 It's grilling season in Atlanta. This is the perfect time to get outside and fire up your grills. I'm taking full advantage of this beautiful weather - before my deck gets so insanely hot that I can feel the burn through the soles of my shoes - and I'm cooking all of our meals on the grill that I can, before the oppressive summer heat sets in. This MoJo Grilled Chicken is a perfect way to kick off the summer grilling season. It is super juicy and bursting with bright flavor. Served with a side of brown rice and some fresh corn on the cob - this meal is perfect for summer.  MoJo Grilled Chicken Breasts 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 1 orange, zested and juiced 1/4 cup oil 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 red onion, cut into rings 1 lime, cut into wedges
Sprinkle onion slices with salt and grill until charred on both sides.
Toss in a bowl with reserved marinade.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and place on grill. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165.
 Serve chicken with a slice of lime and squeeze over chicken before serving.
 MoJo Grilled Chicken is a delicious way to kick off your Memorial Day weekend. It's quick and easy to make so you'll have plenty of time left to hang out with your family and friends this weekend. I hope that you all have a very happy and safe Memorial Day weekend.
Ciao!
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 Last night I got super hungry at 9:00 and the only two things that I could think about were bread and chocolate. There was absolutely no way that I was going to be able to ignore my late night craving - this was a battle that I knew wasn't going to end in my favor. First I tried and talk myself into eating some fruit instead of chocolate and I spotted 3 overripe bananas on the counter. I decided to kill 2 birds with one stone - use up my overripe bananas AND somehow combine it with my overwhelming NEED for chocolate and bread.  I was not in the mood for banana bread, muffins or even cupcakes so I decided to try create a yeast bread. This was my first attempt at a banana yeast bread so I really wasn't sure how it was going to turn out BUT I did know that I was going to be eating bread and chocolate before I went to bed last night. Fast forward to midnight and I there I was - pulling my first loaf of piping hot cinnamon swirl chocolate banana babka out of the oven. I sliced off one end as soon as it was cool enough to touch and ate it warm. It was amazing. The sweetness from the bananas and the ribbon of cinnamon sugar just put this delicious loaf of banana yeast bread over the top. I'm pretty sure that's what gave me such sweet dreams last night.  Cinnamon Swirl Chocolate Banana Babka 1/4 cup warm water 1 teaspoon maple syrup 2 teaspoons yeast 3 overripe bananas, mashed well 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup maple syrup 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 3 - 4 cups flour 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder 2 Tablespoons butter, melted 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Remove two thirds of the dough and add cocoa powder to remaining dough. Mix with dough hook until well combined.  Transfer both doughs to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour.
Cut braid in half and place each dough half in a greased bread tin. Let rise 30 minutes.  Bake babka 45 minutes at 375.  Transfer to a rack to cool completely.  This bread is best served hot - like slice it as soon as it's cool enough to hold and slice - HOT.
OR, if you're showing more self control than I did last night, wrap the loaf in plastic wrap until morning then slice it and pop it in the toasted for a few minutes to warm it.
This was THE BEST midnight snack AND breakfast this morning. Don't judge. LOL.
Ciao!  School is officially out for the summer. What better way to celebrate than with a classic Italian dinner? Chicken Parmesan is a favorite of all four of us so it seemed like a perfect way to kick of the summer of 2106.  As an added bonus, the green beans and sweet basil in my garden have started to take off - thanks to a couple of rainy days. I love "shopping" in my garden for fresh herbs and vegetables. They make my meals even more special.  Chicken Parmesan Sauce Chicken and Pasta 2 Tablespoons oil 4 boneless chicken breasts 1 clove garlic 8 ounces spaghetti 1/4 teaspoon oregano 1 egg pinch of red pepper flakes 1 Tablespoon flour 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1/3 cup canola oil 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 2 Tablespoons fresh basil
Transfer chicken to foil lined baking sheet and sprinkle with mozzarella.  Broil until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.  Top each piece of chicken with 2 Tablespoons of sauce and 1 Tablespoon fresh basil.
 Here's to a delicious kickoff to the summer of 2016. Summer is sure to go by quickly so I'm savoring every dinner that we eat together as a family of four.
Ciao!  When your mom sends you a fabulous new bowl for your birthday - you bake a batch of blueberry muffins to show it off.
My super cute birthday bowl was exactly the excuse that I was looking for to make these muffins. I love these muffins. These moist, fruity and not overly sweet muffins are topped with a crunchy oat topping that's perfect for any occasion.  Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins 1/3 cup old fashioned oats 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 Tablespoon flour 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 3 Tablespoon butter, melted 2 cups flour 2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup sour cream 1/4 cup canola oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 egg 1 cup blueberries
Add sour cream mixture to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.  Stir in blueberries. 
Bake 5 minutes at 425. Reduce heat to 375 and bake an additional 17 minutes.
Serve warm.
 Thank you mom for this adorable bowl and just thought that I would let you know - it works. It made the most delicious blueberry muffins EVER.
Ciao!  Happy Monday Blog Friends! I am so excited to bring you yet another delicious meatless Monday recipe.  Last week I gave my family somewhat of a reprieve from our meatless meal and I made Brazilian Black Bean Burgers AND a beefy alternative. In my personal opinion, the Brazilian Black Bean Burgers were waaaaay better than the traditional hamburgers. Packed with yummy ingredients like black beans, brown rice, sweet potato and corn - how you could NOT love these delicious grilled treats?  Brazilian Black Bean Burgers 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained 1/2 cup brown rice, cooked 3 egg whites 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 sweet potato, grated 3/4 cup frozen corn 1/3 cup cornmeal whole wheat buns Toppings: lettuce, tomato, avocado, pickle, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, etc. Puree beans (reserving 1/2 cup), rice, egg whites, paprika, salt and pepper in food processor until smooth.   Stir in sweet potato, corn, cornmeal and reserved beans.  
Place patties on the grill (or a Big Green Egg in my case) and grill until cooked through. 
 It's the hint of sweetness from the corn and the sweet potato and the smoky flavor from the paprika and the grill that really sets this veggie burger apart from all others. They were easy to put together and I can store the extra burgers in my freezer for busy nights when I need a quick dinner. It's time to jump on the meatless bandwagon and try these burgers. You wont be disappointed.
Ciao! |
