Recipe for Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Kalyn’s Kitchen was one of the first food blogs I started reading on a regular basis.  Kalyn has great healthy and flavorful recipes which tend to adhere to the South Beach Diet principles.  Even if you aren’t dieting, there are some amazing recipes on the site. 

This chicken recipe uses Kalyn’s recipe for roasted red pepper dip with feta and mint as the sauce for baked chicken thighs (you could also use breasts).  It’s fabulous as a dip and great as a cooking sauce.

From Top Left:  Roasted red pepper Sauce; ready for oven; out of oven.

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible fat


• 1 ½ cup roasted red pepper dip (recipe below)


• Cooking spray

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.


• Spread a few TBSP of dip across bottom of casserole dish.


• Lay chicken on top of sauce.


• Pour and spread remaining sauce over chicken.


• Bake on 350 for 20 minutes covered and 20 minutes uncovered .

Roasted Red Pepper Dip (modified slightly from Kalyn’s recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1 jar (12 oz.) roasted red bell peppers, drained well


• 1 tsp minced garlic 


• 4 oz low fat cream cheese


• 4 oz low fat feta cheese


• 1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt 


• 3 TBSP finely chopped fresh mint 


• 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice


• Salt to taste

Method:

• Add all ingredients except salt to food processor and process until smooth.


• Taste and add salt if needed.

Printable Recipe

Black and White Wednesday and One Year Blogiversary!

Little Pots of Olive Oil

It is hard to believe, or maybe not, that on August 31, 2010 I published my first blog post.  I started this blog as a creative outlet, a way to share recipes with family and friends, to share vacation food experiences, and as an impetus to work on my photography skills.


During this year I've published 263 posts; tried a bunch of new recipes from other bloggers, cookbooks, recipe sites, and magazines; improved the quality of the photos somewhat  (but not as I had hoped); and met (either on line or in person) some great people who are also interested in food, recipes, and blogging.  I've entered and won some contests, placed in the finals of others, published a recipe in a magazine, attended a blogging conference, joined Twitter, created a Facebook page for Eat Little, Eat Big, written a couple of cookbook reviews, participated in new product marketing and blogged about the products, and created some of my own new recipes.  


Starting with my hubby, Mom and kids as my followers, the blog now has 62 followers via Google, 110 via Facebook, and 417 via Foodbuzz-with some duplication between the groups.  I have a "blogging buddy"-mutual online support and encouragement-thanks Steph!

I've participated in a few blog hops and on line culinary photography events.  I've submitted images to some "food porn" sites-and yet to have any accepted!  Oh, not true.  The site that takes all the rejected stuff from the other sites accepts everything I send!

I've tried publishing Monday through Thursday, Monday-Wednesday-Friday, and various other permutations.  I've done photo Friday-my "Picture This" postings where I had planned to really work on the photography skills, but didn't!  Right now I'm enjoying these Black and White Wednesdays postings.

For a while I was sharing what I was finding on other blogs and on the internet once a week with you but haven't done that lately.  I do enjoy that feature on other people's sites-I mean the internet is sooooo big, we can't find all the good stuff on our own, right?  So look for that feature to return this fall.

It's been a fun year.  I'm still enjoying blogging.  I like the progress I've made this year with Eat Little, Eat Big and hope to progress further in the upcoming year.  Thanks for tuning in!  If you have suggestions, constructive criticism, or ideas for this year feel free to share them in the comments.


Submitted to Black and White Wednesdays

Recipe for Orzo with Broccoli, Red Pepper, and Olives

Here’s a quick, easy, and tasty side dish for those dog days of summer.  It goes great with grilled fish or pork chops.

Yield:  4 servings

Time:  15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked orzo,  cooled to room temperature


• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper


• 2 cups cooked, chopped broccoli


• 1 cup chopped kalamata olives


• ¾ cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt


• 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice


• 1 tsp dried oregano


• Salt and pepper

Method:

• Combine orzo, bell pepper, broccoli and olives.


• Combine yogurt, lemon juice, and oregano.  Mix gently into orzo/veggie mixture.


• Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

What are you serving with your grill food these days?

Printable Recipe

A Trip to Eataly

We were very fortunate earlier this year to take a trip to San Francisco, New York and Atlanta.  San Francisco to see friends and visit some of the old 'hood, New York to explore with friends from Maui who were also in the city, and Atlanta to see family and attend a blogging conference.  We had some amazing food experiences along the way, one of which I want to share with you today.  A trip to Eataly.

Although Mario Batalli and Joe and Lydia Bastianich are the names most closely linked with Eataly, the creator was Mr. Oscar Farinetti.  Located on 5th Avenue in New York, Eataly is a "must do" for any foodie, whether to shop 'til you drop, eat 'til you can eat no more, or just wander around and enjoy the scenery.  We did all three.


There is every kind of foodstuff imaginable-fresh produce, pastries, meat, seafood, cheese, olive oils, jams and honeys, bread, pasta-both fresh and dried, and on and on and on!  There are cookbooks, beer and wine, coffees, and housewares. You can get take out for today's lunch, eat in one of the many restaurants, or shop for home cooking.  There is truly something for everyone and every event!  Mrs. Bastianich conducts cooking lessons at the on-site cooking school.


Words cannot do this place justice so I'll be quiet now and share some of my photos from our visit.  And, if you are in the area, really you must go.   Note to my blogger friend who lives in the area and hasn't gone yet-"really, you  must go!"

Fresh fish.

Looked amazing!

Don't feel like fish, how about some meat?

Beautiful fresh produce.

Fresh pasta.

Italian Ham.

More pork!

Take home chicken.  I wish this was scratch and sniff-the aroma was delightful!

Or perhaps scratch and sniff here?

More cheese!  Yes, please.

Beautiful breads.

One of my take home items, perhaps the best bread I ever ate or a tie with
Tartine's bread (San Francisco)

Lunch-mint and pea ravioli with fava beans. Incredibly simple and tasty.

Another lunch item-vegetarian lasagna.

Something sweet perhaps?

Oh my!

Would you like a closer look at that?

Walls of olive oil.

Shelves of jam, honey, curd.

Dried pasta, every variety.

Retail therapy.

Our post shopping dessert-tiramisu for Mr. ELEB, cannoli for me.

The most beautiful cappuccino!

Amen to that!  (Eataly tee shirt)

Hope you enjoyed that little tour.  I barely scratched the surface so like I said earlier, if you are in the area you should stop by!

Read more about Eataly!

Black and White Wednesdays

Busy Hands Making Bread

Submitted to Black and White Wednesdays

Recipe for Slow Cooker Steak Sammies

Here's another good recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking.  I'm all in to quick and easy these days and this recipe hits all its marks.  Two ingredients in the slow cooker (plus salt and pepper); seven hours later-a flavorful, aromatic, tender pile of beef and peppers just waiting to be plopped on some healthy whole wheat buns with some provolone or pepper Jack cheese.  Yummy!

Time: 5 minutes prep; 7 hours on low in slow cooker
Yield: 8 servings


Ingredients:

• 2 pound chuck roast


• 1 jar (16 ounces) sliced peperoncini


• Salt and pepper


• Pepper Jack and provolone cheese slices


• Whole wheat buns

Method:

• Trim all visible fat from chuck roast.


• Liberally salt and pepper the roast.


• Place roast in slow cooker.


• Pour peperoncini (including liquid) over roast.


• Cook on low for 7 hours.


• Remove and shred meat and then stir back into liquid.


• Toast buns under broiler with a slice of cheese on one half of bun.


• Using a slotted spoon so most of the liquid drains off, place meat on toasted bun and serve.

Are you cooking anything fun in the slow cooker?


Printable Recipe


From A Year of Slow Cooking

Recipe for Godiva Chocolatier French Vanilla Coffee Adult Milkshake

How about a frosty, creamy adult beverage to cool you down?  Thanks to the kind folks at Godiva Coffee and the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, we were treated to two bags of Godiva Chocolatier Coffee.  These coffees are inspired by Godiva's most popular truffles and make a lovely cup of coffee.  In our care package was a bag of French Vanilla Coffee and one of Chocolate Truffle Coffee-the kitchen smelled amazing when making morning coffee!  This recipe is for a poolside creamy iced drink or an after dinner drink in lieu of dessert.  It's decadent!

Yield: 1 drink
Time: 5 minutes plus time for coffee to cool

Ingredients:

·    8 oz strong brewed Godiva Chocolatier Coffee, French Vanilla, cooled to room temperature

·    Ice

·    ½ cup vanilla gelato

·    Drizzle of coffee hazelnut liqueur (more or less depending on your preference)

·    Dollop of whipped cream

Method:

·    Pour coffee over ice and drain once coffee has chilled.

·    Add chilled coffee and gelato to blender and blend until smooth.

·    Pour into a glass and top with drizzle of liqueur and dollop of whipped cream.

·    Alternatively, include the ice for a more slushy drink.

Printable recipe

I received the two bags of coffee and coupons from Godiva as part of the Tastemaker program.  The opinions and recipe are my own.