Sunday Suppers #6

I've been composing this blog post in my head all evening, and boy do I have a lot to say! Maybe with Clayton being at scout camp, I feel like I have no one to talk to. I mean, obviously he rarely talks back when I am talking (sometimes I am just sure he's not listening, but then he can spit back what I just said word for word), but it's nice to know that there is someone there capable of conversation. :-) Anyway, on to the food, because that is really what everyone wants to hear about! This week, since I'm alone, I figured I'd try some new, smaller things. With Clayton gone, I can have fruit and yogurt for dinner and not think twice, and I don't need to pack up leftovers for lunches because I get free lunches at work. So here are a few things I've tried so far. If anything else goes over really well, maybe I'll post it.

Disclaimer: Experimentation with me usually means throw stuff together till it looks good. In other words, these "recipes" are very loose measurements.

Philly Chicken Flatbread Sandwiches

I went to the store on Saturday and chicken drumsticks were on sale ridiculously cheap. So I grabbed some and we had bbq chicken for dinner. However, we had leftovers, and I'm not big on eating meat by itself. I like it better surrounded by pasta or a taco or something. So, to get rid of the extra, I pulled the chicken off the bone and made flatbread sandwiches (on the flatbread that was on clearance in the bakery!).

Butter

1/3 c. Sliced Onion

1/2 c. Sliced Green Bell Pepper

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 c. Shredded, cooked chicken

3 Tbsp. cream cheese

2 deli slices Pepperjack or Provolone Cheese

Sandwich spread*

2 pieces of flatbread

Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, cucumber, etc.

*So this could be as simple as mayonnaise, but if you like a little extra flavor look in the dairy section of the grocery store. There are lots of flavors of cream cheese spreads. We have a spread that is actually a "chip dip" but it is a roasted red pepper flavor with a sour cream base. We really like it.

Sautee the onion and bell pepper in butter until tender. Add chicken, salt and pepper. Cook until heated through. Add cream cheese and sliced cheese and stir until melted. Prepare flat bread by warming for a few seconds in the microwave. Add sandwich spread and any toppings, then the philly mixture!

Spinach and Ham Omelet

Clayton asked for a snack, and I decided to make him an omelet. I've realized that there are a couple secrets to omelets that took me a while to figure out:

1. Use a pan that is the size you'd like your omelet to be. (You can't contain your egg in half of the pan).

2. Be PATIENT!

Grease the pan with a little butter or cooking oil and heat over medium-high. Scramble 2 eggs and add 1-2 Tbsp of milk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour eggs in skillet. Allow them to cook without stirring until the bottom is completely set. Using a rubber spatula, lift up part of the egg and tilt the pan to that side to allow the liquid egg still on top to run down underneath the cooked egg. Continue until all liquid egg is now underneath the cooked egg. Wait about 30 seconds-1 minute and flip the omelet over with a spatula. Add toppings. I used a handful of spinach, torn up deli sliced ham, and a small handful of mozzarella. Let sit for about 30 seconds, then slide onto a plate and fold in half.

Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Burgers

My goal for these was to have something a little better than a regular old burger. And I got it! YUM!

Sprinkle basil and your favorite chicken seasoning (mine is a garlic/red pepper/sea salt blend) onto turkey patties and incorporate by rolling into a ball and re-forming the patties. I read in a Rachel Ray cook book that if you make the patties thicker on the edges, when it cooks, it will become a flat burger instead of puffed in the middle. Cook the patties in a greased skillet for about 5-7 minutes on each side. Cook until no longer pink in the middle. Add a slice of your favorite cheese (I put on mozzarella) and heat until melted.

For the chutney topping, cook 1/3 c. onions and 1 Tbsp garlic in butter until carmelized (about 15-20 minutes on medium heat). Add 1 roasted red pepper and cook until heated through.

Put your favorite toppings on a hamburger bun (we used potato buns with lettuce and bbq sauce), then add the burgers and chutney.

Smoothies

I feel like you can never go wrong with a smoothie unless you put ingredients in that don't taste good, but expect them to magically taste great when mixed together. Otherwise, go crazy! My smoothie this morning had roughly:
1/2 c. vanilla yogurt

1 banana

1/2 c. frozen strawberries

1/4 c. mixed berry juice

small handful of spinach (for extra nutrients -- mix it well and you won't taste it).

It was surprisingly sweet!

Well, there's my blog for the week. I'll let you know if I come up with any more great single serving style meals!