Our Fabulous Bites

This is a hit in our family.  I make chicken for the meat eaters and chickpeas for the non-meat eaters and everyone is happy.  I serve this along side a slaw, sliced tomatoes, basmati rice or naan, and Tzatziki.  Serves 4  Ingredients: For the Chicken Shawarma 2 T cornstarch 1/2 T salt 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 T cayenne 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon 2 T vegetable oil 1 lb 10 oz boneless chicken thighs, halved For the Garbanzo Beans  2 cans Garbanzo beans, drained 2 T cornstarch 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 T cayenne 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon 2 T vegetable oil Directions : 1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan 2. For the chicken, mix together the cornstarch, salt, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cayenne and cinnamon. 3. Put the oil into a bowl, then add the chicken and stir it around.  Add the dry spice mix and stir to coat all the chicken pieces well.  Layer the pi...

 Yield: 4-6 servings Takes about an hour to make INGREDIENTS: 4 medium bell peppers, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup arborio rice 1 cup chicken or veggie stock, maybe a little bit more 1/2 diced sweet onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1-2 cups corn 1 medium zucchini, diced 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese 1.5 - 2 cups marinara sauce 1/2 cup panic breadcrumbs (seasoned preferable to breadcrumbs) DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and brush or spray them with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast peppers for 15 minutes in preheated oven.  Reduce heat to 350. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a sauce pan.  Add in the onions and sprinkle with salt, and sauté until they begin to soften.  Add garlic and rice and cook for about 1 minute.  Stir in corn and zucchini.  Pour in broth and a pinch of salt and bring to boil.  Reduce to simme...

  Recipe I saw and want to try Butter-Free Lemon Pasta Ingredients Cooked spaghetti (1 box) 2 tbsp olive oil 2 cups mixed mushrooms 2 tbsp shallots, chopped 1 tbsp garlic, minced 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped Cooked oatmeal (1 cup of steel-cut oats, 4 1/2 cups of water, and 1 chicken or vegetable bouillon cube) 1 cup grated parmesan 1/2 tbsp lemon zest 2 tbsp chives, chopped 1 tbsp basil, chopped 1/2 cup of peas, cooked 4 tbsp lemon juice Salt and pepper Directions In a large pot, boil 4 cups of water. Then add 1 cup of oatmeal and one cube of chicken (or vegetable) bouillon. Cook for 15 minutes. In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, strain about 1/2 cup of liquid from the cooked oatmeal. Add this liquid to the pan after step 3 is complete. In a large pan over medium heat, add about 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme. Sauté for about 30 seconds. Add grated Parmesan and a dash of lemon zest to the pan. Stir until cheese is melted. Add chives, basil, and peas. St...

 Hazel chose this for dinner and it was a hit for most of the family.  There is a lot of flexibility with the recipe.  Feel free to swap out veggies for different ones.  We are planning on trying out some variations and see what we think.  I was a big fan of purple cabbage and spinach in mine. It is a bit time consuming to make with all of the prep work. Ingredients for 4 bowls: 1.5 cups rice 3/4 pound ground turkey, or thinly sliced beef, or a plant-based substitute 1 cucumber 2 cups shredded carrots 4 eggs 3/8 cup soy sauce 3 Tablespoons honey or white sugar 2-3 Tablespoons sesame oil 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup white vinegar 1 tablespoon gochujang or another red chili paste (we used sambal oelek because it was what we could find, and we loved it, but we need to try the more authentic gochujang) The following are optional toppings: purple cabbage, thinly sliced  sautéed spinach  chopped and sautéed zucchini  seaweed flakes...

 Serves 4 - According to the recipe, this freezes well but I haven't tried that yet.  All I know, all the kids ate this, even the ones that don't like spicy, so I need to keep this recipe. You can serve this with flatbread or pitas.  We had it with hummus.  I think it would be nice with tzatziki.  The recipe suggested serving it with a slaw.  We didn't like the slaw recipe we used but I hope to find one that I like. Ingredients : 2 Tablespoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon dried cilantro 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 tablespoon cayenne 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 lb 10 oz boneless chicken thighs, halved Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and slightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.  (like a bread pan) Mix the together the the cornstarch and all the spices.  Put oil into a bowl.  Add the chicken and stir it around.  Add the dry spice mix and stir to coat al...

 This was a hit in our house.  When Isla cooks, she leaves out the tomatoes, but I think it is better with the cooked tomatoes. Serves 6 Ingredients Pesto (or use a recipe you already like, or store bought) 2.5 cups fresh basil 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts (or other nuts. I'm often cheap and use a less expensive nut like almonds) 3/4 cup parmesan cheese 1/2 cup olive oil salt and black pepper to taste Pasta Ingredients 24 cherry tomatoes 6 T olive oil salt and black pepper to taste 14-18 ounces linguine (preferably from the dairy section, not the dry aisle) 3 minced garlic cloves, minced 30 large shrimp, peeled and deveined Directions 1. Make the pesto by blending all the ingredients in a food processor.  Cover and set aside until ready to use. 2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Drizzle 1 T olive oil over the tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in oven for about 8 minutes. Set aside. 3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the...

 I have no idea if this tastes like cafe rio chicken, but I know it is an easy recipe when I'm cooking for a group.  I often use it for taco salad.  I'm happy with beans for my protein but I others seem to really like having some meat.   Ingredients : 2 lbs chicken breasts 8 oz zesty Italian dressing 1/2 T minced or crushed garlic 1 packet ranch dressing 1/2 T chili powder 1/2 T ground cumin 1/2 cup water Directions Add chicken to crockpot.  Pour the Italian dressing on top.  Mix the garlic, ranch dressing powder, chili powder, and ground cumin into 1/2 cup water.  Add to the crock pot.  Cook on low for 5 hours, or until chicken is fully cooked. Shred chicken with a fork and you can serve with salad, or as a taco/burrito filling.  

 As it turns out, my kids are picky about savory crepes.  Jeff and I will eat mushroom crepes, broccoli crepes, asparagus, ratatouille....but the kids don't care for any of those.  So through the years I've been trying to find something the kids will be happy about on crepe day. (that isn't full of sugar). We tried these chicken and leek crepes last night and the big kids approved.  Hazel & Ruby didn't give them an honest chance. A nice thing about this recipe is you can make the crepes ahead of time and the chicken filling, but I don't suggest filling the crepes until you are ready to bake them. Directions: Make about 8-12 crepes ( I like alton brown's recipe or buckwheat crepes - I think both of those recipes are on this blog) Filling: Ingredients- 2-3 chicken breasts, skin on bone in 1 tbsp butter 4-5 leeks, white parts only, sliced into 1/2 moons (wash well!) 2 cups chopped spinach (optional) salt & peper to taste 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp mi...

This is an easy recipe and comes in handy when I just want to throw something together.  It isn't a show stopper but gets dinner on the table and zucchini into my kids.  I don't usually peel my zucchini, but my kids don't notice the zucchini (or yellow squash) when I peel it. Ingredients: 8 oz uncooked linguine  4 cups shredded zucchini (about 3 medium) 4 tsp olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup plain yogurt  3/4 cup cheddar cheese 3/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Directions: Cook linguine according to package directions.  Pat zucchini dry and sauce in oil until tender, 3-5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more.  Transfer to serving bowl.  Add yogurt, cheese, salt and pepper and mix.  Add cooked linguine to serving bowl with zucchini mixture. Toss to coat and serve.

 This was a hit with the family, except for Hazel (she didn't try it).  It serves 4-6.  You can make this with or without meat and feel free to change up the veggies.  You could easily add mushrooms, or edamame, or leave out the carrots...use what you enjoy.  The recipe suggested serving with soft-boiled eggs, which I did, but I didn't think it added much flavor wise, but it could help the meal be more filling.  This cooks on high heat and fast.  I think it is easiest to have everything prepped and organized so you can quickly go from one step to the next.   Ingredients : Stir-Fry Sauce 1/2 cup soy sauce 2 T honey 1 T miso paste / miso concentrate broth 3/4-1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1/2  T sriracha sauce (this depends on your interest in heat. adjust as you like) Juice of 1 lime 1 teaspoon ground pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon Stir-Fry 10 ounce ramen noodles  2 T vegetable oil 1 head broccoli, chopped in florets 1 red b...

I realized I haven't posted this one, at least, I don't see that I have.  It is good.  I like to serve this when I do a sandwich bar of sorts.  It seems to be a hit with guests. Ina Garten Caesar Club Sandwich Recipe  (with my own notes added) Serves about 3 Ingredients : 2 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on. (or just use some Costco rotisserie chicken) olive oil kosher salt black pepper 4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta or bacon Ingredients for the dressing  (or you can use pre-made Caesar dressing) 1 large garlic clove, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste (I start with 1 teaspoon and add more if it needs more saltiness) 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 large ciabatta bread (or different bread. hoagie rolls work, but I wouldn't use a sliced bread like wonder bread.  you need something a bit sturdier than you would use ...

This recipe is from a cookbook, and as it turned out, the entire family liked it.  It was SPICY and next time, I will decrease the peppers by half.  I pretty much ate the sauce over rice while everyone really enjoyed the chicken too. Makes 8 to 10 Servings Ingredients Chicken (this can be made with other meats, tofu, or veggies) 3 lb chicken (any cut) 1 tbsp dried thyme 1 tsp garlic powder 1 chicken bouillon cube salt & pepper Stew 1/2 cup vegetable oil (recipe called for 1 1/2 cups, used in different steps, and I think I will do even less than 1/2 cups next time) 4 medium roma tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 (28 oz) can whole peeled plum tomatoes, drained 1 large red bell pepper, roughly chopped 1 small habanero pepper 1 serrano pepper (optional) 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 2 tbsp tomato paste 1/2 tsp baking soda or 1 T honey (optional, to cut down the acidity of tomatoes) 1 cup chicken stock 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1 tbsp red pepper or cayenne peppe...

My kids love these. Potato Enchiladas Ingredients 2 potatoes, cubed & sautéed (I bake them in the oven) 1 medium onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 1 jalapeno or Anaheim pepper, finely chopped (leave seeds out if you don’t want the heat) 1 carrot finely chopped  2-3 cans of Green enchilada sauce  2 cups Grated cheese (we prefer jack or colby/jack) 12 or more tortillas, corn or flour (flour is easier to roll without cracking)   Salt & Pepper, to taste Instructions First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Secondly, pour one can of enchilada sauce into a 9x13 pan and set it aside.   Thirdly, cook the onions, carrots, garlic & peppers until softened. Next, add in the cooked potatoes and mix together. Then season the vegetable filling with salt & pepper to taste. After you have the filling seasoned the way you like it, heat up the tortillas either in the microwave, or on the stovetop.  Next, spoon the f...

My title might be off, but I think that is what my friend said when she made these for us.  These are easy and simple and pretty yummy.  Rees & I both really enjoy the combination of corn and poblanos together. Ingredients : Corn tortillas, heated 4 oz of cream cheese, in cubes 3-4 Poblanos 1 zuchinni, diced (optional) 1 cup Frozen or fresh corn Salt & pepper to taste Directions : Roast the peppers or char on the stove top then peal the skin.  There should be some black spots around the pepper before you take them out of the oven.  (i really prefer to do this in advance so the peppers can really cool down before I try to peel the skin off)  Slice the peppers. Saute peppers, corn in a pan with a little bit of oil.  Add cream cheese and stir until the cream cheese has melted and mixed with veggies.  Add salt & pepper to taste. Spoon mixture inside a tortilla and eat like a taco. *note: sometimes I like to add a small amount o...

photo cred: juliasalbum.com  We had this last week and it was easy to gobble up. I did make a change, and that was to run the sun-dried tomatoes through a food processor, because I'm not a fan of the texture when they are in big chunks, and that solved the problem.   Garlic Shrimp and Sun-dried Tomatoes with Pasta and Sauce 1/2 lb shrimp 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil salt 1/4 tsp paprika 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 c milk 1 tsp dried basil 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper 1 c parmesan cheese 8 oz pasta, I used angel hair, the original recipe called for fettuccine In a large skillet, saute minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in oil (I used the oil from the tomatoes) for one minute until garlic is fragrant. Add shrimp, sprinkle with salt, paprika, and cook on medium heat for about 2 more minutes. Add milk, basil, and crushed red pepper to the skillet, bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Whisk in the parmesan cheese to mel...

photo cred: http://damndelicious.net/ We had this last week, and while I felt it could have used something extra to give it zing, we all enjoyed it. I think I would add extra cilantro and lime, and more heat. Quinoa Enchilada Casserole 1 cup quinoa 10 oz Enchilada Sauce (recipe below) 1 can diced green chiles corn, I used frozen 1/2 c black beans, drained and rinsed (feel free to use more) 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro  1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp chili powder s&p, to taste 3/4 c cheddar 3/4 c mozzarella 1 avocado, diced 1 roma, diced In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook quinoa according to package instructions; set aside. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil an 8x8 or 2 quart baking dish.  In a large bowl, combine quinoa, enchilada sauce, green chiles, corn, black beans, cilantro, cumin and chili powder; season with s&p, to taste. Stir in 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Spread mixture into prepared baking ...

We had this tonight, and I'm not the biggest mac & cheese person, but I really liked this stuff. It was nice and cheesy, and I liked the addition of veggies. Plus, it was wicked quick and easy. Abigail wasn't sure she would like it because of the asparagus, but ended up downing her bowl. So it was a win for all. One Pot Veggie Mac & Cheese Baby bella mushrooms (however much you'd like) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp evoo 1 1/2 c pasta (I used cavatappi, and next time I would use more) Cherry tomatoes, quartered (how ever many you'd like) 1 handful asparagus, chopped 1 c whole milk 1 c chicken stock 4 oz shredded triple cheddar (white, sharp, and mild cheddar) 1/2 c grated fresh Parmesan cheese 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp paprika freshly cracked black pepper 2 tbsp flour Slice mushrooms, mince garlic, and put them together in a large saute pan or pot on the stove with olive oil. Cook over med-high heat until mushrooms ...

photocred: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com We had this tonight, and we found it both delicious, simple, quick, and filling. You can really just load up any vegetables your heart desires, but I'll put what we used.   Pasta Smothered with Roasted Vegetables Your choice of pasta, I used cavatappi Broccoli, cut into pieces Yellow squash, cut into half-moons Carrots, chopped Grape tomatoes, halved Onion, chopped (not too small) Red pepper, chopped 6 cloves garlic, chopped Dried herbs - I used sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil, oregano. s&p evoo Place veggies in a large bowl, cover with evoo, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and dried herbs. Mix it together and then transfer to baking pan. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they are charred a bit and caramelized. Cook your pasta. I got crazy and tossed the pasta in some butter, and enjoyed those calories. Place roasted veggies on top of pasta, sprinkle some fresh parm on top, an...

photo cred: peasandcrayons.com I made this over the weekend and it was a hit with Abigail and Josh, but not so much Mailie Ryan...though I attribute that to the fact that she eats like a chipmunk. I thought it was good, though it turned out slightly too heavy for me, so I'd like to tweak it a bit. Shrimp & Veggie Pesto Pasta Farfalle (bow-tie) pasta 8oz sliced baby portobello mushrooms 2.5 oz baby spinach leaves 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 6 tbsp pesto 1/2 c grated parmesan 1/4 c milk or cream (I used cream this time, so maybe I would have preferred milk) 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp onion powder 1/4 tsp paprika drizzle of olive oil pinch of red pepper flakes s&p to taste For the shrimp: shrimp, fresh or frozen 1/2 tbsp butter 1/4 -1/2 tsp dried parsley 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp cajun seasoning 1/8 tsp onion powder 1/8 tsp paprika s&p to taste Bring a large non-stick pan to medium heat and saute mushrooms...

                                                                    photo cred: h2save.com One day I'd like to try empanadas from an expert. I have no idea if this is what they are "supposed" to taste like, but every one of us enjoyed them and gobbled them up quickly. The rice flavor was good as well, and would have been even better had it not turned out so crispy due to a very old stove. Black Bean Empanadas & Spanish Rice Empanada dough 3 c flour 1/4 tsp salt 6 oz butter, chilled and cut into 12 pieces 1 egg 4-5 tbs water, add more if too dry, but a tiny bit at a time Mix the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter, egg, and water until clumpy dough forms. Form a ball, flatten slightly, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Roll it out flat, cut out circles, and fill with re...