Wifey Does Valentine’s Day Brunch!

February 11, 2015February 11, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / 5 Comments

Lovers- this year Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday!

Why is this awesome?? Oh well let’s see- A. no flower sending to work contest, B. no being stuck at the office scrolling thru everyone’s sappy social media posts and C. you can cook your hunny or yourself brunch instead of dinner!

Brunch is so much less pressure and usually less expensive. Today we’re tackling a dish that looks super fancy, but it’s not. It’s an omelette dressed up in Spanish gear- aka- a Tortilla de Espanola.

Let’s Get Wife’d Up!

Jojo flirting with Jordan, our videographer per usual!

What You Need/Grocery List:

10 eggs
a large baking potato or a few small potatoes
a small yellow onion
vegetable oil
a medium non stick pan
a large plate or cookie sheet
a potato peeler
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper
*optional- shredded parm cheese

What To Do:

coat the pan with 1 tsp of oil or so and heat on low
peel your potato, then slice very thin pieces- try to make them all the same size

add them to the pan and drizzle another tsp or so of oil over the top evenly. add a dash of salt and pepper. cover and let cook on low while you slice your onion.

I also added a dash of paprika- optional if you wish

slice your onion in half, then into pieces – NOT chopped cubes. Add them to the potato pan, cover and let cook on low for about 20 mins- turning half way thru.

combine all your eggs into a bowl, whisk and add about 2 tbs milk, salt and pepper, set aside.
when your onions and potatoes are soft, (able to break them with a fork- not burned or crunch) take a slotted spoon and transfer them to a bowl. dump eggs on top and mix it all together, add another dash of salt n’pepper and let it sit and get cozy for at least 10 mins.

since you used a slotted spoon you should still have some oil on the bottom of the pan- thats good. add a little more and turn the heat up super high.
dump your mixture into the super hot pan and turn to medium /low right away.

let this sit and cook for about 8 mins, the edges will look cooked with a slightly raw middle.

here is where you can add your cheese. see- not ready to flip yet…almost!

when it’s time to flip, DONT freak out. Well, kinda freak out- cause this is the only hard part. Take your cookie sheet or large plate in one hand and grab the handle of the pan with the other. lift the pan and begin to flip as you cover the pan, then turn upside down so the browned side is right side up. Then wiggle the tortilla back into the pan – raw side down.

as you can see, I made a mess – when you watch the video you will see how much I really messed it up- but the beauty is- it doesn’t have to be perfect, because the egg mixture will re form in the pan once it’s flipped.
cook or another 4 mins or so. then slide it out onto your cutting board and let it “rest” or sit for 10 mins or so, option to sprinkle more cheese on top.
slice into triangles and serve with hot sauce or garlic mayo and accept praise , You MASTER Chef!

Also- this keeps very well and is delicious served cold or on a baguette the following day!

Will you be my Valentine???

VIDEO COMING SOON!

Slow Cooker BBQ WIFEY WUT UP Chicken

February 9, 2015February 9, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

Today I had my first foray with raw meat in the slow cooker. It didn’t go well…at first.

I dumped my package of pre sliced tenders into my croc pot, poured some Famous Dave’s BBQ sauce in there, mixed it up and set it on low for 7 hours.

About 5 hours into the simmer sesh- I smelled a combo of delish bbq (I know I don’t eat meat but I like the scent- whatever) and burnt something.

This is what I saw when I opened the lid:

NOT NORMAL.

What did I do? Oh maybe salvage the chicken in the center and pull it out- NO. I decided to stir the pot around and see what happened.

Major fail.

I dipped my pinkie into the sauce and bravely took a taste (even though it had been doing the tango with the chicken) and it tasted like B.S.

Now, at this point I had to make a serious decision – do I scrap the whole thing and saw we should order dinner in or run out to the grocery- buy more chicken and try a different tactic?!??

I am NO quitter, I promised Alex dinner so I ran out and got some more chicken.

This time I mixed 2 cups of Dave’s with a cup of Italian dressing, 1/4 cup of brown sugar and a dash of worstescher sauce and set the croc on high for 3 hours.

This is what happened:

OH HELLS YES.

I served it with some rolls, broccoli, cheesy instant rice and asparagus. And he loved it.

Well …to be fair, he said the sauce could have been a bit thicker- I’m thinking that tomorrow’s lunch will be the perfect consistency.

I hope at least.

hot buns

I steamed the broccoli then roasted it for a bit in the oven with some lemon olive oil and seasoning

another glamour shot of the bbq chic

The Wifey’s SUPER BOWL of Enchilada Pie

January 28, 2015January 30, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

Who’s excited for Super Bowl Sunday?!?

Me too!

I mean, even if you don’t like the NFL, Katy Perry or the commercials- you have to like the parties, right??

Today’s recipe is perfect to bring to your friend’s house or to make at home for your party- even if it’s just a party of two or one. As always- feel free to modify (subtract the chicken, swap chicken for beef, omit onions) cause it’s YOUR dish.

This bad boy recipe is a keeper and Alex swears it’s even better the next day, so don’t fret if you make a whole pot and it’s just for one- TREAT YOself!

Do i smell CHICKEN?!?!

The Wifey’s SUPER BOWL of Enchilada Pie

WHAT YOU NEED/GROCERY LIST:

not pictured- raw marinating chicken

a pkg of corn tortillas
a bag of shredded Mexican blend cheese
a pkg of Cojita cheese
a bag or can of enchilada sauce
a can of refried beans
a small yellow onion (we’ll be using a half- chopped)
a bag of instant/ready rice- Spanish blend
a small can of green chills (located in the taco isle with the beans, mix and sauce)
a packet of taco mix
a package of chicken breasts – either already cut into tenders or whole (raw) OR a cooked chicken from the deli
a bag of tortilla chips (I like Donkey brand)
a small tub of sour cream or greek yogurt
a small jalapeño
a couple tsps of vegetable oil (if you’re cooking your chicken) and a pat of butter
a croc pot OR baking dish

WHAT TO DO:

the night before you want to marinate your chicken breasts and store in zip locks or tupperware. I dumped about half cup of jalapeño vodka and half the taco mix packet into a tupperware, added the chicken tender cutlets and shook it up. You can use oil or any spiced marinade you have laying around.
if you are using your oven- pre heat to 350 degrees
pour your oil into a large skillet and pat of butter and turn on medium/low heat
cook the chicken until browned on both sides and SLIGHTLY undercooked. You want to see no or very little pink- but don’t want to overcook since it will be baking as well in the pot or oven.

while the chicken is cooking combine the: refried beans, 1/2 cup of both cheeses, small can of green chills, a dash of the enchilada sauce, rice and your chopped onions into a bowl.

when chicken is done, cut into small pieces and add to the mix- give it a stir and add a dash of salt and pepper.
pour enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the croc pot or baking dish.
begin to layer: lay a tortilla on top of the sauce, add enough mix to cover the tortilla when spread out, add a sprinkle e of cheese and a drizzle of enchilada sauce. Repeat until your stack is three layers high.

place a corn tortila on top and cover with cheese and remaining sauce. Add a few thin slices of jalapeño in the middle for color.
OVEN: bake for about 1 hour, checking to make sure the cheese isn’t burning. CROC POT/SLOWCOOKER- cook on LOW for 2 and a half hours.
keep slow cooker on “warm” until you’re ready to serve it- but only for a max of two hours.
Slice into pieces and serve with sour cream/greek yogurt, tortilla chips and assorted hot sauces and enjoy being the night’s MVP!

I served Jordan a slice – he ate the evidence as soon as he finished filming

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT..HERE!

The Wifey’s Low Carb- Super Skinny Turkey Burgers

January 23, 2015January 23, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

I AM NOT A DIET BLOGGER.

REPEAT.

However… I know that we (most people who read the Wifey and my friends in general) are still trying to drop those darn December lbs…SO- I decided to step out of my little Wifey box and create the *perfect* turkey burger.

Let’s just PAUSE right now- I know what you are thinking… “How can you possibly create the *perfect* turkey burger when you DONT EAT TURKEY?!?!?”

And I hear you.

But- lucky for me I have two very honest taste testers: My camera dude Jordan and Alex.

And PAUSE again- I know again what you’re thinking: “Well you are paying one of them and married to the other so…come on…how are they really gonna tell you if they like it or not!?”

Well- if they eat the entire plate I serve them- they like it.

If they rave about it- they really like it.

If Jordan texts me later about it…well then, it’s really a home run. (disclaimer- that hasn’t happened since the enchiladas… BUT Alex did say that this was – hands down- his #1 favorite recipe to date…soooooo)

But let’s get back to the real issue- a Turkey burger that will fill you up without weighing you down. You ready?

Let’s Get Wife’ed Up.

What You Need/grocery list:

a half pound of ground turkey breast. * I got mine from the Whole Foods counter
a half cup crumbled feta cheese
a small zucchini
half of a small yellow onion
about 3 kalamata olives- chopped up
a clove of roasted garlic (hit up your local deli salad bar for this OR take a bulb of garlic, drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on top, wrap in foil and roast in oven set at 400 for 45 mins)
salt and pepper and 1 tsp of ground parsley – dry is fine, if using fresh- mince it first- aka- cut it up super small
2 tsp vegetable oil
a grater

What To Do:

heat a large pan (not pot) on medium heat with about 2 tsps of vegetable oil
chop your half of an onion until it’s in small bits (or minced)- throw it in a big bowl
cut your zucchini in half- either long way or short. Grate the zucchini on the light side until you have about a cup’s worth or the whole thing is done- add it to the bowl
grate your garlic- this doesn’t produce a lot of garlic- and that’s ok. Add it to the bowl.
add the olive chop
take your turkey meat and dump it into the bowl
crumble the feta (if needed)- add it into the bowl
add the seasoning
use your hands and get duuuurty- mix everything together until you feel like it’s one big happy family
roll 3 (or so) balls of the meat into patties and flatten. Add them to the heated pan- which is now on LOW heat

let them cook for about 3 mins a side or until they are brown- but NOT burned. I normally flip them a few times to get an even patty.

brown, not blackened- ok?

cut into them with your spatula (or fork) and make sure there is no pink meat- if it’s all white/grey- it’s all good.
serve over greens, with a side of cucumber, or homemade “aioli”.

dare your “loves” to question how these Burger Babies can possibly be so healthy – yet taste SO fantastic.

Watch me sizzle these babies HERE

Holiday Or Anytime Kale Casserole

January 7, 2015January 14, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

WHOOPS- this Wifey was so busy that she forgot to post this totally killer Kale side dish recipe!!

Whateves, right? This dish works for any day of the week, holiday or not.

Disclaimer- it’s not healthy. At all. But, it’s a no-fail crowd pleaser and sometimes that’s more important.

My Aunt Judy’s spinach casserole was the muse for this meal and I added my own little Wifey twist.

This also makes a real serious dip if you wanna serve it with tortilla chips- carb city, population- your guests!

What You Need/Shopping List:

the fancy cheeses up the $ of this dish, but it should still be under $20…making it a special occasion dish.

4 laughing cow swiss cheese triangles
1/4 cup of goat cheese
1 bag of swiss cheese
a cup of Emmental cheese
1 bag of frozen kale, thawed and drained
a stick of butter
a cup of mayo
a medium yellow onion, chopped
two eggs
a bag of stuffing mix
a can or box of cream of mushroom soup
salt and pepper
a baking safe dish

What To Do:

preheat oven to 350 degrees

in a large bowl dump the; swiss, emmental, goat and laughing cow cheeses, mayo, eggs, onion and soup, mix with hands- until its one big mess.

DO NOT use a whisk- hands are much more effective

add a tsp of salt and pepper, mix and repeat
put butter into the microwave to melt (for around :15 seconds)

dump stuffing mix into a separate bowl, and pour butter into mix, combine

slowly add a little stuffing mix to the other mix a bit at a time until it’s all combined- saving about a half cup to crumble on top.
spoon mixture into baking dish, spread evenly and sprinkle the remaining stuffing/butter mixture on top

bake for 40 mins or until golden brown

ENJOY!

How cute is this cutting board!? My brother & sister in law got it for me.

Step By Step Video- here!

Wifey Detox Shilli (Soup/Chili)

December 17, 2014December 17, 2014 / thewifeykitchen / 1 Comment

Hey Wifey’s! Are the holidays killing anyone else’s waistline or is it just mine??

The parties, cocktails, endless apps and obligations- kill me now, right?!?

Here’s the Wifey Tip of the week; enjoy the party food and when you’re not spreading holiday cheer- whip up this Detox Shili to eat and share.

WIfey Detox Shilli (Soup/Chili)

What You Need:

two cans of fire roasted tomatoes * in the canned veggie isle*
a can of corn or bag of fire roasted corn *same isle or the freezer section- I love Trader Joe’s fire roasted frozen corn*
a can of kidney beans
a can of black beans
a can of navy beans
a can of chick peas
1/2 tsp of cumin or taco seasoning *in the seasoning or ethnic isle*
fresh rosemary, thyme and sage or dried- 1/4 tsp each
1 tsp salt
1tsp pepper
1/4 cup diced onion
2 tsp olive oil
parmesan cheese- shredded
a large pot

What To Do:

put the 2 tsp olive oil in the large pot and heat on low
open all cans
dump all ingredients into the large pot and stir

add cumin or taco seasoning packet, salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, thyme and stir
add a dash of cheese, if you wish…serve, and eat with no regrets

Cooking can be confusing-watch me make this here

Happy Gifting =’s Happy Wifey

November 25, 2014 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

Fra la la la laaaa!

Let’s be honest, finding the perfect gift is crazy stressful- especially if you wait till the last minute.

Before you reach for that pre-boxed generic gift (I mean think about it, would you EVER buy that in June!?)- check out some gifts that I think will bring a huge smile to any Wifey’s* face.

*reminder: Wifey is not literal, it’s a term for someone you really care about

HO HO WOAH!:

Kitchen I Pad Stand – $15.99. Alex got me one of these a while back, because I was getting food in his new laptop, and let me tell you – it’s a DREAM. Following recipes has never been so easy- or clean.

Customized Apron– $21.95. Add a photo of your pet or kids or an inside joke or something they always say while in the kitchen and this is a slam dunk.

Make Your Own Baby Food Kit– $69.99. Tired of hearing about how your family should be making your own baby food? This kit is an excuse-free way to start.

A Kick Ass Real Chefs Knife– $89.99. Every home Chef needs a real 8′ inch knife, and this one has been recommended to me several times by actual Chefs.

Sea Salt Sampler Kit– $32.00. Not only do these look pretty when set out in small salt cups, but they allow endless experimentation.

Coffee Mug Warmer– $9.99. What?! Genius! Does your honey drink their joe while getting ready in the bathroom? Have them plug this in next to their hair dryer for a warm and happy Wifey.

Jonathan Adler Salt and Pepper Shakers– $48. My guess is that if your Wifey likes to cook, they also love to entertain. Choose the set that most reflects your love.

And remember- creativity is key. When they cook is there something they always say they wish they had or needed? Just because it’s not glamourous doesn’t mean they won’t love it.

Happy Gifting!

xoxo- The Wifey

Edamame Side Piece Potato Mash

November 19, 2014November 19, 2014 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

Everyone needs a good side piece right? And dinner is no exception.

Here in Chicago it’s flipping freezing and all I want to do is dive face first into a pile of mac and cheese or mashed potatoes.

BUT- I’m going somewhere that requires a bikini for my birthday in two weeks and packing on extra winter lbs right now would be no bueno.

I try to eat 80% healthy and 20% “fun”…so coming up with healthy swaps is something I’ve been doing for a while.

Don’t worry- TheWifeyKitchen isn’t a health or diet blog- but I still like to throw in some low calorie recipes here and there. Cause hey- a Wifey’s gotta keep it tight , keep it right!

But back to that comfort food craving- after dreaming of mashed potatoes for at least an hour, I forced my brain to go to a healthier place and the Edamame Side Piece Potato Mash was born.

I used to be super afraid of words like “blender” and “food processor” and avoided recipes that used them…then I tried blender recipes and realized they were 10x easier. So don’t be scurrrred.

This mash is not only super duper healthy (the two V words *vegan and vegetarian* apply) it also is the perfect swap for fat filled mashed potatoes.

It makes a kick-ass side dish for dinner and looks a little fancy pants.

Per usual it’s simple. And cheap. Muah- let’s get wife’ed up!

Edamame Side Piece Potatoes, makes about 4 servings

it’s so easy being green

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 cup of shelled edamame – you can use part of a frozen bag or fresh edamame that’s been shelled
1/4 cup of pinto beans
2 medium to small potatoes
3 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper

WHAT TO DO:

fill two separate pots with water and heat till they boil
cut the potatoes in half, then quarters

quarters or whatever, just try to make them semi even

put a cup of edamame in one pot and the potatoes in the other and stir them every few mins until you can stick a fork in the potatoes and they are soft and edamame is also soft

really captivating photo of s*&t boiling, I know

while those are enjoying their hot tub, layer your 1/4 cup pinto beans and 3 tbs olive oil in the blender…add salt and a dash of pepper.
drain the pots and continue to layer until every ingredient is in your blender

kinda looks like thanksgiving dinner in a blender, no?

add more salt and a squeeze of lemon if you want
I used the puree button until things looked combined and whipped like this:

serve immediately , I used an ice cream scoop to make it look a little cool. You could also use a plastic ziplock , cut a hole in one end and squeeze it on the plate like a real diva…I say go for it.

Note- I added more salt at the end, but I really love my salt. You may not need to – OR you may want to add something else to yours…garlic? onion? Go on and get wild wifeys!

Note 2.0- My friend Lindsay requested I make a “grocery list” area so she can snap shot it on her phone, and pull it up easily at the grocery store. Your wifey wish is my command:

SHOPPING TIME!

BAG OF FROZEN EDAMAME- SHELLED OR FRESH SHELLED EDAMAME. FROZEN- FOUND IN FROZEN VEG SECTION, SOMETIMES IT CAN BE WITH ORGANIC FROZEN. FRESH- IN VEG ISLE- USUALLY WITH THE CUT UP AND PACKAGED PRODUCE
CAN OF PINTO BEANS- LOCATED IN THE ISLE WITH THE OTHER BEANS
2 MEDIUM POTATOES- LOCATED IN THE VEG ISLE NEAR ONIONS AND POTATOES
OLIVE OIL- IN THE OIL/SPICES ISLE

Creamy Dreamy Skinny Wifey Soup

November 17, 2014November 17, 2014 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

Not to be #basic- BUT OMG YOU GUYS I JUST LITERALLY MADE THE MOST AMAZING SOUP AND IT’S HEALTHY!!

Presenting….a Kale, Potato, Cauliflower soup that’s ; virtually fat-free, vegan and super healthy. Oh and its really flipping good too and beyond easy to make.

it's 21 degrees but this will make you feel COZY

it’s 21 degrees outside today but this will make you feel super duper cozy

Giddy Up!

WHAT YOU NEED:

a head of cauliflower- chopped roughly, stems thrown away
2 large potatoes – chopped into chunks (see photo later for reference)
half a yellow onion chopped
two bunches of kale, with the leaves pulled off stems thrown away, then the leaves are massaged in olive oil to break them down
3 or so cloves of garlic minced
2 tbs olive oil
4 cups veggie stock
around 4 cups of water- or enough to cover the stuff in the pot
4 stalks of celery diced
a lemon cut in half
salt and pepper to taste
a blender
a big pot

WHAT TO DO:

heat the pot and dump in the 2tbs of olive oil, the onion and garlic.

this pot is about to make magic happen

*Here’s a quickie on how to chop an onion*

cut the end off the onion but leave the other side in tact

slice the onion in half- the long way

BE CAREFUL as you place your non knife palm down on the top of the onion and use your knife to cut 3-4 sideways half moon cuts along the side of the onion

now turn the onion and make cuts the other way across the top (from top to bottom), but don’t cut all the way to the very bottom so it holds together while you cut

turn the onion to the side (like in step 1) and cut along the other cuts you just made- cutting right to left. This is how you dice an onion! * thanks Kendall Culinary for helping me learn!*

Let the onion and garlic “sweat” or brown for 2 mins or so, then dump in the cut potatoes, cauliflower, celery, veggie stock and water.

ignore the butter, I SWEAR I didn’t use it. This pic is to show you the size of the potato chunks

I basically cut the celery down the stalk into pieces this size

rough chopped cauliflower, potato and celery

Now it’s time for a massage…YES! For the kale- sorry- you need to book your own (you deserve it!). After you’ve pulled the leaf from the stem and put all the leaves in a bowl, douse them with olive oil and …well…massage them with clean hands until evenly coated and relaxed.

I used two of these bad boys

ooo lala see how much zexier this kale is after a good rubdown!?

Add the kale into the mix and stir. You can salt and pepper with every big stir.

massage!?! we want a belly rub!

Once this pot is boiling, turn the heat to a simmer and cover with a lid.

You’re going to have about 35 mins to do whatever you need to do; set the table, get the blender out, jump in the shower, stalk your crush on instagram- no judgement!
After about 35-40 mins your potatoes and cauliflower will be nice and soft- it’s time to get that blender ready.

I’m an ugly ducking now, but watch me become the zexiest swan EVER in a hot second.

Transfer equal amounts of stuff and liquid to the blender but ONLY FILL IT 3/4 the way.
Squeeze the juice of one half of the lemon, add salt and pepper.
Now puree that stuff like the bad b#$ch you are until it looks even (takes about 30 seconds).

what a transformation!

Now, pour that into a bowl and repeat with remaining soup.
Serve with bread, crackers or pizza- cause this stuff is GUILT free!!!

Pimento Party Till Noon Cheese

October 28, 2014November 6, 2014 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

If you’re anything like me- then you love the holidays – BUT hosting or coming up with the perfect app to bring to parties can be super stressful, no?

Well, I don’t claim to be Giadia 2.0- BUT – this Wifey Pimento Cheese Dip is both a party vixen and brunch bombshell all rolled into one.

Bring/Serve the dip and take your Grilled Cheese Sando to the next level by stuffing bread with the WPCD the next day. Either way- everyone wins.

AND if you care- my recipe is a healthier version…so you can indulge guilt free.

What You Need:

For The Pimento Cheese Dip-

2 cups light cheddar or mixed light cheese blend
4 oz light cream cheese
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/8 cup light mayo
1/2 a small jar of pimentos – diced- with liquid
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce of choice
salt, pepper and cayenne to taste

What To Do:

mix all the above together until it’s a big bowl of awesome
serve with: celery, corn chips, chips or crackers

The Day After:

warm butter in a pan
place two slices of bread and coat
take a scoop of Wifey Pimento Cheese and put it in the middle of a slice
cover with the other slice
flip back and forth until each side is browned
enjoy and make more

NEED MORE HELP ? CHECK OUT THE STEP BY STEP VIDEO:

The.wifey.kitchen

"She's more than my girl , she's my wifey"

The Wifey Kitchen

Wifey Does Valentine’s Day Brunch!

Slow Cooker BBQ WIFEY WUT UP Chicken

The Wifey’s SUPER BOWL of Enchilada Pie

The Wifey’s Low Carb- Super Skinny Turkey Burgers

Holiday Or Anytime Kale Casserole

Wifey Detox Shilli (Soup/Chili)

Happy Gifting =’s Happy Wifey

Edamame Side Piece Potato Mash

Creamy Dreamy Skinny Wifey Soup

Pimento Party Till Noon Cheese

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go