Maple Vanilla Granola

This is my first not an "entree" or "main dish" recipe!

Granola is something I enjoy making. Making homemade granola is wonderful because you know exactly what goes in to it. You know how much sugar you add and how much oil there is. The ingredients are no secret.

Yogurt and granola is one of my favorite breakfasts and snacks. Or I just eat by the handful.
SERIOUSLY. It's kinda dangerous because before I know it I will have eaten the entire container.

Nothing like a belly full of granola.

 Starting to boil...

 Look at that melted sugar...

 Yum and Yum...

So please, deprive yourself no more...


Maple Vanilla Granola

2 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup sliced or whole almonds
1/4 cup raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp real maple syrup

Heat oven to 300

1. Mix together oats,almonds, raisins,cinnamon and salt.
2. Mix together vanilla, brown sugar, canola oil, and maple syrup and heat up in small sauce pan over high heat.
3. Bring to boil. Stir together with a whisk.
4. When ingredients melted together, remove from heat.
5. Pour ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir together.
6. Pour on a greased cookie sheet or use a baking mat.
7. Cook for approx 20-30 minutes. (Taking out and stirring every 10 minutes.) Last 20 to 30 minutes check frequently to ensure it doensn't burn. Remove when golden brown.
8. Cool completely on cookie sheet.

**For chunkier granola, keep granola more clumped together on sheet. When granola is cooling, don't break apart, but let it cool first! :)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

It has been so cold in Chicago. UNBEARABLY cold.

The kind of cold where you want to curl up in a ball under huge fuzzy blankets and not budge.
Where you walk outside and the wind is biting and and your fingers go numb in 10 seconds.

Can't say I like it.

I feel cold all the time.

It's months like this when all I want to do is drink warm drinks, and eat comfort foods. Lots of coffee, lots of tea, and loads of hot chocolate with marshmallows piled on top. Give me chili, soup and (if i wasn't lactose intolerant) a huge bowl of macaroni and cheese.

Anyways, this week my roommate requested that I make my Chicken Tortilla Soup. This is one of my favorite soups ever, and I LOVE this recipe. I got it from my grandma, and everyone I make it for loves it!

My husband is obsessed with this soup. By obsessed I mean that I once taught him to cook it and it is one of the few things he cooks. IN fact, he almost makes it too much...


Well, I thought you would all appreciate it. Make it soon, YOU WILL LIKE IT!

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 4 oz green chiles
1 15 oz diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp lemon pepper
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2- 1 tsp hot sauce
4 tbsp flour
1/2 cup hot water
1/3 cup sour cream
 1 Ib chicken breasts- chopped into small pieces

Cilantro for seasoning, lime wedge
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheese for topping 

Directions:

1) Heat oil over med/high heat in a large pot.
2) When heated, add onion & garlic. Saute until onion soft.
3) Add chili's, tomatoes, chicken broth, lemon pepper, Worcertershire sauce, cumin, chili powder & hot sauce. Bring to boil.
4) When boiling, reduce to simmer for 20 minutes.
5) Meanwhile heat up olive oil in a large saute pan. When heated add chopped chicken. Cook until done ( approx 8-10 min). Remove from heat.
5) Next whisk together 4 tbsp flour with 1/2 cup hot water in a separate bowl. Add to soup and simmer for 5 minutes.
7) Stir in 1/3 cup sour cream.
8) Add chicken to broth mixture.
9) Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10) Serve with freshly chopped cilantro, shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips on top of each bowl. Squeeze fresh lime and enjoy!
3) Add chili's, tomatoes, chicken broth, lemon pepper, Worcertershire sauce, cumin, chili powder & hot sauce. Bring to boil.
4) When boiling, reduce to simmer for 20 minutes.
5) Meanwhile heat up olive oil in a large saute pan. When heated add chopped chicken. Cook until done ( approx 8-10 min). Remove from heat.
5) Next whisk together 4 tbsp flour with 1/2 cup hot water in a separate bowl. Add to soup and simmer for 5 minutes.
7) Stir in 1/3 cup fat free sour cream (or plain greek yogurt!)
8) Add chicken to broth mixture.
9) Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10) Serve with freshly chopped cilantro, shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips on top of each bowl. Squeeze fresh lime and enjoy!

Moroccan Vegetables with Spiced Chicken

Have you ever had Moroccan inspired food? It is so vibrant, rich and earthy. Truly a unique mixture of flavors!

This week I decided to go for it.

I wanted to cook something other than the typical American meal. Not that I have anything against macaroni & cheese, casseroles, hamburgers, and french fries!

Sometimes my palate needs something new. This seemed to fit the bill.

I asked my roommates what they thought. One said there was " a lot going on"....but they both finished their bowls with smiles on their faces. I'm taking that as a good sign :)

 

Couscous
Prepare 1 cup uncooked couscous per package directions


Moroccan Ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes, coarsely diced
2 zuchinni, coarsely diced
1 red onion, coarsely diced
1/4 cup raisins
2 garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp olive oil

dash red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ginger
1 cinnamon stick
dash of paprika
salt and pepper to taste


1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup fresh parsley

Chicken Ingredients:
1.5 lbs chicken tenders
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp paprika
2 tsp turmeric

1. Combine all the spices.
2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place in large ziplock bag. Add spices and mix it up.
3. Let chicken marinate for about 15 minutes.
4. Heat olive oil in large nonstick pan over med-high heat or on the grill.
5. Add chicken to pan. Cook until done (approx 4 minutes each side).

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot.
2. Add diced vegetables and spice mixture and cook approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute. ( Just cook vegetables until they are soft/tender). 
3. Add raisins.
4. Add chicken broth and simmer for approx 10 minutes.
5. Stir in fresh parsley

 Serve  in bowl. Scoop couscous. Ladle vegetables on top. Serve with chicken strips on side. Sprinkle on parsley and almonds.

Go on..give it a try!

Kale, Leek and White Bean Soup

 

The other day some friends were over and we were trying to think of what we should have for dinner. It was cold out, and the thought of soup was very appealing.

Something warm, healthy and soothing.

So, I looked in the fridge and saw some carrots, celery and onions ( the basics you need for most soups).

We took a trip to the grocery store and grabbed some leeks, one bunch of kale, 2 beans of white beans and a hearty loaf of bread. Threw it together in a pot and Voila! 

It was quite delicious. Not only is it fast, but it's filling and makes a lot!

Ingredients:

3 carrots (diced)

1 onion (diced)

2 (12.5oz) cans of white beans (rinsed and drained)

2 leeks, roots/dark green end cut off. Slice leeks long ways down the middle and chop to desired width. (You can always google "how to slice leeks". Quite helpful if it's new to you)

1/2 bunch of kale, coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

Fresh parsley ( about 1/4 cup chopped)

2, 32 oz containers of chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 tsp thyme, dried

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

 1. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot, or dutch oven, over medium heat.

2. When heated, add carrots, onion, and leeks. Stir and cook until tender (approx 5 minutes). 

3. Add in garlic, thyme, bay and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for 1 minute.

4. Add beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Add in kale and cook until tender ( approx 5 minutes) 

5. Stir in fresh parsley. Remove bay leaf.

Serve with some hearty, whole grain bread.

Maple Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops with Sautéed Broccoli

Here it is…. .the FIRST recipe!

I’m so excited. This whole “blog” thing has me constantly thinking about what to cook so I can post it for you all. Of course, Matt ( the husband) totally tries to use it to his advantage.

He likes to say, “ You should DEFINITELY cook that...it’d be great for the blog”. (Of course, this is usually referring to some recipe he really wants to have. Using the blog to his advantage—so manipulative.)

Anyways, I thought I’d start off with what I made for dinner tonight. It was quick, simple and delicious. I’ve seen several recipes on the web for this type of pork chop, but I changed the recipes and did it my own way.

Served it with a simple side of sautéed broccoli. It was delicious! The roommates loved it. This is definitely a keeper.

 

Maple Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops

4 boneless center cut pork chops

2 tbsp olive oil

½ cup balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp maple syrup (Try and use the real kind….Not that Aunt Jemima stuff ;) )

2 tsp dijon mustard

½ tsp rosemary, dried

½ tsp thyme, dried

½ tsp fennel seeds, dried (If you don’t have these, you can use oregano)

1 garlic clove, minced (make sure it’s a decent sized one, if its tiny..use two)

Salt

Pepper

1. Pat pork chops dry with paper towels.

2. Mix rosemary, thyme, fennel together. Evenly pat on the spices to both sides of each pork chop. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper to liking.

3. Heat up 2 tbsp olive oil in pan over med-high heat. (Enough oil to coat entire pan when it spreads)

4. Add pork chops to pan. Let them cook on the first side for 4 minutes. Then flip them and cook them on the other side for about 3-4 minutes. They should be turning golden on the outside, but not fully cooked. Remove pork chops from pan and place on plate. We will come back to them…

5.  Add garlic to pan. Cook for approx 30 seconds.

6. Add balsamic vinegar to pan. This is called deglazing. You will need to scrape up the brown bits from the pork on the pan so it can be incorporated into the sauce.

7. Stir in maple syrup and Dijon mustard.

8. Mixture will start to bubble and thicken. Cook until it has reduced to about ½.

9. Place pork chops back in pan and cook for 5 more minutes. The sauce will continue to bubble and thicken. Spoon some over the sauce over the tops of the pork chops as they cook.

10. Check the meat to see that it’s done after 5 minutes (You can also use one of those handy meat thermometers).

Sautéed Broccoli with Toasted Almonds

1 and a half broccoli heads trimmed and sliced into small florets. Slice the stalk into small strips.

1 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup sliced almonds (make this a generous ¼ cup)

1 tbsp butter

1 garlic clove, minced

salt

pepper

1. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a nonstick pan over med-high heat.

2. Add sliced almonds and toss to coat. Cook until almonds are toasted on both sides. (Will take a few minutes. Watch carefully so they don't burn). Remove from pan.

3. Heat olive oil in pan over med-high heat.

4. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds (Don’t let the garlic burn)

5. Add broccoli and stir so it’s coated with the oil.

6. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste

7. Cook for about 4 minutes (WATCH it CLOSELY. Don’t let the broccoli burn). Will be able to tell it’s done when it turns a bright green and is still slightly crunchy.

8. Remove from pan and toss in bowl with toasted almonds.

For a little extra, you can sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. I left mine plain, though. 

Preview: Gingerbread White Chocolate Chip Cookies

RECIPE TO COME!

The Start

In the beginning, there was a girl who had an extreme passion for cooking. Some may say an obsesssion. Inspired by her mom ( a culinary whiz) to explore the world of Cuisinart and Cook's Illustrated, she took to the kitchen. From Christmas cookie traditions, to her mom's korean food, she faithfully took up her chef's knife and began to carve away at the ever-growing culinary world.

There is nothing like the satisfaction of mastering a new recipe, sharing food around a table, hearing the clanking of utensils and seeing the smiles on friend's faces.
Food is more than just nutrition to the body. The multitude of flavors, colors, textures and aromas create an experience that captivates the senses and must be shared with others.
It is from this appreciation of food that I approach this blog.
I want to expand your horizons and help you realize that cooking delicious foods is not just for the master chef. Rather, it can be achieved in your very own kitchen! With a little time and passion, you will find that the exotic world of food will come alive before your eyes. ( And everyone you know will thank you for it!)

I hope that though we may be far in distance, we will be brought closer through the food we cook in our kitchens:)

LET THE COOKING BEGIN!