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.