Mega Pockets

Bacon Cheddar Mega Pocket

This is comfort food at its finest!  I love making things from my foodie magazines and this post is no exception. This month in Food Network magazine they've got lots of different "Hot Pocket" style dishes.  My brother-in-law and I took it a step beyond by making them REALLY big, and REALLY yummy!

For the first one, we kept the ingredients simple, in Hot Pocket fashion.  We only used chicken, bacon, cheddar and broccoli...LOTS of it!  We wrapped it up in a ready-made pizza dough, folded it like a burrito and baked it in the oven.  The result was a HUGE, bread-loaf looking mound of bacony, cheesy goodness!

The second one is a combination of left-overs.  We had some chicken apple sausage from the risotto I had made the night before, along with some mashed potatoes, green bell pepper and lots of Parmesan cheese.  This one had a fancier flavor, but it was soooo good!

These are a great appetizer when sliced thin, or a hearty entree as a calzone if cut into 3 or 4 servings. The ingredients are up to you!

Cheddar Bacon Mega Pockets

Prep Time: 20 minutes / Cook Time: 20 minutes / Servings: 6

Left: Sausage Parmesan Mega Pocket
Right: Bacon Cheddar Mega Pocket

Ingredients:

• 1 ready-made pizza crust or dough ( I used Pillsbury)
• 2 medium chicken breasts, chopped
• 4 slices thick, center cut bacon, chopped
• 1 cup frozen chopped broccoli florets
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• salt and pepper

Steps:

1. In a large skillet, cook the chopped bacon on medium heat for 7-10 minutes until crisp.  Remove from heat with a slotted spoon and set aside. 
2. Add the chicken to the bacon drippings, season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Continue to cook on medium heat  for 7-10 minutes until browned and cooked through.
3. When chicken is cooked, add chopped broccoli and cooked bacon into the pan.  Reduce heat to low and warm the broccoli for about 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese.
4. Roll the pizza dough out onto a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Add the chicken mixture to the very center of the pizza dough.  Roll the sides of the pizza dough up over the chicken and place the seam side down on the cookie sheet.  Tuck the sides under and spray the loaf again with cooking spray.  Place in the oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing.

Sausage Parmesan Mega Pockets

Sausage Parmesan Mega Pockets

Prep Time: 20 minutes / Cook Time: 20 minutes / Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken apple sausages (I used Hillshire Farms), chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup mashed potatoes, cooked
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat.  Add the sausage, scallions and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper and cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until sausage is browned and veggies are soft. 
2. Reduce heat to low and stir in mashed potatoes.  Heat the mashed potatoes for 3-5 minutes until warm. 
3. Stir in Parmesan cheese and remove from heat.
4. Roll the pizza dough out onto a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Add the sausage mixture to the very center of the pizza dough.  Roll the sides of the pizza dough up over the sausage and place the seam side down on the cookie sheet.  Tuck the sides under and spray the loaf again with cooking spray.  Place in the oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing.



Mega Pockets



Movie Mania Monday: You Don't Mess With the Hummus

Center: You Don't Mess With the Hummus
Chips (Clockwise from top left): Trader Joe's Rice & Bean Chips with Adzuki Beans,
Snack Salad Snapea Crisps, Trader Joe's Sea Salt & Pepper Crisps,
Trader Joe's Roasted Plantain Chips

OK, I promise this is my last Adam Sandler movie for a while. I didn't realize how much of my movie vocabulary comes from his movies until I started doing Movie Mania Monday (we'll just call it M3)!

You Don't Mess With the Zohan was released in 2008, and I didn't intend on seeing it in the theatre, but we ended up watching it when the other movie we went to see was sold out.  We were very pleasantly surprised.  Sandler takes a comedic look at some of the stereotypes we see in Middle Eastern cultures in this film, and highlights all the creative and versatile uses for Hummus!

In this scene, Zohan visits his parents for a family dinner and his father gives an example of his family's affinity for the simple and tasty garbanzo bean-based dish.  Take a look:

So for today's dish, we're creating "You Don't Mess With the Hummus."  It's a really simple dish that, as we've already seen, can serve as a dip for just about anything.   In the photo I showed it with today, I used four different varieties of chips from Trader Joe's, all of which are gluten-free:   Trader Joe's Rice & Bean Chips with Adzuki Beans, Snack Salad Snapea Crisps, Trader Joe's Sea Salt & Pepper Crisps, and Trader Joe's Roasted Plantain Chips

You Don't Mess With the Hummus

Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cook Time: 0 minutes / Servings: 8

You Don't Mess
With the Hummus

Ingredients:

• 15oz. can garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 tbsp. tahini paste
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 lemon, juiced 
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp. chopped red bell pepper (for garnish)

Steps:

1. In a blender of food processor, combine beans, tahini, garlic and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.  Blend for about 30 seconds until smooth.
2. Slowly stream in the olive oil while the processor is still on.
3. Transfer mixture to a serving dish and garnish with red bell pepper.

You Don't Mess With the Hummus

Gluten-Free Southwest Chicken Soup

Gluten-Free Southwest Chicken Soup

I've been feeling just a bit under the weather this week.  I'm sure the anxiety of our big, upcoming move may have something to do with it, so I'm not letting it get me down too much.  Instead, I've used it as inspiration to make some "feel good" dishes without breaking down and indulging in a bunch of sugar, which will just further weaken my immune system.

I love the feel of warm, spicy soup when I'm not feeling well.  It warms me from the inside and makes me feel almost as if I'm sweating out the bug that's trying to dwell inside of me!  So, today I'm sharing my Gluten-Free Southwest Chicken Soup.  It's healthy, hearty and spicy.  I fire-roasted a couple of red bell peppers and blended them in with the chicken broth for a really smoky and deep flavor.  Plus, any excuse I can find to burn something or light it on fire really makes my day.  Just ask my mom or my brother to tell you the stories from when I was a kid.  :)

Gluten-Free Southwest Chicken Soup

Prep Time: 30 minutes / Cook Time: 90 minutes / Servings: 4

Gluten-Free Southwest
Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 ear of white corn, kernels removed and cob discarded, or 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 2 cups Trader Joe's Organic Creamy Tomato Soup (or other creamy, gluten-free tomato soup)
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1lime, 1/2 juiced and 1/2 sliced (slices are for garnish)
• 1 Roma tomato, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. chipotle chile powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 cups brown rice, cooked
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)
• salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Roast the red bell peppers:  Slice the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.  Turn a gas burner onto high heat and place the peppers directly on the flame for 3-4 minutes on each side until blackened.  Note: If you don't have a gas burner, place them on a cookie sheet and place them directly under the broiler for about 5 minutes on each side.  Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a blender or food processor combine chicken broth, tomato soup and roasted red peppers.  Blend on high speed for about 30 seconds until mixture is smooth.  Set aside.
3. In a large pot, heat olive oil on high heat.  Add chopped chicken and scallions. Season with salt and pepper.  Cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes until chicken is browned and scallions are soft.
4. Add the broth mixture to the pot and reduce heat to medium.  Stir in black beans, corn and tomato.   
5. Add lime juice, chipotle powder, chili powder, garlic powder and ground cumin.  Stir until combined.  Bring soup to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Adjust salt and pepper if necessary.  Allow to simmer on low heat for 1 hour.
6. To serve: Pack 1/2 cup brown rice in to a measuring cup.  Empty it carefully into the bottom of a serving bowl so it holds its packed shape.  Place the soup around the rice in the edges of the bowl.  Garnish with lime slices and chopped cilantro.

Gluten-Free Southwest Chicken Soup

AETNA HEALTHY FOOD FIGHT: SEMI-FINAL COOK-OFF!

Pulled Jerk Chicken with Mango Chutney and Coconut Brown Rice

I've officially been selected to participate in the Pomona Semi-Finals for the Aetna Healthy Food Fight!  Let me start by saying thank you to everyone who helped me get here by voting for me on their website.  It was a long voting period, and I really appreciate everyone putting up with my constant reminders and posts to help me along the way.

The cook-off will be on October 1, 2011, at the Los Angeles County Fair.  We'll have 90 minutes to prepare our dish for the judges (not sure who they are yet).  We'll be scored on taste (30%), presentation (20%), nutrition (25%) and media votes (25%).  The winner from the cook-off will go to New York City to compete for $10,000 in groceries and will cook for celebrity judge, Bobby Flay!

At the San Diego
Aetna HFF cook-off in 2010.

I'll be preparing my Pulled Jerk Chicken with Mango Chutney and Coconut Rice.  It's a super healthy chicken dish, prepared with lots of Jamaican spices and just a little bit of heat.  The mango chutney has golden raisins, apples and red bell pepper, while the rice that sits below is prepared with chicken broth and low-fat coconut milk.  YUM, is all I can say about this one!  I hope the judges agree!

I had the pleasure of participating in this event last year, and I'm so excited to be a part of it all again this year.  Thanks again everyone for your support!

Short Rib and Pepper Stuffed Potatoes

Short Rib and Pepper Stuffed Potatoes

I look forward to my foodie magazines each month, so that I can rush into the kitchen and make all the latest and greatest dishes.  Food Network magazine does a really cool insert each issue with 50 recipes of some kind of dish.  They've done 50 ways to make kebabs, 50 ways to make hamburgers, 50 ways to make hot dogs, and 50 ways to do summer drinks.  This issue was really creative in giving 50 ways to stuff a baked potato, one of my FAVORITE foods!

I remember when I was pregnant in the early months, there wasn't much I could eat.  Anything that had traces of onion, garlic, spice and/or flavor was completely out the window.  But oh, I could eat potatoes!  Perhaps it was the Irish lass in me, but potatoes seemed to be a part of EVERY meal while I was fighting the morning (or in my case ALL DAY) sickness.

I was going to share a couple of the recipes from the insert with you, but it appears that Baby Bodhi had other plans for the booklet and it has since disappeared.  So, I created one on my own.  It's sort of a Philly Cheese Steak tribute, but I used some left over short ribs I had from a dinner I made a few weeks ago for the meat (don't worry, they've been in the freezer the whole time).

These aren't the prettiest stuffed potatoes I've ever made, I like to think of them as "rustic," but they tasted DELICIOUS!

Short Rib and Pepper Stuffed Potatoes

Prep Time: / 30 minutes / Cook Time: 4 hours / Servings: 4

Short Rib and Pepper Stuffed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 4 beef short ribs
• 4 russet potatoes
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 4 scallions, chopped (reserve some of the green tips for garnish)
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced and seeds removed
• 6 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Steps:

1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil.  Add the short ribs, season with salt and pepper and sear on each side of the ribs for 2-3 minutes on high heat, until nicely browned.  Remove from heat and place them in a crock pot.
2. Add the cream of mushroom soup and 1/2 cup chicken broth to the crock pot.  Re-season with salt and pepper to taste, stir until mixture is smooth, cover and cook on high heat for 4 hours in the crock pot.  Stir occasionally.  When the meat begins to fall off the bone, remove the bones and shred the meat finely with a fork.
3. Rub the potatoes lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Wrap them tightly in tin foil and bake in the oven at 375 degrees for about one hour, until the potatoes are soft. 
4. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet.  Add the pepper slices and chopped scallions and cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes, until the veggies begin to soften.
5. Remove the potatoes from the tin foil.  Slice down the middle, open and remove several spoonfuls of the potato flesh from the inside, hollowing out the baked potatoes.  Add the removed flesh to the bell peppers and scallions.
6. Add the short rib and mushroom soup mixture to the peppers and potato flesh.  Cook on high heat for another 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is almost completely reduced and the veggies are very soft.
7. Carefully spoon the meat and veggie stuffing back into the potatoes.  Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and place under the broiler for about 30 seconds to melt the cheese.  Remove from heat, garnish with left over scallions and serve immediately.

Short Rib and Pepper Stuffed Potatoes

Movie Mania Monday: Billy Madison and Sloppy Joes!

Jambalaya Joes

It's Movie Mania Monday and we've already discovered my love for Adam Sandler movies.  Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore are the two movies that really put Adam over the top following his SNL days and with lots of celebrity cameos, slapstick comedy and childish pranks, he really set the standard for mindless comedy in the 1990's.

There are two really famous/funny sloppy joes references that Adam Sandler has, the first is from Billy Madison, where he is enjoying a delicious, healthy (not) elementary school cafeteria lunch with his school buddies.  The second, is a hilarious song and video about the "Lunch Lady" and her sloppy joes.  The video features the late and great Chris Farley doing his best impression of what the famous Sloppy Joe Lunch Lady may have looked like.

So, today is an oldie but a goodie.  We're doing my Jambalaya Joes.  It's about the one year anniversary of my very first cooking contest win, and this is the recipe that did it!  They're healthy, yummy and just a little bit spicy!  I use ground turkey, chicken andouille sausage and just a little bit of light Philadelphia cream cheese, just to give it a creamy kick.  Enjoy!

Jambalaya Joes

Prep time: 10 minutes / Cook time: 15 minutes / Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound(s) of Lean Ground Turkey
• 6 ounce(s) of Chicken Andouille Sausage, chopped (about 2 sausages)
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 4 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese
• 1 tbsp. of Creole Seasoning
• 1 tbsp. of paprika
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup(s) of spaghetti sauce (from a jar)
• 4 Hamburger buns, toasted

Steps

1. In a large skillet, combine sausage, ground turkey and red bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper and cook on medium heat until turkey is fully browned and cooked, about 10 minutes.
2. Add Creole seasoning, paprika, spaghetti sauce and tomato. Stir until combined and add cream cheese. Stir and continue to cook until all ingredients are combined and sauce reduces, another 5 minutes.
3. To Serve: Spoon 1/4 of the meat mixture onto the toasted hamburger buns. Repeat, serve and enjoy!

Mini Dessert Week: Cherry Chai Cheesecake Bites

Cherry Chai Cheesecake Bites

I love the smell and taste of fresh cardamom, and paired with sweet cherries…YUM! These little Philly bites are like a mini-spice cheesecake with a cherry pie frosting! The ginger snap crusts give it a spicy and elegant base and I just love the way the cherry pie filling drips off the edges for a great little presentation! 

Cherry Chai Cheesecake Bites 

Prep time: 25 minutes / Cook time: 20 minutes / Servings: 24

Cherry Chai Cheesecake Bites

Ingredients:

• 8 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup(s) of finely crushed ginger snap cookies (48 cookies)
• 4 tbsp. of butter, melted
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup(s) of sugar
• 1 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. of cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tbsp. of flour
• 1 21 oz. can of cherry pie filling

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a mini-muffin tin (24 muffins) with cooking spray.
3. In a blender or food processor, finely crush the gingersnap cookies. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add melted butter. Mix well until combined.
4. Spoon about 1 tsp. of the cookie mixture into the bottom of each of the mini-muffin tins. Press the mixture to the bottom, creating a small pie crust in the bottom of the tins.
5. In a separate mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, egg whites, sugar, vanilla, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice and flour. Mix with electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
6. Spoon the cheesecake mixture into the tins until each one is about 3/4 full.
7. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes in the freezer.
8. Run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the cheesecakes from the tins. Flip the tins over to remove the cheesecake bites.
9. To serve: Place the cheesecake bites on a serving dish and spoon cherry pie filling (about 2 cherries each) onto the cheesecake bites. 

Cherry Chai Cheesecake Bites

Mini Dessert Week: Peanut Butter S'mores Shooters

Peanut Butter S'mores Shooters

Last fall, my family and I made as many different types of S’mores as we could around a back yard camp fire. There were Caramel Apple S’mores, traditional S’mores and Peppermint S’mores, but the hands-down winner was the Peanut Butter Chocolate S’more! This cute little shooter encompasses all your favorite flavors and uses my absolute favorite recipe for peanut butter crème, with Philly! 

 

Peanut Butter S'mores Shooters  

 

Peanut Butter S'mores Shooters

Prep time: 30 minutues / Cook time: 5 minutes / Servings: 8

 

Ingredients:

• 4 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese
• 12 Graham Cracker Sheets (48 individual crackers)
• 10 ounce(s) of bag of peatnut butter morsels
• 7 ounce(s) of jar marshmallow creme
• 1/2 cup(s) of low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup(s) of chocolate syrup

Steps

1. In a medium saucepan, combine peanut butter morsels, milk and Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Cook on medium heat and stir until combined and melted, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a glass mixing bowl and place in the freezer to set for about 10 minutes. Remove and mix with electric mixer until a light, fluffy peanut butter creme is created, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
2. Place the graham crackers in a plastic, sealable bag. Seal the bag and break up the crackers with your hands, creating different size small chunks and crumbs. Transfer to a separate mixing bowl and add the chocolate syrup. Mix well until combined.
3. Using 2oz. shot glasses, spoon about 1 tbsp. of the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each of the shot glasses. Follow with 1 tbsp. of the peanut butter creme, then 1 tbsp. of the marshmallow creme. Finish with another 1 tbsp. of the graham cracker mixture.
4. Note: If using tall, narrow shot glasses, fill two separate, small plastic bags with the peanut butter and marshmallow creme, snip off a corner and pipe the cremes into the shot glasses. Serve with long neck teaspoons.

Movie Mania Monday: Peanut Buttah Cup Pan-clogs

Peanut Buttah Cup Pan-clogs

Today is our final entry for seven days of Movie Mania Menus.  It's also the first Monday of our regular weekly entries for Movie Mania Monday!  Did that make any sense?!

Anyway, today we're taking a peek and a bite into one of my all time favorite romantic comedies, 50 First Dates.  My brother and I have been huge Adam Sandler fans since he was "Zee Stud Boy" on the MTV game show Remote Control in the 1980's.  I've so enjoyed watching and laughing at his success through the years, and I love that his comedy changes as his life changes.  He's truly a comedian for our generation. In 50 First Dates as Henry Roth, he'll do anything he can to get Lucy (Drew Barrymore) to fall in love with him, day after day, even if it means pretending he can't read.  He meets her for the first time at the Huki Lau Cafe, where he also meets some rather friendly locals.

So, you other 50FD fans, I know what you're saying..."make the waffle house", right?!  Well, I looked into it.  Have you seen that waffle house?!  It looks like it took 6 architects and 5 hours to build...that waffle house is amazing!  I like my recipes to be simple, easy, healthy (most of the time) and fun, so we're doing  Peanut Buttah Cup Pan-clogs.  I always ask my family and friends if they want "I put Peanut Buttah Cup in ya'eggs?" when I'm making them breakfast, and in my home, pancakes are NEVER pancakes, they're ALWAYS "pan-coo" or "pan-clogs".  The combination of these two movie lines is perfect.

I'm warning you...these are delicious.  The mini peanut buttah cups will melt inside of the pan-clogs and you'll take a bite and get a gush of gooey, sweet peanut buttah and chocolate rushing through your mouth.  These are definitely a sweet, tasty treat that shouldn't be taken lightly or eaten every day.  Prepare for peanut buttah cup pan-clog bliss!

Peanut Buttah Cup
Pan-clogs

Peanut Buttah Cup Pan-clogs

Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cook Time: 15 minutes / Servings: 4-6 pan-clogs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Instant Pancake Mix (water needed only)
• 3/4 cup water
• 6 mini chocolate covered peanut butter cups (plus a few extra for garnish)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for garnish)

Steps:

1. Chill the mini peanut butter cups in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.  Remove from the refrigerator and chop roughly.  Set aside.
2. Whisk together pancake mix and water in a large mixing bowl.  Stir in peanut butter cup pieces.
3. Heat a large griddle or skillet on medium heat.  Spray with cooking spray.
4. Pour the pan-clog mix onto the skillet in 4-6 plops and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.
5. To serve: Place the pan-clogs onto a serving plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar, top with extra candy pieces and serve immediately.

Peanut Buttah Cup Pan-clogs

El Diablo SHAKE N' BAKE!

El Diablo Shake N' Bake

We're in the home stretch for our Movie Mania Menu week, and by now you've all guessed that I love Will Farrell movies.  Today we're paying tribute to Talladega Nights, Will's nod to NASCAR and the drivers that are "livin' the dream!"

Ricky Bobby (Will Farrell) and Cal Naughton Jr. (John C. Reilly) are best friends in this movie, and have always referred to themselves as "Shake N' Bake," a duo that just can't be separated...until money, fame and women get in the way.  At the end, they make amends and become El Diablo and Magic Man, the new and improved inseperable duo.  Let's take a look:

For today's recipe, you've already seen my Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders, but these today are done El Diablo Shake N' Bake style!  These are perfect for our first football Sunday!  It turns out that throwing the bread crumbs in a big plastic bag is WAY faster and easier than dredging each individual chicken piece through the crumbs by themselves.  It's way more fun too!  These also ended up with some great color from the spices I sprinkled on top and gave them a little heat.  Kinda like a fightin' chicken...with the claws...and the beak.  Enjoy!

El Diablo Shake N' Bake

El Diablo Shake N' Bake

Ingredients:

• 4 large chicken breasts
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 8 oz. package panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper
• cooking spray

Steps:

1. Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise into thirds.  Pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Create your breading stations: 1) Spread the flour onto a plate; 2) Pour the eggs onto a second plate; 3) Pour the bread crumbs into a large, plastic, sealable bag.
3. Cover each chicken piece in the flour and shake off the excess.
4. Take four of the chicken pieces, coat them in the egg mixture, and then place them into the plastic bag with the bread crumbs.  Seal the bag and Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds, until the chicken pieces are coated with the bread crumbs.
5. Arrange the chicken pieces in a baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the rest of the chicken pieces.
7. Spray both sides of the breaded chicken pieces well with cooking spray.
8. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika and cayenne pepper.
9. Place in the oven N' Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, until the chicken tenders are crispy and cooked through. Serve with ranch dressing for dipping.

El Diablo Shake N' Bake

The Salmon of Capistrano

Salmon of Capistrano

Movie Mania Menu week continues with another one of my all time favorite movies, Dumb and Dumber. Released in 1994 (yes, this movie is already SEVENTEEN years old!), Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels showed us just how much fun a cross-country adventure can be!


In this scene, Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) is trying to convince Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels) that they need to throw caution to the wind and chase after his long lost love, Mary Swanson (Lauren Holly), whom he just met while driving to the airport.  He believes she's forgotten her briefcase, and he feels obligated to return it to her.  Of course, the adventure and the entire movie, get better and better from there.

So for our "Salmon of Capistrano" today, I made a simple, fresh Rosemary rubbed salmon.  We grilled it outside with some fresh, summery nectarines for a little sweetness, but the star of the show in this dish is the citrus, balsamic reduction that I drizzled over everything.  I wanted to use some oranges in the dish, since San Juan Capistrano and its many SWALLOWS are located in Orange County, California (for the full story on this amazing phenomenon, click here).  It's a simple, healthy, delicious and FUN recipe, so eat up and enjoy!

Salmon of Capistrano 

Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cook Time: 20 minutes / Servings: 4

Salmon of Capistrano

Ingredients:

• 4 fresh salmon fillets
• 4 navel oranges, juiced
• 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 4 cups fresh spring mix
• 4 nectarines, cut in half and pits removed
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
• salt and pepper

Steps:

1. In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.  Stir until combined, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stirring occasionally, let the mixture simmer on low/medium heat until it is thick enough to thinly coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes (volume will reduce significantly).
2. Soak 4 wooden skewers in water for about 20 minutes.  Place two nectarine halves on each skewer and set aside.
3. Heat an outdoor grill on high heat.  Rub the salmon fillets with garlic powder, rosemary and salt & pepper on both sides.  Grill the salmon fillets and nectarines on high heat for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until the salmon is barely cooked through and the nectarines are soft.
4. To serve:  Place the spring mix onto four separate serving dishes.  Place a salmon fillet on top of the spring mix and serve one skewer of nectarines on each dish.  Drizzle balsamic reduction over everything and serve immediately.

Salmon of Capistrano

 

"I'll Have...Sum-uh-tha-Yella..."

Sum-uh-tha-Yella Chicken & Mushroom Risotto

Well, its Friday and we're having SO much with our Movie Mania Menu week.  We're going all the way through Monday with this, and then we'll continue to make EVERY Monday a Movie Mania Menu day.  Keep those suggestions coming because I am LOVING your ideas!

Comedies are obviously my favorite movie genre.  In my opinion, I want to be entertained and LAUGH a LOT when I watch a movie. I don't need deep brain stimulation, that's what the Discovery Channel is for!

Today, we're going National Lampoons style with this menu.  Chevy Chase is one of my all time favorites, and Randy Quaid is the perfect crazy compliment in the Vacation movie series.  So, as a tribute to this terrific team, we're having a Vegas Vacation moment.  My husband and I can't pass through Yuma, Arizona without looking for Nick Papagiorgio, we can't play black jack without looking for Wallace Shawn and his lisp at the dealing tables, and we CERTAINLY can't pass through a buffet line without saying..."I'LL HAVE...SUM-UH-THA-YELLA."

Now, I hope my "Yella" dish looks a little more appetizing than the one at the Vegas Vacation Buffet.  It's a chicken and mushroom risotto with lots of parmesan cheese, baby bella mushrooms and a sweet, citrusy lemon zest finish.  You can use a few strands of saffron as a food coloring, but we had a huge power outage last night as I was making this, so I couldn't go to the store and buy it.  I used yellow food coloring instead, and I was a little worried about the outcome, but we made it through and the flavor was just fine.  Enjoy!

Sum-uh-tha-Yella Chicken & Mushroom Risotto

Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cook Time: 40 minutes / Servings: 4

Sum-uh-tha-Yella Chicken & Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Arborio rice (or other short grain rice)
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 4 scallions, chopped (reserve about 2 tbsp. for garnish)
• 10 oz. bag of sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1/2 tsp. yellow food coloring
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. red chile flake
• salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat.  Add chicken, season with salt, pepper and 1/2 tsp. garlic powder.  Continue to cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side until chicken is browned and just cooked through.  Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In the same heated skillet, heat remaining olive oil.  Stir in scallions, mushrooms, red bell pepper, red chile flake and remaining garlic powder.  Season with salt and pepper and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until veggies are soft.  Stir in rice and toast on medium heat for another 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in food coloring with 1/2 cup chicken broth, stirring continuously until the broth is absorbed.  Keep adding the chicken broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until the rice is soft, with almost a creamy sauce, about 20 minutes (you may not need the entire 4 cups of broth).
4. Chop the chicken into bite size pieces.  When the rice is soft and creamy, stir in the chopped chicken and 3/4 cup parmesan cheese.
5. To serve:  Scoop 1/4 of the risotto into 4 serving bowls.  Top with chopped scallions, remaining Parmesan cheese and lemon zest.  Serve immediately.

Sum-uh-tha-Yella Chicken & Mushroom Risotto

I NEED YOUR VOTES! AETNA HEALTHY FOOD FIGHT!

Jerk Chicken with Mango Chutney and Coconut Rice

Chef Cora with Baby Bodhi last year at San Diego's
Aetna Healthy Food Fight regional finals.

Last year I had the privilege of competing in the San Diego regional finals of the Aetna Healthy Food Fight.  I met some WONDERFUL people, including Chef Cat Cora, who just adored Baby Bodhi (but then again, who doesn't?!).  It was my first live cook-off, and it couldn't have been a more encouraging experience.  I couldn't wait for it to come up again this year and, here it is!
The format is a bit different this year, they're not only judging us on the nutritional content, but they're asking us to collect votes from the general public.  They're doing four live events instead of eight or ten, and the finals this year are in New York City for a grand prize of $10,000 in groceries.  Who couldn't use that?!
Now, I normally don't do "voting" competitions, simply for one reason.  I believe that when you judge a recipe only on the number of votes it brings in, it no longer becomes about who has the best recipe, it becomes about who has the most friends with the most time to vote for you.  The voting aspect is just one category of the judging process this year, so it's not too bad, but I do need to BEG all of you to click on the link below and vote EVERY DAY until September 18th.

Jerk Chicken with Mango Chutney and Coconut Rice

My recipe this year is one a combination of my favorite cooking method and several of my favorite flavor combinations.  Did I mention that this recipe is SUPER HEALTHY?!  I absolutely LOVE slow-cooking with my crock pot and I can't get enough of tropical flavors with heat.  This recipe has it all:  mangoes, coconut, crushed red pepper and jerk seasoning.  It's a gorgeous, colorful dish with lots of flavor and tons of nutrients.  PLEASE VOTE AND ENJOY THE RECIPE!  I'll keep you all posted on the results!  Thanks!

At my cook-off station last year for San Diego's
Aetna Healthy Food Fight

Delicious, Filling Burritos

Delicious, Filling Burritos

I forgot this was a short week, so we're only on day three of our Movie Mania Menu and it's already Thursday!  Not to worry though, we've got enough GREAT ideas pouring in to change the whole format of this blog!  What great fun this is!

Today I'm paying tribute to my all-time, favorite movie: ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY.  First of all, if Will Farrell doesn't make you laugh, we may need to reconsider our friendship.  Second of all, this movie is filmed in San Diego!  Third of all, it skyrocketed the comedic careers of Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd and most of all Steve Carell!  Let's face it, this movie ROCKS !!!!

There are MANY scenes from this movie that I'd love to cook for, and you WILL see this movie again on Movie Mania, but today my first contribution is the "Burrito" scene with Jack Black.  Filmed on the famous and beautiful Coronado Bridge, Ron Burgundy gives us all a lesson in what can happen when littering on the San Diego streets.

I created a simple, but "delicious" and "filling" burrito for you all today.  This isn't anything fancy, but Baby Bodhi sure did like it, so it gets the seal of approval!  Enjoy!

Delicious, Filling Burritos

Prep Time: 15 minutes / Cook Time: 30 minutes / Servings: 4 burritos

Delicious, Filling Burritos

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 4 large flour tortillas
• 1 cup white rice, cooked
• 1 cup canned black beans
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup pico de gallo or salsa fresca
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 1/4 tsp. chipotle chile powder
• salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Heat a large skillet on medium heat.  Add ground turkey, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and ground cumin.  Mix seasoning into meat while cooking.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and continue to cook on medium heat for 7-10 minutes until turkey is brown and cooked through.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine cooked rice and canned beans.  Stir in lime juice and chipotle powder.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir until combined and cook on low heat for 5-10 minutes, just until rice and beans are warmed.
3. Heat tortillas in microwave for 10-15 seconds.  Place the burritos on a flat surface.  Place 1/4 cup shredded cheese in the center of each tortilla.  Add a large spoonful of ground turkey, rice & beans, and salsa on top of the cheese.  Tuck the ends of the burrito in and roll edges under.  Serve immediately.

Delicious, Filling Burritos

Unda-neath da Mango Tree Martinis...Shaken, Not Stirred

Unda-neath da Mango Tree Martinis...Shaken, Not Stirred

Well, it's day two of our Movie Mania Menu week, and I have to say...I'm hooked.

Now, I'd be shaming my entire family if I didn't do a James Bond recipe and make it some kind of vodka martini...shaken, not stirred.  Growing up, I remember seeing EVERY James Bond movie, the DAY it came out.  To this day, the Roger Moore James Bond films from the 80's are some of my timeless favorites.  My father was a walking encyclopedia of James Bond trivia, and has since passed the torch onto my younger brother.  You really don't want to play the James Bond edition of "Scene It" in our house.  You won't win.

When the VHS and DVD sets came out, we had access to ALL Bond films, all the time.  We were opened up to the previous genre of James Bond, the young and handsome Sean Connery.  I instantly fell in love with the first film, Dr. No, with characters like Odd Job, Dr. Julius No, and the beautiful Ursula Andress as Honey Rider.



The super famous beach scene where she meets Bond for the first time is a classic movie scene. You just can't get that darn song "Underneath the Mango Tree" out of your head for DAYS once you hear it.  So today, we're doing Unda-neath da Mango Tree Martinis...shaken, not stirred.  They're so good, they're dangerous.  Just like James Bond!

Unda-neath da Mango Tree Martinis...Shaken, Not Stirred

Prep Time: 5 minutes / Cook Time: 0 minutes / Servings: 3 Martinis

Unda-neath da Mango Tree
Martinis...Shaken, Not Stirred

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. Absolut Mango Vodka (Absolut is the VERY best Mango Vodka)
• 2 oz. Orange Juice
• 2 oz. Pineapple Juice
• 2 oz. Mango Nectar

Steps:

1. Fill a martini shaker about 1/4 full with crushed ice.
2. Add vodka, mango nectar, pineapple and orange juice.
3. Place the cover on the martini shaker and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds.
4. Strain into martini glasses through the top of the shaker. Serve and drink immediately.  
5. Repeat steps over and over and make lots of moo-la-loo-soo.

MAKE YOURSELF A DANG KESA-DILLA !

DANG KESA-DILLAS

This week is going to be a blogging blast!  If you know me at all, you know that my entire family and I speak "movie," meaning that our every day vocabulary consists of thousands of movie lines that we've grown to love over the years.  In fact, an obscure movie quote from my husband that only I could understand is what made me fall madly in love with him!
So, this week, I'm combining some of my favorite movie quotes with some of my favorite dishes and we're going to have Movie Mania Menu Week!  Doesn't that sound fun?!  I'd love to have some contributions from all of you, so if you think of a dish or a foodie movie quote that made a movie famous, PLEASE e-mail it to me and we'll get it into the test kitchen!



Kicking off this week is one of my all time favorites, Napoleon Dynamite.  Not only is this film laden with great one-liners, it's a perfect example of how great friends can be when they come together for you.  I know if it weren't for all my foodie friends, you wouldn't be reading this blog right now, so this first dish is for all of you. 
This, my friends, is the DANG KESA-DILLA!  It's more than just cheese and tortilla, it's got bacon, tomato, scallion and cilantro.  Dip it in a little hot Sriracha for a big rooster boost, and you've got an instant party appetizer.  Enjoy!

DANG KESA-DILLAS

Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cook Time: 10 minutes / Servings: 2 KESA-DILLAS

DANG KESA-DILLAS

Ingredients:

• 4 large flour tortillas
• 1 cup mild cheddar cheese
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
• 2 key limes, sliced in half
• cooking spray
• Sriracha hot chili sauce for dipping (optional)

Steps:

1. In a large skillet, cook the chopped bacon until its brown and crispy, about 7-10 minutes.  Drain from the drippings with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Reserve about 1 tbsp. of the drippings and keep the skillet hot.
2. In a medium bowl, chop and combine the tomato, scallions and cilantro.  Set aside.
3. Spray the heated skillet with cooking spray.  Place one tortilla flat in the bottom of the heated skillet and sprinkle 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese on top of the tortilla.
4. Spread about 1/2 of the chopped bacon on top of the cheese, and about 1/3 of the tomato mixture on top of the bacon, and another 1/4 cup of the cheese on top of the tomato mixture.  Place a second tortilla on top.
5. Press lightly with a spatula to melt all the ingredients together and continue to cook for about 2-3 minutes per side.  Spray the top tortilla with cooking spray before flipping over and cooking the other side.
6. Remove from the heat, allow to cool for 2-3 minutes and then cut into sections with a pizza cutter.  
7. Repeat steps for the second KESA-DILLA.  Garnish with remaining tomato mixture and limes. Serve immediately.

DANG KESA-DILLAS

Cauliflower Mash Stuffed Peppers

Cauliflower Mash Stuffed Peppers

A great way to disguise your veggies as potatoes, this cauliflower puree is simple, quick, healthy and delicious. The Philly makes for a creamy texture and tangy bite, while the Parmesan and garlic give it a savory and cheesy flavor ! Lemon zest and fresh parsley finish it off to give it a little citrus lift with a colorful finish in a fiery, roasted red bell pepper. It's fun, figure friendly and Philly phantastic! Enjoy! 

 

Cauliflower Mash Stuffed Peppers

 

Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 15 minutes / Servings: 4

 

Ingredients:

• 2 Red Bell Peppers
• 1 pound(s) of cauliflower florets
• 1 1/4 cup(s) of Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed or finely chopped
• 4 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese
• 1 medium lemon, zested
• 4 tsp. of chopped, fresh parsley

Steps

1. Cut red bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Heat an outdoor grill or gas burner to high heat. Place the peppers face down directly onto the flame. Cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes per side, until both sides are partially blackened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. In a large pot of heavily salted water, bring the cauliflower to a boil and cook on high heat until the cauliflower is soft when pierced with a fork, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and place in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, pressed garlic and Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Using an immersion blender, food processor or blender, mix all items well until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
4. Add zest of 1/2 lemon and stir with a spoon until all ingredients are well combined.
5. To Serve: Spoon 1/4 of the cauliflower mixture into each of the 4 red bell pepper halves. Finish with remaining lemon zest, remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Cauliflower Mash Stuffed Peppers