Tag Archives: Recipes

Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Quesadilla

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Quick Post: I’ve never made quesadillas for dinner for anyone but the kids – these just looked and sounded so good. Instead of just pounding, seasoning then grilling my chicken, I marinade – always! This was a simple meal to prepare and I would make these again, thanks for reading, enjoy!

Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Quesadilla – adapted from The Pioneer Woman

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded
  • 1 tsp Cajun seasoning (recipe below)
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pineapple, sliced
  • Butter for the griddle
  • Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
  • 6 – 8 medium tortillas
  • jalapeno, seeded and sliced
  • barbecue sauce
Directions –
1. Place your chicken pieces in a zip top bag. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil and Cajun seasoning until well combined. Pour over chicken, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
2. Preheat your grill to medium heat – grill the chicken for 7 minutes on each side or until done. Paint the cooked side with barbecue sauce after flipping.  Before the chicken is completely cooked, place your pineapple slices on the grill for about 5 minutes a side until you get nice grill marks. Set the cooked chicken and pineapple aside while you assemble the quesadillas.
3. Warm griddle over medium heat and put sizzling butter or margarine in the pan. Slightly warm and toast tortillas on both sides, then remove from griddle and set aside.
4. To assemble, sprinkle four browned tortillas with grated Monterey Jack. Arrange chicken slices evenly over the surface. Add pineapple slices and jalapeno slices. If desired, drizzle extra barbecue sauce over the top. Add second browned tortilla on top of each one. Add to oven to warm, or back to skillet to warm, until cheese is melted. Cut each quesadilla into six wedges.

Cajun Seasoning – adapted from Food.com
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons white pepper
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt (optional)
1. Pour all seasonings into a small, air tight container – shake well to combine.

Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins

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Quick Post: The best thing I can do for my husband is to have something ready for him in the morning – the less he has to think, the better. Hopefully the cinnamon-sugar coating wont make too much of a mess 🙂 These turned out ok  – a little dry, but that could be due to the small amount of oil in these. The flavor isn’t all that great either – they’re a little bland, but the sugar and cinnamon topping is a nice treat. I bet these will be perfect with our morning coffee though. M likes his sweet, flavored creamers and I prefer half and half with vanilla sugar; and eating one of these wont compound the sweetness of our morning joe. I’ll have to try PW’s french breakfast puffs soon – they’re similar to these but probably much more decadent 😉 Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins – adapted from Baked Perfection
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt (*I used Greek yogurt)
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 4 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Topping:

  • 1/2 stick butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions –


Preheat oven to 400-degrees F. Line a standard muffin pan with paper cups.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add flour mixture and mix with light strokes until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Do not overmix; batter will not be smooth.

Divide batter among the muffin cups and bake until a toothpick inserted in one or two of the muffins come out clean, 12-15 minutes.

While the muffins are baking, melt 1/2 stick butter and place in a bowl just large enough to hold a muffin. Combine ½ cup of sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon in a small, shallow bowl. As soon as the muffins are done, dip them one at a time in the melted butter and then roll in the sugar mixture. Set on a rack to cool.

Chipotle Honey-Glazed Chicken

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I’m always on the lookout for new ways to prepare chicken. Chicken can get so boring, especially if you use the same few recipes over and over. Now, some people might be okay with that – but history shows me that my family quickly becomes “burned out” with certain meals. Years ago I used to make something called salsa chicken – it was so good. I would make it at least a few times a month (this was before I was brave and more experienced in the kitchen). Because of all that salsa chicken overkill, I haven’t made it in at least 4 or 5 years and I doubt I’ll ever make it again.

Verdict: If your family loves the smokey flavor of chipotle, this meal is for you. The honey chipotle glaze is slightly sweet so it cuts some of the heat of the chicken. My husband even said it should be on a menu…pretty high praise coming from a man who’s not very descriptive 😉 I’ll take that as a thumbs up from him. We ate this on a homemade sub roll (to be blogged about soon) with lettuce, tomato, avocado and some more of the glaze. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Chipotle Honey-Glazed Chicken – adapted from Smells Like Home

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp chipotle chilies in adobo
  • 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2″ thickness
Directions –
1. The night before grilling, mix 1 TBSP ancho powder, cumin, coriander, paprika and salt in a small bowl. Place prepared chicken breast pieces in a zip top bag, drizzle with oil and pour spice mixture over all. Mush the bag to evenly coat the meat, then place the bag in the fridge.
2. Heat your grill to high. With a stick blender or food processor, blend together the honey, chipotle puree, mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp oil.
3. Place the chicken on the grill and grill for about 7 minutes.  Flip the chicken and brush the pieces with the honey-chipotle sauce.  Cook for an additional 7 minutes.  Flip the chicken again and brush the other side with the sauce; cook for 1 more minute.    Flip once more and cook for another minute. Remove chicken from the grill and brush on more sauce as desired.

Buttermilk Sandwich Bread

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This loaf smells like honey! I can’t wait for it to cool so I can try a slice 🙂 Here’s another sandwich loaf to add to the very short list of recipes I have tried. I have wanted to make bread that required the use of buttermilk for some time, and thankfully I had enough to make this. The bread is relatively healthy too, because there are only 2 tablespoons of butter in it. The other sandwich breads I have made require 4 or 6 and those recipes are for smaller loaves.

Verdict: This bread has a slight tang reminiscent of a sour dough – not too sour at all though. It’s perfect for sandwiches and toast and I like that this makes a large 9 inch loaf, which gives me about 16 slices worth – that’s lots of sandwiches! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Buttermilk Sandwich Bread – Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

  • 3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup cold buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup water – hot
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast

Directions –

1. In a 2-cup measuring cup, pour hot water, buttermilk, butter and honey. Place in the microwave and heat for 30 – 45 seconds, take out and stir to combine the honey with the other ingredients. Make sure the mixture isn’t too hot, but it should be warm – 110 degrees.

2. In your standing mixer bowl, add 3 1/2 cups of the  flour, yeast and salt and mix to combine. Pour your wet into your dry ingredients and stir until a rough dough forms – it will be sticky! Using your dough hook, knead for 5 minutes but take a couple breaks in the kneading to scrape the bowl and dough hook down. *My dough was super sticky, I had to use all the reserved flour to make mine slightly less sticky* If after 5 minutes of kneading the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time (up to 1/4 cup total) until the dough is no longer sticky. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead to form a smooth, round ball, about 15 seconds.

3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in warmed oven until dough doubles in size, 60 to 80 minutes.

4. Gently press dough into rectangle 1 inch thick and no longer than 9 inches. With long side facing you, roll dough firmly into a cylinder, pressing firmly with fingers to make sure the dough sticks to itself. Place dough seam-side down in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and press it gently so it touches all 4 sides of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot until the dough crests over the top of the pan by 1 inch, about 30 minutes. During the last 15 minutes of the rise, preheat your oven to 350.

5. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until your loaf internal temperature reaches 195 degrees. Turn out and cool on a wire rack – cool completely before slicing.

Italian Style Herb Bread

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I have had this recipe written down for almost a year and happily rediscovered it the other day. Since our new favorite garlic rosemary focaccia bread tastes so amazing, why not try another herb bread? But what makes this one even more fabulous is the addition of Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese rolled up inside. It’s kind of like our other fave, sausage bread. It marries our two favorites – the savory herb bread with a meat and cheese filling. I can’t wait to try this!

Verdict: This recipe could easily feed 6-8 people. The four of us took down half of it served with a side salad and marinara sauce for dipping. This is a winning combination of flavors for us – even my picky eater had seconds. The next time I make this, we’ll have to have company over to help, but I’m sure the leftovers will be just as tasty. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Italian Style Herb Bread – adapted from The Bread Bible

For the bread

  • 1 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp each – dried oregano, basil and rosemary
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 TBSP dry active yeast
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 TBSP sea salt
  • 5 1/2 cups of AP or bread flour
For the filling
  • 1 1/2 pounds mild Italian sausage
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 ounces whole milk mozzarella, diced
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine pepper, herbs and olive oil.
2. In your standing mixer bowl, combine wine, water, yeast, and herb oil mixture. Using your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add flour 1 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Remove the paddle and replace with your dough hook and knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes until the dough is smooth and springy.
3. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl then cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until the dough is doubled in bulk, about 60 – 90 minutes.
4. While your dough is rising, brown your sausage along with the onions and garlic. Drain the meat mixture well and set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pat the dough into a 14 x10 inch rectangle. Sprinkle meat mixture over the center third of the dough. Top with cheese then fold dough into a rectangle by bringing the two long ends together. Pinch seams to close and fold ends over to close. Carefully turn over seam side down onto a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Cut shallow slashes diagonally down the length of the loaf and brush lightly with olive oil. Let rest for 10 minutes then bake in the center of your oven for 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer the finished loaf to a cooling rack.

Poblano Chicken Salad

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I was inspired by this post to make this yummy sandwich – “inspired” because I modified this a lot to suit our tastes and my cooking style. I am so happy with how this little experiment tasted and I will make this again. The poblano gave this chicken salad a pleasant smokey/grassy flavor but if you don’t like poblano you could substitute red bell pepper. If my husband liked those I would try that combo sometime because I love the sweet flavor of a roasted bell pepper 🙂 Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Poblano Chicken Salad – 

For the Roast Chicken:

  • 1 bone-in, skin on chicken breast
  • olive oil
  • kosher salt and pepper
For the Poblano Mayo:
  • 2 poblano peppers
  • 3 TBSP mayonnaise
  • 1/2 lime
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/8 tsp chili powder
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 vine ripened tomato, sliced
  • Romaine lettuce
  • sliced pepper jack cheese
Directions:
For chicken: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Prepare your chicken for roasting by washing with cool water then drying with paper towels. Drizzle olive oil over the top and season generously with kosher salt and pepper. Bake for 30 -35 minutes.  Place on a cooling rack when finished and let cool for at least 20 minutes before shredding. Set the shredded chicken aside.
For the poblano mayo: Place a rack about 6-8 inches away from your oven broiler, and set your oven to “broil”. Rinse your peppers, cut off the tops, take out the seeds and ribs inside. Take your knife and carefully cut in half from top to bottom. Place the peppers on a baking sheet lined with foil. Place under the broiler for about 7-10 minutes. You want them to blacken and blister so you can easily remove the skin later. Take them out once they’re nice and charred – set them aside to cool until it’s safe to handle them. Peel the skin off all the peppers (it’s ok if you can’t get every bit off). Place the peeled peppers on a cutting board and dice them for easier blending.
Using your stick blender and carafe or a food processor, blend poblanos, mayo, salt, pepper cumin, chili powder, and lime juice together until the peppers are minced fine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Add the poblano mayo and diced celery to the shredded chicken then mix until combined. Serve on toasted bread (or in a wrap) with lettuce, tomato and cheese; enjoy!

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

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Yum! Frying is something I don’t do very often so it’s definitely a treat for us. Everyone enjoyed it – even my pickiest eater. I love panko breadcrumbs because the texture creates the perfect, crunchy crust on whatever you stick it too. I have used it to top macaroni (twice), chicken parm, and mahi-mahi. I don’t even buy regular breadcrumbs anymore. Another great thing about this recipe is that it is easily modified if your family prefers more or less spice. Next time I might try more cayenne pepper or maybe I’ll add my homemade blackening seasoning to the panko. Oh, and if you don’t want to bother with pounding the chicken, you could use cutlets or chicken tenders and adjust the cooking time. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Crispy Chicken Sandwiches – Mom Makes…

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (I had 3 large)
  • 1 cup AP flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups panko
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • kosher salt and ground pepper
To finish the Sandwich:
  • sandwich rolls
  • pepper jack or your favorite cheese
  • Plum tomatoes, sliced
  • Romaine leaf lettuce
  • barbecue sauce, honey, ketchup or your preferred condiment
  • pickles
Directions –
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees and place a wire rack on top of a half sheet pan. Place chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag. Pound with the flat side of meat mallet until flattened to 1/2  inch thick. Once your chicken is pounded, cut each breast in half ( I ended up with 6 pieces). I did this so the chicken would fit better on the bun and also for easier cooking.
2. In a small bowl or shallow dish, season the flour with salt and black pepper, and lightly beat the eggs in another shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, combine panko breadcrumbs with oregano, garlic, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
3. Dredge pieces in the flour to coat, shaking off any excess flour. Dip the floured chicken into the egg and then coat with the panko mixture. Place on a plate to rest. Repeat with remaining pieces.
4.  Heat 1/ 2 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, sprinkle a little flour over it. If it sizzles its ready. Fry chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
5. Once the chicken is done, place on the rack lined baking sheet and lightly salt while still hot then place the sheet in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Assemble your sandwich and enjoy!

Spaghetti Shrimp Scampi

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This was a quick and easy dinner that the whole family enjoyed. I didn’t change a thing about it either, but next time I may add a little more butter and lemon juice. If you like really saucy pasta dishes, you might find this too dry for you but that is easily remedied. Overall this was a light and flavorful dish that I will make again. Simple ingredients, simple steps equaled a new family favorite – you can’t beat that! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Spaghetti with Shrimp Scampi – adapted from Food Network

  • Kosher salt
  • 3/4 pound spaghetti
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/2 lemon, zest grated
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
  • 1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
  • 1/3 cup frozen peas (optional)
  • 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
Directions
In a large pot of boiling water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

Shredded Pork Tacos

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This pork couldn’t be easier to prepare and it’s so flavorful. I love crock pots for this reason – set it and forget it. I haven’t made this recipe in at least a year and a half, but pork shoulder was only $1.77  a pound at Downtown Produce – dirt cheap! I love a good deal 🙂
I seasoned this the night before, wrapped it in plastic wrap and let it chill out overnight. I started it pretty early in the morning so it could cook for at least 8 hours, and shredded it with two forks once it was done. After cooking, I took out about 2 cups of the liquid just to make serving this less messy.
Verdict: So good – tender and flavorful. I served this with my taco/burrito go to “orange” rice and fresh pico de gallo. The leftovers will be even better and this makes a ton. Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Pulled Pork Tacos – adapted from feasting.in
  • pork shoulder roast (mine was almost 3 pounds)
  • 4 tbsp. paprika (I used half smoked, half sweet)
  • 2 tbsp. black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. chili powder
  • 2 tbsp. cumin
  • 2 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. oregano
  • 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
Directions –
1. Prep the night before – Mix up the seasoning well and liberally coat your pork roast, wrap in plastic and store in the fridge.
2. Place the roast and enough water to come up half the side of the meat. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Shred with two forks and enjoy with your favorite taco or burrito fixin’s.

Individual Calzone

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I’m on a mission to make sure my husband has good stuff to eat for lunch besides your basic sandwich, and this meal is a step in that direction. Unlike the giant one  I made before, this one will be meant for one person to enjoy. He requested sausage, bacon and olive (ick – I don’t like the last ingredient, but I love him so what the heck?)

These came together really easily, especially because I kept all the toppings in separate bowls. I rolled out the 8 ounce dough balls into 8 inch diameter circles and topped it with sausage, pepperoni, bacon, mushroom, tomato, cheese – not all in each though. Be sure not to roll out your dough to thin so you don’t end up with a tasty mess later. I vented the tops of each calzone and lightly coated them with olive oil for browning.

Verdict: Everyone loved these and I was reminded why I love this pizza dough recipe – it’s perfect! These will be a repeat in our house for sure. Next time, I’ll use less dough per kiddie sized calzone, probably 6 ounces instead of 8. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Mini Calzone – Mom Makes

  • 5 – 8 ounce balls of pizza dough
  • 1 cup cooked sausage
  • 2 ounces pepperoni, chopped
  • 3 strips of chopped bacon
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 4 baby Portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • 1 Roma tomato, chopped
  • sauce to dip in (we used marinara)
Directions –
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. Roll out your dough 8 inches in diameter, place your favorite toppings on half of the dough and leave a good 1/2″ or more empty space around the edge. Fold into a half and crimp the edges to seal well. Cut some slits to vent and lightly brush the top with olive oil if desired. Place on a Silpat-lined (or foil) cookie sheet. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully place each calzone on a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!