Chicken Poblano Cream Cheese Empanadas

Happy New Year :) To start off the New Year, I have a confession. I am jumping on the bandwagon and sprinkling a little cliche on that by making a New Year's resolution to loose some weight.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was 22 years old (nothing life threatening). And ever since then, I've been on a weight roller coaster. Add post-wedding fun to that...you know that lovely wedded bliss when you stop being super duper conscious of your weight like you were pre-wedding bridezilla, weight mode...you know...the weight you blame on your hubby (okay, maybe I just do that...) until suddenly you notice your in your "fat clothes." I'm there...

I've always been pretty good about the food I eat. Funny, yes, I am a food blogger who does cupcakery reviews. BUT I enjoy food. I am all about portion size. I love baking and cooking, but I barely eat what I make. And I love fruits and veggies. But I also believe in indulgence on vacations and holidays, as long as you get back to your routine. I also know myself and what works with my hypothyroidism. I work well with exercise. My sister, cousin and I are using this Make Me app on the iPhone, in which we pick weekly goals (we picked exercise related goals) and consequences. And to prove we did the exercise we have to take pictures of us doing it. Well, my sister and I are doing a combination of the 30 day ab-, plank-, and squat challenge. :) It's no cardio but it gets the blood flowing, you feeling good about yourself and you get to be loyal to that little lazy part of you that still exists ;)

Also, since I have been doing a lot of desserts, I thought a nice savory recipe would be great! Although For the Love of Dessert, obviously started with desserts, I have noticed that it's my savory dinner ideas that tend to me more popular. So I hope you like this easy way to make a puff pastry version of an empanada. I have never made an empanada, so I thought making my own dough right out the door would be tricky plus, being a busy, working wife -- that is not always possible. This is delicious and easy! And you get to say you made "empanadas" --it's a fun word, try it ;) The hubby and I really enjoyed these!

CHICKEN POBLANO CREAM CHEESE EMPANADAS 

Adapted from Food.com

INGREDIENTS

Preheat Oven to 350F Degrees

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 large chicken breast, shredded (about 1/2 c.)
1/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese 
4 oz. of chopped poblano peppers
1-pound frozen puff pastry, thawed
Flour for dusting
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper to taste

optional: 1 tbsp. garlic

*To shred chicken, place chicken breast and 1 tbsp. chicken broth in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours. Using two forks, shred apart the chicken and allow to sit for an additional 15-20 minutes to soak up liquid.

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, shredded chicken, mozzarella and poblano peppers (and garlic, if desired). Season the mixture with salt and pepper. 

Lightly flour a flat surface. Unfold each sheet of puff pastry. Using a rolling pin, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Then using a 5-inch diameter circle-cookie cutter, cut out circles. Spoon 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp. of cream cheese mixture into the center of each circle. Brush the edge of the circle with beaten egg, and fold empanada in half. Crease and crimp edges using a fork. Repeat with remaining circles.

Transfer empanadas to a lined baking sheet and lightly brush the top of empanadas with egg. Bake for 30 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown (it's okay if a little of the filling leaks out).

Enjoy,
Chika

Spicy Chicken Poblano Ristto

Happy Friday! That one day of the week where you get to work with a sigh and a smile, because you just know what is coming up. Two days of blissful freedom from the tangled web of work we weave ;) hahaha..unless your everyone -- who has children, a second job or are in grad school and the weekend just provides the solace of being grumpy at home! Just kidding (kinda). I am convinced, with an emphasis on CONVINCED that November is just not my month. Don't get me wrong, I can handle a major thing going wrong and even a few little things here and there. But when those little things happen continuously, and at all the wrong times....I just wanna regress and build a fort in my master bedroom and refuse to come out. So why I am I so sure, well last year at this time, I found out Ninja tore is ACL and had a luxating patella. This year, my academic woes seems to be insurmountable. And that fort....its looking pretty good! I mean when a hurricane, tsunami or earthquake are coming we take cover right? ;) I know, I'm special...in all the weird ways...

Moments and days like that, convince me (you know...CONVINCE) me that being a stay-at-home wife is my calling. I love all things domestic. Especially being in the kitchen, cleaning and care-taking. My sister says I put women back 50 years. That is totally not my intention. I am all for liberation and awesomeness. But I also know, that there are different strokes for different folks. Different things that float one's boat. And different things that inspire us and make us happy. I am married to a hubby who would not mind either way. He's absurdly supportive...or maybe remarkably indifferent? hahaha...But I find such comfort in my home, and just love being in the kitchen. So I have always been good at school. I am not saying I do not love it. I love academia, research and working with children. Amazing life experiences. Am I convinced this is my true calling, not sure. But who says a PhD cannot be at a stay-at-home wifey...or a rogue rebel baker?

I have been craving all thing that I have made before. And this time, my taste buds wanted risotto. Which I have made before (Mushroom Risotto and Cajun Sausage Risotto). But this time, I wanted something spicy. I love spicy foods! It must be the Sri Lankan inside of me :) The hubby has definitely acquired a level of spice tolerance since meeting me. I searched high and low for spicy risotto recipes and nothing caught my fancy. So I decided, what they hey...why not just be a scientist in the kitchen, play around a bit and see if I can make something that is just what I am craving. And sure enough I did. And the hubby loved it ::spoiler alert:: (I think so much so, that this might go on his hubby 2013 favorites). It was delicious! And this time I tried actual Arborio rice vs. Jasmine or Basmanti rice.

SPICY CHICKEN POBLANO RISOTTO

A For the Love of Dessert Original Recipe

INGREDIENTS

4 c. of chicken borth
3 tsbp. olive oil
11 oz. chicken strips (I use Tyson's Grilled Chicken Strips), cooked
1-3 tsp. crushed red chili peppers*
4 oz. (~ 1/2 c.) chopped poblano peppers
1 tsp. chili powder*
3 green onions, diced
1 c. rice (Arborio preferred, long grain rice as substitute)
1/4 c. cooking wine
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

*Add amount based on desired spice preference

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in chicken strips and satue until warm (The Tyson's Grilled Chicken strips come cooked. If you are using raw chicken, cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center). Empty chicken onto plate and set aside. Heat an additional tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 tsp. of crushed red peppers. Saute until fragrant. Add in poblano peppers -- cooking until tender and no excess liquid remains. Empty into bowl and set aside. Cooking the poblano peppers with a little crushed chili will add spice to the peppers.

In a pot, bring chicken broth to a boil, then reduce heat and keep warm over low heat.

In a skillet, heat 1 tsbp. of olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in 2 tsp. crushed red chili pepper (or less if you prefer less spice), chili powder and green onions. Saute until fragrant and translucent, approximately 3-5 minutes. Add in rice and stir well to coat with olive oil-mixture. Cook rice for an additional 3 minutes, stirring only occasionally.

Next add in cooking wine and cook until all the wine is absorbed -- stir constantly. Continue to cook rice by adding 1/4 c. of warmed chicken broth at a time into the rice, stirring continuously until broth has been complete absorbed (it best to use a ladle to add the chicken broth).  Do not add more broth until the previous amount has been entirely absorbed by the rice.

Continue adding increments of chicken broth and allowing rice to absorb all the broth -- do this until all the broth has been used and rice is cooked through (add more broth if rice needs additional cooking). Rice should be tender.

Once risotto is cooked stir in Parmesan cheese until well incorporated and cheese is melted. Finally fold in chicken and poblano peppers. Garnish with additional crushed red peppers if desired.

Enjoy,
Chika

Roasted Poblano & Corn Grits w/ Chorizo

Remember when I mentioned that my eyes have been bothering me? Well, I ended up going to the optometrist later that day. After my exam I found out that I still have 20/20 vision but since I have to read a lot in graduate school and am on the computer ALL the time-- the muscles in my eyes have become very strained. So I was given a prescription for glasses-- a "stress relieving" lens. The optometrist said that they would magnify what I see so that my eye muscles could rest. I am a bit split on glasses, really I feel like a 8th grader who just found out they need glasses and is attempting to deal with it in the most dramatic way possible ;)

On one hand, I am excited to get glasses and pretty darn eager, because my eyes have only gotten worse since then. I cannot even be on the computer for 5 minutes before my eyes starting hurting and if I continue I will get a horrible headache :/ Which in grad school, is no bueno. Thankfully my new Ultrabook lets me magnify the screen, which has helped a little, but I really need to be able to work again with no looming headache. But on the other hand, although I am a huge nerd and have accepted that fact-- glasses epitomizes and solidifies my status as extra nerdy AND I don't even know if I look nice in them. Taking the hubby did not really help- I definitely need a girl's opinion. The hubby kept saying "nice" to everything :/ I'll post pictures when they come in-- hopefully they look good. Though, I guess if they do not-- I only have to wear them for reading and when on the computer.

I never heard of grits until I started dating the hubby. He would always get oatmeal. I wanted to get into breakfast but did not want something sweet- and one day when we were at the grocery store together, he suggested that I try grits. I had not tried them before, so I was willing to try something new. I really liked it! And later, when we went to Houston's famous Breakfast Klub, I had catfish and grits. I realized that grits does not necessarily have to be a breakfast food (ironic since we had it at the Breakfast Klub ;). Since I'm still on this kick to try really different things and I had not had grits in awhile-- I thought I would try this recipe. Plus, I really like chorizo, so this recipe was really calling my name ;) It ended up being a fantastic recipe-- super yummy-- the hubby ate it up! 

ROASTED POBLANO & CORN GRITS W/ CHORIZO

Adapted slightly from Budget Bytes

INGREDIENTS

Preheat Oven to 400F Degrees

2 medium poblano peppers
Olive oil (for brushing)
1 c. milk
3 c. water
1 tbsp. garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c. quick cooking grits (not instant)
1 c. frozen corn, thawed
2 tbsp. butter
2 links, Mexican chorizo

DIRECTIONS

Before baking, remove stem, seed pod and remaining seeds from the poblano peppers. Brush the outside of the poblano peppers with olive oil. Place the peppers on a baking sheet lined with a baking mat, aluminum foil or parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes (until tender). Allow poblano peppers to cool for a few minutes. Once slightly cooled, gently peel away as much of the thick skin as possible. The steam from the baking will cause some of the skin to already begins separating from the flesh. Once peeled, dice the peppers into small chunks. Set aside.

When poblano peppers are baking-- in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat, saute garlic until golden brown and fragrant. Then add in milk, water, salt, and pepper. Bring the contents to a boil. Once boiling, stir in grits and chopped poblano peppers. Bring grits to a boil again, and then reduce heat to a medium-low-- simmering, with the lid on, for 5-7 minutes or until grits have thickened. While grits are simmering, microwave thawed corn for about 2 minutes. Then stir corn into grits, until evenly distributed. Add in butter and continue mixing until completely melted.

While cooking the grits, you can also prepare the chorizo. Slice chorizo into medallions. Then in a skillet over medium heat, saute the chorizo until cooked through (chorizo will appear more "brown" in color), aproximately 7-10 minutes.

In a bowl, scoop out approximately one cup of grits and top with sliced chorizo. 

I served this dish with a side of sweet potato fries :)

Enjoy,
Chika