Spinach Queso Dip

I got this idea for a twist on queso dip from my mom, and it's ridiculously tasty and easy. I've made it for a couple of parties recently, and it's gone over well both times. It calls for a grand total of three ingredients- Velveeta cheese, Rotel tomatoes, and frozen spinach. Basically, just heat and stir!

Once everything is melted and combined, serve with tortilla chips and enjoy! I like the think the inclusion of spinach means that there's a touch of nutrition in there too! 

Spring Vegetable Couscous with Chicken

I've recently given asparagus another try, and to my surprise, I found that it's actually pretty good. As a result, this week I made Spring Vegetable Couscous with Chicken. This dish was light and satisfied my craving for something green. I cut back on the butter, which probably didn't make it quite as flavorful as it could have been. However, the addition of lemon added some great flavor and really complemented the vegetables- definitely don't omit the lemon! 

Overall, I was very happy with how the dish turned out- it tasted like spring in about 15 minutes. (I really love how quickly couscous cooks- it's like magic!)

Pineapple Jerk Chicken and Rice

I'm a big fan of jamaican jerk chicken and stir fry, and I really enjoy this combination of the two- Pineapple Jerk Chicken and Rice. I followed the recipe pretty faithfully, except for a few adjustments to the ingredients. First, I added a chopped red pepper to up the veggie quota. Also, rather than using the marinade mix, I use a combination of a tasty spice blend and pineapple juice.

Once you've got all the ingredients prepped, this meal comes together pretty quickly- just saute the chicken and veggies and throw in the spices and juice. I suppose the parsley's not strictly necessary, but it adds a touch of color and makes the meal look more appealing. A great sweet heat combo!

Cinnamon and Spice Hot Cocoa

Hopefully there aren't tooooo many long cold Iowa winter nights left this year... but until we're done, one of my favorite evening treats is a hot cup of cocoa. As a result, I couldn't resist trying this spicy twist on a classic.

It's pretty simple- just add a dash of cinnamon and cayenne pepper to your traditional cocoa ingredients, and you're good to go! An easy, reasonably healthy treat.

Pineapple and Black Bean Salsa

Chris and I are meeting up with some people for snacks and board games tonight, and in addition to my all time favorite appetizer, I'm also bringing some Pineapple and Black Bean Salsa. Alas, I got this recipe from the newest issue of Everyday Food, so it has not yet been posted online. However, it's so simple, you probably don't even need the recipe if you'd like to try it. It calls for black beans, pineapple (I used fresh, because it's ultra-delicious, but I imagine that canned would be alright too), red onion, jalapeno, lime juice, and cilantro (since I'm one of those people who really hates cilantro, I substituted parsley).

All you need to do is chop things up pretty finely, drain and rinse the beans, squeeze in some lime, and mix! I made this last night, and it seems like the flavors have been combining over time, so it's definitely fine to make in advance. I just love the flavor combination- the creaminess from the beans, the sweetness from the pineapple, the heat from the jalapeno, the bite from the onion, and the tang from the lime. It just tastes fresh like spring to me!

Quick Chicken Marsala

One of my favorite things to order when I go out to eat is chicken marsala, but many of the recipes that I've found for this dish seem a bit more complicated than I usually feel like tackling at home. In response, I've come up with my own quick home version that has many of the same flavors. I start by dredging chicken cutlets in some flour seasoned with salt, pepper, and thyme. I saute the cutlets in a bit of olive oil and then stick them in the oven to keep them warm. Mushrooms are a key ingredient in chicken marsala, so I saute those for a bit next. After they've gone for a few minutes, I add a splash of marsala wine (another key ingredient). At this point, the chicken goes back in to meld with the mushrooms and wine. Right before I'm getting ready to serve it, I also like to add a splash of cream. Half and half works too, but it doesn't incorporate into the sauce as well. 

I like to serve the chicken with hot buttered noodles and a vegetable. While it's not as good as good restaurant chicken marsala, it satisfies the craving!

Vegetable Pad Thai

Chris and I whipped up a simple Vegetable Pad Thai the other night, and while it didn't measure up to the best restaurant pad thai I've ever had, it definitely satisfied the craving. Part of what I love about this recipe is that it's so simple- it contains mostly ingredients that I always have on hand, like lime juice and soy sauce. I also throw in a little sriracha sauce for heat and some extra veggies to bulk it up. The only thing a little exotic is the rice noodles (which I highly recommend picking up at the Asian market, not the grocery store- much cheaper).

We served the pad thai on Chris' classy lighthouse plates, topped with chopped peanuts, green onion, and a squeeze of lime. A tasty vegetarian dinner!

Chicken Cutlets with White Wine and Garlic

One of my favorite ways to eat boneless skinless chicken breasts is to make Chicken Cutlets with White Wine and Garlic.  It's very quick to make if you marinade the chicken beforehand. I usually get it started the night before, but you can also freeze it or do it about half an hour before you plan to eat.  The recipe calls for fresh thyme, but I've always used dried, and it's turned out just fine.

I served my chicken with some egg noodles and green beans, but it's also really awesome with some sauteed mushrooms and a splash of marsala. This is a quick dinner that's on a pretty regular rotation for me.

Chicken and Black Bean Nachos

While it's not the healthiest meal, every once in awhile, I love to have nachos for dinner. Of course you need tortilla chips for the base, and for the main topping, my favorite is a smashed together mix of shredded chicken, black beans, and some taco seasoning. Next, nachos aren't nachos without cheese- usually I just use some shredded cheese and throw the nachos in the oven so the cheese will melt, but this time I used some jarred queso. 

The toppings are also an important element in nachos. I like mine with some shredded iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes, green onion, and, of course, some pickled jalapenos. They definitely give the nachos a bite! Messy, but delicious.

Cashew Chicken

Chris has been staying with me this week, and we both love stir fry, so we made Cashew Chicken the other day. I used to work at Hy-Vee in high school, and when I worked in the evenings, I would often get delicious, greasy cashew chicken for dinner. This recipe satisfied that same craving while being much lighter. The sauce ingredients weren't too exotic- it was all stuff that I already had on hand, like rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger. 

Chris mixed the sauce while I chopped, and we were sitting down to dinner within about half an hour. I loved the nutty crunch of the cashews and the freshness of the green onions on top. It definitely satisfied my desire for takeout!

Appetizer Christmas: Stuffed Jalapenos

My family tends toward the non-traditional for Christmas dinner. The past few years, we've had Christmas tacos, but this year, to change it up a bit, we did appetizer Christmas. We had a nice spread, including chicken skewers with spicy dipping sauce, veggies and hummus, and hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls. For my contribution, I made these insanely delicious Stuffed Jalapenos from the June 2010 issue of Everyday Food. They totally satisfy a jalapeno popper craving, and they're a lot healthier.

They're also incredibly easy to make- all you need is a few jalapenos, some cream cheese, and some shredded cheddar cheese. Just slice the jalapenos in half, and then scoop out the ribs and seeds, depending on how hot you want them to be. A spoon is the ideal tool for this. For the filling, just smash together some cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Once you've got your scooped out jalapenos, you just stuff them with a bit of the cheese mixture and bake.

The stems make nice little handles once you're ready to eat!

Sesame Beef

I love stir-fry, though I usually make it with chicken. However, the Sesame Beef recipe in the the December 2010 issue of Everyday Food inspired me to give a beef stir-fry a try. One of the things that I love about stir-fry is how easy it is to change it up and add whatever veggies you have on hand. I stuck with the recipe this time though, using red pepper and green onions.

Though I still prefer chicken, this stir-fry recipe was a quick and easy change for me. The sauce used ingredients I already had, and it ended up being light and flavorful, although I'll probably throw in some grated ginger if I make this again. The fresh green onions on top are key- they add an important burst of flavor. Once I got everything chopped, things came together pretty fast- in about 15 minutes, I had this:

Dijon Crusted Chicken Breasts

Tonight for dinner I tried dijon crusted chicken breasts from Taste of Home, and they turned out to be simple and delicious. The crust was very satisfying- it really did remind me of fried chicken, but much healthier. The mustard added nice flavor without being overpowering.  The ingredients were pretty simple- just boneless skinless chicken breasts brushed with dijon mustard and rolled in bread crumbs, parmesan, thyme, salt, and pepper. I simply sauteed them in a bit of olive oil, but I suspect they'd also be good baked!

I served my chicken breasts with simple sides- just mashed potatoes and green beans. I went from getting home from work to eating dinner in about 35 minutes.