mystery dish – Page 3 – The Pajama Chef

Mystery Dish: Chili Lime Popcorn

April 29, 2014April 28, 2014 Sarah

I can’t believe it’s time for another Mystery Dish post! This month, Jen from Yummy Healthy Easy is our host, and she gave us the following ingredients to work with: garbanzo beans, eggs, flaxseed, cilantro, potatoes, bread, quinoa, lime, popcorn, dark chocolate, ground turkey, and asparagus. So many yummy things in that list! And healthy things. And easy ingredients. Hmmm, appropriate ingredients. 🙂

I had a really hard time deciding what to make, because I’m a huge fan of everything on this list. I seriously considered making brownies with garbanzo beans, kind of like a baked version of this cookie dough dip, but then I had to go with the classic cilantro lime combination. Instead of cilantro lime rice or quinoa, I wondered what those flavors would be like on popcorn. After this coconut curry popcorn, I’ve been daydreaming about other popcorn flavors. I may not need to daydream anymore… this Chili Lime Popcorn is superb!

I decided to flavor this popcorn with a chili lime butter to avoid the soggy popcorn you get when you flavor popcorn with any sort of liquid. I made the butter with a bit of garlic powder, chili powder, and onion powder, along with lime juice… and I could have just as easily eaten this butter on a baked potato or some hearty bread instead of popcorn. But when this slightly spicy, tangy butter is melted on crunchy popcorn it is awesome. Of course I had to add some cilantro to complete the flavor combo I was going for… and I also tossed in some lime zest for an extra zing. This fancy popcorn is addictive and wonderful, and totally worth the extra few minutes of work. I hope you give it a try… it is SO good.

Oh, I almost forgot! When I make popcorn, I use a Whirly Pop. It’s so cool. Usually, I pop my kernels with a bit of canola oil, but I recently read that using coconut oil is more movie theatre authentic so I gave it a shot. So, what’s the verdict? Well, it was definitely different. I’m not sure it was authentic. There was no chemical taste, which is good. 🙂 It’s yummy though! Btw… be sure to check out what else my Mystery Dish pals came up with for this month. All the recipes are bound to be excellent!

one year ago: Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
two years ago: Royal Berry Coffee Cake

Chili Lime Popcorn
click to print

Ingredients:

2/3 cup unpopped popcorn to make 4 quarts plain popcorn [pop in coconut oil if possible]
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
freshly ground black pepper
juice of half a lime
zest of one lime
1/2 cup minced cilantro, loosely packed
salt

Directions:

Pop popcorn according to preferred method, using coconut oil if possible. In a small bowl, stir together butter, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, and a little freshly ground black pepper. Add lime juice and stir as well as possible [not all liquid will be incorporated].

Melt butter in microwave and then pour over popped popcorn. Toss in lime zest and cilantro, and mix well. Add salt to taste. Enjoy immediately.

TIme: 10 minutes.
Yield: 4 quarts popcorn.

1. Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake by Culinary Couture
2. Pineapple Cashew Quinoa “Fried Rice” by Blahnik Baker
3. Chili Lime Popcorn by The Pajama Chef
4. Cilantro Lime Hummus by The Weary Chef
5. Gluten Free White Bean Brownies by Yummy Healthy Easy
6. Homemade Popcorn with Cilantro Lime Butter by The Well Floured Kitchen
7. Tex-Mex Chickpea Salad by Joyful Healthy Eats
8. Quinoa Salad with Asparagus and Tomato by Chez Catey Lou
9. Key Lime Pie Popcorn by I Dig Pinterest
10. Turkey Sausage Breakfast Casserole by I Want Crazy
11. Frozen Pineapple Cilantro Mojito by Baking a Moment
12. Pretzel Caramel Crunch by The Dessert Chronicles

Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes

Mystery Dish: Tropical Kiwi Fruit Muffins

March 28, 2014March 27, 2014 Sarah

Happy Mystery Dish Friday! Today I have some AMAZING muffins to share with you. They are seriously some of the coolest muffins I have ever made [and from this muffin addicted girl, that’s saying a lot]. But how can you not agree?! They have KIWI on top. So fun, so tropical, so green. Spring, please come soon!

This month for Mystery Dish, Kat from I Want Crazy was in charge. When our original founder, Dani, who has since left blogging due to family, was trying to organize the group, I suggested she ask Kat to join. I knew Kat from church [we were still living in Indiana then] and she had recently started blogging. She joined and the rest is history… errr, the rest being that this month she chose our fun ingredients [including the aforementioned kiwi] to be: boxed cake mix, Peeps, oats, ginger, honey, wine, shallots, coconut, shrimp, cherry tomatoes, kiwi, dried fruit, and cinnamon. Some of those ingredients I looove [COCONUT] and others I hate [Peeps. With a passion.] so the choice was pretty simple.

I pinned these Tropical Kiwi Fruit Muffins months and months ago, and now I finally had an excuse to make them. They are a tropical delight! Basically, you make a soft coconut muffin and top it with a slice of kiwi fruit and a smattering of coconut flakes. The coconut on top gets all golden and toasty, though in an ideal world I’d like it to be toastier [but didn’t want to toughen up the muffins]. I added a touch of ginger to the muffin batter, both to satisfy Kat’s request for us to use three ingredients AND because I just thought it sounded wonderful. And they turned out wonderful, if I do say so myself. Lime, ginger, and coconut go so well together in these fun muffins, and the kiwi is the cherry on top. 🙂 A bit o’ color and flavor if you will. These muffins were perfect for a rainy/snowy week. Hope you enjoy, and that you check out some of the other recipes this month for Mystery Dish!

one year ago: Sweet & Sour Chicken
two years ago: Turkey, Spinach, & Kale Stuffed Shells
three years ago: Baked Potato Skins

Tropical Kiwi Fruit Muffins [slightly adapted from Clever Muffin]
click to print

Ingredients:

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut
zest of one large lime
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
scant 1/2 cup coconut oil [90 grams]
1 cup buttermilk [quick shortcut=1 tablespoon vinegar + enough milk to make 1 cup; let sit for about 5 minutes to thicken]
1 egg
3 kiwi fruit, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons shredded coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare muffin tin with paper liners or coat with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, shredded coconut, lime zest, and ground ginger. Make a well in the center.

In a separate bowl, whisk together coconut oil, buttermilk, and egg. Pour into the well then stir until just combined.

Spoon into prepared muffin tin, then top with a slice of kiwi and some shredded coconut.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Eat or freeze within three days.

Time: 30 minutes.
Yield: 12-16 muffins.

1. Coconut Shrimp with Thai Chili Ginger Sauce by Joyful Healthy Eats
2. Sangria Poached Pears by Baking a Moment
3. Baked Mini Carrot Cake Donuts by Culinary Couture Blog
4. Funfetti Cookies with Peeps Marshmallow Frosting by I Dig Pinterest
5. Carrot Oatmeal Cookies by Yummy Healthy Easy
6. Gooey Oatmeal Cranberry Bars by I Want Crazy
7. Honey Lime Coconut Oatmeal Cookies by Blahnik Baker
8. Chocolate Almond Date Balls by The Well Floured Kitchen
9. Tropical Kiwi Fruit Muffins by The Pajama Chef
10. Nesting Peeps Cupcakes by The Dessert Chronicles
11. Carrot Cake Cookies by Chez CateyLou

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

Mystery Dish: Spicy Chicken, Spinach, and Corn Enchiladas

February 28, 2014February 27, 2014 Sarah

This month for Mystery Dish, Christine from I Dig Pinterest and I Did it Too was the head honcho. She gave us the following ingredients to work with: fresh mushrooms, pork, spinach, cream cheese, pineapple, butterscotch chips, macadamia nuts, Sriracha, Ritz crackers, and tortillas. When I first saw the list, I had dreams of a fabulous dessert. But things just didn’t work out due to family and work things… so dinner it was! But shhhh! Don’t tell these enchiladas they were a second choice because they’d be oh so sad. They were SO tasty and SO spicy and SO worth it.

The two ingredients I used from Christine’s list were spinach and tortillas. I thought about also using Sriracha in the spicy enchilada sauce, but after a quick test taste, I realized there was no way I’d be able to handle the heat if I added that. 🙂 So two ingredients it was! Obviously tortillas are an essential part of enchiladas–but spinach? Sounds a little weird. But I’m never one to shy away from adding veggies where they are unexpected. The combination of chicken, spinach, and corn made for a delightful enchilada filling, and when we had a little leftover, I saved it for quesadillas later in the week. Also an excellent choice for this filling! If a super spicy sauce isn’t your thing, feel free to buy some or try my [old old old] recipe for a classic enchilada sauce.

We loved how flavorful, fast, and unique these enchiladas were, and I bet you will too! Be sure to check out some of the other creations made by my Mystery Dish pals. 🙂

one year ago: Italian Sausage and Red Rice
two years ago: Sausage, Apple, and Egg Casserole
three years ago: Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Spicy Chicken, Spinach, and Corn Enchiladas
click to print

Ingredients:

4 ounces tomato paste
1 cup tomato juice or water
1/2 cup onion, roughly chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
6 ounces cooked chicken, shredded
2 handful spinach, torn
1 cup corn
1/2 cup salsa
8 flour tortillas
1 cup white cheddar cheese [pepperjack or a Mexican blend would also be good]

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, combine tomato paste, tomato juice, onion, green pepper, garlic, chipotle peppers, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Process until smooth. Spread 1/3 of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.

In a bowl, stir together chicken, spinach, corn, and salsa. Divide mixture between the tortillas, then place seam side down in the baking dish. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and the cheese.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Time: 45 minutes [15 minutes active].

Yield: 4 servings.

1. Grilled Pineapple with Nutella and Macadamia Nuts by Joyful Healthy Eats
2. Hummingbird Cake by Baking a Moment
3. Three-Cheese Spinach Squares by The Well Floured Kitchen
4. Easy Pesto Pita Bread Pizzas by Yummy Healthy Easy
5. Minty Pea Prosciutto Toast by Chez CateyLou
6. Pina Colada Cheesecake by Blahnik Baker
7. Chocolate Banana Cheesecake Chimichangas by Culinary Couture
8. Pork with Pineapple Fried Rice by I Want Crazy
9. Tropical Green Smoothie by The Dessert Chronicles
10. Spicy Chicken, Spinach and Corn Enchiladas by The Pajama Chef
11. Pineapple Drop Cookies by I Dig Pinterest

Desserts, Other, Recipes

Mystery Dish: Champorado [Filipino Chocolate Rice Pudding]

January 29, 2014February 22, 2014 Sarah

When I saw the ingredients for the January edition of Mystery Dish, the first thing I thought was “fancy, fancy.” Allie from Baking a Moment gave us a list of the following to work with: champagne, strawberries, oranges, beets, filet mignon, lobster, cream, chocolate, rosewater, and rice. Though the list at first glance is fancy, my first thought was comfort food. It must be the cold weather.

As I was thinking about what to make, I noticed rice sitting all lonely at the end of the list. I’ve never had rice pudding, so I looked up a few recipes and decided to give it a whirl. Ben is a HUGE rice addict, so we always have tons of rice in the pantry. Instead of the milky, raisin-filled, old-person-stereotype rice pudding, I wanted to use chocolate to fancify things a bit. As I researched chocolate rice pudding, I decided to take an international spin on things and make an intriguing Filipino chocolate rice pudding called Champorado. When I found out it is traditionally served for breakfast, I was sold. Chocolate for breakfast? Yes, please!

This pudding is warm, comforting, and chocolately–though it’s surprisingly NOT rich. Some kinds of oatmeal I make feel richer than this is. The recipe called for bittersweet chocolate, which certainly helps create an uber chocolate flavor without any feelings of heaviness or overindulgence. I also added a little bit of orange zest to bring a citrus zing to the dish. Chocolate and orange together is absolutely DIVINE! Another way this dish stays a lighter is the pairing. You might have noticed that bacon on my plate.

Traditionally, Champorado is served with hot, buttered rolls and salted dried fish, creating that perfect blend of salty sweet balance in a meal. Since I was fresh out of salted dried fish [aka I’ve never eaten salted dried fish before] bacon was my natural alternative. 🙂

Each bite of this pudding is comforting and delightful. It’s so versatile and can be served hot, lukewarm, or cold. Though I highly recommend it for breakfast, I think it would make a fun dessert too. I definitely will be trying more rice puddings in the future now that I know they aren’t just for old people! 🙂 Thanks, Allie and Mystery Dish for broadening my horizons once again. Scroll down for more recipes from this month’s Mystery Dish! 🙂

one year ago: Buffalo Pretzels
two years ago: Cranberry Feta Pinwheels
three years ago: Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce

Champorado [Filipino Chocolate Rice Pudding] [from Chow]
click to print

Ingredients:

1 cup rice [short grain white sticky rice recommended, but I used long-grain white rice and it was fine]
5 cups water
6 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate [I used a 70% cacao variety from Scharffen Berger]
1/3 cup sugar
zest of one orange
milk [regular, evaporated, sweetened condensed], for serving if desired

Directions:

Rinse rice in a fine gauge mesh strainer under running water for 1-2 minutes, until water runs clear. Then place in a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring often, until rice is tender, much of the water is absorbed, and mixture thickens, about 15-20 minutes.

Melt chocolate in the microwave in 15 second increments, stirring and checking often to ensure chocolate does not burn. A double boiler would be another option too.

When rice has thickened, add chocolate, sugar, and orange zest to pot and stir together. Simmer for another 5 minutes until sugar has dissolved.

Remove from heat and serve as desired–immediately [hot], cooled off the heat for 30-45 minutes [lukewarm], or cooled off the heat, then refrigerated [cold]. Serve with milk as desired.

Time: 30 minutes.
Yield: 6 servings.

1. Carmelitas by Pass the Cocoa
2. Strawberry Champagne Cupcake Trifles by The Dessert Chronicles
3. Strawberry Orange Stuffed French Toast by I Dig Pinterest
4. Strawberry Orange Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips by Joyful Healthy Eats
5. Chocolate Strawberry Pudding by See Hubby Cook
6. Chocolate Doughnuts with Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing by Chez CateyLou
7. Champorado (Filipino Chocolate Rice Pudding) by The Pajama Chef
8. Whole Wheat Orange Scones with Vanilla Cream Glaze by The Well Floured Kitchen
9. Chocolate-Filled Cream Puffs with Strawberry Sauce by Culinary Couture
10. Red Velvet Beet Cupcakes by Yummy Healthy Easy
11. Chocolate Covered Strawberry Milkshake by I Want Crazy
12. Strawberry Rose Chocolate Verrines by Baking a Moment

Main Dishes, Recipes, Seafood and Fish

Mystery Dish: Baked Fish Tacos with Cranberry Salsa

December 30, 2013December 30, 2013 Sarah

Welcome to December Mystery Dish! Should be a good post for my last recipe of the year. I didn’t intend to take a two week break, but it’s been nice to unplug. 🙂 Sherri at The Well Floured Kitchen was this month’s host for Mystery Dish, and the ingredients she chose for us included: Dark Chocolate, Greek Yogurt, Berries, Coconut Oil, Walnuts, Fish, Baby Spinach, and Pecorino Romano Cheese. We had to use at least two, and I chose to use fish and berries… cranberries to be specific. I know cranberries aren’t always thought of as traditional ‘berries’ but they are in season and I love them so I wanted to use them! For more info on berries, check out Wikipedia. 🙂

Ben helped extensively with this recipe–he came up with the idea to make fish tacos, and I wanted to try my hand at a cranberry salsa. Fruit salsas are so complimentary to fish tacos, and this one, though a little more tart than most, was absolutely amazing. I used two types of fresh herbs [rosemary and parsley] and tangerine to flavor it up, then added a little sweetness and tartness with honey and red raspberry vinegar. My goal was to make the salsa be different from my usual cranberry relish [fresh cranberries, sugar, and an orange], and I think I succeeded!

While I was cranberry salsa-ing it up, Ben was busy preparing the fish tacos. He’s the fish taco expert in the family, and decided to season the tilapia with some olive oil and vinegar–but not just your average olive oil and vinegar. He used some special blood orange-infused olive oil and coconut-infused white balsamic vinegar from the Bumble Olive Oil Company in his hometown [Toledo, Ohio]. If you can get your hands on these infused oils, DO IT! So good. But if not, use extracts or juices to create the same effect. The result? A sweet, tender, flaky fish that pairs so well with some tart salsa and crunchy cabbage. I also whipped up some Mexican rice with dinner… aka my favorite side ever. Yum yum and yum! Hope you enjoy!

one year ago: White Chocolate Peppermint M&M Cookies
two years ago: Classic Sugar Cookies
three years ago: Cranberry Scones

Baked Fish Tacos with Cranberry Salsa
click to print

Ingredients:

3-4 tilapia filets [frozen or fresh]
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil [mine was blood-orange infused]*
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar [mine was coconut infused]*
1/4 of a sweet yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tangerine, sliced and seeded [leave on peel]
1/2 cup parsley
4 sprigs rosemary
2 tablespoons red raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups fresh cranberries
freshly ground black pepper
salt
tortillas, for serving
chopped red cabbage, for serving
lime wedges, for serving
sour cream, for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, then place tilapia filets in baking dish. Combine olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl, then brush mixture over tilapia, turning to coat. Cook for 13-15 minutes or until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. If you use fresh fish, the cook time will be reduced.

Meanwhile, combine onion, garlic, and tangerine in a food processor. Pulse until nearly smooth, then add parsley, rosemary, vinegar, honey, and cranberries. Pulse a few times to break up cranberries, then season with pepper and salt to taste.

Gently slice fish into strips, then serve in tortillas with cabbage and sour cream, squeezing lime wedges overtop before enjoying.

Time: 25 minutes.

Yield: 3-4 servings.

Note: I used infused evoo and balsamic vinegar. You can add a few drops of coconut or orange extract for a similar flavor profile, or a little orange juice or zest.

Please check out the rest of the Mystery Dish posts when you have a chance too. They all look SO delicious!