Tex-Mex Quinoa

Funny story: when finding this recipe it was called "Mexican Quinoa." I was telling my friend Gerardo, who is Mexican, what I made. His response, "How is that Mexican?" So I respond with the ingredients that goes in it and in the most frank and funny way he goes, "Chika that does not sound Mexican ... maybe Tex-Mex." I stop and think. Although it was funny, my passion and my research interests involve a lot of multicultural competence and diversity -- and I thought "hmm ... that is right!" And so I renamed it, Tex-Mex Quinoa ... after all food blogging could use a little reality check, right?

I have been seeing a lot of "quinoa" recipes floating around. And I kept thinking, what is this qunioa I keep seeing. Seemed a little organic hippie like to me -- but I am always for becoming a little more hippie. Plus people were always raving about how healthy it was and I could do a little more healthy too. Well I found a recipe using quinoa that sounded yummy and looked easy enough -- so why not try it? And I am glad I did!

I did not do a Favorite Recipes of 2014 because, well, I did not post very much. I was a very bad food blogger. But I know for sure that this recipe is going to be on my Favorite Recipes of 2015. I LOVED this recipe. This dish is filling, spicy and delicious. But don't worry if you do not like spicy -- you can make it less spicy! What more could you want? So now I am on a quinoa kick -- looking for yummy and creative ways or using quinoa. 

TEX-MEX QUINOA

From Damn Delicious

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 (4 oz.) can of diced jalapenos
1 pound of ground meat (I used turkey)

2 (10 oz) cans of enchilada sauce
1 c. quinoa
1 (15 oz.) can of black beans
1 (14.5 oz) can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 c. of corn kernels  
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 avocado, sliced

Garnish: lime, cilantro

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapenos until fragrant. Add in ground meat and cook through and browned. Discard any remaining liquid. Stir in enchilada sauce,  quinoa, black beans, diced tomatoes, and corn. Reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked. Fold in taco seasoning 1 tbsp. at a time until desired taste is reached. Top with avocado slices. Garnish as desired.

Enjoy,

Taco Pasta Salad

Not sure if you have ever noticed, but the tagline for my blog is "Forget love, I'd rather fall in chocolate." Well my cousin just sent me something that also made me think "how perfect for my blog!" and I wanted to share it with you because its a cute laugh! ... okay ... so I am not the healthiest person in the world ... chocolate is good for the soul ;)

Keeping with the theme of fun ... I had a really great weekend. I am a weirdo, pretty much fact. And I love dog sitting .... errr ... dog sitting HOUSE TRAINED dogs. The poor hubby comes home to a lot of "Surprise! We are watching [insert dog name]"  Well this weekend, I somehow agreed to watch two other dogs (so ninja + 2) all in our small apartment. But Ninja had so much fun playing. It was so cute. Ninja has been catching up on some major zzzzz's since his friends left... sweet baby has been passed out all day.

I also got together with good friends. First Justin, Sophia and I got lunch and the restaurant had lychee bolba! Oh my ... my heart and tummy were so happy! Julian's owners then took us out to eat as a thank you for watching their dog. We went to BJs and of course I had to order a pizookie! A s'more pizookie ... it's a deep deep addiction. I ate 3/4 of the s'more before the hubby could even eat 1/4. Then our program had a crawfish boil get together. I am going to miss crawfish when I head up north.

I made this dish a while back for a potluck Justin hosted. My schedule was pretty hectic then so I wanted something that could be made in bulk but that was easy. And this was exactly that. Plus I love cold pasta salads.

TACO PASTA SALAD

Adapted from Chelsea's Messy Apron

INGREDIENTS

1 - 1 lb box of pasta
1 - 1/2 c. taco sauce*
1 packet of taco seasoning
2 tbsp. lemon juice 
1(15 oz) can of black beans
1 - 1 1/2 c. corn, drained or thawed
1 small container of cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 (7 oz) can of sliced black olives  

Garnish:
1 c. shredded cheese
1 small bag of shredded lettuce 
1/2 c. sour cream
1 avocado
Diced green onions 
Tortilla strips

*Can use enchilada sauce instead of taco sauce if desired.

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot of salted boiling water -- cook pasta according to package directions. Drain excess water and run cold water through pasta to prevent sticking. Return pasta to pot.

While pasta is cooking whisk together sauce, 2 tbsp. of taco seasoning (so no clumps form), and lemon juice. Stir in sauce mixture into cooked pasta.

Fold in black beans, corn, tomatoes and black olives until evenly distributed. Taste the pasta -- if it seems a bit bland and you want more of a kick (like me) -- whisk together an additional 1 tbsp of taco seasoning and 1/2 c. of taco sauce and add into pasta!

Serve in a bowl and garnish with some shredded cheese and lettuce, a dollop of sour cream, avocado chunks, diced green onions and tortilla strips.

Enjoy,

Cheesy Southwestern Chicken and Rice

As I am getting ready for the big move, I knew that one day the stress would hit me and that day has come. I am definitely a ball of nerves. Figuring out the logistics of a cross country move is time consuming, overwhelming and expensive. Did I say expensive? And student? Those two words never really go together. After doing my due diligence about moving options -- I have come to the conclusion that if you want it done right and cost effectively...gotta do it yourself.

To distract myself, I wanted to re-cap some of the fun stuff I got to do while on the interview trail. Like...celebrating my birthday! Thankfully my birthday fell on a weekend I was not interviewing. And the next interview up was in North Carolina, which just happens to be where my cousin lives. He was so sweet and when I landed, he surprised me with an ice cream cake (one of my favs!).

He then took me to this sweet town called Ashville to do some sightseeing but mostly a lot of eating.

First stop was grabbing some brunch. Fried chicken and biscuits, anyone? Yesssss...gotta love my attempt at being healthy with a side of salad to my FRIED chicken HA!

Then we strolled through all the cute little stores -- and by stores I meant dessert stores where I ate till my little birthday heart was content. Birthdays are days meant to be diet free. Where calories are a foreign word and do not exist. A day in which it is impossible to gain weight. You did not get the memo? Glad I told you!

We finished the night at a local gastropub in the city my cousin lives in that had some delicious food. My favorite was the wonton, ahi-tuna tacos with a wasabi glaze. It was so so so drool worthy.

Now to the food. Ever have those days where you look into your pantry and refrigerator and think -- what am I going to make? And I really need to use these up. Well that was me with this recipe. Googled the ingredients that I had and wanted to get rid of, made a few little tweaks and voila ... easy one skillet meal! And did I mention yummy? ;)

Cheesy Southwestern Chicken and Rice

Adapted from Yammie's Noshery

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tbsp. garlic
12 oz. frozen bag of three pepper and onion blend (thawed)
1 3/4 c. corn of frozen corn (thawed)
1 15 oz. can of black beans
2 c. shredded chicken, cooked
1/2 c. salsa
1 packet of taco seasoning
2 1/2 c. cooked rice
1/2 c. sour cream + additional for garnish
1 c. shredded cheese + additional for garnish

Optional: Cilantro or green onions for garnish

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet melt butter over medium-high heat. Once heated, saute garlic until slightly browned and fragrant, followed by onion-pepper blend, corn, beans and shredded chicken. Cook until warmed through and no residual liquid remains. Stir in salsa and taco seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Fold in cooked rice. Lastly, stir in sour cream and cheese. Garish as desired.

Enjoy,

Southwest Pasta w/ Greek Yogurt Suace

I had a really nice impromptu lunch with the hubby today. I was on my way home to do some work- and I thought why not see if the hubby had some free time to eat lunch. So I picked up some salads and a float for him- and headed to his work. Fun times :) You are probably thinking- "um lunch-- not a big deal." Well let me digress- the hubby and I met while we both lived in Houston. But after a year and a half, I moved to College Station to start attending Texas A&M. So for the past two years- we have been commuting two hours to see each other on weekends :( Trust me-not fun at all. Being able to live together after getting married and getting to have "spontaneous" lunches together is pretty darn awesome :) 

Do you remember my list of innocent guilty pleasures from yesterday? I have one more that I need to add. Have you ever heard of the show Duck Dynasty? I LOVE IT! It is HILARIOUS! I mean beyond funny! It is so random and weird that I cry from laughing. It is so red neck! I am sure this family was already odd and probably play it up because of the show- but truthfully I do not care! I had such a fun time watching it! When I saw the show- I think I unfairly judged the people who watched it- but now I know why they do! So don't knock it till you watch it ;)

The recipe I am going to share today- really intrigued me. I was not a fan of yogurt. I know it's listed as one of the 8 foods to eat daily because of the nutrition and the help it has on your digestive system but I just never was a fan UNTIL I discovered Chobani (Greek) yogurt. I love the mango Chobani yogurt. It is so delicious! Greek yogurt is thicker and has more "tangy" taste. And with Chobani mango yogurt- you get these delicious mango fruit chunks. With my new found love for Greek yogurt- when I stumbled on this recipe- I just had to try it. I never thought of using Greek yogurt as a sauce-- what a fun, healthy alternative.

SOUTHWEST PASTA W/ GREEK YOGURT SAUCE

Adapted from Bake Your Day

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PASTA

12 oz. pasta

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tbsp. garlic

1 c. onion-bell pepper blend (frozen)

3 green onions, chopped

4 oz. can of diced green chilies (drained)

14.25 oz. can of diced tomatoes (drained)

15.25 oz. can of black beans

1 1/3 c. corn

FOR THE SAUCE

1/2 c. Greek yogurt

1/4 c. ranch dressing

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. tomato paste

2-4 tbsp. of taco seasoning (depending on taste preference)

pinch of crushed red pepper flakes 

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot, over medium heat cook pasta according to package directions- approximately 7-8 minutes until al dente. Then drain excess water and run cold water through pasta to prevent sticking. Return to large pot.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion-bell pepper blend, and green onion until garlic is fragrant and onion becomes slightly transparent,  3-5 minutes. Then add in green chilies and diced tomatoes. Cook until liquid begins to evaporate, approximately 5 minutes. Then add in black beans and corn. Stir frequently and reduce to low heat- allowing beans and corn to heat up. 

While vegetables are cooking in large skillet- make sauce. In a bowl- combine Greek yogurt, ranch dressing, lemon juice, tomato paste, taco seasoning, and crushed red peppers. Whisk together until well incorporated. For taco seasoning- add 2 tbsp., whisk together- taste- if you want more "southwest" taste, add 1 tbsp. of taco seasoning at a time until desired taste is reached. 

In the large pot, add in vegetables (from skillet)- toss together. Then pour sauce over pasta and vegetables, stirring to combine well and mix sauce throughout. 

Enjoy,

Chika

Sante Fe Stuffed Peppers

AHHH! I may have written this post and realized that I am the hugest, dork. I am not sure how I overlooked this, at first, but THIS IS MY 100TH RECIPE POST!!! I never in a million years would have guessed that I would have had it in me to start a blog and actually keep up with it, especially in graduate school! I am so proud of myself for keeping up with this blog because it has turned into something that I love, adore and am so passionate about. Each week I cannot wait to post the different things I have attempted to make.

This has become an outlet that I can share my thoughts, feelings, inspirations, frustrations, randomness, and especially my trials and errors as I learn to become a baker/chef :) I get to take all the amazing recipes that I see out there, make it and share it! All the while, learning so much and each day getting better! And along the way I have gotten to develop new skills- like photography and blog designing (however basic they may be :)!

This truly is my de-stressor from graduate school and hubby's pretty happy himself ;)  I LOVE being For the Love of Dessert and I LOVE that through it, I have gotten to "meet" so many other people who love food just as much as I do. This little space on the inter-web ;) is my FOODIE soul :) And that is awesome! Here's to another 100 posts and tons more cupcakery reviews ;) YAY!!!

Today I came home to find more presents! I guess, all of my parents' presents they had ordered did not get delivered on time-- which I do not mind at all. Coming home to presents when it is not technically your birthday anymore, is pretty darn nice :) In my package today, I got a Wilton Cake Lifter and 3 piece glass canister set! Mark two more off my wish list. Which I am not sure is a Wish List anymore, so much, as it is a look what I now own list ;) I've been itching to make a cake-- and now I guess I have another reason. And I  am also desperately in need of storage containers for all the baking ingredients I have-- so all in all-- a pretty great gift!

In my attempt to eat healthier-- I made these stuffed peppers for the hubby and I this past weekend. They were not too difficult to make, did not require too many ingredients and tasted really good! Very southwestern and filled with a ton of veggies! I used very little cheese to keep it light.

SANTA FE STUFFED PEPPERS

Adapted slightly from Skinny Taste

INGREDIENTS 

Preheat Oven to 350F Degrees

FOR THE FILLING
1/2 lb. lean ground turkey
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
3 tbsp. chopped onion
2 tbsp. cilantro
3 tbsp. taco seasoning
1/8 c. chopped jalapeno peppers
Salt to taste
1 (15.25 oz) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 oz) can of tomatoes, drained and rinsed
3/4 c. frozen corn

FOR THE PEPPERS
3 bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise and cleaned*
1/3 c. chicken broth
Shredded cheese for garnish*
Paprika for garnish (optional)

* Choose pepper (red, yellow, or green) and cheese of choice (I think pepper jack would be great). I chose green bell peppers and mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet, over medium heat, brown turkey and season with salt. When turkey is cooked or browned, add onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, black beans  and tomatoes. Mix well, cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Remove lid, and add corn. Simmer an additional 5 minutes or longer-- until excess liquid evaporates. Season turkey mixture with taco seasoning, combining well.

To prepare peppers, cut peppers lengthwise and remove seed and stem (I also always rinse the pepper with water and dry once cut). Place peppers, cut side up in an oven proof dish-- I use glass Pyrex dishes. Pour chicken broth into dish. Fill each pepper (until full) with turkey mixture. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45-50 minutes until peppers become tender.

Take dish out of the oven and remove foil to sprinkle a small amount of shredded cheese on top. Once topped with shredded cheese return to oven for an additional 5 minutes of until cheese has melted. My cheese took about 3 minutes. You do not want to keep it in there too long as the cheese will burn. I sprinkled a little paprika on top of my peppers (you could also sprinkle a little Taco Seasoning instead).

Enjoy,
Chika

Southwestern Salad

I must be addicted to blogging- :)- again, not the worst problem to have.Though, I did say that I would take the time away from baking, but that does not mean that I can stop cooking-- after all hubbies do need to be fed ;)  I just really like sharing the different things I **attempt** to make. And well--there is always a few minutes of downtime to post.

I had no idea how fast Christmas was approaching. The hubby and I decided to just do a small Christmas- in no big or a lot of gifts-- since it was just the three of us (yes- that includes Ninja). So, I had Justin and Luke, talk to the hubby about video games-- because I knew that is what he would want for Christmas. Well, when I realized Christmas was this coming week, I went to Game Stop to pick up the game. I am glad I did because I found out that the game that he mentioned to Justin he wanted was an exclusive Game Stop release. Also, it was the last one :) Thank goodness- it is not like College Station has an abundance of Game Stops.

Then I went and got Mr. Ninja Face his presents. I got him some really cute treats, frisbees (because no, he does not like catching them but yes, he does like chewing them) and an adorable spikey ball. Ninja has way too many toys, so I thought treats would be good. But then again, Ninja has a lot of treats ;) When I went home, it was adorable, because I guess Ninja saw what was in the bag and just knew it was for him. So, when I put his things in the closet to hide, he sat outside the closet waiting. :) My baby is just too cute!

When I came home- I whipped up this quick and easy, throw together southwestern salad. It reminded me of the southwestern salad from BJs Restaurant and Brewery.

SOUTHWESTERN SALAD

Adapted from Greens and Chocolate 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SALAD

1 large bag of chopped lettuce (or one head of lettuce chopped)

1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can of corn (drained and rinsed)

1 bell pepper, diced

2 tomatoes, diced (or 1 can of diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed)

3 green onions, diced

1/4 c. cilantro, finely chopped 

2 avocados, sliced 

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded*

1 bag of tortilla strips* 

*I shred my chicken by cooking it in the crockpot first. I usually shred chicken in bulk. take what I need and refrigerate/freeze the rest :)

*Tortilla Strips are sold with the croutons 

FOR THE DRESSING

1/2 c. mayonnaise

2/3 c. plain yogurt

1 tbsp. ranch seasoning

3 tbsp. taco seasoning 

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine lettuce, beans, corn, pepper, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro (mix well). Make sure all ingredients are dry and the lettuce can become soggy. When serving add chicken, avocado slices, and tortilla strips. 

For dressing, combine mayonnaise, plain yogurt, ranch seasoning and taco seasoning in small bowl and stir well. Drizzle dressing on top of salad(and shake well). 

Enjoy,

Chika