Category: MISC

Fire Day Friday: Easy Chicken Enchiladas

I had a great time at Kingsford University in Las Vegas two weekends ago.  I learned a lot, got to meet old blog friends in real life, and met a bunch of new friends. 

One of the things Chris Lilly stressed was “grill once, eat twice”.  So last night I grilled an extra chicken to use for dinner tonight.

But I learned much from my fellow students too.  On the last night six of us were having dinner at Mesa Grill and we talked about how recent changes to how Google searches and presents results for recipes.  Previously, bloggers had a fair chance at showing up high in results for a specific recipe.  But NOW if your recipe posts do not contain “metadata” or “microformatting”, they will NOT show up in Google recipe searches.  Only the big sites like FoodNetwork, Allrecipes, Cooks, etc show up.

My new friend from last week, Meathead Goldwyn of AmazingRibs.com shared what he had found out about this in THIS POST.   John Dawson of PatioDaddio shared THIS USEFUL WEB SITE that will let you enter a recipe and then generate the appropriate Google Recipe SEO friendly format.  I tried it out tonight and here is the result.


Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

  • 1 ea
    small onion, chopped
  • 2 tsp
    butter
  • 3 cups
    cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
  • 2 ea
    chipotle, seeded and diced
  • 1/4 cup
    cilantro, chopped
  • 1 14.5 oz can
    diced tomatoes
  • 10 oz
    Philadelphia Sante Fe Blend Cooking Creme
  • 2 cups
    baby spinach, chopped
  • 2 cloves
    garlic, minced
  • 1 cup
    cheese, shredded (I used 1/2 of smoked cheddar and monterey jack)
  • 1/4 cup
    half and half
  • 10 ea
    flour tortiallas (6″ size)

Cooking Directions

  1. Preheat a saute pan and then melt the butter. Saute the onions for 5 minutes until tender.
  2. In a large bowl mix together the chicken, chipotle, cilantro, spinach, tomatoes and garlic. Add 3/4 cup of the Philly Sante Fe blend Cooking Creme and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Top with the hot onions and let sit for a minute. Toss all of this together until well blended.
  3. Spoon the mixture evenly among the tortillas, about 1/3 cup each. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 13 x 9 casserole dish. We ended up having to use another small dish too.
  4. Top with the rest of the cheese. Mix the rest of the Sante Fe Creme and the half & half. Spoon over the enchiladas.
  5. Bake at 350f for 25 minutes.
  6. Serve with Mexican rice and tortilla chips.

Ok, so I’m not crazy about the layout that it generates. So how do you choose between “how your recipes appear on your site” or “how your site appears on Google”, tough one, right?  I guess we will be seeing a lot more tools to help us little guys compete with the big sites.  

Are you planning to change how you post your recipes relative to the Google changes?

GARLIC HERB ROAST CHICKEN with ROASTED ORANGES & RED ONIONS

GARLIC HERB ROAST CHICKEN with ROASTED ORANGES and RED ONIONS
1 chicken, 4-5 pounds
2 navel oranges, sliced in thick slices or wedges
2 red onions, sliced or wedged (zest one orange)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter, softened + 2 tablespoons butter, cubed or thinly sliced
2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 + 1 teaspoons fresh thyme
pepper to taste

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Mash garlic and 1 teaspoon salt into a paste.
  • Combine garlic paste, 2 teaspoons thyme, butter and zest until well blended.
  • Gently separate the skin from the chicken and rub one half of the butter mixture all over.
  • Season the outside with the remaining salt and some pepper.
  • Fill the cavity with a few of the orange slices, onion wedges and remaining thyme.
  • Place chicken, breast side up on a rimmed baking sheet with the wings folded in and legs banded together.
  • Scatter the remaining orange and onion pieces around the chicken.
  • Dot onions and oranges with the 2 tablespoons of butter pieces.
  • Roast for 30 minutes. At this point I added some potatoes also.
  • Brush chicken with remaining garlic butter mixture.
  • Flip oranges and onions.
  • Rotate the baking sheet and roast 15 minutes more.
  • Remove the onions and oranges if caramelized.
  • Roast chicken 15 minutes more or until juices run clear.
  • Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Linking to: 

SALVITXADA ala Tamy

I was reading an email article from Tasting Table about Salvitxada and it sounded scrumptious.  So I set off on an internet search for other recipes.  Catalan Salbitxada sauce is eaten with “calcots”, a special kind of green onion from Cataluna. Char-grilled green onions with Salbitxada sauce make both a good “tapa” and side dish for spring and summer. Tasty and easy to make, try this sauce with all types of grilled vegetables, not just onions. Traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, a food processor makes this sauce a snap.

Here is the recipe I came up with for us and what’s left – it was scrumptious!

SALVITXADA ala Tamy     Makes 2 1/2 cups
4 tablespoons blanched almonds, toasted and ground to a fine coarse
4 fresh mild hot peppers, (membranes and seeds removed) finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons blood orange vinegar*
3/4 cup canola oil**
salt and pepper to taste

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Place almonds in hot oven to toast for 5-7 minutes. 
  • Place in a food processor or mortar and pestle and coarsely grind.
  • Peel and dice tomatoes and set aside.
  • Finely chop the peppers, removing the seeds and membranes. 
  • Peel and finely mince the garlic. 
  • Mash ground almonds, peppers and garlic into a paste using a mortar and pestle or food processor.
  • Mix in tomatoes, parsley and vinegar.
  • Pulsing the food processor, drizzle in the canola oil until sauce becomes thick. 
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve with grilled “calcots” (green onions) and/or chips and other grilled vegetables.

*Most recipes call for red wine vinegar, but I changed it for flavor alone.
**Most recipes called for olive oil, but I am not an olive lover – I even hate the smell so I changed it up for us.

CHICKEN STROGANOFF ~ CLASSIC GOOD EATS

CHICKEN STROGANOFF
2-3 slices bacon, diced
2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/3+ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon flour
egg noodles

  • In a large skillet brown bacon.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
  • Add onions and garlic, saute for a few minutes.
  • Add Chicken pieces.
  • Saute’ 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add spices and blend well.
  • Add chicken broth and bring JUST to a boil.
  • Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes JUST until liquid is absorbed.  Boil your noodles at this point.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the sour cream and flour.
  • Add sour cream mixture to chicken mixture along with the bacon pieces. Blend well and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until heated through.  Sauce will become creamier and thicken at this time.
  • Serve over hot noodles.
To make this meal quicker for a weeknight you can use rotisserie chicken and save time.

ITALIAN GARLIC SUPREME STROMBOLI aka SANDWICH PIZZA

According to Wikipedia STROMBOLI is: a type of turnover filled with various cheeses, typically mozzarella, Italian meats such as salami, capicola and bresaola or vegetables or a Greek Island or an Ingrid Bergman movie – you choose. The dough is Italian bread dough.
When I was much younger and elderly family friend always told me I looked just like Ingrid Bergman.  I didn’t know then what a compliment that was.
Stromboli is reported to have originated in 1950 in Essington, Tinicum Township just outside of Philadelphia, at Romano’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, by Nazzareno Romano. There, William Schofield supposedly gave it the name, after the movie Stromboli, starring Ingrid Bergman.  Other sources claim the stromboli was the brainchild of Mike Aquino, Sr., and that he created it in Spokane, Washington, in 1954.  The first claim is more credible, with most people remembering the advent of the stromboli at Romano’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria in the early 1950s.
No matter what you call it, it is a family favorite around here.
We have a favorite pizza – ITALIAN GARLIC SUPREME from Round Table Pizza.  This pizza is full of pepperoni, Italian sausage, Roma tomatoes, white mushrooms, green onions and lots of chopped garlic and is baked with a blend of 3 cheeses in a creamy garlic sauce.  Unfortunately they are not a national chain.  We have spent horribly disappointing meals  out trying to find a local replacement for this pizza.  I have since decided the best replacement is the one I make myself.  Hubby whole heartily agreed! We decided to push the envelope though and make that same recipe into a sandwich.
ITALIAN GARLIC SUPREME STROMBOLI aka SANDWICH PIZZA
ITALIAN GARLIC SUPREME PIZZA
CRUST
1 cup of warm water (105 degrees)
3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of honey
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of yeast
  • Put warm water into a bowl. Add salt, sugar and honey and mix well. Add the yeast, mix and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
  • Gradually add the flour and olive oil until well blended.
  • When the mixture gets too heavy to mix, start kneading the dough with your hands.
  • Knead the dough until you have a smooth ball. If the dough cracks it is too dry. Add water bit by bit until if forms a nice smooth ball. If you need to add water or flour, do it by small amounts.
  • Coat the dough with olive oil, place it in a large bowl and cover it with kitchen wrap and a flour sack towel. Let the dough rise for about an hour at room temperature, then push it down again so it deflates. Let it sit for about another hour. Either bake it or refrigerate for later use.
  • Put the dough on a lightly floured surface, put a bit of flour on top and make it into the shape of a pie by stretching it out from the center outwards. Use a rolling pin until the dough is about 1/4″ thick. Punch some holes in the dough with a fork to let the air escape while the pizza is in the oven.
  • Lightly oil a cookie sheet with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal.
  • Pre-Bake dough at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
TOPPINGS 
1 package John Morrell pepperoni
3 Italian sausages, cooked and crumbled 
1 can Contadina tomato paste with basil and oregano or homemade sauce
1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 large bunch green onions, thinly sliced including the majority of the tops
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Roma tomato, diced small
2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup grated provolone cheese
2/3 cup grated Romano cheese
Extra light olive oil
  • Whisk together the tomato paste, garlic and 1 teaspoon olive oil to make the sauce.
  • Brush pre-baked dough with a small amount of olive oil and then an even layer of the sauce.
  • Evenly sprinkle the crumbled sausage over the sauce followed by half of the pepperoni.
  • Top with the mushrooms, green onions and tomatoes.
  • Evenly sprinkle the cheese over it all
  • Top with the remaining pepperoni.
  • Roll up and place on the center of the pan.
  • Bake the sandwich pizza at 400-450° F for about 20-25 minutes until the crust is golden.

Stuck in a Time Warp

Back in 1988 I was having a particularly tough time at work- no details, but let’s just say a man was trying to make my life miserable and I needed a mental health day.  I decided to go to a movie that had just been released, Working Girl.  After all, Harrison Ford was in it!  I thought it would be a fun chick flick and bring my spirits up.

I was right.  My spirits saw the underdog, a woman no less, rise above the BS and succeed, or at least get her opportunity to succeed.  So, what is my point?  Do you remember that scene at the very end when Melanie Griffith, er Tess McGill in Working Girl combines Trask and radio to succeed?  It was almost like an Oprah AHA moment!
Well, I had an AHA, or Trask/radio idea! Chili and Grilled Cheese.  You eat cheese on your chili don’t you?  So, why not eat chili on your cheese, grilled cheese that is.

There’s no real recipe here – you get the picture!

CHICKEN PASTA IN GARLIC CREAM SUN-DRIED TOMATO SAUCE

Hi, Tamy here filling in for our MIA Tuesday girl, Liz. I thought I’d bring you a quick and easy, yet flavorful pasta.  While this sounds like a complicated recipe, it’s an easy and quick weeknight recipe when you use the rotisserie chicken.  I buy rotisserie chickens often and when I get home from the store and they are relatively cool, I de-bone the chicken and portion out the pieces for week night recipes.  I then take the remaining bones and skin and simmer for about an hour to create stock.  I then freeze the stock in 2 cup portions for use in those same week night recipes.  Tonight I had some asparagus that needed using so I tossed that in too.

Chicken Pasta in Garlic Cream Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
1 pack vermicelli noodles or pasta of your choice
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 chicken breasts or 2 cups rotisserie chicken pieces
1 cup milk or heavy cream
2-3 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons classico sun dried tomato pesto
1/2 large white Vidalia onion, diced
4 tablespoons butter
2-3 tablespoons flour
salt
pepper
olive oil
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

  • Boil pasta in large pot.
  • While pasta boiling preheat large deep skillet to medium low.
  • Cube chicken to bite size pieces if using raw chicken.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons butter and add chicken, salt and pepper to taste.
  • Cook until chicken is JUST done. Remove to a warm plate.
  • Add remaining butter.
  • When melted, add flour to center of pan, whisk until mixture turns golden in color, creating a roux.
  • Add in the first cup of chicken stock raising heat to medium high, stirring until sauce thickens. Sauce will be very thick.
  • Whisk in second cup of stock until desired consistency.
  • Taste sauce at this point and add in more salt and pepper to taste. Heavy pepper is good in this dish.
  • Add chicken pieces.
  • Add in sun dried tomato pesto, reduce heat to low and allow sauce to continue cooking and thickening.
  • At the very end add in your milk or cream starting with just half to begin with.
  • Drain pasta and add to sauce, coating pasta with chicken and cream sauce.
  • Top with Parmesan cheese and enjoy.
  • If sauce gets too thick it is better to add more stock then milk, as milk or cream will make the dish to rich and take away from the flavor. If your sauce is not thick enough turn up the heat and quickly whisk in more flour.