Main dishes

Hot Poppy Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Published on by carol lou

If you are headed to a beach house, cabin, lake house or just need a make ahead lunch or dinner idea, Hot Poppy Ham and Cheese Sandwiches are one of my go to recipes. You can make these ahead, wrap in foil, store in the refrigerator and when you are getting ready to serve, just pop in a 350 degree oven until hot and gooey. Everyone loves them and clean-up is a breeze – just toss out the foil! Perfect for any of your busy summer plans.

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Hot Poppy Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 1 package Hawaiian style rolls – 12 pack
  • 3/4 pound thin sliced deli ham
  • 12 slices baby swiss from the deli
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
  • 1/4 cup dijon mustard

Instructions

  1. Remove the rolls from the package, keep together and slice horizontally. Prepare a large piece of heavy duty foil, with plenty of extra to wrap the finished rolls, on the counter and place the bottom half of the rolls on the foil. Carefully set the top half aside. Layer the ham and cheese on the lower half of the rolls. Place the top half of the rolls over the ham and cheese portion. Melt the butter add poppy seeds, onion flakes and mustard – whisk to blend. With a pastry brush, brush the mixture over the rolls. It will drip down through the rolls and the edges. Wrap the rolls in the foil. At this point to can bake right away or you can refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake the rolls 20 – 30 minutes or until they are hot and gooey. Serve immediately.

Maple Soy Baked Salmon

Published on by carol lou

On to the new year and new recipes. This is a great under 30 minute meal and easy to prepare. A perfect addition to your salmon recipes, I like to serve the salmon with roasted asparagus and orzo. Quick, easy and delicious.

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Maple Soy Baked Salmon

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
  • 1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
  • 6 oz. salmon fillets ( 2 – 4)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment, set aside. Mix together in a shallow bowl the soy sauce, maple syrup, sweet chili sauce and minced parsley. Marinate salmon in glaze 5 minutes on each side. Place salmon on prepared pan and bake 12 – 15 minutes.

Grilled Chicken Burgers with Bacon and Apples

Published on by carol lou

I have a habit of always reading recipes and many times jotting down quickly (on note paper or notes on my phone) the key ingredients especially when on a plane, in a waiting room or anywhere I find a magazine or interesting article. This recipe is exactly one of those that I had in my files for a long time. Last night, I decided to try them and I must tell you they are delicious. A great change from a beef burger and with the addition of bacon and apples, a recipe I will repeat again. I served them on a toasted brioche bun with a dollop of mayonnaise and crisp lettuce.

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Chicken Burgers with Bacon and Apples

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup apple juice
  • 1/2 cup tart apple, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh sage, finely chopped
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1/2 cup Panko crumbs
  • 4 hamburger buns

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp over medium heat – drain on paper towels, set aside. Drain the skillet and keep only 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes until soft, stirring frequently; season with salt and pepper and add the apple juice and cook until almost all of the juice has evaporated. Remove from the heat and add the bacon, apples, parsley and sage into the onion mixture. Stir well – let cool. In a large mixing bowl add the chicken and panko crumbs – stir in the cooled bacon mixture. Divide mixture into four patties. Grill over medium heat 14 to 18 minutes or until 165 degrees. Serve on toasted buns and top with your favorite condiments

Friends that Cook – Jocelyn Hsu’s Veggie Tacos

Published on by carol lou

I have many friends that are amazing cooks and love to entertain. I decided to add a new feature, Friends that Cook, I hope you enjoy reading about their cooking adventures.

I am excited to feature Jocelyn Hsu in my first segment of Friends that Cook. Jocelyn is an avid cook and creates marvelous recipes.

Jocelyn Hsu has loved cooking since she was in high school. She has worked a “day job” as a government contractor since 1993 but on the weekends, she loves to host multi-course dinner parties, using her best friends as guinea pigs with mostly good results. She has accepted many cooking challenges over the past 30 years, including making Peking Duck from scratch in college, catering a wedding for 50 people, and teaching cooking classes for her local Whole Foods Market. She was a co-founding board member for the non-profit Real Food for Kids www.realfoodforkids.org where she volunteered for ten years with other parents and chefs to bring healthy choices and nutrition education to school children. Along the way, she has cooked thousands meals for her husband and two children who are both now in college, leaving her more time to experiment and work on her cookbook.

Jocelyn’s Veggie Tacos –

At the end of the summer, the squash and eggplants are so beautiful at the farmers market but I’ve already made ratatouille a few times. So I used the same veggies and some different spices to make veggie tacos. This is an easy weeknight meal but also makes a great addition to a taco bar party.

5 from 1 vote
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Jocelyn Hsu’s Veggie Tacos

Ingredients

  • 3-4 small eggplants, mixed varieties, diced
  • 1 large zucchini or similar squash, diced
  • 1 large bell pepper, any color, diced
  • 2 large Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 small red or white onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • fresh oregano, minced (optional)
  • olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons cumin
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons coriander powder
  • salt and pepper
  • corn tortillas
  • Cotija or Monterey Jack cheese
  • your favorite hot sauce

Instructions

  1. Dice the eggplants first and put them in a colander over a sink, sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt and toss to cover with salt. (This helps to remove some of the bitterness from the eggplants. Dice/mince remaining veggies, onion, garlic, and oregano, if using, Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and lightly coat the bottom with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant. Add the oregano if using. Rinse the eggplant with water and shake well to remove as much water as possible. Add eggplant and other veggies to the pan and still well to combine. Sprinkle with the spices; add salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the veggies are soft, about 10 more minutes. While the veggies are cooking, warm your tortillas in a dry skillet over medium low heat until they are soft – about 20 seconds per side. Place veggies in a serving bowl and serve along
    with tortillas, cheese, and hot sauce.



     







Fresh Tomato Tart

Published on by carol lou

After my morning trip to the Farmers’ Market and seeing the bountiful array of tomatoes, I decided today was a great day to make a Fresh Tomato Tart. You can serve this tart warm or at room temperature. A perfect recipe to highlight the bounty of garden fresh tomatoes currently available.

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Fresh Tomato Tart

Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 1 single crust pastry dough
  • 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 4 or 5 ripe tomatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • chopped fresh basil, for ganish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 10-inch removal bottom tart pan with the pastry dough. cover the bottom of the pastry with cheese, sprinkle with basil. Arrange the tomato slices to cover the cheese as evenly as possible. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh basil. slice into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature

Grilled Chicken with Mango Avocado Salsa

Published on by carol lou

This is by far one of our favorite recipes for the grill. Citrus and herb marinated chicken topped with a fresh mango salsa. It is so easy you will never want to buy premade salsa again. A great combination of fresh herbs, peppers and mango. A perfect summer dinner.

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Grilled Chicken with Mango Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • MARINADE
  • 3/4 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • SALSA
  • 1 large mango, peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped red bell peppere
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon chopped chives
  • 1 large avocado, peeled and diced
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine all of the marinade in a large zip top bag, add the chicken, turn to coat and refrigerate for 2 – 4 hours. For the salsa – combine all ingredients except the fresh avocado – this can be prepared up to 3 hours prior to serving. Just before serving add the avocado, salt and pepper and toss. Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from the marinade. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill turning frequently until cooked through. Transfer to plates and serve with salsa.

BBQ Glazed Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Published on by carol lou

I love spring, I especially love the fact that the weather is getting warmer, days are getting longer, and it’s time to grill! One of our favorites is BBQ Glazed Grilled Pork Tenderloin. Mix the dry rub, season the tenderloins early in the day, grill and baste – the results are wonderful. I always grill two so we have leftovers for sandwiches.

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BBQ Glazed Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

  • 2 pork tenderloins
  • DRY RUB
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • BBQ GLAZE
  • 2/3 cup your favorite BBQ sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

  1. Combine DRY RUB ingredients and rub both tenderloins with the mixture. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 – 8 hours. Preheat grill to 425 degrees. Grill tenderloins over direct heat 5 – 8 minutes, turning frequently. Mix together the BBQ GLAZE. Move tenderloins to in-direct heat on the grill, baste approximately every 2 minutes and cook until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from the grill, let rest 8 – 10 minutes prior to slicing.

Quick and Easy – Baked Risotto with Italian Sausage and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Published on by carol lou

This is one of my favorite recipes. So easy to prepare and the results are amazing. Perfect for a cold February day.

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Baked Risotto with Italian Sausage and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
  • 1/2 pound Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled, hot or sweet variety
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes in oil
  • 3 cups fresh spinach (optional)
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In an dutch oven heat the olive oil.  Add the garlic and rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring until very fragrant, approx 2 minutes.  Stir in the broth and bring to a boil.  Cover and bake for about 20 – 30 minutes, until the rice is tender and liquid absorbed.  Stir in the 1/2 cup of cheese, Italian sausage, tomatoes, heavy cream and spinach.  Stir until the spinach begins to wilt, cover and bake an additional 2 – 3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste, stir until well combined.  To serve, drizzle with olive oil and top with additional cheese.

Wings, Wings and more Wings

Published on by carol lou

Since winter sports are in full swing with the NHL, NFL, and NBA along with college sports and staying home is the new normal – time to get the game day snacks ready. Here are some of my favorite wing recipes to enjoy.

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Chicken Wings with Jalapeno Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 12 oz. bottle chili sauce
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup catsup
  • 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
  • 5 jalepeno peppers, seeded
  • 2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 32 chicken wings – (approx. 5 – 6 pounds)

Instructions

  1. Combine first nine ingredients in container of an electric blender, process 30 seconds or until mixture is well blended.

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil.

    Cut wings in half or purchase pre-cut wings. Place wings on foil lined sheet, spoon 1/2 of the sauce over wings. (Depending on number of wings you are cooking, you might need two sheet pans), Bake 30 minutes. Turn wings and top with the remaining sauce. If it appears to be too much sauce, reserve remaining sauce and refrigerate. Bake another 30 minutes or until fall of the bone tender.

    If you like your wings to be crispy, remove wings and place on a rack on a baking sheet, return to the oven and bake an additional 10 – 15 minutes, watch carefully. Serve warm with ranch dressing and celery sticks.

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Chipotle Grilled Wings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pound chicken wings, cuts
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook wings over medium heat on the grill, turn every 6 – 8 minutes for approx. 35 minutes or until crispy and meat is falling off the bone.  When grilling, the wings should be touching each other as they cook to keep them moist.  While the wings are grilling, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  Remove wings from grill when finished cooking, place in bowl with sauce and toss until all are coated.  Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side.

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Game Day Wings

Ingredients

  • 16 chicken wings, cut
  • 1 1/23 cups ketchup
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place wings on baking sheets, salt and pepper both sides of the wings. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over wings. Bake for 60 – 70 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven when the wings are glazed and the meat is falling off the bones.

Sausage and Spinach Frittata

Published on by carol lou

This is one of my “go to” recipes especially during this busy time of year. It makes a wonderful brunch or quick dinner. If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, they are delicious for lunch. You can substitute chorizo or chicken or turkey sausage if you prefer. It is puffed and golden when you remove from the oven, delicious with a side salad or warm biscuits.

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Sausage and Spinach Frittata

Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 3/4 pound bulk Italian sausage
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 large handfuls baby spinach
  • 6 oz. crumbled Feta cheese
  • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook the sausage in a 10-inch oven proof skillet (I use my cast iron skillet) over medium heat, stirring to crumble and no longer pink. Remove from the skillet and drain the skillet, do not wash or wipe clean. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes until foamy. Add the sausage, spinach, feta and tomato, stir until fully incorporated. Pour the mixture into the skillet, pat down the spinach leaves lightly with a fork to flatten into the mixture and cook over medium heat until it begins to set around the edges. Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the top is puffed and golden brown, 25 – 35 minutes. Slice and serve immediately.