Caramelized Onion, Mushroom & Gruyere Tartlets

This year's Cookie Exchange Sunday Dinner I wanted to prepare some fancy pants appetizers.  I usually do a dip or some sort, or have friends bring the appetizers. But I stumbled onto this recipe from the Brown Eyed Baker (again with the Brown Eyed Baker site) and just had to make this.

It is time consuming to make the "filling" but it's very much worth that time.  The outcome was spectacular and delicious!  I'll make these again for sure.

The only issue with mine that I had were the puff pastry didn't puff so much.  Many of them were flat, but still tasty.  I think they may have been too small and too much good stuff on top of them. Next time I'll make them slightly bigger.


Photo courtesy of
The Brown Eyed Baker

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom & Gruyere Tartlets
Recipe from The Brown Eyed Baker

Yield: 16 3-inch tartlets; [JW note: I made mine an inch and I got 24 of them]

1 T olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 T unsalted butter
16 ounces white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ c white wine (can substitute chicken or vegetable broth)
2 sheets puff pastry (thawed according to directions on package)
1 cp shredded Gruyere cheese (can substitute any variety of Swiss cheese)
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, beaten together (for the egg wash)
Handful of parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to caramelize, about 20 minutes.

Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are completely soft and all of the liquid evaporates, about 20 minutes.

Add the garlic and the thyme and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to pull up all of the browned bits, and cook until all of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.

Unfold the thawed sheets of puff pastry and cut out circles from the dough, placing them evenly spaced on the baking sheets. Using a very sharp knife, make four small scores around the perimeter of the dough, about ¼ to ½-inch from the edge.

Top the rounds of puff pastry with a small spoonful of the onion and mushroom mixture, trying to keep the filling within the score marks. Top with the shredded Gruyere cheese. Brush the edges of the dough rounds with the egg wash.

Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 15 to 25 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

Three little words describes this fudge...

To....

Die...

For...

I'm not a baker. I hate having to measure things, and patience isn't my strong suit. So things like fudge tends to not get made in my house because of the measuring and all the stirring it takes. At least that's how it's been in the past.

Not no more.

The Brown Eyed Baker's recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge is a bit different from most fudge recipes I've made. I followed the recipe EXACTLY and I'll be darn but it turned out.

Not just turned out but it was delicious.

I made two batches on two different days. The batch I made on the rainy day, did not turn out. My grandmother used to say you couldn't make her peanut butter fudge on rainy days and I now believe her.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
Recipe from The Brown Eyed Baker
Makes 64 pieces

2½ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 cup evaporated milk (from a can)
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
½ cup unsalted butter, divided
½ cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 

Butter an 8-inch square pan and line with parchment paper, using enough so that there is some overhang on the edges.

Combine the sugar, cocoa powder, evaporated milk and corn syrup in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.

Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and stir until the butter melts. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then cover and boil for 3 minutes.

Remove the lid and continue to cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 234 degrees F on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage). Remove from the heat and, without stirring, add the remaining butter, peanut butter and vanilla. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.

Using a wooden spoon, beat the fudge vigorously until it thickens and begins to lose its gloss (can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes). You can also transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) and beat it on medium speed, being careful to only mix until it thickens and loses its gloss. Do not overmix. [Jenn Note: I put mine in my mixer for the first batch. I beat it for almost 25 minutes. For the second batch ( on the rainy day) I barely beat it at all.]

Immediately pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Allow the fudge to come to room temperature, then cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill it until set. Lift the fudge out of the pan and cut into 1-inch squares. The fudge can be stored in an airtight container at cool room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

I'm officially addicted to SkinnyTaste.com. I've tried a number of recipes from her site now and every single one of them has not only been low calories, but delicious.  This one is no exception.

I like chicken nuggets.  I hate them from fast food places, but the idea of small, bite size chicken, breaded in goodness just makes my heart flutter.

These were tasty, lo-cal, and super easy to make.

Photo by SkinnyTaste.com

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets
Recipe from SkinnyTaste.com

16 oz (2 large) skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into even bit sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp olive oil
6 T whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 T panko
2 T grated parmesan cheese
olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray.

Put the olive oil in one bowl and the breadcrumbs, panko and parmesan cheese in another.
Season chicken with salt and pepper, then put in the bowl with the olive oil and mix well so the olive oil evenly coats all of the chicken.
Put a few chunks of chicken at a time into the breadcrumb mixture to coat, then on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the top with olive oil spray then bake 8 - 10 minutes. Turn over then cook another 4 - 5 minutes or until cooked though.

Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika

Its no secret that Pioneer Woman is one of my favorite chefs around these days. Her recipes are simple and usually delicious.  I've yet to find one that isn't.

I know the day after Thanksgiving most folks are making left overs with the turkey and all the trimmings. Not this girl.  I wanted stew. It was a wet, rainy, and all around gross day here in the Northwest. Perfect day for stew. 

I popped open the recipe list and fell on to this recipe almost immediately.  It had the two components I was looking for warmth and comfort. 

Super easy, and very delicious. I actually followed the recipe too, shocking I know.  I wouldn't change a thing about it.

Photo by Pioneer Woman

Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman
Serves 6

3 T olive 0il
1 T butter
2 pounds stew meat
1 whole medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can beer, 12 oz can
4 c beef stock
2 c water (additional, If Needed)
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
2 T tomato Paste
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 tsp sugar
4 whole carrots, washed, unpeeled, and roughly sliced
4 whole new potatoes, quartered
Minced parsley (optional)

Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat in two batches, setting aside on a plate when brown. Cut pieces in half. Set aside.

Add diced onions to the pot. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in beer and beef stock, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add beef back into the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

*UPDATE: The liquid should cook down to a thicker state. If it gets too thick/reduces too much, add additional water as needed.

Add carrots and potatoes, then cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. (If stew gets dry, just add a cup of hot water at a time to replenish the liquid.) Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Serve in bowls next to crusty French bread. Sprinkle with minced parsley, if desired

Quiche Lorraine

I am not a fan of eggs. I like them well enough, but rarely will I eat one or order anything that is eggy - like an omelet. Blech! 

However, I had some girlfriends over for brunch this weekend and couldn't figure out what to make for brunch. So I decided to make Quiche Lorraine.
Quiche, it turns out, is really easy to make. And if you put enough yummy stuff in it to forget about the eggs, then it's even better.

I started with this recipe. And adjusted and added as I went.  And, I did not make my own crust. I mean let's get real here. Me and anything remotely like making bread or pie crust really does not go hand in hand.

Side note: I added asparagus to this as well. It was on sale and it just felt like it needed something green that wasn't spinach. It also took a lot longer than 30 minutes to bake. After 30 minutes it was still pretty far from being done. I up'd my temperature to 400F and cooked it for another 15 minutes. It was perfect.

Quiche Lorraine

Short Crust Pastry:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 egg
• 2 to 3 ounces water
• Dash salt

Filling:

• Butter
• 1-ounce diced ham
• 2 ounces Swiss cheese
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 For the pastry:
Combine the flour and the salt on your work table. Add the butter and work it into the flour until the consistency is coarse. Stir and work in the egg and the water until the dough becomes a ball. Coat the work surface with a little flour and let the dough rest for at least 5 minutes.

For the quiche:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pie dish. Spread the pastry out to cover the bottom and sides with your fingers (use flour to help, push dough from middle to sides of dish). Let the pastry stand a bit higher than the dish edge. Bake the pastry for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven before the pastry shrinks, (adjust sides if needed). Place the ham and cheese in the pan. In the meantime, beat the eggs and half-and-half with a fork in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and bake for 30 minutes, until the center is firm. Serve warm with a salad, if desired

Meatball and Spaghetti Soup

Soup appears to be what's on the menu these days. With the fall air getting crisp, it's the perfect meal I think.

Skinnytaste.com is quickly becoming one of my all time favorite websites.  I tried yet another soup from that site. It was delicious. I made no changes to this recipe, which as you know is odd for me. 

Meatball and Spaghetti Soup
Recipe from Skinnytaste.com

For the soup:
5 c low sodium, fat-free chicken broth
2 c water
2 chopped cloves garlic, divided
4 T chopped fresh parsley, divided
1/2 onion, chopped, divided
3-4 T tomato sauce
pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
kosher salt and fresh pepper
6 oz dry cut up spaghetti, I used Ronzoni Smart Taste

For the meatballs:
16 oz 99% lean ground turkey
1 small egg
1/4 c seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese1 tbsp fresh chopped basil

In a soup pot over medium heat, bring chicken broth, water, 1 clove crushed garlic, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, 1/4 of the chopped onion, tomato sauce, crushed red pepper flakes and fresh black pepper to a boil; simmer about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the meatballs by combining ground turkey, parmesan cheese, egg, remaining garlic, remaining onion, remaining parsley, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Form into little 1 inch meatballs (about 36).

Drop meatballs into the broth, cook about 3 minutes; add pasta and cook according to package directions. Add fresh basil, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup and Easy Garlic Biscuits

Yes you read that correctly, Chicken Pot Pie Soup!

I'm a big fan of chicken pot pie. I mean what's not to like?  Pie crust, yummy chicken and vegetables in a flavorful gravy.  My word, I'm drooling.

Watching what I eat means I can't have chicken pot pie - at least not that often.  So when I saw this recipe on SkinnyTaste.com I knew I had to make it.

Its super easy to put together and surprisingly good.  I added salt and a bit of hot sauce to my soup to make it a bit more flavorful, but you wouldn't have to. 



Photo by Jenn Wraspir

The blog author recommends Easy Garlic Cheddar Biscuits to go along side. And might I recommend you do the same. They're made with Heart Healthy Bisquik (who knew that existed?) and the garlic and cheese together....simply delicious. I dare you to just eat one.

Side note, 1 cup is not very much. If you're not having a salad or anything else with this soup, consider 1.5 cups or even 2.  169 calories per cup allows you to have a bit more if you'd like.



Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Recipe from SkinnyTaste.com
Servings: 9 • Serving Size: 1 cup Calories: 169.2 • Fat: 1.2 g

1/4 c flour
2 c water
4 c fat free milk
1 large celery stalk, chopped - JW I totally missed buying celery and therefore missed it in the soup.
1/2 medium chopped onion
8 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms
2 chicken bouillons
fresh ground pepper
pinch of thyme
10 oz frozen classic mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, corn) - JW I'm not a fan of frozen veggies so I bought a can of Veg-All.  I suspect it didn't add too many more calories.
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed small
16 oz cooked chicken breast, diced small
salt to taste

Create a slurry by combining 1/2 cup of the cold water with flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

Pour remaining water and milk into a large pot and slowly bring to a boil. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, chicken bullion, thyme, fresh pepper, frozen vegetables and return to a boil. Partially cover and simmer on low until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove lid, add potatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, and slowly whisk in slurry, stirring well as you add. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until soup thickens, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Easy Garlic Biscuits
Recipe from Skinnytaste.com Servings: 14 • Serving Size: 1 biscuit
Calories: 97.3 • Fat: 3.9 g

2 T butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T fresh chopped parsley
2 c Heart Smart Bisquick
3.5 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (reduced fat)
2/3 c fat free milk

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Melt butter in a small frying pan, add half the garlic and saute on low heat about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add parsley.

In a large bowl, combine biscuit mix, cheddar cheese, and remaining garlic. Stir in milk and mix (do not over mix). Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls (1.5 oz each) onto prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes. Brush or drizzle biscuits with melted butter. Bake for 5 more minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom.

Citrus Spiced Grilled Chicken

Sunday dinner came and went again.  I had most of the crowd bring the side dishes and I focused on the main protein, dessert and the appetizer.

For dinner I made this Citrus Spiced Grilled Chicken. It was pretty darn tasty. I love the amount of citrus flavor you get from this recipe. Again, easy to make, and worth it.

One thing I would recommend not doing is marinating for longer than 2 hours. The recipe says 1 to 24, but that's assuming you're using chicken parts. I used just chicken breast and marinated for just about 2 hours.  With all the citrus (read: acid) in this marinade, any longer and the chicken would have been mushy.  I cut my chicken in to pieces and skewered them (thinking I'd get as much marinade as possible around the chicken). Great idea, but some of the smaller pieces were too long in the marinade and got a little - in my opinion - gross and mushy.

Aside from that, I'd make this recipe again and not marinade for as long.

Citrus Spiced Grilled Chicken
Recipe from Cook's Country


Photo by Cook's Country

Serves 4-6

1 onion, chopped course

1 tsp grated lime zest, plus 1/4 cup juice (2 limes)

6 garlic cloves

2 T olive oil

1 T grated orange zest (2 oranges)

2 tsp dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp ground cloves

3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, trimmed (breasts halved crosswise)

1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum roasting pan (for charcoal grill only)

 

Process onion, lime juice, garlic, oil, orange zest, oregano, salt, lime zest, pepper, lime juice, cinnamon, cumin, and cloves in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds; transfer to zipper-lock bag. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and add to bag, turning to coat. Refrigerate for 1 to 24 hours, turning occasionally.

 

For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely and place pan in center of grill. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into 2 even piles on either side of pan. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

 

For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium-low. (Adjust burners as needed to maintain grill temperature around 350 degrees.

 

Clean and oil cooking grate. Place chicken skin side up on grill (in center of grill if using charcoal). Cover and cook until bottom is browned and chicken registers 155 degrees, about 25 minutes.

 

Flip chicken skin side down. If using charcoal, slide chicken to hot part of grill. If using gas, turn all burners to high. Cook until well browned and breasts register 160 degrees and thighs/drumsticks register 175 degrees, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve.

Chocolate Covered Smores

You may not want to read this recipe.

You may want to turn right around and run ... fast.

This is one of the easiest and most delicious recipes I've made in a long time.

Chocolate Covered Smores by Pioneer Woman.

I made mine in quarters where as she made her in halves.  I figured these would be sweet enough that an entire half might be too much. Turns out if you have two quarters, it equals a half.

At any rate, these were to ... die... for.  I changed it up for a couple of them and put peanut butter in with the marshmallow cream center.  Those were delicious and something I'll likely do again. 

It was also suggested that perhaps chocolate frosting and/or nutella in with the marshmallow cream center would be yummy.  I love how my friends think!

Make these. You won't be disappointed.

Spinach Penne Salad

I'm super behind adding recipes to my blog. Mostly because I'm not OCD'ing about cooking and sharing those recipes with you.

Every now and then I cook.  Several months ago I made this for some gathering, or maybe it was just my brother coming over. Either way it was delicious AND low-cal.  The recipe says it's just 327 calories for 1.5 cups of salad - which isn't a lot of salad, but just enough for a side dish. I served this with grilled chicken breasts along the side.

Spinach Penne Salad
Recipe from Taste of Home
Serves 10

Photo by Taste of Home

Dressing:

1/2 c olive oil

1/2 c white wine vinegar

1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

1 T Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

 

Mix all together. Set aside.

Salad:

1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach

3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

3/4 c (6 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 c sliced ripe or Greek olives

 

Cook pasta according to package. Drain, rinse under cold water. Add to all the ingredients for salad, dress with dressing prior to serving.

 

Apple, Pecan, and Blue Cheese Salad

Since I've been on this eating healthier kick, I've not had much opportunity to try new recipes.  But every now and then I go to a friend's house for dinner and just like that I have an excuse to make something new.

You all, I'm sure, know I'm a big fan of the Pioneer Woman.  Well, on a recent episode she made this salad and I knew I had to make it.

Delicious.  I didn't have any maple syrup and so substituted brown sugar. I'm sure that changed the flavor profile, so next time I make it I'll buy the syrup.

Make this salad. You won't be disappointed.

Apple, Pecan, and Blue Cheese Salad
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman
Serves 8

Photo by Pioneer Woman

12 ounces, weight salad greens (spring Mix)
2 whole apples, cored and sliced very thin
1/2 c pecan halves
1/4 c dried cherries
6 ounces, weight blue cheese, cut Iito chunks
1 T (heaping) Dijon mustard
1 T maple syrup (more To Taste)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (more To Taste)
1/4 c olive oil
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Add greens, apple slices, pecan halves, dried cherries, and blue cheese chunks into a large salad bowl.

 

In a small jar, mix Dijon, maple syrup, vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Put the lid on the jar and shake well to mix.

 

Pour a little salad dressing over the top of the salad and toss to combine. Taste salad and add more salad dressing to taste.

7-Layer Salad Dip

I know this poor blog isn't getting as much attention as it once did, but it will, I promise.  I do plan on getting back to cooking very soon.

In the meantime, here's a recipe I made this weekend for a wine tasting fundraiser my sister-in-law had.  I stumbled onto this recipe from Tasty Kitchen in search of something to make.  It was outstanding.  Really the belle of the ball. 

The only substitution I made was I used Canola oil mayo instead of regular mayo. And truth be told, you could fore go the mayo all together.  The dip was a bit too loose for me, especially for a dip that's supposed to be a mold.  Next time, I'll 86 the mayo and just use cream cheese.

Oh that's another sub I made, I used low-fat cream cheese. I don't really think you can tell the difference in recipes like this.

7-Layer Salad Dip

Courtesy of Tasty Kitchen

Recipe from Tasty Kitchen
Makes 15 servings

6 strips bacon
3 whole plum tomatoes, diced (I cleaned out the insides of the tomatoes so it wouldn't be so juicy.)
4 whole green onions, sliced
16 ounces, weight cream cheese, softened (I used fat free.)
1-½ cup frozen peas, thawed (oh crap. I totally didn't add these in. Oops)
4 ounces, weight shredded colby-jack cheese
¼ c mayonnaise (I used Canola mayo, but would not use this in the next version.)
2 cloves garlic, pressed
¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp coarse black pepper
1 loaf whole wheat french bread (I actually used wheat thins instead of bread.)
olive oil, for brushing on your bread Slices
garlic powder, to taste, to sprinkle on the bread

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy then remove it from the pan. When it’s cool, chop bacon. Reserve 3 tablespoons.

Cut up veggies, set aside.

Soften cream cheese by putting it into a bowl and letting it come to room temperature. Then stir in peas, cheese, green onions, mayo, garlic, salt and black pepper.

Line a medium bowl with plastic wrap. Place 3 tablespoons of bacon pieces in the bottom. Spread 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture over the bottom, then top that with 1/2 the tomatoes and 1/2 the remaining bacon. Repeat layers, ending with a final layer of cream cheese. Press the mixture down into the bowl and refrigerate until serving time.

Cut your whole wheat French bread loaf into 1/4-inch slices, brush each slice with olive oil and season with garlic powder. Put the slices on a baking tray. Bake at 350 F for 8 minutes or until toasted.

When ready to serve, invert the bowl onto a platter. Remove plastic and place toasted bread around your amazing dip!

Grilled Chicken Wraps

Since I started this weight loss journey in January its safe to say I haven't been cooking.  Updating a cooking blog with what I've been microwaving isn't exactly interesting.

I'm at the point in my journey where I'm ready to start cooking for myself again. I'm terrified that I won't be able to do it, but I won't actually know until I start.

So tonight, I started.  I cooked Grilled Chicken Wraps from MyRecipes.com. 

The recipe was super simple, and quite delicious.  It's 288 calories which is excellent. Make this and enjoy eating healthy.

MyRecipe.com Photo

Grilled Chicken Wraps
Recipe from MyRecipe.com
Serves 4
288 Calories/serving
Serving size - one wrap, 1/4c Chicken, one slice of pickle (sandwich sliced), 1/4 c cabbage

1/2 c canola mayonnaise (turns out this is pretty good)
3 T white wine vinegar, divided
2 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 c shredded cabbage

2 tsp bread-and-butter pickle juice (When I make this again, I'll use dill. I didn't really like the bread and butter pickles)

2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Cooking spray

4 light flatbread sandwich wraps (such as Flatout Light Original) (I couldn't find these in my local grocery store so I found some wraps that were the same calories)

4 sandwich-cut bread-and-butter pickles

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Combine mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 teaspoons black pepper (Jenn Note - I thought 2 tsp was quite a bit so I only used 1 tsp and it was plenty), 1/8 teaspoon salt, and lemon juice in a small bowl, stirring well. Combine 1 tablespoon vinegar, cabbage, and pickle juice in a medium bowl; toss.

Place one flatbread on each of 4 plates; divide chicken mixture evenly among flatbreads. Top each serving with about 1/4 cup cabbage mixture and 1 pickle; roll up. Cut each wrap in half diagonally.

Chorizo con Queso

Cheesy dips are one of my major downfalls.  Its one of the many reasons I'm current losing weight.  Still, on my "free" days I find myself reaching for a cheese of some sort.

This dip is a take on the standard Velveeta and rotel tomatoes recipe everyone has seen on the TV.  The difference is this has chorizo in it.  Which adds a certain amount of extra UMPH to this recipe. 

When I make this again, I'll actually consider putting in taco flavored ground beef. The chorizo, while delicious, made it a bit too salty.  Velveeta is already LOADED with sodium, the chorizo put it over the top. It didn't stop me from eating it. It just made me more thirsty.

I also got the Mexican flavored Velveeta to add a bit more zing to it.  Not sure it added any more zing to it, so I added a dash of hot sauce for good measure.

Enjoy!

Photo by Tasty Kitchen

Chorizo con Queso
Recipe from Tasty Kitchen
Serves 8 - easily

1/2 lb ground chorizo
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 lb Velveeta, cut into cubes
1 can Rotel Tomatoes with green chilies
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small jalapeno, finely chopped
2 T milk
2 T light sour cream

In medium saucepan, cook the chorizo and onions. Remove when chorizo is nice and brown.

In a large crock pot on high heat, add cheese, Rotel tomatoes, garlic, and jalapeno. Add the chorizo and stir. Let the mixture sit for 5–8 minutes.

Stir and add the milk and sour cream. Let it stand for another 5–8 minutes.

Stir one last time; cheese should be melted by now.

Serve and garnish with cilantro

Pioneer Woman's Brother's Tacos

Tacos and enchiladas were a constant rotation in our family meals as I was growing up.  Mom always used corn tortillas for both.  When making the tacos she'd use corn tortillas and deep fry them herself.  She'd pour a butt load of oil in a pan, turn it on, and we'd sit and watch until the oil was hot enough. Then we'd (well once I was old enough) put in the tortilla, flip it over and hold it with tongs as it fried.

As food advanced, and science, we learned, not too surprisingly, that doing that wasn't exactly healthy.  Flour tortillas became all the rage, as did low cal, low carb tortillas.  And frying? Forgetaboutit.

Still the memory of that texture and flavor haunted me. 

Pioneer Woman took it one step further.  Her Brother's tacos, not only incorporated the frying that I so loved, but by putting the chicken inside the taco shell and THEN frying it...OMG....it was heaven.

I made these tacos for Cinco de Mayo for some friends.  While frying them was a challenge, and trying not to burn me, and my trusty side kick was interesting, the end result was well worth it.

Once you finish frying, you drain the oil from the tacos, and then pop in the cheese immediately.  The cheese melts and OMG it's so good.

I HIGHLY recommend making these.  They are time consuming and messy and probably not healthy but for a little treat I say make them.

You can find the recipe here.  I've also put it below too.

Pioneer Woman's Brother's Tacos
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

16 whole corn tortillas (small Size)
4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
Salt, cumin, chili powder to taste (or Use Taco Seasoning)
2 T canola oil
2 cans (4 Ounce) diced green chilies
1-1/2 c finely grated cheese (cheddar Or Cheddar/jack Mix)
Sour cream
Hot Sauce (Chulula Or Other Brand)
2 c thinly sliced romaine lettuce (or Any Lettuce)
4 whole roma tomatoes, diced
Canola oil, for frying tacos

*Be careful frying with hot oil!*

Season diced chicken liberally. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for a couple of minutes. Dump in the diced green chilies. Stir and cook until chicken is totally done inside. Turn off heat and set aside.

Have all other ingredients---grated cheese, sliced lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream, and hot sauce---ready.

Also have a plate ready, as well as a stack of five or six paper towels to hold in your hand.

TO FRY
To fry the tacos, heat a couple of inches of canola oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high. Place some chicken in the middle of a tortilla, then fold tortilla in half. Clamp the tortilla shut with a pair of heat-proof metal tongs, then carefully lay the taco---one side down---in the oil. As you lay it in the oil, use the tongs to hold the top side down for a few seconds to form it in place. Once it stays put, repeat with two other tacos. Turn tacos after 30 to 45 seconds, or when each side gets light golden brown (not too brown.)

One at a time, remove tacos from the pan with tongs, holding sideways as you remove them to allow oil to drip out of the sides. Place the taco in the stack of paper towels. Fold the sides and corners around the taco to tightly hold it, then give it three or four shakes to remove excess oil. Remove it from the paper towels and place on a plate. Repeat with other tacos in the pan.

As you continue frying the other tacos, have someone carefully place some grated cheese inside the tops of the tacos (gently pry them open just enough to place the cheese in). Then just let them sit until ready to serve---the cheese will melt as it sits in the warm taco.

To serve, garnish in this order: a smear of sour cream, dashes of hot sauce, shredded lettuce, diced tomato. You'll need to slightly open up the tops of the tacos to get all the garnishes in there.
Tacos will be hot for a minute or two after frying, so don't rush into eating! They'll stay nice and warm for a little while after frying.

Balsamic Green Beans

This past Sunday was the monthly Sunday dinner. I wasn't sure what I was going to make this month. The weather was going to be sunny, and warm - ish, and showing the start of spring in the Northwest.  I wanted to do something light.

I made the Open-Faced Chicken burgers with some minor adjustments. I happen to really like this open faced sandwich.  The mayo that is made for these burgers, at first I thought was odd, but turns out it adds a nice refreshing accompaniment to the chicken.  I swapped out ground chicken for chicken breasts. And with those breasts, I marinated them in homemade pesto.  Turned out to be a killer combination. I highly recommend it.

For the salad, I made a Caprese salad - what's not to love about that? And for the side dish I made Balsamic Green Beans.

I like green beans, kinda. I'm not a huge fan of them when they aren't cooked for a while. It's the one cooked green veggie that I don't like al dente. I like mine to be cooked...almost mushy really.  This recipe gives the beans a nice crunch, while not being overly crunchy or mushy.  The balsamic mixed with the high temp and long cooking time causes the outter edges to be caramelized.  It's so darn good.  I'll make this again.

The recipe is off the Tasty Kitchen Blog which is an off-shoot from Pioneer Woman.  Her global blog basically. Allowing people to post their own recipes.  Check it out.

Potato - Bacon Torte

Again, for Easter I decided I wanted to make it fancy without too fancy. I love potatoes gratin, or au gratin potatoes. One of my favorite ways to make the spud.

I also love pie crust.

This recipe combines the two. I mean, does it get any better than potatoes au gratin in a pie crust? I think not.

Super easy recipe. It says it feeds 6, but we ate only half the pie dish with 4. So it can be stretched to feed at least 8. Oh and I didn't bother making my pie crust. I did the store bought version and it's just fine.

Photo by Recipe A Day

Potato - Bacon Torte
Recipe from RecipeADay.com
Serves 4-6 (really about 8)

For the crust:
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cubed
2 1/4 c flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp fine salt

For the filling:

4 strips bacon

1 c heavy cream

3 sprigs thyme, plus leaves for topping (optional)

3 medium baking potatoes, peeled

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 c grated gruyere cheese ( I couldn't afford gruyere so I used swiss. Just as good really)

1 large egg yolk

Make the crust: Pulse the butter, flour and fine salt in a food processor until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add 8 to 10 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough just begins to clump together. Divide the dough between 2 resealable plastic bags and pat into disks. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Roll out 1 disk of dough into a 10-inch round on a floured surface. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate and refrigerate.

Make the filling: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp; drain on paper towels. Let cool, then crumble.

Bring the cream and thyme sprigs to a bare simmer in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat; let steep 5 minutes. Remove the thyme.

Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Remove the pie plate from the refrigerator. Add a layer of potato slices over the dough in a circular pattern, overlapping; season with kosher salt and pepper and sprinkle with about one-quarter of the bacon. Continue layering until the pan is nearly full. Top evenly with the gruyere. Gently pour the cream over the torte, allowing it to seep down between the potato slices.

Roll out the remaining disk of dough into a 10-inch round on a floured surface. Lay the dough over the filling; press the edges of the 2 crusts together and crimp them closed. Beat the egg yolk with a splash of water and brush on the top crust. With a sharp knife, cut a few slits in the center of the crust to let steam escape. Put the torte on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is browned and the potatoes are cooked through, 50 minutes to 1 hour. (Cover the edges with foil if they brown too quickly.) Let rest at least 15 minutes before cutting into wedges. Top with thyme leaves.

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

OMG!  I cannot tell you, or express in any words, just how good this cake was.  I made it for Easter dinner and it was fantastic. WARNING: it makes a lot. 

I know I should have figured out just in the title that "sheet cake" could make, well a "sheet". I just didn't think of how big a sheet was. 19X17 apparently.  Needless to say, I had plenty.

It's a recipe from Tasty Kitchen that a friend found and mentioned to me.  It was all down hill from there. The recipe is quick and easy.  I highly recommend it if you have a crowd to feed.

Photo by Tasty Kitchen

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
Recipe from Tasty Kitchen

FOR THE SHEET CAKE:
2 c sugar
2 c flour
2 whole large eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 c sour cream
⅔ c creamy peanut butter
1 c butter
1 c water

FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING:
½ c butter
⅔ c creamy peanut butter
6 T milk
2-½ c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

For the cake:
In a bowl combine the sugar and flour.

In a separate bowl (I used my mixer bowl) mix eggs, baking soda, and sour cream well. Set aside.

In a small saucepan combine peanut butter, butter, and water. Bring to a boil.

Stir the boiled peanut butter mixture into the flour mixture, then add to the sour cream mixture. Pour into an ungreased 15×10 inch sheet/jellyroll type pan. (JW Note: I used my 19X17 and it was just fine)

Bake 20 minutes or until done. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

For the frosting: Combine the butter, peanut butter, and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Add the powdered sugar and mix well. Let the frosting cool for a few minutes, then add vanilla. The frosting will be thick; mix well. Pour over cake while both are still warm. Let cool, then serve.

Flat Apple Pie

There are some recipes that I really wish I had never made. This one was one of those recipes.  It was so easy...and soooo good. 

The rustic look and feel added to the glorious flavor - well I think any how.

I topped the pie with caramel sauce once it came out the oven. 

Here's a few things I "discovered":
1. don't make it early and then bake it. The apples release moisture and it becomes soupy.  When I put it in the oven the liquid cooked down and became caramelized. Delicious, but a pain to clean.

2. I used store bough pie crust.  I'm a horrible baker when it comes to bready type things, so I cheated. And you know what, it was just fine.

If you do nothing else for yourself and the one's you love, make this recipe.   Its a Pioneer Woman recipe and as with most of her recipes, it's fool proof.

Tangy Beef Brisket and Perfect Potatoes Gratin

Hi everyone.  Its been three months since my last entry.  Sadly, but in a good way, I started a healthier eating lifestyle which means I'm eating already created frozen food.  That means, no cooking really.  I mean a cooking blog about Jenny Craig food would be boring.

Directions:
1. Take frozen entre out of the freezer
2. Open it
3. Stick it in a microwave
4. Hit time
5. Eat

I have lost 15 lbs which I'm happy about. I have also worked in "free" days. I mean let's not be stupid here, I still need to eat good, unhealthy food.  Just in moderation.

This last week Pioneer Woman came out with her second cookbook.  It was delivered to my doorstep on Tuesday. I sat and drooled over the entire book. Then promptly decided I needed to make something from it this weekend.  So Blueberry and the Pantry Goat came over.

I wanted to do the Tangy Tomato Brisket (she calls it Passover Brisket on her site) and her gratin potato recipe.  It took a lot of strength to not make every recipe in the book. 

I used a pot roast instead of brisket and I used a crock pot instead of the oven. At the end of cooking time, I suspect they both taste just as delicious.  It's a great, and easy recipe.  I highly recommend it.

Tangy Tomato Brisket

Photo by The Pioneer Woman

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

1 whole Beef Brisket, Trimmed Of All Fat (5 To 8 Pounds)
1 bottle (24 Ounce) Ketchup Or Chili Sauce (make Sure It's Kosher)
1 package Onion Soup Mix (make Sure It's Kosher)

Place trimmed brisket into a large baking pan.

Mix ketchup with onion soup mix. Add 1 cup of water or more to make it slightly thin.

Pour sauce over the meat, cover pan with foil, and marinate 12 to 24 hours in the fridge.

Place covered pan into a 275-degree oven and walk away for 6 to 8 hours, depending on how large the brisket is. Check tenderness when brisket has been cooking several hours: stick in two forks and pull in opposite directions. Meat should come apart easily.

When meat is done, remove from oven and place on a cutting board. Slice against the grain; don't be disturbed if meat totally falls apart! That means it's good.

Either return the sliced meat to the sauce until serving, or place meat on a platter and spoon sauce over the top.

The Perfect Potatoes Gratin were also good.  Another super easy recipe that I didn't actually modify at all. Weird.  Next time I make this I'll put bacon in it.  It was decided at the table last night that they'd be 100 times better with bacon...because "everything's better with bacon."

I'm still doing Sunday dinners, and will try to use new recipes there too so I can keep posting to this blog.  I miss cooking every day, but for now, I'm focused on my health.  Soon, very soon, I can consider cooking again. Okay, maybe not that soon.