November Re-Make Re-Cap

We enjoyed quite a few of our favorite dishes this month, and just typing up this post right now is making me hungry for so many of these things. I guess that's because they're some of our favorites, huh? :)

These Cajun ranch chicken sandwiches are definitely near the top of my list of favorite sandwiches, ever. I just love the way the ranch cools down the spicy Cajun-seasoned chicken. Add in some bacon for smokiness and some tangy Swiss cheese, and these sandwiches are just perfect.

I actually made this chicken parmesan pasta three times this month. This is a meal that my family acutally asks for by name (the boys call it "chicken nugget pasta"), and it's so delicious and simple that I'm happy to comply with this request as often as they make it.

Out of all the different types of burgers I've made (and there are a lot!), I'm pretty sure these Marsala burgers are my favorite. They're so decadent and flavorful. I didn't add the onion when I made them this time, and I really didn't miss it. I was too busy moaning over the deliciousness of those boozy mushrooms and that smoky melted cheese.

Speaking of deliciousness, that's what these Southwestern BBQ shredded chicken sandwiches are in a nutshell. Gah, I just love them, and they're so beautiful to look at too.

I guess this was a month of sandwiches for us, huh? We love these Cuban sandwiches, and since the pork cooks ahead of time, they're a perfect meal for a busy weeknight. I used our leftover pork for the shredded pork po' boys I shared earlier this week.

I made a giant batch of these candy bar cookies to get rid of a bunch of the boys' Halloween candy. What I love about these cookies is that they're so adaptable; you can use whatever mix-ins you like. I also love how crispy they are. I'm a big fan of crispy cookies. Actually, I'm just a big fan of cookies in general.

Surprise! Another sandwich! These pulled chicken Suiza sandwiches are like a Mexican version of a traditional shredded chicken sandwich. Even the boys love these.

Taco rice is one of our favorite dinners ever. I could seriously eat this stuff three times a week and never, ever get sick of it.

I made these pesto chicken crescent pockets for the second time this month, and they went over so well with my family that I'm pretty sure they'll be a montly occurrence from now on. 

As I do every year for Thanksgiving, this year I made my mom's sweet potato casserole. Everyone loves this dish, and there are never leftovers -- much to Joe's chagrin, since it's one of his favorite things in the world to eat and he only gets it once a year.

I was craving roast beef last week, so I put this roast beef with mushroom gravy on our menu. I used the leftovers for -- you guessed it -- another version of a po' boy! (The verdict: both the shredded pork and roast beef versions were delicious, but the pork was slightly better.)

My boys are starting to enjoy soup more, so I've been taking advantage of that as much as possible and making it more often. I made this cream cheese potato soup for dinner last night, and they loved it. It had been a while since I'd made it, so I'd completely forgotten how absolutely delicious it is. I served it with bacon grilled cheese sandwiches, because Will insisted that bacon be part of our meal in some way. He's a good boy. I'm so proud.

Shredded Pork Po' Boys

Lately, I am just absolutely obsessed with Cajun flavors. I tend to go through phases like this with certain ingredients. Crescent rolls and pesto are good examples of some of my past phases; currently, it's cajun seasoning. I've been putting it on everything, and I'm constantly dreaming up new ways to use it.

I'm also always trying to find new ways to use leftovers so they don't go to waste. Now that my husband is no longer working third shift (hallelujah!), he doesn't eat a big dinner-type meal in the mornings like he used to -- which means that our leftovers have a tendency to just sit there. When I found myself with some leftover shredded pork recently, I spent some time brainstorming what to do with it, and this is what I came up with. A juicy, delicious shredded pork po' boy, smothered in remoulade sauce. This sandwich is fan.freaking.tastic. It's so fantastic, in fact, that we ate it two nights in a row.

I'm listing the shredded pork recipe I used below. I made the pork for another recipe so the seasonings are pretty basic, but if you want to make it specifically for these sandwiches you could add some Cajun seasoning to the meat.

Shredded Pork Po' Boys

For the pork:

1 2-pound pork shoulder or butt

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

For the remoulade:

1 cup mayonnaise

2 scallions, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped pickles

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

2 teaspoons hot sauce

For serving:

4 hoagie rolls, split and toasted

Shredded lettuce

Sliced tomatoes

1. To make the pork, combine garlic, pepper, oregano or marjoram, olive oil, vinegar and salt. Rub pork with this mixture and refrigerate overnight. Cook in a Crock pot on low for 8 hours.

2. To make the sauce, blend mayonnaise, scallions, pickle, hot sauce and Cajun seasoning in food processor or blender. Cover and chill until serving.

3. To assemble the sandwiches, arrange pork on the bottom of a hoagie roll. Top with shredded lettuce, tomato, a generous drizzle of remoulade, and the roll top. Devour.

Two-Bean and Rice Burritos

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Ours was really lovely this year -- lots of quality family time, gorgeous weather, and absolutely delicious food. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for so many reasons, and as I get older I just get more and more thankful for all of the blessings in my life.

I have allowed myself four days of gluttony (Thanksgiving, followed by football food, followed by a massive comfort food Sunday dinner), so it's time to get back on track with eating more balanced meals. I've planned a lighter menu for us this week, as well as some outdoor activities to burn some energy (as long as it's not too cold).

I thought it would be the perfect day to share these burritos with you, because they're lighter than your average burrito. They're ready in the time it takes the rice to cook, so they're perfect for a weeknight, and they're absolutely delicious. The ingredients are humble, but in this recipe they truly do come together to make one outstanding, healthy dinner. 

Two-Bean and Rice Burritos

adapted from Annie's Eats (rice recipe is mine)

For the rice:

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup long-grain rice

2 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper to taste

For the bean filling:

2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon minced chipotle in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
6 tablespoons salsa

For serving:

6 9- or 10-inch flour tortillas, warmed
Shredded cheese
Diced tomatoes
Shredded lettuce
Sour cream

1. To make the rice, heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add onion and cook until softened. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds. Add rice and stir until coated, fragrant, and lightly toasted. Add chicken stock and cilantro. Bring to a boil and reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked. Let stand 5 minutes off heat, then fluff with a fork. Add lime juice, remaining tablespoon of butter, and salt and pepper.

2. To make the bean filling, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, chili powder, chipotle, cumin, salt and cayenne; stir, cooking just until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the beans and the stock to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the salsa and mash the mixture with a spoon or fork.

3. Spoon about a third of a cup of the bean mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top each serving with a spoonful of the rice, a pinch of shredded cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and sour cream. Roll the tortillas up tightly, burrito style, and serve immediately.

Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes

If you search for "turkey cupcakes" on Google Images or Pinterest, believe me: You will get a lot of results. You will get lots and lots of results. When faced with the prospect of making a dessert for Andrew's Thanksgiving feast at preschool, I knew I wanted to make cupcakes that looked like turkeys, so I turned to Pinterest and found, unsurprisingly, tons of options. First I thought I'd make turkey dinner cupcakes, using chewy caramels shaped like turkeys, but I could see that getting tedious very quickly. I'm not the most patient or artistic person, so I could just imagine how my turkeys would look.

I ultimately drew my inspiration from lots of the pins I saw and made my own version, and I couldn't be more pleased with how they turned out. They were so cute, and the kids just loved them. By all accounts, they were a huge hit and quite delicious!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! I hope you have wonderful, peaceful days with your families and friends.

Turkey Cupcakes

cupcakes inspired by various pins on Pinterest; frosting from Savory Sweet Life

For the cupcakes:

1 box chocolate or devil's food cake mix

Water, oil, and eggs called for on the box

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the frosting:

1 cup butter, softened

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 tablespoons heavy cream

For the decorations:

Yellow and red colored sugar

Chow mein noodles

Vanilla wafers

White decorating frosting

Miniature chocolate chips

Orange and yellow Dots candies

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven as directed on box and line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners. Combine cake mix with water, oil, eggs, and vanilla and stir until completely combined. Bake according to the directions on the box, usually about 18 to 20 minutes.

2. To make the frosting, cream the butter for a couple of minutes until smooth. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional cream 1 tablespoon at a time. Frost the cooled cupcakes.

3. Place a dollop of the chocolate frosting on the front of each cupcake (this is where the "head" of the turkey will rest). Combine red and yellow sugars and sprinkle over the cupcakes. Stick chow mein noodles in the back of each cupcake for the feathers.

4. To make the faces, add dots of white frosting on the vanilla wafers to make the eyes. Use a miniature chocolate chip for each pupil. Using a rolling pin, roll Dots out into relatively thin layers and use a paring knife to cut them into beak shapes. Secure the beaks with a dot of white frosting. Place the heads on the cupcakes and gently press down to ensure that they're secure.

Quinoa Stuffing

My cooking club met for our November get-together over the weekend, and it was such a wonderful time, as usual. The wine and the laughter flowed, and we enjoyed a truly delicious meal. This month's theme was Thanksgiving, but not just any Thanksgiving dish; we had to make a new twist on a classic. We had harissa green beans, loaded mashed potato casserole, and salted caramel mascarpone pumpkin cheesecake (OMG), among other delicious dishes. My contribution was this quinoa stuffing, which was universally enjoyed.

I'm a huge fan of stuffing; in fact, I think it's probably my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. And I have to be honest: This particular stuffing would never replace the traditional, all-bread version of stuffing on my Thanksgiving table. But that doesn't mean it wasn't absolutely delicious. It's prepared just like you'd make a traditional stuffing, but quinoa is added to it before baking. The recipe can easily be adapted to make it vegetarian or even completely vegan. The quinoa gives the stuffing a great texture and a nutritional boost that means you can feel good about eating it. And on a holiday when practically everyone overeats on all kinds of fattening yumminess, feeling good about eating even one aspect of the meal is no small thing!

Quinoa Stuffing

adapted from About.com

1 cup quinoa

2 1/4 cups chicken stock

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, diced

4 ounces sliced button mushrooms

1 rib of celery, chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup dry white wine

6 slices dried (or lightly toasted) bread, cubed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1. In a medium saucepan, simmer quinoa in 2 1/4 cups chicken stock with bay leaves until done, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves and discard, and set the quinoa aside.

2. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.

3. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, mushrooms, celery, garlic, thyme sprigs, sage, and salt and pepper. Add white wine and simmer until reduced. Discard thyme sprigs.

4. Reduce heat to low and add cubed bread and nuts, stirring to combine well. Add chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time until bread is well moistened. Add reserved quinoa and gently toss to combine well.

5. Transfer to prepared casserole dish and bake uncovered for 40 minutes.