Spicy Tomato Cream Chicken Rigatoni

Ingredients: 

Chicken tenderloin

Rigatoni 16oz

Marinara sauce 28oz (we use our homemade sauce, recipe coming soon)

Sweet onion 1/3 cup

2 cloves of chopped garlic

Olive oil 

¾ cup of chopped orange bell peppers

3 Tsp of chopped jalapeno 

2 Tsp Italian seasoning 

1 Tsp crushed red peppers 

1 Tsp salt 

Pepper to taste 

Chopped fresh Basil 

1 cup heavy whipping cream 

1 Tsp sugar 

1 Cup of shredded Parmesan Cheese 

*if you do not want this spicy you can leave out the Jalapeno and red peppers, but you may lose some of the flavor.

• Coat the Chicken in olive oil and Montreal steak seasoning to rest while you are preparing your sauce. 

• Coat the bottom of your pan with Olive oil and let the Oil heat up until it is "crackling."
• Sauté the onions and garlic until the onion are almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. 
• Add your Bell peppers and jalapeno, continue to sauté for a few more minutes. 
• Add in your tomato sauce and your heavy cream. 
• Mix in your basil, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. 
• Cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes. 
• While your sauce is simmering prepare your noodles and chicken. 
• Thinly slice your chicken and place in a pan with some olive oil on med high heat.

• Cook chicken for 3 to 6 minutes depending on how thin you sliced your chicken. Remove from heat.

• Once your sauce is done simmering add in 1 Tbl of sugar and 1 cup of Parmesan cheese. 

• Toss in your cooked noodles and chicken in your sauce and enjoy. We tossed in warm pan and found that really combined the flavors well.

This recipe was inspired by an Episode of Diners, Drive-In & Dives.  We've made several changes to fit our tastes but the idea looked so delicious on tv we just had to try!

White Pizza

A couple of weeks ago Corey was sick, which meant either ordering-in or I would have to cook--which never rarely happens.  I am the baker and he is the chef.  After browsing the aisle of Trader Joe's, I decided to make a white pizza.  If I can make this recipe, anyone can!

Ingredients:
Pizza Dough (I used Trader Joe's dough but you could make your own or use any brand)
3/12 Tablespoons Oil
1-2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1/2 cup Basil Leaves
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Toppings of choice, I used: Goat cheese and Sun-dried tomatoes

Preheat oven according the Dough directions.

Roll out your pizza dough on a prepared surface.  At first mine looked like a drunken triangle who married a square, then I found this video.  It helped a ton!

We recently invested in a Pizza Stone, so I used the opportunity to try it for an actual pizza.  We've used the stone for cookies & rolls and been very happy so far.  Transfer your dough to your Pizza Stone or baking dish (unless you were smart and started there, which I have since started doing).

Rinse & Chop your basil, toss in Parmesan cheese, Garlic, Oil & Pepper (dash of each).  Let soak in a small bowl and set aside.

Top Pizza Dough with 3.5 Tablespoons of Oil and 1-2 cloves of finely chopped garlic.  Spread so it coats the entire pizza, especially the crust (I also added Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes here).  Top with 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes.

Cook according the dough directions.  At about ten minutes left, pull Basil leaves out of water and dry by pressing between two paper towels.  Add the Basil to the pizza during the last five minutes.  By soaking the leaves in water it prevents them from burning, gives them a great taste and the Parmesan sneaks in that third cheese.  We are a cheese loving family here!

Let cool slightly before slicing.  Enjoy!

Am I the only one who has this much trouble getting my pizza round?

Cajun Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breast
3/4 cup butter
4 Tablespoons cream cheese
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
cumin
olive oil

Cook pasta.  We used Penne pasta but any type should work well.

Sauce :
In a medium sauce pan melt butter and add garlic. Let the garlic cook in butter for about 3 minutes on medium heat. Add heavy cream and cream cheese. Cook and stir until cream cheese is well blended.  Add a dash of Cajun seasoning, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, 1 cup Parmesan cheese and salt/pepper to taste. Once Your Parmesan cheese is melted in toss your pasta in sauce, cover and set stove to "warm."

Chicken :
Place chicken in a large zip lock bag or between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound chicken until it about 1/4 of a Inch thin. I have found that its works best if you work from the center out to the edges. Coat both sides of chicken with Cajun seasoning and cumin. (don't go too crazy with a Cajun you want a good coat but too much will make it too salty). Place a small amount of butter and olive oil in your frying pan, enough to coat bottom of pan. Once Oil and butter are heated up (sizzling) place your chicken in the pan.  Brown both sides, about 5 min your chicken should be about done.  Check with a kitchen thermometer.  Take your chicken out of the pan and slice long ways against the grain.

Place pasta on plate and top with a few strips of chicken.

BAM its dinner time.

Quick & tasty Red Berry Vinaigrette

This is a quick and tasty vinaigrette that is perfect for summer.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup berry red machine Naked Brand juice

1/2 cup pomegranate infused red wine vinegar

1/4 extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

Dash of cracked black pepper

Dash of sea salt

Place all ingredients in a small mixing bowl whisk together and done!  Quick and easy salad dressing. If you place the dressing in a small dispenser bottle, it makes it super easy to shake up. Dressing will last about a week in a half in the refrigerator.

C & D Salsa of Death

This salsa is HOT HOT HOT.... so keep the milk and bread on hand.

2 cans diced tomatoes
3-6 Jalapeño peppers, chopped finely
2 Habanera peppers, chopped finely
Half Cup loosely packed fresh Cilantro (if in a quick salsa mood can sub dried cilantro 1 Tablespoon)
1 tsp. Cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. salt
4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder

Blend together in blender until finely processed, serve.

To tone it down a bit and not lose the flavor, drop to a half a Habernero pepper, deseeded. with two jalapenos.

Mint Pesto Lamb Steaks

Lemon Marinade

1/4 cup Olive oil

zest of one lemon

juice of 1 lemon

Salt- Fresh ground sea salt to taste

Dash of fresh ground pepper

1 small clove of garlic chopped

Dash of your Favorite steak or chop seasoning

Combine all ingreedients in a small bowl mix

Place 2 Lamb steaks (around 1.5 LBS) in large freezer bag and add marinate and let marinade for 4 to 6 hours.

Mint Pesto

1/8 Cup Toasted pine nuts

1/2 plus 1/8 cup Olive oil

 1/4 Cup Parm cheese

1 Teaspooon salt

2 small cloves chopped garlic

1 Teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 dashes italian seasoning

Freash ground pepper to taste

Touch of freash squezed lemon juice to taste

Toast Pine Nuts until golden brown.

Take mint off stems

Place all ingredients in blender and blend till Smooth.

Take your lamb out of the fridge 30 min before cooking and let rest at room temp.

Place a little olive oil and garlic in a sautee pan and heat oil on medium heat. Once oil is heated place your lamb steaks in frying pan. Cook for five min on one side before flipping steaks and cook for another 3 min on other for a med temp on your Lamb. Time may need to be adjusted depending on how thick your lamb steaks are. We served this with garlic Parmesan asparagus and baked corn on the cob.

Corey's Turkey Meatballs

Finally a delicious meatball with no egg or rice!  Since we like spicy food even the meatballs have a little spice, but just omit the Red Pepper Flakes if you prefer milder tastes.  These are perfect for Meatball Subs, Spaghetti and Meatballs, or Meatball Stuffed Buns.  I also love to snack on them by themselves.  We will be posting Corey's marinara recipe shortly that we used with these.

Ingredients:
1lb Lean Ground Turkey
2 Small cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Hot Sauce
1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
2 Teaspoons A1
2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (omit if you do not want them spicy)
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Dashes Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
1/4 Teaspoon Dried Ground Mustard
1/2 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup Milk
2 Dashes Montreal Steak seasoning

Heat oven to 400 Degrees.

Chop Garlic finely, make sure to remove the skin.  We love the taste of garlic in this so you may want to cutback the 2 cloves to your taste.  

Combine Turkey, Garlic, and all remaining ingredients.  

Mix by hand until well combined.

Lightly grease cookie sheet.  Roll into 1-1/2inch balls.

Yields 20 about Meatballs.

Cook until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.

Super Easy Spinach Dip

This recipe is super easy and great for potlucks!  Plus it is low calorie, Score!

Ingredients:

8oz Fat Free Cream cheese

9oz Frozen Chopped Spinach

1/2  Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 Teaspoon Garlic

Dash of Salt

Cook Spinach for 10 minutes in boiling water.  Drain and squeeze out water.  Microwave cream cheese for one minute.  Mix in all ingredients.  Enjoy on crackers or chips.

Makes about 10 servings, 1 Weight Watcher point each!

Thanks for Reading!  Joanna and Corey

Spicy Fried Turkey Focaccia

This was super filling, which was great for  lunch to keep us full until Super Bowl time.  This recipe yields about 4 sandwiches, but could be easy to increased using fresh Turkey.

Ingredients:
1 package Carving Board Turkey (chunks of Turkey)
1/2 cup egg
1/2 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (omit if you do not want it spicy)
1/8 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Jar Jalapeno Jelly
Sliced Swiss Cheese

Whisk Egg & milk until blended.

Mix together Bread Crumbs, Cumin, Red Pepper Flakes, and Parmesan cheese.

Coat the bottom of your frying pan with Virgin Olive Oil and heat until sizzling.

Coat Turkey in Egg mixture.

 Then coat in the bread crumb mixture

Once your oil is heated (sizzling), drop turkey in pan. 

Cook until golden brown on each side.

Place each piece of Turkey on a plate lined with paper towels and let cool for a few minutes.  In the meantime, slice your Focaccia in half, spread each side with the Jalapeño Jelly.  Once Turkey is cool enough to handle, add Turkey and Slice of Swiss Cheese.  You may want to warm it for a few seconds to melt the cheese.  Enjoy!

Thanks for reading!  Joanna and Corey