Salad on a Stick

Cook Time: 10 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

Bamboo skewers
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice
1/3 seedless cucumber, diced
1/2 pint grape tomatoes
2 (1-inch-thick) pieces Genoa salami from the deli, cubed
4 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk
1 (5.4-ounce) container garlic and herb flavored soft cheese (recommended: Boursin)
Salt and pepper


Directions

Combine the veggies and salami on a platter and serve with 1 bamboo skewer per person.


Blend together the cream or milk and cheese. Pour into a dipping dish and season with salt and pepper to taste.


Place the dip on the platter. Use your skewers to pierce salami and veggies, stacking up a mouthful at a time. Dip each bite in dressing as you eat, but don't double dip, please! Yum-o! Salad on a stick!

From: foodnetwork.com

Croque Madame

Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 2 servings


Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 rounded tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper
1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg, eyeball it
2 teaspoons Dijon style mustard
2 slices white bread
2 large eggs
4 slices deli ham
4 slices deli Swiss cheese
Chopped parsley leaves, chives or thyme leaves, for garnish - choose from any or all on hand


Directions

Place a small sauce pot over medium low heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter in it. Whisk in a rounded tablespoon of flour and cook 1 minute or so. Whisk in milk and bring to a bubble then drop heat to low. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, nutmeg and Dijon. When sauce coats back of a spoon, turn off heat.


Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in each of 2 medium nonstick skillets, both over medium low heat. When butter melts add 2 large eggs to the first skillet, keeping the whites separate from each other. To the second skillet add 2 slices bread and toast lightly on first side then turn the bread. Top turned bread liberally with sauce and 2 slices of the ham and the Swiss cheese on each slice of bread. Use a spatula to transfer the eggs to the tops of the open faced sandwiches. Cover the pan with foil and turn off heat. Let pan stand 5 minutes to melt cheese and set sauce and eggs.


Top sandwiches with chopped herb or herbs of choice and serve. Spoon any leftover sauce over top of the eggs before garnishing.


From: foodnetwork.com

Chipotle Cashew Chicken with Brown Rice

Cook Time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 to 6 servings


Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, 1/4 onion finely chopped, 3/4 thinly sliced
2 cups quick cooking brown rice
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds chicken meat: tenders, boneless, skinless breasts or boneless, skinless thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning blend by McCormick)
2 to 3 tablespoons tamari dark soy sauce, eyeball it
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
10 to 12 water chestnuts, whole
1 cup frozen green peas
3 tablespoons chipotle in adobo (2 peppers and their sauce), available in cans on the international foods aisle or substitute 1 1/2 tablespoons ground chipotle powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin, a palm full
2 to 3 tablespoons honey, 2 healthy drizzles
1/4 to 1/3 cup real maple syrup, eyeball it
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley leaves, your preference
1 cup raw cashews


Directions

In a medium pot over medium heat combine 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, and 1 tablespoon butter. When butter melts into oil, add in the chopped onion, cook 2 minutes, then add rice and cook 3 minutes more. Add stock and cover the pot. Raise heat to bring stock to a rapid boil. Once the stock boils, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, 17-18 minutes.


While rice cooks, make the chicken. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan, then the chicken. Season the chicken with grill seasoning. Brown the chicken on both sides, season with soy sauce then move off to one side of the pan. Add the remaining onions, garlic and peppers. Cook 2 to 3 minutes then add water chest nuts and green peas and mix vegetables and meat together. Add the chipotles and cumin. Toss to coat. Glaze the mixture with honey and maple syrup and turn off the heat. Add in the chopped cilantro or parsley and the cashew nuts.


Top rice with cashew chicken and serve.


From: foodnetwork.com

Grilled Eggplant Panini with Cambozola Blue Cheese, Prosciutto and Arugula

Cook Time: 10 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 sprig rosemary
1 small-medium firm eggplant, 8 slices 1/2-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large pitas or flat breads, halved across
2/3 pound wedge blue cheese, 8 slices (recommended: Cambozola)
8 slices prosciutto
1 cup packed baby arugula


Directions

Heat grill pan to medium-high.


Heat the olive oil in small pot over medium heat with garlic and rosemary to infuse flavor, 3 to 4 minutes.


Brush eggplant with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, grill 2 to 3 minutes on each side to tenderize. Remove from heat.


Make sandwiches on split flat breads of 2 slices each eggplant, blue cheese, prosciutto and a handful of arugula.


Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Choose a second skillet that can fit down inside the first and get a few heavy cans ready to weight skillets. When pan is hot, add 1 flat bread, weight down with second skillet and cans and cook 1 minute, flip, cook a minute more. Repeat process with remaining ingredients and serve.


From: foodnetwork.com

BBQ Chicken Burgers with Slaw

Cook Time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces
1 small red onion, 1/2 finely chopped, 1/2 thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 tablespoon hot sauce, eyeball it
1 1/4 pounds ground chicken
1 tablespoons grill seasoning (recommended: McCormick brand) a palm full
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons honey, eyeball it
1 lemon, juiced
3 rounded tablespoons sweet pickle relish
2 cups shredded cabbage mix
Salt and pepper
4 cornmeal Keiser rolls, split


Directions

In a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add chopped onions, garlic and tomato paste and sweat them for 5 minutes to soften and sweeten. Sprinkle in sugar and remove from heat. Cool in a bowl, 5 minutes. Add tomato paste mixture, Worcestershire, hot sauce to bowl and combine. Add chicken to the bowl then grill seasoning and combine the burgers well to evenly distribute the flavors and form 4 patties. Wash up.


Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan, in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties 6 minutes on each side.


Combine the honey, lemon juice, and remaining extra-virgin olive oil in a bowl. Add relish, cabbage mix and sliced onions and season with salt and pepper. Toss the slaw to coat and reserve.


Serve burgers on bun bottoms topped with slaw and bun tops.


From: foodnetwork.com

Mushroom Lovers' French Bread Pizzas

Cook Time: 25
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 (12-inch) french bread pizzas


Ingredients

8 large portobello mushroom caps
1 pound button mushrooms
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 bay leaf
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine, eyeball it
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, 4 sprigs stripped and chopped
1 loaf crusty French bread, 24 inches
3 cups shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese


Directions

Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp towel. Slice the mushrooms. Heat a deep skillet with extra-virgin olive oil and butter over medium heat. When butter melts into oil, add bay, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are dark and tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and add wine. Deglaze the pan with wine, eyeball the amount. Shake the pan and add the Worcestershire and thyme. Turn off heat.


Preheat broiler and split the loaf lengthwise and across. Hollow out a bit of the soft insides. Toast the bread lightly under broiler. Fill bread with mushrooms evenly then top with cheese liberally. Melt cheese until it browns and bubbles then remove the pizzas from the oven and turn off the broiler.


From: foodnetwork.com

Oven Poached Salmon a la Paige with Dill, Vidalia Onion and Cucumber Relish

Cook Time: 15
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

1 tablespoon cold butter
4 portions, 6 to 8 ounces each, salmon fillets
Salt and pepper
Several sprigs plus 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 cups chicken broth or water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 small vidalia onion, chopped
1/2 seedless cucumber, chopped
2 radishes, chopped


Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.


Rub the bottom of a shallow baking dish with cold butter. Arrange salmon in dish. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Add broth and a few sprigs of dill to the pan. Roast the fish 12 to 15 minutes.


Combine sugar, salt and vinegar in the bottom of a medium bowl. Add chopped onions, chopped cucumber and radishes. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons chopped dill and toss the mixture to coat in vinegar, sugar and salt.


Remove fish from the oven. Spoon pan juices over fish and carefully transfer to individual plates or platter. Top fish with relish and serve.

From: foodnetwork.com