Avocado Salsa

Best of both worlds - avocado and salsa!

1 large ripe avocado, peeled and pitted

1 jalapeño, stemmed...seeds removed if you want less heat

1 cup filtered water

1 Tablespoon white vinegar

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, stemmed 

2 Tablespoons diced white onion

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until desired consistency. Refrigerate to let flavors meld. Take out of refrigerator 20 minutes before serving.

Macaroni Salad

Macaroni salad...everyone has their own recipe. I took several different recipes and came up with my own version. This has been my go to macaroni salad recipe for several years now. It is requested at potlucks. My boss requested I bring it today for our Memorial day potluck - I was cooking the elbow macaroni last night and thought wow it sure did plump up! I took a second look at the box and I used the whole box - 1 lb, instead of 8 oz of dried macaroni. That's okay, because we expected a large crowd, but that meant I had to get the carrots, celery, olives, pickles, onions etc. back out of the fridge and cut up more - since I was now making a double batch, so yeah, the recipe doubles easily! Wasn't a drop left when the potluck was over. 

I use dill pickles, but you can use sweet pickles if you so desire. If so, please use Vlasic sweet gerkins.

The bouillon cubes add flavor to the macaroni. This is another reason why you only add a few pinches of salt when making the dressing.  You can use the same chicken / vegetable bouillon trick when you are cooking your potatoes for potato salad as well. It really adds a nice flavor. No one will know your secret as to why it's so yummy. 

Makes 5 cups ( can double recipe for 10 cups. If you double you don't have to double the amount of bouillon cubes)

8 oz dried elbow macaroni

2 vegetable or chicken bouillon cubes ( I use knorr brand, or you can use 2 tsp. vegetable or chicken base) 

1 cup sliced celery

1/4 cup chopped onion, red or white onion

1/4 cup grated carrots

1/4 cup chopped Vlasic brand baby kosher dill pickles (or use sweet pickles)

1/4 cup sliced black olives (leave them out if you are a hater)

In a small bowl mix together:

3/4 cup Best Foods or Hellmans mayonnaise (you heard me!) 

2 Tablespoons pickle juice

1 Tablespoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 pinches salt (pickle juice is salty, and so is the mayo, so please don't oversalt)

In a large pot bring water to a boil as per macaroni package directions. Add the bouillon cubes, or vegetable/ chicken base to the water and stir to combine. Add dried macaroni and cook 7 minutes, or until al'dente. Drain. Rinse for only a few seconds to help cool off to stop the cooking process - you don't want to rinse off all the flavoring you just infused into the macaroni.

In a large bowl add the sliced celery, chopped onion, pickles, olives and sliced black olives. Add the drained and cooled macaroni. Add in the dressing and toss to coat. Refrigerate so flavors can meld. Best if taken out of the refridgerator 30 minutes before serving to knock the chill off. Enjoy.  

Romaine hearts with blue cheese vinaigrette, grapes and walnuts

This salad would be good with sliced grilled chicken on top too. It's simple and yummy. 

 I found this recipe from Jessica Seinfeld (yes - Jerry's wife). 

serves 4

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey 

2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese ( more for garnish)

3 hearts of romaine lettuce

1 cup seedless grapes ( use red or green)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place walnuts on a sheet pan and roast walnuts in the oven for about 8 minutes, or until roasted and fragrant. Let cool.

Vinaigrette:

In a small bowl wisk together the mustard honey, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Crumble and measure the blue cheese - then gently fold blue cheese into the vinagrette mixture. 

Wash the romaine hearts and dry with paper towels. Remove the core. Cut hearts and leaves into 1 inch pieces. Arrange lettuce on a platter. Wash the grapes; cut grapes in half lengthwise, scatter on the platter. Scatter chopped walnuts on top. Dress with vinaigrette just before serving and garnish with more blue cheese if desired. If you want to make it a meal add sliced grilled chicken breast. 

Labneh with sumac, parsley, lemon and pistachios

Labneh is greek yogurt that has been left to strain in cheesecloth for 24-36 hours. 24 hours gives it a velvety texture like softened cream cheese. It tastes like tangy cream cheese. The longer you let it strain the more dense it will get. So good. You can use this as a dip with pita chips, or raw or roasted vegetables, on top of roasted salmon, on toasted bread as a sandwich, in a wrap, on salad - its good in grain salads. Good with apple slices too.

      I see a heart formed from the sumac on the cream cheese on the cracker...do you see it too?!

32 oz of greek yogurt ( more or less depending how much you will use. I did 8 ounces)
pinch of kosher salt
cheesecloth

sumac
fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
lemon zest
roasted pistachios, chopped
good quality olive oil

Mix a pinch of kosher salt in the greek yogurt. Put greek yogurt in cheesecloth and close with string, or a sandwich tie, sit in a fine seive sitting in a bowl in the refridgerator ( to catch the drippings) to drain for 24 to 36 hours depending what texture you want. 

When ready to serve remove from cheesecloth and spread yogurt on a plate, sprinkle with sumac, fresh parsley, lemon zest, pistachios. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve. 

5 Ingredient - 15 Minute White Chicken Chili

I found this recipe via Pinterest (originally posted by Gimme Some Oven) This is a keeper! Very good!

Serves 2-4

6 cups chicken broth ( I use Kitchen Basics brand - my favorite)
4 cups cooked chicken ( I used rotisserie chicken)
2 (15 oz) cans great northern white beans
2 cups salsa verde ( I used Herdez brand)
2 tsp. ground cumin

my addition: 2 sliced carrots

Add all ingredients in a large pot; stir to combine. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling, then cover and reduce to medium- low heat and simmer for at least 5 minutes. Serve warm with desired toppings: diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, chopped green onion, sour cream, tortilla chips. Enjoy!

15 Minute Tomato Basil Cheese Tortellini Soup

This is another keeper from Kristen at Iowa Girl Eats. There are only a handful of ingredients, so use a good quality marinara sauce - as she suggests - no Ragu or Prego please. I used Gina Rispoli brand I found at Vons. All natural and very few ingredients. Serve this soup up with a fresh garden, or cesar salad, and some crostini, texas toast, or warm french bread to round out your meal.

Serves 6

2 Tablespoons butter
1 large shallot, or small onion, choppped
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
48 oz. chicken broth ( I like Kitchen Basics brand)
24oz jar good quality marinara sauce
3/4 cup fresh  basil, chopped ( 3/4 oz package)
16oz. fresh or frozen cheese tortellini

Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add shallots ( or onions) and season with salt and pepper, saute until tender about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 more seconds. Add chicken broth, marinara sauce, and fresh basil. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Carefully add tortellini to the boiling soup then place a lid on top. Turn heat down to medium, and then cook until tender.

* If you reheat the soup you may need to add additonal chicken stock as the tortellini will absorb some of the broth as the soup sits.

Halibut Asparagus Cherry Tomato Foil Packet

                                                                 twenty minutes later.....

This isn't really a recipe, but more of a method of cooking. This takes all of 5 minutes to put together and is delish! Next to zero clean up, because everything is baked in the foil. 

If you would like - scrub a couple (medium sized) potatoes, pat dry and prick with a fork, rub with olive oil and put into a 425 degree oven - bake for 30 minutes before you start the fish, and then when you are ready to bake the fish turn the oven back down to 400 degrees turn the potatoes over, and put the fish in. When the fish is ready, your potatoes will be too. Slater those bad boys -which will be crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside- with real butter and sour cream, or greek yogurt.

Per person:

1 halibut filet
a handful of fresh asparagus
a few cherry tomatoes
lemon slice
dill weed
smoked paprika, salt and pepper
olive oil for drizzling
piece of heavy duty foil large enough to fold over fish and vegetables folding edges over to form a tent so no steam escapes

Drizzle some olive oil on each piece of foil, place your asparagus down on the foil, and place your fish on top of the asparagus. Scatter cherry tomatoes on the sides. Drizzle olive oil over all. Dust with dill weed, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Top fish with a lemon slice. Close foil around fish in the shape of a tent so no steam escapes. Place foil packet on a baking sheet. Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Be careful when you open foil packet when its done, because steam will escape. Squeeze your baked lemon slice over the fish and add more salt and pepper to taste.

Albondigas (Meatball) Soup

Little Miss Bernie sent me a recipe from the hispanickitchen site and I found this one. It's a keeper! Very good!

For the meatballs:
1 pound ground chuck ( I used ground turkey)
1 cup jasmine OR long grain white rice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder ( I used 2 garlic cloves, minced)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 chipolte pepper, minced ( I used 1 chipolte pepper in adobo sauce from a can)
1 egg
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for use later

For the Soup:
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 roma tomatoes, diced ( I used 10 cherry tomatoes, diced)
1 small poblano pepper, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced ( about 3 cups)
1 small white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano pepper, minced ( seeds and membrane removed)
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon EACH: ground cumin, ground coriander, oregano
salt and pepper to taste
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth


In a dutch oven pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions,  poblano and serrano pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, lime and chicken broth.  Add ground cumin, ground coriander and oregano. Stir well. Bring to a boil....

meanwhile while the soup is coming to a boil...

Remove the meatball mixture from the refrigerator and make about 30 small meatballs.

When the soup comes to a boil; carefully drop the meatballs into the soup; gently stir. Reduce heat to simmer and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the zucchini. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste because you are now done!

Ladle into bowls and garnish with green onions, chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedge. Serve with warm corn tortillas. Serves approximately 7.

Quick Greek Cucumber Salad

It's hot out there right now, so something that is quick and refreshing and requires no heat is in order. Serve on the side with leftover grilled chicken, or steak and you have dinner in less than 15 minutes. I use the baby cucumbers, or persian cucumbers, because they have few seeds. There are very few ingredients, so use the best quality ingredients you can find.

Serves 4

Salad
4 cups chopped cucumbers
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup mixed olives, preferably pitted
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 oz. crumbled good quality feta cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil (I used fresh flat leaf parsley since that's what I had on hand)

Dressing
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Whisk dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Add cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, onions. Mix. Garnish with feta and fresh basil.

Chinese Chicken Salad

This is a really quick recipe, because we will utilize a good quality rotisserie chicken. It's pretty much made with all pantry ingredients. I did have to buy the hoisin sauce. You need to serve this salad immediately after dressing as the dressing will break down the cabbage quickly. 

Serves 4

Salad
2 cups shredded carrots
1 head napa cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 Tablespoons EACH, black and white sesame seeds ( I didn't have black)
1/2 cup cashews, optional, but it adds a nice crunch and another dimension of flavor
1 good quality rotisserie chicken, torn into shreds


Dressing
1/4 cup soy sauce, or tamari if you are gluten free
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons finely minced ginger
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon Sriacha sauce, optional
1/2 sea salt, or to taste since the soy sauce is pretty salty ( I didn't add salt)
5 chopped green onions, white and green part

Mix all dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fighting lid, shake vigorously to combine. Set aside.

Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with a little bit of the dressing. Pour onto a large platter, or individual bowls to serve. Serve with the remaining salad dressing.

Taco Seasoned Quinoa Zucchini Black Bean Corn Salad

I had some quinoa and zucchini to use and found this recipe on closetcooking website. I actually had all the ingredients on hand and this is a keeper - simple, quick and yummy - my kind of recipe!            I had a homemade flour tortilla on hand, so I made a taco with the filling and garnished with chopped tomato and avocado.

Serves 2 hungry people as a main dish, or 4 -6 normal side dish servings


1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 3/4 cup water ( the recipe calls for 2 cups, but I feel this ratio makes quinoa mushy)
1 batch taco seasoning ( see recipe below)
1 ear corn, grilled, and kernels cut off the cob ( or 3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed)
1 zucchini, grated with a box grater ( 1 small zucchini)
1 cup black beans
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup cotija, or feta cheese, crumbled

Put rinsed quinoa in a medium sauce pan with taco seasoning and water. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl mix the cooked quinoa, corn, zucchini, black beans, jalapeno, green onions and cilantro.

Mix the olive oil and lime juice a little salt and pepper to taste. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve garnished with the cheese.

One batch Taco Seasoning:
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt ( I only used 1/2 tsp)
1 teaspoon pepper

Mix spices together in a small bowl.

Carne Asada Steak Tacos

homemade flour tortillas really put these tacos over the top! recipe in the side bar

Spice rub:

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon EACH - garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix in a small bowl.

juice of one lime

1 and 1/2 pounds carne asada steak (skirt steak, flank steak, flap steak)

Squeeze, or brush the lime on top of the meat. Sprinkle with the spice mixture. Let sit for a few minutes while you heat the grill, or a grill pan that has been brushed with olive oil. Grill, or broil the steaks for 3-5 minutes on each side, depending how thick the meat is. You know it's ready to turn when the meat starts to sweat all over. Turn and cook another 3-5 minutes. Let steak rest for 10-15 minutes, so the juices will remain when you cut into it.Thinly slice meat against the grain at a 45 degree angle. 

Great with Chimichurri sauce drizzled on top. 

For the tacos in the picture I garnished with chimichurri sauce, red onion, tomatoes and feta cheese - darn it! I forgot the avocado! 

Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri sauce is a Argentinian Spanish condiment similar to pesto

                                      Use chimichurri sauce on top of carne asada tacos

                                                      drizzle it over grilled vegetables,

                   grilled french bread, grilled chicken, fish, or pasta - the possibilities are endless. 
                   Bring to room temperature before serving. Will keep refrigerated a couple days.



1 cup packed fresh cilantro
1 cup packed italian flat leaf parsley
juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 jalapeño, seeded
1 teaspoon cumin


In a food processor pulse jalapeño, onion and garlic to chop. Add cilantro and parsley and pulse again. Add lime, vinegar, oil and cumin and pulse until you get desired consistency, but don't pulse too much, or you will make a paste.

Seared Fish with Green Gazpacho Sauce

moist and flaky..don't overcook it....

This recipe is from the Bon Appetit Magazine from 2009. Lots of flavor for such little work. If you like cucumbers, garlic, and cilantro you just found an easy yummy recipe! If you feel like making mashed potatoes, or mashed cauliflower they would work really well with this dish. Next time I think I will double the sauce ...I can just taste it drizzled on top of a green garden salad with grilled chicken, feta cheese and kalamata olives . You can make the sauce ahead of time and put it in the refrigerator so the flavors can meld.

Serves 2

1/2 of a large english cucumber, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup coarsely chopped green onion
3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
5 1/2 Tablespoons good quality olive oil, divided
2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 jalapeño, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 - 6 oz each cod, mahi-mahi, or halibut ( I used wild caught cod) ( you can also use salmon)
ground cumin, sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, to sprinkle on top of the fish before cooking
cherry tomatoes, halved, to scatter around the plate

Combine the cucumber, green onion, cilantro, jalapeño, 4 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil and vinegar in the bowl of a food processor and process until chunky like a pesto - you want some texture, so don't over process. Add salt and pepper to taste and more vinegar if you desire. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preferably in a cast iron skillet heat 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium - high heat. Sprinkle ground cumin, salt and pepper on the fish. When the oil shimmers in the pan add the fish and cook 4-5 minutes undisturbed. Carefully turn fish over,  and cook undisturbed 4-5 minutes until opaque, but firm.

Divide sauce among 2 plates. Top with fish. Scatter with cherry tomatoes. Garnish with some chopped cilantro, and or, chives. Enjoy!

Orzo Cucumber Tomato Salad

I had some orzo I wanted to use, and I had everything on hand to put together this refreshing salad. It's even better the next day. I like to serve this as a side with my grilled lemon garlic chicken - left overs make a great lunch the next day..

1 1/2 cups dry orzo pasta
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped red onion ( to tone down the sharpness of an onion soak it in some water for about 10 minutes, drain, and pat dry with a paper towel)
kalamata olives, as many as you like
1/4 cup fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup good quality feta cheese ( I like Valbreso french feta sheep's milk - expensive, but I'm worth it!)
balsamic vinaigrette ( I like Newman's Own) or Greek salad dressing

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add dry orzo pasta and cook 8-10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients add 1/4 to a 1/2 cup dressing to taste. You don't want it swimming in dressing, just enough to flavor everything. Refrigerate until ready to serve. I like to pull it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.

Baked Chicken Nuggets

I found this recipe at skinnytaste.com. I use leftovers in a salad with ranch dressing,

Serves 4 -adjust recipe accordingly 

16oz (2 large) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2 teaspoons olive oil
6 Tablespoons whole wheat italian breadcrumbs, or regular plain breadcrumbs
2 Tablespoons panko bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese ( yes, in the green can, or powdered)
olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Put the olive oil in a bowl and mix the bite size chicken pieces to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Put the breadcrumbs, panko bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese in another bowl.

Put a few of the chicken pieces in the bowl of breadcrumb mixture at a time tossing to coat. Then place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with the olive oil cooking spray. When all chicken pieces have been coated with the breadcrumb mixture - spray the tops of the chicken pieces with olive oil cooking spray. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, turn over chicken pieces and spray with a little more olive oil cooking spray - cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until cooked through.

Oven Baked Salmon with Jalapeño Garlic and Lime

I came across this recipe on Pinterest (originally by a spicy perspective) and had to try it - so simple! It didn't have any "heat" at all to it. It all depends on your jalapeno. Grate it and smell it to see if its super hot or not, so you add more or less. Garlic and lime - yummy. 

2 pounds wild caught salmon filet
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 lime zest and juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, grated
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the salmon on it and pat the salmon dry with a paper towel.

Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl. (save the lime juice to squeeze over the top after cooked)  Pour over salmon and spread around liberally. Bake 10-14 minutes , just until cooked through. Squeeze lime juice over top - serve warm.

Cucumber & Dill Yogurt Dressing

Use this cucumber dill yogurt dressing with my  Grilled Lemon Garlic Chicken with feta cheese and kalamata olives in a pita, or on top of grilled salmon or fish, as a dip with pita chips, or fresh pita bread

1 heaping cup chopped baby cucumbers, 1 small

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1 clove garlic, minced, or pressed through a garlic press

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

3/4 tsp white wine vinegar

1/4 tsp kosher salt 

1-2 Tablespoon  fresh dill - depending how dilly you like things

mix  all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate so flavors can meld. 

Broiled Eggplant with Feta and Parsley

I had to small eggplants to use, so I went looking online for ideas and came across this. 

Preheat the oven to broil.

Slice eggplant, sprinkle with kosher salt in a colander and let sit in the sink for about 30 minutes- this takes any bitterness and moisture. Rinse, drain, and pat dry.

On a foil lined baking sheet sprinkle liberally with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place eggplant slices on baking sheet and turn eggplant to coat both sides with the olive oil. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper if desired.

Broil until browned, about 8-10 minutes depending how thinly you sliced them. Turning once after one side is browned. Watch carefully, because they can go from a beautiful brown to charcoal color within a minute.

Drizzle with lemon juice, or your favorite vinegar and good quality olive oil and feta cheese. I sprinkled on some  Za'atar spice too.

Hummus

 I've just developed a taste for hummus over the past few years. I did a lot of research over the past few days to try to find the best recipe - since there are only a hand full of ingredients you want to use the best quality ingredients you can. My Lebanese friend uses Mideast brand of tahini, so that's what I use too. I've had some pretty bad tahini in the trial and error process. I sprinkled some smoked paprika and Sumac on top of the hummus before serving. Sumac has a lemony flavor and really adds a nice touch.

I plan ahead and take a bag of dried chickpeas, and start the soak of the dried chickpeas on Friday night, so they will be ready to cook on Saturday. I take the cooked and drained chickpeas and place them in 2 cup portions and freeze them for later use. When I feel like some hummus I just let them thaw and follow the recipe for hummus. Canned garbanzo beans are yummy for this recipe too, but freshly cooked chickpeas seem to make a creamier hummus.

Also the question is to peel, or not to peel the chickpeas. In my research consensus was for the creamiest hummus you need to peel. I honestly was "over it" by the time I got halfway through the peeling process, so here is what I did...if you see the peels begging to come off go ahead and take them off otherwise just leave them. My final product was velvety enough and I only peeled a little less than half of the chickpeas.

Cut up some cucumbers, carrots, red bell peppers, and grab some fresh pita bread, or pita chips and have at it. I have used left over hummus in different ways. Thinning left over hummus with a little lemon juice and olive oil makes great salad dressing. I've also used it for herb crusted hummus salmon ( fish too!).. Just smear on top with some chopped fresh basil or mint and some sliced almonds and bake.

recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Makes 2 cups

4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup filtered water

2 cups fresh or frozen ( thawed) cooked chickpeas, or 1-14oz canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained ( save a couple for decoration)
2 cloves garlic, minced, and then mixed with a small pinch of salt. (Using the back of a spoon push and mix the garlic and salt together until you get a paste. This is my special touch, and ensures you don't get a chunk of garlic when you bite.)
1 scant teaspoon salt (you've used salt with the garlic, so don't over salt)

6 Tablespoons tahini
2 Tablespoons good quality olive oil


To make hummus
Mix lemon juice and water in a small bowl; set aside. Mix tahini and olive oil in another small bowl; set aside.
Process the chickpeas, garlic and salt in a food processor for about 20-30 seconds until combined. With machine running add the lemon water mixture. Turn off machine and scrape down the sides of the processor bowl as needed. Process another 20-30 seconds. Slowly add the tahini olive oil mixture with the machine running. Process until its creamy and the consistency you want. Add more water if needed for your desired consistency.

Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate to allow flavors to develop. Pull out of refrigerator 20 minutes before serving. If desired make a well with the back of a spoon and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with smoked paprika and sumac and chopped flat leaf parsley before serving. Garnish with a few whole chickpeas just for fun. Enjoy!

*******************

To cook dried chickpeas:

1 1/4 cups dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 teaspoon baking soda

6 1/2 cups filtered water

Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with at least 4 inches of cold water.  Allow to soak 6-8 hours. ( I soaked overnight)

Drain and rinse the chickpeas.  In a large saucepan over high heat, add the drained chickpeas and the baking soda.  Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add 6 and a half cups of water and bring to a boil.  Make sure the water covers the chickpeas by at least 2 inches.  Cook, over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam and any peels that float to the surface.  The chickpeas cook faster using the baking soda and may only need from 20-40 minutes to become tender, but possibly longer. (mine were done in 20 minutes) You know they’re done if you can easily squish (technical cooking term - you are welcome!) a chickpea in between your thumb and forefinger.

Drain the chickpeas. ( you can reserve some of the water to use in place of the filtered water in the hummus recipe.) You will have about 3 and 2/3 cups cooked chickpeas ( save a couple whole chickpeas at this time for garnish) peel, or not to peel - that is the question...proceed with the hummus recipe above. 

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

I found this salad at prouditaliancook.com.  Make this salad on a platter since there are so many pretty colors you want them all to be seen. There are no hard, or fast rules with this salad - you just add what vegetables you like. 

I used ribbons* of green and yellow zucchini on top a bed of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, jullienne strips of carrots, beets, green onion, corn and feta cheese.

Drizzle with vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 splash of balsamic vinegar
1 smashed clove of garlic
heaping teaspoon dijon mustard
pinch of dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

put all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar and shake.

*to make zucchini ribbons lay the washed and dried zucchini on a cutting board. Slice off both end pieces. Using a vegetable peeler draw the peeler down the length of the zucchini. Turn zucchini after you get to the seeds and repeat on other side. Save the core for use in another recipe if so desired.

BBQ Chicken Salad

Variations of this salad are floating all over the internet and it's a keeper! It's a quick salad to put together, because you use rotisserie chicken. If you have left over grilled chicken breasts on hand, or feel like bbq'ing up some chicken and grilling the corn that will work too. Most of the recipes fry up some corn tortilla strips to garnish, or serve with tortilla chips for some added crunch and texture. Pour some ranch dressing over it all, and sprinkle with some shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese if you feel like going really crazy. There are no rules.


Serves 4

6-7 cups romaine lettuce, chopped OR 2 -10 oz bags of mixed greens
1 cup fresh corn (1 ear) grilled, or frozen rinsed and dried
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed well
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 small vine ripened tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, optional
1 avocado, diced or sliced
1/2 of a rotisserie chicken, shredded, or cubed (skin removed),  OR 2 grilled chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 cup favorite bbq sauce ( I used Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet and Spicy)
ranch dressing, optional
1 cup tortilla strips, or crushed tortilla chips for garnish

Mix the chicken and a 1/3 cup of the bbq sauce in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix the lettuce, corn, red bell pepper, black beans, cilantro, green onions, tomatoes, cheese and avocado if using.  Top with the chicken and the drizzle with the rest of the bbq sauce, drizzle with ranch dressing if using. Garnish with tortilla strips, or chips. Enjoy!

Baked Lemon Chicken

The house smells ah-mazing right now! The lemon and garlic aromas swirling through the air- mmmm! Next time I will sauté the onion a little before hand, because I like the onion more broken down and melty. Serve this with rice, or mashed potatoes, so you can sop up those lovely lemony juices that will be on your plate. Crusty bread is a must! Spoon the baked lemons onto the serving plate too, because the baked lemon is good scraped out and put onto your bread. This a very quick dish to put into the oven. 

Serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts ( can use boneless thighs if you wish)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for pan
juice of 1 large lemon, plus 5-6 slices of lemon to nestle next to the chicken ( zest the large lemon before juicing) 
1 medium onion, chopped , sautéed in a skillet in a little olive oil for about 3-5 minutes 
3 cloves garlic, chopped 
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
zest of 1 lemon
kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
chopped Italian parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 375F.  Lightly drizzle a little olive oil in a glass, or enamel baking pan. Add chicken and set aside.

In a small bowl mix together olive oil, lemon juice, sautéed onion, garlic, thyme and oregano until well combined. Pour onion mixture over chicken and toss to coat. Nestle lemon slices around the chicken and season with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Sprinkle with the lemon zest.

Place chicken into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes (depending on the thickness of the chicken), until chicken is thoroughly cooked and the juice is bubbling. Cover the pan and let chicken sit for 5 minutes and sprinkle with fresh parsley. 

Serve on top of rice, or mashed potatoes - making sure to spoon the juices on top.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms

okay mushroom haters..yes I'm talking to you... look away now! For us mushroom lovers everything in this dish just works! ..the slight sweetness of the roasted spaghetti squash, the sauteed mushrooms and garlic and the golden raisins, with a bit of heat from the crushed red peppers. Serve with some toasted garlic bread ...after all you need some carbs don't you?! .. I saw this recipe at shutterbean.com and just had to try it, and very glad that I did. It's a keeper.

Serves 4

1 medium spaghetti squash, halved
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
red pepper flakes
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped (about 8-10 leaves)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper


Preheat oven to 400F. Rub spaghetti squash halves with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper and place on a baking sheet cut side up. Roast for 30 minutes, turn squash to the other side, and roast for another 30 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile:
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally til brown, 5-6 minutes. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and the minced garlic, cooking for about a minute. Turn the heat off, add the golden raisins to the pan and cover with a lid.
When the spaghetti squash is done, let cool for 5 minutes. With a fork, shred the meat of the squash and place it directly into the pan of mushrooms. Add the Parmesan, parsley, basil, and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Stir well to combine. Season with salt & pepper and serve.

Quinoa Salad w/ Black Bean, Orange & Cilantro Dressing

This is a very refreshing quick salad - very good too! Sometimes the simplest of ingredients is all it takes to make a great dish. I cut up some left over grilled chicken breasts I had and stirred it in...and it was delish! reminded me a bit of a chinese chicken salad- kinda sorta. Probably because of the oranges and chicken. I found this recipe from a blog called staceysnacks. (not to be confused with the pita chips) you need zest from an orange, so zest the orange first before peeling and segmenting.

serves 4-6 as a side dish

for the salad:

1 cup uncooked quinoa (any color), rinsed and drained before cooking
2 cups water
2 large oranges, peeled and "supremed", cut into segments
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced


Place quinoa and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. 

Place quinoa, black beans, onion, and orange segments in a large bowl and stir gently to combine. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat.

for the dressing:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 Tablespoons orange juice

zest from an orange

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a small bowl add all dressing ingredients and whisk to mix.

Herbed Halibut

This is a picture before the fish went into the oven. Such a quick recipe and very good too! I paired it with left over zucchini gratin (recipe on the side bar) - delish! I used halibut, but you can use cod, or sea bass, or any firm white fish. I only had fresh basil on hand, but you can use any fresh herbs you have on hand. I've also used this same recipe for fresh salmon with excellent results as well. 


Oil a baking dish. Season the fish with sea salt and pepper and cover with Dijon mustard.

Make a fresh herb mixture with chopped basil, parsley and chives. Add some lemon zest and sprinkle the herb mixture on top of the mustard coated fish. Drizzle with some olive oil. Pop into the oven and
bake for 12-18 minutes (depending on the size of the filets) at 425F. ( until flaky and opaque) 

Luann's Kale Salad

I found this recipe for Luann's Salad at Iowagirleats.com. The salty crunch of the peanuts, the sweet crunch of the apple, and the tartness of the cherries and onions all come together for a great really quick salad.

Serves 2 as a pretty big salad, or makes a big bowl for several people as a side

1 bunch curly kale
scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped OR 1 cup fresh pomegranate arils
1 apple, chopped
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped (could use walnuts, almonds or sunflower seeds)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar ( I used honey)
Pepper

Wash kale, then tear leaves from tough stems and pat dry. Cut or tear leaves into bite sized pieces then add to a large bowl. Massage kale with fingers for two minutes, or until kale is dark green and tender. Add red onion, dried cherries (or pomegranate arils,) chopped apple, and peanuts, then toss to combine.

Dressing:

Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, and pepper to taste in a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake to combine then drizzle over kale salad and toss well.

Thia Peanut Chicken Quinoa Bowls

I found this recipe at the website Iowagirleats.com. Just a reminder ...you need to really rinse your quinoa before using it. Do I really need to rinse it? Yes you do!  It has a natural bitter coating on it  (called saponins) ...nature put it there to keep the birds from eating it all...(don't quote me on THAT part!) ..that could be why some people say they don't like quinoa - they probably didn't rinse it! I even rinse the quinoa that states it's already been rinsed. I still see some powder coming off of it when I do!. (use a very fine strainer with a paper towel in it, so you don't lose any of the quinoa seeds.) I cut up the chicken, and the green onions, and cooked the quinoa the night before - that way it was easy peasy for me to whip this up after work tonight

Serves 4

1 cup quinoa, rinsed ( you heard me!)
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons peanut oil, divided ( I used olive oil)
1 large chicken breast (6oz), thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 cup coleslaw mix ( I used 2 cups)
1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame ( I used fresh and added them at the end)
2 green onions, chopped
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped and divided

Thia Peanut Sauce:
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon peanut butter
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan then add rinsed quinoa. Place a lid on top then lower heat and cook until quinoa has absorbed chicken broth, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork then set aside. (Can be done ahead of time.)

Combine all sauce ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl then microwave for 20 seconds.Stir until smooth then set aside. 

Whisk together egg and sesame oil in a small bowl then set aside.Heat 1 teaspoon peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper then add to wok and stir fry until no longer pink. Remove to a plate then set aside.

Heat remaining teaspoon peanut oil in wok then add coleslaw mix, frozen edamame, and green onions. Stir fry until tender, 2-3 minutes, then push to outsides of wok, creating a clear space in the center. Add egg whisked with sesame oil to center of wok then stir fry until soft scrambled.

Add cooked chicken, quinoa, sauce, and half the chopped peanuts to wok then toss to combine. Serve with remaining chopped peanuts.

Mexican Lentil Stew

I found this recipe at Budgetbytes.com. The recipe as written makes 12 servings so adjust recipe by half, or according to your desired servings. It's a quick and easy stew and very tasty too!

2 cups dry red lentils
4 cups of water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced ( I had a red onion, so used that)
3 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves, garlic, minced
2- 14.5oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth ( I used chicken broth)
1/4 teaspoon EACH turmeric and cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
10-15 dashes hot sauce (tabasco)
1 medium lime
1 bunch cilantro, chopped

In a medium pot, bring dry lentils and water to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and let sit with a lid on the pot for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile heat olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat, and begin to cook onion, add celery and garlic and cook until they are soft, but not brown. Add the diced tomatoes, broth, turmeric, cumin, chili powder and hot sauce. Continue to cook over medium heat until hot. ( I simmered for about 5 minutes).

By now the 20 minutes is up and your lentils are cooked. Add the lentils and any remaining water from the pan to the stockpot. Stir well and slightly mash the lentils using the back of your spoon. Once the entire mixture is hot, add a squeeze of lime, salt and pepper to taste and the chopped cilantro.

Serve with more lime and some tortilla chips if you have them!

Mexican Quinoa Salad

Very easy and tasty! Good for a week night dinner. Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips and avocado slices

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well, drained
2 cups chicken broth, or 2 cups water ( I use a little less than 2 cups) with a little chicken bouillon

1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and finley chopped
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup sweet corn ( I used frozen, run under cool water to thaw, drain, pat dry)
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped, or use grape tomatoes
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing
Mix in a small bowl:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 large lime
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin


Place chicken broth in a medium sized pot over medium heat; add the quinoa, bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat to low and simmer with lid on for 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed. 

Meanwhile; get all your other ingredients ready: chop, mince, drain. Add into a large bowl. When quinoa is done add quinoa to the large bowl, pour over the dressing and mix to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Pull out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving..best if served at room temperature. 

Three Bean Chili Deluxe

If you like mild and creamy chili this recipe is for you! You can totally change up some of the beans if you like a certain kind more than the other. I used ground turkey instead of the ground beef. This recipe is from designmom blog and it has supposedly won 6 chili cook-off competitions. (now where are saltines when you need them?!)

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 heaping teaspoons chopped garlic
3 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 16 oz. cans light kidney beans
2 16 oz. cans dark kidney beans
2 16 oz. cans black beans
1 entire packet of Ranch Dressing powdered mix
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoonfuls of the secret ingredient (which is cream cheese) 

Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. Drain the fat. Add the rest of the ingredients (don’t drain the beans) and simmer for 30 minutes. Or all day.

Top with sour cream ( I used greek yogurt), cheddar cheese, green or, red onions if you desire. Crush up some saltines, or fritos, or tortilla chips if you'd like. 

Mom's Pinto Beans

Mom would serve pinto beans when she made tacos, or we would have them when grandma Sanchez would make her homemade flour tortillas - delish! 

I know there is a whole conversation to be had regarding soaking your dry beans ahead of time. I am in the not pre-soaking camp, because I never think that far ahead to be able to soak them. If you want to use the soak method here are two options:

first method: Cover the dry beans with water, then cover and allow to sit for four to six hours. Then pour off the water, refill with fresh water, and proceed with the cooking instructions.

second method: Bring dry beans to a boil, the turn off the heat. Cover and allow to sit for an hour or two. Then pour off the water, refill with fresh water, and proceed with the cooking instructions.


1-16oz package of dry pinto beans
1 white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ham hock, or ham bone with some meat on it
7 cups water
3 slices bacon, cooked, but not too crisp, each slice cut into 4 pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon flour
3/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and pick through dry beans. Remove any pebbles or other debris that doesn't look like it belongs there. Use one of the pre-soak methods above, or just proceed on without soaking like I do.

Add the beans to a stock pot with the onion, garlic and water (enough water to cover beans by 2 inches) add two of the three slices of bacon and the ham hock, or ham bone. Eat the left over bacon, because you are probably hungry by now. ( I had you make that 3rd slice for yourself -wasn't that sweet of me?)  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 2 to 3 hours, or until beans are tender. Add water to pot as needed. ( I didn't need extra water in this batch)

Now this is mom's special touch. You don't have to do it if you don't want to, but if it's good enough for mom it's good enough for you too. We like our bean broth a bit thicker.

In a small saucepan heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the tablespoon of flour and whisk to combine, stirring constantly ( you are making a roux) cook for a minute, stirring constantly to cook out the flour taste, slowing add the 3/4 cup water , stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Turn the pot of beans up to high to boil, add the gravy you just made stirring in to make sure it stays smooth. (not too rough, you don't want to break all the beans) reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer for about 5 minutes to let thicken. Salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Pears

 This is another recipe from inmybowl.com. Great flavor for very little effort! 

serves 8

 2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 red bartlett pears, ripe, cored and cut into 1/2 inch thick wedges
6 shallots, quartered
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 large spring fresh rosemary, destemmed and minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss brussels sprouts, pears, shallots, walnuts, rosemary and olive oil.  Evenly distribute on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet and place in oven on middle rack.

Roast for 35-40 minutes (turning after 20 minutes),  or until Brussels are tender and well browned. Remove from oven and drizzle with maple syrup.  * I added some fresh cracked sea salt before serving