Italian Chicken Nachos

When my schedule is busy, it typically revolves around a lot of evening meetings and, unfortunately, a lot of eating out. I tried to combat that this week with a collection of crock pot meals, and this is my favorite. To give credit where it's due, the starting point for this recipe was this version at Beyer Beware.

Ingredients:

• One pound of boneless, skinless raw chicken (breasts, thighs or tenders should all work)
• One 12-ounce jar of mild pepper rings (I used 3/4 of a 16-ounce jar)
• Two .7 ounce packets of dry Italian dressing mix
• One bag of tortilla chips
• One cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 pound of sliced mushrooms
• One regular size or two Roma tomatoes, diced
• About 1/4 cup sliced black olives (half of a small can)

Combine the chicken, pepper rings (with the liquid from the jar) and dry Italian dressing mix and cook in a slow cooker on low for at least three hours. More time wouldn't hurt, but that was enough for me. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it, then return it to the slow cooker while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Saute the mushrooms in a little olive oil until they've reduced a bit and are tender. Line a cookie sheet with foil and grease it with a little cooking spray, then layer the ingredients in this order:

• Tortilla chips
• Chicken and pepper mixture (allow the liquid to drain off as you remove it from the slow cooker)
• Cheese
• Mushrooms and olives
• Tomatoes (or you can wait and add these after baking)

Bake this on a high rack in the oven for eight minutes at 350, then switch to the broiler and allow it to cook for another two minutes or so, until the cheese browns a little.

Italian Marinated Turkey Burgers with Fresh Mozzarella and Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

Here's the first entry in a project I'm calling Burger Quest. I've been making a lot of burgers in various forms lately and really enjoying the results, so it's time to start documenting them for my own future reference, and hopefully so you can enjoy them too.

Lean ground turkey is (in theory and when properly labeled, at least) a somewhat healthier alternative to ground beef, but when it's overcooked and dry it just becomes a flavorless hockey puck. Marinating helps some, but you still have to be careful or your healthy alternative won't be very satisfying.

A great collection of toppings helps too, and this burger has lots of them: Deli pepperoni, fresh mozzarella, sauteed mushrooms, and roasted red pepper aioli add a lot to this dish.

Ingredients:

• One pound of lean ground turkey (I bought it pre-pattied)
• 1/2 cup light Italian dressing
• Four ounces of sliced baby portobello mushrooms
• 1-2 tbsp hard apple cider or beer (I prefer hard cider) - optional
• Roughly 12 slices of deli pepperoni
• Four thick slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
• Roasted red pepper aioli (see recipe below)
• A bun or some lettuce or whatever you're going to use to keep meat and cheese from getting burger all over your hands.

If you didn't buy pre-pattied burgers, divide your ground turkey into four patties, place them in a container you can seal, pour the Italian dressing over them, cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. 

While you're waiting for that, you can make the aioli. 

Aioli ingredients:

• One red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• A pinch of salt

Preheat your oven to 500, line a small oven-safe vessel with foil, put your red pepper on it and place it in the oven. Bake about 20-30 minutes, turning the pepper periodically until it's charred on all sides. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for a bit.

Once the pepper has cooled enough to handle, it should be relatively easy to peel it and remove the stem and seeds. Place the peeled, seedless pepper into a food processor with the mayonnaise, garlic powder and salt and process until smooth.

Saute the mushrooms in a little oil until they're softened. Once they're cooked I like to add a bit of hard cider to deglaze the pan a bit.

Now, for the burgers: Grill them for about 4-5 minutes on medium-high heat or until done (your grill times may vary based on your grill and the thickness of your burgers). When the second side is a minute or two away from being done, put a layer of pepperoni and a slice of the fresh mozzarella on top and cover the grill to trap in the heat and allow the cheese to melt.

Spread some aioli on the bottom of the bun, then add some mushrooms and place the burger, pepperoni and cheese on top. I enjoyed this with some grilled asparagus.

Eggplant Calzone

FOUND IT: I saw Guy Fieti make it on Food Network.

MODIFIED IT: To simplify and replace some equipment I don't have.

This is a nice way to hide some eggplant, if you're not a big fan. It creates some extra filling, but there weren't any complaints about that here: I mixed it in with some tortellini and made a pasta bake.

Also, this may seem like a lot of ingredients, but don't be scared off. It's pretty easy, and most of the ingredients are things you might already have in your pantry or can easily find.

Ingredients:

• 1 tube of premade pizza dough*
• 1/4 lb prosciutto, roughly chopped
• 4-8 ounces Italian sausage
• 1 small-medium eggplant, skin-on, cut into 1" or smaller cubes.
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted**
• 2 tsp parsley leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary, either leaves or ground
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced 1/2 inch thick

* - Yeah, I cheat and use premade pizza dough. I've never had much luck making my own, and mixed results with other options.

** - You can either toast pine nuts in a single layer in a small pan until you can start to smell them, or in a 350 oven for five minutes. Or you can skip them.

In a large saute pan on medium-high heat, crumble and brown the Italian sausage, and add the prosciutto when it's about halfway done. Cook until the sausage is cooked through and the prosciutto is starting to get crispy. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.

Add the olive oil to the pan, then the eggplant, then some salt and pepper. Saute for roughly 5-6 minutes, then add the garlic and the red pepper flakes. Saute for another minute or two (careful not to burn the garlic), then add the tomatoes, and some more salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the sauce until all the extra liquid is gone, 6-10 minutes. Add the meat back to the sauce and remove from the heat.

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 egg, the parmesan, pine nuts, parsley, basil, and some salt and pepper. Gently add this mixture to the sauce.

On a sheet of parchment paper, roll out your pizza dough and make sure the rectangle is fairly even. Sprinkle the rosemary and oregano over the dough, then add the sauce mixture to half of it. Fold the dough over and roll the edges closed. Beat the remaining egg with a tablespoon of water, then brush that onto the outside of the calzone.

Move the parchment paper onto a cookie sheet and bake at 500 for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown. Let rest for at least five minutes before cutting into it.

Easy Pasta with Sausage Ragu

FOUND IT: At the NY Times' Bitten blog.

I typically avoid making my own pasta sauce, because it's time consuming and you can get really good sauce in a jar. With that said, this is pretty quick, easy and good.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage, removed from casing if necessary
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound pasta
• At least 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Put the oil in a 10-inch skillet, and turn the heat to medium. Once it's hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage in bits, and turn the heat to medium high; cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is nicely browned, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add milk, tomato paste, some salt and pepper; stir to blend, and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until thickened but not dry. Keep it warm if necessary, and if it becomes too thick, add a little more milk or water.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta, and drain it when it's done. Toss pasta with sauce and parmesan cheese and enjoy.

Easy Chicken Parmesan

FOUND IT: In a magazine from Kraft

I've tried making Chicken Parm in several different ways, and never really done it well. This one is so easy that it's probably cheating, but it's better than any of my previous attempts.

Ingredients:

3 cups rotini pasta (I had penne on hand, so I used that.)
Ten Ritz Reduced Fat crackers, crushed (I used about half a tube in the food processor.)
3 tbsp grated parmesan, plus some to top it off
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 egg white (I used the whole egg)
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (I bought 3 big ones and made them into six thin ones)
2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce
At least 1 cup of shredded mozzerella cheese

Heat a large skillet (but pick one you can cover) on medium-high heat and add a couple of turns of oil. Crush the crackers, and combine the crumbs with the grated parmesan and oregano in one bowl. Beat the egg in another. Dip chicken in the egg, then the crumbs, coating the chicken in crumbs. Once your chicken breasts are coated, cook them in a single layer in the skillet, turning once. It'll take 3-4 minutes per side.

While they're cooking, boil the pasta, strain it and set it aside. Once the chicken is cooked through, add a cup of the sauce, spreading evenly, then put the mozzerella and parmesan cheeses on top and cover the skillet, simmering on low heat until the cheese is melted. Toss the pasta with the remaining sauce, and serve the two together.

Lasagna Soup

FOUND IT: On Fab Food Friday, one of my favorite recipe blogs.

This might be my favorite recipe from one of my favorite recipe sites. Jody does a fantastic job of posting recipes that are doable and delicious. If you're reading this blog, you should be reading hers too.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage (bulk or with casings removed)
2 onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
8 ounces pasta
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
8 ounces ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella

In a large pot, saute the sausage over medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess fat from the pot. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and sauté until the paste turns a rusty brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the broth, and the bay leaves and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

2. Add the pasta, then increase the heat to medium-high and boil the soup until the pasta is tender to the bite, following the time recommendations on the pasta package. Discard the bay leaves, then stir in the basil. If desired, season with salt and black pepper to taste.

3. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, the Parmesan, the 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the pinch of pepper. To serve, place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture in each bowl, sprinkle with some of the mozzarella, and ladle the soup on top. Makes about 13 cups.

Homemade Manicotti

FOUND IT: In Rachael Ray's magazine.
ADAPTED IT: A little.

This recipe is quickly becoming a standby. You can easily modify the basic pasta recipe to make crepes, and fill them with anything you like.

Ingredients:

Filling:
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated romano
1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley (I substitute Italian seasoning)
2 tablespoons milk

Pasta:
3 eggs
3/4 cup flour
1 cup water (I use milk)
(I added some italian seasonings here at well)

3 cups pasta sauce
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Beat the eggs with the water (or milk), then mix in the flour, eliminating lumps. Add the seasonings, if you're using them. Spray an 8-inch pan and put it on medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan, tilting the pan to spread it around. Allow crepes to cook around 45 seconds on one side, then flip and cook around 15 seconds on the other. Move the finished crepe to a plate, spray the pan again and repeat.

Then, combine all the filling ingredients. You can add some browned italian sausage or pepperoni at this point as well. Pour half the pasta sauce into a 9x13 baking dish. Spoon the cheese mixture down the middle of each crepe, then roll them and place them seam-side down in the dish. Once they're all in there, pour the remaining pasta sauce over the top, top with cheese and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.