Reduced Fat Buffalo Chicken Dip

My husband never tried Buffalo Chicken Dip until a few months ago when he tried it at a friends house and loved it. I've eaten it before, but have never made it myself. I wanted to try to make another appetizer idea to share with you for Superbowl and this recipe is real easy; however, I wanted to lighten it up a bit because who can really stop at 2 tablespoons of this goodness?!

Spinach & Chick Pea Soup

Welcome to the last day of Soup Week where I've saved the best for last. Well, at least this one was our favorite (3 out of 4 approved!). Not only does this soup contain a mere 6 ingredients (all of which I have on hand at all times), it can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less.

Organic Alphabet Soup

This Organic Alphabet Soup has got to be the EASIEST soup you can make. With only 3 ingredients and about a half hour of your time, you are well on your way to make a delicious, quick and filling lunch or dinner you and your family are going to love!

Sauteed Spinach with Dried Cherries

I just love spinach; especially this time of year when it helps boost your immune system with all of it's vitamins and minerals. But when making it as a side dish, you have to purchase quite a bit  to get enough to serve everyone as it shrinks a lot when cooked. I prefer using baby spinach leaves; which are generally tender and a little sweet versus the larger spinach leaves; which tend to be more bitter. Whatever type of spinach you are preparing, remove the spinach from the heat as soon as the leaves start to wilt as they will continue to cook and you want them to be bright green in color.


When making spinach as a side dish, I generally make this Sauteed Fresh Spinach with Garlic, but was in the mood to try a little something different. I had some leftover dried cherries laying around from when I made the Baked Brie, so I added some of those. The cherries gave the spinach a nice, mildly sweet flavor that went well with a pork dish I'll be sharing with you tomorrow. ~Enjoy!


Sauteed Spinach with Dried Cherries
Prep Time: 5 minutes  Cook Time: 3 minutes Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 20oz. Fresh Baby Spinach
• 1/2 c. Dried Cherries

Directions

1. Rinse and dry spinach; then remove any large stems. 
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat; then add the spinach and dried cherries. 
3. Saute until the spinach has wilted; approximately 2-3 minutes. 

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories 94, Carbs 13.2g, Fat 2.3g, Protein 3.7g, Fiber 4.4g, Sugar 6g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Tabasco & Honey Chicken Wings

The next New Year's Eve appetizer idea I'd like to share with you is for these Tabasco & Honey Chicken Wings. I first posted this back in February 2012 under the 10 Must Have Foods for Superbowl. 

Semi-Homemade Green Goddess Dressing

Did you ever plan a last minute get together and wanted to serve something quick and easy to your guests? Look no further! All you need are three ingredients to make this Semi-Homemade Green Goddess Dressing.

Pumpkin Cheese Ball

Believe it or not, we didn't eat many cheese balls at our family gatherings growing up. Mainly we would have an antipasto or cold shrimp with cocktail sauce or sausage bread. It wasn't until I was older that I was introduced to the cheese ball while attending parties at some of my friends' family gatherings. Still, I never even made one until recent years. They are really easy and quick to make. It's the refrigeration time that takes the longest.

Spiked Mini Apple Tarts with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Everyone has their favorite desserts and Thanksgiving is when we seem to make all of them...yes, at the same time. Pumpkin Pie. Apple Pie. Cheesecake. Chocolate Cream Pie. We always have a TON of desserts left over and half of the time we wind up throwing some of them away. This year, I experimented with a smaller version of one of my favorites with these Spiked Mini Apple Tarts with Cinnamon Whipped Cream. 

Pumpkin & Brie Mini Quiche

It's only 29 days until my favorite holiday...Thanksgiving! I know. It's not even Halloween yet, but if you haven't figured it out by now, I'm a huge planner. I love Thanksgiving. The smell of turkey roasting in the oven. The parade Thanksgiving morning. The pumpkin...usually my only excuse to eat pumpkin pie during the year since no one really likes it except for my oldest daughter and I!

Turkey Orzo Soup

I love that the cooler weather is approaching. It means more soup like this Turkey Orzo Soup. I will purposely buy a whole turkey or just the breast and roast it on a Sunday afternoon, knowing that I will almost always have leftovers. The recipe below calls for chicken or vegetable broth; however, I've also used homemade turkey stock made from boiling the carcass with some onions, celery and carrots after all the meat has been carved from the bone. This soup is simple to make and really warms you from the inside out on a cool day.


Turkey Orzo Soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes          Yield: 7 cups
Cook Time: 25 minutes         Serving: 1 cup
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 c. Carrots, small dice
• 1/4 c. Red Onion, small dice
• 2 Stalks Celery, small dice
• 1 tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1 c. Turkey, cooked and chopped
• 4 c. Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• 2 c. Water
• 1/2 c. Orzo

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over low heat; then add in the carrots, onion and celery. Allow the vegetables to sweat and soften for approximately 3-5 minutes. 
2. Add the parsley, turkey, broth, water and orzo. Mix well. 
3. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through. 

Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories 91, Carbs 8.4g, Fat 3.2g, Protein 7.2g, Fiber 1.1g, Sugar 1.5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Turkey Orzo Soup Shopping List

Gremolata Chicken Skewers

These chicken skewers make a fantastic, quick weeknight meal and the kids will LOVE them! They can be prepared the night before, then just grill them when you get home. The simple flavors of fresh parsley, lemon and garlic would also make these Gremolata Chicken Skewers a fun, healthy appetizer for your next get together with family and friends. 

Gremolata Chicken Skewers

Prep Time: 2 hours                         Yield: 12

Cook Time:  10-12 minutes            Servings: 4

Total Time: 2 hours 12 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 Fresh Chicken Breast Tenders
• 1 Lemon, zest and juice
• 2 tbsp. Garlic, minced
• 1/2 c. Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 12 Skewers

Directions

1. In a small bowl combine the lemon zest and juice, garlic, chopped parsley and oil. Whisk together. 
2. Add the chicken to a large resealable plastic bag and add the marinade and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 
3. Heat grill and remove the chicken from the bag. Grill chicken until it is cooked through; approximately 5-6 minutes per side (grilling times may vary depending on type of grill and whether or not you close the lid. Cooked chicken should be 165 internal degrees). 

Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts per Skewer
Calories 90, Carbs .8g, Fat 4.5g, Protein 11.4g, Fiber 0g, Sugar 0g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Cucumber Yogurt Lime Dip

I mentioned when we were in Florida recently that we met up with my friend Jenn from My Daily Jenn-ism and her family for dinner one evening; who happened to be in Disney the same night we were there before heading out on their cruise. There were eight of us (4 adults, 3 kids and a teenager...because I  can't really call her a "kid" any longer when she towers over me!). Anyway, after several attempts to find a place to dine, we had no luck (or 2 hour wait times).

We were in the Downtown Disney area so we just started walking towards Pleasure Island and figured we'd just try places along the way, until we came upon this restaurant/pub called Paradiso 57, Taste of the Americas. None of us had ever dined there before, but after looking at the menu decided there was something for everyone AND they could seat the 8 of us immediately...bonus!

Jenn with her good friend Jose

We ordered some appetizers and drinks to start with (look at the size of their margaritas!) including their Chorizo and Beef Skewers (Spicy Chorizo Skewers, Marinated Beef Skewers, Chimichurri Pita Bread, Marinated Mushrooms with Citrus Yogurt Sauce). The Citrus Yogurt Sauce was delicious and really cut the heat from the spicy chorizo so I asked our waitress what was in it and she told me cucumbers, yogurt and lime. After we got home, I decided to experiment with this recipe for myself and it came out great. You can use this as a dip with tortilla chips or pita bread or use it as an accompaniment for grilled meat, chicken or fish.


Cucumber Yogurt Lime Dip
Prep Time: 10 minutes     Yield: 12 tablespoons       Servings: 1 tablespoon

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. Cucumber, peeled and small dice
• 1 c. Plain Nonfat Yogurt (I used Chobani)
• 1/2 Lime, zest and juice
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until creamy. Cover and refrigerate. Can be kept up to 3 days. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 13, Carbs 1.2g, Fat 0g, Protein 2.1g, Fiber .1g, Sugar .9g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Italian Onions (Family Favorites)

The next recipe I wanted to revisit from my cookbook, Carrie's Experimental Kitchen, for the Family Favorites theme is this one for Italian Onions; especially since today is National Hot Dog Day. This Italian Onion recipe originated from my Great Uncle Artie Palladino and he graciously shared it with me a few years ago. He uses water instead of chicken broth so if you're looking for a vegetarian option, you can use that or vegetable broth instead. I really like how simple and quick these are to make and they have become a staple at all of our summer barbecues. Since I don't eat hot dogs, I personally like to add these Italian Onions to a nice juicy burger or grilled Italian sausage sandwich . 

Italian Onions
Prep Time:  5 minutes    Cook Time: 35 minutes   Total Time: 40 minutes    Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 Vidalia Onion
• 1 tbsp. Butter
• 1/2 c. Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 3/4 c. Ketchup (I used Heinz)
• 1 tbsp. Dried Oregano
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Cut the top and bottom off of the onion and peel back the skin. Cut the onion in half lengthwise, then slice into thin strips. 
2. Add the onions to a medium saucepan along with the butter and simmer over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes. 
3. Once the onions have started to soften, add the chicken broth and reduce heat to low. Simmer approximately 15 minutes until the onions become translucent; stirring every 5 minutes.
4. Add the ketchup, oregano, salt and pepper and simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve hot. Can be prepared up to three days ahead of time and kept refrigerated. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 70, Carbs 11.7g, Fat 2.9g, Protein .3g, Fiber .3g, Sugar 10.7g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Italian Onions Shopping List

You can find this recipe for Italian Onions, along with 180 other recipes in my cookbook available at many online retailers like Amazon, BN.com and IndieBound. Signed copies or hardcover versions are available by emailing carrieexpktchn (at) optonline (dot) net. 

If you are a Goodreads member, I'm holding a Giveaway where you can enter for your chance to win a copy for yourself, but hurry, Friday, July 26, 2013 is the last day to enter!  

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Carrie's Experimental Kitchen

by Carrie Palladino Farias

Giveaway ends July 26, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Blueberry Rum Sorbet

This Sunday, July 21, 2013, is National Ice Cream Day. So why not celebrate the hot days of summer with some cold, homemade sorbet! I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of ice cream or should I say, it's not a big fan of me, but I do love to cool off with some refreshing sorbet or ice pops. So while I was thinking about what ice cream recipe I could share with you today, I found several recipes online for homemade sorbet that didn't involve an ice cream maker (since I don't have one of those either!). They were all generally the same, but I opted in the end for my own version.

During a trip to my local wine store, I saw they had a new sample size of Bacardi's Wolfberry Blueberry Rum. I'm a red wine or sangria girl and don't really drink much hard alcohol, but I love to find new ways to cook with all of the new alcohol flavors that keep emerging. I originally purchased the rum to make a marinade for grilled chicken (coming soon!), but thought I could add it to this sorbet to make an adult dessert as well. It was really easy to make and the alcohol actually made the sorbet creamier since it doesn't freeze. This frozen treat was very refreshing and not overly sweet.

You can also make this recipe sans the alcohol by removing it from the recipe altogether. I tried it both ways so the kids could also have a taste and found that the one without the rum was a little more grainy in texture, like an Italian Ice, but the kids loved it just the same.

Blueberry Rum Sorbet
Prep Time: 15 minutes                  Yield: 4
Freezer Time: 4 hours                  Servings: 1 ice cream scoop
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients
For the Blueberry Rum Sorbet

• 1 pt. Blueberries (I used fresh but you could also use frozen when not in season)
• 1/4 c. Simple Syrup
• 2 tbsp. Bacardi Wolfberry Blueberry Rum

For the Simple Syrup

1/4 c. Water

1/4 c. Granulated Sugar

Directions

For the Blueberry Rum Sorbet

1. Add your blueberries to a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth; stopping to scrape down the sides as you go. 
2. Add the cooled simple syrup and rum to the blueberries; then pulse again until well blended. 
3. Pour the mixture into an airtight plastic container (I used my Rubbermaid container), seal it tightly with the lid and freeze for at least 4 hours. 

For the Simple Syrup

1. Add the water and sugar to a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Stir until all of the sugar has dissolved; then let cool. 

Nutrition Facts
Calories 88 , Carbs 21.6g, Fat .3g, Protein .7g, Fiber 2.4g, Sugar 17g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Blueberry Rum Sorbet Shopping List

If you're more adventurous than I and would like to make your own ice cream, check out my Ice Cream/Frozen Desserts Board on Pinterest! 

Corn & Peach Salad

I generally don't make corn salads unless I have left over corn on the cob. I guess it's just that I hate to waste leftovers and corn on the cob just doesn't taste the same reheated the next day. I did include directions below on how to cook the corn first just in case you want to start from scratch or you could also use frozen corn if it's not in season. We love fresh Jersey corn in the summer, but now that G has braces, it's a little hard for her to eat on the cob so she has to cut it off for now.

This salad was refreshingly light with a hint of sweetness and was also really quick and easy to make. It went perfectly with some Grilled Honey Dijon Chicken; which I'll have to make again because my official taste testers were extremely hungry and ate the chicken before I had the chance to photograph it! =)


Corn and Peach Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes           Yield: 8
Cook Time: 8 minutes             Servings: 1/2 cup
Total Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 Ears of Fresh Corn on the Cob, cooked
• 2 Peaches (or nectarines), rinsed, pitted and chopped
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Basil
• 2 tbsp. White Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tbsp. Canola Oil
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Shuck the corn removing all of the hairs and place in a large pot. Add cold water and bring to a boil over high heat; then reduce heat to medium and let it simmer for 6-8 minutes. 
2. Remove the corn from the pot and allow to cool. 
3. Using a sharp knife, hold the corn upright on a flat surface(cutting board works fine) and cut off the kernels by slicing the knife downward. 
4. Place the kernels in a bowl and add the peaches, basil vinegar and oil. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 57, Carbs 10.1g, Fat 2g, Protein 1.2g, Fiber 1.3g, Sugar 3.9g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Corn & Peach Salad Shopping List

Tell me your favorite way to eat corn. 

ON or OFF the cob? Comment Below.

Shared at Thursday's Treasures 7/18/13