Grown-Up Grilled Cheese

I love a good grilled cheese. Sometimes there's nothing better than a simple few pieces of white bread and a Kraft single. But on cold winter days, I absolutely love a grown-up grilled cheese.

Start with a loaf of rye bread.

Add a few pieces of good yellow cheddar (I use Boar's Head Vermont Yellow.)

Add a few pieces of sliced pickle. (I take a whole Claussen kosher dill and slice it thin.)

Top it with a buttered piece of rye. (I also use whole grain mustard on one side... lots of it.)

Toast to golden brown perfection.

Add fruit, to make yourself feel better about all that cheese.

Cut in half, so you can see the gorgeous melted cheese.

Enjoy.

Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Quick, easy, simple, delicious, and not too bad to look at. I recommend this for your next get-together. Make it ahead of time and drizzle with chocolate syrup and top with a mint sprig just before you serve. Note - I sweeten the whipped cream that goes on top of the pie.

Peanut Butter Cream Pie

8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. confectioner’s sugar
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 c. chopped roasted peanuts, optional
4 c. heavy cream, whipped until thick
1 prepared 9-inch graham cracker crust
1/2 c. chopped salted peanuts
1 c. chocolate sauce
1/4 lb. chocolate, shaved into curls
Fresh mint sprigs

Using an electric mixer, fitted with the whip attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the peanut butter, milk and roasted peanuts and beat well. Fold 2 c. whipped cream into the cheese mixture. Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Place the pie in the refrigerator and chill completely, about 2 hours. Slice the pie into 8 servings. To assemble, place 1 piece of pie on each plate. Dollop each piece of pie with the remaining whipped cream. Garnish each piece with the salted peanuts, drizzle of chocolate sauce, chocolate curls and mint.

Warm Cinnamon Crisps with Hot Chocolate

I found this recipe when I was looking for Super Bowl recipes. I thought it looked so good, and the other night when I was craving something sweet but didn't want to go out to buy something (and I was totally out of brownie mix!), I remembered this recipe. I wish I'd found it years ago!

You start with half a stick of butter, cut into pats, and spread out on a small rimmed baking sheet.

Next, cut a few tortillas into 2-1/2 inch rounds. (If you have a set of biscuit cutters, it should be the tiniest guy you have.)


Cinnamon Sugar.

Next, you melt the butter in a 500* F oven and place the tortilla rounds on the baking sheet. Turn each one once (I used tongs) so they're covered in the butter and sprinkle liberally with the cinnamon sugar. Bake for 3-5 minutes or until they look like this:


Oh my goodness. Gorgeous.

Mmmmm. Here's the closeup.

I also made homemade hot chocolate to go along with it.

The finished product. A perfect warm, cozy, yummy and happy little snack.

I love this recipe and highly recommend it. It is so easy and so cute!

Warm Cinnamon Crisps with Hot Chocolate (Courtesy of Fine Cooking)

Two 9- to 10-inch flour tortillas

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 c. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3 c. whole or 2% milk
1 c. heavy cream

6 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 500°F. Use a biscuit cutter to cut the tortillas into sixteen 2-1/2-inch rounds. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Put the butter on a rimmed baking sheet and put the baking sheet in the oven until the butter is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and spread the tortilla rounds on the sheet, turning to coat both sides in the butter. Sprinkle the tops with the cinnamon sugar and return to the oven. Bake until the rounds are golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool slightly.

Combine the milk and heavy cream in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the chocolate until melted. Whisk in the vanilla. Pour into mugs and serve with the warm cinnamon crisps on the side.

Note: I only used 1/3 the hot chocolate recipe, and it was plenty. I also like my hot chocolate a little more rich so I added about 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa with the chopped chocolate.

Pecan Crusted Chicken

Chicken that tastes like fried chicken, but isn't fried?! I can handle that... (FYI, I have a pretty serious aversion to frying things. It's not healthy - I'd rather have dessert if I'm not going to be healthy - and it stinks up the house and makes a huge mess... but it just tastes so darn good!) Needless to say, my brother (who has the palate of a 5 year-old) loved this chicken. In his words, "I ... actually LIKE this!" If that seal of approval isn't enough to convince you, maybe the pictures will do the trick:

Pecan Crusted Chicken

Greens dressed with homemade Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Honey Butter

My dear friends, while this recipe takes a tad more time than the average recipe, it is a culinary showstopper. It tastes amazing, is very healthy, takes little effort, and it fills you without making you feel stuffed. (Translation: leaves room for dessert!!) If you make nothing else, try the honey mustard dressing - it is so easy and so much better than any other honey mustard out there! (Except for Rush Street in Kingsport, of course.) This meal serves 4, but it is easy to scale down portions or add extra servings as necessary.

Pecan Crusted Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise and pounded slightly
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 egg whites
2 tsp. cornstarch
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 c. ciabatta breadcrumbs, toasted in 200* F. oven for 10-15 minutes
3/4 c. very finely chopped pecans
1/2-1 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
3 Tbsp. olive oil

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Season both sides of each chicken breast half with salt and pepper. Set up a dredging station (I use pie tins or shallow dishes):

1) Flour
2) Egg whites, corn starch, and lemon juice, whisked together
3) Breadcrumbs, pecans, and cayenne

Dip each chicken breast half in flour, shaking off excess. Next, dip in egg white mixture (make sure chicken is well-coated), then into breadcrumb mixture. Put chicken breasts on a paper towel-lined wire rack to rest for 20 minutes.

Heat oven to 350* F. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium/medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, sear chicken breasts for about 3 minutes on one side. Turn chicken and put into oven for 5-7 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from oven (do yourself a favor and put a towel on the handle of the hot skillet to keep yourself from burning your hand!), and serve immediately.

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

1/4 c. honey
3 Tbsp. dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. finely minced shallot
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together all ingredients in a shaker. (Don't put the honey in the shaker first - it will take a lot more effort to get it off the bottom!) For an extra treat, dress a big bowl of greens with this dressing, and slice and serve chicken on top of the greens. The chicken is surprisingly good with this dressing.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Honey Butter

4 sweet potatoes, washed
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
1-2 tsp. honey, or to taste
1/4-1/2 tsp. cinnamon, or to taste
Pinch salt

Heat oven to 450* F. Wrap potatoes in foil and bake for about an hour, or until fork-tender (depends on thickness of potatoes). Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. (This is the perfect time to turn down the heat and put the chicken in the oven.) Meanwhile, mix together butter, honey, cinnamon, and salt. Split potatoes and serve with 1 Tbsp. butter.

Cross Rib Roast

This pot roast is OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD. My brother didn't even sit down to eat - he just stood over the meat, cutting pieces off and eating them until he was full. It's easy and delicious, good enough to serve to company, doesn't require any attention, AND the meat was incredibly cheap! I had never heard of a "Cross Rib Roast" before, but I would recommend using this cut of meat.   I am sure using a different cut of meat would also be a success - the cross rib roast just has a large ribbon of fat running through it that helps keep it tender and moist. (As you are cutting it, be aware that one small end of the roast will be really marbled, rendering it almost inedible.) 

I used a 3.5 lb roast and the 2-hour at 275* variation and it was absolutely delectable. I also cut up a bunch of veggies (carrots, potatoes, red onion) and threw it in the bottom of the pan. The potatoes soaked up all the juices and were incredibly tender and delicious without being mealy - my favorite! I like mine tender but not mushy, so I don't cook them the whole time the roast cooks. Also, if you don't dress the veggies with anything before putting them in the oven, they tend to get dry. I added olive oil and S&P to the veggies and tossed before putting them in the oven. I let the roast cook for about 45 minutes before putting the vegetables in, then cooked the roast with the veggies another 20 minutes, then pulled the roast out to rest for 15 minutes and left the veggies in, then pulled them out to eat. (Sounds way more complicated than it is.) Perfection!

Cross Rib Roast

2-lb. cross rib roast (can use larger)
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dried rosemary

Brush roast with vinegar. Make a paste with remaining ingredients (I used a mortar and pestle) and apply to meat. Roast meat at 450° F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and cook for 40-60 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 125° F. (Variation: Reduce heat to 275° F and roast for 75-90 minutes.) Remove from oven; cover loosely with foil and let stand 15-25 minutes.

Thai Pineapple Red Curry

I absolutely LOVE eating at Spicy Thai in Provo. It is amazing. I think this recipe comes pretty darn close to my favorite dish, Pineapple Yellow Curry. It is remarkably easy and comes together quickly, AND (this is my biggest hang-up when it comes to oriental food) you don't need a lot of crazy ingredients to make it. Also, don't mix up Thai curry with Indian curry - the two are totally different. Thai curry is bright and beautiful, and Indian curry ... well... it looks gross. THIS is Thai curry:

Gorgeous! I love eating with my eyes. I absolutely adore bright colors in my food and I think this dish fits that well. :) I made this vegetarian because I'm instituting Meatless Mondays, but you could easily add some rotisserie or leftover chicken to this dish, or even add extra water and poach thinly sliced raw chicken breast as you cook the veggies.  To serve with the curry I just made a simple jasmine rice. So yummy!

Thai Pineapple Red Curry (adapted from Fine Cooking)

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. red Thai curry paste (on the Asian foods aisle in a small glass jar, near sauces)
2 c. snap peas, trimmed and cut in half on the diagonal
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 c. pineapple chunks, drained
14-oz. can coconut milk, well stirred
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
Kosher salt
1 c. loosely packed Thai basil (or regular basil, torn into small pieces), optional
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. fresh lime juice

Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 20 seconds. Take the pan off of the heat and stir in the snap peas, shallots, peppers, onion, pineapple, coconut milk, sugar, 1 c. water, and 1 Tbsp. salt. Stir to combine. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the basil and lime juice. Let rest off the heat for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Note: If available, add 6 wild lime leaves with vegetables. To make a meat dish, add 2-3 c. shredded rotisserie chicken.

Cantonese Orange Stir Fry

Beautiful. Simple. Comes together quickly, and presents pretty well! You can serve this with rice - since it was just me eating and it's hard to cook for one, I just left the rice out and ate the whole thing by myself. :) This would also be delicious with broccoli.

Cantonese Orange Stir Fry

For the Sauce:
1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. homemade or lower-salt canned chicken broth
2 Tbsp. thawed frozen orange juice concentrate
1-1/2 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

For the Stir-Fry:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of any fat or sinew
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Ground white pepper
1 c. sliced carrots (I used pre-cut matchsticks)
1 c. green bell pepper strips (2x1/3-inch strips)
1 c. sliced shiitake mushroom caps (I used cremini)
1 c. sliced red onions (1/2-inch slices)
2 Tbsp. very thinly sliced scallions
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. minced garlic

For the Sauce:
In a measuring cup, combine the cornstarch with the soy sauce, whisking to blend. Then whisk in the chicken broth, orange juice concentrate, oyster sauce, sugar, and minced ginger.

For the Stir-Fry:
Cut the chicken across the grain into 1/4-inch slices, then into pieces 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Season the chicken with kosher salt and a dash of white pepper; toss to combine. Fill a small bowl with water and keep it near the stove. Heat a 12-inch skillet or a stir-fry pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 Tbs. of the vegetable oil, swirl to coat the pan evenly, and heat until the oil just barely begins to smoke, about 30 seconds (only a light haze is necessary). Add the seasoned chicken. Let it sear for about 15 seconds and then begin to stir occasionally (every 10 seconds or so) until its raw appearance is gone but the center is slightly undercooked — 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to the pan and swirl to coat evenly. Add the carrots, green bell peppers, mushrooms, and red onions and 1 Tbsp. water and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the scallions, ginger and garlic and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 1 to 4 minutes. If the bottom of the pan looks like it's starting to burn, add more water, 1 Tbsp. at a time.

Stir the chicken back into the pan and cook for another 30 seconds to reheat and blend the flavors. Whisk the sauce to recombine it. Pour the sauce into the pan, stirring well to coat evenly, and cook until it thickens, 15 to 20 seconds. Transfer the stir-fry to a bowl and serve immediately.

Easiest PB&C Ice Cream Sundae

If you like Peanut Butter and Chocolate, and you are also a fan of easy desserts / NOT really cooking, this is the best!



Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ice Cream Sundae

Vanilla Ice Cream
Chocolate syrup or ganache
Peanut Butter

Melt 1-2 Tbsp. peanut butter in microwave. Drizzle over a few scoops vanilla ice cream. Drizzle chocolate syrup or ganache over peanut butter, and serve. You could also crush up a few Reese's cups for an extra special treat, but I love it just like this!

PS: Ganache is really easy. Take chocolate chips (the higher quality, the better) and warmed heavy cream and mix together until smooth.