Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

This soup might not be very pretty much oh my goodness is it delicious! The bacon-ham flavor really shines in this dish, supported by the creaminess from the peas and subtle notes from the carrots and onion. I was surprised at how much I really liked it and wished that I had made a double batch! The peas provide more texture than flavor so even if you're not a huge fan of green peas, I would recommend giving this rich, warming soup a try!

With the unusual green color of the soup, it would be fun to name it Green Monster Soup or The Hulk Soup or something similar for the kiddos. 

Another part of this I loved was how easy it was to prepare! Chopping the vegetables takes the most time and then you just pop everything in the slow cooker. Easy 'peas'y. (Haha I crack myself up).

What You'll Need:

1 cup split green peas
4 slices thick cut bacon
1 cup ham, chopped
1 sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, diced
2 bay leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups water

shaved Parmesan for garnish 

What To Do:

Prepare bacon, cooking until maximum fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Remove from heat and dice. In the drippings, cook peas, ham, onion, carrot and bacon pieces for about five minutes or until all of the bacon drippings have been absorbed. 

Transfer ingredients to your slow cooker, and add water, seasonings and bay leaves. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. When ready to serve, discard bay leaves and stir well. Ladle into bowls and top with shaved Parmesan!

recipe adapted from Cook Republic 

Veggie Chips and Creamy Avocado Dip

Growing up, my parents managed several different grocery stores, leaving my sister and I to build imaginary playgrounds in soup aisles, warehouse breezeways and loading docks. We built furniture from the displays of Coca Cola 12 packs, seating ourselves upon our red blocked thrones. We hid in the dairy freezer and squealed "moooo" every time someone grabbed a gallon of milk.  Obviously we were hilarious children. We passed shopping carts out to customers and, if we were lucky, walked away with tips (much to our parents' dismay). 

Spending my childhood in a grocery store inevitably led to certain quirks in adulthood. I posses unusual appreciation for the organization of stores, sensible layouts and small details which cater to children (like child size shopping carts). In addition, I am keenly aware of good quality, time tested brands of food. My parents intentionally taught us which names are a value for the quality. Without a doubt, Green Giant tops the charts on vegetable brands.

Ho Ho Ho. 

From when I first started cooking in college to now, my canned and frozen veggies are Green Giant. So when I heard that Green Giant introduced a line of veggie snack chips- made with real vegetables- I knew that I had to check it out! 

I received two 5 oz bags- Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips in Garden Ranch and Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips in Barbecue- and legitimately almost finished them both the day I got them. It took some serious self-control to save some for later! 

I am genuinely impressed with both flavors. Both stayed crunchy after I left the bags open overnight (oops) and both really do have "giant" flavor. I especially love the sweet potato chips and will definitely be checking out their other flavors! 

To complement the bold flavors of the chips, I whipped up some creamy avocado dip to go with them. It is full of healthy fats to go with a healthier chip! 

What You'll Need:

1 small ripe avocado

1/2 cup fat free sour cream or Greek yogurt

juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt 

What To Do:

Mash avocado in a bowl with a fork or immersion blender until smooth. Add sour cream/Greek yogurt, lime, garlic and salt and stir to fully combine. Serve with Green Giant veggie chips! 

With school fast approaching, I can see these being a regular part of my lunch routine. Just add a sandwich, infused water and sliced fruit and you've got a well balanced, quick meal! Or it could make the perfect snack for homework time! 

All in all, I was thoroughly impressed with Green Giant veggie chips and will definitely be purchasing them on the regular!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

DIY Mocktail Bar

Sometimes skimming Pinterest can be a little disheartening for non-drinkers. Cocktails look so pretty in their fancy glasses with fresh fruits, herbs and bubbles. Well if you're not drinking alcohol for whatever reason, you're in luck. Here is a basic recipe to get you started experimenting with mocktails!

We set up a DIY bar at our Girls Day for ladies to create their own handcrafted soda/mocktail. It's so easy!

What You'll Need:
clear glasses
a muddling tool- we used a metal ice cream scoop
fresh, juicy fruit- we used blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries
a carbonated beverage- we had Ginger Ale and Sprite. (Plain club soda works as well but consider using agave nectar, simply syrup or honey for sweetness)
citrus- we used limes but lemons, oranges or grapefruit would be fantastic too.
(optional- herbs such as basil, mint, rosemary or lavender) 
ice 
pretty straws

What To Do:
Be sure all of your fruit, even citrus, is thoroughly washed!

In your fancy glass, muddle a handful of berries (or fruit of the choice) in the bottom. Pour ice and soda over the fruit. Squeeze citrus over the top and leave peel in the drink for added flavor. 

Garnish your drink with a slice of citrus and a pretty straw and enjoy!

The flavor combination possibilities are endless! Here are some to get your started:

peaches + club soda + honey + lemon

blackberries + Sprite + lime

strawberries + ginger ale + basil + orange 

blueberries and raspberries + club soda + agave nectar+ mint + lemon

What is your favorite mocktail?

Watermelon Limeade

This has been a summer of fun, fresh, fruit flavors- including strawberry pineapple lemonade (pureed strawberry, canned pineapple and lemonade powder), sparkling strawberry limeade, mango ague fresca, and now- watermelon limeade.

If you think biting into a juicy slice of watermelon is refreshing, wait until you take a sip of this balanced, sweet and tart, fresh fruit juice! The notes of watermelon leave a stunning pink color and a distinct taste- with almost the same hint as cucumber- light, lovely and summery. The limes add complementary tartness, coupled with simple syrup (or agave/honey/etc), to make this drink well-rounded. 

There is plenty of room to adjust according to taste with the recipe. In fact, I did not follow a recipe when I prepared the giant batch for our group- I just adjusted by taste. I am including estimations of how much you'll need, but adjust for your liking!

What You'll Need:
1 cup diced watermelon
2 cups cold water
2 limes
1/4 cup simple syrup*

What to Do:
In a blender, combine watermelon and water until homogeneous. Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer to catch any seeds and pulp. Squeeze limes directly into watermelon mixture, add simple syrup, stir and pour over ice! 

*To make simple syrup, simmer one cup water with one cup sugar, stirring frequently, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow the syrup to cool and then measure and add to your drink!

___

After posting on Instagram, my friend Jackie posted a photo of her girls making the watermelon limeade and I was so tickled! If you ever try a recipe I have posted, please let me know! I love seeing how they turn out in other people's kitchens :)

Simple S'mores Bar

There are so many wonderful things about summer. S'mores happen to be one of my favorites. There is something inherently nostalgic and comforting about the simple combination of roasted marshmallows with toasty graham crackers and chocolate. 

One messy bite and I am taken back to roasting marshmallows, laughing, and telling stories on the chilly beach in Seaside, Oregon with my Go Now Missions team. Another bite and I remember the campfire in my grandma's backyard where all of my cousins and I gathered around with hot dogs and s'mores- seeing who could avoid setting their treat on fire. As I finish off my s'mores dessert I relive sleepovers with my best friends in high school, out in the country, dancing and laughing around the fire, hyped up on the sugary sweet dessert. 


From toddlers to senior citizens, s'mores have a way of bringing people together and pulling the goodness of summer together in a bite size treat. But sometimes, it's impractical or impossible to initiate the s'mores magic with a campfire/bonfire. Sometimes, you gotta roast them in the fireplace, over the bbq pit or (gasp!) in the oven. We did just that with our youth group and added in some fun variations to keep things interesting. Here's what we did and some super simple ideas for you!

We had plain Graham crackers, Hershey's chocolate bars, and jumbo marshmallows with the following add-ons available:

• peanut butter
• Nutella
• honey
• bite size candy bars 
• white chocolate chips 
• cinnamon 
• brown sugar 
• cayenne pepper 
• coconut 
• instant coffee

I would also suggest:

• dark chocolate 
• caramel sauce 
• sliced strawberries
• sliced bananas
• bacon 
• mint 
• cream cheese spread 

(peanut butter+honey and brown sugar+cayenne flavor combos. both stinkin amazing!)

We allowed each student to build their s'more, placed them all on a baking sheet and baked at 400 for 10 minutes (or until marshmallows were toasted and chocolate was melted).

Alternatively, you can leave the top cracker to the side and use the broiler to toast the tops of the marshmallows in the oven, then place the crackers on top when cooked!

They turned out fabulously! No burnt mallows, served up in little bowls to steep the mess,  a great indoor solution to a popular outdoor favorite! 

What's your favorite s'mores memory? What's your favorite way to prepare them?

Piña Colada Popsicles

I made these sweet and creamy dessert pops for youth group last week. They went super fast and unfortunately I didn't snap a picture. I used the leftover mixture to make a nice little virgin piña colada afternoon treat! However, even without the nicely staged and edited photos, I can vouch that these popsicles are quite delicious and very easy!

The recipe is ridiculously flexible- sub in coconut milk for cream of coconut, add mango or papaya, or garnish the pops with chunks of fruit. I have some cute popsicle molds that I found on sale at Wal-Mart for $1. However, if you don't have those, you can use ice trays (regular or water bottle style) with toothpicks or popsicle sticks. Another simple option is to use Dixie cups- 3oz disposable paper cups- with toothpicks, wooden ice cream spoons, or popsicle sticks.

What You'll Need:

1 banana

1 8 oz can crushed pineapple

1 10 oz can cream of coconut 

juice of one large lime

1 tsp vanilla extract 

What To Do:

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend well. Pour into molds. Allow pops to set for 30 min- 1 hour before adding popsicle sticks. Freeze for at least two hours- and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Loves Food and Art

Coffee Popsicles

These super simple popsicles are a great summer afternoon pick me up! I'm not a fan of artificial fruit flavoring so these provide an easy alternative. You can add and adjust the flavoring just like you would your own cup of coffee! I prepared my popsicles in an ice tray for ice that fits in bottled water. And if you decide that you don't want to worry about a dripping frozen treat, you can blend it up with milk for a frappe.

What You'll Need:
2 cups brewed coffee
1/2 cup half and half (more or less to taste)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp caramel syrup
Popsicle mold
Popsicle sticks

What To Do:
Brew the coffee and combine all other ingredients- be sure all the sugar is dissolved. Divide among the Popsicle mold, add Popsicle sticks and freeze for at least 4 hours! 

(The popsicle sticks will center more easily if you freeze the pops for about an hour before inserting them)

Easy peasy.

Baked Eggs in Avocado

Avocado. The fruit of the gods. It's probably what Eve ate because I mean look at it. It's beautiful. It's creamy. It's packed with vitamins and healthy monosaturated fats. It goes with salads, burgers, tacos, pizza (yes. try it), smoothies, condiments. 

This dish would make a fabulous addition to a brunch/breakfast spread or is delicious all on its own. Plus it's super easy, tasty, and full of protein and good fats- so it's super filling.

There are so many ways to make this even better too! Add crumbled bacon or shaved Parmesan. Scoop it out hot and spread over warm French bread. Kick it up with chipotle hollandaise or just sprinkle with cayenne pepper. 

You get the idea. 

Oh, also, I used small avocados but this recipe would definitely work better with large avocados! 

What You'll Need:
serves 2
1 large Haas avocado 
2 egs
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper

What To Do:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Slice avocado in halve, lengthwise. Remove the seed. If necessary, scoop avocado out of the center, forming a hole big enough for the egg. Lightly salt and pepper the avocado. 

Crack an egg into each half. Again, lightly salt and pepper. Place avocado in a small baking dish , or use aluminum foil to hold the avocado upright and to keep it from spilling. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until eggs are set to your preference. 
Devour. 

recipe from White on Rice Couple

Crock Pot Peppermint Mocha

I made a batch of this Peppermint Mocha for a day-long finals study session. I loved that I could whip it up the night before, refrigerate and then keep it warm in the crock pot the next day. I also loved that I had most of these ingredients on hand, saving me some serious money that I could have spent at a coffee shop. I made double this recipe and adjusted flavors by taste. I used instant coffee, 2% milk and heavy cream, and a mix of white and semi-sweet chocolate chips. SO GOOD.

It is creamy and sweet, with a hint of refreshing peppermint. A reminder of this sweet, refreshing season. Christmas in a cup. 

One of my favorite family traditions is our Christmas Eve brunch. We go all out with bacon, sausage, eggs, hashbrowns, scones, quiche, kolaches, French toast, and/or cinnamon rolls. This peppermint mocha would be a fantastic addition to our traditional feast (if any of my other family members would drink it, that is)

It would be great for Christmas mornings too!

What You'll Need:

• 4 cups milk
• Either 4 shots of espresso, 4 rounded teaspoons instant espresso powder plus 1½ cups water, or 2 cups very strong brewed coffee
• ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ¼ cup peppermint syrup
• Whipping cream and shaved chocolate bar for garnish

Peppermint syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract

What To Do:

1. First prepare the peppermint syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the peppermint extract. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
2. Make your peppermint mochas: In a 3-quart or larger slow cooker/Crock Pot, stir together the milk, espresso/coffee, chocolate chips, and peppermint syrup.
3. Cook covered on low for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally to help distribute the melting chocolate, until steaming. You can also cook it on high for about an hour and fifteen minutes (depending on your slow cooker), stirring often – just watch it a little more carefully when the slow cooker is on high. Reduce heat to warm and keep covered once the mocha has heated to steaming. Taste and adjust flavors as desired. 
4. Serve in festive mugs, topped with whipped cream and garnish with a candy cane, chocolate shavings or a sprinkle of cocoa. Enjoy your Christmas in a cup.

recipe from Kitchen Treaty

Crock Pot Apple Butter Chicken

This is a fantastic dish for a busy time of year. Between cookie baking, church activities, school parties, and family gatherings, preparing a delicious meal is probably at the bottom of the priority list. Well, this meal is perfect for that! It takes about one minute of prep time, and the crock pot does all the cookin'. Plus, it's one of those flavor combinations that will surprise and delight you. Yes, I said that. Surprise and delight, y'all

I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts because it's what I always have available in my freezer. I'm sure this would also be great with boneless chicken thighs!

What You'll Need:
serves 4
3-4 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/1/2 cup apple butter 
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth 
salt
pepper

What To Do:
Place chicken evenly in crock pot (frozen is totally fine). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dollop apple butter over chicken, turning to coat. Add garlic and chicken broth, making sure there is enough liquid to cover the bottom of the pot. Cook on low for 4 hours. 

The key to this dish is to make sure the chicken doesn't dry out. If you plan to leave the crock pot going for more than four hours, consider adding enough liquid, broth or apple juice, to submerge the meat.

Slice chicken and spoon extra apple butter mixture over. Serve with instant brown rice and microwave steamed broccoli for a quick, delicious meal!


original recipe

Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

Growing up, we had a rotation of regular dinners: ground beef tacos, grilled chicken, pot roast, etc.

But the most consistent meal was definitely spaghetti. Spaghetti was the first meal I was able to cook by myself (with store bough pasta and sauce, of course), without any help and it has always had a homey, nostalgic essence. 

No joke, my sister makes spaghetti twice a week. 

This year my mom made large quantities of garden-fresh, homemade spaghetti sauce with tomatoes from their flourishing garden. She sent some frozen containers back to Fort Worth with me after my last visit and I have finally made use of it! So so good. 

So I wanted to share with you my very simple, absolutely delicious spaghetti and meatballs recipe! 

What You'll Need:
(serves 2)
1/2 lb ground beef
1 egg
3/4 cup Parmesan bread crumbs 
1 clove garlic, minced 
1tbsp Italian seasoning 
Sprinkle of minced parsley 
Salt and Pepper to taste
(optional- 1 tsp crushed red pepper)
1 tbsp olive oil 
1 jar spaghetti sauce (store bought, homemade, sent from Mom- whichever you've got!)\
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 servings prepared spaghetti pasta 

What To Do:
Prepare spaghetti pasta. Meanwhile, mix together ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, and seasoning. Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Form ground beef mixture into small balls and place in hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides. 

Once browned, drain most of the excess oil. Add spaghetti sauce and mushrooms to the meatballs in the pan and simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

To serve, layer pasta, sauce and meatballs into your bowl or plate. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and minced parsley. Voila! 

Roasted Peaches with Greek Yogurt, Honey and Walnuts

If you've never browsed through Eat Live Run, please do yourself a favor and go do that right now. No, really. It's bursting with delicious recipes and gorgeous photos that will make you drool. 

Ok, are you back? Fantastic. Today I'm sharing my take on her roasted peaches! If you think it looks good, just wait until you smell and taste this delectable, pretty healthy dessert! (or breakfast, whatever)

I subbed in what I had on hand. Although I love me some goat cheese (which the original recipe calls for), I just had Greek yogurt which is still tangy and creamy! This would also work with mascarpone or even gorgonzola. 

What You'll Need:

(serves 2)

1 large ripe yellow peaches, halved

4 TBSP plain nonfat Greek yogurt

2 TBSP honey

1/3 cup roasted walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Scoop out peach pits and roast peaches halved side up on a lined baking sheet for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool briefly then scoop one tablespoon of Greek yogurt in the center of each peach half. Drizzle honey over the peaches and top with chopped walnuts.

Recipe adapted from Eat Live Run 

Roasted Fresh Green Beans and Grape Tomatoes

**I'm at camp with my students all this week! Hope y'all enjoy some of these yummy recipes while I'm away. I'll try to respond to comments/emails when I get back!**

This is a perfect summer side! Roasted tomatoes have such a delicious and robust flavor and green beans add just the right crunch. Plus this is so simple to throw together!

What You'll Need: 

1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed

1 pint grape tomatoes 

2 tbsp olive oil

freshly cracked black pepper

sea salt 

What To Do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss together beans, tomatoes and oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread evenly over a baking sheet and roast for 12-15 minutes or until the tomatoes have burst.

Recipe inspired by and adapted from Martha Stewart

Quick Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry

What You'll Need:
(serves 2) 
2 tbsp olive oil
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, diced
1/4 onion, thinly sliced
two large handfuls of spinach
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup fresh green beans, ends trimmed

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup prepared brown rice 
• 
  

What To Do:

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Be sure chicken pieces are completely dry. Salt and pepper generously. Cook chicken and onion together until chicken is no longer pink and the onion is soft. Add spinach, mushrooms and green beans to the skillet and cook 2-3 more minutes or until spinach is wilted.

In a separate bowl, stir together cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. Pour into skillet and stir all of the ingredients together. Cook together, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thickened. Let simmer five more minutes on low heat. Spoon over rice and serve immediately.

Adapted from Marian Collins

Skirt Steak with Balsamic Glaze

**I'm at camp with my students all this week! Hope y'all enjoy some of these yummy recipes while I'm away. I'll try to respond to comments/emails when I get back!**

This meal. It was ridiculously easy. But it looks all fancy schmancy, right? 

When I first saw this recipe I thought- 'What? Skirt steak is for fajitas. You don't eat it like a regular steak.' 

But it totally worked. Just like Martha said it would.

What You'll Need:

• 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak (cut into 2 or more pieces, if necessary, to fit in skillet)
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar

What To Do

·  Heat tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high. Season steak with salt and pepper; add to skillet. Cook, turning once, 6 to 8 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest, 5 to 10 minutes (reserve skillet).

·  Add vinegar to skillet, and boil over high until reduced to 1/2 cup, 5 to 7 minutes; stir in any juices from resting steak. Slice steak, and serve with balsamic glaze.

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Easy Guacamole

Fresh guacamole is one of life's most wonderful things. There's just something about the combination of rich avocado with diced onions, tomatoes and jalapenos with just a squeeze of lime juice that begs you to keep dipping tortilla chips into it. 


Okay, so guacamole is my crack.


And sometimes, I don't have onions, tomatoes and jalapenos on hand to mix in. So the trick I learned (from a legit Hispanic family, so don't hate) is to mix in some salsa! It already has all of the flavors you would mix into the guacamole all melded together in its own delicious form.  So if you don't have time to dice up all the fresh veggies, this is a perfectly acceptable and functional alternative. 

What You'll Need: 
3 Haas avocados
salt and fresh cracked black pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
1/2 lime, juiced
3 tablespoons of salsa 


What To Do:
Scoop avocado into a bowl and mash with a fork to desired smoothness or chunkiness. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to taste. Mix in salsa and lime juice. Adjust to taste. Consume immediately and if, unlike me, you have enough self control to have leftovers, refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container. 


So easy. So addicting. Enjoy responsibly.

Avocado Eggs Benedict with Chipotle Hollandaise Sauce

This has been on my list to try for a long time! And after I made this delicious dish I wondered by I waited so long. Putting this meal together is pretty simple. Poaching an egg can be tricky but even if it doesn't turn out pretty, it will still be delicious. You can check out this helpful tutorial from Smitten Kitchen! 

Plus, avocado makes everything better. 

As does any kind of chipotle cream sauce. Can I get an amen?

I would definitely recommend this for any meal of the day. I enjoyed it at 10pm, but I'm sure it will be making some more brunch appearances soon! It's great for looking like you're all fancy schmancy and spent a long time making something classy for guests when it takes about fifteen minutes total to make, including heating the water. 


What You'll Need:
(serves 2)

• 2 English muffins
• 2 large eggs
• 1 small avocado
• 2 slices Canadian style bacon 
• butter to spread

for Hollandaise sauce:

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 chipotle pepper (more if you like things spicy!)
• 2 tbsp adobo sauce (from canned chipotles in adobo)

What To Do:

Bring a pot of water to simmer. Swirl the water quickly with a spatula or spoon, creating a whirlpool effect. Crack your egg in the center and cook for about 2 1/2 minutes or until the whites are cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel.

Meanwhile, butter both sides of the English muffins and brown in a pan over medium heat. Heat Canadian style bacon in the pan as well. Mash avocado until creamy. Spread avocado over English muffin, then top with Canadian bacon and poached egg.

In a blender, combine egg yolks, lemon juice, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce for about thirty seconds until completely combined. With the blender still running, slowly stream in the hot, melted butter. The mixture should become thick and creamy. Immediately pour over your delicious sandwich and indulge. 

Recipe adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride: 

Avocado Eggs Benedict and Chipotle Hollandaise Sauce.

Pan Seared Chicken with Jalapeno Cream Sauce

There are a couple of things that I always have in the freezer. One of those is boneless skinless chicken breasts. I love how I can buy them in bulk, how versatile they are, and how quickly they defrost. 

However, sometimes chicken can get old. It doesn't sound as appealing as, oh, going out for Torchy's Tacos or Texas Roadhouse. 

Well, this sauce is a game changer. It's spicy and a little sweet and so creamy. And I think it makes the world go round. If you devein the peppers, it's a very mild sauce so leave those in if you like a little kick.

We served it with brown rice and steamed broccoli, but it would be delicious with an avocado salad, quinoa, or potatoes as well! 

What You'll Need:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon flour (any kind will do, I used whole wheat)
• 1/4 cup low-fat or skim milk
• 1 12-ounce can fat-free evaporated milk
• 2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese

What To Do:

Add chopped jalapenos, shallots and garlic to a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped (not pureed). Set aside.

Tenderize chicken breasts if desired and pat completely dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon canola oil. Once the oil is hot, add chicken breasts (make sure they are completely dry) and cook for about 8-10 minutes per side, until each side is caramelized and golden. If needed, use the remaining canola oil when flipping the chicken.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add butter. Once sizzling, add in the chopped jalapeno mixture, stirring to coat, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once fragrant (do NOT put your face directly over the jalapenos!), whisk in flour and stir continuously to create a roux. Cook mixture for 1-2 minutes, then add in milks, reducing the heat to medium-low. Continue to stir continuously until mixture begins to thicken (about 6-8 minutes), adding in parmesan cheese and reducing the heat even more. Once the desired thickness has been reached, turn off heat. Stir every so often – it may thicken even more while sitting – and you can add additional milk to thin it out if needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

Serve chicken over rice, vegetables or pasta and top with jalapeno cream. 

recipe from How Sweet Eats

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