Meatloaf Parm over Spaghetti Marinara

Photo from Hello Fresh

Chicken Parmesan is one of those "special" meals I order out occasionally. I'm pretty particular about what I want it to taste like so I don't always risk it. 

This recipe interested me because of the "meatloaf" part. What an interesting way to make a spin on the classic. 

It did not disappoint. I over cooked the meatloaf and it was still delicious. And you can't go wrong with basic tomato sauce on your spaghetti. 

This will be repeat meal for sure.

Meatloaf Parm over Spaghetti Marinara
Recipe from Hello Fresh
Serves 2

• ¼ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 10 ounce Ground Beef
• 6 ounce Spaghetti
• 3 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese
• ½ cup Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 tablespoon Tuscan Heat Spice
• 14 ounce Marinara Sauce

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

In a small bowl, combine panko, mozzarella, and a large drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine beef, half the panko mixture, half the Tuscan Heat Spice (you’ll use the rest later), and 1 TBSP water; season generously with salt (we used ½ tsp) and pepper.

Form beef mixture into two 1-inch-tall loaves. Flatten tops. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

Spoon a thin layer of marinara sauce (you’ll use the rest later) over tops of meatloaves; mound with remaining panko mixture and press gently to adhere.

Bake meatloaves on top rack until beef is cooked through and crust is browned and crispy, 22-28 minutes.

Once water is boiling, add spaghetti to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes.  Reserve ¼ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

Heat pot used for pasta over medium-high heat. Add remaining marinara sauce, remaining Tuscan Heat Spice, 1 tsp sugar, and reserved pasta cooking water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes.

Stir drained spaghetti, half the Parmesan, and 1 TBSP butter into pot with sauce until thoroughly coated. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Divide pasta between plates and top with meatloaves.

Fried Chicken BLT Sandwiches with Dill Potato Salad & Lemony Greens

Photo from Hello fresh

Who doesn't love a BLT? You put fried chicken on it and you've really got something. 

One MAJOR adjustment to this recipe for me...I didn't fry the chicken. 

One, I'm horrible at frying and not burring chicken.

Two, I could go without the extra calories and carbs. So I opted to just grill the chicken. I think it was a better sandwich.

It needed more bacon and more tomato in my opinion. These were two LONG slices of sourdough. If you're gonna have a BLT you need to know you have the "B" and the "T". Thankfully I had both on had to add to the sandwich. And I regret it not.

Fried Chicken BLT Sandwiches with Dill Potato Salad & Lemony Greens
Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 12 oz Red Potatoes
• 1 Lemon
• ¼ oz Dill
• 1 Tomato
• 1 Baby Lettuce
• 3 tablespoon Sour Cream
• 2 teaspoon Hot Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Fry Seasoning
• 12 oz Chicken Cutlets
• 4 oz Bacon
• 6 tablespoon Mayonnaise 
• 82 g Tempura Batter
• 2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 4 slice Sourdough Bread

Dice potatoes into ¾-inch pieces. Place in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water; transfer to a large bowl to cool. TIP: Spread potatoes out to help them cool more quickly. 

While potatoes cook, quarter lemon. Pick and finely chop fronds from dill. Thinly slice tomato into rounds. Trim and discard root end from lettuce; reserve two large leaves, then roughly chop remaining lettuce.

In a small bowl, combine half the sour cream, half the hot sauce, 1 tsp Fry Seasoning, a big pinch of salt, and pepper. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a thin, pourable consistency. 

Pat chicken dry with paper towels; place between two large pieces of plastic wrap; pound with a mallet or rolling pin until about ½ inch thick. Transfer marinade to a zip-close bag. Add chicken and seal to close; set aside to marinate, tossing occasionally. 

Heat a large dry, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon; cook, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, until crispy, 6-10 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. 

While bacon cooks, in bowl, combine two packets of mayonnaise, ¼ tsp Fry Seasoning, and remaining hot sauce to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine tempura batter mix, remaining Fry Seasoning, a pinch of salt, and pepper. 

Remove chicken from marinade; allow excess to drip off off (discard remaining marinade). Add to bowl with batter mix; toss until thoroughly coated, pressing to adhere mixture in a thick layer.

Heat ⅓-inch layer of oil in pan used for bacon over medium-high heat. 

Once oil is hot enough that a pinch of batter mix sizzles when added to pan, add coated chicken in a single layer. 

Cook for 1 minute, then reduce heat to medium and cook until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes per side. (TIP: Work in batches if necessary; lower heat if chicken begins to brown too quickly.) Transfer chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate; season with salt.

While chicken cooks, toast sourdough slices. 

To bowl with potatoes, add mustard, remaining sour cream, remaining mayonnaise, a squeeze of lemon juice, and as much dill as you like. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. 

In a second large bowl, toss chopped lettuce with 2 TBSP olive oil, a big squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Spread half the sourdough slices with sauce. Fill with chicken, bacon, tomato, and lettuce leaves. Close sandwiches. 

Halve sandwiches and divide between plates. Serve with potato salad and greens on the side.

Street Cart-Style Chicken Bowls

Oh boy...I don't even know where to start with this meal. First, its entirely too hot here in Seattle. 89F
outside right now and for us, that's hot. I almost decided to not cook because it was too hot. But boy am I glad I did. This dish was amazing. 

I sorta followed the recipe. The one and only change I made is I swapped our dark meat chicken for chicken breast. 

And then when I served myself a plate I decided I wanted some hummus with it. Such a good combination. 

This one is a keeper for sure.

Street Cart-Style Chicken Bowls

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 tsp Turmeric
• ¾ cup Jasmine Rice
• 11/4 c chicken stock
• 2 Scallions
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Tomato
• 1.5 tablespoons Sour Cream
• 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 10 ounce Diced Skinless Chicken (dark or breast meat)
• 1 tablespoon Shawarma Spice Blend
• 2 Pitas
• 1 tsp Chalula hot sauce

In a small pot, melt 1 TBSP butter over medium heat. Stir in 1⁄4 tsp turmeric (1⁄2 tsp for 4 servings); cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. • Stir in rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water (2 1⁄4 cups for 4), stock concentrate, a big pinch of salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, bring 2 TBSP butter(4 TBSP for 4 servings) to room temperature. Wash and dry produce. • Quarter lemon. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Dice tomato into 1⁄2-inch pieces.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder, and a squeeze of lemon. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Open package of dark meat chicken and drain off any excess liquid; season with Shawarma Spice Blend, salt, and pepper. • Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and scallion whites; cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.

Toast pitas until softened and warmed through. • Spread with softened butter, then cut each pita into quarters.

Once rice is done, fluff with a fork; stir in half the scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. • Divide rice between bowls. Top with chicken and tomato in separate sections; season tomato with a pinch of salt. Drizzle everything with as much white sauce and Cholula hot sauce as you like; garnish with remaining scallion greens. Serve with pita and remaining lemon wedges on the side. TIP: We like to scoop up some of the rice, chicken, tomato, and sauces with a pita wedge and eat it all in one bite!

Warm Buttered Shrimp Rolls

In 2016 we went to the South. We hit Charleston and Savannah before heading to Atlanta. I fell in
LOVE with the fried shrimp there. My goal was to eat as much of it as I could. Fresh, spicy, crispy and delicious.

One lunch my mom suggested I get something other than fried shrimp. So, I ordered a fried shrimp po'boy. What? It was different. 

What happened though is I was then in LOVE with the po'boys. You can't get that kind of sandwich here. 

Photo from Hello Fresh

I came across this recipe on Hello Fresh and I thought it might be reminiscent of the south. And it did not disappoint. 

I didn't do the potatoes along side it tonight though. Corn, a sandwich AND potatoes seemed like too much. AND it's hotter than hades here and I didn't want to have the oven on any longer than I needed. 

Warm Buttered Shrimp Rolls

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 12 ounce Potatoes
• 2 Scallions
• 1 Lemon
• 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 1.5 tablespoon Sour Cream
• 1 teaspoon Celery Salt
• 4 ounce Shredded Red Cabbage
• 10 ounce Shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 Demi-Baguette
• 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
• 1 Corn on the Cob

Warm Buttered Shrimp Rolls with Corn on the Cob, Creamy Lemon Slaw & Seasoned Potato Wedges

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut potatoes into ½-inch-thick wedges. Zest and halve lemon. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of olive oil, half the paprika, half the garlic powder (you’ll use the rest of each spice later), salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, juice from half the lemon, half the celery salt (you’ll use the rest later), and 1½ tsp sugar. Add cabbage and scallion greens; toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Place 1 TBSP butter in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until melted, 30 seconds. • Slice baguettes lengthwise, stopping before you get all the way through. Brush melted butter onto cut sides of bread. Place, cut sides up, on  a baking sheet); toast until golden brown, 2-3 minutes.

While baguettes toast, rinse shrimp under cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. Toss in a second medium bowl with a large drizzle of olive oil, remaining paprika, remaining garlic powder, remaining celery salt, and a big pinch of salt and pepper.

Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add shrimp and scallion whites. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are opaque and cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Turn off heat; stir in 1 TBSP butter and lemon zest to taste.

While shrimp cooks, wrap corn in damp paper towels. Microwave until kernels are softened and corn is cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Let rest for 1 minute; halve corn crosswise.

Fill toasted baguettes with shrimp, as much slaw as you like, and hot sauce if desired.

Beef Tenderloin & Gouda Sandos plus Balsamic Au Jus & Mixed Greens Salad with Apple

A beef sandwich is always a good thing to have on the menu. The description on the website made this
meal sound amazing: 

Dip dip hooray! Celebrate dinnertime with a twist on this classic hot sammie. Our chefs swapped out the traditional roast beef and layered luxurious seared beef tenderloin, melty Gouda, and pickled shallots between Dijonnaise-spread toasted sourdough–a sandwich fit for dinner. 

First off, I had nothing to dip this bad boy in. Why? I cooked the liquid down too much. On the one hand it made a hella jam, on the other I didn't have a dip. I don't really think I needed the dip. 

The dijonnaise and gouda really worked well together too. 

I should also mention. I started by trying to pan fry the steaks, but I just suck at that AND I prefer them on the grill. So after I got a nice sear on them, I moved the remaining cooking to the grill. 

Overall, it was yummy. 

I wasn't feeling the salad tonight. Plus I need more of a dressing than just lemon juice. If I had thought about it I would have saved a few shallots and made a Dijon vinaigrette. So instead I had some baked beans and a side of yellow flesh honey dew.

Side note: If you've not tried the yellow flesh honey dew...DO IT! I'm mildly addicted to them currently. 

Beef Tenderloin & Gouda Sandos plus Balsamic Au Jus & Mixed Greens Salad with Apple

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 Granny Smith Apple
• 1 Shallot
• 1 Lemon
• 5 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tsp Dried Thyme
• 4 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 2 T Mayonnaise
• 10 ounce Bavette Steak
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 T Onion Powder
• ¼ c beef stock
• 2 Demi-Baguette
• 2 slice Gouda Cheese
• 2 ounce Mixed Greens

Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry produce.

Halve, peel, and thinly slice shallot. Halve, core, and thinly slice apple. Halve lemon.

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, half the thyme, 2 TBSP water, 1⁄4 tsp sugar, and a big pinch of salt until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in shallot; set aside to pickle.

In a separate small bowl, combine mayonnaise and mustard. Season Dijonnaise with salt and pepper to taste.

Pat steak dry with paper towels; season all over with half the garlic powder, half the onion powder, a big pinch of salt, and pepper.

Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook to desired doneness, 5-7 minutes per side.

Turn off heat; transfer to a cutting board to rest for at least 5 minutes. Wipe out pan.

Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium heat. Add pickled shallot and its liquid, stock concentrates, and 1⁄4 cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is softened, 4-5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat; stir in 1 TBSP butter until melted. Cover to keep warm.

Halve baguettes lengthwise. Toast directly on middle rack until crisp for 2-3 minutes.

Thinly slice steak against the grain. Once baguettes are toasted, transfer to a baking sheet; arrange cut sides up. Top bottom halves with gouda and steak. Bake on middle rack until cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes, transfer to a cutting board.

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, arrange shallot from pan over melted cheese (reserve au jus in pan). Spread top baguette halves with Dijonnaise. Close sandwiches.

In a medium bowl, combine mixed greens, apple, juice from half the lemon, and 1 TBSP olive oil (2 TBSP for 4). Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Halve sandwiches crosswise. Pour au jus into small serving bowls.

Divide sandwiches and salad between plates. Serve with au jus on the side. TIP: We like to dunk our sandwiches in the au jus before each bite!

Creamy Chive Chicken with Lemony Rice & Dijon Apple Salad

This meal was better than I thought it would be. I expected it to be just ok, nothing fancy, nothing overly flavorful and yet....it was surprisingly delicious. 

I finally unlocked the issue I have with cooking rice on the stove. I have followed the "directions" that everyone says that's a 2-1 ration. Two cups of water to 1 cup of rice. It NEVER works for me. 

Since using Hello Fresh I've cooked rice on the stove each time and have been successful. I do a step more than they have and that's sauteing the rice. 

I put 1 T of olive oil (or any oil) in the pan, drop in the rice when it's hot and sauté the rice for a couple of minutes. I'm not looking to brown it, just until some of the rice becomes WHITE. Then instead of water, I've been using chicken stock. Put in the same amount of water as rice. Cover, bring to a boil and drop down to low. Cooking for about 18 minutes.

It's been perfect every time. 

The rest of this meal was easy to cook and absolutely delicious.

Creamy Chive Chicken with Lemony Rice & Dijon Apple Salad
Recipe from Hello Fresh
Serves 2

• 1 lemon, zested
• 3 T chives, minced
• 2 T sour cream
• 2-3 tsp Dijon, separated
• Mixed Greens
• 1 apple
• 1/4 c chicken stock
• 2 chicken cutlets
• 3/4 c Jasmine rice

Zest and quarter lemon. Mince chives. Halve and core apple; quarter one half lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise into triangles.

In a small pot, combine rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve. [Jenn Note: I've unlocked the best way to do rice. Put a little oil - like 1 T - in the pan, toss in the rice, sauté it a bit. You can brown it but its not necessary. As soon as some of the rice turns white white, then add chicken stock, instead of water. Cover, bring to a boil. Reduce to low and cook 15-18 mins]

While rice cooks, in a medium bowl, combine 1 TBSP olive oil, juice from half the lemon, half the mustard (you’ll use the rest later), 1⁄2 tsp sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir in half the chives. Set aside.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels; season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes per side. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.

 Heat same pan over medium-high heat. Add stock concentrate, remaining mustard, 1⁄4 cup water, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Simmer until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat.

Stir in sour cream and remaining chives. Add water 1 tsp at a time until sauce reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Fluff rice with a fork; stir in 1 TBSP butter and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. 

Add mixed greens and sliced apple to bowl with dressing. Toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. 

Divide chicken, rice, and salad between plates. Drizzle chicken with pan sauce. Cut remaining lemon into wedges and serve on the side.

Walnut-Crusted Salmon

This one felt fancy tonight. It was so freakin' delicious though. And, the best part, I didn't overcook the salmon. 

Only thing I didn't do is I didn't add oregano to the panko mixture. I'm not a huge fan of oregano and I didn't want it to ruin the fish for me. Other than that, I followed the recipe for a change. 

Oh, actually, I take that back. I did change one small thing. I used chicken stock instead of water in the rice. I prefer that to plain water when the rice isn't going to get any other sauce on it. It added a nice flavor and the savory to it. 

Walnut-Crusted Salmon with Garlicky Asparagus, Scallion Rice & Creamy Lemon Sauce
Recipe from Hello Fresh
Serves 2

• 6 ounce Asparagus
• 2 tablespoon Yogurt
• ½ ounce Walnuts
• 2 Scallions
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1.5 tablespoon Sour Cream 
• 10 ounce Salmon 
• ¼ cup Panko Breadcrumbs 
• ¾ cup Jasmine Rice
• 1 Lemon
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

While rice cooks, finely chop walnuts or crush in their bag with a heavy-bottomed pan or rolling pin.

Zest and quarter lemon.

Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add panko, walnuts, and 1⁄4 tsp oregano.

Toast, stirring, until golden and fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer walnut mixture to a small bowl. Season with 1⁄4 tsp salt (1⁄2 tsp for 4) and pepper. Wipe out pan.

In a second small bowl, combine yogurt, sour cream, half the lemon zest, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Pat salmon dry with paper towels; season all over with salt and pepper. Place, skin sides down, on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Top each piece of salmon with 1 tsp sauce (save remaining sauce for serving); spread to coat evenly. Mound tops with walnut mixture, pressing to adhere (no need to coat the undersides). Roast on top rack until salmon is opaque and cooked through, 8-10 minutes.

While salmon roasts, trim and discard woody bottom ends from asparagus. Peel and mince or grate garlic. Heat a large drizzle of oil in pan used for walnuts over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned and tender, 2-4 minutes. Add garlic and 1⁄4 tsp oregano. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes more. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Fluff rice with a fork; stir in half the scallion greens, remaining lemon zest, and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide salmon, asparagus, and rice between plates. Drizzle remaining sauce over salmon and sprinkle with remaining scallion greens. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Chile Colorado

It's Sunday and a little chilly outside for August. Luckily my random recipe selection brought up Chili Colorado which is perfect for a cooler day. 

Now I've made my fair share of chili colorado. Some have been good, some great and some not so great. 

Y'all I think I no longer have to try any other recipe. THIS is the one. It was so amazing. So perfectly balanced. So everything.

This recipe starts with getting your chilis ready. These will ultimately make the sauce that hugs the beef and makes Chili Colorado - well, Chili Colorado. 

The recipe calls for ancho, New Mexico chiles and arbol chiles. You can substitute the ancho with guajillo or pasilla chiles. The New Mexico and arbol chiles really have their own flavor to me so I wouldn't substitute those if you don't have to. 

I had pasilla chilies and decided to use those instead of the ancho.

I wouldn't change a thing with this recipe.

Chile Colorado

Recipe from Hola Jalapeno

Serves 6

• 6 dried ancho chiles
• 3 dried New Mexico chiles
• 2 dried arbol chiles
• 8 cups beef broth
• 1 medium white onion, divided
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano or Mediterranean oregano
• 2 pounds beef stew meat or cubed chuck roast
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 2 bay leaves

Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chiles and rinse.

Bring 3 cups of the beef broth to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chiles and push down under the broth. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit until soft and pliable, about 30 minutes.

Pour chiles and broth into a blender. Cut the onion in half and chop one of the halves into large pieces. Add this to the blender along with the garlic cloves, cumin, and oregano. Puree really well so no bits of dried chile remain. Set aside.

Season beef on all sides with the 2 teaspoons of the salt and the 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add half of the beef—don't crowd the pan. Cook meat until browned on all sides. Remove to a large plate and add the other half of the meat. Brown this batch as well. Each batch should take about 8 minutes.

Return the first batch of beef to the pot along with the chile sauce, remaining broth, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up any browned bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low so the sauce is barely simmering. Cook, uncovered until the meat easily pulls apart with a fork and the sauce is silky and luxurious. If the sauce is getting too thick before the meat is cooked, cover the pot and continue cooking. The meat can take anywhere from 2-3 hours.

Serve Chile Colorado with beans, warm tortillas, rice and garnishes.

Cover any leftovers and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or stove top fully before eating again.

Smothered Chicken With Bacon Gravy

This one is not my favorite. It was ok, but not great. I blame the fact that I may have screwed up. 

First off, this one requires you to think through when to start each item so they are all done at the same time. I like to play that game of making sure it all ends at the same time. 

My mistake, I burnt the flour in the roux. The pan was too hot AND it set off the smoke detector. Good times. It caused the gravy to have have a rather "smokey" flavor. 

The broccoli was awesome, as always. 

Overall, this could have been a good meal. If it comes up again, I'll likely try it without burning the flour and setting off the alarm. 

Smothered Chicken With Bacon Gravy

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 12 oz potatoes, like Yukon golds
• 1 head broccoli
• 2 scallions
• 1 1/2 T Sour Cream
• 2 T Flour
• 2 strips bacon
• 2 T Creme fraiche
• 10 oz chicken
• 3/4 c chicken stock

Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Potatoes

Depending on the type of potatoes you get, either peel and dice them or just dice them into ½-inch pieces. Add potatoes to a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches.

Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 10-12 minutes. Reserve ½ cup potato cooking liquid, then drain. Return potatoes to pot. Mash with sour cream and 1 TBSP butter until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Broccoli

Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary.

While potatoes cook, toss broccoli on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on middle rack until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

Chicken

Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place between two large pieces of plastic wrap; pound with a mallet or heavy-bottomed pan until about ½ inch thick. Season all over with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle chicken all over with half the flour, pressing to adhere; shake off any excess. [JW Note: I never do this step. I find it better to just cook the chicken sans flour. ] Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add coated chicken; cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.

Add bacon in a single layer to pan used for chicken; heat over medium-high heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until crispy, 4-6 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Discard any burnt bits and all but 1 TBSP bacon fat from pan. TIP: If there's not enough bacon fat in the pan, add a little butter!

Add scallion whites to pan with reserved bacon fat. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until softened and fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Sprinkle remaining flour into pan; stir to combine. Slowly whisk in ¾ cup chicken stock.

Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 1-2 minutes.

Stir in crème fraîche; taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Indian-Style Butter Chicken & Rice

The first time I had butter chicken I was with a friend who loved Indian food. I had never really had it, so she said she'd find something for me I'd like. 

She ordered the butter chicken for me and I was hooked. Man, I can still remember how good it was and how amazing the spicy, creamy sauce was. 

I've tried many-a- butter chicken recipes. Some good, some not so good. It's always BEST, to me, when I get it in a restaurant. 

This was a good recipe. It'd be hard to duplicate if you didn't cook a lot. The package came with a lot of small, pre-measured packets - which could make it more difficult. I tried to put in the ingredient list what I thought I'd use if I remade this. Good luck. 

The one thing I did not like was the mozzarella on the naan. For lunch tomorrow I'll just warm it up as is and eat it that way. Dipping it in the sauce is enough for me. 

Indian-Style Butter Chicken & Rice

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 4

• 1.5 cup Jasmine Rice
• ¼ ounce Cilantro
• 2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 20 ounce Diced Skinless Dark Meat Chicken [JW note: I used breast meat.]
• 2 teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1 tablespoon Curry Powder
• 2 unit Tomato Paste [JW Note: This seemed like 3-4 Tablespoons]
• 2 unit Veggie Stock Concentrate [JW Note: This is about 1 tsp.]
• 1 ounce Vidalia Onion Paste [JW Note: I'd just chop up an onion and use that]
• 2 unit Chicken Stock Concentrate [JW Note: This is about 1 tsp
• 4 ounce Cream Sauce Base [JW Note: I'd just use heavy cream]
• 2 unit Naan Bread
• ½ cup Mozzarella Cheese
• 4 tablespoon Yogurt

Make rice.

While rice cooks, place 2 TBSP butter in a small microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave until melted, 30 seconds. Add half the garlic powder - approx 1 tsp (you’ll use the rest later) and stir to combine. Set aside. 

Roughly chop cilantro.

Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large, preferably high-sided, pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.

Add garam masala, curry powder, and remaining garlic powder to pan with chicken. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. 

Add tomato paste, Vidalia onion paste, veggie stock concentrates, and chicken stock concentrates. Cook, stirring, until chicken is evenly coated, 30 seconds.

Add cream sauce base and 3⁄4 cup water (I used about a cup). Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Add 3 TBSP butter and 1⁄2 tsp sugar; stir until butter has melted. Cover to keep warm.

 Adjust rack to top position and heat broiler to high. Place naan on a baking sheet. Spoon garlic butter over tops and sprinkle with mozzarella. 

Broil cheesy garlic naan until cheese melts and naan are toasted, 3-4 minutes. TIP: The broiler is a powerful tool! Keep an eye on the naan to prevent them from burning.

Quarter cheesy garlic naan. Fluff rice with a fork. Divide rice between bowls and top with butter chicken. Drizzle with yogurt. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with cheesy garlic naan on the side.

Spicy Tinga-Style Chicken Tacos with Creamy Lime Slaw & Cilantro

Y'all know I love my tacos. Street tacos are my favorite by far. I've made chicken street tacos a couple of times and have a favorite. Still, I like to try new ones, because one cannot have too many street chicken taco recipes. 

This recipe was spicy AND delicious. The slaw really does a good job cooling it off and adding a nice texture to the taco. 

I also think the ingredients would be easy to replicate. For example "chipotle powder" could be chili powder. 

Spicy Tinga-Style Chicken Tacos with Creamy Lime Slaw & Cilantro

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2 (maybe three)

• 1 lime, zested
• 1/4 oz cilantro
• 4 oz coleslaw mix
• 2 T mayo
• 1 tsp chipotle powder 
• 10 oz chopped chicken breast
• 6 small flour tortillas
• fresh salas

Zest and quarter lime. Roughly chop cilantro.

In a medium bowl, toss coleslaw mix with mayonnaise, 1⁄4 tsp, a squeeze of lime juice, a pinch of salt and pepper, and as much lime zest as you like. Set aside until ready to serve.

Open package of chicken and drain off any excess liquid. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is lightly browned, 1-2 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in salsa and 1⁄4 tsp chipotle powder. (TIP: Add more chipotle powder if you like things spicy!) Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and salsa has thickened slightly, 3-5 minutes more.

Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, 30-60 seconds. Divide tortillas between plates. Fill with chicken, slaw (draining first), and cilantro. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.

Dijon Baked Salmon

Oh salmon! How I love thee...mostly. I don't care for Atlantic Salmon and that was all I had in the freezer. Leftover from a package I bought accidentally. I gave most of them away to Janet, but one escaped. 

I thawed it but knew I wouldn't want to eat it. So this morning I had to run to Trader Joe's. I figured I'd pick up a fresh piece of salmon there. 

Boy was I surprised when the ONLY fresh salmon they had was Atlantic. Blech. So, I wandered through their frozen fish area and found these salmon patties. I had a flashback to my mom making salmon patties from canned salmon and I loved those things. 

I will say, I was pleasantly surprised at how good these were. I really had figured I'd bake them and then have to order pizza or have a peanut butter sandwich. But I was wrong. 

The Dijon sauce on them really made them delicious - er I think too. I baked mine, but I think grilling them would be delicious too. Next time. 

I wouldn't change anything about this sauce except maybe not add the parsley until the end. I feel like baked parsley gets bitter, it definitely changes the flavor to me and not in a good way. 

I only ate one of the patties and will save the second for lunch tomorrow. I served it with a buttload of fruit and Spanish Green Beans. 

Dijon Baked Salmon

Recipe from Downshiftology.com

Serves 5

• 1 ½ pounds salmon, King, Sockeye or Coho salmon
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together the mustard, parsley, lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

Place the salmon on a parchment lined baking tray and generously coat the top of the salmon with the herbed mustard mix.

Bake the salmon for 18 to 20 minutes (depending on size and thickness), then slice it into individual portions and serve immediately.

BBQ Country Style Pork Ribs

Blueberry came over for dinner tonight. I like to throw stuff into the crock pot and so planned these BBQ ribs. Only when I read the recipe I realized it wasn't a slow cooker recipe at all, but a braising recipe. 

No matter. That just changed when I needed to get the ribs in the oven. 

Nothing special about this recipe. Super easy and OMG sooo good. I used Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ sauce and left out the bell pepper (blech). 

When I make these again, I'd take the ribs out of the braise, slather them with BBQ sauce and pop them under the broiler for a bit. I think that would have made these amazing. 

I served these with a side of corn on the cob and a perfectly ripe nectarine. The whole meal turned out delicious.

BBQ Country Style Pork Ribs

Recipe from Suburban Soap Box

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 large country style pork ribs (the original recipe says 10, but for only 4 people that's a TON of ribs)
• 3 tablespoons BBQ Rub, homemade or your favorite store bought
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced
• 2 1/2 cups barbecue sauce, homemade or your favorite store bought

Preheat oven to 300˚F.

In a shallow roasting pan, heat the oil over medium high heat.

Coat the ribs with the BBQ rub.

Arrange the ribs in the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes until browned.

Flip the ribs and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes until browned on all sides.

Remove the ribs to a platter and set aside.

Chicken & Spinach Couscous Salad

Photo from Hello Fresh

This was one of those recipes where working ahead is a bad plan. I thought I'd get all the components ready ahead of time and then toss the salad together at the end. 

The chicken worked fine. I prefer colder chicken in a salad than warm chicken. 

The couscous was another story. I've never made Israeli couscous and I didn't realize just how it would turn out. I cooked it. Tasted it. Loved it. Then set it aside to cool. That was the mistake. It became like if you leave pasta in a pan after you drained it. It' got cold and a bit congealed. 

I did taste it after it was done originally and it was tasty. I now know you have to eat it right away.

The carrots were a whole other story. I burnt them! I got distracted by a big truck that was in my driveway and they burned. I tasted them and they were gross. So tossed them. 

The chicken, spinach and walnuts together with the garlic aioli was good. The aioli wasn't originally. It tasted too mayonnaise-ey. I added some real chopped garlic and a little splash of white vinegar and that made all the difference. 

I will have to make couscous again and actually eat it. Cooking it in chicken broth made sense and really added to the flavor. 

Chicken & Spinach Couscous Salad

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1/2 oz walnuts, chopped
• 9 oz carrots, sliced on a diagonal
• 1 T fry seasoning
• 2 T mayo
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 1/2 oz spinach
• 10 oz chicken
• 2 1/2 oz Israeli couscous
• 2 chicken stock concentrates

In a small pot (medium pot for 4 servings), combine couscous, stock concentrates, 3⁄4 cup water (1 1⁄2 cups for 4), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, 12-14 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to use in Step 6.

 While couscous cooks, heat a large dry pan over medium-high heat. Add walnuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. • Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.

Wash and dry produce. • Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into 1⁄2-inch-thick pieces. • Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for walnuts over medium-high heat. Add carrots and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 5-7 minutes. • Turn off heat; transfer to a second plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Wipe out pan.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Rub all over with a drizzle of oil and Fry Seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. • Heat pan used for carrots over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. TIP: Lower heat if chicken begins to brown too quickly. • Transfer chicken to a cutting board.

While chicken cooks, in a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and half the garlic powder (all for 4 servings). • Add water 1 tsp a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Fluff couscous with a fork; stir in spinach and carrots until combined. • Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. • Divide couscous between shallow bowls. Top with chicken and sprinkle with toasted walnuts. Drizzle with aioli and serve.

Chicken Katsu with Sesame Roasted Carrots and Ginger Rice

Photo from Hello Fresh

Chicken katsu is one of my favorites to order when we go out to teriyaki. The crispy chicken and the sweet/savory katsu sauce...mmmm. So good. I'm terrible at frying chicken so I rarely make it. But, I ordered it and thought I'd give it a try. 

First mistake, I didn't pound the chicken cutlets quite thin enough. Hindsight I should have just sliced them in half lengthwise. That would have been the perfect thinness. It didn't ruin the meal, I just like my chicken katsu pieces to be thin. 

The second mistake is this meal came with carrots that were supposed to be baked. I got them prepped and ready to go, then got distracted by the frying of the chicken I didn't 1) turn on the oven and 2) didn't put them in in time for the meal. So...now I have baked carrots for tomorrow salad I'm making. 

The rice I did differently too. I'm also terrible at cooking rice on the stove top. I blame the flat stove for it though. The heat is very hard to regulate for "low". So I sautéed the ginger and scallions then put them, and the rice in a rice cooker. Worked like a charm. I did have to add a little salt to it. 

Overall, a good meal. Turns out frying the chicken is easier when you have a good pan (I have hexclads) and you keep the heat med.

Chicken Katsu with Sesame Roasted Carrots and Ginger Rice

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 12 oz carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias in 1/2 in pieces
• 1 thumb ginger; peeled and grated
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 T sesame seeds
• 1 T Garlic Powder
• 1 1/2 T Sour Cream
• 10 oz chicken cutlets; pounded thin
• 1/2 c jasmine rice
• 1 c panko 
• 4 T Katsu sauce

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into 1⁄2-inch-thick pieces. 

Peel and mince or grate ginger. 

Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Toss carrots on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until tender, 20-25 minutes. Once roasted, carefully toss with sesame seeds.

While carrots roast, heat a drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add ginger and scallion whites; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute.

Stir in rice, 3⁄4 cup water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, pat pork dry with paper towels; place between two large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a mallet or rolling pin until pork is about 1⁄2-inch thick.

Place panko, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a gallon-size zip-close bag.

Place sour cream in a medium bowl; add pork and turn to evenly coat. Add coated pork to bag with seasoned panko and seal to close. Shake until pork is evenly coated. TIP: You may need to move around pork chops in bag, pressing with your hands, to spread out panko and make it stick.

Heat a 1⁄4-inch layer of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium- high heat. Once oil is shimmering and hot enough that a pinch of panko sizzles when added to pan, add coated pork (discard any remaining panko in bag). 

Cook until panko is golden brown and pork is cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Place katsu sauce in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until warmed through, 30 seconds. 

Fluff rice with a fork; stir in 1 TBSP butter and season with salt and pepper. 

Divide rice, pork, and carrots between plates. Drizzle pork with katsu sauce. Sprinkle with scallion greens and serve.

Chicken Pita Pockets with Spicy Mayo

Photo from Hello Fresh

I'm on the fence with this recipe. 

On the one hand, it was good. I ate it and was satisfied.

On the other hand, I'm not a fan of green goddess dressing in general. This green goddess dressing tasted more like pesto. 

Overall, this is an ok recipe. I'd do it again, but I might change the dressing I use. Or make my own green goddess dressing. 

The chicken from the kit was weird. It was "chopped" chicken and it had a ton of fat pieces in it and it was mushy and weird. I cooked it and it tasted fine. I picked out all the fat pieces because chicken fat is gross. 

Chicken Pita Pockets with Spicy Mayo

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 roma tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 2 oz Green Goddess Dressing
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Romain lettuce; chopped
• 2 pitas
• 2 T mayo
• 10 oz chicken, chopped in bite size pieces

Trim and discard root end from lettuce; roughly chop into bite-size pieces. Cut tomato into 1⁄4-inch-thick wedges.

Cut your chicken into bite size pieces.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer; season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss lettuce, tomato, dressing, and a drizzle of olive oil in a large bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise with as much hot sauce as you like. Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.

Wrap pitas in damp paper towels; microwave until warm and pliable, 30-60 seconds. Halve pitas; gently pull apart to create pockets.

Fill pita pockets with chicken and as much salad as you like. Drizzle with as much spicy mayo as you like. Serve with any remaining salad on the side.

Slammin’ Secret Sauce Chicken Sandwiches

Dripping down your arm goodness. This is one saucy sandwich. 

Hello Fresh came through again. Tonight we're having a "name that chicken sandwich". Ok, it has a name. Slammin' Secret Sauce Chicken Sandwich. And it is definitely slammin. 

The "secret sauce" isn't anything fancy, just mayo, Frank's Hot sauce and dill pickles

This sandwich is dripping, literally, with goodness. The secret sauce, pickles and BBQ seasoned chicken really is a nice combo. 

I didn't eat the cabbage slaw on the side, I put it on the sammy...and BAM that really pushed it over the top. Juices running down my arm told me it was a winner.

Slammin’ Secret Sauce Chicken Sandwiches

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 2 scallions, sliced thin
• 1 1/2 T sour cream
• 2 T mayo
• 5 tsp white wine vinegar
• Several dashes of Frank's Hot Sauce
• 2 Brioche buns
• 10-12 sliced dill pickles
• 10 oz chicken cutlets, pound thin
• 1 T Sweet and Smoky BBQ Seasoning
• 4 oz shredded purple cabbage

Garlic Butter Chicken

Photo from Jo Cooks

Another recipe that I had such high hopes for this recipe. And I think I know where I went wrong. 

It was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO garlicky. Now, normally I love garlic and I usually use more than the recipe calls for. 

In this case, I made the recipe as it states. The problem is, I only used one chicken breast. So ya, way more garlic than one chicken breast deserves.

I also almost burnt the garlic. Pro tip, turn your heat down before you put the garlic in. I didn't, and the garlic tasted just a tad bitter - which is what happens if you burn it. 

Overall though, this recipe doesn't really require very much skill or very many ingredients. Most "normal" people have these ingredients in their pantry. 

The other added plus, the house smells amazing...thank you garlic.

Garlic Butter Chicken

Recipe from Jo Cooks

Serves 6

• 1 ½ pound chicken breast (boneless and skinless, cut into strips)
• ¼ tsp salt (or to taste)
• ½ tsp pepper (or to taste)
• 4 T butter
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ c chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
• 1 T Sriracha
• 2 T fresh parsley (chopped)
• lemon slices (for garnish)

Cook chicken: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Next, add in the chicken strips and cook on each side. Once cooked remove from the skillet.

Make sauce: Using the same skillet, add in the garlic, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika and hot sauce. Sauté for 30 seconds until the garlic is aromatic. Finally, deglaze the skillet with the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.

Finish dish: Add the chicken back into the skillet of sauce and give it a little toss so each piece of chicken is touched with sauce. Remove from heat, garnish with parsley, lemon wedges and serve at desired temperature!

Lemony Italian Steak Marinade

Steak always makes a good meal on the weekend to me. I had some tritips in the freezer that I wanted to use up. What better way than with a marinade. Sherrie was coming to dinner and I knew she'd appreciate a grilled steak. 

I cut the tritip into chunks, as typical for me. Then grilled them to not quite perfection. I over cooked them. Sherrie was fine with it. I was not. 

This wasn't a great marinade for me. The Italian seasoning was too overwhelming for my taste. 

Lemony Italian Steak Marinade

Recipe from Feel Good Foodie

Makes 1/4-1/2c marinade

• 1 ½ pound steak of choice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 lemon juice and zest
• 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a shallow bowl. Add the flank steak on top and turn the meat over so it is well coated.

Let sit for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours, flipping the meat once or twice during the marinating time, then cook as desired.

Masala-Spiced Chicken & Cucumber Raita

Photo from hello fresh

I really like the curry flavor and that added with garam masala make a nice combo. This recipe wasn't my favorite, but it was really good. 

Surprisingly my favorite part of this recipe was the roasted veggies. I completely overcooked the cauliflower, but the curry flavor make it ok. 

Masala-Spiced Chicken & Cucumber Raita

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 mini cucumber, diced
• 2 T yogurt (the recipe doesn't specify, but I would think plain or greek would work
• 1 T curry powder, divided
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 10 oz chicken cutlets
• 10 oz cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
• 6 oz carrots, cut on the bias
• 1 1/2 T sour cream
• 1 lemon

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Prep your veggies: 

Trim and dice cucumber into 1⁄4-inch pieces. Cut cauliflower into bite-size pieces if necessary. Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into 1⁄2-inch-thick pieces. Quarter lemon.

 In a small bowl, combine cucumber, 1⁄2 tsp sugar, and salt. Set aside to marinate. (You’ll finish the raita later.)

Toss cauliflower and carrots on a baking sheet with 2 TBSP olive oil, 2 tsp curry powder, salt, and pepper. (You’ll use the rest of the curry powder in the next step.) 

Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

While veggies roast, pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season all over with remaining curry powder, 1⁄2 tsp garam masala, salt, and pepper. (Save remaining garam masala for another use.)

Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side.

Transfer to a cutting board.

Add yogurt, sour cream, and juice from half the lemon to bowl with marinated cucumber. Stir to combine.

Slice chicken crosswise. Divide chicken and roasted veggies between plates. Top chicken with as much cucumber raita as you like. Serve with any remaining raita and remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Sweet Chili Beef & Green Bean Bowls

This was a nice recipe to make on a HOT Seattle day. 

So far, of all the recipes, this one is just meh. It was good, but not great. If I ordered it in a restaurant I'd eat it but I wouldn't order it again. 

It definitely had a Thai flavor to it. It must have been the chili sauce and lime that made me think it did. This isn't a spicy dish at all, which was good since it was so hot yesterday. 

Sweet Chili Beef & Green Bean Bowls

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 oz Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
• 4 T Sweet Soy Glaze
• 1 lime
• 10 oz ground beef
• 1/4 oz cilantro
• 1 - 2 T crispy fried onions
• 6 oz green beans

Trim green beans if necessary; cut crosswise into 2-inch-long pieces. Quarter lime. Pick cilantro leaves from stems; roughly chop leaves.

 Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add beef; season with salt and pepper. Using a spatula, press into an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, until browned on bottom, 3-4 minutes.

 Break up meat into pieces and continue cooking until beef is cooked through, 2-4 minutes more. TIP: If there’s excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out.

While beef cooks, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, add green beans and a splash of water; cover bowl with plastic wrap. Microwave until tender, 1-2 minutes. TIP: No microwave? No problem! Steam green beans in a small pot with a splash of water until just tender, 5-7 minutes. Carefully drain any excess water.

To pan with beef, stir in cooked green beans, chili sauce, 2 1⁄2 TBSP sweet soy glaze (be sure to measure), 1 TBSP butter, and 1⁄2 tsp sugar. Cook, stirring, until beef mixture is thoroughly coated, 1-2 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in a squeeze of lime juice to taste.

Divide rice between bowls and top with stir-fry. Sprinkle with crispy fried onions and chopped cilantro. Serve with any remaining lime wedges on the side.

“Skip The Bun” Crunchy Cheeseburger Salad

It's hot here. The thought of turning on the stove and cooking too much didn't sound thrilling. So a salad was a perfect answer for dinner tonight. And I didn't even plan it that way. 

I've made Big Mac Salads a couple times in the past. They're pretty tasty, so this one sounded just as good. And I was not wrong. 

This is an easy one to repeat. The Fry seasoning is the only thing I'm not sure how to replicate, but garlic powder and onion powder can make it better. 

“Skip The Bun” Crunchy Cheeseburger Salad

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 10 oz ground beef
• 1 Roma tomato, chopped
• 1/4 to 1/2 c chopped dill pickles
• 1 T dill pickle brine
• 1 T Fry Seasoning [JW note: I have no idea what's actually in this]
• 2 T mayo
• 1 T ketchup
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 c Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 1 head Romain lettuce, chopped

Trim and discard root end from lettuce; roughly chop. 

Prep your veggies: Chop tomato, chop lettuce; chop dill pickle. 

Stir 1⁄2 tsp Fry Seasoning and 1⁄4 tsp sugar into bowl with 1 T pickle brine along with the mayo, ketchup and Dijon. Mix together and set aside.  Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add beef, remaining Fry Seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned, until browned. TIP: If there’s excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out. Transfer to a plate.

In a large bowl, toss lettuce with half the dressing and half the tomato. 

Divide salad between bowls. Top with beef, Monterey Jack, chopped pickle, and remaining tomato. Drizzle with remaining dressing and serve.

Chicken, Bacon & Basil Mayo Sandwiches

I love sandwiches. When I saw this recipe come up I knew it'd be great for dinner and lunch the
following day. 

This recipe did not disappoint. If you love bruschetta, you'll love this sandwich. The balsamic marinated tomatoes really puts this over the top. So good. I'll be ordering this one again. 

What I'll do different though when I do. The flat bread they provided was good size. Two flatbreads took up a full baking sheet. But they only provided three strips of bacon. That is NOT enough bacon in my humble opinion. I felt like I needed just a little more bacon. Although, truth be told, you could leave off the bacon and this recipe would stand on it's own. 

I'd also add more tomato. The package only had one small Roma tomato. regardless of of thin you slice it, that's not that much tomato per sandwich. It needed a little more. 

And last, but not least, I'd grill the chicken next time. You know I can't not grill my chicken. 

Chicken, Bacon & Basil Mayo Sandwiches

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 4 oz bacon, cooked
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 5 T Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 T Italian Seasoning
• 2 flatbreads
• 1 oz Basil paste (pesto)
• 2 T mayo
• 10 oz chicken

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Heat a large dry pan over medium- high heat. Add bacon; cook, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, until crispy, 6-10 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Wipe out pan and let cool slightly.

While the bacon is cooking, halve tomato lengthwise and thinly slice into half-moons. Halve, peel, and thinly slice shallot. Peel and mince or grate garlic. 

In a small bowl, combine tomato, shallot, garlic, balsamic vinegar, 1⁄4 tsp sugar [JW note: I did not add this. I wanted the salad more savory than sweet], and a pinch of Italian Seasoning. [JW note: I added about a tsp of olive oil at this stage instead of where it calls for it later. ] Set aside to marinate.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels; place between two large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a mallet or rolling pin until chicken is about 1⁄2 inch thick. Season with remaining Italian Seasoning, a pinch of salt, and pepper. 

Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for bacon over medium-high heat. [JW Note: I used the bacon grease already in the pan. I  took most out and left about 1/2 tablespoon. ] Add chicken; cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side.

While the chicken is cooking, place flatbreads on a baking sheet. Toast on top rack, flipping halfway through, until golden, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; halve crosswise. 

In a second small bowl, combine basil paste and mayonnaise.

Pour balsamic mixture from tomato salad into two small serving bowls. Add 1 tsp olive oil to each bowl; stir to combine. [JW note: This step didn't make sense to me. I just added the tomato mixture to the sandwich. The package only came with a Roma tomato and there isn't really enough for two sandwiches AND left over salad to eat. ]

Spread flatbreads with basil mayo. Fill with bacon, chicken, and as much tomato salad as you like. Close sandwiches and halve crosswise.

Spinach Orzo Salad with Cranberries and Goat Cheese

Photo from Barefoot in the Kitchen

Sunday dinner this month is the Low Country Boil. It's one of my favorite annual dinners. This year I
opted to bring a salad. I don't often get to bring salads to Sunday dinner so it's always a treat for me. 

We have some gluten free folks that come to Sunday dinner. So I made a version for them by just omitting the orzo. Then the following day I had some leftover spinach and some left over cooked chicken, so I made the same version for me for lunch, and it really was delicious with or without the orzo.

I didn't change anything about the recipe and honestly, I can't think of a single thing I'd do different. The dressing makes enough and then some. I wouldn't recommend dumping the whole thing in at once. I did half then mixed the salad and added just a tad more. That dressing goes a long way. 

Spinach Orzo Salad with Cranberries and Goat Cheese

Recipe from Barefoot in the Kitchen

Serves 6

• 1/2 T light olive oil
• 8 ounces orzo pasta
• 4 c fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1/2 c sliced almonds
• 1/2 c Craisins or dried cranberries
• 2-4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• Optional: 2 c cooked chicken, chopped bite-size

Dressing Ingredients

• 1/4 c olive oil, divided
• 3 T white balsamic or champagne vinegar
• 1 T honey
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Toast the orzo in 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium heat, about 5 minutes, until golden brown. Add 4 cups water, and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, cover with lid. 7-8 minutes. Drain any liquid, fluff with fork.

Place the spinach in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked orzo, cranberries, almonds, and cooked chicken - if desired.

In a small bowl or large measuring cup, combine the oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat.

Top with goat cheese and toss lightly. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Easy Chicken Shawarma

Photo from Damn
Delicious

I sure have had a lot of shawarma recipes recently. Each different, slightly, from the next. I wonder what it is about the universe that throws all these recipes at me at once. 

This one wasn't my favorite. I think I let it marinate for too long. The chicken was little mushy. I suspect this recipe should have been done with bigger pieces of meat instead of chunks. 

The flavors were all there. Definitely there. But I think the texture of the chicken is what made it not a favorite of mine. I very much have a texture issue when it comes to food. 

Easy Chicken Shawarma

Recipe from Damn Delicious

Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil

In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, water, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, paprika, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper, cardamom, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and olive oil mixture; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.

Preheat grill to medium high heat.

Brush chicken with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.

Serve immediately with tzatziki sauce.