Category Archives: Main Dish

by | July 29, 2011 · 8:28 am

Asian Broccoli Slaw with Chicken & Peanut Sauce

When the humidity rises and the summer heat has you sneaking away to stick your head in the freezer, the thought of heating up the house cooking becomes totally unappealing. That’s when salads transform from a healthy lunch option into a cool dinnertime oasis. This one is slightly adapted from a family recipe of fellow blogger Colleen from Flee Fly Flown. Her original recipe is just as good but since I am rarely able to follow a recipe as is, I put my own twists on it. You can serve it either as a crunchy side dish or add protein to make it a more substantial main dish, like I’ve done here.
asian slaw with chicken and peanut sauce
Asian Broccoli Slaw
1 bag broccoli coleslaw
3 stalks celery, chopped
3-4 green onions, chopped
1/2 C slivered almonds or 1 C dry-roasted peanuts
chow mein noodles
1 pkg dry ramen noodles, broken into small chunks
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/4 C sugar
1/3 C white vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 packet ramen seasoning
grilled chicken breasts* (shrimp and tofu would also be good!)
Thai Peanut Sauce*
*optional

In a large bowl, combine broccoli slaw, chopped celery and chopped green onions. Toss in almonds or peanuts, chow mein noodles and broken ramen noodles. Separately, whisk together oil, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and ramen seasoning. If serving immediately, pour dressing over slaw mixture and fold in to coat evenly. If you’re serving at a later time, store dressing separately and mix just before serving so that the slaw doesn’t get soggy.

If serving as a main dish, set slaw aside and combine ingredients for peanut sauce in a small saucepan. Meanwhile use the grill or a grill pan to cook meat. Dress individual portions with Thai Peanut Sauce.
asian broccoli slaw

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by | July 27, 2011 · 8:29 am

Sweet Pork

My neighbor is from the west coast and raves about a restaurant called Cafe Rio.  She told me they have the most amazing sweet pork and I was desperate to try it, but there isn’t a Cafe Rio anywhere close to Wisconsin.   I did a quick search and found tons of knock-off recipes, all of which contained the same ingredients: pork, Coke, green chilies, enchilada sauce and brown sugar.  I have no idea what the Cafe Rio sweet pork tastes like, but I was pretty sure if I used all of these ingredients I would come up with a pretty awesome dish  So, I made it a couple times, tweaking the amounts each time, until I found just the right flavor combination.  I have no idea if this is what the Cafe Rio Sweet Pork tastes like, but all I know is this recipe is delicious!

Sweet Pork

2 pound pork shoulder
Salt and pepper for seasoning
1 can regular Coke
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce (I use medium, but add whatever your preference is!)
3/4 cup brown sugar

Season the pork shoulder with salt and pepper and place in your slow cooker. Add ½ can of coke and water and cook on low for about 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and shred the meat. Dump any drippings left in the crock pot and wipe it clean.

In a blender, blend the other 1/2 can of Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and ¾ cup of brown sugar. Place your sauce in the crock pot with your shredded pork.  Add some extra Coke if your sauce is too thick.  Cook on low for another 2 hours to allow the meat to soak up the sauce.

You can eat this on a bun with coleslaw for a tasty sandwich, over greens to give your salad an extra kick, or, my favorite, grilled up in a quesadilla with cheese and corn salsa.

This recipe also makes quite a bit of meat.  I like to portion it out and freeze it in large ziplock bags.  It reheats wonderfully!

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by | July 21, 2011 · 8:24 am

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Every once in awhile I come across a recipe that is so good, it instantly gets put into my monthly rotation.  This chicken Taquitos recipe adapted from Our Best Bites is just that kind of recipe.  It is seriously good and quite easy to make, but the best part is that these little, baked taquitos can be doubled and frozen so you can eat them any time of day with almost no effort.

The chicken taquitos are filled with a delicious creamy chicken mixture and then baked up to crispy perfection.  I serve them with a sauce of equal parts mashed avocado and sour cream.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese (or pepper jack if you prefer more of a kick!)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Line a cooking sheet with tin foil or a silpan and set aside.

Mix the softened cream cheese with the salsa, lime juice, seasonings, cilantro, shredded chicken and cheese.  Stir until well combined.  Now you are ready to fill your tortillas.  The tortillas I buy are very soft and usually don’t crack.  If you are having a problem with this, just microwave them for a couple seconds each in order to get them to a nice pliable consistency.

Take your tortillas and place a small amount of the filling (2-3 tsps) in a line a little off center.

Roll the tortilla up completely and place it seam side down on your prepared cookie sheet.

Continue until you run out of filling.

Spray each taquito with a mist of cooking spray or olive oil from an olive oil mister and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Bake for 15-20 minute or until the they are crispy and lightly brown.  Dip in cool, creamy ranch dressing, guacamole or sour cream.

If you prefer to freeze the taquitos for another time, place them in a freezer safe bag after you roll each taquito up, but before you spray them with the cooking spray.  Then when you are ready to eat, just take them out of the freezer, pop them on a cookie sheet, spray them and sprinkle some salt on them.  Bake at 425 for about 20-23 minutes.  No need to thaw!

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by | July 6, 2011 · 8:29 am

Potato and Bacon Pizza with Garlic Cream Sauce

It is no secret that I love to experiment with pizza.  I can’t get enough of trying different flavor combinations and changing them up until I find just the right one.  I made this pizza last week and my husband declared it the best pizza I have ever made.  And I must admit, it was pretty good.  It seems strange at first to put potato on a pizza, but the flavor was out of this world.


Potato and Bacon Pizza with Garlic Cream Sauce

Enough pizza dough for one large pizza or 1 pre-baked crust, such as Boboli.
3/4 cup homemade garlic cream sauce or jarred Alfredo sauce
1 large potato peeled and very thinly sliced
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2-4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large skilled, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and cook sliced potatoes for about 10-15 minutes or until they are cooked through.  Removed from heat and set aside.

Roll out your pizza dough and spread on a thin layer of garlic cream sauce.  Add a layer of cheese, followed by the cooked potatoes.  Layer on another thin layer of cheese and bake your pizza according to the directions on your pizza dough.

Remove the pizza and sprinkle with the cooked and crumbled bacon.

Slice, eat and enjoy!

Check out my other favorite, goat cheese, apple and pine nut pizza.

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by | June 17, 2011 · 8:21 am

Father’s Day Cookout: Jalapeno Cheddar Burgers

It’s that time of year again! A day to celebrate dad. And what better way to warm your dad’s heart than through his tummy. Spice up your traditional Father’s Day BBQ with these easy jalapeno cheddar burgers topped with chipolte smashed sweet potatoes. A twist on the traditional burger and a bit healthier with sweet potatoes for that smooth topping texture. If you really want to make your man happy, add a slice or two of crispy bacon to the top.

Jalapeno Cheddar Burgers w/ Chipolte Smashed Sweet Potatoes

1 1/2 – 2 lbs ground chuck
1 jalapeno, diced (dice into fine pieces)
1/4 C shredded cheddar cheese
1 TBSP canola oil
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 TBSP milk
1 TBSP butter
1 tsp chipolte powder
salt and pepper to taste

In mixing bowl, mix ground chuck, jalapenos and cheddar cheese. Separate into 4-5 burgers. Press down into patties. Place a thumbprint into the top of each patty. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush lightly with canola oil. Preheat grill.

In a medium saucepan, boil sweet potatoes, approximately 15 minutes. Drain potatoes. Add milk, butter, salt, pepper (to taste) and chipolte powder and mash. Set aside and keep warm.

Grill burgers on high heat 4 minutes on the first side, 4-6 minutes on the second side. Flip only once.

Place burgers on bun, top with a heaping spoonful of smashed sweet potatoes.

Wishing all the dads out there a very special day!

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by | June 3, 2011 · 8:06 am

Dorito Taco Salad

Finally! It’s arrived! Warm summer weather always makes me want a crispy salad. This easy Dorito Taco Salad has been a staple in my family since I can remember. It is very easy and very affordable. You may even have most of these things on hand. Any salad topped with Doritos is a winner in my book.

Dorito Taco Salad
Serves 4

1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
2 small tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 bag of Baked Nacho Cheese Doritos
1 small can sliced black olives, optional
1/2 C light italian dressing

On stovetop, brown ground beef and remove grease. Set aside. In large salad bowl, add lettuce, tomato, green pepper, cheese and olives. Toss. Add ground beef and dressing and toss again. Using about a quarter of a bag of Doritos, crunch into small pieces. Shake over salad and lightly toss.

I always love eating the leftovers of this salad. The Doritos don’t stay very crunchy, but it is still delicious. You can choose to have each individual dress their own salad, but I prefer to do it ahead of time. Serve this up with some lemonade and you have summertime perfection.

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by | May 23, 2011 · 8:05 am

Croque Monsieurs with Bistro Salad

Warm weather has me wanting to stroll around the cobblestone streets and farmers markets of Paris, stop at a sidewalk cafe for lunch and a latte and people watch. However, since Paris is not in the cards this spring, this meal brings a little of the French je ne sais quoi vibe to lunch or a light dinner in any city.
croque monsieur recipe

Easy Croque Monsieur Style Sandwiches
1/2 lb ham
4 slices baby swiss
1 C+ shredded baby swiss
rustic french bread
4 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
1 C milk
salt & pepper

In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour, taking care not to burn it. Slowly whisk in half of the milk until clumps are worked out and mixture is smooth. Add shredded cheese and continue whisking until cheese begins to melt. Continue whisking in the remaining milk until cheese is fully melted and forms a smooth sauce. It should be semi thick and not too runny. Add more cheese or milk to reach a pudding-like consistency. Season with a pinch of salt and keep warm on very low heat.

Heat a skillet on medium heat. Butter bread and place butter side down in skillet. Top with sliced ham. Spoon cheese sauce over the center of the ham, spreading almost to edges and top with 1-2 slices of baby swiss. Place second slice of bread on top. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until first side is golden brown. Then use a large spatula to carefully flip sandwich. Cook second side until bread is golden brown and cheese is melting.

Bistro Salad
mixed greens
3-4 slices bacon
2 hard-boiled eggs
fresh parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 C olive oil
2-3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard
pepper

Fill a saucepan half-way with water. Place eggs in, ensuring they are covered by the water. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat to medium and continue cooking eggs for 8 minutes. Remove eggs from water with a spoon. Place in a bowl and run cool water over them for 30 seconds. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet or in the microwave until crispy. Let bacon cool slightly and break into small pieces. Remove shells from eggs and roughly chop.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard and pepper until emulsified. Place mixed greens in a bowl. Top with chopped egg, bacon pieces and shredded parmesan. Lightly toss with dressing.

bistro salad

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by | May 13, 2011 · 7:53 am

Chicken Teriyaki Pita

Back in high school, I spent a considerable amount of time at Baker’s Square. If not scarfing down a piece of banana cream pie, I always ordered a chicken teriyaki pita. I’m not sure what it was about the dish, but that taste has always stuck in my mind. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, so I decided to create my own version of the throw back meal.

Chicken Teriyaki Pita
serves 2

1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1/2 C shredded carrots
4 slices Provolone cheese
1/2 C teriyaki sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 pitas

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a skillet pan or wok, heat olive oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook chicken 3-4 minutes on each side. Add peppers, onion, carrots and garlic powder. Stir until vegetables soften, about 5-6 minutes.

Meanwhile, lay pitas on a baking sheet. Place two pieces of provolone cheese on each pita. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melty and bubbly.

Add teriyaki sauce to pan, thoroughly coating all ingredients. Heat through, about 2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon chicken and vegetable mixture on top of pita and serve.

This meal is best eaten with a knife and fork, though I am sure you could make it work with hands only.

An easy, weeknight meal you can whip up in 30 minutes or less! And it really did take me back to my high school days at Baker’s Square. Now for some banana cream pie…

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by | May 4, 2011 · 8:07 am

Butternut Squash Ravioli

While digging through my freezer the other day, I came across some pureed butternut squash that I made and froze last fall.  It has almost been 6 months, so I needed to use it up!  I got an idea to try and recreate one of my favorite Milwaukee dishes, Butternut Squash Ravioli from the amazing restaurant La Merenda.  They are tender, sweet ravioli topped with melted butter and a crushed, crunchy almond cookie.

I love the taste of simple, pureed butternut squash, so I wanted to keep the filling basic so the squash would be the standout flavor.  I decided to try out wonton wrappers instead of fresh pasta, which worked very well.

Warning:  This recipe is incredibly delicious but quite time consuming!  It took me about 1 1/2 hours from start to finish.  I will say that I think the outcome is worth the effort, but this is not a 30 minute meal!

Butternut Squash Ravioli

1 cup pureed butternut squash (I roasted mine and blended it with a small amount of water to reach a good consistency)
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
2-3 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan
dash of nutmeg
1 egg
1/3 cup butter
1 package wonton wrappers
1 almond biscotti, crushed

Start by making the filling.  Blend the pureed squash with the ricotta and Parmesan cheese.  Mix in a tiny bit of nutmeg and then place in the refrigerator to allow it to cool down.

Place  your chilled wonton sheets on a cutting board and cut into a circle either by using a biscuit cutter or top of a wine glass or mug as your guide, cut out about  36-48 evenly shaped circles.  Set aside.

In  a seperate small bowl, whisk the egg.  Also, grab a cookie sheet and generously sprinkle with corn starch.  This will prevent the ravioli from sticking to the cookie sheet.

Now, you are finally ready to assemble your ravioli.  Start with one circle and place a small teaspoon sized dollop of the butternut squash mixture in the center leaving a good boarder around the edge.  Be sure not to overfill or you might have a hard time sealing them.  Dip your finger in the egg and completely coat the outside boarder.  Top with another circle and press all edges until the ravioli is sealed.  Then, with the edge of a spoon, go around the ravioli, pressing down to be sure they are sealed up tight.  (This will help prevent them from opening when they are placed in the boiling water.)

Continue this process until you have used up all of the squash mixture.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  In a separate pan, melt 1 /3 cup of butter and allow it to slightly brown, being careful not to let it burn.

Once your water has reached a rapid boil, gently place your ravioli one at a time.  I only boiled about 5 at a time to prevent them from sticking together.  (Tip: Gently stir once you place the ravioli into the water to ensure that they do not float to the bottom.  If this happens, they might stick and possibly burst open.)  Watch carefully, after about 3 minutes they will begin to float to the top.  Once this happens, they are done.  Take out each ravioli with a slotted spoon and place directly into the melted butter.

You can either let them all sit in the butter and soak it up, or dip them in the butter and place in a serving dish.  If you do not dip them in butter the ravioli will stick together and will be difficult to separate.

Continue this process until all of the ravioli are cooked.  Plate and top with the crushed almond biscotti.

One bite and I was in heaven, the delicate wonton wrappers really allowed the butternut squash to shine in this recipe and the addition of brown butter just enhanced the flavor.  The best part is the crunch of the biscotti, it adds just a tiny bit of sweetness.

Now, I am sure some of you are wondering why I spent all that time cutting circles out of the wonton wrappers.  I did some trial and error with this to see which shape would cook up the best.

First I tried to leave them whole, but the ravioli seemed a bit too large and were much more delicate, making them prone to breaking while in the boiling water.

I also made triangle shaped ravioli, leaving the wonton sheets whole and just folding them in half.  This worked pretty well too, but I just preferred the round shape.

My whole family ate these up and enjoyed every bite.  They all agreed that they are definitely worth the effort.

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by | April 26, 2011 · 6:25 am

Sun-dried Tomato, Basil & Goat Cheese Stuffed Turkey Breast

Living with an avid outdoorsman, I’m constantly challenged to find new recipes for the wild game and fish that appear on my kitchen counter. Last weekend, it was wild turkey. Since wild turkey is super lean, making it easy to overcook, I decided to try stuffing it with a creamy spread to help retain moisture and add tons of big flavors. While I would definitely recommend turkey breasts for this (you can find them at many grocery stores), you could use chicken if you wanted and adjust the grilling time. The super easy goat cheese spread would also be delicious as a topping for crackers or crostini!
stuffed wild turkey breast

Sun-dried Tomato, Basil & Goat Cheese Stuffed Turkey Breast
1 large turkey breast or 2 large chicken breasts
3 oz reduced fat cream cheese
3 oz goat cheese
4-5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
5-6 large basil leaves, chopped
salt & pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
kitchen twine

Use a spoon to mash together cream cheese and goat cheese. Chop sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces. Chop basil. Mix tomatoes and basil into cheese mixture until evenly distributed.
sun-dried tomato, basil and goat cheese spread
Butterfly breast length-wise down the thickest part of the breast, taking care to only slice about 3/4 of the way through the breast. Pry open and use a meat mallet to pound breast until it is evenly thin all over, about 1/4″ thick. Spread cheese mixture evenly over the center of the breast.
butterflied turkey breast
Cut 4-5 pieces of kitchen twine. Carefully roll breast and secure roll with twine. Rub outside of roll lightly with olive oil and season with kosher salt and ground pepper.

Heat grill to 350 degrees. Grill breast for 35-45 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the turkey breast. Begin with about 8 minutes per side, rotating the roll 4-5 times during the grilling process. (NOTE: chicken breasts would only take about 20-25 minutes) Check roll with a meat thermometer periodically, cooking until it reads 155 degrees and let the roll rest until it reads 160 degrees. Remove kitchen twine and slice to serve.
goat cheese, sundried tomato and basil stuffed turkey

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