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Caribbean Jerk Risotto
Risotto has been a food I’ve wanted to master for years, ever since watching Giada religiously before my third child was born. Even though Giada made risotto look super easy, I have been intimated for a while now. Finally, I just decided to go for it last year. Turns out it is just as easy as Giada made it look. Risotto is typically made with white rice, but can also be made with short length pasta such as orzo or couscous pasta. My family likes risotto made with orzo pasta more than with rice. Also, when I make risotto with pasta instead of rice, the creaminess of the consistency tends…
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Copy Cat Cafe Zupas Chicken Enchilada Soup
I am a sucker for just about any creamy soup, combine that with Mexican food flavors and I would do just about anything for a taste. Cafe Zupas just has yummy food in general. If I had to absolutely pick between Panera Bread and Cafe Zupas, I wouldn’t even bat an eye saying goodbye to Panera. Their Chicken Enchilada Soup is definitely in my top 3 faves…and even though a new location opened up less than 5 miles away, I just cannot justify eating there every other day…so…of course I had to figure out how to make it at home. Besides, there are plenty of poor souls who either haven’t…
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Coconut Chicken Curry Kabobs
Cooking with curry is still a somewhat new experience for me. It has always intimidated me until recently, but when my kiddos asked if we could have kabobs for dinner one night last week, I knew exactly what flavors I wanted to have in the marinade. Cooking kabobs has been a long process for me. Burning the kabob sticks was a regular occurrence in the beginning. Then I saw a tip on Food Network that if you have wooden kabobs, to soak them in water for an hour or so before the assembling of the kabobs. The wood soaks up just enough water to keep from catching on fire, and…
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Summer Lemon Chicken & Asparagus
Asparagus is a vegetable that is easily misunderstood. Just like Brussels sprouts and artichokes, there is a specific way to prepare asparagus. It isn’t like green beans, peas, or corn where you can boil or steam then serve. While some people do love asparagus from a can, I will only eat it if it is roasted or grilled. Additionally, preparing asparagus is important. The thicker the asparagus stock, the more fibrous. It is difficult to figure out what part to trim and what to eat. The way I prepare asparagus is I hold each end of the stock. Then I bend it until it snaps. The stock naturally snaps in…
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Huli Huli Ramen Chicken
I have come a long way since the packaged ramen noodles days. At one point, in Junior High, my friends and I would eat ramen raw right out of the bag. I don’t know if that is something y’all have done before, but I thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread at the time. I’ve since learned how hillbilly that is. Now though, I only have the prepackaged ramen for when a stomach bug tears through the household and kiddos refuse to eat anything. As soon as I realized I could purchase ramen noodles by itself without the packaging and seasoning, my life was changed. Huli Huli chicken…
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Chicken Stroganoff
Typically stroganoff is made with beef, but that isn’t the culinary rule. Stroganoff is just a cream sauce with meat, onions, and mushrooms. Knowing this, when I meal planned to make beef stroganoff and then did not in fact get beef for the said stroganoff…I improvised and made it with chicken. As much as I love the beef stroganoff, the chicken version was just as tasty and my children ended up loving it more. If you are not a mushroom lover, but want the true flavors of stroganoff, instead of using fresh mushrooms you can substitute cream of mushroom soup. Additionally, I love making stroganoff with pappardelle pasta, which is…
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Green Chili and Chicken Enchiladas
Enchiladas are easily one of my most favorite Mexican meals. I have so many variations of enchiladas in my meal arsenal that I could easily make a different type every night for a whole month. So it was surprising to me when I realized I had never done a green chili version. I almost always used red enchilada sauce, but when I realized I had a bunch of green enchilada sauce in my pantry, I knew I needed to make a green chili version. I have to say, that this recipe is easily one of my top favorites. I love the slightly spicy flavors and the prominence of the green…
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Honey Lemon Chicken Ramen
Like many other children, mine love Top Ramen. Attempting to keep them healthy and well nourished, I only let them consume Top Ramen when they are sick or when it is really cold and they are begging for soup. In an attempt to create a more nutritious ramen, I decided to try my hand at a homemade version. Needless to say, they loved this version a whole lot more…and to my detriment they now beg for this instead of the quick microwave Top Ramen. I will definitely be attempting more homemade ramen in the very near future. Have you ever made homemade ramen? What do you use in your recipe?…
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Coconut Pineapple Curry
I had a special request to make a curry dish. I have to be honest, curry has always intimidated me. When I’ve eaten it in restaurants, it ended up not being a particular favorite. It wasn’t that it was too spicy in the heat index sense…it was that it was too spice-y as in A LOT of flavors my tongue couldn’t comprehend. Not to mention, this scene from Along Came Polly has always stuck in my mind. Still, when a very close friend makes a request, you listen. As I began researching curry, I soon realized curry isn’t necessarily a dish. It is a blend of spices added to dishes.…
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Chicken Enchilada Chili
Contains affiliate links Chili is one of my go-to’s whenever I am not entirely sure what to make for dinner. I always have canned beans and some sort of protein in my food storage. Last week, I was in a major meal planning rut. The average temperature here in Las Vegas has been over 110°F. I don’t know about you, but when temperatures reach an ungodly high, I have absolutely no desire to turn on my oven or stove. That’s when my instapot comes in handy. Like most of my other chili recipes, this one is made in the instapot, or pressure cooker; but can just as easily be created…
