Chicken + Tacos = Happy Men

Yes, I love to make people happy through food...so sue me, or just come eat with me, and be happy.  In the last several days I have had some of the men that make me most happy come visit, so I have had to make them chicken tacos to make them happy too.  I thought I would share...so taco on peeps, taco on...

3-4 cups of shredded chicken (I like a rotisserie chicken)
1/4 tsp each of chili powder, cumin, oregano
1/2 onion, chopped and sauteed
salt and pepper to taste

1 dozen corn tortillas
1 cup grated cheddar cheese                                                                            
1/2 cup lettuce, chopped
1 tomato diced
1/4 cup oil

Add a Tbsp of butter or oil to a frying pan and add onion.  Saute until soft and translucent.  Add shredded chicken to the onions, add spices and stir.  Take of the pan and put on a plate.

Add oil to the frying pan.  turn to med. high heat.  Watch the heat carefully, so that it won't pop.  When hot add the corn tortilla.  Add a couple tablespoons of the chicken to one half of the tortilla.  Flep te other half of the tortilla over the chicken.  when the side face down is crispy, flip the taco over and fry the other side until crispy.  You can probably have several tacos going at the same time.

  Take taco out of the pan and place on a pan, so that it tips and the oil can drip onto a paper towel.  Add the cheese, so that it melts nicely in the taco.

Serve with lettuce, tomato, and hot sauce...  and remember...cold tacos for breakfast are also way awesome!

Quinoa Chili

I am teaching a class on healthy eating for one or two people.  Someone made the joke, that even though I cook for myself, I don't cook for one.  That is true, I then have to feed the world.  I deliver food to all takers.  :)  I am bringing my black bean and corn salad, spinach and sweet potato stir fry and this quinoa chili.  My cousin Brooke just posted this on her health blog on Friday and I have been dying to try it, so I decided tonight would be a good night to make it for myself and share it with others.  It is soooo good.  I only made a few changes, I used kidney beans that I cooked, and I add a dash of chipotle salsa that I had made, because, why not?  I also added extra corn, because I love super sweet corn. .   So try it out (with a dollop of sour cream) and enjoy!  Happy quinoaing!!!!

Quinoa Chili
adapted from Food.com by Brooke Yool
http://youcangetfit.wordpress.com/

2 cans  beans, rinsed and drained  (or cook your own)
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped                                                                  
1 tsp salt
1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like it hot!)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2/3 c quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 c frozen corn (I love BirdsEye super sweet...I like extra)
1 (15.5 oz) can tomato sauce  (If you have any salsa or tabasco sauce add a bit for more kick)
1 c water

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions, and saute until tender.

2. Add salt, garlic, pepper, and spices; saute 5-10 minutes.

3. Add rinsed quinoa and stir. Add corn, tomato sauce, and water to onion/quinoa mixture. Simmer 20 minutes.

4. Add beans to the pot and simmer another 15 minutes.

5. Serve as-is (which tastes perfectly fine!) or with your favorite toppings: cheese, sour cream, avocados...

Fresh Apricot, Peach, Strawberry Crisp

Yes, I know what you are thinking...."hasn't she been making healthy foods?"  (though some of you might be thinking "how the heck is she not married to the happiest man on earth."  well, it takes a quite a man to deserve my awesomeness and cooking...:)....but back to the healthy food.  Yes, I told myself when I bought the 24 pounds of apricots, you will only make jam, no pie, or crumble or crisps...I totally lied to myself.  My excuse?  I blame my mother.  I invited them to have my amazingly delicious and healthy vegetable barley soup.  She accepted the invitation and then gave me heavy cream from a dairy in Wyoming, and requested ice cream.  I can't tell my mom no...and if I was going to make vanilla bean ice cream it needed fruit to go with it...so, I used the rest of my apricots, a few peaches and a couple strawberries.  but this can be done with just apricots, or peaches.   It is amazing!!!  (too bad for all the lonely hungry men...you chose wrongly...hahahahaha!!!  Happy Crisping!!

 

 

Fresh Apricot, Peach, Strawberry Crisp

  Ingredients

• 4 cups apricot, peach, strawberry halves
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup rolled oat
• ¼ cup sliced almonds

Directions

1.                     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.                     Arrange the apricots in a 9x12-inch baking dish and sprinkle with white sugar and ¾ tsp of cinnamon. Mix together brown sugar, ¼ tsp cinnamon and flour in a bowl; cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Lightly stir in the rolled oats and almonds and spoon the mixture over the apricots.

3.                     Bake in the preheated oven until the fruit is soft and the topping is browned and crisp, 35 to 40 minutes.

Apricot Chicken

I have apricots growing out of my ears. I made jam until I could jam no more!!! So, what are the other options...well, there are the sweet treats, but I am trying to behave...and that is tough...so I decided I would do apricot chicken. I looked at this one by Rachael Ray, but added my own little flare.  It is not spectacular, but it will be, I think maybe adding a squeeze of citrus might liven it up. 

Apricot Chicken
Adapted from Rachael Ray
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil,
• 2 pounds chicken tenderloins, cut in 1/2 across on an angle
• Salt and pepper, and cinnamon chipotle chicken rub (optional)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
dash of chili powder.
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar
• 12 fresh apricots, chopped
• 1 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup apricot all fruit spread or apricot preserves
Directions

Heat a large skillet with a lid over medium high heat. Add oil and chicken. Season with salt and pepper and chicken rub (I like chipotle cinnamon). Cook the chicken until brown. Take out and let rest, add more oil to the pan and add onions. Cook 5 minutes. Add garlic and flour and stir to make a roux. Add vinegar to the pan and let it evaporate. Add apricots and stock. When stock comes to a bubble, add preserves and dash of chili powder and stir to combine. Add Chicken, cover pan, reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Serve chicken.

Apricot Jam

Apricot Jam
About six 1 cup (250ml) jars

10 cups diced and cooked apricots
1/2 cup water
8 cups sugar
1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
**to make it a mixed berry add equal amount of berries and 2 more cups of sugar and 1 package of pectin

1. Cut the apricots in half and extract the pits.

2. Place the apricots in a very large stockpot, and add the water. Cover the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until the apricots are tender and cooked through.

3. Put a small plate in the freezer.

4. Add the sugar to the apricots and cook, uncovered, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. As the mixture thickens and reduces, stir frequently to make sure the jam isn’t burning on the bottom.

5. When the jam looks thick and is looks slightly-jelled, turn off the heat and put a small amount of jam on the chilled plate. Put back in the freezer for a few minutes, then do the nudge test: If the jam mounds and wrinkles (as shown in the photo), it’s done. If not, continue to cook, then re-test the jam until it reaches that consistency.

(You can use a candy thermometer if you wish. The finished jam will be about 220ºF, 104ºC.)

6. Once done, stir in the lemon juice, and ladle the jam into clean jars. Cover tightly and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, refrigerate until ready to use.

Storage: I find this jam will keep up to one year if refrigerated. If you wish to can it for long-term preservation, you can refer to the USDA Canning Guidelines for techniques.

Pizza!

Tonight, with a friend, we decided to tackle Tumamoc Hill, a lovely steep hill on the west side of town, that takes you up 700 feet in a mile and a half.  After an accomplishment like that, we needed to eat well.  We wanted to make pizza!  I am not so great at the whole pizza dough thing, but luckily Trader Joe's comes in and saves the day with their awesome dough.  We decided to do BBQ chicken and Margherita, which I had never made before, but I had fresh tomatoes from my mom's garden and fresh basil from my herb garden.  It is now my favorite, it was amazing!!  Happy Pizza-ing!!

Pizza Margherita

1/2 Trader Joe's Pizza dough
1 tomato sliced, or 2 small tomatoes
1/2 cup marinara (my marinara recipe is somewhere in this blog)
1/2 ball mozzarella sliced thin
6-7 basil leaves, chiffonade

Roll out the dough and cook in a 450 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes.  This will help it from getting soggy in the middle.
After you get it out, add the marinara sauce, place the basil and tomatoes around the pizza, and then place the mozzarella slices on top of the pizza.  


Cook in the 450 degree oven for 12 more minutes.  

BBQ Chicken Pizza
1/2 Trader Joe's dough
1/4 cup of BBQ sauce
 6 mini peppers, sliced
1/4 of an onion, sliced and sauteed
3/4 cup shredded chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken)
1/2 ball of mozzarella grated

Roll out the dough and cook in a 450 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes.  This will help it from getting soggy in the middle.
After you get it out, add the BBQ sauce, place the peppers, onions and chickens around the pizza, and then place the mozzarella on top of the pizza.  


Cook in the 450 degree oven for 12 more minutes. 

 and dessert was chocolate cheesecake bars (recipe on blog) and homemade chocolate mint ice cream...I would give you the recipe, but I kind of just threw it together without measuring.  :)

Spinach and Potato Sauté

mmmmmmm.....I am eating this while blogging it....it is really yummy, and so healthy.  I got the recipe from world's healthiest foods site, and modified the spices a bit to the ones that I like, and added fresh red potatoes from my parent's garden.  Really am loving it.  I paired it with brown rice mixed with quinoa, barley and buckwheat.  If feels satisfying, nourishing and warm.  So get you healthy on!!!

Spinach and Potato  Sauté 

Ingredients:

·                         1 medium onion, chopped

·                         4 medium cloves garlic, minced

·                         1 cup + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth

·                         Dash of ginger, nutmeg, turmeric, cumin, curry powder

·                         1 TBS fresh lemon juice

·                         2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

·                         ½ cup red potatoes, chopped

·                         2 cups fresh spinach

·                         2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro

·                         salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Chop onions and mince garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
2. Heat 1 TBS broth in a large stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
3. Add seasonings and lemon juice and stir to mix thoroughly. Add broth and sweet potatoes. Simmer covered over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover to allow sauce to thicken and cook another couple minutes.
4. Press water out of spinach and add to sweet potatoes. Cook uncovered for a few more minutes to allow sauce to thicken. Add cilantro, salt, and pepper.

Crunchy Strawberry Spinach Salad

One of my fabulous relatives has a fantastic health blog.  She shares recipes, exercise and emotional heath tips that are wonderful.  Her name is Brooke Yool and her site is:  http://youcangetfit.wordpress.com/ 

She posted a recipe recently that I had to try.  So last night I made it for an after Sabino Canyon hike to share with my hiking friend.  This was a great recipe, and I changed it up a bit for me, and it was satisfying, tasty, and heathy.  Fantastic!  It includes ramen noodles, that sounds strange, but the sauteing of them help to change their consistency to a toasted crunchiness.  If I were to do this again, I would replace some of the sugar with honey and add a tablespoon of orange juice and a bit of grated rind.  So good salading!!!

Crunchy Strawberry Spinach Salad

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 3 oz package ramen (noodles only)
1 c almond slices
1/4 c vegetable oil
2 tbsp white sugar                                                                                                           
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp soy sauce

8 strawberries

fresh ground pepper
6 oz baby spinach
2 c sliced strawberries

1. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Crumble ramen noodles (set seasoning packet aside for another use) into skillet. Add nuts. Stir frequently to toast nuts and noodles, toasting for 3-5 minutes. Keep them moving to avoid burning. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Make dressing: In a blender, place 1/4 c vegetable oil, sugar, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, and a few turns of black pepper, and 8 strawberries.  Blend and place in container with a tight lid. 

3. Assemble salad: In large bowl, combine spinach and strawberry slices. Add cooled nuts and noodles; toss to combine. Top with dressing; toss to mix thoroughly. You are ready to serve!