Two Easy Recipes

Here are two easy recipes we've made recently...

This toasted cheese is one of my favorites to make for lunch. It is especially good with garden fresh tomatoes and basil!

Toasted Cheese Sandwich
Bread (I use whatever I have on hand. I love it on crusty Italian bread or a sliced bagel)
Sliced tomatoes (any kind will work)
Basil (if I don't have fresh on hand, I use the dried)
Salt and Pepper
Cheese (once again, any kind will work. I like to use Provolone or a Monterey Jack/Cheddar mix)

Slice tomatoes thin and layer on slice of bread or bagel. Sprinkle with chopped or dried basil leaves. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle cheese over the top and put into oven or toaster oven. Broil until cheese is bubbly.

This is our kids' favorite "breakfast for dinner". They love it with homemade freezer jam. We also love it with fresh berries and whip cream.

Hootenanny Pancake (aka German Oven Pancake)
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
fresh strawberries, sliced

Beat together eggs, flour, milk and salt for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 425 degrees. Place 1/2 cup butter in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Put in hot oven just long enough to melt butter. Remove and pour beaten egg mixture into hot butter. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Pancake will "grow" up sides of pan. Cut into slices and top with powdered sugar and fresh strawberries, or maple syrup.

Vegtable Pizza

This is a great way to use a lot of your gardens vegetables.

1 medium zucchini, quartered length wise
1 small yellow summer squash, quartered lengthwise
1 small red sweet pepper, quartered lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
1/4 cup mayo or salad dressing
2 tablespoons purchased basil pesto
1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil
1 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano
4 6-7 inch flour tortillas
1 cup shredded mozzarella or smoked provolone cheese

1. Brush zucchini, summer squash, and sweet pepper with oil; sprinkle with pepper and salt. Place on grill directly over medium heat until crisp-tender, turning once halfway through grilling. Allow 8-10 minutes of sweet pepper and 5-6 minutes for zucchini and summer squash. Remove vegetables from grill.

2. Chop grilled vegetables. In medium bowl combine chopped vegetables, tomato, mayo, pesto, basil, and oregano. Place tortillas on grill rack directly over heat. Spread the vegetable mixture over the tortilla. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover and grill for 2-3 minutes more or until tortillas are lightly toasted, vegetables are just heated, and cheese begins to melt. Carefully remove from grill. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and grill vegetables and tortillas as above.)

Notes:
When I made this I didn't have the pesto and it still tasted pretty good. Be careful when you place the tortillas on the grill I left them for a little over a minute and they started on fire! So I used the raw tortillas from Costco and place them raw on the grill and let the grill cook them.

Chicken Salad Croissants

We have adapted this recipe from a few we liked and it has become our favorite. It is great on the croissants. You can also serve it on a bed of lettuce if preferred. We like to make this for dinner in the summer to avoid heating up the kitchen.

Chicken Salad for Croissants
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cooked
1 apple, chopped (either braeburn or fuji)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 c. halved red seedless grapes
1 c. salted cashews

Cook the chicken and then as you are cutting it up sprinkle liberally with Beaumonde seasoning (by Spice Island, but you can also use Bon Apetite by Schilling). Also sprinkle on salt and pepper. Combine above ingredients and add:

1 tsp. Beaumonde
1/8 tsp. curry (optional)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. sour cream
squirt of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything together and add more seasoning of desired. It is good if refrigerated for a few hours to let the flavors blend together. **I wait to add the cashews right before serving**

*green grapes and toasted slivered almonds can be substituted for the red grapes and cashews if preferred.

Chicken Cheesesteak Sandwiches

1 pound chicken cutlets (I use boneless skinless chicken tenders)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper
2 mixed bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 ounces sliced provolone cheese
4 soft hoagie rolls, split lengthwise
1/4 cup light mayonnaise


Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, toss chicken with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Broil, without turning, until chicken is opaque throughout, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board (reserve baking sheet); let cool, and thinly slice. Set chicken aside.
On baking sheet, toss together peppers, onion, garlic, and remaining tablespoon oil. Broil, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender and slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to broiled vegetables; toss, and spread in a single layer.
Top chicken and vegetables with cheese; broil until cheese is bubbling, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scoop out most of the doughy center from both halves of rolls; discard. Spread rolls with mayonnaise; fill with chicken and vegetables.

I serve with seasoned fries.

*Recipe from Everyday Foods Oct.2008

Tuna Salad

So this is definitely not very exciting! It's just one of those use-what-you-have, make-it-so-your-family-likes-it kind of things. Also....I don't really measure things, so sorry if that frustrates you. Just add stuff 'til it looks yummy!

2 cans tuna, drained, etc.
1-2 small apples, diced
shredded (cheddar) cheese
salt & pepper
enough Ranch dressing to make it all as moist as you want

Eat it with tortilla strips or crackers

This last time I made it, I had some left over bacon in the fridge that I cut up & put it. I also wondered if Craisins &/or almonds would be good, but I was starving & didn't take the time to get those out. I also wondered if it would be good as a lettuce wrap.
Enjoy!!