Buffalo Chicken Roll-Ups

Buffalo Chicken Roll-Ups

I have been trying to come up with more chicken wing recipes. I thought and thought and got nothing. However, my mom was making tuna roll-ups and an idea crept into my head. How about wing roll-ups?

 

I made Buffalo Chicken Roll-Ups the first time using slices of chicken cold cuts. Not good. They didn’t have enough chicken. I also laid a slice of celery in the center of the second round. Not good. They had too much celery.  The third time, I think I got them pretty near perfect. I bought a rotisserie chicken and just pulled the chicken from it. My husband and my brother-in-law loved these.  I think you will, too.

 

I have some filling left over. I’m thinking of stuffing it into jalapeños and making Buffalo Chicken Poppers. I’ll let you know how those turn out.

 

 

Servings: About 24 pieces
Time: Active time 20 minutes; Refrigerate for at least an hour, Snacks in about an hour and half
Hardware:  Measuring cups and spoons, a mixer, a large mixing bowl, a silicone spatula plastic wrap, a wooden spoon and a serrated knife and cutting board, for serving you will need a small dipping bowl and a platter

 

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of softened cream cheese
• ½  cup wing sauce (I used Frank’s RedHot)
• 2 tablespoons of sour cream
• 2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken  
• 1 of cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper
• 4 large flour tortillas (8 inch)
• Ranch dressing for dipping

1. Mix the softened cream cheese, wing sauce, and sour cream until everything is completely combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
2. Fold the chicken and cheddar cheese into the cream cheese mixture until they are combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
3. Lay a tortilla onto a flat surface and cover it with ¼ of the chicken mixture. Spread the mixture evenly over the entire tortilla, getting as close to the edge as you can.
4. Start at the edge and roll the tortilla up as tightly as possible. Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least an hour. I like to make these a day early and slice them right before serving. Repeat this process with the other 3 tortillas.
5. When you are ready to serve the roll-ups, unwrap them and place them seam side down onto a cutting board. Slice each log into 8-9 rounds. I have found that using a serrated knife works best for getting smooth edges and cutting through.
6. To serve, fill a small bowl with ranch dressing. Place the bowl in the middle of the platter. Stack the roll-ups, cut side down, around the bowl of dressing. I serve mine with slices of celery.

 

 

Cheesesteak Sliders

Cheesesteak Sliders

The holidays are  always crazy busy. I wanted a quick, easy snack that both my mom and husband would eat. Enter the Cheesesteak Slider. These were so tasty that I made them again later in the week.

 

I used to date a guy from Philadelphia. When we visited his family, we went downtown and had a Cheesesteak. Believe it or not, all the venders were using Cheez Whiz. You can use American cheese if you want, but for authenticity (and speed and ease) use the bright yellow stuff from the jar. Trust me. You can also add sautéed mushrooms if you wish. Just make sure to drain them and chop them up before adding them with the peppers and onions.

 

You can serve these as a snack, as an appetizer at your socially distanced New Year's Eve bonfire or as a meal. If you enjoy these try my Italian Sausage and Pepper Sliders  or my Chicken Taco Sliders.

Servings: 12 sliders
Time:  Active time 20 minutes; Cook: 35 Minutes, Sandwiches in about an hour
Hardware:  A cutting board and knives, measuring cups and spoons, a microwave safe bowl, a second bowl, a serrated knife, a silicone spatula, tongs, a wooden spoon, a pastry brush, a skillet, an 8x11.5 glass baking dish, and foil

Ingredients

• 1-12 pack of King’s Hawaiian Rolls
• 1 stick of butter
• Olive oil for the bottom of the skillet
• 1 bell pepper (8-10 ounces)-I used different colored baby bells for color
• 1 small onion (4 ounces)
• 1-pound roast beef cold cuts (I used Boar’s Head Londonport)
• ½ cup Cheeze Whiz

1.  Melt the butter in the microwave safe bowl. Preheat the oven to 350˚.
2. Roughly chop the onions and pepper into small chunks. Heat the oil over medium. Cook the peppers and onions until they are the desired tenderness. Remove them to the second bowl.
3. Roughly chop the cold cuts. I find this easiest to do by rolling it up and  slicing it in one direction and then the other direction.
4. With a large, serrated knife cut the rolls in half horizontally. Don’t separate the rolls. You are creating one large top slab and one large bottom slab.
   
   
   
5. Lay a large piece of foil in the bottom of the baking dish. Place the bottom of the bread on the foil. Spread the chopped cold cuts evenly over the bread.
   
   
   Make sure to not pile all the meat in the middle but spread it out to the edges. Top the roast beef with the peppers and onions.
   
   
   Use the spatula to spread the top ‘half’ of the bread with Cheeze Whiz.
   
   
   Lay the top slab onto the bottom one. Pour the butter evenly over the sliders. Use the pastry brush to make sure all the bread is covered in butter. Seal the foil closed. You may need another sheet of foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
6. Allow the sliders to rest for 2-3 minutes. Following the outline of the top buns, use a serrated knife to slice into 12 sliders.
   
   
   
7. Serve warm.
   

Lemon Supreme Bundt Cake

Lemon Supreme Bundt Cake

 From scratch is best. Fresh is a necessity.These are the rules I live by. Today, I broke my own rules. I opened some boxes and jars and made this wonderful Lemon Supreme Bundt Cake. I did this because I am not a great baker. But I am adventurous and willing to take chances. A few years ago I made a Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze. This cake is basically a twist on that cake. It is really pretty and so, so delicious!

If lemons aren’t your thing, you could use an orange cake mix, vanilla pudding and orange marmalade. Strawberry cake mix, vanilla or cheesecake pudding and strawberry jam would also make a lovely cake. You could really use any flavor combination as long as you maintain the exact same measures. You can also skip the filling.

Serves: 10-14 slices
Time:  Active time 10 minutes; Cook: 60-70 Minutes: Cooling time: varies-cake in a few hours
Hardware: Measuring spoons and cups, 2 mixing bowls, mixer, rubber spatulas, a 9x3 Bundt pan and a gallon plastic bag, a microwave safe bowl, foil, Optional-a rolling pin or sturdy coffee cup, a gallon plastic bag, a knife, or  citrus peeler

 

Ingredients:

• Flour/butter for the Bundt pan
• 1 box of lemon cake mix (15.25 ounces)- I used Duncan Hines Perfectly Moist Lemon Supreme
• 1 package of lemon instant pudding (3.4 ounces) I used Jell-O Lemon
• ⅛ish teaspoon of salt (a little less)
• 1-16-ounce (pint) container of sour cream
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 5 ounces of lemon curd-I used Dickinson’s

………………

• 16 ounces jar of frosting -I used Duncan Hines Creamy Lemon Supreme
• A little milk
• Optional: Lemon Cooler Cookies -I used Pepperidge farm Snowball Citrus Cookies
• Optional-a lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter and flour the pan. Set aside.
2. In one bowl, mix the sour cream, eggs, and oil until completely combined. Wash the beaters. 
3.   In the other bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding and salt.
4.  Add the wet to the dry and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the bowl. Make sure that no dry ingredients are on the bottom.  Beat on high speed for about 2 minutes. Allow the mix to rest for about 15 minutes. While the batter is resting, pour the lemon curd into one of the plastic bags.
5.  Spoon about ⅓ of the batter the into prepared pan. Snip a corner from the curd filled bag. Pipe the curd around the cake. Make sure to keep the curd in the middle of the cake, away from either edge. Spoon the rest of the cake mix on top of the curd and allow to settle. Cover the bundt pan in foil.
6. Place the cake into the oven on the middle rack, bake for about 60-70 minutes. Turn the cake about half-way through baking and remove the foil. You can insert a knife close to the edge and it should come out clean. However, you may hit the lemon curd and so this method isn’t full proof. Just know your oven and begin checking at about 55 minutes.
7.  Cool the cake in the pan for about 10 minutes then cool it completely before frosting.
8. To make the glaze, place the frosting in a microwave proof bowl and add a little bit of milk. Microwave for 10 seconds and stir. If it isn’t the consistency you want, stir in a tiny bit more milk and microwave again. Do this until it is the consistency you want. If you get it too runny, you can add a little cream cheese or confectioners’ sugar.
9.  If you are using the cookies for decoration, place them into one of the plastic bags and crush them with the rolling pin or cup. Peel long strands of lemon peel. Pour the frosting over the cake and allow it to run down the sides. Sprinkle on the cookie crumbs and arrange the lemon peels on top of the cake.

 

Eggplant Rollatini

Eggplant Rollatini

When we were little, we were not dirt poor, but we weren’t rich either. As an inexpensive way to make us feel special, my mom allowed us to make the dinner menu on our birthdays. (Shout out to my sister Dana for always asking for cereal.) I asked for fried chicken livers and fried eggplant. My birthdays were not so popular with my siblings, but it was my day. And I do what I want.

Eggplant Rollatini is an homage to my birthday presents. No chicken livers, but lots of eggplant. 

Some people sprinkle salt on their eggplants and allow them to sweat and then dry them off as a first step. Unnecessary extra work. Those same people bread and fry their eggplant slices. I’m not sure why. Maybe they’re bored. But I like mine this way. You will, too.

 Servings: 6-8
Time:  Prep: 20 minutes; Cook: 40 minutes; Rollatini in an hour
Hardware: Cutting board and large knife, measuring cups and spoons, a bowl, 11.5’x13 inch baking dish

 

 

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants-1 ½ pounds
• Cooking spray
  
• Salt &  pepper
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• ½  cup mozzarella cheese
• ½ + ½  cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons of basil pesto (I always make my own)
• 3 cups of your favorite tomato sauce ( I used Mid’s Tomato Basil)
• Fresh basil for garnish
  

1. Preheat oven to 400˚. Wash the eggplant and remove any wax that might be on it. Slice it, long ways, into ⅓ inch thick slices.
2. Spray the baking sheet with cooking spray. I needed two, but you can cook it in batches.
3. Lay the eggplant slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
4. While the eggplant is baking, mix the ricotta cheese, ½ cup of the Parmesan, the egg and the pesto.
5. Spray the bottom of the glass baking dish with cooking spray.
6. Salt and pepper both sides of each slice of eggplant. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the cheese onto the eggplant and spread it out to the other end. Roll the eggplant slice up starting with the big end. Lay the roll seam side down into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices.
7. Pour the sauce over the eggplant. Use the spatula  to make sure that all the eggplant is covered in sauce. Bake for 30 minutes then cover the top with the rest of the parmesan cheese. Bake for 10 more minutes or until the top is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown. Serve warm.