Coney Island Chili Cheese Fries & Dogs

Ok. So much craving. I just had to make this recipe happen. My version is actually kind of sacrilegious. . . I used a ton of dairy because it's rich, it's creamy, and it makes everything more delicious. Hope you enjoy it!

Beef Better Than Bullion

Olive Oil

Water

Ground Beef

Sour Cream

Cream Cheese

Salt

Cumin

Chili Powder

Garlic Powder

Diced Yellow Onion

Diced Tomato

-Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add a teaspoon or two of bullion until it starts breaking down. Add 1/2 cup of water and turn up the heat to medium-high. 

-Add beef and break down with a wooden spoon into small pieces. Cook all the way through. 

-Make well in center of beef and add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. 

-Add spices to taste and add several dollops of cream cheese and sour cream to the well. Stir dairy/spice mix into meat. 

-Add additional water and spices to taste and to achieve desired thickness.

-Add diced onions and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has cooked out. 

Hot Dogs

Buns (optional)

Shredded Cheddar

Diced Onion (I used green onions)

-Prepare hot dogs and fries however you want (I grilled my dogs and used frozen pre-prepared fries baked in the oven). 

-Melt cheese over fries and top with chili sauce.

-Top hot dogs with chili sauce, shredded cheese, onions, and whatever other toppings you like!

Beef & Potatoes with Spicy Cumin Sauce

Do you ever think up dinner ideas on your way home based solely on what's in the fridge? Well this was one of those nights. I love making up new recipes as I go, and I gota say, this recipe was a winner (though I've had my share of new recipe disasters). Without further ado:

Potatoes:

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Olive Oil

Salt

Garlic Powder

-Preheat oven to 425°

-Dice potatoes and toss in olive oil until well coated. 

-On a foil lined baking sheet, spread potatoes out to a single layer. 

-Sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. 

-Bake for ~45 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through. Flip occasionally and add more oil if necessary. 

-Optional: turn up the heat to 450° for the last 15 minutes for crispier potatoes. 

Beef: (start this when the potatoes are almost done)

Diced Red Meat (the good stuff)

Olive Oil

Salt

Lime

-Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. 

-Add meat and sprinkle with salt. 

-Flip occasionally until outside of beef is no longer pink. 

-Turn up heat and flash fry the outside until brown (do this as quickly as you can so the meat doesn't cook all the way through). 

-Place meat on top of potatoes and lightly squeeze a little lime juice on top. 

Cumin Sauce:

Olive Oil

Cumin

Chili Powder

Garlic Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Salt

Cream Cheese

Half & Half

Cilantro

-Use pan that was cooking the meat and add aditional olive oil if necessary (you don't want too much, just enough to cook the spices in so a few tablespoons)

-Add spices: use whatever combo you want, making the main ingredient the cumin. Add desired amount of heat with the cayenne pepper. 

-Once spices are stirred in and becoming aromatic, add the cream cheese and half & half (not too much liquid or it will be soupy). 

-Stir clots of cream cheese and help to break them down and blend into sauce. 

-Turn up the heat a little and allow to thicken (if you added too much liquid you can use cornstarch or similar to thicken). 

-Drizzle sauce on top of meat and potatoes and garnish with cilantro. 

As with most of my recipes, taste as you go to get your perfect blend!

Bunless Burgers, Veggie Kabobs, and Stuffed Shrooms

I set up my new grill and just had to test it out on this beautiful day! The mushrooms weren't made on the grill, but the other two courses were. Unfortunately, I didn't get a ton of pics today, as we were too hungry to appreciate the beauty, but more than appreciated the tastes!

Burgers:

One Large Yellow Onion

Butter

Olive Olive

Salt

1lb Beef (I like 85% / 15% fat ratio and grass fed)

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Chili Powder

Paprika

1 Egg

Cheese Slices (whatever variety you want)

-Quarter onion and then slice into thin strips. 

-On low to medium heat, sautee onion in butter and olive oil (1:1) sprinkle with salt to taste.

-Stir occasionally so that onions cook and carmelize evenly on all sides

-Mix together by hand all ingredients for burger patties. 

-Separate into four patties. 

-Grill on each side until cooked mostly through and then add cheese slices until melted. 

-Top burgers with carmelized onions and whatever other toppings you want!

Veggie Kabobs:

Yellow Squash, Sliced

Cherry Tomatoes

Red Onion, Sliced 

Orange Pepper, Sliced 

Olive Oil

White Wine Vinegar

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

-On skewers, alternate between veggies. 

-When skewers are complete, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and sprinkle with spices.

-Grill on both sides until cooked through. 

Stuffed Mushrooms:

Portobello Mushrooms, Small, Stems Removed 

Olive Oil

Panko Breadcrumbs

Green Onions, Finely Diced

Cooked Bacon, Finely Diced

Cream Cheese

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

-Preheat oven to 400°

-Spread olive oil on foil lined pan and coat mushrooms with oil. 

-Heat cream cheese until softened and mix with all other loose ingredients. 

-Fill mushrooms with breadcrumb mixture and drizzle with a little more olive oil.

-Bake for 30-40 minutes (until golden and delicious). 

Enjoy!!! 

Asparagus Ciabatta Flatbread

Sometimes I get these random food whimsies and I just go with it. Often it makes something good, but this particular recipe was incredible! I am so glad I just went with it, because this is so worth a repeat visit!!!

Ingredients:

Ciabatta Loaf (or other thin bread loaf)

Cream Cheese

Green Onions, Diced

Bacon

Asparagus, Chopped into 1/2-1 inch sections

Grape Tomatoes, Quartered

Salt

Garlic Powder

Fresh Lemon Juice

Italian Cheese Blend

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 400°

-Cut loaf in half length wise and spread cream cheese thickly on both halves. 

-Sprinkle gorgonzola and diced green onions on top of bread slices.

-In a pan, cook bacon through. Once it's done, put aside and add quartered tomatoes and chopped asparagus to the pan. 

-Season with salt and garlic powder. Once the bacon has cooled, dice it and add to the pan with asparagus. 

-Once the veggie mix has cooked through, remove from heat and pile on top of bread. 

-Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of asparagus and sprinkle Italian cheese on top. 

-Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is just getting crispy. 

Thai Red Curry with Chicken

This is an old favorite of mine, but now with The Whole30 twist. It came out a little soupy, but with the squash "noodles" it was perfect!

Squash "Noodles":

Spaghetti Squash

Olive Oil

Salt

-Preheat oven to 425°. 

-Cut squash in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds. 

-Coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. 

-Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. 

-Wrap tightly with foil and bake another 30 minutes. 

-Scoop out insides and separate squash into noodles. 

Curry Sauce:

Coconut Milk

Chicken Broth

Coconut Oil

Freshly Pressed Garlic

Red Curry Paste

Salt

Red Cayenne Pepper

-Add milk and broth to a saucepan at medium heat. 

-In a frying pan, melt a couple tablespoons of coconut oil. Add garlic and curry paste (I always end up using more than they recommend to get a strong curry flavor- a couple of tablespoons worth). Allow curry paste to become aromatic and add salt and cayenne pepper to taste. 

-Add oil mixture to the saucepan and whisk. Allow to thicken slightly (it won't get super thick w/o another agent such as xanthan gum, but I like it on the thin side). 

Chicken and Veggies:

Chicken Breast Tenders

Coconut Oil

Salt

Broccoli Florets 

Carrot "Straws"

Diced Red Pepper

Diced Green Onions

Bamboo Shoots

-Cook chicken in oil until done and add salt to taste. Cut chicken into strips and set aside

-Microwave broccoli until bright green. 

-Add other vegetables to pan and flip often. Cook vegetables for a few minutes and remove from heat before they get soft. Flash fry broccoli until coated with oil. 

-Spoon "noodles" onto a plate/bowl. 

-Cover with veggies. 

-Add chicken breast. 

-Ladle curry sauce on top. 

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

I'm on day 14 of my Whole30! Feeling generally pretty good and I still have the motivation to cook new things and experiment. 

I have always wanted to try making this dish, and I would have to say that overall, it was pretty easy and I would recommend it to everyone! I managed to get down to the farmer's market today and snagged some fresh and local ground beef from Olsen Farms :) Here is the original recipe I modified:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/spaghetti-squash-and-meatballs-recipe.html

"Spaghetti":

One Spaghetti Squash

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

-Preheat oven to 425°.

-Cut squash in half length-wise and scrape out the seeds.

-Sprinkle insides with salt, brush on a coat of olive oil, and place squash halves cut side up on a baking sheet. 

-Bake for 20 minutes and then cover tightly with foil and bake an additional 30 minutes. 

-Use a fork to scrape out the insides of the squash into a bowl. Toss with additional salt pepper and olive oil to taste.

Meatballs:

Ground Beef (~1lb)

2 Cloves of Garlic

Chives

Chopped Red Onion

1 Egg

Almond Meal

-Food process garlic, chives, and onion. Add to a bowl with meat. 

-Mix by hand and add egg and some almond meal until all ingredients are incorporated and sticking together (you won't need much almond meal).

-Form into balls and place on a baking sheet covered in foil. Bake for ~12 minutes at 425° or until cooked through and a little brown.  

Sauce:

Chives

1/4 C Red Onion

2 Cloves of Garlic

1 Stick of Chopped Celery

1 Chopped Carrot

Fresh Parsley

Fresh Oregano

2 Cans Diced Tomato

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

-In a saucepan, heat diced tomatoes and olive oil. 

-Food process first group of ingredients until a paste forms. Add to saucepan. 

-When the ingredients start to simmer, pour half of the tomato sauce in the food processor and blend until smooth.

-Add back to the pan and stir, allowing ingredients to simmer until excess water cooks off. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Sunday Dinner

Well, I made it to day 7 of The Whole30! So far, I feel really good. My energy levels are up, I'm sleeping better, and I feel the positive psychological impact of setting a goal and sticking to it! 

That aside, tonight I made a big old fashioned Sunday dinner :) I love drinking carbonated water as an alternative beverage and sometimes add lemon juice for flavor. 

Vegetable Soup:

Crimini Mushrooms 

Olive Oil

Vegetable or Other Stock (I used some leftover excess water/oil from my beef/cabbage dish the other day)

Canned Petite Diced Tomatoes

Diced Tomato (fresh)

Diced Celery

Diced Carrot

Diced Red Pepper

-Slice mushrooms and lightly fry over medium heat, adding a little bit of salt. 

-Put mushrooms in food processor until fairly smooth (it won't be perfectly pureed at this point). 

-Heat stock in a pan until simmering. Add mushroom puree to pan as well as 1/2 a can of petite diced tomatoes (you can add the whole can if you want).

-Cook for 10-15 minutes and then put the soup mixture back in the food processor. Blend until smooth. 

-Put soup back in the pan and add freshly diced vegetables. Cook until veggies are soft and add salt to taste. 

Baked Chicken:

Lemon

Capers

Chicken Parts (I chose legs with attached thigh)

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Finely Diced/Ground Thyme

-Slice lemons and lay flat on a pan covered in foil. Sprinkle capers on top. 

-Place chicken on top of lemon and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle herbs on top of the chicken. 

-Bake in oven at 425° for 15-20 minutes or until skin is browned and juices run clear. 

For extra sauce with chicken:

-Put chicken aside and cover in foil. Cook olive oil/chicken juice runoff with lemon and capers in a pan and allow to simmer. 

-Pour over chicken and serve. 

Cauliflower "Mashed Potatoes":

One Head of Cauliflower

Chives

Clarified Butter

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

-Remove most of the stem from cauliflower and cut into florets. Boil or steam cauliflower until tender (be careful not to overcook at this stage or else the mash will be runny). 

-Drain cauliflower in a metal collander and allow to completely drain and dry as much as possible to avoid excess water. 

-Put florets in food processor and mix until smooth. If you like it chunkier, you can use a masher instead at this stage- I might try that next time around!

-Add chives, butter, and seasonings to your taste and serve! (I added the chives into the food processor so it would be distributed without)

Brussel Sprouts:

Brussel Sprouts

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

-Cut the end of the stems off of each brussel sprout and remove any outer dirty or yellow leaves. 

-Cut brussel sprouts in half and add to a frying pan. 

-Add olive oil and salt and pepper to pan and lightly fry and brown brussel sprouts. 

-Add a little bit of water and cook for 10 minutes or until brussel sprouts are cooked through. 

Baked Chicken and Sautéed Arugula Tomato Salad

Right now I'm doing the Whole30 (day 4) and this recipe hit the spot :) my one regret? The absence of a nice glass of white wine with this meal. Oh, well! Enjoy one for me if you decide to make this. 

Baked Chicken:

Chicken Breast or Thigh

Olive Oil

Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper

Ground Thyme

-Preheat oven to 425°

-Place foil on a baking sheet and spread a thin layer of olive oil on it. Brush both sides of chicken with olive oil and sprinkle herbs on top. Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice on top. 

-Put in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until skin is browned and crispy and juices run clear.

Arugula Tomato Salad:

Arugula

Grape Tomatoes (Halved)

Olive Oil

Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

Pressed Garlic

Bacon ( I used Salted Pork in order to be Whole30 compliant)

Pine Nuts

Salt

-In a pan, fry bacon until crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.

-Add tomatoes to the pan. Fry for a minute or two and then add olive oil if needed and add lemon juice, garlic, and salt. 

-Dice bacon and add to the pan, stirring occasionally. 

-Add pine nuts and stir until mixed in and warm. 

-Add arugula to the pan and allow leaves to wilt.

-Remove from heat and serve!