Frank's Gyros

Yes, I have another Frank's Hot Sauce recipe to share, and this is why: Ethan. While we were making our menu for the next two weeks, he rattled off three different Frank's recipes that we have made. What I learned from that is that Ethan can never be left in charge of the menu, and that there are lots of different ways to use Frank's without making it too spicy. This is really a mixture of two different recipe, but I will put everything in this post. 

4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
A drizzle of oil


Pound out the chicken so it is about 1/2 inch thin. Put the rub on the chicken and then saute in pan until cooked through.Thinly slice the chicken.

In the meantime slice up all your favorite salad veggies. We used:

Lettuce
Tomato
Cucumber
Carrot

Place a small portion of the chicken onto a thin wrap. We just used the wheat flavor. You want to put in in a thin layer that spreads across the width of the wrap. Then layer on your veggies. Finally spoon over a little bit of our favorite Blue cheese dressing. Finally start wrapping. Just remember that the tighter you make your wrap, the better everything will stay in.

Willena's Blue Cheese Dressing

1 Cup Best Foods Mayonaise

4 Oz. Blue Cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

¼ Cup Dry White Wine, or White wine Vinegar

1 TBSP Onion, Graded

4-5 Drops Tabasco

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

I posted this already but for some reason it didn't show up...

Anyway, I made these to take to Lexi's soccer game the other night for dinner and they were so good. Everyone was drooling over them so we had to share! I love the shredded carrots in them!

I got this recipe idea from familyfun.com and changed it up a bit.

BBQ chicken sandwiches

3 chicken breasts

1/2 c. shredded carrots

1/3 c. bbq sauce

3 Tbls. ranch dressing

8 hamburger buns or large rolls

fresh spinach

avocado

Grill the chicken breasts on the bbq, brushing with bbq sauce while they cook. Shred with a fork and place in a large bowl. Add carrots, bbq sauce, and ranch dressing and mix to combine.

Spoon into rolls and top with spinach and avocado, if desired.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Ethan and I love Frank's Hot Sauce, and Buffalo wings, so this fun sandwich version was a no-brainer for us. I'm so glad that we tried it because it has quickly turned into one of our go-to recipes. These sandwiches are wonderful, easy and pack a great punch! Thank you Rachel Ray

Ingredients

• 4 pieces, 6 ounces each, boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 /3 palm full
• 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/3 palm full
• A drizzle extra-virgin olive oil

Sauce for chicken:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup, 4 ounces, cayenne pepper sauce, preferred brand Frank's Red Hot
• Bib or leaf lettuce leaves
• 4 crusty rolls, split
• 2 cups sour cream
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound blue cheese, crumbled
• Small red onion, thinly sliced
• 8 ribs celery, cut into sticks
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into sticks

Directions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder. Drizzle breast with a little extra virgin olive oil to coat. Pan grill chicken breasts 5 minutes on each side.

Heat a metal or oven safe glass bowl over low heat and melt butter in the bowl. Add hot sauce to the butter and combine. When the chicken breasts are done, remove from pan and add to the bowl and coat evenly with hot sauce mixture.
Place chicken breasts on bun bottoms and top with crisp lettuce. Combine sour cream, scallions and blue cheese and slather bun tops with blue cheese sour cream. Affix bun tops on sandwiches and serve with remaining sauce for dipping your veggies. Arrange Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches on dinner plates with red onion, celery and carrot sticks.

Rustic Bread

I love this recipe!  I could eat it just the bread for a meal and be happy.   Although, a panini on this bread is just heaven to me.  It is so simple, fool proof and delicious. 

Rustic Pan Bread

2 cups warm water

1 Tablespoon sugar or honey

1 Tablespoon yeast

4 cups flour

2 tsp salt

melted butter ( I use 3-4T.)

In a bowl dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. Let sit for a few minutes. Stir in flour and salt. Dough will still be quite sticky...like really sticky!  You did not mess it up, don't worry.

Place in greased bowl, you can practically pour it in!  Cover and let rise until double in size. About 20 minutes.

Grease a small cookie sheet/jelly roll pan. Spread dough flat onto sheet with palm of hand. It helps to spread the dough a little and then add the melted butter to spread into corners.  Spread melted butter on top. You can also add Garlic Parmesan Blend, sesame seeds, dried rosemary, or just butter!

Let dough rise again for 20 min.  Bake 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Cut into squares to serve.

***Makes one awesome panini!!!

Rachael Ray's Sloppy Joe's

This is in no way a gourmet meal. I saw it on Rachael Ray at least 3 years ago and thought it looked good so I made it, switching it up a bit, and my family loves it. I usually have most, if not all, of the ingredients on hand too. The sauce is kind of sweet but savory and the pepper and onion are super yummy in here too. I'll give the recipe my way but if you want to see Rachael Ray's version click here (she uses ground turkey, amongst other differences).

I know you are super jealous of my 50 cent Fred Meyer buns. And I'll be the first to admit that these pictures are not the best!

Sloppy Joes

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 to 1 1/2 lbs hamburger (I usually use 1 lb)

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp grill seasoning blend (I use McCormick's Grill Seasoning for Chicken)

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup (8 oz can) tomato sauce

Hamburger buns or crusty rolls

Add oil to pan on medium high heat and add onion and pepper. Let soften for a couple of minutes and add hamburger and brown; drain. Meanwhile, mix the grill seasoning, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce together and mix into the hamburger. Let simmer on low for 10 minutes. Add to buns or rolls and enjoy!

Tortas

Kristi's husband--DJ--served his mission in Mexico. I don't know how, but I remember him telling us about these stands where you could buy sandwiches. While I was searching for a recipe to use up my round steak, I stumbled upon a recipe and it clicked! I decided I had to try it. I liked it because it's a little different from typical American sandwiches. I asked him about it later and he said there are all kinds--he specifically mentioned pineapples.

I looked it up online and found this in Wikipedia. Maybe too much information, but I never had heard of these before:

A torta is a Mexican sandwich, served on an oblong 6-8 inch firm, crusty white sandwich roll, called a bolillo, telera or birote. Tortas can be served hot or cold. Common ingredients may include, but are not limited to:

Al pastor: (marinated pork)
Alambre: (steak, bacon, onion, pepper and cheese)
Carne asada: (marinated steak)
Carne deshebrada: (shredded beef)
Carnitas: (fried tender pork)
Chile relleno: (white cheese-stuffed Anaheim or poblano green pepper fried in egg batter)
Choriqueso: (Chorizo with cheese)
Cochinita pibil: (pork loin in orange sauce)
Camarón: shrimp
Huevo con salchicha: (sausage and scrambled egg)
Huevo con Jamón: (Ham and scrambled egg)
Huevo con tocino: (Bacon and scrambled egg)
Huevo con Bolonia: (Bologna and scrambled egg)
Chilorio:(pork fried in chile sauce)
Jamón: Ham
Lengua: beef tongue
Milanesa: (breaded steak)
Pescado: fried fish
Pechuga de pavo: turkey breast
Pollo: chicken

Some styles include:
Cubana: Inspired by the popular Cuban sandwich. Typically includes a wide variety of ingredients: ham, white cheese, scrambled eggs, sausage, milanesa and chipotle.
Torta ahogada: a sandwich filled with carnitas and submerged in sauce. Very popular in Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Garnishes such as avocado, sour cream, lettuce, jalapeño, tomato, and cheese feature in various incarnations of the sandwich. The dish is popular throughout Mexico, and is also available anywhere with a large number of Mexican immigrants.

So there you go! And here is the recipe!

Tortas
(Allrecipes)

4 (3 ounce) thin-cut beef round steaks
4 Mexican-style sandwich rolls (bolillos)
1/4 cup sour cream, divided
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans - drained, rinsed, and mashed - divided
2 avocados - peeled, pitted and sliced
2 large tomatoes, sliced
2 pickled jalapeno peppers, sliced into quarters lengthwise
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce, divided
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 cup crumbled queso fresco (Mexican fresh cheese), divided
1 lime, quartered

Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and pan-fry the round steaks 5 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness. (Since I used round steak, and it's a tougher meat I slow cooked mine. First I seasoned it with garlic salt and browned it for a few minutes on both sides. Then, I added a cup of water and let it simmer on low for a few hours.)

Slice the rolls lengthwise. Spread about 1 tablespoon of sour cream onto one side of each roll, and top with about 1/3 cup of mashed pinto beans per sandwich. Place a cooked round steak per sandwich on top of the pinto beans, and then layer each sandwich with one-fourth of the avocado slices, tomato slices, and sliced pickled jalapenos, about 1/2 cup of shredded lettuce, 1/4 cup of cilantro, and 1/4 cup of crumbled queso fresco cheese. Squeeze a lime wedge over each sandwich, close, and serve.

I actually found bolillos in the bakery section of Macey's. I was a little surprised. After I sliced it, I spread butter on it and toasted it stove top.

As for the cheese--the deli didn't have it. But, I found out it's like a crumbly mozzarella. So, I opted for some American cheese. My taste isn't all that fancy and it doesn't really seem to matter to me.

So, play around and have fun. Ole'!

Chicken Salad Sonoma

We had this chicken salad on croissants at our Relief Society birthday dinner. It was super yummy. I could have totally eaten two or three of them if I wasn't on a diet! The girl who made them finally posted the recipe on her own blog so I could steal it and put it on mine! Plus, who doesn't need more recipes that are good for warm summer days?

Chicken Salad Sonoma

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
5 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons poppyseeds
sea salt, to taste
ground pepper, to taste

Salad:
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted
2 cups red seedless grapes, halved
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced

Prepare the dressing by thoroughly mixing together all dressing ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to dress the salad. Can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.
Cook chicken. Cool in fridge for 2 hours. Dice them into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in pecans, grapes, celery and dressing. Enjoy on croissants, bagel bread, or large pieces of lettuce, however you like to eat your chicken salad!

Tuna Salad and Cheese Roll Up

I am so excited for warm weather and all the yummy foods that come with it! In that respect--here is a recipe I found by watching Martha a few years ago. It's now a favorite of mine!

Tuna Salad and Cheese Roll-Ups
(marthastewart.com)

1 small crisp apple, peeled, cored, and very finely chopped
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 (6-ounce) cans solid white tuna packed in water
2 ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
½ cup light mayonnaise
½ teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lavash flatbread (I use tortillas)
6 slices cheese, such as Kraft Singles
4 lettuce leaves, preferably green leaf

In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice until coated. Add the tuna, celery, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper and stir with a fork until tuna is broken up and mixture is combined. Lay the lavash on a large sheet of parchment paper on a work surface and cover with the cheese slices in a single layer, followed by a single layer of lettuce leaves. Evenly place the tuna salad along the bottom edge of the lavash. Using the parchment as a guide, tightly roll the sandwich beginning with a long side and wrap tightly in the parchment, taping the paper as necessary.

Strawberry Breakfast

This isn't so much of a recipe, but an idea. Strawberries are quite cheap right now, $1.50 for a container at most stores around here, and we buy them in bulk. I created a breakfast the other day that is to die for. We have it almost daily:

2 slices whole-grain bread per person (or your favorite bread)
About 8 strawberries per person, washed, hulled, and sliced
Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)

Toast bread. Spread immediately with Nutella (the heat from the toast helps melt it slightly). Top with sliced strawberries. Enjoy!

A similar version would be to toast the bread, top with the strawberries and sprinkle with chocolate chips, and broil. You could broil the Nutella version. The strawberries have this great flavor when heated. Just don't burn. =)

Chicken Cacciatore Subs

This is a Rachael Ray recipe. As much as I like her, I'm not usually a big fan of her recipes. Well this one got 5 out of 5 stars and rave reviews, so I tried it. It looks like a lot of ingredients, but most of the stuff you should have on hand or can use alternates. It is delicious, but definitely makes more than 4 sandwiches. After making 4 subs, I used the leftovers to create a bolognese-style pasta dish by adding some spaghetti, some pasta water (the water you cooked the pasta in so it's starchy and a little salty) and another 14 oz can of crushed tomato. It was yummy and didn't even taste like the subs, so it really was like 2 meals in one!

4 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast, 6 to 8 ounces each
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, plus 2 tablespoons
Grill seasoning blend, or salt and pepper (I used McCormick Montreal Chicken Seasoning)
4 sub rolls, split
2 cloves garlic, cracked away from skins (I minced 3 large cloves- I love garlic)
1 teaspoon red crushed pepper flakes (WAY too much, I used about 1/2 teaspoon)
2 large portobello mushroom caps, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 large onion, white or brown skinned, sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/3 palm full
1/2 cup dry red wine or stock -- chicken or beef flavor
1 (14-ounce) can, crushed tomatoes
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (Yummy, but you can skip this or used dried)
1/3 pound deli sliced provolone (We used 2 slices per sandwich, but Rach used only 1)

Heat a grill pan or large skillet. Drizzle chicken with oil, to cover,and season with grill seasoning blend or salt and pepper. Grill or pan-fry 6 minutes on each side.

Heat broiler, lightly toast rolls on cookie sheet and remove.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, mushrooms, peppers, onions and oregano. Saute veggies and season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, then deglaze the pan with wine or stock. Pick up tasty bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or heat safe spatula. Add tomatoes and parsley to the sauce. Slice chicken breasts on an angle and set into sauce. Pile chicken and veggies into sub rolls and cover with sliced provolone. Melt cheese under hot broiler. Serve.

Chicken Cashew Pasta Salad

We made this chicken salad with Super Saturday back when I was in charge of it. It's a pasta salad, but was delicious on croissants too. Now trust me on this. You may look at it and think it's nothing special, but it is very yummy. I'm not the biggest fruit salad fan, but it's good. I made it once for our lunch bunch (remember Kristi?). Let me know how much you love it!


Chicken Cashew Pasta Salad
(Jackie Robertson, Cami Moos)

2 pkg curly macaroni
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & cubed
2 cans pineapple tidbits
1 can water chestnuts
2 cups red or green grapes
1 can cashews (soup can size, put in last)
1 cup celery, chopped
½ green onion, chopped
4 Granny Smith apples, chopped & soaked in pineapple juice
1 lg bottle Kraft Coleslaw Dressing

Cook pasta & add remaining ingredients. Put cashews in right before serving. Use dressing to taste. If salad needs more moisture, some pineapple juice or mayonnaise may be added.