Month: March 2013

Dinners

Recipe—Loaded Up Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Diva di Cucina

I am a huge fan of buffalo chicken or anything smothered in buffalo sauce. As a matter of fact the buffalo chicken salad at Chili’s is one of my all time favorite salads. Something about the hot and spicy chicken paired with all the crunchy fresh vegetables in a cool ranch dressing is just darn right tasty. My husband is not nearly a big of fan as I when it comes to buffalo chicken, however he LOVES anything Mexican, especially tacos. So basically these “fusion” tacos were my way to morph one of my favorite dishes into something he would be eager to try. And they were a hit! These loaded tacos are spicy, cheesy, crunchy goodness; all wrapped up in a nice little tortilla. And this is the type of dish that takes me to my happy place. Hmmmm…

INGREDIENTS
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into bite size pieces
salt and pepper
3 tbsp butter
1/2 c buffalo sauce (I love Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce!)
6–10 soft taco sized tortillas

DELICIOUS TOPPINGS
2 c green leaf lettuce, chopped
1 large carrot, grated
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 tomato, chopped
1 avocado chopped
1/2–3/4 c blue cheese crumbles
1/4 c ranch dressing
2 green onions, chopped
buffalo sauce for drizzling

STEPS

  • Season chopped chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
  • Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add the chicken to the skillet and cook turning occasionally for 6–8 minutes.
  • Add the buffalo sauce to the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low.
  • Cook for another 6–8 minutes or until the sauce has cooked into the meat and the chicken is cooked thoroughly.
  • Place the tortillas on a microwave safe plate and cover with a paper towel.
  • Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds. Flip the tortillas over and heat for an additional 30 seconds.
  • Fill each tortilla with a spoonful of the cooked meat and then finish off with all those delicious toppings.
Sauces

Recipe—Alfredo Sauce

Diva di Cucina

One of my son’s first favorite foods was cheese tortellini smothered in alfredo sauce. I personally love alfredo sauce over fettuccine noodles and served with a grilled chicken breast and some broccoli. Either way alfredo sauce is a great indulgence to enjoy anytime. Who doesn’t love the thick creamy Italian cheese sauce over their favorite pasta? It is popular with people of all ages and can be extremely versatile. I have even used it as a white pizza sauce or poured over a baked potato. Homemade alfredo sauce is actually really easy and quick to make and so worth it. The quality does not compare to anything store bought. Give it a try! It will be a home run with the whole family!

Note: If you want a high quality sauce equal to that of one served in a restaurant (or better) use high quality ingredients. I recommend getting a fresh ball of mozzarella and a block of Parmesan over in the deli. You will notice the difference! Kraft will leave it gritty and we want it to be smooth.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/3 c white wine
2 c heavy cream
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 c parmesan cheese, shredded
3/4 c mozzarella cheese, shredded

STEPS

  • In a large saucepan over medium heat melt the butter and add olive oil.
  • Add the garlic and sauté for 1–2 minutes.
  • Carefully pour in the wine and heat until it begins to simmer.
  • Stir in the heavy cream and the white pepper and bring to a simmer stirring often.
  • Add in the Parmesan cheese and simmer for 8–10 minutes. By this point the sauce should be smooth and start to thicken.
  • Add the mozzarella cheese and stir frequently until smooth and completely incorporated.
  • Reduce heat to low and begin cooking your noodle of choice while the sauce simmers and continues to thicken.
  • Remove sauce from the stovetop and allow it to sit for a few minutes. It will thicken up a bit more.
  • Serve sauce over cooked pasta.
Dinners

Recipe—Cheesy Mexican Chicken

Diva di Cucina

Saucy and cheesy, I love almost any dish with those qualities. This recipe has both of those and is also delicious and low-carb. And best of all there are only 5 ingredients! Win, win, win! A working mom’s dream come true! My saucy chicken is great all on it’s own, served over rice, with some warmed tortillas, or even as burrito filler. I love how quick and easy it is to put together, perfect for a week night. While I love red sauce my husband is a big fan of green. Next time I may try this with green enchilada sauce and pepper jack cheese just for something different.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pack taco seasoning or a batch of my homemade taco seasoning
10 oz can red enchilada sauce, mild (I love Las Palmas!)
1 c cheddar cheese, shredded
3 green onions, chopped

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
  • Cut the chicken into cubes and sprinkle with the taco seasoning.
  • Sauté the chicken in a skillet over medium high heat stirring occasionally until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
  • Place the cooked chicken pieces in a greased 8” x 8” baking dish.
  • Drizzle the enchilada sauce over the top of the chicken and toss to coat.
  • Sprinkle the cheese over the chicken.
  • Bake for 15–20 minutes or until it is bubbling.
  • Remove from oven and sprinkle with the green onions.
Appetizers

Recipe—Pizza Rolls

Diva di Cucina

For this years Super Bowl I was trying to come up with some fun new recipes and was contemplating making a stromboli. If you don’t know what that is, it is basically a big baked pizza log. Since half our guests this year were kids I thought it might get a little messy. So I decided to slice up my stromboli and make pizza rolls. I just served them up with a warm side of my homemade marinara and they turned out great! The kids had a blast eating them. I won’t lie, they were a hit with the adults too. They were perfect little fun size pizzas! (And who doesn’t like miniature stuff?) If you have kids that like to help out in the kitchen this is a great recipe for them to assist with. Let them help sprinkle on the toppings and roll that bad boy up. Get creative and use your favorite pizza toppings. I just went basic since I had pepperoni on hand. These pizza rolls are a great appetizer to make any time of year. Enjoy!

Note: You can prepare your log a day in advance and keep it in the fridge. Then just pull it out, slice it up, and toss the rolls in the oven for a super quick and easy appetizer. 

INGREDIENTS
1 can refrigerated pizza dough (I like Pillsbury)
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 c mozzarella, shredded
1 cup pepperoni, chopped
marinara, alfredo, or pesto sauce for dipping (optional)

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 425º.
  • Open pizza dough and roll it out flat, about 1/4 “ thick.
  • Sprinkle with garlic salt, Italian seasoning, cheese, and pepperoni.
  • Starting at the long end roll the pizza dough up tightly to form a log.
  • Carefully wrap the log in saran wrap and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. (It will slice much easier if it is firm.)
  • Cut the log into 1/2”–3/4” thick slices.
  • Place the slices on a lightly greased baking sheet.
  • Bake for 10–12 minutes or until lightly brown on top.
  • Serve with some warm marinara for dipping.
Uncategorized

Recipe Box Upgrade!

Diva di Cucina

Have you checked out my Recipe Box recently? I’ve made some great improvements over the last couple of weeks so be sure to give it a looksy! Dinners are now grouped by meat type (beef, chicken, fish, and pork) to help you more easily find a recipe that works with what you have on hand. There is even a vegetarian section! (It may be limited, but it’s there and growing!) I have also broken up my side dishes into starch and vegetable based dishes to help you plan a balanced meal. You will also see that Cookies and Breads are newly added categories.

To get to my Recipe Box you can use the link on the home page under “About” or you can even use the link provided below. Keep checking back as the Recipe Box will always be getting added to. Happy Browsing!

https://divadicucina.com/recipe-box/