Buffalo Chicken Burgers

I was driving home from work today, trying to figure out something quick and tasty to make for dinner. I wanted something I hadn't eaten in a while, but would also be simple for me to put a healthier spin on it, and for some reason burgers kept coming to mind. So I decided to make buffalo chicken burgers. Using ground chicken or turkey is great because you can make a leaner version of a burger. :)

Recipe continued after the jump...

Chicken Rice Salad with Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

I'm almost finished with week #4 of working on my fitness and I've dropped 4.5 LBS since I started... not bad I guess. I've been really trying hard making sure I work out regularly and eat healthier. The last four weeks have gone quickly, and I'm really missing the salt, mayo, and all the other yummy fatty foods. I even relapsed once and found myself eating a sausage, egg, & cheese croissant in the car on the way to work one morning. :/ I had instant regrets, I promise!

But eating healthier doesn't mean it can't be yummy!! I found this quick salad idea online for my dinner tonight, but I made a few changes to make it slightly healthier. 

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Lemon Roasted Chicken with Warm Bell Pepper Salad

Yesterday, I visited our local Farmer's Market. My market finds: a whole chicken, yellow squash, bell pepper, bib lettuce, nectarines, wildflower honey, and kettle corn. Score! Supporting our local farmers and entrepreneurs is part of the American Dream and we need to help keep that dream alive!

Using my market finds, I decided to make a Lemon Roasted Chicken with Summer Squash Warm Red Bell Pepper Salad. Ok, so I had planned to make a Summer Squash side dish. Fail! Right as the chicken was finishing up and about to rest, I began slicing the squash... OH NO! They were completely dry inside. Agh, are you kidding me?! My squash from the Farmer's Market was not fresh! I was devastated.

Left scrambling and trying to figure out what to do instead, I let instinct kick in. I still had the bell pepper and bib lettuce from the Farmer's Market and decided to make a warm balsamic dressing for a salad. I rescued my dinner, and pulled together a fantastic side salad with zero time left on the clock. Phew, that was close!

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Chicken Marsala, the Low-Fat Healthy version :)

I've finally motivated myself to get in shape and eat healthier. I'm not going to let myself quit! I just finished my first week of daily workouts, and I'm finally starting to feel the effects of more energy. Being a mom wears you out so even if I don't lose some weight, the extra energy will be worth my effort. Working out alone will not help me get back to pre-baby weight that I desire(go ahead and point it out, that was over four years ago E), so it's time to start making healthier meals too. Not that I don't LOVE the French cuisine that Julia Child has been teaching me, but all the butter and oil doesn't help my situation. So onto the health websites to search for some yummy sounding meals. This one I found from womenshealthmag.com, a low-fat Chicken Marsala, oh yea! Lets see if it lives up to the taste of the full fat version. :D

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Impromptu Burrito Bowl

It's been a great weekend filled with stuff I wanted to do (for a change), instead of stuff I had to do. No grocery shopping, no paying bills (for now), & no cleaning (ok, maybe a little cleaning)! :D Friday (the 13th) was scary movie date night with Davey. Saturday I went to Ikea with Darcie (to get a bunk bed for the wee ones.) & Today is a PJs-all-day kind of day. 

This Sunday afternoon, I craved a simple but delicious lunch. However, I have been avoiding the grocery store this weekend and my pantry & fridge are both sadly about empty. A delicious lunch would have to be a miracle; time to whip up a 'something out of nothing' kind of meal. What do I even have in my kitchen? A box of mac&cheese for the wee ones, rice, 1 frozen chicken breast, a can of black beans, some shredded cheese, and a cabinet crammed packed with spices. Burrito bowl instantly came to mind for Davey and I...

Recipe continued after the jump...

Jambalaya

Sorry for my hiatus! It's not that I haven't been cooking. I just didn't feel like blogging about it the last few weeks because of the whole song and dance that comes with it. Snapping pictures and cooking at the same time isn't as simple as it may sound. Lately, I've just wanted to relax and cook. No fuss; no muss. But now I'm back!! And I came with a recipe for JAMBALAYA. (Ok, I'll admit, I said that with some zest in my head while I typed it out. HA!)
So... I've never even been to Louisiana before and I have no idea how the heck to make jambalaya. This is where the good ol' internet comes in to play: 
First - get some inspiration! Google Images: "Louisiana scenery" & "New Orleans", search and sigh. Then Pinterest for a bit. You know you're addicted to... don't judge. :)
Second - research! Google: "jambalaya", and then read recipe, after recipe, after recipe. Once I understand the concept, I put my ingredients (and shopping list) together, and write out my steps. 

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Brie & Mushroom Tuna Steaks

WOW, has it really been a month since I've cooked for the blog? May has been a whirlwind of a month. We've had lots of ballet activities, a trip out of town, and celebrated Marley's 4th birthday. I threw her a cowgirl party this year. I learned after her first birthday and the ridiculous menu I came up with to start keeping the parties simple. So no blog meal for her birthday since I'm sure you all know how to grill hot dogs and serve store bought effortless sides. HAHA!
So now that summer is unofficially here (marked by Memorial Day,) it's time to share a dish I learned one summer years ago while I was attending Culinary Art classes through the University of Richmond. Brie & Mushroom Tuna Steaks, need I say more?! And it's surprisingly simple.

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