Buffalo Chicken Scalloped Potatoes

A hybrid of the ever loved scalloped potatoes and a delicious hot cheesy dip.

2-3 cups Thinly slice red or white potatoes
2 breasts rotisserie chicken diced/or shredded
8 oz (250g) or 1 pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Original sauce
1 Tbsp (or more!) Red Rooster Sriracha sauce
2 cups shredded 3 cheese mix (Mozza, Provolone, Parmesan, or you can use Monterey, Cheddar)
 Bleu Cheese crumbled
1 1/2 cups Milk
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp butter
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt

Pre-heat oven to 350*F.
Soften the cream cheese in the oven in an ovenproof dish while it preheats.

In a small saucepan melt the butter, garlic powder, salt and pepper and slowly whisk in flour.  When smooth, slowly add in milk while whisking.  Bring to a boil and add one cup of shredded cheese and half bleu cheese, stirring to keep it smooth.

Remove the softened cream cheese and stir in the remaining bleu cheese, chicken and hot sauces until well mixed and coated.

Place a layer of thinly sliced potatoes on the bottom of a lightly greased ovenproof baking dish. Cover with some cheese sauce and then spoon 1/3 chicken-cheese mixture onto potatoes, then place another layer of potatoes and repeat until finished.  Top with the remaining shredded cheese.

Cook uncovered in oven for 1 hour.

Curried Apple Quinoa

A common recipe but of course but I figured I'd list mine so I can come back to it.

1 cup (approx 1 pkg) of Quinoa
1 Apple chopped (Granny Smith or other semi tart and firm apple)
1 cup Kale chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries, currants or raisins (unsweetened)* 
1/2 Lime
1 Tbsp Honey
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Madras Curry
2 garlic cloves minced or 1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Fresh ground pepper
1/2-1 tsp salt
fresh mint


Rinse the Quinoa in cold water very well and drain. Then cook the Quinoa in 1.5 cups of low sodium vegetable or chicken broth, with garlic until all water is absorbed. Steam the Kale and squeeze some lime juice onto it.  Mix the chopped apple with honey, Cinnamon and Brown Sugar.  Mix the Quinoa with the remaining ingredients and add the chopped apple mix.  Mix well and serve with mint, warm.

Experimental QUICHE!

Ok... so quiche is a new thing of mine, I LOVE quiche but have never made it.

My quiche:

12 eggs, beaten until light yellow
1 can evaporated milk
2c shredded herb & garlic cheddar cheese
1/2 finely diced bell pepper
1 pkg thawed and drained (or 2 bundles washed and chopped fresh) spinach
1 can mushrooms (I used mushroom medley)
1/2-1c diced ham
3 tbsp flaked dried onion
1-2 tsp garlic powder
Seasoning Salt to taste
salt and pepper (I used fresh ground) to taste

I wanted to add fresh oregano but totally forgot hah. And forgot the green onion I had haha. Whoops!

I placed into 6 ginormous muffin tins and a square glass baking dish well buttered.
Bake at 300*C for 50-60mins (hopefully)

They tell me to stick a knife in it to check if it's done. hmmm...

I hope it's seasoned well enough! 

SMELLS GOOD!

Spiceradish Eggs!

Can't think of a better name for em, really.

Trying to find some high protein variety snacks and I came up with the idea of deviled eggs. MMM LOVE THEM, of course using non-fat/half fat mayo or traditionally (in my house!) Miracle Whip (omg so delish).  But then I found a recipe and over the past week I've tweaked it.  And in my good fashion, all measurements are by "dash" so very very approximate haha.


Hard boiled eggs as many as you want
(don't know how? Here's a simple way!  Poke holes in egg bottoms with a pin, put in large pot and cover +1inch with cold water.  Set to boil.  Once rolling boil remove from heat and let sit for 11 mins, dump the water and sit under running cold water tap to cool and stop cooking process.)

Half the eggs, put egg yolks in a bowl or in a small food processor
Add 1/4-1/3cup light/fat free mayo
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne*  (start with less, 1/4tsp then increase as you taste test)
1/2 tsp pepper
2tbsp (or more!) prepared horseradish (or homemade if you can!!!!)

Blend or crush with your forky-fork until smooth. I dislike using a fork now because the yolks still are chunky.  Electricity is a beauty, why let it escape our control?! Unless you're a hippie...

ENJOY!

Coconut Curry Chicken

In a large glass mixing bowl place:

1 can of Coconut Milk (or if you can find Cream go for that!)  Don't use Light Coconut Milk, check the coconut content, cheaper cans will have more water. It will seem thick but with heat it thins.
2 crushed garlic cloves
5 slices ginger root
3 TBSP curry powder
1 tsp (give or take) cayenne powder
1/2 tsp Bay Leaves
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Coriander
2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Tumeric
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp sugar

Whisk together until well blended..

Chopped bell pepper (color of your choice)
1/4 cup diced onion
1 grilled Portobello mushroom, sliced (stem removed, wipe down with a damp paper towel, rub with a small amt olive oil, bake in an oven at 450 for 12-15mins)
1/2 Zucchini sliced in 1/4-1/2 inch slices

And in a large glass baking dish:

Place Chicken (I used chicken thighs, but since the skin was providing too much oil I would recommend a boneless, skinless chicken item) 

Place veggies

Pour coconut curry sauce on top and attempt to cover it all.  

Bake at 425 for 55mins total - 30mins with tinfoil to keep the chicken moist, basting the chicken frequently
(if this were a skillet dinner which I make with diced Firm Tofu I'd add cauliflower, tomatoes, broccoli and eggplant and sliced carrots)


I personally prefer a sweeter curry than a salty one, and I enjoy the heat of chili flakes or cayenne. But add this as you go - taste the sauce before placing with the chicken if you will.

Chicken Cabbage Soup Experiment Extraordinaire!

1 crockpot
1 chicken breast - Flame grilled then shredded
some chopped cauliflower
some chopped broccoli
peeled and chopped carrot
shredded/chopped cabbage
chopped onion
1/2 can canned diced tomatoes w/ juice
2 cans chicken stock with equal water
2 cloves garlic

1tbsp garlic powder
1tsp bay leaves
1tsp fresh rosemary
1tsp marjoram
1 tsp paprika
1tbsp pepper
1tsp salt
1tsp chili flakes

Toss in slow cooker, HOPE IT ALL FITS (unlike mine... ohhh well, who cares about that GIANT mess all over the kitchen counters and floor at 7am lmao) and then cook for the night or day.


I have NO IDEA if this is good yet, just started it... we shall see...

Turkey Apple Butternuts

Hahah, I wrote nuts.

So this is a take on a stuffed/rolled flank steak recipe I have that I did with a Rouladen steak (and abysmally forgot string and overcooked the meat... typical blonde), but has some twists...

1-2 butternut squashes (or acorn)
500g (or a package) of ground turkey (or use ground beef, or use flank steak)
1 granny smith apple(1/4 to 1/2 per squash half)

Slice the apple into thin slices, keep in shape to stuff the squash cavity.
Marinade the meat with worchestershire, thyme, rosemary, garlic, chopped onion and S+P. Turkey does not need to be marinated.

Marinade/cooking sauce:
2 tbsp honey
1/2cup apple juice or pineapple juice
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp melted margerine or butter

Stuffing:
1/2cup finely chopped onion
1/3cup crushed/chopped pecans
1/4cup finely chopped mushrooms
1/8cup green onion
1tsp rosemary
1tsp thyme
1/2cup shredded cheddar
2 cloves crushed garlic
S+P
(in the future I may add chopped granny smith..)

Place the squash cavity side up in a glass baking dish with apple/pineapple juice in the pan. 
Place some cooking sauce in the cavity of the squashes, and then place the quarter or half sliced apple, then press some ground meat into a very thin patty and place on top of the cavity and press to seal. Add some stuffing and cover with another thin piece of ground meat, try to seal as best you can.  Pour remaining sauce all over meat and squash. Once both halves are done seal with tinfoil above the pan.

OR pound the flank steak flat and spread the stuffing on top, roll and tie with string.
Bake at 375-400 until cooked.