It's been a while since my last post...I started a new day job at the beginning of the year, which has been a huge adjustment for me in so many ways. I've been a bit of a free spirit for the last 10 years; returning to the confines of corporate culture has not been easy and my focus had to shift for a while.
None of that, however, has anything to do with today's subjects....chicken, cheese and chocolate.....three of my favorite things! I borrowed this topic from a magazine my mom gave me. There are some quick and easy recipes here that I thought I would share with you. Two of these recipes are from the Kraft Foods website.
Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta
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| www.kraftrecipes.com |
I love casseroles, and this one is made even better by using healthier, low fat ingredients. This entrée has plenty of vitamin A from the spinach, as well as calcium from the cheeses.
The recipe states that the yield is 4 servings at 2 cups/serving, and recommends using either an 8-inch baking dish or a 2-quart baking dish. I think it may be better to use a 9x13 dish because the pasta is going to take up a lot of room. You may also want to split it into two smaller 8x8 casseroles and freeze one for later.
Follow the link for the recipe: Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta
Tomato Basil Mozzarella Panini
For the cheese portion of today's topic, I'll share one of my own recipes that became quite popular at my restaurant. I adapted the ingredients of a Caprese salad into a grilled cheese Panini sandwich. It has such a unique flavor and is very easy to make. Pair this up with a nice tomato soup for a delicious comfort-food experience.
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| So amazing! |
Mayo
One or two Roma tomatoes, sliced in 1/4" slices
Basil pesto spread (I like Classico)
Olive oil cooking spray
Here's how to put this beauty together:
Preheat your sandwich or Panini grill.
Lightly drizzle mayonnaise on both slices of bread.
Arrange sliced Roma tomatoes over the mayo. I like to arrange them in a sort of cascade fashion, where one slightly overlaps the next one, getting maximum coverage on the bread.
Drizzle with basil pesto.
Sprinkle liberally with mozzarella cheese (you will achieve better results if you shred your own).
Top with second bread slice (mayo side down).
Spray the sandwich lightly with olive oil cooking spray.
Place on the grill for 2-3 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melting. We always grilled our sandwiches on the flat side of the grill, but you can also use the ridged side to get those lovely grill marks on the bread.
I like to put mayo, pesto, and other spreadables in plastic squeeze bottles. You may need to snip the tip for spreads with a heavier texture, like this pesto or a tapenade, so they will flow more easily.
You can also make this as a non-grilled sandwich using fresh mozzarella slices and fresh basil. I like using Roma (also known as plum) tomatoes because they contain less moisture than normal tomatoes and don't have as many seeds.
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| The secret to this sandwich! www.classico.com |
Marbled Brownies
Finally....chocolate. Here is a dessert that was also a very popular item at the restaurant. Fudgy brownies + cream cheese = a delicious combination of brownie and cheesecake. It's okay in small bites, right?
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| www.kraft.com |
This is a really easy dessert - one of those you'd call "semi-homeade". I like baking brownies in a metal pan as opposed to a glass dish. My favorite is a 9x13 Wilton sheet cake pan. Use your favorite family-size brownie mix to start this off, although Kraft recommends you do not use the type that includes a syrup pouch.
Follow this link to the recipe: Marble Brownies
Give these a try and let me know how you like them.
Enjoy!
