BBQ Chicken Pizza with Pineapple

The weather here has been absolutely incredible. I went to the beach on Thursday. In March. This is by far the best staycation I've ever had! This pizza is also one of the best we've ever made at home. We've enjoyed this numerous times and I finally have a picture to share with you. We brought this to friends for dinner the other night. They seemed to enjoy it just as much as we do. There is also something about pineapple that makes me feel like I'm in the tropics. The ranch adds a wonderful creaminess to the BBQ sauce but not an overwhelming flavor change. This recipe is from Sing for your Supper.

You will need:
*pizza dough or a prepared crust (like Boboli)
*
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
*
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
*
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

*1/2 cup BBQ sauce, plus more for the crust
*
1/4 cup ranch salad dressing
*
fresh pineapple, cut into pieces
*cilantro, chopped for topping (optional)
-I tend to eyeball ingredients when making pizzas. This often results in more cheese, but that's how we like things around here!

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a bowl, combine the shredded chicken with the BBQ sauce. Set aside.

3. Spread a think layer of BBQ sauce on to the pizza dough. Top the BBQ sauce with the ranch dressing and swirl with the back of a spoon to combine. Spread the shredded chicken on top of the sauce. Next, sprinkle the cheeses and pineapple over the pizza.

4. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. If using cilantro, add to pizza right before serving. (I love cilantro, but we only buy it when it's being used in a few recipes during the week)

Guinness Donuts

It's almost St. Patrick's Day. That means corned beef, Baileys and Guinness treats are taking over the blog world. Here's a breakfast idea for the weekend to keep that theme going. These donuts came out a bit dry, so I might try adding some yogurt the next time I make them. I do really like the combination of cocoa and Guinness. If you're looking for a dessert to bring to a St. Patty's celebration, I highly recommend Guinness and Baileys cupcakes. This donut recipe was found on Bakers Royale.

You will need:
*2 1/2 cups flour
*1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
*2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
*3/4 teaspoon baking soda
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*2 eggs (1 egg white and 2 yolks)
*1 teaspoon vanilla
*3/4 cup sugar
*3 tablespoons butter
*3 ounces of dark chocolate
*1/3 cup milk
*1/2 cup Guinness or other dark stout beer

1. Lightly grease donut pan and preheat oven to 375.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine egg, egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar. Beat until well mixed and fluffy in texture. Add in milk and beer, beat to combine. Slowly add the dry mix until incorporated into the batter.

4. Melt butter and chocolate in a bowl of over simmering water or on a double broiler. Fold in in to the batter.

5. Fill the donut wells about 1/4 full with the batter. I find it works well to use a frosting bag for this. Bake for about 4-6 minutes.

If you'd like to add a glaze, check out the original recipe. I decided to keep these simple. These donuts are best eaten the day they are made.

Grapefruit Marinated Steak Fajitas

We are experiencing some amazing spring weather this week. It is excellent timing because I'm on spring break! I cannot wait to get our grill cleaned and ready for use again.

The night I made these enchiladas, I was craving summer grilled food. We rarely cook red meat at home anymore, so this dinner was a great weeknight change of pace. The original recipe, from Confections of a Foodie Bride, is setup to be prepared entirely on the grill. It was still a chilly, dark night when I made these, so we opted to cook them on the stove top. I also cut the oil in half. We were very happy with the results of this recipe!

You will need:
*1/4 cup fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
*1/4 cup fresh lime juice
*pinch of salt
*black pepper
*1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1-2 tablespoons more for cooking
*1 lb beef (My local butcher sells small stir fry strips. Look for flank or skirt steak.)
*1 large yellow onion, sliced
*2 large bell peppers, sliced into strips (I used one red and one green)
*8 corn tortillas

For toppings, we Chose:
*1 avocado, sliced
*Greek yogurt
*shredded cheese

1. In a large Ziplock bag, combine the grapefruit and lime juices, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Add the beef, seal the bag, and squeeze the marinade together and onto the meat. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

2. Once the marinated meat is ready, saute peppers and onions over medium heat in a small skillet.

3. In a separate skillet, cook the steak over medium high heat. Flip the steak pieces after about 5 minutes.

4. Serve your fajitas as desired.

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.