Spinach Alfredo

I made this kinda just off the cuff tonight, and it turned out wonderfully! Don't you love cooking surprises?

Ingredients:

1 handful uncooked linguine
6 c. water
1 tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 minced garlic clove
1 tsp. basil
1/2 c. warmed milk
1 tsp. black pepper
1 wedge laughing cow cheese (or 1 tbsp. cream cheese)
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
2 c. fresh spinach
1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions:

Bring water and 2 tbsp. olive oil to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, melt butter and rest of olive oil over medium heat. Saute garlic and basil. Add warmed milk a bring to a low simmer. Mix in black pepper, laughing cow cheese (or cream cheese), Parmesan cheese, and simmer until smooth. Add fresh spinach and wilt. Keep on medium-low heat, and uncovered.

Drain pasta moderately, but not until dry (you want some of the starchy water to mix in with the pasta sauce). Mix cooked pasta into sauce (in saute pan). Bring heat to low and cover for 5 minutes.

Serve with red pepper flakes on top, and enjoy!

Chickeny Deliciousness

I'm not really sure where this recipe came from. I mean, I made it up...but I'm just not sure where I got the inspiration from. Here is it!

Chicken:

Mix tomato sauce, soy sauce, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Mix this with a proportional amount of chicken, and cook in a crock pot for 6-8 hours on low.

Cook basmati rice according to directions on package.

Saute chicken with spinach.

Scramble an egg and mix with chicken mixture. Add rice, and saute on low until combined. Enjoy!

Yum, ya'll.

Sweet Sauteed Chicken

Here's my recipe for a somewhat sweet, but still spicy, chicken. This on top of rice or a salad is a super, simple dinner!

Ingredients:

1/2 chicken breast, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, cloves, cumin, dill, and red pepper flakes

Directions:

Preheat skillet over medium high. Add olive oil and bring to heat. Toss in chicken and brown on all sides. Reduce heat to medium. Add spices and stir constantly until chicken is thoroughly coated and cooked (about 5-7 minutes)!

Grilled Vegetables w/ Blue Cheese Sauce

John and I made this for the annual August Birthday Bash (4 of us in my family have August birthdays!) All of the veggies were from the Chesterfield Berry Farm, and the sauce was inspired from my grandmas blue cheese dip! Drizzle just a little bit over the veggies....who had any idea?!

PS- This recipe is for 17 people!

Grilled Vegetables:

2 Eggplants
3 Yellow Squash
5 Carrots
2 Red Onions
4 Hungarian Peppers (I used 2 red and 2 green)
3 Cloves of Garlic
3 tbs olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Cut the first 5 ingredients into 1/2 inch think slices. Peel garlic, and mix all vegetables with olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Preheat grill to medium high heat. Grill eggplant first (about 8 minutes per side). Grill squash next (we didnt...and wish we had!). Grill rest of ingredients last. Make sure that all veggies have grill marks and are cooked all the way through!

Tortilla Chips

So, my dad has to be on this super strict diet. It sucks, but it's kind of fun too, because he has to eat all the kinds of foods that I like to eat anyways (i.e. shopping in the super organic/healthy aisle!). So, we couldn't find any tortilla chips without oil at the store, so I decided to just make some for him! Turns out they are super easy, and way better than regular chips (they are SO sturdy!)

Ingredients:

1 package Fat Free tortillas cut into eigths(you could use whole wheat, spinach, etc.)
Sea Salt
Ancho Chili Powder
Grape Seed Oil Spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a cookie sheet with the grape seed oil. Lay tortilla strips on the sheet in only 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and chili powder. Bake for 5-10 minutes, checking constantly. Let cool before you store!

You could put just about ANY spice you want on these chips!

Peach Tarts!

These are best if made with freshly picked peaches...preferably from Carter Mountain Orchard in Charlottesville, VA...but you know, store bought would work too!

Ingredients:

3 large, ripe (but not overly ripe) peaches, chopped into 1/2 inch squares
1/8 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1/4 c. tapioca
1 egg + 1/4 c. water, whisked
1 pre-made pie crust, cut into circles that will fit your cupcake tins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450.

Spray cupcake tin with non-stick cooking spray. Place cupcake wrappers in tin and spray again. Carefully place pastry dough in the bottom of the tin.

Combine peaches, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, tapioca, and sugar. Fill cupcake tins to the top (they will cook down). Brush with egg wash mixture.

Bake on top rack for 30 minutes.

OPTION:

Add 2 eggs, 1/4 c. water, a dash of cinnamon and a dash of cloves (whisked) to peaches for a muffin-like treat! Bake these for 15 additional minutes.