Simple Meal Monday

After yesterday's disaster, I was a bit hesitant to go back into the kitchen., but they don't say to "get back on the horse" for nothing. I decided to go with something simple that required very little effort. I made chicken two ways. "What's that?" you say. Well, I made chicken two different ways: chicken stuffed with jalapenos and chicken cordon bleu. Neither of these were elaborate nor were they difficult to make. I kind of made it up as I went along, and next time I'll use some herbs to kick it up a little. For now, enjoy the simplicity that is chicken two-ways.

Chicken Two-Ways
Recipe by me (and every other cook who's ever not really felt like being in the kitchen)

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
6 jalapenos, seeded
3 oz cream cheese
6 thin slices of ham
3 oz shredded gruyere cheese (or swiss or provolone)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
6 Tbl butter melted

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Stuff the jalapenos with 1 oz of cream cheese. Place one jalapeno in the center of three of the chicken breasts. Roll up and secure with toothpicks. Place two slices of ham in each of the remaining breasts and top with the shredded cheese. Roll up and secure with toothpicks.
2. Place the rolls in two different baking dishes. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of the rolls and pour the melted butter over the top.
3. Cook for 30-40 minutes or until juices run clear. Serve with rice or pasta.

Polish Double FAIL

When I started cooking dinner tonight, I was really excited. I have been wanting to try my hand at pierogies for over a year now. I had so many problems with them which were entirely my fault and had nothing to do with the recipe. It started with not rolling out the dough thin enough. Then, I forgot to check the directions one last time and ended up forgetting to boil the first few dumplings. They ended up in the garbage (I'm not a fan of doughy things, and these were extra doughy).

The double comes from the second part of the meal. I was trying to make up for not posting last night by giving you two recipes today (my mom and I went to see Legally Blonde the musical, which was amazing, so I wasn't home to cook). I thought for sure the cabbage kielbasa dish would make up for the yucky pierogies. I was horribly wrong. It was far too sweet and a bit soggy (that may have been my fault too so I don't know). I took two bites and ended up going out to pick up dinner instead. Tomorrow I'll hopefully be back on my game.

I Accept Your Challenge, Honey Mim!

My lovely little sister didn't know what she was getting into when she issued me a challenge in my comments for Tuesday's post. "Maybe you should find some beachy recipe... That doesn't involve seafood. That is my challenge to you young padawan." Your wish is my command (how lucky for me that I came across this recipe while looking for onion soup the other day and had already planned on making it tonight anyway).

In this corner, weighing in at 1/3 of a pound, we have The Bon Appetit Cookbook's recipe for Jamaican Jerk Burgers. Sweet and a little spicy, this burger is just what you need to feel like you're on the beaches of Jamaica, sipping a Mai Tai with an umbrella in it. All of the ingredients should be readily available at your local grocery store (even my local grocer carried everything this one called for).

I was a bit hesitant at first. I've never tried this one before and wasn't sure how it would turn out. I was fully prepared to not have anything to post except a fail and a picture of the pizza we would have been ordering in place of it. I never should have doubted it. My only real problem was that I had to cook the burgers on my stovetop instead of on a grill (aside from the fact that I lack a grill, it is beyond freezing outside which means I'm staying right here where it's cozy). Also, just as a heads up, I wasn't able to find fresh thyme so I just used the dry stuff. It'll definitely be better with the fresh stuff, but the dried didn't detract from it too terribly.

Jamaican Jerk Burgers with Orange-Chipotle Mayonnaise
Recipe by The Bon Appetit Cookbook

For Orange-Chipotle Mayo
1 cup mayo (I use Hellman's; Miracle Whip may be acceptable, but I can't promise anything)
3 Tbl orange juice
1 Tbl minced canned chipotle chiles (I used the kind in adobo sauce; you should be able to find this at most grocery stores or a latin grocery store)

For Jerk Sauce
1 bunch green onion, coarsely chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 Tbl chopped fresh thyme
1 small habanero chile or 2 medium jalapeno chiles, seeded and chopped (I used the jalapenos)
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy sauce (I ran out and only used about 1/4 cup; still tasted good)
1 tsp ground allspice (I completely forgot about this one)

2 lbs ground beef, 15% fat

1. For the mayo: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This can be made up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate.
2. For the jerk sauce: Finely chop the first four ingredients in a food processor. Add the sugar and next three ingredients, process until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Prepare BBQ grill to medium-high heat. Set aside 3/4 cup of the jerk sauce.
4. Shape the ground beef into six 1/2-3/4 inch-thick patties; place in 9x13 glass baking dish. Pour the 1/2 cup of jerk sauce over patties and turn to coat; let stand 20 minutes (next time I'll do this; I was just running short on time).
5. Sprinkle patties with salt and pepper. Grill to desired doneness, brushing occasionally with remaining jerk sauce from baking dish, about 4 minutes each side for medium.
6. Spread mayo over inner surfaces of buns. Top with your choice of toppings (tomatoes, lettuce, onion, cheese). Add burger and bun tops. Serve, passing reserved 3/4 cup jerk sauce separately (I just used all of the sauce while I cooked the patties, coating each time I flipped them).

An Autumn Meal

Deepest apologies for not posting last night. I was so worn out that I fell asleep on the couch for a little while and then was out at about 9:00. Needless to say, I didn't cook, and the hubby went to get us Wendy's (I can't live without the spicy chicken sandwich). Anyway, I made my hubby's favorite pork chops tonight which of course comes from All Recipes (the spinner app for iPhone has been my saving grace more often than it should have been).

Caramel Apple Pork Chops are amazing! The name is extremely misleading in that it is nowhere near as sweet as a caramel apple you would find at a state fair. This is another one of those meals that is easy to prepare and is pretty quick to get on the table (or the couch or the tv tray). Um...I've kind of run out of things to say about the chops, and I think it's fitting with how simple the recipe really is. With that being said, enjoy!

Caramel Apple Pork Chops
Recipe by All Recipes

4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
4 tablespoons brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I double the ingredients for the apples because I don't feel like it makes enough for the last step)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tart apples - peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons pecans (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C). Place a medium dish in the oven to warm.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush chops lightly with oil and place in hot pan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, or until done. Transfer to the warm dish, and keep warm in the preheated oven.
3. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt and pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add butter to skillet, and stir in brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and arrange on top of chops. Keep warm in the preheated oven.
   
4. Continue cooking sauce uncovered in skillet, until thickened slightly. Spoon sauce over apples and chops. Sprinkle with pecans.
   

My Other Love

Everyone knows of my love affair with all things Jamie Oliver. I don't know what it is about that man, but I'll try anything he says tastes good. I think even my hubby is in love with that man's recipes. His recipes, for whatever reason, always make me think of home. They are simple, made with the freshest ingredients, and always seem to come from the heart. With it being so cold still, I thought it only fitting to make something comforting. I returned to my favorite cookbook of his, Jamie at Home, for tonight's meal: Sweet Cherry Tomato and Sausage Bake.

I've actually made this before with modifications that I wasn't happy with. This time, I stuck with the recipe and was so much happier with the results. We made a special trip to the liquor store to get my trusty 9x13 pan back (I took my buddies leftover cupcakes from last week) and ended up picking up a fabulous wine. Did you know Newman's Own has a Cabernet Sauvignon? I didn't until we picked it up. It actually paired really well with our dinner too. Fruity and a little sweet, it offset the spicy sausage I used nicely. Try it if you haven't already (profits go to charity which is always a plus in my book). Enjoy!

Sweet Cherry Tomato and Sausage Bake
Recipe by Jamie Oliver

4-1/4 pounds cherry tomatoes, mixed colors if you can find them (only tomatoes I could find were red grape; still tasted good though)
2 sprigs each fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves (I used 1 TBS dried of each since I forgot to pick some fresh ones up)
1 Tbl dried oregano
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped (used 4, minced with a Kitchenaid hand-chopper)
12 good-quality coarse Italian pork sausages (I used two packages of Johnsonville spicy; there should be 5 in the pack, but they are good sized)
Extra virgin olive oil (probably about 2 Tbl)
Balsamic vinegar (about 1 TBl)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Using a good-sized roasting pan (9x13 works for me), place the tomatoes to fit into one layer. Add the herbs, garlic, and sausages. Drizzle well with the olive oil and vinegar; season with the salt and pepper.
2. Toss together, make sure the sausages are on top and pop the pan into the oven for half an hour. After this time, give the pan a good shake and turn the sausages over. Put the pan back in the oven and cook for 15-30 minutes, depending on how golden and sticky you like your sausages.
3. Once it's cooked, remove from the oven. If the sauce is runnier than your liking, place the pan on the stove after removing the sausages and cook the juices and tomatoes down to the consistency you prefer. Check the seasoning and serve with bread or over a bed of mashed potatoes or rice (we eat ours over pasta, mastaccioli or penne preferably; I also topped it with a little bit a grated gruyere just for fun).