An Ode to Football...

Chad Ohcocinco playing for Bill Belichick. 


A prominent college football coach fired from a team which will remain unnamed (but it rhymes with "car deals").  


Jerry Richardson spending money to get quality players in Charlotte.  


All of this crazy football talk made me think... since I love football season, and more importantly, football food, I should start working on a couple of new dishes for the Fall.


I'd like to think of it as training camp in my kitchen!

BBQ chicken wings, ribs, and chili are go-to entrees at my house starting in September.  Why not a football-ish pasta?  


Here we go...   Preheat your oven to 375.  Cook the pasta according to the directions.  While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan.  Add the flour and stir until it starts to brown.  Add the milk.  Whisk until the milk starts to thicken.  Add the cheeses and stir until smooth.  

Add the buffalo sauce and stir to combine.  It smells like football already!

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.  Add the chicken and sauce mixture.  Stir to combine.  Add the pasta mixture to a greased 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with panko bread crumbs. Don't substitute regular bread crumbs for the panko.  Trust me, they add a great texture.  Bake for approximately 25 min or until bubbly. 

 Serve with crumbled gorgonzola, green onions, and cilantro.  Heaven on a plate. 

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

(adapted from HowSweetEats)

1 lb cooked pasta (I used orecchiette)

1 Tablespoon Butter

1 Tablespoon Flour

1 3/4 cups milk

3/4 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded plus more for topping

1/3 cup Buffalo Wing Sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)

3 Chicken Breasts, cooked and cubed

1/3 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

Garnishes:

Gorgonzola Cheese Crumbles

Green Onions, chopped

Cilantro, chopped

Ranch Dressing, optional

Preheat oven to 375.  Cook pasta according to directions.  While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large saucepan.  Add flour and stir until it starts to brown.  Add milk.  Whisk until milk starts to thicken.  Add cheeses and stir until smooth.  Add buffalo sauce and stir to combine.

Drain pasta and return it to the pot.  Add chicken and sauce mixture.  Stir to combine.  Add pasta mixture to a greased 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with panko bread crumbs.  Bake for approximately 25 min or until bubbly.  Serve with crumbled gorgonzola, green onions, and cilantro.  

Fancy Hawaiian Pizza

It's a fancy schmancy version of a Hawaiian Pizza!  I could have eaten this entire pizza by myself -- it was that good.    


I am a regular follower of A Cozy Kitchen blog.  One day last week there was a post about this yummy version of the Hawaiian Pizza they like to order from Domino's.  The girls had been asking to have pizza for dinner so I figured we'd try this one out.  I made a regular cheese version for them and this one for the grown-ups. After they saw me putting the pineapple on this one they decided they wanted it, too.   Needless to say, there weren't any leftovers!  


I used a prepared pizza crust from Trader Joes, but most grocery stores sell them in the deli section for around a dollar!  They are SO much better than the pre-baked ones!  If you are particularly interested in making your own crust, then the link below will provide a recipe. There are just times when you need convenience, right?  I also substituted spinach for the arugula that is listed in the original recipe.  I just like spinach better.  

Fancy Hawaiian Pizza

(adapted slightly from A Cozy Kitchen)

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 – 8 ounce pizza dough

1-4 ounce ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced

1/2 cup diced pineapple (I used canned because it's what I had in my pantry)

5-6 slices of prosciutto, halved lengthwise

1 handful of spinach

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

In a medium pan add a tablespoon of olive oil and sliced onions.  At the five minute mark, add a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and keep cooking until completely caramelized.  If they dry out, simply add a little water one tablespoon at a time. Should take about 20-30 minutes to completely caramelize.

Gently pull pizza dough apart into a circle  Place on the pizza stone. Drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Add mozzarella and diced pineapple and place on the stone in the oven.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Remove from oven and add the prosciutto, warm caramelized onions and arugula. 

Jalapeno Cilantro Spread

There's nothing extra special about this burger, per se, it's the topping ON the burger that's so special.  If you are fan of All-Things-Spicy, like me, then you'll love this.    It's the perfect condiment for a well-grilled, juicy burger with bacon.  It's a quick and easy recipe that can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.  It's also great on turkey sandwiches, as my hubby will attest to!  

On a side note, I bought the world's biggest hamburger buns this week.  My burger patties were a good 1/3 lb each if that gives you an idea of just how big these buns were.  I got so tired of eating my yummy burgers with the standard, tiny buns that I went a little overboard in the bread aisle.  

Jalapeno Cilantro Spread

(recipe by Mary, Quite Culinary)

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup finely chopped pickled jalapenos

1 Tablespoons pickled jalapeno juice

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 of a lemon, juiced

In a blender or food processor blend all ingredients until smooth.  Store in the refrigerator.  

Chicken Stuffed Crescent Rolls

When was the last time you ate a Hot Pocket?  

The last time I ate one was probably in college, but every time I walk by them in the freezer section of the grocery store I glance over and *think* about buying some.  There's something about those hot, cheesy little pockets that bring back good memories.  

My "healthy" side won't let me buy them anymore, so I decided to make them at home.  This recipe is not necessarily "healthy" but it sure does beat the microwaveable version and my girls think they're fun to eat!  

To make the filling, finely dice some cooked chicken.  I use rotisserie chicken for this recipe, but some baked chicken breasts would work well, too.  In a large bowl combine cream cheese, onion, milk, shredded cheese, seasoned salt and chicken.  Mix it all together and set aside.

Unroll refrigerated crescent rolls on a cutting board.  Use your fingers to press the perforations together.  Using a large knife, cut the crescent rolls into 3x3 squares.  You should have 3 small squares from each can of crescent rolls.

Place the square on a greased baking sheet.  Put about 2 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture on each square.  

Fold the corners of the square into the center.   

Use your fingers to seal all the edges so none of the cheese leaks out.

Brush each pocket with butter and sprinkle lightly with paprika.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken Stuffed Crescent Rolls

3 cups diced cooked chicken

2 cans refrigerated Crescent Rolls

6 oz Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup finely diced onion

1 cup Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

2 Tablespoons Milk

1/2 teaspoon Seasoned Salt

Pepper, to taste

4 Tablespoons Melted Butter

Paprika

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl combine the diced chicken, softened cream cheese, onion, cheese, milk, shredded cheese, seasoned salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Unroll the refrigerated crescent rolls.  Use your fingers to press the perforations together.  Using a large knife, cut the crescent rolls into approximately 3x3 inch squares.  You should have 6 small squares from each can of crescent rolls.

Place the square on a greased baking sheet.  Put about 2 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture on each square.  Fold the corners of the square into the center.   Use your fingers to seal all the edges so none of the cheese leaks out.  Brush each pocket with butter and sprinkle lightly with paprika.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.  

Cheesy Noodle Bake

Casseroles don't make an appearance very often in my kitchen.  I have a few go-to casserole recipes, but not many.  I'm not quite sure why that is.  It could have something to do with the fact that my girls don't always like their food all mixed together.  They like to see exactly what's on their plate.  I think they feel like I'm trying to "hide" something super healthy in there!  


Our conversation about this dish went something like this -- Me: "It's noodles AND cheese, both of which you love!" (utilizing the power of suggestion here)  Them:  "What about that white stuff?"  Me:  "Oh, that's another kind of cheese that you've eaten before and liked."  Them: "If you say so..."  After they gave it a few more pokes and prods with their forks, they dug right in.  And of course, they loved it.  

This is one of those dishes you can make in advance and keep in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook.  I made this one morning when I knew there would be no afternoon prep-time for dinner.  I needed something that I could just pop in the oven when our after-school activities were over.    


For the sauce, brown the ground chuck and drain.  Add the tomato sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Let the mixture simmer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.  

In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream, cottage cheese, green onions, and additional pepper.  Add the cooked noodles and stir to coat.

Add half the noodles to a 9x13 baking dish.  Top with the meat mixture and half of the cheddar cheese.  Repeat the layering with more noodles, meat mixture, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.  

Cheesy Noodle Bake

(adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

8 oz. Egg Noodles, cooked al dente and drained

1 lb. Ground Chuck

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Black Pepper, divided

2 cloves Garlic, chopped

15 oz (1 can) Tomato Sauce

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1 cup Cottage Cheese

5 Green Onions, chopped

1 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup Grated Mozzarella 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook egg noodles until al dente and drain.  Brown the ground chuck and drain.  Return the meat to the pan and add the tomato sauce, garlic, salt and  1/2 tsp. pepper.  Simmer this mixture while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a separate bowl combine the sour cream, cottage cheese, green onions and 1/2 tsp pepper. Add the cooked egg noodles and stir to coat.

Add half the noodles to a 9x13 baking dish.  Top with the meat mixture and half of the cheddar cheese.  Repeat the layering with more noodles, meat mixture, cheddar cheese and mozzarella.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chopped Salad with Citrus Dressing

This is one of my all-time favorite salads.  I crave it.  The combination of the sweet, citrusy (is that even a word) dressing with the bacon and blue cheese is mouth watering.  Add in a little grilled chicken, walnuts, & cranberries, and you have a hearty weeknight meal.  


I'm not a big fan of cooking bacon (eating it, yes).  It can get so messy!  One day I saw Ina Garten cooking bacon on a broiler pan.  Genius!  I've never cooked it any other way since.  Just line the bottom of your broiler pan with aluminum foil (for super-easy clean up), and lay the bacon across.  Bake at 425 for about 20 minutes, turning once, until crispy.  When I know we're going to have this salad, I make the bacon ahead of time and store it it the fridge.  

You could just stop with the bacon, but since my meat-loving husband likes to have this salad for dinner as well, I like to add some grilled chicken.  My favorite way to make simple, grilled chicken is to flatten out chicken breasts, sprinkle on sea salt and fresh ground pepper.  Drizzle liberally with olive oil.  

Grill over medium-high heat until cooked through and you have pretty grill marks. Ladies, don't be afraid of your grill!

   

Citrus Dressing

1 teaspoon Grated Orange Zest

3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

3 Tablespoons Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup

1/2 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper 

2/3 cup Olive Oil

In a jar, combine orange zest, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup and pepper.  Shake vigorously.  Add olive oil.  Shake until combined.  

Chopped Salad 

8 slices thick sliced bacon, cooked and chopped

2-3 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced

Lettuce (I used a bag of Spring Mix)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup dried cranberries

6 ounces Blue Cheese (I used Roquefort), crumbled

Tangy Marinated Beef Kebabs

Who doesn't love food on a stick?  And aren't they pretty?  With the Memorial Day weekend coming up, I thought this would be a great first dish to blog about.  The marinade was sweet and tangy and a perfect complement to the sweet peppers and peppery onions.

You can put together so many different combinations of veggies for this.  I chose mushrooms, red onion, zucchini, and red bell peppers.  The most important thing to remember when making kebabs is to keep everything approximately the same size.  If you slice your zucchini too thin it will turn to mush before your onions are cooked through.  

I like to use sirloin for kebabs but you can use any cut of beef, really.  I think the sirloin has the right amount of fat marbled in to keep it from drying out.  

I like to marinate the entire kebab rather than everything separately.  After you assemble them, place in a large baking dish.  Pour the marinade over everything making sure each part is coated well.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours.  I rotated them in the dish every few hours just to make sure they were equally coated, but I don't think that is absolutely necessary.  

Another thing to remember when making this kind of kebab is to grill them slowly.  You want to make sure all the vegetables are cooked evenly.  You don't want crunchy onions, mushy zucchini, and over-cooked steak!  

Try it out this weekend!

Tangy Marinade

(adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

1/2 cup Cooking Sherry

1/2 cup soy sauce (I used reduced sodium)

2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil

3 Tablespoons Honey

3 Tablespoons Minced Ginger

5 cloves Minced Garlic

1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Kebabs

1 1/2 pounds sirloin, fat trimmed and cubed

1 pound button mushroom

2-3 zucchini, cut into half inch slices

1 red bell pepper, uniformly cut

1 red onion, uniformly cut

For the marinade, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Set aside.  Thread 1 meat cube onto skewer, followed by the remaining ingredients until skewer is full.  Place into a large baking dish and pour marinade over skewers.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours, or overnight.  

Preheat grill to medium heat.  Place skewers on the grill, rotating every 5-7 minutes until cooked to your liking and all veggies are done.