I love to cook. Always have, always will. Probably because I love to eat, and the two hobbies tend to go hand-in-hand. And while I truly enjoy every minute spent in the kitchen, 90% of the time it's not until 7pm or later before I finally get home to start dinner. So when it comes food, I like my recipes how I like my gossip; quick, to the point, and maybe a little spicy.
Lately, I've been highlighting some of my favorite dinner ideas on Instagram. (If you missed any, give me a follow and check out my story highlights!) I didn't think too much of it until people started continuously asking for the recipes, and commenting how much they enjoyed watching me make food. Then when another friend added, "You know, you should just write a blog post." well, it doesn't get any clearer than that.
So let's DIG IN! Below are SIX of the past dinners enjoyed at the Wellman household and links to the original recipes. Give them a try, let me know what you think, and if you have any go-to favorites you want to share I'm all ears!
What you need:
6 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup uncooked orzo
1 cup shredded carrots
1 1/2 cups uncooked asparagus, snapped to bite size pieces
1 cups frozen broccoli
4 medium scallions, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped
2 tbs lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
What to do:
1. Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.
2. Add orzo and carrots; boil 7 minutes.
3. Add asparagus and frozen broccoli; boil until orzo and vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, stir in scallions, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
What you need:
2 golden delicious apples, cored and diced
2 kiwi, peeled and diced
2 8 oz raspberries, roughly chopped or smashed
1 16 oz strawberries, diced
2-3 tbs fruit preserves, any flavor
Dash of brown sugar
What to do:
Chop, dice, and slice your fruits. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, apples, raspberries, strawberries, and fruit preserves. If you think it needs a little more sweetness, sprinkle brown sugar in and mix well. I think it's served best with cinnamon and sugar pita chips!
What you need:
2 sweet potatoes, chopped
3 tbs olive oil, divided
1 cup bell peppers, chopped
1 cup uncooked rice
1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 tbs lime juice (optional)
Optional toppings: shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, scallions
What to do:
1. In a large skillet over med-high heat, combine 2 tbs olive oil with all the sweet potatoes, and saute for about 6-8 minutes until tender.
2. Add remaining oil, peppers, and rice.
3. Cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Then add tomatoes, black beans, corn, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and broth. Give everything a good stir, bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 10-15 min, or until the liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked.
5. Remove from heat, stir in lime juice, top with cheese so it gets nice and melty. Top with whatever you want and enjoy!
What you need:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup dry quinoa
1/4 tsp dry thyme
2 1/2 cups chopped broccoli florets
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
What to do:
1. Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over med-high heat. Once hot, add onion and saute 2 minutes.
2. Add chicken and cook 2 1/2 min stirring occasionally.
3. Add garlic and saute 1 min longer.
4. Add broth, quinoa, and thyme and season with salt and pepper.
5. Bring to a full boil then cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 12 min.
6. Lift the lid, sprinkle broccoli over top, recover and simmer about 8 min longer until quinoa and broccoli have cooked through.
7. Sprinkle cheese over top, cover and let melt 1-2 minutes.
What you need:
3 tbs olive oil
3 cups yellow onions, chopped
1 tbs minced garlic
4 cups chicken stock
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
Large pinch of saffron
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup uncooked orzo
1/2 cup heavy cream
What to do:
1. In a large pot or dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add onions and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.
3. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
4. Stir in chicken stock, orzo, tomatoes, saffron, 1 tbs salt and 1 tsp pepper.
5. Bring to boil then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Stir in the cream, and let soup continue to simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently, until the pasta is cooked.
What you need:
6 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers
2 cans of chicken chunks in water (or 2 cooked chicken breasts)
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 6.25 oz jar of pesto
What to do:
1. Turn on broiler to high. Place bell peppers under broiler and broil for 5 minutes on each side until skin blisters and begins to turn black. (This step is completely optional. Just a lil something extra!)
2. Remove peppers from oven, set aside. Preheat oven to 350.
3. In a medium-size mixing bowl combine chicken, 1 cup of cheese, pesto and quinoa. Toss to coat.
4. Once peppers are cool enough to handle, cut in half and remove insides and seeds. Add 1/4 cup of chicken mixture to each pepper and top with cheese.
5. Bake 10 minutes, then serve.
There's something about taking simple ingredients and creating a delicious and comforting meal that I adore. I'm not a brilliant chef, nor do I make anything mind-blowing, but I can follow a recipe and have been known to whip up some pretty great dinners with whatever happens to be on hand.
So stay tuned! I'm sure they'll be even more mouth-watering recipes to share in the near future.
Still hungry? There's more to dig into on the FOOD - RECIPES page.
