BCTA (My Take on the Classic BLT)

BLT.  A summertime favorite.  Ever since I was a kid, though, I've never liked lettuce on a sandwich.  Its kind of a waste of space: no flavor, no nutritional value, you're basically putting water on your sandwich (no offense to those that like lettuce on a sandwich).  :)  Things did change a little since I was a kid, though, and I did at one point start liking mayonnaise on my BLT (my, um, BMT?). 

The BCTA is my take on the classic BLT.  Replace the lettuce with cucumber.  It doesn't have a ton more nutritional value than the lettuce, but there's more flavor than lettuce, and more crunch.  Then replace the mayonnaise with avocado.  Unlike mayo, avocado actually HAS nutritional value.  Not to mention the flavor of an avocado...  (Uh, anyone know the best way to get drool out of my laptop keyboard?)  All remaining ingredients are the same.

Here's what you'll need:

2 slices toasted bread
2 slices bacon, cut in half
3-4 slices cucumber
2-3 slices tomato
1/4 avocado, sliced

It all starts in the skillet.  Fry bacon til done.  If you like crisp bacon, fry til crisp.  I personally like mine a little bit under-crisp, but not completely chewy, either.  When the bacon is done to your likeness, drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, while the bacon is cooking, slice tomato, cucumber, and avocado.  Slice the cucumber with your vegetable peeler (or mandolin slicer if you'd like) as we did for the Cucumber Feta Rolls.  Slice the tomato as thin or as thick as you'd like.


Assemble your sandwich and enjoy.


Tips for a better sandwich:
1) Thick-slice bacon is always better.
2) Garden-fresh tomatoes are a must.  This is why a BLT (or, in my case, BCTA) is best in the summer when you have access to good RIPE tomatoes.
3) Learn to pick a good avocado.  Not firm, but not too soft.  You'll get it right after a few bad avocados.
4) Use Saralee 45 calorie bread and you'll end up with a 250-275 calorie sandwich (depending on your bacon and avocado - they're your biggest calorie producers outside of the bread).


IN A NUTSHELL:

2 sliced toasted bread
2 slices bacon, cut in half
3-4 slices cucumber
2-3 slices tomato
1/4 avocado, sliced

Fry bacon.  Slice produce.  Slap it all together.  Let your tastebuds do what they do best.

PS - I learned this week that bacon is the "gateway drug" to vegans who become meat-eaters (Thanks Eve!).  Bacon.  I can't think of a better reason to eat meat.  Can you?  :)

Pesto Chicken Artichoke Pizza

Pizza seems to be my easy evening go-to meal during the summer.  I keep pre-made pizza crusts on-hand, and, let's face it, you can put pretty much anything on a pizza crust, top it with some cheese and, voila, you've got dinner

This week I went a little bit more "gourmet" in pizza style, replacing the traditional red sauce with homemade pesto, and mozzarella with smoked gouda.

A couple of notes when you make your shopping list: 1) I make my own Pesto, but store-bought is ok, too.  If you want to make your own, I follow this recipe.  2) For the chicken it can be leftover grilled chicken breast or even leftover KFC (sans skin).  The chicken doesn't really add tons of flavor, just some protein and texture.  3) Sun dried tomatoes were not on my original pizza, but the second time I made it I had some on-hand from the Cucumber Feta Rolls and decided to utilize them.  You could also add some crumbled cooked bacon instead of the tomatoes (which is AMAZING, by the way - when isn't bacon amazing?).  4) Always buy smoked gouda.  The flavor added by the smoking process is what makes this cheese so fantastically amazing.

Here's what you'll need:

1 Individual Size Thin and Crispy Pizza Crust
2 Tbsp Pesto
1/4 Cup Chopped Cooked Chicken
1/4 Cup Chopped Artichoke Hearts (canned)
1 Tbsp Chopped Sun Dried Tomatoes
1-2 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Basil
Shredded Smoked Gouda Cheese

 Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.  If using a pizza stone, let the stone pre-heat with the oven (stone will need at least 10 minutes to heat fully).  While oven is pre-heating, chop chicken, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes and basil.  (Not sure how to cut basil?  Check out my instructions in the Sausage Bruschetta Pizza Recipe.)  Shred cheese.

Cover pizza crust with pesto.  Top with chicken, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, basil and cheese.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.




Remove from the oven and slice into quarters with pizza cutter, serve, and enjoy! 

IN A NUTSHELL:

1 Individual Size Thin and Crispy Pizza Crust
2 Tbsp Pesto
1/4 Cup Chopped Cooked chicken
1/4 Cup Chopped Artichoke Hearts
1 Tbsp Chopped Sun Dried Tomatoes
1-2 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Basil
Shredded Smoked Gouda Cheese. 

Pre-heat oven to 400.  Chop pizza toppings.  Shred Cheese.  Assemble pizza.  Bake 10-12 minutes directly on rack or on pre-heated pizza stone.  Remove, cut, and WOW your taste-buds. 

As with any pizza, if you want to make a larger pizza, just use a larger crust and more of each topping! 

If you're feeling super-domestic and want to make homemade crust, my friend Tesa has a fantastic recipe on her blog.

Appetizer Rollups

I both love and dread the announcement of "Food Day" at work.  I love it because I LOVE to cook and I LOVE to share my cooking with friends.  I dread it because I'm just not sure which recipe to pull out of my collection.  Appetizer?  Crock-pot concoction? Dessert? There are WAY too many choices.  The good news is that different styles of appetizer rollups are ALWAYS a hit.  Here I'll showcase both a tortilla option as well as a vegetable option.

Let's start with my old favorite:

Tortilla Pinwheels

This was probably the very first recipe I developed.  I was looking for something to make for my High School graduation reception.  There were some decent recipes out there, but none of them were quite what I wanted.  So, I put this recipe together, and its been a pot-luck and family-holiday favorite ever since.  

Here's what you'll need:

5-6 Burrito-size Tortillas
1 Pint Sour Cream
1 8-oz Pkg Cream Cheese, softened
2-3 Tbsp Southwest Seasoning*
1/2 Pkg. Ranch Dip Mix
1/2-1 small (4.25-oz) Can Chopped Black Olives
1/2-1 small (4-oz) Can Chopped Green Chilies
1 Cup Finely Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Thinly Sliced Ham (lunch-meat works well)

*Taco Seasoning will work, but I prefer Pampered Chef Southwest Seasoning

Mix together cream cheese and sour cream.  Stir in Southwest Seasoning and ranch dip mix; Stir in olives, chilies and cheese.

Spread mixture over tortillas.  Place ham in individual slices on top of spread.  Roll tortillas tightly.  chill in fridge at least 1-2 hours, either in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap.

Once chilled (giving the cream cheese a chance to firm back up), slice into 1/2 inch slices and serve.  NOTE: Use a serrated knife and rely on the sawing motion to cut, not the downward motion.  This will help keep the shape of the roll.

Leftovers can be saved in an airtight container in the fridge for several days. 

IN A NUTSHELL:

5-6 Burrito-size Tortillas
1 Pint Sour Cream
1 8-oz Pkg Cream Cheese, softened
2-3 Tbsp Southwest Seasoning*
1/2 Pkg. Ranch Dip Mix
1/2-1 small (4.25-oz) Can Chopped Black Olives
1/2-1 small (4-oz) Can Chopped Green Chilies
1 Cup Finely Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Thinly Sliced Ham

Mix sour cream, cream cheese, Southwest Seasoning, ranch dip mix, olives, chilies and cheese.  Spread over tortillas, top with ham slices.  Roll.  Chill.  Slice.  Watch your friends DEVOUR.



P.S. Some people like these with salsa.  I think there's so much flavor already packed into these rolls, who needs to "water it down" with salsa?  Just my humble opinion.  :)


***OTHER GOOD FILLING IDEAS***


JALAPENO-BACON "POPPERS"
1 Pint Sour Cream
8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 of a 12-oz Jar Sliced Jalapenos, drained & chopped
1/2 Pound Bacon, cooked & chopped
1 cup Finely Shredded Cheddar Cheese



BUFFALO CHICKEN ROLLS
1 Pint Sour Cream
8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
12 oz (approx) Buffalo Chicken Bites (such as Tyson Any'tizers - Buffalo Style Boneless Chicken Wyngs), baked as directed, chopped
2-3 oz Louisiana Style Hot Sauce
*sprinkle some additional hot sauce over the finished rolls if desired.

 ***

Looking for a "lighter" option?  This recipe has been floating around Pinterest for a while.  I decided to give it a try!

Cucumber Feta Rolls

As much as I'd love to claim this recipe as my own, it is not.  You can find the full recipe here.

Use a vegetable peeler to create your cucumber slices.  For this recipe (and really any recipe that calls for cucumbers), I like to use "English" or "Hot House" cucumbers.  They're longer and leaner, and have less seeds. Peel one strip off of the cucumber, then in the same spot peel one more strip.  This will create a "flat" surface so the cucumber doesn't roll around on you.  After you flip the cucumber over to sit on the flat side, make the same two peels on the top side.  Continue to peel in the same fashion until you get to the seeds (you will have a couple strips that have some seeds, that's ok).  Once you've got all the peels you're going to get from one side, flip back over and peel slices from the bottom side until you get to the seeds.  Do this with 2-3 cucumbers (I needed about 2 1/2 cucumbers since I don't use the middle). Lay the slices out on paper towels while you make the filling.

In a bowl, mix the feta and Greek yogurt with a fork.  Add in the chopped sun dried tomatoes, chopped Kalamata olives, dill, lemon juice and pepper.

Place 1-2 tsp. of the mixture at the end of each cucumber slice.  If there's one end of the cucumber that has some seeds and one end that doesn't, place the filling on the end with seeds (so it ends up in the middle).  Roll up the cucumber around the filling and secure with a toothpick.  If there are too many seeds, the toothpick won't hold in the roll very well when you go to pick it up.


I think these also might be good with a dried cranberry & pecan mixture.  I might have to try that.  I'll let you know if I try it.  Let me know if you try it first! 


IN A NUTSHELL:

2 cucumbers
6 ounces crumbled feta
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 tablespoons finely diced sundried tomatoes or red bell pepper
8 - 12 pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon roughly chopped dill or oregano
2 teaspoons lemon juice
pinch of pepper, or to taste

"Slice" cucumber with vegetable peeler.  Lay flat on paper towels.  Mix remaining ingredients with fork.  Place 1-2 tsp filling on end of cucumber slice.  Roll.  Secure.  Enjoy without guilt.

***Also good with diced roasted red peppers in place of the olive and tomatoes.***

Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

A little bit sweet.  A little bit spicy.  A little bit crunchy.  All-over yummy. 

 The idea behind the shrimp in this recipe comes from the Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer on the menu at Bonefish Grill.  Sweet/spicy goodness.  I decided to try making it myself, and then decided it would make fabulous tacos.

Google is always my friend when it comes to finding out how to make something.  After reviewing several "copy cat" recipes, I came up with this one.  [EDIT: I've noticed that this recipe gets Google'd a lot, so I should reference that this is not a true copy-cat recipe; its my variation, so you will not find this to be exactly like that at the restaurant.]

A couple tips to begin: 1) Frozen shrimp is measured in size by how many shrimp are in a pound.  I generally use 60-80 (medium) shrimp for this recipe (meaning there are 60-80 shrimp per pound).  2) Its easiest if you buy the shrimp already peeled and de-veined.  But make sure the shrimp you buy is RAW (grey-ish in color, not pink).

Here's what you'll need:
Raw shrimp, about 12 (if using 60-80 shrimp)
3-4 Tbsp Corn Starch
1 Tbsp Lemon Pepper (I like to use the Mrs. Dash kind with no salt)
1 1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Salt (omit if your lemon-pepper contains salt)
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Thai Sweet Red Chili Sauce
Diced Fresh Tomatoes
Diced Avocado
Shredded Cheddar
2 flour tortillas (small/fajita size)


Rinse thawed shrimp and pat dry with paper towels.  In a plastic zipper baggie, mix together corn starch, lemon pepper, chili powder, salt & pepper.  Close baggie and shake to mix.  Add shrimp to bag and shake to coat.  Remove shrimp from the bag with your hands, and shake off excess coating mixture.

Saute in non-stick pan heated to medium to medium-high, with a small amount of oil (about a Tbsp - enough to make the coating crisp, but not enough to "deep-fry" the shrimp).

Cook for a couple minutes, then turn each shrimp with a fork.  Cook an additional couple minutes, until the shrimp is cooked through (shrimp cooks quickly).

Squirt some Thai Sweet Red Chili Sauce into pan over shrimp.  I'm not certain how much, but see the picture to the left to get an idea:

Toss shrimp in Chili Sauce to coat.  I tried to get a picture of me doing this by tossing the shrimp in the skillet, but, well, that's not easy to get a picture of.  If you've not yet mastered that skill, feel free to use a spoon.  Make sure to move the skillet off of the burner so that, while the shrimp stays hot while you're chopping the remaining taco toppings, it will not continue to cook.

Chop tomato and avocado into a small dice and shred the cheese.  

A tip for cutting the avocado: Once you halve the avocado, cut while still in the peel, then remove with a spoon.  I like to add a little bit of salt, pepper, garlic powder and a couple drops of lime juice to the avocado.  This is to guacamole what pico-de-galo is to salsa.  



Warm tortillas in the microwave about 20 seconds, and proceed to build your tacos.

Want even more yummy goodness?  Heat 1-2 Tbsp oil in a skillet, and fry the tortillas a few (10-20) seconds on each side.

IN A NUTSHELL:

Raw shrimp, about 12 (if using 60-80 shrimp)
3-4 Tbsp Corn Starch
1 Tbsp Lemon Pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Thai Sweet Red Chili Sauce
Diced Fresh Tomatoes
Diced Avocado
Shredded Cheddar
2 flour tortillas (small/fajita size)

Mix dry ingredients in plastic zipper bag, add shrimp and shake to coat.  Saute in about 1 Tbsp oil, coat with Thai Sweet Red Chili Sauce.  Dice tomatoes and avocado, shred cheese.  Warm tortillas and put it all together.  Sweet... Spicy... Crunchy goodness.


NOTE: Making more than 2 tacos?  You don't necessarily need to increase the dry ingredients.  This mixture will probably coat enough shrimp for several tacos.