Pulled Chicken Sandwich

For the Rub:
1 T. each garlic powder, brown sugar, and chili powder

For the Chicken:
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
4 chicken thighs, skin removed
2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 c. Barbecue sauce
4 kaiser rolls, toasted

For the Barbecue Sauce:
1 c. ketchup
1/3 c. cider vinegar
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 T. yellow mustard
1 T. lemon juice
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
2 t. soy sauce
1 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. each kosher salt and black pepper

For the Apple Cucumber Slaw:
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 T. cider vinegar
2 T. sugar
2 t. prepared horseradish
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1 c. thinly sliced cucumber rounds
1 granny smith apple, cored, quartered, and thinly sliced
1/2 c. thin cut strips red bell pepper
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped

For the Barbecue Sauce:
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

For the Apple Cucumber Slaw:
Whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, horseradish, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
Toss with cucumber, apple, bell pepper, and parsley. Chill slaw until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes.

For the Chicken:
Preheat grill to medium high heat.
Combine garlic powder, brown sugar, chili powder, salt and thyme for the rub in a small bowl.
Place chicken breast and thighs on a large tray and toss with oil. Pat rub mixture on chicken until pieces are thoroughly coated.
Reduce heat on one side of the grill to low. Grill breast and thighs, covered, over low heat until chicken browns and crisps, about 10 minutes. Use tongs to flip chicken over. Continue grilling until chicken breast reaches an internal temperature of 165 and thigh reach an internal temperature of 175. Transfer chicken to a large bowl.
Shred chicken using two forks to pull apart meat while it's still hot, discarding bones from chicken thighs. Add barbecue sauce to bowl with shredded chicken; stir until chicken is coated. Divide meat evenly among four rolls. Top each sandwich with apple cucumber slaw.

Makes 4 sandwiches. Total time 45 minutes.

Verdict:
We ate these twice in a week. I used the short cut version though...Instead of cooking the chicken I used a rotisserie chicken. I pulled the chicken off of the bone and then put it into a pan and sprinkled it with the rub spices. Then I heated the chicken with the spices for a few minutes then added the barbecue sauce. Easy peasy and good.

Chicken With Poblano Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
1 poblano chile
2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 c. heavy cream
coarse salt and pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
*optional
1-2 jalapenos, seeded (leave seeds in one for more heat), diced

Directions:
Roast the chile over a gas burner or under the broiler, until charred all over. Wrap in a paper towel; steam for 5 minutes. Rub off the skin; remove the seeds and ribs. Chop coarsely.
Heat 1 T. oil in a small saucepan over medium heat; add the onion and garlic; cook until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add the chile, cream and jalapeno if using.
Puree in a blender; add water if too thick. Season with salt and pepper.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Cook the chicken until it is golden and juices run clear, 4-5 minutes per side. Serve with the sauce.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 25 minutes.

Verdict:
My sister had tried this recipe before I did and she said it was a little bland so she had added pickled jalapenos. I decided on regular jalapenos. I used two when I made it leaving the seeds in one. I didn't think that it was spicy. I think it gave it the little extra that it needed. If you are spice sensitive I would say that you could leave out the seeds or the jalapenos all together. I thought that it still had a light flavor. Blake liked it too.

Sauteed Chicken In Mustard Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. dry white wine or chicken broth
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 t. dried tarragon

Directions:
Sprinkle each chicken breast with 1/4 t. each salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add the chicken; saute until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate; keep warm.
Pour the wine into the hot skillet; cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Whisk in the cream, mustard, and tarragon. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
Pour any accumulated chicken juices into the sauce. Right before serving, drizzle the cream sauce over the sauteed chicken.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 25 minutes.

Verdict:
I didn't have any tarragon so I left it out. I am not sure if it would have tasted better with it. With out it it just tasted like chicken with a mustard sauce.

Lentil Walnut Burgers With Yogurt-Cilantro Sauce

For the burgers:
3/4 c. lentils, picked over and rinsed
3/4 c. walnuts
1/3 c. plain dried breadcrumbs
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. ground coriander
1/4 to 1/2 t. red pepper flakes
4 T. olive oil
1 large egg
4 hamburger buns

For the sauce:
3/4 c. plain yogurt
2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 T. lemon juice
coarse salt and pepper

For the sauce:
Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

For the burgers:
Preheat oven to 350.
Place the lentils in a small saucepan, and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the lentils are tender but still holding their shape, 15-20 minutes. Drain well and cool.
Meanwhile, spread the walnuts on a baking sheet, and toast in the oven until fragrant and darkened, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
In a food processor, combine the walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, 1 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper; process until finely ground. Add the lentils and 1 T. of the oil; pulse until coarsely chopped. (Some lentils should remain whole.)
In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add the lentil mixture; mix well. Divide into 4 equal size parts; roll into balls, and flatten with the palm of your hand into 3/4 inch thick patties.
Heat the remaining 3 T. oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the burgers; cook over medium low heat until crisp and browned, turning gently wit a thin edged spatula, 8-10 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate to drain. Serve on buns topped with yogurt sauce.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 40 minutes.

Verdict:
At least once a week I try to make a meatless meal. Sometimes when I am picking out recipes I think to myself "They are not going to like this." Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised and sometimes I am right, they don't like it. I knew when I was making this I was going out on a limb. Blake is not the biggest fan of "non meat" made to act like a burger, and then I was throwing the nuts into it. For him that is insult on top of insult. Both of us thought that it was alright. Not great. Not horrible. I think I overcooked the lentils and I didn't like that it has a spice "dryness" to it. Canon on the other hand loved it.

Grilled Greek Chicken Kebabs With Mint Feta Sauce

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces
1/2 small red onion, quartered lengthwise, layers separated
2 T. olive oil
1 t. dried oregano
3 T. red-wine vinegar
1/2 c. feta, crumbled
1/4 c. plain yogurt
1 c. fresh mint leaves, packed

Directions:
In a resealable plastic bag, combine chicken, zucchini, onion, olive oil, oregano and 2 T. vinegar; season with 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper. Marinate at room temperature 30 minutes
(or refrigerate up to overnight).
Heat grill to medium; lightly oil grates. Onto each skewer, thread 3 pieces of chicken with zucchini and onion. Grill skewers, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, 12-14 minutes.
For the sauce, blend feta, yogurt, mint and remaining tablespoon vinegar in a food processor until smooth. Serve kebabs with dipping sauce.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 1 hour with marinating.

Verdict:
I thought that these were just OK. The chicken was good but nothing to write home about. I did really like the onions though. I also think that this would taste better with a tzatziki sauce.

Garlic Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients:
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast
8 T. butter, divided
2 t. garlic, minced
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. Italian cheese blend, shredded
9 oz. fettuccine noodles
1/2 c. frozen peas, thawed (optional)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook fettuccine according to package directions.
Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 T. butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and saute until lightly browned and almost cooked. Stir in garlic; cook 2 minutes.
Add remaining 7 T. butter and cream to chicken mixture. Bring to a boil and simmer until butter melts and mixture begins to thicken, 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Drain pasta and set aside.
Stir cheese and peas into cream mixture, cook until cheese is melted and mixture thickens, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Combine chicken mixture and fettuccine.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 20 minutes.

Verdict:
I had trouble with this recipe but that is only because I didn't read the directions right and added the cream at the wrong time. Even with that complication this turned out really good. The flavor was great. I am going to try this again and perhaps I can get it to be the cream sauce it is suppose to be instead of the oily sauce I made it.

Spicy Chicken Bundles

Ingredients:
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 T. milk
1 T. pickled jalapeno slices, chopped
1/4 t. pepper
2 c. cooked chicken, cubed
1/2 c. onion, chopped
2 tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
1 T. butter, melted
4 t. seasoned bread crumbs
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. milk

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, milk, jalapenos and pepper until blended. Stir in chicken and chopped onions.
Separate crescent dough into eight rectangles; seal perforations. Spoon 1/4 c. chicken mixture onto the center of each rectangle; bring corners up to the center and pinch edges to seal.
Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with butter; sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Combine soup and milk in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through. Serve with bundles.

Makes 8 servings. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
I liked that these were a fast meal. They tasted pretty good, except that next time I would add more jalapenos just to give it more flavor.

Orecchiette With Bacon and Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes
kosher salt and pepper
1 lb. orecchiette or other short pasta
parmesan, grated

Directions:
Heat oil, in a medium saucepan. Add bacon and cook until browned and almost crisp, about 4 minutes. Add onion and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomatoes, breaking them up as you go, and season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted water, cook pasta 1 minute less than package instructions.
Reserve 1/4 c. pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.
Add sauce and pasta water to pasta and toss to combine; cook over med-high heat until sauce thickens and coats pasta, about 2 minutes.
Serve remaining pasta topped with parmesan.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 20 minutes.

Verdict:
This is a glorified spaghetti. I liked it. More than normal spaghetti. (On a side note: If you have left overs there is a recipe that uses the left overs in a different way. I will post that later too.)

Greek Chicken Roulades With White Wine Reduction

Ingredients:
12 pitted kalamata olives, divided
3 T. fresh bread crumbs
3 T. oil-packed sundried tomatoes, miced
1 T. lemon zest, minced
2 cloves garlic
1 t. dried oregano
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, halved thickness wise and pounded thin
2 t. olive oil
1/4 c. onion, diced
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 t. cornstarch

Directions:
Dice 6 olives; set aside. Process remaining 6 olives, bread crumbs, tomatoes, zest, garlic, and oregano in a food processor until minced.
Using a meat mallet, pound chicken between plastic wrap to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Spread olive-tomato filling on chicken. Roll chicken; secure with toothpicks.
Saute roulades in oil in a large nonstick skillet until browned, 4 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate. Add onion to the skillet; saute 2 minutes. Add wine; cook until liquid is reduced by half, 1-2 minutes. Add broth. Bring mixture to a boil; add diced olives and chicken rolls.
Cover skillet; reduce heat. Simmer chicken rolls 10 minutes; remove chicken to a plate. Whisk together lemon juice and cornstarch; stir into sauce in skillet. Simmer for 1 minute. Slice rolls; serve with sauce.

Makes 2 servings. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
Yum. We really liked these.

Pork Loin French Dip Sandwiches With Jus

For the jus:
1 T. olive oil
1/2 c. celery, chopped
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1/2 c. carrot, chopped
1 T. tomato paste
2 c. chicken broth
2 c. beef broth
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

For the pork:
1 T. kosher salt
2 t. ground black pepper
2 t. garlic powder
2 1/2 lb. boneless pork loin roast, trimmed, halved lengthwise
4 hoagie rolls, split

Directions:
Preheat grill to med-high.
Saute in olive oil, onion, celery and carrots for the jus in a saucepan. Cook until slightly softened, 3-4 minutes, then stir in tomato paste. Saute 1 minute, add broth and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Strain jus, season, and keep warm.
Combine seasoning for the pork, then rub them onto the roast. Grill pork, covered with a foil pan to help speed cooking. Turn roast every 10 minutes, cooking until it has browned and reached and internal temperature of 150, about 20 minutes. Remove roast from grill, and tent with foil, and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.
Toast rolls on grill while the pork rests; transfer jus to a shallow dish.
Serve by staking pork slices on each sandwich with jus on the side for dipping.

Makes 4 sandwiches. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
I love these sandwiches. We had them when Laney was blessed for our luncheon meal. I like that the jus doesn't taste processed. When I make these now I normally use the already seasoned pork loin from Costco and just cook it in the oven.

Stuffed Savoy Cabbage

For the tomato sauce:
1 can (28 oz) whole peeled plum tomatoes, with juice
2 T. olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped (1 c.)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 t. red pepper flakes
coarse salt

For the stuffed cabbage:
coarse salt
1 large head Savoy cabbage (2 to 3 lbs.)
12 oz. ground chuck
12 oz. ground pork
2 c. cooked brown rice (from 1 c. dry)
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. fresh flat leaf parsley
1 T. hot paprika

For the sauce:
Pulse tomatoes with juice in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until onion is tender, about 6 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally until slightly thick, about 20 minutes. Season with salt. Let cool completely.

For the cabbage:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cabbage head, and cook until outer leaves are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon. Peel outer layer of leaves, and drain. Return remaining cabbage to water, and repeat until all leaves are cooked and removed.
Pat each leaf dry with a kitchen towel.
Preheat oven to 375.
Gently combine beef, pork, rice, onion, parsley, paprika, and 1 T. salt.
Working with 1 leaf at a time, trim thick part of rib with a paring knife, leaving leaf intact. Arrange about 1/2 c. filling (less for smaller leaves) in center of each leaf. Fold stem end of cabbage over filling. Fold in sides of cabbage. Carefully roll cabbage over to form a package, overlapping ends to seal. Transfer each, seam side down, to a large shallow baking dish.
Spread sauce over stuffed cabbage leaves. Cover with foil and bake until cooked through and cabbage is tender, about 1 hour.

Makes 12 servings. Total time 2 hours + cooling time.

Verdict:
Things wrapped in cabbage seem so fancy. It was a good dinner but it takes a long time. If it didn't take so long I would make them again but because it is so time consuming I probably wont.

Shrimp and Grits with Tomato Cream Sauce

For the sauce:
1 T. butter
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 c. tomato, diced
1/4 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. green onions, chopped (green parts only)
1 T. dry sherry
salt and pepper to taste

For the shrimp:
1 T. butter
1 c. kielbasa, cut into 1/2" thick slices
1/4 c. onion, diced
1/4 c. red bell pepper, diced
1/4 c. yellow bell pepper, diced
1 T. garlic, minced
16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails left on)
2 t. Old Bay seasoning
1/2 t. each cayenne, kosher salt, and black pepper
2 T. dry sherry

For the grits:
1 c. white or yellow grits
salt and pepper to taste
4 t. butter, divided
milk

For the sauce:
Saute tomatoes in butter in a small saucepan. Cook for 2 minutes, then add cream and broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in scallions and 1 T. sherry. Season with salt and pepper, simmer 3 minutes. Keep sauce warm over very low heat.

For the shrimp:
Saute kielbasa in butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add onion, peppers and garlic; saute until onion is softened, about 4 minutes.
Season shrimp with old bay, cayenne, salt, and pepper, then add to kielbasa. Saute 3 minutes, or until shrimp are fully cooked. Deglaze with 2 T. sherry and cook 1 minute, or until sherry evaporates. To serve, divide grits among 4 bowls, then top with shrimp and kielbasa. Serve sauce on the side.

For the grits:
Prepare grits according to package directions (use equal parts milk and water for the liquid.) Season and keep warm.
Top each serving with 1 t. butter.

Makes 3 c. shrimp, 2 c. sauce, 3 c. grits. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
Blake specifically asked that we not have grits. Grits give him the willies because of some field trip he went on to the Provo sewage treatment plant. Don't ask. Anyhow...no grits, so we had polenta instead. Polenta and grits are like siblings so feel free to use either. This meal reminded me of something from the South. It has a lot of different flavors, each one unique on its own, but they seemed to work well together.

Tomato and Shrimp Pasta with Feta

Ingredients:
1/4 c. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. tomato paste
1 t. dried oregano
1 can whole peeled tomatoes (28 oz.)
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz)
1/3 c. kalamata olives, chopped
12 oz. penne pasta
1 1/2 lbs. large shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined
8 oz. feta

Directions:
Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 T oil. Add onion and garlic.
Cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and oregano and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and olives. Cook, breaking up tomatoes wit a spoon, until sauce thickens, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
Add 2 T. oil to pot and heat. Add shrimp and cook until opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes. Return pasta to pot and add tomato sauce; stir to combine. Serve pasta topped with feta.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 25 minutes.

Verdict:
Blake always asks if we can just have plain spaghetti and it always seems to tickle Gavin's fancy whenever we have noodles. I figured this would appease both with out have just plain spaghetti. The sauce was decent. You could make this with out the kalamata olives if you wanted, you would just want to add salt to substitute. Instead of frying the shrimp in a pan I placed them in a dish and covered them with feta and then broiled them until the feta was browned in spots and the shrimp were cooked through. I liked it like that.

Caramel Pecan Tart With Chocolate Sauce

For the dough:
Cream; Add:
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
minced zest of 1/2 an orange

For the filling:
Bring to a boil; Add and fold in:
1 1/2 sticks butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. light corn syrup
3 T. sugar
3 T. heavy cream
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. pecan halves, toasted

For the chocolate sauce:
Simmer; Pour over:
1/3 c. heavy cream
1 T. light corn syrup
3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips

For the crust:
Coat a 9 inch tart pan with nonstick spray. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Cream one stick of butter and sugar in bowl with a hand mixture until light. Add yolk and vanilla, beat until combined, then add flour, salt and zest. Mix just until a dough forms.
Press dough evenly into tart pan, trimming excess from the edges. Chill until firm, 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350.
Place tart on prepared baking sheet and bake until crust is dry to the touch but hasn't begun to brown, 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

For the filling:
Mix all ingredients for filling in a pan except for pecans and bring to a boil. Boil until it reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Off heat stir in pecans.
Pour mixture into tart shell, return to the oven and bake until filling is bubbly and crust is brown, about 20 minutes. Let tart cool completely before slicing.

For the sauce:
Simmer cream and corn syrup for the sauce in a small saucepan. Pour mixture over chocolate, let stand 2 minutes and then whisk until smooth. Serve tart with chocolate sauce over top.

Makes one 9 inch tart. Total time 1 1/2 hours + cooling.

Verdict:
Oh this was so good. I had to give away the remainder so I wouldn't eat it all. Because I would. Every last bite. It tastes like a turtle candy bar. Good.

Pot Stickers With Soy Sesame Dipping Sauce

For the pot stickers:
8 oz. napa cabbage, finely shredded (about 3 cups)
1 T. kosher salt
8 oz. ground pork
2 T. fresh ginger, minced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 t. soy sauce
2 t. dry sherry
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. sugar
2 T. sesame oil, divided
30 won ton wrappers

For the sauce:
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. rice vinegar
2 T. water
1 1/2 t. sugar
1/4 t. sesame oil
1 T. green onion, thinly sliced

For the pot stickers:
Toss cabbage with 1 T. salt. Let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse cabbage and squeeze dry. Combine with pork, ginger, green onion, soy sauce, sherry, 1 t. salt and sugar in a bowl.
Make filling in to balls using 2 t. per ball. Place balls on baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Using won ton wrappers wet all sides of wrapper using water. Place ball in center and fold wrapper over ball to make a triangle. Push down on sides to seal. Fold up two sides and then remaining third side to completely enclose. Place filled dumplings on cookie sheet.
Heat 1 T. sesame oil in skillet. Place half of the dumplings in pan and fry for 3 minutes. Carefully add 1/4 c. water and cover pan, reduce heat to low, and steam for 6-7 minutes.
Uncover pan, raise heat to medium high and cook until bottoms are crisp, about 3 minutes. Repeat pan frying with remaining dumplings, adding 1 T. oil and another 1/4 c. water.

For the sauce:
Heat all ingredients in a saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Transfer to bowl for dipping.

Makes 30 pot stickers. Total time 2 hours (with chilling time included)

Verdict:
I love that I made something that you normally think you can only get at restaurants. They tasted exactly what I thought they should taste like. Blake says he would like them with a little less ginger.

Ham, Asparagus and Swiss Cheese Crepes With Mustard Sauce

For the crepes:
2 eggs
1 1/4 c. milk
1 c. flour
2 T. vegetable oil
1/4 t. kosher salt

For the filling:
8 oz. cooked ham, chopped
1 c. shredded swiss cheese
1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut in half

For the sauce:
4 T. butter
1/4 c. flour
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. milk
1/4 c. stone ground mustard

For the crepe:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl using a hand mixer on low speed. Scrape sides of bowl and mix on high until ingredients are thoroughly combined, about 10 seconds. Cover batter and chill at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over med heat for 2-3 minutes.
Spray bottom of skillet with nonstick spray. Measure 1/4 c. of batter; pour it to the side of the skillet . Immediately twirl skillet to coat bottom.
Cook crepe until edges begin to brown about 1 minute. Loosen with a spatula. Gently flip crepe and cook another 20-30 seconds. Continue cooking crepes, coating pan with nonstick spray for each one.
Place filling in crepes and place on baking sheet seam side down. Bake at 400 until cheese has melted about 15-20 min.

For the sauce:
Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in flour; cook about 1 minute. Whisk in broth and milk; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer sauce for 3 minutes. Whisk in mustard, salt and pepper; simmer to heat through. Serve over crepe.

Makes 10 crepes. Total time 40 minutes + chilling + cooking.

Verdict:
The crepes were good. They were pretty easy to make once I got the hang of it. I guess when I imagine crepes I imagine sweet yummy goodness so adding ham and cheese and a mustard sauce kinda put me through a loop. They were not bad. The sauce was kind of rich and a little too thick for me so I added some water. Next time I make them I will have them with strawberries and whip cream.

Asian Chicken Rolls With Plum Sauce

Sorry this is a little out of order.For the rolls:

1/3 c. green onions, chopped
6 T. cilantro, divided
1/2 t. ground ginger
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed, uncooked
2 T. soy sauce
1 t. chili garlic sauce
1 egg, separated
1/2 c. canned water chestnuts, chopped
1 sheet purchased puff pastry
1 tsp. each white and black sesame seeds

For the sauce:
1/2 c. plum jam
2 T. lime juice
2 T. water
1 T. ketchup
1/4 t. each salt and red pepper flakes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor mince green onions, 3 T. cilantro and ginger. Add chicken, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and egg white. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and fold in water chestnuts.
Roll pastry on floured work surface to 14-inch square then half lengthwise. Divide chicken mixture between portions of dough, spreading along the bottom edge of each piece of pastry.
Roll to enclose filling and transfer to baking sheet, seam side down.
Beat egg yolk and 1 T. water, brush onto logs, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake until golden, about 20-25 minutes, let cool slightly, then slice each log into 1-inch pieces.
Simmer all sauce ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat for 5 minutes. Let cool and then stir in remaining cilantro.

Makes 30 1-inch rolls. Total time 1 hour.

Verdict:
I enjoyed these quite a bit and the sauce that goes with them is yummy. They are fast to make. It is like take out at home. I made the mix in the morning and then put them together right before dinner time. I think I will cook them a little longer next time just to make them a little extra crispy. On a side note, I forgot to add water chestnuts. They were still good so if you don't like water chestnuts go without.

Southwestern Egg Rolls With Chipotle Cream Dip

For the egg rolls:
1 1/2 c. turkey, ground
1 t. each ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder
2 T. olive oil
4 c. fresh spinach
1/4 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/4 c. canned black beans, drained, rinsed
1/4 c. roasted red peppers, sliced
1/4 c. green onions, chopped
2 T. jalapeno, seeded, minced
1/2 c. monterey jack, shredded
egg roll wrappers
1 egg, beaten with 1 T. water

For the chipotle cream dip:
1/2 c. sour cream
2 T. lime juice
1 T. honey
1/2 t. adobo sauce from canned chipotle in adobo

For the egg rolls:
Saute turkey and spices in oil in a large nonstick skillet until cooked through. Stir in spinach, corn, beans, red pepper, scallions, and jalapeno.
Cook until spinach wilts. off heat add cheese and salt.
Assemble by laying wrapper on work surface with a corner toward you. Brush edges with egg wash . Place 1/4 c. filling on wrapper and fold bottom corner over filling, tucking tightly. Fold in sides and roll to the end. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
Heat 2 c. vegetable oil for frying. Fry egg rolls until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

For dipping sauce:
Combine all ingredients. Serve with egg rolls.

Makes 8-12 egg rolls. Total time 35 minutes.

Verdict:
I changed a couple of things in this recipe. First I used a whole package of ground turkey so naturally I added more of all the other ingredients. I also added more spices. Sarah made the dipping sauce and she used more adobo sauce then what it called for. We also used this as a dip too. Have you ever had the southwestern egg rolls from Chili's? Those are exactly what these taste like.

Shrimp Tacos With Jalapeno Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 c. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. pickled jalapeno peppers
2 Tbsp. red onion, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
1 Tbsp. capers, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. lime juice
1 c. green cabbage, shredded
1 c. red cabbage, shredded
3 Tbsp. olive oil
8 corn tortillas
24 shrimp, peeled and deveined
blackened seasoning (I like zatarans)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.
In a food processor pulse together mayonnaise, jalapenos, onion, capers, and lime juice.
Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven for about 10 minutes.
Toss green and red cabbage together in bowl with 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Season shrimp with seasoning. In a skillet heat remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil and cook shrimp until cooked through.
Serve shrimp inside a corn tortilla with cabbage and tartar sauce.

Makes 8 tacos. Total time 25 minutes.

Verdict:
I am pretty sure I have waxed strong on my love of fish tacos. I think I feel about the same about shrimp tacos. They were fast and good. Two things I like in a meal.

Southern Pork Tenderloin with Chow Chow, Beans and Greens

For the pork:
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. each kosher salt, pepper, and garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 pork tenderloin, trimmed (about 1 1/2 lbs.)

For the Chow Chow:
1/2 c. yellow mustard
1/4 c. onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish (I think sweet relish is nasty so I opted for dill relish)
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

For the beans and greens:
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 c. onion, diced
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. dry sherry
1 can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. chicken broth (I used 1/4 c. water and one bouillon cube)
1 bunch mustard greens (I used turnip greens)
2 tsp. cider vinegar

For the pork:
Preheat grill
Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl. Stir in oil. Rub mixture over pork tenderloin.
Grill pork, covered, turning every 3 minutes until cooked through. Remove pork from grill and tent with foil. Serve sliced and with chow chow sauce.

For the Chow Chow:
Simmer all ingredients for chow chow in a small saucepan over medium low heat for 3-4 minutes.

For the beans and greens:
Heat oil in saute pan add onion and cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Deglaze with sherry. Simmer until sherry has evaporated, about 1 minute.
Stir in black eyed peas and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook 2-3 minutes. Add mustard greens and cook until wilted 2-3 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 4. Total time 30 minutes

Verdict:
This was good. I have had a lot of pork that is like this with the spices all a little different. So it was nothing super special but it was good. The mustard sauce was good. Better than the mustard sauce that went with Cubano chicken. I liked the beans and green the best. What can I say I am a fan of the black eyed peas (musically and for eating.) Laney ate the beans and Gavin ate some pork after much persuasion. Blake didn't say he loved it but also didn't say that he didn't like it. That is really no help is it? Just try it. I am sure you won't dislike it.