Southwest Chicken Salad with Jalapeno Popper Dressing

(not sure why the chicken looks so pink here, I promise it was fully cooked!)

With promising sunshine and delicious seasonal produce, salad season is upon us again! (I mean winter salads are great too but there is something about summer flavors!) This salad features my favorite southwest flavors with ingredients that I can easily reuse in other recipes. Plus, jalapeno popper dressing pulls all of the fabulous tastes and textures together into creamy, spicy bliss. 

This isn't a very healthy salad but you can easily lighten yours up by using grilled chicken and fat free ingredients in your dressing!  

What You'll Need:
for salad:
one serving chicken 
mixed greens
1/2 avocado, sliced
1/4 cup diced red onion 
sliced grape tomatoes 
charred corn on the cob
1/4 cup black beans, rinsed
crumbled tortilla chips 
for dressing:

• 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup jalapenos
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 green onion
• 1 tablespoon cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste
• 
  

What To Do:
Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth, adding one jalapeno at a time until desired flavor is achieved (I used 2 fresh jalapenos in mine but peppers vary in heat so be prepared to adjust accordingly!). Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Prepare chicken as desired. Layer greens, avocado, corn, black beans, onion, tomatoes, and tortilla chips. Top with chicken and dressing.  Enjoy! 

Chicken recipe from Ruthie Hart

Dressing Recipe from Closet Cooking 

baked french toast

Although living alone has some definite perks, it also requires some creativity when food is involved. Last week I happened to have a beautiful loaf of bakery bread with no possible way to eat it all before it got stale. So instead of gorging myself on sandwiches, I added some apples and blueberries and baked up this delicious french toast! 

This recipe will yield quite a large batch of this yummy brunch bake. I only made about half of it for myself. It lends itself easily to adaptation, meaning you can sub in whatever fruit or milk products you have on hand! And oh my goodness, the way this smells as it cooks? Out of this world. You can also prep everything at night and refrigerate until you're ready to bake and serve in the morning, making it a fantastic option for when you have guests! 

What You'll Need:

• 1 loaf Crusty Sourdough Or French Bread
• 8 whole Eggs
• 2 cups Whole Milk
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 3/4 cups Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 pinch Nutmeg 
• 1 stick Cold Butter, Cut Into Pieces
•  Fresh Fruit (optional)

What To Do:

Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.

In a medium sized bowl mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and cut them into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.

When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 F. Remove casserole from the fridge and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. (If you're using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture.) Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.

Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman 

Spicy and Saucy Verde Pork Enchiladas

Ever since these creamy chicken enchiladas changed my perspective on enchiladas as a whole, I've been excited about experimenting with different flavor combinations, sauces, and components.  Whenever my parents sent me some shredded pork roast, I knew I wanted to transform it into something delicious and flavorful. 

These enchiladas utilize all my favorite green things- green chilies, jalapenos, cilantro and avocado- alongside tender pork roast and a creamy sauce that pulls everything together. You can always cut back on the spiciness by using mild green chilies and deveining the jalapenos, but I loved how the cool avocado balanced the peppers out. 

This is a great recipe to double. You can always freeze half for later, or enjoy the leftovers-they're pretty amazing. 

What You'll Need:
12 white corn tortillas 
2 cups shredded roast pork 
1 tsp olive oil 
1/2 large yellow onion, diced  
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 large avocado
2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese 
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour 
2 cups chicken broth 
1/2 cup heavy cream 
1 cup sour cream 
2 4oz cans diced green chilies 
1 small bunch cilantro, diced 
1 jalapeno, diced

What To Do:
Preheat oven to 350.

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan and add onion, stirring occasionally until translucent. Add garlic and continue cooking for one minute more. Add half of a can of the green chilies, shredded pork, and salt and pepper to taste and cook for a couple minutes, until heated through. Add a splash of heavy cream, ensuring that all of the filling is moistened. Turn off heat and cover until ready to use. 

Meanwhile, melt butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly stir in chicken broth. Allow the sauce to come to boil and to thicken. Lower heat to low. Add in the remaining green chilies, jalapeno, cilantro, sour cream, one cup of cheese, and stir well. Allow sauce to simmer until all ingredients are completely incorporated. (If desired, before adding the sour cream or cheese you can blend the sauce in a blender to get a smooth consistency and light green color.)

As the sauce simmers, microwave your tortillas 2-3 at a time, wrapped in a damp paper towel. Once heated, fill each tortilla with a generous scoop of the pork filling and two slices of avocado. Roll together, fitting into a baking dish. 

Once all of the tortillas are filled and rolled, pour your sauce over the tortillas, being sure to get every enchilada. There should be more than enough sauce for these saucy enchiladas. Cover with the remaining cheese. 

Bake for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling. Broil for just a moment at the end for a nice browned top!

Serve with rice and beans, chips and salsa, and guacamole or your favorite Mexican side dishes!

original recipe. 

turkey pot pie

In the midst of 16 degree weather and post-Thanksgiving leftovers, I scrounged up the perfect dish: Turkey Pot Pie! It's rich and warm and comforting and is packed full of nourishing vegetables and lean protein. 

I made mine in mini casserole dishes which turned out to be perfect serving sizes. Forgive my lack of exact measurements but I made this one up as I went so I'll be estimating how much of everything went into it! 

What You'll Need:
for the crust:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup shortening 
dash of salt 
3-5 tbsp ice water 
for the filling:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup turkey, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 small potato, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk (plus more as needed)
salt and pepper 

What To Do:
Preheat oven to 350

In a food processor, combine four, shortening and salt. Pulse until the mixture forms a coarse crumbly texture. Then add 1 tbsp of water at a time, mixing just until it comes together. Form dough into a ball and refrigerate for at least thirty minutes. 

Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add turkey, potato, carrot and celery and stir well. Continue cooking for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are softened, adding more oil as necessary. Sprinkle flour over and stir to coat. Slowly add in broth and milk, scraping the bottom of the pan. Allow mixture to come to a boil and thicken. 

Meanwhile, divide dough among four mini casserole dishes or roll out for your pie pan. Spray dish with cooking spray and press dough into shape. Fill each with turkey filling and top with more pie dough. 

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is browned. 

pie crust recipe adapted from here

Chicken Madeira (just like the Cheesecake Factory!)

Have you ever been to the Cheesecake Factory? The menu is the size of a Harry Potter book. Okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration. But it is well beyond Dr. Seuss in any case. And despite the endless menu options, I always- always- order the Chicken Madeira. Because it is that good (And it's a huge portion which means lunch for the next day too!). The sauce is sweet and savory and so full of flavor. 

Now, I didn't have any Madeira wine for my own dish so instead I used a balsamic vinegar mixture. It turned out just as tasty and still quite beautiful. If you do happen to have some Madeira on hand, just use that instead of the balsamic vinegar in this recipe and omit the brown sugar. 

The Cheesecake Factory dish is served with melted mozzarella over the chicken and grilled asparagus. However, I think the sauce is the real star and didn't want to take away any of its shining glory. But if you want to go completely copycat, then before adding the sauce to your chicken, place thin mozzarella slices to the cooked chicken breast and broil for a few minutes until just bubbly. I don't love asparagus so I didn't miss it but it would definitely add to the beautiful presentation of this dish! 

What You'll Need:(serves 4)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin 
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
for sauce:
3 Tbsp. butter
2 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 c. balsamic vinegar
1 c. beef broth
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
pepper 

(optional) 1 tsp cornstarch

What To Do: 

Heat butter in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and saute for a couple minutes. Add remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until sauce thickens and reduces to about 1/2-1/4 of it's original volume. If your sauce is still a little runny, mix together 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tsp water in a small cup and combine completely. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into your sauce and stir quickly. 

While the sauce is simmering pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a separate skillet and cook chicken for five minutes on each side or until seared nicely on the outside and fully cooked on the inside. Right before serving, spoon some of the sauce over each piece of chicken. Serve with mashed potatoes. 

recipe adapted from favorite family recipes 

Turkey, Pumpkin, and Black Bean Chili

With crisp cold weather blowing in, I crave warm, hearty meals like this chili! I love that this recipe lightens up traditional chili and is packed with important nutrients. So even though it might feel like a yummy fall splurge, it is quite healthy. I thought that pumpkin sounded like a weird addition, but it adds a wonderful depth of flavor and thickens the texture. Plus pumpkin adds Vitamin A, potassium and fiber! 

This is a pretty mild chili on the spicy scale but you can always kick your heat up with a little cayenne pepper.

I used ground turkey in my recipe but this would be fantastic with Thanksgiving leftovers! Just cube up that leftover turkey and you've got a great second (or third or fourth) meal. 

What You'll Need:
(serves 10)

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 15 oz cans of black beans, rinsed and drained

1 15 oz can solid-pack pumpkin

1 14.5 oz can  diced tomatoes, undrained

3 cups chicken broth

1 lb ground turkey 

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

3 teaspoons chili powder

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cubed avocado and sour cream or Greek yogurt for topping 

What To Do:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and
• pepper; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute
• longer. Crumble in ground turkey, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and continue cooking until no longer pink. 
• Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients.
• Cook, covered, on low 4-5 hours. Serve warm with avocado and
• sour cream. 

• 
  

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Blackberry Yogurt Swirl Paletas

   

    I know everyone is enjoying cool fall weather, but here it is still quite warm. The low was 73 today (and that was in the middle of the night) but I still wore a scarf and a cardigan to celebrate haha! I love autumn- crock pot meals, boots, football, pumpkin and salted caramel everywhere- it's a lot to love. But while it's still warm here, I'll be enjoying delicious frozen treats like these beautiful blackberry swirl paletas! 

    I made some full size pops and some tiny shot glass pops for quick snacking. I love the way the fruit complements the lemon-honey yogurt- a perfect combination of sweet, tart, creamy and cool. 

• What You'll Need:
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 cups plain unsweetened Greek-style yogurt

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 cups fresh blackberries or other berries of your choice
• 
  
• What To Do 
• 1. Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, just until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved.
• 
  
• 2. Rinse the lemon and then slice off the zest, but not the underlying pith, in long strips. (Save the underlying lemon for a different use.) Add the strips of lemon zest to the pan, lower the heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the syrup cool to room temperature. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
• 
  
• 3. Add the yogurt and honey to the chilled syrup and stir until thoroughly combined. Place some of the sweetened yogurt mixture into each of the molds, filling to about halfway.
• 
  
• 4. Place blackberries, a sprinkle of sugar and a couple of drops of water in a blender or food processor. Blend until a consistent textured liquid. Pour fruit into popsicle molds and swirl with a popsicle stick. Pour more yogurt mixture over to fill. 
• 
  
• 5. If using conventional molds, snap on the lid and freeze until solid, 3 to 4 hours. If using glasses or other unconventional molds, freeze until the pops are beginning to set (45 minutes to 1 hour), then insert the sticks and freeze until solid, 3 to 4 hours.

Recipe from Paletas by Fany Gerson 

Shrimp Scampi

My parents are the best. When I came to visit over Labor Day weekend, they sent me home with some beautiful jumbo shrimp that they had picked up on the gulf. I had only ever cooked with frozen, shelled, deveined shrimp so it was fun and slightly horrifying to remove the shells (and legs! omg the legs) and veins myself. 

However, I have to say- it was totally worth it. Fresh shrimp are fantastic. And this perfect pasta dish is a great way to showcase shrimp. 

This simple recipe goes from prep to table in thirty minutes or less. It is super tasty and quite beautiful! This is a perfect weeknight meal to cram between volleyball practice and bible study (or between class and my night shift!). 

Serve alongside a pretty salad and garlic bread for a meal that it sure to satisfy everyone.

What You'll Need:

4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
4 cloves Garlic Cloves, Minced Or Pressed
1 pound Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined
1/2 cup White Wine
2 whole Lemons
1 tsp Hot Sauce 
 Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
8 ounces, weight Angel Hair Pasta
 Chopped Fresh Basil To Taste
 Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

What To Do:

Boil water for pasta.

Heat olive oil and melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for two or three minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add shrimp, then stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Squeeze in lemon juice. Add wine, butter, salt and pepper, and hot sauce. Stir and reduce heat to low.

Throw angel hair pasta into the boiling water. Cook until just done/al dente. Drain, reserving a cup or two of the pasta water.

Remove skillet from heat. Add pasta and toss, adding a splash of pasta water if it needs to be thinned. Taste for seasonings, adding salt and pepper if needed.

Top with grated Parmesan and minced parsley and serve immediately.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman 

Lime Pie Paletas

Although I think I've come a long way bridging the cultural gap between my darling Hispanic students at OMBC and my very Caucasian self, there were some interesting learning moments along the way. 

On our very first trip as student minister and youth group, we were canvasing flyers in an apartment complex. And every time we went, tinkling music played as an older man pushed a freezer cart full of frozen treats. The kids would get super excited, dig for their cash and run after him. 

"Where are you going?" I asked one student. "The paleta man!" she replied. 

Insert confused face here. "Huh?" I had no clue what they were talking about. Thankfully one of them took pity on me and explained that a paleta is basically a popsicle- a frozen treat on a stick. It was my first experience with paletas (which I also coughed up a dollar daily to enjoy) but definitely not my last! This past year I lived right by an elementary school and the paleta cart was there at the corner every day for the children (and neighbors) to enjoy.

I came across Paletas by Fany Gerson and some $1 popsicle molds at Walmart and it has been a beautiful combination.  I bookmarked so many recipes to test! These lime pie pops got my immediate attention because I happened to have sweetened condensed milk in my pantry and limes are currently 10 cents each. They are fantastically creamy, tart and sweet! I love how the fresh squeezed juice really shines through. Plus, they're ridiculously easy to make. Juicing the limes is the hardest part. 

This recipe makes 8 full size pops or 24 mini pops. The photo displays paletas molded in 1 oz measuring shot glasses. I think these are the perfect size for a party or just for casual snacking! 

What You'll Need:

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup half and half

3/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 4-5 small limes juiced)

1 tsp lime zest 

pinch of salt 

green food coloring (optional)

2 cups crushed Graham Crackers 

What To Do:

Whisk together the milk, half and half, lime juice,  zest and salt until completely uniformly mixed. Add food coloring if desired and stir well. 

Pour into your molds. (If using shot glasses/Dixie Cups or other unconventional molds, freeze for 1 hour and then add popsicle sticks.) Freeze for 4-5 hours. 

Run warm water around the molds before gently removing your paleta. Before serving, roll each paleta in cracker crumbs to complete the perfect pie combination! 

Recipe adapted from Paletas

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?