easter ham & thyme baked macaroni

easter was at our house this year, for the first time. since i had been doing dishes for nine hours on the previous day, when easter morning rolled around, i wasn't exactly feeling "inspired", shall we say. my ham was from target, and my rolls from fred meyer. i did make my own chinese cabbage salad, which is always fantastic, and two carrot cakes, which i'll be sharing later, but anywayyyy...
i am left with an abundance of juicy ham, (thanks, target!) and being someone who rarely cooks with pork, i was overwhelmed with the lack of  possibilities!
first off, we have this amazing (trust me, i'm eating it right now) creation from yours truly:

easter ham&thyme baked macaroni

here's what you need:
1/8 c. fresh thyme, chopped
1 lb large elbow macaroni pasta
2 cups ham, chopped
2 1/3 cup whole milk
8 oz mozzarella cheese
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
3 1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup butter (i used smart balance)
salt and pepper to taste

first off, cook your macaroni in a large pot, and according to the directions on the package. go ahead and leave the noodles sitting in the sieve until you're ready for them.

in the large pot used for the pasta, add your butter and melt. add flour and thyme, and whisk for five minutes. (do not shorten this
time!)

slowly add milk, mustard, salt, and pepper, whisk for a few more minutes. should be very thick. add the ham and both cheeses, reserving a small amount for the top as you bake it.
once your mixture is all combined and melted, add the pasta to it. stir, place in greased 9x13 baking dish (or whatever will hold it!) and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
enjoy!

caesar chicken crisps

hey y'all!
so guess what?! yours truly is an employed citizen. that's right, i gots a job. it's at baker & spice, in sw portland. so far, it's amazing! everyone there is incredibly genuine and supportive of me in my inexperienced state.
i have still been cooking though, and will continue to do so!
the other day i made these amazing caesar chicken crisps, and they are fairly quick if you cook the chicken ahead of time and move quickly! also, they're crazy addicting, but the calorie content is low, especially if you use a lower calorie dressing. cannot wait for you to try these! i am seriously considering making a batch for lunch...
here's what you need:

2 chicken breasts

cooking spray

lemon- pepper 

3-4 burrito-sized flour tortillas (look for pillowy, hefty ones!)

Caesar dressing

2 cups jalapeno jack cheese

2 tomatoes, chopped (i used cherry tomatoes, so good, very flavorful)

4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-sized pieces

preheat oven to 400.

cook the chicken with the lemon pepper until done. what we did is add water to the pan after it was about 3/4 cooked, and we shredded it up, then lidded the pan. this made the chicken moist and tender. and, you can do this ahead of time.

cut your tortillas into 8 slices. spray a large cooking sheet with spray, and place them on it.

bake until golden (a little brown is ok) and firm enough to hold your delicious toppings! 

add about a teaspoon of caesar dressing to each tortilla piece, and add some shredded chicken on top. place cheese on top of chicken. bake again until cheese is just melted.

then add the romaine and tomatoes and voila! a light, amazingly flavorful treat for dinner! perfect for spring! enjoy!

chili lime turkey burgers

here's what you need: (to serve 4) 

1lb ground turkey

3 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 lime, cut in half (use one half in the meat, the other for the guacamole topping)

4 slices pepper jack cheese

4 whole wheat buns, toasted

to make the guacamole:

1 avocado

the juice from the other half of that lime!

sea salt & coarse pepper

(adapted from iowa girl eats) 

mix the meat with all the spices, cilantro, onions, peppers, and cilantro. form the meat mixture into patties, spray your pan with cooking oil, and grill (or skillet, like i did, which turns out exceptional!) for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until done. melt the cheese on top, and toast the buns in a toaster.

for toppings, i cut up some red onions thinly, cheery tomatoes, and romaine lettuce. we also used some mayo in addition to the homemade guacamole. amazing, right?!

tomato and oil-seared chicken with herb pan sauce

hello all,
amidst the grossness of job searching and being deathly super ill for the past week, i am pleased to post a new...post.

tomato and oil -seared chicken with herb pan sauce.
here's what you need:
2 chicken breasts, halved and butterflied
3/4 cups flour
salt and freshly ground pepper

sauce:
2 tbsp unsalted, softened butter
1 1/2 clove minced garlic
2 tsp fresh, minced oregano
2 tbsp (plus more, if chicken gets dry) grape seed oil
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
2 cups cherry tomatoes (12 oz)
1/3 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 tbsp minced, fresh parsley
salt and pepper
(adapted from annie's eats)

salt and pepper the chicken, and cover in flour on both sides, shaking off the excess. set aside. mix butter, oregano, garlic, paprika and salt & pepper together in a bowl. in a large skillet, on medium-high heat, melt 1 tbsp of the herb butter with the grapeseed oil. place the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook until both sides are golden brown (5-7 minutes per side). i like to use a poultry thermometer, just to be on the safe side. once finished cooking, cover with tin foil, and set aside.
increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes to the skillet.you might also need to add a little bit more oil at this point.
stirring constantly, cook until the tomatoes start to char and burst (4-5 minutes)

 add the rest of the oregano butter to the pan. gently crush each tomato so all the juices are brought out. add wine to the pan, and scrape the bottom so all charred parts that are stuck become loosened and part of your delectable sauce!
cook for one more minute or so, and you're done!
slice the chicken you've set aside under foil, and spoon your herb pan sauce over the top. i served this with an awesome baked garlic rice and roasted asparagus with sea salt.

sour cream - lemon pie with a butter crust.

ok, what? it's snowing. SNOWING. in oregon. right now...in march. the weather has been so bipolar lately, i'm totally freaked out, like everyone else.
anyway.
my wonderful, sweet, handsome husband is never really super into the sweet things that i make from time to time. the normal stuff like cookies, brownies, cakes, he's all "meh..."
so his birthday is coming up, and i asked him what i could make that he would really enjoy, and that would be a challenge for me/out of the normal realm. it was a delicious pie, if i do say so.
here's what you need:

CRUST:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, chilled and diced
• 1/4 cup ice water

(from all recipes)

in your stand mixer (or hand-held) or just using a bowl and spoon, mix up the flour and salt. cut in the butter until the mixture is in tiny crumbs.

stir in the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until you've got a ball'o'dough. then cover in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 4 hours, or overnight

to make the crust super flaky, i rip the dough apart after rolling it out
and layer the pieces. cover the crust with foil and bake at 450 for 8 minutes. remove foil, and cook for another 5-7 minutes, and cool.
you want the crust to be super light, because this pie isn't hearty - it's delicate, and needs a chewier, mild crust.

PIE FILLING:

1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
3 egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
(from taste of home)

combine the sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. slowly stir in lemon juice and milk, then egg yolks and lemon zest. stir constantly, over medium heat, until mixture is thickened.  remove from heat, stir in the butter and let the mixture cool to room temperature. stir in sour cream and get out your ready pie shell. pour it in, and top with the freshly whipped cream. make sure to refrigerate! eat eventually continually!

farfalle with garden vegetables and grated parmesan

good afternoon, friends! it is a GORGEOUS day here in the great northwest, and today i've created something just as fresh and lovely.
what i love most about this dish, besides its deliciousness, is that it's super filling, and almost vegan (minus the parm). i have a soft spot in my heart for vegan fare, as i have been sporadically vegan for the past 3 or so years. veganism is arguably the most healthy way of eating you can have as a human, and i wish i possessed the knowledge and non-cheese-addictedness to be successful at it. oh well - we do what we can, right?
here's what you need:

1 lb. organic farfalle pasta, cooked to package directions
3 cloves garlic, minced
8-10 cherry tomatoes, chopped
squeeze lemon juice
1 head of organic broccoli, chopped
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp himalayan pink salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups fresh, organic, baby spinach
2 dashes olive oil
1/3 cup grated, fresh parmesan

firstly, steam the brocolli. then  put your dashes of olive oil and smart balance in the pan. add the broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, and all spices. saute for about 5 minutes, or until spinach is wilted.

add garlic and saute for another couple of minutes. add the parmesan, lemon juice, and saute for 2 more minutes. you should be smelling total heaven about now.

spoon mixture over the cooked farfalle, and sprinkle more cheese over each serving. enjoy the sunshine, and your awesome pasta!

a little something extra...

one of my favorite pictures ever.

i have been cooking and blogging and blogging and cooking...so here's a little break from that and instead, some pictures of my super adorable family!!

looking super stoked for his 3rd birthday!

brother!

my elsa and her bff, naveah

swag. <3