Creamy Avocado Pasta with Chili Lime Chicken

This was the winter of all winters with record-breaking cold and snow.  But, spring has finally come!  (Although we still have a last, little mound of snow that is only days away from being gone.)

I have done some cooking here and there over the winter, mostly making tried and true meals just to put something on the dinner table.  Part of my lack of inspiration was because the winter was just brutal, and the other part was because I miss my partner in cooking.  But, alas, with our first 70 degree day in almost 6 months, and Catherine coming home in less than a month, I broke out the grill and got on Pinterest to find out what I could make with the chicken and avocados I bought a few days ago.  Most of the recipes I found had to do with chicken avocado burritos.  Of course, that would be totally fine by me, but I knew I needed something my boys would eat.  After some scrolling, I came across this.  Holy yumilicious this was good!  Timmy loved the chicken, Jimmy loved the pasta, and I loved it all.  I can’t wait for Catherine to come home so she can try it!
(Don't be intimidated by how long this looks... it's not complicated at all and doesn't take as much time as you may think looking at this) 

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 recipe Chili Lime Chicken (see below for Chili Lime Rub)
• 16 oz. fettuccine/spaghetti, cooked al dente
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup corn kernels (or 1 ear of sweet corn)
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
  Optional:
• 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
• Hot sauce to taste

Chili Lime Rub

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• ½ tsp. chipotle chili powder *
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. smoked paprika
• ½ tsp. onion powder
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
• Lime zest from 1 lime* 

*  Adaptations:  I didn’t have chipotle chili powder, so I just omitted and I didn’t feel like zesting a lime so I just left it out.

DIRECTIONS - To make Chili Lime Chicken...

1. In a small bowl, whisk chili lime rub ingredients together.
2. Place chicken breasts in a gallon-sized zip lock baggie and pour chili lime rub over, mixing evenly all over chicken breasts.
3. Time permitting, allow chicken to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate up to 8 hours then bring to room temperature for before cooking (the longer it marinates, the more flavorful it will be.
   (I only had time for 30 minutes, and I felt like it was nicely flavored!)
4. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Once very hot, add chicken and cook, undisturbed for 3-5 minutes, or until nicely browned (or blackened if you prefer) on one side. Turn chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium.  Cook the chicken for approximately 5-7 more minutes (depending on thickness of chicken), or until it is cooked through.
   (Wanting to christen the grill for the first time this Spring, I used the grill versus the skillet for the chicken)
5. Remove to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing – don't slice until ready to serve.
6. Garnish with extra fresh lime juice if desired.
7. Make Creamy Avocado Sauce

Creamy Avocado Sauce

• 1 cup sour cream (may substitute Greek yogurt)
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 avocados, peeled and pitted
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeded, deveined and roughly chopped*
• ¼ cup packed cilantro
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ½ tsp. cumin
• ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice

 *  Adaptations:  I didn’t have jalapenos, so I just omitted them.

DIRECTIONS - To make Creamy Avocado Sauce...

• Add all of the Creamy Avocado Sauce ingredients to your blender and puree/liquefy until smooth.

DIRECTIONS - To put together...

1. In the same skillet you cooked your chicken in (or a fresh one if grilled the chicken), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat (you can use remaining oil from chicken if there's enough). Add red bell peppers, corn and garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes, or until red peppers are crisp-tender.
   (If using, add diced tomatoes in green chilies and heat through.)
2. Add cooked pasta followed by Creamy Avocado Sauce and stir to combine.  Heat through.
3. Taste and add any additional salt, pepper, hot sauce to taste.
4. Slice chicken and serve on top of pasta, garnishing individual servings with optional toppings of cheese, green onions and fresh lime juice.
   
   Refrigerate leftover pasta for up to 5 days (the lime juice will keep the sauce from discoloring)

Adapted from Carlsbad Cravings’ Blog

http://www.carlsbadcravings.com/purpose-chili-lime-chicken-rub-marinade-recipe/

http://www.carlsbadcravings.com/creamy-baja-avocado-pasta-chili-lime-chicken/

Tex Mex Corn Veggie Taco Dip

How I have missed trying new recipes this summer!!!  It has been unbelievably crazy -- Catherine graduated high school, Timmy graduated middle school, an amazing trip down to Disney World, getting ready for Catherine to head off to college... and then the loss of my mother.  So many highs and so many lows.  My family and friends have been with me through this entire journey and I am so incredibly blessed.  I have felt strengthened, sheltered, supported and loved.  There are not enough words that can express how much I thank and love each and every one of you!

My friend Karen drove all the way from North Carolina with her two munchies, to be with me.  What an amazing distraction that was!  With Karen coming up, it necessitated not one get-together... not two... but MANY!  As much as I would have otherwise just holed up at home, my friends enticed me out with their company.  The first was a potluck cookout on Sunday afternoon.   Not having done much cooking this summer, I was at a loss, so I went on Pinterest to find an easy dip to make, where I had most of the ingredients already at home.  This one sold me at "corn" and "tex-mex" (I'm so predictable).  I made it for the cookout, bringing Tostitos and Fritos Scoops, and before we knew it, it was gone.  (Confession:  I may or may not have been one of the girls planted in front of it.)  It seemed like a hit so I decided to make it again for Tuesday's Taco Night, especially since it seemed to go with the theme.  Again, I took home the empty bowl!  Definitely a blog-worthy recipe!  (And I highly recommend the Frito Scoops with it!)

• 8 oz. softened cream cheese
  (Original recipe calls for low fat, which I didn't have... but good to know to make it healthier)
• ¼ cup sour cream
  (Also called for low fat, which I also didn't have)
• 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• 1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups frozen sweet corn
  (I made it once with defrosted corn, and once with it still frozen... it was fine both times.  The cream cheese made it "solidify" a little with it still frozen but as it defrosts, it will loosen back up.  You just need to stir it before serving.  If you use frozen, I would recommend leaving it out at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before serving)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 large red onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño, diced finely
• Salt & pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, microwave softened cream cheese for 15-30 seconds or until very easy to stir
2. Mix in sour cream and taco seasoning, stirring thoroughly
3. Add in remaining ingredients
4. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste
5. Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos

Refrigerate up to 7 days (but it won't last that long).

Adapted from Lauren’s Latest blog

Korean Beef

My baby girl is all grown up (sniff sniff sniff).  She has graduated from high school and is now looking forward to a Summer of relaxation and vacationing before heading off to college.  Aside from my obvious denial that this is happening, I’ve been trying to acclimate back to our normal level of chaos, as opposed to the glorious mayhem that has ensued with all of the Senior activities over the past few months.

As I continue school drop-off and pick-up duty for Timmy, who still has almost two more weeks of school left after all of this winter’s snow days, plus refocusing back on work, Catherine leisurely wakes up at whenever o’clock.  After becoming bored with watching tv, she starts asking about “what’s for dinner”.  Now this is where my baby has grown up – she has made dinner for the past two nights in a row!  She has found the recipes, prepped and cooked the entire thing.  The only thing I have to do is… clean up (oh fun!).

Let me just say she has done a fabulous job.  Tonight’s meal she found on Pinterest after I told her that our meat options for dinner were chicken breast, ground beef, pork chops or sausage. She found this recipe pretty quickly.  It has a similar flavor to a Mongolian Beef recipe I tried a month or so back, but this was SO MUCH better… and seemingly so much easier to make.  Two words for this meal – Absolutely Delicious!!!  It is also very similar to the PF Changs Chicken Wraps that we make, so we adapted the idea of serving over shredded lettuce, along with the beef and rice.  Let’s just say we have now found a new go-to recipe!

• 1 lb. ground beef 
• ½ cup brown sugar 
• ¼ cup soy sauce 
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• ¼ tsp. ground ginger 
• 1 tsp. crushed red peppers 
• Salt and pepper
• Shredded lettuce 
• Rice, cooked 
• 1 bunch green onions, diced

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil.
2. Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red pepper.
3. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors.
4. Serve over a bed of lettuce, steamed rice and topped with green onions.

Adapted from Six Sisters’ Stuff blog

Nutritional Data (Calculated from MyFitnessPal.com)

¼-cup serving size* – Yields 6 Servings

If you are not counting your calories – you will mostly go for at least a ½-cup serving!!!