Dim Sum Dumpling Burgers with Crispy Wonton Crab Rangoon and Napa Cabbage Slaw

 It has been almost 4 months since I've had a contest to create a recipe for and I can not tell you how happy I am to be able to have the chance to be back in the kitchen working on entries again! This one I'm sharing today is for a contest that I have entered before and never won. I'm really hoping that what I've created this year catches the judges eyes and the $10,000 prize because I can promise you the flavor is insane in these! 

Dim Sum Dumpling Burgers with Crispy Wonton Crab Rangoon and Napa Cabbage Slaw

4 ounces room temperature whipped cream cheese

¼ cup finely sliced green onion

½ teaspoon white pepper

1 cup shredded imitation crab meat

1 ½ cups thinly shaved napa cabbage

¼ cup thinly sliced green onion

¼ cup cilantro leaves

1 small jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, sliced thinly

1 Tablespoon olive oil

12 ounces cremini mushrooms

2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 Tablespoons finely minced ginger

2 Tablespoons panko

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoon white pepper

½ pound lean ground pork

½ pound lean ground beef

½ cup sweet Thai chili sauce

4 sweet Hawaiian hamburger buns, toasted

1 cup fried wonton strips

In a medium mixing bowl stir together the cream cheese, green onion and white pepper. Gently stir in the crab meat until evenly mixed and place in the fridge to chill.

In a separate medium mixing bowl gently toss the napa cabbage, green onion, cilantro and jalapeno slices together.

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. Roughly chop mushrooms and add them to the hot oil. Cook for 10 minutes or until mushrooms have browned and softened. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger and sauté for 2-4 more minutes. Place the sautéed mushroom mixture in a large mixing bowl and set aside to allow them to cool. 

To the large mixing bowl with the chopped sautéed mushrooms, add the panko, salt, white pepper, ground pork and ground beef. Mix thoroughly to combine and shape the meat mixture into 4 patties. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium high heat, add patties to pan and cook 5 minutes or until a brown crust has formed on the underside of the patty. Flip burgers over and cook another 5 minutes. Brush the patties with the sweet Thai chili sauce. 

To serve spread the remaining sweet Thai chili sauce on both sides of the toasted buns. Top each bottom bun with the cabbage mixture, a mushroom burger patty, some wonton strips, a scoop of the crab Rangoon mixture, more wonton strips, and the top bun. Serve immediately. 

Asian Chicken Chopped Salad with Egg Roll Croutons and Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

 This is my entry for the “Make Taste Not Waste Challenge”. Being creative and making something out of what might normally be tossed out is so important in reducing food waste, keeping your grocery budget in check and being environmentally friendly. For this dish, I raided the fridge and found a few left-over take-out egg rolls, the last bit of rotisserie chicken, those cut up veggies that didn’t get finished from a crudite platter and all of those leafy greens that can easily be ignored until they wilt and get tossed. Slice the egg rolls, toast them until crunchy and bake them for crispy croutons, toss together the veggies and chicken in a delicious creamy dressing made with Hellmann’s Cilantro Lime Sauce and dig in!

Asian Chicken Chopped Salad with Egg Roll Croutons and Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette 

2 egg rolls

3 Tablespoons Hellmann’s Cilantro Lime Sauce

1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

¾ teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

4 cups leafy greens (I used a mix of leftover romaine, cabbage and baby spinach)

1 cup sliced crunchy veggies (I used a mix of carrots, red bell peppers and jalapeno pepper)

¼ cup sliced green onion

1 cup leftover shredded rotisserie chicken

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper. Slice the egg roll into 1-inch pieces and bake for 10 minutes, or until heated through and crispy.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the Hellmann’s Cilantro Lime Sauce, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar until smooth. 

Add the green leafy vegetables (I used a mix of leftover romaine, cabbage and baby spinach), sliced crunchy veggies (I used a mix of carrots, red bell peppers and jalapeno pepper), sliced green onions and the shredded chicken and toss to coat.

Pour the mixture onto a serving plate, top with the crispy egg roll croutons and serve.

#MakeTasteNotWaste #GameDay #ContestEntry #Hellmanns 

Vietnamese Lemongrass Basil Chopped Chicken Salad

This is my final entry for the Kevin’s Natural Foods “Eat Clean. Live Happy. Blogger Recipe Challenge.”. My Vietnamese Lemongrass Basil Chopped Chicken Salad is Paleo, Keto, Gluten, Soy and Dairy Free and is the perfect thing to balance out all those Christmas cookies you might be baking! 

Kevin's Natural Foods is hosting a recipe contest using their clean ingredient sauces and they were kind enough to send me samples to work with. I have to be honest, I was a little skeptical and didn't know what to expect once I knew that all of the sauces are Paleo, Keto, gluten, soy and dairy free, non-GMO and has no preservatives. Can you even believe that list?! I'm happy to tell you, I was blown away by the flavor of these sauces! 

Vietnamese Lemongrass Basil Chopped Chicken Salad

 1 (7 ounce) packet Kevin's Natural Foods Lemongrass Basil Sauce

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 ½ Tablespoons lime juice

1 Tablespoon coconut aminos

1 teaspoon coconut sugar

1-pound chicken tenders

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups finely shredded cabbage

½ cup matchstick carrots

½ cup seedless cucumber, cut into half moons

¼ cup torn mint leaves

¼ cup torn cilantro leaves

3 green onions, thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons roughly chopped roasted salted peanuts

Place 1 Tablespoon of the Lemongrass Basil Sauce in a small mason jar with a lid. Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, coconut aminos and coconut sugar to the jar, cover tightly and shake until the dressing is thoroughly mixed. Place in the fridge to chill.

Pour the remining Lemongrass Basil Sauce in a medium mixing bowl and add the chicken and salt, tossing to coat. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.

Pre-heat a grill or grill pan to high heat and oil the grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the grill. Cook, covered, for 4 minutes per side.  Remove from the grill when the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165. Cover and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Place the cabbage, carrots, cucumber, mint, cilantro and green onion in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with the dressing. Toss until all the vegetables are evenly coated. Add the shredded chicken, toss until evenly combined and place on serving plates. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve immediately.

Serves 2.

 #eatcleanlivehappy #kevinsnaturalfoods #kevinsrecipechallenge

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Cajun Cod Fish Cake Sliders with Mardi-Gras Slaw

I am so excited to share my entry for the Blogger Saltfish Recipe Challenge! I'm always excited to try new ingredients and saltfish is something I've never worked with before. When I was younger, I remember my grandpa making Cod Fish Cakes during Lent on Fridays. He always used canned cod (similar to canned tuna), mixed it with mashed potatoes and fried them to a crispy golden brown. I loved them as a kid and probably haven't had one in over 20 years. I knew I wanted to try that same method with the salt cod and modernize it and what I settled on I think you'll really love! Cajun blackening spices jazz up these crispy Cajun Cod Cakes and I made a quick and easy remoulade sauce to go with it. The purple, green and gold Mardi Gras Slaw is colorful and crunchy and, let's be honest here, who doesn't love sweet Hawaiian style rolls? It's a delicious pairing that I hope you enjoy!

Cajun Cod Fish Cake Sliders with Mardi-Gras Slaw
Cod Fish Cakes:

1 pound Cristobal salt cod fish filets

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 Tablespoon Cajun blackening seasoning

¼ cup minced shallot

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mardi-Gras Slaw:

2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage

1/2 cup thinly sliced yellow bell pepper

1/4 cup sliced green onion

2 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper 

Remoulade Sauce:

2 tsp Louisiana style hot sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 cup Creole style whole grain mustard

1/2 cup ketchup 

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

15 Sweet Hawaiian style slider rolls, lightly toasted 

Place the salt cod filets in a bowl and cover with cold water. Refrigerate for 8 hours, draining the water and replacing it with fresh water every 2 hours. After 8 hours, rinse the cod in cold water, pat dry and cut into 3-inch sections.

Place the cod and potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the cod flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled cod and potato mixture, Cajun blackening seasoning and minced shallot and roughly mash with a potato masher. Stir in the eggs until the mixture is evenly combined. Using a cookie scoop, make 15 equal portions, and gently press them in the panko, flattening slightly, creating mini patties. Place the cakes in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up.

In a medium mixing bowl, toss together the red cabbage, yellow bell pepper, green onion, parsley, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Chill until ready to use.

In a small mixing bowl whisk together the hot sauce, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and lemon juice. Chill until ready to use.

Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the cod cakes in batches until golden and crispy on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

To assemble the sliders, spread a thin layer of the sauce on each side of the toasted slider rolls, place a small scoop of slaw on the bottom half of each roll, top with a cod fish cake and the top half of the buns. Serve immediately.

You can find Cristobal salt cod fish filets at: Brookshire Brothers, HEB, Fiesta, Food Town, H Mart, Kroger and Los Altos Ranch Market

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Cajun Fish Taco Tostadas with Mardi Gras Slaw and Remoulade Sauce

This is my entry for the 2016 Healthy Solutions Spice Blends Blogger Challenge!

Last year, I was lucky enough to win with my Greek Style Baked Turkey Taquitos with Tzatziki Drizzle and I'm really hoping to keep the winning streak going. 

I wanted to use a different rub this year, so I chose the Cajun Seafood Seasoning and created something that is delicious, colorful and healthy!

My Cajun Fish Taco Tostadas feel like a splurge even when they're not. I chose to broil corn tortillas to make them nice and crispy. Swapping corn tortillas for flour tortillas is an easy way to cut fat and sugar all while bumping up the fiber in your diet. The slaw is colorful and gives the perfect crunchy texture to the tostadas. For the fish, I used striped bass because that's what my boys caught on their fishing trip but feel free to use tilapia, cod or any other white flaky fish in the market.

While Remoulade is a delicious sauce served with seafood in Louisiana, it's typically loaded with fat and salt. My version packs a ton of flavor without all the unnecessary calories by mixing a bit of greek yogurt in with a low fat mayonnaise to make it creamy and using the Cajun Seafood Seasoning to give it spice and flavor.

My kids devoured these- I hope you try them and love them as much as we did!

Cajun Fish Taco Tostadas with Mardi Gras Slaw and Remoulade Sauce

 8 soft 6-inch corn tortillas

3 Tablespoons low fat mayonnaise

3 Tablespoons fat free plain Greek yogurt

1 ½ teaspoons Healthy Solutions Spice Blends Cajun Seafood Seasoning

The zest of 1 lemon

1 Tablespoon creole or course grain mustard

1 Tablespoon ketchup

3 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage

1 ½ cups thinly sliced yellow bell pepper

6 green onions, thinly sliced

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons Healthy Solutions Spice Blends Cajun Seafood Seasoning

1 pound flaky white fish

 

Preheat the broiler on high. Lightly mist the corn tortillas on both sides with olive oil spray and place on a large cookie sheet. Broil the tortillas for about 2 minutes per side, watching closely to prevent burning. Once the tortillas are crisp set aside to cool slightly.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Cajun Seafood Seasoning, zest, creole mustard and ketchup.

In a separate small mixing bowl, combine the sliced purple cabbage, yellow bell pepper, green onions, olive oil and lemon juice. Stir until the slaw is evenly coated.

Sprinkle the fish evenly with the Cajun Seafood Seasoning.

Heat a large non-stick skillet sprayed with olive oil cooking spray over medium high heat and working in batches, cook the fish about 3-5 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily.

To assemble, top each crispy corn tortilla with the slaw mixture, pieces of the fish and then drizzle with the Remoulade sauce. Serve immediately.

Serves 4, serving size: 2 tostadas

Creamy Cabbage Soup

Last week I showed you the pile of produce we caught at the St Patrick's Day parade and this soup was my kid's favorite meal made from all of our goodies! I saw a recipe for Creamy Cabbage Soup on pinterest, and as usual, made some changes to it and it came out great! I love Havarti cheese and I think the dill was delicious in this! This could easily be made meat free and would be perfect on a cold night

 

Creamy Cabbage Soup

(recipe adapted from here) 8 slices bacon
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrot
1 cabbage, shredded 6 cups chicken broth
1 1⁄2 sticks butter
3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
6 ounces Havarti cheese with dill, cubed
1⁄2 teaspoon thyme1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon white pepper  

Cook bacon in a large soup pot over medium high heat, remove when crisp and place on paper towels to drain. Add the onion, celery, carrot and cabbage and sauté until soft. Add broth and simmer for 30 min. While vegetables are cooking make sauce as follows: Melt butter in medium saucepan; stir in flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in milk and remaining 11/2 cups broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 8-10 minutes.

Add cheese, thyme, dill and white pepper.

When cheese has melted, add to vegetable mixture and stir well. Add crumbled bacon and serve

I also have exciting news to share!! I just found out that the little slider I made a few months ago won a runner up prize for "Best Mexican Themed Recipe"!!! I will have an iPad Mini, 16GB w/Wi-Fi delivered to me soon! Now I just need to figure out how to keep my kids from taking it over first...

Mexi-cado Sliders with Street Corn Salsa

Black bean dip (I made mine but feel free to use store bought)

Chipotle hot sauce

 warm Hawaiian Slider Buns

1 small can Mexicorn

 Cotija cheese

Mayonnaise

 Cilantro

2 ripe Avocados from Mexico

 Crushed tortilla chips

 Pickled red onions (I made my own but you can certainly use store bought)

 

To make these, make sure you start with cold ripe avocados, they stick together best when they're cold. These are super easy to make and Just season and taste as you go!

Stir together the black bean dip and chipotle hot sauce and spread on the bottoms of the slider buns. Combine the mexicorn, cotija cheese, mayonnaise and cilantro in a small bowl and spoon on top of the bean spread. Coarsely mash the avocados, season with salt and pepper and form into small patties. Roll avocado patties into the crushed tortilla crumbs and place patties on the buns. Top with pickled red onions and serve immediately. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waste Not, Want Not

After all the cabbage we caught at the parade on Sunday, I had to get really creative with new ways to use it all up! I'm not about to waste free food, but I also don't want to eat the same meal every day. To start, I made a potato salad, Salmon Potato Cakes and baked potatoes with the bag of potatoes we had. Then I made coleslaw and put it on top of shredded chicken tostadas. Super easy and really delicious!! Tostada shells, beans, chicken, cheese and slaw. Yum.

Next up was "Fat Burning Cabbage Tortilla Soup"

when I saw this on pinterest it looked perfect to me, since we indulged the entire trip this would be a good way to make up for that.

I changed it up a little to use what I had on hand and I loved how it came out!

Fat Burning Cabbage Tortilla Soup

(adapted from here)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 small onions, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

Sauté all ingredients in a large soup pot over medium heat until softened. Then add:

1 1/2 cup mild red salsa

1 1/2 cup mild green salsa

1/2 teaspoon EACH chili powder, oregano and coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

8 cups chicken stock

1 beef boullion cube

2 (11.5 ounce) cans tomato juice

Simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Using an immersion blender, or a standard blender working in batches, puree the soup. Then add:

1 head of chopped cabbage

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes

Simmer until cabbage is softened (about 30 minutes) and serve with lime wedges, cilantro and green onion. This could easily be made in the slow cooker as well!

Still in Spring Break Mode

I still feel like we're recovering from Spring break! We had such a busy trip and it flew by so quickly. Obviously, there was no school, so that means no lunchboxes. Instead I'll share a few highlights of our trip and what I've been cooking since we've been home

The visit home started and ended with seafood and that's just the way I like it! Boiled, in po-boys and in a cream sauce served over fried eggplant slices on pasta.....I ate it all!

On Sunday we went to the St Patrick's Day Parade and the kids had a blast! We knew we were home when at 10 am on a Sunday morning we were handed a gallon of daiquiris in the drive through before heading to the parade route.

All set and ready to go! Thanks to my mom who was our DD that day!

The kids had SO MUCH fun! They also filled 5 bags full of beads, trinkets and vegetables. Cabbages, carrots, potatoes, garlic, lemons......

This isn't even all of it...we gave some away to people around us and there was an entire bag of potatoes on the side. Even still, that's a lot of cabbage! I've made potato salad, coleslaw and a few new dishes to try to use up our loot. The deer even got the outer leaves to snack on!