School is almost back in and the holidays are officially over. While I love all the festivities, I crave the rhythm of normalcy. Wash, rinse, repeat. Can I get an amen?
Beef & Sweet Potato Enchiladas- I make this multiple times a month because it’s just so good. I don’t use frozen sweet potatoes the recipe calls for, I can never find them, so I just chop a sweet potato and roast it then add them in after the taco-flavored meat is cooked. You can see the full recipe here.
Roasted Cauliflower Soup- I’m taking advantage of this week's chilly Florida weather with all the soups and comforting warm meals!
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 small onion, diced
2 Cups white cheddar cheese
2.5 Cups Chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Sprig of Thyme
1 Tablespoon Parsley
8 bacon slices
Nutmeg
Cayenne
Toss your cauliflower florets in olive oil along with salt and pepper and roast at 400 • until they have some color. Golden brown. This should take about 20 minutes.
While those are roasting, cook your bacon until crisp. When those are done, remove all but about 2 Tablespoons of bacon grease, and sauté onions until golden and translucent. The longer the better. Drop in your thyme, if using fresh, and continue to sauté.
Add in the minced garlic and stir for 1 minute being careful not to burn it. Pour in your broth & parsley and bring to a boil until your cauliflower is done roasting.
Add in the roasted cauliflower, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Puree the soup until there are no more chunks. Or leave some if you like that! We like ours smooth, but some bits of roasted cauliflower would be yummy as well.
Slowly stir in the cheddar cheese and the parmesan. Once melted, mix in your heavy whipping cream. Add a small dash of nutmeg and a pinch of cayenne. This doesn’t add spice. Just does something to it. But don’t add more than a pinch.
Top with bacon crumbles and enjoy!
Chicken Bellagio- A copycat from The Cheesecake Factory. This is a multi-step recipe that does take a few extra minutes but it’s SO good and so worth it! If you’ve never had it it’s a breaded chicken breast on top of basil noodles topped with a parmesan cream sauce, prosciutto, and arugula. 10/10!
4 chicken breasts, pounded thin
1.5 cups of your favorite breading
2 eggs
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
4-6 slices of thin prosciutto
2 cups arugula
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
Olive oil
1 lemon
Salt & pepper
Pasta of choice
1/4 cup Basil Stir in Paste, this one!
For the Parmesan Cream Sauce (basically an Alfredo)
8 Tablespoons butter
2 oz cream cheese
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup parmesan, grated
Pepper
Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
Pound chicken thin and salt and pepper on each side.
Get 2 dishes ready, I use ones like these…. 1 with the eggs & 2 Tablespoons of heavy cream, whisk this together, and then 1 with the bread crumbs & parm.
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
Dredge chicken in egg the coat in the breadcrumbs.
Shallow fry each chicken breast until cooked through and keep warm until cream sauce is done. You may need to do this in stages to not overcrowd the pan adding in more oil if necessary in between.
If you're making pasta with this, get that cooked and drained. Once it’s drained, just before serving, mix in the basil paste to coat the noodles and a good drizzle of olive oil. If you don’t want them saucy, sprinkle in a little parm, about 1/4 cup. Mix it well.
Once the chicken is done, wipe out the pan and start your cream sauce,
Melt the butter on medium-low and add in the cream cheese. Using a whisk, swirl the cream cheese so it can start melting.
Add in the heavy whipping cream, whisking to combine. Bring it to a slight simmer, not a boil.
Sprinkle in the parmesan whisking to combine until it thickens. Season with a good amount of pepper and a teeny pinch of nutmeg if you have it.
To plate this…ladle down a little of the cream sauce, and noodles, then place the chicken on top with a little more cream sauce, then the strips of prosciutto, top with a handful of arugula, and a squeeze of lemon!
Enjoy!
Teriyaki Salmon - if it’s easy, I’m making it and this one doesn’t get much easier. With sugar-free marinade and an air fryer, it’s a true love story!
4 salmon filets
1 cup G Hughes Sugar-Free Teriyaki Marinade, divided
Noodles of your choice, we like fettuccine or linguine for this recipe.
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 an onion, sliced
8oz Shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 cup asparagus, diced
1/2 head Napa cabbage, sliced thin
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 garlic glove, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup green onions
1-2 teaspoons sriracha, to the heat level you like
Sesame seeds
salt & pepper to taste
Half an hour before cooking the salmon, place filets in a resealable baggie and coat with 1/2 cup of the teriyaki marinade. Place in the fridge until ready to cook and prepare your air fryer by lining it with aluminum foil and spray with a little cooking spray.
Mix the chicken broth, soy sauce, sriracha (if using), and remaining 1/2 cup of Teriyaki sauce. Stir to combine. Set aside.
Prepare whichever noodles you are using by following package directions.
In a large pan, heat the olive oil and sesame oil over medium heat.
Sauté sliced onions for 5-7 minutes or until browned a little. Season with a little salt and pepper. Add in the mushrooms and continue to sauté for 3 minutes.
Add in the asparagus and sauté for 5 more minutes.
Time to start the salmon! Place the filets in the prepared air fryer and sprinkle them with pepper and sesame seeds. Air fry at 375 for 15-17 minutes. All for fryers vary so check them at 15. We like ours well done so we go the full 17.
Back to the sauce. Stir in the ginger and garlic. Stir fry for 30 seconds being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add in the Napa cabbage and stir to sauté’. Once the cabbage is wilted slightly, add in the reserved sauce and toss to coat. Lower heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Keep warm. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed, sprinkle in 1/4 cup of the green onions.
Once the salmon is done, plate the noodles, top them with the salmon filets, and garnish with green onions and more sesame seeds
Creamy Spinach-Stuffed Chicken - Add this to your, ‘What do I do with this chicken’ recipe list! So. Darn. Good!
2 large chicken breasts, halved and pounded thin (to make 4)
4 oz chive and onion cream cheese, softened
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
1, 10oz pack frozen spinach, thawed & extra water squeezed out
1/4 cup parmesan
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1.5 cups breading, like Italian breadcrumbs or panko
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons water
pepper to taste
oil for shallow frying
Mix together the cream cheese, mozz, parmesan, squeezed dry spinach, garlic, onion powder, and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Set this aside.
Place the chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag or between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound until they are bout ¼ inch thick.
Lay out each breast and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper
Put a good amount of the cheese stuffing in the center, about 1/4 cup, and roll them into a tight roll keeping the stuffing on the inside. Wrap them in cling wrap (see pic below) and refrigerate for one hour, or overnight if prepping ahead.
Set up a dredging station in 2 shallow bowls.
In one, crack the eggs and whisk with 2 Tablespoons of water, in the other one put the breading you plan on using.
Heat about ½ inch of olive oil or avocado oil over medium-high heat.
Dip each chicken roll in the egg wash and then roll about in the cracker crumbs to coat well.
Cook them on all sides until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side, flipping when needed. This will take about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
Place them on a paper towel to drain any extra oil.
Let them stand for 5 minutes then slice and serve!
As the song says, “and mom and dad can hardly wait for school to start again” For me it is not for her to get out of the house but as you said to get back into routine!