MEMES & LINK PARTIES – Page 173 – Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads ME

Fire Day Friday: Fire Roasted Wings

Who likes chicken wings? Raise your hand.

I’ll share a secret, chicken wings on the grill are even better!

Here’s how I do mine. This is about technique over any kind of recipe. It is easy to do and easy to remember, my son learned to do these at 9 years old. We call them 30-20-10 wings.

Set your grill up for indirect heat at 375f degrees. I know I say “direct heat” and “indirect heat” all the time. But here is HOW you do that:

Then season your wings. Salt and pepper. A BBQ rub. Whatever you feel like. Then roast them on the grill for 30 minutes.

Flip them and roast 20 minutes.

Toss them in the sauce of your choice. Buffalo sauce. BBQ sauce. Terriyaki sauce. Whatevs. Cook for 10 more minutes just to firm up the sauce.

Serve with a cold beverage and enjoy the evening.

So just remember 30-20-10. When you get around to trying this, I think you’ll find it works!

The next time I post here, I hope to share some new secrets. Because by this time tomorrow I will be in Las Vegas attending Kingsford University and learning from Pit Master Chris Lilly, of Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ and you probably have seen him on Food Network.

Big Bob Gibson’s Chris Lilly at the 2010 Big Apple BBQ Block Party from Anthony Quintano on Vimeo.

Excited? Hell yeah!

PAN SEARED CHICKEN BREAST with APRICOT RUM GLAZE ~ CLASSIC GOOD EATS

PAN SEARED CHICKEN BREAST with APRICOT RUM GLAZE
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons rum
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup apricot pineapple jam
8-12 dried apricots, finely sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large skillet.
Salt and pepper both sides of chicken pieces.
Brown chicken, turning once, until cooked through – about 4-5 minutes per side.
Remove from skillet and keep warm.

Reduce heat and add onion, sauteing until tender.
Add apricots, rum, wine, lemon juice and vinegar, simmering until reduced by half.
Add jam, blend well and simmer to desired consistency.
Serve over chicken and white rice with fresh kiwi.

Lasagna Roll Ups

Lasagna is a versatile meal that can be prepared ahead of time, freezes beautifully, and is great way to use up leftover marinara or pasta sauce. It is delicious whether vegetarian or meat filled. Lasagna is popular with all age groups, and is packed with nutrients like calcium, B vitamins, and lycopene among other yummy goodness. A fun “twist” on traditional layered lasagna are Lasagna Rollups.

LASAGNA ROLL-UPS
12 oz. lasagna pasta noodles cooked al dente
16 oz. container of Ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs like oregano, thyme, rosemary mix
Salt and pepper
3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese – (I use a mix of both Fresh buffalo mozzarella and aged mozzarella)
1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2 1/2 cups marinara or meat ragu sauce – (jarred or homemade is fine)

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
Cook noodles to minimum time listed on package until al dente, drain well.
Prepare filling- In bowl, mix 16 oz of Ricotta cheese, two eggs, dried herbs, pinch of salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon of Parmesan, and 1/3 cup of shredded mozzarella until thoroughly mixed.
Place 1/2 cup of sauce at bottom of roasting pan.
Assemble rollups- On work surface, place 3-4 tablespoons of Ricotta filling towards the end of the noodle, add 1-2 teaspoons shredded cheese, and then roll up into a “wheel”. Place into roasting pan in rows. Repeat and complete filling the pan with rolled and filled pasta, then cover with sauce. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese over all the pasta. Cover pan with foil and bake for approximately 25 minutes, remove foil, and bake for additional 3-5 minutes until top cheese golden.
Buon Appetito! I hope you enjoy and thank you so much.

Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie

Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 2 breasts)
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups instant biscuit mix
1 cup milk
1 stick melted butter

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a greased 2-quart casserole dish, layer the chicken, eggs, carrots, and peas. In a separate bowl, mix the soup and chicken broth together and season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture over the layers of chicken & vegetables. In separate bowl, stir together the biscuit mix and milk and pour this over the casserole. Drizzle melted butter over the biscuit mix topping. Bake until the topping is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.

Modifications:
-I used 1/2 bag of frozen peas and carrots.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the chicken. I boiled mine but you could also use rotisserie chicken.

Cut up the chicken and lay it out in a 9×13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Slice up 2 hard-boiled eggs and sprinkle over the chicken.

Add a 1/2 bag of frozen peas and carrots on top of the chicken and eggs.

Mix the cream of chicken soup and 1 cup of the chicken broth. Pour it over the chicken and veggies.

Mix the biscuit mix and milk. Pour it over the top.

Melt the butter and pour on top.

Into the oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Here’s what you’ll end up with:

Additional Notes:
*I used a 9×13 baking dish but I wish that I would have used 2 cans of cream of chicken soup instead of only one.

*I think, too, that if you didn’t want to mess with the Bisquick you could easily open up a can of biscuits or croissants and place them on top and just let them rise right on the chicken mixture.

*You can use canned veggies instead of frozen. Just drain and rinse well.

*Add any veggie you like (corn, onion, green beans, etc)

*Baking time may vary. If you use the biscuit mix, stick a fork or toothpick in to make sure it is done.

Veggie Tales by Kris: Soup’s On!

Well, it’s still winter. Might as well make soup!

Butternut Squash Soup… & a Simple Salad

I’ve been getting a lot of use out of my Immersion Blender. I just love it. So simple now to make wonderful thick soups without the use of fattening cream or burning myself to death by pouring hot mushy veggies into a blender 1 cup at a time! This recipe is great because I love how savory it turned out. I am not a fan of the Butternut Squash Soups of the world that taste like pumpkin pie. You won’t find cinnamon or nutmeg in this version!

Savory Butternut Squash Soup

What you’ll need:

2 tbs olive oil

1 large yellow onion (diced)

3 garlic cloves (minced)

1 inch fresh ginger (peeled and minced)

1 butternut squash (skin peeled, seeded and cubed)

2 medium-large yellow potatoes (peeled and cubed)

1 teaspoon dried sage (add more to taste)

2 tsp fresh chopped thyme (add more to taste or as garnish)

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

About 6-8 cups chicken or vegetable stock

(the goal is to have enough to cover the vegetables in your pot so it depends on pot size. You can just add water if you run out of stock but do mind your seasonings if that is the case!)

What you’ll do:

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add in onions and cook until softened- about 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger. Cook another 5 minutes (don’t let them burn!). Add squash, potatoes and herbs and a little salt and pepper to start. Cover the vegetables with the stock/water. Just until it covers the top veggies. Bring soup to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes covered, or until the veggies are soft. Turn off heat. In meantime make the salad below. When soup has just cooled a bit (but still hot) blend the soup until it is a nice smooth consistency.

The Salad

So simple. Just finely shop cucumber, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. Add to some chopped romaine. To get your protein add your favorite beans. I love butter beans! I used a lovely red wine vinaigrette to dress this one.

Fire Day Friday: Sambal Grilled Chicken

Next to Sriracha, Sambal Oelek is my favorite condiment. Mix one or the other with Ranch dressing and you’ve got yourself one of the best sauces around. Oh crap! Did I just type that out loud? Uhmmm.. never mind about the Ranch, I was only kidding. Unless you think that sounds good, then I’m not kidding at all and you should go make it and dip whatever you can in it!!!

But I digress…you came here for a real recipe, didn’t you? Ok, ok… Sambal Grilled Chicken.

This is a REALLY simple and REALLY flavorful dish. I found this recipe in one of my latest Food Network Magazines. It was actually for Sambal shrimp, but I don’t use a lot of shrimp when I cook, so I figured, why not try it on chicken? It turned out to be one of my favorite chicken marinades. I will say that the recipe calls for a lot more sesame oil then I think was needed. I cut it in half and the sesame flavor was still a bit over powering. I have adjusted to what I think will work best. My suggestion – start with a small amount, you can always add more!

Sambal Grilled Chicken
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse, Food Network
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Sambal Oelek chili paste
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients except for the chicken. Stir until well combined. Set aside and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Place the chicken in a resealable bag and pour the marinade over it. Let marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat grill to 375-400 degrees. Remove chicken from bag and discard the marinade. Rub the grill grates with oil and place the chicken directly over the heat. Grill for 8-10 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked (165 degrees F). Remove from grill and – Enjoy!

OLD FASHIONED MEAT LOAF ~ CLASSIC GOOD EATS

OLD FASHIONED MEAT LOAF
MEATLOAF
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 slices white bread, crusts removed, but retained
2 pounds hamburger
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated aged cheddar
1/4 cup minced parsley (fresh)
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Jumbo eggs, beaten
5 slices bacon
SAUCE
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup Frank’s sweet chili sauce
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pour cream over bread slices and allow it to soak for several minutes until mushy.
Add beef, onions, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, celery salt, sea salt, white pepper and parsley.
With clean hands, mix the mixture together until uniform in consistency.
Add beaten eggs and mix again.

Form into mixture into a loaf. I use an actual loaf pan and then lift it out.
Line a jelly roll or broiler pan with foil. This avoids a huge mess.
Place loaf in center.
Lay bacon slices over top of the meatloaf.
Arrange retained bread crusts along edges of meatloaf about an inch away to absorb the grease and liquids that cook off the meatloaf.

Make the sauce by mixing all the ingredients together.
Spread half the sauce over the top.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Spread remaining sauce over the top.
Bake another 15 minutes.
Discard bread edges.
Enjoy.

Chicken Egg Salad Sandwiches

Chicken salad is one of my favorites. It’s so versatile and quick to make. This is a fairly simple basic chicken salad. I often add fruit and other flavorings but was in the mood for something simple and this did the trick. I used the Arnold Select Sandwich Thins today but I often put this on a whole wheat tortilla too. It’s also nice just set over a bed of lettuce greens if you’re low carbing it.

Chicken Egg Salad Sandwiches
2 cups chopped cooked chicken, about 10 ounces
1/4 cup mayo, light
1 egg, hard cooked and diced
3 tablespoon celery, chopped
2 tablespoons onion, minced
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Lettuce
5 – 100 calories Arnold Selects Sandwich Thins or 100 calorie whole wheat tortillas.

Combine chopped chicken, mayo, egg, celery, salt and pepper.
Mix well.
Spread about 1/3 cup chicken salad on a 100 calorie sandwich thin or a 100 calorie whole wheat tortilla with lettuce.

Total calories = 1543 calories
5 sandwiches = 309 calories per sandwich or wrap

Cracker Crumb Chicken

I realize this is not a new recipe. Everyone I know has a variation of it. But it is a staple chicken meal at my house.When all else fails, I know my kids will inhale this chicken.You can use pretty much any cracker, just omit and add spices. I have used cheez its and omitted the spices. Super kid friendly.

Cracker Chicken

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup crushed Ritz cracker crumbs

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

ground black pepper to taste

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place eggs and cracker crumbs in two separate shallow bowls. Mix cracker crumbs with garlic salt and pepper. Dip chicken in the eggs, then dredge in the crumb mixture to coat.

Arrange coated chicken in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Place pieces of butter around the chicken.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Roasted Red Pepper and Almond Pesto

Martha from A Sense of Humor is Essential will be filling in today for Liz. She loves multitasking recipes, and here is a favorite one- Roasted Red Pepper and Almond pesto. This is a different spin on pesto, using roasted red peppers and almonds, instead of the traditional basil and pine nuts. This red pepper pesto is delicious served on toasted baguette slices brushed with olive oil for an appetizer, or with cooked pasta as an entree.

ROASTED RED PEPPER and ALMOND PESTO
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the red peppers, garlic clove, almonds, 3 tablespoons parsley, lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons olive oil.
Pulse until a coarse puree forms. Season with salt and black pepper.

(I used my small wand processor because I already had it out to make soup and I didn’t feel like dirtying yet another cooking gadget!)

Save Room for Dessert…Pineapple Upside Down Cake

The balmy temperatures of the past week had me thinking of the tropics, and I was inspired to bake myself a pineapple upside down cake for my birthday. I’ve given you two options – a cake from scratch and one using a cake mix. I’ve made both, and they are both delicious! Enjoy!

Also, I’d like to invite you to enter a giveaway over on my blog, Louanne’s Kitchen. I’m giving away two cookbooks to two lucky followers. Head on over, become a follower, and leave a comment to be entered. Up for grabs this week are a subscription to Louisiana Cookin’ magazine (US residents, only), Marcelle Bienvenu’s Who’s Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux?, Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans, Tom Fitzmorris’s New Orleans Food: More than 225 of the City’s Best Recipes to Cook at Home, River Road Recipes: the Textbook of Louisiana Cuisine. All you have to do is leave me a comment telling which you would like to win. If you are the lucky winner chosen by random.org, you’ll win your choice! The giveaway is open to everyone, even my international blogger buddies, although the magazine subscription is only valid for residents of the US. I’ll choose two winners on Friday, 2/25. I do ask that you be a follower of Louanne’s Kitchen.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Printable recipe
3 sticks unsalted butter, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 cup pineapple juice
3 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar
2-20 oz cans pineapple rings in juice, drained (reserve juice for cake)
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

Melt 1 stick of butter and pour into 13×9 baking pan; be sure to butter sides of pan, as well.
Sprinkle turbinado sugar over melted butter and arrange pineapple rings over sugar; sprinkle on pecans and set pan aside while preparing cake batter.
In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining 2 sticks of softened butter, vanilla, and granulated sugar; cream together until well mixed.
Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
Alternately add flour and pineapple juice to butter mixture, beating until well-mixed.
Pour cake batter over fruit and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a tester inserted comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before inverting.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake, convenience version
1 pineapple cake mix
3 eggs
1 1/3 cup pineapple juice
1 stick, plus 1/3 cup butter, melted and divided
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar
2-20 oz cans pineapple rings in juice, drained (reserve juice for cake)
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

Melt 1 stick of butter and pour into 13×9 baking pan; be sure to butter sides of pan, as well.
Sprinkle turbinado sugar over melted butter and arrange pineapple rings over sugar; sprinkle on pecans and set pan aside while preparing cake batter.
Prepare cake batter by combining cake mix, eggs, juice, and 1/3 cup melted butter.
Pour cake batter over fruit and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a tester inserted comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before inverting.

PHILLY STROMBOLI

Here’s what you’ll need:

Lay out 2 loaves of the frozen bread in the morning. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, put the loaves in the dish and then cover it with tin foil. Let these loaves sit for about 7 hours.

Philly Stromboli
1 frozen Rhodes bread loaf
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 cup fresh mushrooms
1 onion, cut into strips
6 slices of Provolone cheese
Garlic
Basil (to taste)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Directions: Put out bread loaf in the AM, per directions. After it has risen, push out onto a LIGHTLY sprayed cookie sheet (cover whole sheet). Layer the above ingredients and top with spices to taste. Roll up the sides and ends of the bread to enclose ingredients like an envelope.
Press seams to seal.

Flip loaf over so seams are down. Bake (preheated) 375 for about 20min. Allow to cool 5min before slicing and serve. Can add different cheeses, salami, etc as your family prefers. Enjoy!

*Makes great leftovers, too.

Modifications:
-I actually had mushrooms but forgot to add them!