Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas

How Sweet It Is rarely posts something that I do not want to eat immediately. These enchiladas are further proof that Jessica only shares amazing recipes. I ended up prepping the shredded chicken the night before I made these so they were an extremely quick weeknight dinner. As you may notice in the picture, I made 7 enchiladas. I probably could have stretched the filling better to make 8 or stuffed it into 6 large enchiladas. Both Dave and I enjoyed some enchiladas for lunch the next few days too. This is certainly a dinner we'll make again and again.

You will need:
*8 large whole wheat tortillas
*3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
*28 ounces red enchilada sauce
*1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
*1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
*4 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
*5 green onions, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prep a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray.

2. Combine enchilada sauce with the buffalo wing sauce. Whisk together.
(If you're worried about heat, start with only 1/4 cup of the wing sauce and taste)

3. In another bowl, combine shredded chicken, 2 green onions, and 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese. Pour in about a 1/2 cup of enchilada/buffalo sauce mixture and mix thoroughly.

4. Pour a thin layer of enchilada/buffalo sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Fill each tortilla with the chicken mixture. Roll each enchilada and set it in the baking dish, seam side down.

5. Top the enchiladas with more of the sauce and remaining monterey jack cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

6. Add crumbled gorgonzola on top of the enchiladas as soon as they come out of the oven. Garnish with the remaining scallions.
Any leftover sauce can be kept in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, and use if reheating enchiladas.

Turkey Veggie Burgers

These burgers are delicious! The zucchini and carrot help keep the turkey from drying out as they cook. I don't know if it was the ketchup and pickle topping or what, but both Dave and I thought these reminded us of McDonald's burgers. It's been years since I had one of those! These burgers come together in a snap which make them a quick and healthy weeknight dinner. If you're looking for a new burger, I highly recommend these. This is a Real Simple recipe that I found on Beantown Baker.

You will need:
*1 1/2 lb ground turkey
*1-2 medium zucchini
*1-2 medium carrot
*3 cloves garlic, minced
*1/2 teaspoon paprika
*splash Worcestershire sauce
*3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
*1/4 teaspoon black pepper
*1 large egg
*1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
*1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Grate zucchini and carrots.

2. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, carrots, garlic, seasonings, egg, panko, and turkey. Form mixture into 6 patties.

3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties until no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes per side.

4. Enjoy on a bun with some of your favorite toppings. We topped ours with a slice of a cheese, ketchup, and Wickles relish.

Red Velvet Donuts

Are you still looking for a special treat to make your Valentine?

How about red velvet donuts?

I think these are the perfect Valentine to give to yourself this year!
All you need are donut pans to bake these in.
Happy Valentine's Day!

I found the donut recipe on Taste and Tell. These donuts were a bit dry so next time I will probably shorten the cooking time to see if that helps. For the glaze I relied on Alton. Since I did not have any whole milk, I substituted skim and halved the recipe. It tasted great but definitely thinned the glaze for coating.

For the donuts, you will need:
*2 1/4 cups flour
*1 tablespoon baking powder
*1 teaspoon baking soda
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*3/4 cup sugar
*1 egg
*2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
*2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
*1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
*1/2 cup buttermilk (I used 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar)
*1 tablespoon red food coloring

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease your donut pan.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

3. In another large bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg. Stir in the melted butter and melted chocolate. Once combined, add in the vanilla extract, buttermilk, and red food coloring.

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet red mixture. Mix just until combined. The dough should be stiff.

5. Fill the donut pan with the batter until each cavity is about 2/3 full. Bake for 12-15 minutes. (I would stick closer to 12 to start)

6. Remove donut pans from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove the donuts and place on a cooling rack.

For the glaze, you will need:
*1/8 cup milk
*1/2 teaspoon vanilla exract
*1 cup powdered sugar

1. Combine milk and vanilla in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until warm. Stir the powdered sugar gradually into the pan. Whisk slowly, until well combined. Remove the glaze from the heat and set over a bowl of warm water (I found success keeping it over a warm burner) Dip doughnuts into the glaze, 1 at a time, and set on a rack placed over a half sheet pan to set for 5 minutes before serving.

Mushroom Pancetta Quiche

Quiche is so simple to make. I love it as a brunch or dinner option. It keeps in the fridge for a few days, so it is perfect for a prepared lunch too. Quiche is extremely versatile making it a wonderful way to use up leftover produce at the end of the week. I used the same recipe I've based quiches on for the past few years. This flavor combination was certainly blog worthy. It even forced my mushroom hating husband to enjoy a few slices!

You will need:
*1 tablespoon olive oil
*1/2 cup diced onion
*4oz. chopped pancetta
*4oz. mushrooms (you could certainly add more for a fuller filling)
*1 teaspoon minced garlic
*3/4 cup milk
*3 large eggs
*1/2 cup cheddar cheese
*salt and pepper to taste
*frozen pie crust

1. Preheat the oven to 375.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet; add the garlic, onion, mushrooms, and pancetta. Sautee until onions and mushrooms are cooked. Flavor with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, beat the eggs. Whisk the milk and cheddar cheese into the eggs.

4. Spoon the veggies into the bottom of the pie crust. Pour the egg mixture over top.

5. Bake for approximately 45 minutes.

Chicken Paprika

I love Greek yogurt. There is always plain Chobani in our fridge. I think poor Dave misses sour cream, but Greek yogurt has completely taken over in all recipes we make. I was a little worried about making the switch in this sour cream based dish, but it was a success! This recipe is from Eat, Live, Run and is featured over dumplings. I decided to serve our chicken over egg noodles. This is another dish that comes together easily which makes it perfect for a busy weeknight.

You will need:
*1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
*2 tablespoons olive oil
*2 garlic cloves, minced
*1 yellow onion, diced
*1 cup chicken broth
*1 tablespoon paprika
*1 teaspoon sea salt
*1/2 teaspoon pepper
*1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
*3/4 cup Greek yogurt
*1 tablespoon flour

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender. Add the garlic, chicken, paprika, salt and pepper and saute until the chicken has browned. (about 8 minutes)

2. Add the broth to the pan with the chicken and increase heat to high. Bring mixture to a simmer and continue cooking for another five minutes or so until the chicken is done. Remove chicken and set aside.

3. Reduce heat to low; add the yogurt and flour to the simmering broth (I added another splash of chicken broth too). Whisk well until there are no clumps and the mixture is very thick. Add chicken back into the pan and stir well.

4. Serve over egg noodles or checkout the original recipe for steps to a quick dumpling base.

Chicken and Goat Cheese Strudel

I love getting recipes and ideas from Clean Eating Magazine. I signed up for a subscription through an online deal site not sure what to expect. There are so many cooking magazines that come to our mailbox and Clean Eating is often the one I read first because it's easy to flip through. This recipe is from the Nov/Dec 2011 issue, and it was a perfect dish during the busier holiday months. We've had this for lunch and dinner. I've even sliced it into smaller portions to serve as an appetizer too. We'll be enjoying this again one night this week.

You will need:
*2 garlic cloves, minced
*1 pound ground chicken
*2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
*5 ounces baby spinach
*4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
*4 sheets phyllo dough (whole wheat is recommended, but I couldn't find any)
*sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Cook chicken in a skillet over medium-high heat; season with garlic and Italian seasoning. Once the chicken is cooked through, place into a mixing bowl.

2. Reuse the skillet to sautee the spinach. (This should only take a couple of minutes) Strain the spinach to remove all moisture by squeezing out the liquid with a spatula in a fine mesh strainer. (If you do not have a fine mesh strainer, you could also push the spinach to the sides of a colander to help remove the moisture) Add the spinach to the seasoned chicken and stir in the goat cheese. Add salt and pepper for flavor.

3. On a flat surface, mist one phyllo sheet with cooking spray or olive oil. Top with another phyllo sheet and spray again. Repeat with all sheets misting before each addition. Mist only the edges of the top sheet. Spoon the chicken and spinach mixture onto the bottom third of the phyllo stack. Be sure to leave about a 2 inch border at the bottom. Roll the phyllo dough over the top of the filling and keep rolling tucking in the edges as you go. Mist the top of the strudel. Using a knife, make small slits in the top about 1 inch apart. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and cook for 25 minutes, until the cheese bubbles a bit from the top. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

I've made this recipe for friends and family and everyone has enjoyed it. It easily doubles to 8 servings. The one thing about this meal is that it doesn't make for great leftovers and is best eaten the day it is prepared. It wasn't terrible to reheat, but not nearly as good as when fresh because of the way it is baked into the squash. I found this recipe on Prevention RD.

You will need:
*2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded)

*2 tablespoons butter, melted
*1 clove of garlic, minced
*1/2 tsp ground sage, divided
*3/4 lb Italian sausage links, casings removed (I use ground sausage from my local grocer)
*
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
*1 celery rib, finely chopped
*4 oz mushrooms, chopped
*1 apple, cored and chopped
*1 cup panko crumbs
*
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
*salt and pepper
*
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine the melted butter, garlic, and 1/4 tsp sage. Brush the inside and outside of each squash with the butter mix. Place the squash on a cookie sheet, open side up, and roast until fork tender (about an hour).

3. Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Once browned, remove sausage from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate, set aside. Add the onions, celery, and mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Next, add the apples and cook for another 2 minutes. Return the sausage to the skillet then remove from heat.

4. Season with 1/4 tsp sage, salt, and pepper. Stir in the panko and Parmesan, add the egg, and stir to combine.

5. Divide the stuffing evenly among the four squash halves. Return to the heated oven and bake for another 20 minutes.

Oreo Peanut Butter Brownies

Can you believe it's the last day of 2011? This year certainly had its ups and downs in our household. I am ready to move on to a fresh start with a new year. I am looking forward to celebrating New Year's Eve with good friends and good food tonight. I hope you kick off 2012 right!

Before all of those healthier eating resolutions kick in, I had to share this delicious recipe. My sister-in-law has recently started a blog, Sunday Dinner and then Some. After reading about these treats on her blog, hearing her talk about them, and seeing numerous Facebook friends make them, I caved. These were the dessert at back to back dinner parties we attended. Everyone loved them. A great go-to recipe for a last minute dessert since we usually have most of these ingredients on hand, except for Oreos. Those are not welcome in the house unless we have a use for them!

You will need:
*24 Oreo cookies (this is the one time double stuff will not work! They'll be too big)

*smooth peanut butter

*brownie mix and all the ingredients the box calls for

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line or grease a 12-cup muffin pan.

2. Spread peanut butter on top of an Oreo, press an Oreo on top, and spread more peanut butter on the top of the two Oreos stacked together. Place into the muffin tin. Repeat until you have a peanut butter Oreo stack in each muffin well.

3. Make your boxed brownie mix.

4. Spoon the prepared brownie mix into the muffin wells. Be sure to cover the cookie stacks and get down and around them. This should require about 2 tablespoons of the mixture for each Oreo stack. (I ended up making a few more because I had leftover batter and a second muffin tin!)

4. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to baking racks to cool completely. You can also eat them warm. I highly recommend that!

Squash Macaroni and Cheese

This is another successful recipe from Cooking Light magazine. I tagged it in my September issue but kind of forgot about it until I spotted it on Prevention RD. The squash purèed and mixed with the cheeses makes this mac and cheese taste like it is terrible for you. Isn't that what you want in a bowl of mac and cheese?! This would be a great way to sneak a veggie serving to kids or other picky eaters. You can certainly taste the squash though, so I am not sure it would work for someone that despises butternut squash. (I find it hard to believe that such people exist!) I made this awhile back and am adding it to our menu again next week. I highly recommend you make this soon. I'd say it is one of the best new recipes we tried in 2011.

You will need:
*3 cups butternut squash (about 1 pound), cubed and peeled
*1 1/4 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
*1 1/2 cups skim milk
*2 garlic cloves
*1 teaspoon kosher salt
*1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
*2 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
*1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
*1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
*1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
*1 pound uncooked pasta (I used one 13.25 oz. box of whole wheat rotini)
*2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (omitted)

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium for about 25 minutes until squash is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from heat.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt, drain well.

4. Carefully, place the hot squash mixture in a blender. (I am lazy with blending recipes and always use my immersion blender!) Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. If you use a blender, remove the top's center to allow heat to escape. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid to help prevent splattering. Blend until smooth.

4. Place blended mixture in a bowl. Stir in Gruyère, pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano-Reggiano until combined. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Sprinkle with parsley if desired, and serve immediately.

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Here is the hot chocolate on a stick recipe that used the homemade marshmallows. This can be swirled into warm milk to make a creamy hot chocolate, or it can be enjoyed directly off the stick as a piece of fudge topped with marshmallow. This recipe has been all over blogs, but I followed the steps on The Dainty Chef. If you are still in need of a gift idea, give these hot chocolate sticks a try. They take awhile in how long everything needs to set, but they are not complicated to make. I'm excited to gift these to coworkers, friends, and family. In addition to these, this year's baked gifts included some gingerbread granola, oreo truffles, gingerbread biscotti, cinnamon sugar muffins, and the usual pretzel treats. I tried a number of new recipes while I was off this week. Some were successes and others were not. I am planning on baking a bit more these last few days before the holiday so hopefully I'll be back with more to share.

You will need:
*1/2 cup heavy cream
*14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
*3 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (can be chopped or chips)
*4-oz bar unsweetened chocolate (I blanked on using this the first batch and it was fine without)
*marshmallows, can use store bought to save time
*lollipop sticks
*cellophane bags

1. Prepare an 8x8 pan by lining it with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Heat the cream and sweetened condensed milk over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it starts steaming. Remove pan from heat and stir in the chocolates. Let sit for 10 minutes.

3. After ten minutes, put the chocolate mixture back on medium-low heat and stir with a whisk until chocolate is completely melted. (This did not take too long) Pour the chocolate mixture into prepared pan and spread it to be as level as you can. Let this set, uncovered, for about 12 hours.

4. Remove chocolate from the pan onto a cutting board with the top side down. Run a long, thin knife under hot water and wipe with a paper towel. Divide your square into six equal sections vertically and then horizontally. You want to keep reheating the knife with hot water after every few cuts. Store the chocolate squares in an airtight container until ready to use. I layered mine into a simple Tupperware using wax paper.

5. To assemble, place a marshmallow and then hot chocolate fudge piece onto each lollipop stick. Package in a bag and twist tie or add a ribbon. You'll also want to include directions with these treats. Here are the tags that I used that were inspired by Make and Takes:

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Swirl and melt the chocolate and marshmallow

stick in 4-8 ounces of hot milk.

If you can't wait for it to melt, just eat

the hot chocolate fudge and marshmallow

directly off the stick!