Fried Ravioli

My middle child Simon spent the summer in Tennessee working at an outdoor adventure camp for kids; he loved every aspect of it! One of his favorite things about the camp was the night the cook made fried raviolis. He mentioned this to me the other day so I decided to recreate them for him. We were all pleased with how they came out, they were easy to make and so tasty. A perfect appetizer for a party, or for dinner, served with a big salad and crusty bread. 

Ingredients
Vegetable oil for frying
1 c milk
2 c Italian-style bread crumbs
1 box store -bought cheese ravioli (about 24)
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan
1 jar marinara sauce, for dipping

Directions

Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F.

While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.

Ingredients

Place milk and breadcrumbs in separate bowls

Dunk raviolis in milk

Dredge in breadcrumbs

Place on cookie sheet 

Simon helping out

They fry very quickly, and puff up

Place on paper towel to drain

I crammed them into the pan

Top with parmesan cheese and serve with dipping sauce

Enjoy! 

Man Pleasing Chicken

I've been in Utah for the past few weeks on vacation, and let me tell you I've sure enjoyed it! Tonight was my last night and so my sister and I joined forces and made dinner. She introduced me to this awesome chicken recipe that she originally found on Pintrest. It was easy to make but oh so yummy! The sauce is reminiscent of McDonalds spicy mustard sauce for their chicken nuggets.....my FAVORITE sauce!!

Ingredients

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, or 6 skinless boneless  thighs

1 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 maple syrup (the real stuff)

2 TBSP rice wine vinegar

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450. Mix mustard, syrup and rice wine vinegar in bowl. Salt and pepper chicken. Dip chicken pieces into mustard mixture and place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, flip chicken over and pour over remaining sauce. Cook for another 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Easy Peasy!! 

Ingredients

Mustard mixture before stirring

Salt and pepper chicken

Dip into mixture

Completely covering chicken in sauce

Place on foil lined baking sheet

Made Caprese salad to go along with dinner 

Ready for oven

Ready to eat

Enjoy!

Adapted from Busy But Healthy

"Good Tomato Soup"

I know tomato soup isn't one of the top choices for summertime meals, but believe me...you need to try this one. My husband asked for gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner with "good tomato soup"... and this is what I came up with. This soup is so tasty and fresh that you will love it regardless of the temperature outside. You can always omit the seafood and just have 'plain' tomato soup, I promise either way is delicious.

Ingredients
6 TBSP melted butter
1 onion, diced
1 46 oz bottle tomato juice
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
3 TBSP chicken base
3 TBSP sugar
pinch of salt
black pepper to taste
1 c cooking sherry (you can sub chicken broth or water if you don't want the alcohol)
1 1/2 c fat free half and half (you can use full heavy cream...but why??)
chopped fresh parsley
chopped fresh basil
Seafood Medley (shrimp, calamari, mussels, or any other seafood) I used about a pound of seafood

Sauté diced onions in butter until translucent. Then add canned tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken base, sugar, pinch of salt, black pepper and stir. Add seafood and bring to a near boil, then turn off heat. (make sure seafood is cooked through)  Add in sherry and cream and stir. Add in parsley and basil to taste.

Ingredients

Seafood Medley from Sam's Club

Saute onion in butter

Ready for seafood

The smell of the fresh parsley and basil was divine!

Dump it in the soup

Enjoy!

Adapted from Pioneer Woman 

Chicken Meisner (chicken stuffed with gorgonzola cheese)

My son recently graduated from college and moved to Grand Forks, ND for a newspaper job, applause!! While I was helping him relocate we discovered this fun restaurant/bar on the boarder of  Minnesota, and one night I ate the most delicious chicken dinner. I've recreated it and it is just as good as they made....if I do say so myself!

Ingredients
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese crumbles

8 slices Prosciutto Ham 

breadcrumbs

1/4 c butter

1/4 c flour

milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly salt and pepper chicken, slice chicken almost all the way through, so that it opens up like a book. Lay one slice of prosciutto on top of chicken then place a spoon full of gorgonzola cheese on top of that. Fold top of chicken back over and lightly hammer edges with either a meat mallet or bottom of a sauce pan. Lay stuffed chicken into a 9x13 baker and sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs, throw in a TBSP or two of butter.  Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until juices run clear.

In a small sauce pan make a roux, this is where you take equal parts butter and flour and make a thick paste. Melt the butter then whisk in flour, whisk it until it's nice and smooth, let it bubble for a little but on the stove. Next slowly add milk into pan, add just enough so that you can quickly blend it in with whisk. I probably used 1 1/2 cups milk by the time I was done. Bring the white sauce to a boil, then let it simmer. Add remaining Gorgonzola cheese and chop remaining 4 pieces prosciutto and add to sauce. Stir until incorporated. 

Remove cooked chicken from oven and spoon a healthy amount of gorgonzola cheese sauce over top of chicken. Serve over white rice. Serves 4

Ingredients

Fillet chicken

Stuff with cheese and prosciutto 

Lightly pound sides down to seal in cheese

Start with butter, melt it

Next add flour

Whisk it together

Slowly add milk, until nice and thick

Add cheese and remaining ham

Pour over top of cooked chicken

Enjoy! 

Steak Pizza

I will admit I love pizza and could eat it every single night! This is my new obsession and I can't even begin to tell you how delicious it is! The best part is that it's super simple to make and it will wow your taste buds! I love how it uses store bought ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and fridge, what could be easier!

Ingredients
1 skirt steak or flank steak 1 1/-2 lbs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 TBSP olive oil
4 TBSP balsamic vinegar
2 cups marinara sauce (I used Ragu)
1 ball of pizza dough, or store bought
2 cups mozzarella cheese
Steak Sauce
Shaved parmesan cheese

 Season the steak with salt and pepper. I used my panini maker to sear my steak, but you can use a grill or even a frying pan. The key is to not over cook the meat, cook roughly 2 minutes per side and then place on a cutting board for later.

In a large skillet placed sliced onions in 1 TBSP olive oil and 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar. Let cook for about 10 minutes or until soft.

Mix the marinara sauce with the remaining 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar, this gives it a rich flavor.

 Preheat oven to 350. Roll pizza dough out on either cookie sheet or pizza stone/pan. Spread the marinara sauce over the top of the crust, next place cooked onions on top of sauce. Spread the mozzarella cheese on top of onions and bake for 12-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling.

Remove pizza from oven and slice steak into thin strips and place on top of cooked pizza. Next pour steak sauce over the top of the steak, the amount is up to you. Sprinkle liberally with shaved parmesan cheese and place pizza back into over for 3-4 minutes. Slice and serve. Serves 4

Enjoy!

 Source; Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Pizza Dough

I absolutely love homemade pizza, but I will admit.... I tend to cheat when it comes to the dough. I usually buy the store made dough that is sold in the bakery section. Today I decided to make my own dough and am super excited to try it out tonight. The dough came together very quickly and mine is currently sitting in a bowl rising. Follow this link to my favorite pizza recipes; this dough would work great for all of them!

Ingredients 
1 scant teaspoon active dry yeast
3/4 c warm water
2 c all purpose flour
3/4 kosher salt
3 TBSP olive oil

Combine warm water and yeast in a small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. Add the flour to a bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle in salt. Turn the mixer on low and slowly add olive oil/ Pour in the yeast/water mixture. Stop mixing when everything comes together. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rise for 1 hour before using.  Makes enough dough for 1 pizza. The dough can be store in the fridge for several days before using. Super easy recipe to double or triple.

Enjoy!

Source; Pioneer Woman- Food from my Frontier Cookbook

French Dip "Cupcakes"

I don't know about you but I'm addicted to Pinterest; I spend endless hours pouring over pictures of food, fashion and funny quotes. While wasting time  perusing Pinterest I came upon this fun and quirky idea, mealtime cupcakes!! They looked so cute and sounded so yummy that I had to give them a try. They came together super quick and the smell in my kitchen while they were baking was divine!  If you are interested in finding me on Pinterest here's my link . 

Ingredients
12 oz deli roast beef, thinly sliced and chopped into pieces 
4 Laughing Cow Light Swiss wedges, chopped
1/3 c Au Jus gravy (I used Heinz which comes in a jar by the other gravy)
16 wonton wrappers (typically found in the produce section)
4 oz (1 cup) reduced fat 2% shredded mozzarella cheese


Directions
    Pre-heat the oven to 375. Lightly mist 9 cups in a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
    In a microwavable bowl, combine the roast beef, cheese wedges and Au Jus sauce. Microwave for 2 minutes on high. Stir to combine until cheese wedges are melted and roast beef mixture is fully coated with cheese and Au Jus sauce.
    Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the eight sprayed cups in the muffin tin. Spoon about half of the roast beef mixture evenly amongst the wonton wrappers. Sprinkle about half the mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of each cup. Press another wonton wrapper on top and repeat the layering steps with the remaining ingredients.
   Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin. 

Ingredients

Meat, cheese and au jus ready to go into microwave

Heat for 2 minutes, stir

Place won ton wrappers into greased cupcake liner, fill with meat

After both layers are done, ready for the oven

Bake for 18-20 minutes

Enjoy! 

Source; Emily Bites