Quantcast

Posts Tagged ‘Cheese’

Zero-Hassle Chicken Wraps

This is so easy.

It’s what I do when I have absolutely no energy to deal with dinner and can’t even be bothered to boil water for pasta or roast up a chicken (which in itself is a seriously easy thing; if you don’t believe me, give this a read).

 

ZERO-HASSLE CHICKEN WRAPS

1. Shred 1/2 rotisserie chicken (reserve the other half for the next night, as you’ll likely have leftovers of all the other ingredients).

2. Saute 1 sliced green pepper and 1 sliced yellow onion in olive oil with a dash of garlic powder (or a couple of minced garlic cloves) until tender.

3. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups cooked rice, 1 can rinsed black beans, and 3 tbsp sliced green onion. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and a dash of salt; mix well. (This can be served as a side dish, or as another delicious thing to put in the tortillas.)

4. Serve by placing shredded chicken, onion/pepper combo, rice/beans combo, sliced avocado, grated cheddar cheese, and some sour cream alongside warmed flour tortillas and letting everyone serve themselves.



You Might Also Like:


Eat This Now, I Mean It: Grilled Cheese with Bacon & Avocado

Ever since I had my first for-real grilled cheese experience a little over two years ago (not a joke; I went twenty-eight years before discovering the wonder that is melted cheese on toasted bread; and to answer your question, no, not even as a kid – my mother is an alien who doesn’t like cheese and never really kept any in the house), I’ve been sorta obsessed with them. I’m generally of the opinion that simplicity is key when it comes to food like this – give me Kraft Singles and Wonder Bread, and I am a happy lady – but sometimes the addition of things like bacon and avocado makes a dish just worlds better.

Oh, who am I kidding with that “sometimes” jazz?

Bacon and avocado always make a dish worlds better. Even (especially?) chocolate ice cream: bacon and avocado make that stuff better, too. (Try it.)

A little discovery I made last night: rather than spreading butter (or mayo) directly onto the outsides of the bread, which is both messy and a pain when you’ve forgotten to bring your butter to room temperature and it’s all hard and unspreadable, just pop a big dollop of it in a heated pan and let it get foamy before adding the sandwich. When you’re ready to flip the bread, just balance it on your spatula for a moment and let a little more butter melt in the pan before frying the other side.

Oh, and use really good bacon. Like, really good. Expensive. It’s worth it.

(I know, it doesn’t look like there’s bacon in there. That’s because there isn’t. I used up all our bacon in last night’s grilled cheeses, and then devoured them like a crazed velociraptor before I could even take a photo, so what’s pictured above is today’s sadly baconless lunchtime replica.)

Click here for more perfect-grilled-cheese tips.



You Might Also Like:


Lunch Inspiration: Cheese & Apple Quesadillas

I’ve been eating these all week long, whenever the mood hits me. They take…maybe five minutes to make? Maybe. And you can whip up a thin one (just cheese and apple) for a snack, or add sliced turkey if you’re looking for something a little more substantial.

Just butter the outside of two tortillas, and layer in sliced apple (peeled, unpeeled; doesn’t matter), whatever cheese you like (I’d do Brie with green apple, or cheddar with Macintosh – pictured above), and turkey, if using. Place in a frying pan, cover, and toast for a minute or two on each side, and you’re done.

(Click here for Chicken, Pear & Goat Cheese Turnovers, for no real reason other than that now I’m thinking about fruit and cheese and pastry, and I want to make one.)



You Might Also Like:


Easiest-Ever Hors d’Oeuvres: Sweet Cornbread-Ricotta Stars

Just whip up some cornbread (the Jiffy boxed kind is fine) and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter…

Add a spoonful of ricotta to each…

And top with a drizzle of honey.

Done!

(Thanks to Morgan for the idea!)



You Might Also Like:


Twig Farm Soft Wheel

As a Christmas present to my dad, my mom and I hunted down a cheese that Dad and I tasted at Casellula a few months back and fell completely in love with. (I’m mentioning it only now because I swung by my parents’ place yesterday afternoon for a mini-cheese tasting).

Twig Farm Soft Wheel ($13.95 per 1/2 lb at Formaggio Kitchen) is a creamy, raw, washed-rind goat/cow cheese, and is sort of like an experimental cheese for non-experimental cheese eaters: it’s complex, but not too over-the-top. Try serving it alongside miniature coconut macaroons – you won’t believe how delicious the pairing is.



You Might Also Like:


Beer & Cheese & More Cheese

Saturday night, Matt & Rachael came by for dinner with Kendrick, his parents, and me, and brought with them an incredible spread from the West Side Market in Cleveland. Said spread included the Great Lakes Christmas Ale pictured at left, which is perfect for a chilly evening in, with hints of cinnamon and a rich spiciness. Almost too intense to enjoy in large quantities, I’d have just one of these while…I don’t know, wrapping presents or something.

The cheeses from the West Side Market were unlike anything I’ve ever tried, and included sage, caraway seed, and mango & ginger. Very weird…but very cool. I’m a goat cheese girl, though, so I ended up hunkering down with the Montrachet and some fresh figs.

The sage cheese is cool looking, no?

I know: I said that the Christmas Ale was perfect for a night in…but it also seems to inspire grand plans for bar-hopping, and Matt, Rachael, Kendrick and I ended the evening cozied up in a booth at Giesen Haus with a pitcher of PBR and a couple of hours of lovely conversation.



You Might Also Like:


Shopping, Swiss & Snowfall

The #1 thing I wanted to do on our trip to Ohio was make a repeat visit to Schrock’s Antique Mall, in Berlin, for some Christmas gift-buying. I toyed with the idea of picking up that set of blue marbled cups and plates (they’re tin, which means even I can’t break them), but decided I’m all full up on kitschy tableware for the moment.

This is a Jadeite rolling pin/flour holder, which I obviously loved…but I was in present-buying mode and managed to set it down. If you like it as much as I do, you can buy one here.

Kendrick loved these Apollo 13 “Safe Return” glasses.

After the antiques mall we headed over to Breitenbach Wine Cellars, where we sampled tons of their flavored wines. Most of them were way too sweet for me, but I did really like the Spiced Apple ($9.39), which can be heated up and flavored with mulling spices and cinnamon sticks.

Amish Country cheeses are delicious. My favorite: the super-mild Guggisburg Baby Swiss ($5/lb).

We ended the day with some festivities over at Kendrick’s high school buddy Nathan’s place (above, that’s us with Nathan and Daria)…

…and a little nighttime strolling in the very first snowfall of the year.



You Might Also Like: