Some of you may be wondering how I have all this time on my hands. It just so happens that this is my Spring Break week. So today, we made the cutest little flower cupcakes! I found this edible Easter grass (green apple flavored) that I've never seen before (at Walmart), and these darling flower cupcake liners (at Hobby Lobby).
Lily flower cupcakes
Big girl Lily... little lily cupcake
Edible Easter grass... complete with bunnies!
I used Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge cake mix, Betty Crocker White Cloud buttercream icing, and of course sprinkles!
The grass and bunnies ARE edible... but feel somewhat like styrofoam in your mouth! LOL
Yep... this is way out there and funky; but it's also kinda fun! I was in the mood for the big bold flavors of Mexican, and the two little ones wanted nothing more than buttered noodles...so this took care of everyone.
Chicken Enchilada Pasta
Prep Chef
1/2 Rotisserie chicken, pulled from the bones
handful chopped sweet onion
handful pepper strips (red, green, yellow)
4 oz light cream cheese
4 oz canned chopped green chilis
1 cup mild jarred picante sauce
6 oz dried fettuccini noodles
1/2 cup sweet corn niblets
1/2 cup drained, rinsed black beans
Garnish:
roasted salsa verde (green salsa)
light sour cream
fresh chopped cilantro leaves
chopped tomatoes
tortilla strips
Method:
Saute pepper strips in 1 Tbsp oil or butter until almost soft.
Add chopped chilis, corn, black beans, cream cheese and picante sauce.
Gently stir in chicken pieces and turn off heat. Stir in half of the cilantro.
Meanwhile have water boiling and cook fettuccini according to package directions (about 11 min).
Drain pasta and top with sauce and garnishes to plate.
Garnish with: salsa verde, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, cilantro leaves, and tortilla strips. A squeeze of lime over the whole dish would be great, too!
Notes:
To turn your leftovers into baked chicken enchilades, just roll up the leftover sauce in flour tortillas, top with grated cheddar cheese and heavy whipping cream, and bake at 325 F for 25 - 30 min.... That gives you two meals for one cooking/cleaning time!
Wow... if the folks at Food Network could see the knife cuts on the tomatoes, they would surely have something to say. But considering a 3 year old cut them for me - they're not too shabby!
My biggest discovery with this was the Roasted Salsa Verde. I had never purchased this before, but it was really great!
I have made this recipe probably a half dozen times... and it's very easy and very tasty. It's important that you use the thawed frozen peppers. I thought that was insane the first time I made it, but they really do break down and cook a lot more quickly than fresh peppers.
I'm not a huge raisin fan, but they work really well in this dish. I think it could also use a finely sliced green onion over the top... but don't forget the cilantro and lime juice at the end. They totally brighten the dish!
Busy mom tip - If you are a busy parent in the evenings, feel free to prep your chicken, sauce, and toasted coconut ahead of time, storing each separately in the refrigerator. When you get home from work, take out the frozen vegetables, remove the prepped ingredients, and you can have this meal on the table in way less than 30 minutes! But it sure will taste like something you have worked really hard on!
While chicken cooks, start the peanut curry sauce. In a medium
mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the sauce. Tip - For getting this on the table faster, make the sauce up ahead of time and store in the refrigerator.
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 Tbsp curry paste. Adjust up or down according to the heat preferences of your family.
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 cup cashews, rough chopped
handful dark raisins (2 small 'snack' boxes)
1 small can drained water chestnuts
Start building...
To the chicken that is just cooked through (PLEASE don't OVERCOOK IT!), add the green
beans and pepper strips and continue cooking for another 3 – 5
minutes. (Will take longer if you use fresh peppers.)
Pour sauce
into the pan over the chicken and vegetables; stir.
Turn heat up
to high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat
and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 6 – 8 minutes.
Serve over coconut rice or plain steamed rice.
Rice:
In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk, chicken broth, lime
juice.
3/4 cup light coconut milk
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 - 1 whole lime, juiced (depending on size)
Add instant rice when it comes to a boil.
2 cups instant rice (sorry for the bad photo!)
Remove from heat
and cover for 7 – 9 minutes.
Turn off heat and cover!
While waiting for the rice to absorb all the liquid, make the toasted coconut.
Tip - The coconut can be toasted ahead of time. Store in a zip top bag until you are ready for it.
I put my coconut in a cake pan and put it under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Shake it around every minute or so and watch it CAREFULLY!!! It is fabulous toasted, but will burn in an instant if you neglect it!
1/2 cup toasted coconut
Stir toasted coconut into the cooked rice.
Fluff with a fork.
Plate....
Serve chicken over coconut rice with lime wedges, a bit more toasted coconut, and chopped cilantro for
garnish.
Definitely need the acid from the lime and brightness of cilantro to brighten these flavors and make them all come alive! - creamy, spicy and sweet sweet sauce, bright lime and cilantro, crunch from the nuts and water chestnuts, chewy raisins, great colors from the peppers and beans... what's not to love?
Notes:
I typically choose a low sodium broth, like Swanson's, that comes in a box. The left overs can just be refrigerated.
Curry Paste can be found in larger markets (like Whole Foods) or specialty markets. I use Neera’s Spicy Vindaloo red Indian Curry Paste in 4 oz jar.
I use Peter Pan honey roasted peanut butter, as that is the one my family enjoys. Feel free to use any type.
I like the Taste of Thai coconut milk in a can. If all you have on hand is coconut milk beverage, you may need to add a teaspoon or so of corn starch to the cold sauce so that it will thicken properly when cooked.
Method:
Initial Prep –
Remove frozen vegetables from the freezer and
allow to start thawing. Trim,
cut, and season chicken with salt and pepper. Tip - This
can be done ahead of time. Heat oil in large frying pan over med-high. Add the
seasoned, cut up chicken and saute until cooked through (about 5 min).
Start
the Sauce -
While
chicken cooks, start the peanut curry sauce. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk
together all ingredients for the sauce. Tip - For
getting this on the table faster, make the sauce up ahead of time and store in
the refrigerator.
Start building...
To the chicken that is just cooked through
(PLEASE don't OVERCOOK IT!), add the green beans and pepper strips and continue
cooking for another 3 – 5 minutes. (Will take longer if you use fresh peppers.) Pour sauce into the pan over the chicken and vegetables;
stir. Turn heat up to high and bring to a boil, stirring
occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about
6 – 8 minutes. Serve over coconut rice or plain steamed rice.
Rice: In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk,
chicken broth, lime juice. Add instant rice when it comes to a
boil. Remove from heat and cover for 7 – 9
minutes. While waiting for the rice to absorb
all the liquid, make the toasted coconut.
Tip
- The coconut can be toasted ahead of
time. Store in a zip top bag until you are ready for it.
I
put my coconut in a cake pan and put it under the broiler for about 5
minutes. Shake it around every minute or so and watch it CAREFULLY!!! It
is fabulous toasted, but will burn in an instant if you neglect it! Stir toasted coconut into the cooked
rice.Fluff with a fork.
Plate.... Serve chicken over coconut rice with lime wedges,
a bit more toasted coconut, and chopped cilantro for garnish.
This pimento cheese is super simple and delicious as a sandwich (a classic of the Master's Tournament), as a dip with chips, or slathered on a crisp crunchy rib of celery. In my opinion, the flavor is the best if you let it come to room temperature before serving, as cold cheese has very little flavor.
Ingredients:
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp grated sweet onion
3 – 4 Tbsp roasted red peppers, chopped fine
To taste black pepper
to taste garlic powder
to taste salt
Mix and let sit overnight in refrigerator.
Let it sit out and warm up for a while before serving.
Step-by-step:
Simply mix all ingredients and let sit a while for flavors to develop.
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp grated sweet onion
3 – 4 Tbsp roasted red peppers, chopped fine
to taste salt
To taste black pepper
to taste garlic powder
Stir, cover, and refrigerate for a while. It's even better overnight.
YUM!!!!
Or perhaps as an alternative filling for your 'deviled' eggs.
