Heavenly Hummus Wrap (PW Recipe)

Hi y'all. This is not my original recipe, and it's so delicious exactly the way it's written that I really haven't changed anything. PW knows what she's doing. Which is, I guess, why Food Network deemed her worthy of her own show. And she has several cookbooks. And her own line of KitchenAid mixers. And dishes.

Let's face it. She's an empire. So who am I to mess with one of her recipes.

I have a thing about wraps, so when I saw her make this veggie wrap on her show, I knew I needed one. It's really delicious. There's just something about the cool and creamy hummus, the warm and sweet caramelized onions, the cool veggies, the salty bite of feta and the balsamic-dressed greens.

Mmmmm...I'd like one right this moment. But I've de-prioritized cooking this week year while I finished up my painting projects. I've nearly finished painting the main floor and gotten a start on the second floor. Whew.

Heavenly Hummus Wrap

Spinach wrap (sold where the tortillas are)
Hummus (I make it but you can buy it)
1 onion, sliced thin
2 tsp butter
Roasted red peppers, sliced
Canned quartered artichoke hearts, drained
Feta cheese, crumbled
Handful of leafy greens (spring mix, arugula, spinach, etc.)

Smooth a generous amount of hummus on the center of the tortilla. Caramelize the onions in the butter over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes or so until sweet and browned and delicious. Spread desired amount of onions on top of hummus. Next layer the roasted red peppers and artichoke hearts on top and sprinkle with feta. Toss the greens with balsamic dressing and place on top of the wrap. Roll it and enjoy!

Cheeseburger Pie

Hey.  Have you had this before?  It's certainly not my original recipe, but it is a good one.

My husband and I had this as an appetizer at a Christmas party.  I was all, "What is this stuff?  Where has this been all my life?"  It was during a reprieve from my nausea and I'm pretty sure I could have polished off at least half of the casserole dish.  By myself.  But I didn't, because that would have been embarrassing!

And I try not to embarrass myself more than necessary.

So I asked for the recipe and came home and made it.  It's a great appetizer.  It also makes a great dinner.  I probably don't even need to tell you that this was a huge hit with my husband and kids.

That's a no-brainer.

So it's just a layer of crescent rolls (don't you like where this is going), a layer of ground beef mixed with onion soup mix (I love that stuff), American cheese, pickles (hang with me here) and a top crust of crescent rolls.

Bake it and voila!  Cheeseburger pie. Portable.  Delicious.

And here's the kicker: it's generally called White Castle Casserole.  But I just can't do it.  I. Just Can't.  So I renamed it.  Some people apparently serve it with yellow mustard.  The mustard adds a nice tang but isn't required.  It's your call.

Aren't you glad to know that.

Cheeseburger Pie

2 8 oz. cans crescent roll sheets
1 1/3 lbs ground beef (I used 80/20)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
Dill pickle slices (enough to cover the surface of a 9x13 baking dish)
10-12 slices American cheese
Yellow mustard, for serving

Grease a 9x13 baking dish and fit one sheet (from one can) of crescent rolls in the bottom.

Meanwhile, brown the meat in a skillet and drain any excess fat.  Stir in the onion soup mix and combine well.  Sprinkle meat mixture on top of the crescent roll crust.

Evenly spread the pickles on top of the meat mixture.  Layer the cheese on top.  Use the second roll of crescent roll dough to form a crust on top.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until golden.  Serve with yellow mustard.

Turkey, Swiss & Cranberry Panini

You've just got to make this sandwich.  I promise you won't be disappointed.

And if you are, don't blame me.  It was all Pioneer Woman's idea to begin with.

In theory, this is the perfect sandwich for leftover turkey and cranberry sauce.

Which therein lies the problem.  I did not roast a turkey this year, as I never roast a turkey for Thanksgiving. Fortunately, I'm still in the stage of my life where I go to other people's houses for Thanksgiving dinner.  Like my aunt & uncle's.  Like my in-laws.

By default, I have no Thanksgiving leftovers.  But that's okay!  Because I went to the deli and got some sliced turkey and Swiss cheese and then I made my own cranberry sauce.  Only for this sandwich.

It's so worth it.

You can use a panini press or you can just toast the sandwich in a skillet like a grilled cheese.  I actually own a panini press but was too lazy to get it out.   Maybe I was tired from not cooking Thanksgiving dinner?  Not sure about my excuse on that one.

Just layer together butter (essential), bread, Dijon mustard (don't make the sandwich without Dijon...you'll totally regret it for the rest of your life), Swiss cheese, turkey, cranberry sauce and more Swiss.  Don't skimp on the Swiss or the mustard.  But don't overdo the cranberry sauce or you'll have a sliding mess of a sandwich.

Wow.  That was a lot of rules.  It really is an easy sandwich.  And absolutely delicious.  Worth making even if you have no Thanksgiving leftovers.  Worth making for the homemade cranberry sauce, actually.

I think I'm done now.

Turkey, Swiss & Cranberry Panini
Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Butter
2 slices bread (something good...this is not the time for squishy white bread...save that for PB&J)
Dijon mustard
2 nice slices of Swiss cheese
2-3 slices turkey
Cranberry sauce

Butter the bread on one side.  Smear Dijon on the other side.  Lay the bread, butter-side down, in a skillet (or in a panini press).  Layer on the Swiss, turkey, cranberry sauce, Swiss.  Smear Dijon mustard on the other piece of bread and place butter-side up.  Cook for about 5 minutes, medium-low heat, on each side.  You want the cheese to be melty, so you may need to cover it while it cooks to trap the heat and melt the cheese.

Serve immediately.  Then leave a comment that you loved it.

Cheeseburger Wraps

I suppose you could say I'm on a cheeseburger kick.

By the way, if you haven't made the Basil Burgers yet, go make them.  Now.  And then come back and read this.

Those burgers are SO GOOD!

But these wraps aren't about that post.  So I'll stop talking about the best burgers of my whole life.

And I'll tell you about these cheeseburger wraps.  They were great.  My kids all loved them.

It was a super easy way to make a cheeseburger.

And I don't need to remind you for the fifty-millionth time how much I love wraps.

There's just something about eating your dinner wrapped up in a tortilla.  I love it.

These had all the great flavor of a cheeseburger with a slightly different texture...browned beef and onions instead of a grilled patty; tortilla instead of a bun.

It's a twist on a cheeseburger. Very easy and delicious.   I'll definitely be making these again.  Soon.

Cheeseburger Wraps
Adapted from Six Sisters

1 lb. ground beef (I like 80/20)
1 onion, chopped small
3 T ketsup
2 T mustard
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
5 wraps (Flat Outs are good or you can use large tortillas)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Toppings: sliced tomato, shredded lettuce, pickles (or pickle relish)

Brown the beef and onion together, crumbling the beef, until cooked through.  Drain the grease and return the beef to the pan.  Add the ketsup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.  Combine well.

Spread the cheese evenly on the wraps.  Top with the ground beef mixture.  Top with the toppings.  Toast the wraps, seam side down, in a skillet or on a grill pan for a few minutes until the cheese is melted (I toasted mine for about 4 minutes/side and it was perfect).

Basil Burgers

Sometimes you just know when things are in your life to stay.

Like our house.  When we walked in the door, we knew it was our house.

Or like these burgers.  A little less expensive than a house, but (maybe?) equally life-changing.

My brother and sister-in-law brought this recipe on vacation this year...totally one of the best things I've ever eaten.  

In my life.

People.  I'm serious.

So it's an Italian burger - full of sundried tomatoes, pesto, garlic, etc., topped with provolone cheese and pesto mayonnaise.  On a toasted bun.  Lettuce and tomato optional.  It's like an Italian meatloaf on a bun.

My mouth is watering as I type this.  These burgers are beyond description.  They're super moist, beyond flavorful with the garlic, pesto, chewy and sweet sundried tomatoes...cheesy...

Mmmm.

By all means, make these.  You won't even believe how fabulous they are.

Basil Burgers
Adapted from Epicurious

For the burgers:
2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
1/4 cup white wine (could substitute chicken stock)
3 T pesto
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
8 sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, chopped
2 tsp garlic salt

For serving:
6 slices provolone cheese
6 large buns, split
6 tomato slices
12 basil leaves
Pesto Mayonnaise (3 T pesto whisked with 2/3 cup mayonnaise)

In a large bowl, mix together the beef, white wine, pesto, onion, breadcrumbs, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic salt.  Use your hands to combine (but don't overmix the burger mixture!) and then form into six equal patties. Make a small indentation in the middle of each burger (as they cook, the middle will puff slightly).

Grill burgers until nearly all pink is gone, 5-6 minutes on each side.  Don't squish the burgers with the spatula while they cook!  (If you press the burgers, the juice will run out and the burgers will be dry.)

Place the cheese on the burgers for about the last 30 seconds of grilling.  Toast the buns and assemble the burgers with the tomato slices, basil leaves and a generous dollop of pesto mayonnaise.

Chipotle Chicken Wraps

I've been loving wraps lately.  I try not to make them for dinner every night, but I totally could.

I saw a recipe for chipotle chicken salad on Pinterest and thought it was such a great idea!

So I made chipotle chicken salad my way and turned it into a wrap.  I was thrilled with the result, and my husband loved it too.

The chipotle pepper sauce is spicy but not hot (my husband doesn't do hot and it was good for him) and the lime juice and cilantro in chicken salad is fabulous.

And wrapped up with cheese, toasted until crisp?  Forget it.

Too good.  If Pithy's Kitchen ever becomes Pithy's Cafe, I'll put these on the menu.

Chipotle Chicken Wraps
Inspired by Simply Scratch

3 cups chopped cooked chicken (I used about 3/4 of a rotisserie chicken)
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped fine
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
2 T chipotle puree (also called chipotle salsa or adobo sauce)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Juice of one lime
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
5-6 large flour tortillas (burrito-size)
2 cups (about 8 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese (cheddar would also be good)

Place the chicken, celery, green onions and red pepper in a bowl.

Whisk together the mayo, sour cream, chipotle puree, salt, pepper, lime juice and chopped cilantro in another bowl.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and veggies and toss to combine.  You can eat this immediately or refrigerate it for a few hours first (I thought it was delicious both ways).

For the wraps, spread the cheese evenly over the center 2/3 of the tortillas.  Place a mound of the chicken salad in the middle and wrap it up like a burrito.

In a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat, place the burritos seam-side down and toast for about 5 minutes per side, until golden brown.  Slice in half and serve with salsa, guacamole or plain.

Thai Chicken Wraps

I have a whole list of things to post but I just bumped these wraps to the front of the list.

They were that good.

I made them for dinner tonight...we LOVED them!

I smashed two recipes together and this is the result.

There are a few steps, but they can be done ahead and then all wrapped together when you're ready to eat.

First, marinate the chicken for a few hours.  It was an amazingly flavorful marinade...and very quick and easy to whip together.

You'll need cilantro, limes and this little jar of red curry paste.  I found the curry paste on the Asian aisle at the regular grocery store.  I thought it might be spicy, but it wasn't.  (I would have liked a little more spice but didn't add red pepper flakes because my husband isn't as spicy as me.)  But it did give a great flavor and color to the chicken as it marinated.  So don't skip the red curry paste!

The chicken will tenderize as it cooks (thanks to the lime juice).  I cut the chicken into strips before tossing it into the marinade so that it would grill up super quick when I was ready.

While the chicken marinates, you can whip up the sauce.  The peanut sauce.  Ugh.  This sauce is beyond anything I can even describe.  So amazing.

I adore fresh ginger, and this sauce is packed with it.  Plus brown sugar, peanut butter (no, we're not making cookies here), garlic and more red curry sauce (I told you to get it!).

You can use a food processor to make the sauce (it'll make it super smooth) or you can just grate the ginger, garlic and shallot and whisk the sauce together.  I just used a whisk.

When you're ready to eat, grill the chicken (it cooks fast because it's cut into strips).

Now to build - layer the chicken, sauce, tons of fresh veggies, cilantro and peanuts in a wrap (I just used a large tortilla).  You could also use Bibb lettuce instead of a tortilla.

Please make these.  And please tell me if you love them.  And if you don't love them...well, just keep that to yourself.

Thai Chicken Wraps
Inspired by Rachael Ray and Simply So Good

Chicken:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3-4 strips each
1 bunch cilantro leaves, minced
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 red pepper flakes
1 T red curry paste (on the Asian aisle)

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup hot water
1 T red curry paste
2 T brown sugar
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 shallot, grated
2 T grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced

For Assembling the Wraps:
4 large (burrito-size) flour tortillas
1 seedless cucumber, sliced in half and then sliced into thin half-moons
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 bunch scallions, sliced thin
1/2 bunch cilantro, minced
2 large carrots, peeled and grated
1/3 cup peanuts

Mix the marinade ingredients in a gallon freezer bag.  Add the chicken and coat the pieces well.  Refrigerate for at least 6 hours (up to 12 hours).  Grill the chicken until cooked through when you are ready to assemble the wraps.

While the chicken marinates, whisk together the ingredients for the peanut sauce.  You can blend it in a food processor if you want it to be very smooth.

To assemble, layer the chicken and veggies in the middle of a tortilla.  Top with plenty of sauce and sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts.  Wrap and enjoy!