Classic Cubano Sandwich

No, you aren't seeing things. And yes, I made something with ham in it. If you know me, then you know that I am a #1 ham hater. Can't. Do. It. But I love my husband even more than my distaste for the pink-ish deli meat, so I took one for the team. And I am so glad I did, because this sandwich may just convert me. If you haven't seen the movie, "Chef" then a) you may be living under a rock and b) if you have Netflix (and who doesn't these days?) you can watch it for free! But to sum it all up, the main character makes these incredible-looking cubano sandwiches that got us feeling all of the #hangry feels. 

So I set out on a quest to find the recipe from the movie, and to my pleasure, the recipe that popped up in my Google search literally read, "Cubanos from the Chef Movie". Can it get any closer than that? My next quest was to prepare them and serve them up for hubby's 1/2 birthday. Yes, I am a freak who obsesses over half birthdays. It's just so fun and unexpected. So we celebrated being 29 and one half while chowing down on some festive cubano sandwiches. Not a bad weekend if I do say so myself!

Cubanos from the movie "Chef"
Makes 6

Ingredients:

• 12 slices of baked ham
• thinly sliced Roast Pork (I used this recipe)
• 6 tbsp. butte
• 6 Kaiser rolls, split
• yellow mustard
• 6 thin slices Swiss cheese
• 12 thin slices dill pickles

Heat a Panini/sandwich press over medium. If you do not have a press, feel free to use a large cast iron skillet (using a pot or large baking sheet with cans in it for the "press"). Add ham and pork to cook, turning once until warmed through, about 1 minute. Remove from the press.

Generously butter the cut side of your rolls, and toast, cut side down, and press down until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a clean work surface.

On the bottom bun, place 2 slices of ham and 2 slices of pork, then a slice of cheese, and 2 pickle slices. Brush the cut side of the top buns with yellow mustard and close the sandwiches.

Generously butter the outside of the sandwiches and place back onto the press, close down and cook until the cheese melts and the outsides are gold brown, about 3 minutes. If using the skillet/pan method, cook for 3 minutes on each side.

Allow the cubanos to cool for a minute or so before slicing and serving hot.

Now turn on a sexy Miami playlist and get the party started.

Rigatoni with Mini Turkey Meatballs

I am welcoming Friday with open arms. And what better way than with arms full of cheesy pasta goodness? And I can't decide what's cuter; the mini meatballs, mini mozzarella, or the mini rigatoni? But there's nothing "mini" about the flavors of this dish. Creamy tomato sauce, al dente pasta, flavorful meatballs, and fresh crisp basil. That's just what the weekend ordered.

Rigatoni with Mini Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. finely minced onion
• 1 tbsp. minced parsley
• 1 tbsp. plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups marinara sauce (I used my homemade)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup mini mozzarella balls
• fresh basil leaves for garnish

Preheat broiler to high. Place a sheet of tin foil on a large baking sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and milk and allow if the bread crumbs to soak up some of the milk mixture; about 3 minutes. Then add in the turkey, egg, onion, parsley, yogurt, parmesan, salt & pepper. Mix well.

Using a small cookie scoop, form as many small meatballs as you can, placing them about 1/2-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Broil for 3-4 minutes, careful not to burn, until just cooked (they will finish cooking in the sauce).

Cook the pasta according to the package directions and save 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water. 

In a large pot, or deep-sided skillet, heat the tomato sauce over medium heat. Once simmering, add in the cream and the meatballs. Add in the reserved pasta water and continue to simmer until thickened slightly. Allow to cook for 3 minutes before adding in the mozzarella balls. Stir once again. Garish with basil leaves and serve hot.

Lasagna Bolognese with Spinach Ricotta

Wife brag moment. Every time that my Andrew and I travel somewhere, when he says he's going to go to the airport restroom or grab a bottle of water before the flight, he ends up coming back with food magazines for yours truly. Actually, as I type this, I think he's actually buying them for himself, because whatever I make, he gets to imbibe on. Sneaky man....I think I'll still keep him. One of his recent purchases was a compilation of "best of" recipes, and this lasagna recipe is based on one of their "best ofs". Who doesn't love lasagna? A compilation of bolognese and creamy ricotta cheese, what's not to love? 

Lasagna Bolognese with Spinach Ricotta

Bolognese:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 oz. chopped bacon
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lb. ground beef (80/20)
• 1 1/2 cup dry white wine (or vegetable broth)
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup organic tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tsp. thyme leaves

Spinach Ricotta:

• 2 15-oz. containers ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 4 organic eggs
• 16 oz. frozen spinach leaves, thawed and chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• lasagna noodles
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese for topping

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the bacon, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 10-12 minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring occasionally. 

Add in the ground beef and cook, breaking the meat up with a sturdy spoon, until no pink remains, about 6-10 minutes. Pour in the wine (or broth if using), milk, tomato paste, and thyme. Stir until combined, bring to a simmer and cook until most of the liquid has been cooked down, about an hour.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, milk, and eggs. Mix in the spinach, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Reserve 1 1/2 cups in a separate bowl for the top layer.

If using dried noodles, cook until al dente and just pliable. If using no-bake sheets, just soak in warm water for 3-5 minutes until slightly softened. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour a little more than 1 cup of the bolognese sauce on the bottom of the pan and spread out evenly. Lay down 2 sheets or 3 lasagna strip noodles on top. Spread 1/2 of the main spinach mixture, then 1 cup bolognese sauce, and top with 1 tbsp. shredded parmesan cheese. Repeat with  another layer of lasagna noodles, spinach, bolognese, parmesan. Top with the remaining bolognese sauce, 1 tbsp. parmesan, and the last noodles.

Spread the reserved 1 1/2 cups spinach ricotta mixture on top and then sprinkle 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. Cover loosely with foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and bake until warmed through, 45 minutes-1 hour. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes if you want those crispy edges.

Allow it to cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe originated from Epicurious

Cacio e Pepe

What if I told you that with only 3 ingredients you could have a a traditional Roman dish on the table? Cacio e Pepe, literally translates to "cheese and pepper". Add some pasta noodles and the hot cooking water and you've got a sinful pasta dish in under 15 minutes. The entire time that we were in Italy on our honeymoon, I was determined to find the best Cacio e Pepe, ordering it anytime I found it on a menu. After kissing a few frogs and finding a winner so to speak, I knew that I had to be able to recreate it back home. The next best thing to flying back to Italy to order it...though I am still trying to pressure my husband to go back!

I found that the secret to depth of flavor in this dish is to toast your whole peppercorns before grinding them. Also, the very best quality Pecorino Romano or Parmesano Reggiano that you can find. When you only have a couple of ingredients, quality is key because you can taste each one very distinctly. So now is the time to splurge!

Cacio e Pepe

Ingredients :

• 1 lb. Spaghetti noodles
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated pecorino or parmesan cheese 
• 4 tbsp. Whole black peppercorns 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions. 

Meanwhile, toast the peppercorns in a saute pan just until fragrant, careful not burn them. Remove from the heat and grind them in a spice grinder. 

Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the noodles, but do not shake off the excess water. Place the noodles into a mixing bowl and toss with 1/2 cup of the water and 1 cup of the cheese. Add more water as needed if the noodles appear too dry.

Plate into shallow bowls and top with the ground black pepper and top with the remaining cheese. Serve immediately. 

Short Rib Fettuccine Bolognese for 2

When I first met my husband, he had to moved from the east coast out to Phoenix for work, and being the newcomer to Arizona that he was, he would find his favorite meals from different places and just rotate them throughout each week. Sundays were usually pad thai, a rough day after work called for the "big-ass burger", and when he was craving comfort food in the form of Italian food, he always ordered his beloved pasta bolognese. Now I don't expect this to ever take the place of his favorite take-out spot, BUT I did try and re-create our own version made with slow-cooked short rib. And I have to say, it is pretty damn divine if you ask me. I think that the key ingredient was using freshly made fettuccine noodles, instead of the dried, but I;m not about to get all Ina Garten on you and tell you that you must spend your entire afternoon making homemade pasta noodles. Dried will be just fine if you prefer. Any way you serve it, it's going to be delicious. It's freakin' pasta!

 Short Rib Fettuccine Bolognese

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. boneless beef short ribs
• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup wine
• 1 1/2 cups broth
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• parsley or chives for garnish
• fettuccine noodles

In a large pot, cook the chopped bacon until browned and crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Strain out the bacon and set aside, but leave the bacon grease in the hot pot.

Sear the short ribs in the bacon grease until browned on all sides, then place into a crockpot. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic to the bacon grease and saute until softened, about 8 minutes.

Add in the wine and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Then add in the vinegar, broth, and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the ribs in the crockpot and add in the cooked bacon. Cook in the crockpot on low for 8-10 hours until fork tender and shreds easily.

Once the meat is done, add in the cream and parmesan cheese and stir to incorporate. Cook the fettuccine according to the boxed ingredients or use fresh-made if your market offers it (preferred). Serve the bolognese over the cooked pasta and garnish with parsley and or chives. 

Chorizo Queso Fundido with Salsa Verde

As you all know by now Superbowl season is about to be in full swing, and what screams football more than chips and dip? Here in Arizona, I have grown up a true Cardinals fan (no bandwagoner here), and win or lose, I always support my team. You know what else I'm an even bigger fan of than the Cardinals? Queso. But this ain't no ordinary queso, folks. No way. You think I wouldn't go all out for you this year? I've you got your dip needs covered my friends. Arizonans love their spicy foods. In every shape and form. So queso is no exception. 

This queso combines perfectly melted cheese, topped with greasy chorizo, then swirled with homemade salsa verde, which comes together in a cinch thanks to my Zyliss Easy Pull Food Processor. No dragging out my huge electric processor, cords and bowls askew. Nope, just toss everything into the easy pull and ta-da! Salsa verde just like that. I'm even giving one away to one of you lucky readers out there! To enter, simply go to my instagram page, follow me and comment with what you would make with the Zyliss Easy Pull Food Processor! Kapeesh?!

Salsa Verde

• 1 lb. tomatillos, husks removed
• 1/2 jalapeno
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 onion
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1/2 lime, juiced

Chorizo

• 1/2 lb. pork chorizo
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/2 jalapeno, minced
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Queso

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 2 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 oz. white American cheese, shredded
• 2 oz. colby jack cheese, shredded
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat and cook the tomatillos, jalapeno, garlic, and onion for 4 minutes, until slightly charred. Add the roasted vegetables along with the cilantro and lime juice to your Zyliss easy pull food processor and pull about 20 times until smooth and well-blended.

Place the bowl of salsa in the fridge while your prep the rest of the dip.

In a large skillet, cook the chorizo over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks, then add the onion, jalapeno, and cumin. Continue to cook until the chorizo is cooked through. Remove from the heat.

In a medium sauce pot, heat the cream and flour until just simmering. Add in the cheese and whisk until the cheese melts completely and sauce becomes silky smooth. Add the pepper and whisk to combine.

Pour the queso in a serving dish. Add the chorizo to the center of the queso, then swirl the salsa verde around the outside. Serve hot with chips. 

**I was provided with 2 Zyliss Easy Pull Food Processors for this post. All recipes and opinions are my own. Contest ends Monday,  January 18, 2016 at Midnight ET. 

Classic Breakfast Sandwiches

Let's take a minute to talk about breakfast. My love for it is undeniable. You can drink mimosas and bloody mary's with it. You get to have coffee. And you can load up on bacon, eggs, and bread. What's not to love? I recently make these classic breakfast sandwiches later in the morning to keep us full until dinner, and that they did. With hand pressed sausage patties and runny egg yolks, these are the perfect way to start your day!

Classic Breakfast Sandwiches
Makes 4

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 4 english muffins
• 1/2 lb. turkey breakfast sausage
• 4 slices tomato
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 4 slices pepper jack or cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• sriracha ketchup

Form 4 patties from the breakfast sausage and set aside on a plate. Heat a large pan over medium high heat. Cook the sausages until no more pink remains. Remove the sausage form the pan and set on a paper towel to drain any excess grease. 

Lower heat to medium-low and cook the eggs in the turkey grease, until the whites are set and the yolks are still a little runny. 

Meanwhile, toast the english muffins until golden brown.

To build the sandwiches, place a sausage patty on the bottom half of an english muffins. Then top with a slice of cheese, then an egg, then tomato, and avocado. Slather some cream cheese on the top half of the muffin then top sandwich.

Serve with sriracha ketchup on the side. I love Traina Foods' version.

This recipe was not paid for by Traina Foods, but product was provided for me. All opinions are my own. 

BBQ Brussels Sprout Pizza

Can I tell you about my latest obsession? This salty and savory pizza is topped with all of my favorites. You've got BBQ sauce. You've got cheese. You've got brussels sprouts. And most importantly, you've got crispy pancetta. All piled atop a homemade pizza crust. There really is nothing better than this to me right now. Like I just want to eat this for every meal of every day I buy the store out of brussels. Except I can't. For so many reasons, like, it's completely insane. But most importantly because I need to fit into my wedding dress in 75 days. Stupid pizza and weddings. Why can't they be friends? Don't worry, I still indulge quite regularly. And you should too!

BBQ Brussels Sprout Pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 ball pizza dough
• 2 tbsp. olive oil, separated
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 tbsp. pizza seasoning (I love King Arthur)
• 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
• 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup quartered brussels sprouts
• salt and pepper to taste
• crispy proscuttto, for garnish

Allow pizza dough to come to room temperature while you cook the brussels sprouts. 

To cook the brussels, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat, then add the brussels and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until browned. Remove from heat. 

Heat grill or oven to high, and prepare a pizza stone by sprinkling with cornmeal, to prevent the dough from sticking. Stretch out the dough to create a large circle, big enough to cover the pizza stone. Drizzle with the remaining tbsp. of olive oil and sprinkle the pizza seasoning. Add to the grill, or oven, and cook for 5 minutes until the dough begins to bubble slightly.

Spread the BBQ sauce over the prepared crust, then sprinkle the cheese and the brussels sprouts over the top. Close the lid and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Remove from heat and sprinkle with the crispy prosciutto. Slice and serve.

Cauliflower & Brussels Sprout Au Gratin

You guys... it's here!! Thanksgiving Recipes are starting to appear here on the blog! I wanted to be sure that I had my best recipes at the ready, and you had plenty of time to add them to your must-make list this year. Lucky for Andrew, we had "Thanksgiving" a few weeks ago so I could test out recipes, and tweak them as needed for the main event. This year I wanted to do something a little off the beaten path, so I went with a Southwestern theme (being in Arizona and all, it just fit!). The first recipe I want to share with you may sound like an odd combination at first, but trust me when I tell you that the flavor is out of this world! I thinly sliced cauliflower and bruseels, then layered them like a lasagna, with cheese, cream, and savory roasted poblanos. This is not your mother's side dish, so be prepared to wow your company with this southwestern inspired dish. And be sure to check the blog out all week as I bring you more and more flavor and excitement (yes, there will be turkey and even pie!). 

Cauliflower & Brussels Sprout Au Gratin

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 cup thinly sliced brussels sprouts
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 cup shredded cotija cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, remove the stem from the cauliflower, and break into large florets. Slice the florets into 1/4-inch thick slices. Once the water is boiling, add the sliced cauliflower and cook 2-3 minutes. Drain and run under cold water. Drain well. 

Whisk together the cream and cayenne pepper in a measuring cup or bowl with an easy-pour spout. 

In a medium sized casserole dish, layer the bottom of the dish with 1/3 of the sliced cauliflower. Then add 1/3 of the sliced brussels sprouts. Pour 1/3 of the cream mixture on top, then sprinkle 1/3 of the cotija cheese and season with salt and pepper. Repeat this 2 more times, so that you have 3 layers of all of the ingredients, ending with the cheese. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until cooked through.

**Can be prepared 1 day ahead and stored in the fridge (do not bake until ready to serve). Simply layer all ingredients in casserole dish, cover and place in the fridge until ready to bake. You may need to add a few extra minutes cooking time since the dish will be very cold. 

Cheeseburger Stuffed Meatballs with Sriracha Ketchup

I have a confession to make. I am not a huge ketchup fan. Like french fries only. But my fiance on the other hand is a ketchup fanatic. Like has asked restaurants what they put in their ketchup so he can try to re-create it at home. So when the amazingly talented (and stunning to boot) Joanie Simon asked me if I wanted to try out some of Traina Foods' sun-dried tomato ketchup, I knew I had to bite the bullet and try it out for myself. I had to swallow my pride and admit, that this was some damn good ketchup! We especially enjoyed their Sriracha flavored version, which added a spicy kick to the not overly sweet taste of the sun-dried tomatoes. Plus, anything stuffed with cheese, like these meatballs, can only be enhanced with such a fine condiment. 

Cheeseburger Stuffed Meatballs with Sriracha Ketchup

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. 85/15 grass-fed ground beef
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/8 tsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• pinch of salt & ground black pepper
• block of medium cheddar cheese
• Traina Sriracha Ketchup

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

In a bowl, mix together the beef, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper with your hands. For 6-8 flattened disks out of the beef mixture (depending on how big or small you want them).

Cut the cheese into 1/2-inch squares, and place in the middle of each disk.

Then form the meat around the cheese and seal, to form a meatball.

Place the meatballs into a muffin pan, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes until the beef is cooked and the cheese has melted.

Serve hot and topped with Traina Sriracha Ketchup. 

*While I was provided with ketchup from Traina, I was not paid. Recipe and reviews are my own. 

Capicola & Kalamata Olive Pizza

Are you the type of person that dabs their grease off of their pizza, or you do embrace it with all you have? While I normally don't jump for joy when my pizza has little pools of grease, this smoked meat-olive mixture is the perfect combination of thin, crispy crust and classic savory flavor. The saltiness of the capicola and olives are a real treat, especially when you wash it down with my all-time favorite beer, Four Peaks Pumpkin Porter. I used a smoked cheese, which I would suggest shying away from, since it is a drier cheese and does not melt like your typical pizza should. Stick to a classic fontina or cheddar for a gooey result. I hope you guys whip this up for this weekend's games, have some friends over, and cheer on your favorite team over some homemade pie. 

Also, how amazing is this floormat that I used as my backdrop? I got it for Andrew for his 1/2 birthday (yes, we celebrate those in our house!) and I couldn't NOT use it! 

Capicola & Kalamata Olive Pizza

Ingredients:

• cornmeal for sprinkling
• 1 ball pizza dough
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp. pizza seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
• 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
• 5 oz. sliced capicola
• 1/2 cup sliced, pitted kalamata olives

Preheat oven or grill to 400 degrees F. 

Sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza stone, then stretch out the dough to the size of the stone. Drizzle the olive oil over the dough and sprinkle the pizza seasoning.

Bake/grill the crust for 5 minutes. Then spread the marinara all over the crust, sprinkle the cheese, then top with the capicola and olives. If you are baking, bake for another 20 minutes until the crust is golden and firm. If you are grilling, grill for only another 10 minutes or so until the crust is golden.

Allow the pizza to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Tastes best with a cold beer, I promise.