Sweet Love and Ginger

Weeknight Meals

Hawaiian Rice Pilaf

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This is a recipe for basic Hawaiian Rice Pilaf. It is a fun twist on traditional pilaf that is sure to jazz up week night meals.

Hawaiian Rice Pilaf

Almost a year ago now I have my first experience with this awesome take on a classic pilaf. It was the starch that Sister Chuck served at her wedding. I remember it being a burst of flavor, with a touch of creaminess, and lots of texture, essentially it was the perfect combination. With the summer drawing near around here I’ve been craving everything tropical. Yes my taste buds are on trend, no surprise there. Anyway I thought this would be the perfect dish to test out to satisfy my cravings.

It took a couple tries but I finally got that rich and tangy flavor I was looking for and it was perfectly satisfying. I really love how the macadamia nuts add just enough texture to the dish to really make it pop. I tried it with almonds and it just wasn’t right. Macadamia is where it’s at for this one.

Also if you didn’t notice this was the also the main inspiration for last week’s Hawaiian Chicken Recipe. They go together like a charm, now add a tropical salad and you will be transported.

If you are interested in some other options to go with this one I also noticed some of my other favorite food blogger ladies are on this tropical kick too. Check out Christine’s Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken Kabobs, Chungah’s Asian Salmon Kabobs , or Tieghan’s Hawaiian Carne Asada.

It’s quite possible that you could make a giant batch of this pilaf and eat it with a different main dish nearly all week. I sincerely doubt that you could get bored with this much flavor going on.

Hawaiian Rice Pilaf

Hawaiian Rice Pilaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ a medium onion, chopped
  • ½ cup chopped macadamia nuts
  • 1 cup diced pineapple
  • 1 ¼ cup white rice
  • 2 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Melt butter in a thick bottomed sauce pan over medium high heat.
  2. Sauté onions, buts and pineapple for 1 to 2 minutes until the onions have softened.
  3. Add in the rice and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the rice begins to toast.
  4. Stir in chicken broth and bring it up to a boil. Reduce to a simmer cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
  5. Remove from heat and add parsley. Adjust the seasonings and serve.

What are summer flavors are you craving right now? I’d love to know.

Have you come across any awesome tropical recipes? Please share them!! I’m working up quite the collection right now.

Hawaiian Rice Pilaf

Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos with Easy Chipotle Mayo

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Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos with Easy Chipotle Mayo


I always thought fish tacos were kind of weird. In my house growing up tacos contained ground beef, and a spicy sauce that came out of a packet and magically made the meat sauce thick and creamy. Sure we had fajitas, or the chicken version of a taco (in my mind), but fish? That’s not right.

Then this summer we were vacationing on the beach and one of the restaurants we went to had a mahi mahi fish taco special, and it came with chipotle mayo. I LOVE mahi mahi and am completely head over heels for chipotle anything, and typically keep chipotle mayo around out house on a regular basis. So I took the dive and tried this thing that I have been seeing around the internet for a while, and always thought was just so wrong.
Guys I was the one that was wrong. So very wrong.
They were and explosion of deliciousness in my mouth that I just couldn’t comprehend. The texture wasn’t at all as mushy as my mind had envisioned, in fact the slaw on top made it crunchy while also balancing the heat from the mayo.

I knew that when I got home I was going to recreate it. It took me some time to get the measurements just right but I think I have them. I made the mayo with chipotle powder in order to keep the recipe simple, since not everyone wants to fool around with blending up chilies and all that jazz. It still tastes amazing, I mean how could it not?

Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos with Easy Chipotle Mayo

 

Also if I can make the suggestion to serve this with something that is chipotle mayo scoop-able. Something such as chips or fries, something you want to dip into the fish-juicy mayo-y mixture that will inevitably squirt all over your plate, it’s so good you don’t want it to go to waste. These fries are a great option for that.
Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos with Easy Chipotle Mayo
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound wild caught, mahi mahi
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle Chile powder
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup plain mayonnaise
  • 2-3 teaspoons chipotle powder
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • Flour or corn tortillas
  • 1 cup prepared broccoli slaw
  • 1 spring of cilantro for garnish
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl whisk together the oil, paprika, chipotle chile powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  2. Rub the Mahi Mahi all over with this combination and set aside.
  3. Prepare the Chipotle Mayo by whisking chipotle powder with mayo
  4. and lime.
  5. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add the marinated mahi mahi, and cook for about 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook another 4-5 minutes. The fish should be crisp and cooked through. Remove from heat and with a fork or
  6. chop into chunks.
  7. Assemble the tacos with fish, slaw, mayo and clitantro to taste.

and

Maple Chipotle Veggie, Bacon Quesadillas

Maple Chipotle Veggie, Bacon Quesadillas

Fajita Spice Mix

Fajita Spice Mix

Thai Glazed Salmon

Seasonal Chicken Pot Pie

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Spring Chicken Pot Pie

So pot pie.

It’s one of those things that has been a staple in my life for pretty much the entirety of it. It can be pretty easy to throw together if you already have a pie crust, it’s so incredibly satisfying and it isn’t completely artery clogging. I’m pretty sure we eat one at least once every couple weeks.
So how do you keep from getting bored with the same old pot pie you ask? Well let me tell you.
There is no end to the combinations of ingredients for these little pies. I’ve made taco pot pie, and beef pies, one pan pies and so many more, but today we are going to focus on the classic chicken pot pie because it’s amazing.
Pot Pie

So to really narrow down the question at hand here; how do you keep from getting bored with chicken pot pie? Again there is no end to the combinations of ingredients for these little pies.

A typical pot pie has onions, carrots, celery, green beans, and peas, maybe some potatoes or corn, but there are so many more good vegetables!!!! For example a late summer pot pie might have corn, summer squash, zucchini, bell pepper and tomato while a winter pot pie might have onion, carrot, turnip, parsnip, potato and squash. There is absolutely no reason not to try all of the vegetables! Yeah I’m excited, but who doesn’t get excited for pot pie. Today I’m sharing one of our favorites which is Chicken & Spring Vegetable Pot Pie. Asparagus and leeks are some of Chucks favorites so he gets especially excited for this one.

Spring Chicken Pot Pie

Seasonal Chicken Pot Pie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large leek, chopped (white & light green parts only)
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 cups cooked, cubed chicken meat (about breasts, cooked)
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 ½ cup chicken broth
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • 2 cups chopped Asparagus
  • ¾ cups peas, fresh or frozen
  • 2 premade pie crusts, rolled out
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a large skillet melt butter over medium high heat. Stir in leek and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until it becomes fragrant.
  3. Add chicken, flour, salt, pepper and thyme, stirring well to combine. Cook for about 1 minute or until the flour starts to turn golden.
  4. Stir in the broth and simmer until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the milk, asparagus and peas. Remove from heat and set aside.
  5. Lay one pie crust in a pie pan and press it into the bottom of the pan. Pour the chicken and vegetable mixture into the pie crust and lay the second crust on top. With your hands crimp the two pie crusts closed removing excess crust from the edges.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden.
  7. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

 

 

 

Chicken Teriyaki Meatball Skillet

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Chicken Teriyaki Meatball Skillet
If you have been around here for a while you may notice a recipe that keeps popping up when I talk about eating clean eating, it’s my Southwest Meatball Skillet. I originally got the recipe from Clean Eating Magazine, and over the years have developed it to a tried and true recipe that we love and eat often.

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Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole

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An easy and healthy spring recipe for Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole.

Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole Recipe
You guys I looked out my window today and actually saw some green grass. Like living green grass!
If you don’t live in the frozen tundra that is the northeast, you probably don’t understand my excitement. Let me explain: this winter was hard. I mean aside from the typically short days and snow, it was ridiculously cold. Entire weeks were spent in below freezing temperatures, to the point where going outside for more than 10 minutes actually became dangerous.
It was hard on all of us cooped up indoors hoping for just a 25-degree day so we could spend some time outside without feeling like our face was on fire.
Anyway, I digress.
Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole Recipe
I want to celebrate the green.
I want to celebrate the birds I’m beginning to see poke coming out, and the long-lost sun that I have failed to have seen due to work.
What better way to celebrate than a new twist on one of my favorite dishes? Spinach Artichoke dip is a huge favorite of mine and something I start to crave right as spring starts to come around. As evidenced by a very similar recipe I posted just shy of a year ago today. Remember that? One pot Spinach Artichoke Pasta? While this isn’t a one pot meal, it’s awfully close. It’s also super satisfying, and the perfect way to invite some spring into your home!
Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole Recipe
Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • ½ lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size
  • pieces
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 (13.5 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained, & chopped
  • 5 oz of fresh baby spinach
  • 12 oz penne pasta, cooked according to package instructions
  • 1 cup low fat sour cream
  • 4 oz low fat cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425.
  2. In a large skillet heat oil over medium high heat and sauté the onions for one minute.
  3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then add the garlic and chicken to the pan and cook, tossing occasionally until the chicken is browned on all sides.
  4. Add the artichoke hearts and spinach and cook, while stirring until the spinach has wilted.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in pasta, sour cream, cream cheese, and parmesan until well
  6. combined.
  7. Transfer to a greased baking pan and cover with mozzarella cheese.
  8. Bake in the oven until the cheese has begun to brown, about 10-15 minutes.
  9. Serve immediately.

 Similar Recipes:

Spinach Pesto Pasta

Green Cream of Chicken & Rice Soup

One Pan Spinach Artichoke Pasta