Baked Chicken Burritos with Sour Cream-Poblano Sauce

When I first found this recipe I was hesitant to make it because the sauce didn't seem kid-friendly with the poblanos and all.  However, it looked so good that I decided that I could make it and serve the kids theirs without sauce.  BTW:  even though the kids didn't have the sauce, the poblanos didn't make it too spicy at all.  They could have eaten it but had plain sour cream instead.  Because the original recipe only served two I doubled everything.  I was able to fill 8 burrito sized tortillas (which were definitely on the smaller side, compared to some of the larger tortillas that I saw) with a little extra filling left over.  I didn't end up doubling the sauce, knowing the kids weren't going to eat it, but I should have!   The burrito filling was really flavorful and tasty but the sauce definitely took it to another level!  I served these with some yellow rice and some veggies to complete the meal.  Although a bit time-consuming to make, with the filling preparation, the rolling of the burritos, and the baking time, they are definitely worth it!

Baked Chicken Burritos with Sour Cream-Poblano Sauce
Recipe adapted from Kate's Recipe Box, originally from Smells Like Home

Ingredients:

For the burritos:
1 1/2 t. vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
1 lb. ground chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 t. tomato paste
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup water
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. oregano
1 1/2 t. chili powder
1 t. brown sugar
Kosher salt
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
8 burrito-sized tortillas
Cooking spray

For the sour cream-poblano sauce:
1 poblano pepper
1 T. butter
1 T. flour
1/3 c. chicken broth at room temperature
1/4 c. light sour cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400F degrees and spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and then add the oil. Once hot, add the onions and cook for 3-5 minutes until they begin to soften. Place the ground chicken in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned and drain any excess grease. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 30-60 seconds before adding in the beans. Add the water, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, brown sugar and salt to taste. Reduce heat and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Place 2 tablespoons of the cheese at the end of each tortilla and then spoon some of the chicken and bean mixture over the top. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla in, and then roll the tortilla up, from the end closest to you, to the top. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet and lightly spray the tops of the burritos with cooking spray. Bake for about 20 minutes, until tortillas are golden brown and crispy.

Meanwhile, make the sauce.  Roast the peppers under the broiler until all sides are well-charred. Peel the peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and dice them.

Heat a small sauce pan over medium heat and melt the butter; stir in the flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and then the diced poblano; continue to simmer, whisking frequently, until thickened. Stir in the sour cream and warm through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the sauce over the baked burritos.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up!

This post is shared at:
Time to Sparkle @ The Recipe Critic
Tasty Tuesdays @ 33 Shades of Green
Back for Seconds Social Link Party @ Back for Seconds

The Weekend Chef: Panko Chicken with Grapefruit Honey Sauce

It's become more the norm now that I will plan the menu for the week but when the weekend comes around my husband, a.k.a. "The Weekend Chef" will do the cooking.  It was getting too difficult waiting for him to pick his recipes and then make the grocery list.  I like to menu plan for the week and get all of the shopping done on Monday, minus a quick trip later in the week for the extra produce needed later on.  So, here's another recipe that I found but my husband cooked.  This is basically a chicken cutlet breaded in panko and fried and then drizzled with a grapefruit honey sauce.  The sauce was really different and tasty - tangy and sweet at the same time.  The kids LOVED this, sauce too! The Weekend Chef said it was quick and easy to make.  Since the kids loved it so much I would definitely make this again!

Panko Chicken with Grapefruit Honey Sauce
recipe from Creative Kitchen Adventures via Art From My Table

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts, sliced in half to make thinner
Panko breadcrumbs
2 eggs beaten
Olive oil for pan
sea salt
pepper

FOR SAUCE:
1/2 cup grapefruit juice (2 grapefruits juiced)
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp honey (I’ll add a little more next time)
sea salt
pepper

Directions:
1.Rinse and slice chicken in half to make thinner chicken cutlets. Beat eggs in dish and have ready for dipping. Pour a cup or so of panko breadcrumbs into another container for dipping.

2.Using a mallet, pound to flatten chicken.

3.Preheat cast iron or other skillet with about a tablespoon of oil.

4.Dip each chicken cutlet into egg coating thoroughly, and then dip in panko. After you have 4 cutlets done, place into pan at the same time. Pan heated to medium (btwn 6-7 on electric stove).

5.Cook about 3 minutes on each side being careful not to burn, lowering heat as needed.Season with salt and pepper. Dip and cook remaining 4 cutlets. Chicken should be cooked through, but if a little nervous like I was, I placed them in my convection toaster oven for another 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

6.After all chicken is cooked, wipe out pan to use or grab a new skillet. Heat a small amount of olive oil. Soften minced garlic on low being careful not to burn. Burning garlic will make it taste bitter.

7.Add in grapefruit juice, honey, sea salt and pepper, and whisk thoroughly. Heat on medium to medium low stirring fairly often and reduce to a thick syrup.

8.Serve chicken breast with grapefruit honey sauce drizzled on top or use as a dipping sauce.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up!

The Weekend Chef: Grilled London Broil With Soy-Mustard Sauce

A couple of weekends ago we had a Sunday where we weren't crazy busy with a gazillion things to do.  I thought it would be nice if my husband, The Weekend Chef, grilled a steak.  This was probably one of our last meals on the Weber Grill before it gets put away until next spring.  I had a london broil in the freezer, not a flank steak, but followed the original recipe otherwise, minus the cilantro, which we didn't have in the house (and I wasn't going to make a trip to the store, just for that!).  Normally, when we make london broil, we marinate it first.  I don't think we had ever prepared it this way before where we pre-season the meat a little bit and then have a sauce to dip it in after it's cooked.  Well, the kids LOVED the sauce!  My daughter loves steak and was really enjoying this.  Even my son, who normally finds steak to chewy and doesn't eat it, was eating this, making sure each nibble of steak we cut for him was drenched in sauce! The broccoli we served with this went in the sauce as well.  The sauce was easy and quick to make, which I made while my husband was grilling the meat.  I would definitely make this again, especially since the kids enjoyed it so much.

Pan Grilled Flank Steak with Soy-Mustard Sauce
recipe slightly adapted from For The Love of Cooking

Ingredients:
1 lb flank steak
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
1 tsp canola oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1-2 tbsp water
3/4 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp 2% milk

Directions:
Season both sides of the london broil with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder, to taste. Heat grill.  Once the grill is hot, place the london broil on grill and cook for 4-5 minutes on the first side, flip and cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let the meat rest for 5-7 minutes before slicing across the grain.

While the steak is cooking prepare the sauce. Add the oil to a small pan over medium heat; add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 45 seconds. Add the soy sauce, Dijon mustard, water, and sugar to the pan. Cook for 1 minute or until bubbly. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk. Taste the sauce and add more water if it's too salty.

Serve the london broil with the sauce.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up.

Ravioli with Smoked Salmon and Vodka Cream Sauce

When I first saw this recipe I couldn't wait to give it a try.  I'm not a huge smoked salmon fan, but I know my husband really likes it and I can tolerate it in small doses.  I served the kids ravioli with tomato sauce but made them try a bite.   My husband wasn't a huge fan.  The salmon ends up getting cooked in the sauce and he prefers the raw taste better...and in this case, I do have to agree.  However, this recipe was super quick and easy and it's a nice change from regular ravioli with red sauce.

I have to disclose that I rarely use parsley.  I don't like the taste and honestly am not big into garnishing. In this recipe, and in several other recipes that I've made in the past, I've omitted it.  I tend to omit a lot of fresh herbs in recipes or subsitute with dried.  I know, definitely not the same thing.  However, I'll buy let's say cilantro for a recipe, use a tiny bit and then have the rest go bad in the fridge.  One of my goals this spring is to plant an herb garden so I can use more fresh herbs in my cooking. In the meantime, I've recently become a fan of the herb singles.  Not sure of the company but for 99 cents I can buy just enough of whatever herb I need and not feel bad that I'm wasting the rest! 

Ravioli with Smoked Salmon and Vodka Cream Sauce
from One Perfect Bite

Yield:  4 servings

Ingredients:
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup vodka
1-1/4 cups whipping cream
4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into strips about 1/4-inch wide x 2-inches long
1 pound fresh or frozen cheese-filled ravioli
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet, large enough to hold ravioli and sauce. Add red pepper flakes and saute for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Remove pan from heat and carefully add vodka. When pan has stopped sizzling return it to a burner set on medium-high heat and cook until vodka has nearly evaporated. Add cream and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salmon, reduce heat to very low and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the salmon to steep and infuse the cream. Salt and pepper to taste.

2) Meanwhile, bring a 6-quart pot of water to a boil. Salt water, add ravioli and cook, per package instructions, until just until tender. Drain. Add ravioli to salmon-cream mixture and toss gently to coat. Evenly divide ravioli among 4 shallow pasta bowls; spoon any additional sauce evenly over pasta.
Mommy & Daddy Rating: 1 thumb up.

Meatless Monday: Baked Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce and Olives

Although my kids are pretty good eaters and almost always try a bite of something new, I'm trying to be more adventurous in my cooking and eating, to expose them to new foods.  For example, I realize that just because I'm not a big fan of beans doesn't mean that I shouldn't make them.  Maybe my kids will end up liking them and I won't know if I don't expose them to these new foods.  I think I tried making spaghetti squash once before, years ago and wasn't a big fan.  In my quest to try new foods I decided to make this.  Knowing my kids probably wouldn't eat it, I cooked up some regular spaghetti too.  This turned out to be a wise choice.  The recipe made plenty of sauce, which both my husband and I enjoyed.  It was very different and flavorful with the olives, wine, and capers. I ended up realizing that I'm not a big fan of spaghetti squash.  Hey, I'm a carb lover. I want the real thing!  So, the squash ended up being an appetizer to my big bowl of regular spaghetti with the sauce over it.  Also to note, this is NOT a quick weeknight dinner.  The squash was cooked for 90 minutes and after putting the sauce together, that needs to simmer for 30 minutes.

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce and Olives
Cooking Light, October 2000

Yield: 6 servings (1 cup squash, 3/4 cup sauce, 1 tablespoon topping)

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash (about 3 1/4 pounds)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup minced fresh onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
Dash of crushed red pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 tablespoon capers
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°.

Pierce squash with a fork. Place squash on a baking sheet; bake at 375° for 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Cool. Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Scrape inside of squash with a fork to remove spaghetti-like strands to measure 6 cups. Keep warm.

While squash is baking, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, and red pepper; sauté 5 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, wine, and the next 6 ingredients (wine through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until thick (about 30 minutes). Discard bay leaves. Serve sauce over squash.

Combine 1 minced garlic clove, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Sprinkle over each serving.

Family Rating: So-so.

Crazy Cooking Challenge: Creamy Chicken Marinara

I am so happy to be participating in the "Crazy Cooking Challenge" this month, hosted by Tina at Moms Crazy Cooking.  This month's challenge was to make a spaghetti with red sauce recipe that was found on another food/cooking blog. I knew that I didn't want to go with a traditional marinara sauce.  After perusing a few food and cooking blogs I found this recipe at the Stolen Moments food blog.  Kate is a mom to 5 kids and creates delicious and budget friendly meals.  Please take a minute and stop by her blog and let her know that I sent you!

What I loved about this recipe was that it could be made in the slow cooker!  There was very little work involved and it was really good.  The chicken was a nice variation on traditional meat sauces.  I liked how the cream cheese helped flavor the sauce and give it a creamy texture.  Knowing my tempermental slow cooker and since I was using thin chicken breasts, I only cooked my sauce on for two hours on low before adding the spinach and cream cheese.  It could probably have even cooked for less time since my chicken was a little tough when shredding.  Overall I enjoyed this dish.  Like I said, it was definitely a quick and easy meal to put together. My kids gave me a hard time about eating it, which I can't understand, since they love spaghetti and chicken. 

 

Creamy Chicken Marinara
recipe slightly adapted from Stolen Moments blog
 
Ingredients:
2 - 8 oz cans tomato sauce
1 - 15 oz can diced tomatoes
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Penzy's Pasta Sprinkle
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 lb boneless chicken breasts
4 oz block cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 - 10 oz box frozen spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out
1 lb. spaghetti, cooked according to package
grated parmesan cheese
 
Directions:
1.  Combine tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings in a bowl and stir until mixed.
 
2. Place the chicken breasts in a crockpot or casserole dish.  Pour sauce on top. Cook on high for 3 hours in a crockpot or bake at 250 degrees for 3 hours.
 
3. Add the cream cheese and spinach. Continue cooking using preferred method for another hour.
 
4.  Remove chicken and bay leaf.  Stir sauce until creamy.  Shred chicken and add back into the sauce.  Serve over spaghetti.  Garnish with parmesan cheese, if desired.
 
Family Rating:  1 thumb up.
 

Meatless Monday: Peach and Brie Quesadillas with Lime Dipping Sauce

As I mentioned, the theme for our supper club was sauces.  I wanted a little appetizer that we could eat before we sat down for dinner.  I found this recipe and thought it sounded good.  I was a little nervous, since it isn't peach season and it was found in a "Summer Cooking" spotlight.  I bought the softest, ripest peaches I could find, but like one of the supper club members commented, marinating in the honey and lime both softened and sweetened the peaches up.  Let me tell you how much my kids loved this!  Although I do have to say they are BIG fans of lemon/lime (they enjoy sucking on/eating lemon slices), they were eating these up and spooning sauce all over their quesadillas!  We got to put our rarely-used quesadilla maker to use, so in the preparation, we didn't fold over the tortilla.  These are definitely best eaten hot, right off the pan/quesadilla maker! Unfortunately, my pictures do not do this dish justice!

Peach and Brie Quesadillas with Lime Dipping Sauce

Cooking Light, June 2005

Ingredients:

Sauce:
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind

Quesadillas:
1 cup thinly sliced peeled firm ripe peaches (about 2 large)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
Cooking spray
Chive strips (optional)

Preparation:
To prepare sauce, combine first 3 ingredients, stirring with a whisk; set aside.

To prepare quesadillas, combine peaches, 1 tablespoon chives, and sugar, tossing gently to coat. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange one-fourth of cheese and one-fourth of peach mixture over half of each tortilla; fold tortillas in half. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place 2 quesadillas in pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until tortillas are lightly browned and crisp. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges; serve with sauce. Garnish with chive strips, if desired.

Note: Placing the fillings on one side of the tortilla and folding the other half over (like a taco) makes the quesadillas easier to handle. Whole wheat tortillas would also be great, offering a sweet, nutty taste. The lime-honey dipping sauce balances the richness of the buttery filling.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up!


This recipe was shared at:

My Sweet and Savory

The Weekend Chef: Poached Salmon with Hollandaise Sauce

Last weekend we had our monthly supper club get-together.  The theme for this month was "sauces."  Since we were hosting the get-together at our house, we were responsible for the main/protein.  The Weekend Chef really wanted to make a hollandaise sauce and found this recipe.  It seemed pretty easy to make.  I don't eat eggs benedict, so I didn't recall ever having hollandaise sauce.  My husband's dish turned out great I realized that I'm just not a fan of the sauce.  Egg yolks and lemon....not two of my favorite ingredients!  Everyone else seemed to enjoy it though so if you're interested in trying a "classic" sauce you should definitely give this a try!

Poached Salmon with Hollandaise Sauce
allrecipes.com - by luna

Note:  This recipe is for 2 servings. 

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless salmon fillets

3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon hot water
1 cup butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Directions:
1.Find a high-sided pan large enough to accommodate both salmon fillets side-by-side, without too much excess room; a small skillet or medium-sized saucepan should do. Pour lemon juice and olive oil into the pan, along with enough water to bring the water level up to 3/4-inch. Season the water to taste with salt and pepper, then add the salmon. Pour in enough water to just cover the salmon.

2.Place the salmon over medium-high heat, and heat until the water is hot and steaming, but not simmering (165 degrees F (75 degrees C)); reduce heat if needed to keep the water at the proper temperature. Poach until the salmon turns opaque, and is firm to the touch; or to an internal temperature of 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Proceed making the Hollandaise sauce while the salmon is poaching.

3.Pour a few inches of water into a saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat to medium-high and maintain water at a gentle boil. Place the egg yolks in a metal bowl, and whisk in hot water. Place the bowl over, but not touching, the boiling water. Whisk constantly until the yolks thicken, turn a light, opaque yellow, and double in volume. You may need to remove the bowl from the boiling water from time to time in order to keep from scrambling the yolks.

4.When the yolks have thickened and increased in volume, begin whisking in the butter, a cube at a time until it melts and incorporates into the hollandaise sauce. Wait for each cube to melt and incorporate before adding the next. Once all of the butter has been incorporated, remove from heat, whisk in the lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

5.To serve, drain the poached salmon and place each piece onto a dinner plate. Generously ladle with the warm hollandaise sauce, and sprinkle with chives.

Family Rating: 1 thumb up.