Its Fiesta Salad Time..

Crisp greens, no need for dressing and all the fixing to make a delightful salad.  Too often when I eat a salad I feel like a slice of pizza afterwards.  Lets be honest some salads can lack flavor and the wilted lettuce and bland veggie's leave you a tad underwhelmed.  If your looking for this kind of salad then this recipe isn't for you.  Its spicy, zesty and combines both warm ingredients with creamy avocado, tangy sour cream and spicy jalapenos.  Lets get started.

Your go to Chicken Fiesta Salad Recipe:

The base is romaine and baby spinach 

1 cup rinsed black beans 

1 cup fresh chopped cilantro 

Quartered cherry tomatoes, any will do

1 ripe avocado

1 small container of sour cream

3 juiced limes (one is for the avocado)

1 diced jalapeno (depends on how much heat you can handle)

2 sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons of the sauce in chilies in adobo (depending on how much heat you can handle)

1 sliced red pepper 

1 sliced yellow onion

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1/2 packet of taco seasoning (usually I would make my own but you are only using a small amount)

This recipe makes 2 salads, I prepare the 2 separate and add the ingredients on top of the greens.  Prepare the base with equal parts of romaine and spinach rinsed and dried.  Add a 1/2 cup of black beans on each salad.  Sprinkle both salads with fresh cilantro about 1/2 cup on both.  Slice avocado and use the juice of 1 lime and lots of salt, let refrigerate until salads are complete.  Add however many tomato's you like.  

In a hot pan cook chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper and jalapeno's.  1 minutes before the chicken is done throw in 2 chopped cloves garlic and 1/2 cup fresh cilantro.  Put chicken on a plate and in same pan cook the sliced onion and red pepper (they should be in strips).  Once veggie's are soft add the chicken back into the pan.  Add sauce of chili's in adobo and 1/2 packet of taco seasoning.  You may need 1/4 cup of water to thin the sauce.  Put warm mixture on top of greens and finish with the avocado and a dollop of sour cream.  Pickled jalapenos are optional, can you tell we like heat in this family.  

*This salad has a lot of leeway, mix and match your perfect ingredients just make sure it's not boring.  You can also add cheese or serve with tortilla chips.  Enjoy..

My Sisters Pizza

Come on now who doesn't like a cheesy slice of heaven cooked to perfection with zesty sauce and a heavily mix of basil and fresh ingredients.  Pizza is one of those simple crowdpleasers and each community has recreated its own version and the options are endless.   We all have had good pizza and some of us have had the best.  Living in NYC you can find a mixture of both.  Either way pizza is a classic and if you can't find the best perhaps its time to toss some dough in the air and get those perfectly manicured fingers dirty.

Let there be pizza correction: Let there be good pizza..

Dough Recipe:

2 cups of flour (plus more if dough is sticky)

1 packet of yeast

1 tsp of salt

3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (Plus 1-2 more tbsp as needed)

3/4 cups of warm water

Put the packet of yeast in warm water let activate for 5 minutes. Then add all the ingredients into a bowl and stir either by hand or mixer for a couple of minutes. Pour dough out on a floured board. If dough is to sticky just add a couple of tablespoons of floor.  Kneed dough for 5 minutes until dough is smooth and not sticky.  Finally place dough in a clean bowl that is coated with olive oil.  Place dough in bowl with a light layer of olive oil on the dough. Place in a warm dry place for an hour.  When dough has rested, punch down and kneed for 5 minutes.  Preheat oven to 425.  Place dough on a lightly greased pan either square or circle and press out until just barely over the edges.

Pizza Sauce:

1 can of tomato sauce 

2 tbsp of olive oil

1 clove of chopped garlic

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp dried basil

Put all ingredients in a medium sauce pan on med to low heat.  Let simmer for 15 minutes. Place on low heat until ready to use on dough.

Pizza Toppings:

This is the beauty of pizza, it caters to our creativity and mood.  My personal favorite toppings are mushrooms, onions, peppers, sausage, pepperoni, olives, jalepeneos and don't forget the cheese!! This recipe is so versatile, it can be made in advance and if the dough seems to plain for you add rosemary, garlic or any other pizza flavors that appeal to you.  

The cooking time may vary depending on crispier crust.  I cooked mine for almost a 30 minutes.  It should be watched because the top cooks faster than the crust and the cheese might get a little burnt.  I actually prefer a nice crisp crust and golden brown cheese.  

Thanks Brittney, recipes should be shared agreed?

Ummmm yes they should be shared.  If you have a awesome recipe that you would like to contribute don't hesitate to email me at danielle.mueller@ymail.com and you can be featured in my blog.  Lets share.

The BEST Banana Bread Recipe (you can stop searching for that perfect recipe, I found it).

So I am known for buying bananas that I never get around to eating.  My freezer slowly fills up with brown bananas and before I know it know it I run out of room for my frozen peas.  I always put off baking as if the baking will bake itself and when it comes to banana bread I never found the right recipe.  Until now.  It is so easy, moist and you will find yourself snacking on it all day.  This is THE recipe and only recipe you will ever need to make the most perfect BB (yes we are on those terms with each other).

The Best Banana Bread:

Preheat oven to 350.

3-4 ripe bananas, smashed.  (I have gotten away with only having  2, right before they turn brown throw them in the freezer and they will be good whenever you are ready to bake). 
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon (or pinch) baking soda
1 teaspoon (or splash) vanilla
pinch of salt and cinnamon
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional but why wouldn't you)
3/4 cups walnuts (optional but they are good for you so why wouldn't you)
2 cups of whiskey (this is a joke, don't but whiskey into your bread unless you are an alcoholic).

No mixer for this recipe.  Mix butter into mashed bananas in a large bowl.  Mix in sugar, egg and vanilla.  Add baking soda and salt over the mixture and stir.  Add flour last, mix.  Pour mixture into buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon   Take a shot of whiskey.  Bake 1 hour, cool on rack and enjoy.  You could also make muffins even though I have never done it.  Sometimes it took longer then an hour so make sure its golden brown on the outside and very dense and heavy when you take it out of the oven.

Ummm so your probably wondering where the pictures are but the bread went so fast I failed to get a picture...But trust me this will be your go to recipe because its easy, comes out perfect and gets eaten in no time.

Homemade Tomato Soup

Currently in NYC winter is nearing an end which means the rain has set in.  On a rainy day this soup is perfect and light so you won't feel guilty about going in for seconds.  Now that spring is slowly making itself known there still are those colder nights which make this soup an easy go to.  The longer it sits the better it gets and it's also easy to freeze so you can enjoy it on those colder spring or summer nights.

Homemade Tomato Soup:

2 big cans of crushed/pureed tomatoes (go organic or buy the best since this is the bulk of your recipe)
1 small white onion
1 small red pepper
1 bundle of basil
3 tablespoons dried oregano
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes
4 cloves garlic 
1 1/2 cups white wine (buy white wine you would drink)
1 1/2 cups of half and half (depending on how blushed you want the soup to be)


In a big soup pot add some olive oil and finely diced onion and pepper till they are softened.  Add the diced garlic cloves and dried oregano, cook for 30 seconds then add the wine.  Pour a glass of wine and take a sip.  Once wine has cooked out add all the tomatoes.  You want it to be thinner like soup and not thick like a pasta sauce.  I usually add 2-3 cups of water depending on what cans of tomatoes I buy.  Heavy salt and pepper, allow to cook for 30 minutes.  At the very end of the bottle of wine I mean 30 minutes throw in about 1 1/2 cups of chopped fresh basil and the half and half.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes while you make whatever grilled cheese you want.

The secret to a good grilled cheese (taught to me by my boyfriend) is butter and a low cooking temp so that the cheese can melt and the bread can toast.   I also think the bread has to have a dense crust on the outside but then again we have made grilled cheese with a pita so what do I know.

ENJOY:-) I almost forgot, top with good Parmesan cheese.

Won't Miss the Meat Chili

To me chili is the ultimate comfort food.   Growing up in Minnesota I often would make this dish a lot becasuse it cooks in one pot and the spice warms you from the inside out.  When its cold and snowy out and your stuck inside all day this is the ultimate hug for the soul.  I have great memories of curling up on the couch still in pj's eating my second bowl never leaving the house.  Some think chili can't be done without meat however I beg to differ and after you try this chili you too will become a believer.  

Smokey Zesty Vegetarian Chili:

1 can red beans
1 can black beans
1 can white beans (Get 3-4 cans of your favorite beans)
1 can corn
2 big cans of diced tomatoes 
1 can of tomato sauce
1 small can of tomato paste (for thickening)
1 stalk celery 
1 carrot 
1 medium red onion 
1 jalapeno 
1 can chilies in adobo 
1 bundle of cilantro 
Cumin
Chili powder

Garnish: 
3 limes
Sour cream 
Tortilla chips  Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Pickled Jalapenos
Sliced scallions

In a big pot start with a little olive oil and add the diced onion, jalapeno, 4 stalks of celery and 1 small diced carrot.  Cook them for about 5 minutes, they don't need to be fully cooked.  Add all beans, corn and the 2 big cans of tomatoes and tomato sauce.  If you want it thicker add some paste, I usually add half of it.  Then add 3 spoonful's of chilies in adobo sauce (this is hot stuff so don't burn yourself).  3 tablespoons of chili powder and 2 of cumin.  You want to do this to taste, you can always add more.  Salt and pepper to taste.  This all needs to simmer for about 20 minutes, then re-taste.  At the very end I add 1 cup of chopped cilantro ( I really like cilantro so I may add a tad too much however, experiment with this herb it grows on you but can taste a little soapy at first).  Serve with sliced limes, sour creams, cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.

Baked Salmon with a Dill Cucumber Sauce and Roasted Balsamic Broccoli

This salmon is quick, flavorful and very healthy.  The sauce doubles as a homemade veggie dip and sauce for the salmon.  NEVER buy dill veggie dip again since this is loaded with flavor and best of all you control the ingredients.  The roasted broccoli is a perfect companion to the flavorful salmon and in under 30 minutes this meal begs to be tried twice.

Baked Salmon with a Dill Cucumber sauce with Roasted Balsamic Broccoli:

Salmon (depending on how many you are serving, one cut per person and try to get the center cut fillet).
1 container on light sour cream ( I get a big one to make extra for dipping raw veggies)
1 seedless cucumber 
1 lemon
1 bundle of fresh dill
Head of broccoli 
Good balsamic vinegar 
Shaved Parmesan

The sauce should be prepared first so it can sit to enhance its flavor.  In a big bowl empty sour cream container, zest 1/2 the lemon and grate (micro-plane) 1/2 of a seedless cucumber.  If bigger pieces of the cucumber fall into the sauce remove them.  Chopped 1 and 1/2 cups of the fresh dill, this will seem like a lot but it adds tons of flavor.  Squeeze half the lemon into the sauce, heavy salt and pepper to taste then put in refrigerator to cool. 

Salt and Pepper salmon and heat a pan nice and hot with olive oil to get a good crust on the salmon before baking.  This should take about 2 minutes on each side.  You want the pan to sizzle.  Don't cook salmon all the way through this will make the fish dry.   Remove salmon put sliced lemon on top of fish and let sit since you will be baking it off with the broccoli.

Cut Broccoli is bigger spears, you want some of the steam.  In a bowl toss with olive oil, balsamic and salt and pepper.  Roast at 425 for about 15 minutes, 5-7 minutes into cooking place salmon along side the broccoli on a cookie sheet. 

Once broccoli is still green but caramelized and the salmon is a light pink remove and start plating.  Put shaved parm on the broccoli and on the salmon but a dollop of the dill cucumber sauce.  

Serve and Enjoy oh and did I mention that this recipe is also cheap.

Mommy's Making Breakfast, Everything Frittata

There's nothing better then going back to the home that raised me and smelling Sunday morning breakfast.  Being the late riser that I am, even in the dead of sleep I will rise and summon myself to the kitchen counter.  The delectable smells take my nostrils and before I know it I am up before 10 with a cup of coffee reading the newspaper occasionally stealing uncooked morsels from the chef.

My breakfast now a days consists of cereal, fruit or granola (boring) but if my mothers cooking on a Sunday morning I feel compelled to load up my plate only to feel like I need to take a nap after.  The lingering smells of syrupy sweetness and perfectly prepared eggs are only a few reasons why I love breakfast.  I may live in Manhattan now but I swear on some of my less then perfect days, I retreat back to the memories of coffee brewing and my siblings sleepy eyes bringing themselves to breakfast. 

My Mother's Everything but the Kitchen Sink Frittata:

-Saute assorted chopped veggies in olive oil (onion,celery, green and red peppers,broccoli,carrots, mushrooms,zucchini, green beans or any other vegetable you like.
-Add salt and pepper to taste and any fresh or dried herbs you like.
-In bowl, whisk up 8 eggs with small amount of water. Add salt and pepper to taste.
-Whisk in some shredded cheese. 

Pour eggs over pan of sauted veggies.
Cover and cook on low heat until eggs have set. About 15 to 20 minutes.
Add more shredded cheese on top if desired.

Take Mom's advice:
Make sure you have enough olive oil so things don't stick.    
Keep burner on low so eggs don't burn.            
Add a dash of love for gosh sakes (I added this one) 
Cut in wedges and enjoy!