Wings. Oh, delicious wings. Put a pile in front of me and they’ll be gone in a matter of minutes. Especially while watching football. And with the Super Bowl right around the corner (GO PATS!), what better time to share this finger-lickin-good recipe for some spicy wings? This recipe combines all of the key elements to create the perfect wing: crispy, spicy, sticky, and the kick of ginger provides just the right amount of uniqueness from the other, more traditional, party wings.

Spicy Ginger-Honey Wings
Print this Recipe!
Adapted from Food & Wine

• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 pounds party wings (wingettes and drumettes), patted dry
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Frank’s Red Hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with vegetable oil.

In a medium bowl, start by combining your dry ingredients: flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Now, add the chicken to the bowl the the flour mixture and toss to coat.

Arrange the chicken on the baking sheet in a single layer and spray with vegetable oil. This part really helps with getting the chicken nice and crispy, so don’t skip this step!

Bake the chicken for 45 minutes, turning twice, until browned and crispy. Since the oven is at 500 degrees, things can get kind of smoky in the oven, so just keep an eye on them

While the wings are in the oven, begin preparing the sauce. In a medium bowl, add the hot sauce with the butter, soy sauce, honey, and ginger.

Lightly whisk the sauce together to combine all of the ingredients.

When the chicken is finished baking, using tongs, dip the wings into the sauce to coat each. As you take each wing out of the sauce, arrange it on a platter.

Garnish with scallions and serve piping hot with plenty o’ napkins!

It was actually kind of frightening how good these were. I even started to question my level of self control as I kept going back for more.

So, what I’m trying to say is, if you make these for the Super Bowl, and you’re watching the game with more than one person (yourself), definitely make a couple batches, because they’ll go very, very quickly!

Have fun watching the BIG game while watching (and rooting for!) this pretty little thing:

and eating these spicy little things:

What are you planning on making for this year’s Super Bowl?

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[Chels]

Sometimes I like to go back and read old posts on We are not Martha. We’ve had this little blog for over 4 years now (!!) and I think it’s safe to say we’ve come a long way. My first food post? I blogged about a cake that, yes, I made myself (my first from-scratch cake!), but that I didn’t even provide a recipe for on the blog. And that I took a photo of with my camera phone. And, no, I didn’t have an iPhone… I had a flip phone. Yup. I mean, I think it’s really just plain safe to say food blogging has come a long way. Because 4 years ago, this didn’t really seem strange to me at all. Nowadays? I would never. Also, I frosted that cake when I returned home from the bar at 2 a.m. These days, I can barely remember what it’s like to stay at a bar until 2 a.m. Yes, a lot has changed in 4 years.

My point is, I’m noticing that while I used to post recipes all adapted from somewhere else, lately I’ve mainly been coming up with recipes all on my own, utilizing what I’ve learned over the years. And while it’s a whole lot more work (especially if you’re not trained in all things culinary), it’s also a whole lot more gratifying. Because at the end of the day, I feel like the recipes are mine and I’m creating something special… And from my heart. Awww. But gosh, sometimes I miss just staring at a recipe and mechanically going through the steps with awesome results. Because when you make up your own recipes? You never really know how they’re going to turn out. And when you have a food blog + a full-time job + an upcoming wedding + a life to live, you find yourself really hoping those recipes will turn out because you really want to post about them. Though this Mango Scallop with Pomegranate Wild Rice dish didn’t turn out exactly how I had it pictured in my head, I ended up loving the results and will definitely be making it again and again. Don’t you love when that happens?

And unlike 4 years ago, I will provide a recipe for you. And a photo taken with a camera that is a wee-bit higher quality than a flip phone. I can’t help but wonder where we’ll be another 4 years from now!

Mango Scallops with Pomegranate Wild Rice (serves about 4):
Print this recipe!

• 2 mangos
• 1 lb. sea scallops
• Salt and pepper
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T lime
• 1 T honey
• 1 T chopped parsley
• 1 batch pomegranate wild rice (see recipe below)

Pomegranate Wild Rice:

• 1 C wild rice
• 3 C low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 t olive oil
• 1/2 C slivered almonds
• 1 C pomegranate arils
• 1 bunch spinach (not pictured)
• 2 T chopped parsley

Start by bringing chicken broth a boil and cooking wild rice according to directions. It should take about 25-30 minutes.

Make sure to remove those little muscles from the scallops, rinsing them, and patting them dry.

Then peel and chop your mangos into 1-2 inch pieces.

And blend them up in a food processor or blender, along with the lime juice and honey. I chose to use my Vitamix because I use my Vitamix at every chance I get and it works beautifully.

Generously salt and pepper the scallops and heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the scallops to the pan without letting them touch each other. You may have to do this in a couple batches, depending on how large your pan is.

Sear for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until scallops are a bit golden.

And remove to a separate plate. Keep warm by tenting with foil.

At this point, your rice should be close to being done.

Wipe out the pan you used to cook the scallops in and add a little bit more oil in. Put almonds in pan.

And cook for just a minute or so until almonds are nice and toasted.

Now add the almonds, pomegranates, cup of spinach, and parsley to the rice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir it up.

Now, when I originally thought up this recipe, I pictured the mango as more of a sauce, a thin sauce. Not sure why I thought pureeing mangos would accomplish this and it briefly crossed my mind that I should purchase mango nectar and make a reduction, but I really wanted to use real fresh mango, so I never ended up buying it.

Not that there’s anything wrong with mango puree, I just knew it wouldn’t be as pretty when it came to drizzling it over the scallops. But I did it anyway.

And it didn’t really matter how it looked because it was so darn delicious. Seriously. All my favorite flavors joined together. This dish is perfect for a chilly evening, when you need to add a little brightness to your life but still get some good old fashioned comfort food.

I do love scallops plain, but though the mango added a nice touch of fresh sweetness without overpowering the flavor.

Even if you don’t enjoy scallops, I implore you to at least make this rice. It’s awesome and filling and you should stir in some mango puree, as well.

Scallops are SO SO easy to cook, especially when you’re simply searing them. And I do think they can be pretty impressive when being served to company, so keep that in mind. There’s really nothing complicated about this dish and the wait time on the rice is the worst of it. And wild rice is always worth it.

On another topic, as many of you know, I entered my Sweet Tea Vodka Cupcakes into Celebrations.com Cupcake Crown contest. Thank you SO much to everyone who’s voted (and to Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka for the tweets!)- I’m somehow in first place right now and would love love love your votes if you have a second (literally, it takes a second!). The voting runs until February 12 and you can vote once a day and the prizes are pretty fabulous. Thank you to our awesome readers for always being so supportive!!

[Sues]

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I’m pretty sure you know by now that you can do ANYTHING (and everything) with risotto. And that I most definitely do. I’m pretty sure I come up with a new risotto plan every single evening and I actually have a few brewing in my head as we speak. I actually just posted about a Mushroom Feta Quinoa Risotto for the Mushroom Channel because yes, you can make risotto with quinoa. And yes, you should. But you can also make a seemingly typical risotto with arborio rice. And then jam pack it full of blue cheese, kale, and pine nuts. And call it a day. Or a dinner. And a lunch the next day. Because let’s face it, I barely have enough time to get dinner on the table at night, much less lunch in my work bag.

And this truly is one of my favorite things about risotto. It’s so versatile, I feel like I’m eating a completely new dish every time I make it. But I am able to make risotto with my eyes shut. And that means a lot to me right now. Trust me, a lot.

Plus, there’s wine involved. But only 3/4 C. Which means there’s still almost a whole bottle left to enjoy with your meal. How can you not love a recipe like that?

Blue Cheese Risotto with Kale (serves about 4-6):
Print this recipe! 

• 4 C low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 T olive oil
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1.5 C arborio rice
• 3/4 C dry white wine
• 4-6 oz. blue cheese
• half bunch of kale
• 1/4 C pine nuts, toasted

And now I will commence typing this recipe with my eyes closed. I’m kidding, but I actually probably could. I know the technique so well by now. And I did take PAWS for Typing in second grade.

Start by bringing your chicken broth to a boil and then lowering the temperature to a simmer. Leave on burner.

Add olive oil to a different medium sized saucepan and stir in shallots and onion over medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes, until onion is translucent.

Add arborio rice to pot and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring gently.

Pour in your lovely white wine and stir. Let rice absorb all of the liquid.

Then begin adding chicken broth to the mixture one cup at a time, stirring in between each addition and waiting for liquid to absorb. Remember, you don’t have to stir risotto non-stop, but make sure you keep an eye on it or all the liquid could absorb and rice will stick to the pot.

While you’re waiting for the chicken broth to be absorbed by the rice, crumble up some blue cheese. Blue cheese has ALWAYS been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. I am a huge fan of stinky cheese and the more flavorful the better.

Toast up your pine nuts, too. But you may have to open up your eyes for this one. I clearly didn’t and ended up burning mine a bit. Most of them were still fine and I certainly wasn’t going to start over after considering how much pine nuts cost (what is with that?). But next time I will keep my eyes open for this part.

Stir in your cheese and your kale leaves. Letting kale wilt a little bit. I still wanted mine to have some crunch, though.

 =

Mix in the pine nuts and serve! With a few more pine nuts sprinkled on top.

This was everything I wanted it to be. Simple to make, packed with blue cheese flavor with a nutty touch, and filled with a bit of green goodness, too. It was also, pure, pure comfort. Which is another thing I really truly need this week.

And I promise I’ll stop writing about risotto now and start trying to get more creative again.

But I know I won’t be able to stay away for long. There are simply too many fantastic risotto recipes swimming around in my head. Risotto, I just can’t quite you.

Do you have a recipe you could make over and over again with different variations and be happy?

[Sues]

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Like I mentioned in my last post, there was a time, not so long ago, when Chris would not eat avocados. He’s slowly been coming around and happily gobbled up my Avocado Spinach Egg Salad last week. In fact, the very next day, he said, “I’m craving avocado SO much! What can we have?” I was already planning on making flatbread this weekend, so I decided to incorporate avocados into the mix.

Instead of just topping a typical flatbread with avocado, I decided to go all out and use guacamole instead of tomato sauce. Because, I mean, why not, right? It was definitely an experiment. And one that I have to say came out quite nicely. Can I just say how thrilled I am that Chris has formed an avocado obsession? I could eat them every day, so this is going to make life quite lovely for me. All avocados, all the time. We may turn green. And I’m perfectly OK with that.

Mexican Guacamole Flatbread (makes 1 flatbread):
Print this recipe!

• 1/2 batch flatbread dough
• 1.5 lb. pork loin
• 2 t paprika
• 2 t cumin
• 2 t cayenne
• 1 t oregano
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 2 avocados, peeled and pitted
• 3 oz queso fresco, crumbled
• 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 C sliced olives
• Sour cream, optional

Somehow the queso fresco escaped the photo! Caught ya!

I started by preparing my flatbread dough… Which I’ve done so many times, it’s kind of like second nature to me. Seriously; it’s so easy. All you have to do is mix everything together and wait a couple hours. WORTH IT.

The pork was kind of an afterthought for this dish. Because I had a pork loin and figured this flatbread could use a little meat on it. It was delicious, but just know that you could use any meat as a topping (or none at all!). I think ground turkey or beef would also be fabulous. As would an actual Mexican-style pulled pork.

For this pork loin, I simply mixed the paprika, cumin, cayenne, and oregano together in a small bowl. Then I slathered the loin in EVOO, sprinkled a little salt and pepper on, and rubbed the spices all over.

I popped it in the oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, until it reached an internal temperature of about 140 degrees.

While the pork was cooking I peeled and pitted my avocados and sprinkled them with salt and pepper.

And then I mashed them all up, just like I would for a guac.

]

I rolled out my flatbread dough on a floured surface and then transferred it to a foil covered pizza pan. And spread the guacamole over the top. See? It’s guacamole pizza sauce!

And then I crumbled queso fresco on top of the guacamole.

Chop the rest of your veggies, making sure to wear gloves if you’re getting involved in jalapeño action! Or at least to take your contact lenses out.

Put jalapeños, tomatoes, and sliced olives over the top.

Shred up the pork and toss that on, too.

And then bake at 450 degrees for 18-20 minutes, until crust is nice and crispy.

Remove from oven and… You know the drill.

Chris declared this the best flatbread I’ve ever made. Which is saying a lot considering he’s absolutely obsessed with my sausage, grape, and gorgonzola flatbread. I’m thinking it just has something to do with his newfound avocado obsession. I wouldn’t declare this my most favorite flatbread ever, but I did think it was pretty darn tasty. Even if the guac sauce wasn’t the most appetizing color after coming out of the oven.

I’m generally a super cheesy, saucy pizza person, so this was a leap for me. But it showed me that you don’t need lots of sauce and cheese to have a satisfying pizza. And I’m pretty certain this is far healthier than most of those other pizzas. If you want an even healthier pie, you could make the crust with part whole wheat flour.

The jalapeños added the perfect zing and the pork was delightfully spiced, adding a little extra protein and Mexican flair.

I originally thought I would use sour cream in this recipe, which is why you see it in the ingredients photo. But I didn’t end up incorporating it. However, I think sour cream could be pretty awesome dolloped over the top of this flatbread.

I’m pretty inspired now to find other substitutes for the typical tomato pizza sauce. Just for fun. And I’m also kind of inspired to use avocado in every single meal from now on. Now taking bets on how long it will take Chris to get horribly sick of avocado after he is forced onto overload. I honestly don’t think I’d ever get sick of it. Ever. And I’m more than willing to prove my theory correct.

Could you eat avocado on everything?

[Sues]

Clearly, I was put on this Earth to show you that you can eat all your favorite foods and still be healthy as can be. All you have to do is throw some vegetables in (fact: I am not a dietitian, so if this proves false for you, please don’t sue me). Egg salad is one of my very favorite foods on this wonderful Earth. It can be a little tricky, though, when ordering out, you know? If you’re not at a trusted establishment, you can’t always have faith in their egg salad. And while good egg salad can be like heaven on a plate, there are few things worse than bad egg salad. We’ll avoid that topic for the purposes of this post.

Plus, egg salad isn’t usually the healthiest thing. Especially when you’re never really sure just what restaurants are putting into it (heaven forbid they use Miracle Whip!). So when I got a craving for egg salad the other day, I decided to turn it green and pack a nutritional punch with it, sans any mayo at all. This recipe is essentially like combining egg salad and guacamole. And could there really be anything better than that? I think not.

Avocado Spinach Egg Salad Sandwiches (makes 5-6 sandwiches):
Print this recipe!

• 7 eggs, hardboiled
• 4 oz. plain greek yogurt
• 2 avocados
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 C baby spinach
• Hot pepper flakes to taste
• Good bread, toasted if you want

Of course, you’ll want to start by hardboiling your eggs. Otherwise, let’s face it, your egg salad isn’t going to be too tasty. If you’re never sure how to tell when your eggs are done boiling, follow Simply Recipe’s amazing guide! Once your eggs are ready (I hardboiled mine in the morning before I went to work and popped them in the fridge for the day), peel them.

And mash them up with the Greek yogurt (Chobani, of course!). Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top, too.

Now, peel and pit your avocados.

And mash those up, too. Just like a guacamole. Add a little salt and pepper to this, too, if you’d like.

Now, all you do is combine the egg with the guac! And mix in the cup of spinach and the celery, too.

I wasn’t sure what kinds of spices I would be using when I first started making this salad, but I decided it only needed a few hot pepper flashes to kick it up a bit.

Of course, you could eat this avocado spinach egg salad right out of the bowl. But I opted to put it on some nice toasted crusty bread. When Pigs Fly is one of my favorites. And lucky for me, there’s one right in my hood.

I’m telling you, if you like egg salad and avocado, there’s no reason you won’t like this! In fact, you might even decide that you never want to make egg salad the “normal” way again. Because what’s the point? You might even want to serve this with a bag of tortilla chips and eat it like it’s an eggy guacamole. Does that sound gross? Because I really don’t care.

I think the spinach is a nice added touch, too. A little bit of crunch and roughage and some extra nutrition to boot.

Chris claimed not to like egg salad the other day. But then he asked to take this to lunch the next day. Oh, and it wasn’t so long ago that boy didn’t like avocados, either. If I told him I’d be making him avocado spinach egg salad when I first met him, he may not have dated me in the first place. Thank goodness I didn’t come up with this recipe until we were a little bit further into our relationship (and I had a ring on my finger!). Now, I’m pretty sure he’d eat anything I whipped up in the kitchen.

I’ll probably be making this many, many more times. It’s super quick and keeps me happy for multiple meals. And is packed with protein and other fun nutrients. Who said you needed to serve ham with green eggs?

Are you an egg salad fan? And furthermore, do you like Miracle Whip? I was always a Hellmann’s girl… Until I tasted this recipe! Now I’m a Greek yogurt/avocado girl!

[Sues]

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Nearly every Tuesday without fail, I’ve noticed a Facebook friend of mine will update his status to say “It’s Taco Tuesday!”. And every Tuesday without fail, I crave tacos. Now, I don’t know if he actually has tacos every Tuesday, but something tells me he does. And this week I needed to participate in the festivities and make my own tacos. Even if it was a Wednesday.

As I was reading the newest edition of Real Simple, I saw a recipe for Turkey-Chorizo Tacos. I’m a huge (HUGE) fan of Portuguese meats so I almost immediately hopped in my car to head to the grocery store to get the few ingredients needed for this recipe. For my birthdays growing up, my mom would make us a birthday dinner. Nearly every year I’d request she make linguica with rice. I really don’t need fancy things so long as they taste delicious! And since my birthday is in August, she would grill loads of linguica and I would eat it for days. That’s actually probably a lie. It don’t think it lasted for days. My feelings for chorizo are equal to those of linguica. And toss either of the two into a taco and I’ll be “that girl” sitting in the corner by herself gnawing on said taco.

Turkey Chorizo Tacos (makes 8 tacos)
Real Simple
Print this Recipe!

• 1 chopped onion
• 4 ounces chopped Spanish chorizo
• Canola oil
• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• salt and pepper to taste
• Corn tortillas
• plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream, whichever you prefer)
• Avocado
• Salsa of your choice
• Cilantro

Begin by heating canola oil in a large skillet. Add onion and chorizo until slightly browned.

Incorporate turkey and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until turkey has cooked through.

Split the mixture up and serve in warmed tortillas. Top with avocado, salsa, cilantro, and sour cream or Greek yogurt. Plain Greek yogurt always trumps sour cream, in my book.

For a meal that I whipped up in about 15-20 minutes, this was phenomenal. The chorizo has so much salty and spicy flavor so you don’t need to use any additional seasonings. Or that little bag of taco seasoning that comes in taco kits, hehe. This is the real unpackaged deal. Plus, the crunchy whole wheat taco shell and smooth avocado provided a nice balance texture-wise. It was kind of my perfect quick weeknight dinner. Salty, crunchy, and spicy! I think I’ve said this before but my mom calls me “Crunchy” sometimes since 9 times out of 10 when I’m on the phone with her I’m munching on chips, carrots, or anything else that makes obnoxious crunch sounds over the phone. Nearly every phone conversation I have with my sister one of us winds up yelling “WHAT ARE YOU EATING!?” whenever there’s a slight “crunch” coming through the line. The funny thing is… I ate one of these tacos while on the phone with my sister tonight and she didn’t even realize it. Ohhh, weird family fun

I have a ton of design work going on this week so making a speedy dinner was really the only option. And will probably remain my only option for the next few weeks. All I’ve eaten for dinner this week is salads that I’ve whipped up quickly so it’s such a bonus to be able to whip up dinners that actually taste special! Even though the leftovers from these tacos will probably wind up on a salad for tomorrow’s lunch.

What’s your go-to quick dinner when you’re having a crazy week?

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If you haven’t already heard, there’s an interview with us (and a couple of recipes!) in this season’s Exhale Lifestyle Magazine for Women! The magazines are all around Boston, Metro West, and even Providence, so be sure to pick up a copy. We’re thrilled to be in an issue with such fantastic women!

[Chels]

Winter means chili. Even if it was almost 60 degrees out on Saturday. AKA heaven. But still. You can’t be this far into football season without whipping up a big batch of chili. Now, when I want chili, nine times out of ten, I want meat in that chili. Unless it’s this sweet potato chili that I made last year, which, I’m not gonna lie, was pretty much ridiculously awesome. But meat. I was definitely craving a beef or turkey chili the other night. But with my vow to get more veggies in place, I decided I could definitely have the best of both worlds. Have meat in my chili and eat my veggies, too! I used a lean turkey in this chili, plus added in plenty of butternut squash and swiss chard. For a ton of extra zing, I used chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Because I love them. And I poured in a beer, too. Can’t forget that important food group, can we? Not during football season.

Chipotle Turkey Chili with Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard (serves 8-10):
Print this recipe!

• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 t chili powder
• 1 1/2 t oregano
• 1 t cayenne
• 3 t tomato paste
• 2 lb. lean ground turkey
• 3 chipotle chilis and 3 T adobo sauce
• 1 bottle (12 oz.) beer, preferably a dark bock
• 14.5 oz. chopped/diced tomatoes
• 1 15 oz. can black beans.
• 2 1/2 C cubed butternut squash
• 1 bunch swiss chard
• Greek yogurt for topping
• Green onions for topping

To start, pour extra virgin olive oil to a large dutch oven or stockpot and turn heat to medium-high. Add onions and garlic to the pan and stir. Add chili powder, oregano, and cayenne and let cook for about 4 minutes, until onions are translucent.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about a minute before putting ground turkey into the pot. Break up turkey with a wooden spoon and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Add the chipotle peppers and the adobo sauce to the mixture and stir; cook for about 2 more minutes.

Pour beer into the pot. I used a nice Sam Adams Double Bock that I had never tried before.

Then add the tomatoes. I used these wonderful Pomi Italian tomatoes that were sent to me a little while ago. The size of the container is a bit unconventional (26.46 oz.), but the tomatoes are pretty awesome. So, So fresh! I might even go so far as to say I’d eat these out of the container with a spoon.

Add the black beans to the mixture, as well.

Stir the butternut squash in. Turn down the heat, cover, and simmer gently for about 30 minutes.

The mixture should thicken up during this time. A couple minutes before you’re ready to serve, add in the swiss chard.

Bright Lights rainbow swiss chard is basically my favorite thing to purchase, ever.

Stir it up and cook for another minute or so.

Top with Greek yogurt and some scallions. You can sprinkle some cheese on top, too, but to be honest, it doesn’t even need it!

I served it with more Sam Adams Double Bock (duh!) and some jalapeño cornbread that I whipped up at the last minute. And which totally redeemed me for the failed loaf of bread I made earlier that day (that’s what I get for trying to make a loaf of bread healthy myself).

But the chili. This chili was really gooood. It had pretty much everything I could ever want in a chili. Lots of variety and a slightly spicy kick from the chipotle. If you haven’t noticed, chipotle peppers are one of my favorite things in the universe.

And you know, next time I make it, I would probably consider just using 1 lb. of turkey and adding in extra squash and swiss chard. Since I was making a huge batch of chili and the veggies were kind of an afterthought, I figured 2 lbs. of turkey would be necessary. But I totally found myself digging around for the squash and greens. I wanted more!

Go me! I’m like a new person in 2012. Now, where’s my cupcake for a reward??

P.S. Jalapeños make everything better. So, you should always add them to cornbread. If you’re not a big fan of spice, scrape the seeds out and add them in for the flavor. You won’t regret it. Just like you won’t regret having that leftover beer with your chili.

Now, if only we could get some snow up in this piece. I know I’m in the minority here in Boston, but if I have to live in 20 degree weather, I at least want a little snow once in a while. No, I’m not looking forward to commuting in it, but I’m very much looking forward to sitting snuggled up on the couch in my pajamas while a thick blanket of white snow falls outside. And when that day comes, I will most definitely be whipping up another batch of this chili!

Side note: I wrote this yesterday and when I woke up this morning… Snow on the ground! Just a dusting and nothing to write home about, but did I just commit myself to another batch of chili?? It is going to be 46 degrees later today…

Is it chili weather where you are? Or is it always chili weather in your mind?

[Sues]

If we go out to lunch together, chances are you won’t hear me ordering a salad. But that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m averse to ordering salads out. If a restaurant offers me a salad featuring ahi tuna, for instance, I’m generally game. Or if I’m going through one of my regular Caesar salad cravings (but let’s be honest, can we really refer to a Caesar as “salad”?). Or yes, the typical Greek salad. It must be something about the combination of fresh veggies with kalamata olives and feta cheese (read: salt!) that I absolutely love. But no matter the salad, I’ve never been much for iceberg lettuce. Romaine doesn’t really do it for me either. Kale, on the other hand? Not only do I feel like some sort of healthy rockstar when I eat kale, but I also find it to be so much more flavorful than all that other watery, bland stuff.

In continuing with my let’s add more vegetables to my diet as soon as possible mantra, I whipped up this quick Kale Greek Salad. I think I get extra points for healthifying it up with kale. But who’s keeping score? Just me? OK.

Kale Greek Salad (serves 5-8):

Print this recipe!

• 1/2 bunch kale
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 red pepper
• 1 onion
• 1 C kalamata olives
• 1 C feta cheese
• 1 batch Greek dressing (see recipe below)

Let’s not pretend I invented the wheel, here. I’m not that smart. Everyone knows how to make a salad and everyone has preferences for what they like in a salad. I used the typical Greek salad veggies (though, admittedly, my onion should have been red), but feel free to subtract any out or add any in. I did use kale in place of lettuce after all.

Once you’ve washed your kale, remove the tough stems by cutting a “V” on both sides. Then cut the kale leaves into strips. I find this makes the best salad-eating kale, but, you can, of course, cut the kale however you’d like. Put the kale in a big salad bowl.

Chop the rest of your veggies (tomatoes diced, cucumbers in slices, peppers in strips, and onions in slices) and halve your olives. Throw them in the bowl and crumble the feta on top.

Now, make your dressing

Greek Salad Dressing:

• 1/3 C extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1 t dried oregano
• 1/2 t dried basil
• 1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
• 1 t dijon mustard
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1/8 C red wine vinegar

In a bowl or other container, mix together extra virgin olive oil, garlic, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, black pepper, and dijon.

Add in lemon juice and red wine vinegar and mix well.

Now all that’s left to do is to dress your salad!

And dig in. I don’t generally eat a whole lot of kale raw, so I was a bit nervous… But this was pretty awesome. The flavor of the kale wasn’t over-powering and it wasn’t too chewy either. I loved that it had a bit more of a kick than the typical romaine lettuce.

I offered Chris some salad, but warned him that he may not like the raw kale… He took a bite and said, “why wouldn’t I?”

If this salad was always in my fridge, I think I’d happily eat it for lunch every day. And if I wanted a sandwich, I’d put it in a pita and call it a lunch! Now, if only I had someone to run to the grocery store and chop all these vegetables for me every week. Hmmm. (and to hide the cookies and candy from me).

Let’s just say that so far, I’m pretty happy about adding these extra vegetables into my life. Let’s hope I can carry it into the New Year! But first, I think I’m going to enjoy my weekend quite a bit. You?

Are you a salad person?

[Sues]

What is the difference between a soup and a stew? I haven’t a clue. Nor, it seems, does anyone else on the World Wide Web. After much debate, I decided to call this wild rice and chicken sausage dish a stew. Because it sounds warmer. And more homey. And it’s cold out there. Plus, this dish has a whole lotta stuff in it. Just stewing away.

If you had the kind of holiday weekend I did, then you’re in serious need of some stew… soup… whatever. I enjoyed a huge feast of a dinner at L’andana on Christmas Eve, followed by a rather large Christmas brunch and beef tenderloin and stuffed shrimp dinner. Oh and homemade peppermint marshmallow ice cream and buche de Noel galore. And cocktails. Many cocktails. Basically, I ate and sat on the couch in my pajamas with my family and my Kindle all weekend long (which was exactly my goal). So, I needed to come down easy. Which meant sausage. But chicken sausage. And a slightly creamy stew, but only using one cup of milk in the whole pot. Oh, plus lots and lots of vegetables. Of course, you can add or eliminate anything you want to this dish. That’s the beauty of a good soup slash stew! But try to include at least one vegetable… I know you need it right now.

While I’m calling this a stew, it actually doesn’t need a whole lot of time to “stew” on the stove like you would think. In fact, it’s incredibly quick and easy to make. Which is another essential as you come down from this holiday season. Now maybe you’ll have enough energy to vacuum up those pine needles and rearrange your kitchen to fit all your new goodies. But even if you eat this in your slippers while on the couch continuing your holiday laziness, you can rejoice in the fact that you’re packing in both vegetables and healthy protein. That’s something not even Santa could bring you.

Wild Rice and Chicken Sausage Stew (serves about 8):
Print this recipe!

• 1 C wild rice
• 1 1/2 T olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 parsnips, chopped
• 1 C mushrooms, sliced
• 1 t cayenne
• 4 C reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 4 links chicken sausage (I used roasted garlic), sliced
• 1 C milk
• 1/3 C flour

Begin by cooking your cup of rice, according to directions. For some reason, neither grocery store I went to had just plain wild rice in stock, so I had to get a blend. You can get whichever you prefer. Or really use any type of rice you prefer. I’m a huge sucker for wild rice. Cook until just al dente.

Make sure your onion, garlic, carrots, celery, parsnips, and mushrooms are all chopped up.

Pour olive oil into a medium-sized stock pot or french oven. Add all the veggies in and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, and cayenne.

In a medium pan, cook chicken sausage in a little bit of olive oil until heated through and browned a bit. I used Al Fresco‘s Roasted Garlic sausage

Now pour chicken stock into stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook another 5 minutes.

Stir in chicken sausage.

Whisk together the flour and milk.

Add rice to stockpot and then stir in flour/milk roux.  Cook for 2 minutes.

Taste and add more salt, pepper, or cayenne if needed.

And dig into this jam-packed stew that will seriously satisfy you. I didn’t even feel the need to dip a huge hunk of bread into the broth while eating it, which is saying a whole lot for me. Generally soup has me craving bread big-time.

Honestly, it felt really good to be chowing down on vegetables. Though I do consider myself a fairly healthy eater, I think one of my New Year’s resolutions is going to be to pack in more vegetables every single day. Consciously eating more bright greens and oranges (and that doesn’t mean Skittles…) makes all the difference in the way I feel throughout my day.

And get ready because I have another veggie-packed dish coming to you later this week. But don’t worry; I won’t be getting rid of the cupcakes, marshmallows, and cocktails in 2012 either.  You know me better than that.

Are you trying to eat a bit healthier this week? Or are you waiting until after January 1st?  

[Sues]

December is busy. Like oh my God, I don’t even remember what my apartment looks like or what my couch feels like busy. That’s either because I’m never at my apartment or because it looks like a bomb hit it. Which is also because I’m never there.  Healthy eating? I mean, I’m not even sure where my kitchen is anymore, not to mention how to cook in it. Basically, I need an entire weekend to lounge around in my pajamas and hang out on the couch with a good book or a Christmas movie, taking short breaks to cook and bake. I’m also living in a dream world if I think that’s going to happen any time soon. Happy December! (Really, I’m not complaining as my busy-ness is mainly all FUN busy. But I still miss sleeping).

So, for now, I’m finding shortcuts to keep myself cooking and eating semi-healthy. Cue salmon. Contrary to popular belief, most fish is super easy to prepare. And, of course, it’s also mostly healthy. While I’m generally a crazy ridiculous planner when going to the grocery store, if I happen to see any sort of seafood at a good price, I’ll snatch it up and figure out how to prepare it as I go. That’s my idea of living on the edge. And that’s exactly what I did with this salmon. Orange juice, honey, and a hearty dose of jalapeños kicked the flavor up, but still let the salmon remain the star of the show.

Also, it involves ridiculously few ingredients. Things I always have at home anyway (besides the salmon). Yes, I consider it essential to always have jalapeño backups at home. Never know when you’ll need to call them in.

Orange Jalapeño Salmon (serves 2):
Print this recipe!

• 2-3 jalapeños, 1 minced 1 chopped and 1 whole (whole is optional garnish)
• 1/4 C orange juice
• 1/8 C honey
• 3/4 lb.-1 lb. salmon
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

As always, I’ll have you go through the seeds or no seeds in the jalapeño debate. I always include seeds. But I always love spicy. If you don’t, you can remove the seeds.

Start by putting the minced jalapeño, orange juice, and honey in a small saucepan and bringing to a boil.

Then lower the heat and simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Mixture will thicken.

In the meantime, divide salmon in half if needed and brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

And when the jalapeño orange juice mixture is done simmering, brush about half of the mixture over the salmon.

Grill salmon on medium-medium low in a grill pan or frying pan for about 3 minutes on each side.

My grill pan was a bit too hot and my salmon got a little charred. I actually kind of loved it though, especially since it wasn’t overcooked inside.

Remove salmon from pan and immediately put jalapeño rounds in grill pan. Turn heat to medium-high and grill until browned. If you’re using the whole jalapeño as garnish, put that in the grill pan, too.

Brush salmon with the remaining jalapeño, orange, honey mixture and top with grilled jalapeño rounds. I also served my salmon with some simple spinach and rice pilaf.

This is literally a 15-minute meal (take that, Rachael Ray!) and is perfect for those nights when you know you should cook, but also aren’t quite sure where to find a good 3-4 extra hours in your evening. Which is almost every day for me.

Yes, this looks like a ridiculous amount of jalapeños, but to be honest, because they were grilled (and boiled), much of the heat was absent. But don’t worry; the flavor remained. I loved the slight spice, combined with the sweetness of honey and citrus notes from the orange juice.

Also, you might want to serve it with a Jalapeño Orange Spritzer. Because after cooking this quick meal, you’ll have a few extra minutes to sit and put your feet up. Or maybe you should hang that pile of clothes on your bed. Or vacuum. Yeah, your living room probably needs a good vacuum. Forget that whole relaxing thing.

Oh, another reason I don’t remember what my apartment looks like is because I’ve been staying with this delight for the past 1.5 weeks:

Of course, seeing her face is totally worth it. Cutest ever!

What’s your favorite quick and easy fish dish?

[Sues]