Apr 29 2013

From Our Kitchen: Spicy Bacon Ranch Quesadillas

Posted on April 29, 2013 by thepoli3

Yum.

If you are anything like me, you probably just prayed that this plate magically appeared in front of you, right now.

You simply cannot go wrong with anything that includes both bacon and cheese. You just can’t. Thats why these quesadillas are simply AMAZING. Husband approved too, might I add. Ok, so my hubby has somewhat of an obsession with bacon but thats neither here nor there.

Pair this with a healthy side serving of Black Bean & Corn Salad and you will feel guilt-free in no time.

Spicy Bacon Ranch Quesadillas

Quesadilla Ingredients:

*Makes 2 quesadillas (8 slices)

4 flour tortillas (make sure you get the soft taco size ones)
1/4 cup chicken, shredded
1/4 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
shredded cheddar cheese

Spicy Ranch Ingredients:

*I adapted this to only make 3/4 a cup (the original recipe makes 1 & 1/2 cups)

1/2 (16 ounce) bottle ranch salad
dressing (such as Hidden Valley Original Ranch®)
1-1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (such
as Tabasco®)
1-1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (such
as Frank’s RedHot®)
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1. Stir together the ranch-style salad dressing, the two hot pepper sauces, cayenne pepper, and chili powder. Chill for at least one hour.

2. When spicy ranch dressing is ready, spread about 1-2 tablespoons of it on 2 tortillas.

3. Sprinkle cooked shredded chicken, cooked crumbled bacon, and cheese on top of the ranch on each tortilla. Top with remaining tortilla.

4. Coat a large grill pan (or a frying pan, which means you will probably have to cook one at a time on) with olive oil spray (or Pam) and heat over the stovetop on medium heat. Place tortilla(s) in pan and cook 1-3 minutes or so on each side until cheese melts and tortillas have slightly browned.

5. Remove tortilla(s) from pan and carefully slice into 4 wedges. You can use a knife or a pizza cutter but it is best to let cool for about a minute before slicing so its not too messy.

6. Serve with an extra side of Spicy Ranch sauce and guacamole (if desired) for dipping and enjoy!

Nov 11 2012

The “Real Best” Chili

Posted on November 11, 2012 by thepoli3

Fall is in full swing and you know what that means: time to enjoy some warm, filling, comfort food! We decided to kick off the Fall recipe season the right way with something you can enjoy at home, at a tailgate, or smothered on top of some cheese fries and hot dogs- thats right, we’re talking about chili!

The contenders:

The nitty-gritty:

Each chili was scored on a scale of 1-10 (where 1= that’s food? and 10= the best chili that has ever entered my mouth) for overall score, the boyfriend/husband test, and the leftover test. We also provide other comments.

Jamie Deen’s Chili

Overall score: 9

The boyfriend/husband test: 9

The leftover test: 9

Comments: This was pretty good and we are not very big chili eaters around here. I will definitely plan on making this recipe again with a few minor adjustments such as adding a full pound of both beef & sausage each (hubby is a carnivore!), removing the black beans (love them but they just didn’t seem to “go”), and replacing the whole peeled tomatoes with more diced tomatoes (hubby avoided them like the plague and I didn’t care for the huge tomato hunks either). This was a great base and I definitely recommend it to others and playing around with the ingredients to fit your tastes!

Taste of Home Spicy Chili

Overall score: 8.5

The boyfriend/husband test: 9

The leftover test: 8.5

Comments: This was really good. We both liked it a lot better than my normal go-to recipe! I would definitely make this again!

Boilmaker Tailgate Chili Recipe

Overall score: 8.5

The boyfriend/husband test: 8

The leftover test: 8.5

Comments: This was very delicious! However, it does not beat our go-to chili recipe, so this will not replace it. The Fritos do not add much to this recipe, so I would recommend nixing them if you do not want the added expense. Also, this makes a LOT of chili– you’ve been warned.

The winner:

Jamie Deen’s Chili!

Special Diets:

While we can’t guarantee the results, here are some ideas you can use to customize the winning recipe to your dietary needs:

Gluten-free: Ensure that your ingredients are gluten-free
Vegetarian: Forgo the meat!
Vegan: Drop the meat and suggested dairy toppings
Lower fat: Use lean ground beef in place of fattier beef products. Consider using ground turkey.
Lower sugar/calories: You can cut the calories by using some of the suggestions above.

Oct 11 2012

The “Real Best” BLT Sandwich

Posted on October 11, 2012 by thepoli3

Looking for a tasty, filling, and quick meal? Grab these staples from your fridge and throw together a delicious and for the most part healthy BLT. Want the best recipe of all? You’re in the right spot! The winningest “best” BLT recipe is here!

Note- We left the “Leftover Test” score out on this one purposely… BLT’s are always best eaten immediately!

The contenders:

The nitty-gritty:

Each BLT was scored on a scale of 1-10 (where 1= that’s food? and 10= the best BLT that has ever entered my mouth) for overall score, the boyfriend/husband test, and the leftover test. We also provide other comments.

AllRecipes.com Super BLT

Overall score: 9

The boyfriend/husband test: 7

Comments: This was really good! I thought the guacamole gave it a nice creaminess and the cream cheese was an interesting way to substitute for mayo, while adding a bit of the cheese usually missing from most BLT sandwiches.

Kraft Recipe’s BLT

Overall score: 9.5

The boyfriend/husband test: 8.5

Comments: This is so simple, but it was SO good! It calls for a lot of mayonnaise (1 tbsp per sandwich), which I was initially hesitant about (mayo creeps me out.. is that normal?! Plus, it isn’t great for you), but it turned out to be the perfect amount! This was so good and easy that I made it again for dinner, and again for lunch the next day! And when I ran out of bacon, I went and bought more so I could keep making this. YUM.

Amazing Sandwiches’ BLAT

Overall score: 8

The boyfriend/husband test: 9

Comments: I know this is your basic BLT but the avocados gave it an extra good touch. This is a very good and easy for a quick lunch or light supper. Next time I would use 2 teaspoons of mayo as I felt there could have been a little more than the recipe recommended (1 teaspoon). My husband thought a slice of cheese would also enhance the flavor of this sandwich. I would make this one again for sure!

The winner:

Kraft Recipe’s BLT!

I guess this is another case where a classic is the best!

Special Diets:

While we can’t guarantee the results, here are some ideas you can use to customize the winning BLT to your dietary needs:

Gluten-free: Use a gluten free bread for this one. Make sure your other ingredients are also gluten-free! Another creative option: Use the lettuce as your “bread” (sort of like a lettuce wrap).
Vegetarian: Nix the bacon or use a bacon substitute, such as Lightlife Vegetarian Bacon-Smart Bacon.
Vegan: Nix the bacon or use a bacon substitute, as described above. You can also make your own “bacon” out of tempeh. In addition, skip the mayo.
Lower fat: Use less bacon, or use turkey bacon.
Lower sugar/calories: You can cut the calories by using some of the suggestions above.

Sep 6 2012

Pinterest Tested: Man-Pleasing Chicken

Posted on September 6, 2012 by thepoli3

I saw this on Pinterest; the exact description was: “One pinner said, ‘I have never gotten so many compliments before, let alone for a piece of chicken. David suggested calling this chicken, So Good it Cant Be Described, Explosion on Your Taste Buds Chicken. Exactly. I have never encountered a dish that is so basic and simple to put together yet creates such a big pay off. This chicken, quite simply, is one of the most savory things Ive ever eaten.’ Must try.”

So, naturally, I had to try it. I made it that very night.

Overall rating: 8

Cost: $$

Difficulty level: Beginner (scale: beginner, moderate, intermediate, advanced)

Thoughts: First off, the comments on that recipe are hilarious. “I don’t like mustard, can I substitute something else?” Uh, yeah, seeing as mustard is the main ingredient, you should substitute an entirely different recipe. Anyway, I loved how easy and quick this was. Cut up the chicken, mix the sauce, pour it on top, put in the oven, take out, add rosemary. Almost foolproof.

But– you want to know the important stuff: how did it taste? The comments had plenty of rave reviews that hyped up this chicken even more, but there was also a good amount of not-so-good reviews (mostly from the people who hate mustard but decided to make this anyway– whyyyy?).

What this was: It was pretty good. A good, solid, 8 My boyfriend agreed.

What this was not: This was not ~TaStE BuD ExpLosIoN~ nor “the most savory thing that has ever crossed my lips”. This didn’t taste overly mustard-y, as some of the ~mustard haters~ claimed. It also didn’t taste overly sweet, as some people commented. My sauce also did not do weird things, as some mentioned, such as separate, congeal, turn into Flubber and come alive, etc.

Final verdict: I will make this again because it was so easy and it is good, but I won’t be running through the town praising this chicken any time soon.

*side note: I used chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. Also, because ~~I caught my oven on fire a few weeks ago and I’m terrified of using high heats now~~ I cut them thin, I decided to cook it on 400 degrees (vs. 450) and it only needed 35 mins (vs. 40). I bet this is even better when it browns (as it looks in the original recipe’s picture), so next time I will use thighs and cook on the recommended heat, and I’ll report back as to whether it made a difference.

Sep 6 2012

From Our Kitchen: Easy at Home Happy Hour

Posted on September 6, 2012 by thepoli3

Sometimes after a long, stressful day all you want to do is kick back and relax at home. Around here, that usually means it’s time to bring out the red wine. One day, I had (what I thought was) the greatest idea ever- an at home Happy Hour! I grabbed some simple snacks at the store, including a Rotola, stuffed olives, and roasted red peppers, and -voila- we had a picture perfect appetizer spread. You can also make your own appetizers with things as simple as cheese & crackers, assorted deli meats (we usually do a quarter pound of the deli sale items, such as special salamis, prosciutto, etc.) or even with a homemade spinach and artichoke dip with fresh bread. Don’t like wine? You can also mix this up with cocktails or beer. Just look up what pairs well with your drink of choice. Even if you don’t drink at all, you can whip up a delicious lemonade (we recently rated some delicious recipes) or a punch with some fresh fruit inside to be a little more festive than usual. You can even do this when you have guests over before heading out for the evening. This is a relatively quick, cheap, and easy way to unwind and treat your family and friends. One of the most important elements of an at home Happy Hour is the music, so remember to turn on some tunes to help set the mood (my favorite free music player is Pandora). I personally usually tune it to the Jimmy Buffet or Eric Clapton stations.

Try this tonight in your home! You will be amazed at how relaxing it truly is!

Enjoy!