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.