Chicken Parmesan Casserole

So I recently realized I have some pretty big news that I have yet to share with you guys.

The Mini is about to have her very own Minion... her baby brother is making his appearance sometime in the next few weeks!

I just had my last day of work and I am so relieved.  During round 1, I only had 3 full, what-would-have-been-work-days of maternity leave before the Mini made her appearance.

Yup, the first time around I had bought a ton of food, preparing to spend the upcoming weeks making freezer meals so we would have lots of yummy dinners to eat in the midst of Newborn Madness.

Well... that never worked out.  Mini came 3 weeks early, and the day after we got home from the hospital Hurricane Sandy came too.

You know what they say... best laid plans...

So you know what?  This time around... I have no plans.

I don't even have a hospital bag packed.  <Sigh>

But my due date is June 14, and it just hit me this week that if he comes when Mini did, that would be less than a week from today.  Meaning... it's probably time to get my act together now.

It seems the 'nesting' instinct is starting to kick in, so I'm hoping that won't be too hard.  But we just finished our big upstairs renovation project enough to move our things up, so between that, work, a very active 2 1/2 year old, and just sheer exhaustion-- I can assure you I've had neither the time nor the energy to plan any freezer meals.

Sorry, family.  These days you are probably lucky that a meal gets put on the table, that is not hot dogs or grilled cheese.  (Not that Mini, or even Mr. Vittles, would complain about either of those choices... but still).

Given that fact, it is a truly joyous occasion when I come across a recipe that is not only this easy but also super yummy.  If you like chicken parm, but hate breading chicken, this recipe is for you.  The croutons give it a nice crunch without all the work.  (I even did a third with gluten-free croutons for myself, and it was still scrumptious!)

Anyway, I probably won't be posting again before the Minion's big reveal, so wish me luck.  If I'm MIA for a bit, you know why.

I ran out into traffic.

Ha! No, just kidding.

...I hope?

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 t. minced garlic
• salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken, cubed
• 1 C. marinara sauce
• 2 T. parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2/3 C. seasoned croutons, coarsely crushed (my favorite kind is New York brand Texas Toast croutons)

Preheat oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray an 8" square baking pan with cooking spray, and add chicken cubes to cover bottom of pan. Drizzle olive oil over top of chicken, and sprinkle with minced garlic.  Sprinkle with salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

Then, evenly cover the chicken with sauce, and sprinkle with parmesan and 1/2 C. mozzarella. Sprinkle the croutons over cheese, and then sprinkle the other 1/2 C. of mozzarella.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until breasts are cooked through. If desired, place under
broiler for a couple of minutes to brown croutons/cheese.  Remove from oven & let stand for 5-10
minutes before serving.  Serves 2-4

Recipe Adapted Slightly from Food.com

Turkey Meatloaf

A couple of months ago, one of my coworkers asked if I had a classic meatloaf recipe.

I immediately went to V&B, thinking I could just forward her the link ... when I realized I do not have a "traditional" meatloaf on my blog!  I couldn't believe it.  I make this recipe often, in a rotation with buffalo chicken meatloaf (which is now also a staple in our household.)

So I wanted to remedy this oversight immediately, but it's usually tough to snap a decent picture during the madness of weekday mealtimes.  Which meant I had to wait until I made it on a weekend... and the pictures are still pretty rugged, haha!

Look, as I've lamented before, it's tough to make a mound of barf-colored meat look 'sexy.'  I think I've gotten a little better, but this time I also had a hungry Mini Smalls circling like a shark.

Don't mess with the Mini when she's ready to eat - trust me, the girl is serious about her chow.  Does this look like the face of an amateur to you?

Don't be fooled by the kitty in the bottom of her bowl.  She's hardcore, I tell you.  Ruthless.

(I think she gets it from her momma - I get "hangry" too.)

In any event, I promise the taste makes up for my poor food styling & photography skills!

Turkey Meatloaf

• 16 oz. ground turkey (I use 94% lean)
• 1 egg
• 2 T. milk
• 1/2 C. plain breadcrumbs
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 3/4 t. onion powder
• 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T. dijon mustard
• 2 T. fresh parsley, minced
• 1 t. salt
• freshly ground pepper, to taste

Glaze:

• 1/3 C. ketchup
• 1 T. barbecue sauce
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1 T. apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease a glass pie pan or 8" square baking dish, and set
aside.  (If you like to make it in a loaf pan that's fine too, but I prefer to a larger dish so the end result is less greasy.)

Whisk eggs & milk in large bowl.  Add breadcrumbs, garlic & onion powders, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, parsley, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Add ground turkey and mix well with hands until
thoroughly combined.

Form into a mound in prepared pan/dish and bake 50 minutes.  In bowl, prepare glaze by combining ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar.  Spread over meat, and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Serves 2-4 people.

Original Recipe

Cilantro and Sesame Thai Chicken Marinade

So the Mini is officially on the move (as of the Saturday after the Fourth of July) and let me tell you - she is one curious little monkey.  No walking yet, but she's quite the speedy crawler.  We have finally been forced to adopt a more minimalist decor, and switch out our awesome driftwood coffee table for a soft storage ottoman.  

But I'm not complaining; in fact, I am loving this age.  The Mini has so much personality, and it's fun to see the world through the eyes of a 9-month-old.  

She is also a lot more portable.  In mid-July, we visited my mother & father-in-law's river cottage in Canada and the Mini really impressed us.  She went on her first boat ride, and her first float in the water.  

I won't lie, the 7 some-odd hour ride back home was a little rough, but otherwise it was a great trip.

On the home front, I have actually been cooking more on weeknights, though it is mostly my tried & true recipes that don't require as much concentration (it's a little tougher when you have to keep one eye on the food and the other on a mobile munchkin).  

These days I am also making more food for her, as she is transitioning from baby food to table food.  But since you probably don't need a recipe for steaming broccoli or boiling whole-wheat farfalle, I will instead share with you this chicken marinade.  

I had loads of cilantro left over from the quinoa salad, and our jalapeno plants are doing well, so this seemed like a smart use of ingredients.  I like it because the sesame oil and rice vinegar give it a nice flavor, and it has a little heat to it without being too spicy.

Cilantro and Sesame Thai Chicken Marinade

• 1/2 C. fresh cilantro, leaves and stems
• 1 T. canola oil
• 1 T. sesame oil
• 1 T. rice wine vinegar
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1 jalapeno pepper, ribs & seeds removed
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 T. + 1 t. soy sauce
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. red pepper flakes
• 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lbs. thin-sliced or pounded chicken breasts

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, pulse all marinade ingredients until pureed.  

Place chicken in a shallow dish and coat evenly with cilantro puree.  Let sit one hour, then grill or broil chicken until cooked through.

Recipe Adapted from Food and Wine

Zesty Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

This past weekend was very special, as we had a party to celebrate the engagement of my sister-in-law, Melissa and her fiancee, Rick.

Here are the top 5 reasons I'm excited about this union (in no particular order)

1. Rick's last name begins with the same letter as Melissa's maiden name - so no matter which she chooses to use, she will still have the glorious initials MMF (Mini and I also happen to share the same monogram :))
2. Rick is a super smart lawyer who is also a world traveler that enjoys cooking... and has read some posts on Vittles and Bits (what what??)
3. Technically that last one was like 4 reasons so I will take a breather here
4. Melissa is no longer late to every family event (which is huge, compared to the days she missed the train from NYC, that came after the train she originally missed)
5. In the almost 6 years I've known her, I don't believe I've ever seen Melissa this happy; see example below:

Umm... is that not one of the most adorable couple pictures you've ever seen?

Anyway, everyone seemed to have a great time celebrating, which included lots of delicious food & drinks, excellent company, and a beautiful setting.

Mr. Vittles' aunt, Betty and uncle, Carl were kind enough to host the party at their house (their daughter, Devon, is the Maid of Honor!)  Betty is an incredible gardener and their back yard is absolutely beautiful.  Maybe I've been watching too much HGTV, but I can't think of any other way to explain it than, "it's the perfect outdoor space for entertaining."

And despite the fact that it felt about as hot as the surface of the sun last week, the weather was much better Saturday night than I was expecting.  It was slightly cooler, and the predicted thunderstorms held off for the entire duration of the party. Looking at the radar, we later realized it was raining literally everywhere else in the area.

(FYI it also happened to be my mother-in-law's birthday - guess that rain had more sense than to come anywhere near us.)

Anyway, since Betty is also probably the most organized home party planner in the entire world, she not only assigned people dishes to bring, but also gave out recipes for them.  I think she may have pulled them out of her "party files" .... oh yes, she has party files!

But I'm glad that she did, because it prompted me to make something totally new.  Though I've eaten quinoa before, I'm a little embarrassed to admit I've never made it until now.

I was happy to find out it's much easier and quicker to prepare than rice (of which I am a habitual ruiner).  And although we had this salad as a side at the party, Betty said she's made it as a main before.  It's a pretty hearty salad, so I can see how it could go either way.

It also seems pretty healthy, so perhaps I need to start eating this as a main myself to drop a few L-B's before I have to put on my bridesmaid dress.  September will be here before we know it!

Zesty Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

• 1 C. quinoa
• 2 C. water
• 1/4 C. extra-virgin olive oil
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 1/2 t. ground cumin
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• 1/4 C. fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed (about 10-15 minutes).  Allow to cool.

In the meantime, whisk olive oil, lime juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and cilantro together in a bowl or  measuring cup.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine quinoa, tomatoes, black beans, and scallions.  Pour dressing over quinoa mixture, and mix to coat evenly.  Add ground pepper, and adjust seasoning to taste.  Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.  Serves 6-8.

Recipe Adapted Slightly from Allrecipes

Honey Garlic Chicken Kabob Marinade

Hello, Rabbit!

(You can thank me later... according to my grandma, that phrase brings good luck on the first of the month.)

I seriously cannot believe it's June 1st already.  I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend - I know we did!

After Superstorm Sandy, it's awesome to see that so many places along the shore here in Jersey are open for business.  There's still a lot of rebuilding to be done, but we've come a long way in a short period of time.  Gives a whole new meaning to Jersey Strong - I am so proud of my home state!

This week, President Obama met with our governor, Chris Christie, to see the recovery efforts at the Shore.  He visited my hometown of Point Pleasant Beach, and also Asbury Park (where Mr. Vittles and I lived before we bought our house last year!)

I really never thought I'd see photos of the President of the United States on the boardwalk I've been going to since I was a little kid.

Yup, in this one they were right in front of the Aquarium Gift Shop, where I worked my first summer job at the age of 14.  Surreal!

AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

Now as I've told you before, despite what the calendar may say, Memorial Day weekend is the official start of summer around these parts.  And with summer comes not only visits from The Prez but also GRILLING!

On Sunday, we attended a wonderful barbecue at our friends' house nearby.  (Remember Pauline, who so generously shared her recipe for Pumpkin Tiramisu with us at Thanksgiving?)

She and her husband Bryan made a fabulous meal of pulled pork, potato salad, grilled pineapple, and a corn salad which I will hopefully share with you soon (a-mazing!).

Then on Monday, we took the Mini for her first day at the beach...

... and marinated some kabobs for the grill!

Yup, summer's back and so is Jersey.  Take that, Sandy!

Honey Garlic Marinade for Chicken Kabobs

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients in a large Ziploc bag (or large glass bowl/dish with cover) and mix well.  Add 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and marinate at least 3 hours or overnight.

Thread chicken on skewers and grill (or broil) until cooked through and no pink remains.

Recipe Adapted from Thriving Home

White Chipotle Chicken Chili

Did everyone enjoy their St. Patrick's Day?

Last year, Mr. Vittles and I took the train into New York City for a party, and even though we left NJ early in the morning, the train was already filled with crazy drunks.

This year.... was a little more low-key for us.  The highlight was probably dressing up Mini Smalls in her St. Patty's Day outfit from my dad & stepmom, which later included some ridiculous green sunglasses.

And while most people were probably making corned beef & cabbage, I was making white chipotle chicken chili.  I do have some Irish in me, but not enough I guess!

The Mini and I have been recovering from a cold so chicken soup probably would've been a better choice for me, but Mr. Vittles and I are really not soup people.  So I figured chicken chili was the next best thing.

Not much other news to report.  As my friend from work (who has a son 2 months older than the Mini) pointed out - every day is like Groundhog Day, and we are probably living parallel lives in separate households.  Get up, take care of the baby, rush to work, rush home, take care of the baby, wash bottles, try to figure out what to eat for dinner, hang out for an hour or so, feed the baby again, and go to bed.

Not exactly setting the world on fire over here!  But I do have some good news.  For one, I did well on my promotional exam at work (that I mentioned I was "preparing" for a few weeks ago).  It turns out I got the highest score of the 70+ people that took it, so I should hopefully be in a good position whenever they announce the openings for my title.

And two - the Mini rolled over from her back to her tummy today!  Mr. V and I were your stereotypical kooky parents on Monday night - we actually sat watching her with the video camera for about 15 minutes because we were sure she would do it then.  (My mother-in-law told us she had been incredibly close at her house, numerous times that day).  But... nothing.  Then today I put the Mini down on a rug in our bedroom, while I made the bed.  I looked away for maybe 10 seconds, looked back and there she was on her tummy!  Go figure.  So no one witnessed it, but it seems she reached a milestone nonetheless.

She will be 5 months old on Monday, I can't believe how times flies.  Everyone said it would, but it still surprises me.  In the meantime, I'm wondering if I should have doubled this chili.  Then we could have eaten it four nights this week, and it would really feel like Groundhog Day :)

White Chipotle Chicken Chili

• 2 C. reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 2 15-oz. cans canellini beans, drained, rinsed & divided
• 2 T. canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/4 t. chipotle chili powder
• 1 1/2 t. cumin
• 1/4 t. salt (or to taste)
• 1 4.5-oz can green chiles
• 1 lb. chicken breast, cooked & shredded
• 1/4 C. half & half
• 1/4 C. fresh cilantro, minced

In a food processor or blender, puree 1/2 C. of chicken broth with 1 can of drained & rinsed canellini beans until mixture is smooth.  Set aside.

In large dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions & cook, stirring until softened (about 5 minutes).  Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add remaining 1 1/2 C. chicken broth & can of canellini beans along with chili powder, cumin, salt, green chiles, and chicken.  Bring mixture to a boil (increasing heat slightly if needed) and simmer 10 minutes.  Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Add reserved bean puree and half & half.  Reduce heat to medium low & cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is heated through.  Stir in cilantro & adjust seasonings to taste.  Serve topped with sour cream and/or cheese, if desired.  Serves 4.

Recipe Adapted from Organic Gardening

Smoky Black Bean & Bacon Chicken Chili

So I'm not gonna lie to you guys- this mom stuff is tough!

Especially when your little monkey is having digestion issues like ours.  We ended up having to take Mini Smalls to a pediatric gastroenterologist when we found out that in addition to her milk protein intolerance, she has a bad case of reflux.

The poor little muffin has not been able to get through a meal without stopping frequently and crying.  You can tell when the Tummy Gremlins are acting up - she is happily eating away when suddenly she stops, goes completely stiff & arches her back, then starts wailing.

With all the stopping & starting, it takes an hour or more for her to eat - so by the time she gets just a few ounces in her, she is usually exhausted and falls asleep.

But in addition to feeling absolutely horrible for her, I must admit I've been feeling pretty badly for myself.

As the Grinch would say "Oh the noise, noise, noise, noise, NOISE!"  All that crying can really get under your skin, especially when it is happening so frequently & there is nothing you can do to soothe the little critter.  Which is a huge contributor to my stress as well - our little girl is in pain, and as of yet there has not been a damn thing we've been able to do to stop it! Sooo frustrating.

By the time Mr. Vittles gets home from work, I've had it up to here with the crying, barfing, diaper changes, bottle-washing, and laundry.  Close to going off the deep end, cooking is usually the furthest thing from my mind.

Don't get me wrong, I knew motherhood would not be easy; but I had been imagining my maternity leave to be a bit more peaceful than it's been.  I want so badly to enjoy my time with my daughter, but in truth that's been very challenging at times - and I now go back to work in less than a month.

Ugh!

So this past week, we were having some beautiful weather & I decided to get out of the house and bring the Mini to a place that always makes me feel better - my hometown of Point Pleasant Beach.   And more specifically, the inlet (a waterway where the nearby Manasquan River meets the ocean).  Growing up I spent a lot of time hanging out there with my friends, and I would often take walks there alone to clear my head.

Luckily, this week it had the same effect on me that it had when I was a teenager.  As I pushed Mini in the stroller along the road that parallels the river (called Channel Drive) and up to the point that looks out over the inlet to the town of Manasquan, my exhaustion floated away and I felt content.

Along the way, many happy memories came flooding back.  I thought about climbing on the jetty as a middle-schooler, and writing "I love so & so" on the rocks.  We were all warned by our parents not to play on the rocks, but naturally we did it anyway.  And at the time, you had to swing out over the water around this fence to get to one part (that was always the scariest) but it never stopped us!

I also thought about the time that, right before we left for college, my best friend Lauren and I schmoozed our way to the very top of the Coast Guard station... only to be "propositioned" by a creepy officer more than twice our age.  (Almost twelve years later, the guy is still stationed there - I actually saw him!)

I thought about all the hours we spent in the car in the parking lot of the inlet, when we were home from college - we would go there after a party or bar-hopping to recap the events of the night.  "OMG, can you believe what he said about her???"  Ain't no drama like 21 year-old drama!

I also thought about when, four years ago this March, Mr. Vittles brought me out to the jetty and made me the happiest woman alive by asking me to marry him.

And then I thought that, someday, Mini will have such funny & happy memories.  (Hopefully not of creepy men trying to get in her pants, but ... yeah, probably those too.)

And I realized that my mother-in-law is so right when she says that 'this too shall pass.'  It's just a phase.  Our trip to the specialist has brought me hope that we can get these issues under control, and either way she'll eventually grow out of them as her system matures.  She won't cry & cry forever.

And someday I will wish I could return to these days, when she was tiny like this again.

When the slightest smile between those chubby little cheeks could light up my morning.

When she didn't mind that I covered her perfect face in about a million kisses every day.

When she could wear a bear hat and hold up her little fist of fury and melt my heart.

It really put things into perspective for me.

Later that day, when Mini was down for a nap, I talked to Lauren ("Hey, remember the time we...?")

We talked for almost two hours straight while I made this chili.

And all felt right with the world again :)

Smoky Black Bean & Bacon Chicken Chili

• 1 T. vegetable oil
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 lb. lean ground chicken
• 1 T. + 1 t. chili powder
• 1 t. ground cumin
• 1 3/4 t. smoked paprika
• 1 T. dried cilantro (or more, if using fresh) 
• 1/4 t. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 1/4 t. salt (you can add more later to taste, but the bacon & broth are salty)
• 1 14.5-oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 C. low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 t. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1/3 C. cooked, finely chopped or crumbled bacon
• 1 14.5-oz. can black beans (undrained)
  

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, heat oil.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 4 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute.

Increase heat to medium-high and add ground chicken; break it up with a wooden spoon and stir gently until it loses its raw color, 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir in spices and salt and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, Worcestershire, brown sugar, and bacon - bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially, and cook 30 minutes.

Add beans and cook 10 minutes, uncovered. Season to taste with additional salt and/or freshly ground pepper if desired. Serve warm.  Serves 4

Recipe adapted from myrecipes.com (originally Sunset Magazine, January 2007 issue)

Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Bread

So I've been all about the easy stuff lately, at least when it comes to the kitchen.

At the grocery store, I recently found this refrigerated, roll-out pizza crust with whole grains- which I am super excited about!  It's by Pillsbury, called Artisan Pizza Crust.

Ok ok, I know it's still not as good (or good for you) as homemade, but at least it's a slightly healthier, convenient option.

Now somewhere deep in the dusty annals of my brain lay a recollection of this taco ring that we made in Home Ec in high school, where we braided dough around a meat & cheese filling.

Do not ask me how I remembered this, considering I have to write myself notes to remind myself of pretty much everything these days - but I did.

That, in turn, gave me the idea to do a braided stuffed bread.  And what better to stuff bread with than buffalo chicken and cheese (especially when your husband is Mr. Vittles?)

By the way, I apologize for the atrocious photos - it's not that I'm regressing back to the early days of V&B, but rather that I made this for dinner and there was zero natural light available.  And the aforementioned lazy factor prevented me from getting out my special indoor light.

So deal, ok?  You get the idea.

Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Bread

• 1 can refrigerated roll-out pizza crust (I recommend Pillsbury Artisan crust)
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked & shredded
• 1 T. butter
• 1 t. garlic, minced
• 1/2 C. Frank's Red Hot sauce (or hot sauce of your choosing)
• 1/4 C. blue cheese dressing
• 3/4 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg white, beaten
• sesame seeds, for garnishing (optional)

Unroll pizza crust onto a cookie sheet that's been greased or lined with nonstick foil.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place shredded chicken in a large bowl.  In a small frying pan, melt butter over medium heat until foaming.  Add garlic and saute about 30 seconds until fragrant.  Pour butter mixture over chicken in bowl, and add hot sauce.  Mix well to coat chicken evenly.

Turn the cookie sheet with the crust so the short side is facing you.  Evenly distribute chicken mixture down the middle of the crust, vertically.  Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, make a horizontal cut in the middle of each side of the crust, to within a 1/2" of the filling.

You will now have 4 squares of crust surrounding the chicken.  In the very middle of each of those squares, make another cut to within a 1/2" of the filling.  You will now have a total of 8 strips surrounding the chicken.

In the center of each of those strips, make another cut to within a 1/2" of the chicken so that you have a total of 16 strips (8 on each side of the chicken).  See diagram below (the tan color is crust, the peach is the chicken, and the dotted lines are the cuts you need to make):

Once you have all the cuts completed, drizzle top of chicken with blue cheese dressing.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Then, using two hands, alternate pulling the strips across filling to cover.  At the ends of the braid, pinch any holes together so none of the filling comes out.

Brush the beaten egg white over the top of your braid, and sprinkle with sesame seeds (if desired).  Bake in preheated oven 12-15 minutes, or until top is browned.  Let sit 5 minutes on sheet before cutting and serving.  Serves 4.

Original Recipe

Honey Wheat Pizza Dough

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be married to the weirdest man in the world?

Well, let me tell you.

The weirdest man in the world will go on your Facebook account when you leave it open on your computer. 

Will he look at your emails? 

No way.  That's too boring.  

Because it's much more fun to post ridiculous status updates like "I love turf equipment," and "I have itchy toes."

And you will not realize that he has posted these things until a very confused person comments, "Why don't you scratch 'em?"

(Sooo happy that my 300 some-odd "friends" were thinking I was suffering from some type of pesky foot fungus.)

The weirdest man in the world will also hijack your phone when you're not looking.

Will he read your texts and inspect your missed & outgoing calls?

No way.  That's too boring.

Because it's much more fun to send a text message from 'you' to your sister-in-law that says "I eat boogers."

(And if your sister-in-law happens to have the weirdest man in the world as her brother, then she will simply respond "Me too," and nothing further will need to be said.)

Luckily, I found the one to my dad that said "I LOVE snails" while it was still in Drafts, before I got a concerned phone call asking if I was on drugs or something.

But you know what?  That's ok.  

Because I can play tricks too.

And for my next trick... I will make whole wheat flour into a pizza crust that tastes mighty fine (thanks to a wonderful blog called Budget Bytes.)

Don't believe me? 

You'll just have to try it for yourself.


Honey Wheat Pizza Dough

• 1 C. warm water
• 2 T. honey
• 1 pkt. active dry yeast
• 3 T. olive oil (plus a little more to oil bowl)
• 1 1/4 t. salt
• 3/4 C. whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ - 2 C. all-purpose flour, divided

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if you don’t have a mixer) stir together warm water with yeast and honey.  Let sit 3-5 minutes or until frothy on top.

Using paddle attachment in mixer, stir in olive oil and salt, then whole wheat flour.  Stir in 1 3/4 C. all-purpose flour until mixed in evenly.  Then increase speed to medium (reducing speed to add more all-purpose flour by the tablespoon as necessary) and mix until dough is stretchy & soft but not sticking to anything.  (If you do not have a mixer, stir in flour until you can no longer use a spoon, then switch to kneading on a floured surface).

Remove dough and place on lightly floured surface. Oil bowl lightly with olive oil, then replace dough and cover top lightly with more oil.  Drape a towel over bowl, and let rise until doubled in size (about 45 mins).

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, and shape into a round of desired size.  Transfer to a pizza stone or greased pan covered in corn meal to prevent sticking, and top as desired.  Bake in 425 degree oven for 16-18 minutes or until edges are golden.  Makes 1 large (about 16-inch) pizza or 2 medium pizzas.

Recipe Adapted from Budget Bytes

Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf

For all the things that I cook and bake, sadly there are very few dishes that get much of a rise out of Mr. Vittles.

For someone like me... this is kind of a nightmare.

I like feedback!

But if I had a dollar for every time I heard "It's pretty good" from my husband, I'd have a full little piggy bank.

(Luckily, he has other good qualities.)

Nonetheless, every now & again I stumble upon something that gets a reaction.

Pepperjack Bacon Mac & Cheese.  Coconut Kona Ice Cream.  Ricotta Cookies.

And now... Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf.

I asked him if it would be better with the addition of blue cheese crumbles but he said it was already pretty "solid."  However, I will throw that suggestion out there in case you are so inclined.  You could also serve it with a side of blue cheese dressing.

Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 3 T. ranch dressing
• 3 T. Frank's Red Hot (or the hot sauce of your choice)
• 2 T. milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 C. plain bread crumbs
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1/2 t. onion powder
• 1/4 t. celery seed
• dash cayenne pepper
• 1/8 t. salt
• freshly ground pepper, to taste

Glaze

• 2 T. Frank's Red Hot
• 2 T. ketchup
• 1 T. honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray a shallow Pyrex dish or pie plate with nonstick spray and set aside.  (You can also make this in a loaf pan, surprisingly little fat comes out of it).

In a medium bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, hot sauce, garlic & onion powder, celery seed, salt, pepper, cayenne, milk & egg.  Add bread crumbs & stir.  Add ground chicken and mix thoroughly with your hands until combined.

Form into a loaf and place into prepared dish.  Cook 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 T. hot sauce with ketchup and honey.  Brush glaze over meatloaf, and return to oven for another 15 minutes.  Let sit 10 minutes before slicing and serving.  Serves 2-4.

Recipe Adapted from About.com

Slow-Cooker Summer Chicken Chili

I know I've been kinda MIA lately, but we made it through Hurricane Irene safe & sound!

The worst that happened was that we lost power until Tuesday night, and also had some flooding in our basement. 

Thankfully nothing got ruined except for a few things I unfortunately forgot to take off the floor, and a lot of empty cardboard boxes we were storing for our next move. 

But there was a decent bit of cleanup and a decent bit of me being in a really bad mood over the whole thing.

And... a decent bit of Mr. Vittles being in a bad mood because I was in a bad mood.

So I decided that yesterday I needed to make something nice. 

I haven't made hardly anything in about 2 weeks, let alone any new recipes, but I saw this recipe for Slow Cooker Summer Chicken Chili on Friday evening and knew I had to try it.

Especially before summer is OVER! Can you believe it's Labor Day already?  I have no idea where August went. 

Maybe it got washed away in the storm?

 McLoone's, Asbury Park Boardwalk 8/28/11 - © 2011 Reuters

(This picture was taken right up the street from my house!  As I'm sure you can tell, waves are not supposed to be crashing onto the boardwalk.)

In any case, since the summer to fall transition is nearly upon us, this was actually a dual-season meal - I made a really fun & different fall-flavored cornbread to go with that I think you guys are going to like.  But more on that soon!

Until then - enjoy these final days of summer and have a safe & happy Labor Day!

Slow-Cooker Summer Chicken Chili

• 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 C. frozen corn
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, finely diced
• 1 1/2 lbs. tomatoes, diced
• 3 T. chili powder
• 1 T. cumin
• 2 T. oregano
• 1 t. brown sugar
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/4 C. white wine
• 1/2 C. water
• 2 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb. total)
• optional : shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro for serving

Combine all ingredients except for the chicken breasts in the basin of a large slow cooker.  Place chicken breasts on top, and cover slow cooker.

Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10.  Remove chicken 30 minutes before serving, and shred using two forks.  Return to chili and stir well.  Adjust seasonings if necessary, then continue cooking.  Serve chili with sour cream, cheese, and/or chopped cilantro if desired.

Recipe Adapted from Back to Her Roots

Mango Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole

Sometimes I wonder if the best preparation for having kids isn't having a husband.

They do messy things that result in getting very dirty.

They don’t much like to pick up after themselves.  

They take great joy in pestering you.

They look at you with pleading puppy-dog eyes to fix them a sandwich because "you make is so much better, though."

And they don’t like to eat their vegetables.

Or wait... maybe this is just my husband? 

In any case, Mr. Vittles has a rather short list of acceptable veggies, especially when it comes to the cooked variety.

So for that very reason, I tried to sneak the zucchini into this dish before he got home from work.  But as luck would have it, he walked in just as I as I grating it.

Warily eyeballing the pile of vegetables, he demanded, “What’s all that green stuff?”

“Just bell peppers,” I said (knowing full well that was definitely not the green stuff he was referring to).

“No," he persisted, "the other green stuff.”

Argh!  Caught red-handed.

(Or green-handed, as it may be?)

“It’s zucchini,” I admitted, and the look on his face told me that no matter how delicious this meal might end up being, for him it would be completely tainted by the thought of this foreign ‘green’ vegetable lurking in every bite.

But during dinner, I still asked my usual - "How is it?"

And he replied, “Alright."

Then, "It tastes kind of weird though.”

(Wait for it...)

“I think the zucchini is ruining it.”

Right. 

Lastly, he threw in "And I don't like mango."

Ok, ok!  I get it.  I'm waving the white flag,  'Don't ever make this again,' is what you're really trying to say.

Which is a shame, because I rather liked it.

To his credit, he did eat it that night, and also for lunch the next day… but quite begrudgingly.

Thankfully, however, the recipe is easily adaptable.  So if any of your family members don't like certain ingredients, or if you prefer a more 'standard' enchilada sauce, then by all means - do some experimenting.

But I bet that as long as they don't see that 'green stuff' go in, they will never even know it's there :)

Mango Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole

• 1 1/3 C. enchilada sauce (see recipe below for Mango Enchilada sauce)
• 1 lb. thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 1/2 C. diced bell pepper (whatever color you choose)
• 14 oz. can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 10 oz. can diced tomatoes & chiles, drained
• 1 C. corn, frozen (thawed) or fresh
• 1/4 t. ground cumin
• 1/4 t. salt
• 8 8” whole wheat tortillas, cut in 1” strips
• 1 1/2 C. shredded Mexican cheese

Prepare Mango Enchilada sauce, if using.  Preheat oven 400 degrees.

Slice a stack of 4 tortillas in half, then 3 slices the other way (to create 8 strips).  Peel them apart then repeat with remaining 4 tortillas.  Keep piles separate from each other.  

Slice chicken into 1” strips and toss with 1/3 C. enchilada sauce.  Place mixture in a large, nonstick frying pan over medium heat and cook until chicken is no longer pink (about 3-5 minutes, depending on how small your chicken pieces are).   Remove chicken from pan & set aside.

Return pan to stove (you can wipe clean with a paper towel first) and add grated zucchini, bell pepper, black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, and salt.  Stir to combine, and cook 3-5 minutes over medium heat until mixture is heated through.  Set aside.

Grease a 9x13” casserole dish, and scatter half of tortilla strips to loosely cover bottom of pan.  Scatter half the vegetable mixture over tortillas, then half the chicken, then half the remaining enchilada sauce, then half the cheese.  Repeat the same 4 layers, ending with cheese, and bake in preheated oven 10 minutes.  Serve immediately.  Serves 8-10.

Recipe Adapted from Eating Well

Mango Enchilada Sauce

• 1 small onion, quartered
• 1 large tomato, quartered
• 1 t. canola oil
• 1 t. minced garlic
• 1/8 t. dried chile flakes
• 1/2 C. water
• 1 t. chili powder
• 1/4 t. cumin
• 1/4  C. cilantro leaves
• 1/2 t. kosher salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 mango, diced
• squeeze of lime

Place large, nonstick fry pan over medium to medium-high heat and add quartered tomato & onion, cut sides down.  As the vegetables brown, turn to other cut side.  Once each is roasted, add to a blender and blend about 30 seconds until fairly smooth.

Briefly clean & dry pan, then return to stove over medium-low heat.  Add canola oil, then garlic & chile flakes and sauté about 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Then add blender mixture back into your pan, along with water, chili powder, cumin, cilantro leaves, kosher salt, and diced mango.  Bring to a gentle simmer, increasing heat if necessary, and cook 3-5 minutes until mango is soft.

Pour the entire mixture back into the blender and blend until smooth.  Strain through a sieve to catch any large solids.  Return to the pan, add in the lime, and stir to combine.  Use immediately or refrigerate up to 2 days.

Recipe Adapted from Fat & Happy

Turkey Shepherd's Pie with Yukon Golds

I have two announcements and one recipe.

Announcement 1: I officially have a sponsor.  If you live in NJ, check out Taskmasters Handyman Services.  For all those jobs that are too small for a contractor but too big to fit on your husband's to-do list - they're da bomb.

And... I just said "da bomb."  Yikes.  Don't ever let me do that again.

Announcement 2: V&B has it's own official EMAIL ADDRESS!  I noticed a few readers have left comments that probably would be more appropriate in email format (not that commenting is bad - keep 'em coming! Lets me know you are reading :)) So if you have any questions, comments, advice, pictures, whatevs - email away at vittlesandbits@gmail.com.  I may not check it every single day but I promise I'll respond to you at some point.

And lastly - on to the recipe. 

For someone who used to think it was a mild catastrophe to have different foods touching on my plate, eating Shepherd's Pie is equivalent to man landing on the moon. 

Alright so that's a slight exaggeration.  But if you like your meat, potatoes and vegetables segregated, I will flat out tell you this is not for you. 

For whatever reason, men seem to love dishes like this though.  So when I make things like Spinach & Feta Rigatoni, I have to throw Mr. V a bone every now & again.

A bone that just happens to look kinda like something in your 4-month old's diapers, and for that I apologize. 

This and the meatloaf could seriously stand to take some modeling lessons.  I mean, it's downright brutal to snap a good pic.  But hopefully by now, at our six-month anniversary as blog friends (yay!), you know I would not steer you wrong.


Turkey Shepherd's Pie with Yukon Golds

Turkey Base:

• 1 1/3 - 1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/2 large sweet onion, minced
• 1 t. minced garlic
• 3/4 t. each of dried thyme and sage
• 1/2 t. cumin
• 1/4 t. celery seed
• 1/4 C. all purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 C. chicken broth
• 1 1/2 C. frozen mixed vegetables, drained (or 1/2 C. each of carrots, peas, & corn)
• 1 t. Worcestershire sauce
• salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Potato Topping and Optional Garnish:

• 2 1/2 lbs. yukon gold potatoes, peeled & quartered
• 1 heaping t. minced garlic
• 1/3 C. milk
• 1 T. butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 t. seasoned salt (or regular salt)
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• optional - grated cheddar cheese & paprika for garnish

Grease a 9x13 baking pan and preheat oven to 375.

Boil quartered potatoes and garlic in large saucepan until potatoes are soft. Drain water and mash.  Add beaten egg, butter, milk, salt and pepper and mash (or mix with hand mixer) until well blended.  Set aside.

While potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-low/medium heat.  Add onions and saute until soft, about 2 minutes.  Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add ground turkey and, stirring occasionally, cook until no longer pink.

Stir in flour, thyme, sage, cumin, celery seed, and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Add mixed vegetables and Worcestershire sauce, and season with salt & pepper to taste.

Remove from heat & place in prepared pan.  Spread mashed potato mixture over the top evenly, then rough up the surface with a fork.  Garnish with a sprinkling of grated cheese & paprika, if desired.

Place in oven and bake 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted & potatoes are golden brown in color.  Let rest for about 10 minutes after removing from oven before serving.  Serves 6.

Note: You can substitute russet/white potatoes and beef for the yukon golds & ground turkey if you prefer, I just happen to be partial to those ingredients.

Recipe adapted from RecipeTips.com

Bacon Cheeseburger Turkey Meatloaf

So this recipe is kind of like when a person orders a Double Bacon Cheeseburger with Fries ... and a Diet Coke.

Health-wise, I would say its only redeeming quality is the ground turkey in place of beef.

Taste-wise is another story.

This is delicious.  I'm just saying.

And that actually means a lot coming from me, because I'm really not a meatloaf kinda gal.

But I promise if you like meatloaf, cheese, and bacon (either separately or all together) you will love this.

The hardest part, however, was to make it look appetizing.

Usually Mr. Vittles fixes his own plate (yeah... this isn't 1953), but this time I put one together for him just for photographic purposes.  (My favorite part of the meatloaf is the end piece, and lets face it - meatloaf butt is just not cute.)

So he came meandering into the kitchen as I was getting the camera and I yelled "Wait! Don't touch that yet!  I have to take a picture of it."

His response was "Relax. I know better than to touch the meatloaf without clearance."

He is learning.

So I snapped some shots- you know, really getting up in the meatloaf's grill?

But this was a tough model.  The pictures were so... blah.

Tyra Banks would not be pleased.

"Ugh," I whined, "it's hard to make meatloaf sexy."

Mr. Vittles suggested I put some lingerie on it, but I'm not sure that would have helped.

Just now, I put up the two best pictures I took and asked him which he thought looked better - 1 or 2?

"I don't know," he said.  "They both look gross.  I guess the first one because it has noodles in it."

Encouraging!

So you'll just have to take my word for it.

I swear this meatloaf is hot.

Bacon Cheeseburger Turkey Meatloaf

• 2 large eggs 
• 1/4 C. ricotta cheese
  
• 1/4 C. milk
• 1/2 C. seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 T. ketchup
• 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T. mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/ 2 t. garlic powder
• 1/4 t. dried mustard
• 1/4 t. onion powder
• 1.3 lbs. ground turkey (prepackaged its usually this size, but anything around a pound is fine)
  
• 8-10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 4 oz. cheddar or your favorite cheese, grated (naturally, I used pepperjack for Mr. V)

Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Prepare pan for loaf (**see note below). Combine the eggs through the onion powder in a bowl and mix together.  Add bacon and cheddar cheese and mix.  Then add ground turkey and mix with your hands until incorporated well.

**You can put the meatloaf in a loaf pan or shallow pan if you want, but I'll tel you how I like to cook meatloaf - line a baking sheet with foil.  Place a cooling rack on top of it (like the kind you'd use to cool cookies) and place a sheet of foil over that as well.  (I would recommend non-stick - if you don't have it, then lightly spray the foil with non-stick spray).  Using the tip of a knife, punch small holes all over the middle of the foil like so, but maybe a little closer together in the middle:

The idea is to give the meatloaf support, but allow the fat to drip through so its not just sitting in grease (and also not have a huge mess to clean up!)

Bake 45 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare glaze in a small bowl or measuring cup & mix until smooth:

• 1/4 C. ketchup
• 1 T. spicy brown mustard
• 1 t. brown sugar
• 1 T. white vinegar
• 1 T. Frank's Sweet Chile sauce (optional)

Pour glaze over meatloaf and spread completely over the top.  Bake an additional 15 minutes, and remove from oven.  Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing & serving.


Recipe Heavily Adapted from Paula Deen on the Food Network

Sweet & Sour Chicken

To be honest, Chinese food is a tough one for me to replicate.

Or, should I say replicate well.

I feel like it's always better from a restaurant, so I usually steer clear of it altogether.

But a couple weeks ago, we had a break in the heat and I guess was feeling bold - so I decided to try my hand at making this chicken.

And oh my goodness.

The coating.  The frying.  The baking.

Sweet mother of chicken madness.

This dish seriously took me half the evening to make.

At the time, Mr. Vittles was helping my brother-in-law Nick Vittles change the tires on his truck (among other things that I can't even name).  They started tinkering about the same time I started cooking, so I figured they'd be ready to eat when dinner was done.

When the chicken came out of the oven, it looked good - but given my track record, I didn't know what to expect. 

I popped a hot, sticky niblet in my mouth and ... it was amazing. 

Barely able to contain my excitement, I set out the pan, along with some jasmine rice and sauteed snow peas with sesame, and leaned out the window.  "Dinner's ready!" I called.

Silence.

Then, "We're not ready yet.  Be there in a bit."

And... I went from flying high to crashing in a fiery wreck.  After all that work, I sat down to eat this ALONE.

Well not entirely alone, if you count the Real Housewives of New York...

"Bethenny, could you pass the snow peas?  Kelly, would you care for a Xanax with your chicken?"

It was downright depressing.

But, as promised, the guys came in about half an hour later - and even cold, said it tasted pretty incredible.

So if you want to try this recipe, learn from my mistakes.

Wait for an evening not only when you have lots of time, but also when your dinner partners are ready to chow down at a moment's notice :)

Sweet & Sour Chicken
   
Chicken:

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:

• ¾ cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons ketchup
• ½ cup vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced – about 6-8 minutes.

Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Spicy Tomato Sauce

Italian-Americans do not mess around when it comes to tomato sauce.

Or food in general, really.

My family is no different.  So before we get to the "vittles," here's a "bit" for you.

Shortly before our wedding, my grandmother Yaya Vittles had an unfortunate accident where she broke her hip... and within a matter of days, her body went into complete shut-down mode.

Things were looking pretty grim, so all her close family members were called to say their goodbyes.  Mr. V and I drove the three hours to see her in the hospital, and I was beside myself to see her slipping in and out of consciousness. 

However, while my dad and stepmom were visiting, she managed to bring some comic relief to an otherwise dreadful situation.

She was having a 'dream' where she was apparently home in her kitchen, making Sunday supper, and she barked out orders to my grandfather in her sleep.

"Pop, get the tomatoes!" she exclaimed.

Then, "I'm making the meatballs!" as she massaged the air with her hands, mixing the imaginary beef and bread crumbs.

Now that's what I like to call dedication.

Thankfully, she was right when she told me that "they can't kill an old horse."  Over eight months later, she is still going strong.  And... still pumping out the meatballs and sauce. 

But despite following her "recipe," mine never comes out as good as hers :( 

So I took the best elements from her sauce, as well as the best from another one of my favorites (Pappy V's) and merged them into my own glorious creation.

My dad makes a quick, spicy sauce where my grandmother makes a slow, mild sauce.

I ... make a slow, spicy sauce.

And not to toot my own horn or anything....

But it's awesome.

Mr. Vittles, who does not even really like pasta and sauce, also happens to think it's awesome.

Toot toot.

Let's hope you agree.

Spicy Tomato Sauce

• 3 T. olive oil
• 3-4 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 t. crushed red pepper*
• 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1/2 C. red wine
• 1 C. water
• 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 T. dried parsley
• 1 T. dried basil
• 2 heaping t. black pepper
• 1 heaping t. salt
• 1/2 t. onion powder
• 1/4 t. garlic powder

In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium-low.  Add garlic and crushed red pepper.  Oil should be hot enough for garlic to sizzle a bit, but not too hot that it burns.  Brown garlic slightly until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Add water, wine, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste and stir until heated thoroughly.  Add parsley, basil, salt, pepper, garlic & onion powders, and crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine.  Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to low.

Simmer on low for about an hour, stirring occasionally.  Serve with pasta, or use in place of jarred sauce in your favorite recipes.  Makes about 2 quarts.

*Note: Depending on how spicy you like it, you can use more or less red pepper.  The one teaspoon here gives it a pretty good kick, so I'd try that first before using more.  However, I would not recommend omitting it altogether unless you are adding meat to the sauce, which will give it some extra flavor. 

Original Recipe