Grilled Chicken with Pear and Goat Cheese Salad

Sweet pear, tart cherries and goat cheese, and perfectly grilled chicken. What combination could possibly go better for a summer salad?

Ingredients:
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 Red Pear (Anjou), quartered and thinly sliced
3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. honey
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed
2 Tbs. chopped walnuts
3 oz. spinach (i prefer stems trimmed)
1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
2 Tbs. dried cherries, chopped
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with non stick cooking spray. Spread out the sliced onion on the prepared sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the balsamic, 1 Tbs. olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Set aside. Meanwhile, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Set a grill pan on medium heat. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil (about 1 tsp. each) and place on the grill. Cook for 5 minutes on each side and let rest while gathering the salad ingredients.

In a small skillet, toast the walnuts on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Place the spinach in a bowl and add 1 Tbs. of the balsamic mix; toss together. Divide the spinach onto two serving plates. Top with the sliced pear, chopped walnuts and cherries, and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle with more fo the balsamic dressing. Slice the chicken into strips and place next to the salad. (Serve with a small bowl of the dressing instead of drizzling if you are worried about the spinach wilting.)

Pistachio Pudding Cake

This is a very simple cake using a box cake mix and pistachio pudding that everyone in the family is sure to love!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 pkg. instant pistachio pudding mix
4 eggs
1 c. Sprite
1/2 c. oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium size bowl, mix the above ingredients together.

Mix all of the ingredients until they come together. Do not worry about any clumps in the batter, they will cook out.

Spray a bundt pan with non stick cooking spray and pour the batter into the pan. Smooth out the top in an even layer. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown on the outside. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool before slicing and serving.

Banana PB Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting and PB Drizzle

The perfect duo; peanut butter and banana. This combination is always amazing together and the bananas make these cupcakes super moist. I also used my go-to Vanilla Frosting that is always the perfect consistency and easy to work with.

Ingredients:

1 box Golden Vanilla cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
1 c. water
1/2 c. veggie oil
3 eggs
2 bananas, chopped
1 c. Reese's Peanut Butter Chips

In a large bowl, whisk the cake mix, water, oil and eggs together until you reach a smooth consistency. Fold in the chopped banana and peanut butter chips into the batter.

Line cupcake tins with paper liners (or use the free standing kind and place on a baking sheet, like shown in picture above). Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 of the way full with batter.

Bake in the oven for 21-26 minutes (more on the 26 minute side for the larger free-form), until the tops are golden brown and bounce back slightly when you push on them.

Let cool fully while making the vanilla frosting. Pipe the frosting on top of the cupcakes and set aside.

Peanut Butter Ganache:

2/3 c. Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
1-2 Tbs. heavy cream

In a small saucepan, melt the above ingredients together on medium heat, whisking frequently, until you reach a smooth consistency. Let cool for around 2 minutes before using a fork to drizzle on top of the frosted cupcakes. Add a banana chip on top for a slight bit of crunch!

Thai Peanut Chicken over Noodles

This recipes combines a lot of my loves into one dish. My favorite meat is chicken, my favorite veggie is broccoli, favorite nut is peanut, favorite starch is pasta, etc I think you get my point! This recipe is amazing and is great for when you are craving Chinese or Thai or oriental food! (And a hell of a lot less greasy!)

Ingredients:

1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs. creamy peanut butter
2 tsp. Champagne vinegar
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 Tbs. Sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh ginger (I have fresh from a squeeze tube)
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small thin strips
1 c. broccoli, chopped
1/3 c. peanuts, chopped

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the Sesame oil. Stir in the garlic and green onions and cook until the garlic is roasted. Add in the chicken and stir until the chicken is no longer pink (about 3-4 minutes). Take the chicken out with a slotted spoon and place in a small bowl to add back in later.

In a small bowl, whisk the broth, soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, cayenne and ginger together.

To the pan with the oil still in it, add the broccoli, peanuts (minus about a tablespoon), and peanut butter sauce and stir frequently for about four minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the chicken back in and cook again for another two minutes to heat the chicken back up.

Serve over rice or noodles. I picked this Linguine that was Red Chilli flavored, giving the dish more of a kick. You could use Ramen, rice noodles or really any kind of noodles for this dish.

Honey Sesame Chicken Breasts with Peanut Sauce Squash Spaghetti

Oh my goodness. This is one of my new favorite chicken recipes! The flavors in the honey mustard sauce for the chicken and the peanut sauce for the spaghetti squash just blows your mind! This meal is so fresh and packed with flavor that you don't miss starch or grains!

Chicken Ingredients:

6 Tbs. chicken stock, low sodium
1/3 c. honey
2 Tbs. toasted sesame oil, divided
2 Tbs. whole-grain mustard
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tsp. sesame seeds

In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil on medium heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 6 minutes on each side, until both sides are golden brown. Test the center of the thickest breast to make sure that the chicken is cooked fully through.

Meanwhile, in a small pan, add the chicken stock, honey, 1 Tbs. sesame oil and mustard and whisk on medium-high heat. Once the sauce comes to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and as the sauce cools slightly it will thicken more.

Spaghetti Squash ingredients:

1/2 seeded spaghetti squash
2 Tbs. water
2 Tbs. peanut butter, smooth, melted
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbs. chopped dry roasted unsalted peanuts
Fresh mint and cilantro, chopped

In a larger microwave safe container with a lid, place the squash cut side up and pour the 2 Tbs. of water inside the cavity. Place the lid on top and microwave for 15 minutes. Let cool while preparing the sauce.

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, ginger and garlic together.

Drain the water out of the bowl that you microwaved the squash in. With a fork, start peeling the flesh of the squash away from the skin and it will form thin strands like spaghetti. Place the squash in the bowl. Add the peanut sauce and toss together until the squash is fully coated.

To assemble, place your chicken on your serving plate and pour around 2 Tbs. of the honey mustard sauce on top. Top with sprinkled sesame seeds. Spoon a heap full of the peanut squash next to it. Top with the chopped cilantro, mint and peanuts.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

This is one of my favorite holiday cookies! We all know I'm a choco-holic but adding peanut butter to chocolate? I am done for. Most people use Hershey's Kisses on top when they come out of the oven. I myself don't like trying to deal with the "points" that are still on top and think that adding milk or dark chocolate "wafers" makes them easier to eat, store and they still look amazing!

Ingredients:

1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar (plus more to roll in)
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 c. peanut butter (I like using creamy or chunky)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 dozen (roughly) chocolate pieces of your choice (I used milk chocolate wafers)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugars, peanut butter and vanilla together until a paste forms. Add in the egg until well incorporated. Add the flour, baking soda and salt on a medium low speed until the dough starts to pull apart from the sides of the mixing bowl.

Pour about 1/4 cup of sugar onto a plate and evenly spread out. Roll the cookie dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the sugar. Place 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheet. (I like to roll all of the balls while the first batch is cooking, cover them in sugar and then place them on a plate to wait to be baked into the oven. To me it is more efficient.)

Bake for 8-10 minutes until the bottom is golden brown. After removing from the oven, immediately place a chocolate piece on top, so that the chocolate will melt as the cookie cools and stick to the top. Let cool on a wire rack until the chocolate is fully hardened again before storing or serving (although make sure to sneak one while the chocolate is still gooey, and prepare for it to be a delicious mess!).

Pistachio Cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick margarine, softened
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 egg
3 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 drops green food coloring
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. finely chopped pistachios

Preheat the oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In an electric mixer, cream the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth. Add in the egg, lemon peel, vanilla and green food coloring. Slowly add in the dry ingredients until the dough starts coming away from the mixing bowl. Place saran wrap on a work surface and sprinkle with the shopped pistachios. Divide the dough in half. Roll the dough into log shapes covering in the pistachios. Cover in the wrap and freeze for at least a half an hour. Cut into 1/4 inch slices and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes until the bottom is golden brown. Cool for one minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully.

Mini Confetti Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 c. chunky peanut butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 stick margarine, softened
1 egg
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. mini candy-coated semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In an electric mixer, beat the peanut butter, sugars and butter together until you reach a creamy consistency. Add in the egg, salt and flour until mixed well. Add the candy-coated chocolate chips and mix on low just until the chips are well incorporated.

Roll a teaspoon of the dough into a ball and place on the baking sheet, 1 1/2 inches apart. Using a fork, press down horizontally and then vertically to give it the checker look. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and still soft in the middle. Cool on a wire rack before serving or storing.

Candy Corn Peanut Bars

I was trying to find a way to "get rid of" part of the large quantity of candy corn that I ended up with after Halloween. My mom makes a snack mix of peanuts and candy corn together, so I decided to make them into a blondie recipe. They turned out great! Make sure not to cut them too large. They are very very sweet.

Ingredients:

1 stick margarine, cut into pieces
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 c. candy corn
1 c. salted peanuts

In a medium size microwave safe bowl, add the margarine and brown sugar and microwave for 15 seconds. Add in the pumpkin puree, egg and vanilla and stir until fully combined. Add the flour and salt and mix again. Stir in the candy corn and peanuts. Line an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with non stick cooking spray (I used Pam with flour). Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top out. Bake for 28-30 minutes. The top will still look raw but if you touch it it will be firm. Let cool until room temperature and cut into bars.

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 Tbs. heavy whipping cream together. When the bars are cool, drizzle the icing on top and place a candy corn on each bar. Let the icing dry slightly before putting into air tight containers.