Best Ever Grilled Chicken Fajitas

March 5, 2015March 5, 2015 / Jodi / 21 Comments

So I don’t know about you, but I make something with chicken at least once… often twice… and sometimes three times a week (if I can get away with it!). I love how versatile chicken is, and I challenge myself to find a new recipe to try with chicken every week.

Chicken Fajitas are a family favorite, and I have made them a variety of ways throughout the years. Yesterday, however, I created this FREAKIN’ FABULOUS version that is my absolute favorite to date!

I started with a fresh lime and cilantro marinade…

adding some spicy chili powder, cumin, and garlic salt.

I put half the marinade on the chicken and half on the sliced veggies.

After allowing everything to marinate most of the day, we grilled the chicken and veggies.

Wow! The smell… the taste… So Dang DELISH!

Add some fresh homemade guacamole, shredded cheddar cheese, fresh greens, and WOWSERS! Best meal in a wrap! Add a tossed green salad, and you have an amazing weeknight dinner.

Here’s my recipe. You HAVE TO try this! I swear it is the best chicken fajita I’ve EVER had.

Jodi's Best Ever Lime Cilantro Marinated Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Servings: Approx. 8 Fajitas
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Ingredients:

Marinade:
1 large ripe lime, juiced (approx 4 tsp juice)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup olive oil
2 tsp. chili powder
3 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. garlic salt (I use the kind with parsley in, but not necessary)

3 large chicken breasts, sliced into three thin slices each, to make 9 pieces.
1 large vidala onion, sliced
2 cups sliced sweet red, yellow, orange peppers
8 Large Flour Tortilla Wraps (wrapped in foil and placed on grill for a few minutes to warm)

Toppings:
Jodi’s Fresh Homemade Guacamole
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Mixed Fresh Greens (spinach, arugula, romaine)
Sour Cream (optional)

Directions:
Prepare marinade by whisking together all ingredients.
Pour half on chicken in a glass baking dish. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate.
Pour other half on sliced onions and peppers in another glass baking dish. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate.
Marinade 4-8 hours.

When ready to prepare, grill chicken and veggies (we used a wire grill basket for the veggies).
When done, slice chicken into strips.
Assemble fajitas by spreading about a tablespoon of guacamole onto the warmed tortilla, top with chicken strips, grilled onion and pepper strips, cheddar cheese, and fresh greens. Wrap and ENJOY!
Serve with a fresh salad, mexican rice, or refried beans.

You are going to love these!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Easy Rustic Apple Tart

March 2, 2015March 2, 2015 / Jodi / 17 Comments

We had some friends and family over yesterday for a winter “picnic.”

So often we have people over for the holidays and then don’t get together much until Spring and Summer because of the cold, snowy weather.

Well – heck with that. I say celebrate it.

So while the snow fell to the tune of another 6 inches or more, we lit a fire, Marty plowed the driveway, and I made a big pot of creamy loaded potato soup, some fresh baked bread, and this super easy rustic apple tart.

We had a great time enjoying simple food and sharing stories of love and friendship. Such cherished memories!

If you are looking for a quick and easy, but beautiful dessert, here’s the recipe:

Easy Rustic Apple Tart

Servings: 6-8
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Ingredients:

1 Sheet Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed
2 large apples, cored and sliced paper thin (with a mandolin is easiest)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 415 degrees F.
In a bowl, mix together sliced apples, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon. Let set for 5-10 minutes.
Place puff pastry on baking stone (or baking sheet).
Curl up edges a bit and for circle (or simply leave in rectangular shape.
Place apples on top and bake for 18-20 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
Immediately remove to serving platter.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve plain or with whipped cream, ice cream, and or drizzle with caramel sauce.
Enjoy!

Happy Monday friends!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Grandma’s Easy Poppy Seed Cake

March 1, 2015February 28, 2015 / Jodi / 24 Comments

As a child, my Grandma made me a poppy seed cake every year for my birthday. Sound odd? Well – my birthday is on New Year’s Eve, and who isn’t sugared out by then after all the Christmas cookies and holiday treats?

So this poppy seed cake was always just right – not too sweet – no heavy, sugary icing – just a fun old-fashioned bread-like cake that speaks love to me.

Marty used to make it for me sometimes through the years; but the older we get, the more I just don’t want anything sweet by my birthday. (Red wine, however, is ALWAYS welcome!) 🙂

So I have had a hankering for poppy seed cake lately, and when I passed a package of poppy seeds in the grocery store yesterday, I just threw them in the cart and came home and baked it!

Don’t be surprised if it reminds you more of a sweet bread – more like banana bread or zucchini bread. It is yummy for breakfast with coffee or just as a treat. (And of course it goes well with red wine. What doesn’t?)

Here’s our recipe:

Grandma's Easy Poppy Seed Cake

Servings: One Yummy Cake
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INGREDIENTS:

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup vegetable oil

1 can evaporated milk

1/4 cup poppy seeds

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 10 inch tube or bundt pan.

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients.

Make a well in the center and add eggs, vanilla, oil, and milk. Mix well.

Fold in poppy seeds.

Pour into prepared pan, and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn onto rack to cool.

When cool, sprinkle generously with sifted powdered sugar.

ENJOY!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Shrimp & Vegetable Lo Mein

February 26, 2015February 25, 2015 / Jodi / 27 Comments

Anyone who has followed along here at LifeinBetween.me for any length of time might be wondering what an ole’ Hunky Polish chick that loves baking cookies and cakes and breads and makes halupkis and haluski and pierogies is doing trying her hand at Chinese comfort food….

Well – why not?!

And oh YUMMMM!

Who knew how easy and healthy it could be without buying it from the local Chinese take-out?

And is there anything more versatile?!

The sky is seriously the limit with all the things you can mix into this!

Change up the protein from shrimp to chicken or pork or even beef.

Almost any vegetable works too!

Can’t find Lo Mein Noodles at your local grocery? Spaghetti noodles work just fine!

I used inspiration from the real experts like the gang at The Woks of Life and Chungha at Damn Delicious.

Here’s my version.

Homemade Lo Mein

Servings: Enough for a Hungry Family
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Ingredients:

1 – 1.5 lbs Thin Spaghetti (or Lo Mein noodles) – cooked al dente
1 lb Cooked, Deveined Shrimp, Tails removed (or chicken or pork or beef)
5 cups spinach leaves
1 cup shredded julienne carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup thin asparagus tops
1 cup green onions, cut into 2 inch lengths
1 cup sugar snap peas
2 red peppers, cut into strips
2-3 cloves minced garlic
3 tsp. Olive Oil
Sauce:
5 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp Sugar dissolved in 2 Tbsp hot water
1 tsp Salt-Free Asian Spice Seasoning
1 Tbsp freshly minced ginger
1 tsp Siracha Sauce

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large wok or skillet. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add rest of vegetables, except spinach (any of the above or any that you like) and cook for 4-5 minutes. Stir frequently. Add cooked shrimp (or protein of your choice or simply keep vegetarian). Cook 2-3 more minutes. Add spinach and cook 1-2 more minutes. Stir in noodles and sauce mixture. Gently toss.

Serve and enjoy!

Need to see it again?

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Chocolate Chunk & Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

February 21, 2015February 20, 2015 / Jodi / 17 Comments

Some days just call for baking cookies… Like when you wake up and it is 13 degrees BELOW ZERO F!… What a great way to warm up the house – right?

And besides, my son, Nick, has been ~~whining for~~ requesting some chocolate chip cookies for a couple of weeks now. I’m kind of “famous” for my chocolate chip cookies, but I hate doing the same old thing. I’m a change junkie. So instead of the usual chocolate chip cookies, I kicked it up a notch by mixing chocolate chunks and peanut butter chips in my classic recipe.

They taste pretty awesome… with a glass of milk…. coffee… hot chocolate… red wine (LOL! Everything goes with red wine – right?).

Chocolate Chunk & Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Servings: 5 dozen large cookies
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Ingredients:

1 lb (4 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 bag Nestle’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks
1 bag Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips

Mix softened butter and sugars with mixer until well blended. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until creamy. Add dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda) until well incorporated. Fold in chocolate and peanut butter chips.

Refrigerate dough for several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Shape dough into 1 1/2 – 2 Tbsp balls and flatten slightly. Bake on baking stone for 8-9 minutes. Let cool on stone for approximately 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Cookies freeze well in Ziploc bags.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Cinnamon Popcorn & How I Flunked out of Poetry School

February 18, 2015February 17, 2015 / Jodi / 5 Comments

So just yesterday I announced how I was taking on a two-week poetry challenge for the WordPress Daily Post… Right?

Today’s assignment was the topic of Trust using an Acrostic Poem and using Internal Rhyme…….. YIKES!

It is 10 pm.

I’ve worked all day, spent the evening at a fun card class with Colleen (and Katie :)).

I’m sipping a G&T, and… WTH!

Too much to deal with… too many rules…

I like poetry and all, but….

Can I just share a recipe instead? 🙂

How about some yummy and SUPER easy Cinnamon Popcorn?!

At first try, I was so-so on this, but after my G&T (and skipping dinner), I think I might have to throw the rest of this stuff away before I eat it all!!

Some of you may recall my super-addictive, super-delicious, super-amazing Homemade Caramel Corn. It is so crazy delish – seriously! A MUST Make recipe. DO NOT HESITATE!

Well – when I saw recipes circulating for cinnamon popcorn, like Rachael Ray’s, I envisioned a kicked up version using Hulless Butter Popcorn.

I happened to have a bag of Cinnamon Red Hot Imperials on hand. Isn’t this an item in everyone’s pantry?!?! 🙂

I also happened to have a bag of Snyder’s of Berlin Hulless Butter Popcorn.

So I adapted and created this Kicked-Up Version of Cinnamon Popcorn that I think you will like.

Give it a go…. or NOT if you are on a DIET! 🙂

This is how simple this stuff is:

Jodi’s Kicked Up Cinnamon Popcorn

1 bag (approximately 8 cups) Snyder’s Hulless Butter Popcorn (or you can pop 8 cups of popcorn)
1 cup Cinnamon Red Hot Imperials (or any other type of cinnamon candy)
1/2 cup water

Spread popcorn out on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
Melt cinnamon candy and water in a saucepan until completely melted.
Pour cinnamon candy over popcorn.
Bake in 250 degree F oven for approximately 20 minutes.
Let cool completely.

DEVOUR! 🙂

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Chocolate Sprinkle Cherry Kiss Cookies

February 7, 2015February 6, 2015 / Jodi / 19 Comments

Chocolate Cookies… Sprinkles…. Hershey’s Kisses…. How can you go wrong?!?!

Before heading away for a week, I had to make a special sweet treat for the guys.

I had some Hershey’s Cherry Cordial Kisses in the pantry and thought it was time I used them. PLUS I was dying to eat one or two or ten or twenty.

I found a recipe for a Chocolate Valentine Kiss Cookies on The Kitchen is My Playground that sounded good, but since I didn’t have “Valentine” sprinkles, I just used some fun colorful ones and some chocolate ones. Tracey’s are really cute with Valentine sprinkles though, so check the out here if you want to see.

They are really chocolatey fudgy inside, a little crispy on the outside with the sprinkles and just the right amount of creamy chocolate cherry cordial in the center for a bite or two!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Sprinkle Cherry Kiss Cookies

Servings: 25-30 cookies
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Ingredients

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
8 T. (1 stick) butter, softened
2/3 c. sugar
1 egg yolk
2 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 to 1 c. assorted sprinkles
25 to 30 Hershey’s Cherry Cordial Kisses (or your own favorite flavor)

Directions

Combine flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside.
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla; mix until incorporated. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture until just combined.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
Roll chilled dough into 1-inch balls and roll each ball in sprinkles completely covering the dough ball with sprinkles. Place balls about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Gently press down into the center of each ball slightly to make a very small indentation.
Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes.
After removing cookies from the oven, immediately place a Hershey’s Kiss in the center of each cookie. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes, remove to a cooling rack to cool.

Original recipe found at The Kitchen is My Playground – please check out Tracey’s yummy blog.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Apricot Chocolate Chip Cookies

January 31, 2015February 3, 2015 / Jodi / 28 Comments

Apricot and semi-sweet or dark chocolate is such a yummy combination, so I thought I’d try it in a cookie – as a twist to my “almost famous” chocolate chips cookies.

and it’s a winner according to my guys.

I snipped a half pound of dried apricots into the batter.

and tweaked up my original chocolate chip recipe by exchanging vanilla extract with half almond and half orange extract (though I think vanilla might be yummy too) and used 1/2 a bag of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips to allow the apricot to be the “star” of the cookie.

The balance of flavors seemed just right.

Hope you’ll give them a try.

And can you believe it is the last day of January 2015 already!?!? We are hunkering down for a snow storm here in Mars this weekend, and of course, the Super Bowl, so we will be set with some sweet treats if “needed.” 🙂

How about you? What’s happening in your part of the world this weekend?

Have a good one!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

And here is the recipe. Enjoy!

Jodi's Apricot Chocolate Chip Cookies

Servings: 2 dozen large cookies
Time: 10 mins
Difficulty: Easy
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1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. orange extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) dried apricots, snipped into small chunks
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) Nestle’s Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Blend softened butter with granulated and brown sugar with mixer until well incorporated. Add in almond and orange extract and eggs and mix on medium-high speed until creamy. Add in flour, baking soda, and salt on low speed until incorporated. Fold in apricots and chocolate chips.

Chill dough for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll dough into golf ball sized balls and flatten slightly.

Bake for approximately 10 minutes.

I think I will share this recipe with my friends over at Fiesta Friday for the Anniversary Party, because every party needs cookies – right?! Check it out for lots of awesome recipes by some amazing foodie bloggers!

Blackberry Blondies

January 27, 2015January 29, 2015 / Jodi / 15 Comments

My son, Nick declared these Blackberry Blondie Cookie Bars “the best dessert” I’ve made in a long time! (I think he ate four last night – and he usually has extreme self control over sweets) Score! 🙂

Anyway, I have literally been longing to bake something…

I had a big, juicy carton of fresh blackberries in the fridge I bought to eat with my morning cereal, but when I found this recipe for Blackberry Blondies from Nicole Weston at BakingBites.com, I knew this is what I wanted to make. Thanks for sharing Nicole!

Blondies are basically the opposite of brownies in that they are the same idea of a bar-type cookie, but typically vanilla flavored instead of chocolate. Blondies can be plain or they can be the base for many different additions – like these yummy blackberries.

And since this recipe uses fresh, vitamin-packed blackberries (not a sugar-laden preserve or fruit filling) – they are a teensy bit healthy – eh? 🙂

I only had a bite of one, so I could know what they taste like, and it was so worth it! YUM! (And yes – I did go to the gym today)

These remind me of blackberry cobbler in a cookie. How divine is that?!?!

Here is the recipe from Nicole at Baking Bites with just a few small tweaks I made. I was out of vanilla extract (seriously don’t know how that happened!), so I used all almond extract, and you know what? I don’t think I would change it.

Hope you will try, and hope you enjoy. Let me know if you do.

Blackberry Blondies

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries

Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a square 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
Whisk together butter and sugar in a large bowl until well combined.
Beat in salt, egg, and almond extract until well combined.
Stir in flour and mix just until fully incorporated.
Gently fold in blackberries.
Transfer dough to prepared pan and spread carefully into an even layer.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes, until bars are set and golden.
Cool completely in the pan before cutting.

Makes 16.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Happy Chinese New Year Party

January 20, 2015January 19, 2015 / Jodi / 33 Comments

We had a great time this weekend celebrating Chinese New Year! (a couple weeks early – but as our Host “Oh Rob” would say, “Who has more fun than us??!!)

Such yummy food… like these crunchy egg rolls,

the MOST AMAZING homemade dumplings and dipping sauces,

fresh crisp lettuce wraps, oranges (for good luck), and of course fortune cookies,

along with tender tangy teriyaki beef skewers to start of the festivities.

And after our bellies were satisfied with tasty treats and wine and Moscow mules,

and we all received our special hat and learned what animal our birth year represented (I’m a tiger in case you couldn’t have guessed – LOL!)

and we were wished good luck by our happy hostesses (Mimi and Ella) in matching smiles and attire.

We learned a new game that, though we all had heard of, none of us had ever played.

Bunco!

and though we don’t believe it has ANYthing to do with Chinese New Year,

we patiently listened to the instructions,

fought to hang on to the “Bunco Sheep,”

and had a great time.

Then, of course, it was time to eat again!

So fresh veggies got tossed into…

Chicken Stir Fry…

and Shrimp Stir Fry, with lots of fluffy steamed rice.

We visited some more,

hugged some more,

and ate some more,

and more…

until the end of the evening, when we we lit Chinese lanterns,

and made wishes,

while we watched them float away over the lake – carrying our hopes and dreams for good luck in 2015.

Thanks for a wonderful time Joyce and Rob! xoxo

Cheers & Hugs for a Happy New Year,
Jodi

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the creative life in between

cherishing the moments and exploring my passion for creativity… through art, photography, food, and writing

Food

Best Ever Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Jodi's Best Ever Lime Cilantro Marinated Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Easy Rustic Apple Tart

Easy Rustic Apple Tart

Grandma’s Easy Poppy Seed Cake

Grandma's Easy Poppy Seed Cake

Shrimp & Vegetable Lo Mein

Homemade Lo Mein

Chocolate Chunk & Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chunk & Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Cinnamon Popcorn & How I Flunked out of Poetry School

Chocolate Sprinkle Cherry Kiss Cookies

Chocolate Sprinkle Cherry Kiss Cookies

Apricot Chocolate Chip Cookies

Jodi's Apricot Chocolate Chip Cookies

Blackberry Blondies

Happy Chinese New Year Party

Jodi's Best Ever Lime Cilantro Marinated Grilled Chicken Fajitas

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Easy Rustic Apple Tart

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Grandma's Easy Poppy Seed Cake

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Homemade Lo Mein

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Chocolate Chunk & Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

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Chocolate Sprinkle Cherry Kiss Cookies

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Jodi's Apricot Chocolate Chip Cookies

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