Child of the Wild Blue Yonder: easy recipes

Tangy Asian BBQ Sandwich

A little bit crunchy, nice and saucy, and absolutely delicious. This tangy vinegary sauce will leave you wanting more than just one sandwich. Pulled chicken smothered in an Asian BBQ sauce, with a vinegar based slaw on top is the right way to eat this BBQ sandwich.
The other night, I was scrambling trying to figure out what to make for dinner. I had the last bit of a ketchup bottle sitting in my fridge and realized that a barbecue sauce was the perfect way to use the rest of it up. Luckily it was pretty quick and easy to whip up before Josh got off work so he came home to a tasty treat.

What You'll Need:

For the Slaw:

- 1 Cup Coleslaw mix

-1 tsp Rice Vinegar

-1/4 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated

-1/4 tsp Sesame Seeds

-Pinch Garlic Powder

-1 tsp Soy Sauce

-Splash of Chili Sesame Oil

-Pinch of Salt and Pepper

For Chicken:

-1 Large Boneless Chicken Breast

-Salt and Pepper, to taste

-1 tsp Chili Sesame Oil

Barbecue Sauce:

-1 Large Clove Garlic, minced

-2 tsp Cilantro, minced

-1/2 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated

-1 tsp Chili Sesame Oil

-1/4 Cup Rice Vinegar

-1/2 tsp Sambal Oelek

-2 tsp Hoisin Sauce

-1 tsp Soy Sauce

-1 Tbsp Honey

-1/2 Cup Ketchup

-1/2 Lime, juiced

-1 Green Onion, sliced

-1/4 tsp Pepper

Recipe makes 2 or 3 sandwiches

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350º F. Mix together the vinegar, oil, soy sauce, and all the spices for the slaw. Add the mix to the cole slaw, and stir together until everything is coated. Cover the bowl with saran wrap, and put in the fridge for use later.

2. Heat 1 tsp of sesame oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add in the garlic, stirring until fragrant.

3. Add the ketchup, vinegar, honey, lime juice, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, Sambal Oelek, as well as the cilantro, ginger, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer for 5 minutes. Add in the green onion, and stir in. Allow to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tsp sesame oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, cook till charred, about 5 minutes on each side.

5. Transfer the chicken into a small high walled baking dish. Slice into the chicken three times, about a 1/2 inch into the meat, and cover the chicken with the barbecue sauce. Place the chicken in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes.

6. Make sure the chicken is fully cooked, at least 165º F. Pull the chicken and mix it with the barbecue sauce, ensuring that it is totally coated.

7. Using a bun of your choice, we used a ciabatta roll, assemble the sandwich with chicken, and a heaping amount of coleslaw. Enjoy!

Cheesy Potato and Egg Breakfast Taco

breakfast 11:57 AM

Ugh, once again it's taken me forever to post, and I apologize! I've been working extra hours at the restaurant I serve at, and haven't really been finding the time to cook at home. However, the good news: through persistent urging, I've finally convinced my manager to allow me to be a line cook! (It took three years of badgering to get him to finally agree) WOO! A little hands on experience never hurt anyone, right? :)
Well anyways, back to the important things, like breakfast! Of course, with working more, a good breakfast is necessary fuel! Handheld, and portable is always nice when you're living an "on the go" lifestyle... and melty cheese is basically a necessity. Soooo... here we have for you: the Breakfast Taco!

What You'll Need:

Serves 2-3

-3 Red Potatoes, thinly sliced and quartered

-1 tsp Olive Oil

-1 tsp Onion Powder

-1/2 tsp Oregano

-1 tsp Chili Powder

-1 tsp Garlic Powder

-1/2 tsp Coriander

-1/2 tsp Cumin

-1/4 tsp Salt

-Pinch Pepper

-4 Strips Thick Cut Bacon, sliced into bite sized bits

-2 Tbsp and 1/2 Tbsp Butter

-2 Tbsp Flour

-3/4 Cup Milk

-3/4 Cup Sharp Cheddar

-2 tsp Favorite Hot Sauce

-3 Eggs

-1 Tbsp Milk

-1/4 tsp Chili Powder

-Pinch Coriander

-Pinch Cayenne Pepper

-Salt and Pepper to taste

-Sour Cream to taste

-Sliced Green Onion

1. Start by preheating the oven to 400º F. Slice the potatoes, cover in oil and season with onion powder, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes.

2. While the potatoes bake, whisk the eggs, and milk together in a bowl. Add the following spices: chili powder, a pinch of coriander, and cayenne. Add 1/2 Tbsp of butter to a frying pan over medium-low heat, and allow it to heat up. Add the eggs, and scramble. Add salt and pepper to taste when ready.

3. In a sauce pan, melt 2 Tbsp of Butter, add 2 Tbsp of flour and whisk together constantly until it bubbles a lot and takes on a slight tan color. Add the milk, cheese and hot sauce. Stir this together constantly until a runny nacho style cheese sauce forms.

4. Don't forget the potatoes in the meantime! Heat tortillas in the oven alongside the potatoes, roast on each side for a maybe a minute.

5. Assemble each taco with potato, egg, and cheese sauce. Garnish with bacon bits, sour cream and a pinch of sliced green onion, and your favorite hot sauce if desired.

Hope you enjoy your breakfast as much as Josh and I did. :)

Mediterranean Veggie Pita

delicious recipes 7:33 PM

I've always had somewhat of an obsession for the area around the Mediterranean Sea. For one thing, Moorish architecture, the ocean, and the food are all incredible! The colors associated with the Mediterranean represent life, and Josh and I try to do the Mediterranean justice with our food.

For this sandwich we chose to go all out, we made the pita bread ourselves. Personally, when everything is homemade, the meal becomes more satisfying. However, store bought pita bread is totally fine!

What You'll Need:

A Blender or Food Processor

Tzatziki

-1 Cucumber, peeled and seeded

-2 Cloves Garlic

-1 Tbsp Fresh Dill

-1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley

-1 1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt

-1 tsp Lemon Juice

-1 Tbsp Olive Oil

-1/4 tsp Salt

-1/4 tsp Pepper

Veggie Pita Filling

-1/2 Large Red Bell Pepper

-1/2 Red Onion, sliced

-1 Large Clove Garlic

-1 Cup Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced

-1 Tomato, diced

-1 tsp Olive Oil

-1 tsp White Cooking Wine

-1 Tbsp Capers

-Crushed Red Pepper, to taste (optional)

-1/2 tsp Oregano

-1/2 tsp Basil

-1/4 tsp Marjoram

-1/4 tsp Fresh Parsley

-Pinch Coriander

-Pinch Cinnamon

-Salt and Pepper to taste

-Feta Cheese

-Fresh Cilantro

1. Make the tzatziki first, because you can easily just store the finished product in the fridge while prepping and preparing the rest of the food! Combine all the ingredients listed for the tzatziki in either a food processor, or a blender. Process over low speed until everything is blended together into a sauce. Set the tzatziki aside.

2. Prep all of the veggies for the filling of the pita. Set the veggies aside until you are ready to start cooking them.

3. Heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot add in the garlic, and stir constantly until the garlic is fragrant.

4. Add in the mushrooms, green peppers, capers, cooking wine, and all of the spices. Allow the cooking wine simmer, bring the heat down to low. Allow the veggies to cook for about 10 minutes.

5. Heat the pita in the oven if desired. We threw ours in the oven at 350º F for about 5 minutes. Fill the pita with the mushrooms, and top with tzatziki, fresh red onion slices, fresh tomato, feta cheese, and a sprig of cilantro.

Enjoy!

Start off with the tzatziki, you'll be able to keep this in the fridge while you

prepare everything else for your pita.

Then get to prepping! Everything is always easier when you've done your mise en place.

Just assemble, and enjoy. :)

Christmas "Confetti" Shortbread Cookies

baking 5:38 PM

I love Christmas, it's an excuse to bake cookies all day while listening to the classic crooners - I really love the old Christmas songs... there's nothing like Nat King Cole or Dean Martin and the smell of shortbread cookies in the oven.
Today, Josh and I put up my Christmas tree. It's kind of a ritual for me to play Christmas music, admire all my ornaments, and bake cookies on a day as festive as this!
These shortbread cookies are so easy, and using some sprinkles in the dough really adds to the holiday appeal of the cookie.

What You'll Need:

-1 Cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened

-2 Cups All Purpose Flour

-1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

-1 tsp Vanilla Extract

- 1/4 Cup Sprinkles

1. Whisk together flour and salt in a small bowl.

2. In a separate large bowl, add in the butter, cut into Tbsp cubes. Use a hand mixer to beat the butter until it's smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, and beat this together until it is smooth and kind of white. Add the vanilla and beat until everything is mixed together.

3. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and beat it on low speed. The mixture will look kind of crumbly, but the dough should come together when you squeeze it between your fingers. Add the sprinkles, and just mix them in with a wooden spoon until everything is incorporated.

4. Split the dough into two, and form two disks. Cut two sheets of plastic wrap, and cover them with flour. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

5. Once the dough is ready to be handled, pre-heat the oven to 325º F. Roll out the dough to be about a 1/4 inch thick. I left the dough in the plastic wrap by leaving some loose edges for the dough to expand into. If you remove it from the plastic wrap, make sure you lightly flour your rolling pin. Cut out the cookies, I used a shot glass because it was the perfect little round size.

6. Bake the cookies at 325º F for about 15 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges of the cookies are golden. Let them cool before enjoying.

Cut in the butter and whip it to a creamy texture

along with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract

Beat in all of the ingredients and mix in the sprinkles.

Separate the dough into two separate disks, and refrigerate for at least an hour!

Bake, cool, enjoy. :)

Happy Holidays :)

Homemade Bread Bowls

baked 4:24 PM

It's been getting really cold here in Carbondale, in effect I expect all my meals to be savory, comforting, and very warm! So we made bread bowls! Inevitably that means we're going to have to make soup.... but for now, here's a simple recipe to make a huge bun that can be turned into a bowl for soups and chili alike!

Baking bread can be tedious, this recipe takes about 3 hours total, but fresh baked bread is so worth it. Honestly, the worst part is just waiting for the dough to rise. Stick it out, nothing's better than the smell of fresh baked bread in the oven.

What You'll Need:

-5.5 Cups Flour (You may need a little more to reach correct consistency)

-2 Cups Warm Water (no more than 110º F)

-2 1/4 tsp Yeast

-1 Tbsp Sugar

-1 tsp Salt

-Egg White for egg wash

1. Activate the yeast: add sugar and warm water into a large bowl, mix it together, and sprinkle the yeast in an even layer over the water. Leave to activate, about 10-15 minutes, in a warm spot.

2. Once the yeast has activated add about 2 cups of flour, and the salt. Mix everything together and continue to add the flour, a cup at a time. Once the mixture becomes too tough to stir with a spoon, feel free to use your hands. The dough should be smooth, and elastic.

3. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes and then transfer it into a greased bowl. Set the bowl aside, covered, for an hour and a half, or until the dough has doubled in size.

4. Press down the dough, and knead it on a floured surface once again. Separate the dough into four 10 Oz balls, if you don't have a kitchen scale, do your best to separate 4 equal sized balls. Set them aside for 45 minutes and cover with a towel until the double in size.

5. Pre-heat the oven to 350º F. Mix together the egg white of one egg with a 1/4 tsp of water. Brush each one of the dough balls with the egg wash. Bake for about 30-40 minutes until the bread becomes golden brown.

6. Set the massive buns aside on a cooling rack. Once they have cooled, cut a hole into the top of the bun. I used an ice cream scooper to remove the bread from the inside, just enough so that I could fit a good amount of soup into the bowls. At this point, fill with your favorite soup, and enjoy! :)

It's very important that you allow the yeast to

activate before you get to baking. The bread won't rise without it! If the water you've used has heated past 110º F, it will kill the yeast. If you don't see bubbling going on - your yeast probably isn't working.

Once everything is mixed together, set the dough aside to double. Like I said, this is the worst part about making bread - the agonizing wait!

Once the dough has doubled in size, pat it down,

and knead it on a floured surface for 5 to 10

minutes.

Separate the dough balls, let the balls also sit aside to double in size. This usually takes another 45 minutes (ugh)

Cut out the top, and scoop out some of the bread. Just enough so that you can fit a decent amount of soup in there. You don't want to accidentally scoop too far, and leak soup out of your bread bowl.

And there you have it, a homemade bread bowl! It's easy, fun, and smells amazing as you bake. If I can do it, the queen of impatience, so can you! I promise you, it'll be worth it.

Oh, and stay tuned for a soup recipe that goes great with a bread bowl!

Hearty Asiago, Mushroom, and Bacon Crepe

bacon 1:52 PM

I've really been wanting to make crepes for a while now, and the desire for crepes has lead me to brainstorming ideas for fillings -- at this point I feel like I have a near-infinite list of yummy crepe ideas. If you're more of a fan of sweet crepes, I'll be back with more!

These crepes turned out to be a spur of the moment thing. Josh and I always have Flour around the house, so I immediately thought of pancakes! We had eggs, bacon, and all the fixings needed for a fabulous breakfast for lunch. Yes, I am a firm believer in breakfast for any meal of the day. But for some reason, the idea of maple syrup was really putting me off - I wanted something more savory. Voila, Crepes!

The recipes I have included for you are a 1.) basic crepe 2.) tasty morsels to fill it with. :)

Basic Savory Crepe

What You'll Need:

-2 Eggs

-1/2 Cup Milk

-1/2 Cup Water

-3 Tbsp Melted Butter

-1 Cup All Purpose Flour

1. Combine the eggs and flour, beat together while slowly adding in the melted butter, milk, and water. Beat together until a batter of a very smooth consistency has been reached.

2. Melt a small amount of butter, just enough to coat the base of a medium sized frying pan. Heat the butter of medium heat and add enough batter to make a nice round crepe, to whatever size you desire.

3. Wait till the top of the crepe bubbles slightly, and flip once the underside has a golden-brown color. Do the same to the other side.

(I made my batter and set it aside in the fridge because it doesn't take much time for the crepes to cook. I cooked the crepes after sautéing the vegetables.)

What's inside....

What you'll need:

-1/2 Cup Cherry Tomatoes halved

-1/2 Sweet Onion sliced

-1 Cup Baby Spinach

-1 Cup Baby Bella Mushrooms sliced

-4 Strips Thick Cut Bacon sliced

-2 Cloves Garlic minced

-1 tsp Unsalted Butter

-1/4 Cup Milk

-3 Tbsp Porcini Mushrooms Sauce (we used Borgo de' Medici)

-1/2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

-Pinch of Salt

-Pepper to taste

1. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium-low heat, add the garlic and stir constantly until the garlic becomes fragrant. This really only takes a few seconds, once you smell the garlic add in the onions and stir everything together, coat the onions with butter. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until the onions look caramel in color.

2. Add in the mushroom sauce, and milk, and balsamic vinegar, stir and bring to a boil. Then add the mushrooms and asiago cheese. Stir continually until the asiago cheese melts in with the sauce

completely.

3. In a separate pan, fry the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Cut into bite sized strips and set aside.

4. Add in the tomatoes, and stir frequently. Allow everything to simmer in the sauce for about 5 minutes, and add the spinach until wilted.

5. At this point, I set my pan aside and fried up my crepes. If you have already made your crepes maybe heat them up or assemble them, and enjoy!

Remember that it's important to prep all of the ingredients before you get to cooking. It'll make the whole process smooth, and easy. Less stress is always good! :)

Josh's crepe is on the left, mine on the right. We always have fun setting up our own plates. I think the visual does a lot for the over all appeal of a dish.

(Crepe Filling nutrition info on left, and the crepe itself on the right!)

Cranberry Sangria with a Sandwich Pairing that's a Delight to your Senses

cranberries 3:49 PM

It's November 1st (Happy Birthday Josh!) and Halloween may be over, but fall sure isn't! To keep this wonderful season going we have for you a fall inspired red sangria, and a sandwich pairing that's guaranteed to excite your palate.

This past weekend my mom came to visit us, since Josh's birthday was coming up, she treated us to a nice dinner. Josh, however, had the idea that we should entertain her. This is the outcome, our simple fall lunch.

Our sangria emanates familiar, comforting autumn flavors. We chose to include red wine, brandy, a ginger beer, as well as orange, cranberries, and rosemary. Cranberries are really sour so we boiled them with some sugar, water, ginger, and a small splash of Paul Masson Brandy.

Our sandwich is very simple; white cheddar and apple are a wonderful combo, and adding turkey brings together a meal that's reminiscent of Thanksgiving.

Tastes like Fall Sangria

What You'll Need:

- 2 Oranges, sliced into thin rounds

-1 Cup Cranberries, halved

-1/2 tsp Ginger Powder

-2/3 sprigs of Fresh Rosemary

-2 Tbsp Water

-2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

-2 Cups Red Wine (we used a Cabernet Sauvignon)

-1/2 Cup Brandy (we used Paul Masson Red Berry Brandy)

-1 Cup Cranberry Juice

-12 Oz Ginger Beer (We used 4 Hands "Good JuJu" Ginger Ale)

1. Slice the oranges into thin rounds and place into a pitcher. Half the cranberries, but place these on the side, since the berries are so tart you will want to boil the cranberries with the water, brown sugar, and ginger. Mix sugar and water until sugar melts, add in all of the cranberries and ginger powder, stir everything together until the cranberries have cooked, and been coated with brown sugar, add in a small splash of brandy, stir constantly till liquids seem to have evaporated and cranberry is coated.

2. Add the cranberries to the pitcher once they have cooled a bit. Add two sprigs of rosemary to the pitcher, and all of the liquids. Stir everything together.

3. Serve in wine glasses filled with ice. Garnish with orange slice, and a small sprig of rosemary.

The drive from the Northwest Chicago Suburbs to Carbondale is about 6 hours, so we couldn't present sangria on it's own. Knowing she intended on taking us to dinner, we planned a light lunch... Sandwiches with Sweet Potato Fries.

Savory Apple Turkey on Wheat

What You'll Need:

(includes fixins' for 1 sandwich, adjust for serving needed)

-2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread

-2/3 Slices of Deli Sliced Turkey

-A slice of White Cheddar

-2 Slices of Green Apple

-2 Slices Red Onion

-Dressed Spinach

*Dressed Spinach Includes-

-1 Clove Garlic

-1/2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

-1/2 tsp Pomegranate Red Wine Vinegar

-1/4 tsp Salt

-1/4 tsp Pepper

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400º F. Slice the cheddar cheese. Place turkey, and then cheese on the wheat bread, and when the oven is hot, bake until the bread is toasted and cheese is melted, it may be between 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Combine a large handful of spinach in a bowl with all the ingredients for the dressed spinach, mix together and set aside until you are ready to assemble the sandwich. Then slice the red onion into thin sandwich slices.

3. Slice the green apple, and place along the melted white cheddar, next with the onion. Use as much of the dressed spinach on your sandwich as you would like. The simple, carefree, super fall sandwich is ready for your enjoyment. :)