Chicken & Avocado Spaghetti with Garlic Bread

"Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti"- Sophia Loren 

Growing up in California, I was exposed to some of the freshest produce around, especially avocados. My mom and most of my closest friends were all avocado addicts, but something about them freaked me out... I think they were too green with an odd creamy texture that just threw me. However, during my freshman year of college a friend of mine forced me to eat an avocado. Since then I have become the biggest advocate of avocados. I'm always looking for new ways to incorporate avocados into my diet (smoothies, grilled cheese, etc.) because they are so ridiculously good for you. 

 A couple months ago, I came across a recipe for an avocado pasta that I had to try. With a few minor tweaks and additions avocado pasta is now one of my favorite recipes. You all need to try this, you won't be disappointed. 

And honestly, what Italian inspired meal is complete without garlic bread? 

Avocado Spaghetti:

What You Need: 

• 1/2 pound spaghetti 
• 1.5 ripe avocados 
• 1 spoonful of lemon juice 
• 1 spoonful of lime juice
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 tablespoon of pesto
• 1/4 cup Italian cheese blend
• red pepper flakes for seasoning
• chicken breast 

How to Make:

• Cook your spaghetti until done
• Cook your chicken on medium heat seasoned with garlic and lemon 
• Blend the peeled avocado with the olive oil, garlic, lemon/lime juice, and pesto until smooth

 

• Coat the spaghetti with the avocado mixture and season to taste with cheese and red pepper flakes

Garlic Bread

What You Need:

• French or Italian loaf of bread cut horizontally 
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 4 cloves of diced garlic
• 2 tbsp of parsley
• 1/4 cup of italian cheese blend (I use fontina, parmesan, and mozzarella) 

How to Make:

• soften your butter and mix in the garlic and parsley
• cover your bread in the butter mixture

• preheat your oven to 350 degrees
• cook the bread in the oven for 10 minutes
• sprinkle the cheese over the bread and cook for another 5 minutes (wait for the cheese to start to bubble and the edges of the bread to darken)

• Let it cool, cut it up, and serve 

Enjoy!

Cheers X

Chicken Fajitas

"We all eat. It would be a sad waste of opportunity to eat badly."- Anna Thomas

I recently spent a week in beautiful Cancun. I went on Spring Break with some of my best friends and we were lucky enough to stay in a gorgeous time share (honestly, how many college kids get three rooms for 5 girls where everyone gets their own bed?). Major thank you to my beautiful friend who let us all come along. 

The view from our suite

Flowers & sunrise on the resort

 Anyway, we had a great time and made plenty of great memories...despite the Barra Libres (or perhaps because of the barra libres).

 However, once we got back to school I realized just how much I missed the food- especially since we actually ate guacamole with every single meal.

In all honesty, I eat mexican food at least once a week. When I learned I was going to school on the East Coast (where the mexican food isn't exactly up to California standards),  I decided to learn how to make one of my favorite mexican dishes--Chicken Fajitas! And now, I am going to share that recipe with you!

Chicken Fajitas

What you need (serves 2-3):

• 3 pieces of chicken breast
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 orange bell pepper
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper
• 1/4 onion
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 3 tbsp limes juice 
• 6 flour tortillas

Optional:

• shredded cheese
• guacamole
• sour cream
• black/refried beans 
• salsa

How to Make:

• Marinate your chicken in 1/4 cup of olive oil, crushed garlic, and the lime juice (30 minutes)

• Chop up your onions and bell peppers into thin strips while the chicken is marinating

Cut into 1/2 inch strips

• Use 1/8 cup of oil on a medium sized pan over medium heat. Beware of the sizzling oil! 
• cook your chicken until completely white in the center (approx. 10 minutes)
• Wrap your tortillas in foil and place in your oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F

• In a separate pan, use the remaining olive oil over medium high heat and cook your peppers and onions (approx. 4 minutes) 

• Move your vegetables into the skillet with the chicken and toss the ingredients for two minutes
• Serve the chicken vegetable medley with whatever optional ingredients you enjoy 

Cheese, always cheese

• Wrap everything in a tortilla

Enjoy! Especially if you serve with a pitcher of margaritas! 

Also, I love to cook while blasting music, and today I started listening to a new group that I cannot get enough of. One of my good friends recommends music for me pretty regularly, and he is great at it. He emailed me a couple weeks ago about a band called The Oh Hello's and they are fantastic. I love having friends that totally get my musical tastes. Check them out and see if you're as into them as I am.

Cheers X

Shrimp and Garlic Pasta

"Life is a combination of magic and pasta." - Federico Fellini

One of the last times I was home my dad introduced me to this pasta. It is insanely simple and delicious. I have altered the original recipe to have a little bit more of a kick and to include shrimp. As a college student, I am always looking for good simple recipes that can be kept as leftovers. This recipe is perfect for that. 

Olive Oil, Garlic, & Shrimp Spaghetti 

What You Need (serves two): 

• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 pound of spaghetti 
• 6 cloves of garlic (everything is better with garlic)
• Red pepper flakes (up to you, I'm heavy handed with the red pepper)
• 15 large deveined shrimp 
• 2 tsp chopped parsley 
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 tsp garlic powder 

How to Make: 

Spaghetti & Sauce: 

•  Boil a large pot of water. Once the water starts to boil, add the spaghetti and cook approx.9 minutes.  Drain, and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
• While the spaghetti is cooking, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Add the garlic & red pepper flakes and saute for 1 minute or until it sizzles.  Continue sauteeing until the edges of the garlic just begin to brown.
• Add the pasta water and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stiring occasionally.
• Turn the heat down to medium-low, then add the drained pasta and parsley.  Toss until the pasta has absorbed most of the liquid, about 3 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Crush cloves with the flat side of a blade

A solid handful of spaghetti is approx. 1/2 pound

Pasta and garlic

Garlic, red peppers, and olive oil

Shrimp:  

• Marinate your shrimp in lime juice, olive oil, red pepper flakes and garlic powder for 15 minutes
• Heat olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp. (I always cook shrimp in a mix of oil, lime juice, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes)
• Cook shrimp until they are pink on both sides (around 11 minutes)
• Add shrimp to the spaghetti

Sizzling Shrimp in a lime, garlic, red pepper, olive oil medley 

Enjoy! 

Featured Fashion: Key Necklace

Cheers X