Hawaiian Chicken Chili

The weather here has been a little crazy. It went from feeling like summer, to feeling like spring, back to feeling like summer.  Since it was kinda cold a few nights ago, I thought some chili would be good. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and decided to try it. There are soooo many different kinds of chili you can make. The possibilities are endless. We've had chicken chili before but not like this. I wasn't sure about the pineapple but it's actually pretty good.  If you like hawaiian chicken pizza, you will probably enjoy this.


Ingredients
1-2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breast (I used a little over a pound since that was all I had left)
Barbeque sauce (for marinating chicken)
2 Tbsp butter, divided
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp sugar
1 (20 oz ) can pineapple chunks (or tidbits if you don't want big pieces)
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans,drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (16 oz jar) salsa (I used pace brand in mild)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1.Place chicken in large ziplock bag and squeeze in your favorite barbeque sauce. I didn't measure, just used enough to coat all the chicken. Let marinate in the fridge for 30 mins to an hour.
2.Melt 1 Tbsp of butter in skillet and add chicken. Cook until chicken is browned and cooked through. Cut into bite size pieces and than transfer to large pot.
3. In same pan, add remaining Tbsp of butter and cook onions, garlic, and bell pepper for about 5 minutes or until onion is softened.
4. Stir in the the tomato paste, all of the spices, vanilla, and sugar. Cook for another 2 minutes or so and transfer to same large pot as chicken
5. Drain the pineapple and reserve the juice.
6. Add the juice, beans, tomatoes, and salsa to the large pot
7. Simmer for about an hour or so and add the pineapple about 15 minutes before you want to eat

Serve with green onions, oyster crackers, and cheese if desired.



Recipe Source: adapted from Allrecipes.com

Stuffed Campari Tomatoes

I don't normally buy campari tomatoes because they are kind of pricey but they were on sale last week so I bought 2 packages. They have a sweeter flavor than your regular vine ripened tomatoes that I really like. I searched for some recipes I could use them in and found a recipe for stuffed tomatoes. I've had stuffed mushrooms before which I love, but don't think I've ever had stuffed tomoatoes. I  made them as an appetizer the other night when I made the bowtie pasta with sausage and sage and they were gone in less then 5 minutes.  Of course it was just me and my husband so I only made 6 of them, but you could easily make more for a large dinner party.


Ingredients
6 Campari Tomatoes
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp prepared pesto (I used Basil Pesto)
1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1-2 Tbsp Asiago Cheese (Parmesan or Mozarella works too)
Salt and Pepper

Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 350
2. Cut off tops of tomatoes and scoop out the insides, saving some of the juice. I used a teaspoon to scoop the insides out into a cup and then strained to keep the juice.

3.Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes with a little salt and pepper
4. Heat olive oil in skillet and add garlic and panko until nice and toasty, about 2-3 minutes
5. In a medium bowl, mix together the panko/garlic with the pesto and 1Tbsp of the reserved tomato juice

6. Spoon mixture into the tomatoes and top with the cheese
7. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and tomatoes are softened.



Recipe Source: Adapted from Life's Ambrosia

Bowtie Pasta with Sausage and Sage

I'm so excited that most of our herbs are really taking off in our garden.  I saw this dish on the WholeFoods app and decided to try it.  As you know, I don't really eat a lot of pork but I can handle it in sausage every once in a while. This dish called for Sweet Italian Sausage which actually sounded kind of good to me. However, when I went to the store  (the one closest to my house that doesn't really have a huge selection), I couldn't find a single package of Italian Sausage without a bunch of fillers, preservatives, and chemicals. Not to mention that some of the brands included a combination of meats, not just pork. I have used Italian Sausage before, but never really stopped and looked at what is actually in it. So, I opted for some Chicken Sausage. It still had a few preservatives in it, but had a lot less ingredients and no BHA in it like the pork versions. Plus, it has less fat.

I decided to make the whole recipe, and we had a TON left over but we ate it for lunch for a few days. It was really good! Definitely something easy to make for a pot luck or a large family dinner or get-together.

Ingredients
1 pound of dry bowtie pasta (whole wheat if you can find it)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 yellow or white onion, chopped
1 (12 oz) package chicken sausage (or Sweet Italian Sausage), cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (15 oz can) garbonzo beans (or cannellini beans) rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp chopped fresh Sage
Salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup Asiago Cheese (or Parmesan Cheese)

Directions
1. Cook pasta, drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in large skillet then add onion and sausage and cook until onions are softened and sausage is browned

3. Pour in wine and stir
4. Add tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes
5. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the beans, sage, salt and pepper
6.Cover and cook for a few minutes or until the beans are heated through
7.Combine mixture with the pasta then top with cheese.



Recipe Source: Adapted from Whole Foods

English Muffins

I've been attempting to become a better and more knowledgeable bread maker. I've made some sucessful and not so sucessful breads, but trying new things and learning what other food bloggers are making is really fun. I decided I wanted to try and make some kind of breakfast item and was actually going to try Bagels at first. However, they seemed really complicated and I wasn't up for the challenge at the time. I thought about doing English Muffins and the recipes I found seemed way easier so I gave it shot.  My first attempt was a bit of flop, but my 2nd batch came out pretty good. They actually tasted like the store-bought kind only better! I'm going to have to give Bagels a try sometime soon...

Ingredients
1 Pkg active dry yeast
1/2 Cup +2 Tbsp warm water
1 Tbsp Honey
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm milk

Directions
1.Add the yeast, water, and honey to a large mixing bowl and let proof for about 5 minutes.
2.Add in both flours and salt
3.Add in the warm milk
4.Mix with a dough hook for about 5 minutes until it comes togethers
5.Form dough into a ball, remove from bowl, lightly oil the bowl and return the dough ball
6.Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size
7.Lightly flour your counter or surface you are using and roll the dough out into a log shape
8.Cut into 12 pieces (I actually got 14 out of mine- you can use a kitchen scale if you want to make sure they are all even)
9.Form each piece into a round patty and coat each side with cornmeal

10.Cook in a lighltly oiled frying pan (I used cast-iron) over medium low heat for about 5 minutes on both sides (tip: you may need to wipe out any burnt cornmeal in between batches so you don't burn any of your english muffins like I did during my first attempt)

11. Top with butter, jelly, or your favorite topping. I made an egg sandwich out of mine :)



Recipe Source: Adapted from The Wanna be Country Girl

Ranch Seasoning

There are so many things you can make with the Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning Packet. It's easy to use and adds a kick of flavor to a variety of foods. But it's just as easy to make your own!  And you can control the amount of salt you put into it. The recipe I based mine off of called for dried Buttermilk which I had never used before. My regular grocery store didn't have it, but I found some at The Fresh Market. You can use it to bake other things too, so I'll have other uses for it besides the ranch.

I wanted to make something really good for after Lent and decided on ranch burgers. Our acutal first meal after lent, Easter Dinner, we ate at my in-laws. My mother-in-law made ham but since she knows I don't really eat ham or pork, she bought me a turkey which was really good!  On Monday I made the burgers and used the ranch seasoning. We also decided to try some grass fed beef we bought at Earthfare. And I made some homemade buns. They were a bit of work but were sooo good!

Ingredients
1/3 cup dry Buttermilk
1 1/2 Tbsp Dried Parsely
1 tsp dried Dill Weed
1 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
2 tsp Onion Flakes
3/4 tsp Salt
1 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

Directions
Put all ingredients into food processor and pulse until smooth and well combined. Store in an air-tight container. I put mine in the refridgerator since the dry buttermilk says it is supposed to be refridgerated after opening.

Recipe Source: Adapted from What's Gabby Cooking

Meatless Meals Recap

We successfully made it through lent without eating meat. I enjoyed thinking of different things to eat and we made some pretty good meals. We also ate out a couple times and although it was tempting to get a chicken or burger dish, we got some yummy vegetarian dishes instead.  I made a list of all the different dinners we ate and wanted to it share with eveyone.  Maybe it will give you a couple ideas for your own vegetarian dishes.

1. Eggplant Lasagna
2. Black Bean Burgers
3. Asian Veggie Stir Fry (we made this meal twice)
4. Baked Potato and Salad
5. Pasta with Guacamole Sauce
6. Papa Johns Veggie Pizza
7. Potato Soup (no bacon) and house salad from Chili's
8. Veggie Panini with Fries
9. Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce
10. Pan Seared Salmon with veggies
11. Spicy Cilantro shrimp tacos w/ coleslaw and coconut rice
12. White Cheddar Macaroni w/ spinach
13. Bean burritoes (with homemade tortillas)
14. Homemade Tuna Salad Sandwich w/ chips
15. Homemade pizza
16. Spinach and feta stuffed potatoes
17. Penne Pasta w/ balsamic vinaigrette
18. Spinach and feta & tomato basil pizza (storebought)
19. Black Beans and Rice w/ sauteed vegetables
20. Homemade clam chowder and salad
21. Mediterranean quinoa salad
22. Baked Pesto Squash, skillet potatoes, salad
23. Avacado egg rolls
24. Penne pasta with Arugula pesto
25. Potato Cheddar Soup
26. Rajas con crema and rice
27. Enchiladas w/ refried beans, onions, and mushrooms
28. Vegetable quesadillas from Amigos Restaurant
29. Jamaican Red Bean Stew
30. Tomato soup with cheese tortellini
31. Breaded flounder fillets and baked potato
32. Sushi from Fresh Market
33. Mushroom and Asiago Paninis w/ fruit
34. Homemade Calzones
35. Lobster and Shrimp tacos/ enchilads from Big River
36. Asian Veggie Stir fry
37. Coconut Crusted flounder with sweet potato fries
38. Baked Southwest Tilapia and rice
39 & 40. Leftovers

Vanilla Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

Happy Easter! I've seen many great Easter dessert ideas over the past few weeks and I finally decided I would make cupcakes. But instead of the traditional buttercream or creamcheese icing I made marshmallow frosting. It almost reminds me of peeps which was perfect for the holiday. I have to admit that I had to make the frosting 3 times and it still got a little runny.  I just need a little more practice :).  I also broke out my cake decorating books and made some royal icing flowers. And even though the decorations do use food coloring, there is no hydrogenated oils or artificial flavors in the actual cupcakes or frosting. I like making my dessert from scratch and only using good quality ingredients. Did you make any Easter desserts this year? I'd love to see them!

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 c sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 Tbsp milk

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

dash of nutmeg

Directions
Cream butter and sugar
Add in eggs one at a time beating well between each
Add in sour cream, milk, and vanilla
In a separate bowl mix all dry ingredients together
Slowly add dry ingredients to the sugar mixture mixing until well incorporated
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups and fill about 2/3 full
Bake for about 18-20 mins or until toothpick comes out clean
Decorate with Marshmallow frosting and desired decorations (recipe below)

Marshmallow frosting
3 egg whites
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 tsp of cream of tartar
dash of salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions
1.In a double boiler (or in my case a metal bowl over simmering water) mix together the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Continuing whisking for about 7-8 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm.

2. Remove from heat and add to mixer fitted with whisk attachment
3. Add in vanilla and whisk on high for about 5 minutes or until mixture becomes fluffy

Recipe sources

Cupcakes: Adapted from Joy of Baking

Marshmallow Frosting: Adapted from cooks.com