Of course, leave it to me to choose one of the warmest days of the year thus far in Chicago to make chili in the slow cooker, poor timing but still yummy :) I knew that I would be busy last night and thought that it would be nice to just fix-it and forget-it for a change! I looked up some recipes for chili and slow cooker chili (on allrecipes of course) and kinda made my own mishmosh creation, here it is:
about 1 - 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1 chopped onion
1 chopped bell pepper
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of diced tomatoes (you can use crushed but I like my chili chunky!)
1 can of dark red kidney beans
1 can of chili beans
1 small can of diced green chilies
1 cup of water
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp of the following: oregano, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper
First I browned the ground turkey with the onion and bell pepper, then I added the turkey with the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker and set it on low for 4 hours. Towards the end I added some cornstarch to thicken it up a little because I felt it was a little soupy, in the future I may add less water or leave it out all together so it's a matter of taste as to how thick you like your chili. Also, if you don't like it too spicy you can leave out the green chilies. Feel free to also play around with spices or other veggies that you might want to add, customize it!
I have to say that this little concoction made the apartment smell SO good!! I served it topped with some shredded cheese and (I know this sounds gross) some plain yogurt. We sometimes use plain yogurt instead of sour cream as a healthier alternative, it is a bit of an acquired taste and we have convinced ourselves that we have acquired it ;) I also made a small batch of cornbread to dip in the chili...yum!! Needless to say both my fiance and I were sweating as we ate this hot goodness but I think that it was worth it and I know he thought so too :)
There was some leftover chili (after a few batches of nacho snacks by my fiance), so tonight we will cook up some penne pasta, mix it with the leftover chili, add a little cheese and bake in the oven at 350 for a few minutes so it all heats up together...voila...chili mac!!! Or at least my version! We now finally have the A/C turned on so it should be a cooler endeavor!
This might be one that you save for Fall or Winter or sometime when it's not 90 degrees outside ;) Enjoy everyone and I hope to be back soon with some other culinary creations!!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Finger lickin' chickin'
Last night I went with one of my tried and true recipes from my amazing mom, her chicken in honey mustard sauce. So easy and so delicious!! Here is the recipe (the way I make it):
4 chicken thighs (I pull the skin off, trying to be healthier)
1 cup honey (sometimes I do 3/4 cup depending on how much chicken I have)
3/4 cup of yellow mustard (again, I may do 1/2 cup depending on amount of chicken)
1 tablespoon curry powder (I base my amount on taste, how curry-y do you like it?)
Set your oven to 350 degrees, grease a square pyrex or baking dish (I use my olive oil mister), mix ingredients together to make the sauce, place chicken in dish and season with salt and pepper, pour sauce over chicken, place in oven and bake until chicken is cooked through.
I served it with some leftover brown rice (you know my favorite recipe!) and some corn on the cob. My fiance actually added some of the honey mustard sauce to the butter on his corn and it added a nice sweet flavor to it :)
So, thank you so much to my mami for sharing one of my favorite recipes from childhood and allowing me to continue to create such deliciousness that I can enjoy whenever I want! You gotta love the feeling of finally making a recipe from your childhood on your own :) My mom serves this with mashed potatoes which works out beautifully as well because the sauce goes SO well over the potatoes. I just didn't have any on hand. You can also add other veggies on the side like broccoli or maybe even carrots. A nice green salad is another good addition (didn't have that either). With my trusty glass of Novellum chardonnay and some George Strait playing in the background (courtesy of my fiance), it was a relaxing experience with a tasty ending! Thank you mami!!!!
Have a great day everyone!
4 chicken thighs (I pull the skin off, trying to be healthier)
1 cup honey (sometimes I do 3/4 cup depending on how much chicken I have)
3/4 cup of yellow mustard (again, I may do 1/2 cup depending on amount of chicken)
1 tablespoon curry powder (I base my amount on taste, how curry-y do you like it?)
Set your oven to 350 degrees, grease a square pyrex or baking dish (I use my olive oil mister), mix ingredients together to make the sauce, place chicken in dish and season with salt and pepper, pour sauce over chicken, place in oven and bake until chicken is cooked through.
I served it with some leftover brown rice (you know my favorite recipe!) and some corn on the cob. My fiance actually added some of the honey mustard sauce to the butter on his corn and it added a nice sweet flavor to it :)
So, thank you so much to my mami for sharing one of my favorite recipes from childhood and allowing me to continue to create such deliciousness that I can enjoy whenever I want! You gotta love the feeling of finally making a recipe from your childhood on your own :) My mom serves this with mashed potatoes which works out beautifully as well because the sauce goes SO well over the potatoes. I just didn't have any on hand. You can also add other veggies on the side like broccoli or maybe even carrots. A nice green salad is another good addition (didn't have that either). With my trusty glass of Novellum chardonnay and some George Strait playing in the background (courtesy of my fiance), it was a relaxing experience with a tasty ending! Thank you mami!!!!
Have a great day everyone!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Update
Wow, it has been a long time!! My sincerest apologies...so much has happened and my life has gotten tremendously busy! Well, to summarize in the past 1 - 2 months, I got engaged, my fiance and I bought a new place, we have been on vacation and hosted guests. Phew! In the midst of all of this I have had the opportunity to have some adventures in the kitchen, just hadn't had the opportunity to post them so I will let you know about a few and if you want any of the recipes, please let me know and I can post those as well!!
We had some friends over for a puppy playdate and I enticed my guests with some boursin cheese stuffed mushrooms, chorizo and manchego stuffed pastry shells, and french onion macaroni and cheese (recipe from Rachael Ray). Very yummy!! My mouth waters just thinking about it! We had a delicious Spanish red wine to go with it. There were also some pistachio's on the side because I'm finding that a lot of people really like pistachio's, is it the fun of eating them or the taste, I think both!
That's probably the fanciest that I have gotten lately. Otherwise I have tried some new recipes from AllRecipes which is usually my go-to website for meals. Among them:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Italian-Chicken-Skillet/Detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mozzarella-Chicken/Detail.aspx (I cut a slit in my chicken breasts and stuffed them and then kept them together with toothpicks)
Both were pretty decent and I may make them again.
Last night I wanted to try something other than chicken so I found a recipe for a tuna pasta:
http://www.food.com/recipe/tuna-pasta-119289, I ended up adding a little extra water because it was very chunky but the flavor was really good and it all went really well together topped with some parmesan cheese, yum! Accompanying the pasta, I had a glass of Novellum chardonnay 2009. I discovered this wine at the Walnut Room and really liked it, very smooth and buttery. On the TV there was a DVR recording of Ghost Adventures...ooohhh...spooky! There was a suggestion made to puree the tomatoes to make it more sauce-like and I may try this next time.
I'm really hoping that this week I will have more time to make some tantalizing dishes and tell you all about them!! Till then, have a wonderful day!!
We had some friends over for a puppy playdate and I enticed my guests with some boursin cheese stuffed mushrooms, chorizo and manchego stuffed pastry shells, and french onion macaroni and cheese (recipe from Rachael Ray). Very yummy!! My mouth waters just thinking about it! We had a delicious Spanish red wine to go with it. There were also some pistachio's on the side because I'm finding that a lot of people really like pistachio's, is it the fun of eating them or the taste, I think both!
That's probably the fanciest that I have gotten lately. Otherwise I have tried some new recipes from AllRecipes which is usually my go-to website for meals. Among them:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Italian-Chicken-Skillet/Detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mozzarella-Chicken/Detail.aspx (I cut a slit in my chicken breasts and stuffed them and then kept them together with toothpicks)
Both were pretty decent and I may make them again.
Last night I wanted to try something other than chicken so I found a recipe for a tuna pasta:
http://www.food.com/recipe/tuna-pasta-119289, I ended up adding a little extra water because it was very chunky but the flavor was really good and it all went really well together topped with some parmesan cheese, yum! Accompanying the pasta, I had a glass of Novellum chardonnay 2009. I discovered this wine at the Walnut Room and really liked it, very smooth and buttery. On the TV there was a DVR recording of Ghost Adventures...ooohhh...spooky! There was a suggestion made to puree the tomatoes to make it more sauce-like and I may try this next time.
I'm really hoping that this week I will have more time to make some tantalizing dishes and tell you all about them!! Till then, have a wonderful day!!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Vodka for dinner??
Yep, that's right, vodka for dinner!! No, not because it qualifies as a grain but because it is a delicious addition to pasta sauce ;) Here is the link to this delectable dish:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Penne-with-Spicy-Vodka-Tomato-Cream-Sauce/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=55262075&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2011-03-20&prop28=DailyRecipe&prop29=FullRecipePhoto&me=1
I used Turkey Italian Sausage to make it lower fat and also followed a suggestion to use half and half with cornstarch instead of heavy whipping cream. A little more vodka then the recipe called for was added, hee, hee, but don't worry, the alcohol cooks off (so they say!). Served with Light Caesar Salad and soft french bread. Not to mention a delicious glass of Rioja wine!! I think I can say that it was "lick your plate" good!!
Feeling extra ambitious last night, I also prepared a lentil and sausage soup to have for dinner tonight (working late). We've had a bag of dried lentils in our pantry for over a year and I decided that it was finally time to cook them. So, next time you see those bags of dried beans for like 89 cents, buy them because you never know when you might be inspired to make them. Thank goodness they have such a long shelf-life!
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lentil-and-Sausage-Soup/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=54779815&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2011-03-14&prop28=CompleteYourMeal&prop29=FullRecipe2&me=1
I used turkey sausage, added spinach, and used about 7 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of water. I had a taste of it last night and so far I think it is pretty darn tasty. The lentils are nice and soft and there are enough ingredients that it is meaty and hearty. We have some french bread left over which will also go nicely with this meal. I will let you know after tonight what the final determination is (and pictures).
Have a great Wednesday!!
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Penne-with-Spicy-Vodka-Tomato-Cream-Sauce/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=55262075&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2011-03-20&prop28=DailyRecipe&prop29=FullRecipePhoto&me=1
I used Turkey Italian Sausage to make it lower fat and also followed a suggestion to use half and half with cornstarch instead of heavy whipping cream. A little more vodka then the recipe called for was added, hee, hee, but don't worry, the alcohol cooks off (so they say!). Served with Light Caesar Salad and soft french bread. Not to mention a delicious glass of Rioja wine!! I think I can say that it was "lick your plate" good!!
Feeling extra ambitious last night, I also prepared a lentil and sausage soup to have for dinner tonight (working late). We've had a bag of dried lentils in our pantry for over a year and I decided that it was finally time to cook them. So, next time you see those bags of dried beans for like 89 cents, buy them because you never know when you might be inspired to make them. Thank goodness they have such a long shelf-life!
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lentil-and-Sausage-Soup/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=54779815&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2011-03-14&prop28=CompleteYourMeal&prop29=FullRecipe2&me=1
I used turkey sausage, added spinach, and used about 7 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of water. I had a taste of it last night and so far I think it is pretty darn tasty. The lentils are nice and soft and there are enough ingredients that it is meaty and hearty. We have some french bread left over which will also go nicely with this meal. I will let you know after tonight what the final determination is (and pictures).
Have a great Wednesday!!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday night frittata!
Good evening mes amies!
I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I took a break from cooking but still had some good eating! Saturday night we were cordially invited to our friends' home for dinner and were treated to an amazing lamb stew and South African malva pudding. It was all melt in your mouth and to die for and if I am able to acquire the recipes and try my hand at these delectable dishes, I will share my experiences!!
For tonight I thought I was going to utilize my crock pot but did not get an early enough start :( So, I'd been thinking about doing something creative with eggs and looked up a recipe for a frittata. I don't have an oven-safe skillet so I needed something that I could bake in the oven in a pyrex or something. My internet search resulted in the following recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Bacon-Cheese-Frittata/Detail.aspx
I made it with turkey bacon and added turkey breakfast sausage and bell peppers. I wanted it to have more consistency and not just taste like an omelet. I'm happy to say that it was a hit. We had a friend over for dinner who is the equivalent of an adult "Mikey", so I left all the veggies out of one corner of the frittata. Even HE finished his plate so I consider that an accomplishment!! Boyfriend described it as "delicious". I served it with some hashbrowns and english muffins. Consider it breakfast for dinner, and who doesn't like that???
On the TV: Risky Business, classic.
I hope that everyone had a nice weekend, the sun was out in Chicago but the temps still need to come up substantially (35???).
Catch you later!
I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I took a break from cooking but still had some good eating! Saturday night we were cordially invited to our friends' home for dinner and were treated to an amazing lamb stew and South African malva pudding. It was all melt in your mouth and to die for and if I am able to acquire the recipes and try my hand at these delectable dishes, I will share my experiences!!
For tonight I thought I was going to utilize my crock pot but did not get an early enough start :( So, I'd been thinking about doing something creative with eggs and looked up a recipe for a frittata. I don't have an oven-safe skillet so I needed something that I could bake in the oven in a pyrex or something. My internet search resulted in the following recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Bacon-Cheese-Frittata/Detail.aspx
I made it with turkey bacon and added turkey breakfast sausage and bell peppers. I wanted it to have more consistency and not just taste like an omelet. I'm happy to say that it was a hit. We had a friend over for dinner who is the equivalent of an adult "Mikey", so I left all the veggies out of one corner of the frittata. Even HE finished his plate so I consider that an accomplishment!! Boyfriend described it as "delicious". I served it with some hashbrowns and english muffins. Consider it breakfast for dinner, and who doesn't like that???
On the TV: Risky Business, classic.
I hope that everyone had a nice weekend, the sun was out in Chicago but the temps still need to come up substantially (35???).
Catch you later!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
More leftovers!!
Hello friends,
By the time I finished cooking and eating dinner last night, I was just too tired to write and chose to watch Planet 51 instead and go to bed ;)
So, here is what I created last night:
we had about 5 croquettes left over from the night before so I placed them in a baking dish and made a quick and simple pasta sauce (tomato sauce, garlic powder, parsley, italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and a little sugar) on the stove. I then covered the croquettes with shredded mozzarella cheese and the pasta sauce. I placed the dish in the oven at 350 and baked for about 20 minutes (just to heat the croquettes and melt the cheese). I served them over some cooked penne pasta. Like a Chicken Croquette Parmigiana. Came out really good and I felt pretty accomplished that I was able to get 3 meals out of that roast chicken :)
Tonight I was burned out on cooking and we ordered in (even cooking goddesses need a break!). I will likely not be diving into cooking adventures again until Sunday night (I'm thinking maybe a crockpot meal?). So, until then, have a fabulous weekend!!
Hasta luego culinary amigos!! Good night!
By the time I finished cooking and eating dinner last night, I was just too tired to write and chose to watch Planet 51 instead and go to bed ;)
So, here is what I created last night:
we had about 5 croquettes left over from the night before so I placed them in a baking dish and made a quick and simple pasta sauce (tomato sauce, garlic powder, parsley, italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and a little sugar) on the stove. I then covered the croquettes with shredded mozzarella cheese and the pasta sauce. I placed the dish in the oven at 350 and baked for about 20 minutes (just to heat the croquettes and melt the cheese). I served them over some cooked penne pasta. Like a Chicken Croquette Parmigiana. Came out really good and I felt pretty accomplished that I was able to get 3 meals out of that roast chicken :)
Tonight I was burned out on cooking and we ordered in (even cooking goddesses need a break!). I will likely not be diving into cooking adventures again until Sunday night (I'm thinking maybe a crockpot meal?). So, until then, have a fabulous weekend!!
Hasta luego culinary amigos!! Good night!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Leftovers!!
Hi everyone!
Tonight I wanted to find something that I could make with the roast chicken that was left from last night. I thought about a chicken salad but felt that was too summery and too lunch-like for a cool rainy night. So I found a recipe for chicken croquettes (like crabcakes but with chicken). Again, not my recipe so here is the link:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Leftover-Chicken-Croquettes/Detail.aspx
Turned out tasty! Boyfriend described them as "tantalizing". A few changes (some based on the reviews):
I added 3 (instead of 2) eggs and baked the croquettes at 350 for ~25 minutes on a foil covered baking sheet (instead of frying so that it would be healthier, also easier clean-up!). The seasonings that I added were: Tony Chachere's creole seasoning, garlic powder, parsley flakes, and a little bit of parmesan cheese. I used my Slap-Chop style chopper to chop the chicken and let me say that it was a bit of a workout to slap that chicken into tiny pieces :) We had leftover brown rice and some multigrain noodles so one of us had the rice and the other the noodles as a side. (The noodles were rotini noodles with some olive oil, parmesan cheese and diced tomatoes) I also cooked up some simple frozen Normandy vegetables to add some color and nutrients!
I think that there are probably several variations that you can make with this recipe, whether with different seasonings, adding sauces, etc.
As usual, I had my trusty glass of chardonnay but tonight I was watching HGTV and their House Hunters and House Hunters International programs, love them!! I felt very accomplished and very relaxed as I actually went to the gym this evening and returned to take a hot shower so I was very at ease by the time I had to tackle my croquettes! Phew, what a day! Well, I'm tired and it is time to hit the hay and dream about what I might explore tomorrow (for starters attempting to get up early to run, yikes!). Till then, sweet dreams!
Tonight I wanted to find something that I could make with the roast chicken that was left from last night. I thought about a chicken salad but felt that was too summery and too lunch-like for a cool rainy night. So I found a recipe for chicken croquettes (like crabcakes but with chicken). Again, not my recipe so here is the link:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Leftover-Chicken-Croquettes/Detail.aspx
Turned out tasty! Boyfriend described them as "tantalizing". A few changes (some based on the reviews):
I think that there are probably several variations that you can make with this recipe, whether with different seasonings, adding sauces, etc.
As usual, I had my trusty glass of chardonnay but tonight I was watching HGTV and their House Hunters and House Hunters International programs, love them!! I felt very accomplished and very relaxed as I actually went to the gym this evening and returned to take a hot shower so I was very at ease by the time I had to tackle my croquettes! Phew, what a day! Well, I'm tired and it is time to hit the hay and dream about what I might explore tomorrow (for starters attempting to get up early to run, yikes!). Till then, sweet dreams!
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