Heirloom Bruschetta

This recipe I stole from one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle.  Not that they originated it, but they sure do it well.

The best way to chop the basil for this recipe is to roll the leaves and "slice as though slicing bread."

This is really all about the heirloom tomato.  Everything else is just backdrop.  

Heirloom Bruschetta

Ingredients

Ciabatta bread, cut into slices
Olive oil
Garlic powder
Heirloom tomatoes, sliced into big fat juicy slices (I'm salivating...)
Fresh basil, chopped (into long strips)
Parmesan cheese (shredded, not grated)

Directions

Brush the top of each slice of bread with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with garlic powder.  Broil slightly until just crisp.  (The helps prevent the bread from getting soggy from the tomatoes).

Add tomato and basil to each slice. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Broil again until crispy and cheese is melted.

Roma Bruschetta

This recipe was actually stolen from an old college roommate... I think...  Anywho, I saw her making something similar one day and decided to try it myself.  

Roma Bruschetta

Ingredients

Baguette bread (the loaves slightly smaller than French bread)
Olive oil
Garlic powder
Roma tomatoes, chopped into small cubes
Fresh basil, chopped
Parmesan cheese (shredded, not grated)

Directions

Slice baguette into small rounds.

Brush the top of each slice with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with garlic powder.  Broil slightly until just crisp.  (The helps prevent the bread from getting soggy from the tomatoes).

Add tomato and basil to each slice. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Broil again until crispy and cheese is melted.

Tasha's Brewer's Yeast Garlic French Bread

I got this idea from some lady in a check-out line and it was a fantastic one.  If I knew her name I'd give her credit, but since I don't, I'm taking the credit for myself.

I call it "Brewer's Yeast Garlic French Bread" but honestly I usually use nutritional yeast because that's usually what's on hand.  I suppose you could use either, although some might disagree with me there.

Tasha's Brewer's Yeast Garlic French Bread

Ingredients

Butter (~1 stick)
Nutritional Yeast
Garlic Powder
Salt
French Bread

Directions

Soften butter until spreadable (but not melted).

Add nutritional yeast (~1 or 2 heaping spoonfuls), garlic powder, and a little salt (to taste) to butter and mix. Spread on French bread.  

Broil until crispy and golden.

Andrew and Tasha's Spaghetti Sauce for Lazy People

I'm pretty sure Andrew taught me this little recipe, and we've been using it as our spaghetti sauce staple for years.  

Can you really call it a spaghetti sauce recipe when the core ingredient (the sauce) comes from a jar?  Yes.  Now quit quibbling and just cook.

Andrew and Tasha's Spaghetti Sauce for Lazy People

Ingredients

Italian sausage

Olive oil

Garlic, minced

Onion (yellow or white), chopped

Mushrooms (white or cremini), sliced

Green bell pepper, chopped
Canned tomatoes, chopped 

Two jars spaghetti sauce (aim a little higher than Ragu, but other than that the choice is yours)

Garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, dried oregano, and other such spices

Directions

Cook Italian sausage and set aside.

Saute garlic in olive oil until fragrant (~1 min).  Add onions, mushrooms, and bell pepper.  (I like to add the onions first to given them some extra time to caramelize). 

Once vegetables are cooked, add sausage, tomatoes, and spaghetti sauce.  (I recommend two jars because there is usually so many veggies in mine I need two.  Add as many or as little as you like).

Add spices as desired for flavor.  Cook until heated through.  Serve with spaghetti noodles and Parmesan cheese. 

Creamy Summer Coleslaw

This is another one of my creations.  I'm not great with measurements (I just add stuff as I go along) so feel free to adjust to your own taste.

The reason I use cider vinegar is because I have a delicious bottle from Rockridge Orchards.  It's amazing and I'd drink it straight from the bottle if people didn't look at me funny.

Creamy Summer Coleslaw

Ingredients

Green cabbage, finely shredded
Carrots, finely shredded
Green onion, sliced
3/4 cup sour cream (I prefer Tillamook all natural)
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine the shredded cabbage, carrots, and green onions in a large bowl. Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, and then add to the cabbage mixture. Mix well to combine and taste for seasoning.

Oven Roasted Teriyaki Chicken

I was worried I had lost this recipe!  Luckily I found it again.  One word of warning - it made an absolute mess of my Pyrex baking dish.  In fact, it's still covered with burned black chunks.  Next time I might try lining it with foil.

Also, the original recipe says to make it with Splenda, but only a crazy person would do something so silly.

Oven Roasted Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 skinless chicken thighs

Directions

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles. 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 20 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.

Original link:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/oven-roasted-teriyaki-chicken/

Shrimp Quesadillas

Too tired to think of an intro... Good quick dinner idea...  yum...   Great with avocado on the side.

When I made my first batch, I was a little too skimpy on the jalapeno, thinking it would be too spicy.  However, I could barely taste it at all.  With all the cheese and cream cheese (not to mention the shrimp), you can easily add the whole jalapeno to the batch without it being too hot.

Shrimp Quesadillas

Ingredients

Flour tortillas
8 oz. Cream Cheese
Green onions, sliced
Cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced
1 Roma tomato, diced
Shrimp meat
Shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat skillet to medium heat.

Mix green onions, cilantro, and jalapeno in cream cheese.

Butter one side of each tortilla.  Place tortilla in preheated skillet.  Add cream cheese mixture, diced tomatoes, shrimp, and top with cheddar cheese.  Close tortilla by folding in half.  If room, add another filled tortilla to the other side of the skillet.  Cook until golden and crispy, then flip and repeat.