Tag Archives: recipe swap

Apr 26 2013

Chicken Diablo

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I wasn’t always a fan of spicy dishes. You’d never know it now – they make regular appearances on our weekly menu, but there was a time when I’d avoid them at all costs. I’m now making up for lost time.

When I started browsing Kylee Cooks for the latest Blogger’s Choice Swap, this caught my eye immediately. It looked spicy and creamy and just, well, really good. It totally delivered, too. I really loved the spicy diablo sauce over it. I’m planning to use the leftover as a dip for crunchy chicken nuggets.

Chicken Diablo
(from Kylee Cooks)
Serves 2

1/4 c. Frank’s hot pepper sauce
1/2  c. sour cream
1/4 c. ketchup
1/8 c. honey
1/2 t. sweet paprika
1/2 t. ground cumin
2 chicken breasts, pounded out thinly
1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 c. sliced scallions
1 c. cooked brown rice, for serving

In a small bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, sour cream, ketchup and honey. Stir in paprika and cumin until well combined. Pour half of the sauce into another bowl and add chicken – turn to coat. Refrigerate and let marinate at least two hours, or overnight. Refrigerate remaining sauce in a separate container.

When ready to cook, heat oil in a frying pan until shimmering. Add garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add the marinated chicken the pan and cook for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through, turning halfway.

In a small saucepan, heat the sauce from the separate container until just simmering.

Serve the chicken over rice, topped with warmed sauce.

You can check out what other bloggers made for the swap below. As always, thanks to Sarah for hosting!


Apr 12 2013

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

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After a few days of almost summer-like weather, we’re back to soup weather. It’s in the 50s and raining. I miss the warm weather already! Although, this soup is helping make the day a little brighter and warmer.

I tried out this recipe as part of the latest recipe swap – the theme was chicken. Chicken pot pie is such a comfort-food staple and this soup really captures the flavors of it.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
(from Dough See Dough)
Serves 4

For the crust:
2 c. all purpose flour
2/3 c. shortening
1 t. salt
1/3 c. milk

For the soup:
2 t. olive oil, divided
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced or shredded
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 c. all purpose flour
5 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
Salt and pepper, to taste

To make the crust: In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening until well blended and mixture is crumbly. Gently stir in the milk with a fork and mix until just combined. Pat dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425F degees. Roll the dough out on a well-floured surface to 1/8″ thick. Cut into 3″ circles with a biscuit or cookie cutter. Lay dough on a lined baking sheet and bake for 12 – 15 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Set aside.

To make the soup: Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add  the potatoes, celery, carrots, and onion to the dutch oven and cook until the onions are soft and translucent.

Stir in the flour to coat vegetables well. Slowly stir in thechicken broth,1 cup at a time. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until soup thickens then add in corn, peas and chicken. Stir and cook until peas are heated through.

Serve soup hot with pie crust.

You can see what the others bloggers made for the swap below. Thanks, Sarah, for hosting!


Mar 29 2013

Sweet & Spicy Green Beans

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I’ve been on a sides kick lately (have you noticed?) so when I was assigned Nichole’s blog for the latest blogger’s choice swap, I immediatedly went to see what kind of sides she had blogged.

Green beans are a favorite around here, so I knew these would be a big hit. We also always have the ingredients on hand so I’m sure this is a side that will make it into our regular rotation.

Sweet & Spicy Green Beans
(adapted from Cookaholic Wife)
Serves 2 as a side

1/2 lb. fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1 T. olive oil
1 t. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 t. chile garlic sauce
1 tsp. honey
Pinch of sesame seeds, toasted

In a medium frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add green beans and cook until slightly browned and soft. Stir in soy sauce, chile garlic sauce and honey, tossing to coat.

Once the sauce has heated through, transfer beans to a serving bowl and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

You can check out what the other bloggers in the swap chose to make below. Thanks, Sarah, for hosting!



Mar 15 2013

Macadamia Lemon Bars

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The latest recipe swap covered my favorite topic: dessert. I’ve never met a dessert I didn’t like.

I was really pleased about my assigned recipe from Christine’s Kitchen Chronicles. I’ve had lemon bars on my to-make list for quite some time, but they always get bumped in favor of something chocolately. This was the perfect opportunity to finally try them out!

These were just as good as I was imagining and I really loved the addition of the macadamia nuts. Another check on my cooking bucket list thanks to the recipe swaps!

 

Macadamia Lemon Bars
(from Christine’s Kitchen Chronicles)
Makes an 8×8 pan of bars

For the crust
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. macadamia nuts, finely chopped

For the filling
1 c. sugar
2 T. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
2 eggs
3 T. lemon juice
2 t. lemon zest
2 t. macadamia nuts, chopped
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Grease an 8-inch square baking dish and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir togetherthe flour, powdered sugar and melted butter until well combined .  Stir in the nuts.  Press the crust mixture into the bottom and 1/2″ up the sides of prepared baking dish.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned.

In another bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Beat in the eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest until light and fluffy.  Pour the filling over hot crust and sprinkle with nuts.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned and the center is set.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

Dust with powdered sugar and cut into bars.  Chill until ready to serve.

You can see the rest of the yummy desserts made as part of the swap below. Thanks to Sarah at A Taste of Home Cooking for hosting!

 



Feb 15 2013

Bloody Mary Steak with White Cheddar Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

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The latest recipe swap hosted by A Taste of Home Cooking was themed “special occasion”, which naturally meant I was going to make it for Valentine’s Day. Obviously, it was a bit more time intensive than our usual Thursday dinners but, hey, hubby deserves a nice dinner for dealing with all of my crazy!

This recipe comes from Cheese Curd in Paradise.  She also has a mushroom topping for the steak – since we’re not mushroom fans I skipped it, but if that’s your thing it’d be a great addition. We were especially fond of the mashed potatoes!

 

Bloody Mary Steak with White Cheddar Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
(from Cheese Curd in Paradise)

Bloody Mary Steaks
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 white onion, diced
2 T. sliced green olives
3 T. chopped pickles
1 T. pickle juice
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. hot sauce
5.5 oz tomato juice
1/4 c. olive oil
1/2 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/2 t. cumin
1 T. celery salt
1/2 t. dill seed
2 lb. beef tenderloin, cut into individual steaks

 

Whisk together all ingredients besides steak. Place the steaks in a large ziplock bag and pour in the marinate. Allow the steaks to marinate 2 1/2 – 3 hours. Flip the bag at the halfway through.
 
Pre-heat your grill. Remove the steaks from the bag and discard the marinate.  Grill steaks over medium heat until the reach desired temperature.
 
Horseradish & White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 stick butter, at room temperature
2 T. prepared horseradish
3/4 c. grated sharp white cheddar
2/3 c. milk
3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 t. black pepper
1 T. salt
 
Bring large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add potatoes and cook until they are easily pierced with a fork. Drain water and move the potatoes to a mixing bowl. Add milk, butter, cream cheese, horseradish, cheese salt and pepper. Mash together until well combined.

Check out the other dishes featured in the Special Occasion Swap in the linkup below!



Dec 28 2012

Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches

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I was assigned Cookaholic Wife for the latest blogger’s choice recipe swap. I made Nichole’s Chocolate Chip Muffins for the last swap, so this time I wanted to pick something a little different. With all of the holiday craziness in full swing, a quick dinner seemed like the perfect idea.

These sandwiches involve about five minutes of prep the night before and then less than fifteen minutes start-to-finish after they’re finished marinating. Some nights, that’s about all I can handle. And, these were awesome!

Thanks Nichole! And, as always, thank you to Sarah at A Taste of Home Cooking for hosting!

Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches
(from Cookaholic Wife)
Serves 6

1 large can pineapple rings
3 T. soy sauce
3 T. brown sugar
1 T. Dijon mustard
6 thin chicken cutlets, cut in half
6 slices provolone cheese
6 whole wheat buns

In a large bowl, whisk together the juice from the pineapple, soy sauce, brown sugar and mustard. Add the chicken, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Discard marinade and grill chicken over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, turning halfway, until cooked through. Add pineapple and cheese and leave on the grill to melt.

Serve on whole wheat rolls.

Here’s what the rest of the bloggers selected to make for this round of Blogger’s Choice:

 



Dec 14 2012

Refried Beans

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The latest recipe swap theme was side dishes – which is an area I often struggle with. Salad and raw veggies are our go-tos. After working out a main dish, I never have the drive to round out the meal with much more.

I was super excited when I got assigned this recipe, since Tex-Mex meals are increasingly common around here. I was even more excited when I realized the recipe originated from Elly Says Opa. Elly’s Black Beans are one of the few sides I do make regularly, so I knew this would be a hit.

The recipe calls for cooking up two strips of bacon so you can use the grease as flavoring. I always save the grease when I cook bacon so I just used 1 T. of the reserved fat. Either works fine

Not only are these delicious, but they’re super quick which makes them a great side dish option. This is absolutely a new staple in our rotation!

Refried Beans
(as seen on A Taste of Home Cooking, adapted from Elly Says Opa)
Serves 4 as a side

2 strips of bacon (or 1 T. bacon fat)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 t. ground cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (or 1½ cups cooked pinto beans)
1 c. chicken or veggie broth, divided
1/4 cup salsa
Shredded cheese and sliced scallions, for garnish (optional)

If using bacon, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and cook until crisp, being careful not to burn. Remove the bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the grease in the pan. (Reserve the bacon for another use.)

If using bacon fat, heat fat in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Add the onion to the pan and cook until just tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the garlic, cumin, cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the beans to the pan. Pour in about 2/3 cup of the broth, bring to a boil, and reduce to a light simmer. Let simmer for about 10 minutes or until the beans are soft enough to mash easily.

Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the salsa, and mash the bean mixture as desired. For a chunkier texture, use a fork or potato masher. For a smoother texture, pulse the mixture in a food processor. Add additional broth for a lighter texture if needed. Top with shredded cheese and sliced scallions and serve.

Here are the side dishes swap participants made:



Oct 19 2012

Gyoza

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Happy Recipe Swap day! I missed the last swap because we were travelling, so I was happy to jump back in to the latest round of Blogger’s Choice. For this round, I was assigned Brianna’s blog – Oishii Food. Oishii means “delicious” in Japanese and the blog was started when she spent some time in Japan. While there are plenty of recipes from other cultures too, I thought it was appropriate to pick a Japanese one.

Gyoza are pretty much the Japanese version of potstickers. And, since I have such a soft spot of potstickers, I knew I’d love these. As daunting as they look, they’re relatively easy to put together and absoltely delicious. I’m still working on getting the perfect fold down, but if you want to see some really beautiful Gyoza, click on over to Brianna’s blog!

Gyoza
(very slightly adapted from Oishii Food)
Makes at least 4 dozen

For the Gyoza:

3 c. cole slaw mix
2 green onions, chopped
1 T. coarse salt
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. white wine
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. cornstarch
1 package wonton wrappers (10-12 oz.)
1/4 c. vegetable oil

For the Dipping Sauce:

4 T. Soy sauce
4 T. Rice vinegar
1 t. Sesame oil
1 T. Agave nectar
1 t. Chili-garlic sauce
Salt & Pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, toss the cabbage with the green onions and salt. Let stand 10 minutes and then rinse and drain in a collandar. A handful at a time, sqeeze as much liquid out of the cabbage as you can and transfer to a large bowl.

Add the pork, pepper, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, white wine and sesame oil to the large bowl. Mix thoroughly with cabbage mixture.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with two tablespoons water. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment. On the center of each wonton wrapper, place 1-2 teaspoons of pork and cabbage filling. Dip your finger in the water-cornstarch mixture and moisten the edges of the wrapper. Take one corner and fold it over to the opposite corner to make a triangle – seal the edges by pinching together.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, but not sizzling. Place enough gyoza in the skillet to cover the bottom, but don’t stack them. Cook until they’re browned where touching the pan. Add 2/3 cup of water to the skillet and cover tightly. Let steam for 5 minutes, adding more water if it evaporates before 5 minutes are up. Cook until the water is evaporated and they’re nicely browned on the pottom. Remove from pan and repeat until all gyoza are cooked.

To make the dipping sauce, whisk together all dipping sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust as needed.

Want to see what else was made for the Blogger’s Choice swap? You can see what all the participants cooked up below:

Sep 21 2012

Granola Cookie Bites

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Happy Recipe Swap Day! The theme of this swap was Blogger’s Choice and I was introduced to Delicious Meliscious. Delicious is right! I was drooling looking through her pictures and couldn’t narrow down my choices at all so I bookmarked her blog for when I had more time to dive in.

And then the next day, we had a cookie emergency. I went to pull out a cookie to have with my lunch and realized we were all out. Oh no! (Please tell me I’m not the only one this happens to!) I immediately thought of the granola bites Melissa made and called just as good as an oatmeal cookie. Since they’re no-bake, they would rectify the cookie emergency quickly.

I was really happy with how these came out. They’re the perfect little grab-and-go sweet and require minimal effort.

Granola Cookie Bites
(from Sally’s Baking Addiction, as seen on Delicious Melisicious)
Makes about 1 1/2 dozen

2 1/4 c. old fashioned oats
1/2 c. yellow cake mix
1/2 c. light corn syrup (or honey)
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix together oats, cake mix, corn syrup and vanilla until all of the oats are well coated. Stir in chocolate chips.

Refrigerate for two hours or until mixture is stiff and sticks together easily. Roll into balls.

Return to fridge until ready to serve.

Sep 7 2012

Salted Caramel Chocolate Bread Pudding

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It’s recipe swap day again! This time the theme is desserts and I got Carrie’s White Chocolate Bread Pudding to make. I didn’t plan to adapt this very much – I was just going to size it down for the two of us and lighten it up a little. And then I opened my pantry and saw the Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel bar from Godiva I’ve been saving for something special.

Salted caramel chocolate bread pudding? Sounded like a winner to me.

This was so good. A definite indulgence but so worth it.

If you don’t want to splurge on a Godiva bar, you could use 4 oz. of regular milk chocolate or white chocolate instead.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Bread Pudding
(adapted from food.com via Carrie’s Sweet Life)
Serves 2

2 hard rolls
3/4 c. + 2 T. non-fat half and half, divided
1 large bar of Godiva Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel, divided
1/4 c. low-fat milk
2 T. sugar
1 egg
1/4 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 275F degrees.

In a double boiler, melt together half of the chocolate bar and 3/4 c. half and half. Pour into a separate bowl and wipe out the double boiler.

Also in the double boiler, whisk together the milk, sugar, egg and vanilla until just warm. Pour into chocolate mixture and stir to combine.

Add the bread to the bowl and toss to coat all of the pieces. Let sit for a few minutes so the bread absorbs all of the liquid, tossing again if necessary.

Place the soaked bread in a greased baking dish. Cover with foil.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

After you remove the foil, melt the remaining chocolate and half and half in the the double boiler. Drizzle over baked bread pudding. Serve warm.

Here’s what the other bloggers made for the swap: