Award Winning Salsa Recipe

Salsa!

Just looking at this picture makes my mouth water! haha! This is not my award winning salsa, this is my mom's salsa! Its restaurant worthy people! Its so good, I'll even eat it with a spoon or drink it through a straw! You can blame that weird trait or quirk on my birth mom, who also would do the same! haha! Here is how to make it!

INGREDIENTS:this makes a huge bowl. For two people cut the measurements in half.

1. 4-6 fresh tomatoes, chopped.
2. 2 cans of whole peeled tomatoes.(28 oz)
3. 1 onion, finely chopped.
4. 1 bunch of cilantro.
5. 2 tablespoons of crushed garlic.
6. 1 tablespoon of salt.
7. 2 tablespoons of lime juice.(fresh lime tastes best)
8. 1 can of green chillies or jalapeños. (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

     Pulse canned tomatoes about 2-3 seconds in a food processor, then put in a bowl. (longer, if you like smoother salsa) Pulse cilantro in food processor with some of the juice of the tomato juice, pulse until finely chopped. Add in the onion and garlic.(may need to chop up a little for the onion and garlic) Add the lime juice, salt, and chillies or jalapeños to the mix and stir.

This tastes better the second day after the ingredients mix and sit together.

INSTAGRAM: @haleymarie1991

TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

Chicken Bow Tie Pasta

Chicken Bow Tie Pasta

To say I love pasta is a understatement! This is something new to me. I have had several versions of this sort of dish, but I think I like this one the best. The others were too dry, too many onions, not enough chicken, etc. We just had this last night. Its easy to make. You can even make it a few hours before and just reheat it and it's still good, as well as for left overs the next day!

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 tablespoons Olive Oil.
2. 1 clove minced Garlic.
3. 4 cups Baby Spinach Leaves.
4. 2 cups cooked shredded or cubed Chicken Breast.
5. 1/2 teaspoon Salt.
6. 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper.
7. About 1 1/2 to 2 cups of Philadelphia Cooking Cream. (I used italian herb flavor because there wasn't a regular flavor. It seems to be tasty so I am going to stick with it.)
8. 1 Box of Bow Tie Pasta.
9. 1 1/2 cups of shredded Mozzarella Cheese, or to your liking.
10. 9x13 inch pan.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2. Put oil in a pan the stove to medium. Add the garlic and let it come to a sizzle, then turn the heat down to 3 or 4.
3. Add the spinach. Stir and let cook until the leaves look wilted.
4. Add and stir in the chicken, salt, and pepper.
5. Add the philadelphia cooking cream.
6. Cook the bow tie pasta as it says so on the box.
7. Pour the pasta into the 9x13 pan and mix in the other ingredients.
8. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top of it all and put it in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991

TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

How to Roast Green Chillies!

How to Roast Green Chillies!

My mouth waters every time I see this picture! haha! When I lived in New Mexico my family had a friend, Joe, who we called our "Green Chili Man." He would have us for dinner and roast us some green chillies. Once we moved from there to Tennessee the chillies or jalapeños were never the same! Not even the mexican restaurants satisfied our hungry for hot authentic mexican food, which chillies are used a lot for. We use to have a bunch shipped to us but it is really expensive to do so. My birth mom, Christa, who lives in Oklahoma, she saw some new mexican chillies at her whole foods store and she sent us all some! Now I can have some spicy everything!! It's even good on steak! haha! 

Heres how to roast green chillies.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash and put a little slit with a knife in the green chili.
2. Put your oven on Broil. (If you dont have a broiling pan like i do just take a cookie sheet and put some foil on it)
3. Lay your chillies on the sheet. Spread them out evenly and don't let them touch.
4. Put them in the oven for 5 minutes and then flip them over. (they will look like they are getting burned, thats ok..they need to look that way. like in the picture above)
5. Once they are done, let them cool down and then peel them. (if you roasted them long enough they will peel really easy!)
6. Pull the stem off and then peel the skin. 

before peeled and stemmed

after peeled and stemmed

Now what do you do with them? You chop them up and freeze it! Put them chopped chillies in a Gallon sized ziplock bag. Spread it out where it lays flat and freezes that way. So, when you need some all you have to do it break off a piece of it.

what is looks like all chopped up.


I will be making a salsa recipe coming up soon where you can use this green chili (or you can replace it with jalapeños is you want), so be on the look out for that! You can put this on Steak, Chicken Fajitas, Pork, pretty much ANYTHING! lol 



WARNING! DO NOT TOUCH YOUR EYES WHEN ROASTING, PEELING, OR CHOPPING GREEN CHILLIES! WASH HANDS THROUGHLY AFTER AND MANY TIMES AFTER!

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991
TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

Guacamole Recipe

Guacamole

I have never made Guacamole on my own. I was always my mom's taste tester because she can't eat it. I decided just to make up my own recipe. I thought, "surely it can't be THAT hard." Josh was the taste tester. He said it was a lot like the restaurant Chillies. That's good, right? haha! I did not have any tomatoes so I left them out. So here's how I made my Guacamole.

INGREDIENTS:

1. 3/4 Avocados. (halved, pitted, and peeled)
2. 1 Lime. (Juiced, or you can use the bottled lime juice)
3. 1 tablespoon of Cilantro. (I used a little more then that, but make sure you chop it finely)
4. 1/3 cup of Red Onion. 
5. 1 Garlic Clove. (mashed and chopped. just use a big spoon to mash after you chop it)
6. Salt. (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mash up your Avocados with a fork. Leave it a little chunky.
2. Add you Lime juice, Cilantro, Red Onion, Garlic and Salt. Mix it together. (I usually add one at a time, mix, then add another.)
3. Find a taste tester! haha. Add salt and the lime juice according to how you like your Guacamole to taste.

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991

TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

Moroccan Chicken with Couscous

Moroccan Chicken with Couscous

My husband Josh LOVES Moroccan Chicken! We even had it on our wedding day! Now I'm not really sure if this is the real moroccan chicken but hey, its SO tasty! The recipe I have is from my 

mother-in-law, but I have changed it just a tad. 

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 tablespoons of Curry. (I use Hot Curry but there is just regular)
2. 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon.
3. 2-4 Boneless, Skinless, Chicken breasts. (I cut them in half. It started as just to make the amount in the chicken that was in the freezer to last and I just stuck with it)
4. 1 Box of Couscous. (the directions for the amount of people is on the back)
5. Salt and Pepper to taste.
6. 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken.
2. Take a small bowl and put your 2 tablespoons of curry and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the bowl. Mix it together so it becomes a paste. (I make it a little more watery looking then a paste so I may put more then a 1 tablespoon)
3. Spread the paste onto both sides of the chicken.
4. Put in the oven on 350F for 30 minutes.
5. Make your Couscous when you have 15-10 minutes left on the oven.
   
   
   
   

       (I also use a knife to mix and to spread on the chicken. you can use your hands but mine smell like the paste even the day after if I do haha!)

(This is the kind of Couscous I use. I am told you can use Quinao{Keen-wah}..but why mess with a good thing haha!)

You will not be disappointed! It is SO GOOD! My husband says though its not good as left overs haha! It just looses a little bit of flavor. Its not near as good as it is right out of the oven. I am making this right now and my stomach is grumbling!! Today is the 22nd of August! Today it has been 8 months since our wedding day, so its the perfect dinner! This is really easy and quick to make too!

December 22nd, 2012! <3

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991
TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

Chicken Fajitas

Chicken Fajitas 

I am from New Mexico. I have been raised on the BEST mexican food there is. The closest you will find to actual food in Mexico. I have had both. I like both. They do have their differences but who cares! As long as its spicy, am I right? haha! This is my mom's recipe, and hers will always be better, but I like to think mine is pretty close!

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 tablespoons of Lime Juice
2. 1 teaspoon of Salt
3. 1 medium Onion, cut into small slices
4. 1 Green Bell Pepper
5. 2-3 Boneless Chicken Breasts, cut into 1 inch strips.
6. 1 tablespoon of oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. I put all the onion and meat in a bowl and then add the Lime Juice and salt into the bowl and mix it up while your skillet is heating. Put your skillet on medium. Then pour all the contents that's in the bowl into the skillet.
2. Cook for 10 minutes, stir every few minutes.
3. Add the green bell peppers the last two minutes.
4. Cook until the meat is done and the peppers are some what tender.

EXTRAS:

      Tortillas: You can just eat with cold tortillas, but I like to get a separate, smaller skillet and put it on 3, then heat the tortillas for 5-10 seconds on each side. You could just microwave them but it changes the texture of the tortilla. It becomes harder to eat, almost stretchy.

     NOTES: I used a 2 eye skillet the last time I made this and it seemed to work pretty well also.

                    You can also use steak, same directions.

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991
TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

How to Steam Fresh Asparagus | Make like the Canned Kind

Asparagus! 

My Husband loves the canned Asparagus, but I love the fresh kind. He likes the canned kind because they are really tender; which I like to but I prefer the fresh tasting kind. So how do you go about getting that really tender taste without buying the canned. (canned is more money too) There is a way to do so. After all marriage is about compromise and meeting in the middle. So I had to find a way to make the fresh taste like the canned haha!

STEAM THEM!

Step One: Cut off the bottoms of the Asparagus. This is the part that starts to turn white and is very "stalk" like or hard. Cut it off! haha

Step Two: Peel from the middle to the bottom of the Asparagus. This takes of the very thin layer and allows it to become tender. (see picture below)

Step Three: Lay them in a skillet that has 1 cup of water in it. Put a few thin slices of butter on top of them.

Step Four: Cover them with a lid and turn your stove on medium heat. Let them come to a boil then to a low simmer until your ready to eat them!

We LOVE Asparagus! haha! We eat them with Steak, Chicken n' Rice, Moroccan Chicken, and many other things!

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991
TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

Something Sweet Saturday: Oat Meal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oat Meal, Chocolate Chip Cookies

       I am not a big sweets eater. Strange, I know, but I love Oat Meal Chocolate Chip Cookies. 

Plus, you can justify eating them for breakfast even more because they have oat meal in them!

I am sure most of you know how to make these, or that there is a similar recipe on the bottom 

of the lid of the oats container! Its for Oat Meal Raisin Cookies but all you have to do is switch

the raisins for chocolate chips. I took it a little further though. The ingredients call for "all-purpose 

flour. Well, I switched it out with wheat flour. Most of the time when you do that it does NOT taste

as good, am I right? haha! And! my husband is certainly not a fan of wheat things, but I'd thought I 

would try it. For the sake of trying to just to be good steward of the body we are given haha! Well,  my husband didn't even notice and he said that it was the best batch I ever made. SCORE! So here is the list of ingredients and directions.

   INGREDIENTS:

1. 1/2 cup(1 stick) of Butter, softened. *you can put it in the microwave for 5-10 secs or let sit out until it is soft.
2. 3/4 cup of firmly packed Brown Sugar.
3. 1/2 cup of Granulated Sugar.
4. 2 Eggs.
5. 1 teaspoon of Vanilla
6. 1 1/2 cups of All-purpose Flour, OR Wheat Flour.
7. 1 teaspoon of  Baking Soda.
8. 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon.
9. 1/2 teaspoon of salt (optional).
10. 3 cups of Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked.)
11. 1 cup of Chocolate Chips.

  DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed with a mixer until creamy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.
3. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well.
4. Add oats and chocolate chips; mix well.
5. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. * I use a ice cream scooper to get the size I want. It easier to scoop out and it wont blend back you spoons haha!
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. I let them sit on the cookie sheet to cool for a few minutes. *this makes around 4 dozen.

   NOTES: To keep the cookies soft longer, put a piece of bread in the container with your cookies. I  promise it helps haha! Also, if you don't have a mixer, this is really easy to mix by hand. It's what I do every time I make them. I do not have a mixer yet! haha! 

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991
TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

Tomato Chicken

I would like to share with you all a dinner I came up with all by myself! This was one of the first meals of many I came up with by myself a few months into marriage. It is now one our favorites! 

  INGREDIENTS:

1. 3-4 Boneless Chicken Breasts.
2. 2 Cans of Diced Tomatoes. (I use the Del Monte brand)
3. 1 Can of Chicken Broth
4. Salt (to taste)
5. Pepper (to taste)
6. Onion Powder (to taste)
7. Crushed Red Pepper (to taste)*optional
8. Minute Rice (for 2 servings is 1 cup of water and 1 cup of rice)
9. 1 Can Black Beans
10. 1 Cap full of Olive Oil

  DIRECTIONS:

1. Season both sides of chicken with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Heat skillet on medium and add 1 cap full of olive oil. Cook the chicken until white and almost golden on both sides. Add both cans of diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir, add crushed red pepper, and let come to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes. (if you are wanting to let this marinate and eat the next day, this is where you want to put all the contents into a container and put in the fridge. just put in the skillet again the next day and reheat. bring to almost to a boil)
2. Cook rice.
3. Cook black beans.

* We like it better the second day! It tastes a whole lot better! But, be warned, the longer it sits the hotter it gets if you add the red pepper.

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991

TWITTER: @haleymarie1991