Loved this recipe.  It was even better the second day and each day after.  Honestly, I kind of feel like the chicken was an afterthought so wouldn't feel totally compelled to use it.  I did have to add some extra water in the end but it was so hearty and flavorful.  Plus...a slow cooker...hello!

Slow Cooker Quinoa Chicken Chili Recipe

Recipe from queenbeecoupons.com

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of quinoa, rinsed

One (1) 28 oz can of diced tomatoes (you could use crushed)

One (1) 14 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)

Two (2) 16 oz cans of black beans, rinsed, drained

One (1) 15 oz can of corn, drained

3 Cups chicken stock

2 large chicken breasts, frozen or thawed (cook longer if frozen)

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp crushed red pepper

2 tsp chili powder

This has a nice little kick to it, but I didn’t think it was too spicy. If you’re nervous about spice, reduce the red pepper and the chili powder by half.

HOW TO PREPARE

1.) Toss everything into slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4-7 hours on high. I added frozen chicken breasts to mine and cooked on high for about six hours. As long as the chicken is cooked – it’s done!

2.) Remove chicken and shred it with two forks. Return to slow cooker.

3.) Top with cheese, sour cream, avocados – whatever sounds good to you! I’m thinking the next day it would probably thicken up enough to eat in a whole wheat tortilla.

Meatballs for Spaghetti

I thought these were pretty tasty and easy! I like meatballs and I like the idea of being able to pick how much meat you want with your spaghetti! 

Meatballs Adapted from Rachel Ray

1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper


Preheat over to 425
Mix beef and Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Roll meat into 1 1/2 inch medium-sized meatballs and place on nonstick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet greased with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake balls 10 to 12 minutes, until no longer pink.

Browned Butter Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

I know what you're thinking..."we really need another chocolate chip cookie recipe on Peachtree Cooking".  Right?  This one is different from your regular cookie because of the browned butter- it gives the cookie a rich, caramel flavor that is beyond delicious.  David White's cute wife, Bonnie, brought these over when we had them to dinner, and the plate was cleaned before any of us had enough.  Seriously amazing.

actual picture

Browned Butter Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies
Bonnie White

2.5 c flour

1.5 tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp sea salt

2 sticks unsalted butter

1.5 c packed brown sugar

1 egg and 1 egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla

1 Tbs. Greek yogurt

1/2 c semi sweet choco chips

1/2 c milk chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350.  Brown your butter in a skillet on your stovetop until it turns a golden brown, but before it burns (don't leave it).  Pour into mixer and blend with sugar until well blended.  Add remaining wet ingredients.  Mix in dry ingredients until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Chill in freezer for 30 minutes.  Scoop onto baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt (optional).  Bake 8-10 minutes.

Fig Prosciutto Pizza

Fig Prosciutto Pizza

There is a famous restaurant here in Boston called Figs that has amazing pizza. Probably their most famous is their fig prosciutto pizza and it is so amazingly good I have dreams about it. For pizza night the other night I decided to try and replicate it and came across this recipe that the Pioneer Woman posted. It is super easy and def a different flavor then the usual marinara pizza. The crust recipe she lists is good for 2 pizzas FYI.

- Also a plus- you can find all of these ingredients including pre-made yummy pizza dough at Trader Joe's if you live by one which makes the prep that much easier.

•  Pizza Crust
• 1 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
• 4 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil
•  FOR THE PIZZA:
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 Tablespoons Fig Spread Or Jam
•  Kosher Salt To Taste
• 12 ounces, weight Fresh Mozzarella, Sliced Thin
• 6 ounces, weight Thinly Sliced Prosciutto- I cook it on the pizza rather than add it after baking.
• 1 bunch Washed And Rinsed Arugula
•  Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup Shaved Parmesan

Preparation Instructions

NOTE: PIZZA INGREDIENTS IN THIS RECIPE ARE FOR 1/3 OF THE PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE. USE LEFTOVER DOUGH TO MAKE OTHER KINDS OF PIZZA!

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.
In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.

Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise for at least an hour. Use right away or store in the fridge until you need it. ***It’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Roll out 1/3 of the pizza dough as thinly as possible. Place on a large baking sheet.

Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Spread fig spread (or jam) all over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Lay sliced of mozzarella all over the surface. Sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Remove from oven and immediately lay prosciutto over hot pizza. Just before serving, sprinkle on arugula and Parmesan shavings.

Cut into wedges or squares and serve immediately!

Amy's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rachel gave me this recipe years and years ago and I cannot believe we've never posted it here before! I get requests for this recipe ALL THE TIME when I make them. They are sooo yummy. They are definitely my go-to chocolate chip cookies recipe and that's saying a lot since I make cookies at least weekly.

Amy's Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Amy Shumway

3 sticks butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
1 Tbs. vanilla
2 eggs
4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1-2 pkg. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Place slightly softened butter in mixer and add sugars. Mix until butter and sugar is totally incorporated and the consistency is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl 1 or 2 times. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well, scraping down sides of bowl. Consistency should be light and fluffy. Add flour, baking soda, and salt in the mixing bowl and mix just until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Don’t overmix! Add chocolate chips and mix just until distributed. Don’t overmix! Using a cookie scoop, place cookies on sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is golden brown around the edge.

 

White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie

Ummm...YUM! Can't believe Im just now posting this recipe! Its amazing! I love white chocolate and the oatmeal gives it a good texture and flavor! This is my new favorite cookie recipe!

White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies  from AllRecipes.com
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 cups white chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until completely incorporated. Fold in the oats and white chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets and bake for 9-12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets and let cool.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

My favorite Veggies

So, I know this may be lame, but I thought I'd post my favorite way of preparing veggies.  We eat a TON of veggies and I've found this to be the easiest and yummiest way to get them to the table...and have your kids enjoy them.

My Favorite Veggies
From Rachel

Vegetables (I like a carrot, cauliflower and broccoli combo)
Olive Oil
Salt (try the Pink Himalayan salt at Costco- its much more nutritious than table salt)
Cajun Seasoning

You'll need a steamer of some sort on hand (I have a metal basket that fits on top of my regular stovetop skillet- got it at Williams-Sonoma for about $8).  Put water in the bottom of the skillet, but careful not to do too little or the veggies burn, or too much, or the veggies boil- you don't want the water to overflow onto your steamer basket.  Chop veggies to similar sizes to allow for even cooking. Place them in the basket and steam with lid covering until desired tenderness (I like mine with a little crunch).  Empty the water from your skillet and return skillet to hot stovetop.  Pour olive oil to coat bottom and heat slightly. Return veggies to skillet and season with salt and cajun seasoning.  Stir to coat and remove from heat- you don't want to cook your veggies any longer.  Enjoy.  I love serving these veggies tossed with these Simple Sesame Noodles.

Fresh Homemade Salsa

My friend gave me this salsa recipe a couple months ago and I have made it numerous times since then and I realized that I hadn't posted it yet! It's so yummy and so easy! You just throw everything in the blender and voila! It keeps for up to a week in your fridge in any storage container.


Fresh Homemade Salsa
from Melanie Stephens

4 cups diced tomatoes (can be fresh or canned or both!)
1 large green pepper
1 large yellow onion
1-2 jalapenos (depending on your spice level- take the seeds out for less spice)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon salt
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Throw everything in the food processor and blend! Enjoy!