Tuna Panini

from cooking light:

3 T finely chopped red onion
3 T mayo
1 t grated lemon rind
1/4 t fennel seeds, crushed
1/4 t pepper
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 (5 oz) cans albacore tuna in water, drained
8 sliced sourdough bread
4 sliced provolone cheese


1. combine first 7 ingredients in a bolw, stirring well. place 4 slices on work wurface, top each slice of bread with 1 cheese slice. divide tuna mixture evenly among bread slices, top each serving with 1 remaining bread slice.

2. heat a large skillet over medium heat. lightly coat sandwiches with cooking spray. place sandwiches in pan; top with another heavy skillet. cook 3 minutes per side or until golden.

serve with apple slices or tossed salad.

they were easy, quick, and delicious!

Pizza Rolls

from rachel ray:

kinda like a calzone, kinda like the pre-made pizza pockets you can buy, totally delicious!

1 c lukewarm water
1 1/4 t active dry yeast
2 1/2 c flour
1 t salt
evoo
2 cups pizza sauce
1/2 pound mozz cheese, shredded
1 large egg, lightly beaten


1. using mixer combine lukewarm water and yeast. let stand for 5 minutes. add the flour and salt and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and wraps around the hook, about 5 minutes. grease a large bowl with evoo, transfer the dough to the bowl and let rise, covered for 1 1/2 hours.

2. preheat oven to 375. in medium skillet warm up pizza sauce(i used some i had frozen from a previous pizza, and added browned ground turkey and onion)

3. punch down the risen dough and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. using a rolling pin, r oll out to a 12x16 inch rectangle. scatter the cheese on top, leaving a 1 1/2 inch border. spoon the meat sauce over the cheese. brush the border with the beaten egg and roll the dough up loosely, beginning at the short end. transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet, brush iwth more egg and cut 3 vents on top. bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes.

*i also think that using regular pizza sauce and then spreading pepperoni on it, then rolling would be yummy. or some veggies. or whatever you would use in a regular pizza.

crock Pot Chicken

My friend Jen posted this on her blog. I just made it and it is GOOOOOOD!! Thanks, Jen! I thought I'd repost it here since my sister may not see your blog. Moist, tender, juicy! I will finally trust myself to buy whole chickens again and not be so despairing because the oven didn't get it done on time. I jump started mine a little and cooked it on high for about an hour just because I was leery of the "low" setting. It turned out great. Esther ate a whole leg and a quarter of a breast! She must have been HUNGRY!!

Whole Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

Ingredients:

4 tsp salt

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 T. minced onion

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 large roasting chicken

1 C. sweet onion, chopped (I sliced mine)

1/2 of an onion to stuff in the cavity

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the spices.

2. Remove any giblets from chicken and clean chicken. Pat dry.

3. Rub spice mixture onto the chicken. If time allows, place in resealable plastic bag the night before.

4. When ready to cook, put sliced onion in bottom of crockpot.

Add chicken. No liquid is needed, the chicken will make it's own juices. (After cooking, save the juices and use or freeze as chicken broth!)

5. Cook on low 4-8 hours. (If you have a pop-up timer, that would be helpful. Otherwise, I just lifted the lid and tested using my meat thermometer around the 5 hour mark. It took my cooker 5.5 hours to cook the chicken.

Chocolate Velvet Pound Cake

DELICIOUS, MOIST, WOW!! Adrian ate 2 pieces and he never eats the cake-only the icing!!

1 1/2 c semisweet choco chips (I used dark choco bc I don't buy the semisweet often)

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups brown sugar

3 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

8 oz sour cream

1 cup hot water

2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Melt choco chips in the micro, stir until smooth

beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed for about 5 minutes or until well blended. add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.

sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. gradually add 1 cup hot water in a slow, steady stream, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla.

pour batter into greased and floured tube pan. bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes. cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. remove from pan and let cool on wire rack. sift powdered sugar over top of cake. serve with chocolate ganache and vanilla ice cream.

GANACHE

12 oz choco chips

1/2 cup whipping cream

3 T butter

microwave the chips and cream together until melted~1 minute, whisk in the butter. Let it cool for 30 minutes and then beat with a mixer for about 3-4 minutes.

YUMMY!