Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

It's Thursday! Only two more school days until spring break and my kiddos certainly are feeling it. Poor things have been stuck inside with indoor recess thanks to this absurdly cold spring weather. Cabin fever is on. So, here's a new recipe to hopefully brighten your day!

I really try not to post super similar recipes close to one another. However, perhaps you're not really a salad person and Thai Chicken Crunch Salad didn't sound like your cup of tea. Or perhaps you've got a man like John at home... John loved the salad, but wasn't feeling like "cow food" over the weekend. I suggested turning this into a wrap, and he suggested making it a lettuce wrap. The result was a huge hit! If lettuce wraps aren't your thing either, then try this with a regular tortilla. Mix it up and enjoy!

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is
Serves 4, depending on portions

Crispy Salmon BLT Sliders w/ Chipotle Mayo

Let me tell you something. You need these in your life. I mean, you really need these.

After not cooking or doing much after work the past few days, I was finally ready to jump back into my routine a bit. My heart is still heavy with issues of late, but I know I'm doing no one any good, especially my body and bank account, with all this laziness and eating out. I saw this recipe on Jessica's blog, and immediately sent John to the store for the ingredients.

Besides John complaining about all the "specialty" ingredients on the list (you'll laugh when you see these so-called exotic ingredients), he was a huge fan of this meal, as was I. I gobbled up two, and was so glad he bought extra salmon for leftovers. These are a breeze to whip up, but so full of tasty flavor. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Crispy Salmon BLT Sliders w/ Chipotle Mayo
Recipe by How Sweet It Is
Makes about 6-8 sliders

Ingredients:
*1 pound raw skinless salmon
*salt and pepper, to taste
*2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into thirds
*2 tomatoes, sliced (I used roma tomatoes)
*lettuce for topping (I used Romaine)
*1/2 cup mayonaisse (I used light mayo)
*1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
*6 multigrain slider buns or dinner rolls, toasted if desired (I used Hawaiian rolls)

Preparation:
*Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and add bacon. Cook until crispy and fat is rendered, then remove and let drain on a paper towel.

*Preheat the broiler in your oven and place the top oven rack as close as it can go to the broiler. Cut the salmon in to squares pieces that fit the size of your buns, then cover both sides with salt and pepper. Place on a broiler pan (or nonstick baking sheet) and broil for 5 minutes. Gently flip and broil for about 5 minutes more. Note: time may depend on thickness of salmon; mine was 1-inch thick. 

*In a small bowl, mix mayo with adobo until smooth. Spread some on each bun, top with a square of salmon, a slice of bacon, a tomato slice and lettuce. Eat!

Bacon + Fixings + Toasting Buns

Sandwich Assembly

So cute and tasty!

French Dip Sandwiches

Where to start? Well, for one, pretty much all the work is done in the slow cooker. How can you complain about that? It's the best! I love heading off to work knowing our dinner is cooking away and I will have little to no work to do upon returning home.

What else? Oh, these are super, duper tasty! I have never ordered or had a French dip sandwich. John also says that he never has them. However, we both went crazy over these! Incredible is the word Jourdan used and I could not agree more.

FYI: This was so delicious that John mentioned how amazing they were at least 6 times a day ever since I made them. No, I am not exaggerating. I really, truly am not. So make these. Enjoy the easy and tasty meal and tell your special someone they owe you for such an amazing meal.

French Dip Sandwiches

Recipe from Jourdan Leigh in the Kitchen, adapted from Our Best Bites

Yields about 8-10 sandwiches

Ingredients:

*1 2-3 lb. beef roast (the bigger the roast the more it will serve)

*2 tbsp olive oil

*salt and pepper
*2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix
*2 cups water
*2 cans beef broth (or 1 box, as I used)
*8-10 ciabatta buns
*provolone cheese, sliced (about 1/2 a slice per sandwich)

*1-2 large onions

*2 tablespoons butter

*1 tablespoon brown sugar

Preparation:
*Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper. When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. You're not cooking the meat, you're just browning it quickly on all sides to add flavor and seal in the juices.

*Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onion soup mixes. Pour water and beef broth over roast.

*Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. You will know it's ready when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork. 

*About 20 minutes before serving, add sliced onions to pan with butter and sugar.  Cook over medium low heat until caramelized.

*Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melted.

*Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

seared meat | in the slow cooker before cooking
piece of meat | shredded meat

meat on bun | plus caramelized onion | plus provolone

sandwiches | dipping | delicious!

Low-Fat Waldorf Chicken Wraps

Remember how I said I was working toward a healthy lifestyle? Well, I've got a great recipe for you chicken salad lovers that will leave you guilt-free! I got this recipe from an episode of Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger. Because I love you all so much I spent time searching the Food Network website to find her exact recipe, which you can find here. I didn't make mine exactly the same way, so I'm including the directions for my way below.

This is such a refreshing and light yet filling dish. Instead of the traditional mayonnaise-heavy chicken salad, this substitutes Greek yogurt. You get the creaminess you want without all the extra fat. It's perfect to make for lunch, and if you don't like wraps you can eat it all by its lonesome. I dished it up with some toasted pita and it was yummy. Experiment as you like!

Ingredients:
*3/4 cups nonfat Greek-style yogurt
*2 tablespoons mayonnaise
*1 tablespoon lemon juice
*2 teaspoons dijon mustard
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon minced thyme
*1 pound grilled, skinless chicken breasts, sliced or cubed
*1/2 cup seedless grapes, sliced in 1/2
*1/4 cup toasted, coarsely chopped walnuts
*1 medium apple, cored and diced (about 3/4 cup)
*Freshly ground black pepper
*large lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry
*whole wheat wraps, about 8 inches in diameter

Preparation:
*If you haven't bought grilled chicken breasts, go ahead and grill some up on your grill pan or actual grill. Allow chicken to rest before you dice or slice it.

*In a small bowl, comnbine Greek-style yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and thyme until smooth. Fold in chicken, grapes, walnuts and apples. Season with pepper.

*Place 1 lettuce leaf on a wrap. Spoon about 3/4 cup of the chicken filling onto the wrap and roll around filling. Enjoy!

Ready for the dressing

Dressing! I bet this would be great with a tuna salad, too.

All mixed up! It looks heavy on the dressing, but because it's primarily yogurt it does not taste that way at all.

Voila!

Tangy Turkey Paninis

When John and I were registering for wedding gifts (those were fun times, weren't they?) I selected a panini maker just for fun. It has turned out to be one of my favorite kitchen gadgets and perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. I've tried several varieties, but this particular combination is John and my favorite. If you don't have a panini maker, just use a grill pan or sear pan. I'm sure it will be equally delicious. Let me know what you think or if you have any variations for me to try! :)

Ingredients:
*whole wheat sandwich bread
*dijon mustard
*sliced turkey (I use honey smoked turkey, deli style)
*sliced tomato
*sliced cheddar cheese
*dried, ground basil
*extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:
*Plug in your panini maker or heat up your grill pan. 

*Spread dijon mustard on one side of two slices of bread. Layer two to three pieces of turkey, depending on how you prefer your sandwiches (John likes 3 slices, I like 2). Add a layer of cheddar cheese followed by tomato. Sprinkle basil on the tomato slice. Add another layer of turkey (2-3 slices) and another layer of cheese. Place the second piece of bread on top.

*Coat the exterior side of the bread slices with olive oil. I use a grill/pastry brush to do this.

*Place on the heated panini maker and close for about three minutes, or until outside is nicely browned and cheese is melted. If you're using a grill pan, cook on each side for about 3 minutes, or until the outside is nicely browned.

I start by coating each piece with the mustard. The dijon gives the whole sandwich a nice, tangy flavor.

First layers done - mustard, turkey, cheese, tomato and basil!
Now time to add more turkey, cheese and mustard-coated bread.

John likes his heavy on the turkey - about 6 slices total - with thinly sliced tomato.

I prefer mine with slightly thicker tomato slice, and about 4 pieces of turkey total.