Spinach and Artichoke Melts

This is one of my new favorite recipes.  So delicious!

Spinach and Artichoke Melts

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: makes 4 sandwiches, with leftover dip

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 cup milk (I used 2%, but whatever you have will be fine)
• 1 ounce cream cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt (I used 0%)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup (about 5 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1 (6.7 ounce) jar grilled artichoke hearts or you can sub marinated artichokes, chopped
• 1 chicken breast, grilled and sliced thin (optional)
• 8 slices thick sourdough or tuscan bread
• butter, for spreading

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Whisk in flour until it makes a paste. Cook over medium-low heat for a minute or two, then pour in milk. Stir and cook one minute, if your paste gets too thick splash in more milk.
2. Add cream cheese, mozzarella, parmesan and pepper. Stir until cheeses are melted. Stir in the greek yogurt until smooth. Chop artichokes and spinach and add to the sauce. Stir to combine. Dip will be thick, just use some muscle and stir in those veggies!
3. Heat a skillet (or griddle, etc) oven medium-low heat. Butter the outsides of every bread slice, then spread a good amount (any where from 1-3 tablespoons) of the spinach and artichoke dip on the inside (the non-buttered side) of each slice. If using, top one slice with the sliced grilled chicken. Top off with another slice of bread, buttered-side up. Cook until each side is golden and crisp and cheese is melted, then gently flip and do the same.
4. Slice and serve.

I followed this recipe pretty exactly (I didn't add any of the optional chicken but I did add plenty of red pepper flakes!) and I was so, so happy with it.  My husband loved it as well.  I even used a spoon to feed myself some of the filling straight from the skillet. (Embarrassing to admit that?)  Luckily some of it made it into our sandwiches.  Haha.  It will definitely become a regularly used recipe in this house.

Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love anything cake batter flavored, so I was SO excited to try these.  They looked amazing!  Here's the recipe:

makes 2.5 - 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 and 1/4 cup yellow or white boxed cake mix
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips (I used a blend of white and semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• 1/2 cup sprinkles

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cake mix, and baking soda. Set aside. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed. Mix in the egg and vanilla until creamy.
2. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not OVERMIX the dough. Fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles.
3. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 days. This step is mandatory. The dough is fairly sticky, so chilling the dough is required in order to avoid the cookie from spreading too much.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Scoop rounded tablespoons of the cold dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. Shape your cookie dough balls to be "taller" than they are wide, as pictured above. Make sure to keep dough chilled when working in batches. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are slightly browned. (Mine took 10 minutes exactly). The centers will still appear very soft, but the cookies will set as they cool.
6. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 4 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I used yellow cake mix, (though white also sounds delicious, and I want to try it) and it was really good!  I was definitely worried this recipe would be one of those "looks-and-sounds-way-better-than-it-tastes" things, but I didn't find that to be the case.  Even my husband liked them, and he is not normally a fan of cake batter flavored food.  I would even go as far to put this cookie in my Top 5 Favorite Cookies.  These are definitely worth making, especially for a birthday party!  (They're very festive!)

Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken

Be warned that this is probably not the best teriyaki chicken that you will ever have, but it is pretty good for being homemade.  (In my experience so far, the best teriyaki chicken comes from restaurants).  Here's the recipe:

Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken

 

Print

Cook time

5 hours 10 mins

Total time

5 hours 10 mins

 

Recipe type: Main

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 clove minced garlic
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons water

Instructions

1. Place chicken in the crockpot.
2. In a medium bowl combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and pepper. Pour over chicken and cook on low 4-5 hours.
3. Remove chicken from slow cooker, chop into cubes, and set aside.
4. Strain the cooking liquid into a skillet and bring to a boil.
5. In a small bowl whisk cornstarch and water until combined.
6. Slowly add cornstarch mixture to boiling liquid and reduce to a simmer. Allow sauce to thicken for 2-3 minutes then toss the chicken back in.
7. Coat chicken with sauce and let heat through.

I love that this is a crock pot recipe.  (In other words, easy!)  :-)  It wasn't very much work, which is always a good thing.  It's pretty good too, though like I mentioned, not restaurant-quality.  Still.  I will use this recipe again.  I recommend serving it over rice.

Baked Ravioli

I was nervous about making this dish because the recipe was almost too simple.  I figured that there was no way it could be very good.  However, I am always wanting to find super quick dinners, and it actually got really great reviews, so I gave it a try.  Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 bag (25 Oz. Bag) Frozen Ravioli
• 1 jar (26 Oz. Jar) Marinara Sauce
• 2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese, For Sprinkling

Preparation Instructions

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray bottom and sides of a 9×13 rectangular baking dish with cooking spray.

Spread 3/4 cup of the pasta sauce in baking dish. Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the sauce; top with half of the remaining pasta sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers once, starting with ravioli. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes longer or until bubbly and hot in the center. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

I just used five cheese ravioli, but any ravioli will do.  Surprisingly, I thought it was delicious!  My husband thought the "baked" taste was awesome, and way better than normal ravioli.  I happen to agree.  It's certainly nothing too fancy, but it is most definitely worth making if you want something quick and easy.

Cafe Rio Chicken

Whenever I go to Cafe Rio, I get the pork.  It's just the best, in my opinion.  However, when I found this recipe, I thought I might as well make it.  The recipe looked so easy, and my husband actually loves the Cafe Rio chicken... so I figured it was worth a try.  Here's the recipe:

Healthy Café Rio Chicken Recipe: 

- 8 oz (light or fat free) Italian dressing - about half a bottle
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 3lbs frozen chicken breasts

1. Mix cumin, chili powder & dressing in bowl
2. Place frozen chicken breasts in crock pot
3. Pour mixture over chicken & cover
4. Cook on high for 5 hrs or on low for 7 to 8. Shred chicken in the crockpot and mix it well. 



I actually think that this chicken is super delicious!  I served it over quinoa and added cheese and chopped tomatoes, but you could serve it however you want.  (In a taco, burrito, etc. etc. etc).  You could even serve it over cilantro lime rice.  (That recipe is included in the link above).  HOWEVER!  I want to add that I don't think it tastes a whole lot like the Cafe Rio chicken.  I'm no expert on Cafe Rio chicken since, like I already mentioned, I usually get the pork.... but I have had it before and I don't think this recipe is a very good copy-cat recipe.  But don't let that stop you from trying it out!  It really is pretty dang delicious.  While I still prefer the Cafe Rio pork, this is way easier (and healthier) and will definitely be put into our regular dinner rotation.