Eat: Barbecue Chicken Chopped Salad

This week, Matt and I have been gearing up for the 4th of July with a variety of barbecue dishes. Among them, we've enjoyed turkey burgers, pork ribs, and a surprisingly big hit: Barbecue Chicken Chopped Salad. It has a decidedly southwestern theme and was inspired by one of my favorite restaurants, Crushed Red. They serve chopped salads which are delightful but often leave me wondering if I could whip up something just as tasty. The answer? Yes. Yes I can.

This was easy to throw together yet has a lovely presentation when plated. One could easily substitute ingredients or vary the proportions. It's a delicious summer-time meal that is filling but doesn't leave you feeling heavy or weighed down. I imagine it would be appealing to those who don't care for traditional barbecue fare and those who don't care for salads! Clearly, Matt and I both loved it; Matt mentioned the dinner a few times throughout the night--well after we had finished eating. A sure sign of success!

Barbecue Chicken Chopped Salad
Serves 2

In a large bowl, mix together:

• a few bunches of greens (spinach, lettuce, sprouts, etc.), chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup cooked corn
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped

Toss everything together with your choice of barbecue sauce*. Start with a little bit, then add more to your liking. Remember, you can always add more but it's tough to get rid of too much. Divide the salad mix among two plates.

Using that same mixing bowl, toss 1-2 chicken breasts (cooked and cut into strips or bite-sized pieces) with some more barbecue sauce. Season with chili powder to taste. Divide the chicken evenly, sprinkling it over the plated salads.

Call your dining partner into the room and impress him/her. At least that's what I did.

*It's worth noting that the barbecue sauce you select goes a long way to shape the taste. You can also mix equal parts barbecue sauce with ranch dressing.

This homemade Balsamic Honey BBQ Sauce is an absolute favorite in our house!
In a medium saucepan, combine:

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Hope you have wonderful 4th!

Eat: Father's Day Cilantro Lime Chicken

Yesterday, we hosted a casual Father's Day lunch at my house. Everyone pitched in, so we enjoyed a quite a large spread of Mexican-style fare. We are a clan of varied tastes, so I opted for two different entrees – one for the picky eaters and another for the more adventurous. I also made not one but two cakes! Both desserts were big hits that I'm excited to share in upcoming posts. The day was filled with the usual hectic energy of bigger family gatherings. Fortunately, the weather was nice so we were able to burn some calories outside. My favorite part of the day was the entire group walking together to a nearby park where we played around until dessert time. Matt and I go there at least once a week during the warmer seasons, so we were glad to share it with the family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Myself, my dad, and my sister!

For the traditional half of the crowd, we had regular ground beef tacos with homemade seasoning. I highly recommend making your own taco seasoning. Not only do you avoid the artificial and processed "extras" found in many of the store-bought mixes but you also get to experiment to find just the right seasoning blend for your family's preferences. You can find countless examples online. The other dish I made is one of my absolute favorite slow cooker recipes: Cilantro Lime Chicken with Black Beans and Corn. I have made this more often than any other dinner recipe in my arsenal. I originally got it from Mama & Baby Love, which offers tons of other healthy dishes worth trying. Aside from being flavorful, it is a simple recipe with quick and easy preparation. I also love that it has black beans and corn in it, adding a bit more substance to the dish.

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Black Beans and Corn
Serve 6

1.5 lbs chicken breasts
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup fresh cilantro OR several hearty dashes of dried
1 (15oz) can of corn, drained
2 tablespoons of garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 can of black beans, rinsed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt/Pepper, to taste

Combine ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on LOW 8 hours or HIGH 4 hours. Prior to serving, remove the chicken, shred it, then stir it back into the slow cooker blend. Add some additional cumin, salt, pepper, and lime juice to taste.

***

I hope you all had a great Father's Day!

Make: St. Patrick's Day Wreath

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

February 27th...

Megan: I guess I should take down our Valentine's Wreath, since February's over...but it's so gray and cold now, it seems stupid to put up our springy orchid wreath.

Matthew: You should make a St. Patrick's Day wreath.

Oh, how I love my husband!!

I did not need to hear this suggestion more than once before I hit the ground running with green felt and grapevines.

Basically, I cut out several clover-shapes in different sizes and stacked them together with some thread and buttons. I also used this flower tutorial. Lastly, I sewed little triangles along some ribbon to create a banner.

This was a decidedly not megan style of wreath, since I tend towards overly intricate projects that allow me to channel all of my not-quite-OCD energy. I did enjoy the change of pace and think I managed to pull off the "relaxed look" well enough.

Right now, my slow cooker is full of corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes. There's some beer bread baking too. Needless to say, my house smells very Irish and very good!

A special thanks to my grandmother who gave me an this old grapevine wreath she found in her basement.
It took a bit of elbow grease, but I managed to remove all of the hotglued bows, birds, and bulbs.




 

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(Don't Hate) Valentine's Day...a craft round up!

Growing up, my family celebrated Valentine's Day as, well, a family. My mom was pretty adamant that it was not a day exclusively for romance but rather a day to celebrate all sorts of love. She would make a fancy dinner for whole clan and my dad arrived home with not one but three bouquets. To this very day my grandmother, my mother, my father, my sister, my brother-in-law, my nephew, my husband, and myself all exchange candy gifts--I've even gotten my in-laws in the mix. I think this perspective takes Valentine's Day from a generally lame, pressure-filled day to a really great one. Dean Martin wasn't joking when he said everybody loves somebody sometime. Maybe that somebody is your spouse, partner, parent, friend, cat, whatever. My point is don't be a hater and join in the fun.

As I mentioned, my family has a sweet tooth so candy is the preferred Valentine's Day gift. Over the years, as our numbers have expanded so has the cost of candy! A few years back, Matthew and I began making homemade treats. This not only costs less but also allows us to give more candy to each person!

In years past, we've experimented with more elaborate recipes and combinations of treats. This go-around, however, we got back to our chocolate roots with straightforward candy molds. I bought a small set of heart-shaped molds along with several ounces of semi-sweet chocolate. Then we played around with different "extras" like wafers, sprinkles, crushed-up Whoppers, and the like. It made for a fun evening together. All of the candies were divided among plain boring sandwich bags which were instantly transformed into adorable Valentine's Day bags with these toppers designed by Thirty Handmade Days.

And this centerpiece? Easy as can be. Starting with my apothecary jars, I simply cut three heart shapes out of seasonal scrapbook paper, added smaller red paper hearts, and secured everything with yarn. I threw in some scented red candles for good measure.

I love this argyle wreath. It is wonderfully understated in a world of over-the-top, cheesy Valentine's decorations. Assembly is easy but time consuming. To begin, tie a loop of yarn around a form ring, securing it with a double knot. Then, wrap the yarn around the ring a few times and smoosh it all together so that you can't see any foam behind it. Also pull the yarn taut. Move on to the next section of foam and repeat, repeat, repeat until you have covered the entire ring. Tie one final knot on the back side of the wreath. I opted to add small felt hearts, laying them out flat on the wreath. Then I carefully wove more yarn around the wreath, taking care to make an X over each heart so they won't slip out of place.

Last is my banner. Oh, this was fun! A friend of mine posted this on Facebook January 31st and I knew I wanted to try it. It's sort of like an advent calendar for Valentine's Day, where each envelope has a fun activity for you and your partner (or family, friends, etc). I made a list of easy, low-key activities ranging from a picnic dinner to a martini night. Considering I threw this together at the last minute and I'm terrible at writing in bubble letters, I think it turned out nice enough.

That's it for my Valentine's Day round up; I hope this holiday finds you in good spirits and ready to share some love with those around you!

Christmas time was here!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas celebration! Ours was (as always) an exhausting but wonderful whirlwind of families, gifts, church services, and food. Lots and lots of food! I have zero will power when it comes to peanut butter balls, or peppermint bark, or brownies, or gingerbread cookies —you get the picture! Those healthy new year's resolutions are just around the corner...

Anyway, here are a few of my favorite shots from Christmas Day.

 

***

Here is a simple egg casserole that we made for Christmas morning. I prepped most of the ingredients the night before, so Matt could just mix everything together (while I slept!) and pop it in the oven. It was hearty, delicious, and just 6 servings (a nice alternative to the giant recipes one generally finds).

Christmas Breakfast Casserole

1/4 cup ham, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
6 eggs, beaten
2-3 cups potatoes, shredded or chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheese
Thyme, 1/4 tsp dried
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Pour into a greased pie pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until set.

Make: $2 Centerpiece

This year's Christmas Centerpiece is brought to you by the dollar store. Oh, how I love the dollar store! These warm feelings go all the way back to my childhood. In an effort to teach my sister and me the joy of giving, my mom would take us to the dollar store to buy Christmas or birthday presents for the family. We roamed the aisles, painstakingly deciding between tchotchkes. To this day, my dad still has little ceramic kittens and puppies displayed in his office. I imagine his co-workers are surprised by his apparently juvenile taste in office décor. That's the love of a father for ya...

Where were we? Oh right, my centerpiece. I must admit that I completely stole this concept from my friend Mary, who originally got the idea from Decor Chick. It is so easy!

Simply glue a glass candlestick holder to a (not-too-tall) glass vase. That's it. I spent more time  getting the superglue off my fingers.

I guarantee that you will find these two objects at your local dollar store. Mine were even cheaper because I have approximately 1 million vases leftover from my wedding. While you are at the store, why not look for filler to put in the vases? I made three apothecary jars and filled each with different holiday things: peppermints, colorful ribbon, and ornaments. Other ideas include bells, candy, bows, faux snow, strings of lights, berries, twigs, or pinecones.

The best part? As I explained in my fall décor post, glass containers easily transition between seasons. Before long I'll be brainstorming springtime fillers!

Make: No-Sew Ruffle Tree Skirt

For the past two Christmases, my make-shift tree skirt has actually been a few swatches of plaid fabric draped around the tree's base. Was this cute? Not really. However, I just couldn't bring myself to settle for an expensive (or cheap but ugly) store-bought skirt, so I draped the fabric and quickly covered it with wrapped gifts. Then last year, immediately after Christmas, I stumbled upon this fantastic tutorial on HG-TV for a no-sew ruffle tree skirt. I was positively smitten!

Fitting adjectives for this project: beautiful, sophisticated, easy, time-consuming, and finger-burning.

That last part is thanks to the massive amount of hot glue sticks I used to create this beauty. I was legitimately surprised at how long it took to make this, but I think that could be shortened with two easy steps: 1) use wider strips of fabric and 2) don't be a crazy perfectionist. Remember, it will be under your Christmas tree and admired from afar. That being said, I'm very happy with the final product!

Materials Needed:
Large square of fabric (mine was 3 ½ ft x 3 ½ ft)
4 yards of additional fabric
Measuring tape
Sharp scissors
Hot glue gun
Hot glue sticks

Create Base:
Fold the large square of fabric into quarters. Now cut the outer edge into a quarter circle and cut a much smaller quarter circle out of the remaining point (see photos below). When you unfold it, you should have something reminiscient of a giant donut shape. Cut a straight line from the outer edge to the inner circle (so you can actually wrap the thing around your tree!).

Create Ruffles:
Using fabric shears, cut the remaining fabric lengthwise into 2" wide strips.

With your preheated glue gun, apply a thin line of glue along the edge of the circle--no longer than a few inches. Working quickly (before the glue hardens!), press a strip of fabric on the glue, pinching it as you go. You should have a tiny ruffle before you!

Continue this process around the entire skirt, starting each new row approximately 1 1/2 inches above the previous one (agjust this accordingly if using wider strips). Round and round you'll go till the entire skirt is covered.

And there you have it! Depending on your style, you can make it in one solid color (as I did), complementary colors, fun prints, or (if you're feeling really ambitious) an ombre design with slightly changing shades every few rows.

Christmas Time is Here!

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. At the end of the day, my belly was full and my fridge was stocked with more sweet potatoes than any one person could eat. Anyone, that is, except Matthew. Before the leftovers could even be reheated, I had moved on to the real star: Christmas! I know, I know, Thanksgiving is certainly a special day; one to spend with friends and family, to enjoy good food, and to reflect on blessings. But to me, Thanksgiving is just the opening act, the prologue, the stepping stone to my favorite holiday--nay, season--Christmas Time. By Saturday morning, Matt and I were up to our eyeballs in ornaments while Sufjan Stevens provided the hall-decking soundtrack.
 

When it comes to our Christmas décor, I think we've settled on the word eclectic. It is a somewhat odd mix of kitchy ceramics inherited from grandparents and relics rescued from our childhood homes (all of which we are way too sentimental about to discard), rustic purchases, and the growing collection of my crafts. It might not be everyone's cup of tea but I love it. I get such a warm, happy feeling in our festive family room that I wouldn't trade any of it for a pack of brand-new, shiny store-bought decorations.
 

I made these sheet music trees last Christmas and still love them! If you would like to make your own, check out this tutorial.

 

Matthew's grandmother painted these ceramic Santas; the sleeping fella (on the right) we fill with coconut clusters, her favorite candy—always a nice surprise for curious guests! The middle scene previously decorated my childhood bedside stand; everyone gravitates towards it and rearranges the pieces. I feel that incorporating such objects helps to bring back just a tiny bit of that holiday magic we felt as children.

That's it for now! I'll show you some new projects in the weeks to come. I hope you make your home  as cheery as ours this Christmas season!

 

Make: Reversible Table Runner

I've recently realized how superior table runners are to tablecloths. You get the same pop of color and design as a tablecloth, but we can move it out of the way during meals thereby avoiding spills and stains. In our household, this is a legitimate concern as many once-pretty table linens have bitten the dust.

So the other day, while admiring my store-bought runner I noticed its simple construction. The thought, I bet could I make this! was quickly followed by another, more creative one: Why not make both sides out of cute but different fabrics?? So off I went in search of a fun (but grown-up) holiday fabric and a neutral print that could carry us through post-December winter. I am just so happy with how the runner turned out! So much so that I've decided it will not be displayed at our Christmas Kick-Off Party, because our friends seem to be as bad about spills as we are! This beauty must stay pristine!

An easier version would use bias tape around the edges--I felt like 75% of my time was spent lining up the edges perfectly. Here I wanted a simple design without a border, but in the future I'll probably opt for bias tape.

Materials Needed
2 rectangles of coordinating fabric (mine were 17" x 43")
Scissors
Pins
Thread
Sewing Machine
Iron

The construction is quite easy and straightforward. Begin by hemming the edges of one fabric piece. Before you hem the other, you want to ensure that the two rectangles will line up nicely. I did this by laying the finished piece on top of the unfinished (right sides out), then marking/pinning everything into place. Sew the whole shebang together around the edges (whatever decorative stitch you prefer). To finish, iron.



Easy, right?!

No-Sew Version: simply iron the rough edges back to create faux hems, then use stitch witchery to fuse the two pieces of fabric together.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween, everyone! As a lover of this holiday, I hope you are making it a fun one: handing out candy, trick-or-treating with the kiddos, partying somewhere in a non-sexy costume, so on and so forth...

Tonight, Matthew and I continue our tradition (3rd year running!) of bundling up and hanging out on the front porch, regardless of how cold gets. We fight the chill with the help of glühwein, or warm mulled wine. The first Halloween in our neighborhood we underestimated how much candy to buy, with the children arriving in large packs. So naturally, last year we overshot it and barely had a dozen trick-or-treaters! Tonight will tip the scales one way or the other.

I also made a batch of super easy Halloween snack mix (or if you are feeling especially festive, Scarecrow Crunch). Here's the recipe:

Mix together in a large bowl...

• 4 cups cereal (shredded wheat, cheerios, oatmeal squares...whatever you like)
• 4 cups mini pretzels
• 22oz bag candy corn and pumpkins
• 2 cups caramel popcorn
• 2 cups Reese's Pieces (tip: a bag of chocolate/peanut butter chips is way cheaper!)
• 1 cup Teddy Grahams

You can add to this list or substitute any of the ingredients with similar fare.

On a related note, I have spent a good chunk of the last two weeks getting our costumes ready for a friend's Halloween party. I've alternated between hunching over my sewing machine and roaming thrift stores. I will share the final products after the party, so we can enjoy the element of surprise!

Have a great night!



***

Fall Recipe of the Week: Curried Sweet Potato & Lentil Stew

Eat: Christmas Party Craze

This week’s “Sunday Dish” is wee bit different. One could say that it is a recipe post on steroids. Or it could even be called a culinary exploration in party-planning madness—okay, that is probably too dramatic. You see, last weekend, Matthew and I hosted our second annual “Ritter Christmas Kick-Off Party”. After countless hours spent browsing Pinterest and BettyCrocker.com, I acquired a collection of seven recipes that offered something for everyone: sweet, savory, spicy, and always aesthetically pleasing. Although the plan was ambitious, I must say that I was very pleased with the final results. I also want to give a special thanks to my ever helpful hubby as well as our friends who brought their own tasty dishes to the party. By the end of the night we were all happy and well fed with leftovers to spare.

In my opinion, the key to keeping your party menu stress-free is to mainly select dishes that can be prepared ahead of time. With my right hand man, we did one recipe every night leading up to the party. Some dishes had to be done the day-of, but I didn’t feel stressed about it. I recommend all of the recipes I tried, which are briefly outlined below. Pick your favorite and give it a go!

Up first, some sweets…

Caramel Pecan Tarts by Betty Crocker
This was by far the most labor intensive dish that I made. However, it was certainly worth it since they are delicious, make for an elegant display, and are quickly consumed by partiers. Note that the assembly can be modified for twelve cupcake-sized tarts instead of twenty-four minis.

Crust:
1 cup of all-purpose flour
½ cup of butter or margarine, softened
¼ cup of powdered sugar

Filling:
¾ cup of packed brown sugar
½ cup of chopped pecans
1 tablespoon of butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon of salt
1 egg, slightly beaten

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF. In a medium bowl, use your hands to mix together the flour, ½ cup of butter, and the powdered sugar. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces. Press each piece in the bottom and up along the sides of an ungreased mini muffin cup.

2. In separate bowl, blend the filling ingredients. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each cup.

3. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool slightly and loosen the tarts from the pan with the tip of a knife. Let them set on a wire cooling rack for 1 hour.



Cookie Dough “Bites” by Chick Who Cooks
Who doesn't love to eat cookie dough? Now your guests can do so without those pesky concerns over salmonella. This is a super easy recipe that did not even require a trip to the grocery store! It is also a great option for your random egg-allergy-ridden party goers.

1 cup of salted butter, softened
1½ cups of packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 cups of flour
Chocolate chips or M&Ms (or whatever else you’d like to add)
Optional: melting chocolate

1. Mix the butter and sugar together. Add remaining ingredients and blend thoroughly. This will work best if you use your hands.

2. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Store them in the refrigerator or freezer. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Optional: Melt chocolate in a double boiler; you can also use the microwave but I don’t recommend it since the chocolate is more likely to burn. Dip the “bites” into the chocolate. I served my batch without the extra chocolate and did not get any complaints!



Candied Pretzels
These treats present beautifully when arranged in a bowl, small vase, or mug. In fact, some of our friends said the pretzels were too pretty to eat! I think they really meant it because we had several leftover. Oh well, more for me!

Bag of pretzel rods (the bag I used had 16 sticks)
Almond bark or melting chocolate
Assortment of toppings: crushed candy canes, sprinkles, chopped M&Ms, etc…

1. Spread the toppings out over a piece of parchment paper. Lay out another large piece of parchment paper on your kitchen counter (for the newly dipped pretzels).

2. Melt chocolate or bark in a double boiler—I highly recommend this melting method for this particular dish since the chocolate will need to stay warm for a long time without burning.

3. Dip the pretzel rods in chocolate. Unless you use a whole lot of chocolate (to fill the pot), you will likely need to use a spatula to adequately cover half of the pretzel.

4. Roll the newly dipped pretzel rod among toppings and set on parchment paper to cool/harden. Store in an air tight container.



Candied Marshmallows
Equally attractive as candied pretzels but apparently less intimidating to guests, since several more of these were eaten.

Bag of marshmallows (regular size, not mini)
Melting chocolate
Crushed candy canes

1. Begin by spreading the crushed candy canes out over a piece of parchment paper. Lay out another large piece of parchment paper on your kitchen counter (for the newly dipped marshmallows).

2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat to avoid burning.

3. Dip one marshmallow at a time into the chocolate and allow the excess to drip off.

4. Sprinkle the topping onto the marshmallow or dip the chocolate end into the crushed candy. Set aside on the parchment paper to cool/harden. Store in an air tight container.


And now, for the savory crowd…


Mini Salsa Bowls by Betty Crocker
This is my absolute favorite appetizer in the entire bunch! The salsa is a cinch to mix together and the little wonton cups are just too stinking cute. You can make the salsa and wonton cups ahead of time, but wait to assemble until right before serving as the “bowls” can soak up some of the salsa’s liquid and get mushy.

40-50 wonton skins (typical package)
2/3 cup of salsa, thick and chunky works best
2 tablespoons of dried cilantro
½ teaspoon of ground cumin
½ teaspoon of chili powder
1 can (15oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1. Preheat your oven to 350º F. Handling the wonton skills carefully (as they are prone to tear easily), press one piece into a mini muffin cup, repeating until the pan is filled. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from pan and repeat the process for remaining wonton skins.

2. Mix all of the remaining ingredients together in a bowl. Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble and serve the “bowls”.

3. Just before serving, spoon 1 teaspoon of salsa into wonton cups.

If desired, garnish with a teaspoon of sour cream and sprig of fresh cilantro.



Caprese Skewers (this is a pretty common recipe found in several resources, such as Mel’s Kitchen Café )

My entire motivation behind this selection was to have a red and green appetizer. Fortunately, this oh-so-fancy treat also happens to taste great. I am sorry report, though, that more than one guest grabbed their skewer a bit too eagerly and dripped balsamic vinegar down his or her shirt. A small price to pay, in my opinion.

1 pint of red cherry tomatoes
A few handfuls of fresh spinach leaves
8 ounces mozzarella cheese (in a block, not shredded)
Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
3-4 dozen toothpicks

1. Begin by prepping all of the ingredients: slice cherry tomatoes in half, cut the mozzarella into small cubes, and trim the stems off of the spinach leaves.

2. To assemble: skewer a piece of mozzarella onto a toothpick. Next, fold a spinach leaf in half and slide it onto the toothpick next to the mozzarella. Last, skewer a tomato-half (sandwiching the spinach) to form the base (cut side down). Stand upright on serving platter and drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar.



Edamame Hummus
Look familiar?