BBQ Chicken

This was a very simple recipe from Hello Fresh. It was a welcome today for me since I wasn't really
feeling the urge to cook. I didn't want to eat out either, so something easy was just the ticket. 

There's nothing fancy about this recipe. It could be repeated easily. Baking chicken and potatoes is pretty basic. 

Overall it was tasty. I left notes in the directions below for a few items. I didn't particularly care of the BBQ sauce and seasoning they included. But I ate it anyhow. 

BBQ Chicken
Recipe from Hello Fresh

• 5 teaspoon White Wine Vinegar
• 4 ounce Coleslaw Mix
• 4 tablespoon BBQ Sauce
• 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 1 unit Seasoned Precooked Potato Slices
• ½ cup Cheddar Cheese
• 12 ounce Chicken Cutlets
• 1 tablespoon Sweet and Smoky BBQ Seasoning

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

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with BBQ seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Place chicken on one side of oven-ready tray (JW Note: Hello Fresh sent a recyclable tray. I didn’t think the two chicken cutlets and the potatoes would fit well in it, so I lined a baking sheet with aluminum foil and used that instead.)

Open package of potatoes and drain off any excess liquid. Place potatoes in a medium microwave-safe bowl, separating any pieces that are stuck together. Cover with plastic wrap; poke a few holes in wrap and microwave 3 minutes. Toss with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt. (JW Note: These were small potatoes, like mini Yukon golds. If you make this, simply slice them in 1/2inch discs. The prepackaged potatoes were already slightly cooked. Putting them in the microwave didn’t make any sense to me. I did it, and they turned out perfectly cooked in the end.)

Transfer seasoned potatoes to opposite side of tray from chicken. Bake in the middle until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are browned, 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, wash and dry bowl used for potatoes. In same bowl, combine coleslaw mix, mayonnaise, half the vinegar, 1⁄2 tsp sugar, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Drizzle BBQ sauce over chicken. Sprinkle cheddar over potatoes and stir to combine until melted. (JW note: I pulled the chicken and potatoes out about 5 minutes before it was done and put the BBQ sauce and cheese on, then put it back in 5 minutes.)

Divide BBQ chicken, cheddar potatoes, and coleslaw between plates in separate sections. Serve.

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

I generally like teriyaki. But I'm pretty particular about what I like. I'm not a fan of saucy sauces from teriyaki places. I like a thick, BBQ consistency in my teriyaki sauce. It's hard to find that sometimes. 

I've made a number of teriyaki chicken recipes and none of them are ever as good as what I get at my local restaurant. And this recipe, I thought would be good. Baking the sauce sometimes thickens it up nicely. 

Generally speaking, this recipe was just meh. It was ok, but not one I'd need to repeat or swoon over. If I had a choice, I'd go buy teriyaki chicken instead of making this one. 

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

Recipe from The Anthony Kitchen

Serves 6

• 3/4 c soy sauce
• 1/2 c lightly packed brown sugar
• 2 1/2 T rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp ground ginger, separated
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder, separated
• 1 T cornstarch
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 c sliced green onions (optional)
• 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375°F and have ready a greased 9x13" pan.

Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Pour it into the sauce and stir. Allow it to simmer and slightly thicken, 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, and place them in the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle evenly with the salt, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Rub all over to adhere.

Pour the sauce over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

If desired, once the chicken is cool enough to handle, slice it into thin strips, cutting against the grain. Add it back to the casserole dish and toss to coat. Top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, serve with fluffy white rice, serve, and enjoy!

Loaded Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Photo from Dinner, Dishes and Desserts

You can never go wrong with a baked potato. Load that bad boy up and you have an even better
potato. 

This recipe was delicious, of course. I mean mashed potatoes with sour cream, cheese, green onions and bacon...what's not to like. 

It was a perfect side for the Country Style Beef ribs I made for book club. 

Loaded Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Recipe from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

Serves 8

• 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into cubes
• 4 cloves garlic, mashed
• 5 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 - 1 cup heavy cream or milk, (amount depends on how creamy you like it)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 12 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 Tablespoon salt, (approximately, adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped

Add potatoes and garlic to a large pot. Fill with water, so the potatoes are completely covered. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mash potatoes. Stir in butter, sour cream, and heavy cream. Mash further if necessary to get to your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese, and bacon (reserve some for the topping).

Pour into 13x9 in baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and reserved bacon. Bake for 20-25 minutes until hot and cheese is melted.

Sprinkle with green onions before serving.

Cheesy Garlic Bread Loaf

Photo from Melissa's
Southern Style Kitchen

Man a live this was delicious. I don't make too many garlic breads with cheese, but I was craving it and thought I'd make it for book club. I am so glad I did. 

Pro tip: DO NOT get preshredded cheese. Shred your own. It melts so much better than preshredded. 

There's not a lot to say about this recipe other than MAKE IT! It does feed a lot because the mixture is a little heavy and filling. You won't need seconds necessarily. I really wanted a second piece of bread, but I was stuffed. I kinda regretted it later in the evening. 

Cheesy Garlic Bread Loaf

Recipe from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen

Serves 20

• 1 large Italian loaf halved lengthwise
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
• 3 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 cups shredded colby-jack cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 thin green onion finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley or fresh chives

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Lay the bread halves crust side down side by side on a baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the softened butter, mayonnaise, minced garlic, garlic salt, and paprika until fully combined.

Mix the colby-jack and mozzarella cheese together. Reserve 1 cup.

By hand mix-in 2 cups of shredded cheese, grated Parmesan cheese and green onions into the butter mixture.

Divided evenly between the bread halves spreading from end to end. Sprinkle the reserved shredded cheese on top.

Bake at 400°F for 12 minutes, then increase the oven temperature to the broil setting.

Broil for 3 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Slice into 1-inch strips, garnish with Italian parsley or chives. Serve immediately.

Honey Lemon Glazed Carrots

Photo from The Food Charlatan

Who doesn't love cooked carrots? I mean, they're delicious. Turns out Sherrie doesn't like them, but the rest of us at book club loved them. 

It was 1pm when I fully read the recipe and it was then I realized it was a slow cooker recipe. Ruh Roh. So I do what I do and I improvised. 

I steamed the carrots for about 15 minutes. Then I tossed them in a sauté pan and finished them with the lemon, honey, parsley and let them cook for another 15 mins - give or take. They turned out amazing. 

Honey Lemon Glazed Carrots

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Serves 6

• 2 pounds carrots, peeled
• 1/4 c half stick butter
• 1/4 c honey
• zest from 1 lemon, about 2-3 teaspoons
• juice from 1/2 large lemon, about 2 tablespoons
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 T chopped parsley or chives, optional

Peel the carrots and chop off the ends. Slice the carrots into medium size pieces. See photo. I prefer larger chunks, but it's totally up to you. (The smaller you chop them, the faster the carrots will cook.)

Add the carrots to your slow cooker.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup honey, zest from 1 lemon, (reserve some for topping finished carrots, if you want) and juice from half a lemon (about 2 tablespoons) and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir it all together.

Pour the butter mixture over the carrots and stir it together. Use a spatula to spread the butter up the sides of the crock pot a few inches so that the carrots don't stick to the pot while cooking.

Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for about 5 hours.

Transfer carrots to a serving platter and drizzle with lemon honey glaze.*

Sprinkle with extra lemon zest and chopped parsley or chives.

Country Style Beef Ribs

Photo from Key to My Lime

Look, beef is a way of life for me. It's what's for dinner more often than not. Ribs are a love of the family. I have NEVER made beef ribs. 

Turns out "country style beef ribs" aren't ribs at all. They are cut to appear like ribs, but are often cut from chuck roast or boneless spare ribs (which I guess are technically ribs). 

These were delicious! When I make it again, I'll make my own BBQ sauce. I used Sweet Baby Ray's tonight and it was delicious ... as always.

Country Style Beef Ribs

Recipe from Key to my Lime

Serves 6

• 2 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons chili powder*
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 pounds country style beef ribs
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup BBQ sauce (I used a smoky BBQ sauce)

Preheat the oven to 300F.

To a small bowl, add the brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, onion powder, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix together, then set aside.

To a 9x13 casserole dish, add the beef ribs in a single layer, then sprinkle half the rub over the ribs on all sides. Massage then rub into the ribs with your fingers. Flip the ribs over and repeat on the other side.

Pour the water and apple cider vinegar into the dish (not directly on the ribs to avoid rinsing the rub off). Tightly cover the dish with aluminum foil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove the ribs from the oven and check for tenderness by twisting the meat using a fork - it should twist apart easily. If the ribs still aren't tender yet, cover and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Once tender, turn the oven temperature down to 275F, remove the foil, and drain away the liquid.

Generously brush the ribs with BBQ sauce, then place back into the oven, uncovered, for another 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven, brush with more BBQ sauce (if desired), and serve.

Chili Chili Bang Bang Chicken

I wasn't sure how this recipe would be. I'm not usually a fan of baked chicken. It's often too dry even for me. But I'll give this recipe 4 stars.

The panko adds to the texture of the chicken while not adding a ton of flavor. But that bang bang sauce really sets it above everything else. 

I'd order this one again. It was simple and easy to make. 

Chili Chili Bang Bang Chicken

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 2 Scallions
• 6 milliliters Ponzu Sauce
• 4 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• ½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ¾ cup Jasmine Rice
• 12 ounce Chicken Cutlets
• 8 ounce Broccoli
• 1 ounce Sweet Thai Chili Sauce

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

Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Cut broccoli into bite- size pieces if necessary.

In a small bowl, combine panko, garlic powder, a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

In a separate small bowl, combine ponzu, chili sauce, and half the mayonnaise (you’ll use the rest later).

Melt 1 TBSP butter in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites; cook until slightly softened, 1 minute. Stir in rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water, and a big 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.

While rice cooks, pat chicken dry with paper towels; season all over with salt and pepper. Place chicken on one side of a baking sheet.

Spread remaining mayonnaise onto tops of chicken, then mound with panko mixture, pressing firmly to adhere (no need to coat the undersides).

Toss broccoli on empty side of same sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast on top rack until chicken is browned and cooked through and broccoli is tender, 18 22 minutes. TIP: If broccoli finishes first, remove from sheet and continue roasting chicken.

Fluff rice with a fork; season with salt and pepper.

Divide rice, broccoli, and chicken between plates. Drizzle chicken with ponzu chili mayo. Sprinkle everything with scallion greens. Serve.

Creamy Cilantro Steak Bowls

Look! Before you call the authorities to come pick me up because you see something suspiciously like a bell pepper in my bowl, calm down. That's a poblano and I happen to really like them. 

This meal was delicious. I took some liberties and I cooked it differently than they had it set up to cook. Sometimes I don't agree with their method and think I can do it better and quicker. Sometimes I'm right, most the time I am wrong. Tonight I was right! 

For starters, instead of adding salt to my rice, I added some tomato/chicken bouillon powder. I do that a lot when I'm making rice that goes with a Mexican type dish. 

I also didn't "slice" the jalapeno. I put it in with the pepper and onion to sauté instead of putting it on top. 

Overall, I'd order this one again. It'd be easy to repeat too. Nothing in the ingredients is difficult to find and most might have in your own pantry. 

Creamy Cilantro Steak Bowls
Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 Long Green Pepper
• 1 Onion
• ¼ ounce Cilantro
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1 Lime
• 1 Jalapeño
• ½ cup Jasmine Rice
• 1.5 tablespoon Sour Cream
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 10 ounce Ranch Steak

Peel and mince garlic; set aside 1⁄4 tsp. 

Mince cilantro. 

Halve, peel, and thinly slice onion; mince a few slices until you have 1 tsp. 

Zest and quarter lime. 

Slice jalapeño into thin rounds, removing ribs and seeds for less heat; mince a few slices until you have 1⁄2 tsp. 

Core, deseed, and thinly slice green pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. 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 tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream, cilantro, minced onion, 1 TBSP olive oil, [Jenn Note: I didn't add this. I'm not a fan of the texture when oil is added] reserved 1⁄4 tsp garlic, juice from two lime wedges, a pinch of minced jalapeño, a pinch of cumin, salt, and pepper. • Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.

Pat steak dry with paper towels. Season all over with remaining cumin, salt, and pepper; rub to thoroughly coat. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook to desired doneness, 3-6 minutes per side. Turn off heat; transfer steak to a cutting board to rest. Wipe out pan.

Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add green pepper, sliced onion, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly charred, 6-8 minutes. TIP: If veggies begin to brown too quickly, add a splash of water.

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

Thinly slice steak against the grain. 

Divide rice between bowls. Top with veggies and steak. Drizzle steak with sauce. Top with as much sliced jalapeño as you like. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.

Griddled Ham & Swiss Sandwich Bar

A ham & swiss sammy is my jam. I love them. It's my favorite deli meat and a winning combination in
my book. So, when I saw this Hello Fresh recipe I knew it was a must. 

It's been a crazy week here with the Niece and her family in town, so two nights I had planned Hello Fresh got changed to dinner with the Niece. I always plan on one night a week of me not wanting to cook and so don't plan on anything. So one of the Hello Fresh meals will be that night. The second one I knew I had to do at lunch and this was the perfect meal. 

I made a few changes in that I didn't set this up as a "bar". I just made the sandwich and I didn't bother with the potatoes.

My main change was I slathered the mayo/mustard combo on the bread inside instead of having it on the side. 

Overall, this was delicious. I'd do it again for sure.

Griddled Ham & Swiss Sandwich Bar
Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 4 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 8 ounce Smoked Deli Ham
• 2 slice Swiss Cheese
• 1 unit Sliced Dill Pickle
• 2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 4 slice Sourdough Bread
• 16 ounce Potatoes
• 1 tablespoon Fry Seasoning

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut potatoes into 1⁄2-inch-thick wedges.

Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, Fry Seasoning, salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, place mayonnaise and mustard in separate serving bowls (save some mayonnaise and mustard for making the Dijonnaise in Step 5). Arrange family style along with sourdough, ham, Swiss, and pickle for everyone to build their own sandwiches.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil and 1 TBSP butter in a large pan over medium heat. Carefully add sandwiches (for 4 servings, you may need to work in batches; wipe out pan and add more olive oil and butter between batches as necessary). 

Cook, gently pressing with a spatula or heavy-bottomed pan, until cheese melts and bread is golden, 2-4 minutes per side (add another drizzle of olive oil when flipping). TIP: Lower heat and cover with lid if sandwiches begin to brown too quickly.

In a small bowl, combine remaining mayonnaise with remaining mustard.

Halve sandwiches on a diagonal. Divide sandwiches, potato wedges, and any remaining pickle between plates. Serve with Dijonnaise on the side.

Steakhouse-Style Steak & Wedge Salad with Creamy Pan Sauce & Garlic Bread

Happy Labor Day! Nothing says Labor Day like grilling to me. So this Hello Fresh recipe was perfect.
 

Admittedly the steak should have been fried, but you know I can't do that. I grilled that bad boy and boy was it good. The blue cheese dressing for the salad was good. It could have used some more blue cheese to it, but it did it's job well enough. 

I forgot to put the pan sauce on the steak - I swear I always do that. It was a good sauce too. 

I'd make this again. It's barely a recipe really, but I'm counting it. I tossed an heirloom tomato on the side too. Man those are good. Janet has a bumper crop this year so I'm taking any she'll give me. 

Steakhouse-Style Steak & Wedge Salad with Creamy Pan Sauce & Garlic Bread

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 10 ounce Ranch Steak
• 1 tablespoon Bold & Savory Steak Spice
• 4 ounce Grape Tomatoes
• 1 head Baby Lettuce
• 1 Demi-Baguette
• 2 T Garlic Herb Butter
• 1 T Beef Stock Concentrate
• 1.5 T Sour Cream
• Croutons
• 3 oz Blue Cheese Dressing
• 2 T Parmesan Cheese

Pat steak dry with paper towels and season all over with half the Steak Spice, salt, and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook to desired doneness, 3-6 minutes per side. Turn off heat; transfer steak to a plate. Wipe out pan.

While steak cooks, halve tomatoes. Trim and discard root end from lettuce; quarter lengthwise.

Halve baguette lengthwise and toast until golden. Spread cut sides of baguette halves with half the garlic herb butter; halve on a diagonal.

Add 1⁄4 cup water and stock concentrate to pan used for steak over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; stir in sour cream and remaining garlic herb butter.

Lightly crush croutons in bag.

Divide steak, lettuce, and garlic bread between plates. Top lettuce with dressing, Parmesan, tomatoes, and croutons. Spoon sauce over steak and serve.

Chesapeake Cheddar Burgers

Y'all know I love a good burger. They're like the story of kissing a lot of frogs to find your prince. I,
too, think you gotta each a lot of burgers to find the good ones. And tonight I found a good one.

It never would have crossed my mind to add Old Bay to burger meat or mayo for flavoring. It's amazing. 

But what made this meal was the tomato. The box came with a tiny, hard, roma tomato. BUT last night my sister-in-law gave me home grown heirloom tomatoes. I cut one of those up and boy did that taste good on this burger. 

I also decided to not cook the potatoes (it's too hot to turn on the oven) and just ate the rest of the tomato. So good. I wish all tomatoes tasted as good as fresh off the vine tomatoes.

Every time I eat a delicious tomato I think of my dad and his LOVE for tomatoes. The stories our family has about his tomatoes could fill a novel size book.

And finally, you know I didn't fry the burgers. 

Chesapeake Cheddar Burgers

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 12 ounce potatoes
• 1 tomato
• 4 T Mayonnaise
• 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 T Old Bay Seasoning
• 10 ounces Ground Beef
• 10 ounce Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 slice Sliced Mild Cheddar Cheese
• 2 Brioche Buns
• 1 Corn on the Cob

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

Cut potatoes into 1⁄2-inch-thick wedges. Toss on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast on middle rack until brown and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, thinly slice tomato into rounds.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, 1 tsp water, 1⁄2 tsp garlic powder, and 1⁄2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning. Set aside until ready to serve.

In a large bowl, combine beef, 1⁄2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning, and 1⁄4 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Form beef mixture into two patties, each slightly wider than a burger bun. Season lightly with pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add patties and cook until browned and cooked to desired doneness, 3-5 minutes per side.  In the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, top each patty with cheddar; cover pan until cheese melts.

While burgers cook, wrap corn in damp paper towels. Microwave until kernels are tender and corn is cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Allow to rest for 1 minute, then evenly halve corn crosswise.

Halve and toast buns until golden.  Spread a thin layer of Old Bay aioli on cut sides of bottom buns. Top with patties, tomato slices, and top buns.

Garlicky Steak Pitas

This is definitely garlicky. I say that with clenched teeth and tight lips so my breath doesn't come out and kill you. Whoa. 

Overall, this was a delicious meal. I only made half the pita. I stuffed more meat into it so I would have fewer carbs, and the sauce was SOOO garlicky! 

The salad was refreshing for a hot summer day. I modified it though because just lemon, sugar and olive oil didn't really taste great to me. I put in a tsp of Dijon mustard and used honey instead of sugar. Sooo much better. 

Garlicky Steak Pitas

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 tablespoon Bold & Savory Steak Spice
• 10 ounce Ranch Steak
• 1 Tomato
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1.5 tablespoon Sour Cream
• 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 1 Lemon
• 1 head Baby Lettuce
• ½ ounce Sliced Almonds 
• 2 Pitas 

 Pat steak dry with paper towels. Slice into 1-inch-thick strips; season all over with Steak Spice, salt, and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked to desired doneness, 4-6 minutes. Transfer steak to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Zest and halve lemon.

Halve tomato lengthwise; thinly slice into half-moons and season with salt and pepper.

Trim and discard root end from lettuce; quarter lengthwise.

In a small bowl, whisk together juice from all the lemon, half the garlic powder(you’ll use the rest later), 2 TBSP olive oil, 1⁄2 tsp sugar, a pinch of salt, pepper, and as much lemon zest as you like  

Wrap pitas in damp paper towels; microwave until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds.

In a second small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, and remaining garlic powder. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Halve pitas; gently pull apart to create pockets. Fill with garlic mayo, sliced steak, tomato, and 1⁄2 tsp dressing per pita pocket.

Divide pitas and lettuce wedges between plates. Drizzle remaining dressing over lettuce and sprinkle with almonds. Serve.

 

Steak & Lemon-Parmesan Corn on the Cob

I was supposed to have the Chinese chicken salad tonight, but I decided I wanted more beef. And boy
am I glad I did. This was a delicious meal. 

Photo from Hello Fresh

I made one MAJOR mistake that turned out to be a great mistake. I made the Parmesan lemon sauce and used it as the salad dressing. I must have misread it and missed there was balsamic glaze for the dressing,. I do think it was a good mistake though. That sauce made an awesome dressing that I may make again some day. 

The steak, shocking I know, but I grilled it. No good reason to "fry" a steak. Turned out perfect. 

Corn on the cob, I don't do microwave. Boiling water for this girl. 

All in all, I'll repeat this meal and the mistake I made. 

Steak & Lemon-Parmesan Corn on the Cob
Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• About ¼ to ½ c grated Parmesan Cheese
• 3 tablespoon Sour Cream
• 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise 
• 1 Lemon
• 1 tablespoon Fry Seasoning
• 10 ounce Bavette Steak
• 2 Corn on the Cob
• Croutons – measure with your heart
• 1 head Baby Lettuce
• 4 ounce1 Mini Cucumber
• 5-8 Heirloom Grape Tomatoes
• 5 teaspoon Balsamic Glaze

Trim and discard root end from lettuce; wash and dry leaves thoroughly and chop into bite-size pieces. Halve tomatoes. Trim and quarter cucumber lengthwise; slice crosswise into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Gently crush croutons in their bag.

Put Parmesan in a medium bowl.  Add mayonnaise, sour cream, 1 tsp Fry Seasoning and juice from half the lemon to bowl; stir to combine. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. (You'll use the rest of the Fry Seasoning in the next step.)

Pat steak dry with paper towels and season generously all over with remaining Fry Seasoning, 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. Transfer to a cutting board to rest for at least 5 minutes.

While steak cooks, wrap corn in damp paper towels. Microwave until cooked through and tender, 3-4 minutes. Let rest in microwave 1 minute. (Careful! Corn will be hot!) Set aside until ready to serve. 

In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and crushed croutons. 

Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Add a large drizzle of olive oil and juice from remaining lemon wedges. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Thinly slice steak against the grain.

Divide steak, corn, and salad between plates in separate sections. Spoon as much lemon-Parmesan sauce over corn as you like. Serve with any remaining lemon-Parmesan sauce on the side for dipping.

Old-School Deli Burgers

My mom loved cheeseburger. The drippier the better. She passed that love on to me. I mean, what's not
to love. I make grilled burgers several times a year. Sometimes I get creative and try something that is out of the norm. 

These burgers looked delicious. And they were. They were definitely drippy. 

I didn't fry my burgers. I grilled them. I can't, in good faith, fry a burger. Maybe a smash burger I could, but not a regular burger. Oh and I added a piece of cheese. 

My only complaint is the burger they provided was a little too ground for me. The texture was off. More like meatloaf texture. 

Now, the real shock is I ate the coleslaw. This coleslaw was more tangy than sweet. I think that might be what I don't like about coleslaw normally. It's too sweet. This one was good though. 

Old-School Deli Burgers

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 Lemon
• 1 – 2 T Ketchup
• 4 tablespoon Mayonnaise; divided
• 1.5 tablespoon Sour Cream
• 2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 tablespoon Fry Seasoning [ JW Notes: I found out their fry seasoning is one part each of paprika, garlic powder and onion powder
• 10 ounce Ground Beef
• 4 ounce Coleslaw Mix
• 2 Potato Bund
• ½ c Crispy Fried Onions

Quarter lemon.

In a small bowl, combine ketchup, ~ 1 T mayonnaise, .75 T sour cream, 1 tsp mustard, ¼ tsp sugar, ¼ tsp Fry Seasoning (you’ll use the rest in the next step), juice from one lemon wedge, ½ tsp salt, and pepper.

In a medium bowl, gently combine beef, 1 tsp mustard (I added a bit more from my own stock), remaining Fry Seasoning, a big pinch of salt, and pepper. Form beef into two equal-size balls.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add beef; firmly flatten each ball with a lightly oiled spatula to create patties, each slightly wider than a burger bun. Cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, in a second medium bowl, combine coleslaw mix, remaining 1 T mayonnaise, remaining .75 T sour cream, ¼ tsp sugar, juice from half the lemon, a pinch of salt, and pepper.

Halve buns; toast until golden.

Spread a thin layer of tangy mayo on bottom buns. Fill buns with patties, crispy fried onions, and as much remaining tangy mayo as you like.

Sizzling Hoisin Shrimp

I've had more shrimp since I've been doing Hello Fresh than I think I've had in the last several years. I often don't buy and cook shrimp for reasons I can't explain. Yet when it's on the menu for Hello Fresh I figure I'll give it a try. Something different. 

Photo from Hello Fresh

This recipe had all sorts of potential, but it just didn't hit the mark for me. Just hoisin on the shrimp left me wanting more flavor than just hoisin. I added some soy sauce to the remaining hoisin and used that to make a sauce once the shrimp were cooked. That still didn't quite hit the mark for me.

It was good, well just ok really. I wouldn't order this one again, but I'm glad I tried it. 

Sizzling Hoisin Shrimp

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Servers 2

• 2 Scallions
• 1 thumb Ginger
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1 Lime
• ½ cup Jasmine Rice
• 10 ounce Shrimp
• 2 tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
• 6 ounce Green Beans
• 1 tablespoon Sesame Seeds

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

Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Peel and mince or grate ginger. Peel and mince garlic. Quarter lime.

Melt 1 TBSP butter in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and half the ginger; cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

Add rice, ¾ cup water, and a big pinch of salt to pot with aromatics. 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.

While rice cooks, rinse shrimp under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Toss in a medium bowl with garlic, half the hoisin, and remaining ginger. Season with salt and pepper. 

Set shrimp aside to marinate for at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim green beans if necessary; toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. 

Roast on top rack, tossing halfway through, until browned and slightly crisp, 12-15 minutes.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add marinated shrimp and cook, stirring, until shrimp are opaque and cooked through, 3-4 minutes. 

Divide rice between plates; top with green beans and shrimp. Sprinkle with scallion greens and as many sesame seeds as you like. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Easy Lemon Chicken Pasta

Oh man. This recipe promised to be easy and delicious. It was at least one of those and could have been the other but for my rookie mistake.

For every non Hello Fresh recipe I make, I cut in half. I've gotten quite good at that and it means I throw away less food. Making a full batch of something I know I'll never eat all of it, just makes me sad. So I cut things in half. 

I'm pretty good at guesstimating how much of something, and I often just let me heart decide. Tonight neither my heart nor my brain checked in when I chucked in the juice of TWO lemons into a recipe I had cut in half. 

Good Lord was this lemony...and not in a good way.

I think had it not been overpowering with lemon it would have been fresh and delicious. Next time.

Easy Lemon Chicken Pasta

Recipe from Hungry Happens

Serves 4

• 1 lb medium sized pasta
• 3 chicken breasts
• salt, garlic powder + onion powder to taste
• 1/4 c olive oil (divided)
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into thirds
• 1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1/2 c grated Parmesan
• 1/4 c parsley, chopped

Cook your pasta in salted water, al dente according to package instructions.

Slice your chicken breasts into 3 thick strips. Season them all over with salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Heat a large pan on medium high and add the chicken strips. Cook on all sides until golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Set aside onto a cutting board, allow to rest 5 minutes and slice into bite size chunks.

To the same pan, add 2 tbs olive oil and cook your asparagus, garlic, chili pepper flakes and salt to taste, until crisp tender. Remove pan from the burner and add the cooked pasta, lemon juice and toss. Transfer to a serving bowl and add in the chicken pieces, parmesan, parsley and remaining olive oil – toss everything to coat. Serve with more grated parmesan, lemon wedges and olive oil.

Stick of Butter Chicken and Rice

Chicken and rice casseroles are a great way to feed a ton of people OR to have a ton of leftovers. I'm trying very hard to eat leftovers so in order to do that I need to make sure it's something I'd head up.

This recipe I'd heat up. 

It definitely feeds 6 - but you'd need to have a side veggie of some sort. 

I used chicken tenders, because that's what I had, and I wouldn't do that again. They were overcooked - even for me. I think using chicken breast the amount of time in the oven would be just right.

The flavor here was spot on too. The rice gets a nice beefy/oniony flavor. I added about a tablespoon of Onion Soup Mix too and that really up'd the onion flavor. Delicious!

I think cut up steak bites in this rice dish would be amazing. 

Stick of Butter Chicken and Rice

Recipe from AllRecipes

Serves 6

• 2 cups white rice
• 8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed beef consommé, such as Campbell's
• 1 (10.5-ounces) can condensed French onion soup, such as Campbell's
• 1 stick butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Stir rice, portobello mushrooms, beef consommé, and French onion soup together in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top with butter pieces and 3/4 cup of the cheese.

Season chicken evenly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika and place on top of cheese and butter. Top with remaining cheese and cover dish with foil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown, liquid has been absorbed into the rice, and chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 more minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired.

Peyton Beckwith

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.