Grilled Miso Chicken with Quinoa, Edamame, and Corn

Dustin and I got a grill! It is probably the best thing ever right now.  We counted last night and all of our meals but one have been made on the grill for the last two weeks.  I don't know what took us so long to invest in a grill; we obviously were underestimating how often we would use it!

We also got a huge canopy for our back yard.  We had one the previous two years, but a wind storm last year took it out.  The new canopy is really sturdy, so hopefully it will withstand any wind.  And we've been using the canopy this week.  I am so thankful that the weather has been warm and sunny.  I've even been working outside under it!

We feel all set for summer cook-outs and parties.  I can't wait to have people over and enjoy our backyard.  My family is coming over this weekend for Mother's Day and my dad's birthday.  It will be the initiation party for the backyard.  I picture the corn hole boards coming out.  Do you guys play that silly game? Silly cause I'm really bad at it.

But this grilled miso chicken.  It is savory, just a little spicy, and grills up really really well because the miso and the honey caramelize and make perfect grill marks. The flavor is not overwhelmingly soy, but a really nice combination of flavors from the yogurt, lime, and miso paste that impart a deep savory flavor to the chicken.  Just be careful not to overcook the chicken--it should be juicy and delicious from the marinade.

And the quinoa with edamame, and corn is such a great side dish.  The broth flavors the quinoa, and the edamame and corn add a fullness and extra interest to the dish.  The quinoa with edamame and corn is so good it's my lunch today!  I could probably have just eaten it for dinner and been happy.

Grilled Miso Chicken
author: Happy Food Happy Home
serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Marinade

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons miso paste

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons honey

juice of 1 lime (2-3 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

2-3 dashes soy sauce

squirt of Sriracha, to taste

¼ teaspoon pepper

pinch of salt

1. Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a glass measuring cup.
2. Place the chicken in a large ziplock bag and add the marinade. Toss everything around in the bag to coat all the chicken pieces.
3. Marinade for at least 30 minutes and up to two hours.
4. Grill the chicken over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes per side, until cooked through.  Cooking times might vary based on your grill.  Alternatively, cook chicken in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until cooked through. 

Quinoa with Edamame and Corn

author: Happy Food Happy Home

serves 4

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup quinoa

1 cup edamame

1 cup corn, fresh or frozen

2-3 dashes soy sauce

1 tablespoon sliced green onions

salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse quinoa.  Bring the broth to a boil.  Add quinoa and boil for 15 total minutes.
2. After 10 minutes add the edamame and cook for 4 more minutes.
3. Add the corn and cook for 1 minute more, until corn is warmed through.
4. Let stand covered with a lid for about 10 minutes. 
5. Fluff the quinoa with a fork.   Mix in the soy sauce, green onions, and salt and pepper. 
6. Serve as a side dish or a vegetarian main dish. 

The quinoa with edamame and corn is literally the most delicious quinoa I've had.  I think it's a combination of cooking it in broth and adding lots of different flavors in--the different flavors help the quinoa pop.  You should try the quinoa with edamame and corn. 

Is the weather where you are as beautiful as it has been here?  Have you been enjoying your backyard?  What's your favorite thing to grill?

Cinco de Mayo Loaded Fries

Cinco de Mayo is the perfect excuse to drink too many margaritas, eat way too many chips with salsa, and to make the fries.  The Cinco de Mayo Loaded Fries are decidedly decadent and over the top.   They have braised beef on top of crispy chili fries, drizzled with queso cheese sauce, and topped with fresh pico de gallo.

The flavors of the fries combine and pop.  The slightly spicy crispy fries, the melting soft spicy beef, and the creamy tangy cheese dip combine together to make a really really flavorful plate of food.  I made these fries this weekend--and ate them twice.  And I definitely washed the platefuls down with a celebratory margarita; it is Cinco de Mayo after all.

The loaded fries were good with Mexican Braised Beef, but would also be good with diced chicken, ground taco meat, or even black beans without any meat!  The great thing about the fries is that the toppings can be mixed and matched to fit all sorts of different tastes and wishes.

Cinco de Mayo Loaded Fries

author: Happy Food Happy Home

serves 4-6

Fries

1 pound of potatoes, scrubbed clean

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2-3 pinches kosher salt

4 Ingredient Real Food Queso Dip

¾  cup heavy cream

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded

½ teaspoons corn starch

1 teaspoon diced jalapeno, optional

Shredded Mexican Beef

Toppings:

Guacamole

Pico de Gallo

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut the potatoes into french fry pieces. 
3. In a large bowl toss the potatoes, chili powder, seasoned salt and the olive oil.
4. Place the potatoes in one layer on a parchment covered rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until fries are cooked through and crispy.  Use a spatula to toss about half way through.
5. While the fries are cooking heat the cream and the red pepper flakes over medium-low heat in a nonstick sauce pan.
6. Shred the pepper jack cheese and toss with the cornstarch.  The cornstarch will keep the cheese from sticking together when it's melting.
7. When the cream is warm, but not bubbling add about ¼ of the cheese.  Whisk together until the cheese has melted.  Repeat with the remaining cheese until all of it has been added.
8. Add the jalapenos to the  cheese sauce if using and stir to combine.
9. To assemble the loaded fries put a nice base layer of fries, add some beef, drizzle with queso cheese sauce, and top it all with pico de gallo. And then devour!

Notes:

Do not use preshredded cheese.  It will make the queso dip grainy and yucky. 

Fries inspired by Half Baked Harvest and Queso adapted from Serious Eats

How are you going to celebrate Cinco de Mayo?  I have to celebrate anything that involved margaritas!

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How to Make a DIY Magnetic Message Board

Are you in need of a message center, grocery list board, or a supply organizer?  This DIY magnetic message board is perfect for you!

I needed a place to write down what I have in my freezer; everything that was lurking in the crevices and cold dark corners.  We have a small, tight freezer which makes it hard to find things, and even harder to remember what might be in there. Things kept disappearing, and I had three bags of mixed vegetables because I couldn't ever remember if I had some left.  Enter this magnetic message board!  I knew it would be perfect to organize into categories and keep track of the food we had in our freezer.  It also gave me the perfect excuse to clean out the freezer--goodbye 2 year old vanilla ice cream.

I have my magnetic message board stuck to the side of my refrigerator.  It's the perfect spot for it because it isn't visible and messy looking, but it's still right next to the freezer.  Because the message board is in a tight spot I used wet erase markers instead of dry erase--I pull it out often and I was worried everything would end up rubbing off.  And that would just create a bigger headache than the freezer!

DIY Magnetic Message Board and Freezer Organizer

Supplies
1 small dry erase board
4 magnets
Ultra Control Gel Loctite super glue
washi tape
wet erase markers

1. If the opposite side of your dry erase board is glossy, use sandpaper to roughen the surface. Wipe the board clean of the dust with a damp paper towel.  Allow to dry completely.
2. Apply 3 to 4 dots of super glue to one of the magnets. 
   
3. Firmly press the magnet onto one of the corners of the boards back.  Hold for about 10 seconds.  Repeat with the remaining 3 magnets in the other corners. Allow glue to dry and set for 5 minutes. 
4. Using a thin piece of washi tape wrap the outside of the magnets.  Not only is this cute, but it will keep the magnets from scratching your fridge!  If the edges are longer than your magnets fold them to the middle.  
   
5. Plan the layout of your board with a piece of paper and a pencil.  Define categories, how much space you need, etc. 
6. Use washi tape to divide the areas of your board.  Washi tape is great because you can easily remove and re-stick it.  
   
7. Your message board is finished! Make lists and write notes with wet erase markers.  

Notes

• Wet erase markers are less prone to wiping off than dry erase markers.  They're perfect for tight spaces and curious fingers.  Feel free to use dry erase markers if that's what you prefer. 
• Use washi tape as much or as little as you need.  I actually thought I would use more, but ended up using the marker to divide some spaces. 

I love having an organized place to see what is in our freezer without having to hold the door open for 10 minutes.  I can also see this being used as a grocery list on the fridge, stuck to the side of a filing cabinet to list its contents, or in a crafting are to keep track of the supplies. 

Where would you put a magnetic message board?  Do you have any great ideas about how to use one?

Chicken and Spring Vegetable Alfredo

Spring has sprung.  With dandelions, thunderstorms, and big giant rainbows! As I was sitting on the couch last night I caught a glimpse of the rainbow and dashed outside.  Little did I know it was probably the biggest rainbow I've ever seen; a complete arch from one end to the other, with a tiny double rainbow on either end. So then I had to stand in the middle of the street to take pictures.  The neighbors were probably laughing at me, Dustin definitely was.

Spring has sprung in our dinners too! Vegetables and lemon flavors galore. Dinner last night combined a creamy sauce, juicy chicken, and delicious bright spring vegetables.  Asparagus, leeks, and peas are pretty much my favorite vegetables, and I love being able to use them all at once.  Combined with chicken, pasta, and Alfredo this pasta dish was warm, filling, and full of spring flavors.

I love Alfredo sauce, but hate when everything is drenched in it. The Alfredo sauce here is bright with the addition of lemon zest and lots of pepper, and it gently coats the pasta and vegetables.  It's more of a supporting sauce for the vegetables, and it really brings out their flavors.  The chicken and spring vegetable Alfredo was a great spring dinner.

Chicken and Spring Vegetable Alfredo

author: Happy Food Happy Home

serves: 2-3--can easily double

2 chicken breasts, cubed into bite size pieces

salt and pepper

2 big glugs olive oil

½ pound of asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 leek, thinly sliced

½ cup peas

½ pound pasta

1 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon lemon zest

¾ cup parmesan cheese

salt and a lot of pepper

green onions or chives for topping

1. Heat olive oil in a high sided skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. 
2. Salt and pepper the chicken cubes.  Add to the dutch oven and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate or bowl.
3. Rinse the sliced leek thoroughly to remove any grit.  Add the leek to the dutch oven and soften.  Add extra oil if needed.  Remove pot from heat.
4. Blanch the asparagus in salted water for 2-3 minutes until crisp tender.
5. Start cooking the pasta in salted water.
6. Prepare the sauce.  Heat cream over medium heat until slightly thickened-about 5 minutes.
7. Add lemon zest, a generous amount of pepper, and a pinch of salt.
8. Add the parmesan cheese and butter and stir the sauce until it is smooth.
9. In the dutch oven with the leeks combine the chicken, drained pasta, peas, asparagus, and sauce.  Heat for about 5 minutes until the peas are cooked and everything is warmed through.
10. Serve in bowls topped with more parmesan cheese and chopped green onions. 

What delicious spring foods are you cooking?  Are you as obsessed with asparagus as I am? Please say yes...