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A Life You Adore Around A Table You Love.

Too easy.

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pulled buffalo chicken sliders

You know how sometimes the best ideas are right in front of you?

I’ll admit it – when researching C’s picks for the week, similar recipes and ideas to this one for pulled buffalo chicken sliders have come up more than once. And I always passed by them thinking, it’s just too easy.

How could something that requires literally zero effort taste anything more than mediocre? 

Well, that’s just the thing. Maybe, perhaps, sometimes the most basic recipes are in fact the tastiest. And this one proves just that. Three (!!!) ingredients dumped into a crock pot and you’re good to go. Nothing but an over the top delicious dinner awaits you a few hours later.

I served mine up on sweet Hawaiian rolls, which paired oh so nicely against the bit of kick the chicken had going on. Crunchy purple slaw and chunky blue cheese to top because hey, why not? Exactly. There is no reason.

Get these going this week! Promise?

Buffalo Chicken Sliders
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Ingredients
  1. 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  2. 12 ounce bottle Franks Buffalo Wing Sauce
  3. 1 package dry ranch dressing seasoning
Instructions
  1. Mix ingredients together in a crock pot. Cook on low 5-6 hours or high 3-4. Shred with a fork at the end.
  2. Serve on Hawaiian rolls topped with purple cabbage and good chunky blue cheese dressing. Try not to eat 6!
Adapted from Somewhat Simple
Adapted from Somewhat Simple
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Monday comfort.

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cheesy chicken enchilada soup

Oh my goodness. Are you drowning in snow? Because we so are! I hope everyone is safe and warm and cozy and well fed from SuperBowl festivities. We had enough food to feed an army but somehow made a pretty good dent at it all. #BigEaters

Well, now it’s Monday and that means the start of another snowy and cold week. Let’s whip up something delicious to help us through it all, shall we?

This cheesy chicken enchilada soup has it all. It goes along with this Dinner: Impossible tip, and it’s also a short cut recipe that easily comes together with a rotisserie chicken. Always a win.

Then, there’s the …. flavor. I fully believe it comes from one spot-on ingredient: masa harina. Think Mexican flour.

It gives this a sloooooow cooked, oh so authentic feel yet it comes together in roughly 20 minutes. Heck yeah, dinner’s done.

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup
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Ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  2. 1 cup diced white onion
  3. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  4. 1/2 cup masa harina (find it in the baking aisle by flours)
  5. 3 cups chicken stock (may need a bit more)
  6. 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
  7. 1 1/4 cups (or 1 10-ounce can) red enchilada sauce
  8. 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  9. 1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  10. 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
  11. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  12. 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
  13. season with salt & pepper
  14. optional toppings: avocado, tortilla strips, cilantro, chopped tomato, sour cream
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in a large stock over medium-high heat. (To save time, peel and dice the onion for the minute or so that the oil heats - love this tip) Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, or until cooked and translucent.
  2. Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute until fragrant. Stir in the masa harina and cook for an additional minute to develop that deep flavor.
  3. Pour in half of the chicken stock, and whisk until completely combined. Add in the remainder of the chicken stock, and whisk to combine. Immediately add in the chicken, enchilada sauce, black beans, tomatoes, green chiles, salt, pepper and cumin, and stir until combined. Continue stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches a simmer.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the soup does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Then stir in the cheese, one handful at a time, until combined. Taste, and season the soup to taste with salt.
Adapted from Gimme Some Oven
Adapted from Gimme Some Oven
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

 

C’s picks – week of February 1st.

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weekly menu plan 2-1

Happy FEBRUARY, everyone! We are one month closer to spring – YEE. HAW.

Are you working on your menu plan for the week? Here’s mine, if you need a little inspiration.

Sunday is the SuperBowl, and obviously that means lots of food. My parents will be joining us while I whip up these potato skins and these baked parmesan chicken wings. Heaven.

This slow cooker chicken tikki masala is insane. We’ll be chowing down on it Monday night over rice and plenty of cilantro.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday get a little wonky, as M is traveling the entire time. Day 1 is always fun – yippee! Date night with the boys.

By day 2 I’m like “ok, let’s power through.”

Day 3 I’m offering them to randoms on the street.

I kid. Kind of.

Let’s take a different approach this time. Lots of fun girly food I can’t make when M is around sounds like a good idea. 

So, one night we’ll do a date night at Slyce. One night will be this chopped ivy salad from Gwyneth Paltrow that I will share with a girlfriend and some wine while our boys play (hopefully nicely), and lastly these black bean burgers are always a healthy treat.

And that will finally bring us to Friday and to our pizza.

What’s cooking in your kitchen this week? Anything good?

C

Valentine’s Day with Minted + a giveaway!

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Minted Valentine's Day Giveaway

My boys are apparently very serious about their Valentines…

Alright. It’s not news around here that I’m a fan of Minted. Their quality and style is unmatched. And now, they’ve found a way to make me fall even more in love.

Introducing… the Minted classroom Valentine.

photo-1213

Sigh. Sweetness overload, right?

Look, as much as I love the boxed Power Ranger Valentines that you find at your local Target, these Minted cards have a way standing out. Something super special and unique – just like your adored little one.

I had L and B each pick theirs out online (ok, I picked out B’s), and we worked away on a sunny and snowy afternoon, making them picture perfect for their oh so darling friends. I can’t wait for them to be handed out.

And I can’t wait to give you this: a $75 credit towards any Minted order. All you have to do to enter is visit the Minted website, then come back here and leave a comment telling me about your favorite classroom Valentines. I will be picking two winners, who will each get a $75 credit towards their Minted order! 

If you want extra entries to increase your chances of winning, just follow the steps in the Rafflecopter widget below. Remember, the more you enter, the better your odds of winning!

Just be sure to get entered by next Thursday night, February 5th at 11:59pm EST. I’ll randomly select a winner whose name will be announced Friday morning on my Facebook page – be sure you’re following me there so you don’t miss out!

UPDATE: This giveaway has ended.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Oh, and right now with any $20 classroom Valentine order, Minted is throwing in 24 free stickers! Just be sure to use code STICKERS at check out.

Happy shopping friends!

The fine print: this post contains affiliate links which means that if you use these links to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use these links to make your purchase but please know that when you do, it supports my blog and for that I thank you.

No purchase necessary. Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only, except where prohibited by law. Giveaway will run from January 30 through February 5, 2015 at 11:59pm EST. Two (2) winners will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter (powered by Random.org) and once verified, the winners will be notified via email. Winners will have 48 hours to claim the prizes; failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the prize. Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest do not sponsor, administer, or endorse this promotion. Participants must read and agree to Rafflecopter’s Privacy Policy before entering and participating in this promotion.

Girl time.

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Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

It was yet another winter weekend and M had plans to fly out for business on Sunday. Always a bummer here as it then feels like the week starts earlier which, let’s be honest, is never a good thing.

Until I received a call from my favorite foodie friend that her husband too was flying out that same Sunday.

You know what that means? Jack pot!

It means our boys can play. It means lots of chilled white wine. It means 4 boys instead of 6 to manage (ha). It means the best cheese from Whole Foods with delicious crackers that B always gobbles up. It means blasting Taylor Swift and catching up on gossip and the best part…

… we can eat whatever we want.

No men demanding steak or pork or only green beans (M) or broccoli (J) or salad with extra croutons and no blue cheese. No, it was just us. So I whipped up the freshest and healthiest thing I could think of, these Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps. M wouldn’t touch this platter with a 10 foot pole, but Catherine and I?

Well inhaled it. Along with our roasted brussels sprouts on the side, because neither of us can make them with the husbands home. All the while Bad Blood was blasting in the background. I’m convinced it was the best girl time, ever. Well – as much as girl time as you could get with 4 boys under 8. YIKES.

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
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Chicken and Marinade
  1. 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
  2. 1/3 cup soy sauce
  3. 2 tablespoons grated ginger
  4. 1 tablespoon Sriracha
  5. 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  6. 3 cloves garlic, grated
  7. 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  8. 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts
  9. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Lettuce and Fillings
  1. 8 butter lettuce leaves
  2. 1 cup bean sprouts
  3. 1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
  4. 1 cup julienned carrots
  5. 1 cup cucumber slices
  6. 1 cup cooked thin rice noodles (we didn't find these necessary but some may like them!)
  7. lime widges
  8. 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
  9. 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
For the chicken and marinade
  1. Mix the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, grated ginger, Sriracha, rice wine vinegar and grated garlic in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken and marinate, refrigerated, for 2 hours.
  2. Heat a grill pan over high heat.
  3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter to rest. Then, slice into strips and sprinkle with the peanuts and cilantro.
For the lettuce and fillings
  1. Set out the lettuce, bean sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, lime wedges and rice noodles (if using) on the serving platter.
  2. To assemble, use the butter lettuce leaves to contain the chicken and fillings. Add some chili and hoisin sauce on top, then roll them up and enjoy!
Adapted from Pioneer Woman
Adapted from Pioneer Woman
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/
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