Roasted Cauliflower ‘Burrito’ Bowl

Nothing fancy to see here – just a healthy, delicious, vegan burrito bowl combo featuring spicy roasted cauliflower, creamy refried black beans, rice, corn, and a your favorite hot sauce.

Great Dinner recipe – Also makes some great leftovers too! This is the trifecta – Grains, protein and veggies; all in one! What more could you ask for?? Well maybe a second helping!!

Have fun with this recipe too – don’t be shy to add your favorite flavors as well.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, divided
  • 1 14-ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 14-ounce can of corn; I picked up a ‘southwest’ style so it had some peppers added for some heat
  • your favorite hot sauce for topping

Directions:

  • Rice: Cook the rice according to package directions.
  • Cauliflower: Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the cauliflower florets with the olive oil and half of the taco seasoning. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through to prevent burning.
  • Beans: Combine the black beans, water, and remaining taco seasoning in a small saucepan. Bring to a low simmer. Mash the black beans with the back of a spoon until the mixture starts to get creamy. It should continue to thicken as it stays over medium low heat.
  • The Moment of Glory: Build a big bowl with rice, refried beans, corn, avocado, and a lime wedge. Top the bowl with your roasted cauliflower and add your hot sauce if you want!

Enjoy – see you in the Kitchen!

Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce

Now – I don’t host Thanksgiving; My family and I always head out of town for the weekend to enjoy someone else’s cooking. Which I love – I love to experience other people’s traditions, recipes, and all the fun holiday activities. So in the couple days leading up to the ‘BIG FEAST’ and heading out of town I like to purge my refrigerator.

Do other people do that??

So for that week – I really just play around in the kitchen which is always fun! Some recipes don’t turn out as good – they never make the blog so you don’t have to worry.

So this yummy concoction of random ingredients (well if you really think about it – they aren’t that random) kind of came together very easy and super simple. Next time I might try a crockpot/slow cooker to very marinate the flavors together. Stay tuned on that.

Onto the recipe – so I had some ground pork and turkey in my fridge that I never used. In my pantry a can of cranberry sauce (probably from last year – but don’t worry it wasn’t expired). A little bit of milk and some OJ hanging around. Gathered some other staples that I always keep in my kitchen and we got to making some simple meatballs.

These meatballs turned out so tender, flavor-packed – perfect for a Thanksgiving party snack, or as a main dish with your favorite sides, it’s just so good!

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • 2/3 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp crushed fennel seeds
  • 4 tsp finely chopped sage
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • 1 (14 oz) can jellied cranberry sauce
  • 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with oil.
  • Using your hands, mix pork, turkey, eggs, garlic, breadcrumbs, milk, fennel, 4 tsp. chopped sage, 2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a large bowl until incorporated. Roll into 1″ balls, making sure to pack firmly.
  • Transfer balls to prepared baking sheet, packing them snuggly. Roast meatballs until firm and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, cook cranberry sauce, orange juice, brown sugar, ginger, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until smooth, about 5 minutes.
  • Using a pastry brush, generously coat meatballs with 1/3 cup cranberry sauce mixture. Return meatballs to oven and continue to bake until glaze is shiny and caramelized, about 5 minutes more.
  • Shake sheet to coat meatballs with sauce. Transfer remaining sauce to a serving bowl and transfer meatballs to a serving platter. Top meatballs with sage leaves before serving, if using.

Enjoy – see you in the Kitchen!

Cheesy-Creamy Chicken Chili

This Chicken Chili cooked in a crock pot is flavored with southwestern spices which makes for a hearty and tasty meal with plenty of kick!

DISCLAIMER!!!!

This isn’t your ordinary chili. With a block of cream cheese, this is chili creamy style. And it makes the perfect comfort food – perfect for a brisk fall/winter night!

This Chicken Chili is the perfect change-up from a tomato-based chili. I could eat it once a week and not get tired of it.

Serve with it with your favorite crunchy tortilla chips or a nice crisp salad for a hearty fall/winter meal.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can black beans (drained/rinsed)
  • 1 can corn (undrained)
  • 1 can Rotel tomatoes (undrained)
  • 1 package ranch dressing mix
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 8 oz package cream cheese
  • 2 chicken breasts

Directions:

  • Place chicken at the bottom of a crock pot, then pour the can of corn (undrained), Rotel tomatoes, and black beans (drained) on top of the chicken.
  • Top with seasonings and ranch dressing mix. Stir together,
  • Place cream cheese block on top. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  • After cooking – take the chicken breasts from the crockpot, shred and stir back into chili.
  • Let cook for another 10 minutes!
  • Serve with tortilla chips, salad, whatever you desire!!

Enjoy – see you in the Kitchen!

Blissful ‘Bagged’ Salad

And it has a yummy tasty sweet potato falafel on top! It’s basically the best thing my bowl-loving self could want in the month of November after I have eaten all the leftover chocolate I had for Halloween! Ooops!

Now I hope the falafel police don’t come for me because I didn’t use chickpeas. But there is nothing better than a big bowl of fresh vegetables loaded with a creamy, perfectly tangy, and just a little bit spicy ranch. YUM!

There’s something about a meal that comes together rather quickly but is also hearty and healthy for you – too!

Ingredients:

For the Sweet Potato Falafel:

  • 1 raw sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice and/or quinoa
  • 1/2 cup almonds or other nuts
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

For the Bowls:

I used a ‘bagged’ salad that needed to be used. It had spinach, chopped carrots, iceberg lettuce and some red cabbage.

Then I added some tortilla strips, scallions and our favorite store bought dressing.

Directions:

  • STEP ONE for the Falafel: Pulse the sweet potato through a food processor until finely minced. Add the brown rice/quinoa and almonds and pulse until well mixed and uniform in texture. Add the egg and salt and pulse until mixed. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the breadcrumbs.
  • STEP TWO for the Falafel: Form the mixture into balls or patties. Bake in a preheat oven at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until each falafel is golden brown and cooked through.
  • BOWLS: Assemble all your ingredients in a bowl. Top with the falafels and spicy ranch dressing.

Enjoy – see you in the Kitchen!

Lemon Pepper Chicken with Creamy Garlic Sauce

This easy lemon pepper chicken recipe is made with a handful of everyday ingredients and comes together fast! The perfect comfort food for busy weeknights or for a crowded dinner party.

This isn’t an overly rich dish, but it is satisfying, and if you serve it with a vegetable it’s definitely not too heavy in my opinion. You can easily thicken up the sauce if you wish with flour and butter. 

Before this recipe, I hadn’t used lemon pepper seasoning in forever. I used to use it often; on shrimp, fish and veggies – but somehow it got neglected for what is probably years now. Anyhow, it’s a versatile seasoning that makes the most delicious sauce, and I’m glad that I resurrected it.

Ingredients:

  • 3 boneless chicken breasts, halved horizontally to make 6
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 tbsp. of your favorite Cracked Pepper & Lemon Seasoning, divided
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup of low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup of half & half or heavy cream
  • 2/3 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese
  • 3 tbsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • In a shallow bowl mix flour and 2 tablespoons of lemon pepper seasoning.
  • Dredge chicken in mixture, shake off excess and set aside.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
  • Fry the chicken, skin side down, for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
  • Flip chicken and cook 2-3 minutes on other side. Remove from skillet.
  • Place chicken on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for about 10-20 minutes (depending on size and type), until chicken is fully cooked and juices run clear and is no longer pink in the middle.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in medium saucepan.
  • Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.
  • Add chicken stock and 4 tablespoon of pepper & lemon seasoning and bring to a boil.
  • Add half & half or heavy cream and bring to a boil.
  • Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted and creamy.
  • Reduce heat to simmer, stirring frequently. Pour in lemon juice and stir together.
  • Place cooked chicken into skillet. Garnish with lemon slices, parsley and/or capers.
  • Serve over noodles, veggies, pasta or rice. This time I paired the chicken with Orzo Stuffing. Enjoy!

Enjoy – see you in the Kitchen!

Orzo “Stuffing” with Celery, Cranberries and Almonds

Do you ever get to a point while you are cooking when you discover that you have a great ‘main’ dish but you catch yourself saying – “What can I serve this with??”

That’s kind of where we were at when it came to this recipe. I didn’t get to the supermarket this week. I prefer to go myself, rather than get a delivery or curbside pickup. I know what kind of millennial am I??

Anyway – I had some great Lemon-Pepper Chicken baking away in the oven but nothing to pair it with. So I gathered some ingredients that I had in the back of my pantry and fridge and got to cooking.

Dried cranberries – check!
Sliced Almonds – check!
Orzo pasta – check!
Celery – check!

I always have on hand – plenty of onions, lemons so I tossed them into the ‘mix’ as well. So here we go…..This is what we ended up with and it actually was pretty tasty.

Lemon-pepper chicken is here as well!

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup orzo pasta, cooked in chicken broth, drained
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 3/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 3 Tbsp. sliced fresh basil
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

  • Melt butter with olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook for 4 minutes or until onions are translucent and golden brown. Add celery; cook for 4 more minutes.
  • Combine orzo, celery mixture, cranberries, pecans, basil, lemon juice salt and pepper in a bowl; toss gently to combine.

Enjoy – see you in the Kitchen!

Slow Cooker Creamy Gnocchi Sausage Soup with Kale Crisps

Slow Cooker Creamy Gnocchi Sausage Soup is thick and creamy comfort in a bowl – with an added bonus of some leafy green kale crisps.

Almost like a fully loaded Zuppa Toscana, this soup is absolutely incredible, with a guilt-ridden sinful taste! It’s the addition of gnocchi (also known as soft and pillowy dumplings) that makes this soup a family favorite in our house!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground hot Italian sausage, browned (or any other sausage — chicken, pork, or turkey)
  • 1 onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery sticks, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic (or 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic)
  • 4 cups good-quality chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, (adjust to your tastes)
  • 1/3 teaspoon cracked black pepper, (adjust to your tastes)
  • 2 1/3 cups evaporated milk or half and half, (or reduced fat cream — full fat may also be used if not watching calorie intake)
  • 3 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed and dissolved well in 2 cups of milk, (I use 2% milk)
  • 1 pound fresh gnocchi (found in the fridge section of your supermarket)
  • 4 cups shredded kale leaves, stems removed (or baby spinach leaves),
  • extra salt and pepper, to taste
  • optional toppings: freshly grated Parmesan cheese and crispy bacon

Directions:

  • Place the browned sausage, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, broth, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper in a crockpot or slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
  • Add the evaporated milk (or half and half or cream), milk/cornstarch mixture and gnocchi. Stir and replace cover. Cook another 30 minutes until the soup has thickened and the gnocchi has softened.
  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Add the chopped kale (or spinach) to a baking sheet, drizzle some olive oil over the greens. If you want to add some seasonings; S&P, chili powder go for it. Bake your greens until the turn crispy and brown; about 15 mins. You will top your soup with your crispy greens.
  • Taste test and season with extra salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately with optional parmesan cheese and bacon. (If soup thickens too much when cold, just add extra milk in half cup increments until achieving desired consistency while warming it up to serve.)

Enjoy – see you in the Kitchen!

Easy Beef Stew Recipe

This Beef Stew Recipe is perfect for the colder weather! Tender beef is simmered in beef broth with potatoes, onions, celery, peas, and carrots until melt in your mouth tender. It’s comfort food heaven!

I serve beef stew with Buttermilk Biscuits to sop up any gravy in the bottom of the bowl!

This stew recipe is also the perfect way to use up any vegetables you might need to use up. If you’ve got leftover roasted potatoes, glazed carrots or fried mushrooms, just chop ‘em up up and throw them in! YUM!

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds stewing beef trimmed and cubed
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • ½ cup red wine optional
  • 1 pound potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 4 carrots cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 4 stalks celery cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ¾ cup peas

Directions:

  • Combine flour, garlic powder and salt & pepper. Toss beef in flour mixture. 
  • Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot. Cook the beef and onions until browned.
  • Add beef broth and red wine while scraping up any brown bits in the pan.
  • Stir in all remaining ingredients except for peas, cornstarch and water. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer 1 hour or until beef is tender (up to 90 minutes).
  • Mix equal parts cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Slowly add the slurry to the boiling stew to reach desired consistency (you may not need all of the slurry).  
  • Stir in peas and simmer 5-10 minutes before serving . Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Enjoy – see you in the Kitchen!

Charred Broccolini

I had such a strong craving the other day for my spice rubbed seared Ahi Tuna. But I wanted to try to make it with broccolini – for the first time. I often get it when my husband and I go out for date night. But with a new little one in our life – date nights look a little different now. So I used my Ahi Tuna and wasabi cauliflower recipes.

The charred broccolini is super simple but you really need to ‘char’ it (IMO) to get the right taste.

Ingredients:

  • Two (14-ounce) bunches broccolini, larger stems halved lengthwise
  •  2 tablespoons olive oil
  •  3 or 4 garlic cloves
  •  1/4 cup water
  •  1 tablespoon olive oil
  •  Coarse sea salt
  •  2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan cheese
  •  Squeeze of lemon

Directions:

  • Wash the broccolini and shake off all but a little water clinging to the tops and stems.
  • Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Carefully add the garlic confit oil and cloves and let the garlic sizzle for about 1 minute.
  • Add the broccolini to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Carefully pour in the water (it will steam and may splatter), reduce the heat to medium, cover, and steam the greens for 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Uncover the skillet and increase the heat to high. Add the olive oil and season with salt. Toss once with tongs in the skillet, then cook until the broccolini are charred to your liking, 2 to 5 minutes.
  • Sprinkle in the cheese and allow it to melt over the broccolini.
  • Remove the skillet from the heat, squeeze lemon juice over the top and serve right away.

Enjoy – see you in the Kitchen!

Simple Lemon Marinade

When life hands you lemons…….

…….make this super simple lemon marinade!

and then put it on whatever you like!!

I made some chicken kababs because the weather was just so beautiful recently and I wanted to enjoy our patio.
This marinade is super simple that most of the ingredients are already in your kitchen!

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp granulated garlic
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Enjoy – see you in the kitchen!