Beef and Corn Enchilada Spaghetti Squash Boats

Woohoo!! This is an Amazing Dinner Alert!!

There it is. Right up there.

Spicy, cheesy, beefy - these are a few of my favorite things. 

These Beef and Corn Enchilada Spaghetti Squash Boats are a wonderful lightened-up alternative to one of my favorite comfort foods. I could eat these every week! Spaghetti squash makes the perfect vessel for homemade enchilada sauce, lots of cheese, crunchy corn and hearty ground beef. 

The best part about this meal, besides the deliciousness of it all, is that it can be customized in any way to your tastes. Lighten things up more with shredded chicken or ground turkey; make it entirely vegetarian by stuffing these with chopped cauliflower; perhaps you just want lots of cheese, in which case you can take out the beef, add some black beans and extra cheddar. 

No matter how you stuff it, I'm sure you're going to love it. 

Fresh Corn and Pesto Salad

Summer in a dish. Here it is, here it is. And it is tastier than you could have ever imagined.

Fresh is best, and this salad is all that and a bag of chips. Minus the chips.

Fresh Corn and Pesto Salad is the perfect side dish for your next cookout! I'm thinking any Fourth of July spread would be made better with this recipe on the table. All of the greatest gifts of summer are jam packed into one wonderful and tasty salad.

Let's first talk about fresh corn. Crisp and slightly sweet. Perfectly golden. Ugh. Love it. I literally love corn. There, I said it. And when you can get fresh corn, on the cob, well--what are you waiting for? Make this salad!!

Along with juicy/sweet/crisp corn, cut right off the cob, we are going to throw chopped cherry tomatoes and green bell peppers into a nice, big serving bowl. After a little toss to mix things up, we are going to coat the whole she-bang in a delicious pesto sauce. Traditional pesto is all we need here. The freshness of the basil with the rich bite of pine nuts and the salty tang of parmesan cheese elevates the flavor and send it off the charts.

Enjoy this salad with a burger. Or hot dog. Or grilled sausage. Or a shrimp bake. Anything! I have eaten this salad 3 times in the past week and I think it will be a staple on your summer table as well :-) Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas with Corn and Avocado Salad

I have a very urgent message from my kitchen to yours: YOU NEED TO MAKE THESE QUESADILLAS.

I was telling my friend about this mouthwatering creation and she said: "I am convinced that barbecue sauce is the greatest condiment of all time." This was such a wonderful nugget of wisdom--it is so true!

I had a hard time photographing these BBQ Chicken Quesadillas with Corn and Avocado Salad but I knew I needed to share this recipe with you immediately. This was one of those meals that I cooked, plated, took a bite and immediately closed my eyes and said "MMMMmmmmMMmmmm." When that happens...well, people need to know about it.

There are a few key components take these quesadillas above and beyond. Tender chicken breast that is baked to perfection, crusted in a bunch of tasty spices is a good place to start. Thinly sliced red onions add a necessary tang. Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce because...well...see comment above. Monterey Jack cheese is an absolute necessity--it melts so wonderfully and keeps all the tasty goodness packed inside crispy whole wheat tortillas.

Because we can't stop, won't stop, I also add some crispy bacon strips. Duh.

There are a few different ways that people build quesadillas. I prefer laying one tortilla in a big pan, adding all the fillings to one side then folding the tortilla in half to form a half moon. Some people layer one tortilla on top of another and cut it like a pizza, but I tend to lose all my filling this way.

When it comes to bringing this whole meal together, sour cream is a great way to cool down the spicy tang of the barbecue sauce. The corn and avocado salad is fresh and light, the perfect compliment to our crispy, gooey quesadillas. Let's get to it -- I know you can't wait any longer!

Potato and Ham Chowder {Lightened up!}

So that polar vortex was a whole thing, huh?! If we don't see temperatures that cold for a while, I really won't mind.

Soup, of course, was the perfect meal to defrost after the walk home from the subway. As we already know, I am soup crazed! I love making new pots of chowder whenever possible.

On Christmas Day (flashback!) I made Cory and I a Dr. Pepper glazed spiral ham (a laPioneer Woman!). Now, the thing about spiral hams is that it is basically impossible to find a reasonably-sized ham for a small crowd. So, let's just say that there were a few pounds of ham in our freezer for a while.

Thanks to this Potato and Ham Chowder recipe, I have finally used up the last big piece of ham! Should we have a party? If you ask me, this soup IS the party. Rich, potato soup loaded up with sweet corn, salty ham, crunchy celery and leeks. Don't be shy -- top a big, warm bowl of this chowder with a little grated cheese and chopped chives!

I lightened up this soup by using 1% milk and thinning it out with a little low sodium chicken broth. So, although not totally guilt free, I think we should definitely serve ourselves a second bowl.

Extra bonus--this is a ONE POT DINNER! My favorite!

Cheesy Corn Chowder

In the early days of Gas Stove Girl, I shared a "lightened up" and super simple creamy corn chowder. It had all the basics that a great corn chowder should have -- bacon, cream-style corn, whole corn kernels, condensed potato soup, cubed potatoes. It's a delicious soup and I make it regularly.

Now that it is getting SUPER chilly in Boston (possibly SNOW FLURRIES in the forecast?! Say it isn't so!) I find myself frequently craving the warmth of a big bowl of soup.

And because I love cheddar cheese, I find myself frequently craving cheddar cheese.

...There is so much wrong with me. Just go with it. There is a cheesey soup recipe at the end of this musing.

The punchline: I decided to dizzy up my original corn chowder recipe by adding in some shredded cheddar cheese and playing around with some other measurements.
 

It's still not COMPLETELY sinful, considering how rich this soup turned out to be. So if comfort is your name, this Cheesy Creamy Corn Chowder is most certainly going to be your game (is that a saying? It sounds like it might be. Or some variation on a colloquialism?)

The Easiest Corn Chowder

As many of my past posts might suggest, I am not one to shy away from one pot dinners. And not only one pot dinners, but dinners that use the grocery store to it's fullest. I really feel that the right personal touches can make a seemingly uninteresting meal into something special and individual.

This creamy, warm, and delicious soup is one such example. Everyone loves a good chowder, but how often do we take the initiative to make it ourselves?! This is absolutely the place to start. Here it is, the EASIEST (and very delicious) Corn Chowder.

Here's what you need:
1 can whole kernel corn (14.5 oz)
1 can cream style corn (14.5 oz)
1 can condensed potato soup (10 oz)
1 medium onion, diced
4 slices of bacon, diced
1.5 large potatoes, cubed
2 cups milk
1 cup fat free chicken broth

Here's what you do:
In a large sauce pot, saute the onions and bacon until the onions are translucent and the bacon is cooked crisp. Who doesn't LOVE bacon?!

Add the milk, broth, corn kernels, cream style corn, and soup. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.(Here is where the grocery store is really helping!)

Add the potatoes to the soup. Bring soup to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, as always.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring ocassionally.
When the potatoes are tender, the soup is ready to enjoy!

I am realizing now what a bad blogger I am! I was SO excited about this dinner that I didn't get a picture of the final product. Essentially, it is a slightly thick soup with lovely chunks of potato and bacon throughout. The color is a nice, pale yellow. The taste, of course, is a little sweet, a little salty, and a whole lot of heartwarming.

I should mention that this was the first time I used chicken broth in this recipe. I enjoy a really nice, thick chowder. However I was trying to think of how I could cut the heaviness of this soup without compromising any of the flavor. The fat free broth is a little less intense of a flavor and worked perfectly. You get serious help in the thickness department from the potato soup and cream style corn that taking out one cup of milk (original recipe is 3 cups of milk) and replacing it with a light broth did just the trick!

This soup is truly spectacular hot out of the pot, and it is also great the next day for a nice, hearty lunch! I can't really think of anything wrong with this -- corn, bacon, and potatoes. What could be better? Next time you have a craving for a nice, classic chowder, give this recipe a try. It'll warm you right up :-)

I have no idea how to pronounce "Quinoa"

Quinoa...before this year, I had no idea what this little nugget was. I'd never heard of it and if someone mentioned the name, I'd assume it was something inedible. But now, all of a sudden, it is some hip food that everyone wants to get their hands on...or just know what the heck it is.

Basically, it is almost like a grain...it is the harvested seed of a type of flower. In the kitchen, it cooks similarly to rice or cous cous. I like to cook it in the rice cooker because there is literally nothing easier in the world (details to follow). It has a little more gusto than cous cous and is a filling, more nutritious alternative to white rice.

I found that a lot of quinoa recipes have paired this food with beans, corn, crispy vegetables and light vinaigrettes. I did my own version of these recipes using only that food which I had around the house that complimented the nutty richness of the quinoa. I also needed a light dinner after I "stress ate" at lunch and indulged in a Buffalo Chicken Calzone...

So here it is. My Warm Roasted Corn and Quinoa Salad!

Here's what you need:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 cup frozen broccoli florets
1 can whole kernel corn
1 small onion, CARAMELIZED! (or half of a larger onion)
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
Salt, Pepper, Dried Basil
1/2 cup of lemon juice

Here's what you do:
Get the quinoa and water in a rice cooker (or simmering over low heat in a medium pot). RICE COOKERS RULE!

On a small (lightly greased) sheet pan, spread out the can of corn and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pop into a 375 degree oven for as long as the quinoa cooks or until it is crispy and a golden yellow color.
Go back a few posts on "Gas Stove Girl" and get your small onion caramelized (I found in this salad the darker the caramel, the BETTER)
Set aside your finished onions and put a small amount of water in the pan. Add the broccoli florets, season with salt and pepper, and cover over high heat. This will quickly steam the florets.

When the quinoa has absorbed all the water in the rice cooker, lightly fluff with a fork and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Combine the onions, broccoli (if the florets are fairly large, cut up into smaller pieces), quinoa, roasted corn, cheese, and basil. Use a fork because you don't want to muddle up the quinoa -- fluffy quinoa is GOOD quinoa!
Drizzle just enough lemon juice (or some other light dressing) to cover and stir (once again, you just want the essence of flavor here. Don't drown your salad as it is flavorful enough!).
Serve and enjoy guilt free after a carbolicious lunch! :-)


So listen guys, this isn't glamorous and this simple salad does not make me the next great chef (though Food Network inquiries always welcome!). But sometimes, when you still want a flavorful dinner and need a lighter option that isn't just lettuce in a bowl, consider a quinoa salad! The cheese here makes it creamy and combined with the quinoa will leave you feeling full and satisfied.

How do you cook quinoa? Do you know how to pronounce the word?!

Quick Barley and Chicken Chili

It was a cold and rainy winter night in Boston. I needed something that would warm the heart and soul. Something that screamed COMFORT FOOD! Something that I could make after getting home from work at 6 that wouldn't require hours on the stove.....

It was a challenge I was willing to accept when I came upon a recipe on the back of my Quaker Quick Barley box. It's a Quick Barley and Chicken chili, and it promised slow cooker taste in 30 minutes! I went right to the super market and picked up the remaining ingredients I didn't have. I immediately got to work on dinner when I got home and let me tell you...this did NOT disappoint my cravings! Not only did it literally take 30 minutes, but I only had to use one pot and one spoon to prep the dinner! This is every working cook's dream.

So here's what you need for Chicken and Barley Chili, adapted from Quaker:
1 can diced tomatoes
1 jar of medium heat salsa
1 can low or no fat chicken broth
3 cups water
1 cup quick barley
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 package of Perdue Short Cuts oven roasted chicken bites
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can beans (optional)
Cheddar Cheese and Sour Cream on top

And here's what you do (be prepared...this is SO easy!!)
In your 6 quart soup pot, combine the diced tomatoes, salsa, chicken broth, water, barley, and seasonings. Stir and bring to a boil.

Let me quickly be honest about my seasonings and salsa. I did NOT use chili powder. Cory and I don't love spicy foods, so I decided to make it a little more flavorful by subbing the chili powder with some Lawry's seasoned salt and garlic powder (simply eye-balled and adjusted during cooking). However, in order to keep some of that true chili style, I decided on medium heat salsa. If you are using the spicy stuff, I'd maybe recommend mild salsa (unless you're a serious heat seeker, then ramp it up however you like!)
Ok. So your first ingredients are in the pot and boiling. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In the meantime, grab your chicken. Now, if I may, these Purdue Short Cuts are God's gift to the working cook. Not only are they great on a salad or in a wrap, but any recipe that calls for the chicken to be cooked ahead of time BEGS for these bad boys. This chili was no exception. I didn't even need a knife. I took the pieces of chicken and just roughly ripped them apart. Many of them shredded a bit and this was just awesome! Season with salt and black pepper.
After 20 minutes of simmering, add in the corn, chicken, and beans if you please. Take a quick taste and adjust any seasonings. Stir and again bring to a boil.

Lower the heat and again cover and simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes. Once the barley is tender and the chili starts to thicken up, you are ready to eat!
Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and a small dollop of sour cream.

This was my first time trying this meal, and to be perfectly honest I cut out the recipe and added it to our recipe box. There is nothing fancy, homemade, or labor intensive about this chili. But on a cold work night, when I didn't want to spend hours in the kitchen and wanted that comforting meal -- this was perfect. Anyone can pull this off! You are really using the grocery store's help here and there is NOTHING wrong with that. Plus, it is a great change up that is a bit lighter and more nutritious! (That is, until the cheese...)