They say your taste buds change every seven years. This dish is proof of that for me because it’s something I never would have tried a few years ago, but I love it! Evidently my new and improved taste buds now appreciate bell peppers, onions and peas! I was really excited when I saw chicken chorizo at the grocery store and I immediately came home and started looking at paella recipes. I’m still not a big seafood fan (c’mon, taste buds!) so I decided to make mine with chicken and chorizo sausage and it was a perfect combination for me.
When I was adapting this recipe to make it my own, I reduced the amount of rice but forgot to correspondingly use less broth. As a result, the rice took a really long time to soak up all the extra liquid (oops). The recipe below is corrected, but if the paella in my photo looks a little too wet, that’s the reason. *If you have a paella pan or a wok or sauté pan that isn’t nonstick, you might want to use it for this recipe to get that traditional crust on the bottom of your paella. I only have nonstick pans, so mine didn’t have that (I loved it just the same, it’s just a matter of taste and what pans you have available to you). **Alternately, if you have a pan that can go from stovetop to oven, you can start this on the stovetop and once all the ingredients have been added just move it to the oven and bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until no liquid remains.
I loved this dish and thought it also made great leftovers. It’s a hearty meal for the points, and it’s packed with chicken and spicy sausage and flavored with tasty saffron and paprika. I’m so glad I’m branching out and discovering I like new things. Bring it on taste buds! I can’t wait to see what’s next.
I realized recently that I haven’t posted many side dishes to my blog. I tend to focus more on the main course and then throw some vegetables or a salad on my plate to complete the meal. Then the other day when I was having dinner at my parents’ house, and my mom made these zucchini squares as a side to barbecue chicken. They were delicious and I was reminded that a good side dish can add a lot toward turning a plate of food into a meal. Sorry I neglected you, side dishes. This one’s for you.
This recipe is kind of a classic. I like to think of it as an oldie but goodie. The texture is like a crust-less quiche. Parmesan and zucchini are always fantastic together, and this is no exception. These squares are light and fluffy, herby and flavorful, cheesy and healthy. They’re a perfect complement to any meat dish. There’s a reason people have been making these for years: they are delicious.
Wow. This is the tastiest veggie burger I have ever had. By far. Generally, I feel neutral about veggie burgers. I will eat them if that’s what’s available, but I would never choose one over a hamburger (at least not for reasons of taste). This black bean burger has completely changed my mind. It turns out a little crispy on the outside and softer on the inside. The blend of flavors is perfect. I love cumin, and it plays a key role in the flavors here. The jalapeno and sriracha give the burger a spicy kick, while the cool, buttery avocado slices balance them out. I love black beans as a burger base and the corn adds a tiny bit of sweetness as well. The whole combination is nothing short of magical. The patty itself is so good I had one for a snack later by itself and was overjoyed.
I found this recipe on Eat, Live Run (great blog, follow it!) and the only major change I made was to use an egg as the binding agent rather than ground flax. I’m not a vegan, so I just don’t have ingredients like that on hand. If you would prefer to use flax, follow the link below to the original recipe for vegan instructions.
Saltimbocca is Italian for “jump in the mouth,” and this combination of flavors certainly does. The dish is traditionally made with veal, though chicken is a common substitute. I enjoyed the addition of breading and I think the squeeze of lemon across the top of the meal really brought out the lemony undertones of the sage. I love the taste of smoky, salty prosciutto and altogether the flavors blended beautifully. This dish looks impressive but is very quick and easy to put together - perfect for a weekday meal!
Is there any better way to eat vegetables than nestled within a warm, fluffy muffin and surrounded by cinnamon and bursts of chocolate? You be the judge. Zucchini bread (or a muffin in this case) does not need to be an oil-laden calorie bomb. Substituting unsweetened applesauce for the oil saves a ton of calories and still produces a decadent, fluffy, delicious result. These muffins are delicious and perfect for breakfast, dessert or a snack. Zucchini for breakfast? Yes, please.
If you’ve ever dreamed of eating warm, cheesy homemade Alfredo pasta without the guilt, you can wake up now because the recipe is here! The flavors of the salty Parmesan and the sweet peas mingle together perfectly and the sauce is rich and creamy without feeling heavy or too thick. This dish presents beautifully and comes together really quickly. It’s also simple to make – perfect for company or a weeknight meal!
This is my first experience with monkey bread. I’d actually never heard of it until this year when I started reading food blogs, though evidently it’s quite popular. If you’ve been living under a rock like me, monkey bread is a sticky pastry/cake made up of small pieces of dough coated in melted butter, sugar and cinnamon (and sometimes nuts). These were tasty and incredibly easy to make. Also, unlike traditional monkey bread, these are made into individual servings so you know when to stop eating! These muffins have very similar flavors to a cinnamon bun, so if that’s what you're craving these are a great light way to indulge!
Put down the take out menu. This recipe will make you vow never to order take out Chinese again! The peanut sauce is delicious. The sriracha (Thai hot sauce) isn’t overwhelming, it just gives you that perfect amount of heat that kicks in after a few bites when you’re least expecting it. The peanut butter mellows the sriracha in the sauce and gives the nutty flavor you’re hoping for without being too rich or heavy. I love broccoli slaw and it adds a lot of texture to the dish. That greasy, oil-laden, sugar-heavy take out Chinese food you were thinking about eating tonight? Skip it. This dish is quick, easy, it tastes better and you’ll feel good about yourself later!
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Cook for the Cure, a program benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. If you're unfamiliar, Susan G. Komen is an organization dedicated to ending breast cancer by “empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures.” To raise funds and encourage awareness for the cause, Del Webb and KitchenAid are sponsoring “1,000 Cooks for the Cure,” a program striving to host 1,000 dinner party fundraisers across the United States between Friday, July 15th and Sunday, July 24th. Del Webb has organized a selection of scheduled dinner party events that are open to the public, featuring cooking demos, live entertainment and prizes. For a listing of these events or to RSVP online, visit their web site. If there isn’t a pre-planned event near you, consider hosting your own! You can register your party on the KitchenAid site.
To spread the word about this initiative, Del Webb has offered to give one of my lucky readers a brand new Cook for the Cure Pink KitchenAid Blender (pictured above - retail value $129.99)! This 56 oz blender has five speeds, plus additional pulse and ice crush modes and comes in the color for the cure, pink!
I’m giving you FIVE chances to win your very own Cook for the Cure Pink KitchenAid Blender:
Entry: “Like” the Del Webb Facebook Page and post your favorite “pink” recipe (or a link to the recipe) on their Facebook wall. The recipe does not have to be pink in color, it just needs to be fabulous and inspiring to people hosting/attending their 1,000 Cooks for the Cure dinner parties/potlucks. Share any recipe you'd like!
Bonus Entry: Become a fan of Emily Bites on Facebook and leave a second comment below (here, not on Facebook) letting me know you did! If you are already a fan, you can say that instead!
Extra Bonus Entry: Follow @emilybitesblog on Twitter and leave a third comment below letting me know you did.
Double Extra Bonus Entry: Follow emilybitesblog on Pinterest to have access to my top picks from the web and leave a post below letting me know you did.
Final Extra Bonus Entry: Follow Del Webb on Twitter and leave a comment below letting me know you did.
Note: Please make sure you enter your name and email address (or use a blogger account) when commenting so I will have a way to contact you if you win! Also, be sure to leave a separate comment below for each entry to maximize your chances of winning!
That’s five potential chances for each of you to win! One winner will be selected by random.org on Sunday, July 24th. Enter below and it could be you – good luck!
Congratulations to the winner, Erika, chosen by random.org, who posted a recipe for a Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothie from her own blog, Smoothies by Erika on the Del Webb Facebook page, as well as following Del Webb and Emily Bites on Facebook and Twitter. Enjoy your new KitchenAid blender - I'm sure you'll get a lot of use out of it with your smoothie blog! Thanks for reading and thanks to everyone who entered.
Popsicles: they’re not just for kids anymore. There’s no better way to refresh yourself with a nice cocktail on a hot summer day than by eating it in boozy popsicle form. Alcohol doesn’t freeze you say? As long as there’s a proper ratio with a non-alcoholic mixer (i.e. juice) it will work just fine. I’m generally not a red wine drinker (Riesling all the way) but when it’s sweetened, mixed with juice and soaked into fruit, it’s my favorite. These turned out exactly as I’d hoped: sangria on a stick! The chunks of fruit in it are super tasty. Perfect for lounging poolside, relaxing on an Adirondack chair on your front porch or treating your guests at a backyard soiree.
I have had the same popsicle molds for a few years now and I have no recollection of where I bought them anymore (Target? Walmart? Wegmans?) but they look exactly like these ones I found on Amazon. Mine each hold about ½ cup of liquid. If you have larger molds you may want to change the serving size. If you don’t have popsicle molds you could always use Dixie cups and wooden popsicle sticks, but I think popsicle molds are a great investment so I recommend just getting a set!
I know my blog readers live all over, but for those of you from the Western New York area, I want to give a shout out to Neil, owner of The Wine Room in Williamsville. Neil is exceptionally friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. If you tell him a little bit about what you’re looking for he will find you exactly what you want in moments. I know lots of Williamsville residents already think of Neil as “their” wine guy, but I’m going to put that claim on him too. I told him I wanted to make Sangria Popsicles and he immediately lead me to a dry Spanish red wine called Don Ramon Campo De Borja. I never would have chosen it on my own but it was absolutely perfect. Thanks Neil, your shop is the best and you have my business!
Oh my. Cheesy, saucy, meaty goodness all wrapped up in individual cupcake shaped packages is almost more than I could hope for, and yet here it is, for only 4 P+ per “cupcake.” I’ve seen different variations of these on various blogs and recipe web sites and I couldn’t wait to put my own spin on it. These little lasagnas are packed full of flavor and are much faster and easier to make than traditional lasagna. When people say “good things come in small packages” I’m pretty sure these are what they are talking about.
*For more information or to convert this recipe to mini-muffin sized appetizers, visit the Wonton "Cupcakes" section of my FAQs page!*
