Showing posts with label creamy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label creamy. Show all posts
Saturday, February 14, 2015
A Simple and Elegant Thanksgiving Appetizer Creamy Chicken and Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites
One of my favorite holiday secrets is puff pastry…I always have a package in my freezer. It saves a ton of time in the kitchen, and the results are always perfect: golden brown and crispy! These little bites take about 15 minutes to assemble and bake for 15 minutes, so you can have them plated and ready to feed a hungry crowd in about 30 minutes! These are simple, but elegant appetizers…and the cranberry sets the mood for the upcoming meal! I made two minor additions to the original recipe: I sprinkled the puff pastry squares with dried chives and parsley, and I sprinkled some chopped California walnuts on top for extra crunch and flavor. Let me show you just how simple they are to whip up.
Creamy Chicken and Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites
adapted from Spread a Little Joy
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400. Spread half a package of puff pastry dough on a large cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a Silpat. Cut the puff pastry into 12 squares. Sprinkle each square with dried chives and parsley.
Step 2: Add a dollop of whipped Philadelphia Cream Cheese to each square -- about 1.5 tsp. Top with shredded rotisserie chicken breast and whole-berry cranberry sauce. Finally, sprinkle some chopped California walnuts on top of each pastry.
Step 3: As you can see above, some of the juice from the cranberry sauce leaked onto the puff pastry. Drain it as well as possible, but dont worry if it drains like some of mine did...itll still bake up nice and golden. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden. Turn the pan around halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning. The cream cheese is lava-hot when the pan comes out of the oven, so make sure to let the bites cool for a few minutes before serving.
This is my kind of appetizer: simple to make, great presentation, and lots of flavor. A few simple ingredients combine to make a perfect little bite: warm cream cheese sweet-tart cranberries, and toasted walnuts combine really nicely with the roasted chicken. The puff pastry cooks up golden and crispy, making a great base. I loved this flavor combo, and the squares look so pretty on the plate. If you like brie en croute, this will be right up your alley! I hope that appetizer makes an appearance on your Thanksgiving menu next week...let me know if you try it!
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Pillsbury Baguette Chips Giveaway and Creamy Cajun Crawfish Dip
I’ve got a super-busy few days coming up, friends: my birthday is Friday, we have a family reunion to attend nearby in New Braunfels this weekend, and I’ve got my Eat St. television tapings with Cooking Channel on Sunday and Monday afternoons. I’m going to be moving a mile-a-minute between now and next Tuesday, but it’s all such fun and exciting stuff that I’ll manage to fit it all in somehow! That means I might be a bit off-the-radar this weekend...but I’ll make sure to share all the fun with y’all next week!! Just so you know, I’ll likely leave out pictures of me in my bathing suit tubing on the Guadalupe River...but you know how that goes.
It dawned on me yesterday that I haven’t done a giveaway in here in quite a while...so I’m going to rectify that situation today! General Mills, via MyBlogSpark, recently sent me some of their new Pillsbury Baguette Chips to try, then share my thoughts with you. These snacks are sliced from oven-baked bread and topped with flavorful seasonings. They come in two varieties: Italian Cheese & Herb and Cheddar Sundried Tomato. I enjoyed both flavors in a variety of ways over the past couple of weeks: as an after-work snack with cheese, a topping for salads, and with a flavorful dip as an appetizer. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the Italian Cheese & Herb...but both are really good!
It dawned on me yesterday that I haven’t done a giveaway in here in quite a while...so I’m going to rectify that situation today! General Mills, via MyBlogSpark, recently sent me some of their new Pillsbury Baguette Chips to try, then share my thoughts with you. These snacks are sliced from oven-baked bread and topped with flavorful seasonings. They come in two varieties: Italian Cheese & Herb and Cheddar Sundried Tomato. I enjoyed both flavors in a variety of ways over the past couple of weeks: as an after-work snack with cheese, a topping for salads, and with a flavorful dip as an appetizer. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the Italian Cheese & Herb...but both are really good!
These little baguette chips have one other good thing going for them: they contain 50% less fat than traditional potato chips, and each generous 21-piece serving is just 130 calories! I had some leftover ingredients in my kitchen from when I made my Creamy Shrimp Egg Rolls last week. I decided to use the extra ingredients to whip up a tasty dip to pair with these flavorful chips. Inspired by our upcoming trip to New Orleans next month, I created Creamy Cajun Crawfish Dip for us to enjoy before dinner earlier this week. This warm dip is creamy, spicy, and topped with a generous layer of melted cheese. Its flavors pair perfectly with both varieties of this crispy baguette chips!
Creamy Cajun Crawfish Dip
a Weekend Gourmet Original
a Weekend Gourmet Original
Step 2: Stir the ingredients well, until everything is thoroughly incorporated and no white streaks of cream cheese show. Transfer the dip mixture to the gratin dish and top with Monterey jack cheese.
Step 3: Bake until the cheese is melted and the dip is bubbly, turning the dish around after about 10 minutes. For me, it took about 20 minutes to bake this dip. Place the gratin dish on a serving plate, and scatter the Pillsbury Baguette Chips around the platter. Dig in!
This dip is spicy-good! It’s creamy and spicy...and the layer of ooey-gooey cheese takes it right over the top! This dip can also be served with tortilla chips or slices of garlic bread on the side.
How would you like to try some of these yummy Pillsbury Baguette Chips for yourself? One of you is going to win a prize pack containing three bags of both flavors: Italian Cheese & Herb...and Cheddar Sundried Tomato! To enter, simply leave a comment below telling me how you would enjoy these snacks if you’re the winner. I will accept entries until Sunday at 1159 p.m., and the winner will be notified via e-mail next Monday. Please MAKE SURE to include your e-mail address with your comment so it’s easy to find you. In the meantime, everyone can download and print a coupon to save.75 on one package of these baguette chips by visiting http://bit.ly/PBCcoupon. Good luck!
Disclosure: The product, gift pack, information, and additional sample have been provided to me by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. As always, the opinions expressed in this post are solely mine.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
A Stress Free New Years Eve Celebration for Two Featuring Creamy Shrimp Polenta Bites
Now that Christmas is over, its time to focus on the next celebration on the calendar: New Years Eve! Some years we go out for a late dinner at a fancy restaurant and ring in the New Year with a big crowd of festive guests. Other years, we take a low-key approach and watch the Times Square ball drop on TV just the two of us. If youre planning to celebrate at home this year, Ive got a fabulous no-stress menu for you featuring a festive bubbly cocktail, a lovely array of chocolate-based treats...and an elegant appetizer thats so simple to whip up. Who says elegant has to be complicated?!?!?
My Creamy Shrimp Polenta Bites feature two products from my friends at Friedas Specialty Produce: Organic Basil & Garlic Polenta and Tomato Pesto. The polenta is pre-cooked and formed into rolls that you simply slice and pan saute before topping with your favorite ingredients. The flavorful pesto is made with dried tomatoes and herbs. To keep the Italian theme going, I topped each polenta round with flavored cream cheese. I purchased pre-cooked boiled shrimp, which also saved me time. The cream cheese mixture can be prepared a day ahead, which means you can whip up these appetizers in less than 30 minutes on New Years Eve. Ill tell you all about my Ruby Sparkler cocktail and simple chocolate plate immediately following the appetizer recipe. If youre planning to go out for New Years Eve, this menu would also be perfect for a romantic Valentines evening as well. Just saying.Creamy Shrimp Polenta Bites
a Weekend Gourmet Original
Ingredients:
- 1 tube Friedas Organic Basil & Garlic Polenta
- 1 tbs. olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 tbs. chopped basil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 tbs. tomato paste
- 1 tbs. Cajun seasoning [NOTE: I used Paul Prudhommes Seafood Magic.]
- 8 large boiled shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 cup Friedas Tomato Pesto
Step 1: Make the cream cheese topping by combining the cream cheese, basil, garlic, tomato paste and Cajun seasoning. Stir well to thoroughly combine and refrigerate until its time to assemble the appetizers. NOTE: This can be done up to a day ahead.
Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Slice 8 1/2 -inch slices of polenta from the tube. Add to the hot pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. This took about 5-6 minutes per side for me. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3: Let the polenta rounds cool slightly. Spread with 1 tbs. of the cream cheese mixture. Top the cream cheese with a boiled shrimp and a teaspoon of the tomato pesto. Plate the bites on a pretty serving plate and serve. I opted to alternate the polenta rounds with extra boiled shrimp topped with a bit of cocktail sauce.
These appetizers are amazing...full of flavor and gorgeous too! The basil and garlic in the cream cheese works perfectly with the seasoning in the polenta, and the tomato paste works well with the tangy tomato pesto. These two-bite appetizers are the perfect combination of simplicity and elegance.
I created a simple and fun Ruby Sparkler cocktail to pair with my polenta bites. It features Mumm Cuvee M sparkling wine...because you MUST have bubbles on New Years Eve! We first discovered Mumm sparkling wines during a visit to Napa Valley a few years ago, and theyve been some of our favorites since. Cuvee M is slightly sweet and selected by Mumm as being an ideal pairing for hors doevres and spicy food. It has notes of strawberry and vanilla in its flavor profile. Its delicious on its own, but I wanted to create a fun drink for us to enjoy. To make my Ruby Sparkler, simply add equal amounts of pomegranate juice and well chilled Mumm Cuvee M to a wine glass. Then, float 3-4 frozen organic raspberries in each glass. Thats it...simple and sweetly tart, its a refreshing way to celebrate!
I wanted to round out my celebration menu with something sweet, but I wasnt in the mood to spend hours baking. Luckyfor me, Godiva and the local bakery came to my rescue! Godiva recently introduced a fantastic line of truffle flights. Each flight contains six truffles that center on a flavor theme, including: Ultimate Dessert Truffle Flight, Nut Lovers Truffle Flight and Cake Truffle Flight. Each flight features six flavors that progress from lighter flavors to stronger flavors and textures. I added a couple of truffles from the Ultimate Dessert and Cake flights to my dessert plate: Birthday Cake, Chocolate Lava Cake, Creme Brulee and Salted Caramel. The truffles were so flavorful and decadent! I rounded out my simple dessert plate with classic chocolate-dipped strawberries and small shortbread cookies from a local bakery...I even dipped some of them in chocolate too!
There you have it...a delicious celebration menu that tastes great, looks festive and is guaranteed to be 100% stress free! I hope youll give my celebration menu a try for New Years Eve...or perhaps another celebration-for-two thats on your calendar for 2014. Its sure to be a hit!!
Disclosure: Friedas Specialty Produce, Mumm Napa and Godiva provided me with products to facilitate this article. I received no further compensation, and all opinions expressed are my own.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Weekend Gourmet Flashback Mesquite Chicken Tacos with Creamy Corn Salsa
Hey there, friends! Ive been up to my elbows prepping for my second TV cooking appearance on Great Day SA tomorrow. Between prepping ingredients and trying to figure out the best makeup and clothes to wear, I havent had much time to cook this week. I found out earlier today that Ive been bumped from tomorrows live show...so Ill be taping my segment, which will air later this month. I promise to share the video here as soon as it airs, and Im hoping that I can share a few behind-the-scenes pictures later this week to hold you over until then.
Ill be back on Thursday with this months The Weekend Gourmet Dines Out feature. But, today I want to share one of my very favorite recipes from last summer: Mesquite Chicken Tacos with Creamy Corn Salsa. With Cinco de Mayo coming up this weekend, these yummy tacos would be perfect to serve with margaritas for any parties you might be hosting. The grilled chicken is smoky and juicy, and the corn salsa is definitely not your average topping. Its so good, and it pairs really nicely with the other ingredients in the tacos.
Mesquite Chicken Tacos with Creamy Corn Salsa
from 300 Best Taco Recipes
from 300 Best Taco Recipes
Step 1: Make the creamy corn salsa by combining the following ingredients in a bowl: 1.5 cups thawed frozen corn kernels, 1 finely diced seeded jalapeno, 1/4 cup lowfat sour cream or Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup mayo, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1/4 cup finely diced purple onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to combine and refrigerate until youre ready to serve the tacos.
Note: the original recipe called for using red bell pepper, but I subbed in the onion since I cant eat raw bell pepper.
Step 2: Combine the following marinade ingredients in a large bowl: the juice of 3 small limes, 1 tbs. olive oil, 2 tbs. of your favorite mesquite seasoning mix, 2 tbs. honey, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk well to combine and add 1.5 lb. chicken breast. Toss well to coat and refrigerate for 2-4 hours -- the longer you marinate, the better the flavor will be.
Step 3: Heat a large non-stick skillet or cast-iron grill pan over med-high heat. Add about 1 tbs. olive oil and heat for about five minutes. Brown the chicken well on all sides until cooked through -- about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Let it rest for five minutes, then slice into bite-size pieces.
Step 4: Steam 8 corn tortillas using a damp kitchen towel and microwaving for about 1 minute. To assemble each taco, add a bit of sliced chicken to each tortilla. Top with a spoonful of the creamy corn salsa, some chopped romaine lettuce, and monterey jack cheese. I also served some of the tacos with thin slices of avocado, which was a wonderful addition!
To say that we loved these tacos was an understatement...we had them several times during the summer, and I cant wait to make them again this year! The combination of creamy avocado, cheese, and the salsa goes perfectly with the smoky-sweet chicken. The little bit of honey in the marinade really lets the chicken caramelize nicely on the outside as it cooks!
I hope you give these tacos a try...if you prefer flour tortillas to corn, feel free to use them instead. To make this dish a bit more more figure-friendly, you could also serve it sans tortillas on top of some shredded romaine and diced tomatoes for a main dish salad.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Putting the Sizzle in Summer Zesty Margarita Chicken Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Lime Drizzle
I dont know about you, but pretty much the last thing that I want to do when it’s so hot outside is fire up my oven to cook dinner. For me, that means lots of grilling on the stove using my beloved Le Creuset cast-iron grill pan. I was in the mood for tacos this week, so I pulled out one of my favorite cookbook discoveries of last year: 300 Best Taco Recipes. I had flagged a recipe for margarita-flavored chicken soft tacos to try, so that was my springboard for today’s recipe: Zesty Margarita Chicken Tacos with Creamy Chipotle-Lime Drizzle.
I tweaked the recipe, adding a few extra goodies to the flavorful marinade. I also included a spicy-tangy cream drizzle, caramelized Maui onions, crumbled queso fresca, and tangy tomato. These tacos are flavored with non-alcoholic margarita mix in the marinade, which you can find in the mixer aisle of most grocery stores. Make sure to allow at least two hours for the chicken to marinate in the fridge. It can marinate up to overnight, so you could do that prep the evening before or even the morning of the day you plan to serve these yummy tacos.
Zesty Margarita Chicken Tacos
I tweaked the recipe, adding a few extra goodies to the flavorful marinade. I also included a spicy-tangy cream drizzle, caramelized Maui onions, crumbled queso fresca, and tangy tomato. These tacos are flavored with non-alcoholic margarita mix in the marinade, which you can find in the mixer aisle of most grocery stores. Make sure to allow at least two hours for the chicken to marinate in the fridge. It can marinate up to overnight, so you could do that prep the evening before or even the morning of the day you plan to serve these yummy tacos.
Zesty Margarita Chicken Tacos
with Spicy Chipotle-Lime Drizzle
adapted from 300 Best Taco Recipes
Step 1: Make the marinade by combining the following ingredients in a large bowl: the juice of one navel orange, the juice of one lime, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup bottled margarita mix (I used Jose Cuervo brand), 1 tbs. honey, 1 tbs. finely chopped shallot, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. lemon pepper, 1 tsp. dried cilantro, and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine and add 1.5 lb. boneless chicken breast. Marinate in the fridge at least 2 hours before grilling.
Step 2: Make the creamy drizzle sauce by combining the following ingredients in a bowl: 1 container nonfat Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup mayo, the juice of one lime, 1-2 tbs. chipotle puree from a can of chipotle peppers, and 1 tsp. dried cilantro. Whisk to combine, and refrigerate until youre ready to assemble the tacos.
Step 3: After the chicken has marinated, add 2 tbs. olive oil to a cast-iron grill pan over med-high heat...or fire up your outdoor grill. When the pan is hot, add the chicken breast and cook thoroughly. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice into strips. While the chicken grills, slice a sweet Maui onion into rounds and caramelize in a skillet with 1 tbs. olive oil.
Step 4: To assemble the tacos, layer the following ingredients onto warmed flour tortillas: sliced avocado, slices of the grilled chicken, some of the caramelized onions, chopped tomato, queso fresca, and some of the creamy drizzle sauce. Roll up...and eat!
This recipe is a keeper! The chicken cooks up very moist, and the marinade gives it a fantastic citrusy flavor. The other components in the taco work very nicely together and provide a nice color contrast too. That chipotle-lime drizzle is really good, and it adds just enough spicy heat to compliment, without overwhelming, the other ingredients! This amount of meat is enough to make 7-8 tacos, so adjust accordingly...depending on how many hungry people you need to feed.
This recipe is a keeper! The chicken cooks up very moist, and the marinade gives it a fantastic citrusy flavor. The other components in the taco work very nicely together and provide a nice color contrast too. That chipotle-lime drizzle is really good, and it adds just enough spicy heat to compliment, without overwhelming, the other ingredients! This amount of meat is enough to make 7-8 tacos, so adjust accordingly...depending on how many hungry people you need to feed.
Friday, January 30, 2015
May Foodie Penpals Featuring Creamy Maple Blueberry Parfaits
This month, I signed up to take part in a really fun monthly group called Foodie Penpals. The group was started by Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean. Each month, participants are paired with another member of the group...then we send them a box of food goodies to enjoy. My foodie friend this month is Samantha from the blog Vegetarian Curious...so stop by and give her some love!
Before picking out our goodies, were encouraged to e-mail our recipient to find out about any food dislikes, allergies, etc. I told Samantha that I especially enjoy trying regional specialties from around the country. She lives in Michigan, so she made sure to include a few foods from her state. When I received my box, it felt like Christmas...I couldnt wait to see what goodies were inside. My box contained some wonderful treats: a large bottle of Michigan maple syrup, a yummy orange-dark chocolate bar, red wheat berries, a tasty spice blend thats perfect for seasoning grilled meats...and even treats and a hand-knit catnip mouse for my Lucy!
Anybody who includes my sweet Lucy-cat in the bounty is aces in my book. Needless to say, Lucy LOVES her "mousie." Shes very protective of it...I actually found her sleeping next to the mouse one morning with one paw draped over it to make sure than nobody took it from her as she slept. As you can see from this picture, shes quite smitten with it!
I was particularly drawn to the maple syrup...I wanted to find a wonderful recipe using it to show Samantha just how much I loved it! I found blueberries on sale for .99 at Sprouts, so I went looking for the perfect maple-blueberry recipe. I hit the jackpot at Epicurious...making a few tweaks to a parfait that features blueberries, maple syrup, a creamy base, and tart lemon. I subbed lime for lemon...zest and juice, used crushed cinnamon shortbread in place of gingersnaps, and used a combo of maple-infused whipped cream and blueberry Greek yogurt for the cream portion of the parfait.
Before picking out our goodies, were encouraged to e-mail our recipient to find out about any food dislikes, allergies, etc. I told Samantha that I especially enjoy trying regional specialties from around the country. She lives in Michigan, so she made sure to include a few foods from her state. When I received my box, it felt like Christmas...I couldnt wait to see what goodies were inside. My box contained some wonderful treats: a large bottle of Michigan maple syrup, a yummy orange-dark chocolate bar, red wheat berries, a tasty spice blend thats perfect for seasoning grilled meats...and even treats and a hand-knit catnip mouse for my Lucy!
Anybody who includes my sweet Lucy-cat in the bounty is aces in my book. Needless to say, Lucy LOVES her "mousie." Shes very protective of it...I actually found her sleeping next to the mouse one morning with one paw draped over it to make sure than nobody took it from her as she slept. As you can see from this picture, shes quite smitten with it!
I was particularly drawn to the maple syrup...I wanted to find a wonderful recipe using it to show Samantha just how much I loved it! I found blueberries on sale for .99 at Sprouts, so I went looking for the perfect maple-blueberry recipe. I hit the jackpot at Epicurious...making a few tweaks to a parfait that features blueberries, maple syrup, a creamy base, and tart lemon. I subbed lime for lemon...zest and juice, used crushed cinnamon shortbread in place of gingersnaps, and used a combo of maple-infused whipped cream and blueberry Greek yogurt for the cream portion of the parfait.
Creamy Maple-Blueberry Parfaits
adapted from Epicurious
Step 1: Add the following ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat: 1 1/3 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, and the zest from one lime. Bring to a boil and cook for 3-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries begin to pop. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool. When cool, add 2/3 cup fresh blueberries and 1 tbs. lime juice.
Step 2: Add 1/2 cup whipping cream, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste to the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form. Remove the bowl and add 1 container blueberry Greek yogurt...my preferred brand is Chobani. Gently fold the yogurt into the whipped cream.
Step 3: Crush enough cookies of your choice to equal one cup. I used cinnamon shortbread cookies, but Biscoff or graham crackers would also work nicely. You could use granola instead. To make the parfaits, layer the ingredients as follows in wine glasses: 2 tbs. of the blueberry-maple mixture, 1/3 cup of the blueberry-maple cream, 2 tbs. of the crushed cookies, another layer of the blueberry-maple cream and cookies...ending with 2 more tbs. of the blueberries.
These parfaits are layer upon layer of goodness...and not overly sweet! They make a great dessert, but I would also serve them as part of a weekend brunch. The maple and blueberry combine very nicely in both the compote and the creamy layers, and the crunchy cookies are a nice texture contrast. The lime zest and juice provides just enough tartness in the background. The colors are vibrant and pretty as well...this recipe is a real winner!
Thank you to Samantha for sending me such a fun foodie box this month! If you want to join the fun, all you have to do is click the Foodie Penpals link in this post. But do it quick...pairings are announced on the 5th of each month! Its a really fun way to meet fellow food lovers...and try some new, fun foods!!
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