Chicken, Mushrooms and Artichoke Hearts with Cheese Tortellini in a Light Lemon Butter Sauce

I am tired and I didn't feel like making a big dinner. I had some cheese tortellini I needed to use so I decided chicken would be great with it. I marinated some chicken breasts and looked for other ingredients to use. I grabbed some mushrooms, frozen artichoke hearts, garlic, grape tomatoes, lemon and basil. It was really easy to cook, didn't take long and tasted great. The chicken was really flavorful and tender. The combination of flavors worked well together. It was a light, healthy and delicious meal - my husband couldn't get enough.

Marinade:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 3-4 leaves of basil, chopped
• Zest of one lemon, chopped finely
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)

Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound them, with a mallet, until they are 1/4 inch thick. Place chicken into a large zip lock bag and add the olive oil, minced garlic, chopped basil, lemon zest, sea salt and pepper. Mix so the chicken is evenly coated with marinade. Let it marinate for at least 1 hour.

Heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add chicken breasts and cook for 4 minutes then flip. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove from heat and let sit for at least 5 minutes before slicing into bite size chunks.

• 8 oz of button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
• 1 handful of grape tomatoes
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• Cheese tortellini, prepared per instructions
• Juice of 1-2 lemons (to taste)
• 1-2 tbsp butter
• 5-6 basil leaves, chopped
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Cook the tortellini per instructions. While the pasta is cooking, add mushrooms to the hot skillet you cooked the chicken in. Add more oil if needed (I didn't need to). Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Add the artichoke hearts, tomatoes and minced garlic to the pan then stir frequently for 60 seconds. Add the tortellini, chicken chunks, lemon juice, butter, Parmesan, basil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Enjoy.

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Peach Crisp

We went to Idaho last weekend for a family gathering at my mother in law's house to celebrate an early Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful time catching up with each other, riding four wheeler's, eating great meals, watching the kids play together and going on fun adventures. It was a quick trip but so worth it!

My brother in law Rick bought four of the largest peaches I've ever seen from a local farmers market. They were perfectly ripe and smelled so good. The group decided a peach crisp would make a nice dessert so my mother in law sliced up the peaches and I got busy making the topping. It was amazing! Perfectly sweet, a little tart and the topping was excellent with lots of cinnamon and butter.

As you can tell by the pictures, my in laws live on a large piece of land with a beautiful view. My daughter and her Uncle Rick were out flying the kite while some of these pictures were taken - you can see them in the background. It's hard to come back to the city once you experience the peace and quiet of a small town.

• 4 extremely large peaches (size of a softball), peeled and sliced into thin slices
• 2-3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients until blended thoroughly. Spray a small baking dish with cooking spray and add peaches. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes.

• 1 cup white flour
• 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats, uncooked
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 8 tbsp slightly softened butter

While the fruit is baking in the oven, add flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon and butter to a mixing bowl. Mix ingredients with your fingers until crumbly. Once the fruit has cooked 20 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle the crumble evenly over the top of the peaches. Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes longer. Serve with homemade whipped cream (recipe below) or vanilla ice cream.

Whipped Cream:

• 1 pint of whipping cream
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients with a hand blender for 5-7 minutes until fluffy.

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Daring Baker's September Challenge - Lavish Crackers and a Vegan Dip

For my third Daring Baker's Challenge we were to make Lavish crackers and a vegan dip. I was excited to try making the crackers but nervous too. I rarely make recipes that include kneading dough because, it intimidates me. I love these challenges because they make me try things I would normally never try. I decided I wanted simple crackers only topped with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. They were crisp and absolutely delicious. I could have eaten them plain they were so good. I can't believe how easy it is to make homemade crackers... I don't know if I will ever buy store bought again.

The vegan dip was easier for me. I have been wanting to make hummus for a long time and this was the perfect excuse to do it. I recently saw a recipe for caramelized onion hummus made by Jeena's Kitchen, and since I am a HUGE lover of caramelized onions, I wanted them in my hummus. Normally, hummus contains tahini but since I didn't have any, I decided to make it without. The hummus was really tasty. I loved the garlic/caramelized onion flavor . The lemon juice really added a nice tang and completed the hummus perfectly.

I was really happy with the end result of my crackers and hummus. They were extremely delicious and very fun to make.

This challenge was hosted by Natalie from Gluten A Go Go, and co-host Shel, of Musings From the Fishbowl.

Crackers:

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp water, at room temperature

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt yeast, sugar, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball. You may not need the full 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp of water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.

Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until the ingredients are evenly distributed. The dough should pass the windowpane test (see here for a description of this) and register 77 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), satiny to the touch, not tacky, and supple enough to stretch when pulled. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size. (You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing).

Mist the counter lightly with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax. At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap while it relaxes. When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment or spray with olive oil cooking spray. Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment. If it overlaps the edge of the pan, snip off the excess with scissors.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Mist the top of the dough with water or olive oil cooking spray and season with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Be careful with spices and salt - a little goes a long way. If you want to pre-cut the cracker, use a pizza cutter (rolling blade) and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough. You do not need to separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking. If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting it first.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (I checked them after 10 minutes), or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).

When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. You can then snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.

Caramelized Onion Hummus

• 1 15 oz can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, diced finely
• 1 - 2 lemons, juiced
• 2 tbsp of olive oil + 1 tsp (divided)
• Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and sauté for 20-30 minutes stirring frequently. Once the onions are golden brown and caramelized add the garlic and a bit of salt, stir continually for 60 seconds then remove from heat.

In a food processor (or blender) add the chickpeas, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of the garlic/onion mixture, sea salt and pepper to taste. Turn the mixer on and slowly drizzle the olive oil in. Taste and re-season if needed. Once it's creamy and smooth, add the remainder of garlic/onion mixture and stir. Serve with homemade crackers and enjoy!

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Carne Asada Tacos

Mouth watering good! This has to be my husbands all time favorite dish. I found a recipe years ago on the Internet for these tacos, it was good but still needed some work. It took a while and many attempts, but I think I finally have the perfect carne asada recipe. My children and I love this as much as my husband does. It's great to serve for company and the leftovers (if there are any) make really tasty burritos.

Carne Asada Marinade:

• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs of flank steak
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1-2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp oregano
• 2 limes, juiced
• 4-5 cloves garlic minced

In a gallon size Ziploc bag, combine all ingredients with flank steak and mix really well. Let marinate for at least 6 hours - overnight if you can.

Grill steak until desired degree of doneness. LET SIT FOR AT LEAST 5-10 MINUTES! Once the meat has cooled, slice ACROSS grain into small chunks.

Other Ingredients:

• Corn tortillas
• Cotija cheese (Mexican cheese that is worth getting because it's really great on all Mexican dishes & salads)
• Guacamole (see recipe here)
• Roasted Tomato Salsa (see recipe here)
• Onion, Lime & Cilantro relish (see recipe here)

Cook tortillas (dry) in a hot pan for 45-60 seconds on each side. You want them soft & pliable. Add meat, cheese, salsa, onion & top with guacamole. You will LOVE these tacos.

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Corn, Tomato, Feta and Basil Salad

My wonderful neighbor Jack gave me a huge load of fresh corn on the cob from his garden. I was craving a salad and wanted to incorporate the fresh corn. I sauteed the corn, cherry tomatoes, sweet onion and garlic for just a few minutes, in a little bit of butter, to sweeten them up. I topped them off with fresh chopped basil and feta cheese along with salt and pepper. It was full of wonderful flavors and textures. The corn was a bit crunchy, the feta was salty while the tomatoes were sweet and juicy. Simple ingredients, easy to make and it tasted delicious.

• 4-5 ears of corn, peeled and cleaned
• 1 large handful of cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 tsp butter
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp feta cheese
• 4-5 leaves of basil. chopped

After you clean the corn, cut the kernels off of the cobs. I put a coffee cup upside down in a large bowl and place the cob on top of the mug. It's much easier to cut the kernels this way and you won't make a huge mess.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and stir. Cook for 2 minutes then add the corn , garlic, tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring gently, for 3-4 minutes then remove from heat. Top with feta and basil. Enjoy.

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Chicken Pot Stickers

This is a fun and tasty recipe to make. I used leftover roasted chicken breast tonight but you can also use ground pork or ground chicken. I have always been intimidated by cooking Asian food but I have finally gotten this recipe down. It's fun to make and the kids have a lot of fun helping. My dipping sauce of choice is a sweet chili sauce but it's too spicy for the kids so I make a soy dipping sauce too. I usually serve with an Asian Noodle Salad and fresh steamed broccoli. It's a delicious and healthy meal that my kids really enjoy - especially my daughter.

Dipping Sauce:

• 1 cup of soy sauce
• 2 tbsp of seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp water

Pot Stickers:

• 3 cups of boiling water
• 2 cups napa cabbage, sliced finely
• 2 cups roasted chicken breast, diced
• 2 green onions, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp corn starch
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• Pot sticker wraps
• 1 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)

Boil the water and pour over the sliced cabbage to soften. Drain excess water from the cabbage and put into mixer. Add chicken, green onions, garlic, corn starch, soy sauce, sesame oil, sea salt and pepper. Pulse mixer until thoroughly combined (it's not pretty but it tastes good). Taste and re-season if needed.

Spread out the pot sticker wraps and scoop a small teaspoon full of filling onto the center of each wrap. Wet the top of each pot sticker wrap with a baster brush dipped in water.

Fold the pot sticker to make a moon shape and pinch shut with 3 to 4 pleats along the side. Really make sure they are sealed, so the filling doesn't fall out.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan . Once hot, add 12 pot stickers and cook until the bottoms are golden brown. Add 1/2 cup of water and cover with a lid. Steam for 4 minutes. Repeat with the remainder of pot stickers. Remove from heat and serve with a dipping sauce (or two).

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Italian Salad

I love salads and make them several times a week. I was craving something different from our usual house salad. I looked through the refrigerator and found some kalamata olives and salami along with pine nuts and fresh Parmesan cheese. I used a simple homemade vinaigrette and was so happy with the end result. It was full of flavor and very tasty - my children (and husband) gobbled it up!

• Romaine lettuce
• Fresh baby spinach
• 1 handful of cherry tomatoes
• 1 handful of kalamata olives
• 5-6 slices of salami, quartered
• 1/4 fresh red onion sliced thinly
• Toasted pine nuts
• Fresh Parmesan cheese
• Frans Simple Vinaigrette

Add the pine nuts to a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook stirring frequently until golden brown, remove from heat and let cool. Mix the romaine and spinach and add the tomatoes, olives, onions, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, top with Fran's vinaigrette, toss and serve. Enjoy!

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Huevos Rancheros

I was always afraid to order huevos rancheros at Mexican restaurants because I wasn't sure I would like eggs with my Mexican food - boy was I wrong. Once I was brave enough to order it, I was hooked. I love the flavor of the beans, corn tortilla, cheese and salsa but what makes it really special for me is the over easy egg and the yolk. All the flavor together makes music in my mouth. I don't make rancheros sauce because I really love it with my homemade salsa. It's simple to make and tastes unbelievably good.

• Corn tortillas
• Refried beans
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Salsa
• Eggs
• Fresh chopped cilantro

Heat cooking spray in a small skillet over medium heat. Crack the egg into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Once the white of the egg is no longer transparent, add 1 tablespoon of water to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook for about 1 minute or until the yolk is clouded over. Don't over cook or the yolk will be hard.

Cook tortillas in pan for 30 seconds on each side. Layer the tortilla with a bit of refried beans then sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Spread salsa over the cheese then top with the egg and a bit more cheese. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

I love my fresh salsa so much that I add a bit more to the top of my egg. It's a bit messier but tastes so good. Enjoy!

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Coconut Lemon Bars

I am in love. No, really, truly in love. I love coconut and lemon so combining the two was bound to make me a happy woman. My daughter's school had a parent night to meet the teachers and principal as well as tour the school. Our friends offered to babysit so I (and my kids) made a thank you treat for them. Of course, I had to try them to make sure they were good enough to give to our friends (lucky me). I loved the texture and flavor of the coconut crust. It was chewy and sweet and so perfect with the tart lemon on top. This is my new favorite way to make lemon bars. If you like lemon and coconut then you must try this recipe...you will not be disappointed.

Crust:

• 1 cup of flour
• 1/2 cup of powder sugar
• 1/2 cup of sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 stick of cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the 8 inch baking pan with cooking spray. To make crust combine flour, powder sugar and salt in a bowl. Add butter pieces, vanilla and coconut then mix with hands until crumbly. Press evenly into the bottom of your baking pan. Bake until lightly golden, about 18-20 minutes. Set crust aside.

Filling:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 2 tbsp of flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tsp lemon zest, diced finely
• 1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Sweetened shredded coconut for garnish

To make filling whisk together eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Add lemon zest and juice and mix until combined thoroughly. Pour over hot crust. Bake 15-18 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely before sprinkling with shredded coconut. Enjoy.

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Mom's Salsa

My mom made the best salsa when I was a kid. I would look forward to coming home from school to eat that delicious salsa with chips. It had a bit of a kick and was loaded with flavor. I have a great recipe for roasted salsa that I make quite often but I haven't made my Mom's salsa in years. My generous neighbor Jack just loaded me up with freshly picked tomatoes and jalapenos from his garden and I thought they would make the perfect salsa. It's so easy to make and it tastes fantastic. My children absolutely love it and can't get enough. Thanks for the great recipe Mom!

• 10 fresh tomatoes
• 2-3 green onions
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• Handful of cilantro
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeded and deveined (unless you want it spicy)
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Clean tomatoes, remove stem, then gently cut an X on the bottom of the tomatoes. Heat a large pot of water until boiling. Add the tomatoes and boil for 10-15 seconds. Remove from water and put into an ice bath. Once the tomatoes have cooled, gently peel off the skin.

Place tomatoes, garlic, green onions, cilantro, jalapenos, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper in a food processor or blender. Puree until thoroughly mixed. Taste and re-season if necessary. Letting it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours lets the flavors combine and makes the salsa taste even better. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Mushroom, Pineapple and Basil Calzone

I wasn't in the mood to cook a big dinner and I didn't have much to choose from in my refrigerator. I did have some pizza dough and fresh mushrooms that needed to be used up so I decided to try my first attempt at making a calzone. I found some pineapple in the cupboard (my kids favorite pizza topping) and my basil plant was overloaded with leaves so I decided to add that too. It was easy to make and simple to cook. It turned out really crisp and tasty...we all loved this calzone - especially my kids.

• Pizza dough (I buy mine at Trader Joe's)
• Pizza sauce (I used leftover roasted marinara)
• Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Mushrooms, sliced very thin
• Pineapple chunks
• Fresh basil, chopped
• Parmesan cheese, shredded
• Sprinkle of corn meal
• Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray your pizza tray with olive oil cooking spray and then sprinkle the corn meal all over. Roll your dough out to form a pizza and place on pizza tray. Spread pizza sauce (or marinara) over half the dough. Add mozzarella, mushrooms, pineapple, basil and parmesan cheese (or whatever toppings you like).

Fold the other half of the dough over the toppings and carefully fold and crimp the ends of the dough so it's completely sealed. Use a knife to make a few slits on the top and spray with olive oil cooking spray.

Place in the oven and cook for 18-20 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Remove from oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes before sliceing into wedges. Enjoy!

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Au Gratin Potatoes

I was recently looking through my Betty Crocker's cookbook (my very first cookbook). I saw a recipe for Au gratin potatoes and it looked and sounded so rich, creamy and delicious. Definitely not healthy but sometimes you have to splurge - you know? I was roasting a chicken for dinner and decided the Au gratin potatoes would be the perfect side dish. This was really easy to make (as long as you have a mandolin slicer to cut the potatoes - or a wonderful neighbor who has the coolest gadgets and lets you borrow them...thank you Cheryl). I used extra sharp cheddar because it's what I had on hand. I also used non-fat milk because, well, it has plenty of fat with the cheese and butter. It was a huge hit with my entire family and our friends who were over for dinner - everyone had seconds and there was no leftovers. It paired very nicely with my roasted chicken and a fresh green salad.

• 4-5 large Idaho russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 th inch thick
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 1 tbsp flour
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 2 cups of non fat milk
• 2 cups of extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (divided)
• 1/4 dry Italian bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Scrub potatoes and peel. Cut into 1/8-inch slices to measure about 4 cups. If you have a mandolin slicer, use it.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion in butter about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly; remove from heat.

Slowly stir in milk and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute until the cheese is completely melted.

Spread potatoes in casserole dish. Pour cheese sauce over potatoes. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Mix remaining cheese and the bread crumbs; sprinkle over potatoes; add a bit more salt and pepper. Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes longer or until top is brown and bubbly.

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