Chicken Fajitas for #SundaySupper

Sunday Supper says "Cinco de Mayo is almost here and we want to see your best recipes to celebrate. This holiday celebrates Mexico’s victory over France in the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. It is now celebrated across the United States as a fiesta of good food, family, and friends"

Today we are all sharing our favorite Cinco de Mayo recipes.  This party is being hosted by Shelby of Grumpy's Honey Bunch.  I am sharing a quick, easy and complete one pot meal today, Chicken Fajitas.

In fact, I am going to be sharing Mexican Recipes all week long with my Holiday Fun with Blog Friends group, so stay tuned for that. 

Now, back to Sunday Supper.  This one pot meal is perfect for Lazy Sundays with family and friends. Your chicken can marinate for up to 3 hours and the vegetables can be prepped and set aside so that when you get hungry, dinner will be on the table in about 15 minutes.

This meal is perfect for entertaining.  Put out some chips and salsa, pour some margaritas and relax while you visit with your friends.  Refill their drinks and head to the kitchen to cook up this meal that needs nothing more than a side of sour cream and some guacamole should you choose.  Warm up some tortillas and dinner is served.

Chicken Fajitas

Serves 6-8

2 lg or 4 sm chicken breast halves (approx. 3 lbs)

zest and juice of 2 limes

2 T. sugar

1 t. dried basil

1 t. dried thyme

1 t. cinnamon

dash cayenne pepper

1 onion

10-12 miniature sweet peppers or 1 each, green, red and yellow bell pepper

2-3 T. olive oil

8-10 Flour tortillas

Sour Cream, Guacamole and Salsa for serving, if desired.

Clean and trim any fat and cartilage from the chicken breasts.  Slice into 1/2" thick strips and place in a large bowl.  Add the lime zest, lime juice, sugar, basil, thyme, cinnamon and cayenne.  Toss to coat the chicken thoroughly.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.

Peel, and halve the onion.  Cut into thin slices and set aside.  Halve the peppers, remove stem and seeds and cut into 1/2" wide slices.  Set aside.

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large skillet or wok over med high heat.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and put in pan.  Discard remaining marinade. Stir fry for 5-6 minutes until no longer pink. 

Remove to a plate and set aside.  Add more olive oil to the pan, if needed.  Add the onions and peppers. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.  Return chicken to the pan and stir fry for another minute or two.

Serve with warmed tortillas and toppings of your choice.  Print Recipe

More Easy Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Sunday Supper Easy Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Appetizers

• Beef and Portobella Tostados by Our Good Life
• Cumin Spiced Potato Quesadillas by Sprinkles and Sprouts
• Easy 5 Minute Restaurant Style Salsa by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Fiesta Corn Dip Recipe by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Rotisserie Chicken Nachos by Pies and Plots

Drinks

• Cherry Paloma by The Crumby Cupcake
• Spicy Micheladas by Food Lust People Love
• Strawberry Pineapple Agua Fresca by Authentically Candace

Entrees

• Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Chicken Tinga Chalupas by Palatable Pastime
• Chicken Tortilla Soup by Soulfully Made
• Chipotle Chicken and Black Bean Soup by Cooking Chat
• Mexican Chicken and Black Bean Casserole by Simple and Savory
• Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas with Mexican Slaw by A Mind Full Mom
• Southwestern Chicken Layered Salad with Cilantro Dressing by My Savory Spoon

Sides and Sauces

• Alambre Skillet Cheese Dip by My Life Cookbook
• Black Bean Cilantro Rice by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Mango Habanero Sauce by Caroline’s Cooking
• Queso Fundido (Melted Cheese with Chorizo) by Tara’s Multicultural Table
• Slow Cooker Healthy Refried Beans by Cricket’s Confections

Sweets

• Blueberry-Chocolate Jicamuffins by What Smells So Good?
• Carlota de Limón – Lime Charlotte by Sunday Supper Movement
• Flourless Mexican Hot Chocolate Cake by Baking Sense
• Margarita Cupcakes by Gourmet Everyday
• Oreo Taco Cookies by Ninja Baker
• Sopapilla-Inspired Cheesecake Bars by Books n’ Cooks
• Strawberry Gluten-Free Hand Pies by And She Cooks

Tacos

• Chicken Street Tacos by The Freshman Cook
• Chicken Fajitas by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lime Chicken Soft Tacos by Life Tastes Good
• Mini Taco Bowl Bites by Jersey Girl Cooks
• Pineapple Lime Chicken Tacos by Brunch-n-Bites
• Taco Bake by My World Simplified

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Spring has Sprung here on the Farm and the Weekly Menu

I am having a lot of fun walking around our new yard.  Seeing what was planted by the previous owners and making plans for changes and additions that we will want to make.  One of the things I want to do is to plant some tulip and daffodil bulbs.  Our old yard had tons of them and I am missing them very much this Spring.

There are some beautiful things in this yard.  Olive trees, weeping cherry trees, lots of hostas and day lilies, lots of shrubbery and bushes.

One of my favorite things right now is this tree that is blooming outside of our sunroom.  I don't know what it is but it has the sweetest little flowers on it.  If any of you recognize this tree could you please identify it for me?

We spent the majority of the day yesterday working in the yard and it is looking pretty nice.  I don't know if I mentioned to you that we built a new home for the chickens.  By we, I, of course, mean Frank.  We had downsized them when we moved last year and put them into this house and yard.

The yard was fine but the coop was way too small and we had no way to add light or heat to it in the winter months.  It was a long hard winter for my poor ladies.

As soon as the weather broke, Frank got to work, rectifying this sad situation our hens were in .  We bought a pre-made shed and he adapted it to work as a chicken coop.

Now,  that is more in the style to which they had become accustomed.  They are happy, happy hens and they are showing their appreciation by giving me tons of eggs.  Stay tuned for egg recipes folks!!

This afternoon we are singing at the 4 pm Mass then we are heading over to our friend's the Pryrt's for pizza before a large group of us attend a comedy show this evening at a local theatre.

Tomorrow, Frank has confirmation practice with our great nephew, Dylan, whom he is sponsoring. The confirmation ceremony is on Monday evening.  Tuesday is our Anniversary.  This year marks 25 wonderful years together.  Time certainly does fly by.  We will enjoy a quiet evening at home since our eldest, Amy, has put together a dinner party at our favorite local restaurant for next weekend.

Thursday is Frank's birthday.  We will celebrate that along with our anniversary over the weekend since we have choir Thursday evening. 

Friday, Frank and I are attending a mushroom seminar at a local nature park.  Hopefully we will find a lot of mushrooms and I will be sharing mushroom recipes with you next week.

For sure, I, and many others, are sharing tons of #MexicanRecipes all week long so that you are ready for Cinco de Mayo...unless, like us, you are traipsing through the woods hunting mushrooms LOL.

So here is the Weekly Menu.....enjoy and please stop by and visit during the week.

Saturday 

Pizza and Comedy with friends

Sunday

Pot Roast 

Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

Green Beans

Meatless Monday

Spring Vegetable Quiche

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Tuesday

Beef Pot Pie

Wednesday

Chicken Salad with Orange and Fennel

Thursday

Sesame Crusted Pork Chops

Orange and Sweet Potato Stir Fry

Friday

Out for dinner after Mushroom Hunting

Beet and Carrot Smoothie to Finish Up #RecipeMakeover Week

Today is the final day of this wonderful #RecipeMakeover event hosted by the lovely ladies over at ThePinterTest Kitchen.  It is also the last day to enter to win the fabulous gifts being offered by our gracious and generous sponsors.  You can learn all about our sponsors and enter the drawing by going over to my Welcome Post.

One of our sponsors, Barleans, sent me a wonderful package of their Digestive Blend, chock full of flax, chia, coconut, pumpkin and quinoa.  Perfect for sprinkling on salads, yogurt and oatmeal.  You can add it to your baked goods for an extra nutritious punch.  I decided to add it to this smoothie, perfect for grabbing as you head out the door to work.

The recipe I am sharing is perfect for smoothies for two.  You can always halve the recipe if you are not forcing having your husband eat healthier along with you.

I had some leftover beets that I had roasted for a salad (that recipe will be coming shortly)  and some leftover carrots from a package of frozen that I had heated up for dinner the night before.  I added in a crispy and sweet apple and some apple juice so no additional sweetener was required. 

I topped this with 4 tablespoons of the Barleans Digestive Blend and a cup of ice and set my heavy duty blender to puree.

I thought the earthy goodness of this smoothie might be too sophisticated for young palates but to my surprise the Little Angel Face loved it!  I was happy to share this nutritious, delicious breakfast with her.  Thanks Barleans! 

Thank you Allison and the other ladies of The PinterTest Kitchen for all of your hard work putting together this wonderful event.

Beet and Carrot Smoothie

makes 2 servings

2 c. roasted beets and carrot mixture

1 c. apple juice

1  apple, cored

4 T. Barleans Digestive Blend, if desired

1 cup ice

Place all ingredients into a heavy duty blender in the order listed and puree until smooth.  Print Recipe

Let's see what the others are sharing on this final day

An InLinkz Link-up

Italian Spaghetti Squash Bake #RecipeMakeover

On this, Day 4, of Recipe Makeover week I decided to share with you a way to enjoy the ooey gooey goodness of baked Spaghetti that gives you and your family an extra serving of vegetables and is gluten free. This dish is so delicious that even your most die hard carnivores, pasta lovers and veggie haters will happily gobble it up.

I love using Spaghetti Squash in place of pasta.  Does it taste like Spaghetti? Nope but in my humble opinion it tastes just as good as spaghetti.  Especially when you add delicious flavorings, melty cheese and yummy broccolini and mushrooms.

You can prepare it in about the same amount of time as it would take using pasta by cooking the squash in the microwave.  While the squash is cooking, saute the broccolini and mushrooms with some crushed red pepper and garlic in a little olive oil.

Remove it to a bowl and allow to cool before adding the cheeses and Italian Seasonings.  Stir to combine and set aside while you shred the "spaghetti" from the squash.

Add the squash to the vegetables and toss to combine.  

Place the vegetable filling into the scraped shells and sprinkle with more cheese.

Bake for a few minutes to warm through then put under the broiler to melt and brown the cheese.

I adapted this recipe from one found at Eating Well.   They called it Spaghetti Squash Lasagna with Broccolini.  I added mushrooms, used fresh mozzarella, substituted red wine for the water and used Tuscan Herb olive oil to saute the vegetables.

Thanks to the ladies over at The PinterTest Kitchen for hosting this great event.  Don't miss out on the great giveaway our sponsors are having.  You can enter over at my Welcome Post.

Italian Spaghetti Squash Bake

adapted from Eating Well

1 (2-3 lb) spaghetti squash, halved and seeded

1 T. Tuscan Herb Olive Oil

1 bunch Broccolini, chopped

6 oz. sliced mushrooms

4 cloves garlic, minced

pinch of crushed red pepper

2 T. dry red wine

6 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, grated

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

1/2 t. dried Italian herbs

pinch of salt

couple of grinds of black pepper

Place squash, cut side down onto a microwaveable dish.  Add a little water to the dish and cook on high temperature until the flesh is tender, about 10 minutes.  

While squash is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the broccolini, mushrooms,  garlic, and crushed red pepper. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, add the wine and continue cooking and stirring until broccolini is tender, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl to cool, then add the 2/3 of the mozzarella and 2 Tablespoons of the parmesan cheese, herbs, salt and pepper.  Toss to combine, set aside.

Using a fork, scrape the squash from the shell in strands and add to the vegetable/cheese mixture. 

Toss together loosely and then divide between the shells, and sprinkle with remaining cheeses.  Bake in a preheated 450* oven for about 10 minutes, just until heated through and then place under a broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Print Recipe

More Wonderful Recipe Makeovers

An InLinkz Link-up

Healthified Swiss Steak #RecipeMakeover

I know that when I say Swiss Steak it envisions a piece of steak, often cubed for tenderizing, smothered in a heavy gravy that may or may not contain mushrooms.  Very delicious but not very healthy.

This recipe I am sharing with you today is a win on so many levels.  You start off with round steak which is one of the leanest cuts of beef.  We are going to cook it low and slow in a crockpot so that it is fork tender.  It is smothered with veggies instead of gravy and what gravy there is is light and bright made with the juices from the veggies and a little water added prior to cooking.

Serve it all up over some pasta made with brown rice instead of flour.  Your family will never know that the pasta is made from rice if you don't tell them and they get the added benefits of whole grains that are gluten free if that is an issue in your family.

A group of us are getting together all week, under the direction of Allison of The PinterTest Kitchen, to share recipes that are healthier but still amazingly delicious.  We are also hosting a giveaway that you can join by going to my welcome post.

You will find many more wonderful healthy and nutritious recipes following mine.

Swiss Steak
adapted from BHG

1 Round Steak, approx. 1-11/2 lbs.
1 T. coconut oil
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 small onion, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 t. dried thyme

Cut steak into fourths and trim fat from meat. Season with salt and pepper and brown in hot oil in a skillet over med high heat. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Pour diced tomatoes into the hot skillet used for the meat and deglaze, stirring to loosen up brown bits stuck to the pan.

Place the onions, celery and carrots in bottom of slow cooker, season with salt and pepper. Top with the meat and any drippings on the plate. Pour tomatoes over the meat and vegetables, sprinkle with the thyme. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs.  Print Recipe

More Recipe Makeovers

An InLinkz Link-up

Balsamic Roasted Pork Tenderloin #RecipeMakeover

Welcome to Day 2 of Recipe Makeover Week.  A group of us were invited by Allison and the ladies of  The PinterTest Kitchen to post healthy recipe makeovers this week.  In a nutshell she wanted us to share "better for you, more nutritious meals" and left it up to us what that would look like.

Yesterday, I shared a healthier version of a Strawberry Orange Muffin with you, swapping out some of the regular flour for whole wheat and adding a protein packed streusel to the top.  I also shared a giveaway that we are having to celebrate this week so make sure you link back to the Welcome Post in order to enter.

Today, I am sharing a recipe for Pork Tenderloin.  Pork tenderloin is a very lean cut that cooks up quickly and is perfect for a healthy meal during the busy week or for an impressive meal over the weekend when you are entertaining family or friends.

This recipe from Rachael Ray is tender and deliciously seasoned with fresh herbs.  Serve this up with a nice salad and a side of Baked Sweet Potato Fries and no one will even realize that they are eating a meal that is low in fat and healthy.  The USDA has lowered the safe cooking temperature for a pork tenderloin to 145* which gives you a beautifully moist and medium rare finish.

I adapted this recipe slightly by halving the ingredients to serve 6 people and changing the preparation a bit.

Balsamic Roast Pork Tenderloin
adapted from Rachael Ray

1 pkg of pork tenderloins (there will be 2 in the package)
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. good olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 t. kosher salt
several grinds of fresh cracked pepper
leaves from 2 sprigs rosemary
leaves from 2 sprigs thyme

Trim all silver skin from the tenderloins and place onto a rimmed baking pan lined with foil.

Place the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme in a blender or food processor and pulse until a coarse puree.  Massage into and onto all sides of the pork tenderloins.

Roast in a preheated 500* oven for 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast reads 145*.  Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.  Print Recipe

More Recipe Makeovers

An InLinkz Link-up

Strawberry Orange Muffins #RecipeMakeover #MuffinMonday

This first day of Recipe Makeover by the ladies of The PinterTest Kitchen just happens to fall on Muffin Monday, a group led by Stacy of Food Lust People Love.  So naturally, the first recipe that I a sharing today is for a delicious and healthier muffin that I adapted from Eating Well.

Recipe Makeover is a sponsored event.  You can read all about our sponsors and enter to win a fantastic giveaway over at my Welcome Post.  Our sponsors are very generous.  Not only did they supply great items to be raffled off to you, our readers, but Barleans also sent me some butter flavored coconut oil and a package of their Digestive Blend.  I am under no obligation to use these products for recipes developed for this event nor did I receive any monetary compensation from this or any other of the sponsors.  All opinions are 100% honest and mine.

I did choose to adapt the recipe from Eating Well slightly by substituting the butter flavored coconut oil for the canola oil in the original.  Only 2 Tablespoons were used in the nut streusel so there was not a pronounced butter flavor but there was the satisfaction of using a product that has different nutritional value,  according to livestrong.com:

 Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides, and this type of saturated fat could be beneficial for increasing energy without raising blood sugar levels, notes nutritionist Dr. Jonny Bowden.

The article went on to say that a combination of both types of oil, coconut and canola, in moderation provides the best health benefits to your diet.

Other components that makes these muffins healthier is using lowfat buttermilk instead of milk and butter in the batter.  It also swaps out some of the AP flour to White Whole Wheat flour which has the same nutritional properties as regular whole wheat flour. Adding fresh fruit juice, fruit and nuts to the batter also gives you sweetness with a minimal amount of added refined sugar.  I chose to not add any additional oil to the batter for the muffins as included in the original recipe.  I found that they still baked up moist and tender and released easily from the pan.

The final result?  While these were not the most beautiful muffins I have ever made, they were one of the tastiest.  They were light and moist and I loved the nutty streusel topping.  

This is a muffin that I can enjoy guilt free for breakfast or a snack and feel good about serving to my family and friends as we visit over a cup of coffee.  Life doesn't get much better than that!

Strawberry Orange Muffins
adapted from Eating Well

Streusel Topping

3 T. raw almonds
2 T. All Purpose Flour
2 T. brown sugar
zest of one orange
pinch of salt
2 T. coconut oil, melted

Batter

3/4 c. All Purpose Flour
1 c. White Whole Wheat Flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 c. brown sugar
Juice of 3 oranges plus low fat buttermilk to equal 1 cup
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 qt. strawberries, chopped

For Streusel

Place almonds, flour, brown sugar, orange zest and salt in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.  Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the coconut oil. Set aside

For Batter

Whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  Whisk together the brown sugar, orange juice/buttermilk mixture, egg and vanilla.  Add, all at once to the dry ingredients and stir just until blended.  The batter will be thick at this point.  Stir in the chopped strawberries and their juices until combined and divide between a 12 cup muffin pan that has been liberally treated with baking spray.  Sprinkle the streusel over the batter and bake in a preheated 400* oven for 18-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted removes cleanly.  Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely on the wire rack.  Print Recipe

More Amazing Muffins

• Buttersquash Muffins by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Graham Cracker Muffins with Carrots and Raisins by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Lemon Crumb Muffins by Making Miracles
• Strawberry Orange Muffins by A Day in the Life in the Farm

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

Let's see what recipes the others are sharing for Recipe Makeover today

An InLinkz Link-up

Welcome to #RecipeMakeover Week and enter our Fantastic #Giveaway

After a long winter of snowstorms, stews, and sweets, spring is the perfect time to get back to the basics - delicious, whole foods and dishes packed with fruits and veggies that are great for your overall health.

To eat a healthier diet, you don't need to make drastic changes (unless recommended by a doctor). It's not about denying yourself that occasional treat; it's about taking baby steps to reduce the amount of sugar, carbs, red meats, and empty calories in your meals.

This week, I've joined forced with 40+ of my food blogger friends to present #RecipeMakeover. During this week, we'll all be sharing our favorite better-for-you alternatives to unhealthy dishes. Follow along on any of the blogs below or with the hashtag on social media to find nutritious dishes that are packed with flavor.

A huge THANK YOU to our sponsors, who have made #RecipeMakeover possible! They've provided a number of awesome products that you can win by entering our #RecipeMakeover giveaway below. Just follow the instructions below, and you could win the following prize pack:

• Butter-flavored coconut oil and digestive blend from our sponsor Barlean's - Barlean's butter-flavored coconut oil is an organic, dairy-free alternative that can be used as a 1:1 substitution for butter. Their digestive blend is an organic, vegan combination of flaxseed, chai seed, quinoa, unsweetened shredded coconut, and a proprietary pumpkin blend, that is delicious sprinkled into salads, smoothies, oatmeal, and more.
• Sampler pack of original, mesquite, and applewood Smokin O's from our sponsor Smokin O's - Instead of frying, choose a healthier cooking option like grilling! Smokin O's is an innovative new product that allows you to add a natural wood taste even if you are using a propane grill, and they work great in charcoal grills and smokers too. No soaking, no mess, no wait - just delicious wood flavoring from a 100% natural product with no binders or chemicals.
• 4 flatbread pizzas from our sponsor American Flatbread - Choose from any of America Flatbread's 15 all-natural, handmade pizza varieties, available at your local grocery store. These pizzas feature 100% organically grown wheat crusts and are topped with fresh herbs, vegetables, and cheeses (no rBST growth hormone!). They’re all-natural, with no preservatives, artificial colors or flavors, and handcrafted from scratch and par-baked in wood-fired ovens.
• 5 containers (48 oz) of ice cream from our sponsor Turkey Hill - Ice cream for a health food event? Try out their line of no-sugar-added products for a sweet treat without the guilt or their line of light ice creams, which have a rich taste with a fraction of the fat. They also have a rainbow sherbet option, which is Vitamin C and naturally low in fat. These all make great dessert options for special occasions. Turkey Hill also believes in implementing green initiatives to cut down on waste, reduce packaging, and minimize outputs into the environment.
• 15 tuna creations pouches from our sponsor StarKist - StarKist tuna pouches all have at least 13 grams of protein, and their BOLD line now includes three gluten-free varieties: Tuna Creations® BOLD Thai Chili Style; Tuna Creations® BOLD Jalapeño; and Tuna Creations® BOLD Hot Buffalo Style.
• Mueller Spiral-Ultra 4-Blade Spiralizer from blog hosts, The PinterTest Kitchen - this 4-in-1 gadget allows you to spiralize your favorite veggies, and it also has extra attachments for a juicer, mandolin and grater.

This prize pack is valued at over $200, and one lucky winner will get it all! This giveaway is open world-wide except where prohibited. A winner will be randomly drawn on April 29, at the conclusion of #RecipeMakeover, and the winner will be contact via email.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to all of our participating bloggers. Click the links below to find out what recipes they're cooking up for #RecipeMakeover: 

The PinterTest Kitchen • Fix Me a Little Lunch • Rosie Discovers • crave the good • Zesty South Indian Kitchen • That Recipe • The Domestic Dietitian • Authentically Candace • Eat, Drink, Be Healthy! • Body Rebooted • Cindy's Recipes and Writings • Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice • Feeding Big • Natural Contents • Seduction In The Kitchen • Everyday Eileen • Family Around The Table • Fairyburger • Jane's Adventures in Dinner • Kitchen Counter Chronicles • Kate's Recipe Box • Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats • Chocolate Slopes • Little House Big Alaska • Makes, Bakes and Decor • 2 Cookin' Mamas • Meadoe Out on a Limb • Strawberry Blondie Kitchen • Mel Claire • Cookaholic Wife • For the Love of Food • The Saucy Southerner • Cook's Hideout • Two Lazy Gourmets • Ink and Sugar • Cookingwithsapana • The Chef Next Door • Sarah Cooks the Books • Chef Sarah Elizabeth • Frankly Entertaining • Palatable Pastime • Our Good Life • The Food Hunter's Guide to Cuisine • A Day in the Life on the Farm

Stay tuned to see all of the delicious recipes bloggers create during #RecipeMakeover!

Sunday Funday and the Weekly Menu

Hi Folks.  Sorry I didn't get the Weekly Menu out to you earlier but it has been a very busy weekend.

My menu for Friday night from last week was changed. We had Frank's brother and his wife over for dinner and she is allergic to shellfish so the crab went into the freezer for another day.  I made a couple new dishes including this soup for them that I will be sharing at a later date. Our main course was Chicken Piccata.

Yesterday we attended a surprise 21st birthday party for the Benda's Ukranian daughter, Nataliya. When Nataliya was last at our house for dinner, I asked what food she missed most from home.  Her response was Borshch.  As luck would have it, our Cook the Books selection this period featured a Borshch recipe from the Ukraine.  It is different from the Polish Borscht soup that I have shared with you in the past.  I will be sharing this Borshch recipe, that I took to her potluck party,  along with the book review next weekend.

Today, we are hosting our Dominica Dive Party get together.  I made up a pile of pasta, marinara sauce, meatballs, Italian Sausages and a Smoked Salmon Fettuccine.  Everyone else is bringing a dish to pass.  It will be a great party...you can't go wrong with this group of friends.

Monday is Tingting's birthday.  We are picking the Angel Face up from school and meeting her mama, Aunt Amy and Uncle Doug at a Fishbones restaurant for a dinner celebration.

Tuesday is Chuck's birthday, unfortunately we can't celebrate with him because he is in Virginia but I am making one of his favorite meals and Frank and I will toast him, praying that all his wishes come true this year.

Wednesday, Frank is holding a CPL class for our close friends, the Greens and their daughter and future son in law.  I am cooking up a Mexican Fiesta for their lunch.  Dinner will be leftovers from Sunday. Our German son, Max, celebrates his birthday today. This week is filled with birthdays of those we love.....unfortunately Max, too lives far away.

Thursday, our Cocoa goes in to  be spayed. After we drop her at the vet's we are heading down to help our friend, Karen, move to an apartment in the next town over from us.  We are excited to have her closer.  Thursday night we return to choir practice after a hiatus to recover from Easter week.

Believe it or not....there is nothing on the schedule for Friday...of course that is always subject to change.  So here is the Weekly Menu. We are celebrating #RecipeMakeover this week and I have a lot of delicious, nutritious recipes that I have made, so please stop by and take a look at what I and the others are sharing.

Saturday-Potluck Surprise Birthday Party
Borshch
Pickled Shrimp

Sunday-Potluck Dive Party
Pasta Bar

Monday-Ting's Birthday
Out for dinner

Tuesday
Grilled Steaks
Mushrooms and Onions
Baked Potatoes
Grilled Asparagus

Wednesday-CPL Class

Breakfast:
Strawberry Orange Muffins
Fresh Fruit Bowl
Coffee
Juice

Lunch:
Jicama Salad
Chicken Fajitas
Salsa and Guacamole
Green Rice
Almond Orange Cookies

Dinner:
Leftovers

Thursday
Dinner out before choir

Fish Friday
Spinach Salad with Strawberries
Scallops with Garlic and Cilantro
Leftover Green Rice

Dolmathes (Stuffed Grape Leaves) inspired by "A Touch of Spice" #FoodnFlix

What an amazingly beautiful movie.  Beauty in the scenery.  Beauty in the food.  Beauty in the relationships.  Beauty in the telling of the story.

"A Touch of Spice" was chosen for this month's Food n Flix by Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla.  You are welcome to join us by following these Guidelines, starting with watching this movie about Fanis and his family.

The movie starts with "Appetizers" taking place in Istanbul, where Fanis lives with his mother who is native to Istanbul, his father, who is from Greece and his maternal grandfather with whom he is very close.  His grandfather owns a spice shop and develops in Fanis a love of gastronomy and astronomy using the smell, taste and texture of spices in the lessons he gives.  You see many people walk through his doors, all of whom have a lasting impression on Fanis.

The movie moves onto the "Main Course" with Fanis and his family being deported back to Greece as there is now dissension between the two countries.  Fanis' beloved grandfather remains behind with the promise to visit but the reminder to look at the sky each night should his visit be delayed. Fanis becomes so engrossed with his cooking and spices that his family resorts to calling in a priest for an exorcism and locks him out of the kitchen.  Fanis' responds to this by living in the bathroom for two years.  So, yes there is some beautiful humor in this film as well.

The movie finishes with "Desserts" which finds Fanis back in Istanbul with his grandfather and his first love.  Hence we finish with the beauty of relationships that hold both joy and sadness.

I quit taking food notes during the first 5 minutes of the film.  There was way too much food to ever keep track of.  There was food being served, eaten, discussed, made and shared in each and every scene.

Dolmas (stuffed vegetable dishes) were everywhere.  Stuffed tomatoes, stuffed peppers, stuffed eggplant and the dish I finally decided to make, stuffed grape leaves.

I love stuffed grape leaves.  Our son in law, Pierre, is from this region and his mom makes the best stuffed grape leaves ever.  I requested her recipe and she was kind enough to share it.  Like most cooks who are sharing a traditional food from their childhood, it was a loose translation.  It had all the ingredients but no measurements.  Those of you who are cooks, understand this dilemma well. Those dishes that we learned from our Moms and Grandmas that have some of this, some of that, a pinch of this, a dash of that....and time measurements....forget about it.  How long to cook it?  Until it is fork tender, of course.

So I turned to a gorgeous cookbook, written by Debbie Matenopoulas called "It's all Greek to Me". Debbie has taken the recipes handed down by her family and has written instructions that any home cook can follow.  Her recipe for Domathes Gyalantzi  had all the same ingredients as the one from Pierre's mom so I combined the two recipes and was pretty pleased with the results.

Stuffed Grape Leaves

adapted from a recipe by Marlaina Kamel 

and It's all Greek to Me by Debbie Matenopoulos

1 (16 oz) jar grape leaves
Good olive oil
1 lg. Vidalia onion, finely chopped
3/4 c. long grain white rice
1 1/4 c. water
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1 T. chopped dill
2 leaves of mint, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
juice of half a lemon

Remove the grape leaves from the jar and rinse thoroughly, separating the leaves while rinsing and placing them in a colander to dry.

Boil a large pot of water.  Add the rinsed grape leaves and submerge in the boiling water.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon to a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.  Set aside.

Heat 2 T. of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook for a few minutes, until translucent but not brown.  Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add the water, parsley, dill and mint.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Set aside to cool.

Place a small amount of the rice mixture onto the bottom side of the grape leave (the veins are more pronounced on the underside of the leaf).  Fold in the sides and roll into a neat little package. Continue until all the rice is used.

Place a layer of grape leaves in the bottom of a dutch oven.  Add the stuffed grape leaves in an even layer, seam side down, stacking layers if necessary.  Pour 1/2 c. of good olive oil over the rolls and then cover with a heat proof plate.  Add enough water to cover the rolls and the plate, season with salt, pepper and the juice of half a lemon.  Cover the dutch oven and cook over a medium low flame for 30-40 minutes.  Carefully remove the plate, and use a slotted spoon to remove the stuffed grape leaves to a platter.  Serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold.  Print Recipe

Shrimp Fried Rice #FishFridayFoodies

Welcome to Fish Friday Foodies.  This fun group gets together on the third Friday of each month to share a fish/seafood recipe based on a theme chosen by one of our members.  This month, our friend, Karen of Karen's Kitchen Stories asked us all to share One Pan Dinners, saying "Fish Friday for April is One Pan Dinners. Sheet pans, Dutch ovens, skillets, or casserole dishes. Make a meal with fish that can be prepared in just one pan, and perfect for the busy cook."
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If you would like to join Fish Friday Foodies just leave a comment below with your blog name and email address.  Next month Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is hosting "Marinated and Raw".

Who doesn't love One Pan Dinners?  They are easy to throw together, delightfully delicious and clean up is a snap.  Perfect for a Friday night.....Let the weekend begin!!

One of my favorite ways to create One Pan Meals is in my wok.  I love making stir fry.  They are quick, easy and great way to use up whatever ingredients are on hand.  You can use any vegetables, any meat and serve it with rice or noodles or just as is with some sweet dinner rolls.

Today, I am using up some rice that was leftover from a meal earlier in the week.  When making fried rice, you want to start with rice that is at least a day old.  I wanted to make this meal even simpler so I used a package of frozen mixed vegetables instead of chopping up a mixture of fresh.  I had dinner on the table in less than half an hour.  Now that is the way to start a weekend!

Shrimp Fried Rice

12 oz. large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 T. peanut oil

4 scallions, white and light green, sliced

1 1/2 t. garlic paste

1 t. ginger paste

2 c. leftover rice, chilled

3 T. low sodium soy sauce

2 eggs, beaten

1 (4 serving) package frozen mixed vegetables

Place 1 T. of oil in the bottom of a wok placed over med high heat.  When oil shimmers, add the shrimp.  Cook and stir until the shrimp turn pink.  Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the wok with the scallions, garlic and ginger.  Cook and stir until fragrant about 30 seconds. Add the rice and stir to coat.  Cook for a minute or two until rice starts to crisp. Stir in the soy sauce and cook, stirring until absorbed.  Push the rice to the side and add the eggs to the wok.  Scramble the eggs, incorporating the rice into the mixture, until eggs are set.  Add the frozen vegetables and reserved shrimp.  Cook and stir until warmed throughout.  Print Recipe

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