Loaded Chicken "NOTchos"

 

I've noticed that over the past few years that more and more friends have redefined their diets in an attempt to live healthier lives. While that's a big "yay!" it can make it interesting to entertain and feed everyone things that fit into their food lifestyle. Vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy intolerant, Paleo, Whole 30 or just "health conscious"... there's always something to consider when preparing dishes for friends.

It can be tricky when your goal is to serve something that the masses will enjoy all while "keeping it clean." Luckily, I'm always up for the challenge!

Many of you will be throwing or attending Super Bowl parties this weekend and you may be finalizing your menus and grocery lists and finding yourself in the same food-prep predicament. Before you write "tortilla chips" on that little piece of paper, consider this: Chip-less nachos.

Or, as I like to call them, "NOTchos." Because they're NOT what you're used to. They're better {for you}!

Who doesn't love a platter piled high with crispy tortilla chips, gooey cheese and all those hearty toppings while they're watching some football? {My husband, that's who. Not a fan of nachos. But we already knew he was weird -- the man hates chocolate.}

The problem is, when you serve up a mountain of naughty nachos to friends who are trying to keep things healthy, not only will you get the stink-eye, but you'll also end up eating most of them on your own. Not good.

These "not-chos" are the perfect solution! A game day favorite, healthied up by using crisp, fresh peppers as the vehicle for all the stuff you want to shove in your face. So smart, right?!

Topped with shredded chicken, black beans and all kinds of good stuff, you won't even think about the fact that you're not eating traditional nachos. I swapped out the sour cream for thick, Greek yogurt and used just a tiny sprinkle of cheese for decadence. The black olives and pickled jalapenos give these a briny zing to keep it interesting.

These are totally customizable and can be made to fit in to any specific diet preference. Leave out the yogurt and cheese for non-dairy eaters. Sub out the chicken for shredded lettuce or chunky salsa for veg-heads. The rest is totally up to you! There's no wrong way to pile on the goodness.

Your game day will be guiltless, and your friends? They may never leave. Serve with caution. ;)

Loaded Chicken "NOTchos"

This recipe is more of a suggestion as you can top these with whatever you'd like! Each pepper makes 8 "NOTchos", so plan accordingly & adjust the topping amounts to suit your serving size.

2-3 red peppers, sliced in half, seeded and diced
Shredded chicken
Black beans
Mexican shredded cheese blend
Plain Greek yogurt
Pickled jalapenos
Sliced black olives

1. Cut red pepper halves in quarters to form 8 little pepper cups. Place on a foil-lined baking pan.

2. Top pepper pieces with a mound of shredded chicken and a scoop of black beans. Sprinkle with cheese.

3. Place in the oven under the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. {Keep an eye on them, I tend to forget when things are under the broiler!}

4. Remove from oven and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt, pickled jalapenos and black olives.

Enjoy without guilt!

Valentine's Day Desserts with Chef Johnny Iuzzini | Macy's Culinary Council

Gentlemen, listen up: Impressing your lady this Valentine's Day isn't as difficult as you think.

Sure, you can go the safe route, make dinner reservations and show up with a bouquet of roses. {::yawn::} Oh, excuse me. I fell asleep for a second.

OR... you can get your gal to brag on you to all of her girlfriends by sweetening up the evening with HOMEMADE DESSERT. {Yes please!}

Before you get all frazzled about the prospect of stepping foot in the kitchen and wielding your spatula, I've got good news for you. There's an expert who wants to show you how to wow your woman and he's coming to town to share his arsenal of sugary secrets. Who better to learn from than a master chef with award winning dishes??

Macy's Culinary Council Chef Johnny Iuzzini will be at Macy's Aventura on Saturday, January 31 at 1pm and he'll be demonstrating how to make some dazzling Valentine's Day desserts that you can recreate at home!

Chef Johnny was given the title of "Pastry Chef of the Year" by the James Beard Foundation in 2006, and it's easy to see why when you flip through his cookbooks, Dessert FourPlay: Sweet Quartets from A Four Star Pastry Chef (2008) and his more recent work, Sugar Rush: Master Tips, Techniques, and Recipes for Sweet Baking.

Whether you're looking to schmooze your sweetie or just want to learn a little from a master chef, this event is for you! I'll be attending and I can't wait to try out some of Chef Johnny's decadent creations.

While I wait {im}patiently, I'm trying my hand at one of his recipes and sharing it with you today!

These Balsamic Cherry Crisps are such a fantastic treat for two {or more!}. Sweet and tart cherries get a kick from rich balsamic vinegar. For a little texture, a combination of oats and almonds {and a surprise cameo from chili powder} creates a crunchy crumble topping that works perfectly with the tender cherry filling.

Hope to see you at Macy's for this sweet celebration of Valentine's desserts!

Disclosure: I am a member of the Everywhere Society and Everywhere has provided me with compensation for this post. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Balsamic Cherry Crisp
Adapted from Reader's Digest

Crisp Topping:
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup rolled oats
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of chili powder
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Cherry Filling:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups frozen cherries, thawed and drained
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

For Crisp:

1. Combine almonds, oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, chili powder and salt in a food processor or blender and pulse until coarsely ground.

2. Pour mixture into a bowl and stir in melted butter. The mixture should resemble wet sand and form small clumps. Set aside.

For Filling:

1. In saucepan over medium high heat, melt butter and olive oil together. Add thawed cherries and powdered sugar and allow to come to a bubble. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the liquid has slightly thickened.

2. Remove from heat and stir in balsamic vinegar and vanilla extract. Cool slightly, and then add slurry of cornstarch and water. Stir until well incorporated.

For assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Divide cherry mixture among 4 ramekins. Divide crisp topping evenly among ramekins.

2. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the tops are just starting to become golden and the filling is bubbly.

3. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Serve warm. {With a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is even better!}

Baked Rosemary Parsnip "Fries"

Oh, hi. Remember me? I took a little blog break because I had a baby...two months ago. I had grand plans to have some guest posters fill in for me in my absence, but guess what? It never happened because I gave myself a few too many projects and ran out of time to organize guest posts before the little one arrived.

I am still wrapping my brain around the fact that he's actually here. I think it takes a while to truly grasp the immensity of this kind of event. I mean, I'm responsible for a brand new little person. Who came out of me. Crazy. {More on my very, very lonnnnng birth story in a later post.}

And speaking of "crazy", I got back into the kitchen just days after giving birth. Did you really expect anything less? {P.S. I don't actually recommend this, ladies. You do need rest.}

I started out slow with simple meals and worked my way up to bigger projects like my annual biscotti-baking tradition for Christmas. Nothing too complicated. Because you probably shouldn't be playing with sharp knives and hot burners when you are functioning on zero minimal sleep. Thank God for sweet friends and family bringing over food to keep us going when we couldn't muster the energy for more than just a quick reheat.

Babies are some serious work, y'all.

But, it's kind of amazing how quickly you begin to adapt to the insanity that is parenthood. Your body, your mind and your routine all go through a period of shock, followed by a quick recovery so that you can do what you gotta do.

And you gotta do a lot.

Well, sort of, but not really. It's the same five things on repeat 24/7. Like Groundhog Day.

Feed. Burp. Change. Cuddle. Attempt to sleep. Repeat. Somewhere in that firestorm of milk and poop you're supposed to still find time to be, like, human.

It does not make for the most entertaining of days, but it is a necessary rite of passage for keeping a tiny person alive and happy.

Except, pardon me for saying so, but I think mamas need to be happy, too. Because I think happy mamas make happy babies.

So, even though I know that moms are supposed to be all, "I haven't showered or shaved in 3 weeks." "I've decided to wear diapers instead of actually take time for a bathroom break." "The only meals I've eaten are handfuls of crumbs out of an old box of cereal." for the first few months of their babies' lives... I've still managed to carve out a few seconds for those little things like hygiene and sustenance. Most of the time, anyway. I'll warn you before you come too close if you happen to catch me during one of those "no time for bathing" spells.

I'm not gonna lie, you've got to squeeze these activities in MUCH faster than you did in the pre-baby days. And maybe you only get to drink half of your coffee piping hot in the morning before you have to put on your cape and bring your crying child back from the brink of starvation. But it's doable. Except if you have twins. Then all bets are off.

Anyway, it is thanks to an iron will and Pandora's lullaby station that I've been able to get in the kitchen a few times and make stuff. Because being in the kitchen is part of what keeps this mama sane, as crazy as that may seem to some.

With the holidays behind us, many of us are focused on being on our best eating behavior. Especially those of us who are still trying to lose a pound or two and fit into our jeans without having any excess pudge spilling over the top.

Like I said, most of the things I've been making have to fit into the brief moments when I'm not tending to the kidlet. These Rosemary Parsnip "Fries" fit the bill. The only real work required is peeling and chopping, which is a welcome break from wiping and pumping.

A quick toss with olive oil and seasonings creates a surprisingly flavorful snack. And you don't even have to feel guilty because they're veggies and they're oven baked, so you can still fit them into your healthy eating resolutions. Score.

If I had time to make these with a brand-spankin' new little one beckoning me every few minutes, then, surely, you can too.

But you certainly don't have to. Especially if you're among the "haven't showered in 3 weeks" crowd. Because in that case you might want to prioritize a little differently. ;)

Baked Rosemary Parsnip "Fries"

1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into "fries"
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Sprinkle of rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil.
2. Place parsnips on baking pan and drizzle with oil. Toss to coat and spread them out so they have room to crisp up.
3. Sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder and rosemary.
4. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until parsnips are browned and crisp.