Pizza Stuffed Sandwich

May 10, 2016Leave a comment

No stir fry or lasagna to show you today, but I did invent a sandwich to end all sandwiches.

Introducing the Pizza Stuffed Sandwich.

What you need:

Mini French bread rolls
Your favorite marinara sauce
Sandwich size pepperonis
Mozzarella cheese

Slice the roll down the middle, but not all the way through. Dig out the bread from the inside. Spoon marinara sauce inside the roll. Layer pepperoni and cheese. Add another layer of sauce and continue layering all ingredients until the roll is completely stuffed.

Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

I also whipped up a quick strawberry shortcake with the strawberries I got from the Farmers Market.

Lady Fingers, strawberries and whipped cream. Simple and delicious.

The Pizza Stuffed Sandwich was a huge hit. The boyfriend approved, and asked for seconds.

The shortcake was more for me, and it was absolutely amazing.

Tell me about your Monday night dinner.

Southern Comfort Food

May 4, 2016Leave a comment

When I’ve had a rough day, I crave food that gives me comfort. Being from the South, my comfort food is considerably better than pizza or ice cream.

Fried Pork Chops, Rice with Homemade Milk Gravy and Black Eye Peas

What you need:

Four breakfast pork chops, bone in
Flour
Milk
Canola oil, enough to fill halfway up the sides of a skillet
1/2 cup rice
1 cup water
2 15-ounce cans black eye peas
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste

For the gravy:

Grease from the pork chops, about 3-4 tablespoons
2 heaping tablespoons flour
Milk, enough to fill halfway up the side of a skillet
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the oil over medium high heat. Pour milk into a bowl and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Pour flour onto a plate and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Soak the pork chops in the milk mixture. Then, dredge the chops through the seasoned flour.

Fry until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes on each side.

Cook rice according to package directions. I used Riceland Extea Long Grain White Rice because it’s grown in Arkansas. My hometown to be exact.

Open the cans of peas, and heat over medium heat in a pan on the stove. I like to add lots of pepper.

Once the pork chops are cooked, remove any excess grease. Keep some grease with the pork chop bits, and add two heaping tablespoons of flour. Stir vigorously.

The flour will take on a deep brown color and become creamy. This will cook off the flour taste.

Pour milk into the flour mixture, enough to fill halfway the side of the skillet. Turn the heat to low. And stir constantly until the gravy thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Gravy is difficult to make, but you can master it. The key is low heat, constant stirring and good, flavorful grease.

I’ve made it so many times I don’t measure anything. So if these measurements are off a little bit, that’s why.

There is nothing better than a plate of Southern comfort food. This recipe was a staple in my mom’s kitchen, and I have many fond memories of watching her cook.

It felt good to channel my mom in my own kitchen and know the legacy of her pork chops and gravy will live on every time I make it.

Who knows? Maybe she will start letting me make it for her so she can relax for a change.

What is your go-to comfort food?

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad

May 2, 2016Leave a comment

This weekend was an absolute blast. I spent all day Saturday surrounded by my favorite people.

And we had some good food.

Homemade ranch burgers and chicken sandwiches with a tomato mozzarella and basil salad, grilled yellow squash and zucchini and a fresh green salad.

I want to focus on the tomato, mozzarella and basil salad for a minute.

What an underrated creation.

What you need:

One pack of cherry tomatoes
Two packs of mini mozzarella balls
Fresh basil, to taste
Balsalmic vinegar
Good quality olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Start by slicing the mozzarella and cherry tomatoes in half. Julienne the basil. I used about 10 smaller leaves of basil from my garden.

Coat the mixture with Balsalmic vinegar and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least three or four hours so the flavors can meld.

This salad is one of my favorites. Cool and fresh. The mozzarella takes on the flavors of the basil, oil and vinegar. The tomatoes add a sweetness.

Just pure perfection.

You absolutely must add this to your summer salad list.

Grilled Chicken Heaven

April 28, 2016April 28, 2016Leave a comment

The grill has been busy at my house. It’s really the only way I want to cook right now. The weather has been so nice, and I have a feeling this Arkansas summer is going to be a hot one.

So I’ve been soaking up spring air and enjoying cooking outside. And it has been delightful.

So let me tell you about this chicken. It doesn’t look like much, but it packs a huge flavor punch.

Citrus Chicken with Basil Parmesan Drizzle and Sautéed Summer Squash

What you need:

Four chicken cutlets
One lemon
One lime
Five garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Olive oil
Basil
Parmesan cheese
Two yellow squash
One onion
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Put the chicken cutlets in a plastic storage bag. Squeeze the lemon and lime over the chicken. Add in some olive oil to give the juice a little substance. Roughly chop the garlic and add to the chicken mixture. Salt and pepper liberally. Let sit six hours in the fridge.

Bring chicken to room temperature. I usually put it on the counter will I peep everything else and heat the grill. This helps the meat cook evenly, and it gives it good grill marks.

Grilled over medium heat until the chicken is cooked completely, about 10-12 minutes.

Combine a handful of fresh basil and roughly chop it. Add in olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder to paste. Blend until smooth.

Add in a little Parmesan cheese and blend again. Do this until you get a sauce-like consistency. Don’t add too much salt because Parmesan cheese is fairly salty.

Cook the squash and onion in olive oil until cooked through. I like it to kinda fall apart. No crunch to the veggies. It gets sweet and delicious.

Drizzle the sauce on the chicken while it’s warm from the grill.

Everything is a walk in the park.

So simple. So fresh. The basil was the first batch to be pulled from the garden, and it didn’t disappoint.

I see a lot of citrus chicken in my future summer dinners. And I’m totally ok with that.

Feels Like Grillin’ Weather

April 10, 2016April 10, 2016Leave a comment

This spring weather has me feeling good. Warm and breezy. So we’ve been doing a lot of grilling.

Chicken drumsticks. Steaks. But Wednesday night’s dinner is moving into the weekly rotation.

I love a good pork chop. And a grilled pork chop is the bee’s knees.

After a quick mile and a half run, I whipped up a delightful supper.

Grilled Pork Chops with Brown Rice and Sautéed Broccoli and Cherry Tomatoes

What you need:

Pork chops
Fresh broccoli
Cherry tomatoes
Brown rice
Butter
Salt and pepper
Sweet and Smoky seasoning

Prepare the pork chops by covering the meat in a Sweet and Smoky rub from the grocery store, or make your own rub. Massage the run into the pork chops. Wrap each seasoned chop in plastic wrap for at least 3 hours. I marinaded mine all day.

Before grilling, set the pork chops out on the counter so they get to room temperature, usually one hour. This ensures even grilling.

Heat the grill to medium heat. Cook the pork chops for about 5-7 minutes on each side. Remove from grill, and let it rest for 15 before cutting.

While the pork chops cook, cook the brown rice. I used a quick cooking brown rice so it cut down on time.

Sauté the broccoli in a little olive oil and season lightly with lemon pepper. To help steam the broccoli, add a couple tablespoons of water and cover.

Once the broccoli is a vibrant shade of green, add a couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes start to get wrinkly and burst.

Slice the pork chops into strips or bite sized pieces. Or leave it whole. Whatever tickles your fancy.

Mix in a couple spoonfuls of good butter to the brown rice. Season with salt and pepper. Top the rice with the broccoli and tomato mixture.

Enjoy every single bite.

Simple and delicious. Low effort for a weeknight meal. And it is packed full of flavor.