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Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Buffalo Chicken Chili
If you love the flavor of buffalo chicken, you'll have to try this easy buffalo chicken chili! I started with a recipe I found on Pinterest, but the version below is the one I that made.

You will need:

  • 1 pound of ground chicken
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 half of a diced onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrots
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 15 oz diced tomatoes
  • 15 oz canned white beans (drained)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cups of hot sauce
  • cheese for topping (bleu cheese, feta, cheddar)(optional)
  • sour cream (optional)
To make this chili, cook the ground chicken. Add the oil to a pot, along with the onion, carrots, and celery, cooking them for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken, garlic, oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, tomatoes, and beans. Stir in the chicken broth and hot sauce, and let simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, until hot. Top with your choice of cheese or toppings, and enjoy!

This a great twist on chicken chili, with a kick of spicy buffalo wing flavor!

Try it in the crockpot!

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Friday, March 29, 2013

Black Bottom Cupcakes (Gluten Free!)

Sometimes, the strangest food combinations actually go together, and combine to make something amazing, like chips on sandwiches, or cupcakes with bacon. Enter one of the most deliciously strange food combinations of all, chocolate and cheese, and you have the black bottom cupcake.

There are plenty of black bottom cupcake recipes to be found on the internet, but I decided to take a traditional recipe, and attempt to make it gluten free. It has been three months since I gave up gluten, and with Easter occurring in two days, it was important to me to have a recipe that would be safe to eat, without tasting "off" to the friends and family I would be sharing it with.

You will need:

For the cream cheese topping:
  • 8 ounces of cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup of sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 to 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the cake bottom:
  • 1 & 1/2 cups of gluten free all purpose baking flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
  • 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup of cocoa
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp salt

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients for the cheese topping together, and set aside.

Mix the xanthan gum in with the olive oil until dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients for the cake bottom, and mix until smooth. Pour the cake batter into greased muffin tin (I used muffin cups), filling each cup about halfway. Top with a scoop of the cheese mixture, and bake for 25 minutes.



This recipe makes 18 regular sized cupcakes, and they are amazing!

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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

This chicken bacon ranch pasta recipe is a very filling dinner dish that is great served hot, or cold leftover the next day.

Note: this recipe is not gluten free as written, so be sure to substitute the flour and pasta for a gluten free variety if you are avoiding gluten!


You will need:

  • 13 ounces of pasta
  • 12 ounces of chicken
  • Bacon (approximately 10 strips)
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
Cook your chicken thoroughly, and cut into bite sized pieces (or you can use precooked chicken if you wish). Cut up your bacon into smaller pieces and cook with the butter until crispy.

Cook the noodles as instructed on the package.

Add the chicken, flour, ranch, milk, and cheddar cheese to the pan with the bacon, and cook over medium-high heat until all ingredients are blended and the cheese has melted. Pour the sauce over the noodles and mix everything together. Serve topped with parmesan cheese if desired, and enjoy!

This chicken bacon ranch pasta recipe is very filling, but also really good, and the leftovers are an easy lunch, because this pasta tastes great (maybe even better!) cold.

You may also enjoy:
Buffalo Chicken Tacos
Easy Mac and Cheese

Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest!

Monday, March 4, 2013

Spicy Hummus & Parmesan Chicken

This recipe was so easy. I am always looking for ways to use chicken breasts in recipes, and this was a great way to use some leftover hummus!

You will need:

  • 4 chicken breasts (frozen is fine)
  • Approx. 4 tbsp hummus
  • Paprika
  • Lime or lemon juice
  • Grated parmesan
  • Parsley
For this recipe, I used a spicy hummus. If you have a regular hummus on hand, try mixing in some cayenne pepper to taste. While it definitely had a kick, this recipe is not too spicy, but it has a great flavor!


To start, arrange the chicken breasts in a baking dish or pan. While I used a baking pan (as you will see in pictures), I recommend using a smaller dish, where the chicken pieces will be closer together. This is because the hummus may melt while in the oven, and a smaller dish will help prevent it from sliding off of the chicken.

Cover your chicken breasts with the hummus. Be very careful not to dip the spoon used to press the hummus on the raw chicken back into the tub of hummus. If your spoon touches the raw chicken, and ends up back in the tub of hummus, do not eat what is left over.



Squeeze a few spritzes of your lemon or lime juice over the chicken. Sprinkle with paprika, and cover with a generous helping of grated parmesan. Finish with a sprinkle of parsley.

Cook the chicken in an oven preheated to 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes. 30 minutes worked for my frozen chicken, so if your chicken is not frozen, it should be finished in about twenty minutes.

Remove from the oven and enjoy! I served this with a side of quinoa pasta with alfredo and a mix of vegetables.



You may also be interested in:
Breakfast Muffins: All the Best Parts of Breakfast in One Little Cupcake! (gluten free/low carb)
Zesty Chicken Taco Quesadillas (gluten free/low carb)

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Sunday, March 3, 2013

Zesty Chicken Taco Quesadillas

Tortillas were definitely off the table (literally and figuratively) when I decided to try a gluten free diet. Crunchy tacos seemed to be the only option, especially when my first and only attempt at soft tacos using corn tortillas was definitely not up to standard.

When I made my most recent grocery list, I casually browsed for another substitute item, prepared to risk another "sort of palatable" dinner. I found tortillas made of brown rice, which had mostly positive reviews. The only negative feedback was that they, like many other gluten free tortilla options, tended to get "crispy" or crumbly if the temperature was too cool. My reasoning for purchasing them was that I could use the brown rice tortillas for quesadillas, since the tortillas could remain flat (and not folded, which poses a problem with crumbly tortillas) and, since quesadillas are cooked on the stove, who cares if the quesadilla is a little "crispy"?!

You can use whichever tortillas you like, but, if you are on a gluten free eating plan, I highly recommend that you give this recipe a try.

Easy, Zesty Chicken Taco Quesadillas
(two servings)

You will need:
  • 4 tortillas
  • 12 oz. shredded chicken
  • Taco seasoning to taste (about 1/2 of 1.25 oz packet)
  • 1 & 1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice
  • Salsa & toppings as desired
To start, mix your shredded chicken in a bowl with the seasoning. I just used a pre-cooked can, but with a little extra prep time, you can cook and shred your own. Mix the seasoning well, making sure to coat all of the chicken, and avoiding clumps of seasoning.

Next, get your tortillas ready. If you are using regular wheat tortillas, you are probably all set.

If you are using gluten free tortillas, they may be frozen to start. Lay them flat between two paper towels (keeping another paper towel or wax paper between them) and microwave them for 30-60 seconds until warm. 

Next, layer cheese, the seasoned chicken, and another layer of cheese between the tortillas. Lightly coat a frying pan in non-stick cooking spray, and turn the stove to medium heat. Gently place your quesadilla in the pan, and cook until the cheese is mostly melted, for 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the bottom tortilla! Using a spatula, gently flip the quesadilla, and cook the other side for an additional 3-5 minutes. 



Repeat the process for the next tortilla. Slice the finished quesadillas into pieces with a pizza cutter, serve with salsa and toppings, and enjoy!




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