Prosciutto Wrapped Figs

Was going to make an almond fig tart for dessert for a small girl's dinner party, but a sweet friend brought a delicious pumpkin cheesecake so I switched the figs I had already purchased to make an appetizer.

All you need is this: figs, prosciutto, and honey goat cheese (to be healthier opt out on the cheese).

Lay out prosciutto

Put a little thing of goat cheese on there. The roll that beautiful fig up!

Use your plate that has figs on it, naturally.

And then bake at 400 degrees for around 10 minutes.

Lemon Garlic Chicken Pasta

As I told yall in my last lemon garlic chicken post I used the leftovers for a pasta with all the rest of the other leftover things I had in my fridge.

Chicken, asparagus, cherry tomatoes... 

Saute the asparagus first because it will take the longest to become tender and everything else really just needs to be heated up. I even found a jar of marinated artichoke hearts in the fridge during the process. Cook a little olive oil and the leftover juices from the lemon garlic chicken.

For a little bit of a sauce I melted and whisked together some fat free milk, butter, pepper and parmesan cheese (my dad used to always do this instead of a store bought alfredo).

And whole wheat Farafelle, the meal wasn't terrible for you.

Lemon Garlic Chicken

A friend made this for a small dinner party and it was so yummy I just had to try it myself and probably make it a million times again. It is the oh so fabulous Ina Garten's Lemon Garlic Chicken from How Easy is That? I'll put her directions and then what I did.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. I just used my garlic in olive oil from a jar. 

Zest 2 lemons.

 Add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Look at that delicious sauciness.

Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken. Then Bake!

I then roasted a little asparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper, roasted garlic, and parmasean.

Add a little wild rice..... Heaven. Don't forget to pour lots of that saucy goodness on the chicken and in the rice! I then used the leftover chicken for pasta the next night (post to follow). Thanks Ina and Mal!

Easy Copy, Paste, and Print Recipe

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each)
• 1 lemon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish.

Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Southwestern Corn

I'm back: After buying/moving/decorating a new home while in the midst of Thanksgiving/Birthdays/Wedding Showers this ginger is cooking again! This was so easy and delicious I ended up eating it basically as my meal.

Start with some corn, and cut it off the cob.

Saute in a little bit of butter with some bell peppers (I did a medley) and a jalapeno for heat.

Remove half of the corn mixture to a bowl.

Before hand mix a little cornstarch and cream together (I actually used fat free half and half because it is what I had). The original recipe actually said to use coconut milk, but honestly I couldn't find that in the grocery store so rather that wonder aimlessly between isles i said to hell with it. Mix the half and half and corn together and blend, just enough so it is a little creamy but still with chunks of kernels.

Put the "creamed" corn back with his friends, and add some salt and pepper and maybe a few other spices if you wish.

Mix and then bake in the oven at 350* for around 40 minutes.

Ta Da!

And yummmmm...... it totally counts as a vegetable too right?

Pork Chops, Pork Chops, Greasy... Greasy!

I made these easy easy!!!

Made glazed pork chops the other night with garlic roasted broccoli and creamy rosemary parmesan polenta. I got the pork chop recipe from a blog called budget bytes where you can make a home cooked delicious meal for a limited price. I had all of these ingredients in my fridge already so I figured it was a very limited price... 

For the rub combine ~ 1/4 cup brown sugar and a half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

Go ahead and soak the chops, give them a good ole' rub down.

Cook on medium/high heat for around 3-5 minutes per side depending on how thick they are, mine were super thin and I cooked them too long. Sorry Hercules. If they aren't cooked all the way through for a thicker cut put the in the oven if you have an oven-safe pan for around 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

For the roasted broccoli, mix it up with a little olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper and bake on a pan at 450 degrees for around 15-20 minutes. I had never had roasted broccoli and at first it was a surprise, but I actually really liked the crunchiness.

Ta Da!

Pretty good pull anything out of the fridge meal if I do say so myself... Hercules really enjoyed it.

Healthy Mashed Potatoes

Introducing Healthy Mashed Potatoes..... Gotcha! because there is no such thing. However the other night I pureed some cauliflower and it really kind of has the same effect with a lot less of the effect on your bottom.

I boiled it in some milk until fork tender.

Then used my favorite tool in the world the immersion blender.... and blended.

See looks like mashed potatoes right? Add in whatever fixings you like too. I just did a little butter, cheese, salt, and pepper like I would for mashed potatoes. Next time I try blue cheese and some other herbs.

Delicious with sauteed carrots and my mom's meatloaf. I even convinced Hercules it was mashed potatoes for around a minute until he said something was off. 

From Spring to Fall

My sweet vases got a make over this week from the springtime hydrangeas

To their new Fall look! I love fresh flowers.... le sigh

Caprese Salad

I love me some caprese salad, it is so easy and fresh. All you need are these things. 

 Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella and arrange on the plate however you like, this is how i like it.

Mix up a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a tiny bit of agave nectar (or honey) and drizzle on the tomato/mozzarella concoction. Top of with some basil and fresh cracked pepper and delicious caprese, it is that easy and that good. The fresher the mozzarella the better, this is not the best.

Texas Trash

Texas Trash is one of things that is fun to make and enjoyed by all, especially snacking wise just put a bowl out and it will be gone in a snap. However the easiest way to make it is in bulk and now I have so much trash i don't know what to do with it, and I can't just put it in the actual trash can I?

Pour these guys into a trash bag, yes trash bag.

Hello in there.

Then open up a new jar of peanut butter... and carve your initials in it and make a wish. Then in one scoop you have to get all of your initials out otherwise the wish won't come true (learned it at camp, and it kinda stuck like peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth).

Melt the peanut butter and butter together, and then pour it into the bag and shake.

Then melt a bag of chocolate chips and toss it in and shake it back up. Shake it up. Shake it up. Look up the Stevie-S song "Shake it up" this guy from the Bahamas, and I dare you not to dance while listening/grooving to it.


Wait for the peanut butter and chocolate to semi-cool then dump in a box of powdered sugar, and you guessed it Shake it up! While dancing to Stevie-S because you have now purchased it on itunes.

Ta Da! Texas trash, the dirtier the better. I told you it made a lot anyone want any?