Mix it Up: Oven Baked BBQ Chicken / Goal #34: Try 12 new dinner recipes (6/12)

{baked bbq chicken, homemade potato salad, corn bread muffin!}

What to do when you buy a bunch of chicken legs because they're on sale? Make BBQ chicken. And when it's too hot outside to actually run your BBQ... Make BAKED BBQ chicken. And that's how I found The Hungry Mouse and her fabulous step-by-step recipes! I'm sharing the text version of this recipe, but if you're looking for some photo snapshots for each step - check out her blog here.

Baked BBQ Chicken
The Hungry Mouse
Serves 2

Ingredients:
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- kosher salt
- spray canola oil
- favorite barbecue sauce
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:
- Line a sheet pan with foil.
- Set a rack in the pan and set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Rinse and pat dry your chicken leg quarters.
- Season them with kosher salt.
- Heat a nonstick pan on the stove over high heat and spray with a little canola oil.

- When the pan is hot, drop in a few chicken leg quarters, skin-side down. Don’t crowd the pan (or your chicken will steam, not sear), so do this in a batches.

- Cook them on high until the skin is nice and brown.

- When the skin is browned, transfer the chicken to your prepared pan and repeat until all the chicken is done.

- Using a brush, coat each piece of chicken on all sides with your choosen barbecue sauce.
- Once coated, pop the pan into the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Take the pan out of the oven and brush with additional barbecue sauce, covering each piece on all sides again.
- Put the pan back into the oven and continue to bake for 30-35 minutes more, until they’re cooked through completely with a nice crust. (thermometer reading of 165 degrees).

- Transfer to a serving platter.

- Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
- Serve!

Mix it Up: Crispy Cheddar Chicken / Goal #34: Try 12 new dinner recipes (5/12)

{finally remembered to take a picture!}

One day as I was getting ready to leave work, I couldn't think of what to do with the chicken I had waiting for me at home. Then I realized, I've been pinning recipes on Pinterest for how long now, and I still haven't put any of them into practice! So straght to my feed.me board I went and came up with this yummy recipe. You should definitley try it! Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

Crispy Cheddar Chicken
Adapted from Jamie Cooks it Up, thanks to Pinterest

Ingredients:
- 4 large chicken breasts
- 2 sleeves Ritz crackers
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- Dried parsley

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- 2 ways to start! Cut each chicken into 3 large chunks OR Leave your breasts whole, I've done it both ways.
- Grind up Ritz crackers
- Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans
- Toss the salt, pepper and cayenne pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir to combine
- Dip each chicken into the milk...
- Then the cheese, pressing the cheese into the chicken with your fingers. Some will fall off when you add it to the cracker crumbs, but it's ok.
- Then press chicken into cracker crumbs.
- Then place into a spray coated 9x13 pan
- Sprinkle dried parsley over the chicken
- Cover the pan with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes
- Remove the tin foil, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.
- Serve, with anything!

Mix it Up: Chicken Enchilada Casserole / Goal #34: Try 12 new dinner recipes (4/12)

{Cooking Light}

A while back, Madalyn and I made this dish together after work one night and it's been a staple in my household ever since! I've adapted it a bit for my own yummy preference and am sharing the altered recipe for you below. Madalyn shared the original recipe over at her blog, you can check it out here.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

- Cooking spray

- 4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
- 1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 2 cups chopped onion, divided
- 6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
- 1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
- >1 jar Herdez salsa verde, The recipe only calls for 2/3 cup salsa, but I've found it is very dry this way. I tend to use a lot of salsa. Nearly one whole jar to keep it moist. Use your discretion.
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp. chopped pickled jalapeño pepper, I use a whole 4oz can of La Costena jalapenos for extra kick
- 9 (6-inch) corn tortillas, Every time I make this recipe, I use more than 9 tortillas (fyi)
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

- Sour cream

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Cook and shred your chicken breasts. I leave this open to preference as far as technique is concerned. The point is to have yummy shredded chicken.
- Place shredded chicken in a medium bowl.
- Add 1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, cream cheese, red pepper, cumin, salt and pepper to chicken and toss to combine.
- Return pan to medium-high heat.
- Add 1/2 cup onion and sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add 3 garlic cloves and sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add onion mixture to chicken mixture and stir to combine.
- Combine remaining 1 1/2 cups onion, remaining 3 garlic cloves, broth, salsa, 1/4 cup water, and jalapeño in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro during the last 5 minutes of simmering.

- Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.

- Heat tortillas over the stove or in the microwave, and cut tortillas into quarters.
- Spread 1/2 cup salsa mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
- Arrange tortilla quarters over salsa mixture to cover the bottom.
- Spoon half of chicken mixture over tortillas.
- Repeat layers, ending with tortillas.
- Pour remaining salsa mixture over tortillas and sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese.
- Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.
- Top with remaining cilantro.
- Serve with sour cream!

Mix it Up: Charred Tomato & Chicken Tacos / Goal #34: Try 12 new dinner recipes (3/12)

{via Eating Well}

Tacos can be considered a staple in Southern California. I mean, it's quick, easy and simple. And then if you're like me, you get tired of meat and a tortilla. So one night I decided to look up some more interesting variations to chicken tacos and found this yummy recipe. I have left it completely untouched and adapted. So all credit goes to Eating Well and their yummy low cal fixin's.

Charred Tomato and Chicken Tacos
Eating Well
Serves 6, 2 tacos each
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, cored (about 4-5)
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
- Salt & freshly ground pepper
- 1 large white onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 cloves cloves garlic, very finely chopped
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and very finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 12 corn tortillas, warmed
- 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream for garnish
- 2 limes, cut into quarters

Directions:
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot.
- Place tomatoes in the skillet and turn occasionally with tongs until charred on all sides, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate to cool slightly.
- Cut in half crosswise; squeeze to discard seeds. Chop the remaining pulp and skins, set aside.
- Add 1 teaspoon of the oil to the pan and heat over high heat until the oil is very hot.
- Add chicken and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned on all sides and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil.
- Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and jalapeños and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.
- Add lime juice and the reserved chicken and tomatoes.
- Bring to a simmer and stir in cilantro and scallions.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cover to keep warm.
- Spoon filling into warm tortillas, roll up and serve with sour cream and lime wedge

Not only is this totally yummers, but very healthy too! Check out the nutritional information here, just scroll to the bottom and it's all there.

Mix it Up: Spicy Asian Soup / Goal #34: Try 12 new dinner recipes (2/12)

{not mine, but it looks a lot like this}

If there's one thing I love, it's a spicy soup. Back in the colder months I finally decided I needed to learn how to make my own spicy Asian-style soup. After a few Google searches and recipe look-ups I did what I do very often - I took bits and pieces from each recipe i.e. ingredients I prefer, ingredients I had on hand, techniques I felt confident I could execute, techniques that were quicker, easier, etc. and created my own, very yummy, very spicy, Asian inspired soup.

Obviously I'm sharing this recipe far too late now that we're hitting triple digit scorching weather! But after having a Saturday filled with heavy drinking, Sunday a spicy soup was just the fix for my aching hangover. In the spirit of hangover cures... Enjoy.

Spicy Asian Soup

Adapted from many Google searches

Ingredients:

- Soba noodles, I go with maruchan's fresh yaki-soba noodles*
- 1/2 cabbage, chopped
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tsp. chopped garlic
- 2 tsp. chili oil, I prefer Sun Luck chili oil
- 2 tbsp. chili pepper flakes
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp. chili pepper paste, I prefer Huy Fong chili garlic paste
- Fresh lime juice
- 6-8 oz. cooked protein (chicken, brisket, pork, tuna, tofu, etc.)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion

Directions:

- Cook noodles according to package directions, cut to 4 inch lengths and set aside.
- In a large soup pot over medium heat, stir fry cabbage with soy sauce, garlic, chili oil, and chili pepper flakes for a few minutes, or until the leaves begin to look transparent.
- Add broth and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and stir in chili pepper paste.
- After 10 minutes, add in noodles and cook for 4 more minutes.
- Add protein to each bowl. Ladle broth and noodles into bowl and top with lime juice, cilantro, green onion and salt to taste.

*I'm very new to Soba noodles and other Asian-style noodles. So I have no stake here on what's best to purchase. I personally bought maruchan's fresh yaki-soba noodles, found near the tofu/veggie burger/vegan food, and I liked. There are tons of other kinds to buy, but any curly, Asian, soup noodle will suffice for this.

Mix it Up: Pumpkin Bars

{via Shape}

Holidays are approaching quickly and that means tons of new recipes to start testing before all the fun festivities. And what better way to start, then with PUMPKIN SWEETS!

This isn't just any pumpkin recipe by the way, it's a creative (healthier) alternative to pumpkin pie! Hey Taryn! Each bar clocks in at approximately 50 calories, so you have the second one guilt-free my dear! *wink-wink*

I love pumpkin pie, so I'm really looking forward to trying this one out!

Pumpkin Bars
Snagged from Chocolate-Covered Katie via Shape.com

Ingredients:
- 1/2 c. spelt flour
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 5 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1/2 c. canned pumpkin (or cooked, pureed pumpkin)
- 2 tbsp. nondairy milk
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine dry ingredients, then add in wet ingredients.
- Spread mixture into an oiled 8x8 pan and cook for 20 minutes.
- Cream cheese frosting optional.

Mix it Up: Fruity Cocktails

Summer is "officially over," so they say... Here's a delicious and refreshing cocktail from my summer days, that I say would be just as good rolling into Fall. This quick and easy fix is paired with equally refreshing fruits, perfect for a fall afternoon relaxing on the patio... Enjoy!

Double Watermelon Margaritas

Ingredients:
- Fresh watermelon
- Jose Cuervo Watermelon Margarita mix
- Ice

Directions:
- Cut watermelon into small chunks. Be sure to keep the size slightly larger than your ice.
- Mix together ice, watermelon and Jose Cuervo Watermelon mix.

Mix it Up: Chicken Cacciatore / Goal #34: Try 12 new dinner recipes (1/12)

{not mine, but thanks Google images}

What a perfect incorporation: bring back the Mix it Up posts and complete a DZP goal!

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Adapted from Fix-It & Forget-it *thanks shanny*

Yields: a lot!

Ingredients:

- 1 large onion, thinly sliced

- 1 1/2-2 lbs of chicken, cut up

- 2 6 oz cans tomato paste

- 4 oz can mushrooms, drained

- 1 tsp salt

- 1/4 cup dry white wine

- 1/4 tsp pepper

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- 2 tsp dried oregano

- 1/2 tsp dried basil

- 1/2 tsp celery salt, optional

- 1 bay leaf

- 2 green peppers, thinly sliced

Directions

Place onion in slow cooker. Add chicken.

Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken.

Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours, or High 3-4 hours.

Add bell peppers at the last 2 hours.

Serve over spaghetti.

We loved this recipe!  We topped the pasta with crushed red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese... yummm!

Madalyn Marie's Mix it Up!

It's that time of the year again when friend's and family get together for cookie bake off's and cookie swapping parties! My first one of the year is this weekend, hosted by none other than your dedicated blogger Erin!

The special treat I will be bringing is my favorite (and pretty healthy- minus all the butter of course) Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies! I found this recipe last year on OceanSprays website and instantly fell in love! It has forever been added into my recipe book and my go to cookie recipe to share!

So here it is:
INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (I prefer to use Coach's Oats, available at Costco)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Visit the website for more Cranberry friendly recipes! 

Sharing more From These Lips soon!

Madalyn Marie

Mix it Up: Add some kick!

If you know me, you know I love nearly everything spicy! My guacamole has a kick. My spaghetti has a kick. Even my macaroni and cheese has a kick. And if I'm making something new, I'm always trying to find a way to add a complimentary kick to it. And that's basically what I'm here to talk to you about:

DON'T BE AFRAID OF "THE KICK"

It's amazing how something so simple as some crushed red pepper flakes, a dash of cayenne pepper, a splash of hot sauce or a few slices of jalapenos can totally evolve your food.  Here are a few things that I do to add a kick to some every day foods that Danny and I love...

Spaghetti - Throw in some crushed red pepper flakes into your sauce.  You can do this while its cooking so the heat really has a chance to come out, or as you're serving for just a hit of spice. 

Veggies - When you're sauteing your veggies throw in a few slices of jalapeno or a dash of cayenne pepper, even red pepper flakes.  Whether you eat the jalapenos in the end or not, even just cooking them with your veggies adds some extra boldness.

Mac and cheese - for adults.  When you're mixing in your butter, milk and cheese mix, throw in some crushed red pepper flakes and bam!  It's that easy, and it's not overwhelming.  Since you don't continue to cook the mac and cheese, the flakes only dabble it with heat while its still in the pot. 

Guacamole - This I have found to be the single component to my guac that makes a world of difference.  All I do is one of two things (sometimes both):  I add in some diced jalapenos and/or some jalapeno juice.  That juice from the canned jalapenos has a mild flavor, not spicy at all really, but it adds a flavor that a lot of people really enjoy.

Soups - You can throw in anything from hot sauce, pepper flakes even diced jalapenos in a soup and all of them create a bold new flavor.  I love doing this because you can play around with hot sauces like Sriracha, Tapatio and Cholula and you'll get an entirely different flavor with every soup depending on which one you use.  This combined with the temperature heat of the soup is utterly delicious.

So add a little kick to your meals, don't be afraid!

Blueberry Pancakes From Scratch

I'm craving pancakes lately, and from scratch.  I've been following Smitten Kitchen for some time now and while this recipe was derived from another - I still credit her for the find.  Be sure to visit her site for some extra tips on how to make fabulous hotcakes.

Best Buttermilk Pancakes
Smitten Kitchen
Yields: 9 6-inch pancakes

Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or slightly less table salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 cups buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon extra for brushing griddle
- 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen and thawed (optional)

Directions
Preheat an electric griddle to 375°F, or place a griddle pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl.  Add the eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons melted butter, and whisk to combine.  The batter should have small to medium lumps.
Test the griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If the water bounces and spatters, the griddle is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush the remaining 1/2 teaspoon butter onto the griddle. Wipe off the excess with a folded paper towel.
Using a 4-oz. ladle, about 1/2 cup (for a 6-inch pancake), pour the batter in pools 2 inches apart.  If you wish to make blueberry pancakes, arrange a handful over the cooking pancake, pressing them in slightly. When the pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around the edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. If any batter oozes or blueberries roll out, push them back under with your spatula. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.
Repeat with the remaining batter. You can keep the finished pancakes on a heat-proof plate in the oven at 175°F.
Serve warm.

Mix it Up: Raspberry Limeade Slushies

Perfect for these hot summer days we are having- just grab yourself the ingredients below and whallah, you have a refreshing limey beverage! You can even add your own alcohol to make your own adult version! (humm tequila perhaps?)

Raspberry Limeade Slushies
Serves 4, generously

Ingredients:

1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup raspberries
1 cup water
4 cups ice
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup soda water
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions:

4 chilled glasses, if you’re feeling fancy (or are interested in your slushie staying slushy longer)
In a blender, blend the lime juice, raspberries, water, ice and sugar until slushy.

Pour into glasses. Top off with about 1/4 cup soda water and garnish with a lime wedge. If you’re averse to raspberry seeds (I generally am, but was feeling rushed that day), you can puree the berries first, press them through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the seeds, then put them back in the blender and add the rest of the ingredients. I will note that the seeds were far less annoying than I’d expected them to be, likely because they’re less noticeable with the added texture from the ice.

Hope you enjoy it! I can't wait to try it out!

Recipe as seen on Smitten Kitchen

Mix It Up: A Birthday Treat!!

Happy Birthday to The Lime & The Coconut! This incredibly entertaining (and informative!) blog has been such a treat to read over the past year. I am so excited to be a part of the celebration! Aaaaand... in honor of the festivities, I've got a delightful recipe to share :) One of my FAVORITE southern treats that my grandpa makes is berry cobbler. Here's Martha Stewart's version, a close second to PaPa's ;)

Best Berry Cobbler
Serves 6 to 8

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar, plus more if needed and for sprinkling
3 tablespoons cornstarch, plus more if needed
6 cups (3 pints) blackberries or raspberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pulse flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, and add heavy cream in a slow, steady stream, mixing with a wooden spoon until dough just comes together. Divide dough into 9 pieces, and loosely form each into a ball.
Whisk together cinnamon, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl. Add berries; toss gently to coat. Transfer mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish. Top berries with dough balls, spacing evenly. Brush dough with heavy cream, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until berries are bubbling in center and biscuits are golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack, and let cool slightly, about 30 minutes.

Add a dollop of ice cream for a lovely birthday dessert! Happy Birthday Lil Blog! Here's to another year!

LF

Mix it Up: Tomato-Basil Simmer Sauce 4 Ways

Here is a sauce that you can make one day, and have enough for more than just that night's meal.  You can use it for pasta sauce, try over grilled chicken or along side grilled cheese sandwiches.  Plus, you can create 3 more different styles by just adding an extra ingredient.

Tomato-Basil Simmer Sauce
Better Home and Gardens
Prep time: 2 1/2 hours
Cooking time: 70 min
Process: 35 min
Makes: 11 cups (6 pints)

Ingredients:
- 12 lbs. ripe tomatoes (about 25), peeled
- 3 tbsp packed brown sugar
- 4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 2 cup lightly packed assorted herbs (such as oregano, thyme, or parsley) chopped
- 6 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
Cut peeled tomatoes into chunks.  Place some of the chunks in a food processor or blender.  Cover; process or blend until finely chopped.  Transfer chopped tomatoes to a 7 - 8 qt. heavy nonreactive pot.  Repeat to chop remaining tomatoes and add to pot.
Stir brown sugar, salt, vinegar, and black pepper into tomatoes.  Bring to boiling.  Boil steadily (rapidly breaking bubbles), uncovered, for 70 - 80 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until mixture is reduced to about 11 cups and is desired consistency.  Remove from heat; stir in herbs.
Meanwhile, prepare jars for storing.  Spoon 1 tbsp lemon juice into each of six hot clean pint canning jars.  Ladle hot sauce into jars with lemon juice, leaving 1/2 inch head space.  Wipe jar rims; adjust lids.  Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 35 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling).  Remove jars; cool on wire racks.

Spicy Simmer Sauce: add 2 tbsp crushed red pepper to the sauce with the herbs.

Roasted Garlic Simmer Sauce: Stir in 3 tbsp chopped roasted garlic with the herbs.

Double Tomato Simmer Sauce: Stir in 1 cup snipped dried tomatoes with the herbs.

Mix it Up: Tomato Egg Salad

I decided to feature this recipe because it puts a fabulous spin on two of my favorites: tomatos and deviled eggs.  This is something I'm definitely going to make this summer for a refreshing lunch or dinner salad.

Tomato Egg Salad
Better Home and Gardens

Ingredients:
- 6 eggs
- 6 roma tomatos
- 3/4 cup chopped seedless cucumber
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
-1 tbsp Dijon-style mustard
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- Watercress

Directions:
Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to boiling.  Remove from heat; cover and let stand 12 minutes.  Meanwhile, halve the roma tomaotes lengthwise and remove seeds. 
In a mixing bowl combine cucumber, red onion, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
Drain, rinse, peel, and chop cooked eggs - then fold into the cucumber mixture.
Spoon into tomato halves and serve over watercress.

Mix it Up: Szechuan Noodles

{via}

Szechuan Noodles
The Barefoot Contessa
Serves: 6 - 8
Cooking time: 10 min

Ingredients
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1/2 cup good soy sauce
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil
- 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned
- 1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
- 4 scallions, sliced diagonally (white and green parts)

Directions
Place the garlic and ginger in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.  Ad the vegetable oil, tahini, peanut butter, soy sauce, sherry, sherry vinegar, honey, chili oil, sesame oil and ground peppers.  Puree the sauce.
Add a splash of a oil to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook the spaghetti al dente.
Drain the pasta, place it in a large bowl.  While still warm, toss with 3/4 of the sauce.
Add the red and yellow bell peppers and scallions; toss well.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
The remaining sauce may be added, as needed, to moisten the pasta.

*I know the ingredient list looks rather long, and you probably don't have these stocked up on your spice rack, but I agree with Black*Eiffel - "Once you have all the ingredients for this {dish} it's a real sinch to make."  My mom makes a great pasta like this, I think I wanna try this one with her to see how we like it.

Mix it Up Update: Chicken Lime Tortilla Soup

Remember the Mix it Up post about the Chicken Lime Tortilla Soup??  And how it's been on my to-make list?  Well, done and done.  But of course, I forgot to take any pictures... I can tell you though, that it is a keeper!  Here are a few changes I made to accommodate the ingredients I already had, and the flavors of the people I was feeding...

Ingredients

- 1/2 lb. chicken breast, boneless and skinless
- 4 cups chicken stock
- Juice of 3 limes
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 3/4 zucchini sliced and quartered
- 1/2 jalapeno, chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 avocado per each bowl (diced small)
- 1 cup mixed Mexican cheese (shredded)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
- Tortilla strips for garnish
- Spoon sour cream if desired

Directions
Combine chicken stock, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, and lime juice with the jalapeno and cilantro into a pot and simmer for 45 minutes.
While simmering, grill the chicken until cooked all of the way through. Let sit for about 5 minutes before cutting into small cubes or strips.
Add the green onion, bell peppers, zucchini and garlic, simmer for an additional 20 minutes. 
Throw in the cubed chicken during the last few minutes.
Garnish each plate with desired amounts of crushed tortilla strips, diced avocado, cilantro and shredded cheese. 
Mix in a spoon of sour cream for a thicker soup if desired.
 
My man really loved this one and was sad that he only had one bowl.  Next time I will definitely double the recipe to have seconds and leftovers, as well as add more kick when my parents are eating any of it. 
Loved this!

Mix It Up / Blog Love: Soupe du Pecheur

A new blog has popped up in the blog world, and I'd like to share it with you... 
What's For Dinner - A Blog About A Daily Quest for Health & Vitality is written by a wife and mother who had to reinvent herself, and her kitchen, after her husband was diagnosed with Stage IV Colon Cancer.  As the family fought together to overcome the illness and emotional rollercoaster, a change in diet is largely attributed to where they are today, 11 years later - they are now healthy and thriving.  As always, great things come from unfortunate circumstances, and this blog is just that - a great space in the www world, a way to share their experiences and some good healthful recipes with the masses. 
So here is a recipe she has published, along with her notes of why it is so good for you, enjoy:

Soupe du Pecheur
What's For Dinner
Serves 4

Part of my family's dietary overhaul involved getting used to making fish a major part of our diet. Okay, not just any fish will do. Though I have a serious crush on Swordfish and Ahi, these seldom make it onto our home dining menu. Their status in the food chain as predators and their penchant for living in warmer waters, makes them too high in toxins for regular consumption. We try to stick to deep, cold water fish which has been wild caught. Tonight's dinner is a comfort dish that I often order at one of my favorite restaurants, Le Pain Quotidien. I don't have their recipe which, served in a crock with a big piece of crusty bread, is my idea of the ultimate comfort food. But, I have to say my version turned out so delicious that though I slurped up a good-sized portion about an hour ago, just a minute ago, I found myself going to the pot and sneaking another couple of furtive spoonfuls. Luckily, for those like me who really love our grub, this dish is really high on taste but not on calories.

A couple of notes before I give you the recipe: I shop at Trader Joe's quite a lot because I don't have a fresh fish market nearby and they have a good selection of wild caught flash frozen fish. If you have a good fresh fish market nearby, lucky you! You can choose any fish you like for this stew. Again remember, that the deep cold water fish are less polluted. But as you'll see, I gave in to my love of shellfish and threw a little shrimp in my version below.

Disclaimer--- I DON'T MEASURE WHEN I COOK. ALL THE AMOUNTS BELOW ARE ESTIMATES. PLEASE TASTE AND ADJUST AS YOU GO!!!!

Ingredients
- Organic Celery, 1.5 cups chopped
- Boiler Onions, 6-7 peeled & cut in 1/2 or 1/4 depending on size
- Fresh Organic Garlic, 4-5 cloves slightly crushed
- Organic Carrots, 3 carrots peeled & cut into 1.5 in pieces & quartered or halved lengthwise
- Organic small red or purple potatoes, 6 quartered
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1/4 cup
- Organic chicken broth (fish broth is fine too), 4 cups
- Saffron threads, a big pinch or to taste
- Lemon Pepper, 1/2 teaspoon
- Lemon Juice, 1/2 - 1 lemon depending on your taste
- Coriander, 1/4 tsp ground or you can use fresh Cilantro (a couple of tbsp finely chopped)
- Red Pepper Flakes, 1/4 teaspoon
- Paprika, a pinch or two
- Silver Coho Salmon fillets, Wild Caught, 1 lb skinned & cut into 4-5 chunks
- Large Sea Scallops, 8  *Not treated with trisodium phosphate, this stuff just plumps them up artificially with water which then all leaks out when you cook them and yuck!
- Jumbo Blue Shrimp, 8
- Organic Ghee,  *This is clarified butter. You can get it at most gourmet markets. If not, it won't mess anything up if you use regular unsalted butter (organic is better).
- Salt, to taste

Directions
One of the great things about this meal is that it can all be made in one pot (love one-pot meals). Use a deep thick bottomed pot.
Put the oil in the pot and heat over medium high heat for a minute or so.
Add the onions, celery, and garlic cloves and stir to cover everything with the oil. Sauté these until fragrant and translucent without letting them brown too much.
Add the carrots and potatoes and stir everything to coat with the oil. Cook for another 5-7 minutes.
Add the stock, saffron, lemon pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes, and coriander. If you use fresh cilantro add it later. Stir.
Add lemon juice from 1/2 of a lemon.
Cook all this goodness for about 10-15 minutes over medium heat to let all the tastes meld and let the veggies get tender.
Add the fish first, then the scallops, and shrimp. Arrange the seafood so that it is covered with broth and vegetables while it cooks. Cover and reduce the heat to medium low.
Simmer for another 5-8 minutes. Just before the fish looks completely cooked through, add the cilantro, if you are using the fresh stuff, the other half of the lemon juice and the ghee. Gently stir, cover and turn off the heat. Let it all sit for 5-10 minutes to finish cooking. You don't want to overcook the seafood!
Taste and add some salt if you want.
Serve in shallow bowls making sure each one gets a piece of fish a couple of scallops and a couple of shrimp with plenty of broth and veggies. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a lemon wedge.
It's a meal in itself, but you might want to add a piece of crusty French bread on the side to sop up the broth. YUM!

Mix it Up: Walnut Rosemary Cookies

Walnut Rosemary Cookies

Thanks to Shape

Serves: 24

Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil
- 2 tbsp light agave nectar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
 
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F 
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine almond flour, salt and baking soda.
In a smaller bowl whisk together oil, agave, and vanilla.
Stir wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined, then gently fold in the rosemary and walnuts.
Spoon dough one tablespoon at a time onto prepared baking sheets.
Place sheets in the oven and bake for 6 to 7 minutes until lightly golden.
Cool on baking sheets before serving.


Nutrition Score per serving:
Serving size 1 cookie
74 calories, 7 g fat, < 1 g saturated fat,
3 g carbs, 2 g protein, 1 g fiber,
15 mg calcium, < 1 mg iron, 25 mg sodium

Side note, this is on my to-do list, so I have yet to take on this recipe and therefore want to say:
I am apprehensive about the rosemary, so if you are too, then my suggestion is maybe test a few with and a few without it to find out how you really feel.  That's my plan.
Secondly, I was recently told that to slim down people are using the agave nectar as a substitute for honey.  So if you're thinking that's also a deal breaker, go ahead and try it with a light honey instead.  Happy cooking!

Mix it Up: Quinoa Pudding

Quinoa Pudding with Macerated Strawberries and Pistachios
Credit to Aran from Cannelle et Vanille
Serves 4, 8 oz

Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream (optional)
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1/4 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cup strawberries, diced
- 1 tbs sugar
- Chopped pistachios

Directions
Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse it with cold water for a few seconds.
Combine the milk, cream, sugar, salt and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the quinoa and stir. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 30 minutes stirring every few minutes.
If skin starts to form on top of the milk, just stir it back in. The milk will reduce and thicken. Ladle into bowls or jars.
Place cut strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle them with sugar. Toss them and let them sit at room temperature for about an hour until juices start to come out.
Top the puddings with the strawberries and chopped pistachios.