Season with kosher salt to taste.

Once the dutch oven has come to temperature, add in a few tbsp of olive oil and brown the chicken on all sides for about 3 minutes. 

Once the chicken has browned, remove the chicken with a slotted spoon to a clean plate/bowl, leaving behind the juice. 

In the same juice, sweat your onions, garlic, and bell peppers until they have slightly softened. 

Once the vegetables have softened, add in the chicken, crushed tomatoes, black beans, tomato paste, and chicken broth. 

Season to taste 

Raise the heat to a simmer and cover with a lid to cook for 1.5 hours. 

After 1 hour, reduce the heat and vent the lid to allow some of the liquid to evaporate.

After 1.5 hours, season to taste and add in the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, shrimp and cilantro.

Allow to cook with the lid vented for 5-10 minutes. 

During this time, the soup should thicken considerably but still have liquid. 

Adjust the seasoning to your preferred taste and serve. 

Directions for Crockpot 

Heat a pan over medium heat for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, toss the chicken thighs in a few tbsp of olive oil and season generously with the spice blend. Season with kosher salt to taste.

Once the pan has come to temperature, add in a few tbsp of olive oil and brown the chicken on all sides for about 3 minutes.

Once the chicken has browned, place the chicken and its juice into the crockpot. 

Add in all ingredients except the shrimp and cilantro and cook on high for 4 hours. 

After 1.5 hours, season to taste and add in the shrimp and cilantro and cook on high for another 15-20 minutes until shrimp have cooked through. 

Adjust the seasoning to your preferred taste and serve. 

Enjoy! 

Maple-Glazed Roasted Chicken with Mashed Sweet Potatoes 

Ingredients for Chicken 

1 whole chicken 

Seasoning blend [may or may not use all of it]: 6 tbsp kosher salt, 6 tbsp ground black pepper, 2 tbsp Herbes de Provence, 1 tbsp ground rosemary, 1 tbsp granulated lemon, 1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes 

Aromatics: yellow onion, garlic, fresh herbs (for stuffing inside – optional) 

Olive oil 

Ingredients for Maple Glaze 

1 cup maple syrup 

½ cup barbecue sauce (I used Williams-Sonoma Honey Chipotle barbecue sauce) 

1 tbsp honey 

½ tbsp kosher salt 

Ingredients for Mashed Sweet Potatoes 

3 large sweet potatoes, diced into medium chunks

1 ½ tbsp chili powder 

¼ cup raw honey 

3 garlic cloves, minced 

2 tsp cinnamon

½ cup +/- heavy cream 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions for Chicken 

Preheat your oven to 430 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oven has preheated to the correct temperature, heat a cast iron pan for 25 minutes. 

To prepare your chicken, dry the skin with paper towels – a dried surface ensures that the skin will become crispy in the oven. 

Generously rub olive oil all over the bird and season liberally, the inside and outside. 

If you are using aromatics, stuff them inside of the bird along with the seasoning and tie the legs together with wet kitchen twine.

NOTE: Soaking the kitchen twine in water a few minutes before using ensures that it will not burn in the oven. 

Once the cast iron is preheated, quickly place the bird into the pan and return to the oven for about 50 minutes or until the breast meat registers 150 degrees Fahrenheit internally. 

Once the breast meat registers 150 degrees internally, turn your oven to broil.

Generously glaze the chicken and broil for 1 minute.

Apply one more coating of glaze and broil until skin is caramelized.

Allow chicken to rest until breast meat comes to temperature (165 degrees Fahrenheit).

Directions for Maple Glaze

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and adjust to your preferred taste. 

Directions for Mashed Sweet Potatoes 

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the potatoes until tender. 

Once the potatoes are tender, drain them and return them to the pot. 

Add in the seasonings. Mash the potatoes. 

Adjust to your taste before adding the heavy cream.

Mash and whip until smooth. 

Cut your chicken and serve.

Enjoy! 

Peri Peri BBQ Wings

Ingredients for Wings

2 lb chicken wings, separated into drums and flats

Seasoning blend (you may or may not use all of it) - 5 tbsp of each: smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, Indian red pepper, hot paprika, cumin + 2 tbsp kosher salt, + 1 tbsp baking powder

Ingredients for Sauce

½ cup Honey Chipotle barbecue sauce (purchased from Williams-Sonoma)

¼ cup Peri Peri sauce

3 tbsp sweet chili 

2 tsp raw honey 

½ apple cider vinegar 

Dash salt 

Directions 

Preheat the oven  to 420 degrees Fahrenheit.

Clean and completely dry your chicken wings using paper towels. 

In a large bowl, toss your chicken wings into the coating mixture and ensure that each wing is evenly coated. 

Using a baking sheet (preferably with a wire rack), place the chicken wings in a single layer and cook for 20 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 15 minutes. 

After the last 15 minutes, remove the wings from the oven, turn on your oven’s broiler, brush the chicken wings with the sauce and broil for 1-2 minutes until caramelized. 

Repeat on the opposite side of the wings. 

NOTE: using a wire rack helps with the air circulation and ensures that the entire wing gets crispy. 

Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve. 

Enjoy!

Black Bean, Mushroom & Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Ingredients 

1 can black beans, rinsed 

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into small cubes 

½ carton baby bella or white mushrooms, finely chopped (or processed) 

½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped (or processed) 

Seasoning blend: 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp granulated onion, 1 tsp granulated onion, ½ tsp ancho chili powder (or 1 tsp plain chili powder), ½ tsp ground oregano. 

Mexican cheese blend (or your favorite shredded cheese) 

Flour tortillas 

Toppings, optional: guacamole, sour cream, sliced tomatoes, salsa 

Fresh cilantro and lime juice for garnish 

Directions 

Preheat your oven to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. 

In a microwave-safe bowl, add the sweet potato cubes and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. 

Par-cook [partially cook] your sweet potatoes for 5 minutes in the microwave.

While your sweet potatoes are in the microwave, heat a medium-large pan with a few tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. 

Once the oil has come to temperature, add in the onion and the mushrooms. 

Season with a small pinch of salt and cook until the onion begins to become translucent. 

Once the onion has become translucent, add in the black beans. 

Once the sweet potatoes have finished, carefully add them to the vegetable mixture. 

Season generously and cook until the black beans are warmed through and soft. 

To assemble your quesadilla, lay down a layer of cheese on one side of the tortilla, add filling and fold over. Repeat until you have made your desired number of quesadillas.

Cook the quesadillas in the oven until the tortillas are golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Top, garnish, and serve.

Enjoy! 

Baked Chicken & Zucchini Rigatoni

Ingredients

1 box (1 lb) rigatoni noodles

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 large zucchini, cut into bite-sized cubes

Seasoning blend (for both chicken and zucchini) - ½ tbsp Herbs de Provence, ½ tbsp dried basil, ½ tbsp dried oregano, 1 tsp lemon granules, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 2 tsp granulated onion, 2 tsp granulated garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

2 cups pasta sauce of your choice

Olive oil

1 - 1 ½ cups cheese of your choice (I used parmesan)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your rigatoni noodles so that they are 2 minutes from being cooked to al dente.

In two small bowls, toss your chicken and your zucchini with olive oil and the seasoning blend

In a pan/skillet, heat a tbsp or two of olive oil over medium heat.

Cook the chicken thighs over medium heat until they are fully cooked.

Remove from pan into a large bowl.

Par-cook/soften the zucchini in a tbsp of olive oil.

Remove from pan into the same large bowl.

Once the pasta is 2 minutes from being al dente, drain and rinse under cold water.

In the same large bowl, combine the pasta with the chicken and zucchini and incorporate the sauce.

NOTE: Use as much or as little sauce as you would like.

In a baking dish or cast iron pan, layer the pasta, layer the cheese, layer the pasta, and finish with a layer of cheese.

Allow the pasta to bake for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees and in the last minute or two, turn your broiler on high and allow the cheese to completely melt.

Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Enjoy!

Crown Apple Fudge Brownies 

Ingredients 

½ cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour 

2/3 cup warm vegetable oil 

2/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa  

2/3 cup light brown sugar 

1 1/3 powdered sugar (sifted) 

¼ tsp kosher salt 

¼ tsp baking powder 

3 eggs, room temperature  

1 ¼ tsp vanilla extract 

~35 ml Crown Royal Apple whiskey (Crown Vanilla is also a great substitute) 

Directions 

Preheat your oven to 330 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Line an 11x7 baking dish with parchment paper so that it hangs over the sides and spray liberally with non-stick spray. 

In a small pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until it is warm to the touch. It should not be too hot. 

In a small bowl, combine the cocoa and the oil and whisk until the cocoa has dissolved. 

Add in the whiskey. 

Set the ‘fudge’ mixture aside while you prepare the remainder of the ingredients. 

In a large bowl (or standing mixer), combine the eggs and sugars and mix thoroughly for about 4 minutes. The mixture should be as smooth as possible.

Add in the vanilla extract and prepare the dry ingredients.

In another small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. 

Now that the fudge mixture has had a moment to bloom, combine ½ of the mixture into the wet ingredients (eggs, etc.) and mix for about 3 minutes until smooth. 

Add in the dry ingredients and the remaining half of the fudge mixture. 

Mix until the dry ingredients are just combined, careful to not over-mix. 

Pour the batter into the pan and bake on the center rack for 22-26 minutes. 

Once the brownies are finished baking, remove them from the oven and allow for them to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan. 

Using the hanging parchment, carefully lift the brownies from the pan and set aside to cool for another 5 minutes. 

Cut into your desired portions and serve! 

Enjoy! 

Loaded Nachos 

Thursday night is a very social night in my home, and for the occasion, I made a tray of loaded turkey nachos. Corn tortilla chips, ground turkey seasoned with many amazing spices (cumin, smoked paprika, hot paprika, garlic, onion, cilantro, etc), homemade queso, onions, tomatoes, and fresh pickled jalapeños. 

Would you all be interested in a full recipe? 

Chicken Tagliatelle with Puttanesca 

A quick pasta recipe that I shared via Instagram stories two weeks ago. This was quick and simple and so delicious. Grilled some chicken, boiled some tagliatelle pasta, sautéed some beautiful grape tomatoes with garlic and shallots. Everything came together with a lovely Puttanesca sauce purchased from Home Goods. This was amazing. Once I remake the dish, I’ll post a full recipe! 

Enjoy.