"Barbecued" Chicken and Cheddar Bakes
Along with cans and cans of tuna (see previous tuna-themed blog entries), Jordan also happened to bring cans and cans of chicken. I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical of the idea of chicken in a can. He assured me it was good and "perfect for chicken salads." I also reminded myself that I was perfectly comfortable eating fish from a can. I was looking to make something really fast and simple without a lot of prep. Ta-dah! Enjoy all the taste of barbecued chicken with a lot less mess.
Ingredients
- 1 12.5 oz. can chicken breast meat
- 1/4 c. barbecue sauce
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 yellow onion, peeled, halved and sliced
- 1 tsp. sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 1-2 Tbsp. cooking sherry
- 1 c. extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 lb. fresh pizza dough
- flour
While preparing other ingredients, allow dough to rest before working with it for about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 450˚ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Set aside.
Heat butter and olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become very soft and begin to brown. Sprinkle with sugar to allow them to caramelize a bit. Add cooking sherry and turn down heat. Continue to cook until liquid evaporates. Remove from stove. Set aside.
Drain canned chicken and place meat in a medium bowl. Mix with barbecue sauce and additional salt and pepper if desired. Take rested dough and cut into four equal pieces. Roll each out on a floured surface into a 6" round. Place on prepared baking sheet. Top each piece of dough with equal portions of chicken, onion and pepper mixture, and a sprinkling of cheese. Fold the dough over and seal around the edge. Cut two slits in the top of each to vent while baking. Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes until crust begins to brown. Remove and eat! Serve with extra barbecue sauce for dipping.
Josh Steele's Slammin' Salmon Chowder
When avid fisherman and all-around hilarious guy, Josh Steele, brought home a bounty of delicious salmon from a recent trip, he had the good sense to break out his fish smoker and make some magic. Seriously . . . delicious! And there was so much of it. A huge bag of flaky, salty-sweet salmon. "Liz, do you think you can do something with this?" Yes . . . yes I can. No real drawback here, just the opportunity to whip up something new and tasty. October weather calls for big steamy bowls of chowder with warm crusty bread for dipping. It's a natural fit. Thanks Josh for this inspiration here. Your salmon rules! Bring back more please!
Ingredients
- 2-3 c. smoked salmon, flaked into bite-sized chunks
- 6 ears sweet white corn, kernels removed from cobs
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 3 stalks of celery, trimmed and diced
- 2 small red potatoes, diced
- 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1 tsp. dried dill
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 handful chopped Italian parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 qt. half and half
- 2 Tbsp. butter.
Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally over medium until onion becomes fragrant and translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add celery, bell peppers, and jalapeño peppers. Cook until peppers begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add corn, potatoes, bay leaves, and 1 c. water. Stir and combine ingredients. Cover and simmer about 5-7 minutes for potatoes to soften. Add salmon, tomatoes, pepper flakes, dill, parsley, and half and half. Watch the pot for the half and half to begin to bubble around the edges. Lower the heat to low and simmer about 10 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, remove bay leaves, and serve with warm crusty bread and butter.
Open-Faced Tuna Melts with Spicy Tomato and White Bean Soup
Romeo and Juliet. Gin and Tonic. Yin and Yang. There some things out there in the world go better in pairs. On a chilly October evening after a long day at the office followed by chores and errands there are few things more satisfying that a nice sandwich covered in melty cheese and a big ol' bowl of soup. When Jordan moved in, he brought with him an X-Box, an enormous tv, and many, many cans of tuna. "Let's do something with these." He said. Challenge accepted.
Ingredients
- 2 7-8 oz cans Albacore tuna (in oil or water), drained
- 1/4 c. chopped Kalamata olives
- 1/2 red onion, peeled and diced
- 2 Tbsp. capers, chopped
- 1 handful chopped Italian parsley, divided
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 ciabatta loaf, sliced lengthwise
- 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- sliced Provolone and cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp. dried dill
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 28 oz. can tomato puree
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 2 large shallots, minced
- 1/4 c. minced carrot
- 2 c. chicken broth
- 1 14.5 oz. can white beans, rinsed
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp. hot sauce
SPICY TOMATO AND WHITE BEAN SOUP
Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium sauce pan. Saute shallots for about 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften, add carrots. Cook another 2 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste. Add tomatoes, broth, beans, 2 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley, sugar, pepper flakes, and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve.
TUNA MELTS
While soup is simmering, heat the oven to 400˚ F. In a large bowl, combine tuna, olives, capers, onions, dried dill, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, remaining parsley, red wine vinegar, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Set out sliced ciabatta on a foil-lined baking sheet. Top with tuna mixture and then cover with slices of cheddar and Provolone cheeses. Bake in oven 15-20 minutes so that the bread becomes toasty and the cheese is melted. Serve with soup. Eat. Yum.
Salmon Fish Tacos with Black Bean and Corn Salsa
In a memorable (and hilarious) episode of the animated show, King of the Hill, Hank and his co-worker, Enrique, begin frequenting a local Mexican restaurant. When the neighborhood is suddenly taken over by obnoxious hipsters, things change. High-strung Enrique appeals to Hank, exclaiming in horror, "They put salmon in the fish tacos!!!" I never realized salmon was such a controversial fish. While perhaps, not the most "traditional" choice I rather like a good piece of salmon and I friggin' love tacos. A bag of medium-ground cornmeal, a can of black beans, and a few avocados sitting around in the cupboards began playing upon my foodie imagination and inspired me to do my own Northwest nod to the fish taco.
Ingredients
BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALSA
- 1 14.5 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 ears sweet white corn, kernels scraped off into a bowl and reserved
- 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
- juice from one lime
- 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
SALMON FISH TACOS
- 1-1 1/2 lb. salmon fillet
- 1 c. medium ground cornmeal
- vegetable oil for frying
- 2 eggs, beaten
- flour for dredging
- salt and pepper
- small flour tortillas
- sour cream
- guacamole
In a medium bowl, combine ingredients for the salsa, stir gently. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside while preparing the fish tacos. The salsa is great on its own with a handful of tortilla chips! Wrap the flour tortillas in foil and place in the middle rack of a 300˚F oven so that they are warm and ready for topping.
While tortillas are warming, season salmon fillet on both sides with salt and pepper. Slice the salmon crosswise to make about 2-3" strips. Dredge strips, one at a time, in flour then dip in beaten eggs and roll in cornmeal, covering completely. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook cornmeal covered salmon pieces until they begin to turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove finished salmon pieces from pan and drain on a paper towel lined plate while frying remaining fish.
Remove tortillas from oven and build fish tacos with a piece of salmon topped with black bean and corn salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. Serve with Coronas and lime! Yum. Fiesta in my mouth.
Polenta-Crusted Triple Cheese Chicken Parmesan
What's not to like about chicken, breaded, fried in olive oil, and covered in melty cheese? The answer is nothing. It's just a good idea all around and with a garden-fresh homemade marinara sauce . . . this is a fantastic one-dish meal to feed an army. I have made several variations of this Italian restaurant classic. This particular riff was inspired by a bag of medium-ground cornmeal sitting on the pantry shelf. The crispy polenta crust is a fun variation of the breadcrumb coating. Hope you like it.
Ingredients
- 5 or 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, split in half lengthwise to double the number
- 1 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1 c. shredded Parmesan
- 10 or 12 small slices of Provolone cheese
- 1 1/5 lbs. mixed cherry, Roma, or heirloom tomatoes, rinsed and pulsed to a puree in the food processor
- 1 sweet yellow onion, peeled and finely minced
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely minced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 2 celery sticks, rinsed and minced
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil plus extra for frying
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp sugar
- fresh basil leaves, minced
- a small handful of Italian parsley, minced
- 3 eggs, beaten
- flour for dredging
- 1 c. medium-ground cornmeal
MARINARA SAUCE
Heat 3 Tbsp. olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until they become tender and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Add minced carrots and celery and cook over medium about 3 minutes to soften. Add tomato puree, basil, parsley, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and the cook over low heat, covered, for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. You can use this over any pasta you like or save it for the chicken Parmesan extravaganza.
CHICKEN PARMESAN
Preheat oven to 350˚ F. While oven is heating, taken sliced chicken pieces and season both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece in flour, then beaten egg, then roll in cornmeal until completely covered. Set aside for frying. Drizzle enough oil in the bottom of a medium skillet to cover it evenly, you will have to add more oil periodically as you fry the chicken. Heat oil over medium high and arrange several chicken pieces in the pan to cook. Don't overcrowd the pan! Cook chicken until it begins to turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from oil to drain on a paper towel lined plate until all the chicken has been browned.
Arrange a layer of chicken at the bottom of a 13x9" baking dish. Top each piece of chicken with a slice of mozzarella and a slice of Provolone. Top with half the prepared marinara sauce. Add a second layer of chicken, cheese, and marinara then top everything with shredded Parmesan cheese.
Bake in oven for about 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted and delicious!
Chocolate Orange Zucchini Bread/Cake
Banana Bread was one of the first things I learned how to bake, although I always wondered why it was considered a "bread" as it had all the sweet properties of a dessert item. Same goes for muffins. Except for the lack of frosting, I don't know how anyone can claim that those chocolate chocolate chip "muffins" from Costco aren't cupcakes. Anyway, having been gifted a couple of garden fresh zucchinis, I was interested in experimenting with the world of "breads" and what I mean is . . . "cake." After baking it up I figured, "Well, if I'm going to do the thing, I had better just do it right." So, I whipped up a vanilla glaze topping. It's not really "bread" I'll be the first to admit. But it's pretty freakin' tasty!
Ingredients
- 2 zucchinis, grated
- zest and juice from one orange
- 3/4 c. vegetable oil
- 1 c. sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 c. cocoa powder
- 1 c. chocolate chips
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 c. flour
- 2 Tbsp. milk
- 2 c. powdered sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla, divided
- 1 Tbsp. butter and a little flour for greasing the pan
Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Grease and flour a 9" round baking pan, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together zucchini, orange juice and zest, oil, sugar, 1 tsp. of vanilla, and eggs. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Whisk until batter is smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread batter into prepared pan and bake in oven for 25-30 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes in the pan then turn out on wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl blend together milk, 1 tsp. vanilla, and powdered sugar with a hand mixer. Ingredient amounts may need to be adjusted slightly to get the desired consistency. Spoon glaze over the cooled bread/cake and allow to dry before slicing and serving. Store in an airtight container, eat for breakfast or dessert.
Pepper Steak Paninis
Oh no! A pile of delicious leftover steak, a basket of garden fresh peppers, a couple of hungry boys!?! What is a girl to do? Okay, I am admittedly staging this problem a little bit. It is actually a rare occurrence to have leftover steak around my place. After the other night's dinner of marinated flank steak, I had to stop my fellow diners from taking thirds with the promise that I would use the remaining meat for something delicious. I really love making paninis, they are a fantastic way to use leftover meat or grilled vegetables in a new meal. Knowing I had brightly colored peppers and onions waiting on my counter top and a nice chunk of steak and some slices of sharp cheddar in the fridge, all I had to do on my way home from work was pick up a nice loaf of sourdough to whip up a quick and satisfying batch of grilled sandwiches. I kept this one fairly simply to highlight the flavors of the fresh picked peppers. I think the boys were glad they restrained themselves the other night on their meat-consumption to enjoy this meal!
Ingredients
- 1 small sourdough round loaf, sliced into 1/2" thick pieces
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 assorted bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 red onion, peeled and sliced
- salt and pepper
- 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- leftover steak, sliced thin (or pick up some roast beef from the deli)
- sliced sharp cheddar cheese
Turn on your panini press to heat. Meanwhile brush one side of each piece of sliced sourdough with olive oil, set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook peppers and onions over medium, stirring occasionally, until they soften and just begin to turn slightly brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove skillet from stove.
Arrange slices of bread, oiled side down, on a work surface. Layer with a slice of cheese, meat, onion and pepper mixture, and another slice of cheese. Top with a piece of bread, oiled side up.
Arrange sandwiches on panini press and grill until bread begins to turn golden brown and the cheese is melted. Slice in half. Eat up! Easy does it.
"Barbecued" Chicken and Cheddar Bakes
Heat butter and olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become very soft and begin to brown. Sprinkle with sugar to allow them to caramelize a bit. Add cooking sherry and turn down heat. Continue to cook until liquid evaporates. Remove from stove. Set aside.
Drain canned chicken and place meat in a medium bowl. Mix with barbecue sauce and additional salt and pepper if desired. Take rested dough and cut into four equal pieces. Roll each out on a floured surface into a 6" round. Place on prepared baking sheet. Top each piece of dough with equal portions of chicken, onion and pepper mixture, and a sprinkling of cheese. Fold the dough over and seal around the edge. Cut two slits in the top of each to vent while baking. Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes until crust begins to brown. Remove and eat! Serve with extra barbecue sauce for dipping.
