Tzatziki Chicken Salad

 Ingredients:

2+ cups Pre-Cooked Roasted Chicken chopped and cold (rotisserie chicken bites or rotisserie chicken works great)

5-6 mini cucumbers or 2 large English cucumbers diced

1/2 a lemon juiced plus the zest of the lemon

1-2 cloves garlic minced (this adds a zing, 1-2 to your taste)

2 tsp dill (dry or fresh)

2 tsp. parsley (dry or fresh)

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup celery diced

1 small shallot diced

3/4 cup Greek yogurt

Optional:  Top with feta

Mix all ingredients together.  Eat as a salad (top with feta).  Or make a delicious sandwich using toasted Sourdough Sandwich Bread.  Best enjoyed fresh.  The cucumbers get soggy if left to sit (we ate this the next day but it was not as good).

Don't plan to kiss anyone after, shallots and garlic make this one a bad date night choice.

Kristina's Chicken Curry Salad

 So true be told, I eye-ball this entire recipe, but here goes me trying to record it for prosperity...

Ingredients:

1 cup Candied Nuts (1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp honey, 1 cup of pecans or walnuts, lightly salt, 1 1/2 tbsp butter)

4 large chicken breasts (1 tsp salt in water)

1-2 Tbsp curry

1/2 - 1 tsp salt (to tase)

1 lb. of red seedless grapes cut in half (about 2 bunches)

1 bunch of green onions chopped

1/2 cup - 3/4 cup light Mayonnaise

Make your Candied Nuts.  Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp honey and 1 cup of pecans or walnuts together.  Place on parchment which has been buttered on a baking sheet.  Lightly sprinkle with salt.  Put  few slices of butter on top (no more than 1 1/2 tbsp butter total).  Cook at 300 degrees for 8 minutes.  Put in glass bowl to cool.  Let cool.

Boil the chicken in water with 1 tsp salt until chicken is cooked.  Let cool, chop into small pieces or shred (what do you prefer?).  While the chicken cools cut up your grapes and onions.  In a large bowl placed cooled chicken, add salt (less to start, add more to taste later) and curry and stir to coat.  Add grapes, mayonnaise and onions.  Mix well.  Test it and add more mayo and salt as needed to your desired taste/creaminess.  Remember mayo has a lot of salt.  Add nuts right before serving (mix).  If you only plan to eat a portion then, only mix that portion with some of the nuts and serve.  Keep the nuts and salad separate until you plan to eat so the nuts will be crunchiest.  It is still good even if you forget, but its amazing when the nuts give it that crunch.

Serve with crackers, on a sandwich, or with tortilla chips.

Sauteed Spinach

 Ingredients:

8 cups fresh Baby Spinach (about one bag)

1 shallot

1/2 tbsp butter

4 cloves garlic diced

1/8 tsp pepper

1/4 sea salt (plus more to taste as needed)

Directions:

Cook on low-medium the butter, shallots and garlic with salt and pepper until fragrant.  Add spinach.  Cook until wilted and serve immediately.  

This does not make much - serves 2-3.  Make more by doubling or tripling the recipe, its delicious!  If you double it, add spinach in portions letting it wilt so more will fit in your sauté pan or pot until all is cooked.

Laundry Room Renovation

My laundry room was boring...and not a place one would want to spend time.  Plus if the door is open its a focal point of my foyer...So we fixed it!

Before (not good)

AFTER

During:

Quicker Melt In Your Mouth Potatoes

 

Ingredients:

6-8 russet potatoes washed and forked (microwave until not quite done, like would need another 2 minutes in microwave)

1/2 stick melted butter

1/4 cup olive oil (garlic or Tuscan herb flavor is amazing! - but plain will suffice)

8 cloves garlic chopped

2 tsp. thyme (dried) or 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Sea Salt & Pepper

2- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth (depending on size of jelly roll pan)

Need:  Large jelly roll/baking side with 3/4 - 1 inch sides (10X15 or 13X9)

Microwave the potatoes until not quite done.  Cut into 1/2 inch thick circle and place flat side done on a parchment covered large jelly roll pan.  Mix all other ingredients together (except the chicken broth).  Generously salt and pepper the potatoes.  Brush with butter/oil mixture.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  Add Chicken broth (want to be at least 1/2-3/34 way up your potato slices).  Bake another 20-25 minutes at 450 degrees until liquid is dissolved.  Serve hot.  Serves 6-8 people (as a side).

Coconut Rice (in a rice cooker)

 2 cups Jasmine Rice

2 1/4 cups water

1/2-3/4 cup coconut milk

1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 tsp. chicken Bouillon

Mix cook in rice cooker until done.

Sourdough Pizza Crust (make the night before)

100 g sourdough discard (1/3 cup)

10 g sea salt or pink Himalayan salt (2 tsp.)

30 g olive oil (2 Tbsp.)

450 g Flour (3 3/4 cup)

50 g Whole wheat Flour (1/3 cup + 1Tbsp)

325 g warm water (always use filtered water for bread) (1 1/3 cups)

Mix all ingredients together in large mixing bowl.  Cover and let rise overnight at room temperature on counter.  Do a set of stretch and folds.  Either use immediately or to develop more sourdough flavor cover and refrigerate 8 hours (no more then 36 hours) before use.  

Get out 1-2 cast iron skillets and Toppings!  I like to roast garlic bulbs ahead of time to have ready to top my pizza, olive oil and spices inside of sauce, pre-sauté onions, bell pepper and mushrooms and add chicken sausage (cut up) and olives with a mixture of mozzarella  and cheddar.  But you do you!

When ready for your pizza night, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Get your toppings together.  Divide dough into 4 parts.  Shape into circles and let rise 30 minutes covered with a towel.  Heat a cast iron skillet to medium to medium-high and lightly oil the bottom.  While skillet is warming up, on a floured surface press each dough ball out into an 8-11 inch round (depending on size of skillet and desired thickness of crust) .  when skillet is hot add dough (be careful not to touch the pan, its hot!).  Add sauce/olive oil, toppings, cheese, etc. immediately.  Cook 5-8 minutes until bottom just begins to brown/char (but NOT BURNT).  Switch oven to broil and pop the pizza in the broiler for a few minutes to finish up the toppings.  Broilers are tricky - be careful not to bur your pizza, use low broil if needed.  Serve hot.

I like to have 2 skillets going so we can make 2 pizzas and then save the other 2 pizzas for another day.

I like to do half and half pizzas - for more topping variety.

Pizza nights were something we did as a family with my Dad growing up and I love a good variety of toppings for a family pizza night where everyone gets their favorite mix.

Sourdough Focaccia Bread

Sourdough Focaccia Bread

Ingredients:

200 g active sourdough starter

400 g warm water

10 g sea salt

510 g flour

Directions:

Mix starter and water together until dissolved.  Add salt and flour and mix until shaggy dough forms.  Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.  Do a set of stretch and folds.  Let proof 2 hours covered (if you have a proofing setting on your oven); or rise on counter 4 hours covered.  Line a large jelly roll pan with parchment paper.  Drizzle the olive oil over the parchment and cover.  Pour dough onto jelly roll pan and spread out to sides.  Proof another 45 minutes; or let rise 1.5 hours on counter.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Dimple dough.  Add any topping (Italian Seasoning, Sea Salt, Garlic, etc.)  Bake 25-30 minutes until bubbling and golden.

Sourdough Sandwich Bread (can be made same day or next day)

 Ingredients:

300 g warm water

4 g instant yeast

14 g sea salt (I use pink sea salt)

21 g honey

200 g sourdough discard  (same day) OR active sourdough starter (12 hour version)

450 g flour

Directions Using Sourdough Discard:

Mix water and yeast in medium-large mixing bowl until combine.  Add salt, honey and sourdough discard.  Mix until Combine.  Add flour and mix until wet stick dough forms.  Let rest 30 minutes covered.  Do one set of stretch ad folds (basically you get your hands wet, not soaking but wet, and come at the dough from the edges lift and pull into itself in the middle, do this all the way around the bowl - usually I do 20 pulls).  The dough should be smooth and look slick.  Let rise 2-3 hours covered.  If you have a proof setting in your oven, use it.  Prepare a 10 by 6 or 9 by 5 loaf pan (i.e. butter it up).  Place dough on a large floured surface and pat the dough out until it is about 8-9 inches by 16-20 inches.  Then roll it up like wrapping paper (so you end up with a cylinder the same length as your pan).  I like to use a 10 by 6 inch loaf pan.  Place the dough in your prepared pan and drizzle the top generously with olive oil.  Cover and let rise another hour.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  Serve warm.  

Directions Using Active Sourdough Starter:

Mix water and yeast in medium-large mixing bowl until combine.  Add salt, honey and sourdough discard.  Mix until Combine.  Add flour and mix until wet stick dough forms.  Let rest 30 minutes covered.  Do one set of stretch ad folds (basically you get your hands wet, not soaking but wet, and come at the dough from the edges lift and pull into itself in the middle, do this all the way around the bowl - usually I do 20 pulls).  The dough should be smooth and look slick.  Let rise overnight (or about 12 hours) on the counter. Prepare a 10 by 6 or 9 by 5 loaf pan (i.e. butter it up).  Place dough on a large floured surface and pat the dough out until it is about 8-9 inches by 16-20 inches.  Then roll it up like wrapping paper (so you end up with a cylinder the same length as your pan).  I like to use a 10 by 6 inch loaf pan.  Place the dough in your prepared pan and drizzle the top generously with olive oil.  Cover and let rise another hour.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  Serve warm.  

Great with honey and butter (or smart balance for those of us watching our cholesterol).

Italian Pearl Pasta Soup with Veggies

 

Ingredients:

3 carrots diced

3 stalks celery diced

1 onion diced

1 tbsp. butter

6 cloves garlic diced

2 Tbsp. Flour

1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning

1 large frozen chicken breast

1 1/2 Boxes Good Chicken Broth

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste (start with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper)

1 cup pearl couscous

2 cups fresh Spinach 

Directions:

Sauté carrot, celery and onion in butter over medium heat in a large heavy pot, Dutch oven or deep skillet (it will need a lid later) until vegetables are translucent.   Add garlic and cook about 1-2 minutes.  Add flour and Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Mix to coat.  Add chicken and broth.  Boil about 40 minutes with lid on until chicken is cooked through.  Take chicken out and diced into small pieces.  Turn down to med-high.  Add chicken and Pearl couscous.  Cook into pasta is almost done according to directions.  About 2 minutes before its done add spinach and make sure to cook and mix until wilted.  Stir the pasta so it doesn't stick.  Add more salt or pepper to desired taste.  Serve Hot.

Easy No Mixer Chewy Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

8 oz. (1 cup) dark chocolate chips (or you can use milk if you prefer)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Put butter in a large microwave safe bowl.  Melt butter in microwave.  Add sugars and mix.  Add vanilla ad mix.  Add egg and mix.  Add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated, adding chips last.  Form about 1 Tbsp balls and place about 1 1/2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake cookies 8 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom (I sometimes bake a little longer up to 10 minutes).  Store in a sealed container after the cool.  Makes about 30-36 cookies.  Enjoy!!!