Baby in the belly and Chicken, Pesto Stuffed Shells

This blog was not that cool to begin with, but it gets extra lame when there are no posts for several months. I apologize. I don't do much in general besides being a mom, but lately I have been growing a baby and that seemed to take over a little bit as I get some super fun morning sickness.

We are well on our way to a Bakers Dozen (JUST KIDDING) by adding #3 this June. Now that the sickness has subsided and I am just working on getting pretty darn fat I thought I would share this tasty recipe.

I made this the other day for a friend who just had her 6th child. I know, I am way behind. This is easy to make ahead and heat up when needed and really puts the other stuffed shells to shame.


Chicken and Pesto Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:
4 Chicken breasts cooked and shredded (I actually put mine in the food processor)
3 heaping tablespoons of Pesto
1 8 oz cream cheese softened
1 cup of fresh Parmesan cheese (I used an Italian blend with Asiago, Parmesan, and Romano)
1 Box of shells (surprisingly Walmart was the only place I could find that carried them)
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce

Directions:

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to directions ( I cook mine a little less than directed and the oven does the rest). While it is cooking, assemble the "stuffing". Combine chicken, pesto, 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, and cream cheese in a large bowl. When shells are cooked, drain and mix with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Place a tablespoon or more in each shell and place on a large casserole dish.  Pour marinara sauce on each shell and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese over the top. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. You can also just sprinkle with cheese, bake, and then pour the sauce on after. Serve, deliver, or devour like I did.

I delivered this dish in a disposable aluminum tin with garlic bread, salad, and dessert. Enjoy!

Salmon Cakes

Even if you don't love crab cakes, or seafood for that matter, I am convinced you will still love these.  This a great way to use up leftover salmon from the night before and throw everything in the fridge in them. You can make it your own with veggies you have on hand or keep it simple. Here is how I made them.

Salmon Cakes:
1 pound of sauteed salmon shredded from skin and bone.
1 cup corn (I used fresh boiled corn)
1/2 cup diced zucchini
1/2 onion
1/2 green pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup to 11/2 cups bread crumbs
1 Tbs salt
1 Tbs Cajun seasoning
1 tsp pepper
1/3 cup coconut oil

Directions:
Start by sauteing corn, zucchini, onion, and pepper in olive oil just slightly. Add vegetables to salmon in large bowl. Add egg, mayo, bread crumbs, and seasonings. Mix well together and form patties. Cook until brown and crispy on each side in coconut oil or olive oil. 
Ta da!
 Super easy, very tasty, and my kids loved them. I am sure you can hide any veggies in these. Not only is the salmon and veggies good for you, but I am reading great things about cooking with coconut oil. Let me know if you try them!

Chinese Chicken Salad

 I have two things to say about this recipe: 1)This is only like the best salad ever. 2) The above picture actually isn't horrible.  I know! Miracles can happen with a cheap digital camera! This seriously is the epitome of summer all in a healthyish meal (yes I made up that word). It is a bit more tedious to put together compared to most salads, but well worth it. This recipe is adapted from (foodiecrush.com)

Ingredients for salad
12  3-inch wonton skins, sliced into 1/4″ strips
1/2 cup canola or corn oil for frying
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 chicken breast, shredded (I used rotisserie)
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted lightly
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 cups cooked fusilli pasta noodles, cooled

dressing
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable  oil
6 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil (add more to taste if you prefer a strong sesame taste)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Heat canola or corn oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When oil starts to shimmer, fry wonton skins in batches of 5-7 strips for 30 seconds each side or until lightly browned, working quickly so they don’t burn. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels until cooled.
2. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, chicken breast, green onion, almonds and pasta.
3. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk well until sugar dissolves. Dress lettuce mixture with 2-3 tablespoons of sesame dressing and top with sesame seeds and wonton strips and serve.

Fun Tip: I doubled the dressing and lots of everything else leftover. I really wanted to have it the next day, but feared it being a soggy mess. It turns out putting it all in a mason jar really does work. I kept the dressing aside, but put the rest in a jar, with lid, and it was all crispy and perfect the next day.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

My sister-in-law introduced me to this little dish and I am in love. When she explained to me that there was not going to be in frying involved I was hesitant. It turns out that not everything needs to be fried in order to be tasty. This actually taste fresh, healthy, light, not to mention they make for  a pretty fun hands on meal.

Hit up your local Asian market for a few of the ingredients and the rest at your favorite grocery store. You can also personalize this dish with your own favorite ingredients. Just experiment and decide what you like. The following is what is inside the above horrible picture. Pork, rice sticks, lettuce, carrots, cucumber, and avocado.

Ingredients:
Pork Roast
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup shredded carrots
Three Ladies brand rice paper (Asian market)
Maifun rice sticks
Sliced cucumber slicked into small matchstick size
Sliced avocado (optional)

Sauce Options:
Teriyaki Sauce
Peanut Sauce
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Sweet Chili Sauce (Asian Market)

Soy Sauce

Directions:
Sprinkle Pork Roast with salt and pepper and cook in crock pot on low heat for 6-8 hours. It is best served sliced in small chunks, but not shredded so cook accordingly trying to avoid cooking it to the point of shredding. In the last hour of cooking, prepare the rice sticks by boiling water and then turning off the heat and letting noodles sit in hot water for 10 minutes. Place the fresh ingredients in seperate bowls along with the noodles to be selected for the insides as desired buffet style. Boil water and pour about a cup of it into a pie plate to soften the rice paper. Take one rice paper and slowly place the paper into the water while turning it so the entire paper is able to soften in the water. Once the paper is soft and sticky place on a clean plate and fill with desired ingredients. Fold like a burrito and select your favorite dipping suaces to dip the spring roll in. Serve and Enjoy!

Scones with Blackberry Sauce

I hope I placed this picture big enough that it practically punches you in the face with its awesomeness. It was delicious. If scones throw you off, you can also call this Indian fry bread.  This makes for a tasty breakfast or dessert. Blackberries were on sale this week so I topped my scones with a tasty sauce.

Scones or Indian Fry Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
1.5 cups warm water
1 package active dry yeast OR 2 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast
4 1/4 bread flour
2 tablespoons  butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
oil for frying

Instructions:

In your bread machine, add all the ingredients as instructed by your bread machine manufacturer.  Usually its the liquids first, followed by seasonings, then flour - and very last you make a well in the flour and add the yeast.

Set your bread machine on the 'dough cycle'. When it is done, remove the dough and wrap in plastic wrap leaving room for it to raise. Place in warm space and allow to rise. Once it is done raising, heat up 1- 2 cups of oil in fryer or pan sufficient for frying with enough 2 inches of oil. Slice off large serving size off of dough and stretch carefully on all sides and place in oil. Fry each side until golden brown and then place on paper towel to dry.

For the Blackberry sauce that can be made ahead:

Ingredients:

2/3 c. butter, melted
1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. orange juice
2 c. fresh or frozen blackberries
Dash of salt

Directions:
Combine butter and cornstarch in saucepan. Add sugar, salt, orange juice and blackberries. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thick. Strain and remove stems before serving.

Assembly:
Take one fried scone and top with honey, blackberry sauce, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy!

Winner

Thank you to everyone who entered my little giveaway. My comments were humble in numbers and therefore the selection was fun. Congratulations to Manda! Look for your box of goods soon!

If you didn't win, you know I love you and hopefully there will be more fun stuff to come! Thank you!

Mediterranean Entertaining with Peloponnese

Phew! That title is a mouthful literally and figuratively. Peloponnese offers some tasty Mediterranean goods and I am so happy to have tried them. This is what came packaged in a pretty box ready to enhance our dinner with the flavor straight from the warmth and finesse of the Greek climate:

                     -            Peloponnese® Artichoke Spread

-          Peloponnese® Hummus Spread

-          Peloponnese® Halved Kalamata Gourmet Black Olives

-          Peloponnese® Florina Whole Sweet Peppers

-          Peloponnese® Baba Ganoush

-          Peloponnese® Antipasto Party Olives

-          Specialty Olive Bowl

That's a lot of tasty goods!

The hummus spread is delicious. I love any kind of artichoke spread and this version did not disappoint. Both are great on pita chips or any kind bread. The party olives are always a hit served as an appetizer and I was especially excited about the little serving platter that came with the olives. In summary, this is all great stuff, but let's talk about what I made with the Kalamata Gourmet Black Olives and the Florina Whole Sweet Peppers:

With the help of these two ingredients, my sister, and this recipe, I made a pretty tasty dip.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 block (1#) of feta cheese  (I don’t like the pre-crumbled kind because I think it is dry)
tomatoes (any kind)…I use about 4 Roma’s
1 bunch of green onions
1 Peloponnese sweet pepper finely chopped
1/4 cup of Peloponnese Kalamata olives finely chopped
1 baguette
1-2 tsp of Greek Seasoning (see pic below) (I used more to taste)
1 large platter

Directions:
Dice all ingredients into small pieces. Add olive oil and seasoning and mix well. Slice baguette and arrange on a serving platter with dip in a bowl in the middle. Serve and enjoy! I sure did!

 GIVEAWAY
The whole box of goods can be yours if you simply leave a comment, like their facebook page, and visit their site for future inspiration in the kitchen. It's a whole lot of tasty Greek flavor that could be yours. The winner will be picked one week from today! Good luck!