Recipes – Page 26 – The Pajama Chef

Main Dishes, Recipes, Salads, Sides, Vegetables

SRC: Green Goddess Dressing

May 17, 2015December 14, 2015 Sarah

A creamy, tangy dressing filled with lots of fresh herbs and onions… green goddess dressing is divine!

Hello, friends! What a week! We just moved and are getting settled in our new home. But I couldn’t miss out on the Secret Recipe Club this month so I made my recipe wayyy in advance. So unlike me. 🙂 This month I was given Jenna’s blog, The Painted Apron. Jenna is a lovely woman who gets to divide her time between Birmingham and Orange Beach, Alabama. She loves her family [just browse her blog for adorable grandkid photos! Awww.], football, and hospitality. My husband was very sad to learn that she’s an Alabama fan and wants to say GO BUCKS! OH! He’s a major Ohio State fan and is still basking in the glow of Big Ten > SEC victory in the National Championship last January.

All that aside, it was so fun to check out Jenna’s blog this month. Some of the recipes that caught my eye included: Creamy Corn Dip, Cranberry Salsa [must make at Christmas!], Cinnamon Roll & Sausage Breakfast Pudding [this would be an awesome dish to make while on vacation… we always stay in condos so low-prep recipes are great!], Apple Pear and Walnut Gorgonzola Galette, and Savory Apple Pie Quesadilla. I must have been in a fall mood when I browsed her blog, but I eventually settled on this great salad dressing. I know I’ll be able to enjoy it all summer long!

I’ve heard of Green Goddess Dressing before, but don’t really think I’ve ever had it before. Apparently it was concocted in the 1920s in San Francisco as part of a movie celebration. Fun! Truly, it reminds me of a more sophisticated version of ranch dressing. Creamy, herby, and tangy, this dressing is a fun creamy topping for salad. Traditionally, this dressing is made with sour cream and mayonnaise, but this time I used greek yogurt instead of sour cream because I had it on hand. We have enjoyed this dressing for the past two weeks on any and every salad we can find… but the first time, it was fabulous on a salad made up of red leaf lettuce, sauteed asparagus, sliced radishes, chickpeas, crumbled feta, and sliced hard boiled eggs. No matter how you serve it, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as we did! Thanks, Jenna, for a great recipe. 🙂

one year ago: Tropical Cake Mix Cookies
two years ago: Sweet Potato and Kale Egg Bake
three years ago: Reese’s Blondie Pie
four years ago: Sweet Potato Waffles

Green Goddess Dressing

Servings: 1.5 cups
Time: 5 minutes
Print

from The Painted Apron

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup chopped basil [or basil paste from Gourmet Garden]
1/4 cup chopped parsley [or parsley paste from Gourmet Garden]
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
4 tablespoons lemon juice [from about 2 lemons]
1 clove garlic, minced
crudites or salad, for serving

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a jar or small bowl, then process with an immersion blender until smooth. Serve as a dressing or dip. I enjoyed my dressing with this Asparagus and Chickpea Salad from A Nutritionist Eats [ingredients: red or butter lettuce, sauteed asparagus, sliced radishes, chickpeas, crumbled feta, and sliced hard boiled eggs].

Dressing keeps well in the fridge for about a week. Enjoy!

Check out all the other delicious recipes made by my friends in the Secret Recipe Club this month!

Breakfast, Pancakes, Recipes

Ricotta Pancakes

May 15, 2015May 15, 2015 Sarah

Delicate, melt-in-your mouth pancakes are made fluffy and delicious with ricotta, orange, and cinnamon. These fancy pancakes shouldn’t be missed!

There’s pancakes and there is pancakes. These pancakes are pancakes, if you know what I mean. They’re light and fluffy, but also doughy and satisfying at the same time. The secret ingredient that makes ’em that way is in the title–ricotta!

It’s a rare occasion that I have leftover ricotta, but I just so happened to have a half cup or so left from a pasta recipe I tried and I didn’t want it to go to waste. That would be so sad! I wanted to try baking with ricotta, but breakfast sounded better… so pancakes it was! I’ve made greek yogurt pancakes and sour cream pancakes before and honestly, the texture is pretty similar. The batter is thick but the pancakes cook beautifully and aren’t tough at all. My recipe uses a liberal amount of orange zest/juice and a touch of cinnamon for a pop of flavor, but you really can flavor these however you’d like–another type of citrus, perhaps, or some fresh berries, or chocolate… Mmm! The possibilities are endless. If I were you, I’d try them out this weekend. 🙂 I would, but I’ll be busy moving. Wish me luck! 🙂

one year ago: Blueberry Multigrain French Toast Bake
two years ago: Maple Berry Overnight Oats
three years ago: Cinnamon Carrot Muffins
four years ago: Springtime Linguine

Ricotta Pancakes

Servings: 2-3
Time: 30 minutes
Print

from Running to the Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
zest of 1 orange
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
juice of 1/2 an orange
3 tablespoons butter, melted [or oil]
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
butter or oil, for cooking
maple syrup or powdered sugar, for serving

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together milk, ricotta, egg, orange juice, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients. Gently stir until just combined.

When skillet is hot, grease with oil or butter. Spoon batter in 1/4 cup increments on skillet, spreading if necessary. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Serve with additional maple syrup or powdered sugar.

Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes

Chicken Mozzarella Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes

May 11, 2015May 10, 2015 Sarah

Cheesy chicken pasta with tangy and sweet sundried tomatoes.. this is pretty much my new favorite Italian dish!

I’ve been sitting here trying to figure out how to tell you about this pasta, but it’s just so hard. It’s just so hard because it’s just so good! I mean, just look at the ingredients. What’s not to love? Cheese, chicken, tomatoes, pasta, half and half… simple, flavorful ingredients that always taste good–well, now they taste great together!

Truly, this pasta is the whole shebang… the whole package… everything you could ever love or want or need–and more! Besides being filled with delicious ingredients, it’s SO easy to make that it’s almost foolproof. If you can boil water you can make this delicious dish. I promise! Please make this creamy, cheesy, carby delight today. You won’t regret it! 🙂

one year ago: Chocolate Baked Oatmeal
two years ago: Club Soda Waffles
three years ago: Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
four years ago: Salsas for Cinco de Mayo

Chicken Mozzarella Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes

Servings: 4
Time: 35 minutes
Print

from Julia’s Album

Ingredients:

3-4 ounces sundried tomatoes, either packed in oil or dried like the ones from Trader Joe’s, chopped
2 tablespoons oil [drained from tomatoes or extra virgin olive oil + some Italian seasoning]
1 pound chicken, sliced into thin, bite-sized pieces
paprika
freshly ground black pepper
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup half and half
1 cup shredded Mozzarella or Italian blend cheese
8 ounces small-medium pasta [I used campanelle, but rotini or penne would be great]
1 tablespoon dried basil [or more fresh basil]
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2-1 cup reserved pasta water

Directions:

If using sundried tomatoes in oil, drain oil and use 2 tablespoons for the first step. If not, disregard and use extra virgin olive oil plus a bit of Italian seasoning.

Set a large pot of water to boil for pasta and prepare according to package directions, reserving about 1 cup cooking water when finished.

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, heat oil until glistening. Add chicken, then season with paprika on top side. Cook for one minute, then flip and season the other side with paprika. Reduce heat to medium-low and add tomatoes and garlic. Continue cooking for about 3-4 minutes until chicken is nearly fully cooked. Add half and half to the skillet and bring to a gentle boil. Then stir in cheese, continuing to stir until all cheese melts.

By this point, the pasta should be about done. Drain pasta, reserving about 1 cup of cooking water.

Add about 1/2 cup of pasta water to chicken and sauce mixture in the skillet. Stir to incorporate, then season with basil and red pepper flakes. Taste and add more seasoning if desired, then fold in cooked pasta. Stir together well and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

Breakfast, Recipes, Scones

Mystery Dish: Pineapple Scones

April 29, 2015May 7, 2015 Sarah

Sweet, tropical pineapple scones… with smooth coconut and crunchy cashews, these are a treat you won’t be able to resist!

This month for Mystery Dish, Kristi at Inspiration Kitchen was our host and she challenged us to use three ingredients from this fabulous list: apricots, asparagus, vidalia onions, fennel/tarragon, chicken, puff pastry, coconut, cashews, chocolate, and pineapple. I’m a fruit girl at heart, and there’s nothing I love more than a big bowl of fresh pineapple. Feels like summer to me! So when I saw pineapple on that list, I KNEW it would be front and center in my recipe. I had all sorts of ideas, but finally landed on the idea of a quick and tasty scone.

I know you might be thinking… pineapple? In a scone? Is she crazy? I have to admit I was skeptical too. Pineapple seems too… wet or something to be baked like this. But truly, these are some of the best scones I’ve ever made. They are sweet but not cloyingly so, light and airy with just a bit of crunch from the coconut and cashews. Tropical flavors at their best! On a whim, I stirred in some Lightly Dried Ginger that I received from Gourmet Gardens as part of the #HotSummerEats blogging event I’m joining this summer. And as I suspected, ginger + pineapple + coconut + cashews = heaven. Enjoy!

one year ago: Chili Lime Popcorn
two years ago: Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
three years ago: Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

Pineapple Scones

Servings: 16
Time: 30 minutes
Print

from Land O Lakes

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained [reserve juice]
2-3 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice
2 eggs
1 teaspoon grated ginger – or lightly dried ginger from Gourmet Garden
1/2 cup sweetened coconut + more for sprinkling
1/3 cup chopped cashews

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and brown sugar. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together pineapple, 2 tablespoons juice, and eggs. Fold wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined.

Knead dough in bowl a few times, incorporating a little more flour or pineapple juice depending on how wet/dry the dough is [I had to add an extra tablespoon of pineapple juice]. Dough will be sticky.

Divide dough in half, then pat each half into a circle. Cut each circle into 8 wedges [or 6 if you want them a bit bigger]. Do not separate as dough puffs during baking. Sprinkle dough with additional coconut. Bake for 13-15 minutes, increase oven temperature to 500 degrees for last 30-45 seconds of baking to toast coconut further if desired.

Allow scones to cool a few minutes, then cut wedges to separate into individual scones. Enjoy warm!

Check out what my other Mystery Dish pals made this month!

Pineapple Cake from I Dig Pinterest

Tropical Chicken Tacos from Inspiration Kitchen

Honey Pineapple Chicken Teriyaki Skillet from Flavor the Moments

Chicken Alfredo Bacon Pastry Pockets from Simply Gloria

Ricotta Asparagus Tart from Yummy Healthy Easy

Pineapple Scones from The Pajama Chef

Disclosure: I received an assortment of herbs from Gourmet Garden to try as part of my participation in the #HotSummerEats blogging event, coming this summer. I was not compensated in any other way, and am not required to publish positive comments. My opinions are my own.

30 Before 30, Breads, Recipes

Easy Whole Wheat Bread

April 24, 2015February 19, 2016 Sarah

Soft, chewy whole wheat bread… a bread lover’s dream come true. Just seven ingredients to perfection! 🙂

Is there anything that smells homier than bread cooking in the oven? I think not. Homemade bread is such a treat, and it has been my quest to find an easy, foolproof, and simple recipe that I can use for toast, sandwiches, and anything in between. Well friends, I think this is IT!

I’m sorry the bread is a little wrinkled on top. When I made this, I couldn’t take pictures that day because it was too dark… and the bread wrinkled a little bit overnight. But it tasted amazing so I had to take pics anyway! Finding a great whole wheat bread recipe was one of my 30 before 30 goals. Spoiler alert: I turn 30 on Monday [yikes] and I am not to those 30 recipes yet. Whoops! This year was just too busy. So I’m extending my challenge into my 30th year. #mychallengemyrules

I found this recipe on one of the first blogs I ever started reading, The Runner’s Plate. Michelle’s mom has made this bread for years. Recipes from moms are always winners so I knew–even before I made it–that this bread would be one too! 🙂 It’s soft and hearty, with a faint honey taste, and it’s made with only 7 ingredients. I bet you have them all in your pantry right now! I know I do. It isn’t 100% whole wheat, but I bet you could experiment with using part white whole wheat flour in place of the all-purpose flour. Most homemade bread recipes are too heavy if you use ALL whole wheat flour, so tread lightly with substitutions.

What we loved about this bread was that it was soooo soft, almost like storebought bread. But it is homemade! Win! Though the amount of time it takes to make may be a bit overwhelming, it’s a great recipe to make on the weekend. It requires very little babysitting once the initial prep is completed so you could start it off, do some cleaning, move on to the next step, watch a tv show, move on to the next step, go for a run, move on to the next step, take a shower, then let it bake. Easy easy! That’s why it’s called Easy Whole Wheat Bread. 🙂 It’s the vehicle I used to eat this Curried Chicken Salad, some BLTs, and innumerable pieces of toast. Enjoy!

one year ago: Easy Homemade New York Bagels
two years ago: {Green} Bean and Cheese Enchiladas
three years ago: Royal Berry Coffee Cake
four years ago: Mexican Pizza

Easy Whole Wheat Bread

Servings: 2 loaves
Time: 5-6 hours
Print

from The Runner’s Plate

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups warm water [about 110-115 degrees]
1 package active dry yeast [2 1/4 teaspoons]
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

Add water to a large bowl, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Pour in oil, honey, and salt, then mix to combine. Let rest for 5-10 minutes. At this point, yeast should bubble.

Slowly mix in flour, then knead for 10 minutes by hand or 6-7 with a stand mixer on medium-low speed.

Cover with a dish towel and place in a warm area to rise until doubled in size, about an hour. Punch down and let rise again until doubled in size. This should take less time–check on it after 20 minutes and every 10 thereafter.

Divide dough into two equal parts, then shape into loaves and place in 2 greased bread pans. Let rise until dough reaches top of bread pans, about 30 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 32-37 minutes, until golden brown on top.