Cheesy Zucchini Rice

A great alternative to your usual rice dish.  Again, no picture, but it looks just like it did from the site I got it from: bunsinmyoven.com/2012/06/28/cheesy-zucchini-rice/

All four of us at the table took seconds.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium or 2 small zucchini, grated (I used my food processor but a cheese grater would work well, too)
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (didn't have any so I used half a clove of garlic grated in at the same time in the directions as the powder- very nice!)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• splash of milk, as needed (totally forgot about this part, but it was great without it)

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Add the rice and stir to coat. Toast the rice, stirring often, just until it starts to turn golden.
3. Pour in the chicken broth, add 1/2 tsp of salt, bring to a boil, turn heat to low, and cover.
4. Cook, covered, for 15 - 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
5. Remove from the heat and add the butter, grated zucchini, cheddar, and garlic (powder). Stir until well incorporated. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
6. Stir again and add pepper to taste and a splash of milk if you'd like to thin out the texture a little bit.

Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies

Found on Pinterest (where else?), which came from THIS link.  These were simply delicious.  And turned out exactly as the picture from the link.

Ingredients:

3/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. reeses pieces
1 c. pretzels, broken (I was slightly scared of this element and shied away from the whole cup- I wish I hadn't, DON'T be shy!) - can use banana chips instead

Directions:

In a bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and pudding mix and set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and honey and beat again. Slowly add the dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips, reeses, and pretzels by hand.

Drop by tablespoon onto a baking sheet, leaving 2 inches in between each cookie. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Cool on pan for 3-4 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Store in a tightly covered container. Makes about 36 cookies.

EASY Garlic Chicken

I had chicken and almost nothing else in my house last week one night.  I wanted to do something flavourful but didn't want to go to the store.  This actually turned out quite well and I've made it twice now since trying it.  Super easy- but beware, people will be able to smell it on you all night.

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or up to 8 thighs (any more and increase the sauce)
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons brown sugar
3 teaspoons olive oil
splash of chicken broth
italian seasonings
salt/pepper

Directions:

Season your chicken with salt, pepper, and italian seasonings (whatever you have on hand).
Sear your chicken in a hot pan with olive oil then set aside in tinfoil lined baking pan.
Lower the heat to LOW on your pan, add a little more oil and sauce your garlic until nice and fragrant- be very careful not to burn.
Remove from heat and add brown sugar, the splash (very little) of broth and a little s/p.
Pour over chicken and place in a 450 degree oven to finish cooking.

Baked Mustard Lime Chicken

From this site: http://www.elanaspantry.com/baked-mustard-lime-chicken/

I love this recipe- so simple yet so bold; so easy yet impressive enough for company.  I managed to take pictures of the prep but after marinating I came back, got into the groove of cooking, and it wasn't until we were half way through that I realized I never took a picture of the end result.  Oh well...go look at the picture on the site I got the recipe from.
I wouldn't suggest skin on chicken for this recipe and if you use bone-in make sure to increase the cooking time.  Recipe is still good if you only have a few minutes for marinating.

Easy, delicious, flavour forward!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast or thigh
• ½ cup fresh lime juice (it took me about 3 limes)
• ½ cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (parsley is my favourite)
• ¼ cup dijon mustard
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
  
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Combine lime juice, cilantro, mustard, olive oil, chili, salt and pepper in a food processor (I used my magic bullet)
   
2. Pulse until ingredients are well combined
3. Rinse chicken breasts, pat dry and place in a baking dish
4. Pour marinade over chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 15 min-6 hours 
5. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes uncovered (bone-in increase to 35-40), or until an instant read thermometer reads 165°
6. Serve with extra sauce spooned over top

Marinade

Marinated chicken

Banh Mi

If you've heard or know of Banh Mi then this post title should have brought a smile to your face.  Banh Mi sandwiches are delicious.  Here's one variety I've tried at home myself now.

Pork Meatball Banh Mi with Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables and Hot Chili Mayo

-pork meatball recipe found here
-pickled veg recipe found here

Ingredients:

Hot Chili Mayo:

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)

Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Pickled Vegetables:

• julienned carrots 
• julienned cucumber
• julienned daikon
• 1 c sugar
• 1 c water
• 1 c rice vinegar
• 2 tsp salt

Directions:

Hot Chili Mayo:

-mix everything together, chill until ready to use

Pork Meatballs:

-Line rimmed baking sheet with wax paper. Gently mix all ingredients in large bowl. Using moistened hands and scant tablespoonful for each, roll meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange on baking sheet. Cover and chill so they can set up- but let them sit on counter to come to room temperature about a half hour before cooking them.  Mine only sat in the fridge for like 30 minutes.

-Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of meatballs. Sauté until brown and carmelized all around, turning meatballs often and lowering heat if browning too quickly, about 15 minutes. Transfer meatballs to another rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven. Repeat with remaining meatballs.  Mine were in the oven for like 15 minutes while I got other things ready for dinner.

Pickled Vegetables:

-disolve sugar and salt in the liquids and then put the vegetables in to pickle for 1-5 hours.  I would even suggest less sugar...I thought they needed a little stronger of an acidic punch when I tried them.  The site provided up top gives step by step instructions.

Sandwich:

-Submarine bun+mayo+meatball+cilantro+vegetables=delicious!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

This is my go to chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe.  I didn't take picutes- mostly I just want to be able to easily find the recipe when I want to use it.  No substitutions here- just yummy cookie goodness!

1 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 c oats
1 c chocolate chips

325
12-14 mins
ungreased cookie sheet

Sweet Potato Latkes

Inspired from a recipe shown on The Chew.  Very important to get as much liquid out of your grated vegetables/fruit as possible.  Great as a side to dinner or breakfast.  We love having them with poached eggs on a breakfast for dinner night. 

Note: when poaching eggs add a tbsp of vinegar to your water to help your egg whites stay together

Note: when shallow frying anything, keep your heat around medium and you will know it is hot enough to start cooking when bubbles form around the base of your wooden spoon when you touch it to the bottom of the pan. 


Ingredients:

1 sweet potato
1/2 onion
1 apple
2 egg whites lightly beaten
1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Drop by spoonful in a small layer of oil (shallow frying) in a pan on medium heat.  Flip after a few minutes.  Remove to a paper towel to sop up some of the extra oil and sprinkle with a little finishing salt while still hot.

PS- I have tried it with yam and sweet potato.  Sweet potato is by far the better tasting root for this recipe.  I didn't like the yam version at all.