Pin!

After months of hearing about Pinterest from all of my Mom friends, I finally jumped on the bandwagon and I have to say I'm smitten.  I've never experienced a site that satisfies all of my needs in one place... Facebook who?

Tonight I made a total stranger's Blackened Chicken with Cilantro Lime Quinoa and it was pintastic!  It is so good that it'll not only be part of my weekly lineup, but I would even serve it to guests.  I threw in some roasted summer squash with manchego and boiled corn since I had made it for my kids and topped it off with a dollop of avocado/sour cream sauce.  

Here's the recipe that serves 2.  You must try it!

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp butter

2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 cup quinoa

juice and zest of 2 limes

dash salt/pepper

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped (optional)

Other: Avocado sauce

1 avocado

2 tbsp sour cream 

1/2 juice of a lime

salt/pepper

Directions:

1) Prepare quinoa as directed (I use chicken stock over water).

2) While quinoa is cooking, combine all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl (paprika through cumin).
3) Rinse the chicken breasts, pat dry, and cover each breast with seasoning-front/back.

4) Add the olive oil and butter to a pan (I used a nonstick pan with a lid).  Heat over medium/high heat for about a minute and add the chicken breasts.  Cook for about 7 minutes per side with the lid on.  I kept flipping mine so each side wouldn't get too burned.

5) After the breasts are fully cooked (they should register at least 165 degrees on your thermometer), remove and allow to rest for five minutes before serving.

6) When the quinoa is finished cooking, transfer to a bowl and add the zest and juice of two limes and salt/pepper to taste.  (You can make this a few hours in advance to cut down on time). 

7) Remove the flesh of one avocado and add the sour cream, 1/2 the juice of a lime, and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix together.

8) Plate the quinoa and add the blackened chicken with a dollop of avocado sauce.

Follow me already.

PC: Yours Truly 

Recipe: Sarcastingcooking.com

So Hot Right Now

Burgers are the new black.  They're versatile, deliver a ton of bang for your buck, and can even make you slimmer. Pretty perfect in my book. Plus, we all know that grilling a mean burger makes you irresistible, so get on it!

I recently tried Self Magazine's Buffalo Chicken Burgers and loved them.  The blue cheese and celery create the perfect balance to the juicy chicken doused in hot sauce (Frank's obviously).  I served mine with a side of blue cheese dressing as well as baked sweet potato fries and roasted asparagus. "Healthy-enough"as I like to say. 

Next time I'll inject a few dashes of hot sauce into the patties for an extra kick (some like it hot).  And you can totally add american or any cheese on top if you need an extra cheesy cheese(chicken)burger.

Get your chicken on!

PC: Yummly.com

Pizza Night

My husband and I developed the gluttonous Sunday night habit of finishing off a Medium (sometimes Large) thin-crust pizza from our favorite pizzeria, Pizano's.  We find that there's nothing more rewarding than indulging in a mouthwatering pizza after a long weekend of keeping up with our twins.

However this past Sunday, after a quick stop at Whole Foods and picking up their homemade whole-wheat pizza dough, I decided to make my own pizza since I love to cook and am always looking for a creative outlet.  The results were astounding and my pizza was out of this world.  The crust was perfectly golden and crispy and the homemade mozzarella was savory and beyond my wildest dreams.  I paired it with a low-fat caesar salad and mounds of roasted veggies-summer squash, zucchini, and broccoli- Ina Garten-style.  And best of all, I finally started off the week feeling healthy and not an overstuffed sausage. 

Making a successful pizza is all about having a pizza stone and preheating it in the oven for at least 30 minutes at 450-500 degrees.  And using Whole Foods pizza dough doesn't hurt either.  It's pretty sick (in a good way). 

Recipe: Tomato and Mozzarella Flatbread Pizza by Giada featured in Food & Wine

PC: Smitten Kitchen

Da Bears Menu

Last Monday my husband and I hosted 15 of our friends for a night of da Bears and chili.  Since one of my friends is pregnant, another is breastfeeding, and another can't eat pork, I made two sets of chili so no one would go hungry. Here's what was served:

7 Layer Dip (by the Pioneer Woman) to start:

Giada's Chicken Chili: 

Beef and Chorizo Chili: 

***I substitute ground round for stew meat

Mac N' Cheese with Pancetta: a true crowd pleaser

(I add a few dashes of nutmeg)

Ina's Corn Muffins: equally delicious

(I add a 1/2 cup of drained sweet yellow corn to the batter)

Dessert: 

Sweet Mandy B's Cupcakes:

Lucky for me, the Bears won and the food was a hit so it was a good night had by all.  

 PC: Pioneerwoman, browniebites, green local living, bon appetit, food network, formerms

I'll have what she's having

Although I haven't been that active in the kitchen, I did try this Eggplant marinara recipe and just lo, lo, looovvved it.  It's perfect as a light appetizer or small meal.  

P.S I used store-bought naan and it was delish

PC: Bon Appetit

Baby Food 101

Being a new Mom is definitely the greatest challenge I have ever faced.  What shocks me most is how little doctors advise you on pretty much everything.  Like, how much food should I be giving my baby? And when? What kind of schedule should I adapt? What foods should I start with? Just to name a few.

After hearing that "food is not a science" from my Pediatrician, I decided to dive right in and learn from trial and error. 

I started with jarred carrots since the one thing my doctor did advise was to buy it jarred since carrots can contain nitrates in some parts of the country.  Note: other foods to avoid making homemade: beets and spinach. 

The second food I tried was pears and my boys absolutely loved them.   If all goes well with digestion I'll definitely be adding it to their oatmeal in the morning. 

Here's how to make pear baby food:

1) Buy 4-5 ripe pears (organic if possible)

2) Wash, peel, core, and chop

3) Add to a small pan over medium heat (that's right you do not need to add any liquid to cook them, the pears' liquid does the steaming). COVER

4) Cook over medium heat for 4-6 minutes.  

5) Strain the pears and reserve the liquid if needed

6) Add to a hand blender or Babycook and puree. If it's thick, add some of the pear juice.

7) Serve in containers lukewarm or room temperature

8) Store or freeze leftovers (refrigerated food can last 2-3 days and frozen food can last 5-6 weeks.

Makes: 6 2-oz portions

*Dont forget, while introducing a new food, be sure to do it for 3 consecutive days before moving on to another one. You need to make sure that your baby can tolerate it and isn't allergic. And once your baby's spoon touches the portion it cannot be saved so plan accordingly. 

Here's a list of items I'm using to make baby food:

1) Babycook: steamer, blender, defroster, and warmer in one

2) Storage 

OXO Tot Baby Blocks Freezer Storage Containers

Beaba Multiportions:

-freezer, microwave, and dishwasher safe 

Fresh baby food storage trays:

3) Utensils:

I love Nuk soft bite spoons:

PC: Videojug, Diapers.com

Hats off!

Say hello to my little friend(s) purchased from my favorite store Twinkle Twinkle Little One.  They're perfect to battle the elements and complement your already adorable baby.  

They come in female versions as well so check them out!  

PC: Twinkle Twinkle Little One