Spinach & Pancetta Quiche

Well it’s official folks, I had my first big cry at work this past weekend… I thought I would make it through my first week without a hitch, but sadly I only got to day 3. By the time I got home on Friday night I was so brain dead that brushing my teeth required strict concentration 🙂 There were moments I contemplated just running out of the hospital with my hands above my head screaming obscenities!

Well with all this work nonsense going on, and the fact that I pretty much never have the opportunity to eat anymore, I decided to make something comforting for when I get home from work at midnight. I know shouldn’t complain since I have lost at least 5 lbs without even trying, but dammit people I’m freaking hungry!!

I know some of you might not think quiche + midnight = comfort food, but in my mind it is the perfect late night dinner. First off you can make it ahead of time, and then just cut yourself a slice whenever the mood. Second there is cured meat and cheese in there need I say more!

Ingredients (preheat oven to 350) Makes 4 serving

• 7 large eggs
• 2 table spoons heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4oz pancetta diced
• 1 + 1/2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese shredded
• 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
• 1/2 a box of defrosted chopped spinach drained
• 1 frozen pie crust defrosted

Directions

Start by pan frying the pancetta over medium heat until crispy, drain and let cool on a paper towel. In a mixing bowl crack eggs, add cream, water, salt and  pepper. Mix to combine with a whisk. Next, add 1 cup of cheddar cheese, green onions, drained spinach, and cooled pancetta stir to combine.  Transfer egg mixture to your defrosted pie crust, top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and cook for 40-45 minutes at 350. The center should not wiggle and the cheese should be lightly browned.

Artichoke Mushroom and Prosciutto Pizza

For those of you who live in the Milwaukee area do yourself a favor and eat at Transfer Pizza, you wont be disappointed. In my mind they have the best pizza in the Milwaukee area. They offer gluten free options as well as a variety of pasta dishes, but the pizza is a must! Every time we have dinner there we get the Prosciutto Fungi, which is the inspiration for this pizza.

Ingredients( Serves 4)

• 1lb fresh pizza dough ( I used Trader Joe’s fresh pizza Dough)
• 2 table spoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 11/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup button mushrooms thinly sliced
• 4 canned artichoke hearts diced
• 3 slices prosciutto torn into pieces
• 1 tablespoon parsley finely minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll the dough into a 12in round, and transfer to a pizza stone. Brush dough with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder. Top prepared crust  with cheese, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and prosciutto. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until pizza is bubbly and lightly browned. Top with parsley, slice, and serve.

 

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Years ago my I met some of my best girlfriends, while working at a local college pizza joint, were we bonded over homemade pizza and fcoccia bread…. We are still the best of friends and love to reminisce about our server years!  I must say I had a love hate relationship with the restaurant. I loved learning about food, but could have done without being a grease ball when I left.

Since moving on from the restaurant I still love to make homemade pizzas any chance I get.  The pizza I’m sharing today has become popular in the last few years, but I think it is just perfect for a weeknight dinner with the boyfriend 🙂

Ingredients ( Serves 4) Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees

1 lb Fresh pizza dough

Flour for dusting

6 oz of Chicken Cooked and Diced

1/2-3/4 Cup BBQ Sauce

1 Cup Provolone Cheese

1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 Cup Diced Red Onion

1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Directions

Dust a clean surface with flour and roll fresh dough out into a 12 inch round. Transfer to a pizza stone. Top with BBQ sauce, chicken, provolone and mozzarella cheese, red onion, and cilantro. Bake in your 400 degree preheated oven for 15-17 minutes. Slice and serve!

I would recommend serving with an ice cold pint of beer or a big glass of white wine, but hey that’s just me 🙂

Shrimp and Chicken Sausage Paella

The recipe I’m about to share I found on marthastewart.com. I’m a huge fan of Martha to say the least. I subscribe to three of her magazines. Whole Living for the wanna be organic in me, Every Day Living for my creative inspiration, and lastly Everyday Food for the foodie in me. I’m hoping with all the magazines  I read, I might pick up a thing or two from her 🙂

For those of you who have not tried Paella before don’t be scared off by the name.  This recipe is very easy and flavorful, and you can mix up the ingredients if you aren’t a seafood eater.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 ounces chicken sausage, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds ( I used 2 Cajun Johnsonville Chicken Sausages)
• 1/2  medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cups long-grain rice
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Directions

• In a heavy 12-inch saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp until just pink on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes (do not overcook). Transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining tablespoon oil and sausage to pan; cook over medium-high heat until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and rice; cook, stirring to coat, until rice is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in paprika, turmeric, tomatoes, and broth, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed almost all liquid, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in peas; cook 1 minute. Stir in cooked shrimp; serve immediately.

 

For those of you who don’t care for the seafood I would recommend either doubling the sausage. or you could sub pork sausage for the chicken sausage, and sub cubed chicken for the shrimp. Most importantly  be creative, because this is a must try dish!

Pea Soup and Grilled Cheese

Even with Spring is in the air, nights here in Wisconsin can still be on the chilly side. This recipe is a spring twist on the cold weather classic soup and sandwich. The soup is so fresh and light that you wont feel weighed down one bit!

Soup Ingredients ( Serves 4)

• 1 16oz Bag of Defrosted Peas
• 1 Medium Onion Diced
• 2 Cloves of Garlic
• 3 cups low sodium of Chicken Stock
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Heat butter and olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute till translucent (About 5 minutes).  Stir in garlic, and cook for another minute. Add your bag of peas, chicken stock, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring ingredients to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer ingredients into a blender and puree till smooth ( Make sure not to over fill your blender because you run the risk of an explosion. A good rule of thumb is to only fill your blender half way, work in batches, and be sure to hold down the top as your blend) . Return the soup to the stove, and allow it to simmer while you prepare your grilled cheese.

Grilled Cheese (Serves 4)

• 8 Big slices of your favorite bread
• 1 block of White cheddar cheese
• Misto Olive oil
• 8 slices of prosciutto
• Fresh spinach

Preheat a grill pan over medium low heat. Lay out 4 slices of bread, and top with big slices of White cheddar ( I love the mildness of the white cheddar, but feel free to substitute with what you have on hand) Top each slice with two pieces of Prosciutto, and finish with a few fresh spinach leaves. Again this would be fantastic with sliced tomatoes so please feel free to add them 🙂 Top with the remaining bread slices, and spray with your Misto so you get thoes beautiful grill marks. Place the misto side down on the heated grill pan, and spray the top side with your Misto. Cook on both sides till you get have grill marks, and all the cheese is melted. Remove from pan, slice on the bias, and serve with a big bowl of fresh pea soup.

Lasagna Bread

Alex and I are currently training for a half marathon, so after our long run days we like to do some carb loading! The race is only 3 weeks away so we are trying to stay motivated, which is hard since it seems like our bodies are giving out on us :). There has been a lot of hip cracking, and sore muscles in our house lately!

I saw this recipe in the latest issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray. The recipe had all of those great lasagna flavors, but didn’t require you to fuss with cooking noodles. I made a few simple adjustments to the Rachael Ray recipe to make it even easier for weeknight dining, and added some greenery.

Recipe Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 Jar of Your favorite sauce
• 3 Cloves or Garlic Grated
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 lb of Ground Meat (I used venison, but beef, turkey, or even pork would be great)
• 2 oz of  Fresh Spinach (A big handful)
• 1 Cup Park Skim Ricotta Cheese
• 1/4 Cup GratedParmesan Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons of Fresh Parsley Chopped
• 1 Loaf of Ciabatta, Split lengthwise
• 2 Cups of grated Mozzarella Cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Then warm your jar of marinara sauce over medium-low heat, with the grated garlic for 10 minutes. While the sauce simmers, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the meat, and cook till fully browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add marinara sauce to the ground meat and, stir in the spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt. Next, combine the ricotta, parmesan, and parsley in a bowl.
•  To assemble, place the bread on a baking sheet. Evenly distribute the meat sauce over the top of each half of bread; dollop with ricotta mixture and sprinkle with the mozzarella. Bake until melted and bubbly, 10-15 minutes. Cut into large chunks and serve.

This meal is very hearty and can feed a crowd, or two hungry runners! To round things out serve with a big Cesar Salad or Lemon Green Beans.

Chicken Gyro Wraps with Tzatiki Sauce

It wasn’t until college that I tasted my first Gyro, and at that point there was no turning back…. I often remember finding myself at a little Greek place near campus late on a Saturday night with friends, stuffing my face with that tender lamb meat (Yes a know a wonderful visual)! While the lamb was good it had nothing on that cool Cucumber sauce! I would order my meal with extra sauce in order to get my fix 🙂

While eating a big Gyro can be so satisfying, it can also create a not so lovely “Food Baby” in your belly… In order to get my Gyro on more often I make this delicious meal at home using chicken, and I have recreated that glorious cucumber sauce. Here is that recipe I use ( Makes 2 Servings)

Tzatiki Sauce

• 1/4 Cup Grated and Drained Cucumber
• 1/2 A Lemon Juiced
• 1 Cup Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Dry Dill
• 1 Garlic Clove Grated with a Micro Plane

Stir all ingredients to combine, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (the longer you can let it sit the better the flavor). Now move on to the Chicken.

Chicken Marinade

• 2 (5 oz) Chicken Breasts
• 1/4 Cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt ( I use McCormic Brand. If you don’t have this product go get it! But if you don’t have this product a pinch of dry oregano, salt, and pepper will work just fine)

Place all ingredients into a Ziploc bag to marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. The yogurt and vinegar will help tenderize the meat and make it really flavorful.

After marinating take the meat out of the refrigerator, an allow it to come back to room temp for 10-15 minutes.

Grill chicken on a grill pan for the best flavor, if you don’t have one use your trusty saute pan. Cook till chicken reaches an internal temperature 170 degrees F. Allow the meat to rest for 5-10 minutes under a piece of tin foil to allow the juices to redistribute. While you wait get your wrap and toppings prepared.

Wrap and Toppings

• 2 Whole Wheat Tortillas
• Iceberg lettuce
• Thinly Sliced Red Onion
• Tomatoes

I used whole wheat tortillas, but any type of wrap will do just fine. Start by adding a row of lettuce, then thinly sliced red onion, and sliced tomatoes. I am not a fan of the tomatoes so I leave them out. When the chicken is done resting,  slice the meat and place next to the lettuce. Top with as much of that Tzatziki sauce as your little heart desires!

Roll everything up tightly and slice in half.

These chicken Gyros always hit the spot, and they also help me avoid that “Food Baby” issue 🙂

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chinese food is surely one of my guilty pleasures, but with the deep frying and fatty sauces there is nothing healthy about it.Over the last few months I have been slowly collecting different Asian sauces in order to make more “Take out” dishes at home. This recipe was adapted from Skinny Tastes Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps. I added more veggies and adjusted the marinade.

Ingredients

• 1 Head Iceberg Lettuce
• 1lb Ground Chicken (93/7)
• 1 Cup Diced Button Mushrooms
• 1/2 Cup Assorted Diced Peppers
• 1 Medium Shredded Carrot
• 3 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 1/2 Teaspoon Oyster Sauce
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Sesame Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1/2 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 2 tablespoons Stir Fry Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Green Onion

Directions

In a small dish combine garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar. Stir to mix ingredients. Pour over the uncooked chicken and allow it to marinate.

While the meat marinates, heat a pan over medium heat with the vegetable oil. Add the mushrooms, peppers, and carrot. Saute until veggies have softened (about 5 minutes).  Increase heat to high and add marinated meat. Cook till all the liquid has evaporated. At this point turn off the heat, and add in the Stir Fry sauce.

Transfer into a serving dish and top with chopped green onions.

For the lettuce cups remove the the outter layers of a head of Iceberg Lettuce. Slice in half and gently pull apart to form the cups. Serve meat mixture in the lettuce cups, and top with the dipping sauce below.

Dipping Sauce

• 4 tablespoons Hosin Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• 1 tablespoon Water

Stir to combine.

Well lets just say that Alex gave me a fist pound so I think I nailed it!

Chicken Rollatini With Lemon Green Beans

I don’t know about you but my favorite type of food is Italian.  I could eat pasta for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day… Yes I have a problem…

Knowing that I’m a slave to the carbs I decided to try to incorporate more low carb Italian meals into my dinner rotation. In addition my freezer is so packed right now with frozen meats and god knows what else, so I decided to start cleaning that baby out ASAP.

I’m so embarrassed to even to show you that, but the plan is once I get some things cleared out I want to get that ice box organized and plan on sharing with you what I come up with so please don’t judge me 🙂

The recipe I want to share comes from Skinnytaste.com which I’m sure many people are familiar with, but if you aren’t check it out  today! I have found so many great meal ideas and all the nutritional values are included! The recipe on skinny taste  that i’m taking inspiration from serves 8 which is far too big for my family of 2. So I cut the recipe in half and subbed out a few low calorie items that I don’t keep on hand like liquid egg white… Sorry people I like regular old chicken eggs.

Recipe (Serves 4)

• 4 thin chicken cutlets, 3 oz each
• 1/4 cup whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 2  eggs
• 1/4 box of frozen spinach, squeezed dry of any liquid
• 1/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella
• olive oil non-stick spray (I use my Misto)
• 1/2 cup of  your favorite marinara sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions

Wash and dry cutlets, season with salt and pepper.  Preheat oven to 450°. Lightly spraya baking dish with non-stick spray.

Combine breadcrumbs and half the  grated cheese in one bowl and 2 or egg in another.

Take 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and combine with remaining grated cheese, spinach (make sure you squeeze it dry), 1 tbsp egg already beaten, and ricotta cheese.

Lay chicken cutlets down on a working surface and spread 2 tbsp of spinach-cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one and keep seam side down.

Dip chicken in egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs and place seam side down in a baking dish (no toothpicks needed). Repeat with the remaining chicken. When finished, lightly spray with olive oil.

Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven, top with sauce then cheese.
Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 more minutes. Serve with additional sauce on the side and grated cheese.

Sticking with the low carb meal I thought a big heaping side of green beans would hit the spot. Side note  as a child my nick name was “Whitty Whitty Bean Pole” Yes I know very glamours! As a young child you could find me in the garden all summer eating the green beans they were my favorite! I also think it had to do something with the fact that I was mange and looked malnourished, but I like the first story better 🙂  So the recipe I want to share is inspired by a local family style italian place that has the best grean beans on the planet as far as i’m concerned. They are prefectly crisp with the most simple ingredients!

Recipe (serves 4)

• 1 14 oz bag of whole green beans ( It’s not really bean season yet in Wisconsin but when it is I use fresh)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 lemon zested  as well as the juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil season with salt and drop beans in for 5-7 minutes. When the beans are cooked though, transfer them to a bowl and toss with lemon zest butter and season with Salt and Pepper. They are like heaven, I love how the lemon adds just the right amount of zip and livens up them beans! So simple yet so good!

Here are a few shots of our lovely Tuesday night meal! I guess you could call it celebratory since I just accepted my first Nursing job offer! Pretty much one of the best days ever 🙂 More on that to come in a future post

So what is your favorite type of meal or type of cuisine? Did you have any weird nick names growing up that related too food??  I’ed love to hear  🙂