Honey Comb Goat Cheese Spread

True story. 

The first time I served this to a crowd was for a ladies tea/ luncheon/ get together sort of thing that I catered in the fall.  I spent quite a bit of time preparing all kinds of tea sandwiches, making a few dips and mini appetizers.  When I got to the party, I threw together this dish in about 5 minutes. 

About 30 minutes into the party, the honey comb goat cheese had been utterly devoured and the other dishes were just starting to show signs of being nibbled on. 

Moral of  the story:  Preparation time does not equal the amount of goodness or popularity of a dish.

Okay, so that is not brain science, but listen up... you are totally going to to need to serve this at your next get together.  A tiny bit of extra sweet honey comb with a bite of tangy goat cheese topped off with the burst of a fresh berry or a fig is the definition of a party in your mouth.

This is just what January needs.  Fresh flavors that are a tad funky.  This is so 2012. 

Honeycomb honey is great.  The honeycomb is insanely sweet so a little goes a long way.  I'm sure it is quite helicopter momish of me, but I feel like I must instruct people on how to eat this.  If I'm leaving the party, I make sure to instruct folks and also urge them to pass on the word to other guests who might not have shown up yet.  It's just that if you get the perfect bite, it is pure bliss.  

So my instructions include: Grab a cracker, slice off a tiny piece of the honeycomb... like 4th of a marble size tiny... scoop a little goat cheese honey mixture and top with a berry.  Perfection.

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Honey Comb Goat Cheese Spread
Recipe Notes

Honey with a honey comb can be bought at specialty grocery stores and some of the larger stores as well.  If you are in Texas, HEB carries the brand pictured below. It will be on the shelf with the rest of the honey selection, but look closely and you will see a honey comb floating in the middle of a few varieties.  Use berries depending on the season.  I love fresh figs this time of year, but raspberries and blueberries (or a mix) are also great choices. If using figs, cut off stems and quarter them.    I also like to serve this with two types of crackers.  Wheat Thins ( I like the "BIG" ones that are a little bit larger of a square than the regular) and Wafer thin crackers that seem to be popping up in most grocery stores.  There are a lot of brands, but this is what they look like.

Ingredients

1 jar of honey with a honey comb (see recipe note)
1 large log of goat cheese (10 or 11 ounces), or the same amount of pre crumbled goat cheese
1 to 2 cups of figs, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries
Your favorite plain crackers and Wheat Thins, for serving
Step by Step
Remove honey comb from jar of honey and place in the middle of a large serving platter.  Drizzle a little bit of honey on the rest of the plate.  Crumble goat cheese all over the plate and honey comb.  Drizzle a little more honey on top.  Sprinkle berries on top. 

Serve with crackers.

Serves 8 to 12.

{Pull yourself together} Kale & Kiwi Smoothie

So here we are.  The Monday after Thanksgiving and at the cusp of holiday treats, festive cocktails and party buffets.  Yes, my friends, just as soon as the Thanksgiving day closes, it seems Christmas and all the calories that come with it begin immediately.

So let's be good for just one day.

This green monster will make you feel good after the Thanksgiving holiday and give you plenty of room to splurge for the Christmas season (and it just so happens to provide a lot of energy in the meantime). Yep, this will erase anything.

Please allow me to introduce... the kale and kiwi smoothie.

Now I have a feeling that most of you would blow right past this post when you saw kale in a smoothie, but something about that extra slice of pie you had on Thursday and that leftover pie you had on Friday and Saturday kept you reading.

 

Don't be scared.  This is actually unbelievably delicious.

I would dare to say that if you found yourself on Top Chef and you were in one of those name the ingredient challenges, you would never guess kale.  Besides the groovy color, nothing about this tastes like kale.

So let's be super healthy and sneak a super food into fruit smoothie.  Let's feel light and airy and super skinny.  Am I over promising here?   Well maybe, but here is one more really exciting piece of info.  You do not need a juicer! I love the idea of a juicer, I love the idea drinking fresh juices, but there is just no way my tiny kitchen can take one more honking appliance right now.

Did you know kale and spinach will puree up beautifully in a blender?  Yay.

One for me and one for you... Cheers.

Kale & Kiwi Smoothie
Ingredients
1 frozen banana, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped kale, stems removed
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
Step by Step
Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until blended smooth.   Pour into 12 ounce glasses and serve.  Add a fancy straw and feel good about yourself.

Makes 2 glasses.

Turkey Meatballs with Whole Wheat Spaghetti

I'm trying to be good.

I'm trying to eat less of these, drink these in moderation and maybe keep these to a minimum.

Self control is not my forte when it comes to food, but there is some major holiday eating to be done in the near future so I am trying my very best to give my bod a month of semi healthy eating.

But here's the newest problem.  There is finally the slightest chill in the air, which makes me crave hearty, stick to your ribs fall meals.

And here's the newest solution.  Turkey meatballs with whole wheat spaghetti.  All the comfort, but none of the fat and cals of most comfy fall meals.

It's get better.  Make a big batch, eat half (or a fourth) for dinner and stick them in your freezer.  They are just as good a week or two later.

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Turkey Meatballs & Whole Wheat Spaghetti

For the Meatballs

3 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread
1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (93% lean, dark meat)
3 scallions, finely chopped
2 small garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 large egg
Coarse salt and ground pepper

8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti (preferably angel hair or thin spaghetti)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce

Grated parmesan, for serving (optional)

Step by Step
Place bread in a small food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs with milk; set aside at least 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine turkey, scallions, garlic, parsley, egg, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and breadcrumb mixture; mix gently with a fork.  Form mixture into small balls, about 2 level tablespoons.

Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking With hands, form mixture into balls, each equal to 2 level tablespoons; arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

For Freezing

Place in freezer making sure that the meatballs are not touching.  After frozen through, at least an hour, you can transfer meatballs to a resealable plastic freezer bag.  Store for up to one month.  Meatballs can be cooked straight from freezer.  Add at least 10 minutes of cooking time.  Or meatballs can be thawed in the refrigerator over night for quicker cooking. 

For Immediate Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Salt the water heavily.  Cook pasta according to directions. 

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs (3 to 5 per person) and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add marinara sauce and 1/2 cup water; cook until heated through, 5 minutes. Add spaghetti and toss to combine; serve immediately.

Makes 35 small meatballs. 

Prepared pasta makes 4 servings. 

{slightly chunky} Tomato Gazpacho Soup

It's hot as blazes around here.  Until further notice, my oven is closed.

Who's with me?  If you're not with me, it means you live in one of those places with perfect summer weather and I would rather not hear from you right now.

But if you are in my boat... the temps are above 95 or the humidity hits you in the face like a wool blanket when you walk outside...then get ready.

This heat has even changed my taste buds.  I've never been one for cold soups.  Just no appeal really.  I liked em hot and savory, but since this i-must-eat-only-cold-things hit, it sounded like a pretty good idea to have something both cold and savory.

Not to mention the fact that tomatoes are out of this world right now.  It's amazing how good foods taste when they are actually in season.

There is a little bit of prep work here, but no heat so that's a plus.  Have any favorite chilled or frozen recipes you'd like to share?  Email me, please.  Let's band together against this heat, shall we?

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Here are a few pics from the process...

The way I like to go about getting the seeds out of a cucumber.  Slice in half and then slice diagonally on both sides to remove the strip of seeds. 

but as the saying goes, there's more than one way to skin a cat. 

This is a good size chunk to aim for with all your veggies...

This thing is a work horse...

Finally got all those veggies processed.  As you can see, I still had some chunks, which is why I chose the hand blender to help me out at the end.

Tomato Gazpacho
Adapted from Ina Garten
Recipe Notes
I prefaced that this was slightly chunky because if you like gazpacho and you like it extremely smooth and creamy, that is not what you are going to get from this recipe, but I love the texture.

Ingredients

1  cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled

1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded

4 plum medium sized vine ripened tomatoes

1 small red onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups tomato juice (23 ounces)

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tablespoon kosher or sea salt

1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Special Equipment

Small food processor
Optional Equipment
Hand blender

Step by Step

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into small 1 inch chunks. Put each vegetable separately into a small food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Leave slightly chunky; do not completely liquefy.

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. Optional:  If you would like a little more creaminess with small chunks, you can use a hand blender at the end to get the consistency that you like.
The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Serves 4-6. 

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

Shrimp lovers, let's make a bet.

Make this recipe and you will never again  be as excited about boiled shrimp cocktail. Not to take the wind out of your sails for boiled shrimp, but the simple step of tossing these with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasting gives so much more flavor than boiling in water and serving ice cold.

This is one of my favorites for an appetizer or cocktail party because it's easy and fancy all at the same time.

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail
Adapted from Ina Garten
Recipe Notes
One thing that makes this recipe incredibly easy is if your shrimp are already peeled (tails left on) and deveined when you buy them.  My go to store for this item is Costco.  In their freezer section, they have large 15- 20 count shrimp (and they also carry larger shrimp) in 2 1/2 pound bags for $9.99 a pound.  This is such a steal for the fact that they are high quality shrimp and they are already peeled a deveined. You can look up homemade cocktail sauce recipes, but I like the prepared cocktail and remoulade sauce from Central Market that can be bought in the seafood section (literally in the seafood section, on ice, next to the fish). 
Ingredients
2 lbs. large shrimp (15-20 count), peeled and deveined with tails left on
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
To Serve:
Cocktail Sauce
Remoulade Sauce
Step by Step
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place shrimp on a baking sheet.  Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and spread in one layer.  Roast for 8-10 minutes, just until pink and cooked through.  Set aside to cool.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 6 to 8 servings. 

Lemony Green Beans with Mushrooms

I have not always had the best relationship with green beans.  For the longest time, I thought of green beans in one way... short, a lifeless shade of green and extremely mushy, served along side mystery meat and mashed potatoes.  They only seemed to show up in cafeterias for me and they just seemed sad.  It really wasn't until I spotted this recipe in my favorite cookbook that I thought I should give them a shot.  Sure glad I was able to move on because this is a keeper.  Bright and crisp beans mixed with mushrooms in a light and lemony sauce is just wonderful.  Just a few ingredients, healthy and quick... what more could you ask for?

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Lemony Green Beans with Mushrooms

Adapted from Peace Meals, Junior League of Houston

Recipe Notes

Cremini mushrooms look a lot like white button mushrooms.  The outsides are just a little darker and they have a heartier taste.  I recommend using these, but if you can't find them, substitute white button mushrooms.  For the green beans, "trimmed" simply means to cut off both ends.  For a how to on blanching the beans, click here.  Remember, you want them to stay crisp so cook just until they turn bright green. 

Ingredients

3/4 pound fresh green beans, washed and trimmed

2 tablespoons butter

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced about a 1/4 inch thick

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

zest and juice of one lemon

Step by Step

Blanch the beans in boiling water and cook for about 4 minutes until tender and bright green.  Cool the beans under cold running water, drain and set aside.  Heat the butter in a medium saute pan over medium- low heat.  Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat.  Do not stir.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Mix in seasonings and continue to cook for 2 minutes.  Add beans, lemon zest and juice.  Cover pan and cook for 3 minutes.  Serve immediately. 

A great make ahead meal... Lightened Up Chicken Parmesan

After this post, I've been trying to deliver on my promise for fast and healthy recipes.  Combining that with this post and the picture disaster, I found it appropriate to re-post this recipe.  I also made it oh-so practical by subbing my favorite canned tomato sauce for the homemade one.
{however the homemade one is still amazing and the recipe is here}

Now on to why this is such a great make ahead meal.  You can basically do all the cooking and prepping before, refrigerate and pop it in the oven for broiling whenever you are ready to eat.  Makes it pretty perfect to put together right before dinner time.  The total prep is not hard either so if you have about 30 minutes, you can put this altogether at one time.

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

p.s. This is my favorite pasta sauce for absolutely everything...  Bertolli Olive Oil and Garlic







Lightened Up Chicken ParmesanRecipe Notes
If your broil browns things extremely quickly, you can put the setting on 500 degrees F to let the cheese melt instead of putting it on broil.  If you have a great french skillet and are making 4 or less chicken breasts, follow the instructions about putting the pan in the oven.  If you don't have a great pan, you  have more than 4 portions, or if you are making it ahead of time and are going to be refrigerating, cook all of the chicken as directed and then transfer chicken to a glass casserole dish before adding sauce and cheese.
Ingredients
For the chicken
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon fresh oregano or thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
4 chicken cutlets (or if they are really thin and small, use 8)
Thin slices of fresh mozzarella (1 or 2 per piece of chicken) OR 1/2 shredded mozzarella
4 teaspoons grated parmesan
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups favorite jarred marinara sauce (see my favorite above)
Step by Step
Preheat the oven to broil.

In small bowl, stir the oil and herbs to blend.  Season with salt and pepper.  Dip each chicken cutlet in the olive oil herb mixture until well coated.  Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat.  Add the cutlets and cook just until brown, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove the skillet from heat.  (see recipe note if you are not using a high quality, heavy duty pan or if you are making this for later).

Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the chicken.  Lay a slice of mozzarella on each piece of chicken or place a small amount of shredded mozzarella on each.  Top with a teaspoon of parmesan on each piece.
Broil until the cheese melts and sauce is bubbling, about 1 minute.

Panko Crusted Salmon

This is not a new dish to my kitchen, but I finally was able to take a picture of what has become my favorite salmon recipe.  My favorite part is that is feels a bit fancy, but could not be easier to make. Panko breadcrumbs have such a great crunch and the herbs give it such fresh flavor.  Panko is a Japanese bread crumb that stays crunchy when regular bread crumbs can become soggy and gives you a good crunch without frying. This is such a great quick one.  

Thanks to my friend Mary for passing this one on!

From my little kitchen to yours... enjoy.

Panko Crusted Salmon
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil

2 pieces, thick boneless salmon fillets

1 tablespoon honey mustard

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon parsley

1/4 teaspoon paprika

2 lemon wedges

Step by Step

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Set salmon on a foil lined baking sheet, skin side down.  Sprinkle heavily with salt and pepper.  In a small bowl, mix the rosemary, bread crumbs, parsley and paprika.  Spread a thin layer of honey mustard on each fillet.  Top salmon with a packed layer of the bread crumbs.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  

Roast the salmon for 10-14 minutes.  Test salmon to make sure it is firm all the way through and starts to flake when poked with a fork.  Squeeze lemon juice on each fillet and serve.

Makes 2 servings. 

Broccoli Soup

I know I have instantly alienated a good chunk of you by posting a recipe for broccoli soup.  And if you had the same question as Mr. Hungy, no, this is not broccoli cheese soup, it is a very healthy soup.  So if I still have anyone’s attention, I will proceed. 

Our broccoli crop has been wonderful, but only so many times can I eat steamed broccoli in a week.  I had thrown it in pasta as well, but we still had an abundance that needed to be used before it got too big and bitter.  Hence the reason I started searching for recipes that would use a lot of broccoli at once.  When I found this recipe, I thought it would be pretty wonderful if it worked out because it would also be very healthy and looked easy.  So healthy that it is a part of a series of detox recipes from Whole Living.  Perfect for this time of year… hearty, but it won’t pack on the pounds.

By george, it worked... it was delicious, thick and creamy.  Instead of this soup being chock full of cream and cheese, it gets its thickness from cannellini beans.  This seemed odd to me at first, but after pureeing, it added a perfect thickness to the soup. 

Basically, if you can come around to the idea of broccoli soup, this is definitely the one to try.

Broccoli Soup
Adapted from Martha Stewart, Whole Living

DISCLAIMER:  I tried this with the broccoli from my garden.  Broccoli grown from home is better than any broccoli I have bought from the grocery store.  The results might be similar, but I’m just sayin, the broccoli I started with was amazing and slightly sweet.
Ingredients
1 head of broccoli (1 lb.) cut into florets with stems thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
1/2 ounce shaved parmesan for serving
Step by Step

Steam broccoli florets and stems until tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup florets for serving.

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic for about 8 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add beans and stock and bring mixture to a simmer. Remove from heat and add broccoli.  Use a stick blender to blend soup to a slightly chunky consistency. If you do not have a stick blender, allow soup to cool and blend in batches in a blender until you have a smooth consistency.   Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish each bowl with broccoli florets, toasted pine nuts, and shaved Parmesan.

Freezes well or can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

I could not let the coldest weather I think we have ever had come without making some soup.  But here is the catch, there is a chance this could look familiar because I had already posted it, but due to my picture debacle, I decided to photograph it again.  And it's just such a wonderful soup, I thought it couldn't hurt to remind you that it should be on your list of things you should be making right now in this cold weather. Here are the reasons I love it... pretty easy and straightforward to make, so much great flavor, and it's actually healthy, but tastes really hearty. I am still in search of finding "the recipe" for many of my favorite foods.  

This tomato basil soup combines slow roasted tomatoes with plum tomatoes and lots of basil for a perfect, robust soup.  And if you are already a fan, you know most tomato basil soups are loaded with cream.  This does not have a drop to speak of and is still very thick and creamy. You might as well make a double batch and freeze some for next week.

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Makes 6 to 8 bowls.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa
Recipe Notes
Since I was preparing quite a few dishes for the meal, I roasted the tomatoes the day before and tightly covered and refrigerated them until ready to assemble the soup.  Also, the last step is to use a hand blender to slightly blend the soup.  If you do not have one of these, you can wait until the soup cools and put it in a blender.... This might just be a good excuse though for you to go ahead and get a hand blender because you will use it more than you would imagine.
Ingredients
3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half with stems removed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepepr
2 cups chopped yellow onions (1 large onion or 2 small)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28 ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 quart chicken stock (4 cups)
Step by Step
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Toss the fresh tomatoes with 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper.  Spread the tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Roast for 45 minutes.

In a large stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown.  Add the canned tomatoes, basil and chicken stock.  Add the oven-roasted tomatoes and their liquid from the baking sheet.  Bring the soup to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.  Blend using a hand blender until the consistency is slightly chunky.  If you do not have a hand blender, wait for the soup to cool completely, and blend in a blender until slightly chunky.

Serve hot or cold.  Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week.

Almond Power Bars

I consider it nothing short of a miracle that I have now run my second half marathon.  I want to share this recipe because I have to think that these little suckers are the reason I got all the way through it.  First time around, I prepared and really trained.  This time around, there was that little voice in the back of my head saying no big deal, you have already done this, so I did not devote myself to training like I should have.  Life kept getting in the way of long runs and when the weekend came, I decided to put all my chips in one basket and try out this new power bar in hopes it would give me just that... lots of power.

So now I have two recipes under my belt for running.  Check these out too if you like this sort of thing.

BONUS: These are gluten free if that it is important to you.


From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Almond Power Bars
Adapted from Elena's Pantry
Recipe Note
Most of these ingredients can be found in the health food section of the grocery store.  If you are hesitant to buy a whole jar of coconut oil, I actually have a stash of this because I use it as moisturizer.  Google it... there are a thousand uses for the stuff.  These made a great snack bar for the rest of the week as well.
Ingredients
2 cups raw almonds
1/2 cup flax meal (flax seed ground in Vitamix... I used the brand Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup unsalted creamy almond butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
a drizzle of honey
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 bar of dark chocolate (73% cacao)
Step by Step
Place almonds, flax meal, shredded coconut, almond butter and salt in a food processor.  Pulse for 10 to 20 second.  Melt coconut oil in a small sauce pan over low heat.  Remove oil from heat, add drizzle of honey and vanilla.  Stir oil to combine.
Add coconut oil mixture to food processor and pulse until a coarse paste forms.  Spray 8x8 glass baking dish with a bit of cooking spray.  Press mixture into dish.  Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour, until hard.  Melt dark chocolate in a small sauce pan, stirring frequently to not burn.  Drizzle chocolate over bars and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Remove from refrigerator, cut into bars and serve. Served best right out of the refrigerator.

Note: For a more "packable" bar, leave off the chocolate drizzle.


Makes 20 small bars.

Sure had fun running with you girls...

spinach turkey burgers

So it's the new year and while I am still trying to detox from the holidays, I'm in search of healthy food, but also simple food.  December was for decadent dishes and in-the-kitchen-all-day recipes, but January, oh January, seems like the time to lighten and simplify.  I don't know if you can get more simple than these turkey burgers.  However, if you are still feeling the urge to be complicated, you could go crazy with toppings or even make your own buns.  However, I preferred topping these with all those little extra bites of things I had leftover in the refrigerator and because I have eaten enough carbs in the past couple of weeks to last me a lifetime, we went for a bunless version.  Hope your January is off to a great start.

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Spinach Turkey Burgers
Makes 4 to 6 patties
Recipe Notes
I topped these with feta cheese, avocado and sliced red onion.  If you choose to top yours with cheese as well, set the oven to broil, add cheese and place skillet in oven for just a few minutes until melted.  Add other toppings and serve... with or without a bun.  The easiest way to thaw the spinach is to follow the directions on the back of the package to microwave.  Make sure you drain spinach well.  This is easiest to do by wringing out the spinach in a clean dish towel.
Ingredients
1 pound lean turkey meat (93 percent fat free)
1 package McCormick taco seasoning
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well (see note above)
Topping Ideas: feta, avocado and red onion; cheddar cheese; tomato and goat cheese
Step by Step
In a medium sized bowl, mix together all three ingredients until well combined.  Form patties.  Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray lightly with a non-stick cooking spray.  Cook patties over medium heat until cooked through.  About 5 to 10 minutes on each side, until all pink is gone from the turkey meat.  (If you have meat thermometer, use it to help you get to the exact temperature, 165 degrees).  See recipe notes for toppings.

Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

These. are. so. good. and easy.

Crunchy and flavorful chicken tenders that are healthier and much easier to prepare than frying them up.  I have always had a thing for Panko bread crumbs (they are just so versatile) so I found a recipe for chicken tenders and substituted the bread crumbs and cereal mixture for my main squeeze panko and voila, here is a pretty darn good recipe if I do say so myself.

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

p.s. have you bought a meat thermometer yet?? I really hope you have because this is another great recipe where having a meat thermomter allows for perfectly cooked, tender, juicy chicken tenders.  I promise you will not regret this purchase.

Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

Recipe Notes

The spices of one of the recipes I was combining called for Allspice.  I didn't realize until right before making these that I didn't have any so I cam up with my own subsitute... half ground cloves and half cinnamon.  If you have those two on hand, they will work just great.  If you have never used Panko, they are a Japanese bread crumb and I find that most grocery stores carry them now.

2 cups panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (see recipe note)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders, 2 packages
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour the Panko bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Mix in sugar, salt, pepper, and allspice. Place flour in a separate shallow bowl. Place eggs in another separate bowl.

Drizzle about 3 tablespoons vegetable oil evenly over the breading, tossing and turning it to mix the oil all through the panko mixture.

Dredge the chicken through the flour, egg, the flour again, the egg again and then the panko mixture. Arrange the tenders on a nonstick baking sheet. Place the chicken tenders in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, turning over once. If you have a meat thermometer, heat to 165 degrees. Serve hot chicken tenders barbecue sauce for dipping.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

So we are almost at the end of soup season and I apologize that I am just now sharing this because it is one of my very favorites (oh yeah, and sorry for those of you who are not near the end of winter, but the tides will turn come July when I can't breathe in a tank top because it is so hot and humid).
Chicken tortilla soup is one of those that has been interpreted in a thousand different ways. I prefer mine with a tomato broth base and to have a little bit of chunkiness to it. If I have one thing to say, it is don't skimp on the toppings. The soup is delicious, but the tender chunks of chicken, tangy cheddar, creamy avocado and crunchy tortilla strips are what will knock your socks off.  This is not the quickest version, but I do think it is one of the best, so I find it worth the time to make a batch and freeze half for later.

The original recipe calls for boiling the chicken, which is something I will never go back to after I discovered this.  Of all the ways I used my new, favorite roasted chicken, this might be the best one.  So if you are following me here... get one of these, make this, and then make this soup.

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

the yummiest part... the toppings

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Adapted from the Mansion's Tortilla Soup

Recipe Notes

There are a couple of fussy steps to this one, so it might seem to be a little time consuming at first, but I promise it is worth it.  I adapted this recipe from here, but my favorite twist is to roast the chicken.  The flavor and tenderness from this method is unmatched.  In the past I have used regular plum tomatoes to puree, but this time, I had small cherry tomatoes on hand so I used them.  Moral of the story... any tomato will work.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons corn oil
4 corn tortillas, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup fresh onion, pureed
2 cups pureed fresh tomatoes
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 whole bay leaves
4 tablespoons canned tomato puree
2 quarts chicken stock
salt
cayenne pepper
Toppings
1 cup cooked chicken, cut into small chunks (click here for recipe)
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
3 corn tortillas, cut into strips and fried (directions below)
Step by Step
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Saute tortillas with garlic and cilantro over medium heat until tortillas are soft.

Add onion and fresh tomato puree and bring to a boil.  Add cumin, chili powder, bay leaves, canned tomato puree and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat to simmer.  Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste, and cook stirring frequently for 30 minutes.  Skim fat from surface, if necessary.

To make crunchy tortillas strips

Heat a thin layer of corn oil over medium high heat.  Cut three corn tortillas into thin strips.

Lightly fry tortilla strips in oil.  Remove strips when they are golden brown and allow to drain on a paper towel to remove excess oil.  Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper and allow to cool.