Balsamic drizzled Roast Chicken, Prosciutto & Provolone Sandwiches

         Sandwiches, a food that I believe should be its own food group. I’m not sure what I love about them but whatever it is, I am addicted. Really, I could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Actually, I do eat one every morning- peanut butter and just up until this year I ate a turkey sandwich every day. No, I didn’t eat them for dinner too each night, but I probably would consider it if I didn’t love pasta so much! Anyway…..What’s funny is that I think there are two types of people out there: those who love them, like me, and those who could do without, please not you.

            Pity those who fall into the ladder.

            And with anything you love, you usually fall into preparing it the same way over and over. As with me and my chicken sandwiches. I usually go with choice A- pesto on it or B- balsamic on it or C- bacon and mayo. All delicious in their own unique way but honestly, all getting a bit mundane.

            Enter Prosciutto and honey balsamic dressing. Oh and add to that some sharp provolone and roast chicken. Bam, bam hello Mam, now we’re talking! What a winner. The prosciutto sort of fries up in the oven, while the cheese browns and blisters just enough to give a smoky flair to each bite. The roast chicken kicked my grilled chicken’s booty, no doubt. I admittedly bought a store-bought one because I’ve had little to no time lately. For $5 though, it’s a busy cook’s miracle.

            So that’s that, a 1-2-3 satisfying sandwich that had me at first peek in the ovenJ Enjoy…

Balsamic drizzled Roast Chicken, Prosciutto & Provolone Sandwiches

Makes: 2

OBJ: TCW be able to step up her chicken sandwich game

Ingredients:

1 whole roasted chicken, store bought or homemade

4-5 thinly sliced Prosciutto (Italian Ham)

2-3 slices sharp provolone

6 TBS honey balsamic salad dressing (I recommend Ken’s Reserve)

2 TBS freshly grated Parmesan

S & P: salt and pepper

1 loaf Italian bread, cut in ½ then sliced open and inner dough taken out (gutted)

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil

2. Place bottom ½ of Italian bread pieces on baking sheet, spoon 2 TBS dressing over each

3. Cut thin slices of white meat chicken and place generously on top of drizzled bread. Layer 2 slices of prosciutto over chicken

4. Sprinkle chicken with Parmesan cheese and S & P. Then place 1 ½ slices of provolone on top of chicken and Parmesan

5. Place in oven to heat up and melt, about 5-8 minutes

6. Meanwhile, spoon remaining 2 TBS of dressing over the top pieces of bread, 1 TBS each. Place these on baking sheets during last 1-2 minutes of cooking time to heat and crisp up

7. Remove baking sheet from oven. Remove open-faced sandwiches from sheet and place on plate. Top with bread topJ Enjoy

 

 

 

Fish Tacos

            I suppose if California had a taste, it could be of these. To me, fish tacos scream California. I picture little food stands grilling fresh fish, throwing the fillets in a warmed tortilla and finishing them off with a squeeze of lime. Oh how blissful does that sound?!?

            A little secret: I’ve never been to California! Haha, I guess it is either too much Food Network, Travel Channel or hearing about my brother’s and sister-in-law’s trip out west that has me stereotyping both California and fish tacos!

            So I don’t know where this fascination with fish tacos and California came from, but I do know this: they taste divine! Fresh from the sea (um.. fish marketJ), flakey enough to melt in your mouth and light enough to eat 3 or 4 in one sitting! Now with some salsa, sour cream and more fresh lime, you got yourself a mini paradise…..Enjoy…

 

 

Fish Tacos

Slightly adapted from: Food Network, Bobby Flay

Serves: 2

OBJ: TCW be able bring a taste of California into her home

Ingredients:

Tacos:

1 ½ lbs  white flaky fish- I used Cod

¼  cup canola oil

1 lime, juiced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 jalapeno, coarsely chopped

8 flour tortillas, wrapped in foil

Garnish:

Cole slaw mix

 Sour cream

Thinly sliced red onion

Chopped cilantro leaves

Salsa

Extra lime, sliced for squeezing

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

 2. Whisk together the oil, lime juice, chili powder, jalapeno, pour over the fish in a large ziplock bag

3. Let marinate in fridge for 15 to 20 minutes

4. Remove the fish from the marinade place onto a baking sheet

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until completely cooked. Let rest for 5 minutes then flake the fish with a fork to break apart

6. Place foil wrapped tortillas in oven for last 5 minutes of fish baking

 7. Divide the fish among the tortillas and garnish with any or all of the garnishes

 

Slow Cooker Asian Pork with Noodles & Broccoli

       I must say, I’ve always been a firm believer that every kitchen needs 5 basic things to deliver the goods. 1-pizza stone 2- rubber spatulas 3- stand mixer 4- cheese grater 5-saute and sauce pan. Yes, I know that’s 6 but you get the picture, I made the list so I can bend the rules!

            And now I am making Gina history here by adding a 6^th item: The Slow Cooker. Dang, this machine has had me smiling for months now! As a gal who rarely had a slow-cooked meal growing up, I find myself scouring the internet for new SC meals.

            I am picky though with the recipes I try. I find that the ones where you have to brown stuff first are pointless. If I wanted to brown something and dirty a pan, I would have done that at dinner time. I want a meal I can throw into the magic machine, come home 8 hours later, and almost fall over from the aroma.

            Sounds like a tough job to do I know but in the past year or two, I’ve found some ridiculous recipes that have me almost hugging my Slow Cooker. Click here, here , here, and here for them. Oh yeah and this one! Imagine taking the lo mein from your favorite Chinese takeout place and elevating it 10 times! Seriously, it was fork-twirling bliss!  Which leads me back to why I wanted to hug my Slow Cooker…..weird?-yes, appropriate?- kinda, contagious?- I can only hope so! Enjoy…

 

 Slow Cooker Asian Pork with Noodles & Broccoli

Serves: 6

Slightly adapted from: Real Simple

OBJ: TCW be able to make an at-home version of pork lo mien

Ingredients:

1/3 C hoisin sauce

2 TBS soy sauce

2 TBS cornstarch

2 TBS chopped fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp canola oil

1 tsp sesame seeds

¼ tsp allspice

2 ½ lb boneless pork shoulder or butt

1 lb thin spaghetti

1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets

2 TBS rice vinegar

 

Procedures:

1. In a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker, combine the hoisin, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, canola oil, sesame seeds, allspice, and ¾ C water with a whisk

2. Add the pork and turn to coat (I turned it a few times to make sure it was well-coated)

3. Cover and cook until the pork is very tender, on low for 10 to 12 hours (FYI: directions say to cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 5 to 6. I was going to be out for much longer so I cooked it for just under 12 hrs, it was still great)

4. Twenty minutes before serving, cook the spaghetti according to the package directions, adding the broccoli during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain well

5. Using 2 forks, shred the meat. Add the vinegar and mix well to combine. Add the drained noodles and broccoli right into the slow cooker and toss very well.

6. Spoon into bowl, sprinkle with additional sesame seeds and enjoy!

Rigatoni with Broccoli Rabe & Crumbled Sausage

 

       Okay so this meal wasn’t supposed to be “bloggable”. But after I threw it together in a pinch, ate 1 too many servings of it, scraped every last drop for the leftovers, I had to report back to you!

             The funny thing is I don’t know why I always feel cooking pasta is a 1-2-3 meal. When in reality, it is not! Confused? Yeah, you should be as I just told you this was thrown together in a pinch! See that’s the annoying thing with pasta, the sauce and noodles cook and create a meal in a snap, while the freakin’ pots and pans take all night!

            So while this dinner will be ready in less than 30 minutes, it’s the mess waiting for you in the kitchen that will have you itching to get on that couch. I sadly don’t have a solution for you in that department though. Sorry my friends, I only bring you edibles, not miracles! Enjoy…

Rigatoni with Broccoli Rabe & Crumbled Sausage

Serves: 2-3

OBJ: TCW be able to convince her husband that broccoli rabe isn’t like broccoli

Ingredients:

½ lb rigatoni pasta, or any other hollowed out tube-shaped version

2 sweet or hot sausage links, casings removed

1 bunch broccoli rabe, rinsed, ends removed and coarsely chopped

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

½ C low sodium chicken broth

¼ C dry white wine, I use Pinot Grigio but use what you booze!

1 TBS unsalted butter

S & P: salt and pepper

Red chili flakes, optional

Freshly grated Parmesan

Procedures:

1. Boil pasta water and cook according to package directions, adding broccoli rabe into water with 4 minutes remaining

2. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat, add sausage, garlic and S & P (chili flakes too if you’re using). Cook over medium-low heat, crumbling up sausage as it cooks with a wooden spoon. Cook until sausage is browned and garlic is softened (about 10-12 minutes). Remove sausage with a slotted spoon to paper towel-lined plate

3. Add wine to the remaining oil and garlic, stir up pieces on bottom of pan. Bring wine to boil, then lower flame to let wine simmer and reduce, about 5 minutes

4. Add sausage, chicken broth, butter and a pinch more S & P into pan and stir well over medium heat. Cover and keep on low flame for 5 minutes

5. Uncover pan, add drained pasta and broccoli rabe, about 3 TBS Parmesan  and stir well over medium-high flame ( If too dry, add more broth 2 TBS at a time )

6. Top with additional Parmesan, bring to the table and serve!

 

 

Steak Fajitas

 

 

                Beef: the one ingredient that always throws Hubby for a loop when he spots it in the cart. No joke, the entire cart could be filled with Twinkies, Doritos, mozzarella sticks, chicken wings- no double look there…..But you throw in a pack of beef- burgers, ground beef, tenderloins…he stops the cart, holds up the item and needs to know immediately what it’s for and when we are having it!  What is it with men and meat? HHHHmmmm…..I think I’ll leave that one for you to ponder;)

            Anywho, the man loves his red meat I guess. And you know what? I do too! Not like a lover of it, but from time to time, I do crave it, order it, buy it and make it. I think I’ll actually make it more in the summer when we’ll hopefully get a grill. Now that sounds like something I would even stop my cart for- Filet Mignons portioned perfectly for a drizzle of oil, S & P and thrown on the sizzling grill……Oh summer….

            Ah, I digress…..back to my relationship with red meat. Like I was saying, I do enjoy it. One of my favorite versions is actually this recipe: Steak Fajitas. I found this seasoning mix by a quick Google search. I adapted it for what I had on hand and it came out great. I served the fajitas just like they do at my favorite Mexican restaurant,Jose Tehas, steaming and sizzling right in the pan. We assembled our own fajitas, jazzed them up as we wanted, and enjoyed a delicious restaurant re-do! Enjoy….

 

 

Steak Fajitas

Serves: 3-4

Seasoning Mix adapted from: Food.com

OBJ: TCW be able to make a restaurant favorite of hers

Fajita Seasoning Mix:

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

Fajitas:

1 red bell pepper, sliced

 ½ green bell pepper, sliced

1 onion, sliced

1 lb top sirloin steak, sliced

1 ½ TBS canola oil

4 taco size tortillas

Fixings: guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheddar, salsa

Directions:

1. Combine all seasoning ingredients in a small bowl, set aside – you will need 2 TBS

2. Heat oil in large sauté pan, add peppers, onions, and  1 TBS seasoning mix, cook until veggies are soft, about 8 minutes

3. Add steak, remaining 1 TBS seasoning mix and 3 TBS water.  Cook until meat is cook through, scraping pan frequently

4. Serve with warmed tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, cheddar and salsa

 

 

Kung Pao Chicken

            Here is a recipe that I tweaked a bit here and there. I like my Asian food more on the saucy side so I added more of the wet ingredients. I also had a ton of veggies in my fridge that I wanted to use, so I threw them in too. And since we are becoming more “spicy” people, I added a touch of chili sauce.

            The result: one of the best Asian meals I’ve made yet! Really, I was so impressed with the outcome, I don’t think I stopped talking about it all night. Hubby also agreed it was one to remember. I liked the sweet to heat progression the spoonfuls produced. The extra veggies were nice too, in that they crunched just enough to counter the soft and saucy rice. By the end of dinner, I had troubles convincing myself that I had had enough. I eventually put my fork down once I realized I could bring it into lunch the next day!

            Needless to say, I’m glad I got around to making this- I definitely found a gem! Enjoy…

Kung Pao Chicken

Serves: 4

Adapted from: Food Snob 2.0

OBJ: TCW will get back to some Asian Cooking

Ingredients:

2 TBS canola oil
½  C broccoli florets
¼ C  water
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 cup fat-free, chicken broth
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 tsp chili garlic sauce

½ C diced or chopped carrot

½ C chopped onion

1 ½ C string beans, halved

Procedures:

1. Heat 1 TBS oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat

2. Add broccoli, carrots, onion and string beans and sauté 2 minute, stirring often

3. Add water, stir and Cover. Cook 3 minutes over medium flame or until veggies are crisp-tender. Remove veggies  from pan and keep warm

4. Heat remaining 1 TBS oil in pan, add crushed red pepper, and chicken. Cook 4-6 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned and cooked all the way through, stirring frequently

5. Meanwhile, combine the broth, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch and chili garlic sauce with a whisk in a small bowl

6. Once chicken is browned and cooked, add broth mixture to pan, cook two minutes over medium flame or until mixture thickens (stirring constantly)

7. Add veggies back to pan, toss well over medium flame for 2 minutes

8. Serve over rice

 

 

Beer Battered Zucchini

       I don’t mean to boast but I think I’m a pretty healthy person. I run 4-5 days a week before the sun comes up, buy more produce than anything else at the supermarket, and drink around 90 ounces of water a day. Now these are not things I walk around talking about. I simply do them and am just thankful my jeans fit each weekendJ

            Truth be told, I also do these things because I love to indulge. Fresh baked cookies, penne vodka, sausage pizza and fried calamari are my weaknesses and running, fibering-up and hydrating are my solution.

            And so with that mentality, I will continue to make goodies such as this recipe. Oh yeah, this recipe…..yum yum yum. It’s a serious deep-fried concoction that will have you dancing in the kitchen. They didn’t even make it to the platter in my home, we ate them freshly salted from the fryer. Now isn’t that the way we should all eat once in awhile?!? Enjoy…            

Beer Battered Fried Zucchini

Serves: 3-4

Source:Jeffs Recipes

OBJ: TCW be able to turn a healthy ingredient into an unhealthy one!

Ingredients:

2 zucchini, sliced into ¼ inch rounds

1 ½ C flour, separated

¼ C paprika

2 TBS black pepper

1 can of a 12 ounce beer (not all will be used)

Vegetable oil, for frying

Procedures:

1. In a large sauce pan, heat your oil up until when you drop in a pinch of flour it sizzles (the oil should go ½ way up sides of pan)

Meanwhile:

2.  Make the batter by mixing the 1 C of flour, paprika, and pepper. Whisk in the beer a little at a time until the mixture has the consistency of pancake batter. Save extra beer for someone to drinkJ

3. Dredge the zucchini into the ½ C of flour and then dip into batter. Shake off a bit of the excess batter and drop into fryer in batches

4. Fry each batch for about 3 minutes, turning half way through, until dark golden brown

5. Remove with slotted spoon and place on paper towel-lined plate, immediately sprinkle with sea salt

6. Repeat frying with remaining batches, serve hot