I'm in the middle of a rut. I have all these amazing ideas for blog posts but I absolutely have no motivation to write them. Well, I forced myself to try a new recipe so I could share it here. It was more of a wing-it situation because I didn't have most of the ingredients the recipe called for but I made do with what I had available. Anyway here is my recipe for Jambalaya.
Ingredients: 1-2 chicken breasts; cubed 4 hot links; sliced ¼ cup chopped onion of your choice 1 tsp minced garlic ¼ cup chopped bell pepper any color 1 can of chicken broth ½ a box Penne Pasta; uncooked Hot sauce to taste (I used Valentina) Salt to taste Pepper to taste Chile powder to taste Parsley flakes (for topping off the dish) ½ tsp of olive oil Directions: I started by seasoning my chicken with the salt, pepper, and chile powder then cooked my chicken at medium-high heat until fully cooked. Put the chicken to the side. In a deep frying pan, on medium-high heat, saute the onions and bell pepper until soft. Then put in the garlic and continue to saute until fragrant. (This usually takes a few minutes.) After the garlic is fragrant, cook the hot links and chicken in the same frying pan for five minutes. After five minutes, put the pasta, the hot sauce, and chicken broth into the pan and stir well. (It was at this point I noticed my broth didn't cover most of the pasta so I added a cup of water to ensure my pasta would cook.) Cook on medium-high heat for 15 minutes (or until pasta is cooked) with the lid on, then top jambalaya with parsley flakes. Feel free to add more chile powder or hot sauce to make it spicier. I refrained from making it spicy because Anthony is sensitive to spices. I know this isn't authentic Jambalaya but it was a yummy alternative! Original recipe found on: https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/chicken-and-sausage-penne-jambalaya/
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One of my favorite sweet treats from my grade school days were Gold bars. They're just like Reece's peanut butter cup but they're square! A friend of mine shared the recipe with me a few years ago and now I decided to share it with you.
Ingredients: 3-4 graham crackers crushed (don't crush them into powder make sure you leave some pieces in there) 1 cup powdered sugar 2 cups peanut butter (I used smooth) ½ cup brown sugar ½ a stick of butter 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips Optional: 1 tsp of vanilla extract (It's optional because I'm my first batch, I used it and in my second I forgot.) In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the peanut butter, the brown sugar, and the butter until the butters melt. Mine took about two minutes. Pour the peanut butter mixture along with the powdered sugar into the mixing bowl with the graham crackers. (If you chose to use vanilla extract you would pour it into the bowl at this time.) Mix the contents of the bowl thoroughly. Once the mixture is the consistency of cookie dough, put it into a 9x9 baking dish. Push down the dough so it is evenly spread throughout the dish. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Every 30 seconds stir the chips to ensure they melt properly. Once they are melted pour the chocolate on top of the peanut butter dough and spread evenly. Refrigerate for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove them from the refrigerator and cut at room temperature. Make sure you let your gold bars get to room temperature before cutting them. It will make your life that much easier! My first batch came out like Mazapan. They tasted delicious but they were crumbly. My next two batches were perfect! They had a better consistency and reminded me of my childhood. If you're a peanut butter lover I highly recommend you try these. As usual, if you try them, let me know how they come out! Three weeks ago I got a Costco membership and I was way too excited. I am 24 years old and after getting this membership I felt like an adult. (Don’t judge me!) Anyway, one thing I love about Costco is the food court and my absolute favorite item is the Chicken Bake. Well, due to COVID-19 they are not making Chicken Bakes and I was absolutely heartbroken. That is, until, I saw this recipe! Here is a recipe for a copy-cat recipe for the Costco Chicken Bake!
Ingredients: 1 lb of pizza dough 2 chicken breasts; cubed 2 green onions; chopped 4 strips of bacon; chopped ¼ cup of caesar dressing 1 cup of mozzarella cheese 1 cup of parmesan cheese 2 tsp olive oil Egg wash Salt and pepper to taste Optional: Italian seasonings and parsley Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Start by seasoning your chicken with salt and pepper then frying it in the olive oil until fully cooked and slightly browned. Fry bacon until crispy. Drain oil and set to the side. Roll out pizza dough to your desired size (I rolled mine to about a 9x9 square.) Spread the caesar dressing onto the dough then fill with the chicken, bacon, green onion, and the cheeses. Wrap up the dough, then brush on the egg wash, and top with more mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake on a cookie sheet with aluminum foil for 30 minutes or until golden brown. (I sprayed the foil with non-stick spray to prevent sticking) I didn’t realize when I made these how much they would rise. My chicken bakes were massive! Oh, the original recipe called for dried parsley and Italian seasonings. Well, I had both and completely forgot to add them. They were delicious without them so I consider that a win! As usual, if you try this recipe, let me know how it came out, and please sent me pictures! Use the hashtag #MyHeartBeatsNM Original recipe found at: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a53800/chicken-bake-recipe/ Anthony and I are officially bored with dinner. We have run out of ideas for meals to eat. I have even lost the want to cook. So, I did what I do best, research! I went to Pinterest to get some new dinner ideas and I was not disappointed. I found a recipe for Rigatoni with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Zucchini which I named, Yummy Rigatoni. I want to share with you my modified recipe.
Ingredients: 12 oz Beef Kielbasa sausage; chopped 2 TBSP of minced garlic 1 cup Grape tomatoes; chopped in half ¼ Yellow onion; chopped finely 1 Zucchini; diced 1 6 oz can of Tomato paste 1 14.5 oz can Chicken broth ½ a box of Rigatoni pasta 1/2 tsp Black pepper 1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes 1 tsp Salt A dash of dried basil 3 tbsp Olive oil 1 TBSP Parmesan cheese Directions: Start by boiling water with a little bit of oil and salt. Once it gets to a steady boil add in the Rigatoni pasta and cook until al dente. While that is cooking start by sauteing your onion and pepper flakes in a deep frying pan with the remainder of the olive oil until the onion is very soft. Once that is done, toss in the kielbasa and garlic then cook for five minutes or until the garlic is fragrant. Once that is cooked, pour the broth and tomato paste into the pot. Mix until the tomato paste is evenly spread then add in the tomatoes and zucchini. Season with the dried basil and black pepper. Lastly, lower heat, then cover with a lid for ten minutes. Once pasta is ready, Mix the pasta into the sauce mixture then top with Parmesan cheese. This recipe serves six servings or two servings each for three people. I made it for Anthony, our friend Maria and myself and it was a hit. If you are a pasta lover I would highly recommend giving this a try. It was hubby approved so I consider that a win! **Original recipe found at https://bakerbynature.com/rigatoni-with-sausage-tomatoes-and-zucchini/ Sometimes you want an iced coffee but don't want to leave the house. Well, I'm here to share a simple recipe for iced coffee, and no fancy machine required!
Here is what you will need: 2 TBSP of instant coffee 2 TBSP of sugar 2 TBSP of hot water Milk of your choice Ice Directions: In a bowl, mix the instant coffee, sugar, and water. Unlike Dalgona coffee, you'll just want to mix the ingredients until the grainy texture is gone. In a glass of iced milk, pour the coffee mixture into the milk. Mix thoroughly and enjoy! A simple and delicious iced coffee you can do at home! As usual if you try this recipe tell me how it came out! Use the hashtag #MyHeartBeatsNM It's been raining every week here in beautiful New Mexico and me, not particularly liking the rain, wanted some comfort food. I was inspired by the potato leek soup from the movie Ratatouille. It looked like a hearty, yummy soup you could enjoy on a rainy day, so I created my own New Mexican version of it. Here is the recipe! Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts; boiled and shredded 3-4 russet potatoes; washed and chopped to 1 inch pieces 2 cups of water 1 cup of heavy cream 1 family size can (or two small cans) of cream of potato 1 family size can (or two small cans) of cream of chicken As much chopped green chile as your heart desires Salt and pepper to taste Garlic powder (for seasoning the chile) *Optional shredded cheese Directions: Start by boiling your chicken. Once your chicken is boiled put it to the side and let cool. While doing that start boiling your potatoes. Throw a dash of salt and pepper in the water for flavor. While potatoes are boiling, start shredding your chicken. Once the chicken is shredded and the potatoes are boiled, strain, then save about 2 cups of the water. In a large pot, combine the cream of potato, the cream of chicken, and the water. Mix well, then add the chicken, potatoes and green chile. Then pour in the heavy cream. Mix the soup thoroughly and let heat for 10 minutes on a medium high heat. Serve and enjoy! *Optional you could also top your soup with shredded cheese. I didn't look up the recipe for Ratatouille's potato leek soup, but I saw what it looked like and was inspired to create something completely my own. I hope you enjoy this yummy comfort food, and as usual, if you try it, let me know how it comes out! Use the hashtags #MyHeartBeatsNM and #PandemicDinners! I’ve decided to start calling the new meals I make during the current pandemic, “Pandemic Dinners.” My most recent “Pandemic Dinner” creation is a recipe I found on Pinterest. You all know my story of getting bored with my few regularly cooked meals so I did what I do best and looked up something new to try. Anyway, that being said, here is the recipe for Broccoli Chicken Casserole. Ingredients: 8 ounces uncooked pasta* (I used Farfalle and Penne I didn’t have enough of either one on their own so I combined them) 1 bag of frozen broccoli 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ small white onion, thinly sliced 8 ounces sliced mushrooms 4 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons flour 1 cup chicken stock 1 1/2 cups milk (of your choice) 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 cups (or more if you desire) shredded cheese (or your choice), divided 2 cups diced cooked chicken Directions:
Dice your chicken and cook it. (I fried mine with a little bit of olive oil.) Cook the pasta and broccoli. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water (don’t forget to generously salt the water!) For the broccoli, either nuke it in the microwave for 5 minutes or cook it on the stove. (Follow directions on the bag.) Make the mushroom sauce. Meanwhile, we’ll work on the sauce. Sauté the onion, followed by the mushrooms and garlic in oil until softened. Stir in some flour evenly and let it cook for 1 minute. Then add in the stock, milk, Dijon, salt, and pepper, and cook until the sauce reaches a simmer. Turn off the heat. Stir in half of the shredded cheese, taste, and adjust any seasonings as needed. In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, mix everything in the dish then sprinkle the remainder of the cheese on top of the casserole. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy! I must admit, I was surprised by the outcome. This casserole was delicious! I was skeptical about using the dijon mustard because I HATE dijon mustard! I was glad that I couldn’t even taste it. Oh, and it satisfied my two picky eaters in the house. Yay for small victories! As usual, if you try this recipe let me know how it comes out! Share pictures on social media with the hashtag #MyHeartBeatsNM This recipe was brought to you by Gimme Some Oven. To see the original recipe please visit: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/healthier-broccoli-chicken-casserole/ As usual, I was stuck and didn’t know what to cook. I am easily bored with the six or seven meals I cook regularly. So, I went on Pinterest and decided to look up new recipes to try. Not to mention that I have a beautiful new Crockpot that I haven’t used but once. I looked up Crockpot recipes on Pinterest and was off. I came across a lot of yummy recipes I want to try (more on that to come), but I was specifically drawn to this recipe for Barbacoa. I figured with Cinco de Mayo coming up it would be fun to share this delicious recipe for your reading enjoyment. That being said, here is what you will need:
3 1/2 lbs Chuck, good quality boneless roast As much chopped Cilantro as you like As much chopped onion as you like 1 lime, sliced 2 cans of Beef broth, low sodium 1 tsp Garlic powder 1 tsp Onion powder 1 tsp Black pepper 2 Bay leaves 1 tbsp Chili powder 1 tbsp salt 1 tsp Cumin Corn tortillas Optional Salsa Directions: Season your chuck roast from top to bottom with all seasonings make sure it is well seasoned. I probably used way more than the measurements I listed in the ingredients for my seasoning because I honestly don’t measure anything. I just took a guess at what it could have potentially been. Sorry. Anyway, after the roast is well-seasoned place it into the Crockpot along with two Bay leaves then pour both cans of beef broth into the Crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours. After 7 ½ hours squeeze lime juice into the Crockpot and for added flavor leave lime wedges in the Crockpot. Once 8 hours are up, shred the roast and let the shredded meat sit in the broth for 5 more minutes to soak up all the flavor. Warm up some corn tortillas, serve meat on a tortilla with chopped onion and cilantro, and salsa if you so please, and enjoy! I made Spanish rice as a side dish. If you want to learn my recipe for Spanish rice please visit: https://myheartbeatsnewmexico.weebly.com/food/spanish-rice If you try this recipe, please let me know how it came out for you! Use the hashtag #MyHeartBeatsNM Original recipe found at:https://www.number-2-pencil.com/slow-cooker-barbacoa-beef/?utm_source=newsletter I’ve seen this recipe all over Facebook and decided to jump on the whipped coffee bandwagon. So, if you’re like me and want to try this trend here is the recipe:
2 tablespoons of instant coffee 2 tablespoons of sugar 2 tablespoons of hot water A glass of milk of your choice (I used whole milk) Ice cubes Directions: In a small bowl whisk the coffee, sugar, and hot water until you get a caramel brown looking whipped cream. Once you finish whisking, serve the whipped cream coffee mixture over a glass of iced milk. Note: Make sure you whisk it until it is a thick whipped cream like consistency. On my first attempt, I didn’t whisk it long enough and it was thick but very goopy. You can mix the milk and coffee or you can drink it without mixing it. I mixed it. The whipped coffee is strong and if you are not used to drinking strong coffee, the milk will help with the strong flavor. Have you tried this viral coffee? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments! For Christmas, I decided to make a ham and bought brown sugar for the glaze. Well, I didn’t end up using the brown sugar so instead of returning it because of a lost receipt I decided I better use it. I started using it to sweeten my oatmeal. Well, that didn’t even put a dent in the sugar so I decided to make chocolate chip cookies. So here is my recipe for chocolate chip cookies!
Here is what you will need: 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup white sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsp hot water 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used a cup) 1 cup chopped walnuts (I refrained because someone I was giving them to is allergic to nuts) Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned. Anthony and Kris are very picky when it comes to chocolate chip cookies and they loved these cookies, so I definitely recommend this recipe! Original recipe found at: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10813/best-chocolate-chip-cookies/ |
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