Grilled Broccoli with Lemons

Hands-on Time:  10 minutes
Total Time:  20 minutes
Serves 4

• 1 bunch broccoli
• 2 lemons
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Cut broccoli into 8 large spears and cut lemons into quarters.  In a large bowl, toss with olive oil; season with salt and pepper.  Grill the broccoli and lemons over medium heat, turning occasionally, until tender and lightly charred, 10 to 15 minutes.  Squeeze the lemons over the broccoli and drizzle with additional olive oil.

As always, on the never ending hunt for good side dishes.  From Real Simple’s 10 Ideas for Broccoli, this is a good recipe to try when you’ve got the grill going in the late spring and summer months.  I served this along side the yummy Creamy Pecorino Pasta with grilled chicken cutlets.  I wasn’t a huge fan of this broccoli side dish though.  I think it has to do with me liking my broccoli steamed and softer rather than so crisp and more raw.

3 Ingredient Mint Fudge

Or as Lacey over at Perks of a Being a JAP perhaps more accurately titled it – 3 Minute – 3 Ingredient Mint Fudge – HELLS YES!

I love chocolate.  I love mint.  I love quick, easy recipes.  So it was a no-brainer to check this recipe out when Lacey posted it.

And this recipe lives up to expectations.  It’s super easy and delicious.  The only tough part about it – and this was only because I couldn’t find mint chips like Lacey did – was unwrapping and crushing Andes mints.  But, come on, they’re Andes mints so it’s worth the extra effort.

Head on over to Lacey’s post for all of the details and add this recipe to your collection today!

Boozy Strawberry-Orange Milkshake

Hands-on Time:  5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Serves 4

• 1 pint vanilla ice cream
• 1½ c strawberries
• ¼ c milk
• ¼ c Cointreau (orange liqueur)

In a blender, puree ice cream, strawberries, and orange liqueur until smooth.  Divide among 4 glasses.

From Real Simple’s ’10 Ideas for:  Vanilla Ice Cream,’ this is soooo good.  My husband and I drank it all up – and no I didn’t cut it in half like I do with recipes a lot of the time!  This drink is delicious, easy and quick.

This . . .

. . . becomes this!

I did use Triple Sec instead of Cointreau.  Cointreau isn’t cheap and with this being the only recipe I had a use for it at the time, I couldn’t justify buying it. But I already had Triple Sec on hand, so voila!

As soon as strawberries are back in season, this will be back on my list to make.  I can almost taste it now just telling you about it!  Mmmm.

Lemony Chicken Caesar Salad

Total Time:  5 minutes
Serves 2

• 2 Tbsp mayonniase
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ½ head romaine lettuce
• 1 cooked chicken breast, sliced
• ½ c croutons or baked tortillas

1. In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, lemon juice, Parmesan, mustard, and salt and pepper; divide the dressing between 2 small containers.  
2. In 2 larger containers, divide romaine lettuce (torn into pieces), chicken (sliced), and croutons. Top with shaved Parmesan, if desired.
3. Refrigerate the salad and dressing separately for up to 6 hours in advance.  
4. Toss each salad with the dressing just before serving.

Originally featured in an older edition as Real Simple’s brown-bag lunch of the month, this is a delicious, lite meal.  I made a few tweaks, such as using baked tortillas instead of croutons and bottled lemon juice instead of real.

My side salad of choice, of course.

This was so good!  Above is one of my favorite Caesar salads.  I’m so happy to be able to ditch the bagged salads every once in a while now, when I have more time, that is!  I like to make this Lemony Chicken Caesar Salad as a lunchtime or a lite dinner meal.  I have yet to brown bag it though.  I make it and enjoy it right away.

Well, if you like sweets, you should definitely make up these Black & White cookies.  They are so good.   And you can share them at work, with family, friends and yep, even your valentine!

Need ideas for a nice dinner in to celebrate?  Try a themed night in!  If you remember, last year I did a luau themed dinner for Valentine’s Day.  My husband and I honeymooned in Hawaii so it was a little nod to that to give it a tinge of romance without being all ushy-gushy. So maybe you and your significant other have a similar favorite vacation spot you could commemorate?  Or just a theme you like a a lot – Mexican night, or maybe you both really really like Thanksgiving.  Why not make Valentine’s Day a second Thanksgiving!  Or perhaps you have a favorite TV show you like to cuddle up and watch?

Get creative and have fun with it!  Bonus points for creativity and cut down on work – like having a crockpot meal like I did for the luau!  The Thanksgiving theme would probably be a bit much – maybe when Valentine’s Day falls on a weekend, eh?

We’ll be doing the luau theme again this year.  And with a couple new dishes I’ll have to report back on.  And I’m also whipping up a batch of the Black & White cookies and these from Ashley at Hem and Her to share with co-workers and friends!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Hands-on Time:  5 minutes
Total Time:  5 minutes
Serves 1

• ¼ c pineapple juice
• ¼ c plain low-fat yogurt
• ¼ c strawberries
• ½ frozen banana

  Blend together and enjoy!

This is a really yummy smoothie!  I found it in none other than, Real Simple!  They did a big Healtth Guide piece on snacks.  This came from their section on Snacks for the couch.

I did forget to use a frozen banana, just used room temp one.  So, the drink wasn’t as chilled as it could have been but it was still good!

Ready to Blend

So if you’ve made some new year’s resolutions to snack healthier, add this to your list to try!

Pasta with Goat Cheese and Basil Oil

Hands-on Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

• 12 oz gemelli or some other short pasta
• 3 c fresh basil leaves
• ½ c olive oil
• 4 oz crumbled fresh goat cheese
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper

1. Cook pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, in a blender, puree 2 c fresh basil leaves with olive oil until smooth; pour through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids.
3. Toss the pasta with the basil oil, goat cheese, the remaining fresh basil leaves, salt, and pepper.

A Real Simple recipe, this has an interesting tangy, sweet, creaminess.  I served it as a side to Not-So-Sloppy Joes.  It was little weird eating it at the fresh, warm temperature.  I think I preferred the chilled temperature after leftovers had been stored in the fridge.

Some of the Ingredients

Mixin’ it up

So in my search for a good variety of side dishes preferably on the healthier side, this one makes the list.

Turkey and Chutney Sandwich

Hands-on Time:  10 minutes
Total Time:  10 minutes
Serves 1

• 2 slices sourdough bread
• 2 oz thinly sliced roasted turkey
• 2 oz Brie, sliced
• ¼ c arugula

Cranberry-Nut Relish

• 2 Tbsp cranberry or some other fruit chutney
• 2 Tbsp chopped toasted pecans

Combine ingredients for the Cranberry-Nut Relish and assemble all ingredients on the sourdough bread.

From a Real Simple feature on sandwiches comes this wild mash up of flavors.

I did not have an easy time finding the chutney and barely saw it right before I gave up my hunt.

I also have no clue how to work with brie that is not Laughing Cow and already sliced up for me.  I kinda hacked it up.  Suggestions for the future anyone?

Served with Bananas with Coconut and Nut Butter for a nice little meal!

Crispy Popcorn Chicken

Hands-on Time:  20 minutes
Total Time:  20 minutes
Serves 4

• 24 oz chicken cutlets
• salt
• pepper
• 1 c buttermilk
• 1 c flour
• canola oil

1. Cut chicken into 1″ pieces; season with salt and pepper.
2. Dip in buttermilk, then in flour.  
3. In batches, fry the chicken in 1/2″ canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side; drain and season with salt.
4. Serve with dipping sauce and corn on the cob.

This is a simple and delicious recipe that I’ll be making again very soon!  It’s perfect for a lunch or light dinner or even for snacking!

The original recipe comes from Real Simple’s “10 Ideas for:  Chicken Breasts.”  You’ve probably noticed that I prefer to use chicken cutlets for just about all of my chicken recipes. I also changed up a couple other things you may or may not have noticed.

One, this recipe recommended serving with barbecue sauce.  We opted for ranch dressing and sriracha ketchup.  Both were very good.

The recipe also recommended serving with corn on the cob.  I did a variation and went with the Buttery Grilled Corn recipe.  When the grill isn’t available during the winter months I have tried this recipe with frozen, steam-in-the-microwave corn and it tastes almost the same!

Crispy Popcorn Chicken draining and cooling on paper towels after frying.

As always, when frying with oil, be sure you don’t leave it unattended or have any distractions.  And set up everything you’ll need before you start (ie:  plate close by with paper towels for draining and cooling as pieces come out of the oil).

Homemade Salad Dressing

Ready for a break from the same old, bottled salad dressing I had to bookmark this recipe when Jenn at Once Upon a Chef posted it.

As it turns out, when I made it, it wasn’t quite up to par.  Through no fault but my own though.  You’ll notice Jenn thoroughly notes the ingredients she uses.  Not only in pictures, but also in the ingredients list.  ’Real maple syrup,’ ‘best quality,’ etc.  And being the realist that I am, thinking I could get away with what I already hand (because I have before with no issue) I chose to not heed her advice and expertise.  And welp, I learned a lesson.

The ingredients I used . . .

Now if I ever get around to hunting down her recommended ingredients I’ll definitely be giving this recipe another try.  Jenn does not steer you wrong.  Just be sure you don’t decide to veer off course like me!