Category: Dinner

Greek-Style Pork Chops

Published on by DawnLeave a comment

Summer to me is synonymous with grilling – even if it is cold and rainy outside.  For some reason, the fact that it is summer encourages me to buy meat at the market that tastes great on the grill.  My husband is the grill master of the house.  So, I have a confession to make…I don’t even know how to use the grill, or turn it on.  I really rely on him to do the grilling, which means I can spend more time baking.  We all win.

I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, and it looked so simple, I had to make it right away – especially because my market basket just happened to come with all the other ingredients.  Everything about this dish was terrific.  The yogurt gave the pork just a little extra punch, and it also went perfectly with the cucumber tomato salad.  The next night I served the rest of the salad with the leftover yogurt, and it made a wonderful dressing.  If you don’t have a grill, you could easily do the pork in a grill pan on the stove – but it is summer (at least in spirit here), so at my house we grill outside.

Ingredients

  • 2  tablespoons  red wine vinegar, divided
  • 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
  • 2  teaspoons  olive oil, divided
  • 2  garlic cloves, minced
  • 4  (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops
  • 3/4  cup  plain fat-free Greek-style yogurt
  • 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh dill
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt, divided
  • 1 1/2  cups  diced plum tomatoes (about 2 medium)
  • 1  cup  diced seeded cucumber
  • 1/2  cup  diced red onion
  • Cooking spray

Preparation

Combine 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, oregano, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and garlic in a zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag, and seal. Marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature, turning after 10 minutes. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon oil, yogurt, 1 tablespoon dill, and 1/8 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk. Cover and chill. Combine tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. Sprinkle tomato mixture with 1/8 teaspoon salt; toss to combine.

Heat a grill. Remove pork from bag, and discard marinade. Sprinkle both sides of pork evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add pork to grill, and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove pork from grill, and let stand for 2 minutes. Place 3/4 cup tomato mixture on each of 4 plates, and top each serving with 1 pork chop and about 3 tablespoons yogurt mixture.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Greek-Style Pork Chops

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Turkey, Cheese, and Noodle Bake

Published on by Dawn6 Comments

Remember beefaroni?  I am not sure what gave beefaroni such a bad reputation, but I often heard it referred to as barfaroni growing up.  Now how can you like something with a name like that?  Even if it is the most delicious food you have ever eaten.

I decided that it was time to serve this retro dish to my kids – and see if it deserved the barfaroni nick-name.  Instead of making something up, I decided to dig deep into my old recipes.  I wanted to find something that was a little more like mac-n-cheese with meet and a tomato base.  I couldn’t believe it, but I found the perfect dish.  The original recipe came from Cooking Light, although I adapted it slightly below.

The girls loved it – it was creamy like mac-n-cheese with a nice tomato flavor and the ground meat gave it some bite (and a little protein).  The best part was that neither of them knew that there was shredded carrots in the sauce – which made it almost sweet tasting.  This is great for a crowd, because it made a lot.  At least a few nights worth of food in our household.  Serve this with a salad, and you have a the perfect well-balanced retro meal – and I promise no one will call it barfaroni.

Ingredients

  • 1  (8-ounce) package small elbow macaroni
  • Cooking spray
  • 1  cup  chopped onion
  • 1  cup  shredded carrot
  • 2  teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1  pound ground turkey
  • 1  cup  tomato sauce
  • 1  teaspoon  kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
  • 1  cup  fat-free milk
  • 2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
  • 1/8  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/2  cups  (6 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Lightly coat pasta with cooking spray.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and carrot, and sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add ground beef; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates.

Add pasta to beef mixture in pan, stirring to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Place milk, flour, nutmeg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; stir with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add 1 cup cheese, stirring until smooth. Pour cheese mixture over pasta mixture; stir. Top evenly with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Turkey Cheese and Noodle Bake

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Asparagus Risotto with Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Published on by Dawn1 Comment

Even since I made this almost hands-free version of risotto, I have been wondering how it compares to the workout version – where you stir for at least 20 minutes.  Of course I have made risotto before, but I felt like I needed to make it again, just to be absolutely sure.  Plus, I felt like my arm needed a little exercise – typing on the computer all day does nothing for me.  I was ready.

I took this recipe out of the pantry that I found in Cooking Light, adapted it slightly to my taste, and to what I had in the refrigerator – and off I went.  I couldn’t believe it – but it tasted exactly the same.  This batch of risotto was really no better (except for the fact that it had some delicious fresh asparagus and beautifully roasted cherry tomatoes) than the hands-free version.  I guess there is really no need to ever stir risotto by hand again, unless your arm really needs to get some energy out (like we say to our kids – go run around outside, get that energy out).

This technique for roasting cherry tomatoes is also excellent over pasta with some bread crumbs and mozzarella cheese – my neighbor has an awesome recipe that I will make soon and get it on the blog.  Perfect for those vine ripened cherry tomatoes that you will start seeing in the next couple of months – or if you live in Seattle, maybe next summer.

Ingredients

  • 1  tablespoon  olive oil, divided
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt, divided
  • 1  pint cherry tomatoes
  • 5 1/2  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2  cups  chopped onion
  • 1 1/2  cups  Arborio rice
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 12  ounces  asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2  ounces  pecorino Romano cheese, divided
  • 1  tablespoon  lemon juice
  • 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Toss 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and tomatoes on a parchment-lined jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until tomatoes burst.

Heat 5 1/2 cups broth in a saucepan over medium heat (do not boil).

Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add rice; cook 1 minute. Stir in white wine; cook until the liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly. Add broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total). Add asparagus to pan with last 1/2 cup of broth. Remove from heat; grate 1 ounce cheese. Stir in grated cheese, remaining 3/8 teaspoon salt, and juice. Spoon about 1 3/4 cups risotto into each of 4 bowls; top evenly with tomatoes. Shave remaining cheese evenly over each serving; sprinkle with pepper.

Serves 4

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Asparagus Risotto with Oven Roasted Tomatoes

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Frittata Bites with Spinach, Sausage, and Feta

Published on by Dawn3 Comments

Frittata is one of those dishes that I struggle with.  There are just so many combinations that work well, it is very hard to decide what to put in the mixture.  I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit, and I loved the idea that this was considered an appetizer by cutting up the frittata in small squares.  Normally when I make a frittata, it is the main course – and I cut it into large wedges – but as I have mentioned before – there is something about small bites that everyone (especially kids) love just a little bit more.

When it came down to actually making the frittata, I was torn.  I knew I was going to use spinach (instead of the chard that the recipe called for) – and I liked the idea of spinach and sausage – but then came the hard part – the cheese.  I was very tempted to use parmesan, since I love the combination of spinach, sausage and parmesan – but I just couldn’t get that feta out of my head.  I knew I had to go for it.  The result was extremely delicious – the combination worked perfectly.  It made a wonderful side dish at dinner, and then a great breakfast the next morning.  What a bonus! 

Ingredients

  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
  • 12-ounces baby spinach
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 8 ounces mild Italian sausages, casings removed, sausage broken into 1-inch pieces
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 41/2 ounces)
  • Fresh Italian parsley leaves

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add Swiss chard and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain. Finely chop chard, then place in kitchen towel and squeeze dry. Set chard aside.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to skillet and sauté until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until brown and cooked through, breaking up with fork, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Whisk eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend. Add chard and cooled sausage mixture, then feta; stir to blend. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.

Bake frittata until set in center, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer baking dish to rack and cool frittata 15 to 20 minutes. Place platter atop dish with frittata. Using oven mitts, hold baking dish and platter firmly together and invert frittata onto platter; place another platter atop frittata and invert again so that frittata is right side up. Cut frittata into 20 pieces. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Place frittata pieces on rimmed baking sheet. Cover and chill. Rewarm in 325°F oven until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Transfer frittata pieces to platter. Garnish each piece with parsley; serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 16 small squares.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Frittata Bites with Spinach

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Griot with Sauce Ti-Malice

Published on by Dawn6 Comments

I wanted to make a stew, but May is really not the time to be making stew.  I wanted something comforting and flavorful – and this is what I came up with thanks to Cooking Light.  Griot with Sauce Ti-Malice?  Who knew?  This Haitian dish caught me by surprise.  I looked at the ingredients and decided if I had any chance of my children eating this, I would have to omit the habanero pepper – but other than that, the different flavors looked like a very good combination.  Since my kids will always eat meat, I figured I had nothing to lose.

This dish was delicious.  It was extremely flavorful, and the pork was so ridiculously tender.  It basically fell apart when you touched it with your fork.  The sauce was delicious – I probably should have served it with rice – but instead I had a lot of vegetables in the refrigerator – so I served it with sweet potato fries and broccoli.  I covered my broccoli with the wonderful sauce – and it was amazing.  If you are looking for a comforting meal that you can cook this time of year, look no further.

Ingredients

  • 1  habanero pepper
  • 3/4  cup  fresh orange juice (about 3 large oranges)
  • 6  tablespoons  fresh lime juice, divided
  • 3  tablespoons  minced shallots
  • 2  tablespoons  minced garlic
  • 1  tablespoon  Dijon mustard
  • 1  tablespoon  honey
  • 2  teaspoons  salt
  • 4  thyme sprigs
  • 3  pounds  boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2  cup  thinly sliced shallots
  • 1  teaspoon  cider vinegar
  • 1  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
  • 1  tablespoon  canola oil

Preparation

Cut habanero in half. Seed one half of pepper, and leave seeds in other half. Mince both pepper halves. Combine minced habanero, orange juice, 1/4 cup lime juice, minced shallots, and next 5 ingredients (through thyme) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add pork; toss to coat. Cover and chill 12 to 24 hours.

Place pork and marinade in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Remove pork from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving cooking liquid. Strain cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Place a large zip-top plastic bag in a bowl. Pour reserved cooking liquid into bag; let stand 5 minutes. Snip off 1 bottom corner of bag; drain liquid into a medium saucepan, stopping before the fat layer reaches the opening. Discard fat. Set 1/2 cup cooking liquid aside.

Place saucepan with cooking liquid over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook 20 minutes or until reduced to about 1 cup. Add sliced shallots, vinegar, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Cover and keep warm.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pork; cook 10 minutes, turning to brown well on all sides. Add reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid and remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 4 minutes or until liquid nearly evaporates, stirring occasionally. Place pork in a bowl; pour sauce over pork.

Serves 6

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Griot with Sauce Ti-Malice

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Almost Hands-Free Risotto with Parmesan and Herbs

Published on by Dawn14 Comments

I love risotto – I try and make it at least once a year.  The problem is that I need dedicated stove time with no interruptions – which doesn’t happen to often with two girls that are constantly vieing for my attention.  Although, I do love the workout I get by stirring something consistently for 20+ minutes. 

I was reading my Cook’s Illustrated, and this title just grabbed me.  This would be perfect, I could have my risotto, and possibly keep my children happy at the same time.  What could be better?  Well, the risotto was fantastic, it was nice and creamy, with a wonderful rich flavor (I used a hard gouda cheese, instead of parmesan).  You can easily add some roasted chicken to this and make a heart meal.  You could also add some spring vegetables like asparagus, leeks, or fava beans.  The sky is the limit, and I can’t wait to try some other combinations now that I know the secret…

Ingredients

  • 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • table salt
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced
  • 2 cups Arborio rice
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon juice from 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
  • group black pepper

Preparation

Bring broth and water to boil in large sauce-pan over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain gentle simmer.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat.  When butter has melted, add onion and 3/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened but not browned, 4 to 7 minutes.  Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes.

Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir 5 cups hot broth mixture into rice; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and rice is just al dente, 16 to 19 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.

Add 3/4 cup hot broth mixture and stir gently and constantly until risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes.  Stir in Parmesan.  Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand 5 minutes.  Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, parsley, and chives; season with salt and pepper to taste.  If desired, add up to 1/2 cup remaining broth mixture to loosen texture of risotto.  Serve immediately.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Almost Hands-Free Risotto with Parmesan

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Haitian Chicken Puffs

Published on by Dawn7 Comments

I love miniatures – it really doesn’t matter what the item is – if it is a smaller version, I love it.  My daughters are the same way.  Although, I can understand why kids love miniatures – because they are mini themselves.  My daughters are half the size of me – and I have to remember when I serve them a hamburger that is the same size as mine, it is gigantic in their minds. 

A couple of months ago Cooking Light did a section on food in Haiti.  Haiti has been a topic of conversation in our house quite a bit because of the earthquake, so I figured the girls would enjoy eating some food local to that region.  I have actually been to Haiti, and sadly, I did not see a lot of homes that had a proper kitchen to prepare foods like this, but I won’t go there today.

 This recipe was meant to be an appetizer, but I thought it would make a great mini-meal for the girls (without the habanero).  They were actually not as easy to make as I had hoped – the little pieces of puffed pastry were so small, they were hard to manage – but somehow I was able to stuff them and use the majority of the filling.  As you can see by the picture, my closing skills were not perfect, but they still tasted great.  One of my girls liked them, the other took a “no thank-you bite” and that was the end of that.  She then proceeded to eat around the filling.  Oh well – at least I was at 50%.  The four of us (ok, really 3 of us) polished off the entire batch, along with some vegetable sides, so I would say it was a successful mini meal.  Next time I make these though, I will cut the dough into 9 squares, and make these into big triangles. Not only will the process go faster, you will get a much bigger chunk of filling with your pastry.

Ingredients

  • 1  habanero pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/4  cup  chopped yellow onion
  • 2  teaspoons  minced garlic
  • 1/2  pound  ground chicken breast
  • 1/4  cup  shredded carrot
  • 2  teaspoons  no-salt-added tomato paste
  • 2  teaspoons  fresh lime juice
  • 1  teaspoon  cider vinegar
  • 1  tablespoon  chopped green onions
  • 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh parsley
  • 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/8  teaspoon  ground cloves
  • 1/8  teaspoon  grated whole nutmeg
  • 1  (14-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed (such as Dufour)
  • 1  large egg
  • 1  tablespoon  water

Preparation

Cut habanero in half. Seed one half of pepper, and leave seeds in other half. Mince both pepper halves. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add minced habanero, onion, and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add carrot; cook 2 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add lime juice and vinegar, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add green onions and next 6 ingredients (through nutmeg); stir well. Remove from heat; cool mixture to room temperature.

Place cooled chicken mixture in a food processor; process until almost smooth (mixture will begin to clump).

Preheat oven to 400°.

Roll puff pastry into a 15 x 12–inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Cut puff pastry into 20 (3-inch) squares. Combine egg and water, stirring with a whisk. Brush egg mixture along edges of pastry squares; spoon about 1 scant tablespoon filling in center of each pastry square. Fold each pastry square in half; press edges closed with tines of a fork. Brush top with egg wash; arrange 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

Makes 20 small puffs.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Haitian Chicken Puffs

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Cherry Tomato Pizza Margherita

Published on by Dawn3 Comments

For most of my life, I thought that pizza slices were always square.  That’s because where I grew up, the pizza slices were square – except for the 4 tiny baby slices you would find on the corners of each pie.  They cut the pizza in a cross-wise fashion, instead of cutting wedges.  Ok, I am not doing a good job explaining this, so here is a visual:

We would always fight over the pieces with the crust – especially the baby triangles – and what  novel concept, that people like their pizza in triangles!  We never wanted to eat the inside pieces with no crust.  The funny thing is my younger daughter would have loved growing up with pizza cut into squares – because she hates the crust!  Let me tell you, it is very hard to eat a piece of pizza with no crust.

When I went to college and polled my friends, I realized that I was the only one that had strange shaped pizza in my town.  Triangles were it – they were the preferred shape of pizza – and I definitely agreed.  Everyone got a piece with crust – there was no fighting  – and the triangles were big – not tiny baby pieces.

I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit – and since we had just come back from NYC where we feasted on the best pizza ever – I decided to give it a try.  No, it was not as good as the pizza in NYC – but the cherry tomatoes and mozzarella topping were excellent.  I thought about cutting it into squares, but I just couldn’t do it.  I just love my triangles – even if I have to cut the crust off for my daughter.

Ingredients

  • 1 13.8-ounce tube refrigerated pizza dough
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 12-ounce bag cherry tomatoes, stemmed
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely crushed in plastic bag
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
  • 1 4-ounce ball fresh mozzarella in water (ovoline), diced
  • 4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella, diced
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves plus small leaves for garnish

Preparation

Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Unroll dough on heavy large baking sheet; pull to about 12×8-inch rectangle, pinching any tears to seal. Fold over edge of dough to make border.

Heat large skillet over high heat 2 minutes. Add oil, then tomatoes; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until tomatoes are charred and beginning to break down, about 5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in garlic, fennel, and crushed red pepper. Using back of fork, crush tomatoes in bowl, leaving large chunks intact. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Toss cheeses and chopped basil in medium bowl.

Sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over dough, right up to border. Spoon on tomato mixture in dollops, leaving some cheese uncovered. Bake pizza until crust is crisp and brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Loosen pizza with metal spatula and slide onto board. Garnish with basil leaves.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Cherry Tomato Pizza Margherita

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Chicken Carne Asada Tacos with Pickled Onions

Published on by Dawn2 Comments

 

I love a good taco – in fact, I often crave a good taco.  Not one with a crunchy shell, but one with a deliciously soft corn tortilla that is stuffed with shredded chicken or pork, a fresh tomato salsa made with cilantro, and to top it off a delicious dollop of guacamole made with fresh avocado.  Even just chunks of avocado will do just fine.

The best tacos are usually found at the taco trucks, although I have to say I had one of the best tacos in my life in Los Angeles at the Farmer’s Market.  Thinking about them right now makes me want to get on an airplane and go straight there.   Lately we have been having taco night more and more, now that my kids are getting into it.  They love all the bowls of condiments I put on the table – and the fact that they can pick and choose, and basically make their own dinner.

I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, and I had to give it a try.  What interested me the most were the pickled onions – and they were a fantastic addition to the tacos.  They were sweet, yet tangy and crunchy – they went so well with the avocado and chicken, and that warm corn tortilla that it was wrapped in.  The recipe made a lot of pickled onions, so you will have plenty left-over to enjoy in other ways – like on salad or just grilled chicken.  I need a taco!

Ingredients

  • 1/2  cup  fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)
  • 1/3  cup  fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
  • 1  teaspoon  sugar
  • 1  teaspoon  cumin seeds
  • 1  medium red onion, thinly vertically sliced
  • 1 1/2  pounds  skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into thin strips
  • 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
  • 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
  • 3/4  teaspoon  salt
  • 3/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • 8  (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • 1  cup  diced peeled avocado (about 1 avocado)
  • 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) crumbled Cotija cheese
  • Lime wedges (optional)

Preparation

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves. Place onion in a small saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; drain and plunge onion in ice water. Drain onion; add to juice mixture. Chill until ready to serve.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken with oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned and done, stirring occasionally.

Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide chicken evenly among tortillas. Drain onion; divide evenly among tortillas. Top each tortilla with 2 tablespoons avocado and 1 tablespoon cheese; fold over. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Chicken Carne Asada Tacos with Pickled Onions

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Chicken Parmesan Burger

Published on by Dawn1 Comment

I am pretty fortunate that my kids both like meat.  I know tons of parents who complain that their kids are addicted to carbs, but will not eat meat.  I know that I can always serve them a piece of chicken, steak or pork (without sauce) and they will eat it.  Of course their meat of choice is – hamburgers.  They are both starting to get into cheeseburgers as well.  My older daughter finally likes a nice roll around her burger, while my younger one still prefers the burger to be cut up into chunks just big enough to dunk into ketchup and pop into her mouth.

When I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit, I figured it would be right up their alley – and different enough that it would be right up my alley as well.  I followed the recipe exactly, except that I didn’t have enough fresh basil leaves to layer with the radicchio.  The burgers were excellent – the meat was flavored perfectly – and the fresh mozzarella on top was such a nice treat.  In my opinion, these were pizza burgers – which is probably why the kids liked them so much – their two favorite meals wrapped into one. 

Ingredients

  • 10 1/2-inch-thick slices French bread (4 inches in diameter); 8 slices toasted, 2 slices (crust removed) diced
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 tablespoons minced fresh basil, divided, plus 12 large basil leaves
  • 3/4 cup purchased refrigerated marinara sauce
  • 12 ounces ground chicken (white meat)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon grated onion
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
  • 4 large radicchio leaves

Preparation

Blend diced bread and Parmesan in processor to fine crumbs. Transfer to pie dish; mix in 2 tablespoons minced basil.

Mix marinara and 2 tablespoons basil in small saucepan. Transfer 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce to large bowl. Add chicken, 1/2 tablespoon oil, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with pepper; blend. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick patties; coat with crumbs. Heat sauce over low heat.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook patties until bottoms are crusty, 4 minutes. Turn patties over; top with cheese. Cook 3 minutes. Cover; cook until cooked through and cheese is melted, about 1 minute.

Assemble burgers with bread, radicchio, basil leaves, and warm marinara.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Chicken Parmesan Burger

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