Southwestern Quinoa Chicken Bowl

This is a yummy, easy, healthy, hodge podge mixture of food that is Dee-lish! This was the first time that Garrett ever tried Quinoa and he loved it! It's super good for you too. It is one of the few grains (maybe the only one?) that gives you all the essential amino acids of a protein like meat does! If it was truly "Southwestern" I probably should have thrown some beans in the mix but I don't like beans so sue me haha!

Southwestern Quinoa Chicken Bowl (Recipe from: Elizabeth Weight)

Quinoa (Cooked according to package directions. I cooked mine in chicken broth)

Chicken breasts, chopped (1 breast per person, season with Creole or Cajun seasoning)

Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Optional Mix-ins:

Tomatoes

Corn

Avocados

Beans

1. Cook Quinoa according to package directions but use chicken broth instead of water. (1/2 cup dry quinoa usually serves 2 people when its cooked)
2. Season and chop chicken into bite size pieces. Cook chicken breasts in pan or George Foreman grill.
3. Mix quinoa with desired add-in's and pour some creamy cilantro dressing on top.

Cafe Rio Creamy Cilantro Dressing

So if you have never been to the restaurant Cafe Rio let me tell you that you are missing out BIG TIME. Sorry East Coasters and Ohioans it's only on the West coast right now that I know of. I know a lot of people feel like they have to take sides between Chipotle and Cafe Rio but I love both of them and their menus and flavors are so different I don't think that you can compare them. Here is a recipe for their famous salad dressing. I love to use it on a lot of things like I drizzle some on my tacos, of course you can use it on mexican inspired salads, and pretty much anything that I think it will taste yummy with! It makes a lot so I freeze everything else that won't fit in my salad dressing bottle. I will post more Cafe Rio copycat recipes soon!

This is a tomatillo just in case you didn't know!

Cafe Rio Creamy Cilantro Copycat Recipe

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not buttermilk!)

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 tomatillos, remove husk, quartered

1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic

juice of 1 lime

1 jalapeño (if you like it really spicy leave the seeds in)

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend it until it is ultra smooth with no chunks. (I probably leave the blender on for at least a minute just so everything is completely pulverized!)

Turkey Burger

One of my fav's because it's a burger but you don't feel guilty after you eat it!

Turkey Burgers (Recipe from: Elizabeth Weight)

1 lb. ground turkey

1/2 cup mango salsa (I think I actually used peach/pineapple this time because I couldn't find mango)

3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (the dry kind you shake on pasta)

1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1 egg

2 tsp. cajun seasoning

Frank's red hot sauce, dash (optional)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. lime juice

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Pitas or Sandwich thins

Optional Toppings:

Baby spinach

Carrots, grated

Onions, sliced and sautéed in butter

Tomatoes, sliced or chopped

Avocados, sliced or mashed

Mustard

Spicy Mayo (Mayo mixed with hot sauce and lime juice)

1. Combine turkey, salsa, egg, bread crumbs, cilantro, lime juice, salt, garlic powder and Cajun seasoning in a bowl. Mix well
2. Form turkey into patties.
3. Then, prepare desired toppings. Grate carrots, chop tomatoes an avocados. Slice onions and saute them in some butter until golden brown.
4. Cook patties over medium heat until cooked through.
5. Assemble burgers with desired toppings on sandwich thin or in a pita.

Banana Bread

This bread is so moist it literally melts in your mouth, I love it!

This batch made 7 mini loaves

Banana Bread

Dry Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1. Combine dry ingredients and set Aside.
2. In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients.

Wet Ingredients:

3 eggs

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

4 large bananas, mashed

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Add dry and wet ingredients. Mix well.
2. Spray loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray
3. Fill pans about 3/4 way full.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

*Results are best if made in mini loaf pans. I used the aluminum ones that you can buy from the grocery store.

*Yields about 6-7 small loaves.

Honeymoon Steak

My re-creation of the best steak of my life for our anniversary. I had to try and recreate it because I couldn't imagine never having it ever again unless I go to Aruba (which I plan to). It actually turned out pretty dang good. However I would say this recipe is not for inexperienced cooks.

Garrett and I on our honeymoon at Madam Jeanette's literally the best food I have ever had in my life. I should call this steak better than you know what steak ;-)

"Rock N' Roller" Steak

NY Strip steak

Salt & Pepper

Onion Rings

4 strips bacon, cooked than crumbled (use in sauce)

Sauce Béarnaise (Recipe below)

1. Season steak with salt and pepper.
2. Cook in either leftover bacon grease or some butter.
3. Cook until desired doneness.
4. Serve with onion rings and Béarnaise sauce on top.

Sauce Béarnaise

2 shallots, finely chopped

1/2 cup white cooking wine

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

Salt & freshly ground pepper

4 large egg yolks

2 T. water

2 sticks cold butter, cut into small pieces

Bacon crumbles

4 green onions, chopped

1. Combine shallots, white wine, vinegar, and 2 pinches of pepper in a small pot over medium heat and reduce to about 2 T. liquid (this part is kind of tricky because of the shallots you have to make sure that you have 2 T. liquid excluding the shallots). Set aside to cool.
2. In another saucepan, beat egg yolks with 2 T. water over low heat until they become thick and foamy, 2-3 minutes.
3. Add butter about a T. at a time, whisking until the mixture thickens and increases in volume.
4. Add the cooled shallot mixture, green onions, and bacon. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Pour over steak and onion rings on top of steak.

Fruit Soup

Fruit Soup over vanilla bean ice cream

Fruit Soup (Recipe from: Susan Peterson)

1 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

3 T. minute tapioca

6 oz. frozen OJ

2 1/2 cups water

2 bananas, sliced

2 oranges, sectioned and cut into smaller chunks

1 cup strawberries, sliced

2 peaches, cut into chunks

2 kiwis, cut into chunks

Blueberries

Raspberries

Optional: Serve with ice cream

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients and bring to a full boil.
2. Cook until tapioca turns clear.
3. Stir in frozen orange juice and water.
4. Stir for 3 minutes so tapioca doesn't clump together.
5. Add in fruit and stir.

Keep refrigerated.

This makes a lot!

Fresh Peach Pie

This is BY FAR one of my favorite pies. I love that it uses fresh peaches and the combination of orange and lemon flavors with the peaches is delightful.

Fresh Peach Pie (Recipe from: Aunt Joanie)

Yield: 1 pie

⅔ cup boiling water

½ cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

3 T. Cold water

1/8 tsp. salt

1 oz. of orange jello mix

1 T. plus 1 tsp. lemon juice

Fresh Peaches

Golden Oreo Pie Crust (recipe below)

Whip Cream

1. Prepare pie crust and chill in fridge. 
2. Peel and slice peaches
3. Start boiling the ⅔ cup of water in a small sauce pan. 
4. Combine sugar, cornstarch, 3 T. cold water, and salt. 
5. Make into a paste and add to 2/3 cup boiling water.
6. Whisk continuously while it cooks. 
7. Boil until it starts to thicken.
8. Add orange jello powder.
9. Cook one minute longer.
10. Remove from heat & add lemon juice
11. Chill thoroughly.
12. Add diced peaches making sure the sauce overs all of the peaches.
13. Pour into pie shells.
14. Cover with whip cream.

Golden Oreo Pie Crust

25 Golden Oreos

5 T. butter, melted

1. Finely crush oreos using a food processor.
2. Melt butter and add to crushed oreos.
3. Press butter/oreo mixture into pie pan.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve for at least 30 minutes.

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