Marinated Steak Panini

I love sandwiches. I mean what's not to love... meat, cheese and bread all rolled into one. Then you can add all your favorite toppings and condiments. It's great. For some reason, my boyfriend, Stephen, thinks it is funny that I eat sandwiches so much. But he wasn't laughing about this steak sandwich, because he was too busy chowing down.

Steak Marinade

2 lbs. steak

4 chipotle peppers

2 T. A1 steak sauce

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 t. garlic powder

1 t. paprika

1 t. onion powder

Salt and pepper

In food processor, add all ingredients except steak. Grind until ingredients form a paste. Marinade steak for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Broil steak to desired doneness. Let rest for 10 minutes and slice thinly.

*Build your panini with your favorite cheese and toppings.

*I don't have a panini press, so I use a brick wrapped in foil to flatten out and crisp up my sandwich.

Potato Soup

I have been messing around with the settings on my camera and I'm not sure what I did, but the coloring of this picture is off. I don't know why but I need to figure it out before I take anymore pictures.

Ok Ms. Tori, here is the potato soup for you. Enjoy.

Potato Soup

3 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 onion, diced

1 bay leaf

2 cans chicken broth

2 c. half and half

Salt and pepper

Scallions, chopped

In large pot, use 2 tablespoons of bacon grease, add onions, salt, pepper and bay leaf, cook for 5 minutes. Par cook potatoes in boiling water for about 7 minutes. Drain potatoes and add to pot. Add broth and half and half. Bring to a boil and let potatoes cook the rest of the way through, stirring occasionally. When potatoes are tender, using potato masher, lightly mash some of the potatoes to thicken up liquid. Stir bacon into soup. Top with scallions.

Meat Pie

There is something about the name Meat Pie that just seems odd to me. But there is a story behind why I am calling this Meat Pie. Just before Thanksgiving last year, I asked my boyfriend, Stephen, if his parents would like a pecan pie. He told me no, so I then started asking if his parents would like other pies like pumpkin, apple, etc. Finally he told me that they really don't eat sweets and if I wanted to make them a pie, I should make a meat pie... WHAT?!? This was a conversation where we were definitely not on the same page.


Meat Pie
adapted from Rachael Ray Mag
1 1/2 lbs. steak, cubed
1 medium potato, skinned and cubed
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 carton mushrooms, sliced
2 T. flour
1 t. fresh thyme
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 c. dark beer
1 t. ground red pepper
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
Grill Seasoning

In large skillet, add potatoes and cook for 4 minutes. Add carrots and onion, cook for 2 minutes. Toss steak with flour, add to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce and ground red pepper, cook for 1 minute. Add beer and let simmer for 10 minutes, or until liquid had reduced and thickened. Roll one puff pastry sheet out and put in the bottom of a pie pan. Add meat mixture. Roll out other sheet, top meat mixture and crimp the edges. Mix egg with 1 teaspoon of water and brush on pie. Sprinkle pie with grill seasoning and cut slits in puff pastry. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Cover with foil during last 10 minutes so the crust doesn't burn.

Shrimp with Vegetables and Rice Pilaf

I'm not a big fan of the name of this meal. It's a description but not a great name. But I don't have a better name, so it will just have to do. I wanted to hold on to some of my favorite summer vegetables before they are completely out of season. And it was quite yummy.

Shrimp with Vegetables

2lb. frozen, raw shrimp

1 green pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

2 ears of corn

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

Salt and pepper

1 avocado, diced

Fresh lime juice

Defrost shrimp. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. In large skillet, cook shrimp and set aside. in skillet, saute pepper and onion for 3 minutes. While pepper and onion are cooking, cook corn in the microwave and cut off cob. Add corn to pepper and onion and cook for 3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir shrimp back in, turn off heat and add tomato and juice of one lime. Stir well. Top with avocado.

Rice Pilaf

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1/2 c. angel hair pasta, broken

1 c. arborio rice

2 c. chicken stock

Salt and pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

In pot, add enough oil to coat bottom. Add pasta and rice. Stir well with oil and let toast for 4-5 minutes. Stir occasionally to insure that it doesn't burn. Mix in chicken stock, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer for about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Roasted Vegetables

I have no good reason for not posting anything for a week. I have recipes and pictures, I just haven't been taking to the time to post. This post is more about a method than a recipe. My favorite way to have cooked vegetables is to roast them. This method works for a variety of vegetables. The only thing that changes is the amount of time you roast them.

Roasted Vegetables

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Broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, onions, carrots, green beans, (insert favorite veggie here)

Extra virgin olive oil

Garlic powder

Salt and pepper

Cut vegetables up in bite size pieces. Toss vegetables with olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Put vegetables in single layer on sheet pan and roast in 400 degree oven to desired doneness.

*You only need about a tablespoon of oil for 1 1/2 cups of raw vegetables

*Carrots takes the longest to cook, then onions, zucchini yellow squash. Broccoli and green beans take the shortest amount of time.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

It has been overcast and chilly in Dallas for the last 3 days. Now granted, my definition of chilly has changed since I moved to Dallas from Illinois. But we have been chilly down here. So soup was a perfect meal for a Sunday afternoon, watching the Cowboys. Though the Cowboys did when the game, their performance was disappointing. This soup on the other hand, not disappointing at all.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

3 chicken breast, cooked and shredded

1 onion, diced

1 poblano pepper, sliced

2 ears corn on the cob

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 t. chili powder

1 t. cumin

1/2 c. tomato paste

6 c. chicken broth

Salt and pepper

Tortilla chips

Optional toppings: avocado, lime, shredded cheese, sour cream

In large pot, saute onions for 4-5 minutes. Cook corn and cut from the cob. Add peppers, corn and garlic, let cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, tomato paste, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and other desired toppings.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders

When my boyfriend, Stephen, works a long shift at work, I try to make him something to eat. I just don't like the idea of him having to eat from the hospital cafeteria twice in one day. These chicken tenders are a bit deceiving at first because they don't look like your typical buffalo chicken. In fact, Stephen was confused when he saw his meal, but once he tried it, he was a big fan.

Buffalo Chicken Tenders

2 chicken breasts, cut into strips

3/4 c. hot sauce

1 1/2 c. bread crumbs

Cooking Spray

Coat chicken with hot sauce and let marinate for about 5 minutes. Then coat the chicken with the bread crumbs. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray, place chicken on baking sheet, then spray chicken with a thin layer of cooking spray. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through.

Herb-Stuffed Chicken

Yesterday was my best friend, Kelly's birthday. For her birthday, I made her meals for the day. I made her a yogurt parfait with homemade granola for breakfast. For lunch I made her a chicken panini with grapes and celery sticks, carrot sticks and peanut butter. Dinner included roasted potato wedges, a spinach salad with strawberries and red onions, and this yummy herbacious chicken.

Herb-Stuffed Chicken
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adapted from Rachael Ray

Whole chicken, backbone removed and butterflied
1 c. fresh parsley
1 c. fresh chives
2 T. fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves
Zest of 1 lemon
2 T. olive oil
Salt and pepper

In food processor, chop parsley, chives, thyme, garlic, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper. Wiggle your fingers in between chicken skin and meat. Stuff herb mixture underneath the skin. Season top of chicken with salt and pepper. Roast in 400 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until cooked through.