Chicken

Cheers to the Weekend: One Skillet Cuban Chicken and Rice

February 16, 2018

Do you know how sometimes you just really don’t feel like washing dishes? Mostly because you’ve been working all day, but also because you’ve just slaved away for hours cooking dinner, and so the last thing you want to do is stand in front of the sink scrubbing away at the mess you just made. Maybe you even use paper plates from time to time because you hate dish duty that much. I’m not judging, and I’m also not saying that I don’t use disposable plates every now and then. Mainly at parties, and yes I’m embarrassed to admit it but hey, at least I’m not washing dishes all night afterwards. This long rant is to say that one skillet meals were invented for people like us. People who hate doing the dishes. This year’s first Cheers to the Weekend post is not only delicious, not only easy to make, but it just so happens to be one of those heaven-sent skillet meals. I don’t know about you, but I could seriously eat rice and beans every day of my life, and never get tired of it. These are so flavorful because they’re cooked with well seasoned chicken. It’s a Cuban all-in-one meal that you’re going to want to make again and again. Start adding it to your weekly menu because I guarantee everyone will love it! And leftovers? Don’t even get me started on it. It just gets better the next day.

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Chicken Jalapeño Popper Egg Rolls

February 3, 2018

Some of you might be thinking that I’m a little bit obsessed with egg rolls at the moment, and you’d be right in thinking that. I’m not going to even try to deny it. I truly can’t get enough, and so rather than try to fight this craving, I thought I’d just embrace it head on. So here I am, sharing yet another egg roll recipe within the same week. It’s either the best day of our lives or the worst, depending on how you look at things. I’m going to go with the best day because whenever egg rolls are involved, you just know it’s going to be a very good day. If you like jalapeño poppers and egg rolls separately then you’re going to love this combination because it combines both into one delicious game day treat that everyone will love. I normally don’t share recipes on the weekend because honestly, we’re all trying to live our lives and not spend it on the computer BUT having said that, this weekend, and this post in particular, is an exception because I want you to consider these egg rolls for your big Super Bowl feast on Sunday. So just in case you haven’t locked down your menu, I think it’s crucial that you consider them. They’re part of my partnership with GO BOLD WITH BUTTER this month, and they’re truly out of this world.

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Summer Feast with Le Creuset + GIVEAWAY

August 18, 2017

I know what you’ve been thinking lately, “I’d really love to create a big summer feast with family and friends, but I don’t know where to begin?!” I know this because I went through the exact same thing just recently. Now that Julian and I have moved into a house, we’re looking forward to entertaining more often because we actually have the space for it. With just a few helpful tips and tricks up our sleeves, we can all create an amazing summer get-together that everyone will enjoy. And that’s no joke. The first thing is that you want to keep things simple. Simplicity is key. Now is not the time to make a five course meal that will keep you in the kitchen all day long. You’ll never enjoy the dinner that way. Choose dishes that are seasonal and easy to make; that don’t require too much attention at the stove. A set it and forget it mentality is your friend. Whatever you can create ahead of time will save you a lot of heartache. While casual is best, that doesn’t mean you have to let presentation go out the window. Finally, don’t be afraid of color when it comes to serving and displaying the beautiful food you’ve created. Le Creuset‘s signature enameled cast-iron cookware and stoneware is now available in Williams-Sonoma’s new and exclusive color, Teal. All this means is that you can brighten up and add color to your meals all summer long by serving the food right in the cookware itself. It’ll add a pop of color to your summer spread. The cool thing about Le Creuset is that their cast iron pieces are still manufactured in the original factory in France that opened in 1925. You really can’t beat that.

I’m sharing three recipes to help you create that ultimate summer meal. The first is a Summer Roast Chicken with Peaches. While roasting a chicken in the heat of summer might sound like the worst thing ever, keep in mind that nothing can beat a roast chicken especially when made with seasonal fresh peaches, shallots and herbs. Embrace it. I’m also sharing a recipe for a Grilled Summer Vegetable Quinoa with Pistachios and Feta. It’s a salad jam-packed with so much seasonal flavor you won’t know even know what to do! And no gathering is complete without a signature cocktail. My Grilled Watermelon Sangria will keep you going back for more…which is both good and bad. Depends on how you look at it, really. I’ll tell you one thing that is good though, and that’s a GIVEAWAY! I love giving stuff away because it makes me feel like Santa Claus or Oprah, and thanks to Le Creuset, I’m giving away a 4 1/2 qt Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware Deep Covered Baker in exclusive teal to one lucky winner! This giveaway is a little different in that I’m hosting it on my Instagram. So head on over to my account and follow me (if you don’t already) so you don’t miss the post with all the details! You got this!

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Mediterranean Roasted Chicken Thighs

February 24, 2017

It’s been a crazy week for me, traveling to New Orleans, back home very briefly, and then to Austin. All for work. Because of this, I figured it would be a good idea to post a super easy, yet equally delicious, recipe for everyone out there that is just having one of those weeks. These Mediterranean Roasted Chicken Thighs are simple, in that they’re a one sheet pan dinner recipe. Basically what that means is that you can place everything on a baking sheet, just one baking sheet is all you need, and then pop it into the oven and forget about it for a while. 40 minutes later, you’ll have a flavorful dinner without any of the effort or all those dirty dishes! Sheet pan dinners are one of my favorite things to make during the week, especially when I don’t have that much time to invest in the kitchen because life gets in the way.

This dish is basically a protein (in this case we’re using bone-in chicken thighs) roasted on a large baking sheet with lots of vegetables. The best part about this dish isn’t the flavor and taste, but rather the fact that it’s extremely versatile and completely customizable. Feel free to adapt it to your tastes or to change up the vegetables with whatever you already have on hand. There’s no need to stress about this dish because if you can turn on an oven, then you’re good to go. You’re practically half way there, so why not give it a try this week? I’m thinking Mediterranean

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Homemade Dino Nuggets

March 31, 2016

If there was one food item I was completely OBSESSED with as a kid, besides frosted circus animal cookies (which I have a bag of in my pantry right this very moment because my sister gave them to me for Easter), it would most definitely be dino nuggets. Chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs. What kid doesn’t like that? Kids who aren’t fully living life, that’s who. Dino nuggets are what dreams are made of. Dino nuggets are the answer to all of your problems. These dino nuggets from my kid days weren’t anything special by any means, let me tell you. I’d eat them all the time whenever my mom would take me to Sizzler as a treat. P.S. I loved Sizzler. They always had dino nuggets back then, so that definitely made them the coolest restaurant in my book. That’s the place I’d pick whenever a special occasion came up. Birthday dinner? Sizzler. Graduation dinner? Sizzler. Last Monday? Sizzler. I’m kidding! But maybe I’m not, you’ll never know. Whenever we weren’t eating at Sizzler, I’d beg my mamma to buy a box from the freezer section and I’d eat them all week long with ketchup. I can’t even handle it right now. Dino nuggets and ketchup were the bomb dot com. I’ll forever hold a special place in my heart for dino nuggets. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of them. With that being said, I just had to make them at home…from scratch…so here we are.

I think it’s important to mention that, if you’re not feeling the whole dinosaur shaped nugget vibe, then you can definitely just make regular ol’ round chicken nuggets instead. I won’t get angry or tell you that you’re doing it all wrong. You can never go wrong with chicken nuggets. Any chicken nugget is a good chicken nugget. These are a great snack to have on hand for throughout the week or they make for a great quick and simple lunch or dinner. Fry them up and keep them in the fridge for whenever you’re feeling hungry. They’re great cold, but I’m partially biased to cold fried chicken so maybe I’m not the best judge of character on this matter. Either way, make them this week so you can feel like a kid. They really are the best tasting chicken nuggets you’ll ever eat.

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Broccoli Pesto Pasta

August 12, 2015

Pesto is that fancy friend that you wish you could invite to every single party you throw just to class things up a bit. It makes you look like you’re a pro in the kitchen and like you know what you’re doing, because when people hear pesto they’re all like, “Ooooooh, aaaaaawww! Pesto?!?!?!” Yeah, just like that. It’s packed with so much flavor and can be used a million different ways. Okay, so I might be exaggerating a bit…it can be used a hundred different ways. Pesto is versatile. It lends itself to many dishes. You can use it for sandwiches or use it as a marinade for meats and poultry or as a dressing for pasta or green salads or eat it by the spoonful all by itself. I’m not one to judge. P.S. FYI BTW it’s also super delicious and irresistible as a dipping sauce for soft fresh homemade bread, right out of the oven, like focaccia. If you don’t have the time to make your own freshly baked bread (I’ll be judging you slightly this time) then you can definitely use store bought bread. Pick up a loaf at the grocery store and use it for all of your pesto dipping needs. You’ll love it. I promise. Just don’t get too full on bread and pesto because you’ll need to save room for this dish in particular.

There was a time when I was younger when I’d make pesto all of the time. Literally at least once a week. My family really likes pesto and every time I asked them, “What do you guys want for dinner tonight? What should I make?” They’d always say pesto pasta with such enthusiasm that I’d give in and make it for them because why not? Also, I’m a sucker for my mom and sisters. They can literally get me to do anything, but I digress. I made pesto for dinner and lunch so often that the recipe was engraved in my mind. I was seeing it in my sleep. Making it with my eyes closed. Because of this, I got bored of it rather quickly, as you can imagine. I learned a very valuable lesson; even though it’s fancy and even though it’s tasty and delicious, I just couldn’t keep making it the same way over and over again. Now as an adult, I still love pesto but I’m definitely on the look out for new and exciting pesto recipes because the same simple, yet delicious, pesto recipes just aren’t fitting the bill anymore.. The broccoli in this recipe is just about the right amount of “out there” but still delicious and simple enough to make it all the time.

I came across a recipe online with a chunkier version of this broccoli pesto and I figured I definitely had to try it on my own with a few changes. It was just what I needed because it felt like something new and exciting. Fancy but not stuck up. So if you’re part of the pesto fan club, well you should join my family, but also you should try this pasta dish because it’ll knock your socks off. It’s that weeknight dinner you didn’t realize you needed. Now that you have it, watch out…you’re ready to conquer the world. Just remember who helped you get there.

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