Steak and Egg Sandwich

These hearty Steak and Egg Sandwiches are a filling and delicious way to start your day (or end it!)

Breakfast...honestly it's probably the most versatile meal of the day, in my opinion.  You can have breakfast foods any time of the day, breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Lunch and dinner foods don't work so well for breakfast though, a burger at 7 am?  No, thank you!

If you haven't guessed from previous posts, my family often has breakfast foods for dinner.  Often it's pancakes or an omelet, but last week we tried something completely new, different, and completely delicious!  We had Steak and Egg Sandwiches.

The concept of adding steak to a breakfast sandwich was completely new to me.  We're no stranger to breakfast sandwiches, but they typically consist of an egg with cheese, between two slices of English muffin.  This breakfast sandwich turns it up a notch!  Mike and I both loved them, and they are a filling dinner, especially when paired with a side of fruit.  We ended up with enough for leftovers too, and they were just as good the next day.

I found this recipe on Nicole's blog, PicNic.  As I was searching for the perfect recipe for this month's Secret Recipe Club, I came across a variety of delicious recipes like Pizza Pinwheels, Caramel, Apple, and Almond Pancakes, Apple Caramel Scrolls, and Chili Chicken Pita Bread Pizzas (notice a breakfast and pizza trend?).  Nicole's blog is relatively new to me.  I "met" her a few months ago when she made my pizza casserole for her secret recipe.  I loved browsing through her recipes, and reading her stories.  There are quite a few recipes I'll be going back to again!

Steak and Egg Sandwiches

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 ciabatta rolls
8 slices bacon
2 thin sliced steaks (mine were labeled for carne asada)
6 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.  Cook bacon until crispy, then set aside.

2.  Place steaks in a hot skillet and season with steak seasoning or salt and pepper.  Cook until done to your liking, mine took about 3 minutes per side.  Then set aside.

3.  Beat the eggs and milk.  Then cook like an omelet in a skillet.  (Don't fold the eggs over though.)  Sprinkle the cheese over the eggs and let the cheese melt.

4.  To assemble the sandwiches, cut the egg into 4 equal pieces, cut the steaks in half.  Place the egg slice, steak, and 2 slices of bacon (broken in half, if desired), on a toasted ciabatta roll.

Source: PicNic

An InLinkz Link-up

The Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

A flavorful brine and simple step-by-step instructions will have you and your family enjoying the perfect turkey this Thanksgiving!

Meatball Stuffed Rolls

I don't know about you, but I am all about easy and delicious meals!  A couple weeks ago, one of our friends made meatball subs. They cooked the meatballs in a tomato sauce in the crock pot and then just toasted some buns at dinner time, and dinner was served!  It was delicious!

That meal also inspired me to make these Meatball Stuffed Rolls.  Honestly, this recipe couldn't be easier!  It's just a Pillsbury biscuit, tomato sauce, cheese, and meatball.  Roll it up, bake it, and eat it! Serve alongside a big salad, and dinner is ready in a flash!

Meatball Stuffed Rolls

Makes 8 rolls

Ingredients:
1 can Pillsbury Southern Style biscuits
1/2 cup pizza or spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
8 pre-cooked meatballs
garlic salt
Parmesan cheese

1.  Flatten biscuits out to make a 6" circle.

2.  Place about 1 Tablespoon of pizza sauce in the center of each biscuit.

3.  Top the pizza sauce with about 1 Tablespoon shredded mozzarella cheese.

4.  Place a meatball on top of the cheese.

5.  Fold the biscuit up around the meatballs.  Press the seams together with your fingers to seal.

6.  Place rolls, seam side down, on a greased cookie sheet.  Sprinkle the tops of the rolls with garlic salt and Parmesan cheese.

7.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until the tops of the rolls are golden brown. 

Serve hot, with additional sauce for dipping, if desired.

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Last Monday was Mike's birthday.  We've carried on a tradition that both of us grew up with--choosing your birthday dinner.  Mike's family always went out to a restaurant, while my family got to choose any meal for one of my parents to prepare.  We do a mix of our family's traditions, choosing either a restaurant or a meal.  This year, Mike chose to have me make him a meal. 

At first he chose Hamburger Helper.  I questioned his choice, saying if he really wanted that, I would certainly make it, but that's something we could have any time.  He quickly changed his mind and requested meatloaf.  I asked him if there was any way he wanted the meatloaf prepared and he said he didn't have a preference.

I decided to  make a Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf.  Nothing about this meatloaf is remotely healthy--it contains bacon, cheese, and beef--but it was so good!  One of the reasons Mike chose meatloaf for dinner is because he loves to have meatloaf sandwiches for lunch at work.  Of course, with just the two of us eating dinner, we had plenty of meatloaf left over for him to enjoy a couple meatloaf sandwiches for lunch too.

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 egg
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
8 slices bacon, fried crisp and broken into pieces
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar

1.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg.

2.  Add the ground beef, bread crumbs, bacon pieces, cheddar cheese, and garlic powder to the egg and stir until completely combined.

3.  Press meat mixture into a bread pan.

4.  In a small bowl, combine the ketchup and brown sugar.

5.  Spread the ketchup mixture on top of the meatloaf.

6.  Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes, until the interior temperature is 165 degrees.

7.  Allow the meatloaf to cool slightly before cutting and serving.

Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.

Crunchwraps

Why is it that the foods that are the worst for you nutritionally usually taste the best?  For instance:  Oreo cookies, french fries, a slice of triple meat extra cheesy pizza, donuts, deep fried pickles, ice-cream...the list could go on and on.  Another example could be almost anything from a fast food restaurant.  It's so easy and convenient but can be oh, so bad for you!

After a long day at work, or a long work week, it's so tempting for me to stop and pick up a quick meal on our way home.  Usually I'll opt for a quick pizza as a surprise for Mike but we certainly enjoy our local fast food restaurants too.  We try to limit how often we eat out--we have to watch our budgets and our waistlines, you know! 

But I've found a healthier alternative, making fast food copy cat recipes at home!  A friend recently mentioned how much he loves Crunchwrap Supremes from Taco Bell.  While I have to admit, I've never had one before, they sounded so good I knew I had to make them at home.  This recipe was so easy to put together (especially because I had taco meat in the freezer), and Mike and I both loved it.

One great thing about this recipe is that you can totally customize it to fit your preferences.  Feel free to use ground beef or ground turkey.  Need vegetarian?  Forget the meat and use re-fried beans instead.  Then top it off with your choice of toppings--tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, guacamole--whatever your heart desires!

Crunchwraps

Makes 2

2 burrito sized flour tortillas
1 cup taco meat
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 Doritos chips, any flavor (we used Enchilada Supreme)
additional taco toppings as desired

1.  Warm tortillas in the microwave for about 20 seconds, until they are soft and pliable.

2.  Spoon 1/2 of the taco meat mixture onto each tortilla.  Keep the meat in a circle in the center of the tortilla.

3. Top the taco meat with diced tomatoes and then sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

4.  Arrange 4 Doritos chips on top of the cheese on each tortilla.

5.  Starting at the bottom of the flour tortilla, fold the edge up to the center.  Continue in a clock-wise direction around the tortilla, folding the edge up to the center to enclose the filling.  (See above picture for a finished tortilla.)

6.  Spray a small frying pan with cooking spray.  Place the folded side of the tortilla down in the pan and press gently with a large spatula.  Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, then flip and cook another 3 minutes.  Repeat with remaining tortilla.

Serve hot and topped with your desired toppings.

Inspired by Taco Bell

Turkey Meatballs

A couple of weeks ago my friend and I got together and spent a few hours making freezer meals.  We both work full-time and sometimes struggle to put a healthy homemade meal on the table every night after work.  Making freezer meals turned out to be an excellent solution!  We spent about 4 or 5 hours putting together our meals and each of us ended up with 14 freezer meals.

One of the recipes that we made was meatballs.  We mixed the meat, rolled them into balls and flash froze them before placing the meatballs in freezer bags.  When I was ready to use the meatballs, it took a minimal amount of time to cook the spaghetti (or spaghetti squash in my case), heat up some sauce, and cook the meatballs.  A healthy and delicious meal was on the dinner table in a record amount of time!

We're already planning our next freezer meal cooking day, as we've deemed our recent one a huge success!  Some of the recipes we froze are already on my blog, like pizza dough and beef stew, but I have a few new recipes that I'll be sharing in the future.  Have you ever made freezer meals?

Meatballs

Makes approximately 24 1-inch meatballs

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon milk
1 Tablespoon ketchup
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound ground turkey

1.  In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients together until completely combined.

2.  Roll meat into 1 inch balls.

**If you're freezing the meatballs: place the rolled meatballs in a single layer onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet and place in your freezer for approximately 1 hour.  When the meatballs are hard, place them in a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze.  When you're ready to cook the meatballs, continue at step 3.

3.  Preheat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

4.  Add meatballs to the warm oil and cook for about 5 minutes per side, turning the meatballs as each side browns.  Cut into one meatball to ensure that it is completely cooked.

**You can also freeze the meatballs after cooking them.

Adapted from:  Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Roasted Pork Loin

Sometimes, the more simple a recipe is, the better!  Elaborate dishes are fun to make and eat, but often times it's the simple recipes that really shine.  This pork loin is one of those recipes.  A blend of flavorful spices is rubbed over a tender pork loin, and then cooked to perfection.  My favorite part of the meat is the edge because of all the flavor from the spices. 

This pork loin is simple enough to make on a weeknight, but delicious enough to serve to company.  It's a recipe that my dad has made for years and now I make it for Mike and me.  It never disappoints!  I serve it with a fresh salad and crispy roast potatoes (recipe coming soon!) for a delicious and balanced meal.

Roasted Pork Loin
Serves 3-4
You will need:
1 (1 pound) pork loin
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon rosemary

1.  In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, thyme, garlic powder, pepper, salt, sage, and rosemary.
2.  Rub the spices onto the pork loin until it's completely coated.  Place in a shallow baking dish.

3.  Place the pork loin in a 500 degree oven.  After 5 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 and bake for 20 minutes, until the interior temperature reaches 140 degrees.
4.  After removing the pork loin from the oven, cover it with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting into it.

Cheesy Pigs-in-a-Blanket

When Mike and I got married, we were 1 of 5 young couples from our church who got married that year.  As you can imagine, there was a great deal of excitement and busyness as most of us were good friends and involved in aspects of each others weddings. 

The first couple to get married recently had a baby.  I was blessed to be able to host a baby shower for my friend Jodi, just a couple weeks before her baby girl was born.  It was an exciting time for us girls because this is the first baby in our group of friends.  We were able to gather a small group of friends to enjoy a brunch together to celebrate this new life.

I was in my element planning this shower as I was in charge of providing the majority of the food.  My best friend, Alecia, and I put a lot of thought into the food, decorations, and games.  We had a great time of food, fun, and fellowship.

Our menu included:
Cinnabon Copy-Cats
Egg Muffins
Fresh fruit salad
Cheesy Pigs-in-a-Blanket (recipe below)
5 Minute Fudge
Streusel Topped Blueberry Muffins
Baby Funfetti Cakes (recipe coming Friday!)

Cheesy Pigs-in-a-Blanket

Makes 24

You will need:
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten
6 cheesy sausage links

1.  Add 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse just to combine.

2.  Add the shortening and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3.  Dump the mixture into a large bowl and stir in cheese until just combined.

4.  Add the cream and stir until the dough forms a ball.

5.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

6.  Roll the dough into a rectangle about 15" by 10".  You can add a little more flour to keep the dough from sticking, if necessary.

7.  Brush the dough all over with the egg. This will help to keep the dough and the sausage together.

8.  Cut the dough into 6 5" squares.  (Cut in thirds the long way, then in half the short way.)

9.  Place the remaining 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish.

10.  Pat sausages dry with a paper towel and then roll them in the flour, shaking off any excess.

11.  Place the sausage at the edge of a dough square.  Then roll the dough around the sausage, pinching at the seam.  Repeat with remaining sausages.

12.  Cut each dough-covered sausage into 4 equal pieces and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

13.  Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes to let the pigs get firm.  (At this point you can proceed to bake them, or transfer them to a freezer safe bag and freeze up to 1 month.)

14.  Bake frozen pigs at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until the biscuits are lightly browned.

Cool slightly before serving.  Serve with ketchup for dipping, if desired. (I prefer mine plain!)

Source:  Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Marinated Flank Steak

Both Mike and I grew up disliking steak.  It wasn't until our "adult" years, that we both realized how much we enjoy a well prepared steak.  It turns out it wasn't steak that we disliked--it was over cooked, tough, hunks of dry meat that we disliked. (Sorry to our moms--we know you were busy during dinner time!)

When I saw this recipe in a magazine, I knew I had to add it to our menu.  The marinade gives the steak a delicous taste and makes the meat nice and tender.  I would have prefered my steak to be slightly more well-done, but since this was my first time making a steak that is supposed to be served pink, I think it turned out well!

Marinated Flank Steak

Serves 6

You will need:
2 Tablespoons canola oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons honey dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons ketchup
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-3/4 pounds flank steak
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1.  Whisk canola oil, vinegar, mustard, ketchup, garlic, and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl.

2.  Combine with steak in a large Ziploc bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

3.  Remove steak from marinade and season with salt and pepper.

4.  Broil or grill steak for 3 minutes on each side, or until the steak reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees.

5.  Let the steak stand for 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.

Source:  Family Circle

Corn Dogs

I love to make foods that are not only fun to make, but fun to eat as well.  Corn dogs definitely fall into that category for me.  They bring back memories of when I was little--corn dogs were one of my favorite treats!  These were fairly simple to make, it took a few tries to get the hang of dipping the dogs, as I didn't have skewers!  I used a fondue stick instead and it worked well for me, but I'd recommend using skewers if you have them.  Mike and I both liked these corn dogs, and I'll definitely be making them again.  I froze our leftover corn dogs, and Mike enjoyed eating them for lunch at work.

Corn Dogs

Makes 6

You will need:
2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup corn meal
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
6 hot dogs
4 Tablespoons cornstarch
6 wooden skewers
oil, for frying

1.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

2.  In a larger bowl, whisk together the egg and milk.

3.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.  Let it sit for 10  minutes.

4.  While the batter is resting, add oil to your cast iron skillet, dutch oven, or deep fryer.  Heat over medium-heat to 375 degrees.

5.  Poke a skewer through the end of each hot dog and roll in cornstarch.  This is really important in order to get the batter to stick to your hotdogs.

6.  Dip cornstarch-covered hot dogs into the batter.  (I transferred my batter to a tall cup in order to dip it easier.)

7.  Place in the hot oil and cook until golden brown, about 4-6 minutes.  If you're using a skillet, you might need to flip the corn dogs in order to cook them thoroughly.  Remove the corn dogs from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Leftover corn dogs can be frozen or stored in the fridge.
Source:  This Mommy Cooks

Chicken Lo Mein

The results are in and the people have spoken! Results from my poll--that is.  The majority of the votes were for healthier foods and main dishes.  Well, you're certainly in luck because I have quite a few recipes to share with you.  As I've mentioned before, Mike and I are eating healthier than ever before and so we have been experimenting with lots of healthy foods, especially main dishes.  As a result, I'll be featuring more healthy main dishes.  My plan right now is to share a main dish on Mondays, healthier snack on Wednesdays, and a sweet treat on Fridays.  I like how I'll have more balance, plus a better posting schedule.  I hope you'll enjoy it as well.

Mike and I really enjoyed this Chicken Lo Mein.  Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like I'll be able to enjoy it again.  You see, the morning that I made this dish, I made the chicken marinade before work.  Then I headed to have a nutritional analysis done by muscle testing.  (I've been dealing with having less energy than usual and feeling tired, so we're trying to get my vitamins balanced.) Apparently I showed that I now have a soy intolerance so I was told to stay away from soy products.  I was told to go ahead and eat the meal I had prepared, but watch for any side effects.  Sure enough, I got a horrible stomach ache and stomach cramps.  No more soy for me.  On that note though...do you know how many foods contain soy?  It's certainly more than I thought!

Now that you know that random knowledge about me, I really do recommend that you try this dish, it was delicious!

Chicken Lo Mein

Serves 6

You will need:
16 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp. cornstarch
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 chicken breasts, cut into thin strips (could also use 2 lean pork chops)
2 teaspoons canola oil
4 cups thinly sliced cabbage (from about 1/2 head)
1 medium carrot, grated
1 cup snow peas
Salt and pepper

1. Cook spaghetti noodles as directed on package.  Drain.

2. In a large bowl, whisk soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, vinegar and broth. Add chicken and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature.

3. Warm oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and marinade; stir-fry until meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes.

4.  Add cabbage and stir-fry until just wilted, about 2 minutes.

5.  Stir in carrot and snow peas; cook, stirring gently, until snow peas are slightly softened yet firm, about 2 minutes.

6.  Stir in noodles and toss to coat with sauce and warm through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition facts per serving (based on original recipe using pork): 315 calories, 3g fat, 31mg cholesterol, 6g fiber, 23g protein, 51g carbohydrates, 1,210mg sodium

Source:  All You

Meat Stuffed Jalapenos

I created this recipe in an attempt to recreate the jalapeno poppers that we had at a party...Mike loved them at the party and asked me to make him some.  My first jalapeno poppers were nothing like what he wanted, but I knew that when I made them.  This attempt however, was pretty much spot on!

This is a great recipe for a party.  I made these for a fiesta that Mike and I hosted last year.  (Yeah, I have a ton of recipes waiting to be posted!)  I think these would also be perfect for a Superbowl party.  Mike and I are planning to host a game watching party again this year, so I'm starting to pick out the menu for that. 

Meat Stuffed Jalapenos

Makes 30

You will need:

15 jalapeno peppers

1/2 pound ground beef

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 onion, minced

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

2 Tablespoons cream cheese

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded + more for topping

1.  Cut jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and white membranes.  (That's where the heat is, you may leave the seeds and membrane if you want a hot pepper).  Be sure to wear gloves so you don't burn your hands.

2.  In a skillet, brown ground beef, garlic and onion.  Drain grease from pan.

3.  Stir in chili powder, cream cheese and cheddar cheese until well combined.

4.  Scoop meat mixture into jalapeno halves and place on a greased cookie sheet.

5.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until heated through. 

6.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with additional cheddar cheese if desired.  Serve warm or room temperature.

Zuppa Toscana

One of my favorite things to make during the cold winter months is soup.  I love to make a big pot of it, so that we have enough for our meal, plus leftovers for Mike to take to work during the week.  Plus, there's something so comforting about a bowl of hot soup on a cold wintery day!

I've mentioned before my love of Olive Garden.  Every once in a while, they'll run a special for unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks.  It makes for a delicious lunch and it's so filling.  A couple weeks ago, one of my friends posted this recipe on Facebook.  He had just made it for dinner and it sounded delicious.  After asking him a few questions about how to make it, I picked up some of the ingredients at the store and set to work.  The result was a delicious pot of soup!  It's quite filling, especially if served with my Olive Garden Breadsticks!  Mike and I both enjoyed this soup, and it tasted even better the next day.

Zuppa Toscana

Serves 4

You will need:

3 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced.

8 cups water

5 Tablespoons chicken bullion

1 pound Italian sausage, browned

handful of fresh kale, washed

1/2 pint heavy cream

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1.  In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups of water to a boil.

2.  Add in sliced potatoes and boil for 5 minutes.

3.  Add in chicken bullion, browned sausage, and kale and boil for another 5 minutes.

4.  Stir in heavy cream, garlic, and Italian seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes.

5.  Top individual servings with fresh Parmesan cheese before serving.

Recipe from Dave, inspired by Olive Garden

Brown Sugar Baked Bacon

I just can't believe that we have just 12 days left in 2011...where has this year gone?  And now, once again, it's the 3rd Monday of the month.  By now, I'm sure you know what that means!  It's reveal date for Group C of the Secret Recipe Club.  You also know how much fun I have browsing though my assigned blog each month to find a delicious looking recipe to try out.

This month was no different.  I was assigned to Kimberly's blog, Rhubarb and Honey. Kimberly loves to share healthy and delicous food, and prefers to buy food produced locally and in a sustainable manner.  I can totally relate to that!  After reading through her many recipes, I decide on her Brown Sugar Baked Bacon .  Simple, and delicous!

Growing up, I remember my brother always dipping his bacon into syrup when we had bacon with pancakes or waffles.  I figured this was a similar concept, sweet bacon.  I thought this was a fun way to make bacon a little differently, and I think it could also be used in baked goods, similar to how people use chocolate covered bacon.  One note though, as you can see, some of the edges of my bacon got rather dark (I think the sugar started to burn), while the middle stayed a bit wobbly.  (Probably because I used regular bacon, not thick cut.)  Just keep an eye on the bacon and you should be fine!    

Brown Sugar Baked Bacon

1 pound thick cut bacon (I used regular bacon)
1/2 cup brown sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 375 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2.  Place the bacon on the cookie sheet side by side.

3.  Sprinkle brown sugar over the bacon and rub it in a bit. 

4.  Place the pan on the top rack of the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, until browned and crispy. 

Serve hot.

Chicken, Apple, and Caramelized Walnut Salad

I think I nearly drove Mike insane last week.  Every day I would text him to see if a package had arrived for me.  Each time the UPS man drove by, I'd look out the window to see if he was bringing me a package.  What was I so excited about?  This, my friends...

6 incredibly delicious products from Newman's Own through the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program.  Along with these products came a challenge:  create a family-friendly recipe that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less.  Since the day I received the list of products headed my way, I knew what I wanted to make!

I love salads and I'm constantly on the look-out for ways to incorporate more vegetables into our daily diets.  I also love fruity dressings; in fact, I've been known to thing out jam with water so I can use it for a salad dressing.  (Don't knock it til you've tried it!)  And of course, I have a plethora of apples around the house from apple picking last month.  I used so many things I love in this salad, so it's no surprise that this is definitely a new favorite for me!

The most time consuming part of this recipe is caramelizing the walnuts.  I like to make a big batch of walnuts (or peanuts) and store them until I need to use them.  If you don't have time, just skip the caramelizing and toss on plain walnuts...it will still taste good, just without the sweetness from the caramel coating.  I made a video of me caramelizing the walnuts with my new Flip Video Camera (thanks Newman's Own!), and I posted it below.  It's about 10 minutes, but I wanted to show you the entire process!

This salad was delicious paired with a crispy slice of Newman's Own uncured pepperoni pizza.  I took the other half for lunch the next day and it was fantastic! 

Chicken, Apple, and Caramelized Walnut Salad

Serves 2

You will need:
4 cups spinach
1 sweet apple (I used a Gala apple)
1 chicken breast, cooked
1/4 cup caramelized walnuts (recipe below)
4 Tablespoons Newman's Own Light Raspberry & Walnut dressing

1.  Divide the spinach between 2 plates.

2.  Core apple and cut into thin wedges.  Place on top of spinach.

3.  Top with sliced chicken breast and sprinkle with caramelized walnuts.

4.  Drizzle with Newman's Own Light Raspberry & Walnut dressing just before serving.

Caramelized Walnuts

Makes 1-1/2 cups

1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 Tablespoons water
1-1/2 cups walnuts

1.  In a small skillet, combine water and sugar. 

2.  Stir frequently over medium heat until sugar begins to turn brown.

3.  Add in the walnuts, continuing to stir.  At this point, the sugar will turn white and begin to clump together...don't worry, that's normal.

4.  Continue to stir as the sugar begins to brown again. 

5.  When the walnuts are completely covered in the caramel topping, remove from heat and cool.  Store in an airtight container.

As I mentioned before, here is an instructional video so you'll know what the sugar looks like at each point in the caramelization process.






 

I received products to feature as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program, with Newman's Own.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Chicken Parmesan

I remember the first time I had chicken parmesan; I was at a restaurant and ordered it, thinking it was something completely different.  So when my meal came, I was expecting something completely different that what was placed in front of me.  It turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I had a delicious meal!  I loved the crispy coating of the chicken and the tangy tomato sauce.  When I saw this recipe in my new cookbook, I knew I would be making it.  I'm glad I did, it was just as good (okay--maybe better!) than the restaurant version!

Chicken Parmesan

Serves 3

1-1/2 cups panko
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup flour
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 egg whites
1 Tablespoon water
6 boneless skinless chicken tenders (or 3 chicken breasts)
salt and pepper
2 cups tomato sauce, warmed
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1.  Combine panko and oil in a small skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until golden (about 10-12 minutes).

2.  Transfer crumbs to a shallow dish and let cool.  Stir in Parmesan. 

3.  In a second shallow dish, combine flour and garlic powder.

4.  In a third shallow dish, whisk the egg whites and water together.

5.  Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

6.  Working with one piece of chicken at a time, first dredge in flour and shake to remove any excess flour.

7.  Coat the floured chicken with egg white and let the excess drip back into the dish.  I used tongs so my hands wouldn't get sticky.

8.  Finally, coat the chicken with the toasted bread crumbs, pressing firmly on the bread crumbs to make sure they stick to the chicken.

9.  Lay the chicken on a baking sheet and repeat coating steps until all the chicken is prepared.

10.  Bake at 475 degrees 10-12 minutes, until chicken registers 150-160 degrees on a meat thermometer.

11.  Top each piece of chicken with tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella.  Return to oven and continue to bake until cheese has melted and the chicken reaches 160-165 degrees (about 3-5 more minutes).

12.  Sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Per serving (1 chicken breast): 330 calories, 10g fat (3g saturated), 80mg cholesterol, 20 g carbohydrates, 38g protein, 2g fiber, 750mg sodium

Source: The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Grilled BLT Pizza

I'm not a huge sandwich eater, but one of my favorite sandwiches is a BLT.  There's just something about the crisp bacon, juicy tomatoes, and lettuce that I love.  And, you all know how much I love my pizza!  When I saw this recipe, I knew it would be the perfect topping for my grilled pizza.  I hope you'll check out my "How-To" that I posted yesterday, I know you'll love grilling pizza as much as I do!

You will need:
4 individual pizza crusts, grilled
4 cups lettuce, torn into small pieces
1 large tomato, diced
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup Bacon Ranch dressing (you can substitute regular ranch dressing if needed)
1/4 cup Asiago cheese, shredded

1.  In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomato, bacon, dressing, and cheese.

2.  Spoon topping onto freshly grilled pizza crusts.

3.  Slice pizza and serve.

What could be better than a BLT salad on top of pizza?

Adapted from: Annie's Eats