Chipotle Chicken Tacos

Yummmmm!!! These are so simple and so flavorful. Definitely a family favorite and a quick dinner solution if you marinate it ahead of time.

Chipotle Chicken Tacos

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups chipotle sauce
2 tbs lime juice
2tbs cilantro finely chopped
6 leaves romaine lettuce sliced into long thin strips
Sour cream
Sliced green onions
2 cups mexican blend cheese
1 large tomato diced
Taco sized tortillas


1.Marinate the chicken breasts in 1 cup of chipotle sauce for at least 3 hours.
2. Cook the chicken breasts in frying pan until cooked all the way through. Once breasts are cooked remove from pan and shred as finely as possible, either using your hands or using two forks, one to hold the breast while the other scrapes the chicken until throughly shredded.
3. Mix shredded chicken, cilantro, lime juice and remaining 1 cup of chipotle sauce.
4. In a clean frying pan, heat tortillas one at a time until warmed. Assemble tacos using chicken mixture, lettuce, cheese, tomato, sour cream and green onions as desired. Enjoy!

Margherita Pizza

Okay, so here is a quicker lighter alternative to the pervious pizza post. This one lends itself to crowd pleasing appetizers or you can eat it as a meal if you really dig it.



Margherita Pizza

1 can refridgerated pizza dough
1-2 cups finely grated mozzarella cheese
4 roma tomatoes sliced thin
4-5 leaves fresh basil sliced into long thin strips
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tbs olive oil (or truffle oil if you're feeling adventurous)
1 tbs blasamic vinegar
Cooking spray




1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll out pizza crust until 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Place in oven for 8 minutes. Remove from oven.
2. Combine 2 tbs olive oil and minced garlic in a small bowl. Brush crust with oil and garlic mixture.
3. Arrange tomato slices on crust leaving a half inch border. Sprinkle pizza with mozzarella. Evenly distribute basil leaves around pizza. Bake for 12 minutes, until cheese is melted and crust is golden.
4. Mix together 1 tbs olive oil (or truffle oil) and balsamic vinegar. Carefully drizzle over pizza. Cut into slices and enjoy!

Southwestern Won Tons

I know, I know it's been forever since I posted, but I am getting back into the food blogging-sphere. Cooking is something I love to do and I have not stopped, I just needed a little time to focus on some more pressing things. I have finally found a balance and am making an effort to put some food and photography into my life. That being said, let's make some food!




Southwestern Won Tons




1 Package Won Ton Wrappers
4-5 white mushrooms chopped very fine
2 cups small shrimp, cooked
6 green onions chopped
2 ears of corn
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg beaten
2 tbs butter




1. Slice kernals off of corn. Add corn, green onions, mushrooms and butter to pan and sautee until liquid evaporates. Chop shrimp super fine and add to pan. Once shrimp is heated, remove pan from heat.

2. Place cream cheese and parmesan cheese in a medium sizxed mixing bowl. Add warm corn mixture to the bowl and mix until cream cheese is evenly distributed. There should be no lumps (adding the corn mixutre while still warm will heat up the cream cheese and make it easier to mix). Allow mixture to cool before assembling won tons.

3. To assemble won tons, place one wrapper on a clean dry surface. Add a small spoonful of mixture to the center of the won ton wrapper. Brush a small strip of beaten egg around all edges of the won ton wrapper. Fold all corners up to meet at the top and close the won ton. Make sure all edges are completely sealed, if any edges are gaping they will open during frying, which will destroy the won ton. Repeat with remaining wrappers and mixture until mixture is gone. You will probably have leftover wrappers.

4. Once won tons are all assembled you can begin frying. Add won tons, placing right side up, a few at a time to deep fryer. Once they are browned on all sides, remove from oil. Continue until all wont tons are cooked.

5. Enjoy won tons with you favorite dipping sauce! Personally, I like them with avocado ranch.

Cheesy Garlic and Spinach Toast

This french bread is so amazing I actually have dreamt about it. Stop laughing. It's that good. Now, I know the mayo sounds really strange, personally I wasn't sure about it the first time I saw a similar recipe but it somehow helps make a delicious cheesy bread topping. Come on now, have I ever steered you wrong?

2 Tbs butter, melted
1/2 c. mayo
2 garlic cloves chopped
1 tsp tabasco sauce
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
5-7 spinach leaves
Half of a 4 inch piece of french bread

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together butter, hot sauce, mayo, chopped garlic, cheese and spinach.
2. Spread the mixture onto the french bread and bake for about 15-20 minutes, until the bread is crispy. Enjoy! :)

Seared Scallops

If you love seafood half as much as I do you'll devour these scallops in a hot second. The best part is how quick it is too make and its pretty healthy.

4 large scallops
2 Tbs butter
3 Tbs white wine
Splash of balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin

1. Sear the scallops in butter until browned on both sides, and cooked through. Remove from pan.
2. Add wine, vinegar, and garlic to scallop pan. Simmer, incorporating scallop residue from the bottom of the pan into the sauce. Simmer until garlic is cooked through.
3. Drizzle the wine sauce over the scallops and serve on top of a summer salad, if desired.

Fried Egg Sandwich

Okay, this is absolutely one of my not-so-guilty pleasures. 99% of the time I make this as a midnight snack instead of for breakfast, but it's great anytime of day.

2 slices of french bread
butter
1 egg
spinach
grape tomatoes
mayo
1 slice swiss cheese
balsamic glaze

1. Butter both sides of each piece of french bread and sear in a hot pan until toasted on each side. Remove from pan. Spread one side of each piece with mayo.
2. Crack egg into pan, folding half the egg white over the yolk when the egg is almost cooked. Cook in pan until egg is done to your liking. Flip egg over and put a slice of swiss cheese on the hot egg so it starts to melt. Remove egg from pan and put on one piece of bread.
3. Add spinach and sliced tomatoes to the sandwich, drizzle with balsamic glaze and top with remaining piece of bread. Enjoy!

**Note I recommend eating this sandwich with a sharp knife and fork. It tends to get too messy if you pick it up and eat it, especially if you like your eggs runny.

Super Delicious Pizza

This pizza was so good we ate it all in one night! I love when I make things that don't have left overs! It's real easy to make and really healthy. (And way less expensive than any kind of delivery pizza)


1 pkg pizza crust mix
4-5 roma tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
1 pkg fresh mozzarella
parsley
basil
rosemary
olive oil
handful of spinach
4 mushrooms sliced
balsamic glaze


1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Cut tomatoes in half and place in a 2 inch deep pan, cut side up. Slice garlic cloves super thin and place on top of tomatoes. sprinkle with rosemary, basil and parsley. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, flipping tomatoes over half way through.
3. Make pizza crust according to package. Press into a round pizza pan.
4. When tomatoes are baked, remove from oven. Blend 3-4 tomato halves until liquid. Spread tomato mixture onto pizza crust. Slice remaining baked tomatoes and spread evenly across pizza.
5. Remove baked garlic from the tomato pan and spread across pizza. Slice up mozzarella and spread the large pieces evenly around pizza. Place the mushroom slices and spinach evenly around the pizza. Drizzle the balsamic glaze lightly across the pizza toppings.
6. Bake until pizza crust is golden brown (about 20 minutes).