Ground Turkey & Mexicorn over Fresh Spinach

I think Target's bathing suit sizing is out of control, off the charts, and unnecessarily unflattering. The bottoms run so goddamn small. Orrrrrrr maybe I'm just not ready to commit to bathing suit season yet. 

But today, as I looked at the medium bottom pinching me in all the wrong places (the day after I got over a stomach bug when I was feeling otherwise slender) and thought about trading it in for a large, my inner narcissist took over and I bought a nail polish instead. And people wonder how we ended up with 00 sized clothing. Go ahead, roll your eyes at me.

I know it doesn't really matter. But it's totally something that happens in my head. I never understood small, medium, large sizing anyway. Why can't clothing just be sized by measurements. So that I don't have to check a size chart when I shop online. And no one has to call themselves "large" or double zero. And it makes sense? Pfttttt.

Cue Whatshouldwecallme...

Putting on a bathing suit for the first time this season...

Whenever I put on a bathing suit...

When I try to avoid being seen at a pool party... <--- favorite

When I realize I have to be in a bathing suit in less than a month...

Anyway I hope that brought about some laughs. And if I've made you feel nice and uncomfortable as well, you can rest easily knowing that this recipe is not for bacon s'mores cookie bars or dark chocolate peanut butter bacon truffles. It's refreshingly healthy and tastey. A good dish for feeling a little like you want to change the way you eat for the next month or so. Or a good dish for feeling like you want to eat something light, yet flavorful. It's sweet with a touch of spice. It's the way I really like to eat dinner during the week. It won't weigh you down or take up too much of your time either. (Super quick... as always!)

And relax! We look great.

Soundtrack:  

Ground Turkey & Mexicorn over Fresh Spinach

serves 3-4

1/2 tbsp EVOO (I used jalapeno-infused EVOO; regular is fine though)

2 lbs ground turkey

1 c. chopped sweet peppers (I bought a bag of minis for color variety)

1 can sweet corn

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp chipotle seasoning

1 tsp chile powder

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tbsp agave (or honey if not available)

1 c. grape tomatoes, halved

juices of 1/2 lime

baby spinach

cheddar cheese, grated for topping (optional)

Heat 1 EVOO over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add turkey, season with some salt and pepper, and cook, breaking apart with the side of a large spoon, until completely browned. 

Add the corn and sweet peppers and season with cumin, oregano, chipotle, chile powder, paprika and agave. Continue to cook another 3-4 minutes, until heated through. Add tomatoes and cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.

Dress with lime juice and serve over a bed of baby spinach. Garnish with shredded cheddar, optional.

Gift from Becca at DPC
<3<3<3<3

Ah! Look at this gross little invader!

Red Wine Chicken Fajitas with Cilantro & Avocado

Ok, so there are chicken fajitas. Big whoop. (90's <3)

But these have been drinking.

They started out purple. I was a little nervous.

(Don't be nervous if your fajitas are purple at first.)

This overwhelming purple-ness did reminded me of a time when I made purple risotto though. I didn't have any white wine and thought it was an obvious substitution. Wine.. wine.. same... right? The risotto was delicious, but there's something about certain colors that just makes foods weird.

Anyway, no one likes a purple risotto. Fail.

 

These are deeee-licious and totally not purple. Phew. A mostly sweet flavor with a hint of smokiness and a touch of spice. And so much more interesting than boring sober fajitas. But then again, so aren't we all?

Speaking of the '90's I really wish I still had my copy of the original Now. Like, a lot. But.. did you know they're still cranking those out? 'Tis true! Numero 41! Are people still buying these things? Please, someone tell me you know someone who is still buying these things.

I'm a Barbie girl. Foreva.

Soundtrack: Funk is back and boogie is alive.






Red Wine Chicken Fajitas with Cilantro & Avocado


1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 c. red wine
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 avocado, sliced
cilantro
flour tortillas
EVOO, salt & pepper


In a large saute pan, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Continue to saute until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.


Add bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, paprika, and brown sugar. Stir to coat.


Pour in red wine and stir again. Try to make chicken and peppers as level as possible to submerge in the wine. Season again with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Bring the dish to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and continuing to cover the chicken as much as possible in the sauce. 


Meanwhile, heat the tortillas in the oven at 200 degrees for 2-3 minutes.


Adjust seasoning on chicken to taste. Serve in warm tortillas, topped with a hearty amount of avocado, tomato and cilantro.

Simple Spicy Chicken Cattiatore

Happy Super Bowl Sunday Amurika! Dip things in cheese! Cover them in buffalo sauce! BBQ something at least...

Right about now we should all be gearing up for the big showdown. The end of the football season  and greatest food event known to February (only b/c we had to extend the football season a few years ago, before that it was a tie between National Pancake Day and various restaurant weeks). 

But I figured everyone is probably sorta bored in a meantime. Unless of course you've started drinking early or you live somewhere warm. I know I sure was; I finished my first and only scrapbook today, which I started to commemorate my first trip to Europe about 4 years ago. So, life points for me.

So I figured I'd share a recipe.

And this. Because it made me laugh.

And this video, because it's relevant and hilarious. 

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

But let's get on with the recipe, shall we?

 I know we've had this discussion before, over this meat sauce. Authentic chicken cattiatore ain't got no tomate-ers either. But I bend the rules because I'm an American. And Olive Garden.

Look at all those tomatoes!

This is a pretty simple chicken dish. Healthy. Perfect for pasta. Or great without pasta on the day after you eat way too much, while pretending to care about football. Delicious, with just a bit of heat (or more if you like!).

Soundtrack:


 

Simple Spicy Chicken Cattiatore

Serves 3-4

1 clove garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

1 small onion, diced

3 chicken breasts, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces

1-28 oz can whole, peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped, retain about 1/3 cup liquid

1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on tastes)

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp rosemary

1-2 tbsp grated Pecorino-Romano cheese

salt, pepper, EVOO

In a large saute pan, heat EVOO over medium heat. Add garlic, peppers, carrots and onion. Saute for 5-10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add chicken and continue to cook until chicken is cooked through.

Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, oregano and rosemary. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes until reduced slightly.

Serve over pasta or rice or with a salad. Top with cheese.

(Told you it was simple...)

White Chicken Chili

How ironic that I am posting a white chili the day after watching one of my best-est friends try on wedding dresses...

And being the first to cry (go me!), I have to say, the dress shopping thing was a little overwhelming. Maybe it's because I can't even fathom the fact that this is where we are in life now and I'm just not ready to grow up. Or maybe it's just because my purse was full of mashed pear and I spilled coffee all over myself, but being so close to things so white and delicate and expensive totally freaked me out at first.

So hard to imagine that just a few short years ago we were bowling
in our prom dresses... and now we are shopping for wedding dresses...

(PS Being overwhelmed always reminds me of one particular Hollywood moment from 10 Things I Hate About You. PPS I have no idea what the second part of that youtube vid even is, but it's all I could find..)

But omgosh, watching her face light up when she found the right dress was a moment that I'm really glad I was able to share. And I finally met her fiance (so now that doesn't have to be an awkward pre-wedding moment). And now I'm really excited for her.

Eek!

I also got to see three of my other favorite people in the world this weekend! Two of which told me they've never even read my blog, so I'm definitely crossing them off the list soon. Losers. Jessica on the other hand, I can't wait to walk down the aisle with you, boo.

But yea, totally worth eight hours of driving in two days. Poughkeepsie, I love you. You have my heart forevs.

Our "21st" Birthday

Anyway... chili...

Soundtrack: Some interesting Christmas music that I found.... Carol of the BELLZ, yo.


 

White Chicken Chili

Serves 4-5


1 medium onion, chopped (I like to chop half and leave the other half in bigger pieces, because I like big pieces of onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 chicken breasts, cleaned and cut into strips
2 medium red peppers, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (optional)
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp chipotle powder
20 oz chicken broth (this is about most of a 32 oz container, you can eye it out if you don't have a scale)
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
Juice of 1 lime
Muenster cheese, shredded
EVOO, salt & pepper




In a medium stockpot, heat a small drizzle of EVOO over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions just begin to soften; about 3-4 minutes.


Add chicken, red peppers, jalapeno, chili powder, and chipotle to the pot. Saute over medium heat until chicken is cooked through; about 5-10 minutes. Once chicken is fully cooked, remove chicken strips from stock pot to a cutting board. Add broth, kidney beans, chickpeas and corn to the pot. Stir in remaining seasonings (oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, mustard and coriander). Raise the heat to high.


Meanwhile, using two forks, shred the chicken strips to bite-sized pieces. Once shredded, return to stockpot.


Once chili begins to boil, reduce the heat and cover the pot. Allow the chili to simmer at least 20-25 minutes. Can be simmered longer to thicken. Before serving, add lime juice to pot.


Serve hot and garnish with cheese.

See? Some small onions, some large onions.. I have issues

Chickpeas. Love.

Imagine you were a giant, and used a giant spoon?

Bahaha. I took a whole bunch of pics of the chili,
then noticed something a bit off...

Millet Stuffed Red Bell & Poblano Peppers

Millet. Remember that stuff? We tossed it in these breakfast cookies. It added a nice crunch and some healthy stuff... and then we dreamed about all the other quick breads and breads and muffins we could add it to. 

No? That last part was just me? Huh... funny. 

Well, we definitely debated how to pronounce it. Mill-ette or mill-ay... or something else? 

No? Just me again? Huh...

Interesting.

The genius idea to stuff it into peppers came from this recipe, on A Couple Cooks (just an adorable blog that I follow that shares lots of healthy and tasty recipes). It's a fabulous recipe if I do say so myself! Not only delicious, but quick and easy too! I customized according to what I had in my fridge and pantry, and you could do the same.

I actually declared this the most delicious thing I've made in the past couple weeks, if that entices you at all! It should.

Speaking of enticing, roasting peppers in the oven fills the air with such an amazing aroma. By the end of the 30 minutes, I had already been asked twice what the delicious smell was (and I only live with 2 people) and I'm fairly sure we were all drooling in anticipation.

.... No, that definitely wasn't just me.

Soundtrack:


Website Feed by Little Dragon  


Millet Stuffed Red Bell & Poblano Peppers
Inspired by Quick Stuffed Bell Peppers by A Couple Cooks

3 red bell peppers
3 poblano peppers
1 1/2 c millet
3 c water
4-5 green onions
1 jalapeno pepper
1 can light kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 c freshly grated Monterrey Jack cheese
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
dash of Chile powder
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt, Pepper, EVOO

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cut bell and poblano peppers in half, trim the edges and remove seeds. Cover a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Lay the peppers insides facing up on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes. (This smells amazing, btw.)


Meanwhile, prepare the millet. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, toast millet for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 1/2 c of warm water, 1/2 tbs EVOO, and about 1/4 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until grain is soft and the water is absorbed.


While millet and peppers are cooking, dice the green onions and jalapeno peppers. Combine in a large bowl the onions, jalapenos, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, and cheese.


Once millet is finished cooking, fluff with a large spoon. Add to the bowl with the rest of the filling ingredients and stir until combined and cheese is melted.


Stuff each pepper with a heaping spoonful of filling, squeeze lime juice over stuffed peppers, and serve immediately, while hot.

Halved.

Cleaned.

Stuffed. (Ok, ok, I skipped ahead)

 

Soba Noodle Salad with Mango and Red Pepper

This is the point in the summer where, if I'm going to be completely honest with you, I'm over it. I'm done. Throwing in the (beach!) towel, if you will. I can't be the only one. Seasonal ADD? Is that such a disorder? Will they ever find a cure?


I'm just ready to buy new jeans and cozy up in a sweatshirt. I want crisp leaves and pumpkins. I want to buy fall scented candles (OMG). Pumpkin beer? AND it's just about time for apples and that means apple desserts. See what I mean? You're totally agreeing with me, I can see it in your face! That's right... I can SEE YOU. Just kidding. Actually, I used to get nervous when I was a really little kid that people might be able to see me through photographs. Sometimes I tried real hard to see others through pictures of myself. Creepy kid stuff.


But back to my sudden preoccupation with all things autumn. It's unfortunate, because there is still some summer left. The more level-headed of us have not yet given up on it! Barbecues are still happening all around us! I know this, because I had a barbecue-type event at my home last Friday. This was in fact a "barbecue-type" event, due to serious lack of grilling that occurred after our resident deck-squirrel chewed a hole through the propane tube. The deck-squirrel has been hanging around all summer, I guess just waiting for the timing to be right.


But what does one make a side dish for a barbecue-type event, when even one more thought of pasta salad just seems unreasonable?

Confession. I STOLE this from the original recipe. I wanted you to see how delicious this looks.
I didn't get a picture of mine. I was too busy drinking beer and eating these things.

Soba noodles.


Well, soba noodle salad to be exact. Type that into Google! What comes up? This recipe. So I had to try it. I will say, I found there to be way too much dressing, so I would suggest making the dressing, tossing everything together, and then adding to your taste. A bit more advice: I'd say the lime was the strongest, so definitely don't overdo it. Cut the mango into decent sized pieces; mine got lost in the mix. But other than that, the flavors were great and pretty complex. They don't muddle together and remain fairly distinct.


Soundtrack: Pure, unadulterated, disco funk. Old school status. Spun by Greg D

Greg D. - Live at Triumph Brewery, Philadelphia, PA 08.20.2011 by Greg D.




Soba Noodle Salad with Mango & Red Pepper
Made with slight adaptations from Garrett McCord's original recipe found on Simply Recipes
(Serves 12 as a side)


3/4 c rice vinegar
1/4 c sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
zest of 1 lime
1 tbsp sesame oil
12 oz soba noodles
2 large red bell peppers, chopped
1 large mango, cut into pieces
1 c fresh basil, chopped
1 c fresh mint, chopped
1 c roasted, salted peanuts, chopped


Cook soba noodles, to al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Set aside.


Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the rice vinegar, sugar and salt for 2 minutes, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in garlic and jalapeno. Set aside and allow to cool. Once cooled, whisk in lime juice, zest, and sesame oil.


In a large bowl, combine sesame noodles, mango, and red pepper. Begin to toss in dressing slowly, until noodles are flavored. You may not use all of the dressing.


Toss in basil, mint and peanuts (unless storing overnight, then add basil, mint and peanuts immediately before serving) and serve.

Easy prep

Squeezing the life outta some limes

Brain!

Just add mango. To everything.

Roman-Style Chicken and Herb Roasted Potatoes

Installment dos of Mother's Day dinner.. readdyyy.. go! 

 TA DAAAAA... dinner!

I also just need to mention that in order to make this meal, I braved a trip to Wegman's in Cherry Hill on Sunday. alone. on a Sunday. Weggies is my all time favorite grocery store. I get butterflies the night before going. It's pretty sick how I'm. not. kidding. HOWEVER, in case you don't know, this is what Sunday at good old Wegs feels like:

So you can see how this is a pretty big deal and I had to brag about it. I made it out alive and you can all be proud! Thanks!


This chicken recipe (Roman-Style Chicken from Giada De Laurentiis) I have made a couple times now and I really love it. I don't change anything; it's pretty perfect as is. Giada's one of my favorites; the girl makes amazing food and she's fecking HOT (yea ok, a small part of me secretly wants to be her... I think I'm getting close). South Park did a pretty great parody of her last season: Perky Tats and Gigantic Head! in case you missed it. 


But ANYWAY, back to the CHICKEN breast... 


This recipe produces an incredibly moist piece of chicken and a dish that really has a great depth of flavor. The prosciutto and capers add a nice saltiness that is fairly balanced by fresh bell pepper and diced tomato. The thyme also adds a nice layer of flavor that really pops and compliments the other slightly more subtle seasonings nicely. The result is a great sauce, which is the real star, along with an amazing topping for the chicken. 


To accompany the chicken, I made herb roasted potatoes, which are easy to season and require little attention once in the oven. They roast for about an hour and the chicken requires a little more than 40 minutes, so the potatoes should go in oven just a bit before the chicken. 


Recipes for both, with my notes, are as follows.


Soundtrack: Minus the Bear - Menos El Oso (Although, I could really just listen to THIS SONG on repeat for an hour or so and be just as happy)


Herb Roasted Potatoes


Ingredients:


4-5 med red potatoes, cut into 1 in. cubes
Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
1 Tbsp. Rosemary
Salt and Pepper


Heat oven to 350 degrees.


In a large bowl, toss potatoes with enough olive oil to coat. Season to taste with Italian seasoning, rosemary, and salt & pepper. Place in greased glass baking dish and cook for 1 hour or until cooked through and starting to brown. Stir potatoes every 15 minutes until finished cooking for an even cook.

Seasoned taters! 

Roman-Style Chicken Breast


Ingredients:

• 4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs
• 2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones (I actually just used 5 breasts - Weggies club pack! - and this worked out well. I took the ribs off too, which apparently makes a weird cut of chicken.)
• salt and pepper 
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced (slice thin and cut slices in half lengthwise)
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced (slice same as red!)
• 3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
• 1/2 c. chicken stock
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

First, clean the fat off the chicken and season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.

If serving immediately, add the capers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat the chicken to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the capers and the parsley and serve.

Prepping the thyme. Strip the leaves from the stems as seen above,
by running fingers down the stem to pull them off.

Prepped ingredients!!!

Tanning the chicken. Just like at the Jerzzz shore!

Remove chicken and sautee prosciutto and peppers.. Look
at those little Guido pieces of meat!

Add diced tomatoes and white whine! Peppers gettin crunk.. Jerrzzzz!

Definitely a delicious meal and absolutely worth the effort. See the happy family below for proof. Except Kevin, who actually might be sleeping. ;)