Winter-Perfect Braised Chicken

I can't think of anything more comforting than Wine-Braised Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives on a cold winter night like tonight. Served over some couscous and we couldn't have asked for a better meal! I loved the sweet prunes along with the salty olives. A VERY Comforting MEAL indeed!

Going Greek!

I came across this recipe for Greek-style Beef and Pasta in my inbox and knew I wanted to try it. I mean, we both LOVE Feta and olives, so what's there NOT to like about this recipe? Turned out great! Easy and really delicious!

Gourmet Pasta on a Weeknight!

I watched Rachael Ray make her Seafood Pasta with Sherry Tomato Cream Sauce and knew right away we were having that for dinner. Being the frugal gal that I am, I substituted Imitation Crab for the Lobster, which my hubby LOVED and it as the PERFECT gourmet Pasta dinner! Quick and easy and incredibily YUMMY!

EVERYTHING'S Better with Sour Cream!

We have sort of an obsession with sour cream at our house so when I came across Martha Stewart's Pork Paprikash, I knew I had to make it for dinner. YUM YUM! To make sure that my pork stayed nice and tender, I added some cornstarch along with the paprika (trick I've learned!). It was amazingly comforting and very easy to put together.

Chinese Takeout at Home is MUCH Better!

Are you a takeout addict? I know I was before I learned how to cook but nowadays I don't trust that stuff. PLUS making dishes at home is much quicker, not to mention healthier. Tonight, I made Kung Pao Chicken and it could NOT have been easier and more satisfying! I marinated my chicken overnight but you can definitely do it in an hour if you're short on time. It might not be the most authentic recipe but trust me, neither is that Chinese place down the street!

Marinade:

2 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice wine
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vegetable oil

Sauce:

1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice wine
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 dried hot red chilies
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Green onions, for garnish
Rice noodles, for serving

Prep:

1. In a bowl, combine the marinade ingredients. Marinade in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 1 hour.

2. In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and set aside.

3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chilies and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until browned on all sides.

4. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute. Stir in sauce and cook another minute.

5. Serve over rice noodles. Drizzle sesame oil on top and garnish with green onions.

Mac and Cheese and SALMON!

How can you make Mac and Cheese just a bit healthier? Add SALMON! Yes, seriously, we're always trying to add more fish to our diet and this recipe from Kraft is just the answer!

Kraft Food Wins AGAIN!

Don't judge me, but I LOVE Kraft products and recipes! Tonight, I made Chicken Chipotle Noodle Casserole and I could NOT have been happier! I mean, how can you go wrong with sour cream and CHEESE? :)

Easy Weeknight Meal Thanks to RR!

I love Rachael Ray and I don't care what anyone else says! I mean, sure she's a bit annoying sometimes with her giggles and talking to her food but her recipes are usually spot on and FAST! Tonight, I made her Chicken Parm Pasta Toss and I could not have been happier! Such a comforting meal with such little effort!

Turns out my Hubby Hates Szechuan Pepper!

My hubby LOVES Asian food but it turns out that he hates Szechuan Peppers! WTF? Anyway, he chocked down this Szechuan Noodles with Spicy Beef (not too willingly but with some condiment help). I honestly loved all the flavors but will stay away from those peppers from now on.

Playoffs Time!

It's time for the first weekend of NFL Playoffs so of course, we had to celebrate with some yummy food and friends! I made a yummy frozen chicken wings with a homemade Blue Cheese Dip and a Cheesy Crab Dip. What more can I ask for? AND the 49ers WON!

Yummy Mango Chicken!

I've been saving this recipe for Malaysian Mango Chicken for a while now and finally made it tonight. Man, was I glad I did! There's nothing like a tropical-flavored dinner to get you out of the freezing winter feeling! The combination of the ketchup, chili sauce, oyster, Worstershire and Steak sauce was AMAZING! The perfect balance of sweet, savory and spicy!

Can't Go Wrong with Crab and Enchiladas!

My hubby LOVES imitation crab so I knew exactly how I was going to transform these Shrimp and Crab Enchiladas. Basically I just substituted all the seafood with the crabmeat. I LOVED the Monterey Jack Cheese in these and of course, nothing beats sour cream!

Emeril Never Disappoints!

I've been saving Emeril's Pan Roasted Chicken with Cherry Beer Sauce for quite some time now and finally made it tonight. What a YUMMY and comforting dish! The sweetness of the dried cherries went so well with the slightly bitter beer and refreshing lemon. I served my chicken thighs over stuffing and we had the most amazing middle of the week meal!

Bolognese on a Weeknight?

Whenever I hear the word Bolognese, I think of hours of cooking resulting in obviously delicious meals so when I saw a recipe for a Weeknight Recipe, I was instantly intrigued. It did NOT disappoint! The sauce was so flavorful and we loved every bite of it!

Indian Food is Always Good on a Friday Night!

If you know my hubby, you know that he'll never turn down Indian food so when I have no idea what to make for dinner, I always turn to something like Chicken Tikka Masala. I always have tomatoes, Garam Masala, ginger and garlic on hand so it was a no-brainer. Guess what? He LOVED it (and so did I)!

My Hubby Requested Breakfast for Dinner!

Once in a while, my hubby will request something and I've never been the kind to turn down a challenge! A couple of days ago, he brought up Breakfast for Dinner, especially Crepes so of course, I had to find something to make. Tonight, I made Sausage-Filled Crepes using Maple-flavored sausage and it could NOT have been more YUM! I'm not a big breakfast person but if you put this in front of me, I'll be up at 5am!

Can't Go Wrong with STUFFED Meatballs!

I watched Rachael Ray make her Gorgonzola-Stuffed Meatballs with Onion Tomato Gravy and just couldn't WAIT to make them! I made my meatballs a little bit smaller than hers and they were incredibly good! I haven't used Gorgonzola much but it tastes a lot like blue cheese, which I love! The meatballs were so moist and full of flavor and I served them over Mashed Potatoes (which you can't see under all that gravy!) and we had a wonder comfort feast!

Sausage Pumpkin Goodness!

Who says you can't cook with Pumpkin after Thanksgiving? To me, the flavor is just so comforting especially when you pair it with some Maple-flavored Sausage. I swear, this meal smells like a Grand Slam Pancake Breakfast! Farfelle with Sausage and Pumpkin, comfort food at its best!

Stove-top Braising is MUCH Quicker!

I haven't had much experience with Short Ribs but I saw some on sale and really wanted to try. I found so many recipes for braising in the oven but 3 hours? That's just way more time than I have even on Sundays. I finally found a way to braise on the stovetop that was much quicker so I rolled with it. The result? TENDER and very flavorful Short Ribs and the PERFECT Sunday Night Feast over some mashed potatoes!

Ingredients:

4 short ribs, bone-in

Salt and pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 c onions, chopped

1/2 carrots, diced

1 clove garlic, smashed

1/2 c tomato sauce

1 c red wine

1 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

 

Prep:

 

1. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ribs and brown 5 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.

 

2. Add onions and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook a minute.

 

3. Stir in tomatoe sauce and red wine. Bring to a boil and deglaze. Add thyme, bay leaf and ribs back.

 

4. Cover and turn heat down to low. Simmer 1 hour until meat is falling off the bones. Serve with mashed potatoes and ENJOY!

Reminds Me of Hamburger Helper!

I grew up on Hamburger Helper (don't judge!) but now that I actually know how to cook, I try making things myself. That doesn't mean I don't miss my box of yummy goodness though so I created my own version of cheeseburger mac and cheese that tastes very close to the box-variety.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp oil
1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 c onions, chopped
1 c beef broth
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 c ketchup
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Macaroni, cooked
1/2 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c breadcrumbs

Prep:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a baking dish.

2. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add beef and onions, breaking apart as meat browns.

3. Combine broth, mustard, ketchup, garlic and pepper flakes. Add to the pan and bring to a boil.

4. Stir in macaroni and cheese. Pour into baking dish and top with breadcrumbs. Bake 20 minutes, until brown and bubbly.

Winter Comfort Pork Dinner

It's been pretty cold here in SF (I know, we're spoiled in CA!) so I wanted to make some real comfort food for dinner. There's nothing like pumpkin, maple syrup and stuffing to chase away the winter blues. The pork was also so tender thanks to my cornstarch trick! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 c chopped onions
1/2 c canned pumpkin
1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 c chicken broth
Stuffing, for serving
Parsley, for garnish

Prep:

1. Mix together cornstarch, brown sugar, cumin, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add pork and toss to coat.

2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork and brown on all sides. Remove and keep warm.

3. Add onions and cook until softened. Stir in pumkin, vinegar, syrup and broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.

4. Add pork back and cover. Simmer 10 minutes, until pork is cooked through. Serve over stuffing and garnish with parsley.

Homemade Hamburger Helper

Raise your hand if you grew up eating Hamburger Helper! No? Well, I certainly did. My parents both worked full time, sometimes more, so they took any help they could get. I have more time on my hands so I decided to create a homemade version since I do miss the flavor.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 lb ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c onions, diced
1 Tbsp Worcerstershire Sauce
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 c beef broth
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 c sour cream
Macaroni, cooked al dente
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Prep:

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add meat and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 5 minutes.

2. Stir in garlic, onions, Worcerstershire and thyme. Cook, stirring, unil onions are softened, 5 minutes.

3. Whisk broth with flour in a small bowl until smooth. Stir into pan and bring to a simmer. Stir in sour cream and macaroni. Simmer, stirring, until thickened, 5 minutes.

4. Serve sprinkled with parsley for garnish.

Can't Go Wrong with Garlic and Ginger!

It's time for something Asian (AKA non-holiday) so tonight, I made Garlic Ginger Pork and Noodles and used our favorite Rice Noodles. You can't go wrong with the combination especially with the sesame oil and soy sauce!