Chicken Dijon Vin Blanc

I promise this dish sounds complicated & tastes fancy, but it is truly simple to make! Vin blanc is just French for white wine so take a deep breath! And of course you know what chicken & Dijon mustard is! For this dish I thinly sliced some boneless skinless chicken breasts & dredged them in flour. I browned the chicken in a little butter & olive oil. Once browned I took them out & out them on a plate. I put some chopped shallots in the pan & added some white wine. Once that cooks down a little I added some chicken broth, a little heavy cream, & some Dijon mustard. I put the chicken back in pan & let it all simmer together for a bit. Salt & pepper to taste & there you have it...I  served mine over orzo, but you can serve it with anything. When people hear the name they'll assume its something fancy, so this can be our secret! ; )

Gnocchi with Spinach Gorgonzola Sauce

Gnocchi are a delicious little Italian potato dumplings! They are simple to make, but a little time consuming. Gnocchi can replace pasta in any dish, & if you've never tried them I highly suggest you do because they are DELICIOUS! To make my gnocchi I peeled & boiled some russet potatoes until they are almost overcooked. I drained them & let them cool & put them through a potato ricer. I then made a mound the the potatoes & added an egg, salt, pepper, flour, & fresh grated nutmeg. I kneaded it until it was a smooth dough. Now, comes the "fun" part... I broke off piece & rolled them slightly into a ball & then rolled the back of a fork over it(to give it its "gnocchi" shape). I hand rolled every little gnocchi! Thank goodness they are worth it! I boiled them in salted boiling water for a few minutes or until they float. Now, for my sauce I melted a little butter & olive oil & cooked down some fresh spinach. Once it was cooked down I added some white wine, cream, a little chicken broth, & some Gorgonzola. Once the Gorgonzola melted I drizzled it over the top of my gnocchi. To give it a little crunch I toasted some Italian breadcrumbs in olive oil & sprinkled those on top! VOILA! You must try it!!!

Baby Shower!

So, this weekend I threw a baby shower for my sister-in-law. Not to toot my my horn, but I definitely think it was a success. The food, the games, the decor, the guests, all of it was great! I did appetizers for the shower, so I did some turkey Swedish meatballs, spicy queso dip & buffalo chicken dip, Thai peanut chicken pizza, pigs in a blanket(who doesn't love those), fruit, & of course CUPCAKES! The cupcakes were my "centerpiece". I placed them on a tiered serving tray & wrapped cupcake pedestals with ribbon & spelled out the baby's name on paper I cut & used sticker letters(very simple actually). Now, the cupcakes..... I did vanilla cupcakes & injected them with a chocolate ganache center. I also did mini chocolate cupcakes, & all were topped with homemade whipped cream & sprinkles! I don't do sweets, so I didn't taste them, but I heard(many times) that they were amazing! I can't wait for my next event to plan!! Oh & if you, your friends or family need an event planner.......call me  ; )

Vegetable Risotto

Who doesn't love risotto? Well, tonights risotto wasn't planned, but much appreciated! I should have gotten groceries today, but I was too busy. So when it came time for dinner I searched through my pantry & fridge. I always have fresh veggies on hand & I had some arborio rice. This dish is a one pot wonder! I sauteed some fresh chopped carrots, onions,green beans, & a couple cloves of garlic in a little olive oil & also added some frozen edamame. Once they were tender I added a splash of milk & little grated parm & poured the veg mix into a bowl. Back in the pan I put a kittle more olive oil & lightly toasted my rice. I made a regular risotto by slowly adding chicken broth(& I add a little white wine) & when it's just about done I dumped the veg mix back in. That was it! You could add any veggie you'd like:mushrooms, asparagus, peppers, spinach, zucchini, etc. This was a great " I have no food in the house" dinner & the possibilities are endless!

Fabulous Figure "Fast" Food

What kid(& grown up) doesn't love fried chicken & French fries?? I have a way you can enjoy them without the guilt! My "fried" chicken recipe I got from Pampered Chef(love them)! To make the chicken you crush up original sunchips with a packet of dry ranch seasoning. You dip your chicken tenders in egg whites & then in the sunchip mixture. Place them on a greased cookie sheet & spray the tops with a little cooking spray. Bake them at 400 for about 30 minutes! I like to turn on the broiler the last few minutes! They come out crunchy & delcious!!! Now, my homemade French fries are just as simple! You slice up some russet potatoes & lay them out evenly on a greased cookie sheet. You'll then brush a little butter on the tops & sprinkle with pepper, chopped Rosemary, & some reduced fat grated parm. Bake those at 400 for 30-40 stiring half way through & that's all folks! Its still fast but a much healthier version of a favorite drive thru meal!

Lemon Pepper Chicken with Spinach

Tonight I tried something a little different. I put some fresh baby spinach in a casserole pan lined with foil. I then drizzled it with a little extra virgin olive oil & some lemon pepper. On top of the spinach I put a few boneless skinless chicken breasts. I sprinkled the chicken with some lemon pepper, salt, fresh lemon juice, & some lemon zest. I baked it for about 40 minutes & the served the chicken & spinach over some creamy polenta. For my polenta I used instant polenta & chicken broth & once it was cooked(10 minutes) I added a little butter, a dollop of sour cream & a little fresh grated parm. Voila! This is probably one of the fastest meals I've ever thrown together & it was DELICIOUS! My guinea pig approved! ( thanks mom)

Potato Pumpkin Curry

I love fall dishes because of all the beautiful squash dishes! Also a fall favorite for obvious reasons is pumpkin. We carve them, bake their seeds, make pies with them, ice cream, & now curry!! I saw this recipe in the book "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch" based off the book "Skinny Bitch", Which are books about a vegan lifestyle & I HIGHLY recommend you read them. Not only are they funny, but they are very informative!

To make the curry I started with some coconut oil(great for cooking & as a skin moisturizer) & sauteed some chopped onion & carrots. I then added my spices; cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, & a little curry powder. I then added some fresh chopped garlic, a can of petite diced tomatoes, & some vegetable stock. Bring it all to a boil & add some diced red potatoes & diced peeled pumpkin. Let it all simmer until potatoes & pumpkin are soft & serve over some brown rice. My 5 year old LOVED this! Its a very light & delicious dish......& festive!