Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs!

Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Spicy Watermelon Margarita
c/o Cookie and Kate

Ingredients

Watermelon juice

• 1 small seedless watermelon, or half of a larger watermelon

Chili-salt rims

• 1 part kosher salt
• 1 part ancho chili powder or regular chili powder
• Lime wedges

Ingredients per margarita

• 2 ounces fresh watermelon juice
• 1½ ounces tequila, preferably 100% agave silver or blanco tequila
• ¾ ounce fresh lime juice
• ½ ounce fresh orange juice
• ½ teaspoon agave nectar or simple syrup, more to taste
• 1 thinly sliced jalapeño round (1/4th inch wide, a little goes a long way!)
• Optional garnish: 1 tiny watermelon wedge

Directions

1. To make the watermelon juice, scoop the watermelon flesh into your blender and blend until it has turned into a smooth juice. Depending on your watermelon, you may or may not need to strain out the pulp (if it's too pulpy for your liking, pour it through a fine mesh strainer, pressing the liquid through with a big spoon).
2. To prepare your margarita glasses: On a small, rimmed plate, mix together equal parts salt and chili powder. I like to use my fingers to rub the chili powder into the salt (be sure to wash your hands afterward). Run a wedge of lime around the top of each glass. Dip the top of the glass into the salt blend at a 45-degree angle and roll it from side to side to catch the salt. Add ice cubes to your glass and set it aside.
3. To make margaritas (feel free to make multiple margaritas at once): Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the watermelon juice, tequila, lime juice, orange juice, agave nectar and top with a jalapeño slice.
4. Secure the lid to the shaker and shake for 30 seconds. Taste and add additional sweetener if necessary. Strain the liquid into your prepared glass(es). Cheers!

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers

c/o Skinny Taste

Ingredients

4 portobello mushroom caps

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoons olive oil 

1 tbsp chopped rosemary

1-1/2 tsp steak seasoning like Montreal Steak Grill Mates

4 thick slices red onion

4 oz reduced fat Swiss

4 thin slices tomato

1/2 avocado, sliced thin

baby spinach

4 whole wheat low calorie buns

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, oil, rosemary, and Montreal steak seasoning. Place the mushroom caps in the bowl and toss with sauce, using a spoon to evenly coat. Let stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, turning a few times.

Heat the grill or indoor grill pan over medium heat. When hot, brush the grate with oil or lightly spray the grill pan. Place the mushrooms on the grill, reserving marinade for basting. Grill for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until tender, brushing with marinade frequently. 

Top the mushrooms with cheese during the last minute of cooking. While the mushrooms cook, grill the onions about 1 minute on each side and grill the buns until toasted.

To finish, place the spinach and grilled portobello mushrooms on the buns and top with the grilled onions, sliced tomato and avocado.

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

c/o Buns in My Oven

Ingredients

• 1 recipe chocolate chip cookie dough, made with mini chocolate chips
• 1 box refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)
• chocolate syrup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Prepare cookie dough as directed, substituting mini chocolate chips for the regular chocolate chips.
3. Roll cookie dough into 18 small cookie balls.
4. Roll out pie crust and use a 3 inch diameter round cookie cutter to cut circles from the dough. Re-roll the dough as needed to end up with 12 circles.
5. Place the pie crust in a muffin tin. Place a ball of cookie dough in each crust.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until crust is golden and cookie dough is mostly cooked through, though still slightly gooey.
7. Drizzle with chocolate syrup before serving.
8. Place remaining 6 cookie dough balls in a freezer safe bag to save for baking another day, or bake immediately at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday love bugs, here are some of my favorite recipes for the week!

Apple Hot Toddy
c/o Cookie and Kate

Ingredients

• 1 green tea or black tea bag 
• 1 1/2 ounces rye whiskey or bourbon
• 1 ounce real apple cider
• 1/2 small lemon
• garnishes: thin, round slices of lemon, a cinnamon stick, and star anise

Directions

1. Heat water to the boiling point and pour over the tea bag in a mug. Leave about an inch of room in your mug for the whiskey and cider. Let the tea steep for a few minutes, then discard the bag so the tea doesn’t get bitter.
2. Pour in the whiskey or bourbon and a hefty splash of apple cider (adjust these amounts to suit your tastes). Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and garnish with lemon slices, a cinnamon stick and a star anise. Sip up.

Chicken Noodle Soup
c/o Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3-pound chicken, in parts or 3 pounds chicken pieces of your choice
8 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large carrot, diced (1/3-inch)
1 medium parsnip, diced (1/3-inch) (optional)
1 large celery stalk, diced (1/3-inch)
3 ounces dried egg noodles
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Prepare broth: In a large (5-quart) heavy pot over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil. Add the onion and saute it for 3 to 4 minutes, until beginning to take on color at edges. Add the chicken pieces (if too crowded, can do this in two batches), making little wells in the onions so that the parts can touch the bottom of the pan directly. Cook chicken parts until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Add water, bay leaf, table salt and some freshly ground black pepper and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and skim any (sorry for lack of better term) scum that appears at the surface of the pot. Simmer pot gently, partially covered, for 20 minutes.

Transfer chicken parts to a plate to cool a bit before handling. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl (ideally, with a spout) and pour soup through it.

If your pot looks grimy and you’re fanatical about having a clear soup, you can give it a quick wash before returning the broth to the pot. You can remove a bit of fat at this point, if it looks necessary. Bring the broth back to a simmer.

You may be tempted at this point to taste it and add more salt. I know this because I do it every single time, adding another teaspoon, and every. single. time. I regret this as it is too salty in the end. So, proceed with any re-seasoning with caution.

To finish and serve: Add diced vegetables and simmer them until they’re firm-tender, about 5 minutes. Add dried noodles and cook them according to package directions, usually 6 to 9 minutes. While these simmer, remove the skin and chop the flesh from a couple pieces of chicken, only what you’re going to use. You won’t need all of it in the soup. I usually use the breasts first because they’re my least favorite and benefit the most from the extra moisture of the soup. The remaining parts can be slipped into an airtight bag in the fridge (I recommend leaving the skin on for retained moisture until needed) and used for chicken salad or the like over the next few days.

Once noodles have cooked, add chicken pieces just until they have rewarmed through (30 seconds) and ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with dill or parsley, dig in and let it fix everything that went wrong with your day.

Chicken Cheddar Bacon Rice Ranch Bake
c/o Cassie Craves

Ingredients 
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
3 1/2 cups milk
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain rice
1 cup sour cream
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onions until translucent and softened. Add garlic, salt, and pepper and cook and stir for 30 seconds.

3. Add flour and mix well for 30 seconds, or until the mixture is bubbling. Stir stock, milk, and ranch seasoning into flour mixture.Turn heat to medium high and add one cup cheese and continue to whisk as mixture comes to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning.

4. Add rice and lower heat to medium low. Cook until the rice absorbs most of the liquid and is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Stir in the sour cream, then stir in the chicken and bacon.

5. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13-inch casserole. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese evenly over the rice. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling.