Oven Roasted Salmon with Butter and Lemon

Today's recipe is another salmon one I found on the internet. It was quick, easy and delicious! I really liked the lemon flavor, and the salmon was super moist.  (Recipe adapted from here)

Ingredients

• Two lemons, cut into thin slices
• 2 tbsp of butter, cut into thin slices
• 1-1.5 lbs of salmon (skinless and boneless)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Unroll about 2ft of aluminum foil, and lay on an ovenproof baking dish
• Cut lemon into thin slices and make a bed for the salmon to lay on in the  middle of the aluminum foil
• Place butter slices over the top of the salmon
• Fold edges of the aluminum foil up and over the salmon to form a little foil packet
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until salmon is opaque in the middle. 

Chopped Brussels Sprout Salad with Chicken and Nuts

This recipe from PinnchofYum is sooooo good! I honestly made it twice in a row the week I discovered it. I've made a few adaptations along the way that I think make it even better, but the recipe is quite fantastic in its original form. It makes for great leftovers, and I honestly can't decide whether I like it better warm or cold.  (Adapted from here)

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
• 4 cups sliced brussels sprouts (for me it was about 20. I highly recommend using a mandoline/microplane for this!)
• 1/2 cup mixed nuts
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
  
  
• 1 tablespoon butter
• juice of 1 orange (I sometimes use 1 tablespoon of frozen orange juice concentrate for an even zestier dressing)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• For the salad:Shred the chicken and brussels sprouts. In a food processor, pulse the nuts a few times until chopped.Note: Shredding the chicken in the food processor is a quick and easy way to get it done.
• For the dressing: In the small skillet, saute the butter, onion and garlic over medium high heat until the onions are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the onions to a food processor. Add the orange juice, honey, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. Puree until smooth and creamy. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Place the Brussels sprouts in the empty sauteed onion pan and place over high heat. Stir for 1-2 minutes until you can smell them and they turn bright green. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, toss the the Brussels sprouts, walnuts, dried cranberries, chicken, and Parmesan.
• Toss the dressing and salad together. Serve warm or cold.

 (Photo from PinchOfYum)

Baked Turkey Meatballs

I never used to be a meatball kinda person, but these have changed my mind. They take a little bit of work to prep but they are sooo worth it in the end. They taste FANTASTIC and are a great way to spice up the boring old spaghetti routine. JoyTheBaker never lets me down! For a gluten free version, I'm thinking about substituting rice or quinoa for the bread chunks.  (Adapted from here)

Ingredients

• 3 slices italian or whole wheat bread, torn into medium chunks (substitute 2 cups cooked rice or quinoa for a gluten free version)
• 1/3 cups milk (any % works, I've even used lactose free)
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 - 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 - 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley (I used dried)
• 3 to 4 cups tomato-based pasta sauce (I like Prego best)

Directions

• Place racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, pour the milk over the bread crumbs.  Allow to soak for 5 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil.  Add the onions and cook until softened and browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute more.  Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Place the ground turkey in a large bowl.  Squeeze any excess milk from the bread.  Add the bread to the turkey and discard the milk.  Add the cooked onions and garlic.  Add the eggs, salt, red pepper flakes, oregano, cheese, tomato paste, and parsley.  Use a wooden spoon to work all of the ingredients together.  You may need to get in there with your hands to thoroughly and evenly combine all of the ingredients.
• In two 9×13-inch pans, spread about 2 cup of sauce (1 cup in each pan).  Shape together 24 meatballs.  Each meatball will be about 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture.  Use your hands to best shape the meatballs.  Rinse your hands in warm water every few meatballs to keep your hands from getting too sticky.  I found that having slightly damp hands helps tremendously in shaping the balls. Top each meatball with a small spoonful of sauce.
• Bake meatballs for 25 minutes, or until bubbling and cooked through.  Remove from the oven and serve with pasta, or just with sauce and a hearty green salad.  Meatballs will last up to 4 days well wrapped in the refrigerator. 

Test Kitchen - Earl Grey and Vanilla Chai Cupcakes (Gluten Free!)

These cupcakes were delicious!!!! If I hadn't made them myself I would never have believed they were gluten free. Plus, they were insanely easy to whip up. I didn't even bother to frost them they were that good! I'm sure they would be just as good with all Earl Grey or all Chai tea, but I happen to like the combination of the two so that's what  I went with.

Earl Grey and Vanilla Chai Cupcakes (Gluten Free)
This recipe makes 12 regular sized cupcakes. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Hot milk (I used 1% lactose free milk)
• 2 Earl Grey tea bags
• 2 Vanilla Chai tea bags
• 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour
• 1 teaspoon xantham gum
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 egg whites, 1 yolk
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
• Heat milk and add tea bags (I microwaved it for 1 minute). Let steep while preparing rest of the ingredients. 
• Whisk all the dry ingredients together. 
• Add liquids and stir till mixed. 
• Scoop into greased or lined muffin tin.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown and no longer jiggly.

Test Kitchen - Soy Marinated Flank Steak

Today's recipe was really easy to make gluten free, all it took was swapping out the soy sauce for tamari (gluten free soy sauce).  The flavor was really good, almost beef jerky-like, and I broiled it instead of grilling it. I served it with white rice and roasted corn. Delish!

Soy Marinated Flank Steak 
(adapted from here)

Ingredients

• 1 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 flank steak (about 1-2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions 

• In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, red-pepper flakes, and pepper. Place steak in dish and cover dish tightly with plastic wrap. Swirl dish so that marinade coats the top of steak. Refrigerate 1 hour - overnight, turning steak occasionally. 
• Turn on broiler. Pour excess marinade into a saucepan. Then place steak 2-3 inches away from heat. Broil for 10-15 minutes, turning steak halfway through.
• Meanwhile, simmer excess marinade over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. 
• Let meat rest 5 minutes, then cut across the grain at a slight diagonal to serve. 

Test Kitchen - Steak Fajitas with Fresh Lime

I found this recipe in Bon Appetit a long time ago and completely forgot I had it. It was pretty easy to make gluten free and FODMAP friendly, while still keeping all of the flavor. I substituted corn tortillas for regular tortillas and omitted the guacamole and salsa for myself (I still made some for my sister). I also went ahead and made the onions so that she could have them and even though I didn't eat any myself, word on the streets is, they were delicious. I chose to broil my meat, but I'm sure it would be just as tasty grilled or done in a pan the way the original recipe suggests.

Steak Fajitas with Fresh Lime
(adapted from here)

Ingredients

• 1 flank steak, halved
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 4 limes for me)
• 1 large onion, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
• 4 large garlic cloves, pressed (or garlic salt if FODMAP friendly)
• 2 tablespoons sriracha
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Corn or Flour tortillas
• Optional Toppings:
• Lettuce
• Salsa
• Guacamole
• Greek Yogurt (or Sour Cream)
• Mexican Cheese Blend
• White rice

Directions 

• Arrange steaks in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish; sprinkle with salt (or garlic salt, if using) and pepper. Combine lime juice, onions, garlic (if using), sriracha and olive oil in medium bowl. Pour mixture over steaks; turn to coat evenly. Let marinate 10 minutes - over night.
• When ready, place steaks and onion mixture into an oven proof baking dish ~2-3 inches away from the heat source. Broil for 12-18 minutes for medium/medium rare.   Cook steaks 1 minute per side. Add tomatoes and basil. Continue cooking steaks to desired doneness. 
• Transfer steaks to work surface and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut across the grain at a slight diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Transfer steak to bowl a cover with a dash more lime juice. Serve with tortillas and toppings of your choice.

Test Kitchen - BBQ Pizza with Greek Yogurt Dough

This post is a two parter. The first recipe is for the BBQ Pizza I made using the leftover pulled pork from this post, and the second recipe is for the Greek Yogurt dough I always use when I make homemade pizzas. Now that I'm trying to be gluten free, I'll have to fiddle with this recipe and see if I can come up with a better GF version. I'll admit that this dough (as is) doesn't taste exactly like regular pizza dough, it definitely has a slight tang from the yogurt, but my sister and I still think its a delicious, healthier, substitution. I will also admit that it can be a little tricky to get the bottom of this dough crispy; sometimes it has a slightly undercooked doughy texture in the very middle. But I think this is mostly due to me putting excess toppings on my pizzas. I can't help it, it's all so good! So my recommendation for these pizzas would be less is more when it comes to toppings. And I think BBQ chicken would work just as well on these pizzas.


BBQ Pizza with Greek Yogurt Dough

Ingredients

• BBQ Pulled Pork (or BBQ Chicken)
• BBQ Sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Red Onion
• Cilantro
• Pizza Dough (enough for 1 medium sized pizza)
• 1 Cup Greek Yogurt (the strained kind like Fage or Chobani, NOT Yoplait!)
• 1 Cup Self-Rising Flour (or 1 Cup AP flour + 1 1/4 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp salt)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
• If making the greek yogurt dough, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. At first it will seem like a gooey mess that will never possibly turn into pizza dough, but keep mixing. It will! It should take about 5-7 minutes of kneading to get there. If after that time its still gooey, sprinkle on a bit more flour.
• Roll dough flat (~1/4 in thick) and drizzle both sides with olive oil.
• Cover dough with a thin layer of BBQ sauce, then evenly distribute the pulled pork or chicken. Sprinkle on a thin layer of mozzarella, and garnish with sliced red onion and cilantro.
• Remember: A little bit of topping goes a long way, so don't over do it
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until crust turns golden brown. I like to broil my pizzas for the last few minutes to get the cheese nice and golden brown.

Test Kitchen - Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This recipe is so simple, so easy, and soo delicious it has become a weekly staple in our apartment. I can throw all three of the ingredients in the crockpot before I leave for work, and by the time I come home its ready and waiting. All I gotta do is toast some buns, throw together a salad and voila!, dinner is served.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches
(Adapted from here)

Ingredients

• 1-2lb Pork Loin or Pork Tenderloin
• 1 12oz can Dr. Pepper or Root beer
• 1 bottle BBQ Sauce (any brand will do)
• 1 package of hamburger buns

Directions  

•  Place the pork in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours.
• Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cookers and weight of the tenderloin.
• When done, drain off excess soda. Shred the pork with a fork and stir in barbecue sauce (amount will vary depending on the size of the meat).
• Let flavors meld while you toast some buns and make a side

Test Kitchen - Oven Roasted Potatoes

This side is as easy as it is delicious. I made it to go with my leftover Quinoa and Veggie Stuffed Peppers and its a great weekday staple.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 bag mini potato medley
• Garlic Salt
• Italian Seasoning Blend (Marjoram, Thyme, Rosemary, Savory, Sage, Oregano, and Basil)
• Olive Oil

 Directions

•  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
• Cut potatoes into bite sized pieces and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with a generous helping of garlic salt and Italian seasoning blend. I use about 2 - 2 1/2 Tbsp of each.
• Roast for 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir ~3/4 of the way through to ensure browning on all sides.

Test Kitchen - Quinoa and Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

I love these quinoa stuffed bell peppers! I make them all the time and they are so easy to customize. Since being put on this FODMAP diet I can no longer eat beans or eggplant, but they're still just as tasty without them. The leftover stuffing makes a great lunch all by itself, so I like to make extra whenever I make these. The recipe is vegetarian by default, but I decided to try adding some sliced salami (GF of course!) this time for some extra protein. It wasn't bad!

Quinoa and Vegetable Stuffed Peppers
(Original Recipe here and short how-to video here)

 Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa 
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (Gluten Free!)
• 3 large bell peppers, mixed colors, seeded and tops removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (I use ~1 tsp garlic salt and then omit the salt)
• 1 red onion, chopped (I use1 tsp onion powder)
• 1 small to medium firm zucchini, seeded and chopped
• 1 small to medium yellow squash, chopped
• 1 cup corn (I like to roast it first)
• 1/2 package salami (gluten free), sliced
• Parmesan cheese
• Optional: 1 Cup Black Beans, Eggplant, Cherry tomatoes, Peas

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Drizzle the bell pepper halves with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. Roast cut-side down until the skins begin to char and the peppers are just tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temp, then arrange in a baking dish cut-side up. 
• Meanwhile, bring the quinoa and stock to a boil. Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the grain looks translucent, 15 to 20 minutes. Then fluff with a fork.
• While quinoa and bell peppers are cooking, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic/garlic salt, onion/onion powder and roasted corn, zucchini, squash, and salami. Saute until everything is tender and golden brown, ~10 to 12 minutes. Combine with the quinoa when done.
• Once bell peppers are cooled enough to handle, fill each pepper with the quinoa and vegetable stuffing and cover with a layer of Parmesan cheese. 
• Reduce oven heat to 375 degree F and cook until the cheese is golden brown. 
• Note: This recipe is a great make ahead meal. You can stuff the peppers and then refrigerate them for up to two days. Then pop them in the oven at 375 F when ready to cook. 

Test Kitchen - Gluten Free Banana Bread (Take 1)

First of all, I'm only three days in to being gluten free fructan free and I feel amazing! My mood is ten thousand times better and my stomach discomfort is almost completely gone. I'm. sold. SOOO, I decided to visit the local Whole Foods and pick up some gluten free flour and some of this magical xantham gum I keep reading about and give it a try. It just so happened I had a bunch of almost-spoiled bananas and I figured gluten free banana bread was as good a place as any to start. The label on the GF flour made it sound like it could be used as a perfect substitute for regular flour as long as you added the right amount of xantham gum so I didn't bother to find a GF recipe, I just used a regular banana bread recipe and then subbed in the GF flour and xantham gum. The results were....interesting. For my first try I didn't expect much and honestly, I could have tried harder but I was feeling so lazy and just wanted to stuff it in my face already! The taste was pretty ok, not too sweet not too banana-y, but the texture was waaay off. Like....way off. I somehow created a banana flavored bread pudding cake...thing. My sister didn't seem to care, and devoured half the loaf for a late night snack but I don't think I would ever make it again without first fiddling with the GF substitution a bit more. I was personally hoping for a much more bread-like texture and I think the problem might have been too much xantham gum. I'm going to post the recipe as I made it in case my sister ever asks for it again (the flavor really was quite good!), but I wouldn't really recommend it to any of you reading this as is. I'll update it as I fiddle with it, hopefully I can come up with the perfect substitution ratio.

Gluten Free Banana Bread
(original non GF recipe here)

Ingredients 

• 2 Cups Gluten Free Flour
• 1 Tbsp Xantham Gum (I would try 2 tsp next time)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup butter (room temp) 
• 3/4 Cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 1/3 cup mashed over-ripe bananas (I used 4)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs, vanilla and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
Note: For the recipe as is, it came out of the oven looking much fluffier and bread like and then deflated rather rapidly into the bread pudding you see here. 

Test Kitchen - Spinach, Feta and Sundried Tomato Egg Sandwiches

I'm not usually a huge breakfast person, but sometimes I like to make something special on Sunday mornings. This recipe is perfect for that. It looks and tastes fancy but requires very minimal effort and comes together quickly. I stumbled upon the recipe by accident while procrastinating getting out of bed that morning, and I just so happened to already have all the ingredients. It was clearly meant to be.

Spinach, Feta and Sundried Tomato Egg Sandwiches
(Recipe adapted from here)

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 cups fresh spinach, stemmed
• 4-8 sundried tomatoes, rinsed, drained, and chopped
• 2 eggs beaten with 1 Tbsp of water or half and half
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 oz crumbled feta
• 2 English muffins, toasted and buttered 

Instructions 

• Heat oil in a 10" or 12" nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and cook until wilted; stir in the sundried tomatoes and heat through, about 2 minutes.
• Stir the eggs into the spinach and sundried tomatoes and add the garlic salt, oregano, and a little black pepper. Using a spatula, stir the eggs until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the feta. Divide the eggs between the English muffins and serve hot.

Test Kitchen - Maple Dijon Chicken

This is a recipe I've made multiple times and love. Its so easy and always tastes great! Plus I love dishes that I can throw in the oven and forget about, leaving my hands free to make sides dishes. I come from one of those families that only ate chicken breasts, so I substitute breasts for the thighs. I've also tried it with turkey breasts and it was just as tasty. The clean up on this one is a little difficult since the marinade really sticks to the baking dish, but I promise its worth it. I think this recipe is also slightly better when you marinate the meat overnight, but I've made it plenty of times without it and it still delicious. Note: It does have a very strong mustard taste from all the dijon, so if that's not your thing this recipe probably isn't for you.

Maple Dijon Chicken
(I first found this recipe here)

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts-1-1.5 pounds
• Dijon mustard- 1/2 cup
• Maple syrup- 1/4 cup
• Rice/rice wine vinegar- 1 tablespoon
• Fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper

Directions

• Mix together dijon mustard, maple syrup and rice wine vinegar.  
• Salt and Pepper meat, then cover with marinade mixture and let sit for anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours in the fridge.
• When ready, preheat oven to 450 F. 
• Place meat in an ovenproof baking dish. Make sure meat is completely coated in sauce on all sides before placing in the oven.
• Cook meat for 35-45 minutes depending on the size of your thighs/breasts, or until a meat thermometer reads 165. I recommended basting the meat with more sauce halfway through.
• Optional: I like to broil the meat for the last 5-7 minutes to get that extra nice golden brown exterior, but this will make the pan harder to clean up later. 
• Let sit for 5 minutes after removing from oven and sprinkle with fresh rosemary for garnish. 

 

Test Kitchen - Turkey Spinach Sliders

Its official: I'm going gluten free. After reading a lot about celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, reading through different testimonies on various gluten free/celiacs blogs (like this, this and this one), and getting put on a low FODMAP diet by my GI Specialist, I think its finally time I give it a try. I've always been skeptical of people who claim to have a gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity, and if you'd asked me two months ago I would have said there's no way in hell I'm gluten intolerant/sensitive! I mean, I loooove carbs! Like more than life itself. I could have lived exclusively on bread, pasta, and pizza and been happy as a clam! Forever.

But now....I dunno. After being in pain for more than 2 months with no relief no matter what I cut out of my diet (all except for gluten that is), it doesn't sound that crazy. The symptoms surprisingly fit (although with 300+ different symptoms, it'd be hard for them not to) and so many of these testimonials I've read were from people who were also skeptical before giving it a try, but swear it relieved their symptoms within weeks.  So I think I'm willing to really give this FODMAP (and no gluten) thing a try. And why not? Even if I don't have celiac disease and gluten isn't the culprit, a lot of new research now shows that many of those who feel better on a gluten-free diet are most likely sensitive to a specific kind of carbohydrate in the wheat (fructans)— not the gluten protein itself. Hence, the reason my doctor put me on this FODMAP diet. And is it really that strange that my body could have developed a difficulty digesting these fructans that it didn't have before? People can suddenly develop allergies at any age, and it sounds like a lot of people who have very similar stories to mine also started experiencing their first symptoms of gluten intolerance in their late teens/early twenties. Unlike me though, they didn''t find relief for their symptoms until their late 30s or 40s! I don't want to be miserable for that long! I can't imagine feeling this way for that long. Ugh. Some of these people even had unnecessary procedures like hysterectomies or gallbladder removals that were completely necessary! I don't want to go through that!

So here it goes. No more gluten for me. I imagine this will be harder than I think, but I'm willing to put in the effort if it'll relieve my symptoms.  And whats the worst that can happen? I don't eat carbs for a week and I die from the torture of it? Somehow I think I'll survive :) Unfortunately for my test kitchen, I won't be able to make a lot of the recipes I'd planned on testing but I'll make it work somehow. I can either add in the extra challenge of making them gluten free or else hunting down some fun, gluten free recipes to try.

In the meantime, here are the Turkey Spinach Sliders from Bon Appetit magazine I made for dinner tonight. Sans the bun for me of course. They weren't anything to write home about, but they were quick and easy and I will probably be making them again. Hiding spinach in a hamburger is always a good thing. I am not a fan of cumin so I omitted it from this recipe, and I like cheese on my burgers so I threw on some swiss cheese.


Turkey Spinach Sliders
(Original Recipe here)

Ingredients

• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf spinach, thick stems removed, leaves chopped (about 4 cups)
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 to 1 pound ground turkey (depending on how many/how big your patties are)
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 slider buns or small dinner rolls, split, lightly toasted (for serving)
• Mayonnaise, sliced red onion, pickle slices, and swiss or cheddar cheese (for serving) 

 Directions 

• Combine spinach, scallions, garlic, turkey, and cumin in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Using a fork, mix gently just to combine. Form turkey mixture into 1/2-inch-thick patties.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook patties until golden brown and cooked through (resist the temptation to press down on patties with your spatula while cooking), about 5 minutes per side. About 1 minute to completion, add cheese to burger and cover with lid, letting the steam melt the cheese. Transfer to a plate when done.
• Serve turkey-spinach patties on buns with mayonnaise, onion, and pickles.
• DO AHEAD: Patties can be formed 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
  

 

Test Kitchen - Chicken Pesto Sandwiches

Today for lunch I decided to try these chicken pesto sandwiches by Damn Delicious, using some of the leftovers from my beer can chicken. I'll admit, I mega cheated on this one. I used store bought pesto, and since the chicken was already cooked all I had to do was shred it and mix in the pesto and Greek yogurt. It took all of 5 minutes to throw together. After tasting it, I decided to add some garlic salt and onions to spice things up a bit. After those few additions it was excellent. A perfect, quick, easy lunch recipe!

Chicken Pesto Sandwiches by Damn Delicious
(original recipe here)

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded chicken breast
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• OR Garlic salt for extra flavor
• 1/4 of an onion, chopped
• 1 baguette, cut into 3-4 equal pieces, toasted, for serving
• 2 cups arugula, for serving
• 2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced, for serving
• 8 ounces mozzarella or swiss, sliced
•  Container of pesto

Instructions

• In food processor (or ninja blender) shred chicken. 
• In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, 1/2 cup pesto, Greek yogurt, garlic salt, pepper, and onions to taste.
• Serve sandwiches on baguette with arugula, tomatoes, mozzarella swiss and chicken pesto mixture.

Test Kitchen - Big Bud's Beer Can Chicken

Today for dinner I decided to try Guy Fieri's Big Bud Beer Can Chicken, courtesy of the Food Network. I don't know why, but sometimes I get a craving to cook a whole chicken and I just can't resist! Little thinks I'm crazy, but I actually think they're kinda cute! Plus I needed to buy some beer anyway so....why not? Match mad in heaven. The first recipe I found was this one for Bon Appetit's Beer Can Chicken and it looked glorious, but I don't have a grill so it wasn't an option. My plan was to steal the cook time from Guy Fieri's recipe and then use the rub from the BA recipe, but Guy Fieri's had such great reviews I decided to just follow the whole thing. Plus, they even have the short video from the episode up, so there's no way to get confused. Prepping the chicken was a piece of cake and it made the apartment smell so deliciouuussssss! Mmmm. One of the reviews suggested using Bud Light Lime, so I decided to go with that. I stupidly bought these weirdly tall and skinny cans, but I think they may have actually worked better; they kept the chicken up and off the baking pan much better than a regular 12 oz can would. I also couldn't find a chicken as small as Guy recommends, so I wound up with a 4.5 lb bird and added an extra 30 min to the cook time.  It turned out great! All in all, I will definitely be making this recipe again.

Big Bud's Beer Can Chicken by Guy Fieri
(Courtesy of the Food Network, original recipe and how to video here)

Ingredients

• 1 (2 to 3-pound) (4 to 5 lb ) whole chicken
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 (12-ounce) can beer (I used Bud Light Lime)
• 1/2 pound bacon

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
• Remove giblets and wash chicken with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels to ensure dry rub sticks. 
• Mix all the dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Rub 1/2 of the dry ingredients on the inside cavity of the chicken. Rub the other 1/2 of the dry ingredients under the skin of the chicken. You may need to use a knife to ensure the skin is completely peeled away from the meat on both sides. 
• Open the beer can and pour out about 1/2 a cup (into a glass for drinking later of course!). Drop the garlic cloves into the beer can. Then place the chicken, open end down, over the beer can to insert the beer can into the cavity. The chicken should balance on the can unassisted. Then place the chicken, standing up, in a large saute pan or baking dish. 
• Drape the bacon over the sides of the chicken, tucking the top ~1/3 of the bacon strip into the top cavity of the chicken. This will hold it in place, but you can also pierce the bacon to the chicken with toothpicks for additional stickage.
• Carefully place the bacon covered chicken in the oven for 10 minutes to crisp the bacon, then lower the temperature to 325 degrees F 350 degrees F and cook for another 1 hour 1.5 hours, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.

Enjoy and serve with this green been salad or this shaved brussel sprout salad! Both are some of my all time favorites. I plan on using the leftover chicken to make these chicken pesto sandwiches.

Test Kitchen - Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce

Today for lunch I decided to try this Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce by Damn Delicious. I'm new to cooking salmon and I've never been a fan of Sriracha but holy cow, this really was damn delicious! I made the marinade the night before, so all I had to do was heat the oven and make the rice. My only change was to cook the salmon a bit longer (more like 25 minutes). I had fairly large fillets and 20 minutes wasn't quite long enough. I think I could even get Little's seal of approval on this one :) Makes for an excellent lunch or dinner.

Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce by Damn Delicious
(For her full step-by-step instructions, click here. Recipe first found on Pinterest)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 salmon filets  

For the Sriracha Cream Sauce 

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2-3 tablespoons Sriracha
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

 

Instructions

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, add soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic powder, honey and 1 cup water; bring to a simmer.  
• Whisk together cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; stir into sauce mixture until thick enough to coat a spoon, ~3 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before pouring over salmon. 
•  Marinate salmon for 30 minutes - overnight. I went for the overnight option. 
• To cook, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8×8 baking dish with nonstick spray.
• Place salmon filets along with the marinade into prepared baking dish and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes 25-30 minutes. 
• While salmon is cooking, make rice. Jasmine or Basmati works great. 
• To make the Sriracha cream sauce, whisk together mayonnaise, Sriracha and condensed milk in a small bowl; set aside.
• Serve salmon immediately with Sriracha cream sauce and rice. Optional: serve with scallion garnish.

Photos from this Pinterest post: