Baked Zucchini Fries

This is my favorite recipe that I have made since I got really into cooking. 

I think I would rather have these things than french fries!!!

Baked Zucchini Fries

Ingedients:

- 3/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

-1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

-1/4 cup Garlic Salt

-2 Zucchinis, cut in half lenghtwise

-1/4 cup butter 

(Next time I would use eggs or egg whites to get the bread crumbs to stick instead of butter, however, the previous night I had a egg white disaster trying to make breaded chicken...well that's a story for another day) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, cover your baking sheet with foil and spray with Pam.

2. Cut Zucchini into french fry looking sticks, and set out for a hour so that the zucchini will dry out and they will be crispier when they cook.

3. Combine the bread crumbs, grated cheese, and garlic salt into a bowl.  Melt the butter and dip the zucchini into the butter then into the bread crumbs combination.  

4. Cook for 20-25 minutes, the crispier the better in my opinion.

(Serve with buttermilk ranch or marinara sauce!)

These would be perfect for an appetizer or a side dish.  

Gosh, I am salivating just thinkin' about them!!!

Cook On.

XOXO

Little Miss Wade

KILLIN it in the KITCHEN: Jalapeno Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast!

Jalapeno Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
This was a great filling, homey meal.  My friends are still raving about this chicken! The jalapenos really smoked into the cream cheese giving it SO much flavor!!! 

Ingredients:

-A can of diced jalapenos (I used about 12 small fresh jalapenos because I LOVE spicy!)

-4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

-2 8 oz. packages {low fat} cream cheese

-Pepper

-Sea salt 

-Dill

-Thyme
(adjust cream cheese & chicken breasts servings to amount of people you are cooking for, I cooked 6 breasts with 3 packages of cream cheese for 6 girls, I could have fed at least 12 with that much!)

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees

2. Melt the cream cheese down in the microwave, stirring frequently.

3. Dice fresh jalapenos and combine into cream cheese, adding pepper, salt, dill and thyme to taste.  I found it was great to add a lot of dill and thyme.

4. Cut off all excess fat from chicken and use a meat tenderizer to beat the chicken until flattened. The flatter the easier to roll.

5. Place the chicken in a Pyrex dish with the smooth side down and smooth cream cheese mixture on each breast.  Roll up the chicken and spoon the rest of the cream cheese mixture on top of the breasts. Tent with foil and bake for 45 minutes!

I served the chicken over leftover Orzo I had, but I would recommend Jasmine rice or quinoa to cut calories.  

I also sauteed fresh onions, squash and zucchini from my Pops garden with a lot of garlic and a little olive oil! 

My friends demanded the fruit salad seen here and it mixed perfectly with spicy chicken!!!

Will Food Network need a replacement for Paula Deen?

XOXO

Little Miss Wade

Pesto Orzo with Sausage & Roasted Brussels Sprouts + A Divine Fruit Salad + Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Warning: Do not read this post if you are hungry...your mouth will begin to water!

I have to give my very good friend and fellow shopping addict (turned chef!) credit for most of my amazing recipes.  

Let's just say she's turned me from a to-go girl into a potential contestant for Top Chef.

Thank you Nat!!!  

Pesto Orzo with Sausage & Roasted Brussels Sprouts

A light and fresh recipe! I used less orzo because I wanted mainly sausage, veggies and pesto!

Ingredients:

-1 lb Brussels Sprouts  (cut in half)

-Olive Oil

-Sea salt

-Black pepper

-1/4 cup orzo

-5 sausage links 

(I meant to use chicken sausage- however when I asked the man at the grocery store for chicken sausage his response was "Who?")

-5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

-1/2 cup pesto

-Fresh Parmesan cheese 

Directions:
1. Preheat over to 400 degrees and put your brussels on a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Sprinkle olive oil, salt, and pepper over them and roast for 10-15 minutes. I like them crispy so I let them brown up a bit.
2. At the same time, cook the pasta according to the directions.  Use more orzo if you prefer this to be a pasta dish- I wanted mainly sausage and veggies so I used less orzo!) Drain all but a little bit of pasta water.
3. Cook sausage in a skillet according to directions.  Once it is ready, slice into thick coins. 
4. Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook fresh garlic until fragrant and add in the sausage.
5. Combine orzo, brussels, sausage & garlic, & pesto.
I then added in more pesto because I LOVE PESTO.
6. Serve warm with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.

Brussels Bakin'

Orzo Cookin'

Sausage Poppin'

Sausage + Garlic Fragrantin'

Orzo, Sausage, Brussels Pesto'in

Fruit Salad 

(not your Grandmother's fruit salad!)

This will knock your socks off!!! 

Ingredients:

-1 cup sugar

-1 cup water

-Juice of 1 orange

-Zest of 1 orange 

-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

-Pack of Strawberries (halved)

-Pack of Blueberries

-Half of a bag of red grapes (halved)

-Half of a bag of green grapes (halved)

-Mint leaves for garnish

Directions:

1. Bring to a boil the sugar, water, orange juice and orange zest for 15-20 minutes to thicken slightly.

2. Set aside to cool the syrup and then store in fridge until cold

(You could do parts 1 & 2 the night before)

3.  Cut and slice up your fruit in halves and mix all together.

4. Pour your syrup over the top and toss.

5. Garnish with mint leaves!

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

this is my BFF Hannah (we prefer to call her Betty Crocker) recipe!

I'm the office favorite after bringing these in for breakfast!!! 

Muffin Ingredients:

-1/4 cup softened butter

-1/3 cup sugar

-1 egg

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-2 1/3 cups flour

-4 teaspoons baking powder

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Streusel Ingredients:

-1/2 cup sugar

-1/3 cup flour

-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

-1/4 cup cold butter

Directions:

1. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar.  Beat in egg and vanilla and mix well.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt together and add to creamed mixture alternatively with milk.

3. Fold in Blueberries and fill 12 muffin cups 2/3 way full.

4. In a small bowl combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly.  

5. Sprinkle the streusel over muffins and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until browned.

6. Serve warm!  

 Watch me put it all together...
 

Makin it look easy!

Make for friends and enjoy! Cheers!

XOXO

Little Miss Wade 

Lemony Pesto Chicken Quinoa with Edamame and Almonds

I cooked a fabulous dinner last night.

I don't like to brag much, but really, I killed it.

(the perfectly healthy weeknight meal for my girlfriends!)

Lemony Pesto Chicken Quinoa with Edamame & Almonds

adapted recipe by The Investment Boenker, of course!

Ingredients:

-8 ounces Quinoa 

-3 chicken breasts

-3/4 cup pesto

-8 ounces spinach

-2 cups Edamame (just the peas!)

-3 lemons (2 for juice, 1 for garnish)

-3/4 cup almonds 

Directions:

Cook quinoa as directed on package in a large pot of water. 

In a separate pan, sautee cut up chicken (I cut mine into small squares) with garlic salt, pepper, parsley, basil and olive oil.

On low heat, toast almonds until just fragrant.

When quinoa is fully cooked, combine quinoa, chicken, pesto, spinach, edamame, and lemon juice together.

Garnish each plate with a slice of lemon and toasted almonds!  

Oops, you caught me with the desert.

I had to add something sweet in there...

Peanut Butter Kisses

  Ingredients:

-2 cups sugar
-2 cups peanut butter
-2 eggs
-2 teaspoons baking soda
-1 pinch salt
-1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
-A bag of milk chocolate Hersheys kisses

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees

2. In a medium bowl, stir peanut butter and sugar together until
smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the baking soda,
salt and vanilla.  Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place them 2
inches apart onto greased cookie sheets
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. RIGHT as you take
them out of the oven, place a chocolate kiss on top of each one. The
kiss should melt a little into the cookie but won't melt all the way.

Enjoy a delectable meal by yours truly!

XOXO

Little Miss Wade

Mexican Shrimp Casserole + An Amazing Salad

Happy Friday Loves!

I made this amazing (HEALTHY and EASY!) Mexican Shrimp Casserole for some girlfriends on Wednesday night and it was a huge hit!

Thank you to The Investment Boenker and her fabulous mother, Ginger, for this recipee.  I adapted a bit.

Ingredients:

- 2 lbs shrimp

-Olive Oil

-Creole Seasoning

-1 red and 1 yellow pepper (diced)

-2 big jalapenos (I used fresh and diced them but you can use pickled or omit!)

-1 can corn

-1 can black beans (drained)

-green onions (diced)

-regular onions (diced)

-Shredded Mexican Cheese

-Avocado

-Salsa

1. Toss shrimp with olive oil and creole seasoning and cook on stovetop. I used a lot of creole seasoning because I love spicy!  

2. Put all ingredients into a pyrex dish and cover with cheese

3. Cook on 375 for 40 minutes.  Cover with foil for the first 20 minutes and then take off the foil for the last 20 minutes.

4. Serve over quinoa (I cook mine with chicken broth to be flavorful!) or some type of rice/couscous.  

5. Add sliced avocado and salsa to the top and enjoy!

All ingredients in pyrex!

All cooked and ready!!!

An amazing spinach salad served on the side with avocado, goat cheese, sliced almonds, strawberries, & blackberries

  

Cook on, friends!

XOXO

Little Miss Wade

Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos

I just got a crock-pot a few weeks ago and I've been making things in it left and right. I mean all you have to do is dump stuff in there in the morning and when you get home from work your house smells amazing and BAM! Dinner is ready.

A recipe for the blog today...Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos!

Grocery Shopping List:

•  5 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Can of Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes 
• 1 Can of Chopped Green Chiles
• 1 onion 
• Taco Seasoning (I just used grocery store brand!) 
• Cumin
• Minced Garlic
• Cilantro 
• Corn/Flour tortillas or taco shells (whatever your peeps like best)
• All the fixins for your tacos (cheese, sour cream, lettuce, guacamole, etc.)

Dump in Order into the Crock-Pot:

1. Chicken Breasts
2. Taco Seasoning (the more the better!)
3. Can of Roasted Tomatoes
4. Can of Green Chiles
5. Onion
6. Teaspoon of Cumin, huge heaping of garlic

Dump Stage

 

Checked up on my crock-pot during lunch to make sure my kitchen didn't become a taco...

Slow cook on low for 6-8 hours, come back and your chicken should be fork tender and shred super easily. Chop up some fresh cilantro and serve those tacos, baby! 

Perfection.

I served up black beans and roasted veggies (onions and peppers) with these tacos for my girls and it was a huge hit! 

Cook away!

XOXO

Little Miss Wade