Nikkilooch

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups chopped, cooked chicken
• 1 cup shredded colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 medium onion plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 refrigerated pie crust
• Water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Slice onion. Coat a skillet with the olive oil. Cook onions in olive oil over medium high heat until the onions have browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let the onions cool.
3. In a large bowl using a rubber spatula, combine the chicken, colby and Monterey cheese, cream cheese, caramelized onions, cumin, salt, and pepper.
4. Remove pie crust from pie tin or package onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 15-inch circle.
5. Cut out rounds, using a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Re-roll dough as needed.
6. Arrange 1 round on a clean, flat surface. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of crust with water.
7. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of the round. Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges with a fork or your fingers to seal. Repeat with the remaining rounds and chicken mixture.
8. Place empanadas on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until the tops start to brown.

Ingredients

• 2 cups risotto
• 32 ounces vegetable (or chicken) stock
• 1 medium onion
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound white asparagus

Instructions

1. In a pot, heat up stock. Keep it just below simmering.
2. While the stock is heating, peel and clean asparagus. Dice the onion
3. Coat another pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and saute the asparagus until al dente. Remove from heat.
4. While asparagus is cooking, heat a large pot on medium high heat. Coat with remaining olive oil and saute onions. Once the onions start to go a little translucent add the risotto. It's important to toast the rice for a few minutes in the olive oil.
5. Add the stock to the risotto one ladleful (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) at a time. Stirring the risotto constantly. Once all of the liquid has ben absorbed by the rice, add another ladleful until all of the stock is gone. This should take you about 20 minutes, but not more than that.
6. In the last few minutes that the risotto is cooking add in your asparagus so it continues cooking and reheats.
7. Risotto should be enjoyed with ample parmesan cheese and olive oil. It will be pipping hot. I love a little fresh ground black pepper on mine too.

Ingredients

• 3 large or 4 small boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup fat free plain yogurt
• 2 garlic cloves
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil

Instructions

1. Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and season with kosher salt.
2. Dice parsley and garlic.
3. In a medium bowl, add yogurt, cumin, lemon juice, diced parsley and garlic. Mix together.
4. Add diced chicken and coat with yogurt sauce.
5. Cover with cling wrap and let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
6. Once chilled, drain the chicken in a colander. Not a lot of the yogurt mixture will drain off, this is fine.
7. Pour the bread crumbs in a shallow dish and coat all of the chicken pieces with them.
8. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of the oil.
9. Pan fry half of the chicken pieces until golden and crispy. About 4 minutes on each side. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan or the chicken won't brown properly.
10. Add the last tablespoon of oil and fry the remaining chicken until done. Serve with brown rice and salad or whatever sides you prefer.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 4 small onions or 2 large, 1 pound
• 5 tablespoons duck fat or butter
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (recommended: Lea and Perrins)
• 2 pounds ground beef, preferably organic
• 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 10 ounces (approx. 10 slices) bacon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and then boil 3 of the eggs for 7 minutes. Refresh them in cold water.
3. Peel and chop the onions, and heat the duck fat in a thick-bottomed frying pan.
4. Cook the onions gently sprinkled with the salt, for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the onions are golden and catching in the fat. Remove to a bowl to cool.
5. Put the Worcestershire sauce and ground beef into a bowl, and when the onion mixture is not hot to the touch, add to the bowl and work everything together with your hands.
6. Add the remaining raw egg and mix again before finally adding the breadcrumbs.
7. Divide the mixture into 2, and in a roasting pan, make the bottom half of the meatloaf by patting half the beef mixture into a flattish oval shape approximately 9 inches long.
8. Peel and place the 3 hard-boiled eggs in a row down the middle of the meatloaf.
9. Shape the remaining mound over the top of the eggs and pat into a solid loaf shape. Compress the meatloaf to get rid of any holes, but don't overwork it.
10. Cover the meatloaf with slices of bacon, as if it were a terrine, tucking the bacon ends underneath the meatloaf as best you can to avoid its curling up as it cooks.
11. Bake for 1 hour, until the juices run clear and once it's out of the oven let the meatloaf rest for 15 minutes. This should make it easier to slice. When slicing, do it generously, so everyone gets some egg. Makes great sandwiches the next day.

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deviened
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup panko crumbs
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 large egg
• pinch salt
• non-stick spray

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Place shredded coconut in a dish.
4. In another dish, combine panko crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
5. In a third dish, beat egg until scrambled.
6. Dip cleaned shrimp in the egg wash, then in the panko mixture, then in the coconut.
7. Place on the baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart until sheet is full.
8. Spray breaded shrimp with non-stick spray. This will help them brown nicely.
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the shrimp are pink and the coconut is browned.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• pinch cayenne pepper (to taste)
• juice of 1/2 a lime

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and serve.

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 1 cup low-fat butter milk
• 1 Tablespoon rosemary
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled, slightly crushed
• 2 cups plain bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon dried or fresh parsley, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Place the chicken, buttermilk, rosemary, and garlic into a large zipper lock bag. Marinate in refrigerator for four hours or overnight.
2. In a large mixing bowl place the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, sesame seed, parsley, garlic and onion powder, and black pepper.
3. Mix with your finger tips.
4. Remove the chicken from bag and place in a strainer Discard buttermilk and zipper lock bags.
5. Dump the chicken into the breadcrumbs and coat completely.
6. Heat a large skillet over high heat.
7. Add half of the olive oil and half of the chicken.
8. Reduce the heat to medium and cook 5 to 6 minutes total, turning once or twice so that both sides brown and the chicken is cooked through.
9. Transfer to a plate covered with paper towels and sprinkle with half the salt.
10. Repeat with remaining oil, chicken, and salt.

Ingredients

• 1 generous cup uncooked fusilli pasta
• 3/4 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
• 2 1/2 – 3 cups of leftover chili
• 1 box Jiffy cornbread

Instructions

1. Preheat over to 425 degrees F
2. Prepare pasta according to directions but cooking 1-2 minutes less since they will be cooked in the oven as well.
3. While the pasta is cooking prepare the cornbread according to the directions or whip up your own version of cornbread and grate cheese.
4. Once the pasta is ready drain it.
5. Grease a casserole dish with nonstick spray or butter.
6. Put cooked noodles in the bottom of the greased dish.
7. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
8. Scoop leftover chili on top.
9. Spread cornbread mixture on top of the chili. Don't worry if it doesn't meet the edges.
10. Bake for about 30 minutes until cornbread is golden. It will take the cornbread a little longer than the directions on the box say because of the wet ingredients underneath.
11. Try not to burn your mouth on this bad boy when it's hot from the oven.
12. Serve with sour cream if so inclined. I was inclined.

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• juice of 2 lemons
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3 Tablespoons honey
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Instructions

1. Put cubed chicken into a zip-top bag.
2. Add olive oil, half the lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, pepper and salt to bag.
3. Close the bag and mush the ingredients so the chicken pieces are fully coated.
4. Let marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes but up to 2 hours.
5. Once the chicken is ready, put flour and other half of lemon zest in a mixing bowl.
6. Coat chicken in the flour mixture.
7. Spray or coat a hot skillet with oil and add the chicken. Cook the chicken until done about 3-4 minutes per side.