Mini Buffalo Chicken Muffins

I told you that I was traveling a lot this fall for job interviews. And I started 2014 with another trip. This one for a scientific conference. Traveling can completely exhaust you because you are not on your normal schedule and you are living out of suitcases and you are not sleeping in your own bed.

I have concluded the thing that will make or break my travel is not the delayed flights, nor the eating out so often, nor the lack of a DVR for my normal TV shows. No, it is the heater or air conditioner in the hotel room. I LOVE a new hotel that has renovated and installed real thermostats. The ones that you can set at a temperature and they will only kick the heat on if necessary. I HATE the old heaters that are either on or off with no real control of the temperature, hot or hotter or cold or colder. When I was on this last trip, this was completely cemented in my mind. It was cold in the mountains of New Mexico so I turned on the heater in my room (low and towards the hot). I fell asleep for a few hours to awake in a completely dry heat where I couldn't breathe. So I flipped the heat off, chugged some water, and climbed back into bed. I awake after another hour or so completely freezing! I tried and tried to adjust the temperature to get a happy medium but to no avail; I was stuck every night jumping up to either turn on or off (multiple times) the stupid heater.

Ah well. It just makes you appreciate your own home so much more. I am thankful that I do not travel all of the time. I love my comfy pillow top bed and thermostat that keeps it a perfect 66F so I can cuddle under my blankets and sleep.

Enough of the story time, Julie; get on to the food! Today we are making and eating delicious mini buffalo chicken muffins. Technically I made them for a party a few months ago, but give me a break okay? I just told you had been traveling a lot. But really, you need to make these. Like today. Or maybe on February 2nd for the Super Bowl. They are perfect buffalo chicken bites--- loaded with buffalo sauce, blue cheese, and green onions. Make sure you follow the instructions and wait until they have rested for at least 15 minutes before you try to remove them from the pan. They need to set otherwise you will make a disaster in your kitchen. And I'm not volunteering for clean-up duty!

Mini Buffalo Chicken Muffins (adapted from The Noble Pig)
Ingredients:
3 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, finely diced
3/4 cup buffalo sauce
1/4 cup ranch dressing
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz blue cheese crumbles
1 celery stick, minced
3 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
4 tbsp chopped green onion (just green part)
1 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray mini muffin pan(s) with cooking spray.

Mix together the chicken, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, cream cheese, blue cheese, and celery until completely combined. Note: this will be easiest if the cream cheese is at room temperature.

Mix together the panko, parmesan cheese, and green onion. Drizzle in the melted butter and mix with a fork until all of the breadcrumbs are moistened.

Scoop rounded tbsp of the panko mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup. Press down with your fingers, making a crust. Spoon a rounded tbsp of the chicken mixture into each cup. Sprinkle with additional panko mixture.

Bake about 25-30 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and cool in pan for at least 15 minutes to let set. Gentle lift each muffin out of the pan.

Make 48 mini-muffins.

Chicken Week- Day 4- Buffalo Chicken Salad

Let's be honest. Did you really think I could make it through a week of chicken without throwing in some buffalo sauce? Of course not! I know that I already posted the best chicken salad but this one is giving it a run for its money. Creamy buffalo and yogurt sauce with crunchy carrots and celery. Plus blue cheese.

Sign me up.

1 million times over.

Buffalo Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
1 cup diced cooked chicken
1 celery stalk, diced
4 baby carrots, thinly sliced
1 green onion, diced
1/8 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2-2 tbsp buffalo sauce


Directions:
In a bowl, toss together the chicken, celery, carrots, green onion, and blue cheese. Mix together the yogurt and buffalo sauce in another bowl, then pour over the chicken mixture and stir together.

Serve as a sandwich or wrap with lettuce and tomato. Or serve on crackers or pita chips. Or eat with a spoon. No judgement here.

Buffalo Quinoa Casserole

It is no secret that I love buffalo sauce. A buffalo sauce pool? Let me grab my swimsuit and floaties. A buffalo flavored cocktail? I'll have a double! A buffalo fountain at my wedding one day? Um.. hello?! Is that the best idea or what? There is just something about that orange sauce that makes my heart jump up and down.

You've probably noticed though that most buffalo recipes involve chicken. Although I have been known to thrown it on a burger or into an enchilada before. Regardless, I was starting to feel bad for all of those vegetarians out there... you are all missing out on this delicious buffalo sauce. Unless of course you're drinking it by the spoonful, then I'm just standing in awe of your greatness. Right now is the time for you to trade your spoon for a baking dish and fork and MAKE THIS QUINOA CASSEROLE. Oh my, so delicious I CANNOT stand it. Why oh why is this not on my dinner plans again for tonight? The cauliflower adds some body to the casserole and the quinoa all the goodie good nutrients. The buffalo sauce, yogurt and mix of blue and cheddar cheeses makes the flavor out of this world.

Now, don't ask me what to do if you are a vegan. I'm not sure yet. I'll get back to you.... but we'll get a little buffalo into your life sooner or later ;)

Buffalo Quinoa Casserole (adapted from Back to her Roots)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup vegetable broth (homemade or low-sodium store-bought)
1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 tbsp buffalo sauce
2 tbsp Greek yogurt
2 tbsp diced onion
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 cup roughly chopped cauliflower
1/8 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat an individual baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine the quinoa and broth in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, approximately 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the buffalo sauce, yogurt, onion, garlic salt, cauliflower, blue cheese, and 1/8 cup cheddar cheese in a medium bowl. After the quinoa finishes cooking, add it to the bowl and mix until combined. Spoon into baking dish and top with the remaining 1/8 cup cheddar cheese.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until cheese is browned and cauliflower is soft.

Serves 1.

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas

Hello?

Hi?

Hey there?

OH, HELLO!


I heard you calling me but I just couldn't get to you. I'm sorry. I promise I wasn't standing you up. I just had prior commitments (aka work related things) that were taking up my every waking moment. Truthfully, I have lots to be doing right this minute, but I've been slacking on this part of my life for too long... umm hello? 3 posts in March and I'm just getting a 4th April post in on the last day. Don't worry though. I haven't been surviving solely on coffee and popcorn (although they have been staples in my life), I've still been cooking lots of yummy dishes. You just wait. You'll see.

Exhibit A: buffalo chicken enchiladas. I mean, should I really say more? You should already be slipping on your shoes and heading to the store for supplies. As always, buffalo anything rocks my world. Let it rock yours too.

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas (adapted from How Sweet It Is)
Ingredients:
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (breast and/or thigh)
1/2 cup finely diced orange pepper (or yellow or red)
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
10 oz can red enchilada sauce
1/2 cup buffalo sauce
3/4 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola (or other blue cheese)
6 flour tortillas (I used whole wheat)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat a 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray.

In a small bowl combine the enchilada and buffalo sauces. In another bowl, combine the chicken, pepper, red onion, 1/4 cup Monterrey Jack cheese and 1/4 cup gorgonzola. Add about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce and mix completely.

Pour a small amount of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Fill each tortilla with a few tablespoons for the chicken mixture and roll, placing in the dish seam side down. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and top with the rest of the Monterrey Jack.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and top with the rest of the gorgonzola cheese. Garnish with additional parsley and red onions and sour cream.

Serves 2-3.

You say hello and I say goodbye.... just hopefully for not as long this time.

Boneless Buffalo Wings

Show of hands:

Who loves Bdubs?

Who loves a boneless buffalo wing?


Well, for one two-- my parents. They are kinda regulars at their local Buffalo Wild Wings. I accompanied them once when I was visiting and the waitress brought over their diet cokes as soon as they sat down; they also proceeded to show her pictures of their grandbaby, my niece.

My mom bought one of their bottles of sauce and they tossed it with some grilled chicken to get their flavor fix at home. Sounds good, right? I think so. However, when they were visiting last my dad mentioned how he wished they could get the breaded boneless buffalo wing taste using the sauce without just simply dipping a chicken nugget into the sauce. Oh, I said, that's easy. Just make "the crunchiest baked chicken nuggets of your life" and substitute in your desired sauce for the egg white.

So they went home, tried it out, and reported back yummy success. Of course, I had to reproduce it in my kitchen. And now we have unanimous positive votes.

So do it up. Pick up your fav bottle of buffalo wing sauce (doesn't have to be from Bdubs) and start creating. A plus is that they are baked instead of fried (aka totally healthy).

Serve with some ranch or blue cheese dressing and carrot and celery sticks, turn on a football game and you'll forget you're at home.

Boneless Buffalo Wings (adapted from The Crunchiest Baked Chicken Nuggets)
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch pieces

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

dash of salt

1 tbsp peanut oil (or other vegetable oil)

1/2 cup flour 

2-3 tbsp buffalo sauce 
1 tsp water

Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Spread panko on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown, approximately 6 minutes. Transfer to a shallow dish and stir in salt.

Whisk together the buffalo sauce and water. Place the flour in a shallow dish.

Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray.

In batches, coat the chicken in flour, shaking off the excess, dip in buffalo sauce and then coat with panko, pressing to adhere. Place on wire rack.

Bake until the chicken in cooked through, 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Serves 4.

P.S. Next time I'm making these into a buffalo chicken salad. Or maybe a buffalo chicken wrap. SO MANY CHOICES! :)

Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese (for a crowd)

I mentioned it earlier this week, but last weekend I traveled to NC for Scott's birthday. This was not the only thing that we celebrated. Every year during the first weekend in October, Durham hosts a World of Beer Beerfest. I've attended for now 5 of the past 6 years (I skipped out last year because I was writing that blasted thesis). Beerfest is a great event to try a number of different beers from all over the world. You get to see a lot of microbreweries as well as new and different flavors from the ones you see on tap and on shelves everywhere. During my first Beerfest, I voted for Sam Adams Irish Red to become a widely distributed flavor (it won!). This year my favorite beer was from a Durham local brewery, Bull City Burger, called Bountiful Backyard Ale; it had a very strong flavor of jalapenos! Now I gotta figure out if I can get it somewhere in IL or if I'm going to have get it shipped here... :)

Being back for Beerfest reminded me of all the fun times I've had there. Wanna take a trip down memory lane with me?

Cheers!

Friends travel from SC to celebrate Beerfest!

Sometimes you need rainboots for the muddy ground at Beerfest!

Packed beer tents.

Aww. Delicious beer in the sun.

Pretzel necklaces are a necessity!

Lots of fun with great friends

Sadly none of the above pictures are from this year. I was off my picture-taking game, apparently...


Anyway, because of Beerfest a number of our other friends were back in NC as well. It was great to see so many people from grad school and catch up on life while drinking some beers. We started the weekend out by grilling at some of our friends' new house. I made Scott look through my Pinterest account and pick out something for us to make and share. He chose this jalapeno popper mac and cheese. We adapted the recipe quite a bit to increase the amount, removed the chicken since we were serving it as a side, and lightened it with half and half instead of heavy cream.

This is quite an indulgent dish, but as I kept saying all weekend, calories don't count during Beerfest weekend (or if you eat while you are standing up). So make it for your next picnic or to share over some football on Sunday or to get your stomach expanded in time for the holidays.

I apologize for the half-eaten picture. Scott's job (besides making sure that the bacon didn't burn and crushing the goldfish) was to remind me to take a picture before we left his house. He forgot. So did I. But I think since I took this picture about 20 minutes after we arrived at the party, you can get a good idea of how much everyone enjoyed it.

Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese (significantly adapted from Lauren's Latest)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs elbow macaroni noodles
6 slices bacon (plus 3 tbsp bacon grease after cooking)
1 large onion, diced
3-4 jalapenos, diced
1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter
9 tbsp flour
3 1/2 cups 2% or whole milk
1/2 cup half and half
salt and pepper, to taste
4 oz Neufchatel cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese)
1/4 cup hot sauce (I used Frank's buffalo sauce)
4 cups Mexican four blend shredded cheese
1 1/2 cups crushed cheddar cheese goldfish (or other cheese cracker)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Boil the macaroni noodles for approximately 2 minutes less than the package indicates. You don't want them to be too soft because they will cook more in the oven. Drain and return pot to stove.

Meanwhile, cut the bacon into small pieces using kitchen shears and then cook over medium heat in a skillet until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels. Discard all except approximately 3 tbsp of bacon grease. Add the onion and jalapeno to the grease and cook until tender.

Melt the butter over medium heat in the large pot in which you cooked the pasta. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and half and half and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce thickens about 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the neufchatel cheese and hot sauce until melted and mixed completely. Stir in the onions and jalapenos and 3 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese. Add the drained pasta and mix completely. Pour the pasta mixture into a large baking dish has been coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the last 1/2 cup shredded cheese on top. Coat with the crushed crackers and crumbled bacon.

Bake about 30 minutes until hot through.

Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Breasts

I'm not sure I've told you about my obsession with everything buffalo flavored. Whenever I'm at a new restaurant, my eyes (and stomach) are automatically attracted to a buffalo chicken sandwich or salad or something equivalent. Currently my fridge is home to 2 open bottles of buffalo sauce.

Scott is also a fan of buffalo chicken. He is a little weird, however, because for some reason he doesn't like blue cheese. For me, and so many others, these two flavors go hand-in-hand. So, when I can across this stuffed buffalo chicken breasts on one of food blogs I read regularly, I knew it would be a perfect recipe to make when Scott was visiting. Because of his aversion to blue cheese, I substituted Swiss cheese, but you could definitely go more traditional with the blue cheese. I'm certain it would be great.

This recipe is fairly easy and quite delicious for those buffalo-aphiles like Scott and me. :)

Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Breasts (adapted from Skinny Taste)
Ingredients:
1 large chicken breast, cut in half and pounded thinly
1/8 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 wedges of light Laughing Cow Swiss cheese
1/4 cup minced celery
1/8 cup minced green onion
1/4 cup minced carrot
salt and pepper, to taste
8 saltine crackers, crushed
1/2 tbsp light mayo
4 tbsp buffalo sauce (I used Frank's buffalo sauce)
1 tsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp garlic powder
cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine the cheeses, celery, onion, carrot, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Lay out the chicken breast halves and split the mixture evenly between the two spreading out through the center. Roll the chicken, starting with one of the skinnier sides, to encase the filling and secure with 2 toothpicks each.

Place the cracker crumbs in a shallow dish. Combine the mayo and 1 tbsp buffalo sauce in another shallow dish. Working one at a time, roll the chicken in the buffalo sauce mixture followed by the cracker crumbs. Place seam down in the prepared baking dish. Spray the top of the chicken with cooking spray.

Bake 30-35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Combine the remaining 3 tbsp of buffalo sauce with the butter and garlic powder. Drizzle over the chicken breast and serve.

Chicken Pot Pie- Buffalo Style

When I was growing up, I was not a fan of chicken pot pie. I didn’t like the super dry crusts filled with blandly seasoned meat and vegetables. Plus the peas… I was not a fan of peas. Oh how the times change. I’ve come to like peas (although they are still not a go-to vegetable for me; I prefer them when mixed with other vegetables). As for the pot pie situation, they have really grown on me as well. However, the pie MUST be homemade; you know, with a homemade crust and everything. They are just SOOO much better than the ones you find in the frozen section of the grocery store. I’ve made a few different pot pies- normal chicken, bbq chicken, biscuit crusted, etc. By far my favorite has been this buffalo chicken pot pie. I simply LOVE anything buffalo flavored so I was on board as soon as I saw the idea on Rachael Ray’s website. I changed the recipe up a bit using a more traditional crust in place of the cornbread. Plus, I took inspiration from my favorite sandwich at Devine’s bar in Durham, NC (the Immaculate Reception--grilled chicken with buffalo sauce and American cheese) by adding American cheese into the mix. Certainly not necessary but I had it and I thought, why not? Turned out AMAZING!! If you don’t like bleu cheese, you could certainly replace it with more American or add something with a little more flavor like gouda or pepper jack. Hmmm... I may need to try that out next time.

Just FYI, I made this into 4 individual pies and froze the extra for another time. To be completely honest, they may even be better after allowing extra time to soak up all the juicy flava-flav in the freezer. Because I was freezing them, I didn’t put any crust on the bottom of the pie in case it would get soggy (and truthfully, this usually ends up being too much crust for me), but if you like a crusty pot pie, you’ll have to double the crust recipe. 

Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:

For crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 dashes salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 stick butter, cut into 1″ pieces
1/4 cup ice water

For filling:
1 lb chicken, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles
1/2 cup American cheese, shredded or torn
1/2 cup Buffalo sauce
1 tbsp flour

Directions:
To make crust, combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter and shortening using a pastry cutter or forks. Add ice water (you may need more than indicated above) and form into a ball with your hands. Cover with saran wrap and chill in fridge for at least 30 min.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Cook chicken in a skillet until no longer pink. Remove chicken from heat and put into a large bowl. Add veggies to skillet and cook until tender, about 5 min. Add veggies to chicken. Add cheeses to chicken and veggies in bowl. Combine the buffalo sauce and flour in the skillet and mix until thickened. Add sauce to bowl and mix everything thoroughly. Spoon into pot pie pans (either 4 small pans or 1 large one).

Roll out dough and cut into appropriate sizes to fit over pie tin. Cover pie tin and cut a few slits in the dough. Bake for 25-30 min.

To freeze: Cover with foil and place in freezer. Either thaw during the day and bake 350 for 35-40 min, or from frozen bake 425 for 45-60 min.