Recipe Swap: Champagne Chicken Pasta

I didn't get carded when I bought the champagne for this recipe. I have to admit, I was a little bummed. Now granted, I'm more than a decade past being underage...but I digress.

When I got Caroline's blog for the last Blogger's Choice swap this Champagne Chicken Pasta was one of the finalists in the long list of recipes I wanted to make. I was really excited that she submitted it for the Cooking/Baking with Alcohol swap so I had an excuse to make it.

We all enjoyed this. I never think to use angel hair but it's one long pasta SP actually likes. The man doesn't enjoy spaghetti, I think he's crazy. The sauce is light and flavorful and it all comes together very quickly. Next time I'll add a bit more cheese to the chicken because I couldn't really taste it. I also subbed thyme for the tarragon because SP isn't a big fan of tarragon.

Initially I was worried about the price of the champagne, but the nice man at the liquor store steered me toward an inexpensive bottle. It worked well in the recipe but wasn't exactly drinkable, unfortunately. I'd look for some mid-range next time because you only need 1/2 - 1 cup so there's a lot leftover to drink and it was a shame to waste it. SP also thought a regular white wine would work well, although the name of the dish is champagne chicken pasta so I feel like champagne is kinda, sorta necessary.

I didn't realize this would only make enough for three portions plus some for Baby Girl, so double it if you want more leftovers.

Champagne Chicken Pasta
As seen on The Barbee Housewife
Serves 2-3

8 oz. pasta, angel hair or fettuccine
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 lb. mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup dry champagne
3/4 cup half and half
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, mix together the 1/4 cup flour, salt, pepper, and Parmesan in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Dredge the chicken in the mixture, until well coated.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides, until cooked thoroughly. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm.

Add the mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of flour to the pan, sauteing for about a minute. Add the champagne and scrape up any browned bits. Reduce the sauce by half, then add the half and half, red pepper flakes, and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss the pasta with the sauce. Slice the chicken into strips and serve over the pasta.

Recipe Swap: Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

The theme for this recipe swap was Mexican food and I lucked out with the only dessert recipe submitted, these incredibly addicting Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars. We were heading to my parent's house for Memorial Day and since we didn't have anything planned for dessert I figured I'd whip these up and bring them over for everyone to share.

Holy cow. These are incredibly simple but so fantastic. Anything with cream cheese in it is an automatic plus in my book but add in flaky crescent roll dough and cinnamon sugar and you've got a real winner. Like Nichole, this was my first experience with sopapilla and I'm sad that I've missed out all these years.

I have to give thanks for my friend Cassie for alerting me to an awesome new product, the Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet. After failing to pinch together the perforated dough for these chicken suiza pockets, Cassie told me Pillsbury got wise to cooks using their crescent rolls for other dishes and came out with seamless dough. Brilliant. And no, I'm not being paid to endorse this product, I'm just really thankful I didn't have to fight with the dough when making these bars.

I admit to being a little sad about sharing these but that was a good decision for our waistlines. I heated my leftover pieces in the microwave for 30 seconds (my microwave is old and busted so things take longer to cook), and I definitely prefer it warm. SP and Baby Girl liked them cold. Whichever way you prefer, go out and buy the ingredients for these so you can make them ASAP. You'll thank me.

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
As seen on The Cookaholic Wife, from Pillsbury

Cooking spray
2 packages Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet
2 bricks cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Press one sheet of the crescent dough into the prepared baking dish.

Combine the cream cheese, 1 cup of the sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Alternatively, you can beat the ingredients using a hand mixer.

Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the crescent dough and then top with the other sheet of crescent dough. Pour the melted butter over the top of the dough.

Stir together the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle over the melted butter.

Bake for 30 minutes then let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and cut into bars. Serve cold or warmed in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.

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Recipe Swap: Avocado and Cucumber Tartine

It's always fun to receive a new blog for the Blogger's Choice swaps. Obviously I'm familiar with Caroline's blog, The Barbee Housewife, since she's a member of my cooking board, but I haven't had a chance to really look through her blog. Since Caroline is relatively new to blogging I actually went through her entire blog to check out what she's made. I had a really hard time picking something to make - I actually made something for breakfast after seeing it on her blog, post to come soon - but in the end I needed something easy for lunch one day and this Avocado and Cucumber Tartine looked like it would fit the bill.

I bought a Portuguese roll from my supermarket the same day I made this for lunch, which I highly recommend. There's nothing like fresh-baked bread on a simple sandwich like this. Mincing the cucumber and mashing the avocado took about as long as my toaster oven took to toast the bread, which makes this a super fast lunch.

Holy yum, this is one amazing sandwich. Like cancel your lunch plans, go to the supermarket to purchase the ingredients and whip one up today amazing. You can't go wrong in my book when avocado is involved, but add a crispy baguette and tangy cucumber salad and you've got perfection on a plate. The creaminess of the avocado blended nicely with the tang from the rice vinegar and the nuttiness of the toasted sesame oil.

I'm already contemplating when I can make this sandwich again. So, so good. Thanks for sharing this one, Caroline!

Avocado and Cucumber Tartine
As seen on The Barbee Housewife, from Smitten Kitchen

1 6-inch baguette
1/2 cup cucumber, seeds removed, minced
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Salt and pepper
1 avocado, halved, pit removed
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Cut bread in half lengthwise and toast.

While the bread is toasting, combine the cucumbers, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and salt in a small bowl. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes. Mash the avocado in a separate bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Once the bread is toasted, spread the mashed avocado on each baguette half. Top with the cucumber salad, making sure to drizzle the liquid on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Recipe Swap: Chicken Suiza Pockets

Chicken was the theme for the latest recipe swap. It's such a versatile meat but like most people I get into a rut making the same chicken dishes over and over again. I was excited when I was assigned these Chicken Suiza Pockets from Jenna. We love Mexican food and these seemed simple yet different from anything I've made before.

I didn't read the recipe ahead of time so I didn't realize it called for mixing the chicken and other ingredients in a stand mixer to shred the chicken. While I really want to try this tip, I didn't feel like dragging my stand mixer out of the garage when I could just shred the chicken by hand and mix it with the other ingredients.

I ended up cooking the chicken and mixing up the filling a few days before I made this recipe due to a change in dinner plans. The next day I needed a quick lunch so I snagged some of the filling and made a quesadilla. It was good so I was really looking forward to dinner the next night.

Unfortunately I had some issues getting my crescent rolls to stick together. The perforated lines didn't want to cooperate and I only managed to get three pockets made, which was fine because that fed us all for dinner. Baby Girl was a big fan, eating half a pocket in addition to the salad I served on the side. These were good and I liked the concept but I think a different rolled dough would make it easier.

Chicken Suiza Pockets
As seen on Jenna’s Cooking Journey, originally from Cassie Craves

2 small chicken breasts
1 can Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chiles)
5 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup salsa verde
1 tablespoons honey
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded Mexican Blend cheese
2 packages crescent rolls
Cilantro, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375.

Put chicken breasts and Rotel in a glass baking dish and bake until the chicken is done, about 35 minutes.

Place the chicken breasts, 3 tablespoons of the Rotel and all the other ingredients except the crescent rolls and the cilantro into a standing mixer. Turn on low and mix until all the ingredients are combined (this will shred your chicken and combine all the ingredients). Alternatively, you can shred the chicken and mix with the other ingredients in a large bowl.

Divide each pack of crescent rolls into 4 rectangles by sealing together two triangles of dough. Divide the filling evenly among the 8 rectangles. Seal by pinching the dough up and into the middle. Bake 20 minutes.

Top with cilantro, if desired.

Recipe Swap: Chicken with Mushrooms in Balsamic Cream Sauce

Another Blogger's Choice Recipe Swap and I was lucky enough to receive Katie's blog again. I make a lot of dishes from her blog; in fact, I ended up making two different recipes. The second will post soon but I wanted to talk about this Chicken with Mushrooms in Balsamic Cream Sauce for the swap.

When I chose this recipe I kept thinking I'd made something like it before. A quick search through my archives revealed that I did make something similar way back in 2007. That dish was served over orzo, which would be great here. I decided to do mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli since that's what Katie made, although I did add a few crushed garlic cloves to the potatoes for a mild garlic flavor.

I modified the recipe slightly, coating the chicken in seasoned flour, adding more chicken broth to increase the amount of sauce, swapping half and half for the heavy cream and leaving out the red pepper flakes since Baby Girl balks at spicy food. We all cleaned our plates.

Chicken with Mushrooms in Balsamic Cream Sauce
As seen on So Tasty So Yummy

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 small white onion, sliced
1 pound baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup half and half

Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise. Add salt, pepper and flour to a plastic food storage bag. Add chicken and toss to coat the chicken in the seasoned flour.

Add the olive oil and butter to a large sauté pan and heat over medium-high. Brown the chicken on both sides, remove to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and mushrooms; sauté until caramelized, about five minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth and vinegar; add the red pepper flakes, if using. Stir in the half and half. Return the chicken to the pan, cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

Recipe Swap: Easy Fudgey Brownies

I can't decide whether I like the themed recipe swaps or the Blogger's Choice swaps better. As nice as it is to pick whatever I feel like making from my assigned blog, the themed ones usually end up challenging me, which is a big part of the reason I enjoy the swaps.

Take this theme for instance - dessert. You all know I'm not a baker so this is usually a tough theme for me. I had a heck of a time finding something to submit but I was very excited to receive Dawn's recipe for Easy Fudgey Brownies. For some reason I've really been craving brownies lately so this was perfect.

I was excited to see how easy this recipe was to make. Mix ingredients, pour into baking dish, bake, serve. Easy peasy. And they were amazing, very fudgey and dense, with great chocolate flavor that made me wish I had some vanilla ice cream on hand.

My dad and stepmom were visiting when I made these so they both had a taste and my stepmom, a chocoholic, pronounced them perfect. She also gave me a tip about freezing the leftovers, which was great because now I have half the pan in my freezer in individual wrappers so I can take one out to enjoy whenever I want (which I already did...twice).

Easy Fudgey Brownies
As seen on Simple Gourmet Cooking

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
1 1/3 cups bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (or semi sweet chocolate chips)
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan or heatproof glass dish. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on 2 sides. Set aside.

Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water; stir frequently until chocolate and butter are melted, about 7 minutes. Alternatively, place butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until chocolate and butter are melted.

Remove bowl from heat; let cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Whisk in eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Gently fold in flour and salt.

Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth top with an offset spatula. Bake until cake tester inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Run a knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan. Using parchment, lift brownies out of pan and onto the rack. Transfer to a cutting board; cut into 2-inch squares.

Recipe Swap: Gouda Bacon Cheeseburgers

I was given Nichole's blog, The Cookaholic Wife, for the latest round of the Blogger's Choice recipe swap. I star many of her posts in Google Reader so I knew I'd have a tough time picking something to make. I couldn't decide between these cannoli cupcakes, or the bacon jalapeno popper grilled cheese, or the tomato stack salad with corn and avocado (which I'll be making as soon as tomatoes are in season). I knew I needed to go back to my usual method for these swaps - picking an ingredient like ground beef and seeing what's on the blog.

Despite Nichole's claim to not make a lot of burgers I found a few that sounded incredible and ultimately let SP choose. He picked the Gouda Bacon Cheeseburgers.

I cooked the onions in the morning since they take the longest amount of time. The original recipe called for 3 tablespoons of steak sauce but I only used one - my onions cooked way down and more than 1 tablespoon seemed like too much and I didn't want the flavor to be overpowering.

This is one huge, messy, delicious burger. This was my first time buying smoked Gouda and I loved the flavor. Baby Girl and I split a piece before topping the burgers. I could really taste the smokiness of the cheese and the sweetness of the onions.

Gouda Bacon Cheeseburgers
As seen on The Cookaholic Wife, adapted from Cassie Craves, inspired by Rachael Ray

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon steak sauce
4 slices bacon, cooked
4 slices smoked gouda cheese
4 hamburger buns, toasted
Lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, for serving

Combine the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and form into 4 patties. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Melt the butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and brown sugar and cook until lightly caramelized, about 20-25 minutes. Once the onions have caramelized, stir in the steak sauce until coated. Remove from the heat.

Preheat a grill or grill pan and, once hot, place the burgers on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, depending on their thickness. Place a slice of cheese on top of each burger and allow to melt.

Spread mayonnaise on both sides of each toasted roll. Place the burger on the bottom of the roll, top with lettuce and tomato, a slice of bacon cut in half and a generous topping of the smothered onions.

Click on the links below to see other recipes from the swap.

Recipe Swap: Carnival-Style Warm Chocolate Melting Cake

The theme for this installment of the recipe swap was Special Occasion recipes. I lucked out with Carnival-Style Warm Chocolate Melting Cake from Kate's Recipe Box. I've been in a cooking rut lately so instead of cooking a special dinner on Valentine's Day we ordered sushi (yes!!) These gooey chocolate cakes sounded like the perfect ending to a delicious meal.

Souffle or chocolate lava cake recipes tend to be cooked in a water bath, so I added that to the recipe below. I've also seen recipes that call for vanilla extract and thought that would be a nice touch (although I mistakenly added 1 tablespoon instead of 1/2 teaspoon, oops!) It's completely optional but adds a nice flavor to the cakes.

I wanted enough batter for 3 cakes so I upped some of the ingredients. I used two larger ramekins (7 ounces) and one smaller ramekin for Baby Girl.

Unfortunately SP was running late picking up dinner and these took twice as long to cook as the recipe stated, so I only had a little taste of the part of mine that was cooked. SP ate his after putting Baby Girl to bed and his was perfectly cooked and reheated well. What I ate tasted great so I need to try these again soon.

Carnival-Style Warm Chocolate Melting Cake
Slightly modified from Kate’s Recipe Box

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons butter
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray two or three (depending on their size) ramekins with cooking spray. Place the ramekins in a 9×13 inch baking pan, and fill the pan with water until it surrounds the ramekins halfway up the sides.

In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate and butter, stirring the mixture every 30 seconds, until the chocolate and butter are homogenous mixture. You can also do this step over a double-boiler.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together for about a minute, until well mixed. Add in the flour, salt and vanilla extract, if using, and mix together. Pour the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.

Once everything is mixed, divide the batter into the ramekins. Bake for 10-20 minutes, depending on the size of the ramekins, until the top top puffs but the center is not set.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Recipe Swap: Island Burgers with Pineapple-Lime Salsa

It's time for another round of the Blogger's Choice Recipe Swap. I was excited when I received Coleen's blog, The Redheaded Baker, which recently went through a redesign and name change.

My game plan when I get a blog for these swaps is to figure out what ingredient or cuisine I want to make to help me narrow down the choices. I had already made my menu for the week and decided I wanted something using ground beef. As soon as this recipe for Island Burgers with Pineapple-Lime Salsa popped up I remembered printing it out when Coleen made it for the Sandwich/Burger Swap.

This was a messy but delicious burger. I didn't even bother making it for SP - he got a plain cheeseburger to dress however he wanted. It worked out well because my one pound of ground beef only yielded 3 burgers. The jerk seasoning added a wonderful flavor to the burger patties - I don't think I've ever had anything with that particular flavor profile before. The pineapple salsa was a great compliment to the burger but the chunks made it tough to eat - pieces were falling out left and right. It was worth it, though.

Thanks for a delicious burger, Coleen!

Island Burgers with Pineapple-Lime Salsa
As seen on The Redheaded Baker

For the salsa:
1/2 can diced pineapple, cut into smaller dice
2 tablespoons diced red onion
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 avocado

For the burgers:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
4 teaspoons jerk seasoning
Cooking spray
4 slices Cheddar cheese
4 burger rolls

Early the day of serving, or the day before, combine the pineapple, sweet onion, cilantro, pepper and lime juice in a medium bowl. Toss to combine. Let stand at room temperature for one hour, then cover and refrigerate.

Divide the beef into 4 portions and form into patties. Use your thumb to press an indentation in the center of each patty. Sprinkle the top half of each patty with 1/2 teaspoon jerk seasoning. Flip over and season the other side with another 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning.

Spray a heavy skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Add the burgers and cook for 6 minutes. Split the burger buns, and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.

Flip and cook another 6 minutes for medium-rare doneness and place baking sheet in oven to toast the burger buns.

Place one slice of cheese atop each burger and cover the skillet with a large pot lid to melt the cheese. While cheese is melting, dice the avocado, add it to the salsa, and gently toss to combine.
Place one patty on each roll and top with a spoonful or two of the salsa.

To see what the other swap participants made click the links below.

Recipe Swap: Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

The theme for this recipe swap was a celebrity recipe. I was excited when I got Jey's submission - Ina Garten's Banana Sour Cream Pancakes. Yum!

I was really hoping for pronounced sour cream and banana flavors but if I hadn't made these myself I wouldn't have known the sour cream was there. And the banana flavor was also non-existent, aside from the slices of banana on top. Don't get me wrong, these still tasted good, but for the effort of making pancakes from scratch I was hoping for better flavors. My batter was also a little thin and I didn't want to add more flour to thicken it up in case it threw off the other ratios.

I didn't realize just how many pancakes this would yield. I got about 24 medium-size pancakes. Thankfully pancakes freeze well so I have quite a few for another time.

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes
As seen on Jey of Cooking, slightly adapted from Ina Garten
Makes about 24 medium pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/3 cup sour cream
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Zest of 1 lemon
3 bananas, 2 diced, 1 sliced
Maple syrup, for serving

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla and lemon zest. Slowly add the dry mix to the wet ingredients and mix to combine, and then stir in bananas.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Spoon batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook an additional minute. Continue, working in batches, until all batter is used.

Serve with sliced bananas and maple syrup.

Recipe Swap: Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus

I love asparagus. It's one of my all-time favorite vegetables and I can't get enough of it in early spring when it's in season. The theme for this week's recipe swap was Side Dishes and when I did the swapping and ended up with Katie's Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus I felt like I'd hit the jackpot.

The original recipe says this feeds 8-10 people as a side dish but that must not be for true asparagus lovers like us. My two bunches were a little over 2lbs and the two of us polished it off between dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day. Maybe someday Baby Girl will realize how awesome asparagus tastes and like more than just snapping the ends off and tossing the spears with oil and seasoning.

My spears were so thin I skipped the blanching step altogether, opting to let them roast in the oven. The balsamic drizzle was a delicious finishing touch. Definitely take the recipe's advice and open your windows. Even though it was a brisk night I had the kitchen window and the back slider open for a cross breeze, as well as the ceiling fan on in the living room and the exhaust fan on over the stove. There's nothing like inhaling a big ol' whiff of boiling vinegar - it's not pleasant so don't do it!

Thanks for a delicious recipe, Kate!

Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus
As seen on Kate's Recipe Box, originally from Leite’s Culinaria

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar or a few drops top-notch balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
2 lbs. asparagus, tough ends snapped off
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 cup (about 4oz.) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 350.

If using top-notch balsamic vinegar, skip this step. Otherwise, open a window and turn on the exhaust fan. Put the vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, swirling the pan occasionally, until the vinegar is reduced by half, anywhere from 7 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the saucepan. Remove from the heat.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and the asparagus and blanch until barely tender, about 1 minute for spears of average thickness, more for thicker spears. Skip this step if you have pencil-thin spears. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Pat the asparagus dry with paper towels. (You can keep the asparagus at room temperature or refrigerate it for up to several hours.)

Place the asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Add salt to taste, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle the asparagus with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake until the spears are tender and the cheese is browned and almost bubbling (it won’t actually melt), about 5 minutes.

Transfer asparagus to a platter. Drizzle with the reduced balsamic vinegar or a few drops of the really top notch stuff. Serve immediately.

Click the links below to see side dishes made by my fellow swappers.

Recipe Swap: Citrus Chicken Fajitas

When I got Katie's blog for this installment of Blogger's Choice I knew I was in trouble. I've starred so many things from her blog I had no idea how to choose which recipe to make.

I waited to make my choice until after I'd decided what else to make this week and then clicked on one of her most popular labels - Mexican. I toyed with the idea of making her Beef Tenderloin Quesadillas with the beef leftover from my dad's birthday dinner, but I didn't think we'd have enough left. These Citrus Fajitas called my name, especially since fajitas used to be my go-to dish at Mexican restaurants.

One bite and I was transported back to a little Mexican restaurant my family ate at often when I was growing up. My favorite dish was Pollo Limon, served with tortillas to make into fajitas. The chicken marinade was very similar, with a bright citrus flavor and mild spiciness from the jalapeno. I served these with guacamole and some shredded Mexican cheese, and Homemade Refried Beans on the side. So, so good. Thanks for an amazing recipe, Katie!

Citrus Chicken Fajitas
As seen on So Tasty, So Yummy

Juice of half a lemon
Juice of one lime
Juice of one orange
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons tequila
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole for serving

Combine all ingredients except the chicken in a large Ziploc bag. Add the chicken to the bag, seal and shake to combine. Allow the chicken to marinate for 2 to 4 hours.

Toss the bell pepper and onions with the olive oil, set aside.

Grill the chicken breasts over medium high heat until cooked through. Add the peppers and onions for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Slice the chicken. Serve with warm tortillas, cheese, sour cream and guacamole.

Recipe Swap - Mini Monte Cristos

Disclaimer - I'm a slacker. Due to Hurricane Sandy I pushed the Game Day Recipe Swap back a week, giving participants three full weeks to make their assigned recipe and I still couldn't get it together. I don't have a good defense but thankfully I have a good friend named Jaida who writes the blog Sweet Beginnings. She graciously stepped in to make my recipe when I frantically texted her and asked for help. Thanks hon!

Below is her review and photo. I really need to find some time to make these - they sound amazing and SP loves Monte Cristo sandwiches.

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It’s no secret to any of my readers that I have a possibly unhealthy love for all things sandwich, so when Sarah asked me if I could step in and make this recipe, from The Jey of Cooking, for the swap, there was no hesitation is saying yes! In fact, I went to the store and got the ingredients that very day, and had them while watching football. Very fitting, since the theme for this round of the swap was Game Day Food!

I’m not usually big on frying anything (although I will go all out on the fried foods when I’m at a bar!), but these don’t taste fried or give that heavy, I just ate a ton of fried crap, feeling that sometimes happens. Nope, it was just pure, bite-sized deliciousness, dipped in pancake batter, pan-fried, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and dipped in raspberry jam. That’s right folks...raspberry jam. But, don't let the small size fool you...these little puppies will fill you up. I ate three and I was down for the count. Until later, when I had another. Then later another. You get the picture.

I texted Sarah immediately to tell her how delicious they were, accompanied by a picture. Obviously I was excited...and thankful she asked for my help! Now, football season is in full-force so you need to add these to your menu for the next game. Trust me…you, your friends, your boyfriend/husband/significant other, will be so glad you did!!

Mini Monte Cristos
As seen on The Jey of Cooking

6 slices bread
Mustard
6 slices ham, thinly sliced
6 slices turkey, thinly sliced
6 sliced Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
1 cup buttermilk pancake mix
2 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Vegetable oil, for frying
Raspberry jam, for serving
Powdered sugar, for topping

Trim the crust off each slice of bread and flatten with a rolling pin. Spread the tops with mustard. Top with 1 slice of ham, 1 slice of turkey and 1 slice of Swiss cheese, to fit.

Roll bread tightly into a log shape (you can use plastic wrap to assist in the rolling, if desired). Wrap very tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Mix the pancake mix and eggs together until well combined, then add the evaporated mil, salt and cinnamon. Mix well.

In a deep saucepan, heat 1 1/2 inches of oil over medium heat, to 375 degrees F. Unwrap each roll and secure with 3-4 toothpicks. Slice each roll into 3-4 pieces, leaving the toothpicks intact.

Dip each piece into the prepared batter, then place into the heated oil. (To test the temperature of your oil, drop a small amount of batter into the saucepan. Adjust the temperature as necessary so that your batter drop becomes golden brown within 20-30 seconds.) Fry 3-4 at a time, so you don't overcrowd the pot and drop the temp of the oil, for 1-2 minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown.

Remove the bites to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with raspberry jam, for dipping.

Recipe Swap Roundup - Blogger's Choice Part 8

In the time I've been hosting the recipe swaps I've never missed a single swap. Until now. But, I have a very good reason. This past week we took Baby Girl to California to visit my dad and stepmom and she got her first taste of the magical world of Disney. We had a blast seeing her experience all the rides, characters and fun that makes up Disneyland. I can't wait to take her back - she's a total fanatic now.

I knew with the week leading up to our trip being hectic at work (isn't that always the way?) and then being out of town I wouldn't have a chance to participate in the swap. Check out what the other ladies made in the links below.

Recipe Swap - Panera Bread's Spinach Artichoke Baked Egg Souffle

The theme for the latest recipe swap was breakfast, which happens to be one of my favorite meals to prepare. I generally prefer savory over sweet breakfast foods and I lucked out when I was assigned Panera Bread's Spinach Artichoke Baked Egg Souffle from Joanna. I love spinach and artichoke together, but add in eggs and a flaky crust and I'm in heaven.

I stuck pretty close to the original recipe, only subbing American for the Monterery Jack cheese and using Pecorino instead of Asiago since I had both on hand. I didn't realize how long these would take to prepare so instead of eating one hot out of the oven I allowed them all to cool, froze three and ate one for breakfast the next day. It was very easy to reheat (microwaved for a few minutes, then crisped up in the toaster oven).

Next time I'll leave out the red pepper because I felt it overwhelmed the other flavors. I'm hit or miss with peppers in general, though. I think leaving them out will allow the spinach and artichoke flavors to shine, which is what I wanted. These were still very tasty and I'll definitely make them again, being sure to plan ahead so I can enjoy one fresh from the oven.

Panera Bread's Spinach Artichoke Baked Egg Souffle
From Newlywed and Newly Cooking (as published by Good Morning America, 2008)

3 tablespoons frozen spinach, thawed
3 tablespoons minced artichoke hearts
2 teaspoons minced onion
1 teaspoon minced red bell pepper
5 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 8-ounce tube Pillsbury Crescent butter flake dough
Cooking spray
1/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine spinach, artichoke hearts, onion, and red bell pepper in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover bowl with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the plastic. Microwave on high for 3 minutes.

Beat 4 eggs. Mix in milk, cream, cheddar cheese, Jack cheese, Parmesan, and salt. Stir in spinach, artichoke, onion, and bell pepper. Microwave egg mixture for 30 seconds on high, and then stir it. Do this 4 to 5 more times or until you have a very runny scrambled egg mixture. This process will tighten up the eggs enough so that the dough won't sink into the eggs when it's folded over.

Unroll and separate the crescent dough into four rectangles. Don't tear the dough along the perforations that make triangles. Instead, pinch the dough together along those diagonal perforations so that you have four rectangles. Use some flour on the dough and roll across the width of the rectangle with a rolling pin so that each piece of dough stretches out into a square that is approximately 6 inches by 6 inches.

Spray four 4-inch baking dishes or ramekins with cooking spray. Line each ramekin with the dough, then spoon equal amounts of egg mixture into each ramekin. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Asiago cheese on top of the egg mixture in each ramekin, and then gently fold the dough over the mixture. Beat the last egg in a small bowl, then brush beaten egg over the top of the dough in each ramekin.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until dough is brown. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the soufflés from each ramekin and serve hot.

Recipe Swap - Fried Green Tomato BLTs

As much as I enjoy the Blogger's Choice recipe swaps, they are definitely more difficult than the themed swaps. Having to actually pick a recipe is tough. For this installment of Blogger's Choice I was given Kim's blog, Feed Me Seymour. I love the name and had a tough time picking a recipe. I had it narrowed down to four choices and ultimately gave SP final say. It wasn't a shock when he chose Fried Green Tomato BLTs. The man loves a good BLT.


The sandwiches sounded delicious but I was concerned about my ability to find green tomatoes in the supermarket. I've never noticed them before and, as suspected, they didn't have any. I chose a firmer red tomato and hoped for the best.

These were absolutely delicious, if messy. The tomatoes held together pretty well during the frying process but didn't get crispy or golden brown like I hoped they would. I wonder if Panko would be a better choice, if not exactly authentic. The sweet basil mayo was positively addicting and I was sad that there wasn't more of it (the recipe below makes just enough for two sandwiches). I hope I can find green tomatoes at some point so I can make these properly.

As an aside, I wish I could take better pictures of sandwiches. I haven't been able to figure out how to get a good inside shot while still showing the whole sandwich.

Fried Green Tomato BLTs
As seen on Feed Me Seymour
Makes 2 sandwiches

Fried Green Tomatoes
1 large green tomato (or firm red tomato)
1 cup flour
1 cup breadcrumbs (or Panko)
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 eggs
salt and pepper to taste

Slice the tomato into thick slices.

Put the flour on one plate. Put your eggs, beaten, in a shallow bowl. Combine chili powder, salt and pepper and breadcrumbs on a third plate. One at a time, dip the tomato slices in the flour to coat. Tap off the excess flour. Put them next in the egg, coating them, then in the breadcrumb mix and fully coat.

Heat a sauce pan with about an inch of oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, place the tomato slices in the pan. Cook them on one side until golden brown, about a minute. Gently flip them to the other side and cook until golden brown. Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel to drain. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet Basil Mayo
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

In a food processor, combine basil, mayo, lemon juice and mustard. Pulse a few times until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Sandwiches
4 slices thick sandwich bread, toasted
4 fried green tomatoes
Lettuce
8 to 12 slices crispy bacon
Sweet basil mayo

Slather one slice of bread with sweet basil mayo. Be generous. Layer on two fried green tomatoes. Next, add 4 slices bacon. Top with lettuce and the other slice of bread.

Recipe Swap Roundup - Blogger's Choice Part 6

Time for another Recipe Swap Roundup. This was another Blogger's Choice Swap and it was another huge hit. Check out the dishes everyone chose below. A big thanks to Jaida from Sweet Beginnings for putting this together for me. 

Coleen from Does Not Cook Well With Others took these Baked Cheeseburger Egg Rolls to a party she was invited to, and they were a big hit!

Kate from Kate's Recipe Box decided to branch out and try green sauce on these Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas.

I made these Blueberry and Lemon Muffins that were a delicious and easy breakfast while on vacation.


Melissa from I Was Born to Cook took a chance on this Parmesan Tilapia and loved it!

Dawn from Simple Gourmet Cooking was excited to bake, and chose these Lemon Crinkle Cookies - which have become her current favorite cookie!

Jenna from Jenna's Cooking  Journey endulged her dessert-making spree and love of German chocolate cake with these German Chocolate Cake Brownies!

Jessican from Sunny Side Up was more than happy to feed her sauce addiction with this Copycat Jack Daniels Glaze.

Nichole from The Cookaholic Wife let her husband take part in the recipe selection, and he chose these Pot Roast Sliders, which they enjoyed as leftovers all week! 


Christine from Christine's Kitchen Chronicles was able to make use of her CSA box with these Zucchini Brownies.

Lisa from Tastetastic Voyage was able to fill her side dish void with these amazing Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.


Mary Ellen from Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations was intrigued by the use of soy sauce for these Soy Cilantro Roasted Potatoes.

Melissa from Delicious Meliscious loved these Strawberry & Cream Cheese Muffins.


Eva from Eva Bakes made these S'mores Bars for a co-workers birthday.

Catherine from A Seasoned  Greeting stepped out of her cooking comfort zone with this savory Roasted Red Pepper Pasta.

Stefanie from Kickin It in the Kitch chose this Mexican Sour Cream Rice as a side to go with a Mexican meal she had planned.

 


Ashley from Cheese Curd in Paradise knew as soon as she saw these Apple Strudel Muffins, that she had found her recipe!

Katie from So Tasty, So Yummy made a crowd pleaser with this Penne with Chicken and Vegetables in a Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce.

Carrie from Carrie's Sweet Life satisfied her Chinese food craving with this Honey and  Sesame Teriyaki Chicken.


Jaida from Sweet Beginnings was excited to try a meatloaf in mini size, with these Mini Turkey Meatloaves.


Jessica from The Jey of  Cooking loves root beer, so this Root Beer Float Ice Cream was perfect for her!

Nicole from Cookies on Friday loved this Chai Tea Bread so much, she made it twice!


Jen from Becoming Pigzilla got to make a recipe she's had in waiting, with this Santa Fe Chicken Salad.


Lindsay from Peace, Love, and  French Fries was able to keep this Creamy Artichoke Lemon Chicken Pasta all to herself, which was just fine by her!

Chrissy from Stick a Fork in it found a new favorite potato side dish with these Crispy Smashed Potatoes. 


Kristina from Tasty Treats by Tina found a new dish to add to her rotation with this Chicken in Mustard Cream Sauce.

And finally, Heather from Hezzi D's Books and Cooks was excited to make homemade pasta for this Homemade Fettuccinie with Vodka Sauce.