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How to Make Homemade Marshmallows (step by step with photos)

How to make homemade marshmallowsP

These are easier than you think.

And the possibilities are endless. Try your favorite extracts (coconut marshmallows?!), or food coloring to match your party, or covering them in chocolate. Once you make them, it’s hard to remember why you went so long without trying your hand at these.

Step one:

Prepare the pan. Grease well (cooking spray, butter or vegetable shortening) and then cover in powdered sugar.

How to Make Homemade Marshmallows (step by step with photos)

Step two:

In the bowl of a stand mixer add 3 1/2 packets of gelatin to 1/2 cup ice cold water. Let stand while you prepare the sugar.

How to make homemade marshmallows2Step three:

In a pan over medium heat add 2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup corn syrup and 1/2 cup water. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat to high, allow to boil until the mixture has reached 240 on a candy thermometer.

How to Make Homemade Marshmallows (step by step with photos)

Step four:

Turn the mixer on low and slowly pour the hot sugar into the gelatin mixture. Once all the sugar has been added, raise speed to high. Beat on high until light and fluffy and tripled in volume, about 6 minutes.

How to Make Homemade Marshmallows (step by step with photos)

 Step five:

In a medium bowl, add the egg whites and salt. Beat with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites and vanilla into the marshmallows.

How to Make Homemade Marshmallows (step by step with photos)Step six:

Pour marshmallows into prepared pan. Smooth into an even layer, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

How to Make Homemade Marshmallows (step by step with photos)

 Step seven:

Allow to sit at room temperature until set, about 3 hours. Invert pan on a flat surface, slice into squares.

How to make homemade marshmallows8

To make beer marshmallows, check out Chocolate Stout Covered Beer Marshmallows.

How to Make Homemade Marshmallows (step by step with photos)

Ingredients

  • Powdered sugar
  • 3 ½ envelopes unflavored gelatin (such as Knox)
  • 1 cup ice cold water, divided
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light corn syrup
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbs vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Grease a 9×13 baking pan, sprinkle with powdered sugar until well coated, set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer add ½ cup cold water. Sprinkle with gelatin. Allow to stand while the sugar is being prepared.
  3. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the remaining ½ cup water, sugar and corn syrup. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
  4. Raise heat to high and allow to boil until the mixture reads 240F on a candy thermometer (about 6-8 minutes).
  5. Once the temperature has been reached, turn off heat.
  6. Turn the mixer on low and slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the gelatin. Once all the sugar has been added turn the mixer on high until light and fluffy and tripled in volume, about 6 minutes.
  7. While the mixer is running, prepare the egg whites. Add the egg whites to a bowl with the salt. Beat on high with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
  8. Gently fold the egg whites and vanilla extract into the stand mixer ingredients until just combined.
  9. Pour the marshmallows into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Allow to set at room temperature until set, about 2 hours. Remove from pan, cut into squares.

 

Skinny Thai Chicken Noodle Soup: 177 Calories

 

Skinny-Thai-Chicken-Noodle-Soup

My life has been insane lately. A good insanity from being busy, being asked to do things, be places. It’s welcomed and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities I’ve been so blessed with, even on the days when it feels like it’s too much. Travel, speaking engagements, book signings, photography jobs, dinners, it’s all amazing I’ve hardly found the self esteem to feel like I even deserve half of it.

Luckily a coping mechanism for me has always been cooking, a double edged sword when you have a propensity to stress eat. So I’ve had to sublimate my urge to gorge on cheesecake with homemade soup. A fine stand in, especially when it takes 15 minutes and only 177 calories a bowl.

It also makes me feel like I have this all under control, and I’m going to go ahead and let myself think that for a while longer.

Skinny Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Calories per serving: 177

Ingredients

  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 5 ounces chicken breast, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated with a microplane
  • 2 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbs soy sauce
  • 1 can (13.5 fl oz) lite coconut milk
  • 2 wt oz rice noodles, broken
  • 2 tbs fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbs crushed red pepper
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
  • ¼ cup green onion, chopped

Instructions

  1. In a large pot heat the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook until browned. Stir in the garlic.
  2. Add the chicken broth, fish sauce, soy sauce and coconut milk.
  3. Add the broken rice noodles and simmer until noodles are soft, about 10 minutes.
  4. Stir in the lime juice and red pepper.
  5. Ladle into bowls, garnish with cilantro and green onions.

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo: 125 Calories

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo 125 Calories

I eat a lot of food.

A lot of high calorie food and beer that can leave me feeling like I want to take a nap in some kale. I tend to pendulum swing between wanting really bad for me food and really good for me food but I want it all to taste good.

So I’ve developed a fixation with produce. And how to manipulate it into tasting like that other side of the coin that leads me down a path far away from my skinny jeans.

So here you have my version of a pasta dish, made up mostly of vegetables, and a hefty serving weighs in at only 125 calories.

In fact, if you ate the entire batch it would only be 500 calories.

And you would be very full.

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo 125 Calories2

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo: 125 Calories

Ingredients

  • 1 large spaghetti squash
  • 1 head cauliflower (1.5 lbs), chopped
  • ½ cup skim milk (2% and whole milk work too)
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion power
  • pinch cayenne
  • 1 tbs lemon juice
  • 2 tbs Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup parmesan
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • ¼ cup parsley, chopped

    Instructions

  1. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, scoop out and discard the seeds and strings in the middle of the squash.
  2. Place, cut side down, on a baking sheet that has been lined with aluminum foil.
  3. Roast at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until a fork easily slides into the skin.
  4. Remove from oven, allow to cool enough to handle. Using a fork, gently scrape and lift the spaghetti like strands of the squash, transfer to four serving plates.
  5. While the squash is cooking, make the sauce.
  6. Cook the cauliflower in lightly salted boiling water until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add the milk, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, lemon juice and Greek yogurt. blend until smooth. Return the mixture to the pot over medium heat. Stir in the cheese, cook until warmed. Thin with additional broth if desired. Salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Pour sauce over squash, top with chopped tomatoes and parsley.

 

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo 125 Calories3

Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are naturally dairy and gluten free, take 5 minutes and one bowl to throw together. 

flourless peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chips cookies 2

 

There is really nothing simple about my life these days. Between two blogs, freelance work, a book, a book tour, another super secret project I hope to tell you about soon, and (oh yeah) a family, I’ve officially crossed over into complex living. As a result, my food has become more simple. Beautifully simple. Fewer (but better) ingredients, less waste, more time with that family who gives me so much support. These cookies are a great example. My favorite cookie recipe ever (on the planet) takes 3 days to make, inspiring the name Thursday Night Cookies because if I want them for the weekend, I need to start making them Thursday night.

But right now, in this crazy phase of my life, I want something that can give me near instant comfort and gratification with just a few ingredients I already have. So that someday I can get back to those lazy days and Thursday Night Cookies.

Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 17 minutes

Yield: 12 cookies

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup whole oats
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • 1 large egg

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. In a large bowl gently stir together all ingredients.
  3. Using a cookie scoop, add golf ball size mounds to a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper, evenly spaced. Flatten to one-inch circles using your hand.
  4. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Pull the parchment paper off the cookie sheet and onto a flat surface. Allow to cool.

Notes

A lot of oat companies process their oats with machines that also come in contact with gluten, making the contamination rate high for store bought oats. If you need these to be gluten free, make sure to buy oats labeled "gluten free."

flourless peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chips cookies 3

Jamaican Coconut Cornbread

Jamacian Coconut Cornbread naturally dairy and gluten free

In the midst of the chaotic tilt that my life has taken lately, I keep being overtaken by the feeling that these are the good ol' days. This is the time I’ll look back on, as an old woman, and wish I could revisit. I’ve had to remind myself of that, when I feel overwhelmed, stressed, pressured to preform at a level that feels higher than I can reach. I won’t remember that, it will all look so shiny in the review.

Jamacian Coconut Cornbread naturally dairy and gluten free

Because of the lack of anything that resembles "free time" lately, I’ve turned to making recipes that are quicker than my usual.  I love bread making, but it can be time consuming. So when I wanted something sweet with a bit of coconut, I decided to figure out a one bowl coconut cornbread. I actually made this twice (I like to make each recipe I post at least twice), but the first time I wanted to give a gluten free version a stab. Instead of flour I used masa harina, it’s corn flour I use to make tortillas. Since I started making homemade corn tortillas, I’ve never gone back to store bought so I always have it on hand, and it’s naturally gluten free. While I really liked the flavor, the texture wasn’t as good as with the flour, as these things often go.  I preferred the flour version better, but the gluten free masa version is a great option if your baking for crowd that includes the gluten averse.

The masa harina version:

Jamacian Coconut Cornbread naturally dairy and gluten free

 

Jamaican Coconut Cornbread

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup all purpose flour (masa harina for gluten free)
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp allspice
  • pinch cayenne (about 1/8 tsp)
  • ¼ cup shredded dried coconut
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 can (13.5 fl oz) full fat coconut milk

    Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Grease a glass 8X8 baking dish.
  3. In a large bowl combine the cornmeal, flour (or masa harina), brown sugar, baking soda, salt cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, and shredded coconut.
  4. Make a well in the center, add the oil, eggs and coconut milk, stir until just combined.
  5. Pour evenly into the prepared baking dish.
  6. Bake at 375 for 30-25 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.

 

Jamacian Coconut Cornbread naturally dairy and gluten free

Sweet Potato And SweeTango Apple Soup

Sweet Potato Apple Soup

SweeTango apples seemed to come out of nowhere, at least to me. As someone who grew up mere feet from two different apple orchards in Easter Washington, it seemed like these fantastic little gems of produce brilliance appeared as if by magic as a brand new species of one of my favorite fruits. In the old school fashion of cross pollination (nothing new, plants have been doing this without human intervention since the dawn of time) the SweeTango is a cross between the fantastic Honey Crisp and a Zestar. The flavor is beautiful, but it’s the sharp snap crisp when you bite into one that’s unlike anything else out there. As much as I love the apples in this soup, it’s eating them raw that’s really the way to go.

I was introduced to the SweetTango at a press event at my favorite Los Angeles Resturant, Animal. A table at this sought after joint, and a meal cooked up by the celebrity chef-owner team of Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook may take you months to secure and is on every LA based foodies Must Do list. I was thrilled to spend an afternoon among a small group of other writers, eating the dishes cooked up by Jon and Vinny themselves, all featuring SweeTango apples. Other than the chance to chat it up with on of my favorite local chefs, this soup was the highlight. Jon and Vinny even sent us home with the recipe. And even let me share it.

sweet tango apples2

You could win an all expense paid trip to Los Angeles as well as an unforgettable dinner at Animal, one of LA’s best restaurants. Enter here

Sweet Potato And SweeTango Apple Soup

Ingredients

  • 1/4 lb Butter
  • 1 cup Yellow onion, diced
  • 1 cup SweeTango apple, peeled, cored, diced
  • 1 cup Butternut squash, peeled, seeded, diced
  • 1 cup Sweet potato, peeled, diced
  • 2 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup Heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup Maple syrup
  • Salt and espelette pepper to taste

Instructions

In a 1 gallon pot, melt butter. Add vegetables cook until onions are translucent. Add stock, and cook for 20-30 min, or until vegetables are soft. Puree in blender, strain, and add cream and maple syrup. Season to taste, serve, and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Apple Soup2

California Quinoa Bowl

California Quinoa Bowl is healthy, naturally gluten free, dairy free, and complete delicious in just 15 minutes. 

 California Quinoa Bowl

There are a few things we like here in California when it comes to naming dishes after our state. First, it should be healthy, we like to at least pretend that we lean towards the health conscious way of life. Second, the inclusion of avocados is almost a necessity (you can leave off those sprouts, by the way) we are quite proud of those gorgeous avocados around here. Lastly, at least three different types of produce is a must, HALF of all the fruits and vegetables that are grown in the United States are grown in California (don’t look so surprised, we are more than just palm trees and reality shows).

As a girl who was born in California and spent most of her life here, I tend to eat this way quite a bit (when not making an egregiously Non-california type dishes such as the Beer Doughnuts). I love quinoa (I always cook it this way as not to render it mushy) I load my plate with produce, and I always use chicken thighs, so much better than those chicken breasts people seem to be so fond of. But then again, maybe it’s living in LA too long I just might be sick breasts all together.

California Quinoa Bowl

California Quinoa Bowl

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1 red pepper, roasted and sliced
  • 1 English cucumber, peeled and diced (or 2 persian cucumbers not peeled but diced)
  • 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup hummus (I used a spicy hummus)
  • 1 avocado, sliced

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle the chicken thighs on all sides with salt, pepper and onion powder.
  2. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet until hot but not smoking.
  3. Cook chicken on both sides until browned and chicken is cooked through, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove from pan, allow to cool sligthly and slice.
  4. Evenly distribute the quinoa between 4 bowls, top with sliced chicken, red pepper, cucumber, tomatoes and chicken.
  5. Top each bowl with 1/4 cup hummus and a few slices of avocado.

 

California Quinoa Bowl2

Skillet Sour Cream Chicken

 

15 minute Sour Cream Skillet Chicken

 

I started this blog with the idea that I’d blog my dinner, which turned into cooking for the blog which turned into freelance work and somewhere around starting an LLC and registering trademarks I realized that I rarely or never blogged my dinner.

I did an interview recently and the interviewer asked for links to my "go to week night meal," and I was more than embarrassed to say that I’d never really blogged it. This is just one version of my 15 minute chicken that seems to make it into regular rotation.

I always use boneless skinless chicken thighs, the flavor is worlds above the chicken breast and it is almost impossible to dry out. I love to cook them in a cast iron skillet because of the awesome crust it gives the chicken. The sour cream version was a big hit, so I’m sure it will make it into my busy weeknight menu again.

15 minute Sour Cream Skillet Chicken

Skillet Sour Cream Chicken

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 2 tbs minced basil (about 3 large leaves)
  • 2 tbs Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 tbs lemon juice (about ½ medium sized lemo)
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tbs vinegar (apple cider or rice wine)
  • rice, pasta, potatoes or quinoa for serving

Instructions

  1. sprinkle the chicken thighs on all sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet until hot and almost smoking.
  3. Add the chicken thighs and sear on both sides until browned.
  4. Whisk together the remaining ingredients, pour over chicken. Lower heat to medium-low, cover loosely and allow to gently simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes.
  5. Serve with sauce over starch of choice.

15 minute Sour Cream Skillet Chicken

How To: Make Pickled Jalapenos

Jalapeno Peppers3

Jalapenos are abundant right now, but that’ll change very soon, when fall starts to chill the fields. I love the brightness of fresh jalapenos, but pickled jalapenos are a staple. Once I figured out how incredibly easy and cheap it is to make my own, I’ve never gone back. I even learned how to water bath can just so that I could make these in giant batches!

The tricky thing about jalapenos is that the heat level varies wildly, and there is no way to tell how hot an individual pepper is. But the good news is that most of the heat in the jalapeno is in the seeds and the membrane in the middle of the pepper, removing all or some will give you control over the final burn.

Once you have yourself a giant batch of beautifully pickled peppers, there is an enormous amount of uses from quesadillas to burgers, I just can’t get enough.

Pickled Jalapenos

Ingredients

  • 15 large jalapenos
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¾ cup vinegar
  • 3 tbs white sugar
  • 2 tbs kosher salt
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Slice the jalapenos into ¼ inch rings. Remove all or none of the seeds, depending on desired heat level (the more seeds left in the peppers, the higher the heat level).
  2. In a pot over medium high heat, add the water, vinegar, sugar, salt and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar and salt have dissolved, remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature before adding the jalapenos. Place peppers and pickling liquid in an airtight container, such as a canning jar, refrigerate for 4 days and up to three weeks.

 

 Jalapeno Peppers2

After School Snack: Chocolate Banana Pops

 

Perfect After School Snack: Chocolate Banana Pops

Before I became a member of Club Mom, I had no idea how much time I would spend obsessing over school lunches and after school snacks. Along with how hard it is to cut tiny fingernails and how accustom to contact with bodily fluids you become, these are things not mentioned in those baby books. Heads up kids, there is a LOT they don’t mention in the baby books.

Perfect After School Snack: Chocolate Banana Pops

My little lady is a constant mover, more interested in sports than food at this point. She’s tiny and needs bites that are both nutrient and calorie dense to keep meat on her tiny bones. I started to make these because they’re portable, fruit filled, and just enough chocolate to get her interested.

Perfect After School Snack: Chocolate Banana PopsYou can also make them with cinnamon chips, yogurt chips or peanut butter chips. It all works out about the same. Just slice the banana into 1/2 inch slices, add a toothpick, melt the chips in a microwave safe bowl, dip, add to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and freeze. Once they’re frozen you can add them all to a large zip lock bag.

Perfect After School Snack: Chocolate Banana Pops

 

Couldn’t be easier.

And while I’m at it, California Strawberries is doing a fun Build a Better Lunch Box campaign and giving away these adorable lunch boxes. Cute, right? Enter the giveaway here.

Red Rocket Lunch Box

Perfect After School Snack: Chocolate Banana Pops

 

 

After School Snack: Chocolate Banana Pops

Ingredients

  • 1 large banana, ripe but firm
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips (or peanut butter chips, or yogurt chips)
  • 12 toothpicks

Instructions

  1. Slice the banana into 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick slices.
  2. Skewer with a toothpick.
  3. Add the chips to a microwave safe bowl.
  4. Microwave on high for 20 seconds, stir and repeat until melted.
  5. One at a time, dip the banana bites into the melted chips, place on a baking sheet that has been covered with parchment paper.
  6. Freeze.
  7. Serve frozen.

Perfect After School Snack: Chocolate Banana Pops

 

Tailgate Fries with Sriracha Sauce plus a $500 grilling giveaway

 

(This post contains affiliate links)

Tailgate Fries with Sriracha Sauce plus a $500 grilling giveaway

I’ve spent the better part of the past few months obsessing over my new grill. After going a year without one, sad faceing at the grill recipes I saw on other blogs, I finally caved and bought one. As a way to feel a little less guilty about taunting the grill-less, I’ve teamed up with a bunch of other fantastic bloggers to offer one lucky reader a fantastic grill package worth over $500.

Tailgate Fries with Sriracha Sauce plus a $500 grilling giveaway

Although we are on the waining end of summer grill season, we are rapidly approaching tailgating season. The Coleman NXT 200 is powerful portable grill that’s perfect for fall football adventures and the gift card is a perfect way to add some accessorites to your grilling good times.

I have this Cameron Stove Top Smoker, it’s perfect to use indoors as well as on the grill. A good grill brush is important for when you want to cook more delicate food, or grill a pizza.  And don’t forget a grill basket for those vegetables.

In the spirit of grilling and tailgate food, I’ve whipped up some grilled Tailgate Fries with Sriracha Buttermilk Cream Sauce. Enjoy, and don’t forget to visit the other great bloggers hosting this giveaway!

Savory Simple, BakeaholicMama, Cooking Classy, Foodie Crush, Cravings of a Lunatic, 52 Kitchen Adventures, Pineapple and Coconut, Taste Love & Nourish,

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Tailgate Fries with Sriracha Sauce plus a $500 grilling giveaway

 

Tailgate Fries with Sriracha Buttermilk Sauce

Ingredients

For the fries

  • 6 cups water
  • 3 tbs salt
  • 3 lbs russet potatoes
  • 3 tbs olive oil
  • 1 tsp course sea salt or kosher salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper

For the Sauce

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 tbs buttermilk
  • 1 ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 ½ tsp sriracha (plus additional to taste)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl stir together the water and 3 tbs salt until the salt has dissolved.
  2. Cut the potatoes into ½ inch wedges.
  3. Soak the potatoes in the salt water for 30 minutes at room temperature.
  4. Remove from water and dry well.
  5. Add potatoes to a large baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.
  6. Drizzle with olive oil and spices, toss to coat.
  7. Preheat the grill to medium high.
  8. Add the potatoes to the grill, close the lid and allow to cook until strong grill makrs appear, about 5 minutes. Turn and continue to cook until tender when pierced with a fork.
  9. To make the sauce whisk together all sauce ingredients until well combined. Add to a squeeze bottle, drizzle over fries.

Tailgate Fries with Sriracha Sauce plus a $500 grilling giveaway

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Skewers


Bacon Chicken Skewers 4

My grill could replace my oven at this point. I love the smokey char, the quick cooking time, and the way that food just tastes transformed. This is a really quick and easy recipe that’s perfect for weeknights, but fit for weekend parties.

Bacon Chicken Skewers_

I would absolutely recommend chicken thighs for this. The flavor is so much bigger and the high heat of the grill is really drying on chicken breasts. If you’ve never cooked with chicken thighs, give them a try, I really think it’ll be your new go-to cut of chicken. Most stores sell boneless, skinless, chicken thigh filets, making it a really easy cut to use.  I switched over about two years ago and haven’t even thought about going back, the flavor is just so much better, plus they are often much cheaper than chicken breasts. More flavor, less money, that’s just a big win all the way around.

Bacon Chicken Skewers 5

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Skewers

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 8 slices bacon

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the honey, vinegar and smoked paprika in a pot over medium high heat. Allow to simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes.
  2. Preheat the grill to medium high.
  3. Cut each slice of bacon into thirds.
  4. Cut chicken thighs into cubes.
  5. One at a time place a chicken cube onto a small slice of bacon. Wrap the bacon around the chicken cube and skewer onto a grill skewer.
  6. Brush all sides of the chicken with honey glaze.
  7. Place on a hot grill. Turn every two minutes, re-brushing with glaze, until cooked through about 8 minutes.

Notes

If using wooden skewers, place them on a rimmed baking sheet, cover with water, place a heavy plate on top to submerge for 30 minutes.

Bacon Chicken Skewers 3

Grilled Peach Ice Cream

Grilled Peach Ice Cream

I’m really hard on myself, I’ve told you that before. I’m a nothing-is-ever-good-enough kind of person. Lately, my photos have been in my line of fire when it comes to Stuff I’m Not Good Enough At. I can’t figure it out, why the light is never that beautiful, why the images aren’t compelling enough, why the heck I can NEVER master the over head shot. By the way, this all drives my husband crazy, because in the Grand Tradition of Amazing Husbands, he thinks I’m the most talented person in the world, let’s not disrupt that delusion, I sort of like it.

So, one of my tangible fixation for resolving at least some of the issues I have with my sub par photos was this slightly deranged idea that I NEEDED a reclaimed wood table. I NEEDED it (#firstworldproblems). I priced this absolutely necessary item, and in the Los Angeles area, this need could be fulfilled for the low, low price of about $2000. My aforementioned Amazing Husband disagreed that this was an actual need after seeing the price tag for such items.

I couldn’t stop thinking about such a need, and scoured Craigslist for the possibility that I might be able to pick one up. But as luck might have it, an old house in my neighborhood started to get torn apart. It was a 1920’s California Bungalow and the sight of it being ripped apart made me a little heartsick.

As I drove home one night, I noticed a stack of gorgeous antique wood, full of age and scars that I couldn’t get out of my mind. After dinner I pulled on a pair of old boots, waited for the workmen to leave for the day, and began to dig the gorgeous planks out of the trash piles.

I had two very specific feelings about this slightly insane venture of trespassing to dig through a trash pile, at dusk, in East Los Angeles. First, I felt like a crazy person (and clearly an amateur who didn’t think to bring gloves to dig through construction waste and old wood) as I tried to ignore the freaked out looks from passers by. Second, that I was heroically saving this amazing wood from the fate of a land fill (also slightly insane that I was heroizing myself for something so selfish).

Grilled Peach Ice Cream2

After I got home with Heroically Aquired Gorgeous Wood, I used actual real life and potentially dangerous power tools to nail it together, saw off the excess and I then had myself a Personally Reclaimed Wood (prop) Table. And posted the picture of my slightly insane venture on Instagram.

Although I’m fairly certain that my newly acquired fake table did not improve my photos, I’m still happy to have him in my house instead of a landfill.

Grilled Peach Ice Cream

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 cups cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 4 yellow peaches cut in half, pit removed

Grape seed or canola oil

Instructions

  1. In a sauce pan off heat whisk together the sugar, cream, milk, vanilla, and egg yolks until very well combined.
  2. Place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spatula.
  3. Transfer to an airtight container (strain through a fine mesh strainer if any lumps were created), refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours and up to 24.
  4. Preheat the grill to medium high heat (alternately, a cast iron grill pan can be used).
  5. Brush the cut side of the peaches with oil. Place, cut side down, on a hot grill. Close the lid and allow to grill until deep grill marks appear, about 4 minutes.
  6. Remove from grill and gently peel the skin away (should remove easily).
  7. Chop the peaches.
  8. Add the peaches and the ice cream base to your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze until set, about 2 hours.
  9. Remove from freezer about 5 minutes prior to serving to make scooping easier.

Grilled Peach Ice Cream3

Grilled Watermelon Salad

Grilled Watermelon Salad5

Grilled watermelon salad is the perfect summer side dish. Slice up some watermelon rings, throw them on the grill (literally if you’re brave enough), wait for some gorgeous smokey grill marks to spear and you’re half way there.

Grilled Watermelon Salad

If you don’t have a grill, a grill pan will work fine. You can also skip the egregious use of fire all together and just cut the watermelon into bite sized chunks. The saltiness of the Cotija and the briny quick-pickled red onions set of that great sweetness of in-season watermelons.

Grilled Watermelon Salad2

It’s also a great salad to serve at room temperature, making it the perfect low maintenance side dish to serve on your summer party table. It also has a lovely sweetness that pairs well with a spicy food, I served it with these wings. It does not, however, keep very well. If you plan to make it ahead of time, keep all of the components separate and toss just prior to serving.

If you need a patriotic plan for the rest of the watermelon, check this out.

Grilled Watermelon Salad7
Grilled Watermelon Salad

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (or rice wine)
  • 1 tbs raw honey
  • ½ red onion, very thinly sliced
  • 2 slices (2 inch thick each) watermelon
  • ½ cup crumbed Cotija cheese (can substitute feta)
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar and honey. Add the red onions, toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  2. Place the watermelon slices on a hot grill until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes per side.
  3. Remove the watermelon rind and chop the grilled watermelon into bite sized chunks, place in a large serving bowl.
  4. Pour the red onion and the vinegar over the watermelon. Sprinkle with Cotija cheese and cilantro.

Grilled Watermelon Salad6

Grilled Corn with Sriracha Scallion Butter

Grilled Corn with Sriracha Scallion Butter I’m can’t decide what I’m more excited about, the best grilled vegetable recipes I’ve made in years, or this awesome giveaway.

Lets talk about this corn for a second. Of course the original purpose of the corn itself was merely as a vehicle for the Sriracha butter, which I adapted from The Sriracha Cookbook (you should buy it, and the Veggie Lovers version), but the sweetness of the grilled corn with the spicy butter made me forget that I had acctually made other things for dinner. This is a meal all by itself. I would also recommend serving it American State Fair style in bed of aluminum foil so that you don’t miss all that fabulous butter that will melt away. And don’t be shy about adding it to your other grilled foods, shrimp and zucchini would love to take a dip in this stuff.

Grilled Corn with Sriracha Scallion Butter

Now, we can chat about this little giveaway. I’ve teamed up with some other awesome bloggers to give one lucky reader a shiny new iPad:

Enter to win an iPad!

 

Give them a visit, enter to win and GOOD LUCK! And if you don’t win, you can always console yourself with some tasty, spicy, grilled corn.

Grilled Corn with Sriracha Scallion Butter

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup scallions, chopped
  • 2 tsp sriracha
  • 6 ears corn
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Place butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or a small food processor) along with garlic, scallions and sriracha. Process until all ingredients are well combined.
  2. Scrape onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Roll into a log shape, refridgerate until chilled and firm, about 1 hour. Can be made up to 3 days in advance.
  3. Remove the husks and the silk from the corn, leave stalk on, if still attached. Rub corn with olive oil, salt and pepper all sides.
  4. Cook on a preheated grill for 15-20 minutes, rotating every 3-5 minutes.
  5. Place grilled corn on a sheet of aluminum foil, top with a few slices of sriracha butter, fold foil around corn.

Grilled Corn with Sriracha Scallion Butter3

Strawberry Granita with Candied Mint Leaves

Strawberry Granita with Candied Mint

 

I’m so excited to tell you that I’ve been asked to be a Brand Ambassador for California Strawberry Commission. Given my complete love of strawberries, this is fantastic for me. To be honest, I’ve been asked to be a brand ambassador before but it was never a good fit, I ended up turing other companies down. I can’t endorse a company that I don’t have complete faith in putting my name on the line for. I’m absolutely proud to represent a product as fantastic as California strawberries and I was thrilled to be asked and accepted without hesitation. I love strawberries and the best ones come from California.

I’m working on some strawberry recipes, I have a great savory recipe that just isn’t ready to post yet. It’s good, but I want it to be great so I’ll be working on it a bit more before I’m ready to send into into digital print.

May is National Strawberry Month, but really, you don’t need an excuse to grab some strawberries now that they are everywhere. But if you do need some ideas, here are some strawberry recipes that I love so much:

 

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes:

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes

Strawberry, Goat Cheese And Quinoa Salad:

Strawberry Goat Cheese Quinoa Salad

Strawberry Brie Mini Galettes:

Mini-Galette-Strawberry Brie

Strawberry Sriracha Margarita 

Strawberry-Sriracha-Margarita

And now, the man of the hour, a recipe for a strawberry granita that requires no special equipment and makes a great final dish for those summer dinner parties on the patio that we are all looking forward to.

Strawberry Granita with Candied Mint 2

Strawberry Granita with Candied Mint Leaves

Ingredients

For the Granita:

  • 1 cup very hot tap water
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 3 cups strawberries, chopped
  • 1 lemon, juiced and zested

For the Candied Mint:

  • 10-15 mint leaves
  • 2 tbs corn syrup
  • 1 Tbs very hot tap water
  • 3 tbs white sugar

Instructions

  1. Put the very hot water in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves (microwave for 30 seconds if the sugar doesn’t dissolve).
  2. Add the sugar water, strawberries, lemon juice, an lemon zest to a blender or food processor. Process until smooth, about 3 minutes.
  3. Pour into a glass baking dish (7×11 or 9×13 will work well) place in the freezer.
  4. Stir every 30 minutes, combining the frozen edges into the center. Once the granita is mostly frozen, rake the surface with a fork to create flakey mound. Cover and freeze until ready to serve.

To make the candied basil:

  1. Preheat the oven to 175.
  2. Place 2 tbs of corn syrup and 1 tbs hot water in a small bowl, stir until well combined.
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Dip the leaves in the corn syrup water, lay them on the parchment paper. Sprinkle with sugar, turn over, sprinkle with additional sugar (make more leaves than you need, some of them don’t survive the process as well as other, you’ll want extras).
  5. Place in the 175 degree oven for 20 minutes, flip over and cook until dry and sugar has crystalized, about 30 additional minutes.

Notes

Boozy Option: To make this a Strawberry Mojito Granita, add 1/4 cup white rum and 5 mint leaves to the blender with the sugar water, strawberries, lemon zest and lemon juice and just proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Strawberry Granita with Candied Mint 4

Seven Layer Hummus Dip

Seven layer Hummus Dip 2
I wasn’t going to do a post on this, because it’s not a recipe. Not really, it’s more like assembly instructions. But then two things happened, first, I keep making it for parties, and people keep loving it. Second, I went to a goat cheese making class this weekend and was sent home with a bag of fantastic Redwood Hill Farms goat cheese products, including a fabulous goat feta.

I could eat chèvre goat cheese every day of my life, it’s one of my favorite foods, and by far my favorite cheese. Which I found out is a good thing since goat milk products are easier on the human digestive system and lower in calories, cholesterol and fat than cow cheeses. Which reminded me to try smoked goat cheddar next time I have a craving for a late night grilled cheese, at least I’ll feel less guilty about it.

Speaking of less guilty, this dip is a less guilty version of that other seven layer dip, that one that has refried beans, cheddar, sour cream, you know the one. It’s great, I love that guy. But this one is just as tasty, but with much fewer calories and you don’t even have to resort to "fat free" or fake ingredients, it’s just a big pile of tasty produce sandwiched between hummus and that naturally lower in calorie cheese we talked about. It’s just about winning at party dip making while bikini season rears its ugly head.

Seven layer Hummus Dip 3

Seven Layer Hummus Dip

Ingredients

  • 10 wt ounces hummus
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 4 persian cucumbers, chopped
  • 1 large beefsteak tomato, chopped
  • 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
  • 6 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
  • 4 wt ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

Starting with the hummus and ending with the feta cheese, layer all ingredients in an 8X8 baking dish or similar sized serving dish. Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve.
Notes

  1. Make sure and chop all vegetables smaller than you would for a salad, they need to be small enough so that all seven layers make it into the same bite. 2. If you find raw onions too intense, soak them in ice cold water, rinse and allow to dry before proceeding with this recipe.

 

Seven layer Hummus Dip_

Paprika Shrimp and Sausage Quinoa Paella

Paprika Shrimp and Sausage Quinoa Paella. The winning dish for The Today Show recipe contest: Healthy One Pot Meals. only 380 calories, 20 minutes and one pot!

Life’s funny, isn’t it? One minute you’re sitting there enjoying a nice Mother’s Day breakfast that your husband made you, and the next minute you’re talking to The Today Show and agreeing to take a last minute flight to JFK so that you can stand behind a podium for 3 minutes and pretty much say zero words on National Television. Something like that.

 Today Collage

Photo credit: Erwin Laureano

The real prize in this competition was the journey. I flew to New York on Tuesday, was able to have dinner with my new friend Ashely, and drinks with my old friend David. You could pretty much preface any request with, "wanna a free trip to New York and have dinner and drinks with some friends?" and I’d pretty much say yes to whatever followed.

NYC

Wednesday morning I was taken to NBC Studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, through the celebrity filled green room, and into hair and make up. Then up to a tiny studio that they referred to as The Spa, which included no studio audience, just lots of producers, cameras and a beautiful camera friendly kitchen. This was all for Joy Bauers Joy-full Cook Off. She wanted healthy one pot meals that where easy and family friendly. She choose my dish, along with two other amazing dishes to be taste tested on live TV by Kathie Lee and Hoda, who would choose the winner.

Paprika Shrimp and Sausage Quinoa Paella. The winning dish for The Today Show recipe contest: Healthy One Pot Meals. only 380 calories, 20 minutes and one pot!

The other dishes were amazing, and to be honest, I didn’t really care who won. I’d already collected my prize of flight to New York, hotel room, and dinner and drinks with friends, I was all set. But it turns out, Kathie Lee and Hoda are huge fans of skinny shrimp dishes and choose mine. I won!

Here’s clip of me saying pretty much nothing on the Today Show and winning a basket of NBC related swag:

Joy-ful Cook Off

 

And here is the winning dish, 380 calories per serving, gluten free, dairy free, 20 minutes, one pot.

Paprika Shrimp and Sausage Quinoa Paella

Yield: yield: 4 servings

Calories per serving: 380 calories

Ingredients

  • 12 large shrimp, peeled and devined
  • ¼ tsp sweet paprika
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika, plus ¼ tsp, divided
  • ¼ tsp onion powder, plus ¼ tsp, divided
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 8 ounces pre-cooked low fat chicken sausage, sliced
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large beefsteak tomato, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 tbs tomato paste
  • pinch saffron (about 10 threads)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 2/3 cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup peas (frozen is fine)
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup flat leaf parsly, chopped

Instructions

  1. Place shrimp in a small bowl, sprinkle with ¼ tsp sweet paprika, ¼ tsp smoked paprika and ¼ tsp onion powder, toss to coat.
  2. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet (with a lid) over medium high heat, cook shrimp until seared, about 3 minutes per side (don’t over cook). Remove from pan, set aside.
  3. Add chicken sausage, cook until browned, remove from pan, set aside.
  4. Add the onion and bell peppers, cook, stirring frequently, until onions and peppers have softened, about 6-8 minutes.
  5. Add garlic, tomatoes and tomato paste, stir until combined.
  6. Add saffron, salt, pepper, remaining smoked paprika, and onion powder, chicken broth and peas, bring to a simmer. Add quinoa stir and evenly distribute quinoa. Add the lid to the pan at a vent, adjust heat to maintain a simmer. Cook without stirring for 16-18 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked through and the liquid has absorbed.
  7. Place the shrimp and sausage on top, replace lid and cook for 1 minute or until shrimp and sausage is warmed.
  8. Sprinkle with parsley just prior to serving.

Chicken Sausage and Safron Shrimp Quinoa Paella