Cilantro-Lime Chicken & Potatoes

I love chicken & Cancy loves potatoes. We both like a little heat in our food.

This recipe from “My Baking Heart” turned out to be a hit in our house. The salsa is super easy to make. We’ve made the salsa several times since just to have on hand. J

Cilantro-Lime Chicken & Potatoes


 1-1/2 lbs Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed


3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted


4 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, rinsed and pat dry


1 tbsp fresh lime juice


1-1/2 c reduced fat or regular Mexican blend cheese, shredded


1/2 c salsa (recipe below)


1/4 c fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Add potatoes and spoon 1 tablespoon of the butter over all and toss gently to coat potatoes. Arrange in a single layer. Bake 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and spoon the potatoes to one side of the baking pan. Arrange the chicken pieces on the other side of the potatoes in the pan. Combine the remaining butter with the limejuice and spoon evenly over the chicken.

Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.

In a small bowl, combine the cheese, salsa, and cilantro. Spoon evenly over the chicken and potatoes.

Bake 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. If desired, serve with additional lime wedges.

C’s Salsa

2 cans diced tomatoes, with liquid


1-1/2 md onions, chopped


3 to 4 Serrano peppers, sliced


1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves, chopped


2 to 3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped


Cumin, to taste


Pepper, to taste


Kosher salt, to taste

Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until desired consistency is reached. We like a thin salsa, but you can leave it chunky, as well.

Thai Basil Chicken

I love Joelen’s food blog. This girl can cook. When I came across this recipe on her site, I knew it was a must-try. I really like ground chicken so I was glad to be able to use it in a really tasty dish.  Cancy & I both really liked this.

 Thai Basil Chicken

2 cups basil leaves, packed (Thai preferred)

3 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tsp white vinegar

1 1/2 lbs ground chicken

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

Place garlic, 1-cup fresh basil leaves and the chili garlic sauce in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping bowl one time. Transfer 1 tablespoon of this mixture to a small bowl with the 1-tablespoon fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar. Stir and set aside.

Place the remaining garlic/basil mixture into a cold 12" skillet and set aside.

Place the ground chicken in a bowl with the remaining 1-tablespoon fish sauce and refrigerate for 5-10 minutes.

In the cold skillet with the garlic/basil mixture, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and onions to the pan. Sauté over medium low heat and allow herbs and onion to soften.

Once onion is softened, add the chilled ground chicken, and stirring constantly, brake chicken up as it cooks. Continue stirring until chicken is no longer pink.

Add garlic/basil sauce mixture that you made previously. Cook about 1 min.

Meanwhile, chiffonade the remaining cup of basil leaves and add to the pan to cook 1 additional minute or so, until the basil wilts. Serve over rice.

Chile’s 6th Birthday. The Cake.

I love Michelle's blog usually for her people food. However, when it came time to make Chile's birthday cake, she pulled through for that as well! :)


Our little Miss Chile turned 6 on New Year's Eve. It's crazy how fast time goes. Cancy & I got Chile a few months before we moved from Minnesota to Texas. After being an only child for about 5 1/2 years, we got her a puppy a few months ago. Chile, being the sweet dog she is, shared her birthday cake with Landon.

Peanut Butter Carrot Doggy Cake

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup natural peanut butter
¼ cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1 cup shredded carrots
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8″ round cake pan or an 8×4-inch loaf pan.

Whisk together the flour and baking soda. Add the rest of the ingredients and, using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix until thoroughly combined. Pour batter into pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Mexican Chicken with Jalapeno Popper Sauce

If you have ever eaten with my husband and I, you know we love spicy foods. This recipe showed up in my Google Reader and it seems like a few people have been enjoying this one. I followed the recipe from Krista's Kitchen, but you can check out the links she has back to the original.


What a fast meal. It came together in about 30 minutes. And this will score you Manly Points too. Cancy LOVED this dinner. Enjoy!!

Mexican Chicken with Jalapeno Popper Sauce

3 Chicken Breasts

A Sprinkle of Cumin per Breast

A Sprinkle of Chili Powder per Breast

A Sprinkle of Salt per Breast

2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

3 Jalapenos, Seeded and Chopped

6-8 Oz. of Cream Cheese

2 Cups of Chicken Broth

3 Slices of Bacon

3/4 Cup of Shredded Cheddar or Colby Jack

1 Tbsp of Fresh Cilantro, chopped + more for garnish

Fry bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle chicken with seasonings while the bacon crisps. Add the chicken to the hot bacon fat in the skillet. Cook chicken, turning every few minutes, until juices run clear and no longer pink. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Add chopped jalapenos to the skillet and cook for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds to a minute more, until fragrant. Add chicken broth, deglazing pan. Bring to a boil. Add cream cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Add in shredded cheese and bacon, stirring until the cheese in melted. Turn off heat and stir in cilantro. Serve chicken on a bed of Mexican or Taco rice and topped with sauce. Garnish with additional cilantro if desired. 

Lemony Chicken & Rice Soup

A little while before the holidays, Cancy and I were both feeling a little under the weather. When you feel under the weather, nothing tastes better than chicken soup. We wanted something a little different though. I found this lemon chicken rice soup on JoElen’s page and knew it was the one.

This came together super fast and we were able to use what we had on hand. Give this a shot next time you’re not feeling that great and it will make you feel much better.

Lemony Chicken & Rice Soup

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 large onion, diced

1/2 celery, finely diced

1/2 cup carrot, finely diced

4 bone-in chicken thighs, cut in half

1 cup long grain rice

6 cups chicken stock or broth

1/4 cup lemon juice

2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 cup frozen peas

In a dutch oven, add the oil and warm up over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, onion, celery, and carrot. Cook until softened.

Add the chicken and brown slightly and then add rice. Stir to toast the rice for a minute or two.

Add the chicken stock and lemon juice to the pot. Bring to a boil and stir. Lower the heat and allow it to simmer until the rice cooks completely. When the rice is cooked, allow it to continue cooking until the rice naturally thickens up the soup.

Add the cream, and frozen peas. Continue cooking until the peas have warmed up and serve.

Hatch Chile Salsa

I love, love, love Hatch Chile season. It’s short. You only have a couple weeks to get your hands on these peppers and when you do, stock up. I ended up buying 6 pounds of roasted hatch peppers this weekend just to prepare and freeze to use over the next year. I saved just enough to make this salsa.

I love green salsa. The hotter, the better. I’ve just never been able to make it right. I came across this recipe at the grocery store this weekend when I was stocking up on my Hatch peppers. It’s the perfect heat and full of flavor.


Hatch Chile Salsa

5 roasted Hatch peppers
6 tomatillos ( cut in quarters )
1 garlic clove
juice of 1/2 a lime
1/4 Cup of cilantro
1 large jalapeno
salt to taste

Combine everything in a food processor and spin away. After a minute or so, you are left with a bright beautiful hot sauce.

Texas Trash

I came across this recipe and knew immediately that we had to try it. It’s really not the greatest for you, but usually the tastiest things usually aren’t.

This recipe was perfect for Cancy since it’s like a summer salad version of one his favorites ( Frito Pie ).

This is also great for one of those nights when you just don’t feel like cooking. I stopped by a local barbecue place on my way home from work and grabbed some brisket, beans, & sauce. I got lucky when they also had the jalapenos & onions ready to go as well.

Give this little recipe a shot. Easy meal & a happy husband.


Texas Trash
(there are no measurements because you just pile it on your plate according to how much you feel like eating!)



Fritos

Chopped BBQ brisket (if you’re using leftover, make sure to heat it first)

pinto beans

BBQ sauce

shredded cheddar cheese

sour cream

black olives

pickled jalapenos

ranch or jalapeno ranch dressing

lettuce, chopped

Place the Fritos on a plate and top with remaining ingredients (however much you want!). Enjoy!

(Wasn’t that simple?!)

Chipotle Chicken Skewers with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

I had been meaning to make this recipe for awhile and kept forgetting to plan for the marinade time. This is key people, the marinade is what makes this chicken taste so good. You really need to give it overnight to fully get all of the flavor it needs.

This was a super easy meal ( once you had the chicken marinated ) We put it together in just a few minutes and then we cooked the rice while the chicken skewers grilled. Use a rice cooker & you won’t even have to heat up your kitchen to make this.


*Chicken Skewers
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 5 medium breasts)
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, minced
1 chipotle chile in adobo, minced
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
nonstick cooking spray

* Dipping Sauce
3/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup lime juice, from 2 to 3 limes
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, minced
2 scallions, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

FOR THE CHICKEN: Slice the chicken breasts across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick strips (you should have about 30 strips). In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the brown sugar, cilantro, chipotle, adobo sauce, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the flavors meld, about 30 minutes. (The chicken, covered, can be refrigerated for up to 1 day before cooking.).

FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE: In a bowl, stir all the ingredients together. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until the flavors meld, about 30 minutes. (The dipping sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Season with additional lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste before serving.).

Meanwhile, weave each piece of chicken onto individual skewers; We used metal skewers so we didn’t have to worry about the ends, but if you use bamboo skewers, just cover the ends with foil so they don’t burn. Grill until the meat is lightly browned and cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes, flipping the skewers over halfway through. Transfer the skewers to a serving platter and serve immediately with half the dipping sauce.

We served the chicken and sauce over a bed of Jasmine Rice. It was delicious!

Grilled Steak, Mushroom, and Green Bean Salad

One of my favorite things about summer is the abundance of fresh vegetables and the weekend Farmer’s Markets. You can find almost everything in this recipe at your local Farmer’s Market. With the addition of the steak, Cancy actually really enjoyed this. He’s not normally a big salad person but he ate every bit of this. Get yourself to the Farmer’s Market before the season ends and enjoy this delicious salad.


Grilled Steak, Mushroom, and Green Bean Salad

1/2 pound large white mushrooms, halved
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
1 red onion, cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick rounds
3 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound skirt steak, cut crosswise into 4 pieces
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 bunch watercress, thick stems removed (about 4 cups)

Heat grill to medium-high. In a large bowl, toss the mushrooms, green beans, onion, 1 tablespoon of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Season the steak with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Grill the vegetables (place the beans on the grill perpendicular to the grates to prevent them from falling through), turning occasionally, and removing them as they become tender, 8 to 12 minutes. At the same time, grill the steak, brushing occasionally with 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Divide the watercress, grilled vegetables, and steak among bowls. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

Enjoy!

Creamy Asparagus Soup

Well, It’s been about 5 months since I’ve managed to get any updates on this little blog of mine. Time to play a bit of catch up.

You can still find asparagus in the grocery stores, but you do get some of the best color when you pick those stalks fresh at the beginning of Spring. Here in Texas, we sort of skip over the cool spring and seem to get right into Summer. I had a really tasty Asparagus Soup @ California Kitchen but was sure that it was full of cream & calories. I found found this recipe from Whole Foods. They use a potato to gain some of the bulk you would get from heavy cream. Way better for you.

This is a really great tasting soup and can be the main focus of the meal. Play around with the toppings. Chives and croutons are perfect on here.


Creamy Asparagus Soup

1 tablespoon butter

1 large leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces 

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 

1 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 

1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), woody stems snapped off and discarded, spears cut into 1-inch pieces 

1/3 cup low-fat sour cream

Sea salt and ground pepper 

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Melt butter in a medium pot over medium low heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, add asparagus and simmer gently until potatoes and asparagus are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat ad set aside to let cool slightly. 



Carefully transfer soup to blender in batches and purée until smooth. Return soup to pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, whisk in sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chives and serve.