Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Chicken

This recipe came to being because I had a bunch of things in the fridge (including the odds and ends of a rotisserie chicken that NEEDED to be used up!) that I was just sure would go together - and I was right. I love it when that happens. I bought a big jar of roasted red peppers, so I've been throwing them in various dishes, but in this dish, the roasted red peppers are the stars of the show.

This dinner comes together super quickly - while the pasta boils, you make a quick and easy sauce. Start by sauteing the garlic, then adding the blended roasted red peppers. Make it creamy with a little cream cheese and half and half, then add spinach and chicken! Season to your liking.

Finally toss in the cook pasta, and voila, dinner is ready faster than you can say Door Dash. Seriously. (It's become my mission to show people that you can use simple ingredients to cook a healthy meal quickly and easily, so that you don't have to rely on take out and frozen pizza. It's so much better for your health and your pocketbook, and your family will thank you, I promise.)

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Chicken

12 oz. medium sized pasta shapes (penne, rotini, or rigatoni)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup roasted red peppers 
4 cups packed fresh spinach 
3 oz. cream cheese 
1/2 cup half and half 
2 cups cooked chicken (shredded or chopped)
1/2 cup feta crumbles
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan 

Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water before draining.

For the sauce, in a large skillet over medium heat, sauté garlic in olive oil until fragrant.

Blend the roasted red peppers until mostly smooth, then add them to the garlic. Stir in the cream cheese until melted.

Pour in the half and half and stir until smooth and creamy.

Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of chili flakes if you like heat.

Stir in the fresh spinach and cook until wilted. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a splash of reserved pasta water.

Toss in the cooked pasta and mix well. Stir in the shredded Parmesan.

Serve, topping each serving with crumbled feta.
 

Korean-inspired Gochujang Pork Tenderloin

I love cooking with pork tenderloin and I also really like Asian flavors. So when I asked ChatGPT for a little menu inspiration, I was excited to get this recipe!

This pork benefits from a lengthy marinade (at least 8 hours) so be sure to plan ahead. Start by slicing the pork thinly - it's easiest to do this if it's slightly frozen. 

Next prepare the marinade by mixing together the gochujang sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, giner, and grated apple or pear (turns out this is the key - I found this in a lot of other Korean recipes online!). Pour it over the meat.

You can marinate the meat (in the fridge!) for 8-24 hours. When you're ready to cook, it's so easy and fast! Simply sear on medium-high heat until the meat is carmelized and cooked through. (145 degrees is perfect for pork but these are small pieces so realistically it just takes about 2 minutes per side!)

You can serve this over rice, or in lettuce wraps. I garnished it with green onions and sesame seeds, and served it with snap peas and pickled cucumber. Delicious!

Korean-inspired Gochujang Pork Tenderloin

1 pork tenderloin, thinly sliced (1- 1 1/2 pounds)

2 Tbsp gochujang sauce

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp honey

1/2 apple or pear, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp grated ginger

Sesame seeds, green onion to garnish

Mix the gochujang sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, and grated apple. Toss with pork slices. Marinate in the refrigerator 8-24 hours.

Sear on medium-high heat until caramelized and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.

Serve with rice or lettuce for wraps.

General Tso's Chicken {using ground chicken}

Although I do it a lot, I'm not the hugest fan of cutting up raw chicken. So when I saw a recipe that used ground chicken for a famous Chinese dish, General Tso's, I knew I wanted to try it. 

This is a great way to get all that flavor PLUS all the ease of using ground meat instead of cutting up and then having to saute chicken breasts. It was so quick!! In fact, you better get your rice cooking before you start cooking the chicken, or you'll be wildly out of sync. 

Get your rice cooking, cook the meat, then after you add the sauce, let that simmer away while you steam some green veggies. Faster than take out and way better for you. Weeknight dinner is solved!

General Tso's Chicken 

1 pound ground chicken

1 Tbsp. sesame oil

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

3 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

In a skillet over medium heat, heat the sesame oil until hot. Add the ground chicken and garlic, and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook and stir until the meat is completely cooked through. If there is some fat or water accumulated in the pan, soak it up with a paper towel or drain it out.

In a measuring cup or bowl, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, chicken broth, hoisin, brown sugar, garlic and onion powders, and cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add to the meat and simmer until the sauce is thickened. Serve over rice and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

 

Chocolate Panna Cotta {GF & DF}

Have you ever made panna cotta? Panna cotta, meaning "cooked cream" in Italian, is a dessert made from sweetened cream thickened with gelatin and often times, molded, by pouring the mixture into ramekins. In this version, it's chocolate (hooray!) and just chilled in a serving dish - no need to "mold" individual servings.

This is a lovely, no-bake dessert that is perfect with summertime berries. It would really be perfect any time of year because it's so easy to make, and so delicious. It's also BOTH gluten and dairy free, which is helpful if you have friends or relatives with allergies or restrictions. 

You should be able to find coconut cream in either the ethnic or the "drinks" section of the supermarket -- this is not coconut milk, but rather a much thicker, creamier version that can be used in various cocktails and desserts. Sometimes it's called cream of coconut. (My local Target has it as well.) 

All it takes to make this impressive dessert is a little time with a saucepan on the stovetop, and vigorous whisking using your good arm muscles! The vigorous whisking is important because you don't want the gelatin to turn lumpy in the hot coconut milk/cream. 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Panna Cotta

1 cup honey
1 - 13.5 oz. can coconut milk
1 - 13.5 oz. can coconut cream
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp. unflavored gelatin
1 tsp. vanilla

In a medium saucepan over medium to low heat, whisk the coconut milk, coconut cream, honey and cocoa powder together. Cook and stir until it is hot but not boiling.

Slowly sprinkle the gelatin over the heated mixture. Whisk until completely combined. 

Once the gelatin has dissolved, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. 

Pour into a casserole or glass serving dish. Refrigerate for four hours, or overnight. 

Garnish with whipped cream (or non dairy topping), and fresh fruit, and chocolate shavings or powdered sugar.

Chimichurri Sauce

 

Grilling season is well upon us, and so I'm feeling sheepish that I didn't get you this recipe sooner. I don't necessarily think that grilled meat needs anything to liven it up, but after making and eating this chimichurri sauce, I could change my mind. IT IS SO GOOD. 

It adds such a beautiful depth of flavor to pork, beef, and chicken. And if you love cilantro, you will love this sauce. It is bright, fresh, and just so delicious.

And it's so EASY! It all comes together right in your food processor. Quick, easy, delicious - get grilling and get that chimichurri goodness going!

Chimichurri Sauce

3/4 cup fresh parsley, packed
3/4 cup fresh cilantro, packed
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Rinse the parsley and cilantro under cold water and pat them dry. Remove any thick stems from the parsley and cilantro. In a food processor, combine the parsley, cilantro, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Pulse a few times until the herbs are roughly chopped.

Add olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice to the mixture. Pulse again until the ingredients are well combined but not completely smooth. Taste the chimichurri sauce and adjust seasoning if needed. Add more salt, pepper, or red wine vinegar as per your taste.

Transfer the sauce to a bowl or jar. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to one week.

• • 
    

    
    
    

    
    

Peach Streusel Muffins

Have you had peaches this year? They are SO GOOD. So far, I'm doing a great job at eating them all before they're over ripe, but I often have eyes that are bigger than my stomach when it comes to buying produce. That's when a recipe like this comes in handy! 

These muffins just scream summer. (Well they would if they could scream.) They are a decadent start to the day, or a great coffee break addition. I made them to celebrate a colleague's birthday, and they were a huge hit.

These muffins not only have peaches IN the batter, but you save some out and top each muffin with more peaches! 

Then every muffin gets a handful of streusel, and we all know that streusel makes everything better. 

• 

But we're not done yet - after these beauties bake, they are covered in a delicious glaze! It doesn't get much better than this. (I always put paper towels under my baking racks when putting glaze on muffins - easy clean up!)

Get yourself some peaches - and buy plenty - so you can eat some and use some for these muffins. You will be glad you did.

Peach Streusel Muffins

Muffins:
2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2  eggs 
1 cup sugar
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 and 1/3 cups peeled, chopped peaches, divided 
1–2 Tbsp. flour

Streusel:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 tsp. cinnamon (or more to taste)

6 Tbsp. butter, melted

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1–2 Tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla

For the streusel, in a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir with a fork until crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the muffins, in large bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl whisk together sugar and eggs until combined. Whisk in yogurt, oil and vanilla. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk everything together.

Reserve 1 cup of peaches for topping. Place remaining peaches in a small bowl, dust with 1 tablespoon flour and toss them until all peaches are coated with thin layer of flour and then fold them really gently in the batter. Spoon batter into paper lined muffin tins, filling 2/3 of each cup. Cover the batter with the remaining peaches and press a handful of the crumb topping into the top of each muffin, crumbling the topping with your hands to make some big chunks.

Bake 5 minutes at 400 F degrees, then lower the oven temperature to 375 F degrees and bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then remove muffins and cool on a wire rack.

For the glaze stir together powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Adjust the sugar and/or milk to achieve your desired consistency. Drizzle over muffins.

Greek Chicken with Hot Honey Whipped Feta and Garlic Roasted Potatoes

I think this might be the longest title on my blog so far... but it's important that you know all the components of this amazing meal from the get-go. 

So let's break it down: chicken breasts swim in a marinade of lemon and oregano before getting grilled up (either on a grill pan or on a legit grill). Cute little potatoes are roasted with plenty of garlic and salt, and plenty of time in a hot oven to get that amazing crispy exterior. And then...feta is whipped with hot honey and a little yogurt or sour cream to make the most amazing dip for either the chicken or the potatoes. 

And don't be put off by the beige-ness of this meal: we had a big green salad to offset the lack of color, and I've also served with green beans. Really, any green veg would be great! 

The star of this combo is the hot honey whipped feta. This is so easy to make! Be sure to use a block of feta, not the already crumbled variety. (The crumbles are too dry and won't give you the nice creamy texture.) Just combine the feta, sour cream, olive oil, and hot honey in a little food processor and blend away. 

I also love the versatility of this in terms of how you cook the chicken - the first time I made it I used my grill pan on the stove (rainy day) but the second time we used the gas grill. Both times it turned out fabulously.  

A hot skillet would do the job just as well if you don't have a grill or grill pan. I also think the potatoes could be done in an air fryer if you're looking to keep your house cool this summer. So many options! But great results no matter what - yay for that!

Greek Chicken with Hot Honey Whipped Feta and Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Chicken:
2 large chicken breasts, cut in half vertically to make cutlets
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. minced garlic

Potatoes:
1 pound baby potatoes, halved or quartered
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder, depending on your preference!
2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Feta:
1/2 cup feta cheese (from a block, not crumbles)
2 Tbsp. plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 tsp. hot honey or regular honey + a dash of cayenne
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. olive oil

For the chicken, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, smoked paprika, and minced garlic in a small bowl. Place chicken in a medium bowl and cover with the marinade - use a tongs or your hands to mix up the chicken and ensure it's all covered. Marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Place the potatoes in a medium bowl, and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat, then add the garlic powder and parmesan, and toss again. Season with salt and pepper, then spread on a cookie sheet and roast in a 425 oven for 25-30 minutes. You can turn them half way through - I tend to just leave them in there the whole time without touching them. 

While the potatoes are cooking, cook the chicken on a hot grill pan or on a gas grill. I cooked them over medium heat for 5-7 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reached 165.  Let rest for 5 minutes.

Combine the feta, yogurt, hot honey, lemon zest and olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Slice the chicken cross ways and plate with potatoes and a scoop of the feta. Garnish with parsley. Serve with green salad or green vegetable, or both!