Recipes - Measuring Cups, Optional

Skillet Chickpeas

categories: Posts, Recipes, Vegetables & Sides

Monday night, my dinner situation was a mess. Let me start off by saying that my commute home was what started the domino that affected my night. My 30 minute commute took me an hour and 15 minutes. I was stuck in traffic with people who don’t know how to drive and thought they could get around the traffic and weasel themselves in front of me. I was practically at a standstill. Perfect. Just how I wanted to spend my Monday night. When I got to the source, there was no source. It was an obvious case of stupidity and inability to merge in high-traffic zones – whoever started this was obviously from out of town and had no experience whatsoever driving in and out of the city. Tourist season is over – or so I thought.

After using colorful words, shaking my head and waving my hands around in frustration of the subpar drivers around me, I finally made it home. My frustrations were not easily subsided.

I had been thinking about my baked chicken and Tuscan beans and couldn’t wait to have them for dinner. I started all the prep, put the chickens in the oven, started the mix for the beans and began sautéing the garlic. Then I went to get my white beans. They were nowhere to be found. I looked everywhere – I don’t have a large kitchen or a large pantry for that matter. I even got other family members involved searching the top shelves. Then came the questions, “Are you sure you bought them?” Am I sure I bought them?! Of course I did! I remember spending almost 15 minutes in the beans aisle searching for them and was so excited when I found them. They had to be here somewhere. We spent 20 minutes searching and nothing turned up. I was starting to think I was going crazy.

[Update: I found the white beans. They were sitting next to the other cans of beans.]

I gave up, and subbed the white beans for chickpeas and then heated the whole thing up and ended up with a completely different dish. At least the chicken turned out.

Skillet Chickpeas

Ingredients

2 cans Chickpeas

½ Red Onion, chopped

2 small Roma Tomatoes, chopped

Basil, dried

Garlic Salt

Lemon Juice

2 cloves Garlic, smashed

Directions

Sauté garlic with olive oil spray

In a bowl, mix together red onion, tomatoes, chick peas and basil

Add lemon juice

Pour mix into a large skillet and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, add Garlic Salt and stir.

Chocolate Corn Flake Clusters

categories: Desserts, Posts, Recipes

One of my good friends is a baking genius. Since she has young children, she’s getting ready for all the school-related Halloween festivities. This afternoon, she shared some photos with me of her baked goods and I instantly fell in love with the Corn Flake Clusters.

She’s amazing with desserts and one day, when she opens up her own shop, I’ll be the first to share a link to her website (and driving directions of course).

Chocolate Corn Flake Clusters Recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter

1 Bag Chocolate Chips

2 cubes Baker’s Chocolate

½ box Corn Flakes

Directions

In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter and add the bag of chocolate chips along with the baker’s chocolate.

Add Corn Flakes and mix together until all the Corn Flakes are coated.

Line a baking tray with wax paper or use cupcake cups and scoop a heaping dinner-sized tablespoon full to make one cluster. Repeat scooping until mixture is finished.

Refrigerate for an hour, at least, before serving.

Twenty Minute Tuesday

categories: Pizza, Posts, Recipes

Following a failed after work outting attempt, I found myself at home, hungry with few options that didn’t involve pasta, rice or red meat. I stared at my fridge with both doors open searching for something to have for dinner. Then it hit me – Pizza. It only took twenty minutes to make. Five minutes prep and 15 minutes in the oven. Easy.

Spinach Shrimp and Mushroom Pizza

Ingredients

Pillsbury Pizza Dough

Olive Oil

Mozzarella Cheese

Baby Spinach

Shrimp, tail-off

Romano Cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease a baking sheet (I used olive oil spray)

Unroll dough on baking dish and spray with olive oil

Sprinkle mozzarella and romano cheese

Arrange shrimp on the pizza, layer spinach on top, followed by mushrooms then mozzarella and Romano cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Baked Pasta and Meatballs

categories: Pasta, Posts, Recipes

We’ve had a pretty busy Sunday running errands and getting ready for the upcoming work week. I’m sure I’m not the only one that thinks weekends are way too short. If it were up to me, we’d have five-day weekends and two-day weeks. Doesn’t that sound much better? If only …

Since I made it to the grocery store and filled our fridge and non-pantry up with goodies for the week, I thought I’d throw together a laid-back early Sunday night dinner. It’s a little twist on the average pasta.

Baked Pasta and Meatballs

Ingredients

Pasta of Choice (I used Bow Tie Pasta)

Tomato Sauce of Choice (We had some Tomato Sauce with Garlic and Basil)

1 can Mushrooms

Mozzarella Cheese

Beef Meatballs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil pasta as directed.

Saute drained mushrooms in a small saucepan, add pasta sauce and simmer.

Drain noodles, mix together pasta sauce and noodles, then pour into a baking dish.

Place meatballs on top of the pasta, add thick layer of mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes, until cheese is fully melted.

Buffalo Chicken Bites

categories: Appetizers, Chicken, Posts, Recipes

As I was browsing foodgawker a few weeks ago, I came across this recipe for Buffalo Chicken Bites on Sweet Pea’s Kitchen I was instantly in love. Healthy-ish boneless chicken wings? Is there such a thing? Yes, there is. These are super easy to make. It was a little bit messy because I used my hands to form the bites. But the outcome is absolute deliciousness. These bites are great alternatives to a deep-fried night at Buffalo Wild Wings. To complete the meal, I served them baked homemade fries and two side dips; marinara dipping sauce and spicy light ranch.

Print

Yum

Buffalo Chicken Bites

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

3 cups Shredded Cooked Chicken
1/4 to 1/2 cup Hot Sauce (to taste)
3 1/2 ounces Light Cream Cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups Sharp Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup chopped Green Onions
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3 – 4 cups Corn Flakes cereal, crushed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350?F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, cream cheese and hot sauce, cheddar cheese and green onions.
Roll a heaping tablespoon of mixture into a 1½-inch ball and place onto a plate or separate baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
Place flour in a shallow dish.
In a second shallow dish, place eggs.
In a third shallow dish, Place cornflakes.
Dip each chicken ball first into the flour, then the egg and ending with the Corn Flakes. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

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October BBQ

categories: Posts, Recipes

Who says you can’t BBQ in October? This weekend was perfect for a BBQ – sunny and 70ish. I decided to have some people over for a low-key cookout.

Did I mention that I don’t have a grill?

That’s alright. I made due without it. I used our Foreman-like Grill to cook the burgers, but for everything else we (or should I say I) used the oven and stovetop as a substitute. I boiled the hot dogs and the corn and made a baked chicken and shrimp with lemon and garlic sauce. I also attempted to cut the frying calories out by baking the fries. They turned out delicious and perfectly crispy.

But the hit of the afternoon (at least in my opinion) was the spinach artichoke dip. You can’t have a BBQ without chips and dip. So to complement the store-bought salsa and chips, I decided it would be a good idea to make my own dip. Adapted from Eat Yourself Skinny.

Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package of fat-free cream cheese, softened or whipped

1/4 cup Low Fat Mayonnaise

1/4 cup grated Low Fat Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup grated Low Fat Romano cheese

2 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced

Garlic Salt

1/2 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 package cup frozen chopped Spinach, thawed and drained

1/4 cup shredded Low Fat Mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Lightly grease a small baking dish.

Mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, mozzarella cheese, minced garlic, garlic salt.

Stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

I also pitched in on the dessert front and made some pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting – all from scratch.

Pumpkin Cupcakes and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten until frothy

1 cup mashed cooked or canned pumpkin

3/4 cup milk

Icing

1/4 cup butter

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs.

Add butter and sugar mixture to flour mixture.

Blend in mashed pumpkin.

Spoon batter into cupcake cups.

Bake at 375° for 25 minutes.

Frost with cream cheese frosting

Icing

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl, beat well until smooth