Quinoa Salad

I'm not even going to talk about how long it's been since I posted a recipe here. Just know that I have thought about it often and have a bajillion recipes that reeeeeally wanted some air-time on this here blog. REALLY GOOD ONES.

Soooo...I might start stealing pictures if I don't have one of my own.
Little by little, I will catch up on sharing them all. Promise.

I'll start with this one because it's awesome. And DELICIOUS. And good for you. And really beautiful!
If you've never tried quinoa before, this is the place to start.

Someone else's photo, but the one that most closely resembles the end product of this recipe.

Quinoa Garden Salad

Salad bits:
1 c. Quinoa, cooked in 2c. chicken broth, and cooled.
 (if you've never cooked quinoa before, just cook it like rice in a rice cooker...or on the stove, bring quinoa and broth to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes)
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 c. carrots (shredded, or cut into tiny pieces which is the way I prefer)
1 c. chopped bell pepper (red, green, orange, yellow, whatever! yellow looks the prettiest, if you care...)
1 c. chopped cucumber
cubed/crumbled feta cheese, as much as you like...I love, so I add lots.

Dressing:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Juice of one lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Toss salad with the dressing and serve! Also tastes yummy the next day.


Tips and Tricks:
This salad dressing is so simple that you can really throw WHATEVER you want in there...like avocado...or beans...or cilantro...or omit whatever you don't have as far as veggies go.

Also, I have had quinoa on hand that was not cooked in chicken broth and used it for the salad anyways. I just made sure to add some garlic and onion powder to the dressing so that the taste factor was still awesome and not boring.
I have also been so impatient to eat this that I have just used quinoa hot off the stove. It makes for a warm salad with crisp, raw veggies and still tastes good.

BEST Garlic Bread Ever.

I love garlic.
Really love garlic.
Really REEEEEALLY love garlic.
If any recipe calls for it, I'll probably double (at least!) the amount it asks for......just because it's delicious.

I know not everyone loves garlic itself...but I'm pretty sure the whole world loves garlic bread.

This recipe for garlic bread is my go-to, my staple, when it comes to making the stuff. These days, I'm pretty lazy about the amounts, and just kind of add whatever ingredients I know should be in there in whatever quantities I want...and it still comes out yummy. It's just that good of a recipe.

The credit goes to an Angie Asplund, who, along with her sister wrote a great little cookbook that is one of my favourites. The best part is that I won it. I never win anything! That may also be why it's one of my favourite cookbooks...to it, I owe a major boost of self-esteem. Ha.

Anyways. Here it is.

Photo Source

"Garlic Bread"...Also referred to as the best garlic bread ever. By me.
from the book eat something pretty...because you are what you eat by Kyla Hornberger and Angie Asplund

1 loaf French Bread
1 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 grated parmesan cheese

"1. Preheat oven on the broiler setting
2. Mix all ingredients except Parmesan cheese together until smooth. Cut French bread loaf in half lengthwise and generously spread butter mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Broil in oven until nicely toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Cut into wedges or angled slices and serve."

There ya have it. And I think it goes without saying (but I'm going to say it anyways, ha.) that it doesn't have to be French Bread...anything bread-y will do...and I usually use the powdery parmesan in the can (because I'm cheap and that's usually all I have on hand) and it tastes just fine. Also, I just mix it all together now...including the cheese...and spread it all on. It works. Not the nicest looking...but still tasty. The end.


P.S. Don't you love how I talk about the pictures I'll take of food...and then never do? HA! 

White Chicken Chili...and a Handy Trick.

When I married Darren, his mom supplied me with a handful of recipes that he enjoyed.
Such a great idea!
It has helped him (and continues to help him...) through my endless cooking experiments. At least, every few days, he would get something that was familiar, he for-sure enjoyed, and didn't have too many vegetables. Ha.

This is one of them.

It's delicious on its own...but even better with a little cheese sprinkled on top. Darren also adds sour cream. It's a family staple; it freezes well, tastes great as leftovers, and is every-one friendly (Renae will even eat "cheekin-and-beans"). We chop up the onions super-fine, so they're indistinguishable...or super-big so they can be picked out by those who don't like 'em.

Most recently, I made it for camping, and threw in some zucchini, chopped in chunks. Totally worked, extra-delicious. Also, it doesn't just have to be made with white beans, if all you've got are... coloured?... beans. And I usually half it for our small family...and make the full when I'm stocking up on freezer meals.

Sorry. Another random internet photo. I forgot to take a picture before we scarfed it the last time. 

White Chicken Chili from Sharon Roberts

-2 med onions, chopped
-1 Tablespoon cooking oil
-4 garlic cloves, minced
-2 (4oz.) cans green chilies (these are found in the "Mexican" section of grocery store)
-2 tsp. ground cumin
-1 tsp. dried oregano
-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
-1/4 tsp ground cloves (I actually have never put this in...just because I don't have it around.)
-2 (14oz) cans chicken broth (I always have the cartons of chicken broth on hand, so I just add around 4.5 cups broth)
-4 cups cubes or shredded cooked chicken (see the handy trick below!)
-3 (15oz) cans Great White Northern beans, or Small White Beans, or White Kidney beans...

Saute onions in oil until translucent, add everything else, and simmer in crockpot (on high) or on stovetop (med-low) for an hour or two .

Mama Roberts also added that she also saute's chopped green pepper with the onions and adds them to the mix. Also sounds delicious!

Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, some garlic toast on the side...or just by its scrumptious self.


Okay....Now the Best Trick Ever.
My mom shared this tip with me recently and it has changed my life.
Boil some chicken up til it's not pink inside...then toss it into your power mixer (Kitchenaid, Bosch, whatever!...I'm pretty sure it might even work with an electric egg beater...but don't quote me on that) , turn it on....and it will shred the chicken for you!

Photo Source

Seriously. It works, and it saves so much annoying time spent shredding chicken with a fork and knife. I usually buy boneless chicken breasts and boneless thighs in bulk, so right when I get home from shopping, I shred about half of it: toss it in salted water, bring to boil and let boil for a while...shred, toss in a few smaller freezer bags...and voila! Chicken ready to be thrown in salads, chillis, soups, on pizza, for chicken-salad sandwiches, whatever.

Speaking of chicken salad sandwiches...and earlier...garlic toast....I have got THE BEST RECIPES in the WORLD for both those.

I'm sharing. ASAP.

"Harvest Loaf"...or Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

My mom asked if I'd like some frozen pumpkin, a recent victorious discovery from a freezer clean-out.
That smart, smart lady also offered-- in the same breath-- a recipe to use the pumpkin in. Otherwise, it probably would have just sat in my freezer for-ev-er.
I like that mom of mine. Lots. And now, even more-so... because the recipe she gave me, along with the freezer-pumpkin, has been the best thing to happen to this house in the last two days.

2 batches in 2 days. And it's all gooooooone.

It's a recipe for a loaf. But I made muffins, because they just go over better around here. I also used milk chocolate chips, which makes any recipe better. I'd bet they would even help the most forlorn recipe...Milk Chocolate Chip Clam Chowder. Just you wait, next posted recipe.

There's even a fer-real photo or three with this one...not another stolen internet one. Woot woot.

Harvest Loaf...Or Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

1/2 c. shortening
1c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 and 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
3/4 c. canned pumpkin
3/4 c. chocolate chips
3/4 c. chopped walnuts (optional...we opt out every time...)

Directions:
Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs, beat well. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl. Alternately add dry ingredients and pumpkin to the shortening mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and 1/2 c. walnuts. Pour into pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 c. walnuts on top.
Large Loaf: Bake at 350 for 65-75 min
12 Muffins: Bake at 350 for 20-25 min

I also decided that I need to take a baking course/class of some kind; I'm really curious to know if adding the ingredients in a certain order actually makes a difference and why. Because I'm not convinced that it does.
Teach me! Fill me in! Seriously. The tastiness of my muffins might depend on it.

Quinoa and Black Bean Chili

I love my vegetables.
And tasty veggie dishes.
My hubby does not love his vegetables. And so, when I find a recipe that gets him to put vegetables in his mouth...and enjoy it...I consider the recipe to be a success. And when I love the recipe, too, and want to make it again within the same week, I consider it to be awesome.

This recipe is an awesome success.
And I wish I had taken a picture. But it was gone too fast.
It's not only delicious, it's really preeeeetty.
I'll steal someone else's picture to show you...

K, so it's teensy.  
Oh well. You get the idea...

Quinoa and Black Bean Chili from Taste of Home, found on Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups water
•  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (19 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin; cook and stir 1 minute to release the flavors. Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, zucchini, jalapeno pepper, chipotle pepper, and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
3. After 20 minutes, stir in the reserved quinoa and corn. Cook to reheat the corn for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the cilantro to serve. 

Here's my confession: I didn't add the key ingredient (the chipotle peppers) and it still was really yummy. I just added extra chili powder to make up the flavour and added a little cayenne for heat. I just couldn't find chipotle peppers...but I am desperate to! I love the flavour of chipotle peppers...and if this is good even without them? Daaaaaang.
If anyone finds chipotle peppers, I'm begging you to let me know where they showed up. Pleeeeeeeeeease...?