Sweet Love and Ginger

Foil Sausage & Pepper Potato Packets

Foil Sausage & Pepper Potato Packets

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Right now I am day dreaming about camping, but we seem to be
busy every single weekend for the foreseeable future, so instead I’ll offer up
this awesome camping recipe.

Sausage and peppers, the classic combination that is
delicious and simple, as well as a great alternative to the typical hot dog
while camping.

I have made sausage and peppers in the woods probably a
dozen different ways, and this so far is my favorite. You could also easily
cook the onions and peppers in foil and the sausages on sticks then pile it all
on a bun the way it’s usually eaten, but I feel like we eat enough buns while
camping so I swapped the buns for potatoes to keep it hearty.

Foil Sausage & Pepper Potato Packets

1 package precooked Italian sausages, sliced

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2-3 potatoes chopped

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 tbsp butter, in small chunks

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients on a large piece of tin foil,
tossing to mix well. Fold the foil into a pocket and seal. Add an additional
piece of tin foil and wrap the original packet. Place over a fire or on a grill
for 20-30 minutes, turning regularly. Potatoes should be tender when done.

I call out for precooked sausages because they tend to take
a while to cook over the fire, and for health and safety reasons you don’t want
undercooked sausages. I usually just buy my favorite Italian sausages and cook
them up at home before bringing them camping, but this is only my suggestion,
based on experience.

Long Weekend in Hampton Beach

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This vacation was much needed.

The food, the beach, the rest, and the people, all very much
needed.

3 Amazing Chicken Sandwiches

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Hello Random Late Summer Heat wave!!

I don’t know about you but when I get into my car after work and it tells me that it’s
104 outside you can bet the idea of cooking in my tiny, super hot kitchen is
nowhere near appealing to me at all. This summer I have become a big fan of
sandwiches, burgers and grilled veggies. Anything that means I don’t need to
turn on the stove. I’ve been posting for you some of my favorite burgers from
this summer, here, here, and here. Now here is a couple of my favorite chicken
sandwich recipes.

Caprese Chicken Sandwich

¼ cup balsamic

2 tbsp extravirgin olive oil

1 tsp garlic podwer

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tomato, sliced thin

10-12 large basil leaves

1 tbsp preferred Spread

4 whole wheat rolls, or buns

Combine balsamic, oil, garlic powder, salt & pepper in a
shallow pan. Cut chicken in half length wise and place into the pan tossing to
coat. Cover the chicken and allow it to marinade for at least a half hour or
overnight. On a preheated grill cook chicken for 5-6 minutes a side or until
cooked through. 2 or 3 minutes before the chicken has finished top with
shredded cheese and allow it to melt. Place chicken on a toasted bun and top
with tomatoes, basil, and preferred spread.

Personally I really like this sandwich with Lemon Aioli,
but it is also good with pesto, regular mayo, Italian dressing, or you could
even take the left over marinade and reduce it a little on the stove top.

Sundried Tomato and Artichoke Chicken Pannini

2 boneless, skinless chicken Breasts

1 can artichoke hearts, packed in water

1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, packed in oil

1 clove of garlic

Splash of olive oil

¼ cup pine nuts

4 whole wheat, rolls or buns

1 cup of baby spinach

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese


Cut the chicken breasts in half length wise, and season well
with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated grill and cook for 5 or 6 minutes a
side, or until juices run clear. Meanwhile in a blender combine artichoke hearts,
sundried tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts and oil, pulsing until well blended, and
maybe a little chunky. Spread roughly a tablespoon on each side of the buns. Place
cooked chicken on one side and top with spinach, and cheddar cheese, and the
top bun. Place the entire sandwich on the grill for 2-3 minutes a side. While
it is cooking take the flat part of the spatula or a oven proof pan and push down
on the sandwich to flatten it some. Or if you are lucky enough just put it on a
Panini press.

 Note: I just use my Foreman grill, it works just fine.

A classic Monte Cristo Sandwich typically uses turkey and is
dipped in an egg wash before it is pan fried, but as I said I was trying to
avoid the stove, and chicken is cheaper, so this is my spin on the Monte
Cristo.

Quick Chicken Monte

2 boneless, skinless chicken Breasts

8 thick slices of bread of choice

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/3 lb thick sliced smoked ham

¼ lb sliced Swiss cheese

¼ cup pure maple syrup

Cut the chicken breasts in half length wise, and season well
with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated grill and cook for 5 or 6 minutes a
side, or until juices run clear. Meanwhile Spread the mustard on one side of
each slice of bread, then on half of them layer smoked ham, cheese, the fully
cooked chicken and finally another slice of bread. Place the sandwich back on
the grill to toast for a minute or two, and to allow the cheese to melt a
little. Serve warm with a side of maple syrup to dip in.

Corn Chowder with Crab & Red Pepper Crostini

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Corn Chowder with Crab & Red Pepper Crostini

Corn chowder is probably one of the easiest things to make, but it’s so delicious, and a perfect ode to the end of summer, with fresh corn from the local stand, some fresh red pepper to brighten it up, and a cool glass white wine, and it’s pretty much heaven. Then as I was sitting at my desk at work daydreaming about this combination I thought that some crostini might just
make it that much better, I thought about things like caprese, French onion, cucumber and dill, and even ham and cheese, which all sounded delectable, then as always my mind turned to seafood. You probably know by now I have an undying love of seafood. Remembering I had a can of crab meat waiting to be used inspired a whole other idea.

It sounds do decadent, and looks like restaurant quality, but it only took 20 minutes to whip up and only costs $2.64 a serving, so $5.28 for the entire dinner for the two of us. The recipe actually serves 3-4, since I took the leftovers for lunch the next day, at a total cost then of $7.88.

Sometimes I love how things work out.

Here’s to the end of august, and fresh farm stand corn!

Clean Corn Chowder
Clean Corn Chowder with Crab & Red Pepper Crostini
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 spring of fresh thyme (1 tbsp dried)
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
  • 1 lb Fozen or Fresh Corn
  • 1 1/5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp low fat milk
  • ½ a medium red pepper chopped
  • 1-2 fresh chives, chopped
Instructions
  1. In a thick bottom sauce pan heat oil, over medium high heat and sauté onion for 3-4 minutes, or until it begins to turn translucent.
  2. Stir in thyme, paprika, pepper and corn. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring
  3. continuously.
  4. Add broth and allow the combination to simmer for 6-8 minutes.
  5. Using a ladle spoon out about ¾ of the mixture into a blender and blend until
  6. smooth before returning it to the pan.
  7. Reduce the heat to low and stir in milk.
  8. Serve in bowls topped with red pepper and chives.

Crab & Red Pepper Crostini

½ a loaf of crusty whole wheat bread

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 can crab meat, drained

½ a red pepper, chopped

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp lemon juice

2-3 fresh chives, chopped

Sprinkle of shredded Monterey jack cheese

Slice the bread, and place on a baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Place in a preheated oven at 475 degress, for 5-10 minutes, or until toasted, meanwhile combine all other ingredients, except cheese in a small bowl. Once the bread is toasted place a clump of the crab mixture on each piece of toasted bread, and sprinkle with cheese. Then place back in the oven for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.
A small side note: the crab mixture is also good in the soup, so don’t feel shy about skipping the spoon using the crostini as a utensil instead. In fact I strongly suggest that this is how it should be eaten.

Simple Summer Date Night

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When I think of summer, I think simple, and that was the
theme for this date night.

I didn’t bother with a table cloth, or a flower arrangement.
We ate outside, because it was cooler than inside, and then I didn’t have to
clean the house. I put a fat candle on a plate in the middle of the table and
put a few daisies from the yard around its base. I put our regular dinner
plates down, mainly because I’m not fancy enough to have china, some homemade
cloth napkins, and a carafe of chilled white wine. Then I served dinner.

Summer is a time for little sleep, hard work (for those of
us in construction in the northeast), and lots of playing outside. I wanted
just one special night to share with Chuck, after weeks of dinners on the road,
quick grilled, or over the fire, and looking at my generally un-groomed
stressed out self I wanted to show him how appreciative I am that I don’t
always have to be perfectly manicured, cleaned, and coiffed for him to tell me I’m
beautiful. I did take the time to actually shave my legs, put on some make up
and (gasp) straighten my hair, for the evening, along with cook him a dinner
especially suited to his tastes.

I’m sorry I have no pictures of the night, it was a blog/work
free zone, but I thought that you might like to see what I served to my very
special man on our date night in.

 

Soup: Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Salad: Fresh Garden Greens with Creamy Pesto Dressing

Entre: Shrimp & Parsley Ravioli with Red Pepper Scampi Sauce

Desert: Strawberry & Ginger Sorbet: 2 Cups fresh
Strawberries, 1 tsp ground ginger, splash of lime juice, blended and frozen.  

Virtually everything but the ravioli was made ahead of time
so it was a pretty easy dinner to piece together, and with the sun setting
behind us, and little Brody happily chewing on a bone at our feet it was a
pretty perfect night.