Hibachi Rice Bowls

We are not hibachi connoisseurs but it was such a fun family birthday celebration for a special 9 year-old so I remembered these flavors and made them into rice bowls. A good rice bowl is customizable with a grain and has something raw, something cooked, and a special sauce.

Ours have rice, teriyaki chicken, sautéed zucchini, shredded carrot, and a yum yum sauce – which was just yum to one kid, and not at all yum to the other. Theirs was on the side so don’t worry to much about them.

Hibachi Rice Bowls
Ingredients: (for ~4)

1 1/2 cups rice + water/broth
1 pound of chicken, chopped into bite size chunks
1/4 cup of teriyaki sauce
1 zucchini
1-2 carrots
1/2 cup mayo
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon melted butter
1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
Cook the rice + water/broth. Mine went in the pressure cooker for 8 minutes.
Marinate the chicken in the teriyaki sauce while the rice cooks. Chop the zucchini and grate the carrot.
Heat a large pan to medium heat. Add in a drizzle of vegetable/canola/avocado oil. Cook the chicken until cooked through with an internal temperature of 165-degrees.
Mix up the yum yum sauce with mayo, vinegar, ketchup, melted butter, spices.

Whisk together and refrigerate until serving.

Assemble the bowls as you wish – the kids wanted everything separate.

These were good – though I haven’t cracked the code on the restaurant yum yum sauce. I love how sweet it is – especially with the teriyaki but I wonder if theirs isn’t ketchup/paprika flavored…more turmeric/orange?

These won’t be our most requested, but I was glad for variety of flavors, and after a busy day it was a good dinner. Here are others – Italian themed rice bowls are always a hit, and the coconut rice/pineapple/pulled pork or kielbasa is my personal favorite.

Nacho Average Nachos

These were such a fun way to vary taco night. We had different chips, different cheeses, and beans. I topped them with pickled onions and then we had salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and elote street corn.

Nacho Average Nachos
Ingredients: (for 4)

flavored tortilla chips (mine were some local ones at my grocery store El Nacho – Hot Honey, Mango, & Lime)
Refried black beans
1/4 cup white queso dip
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
pickled onions
salsa

Directions:
Warm the black beans and add a splash of water to make it spoonable.
Preheat the oven to 400-degrees.
Spread a layer of chips and top with shredded cheeses, queso, spoonfuls of beans.

Put into the oven for just 2-3 minutes to melt.
Remove from the oven, and build another layer. Add it back to the oven to melt and crisp.
Repeat for another layer and top with salsa and extra cheese.

Add pickled onions and any toppings you choose!
Enjoy!

These were really good. 3 out of 4 of us ate them. We had street corn, some tiny quesadillas, and more chips so there was something for everyone – always the goal. Later I thought about a spicy ranch drizzle which would be fun! I’d also for for chopped tomatoes.

These chips are amazing. They were a touch sweet but not spicy to us. Sometimes we get the tortilla chips made in house at the grocery store. The layers getting a quick chance to melt is the key to good nachos so there aren’t all naked chips at the bottom!

Whipped Cottage Cheese Dip with Honey & Pistachios

No need to like cottage cheese for this – I sure don’t! This dip is smooth, the way it should be. There’s honey and crunchy pistachios. Swap in hot honey or any nut or seeds.

Whipped Cottage Cheese Dip with Honey & Pistachios
Ingredients: (serves 4)

1 cup cottage cheese
2 tablespoons honey
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
dash of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped

Directions:
Add cottage cheese, half the honey, olive oil, and chili flakes to a food processor or blender.
Blend until smooth.
Spoon into a bowl and top with honey and nuts.
Serve with crackers. Enjoy!

This is so good. It hits all the marks for texture, subtle spice, and sweetness.

Greek Chicken Hot Wraps

I love to burrito-ize all my favorite flavors and it worked great for a Greek twist! I took grain-bowl ingredients and made it into another hot wrap – like these others that have come before: Buffalo Chicken Burritos; Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Burritos; Thanksgiving Hot Wraps; French Onion Burritos; and others.

Greek Chicken Hot Wraps
Ingredients: (for 2)

2 burrito size wraps
1/2 cooked cup rice/grain
1 teaspoon oregano or zaatar or mixed spice
1 cup roasted chicken
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped cucumbers
1/4 cup feta cheese
~3 tablespoons creamy Caesar dressing
2 tablespoons Greek dressing/Italian dressing/oil & red wine vinegar

Directions:
Warm the grain and the chicken, if not already warmed through.
Chop & mix the veggies with the cheese.
Assemble the burritos with rice on the bottom, then chicken, then dressings, and veggies.

Preheat a skillet with olive oil or non-stick spray to medium heat.
Fold the sides in and roll the burritos tucking the filling in.
Pan sear to crisp the outside.

Slice & enjoy!
I loved this and will 100% make them again. The cucumber is still crisp but it isn’t cold so proceed knowing that. Swap with greens or olives or red onions or anything you’re happier with when slightly warm.

September Recap 2024

September brings a lot of big feelings. I love the start of fall, but the anxiety of new routines is a lot. We celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary, got back to soccer and fall baseball. I’m ready for some fall temps after some summer-like days. I had a great time cooking a bunch of Italian-ish dishes this month:

First, I made a Pizza Burger and the pepperoni ground into it makes it.

Next I was into a Caprese Quiche after my quiche take out lunch was never delivered at work. It was really simple but great flavors and so helpful to freeze a few slices.

Then, I chopped an Italian Sub and loved every bite.

Finally, I gave the Italian Grain Bowls a little refresh from 2017 and this time it was based on some tomato orzo (which the little eaters gave mixed reviews but both ate).

October brings a little calmness as we’ve all settled and aren’t still sweating! I’m thinking about a few apps and a quick dinner option for the nights we’re fitting in practices. I can’t wait to see what they pick for Halloween!

The Big Kid:
He’s starting trombone lessons for band at school! We were so excited and I loooove seeing him try new things. Fall baseball is….interesting – we like a more chill/less serious chance to play but there are so many kids in different combos each week that the coaches don’t know names. He’s loving 4th grade and being the bigger kids “on campus”.

The Littler One:
She FINALLY has a wiggly tooth! We are eagerly awaiting first tooth fairy visit. She’s starting to settle at school but doesn’t know many kids yet and she’s tired of being new again. Soccer has been great to see her be fully into it – running the whole time, ready, being aggressive, and she scored!

Goals for this year:
Year of small businesses/artisans/writers: I got some acrylic hoops from Etsy
More meatless meals: quiche!
sandwiches and salads: The chopped Italian was perfection.
a focus on going to new or places we don’t get to all the time: we stopped by Natick Community Farm to see the rabbits and loved it!
redo photos – the Italian Grain bowl was originally from 2017 and was a good facelift as meatballs are an easy dinner.
what I’m reading: I read All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley and thought the writing was fantastic – my mind wandered occasionally but it is a good no-stress book. I read Happy Place by Emily Henry and loved the friendships and vacation spot but the romance was secondary to me. Our bookclub one was The Woman in Me by Britany Spears and I listened to it – being a celebrity sounds awful, but the audio performance by Michele Williams was phenomenal. I read the Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez and will remember it for such a long time – which doesn’t always happen for me!