Chicken Fontina Panini w/ Arugula & Roasted Pepper

So I was at a restaurant the other day, and I ordered a panini. The thing came out on a thick burger roll. No self-respectin' Italian would ever call that a panini. In Italy, the panini is a small and thin sandwich. maybe one or two slices of meat, cheese and a vegetable, usually on a ciabatta. This is an actually shot of paninis we had in Florence:

I was appalled and inspired to take matters into my own hands.

Thankfully, my husband was sweet enough to buy me this baby - The Griddler by Cuisinart!

It has a grill side, and a griddle side, and it opens flat for big breakfast foods like pancakes and french toast! I love it. And it makes paninis that you can call paninis.

Today, my first one was made like this:

• grilled chicken, sliced thin
• 1 roasted red pepper (peel off any skin)
• Arugula spread (or any jarred pesto is great!)
• fontina cheese
• arugula
• olive oil
• salt/pepper
• 2 slices of Tuscan Pane bread from Trader Joes
  

Take the arugula and drizzle with oil, and season with salt & pepper.
Spread the pesto on both slices, add chicken, roasted pepper, arugula mix, and cheese. Assemble the panini and place it on the grill till done. Great lunch!

I can't wait to try more with soprassata or proscuitto, and mozzerella & basil!

Shrimp Quesadilla

A quick, delicious lunch or dinner! I made this for Justice on my way out the door to dinner with the girlz - I had the guilties for leaving him hungry.

I had leftover shrimp from a Christmas gathering, and needed to use it up. You can make this with any filler, too.

• Olive Oil
• Juice from half a lime (or less)
• Kosher salt
• About 5-6 shrimp (cooked, and rough chop)
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Mix those ingredients above, and let soak in a small bowl while you prepare the rest.

• 1/4 of a green pepper
• 1/4 onion
• Adobo seasoning
• 1 TB veg oil

Get the oil heated over medium heat, and saute the pepper and onion til soft. Season with Adobo. Add the shrimp and saute til hot.

Assembly!

• 2 flour tortillas, brushed with oil (olive or veg is fine)
• black beans
• mexi-cheese (or your fave)

Get a clean skillet hot over medium heat. (if you have a grill pan, use that).
Brush the tortillas with oil and place the oil side down on a plate. Assemble by adding the shrimp mixture, beans, and cheese. top with other tortilla, oil side up.

Carefully flip the quesadilla from the plate to the skillet, this will take some trickery and minor acrobatics.   Brown both sides. Cut into triangles. Serve with cilantro-lime sour cream and salsa.

Cilantro-lime Sour Cream:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Juice 1/4 of a lime
• Kosher salt
• Chopped cilantro

Pasta Carbonara II

I really didn't want to mess with a classic, so I followed the classic recipe, adapted from Emeril Lagasse:

• 1/2 pound imported pancetta, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound fresh linguini, cooked al dente
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• Salt
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, cook the pancetta until crispy, about 6 minutes. Remove the pancetta and drain on paper towels. Pour off all of the oil except for 3 tablespoons. Add the garlic. Season with black pepper. Saute for 30 seconds. Add the crispy pancetta. Add a tiny bit of pasta water to deglaze the pan. Add the hot pasta. Saute for 1 minute. Season the eggs with salt. (If your eggs are COLD, and you are adding them to a hot pan, DO THIS: Add a couple spoonfuls pasta water to temper the eggs to a warmer temperature.) Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble. Add the cheese and re-season with salt and pepper. Mound into serving bowls and garnish with parsley.

Chicken with Wild Mushrooms over Orzo

Borrowed from Rachel Ray! Dee-lish.

• Salt
• 1/2 pound orzo pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 ounces
• Pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 12 cremini or baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 12 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
• 12 white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, a couple of sprigs, chopped
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, eyeball it
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream or half-and-half, a couple turns of the pan
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, a generous handful

Directions

Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add orzo pasta. Cook to al dente.

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.

Return the skillet to the heat, turn heat back a bit, and add the butter. Once the butter melts add the mushrooms and brown stirring occasionally for about 4 to 5 minutes. Once the mushrooms are brown season with salt and pepper then add the garlic, thyme and shallots. Cook stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes or until the shallots are wilted. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook 2 minutes more. Whisk in the stock, balsamic vinegar and the cream. Turn the heat up to high and simmer for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice the chicken on an angle. Add the parsley and the chicken back to the skillet to heat up, about 1 minute.

To serve, pile orzo on dinner plates and top with the sliced chicken and sauce.

New digs!

If you found me here, welcome! My old food blog was getting a little dusty, and it needed a change. Here, I'll give you a fun mix of my 2 favorite things: food and roller derby. Eating and hitting girls. Calories and hipchecks. Dig?

NOTE: kimdec.com will eventually be retired, and this domain will be cookinskates.com.

Thanks for hanging in there...I've missed you and cooking!