It's Fall...ish.

I really love this time of year even if it can still get up to 100 degrees outside! :( But I love Halloween and the months of October and November when it's cool enough in the evenings to open up the doors and windows and let in the breeze. I love the cute little sugar pumpkins, the butternut and acorn squash, and the many wonderfully comforting meals that Fall brings. I was especially feeling this way on Saturday and I wanted to make something warm and comforting. Around this time of year at Trader Joe's, you can get these chocolate chip pumpkin cookies that are SO good! I really didn't have the time to make cookies so I found a recipe for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread! (No, I didn't make this recipe up. I know my weaknesses and realize that I'm not much of a baker...but I'm working on it!) This recipe made amazing bread! It was moist and full of pumpkin-y flavor! I only tweaked it a little by adding dark chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet and I also added walnuts because I like them. Anyway, here's the recipe (courtesy of mothermeetstheroad.com)...

-3 cups sugar
-1 15oz can of pumpkin puree

-1 cup vegetable oil

-2/3 cup water

-4 eggs

-3 ½ cups flour

-3 tsp ground cinnamon

-2 tsp ground nutmeg

-2 tsp baking soda

-1 ½ tsp salt

-1 cup dark chocolate chips
-1/2 to 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray 2 9x5 loaf pans with nonstick spray.
• In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water and eggs. Beat until smooth.
• Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
• Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.
• Bake 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

This really hit the spot and I will definitely be making this a few more times before the season is over. I even thought that this would be a great treat to make and give to friends over the Thanksgiving holiday!

Cranberry Chicken Salad

Lately, I've been really bored with lunch...whether I'm packing one for work or just eating at home. It just seems like I've been having the same ol' thing...turkey sandwiches with provolone or ham and cheddar. Yawn! Last night, I was determined to come up with a fresh new sandwich. And what I came up with was certainly new and very flavorful. Here's what I did...

-1 large chicken breast

-1 large celery stalk, chopped 

-a large handful (about 1/4 cup or so) of dried cranberries

-a handful of roasted and salted sunflower seeds (about 2 TBS worth)

-about 1 TBS of fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley, chopped

-1/2 cup of Greek yogurt

-1 rounded TBS of Miracle Whip or mayo (I know everyone has their preference, so use whatever you like.) 

-1 orange, zested

-a heavy pinch of parisien bonnes herbes (get it here:http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysparisienherb.html--for some reason, this didn't create a link, so just copy and paste this into your browser. ) You could also use a small amount of fresh tarragon, chopped.

-a generous sprinkle of the following: celery seed, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper

Now, this can be made from a rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken, but if you don't have either of those then just take 1 large chicken breast and put it into a medium pot. Add enough cold water to cover the chicken by an inch or so. Add in the celery seed, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat and cook for about 10-12 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken. The internal temperature should read 160 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool. Once you can handle the chicken, cut it into small cubes and put it into a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the chopped celery, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and parsley. In a small mixing bowl, add the yogurt, Miracle Whip or mayo, orange zest, parisien bonnes herbes, and salt and pepper to taste. Adding a little of the dressing at a time to the chicken mixture, stir until mixture is just moistened and everything is distributed evenly. Add more dressing to your specific tastes. Serve on a warm bun or toast and top with romaine lettuce or spinach or serve it on top of a bed of greens!

Typically, chicken salads have nuts in them, but I wanted to write this without nuts. My niece, Emmy, has a very serious nut allergy, as I know many kids do. She can eat sunflower seeds though, so I wrote this recipe for her. It's sweet and crunchy with a little bit of tang from the Greek yogurt and orange zest. The parisien bonnes herbes (I know I use this a lot, but it's so versatile and a delicious blend of herbs!) add a fresh depth of flavor. This was a great recipe to get me out of my boring sandwich rut! I hope you enjoy it too!

Lemon, Chicken and Orzo Soup

Ok, for all of you Paradise Bakery lovers out there, this may seem familiar to you. I first had this soup several weeks ago and immediately fell in love with it. It was so fragrant and delicious. I absolutely had to recreate it, but with my own spin on it. Here's what I did...

-1 large chicken breast, trimmed of fat and cubed
-1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of orzo (Orzo is rice-shaped pasta. If you like more pasta add more, if you like less, add less.)
-1 large carrot, chopped
-1/2 of a medium onion, chopped
-2 medium celery stalks with leaves, chopped (celery leaves are really flavorful, don't throw them out!)
-about 1 cup of frozen spinach
-1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed (cannellini or Great Northern beans)
-a small handful of flat leaf (Italian) parsley, chopped (for garnish)
-the zest of 1 large lemon (reserve the rest of the lemon for garnishing)
-2 bay leaves
-1 heaping TBS of parisien bonnes herbes (get it here: http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysparisienherb.html)
-about 1/2 cup of white wine
-48 oz of chicken stock
-shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
-Salt and pepper
-Extra virgin olive oil

In a large stock pot or enamel dutch oven, heat a couple of TBS of olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, onions and celery, saute for about 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, parisien bonnes herbes, and bay leaves and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and let it cook out for 2-3 minutes. Leaving the heat on medium, add the stock and bring it up to a gentle simmer. Stir in the lemon zest. Add the cubed chicken and let simmer for 10-12 minutes. (Add the orzo at this point if you're cooking it in the soup, otherwise see Cook's Note below.) Reduce heat to low, add white beans and frozen spinach and warm through, about 8-9 minutes or until pasta is tender. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and a thinly sliced lemon wheel. If desired, squeeze some extra lemon juice into soup before serving. A hunk of crusty bread is a great accompaniment to this soup.

This soup is perfect for any time, but great if you're under the weather. It's quick and easy and just the smell of the lemon zest hitting the warm chicken stock is enough to start making you feel better whether you're sick or not! It's packed full of veggies and protein without skimping on flavor. This recipe will definitely be one of my go-to soups this winter season. Hope you give it a try!

***Cook's Note: If you plan on having this soup over several days or if your family happens to all eat at different times, then make the orzo in a separate pot and just add some to each bowl before serving. If you put the orzo into the soup and eat it over several days, you'll begin to notice that the orzo absorbs more and more of the liquid. It will bloat up and become mushy. You can make a large portion of orzo and once it's cooked stir in a small amount of olive oil to keep it from sticking together, cover it and put it in the fridge with the soup.

Balsamic Glazed Strawberries with Marscapone

It's been a pretty busy and crazy summer. So much has happened and I'm glad that the summer season is almost over. With that said, I have a great summertime dessert. I know I don't do many desserts, in fact, I think this may be first dessert post. See, I don't bake very often. I get caught up on having to measure everything and I don't do that when I cook. It doesn't seem like it, but it's actually quite liberating not to measure every little thing. That's what I like about this dessert...no baking and no measuring! :) Anyway, this dessert had everything that makes a great dessert. There were different and complimenting textures and tastes. Here's what I did...

-quartered strawberries, about 1/2 cup per serving
-thinly cut fresh basil, about 1 TBS per serving
-1 TBS Marscapone cheese at room temperature, shaped into a quenelle (a three-sided shape, see video below. Marscapone is an Italian style cream cheese, it's very rich with an heavy cream taste to it.)
-toasted pine nuts, slivered almonds can be substituted (toast nuts in a dry pan on medium low heat until golden brown, stirring frequently), for garnish
-1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
-1 TBS honey


In a medium mixing bowl, combine quartered strawberries and fresh basil. Arrange in a neat pile onto each serving plate. Using 2 tablespoons scoop a heaping tablespoon of Marscapone and follow the video below to create the quenelle shape. Once shaped, place one quenelle on top of each pile of strawberries. In a small pot, combine balsamic vinegar and honey and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened, whisking occasionally. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts or slivered almonds in a dry saute pan until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Garnish the strawberries and Marscapone cheese with the balsamic glaze and toasted nuts.

With the quenelle technique, you just need to keep scooping the cheese back and forth until it creates a smooth 3-sided shape.

This is a really classy dessert without a lot of work. Everything about this really works well together. The sweetness of the berries are balanced with the tartness of the balsamic glaze and the crunch of the nuts compliment the creaminess of the Marscapone. The basil adds a fresh burst of flavor. It may say odd to pair basil and fruit, but it really is delicious. I hope you give it a try! 

Pork Roll-ups with Tampenade and Parisien Smashed Potatoes

This idea came to me because I have made chicken roll-ups with various ingredients and I wanted to try the same thing using pork. I had just bought a jar of Carmelized Red Onion and Fig Tampenade from the Queen Creek Olive Mill (available here: http://queencreekolivemill.com/store/spreads-condiments/jarred-spreads/caramelized-red-onion-and-fig-tapenade-9-oz.html) and I've been wanting to try it. I paired it with pork because pork and figs go amazingly well together. Here's what I did...

-thinly sliced (or pounded) pork cutlets
-thinly sliced prosciutto (it's dry-cured ham)
-preferably aged provolone, but any provolone will work
-Carmelized Red Onion and Fig Tampenade (if you can't get this, you can just carmelize some sweet onions instead, but this adds such a sweet rich flavor to the meat)
-toothpicks

For a side, I made smashed potatoes. Here's what you'll need for those...

-Yukon gold potatoes, skins on (I know these are a little more expensive then the regular Russett potatoes, but they really are worth it. They are so silky smooth and have a completely different flavor.) Allow one potato per person and one additional potato for the pot.
-Parisien bonnes herbes (available here:  http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysparisienherb.html) or dried chives
-Chicken stock
-butter
-Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375. Lay the pork cutlets out on a cutting board (I recommend using plastic cutting boards anytime you're dealing with meat because they can go into the dishwasher to get sanitized unlike most wooden cutting boards) and layer 1 or 2 slices of prosciutto on top, followed by a slice of provolone cheese and about 1 TBS of the Carmelized Red Onion and Fig Tampenade. Gently, but tightly begin rolling the pork cutlet away from you, tucking in the prosciutto, cheese and onion mixture as needed. Secure the seam with the toothpicks. Salt and pepper the outside of the pork. Set aside to prep the potatoes. 

Leaving the skins on the potatoes (only if you're using the Yukon's), dice them into bite sized pieces. Place them into a pot then fill the pot with COLD water until it covers the potatoes by an inch or so. It's important to use cold water because warm/hot water can beginning "cooking" the potato and then they will come out mushy. With the cold water, the water and the potatoes come up to temperature together, which will result in evenly cooked potatoes. Cook the potatoes until the are fork tender (meaning, that when you pierce them with a fork, they slide off the fork easily) about 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Brown each side of the pork for about a minute or until it's golden brown. At this stage, you're not trying to cook it all the way through, you're just going to carmelize the outside. Once all the sides are browned, transfer the pork roll-up to a cookie sheet with a wire rack over it.

Place them in the oven and cook for about 15-18 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. Allow the pork to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. While the meat is resting, drain the potatoes and add about 1-2 TBS of butter and a heavy splash of chicken stock and begin smashing them with a potato masher. Be careful not to over work the potatoes because they will get gummy. Once smashed, season them with salt, pepper, and about 1 TBS of the parisien blend or chives and stir to combine.

By now, you may have noticed that I'm somewhat of a spice snob...well, maybe snob isn't the right word, I should say I'm spice obsessed. As you know, I absolutely LOVE Penzey's Spice Market. They have such a great selection of unique spices, like the Parisien Bonnes Herbes mix that I used in the potatoes. It's a combination of dill weed, basil, tarragon, chives, chervil (it's an herb closely related to parsley) and white pepper. It completely infused the potatoes with a delicate fragrance and flavor. Matt and I both loved the pork roll-ups, too. The pork was a combination of all the great tastes: sweet and fruity, salty and savory and of course, cheesy. This is a simple recipe with big flavors and I really hope you try it!

**I apologize for the bad pictures. I had to resort to taking the pictures on my phone when I discovered that my camera battery had to be charged. 

Update

Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since I last blogged. So much has happened in the last few months with Matt graduating and moving back to Mesa, along with an unplanned trip to Kansas and a few other rough patches, but I know things will get back on track eventually. I've really missed blogging and trying new recipes, but I plan to try a few new ones this week. Tonight we are going to make calzones, which may or may not end up on here. We will see. I've also started something called Meat of the Month as a Facebook group. So, if you're on Facebook, you're welcome to join! Basically, we will be trying a new meat or a new style of cooking every month. Everyone is welcome! We will probably be having our first event next weekend. I'm pretty excited about it. I think it will be a fun way to try new things! I think I will also blog about it too and share the recipes and photos, so that if you can't come, you can still share the experience with us and try it at home! :) Some of the recipes to look for this week are a Jalapeno popper stuffed chicken breast and a Pork Roll-up (I haven't thought of a clever name for this one yet! :) Stay tuned!!

Biscuit Waffles

Biscuit waffles...biscuits made in a waffle maker! They couldn't be simpler to make and you can put anything in them! They are great for breakfast on the run or serve them on Saturday mornings with an egg on top. I'm going to share the recipe that I always make (Matt's favorite) and then at the end I will talk about other flavor combinations that you can try. Here's what I did...

-Bisquick mix
-1/2 cup of chopped ham 
-a large handful of extra sharp cheddar, grated
-2 scallions, chopped
-1 TBS of smoked paprika
-1/2 tsp of chipotle powder (or to taste)
-2 scallions, thinly sliced

*Makes 6 to 8 waffles

Preheat your waffle maker. Follow the directions on the side of the Bisquick box for biscuits, add the spices and double the amount of milk. Stir to combine. Then fold in the remaining ingredients. Spray your waffle maker with Pam and spoon a heaping 1/3 cup of the batter into the center of each waffle square. (Don't fill it too full or when you close it the batter will squish out the sides of the waffle maker and the center of the biscuit won't cook.) Let the biscuit cook for about 5 minutes. (Resist the temptation to lift the lid!) Repeat until all the batter is cooked making sure to spray the waffle maker between each batch. 



Now, I know this is going to sound strange, but I promise you that it's delicious...these biscuits are so good with raspberry jam. Seriously. The biscuits are smokey and spicy and the jam adds just the right amount of sweetness to compliment the spices, as well as the ham and cheese. Like I said, it may sound weird to you, but keep an open mind and give it a try. :) So, I also told you that I would give you additional ideas for different flavors. Here they are....

-Turkey, pepper jack (or swiss), chives (or scallions)
-Ground pork (cooked), green chilies, cilantro, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika
-Shredded veggies (carrots, zucchini, finely cut fresh spinach, etc). This one would be good if you need to sneak veggies into your kids. Top this one with cheesy scrambled eggs and they'll never know that there are veggies in the biscuit! 


I always make these biscuits on the weekend or in the evening to have for them ready for the week. They reheat up really well in a toaster or microwave and are easy to eat on the run. I hope you try this and enjoy them! I'd love to hear any flavor combinations that you came up with!

Penzey's Spice Market

So, in my last post I talked about Ancho Chili Powder, which I said I get at Penzey's Spice Market in Scottsdale, but (I totally should have known this!) you can order spices from their website and they will mail them out to you. Their website is: www.penzeys.com. Just from my experience with them, you get a large amount of spices at (usually) cheaper prices than the grocery store. They are definitely worth checking out! So, if you're near Scottsdale they are located at 3310 N. Hayden Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 and I just read that Penzey's is coming to Tucson!! Too bad they weren't here when I moved here 4 years ago! The store in Tucson isn't open yet and I couldn't find anything about when they will be opening, but when they do they will be at 4128 N. Oracle Rd, Tucson, AZ 85705. It's a great way to try new spices because you can get about 1.5 ounces for around $3. Geez, you'd think I work there with the way I'm pushing this, huh? They should pay me for all this promoting I'm doing!! Ha, ha! ;) But seriously, you should check them out. When you go, DEFINITELY buy the Vietnamese cinnamon, I mean seriously, this is the best cinnamon ever. You will never buy the regular cinnamon again.  Anyway, I could talk about all their spices for hours, but I won't, so you should go check them out for yourself! :)

Spicy Joe's

I can't believe it's been more than a month since my last post! That shows how busy I've been. Matt is getting ready to graduate from pharmacy school and we're moving soon after. Busy, busy, busy, but we're so excited for the next chapter of our lives! :) For the next several weeks, my posts may be sporadic, but I will blog as much as I can. For now, read below for my updated recipe for Sloppy Joe's!

I don't know about you, but for me, Sloppy Joe's are somewhat of a comfort food. There's something satisfying about digging into a messy, saucy, meaty sandwich and getting it pretty much all over yourself. But lately, every time I've mentioned making Sloppy Joe's, Matt hasn't wanted them. So, I thought it was time for a recipe makeover and I came up with Spicy Joe's. Don't let the name fool you...they are still sloppy! :) Here's what I did...

-1/2 lb of ground beef, makes enough for 4-6 sandwiches depending on bun size (for a healthier option, use ground turkey!)
-1 small sweet onion, diced
-1 jalapeno, finely diced (remove the seeds and ribs to reduce the heat level. Don't forget to wash your hands when you're done!!)
-15 oz can of tomato sauce
-a heavy splash of Worcestershire sauce
-2 TBS of brown sugar
-1/2 cup of dark beer (Don't measure the foam. I used Negro Modelo and it added a great deep flavor. But if you don't have beer or don't drink beer, then just omit this step.)
-1 TBS of ancho chili powder (I get mine from Penzey's Spice Market in Scottsdale. I'm not sure if grocery stores carry this, so you can just use regular chili powder BUT...I highly recommend trying to find the ancho chili powder. It's such a unique flavor, sort of smoky with a spicy raisin taste to it.)
-1 TBS of smoked paprika
-1 tsp cumin
-2 tsp coriander
-2 tsp dry mustard (if you don't have this just use regular yellow mustard.) 
-buns of your choice (if you toast the buns, it will help keep them from getting soggy from the meat sauce.)
-cheddar cheese slices (or if you want to kick up the heat level, try pepper jack cheese slices!)
-pickles


In a medium non-stick saute pan over medium heat, add the ground beef with 1 TBS of extra virgin olive oil. Leave the meat alone for a few minutes so that it can begin to caramelize. Then begin to break up the meat and add in the onions, jalapeno and spices (including a heavy pinch of salt and pepper). Let that cook for about 5 minutes and meanwhile, combine the tomato sauce, Worcestershire, and brown sugar in a small bowl, whisking until the sugar is dissolved. Deglaze the pan with the beer and let that cook out for a minute. Then add the tomato sauce mixture, stirring to combine. Allow the sauce to come up to a bubble and simmer over medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by about half. Spoon the Spicy Joe's onto your toasted buns, top with sliced cheese and pickles. 

*The picture above was taken right after I added the tomato sauce, so it obviously needs to thicken a bit. In my excitement to taste this, I forgot to take a picture of the thickened sauce.


I was so pleased with how these Spicy Joe's came out! It was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. And I loved the smokiness that the smoked paprika and cumin brought to the mix. For sides, we had a spinach salad and baked sweet potato fries. When the fries come out of the oven, immediately sprinkle them with salt and chipotle powder. It gives them a smoky bite! :) This was a great update to an old classic and I hope you enjoy it!

Sun-dried Tomato, Spinach and Artichoke Meatloaf with Marinara

I know, I know...I'm on a meatloaf kick lately. First, I only tolerated meatloaf and now I'm making it all the time. This recipe is so different than any of the other meatloaf recipes I've done. First of all, it uses ground turkey instead of beef. Sometimes, I'm not a big fan of ground beef, so I wanted to write a meatloaf recipe using something else. Plus, I didn't want to overpower the other ingredients with the ground beef. This is a great meatloaf, full of veggies and great flavor! Here's what I did...

-1/2 lb of ground turkey (I used 85/15 to keep the meatloaf moist. Also, this amount would feed 3-4 people, so if adjust accordingly.)
-a generous handful of sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted (to reconstitute the tomatoes, bring a small pot of water to a boil, drop in the tomatoes and remove the pan from the heat. Let stand 5-10 minutes or until the tomatoes are softened.)
-2 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped (the spinach will shrink as it cooks, so use more than you think you want.)
-1/2 of a 15oz can of artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
-6 to 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped (the store didn't have fresh basil so I had to use dried, which is perfectly fine. If you use dried, you'll need about 2 tsp and rub it in your palm before adding it to the meatloaf.)
-a small handful of flat leaf (Italian) parsley, chopped
-1 tsp of dried oregano
-a sprinkling of red pepper flake
-1/2 cup of Italian cheese blend (I feel that you can't have enough cheese, so feel free to add more.)
-1/2 to 3/4 cup of plain breadcrumbs (start with less, you can always add more. You want the meatloaf just to come together.)
-1 egg, beaten
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Marinara sauce (optional, but highly recommended!)


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, saving the breadcrumbs for last. Add about 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs to begin with and mix until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout. If the mixture is still sticky or not holding together well, add the remaining breadcrumbs and mix again. Form into one large loaf or into individual loaves. Place meatloaf into a 9x5 inch loaf pan or place individual loaves on to a cookie sheet. Spoon marinara sauce over the meatloaf and bake in the oven for about 1 hour for a large meatloaf or 30-40 minutes for individual loaves. Be sure to check the internal temperature to ensure that the meatloaf is cooked all the way through. The thermometer should read 165 degrees. Let the meatloaf stand 5-10 minutes. Garnish with some shredded parmesan cheese if desired. Slice and serve!


*Note: If you like the crusty top of meatloaf, don't cook it with the marinara sauce on top. Cook the meatloaf, then add the sauce when it comes out. 

We had this with a caprese style pasta salad. For that, I just cooked up some whole wheat short cut pasta (penne or rotini), cut up some English cucumber, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives and chopped parsley. I also added feta cheese (Matt's favorite), but you can also use mozzarella. For the dressing, I did equal parts balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, whisking until combined. Once the noodles are cooked (8-10 minutes), drain them and add them to the bowl of chopped veggies, pour the dressing over the noodles and stir to combine. 

This was a great meal. It was filling without being heavy. The lean ground turkey mixed with so many veggies makes this meatloaf pretty healthy, too. The spinach and artichokes is a classic combination, but the sun-dried tomatoes really punched up the flavor. I enjoyed having something besides potatoes as a side. The dressing was tangy, which was a great contrast to the rich tomato sauce on the meatloaf. This was a delicious meal and I really hope you try it!

*Note: If you need a recipe to use up the remaining artichokes and spinach, check out my Tuna Sandwich recipe which you can find under August 2010! It's so good!! 

Italian Style Meatloaf

Last night was meatloaf night, but it was time to do something different. I really like the A-1 bleu cheese meatloaf that I've written about before, but I have to keep things new, fresh and interesting. This one was inspired by Matt. He loves Italian sausage, so I thought it would be fun to make a meatloaf that included that in it. Thus, a new meatloaf recipe was born. And as soon as Matt took a bite, he said "You have to put this on your blog." Unfortunately, I didn't think to take pictures as I was making the meatloaf, so I only have one picture of the finished product. But not to worry, I'm sure I will be making this one again and when I do, I will update this post with more pictures. The flavor of this meatloaf was surprising. I did a combination of meats and I thought both flavors would come through, but actually they meshed well together and created a wonderfully rich sausage-y taste. That, combined with the other ingredients made for a very flavorful, juicy meatloaf. Here's what I did...

-1/2 lb of ground beef (I use 80/20 because it keeps the meatloaf moist.)
-3 Italian sausage links, casings removed (I used sweet, but use whatever flavor you like.)
-4 large crimini mushrooms, chopped (also called baby bellas)
-1/2 of a medium sweet onion, chopped 
-1/2 cup of grated Parmesan (the real stuff!)
-a heavy splash of Worcestershire sauce
-a small handful of parsley, finely chopped
-3/4 cup of plain breadcrumbs (you can start with a little less and add more as needed)
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 TBS of dried basil (rub the dried herbs in your palm to enhance the flavor)
-1 tsp of dried oregano
-Salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste (If you're not into heat, just put a light sprinkle of the red pepper flakes, but definitely add it because it adds such a great depth of the flavor to the meatloaf.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Saute the mushrooms and onions in a small saute pan over medium heat with a 2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil until softened. Once the mushrooms and onions are soft, add a splash of Worcestershire to the pan and let it cook out. (Keep your head back from the pan when you add the Worcestershire otherwise you'll end up choking on the fumes!) Remove the pan from the heat and let the veggies cool for a few minutes. In a large mixing bowl, add the meats and spices. (I add the spices directly on top of the meat to ensure the meat is seasoned well.) Add the remaining ingredients including another splash of Worcestershire and the mushrooms and onions. Mix with yours hands until all of the ingredients are just combined. (Try not to overmix because that can make the meatloaf tough.) Form into a loaf and place into a 9x5 inch loaf pan OR something I've been thinking about doing is making individual sized loaves and cooking them on a cookie sheet. There are a couple of great reasons to do it this way instead of the large loaf. 1.) They will cook faster since they are smaller and 2.) For me, the crusty top of the meatloaf is the best part, which is why I always want the end piece. With these individual loaves everyone gets more of that tasty crust. The large loaf will end up cooking for about 1 to 1 hour and 15 minutes and the individual loaves about 25-35 minutes (depending on size). Be sure to check the internal temperature, which should read 165 degrees. You MUST cook this meatloaf all the way through since it has pork in it. When the meatloaf reaches 165 degrees, let it stand for about 5 to 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute throughout the meatloaf. Serve with mashed potatoes and a nice salad or roasted asparagus.

This meatloaf was full flavored and delicious. There's nothing I would have changed about the flavors of this meatloaf. It has everything you could ask for...beef, pork, the salty cheese flavor, the earthy mushrooms and herbs and a little heat in the background. This, served with a side of mashed potatoes is a little slice of heaven. Now that I've told you about the meatloaf, the potatoes should definitely be mentioned. So, for Christmas I got a ricer, which is basically a strainer that you push food through to create a super smooth texture. I highly recommend investing in one of these. You will never get smoother potatoes with anything else. They were light and fluffy, the perfect "mashed" potato. I added just a little butter, a splash of chicken stock and some black pepper. I could have eaten the entire bowl myself! 

Click on the link below to see what a ricer looks like!
 
http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-Good-Grips-Potato-Ricer/dp/B00004OCJQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298481095&sr=8-1



I'm actually starting to really enjoy meatloaf. I don't know why I had such an aversion to it. I like challenging myself to come up with new flavors and different styles. I've already written another one that uses ground turkey for a healthier version. I plan on trying that one next week. I hope you enjoy this new meatloaf recipe and I'd love to hear your favorite meatloaf recipe!

Long time, no blog

I'm very upset with myself that I haven't blogged in MONTHS! What the heck?! I don't even know what happened. I've certainly made some new dishes, so why aren't they on here?! Oh right....the holidays and coming up, Matt's graduation and moving back to Mesa. But I will NOT let those be an excuse any longer! I love cooking and I love blogging about it. That's all there is to it. So, tomorrow...a new dish and a new blog post about it. Now, which new dish to make? Something with chicken for sure since we got it out for dinner tonight, but ended up at a friend's house for dinner. :) Stay tuned!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Ham and Gorgonzola Panini

This was the perfect meal for a cool Fall evening. Nothing warms you heart and soul better than a bowl of homemade soup. Even though there was nothing more in this soup that vegetables it made for a filling meal and very healthy too. Here's what I did...

For the soup:

-3 strips of bacon, diced (optional, it's used as a garnish)
-1/2 large sweet onion, diced
-1 medium to large carrot, peeled and diced
-2 ribs of celery, diced
-1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
-32oz chicken stock (or vegetable stock if you wanted to make this soup vegetarian)
-1/4 cup white wine
-1/4 cup of heavy cream
-some chopped chives (for garnish)
-a small container of greek yogurt (for garnish)
-smoked paprika
-ancho chili powder
-nutmeg
-salt and pepper
-extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the cubed butternut squash on a large cookie sheet and add about 1 tsp each of smoked paprika and ancho chili powder and a lightly dusting of nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add about 1 TBS of olive oil and toss to coat. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until squash is soft and golden brown. Meanwhile, preheat a large stock pot over medium heat and add the diced bacon, if using. Cook bacon until desired level of crispness. Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside. In the same pot, make sure you have about 2 TBS of oil in the bottom. So, if the bacon didn't render enough fat to equal 2 TBS, go ahead and add some olive oil. (If you aren't using bacon, just add 2 TBS of olive oil and go from here.) Add the diced onions, carrots and celery (this is known as the "holy trinity" or mirepoix), along with 2 tsp of smoked paprika and ancho chili powder, a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook the the vegetables until softened about 10 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and let it cook out for 1-2 minutes. When the butternut squash is done roasting, add it to the stock pot, along with a 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and gently mash the squash using a potato masher. Add the remaining chicken stock and bring the soup up to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until thickened. At this point, if you are looking for a smooth soup you can put the soup into a blender and puree it. Just be VERY careful while doing this because of course, the soup is hot and may cause the top of the blender to pop off. Or you can use a handheld immersion blender. Or you can just leave it slightly chunky, as I did. To finish the soup, turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream. To serve, divide into bowls and spoon a dollop of greek yogurt in the center, topped with the crispy diced bacon and chopped chives. 

For the sandwiches:

-bread of your choice
-sliced ham
-1/3 cup of softened cream cheese
-2 TBS of crumbled gorgonzola or bleu cheese
-chopped chives
-black pepper
-granny smith apple, thinly sliced

Mix together the softened cream cheese, gorgonzola crumbles, chives and black pepper to taste. Spread a thick layer on one slice of bread. Layer on the apples and ham and top it with the other slice of bread. Butter the outsides of the bread and place in a preheated panini press or cast iron skillet. Cook until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted. To serve, cut on the diagonal.

There is only one way to describe that butternut squash soup: Fall in a bowl. It has a warm, smoky flavor from the bacon and spices, but the vegetables balance it out with their natural sweetness and the greek yogurt adds a nice tang at the end. It has a great balance of flavors. So does the sandwich...the sweet and salty ham with the sour green apple and bleu cheese really melt well together. This soup and sandwich combo goes great together, but feel free to swap either one out with a crisp salad. Hope you enjoy this flavorful meal!

Chicken Pita Pockets with Hummus

This recipe was really simple to make and was a very satisfying meal. It's great for when you don't have a lot of time to make dinner or have a hard day and want something quick and easy. I made homemade hummus, but if you need the meal to come together faster than that, then just use your favorite brand of hummus. If you've never had hummus, it's just a puree of garbanzo (aka chickpea) beans, tahini paste (sesame seed puree), lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. It turns out smooth and creamy and tastes somewhat nutty. Hummus also makes a great dip for veggies or pita chips or can be spread on sandwiches instead of mayo! Here's what I did...


For the hummus:

-1 can of garbanzo beans, drained
-2 to 3 TBS of tahini paste (This will be based on your preference. Start with 2 TBS, taste the hummus and add more tahini as desired. Tahini paste can be found in the Oriental food aisle.)
-the zest and juice from 1 lemon
-1 to 2 cloves of garlic, grated on a hand held grater (This will also be based on your preference. If you like garlic, add more. If you don't like garlic or can't eat it like me, you can use some roasted shallots instead. Peel the shallots, drizzle them salt, pepper and olive oil and roast them at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown and softened OR dice and saute them in olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat until softened.)
-about 2/3 cup of olive oil (you want the consistency of the hummus to be smooth so add just enough olive oil to achieve that texture.)
-salt and pepper to taste (normally, there isn't pepper in hummus, but I like pepper. Feel free to leave it out.)


Add all of the above ingredients (except for the olive oil) into the food processor or blender. While the processor is running, stream in the olive oil and continue processing until the mixture is smooth and creamy, adding more oil as necessary. Remove the hummus from the processor into a bowl and set aside.


Now, you can use any veggies that you like for the pita pockets. Here's what I used:

-chopped romaine lettuce
-chopped tomatoes
-sliced English cucumber (it's the one that comes in a plastic wrapper)
-kalamata olives, halved

Other ingredients you will need are:

-crumbled feta cheese
-pitas (they have plain, whole wheat and multi-grain. Use whatever you like. Most of them are perforated already, but if they aren't just cut them in half to create the pockets.)
-thin chicken breasts (allow 1 per person)
-tzatziki sauce (it's a cucumber and dill sauce made with greek yogurt. It's easy enough to make, by combining a small container of plain greek yogurt, some finely chopped cucumber, fresh dill, lemon juice and salt and pepper...or you can just buy it.)


For the chicken, use whatever spices you like. You can use a hot paprika or a curry powder or smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Grill the chicken 4-5 minutes per side depending on thickness. Allow the chicken to rest 5-10 minutes, then thinly slice it.

To assemble the pita pockets, simply layer in the ingredients that you want. The hummus can be put inside the pita or served on the side with cucumber slices for dipping. 


This is a very healthy meal, but it was also filling without being heavy. Lots of veggies and protein, but with very little fat. I know I've been posting a lot of higher calorie meals and pasta dishes lately and I'm planning on putting more recipes like this one on my blog in the near future. I hope you give this a try and I'd love any feedback about this and any other recipes I've posted! :)

Roasted Tomatillo and Green Chili Mac N' Cheese

I know I haven't blogged in awhile, but I'm back and I've got a great recipe for you! You know how much I love Mac N' Cheese, not only to eat, but to make. There are so many flavor combinations you can do with it and this version may very well be my favorite Mac N' Cheese I've ever made. The flavors of this recipe are so complex and delicious and yet, it's so simple to make! It's loosely based on one of my dad's chili recipes. Here's what I did...

-rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken, shredded (about 3 cups) 
-5 medium to large tomatillos
-1 small can of diced green chilies
-about 1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded 
-about 1 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
-3 to 4 scallions, finely diced
-a handful of cilantro, chopped
-1/2 lb of short cut pasta (penne or rigatoni)
-2 TBS butter
-2 TBS flour
-1 1/2 cups of warmed milk
-2 tsp ground coriander
-about 1/2 cup of crushed tortilla chips
-salt and pepper

 This is what a tomatillo looks like before peeling off the husk. They have a pretty tart flavor so roasting them helps to balance out the tartness. 
 

This is a standard bechamel sauce. The typical flavors of a regular bechamel sauce is salt, pepper and nutmeg, but I used coriander here to compliment the other Mexican flavors.

This is the cheese sauce with the roasted tomatillos and green chilies. 

Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a casserole dish with Pam and set aside. Peel the husks off of the tomatillos and rinse them with water. (Even after rinsing they will feel slightly sticky and have a funny smell, but as long as they are a bright green color they are good.) Place them on a cookie sheet, drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast them until golden brown about 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then chop finely. Meanwhile, place a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Cook pasta for about 7-8 minutes (the pasta will continue to cook in the oven). Drain and put the pasta back into the pot, off of the heat. While the pasta is cooking, preheat a medium saute pan over medium heat. Melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour, whisking to combine. Let the mixture cook about 1 minute and then slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously. Allow the milk to thicken about 5 minutes, whisking frequently. (The consistency should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.) Season with coriander, salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat to low and with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in a small handful of cheese at a time. Once all of the cheese is melted into the white sauce, stir in the chopped tomatillos and diced green chilies. Add the chopped scallions, cilantro and shredded chicken to the pot of pasta and pour the cheese sauce over it. Stir to combine the ingredients evenly. Pour the mac n' cheese into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with the crushed chips. Place into the oven and cook until the chips are golden brown about 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately. 


This Mac N' Cheese is so flavorful and has a little heat to it, but if you want to kick it up a notch, you can add some diced pickled jalapenos to the mix. I really hope you try this out because I think you will love it!

  

Stuffed Shells

When I was younger, I always wanted my mom to make Manicotti for my birthday. Now that I'm older, I realize what a pain in the butt it must have been! That's why moms are the best, right? :) She made it for me because she knew I loved it and never let on how much work it was to make. I will have to return the favor and make this recipe for her one day! :) This one is a lot easier to make because I used large shells instead of the Manicotti tubes. Here's what I did...


For the filling:


-15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
-10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
-3 oz prosciutto, thinly sliced
-1/3 cup of grated parmesan
-4 to 5 large basil leaves, thinly sliced
-a small handful of parsley, chopped
-1/4 tsp of grated or ground nutmeg
-the zest and juice of 1 lemon
-salt and pepper to taste


Other ingredients:

-large shells (allow 4 per person)
-red sauce of your choice
-a ball of mozzarella, thinly sliced (use a serrated knife, it works better)
-grated parmesan
-2 TBS butter
-2 TBS flour
-1 1/2 cups of warmed milk
-1/4 tsp nutmeg
-salt and pepper to taste


*This recipe has 2 sauces: a white sauce (AKA bechamel) and a red sauce. If you don't have time to make the white sauce, go ahead and leave it out. But I do recommend trying this with the white sauce because it does add a richness to the dish.

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a large casserole dish with Pam and set aside. In a large stock pot, bring the water to a boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta 5-6 minutes, drain and let cool. (You only want to cook the pasta halfway because it will continue cooking in the oven. Also, when you drain the pasta and let it cool, do NOT rinse the pasta off with cold water. This will wash away the starch and your sauce will have nothing to stick to.) Meanwhile, add all of the filling ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Set aside. In medium non-stick saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Let the flour and butter cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously. Allow the sauce to come up to a bubble over medium heat, whisking often. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a little more milk. Turn off the heat and stir in a generous handful of parmesan cheese. Pour the sauce into the prepared casserole dish. When the shells have cooled, begin stuffing them with about a tablespoon of mixture or until the shell is filled. As you fill them, place them into the casserole dish on top of the bechamel sauce. Once you fill the casserole dish, pour the red sauce evenly over the stuffed shells. Top with the sliced mozzarella and some parmesan. Place in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes. After that, turn on the broiler and brown the cheese for 3-5 minutes. Serve immediately.

I can see this recipe turning into one of our favorites. It's simple to put together, but looks like it took all day to make. It's rich and full of flavor and best of all, full of cheese! :) You can definitely play around with the flavors, though. Try sausage, arugula (a leafy green with a pepper-y taste), and sauteed onions or spinach and artichoke with the ricotta cheese. I would love to hear any flavor combination that you try! Enjoy!

Crispy Fish Sandwiches with homemade Tartar sauce

I don't know about all of you, but whenever I plan to make fish, I never think about making a fish sandwich. I'm not really sure why that is, but we had some leftover buns that I wanted to use up and everything just feel into place after that. This fish sandwich is a little on the lighter side because it doesn't have a beer batter coating and it's not fried. So, you still get that crunchy coating, but since it's baked, you don't have to worry about all the oil. Here's what I did...

-tilapia fillets (or any other flaky, white fish. Allow 1 per sandwich. Try to make sure they are all the same size so that they will cook evenly.)
-about 1 cup of panko bread crumbs (It's a Japanese style bread crumb and can be found in the asian aisle at the grocery store. This amount covered 2 fillets, so add more as needed, along with the spices, zest and butter.)
-1/2 cup of flour
-2 eggs
-a rounded TBS of Old Bay Seasoning
-the zest of 1 large lemon (after zesting, cut the lemon into wedges and reserve)
-a small handful of parsley, finely chopped
-1 TBS of butter, melted (it helps to brown the panko bread crumbs in the oven)
-rolls/buns of your choice
-lettuce leaves and sliced tomatoes (optional)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set up your breading station. In the first bowl, add the flour. In the second bowl, beat the eggs. In the third bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs, Old Bay seasoning, lemon zest, parsley and melted butter. Toss with your hands to distribute everything evenly. Dab the fish dry with a paper towel, then dredge in the flour and shake off the excess. Dip the fish into the egg, then into the panko mixture. Press the fish firmly in to the panko to ensure that it sticks to the fish. Place the fish on a cooling rack set over a cookie sheet. Repeat until all the fish is breaded. Allow the fish to sit for 5-10 minutes to give the breading time to dry out a little, so that it sticks to the fish better. Place the fish in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes. (If the the fish is thicker than 1/2 inch thick then add a few more minutes to the cooking time.) When the fish comes out of the oven, squeeze the reserved lemon over the top of each fish.


Tartar Sauce:


-1 small container of plain greek yogurt 
-1 TBS mayo or Miracle Whip
-5 to 6 large pickle slices, finely diced (you can use pickle relish, but I find it a little too wet.)
-the juice of half a lemon
-1 tsp dry ground mustard
-1/2 tsp onion powder
-1/2 tsp celery seed
-salt and pepper to taste


Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. 

I make the Tartar Sauce before breading the fish so that the flavors of the sauce can sit and marinate together. This tartar sauce is an alternative to the sour cream and mayo based tartar sauces that are more traditional. I hope you will give this one a try because it is quite flavorful and you can't tell that you're eating yogurt instead of sour cream.


To serve the fish sandwiches, toast the rolls if desired. Place the fish on the bottom bun and top it with the tomato and lettuce. Smear a generous amount of tartar sauce on the top bun to finish the sandwich. 

Even through the bun, you can feel the crunch of the coating on the fish and the spices and lemon zest add a spicy and tangy kick. This crispy fish would be just as good to eat by itself instead of a sandwich. Enjoy!

Asparagus Chicken Roll-Ups with Roasted Acorn Squash

I have finally solved a problem I had been having with my chicken roll-ups. Before, I would cut one chicken breast in half horizontally (because chicken boobs are so big nowadays!) and try to make roll-ups out of those two pieces. Inevitably, I would have a hole in one of the chicken pieces. Frustration would set in. But I have found a solution! Ready? Use 2 chicken breasts!! I know, I'm a genius. Even though using 2 chicken breasts is a whole lot of meat, it is just so much easier to handle. And if there's leftovers, who cares? Just have them for lunch the next day. I don't know why I was stressin' over extra chicken. Silly. Anyway, here's what I did...

-2 chicken breasts (or one per person)
-1 bunch of asparagus (To remove the woody ends of the asparagus, hold one by both ends. Slowly move your hands closer together and let the asparagus naturally break. Discard the end. Then line up that asparagus with the rest of the bunch and cut the rest of them that length.)
-3 oz prosciutto (it's a type of dry-cured ham. Although you can use regular ham, I highly recommend trying this. It just lends a salty depth of flavor that is really different from regular ham.)
-sliced provolone cheese
-1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
-1 TBS of brown sugar
-1 acorn squash, halved and seeds removed

Preheat the oven to 350. 


Place acorn squash cut side down onto a cookie sheet. Place it in the oven and cook for 40-45 minutes. Meanwhile, remove any fat from the chicken, then place the chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Take a meat mallet (use the smooth side), rolling pin or heavy bottomed skillet and evenly pound the chicken out until it's about 1/2 inch thick. Repeat for all the chicken breasts. Next, salt and pepper both sides of the chicken. Then take a piece of cheese and place a piece of prosciutto on top. Next, add about 5 thin asparagus spears (or 3 thicker ones) on top of the prosciutto. Roll the asparagus spears, prosciutto and provolone cheese into a little bundle. Place the cheese bundle onto the smallest end of the chicken and roll towards the big end. Secure the seam with toothpicks. Repeat until all of your cheese bundles are rolled into your chicken breasts. In a saute pan, over medium heat, add 1 TBS of extra virgin olive oil. Without crowding, brown the outside of the chicken breasts, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cooling rack set over a cookie sheet. Once all of the chicken breasts are browned and are on the cookie sheet, place it in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear. While the chicken is cooking in the oven, combine the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a small sauce pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. (Make sure to have your ventilation fan on above the stove as the vinegar can be pretty pungent as it simmers.) To serve, place the chicken breast on a plate and drizzle with the balsamic glaze. For the squash, add butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in desired amounts. 

This meal was very good. I loved the combination of flavors in the chicken. The asparagus was still crisp and green and the flavors of the prosciutto and cheese melted together to create a rich, deep flavor. And the ends of the prosciutto that were sticking out of the chicken were crispy and salty. There was a lot of flavor and texture going on in that moist chicken breast. :)


I was so happy that I finally found a way to do this because chicken roll-ups can be a lot of fun. You can put anything in the chicken breast. They always say that chicken is a blank canvas and it really is. It goes with everything. I'm planning a chicken roll-up dish next week that will have sort of a spinach-artichoke dip in the middle. There are endless possibilities. I'd love to hear any flavor combinations that you come up with! :) Enjoy!