Jalapeno Poblano Chili

I love CookingLight. The day the new issue arrives in my mailbox is sort of like a mini-Christmas. If it sits on my coffee table for too long without me looking at it, I start to get antsy. When I saw this recipe for Jalapeno-Poblano Chili, I knew we had to test it out as a more every-day substitute for the famous chili recipe that feeds an army and takes at least 2 days to prepare.

I took a few liberties with the recipe - most notably, I used actual beef, cut into cubes instead of ground beef (personal preference). I also used a regular light-colored beer instead of Corona (because I realized at last minute we didn't have any). 

The results were great. It is officially our new favorite "substitute" chili recipe. 

Poblano-Jalapeno Chili
CookingLight March 2012

Drunken Noodles

I've never really been much for Thai food. In fact, I'm pretty comfortable saying that I don't like it. There's a Thai restaurant in Minneapolis that everyone goes gaga over. I don't see what's the big deal. So it might sound weird when I say that when I saw this recipe pop up on my google reader, I knew I had to make it. Elly's musings on her thoughts about Thai food rang really true for me. She says “I’m not crazy about peanut sauces, I don’t like cilantro, and I’m hesitant about coconut milk in savory food. And when you take away those three things, that leaves you with … well, not Thai.” Except I take that one step further – I also don’t like Thai Basil. So, when I read on to see that she really liked this recipe, I was in. 

Then, I read the ingredients. I had never heard of Golden Mountain seasoning or Black soy sauce. I read how Elly had to trek across town to try to find them. Seeing as I’m pretty sure Elly lives in Chicago, I thought I was doomed to try to find them in the St. Paul suburbs. Much to my surprise, I was able to find them both at the regular grocery store down the street – granted, in bottles so large I’m fairly certain I now have a lifetime supply.

This was really good. I wish it would have been even spicier, so I think I would use either more Sambol Oelek or chiles next time. I also think I would’ve liked it with more crunchy veggies instead of noodles for some different textures – more bean sprouts, baby corn cobs, thinly sliced cabbage, matchstick bamboo… maybe even some matchstick zucchini. My husband, who generally dislikes the Asian cuisines, ate this without needing to make an emergency McDonald’s run, which I take as a compliment.

Drunken Noodles

Adapted from Elly Says Opa, from Bon Apetit

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

8 oz flat rice noodles

2 TBSP canola oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 bell pepper, cut into strips

½ lb chicken thighs, cut into thin strips

1 TBSP fish sauce (I used soy instead)

2 TBSP black soy sauce

2 TBSP Golden Mountain seasoning

1 ½ TBSP Sambal Oelek

½ TBSP sugar

¼ cup spinach (I used instead of Thai basil

½ - 1 cup fresh bean sprouts

¼ cup sliced green onions

DIRECTIONS

Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add bell pepper and chicken and sauté until the chicken is about half-way cooked, about 2-3 minutes.

Whisk the fish sauce, black soy sauce, Golden Mountain seasoning, and Sambal Oelek together in a small bowl. Add to the chicken mixture and cook until the chicken is done.

Add noodles, bean sprouts, and spinach and toss to coat. Cook for about a minute. Garnish with green onions.


UPDATED: I made this recently with matchstick carrots, bamboo, thinly sliced cabbage, and onions and omitted the noodles. It was amazing.

Chicken Juicy Lucy

I have a confession. It's considered a somewhat shameful one for a Minnesotan. When I tell people, I usually get looked at like I have 3 heads. Well, here it is. I don't like Juicy Lucys. For those of you who aren't from Minnesota and don't know what those are, it's a cheeseburger that is stuffed with cheese instead of melted on the top. They're sort of a Minnesota institution. I love the concept, but I have tried many, and the execution is always poor. What should be a delicious, juicy, molten-hot cheese filled burger usually ends up being a dried out, over-cooked molten-hot cheese filled burger. I've even asked if they could please not cook the crap out of my burger, but I always get the same result. So I've given up ordering them in restaurants.

Now, lest I get a bunch of angry comments from people saying I've blasphemed their favorite places, let me make one thing clear. I love the 5-8 Club. I think they have, hands down, the best burgers in the twin cities area. Matt's Bar is great and I also enjoy the Blue Door Pub (I'm purposely leaving The Nook off this list. I understand it's a St. Paul institution. I do not understand why). I just do not like Juicy Lucys.

I remained convinced that a Juicy Lucy doesn't have to be dry. So I tried making one at home with ground chicken. I'm happy to report that my Juicy Lucy remained juicy and delicious. I'm anxious to try making one with ground beef now.

Chicken Juicy Lucy
Serves 2
Prep Time - 10 minutes
Cook Time - 10ish minutes

INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb ground chicken
10-12 slices pepperoni, chopped into little pieces
salt & pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBSP finely chopped onion
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs
shredded cheese
toasted buns
garlic mayonnaise

DIRECTIONS
Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add a couple of TBSP of olive oil to the pan.

Mix together the ground chicken, pepperoni, salt & pepper, garlic, onion, Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs. If it's really wet, add more bread crumbs. Divide into two equal parts. Take off about 1/3 of each one and put to the side. Form the large part into a patty and make it a little thinner in the middle than the edges. Put a mound of shredded cheese (probably 1-2 TBSP) on top of the patty and then take the small part (the 1/3 you took off) and put that on top and completely enclose the cheese. Basically, at this point, it should look like a regular burger patty.

Add the patties to the pan and let cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Serve on toasted buns with your favorite condiments. We used garlic mayonnaise, which was really delicious.

Apple Skillet Pie

I don't know if I'm the only one who does this, but whenever I buy those pre-made roll-out pie crusts, I end up using only one of the two in the package and never know what to do with the other one. The single crust usually ends up sitting in my fridge for months before I decide there isn't anything I will ever use it for and throw it out. Yes, I know I could avoid this debacle just by making the crust from scratch, but let's face it - as delicious as it is, who has time for that?

That's where this recipe comes in. It has all the great things about apple pie, but takes a fraction of the time to make. I made it in my cast iron skillet, just because I like making things in cast iron, but I'm sure a pie plate would be good, too. It also makes a really tasty breakfast, for those of you who like getting a nice unhealthy start to your day.

Apple Skillet Pie
Serves 8-10
Prep Time - 20 minutes
Cook Time - one hour

INGREDIENTS
1 stick butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 TBSP sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
6 big apples
1 roll-out refrigerated pie crust
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1-2 TBSP milk
sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS
Melt butter over medium-low heat in a cast iron skillet. Once butter is melted, add the sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir to combine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

While the butter is melting, start peeling, coring, and cutting the apples into slices. I used 6 really big apples but could've used one or two more because my skillet is really big. Add them to the pan and stir to coat. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat and put the pie crust on the top. Cut a few slits in the crust to allow the steam to escape.

Brush the top of the crust with the egg/milk wash and sprinkle with some sugar (this is optional, but it looks pretty).

Put in the oven and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the crust is nice and golden brown. Depending on how full your skillet is, you may want to put a cookie sheet under the skillet to catch anything that may seep out of the pan.

Let cool for about an hour before cutting and eating. Enjoy!

Chicken Spanakopita Burgers

I love chicken burgers. They're such a nice alternative to a regular beef burger - light, juicy, full of flavor. I'm pretty sure my husband thinks I'm a little obsessed. These burgers came on my radar when I had a bunch of leftover feta and tzaziki sauce from the Chicken Souvlaki I made earlier in the week.

Before we get to the recipe, we should be clear on something - this burger tastes nothing like spanakopita, which is a Greek spinach pie. I don't think it's meant to, though. Sure, the general flavor profile is there, but what you get is a really flavorful burger.

Chicken Spanakopita Burgers
Recipe from Rachael Ray
Serves 2
Prep Time - 10 minutes
Cook Time - 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 oz frozen spinach, defrosted
1/2 tsp dried oregano (be generous)
2 oz feta cheese crumbles
1/2 lb ground chicken
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
toasted buns
sliced tomatoes
sliced onions
tzaziki sauce

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onions get soft and translucent. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

Put the defrosted spinach into kitchen towel and wring out to remove the excess water. Add it to the bowl with the cooled onions and garlic and 1/2 tsp oregano.

Add in the ground chicken, feta crumbles, salt, & pepper. Mix to combine and form into two patties.

Melt 1 TBSP butter and 1 TBSP olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Once the pan is hot, add the patties and cook for about 5 minutes per side.

When cooked through, put them on toasted buns and garnish as desired.

Roasted Chicken

For my birthday last year, one of the things my husband got me was Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I am disappointed in myself to report that this is the first and only recipe I have tried from it in almost a year. In my defense, I thought about it several times but every time I considered it I decided I didn't want to spend 6 hrs in the kitchen cooking. Finally, I broke down. Unfortunately, I didn't follow the traditional wisdom to add one hour to your calculation of however long you think you will spend cooking whenever you make a Julia Child recipe, and we ended up eating dinner at about 9 pm. However....

This was the best roasted chicken I have ever eaten. I'm not exaggerating.

Roasted Chicken
Recipe by Julia Child, adapted slightly
Serves 4
Cook & Prep Time - The recipe said 1 hr, 10 minutes, but it took me at least 3 hrs from start to finish

INGREDIENTS
1 (3-4 lb) chicken
1 onion, quartered, and one small onion, diced
1-2 ribs celery, chopped into thick pieces
1 carrot, chopped into thick pieces
butter
salt & pepper
1 cup chicken stock

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Melt butter (about 1/2 stick)

Rinse the chicken and dry thoroughly. Rub butter on the inside cavity and season with salt & pepper. Tie up the legs with kitchen twine and then rub butter all over the chicken. Season very lightly with salt & pepper.

Place the chicken breast-side up on a roasting rack.

Put the onion, celery, and carrot scattered about in the roasting pan.

Roast the chicken for 15 minutes total at 425 degrees F. After 5 minutes, turn it onto the left side and basted with butter. After 5 minutes there, turn it onto the right side and baste with butter. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. Baste the chicken with melted butter. Leave the chicken on its right side and roast the chicken for 10 more minutes and then baste again.

About halfway through the estimated roasting time, salt the chicken and turn it on its other side. Baste.

About 15 min before the bird is done, salt again and turn the chicken breast-side up. Salt that side and baste.

Continue this process until the juices run clear, or about 1 hr and 10 minutes of total cooking time. Use the fat from the roasting pan or melt more butter when you run out of the original butter you melted.

To make the sauce, remove the chicken from the roast pan and put on the stove top. Remove all but 2 TBSP of fat from the pan. Stir in the diced onion and cook for about 1 minute. Add the stock and boil rapidly over high heat, scraping up the brown bits. Let reduce by about 1/2. Season with salt & pepper. Turn off the heat ad just before serving, swirl  in about 1-2 TBSP of butter.

Carve the chicken and pour a spoonful of sauce over each piece.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

I'm finally able to admit to myself that I generally like Rachael Ray's recipes. Her personality I could do without most of the time, but I will occasionally watch her show and usually find she has some great tips and is really encouraging for people to use their creativity when cooking rather than strictly follow the recipe. 

This Buffalo Chicken Chili is a recipe I've had printed out for a long time but always passed on for one reason or another. I love buffalo wings, but had a hard time imagining how it would translate into a chili. On top of that, it was so hot this summer that eating a spicy chili wasn't high on my list. Then one day a couple of weeks ago, when it started to get cooler, I had the right combination of ingredients in my fridge and pantry that I decided it was time. 

We both liked this. I think I liked it more than my husband did. He said he had a hard time deciding what he thought of it because it wasn't really like anything he'd had before. I did change up the original recipe quite a bit, but I think I all were changes I'd keep if I make this again.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Recipe by Rachael Ray, adapted

Serves 4-6

Prep Time - 15 min 

Cook Time - 30 min

INGREDIENTS

1 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP butter

1 lb shredded rotisserie chicken

1 carrot, shredded

1 onion, chopped

1 rib celery, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBSP paprika

1 bay leaf

salt & pepper, to taste

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup hot sauce

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (15 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

cheese, for garnish

tortilla chips, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, paprika, bay leaf, and some salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 min, stirring frequently. Add the shredded chicken and stir. Cook for a couple of minutes, just to get the chicken warm.

Add the chicken stock and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the hot sauce, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and stir. Simmer for a minimum of 15 min (but 30 is better).

Serve and garnish with cheese (Rachael recommends Blue cheese, but we don't like it so we used some shredded cheddar) and tortilla chips. Use extra chips for dipping.

Italian Beef Stew

Beef stew is something I never liked growing up. I'm not completely sure why. I loved gravy, so it should have been a perfect fit. I think it's a combination of not having it very much and not really liking beef in an not-ground form.

It took me going to Ireland and trying Guinness stew at a little pub tucked away in the Wicklow Mountains to discover what a wonder stew could be. After having moderate success recreating Guinness stew over the years since, I've broadened out to stews that don't involve stout. My most recent was an Italian version - that used white wine and tomatoes. My husband is somewhat of a stew purist, and he was skeptical (to be polite) after reading the recipe but in the end, we both agreed. This was a great recipe for a change, but we prefer our "regular" recipe. I think he may have had a higher opinion of it if I had put more carrots in the stew, though.

Italian Beef Stew

Recipe from Italian Foodies blog

Serves 4ish

Prep Time - 20 min

Cook Time - 2 1/2 hrs

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lb stewing meat, cut into small cubes

3 TBSP canola oil

1 onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

3 carrots, cut into chunks

1-2 ribs celery, sliced

5 TBSP dry white wine

1 can diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

1 big sprig of thyme

salt & pepper, to taste

2 TBSP flour

2 cups beef broth

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a big pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for about 5-7 min, or until soft. Add bay leaves.

Add carrots, celery, and thyme and cook for about 10 min, stirring occasionally.

Add meat and flour and cook until browned.

Add wine and cook until it is almost all evaporated. Add tomatoes and beef broth (start with 1 cup of broth and then add more if it's looking a bit dry. Season with salt & pepper (I think I ended up using about 1/2 tsp of both). Cover and cook over low heat for about 2 hrs. 

Serve with thick bread for dipping.

Apple Cake

Perhaps I should've called this post "Apple Butter Cake." Or "Death by Butter." At any rate, I'll clear the air before you read any further. This cake uses almost 3 sticks of butter. Yes, you read that right. As much as I love her recipes, I've got a hunch that Pioneer Woman has a phobia of cooking without butter. 

I made this cake one night when I had a bunch of apples I needed to use up. I'd heard many raves about this cake, so I was really excited to finally try it. Unfortunately, I was just a tiny bit disappointed. I thought that the cake was a bit dry and too dense. So, why I am I posting it, you ask? Well, two reasons. First, I seemed to be alone in that opinion. Because of the aforementioned 3 sticks of butter, we pawned off about half the cake on nearby relatives. They all went crazy over the cake. Second, the apple portion of this cake is basically to die for. I still have dreams about it on occasion. I want to eat a big bowl of apples sauteed in butter with brown sugar and cinnamon. Or eat it over ice cream.  Or perhaps just eat it out of the skillet.

Apple Cake in an Iron Skillet
Recipe from Pioneer Woman, adapted

INGREDIENTS
4-5 whole tart apples, peeled & cored, and cut into 8-10 slices
1 3/4 stick butter
3/4 cup sugar

Cake
1 stick butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped into tiny pieces

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a 10-inch skillet, melt 1 3/4 sticks butter over low heat. Add 3/4 cup sugar to the pan and stir. Place sliced apples in the pan. Don't pack them too tightly, but try not to leave many gaps.

Cook over low or medium low heat while you make the cake batter, or about 15 min.

Beat 1 stick of butter with 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and eggs. Add sour cream and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to the cake batter and mix until just combined. Stir in the chopped apple.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Spoon the batter over the top and spread it around gently so that the batter is evenly distributed. Bake for about 20-25 min, or until the cake is golden brown and bubbly.

Allow cake to sit and cool for 5-10 min, and then flip over onto a serving platter. Cut a big slice and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Chicken in Tomato Cream Sauce

My tomatoes this year are doing pretty well. I planted a bunch of seeds from a variety pack, so I really had no idea what I'd be getting when I planted them. It's so much fun to see them grow and ripen. One of my plants is a little yellow cherry tomato plant. For my first harvest from that plant, I decided to make some sort of sauce. A while back, I saved a recipe from Savory Spicy Sweet for Chicken Pomodoro and used that for inspiration to come up with this chicken in a creamy tomato sauce. It's delicious and I'm sure it'll be a hit at your house.


Chicken in Tomato Cream Sauce
Serves 2-4
Prep Time - 15-20 min
Cook Time - 15 min

INGREDIENTS
4 chicken cutlets, butterflied and pounded thin (I used 2, but there was enough sauce for 4)
flour, seasoned with salt & pepper
2 TBSP canola oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup + 1 cup chicken broth, divided
2 TBSP lemon juice
2 cups tomatoes, chopped (I used a combination of fresh and canned)
1/4 cup plain yogurt (I'm sure any dairy liquid would work)
A few leaves of basil, chopped or torn


DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a big pan over medium heat. Dredge the cutlets in flour seasned with salt & pepper. Saute the cutlets a few minutes per side, until cooked through.

Remove from the pan and cover with foil.

Add onions and garlic to the pan and saute for a few minutes, or until the onions begin to get translucent. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth to de-glaze the pan and cook until the chicken broth has almost evaporated. Add the rest of the broth, lemon juice, and tomatoes. Add the cutlets back to the pan and cook for one minute per side.

Put the cutlets on plates and finish the sauce with the yogurt and basil. Stir till combined and cook just a minute or two. Top the chicken with the sauce to serve.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Burgers

A while ago, I made Chicken Parmesan burgers and they were fantastic. So, when I saw this recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu burgers, I had high hopes. They did not disappoint. In fact, I think I may have liked them better.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Burgers

Recipe by Rachael Ray, adapted

Serves 4

Prep Time - 10 minutes

Cook Time - 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp olive oil

4 slices deli ham or Canadian bacon

1.25 lb ground chicken breast

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp grill seasoning (or salt & pepper)

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 slices deli cheese (I used Muenster)

4 Kaiser rolls, toasted

garlic mayonnaise

DIRECTIONS

Preheat a large skillet to medium high heat and place the oil in the pan.

Combine the chicken, paprika, poultry seasoning, grill seasoning, shallot, and garlic. Form the meat into 4 patties.

Put the patties into the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through.

Top the patties with the ham and the cheese.

Put under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes or until the cheese gets bubbly.

Put the mayo on the buns and then top the burger with any other desired condiments.

Peach Pie

I'm not the biggest fan of fruit pies. Unless it is an apple or rhubarb pie with a crumbly top, you can forget about it. Yes, this means that I do not like cherry or blueberry pie. I do not like any fruit pie that has a lattice or a regular pie crust on the top. I know that might take a while to process.

I do, however, love my grandmother's fresh peach pie. And it's not surprising - it's not baked, it has a graham cracker crust, and is served cold. Plus, the main ingredient is peaches, which I love.

One of my favorite things about this pie is that it requires absolutely no cooking. Sure, I feel a little Sandra Lee-ish when I make it, but I really don't care. If you want to make your own graham cracker crust and your own whipped cream to make this a bit more home-made, I'm sure it would be absolutely delicious. I'm sure I'll get around to trying it that way one day, too.

Grandma's Peach Pie

Cook & Prep Time - less than 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4-6 peaches or nectarines (depending on size)

1 tub cool whip

1 jar marshmallow fluff

1 pre-made graham cracker crust

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, stir the marshmallow fluff and cool whip until well combined.

Cut up the peaches, and remove the skins, and place the slices into the bowl with the cool whip mixture. Stir until the peaches are coated.

Pour the peaches into the graham cracker crust and let refrigerate for at least an hour.

Chicken in Milk

I'm a big fan of Jamie Oliver. I was a fan of the show "Food Revolution" and am an even bigger fan of his recipes. I've had my eye on this particular recipe for a while. I had the day off yesterday and decided to make it. Then, later, I realized that I had absolutely none of the ingredients for it except the salt & pepper. So, off to the grocery store I went.

I think you need to make this chicken. Like right now. It's tender, juicy, and has amazing flavor. The meat practically falls off the bone. This picture below doesn't do it justice, but I think it does a decent job showing the beautiful color you get on the chicken from browning the chicken before the braise. Try not to let the bad picture sway you away from the recipe.

Chicken in Milk

Recipe by Jamie Oliver, ever so slightly adapted

Serves 4

Prep Time - 5 minutes

Cook Time - 1 hr, 45 min

INGREDIENTS

1 3-lb chicken

salt & pepper

1 stick butter

1/2 cinnamon stick

handful fresh sage leaves

zest of 2 lemons (I used one)

2 cups milk (I used 2%)

6 cloves garlic, skin left on

4-5 sprigs thyme (i added)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Use a dutch oven or small roasting pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt & pepper and brown on all sides. Set the chicken aside and pour the butter from the pan into a bowl (The original recipe says to throw it out but I saved it for basting).

Put the chicken back into the pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Bake for 1 1/2 hrs. (I covered it with foil for the first hour and then took the foil off and baked it uncovered for the last half hour).

Baste with the cooking juices a few times (I basted 4 times total, rotating basting with the juices and the leftover melted butter).

Carve the chicken and serve with the sauce from the pan, if desired. We didn't do this because we thought the chicken was too wonderful on its own.

Croissant Panini

Another day, another sandwich. I swear, I do eat more things than sandwiches lately. I hope you like this one. It's really rich and great if you need something comforting at the end of a long day.

Croissant Panini
Recipe by Giada de Laurentiis, adapted
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
4 croissants
4 ounces Gouda, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
8 teaspoons grated Parmesan
16 slices Genoa salami
8 slices ham

DIRECTIONS
Heat a panini grill. Place about 1/3 cup gouda on each croissant. Sprinkle with 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese. Top each side with about 3-4 slices salami and 1-2 slices of ham. Put the top of the croissant on each sandwich and grill the panini until the cheese melts, about 3 to 4 minutes. (I don't have a panini press so I used my grill pan and placed a heavy skillet on top of the sandwiches. I grilled for about 3 minutes per side).

Venetian Panino

There isn't a whole lot to say about this sandwich except that it's really simple, but one of the best sandwiches I've eaten in a while. So I'll keep this post simple and tell you that you have to make one. In fact, make one as a snack right now.


Venetian Panino
Recipe by Giada de Laurentiis, adapted
Makes 6 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces Gruyere, shredded
4 TBSP butter, at room temperature
1 garlic clove, chopped
12 ounces sliced turkey (I think proscuitto would be great, too)
12 slices sourdough bread
6 TBSP olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Mix together the butter, cheese, and garlic in a food processor. Blend until the mixture is thick, but spreadable.

Spread the cheese mixture over 1 side of each slice of bread. Place 2 slices of turkey on top of 6 of the slices of bread. Top sandwiches with the remaining bread slices, cheese mixture side down, pressing gently to adhere.

Heat oil (about 3 TBSP) in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Cook half of the sandwiches until golden brown and heated through, about 4 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and sandwiches. Cut in half or thirds and serve immediately.

Bagel Sandwiches

I almost feel silly posting this because it's so simple. However, I decided to go for it because I think these sandwiches are great and because, as I've said before, I firmly believe everyone needs basic, quick recipes for those nights where you just don't have the time or energy to cook.

This is one of my favorite sandwiches. It's incredibly satisfying and it can be put together in a matter of minutes. I hope you like them as much as I do.

Turkey Bagel Sandwiches

Cook & Prep Time - 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Everything bagels

sliced deli turkey (any lunch meat would be great - turkey is my favorite)

sliced onions

sliced tomato

sliced cheese

DIRECTIONS

Lightly toast the bagels.

Assemble the sandwiches by placing the lunch meat on the bottom of a bagel. Top with sliced onions and any other veggies you want, like tomato. Top with your favorite sliced cheese.

Bake for 5-10 minutes at 350 degrees or until the cheese begins to melt.

Feta-Stuffed Chicken

I like feta cheese, but I don't have many recipes that use it, and most that do only use a small amount. So, I'm always looking for ways to use up whatever I have left. Sadly, I often end up letting some feta to go to waste. Then, one day, I got the idea that I could use it to stuff chicken. So, after looking around my kitchen, I came up with these feta-stuffed chicken breasts.

Feta-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Serves 2

Prep Time - 10 minutes

Cook Time - 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 chicken breasts, pounded thin

3-4 oz cream cheese, softened

feta cheese, to taste (I think I probably used about 1/4 - 1/3 cup)

1/2 tsp oregano

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt & pepper

flour, for dredging

1-2 TBSP olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Mix together cream cheese with feta, oregano, and garlic. Put about 1/2 of the mixture on each chicken breast and roll up. Secure with toothpicks, if necessary.

Season some flour with salt & pepper. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour. Shake off any excess.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pan and brown on all sides. If necessary to ensure the chicken is fully cooked, transfer to the oven and cook for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Chicken Ragu with Whole Wheat Penne

Whole wheat pasta was on a really good sale at the grocery store a couple of weeks ago. I'd never tried whole wheat pasta before, but had always been a little curious. When figuring out what to do with it, I came across a Rachael Ray recipe that seemed like it had some good concepts. Since I'm always on the lookout for quick, delicious meals, I decided to run with this one.

In the end, we both loved it. I couldn't taste a whole lot of difference between the wheat pasta and regular white pasta, except that the texture was a little bit different. I'd absolutely make this again, and try playing around with the recipe even more next time.

Chicken Ragu with Whole Wheat Penne

Loosely based on this Rachael Ray recipe

Serves 4-6

Cook & Prep time - 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 lb whole wheat penne pasta

1 TBSP butter

1 TBSP olive oil

1 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

salt & pepper

1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta to al dente. Drain & set aside.

In a large skillet or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add olive oil. Season the chicken with salt & pepper and brown.

Add onions, garlic and rosemary. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until onions get soft.

Add the chicken stock to deglaze the pan and let reduce for about a minute. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Season with salt & pepper and red pepper flakes.

Toss with the pasta and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Italian Beef

A while back, my husband and I were watching Man v. Food. In the episode we were watching, Adam went to an Italian Beef place in Chicago. Shortly after the episode was over, my husband suggested we try making them at home some day. So, we did. They were delicious. I can't say if they're authentic (though I would guess they're not), but they tasted great.

Italian Beef

Recipe from CDKitchen.com

Serves 2

Prep Time - 5 minutes

Cook Time - 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1 cup water

3 TBSP tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 lb thinly sliced roast beef

1 green pepper, thinly sliced

1 small onion, sliced

2 Italian rolls, sliced in half

DIRECTIONS

Mix together the beef broth, water, tomato paste, bay leaf, pepper flakes, and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the peppers, onions, and beef. Cook for about 10-15 minutes.

Build the sandwiches by adding the meat, peppers, and onions to the bun. Dip the buns into the jus and serve.

Cabbage & Meatball Soup

When I was growing up, one of my favorite meals was my grandma's cabbage & meatball soup. I could've eaten bowls upon bowls of the stuff in a single sitting. Then, I moved away from home and away from Grandma's cooking. Sadly, I was away from my beloved cabbage & meatball soup for almost 10 years.

Recently, I found myself really craving it and decided to take a crack at figuring out the ingredients and making it on my own. I think Grandma would be proud.

Cabbage & Meatball Soup

Serves 6-8

Prep Time - 20 minutes

Cook Time - about 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 TBSP butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

1-2 carrots, sliced

1 medium head cabbage (somewhere between 1/2 & 1 lb), sliced

salt & pepper

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

2 cups beef broth

1/2 lb (more if you like) ground beef

2 tsp parsley, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

1/4-1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in a large stockpot. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and cook about 5 minutes, or until the onions begin to soften. Season with salt & pepper. While the veggies are cooking, chop up the cabbage.

Add cabbage and stir. Let the cabbage cook for about 3 minutes. Add broth & water. Put a lid on the pot and let simmer.

While the pot is simmering, mix together the ground beef, salt & pepper, garlic, parsley, egg, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Form into small balls (about 1" - 1 1/2") and add to the pot. Keep the cover on and let cook for about 10-15 minutes. If the pot comes to a heavy boil, turn down the heat. Season with salt & pepper to taste.