Monte Cristos

 If you've never had a monte cristo, I'm afraid you are missing out. I am not a person who mixes foods at all. If they made separated plates in fine china, I would own them. This is one of these dishes that "it's ok because someone else did it and it's accepted". That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

A monte cristo is basically a sandwich made of ham, turkey, and various cheeses that is coated in a pancake like batter, pan fried, and served with a fruit jelly! This would surely wow any brunch guest. You can serve them cold as well but, they are better warm and melty. 

The first batch, I made for some guests and used leftover hamburger buns. Traditionally, it's made with bread and there is an extra piece in the middle, kind of like a Big Mac. I preferred the thickness of hamburger buns. The second time I did it (above), I used some cinnamon raisin bread. Use your creativity because mostly anything can go here. The only thing I wouldn't do is use condiments on the sandwiches. 

Layer the cheese closest to each slice of bread. I used cheddar and American but, again use Swiss, Monterrey Jack...whatever you like. Then layer turkey and ham on each side and close the sandwich. Press down hard on each sandwich to squish it. Then stack them and press down hard again to get them nice and thin. 

They should be refrigerated as long as possible. It's best to assemble the sandwiches the day before if you can! This helps seal them together. 

When you are ready to fry them up, heat up a nonstick skillet on low. The popular way to cook these is to use oil and fry them but I just can't cook like that. A bit of spreadable butter will do well pan frying them for me. 

Mix up a pancake like batter. This is what I use:

1/2 cup flour
3/4 Tsp baking powder
1/8 Tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 Tsp vegetable oil

Your batter should be runny, so you want to thin it out with water or milk. It should coat the sandwiches without allowing you to see the meat and cheese but not be as thick as batter. Then, carefully dip the sandwiches and fry them for 2-3 minutes on each side until brown. 

While still hot, dust them with some sifted powdered sugar. They are mostly served dipped in raspberry jam, but strawberry or blackberry work as well. Enjoy the eewy gooey breakfast goodness!

Pesto Pine Nut Spaghetti Squash

I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I love spaghetti squash, if you follow my blog. Cook the squash according to my directions here. Then, mix the squash with your favorite pesto sauce. I made some with fresh herbs from my garden. 

You can use whatever you grow: oregano, parsley, basil, cilantro...and mix it up with minced garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese in a food processor until you have a thin paste. You can add spinach or arugula as well. Either add the sauce and mix into the squash or do it in a separate bowl and then scoop it back into the squash to make a bowl. Top with pine nuts, some shredded or Parmesan cheese, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted.

 

Recipe Adapted from Delightful Country Cookin

Citrus Roasted Chicken

This whole chicken recipe is wonderful for a spring or summer evening. Just don't cook it on a really hot day when you don't want to keep your oven running for hours. You can serve it with anything and cook veggies right under the chicken. I threw in potatoes and carrots. 

Take an oven stuffer roaster and pull out the innards. Trim any excess fat or skin that you wish and place in a roasting pan. Pour 1 Tbsp of honey over it and rub in. Zest 1/2 a lemon and 1 orange over the chicken, spreading it around. Squeeze the half lemon over it, then juice the full orange over it as well. Place the oranges inside the cavity. Sprinkle with 1 Tsp garlic powder and 1/2 Tsp onion powder, 1/2 Tsp sage, and 1/2 Tsp thyme. Top with fresh cuts of rosemary and a dusting of sesame seeds. 

Roast according to package directions depending on the weight of your chicken.  You don't need to add any water to the pan, but if you are worried, you can add 1/4 inch of chicken broth to the pan if you like veggies more tender than crispy. The juices will give the vegetables a great taste but you might want to melt some butter over them when you are done cooking them. 

Brazilian Stuffing

My husband and I loved a Brazilian restaurant that closed down in Peabody a few years back. Everything there was amazing and we were completely devastated. None of the other Brazilian rodizios we have tried since have been able to hold a candle to it. I absolutely loved the stuffing that they served!

I'm not a big fan of beans at all. I'm not sure how it is that I totally love this dish! My recipe is purely trial and error until I achieved a similar taste. I have no idea if it's culturally authentic, so please don't hold that against me. 

2 eggs, beaten

1 medium white onion, minced

1 package chorizo, sliced

1 bunch fresh cilantro

1 can kidney beans

Seasoned breadcrumbs

1/2 cup beef or chicken broth

1 Tsp butter spread

In a skillet, melt butter. Add onions and saute until they begin to caramelize (10 minutes). Turn the heat up to high and add the beaten eggs. Quickly and constantly stir the eggs with a spatula until cooked. Add the broth. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the sausage. The sausage I use is pre-cooked so I'm just warming it up. 

Drain and rinse the kidney beans. Remove skillet from heat and add the beans. Mix well. Chop the cilantro into small pieces and add to skillet. Stirring constantly, begin to add the breadcrumbs. I usually end up using about 2 cups in total. You want to soak up all the liquid, coat all the items, but not have dry breadcrumbs in excess inside your pan. Knowing the consistency you want isn't necessarily the easiest thing. It's really just trial and error. 

I've had stuffing at other Brazilian BBQs that have been different. Some are much drier versions using much more breadcrumbs. Some have vegetables mixed in such as carrots, corn, peas, of green beans. The recipe above is my favorite take on it. Feel free to add items to your liking. 

Rice Pilaf

This is my go-to easy rice pilaf recipe. It's a staple on my Easter table and its easy to prep ahead of time. 

1/2 box orzo pasta

2 cups dry rice

1 can chicken broth

1/2 cup sliced almonds

2 Tbsp butter

salt

Toast the sliced almonds in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until they begin to brown. Set aside to cool. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove top. Add dry rice and cook according to package directions (usually about 30 minutes). During the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the orzo and stir thoroughly. Once cooked properly, drain the mixture. Add the butter to the warm pan and let it melt. Once melted, stir in rice, orzo, and almonds until well mixed. Add the chicken broth and continue mixing. 

The rice may be refrigerated for later use in the day or the following day. When ready to finish the dish, bake in a 350 degree oven until warm, stirring occasionally (20-30 minutes). 

Roasted Broccolini

I love the tender delicacy of broccolini as an alternative to broccoli. It can be prepared a number of ways, but my favorite is simply steaming it and finishing it with a signature sauce made with butter, garlic, and lemon. 

2-3 garlic cloves

1 1/2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/8 Tsp lemon pepper

1/2 Tsp onion powder

zest of 1/2 a lemon

1/4 Tsp cornstarch

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Finely mince garlic cloves and add to the pan. Cook until fragrant. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Simmer for 2-3 minutes and then sprinkle in cornstarch, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Pour immediately over vegetables. 

Baked Sweet Potato Chips

After making Addictive Baked Potato Chips, I was eyeing sweet potatoes and figured I would give them a try with a sweet twist. I made them in the same manner as the regular potatoes with different spices that gave them a lovely fall flavor.

sweet potatoes

mixed up salt

cinnamon

nutmeg

vanilla extract

olive oil



Scrub your sweet potatoes with a brush under running water. Slice them the short way by hand or using a mandolin. I cut mine in about 1/4 inch strips. Pour some olive oil and a bit of vanilla extract on a baking sheet and rub around with a paper towel to spread evenly. Cover the baking sheet with sweet potatoes and then season. I used a moderate amount of cinnamon and just a bit of nutmeg. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Then, pull them out of the oven, flip them, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. These were pretty consistent in the cooking and texture. Sweet potatoes are naturally more dense than regular potatoes so, they cook up more like a vegetable and don't get as chewy as a texture. That's why I chose to cut down on the cooking time from the regular recipe.