Paprika Chicken & Spinach with White Wine Butter Thyme Sauce

Oscars Sunday is always a fun one…a little exercise, running errands, cooking a great meal, and glass of wine or two.  This recipe caught me eye on pinterest earlier this week and thought I would save it for today.  I am wishing I had a side of mashed potatoes to go with it though! That would have made the meal superb.  But, don’t get me wrong this is pretty spectacular on its own.  Enjoy!

Skillet Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

A few weeks ago my sister came over with my new nephew for the first time.  I decided to try out a new recipe in honor of Andrew’s first time at “Aunt Lindsay’s” house and man, it was SO good.  I have eaten chicken breast so many ways, but this mustard cream sauce (okay, probably not the healthiest thing) is AMAZING.  I literally licked the plate….and spoon, and spatula.  This was super easy and quick for a week night meal.  Enjoy!

Garlic & Cheese Zucchini Quinoa

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade…or so the saying goes.  Today is a high of 6 degrees in Chicago, and thus a perfect day to stay inside and tryout new recipes.  Today’s recipe was actually supposed to be zucchini and quinoa fritters, not a fried rice-like concoction.  Don’t get me wrong, this still tastes damn good, but every recipe doesn’t always turn out the way it is supposed to turn out.  Despite the setback, I did some quick thinking and just decided to stir it all together…appetizer turned to side dish.  Enjoy!

One Pan Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli with Quinoa

Well, the bone chilling cold winter finally showed up in Chicago today with highs in the teens.  I really can’t complain as it has been a pretty mild winter…I can deal with 30’s. With the chilly temps today, I decided to try a one pot healthy, but comforting, meal.  It was delish! Definitely something that would be easy for a weeknight too.  Enjoy and stay warm!

Ricotta Stuffed Sweet Peppers

New year, new goals!  For my first post of 2016 I decided to go with something that was on the healthier side (this recipe is a 21 day fix recipe) but packed full of flavor to help those out there with new year resolutions like ‘eating healthier’ or ‘losing weight.’   For me those are definitely on my list as well as getting my butt back in gear in the gym.  Usually the more I cook at home vs. grabbing Chipotle on the way home is a bit friendlier on my waist, so cheers to more posts and toning up!

Creamy Basil Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes

I have been on the lookout for polenta based recipes and having been pinning and saving them left and right.  This one touted its ease and deliciousness and I thought I would give it a try on this perfect fall day in Chicago.  The roasted garlic and tomatoes have filled my house with amazing smells in addition to the combination of polenta, parmesan cheese and basil simmering on the stove top.  Today marks the first day of “going dark” with my nail polish for the season…bring on the dark reds, greys, deep purples and blacks!  Gotta love fall!

Roasted & Stuffed Acorn Squash

Columbus Day = no work!!  With this great gift of a three day weekend after coming off a month of travel,  I am putting it to great use…cooking, exercising, cleaning, prepping for fall, and yes, catching up on all the fall shows I keep missing during the week (gotta love Scandal and Quantico!).  After a 6 mile walk through Chicago and along the waterfront this morning, I decided to keep up the clean and healthy eating by making this acorn squash recipe I stumbled upon.  I loved that it was a full meal, vs just eating the squash as a side dish.  It is very filling and scrumptious!

Ratatouille Polenta Bake

Earlier this year some of the girls I work with and I decided to start having a girls night dinner every other month that rotated houses.  Each person could show off their amazing cooking skills while we kicked back, relaxed and had a fun night decompressing after work while drinking a glass, or two, of wine.  It’s nights like these that I just love.  And, the best part about it is new recipes! This one comes from Kate Saletta and is a staple in her family.  I loved the combination of polenta and cheesy veggies! 

Vegetarian Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

Mexican is always one of my favorites and this is one of the best stuffed pepper recipes I have tried.  It has a great blend of spices, making it super flavorful and hearty enough with the rice and beans to be filling.  I loved the slight crisp of the onion and sweetness from the pepper.  And, if you have rice leftovers from dinner a previous night, it makes the cook time much quicker. 

Spicy Stewed Beef with Creamy Cheddar Grits

Maybe it’s because I am been feeling a bit run down recently, but I have been listening to a lot of country music, trying to feel connected back to my roots.  With this it got me researching a lot of southern comfort food recipes.  We all know the classic shrimp and grits (which I LOVE), but I came across this beef and grits recipe and was so intrigued by the combination of tastes that I knew I needed to make it.  With a long Memorial Day weekend ahead, I knew it was the perfect time to relax, disconnect and do some good home cookin’.

Now, I will say that you need to be a lover of spice because this is definitely spicy!  But the balance of the creamy cheddar grits and the spicy beef is pretty great! Enjoy!

Creamy Vodka Pasta Sauce

 One of my fond memories from college was serving on my sorority’s executive board.  Despite being a while ago this blog recipe was inspired by a memory from that time.  While on the Exec Board we would occasionally invite fraternity exec boards over to discuss upcoming events and we would cook dinner.  One of those times we made a vodka pasta sauce that I absolutely loved.  Unfortunately I never got ahold of that recipe, but I decided to  try my hand at making it this weekend.  It was super easy and turned out just the way I like it!  The alcohol in the vodka burns off and it leave the sauce with a great little zing to it.  Enjoy!

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

 I have been on a wild rice kick lately (this is just one of the few recipes I have cooked) and having a great fall!  My house is feeling more and more like a home, especially with the new additions of fall mums, Halloween décor and birch wood logs.  My mom came up and visited a few weekends ago and we had a blast visiting an apple farm.  I keep trying to make apple recipes, but I really don’t like hot cooked apples, so instead of posting recipes I don't like, I decided to post this one - much better!

Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Labor Day weekend in Chicago means the Jazz Festival is in town (and summer is coming to an end). There is nothing more fun than sitting on a lawn with friends, drinking some wine, listening to Jazz, and enjoying some great food.  I saw this recipe on Pinterest a few weeks ago and have wanted to try it out, but knew I needed an occasion when multiple people would help me eat it (great for a party).  I just love how the little bit of heat mixes will the cool coleslaw and the sweetness of the Kings Hawaiian bun.  It is finger licking good! 

Chicken with Mushrooms & Cream Sauce (Julia Child)

 After not sleeping much this week my body gave out on Friday and I was feeling pretty miserable.  I slept most of the afternoon on Friday, all Friday night and parts of the day on Saturday…I guess my body needed it!  Unfortunately I had to miss a good friend’s air & water show party, but on the other hand, I got in some quality movie time on the couch (during the few hours I was awake).  Funny enough, Julie & Julia was on which is where I found my inspiration this week….the great Julia Child!  This is a super easy and very tasty and comforting dish…I made enough to have for left overs tomorrow night (and maybe the next).  I also had some brussel sprouts in the fridge and roasted them in the oven (similar recipe to the roasted broccoli recipe I have posted).    Bon Appetite (in my best Julia Child high pitched voice)!

Ricotta & Orzo Stuffed Tomatoes

Well, life has been a little busy lately and I have grown very delinquent on posting.  I guess when most of your pots and pans are packed for a month it makes it a bit hard to cook.  This is officially my first post in my new place.  Most of my weekends since moving in have involved some sort of home improvement project and multiple trips to Home Depot – I believe my house is putting me through a little new home buyer hazing (I hope it ends soon). 

Enchilada Mac & Cheese

Oh man, I think I have found the mother of all comfort food – enchilada mac & cheese.  The perfect combination of two of my favorite foods.  It kind of reminds me of hamburger helper, but SO MUCH better and just as easy.  I was looking for a recipe that sparked my interest this week when I came across this.  Now, keep in mind, I have been working out quite a bit lately and watching what I eat (bathing suit season is coming soon – or that is what  I keep telling myself even though it is in the low 20’s today), so when I saw this,  my mouth started salivating.  I knew I had to let myself splurge and try this out.   

Creamy Mushroom Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Spinach

Pasta…the dish that can instantly put you in a good mood.  A few months ago I was traveling a good amount and when it finally came to an end, I went in search of a comfort food recipe.  I stumbled across this one on Pintrest and LOVED it!  Such great flavors with the caramelized onions, mushrooms and spinach.  The directions and ingredients seem a bit long, but don’t let it scare you away, it is a pretty easy dish to make.  With another blast of polar air heading to the Midwest this week, I would definitely suggest adding it to the dinner rotation this week.  Enjoy!

Tomato Soup

It’s my first day back in Chicago after a great Christmas in Atlanta and I thought I would give a few of my new gifts a whirl – thanks for the pot utensil clip Mom and pot holders Michael and Libby! Even though we were one Klindt (well, now Schumacher) short this year, we had a lot of fun, eating, drinking, watching movies, and SLEEPING.  I am not sure about you, but when I have a chunk of time off, my body will shut down and go into hibernation mode for a while. 

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles

It has been rather chilly in Chicago over the past week (and when I say rather, I am talking about 0 degrees when I wake up with negative wind chills). Thankfully, I made a large pot of chicken noodle soup while it was snowing last Sunday which lasted me a few days.   The old Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup commercial kept popping in my head as I made it…the one where the snowman comes into the house and the snow melts away until you see a little red headed kid.  Since I didn’t want to venture out into the snow that day, I decided to be a little creative and made my own egg noodles, and they turned out AWESOME!!!  Definitely a great way to add a special touch to soup.  They tasted like little dumpling strips in my soup...yummmmm!  While I was making the noodles I realized I don’t own a rolling pin, so my noodles are a bit thick, but if you own a rolling pin, I am sure you can roll them out much better than I could with my hands. Enjoy!

Homemade Calzone

When I was growing up, calzones were a staple in our house.  It was something fun and customizable. Everyone could make their own (which decreased the number of arguments of what kind of pizza we were having).  And it was always fun seeing the dough rise. This weekend, I needed to use up some food in my fridge before it went bad and I thought this would be a great way to do it.  I had most of the ingredients in my fridge below, but feel free to make your own version…pepperoni and green peppers, veggie delight, chicken and spinach, anything your heart desires!  I decided to make one large calzone, but feel free to cut the dough in two.  Enjoy!