Cilantro Lime Chicken

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 green bell peppers

1 large onion

6 large garlic cloves

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Paprika

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper 

Directions:

1. Mince your garlic, dice your onion, and chop up your peppers and cilantro. 

2. Cut your chicken breast in cubes and add all spices. Juice one lime and pour the juice over the chicken. 

3. In a large baking dish add all ingredients and sprinkle the juice of the second lime and leave the lime in the dish to bake. Cover with foil.

4. Bake at 400  F for 30 minutes. Take off foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Enjoy this juicy and flavorful chicken over beans or rice. It is a great addition to fajitas or tacos or can just be eaten by itself. Enjoy!

Authentic Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo Sauce with Linguine

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper

1 stick of butter

6 cloves of garlic

2-4 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley, optional

1 box of linguine

Directions:

1. In a large pot for your linguine, fill with water, and sprinkle in salt to come to a boil.

2. Add your butter, flour, minced garlic, and fresh cracked pepper in your saucepan on a low/med heat. Let the butter melt, but not brown, mixing occasionally so the flour doesn't stick. After about 5 minutes your butter should be fully melted and all ingredients smooth and incorporated. 

3. Pour in your heavy cream and your Parmesan cheese to your butter mixture and stir slowly to incorporate all ingredients. 

4. Boil your linguine for 10 minutes, until al dente. During these 10 minutes continue to stir your Alfredo sauce so the bottom does not burn. Add your linguine to your Alfredo sauce's pot.

5. Mince your fresh parsley and add to the Linguine Alfredo pot and stir together.

6. Serve immediately and enjoy!

First, there are so many recipes for Alfredo sauce floating around Pinterest that have cream cheese...um...NO!!! There is no cream cheese in Alfredo and there never has been. Second, this is a heavy sauce so fix it just for special occasions (or everyday)! And third, and most important, it is addicting! That I can promise! :)

Calzones Made Easy

Calzones

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 ball of fresh pizza dough (I recommend Whole Food's dough!!)

1 15oz container of Ricotta Cheese

1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella

1/4 cup Parmesan 

1 egg

1 jar of your favorite Tomato Sauce  

Pizza Stone

Flour for dusting

Directions:

1. Place your pizza stone in your oven, set to 400 F, for 20 minutes.

2. Divide up your pizza dough into two or four balls. You can either make two very large calzones or four individual calzones. Dust your counter with flour and very gently flatten the dough with your hands. Work the dough as little as possible so it doesn't become tough or gummy. If you are making four than each circle should be about 8" in diamater and if you are making two each circle should be about 16" in diameter.

3. In a bowl mix together all three of your cheeses. Portion the cheese mixture onto each half of your circles and then fold the dough over top. 

4. Pull your pizza stone out of the oven and dust with flour. Place your calzones carefully on it.

5.  Beat your egg and brush with a pastry brush across each calzone top. 

6. Bake at 400 F for 12-15 minutes depending on how many and how big you made them. Should be a light golden brown when finished and firm to the touch. 

7. Heat your tomato sauce in a microwave safe bowl, in the microwave, for two minutes and serve. 

These calzones are addicting and so easy to make! I highly recommend the fresh pizza dough from the Whole Foods Pizza Counter! Just go up to the counter and ask for fresh dough. It costs $4 and is well worth it for both the taste and ease! 

My children have been turning their noses up at pizza as of late (crazy heads), so I decided to change it up a little and whipped these bad boys up. Yummy! I almost like them better than pizza too. Almost!

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Yield: Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

2 cups of fresh basil

1 100oz can of Roma tomatoes

15 large tomatoes (fresh and roasted)

2 onions, diced

1 head of garlic, minced

1/4 cup sugar

1 stick of butter

salt and pepper

olive oil

Directions:

1. Slice up all of your tomatoes. Throw 1/3 of your tomatoes right into your Crockpot. For the remaining 2/3 of your tomatoes spread out on a foil lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 400 F for 30 minutes.

2. In your Crockpot, add your can of Roma tomatoes, basil, garlic, onions, and sugar. Turn on LOW for 8 hours and 30 minutes. 

3. When your tomatoes have finished roasting, in the oven, add the entire contents (oil drippings and all) to your Crockpot along with your stick of butter. 

4. When the 8 hours and 30 minutes are up use your immersion blender to smooth out the lovely lumps and make it nice and creamy. 

This is a great soup to make if you have a bunch of tomatoes and basil growing in your garden...which is exactly why I made this! I made the huge batch in the Crockpot and froze the remainder in containers to save for cooler weather. My husband is the only one in the house that likes soup, so he gets this all to his self! Lucky guy! :)

Tomato Basil Chicken

Tomato Basil Chicken

Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3-4 chicken breasts

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, minced

2 tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup olive oil

salt

pepper

pasta of your choice

Directions:

1. Salt and pepper your raw chicken breasts and set aside.

2. Mince and chop all your veggies. 

3. Add your oil to your saute pan along with your chicken breasts and veggies. Cook for 8-10 minutes on each side (16-20 minutes total depending on the size of the breast).  

4. Boil your pasta to pair with your chicken. I think a penne or bow tie pasta works well with this dish.

5. Remove from heat and serve immediately. 

This is such an easy dish to make for your family in under thirty minutes! The chicken is moist and flavorful and the pasta helps fill you up. I add pesto to the pasta to add another basil dimension to the meal. Yum yum!