Roast Chicken "Mock" Pie

3 tbsp Butter

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

1 Large Potato – Peeled, ¼ inch dice

½ Cup Crimini Mushrooms – diced

1 Small/Medium Onion – ½ inch dice

2 Garlic Cloves – crushed

2 Celery Stalks – ¼ inch dice

½ Cup Green Beans – ¼ inch cut

½ Cup Carrots – ¼ inch dice

1 Cup Frozen Peas

1 Cup Frozen Corn

2 tbsp Parsley – finely chopped (stems and leaves)

2 Cups Roasted Chicken – chopped or shredded (make your own or store rotisserie)

4 tbsp Flour

5 Cups Chicken Stock - hot

1 Cup Water - hot

1 tsp Salt

½ tsp Pepper

1 Tube Large Biscuits

¼ Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 tsp Chives – fine chop

In a pot over med/high heat add butter and EVOO until melted.  Add potato and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add in onion and mushrooms and cook 5 minutes.  Reduce to medium heat and add garlic, carrots, green beans, celery and chicken and cook 5 minutes.  Add in flour, stir to coat and cook about 2-3 minutes.  Add Salt, Pepper, chicken stock and water.  Cook about 5 minutes stirring occasionally to thicken.

Once thick add in peas, carrots and parsley.  Adjust seasonings accordingly.

Open your tube of biscuits and roll them out to the size of the mug or container you’re going to serve your individual portions in.  Top with the cheddar cheese and chives.  Pat down a bit to make sure they are stuck in the biscuit dough.  Bake according to the biscuit’s instructions.

Ladle the filling into a mug or whatever you’re going to serve in, place the warm biscuit on top and enjoy.

* It’s a Chicken “Mock” Pie because you’re not making a bottom crust for the pot pie.

Tortilla Crust Pizza

In the mood for pizza but don't want to wait for take out and don't want the frozen pizza option?

I always have various sizes of flour and whole wheat tortillas in my fridge.  They are prefect to mix various leftovers together and wrap them up as a burrito or make a quesadilla.  But what if you're in the mood for pizza?

It's the ultimate thin crust.  Top with whatever ingredients you like, cheese, mushrooms, peppers, chicken, whatever.  Place on a cookie sheet or pizza rack, place in a 400 degree oven for 11-15 minutes and viola, the ultimate (healthier) thin crust pizza that you're craving in minutes.

Schezwan Chicken Lo Mein

Schezwan Sauce: 

2 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

2 tsp Tabasco

2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil

1 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce

2 tbsp Brown Sugar

¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper

½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1 tbsp Grated Ginger

Lo Mein Sauce:

4 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil

½ tsp Hot Sauce

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

2 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

2 tbsp Honey

1 tsp Grated Ginger

¼ tsp Salt

1 Cup Chicken Stock

1 tbsp Corn Starch

2 Cups Roasted (or grilled) Chicken - shredded

1 Cup Green Beans – cut about 1-2”

1 Large handful of Snow Peas – tips cut off

1 Orange Pepper – thinly sliced

¼ Cup Scallion – both green and white ends

½ Cup Shredded Carrot

¼ Cup Red Chili – small dice

2 Cups Broccoli – sliced

1 Cup Crimini Mushrooms

4 Garlic Cloves – crushed

1 tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

1 Large Package Asian Noodles (or 1 lb Spaghetti)

1 ½ tsp Toasted Sesame Seeds

While the chicken is still warm add the Schezwan Sauce and coat the chicken thoroughly. 

While cooking mushrooms, etc., cook your noodles or spaghetti in boiling, salted water according to directions.  If you’re cooking spaghetti cook about 7 minutes.  (I prefer spaghetti because the pasta holds up better).  After 6 minutes add in the green beans, snow peas and broccoli.  Drain veggies and noodles/spaghetti and set aside.

In a large pan with high sides over med/high heat, add the EVOO and mushrooms.  Brown about 2-3 minutes on each side.  Add in crushed garlic and cook about 2-3 more minutes.  Add in chicken and remaining Schezwan sauce.  Cook another 2 minutes.

Add in orange pepper, scallion, carrots, red chili.  Stir everything together.  Add in the noodles and veggies and Lo Mein Sauce.  Coat everything thoroughly.  Adjust seasoning accordingly. 

Once plated, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over top and maybe a few more diced scallions.

** This dish can be made vegetarian but substituting tofu or shrimp for the chicken (or just don’t add a protein) and replacing the chicken stock with veggie stock.

Roasted Corn Salsa

10 Ears of Corn – Shucked – Wrapped in Aluminum Foil

EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

½ tsp Sea Salt

½ tsp Pepper

½ tsp Garlic Powder

½ tsp Onion Powder

2 Med. Onions – Peeled & Quartered – Wrapped in foil

Drizzle of EVOO

Pinch of Sea Salt and Pepper

1 Whole Bulb of Garlic – Cut in ½ horizontally – Wrapped in foil
Drizzle of EVOO

Pinch of Sea Salt

24 Roma Tomatoes

2 Med. Jalapeno Peppers – Seeded & finely diced

¼ Cup Fresh Parsley (stems and leaves) – Finely diced (or Basil)

1 tsp Sea Salt

½ tsp Pepper

1/8 Cup EVOO

¼ Cup Balsamic Vinegar

¼ tsp Cumin

This recipe can be done on the grill or in the oven.  Today I didn’t have access to my grill so I used my oven.

Wrap Corn in aluminum foil w/ EVOO, salt, pepper, garlic powder & onion powder.

Wrap Onion in foil w/ EVOO, salt, pepper.

Wrap Garlic in foil w/ EVOO, salt.

Place in a 450 degree oven for 1 hour.

Cut an X in the bottom of the tomatoes.  Place in a large pot of boiling, salted water for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (Until you see the skin peeling back).  Place in a large ice bath.  Peel off the skin, take out the seeds and rinse the tomatoes to take off any missed seeds.  Then finely dice.

Place a small bowl upside down in a large bowl and with a sharp knife cut the kernels off the corn cob.  Break up the corn with your fingers.

Cut the Onion into a small dice.  Squeeze the  garlic from it's papery jackets and then mash with a fork or the back of your knife to make a paste.

In a large bowl combine the corn, tomatoes, onions, garlic, tomatoes, jalapenos, parsley, salt, pepper, EVOO, balsamic and cumin.  Stir to combine. 

The longer it sits the more flavorful it gets.  Keep Stirring.  Check seasonings and adjust accordingly.