mo'rockin chicken + veg couscous

When I met Chris, I was NOT an adventurous eater. I stuck to chicken cutlets, pasta dishes, and burgers. When we starting dating, he forced me to try new things and I'm so glad that he did. 

We LOVE vacationing in Disney World, we spend majority of our time in Epcot, traveling from country to country, sipping on wine and beers from around the world and trying new foods from Mexico, Japan and Morocco. I'm sure it's not close the to real thing, but when you're there it seems so real, not to mention it's super convenient to continent hop that way! Anyway, we tried Moroccan food for the first time there, and we've been hunting for a similar plate up here. 

I found it... it's at Savory Spice Shop and Dreyer's. 

While at the Food Demo a few weeks ago, I picked up one of Savory Spice Shop's RECIPES TO GO. They come in these little packs with all the spices that you need. I grabbed the Moroccan Chicken Skewers with Herb Sauce. All I needed to add was the chicken, mint and cilantro. Chris took one bite and immediately exclaimed, "This is the best dinner you've ever made." Not only is this delicious  but it's SO EASY! The measuring is done for you and all of your ingredients are in front of you ready to sing! I added the veggie couscous because I had all of these beautiful veggies! 

Moroccan Chicken Skewers with Herb Sauce + Veggie Couscous 

Ingredients for chicken:

• 3 Tbsp. Tan-Tan Moroccan Seasoning
• 3 x boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
• 5 x skewers (8"), soak for 1 hour if wooden

•  Herb sauce:

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup fresh spearmint leaves
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 Tbsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 Tbsp. Kosher salt
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 1/2 tsp. honey
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Cous-Cous:

Pick and Choose-

1 Box of Plain Cous-Cous

Summer Squash

Carrots 

Onion 

Eggplant

Mushroom

Greens

Tomatoes 

Olive Oil 

Salt + Pepper 

Garlic 

Directions:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Put cubed chicken in a bowl and toss with Tan-Tan Moroccan Seasoning to coat. Place the chicken on the skewers and lay on the grill. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, turning often so that the spices don’t burn. For the herb sauce, add the fresh herbs, spices, lime juice, and honey to a blender carafe. Blend to combine and slowly add the olive oil with the motor running. Once combined, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Slice and dice veggies as you wish, coat in olive oil & fresh chopped garlic, salt and pepper, roast in the oven for about 45 min. at 400 degrees. Cook the couscous according to package, and then mix it allllll together.

*Please note, it was pouring that day, so I didn't grill...

Get it done.. 

                                 

Kitchen Sink Pizza

As August rushes by I am finding it harder and harder to keep up! 

At last weeks lovely cooking demo, a lot of people were saying they were having a hard time using all of their veggies. Last year I found myself in the same boat, it is such a shame when something goes bad! I came up with this little number last summer, and you can use a TON of your veggies. The first time I made it, it was so delicious that I made it again the following week...and although we ate the pizza, that night ended with the fire department blowing carbon monoxide out of my house at 3am because I left the burner on (oooooooops....). I was frustrated because I had burnt the first crust, and by then it was already 9pm and I was exhausted from a long day at camp, I think we ended up eating at 11pm that night. Needless to say I am much safer in the kitchen because of that night. 

You will need: 

Any veggie you'd like! 

I use...

2 Zucchini and/or Summer Squash 

Eggplant 

Kale 

Tomato 

Onion

1 Bag of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese 

1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese 

Olive Oil

Fresh Garlic

Garlic Powder 

Salt + Pepper 

Pizza Dough 

(If I have them sometimes I will add potato, mushrooms, or peppers)

First add olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper to roughly chopped eggplant. Roast the eggplant in the oven at about 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes. I leave the skin on.

Caramelize those onions baby! Chop/Slice them anyway you'd like. Remove from pan.

I add the zucchini to the same pan as the onion to get some of that yummy sweet brown onion sweetness.I saute sliced zucchini in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Remove from pan.

Saute the Kale in olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic last (in the same pan as onion/zucchini)! It only takes about 3 minutes. 

(YES...YOU MAKE A MESS)

Next, roll out the pizza dough. Bake the crust at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes. 

Take out the crust and...

First goes the kale bed. 

Next the onion, I like it to be a surprise under the other veggies. 

Now the sliced Zucchini. 

Chopped Eggplant goes next. 

Cheese. Cheese. Cheese. 

Bake it for another 5 minutes. 

Fresh tomato on the top! 

(not on my side though...yeah yeah I know...the summer chef doesn't eat tomatoes...)

Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Red Pepper Flake, Fresh Basil to taste.

You have a hearty, tasty, healthy-ish (you use a LOT of O.O.), fresh, funky pizza. 

And now you have to clean it up...since you've used everything but the kitchen sink.

Zucchini Brownies?

Yes, it happened... I took a vegetable and made it chocolaty, thanks to good old Betty Crocker.

Fair warning, they do come out a bit spongey. 

1 box Betty Crocker®  brownie mix
1/4cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup shredded zucchini

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 8- or 9-inch square pan with cooking spray (without flour).
In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, 1/4 cup butter, the eggs and zucchini until well blended (batter will be thick). Spread batter in pan.
Bake 33 to 38 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

The good news is if you eat an entire pan of brownies, you technically ate one small zucchini... no? 

Check out my oven action shot! 

Pesto Change-o!

I'm going camping this weekend! Hooray! 

Don't get too excited, it's more like glamping, we have a cabin....with a ceiling fan... 

Growing up my Grandfather and Father took my brother, sister and I camping every summer. We LOVED it. My Grandfather would share stories about how he wrestled a bear, my brother would believe him, I would swing from a rope that was attached to this gigantic tree that swung over a river. Camping is simplicity at its finest. If you ask my Dad to explain camping he says, "You wake up, make breakfast, clean up and by the time you're done with that you make lunch, you clean up, play cards, and then you have to prep and make dinner before the sun goes down. Next you put everything in the car so the bears don't find us." Camping Coffee is also a family favorite, it takes about 2 hours to make, but it's the best coffee you'll ever have. It's pretty much the only reason my husband tolerates camping.  

My basil this week was just stunning and I came home tonight from that AWESOME cooking demo, inspired to make a lil somthin for camping.

Basil Pesto Cream Cheese Dip

The pesto is a simple recipe from Food Network.

Ingredients

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup pine nuts

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Directions

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese

When all is said and done, add 1 8oz. package of Cream Cheese and add some whole pine nuts, and ta-da...
You have a Pesto Cream Cheese Dip!
It's perfect for Pita Chips, Pizza Dough, Peppers, Carrots, any dippers!