Allison, Author at Stills and Spills

Lemon and Dill Chicken with Mashed Cauliflower

May 9, 2015
Allison
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Recipe
cauliflower, dinner, lemon and dill chicken, mashed, recipe, sauteed spinach

This chicken and cauliflower is outrageously good. I needed dill recipes and the internet was a wonderful resource, as always. I wish I had more of the lemon and dill sauce to pour all over the cauliflower — I will definitely double it next time. My other regret is that I only made enough for one meal. I wanted more the next day! These two recipes were served with farmers market spinach, sautéed with thinly sliced garlic and olive oil.

Lemon and Dill Chicken
(Recipe credit to eating-well)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, divided
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until well browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk broth, flour, 1 tablespoon dill and lemon juice in a measuring cup and add to pan. Cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

3. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan; reduce heat to low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to your serving plate and top with the onion and dill sauce.

Mashed Cauliflower
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/8 teaspoon straight chicken bullion
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Heat a pot of water to boil and add cauliflower. Cook for about 6 minutes, or until well done. Drain well but do not let cool.

2. In a food processor, puree the hot cauliflower with the cream cheese, Parmesan, bullion, pepper, and butter until almost smooth.

BBQ Chicken Salad

May 9, 2015
Allison
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Recipe
bbq, chicken, ranch, recipe, salad, tortilla chips

We’ve tried to make a habit of having salad-fixings in the house at all times. It’s also nice to mix up the salads every now and then. I tend to gravitate toward a gorgonzola-onion-walnut-balsamic combination, but I don’t want to get sick of that, so we need to keep the options flexible every now and then! I tried a BBQ chicken salad that’s simple with a couple of canned ingredients but has a homemade tortilla chips that really make the difference.

BBQ Chicken Salad
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 chicken breast
2 cups fresh salad greens
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/8 cup canned corn, drained
1/8 cup canned black beans, drained
Small slice of red onion, chopped
Shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 corn tortilla
Salt, pepper, chili powder
Ranch dressing
BBQ sauce

1. Season both sides of chicken breast with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet and cook approximately 4-5 minutes per side.

2. In a separate skillet, heat canola oil. Cut tortilla into thin slices and place in hot oil, turning and mixing frequently, being careful not to burn.

3. Remove tortilla chips and place on a paper towel. While still hot, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chili powder.

4. Assemble greens, with cheese, tomatoes, onion, corn, and beans. Top with hot chicken, sliced. Finish off with tortilla chips. Drizzle with ranch and bbq sauce, a little goes a long way!

Yogurt and Dill Dip

We planted dill in our garden this year and quickly learned that is a very fast grower. I have more dill than I know what to do with, so recipe suggestions are welcome! We’ve been eating a lot of cut up veggies during the week and I decided to make a dip to go along with them. It’s super easy and cheap. It’s also much better after sitting in the fridge for a day so all the flavors have marinated together.

Yogurt and Dill Dip
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh dill
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1. Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl. I highly suggested letting this sit overnight before enjoying.

Chicken Parmesan Roll-ups

May 6, 2015
Allison
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Recipe
asparagus, chicken, chicken parmesan roll-ups, dinner, parmesan, recipe, spaghetti squash

Somehow this meal has lasted Sunday through Wednesday. Jason and I had a couple nights where we didn’t get home for dinner so the leftovers have stretched to today. It’s a very filling dish that tastes like comfort food without the extra heaviness that usually comes with chicken parmesan and pasta. My friend Kira passed along this chicken recipe and I’m incredibly thankful for it! I served the chicken with spaghetti squash and roasted asparagus.

Chicken Parmesan Roll-ups
(Recipe credit to the girl who ate everything)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can Italian style diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 thin-cut, boneless, skinless chicken cutlets, about 1 1/4 pounds (or slice regular chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create your own cutlets)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup Italian seasoned gluten free bread crumbs (or panko)

1. Heat oven to 475 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Take mixture off the heat and stir in half of basil. Transfer half of sauce to baking dish.

2. Combine mozzarella and Parmesan in medium bowl; reserve ½ cup of the mixture. Add remaining basil to remaining cheese. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Top cutlets with basil-cheese mixture, leaving 1-inch border at bottom of cutlets. Roll up tightly and arrange, seam side down, in prepared baking dish.

3. Toss bread crumbs with remaining oil in small bowl. Top chicken with reserved cheese, remaining sauce, and bread-crumb mixture.

4. Bake until chicken is cooked through and crumbs are golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts you may have to cook them longer.

Sautéed Spaghetti Squash
1 large spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil
Salt and pepper

1. Cut spaghetti squash in half, longways. Sometimes you may need to bring in some assistance as it’s a tough vegetable to cut!

2. Remove all seeds from inside. Place face down on a baking dish with a touch of olive oil on the exposed flesh of the squash. Add about a cup of water to the pan, to help steam as well as roast. Cook at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

3. When the squash is finished cooking and tender, use a fork to scrape out the squash into spaghetti-like form.

4. Heat a touch of olive oil in a large pan and cook the garlic until fragrant, careful not to burn. Add the squash and cook for a few minutes to incorporate the garlic. Add salt and pepper, and basil. Serve with marinara sauce and ricotta cheese, if desired.

Roasted Asparagus

(Roasted asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper at 400 for 12 minutes.)

Family Trip to California

May 3, 2015
Allison
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Adventure
alcatraz, california, crissy field, family, napa valley, pier 39, point reyes, road trip, vacation

Jason and were thrilled to welcome my family here in California. My parents, brother, and his girlfriend all packed into our one bedroom apartment over two weekends with a full week in between. We had an incredibly busy schedule of places and events and fun things to show them. It was a full of sightseeing and I think everyone enjoyed themselves even though it was a bit of a chilly spell in the Bay Area while they were here. Some of the highlights are below; Point Reyes, Alcatraz, Pier 39, Crissy Field, and Napa Valley. We both miss our families a lot but it was great to share the beautiful state of California with them!

(Point Reyes view of the ocean)