Quick Breakfast Potatoes

On the weekends, there is nothing better than a nice diner breakfast. Until you get to the diner, and it is packed with all the other people who had that same thought. Now your quick meal turned into a 45 minute wait and your breakfast is trying to take over lunch territory. With this quick recipe, you can whip up diner quality breakfast potatoes in no time, right from your own kitchen. (I know your still in your PJs, don't worry, I won't tell)

To have enough to serve 5, you are going to need...

3 lbs red or baking potatoes
1 medium red pepper
1 medium yellow onion
4-5 cloves of garlic
4 tbsp salted butter
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt, black pepper & cayenne pepper, to taste
Dash of paprika

Preheat your oven to 425F degrees. Start off by scrubbing your potatoes clean. I like to keep the skins on, so I make sure to get off any last traces of dirt from the farm. Dice the potatoes into 1/4" cubes. Next up, dice the pepper and onion to be evenly sized with the potatoes. We want everything to cook at the same time, so its important to keep everything relatively the same size. Finely mince the garlic and toss it in with the rest of your ingredients in a large bowl.

Add your oil and melted butter to the bowl and toss to evenly coat everything. Sprinkle on the salt, peppers and paprika. I like to go light on the salt here, you can always add more later on when they come out of the oven if you need to.

Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes. After the first 20 minutes, give it a good toss. Once your potatoes are completely cooked through and soft, crank up the heat baby to get those potatoes nice and crispy for the last 10-15 minutes. 500F degrees should do the trick.

Give them a taste and you decide if you should add another sprinkle of salt or dash of peppers. Serve with a side of eggs, or serve on the side of eggs. Personally, I really like my potatoes to take front and center. Enjoy!

Pesto Chicken & Peppers Skewers

Many of you may remember from last year, but one of the highlights of my spring is when my CSA membership starts back up. If you aren't familiar with what a CSA is, check out this post: Golden Earthworm Organic Farm CSA

So its been two weeks already, and my refrigerator is filled to the brim with crispy and fresh greens from varieties of lettuce, spices and veggies. Today I chose to whip up a batch of my arugula pesto (see here for the full recipe: Arugula Pesto) and grill up some chicken skewers. So simple and delicious, a perfect week night meal.

To start off, get all of your ingredients together. To have enough to feed 5 people, you are going to need..

2 lbs chicken breast
2 red bell peppers
1 very large yellow onion
1 cup of my arugula pesto
Wood skewers

Clean off your peppers and cut into about 1 inch squares. Similarly, cut the onion into chunks about the same size of the peppers.

Prep the pesto according to the instructions I linked to above.

Next, cut your chicken cutlets into cubes. Try to cut them evenly so they will all cook at the same time.

Now for the assembly, I like to start and end with chicken and get all my veggies somewhere in between. How about chicken - pepper - onion - chicken - pepper - onion - chicken. Sounds like a good combo to me. Prep all of your skewers until your ingredients are gone. Now, with a basting brush, coat all sides, edges and crevices of each skewer with the pesto. Man these are going to be good.

Heat up the BBQ to medium high heat and arrange all of the skewers on the rack directly above the flames. If they don't all fit, keep them in the refrigerator and cook in batches. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, being sure to rotate so all four sides of your chicken cube gets a nice BBQ char to it.

Once the chicken is cooked through, you can remove from BBQ and serve immediately with a fresh salad or some spring veggies. Enjoy!

Quick & Dirty Turkey Chili

Man do I love chili! It's just so good.

So here in New York, good old Mother Nature has been giving us a bit of the run around. Monday was a sunny 75 degrees. A perfectly, lovely spring day if you ask me. Then Tuesday came and brought with it freezing rain. And to make matters worse, I woke up to snow on Wednesday. Yes, snow! I'm not sure what is going on around here, but this chili sure brightened me right up, regardless of all the rain and snow.

Chili is so great because of its many complex flavors, from various peppers to spices. Some people make their chili a scientific formula, with hours of slow cooking and getting the balance just right. That's great and all, but lets be honest, we don't always have 5+ hours to sit around and cook up a bowl of chili. That's where the quick & dirty turkey chili comes into play. Done in under 30 minutes, this is your go to chili recipe for a last minute weeknight meal.

30 minutes, you're asking? Yea, you heard right. Here's what your going to need for about 6 servings:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small pepper (you chose the type based on your need for heat!)

2 lbs ground turkey (you can also use ground chicken or beef, whatever your heart desires)

2 tsp chili powder

29 oz can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups water

16 oz jar of your favorite chunky salsa

In a large pan, heat your olive oil and throw in the pepper. Make sure to finely dice the pepper. No one wants a big chunk of jalapeno in their first scoop of chili. Saute for about 30 seconds, just to heat up and then add in the ground turkey. Cook on medium heat until turkey is cooked through and starting to brown.

Sprinkle the mixture with chili powder, toss in your beans and pour in the water and salsa. Make sure to drain and rinse your beans so they are not sticky or gooey. 

Give everything a good stir and cover to bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove cover and let simmer, while continuously stirring. This is going to help the chili really thicken up. Also, using a potato masher, gently smash some of the beans to add extra thickness. Be sure to keep some whole, as this will give your chili some body.

Once you reach your desired thickness, about 15 minutes or so of simmering, cut the heat and transfer to a serving dish. Or if you are a savage like me, serve yourself straight from the pan. Now feel free to add some toppings, such as sour cream or shredded cheese. Me, I am good with just my chili and a corn muffin. 

Now that's what I call a good bowl of chili. Enjoy!

PS - check back next week for a new recipe for the corn muffins. They have a special kick due to a few secret ingredients I think your going to love!

Shrimp & Corn Chowder

This corn and shrimp chowder is made extra hearty by the use of potatoes and extra delicious by the flavor of bell pepper and leaks. The combination of flavors adds depth and will definitely impress all of your dinner mates. This is a great way to use up the last of the fall root vegetables coming through your kitchen.

Recipe yields 6 servings

Ingredients
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 small leeks
1 large baking potato
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups corn kernels (I used 4 ears of corn)
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 sweet orange pepper
1 lb medium shrimp, cleaned with the tails off
1 tbsp lemon juice
Dash of hot sauce

Peel and dice the potato into small cubes. Thinly slice the leeks, removing the rough green part and discarding.

Remove the corn kernels from the ears of corn (if you are using fresh).

In a large stock pot, melt the butter and add the leeks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are fragrant and softened.

To the pot, add the potato, corn and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer, cooking for 15 minutes. Be sure to stir the pot occasionally!

Thinly slice the orange pepper.

Combine the half-and-half and cornstarch in a small bowl and slowly add to the pot, stirring it in as you add it to avoid clumping.  Add the peppers and the Old Bay seasoning and return the pot to a simmer.

Add the shrimp and stir until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Cut the heat and stir in the lemon juice and hot sauce. Give it a taste and add another dash of hot sauce if you prefer a little more kick. Remove to serving bowls and enjoy!

Mini Italian Meatloafs

Meatloaf is one of my favorite dishes. Growing up, it was always a highlight when my mom made meatloaf for dinner. I enjoy my meatloaf with a big side of mashed potatoes and corn and lots of brown gravy. After years of monotony, I decided to shake things up a bit and try a different kind of meatloaf. In the words of my grandfather, "What are all these colorful things in here?" Packed with bell peppers, onions and Italian seasonings, this is my version of an Italian style meatloaf. I served mine with Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes and The Best Spinach.

Recipe yields 10 mini meatloaves

Ingredients
2.5 lbs ground beef
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp oregano
2 tsp basil
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 head garlic, finely chopped
6 oz. tomato paste

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees. Finely chop the pepper, onion and garlic. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients until evenly incorporated. Form meat mixture into 10 mini loaves. Arrange on greased baking sheet and place in the oven. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. Serve alongside your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!

Pesto & Roasted Red Pepper Cheeseburgers

This is my version of the Italian cheeseburger. You start off with crispy ciabatta, spread it with fresh arugula pesto (check out my recipe HERE!), add some sliced roasted red pepper and mozzarella cheese and you are good to go. I cheated and bought jarred roasted red peppers, but check out this post for an easy way to make your own. This burger is two-hander with the best of them. Be sure to have plenty of napkins laying in wait for when that pesto comes dripping out.

Recipe yields 6 burgers

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp seasoned salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes (this adds a great kick to the burger itself)
1 loaf ciabatta bread (or any bread of your choice, you can also go with rolls here)
1/2 cup Arugula Pesto
6 slices roasted red peppers
6 slices mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl, mix together the ground meat with your spices. Mix with your hands to evenly distribute the spices.

Place the meat on a sheet of aluminum foil. Cover with foil and roll into a log shape. This will help to make all your burgers the same size!

Unwrap the foil and slice the log into burgers, about 3/4"-1" wide. Remember, the burgers will slim while they cook, so you might want to make them on the larger side. Helpful Hint: To prevent the burgers from bubbling in the middle, create a shallow dip with your thumb. This way, when the middle bubbles up, it will even out with the rest of the burger.

Add a drop of oil to a hot pan and add your burgers. Let them sizzle on high heat without moving them to get a nice char on the bottom before flipping them over and doing the same thing to the other side. Lower the heat and cook until the insides are done to your liking.

In the meantime, slice your mozzarella.

Once the burgers are done, remove to a dish and set aside until ready to assemble.

Slice open your bread and place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes to get nice and toasty.

Once the bread is crisp, it is time to assemble. Spread one side of bread with the pesto. Place the burger on the other piece with a slice of cheese and a piece of roasted red pepper.

Top it all off with the pesto bun and you have a delicious burger packed with flavor and texture. Serve with fries or chips and enjoy!

Pollo alla Romana

This dish is filled with rustic Italian flavors. The smokiness of the prosciutto really packs a punch and is heightened by the sweetness from the peppers. I am a big fan of this dish because it all comes together in one pot and the flavors really blend and play off of each other. If you are looking for an 'impressive' dish up front, that takes little work behind the scenes, this is a great choice.

Recipe yields 4 servings

Ingredients
4 skinless chicken breast (bone-in)
4 skinless chicken thighs (bone-in)
Salt & fresh black pepper, to taste
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
4 cloves garlic
1/4 lb prosciutto
8 oz sliced white mushrooms
12 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp oregano
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp capers
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley

In a large, heavy bottom skillet, heat the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the hot oil. Cook to brown chicken on all sides.

In the meantime, julienne the peppers.

Mince the garlic and chop the prosciutto.

Once the chicken is browned, remove to a dish and set aside for later.

In the same skillet, add the peppers, mushrooms and prosciutto. Cook about 5 minutes until the prosciutto becomes crisp. Add in the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes to allow it to become fragrant.

Add the canned tomatoes, white wine, thyme and oregano and bring the mixture to a boil. Scrape up any browned bits that were left over from the chicken.

Add the chicken back to the pan along with the chicken stock and return to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Once the chicken is finished cooking, add the finely chopped fresh parsley and the capers. Give it a good stir.

I served the chicken over rice, but you can serve it alongside potatoes, as well. On each plate should be a breast and a thigh and a heaping of vegetables and prosciutto. Serve and enjoy!