Sunday Brunch at Xico

The holidays = eating my way through Portland. Lots of new restaurants to report! One of my new favorite Mexican brunch spots is Xico off SE Division. Watch out Verde Cocina...you have some competition! Each restaurant's menus are very different and you can't go wrong with either, but back to Xico. I tried a new dish and was not disappointed. My favorite savory breakfast dish is probably eggs benedict and the Sopes Floretine was their version, made with masa cakes and a chile lime hollandaise. Ahhh, so good. I would have substituted my potatoes for another masa cake. 

Of course, there are traditional mexican dishes like Huevos Rancheros and Chilaquiles, which also can't be beat. The Pork Belly Carnitas Hash looked tasty so that might be my choice for next time. The menu also featured some traditional cocktails like a Hot Horchata and the Bloody Maria. What's a Bloody Maria? It is made with tequila instead of vodka...a staple in a Mexican brunch place. It is a little spicy, so beware.

I loved the atmosphere of the restaurant and it was very quiet at 10:00am when we arrived. I think most Portlanders get a later brunch start on Sundays so it worked out great for us. The good news is they take reservations so if you want to plan ahead, there is the option to do so.

Great place for vegetarian options, but just be sure you communicate to your server so there is no confusion. There was a slight mix-up with one of our meals (cowboy beans have bacon) so our server surprised us with a piece of tres leche cake with a mole spice whipped cream.  It was a nice gesture and we enjoyed the traditional Mexican dessert. 

I had a great time with my girlfriends so I am sure we will be back. It is a small restaurant but extremely comfortable with cozy bench seats and bright colors. We couldn't have picked a better place for our annual holiday brunch!

Xico 

3715 SE Division Street

Portland, OR 97202

503.548.6343

open 7 days a week for dinner | lunch wed-sat 11:30am - 2pm | sunday brunch 9am - 2pm 

Make a #merrymoment

It is another year of the merry movement! We have seen so much participation in the first week and I am so grateful. Please help to spread the holiday cheer and make someone's day.  

Check out www.themerrymoments.com

12 hours of food in Denver

Better late than never. I have Denver adventures to tell you about! It was quick work trip I took about three weeks ago but I found some down time to pack in some eating and drinking. 

Since the hotel I stayed at was located South of the city, I decided to rent a car so I could explore a few neighborhoods in Denver. Naturally, I made my stops based on restaurants I wanted to try. My go-to resource for eats in Portland is Eater PDX, so I knew that Eater Denver would steer me in the right direction. I found a few places from their 38 Essential Restaurants but was disappointed many of them were closed on Mondays. Go figure my exploration day fell on a Monday...what are the odds? 

I drove to Linger Restaurant (before I realized they were closed) and stumbled upon Masterpiece Delicatessen as an alternative. It is a small deli with outdoor seating, located in the Highland neighborhood. It was a perfect place for me to have a great sandwich and get some computer work done for a few hours. I ordered this tasty number, "mesquite turkey breast, French Brie cheese, seasonal pears, arugula, cranberry honey on toasted wheat bread." So many of my favorite things on one sandwich. 

Next...an impromptu stop for pumpkin chip ice cream. Completely unnecessary. 

After that, I drove around the Cherry Creek neighborhood but decided I wanted something that felt a little more local. After more research, I discovered 17th Street in Uptown. Bingo. It was restaurant after restaurant and I wasn't even hungry yet. I just decided to park and walk around until I found a place to relax and catch up on some more work. The Denver Bicycle Cafe immediately caught my eye...probably because it felt like home. Go figure I ended up somewhere that reminded me of Portland. The place was packed with lots of people on their computers. I order a Dunkel and fit right in. 

The rest of the evening I explored Uptown, wishing I had an appetite to try every place I passed. Finally, I landed on Ace, "the cool, hipster, ping-pong, Vietnamese bar." What a combo right? I loved it though. I bellied up to the bar for some dumplings and Tom Kha soup. The bar manager was great and told me that the wings on their menu were inspired from Pok Pok's chicken wings in Portland. Now that is cool! 

Denver is a pretty neat city and I can tell the food and drink world is only expanding. Hopefully I can visit Boulder and/or Vail next time I am in the area. 

Where I plan to visit next time:

Linger

Bittersweet

Park & Co.

Beast + Bottle

Prost

Prohibition 

Where are your favorite spots in Denver? 

Some Supper Club Action at Podnah's

Dining out isn't nearly as wonderful unless you have some great company with good conversation. The Supper Club adventures continue! My coworkers and I  really appreciate night out since we are in the industry of food, wine and hospitality. Remember our trip to Biwa? Well the fun continues on the East Side, but now we head way up North to Podah's Pit.

hey podnah

 Driving to NE Portland during rush hour traffic is not an ideal situation and I have little patience for it when I have an empty stomach. Skipping lunch was a poor choice. Anyway...Podnah's is located on NE Killingsworth which is a part of the city that has transformed in the last few years. This area hasn't always been the most desirable place for diners like myself to venture to, but now, there are awesome dining spots getting lots of attention. Check out this month's Portland Monthly edition and you will see what I mean.

Alright...off my tangent. Podnah's Pit specializes in Texas-style barbecue. They serve lunch and dinner daily with a Southern brunch available on Saturday and Sunday. We chose a perfect day to visit Podnah's because it was fried chicken day. Take note people...Wednesday is fried chicken day after 5pm. Get it while you can because once it's gone, it's gone. This goes for all of their smoked meats too.

sorry Daniel. 

Dylan thought a Mickey's grenade was a good idea. 

Since it is impossible to decide what smoked selection to choose from, we obviously opted to share the Pit Boss. It has a little bit of everything on it - brisket, pulled pork, ribs, sausage, corn bread and two sides. Our side dishes were potato salad and the featured side, green chile mac n' cheese. The best part about our meal was...we ordered another half rack of ribs. Totally not necessary. I guess that means we liked it? As for me, the pulled pork was my favorite because it was a little spicy and not too saucy.

We had a great time and I know we will be back for their true Southern breakfast.

Podnah's Pit

1625 NE Killingsworth 

Portland, Oregon

503.281.3700

open mon - fri 11am | breakfast - sat & sun 9am - 1pm

I did a juice cleanse...for two days.

via @kylemwinkler

I got this crazy idea and decided it would be fun to do a juice cleanse. I use the term "fun" loosely because this is not many people's definition of "fun." There were a lot of laughs from coworkers and family members. With that said, I recruited my brother to participate in the fun. He is always up for a challenge.

We didn't make our own juices but instead bought them from a really awesome company called Crave and Glow. These girls rock...seriously. I spoke with Kelli on the phone after I signed up for the cleanse and she gave me all the reassurance I needed. She let me ask silly questions and even let my brother and I make up our own cleanse..."the two day cleanse." Normally, people do a one day or three day cleanse but we opted for two days. I mean, one day is too short and three days is too long without coffee, dairy and chocolate.

The juice cleanse is customized to you. It seems like such a simple concept, but I don't think a lot of juice companies work this way. Kelli had us fill out an intake form and the juice recipe were designed specifically for us. She was thrilled when we came to pick up the mason jars of juices and couldn't wait for us to get started. We were pumped when we left!

The first day was hard...I felt awful. My body went into full detox mode and really felt the effects. It sounds crazy, but it is true. My headache lasted all day and my 9pm, I was dead asleep. I managed to drink all five juices but felt pretty bad by the end of the day. My brother went through the same thing. To my surprise, I woke up the next morning feeling great. I had the best sleep and was ready to kick off my second day. By the afternoon, my detox headache was gone and I wasn't feeling hungry. In fact, I didn't have anything for dinner except my juice. My stomach never felt so good...I think the probiotic supplements helped in the cleansing process too. I see why people stick it out for three days because by the third day, I would have been feeling like a million bucks.

via @jennawinkler

Overall, it was a great experience and I learned a lot. First off, eating is comfort and habitual action for me. Not to mention, I love to snack. Seriously...I caught myself multiple times wanting to munch on something. I do recommend giving your body a reset (at least once a year) by doing a juice cleanse, so you can enjoy the food you love on a daily basis. Also, it reminded me that quality ingredients are worth every penny.

Of course, I am back to eating whole foods but I am still taking the probiotics. Let me tell you from a girl that loves food, if I can do a juice cleanse, so can you.

Seasons are changing. Lets bake.

Well...I have officially welcomed Autumn with my first baking session of the season. I must thank Ina Garten for this yummy apple crisp recipe because I was too lazy to think up something on my own. Yes, I know what you are thinking, apple crisp is not a difficult recipe to throw together. Well I was lazy so I needed to rely on the Barefoot Contessa for this one. I will step up my game this season, I still have plenty of time.

                   

Welcome to the season of butternut squash, pumpkin, apples and cinnamon!

See everyone at Feast Portland tomorrow! Can't wait for al the events...stay tuned for this weekend's post. 

It is almost here - Feast Portland!

I said it once and I will say it again...I am not missing this fabulous event.

Feast Portland is less than two weeks away and tickets are selling out quickly! This is Portland's premier event for food and beverage with participating Chefs and culinary experts from all around the city. Take a look at the event list for more details.

This year, you will find me at the Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting on Friday, but don't be surprised if you see me bouncing around other parts of the city for other events.

via Feast 

The brunch series look incredible so I might have to pull the trigger and purchase a ticket. Like I said, I will go broke before I miss out on all this goodness. I mean a brunch bike ride? Can you get any more Portland than that? A few of the Portland restaurant participants are Ned Ludd and Clyde Common, but you can check out the whole line-up when you buy your tickets.

Stay tuned for more updates on Feast. Please share your experiences by leaving a comment below!

*sponsored post.

Mexican Flair at Verde Cocina - Pearl District

I have now been to Verde Cocina twice, once for dinner and again for brunch. We were equally impressed and both visits we ordered the fresh guacamole and handmade corn tortillas. These are honestly the best corn tortillas ever...no joke. Soft, fresh and served warm. You think chips are addicting at mexican restaurants? Wait until you try these tortillas and then come talk to me.

Every day, they feature a handful of speciality menu items and we haven't been disappointed with the selections. For dinner, we went for the taco trio (see chalkboard photo below) and some delicious molé enchiladas. Our brunch excursion lead us to the chorizo breakfast tacos with a cabbage slaw and the ever popular, huevos rancheros. In case you were wondering, they both come with the fresh corn tortillas. 

Not only do they offer fresh food menu items but their libations are made with fresh juices and purees. For their weekend brunch, they offer $5 drinks including a housemade Bloody Mary/Maria. The mimosa of the day was the peach mimosa with fresh peach juice and the special margarita was made with strawberry purée.  Can't wait to see what they are offering next time! 

huevos rancheros 

This is a great spot for brunch, lunch or dinner and hopefully we can check out their other location off Capitol Hwy too! Enjoy!

Verde Cocina

524 NW 14th between Glisan & Hoyt

503.894.9321 

open seven days a week | daily happy hour 3 - 5:30pm

Yup...still, the best weekend ever.

The festivities continued.

First off, we pitched a tent in REI this weekend...so that was fun.

Friday was a great day for food, friends and a rooftop. Two of my friends hosted a potluck barbecue on their apartment's rooftop and it was a lovely evening for it. Kelsey featured a yummy barbecue chicken with homemade sauce and I loved the flavors! Check out the recipe on her blog.

a candid gem of the ladies on the rooftop

Saturday, we made our way over to the Oregon Brewers Festival. Yes...Saturday...at 4pm. This is quite possibly the worst time to go to a beer festival if you are actually trying to TASTE beers. It is hot, loud and busy with long lines. If you want to taste beers (1 token = taster, 4 tokens = a full beer), then I suggest visiting the festival on Wednesday, Thursday or early on Friday. Saturday and Sunday are crazy...good crazy, but a lot of people. Needless to say, I wasn't doing much tasting. If I am going to stand in line for 15 minutes, this girl is getting a full beer. This is what I was able to try:

Mt. Shasta Brewery's Skip And Go Naked - Strawberry Ginger Hefeweizen.
Burnside Brewing Co.'s Marionberry Berliner Weisse
Coalition Brewing Co.'s Wheat the People - American Wheat

I give a thumb's up to the Ginger Hefe (I love ginger) and the American Wheat. Burnside disappointed me with the Marionberry...you could hardly taste the berries!

Sunday was filled with more IPNC fun at the Passport to Pinot event. It was a beautiful summer day filled with food sampling and wine drinking. We had a blast! So many Pinots, so little time.

We were able to sample bites from Salt & Straw, PBJs, Crown Paella, Red Hills Market, Portland Penny Diner and so many more! Too many wineries to name, but you can check out the IPNC Web site for a full list.

Coquine Supper Club bites

love the concept - tapas catering by Crown Paella

a fantastic PDX band 

Needless to say, it was a fantastic weekend of eating and drinking. Now it is time to gear up for the next festival, Feast Portland! I said it before and I will say it again...I am not missing it this year. 

The best weekend ever.

Have I said that before about another weekend? Probably. But seriously, this is one of the best weekends ever.

If you love beer and wine, then you know what I am talking about.

The last weekend of July many Oregonians will be spending their time in the Willamette Valley enjoying the International Pinot Noir Celebration or relaxing on the Tom McCall Waterfront Park for the Oregon Brewer's Festival. Actually, both events are nationally recognized so many people come from all over to attend one of these two events.

Tonight I found myself enjoying a lovely setting and a spectacular sunset at Stoller Vineyards for the Pre-IPNC Summertime ¡Salud! Dinner. Fortunately for me, there was an extra ticket and I was the lucky one. I cannot even begin to describe the stunning views, delightful company and wonderfully executed family-style meal. Yes, you read that correctly, family-style....my favorite type of dining.

I couldn't wait to share some of the photos I took of the beautiful views. For once, I actually wasn't snapping photos of my food. What a bad night to forget my camera.

Also, take a look at the menu prepared by our very own, Chef Sunny Jin. Yes yes, I am biased because I work with the guy but seriously it was delicious.

garden beet & blueberry salad with briar rose madrona, candied walnuts, banyuls vinaigrette

juniper-scented heritage pork loin with sprouted wheat berries, scallions, radishes, fig-saba marmalade

grilled new york strip loin with yukon gold potatoes, chicory slaw, charred garden onions, dijonnaise 

blackberry cobbler with greek yogurt, jory granola, brown sugar caramel 

birch syrup panna cotta with tequila-pickled cherries, mexican chocolate sauce 

Next up...celebrating Oregon Craft Beer Month.

How are you celebrating this weekend?

Biwa, Biwa...I love Biwa.

I am lucky I have friends that like to eat.

In fact, we figured it was time to start a Super Club to make it more official. The inspiration came after a stop at Biwa and after three hours of yummy, delicious Japanese cuisine, we were rolling ourselves out of the restaurant. It is a small, cozy spot with limited seating and a very small bar. Like any Portland restaurant, there was a wait but it was well worth it. I know, I know, I always say that but seriously, SO worth it.

For the first time anywhere, I ordered a chef's tasting menu or as they called it, "Omakase," which is a Japanese term for "I'll leave it to you." Why the heck don't I do this every time? It was delicious and I loved all the dishes except for one...out of 10+ dishes, that is fine by me. The service was wonderful and our server repeated herself on numerous occasions. I wish I could remember her name so I could properly thank her.

Two things I fell in love with that night: butterfish sashimi and honey glazed sweet potatoes. No, I did not eat them together but yes, I did eat every last last bite. Thank goodness for my kind friends, letting me eat the last bite of both dishes.

chili popcorn to start

chef's choice starter

napa cabbage salad

butterfish, beets, wasabi

honey glazed sweet potatoes

japanese style potato salad & gyoza (dumplings) 

If you are looking at the menu, don't let the Japanese items intimidate you. The servers will guide you and I guarantee they won't steer you wrong. I recommend family-style dining (shocking, I know) because the chef's tasting menu works great for sharing. Other diners ordered their own meals too so if you rather go that route, that works too!

Last, I will you with some insider information about Biwa. Apparently, the Biwa hamburger is incredible and it is only available on their late night menu at the bar. It can highly recommended by more than one person. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Biwa

215 SE 9th Avenue

Portland, Oregon

503.239.8830

open everyday 5pm - 12am | happy hour 5 - 6pm & 9 - 10pm 

Andina - 10 years and counting...

I am long overdue for this post but I wanted to quickly mention that this month (I know, I know...it is almost over) is Andina's 10 year anniversary! This is quite an accomplishment and owner, Mama Doris, has a lot to be proud of! She was kind enough to treat some PDX bloggers to a wonderful evening where we learned about the history of her restaurant, her love for Peru and the inspiration behind the delicious food and drink.

Fortunately for me, this wasn't my first time dining at Andina, but it was one of my more memorable dining experiences. I wish I could sit with a restaurant owner at every meal. It is unbelievable to hear the inspiration behind the cuisine and the story behind the family and the employees.

I was amazed by the thought behind every creation - even their cocktails. We met Head Bartender, Greg Hoitsma, and learned about his travels through Peru and his history at Andina. All of his cocktails have a story. I recommend you visit Greg so he can tell you all about one of their signature cocktails, Sacsayhuamán, better known as the "sexy woman." It has nothing to do with the translation but everything to do with the pronunciation.

Below are a couple some iPhone snaps from the evening. You can find more photos from the PDX bloggers here!

Andina Restaurant

1314 NW Glisan

Portland, Oregon 97209

503.228.9535

disclaimer: this was a hosted event, but all opinions are my own. 

Don't forget! June is Portland's Dining Month

June is the best time of the year. Why, you ask?

Well...it is the kick-off to summer in Portland. The sun starts to show itself, beer festivals begin, outdoor patios open, running season is in full swing and it is DINING MONTH! Yes...three course meals for $29 at your favorite restaurants in PDX.

This is a great time to check out some of those special restaurants that have been on you list for months.   Take advantage of the great deal and see what the 80+ restaurants have to offer.

via

Some places that I plan to visit: 
Riffle NW
Wildwood Restaurant
Imperial
Genoa

Check out more of the restaurants and details here. Where do you plan to go?

Let's Infuse Some Vodka...

What do you do with some really crappy leftover vodka? Infuse it. At midnight on a Sunday.

Recently, we made a homemade Bloody Mary mix and of course, needed the perfect vodka to go with it (we are still perfecting the mix so that post will come later). It was late on Sunday and my lovely boyfriend thought it would be a good idea to run to the store for bacon and jalapeños. Oh yeah, and a surplus of mason jars. Apparently, the three we already had wasn't good enough. Despite the late hour, we had a pretty good time and learned that infusing vodka is very simple.

Infusing lemon vodka OR jalapeño vodka:
1. Fill mason jar 3/4 full of vodka
2. Cut up one lemon OR two jalapeños into quarters and put into mason jar with vodka
3. Let the two infuse for 5-7 days for maximum flavor
4. Mix your favorite drink - preferably a Bloody Mary, duh.

Infusing black tea vodka:
1. Fill mason jar 3/4 full of vodka
2. Place tea bag in mason jar and screw on the lid
3. Let the tea bag steep in the vodka for 3-4 hours (I did it for 6 hours and it was pretty strong)
4. Mix your favorite drink - we love hard Arnold Palmer drinks or something like this

These are the things we learned:
1. Infusing bacon vodka is not as easy as it looks. We had a blog DIY fail on our first attempt. Lots of recipes say to use the bacon fat but I don't recommend it. We had better luck with this recipe.
2. Crappy vodka is still, crappy vodka. Next time we are going to venture up a couple shelfs at the liquor store and go for something a little smoother.
3. It is hard to fall asleep when your house smells like bacon.

Let me know what your favorite recipes are!

A Piece of Pie at Apizza Scholls

Another birthday celebration calls for another new restaurant adventure. My brother loves pizza...I mean, he LOVES pizza, more than anyone I know. So, when he was trying to pick a restaurant for his birthday dinner, Apizza Scholls was an easy choice. Surprisingly, no one in our family had been there so it was a new experience for everyone.

You have heard me carry on about all the killer pizza places in Portland (Oven & Shaker, Ken's, Lovely's Fifty Fifty) and now we found another one to add to the list. The atmosphere is casual and doesn't really have a theme like most Portland restaurants, but it didn't seem to bother people because the place was packed! My favorite part was the crust...oh my gosh, yum. My brother doesn't eat crust (unless he as a dipping sauce) and even he ate it!

look at that crust! 

We ordered four of their house pies, but you have the option to make your own as well. They also have a selection of house made salads and antipasti dishes on their menu. All their food is reasonable priced and I have no problem paying for GOOD pizza. I wouldn't recommend going their to drink because their beverage prices aren't cheap with $5 pints and $18 pitchers. Wine prices aren't too bad but beer prices are a little steep.

Apizza Amore

Overall, a fun place for a casual birthday dinner and I will definitely be back for the pizza, even if I just order it to-go! 

Apizza Scholls

4741 SE Hawthorne Blvd

Portland, Oregon

503.233.1286

open mon - sat 5 - 9:30pm | sundays 4 - 8pm

Avocado, Tomato & Arugula Salad

I rarely have the chance to eat in our restaurant at work but when I do, I am NEVER disappointed. This past visit to JORY inspired me to try and recreate a lunch entree at home. It wasn't quite the same but it still turned out just as colorful and delicious!

Check out my Avocado, Tomato & Arugula Salad (topped with chicken).

As usual, I found several different citrus chicken marinades online and landed on one of my own (by combined ingredients until it had a good flavor). 

Chicken Marinade Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of white wine
1 tablespoon of brown sugar (white will work too)
juice from half a lemon
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
dash of salt and pepper 

Salad Stuff
1 cup of arugula
1 avocado, cubed
1 cup of sliced grape tomatoes (cherry tomatoes will work too)
2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup of cooked barley
2 tablespoons of your choice vinaigrette

Preparation 
Slice chicken breasts into small strips and set aside. Whisk all the marinade ingredients together and pour into a container with a lid. Add the chicken strips to the container and cover with the marinade. Seal container, refrigerate for at least three hours. I recommend marinating overnight if time allows. The flavor is so much better!

When chicken is ready, bake in the oven at 350 degrees like I did or you can grill it for some barbecue flavor. Mix all the salad ingredients in a bowl and toss with dressing. Top with your cooked chicken and voila!

The entree at JORY was prepared with Steelhead, farro and a house made dressing. So, you can see mine was slightly different, but still so fresh tasting!

Grüner Restaurant & Kask

Gruner Restaurant is one of those places that can consistently makes the "top places to dine" or "best chef of the year" headlines and I have always been curious to find out why. Chef Chris Israel's creative, Alpine (German-inspired) menu is filled with unique ingredients and I never knew what to make of them, until now. This restaurant is nothing shy of delicious and the perfect place for a birthday party of 10. We were not disappointed. 

All of our dishes were beautifully presented and extremely flavorful. We started with their signature beet-pickled deviled eggs and they were wonderful. The boys went for the man meal, by ordering the "choucroute garnie" which was pretty much pork...four different ways. The gnocchi and salads were popular with the ladies but I went for a buckwheat pasta dish with butternut squash, ham, chives and a cream sauce. The only mistake I made all night was sharing my dessert. The raspberry-filled donuts are not worth sharing...they are worth gobbling up all to yourself. 

Also, don't miss Kask, their cocktail counterpart. It is right around the corner from Gruner and worth taking a peak. You will find creative cocktails for all palettes, including whiskey followed with a swallow of their house made pickle juice. Yup...pickle juice. 

So, if you are feeling like some Alpine cuisine, but don't have the budget to fly overseas for a quick schnitzel, take a trip to Gruner in Southwest Portland. 

Gruner

527 SW12th Ave

Portland, Oregon

503.241.7163

open mon - fri 11:30-2pm | mon - sat 5pm | closed sundays 

Almond Vanilla French Toast

I am trying this new thing...cutting out dairy. Not completely because that would be impossible, but I am experimenting to see how it will make me feel over time. So, now I have almond vanilla milk in my fridge which is what lead me to Almond Vanilla French Toast. Yummy. This is a very simple recipe and it can be doubled or tripled with ease.

Ingredients 
3 large slices of sourdough bread (any bread will do, this is just what I had on hand)
2 eggs
1/4 cup almond vanilla milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
handful of sliced almonds

Preparation
Mix the cinnamon, brown sugar and almonds together in a shallow dish and set aside.

Make an egg wash in a bowl with the eggs, almond vanilla milk and the vanilla extract. Slice large pieces of bread in half.

Place a skillet on the stove at low-medium heat and melt the butter. Dip each slice of bread in the egg wash and then cover with the cinnamon/sugar/almond mixture. Place on the skillet with the melted butter, cook until one side is golden brown and then flip to cook the other side.

Top with some sliced almonds and maybe some powdered sugar too...enjoy.

Serves two.

Chicken Alfredo - Cajun Style

My cute apron was calling my name and it felt like a Cajun cuisine kind of night. To my surprise, I had all the ingredients on hand, so I went for it. My Creole dishes of choice? Cajun Chicken Alfredo & Jambalaya.  

The Cajun Chicken Alfredo recipe is not a new one but it took me a little bit to rack my brain on how to make it. After some online recipe research, I was ready. What I do remember from last time is that I had a heavy hand with the cayenne and pepper spices. This recipe is a bit more mild, but feel free to add red pepper flakes or more cayenne to your blackening spice. 

Ingredients 

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup of blackening spice (I made my own) 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves of minced garlic 

8 ounces of roasted cherry tomatoes (sun dried tomatoes work too) 

1 pint of heavy cream or half n half

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

1/3 cup sliced scallions 

16 ounces of cooked fettuccine 

Preparation 

Dredge the chicken breasts in blackening seasoning. If they are thick, filet them in two and dredge with the seasoning. Place in skillet over medium heat until chicken breasts are fully cooked. Set aside. 

Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and then add the minced garlic and roasted tomatoes. Sauté in the skillet for 2 -3 minutes. 

Slice the cooled chicken and add to the skillet. Pour white wine in the pan to deglaze and then add the heavy cream. Increase the heat to a simmer and reduce the cream sauce until you reach your desired consistency.  

Once the sauce's consistency is to your liking, add the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix in the cooked fettuccine pasta, garnish with scallions and the remaining Parmesan.  

 Enjoy!