Conflicted Chef- Fast Chipotle Buffalo Chicken Wraps

This week my two oldest daughters helped make the menu for the week. One was in charge of lunches and the other dinner. Sophie, my middle daughter, actually picked out the chicken wrap for lunch, but we had it as a quick dinner one night. It was a an easy and fast dinner to throw together on one of those nights that everyone doesn’t get home from their activities until later.

Sometimes on these nights it is easy to succumb to the “lets just pick up some dinner” on the way home. But those dinners are never the healthiest and always more pricey then what I can make at home. That’s why I love when we make these weekly menus out. We look over our plans and find easy, quick dinners to make on the nights we have activities. When we have a plan of action we can stay on track! Something my little family is trying really hard to do. So without further ado here is how they are made:


These are the 4 ingredients for the Chipotle Buffalo sauce.

-2 TBLS Chipotle Crushed Sauce
-1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
-2 TBLS Cholula Hot Sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
-3 TBLS White Vinegar
Whisk all together and set aside.

For the Blue Cheese Dressing:
-2 TBLS reduced-fat mayo
-2 TBLS nonfat plain yogurt
-ground pepper to taste
-1/4 cup crumbled Blue cheese
-1 TBLS vinegar
Whisk together in another bowl and put in the refrigerator.

Next you need about 3 split chicken breasts and cut them into 1 inch strips. Heat  a skillet with 2 teaspoons olive oil and cook the chicken over med-high heat until the chicken is no longer pink in the center. This will take about 3 to 4 minutes per side.


Topping for the wrap :

Take whole-wheat tortillas and warm in microwave for about 10 seconds. I’m a family of five so I do five at a time. Dice up a large tomato or cut in half several cherry tomatoes, along with some shredded lettuce, and celery. My family likes the spring mix so we put that on everything.

Now to assemble the wrap:

Place warm tortilla on plate, spread 1 spoonful of Blue cheese dressing, top with 3 or 4 slices chicken, lettuce, celery, and tomato. Drizzle with some remaining hot sauce and roll. –inspired by a recipe we found at Eating Well



The verdict from the family was it was very yummy, but my kids didn’t really care for the Blue cheese. They tried it, but decided it was too strong.  A lite ranch dressing would be a yummy alternative as well as maybe trying a cheese like feta, instead of the blue cheese, in the dressing. I feel I need to be completely honest and tell you my 4 year old preferred her chicken without the hot sauce so I set a few pieces aside for her after they were cooked. Also, my husband is staying away from flour products so he ate his like a salad.

Aside from the Blue Cheese everyone gave it 5 stars. We served it along with some blackberries that were on sale at the grocery and everyone was happy. For a late night dinner this was the perfect amount of food, or it would be the perfect lunch!

What does you family like to do for those crazy nights when you don’t get home until late?

Conflicted Chef- Emma’s Breakfast Sandwiches

I posted this a few years ago on another blog, that I had devoted to life at Cotton-Top Hills. But we moved last May and I no longer keep that blog up. To tell you the truth I still have a hard time saying “Cotton-Top Hills” without crying, but I’m getting better. But these sandwiches are worth repeating. They are super yummy and very easy!
My twelve year old is on her way to culinary school.  Okay, not quite yet, but it’s where she wants to go someday.  She cooks for us constantly and is thinking up new twists on everyday recipes.  This breakfast sandwich recipe was derived from a sandwich she had at a little restaurant in Galveston, The Lunch Box cafe.
For bread she likes to use baguette, but we use whatever bread we have around. This morning mine was on English Muffin. First toast the bread.  Spread honey over both slices and natural peanut butter on one slice.  Top the peanut butter side with blueberries. Top the other slice with sliced strawberries and walnuts.  You could use pecans, but we had walnuts today. Put the two slices together and enjoy.  It really is very yummy and nutritious, not to mention easy!

That’s it. And it always gets 5 stars in my house. Of course the hubby needs some sort of meat with it usually or a protein shake. I, personally, am good with the peanut butter and nuts fulfilling my protein source. But to each his own!

What’s your favorite breakfast sandwich? And don't forget to enter my Wildflower Canvas Photo give-away. I'll pick the winner on Monday morning!

A Chef Conflicted

Okay, I’m not a chef, but I am a mom that feeds a family of 5 so that is close enough. I love to cook. I love to be in the kitchen with my family working along side of me. And for me cooking is love, it’s not just my chance to fill the bellies of my family, but to put a smile on their face. Our time together around the kitchen table is precious. Stories of the days events are being told, we are sharing laughter, and memories are being made. Eating at my house is an event.

So where does the conflicted part come in? I’ll tell you. I can’t just serve my family any old food anymore. I have to consider the needs of all my family members. Granted, we are lucky. We have no food allergies to date, or intolerances, but each member of my family comes to the table with their own appetite. Here’s a quick run down:

Em- aspiring chef. Every meal is a reenactment of the Iron Chef. Prepare to undergo a detailed account of what works and what doesn’t for the dish being served. (always in a nice way, mind you). She is an accomplished cook at the age of 11 (I'm talking Julia Child) and makes many of our meals.

Soph- semi-vegetarian. Her love of animals and her belief that all of God’s creatures should enjoy a good life, no matter how short or long, has encouraged her to become an advocate of free-range, pasture raised animals. If the meat on the table doesn’t meet that criteria, she will pass on it.

Little One- Not a huge fan of fancy. She prefers her meat on one side her veggies on the other without the impediment of sauces or too much spices. Lover of salads and uncooked veggies. Not a fan of the “mushy” vegetables that sometime appear on her plate.

WB- not your typical male (we’ve already established that in previous posts though, right?) More often then not in training for the next half-marathon, 150 mile bike ride, or triathlon. Food is fuel, but being a fine cook himself, he has a delectable palate. He is looking for meals that contain all the nutrients he needs, but that won’t add inches to his middle and taste good.

Me- conflicted chef. Most days I channel my grandmother’s and mothers down home southern cooking, which is at odds with my need to put healthy, sustainable food on the table. I find myself cooking meals that my grandmother would be proud of (wearing pearls and my mother’s beautiful handmade apron) and ones that I whip up while still wearing my running shoes and heart monitor. (I’m currently trying to get this, almost 40 year old, body back  into fighting shape. Wait, it is questionable if it was ever in fighting shape…okay, I’m just trying to see my waistline and abs again and be able to run.)

Which brings me to an announcement of sorts, are you ready for it? I’m going to start a new weekly series to appear each Friday (God willing) about my family’s adventures in the kitchen. We’ll explore old recipes, some with a new twist, and we’ll be trying new healthy recipes. And I'm hoping you'll chime in with advice and recipes of your own!



I seek balance. I seek inner peace. I seek full, happy bellies around my table. Tune in next Friday to see if we're acomplishing this.

What is it like around your kitchen table? Are you ever conflicted ?