Shuffling Off to Buffalo Chicken Pasta

 A lot of things I share, I have made only once ... Not because they suck but because have you SEEN the sheer volume of recipes out there? I mean ... How can I NOT make something different every time I cook?  😁 This time around it was this recipe (or one like it. Again, it's been centuries since I made this): 

Drizzle Me Skinny's Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

If you're pressed for time, get your pasta water boiling, get all the ingreeeeeeedients out, then add pasta to the water, and THEN put together the Buffalo sauce. (See the link above for the complete recipe). As you can see, it's fairly simple. No fancy additives at all. 

The green onions are my modification, mainly for garnish, but also, because onions ... You could toss the whites into the sauce, or just use the tops for garnish. Have you way with them. 

Getting saucy ... 

Stir in the chicken. 

Once everything is nicely coated throw the cooked and drained pasta in with the sauce, give it a whirl or five, then put it in your baking dish of choice.  

Conversely, you could probably cut out the baking time, and just cook things right there in the skillet, let the sauce "reduce" for 5-10 minutes, on a medium heat, and serve it straight out the skillet. Just saying, because that's probably what I did. I also did not add the shredded cheese to the top. Personal choice. Make it your own!  

Sorry for the craptastic pictorial example. I know nothing of lighting.  

All in all, this was great for a quick meal. You can pair it with a vegetable of your choosing, like peas, or green beans, or broccoli, or a salad. Also, even though we cook for two here, you can make the entire recipe and use the rest for lunches, or snackables, or whatever you so choose. Do not ask me freezing. I am not food-freezing aficionado, nor expert. 

ALSO, the canned chicken is not set in stone. You could use leftover meats from a rotisserie bird, or cook up a bunch of plain chicken boobs in your slow cooker, and use whatever the recipe calls for here, then use the rest of the chicken for other meals. Everything is flexible. 

Finally, let me tell you about a little skillet I got for Christmas one year. It's a Greenpan 11- or 12-inch (or maybe even larger) with a lid that looks a bit like this one. 

I don't believe I've ever owned such a cooking device that is so durable, and so versatile, and has taken years of abuse with only a few minor dings.  If you want a pan that will serve you honorable for decades, I believe this would be your match. If you're thinking about, or you have gone minimalist, and you need to whittle down your cookware collection, this one will take the place of at least two.  

If you want to check out more about it, click on the picture. Please note, this IS an Amazon affiliate link, but there are plenty of other Greenpan resources out there with a click of your Google machine.  :) 

Sweet, Sweet Taters (of the Fry Varietal)

 My first time ever having a sweet potato "fry" was at a now-defunct diner called Uncle Fud's somewhere between here and Findlay. They were, of course, deep-fried in that oh-so-lovely-restaurant-grade cooking oil, and crinkle cut, and mostly overcooked, but damn, were they good!  

Of course, knowing I don't own a deep fryer, nor do I want to eat fried foods all day, every day, I wanted to make them at home, in a mostly healthier manner. I cannot recall the precise recipe I found online back then, but it was something like this: 

Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Whenever I am in a pinch, and searching for recipes, Simply Recipes is usually a good starting point, and they usually are in the top rankings whenever you google anything recipe-related.  

My number-one hint for making the best, most consistent "fries" is to make sure they're cut evenly. These weren't and therefore did not cook evenly. The best way to get a consistent shape is to cut the previously peeled sweet potato into some format of a rectangle (it is a long potato!) so you have four smooth sides-

Then, slice that rectangle into four to six, or however many slabs, depending on your desired fry size, and cut each slab into four to six fries, also depending on your desired outcome. Disclaimer: I cannot draw a straight line on paper, nor digitally, but it was lovely color choice, closely matching the true color of the Ipomoea batatas

Pro tip: Give the scraps to your canine children, especially if you back the scraps on a low heat, and make them even chewier, or dice them to make a sweet potato hash. 

This is a picture of random slicing that results in randomly cooked/burnt fries. Don't do this, unless you like burnt fries. 

Seasoned here with skosher salt, and coarse-ground pepper, and coated with a tablespoon or two of oil. I cannot remember precisely what kind of oil I used, but I can tell you, indubitably, that you probably want to avoid olive oil when backing at seriously high temps, above 400F. The smell is atrocious!  Canola oil, or even an oil spray would work just fine.  

Assemble the fries on the baking sheet of your choice in a neat and orderly fashion to allow the heat to get everywhere with a modicum of efficiency. The link above calls for 450F (preheated) at 15-25 minutes, with a toss half way through. 

Dipping sauce = mayo, mustard, and honey, whisked. 

Here, you see the finished product before its descent into my stomach. 

I'll be honest, I'd never had sweet potatoes with anything but a metric fuqueton of sugar and marshmallows, and the like, until that first time at Uncle Fud's, so the salt/pepper thing freaked me out a bit. However, it was a fairly tasty concoction.  

This was also well before the arrival of air fryers, so I can't tell you the exact coordinates for that contraption, but if I ever do decide to make them in an air fryer, I'll update. Meanwhile, there are approximately 10,000 YouTube videos explaining air fryer cooking, so you're sure to find a suitable method there.  

These are great as a side, or solo, or even for a meatless meal, with a salad on the side. Enjoy. 😁

 

Train Kept a Rollin'

That train, she definitely did keep a rollin'. It's been YEARS ... But here I am, back to share some of the food adventures I've had since 2017.  There was a lot (A LOT) of chicken. There was some keto, and there was some not keto ... just food.  

The focus remains the same - cooking for two - because it's what we still do. Pull up a chair, grab snacks, and enjoy the feast!  ❤

Disclaimer of the highest proportion:  Please keep in mind that the pictures published from here on out were taken over the course of at least six years, with anything from a Canon Sure Shot (or whatever it's called) to Samsung Galaxy phones of differing makes, a Moto Z, and some other phone that was complete shite, like an LG, or something, and currently, we're shooting with another Samsung Galaxy model. Point being, I am not a professional photographer, or food blogger. I work with what I've got, and I'm doing good if the shot is not blurry :D Rock on! 

All Dressed Up: Dairy-Free Keto Ranch Dressing

 Greetings. Recently, I discovered that dairy (think sour cream, cheese, heavy whipping cream, etc.) is causing my body a tremendous amount of grief. As a person doing a ketogenic diet, you might think the death knells would be ringing for my keto-ing days. Au contraire, mon amis! Instead I am doing everything in my power to make sure I can continue producing the ketones that are making me the best version of myself, all while finding ways to sub out the dairy-laden products for much less inflammatory foodstuffs.

One thing that was a staple in my diet was my homemade keto-friendly ranch dressing, replete with all kinds of sour cream, and heavy whipping cream.  It was the bomb. All smooth, and creamy, and savory, and salty, and full of dairy goodness. It was a part of my everyday menu, at least six days a week. I do miss it. HOWEVER, I was lucky enough to find a very capable and laudable substitute that contains none of the aggravating dairy components.  From KetoDiet Blog, it's called "Fat-Burning Salad Dressing ..."

As you can see, the ingredients are fairly simple: mayo, healthy oil (I used extra light EVOO), herbs, garlic, and some salt and pepper ...

The first time I made the Fat-Burning Salad Dressing, I followed the recipe precisely, which included Dijon mustard and lemon juice. I have to admit, it wasn't my favorite, but it was salty, and savory enough that I powered my way through the batch, because I wasn't going to throw out that much good oil, and herbs!  She does list several variations, and though I did not use any of those ideas, I DID make a few of my own tweaks to come up with a very solid replacement for my previous salad accessory. 

I bumped up the amount of mayo, and oil to 1/3 cup each, ignoring the MCT oil measurement, because I am out. I completely omitted the mustard, and cut the amount of lemon juice down to just a very small splash. My herbs included one green onion (scallion, spring onion, whatever you want to call it), a small bit of fresh dill, and probably three to four tablespoons of Italian parsley. I used chopped garlic, to the tune of about 1 teaspoon, because I absolutely hate trying to clean my garlic press without that little tool that pushes the garlic out of the holes. Then, I added a teaspoon each of salt and coarse-ground black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. 

You could probably take the time to hand chop all the herbs and stir everything together with good result, but again, me=lazy, so I put my trusty Magic Bullet blender to work. You get dressing in 30 seconds or less, no chopping involved. Well, that's a lie. I cut the green onion into a few smaller pieces, just to speed up the process. The way I made it, I ended up with probably a full cup (8 ounces) or more of dressing, which will last me an entire week, typically. 

What results is this: 

Not sure why, but I think my version looks a whole lot better than the picture in KetoDiet Blog's recipe post.  Maybe because I added less lemon juice and blended the bejesus out of it. Regardless, the flavor is perfect, and so absolutely versatile that I can make whatever dressing I want, with very few carbs, ZERO sugar, and full flavor. 

All in all, I'd say this recipe is a must-try, even if you're not keto-ing, but you just want something that hasn't been processed or corn-syrup-ed to death. I promise you that making your own dressing is not expensive, it is not difficult, it is not time-consuming, and the more you make and consume your own creations, the more you will notice how not-good, and even disgusting mass-produced salad dressings can be. 

So, check out KetoDiet Blog's Fat-Burning Dressing, here, give it a whirl, if you're in the market for a new dressing, and let me know what you think. 

Rock on! 

You Gotta Try This!: Tater Dots

If you are trying a low carb, or even keto lifestyle, one thing you really might want to find a good replacement for is mashed taters.  The ultimate comfort staple, all warm and soft and full of ... Yeah, so anyway, one thing I really miss from my former eating life is mashed taters, and gravy. I haven't quite perfected keto versions of gravy yet, but I think I'm well on the way to keeping some semblance of comfort in my life with this recipe: 

Dot rocks. Dot rocks a lot in her kitchen. Dot REALLY rocks with this recipe.  I was so excited to try this because I'd made some semblance of a cheaper version of pot roast in the slow cooker, and it was screaming to be paired with mashed something. 

Honestly, I got my food processor for Christmas probably decades ago. I was young, and ignorant, and never really found a reason to use it, so much so that it stayed hidden from view, and use, in the back of a bottom cupboard. Last year, in a fit of trying something new (vegetarianism), I broke it free from bondage to make my own salsa-type concoction, which is also pretty damned good. I digress. A lot. This year, since starting this whole ketogenic diet thing, I have discovered that it's a damned fine tool for shredding stuff, like zukes, and cauliflower, and for mashing things into a fine, tasty pulp. 

This recipe, which puts your long ago abandoned food processor to very good use, is definitely higher in fat, and vegetable carbs, but it's worth it, even if you only use it for special occasions, which I will, mainly because I can't tolerate a constant influx of very high-fat foods. I will warn you, it is so rich ... and very filling. A little goes a long, long way. That being said, it is a heavenly recipe! 

I think I probably screwed something up, because mine were a touch runnier in consistency, and I'm not sure what I will do to fix that next time I make them, but that flavor, though!!!  Sigh. I get all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it.  So, to keep this short, and sweet, if you're looking for a new way to feed your potato need, or you want to explore the wonderful world of cauliflower, I highly suggest starting with this recipe.

Slow and Low: A Review of the Hamilton Beach 33182A 8-Quart Slow Cooker

Yeah, it's been a long, long while, I know.  Let's just say I was on hiatus, amassing some much needed kitchen equipment, and the urge to get back to cooking again. Life happens.  Now that I'm back, I'd love to tell you about the most excellent gift my sister-in-law got for me this past Christmas. I've only had it a little under two weeks and already have put it to some great use.  What am I talking about?  Did you not read the title of this post?

This:

If you have an ad blocker, you won't see that Amazon image, but it's more like this in reality:

It's quite the upgrade from this: 

Somewhere on eBay via Google Images

Crockpot c. Sometime in the late 80s

Granted, the original model still works. I want to say that I got it around 86 or 87 on my first excursion to college away from home. I could be wrong, but regardless, it's been around for a long while and still works just fine.  Scary but true. However, as it is taller and cylindrical, it's not really conducive to cooking massive quantities of anything other than soups or narrow pork roasts, etc. 

I've wanted for years to be able to put stuff in and let it go all day and not have to worry about finding stuff to make for our meals.  That day has arrived. 

In the past two weeks, I have made several rounds of homemade dog food. Before you jot off to vomit, allow me to explain, somewhat briefly ... We've taken the beasts off of processed, dry, grain-filled foods, and have switched them to a grain-free dry kibble and supplement with a less than dry meal consisting of meat and vegetables, such as peas, carrots, sweet potatoes and green beans. What better way to make a good two to four days worth of meals for them than in this beast of a slow cooker?  Overnight even. As Ron Popeil says:  "Set it and forget it." 

I've cooked overly enlarged store-bought chicken breasts, a pork roast, some chicken breast patties, and at least three roasts (one for us, two for the babies).  Before you assume we're made of money, no, we're not. I used up meat that I had stored in the freezer and buy frozen peas and carrots, sweet potatoes and fresh green beans when they're on sale. I'm still sort of balking at how much we spend to feed all the assorted animals; however, after seeing the difference in their coats and their demeanor, I have to admit, it's well worth it. 

Aren't they adorable?  They are. 

Back to the topic at hand, the Hamilton Beach 8-Quart Slow Cooker. It's a basic model, no digital bells and whistles here, which is how I like it. I don't want to have to become a computer scientist to operate my kitchen equipment. Four settings: Off, Keep Warm, Low and High. That's all I need. Different models of the 8-Quart slow cooker come in different colors, such as white and a lovely, shiny red, but this one is your basic black, and matches my black stove and black fridge splendidly. 

The cooker, a large, sturdy ceramic crock lifts out of the cooking base for easier clean-up. That's one huge bonus over the pain in the arse of trying to clean a Crockpot with no way to remove the crock and trying to keep the cord and operating parts out of water.  This is much better!  A sturdy warning about the Hamilton Beach crock. It's HEAVY. meaning, if you have any sort of hand, wrist, shoulder or elbow injuries, either get someone else to move it around, or wear protective braces when handling it, and use both hands. Also, the bottom is unfinished (unpainted) and is rather rough, so it's advisable not to drag it across delicate surfaces like tile or glass or stainless steel that you want to keep scratch-free. I have a feeling the bottom of the crock could do some serious damage to those surfaces if handled improperly!  

The lid is a lid. Seems a bit less durable than the crock, but if you don't toss thing around with reckless abandon, it should hold up. The one thing about this model that I find completely useless is the "mess-free" lid rest. Unless you've got a wide open, unencumbered countertop on which to plant the cooker, it's just nothing short of awkward. As you can see above, that comes right up to the very bottom of our cabinets and actually touches the bottom if the unit is pushed back. It's fairly useless to me. Not to mention the fact that I'm not sure how they assume it's "mess-free" when it's very awkward and difficult to finagle it ON to the rest when the lid is hot, and if you're making any sort of large batch of soup or anything that nears the top of the crock, the lid, whilst on the rest, kind of sinks down into the food below. You're better off laying the lid on a towel where you can just grab it by the handle and set it back in place. 

The lid rest also doubles as a cord wrap. I can't speak to that because I haven't had it unplugged or out of use long enough to use that feature, but I'm sure it'll work fine if I ever do decide to put the unit away.  Ha. 

As for cooking, I have yet to use it on the High setting. I've only used the Low and Keep Warm settings. The Low setting seems really hot to me, when comparing it to the antiquated model. Hot enough that when I lifted the lid the other morning, after it had been on all night, the liquid was boiling around the edges. Nothing was burnt, however, just really, really warm. 

You'll also want to keep perishables away from the outside when you're using the cooker, as the outer shell also gets very warm.  Apparently, that's why they provide full-grip handles!  The more you know ... 

All in all, I think this is going to be my new favorite way to cook, at least until I get bored with being lazy. I'll be sure to let you know when that happens.  Overall, I'd give it 4.5 out of 5 stars, if I used a star rating system. Like I mentioned, my only complaint is that odd lid rest, but since that's not a necessity for me, it's more likely to be ignored than to be a nuisance.  

Here are some handy specs, which can also be found on the Amazon product page: 

• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 17.7 x 11.6 inches ; 7.6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 pounds

Meanwhile, since I received this glorious gift, I started collecting slow-cooker recipes that I'll be making over the course of forever. For your enjoyment, stop back from time and time and see my reviews of the recipes I find. If you can't wait, just go check out the recipes here on my Pinterest board: 

Slow and Low on Pinterest

And finally, a disclaimer, in not so tiny print: 

Any link you see to items on Amazon, within Cooking Squared blog posts or on the Shopping Squared tab  are affiliate links, meaning if you should decide to purchase anything from these links or from my Amazon store, I will receive a percentage of the sale. Rest assured, I am not making anything close to a killing by blogging. I think I've made a total of $7 from Amazon sales in over five years of blogging. I'm just not that dedicated, but still I wanted you to know. Any questions, just holler!  

Hot! Hot! Hot!! Rachael Ray's Chipotle-Barbecue Chicken

We have yet another winner! This one is not for the faint of heart or tongue! I saw this recipe years ago, in the 'EveryDay with Rachael Ray' magazine:

Chipotle-Barbecue Chicken

It's way simple and quick, with just a few ingredients and a few minutes of prep to make the sauce. Since we are trying to eat just a touch healthier, though, I did swap out the butter for olive oil and probably only used two tablespoons, tops. And since her recipe serves four, I made just a touch less sauce and only cooked two pieces of chicken.

This recipe is hot, hot and MORE hot...but I do believe you can alter, lessen or increase the heat depending on how many chipotles in Adobo you use. I used 2, scraped out as many seeds as possible and removed the ribs/membranes/whatever you call them....yet, I could easily have knocked that down to half of ONE pepper, scraped, and probably still had adequate heat for our delicate palates. 

Unless you like scrubbing your baking pans, you will definitely want to line the pan with a piece of foil. That way, once it's cooked, discard the foil and clean up is much easier!  

I'm guessing that if you wanted to save hassle, you could just use a premade BBQ sauce of your choosing, in place of everything but the onion and garlic, but I highly recommend just making it as the recipe directs, it's a different flavor than processed BBQ sauce. Much brighter, less full of all those nasty chemicals and preservatives and sugars. 

Here's the final product. I served it with asparagii and some instant baby red mashed taters, which really helped counteract the heat. My beloved loaded up on carbs to get through his piece....I think he ate four pieces of bread and two helpings of taters. This chicken will definitely clear out your sinus cavities, so be prepared if you make it at full strength!

All in all, it's definitely a winner and will remain in rotation here, just with much less chipotle in future occurrences!  

The Winning Streak Continues: Bourbon Chicken

I found this delightful little recipe for Bourbon Chicken over on BigOven.com, via Pinterest, of course..and I knew I would eventually have to try it.  Whenever we eat at the foodcourt at the local mall, I tend to aim towards the Bourbon Street Grille, which has absolutely NO correlation to the street in New Orleans. Instead, the menu contains nothing but Chinese food, stir-fries, rice, egg rolls, etc.  and they have this divine rendition of Bourbon chicken that, for some reason, cannot be repeated at home. 

Regardless, always up for a challenge and already having tried the Bourbon Chicken seasoning mix from the International aisle at the store, I was ready to give this a shot. Other than chicken, most of the ingredients, you might already have on hand, like ketchup, soy sauce and apple cider vinegar. The only thing I amended was to use powdered ginger, instead of fresh....and the recipe really doesn't specify which form to use, so that's not much of a change. 

I used 3 thin-sliced chicken boobs, which admittedly was WAY less than enough, but made the full amount of sauce, which is fine, especially if you don't want dry rice!  

See...not enough chicken.  Fine for two servings, but not enough for seconds or leftovers. Bummer!

This was almost too easy. Sauteed the chicken, took it out, whipped up the sauce.....

Added chicken back to sauce, simmered for about 10 minutes, then DONE.  25 minutes, top to bottom.

Of course, I was so hungry by the time it was ready that I forgot to provide you with that finished product presentation shot...but you get the drift....add a scoop or more of rice to your plate, then top it with this. Dinner. Served. 

Way less hassle than the packaged seasoning mix variety...and you can control the heat, by decreasing or increasing the amount of red pepper flakes and Sriracha sauce....(I used about a tablespoon of Sriracha and just a sprinkling of flakes..) 

Yeah, the sugar content is higher (with the brown sugar) and sodium, but you could substitute a low-sodium soy sauce and use a brown-sugar substitute (to which I say NAY....), but other than that, it's very low fat, high protein and very good on the tastebuds! 

Oh yeah, and just start rice before you start the chicken (if you have a rice cooker)....or start the chicken about 20 minutes before the rice will be done, if you're making it via stovetop, and it'll all be ready at the same time!  

That and the husband really, really liked it!!! ( A bonus, when you consider that he doesn't order much more than Orange chicken -NO VEGETABLES and rice when we dine at Chinese restaurants!!)  

Seriously, try it.  Just use more chicken than I did!  

Here's the full recipe:   Bourbon Chicken

Last Week's Winner: A Whole Lotta Chicken Enchilada Flatbread

We Have Another Winner! A Whole Lotta Chicken Enchilada Flatbread!

Hi kids!  Since the beloved is not a huge fan of Mexican fare, we rarely try anything other than some form of chicken fajitas on the homefront. I decided, however, to step out on a long, skinny, shaky limb and try this recipe that I found for "Skinny Chicken Enchilada Flatbread" on Pinterest...where else?

I changed very little, but mine is probably a bit higher in fat content, due to the fact that I used canned, shredded chicken and regular Kraft Queso Quesadilla cheese rather than any low-fat version. I also omitted the white onion, because my beloved is NOT a fan of onions and instead I just sauteed approxmately TWO green onions to add the onion flavor without going overboard. I also omitted the jalapeno, after much thought, because really, the green chiles combined with the enchilada sauce were enough heat for our wimpy palates. 

Let's face it, I am not a professional cook or chef and I do not own a professional-grade cutting board or cutting apparati, therefore, when I hand-chop cilantro, it looks abused and not all lovely like the kind you see chopped up on television. Sorry. It's still cilantro, it's still fresh and it's still chopped. It gets cooked, appearance is not top priority!  I did set a bit aside for garnish, though, along with some of the green tops of the green onions. 

In order of appearance and completion, I give you step by step photos. How lovely, right? 

Make sure you thoroughly drain the chicken (if you used canned) and skim off any visible chicken fat.

When adding the enchilada sauce to the skillet, I only added 1/2. I save the rest for constructing the flatbread.

I had sauce left over even after spreading it over the flatbread, which is much narrower than this picture would have you believe!

I only used 1/2 the enchilada/chicken mixture on this flatbread. I had enough left over to make myself a tortilla filled with it the next day and then after that, another flatbread the next night.

I think I used about 1 cup of cheese. You can go either way.

Here it is, right before cutting and serving. I'm getting hungry just looking at it!

So, much to my total shock, my beloved RAVED about this!  I think he said he loved it at least 5 times during the course of eating it. That's why I made him another one the next night. This from the guy who doesn't like Mexican cuisine.  Go figure.

It was rather tasty, I must admit.  And it really didn't take more than 20 minutes to put it all together.  I made the chicken stuff ahead of time, then assembled and baked the flatbread right before he got home. Easy stuff.

Easy is good.

You want spicier?  Get a non-mild enchilada sauce and add the jalapeno or an even spicier pepper varietal. Your stomach lining to do with as you wish, right?

So, if you want something quick and at the same time delightful, give this one a go.

You'll find the complete recipe here:

Skinny Chicken Enchilada Flatbread

Want some more winning ideas?  Check these out: 

Jerk Chicken Pasta

Caprese Chicken

All recipes tested and approved (or rejected) by me and my beloved! 

No Go: Trying The "Eat Your Greens Detox Soup"

I recently came upon this recipe via my beloved. He sent me the link and said "I'd try this." After a short round of questioning his sanity, we agreed to try it. 

The only thing I changed was subbing curry powder for the required turmeric. I was NOT about to pay $4.37 for a tiny little vial of turmeric (same size as the curry powder in the picture). Nope. We do not eat nor make any Indian-inspired recipes, and therefore, it would be like paying $4.37 for 1/2 a teaspoon. And again...nope. 

I did go ahead and buy the seaweed wraps, because they were only $2. Yet, I'm pretty sure I just paid $2 for two sheets of the stuff because I seriously don't know what I'm going to do with the rest of it. 

Let's face it...I've tried two dishes now with fresh ginger and I'm fairly certain that I will safely be happy with NOT consuming it again in the future. It is just not for me. I gave it a good try. The recipe calls for 1 1/2 to 3 teaspoons, I figure this was close to the 1.5 side....and I have the world's cheapest and crappiest grater, so it was more like mushed ginger. 

My only question: How can I ADORE Vernor's Ginger Ale and yet despise the taste of fresh ginger in food?  I don't get it.  

I used one container of mushrooms (14 shrooms, exactly). It was a bit over the required 3 cups, sliced, but it was fine. 

Here are the veggies before they cooked down considerably...

These are the veggies, cooked down, with the spices and ginger added. Steamy stuff!

As for kale, it didn't specify what kind of kale, so I got the Lacinto (Black) kale. I did tear the leaves from the stems which are rather tough and therefore would be kind of gross as an addition to the soup. 

This is the kale and the seaweed combined. LOOK at the color of that seaweed! It's GORGEOUS. If I could have everything in that shade of iridescent, shiny, khaki-ish green, that would be great, thanks! I used my kitchen scissors to cut the two sheets into long strips, then just cut them into bite-sized (1-2" pieces)

This is the basic soup (before kale and seaweed)

This is the final soup, after adding the greens...I let it simmer for another 15 minutes or so. 

Here it is, in the bowl. Served with whole grain Italian bread. 

And now that you've seen how it's made, I will tell you OUR opinion. 

If I can just find the right words....

Ok, yeah, so I think we have established that we don't go much for the combination of spices (the curry, cumin, ginger thing). That's NOT to say that you won't love it to pieces. It just was not a flavor that made us go back for seconds or even finish the firsts. 

It's definitely packed with nutrients and very low in fat/calories but other than that, we could have very easily done without. I'll try anything once (within reason, of course). My husband decided that perhaps it would have been better WITHOUT the spices/ginger, with more garlic and chicken stock instead of the veg stock. I don't tend to disagree. 

However, that would then just be more of a vegetable soup and the chicken stock would deter from the health benefits. 

SO, all in all, if you like Indian foods, or anything that involves ginger, this might just suit your tastie buds. I'm not saying it sucked at all, just that it was not something we will make again. 

A side note: I think adding the broccoli so soon in the cooking process was a mistake. By the time the soup was finished, you couldn't tell by texture or flavor that anything in there used to be broccoli.  I think it might be better to blanch the broccoli for 2-3 minutes, separately, and then add it in when you add the kale and seaweed. THEN you would have substantially more texture and flavor. Just a thought. 

The complete recipe: Eat Your Greens Detox Soup, courtesy of blogger Angela Liddon, 

Another Winner! Jerk Chicken Pasta

My cooking success rate skyrocketed this past week. I planned a menu for the entire week, using recipes found on Pinterest and managed to make 3 out of the 5 selections. Go ME!  This one, Jerk Chicken Pasta comes from this nifty little blog, Plain Chicken. I was attracted to the picture before the name, because I haven't had a whole lot of Jerk Chicken dishes in my life. It just LOOKED good.

Turns out, it IS good!

There were approximately two things I changed, solely in the interest of cutting back the fat and carbs. The original recipe called for 1/4 cup of butter, 3 cups of heavy cream and a pound of bow tie (farfalle) pasta.  I swapped those for a bit of olive oil, a jar of Ragu Light Alfredo and some whole wheat couscous. While, I'm not sure how much fat or carbs was eliminated, every little bit helps, so there's that...

Here's the conglomeration of herbs and spices that make up the Jerk seasoning, as she stated in her blog, it makes quite a bit of seasoning...Please also not that garlic powder doesn't typically arrive in clumps, unless you have our cabinets-which seem to be adorned with a great amount of humidity or moisture that makes anything in a plastic bottle clump together....tightly sealed or no!  Just dump them all in a bowl and combine with a fork, or, if you're lazy like me, slap a lid on it and shake until thoroughly combined!  

We are not HUGE lovers of eyewatering spicy heat in our foods, so I did not thoroughly coat the chicken bits...just a healthy sprinkling on both sides of each piece. 

While the chicken bits were fricaseeing, I went ahead and cut up the peppers and onions. Riveting shit, I know! 

Once the chicken was nicely seared and looking like this, I set it aside to reflect...

then sauteed the peppers and onion in the same pan, with a bit more olive oil....maybe a teaspoon. I also tossed in a chicken broth ice cube to loosen up all the brown stuff on the bottom of the skillet. Now, if you're a neat freak and want a perfectly WHITE sauce, you will want to clean the skillet out before you sautee the veggies.  

Once the veggies were perfectly cooked (for me), about 5-7 minutes on medium, I added the entire jar of Alfredo, stirred and then put the chicken back in the skillet. I put a lid on it and let it simmer for another 5-7 minutes. 

Here it is, the finished product. Since there are only two of us, I only used half the pack of chicken tenderloins (5, to be precise). There was enough sauce left over to make it again the next night. 

The couscous was a fine substitute for the pasta, but you could always use a whole grain pasta (in any shape or size) to increase the health value. The choice is yours. Regardless, I highly recommend this recipe, even if you leave the original recipe unmodified, because what's NOT to love about heavy cream and butter?  

This one's a winner, folks!  Try it!  

Here's another winner: 

Caprese Chicken


UPDATE!!!

Because I am a dork, I forgot to show you what to do with all that leftover seasoning:

If you've got an empty spice bottle, toss it in there and stick a new label on it...or like me, just throw it in a zip-lock bag, sign and date it and toss it up in the cupboard.  The Jerk season could very easily work with some roasted vegetables or fish.  Carry on!