mexican street tacos (carne asada)

 

My son said they were "fire".  Or was it "gas"?  Either way,  I'll take it!

mexican street tacos (damndelicious)

2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

mini corn or flour tortillas, warmed

3/4 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges

In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano.

Add steak and marinate for at least 1 hour up to 4 hours, turning the bag occasionally.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add marinated steak and cook, stirring often, until steak has browned and marinade has rediced about 5-6 minutes or until desired doneness.

Serve steak in tortillas, topped with onion, lime and cilantro (I combined the onion, lime and cilantro with some diced tomatoes).

easy vegan cabbage roll soup

 

I made this soup for my vegan daughter and froze small portions for her to have on hand.  She texted me, "Wow that was definitely the best vegan soup I've ever ever had!!!  Thank you very much it was super yummy!!"  I'll be making it again for her.

easy vegan cabbage roll soup (adapted from it doesn't taste like chicken)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound green cabbage, chopped into bite-sized pieces (5 cups)

6 cups vegan beefless broth or vegetable broth

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

3/4 cup uncooked basmati rice (I used 1 (15 ounce) can white beans)

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 bay leaf

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup vegan beef crumbles

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped for garnish

In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes until the onions have turned translucent and begin to brown.

Stir in the cabbage, 6 cups of broth, crushed tomatoes, rice, and all the spices. 

Add the vegan beef crumbles.

Bring the soup to a simmer and cook stirring as needed, for about 25 minutes or until the rice (I used beans) and cabbage are tender.

Serve hot with fresh parsley.

no bake chocolate cheesecake

 

Our sweet neighbor and her daughter delivered a slice of chocolate cheesecake to daughter #3 who LOVES Oreos (the crust is made from Oreos).  It was of course delicious and I want to make it sometime.

This recipe had me at no bake.

no bake chocolate cheesecake (my friend and neighbor jenny)

18-20 Oreo cookies- blend in food processor until crumbs

6 tablespoons, melted- add to Oreo crumbs and blend until combined

Press Oreo mixture into a 12" springform pan.  Freeze for 30 minutes.

filling

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, melted

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup whipping cream- whisk until soft peaks form

Mix cream cheese until light and fluffy.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla and salt to cream cheese and mix until well combined.  Add melted chocolate chips and mix well.  Gently fold in whipped cream.  Pour mixture over frozen crust.  Spread evenly.  Refrigerate overnight or until set.

topping

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Heat chocolate chips and whipping cream in a glass bowl in the microwave.  Stir after 1 minute.  Continue to heat until it is fully blended and mixed together.   Pour over top of cooled cheesecake.  Refrigerate 1 hour.  After the cake is cooled, slide a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen.  Open springform pan and slice.  Top with berries if desired.

thai chicken soup

This soup is so simple yet so very good.  It was to good I plan to use red curry paste just to test the difference.

thai chicken soup (adapted from food network)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons green curry paste

6 cups chicken broth

1 (15 ounce) can coconut milk

1 tablespoon fish sauce, plus more to taste

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

4 ounces thin rice noodles, broken into pieces

2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts, very thinly sliced crosswise

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more to taste

1 cup roughly chopped cilantro

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic and curry paste and cook, stirring 1-2 minutes.  Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, and fish sauce; cover and bring to a boil.

Add the bell pepper and noodles and simmer, uncovered, until the noodles are al dente, about 3 minutes.  Add the chicken and simmer until just cooked though, about 3 more minutes.  Stir in the lime juice and cilantro.  Add more fish sauce and lime juice, if desired.

garlic-ginger chicken thighs

 

Excellent flavor.

garlic-ginger chicken thighs  (food network)

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 cup thinly sliced red onion

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger (used 1 tsp ground ginger)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

freshly ground pepper

olive oil for the grill

Combine the chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, juice and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large resealable plastic bag.  Seal and shake to coat the chicken with the marinade.  Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat a grill to medium heat and oil the grate.  Grill the chicken until marked 5-6 minutes.  Flip and continue to grill until cooked through, about 5 more minutes.  Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

tuscany chicken soup

 

Excellent.  This is one of my recent favorites, for sure.  It was simple yet super flavorful.  Sun dried tomatoes are not my favorite so I substituted them for petite diced tomatoes.  I also added 1/4 teaspoon cayenne for a little kick.  

Slow cooker version at the end of the recipe.

tuscany chicken soup (taste of home)

1 tablespoon oil from jar of julienned oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup julienee oil- packed sun-dried tomatoes (I used 1/2 can petite diced tomatoes)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups uncooked small pasta (I used 1 cup)

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken

2 cups chopped fresh spinach

2 cups whole milk (I used 1 cup 2% n=milk)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a Dutch oven, heat oil from sundried tomatoes (I used petite diced tomatoes so only used the olive oil) and olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion; cook and stir until softened, 4-6 minutes.  Add tomatoes, tomato paste and garlic.  Cook 2 minutes longer.

Stir in broth, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic powder.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in pasta.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.  Stir in  chicken and spinach.  Cook and stir until heated through and spinach is wilted.  Add milk and grated Parmesan cheese and let heat through.

NOTE:  I followed the directions for the first three lines then I put everything into the crock pot except the milk and Parmesan cheese.  I let it cook for a few hours then added the milk and Parmesan cheese at the end.

veracruz-style tilapia

 

This dish had great flavor!  My daughter who doesn't normally enjoy fish really, really liked it.  That says a lot.

veracruz-style tilapia (allrecipes.com)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 medium white onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoons capers

1 tablespoon caper juice

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup pitted, sliced green olives

1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

2 teaspoons fresh oregano

for the fish

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 tilapia filets (I use the tilapia loins from Costco)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

2 medium limes, juiced

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Make the sauce:  Heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium heat.  Add onion; cook and stir until translucent; 6 to 7 minutes.  Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3o seconds.  Stir in capers and caper juice.  Add tomatoes, olives, and jalapeno; cook and stir until tomatoes begin to collapse and jalapeno softens, about 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in oregano.

Move the sauce to the side.  Add 1 teaspoon oil to the bottom of the skillet.

Add the tilapia fillets.  Season with cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.  Cover with the sauce.  Squeeze lime juice over the top.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

30-minute spicy pork and garbanzo bean stew

 

I am SO happy to have found this recipe.  It was VERY delicious!

The original recipe called for sweet potatoes but I swapped them out for garbanzo beans.

30-minute spicy pork and garbanzo bean stew (food network)

1 cup canned unsalted diced tomatoes (I used the whole 15 ounce can)

1 medium white onion, quartered

2 cloves garlic

1/2 chipotle in adobo sauce, plus 1 tablespoon of the sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 1.5 pounds)

kosher salt and freshy ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon pickled jalapenos

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 medium head red cabbage

1 medium Hass avocado

1 lime

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro

Puree the tomatoes, onions, garlic, chipotle and adobo sauce in a food processor until completely smooth.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium--high heat until hot.  Add the pork in a single layer, season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, undisturbed, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.  Turn the pieces and cook until brown, about 1 minute more.  Dust the meat with the chili powder, and add the tomato puree, beans, broth, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and gently simmer until the meat is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the toppings: chop the jalapenos, and whisk together with the yogurt in a small bowl.  Shred the cabbage, cut the avocado into chunks and cut the lime into wedges.

Ladle the stew into large, deep bowls.  Top with the yogurt mixture, garnish with the cabbage, avocado, lime and cilantro and serve with the tortillas.

swiss chicken bake

 

So easy to make and very good.  I actually made it twice this week, only I used pepper jack cheese.

swiss chicken bake (I heart nap time)

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

4 slices Swiss cheese (or pepper jack)

1/2 cup light mayonaisse

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Coat a casserole dish wit nonstick cooking spray.

In a shallow bowl or pie pan, mix together the mayo, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

Coat the chicken with the sauce (both sides).  Top each chicken breast with a slice of cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees.  Serve with rice or quinoa.

spinach-artichoke white bean stew

 

My friend Dee-Anna gave this recipe to me and we really enjoyed it.  It's so easy to make!  It made a lot so my daughter invited a friend to lunch the next day.

spinach-artichoke white bean stew (my friend Dee-Anna)

3 cans (15 ounce each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 jars (12 ounce each) marinated artichoke hearts, drained

1 bag (10 ounce) frozen spinach

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

24 ounces vegetable broth

5 ounces light cream cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

8 ounces milk

Put the beans, artichoke hearts, spinach, garlic, onion powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper and vegetable broth into the slow cooker.  Cook on high for 4 hours.

Turn off the crock pot.  Break the cream cheese into chunks and whisk it into the soup until it melts.  Whisk in the Parmesan cheese and milk. 

slow cooker salsa verde chicken

My husband made this dish for my surprise birthday dinner with my favorite friends.  It was SO good!  I loved it.

slow cooker salsa verde chicken (my husband found this recipe at NYTimes Cooking)

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 cups jarred salsa verde (I recommend Herdez brand)

1 (4-ounce) can chopped mild green chiles

8 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and diced

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

3 scallions (green and white parts), thinly sliced

1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems finely chopped (about 1 heaping cup)

kosher salt, to taste

fresh lime juice, to taste

any combination of rice, tortillas, pepitas, queso fresco, diced avocado and crushed tortilla chips for serving

Combine the chicken thighs, salsa verde, green chiles, garlic, jalapeno, garlic powder, onion powder and cumin in a 6 to 8-quart slow cooker.  Stir to evenly combine. (Don't add salt now; jarred salsas are often high in sodium).  Cook on low until the chicken is tender and the flavors are blended, 5 to 6 hours.

Use two forks to coarsely shredded the chicken.  With heat on low, add the scallions and cilantro and stir to combine.  Season to taste with salt and lime juice. Serve with rice or in tortillas, if desired, with accompaniments.

the BEST lentil soup

 

I tried this recipe because I needed a vegan dish to go with dinner as my daughter was coming over.  This soup was the best I've tried!

the BEST lentil soup (nora cooks)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chohpped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 cups dry green or brown lentils

7 cups vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

3 cups baby spinach, sliced into ribbons

1 lemon, juiced

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery.  Cook, stirring frequently for about 4-5 minutes.

Now add the can of tomatoes, lentils, broth, cumin, coriander and smoked paprika.  Stir everything.

Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the soup has thickened.  For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to blend a few times in the pot.  Alternatively, add 1-2 cups of the soup to a regular blender, blend until smooth then return to the pot.

Stir in the spinach and lemon juice.  Season with salt to taste.

greek chicken kabobs

 

These kabobs plated with the greek tomato rice I made for tonight's meal were FIRE!  So good.  I served them with hummus and tzatziki sauce and a green salad.  Honey dew melon for dessert.

green chicken kabobs (damn delicious)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest (I omitted)

1 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoon dried basil (I used fresh)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, diced

kosher salt (I used 1/2 teaspoons) and freshy ground pepper

2 pounds chicken (I used chicken breasts, cut into chunks)

In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, paprika, oregano, basil, thyme, garlic, shallot, salt and pepper.

Stir in chicken until well combined; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning occasionally.  Drain the chicken from the marinade.

Thread the chicken onto skewers.

Preheat the grill to medium.

Add the skewers and grill, turning occasionally until internal temp reaches 165 degrees, about 10 minutes.

greek tomato rice

 

This greek tomato rice was great!  It was perfect for the new greek marinade that I tried.

greek tomato rice (allrecipes.com) 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic

1 cup long grain rice

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

fresh ground pepper

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add rice; cook and stir until lightly toasted for 2 minutes.  Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, parsley, salt and pepper; bring to a boil.

Cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook until all the liquid is absorbed and rice is done, about 20 minutes.

the best vegan banana bread

 

My daughter who is vegan was coming over for Easter dinner and I realized I really didn't have anything vegan for dessert besides what was hidden inside her Easter eggs.  I had some ripe bananas and made this banana bread but added some allspice and cloves to the recipe.  Everyone thought it was a hit!

the best vegan banana bread (Connoisseurus Veg)

3 medium overripe bananas

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 to 1 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly oi a 9-inch loaf pan and arrange a strip of parchment paper width-wise along the center with just a bit hanging out over each side.

Peel the bananas and place them into a large mixing bowl.  Mash them well with a fork or potato masher.

Add sugar, brown sugar, oil and vanilla to the bowl.  Stir until well-mixed.

Add the flour to the bowl then sprinkle with the baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt on top of the flour.  Stir everything together just until mixed.  Don't overmix.  The batter will be thick.

Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with the back of a spoon.

Sprinkle the top with a little extra brown sugar if desired.

Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from the pan from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack.  Allow the loaf to cool for at least 15 minutes before removing it from the pan.

Slice and serve.

chicken egg roll bowl

 

My family really enjoyed this!  The additions I made were to add 3 scrambled eggs and some chili garlic sauce for some heat I really liked those additions.  We'll be having this dish again!

chicken egg roll bowl (skinnytaste)

1 pound 93% lean ground chicken

3 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce, divided (or more to taste)

3 medium scallions, sliced, dark green parts separated for garnish

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspsoon fresh ground ginger

3 cups slaw mix with cabbage, carrots and/or broccoli slaw 

2 cups baby bok choy, chopped and trimmed

1/2 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (I used rice vinegar)

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

2 cups cooked white rice for serving

Note:  I added 3 scrambled eggs to the dish

In a large nonstick skillet, cook the chicken over medium-high heat with 1/2 tablespoon of the soy sauce until browned and cooked through, breaking it up into smaller pieces as it cooks, about 5 minutes.

Add the scallion whites and light green parts, garlic and ginger, stir well and cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the veggies, pour the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil and cook stirring occasionally until the veggies are wilted but still crunchy, about 4 minutes.

Add the eggs and heat for a minute.

Remove from heat and finish with scallions.  Serve with rice.

quick-baked spinach artichoke chicken

 

This was delicious!  My youngest daughter said it tasted like the yummy spinach artichoke dip on top of chicken...and that's exactly what it tasted like.

quick-baked spinach artichoke chicken (adapted from wholesomlicious)

2 pounds chicken breast, boneless & skinless, fileted then pounded thin

4 ounces light cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

2/3 cup mozzarella cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

8 ounces marinated artichokes, drained and chopped

3 cups fresh spinach (I used more like 4-5 cups)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray or oil.  Place the chicken breast inside the dish.

In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, mayo, dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.  Stir in most of the parmesan and mozzarella cheese, reserving a little top top the casserole.

Fold in the artichoke hearts and spinach and mix until well combined.  Spoon the mixture on top of the chicken breast.  Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses.  Transfer the casserole to the oven.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.

molasses crinkles with white chocolate chips

 

My husband said these are the best cookies I've ever made.  I don't know how that is possible since I have made a lot of cookies over the past almost 25 years...but great!  My youngest daughter also LOVES these cookies.  My son didn't say anything about them but he's eaten the most.

molasses crinkles with white chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups shortening

2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup milk-flavor molasses

2 eggs

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (12 ounce) package white chocolate chips

granulated sugar for rolling

Mix shortening, brown sugar, molasses and egg thoroughly in a large bowl.  Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar.  Stir in white chocolate chips.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease cookie sheet.

Shape dough into 1 1/4" balls.  Roll in granulated sugar.  Place balls 3 inches apart on a cookie sheet.  Using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass, press the balls down a little bit.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or just until set.

Remove form cookie sheet to wire rack.

creamy caesar chicken

 

My friend shared this recipe and I already had everything I needed to make it.  It was really good!  I love how simple it is and it was a hit with my family.

creamy caesar chicken (my friend Dee-Anna)

2 large chicken breasts, fileted

several tablespoons creamy caesar dressing (my favorite is Ken's light creamy caesar)

salt, pepper and garlic powder

provolone cheese (I used mozzarella)

optional:  croutons and butter as a topping to add just before baking

Spread a little bit of creamy caesar dressing on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

Place chicken in the baking dish.

Lightly sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic powder over the chicken.

Spread a little more caesar dressing over the top.

Cover with cheese.

Optional: crush croutons and mix with melted butter and sprinkle over the chicken.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.  If you did not use croutons, broil the chicken the last few minutes so the cheese is golden brown.

slow cooker indian butter chicken

 

Instant favorite and it's so easy to make!

slow cooker indian butter chicken (damn delicious)

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

2 teaspoons yellow curry powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 sweet onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1/2 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar (I omitted)

In a small bowl, whisk together chicken stock, tomato paste, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, salt and pepper.

Place chicken, onion, garlic and ginger into a 4-quart slow cooker.  Stir in chicken stock mixture.

Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours.  Stir in heavy cream, lime juice and brown sugar; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with rice.

easy chicken shawarma

 

We had a chicken shawarma platter from a food cart in Kauai recently and it was SO good.  We made our own platter at home which was just as good!  The original recipe for this chicken called that the chicken be cooked on a grill pan but we grilled it on an outdoor barbeque instead.

easy chicken shawarma (damn delicious)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, water, lemon zest, lemon juice...and spices.

Add the chicken and marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight.

Drain the chicken from the marinade.

Preheat grill.

Grill until cooked through.

Serve with yellow rice, veggies, hummus and tzatziki sauce.

yellow shawarma rice

I looked for a yellow rice recipe to go with our chicken shawarma for dinner tonight.  This recipe was delicious!  I had run out of white jasmine rice so it was half white and half brown jasmine rice.  It just needed a little more time on the stove but worked out very well!

yellow shawarma rice (the sassy foodie) 

1 cup jasmine rice

2 cups water

1 tablespoon bouillon concentrate

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon salted butter 

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 lemon

1 teaspoon sea salt

Boil the water over medium heat.

Add the bouillon concentrate to the boiling water.  Stir to dissolve the bouillon into the water.  Add the spices to the water.

Add the rice to the pot, and top with the butter.  Turn the heat to medium low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and keep the rice covered for another 5 minutes.

Once the rice has cooked, take off the lid and squeeze the juice of a lemon into the rice.  Fluff with a fork.

slow cooker asian "short ribs"

 

Instant family favorite!

I used beef stew meat instead of beef short ribs for a leaner version.

slow cooker asian "short ribs" (damn delicious)

1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup beef broth

1/4 cup brown sugar (I used 1 1/2 tablespoons)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (I used 1 teaspoon ginger powder)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

4 pounds beef short ribs (I used 1.5 pounds stew meat)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves (I used cilantro)

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

toppings for a bowl:  rice, kimchi, sliced cucumber, thinly scraped carrots, diced avocado, roasted asparagus

In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vegetable broth, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and red pepper flakes.

Place short ribs in slow cooker.  Stir in soy sauce mixture until well combined.

Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1/4 cup water.  Stir in mixture into the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley or cilantro or serve in a bowl which I highly recommend.

crazy birthday cake

 

THIS is the cake my daughter wanted for her birthday.  THIS is the cake that I made.  It looks fairly similar to the photo of a cake she sent to me.

I did the best that I could (thank you cakes class at Ricks College!) using my vegan chocolate cake recipe then store bought icing that thank goodness is vegan.

Yay for birthdays and for adventuresome cakes.

Here are the steps I took:

slow cooker thai chicken soup

 

Delicous soup.  A big hit.

slow cooker thai chicken soup (platings + pairings)

2 tablespoons red curry paste

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons minced ginger

1 jalapeno pepper

1 (12 ounce) can coconut milk

4 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2" cubes

1 cup frozen peas

7 ounces rice noodles

1 lime, zested and juiced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce

salt

garnishes:  cilantro, green onions, jalapeno slices, lime wedges

Combine red curry paste, brown sugar, garlic, cilantro, red pepper, onion, ginger, and jalapeno in a food processor or blender and process until a paste forms.

Add the paste to the slow cooker and stir in the chicken stock.  Add the chicken to the slow cooker, cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.

Use a spoon to break up the cooked chicken into bite sized pieces.

Add the coconut milk and rice noodles and cook for 10-15 minutes longer.

Stir in the frozen peas, lime zest, lime juice, soy sauce and fish sauce and season to taste with salt.

Serve in bowls topped with cilantro, green onions, additional jalapenos and lime wedges.