A Feast for the 4th

We had an excellent feast for the 4th of July.  Some friends came up for the weekend and we ate our hearts out (most likely literally...or rather now our arteries are major clogged).  I really wasn't in the creative mood, so I turned to who other than (yes, you guessed right I'm sure) the Pioneer Woman.  She is just the best (if you can find me someone better, let me know).  Here's what was on the menu:

Jalapeno Poppers (I'm SO addicted!)

• fresh jalapenos
• cream cheese, softened
• bacon, sliced in 1/2 or 1/3 depending on size of bacon & jalapenos

Cut jalapenos in half, length-wise.  With a spoon, remove seeds and membranes (if you want it a little hotter, leave a little in).  Smear softened cream cheese into each jalapeno half.  Wrap jalapeno with bacon piece.  Stick toothpick through the middle.  Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375° oven for 20-25 minutes.  You don't want the bacon to shrink too much, but after 20 minutes if the bacon isn't brown enough, turn on the broiler for a couple minutes to finish it off.  

PW's Potato Salad

• 5 pounds potatoes (she uses russet, I used red)
  
• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
  
• 4 Tbsp prepared mustard
  
• 5 green onions, sliced
  
• 8 small pickles (she uses sweet, I used dill)
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 tsp paprika
  
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
  
• 4 hard boiled eggs, coarsely chopped

Cut potatoes in halves or thirds, then boil until fork tender. Drain. Mash potatoes or run them through a ricer or food mill to make them extra fluffy.  Fold potatoes together with mayo, mustard, green onions, salt, pepper.  Fold in pickles and eggs, then taste for seasonings, adding more salt, mustard, or mayo as needed.  If need more moisture, can add a little pickle juice from the jar.

PW's Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Dressing:

• 1 (7 oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Salad

• 16 oz corkscrew pasta
• 1 jar olives (she used Kalamata, I used plain ol' sliced black olives)
• 1 pint ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
• Several basil leaves, chopped or julienne
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare dressing by blending sundried tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and vinegar until tomatoes are chopped.  Blend while drizzling in olive oil; continue blending until mixed together.  Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and rinse with cold water until no longer hot.  Pour 2/3 of the dressing over the pasta, add olives, and toss together.  Add remaining ingredients, tossing together and adding more dressing until the salad is coated to your liking.  Serve on a big platter with an extra sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

and these Tasty Burgers of My Husbands Own Creation

I really can't tell you exactly what was in the patty.  Basically into the ground beef he mixed in chopped bacon, goat cheese, Worcestershire, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cayenne, salt, and pepper (he's the mixing king!).  Then grilled them on up on the bar-b.  I topped mine with sliced avocado, fresh tomato, and caramelized onions.  Oh baby, it was tasty!

Carrabbas (Copycat) Chicken Bryon

A long time ago, way back when my husband and I were first married and living in Utah, Carrabba's Italian Grill came to town.  We were dirt poor students, but we gathered our pennies and went to try it out.  I don't know what my hubby had, but I ordered the Chicken Bryon that came with garlic mashed potatoes or something.  Oh man, it was good.  I was able to go one more time before we moved, but have never been back since.  A couple years ago I came across this recipe and was SO excited!  It's like what I remember it tasting like, but to be honest its been like 8 years since I've tried it, so really I don't know if it is like it or not.  But I can tell you this...this recipe is awesome!  I love the buttery sun-dried tomato sauce and the tangy goat cheese...mmm!  Of course it always makes way more sun-dried tomato sauce then I actually use with the chicken, so when I made this last week, my husband put the leftover sauce on EVERYTHING for the rest of the week.  His favorite was frying eggs in the sauce part, then topping it with the tomatoes and goat cheese.  I didn't try it, but I have to admit it smelled and looked really tasty!  Doesn't it just look divine?

For the Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce:

• 2 Tbsp butter 
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chicken broth)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 10 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 cup finely sliced sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

Place butter, garlic, and onion in large skillet over medium heat and saute until garlic and onion are tender and transparent.  Add white wine (or chicken broth) and lemon juice.  Increase heat to medium-high and simmer to reduce by half.  Reduce heat to low.  Add cold butter one piece at a time.  Add sun-dried tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper and stir to blend ingredients.  Set aside.

For chicken:

• 6 large chicken breasts
• 1-2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 8 oz goat cheese, softened to room temperature

For grilling:

Reduce charcoal brisquettes to white-hot coals.  Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill chicken over hot coals 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.  

For stove top:

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, then place on skillet.  Cook evenly on both sides until cooked through

Divide goat cheese evenly between chicken breasts, placing some on each breast for the last two minutes of cooking.  

To serve place cooked chicken on serving platter and spoon Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce over chicken.

Serves 6.

I found this recipe in the Kraft magazine and it has become a family favorite. I do not use my regular grill for this recipe but use my George Foreman grill which makes it end up like a panini. My kids aren't a fan of tomatoes or the oregano so I just make them plain ham & cheese panini's. I usually use the Oscar Mayer Shaved Turkey Breast as well. I like the taste of it better. I also serve this with one of the bagged Ceasar Salads. It is a quick and easy meal. Always a plus! (Note: I have found that you can't use light mayo. It must not have enough oil or something because the bread then sticks to the pan/grill)

Ham & Cheese Grill

photo courtesy of Kraft magazine

Prep Time:
10 min

Total Time:
15 min

Makes:
1 serving

What You Need

2 slices sourdough or Italian bread

1 KRAFT 2% Milk American Singles

2 thin tomato slices

6 slices OSCAR MAYER Shaved Smoked or Brown Sugar Ham

1 Tbsp. KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise

1/4 tsp. dried oregano leaves

Make It

PREHEAT grill to medium heat. Cover 1 of the bread slices with 2% Milk Singles, tomatoes and ham; top with remaining bread slice.

MIX mayo and oregano. Spread outside of sandwich with mayo mixture.

GRILL sandwich 5 min. or until golden brown on both sides, turning once.

Jodi S.
Manassas, VA