Black-Jack Chicken Quesadillas

This is a great appetizer or a quick dinner with a spicy/sweet flavor combination.  

Black-Jack Chicken Quesadillas

1/3 cup blackberry preserves
1 chipotle from canned chipotles in adobo, pressed in a garlic press or chopped (with seeds removed)
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (or Trader Joe's sells frozen cubes of cilantro- use 3-4)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 cup cooked chicken breast, cut into small chunks or shredded
1/2 cup diced onions
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
10 (6 inch) flour or corn tortillas

In a medium saucepan, whisk together blackberry preserves, chipotle in adobo, balsamic vinegar, cilantro, garlic and black pepper. Turn heat to medium and heat just until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat. Add chicken to saucepan and toss to coat chicken in berry mixture. Toss onions and cheese together.
If using flour tortillas, spoon 2 tablespoons cheese/onion mixture evenly down center of each tortilla. Spoon chicken and berry mixture over cheese, dividing equally among tortillas. Fold tortillas over to make quesadillas.
If using corn tortillas, spread berry chicken mixture on one corn tortilla and top with 2 tablespoons cheese/onion mixture, leaving room at the edges for the mixture to spread. Top with another corn tortilla and carefully transfer to pan (sometimes it's easier to build the quesadilla in the pan).
Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle to medium and cook quesadillas for 3-4 minutes each time or until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown. Cut each tortilla with a pizza cutter into triangles.

Zesty Seared Salmon

I like to try to incorporate a seafood dish 2-3 times a month and I usually buy frozen salmon at Trader Joes.  This recipe is super simple and could be served alongside almost any side - especially a creamy risotto.  Don't overcook or it will be dry and gross.  It will keep cooking a little after you remove it from the pan, so you may want to pull it a little early. 

Zesty Salmon

1 Tsp. chili powder
1/2 Tsp. cinnamon
1/4 Tsp. salt
1/4 Tsp. black pepper
2 salmon fillets
canola oil
sesame oil

Wash and dry the salmon fillets. In a small bowl mix chili powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Sprinkle this mixture on both sides of salmon fillets.
 Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil in a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet. When the oil is very hot, almost smoking; add the salmon. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until fish releases easily from the pan.  Don't move around until it releases easily or it will stick to the pan and fall apart. Flip the fish and cook it an additional 2-3 minutes more until barely cooked through.  You may need to reduce the cooking time if the fillets are thinner.

Caramelized Onion Pizza with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

We love grilling pizzas and it is much easier than it seems.  Use your preferred pizza dough - we usually use a roll of refrigerated dough or a Trader Joe's dough ball. If making gluten-free pizza, Bob's Red Mill dough mix is really good, though delicate to work with (be patient).  If you MUST have meat on your pizza, feel free to add some cooked, shredded chicken.  Since this isn't a "saucy" pizza, you may find it more like a flatbread.  Either way, it's good.

Grilled Caramelized Onion with Blue Cheese

Pizza dough; use your favorite
2 T. olive oil
2-3 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 t. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. dried thyme
cornmeal for sprinkling pizza peel or baking sheet
3-4 ounces blue cheese (research gluten-free brands if you are avoiding gluten)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Oil grill grates and heat to medium.  Heat oil in a medium skillet at medium high heat. Add onions, sugar, salt and cook for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook until deeply brown- about 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar, cook for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat, stir in thyme and pepper and cool the onions.  Set all the topping near the grill, as you will add your topping once one side of the pizza is cooked.

While onions are cooking, prepare dough according to directions if using a mix.  Sprinkle flour or cornmeal on counter, pizza peel, or baking sheet and roll dough into 2 smaller pizzas, as they are easier to handle than one large pizza. Don't roll too thin or it will be too hard to transport onto the grill. If not already on a peel or baking sheet, transfer dough to one and put pizzas directly on the grill and close the lid.  Once the dough is golden brown on that side, carefully flip pizzas and turn heat to low. Working quickly, spoon onion mixture onto the cooked side of the dough, dot the cheese over onions and top with walnuts, if using.  Close lid again to allow the cheese to begin to melt.  Watch the crust carefully as it will brown quickly.  Remove pizzas and let cool a couple of minutes before cutting and serving.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

These cookies are very simple and very quick to make, but they are still delicious.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (I prefer using reusable silpat sheet liners) Cream the peanut butter and sugar in a bowl. Beat in the baking powder and add the egg. Mix until it is all well combined.

Using your hands, roll the dough into small balls (size is your choice, but the smaller cookies stay together better).  Roll the balls in some extra white sugar and place on the baking sheet - the cookies will spread, but not too much.

Bake for about 10 minutes. When the cookies are done, they will still be soft, but shouldn't look or feel doughy. You will know the cookies are done when they feel coherent, but still a little soft. Take the tray out of the oven and let the cookies rest for at least five minutes. Carefully transfer them to a cooling rack for 10 minutes or more.

If you want to add something extra, gently press a hershey kiss in the top of each cookie as soon as you pull them out of the oven.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

I'm well overdue at posting this - like a year.  But I wanted to get it posted since it's zucchini season and everyone has zucchini.  Your mom has zucchini. 

This is by far, my favorite zucchini bread recipe (or really, any homemade bread). I'm not even sure how it turns out so well since no yeast is used, but it's delicious and moist.  This is not gluten-free and it was baked in the oven, but like I said, I didn't actually make it this month (or this year even).  I do like to shred and freeze zucchini so I can make stuff with it in the winter (and you can guarantee that I always have b-berries in the freezer).  When you thaw frozen, shredded zucchini, you have to kind of squeeze it dry because it gets really watery upon thaw. 

Blueberry Zucchini Bread
I got the recipe from this blog, but like my picture way better
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups grated zucchini (about 3 small zucchinis)
2 eggs
1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup frozen blueberries - I probably used much more than 1 cup

Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with baking spray and lightly dust with flour, tapping out any excess flour. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl combine the flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In another large bowl combine the grated zucchini, eggs, yogurt, vanilla and sugar.
Gently toss the blueberries with 2 teaspoons of the flour mixture. This will help prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf.
Add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in the blueberries.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edges and turn it out onto a cooling rack. Let the bread cool completely before slicing it.


I have a blueberry problem - this was just one trip



Slow Cooker Baked Beans

I love baked beans - a lot.  I don't like many canned baked beans, but I used to love these: yes, baked beans with chicken.  I used to eat half a can and call it dinner.  Kind of gross, huh?  I'm not sure that they even still make these because I haven't seen them on the shelf in years (trust me, I've looked). 

The next time I fell in love (instead of just "like" with baked beans, it was at the Fiery Foods Festival at the North Market this spring.  A vendor was selling his BBQ sauce on baked beans and it was intriguing enough to try - Apple Cinnamon Baked Beans?  Why not?  Ole Ray definitely got this right.  He even told us how to make them - buy Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans, drain the sauce off them (don't rinse, just drain) and add as much of Ole Ray's Apple Cinnamon BBQ Sauce as you like.  They sell this at the North Market and other various places for $5/bottle, so it isn't for everyday use. 

I wanted to try my hand at making homemade baked beans and I found this recipe on A Year of Slow Cooking, but I made some adaptations.  The beans in the linked recipe got a little too dry, so I'd suggest increasing the "sauce" ingredients below and/or adding some bottle bbq sauce at the end (which takes away from the homemade idea, I suppose).  But anyway, I loved these and they were so easy and made plenty.  I don't know what "we" did with the bacon after cooking - I suppose throw it out?  Or you could probably cut it in pieces and stir it in, though I'm not sure how cooked it got and I like my bacon crispy.  Lo turned these off when he got home with work and I never asked him what he did with the bacon (he likes bacon a lot, so consumption is likely).  These were pretty sweet, so if you don't love very sweet beans, cut down on the brown sugar a little.  Actually, if you're totally unsure of how the sauce will turn out, you're better off pre-mixing all of the sauce ingredients (br. sugar, molasses, ketchup, hot sauce, salt, mustard, and pepper) and adding ingredients to taste.  Not everyone is going to like the same sauce, so what worked for me may be hated by you.  Since we used the original recipe, we had to add some bottled BBQ after cooking - just whatever we had in the fridge at that time.   Wow, that was an incredibly long introduction to a very easy recipe - enjoy! 

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

serves 8-10
adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking (which is an awesome blog)

3 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cans kidney, 1 can pinto, like I did)
2 medium onions, chopped finely, or 2 T dried minced onion
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup ketchup
squirt of sriracha or hot sauce, as much as you prefer or some red pepper flakes, optional
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp dried mustard - I was out so I used a squirt of dijon
1/2 tsp black pepper
A couple of slices of bacon or chicken sausages (I used bacon, but am excited to use chicken sausages next time since I loved the baked beans with chicken)
Drain and rinse beans, and add them to a medium size crockpot (or whatever they will fit in). Add onion and brown sugar. Pour in the molasses, ketchup, and hot sauce, if using. Add spices and stir to combine. Lay slices of uncooked bacon on top of the beans, or slice chicken sausage and lay it over the top. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or high for about 4.
*If using bottled bbq sauce, check for gluten if you're GF.

Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Portobellos

I made this in May, so it doesn't count towards my no-oven August challenge.  We have finally figured out that we love portobellos! 

Cheese & Spinach-Stuffed Portobellos

Adapted from EatingWell:  March/April 2009

4 large portobello mushroom caps

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup chopped or torn fresh spinach

1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I used 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joes)

3/4 cup prepared marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Place mushroom caps, gill-side up, on the prepared pan. Sprinkle with salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Roast until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash ricotta, spinach, 1/4 cup Parmesan, seasoning and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Place marinara sauce in a small bowl, cover and microwave on High until hot, 30 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes.

When the mushrooms are tender, carefully pour out any liquid accumulated in the caps. Return the caps to the pan gill-side up. Spread 1 tablespoon marinara into each cap; cover the remaining sauce to keep warm. Mound a generous 1/3 cup ricotta filling into each cap and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake until hot, about 10 minutes. Serve with the remaining marinara sauce.

Gluten-Free Raw Samoas

Gluten-Free Raw Samoas

1 cup dates (I use Sunsweet)

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/8 tsp. pure vanilla extract

less than 1/4 tsp salt

3 T. chocolate chips

Blend all ingredients in your food processor, chopper, or blender.  You may need to scrape down the sides a few times or scrape the dough out of the blades to completely mix.  If too sticky, add more coconut.  Roll into balls and flatten slightly. Drizzle with extra melted chocolate, if desired.

Cider Vinegar Chicken

This was a nice, simple dinner that I made a couple of months ago.  The picture is hard to see - the chicken is at 4 o'clock.  I served it with sweet potatoes, chickpea salad, and green beans with red onions.

Cider Vinegar Chicken

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil, divided

4 6-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

salt & pepper

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 t. dried thyme

3 T. honey

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

2 c. chicken stock or broth

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 T. of the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet. Brown the chicken on both sides, 3 minutes per side.  If it starts to stick, carefully add a tablespoon or two of water. Remove and reserve the meat, covered with foil. Add the other T. of the oil, the onions, thyme, honey and garlic. Season the onions with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently for 7 to 8 minutes. You want the onions to get really brown and caramelized.  Again, if the skillet is drying out, add a little more oil or some water while cooking the onions.  Once onions are caramelized, add 1/2 cup of the cider vinegar and the stock. Turn up heat to high and bring the liquids up to a simmer. Once at a simmer, return the chicken to the skillet. Cook the chicken in the sauce for about 10 minutes, flipping the chicken over halfway through the cooking time. Serve over mashed potatoes or quinoa. 

Swiss Chard and Chickpeas

Swiss Chard and Chickpeas

Servings: 2 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

Swiss chard

1/4 cup green garlic (Sub 1/4 c green onions and 1 clove of garlic)

1/2 cup garbanzo beans drained and rinsed

1 teaspoons thyme, crushed with your fingers

1/4 cup feta

1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa, optional - I precook this and freeze

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add in the green garlic (or green onions and garlic).  Stir in garbanzo beans and let cook until they begin to brown slightly (4-5 minutes.)  From there stir in swiss chard, thyme, and remaining tablespoon of olive oil.  Let chard cook saute until it cooks down.  Remove from heat and toss with brown rice and feta. 

Gluten-Free Buffalo Chicken Dip

Someone in an GF online group asked for a appetizer recipe and I can't believe I've never posted this since I've made it probably 10 times.  It's not a GF recipe, but by purchasing the appropriate brands of ingredients, it's easily converted to GF.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 8 oz brick of cream cheese - I used the 1/3 less fat version
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing - I used reduced fat Kraft
1/3 to 1/2 cup Franks Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce, or to taste
1 1/2 cups preferred shredded cheese, divided (cheddar, monterey jack, whatever)
2 cups cooked, cubed (or shredded) chicken breast (can even used canned if in a pinch)
Bleu cheese, if desired (check for gluten- some brands ARE gf)

I almost always make this in a small crockpot and to be honest, I don't really measure anything.  I just dump everything in together (except some reserved cheese) and turn on the crock.  After things start to get melty, I stir it up to mix everything.  Grab a chip or a clean spoon and taste it - you may want to add more buffalo sauce or dressing.  Once it's all melted and mix and you're ready to serve, top it off with the extra cheese.  If you're adding bleu cheese, you can either stir it in when mixing, or add it to the top before serving. 
Serve with tortilla chips and celery and/or carrots.  Even people who don't think they really like bleu cheese like this. 

Spinach Cheese Balls

I made these gluten-free for a 4th of July party this year and they were good - even though I overbaked them slightly.  I did mix them up a couple of days ahead and froze until the day of the party.  I served these with pizza sauce.  As always, if you are making my recipes gluten-free, make sure you purchase the appropriate ingredients! 

Spinach Cheese Balls1 box (9 oz) frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain

1 cup Bisquick® mix (gluten free, if desired)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
1 egg
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup GF pizza or pasta sauce for dipping, if desired

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix all ingredients, except pasta sauce. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls; place on cookie sheet.2 Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan. Serve with pasta sauce.
Do-Ahead:
Cover and freeze unbaked balls up to 1 month. Heat oven to 350ºF. Place frozen balls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brown.

Mashed Cheddar Chili Zucchini

This was a tasty side dish and a great way to use up extra zucchini.  The picture is ugly, but it's tasty and easy

Mashed Cheddar Chili Zucchini

 

1/2 tablespoon canola oil or cooking spray

2-3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1 4-ounce can diced green chiles, drained

1/4 teaspoon salt

pepper, to taste

1/2 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and onion; stir to coat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in chiles and salt; cook until heated through, 1 minute more.

Mash until chunky. Stir in cheese and serve immediately.

Gluten-Free Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Adapted from EatingWell:  November/December 2010

6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

Ingredients

8 ounces rice pasta - I used spirals from Trader Joe's

2 slices bacon, chopped (I cut mine with clean scissors)

1 large sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (or pre-cooked and diced)

1 medium green bell pepper, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon gluten-free flour (I used Bob's Gluten Free All-Purpose)

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

Handful of raw spinach

1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.

2. Add bacon pieces to dutch oven or large pan and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes to release grease. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, bell pepper, garlic, Cajun seasoning and pepper. Cook stirring, until the onion and bell pepper are beginning to soften, about 4 minutes.  (If using pre-cooked chicken, add after veggies have softened)

3. Add flour and stir to coat. Add tomatoes and their juice; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is bubbling and thickened and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir in raw spinach until it wilts. Remove from the heat. Stir in sour cream.

4. Stir the pasta into the sauce and serve.

August 2011 Kitchen Challenge

I’m going to challenge myself.  My goal is to not turn on the oven during the month of August.  We live on the 2^nd floor and our place heats up SO quickly and cools down SO slowly.  And it’s been balls hot for weeks.  I don’t think I used the oven in July more than 4-5 times, so I don’t suspect this will be that hard of a challenge, but it’s a challenge nonetheless.  I’m also making an effort to go gluten-free for a bit, due to some stomach troubles…

Some meals that I have planned for the month, though I know other things will come up and I’ll probably only make half of these!  They are either already grill, crockpot, or skillet meals, or I will convert them to such.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta and Zucchini Cheddar Chili Mash

Chipotle-Spiced Steak with Roasted Potatoes & Onions with Lemon Pepper Green Beans
Hot Pepper Garlic Chicken, Lentils with Burnt Onions, and Southwestern Corn and Cranberry Salad
Shrimp Ceviche and Brown Rice and Cranberry Pilaf
Tuna and White Bean Salad
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Beer Lime Grilled Chicken with Spicy Chipotle Grilled Vegetables
Southwestern Burger with Boston Baked Beans
Brown Bag Burritos
Grain Mustard Spiked Cabbage with Hot and Sweet Sausage and Seasoned Corn with Bacon Recipe
Salmon with Caramelized Cherries with Gluten-free Summer Quinoa Salad and Plank Grilled Potatoes
Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken
Greek Egg-Lemon Soup (Avgolemono Soup)
Asian Chicken Salad with Thai Spiced Grilled Potato Wedges with Peanut Butter-Chipotle Dipping Sauce
Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Southwestern Crock Pot Sweet Potato and Corn Medley
Grilled Fish Tacos with Chipotle-Lime Dressing and Honey Baked Lentils
Garlicky Lemon Chicken With Broccolini and Creamy Crock Pot Risotto
Grilled Pizza
Spicy Beef Stew    
Peanut Satay & Chilli Chicken with Green Beans and Monterey Beans         
Tex-Mex Mac & Cheese       
Buffalo Shrimp and Spicy Cheesy Rice
Lime Chicken Soft Tacos and Cilantro Rice
Chili Mac               
Chicken Breast with Scallions and Mushrooms and Island Veggies
Thai Chicken Salad Sandwiches       
Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers and Warm Potato Salad Dijonnaise