Category Archives: Appetizer

Chipotle Guacamole

February 20, 2021

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Chipotle as in the smoked jalapeno pepper, not the restaurant. (Just to be clear.) We eat lots and lots of guacamole. Most often I mash a ripe avocado with some red salsa and voila! guacamole. But this is my new favorite recipe for when I want to put forth more effort. Originally I added an ear of fresh corn but didn’t love it. (More of a personal preference. If you love sweet corn, you might prefer it.) I did love the chipotle flavor so on my second attempt I used a red onion instead for crunch and thought it was perfect.

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Chipotle Guacamole

INGREDIENTS

2 large ripe avocados, halved, pitted and peeled
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 plum tomato, seeded and diced
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
3-4 Tbsp. chopped red onion
1 canned chipotle chile*, finely chopped (I used a medium chipotle for mild spice, feel free to add more)
1 Tbsp. sour cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

optional add-in: 1 ear fresh corn

DIRECTIONS

1. Mash avocados with lime juice in medium bowl. Stir in tomato, garlic, cilantro, and onions. Combine chipotle and sour cream in small bowl; whisk to blend. Stir cream mixture into avocado mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Do ahead: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of guacamole and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

*Chipotle chiles are dried, smoked jalapeños canned in adobo sauce. They are available at some supermarkets, at specialty foods stores, and at Latin markets. Leftovers can be frozen for a long time.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

Breakfast Quesadillas

February 10, 2021

Scrambled eggs + bacon (or ham, sausage, veggies, etc!) + lots of melty cheese all stuffed inside a crisp tortilla = the breakfast quesadilla. It’s a quick and easy breakfast/lunch/dinner option that is filling and delicious. I love adding fresh chopped chives (they go so well with eggs) and cilantro and pickled jalapeños to mine. My kids don’t love the “green things” inside but they will request a pile of sliced avocado on the side. Salsa and sour cream are also a must.

Breakfast Quesadillas

INGREDIENTS

large (I used 10-inch) flour tortillas
butter
eggs (I used 2 large eggs per tortilla), whisked
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
bacon, cooked and crumbled (or diced ham/Canadian bacon/sausage or make it vegetarian with sautéed spinach, mushrooms, red pepper or black or pinto beans, etc.)
Mexican cheese blend, shredded (or cheddar, Monterey/Pepper/Colby Jack, etc.)

optional add-ins:
fresh chopped chives
fresh chopped cilantro
pickled jalapeno

for serving:
salsa or pico de gallo or hot sauce
sliced avocado or guacamole
sour cream

DIRECTIONS

  1. To scramble the eggs, melt a bit of butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the eggs and cook, stirring frequently, until the eggs are just set. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  2. Set the eggs aside and wipe the pan clean. Return the pan to medium heat and place a tortilla in the pan. Sprinkle the surface of the tortilla with shredded cheese. Top one half of the tortilla with scrambled eggs and bacon (or ham, etc.) and any other add-ins such as cilantro and chives. Once the cheese has started to melt, fold the other side of the tortilla over the eggs. Continue cooking, flipping the tortilla partway through, until the cheese is melted and the outside of the tortilla is golden and crisp.
  3. Remove the quesadilla from the heat, slice, and serve with salsa, avocado, sour cream, etc.

(Adapted from Tastes Better from Scratch)

Homemade Ranch Dressing/Dip

July 23, 2020

I’m not big on bottled salad dressings (though we make an exception for Garlic Expressions, it’s so so good!) and prefer to make my own because they don’t take much effort and aren’t full of questionable things. I was so excited when I tried this recipe… it’s the first time I’ve had a ranch dressing/dip that is mostly “clean” ingredient-wise and rivals the original in flavor and addictiveness! I lighten it up by using half Greek yogurt and half mayo. And since we mostly eat it with raw veggies, I only add a tablespoon or so of buttermilk (milk works too) and keep it thick. (Simply add more liquid to make a pourable dressing.) This ranch dressing recipe will be continually on repeat over here!

Homemade Ranch Dressing/Dip

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use half mayonnaise and half plain Greek yogurt)
1/2 cup sour cream
buttermilk or milk, to desired consistency (less for dip, more for dressing- buttermilk makes it more tangy than milk)
3/4 – 1 tsp. dried dill weed
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried chives
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt, adjust to taste
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
~1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, adjust to taste

DIRECTIONS

  1. Whisk together the mayo/yogurt, and sour cream. Add buttermilk or milk to thin to the desired consistency and whisk until smooth. Add the spices and whisk until combined. Add the lemon and whisk again. Adjust lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a jar/container and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This dressing/dip will keep nicely in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Adapted from Barefeet in the Kitchen

Prosciutto Wrapped Grilled Asparagus

July 20, 2020

A couple summers ago Dustin and I visited Italy. It was our second time in the country and our visit included Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, Pisa and some smaller towns in Tuscany. We love LOVE Italy! We especially love the food. During our visit to Florence we tried traditional Florentine steak and it came with a bundle of prosciutto wrapped asparagus. The steak was good but it was the asparagus that really impressed us! Ever since, we’ve been making it at home. And it’s so simple yet so delicious.

Florentine steak and potatoes and prosciutto wrapped asparagus, in Florence!

I don’t have too many tips for this recipe. I prefer to buy thin asparagus spears and wrap a couple together. When I made this last week I had groceries delivered and they gave me nice thick spears so I wrapped them individually. Use high quality olive oil and prosciutto for the best flavor (a little of both goes a long way). These are great on any outdoor grill (including our Traeger smoker). I haven’t tried roasting them but you might be able to achieve a similar result in the oven. These have become our staple appetizer for entertaining or anytime spring/summer side.

Prosciutto Wrapped Grilled Asparagus

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch asparagus
thinly sliced prosciutto
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. (We’ve also cooked them on our Traeger at 400 F.)
  2. Trim the thick ends (about 1-inch from the bottom) off of the asparagus. Drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with some kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. (Prosciutto is salty so you don’t have to add a ton of salt.) Toss to coat. Wrap each asparagus spear in a thin slice of prosciutto. If the spears are very thin you can wrap 2-3 together.
  3. Grill until the asparagus and prosciutto are tender-crisp, turning halfway through. Eat immediately as these are best hot off the grill!

Salsa Verde Chicken Nachos

May 29, 2020

Whenever tortilla chips are in sight I always end up eating way too many -especially if guacamole is involved- and filling up before I get to the rest of my meal. Who says guac/salsa and chips can’t be a meal, anyway? Well, nachos is the solution. It makes tortilla chips the main event and you can add as many toppings (lots of protein, even veggies) to make it more healthful/filling!

These salsa verde chicken nachos are our latest favorite creation. It’s a simple concoction: toss chicken in salsa verde and pile it on a bed or crispy chips with lots of cheese, beans, and corn. When it comes out of the oven all toasted and melty, add the peppers and onion, cilantro, tomatoes/salsa, avocado, and sour cream. It’s a feast.

Salsa Verde Chicken Nachos

INGREDIENTS

tortilla chips (our favorite are Late July Thin and Crispy)
cheese, grated (Colby/Monterey/Pepper Jack, Cheddar, Mexican blend, etc.)
cooked chicken, shredded
salsa verde (our favorite is Trader Joe’s)
black or pinto beans
corn (fresh or frozen)
red/orange/yellow bell pepper, diced
green onion or chives, chopped
cilantro, chopped
tomato, diced
pico de gallo or salsa
sour cream
guacamole or avocado, pitted and sliced
pickled or fresh jalapeno, sliced

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Toss chicken in salsa verde to coat. Spread a layer of tortilla chips on the pan, top with a generous amount of shredded cheese, chicken, beans, and corn (and any other toppings you want baked in the oven). Sprinkle a bit more cheese on top.
  2. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese has fully melted and the chips are beginning to brown.
  3. Remove from the oven and top with additional toppings: red pepper, onion/chive, cilantro, tomato, pico/salsa, sour cream, guacamole/avocado, jalapeno, etc. and serve immediately.