Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Goat Cheese, Spinach, Caramelized Onions & Mushrooms

I know it may appear that we never repeat the same meal in our house - but here’s a secret- we do! Since chicken is kind of blah (I’m bored with it just thinking about it) I find it is more exciting when it’s sandwiched in between some deliciously charred bread & smothered with toppings. Then it’s almost like you’re not eating the chicken at all. What’s even better is that you can make these sandwiches with simple ingredients & you get to eat them with your hands!

Veggie Lasagna

My grandmother only makes lasagna on Christmas because my dad will be there to eat it. Lasagna is a labor of love & reserved for very special loved ones.  My friend Ashley was up visiting from Texas this past weekend. She is a lasagna worthy friend.  I even whipped up some homemade lasagna pasta sheets to make it extra special. You can of course skip the homemade pasta part & use the boxed lasagna noodles but whatever you do, make this for someone you love sometime really soon, preferably on a lazy Sunday when you have just as much time to make it as you do eat it in really great company.

Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms, Spinach & Goat Cheese Pasta

Kristin from Beauty Counter posted a photo of this onion mushroom pasta dish on her Facebook page the other day & I was inspired to try it although I didn’t follow the recipe exactly. I went off the ingredients that I had on hand plus a suggestion my cousin, Christy Ann made to add pasta water & goat cheese for a simple yet creamy pasta sauce.  Thanks for the inspiration ladies! I really liked what evolved from these ideas & I think you will too!

Garlicky Pretzel Pizza Rolls

On a day when it’s semi-cooler I suggest you make these. Perhaps a great snack for watching the World Cup. I made these for Easter - yes I know that was a while ago but they are timeless snack worthy of a post even if it comes in mid-June.

I started off with visions for replicating this recipe. Things didn’t work out as planned. I tried to make the dough suggested in the recipe that is supposed to be like Auntie Anne’s pretzels (I LOVE AUNTIE ANNE’S PRETZELS). Alas, the milk I used was too hot & I’m pretty sure that I killed the dry active yeast because although it was Easter, it did not rise again. Being that I was making these rather last minute I had to use what I had - so I used pizza dough i had in the fridge.  I used the same method as making pretzels (remember these yummies?) so I think they were pretty close to the initial recipe. The result was tasty & I don’t think anyone (but me) missed the Auntie Anne’s pretzel dough. The next time I make these I will try that recipe again (I WILL!!!). 

Hope you have a fabulous weekend :)

Crunch Celery, Spinach & Parmesan Salad

I watch food network all the time. I even watch it at the gym. Yes I do.
This past weekend I watched the Barefoot Contessa whip up her Italian inspired celery and parmesan salad. I took a nod from this great lady & made this for dinner. I added some spinach for a little extra green-age.

Spinach Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing

Hoboken is only a mile square but it has a ton of great restaurants.  Among them are some tasty Cuban spots like La Isla.  It's a casual little place with rarely an empty seat with tons of tasty dishes on it's menu. One of my favorites is the spinach salad. It's just fresh with a combination of sweet and savory flavors as well as creamy and crunchy textures.  It's not a terribly complicated salad it's just the care they take to pile it on the plate.  It's really a feast for the eyes and the tastebuds too.  It's great on it's own or you can add shrimp or chicken to if if you want to "beef" it up. If you're ever in Hoboken, NJ I definitely recommend stopping by La Isla for a meal, if you aren't you can make a salad inspired by this great spot right in your own kitchen!

Spinach & Kale Pesto Linguini

So of course we had our spinach & kale pesto (from yesterday's post) with pasta.  It's the obvious choice.  I tossed in some of the fresh baby kale & baby spinach leaves too for some texture.

Spinach & Kale Pesto

Kale is so trendy now & I love it. In particular baby kale.  I found a mixed bag of baby kale & baby spinach at the super market & quickly tossed it in my cart. Instead of steaming the kale & spinach I opted to make them into a delicious pesto that takes minutes to make. Oh and there's no cooking involved.  If you can turn on a food processor you can make a gourmet spread that's worth bragging about.

Ingredients

• 3 cups mixed baby kale & baby spinach
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled & halved
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• salt & pepper

Make it!

1. Blend the mixed greens, garlic, cheese & walnuts together in a food processor using the 's' blade.
2. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.
3. Run the food processor  again streaming the olive oil a little at a time until it becomes a thick yet spreadable consistency.
4. Add salt & pepper to taste.
5. Serve with pasta, toast or just eat it off a spoon.

Homemade Spinach & Cheese Ravioli

I love to make fresh pasta. I find it therapeutic in some sense. So I thought making my own ravioli would bring me the same zen. It did not. It brought on a need for a glass of wine.  I made about half the amount I had anticipated because, well, I guess I'm a quitter. I made the rest of the pasta dough into linguini and called it a night.

If you have the patience that I apparently lack, I encourage you to give these a go. Why not, you can always quit, right? I won't judge.

Mushroom, Basil & Egg Crepe Squares

These crepes seem to be my go-to for weekend brunch.  I usually take a look in the fridge at what's left from the week & try to work with it. This recipe incorporates the mushroom mixture from these delicious appetizers plus a basic crepe.

See more photos & the recipe after the jump!

Bird in a Nest Breakfast: Made with Love

Truth be told I'm not a huge Valentine's Day fan, but I do love incorporating graphic design elements into my daily life & food. This weekend I whipped up some birds in a nest (an oldie but goodie) but jazzed it up with some heart shaped cutouts.

If you are keen on Valentine's Day this is a great way to start your romantic day.

Make this recipe for your valentine with my easy recipe after the jump.

Omegas for Dinner

Everyone is trying to eat healthfully & clean for the start of the new year. I try to find the balance between whole foods & yumminess (like here). I will now introduce exhibit a: omegas for dinner: zesty salmon served with cranberry, walnut, basil & spinach quinoa. This dinner is not only full of color & flavors but omegas too. So we can all rest easy knowing we did our part after eating a healthy dinner. Oh & did I mention it's a pretty quick fix too? Well it is, read on for the full recipe.

If you're vegetarian or just don't 'do' fish, make the quinoa it's tasty all on it's own & makes a great lunch or simple supper.

Chipotle & Apple Turkey Burgers

If you follow me on instagram, twitter or just visit me here, you know that I've been digging into some scrumptious cookbooks, like the Sprouted Kitchen.

I wish I was organized enough to make a list every time I go to the super market so that I can make recipes exactly as I see them in cookbooks.  This past weekend I really thought I had everything on the list to make Sprouted Kitchen's chipotle & apple turkey burgers, I even brought the book in the car with me.  Per usual I was missing some items, so I had to get creative. 

Click through for my rendition of Sara Forte's recipe with what I had on hand in my fridge.

Saffron Rice with Carrots & Spinach

I really owe my rice skills to the cuban rice recipe I'm always talking about.  Lately, I seem to be a little short on specific ingredients for certain recipes so I find myself improvising.  This is my rendition of a saffron rice with carrots & spinach based on my favorite rice recipe.

What's your favorite rice reicpe?

Get the full recipe after the jump!

P dot S: Happy birthday to my gorgeous friend, Dawnie! I love you!