Chicken Soulvaki

Light and fresh flavors for chicken

The past few days have been really nice out. It is hard to believe that spring is here, if only for a day or two at a time. With the warmer weather, the grill as already been fired up multiple times. This chicken soulvaki is a quick and easy. We enjoy the chicken on flat bread with tzatziki, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and lettuce. If there are leftovers, I made a salad with tzatziki as the dressing. This is our go to summer meal, because it doesn't involve heating up the oven (unless you don't have a grill). Summer isn't here yet, but spring alright started to cook it up. 

Chicken Soulvaki

1 pound chicken breast, cut into strips or

chicken tenders

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lemon, juice and zest or 1/4 cup lemon juice

1 Tablespoon tzatziki 

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients and stir well. Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes at minimum to overnight. Skewer the meat, if using wood skewers be sure to soak them for at least 20 minutes. Cook on the grill or under a broiler for about 4-5 minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through.
Serve on flat bread with tzatziki, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, and onions.

Adapted from Closet Cooking

Midnight Brownies

For the late night snacker or day time eater.

Dark as night, these brownies could be eaten at midnight without anyone seeing that you are eating anything. At my house, we have come to enjoy dark chocolate over milk chocolate more and more. Our candy dish was filled with dark chocolate until it wasn't possible to keep full anymore. When I was picking up some sprinkles to make these cookies. I saw the dark cocoa powder. I bought it not knowing I needed it for the cookies, even though I did. The only thing on my mind was brownies, dark chocolate brownies. Since I had walnuts in the pantry, I added them in to give a crunch. I also enjoy the creamy melted chocolate chips in my brownies, so I threw some in too. Feel free to add or delete either of these depending on your tastes.  

Midnight Brownies

2 cups sugar 
1/2 cup baking dark cocoa 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
2/3 cup vegetable oil, divided 
1/2 cup boiling water 
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt 
2 eggs 
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 13 in by 9 in pan.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa and baking soda. Add 1/3 cup oil and water; beat until smooth. Beat in the flour, vanilla, salt, eggs and remaining 1/3 cup oil. Stir in walnut.   

Spread into prepare pan.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. *Note- with the dark chocolate it can be hard to tell if they are done. Check the side. 

Adapted from Taste of Home

Pineapple Cherry Cookies

Tropical cookies to fight the winter blues

There seems to be a desire for spring that many are feeling throughout the cold weather states. There are glimpses of sun and warmer days that trick you. When the sun hides its face for a couple of days, these cookies can help to rid you of the winter blues. The bright colors and tropical favors may transport you to a warmer time or place. These are also great if you don't like a really sweet cookie as the favors shine without the sweet. Until the sun shines through the clouds and spring has sprung, eat pineapple cherry cookies!

Pineapple Cherry Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 
In a large bowl, cream butter with sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Add one egg at a time, combine after each one. Also beat in vanilla. 
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in pineapple and cherries. 
Drop tablespoons on an ungreased baking sheet (or silp-mat lined baking sheet). Bake for 7-9 minutes until lightly brown along edges. Remove to wire rack and cool.
 

Slight change from All Recipes 

Grapefruit Ricotta Cookies

 Tart and creamy cookie

When we returned from our New Year's trip to California, we had an overload of citrus. We definitely reach our limit of vitamin C with all the oranges we ate in the weeks to followed. When I opened the fruit drawer in the fridge the other day, I noticed there were still some grapefruits left. Instead of just eating one for breakfast, I thought of cookies! I remembered a ricotta cookie I had seen. Surprising I also had ricotta in my fridge. I got right to making these cookies. My husband always claims that he does not like ricotta. I was not surprised when he didn't question what was in the cookies and just gobbled them up. Tasty. The glaze helps to add a bit more sweetness to the cookies.

Grapefruit Ricotta Cookies 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

1/2 grapefruit, zested

2 eggs

1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 tablespoons grapefruit juice

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the large bowl,  combine the butter, sugar, grapefruit zest until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until well combined. Add the ricotta cheese, vanilla, and grapefruit juice. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Spoon the tablespoons of dough onto slip mat lined (or parchment paper) baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes. While cookies cool, prepare glaze.

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons grapefruit juice
1/2 grapefruit, zested
Whisk the powdered sugar, grapefruit juice, and grapefruit zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

Adapted from Everyday Italian

Purple People Eater Cookies

Not just for the monsters to eat.

Valentine's day has arrived. I am not big on Valentine's day. I usually eat way too much candy and baked goods. Simply because sweet are everywhere. I always think of chocolate covered strawberries for V-day. This is probably because you can find them just about everywhere. Is that because strawberries in chocolate are romantic? My solution for Valentine's day-raspberries and chocolate in a cookie. Although not strawberries, frozen raspberries are a great substitution. I was hoping for a nice Valentine color, instead they look like purple people eaters. 

The recipe comes from a great cookbook I got for Christmas as a gift. Best of Country Cookies is packed for of contest winning country (not city) cookies. However I also found that she posted it on Allrecipes. Here is a great cookie for forced affection day or any other day of the year!

Purple People Eater Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup raspberries fresh or frozen (defrosted), pureed
1 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup white chocolate chips or bar broken into pieces

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition also mix in vanilla. Beat in raspberries until mixed in. Add in chocolate chip. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in white chocolate.

Drop by teaspoonfuls inches apart onto a slip mat lined cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool before serving.

Meal Plan: Take 4

After 2 weeks of in and out meal plans, I am getting back into the routine. Eating at home all week is the goal. So this Monday Meal Plan has a new recipe, crock pot simple meal, and ways to use up my veggies. This week for dinner is a variety of things, so I don't get tempted to eat out.

Meatless Monday: Black Bean Stoup
Tuesday: Southwest chicken with corn on the cob
Wednesday: Stuffed eggplant with noodles
Thursday: Chicken chow mien
Friday: Chili Verde
Saturday: Teriyaki chicken with rice and broccoli on the side
Sunday: Albondigas soup

Just so you know that I have help with my blog...

Cucumber Dill Toasties

Classy enough for an event, ready to party.

Cucumber Dill Toasties are great bite size appetizers for a fancy brunch or dinner, but they are also good as causal bites like the Superbowl. Every time I have served them, I leave with an empty plate. Something about cheese spread and bite sized yummies that everyone loves. If you are afraid of the cucumber dill because you are a pickle hater, no worries. I dislike pickles, but still love these. Other than the similar ingredients there is no pickle taste or smell.  

Cucumber Dill Toasties

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1/2 cup sour cream
1 baguette, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 seedless cucumber, sliced thin
fresh dill, finely chopped

In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, Italian mix & sour cream. Add a pinch of dill. Stir until everything is completely combined.

Spread a thin layer of the mixture onto baguette. Top with cucumber. Sprinkle with dill. Repeat with remaining ingredients, until lots of little cucumber dill toasties are made.

Adapted from All Recipes