Fresh Guacamole

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados
1 roma tomato
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 juice of a lime
1 jalapeno pepper
1 tbs. fresh cilantro

Directions

Peel and dice the onion and garlic cloves. Combine with diced jalapeno pepper, and avocado. Be sure to remove the white membrane and adjust the spiciness by removing the seeds. If you do not want spice, leave out the jalapeno. Mash to desired consistency. Add juice of one lime and fold in diced tomato. Add salt and pepper, season to taste. Add fresh cilantro if desired.

Source: Trader Joe's Guacamole Kit container

Review: Really easy to make! Be sure to season well with salt and pepper because avocado is very bland other wise. I heard if you put the pit of the avocado with the guacamole there is an enzyme that keeps the guacamole green.

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium sized yellow onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 package (14 oz.) firm tofu
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbs. black pepper
2 tsp. paprika
2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (12 oz) tomato paste
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cans (15 oz) kidney beans rinse and drained
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinse and drained
1 can (15 oz) white beans, rinse and drained
1 can (15 oz) whole sweet corn, rinsed and drained
1 cup The Heat is On Peanut Butter
Crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions

1. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, tofu, salt, pepper, and paprika and saute until the onions and garlic are translucent.

2. Add the diced tomatoes and their liquid to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and veggie stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the kidney beans, black beans, white beans, and corn and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Reduce the head to low and stir the peanut butter into the chili. Add additional crushed red pepper to increase the spiciness if desired.

Source: The Peanut Butter & Company Cookbook, Quirk Books, 2005.

Review: Really easy to make. The longer it simmers the better. Cutting the tofu was fun because it was spongy. The peanut butter really thickens the chili up. I had it over rice the first night. To change things up I got spaghetti to have it Cincinatti style. I also had it over mashed potatoes which I was not too crazy about. Also, I got cornbread to have it over and I also will make nachos. I also plan on taking boxed mac and cheese, adding chili, putting cheese on top and baking it.

Lemony Chicken with Capers and Kalamata Olives

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breasts halved
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup halved and thinly sliced red onion
1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tbs. capers, rinsed
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved lengthwise

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Marinate the chicken breast with 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 cup of the lemon juice for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to two hours. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle each chicken piece with 1/4 tsp. salt. Spread the onions in the bottom of a shallow baking dish. Add the orange juice and place the chicken breasts on top of the onions. Whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, the olive oil and oregano. Drizzle over the chicken. Sprinkle the garlic and capers over the chicken. Add the olives to the pan juice (don't put them on top, or they will leave their mark). Bake uncovered until the juices of the chicken run clear, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter with the pan juices, olives, and capers.

Source: my sister

Review: The chicken was very tasty, I love chicken with lemon. Although I felt the flavor of the onions, capers, and olives did not come through unless you take an actual bite of them. I think what I would do would make stuffed chicken breasts and stuff every thing in them. Then the actual Mediterrean flavor will come through.

Flexible 4-Step Chicken for Family and Company - Rustic Lemon-Onion Chicken

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced in half crossways (butterflied, cut all the way through)
1 teaspoon dried thyme, plus 1 small bunch fresh thyme, leaves chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup white wine, optional
1 cup chicken broth
3 lemons, juiced
1 to 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Season chicken with dried thyme and salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the oil. Dredge the chicken in flour, add to the hot oil and saute until cooked through. Set chicken aside to rest on plate tented with foil.

In same saute pan, over low heat, add onions and fresh thyme and cook until aromatic.

In a measuring cup, measure out wine, if using, and broth, and add the lemon juice. Turn the heat up to high, and deglaze the pan with the broth mixture until starting to reduce.

Remove the pan from the heat and finish the sauce by whisking in butter. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place a bed of cooked spinach on a serving platter, top with the chicken. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Source: Food Network, Ten Dollar Dinners, Melissa D'Arabian

Review: I liked it a lot. I really love the combination of lemon and wine with chicken. The sauteed red onions were really good over the chicken and also over the mashed potatoes that we made as an extra side. We did have any fresh thyme but as Melissa says this dish can be interchanged with anything, so I used fresh parsely.

White Chocolate Wonderful Sandwich

Ingredients

2 tbs. White Chocolate Wonderful peanut butter
2 slices white bread
2 tbs. orange marmalade
1 tbs. sliced almonds. (optional)

Directions

1. Spread the peanut butter on one slice of bread and the marmalade on the other.

2. Sprinkle the almonds on the peanut butter and top with the other slice of bread, marmalade side down. Slice in half diagonally.

Source: The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook, Quirk Books, 2005.

Review: Great for a late night snack, which is why I made this and hence the late entry. I knew I had all the ingredients in my parents kitchen but I knew I did not have the specified peanut butter, which may be good thing. One I saved calories because it wasn't loaded with other stuff in it. I simply took vanilla extract and peanut butter, careful because the extract is strong. I tasted and added more to taste. The substitution was perfect! The book explains it a cross between those ice cream bars you get from the ice cream truck: creamsicle and toasted almond. I think a DNA test should be ran because all I taste is creamsicle which is fine with me because that my favorite of the two.

Cafe Green Salad

Ingredients

Mustard Vinaigrette:
1 garlic clove, sliced in 1/2
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Small splash soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

3 cups mixed greens, the darker the better (not iceberg)

Rub the inside of a large wooden bowl with the garlic clove and then either discard it or save it for another use. Put the mustard in the bowl and whisk in the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce (a French secret!) vigorously for about 10 seconds to get a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle in the olive oil as slowly as possible with 1 hand while whisking as quickly as possible with the other hand to emulsify. Lay the salad greens on top of the dressing and toss just before serving.

Source: Food Network, Ten Dollar Dinners, Melissa D'Arabian

This was her premiere show and she has so many great tips with everything she does, I definitely will keep on watching her.

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

Ingredients

2 large eggs
1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
4 (1/2 to 3/4-inch thick) center-cut pork loin chops (each about 10 to 12 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions
Whisk the eggs in a pie plate to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate. Place the cheese in a third pie plate. Sprinkle the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the eggs, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, in batches if necessary, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to plates and serve with lemon wedges.

Source: Food Network, Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis.

We usually make Shake n Bake with pork chops, but everyone loved this!