southwestern pizza

Sauce:
2 tbsp vegetable broth
10 oz. Philadelphia Cooking Creme, regular flavor
1 chipotle pepper, seeded and minced
1 tsp adobo sauce (from chipotle pepper can)
2 tsp fresh lime juice
Pinch of kosher salt

Pizza:
1 cooked chicken breast, shredded
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp ground cumin
Pinch of kosher salt
1 recipe of my homemade dough, or store-bought dough
1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese
3 tbsp chopped cilantro

Sauce:
In a small saucepan set over medium heat, bring vegetable stock to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in Philadelphia Cooking Creme until it dissolved. Add chopped chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, fresh lime juice, and a pinch of salt.

Pizza:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place pizza stone in oven and preheat for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine shredded chicken, olive oil, cumin and salt. Stir until chicken is coated.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out pizza dough (link to dough recipe) until it is about 12 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough to a pizza peel covered with cornmeal. Spread 3/4 cup of the chipotle sauce over the pizza dough. Sprinkle black beans, corn, red bell pepper and queso fresco cheese evenly over the sauce.

Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone and bake for 5 minutes. Sprinkle chicken over the pizza and bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with cilantro. Serve. Drizzle with remaining chipotle sauce, if desired.

Tandoori Spiced Chicken Breast with Grilled Tomato Jam and Herbed Yogurt Sauce

Oh Bobby!

• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground cayenne
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3 (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 pita breads, warmed on the grill
• Tomato Jam, recipe follows
• Herbed Yogurt, recipe follows

Heat grill to medium-high. Combine all spices and the oil in a medium bowl to make a paste. Rub a thin layer of the spice paste onto 1 side of each chicken breast. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until slightly charred and just cooked through. Remove from the grill, let rest 5 minutes, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Serve openface on pitas: the chicken slices, a few dollops of Tomato Jam, and a drizzle of Herbed Yogurt.

Grilled Tomato Jam:

• 5 plum tomatoes
• 1 serrano chile
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for grilling
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 small Spanish onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Pinch saffron

Heat grill to high. Brush tomatoes and serrano with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill tomatoes and serrano on all sides until charred. Remove from the grill and coarsely chop.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan on the grates of the grill or on the side burners. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the tomatoes, serrano, balsamic vinegar, and saffron and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature before serving.

Herbed Yogurt:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate if not using immediately.


Adapted from: Bobby Flay

stuffed salmon with sriracha cream sauce

TERIYAKI MARINADE INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 cup water (or pineapple juice)

5 tablespoon packed brown sugar (use only 4 tbsp if using pineapple juice)

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp garlic powder

2 tablespoons honey

TERIYAKI MARINADE DIRECTIONS

1. in a small bowl, combine cornstarch & 1/4 cup cold water. stir until cornstarch is dissolved; set aside

2. in a saucepan, combine 1 cup water, soy sauce, ground ginger, garlic powder, brown sugar & honey; bring to a simmer

3. when liquid is simmering & brown sugar has melted, add the cornstarch/water mixture & simmer until thick enough to coat a back of a spoon (do not overthicken!)

SRIRACHA CREAM SAUCE INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup Sriracha sauce

1 cup mayonnaise (we used sour cream)

3 tablespoons condensed milk

SRIRACHA CREAM DIRECTIONS

1. in a medium bowl, combine Sriracha & mayo & whisk well

2. add condensed milk & whisk until fully incorporated; add more condensed milk for a milder taste & more Sriracha for a spicier taste

STUFFED SALMON W/ SRIRACHA CREAM SAUCE INGREDIENTS

2 salmon filets

teriyaki marinade (recipe below)

sriracha cream sauce (recipe below)

2-3 tbsp cream cheese (room temperature)

green onions (thinly sliced)

sesame seeds

olive oil

STUFFED SALMON W/ SRIRACHA CREAM SAUCE DIRECTIONS

1. in a baking/marinading dish, place salmon filets & add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup teriyaki marinade. let marinade reach about 1/2 of the sides of filets. marinade in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to overnight

2. preheat oven to 400 degrees. meanwhile, line a baking dish with aluminum foil & lightly brush with olive oil; set aside

3. on a cutting board, slit the sides of each salmon filets making a long pocket/envelope; do not pierce through the other side!

4. insert about a tablespoon of cream cheese into each pocket; do not overstuff or the cream cheese will seep out during baking

5. in the prepared baking dish, place stuffed salmons & sprinkle a nice amount of sesame seeds. cover the baking dish & salmon filets with another sheet of foil & bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until salmon is cooked all the way through

6. after baking is done, place in a serving dish & drizzle with sriracha cream sauce & garnish with thinly sliced green onions

Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup

This is a new favorite!  

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:
1 lb. chicken (I like boneless, skinless breasts)
1 stalk celery, cut into thirds
half of a lemon, sliced
handful of fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
1 cup water
1/2 cup chicken broth

For the soup:
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup white wine
3 carrots, sliced into rounds
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 - 3/4 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
3 egg yolks
2 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice ( add more to taste)
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 - 3 large handfuls of fresh baby spinach, chopped

Directions:

For the chicken:
Combine all the ingredients in a 5 liter pressure cooker. If the chicken is frozen, that is okay. Bring the mixture to a boil. Secure the lid and bring to high pressure. Once high pressure is achieved, cook for 20 minutes (for thawed) or 30 minutes (for frozen chicken).

Remove from heat and let pressure release completely before opening the lid. Let the chicken cool until it is cool enough to handle. Shred and set aside.

For the Soup:

Add 1 tablespoon of olive or canola oil in a large dutch oven. Saute the onion over medium-high heat until golden and tender. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more.

Add the white wine and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth and carrot. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and lemon together. Add 1 cup of hot broth from the dutch oven very slowly to the egg yolk mixture, whisking as you pour. Then, transfer the mixture to the dutch oven. Stir in the orzo and chicken.

Continue cooking over medium-low until the pasta and carrots are tender. Just before serving, season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the thyme, parsley, and spinach. Serve immediately.