Workout Night Dinners: Grilled Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Yum

Weeknight dinners are a popular subject.  You come home late, your tired, and you still have to cook?  You want dinners that are on the table fast, everyone likes, and will satisfy your hunger. 

MGG and I have found a sub-set of that "weeknight dinner"  that we call WORKOUT NIGHTS. We have a workout regimen 2-3 nights a week in which we rush home from work and get ready for a vigorous aerobic workout.  Then comes dinner...

I'll tell you, after a workout I'm not all that hungry for at least an hour, plus I'm tired as a dog chasing butterflies all afternoon!  So dinner on those days?  Well lets just say they need to be really light, but recharge us and our sore muscles.  SALAD TO THE RESCUE.   Add a little protein to the mix and we are refueled in a healthy way.  Ready to pass out to face another day! 

In comes my "to make" list of goodies from Pinterest.  I found that Karina from Café Delites really knows how to do protein and salads.  This week I decided to make my version of her Grilled Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken Salad (barely tweaking it)  HOLY COW!  I think that this marinade/dressing has to be the best one EVER.  I love it so much that I'm making this my go to marinade for everything grilled, baked, or pan fried.  It's that good.

To make this salad work for us on Workout Nights, I did some of the prep work while I was waiting for MGG to get home.  I made the marinade and prepped the veggies with the exception of the avocado.  As the chicken is grilled I used the grill pre-heating time to marinate the chicken for 15 minutes while it came to room temperature.  This worked out perfect and was so flavorful that it really didn't need much more time. 

About an hour after our workout MGG lit the grill outside and I threw the chicken in the marinade.  15 minutes later he threw the chicken on the barbie and I decorated the salad platter and sliced the avocado.  Chicken done, rested, and sliced and dinner was served!

The best part of all that?  The flavors of this salad were outstanding.  Seriously outstanding.  You need to make this now.  It is a great 30 minute meal, the perfect salad, and weeknights never tasted so good!

WORKOUT NIGHT DINNER ACCOMPLISHED!

Kitchen Note:  Lemon juice (acid) will cook your protein as it sits in the marinade.  For chicken it should not be left on more than a couple of hours or it will break down the protein too much and affect the texture of the chicken.  Beef and pork can be left in the marinade up to about 4 hours as they take longer to break down.






Grilled Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken Salad

adapted slightly from Café Delites

serves 4

Marinade:
2 tablespoons olive oil

juice of 1 lemon (1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
cracked pepper, to taste

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, slice in half to make thin cutlets

4 cups lettuce leaves, washed and dried ( I used Lafayette mix)
1 large English cucumber, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 red onion, sliced
1 avocado, sliced

Whisk together all of the marinade/dressing ingredients in a large jug. Pour out half of the marinade into a re-sealable storage bag.  Refrigerate the remaining marinade to use as the dressing later.

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat (or you can use and indoor grill pan).  Add the chicken to the marinade in the bag and allow to sit while coming to room temperature on the counter 15 minutes (or up to two hours in the refrigerator).

Prepare all of the salad ingredients and add to a large bowl or serving platter.  

Grill chicken on both sides until browned and completely cooked through. thin sliced chicken about 4-5 minutes on the first side and about 3-4 on the other side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees. 

Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes; slice and arrange in the salad. Drizzle the entire salad with the remaining dressing. Serve with lemon wedges if you like.

Shredded Chicken Week: Chicken, Broccoli, and Cheddar Rice Bowls

I'm a slacker.

I know...last week was supposed to Shredded Chicken Week.  Well, to be honest I caught a nasty bug and it was all I could do to get up and move to the couch in my PJ's and watch episodes of The People vs. O.J. Simpson (I'm so behind!) and then crawl back to bed.

So zapped of all energy I didn't get to post the fabulous chicken dishes using the excellent Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken.  But not to fret, I'm back and ready to go! Today is the 1st of three dishes you can make quickly on a weeknight using your pre-cooked shredded chicken!

Let's talk about rice bowls.  They are everywhere aren't they? And let's face it...who doesn't love a good rice bowl.  For lunch or dinner, they are ohhhh so good, filling, and comforting.

Today I'm bringing you a quick 30 minute meal that's kid friendly, weeknight friendly, and adult friendly too!  These Chicken, Broccoli, and Cheddar Rice Bowls are the bomb! They provide you with that comfort feeling and satisfy all your cravings.  I love the cheesy rice and sneaking in the broccoli gets you a serving of vegetables.  Add in some of the warmed shredded chicken that you have from your batch of Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken  and dinner is ready in under 30 minutes.  Love that, and you will too!

Kitchen Note:  I used white long grain rice but you can substitute brown or any other rice you like.  I also used chicken broth instead of water for extra flavor.  I also used a sharp cheddar cheese but you could use a milder one or a white cheddar if you prefer.  For the broccoli, you can either steam your own in a pan or microwave, or buy a bag of frozen broccoli steamers for convenience.

Enjoy!

Chicken, Broccoli, and Cheddar Rice Bowls

serves 4

Rice:

2 cups of white long grain rice

3 cups of chicken broth

2 cups of broccoli florets, steamed and cut into small pieces

Cheese sauce:

2 Tbls unsalted butter

2 Tbls flour

1 3/4 c 2% milk

1 1/2 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Chicken:

2 1/2 cups of shredded chicken, heated

In a medium dutch oven heated over medium high heat, add rice and chicken broth.  Bring to a bowl, reduce heat and cook 20 minutes or until water has evaporated and rice is fluffy.

While rice is cooking make the cheese sauce.  In a medium saucepan over medium heat add butter and melt.  Add the flour and whisk until combined.  Stir until a thickened paste is formed.  Add in the milk and whisk to combine.  Heat at a simmer (not a boil) until bubble form on the edges whisking frequently.  Add cheese and whisk until melted.  Add salt and pepper to season.  Continue to cook until sauce has slightly thickened.  

Fluff the rice with a fork and add the broccoli.  Pour the cheese sauce over the rice and stir to combine.  Add warmed shredded chicken to the rice and mix or place rice in bowls and add chicken to the top.  Serve immediately.

Weeknight wonder: Caribbean Pork Stir Fry

A couple of weeks ago we had 3 days of rain straight.  Boy did we ever need it!

I don't think I heard one person complain about the rain because of the dire need of water to ease the drought. Rain is a precious thing in Southern California.  All hail to the rain!

But with rain comes cold weather, dark evenings, and the need for comforting food. All on a weeknight.

My version of a Caribbean Pork Stir Fry will satisfy your comfort food craving along with being a quick weeknight dinner that you can make in 30 minutes or less. Guaranteed!

I had a few pork chops on hand so was ready to go when our hunger started to hit. It was raining outside and we were ready to eat and watch a movie.

This dish takes the flavors of the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica, and throws them together in a stir fry.  You get spicy jerk flavored pork along with the depth of bell peppers and onions, and throw in some plum sauce for a little sweetness.  That hot and sweet thing is totally going on here and tastes amazing! 

Lots of compliments were flying, which is always nice to hear. Now you don't need rain or snow to crave comfort food.  This is good anytime!  Make it tonight and see them rave about your cooking.  
Enjoy!




Caribbean Pork Stir Fry

serves 4

3 Tablespoons canola oil, divided

4 1" thick boneless pork loin chops

2 tsp Jamaican Jerk seasoning

1/2 onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin  

1 orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin  

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin 

1/4 peanuts 

1/2 cup plum sauce

hot cooked rice

Remove all fat from the pork chops and slice into long thin strips.  

Heat 2 Tablespoons of canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat.  Add chicken and make sure they are in a single layer.  Sprinkle with jerk seasoning.  Stir meat, cooking until done about 5 minutes.  Remove to a plate.

Add the additional 1 Tablespoon of oil to the skillet and add the sliced onions and bell peppers.  Stir and allow to cook about 5 minutes until vegetables are slightly tender.  Add peanuts and stir to roast, about 1 minute.  Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the skillet.  Add the plum sauce and stir to coat all the ingredients.

Serve over hot rice.  Enjoy!

Chicken Pomodoro

The other day I was surfing through one of my favorite magazines, Cuisine at Home. Have you heard of them?

The word "favorite" is an understatement.  It's more like "obsessed"!  I subscribe to their main magazine but I'm also know to buy every single special issue that they produce.  It's a problem, I know.  But I just LOVE their style of cooking along with the fact that there are no ads in this magazine. 

Basically it's a mini cookbook, and I am also obsessed with cookbooks!  So now you know my dirty little secret.  Lover of cookbooks and obsessed Cuisine at Home magazines.

Where was I?  Oh yea, I was surfing through one of my magazines and found a wonderful recipe that jumped off the page and said "Make me NOW!".  It really spoke to me.  I love Italian flavors and the dishes are usually quite simple to make. The thing about Cuisine at Home recipes is that they put a twist on a know dish to give it a slight variation but the result is outstanding.  Trust me, they really know how to put together flavors to pack a punch and create recipes that are solid and easy to follow.

Chicken Pomodoro is just one of those dishes.  Sauted Chicken is coated in a creamy sauce that contains cherry tomatoes. This is a light dish but it's perfect year round since cherry tomatoes are always available. 

If you have 30 minutes and want a fresh light dinner or lunch try this wonderful chicken dish.  I served it with the Garlic Spaghetti that was suggested (click here for the recipe) which made a perfect compliment.  Add a salad or a piece of crusty bread to round it out if you like.  

I can't brag enough about Cuisine at Home.  If you get a change check out their site, and subscribe if you want.  They also have free eRecipes you can sign up for as well, plus they sell special edition cookbooks online as well.  I'm sure you'll love them as I do.

Enjoy!




Chicken Pomodoro

If you don't like to cook with alcohol or don't have it on hand, you can replace the vodka with an equal amount of chicken broth.

Makes: 4 servings; Total time: 30 minutes

SEASON:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved, pounded to ¼-inch thick (8 oz. each)
Salt and black pepper
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil

OFF HEAT, DEGLAZE:
1⁄4 cup vodka
1⁄2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1⁄4 cup heavy cream
1 cup halved heirloom cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1⁄4 cup minced scallions

Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dust with flour. Coat a large sauté pan with nonstick spray. Add oil and heat over medium-high.

Sauté cutlets until brown, 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer cutlets to a plate.

Off heat, deglaze pan with vodka and cook until liquid evaporates. Add broth and cream and reduce until thick, 2–3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Return cutlets to pan and cook to warm through, 1 minute per side.

Serve cutlets with sauce and garnish with scallions.

source:  Cuisine at Home.com

One Pot Dish: Cilantro Lime Chicken with Rice and Beans

I have found that MGG loves simple meals that involve rice. Whether is be a rice bowl of some sort, a grilled meat served over rice or a one pot meal involving rice he's a happy camper.

You see he grew up in a Persian household and their staple is rice.  Most of their dishes are stew-like in nature with lots of veggies and spices thrown in with meat...but all served with or over rice. One of MGG's best qualities is that he loves all types of food.  All ethnicities, all styles.  He's lucky like that. He doesn't have a picky bone in his body.

That makes it really easy for me to please him.  Just serve something with rice!! HaHa!!

Knowing this, I came across a one pot meat on Pinterest from Jaclyn of Cooking Classy that I thought we would both enjoy.  By the way, great blog that you need to check out right away!  The dish has Latin flavors, YUM!  We just love the combination of lime and cilantro combined with chicken and black beans...and yes rice!  Winner in both our books!

We tried this the other night after some holiday shopping.  It was easy to throw together in one large skillet.  The clean up was a breeze (love that!) and the food was outstanding. I contains the perfect combination of flavors. The whole family will love this one and you'll have dinner on the table in no time.  Leftovers can be placed in a tortilla to make a wonderful wrap.

Enjoy!

One Pan Cilantro-Lime Chicken and Rice with Black Beans
Serves: 4

Ingredients 

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch cubes
1 Tbsp canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
2 tsp lime zest
3 Tbsp lime juice
1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and well drained
2 cups minute white rice (don't use regular rice!)
1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Directions 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and saute until cooked through, about 6 minutes, add in garlic at last 1 minute of cooking. Stir in broth, green chilies, lime zest, lime juice, black beans and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, add rice, fully immerse rice in broth (make sure all the rice is submersed!), and allow to boil 20 seconds, then remove from heat and immediately cover with a lid. Let rest 5 - 6 minutes. 

If needed, return pan to medium heat and cook and toss 1 minute to allow rice to absorb excess moisture. Remove from heat, toss in cilantro and let rest uncovered 3 minutes.

slightly adapted from:  Cooking Classy

Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce with Spaghetti

Yum

Sometimes we need a little pasta sauce in our lives.

Me?  I actually crave a good red sauce, so whether it is served over pasta, or a fabulous chicken dish, I've gotta have it!

The other day we went out to dinner at a local Italian restaurant.  I was all set to get something with a delicious red sauce to soothe my craving.  Little did I know that I'd end up with a chef's special that was too tempting to resist.  The only down side was that there wasn't any 'red sauce' in sight. 

Although the dish was wonderful and had an outstanding sauce of lemon, wine, and artichokes I started to have that familiar craving a few days later.  I need something with 'red sauce!  Do you ever get those cravings?  I know, a little strange, but it's really calling me.

Into the kitchen I went to prepare our dinner.  Something quick.  Something using pantry items.  Something that features a 'red sauce'...and spice...and cream.

The result was a quick and easy creamy, yet spicy, red sauce served over spaghetti.  Using your favorite jarred sauce makes things easier and definitely quicker for a weeknight meal.  Red pepper flakes amp up the heat a little while the cream adds thickness and comfort to the dish.

Cravings are gone!  My tummy is satisfied until the next craving comes along.  

Enjoy!



Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce with Spaghetti

serves 4

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (24 oz) jar of spaghetti sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
1 lb thin spaghetti

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.  Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the spaghetti sauce, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.  Stir to combine.  Add the cream and stir.  Simmer about 10 minutes until sauce has thickened and is heated through.

Meanwhile in another large pot, cook your pasta in salted boiling water according to the package directions.  Drain. Add to the saucepan and toss to coat.  Serve.

Bruschetta Chicken Rice Bowl

Italian Food is a favorite of mine.  Always has been.

It was a given that one day I would travel to Italy as I love the food, the people, the culture, and the history of this wonderful country.  I was blessed to be able to visit Italy with my mom quite a few years ago.  One of the best trips ever!

We stayed in Rome for a week and then we were off to Venice.  Rome is a wonderful city full of history and excellent food.  We were dying over all the food we ate.  We found a quaint restaurant near our hotel that we visited just about every day for either lunch, a snack, or dinner.  It was a family owned restaurant and we became quick friends with the owner, Giuseppe.  His son was living in California at the time, for college, which he was so proud of.  This commonality brought us together quickly and he became a wonderful friend during our stay.

Giuseppe made us feel so welcome in his restaurant, as if we were coming into his home.  The food was heavenly.  He usually had a special made entree which he would recommend and we greedily ate up.  However, every meal started out with a piece of Bruschetta.  Oh the flavors were to die for, the plump, juicy tomatoes, with pungent garlic mixed in, with a drizzle of olive oil and maybe some basil over a toasted baguette!  Oh my!  My mouth is watering just remembering that one delicious piece that opened your appetite.

My love of Bruschetta started there and has never left me. So today I wanted to take those flavors and adding some chicken for protein recreate them in the ever so popular rice bowl.  Everyone loves a rice bowl right?  So why not mix it up and create an Italian one with the outstanding flavors of Brushetta.  Simple, yet tasty.   I made a rice pilaf which provides you with more flavor, however, feel free to use brown rice, long grain white rice, or instant rice.  Anything will do really.  Enjoy this dish as the perfect lunch or dinner in 30 minutes.

Here's to you Giuseppe!


Bruschetta Chicken Rice Bowl

serves 4 

Rice Pilaf:

1/4 c orzo pasta
1 T unsalted butter
3/4 c yellow onion, finely chopped
Pinch of kosher salt
1 c long-grain white rice
1 1/2 c low-sodium chicken broth

Chicken:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

salt & pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

2 T olive oil

3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

4 tsp fresh parsley, minced

For the rice:  heat a small saucepan over high heat until hot. Add the pasta, and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted.   Add onion and salt, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add rice, and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let pilaf stand, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile pound your chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap to an even thickness about 1/4-1/2".  Sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, and the garlic powder.  Heat a medium skillet of medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil and allow to heat.  Add the chicken breasts and cook about 4-5 minutes total until cooked through and golden brown. Remove from the skillet and keep warm.  Add the tomatoes and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes until fragrant and heated through.  Slice the chicken in to strips or bite sized chunks.

To assemble the bowls:  Take 4 small individual bowls and place rice in the bottom filling up about 3/4 way up the bowl. Add chicken and tomato/garlic mixture.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve.

Honey Lemon Chicken Stir Fry

What a busy week!

My laptop was dying a slow death and I finally decided to wipe it clean and allow MGG to install a different operating system, Ubuntu.  

I was so hesitant to do this cause I've always been a Windows girl and going to a Linux based platform was so opposite, plus I'm possessive of getting rid of things that are familiar.  So, I took the leap and spent most of the week getting used to the new format.  Finding and loading new applications so that I can continue to blog, format pictures etc...  

They say change is good....so far, so good, but we're not quite at the comfortable stage.  So the verdict on this 'change' is still being debated.

Which leads me to today's post.  I had mentioned that I was on an Asian kick lately.  Which is true.  Needing a dinner that was quick to make, yet tasty was a must (since I spent most of my time formatting the laptop).

Stir frys are one of my quick go-to meals.  I love the ease of them.  You can make them simple or complex.  It's your choice.  Using what's on hand is perfect for making this dish.  Just chicken, cashews, some lemon, and honey.  Items I always have on hand.  Mixed together they are outrageous!!

This is a basic recipe that you can tweak and enhance by adding your choice of veggies.  Served over fluffy rice this is a crowd pleaser, and a simple weeknight meal!  Perfect for the Chinese New Year holiday coming up soon and a 1000x better than takeout!

Why not give it a try!  Enjoy!


Try another great takeout recipe:   Teriyaki Beef and Sugar Snap Stir Fry



Honey Lemon Chicken Stir Fry

serves 4

Honey Lemon Chicken Stir Fry


1 Tbls. canola oil
1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/3 c cornstarch
kosher salt and pepper
1/3 c roasted cashews
Honey Lemon Sauce (recipe below)
Honey Lemon Chicken Stir Fry

Toppings:  sesame seeds, chopped scallions, minced cilantro (optional)

Honey Lemon Sauce:

3/4 c chicken stock
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
3 Tbls. honey
2 Tbls. cornstarch
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp ginger (I use this ginger)
1-2 tsp Siracha sauce

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
 
Place the cornstarch in a flat bowl or plate and roll the chicken pieces in the cornstarch.  

Add chicken to the skillet and cook, stirring often, 6-7 minutes until cooked through and golden brown. Season with kosher salt and pepper.  Meanwhile make the Honey Lemon sauce.  To a small bowl add the chicken stock, lemon juice, honey, cornstarch, zest, ginger, and Siracha sauce.  Whisk until well combined.  Set aside.

Add cashews to the skillet and cook 1 minute until toasted.  Make sure to not burn the nuts!   Add the Honey Lemon Sauce and stir to coat.  Allow to come to a bubble and thicken. 

Serve over fluffy rice and top with any of the optional toppings or not!  Enjoy!

Teriyaki Beef and Sugar Snap Stir Fry

I've been on a Chinese food kick lately.

Just craving it...

So, instead of takeout I've been making some new stir frys. What's great about homemade takeout? Well you know what ingredients go in them for one. You can make them low calorie, but full of flavor. Who doesn't love that? They can be made in under 30 minutes, so they are perfect for weekday meals.

I would say these are 1000x better than takeout! You have to try these recipes. PLUS...Chinese New Years is coming up soon, Feb 19th I believe and it's the Year of the Sheep, and a perfect time to celebrate by making one of my great stir frys.

First up is a quick Teriyaki Beef and Sugar Snap Stir Fry. It's to DIE for! You start with a good cut of meat, sliced thin (I used flank steak). Whip up a quick teriyaki sauce and add some vegetables and you have a great dish to serve over rice. Dinner...done!

Remember, theses are easy dishes. Very forgiving too, if you want to swap the meat for another cut, do so. Same goes for the vegetables. Use what you like best, but the sugar snap peas along with the flavor of the peppers and the sweetness of the carrot is a combo like no other!

Enjoy!



Teriyaki Beef and Sugar Snap Stir Fry


serves 4


3 Tlbs  rice vinegar, divided
2 Tlbs low-sodium soy sauce, divided
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed and thinly sliced across the grain
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp hoisin sauce
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tsp toasted sesame oil, divided
1/2 c chopped onion
1 tsp ginger, minced
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1 c red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 c carrots, chopped
8-oz pkg sugar snap peas
1/3 c roasted cashews


Combine 1 Tlbs vinegar, 1 Tlbs soy sauce, and beef in a large bowl. Toss to combine.  

For the sauce:  Add remaining 2 Tlbs vinegar,  1 Tlbs soy sauce, sugar, hoisin, salt, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl; stir with a whisk to combine.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp oil to pan.  Add beef and stir fry 3-4 minutes or until done. Remove beef to a bowl. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan.  Add onion and saute 1-2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and saute 15 seconds. Stir in bell pepper, carrot, and sugar snap peas,  saute 5 minutes until crisp tender. 

Add your meat back to the skillet.  Add the cashews and stir about 1 minute to roast (don't let them burn!).  Add your sauce and stir to combine.  Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat and serve over steamed rice.

Game Day Snacks: Sloppy Guiseppe Fries

It's the season for sitting around the TV and watching a great game.

A good football game or the World Series is a great excuse for me to whip up some game day snacks!  It's a must in my book. We were watching the World Series the other night and I felt the urge for something hearty and hot to snack on during the game.  Which led me to whip up something easy; Sloppy Guiseppe Fries!

Hot, meaty and cheesy....my kind of snack!

The best part of this dish is that it uses leftover Sloppy Guiseppe filling from the sandwiches I made the night before.  So all you really need to do it make oven fries, heat the meat filling and put it all together.  An easy 30 minute snack!

So if you are enjoying a great game and want a hearty snack try this dish.  The men and kids in your life will go wild over it!

Sloppy Guiseppe Fries

serves 2

2 medium russet potatoes
2 T. olive oil
1 T Italian seasoning
1 c. Sloppy Guiseppe filling
Garnishes:  shredded mozzarella cheese, diced tomatoes,

sour cream, chives

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Peel and cut the potatoes into this wedges.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.  Sprinkle Italian seasoning and spread out in to a single layer on a baking pan.  Cook until golden brown, about 30 minutes, turning the fries over half way through the cooking time.

Heat the meat filling in a microwave safe bowl on high for 2 minutes, or until hot. Remove fries from the oven and place on a platter.  Top with meat filling.  Add garnishes as desired.  Serve.

Hamburger Steaks with Mushroom Gravy

When I was growing up I used to cook lunch for my Dad.

I can hear him now calling me, "Bessie Annie come make me a hamburger steak, will you punkin?"

Boy, I remember making these so called Hamburger Steaks often.  Sometimes with onions and beef gravy.  Sometimes plain.  He loved them.  We all did.

Mom would make them ever so often because the use of ground beef was an inexpensive way to feed a family.  Plus...they taste darn good!

I never understand why they called them steaks though.  Technically they were a hamburger pattie, not steak.  But we always formed them a little thicker than your normal pattie, and they were made an oval shape.  I'm sure this was to make it appear more like a steak.  

Regardless of my fascination with the name, I love the flavor all the same.

So craving a Hamburger Steak I decided to make my own with a mushroom gravy.  I'm fond of mushrooms.

MGG is fond of mushrooms.  

Perfect combo.

Break out the ground sirloin for top flavor.  You can't get much easier than this.  Just make the "steaks" and gravy, add some sides and you are set for dinner.  A great hearty meal that's inexpensive, and perfect for a weeknight dinner. 

An ode to my Dad!

Enjoy!

Hamburger Steaks with Mushroom Gravy

serves 4

1 lb of ground sirloin
salt and pepper
8 oz of sliced mushrooms
1 cup beef broth
1 Tablespoon flour

Divide beef into 4 sections.  Form 4 oval patties about 1 inch thick.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add patties and until done.  About 8-9 minutes turning once.

Add mushrooms to the skillet and cook until tender.  Add 1/2 cup of broth to the mushrooms.  Allow to boil.  Add flour to the remaining 1/2 cup beef broth.  Stir to combine.  Add remaining broth to skillet and stir to combine.  Allowing to boil. Cook 1 minute.  Broth will thicken.

Serve hamburger steaks with mushrooms and gravy poured over top.