It's Stupid How Good This Sandwich Is

I promised my little brother I would use his words to title this post.  He even suggested that instead of a guest chef, I feature him as a guest eater so he could tell everyone just how good it is.  If that isn't a glowing recommendation, I don't know what is. 

I drew my inspiration from The Pioneer Woman's Second Favorite Sandwich.  Fry up four or five pieces of bacon.  Leave some of the bacon grease in the pan.  Season a couple of chicken breasts with lemon pepper and then cook them until done in the frying pan.  Let them cool and then thinly slice them. 

Get out your panini press (or a pan over the stove top and something heavy to put on top of the sandwich).  Brush one side of two slices of sourdough bread with olive oil.  Spread honeycup mustard on the first slice.  On top of that put as much chicken, bacon, avacado, tomato, and cheddar cheese as you like.  Cook it up on the panini press until the cheese is melted and voila: heaven.  

Romaine Salad with Chicken, Cheddar, Apple, and Spiced Pecans

These were Abram's words after eating this salad: "When I walked in I thought, 'Ugh, not a salad!' but I take it back, this was great."  Poor Abram gets forced to eat more dinner salads than he would like, but I'm glad one finally crossed over that we can both enjoy.  Again, props go to The 30-Minute Recipe.

Store-bought spiced pecans taste fine in this salad, but if you have a few extra minutes you can make your own.  Recipe below. 

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and ground black pepper

1T vegetable oil

1/2 c water

1 recipe Dried Cranberry Vinaigrette, below

1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (10 cups)

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced thin

1 cup store-bought spiced pecans

1/2 red onion, sliced thin

1/2 c dried cranberries

Instructions

While the chicken cooks, make the vinaigrette.

1.  Brown Chicken: Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Add chicken and cook until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. 

2.  Poach Chicken and Prepare Vinaigrette:  Flip chicken over, add water, and cover.  Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until thickest part of chicken registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 5 to 7 minutes longer.  Transfer to carving board and cool slightly.  (While chicken cooks, make vinaigrette).

3.  Dress and Assemble Salad: Toss lettuce, cheddar, apple, pecans, onion, and dried cranberries with 3/4 cup of vinaigrette.  Divide salad among individual plates.  Slice chicken on bias and arrange over greens.  Spoon remaining vinaigrette over chicken, or pass separately.  

Dried Cranberry Vinaigrette

Raspberry vinegar gives this dressing a distinct fruity flavor; however, red wine vinegar can be substituted.  If you don't have cranberry juice on hand, water can be used instead.  If the dressing seems too thick, thin it out with additional cranberry juice or water.

Ingredients

1/4 cranberry juice

1/2 c dried cranberries

1/4 c raspberry vinegar 

1 shallot, peeled

1 small garlic clove, peeled

2 t fresh thyme

2 t Dijon mustard

Salt and ground black pepper 

3/4 c extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Rehydrate Cranberries: Combine cranberry juice and dried cranberries in microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high power until hot, about 1 minute.  

2. Blend Vinaigrette: Process hot cranberry mixture, vinegar, shallot, garlic, thyme, mustard, 1/2 t salt, and 1/2 t pepper in blender until shallot and garlic are finely chopped, about 15 seconds.  With blender running, add oil and continue to process until smooth and emulsified, about 15 seconds.  

Quick Spiced Pecans

These nuts can be stored in a zip-lock bag at room temperature for up to 1 week.  If adding to a salad, be sure to shake off any extra sugar first. 

Instructions

2 T unsalted butter

Salt and ground black pepper

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/8 t ground cloves

1/8 t ground allspice

2 c pecan halves

1 T sugar

Instructions

Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.  Stir in 1/2 t salt, 1/4 t pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and all-spice, then stir in pecans.  Toast nuts, stirring often, until color of nuts deepens slightly, 6 to 8 minutes.  Transfer to bowl, toss with sugar, then spread out on plate to cool.   

Lazy Morning Breakfast

This is one of my very favorite breakfasts.  Sometimes I make meals that call for ricotta cheese just so that I can have leftovers to make Lemon Ricotta Pancakes that week.  We love to make these on weekend mornings when we don't have something to rush out for.  They taste great with fresh berries, so even if you don't want to add the Romanoff sauce, throw a few berries on your plate anyway to make it look pretty.  

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Strawberries Romanoff

Bacon

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Abram's Aunt Jeanene is the genius behind these pancakes.  Aunt Jeanene is one of those people I trust implicitly when it comes to food.  If she gives me a recipe, I have no doubt it is going to be top rate.  She has been living in China and Thailand for the past few years and I couldn't be happier that she's back.  I'm ready to start inviting myself over for breakfast.  

Ingredients

3/4 c flour

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

3 T sugar

2 eggs

1/3 c milk

1/3 c canola oil

1 c ricotta cheese

juice and zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

Combine dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients, and then mix with the dry ingredients.  Add lemon juice and zest.  Pour approximately 1/4 c batter on grill or skillet (400 degrees).  Cook until golden brown.  Flip once.  Arrange on a plate and dust with confectioner's sugar.  

Strawberries Romanoff

My sister Shauri took engagement photos for Abram and I.  She told me that the key would be getting out early enough for good lighting.  I told her that the key would be making sure we got a good breakfast.  We took some before and some after we ate at La Madeleine.  We are decidedly happier in the post-breakfast pictures.  These strawberries were part of the reason.  

I should mention these berries make a great dessert too. 

Ingredients

1/2 c sour cream

3 T brown sugar

1 T Cognac (I omit this ingredient and it still tastes great)

1/2 c heavy cream

3 T granulated sugar

4 c (2 pints) fresh strawberries

Instructions

Mix the sour cream, brown sugar and Cognac together in a medium bowl. 

In a separate bowl, whip the cream with a whisk or an electric mixer until it starts to thicken.  Add the granulated sugar and whip until thick. 

Using a rubber spatula, fold the cream carefully into the sour cream mixture until well blended. 

Just before serving, rinse the berries and trim off the green stems with a sharp paring knife.  

Put the berries into stemmed wineglasses and top with the Romanoff sauce.

Bacon

Let's talk about bacon.  There are three ways I cook it.  

1. If I'm cooking it to crumble it up for  something, I lay a paper towel on a microwave safe flat dish, place 6 pieces on it, and cover it with another paper towel.  6 minutes (depending on your microwave) on high power and it's done. 
2. If I'm cooking just a few slices for something I fry it up in a pan. 
3. If I'm making a lot to feed a group for breakfast, I cook it in the oven.  This is my favorite method by far.  I think it tastes the best. My brother-in-law taught me this little trick a few years back.  You put them on top of a rack in a baking sheet so that the grease drips down off the bacon.  Set the temperature to 400 degrees and cook it for 20 minutes.  You have to keep your eye on it though because the time really depends on your oven.  

Terra Cotta Oven

How cool would this be?  Minus the $2,000 price tag of course.