Berrylicious Smoothie

I think the thermometer may have tipped 100 degrees yesterday in Central Texas, and while a nice frosty adult beverage is always nice to cool off with, not everyone loves to indulge quite so much. I'm not sure who these people are, but I'm quite sure they're out there. My pregnant friends, for example. So, I wanted to experiment with some non-alcoholic drinks to share for the summer heat.

Most smoothie recipes that I've come across involve a banana, but I don't really like bananas. I know, I know. So, I decided to make one with no banana, and see if I could get the same good texture. I think I did pretty stinkin' good...it was berrylicious, thick, and creamy. Perfect smoothie texture!

Berrylicious Smoothie

A Sweet Beginnings' Original

Ingredients

Makes 2 (6 oz) servings

• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup strawberry greek yogurt
• 1/2-3/4 cup orange juice

Preparation

1. Put berries and 1/2 cup orange juice in a blender and mix utnil smooth.
2. Add yogurt and additional orange juice, if needed, and blend until smooth. 
3. Divide into two 6 oz glasses and enjoy!

Crispy Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders

Halfway through another week. The last week of May, in fact. Why is it that time seems to go by much more quickly, the older we get? Some days I'm glad, other days I can't believe how much time has passed. But with time, comes experience, and with experience comes knowledge. Or so I hear, anyway. :)

There are few things better than chicken tenders, in my opinion, and when I ran across this recipe for a Weight Watchers version of honey mustard chicken, I was overjoyed! I love chicken tenders. And usually, I like dipping my chicken in honey, or honey mustard, so the fact that these were dipped in honey mustard before they were baked makes them all the more appealing. I have a box of corn flakes sitting in my pantry from a previous recipe I made, so I was glad to have another use for them. Crispy, healthier chicken tenders with a tangy sauce...yes, please and thank you!

Crispy Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders
Source: Weight Watchers

Ingredients

• Cooking Spray
• 2/3 cup Light Honey Mustard Dressing
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 1 scallion, finely diced
• 1 1/2 cup cornflakes
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken (breasts or tenders)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and top with a baking rack. Spray the rack with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
2. In a small bowl, combine honey mustard dressing, salt, pepper, dill and scallions. Reserve 1/3 cup in a separate bowl for dipping.
3. Place cornflakes in a plastic bag and pound or or crush with your hands to create the crumbs.
4. Dip the chicken pieces into dressing mixture and then into the cornflake crumbs. Place each of the pieces onto the prepared rack and bake for approximately 15 minutes, until lightly browned and no longer pink in the center.
5. Use reserved dressing mixture to dip the chicken in, or to drizzle on top of the chicken.

Taco Tuesday: Crockpot Cheddar Beer Chicken Tacos

Hello Tuesday. I can't say that I'm glad to see you, as that means the long weekend is over, and it's back to the office for me. But at least we are on day closer to Friday, and another weekend! I've been doing really well with portion control lately, which has resulted in some weight loss, and a smaller appetite.

I was worried that the weekend would cause a setback in my weight loss journey, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that despite what I was eating, I still managed to succeed with my portion control. Go me! I usually have a hard time with tacos. As in, I want to eat 3 or 4 at a time. However, with these tacos, despite how delicious they were, I was able to eat 2 and feel full! That is definitely an achievement.

The flavors were fanstasic...the refried beans, spiced chicken, and cool sour cream and avocado to offset the spices. Roll all that up in a tortilla, and you have one heavenly taco! And, I used my crockpot for the first time in ages. I usually can't do that because I'm gone too long during the day to just leave it. So, instead, I put it on after work one day so that it was finished before I went to bed....and then I didn't have to cook the next night, just re-heat! Ah, I love it when I think ahead!

Crockpot Cheddar Beer Chicken Tacos

Slightly Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup beer
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 small can refried beans
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese 
• flour tortillas
• sour cream
• avocado
• cilantro
• hot sauce

Preparation

1. Mix chili powder, cumin, garlic, onion, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk the beer into the seasoning mixture, until well combined.
2. Put the chicken in the crockpot and pour the beer mixture over it. Cook for 7-8 hours on low, or 4 hours on high.
3. About 30 minutes before the chicken is done, place the refried beans in a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder. Stir over medium heat until warmed through.  
4. Shred the chicken with two forks, or pour contents of the crockpot into a stand mixer to shred. There will still be some liquid in the crockpot, keep that with the chicken when you shred it. Cook for an additional 15 minutes in the crockpot and then turn it off.  Add the cheese and stir to combine, then remove to another bowl.
5. Warm tortillas, spread refried beans down the center and top with chicken, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, hot sauce and shredded cheese.

Margherita Pita Pizza

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!! I want to send out a big THANK YOU to all of the service men and women who have served our country. Many people know this weekend to be a big barbecue-fest, and a way to welcome the summer season in, but hopefully while we all celebrate with our loved ones, we don't forget the reason that we have this holiday. Many men and women, and their families, have made the ultimate sacrafice to maintain our freedom and the way of life we all love.

I wanted to make something festive to celebrate, but I had a friend in from out of town and we went back home to see friends and family, therefore I was not cooking any this weekend. Instead I have this delicious oven-baked pita pizza to share with you! In case today is your day of rest, after a busy weekend of parties and barbecues, you can stay in the comfort of your own air-conditioned home and cook up a delicious pita pizza for yourself, or several for your family! In case you haven't noticed, I've been on a little bit of a tomato, basil, and mozzarella kick the past couple of weeks.  You know why that is? Because it's frickin' delicious, that's why!! And it gives me an excuse to use balsamic vinegar. It's a sickness, I'm aware.

I enjoyed the long weekend, and spending time with family and friends that I don't get to see nearly enough, but all that catching up sure does wear me out!! Today is about relaxing, remembering our troops, and getting ready for the rest of the week, back to reality. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, filled with love and laughter, and today - rest!

Margherita Pita Pizza

Source: Pampered Chef - It's Good For You

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 4 flat pita rounds (no pockets)
• 2 roma tomatoes, sliced
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 2 Tbsp snipped fresh basil leaves

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil, and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the oil, Italian seasoning, vinegar, and garlic and mix well.
3. Place the pita rounds on the baking sheet, and brush the top with the oil and spice mixture. Then, top the pita with a few 4-5 tomato slices and mozzarella.
4. Bake the pizzas for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted and edges are browned.
5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle each pizza with basil strips. Cut into fours and eat warm!

Sammich Saturday: Turkey Bacon Swiss

Happy Memorial Day weekend!! I hope you all are enjoying this holiday weekend with friends and family, and taking advantage of the weather before the summer heat really takes hold. I am spending time with some friends and family back home that I don't see nearly enough, and I couldn't be happier! For this sammich, I did something very simple, but very good! Turkey, with some swiss cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato! And, of course, avocado!!

It was quick to throw together, and super tasty! If you need a quick throw-together sandwich to get you through this weekend, in between barbecues or whatnot, this is the one for you!!

Turkey Bacon Swiss

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bread
• 10 extra thin slices turkey
• 2 slices Swiss cheese
• 4 slices of bacon
• 2 lettuce leaves
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1 small avocado, sliced
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Preparation

1. Cook the bacon over medium heat until browned and slightly crispy, turning once, 5-7 minutes. Remove to papertowls to drain grease and after cooling, break each piece in two, leaving you with 8 pieces.
2. Put 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard onto the bottom slices of bread.
3. Top with 5 slices of turkey, 1 slice of Swiss cheese, 4 pieces of bacon, tomato slices, avocado, lettuce leaf, and top slice of bread. Cut sammich in half and enjoy!!



What's Baking: Pineapple-Zucchini Bread

It's time again for What's Baking! Our hostess for this month, Ammie from Adventures In My Kitchen, chose the theme of Spring Produce for our challenge. Fortunately "produce" includes both fruits and veggies, so I had a good variety to choose from. As I scrolled through the list of in season produce, I marked down the ones I would be interested in baking with, and for some reason zucchini and pineapple both caught my eye. And instead of choosing between the two, I found a way to use them both!

It sounds like a somewhat strange combination, I know, but the result of this bread was incredibly moist and flavorful. I also made some mini muffins, which were equally delicious, and even better - bite size! You know how I love bite sized food! Spring produce baking = success! Thank you Ammie for a great challenge. Check out her blog at the end of the month to see the round-up from the group's creations.

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

Source: All Recipes

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 cup (fresh or canned) crushed pineapple
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease your loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. 
3. Form a well in the center, and add in the oil, eggs, zucchini, pineapple and vanilla. Stir to combine, until smooth. 
4. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and cook 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Strawberry-Basil Martini

Happy Thirsty Thursday friends! Tomorrow will begin Memorial Day weekend, and fun drinks are always a good part of a holiday weekend. I have a good list of beloved martini flavors, but I thought I'd try something a little different to welcome summer. Strawberry and basil seem to go well together in different recipes, and I've seen it on menus at various martini bars, so I figured I may as well give it a try!

It was very tasty, indeed! I only wish that SG or T had been here to share them with me.... martinis are always better with friends!! Make a batch for your celebration this weekend!

Strawberry Basil Martini
Source: Dine with Darling

Ingredients

• 5-6 fresh strawberries (and a few extra for garnish) 
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 5 oz vodka
• Ice

Preparation

1. Wash and cut the stems off the large, fresh strawberries.  Place then in a martini shaker.
2. Rinse the basil, reserving a few leaves for garnish, and place remaining leaves in martini shaker with the strawberries.
3. Muddle basil and strawberries until you create a pulp.
4. Fill the martini shaker with ice and add the vodka. Secure the shaker lid and shake vigorously.
5. Divide between martini glasses and garnish with a strawberry slice and basil leaf.

Asiago Baked Salmon

Although I love most kinds of fish, salmon is at the top of the list of my favorites. I know a lot of people think it's too "fishy", but I love it, and it goes so well with some of my favorite flavors (i.e. balsamic!), and it's good for you too! (Helloooo Omega-3.) And while I've marinated, seasoned, and sauced salmon so many different ways, but I had never thought to top it with a delicious cheesy sauce. What the hell was I thinking?!?! Or not thinking, as the case may be.

Anywho...as soon as I saw this on Jessica's blog, I knew I had to try it, and it was every bit as good as I imagined it would be. And, as always, it was super easy to prep and didn't take long to cook. A great weeknight meal! Serve it up to your someone special or friends for a nice dinner!

Asiago Baked Salmon

Source: How Sweet It Is

Ingredients

• 1 lb salmon filets
• 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley
• 3 Tbsp grated asiago cheese
• 1/2 Tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 Tbsp chopped shallots
• Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Season salmon with salt and pepper.
3. In a bowl, mix yogurt, cheese, shallots, parsley and garlic together. Spread on top of salmon.
4. Bake the fish about 15 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Taco Tuesday: Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos

It's not often that I make a vegetarian meal for myself - this girl loves her meat! But, every once in awhile, I come across something that just looks intriguing, and I have to try it . This was one of those of those meals. I've been eating a lot more black beans lately, and while I'm picky about when I like sweet potatoes, I decided to give it a go. Now, if I liked enough vegetables, this taco alone would have been enough to convince me to do a meatless meal at least once a week. It was pretty fantastic!

Taco Tuesdays have definitely opened me up to some great meals that I am glad to have in my arsenal, and these tacos will definitely be making a second appearance!

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Tacos

Adapted from: Bev Cooks

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet potato, cut into a medium dice
• 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tsp cumin, divided
• 2 tsp chili powder, divided
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• flour tortillas
• queso fresco, crumbled
• 1 avocado, diced
• lime and cilantro for garnish
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat your oven to 400.
2. In a bowl, toss the diced sweet potato with the oil, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, a pinch of coarse salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes on a foil-lined baking sheet.
3. In a small sauce pan add the beans and season with the remaining cumin, chili powder and garlic salt. Heat for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
4. Warm tortillas and spoon on some beans, followed by sweet potatoes. Top with diced avocado, queso fresco, a little lime juice, and cilantro leaves.

Creole Shrimp, Avocado, and Pineapple Salad

Another weekend has come and gone. How do they go by so fast?? It seems like it was just Friday night, and I was at T's house, playing with baby C, eating burgers that Mr. T cooked on the grill, and taking a dip in the hot tub and now it's Monday morning and it's back to the office. Sigh. Time goes by too fast.

But, at least I have some great dishes to share with you over the next few days! This salad was the perfect meal to end the weekend. The creole seasoned shrimp went great with the sweet pineapple and tangy lime vinaigrette. If I keep eating like this, I'll be down to my desired weight in no time! And with food that tastes this good, I'll have no problem keeping it up.

There's one more weekend left in May and then summer is officially upon us. I can't wait for the long weekend with friends and family, and I can't wait for summer!! I have so many great food and drink recipes in the wings...I can't wait to make them and to share them with you!

Creole Shrimp, Avocado, and Pineapple Salad

Inspired by Pampered Chef - Spin on Salads

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1-2 Tbsp Creole seasoning
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp diced jalapeno
• 1 large avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup pineapple, chopped
• 3 cups Spring salad mix

For the lime vinaigrette

• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp canola oil

Preparation

1. Mix lime juice, creole seasoning, jalapeno, and garlic together in a medium bowl. Add shrimp, toss to coat, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
2. While the shrimp is marinating, make the vinaigrette by first combining the lime juice and sugar in a small bowl. Then slowly whisk in the canola oil until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp in and cook until opaque, turning once, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Divide salad mix among serving plates. Top with shrimp, avocado, and pineapple. Drizzle lime vinaigrette over the top and serve.

Sammich Saturday: Balsamic Caprese Panini

I have a confession. I tend to be a creature of habit. My daily routine is usually planned out ahead of time if it will vary from the norm, and if something "comes up", it usually makes me cringe a little inside, even if it's something that I will really enjoy doing - because it means that my planned day/night is going to be altered. While I am adaptable and enjoy spontaneity, I can't always shake that feeling inside or the need for structure and planning.

Last weekend I prepared a sandwich that I had on my menu, and let's just say - it didn't turn out how I'd hoped. So, I'm thinking (in a panicked voice) I'm not going to have a sandwich to post on Saturday!! What am I going to do? The menu is planned out for the rest of the week already!!

And then I breathe, take a look at other sandwiches, and do some menu shuffling. Problem solved, crisis averted. And, while I hope to revisit the sandwich that was originally planned (because it really will be great!), this panini turned out to be a wonderful replacement! While it isn't quite tomato season yet, this is still so good! I found some delicious tomatoes, and combined with fresh mozzarell, basil, and my beloved balsamic vinegar on crusty bread I had a summer sammich hit in my hands.

Now, full disclosure - my first attempt was not the best, because the bread I used got a little soggy in spots. So, be sure that you use a good, thick and crusty bread so that this doesn't happen to you! The flavors are too good be be ruined by soggy bread.  If you opt to eat it as a cold sammich, instead of a hot panini, then you probably don't have to worry about it getting soggy, though. Now, get to the store, and make this panini!

Balsamic Caprese Panini

Source: Budget Bytes

Ingredients

• French bread (or other crusty bread)
• 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
• 3 oz Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
• 9 Fresh Basil Leaves, stems removed
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Slice your bread in half, to make top and bottom buns. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic over the open surfaces. Place alternating layers of tomato and mozzarella slices on the bottom bun (2 layers of each). Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Place the basil leaves on top and either serve cold or place in a countertop grill, a panini press, or cook in a skillet until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes.

 

Recipe Swap: Tomato & Cucumber Salad

As the weather heats up, more and more grills are lighting up for backyard barbecues, which is why Sarah chose Barbecue/Warm Weather Food for this round of recipe swaps. I hope to be attending many cookouts this summer, to spend time with friends, and of course I would never go without contributing to the feast! So, this swap, I received this Cucumber and Tomato Salad from Tales from the Mad Men Kitchen, and I am so glad that I did! Not only is it a great, refreshing summer side dish that would be great at a barbecue, but it allows me to use one of my very favorite ingredients....VINEGAR!!

Nom nom nom. It's a wonder that I don't drink the stuff right out of the bottle. I don't. But I do drink the stuff that pools at the bottom of the bowl. Go ahead and judge. I'll just be over here enjoying my yummy salad. And vinegar.

::smacks lips::

The addition of the mint to this dish adds nicely to the refreshing flavor...the perfect touch! I will absolutely be bringing this to get-togethers this summer, and making it for snacks at home too!

Tomato & Cucumber Salad

Source: Tales from a Mad Men

Ingredients

• 2 large cucumbers - skin peeled,  halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 container of plum or cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped red onion (I omitted, because I don't like onions)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, vinegar, sugar and salt. Let stand at room temperature for an hour, stirring occasionally.
2. Add tomatoes, onion, mint and oil to cucumbers and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Grapefruit Margaritas

The weekend is near and with the warmer weather, many folks are spending more time outside, grilling and enjoying a nice adult beverage. I don't have a yard or a grill right now, but that doesn't mean I can't sit on my patio and indulge a bit on the weekends. And that's just what I did with these superlicious grapefruit margartitas! In fact, I posted a picture of it on Facebook, and that prompted my friend, SG, to come over and join me! We had a great night, drinking, talking, listening to sappy music and crying over who-knows-what? Isn't that what all girl friends sit around doing on Friday nights? No? Oh well. Call us crazy.

Crazy about these margaritas, that is! And you'll be crazy too, if you drink too many -these puppies are strong! ;)

This is the first time I have attempted to make any type of margarita other than the regular tequila and margarita mix kind, and ohmyword - I'm hooked and excited to keep trying new varieties! BUT, this one definitely has my heart right now! If it weren't for the alcohol content, I could drink these every.single.day. They are that good. Get your booty in the kitchen and make these ASAP!! And check back each week for a new beverage!

Grapefruit Margaritas

As seen on There Goes the Cupcake

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 cup ruby red grapefruit juice (make sure it's ruby red!!)
• 1/2  cup fresh squeezed lime juice (about 4 limes)
• 1 cup triple sec orange liqueur
• 1 cup silver tequila
• 1  lime cut in wedges
• Kosher salt

Preparation

1. Mix grapefruit juice, lime juice, triple sec, and tequila together in a pitcher. Add ice and stir to chill.
2. Salt the rim of your glasses (or sprinkle some on the top of the drink once poured), fill with margarita, and garnish with a lime wedge.

Chipotle-Herb Flank Steak

You might remember that I told you awhile back that I was going to try to cook at least one recipe from a cookbook each week, so that the many that I own aren't just sitting on a shelf collecting dust. Well, I haven't one it every week, but I have been doing pretty well. This one has been getting pushed back on the calendar for a few weeks, and I finally got it done! And, it was fan-freaking-tastic! The chipotle-herb butter made the entire meal. I just love the smoky heat of chipotle peppers, mixed with the creamy butter and lime juice...it was just the perfect topper for the steak. I've never made a compound butter before, but now that I have...watch out!!

I paired this with some cilantro rice and a grapefruit margarita (recipes coming soon!) and it was the perfect Friday night meal. Ok, so I may have had more than one margarita...but it was Friday, and they were GOOD! Look for that recipe tomorrow, then you can start this weekend off right! And with this steak, of course, too!

Chipotle-Herb Flank Steak

Source: Pampered Chef - 29 Minutes to Dinner

Ingredients

• 1 lb beef flank steak
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
• 1 Tbsp adobo sauce
• 1 lime
• 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, and brush both sides of steak with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Once the skillet is heated, place the steak in the skillet. Cook the steak for 4 minutes on each side, until browned.
2. Place the steak in the oven and roast for 5-7 minutes to reach medium-rare doneness (longer if you want it more done.)
3. Remove the pan from the oven, move the steak to a cutting board and tent with foil and let it stand for 5 minutes.
4. To make the butter, remove the seeds from the chipotle pepper and finely chop. Combine the chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, cilantro, juice of the lime, and the softened butter in a bowl, and mix well.
5. Before serving, microwave for 20 seconds, or until melted.
6. Remove foil from steak against the grain into diagonal strips. Plate the steak and spoon butter mixture over the top.

Taco Tuesday: Chorizo & Egg Tacos

The first time I ate chorizo was sometime last year, at one my office staff meetings. For whatever reason, I thought it was some gross concoction of animal parts that only weird people ate. I was wrong. So wrong. I actually really love it! I still had never bought it, but I needed some for the Tinga Poblana Tacos I made recently, and with the leftover, I decided to make a version of the taco that first introduced me to this delicious meat. Chorizo and Egg. Simple enough, right? But instead of breakfast, I made them for dinner!

I'm not a big breakfast-for-dinner kinda gal, but these tacos definitely earned their place on my dinner menu. Such a simple taco, but so filling and delicious. And with a few added toppings...the flavors were outstanding. Cilantro, sour cream, cheese, and hot sauce...yes please! You can have these babies on the table in under 10 minutes!!!

Chorizo & Egg Tacos

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb chorizo, removed from casing
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• Flour Tortillas
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheese (I used  pepper jack)
• Hot sauce (I used Lousiana Hot Sauce)

Preparation

1. Cook chorizo in a skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times.
2. Season eggs with salt and pepper, and add to skillet. Stir until eggs and chorizo are well mixed and eggs are set.
3. Warm tortillas and spoon chorizo and eggs into the center of each tortilla. Top with sour cream, cheese, hot sauce and cilantro.

Sammich Saturday: Orange-Ginger Pineapple Chicken Sammich

Saturday has always been my favorite day of the week. It's the one day that I feel like I can do whatever I want and I don't have to worry about being tired from working all day, or preparing to work the next day. If I want to sit on the couch all day and watch TV and go out and party with my friends at night, I still have Sunday to sleep in and then get the household chores done. It's also my favorite day to catch up on cooking and baking.

I mentioned to you yesterday that I want to start coming up with more, original recipes and in my attempt to do this, I have done quite a bit of pantry evaluation. During one of these little raids, I came across a couple of ingredients that I purchased awhile back for a sammich idea I had, even before Sammich Saturdays began. And then promptly forgot about it. Oops! But, it's better late than never, right?? That's what I think. And I'm really happy to be sharing this recipe with you now, beause...it. is. delicious. And easy, which is a great attribute for a sammich. Oh, and I can't forget to mention that the citrus and pineapple flavors are great for summer!! You could grill the chicken and the pineapple ring for some added smokiness...that would be great! Mmm.

I don't have a grill here in tiny apartment-ville, so let me know how that turns out if you try it, 'kay? Thanks!

Orange-Ginger Pineapple Chicken Sammich
A Sweet Beginnings' Original

Ingredients
Makes 2 Sammiches

• 2 bonless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup Orange-Ginger Sauce (I used La Choy)
• 2 Pineapple Rings (I used Dole canned in JUICE, not syrup, but fresh would be great for the grill!!)
• 2 Sandwich Rolls (Hawaiian sweet rolls work great!)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a skillet, grill pan or grill over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts. Add chicken to skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until no longer pink in the middle.
2. Meanwhile, heat the sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat, until just warm, then pour the warmed sauce over the chicken, and turn to coat both sides.
3. If you are grilling the pineapple, do so during the last couple of minutes the chicken is cooking, and just long enough to get nice grill marks on each side.
4. Toast or grill your sandwich rolls, spoon a teaspoon of the sauce onto the bottom bun, then top with lettuce, chicken, pineapple ring, and top bun.

Balsamic-Guava Glazed Chicken

It's no secret that I like to cook. And I may have mentioned at some point in the last year that I was always they type to follow recipes and always have the recipe in front of me while cooking so I didn't screw anything up. But, since starting this blog, I have learned about modifying recipes to suit my taste, and I've even come up with a few of my own along the way. And, while there are so many recipes that I've found on my fellow bloggers' sites and in cookbooks that I want to try, I also want to challenge myself to start coming up with more original recipes. I feel that it's important for me, both to share something new with my readers, and to help me learn and grow as a cook and baker. My goal is to have a few new, original recipes each month to share with you!

Today I share with you one of what I hope are many to come. A few weeks back, while mentally shuffling through the contents of my fridge and pantry, I remembered that I had almost a full jar of guava jelly, left over from Cuban Pulled Pork Tacos with Guava Glaze and started thinking of ways I could use it up. Almost immediately I thought of combining it with balsamic vinegar for a glaze. And since I had already used it with pork, chicken seemed like the next good protein to try. I wasn't quite sure how the two would taste together, but it's almost impossible for anything to taste bad when combined with balsamic vinegar - in my biased opinion.

The aroma permeating from the saucepan as it reduced was intoxicating...but I must warn you not to stand directly over the pot...the vinegar can be a bit potent. The end result was a tangy-sweet glaze that was absolutely perfect for my pallet. It complimented the chicken nicely, but I expect it would be great on just about any protein - beef, fish, pork...try it all! But if and when you do - be sure to let me know if you loved it as much as I did!

Balsamic-Guava Glazed Chicken

A Sweet Beginnings' Original

Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup guava jelly
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Preparation

1. Combine vinegar and jelly together in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until jelly is melted, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a slight simmer and allow to reduce for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken breasts and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until no longer pink in the middle. In the last couple of minutes, spoon about a teaspoon of the glaze onto the top of the chicken.
3. Remove each piece of chicken to a plate and drizzle the sauce on top of it - as much or as little as you like.

Grilled Asian Pork Tenderloin Salad

Happy Hump Day! And with that little sentiment, let me just say that this salad definitely increased the size of my hump. My tummy hump, that is. Not because it is an extra-fattening salad, but because I ate this ENTIRE platter. Yeah, you read that right. Piglet here ate it all. But in my defense, the salad greens would have been too soggy if I tried to save them! But if you want to save yourself the increased hump-size, don't make this without having someone to share it with. For real.

However, do take note that I was unable to control myself because it was so stinkin' good!! I've been trying to incorporate more entree salads into my diet, and this was definitely a good one. If only I had some self control!! It was also very quick and easy to make. I made a few minor changes from Pampered Chef's original recipe, but only because I don't own their specific Asian Seasoning. And I don't like onions. But, you already knew that. Anywho...the point is that this is a fantabulous salad, and if eaten in suggested portions, diet-friendly too! :)

Grilled Asian Pork Tenderloin Salad

Adapted from: Pampered Chef - Spin on Salads

Ingredients

• 5 cups mixed salad greens
• 1 bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1/3 cup cilantro leaves
• 2 Tbsp roasted garlic & bell pepper (I used McCormick's Perfect Pinch)
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 lb pork tenderloin
• 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp roasted garlic & bell pepper (I used McCormick's Perfect Pinch)
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1/3 cup canola oil

Preparation

1. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium heat for five minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine roasted garlic & bell pepper, and ginger seasoning with the oil and rub onto the pork tenderloin.
3. Place in the heated skillet and cook for 17-20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches at least 155 degrees F (longer if you prefer well done). Remove pork to a  plate or cutting board, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
4. While pork is resting, arrange salad greens on a platter, and top with bell pepper and cilantro.
5. To make the dressing, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, seasoning and sugar. Slowly whisk in the oil until well blended.
6. Cut the pork into1/2 inch slices and arrange on top of the salad, and drizzle with the dressing.

And, in case you would like to know...this recipe should make 4 servings, at 410 calories, 29g fat per serving.

Taco Tuesday: Tinga Poblana Chicken Tacos

Yay for Taco Tuesday!! Last week was crazy with my work conference, so I didn't get to make tacos on Tuesday :( However, nothing was going to stop me from making these tacos, so I had them on Monday instead! Sarah has never steered me wrong, so I knew I was going to love the flavors of this taco and boy did I! And the timing was good too, since Cinco de Mayo was just on Saturday. I'm all for keeping with holiday themes. Dee-lish! I think the first time I ever had chorizo was last year (I thought it was gross and would never try it...shame on me!), and it turns out that I love it. So, mixing it with the chicken, and chipotle peppers was just too good.

I usually scale back my recipes so that I have enough for dinner, and maybe lunch the next day, but I went ahead and made the full recipe for this. I just had a feeling it would be worth it. I will freeze most of it, but if I didn't have a menu plan to stick to, I could eat it for dinner every night this week! I found that it had just enough bite for me, but if you are sensitive to spicy food, I would cut the amount of chipotle in half.

Tinga Poblana with Chicken

As seen on A Taste of Home Cooking, via William-Sonoma Mexican Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 4 cloves garlic, 2 smashed, 2 minced
• Salt
• 1 Tbsp cooking oil
• 1/2 lb chorizo, casings removed and crumbled
• 1 can chopped tomatoes 
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 canned chipotles en adobo with 1 tablesoon sauce, diced
• Flour Tortillas
• Avocado
• Sour Cream
• Shredded Cheese (I used pepper jack)

Preparation

1. Place the chicken and smashed garlic in a saucepan and add water to cover. Add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface.
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is opaque throughout, 20-30 minutes.
3. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate. Reserve the broth. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard any skin or fat or bones and coarsely shred the meat with your fingers or a fork.
4. In a large frying pan or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the chorizo and fry for about 5 minutes. Remove the excess rendered fat. Add the garlic and saute until beginning to soften, but not yet starting to brown, about 1 minute. Add about 1 cup of the reserved chicken broth, deglaze the pan. Add the shredded chicken, tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves and chiles. Stir until blended.
5. Simmer, uncovered, until the flavors are blended, about 15 minutes. Add more broth to the pan if the mixture begins to stick, but do not add too much; the mixture should absorb the liquid and not be runny. Remove and discard the bay leaves and season to taste with salt.
6. Warm tortillas, spoon a rice into center, and top with chicken mixture. Add avocado, sour cream, and cheese.

Secret Recipe Club: Roasted Cauliflower with Crisped Bacon Lettuce Wraps

It's time again for the Secret Recipe Club reveal. This month I was assigned the blog Cooking with Chopin, Living with Elmo. Ginny is a self-proclaimed happy housewife and mother to two boys, who considers cooking to be therapy. I found many grat recipes to try, including her Smoked Gruyere and Penne Salad with Parsley Parmesan Dressing, which I will be trying soon. But I decided to try the recipe for roasted cauliflower and crisped prosciutto first! I used bacon instead of prosciutto, and it was such a great dish! I don't cook with - or even buy - cauliflower usually, which was part of the draw to this recipe. The great thing about SRC and the recipe swaps I participate in, is the opportunity to try recipes that I may not normally come across.

Ginny has so many great recipes, so head on over to her blog and check it out!


Roasted Cauliflower with Crisped Bacon (Lettuce Wraps)
Source: Cooking with Chopin, Living with Elmo

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
•  salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 strips of bacon, chopped 
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic 
• 1 cup shredded Swiss 
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
• Lettuce leaves 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. 
2. Place cauliflower florets in a bowl, drizzle with one tablespoon of oiul and the balsamic vinegar. Toss to mix.
3. Spread cauliflower onto baking sheet. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Roast cauliflower for 15 minutes, stirring once.  Cauliflower should be slightly brown.  Remove and cool.
5. Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add the bacon to the pan and saute 10 minutes until crisp. Add garlic to pan; saute for an additional minute.  Drain bacon-garlic mixture on a paper towel.
6. Chop cauliflower florets into small pieces.  Place in medium bowl, and add cheese and parsley.  Stir well.  Add bacon mixture and mix again. Spoon mixture into lettuce leaves, drizzle with a little additional balsamic vinegar, and serve.  

Sammich Saturday: Ham & Cheese Sliders

Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod! Are these little sliders fan-freaking-tastic, or what?!?!?! I've had my eye on these little babies for quite some time, but never did I dream that they would be as good as they turned out to be. You're probably thinking, Wow, what a weirdo. They're just ham and cheese sandwiches. But you are wrong. They are so much better than your average little sandwich. The secret is in the sauce. I'm almost drooling just writing about them.

Happy Saturday, by the way. Sorry I got a little excited to tell you about the sliders. But really...so good! By now, I am on the last day of a looong work conference, and dying to get back home. I've been eating hotel and conference food for 3 1/2 days, and haven't cooked since Monday. I'm having kitchen withdrawals. However, my woes will soon be soothed by a nice, cold margarita and Cinco de Mayo celebration and T's house when I get back to town this evening. I always look forward to good times with friends. And margaritas. Yes, margaritas will be nice after the loooong days I've had. What are you doing for Cinco de Mayo? Come, have a margarita with me! Ooh, and you should make these sliders and bring them with you :)

Ham & Cheese Sliders

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Ingredients

Makes up to 24 Sliders

• White dinner rolls (or Hawaiian sweet rolls)
• Thinly sliced honey ham (I used about 3 slices per slider)
• Swiss cheese slices (I cut mine into quarters, and used 2 per slider)
• 2/3 cup miracle whip (or mayo)
• 1 Tablespoon poppyseeds
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 Tablespoon minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Preparation

1. Spread miracle whip onto both sides of each roll. Place a few slices of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them very closely together in a large baking dish or on a foil-lined, heavy cookie sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together poppyseeds, mustard, butter, onion and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. You don't have to use all of the sauce, just use enough to cover the tops. Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly.
4. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes or until tops are slightly brown and crispy. Serve warm.

 

Recipe Swap: Bean & Cheese Taquitos

It's time again for the Recipe Swap! Blogger's Choice is the theme for this round, and has become increasingly popular within our group. We are assigned a blog, and get to choose any recipe we want! How fun is that?? I received Lindsay's blog, Life and Kitchen and I was so excited! I discovered and began following Lindsay's blog recently, and hadn't had a chance to make anything from it, so this gave me the perfect opportunity. It was really hard to choose one thing - her pictures are beautiful and all her food looks so good!! Head over and check it out - you're sure to find some great recipes to try!

Now, onto my selection...I seem to be drawn to taquitos lately (they're sort of like tacos, and you know how I love tacos!), so when I saw these Bean and Cheese Taquitos, I knew it was meant to be! I love bean and cheese tacos, and the addition of the lime juice and zest was perfect for me!! I'm kind of a citrus (lemon and lime, specifically) freak! I highly suggest that you try these...immediately! I ate waaaayyy too many. As in, I made a batch and ate them all. By myself. I didn't share. You see what I'm saying? That good.

Bean & Cheese Taquitos

Source: Life and Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 can  refried beans
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro
• 1 lime
• 2 cups shredded cheese (such as cheddar, Mexican blend, etc)
• Flour tortillas (16-20)
• Cooking spray
• Sea salt for topping

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix the refried beans, black beans, cilantro, and spices.  Then add the zest from the lime and the juice from half of the lime and stir.  Mix in the cheese.
3. Put about two tablespoons of filling lengthwise into each tortilla.  Spread it out into a strip and roll up the tortilla around it.  Place it seam side down on a baking sheet.  Repeat with all of the tortillas.
4. Lightly spray the tortillas with cooking spray and immediately sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake until the edges are golden brown, about 10 minutes. 
5. Serve warm with your choice of dipping sauce (salsa, sour cream, etc.)

Taco Tuesday: Greek Beef Tacos

Hellooooo Tuesday! This week has started off well, and I'm enjoying one more day of quiet before the storm of our annual conference takes hold. 3 days of busy, busy, busy...up at the crack of dawn, interacting with thousands of attendees during the day and attending various receptions at night, and then being more than happy to crawl into my cozy hotel bed at night. It's always a whirlwind, and it's exhausting, but all that hard work makes for a very successful event. Tonight will be the last time I cook a meal this week, and I'm happy to share this delicious taco recipe with you!

The next couple of days will be quiet here at Sweet Beginnings, but Friday and Saturday have some amazing recipes for you so be sure to check back!

Greek Beef Tacos

Slightly adapted from Cassie Craves

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 teaspoons Greek seasoning (oregano, mint, marjoram, thyme)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• Splash of red wine vinegar
• Flour tortillas
• 1 cup sour cream
• Half of a medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and shredded
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Black olives (I did not use, I hate olives, but left here since olives are essentially a Greek topping!) ;)
• Feta cheese
• Diced cucumber

Preparation

1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat, if any.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, Greek seasoning, garlic and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Add spinach and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes, or until spinach is wilted. Add a splash of vinegar, if desired.
3. To make the sauce, squeeze as much liquid out of the cucumber as you can. Combine sour cream, cucumber, and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Warm tortillas and spoon some of the beef mixture into the center of each tortilla. Top with sauce and toppings.