rice pilaf

After writing about my rice pilaf time after time again I realized I've never shared my super simple rice pilaf recipe! I grew up with boxed rice pilaf, we even called it our family rice, and it was buttery and delicious...and boxed. When T and I moved in together, T forbade me to ever buy boxed rice, he told me it was a waste of money, and after being forced to perfect my rice pilaf, I actually have to say he's right. Rice pilaf is so easy to make it's hardly even a recipe.

Ingredients (for a side-portion for 4 people):
3 tbs butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
salt & pepper
1/2 cup orzo
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp parsley
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups chicken stock

Directions: 
1. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large pot along with garlic and a sprinkle of salt & pepper. Let cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
 

2. Add orzo to pot and stir to coat in buttery-garlic goodness. Stir and let orzo brown lightly, about 3 minutes.
 

3. When butter begins to bubble up around the pasta, add the onion powder and parsley, stir to coat. Then add rice and stir to incorporate. Let cook together for another 2 minutes.

 

4. Add chicken stock and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, lower heat to a simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Don't open or even peek over the next 20 minutes.
 

5. After the 20 minutes has passed, uncover and fluff before serving this super simple side dish!
 

 

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comfort chicken noodle soup

This recipe for chicken noodle soup warms ever inch of your body and tastes just as delicious as the most unhealthy soup you've ever encountered. I've been sick for what seems like forever and this soup hit the spot...only problem is I should've quadrupled the recipe, as the leftovers are even better than the first time.

Ingredients (for 2 dinner-sized portions or 3-smaller portions of soup adapted from this):

1 lb organic chicken breast

2 tsp olive oil
3 large carrots, diced
5 stalks of celery, diced
1 onion, diced
1 cup chopped spinach
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
salt & pepper
8 cups chicken broth
2 lemons 

2 cups egg noodles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place chicken on foil, coat with olive oil, salt & pepper. Cook in preheated oven for 40 minutes. 

2. Remove cooked chicken from the oven, transfer to plate and cover with foil.

3. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, slice 1 lemon and lay slices out evenly. Turn heat up to 400F and cook for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile in a large pot, or a Le Creuset, heat the 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery, top with a sprinkle of salt & pepper. Stir and cook for 10 minutes, until vegetables soften.
 

 

5. Add chopped spinach and thyme. Stir to mix. 
 

6.  Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, partially cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.

 

7. Meanwhile remove cooked lemons and set aside. Also shred the cooked chicken.
 

 

8.  Once the soup is done simmering, add chicken and the juice of 1/2 of a lemon. Add prepared egg noodles and serve with one slice of roasted lemon on top.

 

 

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nutella cookies

If you're looking for something healthy...look away. If you're looking for something wrong in all of the right ways, welcome. I have a somewhat unhealthy obsession with nutella, but let's be real, who doesn't? I've been found a few times hiding under blankets with spoonfuls of the chocohazelnutcrack, eyes wildly-large mouth coated in chocolate gold. I decided it was time to make my nutella-love into something more acceptable to eat in public...cookies!

Ingredients (for 18 cookies):

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter (cubed)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 tbs nutella 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2. Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until softened and well mixed.

 

3. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy.

 

4. Add the 2 tbs of cr...*ahem* nutella and mix quickly to not overblend and keep the streaks.
 

 

5. Make small cookie doughballs, flatten slightly, and pop these badboys into the preheated oven for 16 minutes. Let cool for as long as possible before enjoying with a cold glass o' milk!
 

 

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apricot-dijon glazed salmon

This recipe for apricot-dijon glazed salmon keeps your taste buds intrigued while remaining healthy. Perfect for a weeknight dinner (if you have salmon on hand or nearby), this main dish can be whipped up within 15 minutes.

Ingredients (for 2):
1 lb wild-caught salmon filets
2/3 cup apricot marmalade
1 tbs dijon mustard
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Directions:
1. Cut filets into two portions. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease or spray cooking oil to coat. Place salmon on the foil.
   

2. Create the glaze by combining the apricot marmalade, dijon, salt, pepper, onion powder and ginger.

 

3. Coat the salmon with 1/2 of the glaze mixture, reserve the other 1/2 portion.
 

4. Broil salmon for 6 minutes.

5. Coat salmon again in the remaining glaze mixture and pop in oven for another 3 minutes on broil.
 

6. Remove from the oven, plate, and enjoy along-side some healthy veggies and some rice pilaf or a baked potato.
 

 

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red pepper flake green beans

I'm one of those people that love sides more than main-dishes. My whole Thanksgiving dinner is practically made up of sides-only, and that's just the way I like it. These green beans are basic but provide a tiny bit of a kick as a side.

Ingredients (for 2-side portions):
1/2 lb green beans, trimmed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil
1 pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions:
1. Begin by blanching the green beans to preserve the color and crunch. Bring a large pot of water with salt to a boil. Add green beans and let boil for 5 minutes.

2. Strain and add beans to a bowl of ice water. 
  

3. Add olive oil, a sprinkle of salt & pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to a wok or a large skillet over medium-heat.
 

4. Add green beans and up the heat to medium-high. Stir constantly and cook for 5 minutes, until warmed and crisp.
 

 

 

Serve warm & enjoy!

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onion-cornflake baked chicken

The first full dinner I ever remember making for myself was this onion-cornflake crusted baked chicken. Using only 8 ingredients and done within 40 minutes, it is a perfect first recipe. Unbelievably easy and unbelievably tasty, you're just going to have to make it for yourself to believe it!

Ingredients (for 2):
1 lb free range chicken breast
1 cup greek yogurt
2 tbs dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp pepper
1 package of french onion dip/onion soup mix (1 oz)
2 cups cornflakes cereal
3 tbs butter, melted
 

Directions:
1. Trim chicken of any excess skin or fat, cut into manageable but large strips.  Place in ziploc bag along with greek yogurt, dijon mustard, garlic & pepper. Close & shake to mix, coating each bit of chicken. Place in fridge for 15 minutes.
  

2. Meanwhile prepare coating: add onion mix and corn flakes to a bowl. Crush with hands to create little bits that are evenly mixed.
 

 

 

 

3. Lightly grease a baking pan. When 15 minutes have passed, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and remove the chicken from the fridge. One-by-one push each chicken piece into the onion-cornflake mixture, flip and repeat, shake off the chicken to remove any dangling cornflakes, and place on baking pan. Repeat until all chicken pieces are coated on both sides and laying on the baking pan. 

 

 

4. Drizzle melted butter over all of the pieces of chicken and pop the pan into the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
 

 

5. Remove from the oven & enjoy the crispy, moist, flavorful chicken alongside some rice pilaf and red pepper flake green beans (or other sides of choice!).

 

 

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