Chicken & black bean quesadillas

I didn't take a picture this time, but I will next time.  I got the recipe from here, but made a few modifications.  It was SO good!

 Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces (2 cups cooked)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 red capsicum, diced 
• 1/2 green capsicum, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 (400 g) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup spreadable cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 8, 8 inch flour tortillas
• sour cream, guacamole, and salsa, for serving

Instructions

1. Sauté the chicken with chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper in olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet until browned all over. Add capsicums and onion and sauté until chicken is cooked through and veggies are softened. 
2. Add black beans and cream cheese. Cook until melted together. Remove from heat. 
3. Place four tortillas on the countertop. Spread with chicken mixture. Top with cheese. Place remaining tortillas over top, to cover.  Or, just use one tortilla and fold in half.
4. Cook on a grill over medium heat for a couple of minutes on each side until tortillas are crispy and cheese is melted. Alternatively you can cook these individually on the stove top over medium heat in the same fashion.
5. Cut each quesadilla into 6 pieces. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Serves: 4

Salmon, shrimp, and corn chowder

This was freaking amazing.

Recipe: Salmon, Shrimp and Corn Chowder

Adapted from Epicurious.com, original author Mary Karlin

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:

2      Tbsp olive oil

1      stalk of celery, cut into 1/2" slices

2      unpeeled small red potatoes, cut int 3/4" cubes

1/2    tsp salt
1/2    tsp ground white pepper

2-3   green onions, coarsely chopped, including the green parts

1       ear of corn, cut out the kernels

2       cups fish or chicken stock

1/2    cup half and half  (or heavy cream)

1       lb salmon fillets, skin and pin bones removed, cut into 1" pieces

8-10  shrimps, shelled

grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

2       Tbsp minced fresh dill

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Saute the celery for 2 mins. Add potatoes, salt and pepper and cook, saute and stirring occasionally for about 3 to 5 mins.Add green onions, corn and 2 cups of stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 12 mins or until the potatoes are almost tender.
2. Add half and half, uncovered, simmer until potatoes are completely soft, about 3 mins. Stir in salmon, shrimps and lemon zest. Simmer gently until the seafood are cooked through, about 3 to 4 mins. Add more stock as needed. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle dill on top when serve. 

tuna sandwich, spicy peanut noodles, & chicken sandwich

Here are my latest Tastespotting finds:
Tuna Sandwich 
Spicy Peanut Noodles
Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Paella

I've made paella several times, but this recipe is definitely the best I've made! I found this recipe here, but made a few modifications. Here are some helpful tips to making a great paella. 

Ingredients:

• 25 threads saffron, crushed (a heaping 1⁄4 tsp.)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large chicken breast and 2 chicken thighs 
• 750 g extra-large head-on shrimp in the shell (I de-shelled them)
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 4 medium tomatoes, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red capsicum, cored and chopped
• 1 small onion, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups short-grain rice, preferably Valencia or bomba (I used arborio)
• 1/2 c peas

What you do:

1.  Put saffron and 1⁄4 cup hot water in a small bowl; let sit for 15 minutes.
2. Brown the chicken in a 16″–18″ paella pan with a bit of olive oil and s&p.  Finish it off in the oven if it's not cooked all the way through and set aside.
3. Heat 1/2 c oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, lightly salt, and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes; transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Add paprika, tomatoes, garlic, capsicum, and onions to pan and cook, stirring often, until onions are soft, about 6 minutes. Add reserved saffron mixture and broth, season with salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Sprinkle in rice, distribute evenly with a spoon, and cook, without stirring, until rice has absorbed most of the liquid, 10–12 minutes. (If your pan is larger than the burner, rotate it every two minutes so different parts are over the heat and the rice cooks evenly).  Add peas towards the end.
6. Reduce heat to low, add reserved shrimp and chicken.  Remove pan from heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Mushroom, spinach, & asparagus pasta

YUM! Very very creamy, but chock full of healthy veggies!  A great, filling vegetarian dish!
(recipe from Sunset Magazine)

Ingredients: 

• whole-wheat pasta
• 2  tablespoons  olive oil
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1  pound  sliced mushrooms
•  170 g cream cheese
• 1/2  cup  milk
• 8  cups  lightly packed spinach
• 1/2 lb. asparagus, chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh chives
• 1/2  cup  grated Parmesan cheese

1. Boil 2 qts. water in a large pot and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.
2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, add garlic and mushrooms, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook for another 2 minutes. Add cream cheese and milk and heat until boiling, stirring often. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then pour over pasta. Sprinkle with chives and serve with parmesan on the side.

More recipes

Here's some more tastespotting finds:
Herbed balsamic chicken
Farfalle Casserole with turkey and mushrooms
Bouillabaisse

Even better chicken noodle soup!

I just came across this recipe on tastepotting, and it looks even better than my chicken noodle soup!  I can't wait to make it next time!  The only problem is that it take A LOT longer than my version! But looks a lot tastier!