Shawerma Chicken Wraps

This is as a homemade American version of the Middle Eastern shawerma sandwich. This is my mom's recipe and it is always a great hit for dinner parties. Shawerma sandwiches are a very popular street food in the Middle East, and they are made with chicken or lamb. The Greeks have a similar version called 'gyro' and the Turks also have a version of shawerma called 'donner'.

IT IS MY FAVORITE SANDWICH OF ALL TIME!

Depending on the size of the chicken and how much mixture is used in each wrap, these should make about 15-20 large sandwiches. I slice them in half for a total of 30-40 pieces.

Ingredients

------------

-1 rotisserie chicken, remove skin and bones and shred chicken

-1 tablespoon coriander

-1 tablespoon paprika

-10 tablespoons mayonnaise

-5 garlic cloves, crushed

-15-20 dill pickles

-15-20 flour tortillas

-3-4 tomatoes, sliced (optional)

Assembly

----------

-Mix shredded chicken with coriander and paprika.

-By hand or in a blender, whisk mayonnaise and garlic cloves together.

-Spread about 1/2 tablespoon garlic mayonnaise on a flour tortilla. Spread out 1/3 cup chicken. Place a dill pickle in the middle of the tortilla.

-To wrap, fold the right and left side of the tortilla into the middle. Then fold over the top and bottom of the tortilla. (In other words, wrap burrito style).

-Bake for 20 minutes in a preheat oven at 400 degrees. Remove when the tortilla has started to brown.

-Slice and serve with tomato wedges!

These freeze very well. Freeze after wrapping and bake when ready to eat.

Cheese Pastries

In Arabic these are called "fatayir bil jibneh" and that means dough/pastry with cheese. I love them. So does every single other person I know that has tried them. I'm not even exaggerating ;-) No Syrian dinner party is complete without them. Regardless of how much is made, if they are served hot from the oven there will never be leftovers. There are many versions these scrumptious pastries, and I am listing the best and the classic.

This makes 8 large pastries. These can be made a day ahead and stored ready to bake on a baking sheet covered in foil.

Ingredients

------------

-1 Pillsburry grands flaky layers refrigerated biscuit dough

-1 cup Queso Fresco Mexican cheese

-3/4 finly chopped parsley

**optional additions:

-Mix 1/4 cup fresh mint with parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried mint.

-Add 1 tablespoon paprika and 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds.

Assembly

----------

-Preheat oven according to package instructions of biscuit dough.

-Crumble cheese and mix with parsley and optional additions.

-Press down the biscuit until it is shaped like an oval. Spoon 1 large tablespoon of the cheese mixture onto the dough. Pinch up the edge on the longer sides until the edges are sealed and the middle is open, exposing the cheese mixture.

-Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for about 12-15 minutes or until biscuit is golden and cheese is melted.

ENJOY. I know you will!

Morrocan Honey Chicken Tagine with Raisins

My friend Bushra made this for a recent gathering and it was so flavorful and unique. Luckily it was also very easy to put together, and therefore it became SavvyChef blog worthy!

She cooks this either in a tagine or a regular pot. It is a GREAT dish for the slow cooker because it is supposed to simmer for a long time. As it simmers the sauce thickens and the flavors intensify.

If you're looking for a unique dish to try this is it! I'm not a huge fan of raisins but their texture changes as they cook and they are just so soft and yummy. I made this dish for a dinner party and my guests loved it! Because of the cinnamon flavor and the fact that it cooked in the slow cooker I felt like it was such a great dish to welcome the fall season!

This serves about 3-4 adults.

Ingredients

------------

-1 pound chicken thighs or breast tenders

-1 large onion, chopped into strips

-1 tablespoon butter

-1 tablespoon cinnamon (or 1 cinnamon stick)

-1 tablespoon ginger powder (or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger)

-1 teaspoon turmeric

-1 pinch saffron

-1/2 cup honey

-1/2-3/4 cup black raisins (I also added golden raisins)

-2 cups water

-1/2 cup mixed nuts toasted in cinnamon (optional)

Assembly

----------

-Heat butter in skillet and cook onions until caramelized. Transfer to slow cooker and add chicken, cinnamon stick, ginger, turmeric, saffron, honey, raisins and water. Season lightly with salt.

-Cover and cook 5 hours on low or 2.5 hours on high.

-Serve with optional mixed nuts. These add a nice crunch! Eat with toasted bread or white rice.

**If cooking stovetop, reduce heat to medium low after carmelizing onions and allow chicken and sauce to simmer for 1 hour.**

Fat Free Cilantro Garlic Dressing

The pictures are terrible but the sauce is good!

You may remember this from the Mexican salad I made in the past. Here is the dressing recipe on its own because I've found that it is a great topping for grilled chicken, shrimp or steak. It is also a great dip for veggies and chips! Get creative!

Dressing

---------

-1 cup fat free plain yogurt

-1/2 cup packed cilantro

-1 clove garlic

-green tips of green onions

-salt to taste

-seeded jalapeno (optional)

**you may want to use 1 tablespoon sour cream or mayonnaise to thicken dressing**

To make

------------

-Blend dressing ingredients using an immersion blender (or use a normal blender). If the sauce is too liquidy (yes, that is a real word in kitchen talk), add a tablespoon of sour cream or mayonnaise.

Walnut Stuffed Chocolate Covered Medjool Dates

Being a food blog and all, I wanted to pass on this AMMMAAAZZZIIINNGGG food product that I've come across!

How many of you fellow Muslims have wished to have something readily available that represents Ramadan?! I know I always have! Apparently I wasn't alone in that wish, because someone has finally done it!

QUALITY, GOURMET, DELICIOUS treats just for Ramadan! I'm talking about Sweet Pillar Bon Dates! Sweet Medjool dates are stuffed with delectable walnuts and dipped in delish Belgium chocolate...then packaged in a super nice box and shipped anywhere!

Check out the website: www.SweetPillar.com

Of course I think its important I mention that I am not part of this business and don't make any money on this! Just a satisfied customer who wants others to share in the yumminess!

Polka Dot Fudge Cookies

My sister Layla made these up and she's getting a patent on the title :) After a quick search I discovered the basic version of this recipe is already all over the internet, but her's are still better ;-)

These are gooey and fudgy and soft and crumbly and JUST SO GOOD. They only take 10 minutes of prep time before they're baking in the oven, and I'm willing to bet 99% of people already have these ingredients in their kitchens. I love when I read a recipe and realize I can make it on the spot because I have everything needed and a bit of time to spare, and this is one of them!

The add-in possibilities are ENDLESS with these: chocolate chips, m&ms (these look SO cool), shredded coconut, nuts, toffee bits, chewy caramels...

Depending on the size (and how much batter you eat) these measurements should make about 36 cookies.

Ingredients

------------

-1 box chocolate cake mix

-2 eggs

-1/3 cup of vegetable oil

-1 cup mix-in (white chocolate chips, etc...)

To make

-----------

-Heat oven to 350 degrees.

-Mix cake mix, eggs and oil for 2 minutes until well blended.

-Stir in mix-in

-Shape into rounded teaspoons and place on baking sheet. Bake for about 7 minutes. This is for soft and chewy cookies. Bake an additional minute or two if you want them crispy. Cool for a couple minutes.

-DEVOUR!!!

Zucchini Dip

This is a spin-off of hummus, for those who are bothered by beans, or for those who just want to try something new. I learned this from my mother-in-law, who is a very creative and talented cook :) I make this as a low carb alternative to hummus, or just when I have a lot of extra zucchini lying around. We eat this with pita chips, pita bread, or any assorted variety of veggies. This dip makes a great sandwich or base layer for a veggie wrap.

Ingredients

------------

-4 large zucchini or squash, washed and cut into cubes

-1 cup fat free yogurt

-1/3 cup tahini paste (you can use 1/2 cup for a thicker dip, but start with 1/3)

-1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (this can be replaced with 1 squeezed lemon, but it won't taste as good :) )

-optional: 1 clove garlic

-salt to taste

optional garnish
---------------------
-pomegranate seeds
-fresh chopped parsley
-sliced tomatoes

-drizzled olive oil
-black sesame seeds

To Make

----------

-Heat pot filled halfway with water and some salt. When water boils, drop in cubed zucchini and cook until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and place zucchini in a medium sized bowl.
-Mash zucchini until it is broken up and smooth. Sometimes I leave it a little chunky for a firmer texture.

-Add yogurt, salt, tahini, optional garlic and pomegranate molasses to the bowl and mash together until well mixed. Garnish with optional toppings and serve.
-Enjoy :)

This holds up pretty well in the fridge, can be kept for about a week.

Grilled Vegetable and Couscous Salad

I sort of overdid it with the vegetables at my local farmer's market, and now I'm looking for creative ways to use them!

I've had a salad in the past that combined roasted veggies with couscous and I liked it a lot. After searching the internet for a good recipe, I didn't find one I was crazy about, so I basically made this up.

This looks very pretty because of the various colors. Feel free to play around with the veggie mixture, add or omit whatever you want. Other good additions would be artichoke hearts, corn, grilled onions or roasted garlic.

This salad has a bit of a Moroccan feel to it because of the couscous and coriander, but I'm not claiming any authenticity!

This can be served warm or cold. Serves about 4 adults.

Ingredients

------------

-2 cups arugula leaves (fresh spinach or baby spring mix also work)

-1 cup cooked couscous

-3 baby Japanese eggplants, thinly sliced

-1 medium sized yellow squash, thinly sliced

-1 medium sized zucchini, thinly sliced

-1 cup sliced mushrooms

-1 sliced red bell pepper (optional)

-1 cup baby tomatoes

-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Dressing

---------

-1 finely diced shallot

-zest and juice of 2 lemons

-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

-1/3 cup olive oil

-1 teaspoon coriander

-1 teaspoon paprika

-salt and pepper to taste

Assembly

----------

-Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and roast in an oven or on a grill. I used my GeorgeForeman grill.

-Layer the arugula, couscous and vegetables on a serving dish. Top with feta cheese.

-Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss ingredients together and serve!

Sesame Chicken Flat Bread Pizza

Ingredients

----------------

-8 flat breads

-4 tablespoons sesame seeds

-1/2 pound chicken breast cut into small cubes

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-3 cloves garlic, finely diced

-3/4 cup teriyaki sauce or dressing

-1/2 red onion OR 3 green onions, julienned

-1 cup carrots cut into matchsticks

-1 red bell pepper, julienned

- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

-1/2 cup chopped cilantro

-salt to taste

To make

------------

-Preheat oven to 425 degree Fahrenheit. Place the flat bread on baking sheet, brush 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle sesame seeds. Bake for 10 minutes.

-Cook chicken pieces in 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce and garlic until cooked through.

-When the flat bread comes out of the oven, spread the remaining 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce on all the pieces.

-Layer chicken, onions, red bell pepper and carrot sticks on the flat bread. Season lightly with salt and sprinkle with cheese.

-Toast in the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Turn oven to broil and lower baking pan to lowest rack. Broil for 5 minutes or so.

-Remove from oven and sprinkle chopped cilantro. Slice and serve!

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Pie

Want to make a 5 minute dessert? Well, 6 minutes if you count licking the bowl clean...

No stove! No oven! No microwave!

I came up with this recently when I was having guests over and needed a super fast but super yummy dessert to round off a great meal...I had these ingredients on hand, and it turned out delicious!

Ingredients

------------

-1 ready oreo crust

-1 8 ounce package cream cheese

-1 cookies and cream pudding mix

- 1 3/4 cups milk

Assembly

----------

-blend cream cheese with an electric mixer until it is soft and fluffy

-stir in milk and mix until the cream cheese has blended with milk and there are no lumps

-stir in pudding mix and blend for 2 minutes

-pour mixture into the oreo crust

-refrigerate for about 30 minutes and ENJOY!

**note: you may have some extra filling that you can just refrigerate and top with fruit and granola for a parfait**

Arugula and Roasted Beet Salad

This is my new favorite salad. All thanks goes to Giada for this one! A testament to the goodness of this recipe is that I only altered one thing, which is rare for me ;-) Its funny that I'm so obsessed with this dish because I'm not a huge fan of beets. Something about their soft texture and sweetness never appealed to me, but after reading the ingredients for this salad and roasting the beets, I love them!

The presentation of this salad is beautiful because it is so colorful with the green arugula, purple beets, white feta and green avocado! Everyone who's tried this recipe has really loved it, so I REALLY recommend this one :)

Ingredients

---------------

-7 ounce package of arugula (I've also made this with mixed baby greens)

-1/3 cup cranberries

-1/3 cup diced walnuts

-1 large beet, peeled, boiled, and sliced (I'm sure you can use canned, but I haven't tried it)

-1/2 cup feta cheese, I used a Mediterranean seasoned type(Giada uses goat cheese, but I can't stand goat, so I use feta)

-1 sliced avocado (Giada uses only 1/2 of one)

Dressing

-----------

-1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

-1/3 cup olive oil

-1 tablespoon honey

-Salt and pepper to taste

-3 tablespoons shallots (about 1 medium sized shallot). If this is hard for you to locate, red onions are a good substitute

To make

-----------

-Mix 1-2 tablespoons of dressing with beets. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. I've used my toaster oven for this to avoid preheating the oven, and it worked great.

-In a serving bowl, mix the arugula with cranberries and walnuts. Toss with dressing.

-Layer the beets on top of the arugula, then layer the cheese and avocados.

-Serve and savor every bite as you enjoy this scrumptious salad!

Couscous Salad

I LOVE making salads! Especially when its a hearty dish, and includes all the food categories...like this one! I learned this from my friend Sarah, who altered the recipe from a cooking show.

Since its a salad, there is little heat involved, so your kitchen can stay nice and cool during these hot summer days. For a vegetarian or lighter version, skip the chicken.

Serves 2 people for a main meal and 4 people as a side dish.

Ingredients

---------------

-1 cup prepared couscous (boiled according to instructions on box)

-1/2 cup diced tomatoes

-1/2 cup diced cucumbers

-1 cup garbanzo beans

-1 cup cooked and cubed chicken (optional)

-1/2 cup diced marinated artichoke hearts

-1/3 cup diced green onions

Dressing

------------

-1/2 cup marinade from artichoke hearts

-1/4 cup white vinegar

-1/2 cup fresh minced mint

-salt and pepper to taste

Assembly

-------------

-Toss all the ingredients together and season with salad dressing.

-Serve!

Stay tuned for a SUPER AMAZING salad recipe coming your way...

Turkey and Olive Tapenade Panini

I made this up recently using ingredients I already had around the kitchen. We loved it so much I made it for three days in a row! I had no plans of posting it because technically it is just a turkey sandwich, but the olive tapenade took it to such a new level that I felt I had to share this easy recipe :)

There is no need for mayonaise or any other 'sauce' in this sandwich because the tapenade keeps it moist and adds INCREDIBLE flavor. Look for a tapenade with green olives and sun-dried tomatoes, it'll taste the best!

This makes 1 sandwich, alter as needed!

Ingredients

---------------

-2 slices of your favorite sandwich bread

-3 slices lean deli turkey breast

-1 tablespoon olive tapenade

-1 slice cheese (I used a dill white cheddar)

-freshly cracked black pepper

Assembly

-------------

-Spread olive tapenade on 1 slice of bread

-Layer with turkey slices, black pepper and cheese. Top with second piece of bread

-Toast in a panini or sandwich maker (I use my George Foreman grill)

- Slice in half and serve!

Lemon Pepper Chicken and Potatoes

This is my youngest sister's favorite meal...when I make it! She says its so lemony and good, and literally jumps for joy when I make it for her. Good news for me is that it only takes 15 minutes to prepare, and the oven does the rest!

This is a classic and staple meal in Syrian households, and is literally called "chicken and potatoes" in Arabic.

This serves 4 people, 2 pieces of chicken each.

Ingredients

--------------

-8 pieces of red meat chicken (I always use boneless skinless chicken thighs)

-2 large onions, slivered (you can replace this with 1 large head minced garlic)

-3-4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into rounds

-1 and 1/4 cup lemon juice (use fresh or bottled)

-1/2 cup olive oil

-lemon pepper sesasoning (use enough to coat all the chicken)

Assembly

------------

-Preheat oven to 450 degrees farenheit

-Layer the potatoes, chicken and onions in a 13x9 baking dish

-Season with lemon pepper and add lemon juice and olive oil

-Cover with foil and bake for 1 and 1/2 hours. Uncover and broil the tops for 5-10 minutes, until chicken and onions are slightly crisped.

-Serve with pita bread or white rice.

Tabbouleh

This is a classic, 100% authentic Syrian salad. It is typically very time consuming when made for a large family, but thanks to my friend, the food processor, the prep time is chopped in half ;)

Some people add lettuce or finely chopped cucumbers, but I've just listed the basic traditional recipe. Feel free to experiement! I've made this with spinach instead of parsley, and you can barely taste the difference :)

Ingredients

------------

-1/4 cup bulghur #1

-juice of 2 lemons

-2 large tomatoes, chopped finely

-4 green onions, chopped finely

-2 bunches of American parsley (if chopping in a food processor)  or Italian parsley (if chopping by hand)

-2 tablespoons dried mint (or fresh)

-1 teaspoon paprika (for color)

-salt to taste

-2-3 tablespoons olive oil

optional:
-1 cup finely diced cucumber

Assembly

----------

-Combine bulghur and lemon juice in a bowl. Let the bulghur soak up the lemon juice for about 30-45 minutes.

-Add the tomatoes, green onions on top of the bulghur mix. This lets the juice from the tomatoes be soaked into the bulghur

-Soak the parsley in water, and then drain and rinse. Repeat this process 3 times or until your water is clean. Once it is clean and well drained, place in batches into the food processor. Chop by pulsing in 3 second intervals until the parsley is finely chopped. Be careful not to turn it into mush. (Alternatively, you can use Italian parsley and finely chop by hand with a sharp knife. Either works :)

-Place chopped parsley on top of the tomatoes and green onions. Add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, mint, salt and dash of paprika. Add optional cucumber. Toss together and serve!

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

This is a spin-off version of two soups in one. Panera's chicken and wild rice soup and Olive Garden's new gnocchi soup.

Ingredients
-------------

-1 cup packaged gnocchi (half of the 16 oz package)

-3 cups boiling salted water

-1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1 cup frozen or fresh chopped spinach

-1/2 cup diced carrots

-1/2 cup diced mushrooms

-1/2 cup diced celery

-4 minced garlic cloves

-2 cups chicken broth

-2 cups half and half

-1/2 cup fresh basil

To make

---------

-Place water in a pot and turn on high. Once the water boils, add the gnocchi. Follow package directions for cooking time. Drain and set aside.

-Heat olive oil in a pot and saute carrots, celery and mushrooms until tender. Add garlic halfway through. Stir in shredded chicken and spinach, then add the half and half and chicken broth. Add salt to taste.

-Simmer on medium low heat for about 15 minutes, then add the gnocchi and simmer for another 15 minutes. Add fresh basil and black pepper.

**Serve with crusty french bread and enjoy :) **

Awesome recipe book tip

I saw this on the Rachel Ray show a while back, and I HAD to share it with you guys. I think it is a GENIOUS idea, I've already tried it!

Soft cookbooks are kind of hard to keep open while cooking, and if you prop them open on the table they flip closed or can get dirty while you use them. So a viewer of Rachel's show submitted a tip that goes like this:

Get a pants hanger and clip each side of the cookbook to one side of the hanger, and HANG from the cabinet knob! Isn't it great?!

How about you guys post some of your own great ideas, I know you have them... :)

Herb Citrus Chicken and Vegetables

Dude, this one rocks! It smells good, looks good and tastes GOOD. All the ingredients are so fresh and flavorful, and it is really low fat and healthy! With summer basically here, this is a super easy recipe to grill on the bbq...let the fun begin!

Ingredients

------------

-1 lb chicken tenders

-4 cups fresh veggies (I used zucchini, mushrooms and red potatoes)

Marinade

----------

-zest of 1 lemon

-zest of 1 orange

-2 tablespoons of each fresh herb: mint, oregano, thyme and basil (I recommend at least 3 different kinds of fresh herbs. Others you can use include parsley, rosemary, cilantro, etc.)

-3-4 cloves fresh minced garlic

-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

-optional: some olive oil would probably taste great, but I was trying to cut the fat...feel free to drizzle some

Assembly

----------

-Mix marinade ingredients in a bowl. Separate half the marinade into another bowl.

-Place chicken in one of the bowls with the marinade. Place veggies into the other bowl. Let them marinate for at least 20 minutes. During this process, pour whatever liquids accumulate from the veggies over the chicken.

-Place chicken and veggies on pre-heated grill (I used a George Foreman) until they cook.

Cream Cheese Chicken Rolls

I've noticed I like cooking Mexican, because whenever I am trying to think of something new to make with the ingredients I've got on hand, my mind goes in that direction. Either Mexican or Italian, and that usually involves starchy pasta, so I skip it :)

These were a big hit at a recent family dinner, and I'm making them again for the same family this weekend! Just get your rotisserie chicken and in no time at all you'll be ready to wrap and roll!

Ingredients

------------

-1 shredded rotisserie chicken (you can make this or purchase)

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1 large red onion, cut into strips

-1 lb frozen bell pepper mix

-1 cup salsa

-1 cup corn kernels (optional)

-1 8 oz package cream cheese

-2 tablespoons nacho cheese sauce (I used what was left of the Tostitos cheese dip)

-2 tablespoons taco seasoning

-1 tablespoon paprika

-salt to taste

-24 flour tortillas

Assembly

----------

-Heat olive oil in a pan and add red onions. Cook halfway and then add the frozen bell peppers. Stir and cook for about 5-7 minutes, until they get soft and are mostly cooked.

-Add the shredded chicken, salsa, corn, cream cheese, nacho sauce and all the seasonings.

-Stir until cream cheese has melted and the mixture is well coated.

-Place 1/4 cup of mixture onto middle of tortilla bread and roll. Repeat.

-Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, then serve!

I cut each tortilla roll in half before I baked it, and I ended up with 48 smaller rolls. These freeze well (you can bake them prior to eating) and reheat to taste just as yummy!

Salsa Tilapia Fillets

My friend Amira had us over for a lovely dinner, and it was amazing. This is was just one of the super good dishes she made, and I got her permission to post it because it qualifies as (a) simple ingredients, (b) easy to make, and (c) DELICIOUS!

I'm not a huge fan of fish, and since I thought this tasted great, I was really excited to share it with you guys!

Ingredients

------------

Salsa:
------
-1 can diced tomatoes (large size)
-3/4 c. parsley
-3/4 c. cilantro
-5 cloves minced garlic
-½ diced onion

-2 tablespoons of olive oil
-1 tablespoon cumin (or more, you can taste the salsa as you go along)

-juice of 1 lemon
-salt and pepper to taste

-tilapia (1.5 lbs) or 6 tilapia fillets

-salt and pepper

Assembly

----------

-Combine the ingredients for the salsa in a bowl, taste and adjust measurements.

-Spread a very thin layer of salsa on the bottom of pyrex dish. Layer tilapia fillets and season with salt, pepper and cumin. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.

-Spread the rest of the salsa on top of the tilapia.

-You can cover and marinate this overnight if you have the time.

-Bake UNCOVERED at 425 degrees for 25 minutes.

-Serve with freshly squeezed lemons.

Mexican Salad

I made this with chicken on top for dinner. Great news everyone: It's almost fat free! The only fat comes from the chicken, and chicken breast add lots of protein without too much icky fat. The dressing goes well as a sauce for chicken or meat dishes too!

I didn't include measurements for the ingredients because you can alter the quantity to fit your liking.

Ingredients

------------

-shredded romaine lettuce

-diced cucumbers

-diced cherry tomatoes

-finely diced green onions (use the white part in the salad and save the greens for the dressing)

-black beans

-corn (optional, I didn't use it)

-cooked chicken breast strips (or a shredded rotisserie chicken)

-fresh salsa (this comes in a container, found in the refrigerated section of a grocery store, NOT the jar)

Dressing

---------

-1 cup fat free plain yogurt

-1/2 cup packed cilantro

-1 clove garlic

-green tips of green onions

-salt to taste

-seeded jalapeno (optional)

**you may want to use 1 tablespoon sour cream or mayonnaise to thicken dressing**

Assembly

----------

-Layer the ingredients in the listed order: lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, black beans, corn, chicken, fresh salsa

-Blend dressing ingredients using an immersion blender (or use a normal blender). If the sauce is too liquidy (yes, that is a real word in kitchen talk), add a tablespoon of sour cream or mayonnaise. Drizzle the dressing on top of the salad

-Garnish with optional shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla strips (I didn't do this, because it will obviously add fat :P)

Spinach Stuffed Chicken

I've been making this recipe for years, I got it a while ago from a KRAFT foods magazine. The presentation of it is beautiful, and it is an elegant dish to entertain with. I often change the filling, but this is the simple version I originally learned. The actual recipe calls for stuffing, but that always comes out overly soggy so I stopped using it.

Ingredients

------------

-8 chicken breast tenders

-1 cup spinach

-1 can diced tomatoes (the kind mixed with garlic and basil is super yummy)

-1 cup cut up mushrooms

-3 cloves minced garlic

-1/2 cup fresh basil, or a bunch of dried Italian spices

-salt and pepper

-fat-free Italian dressing

-mozzarella cheese for garnish

Assembly

----------

-Place the chicken breast tenders into a Ziploc bag and pound with a meat tenderizer to thin it out. If you don't have one, make your life easier and get one. If you insist on doing this the hard way, then use a can or anything hard and pound the chicken.

-Mix the spinach, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, basil and salt into a bowl.

-Spoon 1/4 cup of filling onto one end of the chicken breast. Roll up and place seam side down into a baking dish. Continue with the rest of the chicken. Season tops of chicken with salt and pepper.

-Drizzle the Italian dressing over the chicken breasts and bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the cheese on top of each piece of chicken.

I served this alongside the pesto and goat cheese rice bake.

Pesto and Goat Cheese Rice Bake

This is super fancy schmancy. It is totally company worthy because it calls for amazing ingredients and looks fantastic. The colors are so beautiful together, your eyes will eat it before your mouth does! It works as a great main vegetarian entree, or it can be made as a side dish. I made it to accompany stuffed chicken breasts (check back soon for the recipe :p).

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Ingredients

------------

-3 cups cooked rice (about 1.5 uncooked)

-1 3/4 cups shredded parmesan cheese

-1/2 cup prepared pesto

-4 ounces crumbled goat cheese (feta is a good substitute)

-1 10 ounce jar roasted red pepper, drained, patted dry and chopped

Assembly

----------

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray an 8 inch springform pan (I'm sure it will work with the regular 9 inch) with cooking spray.

-Mix rice with 1 1/2 cups of the parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

-Layer half of rice on the bottom of the springform pan. Spread half of the pesto, sprinkle with half of the goat cheese, then top with half of the roasted peppers.

-Repeat layers. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of paremesan cheese.

-Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Apple Dip

I learned this recipe from my friend (she's also my SIL :)), and she learned it from a friend, and the friend learned it from a friend, and that friend...you get the idea, right?

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It's yummy with apples, and it tastes just as good on bagels too! The apples in the picture have sort of wilted, that's because it was soo good that I forgot to take the picture when it was first set out!

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Ingredients

-------------

-8 oz cream cheese (I used reduced fat)

-3/4 cup brown sugar

-1 teaspoon vanilla

-1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon

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Assembly

----------

-Using an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese for 1-2 minutes until it is soft

-Add the sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and mix until well blended

-Chill in refrigerator and serve!

Olive Biscuit Cups

These are very cute, they are the perfect finger food! Use this recipe as a base for your creativity. I've filled these biscuit cups with many different mixtures, such as chili, shrimp, spinach dip, cheese, pizza ingredients...the list goes on and on!

Ingredients

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-1 can refrigerated biscuits (if using the flaky layers or jumbo type, split each biscuit in half)

-filling (in this picture I used an olive tapenade)

Assembly

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-preheat oven to 350 degrees

-press biscuit dough into mini muffin pan, let edges of dough extend over the cup

-fill generously with filling

-bake for about 8-10 minutes

-enjoy!

Thai Coconut Curry

The flavors in this dish are really robust and pronounced, every bite is packed with amazing flavor. I read a bunch of online recipes, and compiled this to accomodate our taste buds and readily available ingredients. The result? Take a wild guess! Better yet, try it for yourself and let me know!

The chunky peanut butter adds bits of peanuts, and adding shredded coconut helps to bring out the coconut flavors without tasting sweet. The lime makes a HUGE difference in this dish, it really emphasizes all the other ingredients.

Ingredients
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-1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
-2 tablespoons oil
-4 diced green onions, whites and greens
-6 cloves fresh minced garlic
- 1 inch piece fresh minced ginger
-1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-1 can bamboo shoots
-1 can coconut milk
-1/4 cup water
-1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
-1 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter (chunky is best, but creamy works too)
-1 teaspoon curry paste (optional)
-1 cup spinach (not authentic, but you can't taste it, and it adds nice color)
-1/2 cup packed fresh minced lemongrass (optional, but it makes a difference)
- 4 squeezed limes
-1 cup fresh minced basil

-salt to taste

Assembly
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-To make in the slow cooker, add all ingredients except for coconut milk and basil and turn on low for 4 hours. Stir in coconut milk and basil during last 15 minutes of cooking.

Stove top:
-Heat oil in pot. Add chicken, green onions, red pepper flakes, ginger and garlic and cook until chicken is halfway cooked.
-Add salt, coconut milk, water, bamboo shoots, lemongrass, peanut butter, curry paste, lime juice and spinach. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
-Add basil and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve!

Tortilla Soup

I LOVE tortilla soup. Any time I used to go to any Mexican restaurant, I'd have to order it. Until I perfected my own recipe, and it is SO much better than any other professional chef ;-)

A GREAT use for leftover fajitas (homemade, or even easier, brought back from a restaurant) is to throw them into this soup. It also really cuts the prep time.

Ingredients

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-2-3 cups leftover fajitas

OR

-2 tablespoons cooking oil

-1/2 pound chicken or steak or shrimp (or skip this step for veggie soup)

-1 of each, cut into short strips or cubes: yellow onion, red, green, yellow bell pepper (or buy frozen bell pepper medley)

-1 can corn

-1 can black beans

-leftover mexican rice OR 1/4 cup uncoocked rice

-1 squash, cut into small cubes

-1/2-1 cup mild salsa or picante sauce (fresh tastes awesome, but anything works)

-1 bunch minced cilantro

-4 cloves fresh minced garlic

-2 green onions, white and green parts

-4 cups broth or water

-2 tablespoons taco seasoning

Garnish (optional)

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-sour cream

-avocado slices

-shredded cheese

-tortilla chips

To make

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-Heat oil in pot, combine optional chicken/steak/shrimp. Cook halfway, then add onions, bell peppers, garlic, squash, rice and green onions until squash and rice are halfway cooked.

-Add salsa, beans, corn, broth and taco seasoning.

-Simmer until rice is cooked. Add cilantro and cook for 5 more minutes.

This all goes MUCH faster if the chicken and veggies are precooked, and the rice is already made.

-Garnish with optional toppings.