BBQ Pulled Chicken

I was really craving BBQ pulled pork last night... but have you seen the prices of a big ol' hunk of pork shoulder lately? No thank you! So I decided to improvise with chicken instead. It was equally fabulous and about 1/10th of the price! And unless you knew it was chicken, I bet you couldn't even tell ;)

Indgredients:

• 3 chicken breasts
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 2 cups of water
• BBQ sauce (I used hot and spicy!)
• Coleslaw
• Hamburger buns

Directions:

• Place chicken breasts, bouillon cubs and two cups of water into your crockpot. Heat on low for 7-8 hours depending on how fast your crockpot cooks.
• Take out chicken breasts and place in a bowl
• Drain and rinse out crockpot
• Gently shred chicken breasts with a fork and return to crockpot
• Pour in as much or as a little BBQ sauce as you prefer. Keep mixing so that you cover all of the chicken
• Turn crockpot to keep warm until BBQ has heated through
• Slap a little butter on your buns (hamburger buns, geesh) and lightly toast in the toaster oven
• Put a big scoop of BBQ pulled chicken on your bun, top with some coleslaw and enjoy!

This really hit the spot! The combination of hot and spicy BBQ with my funky coleslaw was just the right marriage of flavors. In fact, I had it for lunch today again!

Experimental Coleslaw

Coleslaw and I have a long, strange history. I used to despise it. It seemed to be served with EVERYTHING. And then I realized, hey if it's going to be served with everything then I better start enjoying it! So that began my journey of trying coleslaw wherever I went. I definitely have encountered a lot of new and different types and some I've really enjoyed. Others, not so much.

So why not try a new coleslaw that is made by me? After seeing from various recipes that the main ingredients were mayo, lemon juice and various spices I decided to try my hand at this popular side.

Ingredients:

• 5 tbsp mayo
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp spanish paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 4 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• splash of orange juice
• 1/2 package of bagged coleslaw cabbage mix

Directions:

• Mix everything together except the cabbage mix
• Place cabbage mix in a bowl and add a few spoonfuls of the dressing
• Toss to coat
• Add a few more spoonsfuls of the dressing
• Toss to coat
• Are you catching my drift here?
• Once you've coated it, cover and place in the refridgerator for at least an hour. This allows all the flavors to get together better

This coleslaw was sweet, tangy and spicy. It was really good! It was unlike any I have had before, but definitely a great change of pace. Give a try!

Sushi - California Roll and Spicy Tuna Roll

Mmmm sushi. I haven't always liked sushi. In fact, the first time I tried it I wasn't a big fan. But I slowly started branching out into new flavors and textures which ultimately had me trying sushi again. Fast forward awhile and now I love it!

I made a trip to the Asian market the other day for squid because I wanted to attempt calamari. While I was there, I decided that I also wanted to attempt sushi. So I picked up some necessary items and I was on a mission!


Ingredients:

• FOR THE RICE:
• 2 cups sushi rice
• 2 cups water
• 2 TBSP rice vinegar
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 1 TBSP kosher salt
• FOR THE SUSHI:
• 6 oz Ahi Tuna steak
• Imitation crab legs
• Nori (dried seaweed)
• 1 TBSP chili puree/paste
• 3 TBSP mayo
• Cucumber, sliced very thin
• Avocado, sliced thin

Directions:

• FOR RICE:
• Rinse rice. Place rice in a medium sauce pan and add water. Bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, reduce heat until low and cover for 15 minutes
• Remove from heat and leave covered for an additional 10 minutes
• Allow rice to cool completely. While rice is cooling, mix vinegar, sugar and salt in a bowl. Place in the microwave for 30 - 45 seconds. Stir.
• Fold the vinegar mix into the cooled rice so that all of the rice is covered with the mixture.
• FOR SUSHI:
• Take one sheet of nori and fold in half. This should leave you with two halves (you will only use one half for each roll).
• Gently cover the nori with the sushi rice. Once covered, flip over so that rice is underneath.
• Place crab, avocado and cucumber in a line across the nori. Begin to roll up with your bamboo rolling mat (I'm sorry, I should have taken pictures. I will update with photos when I make this again!)
• Now you should have a roll. Gently slice and serve.
• For ahi rolls, I first marinated the tuna steak in 1 TBSP soy sauce, 1/2 TBSP lime and 1 tsp chopped ginger. Then I lightly seared it for a minute on each side so that it was still rare on the inside
• 
• Mix chili puree with mayo to form a spicy sauce. Add a thick layer of this sauce to the nori (after you have added the rice as above).
• Then layer the tuna, avocado and cucumber as above.

Now you will have a sushi roll! Just cut and serve. For my first attempt, I was very impressed. The flavors were fabulous. I apologize for the poor photo, I had them in tupperware so I could take to my coworkers (my boss and our marketing analyst are quite foodies... I wanted it to pass their test!). They both approved!

Kickin' Calamari

My husband loves calamari. In fact, everytime we try a new restaurant we have to get the calamari as an appetizer. We've become connoisseurs of sorts. So when I set out to make calamari at home, my husband was excited... and apprehensive.

Ingredients:

• Squid - I found mine at this fantastic Asian market in town. It comes packaged like this
• 
• 1 cup flour
• 1 TBSP cajun seasoning
• Milk
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions:

• Thaw out the squid. Once it has been thawed, the tentacles will be easy to remove from the tubes.
• Cut tubes into rings. Remove cartilage from tentacles (you will feel a tough piece on the end, just slice that off and discard)
• Soak rings and tentacles in milk for awhile. Keep refridgerated
• In a shallow bowl, combine flour and cajun seasoning. Mix well.
• Remove squid from milk and gently dredge in flour mixture. Shake off excess and set aside. Continue until all rings and tenticles have been dipped.
• Heat 1" of oil in a sauce pan until very hot. In SMALL BATCHES, add rings and tenticles to the oil. They don't need long to cook. In fact, I think I left them in the oil for less than 10 seconds.
• Once removed, set aside on paper towels to drain. Continue until all of the calamari is fried.
• Serve with marinara!

I asked my hubby if he was ready to try the calamari and he answered with an eager "Yes!" Pressures on now...

I watch and he pops a ring in his mouth.

"Oh my God," he says. My heart sinks a little at this point. And then, "These are 'restaurant good' honey! Is there anymore?"

YESSSS!

Beet and Bleu Cheese Salad

Oh Rookie Chef! I've missed you! It's been so long since my last update, I feel like such a bad blogger!

Our oven is on the fritz. What's the saying... "If it's not one thing, it's another"?? Yep, welcome to our house. But hey, it's home. So coming up with food ideas that don't include take-out or delivery has been tough. You can only make so many meals in the toaster oven, you know?

So I've been craving beets lately and after a delicious salad I tried at the market, I knew I had to try to recreate.

Ingredients:

• 1 can diced beets
• Bleu cheese crumbles
• onions, carmelized
• 1 clove of garlic, smashed
• 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
• 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil (for dressing)
• 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil (for onions)
• Sugar
• 1 TBSP butter
• salt and pepper

Directions:

• Place beets in tin foil and completely seal. I threw this 'pouch' in the toaster oven at 425 degrees for about 45 minutes so that the beets were very tender. Let beets cool completely after this step
• Meanwhile, whisk together the vinegar, oil, garlic and salt and peppers to taste. Let this hang out while your beets are in the toaster oven. This gives all of the flavors a chance to work together
• To carmalize the onions, melt a little butter and olive oil in a sautee pan. Add sliced onions, lightly salt and pepper, and cook until they begin to brown. Then sprinkle a little sugar around. Continue to cook until onions are carmelized (brown, a little crunchy, and delicious!)
• Remove the smashed garlic clove out of the vinegar mixture.
• Toss cooled beets and carmelized onions into the vinegar mixture, plate, and top with bleu cheese.

Mmmm this hit the spot! Tangy, creamy, and just what I was craving!

Greek Chicken Kabobs

How do you spell "easy"? K-A-B-O-B. Yep, piece of cake dinner that is healthy and yummy! That's what I'm talking about.

After coming home from Vegas, I knew I was going to be pretty tired. So while I was making my Stuffed Squash Boats, I prepped my chicken and veggies for the next night.

Instructions:

• 2 chicken breasts
• From scratch Greek marinade (okay not really, I used Kraft's Greek Vinagrette with Feta Cheese and Oregano EVOO salad dressing)
• Veggies of choice (I used onion, green peppers, and cherry tomatoes)
• Skewers
• A little more extra virgin olive oil for brushing
• Greek seasoning (I love love LOVE Cavender's)

Directions:

• Marinate the chicken in a container overnight and pre-cut veggies. Store in tupperware until ready for use.
• The next day, cut chicken into 2" cubes.
• Rotate veggies and chicken onto skewer
• Brush veggies with olive oil and season lightly with Greek seasoning
• Place in a glass baking dish and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees

It's not gourmet, but it's good!

Vegas, babies, and squash... oh my!

Sorry for the absense of new posts, but I had good reason. I was in Vegas! And as if Vegas isn't a good enough reason, it was because we were visiting our brand new baby niece. She's PERFECT. Don't believe me?

(Yes, there is a recipe further down... just let me brag for a bit!)

Meet Olive:



And here is my handsome husband, he's a natural!




We couldn't be more thrilled to be an Aunt and Uncle!




I could go on and on, but for now I will get back to cooking!



Last night I picked up a beautiful spaghetti squash. Now what was I going to do with it? I had no idea. But I new I wanted to play a bit since I had been out of my own kitchen so long. So here is what I did...

Stuffed Squash Boats

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash (mine was probably 2.5-3 lbs)


• 1 lb ground beef


• 1/2 brick of cream cheese


• Onion, chopped


• Green peppers, chopped


• And whatever other veggies you're craving, chopped :)


• Seasoning (I used crushed red pepper, garlic powder, and salt & pepper)

Directions:

• Make a slice in the squash but don't cut all the way through. Put in the microwave for 8 minutes to soften.


• Throw your ground beef in a skillet and begin to brown. Season with whatever you have!


• In a seperate skillet, sautee veggies


• Once your squash has cooled, cut it in half the long way. It will look a bit like a yellow pumpkin inside. Scoop out all of the seeds and stringy stuff. Discard.


• Add your cream cheese to the ground beef and make sure it is well mixed. Then add your sauteed veggies so that it is one big delicious skillet of goodness.


• Back to the squash - the halves should look like little boats by now. With a fork, pull across the inside of the squash so that the "spaghetti" comes out. Put in a bowl. Do this for both, but leave a decent shell.


• Now mix the "spaghetti" in with your meat mixture.


• Take the spaghetti meat mixture and pile into your squash boats.


• Place in a glass baking dish and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees


• They should look like this going in:


• 


• And when they are finished they will look like this:


• 

Please excuse the blurry final photo. But that's it! Stuffed squash boats! I will definitely make these again, but I think I'll play with the flavors a little more. I loved the texture, but something was off. Perhaps it was the cream cheese?

Another experiment in The Rookie Chef's kitchen :)