By Kristin Helwig
We can’t get enough of pesto over here! If I can get all the vegetables into the sauce for the kids they never know, and just love it! Also pesto happens to be some of their favorite dinners. Packed with arugula, basil, garlic, walnuts, parmesan …
Similar to a paella where it’s all made in one large pan, the chicken is seasoned with smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, seared lemon slices in butter and olive oil. The orzo is then toasted for a couple minutes in the same pan, a splash …
I’m always looking for quick and easy bowls for dinner. They kids have been obsessed with orzo lately so I tossed the chicken in a fresh herb vinaigrette, seared it and mixed it together with greens, saffron orzo, crisp cucumber, sweet cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta, …
One skillet chicken and orzo, 30 minutes, quick easy and lots of vegetables! Spiced seared chicken, cooked together with tons of spinach, asparagus and mushrooms mixed with lemony orzo. Then topped with green olives, feta and cilantro. It’s hard to beat, and is sure to …
We eat a lot of tacos around here, it’s safe to say they are a real family favorite. I have my go to chicken tacos that I make all the time but it’s fun to switch it up sometimes. So these are filled with chicken …
Arepas are a street food down in South America mainly in Venezuela and Columbia. They are little hand formed masa cakes that are pan fried until crispy and golden and then filled. The inside is soft and creamy and the outside is crispy. I filled …
There is something just so special about homemade pasta. Maybe the love and time you put into kneading, rolling and cutting the dough it’s just so therapeutic for me. The boys just love to get their hands in there and helping too. If you have …
Whether you’re looking for a quick snack or appetizer for game day, these buffalo chicken meatballs are amazing! Kind of a fun twist on the classic favorites. The meatballs are tender and juicy with melted butter and franks hot sauce dipped in the creamy tangy …
What’s not to love about these little wraps?! Crispy chicken with creamy avocado, homemade ranch, juicy tomatoes, shredded mozzarella and a little buffalo sauce wrapped up and grilled in a warm flour tortilla. They only take about a half hour, of course you can get …
What’s not to love about this salad?! Sometimes salads can be so boring to eat, but this one is packed with lots of mixed greens, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, roasted red peppers and crumbled feta. Topped with a crispy chicken breast and then …
This simple Italian classic only takes a couple of ingredients and is so comforting on a long cold night. Great for a weeknight meal or if you have guest coming over. The risotto is rich and creamy from the arborio rice. Paired with the earthy …
This is such a perfect one pot meal, great for those chilly nights when you want something delicious, and it makes the house smell amazing! The chicken sits on a bed of perfectly roasted vegetables with lots of lemon and herbs. Patting the skin dry …
This quick 30 minutes dinner will be a weeknight staple. It’s great for those busy weeknight meals or when guests come over. The chicken is so juicy and flavorful with all the spices, cooked with the peppers and onions on really high heat so they …
With a couple simple ingredients and marinating the chicken its sure to pack a vibrant punch! I love the char from the grill but this would also be great roasted! The marinade is just soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, spices and olive oil. The longer …
Crispy Katsu chicken noodles bowl with marinated chicken in a spicy garlic, ginger and soy sauce. The chicken is coated in panko bread crumbs and sesame seeds, quickly pan fried until golden brown and then placed on top a bowl of noodles and all your …
When making this comforting spiced Indian chicken dish make sure to marinate the chicken with the yogurt and spices. Toasting the spices really enhances all their beautiful flavors. The yogurt will help tenderize the chicken allowing the spices to soak into it. I also love …
Arepas are a popular South American street food, made of masarepa or masa harina, an instant corn masa flour. They are pan fried little corn cakes that are cut in half and filled with meat, cheese and veggies. I braised chicken thighs in chipotle peppers, …
Bringing the middle eastern street food to the kitchen! These are so fun and you can switch out the toppings if you want but the feta tzatziki and all the toasted spices really bring the chicken to life. Fresh naan and pita are also key …
This simple dish is easy enough for a weeknight meal and fancy enough for guests. I love all the different textures and flavors in this. The crispy chicken is lightly breaded in panko, then pan fried and placed on top fresh cucumbers and sweet cherry …
I love this dish when I want something hearty but also light! The chicken meatballs are full of garlic, fresh herbs, tomato paste and spices. I sear them in a cast iron skillet giving them a nice golden crust. But you can always bake them …
I’m always on the search for delicious steamed buns. If you’ve never had them they are filled little buns with ground meat and then pan fried and steamed. They are a popular street food in Shanghai. When you have a little extra time give these …
I’ve been thinking about something like this for awhile! There really is nothing like homemade naan. It’s so light and chewy and then stuffed with buffalo chicken, mozzarella and a little blue cheese. Dipped in more buffalo sauce and blue cheese sauce it really is …
Crisp vegetables with pulled rotisserie chicken, scallions, dry roasted peanuts and lots of creamy umami peanut sauce. This dish is really easy to put together and a great way to use up extra vegetables in the fridge. I like the combination of the fresh vegetables …
When it starts getting cold outside all I think about is ramen! There really is nothing more comforting. This one is a rich chicken broth with lots of noodles, roasted squash, crispy chicken, sautéed mushrooms and kale, a little toasted nori, and a soft egg. …
Ohh how I love steamed buns! I literally crave them and haven’t been able to find really good ones around the city yet! This recipe has been a long time in the making. The chicken is seared and then cooked in honey, soy, ginger, garlic, …
Anyone else have leftover turkey from Thanksgiving?! This is such a great way to use it all up! Instead of peas I added spinach but you can certainly stick to the peas if you wish. I also tossed the pasta all together and then toasted …
This is one of my oldest favorite recipes, it just reminds me of my grandma! She always made the best ones, is it knowing that grandma made them that makes it extra special? I was never able to quite figure out her recipe but I …
It may be the dead middle of summer, but I enjoy noodle bowls all year round. I’ve also just really been craving comforting fall/winter food. But I just love them! And this one is no exception, it’s the Thai version of chicken noodle soup with …
This is such a fun soup to make because it’s so versatile. It really is all about the toppings at the end. Shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, pico de Gallo all great options. I added chicken but you could totally add shrimp or leave it …
This last week was a really tough week I believe for everyone, I couldn’t even cook I was so saddened by what had happened. But I’m hoping now that things are looking up and going to get better. On another note we had gone home …
This plate of seared chicken and halloumi is so bright and flavorful! I was playing around with flavors last night for dinner and came up with this. It’s a creamy herby lemon yogurt underneath broccoli and mushroom orzo, salty seared halloumi and seared chicken! All …
Happy Cinco de Mayo!! What better way to celebrate than by making some delicious enchiladas and a margarita! My mom used to make these for us all the time and I really forgot how good they truly are! Ground turkey mixed with lots of spices …
The other day I was really craving some good Chinese, and during this time most of our favorite places are shut down so we couldn’t even get take out. So in order to fulfill the craving I made a little orange chicken but added peppers …
I love fried chicken! Especially when it is done right, you just can’t compare. This is a little twist on that. I took the chicken breast and butterflied it sauteed up some peppers, spinach and feta. Really you can use whatever you would like for …
Marinated in a spiced buttermilk and double dipped in the flour so it’s extra crispy….I Mean!! It. Is. So. Good!!! The garlic herb buttermilk mayo just adds the creaminess to balance out all the crunch along with crisp green bibb lettuce. Simply perfection! It’s delicious! …
On a cold wintery night with a fire in the fire place and a warm soup on the stove there is nothing more cozy than to curl up with a warm fuzzy blanket and a big bowl of soup. This soup is so easy to …
Jambalaya is one of those tried and true one pot meals that brings all kinds of people together. Straight from New Orleans its got all the flavors! This rice dish is packed with chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp. I love this recipe because it feels …
I just posted the whipped acorn squash and apple puree and paired it tonight for dinner along with seared chicken and brussel sprouts! Such a perfect fall dinner. All the flavors just pair so well together. Make sure to get the nice sear crust on …
Rice bowls are one of those things that are so simple and quick to put together. You can be so creative with anything you want to put on top of them. I love making mediterranean platters, just putting all these topping on a plate and …
Ohhh it is getting chilly outside!! What a better way to warm up than with a big hot bowl of ramen?! This is super easy to make and only takes about 30 minutes. Of course the longer you simmer the broth the better but it’s …
With summer just a day away I wanted to try switching things up so I made this Vietnamese chicken banh mi. It’s sweet, spicy and salty grilled chicken loaded up with a siracha honey, pickled vegetables and lots of herbs. It’s so bright and delicious …
There are food trucks all over New York city that feature chicken or lamb that’s been seasoned with a Middle Eastern spice mix, seared on a grill or skillet and then served over rice or with a warm pita bread. Being Father’s day yesterday we …
This is a true fiesta in a bowl right here! Perfect for Cinco de Mayo coming up! It pairs very nicely with a little spicy strawberry margarita as well. The chicken is a little smokey and spicy. While the pico adds a nice freshness along …
Pupusas are a traditional street food in Central America mostly in El Salvador. They are delicious masa cakes filled typically with pork, cheese or beans. I filled mine with braised chicken and melted cheese. Topped with salsa, sour cream and avocado it’s like going on …
I love a good meal like this after a long day! It’s comforting and healthy. Stuffing chicken may seem difficult but it’s very simple and perfect for a weeknight or a gathering, Plus it looks really pretty when you put this whole skillet on the …
These are fantastic just by themselves for a quick appetizer when friends come over, or over some risotto or pasta as a meal. I was just craving some good comfort food the other day so I came up with this. I like adding the …
Pot pies to me are pure comfort food. With the temperatures dropping and the holidays around the corner I love making something that just warms the soul. There’s a ton of root vegetables at the farmers market right now so I thought this would …
I haven’t been feeling good lately, this cold that has been going around got the best of me. So all I wanted this weekend was to go back to myself and feeling good again. This soup was so comforting and everything I needed to feel …
Tacos!! Who doesn’t love tacos?! We do tacos over here quite often. (Maybe once a week) I love all the endless combinations that can be created. I also started making my own flour and corn tortillas about a year ago and I can’t go …
We got stuck in a snow storm last night. So, with candles burning and christmas music playing, I thought it would be fun to stay in and warm up with some homemade lasagna. There is something so comforting about all the layers of melting cheese, …
My all time favorite holiday of the year! I made a little dinner the other night for my brother and his girlfriend that won’t be able to make it Thursday. There’s no better time to bring all your friends and family around the kitchen …
This is such a rustic rich Indian dish! It’s one of my absolute favorites on a colder night or if you just need some good comfort food. The chicken thighs are marinated in a spiced yogurt and then braised down with a rich spiced creamy coconut …
I love to make this when it’s slightly cold outside. There are so many spices in it that make it such a bright and vibrant Moroccan stew. The key is to toast all the spices together just to enrich the flavors of each one. …
Well I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season!! I found this recipe of halloumi crusted lamb and thought it would be fun with chicken to make it a little lighter. If you have never had halloumi before, let me introduce you. It’s a …
Think of a Venezuelan sandwich filled with meat and cheese! What could be better?! They are little corn flour flatbreads. I loaded mine up with spicy pulled chicken, queso fresco, creamy avocados and scallions for a little onion flavor. Be creative!! Arepas Ingredients …
I have been wanting to make these for quite some time now. They are the perfect little dumpling if you’re looking to make your own dim sum. You can really add any kind of filling you would like inside. Be creative! Traditionally these are …
This is my 100th post!! I wanted to do something simple and special with my twist on it so what better way than with an awesome chicken dish. The chicken thighs are juicy with a perfect crispy skin (that’s key), sweet and creamy parsnips with …
This is an absolute favorite of mine to make for a fall dinner! It’s hearty, sweet, savory, and creamy with a touch of cinnamon! All of the best flavors together in one dish!! Ingredients 1 tbsp. unsalted butter 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive …
Sometimes I forget how good a meatloaf is. Just like a classic but with a spin. I used ground turkey to make it a little healthier. Wrapped in prosciutto and stuffed with mascarpone, parmesan cheese, and spinach. Finished off with a sage cream sauce. It’s …
According to my husband these are one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever made! So I think that means he really enjoyed them. They are so easy to make and are quite the show stopper. Ingredients Spinach Pesto (recipe follows) 2 (ea) chicken breast, …
Pair this easy little salad up with the Mexican Corn and you have an amazing summer dish. Light, sweet and smokey! It’s perfect. Ingredients 3-4 heads Romaine Lettuce 2 skinless chicken breasts, boneless 2 tsp. lemon zest and juice 2 tsp. lime zest and juice 1 …