Homemade Cheesesteak

 There was too much going on tonight at dinner to take a picture, but I will tell you this, the homemade cheesesteak sandwich I made this evening for myself was delicious.  I loosely followed a recipe I read on the internet earlier and then immediately lost. I was not looking at the recipe while cooking so let's just say I made it up.  I didn't buy hoagie rolls because I already had pretzel rolls in the freezer. They were perfect with this dish!  I also used Colby-Jack cheese instead of the traditional (provolone or perhaps whiz?). I just used what I had but you do you!

Ingredients (serves 2 generous sandwiches)

14 oz shaved beef (they sell this at our grocery store and it comes in the 14oz size for some unknown reason)

Olive oil

Butter

salt

1/2 onion, sliced into strips

1/2 bell pepper, sliced into strips

1/4 C Worcestershire sauce

a few shakes hot sauce

2 slices cheese

Directions

1. Heat a little olive oil and butter in a skillet. When it is glistening, add the onions and a little salt.  Turn the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally for 500 agonizing minutes until caramelized. You can and should do this step ahead because it takes for.ev.er.  I did not end up getting my onions fully caramelized because I was just hungry.  

2. Once your onions are done, remove them to a plate but keep the pan as it is. Add some oil and butter and brown the meat for 1-2 minutes. 

3. Add the onions back in, the bell peppers, the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt to taste.  Cook, stirring until the meat and peppers are done.  Add the slices of cheese on top and cover. (one thing we do to cover a skillet that doesn't have a lid is put a dinner plate over the top. It doesn't even have to cover the whole pan, just where the cheese is.)

4. Quickly toast your bread if you want to and then serve yourself some of this mix on a bun and enjoy! I added more hot sauce later because I was worried about making it too hot for others!

Chicken & Cheese Baked Taquitos

 Taquitos are one of Hazel's favorite meals but I continuously struggle to master them and make them crunchy enough while still baking vs. frying. Last night, I finally found a method that works for us!  We like chicken & cheese taquitos and also plain cheese taquitos.  I think we'd probably like lots of other fillings, but these are the easiest to make! I made 20 taquitos and this was sufficient for our family of 5. I used the method from this recipe but a different filling.

Ingredients:

3 Cups cooked shredded chicken

2 T Olive Oil

1 T garlic powder (or to taste)

1 T salt

2 Cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

20 small corn tortillas

Cooking Spray

Salsa, guac, sour cream for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 large baking trays with foil and generously spray with cooking spray.  Place tortillas on the trays, only slightly overlapping if need and spray with more cooking spray. Bake for 4 minutes to make them soft and pliable. 

2. Meanwhile, toss chicken with garlic powder, salt and olive oil until the mixture is a little bit wet and well seasoned.  Feel free to add other seasonings that your family enjoys.

3. When the tortillas are ready, flip them over into a stack so the sprayed side is facing out.  Re-spray the cookie sheets if they look dry.  Put 2T of chicken and cheese in each tortilla. we also made some just cheese. Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down on the prepared tray. 

4. Spray the tortilla tops with cooking spray and sprinkle on a little bit of salt, if you like. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn taquitos to crisp the other side and add more salt on top if needed.  Bake an additional 10 minutes.  Serve with salsa or guac or sour cream!

Whipped Feta Dip

 Whipped Feta is in vogue right now ever since feta gained popularity when used in that tiktok pasta dish.  I had a little bit of feta left so I decided to try it!  The dip is good!!

Tbh I barely followed the recipe because I had just a bit of feta but here is the link to what I used. I added chives.

https://www.seriouseats.com/whipped-feta-dip

Crispy Baked Boneless Pork Chops

Recently we almost exclusively sous vide our meat. It is good but I wanted more flavor today. I decided to bread the pork. So good! Best dinner we have had in weeks!

Crispy Oven Baked Boneless Pork Chops

Ingredients

3 C panko or breadcrumb mix

1/2 cup shredded parmesan

Garlic powder

Dash of chili powder

Salt

Pepper

Cornstarch

1 egg

4 boneless pork chops

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Spread breadcrumb/panko evenly on a parchement lined baking pan and toast for 4 minutes or until brown

3. Remove from oven and combine bread crumbs, garlic powder to taste, cheese and breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Season with salt.

4. Crack an egg in another shallow bowl and beat slightly with a fork

5. Spray the baking tray with cooking spray

6. Season pork with salt, pepper and dredge in cornstarch, then coat with egg and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place each breaded chop on the tray.

7. Spray the chops with cooking spray and bake 20 minutes or until pork registers at 145 degrees. Slice and serve!

Vegetable & Black Rice Bowl with Coconut Green Goddess Dressing

I was reading my February issue of Martha Stewart magazine last night and saw some Asian-influenced vegetarian recipes I thought would be easy to make for lunch.

Later, ravenous after Hip Hop Class, I went to the grocery store and got the ingredients for the meals. Except, I mixed up two recipes in my head. So I decided to make a bit of a switch.

I really wanted to use the cilantro and coconut milk I had bought to make some kind of dressing or sauce. I decided to riff on a recipe I love for Greener Goddess Dressing from Fit Fork Feed since I have a bounty of avocados from our tree.

This bowl is so delicious, filling and made me feel I was being pretty healthy despite the excess use of avocado. It would also be great with a fried egg on top instead of the rest of the avocado..but how could I let that green beauty sit aside?

This recipe feeds 1 generously

Vegetable & Black Rice Bowl with Coconut Green Goddess Dressing

Ingredients

For Serving:
- Black Rice, prepared (I used some that you just heat in the microwave)
- Generous shake of TJs Everything but the bagel Seasoning

For the Vegetables:
- 1 bunch baby bok choy, washed, roughly chopped and stems and leaves separated
- 1/2 orange bell pepper, sliced
- 5oz sliced shitake mushrooms
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 1 t butter
- salt
- 2 T water or coconut milk

For the Coconut Green Goddess Dressing:
- 1/2 large avocado, more to taste
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, stems and leaves
- salt to taste
- 1 t ginger (fresh recommended)
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 - 1/2 C coconut milk
- 1 clove garlic, smashed

Directions
1. Heat butter in a medium skillet or wok. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds
2. Add bok choy stems, mushrooms, bell pepper and cook until just soft
3. Add salt, coconut milk and bok choy leaves and cook until wilted
4. Meanwhile, in a mini chopper or blender puree cilantro with 2 T coconut milk.
5. Add all other ingredients except additional coconut milk and blend. Slowly add in milk to achieve the texture you prefer.  Adding more milk or more avocado will smooth it.
6. To serve: Put rice in a bowl and mix in a little of the dressing. Top with vegetables, extra avocado, sauce and Everything seasoning.

Twice-Baked Poblanos

I recently received a new meal kit that required poblano peppers but then time got away from me and I didn't make the meal. I stowed the required meat in the freezer and put the peppers in my produce drawer.  My dad is a fan of a little spice so when I realized he was coming over I knew it was time to use the peppers!  All the recipes I saw made them into a meal and we were already having grilled sausages so that would be too much.  I consulted with a friend and we came up with Twice-Baked Poblanos.  Basically Poblano peppers stuffed with mashed potatoes with all the accouterments. 

This recipe is actually quite simple combining roasted techniques and making mashed potatoes. I apologize in advance that I don't know my exact mashed potato recipe because I 100% made it up on the fly but any mashed potato will work here.  I also had WAY TOO MANY POTATOES and I just used 5 russets! Probably you only need 3 potatoes: 4 peppers ratio.  This dish has a little hint of spice but it is not overpowering at all - the perfect bite!



Ingredients
4 Poblano Peppers, seeded and halved
Olive Oil
lots of Salt
4-5 russet potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 Cups Sharp Cheddar, shredded
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 C Sour Cream
1/2 - 1 Cup Half & Half or Milk
2 T Butter

Directions
1. Preheat the Oven to 425, take the half and half, butter and sour cream out of the fridge and set on the counter
2. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Place peppers inside-side up on the tray and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt.
3. Roast peppers for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Take the peppers out of the oven and let rest while preparing the mash.
4. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Add salt so that the water tastes like the sea.
5. Boil potatoes until tender about 15 minutes, testing with a fork
6. Drain the potatoes
7. Add sour cream, butter, salt to taste and 1/4 C half & half to the potatoes and mash with a potato masher. Continue to add half & half, a little at a time until the consistency comes together as desired
8. Mix in 1 C cheese and bacon to the potatoes
9. Preheat the oven to 350
10. Spoon potato mixture on top of the peppers, top with cheese
11. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted, serve immediately or leave in warm oven until ready to serve

Cheesy Orzo

Did you get an instant pot yet? I admit, I don't use it as much as I thought I would but the other night when we had guests for dinner and a tiny window with which to get dinner ready, I used it. We also sous vide our meat for dinner so it was really hands off!

This cheesy orzo was sooo flavorful. Pretty much the best updated mac & cheese I've ever had.  My 3yo wan't a fan even though she said it was good she didn't want any. My 18m loved it!  So good.  Run don't walk to get the ingredients to make this tonight!

Recipe here and below. I used asiago cheese instead of parmesan and didn't measure exactly cause more cheese is always better, right?

Ingredients:
1/2 onion chopped
3 small cloves of garlic chopped
2 T butter
2 t olive oil
8oz orzo
2 Cups Chicken broth
1/2 t salt
1 C mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 C asiago (or parmesan) cheese
1 Cup whole milk or half & half (I used milk)

Directions:
1. Turn the instant pot to saute and add butter & Olive oil.  Add onions and cook until translucent.
2. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds
3. Add chicken broth and salt and bring to a simmer stirring. Add orzo. Put the lid on
4. Turn off the instant pot and set to manual, high pressure, 4 minutes.
5. Once the 4 minutes is up and it switches to warming, turn to quick release and wait for the button to pop. Open the lid, stir in cheeses & milk, salt to taste, serve immediately