Marry Me Chicken Soup

Photo credit to Insanely
Good Recipes

Another favorite being added to the list for 2024! This soup was fan-freakin-tastic.

What I did:

• I actually measured everything out. I didn't eye ball anything and the seasoning was spot on

What I didn't do:

• I don't care for sundried tomatoes, so I swapped those out for fire roasted diced tomatoes.
• Didn't add the spinach because cooked spinach is icky
• Forgot to add the lemon juice in the end, and I still loved the recipe so unsure it was necessary. 
• Instead of adding the parmesan cheese to the soup, I added it on top of my bowl. 

Bottom line, if you're looking for an easy, creamy soup for the winter, this is the soup for you. 

Marry Me Chicken Soup

Recipe from Insanely Good Recipes

Serves 4

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breasts)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional for a bit of heat)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (drained and chopped)
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
• Juice of half a lemon

Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs (or breasts) and sear for about 5 minutes per side until browned. Remove from the pot and set aside.

In the same pot, add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for another minute until fragrant.

Pour in the chicken broth and add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Stir well to combine. Return the chicken to the pot, cover, and let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.

Remove the chicken from the pot and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.

Stir in the heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, rosemary, and basil. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Add the baby spinach and stir until wilted.

Squeeze in the lemon juice for a fresh burst of flavor. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes if needed.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread for dipping. Enjoy!

Sabrina's Carne Picada

Carna picada was a staple in the house when I lived with a Mexican family in Guadalajara in 1990. It
was my favorite meal she made. We ate it mostly with rice, then used the rest as leftovers in tacos the following days. I always knew it was picada day because you could smell it from down the street. 

Photo from Dinner
Then Dessert

It's a surprisingly easy recipe to make that results in mouthwatering flavors. The ingredients for this recipe most have in their home. You may have to actually buy the beef, but the rest we all usually have in the pantry. 

I've made carne picada before and claimed it a favorite. The one I made from Hola Jalapeno is still my favorite. 

This recipe was delicious though. My only "complaint" and I say that mildly, is that the chili powder is too strong of a flavor. I love chili powder, but like it to be just a hint and not a main flavor. It didn't stop me from eating this and loving it though. 

Sabrina's Carne Picada

Recipe from Dinner then Dessert

Serves 6

• 3 pounds bottom round roast
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 29 ounces diced tomatoes
• 4 ounces diced green chilies
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Cut the beef roast into 1/2-inch cubes.

Mix the flour, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cumin. Toss the meat with the flour and spice mixture.

Add vegetable oil to a large dutch oven on high heat. Add the beef in batches and brown, about 4-5 minutes per batch.

Add tomatoes, green chilis, and sugar to the pot with the beef. Stir to mix, cover and simmer on low heat for 90 minutes.

Serve in tacos, burritos, or over rice in burrito bowls.

Easy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I've been on a bit of a banana kick lately. Once I discovered I could eat bananas while having the big D, they just have to be more green than ripe, I was all in with bananas. Which is weird, because prior to being diagnosed with the Big D I wasn't a banana person. 

The problem with bananas that at a certain point they become too ripe and thus too much sugar in them. So instead of tossing them, I try to make some low carb muffins or something. Still sugar, but in my brain less banana per muffin I guess. 

So this recipe made a good muffin. I swapped chocolate chips out for sugar free chips and sugar alternative. While this recipe still uses flour, I thought swapping out the other sugars will make them at least a little healthier. 

Easy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Recipe from Insanely Good Recipes

Makes 12

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease the muffin tins with cooking spray.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Then, set it aside.

Mix the mashed bananas, sugar, egg, butter, and vanilla in a separate bowl until just combined. Do not over-mix.

Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients using a spatula until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into a prepared muffin tin until each muffin is 3/4 full.

Bake them in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Transfer them to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Beef Taquitos

Beef taquitos are not something I eat very much of. I mean, they're just small tacos rolled up and then fried. I'm surprised I haven't eaten them more. 

These are super easy to make and ever so delicious. I baked mine in the oven, but next time I'm doing it in the air fryer.

Beef Taquitos

Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

Serves 6

• 1/2 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
• 1/4 medium onion, diced
• 1 pound ground beef
• Taco Seasoning use the entire recipe of our homemade taco seasoning*
• 1/4 cup water
• 20 corn tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese or cheddar cheese
• Oil, if you are frying the taquitos
• Toppings: shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole
• beef

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and brown for about 5 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces using a wooden spoon. Cook until meat is no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease.

Add the taco seasoning and water; stir to combine. Simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and drain off any excess liquid. Set aside.

Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and place on a plate. Microwave for 1 minute, flipping halfway through, or until tortillas are pliable. Remove from the microwave and keep covered while you assemble the taquitos.

Lay out one tortilla at a time on a flat surface. Place a heaping tablespoon of ground beef in the center of the tortillas. Top with about a tablespoon of shredded cheese. Tightly roll up each tortilla tightly. You can use toothpicks to make sure they stay securely rolled up. Continue assembling taquitos.

To bake the taquitos: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the taquitos in a single layer on the pan, seam side down, making sure they are not touching. Spray the tops of the taquitos with cooking oil or brush with avocado oil. Bake for 15-20minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

To fry the taquitos: Pour the oil into the bottom of a deep skillet, about 2-inches deep. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering hot, it should be at 350 degrees F. Once hot, add 3 to 4 taquitos, seam side down, and fry until crisp and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use tongs to rotate the taquitos during cooking to make sure they get crisp on all sides.

To use the air fryer: Preheat air fryer to 400 degreesF. Place the taquitos in a single layer in the basket, seam side down. You will have to cook in batches. Spray the taquitos with cooking spray, air fry for 5 minutes, flip and spray again, then air fry for 2 more minutes or until crispy. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining taquitos.

Transfer to a baking sheet or tray that has been lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining taquitos, adjusting the temperature of the oil, if necessary.

If you used toothpicks, remove, and serve with desired toppings.

Hoisin Chicken with Cucumber Salad

I like hoisin. I like chicken. And I like all these ingredients. Oddly, I didn't like them together. 

The jalapeno overpowered the rest of the flavors. I'd only add one jalapenos

The cucumber salad on the side was the winner for me in this recipe. I'll be making that again.

Hoisin Chicken with Cucumber Salad

Recipe from Food Network

Serves 4

For the Chicken:

• 3/4 c hoisin sauce
• 3 scallions, coarsely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 2 -inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed and halved (remove seeds for less heat)
• Zest and juice of 2 limes, plus lime wedges for garnish
• 2 T rice vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 pounds skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks (separate pieces)

For the Salad:

• 1/2 c rice vinegar
• 2 T sugar
• Kosher salt
• 1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Prepare the chicken: Preheat a grill to medium on one side. Combine the hoisin sauce, scallions, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, lime zest and juice, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste in a mini food processor or blender; process until almost smooth. Season the chicken with salt; toss with the hoisin mixture in a large bowl.

Make the salad: Bring the vinegar, sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring. Remove from the heat; stir in 1/4 cup ice cubes until melted. Toss the cucumber and red onion in a serving bowl with the vinegar mixture; place in the refrigerator.

Grill the chicken over direct heat until the skin is crisp, 5 minutes per side, basting with extra marinade. Transfer to the cooler side of the grill; cover and grill until cooked through, 10 to 15 more minutes. Serve with the cucumber salad and lime wedges.

All-Purpose Pesto Chicken Marinade

BAM! And just like that I have a new favorite chicken marinade. 

I have tried so many chicken marinades in my life, that I rarely expect one to knock my socks off. You can imagine how happy I was that this recipe did exactly that. 

This recipe just bursts with flavor. I've done pesto marinades before but they never had as much punch. I think its the vinegar in this that really makes it. 

Adding to 2024 favorites! You should try it and add it to your regular rotation too.

All-Purpose Pesto Chicken Marinade

Recipe from Thissillygirlskitchen.com

Serves 4

• 6 pieces chicken* (I used a mix of thighs and breast)
• 1/2 c apple cider vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T dijon mustard
• 2 T granulated sugar
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 10 cracks fresh black pepper
• 2 heaping tablespoons prepared pesto

Place chicken in a gallon sized bag and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. Reserve half of the marinade and place in an air-tight container in the fridge. Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken, toss to coat. Place in fridge for 4-6 hours to marinate.

Take chicken out of marinade and grill over medium heat until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Baste chicken with reserved marinade every few minutes while cooking.

Lemon Chicken Scallopini

Chicken Scallopini is one of the many favorites that I have in my To Do Over list. My overall favorite is this one that I sorta made up and sorta followed a recipe. 

I didn't do anything different with this recipe. Followed it to the letter. One thing that baffles me all the time is adding half and half at the end. It curdles almost every time. The acid of the lemon causes this. Most recipes have you add it off the heat, but it still doesn't matter. It curdled on me this time, but it did eventually work itself out. Not the prettiest, but meh.

I'm not sure I'd make this recipe again. I was sad I didn't make it with pasta. But as I'm trying to eat less carbs pasta really isn't an option. I know. I know. There's rice on that plate, but I learned a new thing about rice. If you eat leftover rice it becomes a resistant carb.

"Resistant starch is a type of fiber that is naturally present in many types of plant foods, such as whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, green bananas and plantains. But it can also be increased in other foods that mainly contain regular starch, like rice, pasta and potatoes, after they are cooked and then cooled."

Lemon Chicken Scallopini

Recipe from Thesuburbansoapbox.com

Serves 4

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup finely diced onion
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2/3 cup half and half, or heavy cream

Whisk together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture to coat on all sides. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Add the remaining oil to the skillet and stir in the onions. Cook the onions for 4-5 minutes or until softened and beginning to caramelize. Stir in the garlic and lemon zest. Cook for an additional minute.

Stir in the wine and deglaze the pan by scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking until the wine reduces by half, approximately 2-3 minutes.

Add the chicken stock, lemon juice and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low.

Stir in the half and half. Return the chicken to the pan and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve the chicken with the sauce over pasta or rice, if desired.

White Chicken Chili Casserole

Photo credit: Eating Well

Sherrie was over for some scrapbooking and I wanted to make a dinner that was simple. I'd seen this a while back and thought I'd give it a try. I actually followed the recipe verbatim - well, except I used pepper jack cheese instead of sharp cheddar. A much better flavor with this I think. 

Overall, this was a yummy recipe. We put it over rice and I think that really made the dish. It wasn't spicy at all. I kinda wish I had put in some hot sauce, but it was still tasty.

White Chicken Chili Casserole

Recipe from Eating Well

Serves 4

• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 c chopped onion, plus more for garnish
• 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground pepper
• 1 c low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 (15 ounce) cans no-salt-added white beans, rinsed
• ¼ c sour cream
• Shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (optional)
• Crumbled tortilla chips (optional)
• Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and poblanos; cook, stirring, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. 

Add jalapeño and garlic; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 

Add chicken, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until the chicken is opaque on all sides, about 3 more minutes. 

Stir in broth and beans and bring to a lively simmer. Reduce heat to maintain the simmer and cook, stirring a few times, until the chicken is cooked through and the broth has reduced, about 10 minutes. 

Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Serve topped with cheese, tortilla chips, onion and/or cilantro, if desired.

Cpk's Kung Pao Spaghetti

Any time I go to PF Changs I always order Kung Pao Chicken. I never order it anywhere else. Mostly because they usually put bell peppers in it. 

I like the overall flavor of Kung Pao Chicken, so when I saw this recipe I thought I'd give it a go.

It was an ok recipe. It comes together super easy and all the ingredients most people have in their pantry. 

The 2 T of red chili paste with garlic I used gochujang. The 2 T was perfect heat for me in this recipe. 

The overall flavor of this dish was good. I'm not sure I'd say it was Kung Pao chicken, but then again, I'm not sure I really know what makes up said chicken.

Cpk's Kung Pao Spaghetti

Recipe from Damn Delicious

Serves 4

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 3 boneless, skinless thin-sliced chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c dry roasted peanuts
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 1/2 c reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 c chicken broth
• 1/2 c dry sherry
• 2 T red chili paste with garlic, or more, to taste
• 1/4 c sugar
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 2 T cornstarch
• 1 T sesame oil

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, chicken broth, dry sherry, red chili paste, sugar, red wine vinegar, cornstarch and sesame oil; set aside.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, to taste. Add to skillet and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces; set aside.

Add garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in soy sauce mixture and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in pasta, chicken, peanuts and green onions.

Serve immediately.

Korean Beef Kabobs

Photo from Damn
Delicious

Korean beef marinades are becoming my favorite lately. The sweet salty flavors really hit the spot for me.

This one was delicious. I needed more heat than what I put in though. That sweet and spicy sweet spot is hard to find for me. 

What I didn't do: I didn't slice the beef and skewer it like you'd see satay. I did cubes of meat. Not as fancy and since it was just me, it really didn't matter much. 

What I did do: I marinated these cubes for about 5 hours. I feel like that's the perfect time for marinades these days and that's what I'm sticking with. 

Overall, this was a good marinade. I'd do it again.

Korean Beef Kabobs

Recipe from Damn Delicious

Serves 4

• 2 pounds thick-cut New York strip steak
• 1/2 small pear, peeled and coarsely grated
• 1/4 c reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 T brown sugar
• 2 T toasted sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T freshly grated ginger
• 1 T gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
• 2 T vegetable oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Wrap steak in plastic wrap, and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Unwrap and slice across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.

In a medium bowl, combine pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and gochujang. In a gallon size Ziploc bag, combine soy sauce mixture and steak; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the steak from the marinade.

Thread 2-3 slices steak onto skewers. Brush with vegetable oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Preheat grill to medium heat.

Add skewers to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until charred and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.

Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.

Italian Bean Soup

Photo from Yellow 
Bliss Road

I'm not really sure about this soup. All the ingredients are ingredients I love so it seems like I should love this soup, but it didn't hit quite right. 

Honestly, I think I'm so careful with salt now that this lacked salt. I added some to my bowl after and it wasn't exactly what was missing. At any rate, it was good enough for a meal and will be good enough for lunch tomorrow. 

Actually now that I think about it, I know the problem. I used ground beef instead of ground Italian sausage. That would have made all the difference. Why no Italian sausage you ask? Well, I didn't buy any. I'm really not sure how I missed it, but I did.

Italian Bean Soup

Recipe from Yellow Bliss Road

Serves 6

• Olive oil
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage sweet or spicy
• 1 c diced onion
• ½ c sliced carrots
• ½ c sliced celery
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp salt plus more to taste
• ½ tsp pepper plus more to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 15 ounce cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 32 ounces beef broth
• 2-3 T fresh minced parsley
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional

Melt a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onion and cook, stirring often, until sausage is fully cooked. Add carrots, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning and bay leaf, tomato paste and cook for about 2 more minutes.

Pour in crushed tomatoes, beans and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Discard bay leaf and stir in fresh parsley. Divide into bowls and service, garnished with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Carne Guisada (Braised Beef)

Photo from Closet Cooking

I've made Carne Guisada number of times. It's one of those recipes that I keep trying to find THE BEST version of. 

This one, was not. If you're interested in all the other ones I've made, here's the search. The Traditional Tejano Carne Guisada was my favorite.

I'm not really sure why this one wasn't so great, but it was just ok. I'm gonna stick with the other one when I want to make Carne Guisada. And/Or try new ones as they come up.

Carne Guisada (Braised Beef)

Recipe from Closet Cooking

Serves 8

• 1 T oil (or lard or bacon grease)
• 3 pounds stewing beef (such as chuck), cut into 1-2 inch cubes
• 1/4 c flour (optional) (rice flour for gluten-free)
• 1 onion, diced (~1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp black pepper, ground
• 2 tsp cumin, ground
• 2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped *
• 1 tomato, diced (~1 cup)
• 1 c beef broth (or water)
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• salt to taste

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.

Toss the meat in the flour, add to the pan and brown on all sides before setting aside.

Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, pepper, cumin and chipotle chilies and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

Add the tomatoes and cook until the start to release their juices and break down a bit, about 5 minutes.

Add the beef and broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the beef is falling apart tender, about 2 hours, adding extra broth (or water) as needed OR transfer to a preheated 350F/180C oven and roast, covered, until the beef is tender, about 2-3 hours, OR transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-10 hours or on high for 3-5 hours.

Option: The flour is used to thicken the sauce and it can be omitted.

Option: Add diced bell peppers.

Option: Add diced potatoes.

Option: Add extra broth (or water) if you desire a more stew/soup like version!

Wendy’s Chili Copycat

Photo from Insanely Good Recipes

It's October Sunday dinner night. And I thought I'd bring bag "Frito Lollies" for dinner. I made these the "tradition" about 10 years ago and then somehow stopped. Mom made these EVERY Christmas Eve. So keeping with that tradition, but moved it to October. 

Chili is always a crowd pleaser. And on a nice fall day in October, it's warmth and comfort fits the bill. But, tonight, I thought I would try a new recipe instead of my chili recipe. Which, by the way, is not written down anywhere. I feel like chili is a lot like soups to me, it's really anything goes and a fairly simple recipe for me. 

But I digress. So I found this copycat recipe and thought I'd give it a try. It was better than my chili recipe. No lie. I don't think I've ever had Wendy's Chili, but I might have it now if it tastes like this chili did. 

The only odd thing, to me, about this recipe was adding celery to the chili. Honestly I don't think you could taste it at all by the time it cooked for several hours. I did not, of course, add the bell pepper in. Gross. When I make it again I won't add the celery. It seemed like a waste. 

Wendy’s Chili Copycat

Recipe from Insanely Good Recipes

Makes 10 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds ground beef

2 stalks celery

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 (14 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes

1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup water

2 (1.25 ounce) packages chili seasoning

1 (14 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained

1 (14 ounce) can pinto beans, undrained

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

Place the ground beef in the pot. Press the beef down to form one large patty. Let the bottom brown for 8 to 10 minutes, then use a spatula to break it into bite-size crumbles. Cook until no longer pink (about 5 more minutes).

Stir in the celery, onion, and green bell pepper, and cook until the onion is translucent (about 5 minutes).

Pour in the stewed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chiles, tomato sauce, and water. Break up any large pieces of stewed tomatoes, then stir in chili seasoning.

Add in the kidney beans and pinto beans. Salt and pepper to your desired taste.

Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour.

Stir the vinegar into chili. Serve and enjoy!

Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Eating lower calorie and less sugar is easy for me for lunch and dinner. Breakfast, not so much. I need a lot of protein at breakfast and I'm not a fan of eggs. Therefore, I'm constantly looking for something different. 

I've made some Keto chocolate chip muffins before that were, dense, but delicious. They fit what I was looking for. 

I stumbled onto these on Ambitious Kitchen's blog and knew I had to try them. I whipped up a batch this morning and had one for lunch. Y'all, these are (also dense) but so dag-gum delicious. The banana and peanut butter together. Yummy! 

What I didn't do: I didn't put in mini chips, but swapped them out for sugar free chocolate chips. You really can't tell the difference. 

What I did do: 

• I added about a tablespoon sugar replacement (I use Swerve). I didn't have pure maple syrup but only the Wholesome Yum Sugar free maple syrup and I thought I might need some more sweet. It added exactly the right amount of sweet. 
• I also used sugar free peanut butter (Jiff) instead of what she has in her recipe.

Make these muffins. You won't regret it. I'm freezing some, handing some over to Janet and Sherrie and keeping a couple out for me for breakfast tomorrow.

Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Recipe from Ambitious Kitchen

Makes 12

Wet ingredients:

• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium ripe bananas)
• ¾ cup (192g) natural creamy or crunchy drippy peanut butter (just peanuts and salt)
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup (78g) pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ tablespoon dairy free milk of choice (I like almond milk)

Dry ingredients:

• 1 cup (92g) gluten free oat flour (you can make your own -- see the full blog psot)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup (60g) mini chocolate chips (dairy free, if desired, plus 2-3 tablespoons for sprinkling on top)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Line a 12-cup muffin liner with muffin liners and spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray to prevent muffins from sticking to liners.

In a large bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, peanut butter, eggs, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract and milk of choice until smooth.

Next stir in the oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips. Evenly divide batter into muffin liners.

Bake 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Transfer muffins to wire rack to cool and enjoy! Makes 12 muffins.

Beef Barley Soup

It was a beautiful autumn day here in Seattle. The sun was out, it was crisp and it seemed like a perfect day to make soup. This time of year I try to make soup at least once a week. I love making soups and they make a great leftover.

I had some pearl barely from a recipe I made some weeks ago and I wanted to use them up. Note, I have not used them up. A little goes a long way with barely. The recipe calls for a cup of barely. I did not put in a full cup, I put in about 1/2 c. And that was enough for me. If you like a barely heavy soup, use 1 c. 

What I didn't do: 

• Oddly, I forgot to put the garlic in. Not sure I missed it because there were a lot of flavors here that were good. 
• I also left out the bay leaves. I'm not convinced they do squat to soups and stews. They're expensive and I really don't think they are necessary. 
• I didn't put in the potatoes. I felt like this was already carb heavy with the barley and the beans. 
• I didn't dredge the beef in flour either. I don't need the extra carbs and I am not convinced it would have made any difference. I like my soups more brothy than stew-y. 

What I did do:

• Beans you say. What beans? Yah, so my brain had it that this recipe called for a can of navy beans. I had dumped them in before I realized they didn't belong. They were yummy in this recipe though. 

This was a good recipe. I'd make it again for sure. It's pretty simple and is really your basic beef, veggie soup. The barely was a nice add to it. Hearty. 

Beef Barley Soup

Recipe from Insanely Good Recipes

Serves 6

• 1.5 pounds beef chuck or stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional, for browning)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 8 cups beef broth or stock 
• 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional for depth of flavor)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup diced potatoes (optional)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the beef and set it aside. For a richer flavor, you can dredge the beef in flour before browning for a thicker texture in the soup.

In the same pot, add a little more olive oil if needed. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms (if using). Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, and tomato paste, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Pour in 1/2 cup of beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits (this adds great flavor to the soup).

Return the browned beef to the pot. Stir in the barley, remaining beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce (optional), bay leaves, and potatoes (if using).

Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot partially with the lid and let simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until the beef is tender and the barley is cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Check the seasoning of the soup and adjust salt and pepper to taste. If the broth reduces too much, add more beef broth or water to thin it out to your preferred consistency.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread or crackers on the side. Enjoy!

French Onion Beef and Noodles

Photo from Insanely Good
Recipes

Beef Stroganoff is one of my favorite comfort foods. This recipe resembles it pretty well. A few different things to it, but it was pretty close. 

What I didn't like: 

• The Gruyere cheese in it. Blech. I like Gruyere as a cheese to eat, but it really put an off taste to this dish to me. 
• The onions basically dissolved in the sauce. I suspect I sliced them too thin for a stew that sits for 1.5 hours. There were only "bits" of onion in it by the time I served it. 

What I liked: 

• The noodles. Egg noodles are one of my favorite type of noodles. Though oddly enough I don't use them when I make my stroganoff. 
• The cream cheese added a nice tang to it along with the sour cream.

The reality is, while a good recipe, I doubt I'd make it again. I'd stick to my usual stroganoff recipe should the craving come up. 

French Onion Beef and Noodles

Recipe from Insanely Good Recipes

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup
• 2 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 ounces wide egg noodles
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
• Crispy fried onions, for topping

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season the beef cubes with salt and pepper. Add to the pot and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Remove the beef and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter to the pot. Once melted, add the sliced onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Pour in the red wine and simmer until mostly evaporated, scraping up any browned bits.

Stir in the condensed French onion soup, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Return the beef to the pot.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the beef is very tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Stir the uncooked egg noodles into the pot. Simmer, uncovered, until the noodles are tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Stir in the shredded Gruyère.

Serve hot, topped with crispy fried onions. Enjoy!

Brazilian Steak with a Garlic Herb Marinade

I've not made anything "Brazilian" before, I don't think. I've made chimichurri sauces so that's the closest I've ever gotten. 

This recipe is basically marinading the steak in a chimichurris sauce. Bottom line, this was delicious. I wouldn't recommend marinating longer than 30 minutes as it suggests. I did about an hour and I think the lime juice caused the meat to have a weird texture. 

Brazilian Steak with a Garlic Herb Marinade

Recipe from Hey Grill Hey

Serves 4

• 2 pounds sirloin steak
• ¼ c fresh parsley
• ¼ c fresh cilantro
• ¼ c avocado oil
• ¼ c water
• 2 T lime juice
• 2 T freshly minced garlic
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Marinade the steak. Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl. Pour the marinade over the sirloin steak in a large gallon zip-top bag, reserving 2 Tablespoons of the marinade for later use. Allow the steaks to marinate on the counter for 30 minutes while they come to room temperature.

Preheat the grill. While the steaks are marinating, fire up the grill. Preheat the grill and assemble your rotisserie attachment. If you aren't using a rotisserie, prepare your grill for 2-zone cooking with a high heat side and a low heat side.

Prep the steak. Remove the steak from the marinade and shake off any excess. If you are using kebabs, dice the steak into cubes and thread onto the skewers.

Grill to your desired doneness. Use a basting brush to coat the steak with the reserved marinade. 

Remove the steaks from the grill and allow to rest for several minutes before slicing from the skewers to serve.

Healthy Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting (Low Carb)

Photo from Wholesome
Yum

This recipe I had such high hopes for. The ingredients, the blogger, the photo, all of it. Made me really want to like this recipe. 

It was not great. The first part was the weird part of mixing coconut oil and cream cheese together. Melting it together rather. Turned out I didn't have coconut oil so I used regular veg oil. In hindsight I wish I would have used melted butter. 

Almond flour is never going to win me over. Janet told me at book club about an almond CAKE flour she uses that she really likes. I'm going to check that out and maybe that would make this better. I really want to like this recipe. The texture was very much pumpkin pie esk and I think that was part of what I didn't like.

Healthy Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting (Low Carb)

Recipe from WholesomeYum

Makes 16 bars

• 1 c Pumpkin puree
• 1/4 c Coconut oil
• 2 oz Cream cheese
• 2 large Egg
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 c Blanched almond flour
• 2/3 c Besti Monk Fruit Erythritol Blend
• 2 tsp Gluten-free baking powder
• 1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp Sea salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 6 oz Cream cheese (softened, cubed)
• 1/2 c Powdered erythritol
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 T Heavy cream (optional, for easier frosting)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a 9x9 in (23x23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper.

Using a bowl in the microwave or a double boiler on the stove, melt together the cream cheese and coconut oil, until you can stir them together easily.

In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, melted coconut oil/cream cheese mixture, eggs and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer at medium speed, until smooth.

In another bowl, stir together the almond flour, sweetener, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.

Add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Beat with the hand mixer at low speed, until just combined.

Transfer the batter to the lined baking pan and smooth the top. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

To make the frosting, use a hand mixer to beat together the cream cheese, sweetener, and vanilla, until smooth. (You can thin it out with a little milk or cream if you'd like.) Let the bars cool completely before frosting and cutting.

Jalapeño Pepper Jack Chicken Burger

Ground chicken is not something I cook with often. For some reason it "scares" me. Burgers especially are challenging because they always seem to fall apart on the grill. 

Be that as it may, these burgers were delicious. I ate them without a full bun, used a grilled piece of bread on the bottom. What it needed was some type of sauce. I realize the recipe says serve with guac, but I'm not a fan. A cilantro, lime may would have been great on it. 

I'd eat this again. It was full of flavor. I wouldn't use 1 tsp of salt next time. Seemed too salt to me.

Jalapeño Pepper Jack Chicken Burger

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuit

Serves 8

• 2 lbs ground chicken
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 onion finely diced
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers seeded and finely diced
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 3/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• vegetable or olive oil
• 8 slices of cheese optional I use American or white cheddar
• 8 hamburger Buns

In a small bowl, mix roasted garlic and mayo together until combined. Add salt and pepper and mix. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat grill to a medium-high heat

In a mixing bowl add the ground chicken and the remaining ingredients and gently mix together.

Divide the chicken mixture into 8 patties.

Put a little vegetable oil on a paper towel and run it over the grill grate to coat lightly.

Grill burgers covered over direct heat for 8 minutes on each side or until it reaches 165 degrees. Right before the patties are done add a piece of cheese if desired.

Serve on toasted buns with your favorite toppings. 

Shish Tawook

Photo from Chelsea's
Messy Apron

I've made shish tawook recipes before. My favorite one is slightly different in that it includes cumin. I'm not a fan of cumin so this one is spot on for me. It was delicious. And that "delicious" should be in all caps. 

I grilled my chicken kebab style. That's how I roll and this was the right choice for these cubes of goodness. I marinated the chicken for 5 hours. That seems to be the sweet spot for me with marinades. 

I served the chicken cubes in a pita with tzatziki. Store bought. While this recipe includes a recipe for tzatziki, I decided I needed to just buy it. 

Make this recipe. You won't be disappointed.

Shish Tawook

Recipe from Chelseasmessyapron.com

Serves 4

Chicken

1 large juicy lemon (1/4 cup juice)

1/4 c olive oil (or vegetable oil)

3/4 c plain full fat yogurt

5 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 T tomato paste

1/2 T red wine vinegar

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp ground paprika

1/4 tsp ground allspice

2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into even 2 inch pieces

Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

MARINATE CHICKEN: Prepare the chicken breasts by patting dry with paper towel, cutting into even 2-inch pieces and placing in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients: 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, 3/4 cup yogurt, 5 cloves of finely minced garlic, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, salt and pepper (to taste; about 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Whisk until combined and then pour over the chicken. Stir to generously coat the chicken, cover, and chill. Marinate for 2-24 hours.

TZATZIKI: After making the chicken marinade, make this sauce so it can chill and flavors can develop before serving. Grate a cucumber with the large holes of a cheese grater. Line a small bowl with a few paper towels (or clean kitchen towel) and place the grated cucumber on top. Squeeze as much extra moisture from the cucumber as you can (to keep the sauce from being watery). Once it's drained, place in a medium-sized bowl. Add in the Greek yogurt, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper). Place in the fridge until ready to serve. Whisk with a fork right before serving.

COOK CHICKEN: Preheat an indoor or outdoor grill for medium-high heat (400-450 degrees F on an outdoor grill) and generously oil the grates. Thread the chicken onto metal or pre-soaked wooden skewers). Cook on preheated grill until the chicken is golden and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes per side.

PITA CHIPS AND TOMATO/CUCUMBER: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking pan with Silpat liner or parchment paper. Cut each pita into 8 triangles and arrange evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the triangles and then use a pastry brush to spread the oil evenly onto the pita bread. Flip the bread and repeat. Sprinkle with salt (about 1/4 teaspoon). Bake for 10 minutes, flipping the pita bread on the other side halfway through bake time. Serve warm with the chicken. For the tomato/cucumber salad, add the halved tomatoes and thinly sliced cucumbers halves to a bowl. Drizzle on a little olive oil and sprinkle on some salt and pepper (to taste).

ASSEMBLE: With the back of a spoon, spread hummus on the base of 4 large plates. Divide the cooked quinoa evenly among the plates. Divide chicken skewers evenly among the plates. Top with tomato/cucumber, and finally drizzle even parts of tzatiki sauce (or serve on the side) over plates. Divide up the pita chips. Season individual plates with salt, pepper and lemon juice as needed. Serve immediately.