recipes – dinner

picnicking with buffalo chicken salad sandwiches & kettle chips

05/20/2013 by Annalise · 109 Comments

Spring is here! Spring is here! Spring is here!!!

What does that mean? Fresh air flowing through open windows, sunshine warming faces and arms… and picnics!

We are blessed to have a beautiful backyard to enjoy, and goodness does food just taste better outside, ya know?

Also, packs of messy kids are much more easily hosed off outside and crumbs are food for the birds, so no clean up for me.

WooHOO! I love picnic weather!!

I don’t love eating the same foods over and over and over again though, so I am always trying to come up with new, fun, ‘outside’ food recipes.

These buffalo chicken salad sandwiches are a perfect blend of spicy, creamy, comforting, and delicious. Much easier to eat outside than a plate full of wings, with all the fiery flavor you love!

Shredded chicken and diced celery are tossed in a creamy blue cheese and buffalo sauce dressing, and piled on a bed of romaine on a chewy ciabatta bun. Hot or cold, this sandwich is heavenly on a springtime picnic!

Feel free to make this salad ahead… it will keep in the fridge for at least a day or so! Sandwiches and chips are always a favorite combo, and they are often on the menu since my family loves them so much.

sweet potato coconut chicken curry

04/29/2013 by Annalise · 1 Comment

Oh my heavens. The smell of this dish alone is enough to cause your eyes to roll back in bliss. Seriously amazing. Heavenly.

I think heaven will smell something like this curry. And fresh baked bread, and coffee. And brand new babies.

But that’s not what we’re talking about here, we’re talking about curry.

Chicken, onions, sweet potatoes, kale… all drenched in a rich, beautiful, coconutty curry sauce that tastes too good to be good for you!

Don’t worry though… everything in this dish is good for you! And with all the nutrients your getting from the sweet potatoes, kale and coconut milk and oil, this is a powerhouse meal.

We have served this over rice, quinoa, brown rice noodles, and by itself. Eat it how you like it.

Oh, and for those of you joining us on The Fast Metabolism Diet (I’ll be talking about this more soon!), this is a perfect Phase 3 dinner.

We have had it two weeks in a row, and never have enough leftovers to keep us happy. We will definitely be making this again and again… ’diet’ or no!

sweet potato coconut chicken curry

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
3-4 small-medium sweet potatoes, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 chicken breasts, raw or cooked & shredded
1 (15oz) can lite or regular coconut milk
2 cups chicken broth or stock
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste!)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
salt & pepper, to taste
2-3 big handfulls of chopped kale

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat until melted and hot. Toss in the onion and sweet potatoes and sauté for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.

Add the chicken, and the rest of the ingredients, except the kale, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (if you used raw chicken) and the sweet potatoes are tender.

Take off the lid, shred the cooked chicken (again, if you used raw whole chicken breasts) and stir it back into the pan. Place 2-3 big handfulls of the chopped kale into the pan, stir gently, and then cover and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or so, until the kale is wilted.

*At this point, if you'd like a thicker sauce, feel free to raise the heat a bit, with the lid off, and simmer until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. We like ours pretty thin - almost like a soup, but not really.

Taste for seasonings, adjust where necessary, and serve hot over rice, quinoa or noodles!

http://sweetannas.com/2013/04/sweet-potato-coconut-chicken-curry.html

www.sweetannas.com

Filed Under: fast metabolism diet, recipes, recipes - dinner, recipes - gluten free, recipes - healthy, recipes - natural ·

oven roasted cabbage

02/07/2013 by Annalise · 4 Comments

Oh my word. How have I not had this deliciousness in my life before now??

I adore cabbage. Always have.

My mom used to make me big bowls of steamed cabbage with butter and salt for lunch when I was little, and I have loved it that way ever since.

So, I guess I never thought about trying something new…

If it’s not broke, don’t fix it, right??

Well, I wish I had tried this years ago, because I am absolutely hooked on this new version of my beloved cabbage!

Unfortunately my sweet little nursling was not as fond of this treat as I was, so it will be a while before I will be able to make this again, but I will enjoy it oh so much when I can!

And if you think you don’t like cabbage… try this, k? You just might become a convert!!

oven roasted cabbage

Ingredients

1 head green cabbage
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and discard. Cut the cabbage straight down into several thick slices.

Lay the slices out on the baking sheet, and then drizzle generously with olive oil and salt & pepper.

Roast for about 30 minutes, until the cabbage is starting to brown. Serve immediately, with more salt & pepper to taste!

http://sweetannas.com/2013/02/oven-roasted-cabbage.html

www.sweetannas.com

Filed Under: recipes, recipes - dinner, recipes - gluten free, recipes - healthy, recipes - natural, recipes - salads, recipes - side dishes, recipes - vegetarian ·

baked jalapeño popper mac & cheese

02/05/2013 by Annalise · 1 Comment

Sometimes I am amazed that I even remember to brush my teeth, considering the chaotic state of my mind these days.

I can barely put 2 and 2 together it seems, and I am sure missing having a brain. I feel kinda like the scarecrow right now, ya know?

Anyways, I had a burst of cooking-energy this afternoon….

But I realized I was afraid to move much beyond things I can make in my (non-existent) sleep. Which is why I just keep making brownies and mac & cheeses. I know I can’t mess up if I’m making those! :o)

This is a super easy mac & cheese… meaning, no stovetop cooking (except for the noodles) - just some tossing together, pouring and baking in the oven!

One of our all-time favorite mac & cheese recipes is my Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese.

I started thinking about what other favorite foods I could turn into mac & cheese and Jalapeño Poppers was the obvious next choice.

—

What other foods should I turn into mac & cheese?

baked jalapeño popper mac & cheese

Ingredients

for the topping:
1/2 cup shredded cheddar (or mexican blend)
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
for the mac & cheese:
1 lb penne or other short pasta
2 cups diced pepper jack cheese
1 (8oz) block cream cheese, cubed
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups shredded cheddar (or mexican blend)
2-3 large jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoons flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9x13" baking dish or a 12" cast-iron skillet and set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients and set aside.

Cook the noodles according to package directions, draining them about a minute before they are done.

Combine the noodles, cheeses, butter & jalapeños, stirring well to melt the cream cheese. Dump this into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients and pour over the noodles and cheese in the dish.

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the top and bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden & bubbly!

http://sweetannas.com/2013/02/baked-jalapeno-popper-mac-cheese.html

www.sweetannas.com

Filed Under: recipes, recipes - dinner, recipes - pasta ·

homemade stuffed crust pizza

01/23/2013 by Annalise · 1 Comment

Ok, so you all probably know my love for pizza by now. I could easily go beyond Friday pizza night to Monday, Wednesday & Friday pizza nights. Or everyday pizza nights.

Especially when it’s amazingly perfect restaurant-quality homemade pizza!

So, you probably guessed that it would only be a matter of time before I took things to the next level…