Lemon Pasta with Chicken & Spinach

Erin,


This recipe is ah-mazing! I love simple pasta recipes and I'm totally on board with anything that has lemon, spinach, and chicken!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb angel hair pasta
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
1 lb chicken (recipe below)
2 lemons, zested and juiced
3/4 c. half-and-half
1 c. Parmesan, grated (or shredded)
1 c. baby spinach, stems removed
3 T. extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

For the chicken:
Combine 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Rub the spice mixture on the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sized pan. Pan fry the chicken 2-3 minutes on each side and then put in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Yay!
Back to the pasta:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt the water well, and add pasta.
2. Heat a large skillet over low heat. Add oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Cook until the oil sizzles (about 7-10 minutes).
3. Add lemon juice, half-and-half, and a ladle of the pasta water to the garlic oil mixture. Raise the heat to med-low to med heat until the sauce begins to bubble. 4. Drain pasta - DO NOT RINSE.
5. Add the pasta, zest, and 1/2 c. Parmesan to the cream sauce. Toss for a minute or two. Add chicken and spinach, and toss until well distributed. Top with remaining cheese.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake

Erin,

I have had an incredible sweet tooth lately, which is not normal for me. The other night I was craving a milkshake but it was 5 degrees outside and so our options were limited. After looking through recipes online, I found a simple recipe annnddd I had all the ingredients! Yay! These milkshakes were so delicious! (Serves 2)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups vanilla ice cream

1/2 cup chocolate syrup ( I made my own at home a few weeks ago. Recipe below!)

1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1. Combine peanut butter, ice cream, chocolate syrup and milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve in glasses! :)

In case you have a strong desire to make your own chocolate sauce (it goes great on top of vanilla ice cream) the recipe is below:

Ingredients:
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cocoa, sugar and water. Bring to a boil and let boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Western Movie Migas

Erin,

Another great recipe, courtesy of "100 Recipes Every Girl Should Know". Have you ever had migas? On a recent trip back to San Marcos, we stopped by a little Mexican restaurant for breakfast and Sam ordered migas. I have heard of them before but when I tried them, I was instantly in love. I was so happy when back in DC, I found a recipe in the cookbook! Making migas is an fantastic way to spend a lazy Saturday morning ;)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Three, 6-inch tortillas, sliced into thin strips
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, chopped
1 plum tomato, diced
1/2 green bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, heat oil over moderate heat. Put in one tortilla strip to test the heat level; the oil is ready when the tortilla starts to sizzle as soon as you drop it in. Put the remaining tortilla strips in the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until they are crisp and slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove them from skillet and lay them on a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.
2. Discard all but about 2 tablespoons oil from the skillet. Add the onion, tomato, pepper and jalapeno, and cook until softened (about 6 minutes).
3. Add the eggs and stir, then add tortilla strips. Stir constantly for 4 minutes, or until lightly scrambled.
4. Stir in the cheeses and cook until melted. Remove pan from heat. Stir in cilantro and salt. Serve with fresh salsa on the side.

Get Him to Clean the Apartment Burgers

Erin,

I was thumbing through the cookbook, "100 Recipes Every Girl Should Know", which I do quite often, and I came across this recipe. I have come across it before but I always skim over it because I don't have a grill and Five Guys is right around the corner. Anyway, for some reason I decided to give it a try (after learning that you can cook these burgers in the oven instead of grilling them). And, oh my goodness! I couldn't believe how delicious they were. Sam actually turned to me, midmeal, and said "This is the best burger I have ever had in my life." Yay! (Note: This recipe makes either 2 big burgers or 4 smaller burgers)

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground beef (80-to-20 ratio, any leaner will not work)
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
2 (or 4) pats of butter (half a tablespoon each)
2 (or 4)square slices of cheese
2 (or 4) hamburger buns

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, using your hands, gently mix the meat with a generous pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper, the cumin, shallot, and Worcestershire sauce, making sure not to take so long that you begin to warm the meat.
2. Divide into 2 balls (or 4 smaller balls) and flatten into patties.
3. With your thumbs, create a depression in the top and add a pat of butter to each patty. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
4. Preheat the broiler or grill. If using the broiler, put the patties on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and broil for about 7 minutes, until they are browned on one side. Flip and cook for about 4 minutes longer, depending on how well done you like them. If using the grill, add the patties to the grill rack and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until charred, about 7 minutes. If making cheeseburgers, add the cheese during the last few minutes of cooking.
5. Place the burgers on the buns and add your favorite toppings. Close the burgers and serve.

Quiche Lorraine

Erin,

Do you remember when you were in DC, we went to that quaint little cafe in Georgetown and ordered quiches and coffee? I looooove quiche. And turns out, it's super easy to make! This recipe is definitely a winner.

Ingredients:
1 package refrigerated pie crust
8 bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 green onions, chopped
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese, divided
6 large eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Fit pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp.
2. Bake at 400° for 7 minutes; remove from oven.
3. Cook bacon pieces in a large skillet until crisp; drain on paper towels, and crumble. Sprinkle bacon, green onions, and 1 cup cheese into prepared crust.
4. Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients; pour mixture into crust, and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese and nutmeg.
5. Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until set. Let stand 10 minutes.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Erin,

I have been craving pulled pork sandwiches lately (in the crock pot) but the recipes that I was browsing called for brisket or some expensive cut of meat. Finally, I found a recipe that called for pork tenderloin. SCORE!

Ingredients:

1 pound pork tenderloin
1 can (12oz) root beer
Favorite BBQ sauce
Hamburger buns

Directions:

1. Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours. Drain well. Stir in barbecue sauce. Serve over hamburger buns.

Pretzel Honey Mustard Chicken

Erin,

Lately  I have been seeing a ton of recipes on Pinterest that combines honey mustard and pretzel coated chicken. How awesome does that sound? I had most of the ingredients on hand so it was an easy recipe to whip up. I'll be making this recipe again and again.

Ingredients:

4 cups hard pretzels (like sourdough), coarsely crushed

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup bottled water

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 + 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts

 

Directions:
 

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Set a wire rack (like an oven-safe cookie rack) over a large rimmed baking sheet.

2. In a food processor pulse the pretzels until coarsely ground (small crumbs with some small pretzel pieces) then add them to a large, shallow bowl.

3. Add the oil, mustard, honey, water and vinegar to the food processor and pulse until smooth

4. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the flavor to suit your own tastes by adding more mustard or honey.

5. Pour half of the dressing into a large shallow bowl and add the chicken breasts. Turn to coat them evenly then dredge them in the pretzel crumbs using your hand to pat them on if needed.

6. Set them on the wire rack and bake 20 - 25 minutes or until cooked through.

7. Let the chicken sit 5 minutes before serving with the remaining honey mustard dressing.

Crock Pot Manicotti

Erin,

I know what you are thinking, manicotti in a crock pot? Yes. How amazing is that?? You don't even have to boil the noodles first! It only takes a couple hours in the crock pot but it was awesome! Sam absolutely raved about the manicotti and I think I will add this recipe to our weekly rotation :)

Ingredients:

Filling Ingredients (Place inside a gallon size freezer bag):
2 cups cottage cheese
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese
Add:
1 ½ teaspoons Italian Seasoning
¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Remaining Ingredients:
1-8oz. package manicotti
½ cup mozzarella cheese
Jar or can of favorite marinara sauce
cooking spray

Directions:
1. Combine filling ingredients in a gallon size freezer bag and gently knead until thoroughly mixed.
2. Clip a small corner, about 1/2", of the bag. Spray crock pot.
3. Spread about 1/2 cup sauce in crock pot . Pipe all cheese and place in crock pot. 4. Pour remaining sauce on top. covering completely.
5. Crock on high for about 2 hours until shells are fork tender.
6. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese the last thirty minutes of cooking time.

Baked Dijon Salmon

Erin,


In an effort to try and start eating healthy, I decided to make salmon this week. I never know how to cook salmon and so I searched the internet for a good recipe. I found a simple looking recipe and I had all the ingredients on hand so I decided to try it out. The salmon is coated in a honey mustard mix and then dipped in breadcrumbs! It was fabulous! I am not a huge salmon fan but this is a recipe I will make over and over again!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of butter (melted)
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
4 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
4 (4oz) fillets salmon
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F  
2. In a small bowl, stir together butter, mustard, and honey. Set aside. In another bowl, mix together bread crumbs, pecans, and parsley.
3. Brush each salmon fillet lightly with honey mustard mixture, and sprinkle the tops of the fillets with the bread crumb mixture
4. Bake salmon 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Season with salt and pepper

Marshmallow Caramel Popcorn

Erin,

The other night I was craving something sweet but I didn't know what I wanted. I came across this recipe on Pinterest (Thank God for Pinterest) and I had all the ingredients on hand. SCORE! At first, I was a little hesitant, I mean.. that's a heck of a lot of butter. But completely worth it. OMG, it was amazinggggg!

Ingredients:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
9-10 marshmallows
12 c. popcorn

Directions:
1. Microwave brown sugar and butter for 2 minutes, (but check on it frequently and stir). Add marshmallows and microwave until melted, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Pour over popcorn!

Creamy Garlic Pasta

Erin,

This is a copycat recipe of a popular dish at Olive Garden. I was surprised how easy it was to make and it was really tasty! It is rich and creamy and combines cheese and garlic. And let's be honest, there is nothing better. Plus, I love the idea of boiling noodles in chicken broth instead of plain water. Top this pasta with fresh parsley and viola! Instant goodness :)

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 cups chicken stock (I used chicken broth)
½ lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
1. In a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the butter until melted. Add the salt, pepper and chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and let it come to a boil.
2. Once it is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box’s directions indicate. Reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the parmesan until completely melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream and parsley. Serve immediately.

Bruschetta Chicken

Erin,

This is a great chicken recipe I found on Pinterest and super healthy! Give it a try :)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup crushed garlic croutons
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 large tomatoes
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, minced (appox. 1 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9x13 baking dish.
2. Place flour & beaten eggs in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken into flour, then into eggs. Place into baking dish.
3. Combine parmesan cheese, crushed croutons, & melted butter then sprinkle on chicken. Loosely cover with foil.
4. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until top is browned and chicken is cooked through.
5. Chop tomatoes and combine with last ingredients. Spoon mixture over chicken, and return to oven for 5-7 minutes or until tomato mixture is heated through.

"Mustard Spanked Chicken"

Ashley, 

Mike bought me a cookbook recently called "Fifty Shades of Chicken". Haha! Besides the name and my love for the original book, this has some pretty great stuff. We are hugh chicken eaters so it's really been coming in handy! Here is something I tried the other day: 

What you will need:

1 whole chicken, 4 lbs

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

2 tsp fresh minced basil

3 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Rub chicken all over with salt and pepper (including cavity)

2. In small bowl, mix together the mustard, basil and garlic and cover chicken with mixture

3. Let sit at least one hour 

4. Preheat oven to 400

5. Place chicken on rack breast side down, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil 

6. Roast for 30 minutes 

7. Take out and flip chicken over so breasts are up and drizzle with remaining olive oil

8. Roast for another 40 minutes 

Enjoy!

Potato Latkes

For the Jewish woman in you! Ash, I know you probably have a latke recipe of your own for Chanukah, but this one is great and you can always fall back on it if needed.

What you will need:
1 lb potatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:
1 Peel potatoes and grate by hand. Transfer to a bowl of cold water as grated. Soak potatoes 1-2 minutes and drain well
2. Spread grated potatoes and onion into kitchen towel and roll up jelly-roll style. Twist towel to ring out liquid
3. Transfer potato mixture to a bowl and stir in egg and salt
4.Heat 1/2 oil into a skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking
5. Spoon potato mixture into skillet and spread around to flatten.
6. Cook until brown
7. Season with salt and transfer to cooling rack

*Soaking potatoes in water keeps them from browning too quickly

*Serve with applesauce or sour cream

Cream Cheese Cookies

GREAT FOR CHRISTMAS BAKING :)

What you will need:
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
3 oz cream cheese
1 egg yolk
pinch of salt
2 1/4 cup sifted flour
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Cream butter. Add sugar and cream cheese and beat until smooth and creamy (3 minutes)
3. Add egg yolk, salt, flour, vanilla and mix well
4. Chill for 1 hour
5. Roll dough into balls and dip in crystalized sugar
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes

Waldorf Salad

Hey Ash, thought I'd start the new year off with actually trying to post some new things! This is a recipe for Waldorf Salad. It's great to make as a side dish or as a snack. Enjoy

What you will need:
4 cups chopped apples (pealed and cored)
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup pecan pieces
-Make sure to sprinkle 2 tsp of fruit fresh or 1 tbsp lemon juice to keep apples from browning

Salad Dressing:
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Miracle Whip
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp water
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp evaporated milk
1 tsp yellow mustard

Combine all ingredients. Salad dressing is better if made in advance. Let sit for an hour before serving.