Refreshing Summer Salad

I've been away for a while, but I haven't been idle. After two miscarriages I've managed to navigate my way through a succesful pregnancy and now my new baby boy has arrived. It's been a difficult, but rewarding process. Unfortunately that means I've been out of the kitchen for months. Luckily I've spent what little free time I've had thinking and planning a lot of new recepies. Now I'm getting geared up for another journey through food, and to kick things off I decided to try something healthy for my newly expanded family. So here's a new salad recipe for you guys. I decided I wanted something simple and refreshing since this new mommy is hot and VERY busy. It turned out to be a big hit with my hubby who was super excited that I was back in the kitchen! I hope it turns out to be a big hit for you guys too!

Tip:

You can add half an avocado to this recipe. Just cut it into squares and add it before putting the salt and pepper in the salad.

Ingredients:

1 tomatoe
1 cucumber
Cilantro (to taste)
Salt ( to taste)
Pepper (to taste)

Procedure:

First clean all your fruits and vegetabables. Cut the tomatoes (the fruit) in little squares.

Put them in the bowl.

Cut the cucumber down the middle (lengthwise)

Seed the cucumber and cut it in little squares

Put them in the bowl

Cut the cilantro

Put it in the bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.

Bon appetit!

Basic Marinara Sauce

This is my basic version of a marinara sauce. I prefer making it with fresh tomatoes but sadly I couldn’t find some good-looking tomatoes to bring home. I made this one with canned whole tomatoes. The sugar in the recipe is to cut out the acidity of the canned tomatoes. If you make a big batch you can freeze it and use it later, having the amazing taste of fresh marinara sauce even in winter. So hop on and try something new! Hope you guys enjoy it. 

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion diced

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons of Italian Seasoning

½ cup of wine

56 ounces of whole tomatoes

14 ounces of tomato paste

4 Tablespoons of white sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

In a large pot heat the olive oil.

Add the onions and cook them slowly.

Until caramelized.

Add the garlic.

Add the Italian Seasoning. 

Let it cook for 5 minutes.

Add the red wine to deglaze.

  Cook for 2 minutes.

   

Add the tomatoes.

Add the tomato paste. 

Add the sugar.

Mix and crush until combined.

Bring to a simmer and cook on low for 2 hours.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Honey Sesame Chicken

I was going through the blog and noticed that I have more desserts than food, oh my… well I’m not going to deny how fond I am of making sweets, but I’m fond of making delicious food too. So I decided to try posting more food recipes than desserts... for a week… I’ m going to try… I can’t promise anything... (let’s see how long that’s going to last.) I hope it lasts for at least 3 or 4 posts.

So let’s start with this one!  Two days ago I gave you my first slow cocker recipe and it was a hit! After the countless hours of cooking and feeling like I wasn’t really doing anything I’m starting little by little to grow fond of it. May I please repeat that, little by little! Ha ha ha. I’m definitely putting on my patience hat today. But don’t you even dare to think I’m going to spend those eight to nine hours again just waiting and waiting, oh no mister!

I spent some time researching for some recipes and voila! I found a recipe that won’t make me feel like I’m losing 8 to 9 hours; this one is only 3 to 4 hours on low or 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours on high! I’m thinking the 1 ½ to 2 ½ sounds better. Well, I may sound crazy but this kind of stuff excites me. It’s definitely not the same as waiting for 9 hours as two and a half, don’t you think? And yes I know there are people that just love the slow cooker because you just put everything in and forget about it; and that’s not a bad thing. I’m sure one day when I have kids you’ll be seeing new posts glorifying the slow cooker and thanking whoever invented it. But guys, for me, that’s a long way’s off. This love story is gonna be one recipe at a time.  It’s impossible to for me to stop being my usual controlling self from one day to another…

Oh well, enough with all this chitchat; let’s get down to business. Today’s star is the honey sesame chicken recipe! The house smells just awesome and the thighs taste just like it smells. I’m making rice to serve with the chicken.  My husband is even not letting me make the sauce he just wants to eat it all! Finishing this recipe I must admit I’m loving the slow cooker a little bit more. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as us!

Ingredients:

2.5 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

1 cup of honey

½ cup of soy sauce

4 tablespoons diced onion

4 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons of canola oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoons of red pepper flakes (optional)

4 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved in 6 tablespoons of water.

Sesame seeds

Procedure:

Pat dry the chicken.

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper (to taste)

Put into the slow cooker.

Cut the onion.

In a small bowl pour the honey.

Add the soy sauce.

Add the onion.

Add the ketchup.

Add the oil.

Add the garlic.

Add the pepper flakes (optional)

Mix all the ingredients well.

Pour the mixture over the chicken.

Cook on low for three to four hours or on high for 1 ½  to 2 ½ hours.

Remove the chicken from the slow cooker, leaving the sauce.

 

Dissolve the 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in the 6 tablespoons of water.

Pour the mixture of cornstarch into the slow cooker.

Stir it until combined with the sauce. Put the lid back on.

Cook the sauce on high for ten minutes or until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, cut the chicken into bite size pieces.

When the sauce is cooked return the chicken to the pot.

Stir it a bit so the chicken can be cover with the sauce.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve it over white rice.

Enjoy!!