Chicken Roll-Ups

It's been a long time since I've posted and I'm pretty excited about this one so I'll jump right into it.

1 bag of Spinach (about 10oz if doing fresh)
1 cup of Ricotta Cheese (can use sour cream or even plain Greek yogurt)
1/4 cup diced Bell Peppers (Doesn't matter if they are red green yellow orange or purple completely optional)
3 Mushrooms diced
3-4 cloves of Garlic
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 Chicken Breast pounded 1/2 inch thick
8 slices of Bacon
4-5 tablespoons of olive oil


Pre-heat oven to 375
Heat oil in a pan. Once hot add garlicand cook til aromatic. Add in mushrooms and peppers cook until tender. Add you spinach stirring until all the leaves have wilted. Tranfer to a bowl and drain off any extra liquids.
Add to your spinach the ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Stirring til combined
Lay the chicken breast out season lightly and spoon some of the mixture into each one. Roll chicken up and wrap 2 slices of bacon around each. Secure with a toothpick.

Place chicken in a baking dish in pre-heated oven for about 35-40minutes. Place under broiler for addition 5 minutes to fully brown bacon.


HINTS, TIPS, AND SUGGESTIONS:

• I used a cast iron skillet for this whole recipe. I sauteed my spinach and poured it in a bowl. Then pour about half a cup of white wine in the skillet while I rolled the chicken. (Thats why it's in the picture lol) If your using a baking dish you can still pour in the wine FYI
• When the chicken was done and the wine reduced I added a tablespoon of butter and spooned it over the chicken before serving. A tip I got from a friend, Darius. Please go visit his blog. Also used a little nutmeg to season my spinach
• If you're like me and don't care for bacon, feel free to omit that step. But please make sure to secure the chicken closed with baking string or toothpicks.
• They sell chicken breast already flattened out.
• Try this recipe with kale
• Also feel free to try different cheese. Parmesan is just my favorite.
• If you are a fan of heat, try adding paprika, red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper to the spinach mixture

Pasta Salad

This is my poor-man's meal. I always have the ingredients around so it's a quick light meal. I generally make this in the summer when it's to hot to do anything. The concept though is due to the Marco Polo salad I used to get from Marshall Field's. There is no real recipe but I will break it down as best I can. It's great to prep for summer pot-lucks or BBQ's.

box of pasta (macaroni, rotini, or spaghetti) cooked
half of a red, green, yellow, and orange pepper diced
1/4C of your favorite Italian dressing
half of a red onion dice
2-3 tbsp of minced garlic
oregano, parsley, basil to taste

You just combine everything in a large bowl and chill before serving.

Add crumbles of feta cheese, broccoli florets, or olives if you like. If you don't want to use the Italian dressing a use olive oil in its place.

Red and Black Chili

Red and Black bean chili topped with Guacamole and Cheese

So I love chili. All types of chili. And when my job has black bean chili and rice I'm in a special happy place. But I won't generally eat it in the summer months so when fall/winter get here off to market I go. Now I have always made my chili with the seasoning packets from the grocery store so I figured I'd try a little something different this year. A chili from scratch that has beer in it. Now the beer is optional and you can use almost anything you can find but I don't suggest the cheap stuff. Just think about the flavor of a $2 vs that of a $6. Oh and please let me know if you tried this and if you used beer and what type. This recipe was inspired by Bobby Flays Beef and Black Bean Chili

2lbs of ground beef (feel free to use cubed steak, ground chicken or turkey)
2 jalapenos chopped
3-4 green onions chopped
half a red onion diced
3 cloves chrushed garlic
3 tsp chili powder
3 tsp cumin (gives it a smokey flavor)
bottle of beer
32 oz chicken stock
can of diced tomatoes
can or black beans drained and rinsed
can of kidney beans drained and rinsed
can of corn (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat in a large pot. Once done remove from pot leaving some of the grease in the pot. Add your peepers and onions. Cook til onions are translucent (about 5 min). Add garlic cooking an additional 2 mins. Add seasonings and cook for 2 mins. Everything should be smokey and smelling really good at this point. and red in color. Pour the beer in and reduce completely. There should be little to no liquid left at this point. Add your meat back to the pot with the tomatoes and slowly pour in your stock. bring liquid to a boil then reduce and let simmer 45 mins with lid on. Add beans and corn and cook for an additional 15 mins. Remove from heat and season to taste.

TIPS:

• Top with cheese, sour cream, onions, guacamole, or even salsa
• Want something spicier uses a a hotter pepper, or just had some crushed red pepper flakes
• Experiment with different beers or even red wine to get different flavors 
• Easy recipe to double and freeze

Infused Water

This summer all the rage was about infused water, also called spa water. Restaurants sell it and most spa and gym provide it for their guest. So how about you make it at home. Please please please don't buy any type of infused water. It's a huge waste of money when you can do it yourself.

It's also great to set on a table in a pitcher for parties.

I'm sure there are some great health benefits that come with it. Like getting the vitamins out the fruit without the carbs or calories. And it just taste better than drinking plain water all day.

There is no real recipe and you can use almost any fruit and herb you like. But I'll share a few my favorite.

Infusion #1
sliced oranges
half a grapefruit sliced
a pint of strawberries
a few mint leaves

Infusion #2
sliced lemons
pint of strawberries
2-3 sprigs of rosemary

Infusion #3
sliced cucumber
sliced lemons
few leaves of tarragon

Infusion #4
watermelon cubed
raspberries
mint leaves

Add all the ingredients in a a large pitcher with ice and water. Let sit for a hour before serving for best flavor.

Tips:

• Sometimes you have to wake herbs up. Either muddle them in the pitcher before adding the other ingredients or tear them with your hands or a knife
• Use sparkling water or club soda to add a lil bubbles to it and make it fun for kids
• Wash off your fruit before adding it. 
• If using limes don't let sit long or juice the limes first. They can become kind of bitter after a while
• Only let the water sit for a day or two. 

White Bean Chicken Chili

So I'm sure everyone loves chili or knows someone that does. It was a staple in my house growing up in the winter months and even as an adult I continue to make it. So I decided to try something a little different and I encourage you to adjust this according to your taste. The best part of all this, you only need one pot.

2 tablespoons of olive oil
half an onion diced
2-3 jalapeno peppers seeded and diced
1 bunch of green onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 lbs of ground chicken
2 tablespoons of cumin
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
2 teaspoon of chili powder
3 tablespoons of flour
4 cups of chicken stock
4 (15 ounce) cans of any white bean drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to season

In a large pot heat oil over medium heat.
Saute onions and peppers til tender, about 5 minutes.
Add meat and seasoning to the pot. Cooking until meat is done (about  10 minutes)
Sprinkle flour over meat and stir.
Bring liquid to a boil then lower the heat til it simmers.
Simmer chili til liquid has thickened and reduced to about half.


Tips:

• For a little extra heat add red chili pepper flakes and simmer for an addition 10 minutes
• Try other peppers but remember the heat is in the seeds and vein
• Serve with a nice heap of sour cream cheese and croutons
• This would probably work well with left over turkey (add it in at the end since it's already cooked)
• Also try with chicken breast. 
• Add corn. At the same point that you add the beans

Pita Pizza

So needless to say, I'm still living off my finds at the farmers market last week. But I had really been craving pizza lately. But didn't want a whole pie. So went to my local grocery store and found some whole wheat pocket-less pitas and had a great, and healthy lunch. The salad is romaine lettuce with tomato and peppers, all from the farmers market. The pizza is turkey pepperoni (who knew) peppers, thinly sliced tomatoes, with freshly shredded Parmesan, habanero, and garlic cheese (the last 2 were from the farmers market), and some pasta sauce.

Now here's the fun part. Since this is just about a personal size pizza you can make it with whatever you like. There are a ton of sauce flavor you can buy in you grocery store or even make yourself. Use and vegetable you like or none at all. Cook up your favorite meats or use your leftovers and make pies for you and the whole family.

I'll leave a few of what I would suggest but feel free to have fun and be creative.

White Pizza
Mozzarella cheese
Provolone cheese
Alfredo sauce
Cubed chicken breast
Italian season (optional)

• Spread a few table spoons of Alfredo sauce over pita leaving a little edge (your crust if you will)
• Add chicken and seasoning if using
• Sprinkle as much of little cheese as you like over the top
• Cook in oven at 350 for 10min or until cheese has melted to your liking

Roasted Veggie Pizza
Sliced zucchini
Sliced mushrooms
Sliced red onion
Sliced peppers
Olive oil
Ricotta cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Basil, chopped
Oregano, chopped
Parsley, chopped

• Toss veggies in about a table spoons of olive oil
• Roasted veggies on a sheet tray in the oven (15min at 500 degrees)
• Spread ricotta over pita
• Add veggies and herbs
• Sprinkle with mozzarella 
• Bake in oven just until cheese is melted

Sausage Pizza
Pizza sauce (can use any tomato based sauce you like)
Cooked sausage (Italian sausage or just ground meat)
Cheese (I suggest using more than one type)

• Spread sauce over pita
• Add meat to the pie
• sprinkle with cheese
• Bake in oven pre-heat to 350 until cheese is melted 

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Black Bean and Corn Salsa with Homemade Tortilla Chips 

There is no exact science to making salsa. There are no real tips either. A good salsa starts and ends with the freshest ingredients you can find making summer in Chicago the perfect time to make a bowl. You can find (almost) everything you need for this salsa at your local Farmers Market here in Chicago.

3 ears of corn (in husk)

1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 small red onion, diced
2 tbsp minced garlic

3-4 green onion, chopped

3 jalapeno peppers (can use other peppers), diced

3-4 nice sized tomatoes, diced

cilantro (fresh or dried), finely chopped

basil (fresh or dried), chopped or chiffonade

salt and pepper, to taste

1-2 tbsp olive oil (optional)

bell pepper, chopped (optional)

Chiffonade is a method of taking leafy greens (the basil in this case) and finely cut up. Stack and roll the leafs as you would a cigar and cut into thin slices. Click here for a quick video tutorial.

Blanching is a quick cook and cool method used in vegetables and fruit. Take the tomatoes and lightly score the bottom with an X. In a boiling pot of water drop the tomatoes in until u see the skin peeling away. carefully remove from the water and place them in a bowl of ice water. Once cool enough to handle peel away skin and dice the tomato. Click here for a quick video tutorial.

The easiest way to cook your corn in the husk, just throw it in the own. After you've washed it off of course. I usually turn my oven to 350 degrees and leave it in the till I smell the husk burning. No you house will not burn down but your corn will be extremely juicy and the husk will hold in the flavor. after you remove it from the oven allow it to cool and just cut it off the cob into the bowl you will be using for the salsa. Make a extra one to enjoy for yourself as well :-)

Add all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir it together. Add the salt and pepper to taste and store in the refrigerator at least an hour before serving (if you don't end up eating it as you finish).
Try baking your own chips and serving at your next party. I'll include that recipe down below in the tips.

Have fun and a message if you love/hated this recipe. I'd love to hear your feedback.

TIPS:

• Always remember the heat from peppers is in the seeds. So the less seeds the less heat. 
• You can make this completely with tomatoes/corn if you like maybe just add more tomatoes/corn
• I love red onions but any onion will do just fine
• Bake your own chips. It's easy. Just take some tortilla shells and brush with oil or butter and cut into quarters. Sprinkle with cumin, if you have it, and salt before putting in oven. Place in a preheated oven of 350 for 7min turn the pan and bake an additional 5min. Chips are best when served warm.