Tag Archives: cooking

Lettuce Wraps in a Slow Cooker (WHAT?!?)

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Welcome to Summer Break! I love not setting alarm clocks, hanging with my boys, and having a messy ponytail almost every day. In the summer, I still want to make good meals but want to soak up all the outside fun and adventures that we have planned. So welcome in Lettuce Wraps that you make in a slow cooker! Can I get an “AMEN!” These wraps are simple and very tasty. Chop a few things and forget about it. Throw some edamame on the side and you are ready for a pretty healthy meal that you did not give much thought to. I’m always looking for easy meals in the summer. So please share your go-to’s in the comments below. I would love to cook them up and share with our squad. Take it easy this summer and watch for recipes, summer ideas, books I’m trying to read while playing hot wheels, and random thoughts from my head.

Keep Singing and Dancing! We have so many reasons too!
Looking Forward, Amanda

 

20160218_195921 (1)Slow Cooker Lettuce Wraps

2 lb. ground chicken
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, cored and finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 T soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained, rinsed, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1 T rice vinegar
1 1/2 t sesame oil
2 heads iceberg lettuce, cleaned, separate lettuce leaves

Sauce–
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 T soy sauce

Place ground chicken and garlic in a large skillet. Cook ground chicken throughly. Drain off liquid and pour mixture into a slow cooker. Add red bell pepper, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, 1/2 t salt and 1/2 t pepper and toss mixture. Cover and cook on low heat 2 – 3 hours until chicken is tender.
Stir in water chestnuts, green onions, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, cook until heated through. I give this about 10 minutes. Season with additional salt pepper if you as desire.

Mix additional hoisin sauce and soy sauce for sauce. This will add a little kick for those that want it.

Fill your lettuce leaves with the chicken mixture and top with extra sauce if you are feeling crazy. Serve with cooked edamame.

If there are leftovers, they are very yummy the next day.

Sausage & Kale Soup

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Happy NEW Year! A new year brings such excitement, promise, and new adventures. Each year I take time to review my goals from the year before and create new goals to guide me. This year I went through a process to find a word that encompasses my goals. My word this year is PURPOSEFUL. One of my goals is being purposeful with my blog. I want to share my recipes, my heart, and encourage you along the way. My goal is to blog at least every two weeks. So I’m a little off to begin the year. I give myself forgiveness and know that I have been purposeful in other aspects of my life: spending every moment soaking up time with my sister and niece while they were visiting, taking care of little one with pneumonia, adjusting back to an alarm and school routine, and threw in a few dates and a getaway with Chris.

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I wanted to start this year by sharing this yummy soup my sister, Lesley, shared with me. This year I rang in the new year surrounded by friends and my family. My sister and niece joined us for the celebration all the way from Texas. The following week, Lesley and I shared a lot of time in the kitchen. Our new, improved, and beautiful kitchen creates great space for sharing life. We are there all the time. This Sausage Kale Soup was shared and enjoyed on a cold, relaxing evening. It has instantly become a favorite. Not only was it yummy for dinner but I enjoyed it for lunch the following two days. Lesley says that it is just as terrific if you make ahead, freeze, and serve later. Plus it has KALE!! I can’t get enough of that green stuff. This soup screams to be made for a family with a new baby, a friend who has had a bad day, or just a simple “thinking of you” meal. Bless those around you this year. Look for reasons to Sing and Dance in your kitchen.
Looking Forward- Amanda

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Complete Happiness in a Bowl

Sausage Kale Soup

1 T olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 lb Italian sausage, remove casting
1 lb red potatoes, sliced thin circles
1 bunch kale, trimmed, chopped, stems removed
8 cups of chicken broth
1 c dry white wine
1 t crushed red pepper (use less if you don’t want it too spicy)
1/3 c heavy cream
3/4 shredded parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil, onions, and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add the sausage. Brown sausage and crumble into smaller pieces. Once the sausage is ready, add potatoes, kale, chicken broth, wine and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir completely then reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. When ready to serve, stir in the cream and parmesan cheese. Serve in individual bowls topped with parmesan cheese and red pepper. Delicious with warm bread.

Cranberry Sauce

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Why yes, I know it comes in a can!  So does shrimp but that does not mean it’s okay to serve.  Freshly made cranberry sauce makes the whole meal come together.  It was simple and a hit on our Thanksgiving table.  I predict this little number will be a regular with turkey in the Fuller home. Chunk the Can!-Amanda photo-90

Cranberry Sauce

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup fresh orange juice (about 3 oranges)

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/4 t ground ginger

Dash of ground cloves

1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries

1 T grated orange rind

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 12 minutes or until cranberries pop. Remove from heat; stir in rind. Cool completely. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

“Say What” Brownies

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Honestly! The name says it all!  In a quest to create homemade brownies for some new friends, I stumbled upon a brownie that makes you question everything.  You will be grabbing a chilled glass of milk or a freshly brewed decaf to complete this delectable treat.  To treat my friends, we topped with Vanilla Blue Bell Ice Cream.  Enough is never enough! -Amanda

“SAY WHAT” Brownies

“Say What” Brownies

4 ounces unsweetened Ghirardelli chocolate; coarsely chopped
3/4 cup butter
1 ½ cups white sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 t vanilla extract
¼ t kosher salt
1 c flour
12 mini Snickers candy bars; cut into fourths

Microwave chocolate and butter in large bowl at medium power for 3-4 minutes or until butter is melted. Then whisk until chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar. Add in eggs, vanilla extract, and salt. Gradually add in flour and stir until just combined. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread ½ the batter into prepared pan. Add an even layer of Snickers and cover with remaining ½ of brownie batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes; do not over bake.
Remove to cooling rack.  Cool completely before cutting. Makes about 16 small brownies.

Classic Brownies

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Classic Brownies

Sometimes you just want it classic!  No frills!  Yes, Betty Crocker has a brownie mix and it is completely fine to use a box mix from time to time.  These brownies just taste like your mom whipped them up and placed them on a sweet vintage plate.  So, put your snazzy apron and grab a whisk.  I know someone will thank you later! -Amanda

1½ cups sugar
¾ cup flour
¾ cup Hershey’s cocoa powder
3 eggs
¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

By hand (you can do that) mix together the sugar, flour, salt, cocoa, eggs and melted butter.  Once the dry ingredients are mixed in, you are set.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

You know how much I love parchment paper.  Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment.  This will keep your brownies from sticking to the edge and make it ever so easy to get out of the baking dish.

Pour the batter and spread it out. If you get crazy, you will move around your parchment paper.  Take it easy and push the batter down with a rubber spatula.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick inserted in the tallest part comes out clean. Keep in mind you’ve got chips in there. If you hit one with the toothpick it will have melted chocolate on it. You might need to poke a couple of spots to make sure you aren’t hitting a chip.

Carefully lift the parchment out of the baking dish. Get a spare set of hands if you can.  Then peel the edges and let cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Spicy Chicken Rigatoni

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Pasta dishes always make me happy!  Yes, I might need to run a few extra miles but it is so worth it.  This Spicy Chicken Rigatoni totally hit the spot.  I served it with warm garlic bread and a fresh green salad.  I’m thinking next time I will recreate this dish with linguine instead of rigatoni.  Warning:  Be careful adding extra crushed red pepper.  Of course Chris and I added the kick but we did not add to Will’s.  Keep it Spicy! -AJF

Spicy Chicken Rigatoni

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 T crushed red pepper

1/8 t salt

1/8 t ground black pepper

1 T chopped garlic

1 lb. chicken, sliced

3/4 cup. Marinara sauce

1/2 cup Alfredo sauce

1/4 cup english peas (completely optional)

2 t butter

1/2 lb. Rigatoni pasta, cooked according to package directions

additional 1/2 t crushed red pepper (for garnish)
In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper, salt, black pepper, and garlic.  Sauté long enough for garlic to caramelize and red pepper to release flavor into the oil. Add sliced chicken and sauté briefly to coat in spices and garlic.

In sam pan add marinara sauce first and then alfredo sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens slightly and chicken is fully cooked. (Internal temp is usually about 165 degrees.) Turn off flame, add butter (english peas if you want to) and incorporate into sauce.

Toss cooked pasta with the sauce. Place pasta and sauce in pasta bowl, reserving the majority of the chicken to be placed on top of the pasta. Garnish with crushed red pepper (if you want a big spicy kick) and serve.

Tuscan Salmon

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It’s been awhile!  Although new creations and fab cooking has been taking place in the Fuller kitchen, I have neglected to update my blog.  Please forgive me!  I promise that I will make it up to you with tasty treats and easy dinners.  Today I had to share our new favorite salmon creation.  Super easy and full of all the salmon goodness.  Just wrap it all up in foil, bake, and serve.  We served up our salmon with fresh, steamed broccoli and couscous.  I love the idea of making individual salmons for our next dinner party.

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Tuscan Salmon

Salmon 1 1/2lb piece
4 Rosemary sprigs
3 T butter
1 large lemon, cut into thin slices
salt and pepper (if desired)

Place salmon filet on a large piece of aluminum foil.  Add thin “pats” of butter on top of salmon.  Place lemon slices on top of salmon. Then add your rosemary on top of lemons.
Wrap your salmon creation up tightly in aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes at 300 degrees.  Remove lemons and rosemary before eating.

Amanda Jean’s Chicken Salad

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Chicken Salad is another one of those items that everyone has opinion to add.  At the end of the day, you have chicken usually mayo and then all the other ingredients that you love in your chicken salad.  This is my plain “jean” chicken salad.  We have several favorites but this is an easy go to.  I’ll share our others soon.  This was a special request from Chris for Father’s Day lunch.  We love our plain “jean” chicken salad on flaky croissants.  Happy Summer!- Amanda

Amanda Jean’s Chicken Salad

1 1/2 cups chicken, cooked, finely shredded

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced

1 T lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1/8 t pepper, freshly ground

1/3 cup Hellmann’s light mayo

2 T bell pepper, finely chopped

2 t prepared mustard

In a mixing bowl combine chicken, celery, green onions, lemon juice, and pepper.  Stir in mayo, bell pepper, and mustard.  Cover and chill for at least one hour.

Serve your chicken salad on crackers or our family favorite, croissants.  This makes about enough chicken salad for 4 croissant sandwiches.  Plus it makes great leftovers.

Meatless Monday: Skillet Chard, White Beans, & Gnocchi

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On this Meatless Monday, we cooked up a delicious one skillet dinner.  Gnocchi is one of my favorites.  The combination of chard, tomatoes, and white beans gives this whole wheat gnocchi just the right shock. Then top it all with gooey mozzarella.  YUM!  Serve with a mixed green salad with vinaigrette. If you are worried about chard exchange it for spinach.  Enjoy Meatless Monday!- Amanda

Skillet Chard, White Beans, & Gnocchi

1 T plus 1 t extra-virgin olive oil, divided

16-ounce package whole wheat gnocchi

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup water

6 cups chopped chard leaves, about 1 small bunch

15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings

15-ounce can white beans, rinsed

1/4 t freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat 1 T olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and slightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.

Add the remaining 1 t olive oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft for 4 to 6 minutes. Add chard and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans, and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes.


Look at that Beautiful Rainbow Chard 

Buffalo Salmon

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Buffalo Salmon

In the attempt to eat more salmon, we discovered a twist that certainly makes this salmon irresistible.  We all know that Frank’s Redhot Sauce packs a punch to our favorite chicken wings.  Well, move over chicken, salmon gets a chance to swim in Frank’s goodness.  I served our Buffalo Salmon with salad and celery sticks.  It was a hit! Enjoy your kick!- Amanda

1 (2-lb) salmon fillet

5 T  unsalted butter

1/4 cup Frank’s Redhot Sauce

1/3 cup Panko

1 T  vegetable oil

1/2 t pepper (divided)

1/2 t salt (divided)

Lightly oil a shallow baking pan.  Melt butter with hot sauce and add 1/4 pepper and salt.  Set aside 1/4 cup sauce.  Toss Panko with oil in a bowl. Put salmon, skin side down, in baking pan and sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper, then brush with remaining sauce. Sprinkle Panko evenly over top of fish.  Bake salmon at 425 degrees.  Cook until Panko is golden and fish is just cooked through about 16 to 22 minutes. Serve reserved sauce on the side.