A Recent Hello Fresh Favorite + Discount Link.

We're still on the Hello Fresh / Home Chef train (we switch back a forth depending on the meals available), which is one reason that the recipe posts have subsided for a while. Not having to meal plan (other than going on a website and picking out meals that look most appetizing to me) is just one less thing one my to-do list, which is huge! 

I wanted to share a recipe that we recently received from Hello Fresh that we made and loved!

To see a full blog post reviewing the different boxed meals, you can go here. 

And if you'd like to try a Hello Fresh box of your own, click this link to receive $40 off of your first order! 

Chopped Chicken Salad with Charred Veggies and Avocado-Lime Dressing

Ingredients for 2 People

Chicken Breasts (12oz)  

Head of Romaine Lettuce

Red Bell Pepper

Red Onion

Lime

Avocado

Cilantro (1/4 oz)

Sour Cream (1 T)

Roma Tomato

Southwest Spice Blend (1 t)

Cumin (1 t)

Oregano (1 t)

Olive Oil (1 T)

Wash and dry all produce. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Halve, peel, and slice the onion into wedges. Core, seed, and thinly slice the bell pepper. Toss the peppers and the onions on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking. 

Season the chicken on all sides with the Southwest spice blend, cumin, and oregano. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side, then transfer to the baking sheet in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until cooked through. 

Core and dice the tomato. Pick the cilantro leaves, then finely chop the stems. Zest and halve the lime. Slice the romaine lettuce into ½-inch pieces and place in a large bowl.  

Halve, pit, and cube the avocado. Place half in a medium bowl with the lime zest, cilantro stems, and the juice of half a lime. Mash together with a fork until completely smooth. Mix in 1 Tablespoon sour cream. Season with salt, pepper, and additional lime juice, if needed.  

Heat the broiler to high or the oven to 500 degrees. Cook the chicken and veggies for an additional 2-3 minutes, until they are slightly charred. Toss the charred veggies into the romaine lettuce along with the tomatoes, cilantro leaves, and cubed avocado. Stir the avocado-lime dressing into the salad and toss until evenly coated. Thinly slice the chicken. 

Serve the chopped salad topped with the sliced chicken and enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday - Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

Tasty Tuesday is back! To be honest, I haven't been cooking that much other than my Hello Fresh and Home Chef meals. But I made these cookie's for Lane's second birthday, his mom's birthday, and for my Dad & Uncle Jay's birthday. That's how good they are! The edges are crispy and the insides are gooey and fluffy. Perfection!

Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

Recipe and Photo by Sugar & Charm

1/2 cup soft, creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (room temp)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk chocolate chunks

1 cup dark chocolate chunks

1 cup peanut butter chips

1 1/2 cup Heath Bar chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In an electric mixer, beat the butter, peanut butter and both sugars on high, until smooth.

Add the egg, vanilla, salt and baking soda. Continue to beat on medium.

With the mixer speed on low, add in the flour and beat just until incorporated.

Fold in the chocolate chunks, peanut butter chips and Heath Bar chips.

Lay a large sheet of parchment paper on a cooking pan and scoop ice cream size cookie balls onto the sheet. You can use this cookie scooper, but it’s 2 scoops per cookie. That’s what makes them thick and gooey!

Bake for 7-10 minutes until the tops are just golden brown. Do NOT over bake them!!

*You may not think they are done when you pull them out of the oven, but as long as you allow them to set, they will be perfect!

Creamy Cheesy Chicken & Garlic Quinoa Bake.

This recipe was perfect for dinner last night, as I was wanting something warm, comforting, and yummy. It's definitely not the quickest meal to make, but it is worth it and you'll have leftovers for lunch or the next night's dinner. I split the recipes into two different dishes, and dropped the extra one off to my friend, Jessica, this morning, who is at home with her one month old!

Creamy Cheesy Chicken & Garlic Quinoa Bake

Recipe and photo from Iowa Girl Eats.

Ingredients: 
3-3/4 cup chicken broth, divided
1-1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 chicken breasts, cut into hunks
salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons gluten-free or all purpose flour (I used brown rice flour)
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded then chopped
3 green onions, chopped
6oz freshly shredded fontina cheese, divided

Directions:

1. Bring 2-3/4 cups chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan then add rinsed and drained quinoa. Place a lid on top, turn heat down to medium, and then simmer until nearly all the liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat then let sit for 10 minutes with the lid on then remove lid and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8×8 baking dish with nonstick spray then set aside.
3. Spray a large skillet over medium-high heat with extra virgin olive oil or nonstick spray then add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until golden brown – chicken does not need to be cooked all the way through. Remove to a plate then set aside.
4. Turn heat down to medium then melt butter in skillet and add garlic. Saute for 1 minute or until golden brown and fragrant. Sprinkle in flour then whisk to combine and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stream in remaining 1 cup chicken broth and milk a splash at a time, whisking to avoid lumps. Add Italian seasoning, season with salt and pepper, and then turn heat up slightly to bring to a simmer. Turn heat back down to medium then simmer until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.
5. Remove skillet from heat then add cooked quinoa, chicken, tomatoes, green onions, and half the cheese and then stir to combine – mixture might look soupy but it’s fine.
6. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish then sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Place on top of a baking sheet in case of bubble overs then bake for 20-25 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbly. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Tomato-Basil & Spinach Risotto.

Tonight I'm attempting to make risotto for the first time. Kind of nervous! Seems to be a labor intensive recipe, but I am ready for the challenge! 

Have you ever made risotto before? Any tips?

Tomato-Basil & Spinach Risotto

Photo and recipe from Iowa Girl Eats

2-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 Tablespoon butter

1 shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

salt & pepper

3/4 cup arborio rice

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded & chopped (or equivalent amount of Roma or Compari tomatoes)

2 cups baby spinach

handful torn basil

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

 Bring chicken broth to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low and keep hot. 

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat then add shallot, season with salt & pepper, and then saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 30 more seconds.

Add rice then stir to coat in butter. Add wine then stir until nearly absorbed by rice. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth then stir continuously until broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until nearly absorbed before adding more.

When there’s 1/4 of the broth remaining, add tomatoes then continue stirring. Add baby spinach and basil with the last broth addition then continue stirring. Stir in parmesan cheese then add more salt & pepper to taste.

Grilled Veggie Wraps.

As it is with all Pioneer Woman recipes, this one was a hit. I had to add steak so Cameron would eat it, but keeping it vegetarian would be just as good!

Grilled Veggie Wraps 

Recipe and photo from Pioneer Woman

This recipe makes 6 servings.

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 cups Long Grain Rice

4 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

2 whole Limes, Juiced And Zested

1/4 cup Chopped Cilantro

2 whole Zucchini, Cut Into Slices Lengthwise

1 whole Yellow Squash, Cut Into Slices Lengthwise

2 ears Corn, Leaves And Silk Removed

 Olive Oil For Brushing

 Salt For Sprinkling

1 can Seasoned Black Beans (15 Ounce Can)

6 whole Burrito-sized Flour Tortillas

1 whole Small Onion, Finely Chopped

2 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced

1 cup Grated Monterey Jack Cheese

 Optional Toppings: Salsa, Sour Cream, Guacamole, Extra Cilantro, Hot Sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and stir around for 2 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and the juice and zest of 1 lime. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the juice and zest from the remaining lime, then stir in the cilantro. Set aside.

Brush zucchini and squash slices, along with the ears of corn, with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Grill them on a grill pan, a charcoal grill, or saute them in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, turning them halfway through. Remove when the veggies have great color on the outside. Set aside to cool, then dice them.

Heat the beans in a small saucepan until hot.

Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds.

To assemble the burritos, lay out each tortilla on your work surface. Spoon on rice, then beans, then sprinkle on plenty of grilled veggies. Top with chopped onion, tomato, cheese, and any other toppings you'd like. Spoon salsa all across the top. Tuck in the sides, then roll the burrito up as tightly as you can. Cut in half and chow down!

You can also do this recipe as a burrito bowl by eliminating the tortilla. 

Caroline's 30th + Black Bean Hummus Recipe.

Saturday night we celebrated Caroline's 30th birthday at her house. We've known each other since we were little little, so it was really fun to hang out with her family again, since I usually only see them during football season. There was homemade barbeque, mac and cheese, coleslaw, panzanella salad (my fave!), and Caroline's famous cucumber vodka lemonade (addicting). I made and brought the black bean hummus you will see below, it was a hit! A good time was had by all. Next up, Jen's (far right) 30th birthday this weekend!

Wearing my new dress from Nordstrom

 True life: My hair was curled before I left the house. :(

Had to share this (borrowed from Kathryn) super sweet picture of all of the "big kids" huddled around Lane. They were all enamored with him and all took turns rocking him.

Now on to the recipe...

Black beans are not usually my favorite thing. I will eat them, but I don't crave them like my friend, Katie. The first time my mom made a black bean hummus, I was extremely hesitant to try it out, but once I did, there was no going back. This will probably become a staple in our house from now on. 

 

 Black Bean Hummus 

Recipe and photo from Our Best Bites 

1 14.5 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
 optional but recommended: zest from 1 lime
juice from 1 lime (at least 2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (jarred is fine)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1-2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
additional olive oil (about 1 teaspoon)

Place black beans, tahini, 1 tablespoon chili oil, lime zest and juice, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and kosher salt in a food processor.  Pulse until relatively smooth. Add 1-2 tablespoons water until desired consistency is reached.  Can be eaten immediately, but for best results, place in fridge to chill for at least an hour. 

Makes about 1 1/2 cups hummus.
 

Skirt Steak Fajita Recipe + Weekly Dinner Menu.

I'm not really sure why I haven't attempted to make steak fajitas before...steak is pretty much my favorite food group, after pickles. Not only were these amazing, but they were so colorful, too! 

Skirt Steak Fajitas

Recipe and photo found here. 

For the marinade:

1/3 c. soy sauce

1/3 c. fresh squeezed lime juice

1/3 c. canola oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 T. brown sugar

1 t. cumin

1 t. chile powder

Other ingredients:

about 2 lb. skirt steak 

2-3 bell peppers, ends trimmed, cored and seeded, cut into a couple large pieces

1 large white onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-3/4-inch slices (keep the slices intact)

18 6-inch flour tortillas

lime wedges 

toppings of your choice such as, cilantro, salsa, cheese, sour cream  & avocados or guacamole

 Get the marinade prepared: Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Reserve about 1/3 cup of marinade for the vegetables. Place the steak in a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Add the remaining marinade. Seal the bag, pressing out any excess air, massage the marinade into the meat a bit. Refrigerate anywhere from 3-10 hours. 

 After meat has finished marinating, remove steak from marinade and wipe off excess marinade with paper towel. (I also cut the steak into a couple of more manageable sized pieces, for easier turning on the grill). brush the vegetables with reserved marinade. Heat your grill to high. Scrape the grill grate clean and oil the grate. Add the steak to the super hot grill and grill, covered about 2 1/2 minutes per side (for medium/medium-rare), or until steak reaches desired doneness. Remove steak to a clean plate and cover with foil & let rest for 10-15 minutes. 

Add the peppers and onions to the grill and grill, turning occasionally until cooked, peppers should take about 5 minutes and onions will take about 10. Remove from grill. Briefly add the tortillas to the grill, a couple at a time and grill until warmed and lightly charred around the edges. Wrap the tortillas in foil to keep warm.

 Thinly slice the steak, against the grain. Slice the onions in half and separate the rings. Slice the peppers. Serve with the tortillas, lime wedges and toppings of your choice.

Detailed step by step on how to select and trim skirt steak here. 

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On the menu for this week....

Monday - Skirt Steak Fajitas

Tuesday - Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Wednesday - Saucy tomato artichoke chicken

Thursday - Fish tacos with cilantro lime vinaigrette

Sweet Potato, Kale, and Sausage Bake with a White Cheese Sauce.

This recipe has been on my meal plan for two different weeks now, but things have always managed to come up. Nice weather? Let's go get drinks and apps instead. Friday night? Let's grill steak instead. This poor recipe kept being pushed to the back burner, but now that I actually made it, I wish I would have made it SO much sooner. It is that good. 

Sweet Potato, Kale, and Sausage Bake with White Cheese Sauce

Recipe from Pinch of Yum

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (3-4 cups)

16 ounces Italian pork or chicken sausage, cut into small rounds

2 cups finely chopped kale

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

¾ cup milk

¼ cup flour

¾ cup shredded Gruyere cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Add the sweet potatoes and Italian sausage. Shake to coat in oil, let sit for a few minutes to brown, and shake the pan gently again to move everything around. Repeat until the sweet potatoes and sausage both have golden brown exteriors. Toss with the kale and transfer to a greased 9-inch square baking dish.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring the broth and ½ cup milk to a low boil, then turn the heat to keep it at a low simmer. Whisk the flour and remaining ¼ cup milk to form a thick paste. Add this to the broth, whisking to keep the sauce smooth. Add ¼ cup Gruyere and stir until melted.

Pour the sauce over the sweet potatoes, kale, and sausage in the baking dish. Top with remaining ½ cup cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

This makes quite a bit of sauce - you might not need all of it depending on how sau-say you like things.

Blue Cheese Turkey Burger Salad.

Blue Cheese Turkey Burger Salad

Servings: 2

Recipe from Coupon Kitchen

2 turkey burger patties

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese

3 cups spring mix lettuce or spinach

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette:

1 tsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp white-wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp honey

1/8 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

Season turkey burgers with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes a side, or until no longer pink in the center. Top each burger with blue cheese and tent with foil to melt.

In a small bowl, whisk garlic, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper; slowly whisk in oil.

Divide spinach between two plates. Top with burgers and drizzle with honey mustard vinaigrette.

This would also be good wrapped in butter or iceberg lettuce!

Greek Quinoa Salad.

This isn't exactly a recipe that's new or innovative, but if you still haven't hopped aboard the quinoa train yet, this is your chance to do so. It is so good and I am literally counting down the hours until lunch when it's time to eat this! I made a big batch of it for Cameron and I to eat throughout the week.

Greek Quinoa Salad

Recipe and photo found here.

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 and 1/2 tsp. Knorr tomato bouillon, optional but recommended!

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

3/4 cup black olives (or sub kalamata olives)

1 ripe medium avocado

1 cup cucumber, chopped

1/4 cup feta cheese

Dressing

1/4 + 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt, or to taste preference

1/2 tsp. ground pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Check out Chelsea's Messy Apron for the rest of the recipe!