Saturday, February 25, 2012

Quesadillas, Wraps, and Salads! Oh My!

I've been back on the health wagon when it comes to eating.  I have been eating a lot more flat type breads than ones with years.  I have been rocking wraps, salads, and quesadillas as of late...Now salads are kind of idiot proof so I am not going to go into those.  I have been experimenting with wraps and quesadillas.   

J.J.'s Philly Cheese Steak Quesadilla

Serves: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

  • 2 medium flour Tortilla wraps (I use whole wheat.)
  • 4 slices frozen Philly Cheese Steaks
  • 1/2 green Bell Pepper, diced (optional)
  • 1/3 cup Onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms (optional)
  • 1/3 cup fresh Tomatoes, diced (optional)
  • 2 slices of American cheese
  • 2 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese
Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Chop bell pepper, onions and tomatoes.
  • Preheat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Remove frozen Philly Cheese steak meat from package. Break into bite-size pieces and add to skillet.
  • Add pepper, onions, and onion, stirring frequently.
  • Cook 5 to 6 minutes or until beef is thoroughly cooked, drain.
  • Cover each quesadilla with one of each type of cheese per tortilla.
  • Place half the meat mixture on one half of each quesadilla.
  • Top with fresh tomatoes, if desired.
  • Fold the other half over meat mixture.
  • Place on baking stone or baking sheet. (I also brown on a hot griddle sprayed lightly with a cooking spray.)
  • Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until tortillas begins to turn light brown.
  • Remove from oven, transfer to plates and serve immediately.

Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 2⁄3 cup franks red hot or Texas Pete pepper sauce
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
  • ¼ cup ranch dressing
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese...want it really hot? Use pepper jack!
  • 4 10-inch flour tortillas (warmed...again I use whole wheat)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder, to taste
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
Directions

  • Pre season chicken with garlic powder, salt and black pepper to taste.
  • Combine 1/3 cup of hot sauce and 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large plastic storage bag.
  • Add the chicken and shake a bit to ensure chicken is evenly coated with marinade.
  • Marinade chicken at least 30 minutes.
  • Grill chicken until done.
  • Slice chicken into strips.
  • Place chicken in bowl and add 1/3 cup of hot sauce and dressing and cheese, mix well.
  • Place chicken mixture and lettuce down the center of the tortilla.
  • Roll tortilla in same fashion as a burrito.
  • Cut in half.

Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes        
Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Diced Grilled Chicken Breast
  • ½ cups Frank Red Hot or Texas Pete Sauce
  • 1 head Romaine Lettuce
  • 1 bag (8 Oz. Size) Mozzarella Cheese Or Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • Whole Grain Tortillas (again use what you like)
  • ½ cups Ranch Dressing
Directions

Mix the chicken with buffalo sauce. On a hot skillet, throw in chicken, and cheese on one side of a tortilla. Fold in half. Cook on high heat for about two minutes. Flip! Cook an additional 2 minutes on the other side. Serve with a ranch and lettuce. 
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Such A Tool!

No, not me! I am talking kitchen items! I have expensive tastes, but a poor mans budget.  Good kitchen tools don't come cheap.  My favorite knife, a Santoku, by Pampered Chef, was $80 and that was five years ago. I love my santuko.

The Santoku hōchō or Bunka hōchō is a general-purpose kitchen knife originating in Japan. Its blade is typically between 5 and 8 inches long, and has a flat edge and a sheepsfoot blade that curves in an angle approaching 60 degrees at the point. The top of the santoku's handle is in line with the top of the blade. The word santoku loosely translates as 'three virtues' or 'three uses', a reference to the three cutting tasks the knife performs well: slicing; dicing; and mincing. The santoku's blade and handle are designed to work in harmony by matching the blade's width/weight to the weight of blade tang and handle, and the original Japanese santoku is considered a well-balanced knife.

The thing is with knives...you need to use something that has a good feel to it for you.
What knife I like, might not work for you.  I know you have heard this time and time from the various celebrity chefs, but me being me...I have to try it out for myself.  I am not a celebrity, but a real person. lol

I also like the knives Ikea sells.  What I like best is they have a display knife out where you can pick it up and see how it feels in your hand.  And it is Ikea! Everything is dirt cheap!

I get a lot of gadgets at Ikea or they are bought for me.   A good friend of mine introduced Ikea and me and its been a torrid love affair ever since.  $0.59 spatulas? Sweet! That way if I melt and destroy it, I don't feel guilty about it.  $0.99 for a set of three different sizes of scissors? Hell yeah!

Now one of my favorite kitchen tools that is not a knife is something from Pampered Chef that is called the Scoop and Drain or something like that. It is so nice for pasta...especially if you are cooking it for something like pasta salad.  The pest thing about it is I got it at a quarter auction for $0.50! Sweet!

What kind of kitchen gadgets do you lovely readers like?  Send me your emails and bonus points for photos! I will compile all submissions and put it in the blog.

cookingwithjj.baker@gmail.com

Love, peace, and chicken grease!

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