Southwestern Chicken Salad

Have you ever had the Quesadilla Explosion Salad at Chili's? It's super yummy and The Hubs and I both like it. So, a while back I thought I'd make my own version at home. It turned out tasty (and is much more healthy than the real thing - it is amazing how unhealthy restaurant salads can be). The salad only takes about 20 minutes to rinse, chop and assemble, so its great for a quick, week night dinner.

Ingredients:

* 1 lb.chicken, cooked & chopped (see below)
* 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 can corn, drained
* 1 large tomato, chopped
* 1 medium avocado, chopped
* 1/4 to 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (depending on your preference)
* juice from 1/2 a lime
* lettuce
* salad dressing of your choice

Optional Items:

* Cheese Quesadillas on the side
* Shredded Cheese
* Tortilla Strips
* Diced Jalapenos
* Salsa



Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the beans, corn, tomato, avocado and cilantro. Squeeze juice from half a lime over the top and mix.



2. It's easiest to build each salad individually. So, place a portion of lettuce on a plate and top with the black bean mixture. Add chicken and optional toppings.



3. Top with dressing of your choice.



Yield: One head of lettuce, one rotisserie chicken and the black bean mixture made enough for The Hubs and I both to have 2 full meals (4 large salads total).


My Tid-Bits:

* For the chicken you can use 1 store bought rotisserie chicken OR 2 grilled chicken breasts, chopped

* For the dressing I used light ranch, but a lime vinaigrette would be good, too. I also like to use salsa as the dressing.

* The black bean mixture keeps really well in the refrigerator over night; however you may want to leave the avocado out of the mixture if you plan to do that. Cut the avocado in half. Use one half & put the other in a Ziploc. If you suck all of the air out of the Ziploc so it's snug around the avocado & it will be good the next day with no browning.

.

Seemingly Fancy, But Fast & Cheap!

The team had an off-day yesterday, which meant I got the night off too! On my nights off, I always try to cook The Hubs dinner and I had NOTHING in the house to make. A trip to the grocery store was inevitable. While making my grocery list, I pulled out my trusty HEB weekly ad and saw they had Snow Crab Clusters on sale this week.

Crab clusters have been on sale a few times in the past couple of months, but I've always passed them up for one reason or another (mostly because they can be a bit intimidating). However, yesterday I decided to purchase & cook some for The Hubs, as they are one of his favorite things (and I felt guilty that he's eaten cereal & sandwiches for dinner this week while I've been at baseball games). I combined it with some boiled shrimp & corn and that was dinner!

This wasn't my first rodeo with crabs. A couple of years ago, while visiting our friends that live in Seattle, we had a homemade seafood feast after visiting Pike's Market. Talk about GOOD, FRESH SEAFOOD!



Anyway...Crab legs are actually really easy to cook (ahem, if you buy them at the store, they are already cooked - you're just really reheating).

What you need:

A big pot
Water
Old Bay Seasoning
Salt
Crab Leg Clusters
Shrimp, shell on & deveined
Corn on the cob
Melted Butter

What you do:

1. Put water in a big pot (enough water to cover the crab legs once you've put them in). Bring water to a boil.

2. Add Old Bay Seasoning & Salt (see below).

3. Submerge crab legs in boiling water using tongs. Cover & boil for about 8 minutes. Remove crab with tongs and set aside.



4. Drop shrimp & corn into the boiling water. Boil shrimp for 3 minutes or until done. Remove with slotted spoon or tongs. Let corn boil for another minute or two & remove.

5. Melt butter for dipping crab & sopping onto the corn!

6. Put it all on the table with some utensils for digging into the crab (kitchen shears & cocktail forks in our case - classy, right?) & you've got dinner!



And here's the best part...

For our dinner I used 4 crab clusters, 1/2 lb. shrimp, 2 ears of corn & 1/4 cup butter.

Crab Legs: 4 Clusters = 1.7 lbs. x $3.99/lb (on sale) = $6.78
Shrimp: 1/2 lb x $3.99/lb = $2.00
Corn: 2 ears x $0.50 each = $1.00
Butter: 1/4 cup = about $0.25

Grand Total for Seafood Dinner: $10.03

My Tid-Bits:

* This is a great & fun meal for entertaining. It allows everyone to sit at the table & visit while trying to crack & pry open the crab legs.

* Four crab clusters, 1/2 lb. shrimp & corn was plenty for just The Hubs & I. However, if you want to add more "bulk" to the meal, boil some small red potatoes, as well.

* Seasoning: How much seasoning you use it totally dependent on 2 things - 1. How much you are making and 2. Your personal taste. I was cooking a fairly small amount in an 8qt. stockpot & didn't want to over power the crab flavor, so I used 2 Tbsp. Old Bay & 1 Tbsp. Salt. If you like it spicy, add lots of Old Bay!

.

Tomato Basil Couscous

I'm always in search of new side dishes. The Hubs is a bit picky about veggies, but is getting more adventurous when I put new things on his plate. Last week when my new Southern Living came, I saw this recipe for chicken & couscous. While I didn't have all the ingredients for the exact recipe, I used it as a basis for my own couscous creation. It turned out really yummy, was SUPER easy & The Hubs loved it.

Ingredients:

* 1 (10-oz.) package plain couscous
* 1 tablespoons olive oil, divided
* 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
* 2 tablespoons finely minced red onion
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* salt
* pepper



Directions:

1. Prepare couscous according to directions on package.

2. When couscous is ready, mix in olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, basil, onion & lemon juice.



3. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

4. Serve with grilled chicken, shrimp, steak, etc.



My Tid-Bits:

* My ingredient list is a bit different than what the picture shows...that was because I didn't have a red onion & HEB was out of plain couscous. When I cooked the couscous, I just left out the seasoning packet from the box.

* If you've never made couscous before, then you're missing out. It's very versatile & can be mixed with all sorts of veggies, herbs, meats, etc. And its VERY easy to make.

* As I write this post, Barefoot Contessa (love, love, love) is on Food Network making a zucchini couscous. It look delicious. I'll have to try that one next time.

.

Opening Day 2010

Yesterday morning, I woke up, got ready, kissed The Hubs goodbye and said "See you in October." Why? Because yesterday was the Houston Astros Opening Day 2010! And as part of my job, I'm supposed to attend all Astros games (as they are my biggest customer). It really is a good thing I love baseball or I might not be cut out for the job.

Opening Day is my favorite baseball day of the year (Actually that's a lie. To be completely honest, Closing Day is really my favorite because by that time I'm a walking zombie & just want my nights & weekends back). But I love Opening Day because there is just a baseball buzz all around the city & when you arrive at the ballpark the energy is spectacular! There are all kinds of fun activities for the fans & special pre-game festivities.



And the first pitch ball gets delivered by a bunch of guys parachuting into the ballpark...



And we get to give fun gifts to our partners at the Astros & Aramark...



Aren't those so cute??

But the beginning of baseball season also means my cooking slows down quite a bit. I end up eating things like nachos...



And Hot Dogs...



Or maybe a brisket sandwich, fajitas, popcorn, chicken sandwich, etc. Luckily Minute Maid Park has a wide variety of food choices. And if I get desperately tired of the regular food, the chefs are nice enough to cook up something different for me.

All of that being said, I will do my best to still post new recipes as often as possible.

Here's to a great 2010 Season! GO ASTROS!

P.S. If any of you are readers from Houston, this Saturday, April 10th the Astros will be celebrating their 45th Anniversary. There will be $1 Hot Dogs & Cokes. The team will be wearing their old school jerseys & the grounds crew will be dressed like the grounds crew 45 years ago at the Astrodome: they wore space suits, helmets & carried vacuums to keep the Astroturf clean. I KID YOU NOT! It should be a lot of fun, so if you are in Houston, come out to the ballpark!!

Semi-Homemade Pizza

I'm sure that most of you are looking forward to Friday because you have the day off. For me Friday marks the end of my freedom (well at least until October). Because as of Friday, Astros Baseball is back in full swing. Don't get me wrong I LOVE baseball. And I love the Astros. It's just that being at every game kind of puts a damper on your personal life. Just ask The Hubs & my friends.

It also means that I have to get creative my with cooking & come up with things I can either leave for The Hubs to fix himself (while I eat ANOTHER hot dog) or find things that I can make very quickly when I get home (should I sneak out of the game a bit early).

Last year, I came up with several quick & easy menu ideas and made sure to keep the ingredients on hand. One of those items was Semi-Homemade Pizza.

Ingredients:

* Pre-made Pizza Crust
* Pizza Sauce
* Shredded Cheese - Pizza Blend
* Your Choice of Toppings

Directions:

1. Prepare your toppings.

2. Lightly brush your crust with olive oil.



3. Spread sauce evenly over crust.



4. Arrange toppings on top of the sauce.



5. Sprinkle with cheese.



6. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes (or according to directions on your crust package).



My Tid-Bits:

* For the crust, I use Mama Mary's because its what my HEB carries.



* I've tried several pizza sauces & like Pastorelli the best. Try a few different sauces until you find the one you like best.



* Steps 4 & 5 can be reversed. It's just a matter of preference: Do you like your toppings under or on top of the cheese?

* Toppings: Use whatever toppings you like best. When I made pizzas last night, I caramelized some onions, diced up some roasted red peppers (that were left over from the Orzo Pasta Salad I made last week), browned some Italian Sausage for The Hubs' pizza & sauteed some mushrooms. I also like to dice up some fresh basil to sprinkle over the top after they come out of the oven.

* Other topping ideas include: pepperoni, bell pepper, olives, tomatoes, zucchini, chicken, onion, shrimp, etc.

* If you're having people over, especially friends with kiddos, this is a great meal for a dinner party. You provide the crust/dough, sauce & cheese and have your guests each bring a topping or two (just make sure that multiple people aren't bringing the same things). Then everyone can make their own pizzas!

* If I prep the toppings before hand, I can have the pizzas assembled, cooked and on the table in 20 minutes. Great for busy nights!

* And lastly... LET'S GO ASTROS!!! Here's to a great season that will hopefully go well into October.

My New Favorite Fast Breakfast

I'm a breakfast eater. For me, eating breakfast isn't optional, its a must. If I don't have breakfast, I'm unpleasant and starving for lunch by 10:00. My typical breakfast is an English Muffin or left over (frozen) pancakes, but occasionally I get bored with those & want to try something different.

I love smoothies & think they are a great breakfast option; however I never make them because it never fails that if I buy the yogurt, berries, etc. to make them, they go bad before I have the chance to use them all or my smoothie doesn't turn out the right consistency, etc. If I want a smoothie, I usually resort to a trip to my fave, Jamba Juice!

That is until a friend told me about Yoplait Smoothies. I'm not taking about the drinkable liquidy ones you find by the yogurt. I'm talking about the one in the frozen fruit section at the grocery store. Y'all, this is good! It's basically frozen berries & chunks of frozen yogurt in a bag.

All you have to do it toss it in the blender...



Add 1 cup of milk...



And you have your smoothie!!



They come in 3 flavors: Triple Berry, Strawberry Banana & Strawberry Mango Pineapple.

And what makes them even better is that they are low in calories & fat. The entire bag + 1 cup skim milk = 220 calories & 3g fat. (They say each bag is 2 servings, but lets be honest - since when is a tiny 8 oz. smoothie going to fill you up and hold you over until lunch? I say eat the whole thing).

So next time you're at the grocery store, pick one up to try.



P.S. I just realized this entire post sounds like a cheesy infomercial, but I'm being sincere. They really are good.

Sour Cream Pound Cake Cupcakes

I LOVE to bake & will use any excuse to whip up something delightful. This weekend I had the perfect excuse: Our friends C&B came in to stay with us and go to NCAA Tournament (YEAH DUKE!) AND we also invited our new friends M&E over for some basketball watching & Wii playing (which eventually led to a late night trip to the REAL bowling alley - SO FUN)! I thought this would be the perfect time to try out a new recipe I had recently seen in Southern Living.

These Sour Cream Pound Cake Cupcakes look delicious in the magazine, so I thought I'd give them a try.

They did not disappoint! They were very easy to make & tasted OH SO GOOD!

Note: In the magazine & online they have several different versions of this cupcake, but I played it safe and went with the original thinking everyone would like them best.


Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
* 2 cups sugar
* 4 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
* Desired Frosting




Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in sugar until light and fluffy.



3. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.



4. Stir in vanilla.




5. In a separate bowl, combine flour and next 3 ingredients.



6. Gradually add flour mixutre to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beating until blended. Add in this order: 1 cup flour mixture, 1/2 of the sour cream, 1 cup flour mixture, remaining sour cream, remaining flour mixture.



7. Spray your mini muffin pan with Bakers Joy or use muffin liners.



8. Spoon batter by rounded tablespoonfuls into lightly greased miniature muffin pans.



9. Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 30 minutes). Makes 6 dozen mini cupcakes.



10. Top cupcakes with your favorite frosting. I used Southern Living's Vanilla Buttercream .



Note: To prepare regular-size cupcakes, spoon batter into 2 lightly greased or lined 12-cup muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Bake at 350º for 22 to 24 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool and decorate as desired. Makes 2 dozen.

My Tid-Bits:

* These were good. Almost too good. I couldn't stop eating them, which is not good considering its about to be summer and all.

* However, I will definitely be trying some of the variations on this cupcake. The Salted Caramel Chocolate ones sound yummy!

* As you can see, I chose to make both mini cupcakes & regular sized. This was perfect for our guests. Some wanted the WHOLE cupcake and some just wanted a bite (and some had BOTH, but I'm not naming any names). This recipe made 2 dozen minis and 1 dozen regulars.

* These pound cake cupcakes would also be great for personal strawberry shortcakes. Just top with whip cream & berries!

.