Great Cookbook

The title of my blog is food, faith and design. I've posted a few posts on faith and design but not one thing on food! So while I'm sitting on the couch with Charlie snuggled and sleeping on my lap, I thought I'd post a couple of new recipes just in time for the holidays.

Fire Crackers

1 1/3 cup canola oil

1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix

2-3 tsp red pepper

hot sauce to taste

3 boxes of mini saltines or 1 large box regular saltines

Mix the first 4 ingredients together and pour over the saltines. Shake well. Let sit for 24 hours, shaking periodically to keep the seasoning from settling. These are DELICIOUS and a great unique snack. Would be wonderful with tomato soup on a cold winter day.

My new favorite cookbook is Double Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. My mom got it for me when she was here when Charlie was born. It has great recipes that use various veggie purees to help you get more nutrients. The two I've tried so far is the butternut squash tomato soup and balsamic chicken italian sandwiches. The sandwich recipe is below...

Balsamic Chicken Sandwich

2 lbs boneless chicken, cubed

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1/4 cup whole-wheat flour (or regular flour)

3 Tbsp olive oil

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

6 Tbsp firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup broccoli puree*

tomato

6 ciabatta rolls or 12 slices crusty Italian bread (I use 7 grain Italian bread)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place flour in large bag then add chicken. Toss to coat chicken. Preheat oven to 350. Warm oil in large pan over med-high heat and add the chicken and garlic. Decrease heat to medium and cook until chicken begins to brown and garlic becomes fragrant. Add chicken broth, vinegar and brown sugar. Bring to boil and simmer 10-15 minutes. Add broccoli puree and cook 2-3 minutes more to incorporate flavors. Let cool for a few minutes so it thickens up. Place bread on a baking sheet and top with a slice of tomato on one side. Place chicken on other slice of bread. Top both with mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted and bread is crisp. Make into sandwiches and serve immediately.

*broccoli puree: for 1/2 cup, take 1/2 bag of broccoli florets and steam. Place them in blender or food processor. May need to add a few Tbsp water to get creamy consistency.

Bon appetit!