Easy Entertaining Chicken Souvlaki Platter

Yum

Boy am I glad it's the weekend!

It was a long week at work and what better way to start the weekend than with a small gathering around the pool with good friends.

When you entertain, especially on a weeknight, you want to make something that is quick and easy.  This calls for some refreshing drinks, a nice fruit bowl, and some easy to eat appetizer finger food.

I'm finally revealing my famous recipe, Easy Entertaining Chicken Souvlaki Platter.  Imagine plump, juicy chicken breasts marinated with Greek flavors such as lemon, garlic, oregano, and wine. This easy summer dish turns finger food up to a new level.  Make sure to add Lavash strips as a vessel to hold the chicken, and a bowl filled with chilled, refreshing Tzatziki for dipping.  Oh man this is HEAVEN!

A quick 1 hour marinade is necessary to impact bold, bright flavors in the chicken.  Once that is done, it's easy sailing and 15 minutes to the best finger food dish around!  You can grill the chicken outside like we did, or you can use a good sturdy grill pan on the stove.  (Options, I love that!)

Keep the chicken whole to begin with so they remain moist inside.  Once you let them rest you can cut them into bite size pieces.  We served them with Lavash, a middle eastern unleavened bread that is perfect to use as a dipping devise for the chicken.  You could easily substitute pita wedges if you like.

All in all the weather was balmy last night, but the food was outstanding.  This dish is packed with flavor, and we enjoyed each and every bite.    

Don't miss out!  Summer is going by quickly and we should all take advantage of long evenings gathered with friends and of course, fabulous food like my Easy Entertaining Chicken Souvlaki Platter.

Enjoy!









Chicken Souvlaki Platter

serves 4-6

3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbs. dry white wine

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1/4 cup minced yellow onion

1 garlic clove, minced

2 bay leaves, broken or chopped into tiny pieces

1 tsp. dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken

Lemon wedges for garnish

Parsley, chopped for garnish

Lavash, cut into strips

Tzatziki, for dipping

In a bowl, stir together the olive oil, wine, lemon juice, onion, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal or gas grill or preheat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat.

Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade.  Place the chicken on the grill rack 4 to 5 inches from the fire or place in the hot pan and grill, turning once, until the chicken is opaque throughout, 4-5 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest 5 minutes.  Cut chicken into 1 inch bite size pieces.  Place on a platter along with the Lavash strips, and a bowl full of tzatziki for dipping.  Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.  Serve immediately.

Food to Go: Spicy Hot Ham & Swiss Croissants

Yum

We are going on a picnic this weekend!

MGG and I found a wonderful place to relax and have a picnic in Griffith Park.  It's a beautiful area with lot of shade trees, flowers, and a huge grassy area perfect to laze away the afternoon and have a picnic with great food.

On the menu will be some favorites of our such as my Garden Fresh Pasta Salad, Fruit Salad with a Red Currant Raspberry Sauce  , Orange Ice Tea, and Banana Pudding Jars, but the star of the show will be these outstanding sandwiches. 

Steamy hot sandwiches fresh from the oven that are so mouthwatering, and travel like a dream!  One of my favorite sandwiches is a Hot Ham & Cheese.  I've upped the anti on these by making a spicy condiment and placing it all on a hot flaky croissant.  Heaven!

SPICY HOT HAM & SWISS CROISSANTS

These sandwiches are bursting with flavor.  Melty Swiss cheese is the perfect compliment to the delicious deli ham.  The spicy mustard sauce bumps up the flavor and gives them that extra POW that takes these to the next level!  

Oh! and they travel soooo well.  Wrapped up in aluminum foil and hot from the oven just pop them in a bag.  They will stay warm until you reach your destination which could be a park, beach, potluck party or a pool party. We've even taken them to an outdoor concert and they were easy to eat and they taste outstanding.  

These sandwiches will change the way you look at Food to Go....they are a game changer for sure!

Enjoy!




Spicy Hot Ham & Swiss Croissants

serves 4

4 Tbls Spicy Brown Mustard
2 Tbls Mayonnaise
8 slices of Swiss Cheese
1 lb of deli sliced ham
4 Croissants
Aluminum Foil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl add the mustard and mayonnaise and mix well.
Split each croissant and spread the mustard mixture on each side.  Add 1/4 of the ham to the bottom slice and top with 2 slices of cheese.  Place the top of the croissant on the sandwich.  Repeat with remaining croissants.

Wrap each sandwich with aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet.  Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.  You want to heat the ham and melt the cheese really well.  Remove from the oven and serve, or pack and take to your destination.

Simple Homemade Meximelts

Yum

Happy April!  It my favorite month of the year.  I'm a little biased because it's my birthday month, plus Spring is in full swing in Southern California and it's actually tinging on being hot!  Warmer weather means lot of outdoor activities.  We are just about to head out to the California Poppy Reserve to see the 'sea' of wild poppies in bloom.  So that calls for a quick lunch before we go.

Have you ever had a Meximelt from Taco Bell?

It's sort of a cross between a quesadilla and a soft taco.  Seasoned ground beef with fresh salsa and lot melted cheese round out the ingredients.  Very tasty...enough to make a homemade version that's done in 20 minutes!  Forget takeout fast food and skip that drive through.  Let's make a new dish for Taco Tuesday!

SIMPLE HOMEMADE MEXIMELTS

We love Mexican food around our house so today's recipe was just a natural progression to wanting to satisfy that craving along with a need to a quick lunch.  This dish comes together in about 20 minutes.  It comes together easy using ingredients that you probably have already on hand.

I did a small variation to the original.  They use pico de gallo, which is a fresh chunky salsa.  Since I didn't have that on hand I used our favorite jarred salsa. My homemade salsa would be great as well.   Either one will do but the flavor changes just slightly. 

So if you are craving Mexican food and want it FAST...or wanting to try a new variation on Taco Tuesday these Simple Homemade Meximelts will fit the bill.  Perfect, simple, tasty!

Enjoy!

Simple Homemade Meximelts

serves 4

3/4 lb of 10% ground sirloin
1 pkg. store-bought taco seasoning or my homemade version
⅔ cup water

1/2 cup jarred salsa
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
8 small flour tortillas ( I used low-carb flour tortillas )

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a skillet over medium heat brown the ground sirloin, crumbling with a wooden spoon as it cooks. 

Add the seasoning and water, stirring to combine.  Allow to simmer until most of the water is absorbed and a nice sauce is formed. 

Place tortillas on a baking sheet.  Add taco meat to the center of the tortillas.  Spoon salsa over the meat and top with cheese.  Fold one side of the tortilla over the meat mixture.  Bake in the oven for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese melts.  You want the tortillas soft and not crispy to watch the time closely.  Serve.

Naan Pizza - 2 Variations (Pesto Chicken Pizza and Pepperoni)

Yum

Individual Naan Pizza made your way!

We love pizza in our house but don't eat it as often as I would like.  So when we decided to throw a  get together with friends MGG asked if we could make pizza. So I had the idea of letting our guests make their own individual pizzas and knew that Naan Bread would be the perfect way to accomplish that.

Now I've made pizza using many vehicles as the base.  My recipe for homemade Pizza Dough is the best.  I've also made grilled pizza using pita bread.  English muffins, tortillas, and even a can of biscuits will work in a pinch.  Naan Bread is another perfect platform for pizza and a great way to serve kids at a birthday party, friends over for game day, or just a quick lunch or dinner for your family!

NAAN PIZZA - 2 VARIATIONS

(PESTO CHICKEN PIZZA AND PEPPERONI PIZZA)

Pepperoni Pizza

Pesto Chicken Pizza

We decided to do a dry run before the actual party.  So we made 2 variations of Naan Pizza.  Pepperoni (my all time favorite) and Pesto Chicken Pizza.  I must say that I loved my Pepperoni pizza but the Pesto Chicken Pizza was to DIE FOR!  And the best part is that you can get it in the oven in no time and in 10 minutes dinner is served!

Pesto Chicken Pizza

Enjoy!





Naan Pizza - 2 Variations
(Pesto Chicken Pizza and Pepperoni)



Pepperoni Pizza

1 Naan Bread (individual size)
4 Tablespoons pizza sauce
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, sliced (from fresh whole mozzarella)  (I used Galbani)
Pepperoni

Spread pizza sauce on naan bread.  Top with pepperoni and sliced cheese.  Place on a baking sheet.  Bake in the oven at 450 degrees for 10 minutes until cheese has melted and edges of the bread has browned slightly.

Pesto Chicken Pizza

1/2 cup precooked chicken, shredded

4 Tablespoons pesto

4 Tablespoons pizza sauce

1 Naan Bread (individual size)

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, sliced  (from fresh whole mozzarella)  (I used Galbani)

Red, Yellow, and Orange Bell pepper, sliced into rings

fresh tomato, diced

1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated

In a skillet over medium low heat, add the shredded chicken and 2 Tablespoons of pesto.  Stir to combine and heat.  In a small bowl add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of pesto and the pizza sauce and mix until blended. 

Spread pizza sauce on Naan bread.  Top with chicken pesto mixture.  Top with slices of mozzarella cheese, bell pepper slices, and chopped tomato.  Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.  Place on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 450 degrees for 10 minutes until cheese has melted and edges of the bread has browned slightly.

Orange Salad with Arugula and Spinach

Yum

I've been posting a lot of soups lately such as my Greek Style Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup and the latest, Seriously Good Tortellini Vegetable Soup.  We always love a good soup when the weather is cold, but we also love a good salad to go with it.

I would say that soup and salad are MGG's favorite meal.  So when there's soups there is also salad right behind it.  I usually gravitate to produce that is in season to inspire my salad.  My local grocery store had some wonderful looking oranges.  These were Cara Cara oranges and I find them slightly more sweet than navel oranges and a little less acidic.  The flesh is a little deeper orange and they taste a little like a berry.  I love them so I bought a bunch and used them in my salad.  Orange have tremendous health benefits and they make the salad light and fresh tasting.

Orange Salad with Arugula and Spinach

You certainly don't have to buy Cara Cara oranges for this dish, navel orange are fantastic and taste wonderful as well.  Along with the oranges I mixed some arugula and spinach together as the base.  Keeping the toppings simple, I added feta cheese and some chopped almonds for crunch.

The dressing is light and bright to match the salad.  A lemon vinaigrette is enhanced with some chopped mint, which just takes the salad to the next level.  You have to try this salad!!!

So next time you have soup make sure to make a salad as well to round out the meal.  Or just have the salad as a light lunch or along side some brunch dishes.  This one is a keeper, so make it before all the wonderful juicy oranges are gone until next year!

Enjoy!







Orange Salad with Arugula and Spinach

serves 4

Salad:
2 cups arugula
2 cups baby spinach
2 oranges, peeled and thinly sliced
1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled
1/4 cup almonds, chopped

Dressing:
2 Tablespoons shallots, diced
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tablespoons mint, chopped
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil

In a jar add all salad dressing ingredients and shake well to combine.  To a large platter add arugula and spinach.  Add a little dressing and toss to coat.  Layer on the orange slices, feta cheese, and almonds.  Drizzle additional dressing over the top and serve.

Sizzling Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Yum

If you've got some leftover chicken just hanging out without anything to do I have the recipe for you!

Whenever I cook chicken I cook extra because I know I'm going to make a scrumptious dish with it later in the week.  That goes for roasting, poaching, grilling, pan frying...whatever!  Extra chicken is the bomb! 

Today, I'm craving Mexican food!  Living in Southern California you are exposed to it everywhere.  Although Mom never really made anything other than tacos, I adore all Mexican food and make it often!  So no one was surprised when I planned to whip up this Sizzling Chicken Enchilada Casserole using the leftover chicken from the Super Bowl feast we had.

SIZZLING CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Did I mention how easy this casserole is? 

5 ingredients...that's it!  Chicken, beans, cheese, corn tortillas, and enchilada sauce.  It's so easy to throw together you can't hardly call this a recipe.     

The key is to get a really good enchilada sauce.  I prefer one from Sprouts Market that is in a bottle.  It's a little zippy on the spice, but has none of the tinny flavor I find with canned sauces. This is the basis of your flavor, so make sure it's one you like!  Then you just layer the ingredients and you come out with melty, cheesy chicken goodness!  It tastes just like an enchilada without all the fuss of rolling them!

Do yourself a favor and make this dish the next time you have leftover chicken.  Everyone will ask for seconds!

Enjoy!

Sizzling Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1 14 oz jar or can Enchilada sauce (I used Sprouts brand)

2 cups cooked and shredded chicken meat

1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

6 corn tortillas, 6 inch each

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In an 8x8 baking dish pour a little of the enchilada sauce over the bottom.  Add 2 corn tortillas on the bottom of the pan, overlapping if necessary.  Layer 1/2 of the chicken, the beans, 1/3 of the sauce and 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat the layer with 2 more corn tortillas, the remaining chicken and beans, 1/3 of the sauce and cheese.  Add the last 2 corn tortillas to cover.  Over the top pour over the remaining sauce and cheese. 

Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes to brown the top.  Serve warm.

Sloppy Joe Sliders

Yum

It's February you guys!  I can't believe that the days are just flying by.  I hope your month is off to a great start. 

We grilled burgers last night since the weather in Southern California has been sunny the past few days.  I love the rain and all and we surely need it, but it's nice to be able to go outside for a change. 

Every time I buy ground sirloin I ponder on what to do with the extra hamburger meat.  I usually gravitate toward a nice meat sauce for spaghetti or even some Sloppy Joes as a last minute thought.  Which led me to today's recipe.  Sloppy Joe Sliders!

SLOPPY JOE SLIDERS

This is the perfect solution for my Super Bowl menu this Sunday.  Sliders are great snacks and sloppy joe sliders are super easy to make!  Who doesn't love a good sloppy joe?  All the guys and even my girlfriends are going to love them. 

Served with some mini pizzas, my homemade salsa and avocado dips, and a nice healthy green salad to round it out and I'm done.

I used my standard sloppy joe recipe below and found the best little slider buns at a local butcher shop but Hawaiian rolls will work perfectly as well.

Take it easy on yourself this game day and make these quick and easy Sloppy Joe Sliders, they'll be gobbled up in no time!

Enjoy!



Sloppy Joe Sliders

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
kosher salt and ground pepper
1 pound ground beef
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
12 slider rolls, split (toasted optional)

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft about 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds.

Add ground beef to skillet. Cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir 3/4 can of tomato sauce to start and Worcestershire sauce into beef mixture in skillet. Taste for flavoring.  Add more tomato sauce or Worcestershire sauce to adjust flavor to your liking.  Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes.

Season the mixture with more salt and pepper, if desired. Spoon onto toasted slider buns, and serve.