It's always advantageous for a food blogger to be married to a food lover.👩❤️👨 I may never be swept off my feet by a slow cooked pot roast but lucky for me... the man that I've chosen to spend my life with - is. 🤣 And not just meat. He accepts all of my food offerings as an act of love. The job of a food blogger's spouse is to sample all of my (sometimes ridiculous) food experiments. It may sound glamorous - but trust me when I say - not all of my recipe attempts are successful - or even edible.😅 #avocadobrownies 🥴 Still think that you might want to marry a food blogger? Keep in mind that the job of food taster should never be accompanied by feedback - unless specifically requested.🤣 No matter how much you might want to offer suggestions and tips - the constructive criticism is hardly ever accepted in the helpful way that it is intended. 🫢😬 With that being said, on rare occasions, when I see that my better half is enjoying a new recipe, sometimes I will actually ask for his opinion. #carefulwhatyouaskfor😅 From the very first time that I made Enchilada Quinoa Bake, I could tell from his expression that he was enjoying it so I hesitantly asked him to describe it. "It's a Mexican fiesta. A flavor explosion in my mouth." (Straight out of the mouth of a food blogger's spouse. 🤣) I had all intentions of making this Enchilada Quinoa Bake as a meatless, vegetarian dish. Then I realized that I had an extra chicken breast in my refrigerator that I needed to use. I have to say - chicken was a delicious little addition to this Mexican inspired casserole. You can decide for yourself - add the chicken or leave it out for a scrumptious meatless option. Enchilada Quinoa Bake Enchilada Sauce 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil 3 Tablespoons flour 2 Tablespoons chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1 clove garlic, minced 2 Tablespoons tomato paste 2 cups chicken broth Bake 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed 2 cups water 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 orange bell pepper, diced 1 cup corn frozen kernels Juice of 1 small lime 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 Tablespoon chili powder 1/3 cup chopped cilantro 30 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup cooked chicken (optional) 2 cups enchilada sauce 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Cover dish with foil. Bake 20 minutes at 350. Remove foil. Bake another 10 minutes. Garnish with avocado, sour cream, crema, green onions or cilantro.
Ciao!
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It's February - love is in the air. ❤️ And it's time to start thinking about Valentine's Day. (hint, hint😉) The day when we shower our loved ones with gifts of sweet treats and beautiful bouquets.💐 Unless you happen to be married to me. 🤣 Here's the thing - I like fresh cut flowers but... I LOVE houseplants and potted plants that I can put in my yard - even more. I try and avoid large crowds which means that I don't love going out to dinner on Valentine's Day either. And even though I have a raging sweet tooth, I'm usually trying to limit sugary treats in the house so I'm not tempted to overindulge. 😬 I just realized what a terrible Valentine I am. 😅😂 Lucky for me, my better half is far less picky about Valentine gifts, than I am.😅 He's also a lot less picky about the foods that he eats, which makes him easy to cook for. There's actually a very short list of foods that he won't eat. A trait that works to my benefit because he's the official taste tester for my food blog. 😂 To make up for the countless unsuccessful (and downright questionable) recipe attempts that I've served my better half for testing purposes, I try and make things that I know that he will like, from time to time.😅 Coconut pancakes is one of the recipes that I created with my taste tester in mind. He loves coconut - he loves pancakes - he loves breakfast food. ❤️ Coconut Pancakes 1 1/4 cup flour 2 Tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup shredded, sweetened coconut 1 egg, beaten 1/2 cup buttermilk 3/4 cup coconut milk 1 Tablespoon melted butter Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and coconut. Whisk together egg, buttermilk, coconut milk and melted butter. Gently fold wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Melt butter or oil in skillet. Add spoonfuls of pancake batter and cook until bubbly on top. Flip and cook until golden. Did you catch that action shot of the syrup being poured over the pancakes? My taste tester has also perfected his "slow pour" so I can get those amazing pictures of the moment that the syrup drips over the edge of the pancake stack. 😘
Ciao! If you've ever prepared a full Thanksgiving meal in the middle of summer - or made Valentine's Day cookies in October - you would be a GREAT food blogger. 😂 Fun fact about food bloggers: we celebrate all holidays really - like really, really early. It's all about getting that holiday blog content out at the right time. 😅 My family's grown to not only accept my mixed-up holiday cooking, they actually expect it now. 😅 Should I be concerned that no one in my house even questions my decisions to serve chili in August or star shaped pancakes in January?🤣 Even though I consistently prepare holiday food at the wrong time, I try not to share the recipe with my followers, until it's time. 📆 And I think February 4th is the perfect time to start sharing this year's Valentine treats with all of you. It's just enough advanced notice for people who want to plan out their Valentine meals. And for the rest of you - consider this a friendly reminder that Valentine's Day is near. (You're welcome. 😅) Homemade gluten free sugar cookies are the perfect treat for gluten sensitive Valentines. They're super delicious and easy to make and they can be decorated - however you want. If you're feeling creative, write a message to your Valentine on your cookies. If you lack the lack the artistic ability to create a unique design, you can still cover your cookie with frosting and add some red and pink sprinkles. Gluten Free Sugar Cookies 1 cup sugar ½ cup butter, softened 1 large egg 1 tablespoon milk 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla ¼ teaspoon salt 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling/dusting
Gently mix in flour and salt. Roll dough to 1/8" thick and cut with cookie cutters. Bake 10 minutes at 350. Decorate with royal icing.
Gluten free sugar cookies are the one treat that transcends the holidays. I think I've made them for every single holiday that is celebrated in the United States - and a few international holidays. 😂 Today, I'm sharing them as a Valentine treat but don't let my designs limit you. Let your imagination run wild. Ciao! Happy FebruaryI don't know if anyone else is looking forward to putting the cold and rainy January behind us - but I certainly am.☔️ And for those of us who are also choosing to set our sights on longer, warmer days to come - I've got just the recipes for you. Even though it may not feel like Spring in Georgia yet, my goal is to fill this month's blog with delicious Springtime recipes that will have you thinking warm and sunny thoughts. 🌼 😄 In my world, Spring means strawberries. 🍓 There's just something about that first ripe fruit of Spring that tastes so good. Over the past several years, going out the fields to pick my own strawberries has become one my favorite Springtime pastimes. It will be at least another month before Georgia berries are ripe and I'm just not that patient so it looks like it's grocery store strawberries until then. 😅 This recipe for Strawberry Goat Cheese Crostini, has all the elements that I love in a recipe. Fresh strawberries, fresh mint, creamy goat cheese, sweet balsamic and a crispy baguette - ingredient perfection. I'm also on a never ending quest to build my appetizer collection. Oh, and did I mention that Strawberry Goat Cheese Crostini is quick and easy to put together? A perfect last minute snack. This recipe checks all the boxes. Strawberry Goat Cheese Crostini 1 baguette, cut in 1/2" slices 3 Tablespoons olive oil 6 oz goat cheese 1 pint strawberries, thinly sliced balsamic reduction small handful mint or basil leaves Brush baguette slices with olive oil. Toast baguettes in the oven until golden brown. Cool. Spread goat cheese over slices. Top with sliced strawberries. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and sprinkle with mint leaves. I'm exploring all of the crostini options lately. These are a few of my favorites. Feel free to message me for details about any of these scrumptious crostini combinations.
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