Pizza Sauce

Pizza Sauce
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1 6-oz. can tomato paste
6 oz. water (just use the empty tomato paste can)
3 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
1 Tbsp. sugar or honey (I usually use sugar because it's easier and hey, I think we've established here that if there's an easy road or a hard road, I usually take the easy road...)
3/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

Empty tomato paste into a bowl and add water a few tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly until combined. Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and allow to stand until ready to use. Covers two average-sized pizza; freezes extremely well.

PB Sandwich Cookies

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
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1 C butter flavored Crisco
1 C creamy peanut butter (preferably the kind without salmonella) 
1 C sugar
1 C packed brown sugar
1 t vanilla
3 eggs
3 C flour
2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

filling:
1 C creamy peanut butter
1/2 c real butter, softened
4 C powdered sugar
2 t vanilla
5-6 T milk

For the cookies:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream shortening, peanut butter, and sugars together until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add in vanilla, and eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt and add to dough. Mix to combine. The dough will be very soft- that's normal!

You know the drill. Roll into balls, roll in sugar, place on cookie sheet (no need to grease it) and do the little forky criss-cross thing.

Chicken & Rice with Coconut Milk & pistachios

Chicken and Rice with Coconut Milk and Pistachios
adapted from The Best Skillet Recipes

*Be sure to use chicken breasts that are about the same size to make sure the chicken cooks evenly.

4 (5 to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala (an Indian spice blend found in most supermarkets)
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped pistachios, lightly toasted
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

Pound each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap to a uniform 1/2-inch thickness. Place the flour in a shallow dish and pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, then season with salt and pepper. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour, shaking off excess.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is rippling. Carefully lay the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook until lightly browned on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and return to medium heat until rippling. Add the onion, garam masala, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the chicken broth and coconut milk, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle the chicken into the rice and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the chicken is done, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a clean plate, brushing off any rice back into the skillet. Tent the chicken loosely with foil to stay warm. Cover the skllet and continue to cook the rice over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 10 minutes.

Off the heat, sprinkle the peas over the rice, cover, and let warm through, about 2 minutes. Add the pistachios and cilantro and gently fold into the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with the chicken.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps
Printable Version

*Makes 6 wraps*

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: on some of the wraps, I dotted the cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center - it made the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.

Chicken Corn chowder

Chicken Corn Chowder
Printable Version

*Plan Ahead: This recipe calls for cooked chicken. 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds and membrane removed (this is important for flavor - but doesn't add heat because the seeds and membranes are removed and it is cooked with the other veggies)
1/4 cup thinly sliced or cooked chopped ham
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth
3 tablespoons flour
3 ears of fresh corn kernels or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute celery, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ham; cook for another 3 minutes. Whisk the broth with the flour in a liquid measuring cup or bowl and then stir into the soup. Stir in the corn and chicken. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat. Whisk together the cream cheese and milk in a large bowl until smooth (I had a difficult time getting my cream cheese to completely whisk into the milk so my soup had some minor small lumps but next time, I'll soften the cream cheese until almost melted in the microwave). Whisk the cream cheese/milk mixture into the soup along with the salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Simmer on low until ready to serve.

Balsamic Chicken Noodle Bowl

Balsamic Chicken Noodle Bowl
Printable Version
Printable Version with Picture

*Serves 6-8

*Note: I tweaked this recipe to have a high noodle ratio since I love me a lot of noodles, but if you like a bit less noodles, simply cut down the amount to 12 ounces.*

1 pound linguine
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil (can substitute 1 cup fresh basil)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 1/2 cups shredded or cubed mozzarella cheese
½ cup feta cheese

Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until just tender according to package directions. Drain.

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. When combined, slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is completely combined.

While the pasta is boiling, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the bell pepper. Cook briefly until crisp-tender. Add the cooked chicken and cook for 1-2 more minutes, until the chicken is heated through.

When the noodles have been drained, add the hot noodles to the skillet with the red pepper and chicken and toss. Add the shredded or cubed mozzarella and toss quickly to combine before the cheese melts. Pour the dressing over the top and toss with tongs to coat all the ingredients with the dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Source: adapted from www.tastykitchen.com

Asian Chicken Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette

Asian Chicken Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette
Printable Version
Printable Version with Picture

Makes 4-6 servings.

Note: If you like your salad dripping with salad dressing, you may want to double the dressing ingredients. I thought the subtle hint of dressing was perfect but my husband wished there was a bit more dressing to adorn his salad.

1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 medium head napa cabbage, sliced crosswise into ¼-inch-thick shreds, about 4 cups
1 head Romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups)
1 large red bell pepper, seeds and membrane discarded, sliced thinly
1 cup bean sprouts
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup chow mein noodles

Whisk the vinegar, oil, soy sauce, hoisin, and ginger together in a medium bowl. Remove ½ cup dressing from the bowl and set it aside. Add the chicken to the remaining dressing in the bowl, toss to coat, and let marinate 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack so it is 6 inches away from the broiler and heat the broiler. Coat the broiler pan top with vegetable spray. Remove the chicken from the marinade, discard the liquid, and lay the chicken breasts on the broiler pan top. Place the broiler pan top over the broiler pan bottom and place under the broiler. (Alternately, you can use a baking sheet pan lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.) Broil the chicken until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and broil until it is fully cooked, 3 ½ to 4 minutes.

Place the chicken on a clean plate and cover with plastic wrap. Poke a few vent holes in the wrap and refrigerate the chicken while preparing the other ingredients.

Shred the cooled chicken and toss it with the cabbage, romaine lettuce, red pepper, sprouts and scallions in a large serving bowl. Rewhisk the dressing, pour it over the chicken salad, and toss to combine (if you want to prevent leftovers from getting soggy, you may want to pour the dressing over each individual serving so you can store the dressing separately in the fridge to eat with the leftover salad). Sprinkle with the chow mein noodles and serve immediately.

Chicken Spiedie Sandwiches

Chicken Spiedie Sandwiches
Printable Version
Printable Version with Picture

1/2 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 tablespoon dried basil (or 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons grated zest plus 1 tablespoon juice from one lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1 1/2 pounds
6 6-inch sub rolls, slit partially open lengthwise

Combine oil, garlic, basil, oregano, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes in a large bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons oil mixture to separate bowl and whisk in mayonnaise, vinegar, and lemon juice; refrigerate. Sauce can be refrigerated, covered for 2 days.

Prick chicken breasts all over with fork, cut into 1 1/4 inch chunks, and transfer to bowl with remaining oil mixture. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

Remove chicken from marinade and thread onto skewers, about 5 pieces per skewer. You can use either metal or wood skewers, but if you are using wood, soak them in water for 15-20 minutes before using on an outdoor grill to avoid burning. I used wood skewers on my indoor grill pan without soaking and it worked just fine. Grill chicken until browned and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes, turning once or twice. You can use an outdoor grill (either gas or charcoal), your oven broiler or an indoor grill pan to do the job. Transfer the chicken to sub rolls or bread, remove skewers, and drizzle with mayonnaise mixture.

Recipe Source: adapted from Cook's Country

Choc & Caramel Dipped Pretzel Rods

Chocolate and Caramel Dipped Pretzel Rods
adapted from A. Marilyn

Makes about 40 dipped pretzel rods

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
14 0z. can sweetened condensed milk
dash of salt

pretzel rods

chocolate for dipping and drizzling (I used about 10 ounces of semi-sweet to cover the pretzels and for additional drizzling and 6 ounces of white chocolate for drizzling)

Mix ingredients in order over medium heat. Come to a rolling boil to soft ball stage (use a candy thermometer or test in a bowl of cold water - a drop of caramel in the cold water should roll into a soft ball in your fingers). Take caramel off heat and use a spatula to smooth caramel over pretzels. I laid the pretzels on parchment paper after coating them in caramel and after they had set for about 10 minutes, I rolled each one along the parchment paper to eliminate the pool of caramel on the side they were laying on.

After caramel has set on pretzels (about 20 minutes), melt desired chocolate in microwave or in a bowl over simmering water. I poured my melted chocolate into a tall glass and dipped each caramel pretzel into the glass to coat the caramel pretzel in chocolate. Again, lay the pretzel to dry on a tray covered in parchment paper. I put them in the refrigerator to set fully before drizzling with white chocolate and more semi-sweet chocolate. For drizzling, use remaining melted chocolate and pour into a ziploc bag. Cut a tiny tip off one corner and drizzle across pretzels. The lady who gave my aunt this recipe had a great idea for Christmas and drizzled the chocolate and caramel covered pretzels in red and green colored chocolate (I believe she used the Wilton candy pieces for the red and green). They were adorable (if you can call pretzels adorable).

Don't worry (like I did) that there is a flat side to the pretzel or that the chocolate may pool underneath the pretzel. Once the chocolate has set, you can easily shave off any unwanted pooling or excess chocolate for a prettier pretzel using a sharp knife.

Flour Easy Bagels

King Arthur Flour's Easy Bagels
from King Arthur Flour

**A quick note: I don't know if I have gotten on my "weigh-it" soabox, but here goes...if a recipe gives weight along with measurements, I ALWAYS weigh the ingredients on my very inexpensive digital kitchen scale. Here is why: the 1/2 cup of flour I measured out for this starter was actually 3 1/2 ounces of flour due to how I packed/measured it, so I was able to discard a full 1 1/2 ounces of flour to meet the 2 ounce weight. That is a huge difference and I'm sure my bagels wouldn't have turned out quite as nicely if I hadn't adhered to the weight instead of the measurements.**
Starter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) unbleached bread flour
1/4 cup (2 ounces) cool water
pinch of instant yeast (I used active-dry yeast and it worked great)

Dough
4 cups (17 ounces) unbleached bread flour
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) cool water
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (again, I used active-dry yeast and it worked great)

Water bath
water to fill a 10"-diameter pan about 1" deep
1 tablespoon non-diastatic malt powder or brown sugar (I used brown sugar)

Combine the starter ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, cover, and let rest at room temperature overnight.

Next day, combine the puffy starter with all of the dough ingredients and knead—by hand, electric mixer, or bread machine—to form a stiff but not dry dough. Since we're using a high-protein bread flour here, you might notice it takes a bit more effort and time to develop the gluten. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or large (at least 8-cup) measuring cup, cover, and set it aside to rise for 1 hour. Gently deflate the dough, and let it rise for another 30 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a work surface, and divide it into 12 pieces. (I divided the dough into 10 pieces since I like my bagels a tad big larger.) Roll each piece into a smooth, round ball. Cover the balls with plastic wrap, and let them rest for 30 minutes. They'll puff up very slightly.

While the dough is resting, prepare the water bath by heating the water and malt (or sugar) to a very gentle boil in a wide-diameter (about 10") pan. A 10" electric frying pan works well here. Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Use your index finger to poke a hole through the center of each ball, then twirl the dough on your finger to stretch the hole till it's about 2 inches in diameter (the entire bagel will be about 3 ½" across). (Again, mine were a bit larger than this.) Place each bagel on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

Transfer the bagels, four at a time if possible, to the simmering water. Increase the heat under the pan to bring the water back up to a gently simmering boil, if necessary. Cook the bagels for 2 minutes, flip them over, and cook 1 minute more. Using a skimmer or strainer, or the end of a wooden spoon, remove the bagels from the water and place them back on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bagels.

Bake the bagels for about 25 minutes, or until they're as deep brown as you like. To top with seeds, remove them from the oven after about 15 minutes, spray with water, and sprinkle with seeds. Return to the oven to finish baking. Remove the bagels from the oven, and cool completely on a rack.
Yield: 1 dozen chewy bagels.

Chicken Gyros & Bread

Chicken Gyros
adapted slightly from Annie's Eats (originally from Elly Says Opa!)

**Keep in mind this recipe requires straining yogurt which may take overnight and marinating chicken which will take 1-2 hours so plan ahead!**

Makes enough chicken and tzatziki for approximately 4-6 gyros.

For the tzatziki sauce:
16 oz. plain yogurt (not fat free unless it is Oikos or Fage or another Greek-type yogurt)
1/2 hothouse cucumber or 1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded (I used 1/2 of an English cucumber)
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press (or finely minced)
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil

For the chicken:
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

To assemble:
Soft wrap bread (or pita bread)
Fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
Red onion, sliced thin

To make the tzatziki sauce, strain the yogurt using cheesecloth over a bowl. Let strain for several hours or overnight, if possible, to remove as much moisture as possible. (You won't believe how much liquid drains from the yogurt - it makes the yogurt much thicker and creamier. If you want to splurge on Greek yogurt, like Oikos or Fage, you won't need to strain it like this.)

Shred the cucumber. Wrap in a towel a squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Cook the chicken as desired, either in the skillet or with the broiler. (I sauted them in a hot skillet.) Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes.

Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes and sliced onions. Serve immediately.


Soft Wrap Bread
from King Arthur Flour

*Makes about 8-9 breads

3 to 3 1/4 cups (12 3/4 to 13 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) boiling water
1/4 cup (1 1/2 ounces) potato flour OR 1/2 cup (5/8 ounces) potato buds or flakes (I used potato flakes)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon instant yeast*

Place 2 cups of the flour into a bowl or the bucket of a bread machine. Pour the boiling water over the flour, and stir till smooth. Cover the bowl or bucket and set the mixture aside for 30 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the potato flour (or flakes or buds) and 1 cup of the remaining flour with the salt, oil and yeast. Add this to the cooled flour/water mixture, stir, then knead for several minutes (by hand, mixer or bread machine) to form a soft dough.

Note: You can allow the dough to go through the entire kneading cycle(s) in the bread machine, but it's not necessary; about a 5-minute knead in the machine, once it gets up to full kneading speed, is fine. The dough should form a ball, but will remain somewhat sticky (the dough is fairly stiff, so don't be worried - just be careful not to overflour the dough). Add additional flour only if necessary; if kneading by hand, keep your hands and work surface lightly oiled. Let the dough rise, covered, for 1 hour (I let mine rise up to 2 hours).

Divide the dough into 8 pieces (each about the size of a handball, around 3 ounces), cover, and let rest for 15 to 30 minutes. Roll each piece into a 7- to 8-inch circle, and dry-fry them (fry without oil) on a griddle or frying pan over medium heat for about 1 minute per side (I cooked mine about 2-3 minutes per side and they didn't dry out), until they're puffed and flecked with brown spots. Adjust the heat if they seem to be cooking either too quickly, or too slowly; cooking too quickly means they may be raw in the center, while too slowly will dry them out. Transfer the cooked breads to a wire rack, stacking them to keep them soft. Serve immediately, or cool slightly before storing in a plastic bag.

*This recipe works best with instant yeast because it dissolves during the kneading process, so you don't have to knead liquid into the dough. If you really prefer to use active dry yeast, use only 1 cup boiling water for the initial dough, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, and add this mixture to the dough along with the potato flour mixture. It'll be somewhat "slippery" at first, but will knead in and eventually become smooth.

Garlic Bread

Make-Ahead Crispy, Buttery Garlic Bread
Printable Version

12 tablespoons butter, softened
4 garlic cloves, very finely minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 (1-inch) slices Italian or French bread

Using a fork, beat butter, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in small bowl until combined. Spread butter mixture evenly over both sides of bread.

Freeze the slices on a large baking sheet or plate until firm, about 15 minutes. After they are firm, transfer the slices to a freezer ziploc bag and freeze for up to one month.

To serve, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange bread on rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown on the first side, about 10 minutes. Flip and bake until golden brown on the second side, 6-7 minutes more. Serve.

Note: To serve the bread immediately instead of freezing, bake buttered bread on rimmed baking sheet at 425 degrees for 8 minutes then flip and bake 5 more minutes on the second side.

Mango Lassi Drink

Mango Lassi

2 ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
6-8 frozen (or fresh) strawberries
handful of ice

Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

Mom's Stew

Mom's Stew
1 can minestrone soup
1 can tomato soup
1 can water
1 to 1 1/2 pounds stew meat
1 onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, thickly sliced
3-4 potatoes, cut into chunks
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all in a crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours. Serves 4-6.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef for Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Italian Beef for Sandwiches 
adapted from allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix (such as Good Seasons brand)
1 (5 pound) chuck roast

Combine water and beef broth with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix. Whisk to combine.

Place roast in slow cooker, and pour salad dressing mixture over the meat. Cover, and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours. When done, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork (I did this step about 45 minutes before eating so the shredded meat had time to absorb more of the juices in the crockpot). Serve on crusty rolls with cheese, if desired.

Steak Hoagies with Mushrooms, Onions, and Peppers

Steak Hoagies with Mushrooms, Onions, and Peppers
Printable Version

*Makes 4-6 large sandwiches

3-4 pounds sirloin steak, about 1 inch thick (strip steaks are originally called for in the recipe but were way too expensive when I shopped so use whatever is the best buy)
1 tablespoon sauté spice (equal parts black pepper, salt, and garlic powder)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin
2 tablespoons steak sauce (I used A-1)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4-6 (6 inch) sub rolls, slit partially open lengthwise
6 ounces thinly sliced deli provolone cheese

Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat steak dry with paper towels and rub saute spice liberally into each side. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium high heat until rippling. Cook steaks until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes per side (this is all the cooking time the steaks get so cook them according to your preference). Transfer to plate and tent with foil. Let them rest for five minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.

Meanwhile, add remaining oil, onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to empty skillet and cook until vegetables are softened and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Off the heat, stir in steak sauce, oregano, and sliced steak until well combined.

Divide steak mixture among rolls and top with cheese. Arrange sandwiches on rimmed baking sheets and bake until cheese is melted and rolls are golden brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Serve.

Pumpkin Roll

Perfect Pumpkin Roll
Printable Version

Cake:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs
2/3 cup mashed (canned) pumpkin
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15 X 10-inch jelly roll pan. Cut wax paper to fit the bottom of the pan and leave an inch overhang on each of the short ends of the pan. Lightly grease the wax paper and sides of the jelly roll pan.

Mix the sugar, flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, eggs and pumpkin in a large bowl. Once mixed, pour mixture over the waxed paper. Sprinkle the walnuts, if using, on top of the mixture. Bake for 14-15 minutes until edges pull away from the sides of the pan and center is done.

Lay a large dishtowel on the counter top (it is best to use a dishtowel without any texture - a tea towel or similar towel works best). Spread a thick dusting of powdered sugar all over the towel. When the cake comes out of the oven, turn the pan upside down on the powdered sugar-laden towel so the wax paper is on the top. Gently peel off the wax paper, being careful not to tear the roll. Starting at one of the short ends, roll the pumpkin cake up with the towel to cool. While the roll is cooling, mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar together until it is light and creamy. Once the roll is cool, unroll and with an offset spatula, carefully spread filling in an even layer over the cake. Roll it up without the towel and place in the refrigerator (covered with plastic wrap or wax paper) for about an hour before serving.

Chicken and Corn Chowder with Sweet Pot

Chicken and Corn Chowder with Sweet Potatoesadapted from Cook's Countryserves 6-8

3 cups whole milk (I didn't have whole milk so I used 2 cups 1% and 1 cup cream)
1 cup yellow corn muffin mix (Jiffy brand was recommended in the original recipe but I used a Betty Crocker mix and it worked just fine)
2 T. butter
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 " cubes
2 sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
3 cups frozen corn (not thawed)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste

Mix milk and muffin mix in bowl until well combined. Meanwhile, heat butter in large pot over medium heat until foaming. Add onion and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, chicken and sweet potatoes. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until sweet potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in milk and muffin mixture and simmer until soup thickens, about 10 minutes.Add cheese and corn and cook until cheese begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup
adapted very slightly from Liz K.

1 can chicken broth (about 1 3/4 cups of broth)
1 small onion, diced

1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
Pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)

2 c. milk (I used 1% with great results)
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (the sharper the better for flavor - I used sharp cheddar and hopefully next time will have extra sharp cheddar on hand)
1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
steamed chopped broccoli (the amount of broccoli really boils down to preference - I wanted a lot of broccoli in my soup, so I chopped and steamed approximately 2 1/2 to 3 cups of broccoli florets)

Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.

Makes approximately 4 servings (with two adults and three kids, we finished the pot of soup in one dinner serving it in bread bowls, so if you are serving more adults or serving the soup in regular bowls, I would consider doubling according to the number of people)