Grilled Chicken Salad with Jicama and Fresh Lime Cilantro Dressing…..

Posted by on May 5, 2010

This salad is delicious and satisfying.  There are many different flavors that come together beautifully with the lime cilantro dressing.   Elegant enough to serve guests for dinner.  Make the dressing, tortilla strips, and prep the salad ahead of time.  Grill the corn and chicken just before serving.  You can use frozen white corn, thawed, if you wish.  It seems there is always a few ears of corn leftover after a typical summer dinner.  Use them in this salad, deeeeelish!

Grilled chicken salad with jicama and lime cilantro dressing

For the tortilla strips:
8 corn tortillas, cut into ¼” strips
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 pinches salt

1) Preheat oven to 350’. Foil line a cookie sheet, place strips in center and drizzle with canola oil, toss gently. Sprinkle with salt and toss to evenly coat. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning half way through.  Store in zip bag if you have any leftover.

For the salad:

1 head of romaine lettuce, thoroughly cleaned, drained, and cut into bite size pieces
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 14 oz. can black beans, rinsed and thoroughly drained
1 small jicama, peeled and diced
2-3 ears of fresh cooked corn, grilled and cut off the cob (directions below)
4 oz. montery jack cheese, shredded

1) Combine the vegetables in a large bowl. When you’re ready to serve, pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat.  Top with shredded cheese, sliced cooked chicken and tortilla strips.  Makes four servings.

For the dressing:

1 small bunch fresh cilantro, thoroughly cleaned and chopped
1 cup fat free plain yogurt
½ cup fresh or bottled lime juice
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend well.  Store in refrigerator until you’re ready to use.

FOR THE GRILL

2- 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 ears leftover corn on the cob, or 2 cups frozen white corn, thawed
2-4  teaspoons canola oil
Salt and pepper

1)  Put 1 teaspoon of canola oil in your hand and rub evenly over corn.  Season with salt and pepper.  Grill over medium high heat about 10 minutes, turning often, just to give it some color and grill flavor.  When cool enough to handle, hold corn straight up over cutting board and cut corn off cob with a serrated knife. 

2)   Coat chicken breasts with canola oil, salt, and pepper.  Cook over medium heat until juices run clear or internal temperature reaches 170′.  Slice into thin strips.

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Tequila Lime Marinated Flank Steak with Chimichurri, my version….

Posted by on May 5, 2010
This is an incredibly delicious combination of heat, sweet and savory.  The steak is juicy and is very much complimented by the spicy chimichurri sauce.  The cool cucumber simple salad is slightly sweet and the roasted yuca is a very nice understated starchy vegetable.  Enjoy with a salted rimmed margarita on the rocks with fresh lime….mmmmm good!

Marinade:

2 large cloves fresh garlic
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons tequila
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice or bottled
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 ½ lb. flank steak

Place all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.  Place flank steak in a large zip bag, pour marinade over steak.  Marinate in refrigerator for several hours or overnight.  Discard marinade, preheat grill, cook over medium-high heat medium to medium rare.  For one inch thickness, cook 7-9 minutes per side.  Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.  Slice thinly across the grain or on a diagonal.  Serve with chimichurri.

Chimichurri

3  tablespoons fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
½ medium sweet onion, coarsely chopped
½ medium sweet red pepper, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil
2 large cloves fresh garlic
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 jalepeno pepper, (or seranno pepper for more heat), seeds included
½ teaspoon cumin

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator, allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.  Serve a generous portion over the grilled flank steak. Delish!

Cool cucumber salad

2-3 cucumbers, washed and thinly sliced
2-3 thin slices of red onion
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Slice cucumbers and  onion into a serving bowl.  Mix the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl, stir often to dissolve salt and sugar.  Pour over cucumbers just before serving.

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Oven Roasted Yuca…..

Posted by on May 5, 2010

If you’re entertaining, you can prepare the yuca all the way up to seasoning and roasting.  Refrigerate until you’re ready to roast, then toss with oil and season.  Allow 8 oz. per serving when buying.

2 large yuca roots, about 2 ½ lbs.
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

1) Line a cookie sheet with non stick foil. Set aside.
2) Peel yuca, cut into 3” pieces and cover with water in a large bowl.
3) Bring a large pot of water to boil with 2 teaspoons of salt. Drain yuca from bowl and add to boiling water. Boil for 15 minutes, time from the moment all yuca is in the boiling water.   Drain and allow to cool until you can handle with your hands. Preheat oven to 400’.
4) Cut the pieces of yuca into quarters, exposing the very center of the vegetable.  Remove the fibrous center with a knife and discard. Place cooled yuca into a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil over yuca, toss gently to coat. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper and toss gently to coat.  Spread yuca over cookie sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes.  Serve immediately.

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WTTW, Chicago Tonight!

Posted by on May 4, 2010

Hello everyone!

Please tune in to channel 11’s Chicago Tonight this Thursday, the 6th at 7:00 p.m.  The ever popular host Phil Ponce, Dana Joy of Real Food Rehab, Natalie of Bake and Destroy, and I will be participating in a live discussion of what foods inspire us at this time of year.  It will be great fun!

Thank you!!!

Angie

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Turkey Sausage and Tortellini Soup….

Posted by on April 30, 2010

In spite of the warm weather, as previously mentioned, I get “tastes” for things.  This soup is light and has a spring look to it.  The bright mixed vegetables and the flower looking tortellini remind me of spring.  It is simple and very delicious!  Freezes well.  Makes about 8 servings.

Turkey sausage & tortellini vegetable soup

1 lb. turkey sausage, casings removed
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
4 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 quarts homemade chicken stock or water with a couple of tablespoons of Better Than Bouillion
2 1-lb packages frozen mixed vegetables
1 lb. frozen tortellini
Salt and pepper to taste

1) In a large soup pot over medium high heat, cook sausage, breaking up into small pieces, until fully cooked. Drain if necessary. Add carrots, celery, and onion. Continue cooking about 15 minutes.
2) Add chicken stock and continue over medium heat for 30 minutes. Cook tortellini according to package directions, drain, set aside.
3) Add frozen vegetables, simmer another 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!

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Food Math 101….

Posted by on April 29, 2010
I had a situation with my older guys recently.  I came across several large boxes of candy.   This makes the hair on my neck stand on end.  Anyway, I got to thinking how much I love to bake and the treats I provide for my family.  I love a good cookie or a piece of fresh fruit pie.  No artifical colors, corn syrup, or hydrogenated fats.    I then did a little research on how to calculate grams of sugar into an actual teaspoon/tablespoon measurement.  I also did some calculating on the boxes of candy, or shall we say, the contraband…..
Keep in mind that the recommended amount of sugar per day is about 40 grams.
Here is how it goes: 
Every 4 grams of sugar translates to 1 teaspoon of sugar…..
So this 4 oz. package of Skittles actually has three servings…about 32 little pieces, 150 calories per serving..
There are 29 grams of sugar per serving….translation:
29 divided by 4 = 7.25
7.25 teaspoons of sugar for each of those little piles of candy…..
7.25 divided by 3 (three teaspoons/tablespoon)
2.42 tablespoons of sugar per serving, nearly 2 1/2 tablespooons per serving….
Looks like this:
Now, does anyone ever really eat just one serving of a box this size, it’s only 4 ounces for goodness sakes!
Want to see what the whole shabang looks like?
Here you go:
So…..
29 grams of sugar x 3 servings = 87 grams
87 divided by 4 = 21.75 teaspoons of sugar
21.75 divided by 3 (three teaspoons/tablespoon) = 7.25 tablespoons
There are 8 tablespoons of sugar in 1/2 cup…
Just shy of 1/2 cup of sugar, in ONE 4 oz. box…..
450 calories…..basically a meal….
Isn’t this astonishing?  The actual sugar measured into tablespoons and cups is very eye opening.
At least when you make something homemade, it is made with real ingredients.  It has fat, flour, for me, usually a whole grain like whole wheat flour or oatmeal, eggs, and maybe some flavoring.
The human body knows what to do with it. 
Show this to your kids.
By the way, one average 2 1/2 ” homemade chocolate chip cookie contains 9-11 grams of sugar per serving.
Is it any wonder that there is an obesity problem in our country?
Please share with everyone you love.
Angie
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Pumpkin Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting….

Posted by on April 25, 2010

This is one of those “go to” recipes for just about any gathering.  It is made in a jelly roll pan, so you get many servings out of the recipe.  This is another one bowl recipe that goes together in minutes and will become a family favorite, I promise!  There is nothing like your loved ones requesting something YOU make.  Again, this is a sweet treat that is made with REAL ingredients, so bake with love and enjoy!

Pumpkin Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
4 eggs
1 15 oz. can pumpkin

1) Evenly coat a 18 x 13 x 1” jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350’.
2) In a large mixing bowl, add flour through salt and mix well. Make a well in center of dry ingredients and add oil, eggs, and pumpkin. Mix well, do not over mix. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 20-25 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness.  Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

With an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Add milk a teaspoon at a time until you get a good consistency to spread over cake. Ice cooled cake. Refrigerate.

**Note** you can lighten up the frosting by using only 4 tablespoons of butter and increase the powdered sugar by 1 cup.   You will need to add more milk at the end.

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What’s on my mind…..

Posted by on April 23, 2010

Chorizo….homemade, made with turkey instead of incredibly fatty pork, yes, this is good…
Breakfast skillet, with homemade turkey chorizo, crispy oven fried potatoes…eggs over easy…
Spicy chicken wings, oh yeah, with homemade light bleu cheese dressing, yes, I said light.
Salads…lots of salads…with really delicious “goodies.”
Cinnamon rolls..cream cheese frosting, of course…
Pizza…grilled…
Vegetables….grilled…
Steak…grilled…
Easy fall off the bone ribs…homemade BBQ sauce…did I mention easy?
Warm bleu cheese potato salad…
Oh yeah, pies…blueberry…peach crumb…toasted coconut cream…with homemade pastry cream, of course…

These are the things that I’ve been thinking about.  These are the kinds of things I’m working on.

I don’t know about you but we are eating out less and less these days.  Truly there is nothing you can eat in a restaurant that you can’t make even BETTER at home!  Please feel free to let me know if there is something you’d like to see on my blog. I LOVE requests!

Have a great evening.

Angie

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Grilled Yogurt, Garlic, & Rosemary Marinated Chicken…..

Posted by on April 20, 2010
This is a very interesting way to marinate chicken.  The tang of the yogurt with the lemon juice really make for a tender result, and what’s not to love about rosemary and garlic?  Make it a day ahead for the best flavor.    
Grilled Yogurt, Garlic, and Rosemary Marinated Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts with skin and bone, or 2 lbs. chicken pieces of your choice with skin and bone
1 ½ cups plain fat free yogurt
5 large cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh or bottled
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
6-8 springs fresh rosemary
1-2 large zip bags for marinating

1) In a small mixing bowl, add yogurt through pepper and mix well.
2) Pull skin up from each piece of chicken creating a pocket. With your hands, put 1-2 tablespoons of yogurt marinade and a sprig of rosemary under the skin, rub additional marinade over the back side of the chicken, place in a gallon size zipper bag, add any remaining yogurt marinade to the bag. Place bag of chicken in a large bowl and marinate in refrigerator overnight.
3) Heat grill on high for 5-10 minutes and clean with grill brush. Turn heat down to medium. Place chicken pieces skin side down on the hot grill. Allow to cook for several minutes (5-8) before turning. Adjust heat if it is cooking too fast. Cook approximately 45-55 minutes.

If you’d like to spend less time at the grill foil line a cookie sheet and bake at 350’ for 35 minutes, then proceed to the grill. Cook an additional 15-20 minutes on heated grill.

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Fresh Pineapple Cake with Caramel Sauce…..

Posted by on April 15, 2010

This is soooo amazing!  This moist cake is a one-bowl recipe, so simple.  I used fresh pineapple in the cake and for the garnish.  Serve with a scoop of vanilla icecream and a drizzle of caramel.  So versatile, serve all by itself, as shown above, or with cream cheese frosting.  (recipe below)  Enjoy!

Fresh Pineapple Cake

2 ¼ cups flour
1 ¾ cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 eggs, beaten
¾ cup vegetable or canola oil
¾ cup pureed fresh pineapple
1 cup finely diced pineapple
Caramel sauce, optional
Vanilla icecream, optional

1) Preheat oven to 350’. Coat a 9 x 13” pan with cooking spray, set aside.
2) In a large mixing bowl add flour through cinnamon and mix well.  Make a well in center and add the rest of the ingredients.
3) Mix until just blended, do not over mix. Pour into pan and bake for 45 minutes. When a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean it’s done. Cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter until well blended. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Add a small amount of milk if necessary to get the conistency you like.  Ice cooled cake. Refrigerate covered and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

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