Easy Tacos

Still recovering from vacation (and the horrendousness of an overnight bus ride-NEVER AGAIN) sooo let's just make something easy for dinner tonight, mk?

I'm picky. And that can be annoying for everyone involved.

People get legitimately annoyed/mad with me because of it. Whenever I'm at the mercy of someone else's food, I dread the moment where I look at everything, and am forced to admit that "I don't like it." I get glares, I get sighs, it is the reason so many of my childhood friends' mothers despised me (I'm 90% sure they despised me). And I feel terrible. It's nothing personal, I say. It looks great! It's me. I'm weird. I know it. I'm sorry. I wish I wasn't like this. And I mean it. I do. Being picky is no fun. It is so not a choice I've made. I'll try virtually anything. I've gotten much better and have expanded my flavor horizons but...end of the day...

I'm still picky. I still am a "super taster" (long story short, my taste buds are extra sensitive so foods others think are bland I tend to love, but I have very little tolerance for bitter or spicy foods, etc.) And this unfortunate reality sometimes means those close to me miss out.

So, I've been making a real effort to make things for Michael that he likes and I don't, because it's not fair to subject him to my limited food choices.

One of the things Michael misses the most from home that his mom would make for him, is tacos. He was always lamenting how he could really go for a taco. So I called his mom and found out, oh hey, her recipe is ridiculously simple. I can do that. So I did! Season some ground turkey, cook it up, throw it on a tortilla and top it. Michael was happy. And I was happy because he was happy. Everyone wins :).

Mexican Style Quiche-Guest Post with Stephie of Eat Your Heart Out

Hey! Remember on the first when I did that post on Stephie's blog, Eat Your Heart Out? (Sum up: Stephie is the sweetest girl ever, super fun and cool, and she writes on of my favorite blogs! I especially love her back to basics series and OMG best post over about pie crust!) Well now my girly is returning the favor! Since I'm just coming back from vacation and getting life all normal-y again, she has me covered with a super amazing recipe for you all! Stephie is a genius with food, and I know she can make some kick butt savory dishes, so when she proposed this recipe for you all, I knew it would be a hit (give you all a little variety in your lives ;P). Anyway, I'll leave the rest to her...Stephie, take it away!:

Hello, darlings! I am so excited to be posting over here for Kayle today. I think Kayle is just such a sweetheart, don’t you? 

I know y’all see a lot of chocolate recipes around here, but I have a confession to make: I don’t like chocolate. At all. 

I know. I must be crazy. Sometimes I look at all of Kayle’s lovely-looking chocolate desserts and think the same thing. But, alas, chocolate has just never been on my list of favorite foods. 

Since I clearly can’t compete with Kayle’s dessert-making prowess, I thought I would change things up today with a fun quiche recipe. I personally love a good quiche. I get to combine two of my favorite things – pie crust and cheese – into one dish. And really, who doesn’t feel a little bit fancy when eating quiche? There is just something about it that says “fancy tea room” to me – and you don’t even have to tell your fancy-pants friends how easy it was to make.

For this quiche, I went with some fun Mexican flavors with some chorizo (or, for a vegetarian-friendly version, you could use your favorite soyrizo – I personally like the Trader Joe’s brand), onion, red pepper, and a blend of Mexican cheeses. The chorizo pairs well with the eggs in the quiche base and gives the whole thing a nice hint of spice without being too overpowering. This fun twist on a traditional quiche would be a great addition to a brunch, or perfect for a light lunch with friends. And make sure to save the leftovers for the next day…it’s just as good straight from the fridge while you’re still wearing your pajamas. Not that I’d know or anything.

For the skinny on how to make a perfect pie crust, check out my pie crust tutorial! And for a more traditional quiche, check out my Sweet Onion, Asparagus, and Goat Cheese Quiche.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Michael is sometimes quite patient with me. He lets me feed him things that I like and he doesn't necessarily love, and meanwhile I rarely make him things he wants that I don't like (like tacos). Every now and then I have to throw the boy a bone.  This time, that bone was these bacon wrapped water chestnuts.

When we were home for Christmas, at his dad's house, his stepmom (Jeanne)'s sister-in-law-type-person made some bacon wrapped water chestnuts. And Michael would not shut up about them. He was all "If you made these for me I wouldn't be mad." and later, "Ahhh remember those bacon wrapped water chestnuts? I miss them." and the less subtle "MAKE ME THEM, WOMAN!" (ok...maybe these aren't direct quotes). Anyway, one day I saw a recipe for his obsession on The Girl Who Ate Everything and I said, "Hm, you'd like it if I made these for you, huh?" and he looked at me like a puppy dangling a treat in front of his nose. Then it was just a matter of time. In an attempt to raise his spirits on Easter (since we are in NYC and not with our families) I made him these bacon wrapped water chestnuts.

Obviously, he loved them. He did remark that the recipe he's used to has more of a barbecue sauce flavor, so next time I may try putting some in the marinade (Read the recipe below for this update). He gobbled these little bites up SO quick, and seeing how happy I'd made my boyfriend made me happy too :)

So see, make these and you and your loved ones will be happy. Proven fact.

Cheeseburger Sliders

Like I said on Wednesday, I love burgers.

We've had a long journey, burgers and I (with one constant: I like my burgers plain, just beef, cheese, and bun!):

• When I was very little, I would only eat McDonald's (dumb little Kayle!)
• As I got older, I ordered almost exclusively burgers anywhere we went, and I wasn't too picky on quality.
• In conservatory, I became much more picky about burgers, but would eat them...almost every day (thanks to a diner right across the street and my George Foreman grill...which I blame partly for my current inability to eat burgers I make...more on that later). My friend Nathan "famously" said: "You've heard of the Burger King? Kayle is the Burger Queen."
• Now, I rarely have a burger: only on a rare occasion where we go out and it's a place that looks like it has SPECTACULAR burgers (or if I know they have great burgers).

And, also like I said, I have always been fairly certain in my inability to make burgers myself (although Michael makes some delicious ones!) This recipe made me think, "...maybe I can do this?"

It's a pretty darn easy, pretty darn simple recipe. And with summer coming up, I had to share!

Michael was a big fan, he really liked these little sliders.

But...*sigh*

I couldn't eat them. I tried a bite and I just...well...didn't like it. For no particular reason. I still don't know what the problem is. Maybe it's all psychological. Apparently I just need to leave burgers to the professionals...or the boyfriends.

Do not let this dissuade you from giving these a try, they really did get rave reviews from Michael, and he's pretty smart. :)

Sicilian "Enchiladas"- #SundaySupper

EEe! It's my first #SundaySupper post! Yay! So excited to be a part of this amazing group. This week is celebrating the holidays that are coming up-Easter and Passover, and is hosted by one of my bloggy buds, Carla from Chocolate Moosey.

But enough oohing and ahing, let's talk about a little something my family calls "scapelli"/"scapellis" (I have no idea if that's how it's spelled, I've never seen it written, we just say it. I'm told it apparently translates to "hot hands"...maybe in Sicilian or some local dialect? I'm unsure.). My grandma (dad's mom) has been making them, usually about once a year (and almost always for Easter), for as long as I can remember. She learned how to make them from my grandpa Blogna's mom, my great-grandma Helen. So they're some kind of Italian dish, but no one has ever heard of them, and I have had 0 luck finding anything about scapellis on the interwebs. I now am assuming they are some sort of family recipe, that is pretty much exclusive to my family (and possibly any relatives I have back in Italy). Now, let me explain what scapellis are, and if they sound familiar OMG tell me because I'll freak out.

Now...my knowledge is sort of fuzzy. I've never watched my grandma make the whole thing start to finish, and the woman has been insanely stubborn about writing it all down for me. Scapellis are a sort of crepe-like thing (made from flour, eggs, and water), made in a skillet greased with um...saltback, porkback? Something like that. And then they soak in hot chicken broth (wedding soup is usually being made at the same time, so I'm pretty sure she uses the same chicken stock). Now here comes the "hot hands" part. You take out the hot, soaked, scapellis and sprinkle Romano cheese inside, then you roll them up and transfer them to a dish, where they will all be soaked in hot chicken broth again. And you sprinkle more Romano cheese on top of all of that. It's served in a shallow bowl with some of the broth and lots of Romano. It sounds really strange, and simple, and like not that big of a deal.

BUT OH MY LORD IT TASTES AMAZING. We cannot get enough of them. My brother and grandpa hold contests to see who can eat more, but we all gorge ourselves. They're even one of the things my mom misses about that family, so we usually try to sneak her some home. Just....so full of flavor and goodness, yet they're somehow indescribable. It's like...there's no way you can understand their appeal until you try for yourself.

And I like...never get to eat them. I'm rarely home and am lucky if I'm there for a time when they're made. And, like I said, my grandma is being a real pain about getting me that recipe.

Then, when I made homemade tortillas and enchiladas for Michael's birthday, inspiration struck! I could make my own version of scapellis in the meantime! In sort of a scapelli-enchilada hybrid kind of way. Pretty much what I did was use my homemade flour tortillas to try to simulate the flavors of scapellis (and add in some shredded chicken to make it a bit more entree-worthy). And it was a success! These definitely are not exactly the same as my family favorite, but they will definitely keep me happy until I can try making the real thing. And they're just awesome in their own right, as they are. :)

Give em a try. You'll see. 

UPDATE: I FOUND THEM (probably, slightly different but pretty much)!!! THEY'RE SPELLED SCRIPPELLE and they're actually from a different side of my grandpa's family than I realized, they're from his family that are from Abruzzo, not Sicily! MYSTERY SOLVED!

Cheddar Crusted Chicken Fingers

Ok, I know sometimes I can be kind of ditsy but...

correct me if I'm wrong...

it is MARCH, correct??

Yes? Yes.

That's what I thought.

Someone please tell the weather. Because I am looking out the window at a bunch of snow. And it's not Ok.

(Well...I was when I was writing this. Snow doesn't generally last long in NYC. It's still cold, though!)

SPRING! WHERE YA AT?

Ah well, I'll just have to cook myself some food to comfort my snow woes.

And we all know...

I love chicken.

And it had been awhile since I'd tried a new baked chicken recipe! These are great because they have cheese, like, in their breading. Which adds the wonderful smoky goodness of cheese to these awesomely crisp, baked chicken fingers. For serious, who needs a deep fryer? Not me!

"The" Meatballs

YOU GUYS!

I recently made the best meatballs (I think) that I've ever had! Certainly the best I've ever made!

Now, I'm not gonna call these "the best" in the title because...everyone has different preferences. Michael's favorite are his mom's. Some people like pork. Some, like me, prefer all beef meatballs. 

So, like I was saying-to me-these meatballs are the best. Michael REALLY liked them too (he didn't even bring up his mom's, which is a good sign). They have just the right amount of flavor and tenderness, and can be used pretty much any way you prefer to use meatballs. I'm currently obsessed with the idea of using these to make a meatball sub.

Truth be told? 

I liked these so much I ate them plain, with just a little bit of sauce. Because they are that good.

Butter Cream Chicken

Yepp. That's right. Happy Monday everyone,

I have another chicken recipe for you!

I feel that it's been established, I'm a big fan of butter. It's delicious. When I was a kid, I would literally take a finger-full of butter (ok...margarine...but...close enough) and eat it. I would drown my mashed potatoes in it. I would cover my pancakes in it. Even though my self control and...let's say palate...have matured, I still love anything that tastes buttery. Enter this chicken. It's coated in nothing but delicious, buttery, Ritz crackers. Then, you pan fry it. Then, you make the most amazing buttery cream sauce. Which I had a ton of leftover, btw, but this sauce tastes delicious on lots of different kinds of chicken and other stuff (I put it on my butter baked chicken as well). Put together, the chicken and sauce create a moist (sorry I know everyone hates that word), buttery, extremely flavorful entree. So yummy.

Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole

I don't go into this a lot but...I've had really awful experiences with roommates (not including Michael, he's an angel <3). They always have ended in ruined friendships, panic attacks, crying, and me hiding in my bedroom from roommates who hate me (I swear I didn't do anything!). Anyway, details aside, they didn't go so well. The first real incident I had of this was in my first (non-dorm) NYC apartment, in Brooklyn. It ended very badly. I have very few fond memories of my time there or of the people I lived with. Especially of one roommate (who I hadn't really liked to begin with)--probably the only thing about her that I liked was a poppy seed chicken casserole she made. Prior to the fallout she made it and shared with all of us-and it was delicious! It tasted fattening and bad... but oh sooo good. Then, post fallout, she would still make this casserole frequently...and oh how I wished I could have some. Anyway, since I moved out, I haven't thought much about it. Until I saw a recipe for just this casserole online!

Now, I made a few adaptations. I didn't have poppy seeds, and really didn't think they'd make much of a difference (they didn't seem to). I also thought I'd try to somewhat healthify the recipe by using homemade cream of chicken soup (good choice), subbing in Greek yogurt for sour cream (altered the flavor slightly, but not in a bad way), and using homemade Ritz crackers (BAD CHOICE--they just weren't crisp enough. Stick with the store bought for that one). Of course you can completely disregard my adaptations and make this the original way, but now you have options :).

It's delicious. It's rich and buttery and really unforgettable.

 After all that roomie drama this casserole stuck with me. 

And I'm sure you'll find it just as memorable and addictive!

Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

Sooooooo good.

This recipe is courtesy of a random clipping of a recipe I had in my old recipe box from my pre-food bloggy (AKA food obsession) phase. I have almost thrown this recipe out a million times but something always stopped me. THANK GOD! I love love love love this. It's a new favorite. I'm 99% sure you'll love it too.

The onions and garlic add a really delicious flavor to the rich and creamy cheese sauce, I adore penne and the addition of chicken makes this a nice easy casserole kind of meal! And don't get me started on the buttery, delicious, soft crumb topping! It's a perfect combination of flavors. Michael loved it. I love it. You'll love it. Your family...will....wait for it..

love it.

Crock-Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Well.

Winter is here.

It's cold. I now officially always wear long johns under my pants or leggings when leaving the house. My only shoes that are getting worn outside are boots. I'm even occasionally donning a hat and gloves (and boy oh boy I hate wearing gloves almost as much as I hate wearing socks-speaking of...) AND SOCKS! Ugh I'm wearing socks. Not all the time, mind you, but more than I would like. Now, don't get me wrong, there are some perks of winter.

Christmas. Gotta love that.

And comforting, happy, delicious food, that warms you from the inside out.

Like this slow cooker chicken and dumplings recipe. 

It is pretty darn simple, and at the end you have a big bowl of warmness. It's quite lovely. Michael and I both absolutely adored this (although it does make a lot so be prepared for a lot of leftovers, or maybe make sure you serve more than 2 people). Michael was especially fond of the dumplings. I adored it but felt it was missing something. So, I whipped up my simple biscuit recipe-but I added cheese, some herbs, even a little chicken bouillon granules in there for flavor, made them drop biscuits, and it was exactly what I feel it needed! The bite of the cheesy biscuits was just sooo good slathered in the rest of it. Mmmmm hmmm. Yes. Either way, you should totally take my word for it and make the most out of winter by making yourself some!

White Chicken Enchiladas with Scallion Sauce

Here it is! The main event!

The actual main course of Michael's birthday dinner.

He wanted Mexican and he wanted something I would eat too--so I found a enchilada recipe that had all ingredients that I liked, except for the sauce. 

The sauce had green chiles in it. I don't do chiles. 

Don't hate me but...I replaced them with scallions! So...it's like not authentic at all. 

But...I liked it! Michael liked it! 

It was quite tasty and is a winner if you've got a picky eater in your household (like me *hangs head in shame*).

It's also pretty easy. And not too unhealthy either (I maaay have used Greek yogurt in the sauce instead of sour cream...). Give it a try, K? For me? :D

Baked Parmesan Chicken "Fries"

....

..

.

I have some chicken for you.

(somewhere Jen is squealing in delight)

But like...Ok...let me take you on a journey.

Imagine those thin, super crispy, extra delicious chicken tenders that you get at like...a carnival or a pizza place or something. Remember how salty and chicken-y and gloriously fried they are.

Now imagine that you can have that chicken at your house. And it takes you less than an hour to make them. And they're not fried, but baked. So your arteries thank you.

Do you like this scenario? 

Me too.

It's like if chicken fingers were french fries, ya know?

Seriously, one of my favorite new recipes. Michael wholeheartedly approves too. So...ya. 

Chickennnn.

Creamy Chicken on Biscuits

A few months back my mom is talking to me on the phone, and she's all like:

"Oh, Kayle, I found this old recipe that your grandma use to make me and I've made it for Josh (my brother) a few times. I think you might like it. I just cook some canned shredded chicken, chicken broth, and cream of chicken soup together, then you spoon it on top of some Grands biscuits."

Me: "Yeah, that sounds pretty good. And I could make some homemade biscuits, and my homemade cream of chicken soup recipe, and just roast and shred some chicken."

Mom: "Oh, Kayle. That is so much work, it's unnecessary. Really, it's fine."

Me: "Yeah...no. I'll probably make it my way. It's not that much work, really. It's much easier than you think!"

Mom: *sigh*

Sorry, mom! I did try it her way, first, when I was visiting home back in June and she made these for me. It was good. But...you know...if I can avoid the processed stuff...I will. I have made these like a bzillion times since then. If you see on my Something Saturdays posts that I've made my Simple Biscuits and Cream of Chicken Soup, that means I've been making these. Did you go and look? Yeah, I've made this a lot. Even without the shortcuts (ok...admittedly...I do use the canned chicken usually) this is SUCH a quick and easy dinner. And it's like RIDICULOUSLY delicious. I'm sort of in love with it. Perfect for if you're busy and need to put dinner on the table quick! In fact, if you want to be like my mom and do it the extra quick way, I won't even judge you.

I even put some veggies up in there to make it a real meal. You may notice veggies were not mentioned in that previously transcribed conversation with my mom. Here's a little more from that convo:

Mom: "The recipe calls for some veggies, but I just leave those out."

Me: "Yeah, I'll probably put some corn in there."

Mom: "Really? Hm. Ok."

Do you see where I come from? You guys, she acts like I am way too healthy. You don't even know. All of you who always shake your heads at me and chuckle, "Oh, that silly Kayle. Always eating so unhealthy, never having veggies, just lots of cookies." You just have no idea how far I've come. I was raised in a world where it was totally OK to eat a whole carton of Oreo's in one sitting. Where chips were practically considered lunch. And where dinner came out of a box. I'm not blaming my mom. I adore her. But...yes. I have come quite a long way.

That was a bit off track. I'm serious guys. Eat this for dinner. You will love me. And thank me. If you're a mom this recipe will probs become your best friend. Just sayin'.

Oven Fried Parmesan Chicken

Um. Chicken.

Yes.

Again.

But let's logically think about why I would be drawn to this recipe, shall we?

Oven fried=I love fried chicken, but don't love the calories, etc. Oven fried is a healthier alternative.

Parmesan=Italian. I'm in.

Chicken=duh.

So, yeah. This chicken is tasty. And pretty darn simple. A great idea for a weeknight dinner when you're super busy!

Cheesy Chicken Noodles

Sometimes a recipe comes along that is so quick, so easy, dirties so few dishes, that you make it like...a lot.

This is one of those recipes.

Let me list everything that is awesome about this dish:

1. It's delicious.
2. Michael loves it.
3. It's pretty darn healthy.
4. I pretty much always have all these ingredients on hand.
5. Can be made with 1 pot/pan.
6. QUICK.

Pinch of Yum described this as a hybrid macaroni and cheese and chicken noodle soup. I don't know about that...I do know it tastes alarmingly like a casserole my mom made for me growing up-only this is like a bzillion times better for you, and tastes better too (don't you love it when that works out? Sorry mom!) This is one of my go-to meals for Michael and I when I just don't have the time/energy/supplies to make something else. It is always a winner. The only thing that can make it slightly more complicated is the fact that I roast chicken breasts for the shredded chicken, but you can really just buy a rotisserie chicken, use leftovers, or probably even use that canned stuff. I don't know. But, even with the extra step of roasting the chicken, it is still sooooo simple! LOOOVE IT!

Crunchy Cornflake Chicken Fingers

Ahh, things have calmed down about here now.

I had a lot of fun :).

But now-back to business!

I get along great with kids. Give me a 5 year old little girl and I will talk about princesses, play Barbie's, dress-up, and commiserate about how grown ups eat yucky foods and chicken fingers are where it's at.

True story.

It's sort of hilarious, because when I was young and my family would go out to eat you could 99% of the time count on my brother ordering chicken fingers and me ordering a burger. Times have changed. I still love burgers, but I'm much more picky about them now, so if being cautious I err on the side of chicken.

I love chicken fingers. But...I'm not so into frying food at home, if I'm going to eat something fried I might as well just order it from somewhere. So I've accumulated a few baked chicken tender recipes. These are, so far, my favorite. Jessica is the queen of baked chicken finger recipes! These are crunchy, moist, and the cornflakes really add something special to the flavor. I love these and I suggest-whether you have little ones or just like to eat like one-that you try these. Stat. 

Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce

Guess whaaaat?

That's right.

Another chicken recipe.

I love you, please don't leave me! (although I'm sure Jen is still happy about this :P)

I'm picky! 

But I need some variety! 

So...just be prepared for lots more chicken recipes in your future. 

This recipe is actually more about the sauce than the chicken, so...that's better, right?

The chicken is tasty and juicy, and the basil cream sauce really is unique--Michael was a big fan. He wanted to try putting it on other stuff, too. I adapted the recipe slightly to lower the fat content, by replacing the heavy whipping cream, originally called for, with fat free evaporated milk. It worked perfectly, and tasted awesome!

((ALSO THE WINNER OF THE SLIMKICKER CONTEST/CROCK-POT GIVEAWAY HAS BEEN POSTED! CLICK HERE TO SEE IF YOU WON!))

Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce

Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Chicken and Biscuits

You know what I love?
A dish that is an entire meal. Side dish, veggie, meat and all.
It's just so convenient!

A few weeks back I mentioned I did a promo job at the Book Expo. In addition to seeing a few celebrities (Michael Bolton, Jane Seymour, Chris Colfer...), there were a lot of different booths with a lot of different stuff. But, you know the things that got me really excited? ALL THE COOKBOOKS! I was so excited when I went to the America's Test Kitchen booth and-in addition to some little pamphlets-I got an advanced, un-edited copy of The America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook! It is chock full of quick, simple, and delicious recipes! The only thing I'm not in love with, from the book, is all the shortcuts. I'd much rather make things from scratch. So, I adapted this recipe a bit (i.e. making biscuits from normal ingredients, not Bisquick). I can't wait to try out a bunch more stuff from my wonderful, free, cookbook :D

Oh, and this chicken and biscuits recipe? Awesome. The biscuits taste delicious, and add just the right amount of flavor to the rest of the dish. Michael really liked this, and so did I! And so will you!

Garlic Butter Chicken

I'm gonna be honest with you nice folks.

I wasn't going to share another chicken recipe with you quite so quickly.

However...I already had this post partially written, and I am in the middle of a very busy work week (goodness knows I needed all this money I'm making, though!), so this is a practical decision.

You won't be disappointed though.