Thai - Philly Cheese Dip

Now I know I have said this before, but seriously, this is so stinkin easy. It's a great no cook (yep, I said it) appetizer that is a little sweet and a little spicy and a whole lot of deliciousness !

Ingred. (yep, there's only 3)

1 lg. tub of Cream Cheese
1 bottle of Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
1 package of brown rice crakers, or any cracker that is thin and crunchy !

To assemble:
Take a bread knife and run it around the outside of the cheese, until it is loose. Turn it upside down on a plate and drizzle the chili sauce on top until it is all covered and a little pool has formed on the plate. Place the crackers on a seperate plate.

Don't knock it if your not going to try it!! The whole plate was gone at Thanksgiving this year !!

Farmers Market Turkish Gyros

One of the many joys that Steve and I share is visiting our local farmers market early on Saturday morning. Upon walking up we can already smell the Turkish Gyro Stand. It is intoxicating to say the least! We make our way to his booth by following the wafts of aroma! They lead us right to him. What an explosion of flavor our mouths. A dance of sorts moves around as you taste the pickled red onions, the sweet heat & the curry! Ahhh, we are at last, happy. After many visits to the market, I finally felt confident to make one myslef at home. WOW ! Was I ever suprised. Mine tasted just like one at the farmers market. I literally danced in my seat as I ate mine all up. I looked over at Steve and he is just as happy! If you crave a new flavor.....try this. I promise it won't dissapoint you !

Serves 4

2 lbs. Chicken Tenders
Indian Curry Powder
Shredded Romain lettuce
3 Roma Tomatoes, Diced
Banana Peppers, to taste
Sriracha Chili Sauce - Asian aisle of market
Tzatziki Sauce - recipe follows
Pickled Red Onions - recipe follows
Naan Bread - In the bakery at market
Salt & Pepper
Evoo

Tzatziki Sauce:

1 med. cucumber peeled, seeded & finely chopped
1 cup greek yogurt
1 tbls EVOO
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. minced garlic
Mix all the ingred. together and let get happy for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

Pickled Red Onions
1 Lg. red onion, finely sliced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbls honey
2 tbls EVOO
salt & pepper
Combine all the ingred. together and let get happy for at least 1 hour at room temp.

Sprinkle each chicken tender on both sides with the curry. Be liberal. Season with Salt & Pepper. Drizzle the EVOO on the chicken and grill on med high heat for approx. 4 minutes per side. Take the Naan bread and drizzle with a little EVOO and grill it until toasted on one side.

To arrange the Gyro, place the Naan on a plate and smear on someTzatziki sauce. Then add the shredded lettuce, chicken pieces (3-4 per sandwich). Add the red onions, tomatoes, Sriachi sauce (to taste) & banana peppers. Wrap up like a taco and dive in.

Jalapeno Corn Dip

This is a great dip to serve as a little something to snack on. I love the spicy flavor that the jalapeno adds. This was a big hit when I made it for Samantha's birthday !

Ingred:
1 small bag petite white corn - frozen
1 block of cream cheese
1 cup of parm. cheese
1 sm. can of diced jalapeno peppers

Directions:
Defrost the corn and the cream cheese come to room temperature. Drain the peppers. Mix all the ingred. together and place in a pie dish. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until the top is bubbly and golden. Serve with tortilla chips or fritos !

Grilled Mexican Chicken Sandwiches

My mom made this recipe for a girls luncheon that she had and it was love at first bite. This is honestly Steve's most requested recipe. Super simple and equally delish! Serves 4

Ingred.
1 and 1/2 tbls Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
4 bonesless skinless chicken breasts
1 and 1/2 cups shredded mexican cheese
1/3 cup mayo
4 slices sour dough bread
1/2 cup chunky salsa (optional)

In a small bowl, combine oil, chili powder, and pepper. Spread evenly over both sides of chicken. Grill or broil chicken for 5 minutes per side or until cooked through.
Meanwhile, combine 1 cup of the cheese and mayo, mix well. Place bread around grill or broiler rack and toast slightly on one side. Turn bread over and spread evenly with cheese mixture. Return to grill or broiler, cheese side up and cook 2 minutes or until cheese begins to melt.
Place chicken on toasted breaed and top with salsa. Sprinkle withremaining cheese

Daddy's 'Shrooms

One of the fondest memories I have of being in the kitchen is with my dad, when he was making his soy sauced mushrooms. Oh my goodness the smell!!! It was as if the aroma of the goodness was calling me into the kitchen every time he would make these. I remember him teaching my the recipe when I was just a little girl. Dad would place me on a chair or stool and let me be his cooking partner. He would let me pour the cap full of soy sauce, add the butter and drop in the shrooms. Pure bliss is this side dish. I ALWAYS make them anytime we have steak. As they are DELICIOUS on top of a perfrectly grilled piece of beef. Thanks Dad for such a great recipe, but an ever better memory !!

Ingred.
1 carton sliced button mushrooms
1-2 cap fulls of soy sauce
1 pad butter

Directions:
Melt the butter in a saute pan over med heat. Add the mushrooms and let them all get bathed in the butter. 1-2 minutes. Add the soy sauce and stir gently as not to break you the slices. Cook on med/low until all the sauce has absorbed into the mushrooms. Serve on the side or ontop of your steak and top with A1 Sauce.

Ok now I am seriously drewling ! Seriously, that good !!

My Mama's Ramake

So maybe you might be familiar with the old school version of this dish which calls for chicken livers to be added to the roll. YUCK !!! I can't even handle that. So imagine my suprise when my mom presented us girls with an updated version. Let me just tell you that these little bacon bites are perfect for a football game but fancy enough for a dinner party. These are great little appetizers that my good friend Jay Haugh said "are these sprinkled with crack because I can't stop eating them!". Oh yeah, they are that good!!!

This could not be easier.

Ingred.
2 cans water chestnuts -drained (asian aisle in the market)
1 lb bacon, each slice cut into thirds - I like Costco thick and sweet apple bacon !
Brown sugar
Dr. Pepper
Toothpicks

Empty the chestnuts into a bowl and cover completly with the Dr. Pepper over night. Drain the cola and coat with brown sugar. Mixing well so that all the chestnuts get covered. Then take 1/3 of a slice of bacon and wrap it around the chestnut and secure it with a toothpick. Place on a baking sheet that is lined with foil and broil them until the bacon is cooked and some what crisp.

Tada - enjoy!

Pork Chops W/ Apples and Onions

So it is pretty well known in my house that I have never eaten or remember eating Pork Chops and Applesauce. I am not much for the texture of applesauce quite fankly! After spending the day in Oak Glen apple tasting, I had a stange craving for this meal. After all the season's have changed and there is this lingerling bite in the air that just becons for a true fall meal. This is my take on a classic combo. Only without the whole texture thing :)


Ingredients:

4 bone-in pork loin chops, 1- inch thick ( I use the huge ones from costco)
Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 pinch crushed red pepper
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
Pinch cinnamon
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
2 cups apple cider

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Season the pork chops generously with salt. Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring it to a high heat. Sear the pork on both sides and on the fat edge, working in batches if the chops don't all fit in the pan at the same time. Be sure not to crowd the pan. Remove the pork from the pan and place on a cookie sheet. Finish the pork in the oven for about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Ditch the excess fat from the saute pan. Give a drizzle of fresh olive oil and add the onions and crushed red pepper and season with salt. Cook until the onions become soft and aromatic. Add the apples, cinnamon and rosemary and toss to coat with the oil. Add the cider and cook until the cider has reduced by two-thirds and the onion-apple mixture is very soft and saucy. Serve over the pork chops.

Porky deliciousness!