Balsamic Chicken

No picture here, but this is a very simple yet flavorful recipe that was perfect for a busy weeknight when we needed something besides pasta or breakfast for dinner. The original recipe calls for a whole chicken, but I used chicken breasts.

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Whisk together vinegar through salt and pepper into a small bowl. Combine vinaigrette and chicken in a large plastic bag, seal, and coat. Refrigerate, tossing occasionally for 30 min-2 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange chicken on large greased baking dish. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 40 min- 1 hour (depending on cut of chicken and how much). Cover with foil if the chicken is browning too quickly. Remove from oven and transfer chicken to serving platter. Whisk in chicken broth to pan drippings. Drizzle drippings over chicken and garnish with lemon zest and parsley.

from Giada 

Homemade Granola

Recipe from Shari Goodman

 We have been enjoying this recipe for a while! We love it with a splash of almond milk or with yogurt and berries. It is my kind of recipe where you can add a bit more or a bit less and eyeball what you're adding in. I usually add extra almonds because I love the crunch.

Ingredients

5 cups rolled oats

1 cup slivered almonds

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup millet

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

2 Tbsp. chia seeds

1 cup honey

3/4 cup coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

Directions

Mix the dry ingredients (rolled oats through chia seeds) together in a large bowl. Melt together honey and oil, then add vanilla and almond extract. Stir honey mixture into the dry ingredients. Bake  for 25-30 minutes at 325 on jelly roll pans lined with parchment paper, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Remove from oven and allow to cool. (Granola will continue to harden as it cools.) Store in airtight container. 

Whole Wheat Banana Zucchini Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups white whole wheat flour (I usually use King Arthur brand)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt (I use sea salt)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 large ripe bananas + 1 finely grated med. zucchini  OR  4 large ripe bananas (mashed) 

1/4 cup melted coconut oil, cooled a bit*

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup sweetener (I use honey)**

Directions

In a medium bowl whisk together dry ingredients (flour-cinnamon). 

In a large bowl combine mashed bananas, zucchini, coconut oil, egg, applesauce, vanilla, and honey. Mix well. Add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined. {Can add a bit more applesauce if it seems dry, but I usually don't need to- depending on who was helping me measure flour :) }

Bake at 350 for 16-18 min, Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.

*If for some reason you don't want to use oil, just add extra applesauce in its place. I do that often with muffins, but I love the hint of the coconut oil! I think next time I'll try just 1/8 cup b/c that might be enough to get the same effect.

**Depending on the sweetness/ripeness of your bananas or the sweetness of your tooth, you may want more sweetener- something to play around with. I think the recipe I loosely adapted it from used 1 cup.

***Made at high altitude and added 4 Tbsp. extra flour

Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake

This was one of the few left over slices available to photograph after Nick's birthday. He requested this cheesecake and it did not disappoint. While the caramel flavor is subtle (especially considering the work it takes for it!) it is detectable and makes it all the more decadent. 

Ingredients

1 crumb crust (recipe below)

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream

8 oz. fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped

1/2 cup sour cream

3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

4 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Make crumb crust as directed. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Cook sugar in a dry heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring slowing with a fork, until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel withouts stirring, swirling pan until deep golden. Remove from heat and carefully add heavy cream (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Cook over moderately low heat, stirring until caramel is dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until smooth. Stir in sour cream.

3. Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy, then beat in chocolate mixture on low speed. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla, beating on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated and scraping down bowl between additions. 

4. Put springform pan with crust in a shallow baking pan. Pour filling into crust and bake in baking pan (to catch drips) in the middle of the oven 55 minutes, or until the cake is set 3 inches from the edge but the center is still slightly wobbly when the pan is gently shaken.

5. Remove cake from oven and place on a cooling rack. Run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen. (Cake will continue to set as it cools.) When completely cool, chill cake, loosely covered, at least 6 hours. Remove sides of pan and transfer cake to a plate or platter. Bring to room temperature before serving. 

Cheesecake keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week.

{I can't remember if I did a 'bath' this time, but I usually do for cheesecake.}

Crumb crust (I made double the crust as suggested. I had ample for the crust and some left to add on top- you might be able to get by with 1.5 the recipe)

1.5 cups finely ground cookies such as chocolate wafers (impossible to find! use choc. Teddy grahams)

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

Stir together crust ingredients and press onto bottom and up the sides of a buttered 24 cm sprinform pan. Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours.

Cheesecake Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com crust recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine, found on Smitten Kitchen

Peach Mango Pineapple Salsa

Oh dear. Why do I do this to myself! I wait months and months to type a recipe up and by the time I want to use it again I can't find the paper I scribbled it on. This recipe was inspired from one I had at a church event but when I went to make it I didn't have the right ingredients. The alternative was also delightful so that was how we made it all summer. It was all done by approximation, so have at it.

Ingredients
tomatoes (fresh from the backyard!)
peaches
mangoes
fresh pineapple
cilantro
lime juice
jalapeño (original used Serrano peppers)
red onion or green onion
bit of salt


Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. Serve with tortilla chips, grilled chicken/fish/pork, quesadillas, enchiladas etc.

Citrus and Soy-Marinated Pork

This is something my sister-in-law made a while back that we enjoyed. The pork isn't the star of the picture because this was the following day, but this gives a better idea of portion anyway. We enjoyed it with soba noodles and steamed veggies.

Ingredients

2-3 lbs pork tenderloin
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)

Directions
1. Combine all the ingredients except pork and mix well. Pour the marinade into a ziploc bag or baking dish and add the pork tenderloin, making sure the marinade completely covers the pork. Mariade for 8-10 hours.
2. Preheat grill. Remove pork from marinade and grill about 3-4 minutes on each of the 4 sides (exact time will depend on temperature of grill) or until the internal temperature is 150-155 degrees. Remove from grill, tent with foil, and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Citrus Green Smoothie

The oranges on our trees are starting to beckon to me! Truthfully I don't love oranges straight up-too much pulp. But, I love freshly squeezed orange juice (thankfully Santa gave us a juicer last Christmas) and I love incorporating oranges into our smoothies. This isn't a recipe so much as an idea, but we all love it! Just eyeball the amounts and play with the flavors until you find your favorite ratio. All of the citrus pictured above was from either our yard or family/friend...one very nice perk of Arizona living.

Citrus Green Smoothie

fresh orange juice
spinach
orange segments, seeds removed
fresh pineapple
frozen banana

Mix well in a blender and enjoy!