Arugula Pesto Chicken Wrap

I'm pretty sure I was inspired by Rachel Ray one day when I made up this recipe. She makes a lot of easy pesto sauces in her Cuisinart, so I decided to do the same.  For the pesto, instead of olive oil, I used a bit of mayo for a lighter taste than olive oil, but I thinned it out with chicken broth.  I was able to get the right consistency without using too much mayonnaise, ie fat. This recipe makes about 1-2 wraps, depending on how hungry you are, but it is easily adaptable to make enough for 10 if needed.  It's also a very colorful dish which is important since we eat with our eyes first!

What to use:

Arugula
Mayonnaise
Chicken broth
Roma Tomato, chopped
Salt/pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Juice and Zest from 1 lemon
Roasted Chicken patties, chopped (from Trader Joes, could substitute any cooked chicken you have on hand)
Flat bread (Trader Joes Lavish Bread is yummy, but again any wrap/tortilla would be fine)

What to do:

1.   In  a Cuisinart, place a couple handfuls of washed/dried arugula leaves.  Add about 2-3 tsps of mayonaise as well.  Start pulsing it to roughly chop the leaves.

2.  Once the arugula starts getting chopped finely, stream in the chicken broth while its on low.  Add just enough to give it a spreadable consistency, start with a tablespoon or so and add more if needed.  Also add salt and pepper to taste, and a small handful of Parmesan cheese if desired.

3.  Place the pesto in a bowl and add the chopped tomatoes and chicken.  Zest the lemon into the bowl. If you want more lemon flavor, add the juice of 1/4 of the lemon.  Taste, and add more seasoning if needed.




4.  Spread the pesto-chicken mixture onto the flat bread or wrap, roll up, and enjoy!



Hints:
*Remember, you can't take out salt or pepper, so start with a little. Taste as you go, and add more if needed.
*If you made too much pesto, put some aside before you add the chicken and tomatoes.  Use it on pasta, hot or cold, or mix it into scrambled eggs.

Spinach Orzo Salad

This was one of my very firsts posts, however due to the beginning of warmer weather...or wishing for warming weather, I thought I'd re-post it. This time I have pictures too! Hope you enjoy!

The salad marks the beginning of summer for me. I got this recipe once from a Rachel Ray cookbook, and I don't know how close it is the original, since I do it mainly from memory. It's really easy and can be done in about 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 bag baby spinach
1 box grape tomatoes
1 cup orzo pasta
1 lemon
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Handful of basil leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook the orzo according to the package.

While its cooking, dump the spinach and tomatoes in a large serving bowl.  Add the lemon zest too.

Chop up the basil and put it aside to add at the end.

Once the orzo is cooked, drain it and put it back into the pot or the strainer. Drizzle in some olive oil, just enough to make it not stick, then add in the salt, pepper and garlic powder-a few shakes of each should be good. Add the juice of the lemon as well and stir to combine.

The orzo mixture is then added to the spinach mixture and tossed to combine. Top with the basil and cheese, and toss a few more times. Taste, then add more seasoning if needed.

Tips:
*Any kind of tomato can be used in this salad, just cut them into small pieces to make it easier to eat.
*I like to add grilled chicken or shrimp to this to make a complete meal.
*Once made, this will keep in the fridge for a couple days, sometimes tasting better the next day.
*Don't worry about adding the hot orzo to the cold spinach. The heat will wilt it a bit and bring out the oils of the lemon zest too, making it more tasty!

Caprese Salad Kabobs

Caprese salad is traditionally tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Sometimes they are made into stacks or fanned out alternating on a plate . I decided to make mine into kabobs. This makes them easy to prepare ahead of time for guests, does not require utensils, and they are pretty.

What to use:
wooden skewers
marinated fresh mozzarella cheese
grape tomatoes
fresh basil


What to do:
1. Prep the tomatoes and basil by washing them both. Pat dry the basil leaves with a towel so get the moisture off it it. Pick some of the small leaves and put aside for the kabobs or tear the larger leaves into smaller pieces. I also dumped the cheese into a strainer to drain them of the marinade.
2. Decide on a pattern for your kabobs, or just make them random. But a pattern helps with an assembly line. I started with 2 tomatoes on each one, then basil, cheese, basil, and 2 more tomatoes.

3. I made about 20-22 skewers from the one container of cheese, so I did have basil and tomatoes left over. When I was finished I chopped off the pointy end of the skewer, or you can use kitchen scissors.
4. Arrange them on a platter, and before serving drizzle with a bit of balsamic vinegar if you'd like. It adds a great flavor!

Tips:
*I used the mini mozzarella balls, since they are easy to skewer and less work. You could easily buy a larger piece of fresh mozzarella in water and cut in into cubes.

Bruschetta Pasta

If you can make bruschetta, you can easily make this pasta dish. All you do is make the bruschetta and cook the pasta. When the pasta is done toss it with the bruschetta and top with Parmesan cheese. So simple and so fresh on hot summery days.

The bruschetta recipe can be found under Bruschetta Burger here. I've included some pictures with some tips on how to prepare this and for general knowledge of tomatoes and basil.

I cut the tomatoes in half first and seed them by pushing my thumb into the tomato and scraping out the seeds. This gets some of the extra liquid out too

With Roma tomatoes, I like to slice them lengthwise first, them turn them sideways and dice them. Really, it doesn't matter, just make sure you have a nice sharp knife.As a side note, that knife is my all-time favorite. It's a 7-in Hollow edge Wusthof Santoku knife which allows air to get in between the food and blade so you can cut thin slices. It is also very easy to hold, even though it can look intimidating to a novice chef.

Wash the fresh basil and pat dry with a towel. Then start by rolling it into a log. If you have big leaves its easier to pile them all on top of each other before rolling. Unfortunately I did not, so I just took the pile and rolled. Once it's rolled, start chopping the basil and making thin strips to cut. When you are finished you will have little ribbons of basil.

As far as cooking pasta...always put a lid on the water while you wait for it to boil and always turn the heat ALL the way up. It does boil faster!! Once it is boiling rapidly, take the lid off and add a good amount of salt--more than a pinch. You are flavoring the pasta while it cooks, so just a dash won't do much. Italians like their pasta al dente, which means there is a slight bite to the pasta and it's never mushy. If you follow the time on the box, its usually right. My rule of thumb is that I always start with 8 minutes (6 for angel hair or anything tiny). Then I taste it and decide to drain it or leave it for another minute or two.

To finish the dish, ladle a couple spoonfuls of the starchy pasta water into the bruschetta and stir. This helps the sauce attach to the pasta. Then toss in the drained pasta and mix together. I always top my pasta with Parmesan cheese. That's it, pasta and sauce in no time!

Bruschetta Burger

The inspiration for this burger was one I ate at Applebee's once. It was amazing, and I figured I can make my own version at home. The pesto sauce and bruschetta can be used separately too, but put together with the burger, OH WOW! It's heaven on bread!

As a side note, when I cook, I don't always use exact measurements. I remember once watching my grandma cook a family recipe so I can actually have it written down. But it was a lot of "oh about this much salt" and "just throw in some bread crumbs" with no exact science to it. It took me awhile to be confident to do the same, but with practice, it got easier. So, taste your food as you cook it and adjust where you feel you need to. You will soon start to see how much or how little salt you like, or where you feel you need to add something else. You should like the food you cook, so personalize it!

Pesto Sauce


2 Cups basil leaves
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2-1 tsp crushed garlic

Put all ingredients into the blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a glass jar and keep in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months. Use it on pasta, rice, over chicken, in a sandwich, or the yummiest burger ever!

Bruschetta

4-5 Roma tomatoes
2-4 basil leaves
1/2 - 1 tsp crushed garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Chop the tomatoes and basil, toss together in a bowl. Drizzle in some olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste and the garlic. Taste. Add more seasonings is you like, but remember that garlic will get stronger once it sits around. I like to make this, then chill it. Before using it, I taste it and add more seasoning if needed. If you think its too salty, add more tomatoes and oil.

Bruschetta Burgers

Patty:
1-1 1/2 lbs Ground sirloin
1-1 1/2 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 tsp Crushed garlic
4-5 shakes of Worcestershire sauce
a handful of Parmesan cheese

For assembling:
Ciabatta rolls
Olive oil
Garlic powder
Pesto sauce
Bruschetta
Fresh mozzarella cheese- this is the kind usually in water or vacuum sealed, Precious brand is always good.

Put all of the ingredients for the patties in a bowl. Mix with your hands until everything is combined. Then form patties to the size you prefer, keeping in mind the size of the bread so it fits nicely. I found that making them thinner makes eating it easier once inside the bun. Grill the patties on the barbecue or inside on a grill pan to your liking. While the patties are cooking, brush each side of the rolls with olive oil and sprinkle on a bit of garlic powder. Toast them in the oven or on the grill until golden. When the patties are almost done, place a slice of the mozzarella cheese on each one so that it melts.

Now it is time to finish the burger. Add pesto sauce to one or both sides of the rolls. Place a patty on the bottom half of the roll. Top the patty with some of the bruschetta, and then add the other half of the roll. Stare at it a minute to admire your wonderful creation! Then dig in!

Tips:
*Keep in mind the size of the bread when forming the patties, so it fits nicely. I found that making them thinner makes eating it easier once inside the bun.
*You can heat the pesto up in the microwave or on the stove if it was sitting in the fridge for awhile.
*I found that using a brush is the easiest way to get the pesto on the bread. It really gets it into the nooks and crannies. I like to use cheap wooden paintbrushes from the hardware store, the last forever and can be put into the dishwasher.