30Apr / 2012

Bleu and Red Stuffed Chicken Breast

This one’s husband approved!

Bleu and Red Stuffed Chicken Breast

2 chicken breasts, marinated in Italian marinade
1/3 cup bleu cheese
4 sundried tomatoes, sliced thin

Slice into the chicken breasts from the side, cutting as deep as you can while still keeping the chicken breast in tact to create a pocket for the stuffing. (Don’t be nervous, just go for it. It’s much less daunting than it seems.) Stuff each chicken breast with half of the bleu cheese and sundried tomatoes and close the chicken breasts back up by pressing the open ends together firmly.

Broil on high for about 10 minutes, then flip and broil on high another ten minutes. If the inside still does not seem done, try covering with foil and cooking for 5 to 10 minutes more. Serve and enjoy or even save one for lunch the next day!

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26Apr / 2012

No-Bake Nutella and Strawberry Cheesecake

The original recipe called for dividing this dessert into individual servings, but I wanted to bring it to a party so I decided to make it into a pie. I also decided to add a layer of strawberries to complement all the chocolate. It turned out to be absolutely delicious and relatively simple. You can also buy a pre-made Oreo crust if you want to cut back on prep time.

No-Bake Nutella and Strawberry Cheesecake
adapted from http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/no-bake-nutella-cheesecake-recipe/

12 Oreo Cookies, crushed into crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, margarine or vegan spread, melted
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
6-8 strawberries, thinly sliced

In a medium bowl, stir together the Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press the crumbs into the bottom of a pie pan to form a crust layer. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and Nutella until smooth. Add vanilla and mix to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold in half of the whipped topping in until well blended and no streaks remain. Remove the crust from the freezer and evenly spoon the filling on top. Top with the strawberry slices and remaining whipped cream.

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23Apr / 2012

Mediterranean Stuffed Tilapia

Tilapia is admittedly not my favorite fish, but it’s affordable, and when topped with the right thing it can be pretty darn good. This was a little experiment in discovering my love for the flaky white fish.

Mediterranean Stuffed Tilapia

1 tilapia filet
2 sundried tomatoes, sliced thin
1 oz feta (I used fat free, but you can use any kind)
salt and pepper to taste
pine nuts (optional)

Broil the tilapa filet on high for two minutes. Remove from the oven and cut in half vertically. With the mostly cooked side of one half facing upward, top with the sundried tomatoes, feta cheese and the optional pine nuts. Place the other half of the tilapia on top, with the mostly cooked side down. This way the partially cooked sides of the fish are on the inside, helping to ensure thorough cooking. Season with salt and pepper, then broil the fish for 5 to 8 minutes longer, until the it’s cooked on all sides and the feta begins to melt. Serve with a simple vegetable on the side for a super healthy and relatively quick weeknight meal!

Note: The quantities above serve 1 person. I usually make a similar dish for my husband on the nights I make this, but his is made with chicken and bleu cheese, that recipe coming soon.

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19Apr / 2012

Low-fat Banana-Raspberry Ricotta Dessert

My husband and I both HATE ripe bananas. So, inevitably, we end up with a pile of brown bananas in our freezer, and I have to be crafty in using them. Luckily, we also keep our kitchen bare of snack or dessert foods, and there you have it, this dessert creation was born in a moment of desperation. Note: All of the kooky ingredients can easily be replaced with normal ones (use any kind of milk, sweetener, and ricotta that you have), this is just the ultra-light route. Also, I don’t recommend freezing this for more than a few hours—because there is no fat like in ice cream, this doesn’t stay creamy once frozen. So it’s best served immediately after hitting the right texture.

Low-fat Banana-Raspberry Ricotta Dessert

1 cup fat free ricotta
2 frozen bananas, thawed
1/4 cup almond milk
1 packet of Stevia
3 raspberries
some sliced almonds

Simply blend the thawed banana, ricotta, stevia, and milk together on high until well combined. Stick in the freezer to firm up for about 2 hours, then top with almonds and raspberries right before serving. Makes 2 smallish servings or 1 really big one!

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16Apr / 2012

Chickpea Curry with Vegetables

The inspiration here comes from the Indian dish, chana masala, which is a spiced chickpea curry. Chana masala is typically in a tomato-based sauce, but since I didn’t have any tomatoes I had to improvise a little by using Greek yogurt and vegetable broth. I also had a bunch vegetables in the fridge and this seemed like the perfect way to use them up.

Chickpea Curry with Vegetables

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small red onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 crown of broccoli, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, and add onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, curry powder, cinnamon, brown sugar, chickpeas, carrots, and peppers. Cook for about 8 minutes over medium heat, until things begin to brown a little and carrots are tender. Reduce heat to medium low and add vegetable broth, yogurt, broccoli, zucchini, salt and pepper. Cook until broccoli and zucchini are tender. Serve over brown rice. If you like it spicy, add Sriracha.

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12Apr / 2012

Apple Crisp

I usually only make apple crisp in the fall, after we go apple-picking at Becker Farms, but I decided to bring this yummy dessert to Easter and it was a hit. It had to bake for an hour and man did it make the whole house smell like the fall. Mmmmmm sweet, delicious fall. We served it warm with vanilla ice cream and it really made this dessert taste out of this world. Also, I used a melted vegan spread instead of butter and it didn’t compromise the flavor at all. It was still as delicious as ever AND vegan-friendly. Yum!

Apple Crisp

8 apples (I used 3 organic Granny Smith and 5 organic Gala, but you can use whatever kind you like)
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice
1/2 cup butter, margarine or vegan spread (melted)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 cup quick oatmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt

Peel and slice the apples, then place them in a large bowl. Add the 1/2 cup sugar, 2/3 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the apple pie spice to the apples and mix thoroughly. Then place the apple mixture into a 9 x 13 baking pan. Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, oatmeal and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well and spread over the top of the apples. Bake at 350ºF for about 1 hour. Check the apples periodically to make sure they are done. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

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11Apr / 2012

Chipotle Scrambled Eggs

Vegetarian sausage is dicey territory, but trust me—you will not regret trying this Field Roast Mexican Chipotle sausage. It’s not low fat, despite being vegetarian, but it is wicked good and super spicy in the most wonderful way. And in scrambled eggs? Now THAT’s breakfast. (Or dinner!)

Chipotle Scrambled Eggs

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 link Field Roast Mexican Chipotle vegan sausage
3/4 cups Egg Beaters

(yes, that’s it!)

Just tear up the link of vegan sausage, saute in olive oil, scramble in the eggs and serve! Seriously. So. Good.

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09Apr / 2012

Happy Dyngus Day!

(above) The E.M. Chrusciki Bakery is known for their Buffalo angel wings, or chrusciki, which is a lightly fried sour cream-based dough that is cut, twisted and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

(above) The famed butter lamb is a Polish tradition and a symbol of spring in Buffalo.

Now you’re probably asking yourself “what the heck is Dyngus Day?” Believe me, I also asked that question when I first moved to Buffalo. I’m not Polish and neither is my husband, but you don’t need to be because everyone’s Polish on Dyngus Day!

Dyngus Day is a Polish-American tradition that takes place on the Monday after Easter to celebrate the end of Lent. There are a lot stories that attempt to explain the origins of the day, but since 966 A.D., Dyngus Day has been a celebration of the first king of Poland being baptized into Christianity, symbolized by the sprinkling of water. In more modern times, the tradition continued when farm boys in Poland wanted to attract members of the opposite sex. It became customary to throw water and hit the girls on their legs with pussy willows. The ladies would then get their revenge by throwing dishes & crockery at the boys on the following Tuesday.

With a large Polish population, Buffalo unofficially became the Dyngus Day Capital of America with the largest concentration of festival locations and live polka music. The Broadway Market, built in 1888, is located on the eastside of Buffalo in the historic Polonia neighborhood. Famed for its ethnic old world shopping atmosphere, the Broadway Market’s fresh food merchant base is comprised of family-owned, family-operated butcher shops, poultry stands, fruit/vegetable stands and bakeries and has become synonymous with Easter and Dyngus Day in Buffalo. It’s there that you can get butter lambs, polish sausage, perogi, chrusciki and lots of other Easter favorites.

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07Apr / 2012

DIY Felt Easter Bunny

Click on the above image and save it to your desktop.

Start by sewing on the face. You could also use buttons or beads for the eyes.

Sew on the ears, belly, carrot, and carrot top to the front piece. Sew on the tail to the back body piece.

Begin stitching both pieces together.

Leave about 2 inches open so you can stuff the bunny.

DIY Felt Easter Bunny

Time: approx. 5 hours from start to finish

9″ x 12″ felt cream-colored rectangle for body
Felt scraps: orange for carrot, green for carrot top, pink for ears and white for belly and tail
Polyfil stuffing
Needle, matching thread & sewing pins
Scissors
Pattern (above)
Vanishing fabric marker

Click and save the above pattern, print and trim out each piece. Trace the body pattern on the cream felt twice with the disappearing marker and cut out. Trace the remaining patterns onto their corresponding felt colors and trim. Using one of the two felt body pieces, start sewing the face onto the bunny. Then, on the same piece of felt, sew on the ears, belly, carrot and carrot top using matching thread. On the second body piece, sew on the tail. Using a pin, pin both body pieces together and begin to stitch the seam leaving about a 2″ opening to stuff it. See my pictures above if you’re unsure, but remember you’re not turning the fabric inside out. Stuff lightly, making sure to push stuffing into the ears, feet and arms. Stitch the opening and you’re done!

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05Apr / 2012

Cheeseburger Soup

The inspiration for this recipe comes from a local restaurant named Grover’s Bar & Grill. Fun fact about this place is that it used to be president Grover Cleveland’s hunting lodge way back when. History aside, they have great burgers, chicken wings and the like, but this soup and this soup alone is what got them featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. This soup is unlike any soup you’ve ever tasted. It’s SO yummy and delicious that I could seriously LICK THE BOWL. I’m fully aware that this isn’t the healthiest meal out there, even with the fat free substitutions, therefore I only condone eating it after a vigorous workout at the gym. Then it’s on like donkey kong. Also, don’t be scared of adding in the lettuce at the end. I was too, but trust me, it’s a necessary ingredient in making this soup so dang tasty and addictive. My version is pretty close to the original, but if you ever get a chance to make it out to East Amherst, NY, I strongly suggest you check out Grover’s.

Cheeseburger Soup

1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon McCormick’s hamburger seasoning or similar
1 large onion, diced
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups low sodium, fat free chicken stock
1/4 cup flour mixed with 3/4 cup water
1 pint fat free half & half
1 32 ounce block of Velveeta or similar, cubed
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 small head iceberg lettuce, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

In a large pot, add ground beef and hamburger seasoning, salt & pepper and cook until browned and a bit crispy, drain. Add butter and sweat onions until translucent. Add chicken stock and flour slurry, bring to boil scrapping bits off the bottom. Add half & half and Velveeta. Cook until all the cheese is melted, but not boiling. Add in tomatoes and lettuce. Season to taste and lower heat. Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes.

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the kitchen creative

Monthly Archives: April 2012

Bleu and Red Stuffed Chicken Breast

No-Bake Nutella and Strawberry Cheesecake

Mediterranean Stuffed Tilapia

Low-fat Banana-Raspberry Ricotta Dessert

Chickpea Curry with Vegetables

Apple Crisp

Chipotle Scrambled Eggs

Happy Dyngus Day!

DIY Felt Easter Bunny

Cheeseburger Soup

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