Creamy Tomato, Spinach, and Chicken Pasta!

Creamy Tomato, Spinach, 

and Chicken Pasta!

Back home there is a restaurant called Noodles and Co. I LOVE their "Penne Rosa." This dish is very close to it and I kind of put my own spin on it to make it just a little bit different! We had this for the first time last night! It is husband approved! haha!

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil.
2. 1/4 or 1/2 of an Onion, chopped very finely. (or no onion at all)
3. 2 cloves of Garlic, minced. 
4. 1 can of Diced Tomatoes.
5. 1/2 teaspoon of dried Oregano.
6. 1/2 teaspoon of dried Basil.
7. A pinch of Red Pepper Flakes. (if you do not want it spicy at all, leave this out)
8. Black Pepper to taste.
9. 1/2 teaspoon of Salt.
10. 2oz.(1/4 cup) or slightly less of Cream Cheese. (use any kind, I used Cooper Cream Cheese!)
11. 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese.
12. 1/2 lb.(half a box) of Penne Pasta.
13. 3 handfulls of Spinach.
14. Chicken, grilled. (I used Trader Joes, grilled chicken, for a quick make of chicken. They are strips grilled and frozen)
15. 2 tablespoons of tomato paste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender (7-10) minutes. Drain the pasta.
2. While waiting for the pasta to cook, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Cook both in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium-low heat until softened and transparent (about 5 minutes).
3. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and a ½ cup of water to the skillet and stir until the tomato paste is dissolved into the sauce.
4. Turn the heat down to low. Cut the cream cheese into a few pieces and then add them to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Use a whisk to stir the sauce until the cream cheese has fully melted in and the sauce is creamy. Add half of the Parmesan to the skillet and whisk until it is melted in. Add the remainder of the parmesan and whisk until melted in again.
5. Add the fresh spinach and gently stir it into the sauce until it has wilted (3-5 minutes). Add the chicken(if you use the trader joes chicken I used, you will need to heat it up in the microwave just to dethaw it a little bit) and the pasta and stir until it is well coated in the creamy tomato sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve!

TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

INSTAGRAM: @haleymarie1991

Something Sweet Saturday: Brownie Truffles!

Brownie Truffles!

My mom makes Brownie truffles all the time! She use to make them for my birthday, my friends birthdays, and Christmas! They are really easy to make, too!

INGREDIENTS:

1. 6 cups of ground up Brownies. (use a food processor, and a batch of brownies that were made 3 days before at the least. Click here for brownie recipe --> BROWNIES <--)
2. 1/2 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream.
3. 3 teaspoons of Vanilla.
4. 1 lb. of chocolate. (almond bark, or gardelli chocolate bars, unsweetened)

NOTE: You will need wax paper and a cookie sheet!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Ground up your batch of brownies to make 6 cups.
2. Put the 6 cups into a bowl, add the heavy whipping cream, and the vanilla.
3. Mix, and roll into small little balls. Put in the fridge and chill for 20 minutes or even 2 days.
4. In a pot, fill it with 1/4 to 1/3 of water. Take a smaller pot or metal bow and put it inside the pot with the water. Put the chocolate in the smaller bowl and stove on medium. Melt the chocolate.
5. Once it's melted, drop the brownie balls into and roll it around with a spoon and lay it on wax paper which should bee on a cookie sheet.
6. Once you have finished, put them in the fridge for the chocolate to harden. (freeze after the chocolate is hardened)

TWITTER: @haleymarie1991
INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991

Something Sweet Saturday: Brownies Recipe!

Brownies!

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 cup of butter.
2. 4, 1oz squares of unsweetened chocolate.
3. 2 cups of sugar.
4. 4 eggs.
5. 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
6. 1 1/2 cups of flour. 

NOTES: You will need a 13x9 baking pan.

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a sauce pan, melt 1 cup of butter and the 4, 1oz unsweetened chocolate. 
2. Remove from the heat; stir in 2 cups of sugar.
3. Blend in 4 eggs, one at a time.
4. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
5. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of flour.
6. Mix well and pour into baking pan.
7. Bake at 350 for about 22 minutes.

TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991

Crock Pot Chicken n' Dumplings!

Crock Pot Chicken n' Dumplings!

I love Chicken n' Dumplings! They remind me of the south! This is really easy to make! 

If I can make something in a crock pot I do it! haha! It's nice to be able to just stick everything 

in there and leave it until its done! 

INGREDIENTS:

1. 3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces.
2. 2 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces.(about 2 cups)
3. 2 cups of whole baby carrots.(you can cut those in half if you want)
4. 2 stalks of celery, sliced. (about 1 cup)
5. 2 cans of Campbell's Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup,10 3/4oz each. (I use the 98% fat free)
6. 1 cup of water.
7. 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves, crushed.
8. 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
9. 2 cups of all-purpose baking mix.(also known as bisquick or jiffy. I use jiffy)
10. 2/3 cup of milk.

NOTE: 9 and 10 are for the dumplings. You will make these 45 minuets before eating!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the chicken, potatoes, carrots and celery into a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Stir the soup, water, thyme and black pepper in a small bowl. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours* or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. FOR THE DUMPLINGS: Stir the baking mix and milk in a medium bowl. Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto the chicken mixture. Increase the heat to HIGH. Tilt the lid to vent and cook for 30-45 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked in the center.

NOTE: If you need to have these cooked in a shorter amount of time, you can cook on HIGH 4 or 5 hours!

Salmon Recipe!

Salmon!

Last night I made Salmon for dinner! I have to come up with ways to cook things that are normally cooked on a grill haha! This was pretty easy to figure out! Josh and I love this Salmon! We went Whale Watching this past weekend and ever since then I have wanted some seafood for dinner! haha! 

INGREDIENTS:

1. Salmon.(This time I had almost 2 lbs of salmon, normally I just get 1)
2. Salt and Pepper to taste.
3. Butter.(cut a few slices)
4. A Lemon or two.(optional)

You will also need a cookie sheet and 2 pieces of foil. The foil needs to be a little longer then the length of your Salmon. Pre-heat your oven to 375

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put the first piece of foil down onto your cookie sheet and then your salmon, skin down.(you can take the skin off if you like)
2. Cut your lemon in to thin slices and place underneath the slab of fish.(if you want to with the left over end pieces of lemon, you can squeeze a little bit on the top of the salmon, too)
   
3. Salt and pepper the top of the salmon to your liking and then slice up some butter and lay across evenly.
   
4. Take you second piece of foil and put it onto. Fold pieces of foil together so the juices don't spill out. On all sides. On each end leave a little unfolded so theres a little room for air.
5. Put in your oven for 20-30 minutes. Because I had such a big fillet this time I had to put it in for longer and check it once or twice. For smaller pieces it should only take around 20-25 minutes.

TADA!

I also made Asparagus and mashed potatoes for the side dishes. Here is how I cook my asparagus!

---> How to Steam Fresh Asparagus | tender just like the canned kind <---

 My mashed potatoes, unfortunately, were from an instant mix. I did not have potatoes on hand nor did I feel like making anything extra! haha, but they were all natural and gluten free! haha! Not that I needed them to be but wherever I can have the healthier option I like to make it! Here are some pictures from our whale watching adventure from saturday!

Humpback Whales!

HUGE!! Jellyfish!

More Humpbacks!

Out in the Monterey Bay!

TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991

Basil Shrimp Pasta

Basil Shrimp Pasta!

This is a side dish. Well, I guess you could just eat it by itself haha! We like this with steak! I made this one up too! I wanted something with steak and had some bow tie pasta and tomatoes lying around and made this! My husband says it's one of his favorites!

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 pounds or less of Shrimp, peeled and deveined. 
2. 3 cloves of Garlic, minced.
3. 1 tablespoon of Dried Basil. (fresh sprigs, or the dried crushed kind)
4. 16oz of Pasta. (I've used spaghetti, and even whole wheat pasta too)
5. 2 cups of Roma Tomatoes, chopped.
6. 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil.

DIRECTIONS:

     Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside. Saute the shrimp with the garlic in the olive oil until they loose their transparency.(2-3 minutes) Add basil and tomatoes. Let simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve with warm pasta!

Now that I think about it, this would probably taste really good with spaghetti squash too! haha! For those that don't want all that pasta haha! (I LOVE PASTA!)

Hibachi Dinner: Rice, Meat, Zucchini, and Soup.

Hibachi Dinner!

Yesterday, I made Steak and Shrimp Hibachi for Josh's birthday dinner! It still smells like a Hibachi restaurant in our apartment! haha! This actually pretty easy to make, but it is time consuming! I will show you how and what you need to make all that is part of this tasty dinner! I also made Miso soup. Most Hibachi restaurants I've been to give you the onion and mushroom soup; but the ones I have been to out here have given us Miso. For those who don't know what it is, it's a soup with tofu soup. That might sound gross, and I thought that at once, but its pretty good. So starting with the rice heres how you make a Hibachi Dinner.

Fried Rice!

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 cups cooked Rice, cooled. (I used minute rice)
2. 1/2 cup of Onion, chopped in tiny, thin pieces.
3. 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil.
4. 1/4 cup of frozen Peas.
5. 1/4 cup of frozen Carrots.
6. 1 Egg.
7. 2 tablespoons of Butter.
8. 2 tablespoons of Soy Sauce.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put your oil in a skillet with the heat on medium.
2. Put your peas, carrots, and onion in the skillet and sauté for about 5 minutes.
3. Move you vegetables to the side of the skillet and add you egg. Scramble with your cooking utensil.
4. Add your rice and butter, mix with vegetables and egg. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until butter is melted.
5. Add soy sauce and stir in.

EXTRAS FOR THE RICE:

    You can remove the rice from the skillet and put in a pan with a lid on it to keep it warm. The closer you get done with the rest of the food you can put the pan on the stove on low. Also, if you buy just one really large onion thats all you will need for then entire meal. For the rice 1/2 cup onion is usually only 1/4 of the extra large onion.

Zucchini! 

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 tablespoons of Vegetable Oil.
2. 1 medium Onion, chopped thinly.(or just use the rest of the extra large onion.)
3. 2 medium Zucchinis cut into thin strips. (i cut them in half, then the halves in halves.)
4. 2 tablespoons of Teriyaki Sauce. 
5. Black Pepper to taste.

DIRECTIONS:

     Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, and cook 5 minutes. Add zucchini, and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Stir in teriyaki sauce and soy sauce. Cook until zucchini are tender. Stir in ground pepper.

EXTRAS FOR ZUCCHINI:

     I cover them with lid so they get all the moisture needed and to not let the liquids spit all over the stove. Once they are tender you can just keep the heat on low until ready to eat. Also, you can add sesame seeds if you want to. I usually don't unless I have some around.

                                                                     

                                             Hibachi Meat!      

                                            you can do this with steak, chicken, and shrimp.

INGREDIENTS:

1. Chicken, Meat, Shrimp, or all of the above!
2. Soy Sauce.
3. Teriyaki Sauce.
4. 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat your oil in a skillet on medium heat.
2. Cut your meat into 1 inch cubes. If you have shrimp, de-tail.
3. Put your meat in the skillet. Add the Soy Sauce and Teriyaki Sauce. Put enough to fill and small layer to fill the bottom of the skillet. Cook until done.

Miso Soup!  

I found this at Whole Foods. Before you think, "ew..vegan? Organic?.." haha! It was the probably the best I had. Plus I couldn't find it anywhere else. All you need was 8oz of hot water!

EXTRAS FOR THE MEAL:

You can use any kind of Soy and Teriyaki Sauce but I use a specific kinds. I've tried many types these two are the best:

INSTAGRAM: @haleymarie1991

TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti Sauce!

Spaghetti is probably one of my favorite meals! When I was little I use to eat it if cold for breakfast!

Gross I know, haha! I use to even eat soup cold, right out of the can! Don't get me wrong, the store bought kind can be good, but homemade is so much better and better for you! This recipe you actually have to use your hands and squeeze the tomatoes! It's fun! haha!

INGREDIENTS:

1. 3 Medium, finely chopped Onions.
2. 8 cloves of, finely chopped Garlic. 
3. 3-4 tablespoons of Olive Oil.
4. 2 cans of 28oz. Whole Peeled Tomatoes.
5. 2 cans of 28oz. Tomato Sauce.
6. 1 can of 6oz. Tomato Paste.
7. 2 tablespoons of Parsley.
8. 4 tablespoons of Basil.
9. 4 tablespoons of Oregano.
10. 2 teaspoons of Salt.
11. 1/2 teaspoons of Pepper.

DIRECTIONS:

    Saute the onions in the oil until nicely browned. Add the garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients. Reach into your pot and mash the Whole Peeled Tomatoes with your hand. (you can turn the heat down if needed, but its never that hot when I do so) Cook on low heat for 2-3 hours and stir occasionally. Cook the next day for 2 hours. (the reason for the two days is because all the ingredients mix and taste better if done this way. as my grandma use to say, "It tastes better once it's been married!")

EXTRAS:

   You can add ground beef or sausage to your sauce, but i usually cook that in a separate skillet and just add the sauce to it. Because, the meat will go bad before the sauce does if you just add it into the pot. You can also freeze it better if you just cook you meat when needed. Mushrooms taste great added in with the meat as well!! Also, if your not a big onion person you can always do 1 and 1/2 onions. I do sometimes.

INSTAGRAM: @haleymarie1991

TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

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

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