Buffalo Chicken Celery Sticks

These bad boys are a super fun semi-healthy appetizer! I absolutely love delish.com and all their crazy fun recipes! It is such a quick and easy recipe. I just bought a rotisserie chicken already cooked from the local grocery store.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Frank's hot sauce

2 Tblsp mayo

freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

4 stalks celery, cut into 3" pieces

1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

Ranch dressing, for drizzling

Chives, for garnish

Directions:

  In a medium bowl, whisk together hot sauce and mayo and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over shredded chicken and mix to combine. Spoon chicken mixture into celery boats. Top with blue cheese, drizzle ranch and garnish with chives. EnJOY!

Kiwi Christmas Tree

I needed a fun and festive but healthy treat for my kids class last week and found some fun ideas on pinterest!

Kiwi Christmas Tree

10 ripe kiwi
1 Palmagranite (you can use strawberries or raspberries as well to add that beautiful red punch)

Peel all kiwi but keep 3 of the peels for the "tree trunk" portion of the treat. Slice kiwi rounds. Assemble on a large serving dish by first placing your kiwi peels as the trunk, then add the kiwi rounds to the plate making into the shape of a tree. Last, place 3-5 palmagranite seeds in a cluster together to form the "ornaments" of the tree, or use slices of strawberries or just one raspberry. One of my friends even made hers with star fruit for the tree topper! So cool! So many fun ways to make a fruit tree. EnJOY!

Chicken and Waffle Bites

 What is better than chicken and waffles? How about bit sized chicken and waffles! Yes! Don't forget the hot sauce and syrup!

Chicken and Waffle Bites

1-2 packages of frozen popcorn chicken bites
1-2 boxes mini waffles
hot sauce
maple syrup

 Preheat your oven and bake your popcorn chicken on a sheet pan according to package directions. Then using a toaster, toast the mini waffles until golden and cool. Then assemble your waffle bites by placing each waffle on a serving plate, top with chicken and poke a tooth pick through it to make it easier to pick up. Have hot sauce and maple syrup on the side for people to drizzle on their waffle bites. EnJOY!

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

I love anything mini and these are just so adorable and scrumptious! They are so much fun for a party and my kiddos absolutely love these! I found this recipe from www.princesspinkygirl.com

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

14.5 oz can Campbells creamy herb and garlic soup (I had to use cream of chicken and added extra spices)
2 packages Pillsbury Cresent rolls - seamless dough sheet
1 cup Frozen mixed veggies, thawed
1 cup cooked chicken cut into small pieces (I used a rotisserie chicken from the store)
3 inch round cookie cutter
cupcake pan

Preheat oven to 400. Lay the crescent roll flat on a lightly floured surface and cut out 12 rounds. Press them in the cupcake pan along the bottom and up the sides. In a bowl, mix the soup, thawed veggies and cut up chicken.
Using a pizza cutter, cut strips of crescent dough to cover the top of the cups, 2 across each way, so 4 strips total per cup. Bake 15-18 minutes or until top and sides are golden brown. If top gets too brown cover it with foil until the bottom is cooked. Let cool and use a knife to loosen and lift out of pan. EnJOY!

Cowboy Caviar Dip

This is a super easy and tasty dip recipe that I make regularly.  A must try! 

Cowboy Caviar Dip

1 (15oz can) seasoned black eyed peas, rinsed and drained well (I use white beans or chili beans when I can't find black eyed peas

1 (15oz can) seasoned or plain black beans, rinsed and drained well 

3/4 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 or 3 tomatoes, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced with seeds removed

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1 ripe avocado, chopped

Tortilla chips

Dressing:

1 Tblsp olive oil

1 Tblsp white wine vinegar

1/2 lime, juiced

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Combine black eyed peas, beans, green onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, jalapenos and cilantro in a medium bowl. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. Pour over bean mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Just before serving, add avocado and gently stir to combine. 

Serve with tortilla chips. EnJOY!

Mac and Cheese Bites

We were having some friends over the other night with little one's so I thought these would be a fun food for all the kids. I doubled the recipe and froze the left overs in individual bags for my kids lunches the following week. Yum! I found this recipe on chef-in-training.com

Mac and Cheese Bites

1/2 lb elbow macaroni
2 Tblsp butter
2 Tblsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg beaten

 Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Cook pasta according to package directions and set aside. In a medium size pan combine butter and flour over medium heat. Whisk until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Slowly add milk and bring to a simmer. Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, cream cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until smooth and creamy. Remove from heat.
 In a large mixing bowl, carefully stir pasta, cheese sauce, and egg until evenly mixed and pasta is evenly coated. Spoon mac and cheese into mini muffin tins and top each with a small pinch of remaining cheese. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
 Allow to cool 5 minutes before gently removing the bites. I find that carefully running a knife around the edges one at a time and tipping it onto a plate is the easiest. EnJOY!

Beet Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

What better Valentine recipe post then something red! I adapted this recipe from my spiralizer cookbook and I was a bit apprehensive about it but ended up loving it! Give yourself plenty of time to prep this one and time to soak your cashews.

Beet Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

4 beets, trimmed and peeled
1/2 Tblsp olive oil
3 sage leaves
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
pinch of chili pepper flakes
1/2 cup cashews, pre-soaked in water for atleast 30 minutes
2 Tblsp freshly chopped parsley
pinch of sea salt and pepper
1 Tblsp toasted sesame seeds

Create beet noodles by using the smallest setting on spiralizer then trim pasta to 2 inch strands. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425 and prepare a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the beet pasta on the baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil and a little salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
While the beets are in the oven, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in the sage and fry it on both sides for 30 seconds. Remove the sage leaves from skillet and set aside on a plate.
In the same skillet place the garlic, pepper flakes and onion and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the pumpkin puree then season it with salt and pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon, sage leaves. Let the sauce cook for 2-3 minutes then pour it into the blender. Drain the cashews then place them in the blender. Pour in the broth, cover the blender then process for 30 seconds. Set aside.
Take out the beet pasta from the oven and place them in individual bowls. Spoon the pumpkin sauce over each bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and parsley on top. EnJOY!

Sesame Almond Butter Zucchini Noodles

Spiralizer to the rescue! I needed something healthy but not just a salad or another roasted veg. So I came across this amazing recipe on iowagirleats.com and it is a must try! Go buy a spiralizer or zoodler just for this recipe!

Sesame Almond Butter Zucchini Noodles

1/2 cup smooth almond butter (I used natural peanut butter)

3 Tblsp low sodium soy sauce or gluten free Tamari 

1 Tblsp honey

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 Tblsp lime juice

1 Tblsp water

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup slivered almonds or peanuts (plus more for garnish)

3 small zucchini, spiralized

3/4 cup chopped scallions, green and white parts

2 tsp white sesame seeds

chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Combine almond butter, gluten free tamari or soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, lime juice, water, salt and pepper into a food processor then pulse until creamy and transfer to a small bowl. (I just mixed with a fork in a small bowl). 

Place the zucchini noodles into a medium bowl with the scallions. Add the almond butter sauce and nuts and toss to combine thoroughly. Top with sesame seeds, extra chopped nuts and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately. EnJOY!

Avocado and White Bean Salad with Vinaigrette

 This is a super quick, easy, healthy salad that is packed with flavor! I modified this recipe from foreverafterblog.com

Avocado and White Bean Salad with Vinaigrette

1 can white beans
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/4 cup sweet onion chopped finely

Vinaigrette:

1 1/2 Tblsp olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tblsp fresh basil, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp mustard

Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together then pour over salad base and mix well. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving. EnJOY!

Pad Thai Salad

My sweet hubby bought me a sweet spiralizer attachment for my kitchen aid for Christmas. I was skeptical about spiralized veggies but I am such a fan! Absolutely amazing! Ive adapted this recipe from thelondoner.me and I just added some sauteed and seasoned shrimp to my dish.

Pad Thai Salad

1 cucumber
2 large carrots
2 green onions, chopped
1 handful of fresh cilantro
1 mint leaf, diced
1 handful of peanuts, roughly chopped
a couple handfuls of shredded chicken/beef/shrimp or anything you want

Dressing:

Juice of 1 lime
3 Tblsp sesame oil
3 Tblsp soy sauce
1 Tblsp fish sauce
1 Tblsp chili flakes
1 Tblsp honey
1 clove garlic, finely diced

Run your carrots and cucumber through the thinnest setting on your spiralizer. Sprinkle chopped onions on top, chopped cilantro and mint, and your shrimp or protein if using. Shake up all dressing ingredients in a jar until fully mixed, then poor over salad and toss lightly. Sprinkle chopped nuts over the top. EnJOY!

Mexican Street Corn Salad

I love love love this recipe! cookingclassy.com you didn't fail me on this one! It's the perfect street corn taste without the chunks left in your teeth feeling after eating a corn on the cob!

Mexican Street Corn Salad

4 ears fresh corn, husked and kernels cut from cob (3 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 Tblsp veggie oil
salt to taste
1/3 cup chopped red or green onion (if using red run under water and drain to remove harsh bite)
1/3 cup slightly packed cilantro leaves, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 oz. Cotija cheese, finely crumbled
3 Tblsp mayo
1 1/2 Tblsp fresh lime juice, divided
1/2 tsp chili powder, then more to taste
1 1/2 medium avocados (semi-firm but ripe) peeled, cored and chopped small

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add corn, season with salt to taste and toss, then let cook, tossing only occasionally (about every 2 minutes) until corn is well charred all over (about 6-10 minutes total). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Add corn to a medium bowl along with onions, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, 3/4 of the cotija, mayo, 1 Tblsp lime juice and chili powder and toss. Pour remaining 1/2 Tblsp lime juice over diced avocados then add to bowl with corn mixture and gently toss. Top with remaining Cotija cheese and additional chili powder to taste. EnJOY!

Mini Deep Dish Pizzas

Oh man these things are so addicting! They are crispy and so yummy! Thank you damndelicious.net for this recipe!

Mini Deep Dish Pizzas

4 flour tortillas (8 inch each)
1 cup pizza sauce
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan
36-48 mini pepperoni

Preheat oven to 425. Lightly oil a 12 cup muffin tin or coat with nonstick spray. Working one at a time, lay tortilla on a flat surface. Using an empty can, cut 3-4 medium circles, pressing firmly enough in a rocking motion to cut through the tortilla.
Fit a tortilla circle into each of 12 muffin tins, pressing carefully to make sure there is an opening in the center. Scoop 1 Tblsp pizza sauce into each muffin tin. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, topping with 3 mini pepperonis each.
Place into oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Serve immediately. EnJOY!

Epic Stuffed Garlic Bread

As if garlic bread wasn't just amazing already, this recipe sends it over the top! A must try! This is a recipe from one of my favorite sites, cookiesandcups.com

Epic Stuffed Garlic Bread

1 large loaf Ciabatta bread (or french bread)
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup room temp butter, cut into pieces
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
*optional: 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I didn't use this)

Preheat oven to 425. Cut your bread into thick slices leaving about 1/2 inch at the bottom uncut. Be careful not to cut the bread all the way through, as you need the bread to hold together to contain all the filling.
In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients with a fork. Stuff the filling into the crevices of the bread evenly. You might think you have too much filling but you don't. Use it all.
Wrap the bread tightly in aluminum foil, place the bread on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover the bread and bake for an additional 5 minutes to crisp the outside of the bread. Serve warm. EnJOY!

Pear and Brie Quesadilla

Who says adults can't enjoy a quesadilla?! How about if there is pear and brie inside! Oh yes! Divine! Recipe from numstheword.com

Pear and Brie Quesadilla

2 (10inch) flour quesadillas
2 oz brie cheese, sliced
1 pear, cored and thinly sliced
1 Tblsp butter
1 pinch ground nutmeg
salt to taste

Heat long griddle until hot, around 300-325. Butter both tortillas on one side each. Place both tortillas, butter side down on the griddle. Working quickly, on one tortilla lay out your slices of brie.
Place pears on top of brie. Sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg on top of pears. When quesadillas are nice golden color, take the empty single tortilla, flip over and lay it on top of your pear slices. Remove from the heat and allow to cool 1-2 minutes. Slice quesadilla and serve immediately. EnJOY!

Harvest Cobb Salad

Who says salads have to be bland?! Not this one! Thank you damndelicious.net for sharing this amazing salad recipe! I loved the dressing but you can really use any kind of dressing you want.

Harvest Cobb Salad

4 slices bacon, cooked and diced
2 large eggs, hard boiled and chopped
6 cups chopped romaine lettuce, or spinach
1 apple, diced
1 pear, diced
1/2 cup pecan halves
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese (I used blue cheese)

Poppy Seed Dressing

1/3 cup mayo
1/4 cup milk
2 Tblsp sugar
1 Tblsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tblsp poppy seeds

To make the poppy seed dressing, whisk together mayo, milk, sugar, apple cider vinegar and poppy seeds in a small bowl; refrigerate until ready to use.
To assemble salad, place lettuce in large bowl; top with arranged rows of cooked and chopped bacon, hard boiled and chopped eggs, apple pear, pecans, cranberries and goat cheese. Serve immediately with poppy seed dressing. EnJOY!

Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Dressing

I have been playing with so many different types of salads and healthier dressings, this one is awesome! Super creamy and flavorful! from www.thegardengrazer.com

Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Dressing

1 large head of romaine (or any preferred lettuce)
15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large orange bell pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 cups corn
5 green onions
Avocado
Optional: Seasoned ground turkey

Dressing:

1 cup loosely packed cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
1/2 avocado (or 1/2 cup plain yogurt)
2 Tblsp fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime), or more to taste
1/2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
1/8 tsp salt
cumin to taste
agave or honey to taste

Make the dressing: puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Finely chop romaine, bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onions. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Toss with desired dressing. EnJOY!

Pad Thai

Oh how I love Pad Thai! When I was pregnant with my twins, all I could hold down was Thai Food. So when I saw this recipe on rachelschultz.com I had to give it a try! So delish!

Pad Thai

8 oz pad thai noodles
2 eggs
1 batch of pad thai sauce (see below for recipe)
3 cooked chicken breasts, sliced (I used shrimp)
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup cilantro
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, scramble eggs for about 2 minutes and set aside. In a large skillet, combine noodles, chicken and sauce. Top with bean sprouts, cilantro, green onion, and peanuts. EnJOY!

Sauce

3 Tblsp soy sauce
1 Tblsp siracha
2 Tblsp lime juice
2 Tblsp canola oil
2 Tblsp brown sugar

Whisk together ingredients. Serve over pad thai.

Bang Bang Shrimp

So I had to try damndelicious.net recipe for Bang Bang Shrimp after the chicken version was so awesome! There is only a slight difference between the two but I love them both the same!

Bang Bang Shrimp

1/2 cup vegetable oil, or more as needed
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 large egg
1 Tblsp hot sauce
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Sauce

1/4 cup mayo
2 Tblsp sweet chili sauce
1 Tblsp honey
1 tsp rice vinegar

To make the sauce, whisk together mayo, sweet chili sauce, honey and rice vinegar in a small bowl; set aside. Heat veggie oil in large skillet over medium high heat.
In large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, flour, cornstarch, egg, hot sauce, salt and pepper, to taste; set aside. In a large bowl, combine panko, onion and garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt and pepper, to taste; set aside.
Working one at a time, dip shrimp into buttermilk mixture, then dredge in panko mixture, pressing to coat.
Working in batches, add shrimp to the skillet and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Serve immediately, drizzled with sweet chili sauce. EnJOY!

Bang Bang Chicken

Oh mama, this recipe is so good! Fun name and fun to eat! I love damndelicious.net

Bang Bang Chicken

1/2 cup vegetable oil, or more as needed

1 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 large egg

1 Tblsp hot sauce

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Sauce

1/4 cup mayo

2 Tblsp sweet chili sauce

1 Tblsp honey

2 tsp Frank's hot sauce

To make the sauce, whisk together mayo, sweet chili sauce, honey and frank's hot sauce in a small bowl; set aside.

Heat veggie oil in large skillet over medium high heat.

In large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, flour, cornstarch, egg, hot sauce, salt and pepper, to taste.

Working one at a time, dip chicken into buttermilk mixture, then dredge in panko, pressing to coat.

Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

Serve immediately, drizzle with sweet chili sauce. EnJOY!

Horchata and Mexican Street Corn

For Cinco De Mayo this year my kids had requests! Shrimp tacos, horchata and mexican corn. I found the horchata recipe on yummyhealthyeasy.com and the corn on sassygirlz.net
So yummy!

Horchata

1-2/3 cups uncooked white long grain rice
5 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup white sugar
3 cups milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Pour the rice and 2 cups water in a blender. Blend until the rice begins to break up, about 1 minute. Add the last 3 cups of water and blend for an additional 30 seconds. Let the rice and water sit on the counter for anywhere from 3+ hours.
Strain the rice water into a large pitcher and throw away the rice. Stir the cinnamon sticks, sugar, milk and vanilla into the rice water. Chill. When thoroughly chilled, stir up and pour over ice. Add an extra sprinkle or two of cinnamon if needed. EnJOY!


Mexican Street Corn

4 ears of corn
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
1 cup grated parmesan cheese (I would use queso fresco crumbled instead)
1/4 cup cilantro (fresh, rough chop)
1 lime (cut, ready to squeeze)
chili powder (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)

Preheat grill. When grill is hot place your already shucked corn on the grill, make sure to leave the core on so you have something to grab it with while eating. In a medium bowl, mix mayo, sour cream and chopped cilantro together. Let the corn get slightly charred on the grill, turn a time or two so it's cooked evenly. Remove from grill and while still hot, smother completely with mayo mixture. Sprinkle chili powder and salt and pepper on corn. Squeeze lime juice on top and sprinkle with cheese. EnJOY!