BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

I made these for my kids today.

It took me less then ten minutes to put lunch together.

I made these from items I had around the house.

My picky eater gave it a thumbs up along with his little sister.

Corn tortillas
Monterrey Jack and Cheddar cheese
Left over chicken
BBQ Sauce
Ranch Dressing

I cubed up some left over boneless chicken breasts that I barbecued the other day.

I placed the cubed chicken in a frying pan that had about a half inch of water in it and turned the range top up to med high.

Then I thinly sliced my cheeses.

Once my chicken was warm I used a slotted spoon and removed the chicken from the pan into a bowl. I poured a small amount of BBQ sauce into the bowl and tossed the chicken until all the pieces were lightly coated.

On my electric flat top I placed my corn tortillas on the heated surface.

I added my cheese.

Then I added my chicken mixture.

When my cheese was melted I folded the corn tortillas in half and they were ready.

I gave the kids a small side of ranch to dip the quesadillas in.

I added red bell peppers and jalapenos to mine.

We did not listen to any music. We discussed our favorite films and the little one just agreed with everything. I love her.

Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips

Everything tastes better on a homemade tortilla chip.

This is what you will need.

One frying pan
Large bowl
Paper towels
Canola oil
Corn tortillas
Salt
Fresh lime (Lime juice concentrate will do)

Put enough oil in your frying pan to cover several layers of corn tortillas. Turn your range top up to medium high and wait for the oil to heat up.

Cut your corn tortillas into sixths -- cut them in half then cut the halfs into thirds. Pretend you're cuting a pie. Cut a stack of tortillas all at once to get the job done faster.

Place a few layers of paper towels in a bowl. You'll drain and season your finished chips here later.

Check to see if your oil is hot enough by dropping a tiny drop of water in the oil. If it bubbles, it's hot enough. You may also notice the oil moving around the bottom of the pan. That's also a sign it's hot enough.

Gently drop your triangles into the hot oil. Put several layers, but don't overfill your pan or they won't cook evenly. Turn them once or twice. When they're light golden brown remove them and place in your bowl with paper towels.

Drizzle lightly with lime juice and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with your remaining uncooked triangles.

Watchout -- the bowl may already be empty by the time you finish frying the next batch! So good!

The Best Veggie Sandwich

This is my all time favorite veggie sandwich.

Two slices of toasted multi grain bread (the more grains the better).
One half of a large avocado.
A small handful of thinly sliced raw mushrooms.
A small handful of alfalfa sprouts.

Building the sandwich is simple. First bread, then avocado, then mushrooms, then sprouts, then bread. Gently press on the sandwich so everything sticks and you can fit it into your mouth.

This sandwich is so simple and divine words can not describe it.

Music recommendation -- none. This sandwich should be eaten in silence.

Making your own Flavored Olive Oil

Olive oil flavored with garlic, rosemary, peppers or whatever makes a great addition to any kitchen and it is very simple to make.

One bottle of Olive Oil.
Your favorite flavors/spices.

That's it.

If you don't know what you like try fresh rosemary, fresh garlic, onion and some mild to hot peppers. Dice everything up and put all of your mixture in the bottle of Olive Oil. You might have to remove some of the Olive Oil to fit all your stuff in.

Some of the many uses of your personalized Olive Oil are pasta dishes, oven baked sandwiches, garlic bread, home made croutons or just a dip to dunk fresh bread in.

It also makes a great inexpensive gift.

Try making your own labels and stick them on the bottles.

I think a good music recommendation for this adventure is anything instrumental.

Homestyle Sweet Potatoes

I love homestyle potatoes. The crispy, seasoned edges and tender insides are deeee-lightful.

I also love their flexibility -- serve them with eggs and bacon for a southern-style breakfast, mix them with scrambled eggs and sausage for a breakfast bowl or serve them with chorizo, eggs, cheese and salsa for a spicy little number. I can almost smell them cooking now.

My love for this style of potato led me to experiment with their sweet cousin that I happened to have on hand one day. Hmm. Crispy, seasoned edges and tender SWEET insides. How could that be bad?

Let me tell you, it is not bad, not bad at all. These are a real crowd pleaser.

I always make extra because the kids want them the next day, too. I serve these with ham and greens for a real southern feel, but they're also great with baked chicken.

Homestyle Sweet Potatoes
Set your oven at 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.

Wash your sweet potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes.

Place potatoes in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss the potatoes to coat somewhat evenly and then spread onto baking sheet.

If you're in a time crunch, skip the bowl and just drizzle the oil on the potatoes on the baking sheet.

Season with a couple pinches of cinnamon and a few sprinkles (more or less) of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning. This is my favorite seasoning combo, but you can also try sea salt, pepper and a pinch of thyme if you're not into the sweet/spicy thing.

Bake for about twenty minutes turning once midway.

 I love seeing smiling faces around my table and hearing the stories from the day, but when their mouths are full and chewing, there's just not as much conversation going on.

I've learned that the clinging of forks on plates as they devour their food can be music to my ears, too. And when they sit back with full bellies the conversation can resume.

Sweet moments to be cherished.

Asian Chicken Salad

This is one of Kitchen Man's favorites! I make it several times a week for him.

I make just enough dressing for a week, but you could make more of it. If you use bok choy or greens for your salad instead of lettuce, you can prep the entire salad, with dressing, in advance and your greens won't wilt. Big time saver there!

Salad:
Diced chicken (we prefer breast in this salad)
Cut up Bok Choy or mixed greens
Steamed green beans, cooled
Steamed broccoli, cooled
Red bell pepper strips

Dressing:
Soy Sauce
Grapeseed Oil
Rice Vinegar
Sesame Oil
Garlic - minced
Ginger - dried spice or fresh grated, depending on your preference
Sweetener

Mix one part grapeseed oil, one part rice vinegar and two parts soy sauce in a jar (I use an empty jam jar). Add a few drops of sesame oil and a small spoonful of garlic. Next add a small palmful of dried ginger and several spoonfuls of sweetener (I use a splenda-type because of KM's low-carb diet, but agave nectar is nice, too). Put the lid on your jar and shake it. The jar or your booty -- or both! Open and taste. We like ours to have a nice balance of salty and sweet. For additional saltiness, add soy sauce. For more sweet, add sweetener. Shake again and taste again if necessary.

Pile your mixed greens on a plate and then add green beans, broccoli, and red bell peppers. Place chicken on top and then drizzle with dressing and enjoy!

Did I mention how much I like this, too? Yum. If you have little helpers in your kitchen, get them involved. Ours like to plate the salads, making them look pretty, and to shake the dressing. Our youngest especially likes the taste-test part of making the dressing.

If the kids are helping you out or playing near by, they'll love listening to the music from Seeds Family Worship. Check it out!

Steak & Pepper Medley Quesadillas

Ever wonder what to do with that little piece of steak you have left over (other than stand in the fridge and eat it cold, off the bone)? Here's a quick and tasty idea.

Steak
Green and Red Bell Peppers - chopped
Monterrey Jack Cheese - shredded
Tortillas

Heat up your griddle or large skillet to medium high. Thinly slice your steak. Not sure you could get it too thin. Slap a tortilla or several on the griddle. Let them warm slightly and then turn them over. Sprinkle cheese on half the tortilla. Add steak and bell peppers. Not a large amount like a taco or burrito, just a sprinkling. Sprinkle with a little more cheese. Fold the tortilla in half covering the filling. Press lightly with spatula so the cheese can bind everything together. Flip the quesadillas and cook until lightly browned and crispy. Work in assembly line fashion if doing more than one at a time. Whenever you fold the quesadillas in half, you can add another one to the griddle in the space that opened up.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream (we use Greek yogurt instead), guacamole and salsa. These are good enough to eat without the toppings, too!

We recommend listening to Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture during this cooking and eating adventure.

Chicken Tacos with Black Bean and Pineapple Salsa

Super easy tacos that are such a treat!

Cooked chicken diced or shredded
Canned or precooked black beans
Fire-roasted tomatoes
Pineapple bits
Red and green bell peppers diced or shredded
Salsa
Shredded cheese (we like Monterrey Jack and Cheddar or the Mexican Blend if you buy it bagged)
Corn Tortillas
Chili Powder
Cumin
Sea Salt


Coat your pan with non-stick cooking spray and heat to medium. Throw in the peppers and give them a stir. Let them cook until they begin to soften. Add the black beans and fire-roasted tomatoes and give it all a mix. Season with chili powder, cumin and sea salt. Stir again. Keep an eye on the heat. You don't want it to get too hot and begin sticking to the pan. Turn it down a little if needed. After a few minutes, add the chicken and heat through. Meanwhile, warm up your corn tortillas. Add the pineapple tidbits and stir well. Scoop the taco filling into a tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese and top with a spoonful of fresh salsa.

For a twist, omit the pineapple and serve this over brown rice instead of in a tortilla. You can prepare this in advance and warm in the microwave for a quick and easy lunch.

Just remember it does not mater how you fold it. A taco is a corn tortilla and a burrito is a flour tortilla. The recipe above makes great burritos as well. Enjoy. KM

I recommend listening to Jesse Cook to make the mood festive.

World Famous Guacamole

4 Medium Avocados
Salsa
Minced Garlic
Lime Juice
Sea Salt
Cumin

Slice your avocados lengthwise. Remove the seeds and scoop avocado flesh into a bowl. I whack the seeds firmly with a large knife to remove them, but this technique isn't for everyone. Even Kitchen Man doesn't like it when I do this and he has much more experience using a knife. Mash avocados with a fork until only small lumps remain. Add two or three spoonfuls of salsa, depending on how much heat you want. Add a small spoonful of garlic, a drizzle of lime juice, a small palmful of salt and a small palmful of cumin. Stir together and have a taste. If it seems like it's missing something, add a little more salt. Yum, yum.

Serve with your favorite south of the border meals or fry up some corn tortillas to make chips. Dig in!

Don't whack the seed with the knife. It is not worth losing your hand over an avocado. Use a spoon to scoop out the seed. Who wants to look like a thief who stole over a thousand in Saudi. I don't. KM

How about listening to the Gypsy Kings to get the party started?

Be a Food Saftey Pro in the Kitchen - 5 Easy Tips

1. Wash your hands frequently. Wash your hands before and after food preparation and in between handling different kinds of food in the kitchen such as meats and vegetables.

2. Keep it cold, keep it hot. Quickly store leftovers in the refrigerator to slow the growth of bacteria. Do not allow food to sit around for several hours.

3. Be careful of cross contamination. The easiest way to avoid this is to use two cutting boards. One for meat and one for veggies.

4. Wash, rinse, and sanitize. Thoroughly wash counter tops and cutting boards between uses. A sanitizer approved for kitchen use will kill even more germs.

5. Cook it thoroughly. It is always a good idea to verify cooking temperatures by using a digital thermometer. It lets you know quickly that the meat is thoroughly cooked and thus free of illness causing bacteria.

Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

If you want a veggie alternative to pasta this is a great way to go. My picky eater loves this and thinks he is eating spaghetti pasta. He always gets seconds.

The easiest way to prepare the spaghetti squash is to cut it in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the trash. Place half of the squash face down in a microwaveable dish. Pour a half inch of water in the dish then cover with plastic wrap. Nuke for twelve to fifteen minutes depending on the size of the squash. After twelve minutes you can check the doneness of the squash by pressing with your finger. The squash is done when it is no longer firm to the touch. Yes, that means soft to the touch.

While the squash is in the microwave heat up your favorite marinara sauce and add some cooked ground beef to the red goodness.

When the squash is done uncover and flip it over so the squash is face up. Be careful, it will be very hot. Use a fork to scrape the meat of the squash away from the skin. The squash will fall apart in strings.

Place a portion of squash on a plate or bowl. Cover the squash completely with your marinara meat sauce. Too much is not enough.

Sprinkle with shredded Mozzarella and Parmesan.

For this experience we recommend listening to Andrea Bocelli.

Yummy Brussels Sprouts

The secret to yummy Brussels sprouts like most things is bacon and onion. This is what you will need.

Four to five slices of chopped bacon(I use kitchen scissors and snip the sliced bacon over the pan)
One small onion diced
One bag of frozen Brussels sprouts
One lemon

Over med heat cook bacon and onion together until the onion is translucent(clear). Then add your frozen Brussels sprouts and cover. Remember to shake the pan every few minutes to turn the Brussels sprouts. Your Brussels sprouts should be done in about fifteen minutes. You will know they are done when they are fork tender and look caramelized.

If you are using fresh Brussels sprouts you might want to steam them first for about ten minutes then repeat the steps above.

Serve with fresh squeezed lemon and salt and pepper.

We recommend listening to the Party Cats Move it, Move it. (It reminds me to shake the pan to turn the Brussels sprouts).

Setting Up Your Kitchen for Success - Part 2

In a previous post, Setting Up Your Kitchen for Success, we discussed stocking your kitchen with core items you use regularly, as well as, cooking your proteins in advance and prepping your veggies. Once you've done that you have lots of options for what you can fix quickly. You may have made these few simple changes and found that you're off and running, great! But if you're not, we're here to help. Let's say you don't cook much at all and you're looking for where to start. Here are ten items we make around our house on a regular basis. If these sound good to you, throw together a quick grocery list and get cooking. If you're in a pinch, grab a rotisserie chicken to use for a day or two. You'll be amazed how much easier meal time is when you've prepared a little in advance. Hopefully you'll be inspired by these ideas.

Speaking of inspiration, it gets really exciting as we near our next shopping trip -- we have to get creative with what we have left. You know those things that beckon to you from the pantry, "use me, use me, use me?" Well now's your chance. Pull those things out, take a look in the fridge to see what else you have on hand and let the creative juices flow. Honestly, we've had a few duds, but more often than not, we're amazed at what we've come up with and how far we've stretched our grocery budget.

Today is grocery shopping day for us. Wahoo! fresh food. We went early this morning and got our core ingredients and then when the little one was down for her nap I got busy. We're having Chicken Tortilla Soup tonight, so I got started on that right away. My chicken was already cooked, so I diced it and threw it in the pot. Once the soup was put together and cooking (about 5 minutes later) I made our fresh salsa and grated the cheese we would need for the soup. When those were done I focused on cleaning and prepping additional veggies for the next few days. I cooked half a spaghetti squash, chopped red and green bell peppers, and chopped mustard and turnip greens. Ah, I feel better knowing that food is in the fridge ready to go. So here are those ideas I mentioned.

Chicken Tacos with Black Bean & Pineapple Salsa
Asian Chicken Salad
Chicken & Cheese Quesadillas with Guacamole
Chicken and Black Bean (or white bean) Chili
Hamburger Steaks with Mushrooms and Swiss Cheese
Italian Meat Sauce with Veggies
Ham with Sweet Potatoes and Greens
Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili
Steak & Pepper Medley Quesadillas
Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya

Are you inspired? Watch for these recipes and others in the next few days.

Jack Johnson makes me smile and dance while prepping.

Waffles

Multi-grain frozen waffles (the kind you warm up in the toaster)
Peanut butter (any nut butter will do, we use all natural)
Banana
Extra-dark chocolate chips
Sugar free syrup

Spread nut butter on toasted waffles, add sliced banana and chocolate chips then drizzle warm syrup over your creation. To warm the syrup just nuke for 15 seconds in a microwavable container.

If it sounds like too much sugar, look again. We use the extra-dark chocolate chips that only have 6 grams of sugar for 30 chips. Our kids only get about 6 chips on their waffle, so that's miniscule sugar, but big smiling faces! The natural peanut butter we use has no added sugar and we use a splenda sweetened syrup. This is one of their favorite breakfasts and we feel good about giving it to them.

And in honor of Elvis's favorite sandwich, put on some Elvis Presley and enjoy a filling, fun breakfast!

Nachos Hawaiian Style

Two handfuls of tortilla chips
Two handfuls of shredded cheese
A handful of diced spiral ham
A handful of diced pineapple
A handful of diced red onion
Pickled jalapenos to your taste

Preheat oven to 375. Get a pie plate or cake pan or casserole dish. Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Place chips in a mound in pan. Sprinkle cheese, ham, onions, pineapple and jalapenos over chips. Place in oven. Don't worry if the oven's not preheated yet. Cook until cheese melts and is browned. About 10 minutes.

Put on a little Willie K for ambiance. He's a Maui legend!
Aloha!

Setting Up Your Kitchen For Success

We live in a busy, busy time. Fast food and microwaves have infiltrated the way we eat. A lot of people have gotten away from the homecooked, fresh meals our grandparents were accustomed to. We could go on about this, but the point here is that it doesn't have to be this way. We can have fresh, hot meals regularly and we don't have to fall victim to these unhealthy traps. So where to start? Set your kitchen and yourself up for success.

1. Stock up on your core ingredients.
You know what you eat on a regular basis. Buy those things. If you tend to buy randomly without a plan, you're probably spending too much and not finding much to eat when you go to cook. Develop your menu plan from your core items. Our shopping list generally contains the following: almond milk, greek yogurt, bread, multi-grain tortillas, cheese, eggs, chicken, ham, beef, greens, bok choy, spinach, green beans, broccoli, corn, black beans, pinto beans, onions, sweet potatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, mushrooms, bell peppers, avacados, bananas, apples, oranges, berries, pears, canned fire-roasted tomatoes, chicken stock, maranara sauce, pesto sauce, grapeseed oil, olive oil, canola oil cooking spray, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, garlic, pepper, cumin, chili powder, sweetener, agave nectar, ginger, oatmeal, cereal, corn bread mix, baking mix, frozen multi-grain waffles, extra-dark chocolate chips, all natural peanut butter, and jam.

2. Cook your meat for several meals at one time.
We like to shop twice a week to keep everything fresh, so we generally batch cook meat twice a week also. We buy and cook several chickens at a time. We like to grill them, but lately we've had to roast them because we're under burn bans. If we buy a large package of ground beef, we cook half and freeze the rest to use later in the week. We also try to buy the majority of our meat under $1 per pound. We eat a lot of chicken because we can usually find them for about .89 per pound. We're able to buy spiral sliced ham pieces in a bag that's reasonably priced. I really like this. We use it for breakfast, lunch and dinners.

3. Clean and prep all your fresh veggies.
You can chop everything by hand or pull out the food processor and get busy.  You can do this while your meat is cooking. Have your veggies in separate containers all chopped and ready to go. Prep your salads and have them ready to go in separate containers, too. We primarily use mustard greens, turnip greens, kale and bok choy for our salads. These are great for prepping ahead because they don't wilt. You can even have your dressing on them and they still won't wilt. I also make our fresh pico or salsa at this time, but I only have to make it once a week.

4. Grate your cheeses.
We usually buy big blocks of cheese and let the food processor do the work. Sometimes the grated cheese is cheeper by the ounce. Watch for this. Saves time and money. Love that!

From these stocked and prepped items I can prepare everything my family loves to eat in about 15 minutes.

Chicken Pesto Pizza

1 full pita (not cut in half)
2 spoonfuls maranara (spaghetti sauce)
Half a handful grated mozarella
1 slice provolone cheese
Small spoonful pesto
Half a handful chopped cooked chicken
Sprinkle of chopped red onion
Sprinkle of chopped tomato
Sprinkle of feta cheese

This is easy!
Turn your oven to 375. Place pita bread on flat surface. Place a couple of spoonfuls of maranara in the center of pita. Using back of spoon, spread maranara evenly. If you like a lot of sauce, spread more on there. Sprinkle the mozarella over the sauce. Put slice of provolone in the middle. Place chicken in small bowl with pesto. Toss until chicken is covered. Place chicken on pizza. Sprinkle on onion, tomato and feta. Place pizza directly on oven rack and back for about 8-10 minutes. If you're oven's not quite heated to temp, don't worry about it. Put it in there anyway.
Wash pesto bowl and wipe down your counters.Try not to drool on your freshly wiped counters as you wait for your pizza to come out. Doesn't it smell good?

Let cool for about a minute before cutting. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and a little garlic salt to taste.

Try different variations for family pizza night. Kids like to choose their toppings and have a blast building their own pizzas.

Kitchen Man says: For a real treat, put on some Frank (Sinatra) for your pizza night. Atmosphere is just as important as flavors!

Coming up tomorrow: How to Prep Your Kitchen for Success