Because I come from a family full of foodies, much of the planning for this trip involves figuring who is going to bring what snacks or drinks. We have a cooler full of our favorite Indiana craft beer, Cardinal Spirits Maui Mules, homemade pesto and Impostor Al Pastor marinade from Alison Roman’s Dining In cookbook. I also packed plenty of healthy snacks and homemade sandwiches to get us through the nine hour drive to Arkansas. Stocking up ahead of time is so much healthier, cheaper and tastier than grabbing snacks at gas stations and fast food joints.

My all-time favorite sandwich is the vegetarian muffuletta from the Garlic Press Cafe in my hometown. I’m not sure what inspired me to order it for the first time, because it was full of ingredients that I’d never tried growing up. But I was blown away by the first bite. The sandwich had only a handful of components, but was packed with amazing salty, sweet and acidic flavors. It was unlike any sandwich I’d tasted before, and nothing else has compared since.

Sadly, while the Garlic Press is still open, the cafe is now a popcorn and candy shop. The closure led me to create my own version of the veggie muffuletta I loved so much. I tend to tweak the toppings based on what’s in my pantry and fridge, but the recipe I’m sharing below is the standard base for the sandwich. I love adding sliced tomato and fresh basil this time of year.

I will warn you: this sandwich can get messy. If you plan to eat it on the go, wrap the sandwich in waxed paper before slicing it in half and storing the sandwich in a plastic bag or glass container. Peel back the wax paper when you’re ready to eat, keeping it wrapped around the bottom of the sandwich to catch anything that falls.

While this sandwich is great fresh, I think it’s even better if you let it sit overnight. That allows the flavors to really marinate.

What’s your favorite road trip snack? Tell me in the comments!

Vegetarian Muffuletta

serves one

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• Two slices crusty bread, such as ciabatta
• 1/2 oz goat cheese
• 4 Kalamata olives, pitted
• 4 Manzanilla olives
• 4 artichoke hearts, sliced in half
• 4 Peppadew peppers, sliced in half
• 1 tsp. olive oil
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Finely chop Kalamata and Manzanilla olives, then place in a small bowl and stir until combined. Set aside.
2. Spread goat cheese on one slice of bread. Top with chopped olives, pressing down slightly to get them to stick to the goat cheese. Top olive mixture with artichokes and peppers, then drizzle with olive oil. Top with the other slice of bread, pressing down slightly to compress sandwich. Eat immediately, or refrigerate overnight.

[/directions]

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As I was flipping through my planner at work today, I realized something crazy: Thanksgiving is next week! It feels like November just started, so it’s hard to believe we’re already on the verge of the holidays.

I love this time of year because, while it’s hectic, there’s always some type of get together to look forward to. Many of our family gatherings over the next month are centered around a delicious spread of food. I lalways make a couple of old standbys (like grandma’s green bean casserole), along with a new recipe or two.

Because I know oven space is especially precious on Thanksgiving, I’m always on the hunt for dishes that can be made ahead of time or cooked quickly on the stove. I love this cheesy garlic kale because it has delicious flavor but isn’t as heavy as some of the more traditional holiday vegetable side dishes.

There are a few people in my family who turn their noses up at kale, but this recipe is husband approved. James isn’t a huge vegetable fan, but he actually went back for seconds when I served this with dinner last night! This is a great recipe to keep in your back pocket even after the holidays are over because of how quickly it comes together. I recently paired it with chicken sausage and polenta and loved how it complemented the rest of the meal. 

Cheesy Garlic Kale

serves 4-6

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 large bunch kale
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add kale to skillet and carefully pour water over top. Cook kale until bright green and soft and all the water is evaporated.
3. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, 2 Tbsp. cheese, salt and pepper to skillet and toss kale until evenly coated. Remove from heat and top with remaining parmesan.

[/directions]

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If I had to pick one food to eat for the rest of my life, pasta would top the list. The never-ending combinations of noodles and sauces mean it never gets boring — and I have yet to find a bowl of pasta I don’t like. Gnocchi with pesto and mom’s lasagna are the ultimate comfort foods for me, but oftentimes real life calls for a dinner that’s even more effortless.

I always keep a jar or two of store-bought pasta sauce in our cabinet for nights when I really don’t feel like cooking. I always buy a marinara-style sauce because it’s a blank canvas for other ingredients. My favorite pre-made sauces are Rao’s (worth the extra cost) and Private Selection Basilico. While the sauces taste OK straight out of the jar, a little extra effort makes them taste more like they’re homemade. And, the final product still comes together quickly.

Here’s how to elevate your favorite store-bought pasta sauce:

Start With Garlic

In my opinion, this is how all delicious meals start! I begin by sautéing two to three cloves of minced garlic in two Tablespoons of olive oil until fragrant. You can also add some soffritto, which is the base of all good Italian dishes. It’s the flavorful combination of chopped onion, carrot and celery. Cook the garlic and onion first until softened, then add in the carrot and celery.

Add Protein

Adding meat to the sauce will not only give your final pasta dish more flavor, but it will amp up the nutritional stats on the meal and keep you feeling full longer. I love using lean ground beef, ground turkey or a combination of sweet and spicy Italian sausage. Once the meat is browned, drain fat and add sauce to the pan. Simmer for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors marinate; the longer it simmers, the better it will taste. I typically use about one pound of meat for 24 oz. of sauce.

Pour In Some Wine

If you really want to make your sauce taste fancy, pour a couple splashes of wine into the pan to deglaze it after sautéing meat or veggies and before you add the sauce to the pan. A little bit goes a long way and makes pasta taste especially rich.

Stir In Fresh Herbs

I like my pasta sauce packed with flavor, so I often throw in a handful of chopped fresh herbs while it simmers. You can use whatever herbs you have on hand, but I like to toss in lots of basil, oregano, thyme and parsley. If you don’t have fresh herbs, use a Tablespoon or two of dried Italian seasoning and one teaspoon of ground fennel to amp up the flavor.

Top With Quality Cheese

One of the biggest splurges in my grocery budget each week is fancy cheese. I buy a couple of varieties: at least one for snacking and one for grating. I like to top my pasta with aged parmigiano-reggiano, mimolette or fresh mozzarella — or all three! I stick the cheese-topped pasta under the broiler for a couple of minutes to make it extra gooey and delicious.

The post How To Make Store-bought Pasta Sauce Taste Homemade appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

When I was a kid, getting Chinese takeout was a real treat. It wasn’t something my family did often, so my brother and I always got really excited when my parents decided to pickup dinner from our favorite local spot. Our tastes weren’t very sophisticated back then, so we always opted for orange chicken. While it’s very much an Americanized Chinese food, the sweet and spicy sauce is still one of my favorites.

I wanted to make a healthier version of that childhood favorite when I found myself craving Chinese food Monday. I decided to serve this chicken over cauliflower rice, which is an easy way to get some veggies in. I love how mainstream veggie pastas and rices have become; I used to make my own cauliflower rice in the food processor, but now I can find riced cauliflower in the frozen vegetable section at the grocery store. I’m willing to spend a little more for convenience foods that will save me time and cut down on dirty dishes!

My husband can be a picky eater sometimes, so I know a recipe is good when he goes back for two more bowls. This is a recipe that the whole family will enjoy, just omit the Sriracha from the sauce if you’re worried about it being too spicy.

I also picked up some frozen veggie egg rolls to serve alongside our orange chicken. They completed the healthy and delicious weeknight meal!

Healthy Orange Chicken

serves 4

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 Tbsp. Tamari
• 1 Tbsp. Sriracha
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. salt, divided
• 1 tsp. pepper, divided
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 scallions (white part only), thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 12 oz. frozen cauliflower rice

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together marmalade, hoisin, Tamari, Sriracha, cornstarch, garlic, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Set aside.
2. Coat a large skillet with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and scallions and cook until soft and fragrant, stirring frequently, for about four minutes. Sprinkle chicken with remaining salt and pepper then add it to the pan and cook until browned, about three minutes on each side. Add sauce to pan and bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and let sauce simmer until thickened.
3. While chicken simmers, coat a medium skillet with 1 Tbsp. sesame oil and place over medium heat. Add cauliflower rice and cook until heated through, stirring frequently, for about five minutes.
4. Once the sauce for the chicken is thickened, remove it from heat. Place 1 cup of cauliflower rice on a plate or in a bowl, then top with 1/4 of the orange chicken.

[/directions]

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I find myself craving the simplest of meals during the summer. Many of them require three main components: bread, cheese and produce. The combination of ingredients is inspired by whatever I can find at the Farmers’ Market on Saturdays. This week I scored some fairy tale eggplant, watermelon and cantaloupe. But there are a few staples I find myself buying week after week: cherry tomatoes, peaches and basil. I go straight to my favorite vendors as soon as I arrive in the morning to make sure I get what I need. Then I immediately head home and throw together the most fresh, delicious lunch.

This idea for toast came together when I found myself staring down two large containers of ricotta cheese, which I had leftover from making this amazing ricotta ice cream for a cookbook club meeting. I was craving something savory and sweet, so I decided I would make both. Why choose when you don’t have to?

A few slices of this toast can be a meal in itself, but it’s also wonderful served alongside a big salad or as an appetizer while you wait for the main course to finish up on the grill. To kick it up a notch, top each toast with a balsamic reduction.

Farmers’ Market Ricotta Toasts

serves 4-6

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1/2 french or whole-grain baguette
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup basil, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
• 1 peach, cut into 12 slices

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Cut baguette into 12 thin slices, slicing at a slight diagonal. Place bread slices on a medium-sized cookie sheet. Pour 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a small bowl and brush over the tops of each bread slice. Place cookie sheet on the top rack of your oven and set it to broil. Watch the bread closely to make sure it doesn’t burn. Broil for 2 to 4 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Remove bread from oven and set aside.
2. While bread cools, gently stir together 1 Tbsp. olive oil, tomatoes, 1/4 cup basil, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside to let the flavors marry.
3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together ricotta and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Spread a generous amount of ricotta on top of each piece of bread. Top half of the toasts with the tomato mixture. With the remaining pieces of toast, place two slices of peach on top and sprinkle with the remaining fresh basil.

[/directions]

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It’s safe to say our gas grill is one of the best purchases we’ve made. I love cooking with charcoal, but you can’t beat the convenience of being able to quickly heat a grill up and cook a meal within minutes. We’ve been using ours nonstop this summer to cook everything from hot dogs to pizzas. They’ve all come out beautifully charred, with an extra layer of flavor.

We’ve been making burgers weekly because of how easy they are to throw together. I was on the verge of burger burnout when this recipe idea popped into my head. It’s inspired by this turkey meatloaf, which is a favorite in our house. The sweet, sun-dried tomatoes taste like candy.

I use lean ground turkey in this recipe, which can easily dry out and get tough. The addition of basil pesto helps prevent that and gives the burgers a subtle Italian flavor. We ate our burgers without cheese, but mixing some feta into the patties or topping them with fresh mozzarella would be delicious! To keep this meal super easy, I served the burgers with a side of Alexia fries.

Sun-dried Tomato and Pesto Turkey Burgers

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 lb. 93% lean ground turkey
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. pesto
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 4 whole-wheat hamburger buns

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat your grill to high heat and spray grates with olive oil cooking spray.
2. While grill preheats, form your patties. Place turkey, tomatoes, garlic and pesto in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until just combined. Divide the mixture into four equal portions and carefully form into patties, making a small indent in the middle with your thumb (this prevents the burgers from resembling hockey pucks once cooked).
3. Once grill is preheated, place turkey burgers on grill. Cook for four minutes, then flip the burgers and grill for another three to four minutes, or until cooked through. Remove burgers from grill, place them on a plate and loosely tent the plate with foil. Allow the burgers to rest for five minutes before putting them on the buns and serving.
   [/directions]

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Panzanella was a dish my mother made on repeat growing up. Back then I simply called the dish “bread salad” and picked every ingredient except the bread out. I had no idea what I was missing! Now that I’m older and my tastebuds have grown up, I can’t imagine panzanella without fresh, sweet cherry tomatoes. When I bought a pint at the farmers’ market over the weekend, I knew exactly what I would do with them.

Panzanella marries some of my favorite summer flavors: tomatoes, garlic and basil. The dish is simple, which makes the quality and freshness of the ingredients you use especially important. If you don’t have a good bottle of extra-virgin olive oil, invest in one. You won’t regret it! If you’re local, you can find a great selection of imported varieties at Goods For Cooks, where you can sample before you buy. You also want to make sure the tomatoes and basil you use in this salad are as fresh as possible.

As for the type of bread you use, it’s personal preference. My mom actually used day-old Jimmy John’s loaves for her panzanella. I chose a sourdough loaf from Muddy Fork Bakery, which held up well in the salad days later. The crustier the bread, the less likely it is to get soggy.

Summer Panzanella

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 7 oz. sourdough, french or other crusty bread (about 1/2 of a large loaf), diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced,
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup loosely packed basil, torn
• 1/2 cup parmesan or asiago cheese, grated
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once oil is warm, add bread, salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until bread is golden brown on all sides. Remove from heat.
2. Place bread, tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, basil and cheese in a large bowl and toss until combined. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 3 Tbsp. olive oil, red wine vinegar and garlic until combined. Pour dressing over bread mixture and toss until the bread is evenly coated in oil. Let salad sit at room temperature or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

[/directions]

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Happy Monday! How was your weekend? We made a quick trip to Illinois to visit my family. We always love going home because we usually don’t make any plans ahead of time and instead spend the weekend relaxing. It was so much fun to catch up with my parents and uncle, but our trip was too short!

Every time we come back from being out of town for the weekend, I do feel a bit frazzled. I like to head into the week with our meals planned out so we don’t feel tempted to grab unhealthy options when work gets hectic. Although it was about the last thing I wanted to do on a Sunday night, I threw together this easy sheet pan meal to pack up for lunches for the first part of the week. Preparation is the key to success, right?

I love this meal because it’s not only easy, but extremely satisfying. The protein from the sausage and fiber from the potatoes will keep you full well past that 3 p.m. slump. And, I think the easy cleanup isn’t a bad selling point, either.

James and I both loved digging into this dish for lunch today, so I plan to add this recipe to my weekly meal prep rotation. It would be so easy to tweak based on what veggies are in season. I’m already planning on recreating this next week with brussels sprouts!

Chicken Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 4 chicken sausages (I love Aidells)
• 3 parsnips, peeled
• 3 carrots, peeled
• 8 red potatoes
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Cut parsnips and carrots into 1/4-inch thick slices. Dice potatoes into 1/4-inch pieces. Pour vegetables and potatoes onto baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss with thyme, garlic, salt and pepper.
3. Push vegetables and potatoes aside to make room for chicken sausages in the middle of the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until potatoes and vegetables are browned and tender, flipping everything once halfway through cooking.

[/directions]

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And, just like that, the first week of 2017 is nearly over. I feel pretty good about how I started the year off: more relaxation, exercise and home-cooked meals. I’m hoping to build on that momentum and carry it through the rest of the year. How was your first week of 2017?

While I didn’t mention it in my goals for the year,  I’m making an effort to make more veggie-based meals in 2017. I love vegetables, but I typically serve them as side dishes. As a result, I don’t always get as many servings a day as I should. And, I feel so much more satisfied when I eat a main dish that features a hearty portion of veggies.

Making more veggie-based meals can be a challenge at times because James isn’t as adventurous when it comes to certain foods. When I started throwing this dinner together the other night, James said, “You aren’t making zoodles, are you?” Apparently he isn’t as big of a fan of that recipe as he originally claimed!

That’s why I love spaghetti squash. It takes on the flavor of whatever sauce you toss it in and I think it resembles and tastes more like pasta than any other veggie noodle out there. Plus, it’s so easy! You don’t need any special equipment for spaghetti squash — it turns into noodles just by scraping it with a fork.

Serving spaghetti squash with spaghetti sauce is actually the only way I’ve ever had this variety of squash. When I was checking out at the grocery store, the clerk suggested tossing it in melted butter, garlic and parmesan. That’s a recipe that’s on my list to try over the next couple of weeks!

Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 2 sweet chicken or turkey Italian sausages
• 2 spicy chicken or turkey Italian sausages
• 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes with basil
• 2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 large spaghetti squash (aim for 3 to 4 lbs.)
• 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add garlic and red pepper. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Squeeze all four Italian sausages out of their casings and into the pan. Break meat up into small pieces using a wooden spoon and stir until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove from heat and drain fat from pan.
2. Return pan with meat mixture to medium heat and add crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and the bay leaf. Stir until combined and let sauce come to a boil. Once sauce is boiling, reduce heat to low and cover pan. Let sauce simmer for at least 30 minutes.
3. While sauce is simmering, poke the spaghetti squash all over with a fork. Place spaghetti squash on top of a paper towel in the microwave and cook on high for 10 to 15 minutes, until squash is soft to the touch. Remove squash from microwave and let cool until it’s comfortable enough to handle.
4. Use a large butcher knife to cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop the seeds out of the middle of each side of the squash using a large spoon. Once all seeds are removed, scrape the inside of the squash with a fork until you’ve reduced all of the flesh to noodles.
5. Remove sauce from heat and discard bay leaf. Top spaghetti squash with a heaping portion of sauce and a sprinkling of cheese.
   [/directions]

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We’ve survived what seemed like a never-ending campaign season and we finally know who will be our next president. I’m not going to talk much about the election here because that’s what I do all day at work. But, I will say I am so happy to see how many people cast a ballot this year. Indiana broke its record for early voting and thousands more cast a ballot yesterday. Whether you’re happy with the results, that’s what it’s all about.

I survived on nothing but carbs yesterday, so I’m looking forward to getting back into my kitchen and cooking a healthy dinner tonight. Of all the meals I make, James requests tacos the most. That’s fine by me because they’re delicious and so easy to throw together, even on the most hectic of nights. But, I do find myself wanting to switch up my recipes since we have them so often. I typically cook up some ground turkey or throw together some pork carnitas, but I wanted something different this time around.

These chili lime chicken tacos were a big hit in our household. We didn’t have much in our fridge when it came to toppings, but it didn’t matter. The flavor of the chicken is so out-of-this-world that you can keep the toppings simple.

Next time I make these I plan on doubling the recipe so we have plenty of leftovers. The shredded chicken is so tasty in soups and salads and I was sad when the leftovers only lasted one day. I want to make a big batch of tortilla soup using this chicken next time!

Chili Lime Chicken Tacos

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 lime, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp. cumin
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cayenne
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup habanero jack or pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 1/4 light sour cream or non-fat Greek yogurt [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine paprika, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix together, then rub spices all over the chicken breasts.
3. Place chicken breasts on baking sheet and squeeze one or two slices of lime over each breast. Place lime slices on top of chicken breasts and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
4. Remove chicken from oven and let sit for five minutes. Once the chicken is done resting, use two forks to shred the meat.
5. Heat tortillas by placing them over the burner on a gas stove on low for about one minute on each side, until the tortillas are slightly charred. If you don’t have a gas burner, heat the tortillas in the microwave for ten seconds to soften.
6. Place a small amount of chicken in each tortilla and top with cheese and sour cream.

[/directions]

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