Buffalo Chicken Wraps

January 24, 2012 in food by Andrea | No comments

I have the best news ever!

I’m sick.

I blame my husband and whatever jerk or jerkette passed it along to him at work. Friday he came home complaining of sinus pressure and hints of fatigue and I was all, SISSY. But then I ran to the bathroom, rubbed echinacea powder and Robitussin all into my body pores, climbed into my very stylish bubble outfit and hid under the bed.

It didn’t work.

Sooo, before I go hook up a green tea IV drip and snort crushed cough drops for the next 13 hours, I need to show you these buffalo chicken wraps.

Mother of Mary and all the babies that drink the morning dew, these wraps….oh….my…

I don’t know what my deal is, but lately I’ve been u-b-s-a-y-e-s-s-e-d with any and all things buffalo. Like, so much that I would lick buffalo sauce straight off a dirty floor if times got ugly enough.

WHOAAA, BEV. Yeah, I should seriously stop right there and go back to bed.

(I still would though.)

If you suffer from the buff-a-freak sickness like I do, add these thangs to your game-day menu. Actually, just add them to your to-do list for this morning.

I’m going to go add buffalo sauce to my green tea now. Goodbye.

What it took for 4 wraps:

* 1 Tbs. butter, melted

* 1 pinch cayenne pepper

* 1 pinch freshly ground pepper

* 1 pinch coarse salt

* 1/2 cup hot pepper sauce, divided (I used Franks)

* 1 pound chicken tenders

* 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

* 1 roma tomato, diced

* 4 slices bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped

* 2 eggs, hardboiled and coarsely chopped

* 1/4 cup ranch dressing

* 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, divided

* 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

* 4 large jalapeno cheddar tortillas

Combine the butter, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt and 1/4 cup of the hot pepper sauce in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate for however long you want to. An hour or more.

Heat an indoor grill (or outdoor, whatevs) over medium-high and coat with cooking spray. Add the chicken tenders and grill until cooked through with nice grill marks on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove from grill and roughly chop.

Whisk the ranch with 1/4 cup of the blue cheese crumbles. Or buy blue cheese dressing.

Heat up the tortillas in the oven or microwave and start crafting your wraps. Layer some chicken in the center, followed by bacon, eggs, romaine, blue cheese, cheddar, the dressing and a few more good glugs of hot pepper sauce. With your fingers, mix up the filling so the dressing evenly coats all of the ingredients.

Roll up the burrito and tuck in the corners. You can throw it back on the grill if you want, or if you’re a ravenous freak, go ahead and slice in half and EAT.

OMG.

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Chicken Stroganoff

January 17, 2012 in food by Andrea | No comments

What up, Strogs? Strogy. The STROGSTER.

Oh, hi! I’m just pretending it’s 1995 and totally legit to use these God-forsaken nicknames on my new most favoritest dish ever in my life.

Did you know that “stroganoff” actually means “to eat your face off?” It does! And then in 1965, they shortened it to just “stroganoff your face off.” Yep. That’s why you see all the bumper stickers, mugs and tee-shirts with that slogan.

Oh you haven’t seen that?

Oh.

WELL, this here stroganoff needs to be on a dang bumper sticker because it’s seriously knock-you-to-the-ground delicious, but a pick-you-back-up-to-the-sky lighter version!

Chicken instead of beef.

Yogurt instead of sour cream.

Oh, NOT OUT OF A BOX.

Okay, while you make this, I’m going to go ahead and register my multi-million dollar award-winning catch phrase…with myself.

What it took for 4:

* 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, rinsed, trimmed of excess fat and cut into bite-sized pieces

* 1 Tbs. sweet paprika

* 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

* 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

* 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, rinsed and sliced

* 1/4 cup vermouth

* 1/2 cup chicken stock

* 1 Tbs. tomato paste

* 2 small dried bay leaves

* 1/4 cup Greek plain yogurt

* 1 pound egg noodles

* fresh parsley, for garnish

* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Once you’ve prepped the chicken, toss it with the paprika, a good pinch of salt and pepper. Dust with flour.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until browned on all sides, about 7minutes total. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add a smidge more oil to the pan if needed then toss in the onions and mushrooms. Saute until everything starts to brown and caramelize, 5 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the vermouth and let sizzle about a minute. Add the stock, tomato paste and bay leaves. Stir to combine.

Nestle the chicken back in the pan (with its collected juices) and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens a tad, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and cook 2 more minutes. Give the whole mess a good pinch of salt and pepper.

In the meantime, boil your egg noodles until they reach al dente. Drain.

Serve the stroganoff over a bed of noodles and garnish with parsley.

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Jazz + Wine + Food = Perfect Friday Night Combo

January 11, 2012 in Wine, food by Brooke | No comments

Looking for something FUN to do? Check out Jazz & Wine in the Castle on Friday, Jan. 13 at Renee Kelly’s at Caenen Castle with Somerset Ridge Vineyard & Winery.


Doors open at 7 p.m., and live music — with local jazz bands! — begins at 8 p.m. Kick back and relax to the sounds of Stan Kessler and Mistura Fina while enjoying a delicious menu designed for your dining pleasure by Chef Renee and a glass (or many) of local wine from Somerset.

Your $5 cover at the door pays for the musicians, so bring friends! Call 913.631.4100 to make your reservations for dinner or to reserve a sit-down spot.

Renée Kelly’s at Caenen Castle
12401 Johnson Drive, Shawnee KS
913.631.4100

Somerset Ridge Vineyard & Winery
29725 Somerset Road, Somerset, KS
913.294.9646 (tasting room)

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Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos with Swiss Chard Pesto

January 10, 2012 in food by Andrea | No comments

SWISS CHARD PESTO. Thaaaat’s it.

Remember when I showed you the leetle Instagram teaser shot this weekend and no one could guess what kind it was? Man, that was like a pesto joy ride for me. And my hair got all windblown.

You’re not convinced on this yet, are you? Neither was Aaron. When I was jumping up and down in the kitchen screaming in his face about how I was going to a make Mexican-style swiss chard pesto, his eyes narrowed and in his best Kristen Wiig voice, he came back with, “a whaaaat?” *

Well, well, well, bunny beans. Guess what dropkicked his MIND? Yeah, he didn’t even have a chance.

This pesto is insane. Swiss chard, jalapenos, toasted pepitas, garlic and green hot sauce. You should breathe and then push your eyes back into your head.

When you eat this, it tastes like you’re biting into a spicy, nutrient-y garden. And then when you make it to the seasoned black beans and roasted sweet potatoes, your tongue is going to faint. Once you resuscitate your tongue and realize you’ve also just eaten creamy avocado with fresh lime and crumbly queso fresco…well…there’s just no hope for you.

What it took for 2:

for the pesto:

* 1 bunch swiss chard, cut into chunks

* 1 jalapeno, roughly chopped

* 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

* 2 Tbs. green hot sauce

* 1/4 cup toasted pepitas

* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

for the tacos:

* 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

* 1 sweet potato, cut into a medium dice

* 1 (14.5 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

* 2 ts.p cumin, divided

* 2 tsp. chili powder, divided

* 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

* 8 white corn tortillas

* 1/3rd cup queso fresco, crumbled

* 1 avocado, diced

* lime and cilantro for garnish

* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat your oven to 400.

On a rimmed baking sheet toss the diced sweet potato with the oil, 1 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. cumin, a pinch of coarse salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes. Set aside.

In the meantime, toss the swiss chard, jalapeno, garlic, hot sauce and pepitas into a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Start pulsing. With the motor running, pour the oil into the processor in a thin stream, until you have pesto. Taste. Yes. Yes.

Toss the beans into a small sauce pan and season with the remaining cumin, chili powder and garlic salt. Heat through, 5 minutes.

On a small grill or skillet, toast the tortillas until you get browning or charred marks.

Layer 2 tortillas then spoon on some beans, followed by sweet potatoes. Dollop with a good 2 Tbs. of swiss chard pesto. Sprinkle on some queso fresco, the diced avocado, a good spritz of lime and a few cilantro leaves.

YESSSSSS.

*You’re going to have a lot of pesto leftover. Freeze her up!

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Thai Soup

January 3, 2012 in food by Andrea | No comments

Sluuuuuuurp. Slurp, slurp, slurp. Slurpidy slurp. Oh, hi!

Don’t mind me. I’m just slurping my way into 2012. I am wearing a bib, though. It’s cool.

Did you make any resolutions for the new year? Me either. Resolutions freak me out. If I make them, I get all stressed and think, “Well, I better get busy resoluting something or else the boogie man will get me.”

But, I do set goals! Which, you’re probably like, “uh, that’s the same thing.” AU CONTRAYAIRE, MON FRAYERE. Resolutions set me up for mega mama failure, whereas goals give me something to STRIVE FOR. Plus they give me the chance to wear neon pink body suits, matching leg warmers and ’80s sweatbands more than I already do.

What? It’s a really timeless look, you guys.

One of my goals this wintertime is to slurp my face into a hundred billion soups. Even if it’s unseasonably warm where you’re from, with trees budding and birds singing and no sign of snow, KANSAS. (Are we going to die?)

Start with this soup. And I mean it. And you know what? Forget the bib. Just go for it. Stick your entire head in this soup and experience the glory of the new year.

Slurp.

What it took for 4:

* 3 frozen or thawed chicken breast halves

* 3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced

* 2 Tbs. freshly minced ginger

* 2 (13.5 oz.) cans coconut milk

* 4 cups chicken stock

* 3 Tbs. soy sauce

* 4 oz. thin rice noodles

* 2 red bell peppers, diced

* 2 cups fresh beans sprouts

* 2 jalapenos, finely sliced

* 2 limes

* cilantro for garnish

* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

In a slow cooker, add the coconut milk, broth, garlic, ginger, chicken, soy sauce, a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook on high for 3 hours.

Using tongs, remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks. Return to pot. Add the rice noodles, bell pepper and sprouts. Cook 30 more minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve each bowl garnished with sliced jalapeno, a good handful of cilantro and some gigantic squirts of lime. Oh, man, yes.

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Simple Shrimp and Guacamole Tostadas

December 20, 2011 in food by Andrea | No comments

We have only a few days left until Christmas. Does that give anyone else gas?

I have to say, I’ve been quite the little miss holiday spirit cheerleader this season. I’ve charmingly entertained my husband with my best intoxicated Kermit THE Frog impression singing Feliz Navidad, 33 times. I used tinsel as dental floss and was all, “THIS IS THE WAY THE ELVES DO IT AT THE NORTH POLE” to the people in Target. And I even took the leftover wrapping paper and made a nifty little pant suit to wear to a party.

You wish.

But now I need simple. I need simple so bad even my pancreas hurts.

Well, whadduyaknow? Tostadas heard my cry for help. They reached out to me with guacamole dripping off their shrimpy arms and they rescued me from Santa suffocation.

There, there. Do you need a holiday hug from shrimpy tostadas too? Maybe 6 gallons of guacamole would help quiet the voices in your head?

You know what? Just cry it out.

What it took for 6 tostadas:

* 6 corn tortillas

* cooking spray

* 2 cups grated cheddar cheese

* 2 avocados

* 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

* juice from 1 lime

* 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

* 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

* 1 Tbs. ground cumin

* 2 Tbs. chili powder

* 1 tsp crushed red or green pepper

* 1 tsp garlic salt

* 1 red bell pepper, cut into small slices

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly coat both sides of the corn tortillas with cooking spray. Bake for 4 minutes on each side. Switch oven to broil. Evenly divide the cheese over the tortillas and broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, 2-ish minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the avocados, cilantro, lime juice and a pinch of kosher salt. Mash up with a fork until you get guacamole. Go ahead and eat a few bites for your well-being.

Toss the shrimp with the cumin, chili powder, crushed pepper flakes and garlic salt.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium high. Sear the shrimp on one side for 2 minutes; flip and sear 30 more seconds. Remove from pan.

To the pan, add the sliced red bell pepper. Saute for 2 minutes, scraping the browned bits from the pan, seasoning the peppers. Sprinkle in a leetle salt.

Spoon the guacamole over each cheesy tostada, followed by shrimp and red bell pepper. Garnish each tostada with cilantro and give another good squeeze of lime juice over each one.

Oh, you just won’t believe it.

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Grilled Citrus Tuna Steak With Avocado and Spinach

December 13, 2011 in food by Andrea | No comments

I need to tell you something real quick: I WANT TO MARRY TUNA STEAKS.

As I’ve mentioned, I’m cooking a few recipes out of this super duper book I just finished. And as a mega mama lover of fish, this recipe jumped off the page, slapped my face into next week and then kissed me like Rhett Butler does to Scarlett O’Hara on a dangerously long red staircase.

And as if good tuna wasn’t enough to seal the deal for 10 thousand romantic slow dances in your heart, the marinade slash topping for this dish will FREAK. YOUR. FACE. RIGHT. OFF.

Ginger? Good gosh yes.

Garlic? Feed me a billion cloves.

Cilantro? Make me an edible scarf, please.

Lime juice and soy sauce? Draw me a bath now, would ya, dear?

Add slices of creamy avocado to the mix and OH. Oh, ohohohohoh. Ican’tevenstandit.

The only willy-nillying I did was to tweak the measurements a tad to fit my taste buds, and I served the tuna over wilted spinach, which, in my opinion, everything in LIFE should be served over wilted spinach. Including wilted spinach.

One more thing and I’ll totes leave you alone. This is good tuna. PLEASE don’t cook it all the way through. You want it rare in the middle. Don’t be skeered.

Now please go make this and invite me over so I can steal it from you.

What it took for 1:

* 1 tuna steak (ahí or yellow fin)
* pinch of salt and pepper
* 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 2 Tbs. soy sauce
* 1 tsp. freshly minced ginger
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
* juice of 1 lime, plus the zest
* 1 tsp. sugar
* 1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
* 4 cups spinach

Season both sides of the tuna with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 Tbs. oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, zest and sugar. Add the fish and marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge.

In a small skillet, heat the last Tbs of oil. Add the spinach and wilt slightly. Toss in a teeny pinch of salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove the fish from the marinade and grill (or sear) for 4 minutes on each side.

Pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and reduce until it becomes thick.

Top the wilted spinach with the grilled fish, followed by the sliced avocado and a nice drizzle of the reduction.

Dear goodness me.

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Pantry Chicken and Beans

December 6, 2011 in food by Andrea | No comments

Okay, so I just finished reading this book. It’s fiction, but one of the main characters is a chef, so any time she references food, the recipe is supplied at the end of each chapter.

Pretty pimp, eh?

The book itself is gosh darned good, if you’re into giggling like a school girl, weeping like a baby and having your heart ripped RIGHT OUT FROM ITS CAGE AND SMEARED ALL OVER I-75 LIKE AN ARMADILLO WITHOUT A CHANCE.

So, this week I’m going to be cooking some of the recipes from the book to see if fiction chefs really know their beed-neez.

And, no, I’m not cooking armadillo. Sick, you guys.

She calls this meal “pantry chicken and beans” which is rawk solid for someone who took the redeye flight home (not really but I’ve always wanted to say that) after a weekend getaway and had zero idea or motivation to make anything that involved 0.1 ounce of energy.

I tweaked it a smidgeroo, but the overall results gist (?) remained the same. IT’S SO GOOD. It’s got a nice salty punch with the olives and anchovy paste (don’t be skeered) but it’s also comforting with the tender pieces of chicken. I think next time I might top the entire thing with panko or breadcrumbs.

And replace the chicken with armadillo.

(DID SHE JUST SAY THAT?)

What it took for 4:

* 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

* 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

* 1 (14.5 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

* 1 (14.5 oz) can navy beans, drained and rinsed

* 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, slightly drained

* 1 pinch crushed red pepper

* 1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives

* 2 tsp anchovy paste

* 3 cloves garlic, minced

* 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

* 12 chicken breast tenders

* 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

* parsley, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350.

Oil the inside of a 9×13 baking dish.

Dump the beans in. Then dump those tomatoes on top.

Sprinkle with the crushed red pepper, followed by the anchovy paste dollops, the chopped olives, garlic and cherry tomatoes. Toss it about with your fingers to get it all combined.

Throw it in the oven for 25 minutes and bake until the cherry tomatoes start to soften and burst a tad. Top with chicken tenders, season with salt and pepper and throw back in the oven for 30 minutes. If you need to flip it to broil for a couple of minutes, das fine.

Sprinkle with grated parmesan and parsley. Serve her up and eat, eat!

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Angel Hair with Chicken Sausages, Tomatoes and Kale

November 29, 2011 in food by Andrea | No comments

The secret is in the lemon.

But before you scroll down looking for the beauty shot of the lemon, let me break it to you, it’s not there.

You see, I didn’t even think about adding lemon juice when I was making this dish and then all of a sudden as I was about to serve it I thought, “oh, lemon! I should add the lemon!” And so I added the lemon.

This just put you to sleep, didn’t it?

Throw some coffee into your eyes real quick.

This is the deal, you guys. It’s the lemon juice having a little meet ‘n’ greet with the fresh parmesan. And then it’s the parmesan getting all cuddly and slightly melty with the angel hair noodles. And then it’s the noodles giving a deep tissue massage to the silky wilted kale. And then it’s the kale necking on some garlicky cherry tomatoes. And then it’s that whole naughty mess doing the mambo with Al Fresco’s hot Italian chicken sausages and Y.O.U. W.I.L.L. B.E. P.A.R.A.L.Y.Z.E.D. F.O.R. L.I.F.E. W.I.T.H. U.L.T.I.M.A.T.E. J.U.B.I.L.A.N.C.E.

This is no laughing matter.

What it took for 4:

* 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

* 1 pound (5 links) Al Fresco Hot Italian chicken sausages (with chili peppers and roasted red peppers)

* 2 cloves garlic, minced

* 6 oz. cherry tomatoes

* 1 bunch kale, roughly chopped

* 1 lemon

* freshly grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

* 1 pound angel hair pasta

Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Remove the casings from the chicken sausages and add them to the pan. Cook until browned all over, 6 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add a little more oil to the pan and toss in the garlic. Bloom 30 seconds. Add the cherry tomatoes and 1/4 cup water (or, oh, vermouth!) and cook the tomatoes for 3 minutes.

Add the kale, a pinch of salt and cook until the kale has wilted and pops in color, 3 minutes.

Add the chicken sausage back to the pan and toss to combine.

In the meantime, cook the pasta until it reaches al dente and drain. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Add the pasta to the pan and toss to combine. Add enough reserved water to create a thin sauce.

Give a big squeeze of lemon juice over the whole beautiful mess. Serve a good helping with fresh parmesan shavings. And would you like more lemon? Of course you do.

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Classic Chicken Caesar Salad

November 22, 2011 in food by Andrea | No comments

Have you ever made caesar dressing from scratch?

Yep, I’m talking anchovies, a raw egg yolk, the whole bit. Have you? NO? REALLY?

uhmugush.

Things are going to be different for you from now on. You are going to learn this recipe, and a new way to cherish life will unfold before you.

As in, you are likely to cancel all social plans so you can stay home and smear this dressing all over your face like a moisturizer (spf 30) and lick it off. And when you do, for the love, please Instagram it.

I’ll let you in on the little secret. Anchovy Paste. Comes in a tube, stores in the fridge, doesn’t have a face. You might already be IN THE KNOW of this movement. It’s so good that I’m this close to squirting some in my mouth for breakfast.

Anchovy paste gets blitzed up in a food processor with some dijon, an egg yolk, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan, lemon, garlic, oil — oh heavenly freakin’ day.

I’ll be right back. I’m going to give myself a Caesar dressing body wrap.

What it took for 2 dinner salads:

For the chicken marinade:

* 4 Tbs. bottled Champagne dressing

* 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

* 1 Tbs. honey

* pinch of crushed red pepper

* 2 cloves garlic, minced

* good grinding of black pepper

For the Caesar dressing:

* 1 egg yolk

* 1 garlic clove, smashed

* 2 Tbs. anchovy paste

* 1 tsp Dijon mustard

* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

* 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

* 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

* 2 Tbs. freshly grated parmesan cheese

* 3 chicken breast halves

* 1 bunch romaine, cut into chunky ribbons

* 2 cups croutons (or a baguette cut into bite-sized chunks and toasted)

* more cheese for garnish

* freshly ground pepper

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Score the chicken with a fork, add to the bowl, cover and stick in the fridge for at least an hour (or toss everything in a zip-locked plastic bag).

Grill the chicken until cooked through and nice and grill-y looking on the outside, about 10 minutes. Bring inside to rest for 5 minutes. Slice thinly.

In a food processor, add the egg yolk, clove and anchovy paste. Pulse to combine. With the motor running, add the oil in a thin stream. Last, add the lemon, parmesan and Worcestershire sauce. Give it one more blitz. Taste it. I MEAN WHAT.

Toss the romaine lettuce with the dressing and divide among two plates.

Top each salad with grilled chicken, croutons, more grated parmesan (if desired) and a good grinding of black pepper.

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