Southwest Chicken Salad

18 Oct 2013 3 Comments

by sparksfromthekitchen in Lunch, Main Dish, Salad

I love discovering new salads. The flavors in this salad really come together nicely-the slight heat from the chicken, the tangy dressing and creamyness of the avocado make for delicious bite after delicious bite.

When the chicken is cooking is a great time to prep the veggies and cheese and make the dressing and then it’s just a matter of chopping the chicken and putting it all together on a plate.

You can serve this as a lunch, a light dinner or a side salad.  The original recipe included fried tortilla strips but I omitted them and replaced with the crispy noodles.

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Southwest Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 6 ozs boneless skinless chicken breast halves
  • kernels from one ear of corn cooked (or 1/2 cup frozen or canned kernels)
  • 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 2 tbsp freshly graded Colby Jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup crispy lo mein noodles

Instructions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 425. In a small bowl combine the first 4 ingredients above and mix to form a paste. Place the chicken in a small baking dish and coat the chicken with the spice paste. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked completely.
  2. While the chicken is cooking prep the veggies and cheese and set aside. Then make the dressing (recipe below) and set aside.
  3. When chicken is cooked remove it from the oven and set aside for  a few minutes until it’s cool enough to touch. Then cut it into small cubes.
  4. Toss the lettuce, tomato, and corn with most of the vinaigrette (set a little aside to drizzle over the chicken).  Put the veggies on a plate, top with the avocado, crispy noodles, cheese and chicken. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette and serve.

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (1 lime)
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/8 red onion, sliced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Place all ingredients into a small food processor and pulse until it becomes a fine paste.  Add the olive oil and turn on until emulsified.

Slightly adapted from www.sotastysoyummy.blogspot.com for this month’s swap of lunch foods graciously hosted by Sarah from http://tasteofhomecooking.blogspot.com/.  See the rest of the recipes in the swap here:

Sunday Afternoon Chili

27 Sep 2013 1 Comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Freezer, Lunch, Main Dish, Thaw/Reheat & Serve Tags: , , ,

The fall bug has bitten! I can’t wait to make up all kinds of soups and stews and have a gray afternoon with something simmering on the stove all day.

As I wrote in the post for the cornbread that I served with this chili, Husband and I had a Sunday football day at home instead of heading out to the bar with friends. That cornbread and this chili was our dinner and it was delicious. This chili is meaty, it’s bean-y, it’s got some underlying spice and heat but it’s not spicY or hot. You can always add a squirt of hot sauce if you’d like but I like to keep the heat factor down a bit and go up from there.

The original recipe called for smoking the meat but since we don’t own a grill or a smoker we skipped that step.

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Sunday Afternoon Chili

Ingredients:

  • 1&1/2 lbs ground sirloin
  • 2 cups diced Spanish onion (about 1 large)
  • 2 cups diced green pepper (about 2 large)
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed to a pulp
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, diced, seeds and spine removed
  • 1&1/2 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1&1/2 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ancho chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1&1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 32 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, not drained
  • 2 15 oz cans dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 6 ozs beer (we used Belfast Bay Lobster Ale-a red ale)
  • toppings of your choice-fat free sour cream, grated cheese, scallions etc..

Instructions:

  1. Brown the beef until almost cooked through in a heavy bottomed stock pot, drain the excess fat, then add the onion and green pepper, garlic and jalapeno and cook until beef is cooked through.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 90 minutes.
  3. Serve as is or top with a dollop of sour cream, grated cheese, squirt of hot sauce, scallions etc……

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Adapted from Brother Jimmy’s BBQ cookbook Smoky BBQ Chili.

Taco Casserole Bake

19 Sep 2013 Leave a comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Lunch, Main Dish Tags: , ,

It seems that over the last week that the weather has turned more towards fall even though it’s still summer until the 22nd. And with fall comes cozy Sundays watching football. And with Sunday football comes yummy food. And that yummy food category just got a new additon. This casserole is as easy to make as it is tasty. I found the original recipe on BettyCrocker.com and lightened it up a ton by using fat-free refried beans, super-lean ground beef, reduced fat cheese and fat-free sour cream.  Even better-I had all of the ingredients I needed in my pantry already.

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Taco Casserole Bake

Ingredients:

  • 1lb lean ground beef
  • 1 16oz can fat free Refried Beans (Old El Paso)
  • 8 ozs medium spicy salsa (I used Fairway brand)
  • 1 8oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 Taco Seasoning Packet or homemade taco seasoning
  • 2&1/2 cups smashed tortilla chips
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped small
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped, seeds and cores removed
  • 1 cup freshly-grated reduced fat cheddar cheese
  • fat free sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce, olives, other toppings of choice

Instructions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
  2. In a large skillet brown the beef over medium-high heat and drain. Stir in the beans, salsa, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Reduce heat to medium and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, to combine.
  3. On the bottom of a 2 quart baking dish place 2 cups of the smashed toritlla chips then pread the beef mixure evenly over the chips then sprinkle the pepper, onion, 1 cup of the chopped tomato and the cheese.
  4. Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes until bubbling and cheese has melted.
  5. Serve with the remaining tomatoes and chips on the side topped with anything else you’d like.

Note: this also reheats beautifully for left overs.

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Turkey Taco Soup-slow cooker

09 Sep 2013 2 Comments

by sparksfromthekitchen in Lunch, Main Dish, Slow Cooker, Thaw/Reheat & Serve Tags: ,

I realize that since it’s only September 9th that there are still 2 weeks of summer left. You’d never know that it’s still summer. Everyone apparently times the beginning of fall by when their kids go back to school. Well since my dog doesn’t go to school I go by the real seasonal calendar.

That’s not to say that  I won’t embrace everything fall early. I’m looking forward to making soups and apple this and that and pumpkin this and that. And I did have my first Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks yesterday: non-fat, no foam, 140 degrees, half syrup-and it was perfect.  It’s the PSL’s 10 year anniversary this year. Happy birthday you delicious wonder!!!

So on that note my first soup of the time surrounding the beginning of fall is here. It’s a delicious concoction of ingredients you probably have all of (or most of)in your pantry.fridge.freezer already. If you read my other slow cooker recipes you know that I became quickly enamored with that little machine.  Here’s another recipe to feed that obsession. 

It’s hearty but not heavy, it’s well spiced but not hot, it’s not too thick or too thin.  In other words-it’s just right.  I just served this plain in the bowl but you could always put a dollop of sour cream or green onions or cheese.

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Turkey Taco Soup-slow cooker

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb lean ground turkey
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped small
  • 1 16 oz can kidney beans
  • 1 16 oz can pinto beans
  • 1 15 oz can sweet corn
  • 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • 2 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 4 oz can diced green chiles
  • 1 package taco seasoning or 2-3 tbsp home-made taco seasoning

Instructions:

  1. In a pan over medium heat brown the turkey, drain it and set it aside.
  2. Place the turkey and onions in the slow cooker, pour everything else in and stir.
  3. Cook on low for 6&1/2 hours.

Adapted from allrecipes.com. The original recipe called for adding 2 cups of water but I didn’t add any and the liquid amount was fine.  The original recipe also called for using ground beef but I changed it to turkey to cut calories and fat and to use up some ground turkey that I had in my freezer. I’m sure you could also omit the meat all together and add tofu to make it vegetarian.

French Dip Sandwich

04 Sep 2013 Leave a comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Lunch, Main Dish Tags: ,

Labor Day weekend already? It seems like it was just Memorial Day weekend!! Well there’s only 3 weeks of summer left. Soon the leaves will change colors and it will be chillly again. I can’t say I’m sad about that. This summer seemed to not be our typical Long Island summer. Too rainy. Too humid. Not many nice days at all. So while I’m usually summer’s biggest fan this year I say ‘bring on the fall’. I’m ready for boots and scarves and sweaters (yay!! get the cashmere out!!). 

Husband and I finally did some painting in our house that we should’ve done probably 3 years ago-but alas-we put things off like that. It felt really good to get it done and, as always is the case, it looks fabulous.  I knew it was going to be an active busy day so I planned ahead and had everything I needed for these sandwiches on hand. They were a HUGE hit! They were so tasty. They’re so tangy from the broth and the sweet onions were deeeeeelicious! And they came together really fast to boot.  A perfect sandwich for a day of doing things around the house or for a nice lunch at home. 

By the way-the color in the background of the photo below is Benjamin Moore’s Wood Ash the color we painted the room. It’s very nice if you’re looking for a warm neutral to go with dark furniture/and wood floors like we were.

French Dip

French Dip Sandwiches

Ingredients:

  • 1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, cut in half and sliced to 1/4 inch slices
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 tsp salt-free Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning Blend, divided
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp water
  • 2 cups fat-free, low-sodium beef broth or stock made from Better than Bullion Beef
  • 12 ozs thinly sliced Boars Head roast beef from the deli counter
  • 4 kaiser rolls, cut in half horizontally
  • 4-8 slices reduced-fat Swiss Cheese (or meunster)

Instructions:

  1. Heat a medium non-stick skillet over med-high heat and add the onion. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle in 1/2 tsp of the Mrs. Dash. Stir to distribute evenly and sautee about 13 minutes until onion is tender and golden brown. While the onion is cooking add the water 2 tbsp at a time until it evaporates, scraping the bits off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. While the onion is cooking combine the broth and remaining Mrs. Dash in a sauce pan large enough to hold the liquid and the roast beef and stir it. Cook the broth until hot. Remove the pan from the heat and add the roast beef, pushing it down into the broth and let it stand while you prepare the rolls.
  3. Place the bread cut side up in the toaster oven, top one side (or each if you prefer) with a slice of cheese. Toast to desired crispy/meltyness.
  4. Using tongs pick up some of the beef and let the broth drip back into the pan. Place the beef on the bottom of the prepared roll and top with onions.  Serve immediately with a side of broth if desired.

I opted to just drizzle a little broth over the onion/beef on my sandwich and then put the top of the roll on top.

Adapted from Cooking Light’s Fresh Food Fast cookbook.

 

 

 

Pomodori Gratinati (gratineed tomatoes)

27 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish Tags: ,

I hemmed and hawed over how to write this little blurb about this recipe. I thought of talking about how the perfect summer tomatoes are so delicious and how the filling is a bit crunchy and so so tasty from the different herbs and 2 cheeses. I must have written 10 drafts and deleted them all. They seemed too wordy for a dish so simple it’s almost silly.

But in the end, what came to mind the most, were my visits to Florence/Tuscany over the last few years. I mean-that makes sense since I found the recipe in my book, Twelve, which is a month by month Tuscan cookbook. But if you’ve been there you’ll understand what I mean when you taste these. If you haven’t been there you need to change that immediately.

It’s amazing how a bite of something can instantly mentally take you out of your kitchen and zip you into a chair at a table on the perimiter of a piazza with a gorgeous plate of cheese and veggies like these and a glass of chianti.

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Pomodori Gratinati

Ingredients:

  • 6 plum tomatoes, vine ripiened, washed and dried
  • 3 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped small
  • 10 basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 tbsp frehsly grated parmesan cheese, plus sprinkle for topping
  • 1 tbsp freshly grated pecorino romano cheese, plus sprinkle for topping
  • 1/4-1/3 cup fine breadcrumbs
  • 8 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Slice the tomato in half from stem to stem and, very gently, using a spoon remove the flesh and seeds-reserving them. Put the tomato halves into a baking dish, cut side up. Chop up some of the reserved insides and set aside.
  3. In a bowl mix the parsley, garlic, basil, cheeses, breadcrumbs and 4 tbsp olive oil. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper if desired. If desired you can also add some of the chopped tomato insides (I added just a bit). Spoon the mixture into the tomato halves.
  4. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and bake int he oven for 20-30 minutes until they are lightly golden and cooked through.
  5. Sprinkle with extra topping cheese and serve.

Note: since it was only I eating I only made one tomato. It was very easy to scale the recipe down so don’t feel that you have to make all 6 tomatoes.

Adapted from Twelve, A Tuscan Cookbook

This simple and very delicious recipe fit in perfectly with this month’s What’s Baking challenge theme of ‘Italian’. For the other recipes in the swap click here here

WB

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Grape, Pear and Curry Cashew Salad

26 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Lunch, Main Dish, Salad Tags: , ,

I have loved this salad for years. I think I first made it about 5 years ago. I love salads that have different components and flavors and this fits that profile perfetly. It’s sweet, it’s slightly spicy, it’s tangy, and it’s just delicious. The dressing is a perfect honey mustard balance and compliments the other flavors perfectly. Genius. 

The amount of pear and grapes and lettuce is up to you so I didn’t put amounts below.

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Grape, Pear and Curry Cashew Salad

Ingredients:

  • 3/4-1 cup chopped raw unsalted cashews
  • 5 slices bacon (41/2 for salad, 1/2 for dog)
  • 1 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 tsp rosemary
  • 1 tsp curry powder (madras or yellow curry)
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Romaine hearts washed and dried
  • Bosc pear sliced very thin
  • Red grapes

Instructions:

  1. In a skillet set over medium heat toast the cashews until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. Cook bacon in desired vessel (microwave, oven, stovetop) to desired done-ness, set on paper towels to drain then chop. Give 1/2 slice to dog.
  3. In a medium bowl mix the butter, rosemary, cury, brown sugar, salt, cayenne pepper and toasted cashews. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
  4. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, mustard and honey. Then add the olive oil while whisking to combine.
  5. When you’re ready to serve it place the lettuce in a bowl, add some cashews and grapes and drizzle with dressing. Gently stir to combine. Top with bacon and pear slices.  Or forget that whole bit and just put everything together in a bowl with dressing and mix it around.

Adapted from a recipe I printed 5 years ago from allrecipes.com.

Easy Quinoa with Roasted Mini-Bell Peppers

23 Aug 2013 2 Comments

by sparksfromthekitchen in Lunch, Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish

Sometimes it’s surprising how tasty something that is so easy and that has just a few ingredients is, isn’t it?   The title of this recipe doesn’t lie. It’s easy. But it’s also fab!!

For a recipe swap for ‘Summer Salads’ with some fellow food bloggers I was given this recipe from Jenni’s blog www.doughseedough.net and I’m so glad! As the recipe title suggests it is truly easy so it’s a snap to just put together in a flash.  I adjusted her recipe a bit (I roasted the peppers in the oven instead of in a pan on the stove to cut down on the oil) and I halved her original recipe as it’s just me eating it.

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Easy Quinoa with Roasted Mini-Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinced well if needed
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped small
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1  bag of mini-bell peppers (mine had 6), sliced into 1/2 inch strips, seeds removed
  • 4 ozs feta cheese, crumbled
  • kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp parsley, chopped small

Instructions:

  1. In a medium sauce pan over medium/high heat add the broth and quinoa and simmer until cooked to desired consistancy (for me that’s about 14 minutes-I like it al dente), drain remaining broth if necessary. Set aside and keep warm.
  2. While the quinoa is cooking pre-heat oven to 375.
  3. On a baking pan lined with foil arrange the peppers in one layer, sprinkle with garlic and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and roast for about 15 minutes.
  4. In a large bowl combine the quinoa and peppers/garlic and stir. Top with feta and parsley and serve.

Check out the other great salads in the swap here!!

Grilled Chilean Sea Bass Sandwich with Homemade Tartar Sauce

12 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Condiment/Topping, Lunch, Main Dish Tags: ,

Recently I’ve had it in my head that I need to eat more fish at home. Seeing as though I live on an island with an abundance of fantastic fresh fish available it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.  I used Chilean Sea Bass for this sandwich but you could also use cod, grouper or any other white flaky fish.

Keeping with that thought I decided to make this sandwich and it was so fantastic!! Light, flaky fish and tangy, zesty tartar sauce. It wasn’t too big or too small-just right. These sandwiches came together in no time. While the fish is cooking you prepare the sauce. 

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Grilled Chilean Sea Bass Sandwich with Homemade Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 5-6oz fresh Chilean Sea Bass filet, skin and any bones removed
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • salt & pepper for seasoning
  • 1 sandwich roll or hamburger bun (I used one Arnold whole wheat Sandwich Thin)
  • lettuce leaves

Instructions:

  1. Pre-heat a stove top grill pan to medium heat  (you can also use an outdoor grill).
  2. Drizzle fish with olive oil on all sides and then season with salt and pepper.
  3. Place fish on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes on each side (depending on the size of the fish) until fish flakes easily with a fork.
  4. Place fish, lettuce and tartar sauce (recipe below) on a bun and enjoy.

Makes 1 sandwich.

 

Homemade Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp chopped scallions
  • 1&1/2 tbsp finely chopped cornichons
  • 1&1/2 tsp capers, drained
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

  1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and set aside to use right away or refrigerate until later.

Makes just over 1/4 cup of sauce.

 

Both recipies adapted from Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast cookbook.

 

Sriracha and Bacon Egg Salad Sandwich

24 Jul 2013 1 Comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Lunch, Main Dish, Salad Tags: , ,

Some times I like egg salad. Those times include when it’s not drowning in mayonnaise and when it’s zingy! Who likes mushy bland egg salad is a mystery to me….. The egg salad below is anything but mushy and bland.  It’s really tasty and it’s light and airy. If you like bacon and sriracha and eggs you’ll like this a lot.

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Sriracha & Bacon Egg Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:

  • 3 large eggs, hard-boiled, cooled and peeled
  • 4 strips bacon, cooked (2 broken into small pieces, 1 set aside for topping and 1 for the dog 🙂 )
  • 1 generous tbsp low fat mayonnaise
  • 3-4 tbsp finely chopped red onion
  • 1 generous tsp sriracha
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 piece of romaine lettuce
  • 2 slices of bread

Instructions:

  1. Gently chop eggs and yolks and put them in a bowl. Add everything else but the 1 strip of bacon, bread and lettuce and stir gently.
  2. Place lettuce on one slice of bread, top with salad, top salad with bacon, place 2nd slice of bread on top and enjoy.

Greatly adapted from Cooking Light magazine, August, 2013

Makes 1 sandwich

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