Chicken Jalapeño Popper Casserole

Do you or your family love Jalapeño Poppers?!  I sure do!  This dish is a great way to get all that crunchy, cheesy and spicy flavors into a complete meal! As with all of my recipes, feel free to substitute things that fit your liking or what you have on hand (i.e. fat free cream cheese instead of full fat or extra jalapeños if you like spice).  The best recipes are the ones that you tailor to make your own!  Steamed broccoli or a garden salad would make a great side dish to this recipe if you want to stretch the casserole out a bit more.  And like with most casseroles, this dish freezes great before and after cooking! Serves 4.

Ingredients:

- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

- For the sauce:

- 6 slices bacon (or turkey bacon)

- 1 medium yellow onion, diced

- 4 jalapeños, diced (remove the seeds if sensitive to spice or use less jalapeño)

- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced

- 1-2 T olive oil, if using turkey bacon

- 8 oz. cream cheese (full fat, reduced fat or fat free)

- 1/2 c. plain greek yogurt (or mayonnaise)

- 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (I prefer extra sharp cheddar)

- 1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese
- 1-2 T Crystal's or Frank's hot sauce (optional but adds a nice tang)

- 1/2 c. 1/2 and 1/2 (can sub milk, cream with a bit of water or chicken stock)

- S&P

- For the topping:

- 1/3 c. Ritz crackers, crumbled 

- 1/3 c. Panko bread crumbs (can use all cracker if you don't have Panko)

- 1/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese

- 2-3 T olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  In a medium saucepan, boil chicken breasts until cooked through.  Once cooked remove and set aside.  After the chicken cools slightly, dice chicken.

While chicken breasts are cooking, cook bacon strips in a medium sauté pan until crispy.  Remove bacon from pan and set aside (pat excess grease off with paper towels).  In the same sauté pan, over medium heat, add the onions and cook until translucent, 6-8 minutes (if using turkey bacon, add 1-2 T olive oil to the pan).  Add the jalapeño and garlic to the onions and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the jalapeño softens.

Place the cooked onion, jalapeño and garlic mixture into a medium mixing bowl.  Add the cream cheese, yogurt (or mayo), cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese and 1/2 & 1/2 and stir together until combined.  S&P to taste.

In a separate mixing bowl combine the crackers, Panko bread crumbs, cheese and olive oil and stir until mixed together and olive oil is distributed.

In a greased 9x9 glass baking dish, layer the diced chicken on the bottom.  Next, layer the sauce over the chicken, spreading evenly.  Sprinkle the topping over the sauce.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes until warmed through and slightly bubbly.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Let rest for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.  Enjoy!

Served and ready to eat! Yum!

The casserole, straight from the oven

Veggie Stuffed Zucchini Boats

What a great and different way to cook with zucchini!  These zucchini boats are stuffed with a lot of great veggies and topped with a golden panko parmesan crust!  If you are craving pizza but not craving the calories, give these a try! They seriously taste like pizza! They work great as a side dish or you can add ground chicken or pork sausage to it and make it a delicious entree!  We will be making these a lot this summer when the zucchini in our garden grows.  This recipe serves 4 as a side dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini (6-8" in length)
• 1/2 c mushrooms, rough chopped
• 6-10 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size)
• 1/4 c jarred artichokes, rough chopped
• 1/2 small yellow onion, medium diced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 T fresh jalapeño, finely diced (optional)
• 1/2 tea red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tea dried parsley
• 1/2 tea italian seasoning
• 6 fresh basil leaves (4 chopped, 2 ribboned)
• 1/4 c panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 c parmesan cheese
• 1 T olive oil
• S&P

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit

- Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out pulp and seeds using a spoon.  Leave some of the meat in the zucchini (~1/4").  Reserve the zucchini pulp and chop roughly.  Set aside.

- In a medium saute pan, add 2 T of the olive oil over medium heat.  Saute the mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño for 5 minutes.

- Add the garlic, zucchini, artichokes, red pepper flakes, parsley and italian seasonings and saute for another 2-3 minutes. 

- Add 3 of the chopped basil leaves to the saute pan and remove from the heat.  Let cool for 5-10 minutes.  

- In the meantime, in a small mixing bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, 1 T olive oil, 1 chopped basil leaf and 1/2 tea pepper and stir until olive oil is evenly distributed throughout cheese and panko.  Add 2 T of this mixture to the veggies and stir.

- In a small baking dish , place zucchini boats and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.

- Spoon veggie mixture into zucchini boats.

- Top veggie boats with panko parmesan mixture.

- Cover with foil and bake for ~18-20 minutes.

- Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes until panko parmesan mixture is golden brown and crispy.

- Let sit for 5 minutes and garnish with extra basil before serving.

Finished Veggie Stuffed  Zucchini Boats

Zucchini Boats ready to be baked!

Asian Toasted Sesame Vegetable Salad

A veggie salad (with optional Quinoa) that pairs perfectly with anything asian inspired.  If you include the Quinoa it is a great alternative to fried rice!  Packed with lots of veggies and a light Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing.  Nothing boring about this dish! This recipe serves four as a side dish.

Ingredients:

• Veggies
• 1/3 c sugar snap peas, halved
• 1/3 c fresh green beans, in thirds (or use frozen or canned)
• 1/4 c fresh carrots sliced to ~ 1/4"
• 1/2 c fresh chopped broccoli (can sub frozen)
• 1/4 c red bell pepper, large dice
• 1 T red onion, finely diced
• 2 green onion, chopped
• 1/2 c purple or green cabbage, sliced finely
• 2 T chopped cilantro
• Dressing
• 1/3 c KRAFT Lite Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
• 1 T sriracha
• 1 T hoisin
• 1 1/2 T rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 T low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 tea sesame oil
• 1/2 T sugar
• 1 T sesame seeds
• 2 T slivered almonds
• Quinoa (optional)
• 1/2 cup dried quinoa - cooked to package instructions.  I like to use low sodium chicken stock instead of water and add black pepper and 1 clove fresh garlic.

Directions:
- Steam sugar snap peas, carrots, broccoli and green beans (if using fresh) until slightly tender using a steamer basket in a pan over medium high heat for ~5-10 mins.  You want a little bit of a crunch in the salad but not raw.  If using frozen or canned of any of the above, thaw or drain before adding to salad.
- Combine steamed veggies with raw veggies (red bell pepper, red onion, green onion and cabbage in a medium bowl.
- Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved
- Add dressing to veggies and toss until combined.
- If adding quinoa, add the cooked quinoa to the veggies and dressing
- Stir and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve at room temperature.

Finished Salad

Raw veggies mixed together

Chinese 5-Spice Glazed Chicken

A chicken dish that is slightly sweet, slighty spicy and packs a lot of flavor!  The key ingredient in this dish is Chinese Five Spice Powder.  Very yummy and powerful spices!  I served this tonight with my Asian Toasted Seasame Veggie Salad w/Quinoa (recipe to come shortly).

Ingredients:

Dry Rub:

• 1 tea salt
• 1 tea black pepper
• 1 tea sugar
• 1 tea onion powder
• 1 tea cayenne (optional)
• 1 1/2 tea chinese 5-spice
• 2 tea garlic powder
• 2 tea ginger powder

Glaze:

• 1 T low sodium soy sauce
• 1 T hoisin 
• 1 T sriracha
• 1 T rice wine vinegar
• 1 T sugar
• 3 T water
• 2 T sweet chili sauce
• 1 tea seasame oil

Chicken:

• You have a ton of options here.  You need around 1/2 chicken total, skin on and bone in.  The pieces you choose are totally up to you.  You can do all breast, all thigh, all leg, all wing.  You can also do any combination of the above (i.e. 2 and 2, 3 and 1, 2-1-1).  The choice is totally up to what you like.  In the pictures, we cut up a whole chicken and kept the breast and wing together (called an airline breast) and kept the thigh and leg together.  

Directions:

• Sprinkle the dry rub under the skin of the chicken and also on the skin.  Let sit and marinade at room temp for ~1 hour (any longer than that and stick it in the refrigerator and take out 20-30 minutes before you grill).
• Mix glaze together separately to dissolve sugar
• Grill chicken over medium until skin gets crispy and chicken is almost cooked through, ~15 mins. (flipping chicken every 5 minutes)
• Brush glaze onto top of chicken and let cook another 3-4 minutes.  Flip the chicken and repeat this process.  Repeat 1 more time for a total of 3 glazes.  Keep an eye on the chicken during the glazing process because the sugars in the glaze can burn.  A little black is ok (see pictures) because you are going to remove the skin.
• Let chicken sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.  
• To serve, remove skin and slice the breast into 1/2"-3/4" slices.  The other pieces are served well bone in, skin off - but you can cut the meat off the bone if you prefer.
  
  
  
  
  

Southwest Quinoa Salad

A quinoa salad with lots of yummy veggies and a delicious lime vinaigrette.  Pairs well with our Italian Pork Tenderloin but would also be great at a barbecue or with tacos and enchiladas.  You could also add some grilled chicken or beef to this recipe and make it the entree.  This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c dry quinoa (cooked to the package instructions.  I like to use chicken stock instead of water and add 1 clove of garlic and a pinch of pepper)
• 1/4 c cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 red bell pepper, medium diced
• 1/2 and avocado, medium diced
• 1/4 c cucumber, medium diced
• 1/4 c canned corn or hominy
• 2 chopped green onions
• 2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing:

• 3 T olive oil
• 1 1/2 T lime juice
• 1 T sugar
• S&P to taste

Directions:

- Combine cooked quinoa, veggies and cilantro in medium bowl

- Whisk dressing together to dissolve sugar in a separate bowl

- Add dressing to quinoa/veggie mixture.  Salt and Pepper to taste.

- Let chill (if you have time) for 30 minutes to combine flavors.  Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Blueberry Jalapeño Sauce

A sweet and slightly spicy sauce that pairs well with our Italian Pork Tenderloin (as pictured)

Ingredients:

• 3 T yellow onion, finely diced
• 1/2 - 1 fresh jalapeño, finely diced (depending on your spice tolerance)
• 1/2 tea garlic powder
• 1 tea olive oil
• pinch salt and pepper
• 1/2 c blueberries
• 3 T sugar
• 1 T dijon mustard
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 tea lime or lemon juice
• 1 1/2 c water

Directions:
- Sweat onions, jalapeño, garlic powder, S&P, olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat for ~5 minutes until onions are translucent and slightly browned
- Add all other ingredients and bring heat up to medium-high and bubble for ~10 minutes, stirring frequently
- Use an immersion blender (or transfer to a regular blender) and blend until smooth.
- Place back in saucepan (if transferred) and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes until sauce thickens, stirring often
- Let cool slightly before serving 

Italian Pork Tenderloin

A delicious pork tenderloin recipe that is a great alternative to beef or chicken.  Very lean meat and very moist and yummy.  This recipe pairs well with the Blueberry Jalapeño Sauce recipe I am also posting this evening or by itself.  Feel free to use dried herbs if you don't have fresh.  Pork tenderloin is also great for entertaining because it is very easy to make but is an impressive dish! This recipe serves 2 people.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lean pork tenderloin (we buy Hormel brand from Wal*Mart or Publix)
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 6 big fresh basil leaves
• 1 T olive oil
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tea black peppercorns, crushed
• 1 tea salt
• 2 T sugar
• 1 T red wine vinegar
• 1 tea dried thyme
• 2 c water

Directions:
- In a small saucepan, toast red pepper flakes, garlic, thyme, black peppercorns over medium heat for ~5 minutes
- Add all other ingredients (except pork tenderloin) to the saucepan and simmer for ~10 minutes
- Let marinade completely cool (this is very important!)
- Add cooled marinade and tenderloin to a gallon ziploc bag, seal and let marinade in the refrigerator for anywhere from 3-24 hours (the longer the better but not a requirement to go 24 hrs)
- Let tenderloin sit in marinade at room temperature for at least 1 hour prior to cooking
- Remove tenderloin from ziploc bag and pat dry with paper towels
- Take rosemary sprigs from marinade and pierce tenderloin at random
- Rub tenderloin with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper
- Grill over medium heat for ~15 minutes until 130-135 degrees F internally.  Let rest for 10 minutes prior to slicing and serving.  Slice to ~1/3-1/2"