quick

(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.

Black Bean Salsa

By in Appetizers, Condiments, GF Sides, Gluten Free, Snacks 2 Comments Tags: , , ,

In my search for healthy snacks I came across this recipe. Now, chips and salsa are not really a “healthy” snack but, I am a fan of the fact that this healthy salsa makes for a more filling and nutritious alternative when you get a salty craving. And, depending on what you serve it with, it may just turn into a healthy snack after all.

Tomatoes this time of year tend to be pretty tasteless, so this a great winter salsa since it uses only one small tomato. This type of recipe is highly adaptable. If you don”t like cilantro, leave it out. Throw in some red peppers, if you like. Or use red onions instead of green. Really, it”s not a science. You can literally chuck in whatever suites your fancy. Next time I”ll probably add some chopped avocado and amp up the spiciness by leaving in the jalapeño seeds.

I”m also planning on taking this out of the snack realm by making some to serve at our next taco night. It takes no time to prep and every bit of homemade goodness turns a good meal into a great one.

Black Bean Salsa

For a spicier salsa leave the seeds in the jalapeño pepper.

  • 1 small tomato, seeded and diced

  • 2 green onions, finely chopped

  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and membranes removed, minced

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

  • 1 garlic clove, minced

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

  • 1 (15.5 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Toss ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Refrigerate until serving.

Adapted from Whole Living.

Puff Pastry Pudding Hearts

By in Kids, Pastries, Sweets, Valentine's 9 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

Puff Pastry Pudding Hearts

I couldn”t resist throwing in one last Valentine”s Day treat. This is a great last-minute dessert if you haven”t nailed anything down for tonight yet. Or, it would even be a fun after school project with the kids.

Reminiscent of éclairs, these puff pastry pillows are filled with homemade vanilla pudding and drizzled with chocolate. Don”t let the thought of homemade vanilla pudding scare you. It”s so simple to make. With this type of dessert I like to serve the pudding warm but if you want to make it ahead and serve it cold that”s possible too.

These puff pastry hearts are super simple to make, whether you have a heart-shaped cutter or not. I currently don”t have one so I just used a paring knife to cut out the shapes – this way you can get a little variances in the designs, which I think is kind of fun too.

Happy Valentine”s Day! I hope you have a fabulous day celebrating with the ones you love. xox

Puff Pastry Pudding Hearts

  • 1 sheet puff pastry (from a 17.3 oz. box), thawed

  • 1 recipe vanilla pudding (below)

  • 2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Unfold pastry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cut out hearts using a heart shaped cookie cutter or a paring knife*. Remove excess dough (you can bake the scraps on a separate baking sheet if you like). If you feel that the pastry has warmed up too much place back in the fridge for a couple of minutes. Bake at 400ºF for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire wracks to cool.

Once ready to serve, split puff pastry hearts in half, top bottom half with a couple spoonfuls of pudding, replace top and drizzle with chocolate. Serve immediately.

*If using a paring knife try to avoid dragging the knife through the dough as this can cause the layers to seal closed and you won”t get as much puff.

Makes approximately 9 hearts (depending on size).

Vanilla Pudding

  • 1 1/4 cups milk, divided

  • 2 tablespoons flour

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • pinch salt

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring 1 cup milk to a boil in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, stirring often.

Meanwhile mix together flour, sugar and salt. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup milk, making sure there are no lumps. Whisk in egg yolk.

Slowly whisk flour mixture into hot milk. Bring back to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow to cool slightly, serve warm.

To serve cold: place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding, to avoid a skin from forming, and refrigerate.

Quick French Dip Sandwiches

By in Beef, Main Dish 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Quick French Dip Sandwiches

I”ve made many a homemade beef dip. Mostly from scratch. I”ve thrown it in the slow cooker, cooked it on the stove top, but nothing ever turned out quite right. My hubs is a huge fan of beef dip so, even though I failed, I had to keep trying. Wouldn”t you know, the simplest and easiest of recipes turned out to be just right. And, I won”t complain about that. :)

I figured this time around I”d leave the cooking of the beef to the experts and make it more of an assembly process. First you top crisp and airy ciabatta rolls with garlic, butter and cheddar cheese, broil till bubbly and then pile on the beef. Serve them alongside a spiced up beef broth and dinner is served. Easy peasy and crave-worthy delicious.

Quick French Dip Sandwiches

These make very hearty sandwiches. For smaller appetites you could easily stretch the meat to 5 or 6 sandwiches. Use your discretion according to your family”s appetites and the size of the rolls.

  • 1/4 cup salted butter

  • 1 garlic clove, minced

  • 4 ciabatta rolls, split

  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

  • 1 can (14.5 oz) beef broth

  • salt and pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef

Melt butter in a small skillet, over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds, until softened. Place rolls on a baking sheet and brush or drizzle with garlic butter. Top with shredded cheese. Place under broiler and let bake until cheese is bubbly.

Place broth, salt, pepper and thyme in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat and toss in roast beef. Once beef is warm remove from heat.

To serve: Remove beef from broth, place on prepared rolls. Pour broth into ramekins or bowls, to dip sandwiches.

Serves: 4

Adapted from Taste of Home.

Spicy Bean Burritos (Freezer Friendly)

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

I had high hopes for these burritos after spotting them on Annie”s Eats (I trust that woman with my taste buds) and they were even better than I thought they were going to be. That doesn”t happen too often. I find that beans tend to zap the flavour out of dishes and I was a little afraid that would be the case here, but these were so flavourful – thanks to the beans being simmered in a spicy broth until they soak up every last tasty drop.

This recipe helped me knock off yet another of my 2012 food goals – meatless meals that the whole family enjoys. I”m on a roll! ;) Max did have a little bit of trouble eating a full burrito just because it was a little bit too bean-y for him, so I turned his into a quesadilla and served the “salad” on the side (the guys likes his veggies!) and he gobbled it right up.

It”ll definitely be a regular at our table, especially since I almost always have the ingredients on hand. It”s a perfect last-minute meal when you”ve had a tiring day and just want to get something quick and healthy on the table. I”m planning on serving it with Quick Mexican Rice with Beans (minus the beans) next time, to round out the meal.

Growing up we used to heat up those store-bought spicy bean burritos and top them with salad toppings, sour cream and salsa. I”m planning to make my own version by filling some 6 inch tortillas with this bean filling and some cheese, rolling them up and freezing them for quick lunches during the week. To serve, we”ll treat them just like the store-bought burritos and top them with the sour cream and veggies instead of having them in the wraps. I”m already excited to eat them again!

Spicy Bean Burritos

Don”t throw out the extra chipotles! Put them in a freezer bag and pop them in the freezer. When you need some for a recipe, chop off as much as needed and thaw to use.

Bean Filling

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon minced chipotle in adobo sauce

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • dash cayenne pepper

  • 1/3 cup chicken broth

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

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

  • 6 tablespoons salsa

To Serve

  • tortillas

  • shredded cheese

  • diced tomatoes

  • chopped lettuce

  • chopped green onions

  • sour cream

Cook garlic in a small amount of oil just until fragrant (30-60 seconds). Add spices, broth and beans. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salsa.

Spoon bean filling into tortillas, top with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, green onions and sour cream to serve.

Adapted from Pink Parsley via Annie”s Eats.

Kids in the Kitchen: Tortilla Pizzas

By in Kids, Lunch 11 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

Kids in the Kitchen: Tortilla Pizzas

I think it”s great to get kids in the kitchen early and even to arm them with recipes so that once they”re a little older, and staying home alone, you know they can take good care of themselves in the kitchen (without you having to worry about the house exploding while you”re gone).

I first came up with this idea just before we moved. Our house was becoming more and more depleted of ingredients and we had some leftover pizza toppings and an opened package of tortillas. My hubby was gone on a business trip so I wanted to make something quick for me and Max. This was the first thing that popped into my head and I must admit, I didn”t expect us to like it so much.

This is a great recipe for kids to learn to make on their own – my son had so much fun and was so proud to make a pizza all by himself. And, they won”t be the only ones enjoying it, it makes a yummy quick lunch for us adults too. :)

It”s also a great project to do to when the kids are bored out of their minds, being stuck inside all winter. Take a little extra time on lunch and watch them get excited about making their own creations and then eating every last bite.

A Few Topping Ideas

These personalized pizzas are a great way to use up those leftover scraps of veggies and meat that you”re not sure what to do with. Here are a few ideas.

Sauce:

  • pizza sauce

  • pesto

  • dressing (such as southwestern ranch)

  • salsa

  • leftover bolognese/pasta sauce

  • cream cheese

  • refried beans

Meat:

  • leftover chicken

  • sandwich meat

  • taco meat/fajita filling

  • leftover ham

  • vegetarian: beans

Veggies/Fruit:

  • bell peppers

  • mushrooms

  • green onions/onions

  • pineapple

  • corn

  • spinach

And don”t forget the cheese!

Tortilla Pizzas How-to

A step-by-step guide for the kiddos.

Step One:

Assemble ingredients and place a tortilla on a baking sheet. Top with pizza sauce.


Step Two:

Put on desired toppings – be as creative as you like. :)


Step Three:

Top with cheese. (Mom and Dad – avoid the urge to help them make it perfect.) :)


Step Four:

Place the baking sheet in a preheated oven. Bake at 450ºF (or under a broiler) until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crisp. Make sure to keep your eye out for the “boiling” cheese! :)

P.S. If you”ve got one, you could make these in a toaster oven to be more kid-friendly.


Step Five:

Remove from the oven, cut into slices and enjoy!

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