Meat

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Apple-Celery Slaw

By in Main Dish, Pork 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Fathers Day is coming up, which means grills everywhere will be firing up on Sunday. I”ve invited my dad over and will most likely be doing exactly that. But the thing is, it”s been quite rainy here and I”m not so sure I want to stand out in the rain to barbecue, so I might need a back up plan just in case.

I think these sandwiches are a great recipe to have in your pocket for the dad in your life. You can put the mixture in the slow cooker earlier in the day and let it cook away while you do man things, like go to pick and pulls and stare at car parts. Thankfully, my dad is gracious enough to do those things on his own. To each his own, right? :)

These sandwiches are a tad spicy but definitely won”t knock your socks off. My son doesn”t like spicy foods and he was happily asking for seconds. I also love how the slaw adds a cooling factor to ward off the spiciness.

This makes a huge batch so it”s a perfect make for family get-togethers. And, you don”t have to limit the toppings to just the apple-celery slaw. Add some pickles, cheese, lettuce or really anything that suites your fancy.

I do believe this could also be made on the stove top, if you don”t have a slow-cooker. Throw everything into a large pot, bring it up to a simmer, cover and cook on low until the mixture is cooked through and the chicken shreds easily with a  fork.

Happy Fathers Day to all you awesome Dad”s out there!

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Apple Celery Slaw

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

  • 2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

  • 1 medium onion, diced

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1 can (14.5 oz.) crushed tomatoes

  • 1/4 cup hot-pepper sauce

  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 2 tablespoons prepared mustard

  • 1 tablespoon molasses

  • To serve: burger buns, apple-celery slaw, pickles, cheese, lettuce

Add a bit of oil to a large non-stick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook just until browned on the outside. Remove chicken to the slow-cooker. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Add onion, garlic and bell pepper to the skillet, season with salt and pepper. Cook, over medium, until onions have softened. Add water and cook, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, until water is mostly evaporated. Transfer to the slow-cooker. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours (or low for longer), or until chicken is tender and shreds easily with a fork. Shred the chicken in the slow-cooker, season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve on toasted buns with desired toppings.

Apple Celery Slaw

  • 1 apple, sliced thinly into matchsticks

  • 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar

  • salt and pepper, to taste

Mix together ingredients until evenly coated. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

Sandwich filling adapted from Everyday Food Jan/Feb 2011. Slaw adapted from Donna Hay Magazine Summer 2012.

Chicken, Bacon & Black Bean Quesadillas

By in Main Dish, Poultry 4 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

We”ve been eating these quesadillas for a couple of years now. This is our absolute favourite combination of quesadilla fillings. How could it not be? They”ve got every possible form of goodness in them – bacon, cream cheese, black beans, green chilies, chicken… I”ll stop now before I list off all the ingredients. I love them all!

All of this is just made that much better by the smokiness from the barbecue. In the winter months we do make them on the stove top, so that is a tasty alternative if you don”t have a grill handy.

We”re still in the middle of moving so I”m sharing a recipe that I original created for Smithfield.com a long while ago. If you feel like you recognize the photo or recipe, that”s why! ;) It”s no longer available on their site and I thought it deserved it”s time in the spotlight here on the blog, since we make it so often. Enjoy!

Chicken, Bacon & Black Bean Quesadillas

To make this a little faster you can use leftover or rotisserie chicken. Just sauté the red pepper and add the chicken and spices with the rest of the filling ingredients.

  • 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces (2 cups cooked)

  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • salt and pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced

  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

  • 1 (4 oz) can green chilies

  • 1/2 cup spreadable cream cheese

  • 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions

  • 2 cups shredded cheese

  • 8, 8 inch flour tortillas

  • sour cream and salsa, for serving

Saute the chicken with chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper in a bit of oil over medium heat in a large skillet until starting to brown. Add red pepper and saute until chicken is cooked through and peppers are softened. Add black beans, green chilies, and cream cheese. Cook until melted together. Remove from heat and stir in cooked bacon.

Place four tortillas on a clean countertop. Spread with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with green onions and cheese. Top with remaining four tortillas.

Cook on a grill over medium heat for a couple of minutes on each side until tortillas are crispy and cheese is melted. Alternatively you can cook them, one at a time, in a dry skillet over medium heat.

Cut each quesadilla into 6 pieces. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Serves: 4

Quick and Flavourful Chicken Stock

By in Gluten Free, Main Dish, Poultry 9 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Last week was a little crazy. My mom had just left, I wasn”t feeling well, my baby girl got a fever, my son got a cold. It was a long week.

I knew in the middle of it all that I needed to find a good chicken stock recipe. I”ve tried many, but none of them ever seemed flavourful enough. I wanted something simple, that I could make easily even when the house felt like it was collapsing in on itself, and something that didn”t involve an entire chicken carcass (ick!). I had a bunch of chicken drumsticks that I was never able to barbecue like I had hoped, so I went on a search and finally found the homemade chicken stock I”ve been waiting for. It”s quick (it took me 1.5 hours to make from start to finish, chopping and all), it”s flavourful (with minimal ingredients that I almost always have on hand) and it contains bones (important when making a stock with the most health benefits), with none of the messiness of dealing with an entire slimy bird. Yay!

This is the type of recipe I love making on a Sunday afternoon. Like jam, it quietly simmers in the background, perfuming your house – minimal work but satisfying and comforting results. This will definitely become a regular in our kitchen. And, if you”re looking for a feel good soup to pair it with, this Chicken Barley Soup does the trick.

I”ll be taking a break from blogging over the next couple weeks as some unexpected things have come up. I promise to be back as soon as I can. I appreciate the time you take out of your day to visit this little blog of mine and I”ll try my best to keep you updated on Facebook so you don”t feel like you”ve been left hanging.

See you soon!

Quick and Flavourful Chicken Stock

The stock should stay good for 1 week in the fridge or several months in the freezer.

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 4 pounds chicken backs, wings or legs, cut into 2 inch pieces

  • 2 quarts hot (or boiling) water

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 2 bay leaves

Saute onion in a large stockpot, over medium heat, with a small amount of olive oil until onions are softened. Transfer to a bowl. Add half the chicken and cook, flipping halfway through, until no longer pink. Remove to the same bowl as the onions and repeat with the remaining chicken. Once all chicken is cooked, place the chicken and onions back into the stockpot, cover and cook over low for 20 minutes, until the chicken releases its juices. Raise heat to high, pour in hot water, salt and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer (using boiling water brings it to a simmer faster), scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Lower heat, cover and let cook at a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove bones from pot with a slotted spoon (you can remove the meat from the bones and reserve it for chicken soup if desired). Drain stock through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towel. Let cool before refrigerating. Once refrigerated you can remove the layer of fat on top.

Makes: 2 quarts

Adapted from Simply Recipes. Originally from In Pursuit of Flavor.

Cajun Grilled Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Pan Sauce

By in Main Dish, Pork 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , ,

cajun grilled pork chops

My mom is visiting this week. Wee Hoo! I haven’t seen her since the beginning of last summer so I was beyond excited for her to come. And, now she’s here and I’m enjoying every single moment. The kids are eating up their Grandma time and soaking up every bit of attention. As I’m sure you can imagine, I want to take advantage of these precious moments I have with her, so I thought I’d share an oldie but goodie with you today.

This recipe isn’t completely new, if you’ve been following me for a couple of years you may recognize it. I created the recipe about two years ago when I was writing for Smithfield, but I’ve never actually posted the recipe on this blog. We make it so often I thought it deserved a proper post here. It’s my absolute favourite way to eat pork chops and it comes together so quickly but looks so special. The chops are covered in a homemade cajun spice mix, grilled until smoky, succulent and spicy. Then they get draped with a quick and flavourful creamy mushroom pan sauce. Every time I think of them my mouth just starts to water. My hubby isn’t a fan of mushrooms but he loves this pairing just as much as I do.

I prefer the bone-in pork chops because they have more flavour but feel free to use boneless if that’s what you prefer. Also, when I don’t have access to a grill I have done them on the stove top. They are still absolutely delicious this way so if you don’t have a grill don’t let that stop you from making them.

Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go give my Mom another hug. :)

Cajun Grilled Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Pan Sauce

Cajun Grilled Pork Chops
  • 4 bone-in pork chops

Rub pork chops liberally with Cajun seasoning and grill over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Creamy Mushroom Pan Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese spread

Saute mushrooms, onions, garlic and Cajun seasoning in oil over medium heat until softened. Add chicken broth and cream cheese. Stir until smooth. Serve immediately spooned over pork chops.

Serves: 4

Quick Ham & Cheddar Quiche

By in Breakfast, Easter, Main Dish, Pork 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , ,

quick quiche

I don’t know what’s with me lately but I feel totally uninspired in the kitchen. I’ve been making a few delicious things here and there that I’ve been excited about (and have shared with you) but to be honest, our dinner-times have been seriously lacking in the exciting department. Whether I’m meal planning or trying to decide what to make last-minute, my brain is just not co-operating and I’m in a dinner-time funk.

I think part of my problem is that I’ve been feeling this self-imposed pressure to make more complicated dishes. I see all of these inspiring people, with kids, making fabulous involved meals day in and day out and I felt like I needed to step up to the plate. But, after a few attempts at more complicated recipes that ended in failure I was brought down a bit and feeling a little like a farce.

Then I was reminded of something I’ve known for a long time – I just need to be myself and not try to live up to other people’s expectations. I’m not a multi-tasker. Making a complicated and involved meal while my kids run around my feet, means that either the kids will destroy the house, that dinner will be a flop or that I’ll be so stressed out by the end of it all that I’m sitting on the edge of insanity. Or, all of the above. That’s why I like to keep dinner-time simple. Why did I forget this?! Simple = delicious in this house.

Now that I’m embracing this fact once again, I’m hoping the mojo finds it way back soon. Hello, Quick Ham and Cheddar Quiche, I’ve missed your simplicity.

P.S. It probably goes without saying but I’m going to say it anyways, this is the perfect way to use up that Easter ham!

Quick Ham and Cheddar Quiche

This can also be made in a 9-inch pie plate but you will need to increase the baking time.

Filling
  • 1 cup chopped ham
  • 4 green onions, chopped
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1.5 cups milk (I like to use whole milk for this)
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Add the ham and green onions to a small pre-heated skillet with a bit of oil. Cook until the ham crisps up a bit and the onions are softened. Sprinkle evenly over prepared crust.

Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over ham and green onions. Top with cheese.

Bake at 400ºF for 30 minutes or until set in the centre. Let cool 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

No-Roll Pie Crust
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Combine flour, sugar and salt in a 9×13 baking pan. Stir in oil and milk until evenly combined. Crumble over the bottom of the pan and press down to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Fill and bake as directed above.

Serves: 6

No Roll Pie Crust adapted from all recipes. Filling adapted from Tartelette.

(Baked!) Crispy Chicken Sandwiches

By in Lunch, Main Dish, Poultry 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

My love of crispy chicken burgers and sandwiches knows no bounds. If I spot it on the menu, no matter how hard I try to convince myself to try something else, I”ll always end up getting it. I know if I ordered something else I”d just wish it were more crispy, chicken-y and sandwich-ish. So, I stick to the usual and have yet to be disappointed in my decision. You can”t choose who what you love crave.

I recently made a recipe for a crispy chicken sandwich that was fried in a skillet. *shudder* All it did was remind me of all the reasons I hate deep-frying. Really, I despise it. The greasy smell that lingers in the house. The grease splattered walls and floor. Not my cup of tea! But what it really means, is that I have to find healthier alternatives that are just as yummy as their greasy counterparts. Darn. :)

This Crispy Chicken Sandwich is worlds better than the deep-fried version I tried and makes so much less mess. It”s flavour packed – starting with a sour cream marinade and crispy chicken coating, and ending with a quick aioli slathered onto crusty rolls. Who needs fast food when you can make something this easy and delicious at home?

Crispy Chicken Sandwiches

You can store any leftover aioli in the fridge. Serve it as a dip for fries, spread on burgers and sandwiches, or use it as a yummy alternative to tartar sauce.

Crispy Chicken

  • 2 chicken breasts, cut in half widthwise to make 4 thin ones

  • sour cream marinade (below)

  • 1 cup homemade shake “n bake

Sour Cream Marinade

  • 1/4 cup sour cream

  • 1/2 tablespoon minced chives

  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

  • 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

  • 1 small garlic clove, minced

Quick Aioli

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 garlic clove, minced

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • salt and pepper, to taste

To Serve

  • 4 ciabatta rolls (or other), split

  • lettuce, tomatoes, cheese

Mix together ingredients for the sour cream marinade. Place chicken in the marinade, making sure each piece is coated evenly. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 400ºF while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Stir together aioli ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Coat marinated chicken pieces in homemade shake “n bake. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or  until cooked through.

Serve on rolls spread with aioli and topped with lettuce, sliced tomatoes and cheese.

*Tip: for extra crispiness, bake the chicken on an oven proof cooling rack so the air can circulate under the chicken as well.

Serves: 4

Aioli adapted from Donna Hay.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8