Tequila & Lime Popcorn

A few weeks ago we made Sriracha Lime Popcorn and loved the lime flavor in it so much, that we decided to incorporate it again. Except this time, instead of adding spice to the popcorn, we added tequila!

This recipe brings all the flavors of a margarita (lime, salt and tequila) in popcorn form. YUM!

Take it from us, this snack is very addicting and one that you will definitely want to try again and again…and again!

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Things you’ll need:

• ½ cup popcorn kernels
• popcorn salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• zest of 1 lime
• juice of ½ a lime
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon tequila

In a large pot, layer the bottom with olive oil. Pour kernels into the pot, turn heat to medium low and cover for about 6 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan melt butter. Add lime zest, lime juice, salt, sugar and tequila. Stir until combined.

Once the ‘popping’ has slowed down to about 5 seconds between each pop, turn heat off and salt popcorn.

Drizzle popcorn with lime and tequila mixture.

xoxo – cute gals in aprons

Chicken & Veggie Stir-Fry

Stir-frys are one of our favorite ways to get our daily serving of both protein and vegetables. They are also incredibly easy and fast to whip together on a busy week night. The clean up is super easy too! All you need is a frying pan.

A great addition to any stir fry is rice.  We make brown rice all the time as a side and our veggie and chicken stir fry is no exception.  It’s a healthy grain that is easy to prepare and goes with almost any meal.

Stir-frys cook really fast, so be prepared.  We highly recommend chopping and measuring everything that you are going to need before you heat up that stove. This way, all the hard work is out of the way and all you have to do is add, stir, and fry!

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Things you’ll need:

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• ½ cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoons chile paste (we used samba oelek)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 1 cup snow peas, diagonally cut
• 1 tablespoon peeled fresh ginger, grated
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup green onions, sliced

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 tablespoon olive oil, swirl to coat. Add chicken and cook. Once chicken has cooked through, remove and leave off to the side.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 teaspoons sesame oil, chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chile paste, corn starch and salt.

In the large skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, swirl to coat. Add red and yellow bell peppers, onion, ginger and garlic. Cook until vegetables start to soften.  Add snow peas and broth mixture and cook until thick, about 1 minute.

Return chicken to skillet and mix together.

Serve in a shallow dish and top with sliced green onion.

xoxo – cute gals in aprons

Sriracha Lime Popcorn

If you’ve tried Sriracha sauce then you know 2 things: how spicy it is and that it tastes good on just about anything. We decided this week to add it to our bowl of popcorn to spice it up and boy are we happy we did! We made a “sauce” with Sriracha, lime and butter and took our regular popcorn to a whole new level!

This recipe is definitely one for the ‘spicy’ lover but it can be modified for those who enjoy just a little spice. The lime flavor in the sauce tames the spiciness of the popcorn recipe by giving it a little tang and complements the taste of the Sriracha sauce. If you want the popcorn to be spicer add more Sriracha sauce, if you want to have it less spicy add more lime zest and juice. So get your popcorn ready and start up the TV for a relaxing evening.

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Things you’ll need:

• ½ cup popcorn kernels
• popcorn salt
• 2 ½ tablespoons butter
• zest of 1 lime
• juice of ½ a lime
• ¼ cup Sriracha sauce

In a large pot, layer the bottom with olive oil. Pour kernels into the pot, turn heat to medium low and cover for about 6 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl melt butter. Whisk in lime zest, lime juice and Sriracha sauce.

Once the ‘popping’ has slowed down to about 5 seconds between each pop, turn heat off and salt popcorn. Toss in Sriracha lime sauce.

xoxo – cute gals in aprons

Espresso Martini

Who doesn’t love an espresso martini? We love them so much that we bought an espresso machine just so we could make them at home…seriously. Don’t get us wrong we love using the machine in the morning to jump start our day with an espresso but we especially love it for this specialty after dinner drink!

Typically, espresso martinis are made with Baileys but since we aren’t fans of the Irish creme liquor, we make ours without it and trust us, it tastes way better (especially if you love drinking your coffee black)! Also, since we usually make these martinis as a dessert drink, we use decaf espresso.

We have one rule for when you are indulging in this martini: savor every last drop. 🙂

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Things you’ll need (serves 2):

• 1 oz. Vanilla flavored vodka
• ½ oz. Kahlua
• 2 oz. Double Espresso vodka
• 1 espresso

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine together all ingredients. Shake vigorously.

Cheers!

xoxo – cute gals in aprons

Fudgy “Brookie”

Brownies and cookies in one? We think YES! The brownie portion of this “brookie” is so chocolately and fudgy but the crisp cookie part makes it so that it is just the right amount of fudge so you’re not running to the fridge and chugging a gallon of milk to wash it down.

Both the brownie and cookie part of this recipe is homemade so it does take some work but it is in no means difficult. Take into account that both the brownie and cookie batters need to be refrigerated for 3 hours before combining them together. This is so that they stay formed and don’t break apart on you in the oven.

Our last little bit of advice: MAKE THESE ASAP!

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Things you’ll need for the brownies:

• 1 ½ cups flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 6 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Things you’ll need for the cookies:

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the brownies:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Turn off the heat and whisk in granulated sugar and brown sugar.

Whisk in in the eggs, into the chocolate mixture and then the vanilla. Sprinkle with the dry ingredients. Fold until almost combined.

Place 20 disposable 4-inch baking cups on a baking sheet(s). Fill each cup with ¼ cup batter, smooth the tops. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.

For the cookies:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

In an electric mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars until smooth. Add the egg and beat to blend.

Beat in the vanilla. Add half the dry ingredients, beating to blend. Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350.

Roll 1 tablespoon cookie dough into a ball, flattening slightly. Press into the center of one of the brownie batter pans. Repeat.

Bake, rotating the pie pans halfway through, about 20 to 22 minutes or until the cookies look golden.

xoxo – cute gals in aprons

Classic Off The Stove Popcorn

Calling all Scandal and Popcorn fans! We are excited for the return of Scandal tonight and in honor of the upcoming season we are creating a special Popcorn section in Our Recipe Box. Each week we will be posting different popcorn recipes, all classic with a different twist each week, inspired by our favorite TV character, Olivia Pope.

This week we are sharing our Classic Off The Stove Popcorn recipe. It is a much healthier alternative to common microwave popcorn (which is loaded with processed ingredients and unnecessary fat).

We have finally found a salt to kernel balance that satisfies everyones taste buds, not too salty, not too dry. Once we put the kernels in the pot we sprinkle them with salt. After the kernels have popped we salt them again, pour half of the pot into a serving bowl, salt again in the bowl, pour the rest and salt the top. This way every kernel gets their fair share of salt and you avoid the salty top layer and dry bottom layer that no one ever enjoys.

Grab your popcorn and a bottle of red wine and cheers to a good Scandal!

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Things you’ll need:

• popcorn kernels
• popcorn salt
• olive oil

In a large pot, layer the bottom with olive oil. Pour kernels into the pot, making a thin layer of kernels along the bottom.

Salt the kernels, turn heat to medium low and cover.

In about 6 to 8 minutes the kernels should begin to pop. Once the ‘popping’ has slowed down to about 5 seconds between each pop, turn heat off.

Leave covered for about a minute to make sure all the kernels have popped. Salt the top layer and pour half into a bowl.

Salt this layer and add in the rest of the popcorn. Salt the top and serve!

xoxo – cute gals in aprons

 

Tequila Citrus Chicken

We recently saw Ina Garten make this recipe on Barefoot Contessa and knew we had to try it immediately! This recipe is filled with fresh, citrusy flavors and we can’t forget about the tequila, yum!

Marinading this chicken for at least 6 hours is very important because you want to make sure that the chicken is able to absorb all the delicious flavors from the seasonings. If your mornings are busy we recommend making this recipe the night before and letting it marinade over night until you’re ready to start cooking!

We served this dish with a Grilled Vegetable Salad that tasted fabulous mixed together with the chicken. We are even thinking about combining these two recipes next time and making a Grilled Vegetable and Tequila Chicken Salad by chopping up the chicken into bite size pieces and mixing it together with the salad.

We paired this recipe with a Ninety Cellars Pinot Grigio. This wine has a lot of bright flavors such as apple, pears and apricots. It was a very refreshing addition to our chicken and vegetable salad.

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Things you’ll need (serves 5):

• 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied
• ½ cup gold tequila
• ¾ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4 to 5 limes)
• ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon jalapeño pepper, minced (1 jalapeño)
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil, for brushing the grill

Place a large Ziplock bag into a large bowl and fold over the sides. Add into the bag, tequila, lime juice, orange juice, lemon juice, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt and pepper. Add chicken breasts, zip and toss to coat. Let marinade for 6 to 8 hours (or overnight).

Heat a grill and brush with olive oil to prevent chicken from sticking. Place chicken on grill and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked.

Recommended Side Dish: Grilled Vegetable Salad

xoxo – cute gals in aprons

*This recipe was adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe on The Food Network.

Grilled Vegetable Salad

This salad was ah-mazing; full of fresh flavors and very refreshing when you just need a break from the ordinary lettuce salad. It makes an awesome addition to an entree like our Tequila Citrus Chicken or on its own.

The mix of the vegetables all together was full of different textures and flavors, from the crunch of the corn to the softness of the zucchini.

This is one of those sides that tastes great as leftovers so the more you make, the better!

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Things you’ll need:

• 2 ears of corn, shucked
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 english cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 lime, zested
• juice from lime above
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
• dried oregano
• salt
• pepper

Preheat grill.

Cut off ends of zucchini and slice lengthwise into quarter inch thick slices. Season with olive oil, salt, pepper and dried oregano.

Rub corn with a little olive oil and place on grill with zucchini. Grill zucchini about 3 to 4 minutes per side and corn until kernels are tender and juicy. Set aside to cool.

While corn and zucchini cool prep the cucumber, tomatoes and onion.

In a large bowl, place a small glass bowl inside of it, upside down. Hold the cooled ear of corn on top of the glass bowl and cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob. (We do this to contain the kernels from flying all over the kitchen).

Remove the small bowl and add sliced cucumber, tomatoes, onion and zucchini.

In a small bowl, whisk together zest of lime, lime juice, garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Pour into vegetable mixture and toss to coat.

xoxo – cute gals in aprons

Skinny Taco Dip

WARNING: This dip is highly addictive and absolutely delicious. It is extremely hard to stop yourself from licking the bowl clean.

We recently made this dip for a football tailgate and everyone loved it! The best part is, once you’re done making the dip you can dig right in! No need to wait for anything to cook (dangerous, we know).  We had seen a version of this dip on Pinterest and decided to adapt it to fit our taste.  The original recipe called to top the dip with black olives.  Personally, we’ve never liked black olives (if you’ve ever had fresh kalamata olives from Greece you understand why).  So we omitted that topping, made a few other changes to make the dip a little less labor intensive and have still come out with a product that is healthier than original taco dip yet not lacking in any flavor.

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Things you’ll need:

• 8 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia cream cheese
• 8 oz Fat Free Sour Cream
• 15.5 oz jar of salsa
• 1 packet of taco seasoning
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 bag shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1 bag of Sargento Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican

Using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa and taco seasoning. Spread on the bottom of a shallow dish.

Add in a layer of diced tomato, lettuce and top with cheese.

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

xoxo – cute gals in aprons

 

The Best Greek Lentil Soup

In Greek, lentil soup is called ‘fakes’ (pronounced “fah-kés”). This is a staple recipe when it comes to Greek cuisine.

This recipe has been a part of our lives for as long as we can remember.  We learned how to make it from our Yiayia who frequently cooks this soup. After learning of all the unique and healthy qualities that lentils posses, we love this soup even more! Lentils have a lot of health benefits such as lowering cholesterol, increasing energy and assisting in weight loss. They are loaded with fiber which keeps you full for longer and are low in calories with close to no fat.

In addition to all the healthy aspects of lentils, this soup has a lot of flavor from the garlic, onion and vinegar. We love the taste of vinegar in this soup that we even add a little extra to our bowls for an added kick of flavor. Another “check plus” benefit to this soup is its ability to freeze well; so feel free to make a big batch to save for a cold day!

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Things you’ll need:

• 1 bag lentils
• 2 to 3 bay leaves
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• apple cider vinegar
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Place lentils in a strainer and rinse with water. 

Transfer the lentils into a stock pot, and fill it half way with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

Pour lentils into a strainer to remove water.

Return lentils back to stockpot and add chopped onion, garlic, and bay leaves.

Fill pot ¾ full with cold water. Return to medium heat and season with pepper, only.

Bring to a boil for a couple of minutes. At this point, add 4 to 5 spoonfuls of olive oil, tomato paste, tomato sauce and salt to taste (If it looks thick you may need to add more hot water).

Cook until done, 15 to 20 minutes.

When serving, add about 1 tablespoon of vinegar to each bowl.

xoxo – cute gals in aprons