Chimichurri Sauce

As the new year has rolled in so have the new years resolutions.  In general in our home we are trying to get back on track with eating healthy, exercise and the like.  So I am cooking all paleo dinners for the month of January to get us started of right.  This is my husbands preferred way of eating and since he has been mostly paleo for the last 3 years I have seen him feeling healthier, have more energy and of course his clothes are fitting very nicely:)  So while I was resistant in the beginning I am now more on board with the whole idea.

If you don't know what paleo eating is, it is simply cutting out grains and sugars in your food.  This eliminates almost all processed food (which I love) (eliminating it that is!), sweet treats, baked goods (boo) and high starch veggies and fruits like potatoes (also boo!).  What's left? Well, mostly proteins, including nuts, meat, poultry and fish; vegetables (lots and lots of vegetables) and most fruits.  Some people continue to eat dairy, others eliminate it, but we do include dairy in our diet.

How does this all relate to chimichurri sauce?  I thought you'd never ask:)  I am not a huge meat fan.  And since I have taken away all the yummy, starchy sides that I adore, I needed to find a way to enjoy my healthy eating experience.  I have found that any way I can season or sauce up my protein is very beneficial in my eating enjoyment!  I do love food, remember? So what's to love if you don't enjoy what you're eating.

Chimichurri sauce reminds me of a mexican pesto.  It's got a beautiful bright green color and lots of spice and flavor from jalepenos, cilantro and lime juice.  It's perfect to brighten up grilled chicken or steak and light enough for fish, too.  The added bonus- it's super easy to make!  Here's how I make mine...

Begin with a jalepeno or 2 with seeds and ribs removed.

While the food processor is on drop them into the bowl and chop fine.   Scrape the sides of the bowl down.

Add cilantro, parsley, lime juice, oregano, salt and pepper to the bowl.

Pulse til finely chopped and combined.

Stream in the olive oil until it's the consistency you desire. This is not as thick as pesto because it doesn't have pine nuts or cheese.

Feast with your eyes first!  Enjoy.

Chimichurri Sauce

1 c cilantro

1/2 c flat leaf parsley

1-2 jalepenos

1 t crushed oregano

juice of 1 lime

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

With the food processor or blender on, drop in the seeded jalepenos to chop fine.  Place cilantro, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper and lime juice in the bowl.  Pulse to chop fine.  Stream in olive oil to desired consistency. Taste to adjust seasoning.  Top over meat, chicken or fish.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie

I have to admit that I am a cookie lover.  In fact, I have not ever met a cookie that I didn't like.  I'm not picky when it comes to my cookies, I like store bought and homemade.  I like healthy breakfast cookies and rich, decadent cookies.  I like both soft and chewy and  crispy, crunchy. But nothing beats a classic chocolate chip cookie, and this is my favorite recipe.  It's soft, chewy and has just the right buttery, chocolatey goodness that you want in a classic:)

Begin by creaming your melted butter and sugars.

Add in the vanilla and milk.  Make sure to stop the mixer and scrape the bowl before you continue to the next step.

Add in the combined dry ingredients, mix til just combined being careful not to over mix

Lastly add in the chocolate chips.

This recipe chills before you bake the cookies, so its perfect to make the dough the day before you bake them.  Cover and refrigerate for a couple hours, up to over night. When ready to bake- preheat oven and scoop spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet.  Bake for 9-11 minutes.  Let set for a couple minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

It's tough to resist eating these while they're fresh out of the oven, but if you can't eat them all freeze the leftovers...they're ridiculously good right out of the freezer too;)  Hope you enjoy!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Alton Brown

2 sticks salted butter, melted
1/4 c sugar
1 1/4 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 T milk
1 1/2 t vanilla
2 1/4 c ap flour
1 t baking soda
1 t kosher salt
2 c chocolate chips

Melt butter in microwave.  Measure both sugars into a large mixing bowl, add melted butter and cream together.  Add in eggs, milk and vanilla and mix well.  Add in combined dry ingredients and mix just til combined.  Mix in chocolate chips.  Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375F.  Spoon about 2 T dough onto a baking sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes.  I like to bake mine a little under and let them sit on the cookie sheet for a couple minutes, once set move to a wire rack to cool completely.

*this dough freezes well.  I like to freeze it in single cookie portions.  When ready to bake- preheat oven to 325F and bake for 16-18 min.  Remove immediately to a wire rack to cool.

Pizza with Scratch Dough

This is a new one for me, pizza dough from scratch.  I like making pizza at home, but in the past I have used store bought crust (which tastes fine, but I don't like all the preservatives/additives) and store bought dough (not the most flavorful).  I was pretty impressed with how easy and tasty it was to make the dough myself.  It's really not complicated, had all the ingredients in my pantry already, and the flavor is so much better than from the store.  This would be super fun to make for New Year's Eve or day with the family (if you're not into the party scene). Here's what I did:

Begin by blooming yeast (waking up the yeast) in warm water for about 5 minutes in a large mixing bowl. 

You'll know it's working because it'll get bubbly.  I can already smell the yeast - I love it!

Add in flour olive oil, salt and sugar and mix well.

Swap out the mixing paddle for the dough hook...

and knead for about 10 minutes.  Do you see how in the previous pics the dough was just a big lump, and here it's stretchy, that's just what you're looking for. Now the dough needs some time to rise.

Spray a lid or some cling wrap with non-stick spray and loosely cover.  Notice I didn't seal the lid on tight, just set it on top, if you use cling wrap make sure you leave a little bit open, too.  

Place in a warm spot til the dough doubles in size, 1-1 1/2 hours.  I have mine on top of the fridge, you can also do this in your oven: preheat your oven to 175F while the dough in kneading.  Cover as shown, place in oven and turn oven off, let rise for 1-1 1/2 hours. (this is not the best pic-sorry- but notice the size of the dough here)

Again not the best pic, but you can see how the dough has really expanded.  Now it's ready to punch down, which isn't actually punching the dough. This just means to release the dough of all the excess air. 

Scoop the dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface, you can see my finger marks in the dough. Do this by pressing down on the dough with your fingers, no aggression necessary!  

From here you can decide what size pizza you want.  I'm making individual pizzas, so I divided it into 4.  If you make 2 you can easily fit them onto a standard cookie sheet to bake, if you make one large pizza you'll need a pizza baking stone.

Cover loosely and let rest for about 15 min.

Preheat your oven and gather your favorite toppings while you wait.

Now the dough is ready to roll out, using a rolling pin roll out the dough into an even surface.

Move it to a baking sheet that has some cornmeal on it...

layer on toppings, starting with a thin layer of olive oil..

pizza sauce (easy, yummy recipe below)...

cheese and toppings...

bake for about 12 minutes and enjoy!

Pizza Dough

from Joy of Cooking

1 pkg active dry yeast

1 1/3 c warm water (105F-115F)

3 1/2- 3 3/4 c ap flour

2 T olive oil

1 T salt

1 T sugar

Place yeast and water in a large mixing bowl for about 5 minutes.  When yeast is bubbly add in remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Place dough hook on mixer and knead for 10 minutes.  Cover loosely and allow dough to rise in a warm spot for 1- 1 1/2 hours.  Punch dough down, and divide according to your desired pizza size.  Cover and allow to rest for 15 minutes. While the dough is resting preheat oven to 475F and gather cheese, sauce and toppings.  With a rolling pin, roll dough out to desired size and place on a cookie sheet that has corn meal on it.  Brush olive oil on dough, then spoon on pizza sauce, add a layer of cheese and finally, top with your favorite toppings.  Bake for about 12 minutes.

Pizza Sauce

1- 15 oz can tomato sauce

1- 6 oz can tomato paste

1 T ground oregano

1/2 t garlic powder

1 t ground paprika

Mix all ingredients on a medium mixing bowl.  Spread on pizza dough.

Aussie Bites

I hope you're enjoying this holiday season.  Things are buzzing about our home quite nicely!  The stockings are hung, the tree is lit and there are even some gifts under it.  The boys were so surprised to see that, I wonder what they think I do while they're in school?  :)

..anyway...here's a recipe that I just love (well, I guess I love'em all:)!  Sort of a cross between a breakfast bar and a blondie.  You used to be able to buy these at Costco, but really they were pretty spendy and they're so much better homemade.

Begin by melting butter and honey over low heat on the stove top.

While that's melting combine the dry ingredients

Rather than buying dried fruits bits ($$$$) I like to buy the big bags at Costco and chop myself.  A little  shoulder work out or letting out the daily frustrations perhaps?

Once the honey and butter is melted add to it the mixed water & baking soda.  It may foam a bit, that's ok.

Pour the liquid into the dry and mix well.  It'll be very thick, again use some elbow grease.

Place into an 8x8 pan and press down with back of a spatula and bake.

mmm delicious, wholesome goodness:)

Aussie Bites

2 c oats
2 c ww flour
2/3 c brown sugar
1/2 c coconut
1/2 c sunflower seeds
1 c dried fruit bits
1/4 c honey
1 c butter
1 t baking soda
2 T hot water

Preheat oven to 350F.  Melt butter and honey in a saucepan over low heat.  Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.  Combine baking soda and water, add that to the melted butter mixture then add that to the dry ingredients.  Mix well.  Press into an 8x8 inch baking pan and bake just til the edges begin to brown and center is set.  Cool completely in pan.  Alternately, for mini muffins, press 2 T into a mini muffin pan and bake at 350F for 8 minutes.  Enjoy!

Penne Pasta with Pesto

I love a good pesto!  Of course if you want good pesto you'll need to make it yourself.  No good pesto, from my experience, has ever come from a jar.  And not to mention the price!  yikes.  Most of the ingredients you have already in your pantry.  The one wild card just might be the basil.  You can readily get fresh basil at any store, that's not the problem.  But the basil itself bruises and turns black very quickly.  Even if you make it the same day you buy it, the pesto itself goes downhill pretty fast once you start chopping it up.  So instead of basil I like using fresh spinach.  It's cheap, pre-washed and prepped for ease and won't turn brown before you make pesto or while making it:)

Start with a good hunk of parmesan cheese, don't buy pre-grated if you don't have to.

Cut it into big chunks and...

then throw in it the food processor for a minute or 2, til it looks like this.  Set to the side in a bowl.

Gather ingredients: spinach, cheese, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper

With the food processor on drop in 2 whole garlic cloves to chop fine.

Next add in spinach...

pine nuts...

cheese...

after all that is combined drizzle in the olive oil until it's emulsified.

Give it a taste and add salt, pepper to your liking.  I usually need to add a bit more spinach or cheese to balance things out.  You'll know when you taste it.

Place in fridge til ready to use...look at that beautiful green color, love it!

My husband likes his pesto tossed with penne pasta (I have rice pasta here for a gluten free meal), some peppers, sun dried tomatoes and chicken.

While you're prepping veggies and chicken put a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  Warm a skillet over med-high heat.  Toss peppers in olive oil for a couple minutes.  Remove to a dish.

Add in chicken to cook through

Toss back in the peppers along with sun-dried tomatoes, stir and turn off heat.

Before you drain your pasta always reserve a cup of cooking water, this will help bring the dish together in the end.

Drain pasta and place back in pot.  Add in a couple dollops of pesto and stir to combine.  This will be pretty thick so add in some of the starch water, not all, just enough to make your pasta creamy.

Stir in the chicken and veggies, place in a serving dish and enjoy:)

Penne Pasta with Pesto

For Pesto:

2 cloves garlic
3 big handfuls of spinach
1/3 c pine nuts
1/2 c parmesan cheese
1/4 c olive oil
salt and pepper


With the food processor on drop in 2 whole garlic cloves. Next add in spinach, pine nuts, cheese one at a time, combining after each addition.  After all that is combined drizzle in the olive oil until it's emulsified.  Give it a taste and add salt, pepper to your liking.

For pasta dish:

Penne pasta
1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
1/2 orange pepper, chopped
1/4 c sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in hot water
boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut to bite size pieces.

Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Reserve 1 c of cooking water before draining.

While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet over medium high heat toss peppers in olive oil for a couple minutes.  Remove to a dish.  Add in chicken to cook through, toss back in the peppers along with sun-dried tomatoes, stir and turn off heat.

Add pesto to hot pasta and stir adding reserved water if needed.  Stir in chicken and veggies, enjoy:)