Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

The Super Bowl usually falls right around (if not on) my birthday each year.  Which means, I'm pretty blessed with excuses to eat everything I want on that day/week.  This year, I want to try frying pickles, this pizza, and these cupcakes are pretty incredible, too.  Also, the sandwich above!  If you're feeding a crowd for the big game, you must try this fantastically easy recipe from Weelicious.  I think  your family pet could throw this together, that's how simple it is.  Four bone-in, skinless chicken breasts (the butcher at the grocery store can remove the skin for you), 1 cup of good BBQ sauce and a slow cooker.  Done.  Cook on low for 2 and a half hours, shred, serve.  I had leftovers for days which we turned into pizza, quesadillas and simply picked at with our fingers.  Here's the recipe if you need further information, but your pet is making this and your pet can't read, so...

p.s. Super Bowl snack ideas from last year.

p.p.s. Corn on the Cob Cupcakes

Spicy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

It rained in LA yesterday, and on such a rare occasion, everyone gets on board.  Girls plan their entire outfit around Hunter boots, meteorologists pull out their STORM WATCH TWENTY THIRTEEN! voices, Barnes and Nobles sells umbrellas (for real), drivers slow down a good 15 mph and... I make soup.  Coincidentally, I had just come across this recipe for a tomato soup with... grilled cheese croutons???  I would eat dirt if you topped it with grilled cheese croutons.  And these did not disappoint.  I made a few changes to the recipe - omitting the red pepper flakes so my son would eat it (also I called it "red ninja soup" - yeah), using vegetable broth instead of water, adding some minced garlic with the onions, and swapping basil with thyme (which I threw in with the onions and garlic).  It was bright, and delicious, and did I already talk about the GRILLED CHEESE CROUTONS??  

Now it's a beautiful sunny day and I'm sad : (      

Prosciutto and Manchego Pop Tarts

The best thing about being out of town and using a kitchen space you're unfamiliar with is being resourceful.  I love being resourceful.  I call myself the MacGyver of the Kitchen.  No, that was a joke, if I really called myself that there would need to be an intervention.  But I might think it a little bit in my head.  Because there is nothing like poking around a kitchen, seeing what you have to work with, and making something out of it.  And friends, if that 'something' you have to work with is Puff Pastry, then you can do no wrong.  If you do something with Puff Pastry, you're better than MacGyver!  He made things out of rope and bug poop.  Puff Pastry transforms everything into something magical.  

For instance, take some puff pastry and thaw it slightly.  Cut it into 8 rectangles.  Brush it with some egg wash (one lightly beaten egg and a touch of water).  On four of the squares, place some Prosciutto and grated Manchego (or really any kind of ham and cheese you have on hand).     

Cover with other rectangle, and gently press the edges together with your fingers.  I took a fork and made the edges fancy.  Take a knife and carve a few venting slits in the center.  Brush the tops with more egg wash.  Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes - until 'Pop Tarts' are nice and golden.  

Salty, buttery perfection, people.  I just ate one for breakfast and I think I'll have some more for lunch because, after all, that's what MacGyver would do.  

M Loves M Guest Post ~ Favorite Healthy Snacks

by Mara at M Loves M...

Hi everyone!  My name is Mara and I blog over at M Loves M.  I'm so happy to be here guest posting for Siri as she's busy welcoming her baby into the world.  Siri has been such a great blog friend since the beginning and I'm so excited for her and her growing family : )  This baby is going to be so loved, and fed a lot of amazing food!  I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite, easy and healthy snacks with you today:

Growing up in California I've always loved avocados.  I've found that they are extremely delicious with goat cheese so my favorite little concoction is mixing 1 avocado with 2 ounces {or more if you like!} of goat cheese.  Spread that on some whole wheat bread and it's delicious!  If you're going to take it to work, or give it to the kids, add a tiny bit of lime so that the acid prevents the avocados from turning brown.

Greek yogurt is so rich and creamy, it's almost like a dessert.  While I eat ice cream a few times a week {maaajor sweet tooth over here!}, on the other nights I'll have some greek yogurt with fresh diced strawberries and honey.  It's so satisfying! 

As we're getting into fall I'm starting to make this roasted nut recipe that my Dad created.  It's always at my parents' house and it's the perfect midday snack because it's so flavorful!  To make: roast almonds for 10-15 minutes depending on size {turn and check frequently}.  Once toasted add olive oil, salt and lots of rosemary.  Make sure you have enough olive oil on to make the salt and rosemary stick.  For 1 cup of nuts I used a little less than 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon of salt {you can always add more!}, and 2 tablespoons of rosemary {because it's so good!}.  

For the apples I cut them open, scoop out the centers, fill with peanut butter and top with granola.  So easy and so yummy!

These snacks are really easy and healthy, too.  If you try them let me know what you think!  I'm sure there are a bunch of great variations on all of them, as well.  Thanks for letting me keep you company today!  Feel free to stop by my blog and say hi anytime : )

Cheesy Turkey Toast

I'm on vacation.  But does that mean I'm not making dangerous foods and eating them all up, guilt-free?  No sireeee, it actually means the opposite.  I even bought myself 22-grams-of-fat-in-each Haagen Dazs Bars the other day.  Yup, I'm taking this pregnancy out with a BANG! 

Lately I've been really enjoying the above for lunch - wheat sourdough bread, salted butter, turkey, sharp cheddar cheese - placed under the broiler until crispy and bubbly.  Super easy lunch.  You can make and eat it in a matter of minutes... if you're 35 weeks pregnant and you eat faster than those Olympic dudes run.  

Tea Time

How were your weekends?  Ours was full of restaurants.  I'm at the "almost one month away" point, and I'm finding it difficult to accomplish simple tasks like MAKING DINNER.  Speaking of being "close to popping" (never tell a pregnant woman she looks like that, never, ever ever), yesterday some girlfriends threw me a little "sprinkle" (that's what we decided to call a casual shower for Baby #2).  We had tea at The Peninsula in Beverly Hills.  What a joyful experience!  I've never felt so civilized, and so aware that my boobs were sweating in a lovely, classy environment.  I am the luckiest to have sisters and girlfriends like the ones I have - the aunties this baby will be blessed with. 

(The following photos taken by Katy at Chasing You Photo)   

the decor...

to begin, freshly sliced strawberries with whipped cream...

scones, tortes and cakes and profiteroles, tea sandwiches...

my personal favorite, curried chicken with cashews on raisin bread...

"bwah ha ha ha tee hee hee..."

baby's own cookware set...

*When I got home, Jack began instantly playing with the pots and pans.  Whipped us up a graham cracker, American cheese and carrot soup.  Mmmm um no.

Rachael Ray Show

Can we collectively decide to ignore my lazy eye in the photo above, and the fact that there's a giant tiger on my belly, and how tightly I'm clutching my new olive oil dispensers?  Instead, let's focus on the fact that I'm embracing THE Rachael Ray, who by the way gave my those oil dispensers along with various pieces of her cookware.  Let's also focus on the fact that Carson will spend the entire hour co-hosting her show on Monday (check your local listings for showtimes, in LA she airs at 8am on KCAL 9).  They might even mention this little old blog in the cooking segment...

And speaking of that segment, they whipped up these Iowa Style Fried Pork Sandwiches which we were able to taste after the show.  Pork cutlets, pounded thin, breaded and fried, served on a simple roll with onions, pickles, ketchup and mustard.  Amazing.  Tune in Monday to see how they made it.     

It was so nice to meet you Rachael!  Thank you for the swag, the food, the dinner recommendations, and for being the perfect backstage host.  What an awesome (and quick) trip to New York, bye bye for now...

(French Toast Muffins and Homemade Nutella next week...)

Egg Salad Sandwich

This is a lunch I make quite often for myself and have since I was a kid.  That egg slicer thingy was one of the first tools I was trusted with in the kitchen, and, as the circle of life goes, now my son is old enough to use it.  Is that what it's called?  No matter!  Just like Simba taught his lion cub to call hyenas "Whoopi Goldberg" I will teach my son that this is called an egg slicer thingy. 

Anyhowzers, I don't get very fancy with my egg salad.  Some people like to add celery or pickles or tarragon or herbs, but I like mine nice and plain.  I boil eggs, peel and chop them, add mayonnaise, a few squirts of dijon mustard, pepper, sea salt and a dash of seasoned salt as well. 

I eat it with crackers, or roll it up in a wrap, spread it on toast, or make an old fashioned sandwich, like the one below.  I tried to add broiled pancetta to this, but instead burnt the crap out of it.  There may have been a small meltdown that followed ("my bacon waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah") but the sandwich made it all better.  

Farmer John Ham giveaway WINNER and Baked Ham, Pear and Gorgonzola Sandwiches

First things first, congrats to NICOLE L. for winning the Farmer John Ham!  

See contact information under 'Find Siri' and shoot me an email with your mailing address.

Ok, now for why I suck at life.  I was planning on making 3 different bite-sized appetizers with my ham, but my to-do list (which is taller than me) took over this weekend and I was left with time for only one.  HOWEVER!  One delicious appetizer...  

I was so excited to cook with ham because I think it pairs brilliantly with so many things.  I chose a combo of savory and sweet.  Spicy mustard, a sweet sticky glaze, tangy cheese and juicy, crunchy fruit with crisped potato bread and FARMER JOHN HAM!  

Little sandwiches, perfect to serve at a holiday cocktail party.

   

Baked Ham, Pear and Gorgonzola Sandwiches

(Makes 9 mini sandwiches, very easy to double or triple)

Printable Recipe

For sandwiches:

Farmer John ham, sliced to desired thickness

1 loaf potato bread

1 T dijon mustard

1 T coarse ground mustard

1 pear

Gorgonzola cheese

For glaze:

1 stick unsalted butter

2 T brown sugar

1 T dry mustard

1 T Worscestershire sauce

Toothpicks

To prepare the glaze, combine butter, brown sugar, dry mustard and worscestershire sauce in a saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk until melted, and then bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and set aside.  

Using a small biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out 18 circles of potato bread (for 9 sandwiches - I'm great at math).  You can save the leftover bread for croutons or bread crumbs!  

In a small bowl, stir together both dijon and coarse ground mustard.  

Place 9 of your bread circles in a 9" baking sheet.  Top each circle with mustard and spread with back of spoon.  

Cut ham to fit sandwiches, and place on top of mustard.

Cut pear to fit sandwiches, and place on top of ham.  

Sprinkle each sandwich with desired amount of gorgonzola cheese.  (If you're not a fan, brie or swiss would be nice too).  

Place remaining bread on top of each sandwich, and pour glaze over - making sure to cover each.  

Bake sandwiches in a 350 degree oven, for 20 minutes covered and then 10 minutes uncovered.  Insert a toothpick through each sandwich before removing.  Serve warm.  

Lucy's Ham Sandwiches

I could never be one of those classy food critics they have on Top Chef.  Food excites me like football excites men.  When I eat something fantastic, all I want to do is shout things, unbutton my pants and grunt a little.  Did I just lose followers?  Anyway, these sandwiches fall into that fantastic, grunt-inducing category.  I've written about them before, but if I have ANY new readers who are unfamiliar with them, then they are worth a reintroduction.  Plus I wanted to give you a printable recipe.  Go to there.  Go to them.  Warm ham and cheese, melted together between a soft, sweet Hawaiian bun, smothered all over with a sticky glaze.  Eat, like cave people.  

(Last photo shot by Katy)