Pins for Dinner, and Tact for a Snack

Popular Pinterest Dinners. Made. Eaten. Critiqued.

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Heirloom-Tomato Sandwich

Now I will forewarn you... this is not a vegetarian recipe, but I bet it could be adapted to meet a vegetarians needs. I was initially attracted to this recipe because it looks fairly easy. Like a fancy BLT, 86 L. Also, tarragon smells like black licorice... so I’m intrigued.

Ingredients

½ cup of mayonnaise

1 clove of garlic

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh tarragon

10 slices of prosciutto 

4 slices of bread

4 tablespoon softened butter

12 slices of heirloom tomatoes  

Sea Salt

Freshly ground pepper

How To:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Place prosciutto on a baking sheet and bake until crispy, about 12 to 15 minutes.

While baking, combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon. Set aside

Spread each slice of bread with butter on both sides

Grill on a pan over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes per side

Spread aioli over the toast

Place two slices of prosciutto down

Add 2-3 slices of tomato

Top with crumbled prosciutto, salt and pepper. 

Taste Test

This sandwich is great. The garlic is a little overwhelming, nothing to cry about, unless you have a date planned. I like the crispiness of the prosciutto, but I feel some green would make a nice addition.

For Next Time

A crisp romaine lettuce leaf, or skip the bread and make a simple lettuce wrap

A little less garlic

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7-Ingredient Easy Zuppa Toscana

This recipe originates from, Gimme Some Oven. Seriously,cutest name ever! Right? So, I’m really excited about this soup, well because I love soup! It looks good, and the ingredients made me hungry. Safe to say. we’re off to a pretty good start. 

Ingredients

1 pound ground hot/mild Italian sausage (I used hot)

1 small white onion, peeled and diced

4 cups quality chicken stock

1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced

1 bunch kale, roughly chopped 

1 pound potato gnocchi

1/2 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper

optional toppings: freshly shaved or grated Parmesan cheese, crumbled bacon

Directions

Add sausage and onions to a stock pot and cook on medium-high heat

Cook until the meat is browned and onions clear

Drain out excess grease

Add chicken stock and roasted red peppers to stock pot

Bring to a simmer on medium-high 

Upon simmering, add kale and gnocchi 

Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking for 5 minutes

Stir in heavy cream

Top with salt and pepper, to taste

Taste Test

Wow! I was excited for a reason! The Italian sausage adds just a hint of spice that is really enjoyable. The kale adds a little crunch that is a pleasant contrast to the chewy gnocchi. It’s not a heavy soup and will be great for spring nights. I did add the parmesan and bacon as a topper. It added a little extra oomph of flavor that was nice. I can’t wait to eat this for the whole week! 

For Next Time

N/A seriously... this is so good

Fun Tip: You can also refrigerate this in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Next On My Table...

                                  ...:::Heirloom-Tomato Sandwiches:::...

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Man Pleasing Chicken

This post hails from Witty in the City! Hey, I’m witty too! So, BRING IT ON Witty... 

Let’s see if your chicken is as pleasing as you say!

What You’ll Need

Chicken thighs- 1.5 lbs

Dijon mustard- 1/2 cup

Maple syrup- 1/4 cup

Rice vinegar- 1 tablespoon

Fresh rosemary

Salt and pepper

How To

Preheat your oven to 450º F 

Mix together dijon mustard, maple syrup, and rice vinegar

Put chicken thighs into a foil-lined or disposable oven-proof, 8×8 inch baking dish

Salt and pepper the thighs

Pour maple mustard mixture over them

Coat the thighs in the mixture 

Put the chicken thighs into the oven, and let them bake for 40 minutes

Spoon sauce over the tops of the chicken half way through

^ The Final Product ^

The Taste Test...&...For Next Time

 This week on Pins for Dinner I decided to publish a Podcast on my first bite, and the conscious stream of thoughts that came when eating the dish. 

^ What I’m Eating ^

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Visit Original Link

Next On My Table...

...:::Zuppa Tuscana:::...

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Loaded Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake

Well folks, it’s that time of the week again. With approximately 171,000 pins, I will be making the Loaded Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake by Bru Crew Life.  

I love all things potato: potato bread, potato pancakes, mashed potatoes... Now, before I have a Bubba moment, gnocchi is a potato dumpling. Here is a tip about these little potato wonders, they don’t take long to make. 

Once they hit the boiling water, they were done in around 5 minutes. I tell you this because, if you are like me,  you have never made gnocchi before. Mine came out a little mushy, so watch out!

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

3 cups gnocchi (17.6 oz. package) 2 cups frozen broccoli 2 cups cubed cooked chicken 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon 1 - 15 ounce jar Alfredo sauce 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions. Drain. Stir together the gnocchi, broccoli, chicken, bacon, and Alfredo sauce. Spoon into a casserole dish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes. Turn oven to broil for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown. Make sure you keep an eye on it because it will brown quickly. Serve immediately. Makes 6-8 servings.

(photo credit: insidebrucrewlife.com)

I followed the directions exactly, so no modifiers for this recipe. Also, the items were on the cheaper side to acquire, around $13. I already had chicken though. So like $20 for a meal that serves 6-8... not too shabby!

Taste Test

Chicken is tender and flavorful

Bacon adds just enough salt to the store bought alfredo

Overall flavor profile is nice

Lots ‘o mozzarella

Mushiness baked out of the gnocchi, for the most part

I went back for seconds :)

For Next Time

Mix some cheese in with the bake. Once the cheese topper cooled, it hardened and turned into a solid piece. It was hard to spoon out a second helping with cheese. 

Make my own alfredo, it’s not hard. 

Make more like a loaded baked potato, use a jack and cheddar cheese blend instead of mozzarella, and maybe a mac and cheese sauce instead of alfredo.

Next On My Table...

                                       ...:::Man-Pleasing Chicken:::...

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Rustic Arugula and Mushroom Pasta

We’re going vegetarian this week with Rustic Arugula and Mushroom Pasta! Pinned over 36,000 times, it meets Pins for Dinner’s qualifications to be made. 

Since I am a poor college student, I had to make a few tweaks to the recipe. I used baby portobello mushrooms, instead of the oyster mushrooms, and the cheapest chardonnay I could find, Barefoot. Finally, the ingredient list calls for olive oil (vegan option), but the instructions call for butter, so… I used butter, 2 tablespoons worth.

To start, sauté the onions in the butter. Then add the mushrooms, after 5 minutes. 

Don’t forget to wash your veggies! Pesticides can be harmful!

Add the tomatoes to the onions and mushroom and sauté. Stir occasionally, until the tomatoes burst. 

Then we add a ½ cup of the good stuff. Reduce until the sauce thickens.

Love that font Barefoot! 

Almost done! Stir in the pasta and arugula, voila! 

Super awesome looking, vegetarian, deliciousness is about to happen. 

I decided to top it off with a little pepper. 

Cheers! Now on to…

The Taste Test

For a pasta dish, this is very light 

Slightly bland

The tomatoes and the chardonnay are fantastic together

Take the recommendation of having a glass of chardonnay with dinner

For Next Time

Lemon pepper, the extra hint of citrus was refreshing

Scallops, asiago and bacon. Any protein really if you’re a carnivore. 

Rosemary or thyme

An artisan bread with butter, olive oil, and balsamic

Next On My Table...

                          …::: Loaded Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake:::...

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Twice-Baked Cauliflower Casserole

This week we’re jumping the low-carb and gluten-free bandwagon making this casserole. Mimicking twice baked potatoes, this recipe intrigued me when the websites mission is Deliciously Healthy Low-Carb Recipes. 

This casserole has been pinned over 300,000 times, leaving us with no choice but to make it. NO CHOICE I SAY! 

In the recipe, the ingredients are as listed:

1 large head cauliflower 4 oz. low fat cream cheese (do not use fat free) 1/2 cup low fat sour cream (do not use fat free) 1/4 cup minced green onions 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (If you only have finely grated Parmesan, use a bit less) 6 slices bacon, cooked until very crisp, fat blotted with paper towel and then crumbled 1 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese (I used Kraft 2% milk sharp cheddar)

This is where I’m confused, how healthy is this recipe? The only thing considered “good for me” is cauliflower, green onion, and maybe bacon (loosely based on skeptical research).

I followed the recipe, well, with one minor change. I had to use a metal baking dish instead of glass. Bake it an extra 10 minutes to achieve the melted glory you see below. 

Two of my favorite things all in one dish, cheese and bacon. They appear to have made a love child… no way something can be good, healthy, and cheesy. 

Taste Test

This recipe isn’t as good as its forefather, the twice baked potato, but it is tasty 

I could really taste the low fat-ness of the recipe (probably only detectable to those raised on full fat dairy products)

A lot of dairy… a lot

Cauliflower did mimic mash potato consistency well

Bacon and cheddar are always a solid decision

For Next Time

Use regular dairy products, if not used to lower fat ones. I could taste the difference. Maybe use one low fat and one regular to keep the dish healthier.

Make it for breakfast. It would pair nicely with a hash brown crust and some scrambled eggs. 

Use a little sour cream/cream cheese, and more cauliflower. I felt that the cauliflower was swimming in dairy. Cheese good, too much cream stuff with cheese, not as good. 

Next on my table…

                        …::: Arugula and Mushroom Rustic Pasta :::...

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Buffalo Chicken Beer Cheese Dip

BuzzFeed ranked this dip #2 on their article, “20 Recipies That Won Pinterest in 2013.″ I’ll try anything that wins Pinterest! 

For this dip, I actually followed all the instructions, and used no extra ingredients. 

Look at me living up to my blogs name!

Now… let’s get it on….. owwwwww!

Best be prepared, and double check all your items: Corn starch, mozzarella, parmesan, blue cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, chicken, beer, and buffalo sauce (they insisted on Frank’s). 

All my pans were dirty, so... I made the wok do. As people say, “necessity is the mother of invention”.

The beer I used was Boulevard Double Wide IPA. Sam’s Club has a great combo pack with: Double Wide, Wheat, Tasting Room Red and Blonde Ale. 

Now for the hard part, waiting on the oven to do its job. Bake my dinner!

Sprinkle the blue cheese crumbles on top, after it’s baked.

 Blow torch optional. I like melty blue cheese. 

Voila! 

This might be one of the best looking things I’ve ever made. But looks can be deceiving… 

Taste Test

Let us all bow to the Beeroness.

The Marvin Gaye reference is completely justified

This dip may replace all food… no such thing as too much dairy right? Revision, there is a thing as too much dairy. Found out the hard way. No regrets though!

We used tortilla chips and french loaf as our dippers… and sometimes, just a spoon.

For Next Time

Shred the chicken (a moment of silence for our lost chips)

Tad more wing sauce

Veggies for dippers

Green onion (flavor and color) 

Some COLD IPA for a complementary beverage

Next on My Table...

                             …:::Twice Baked Cauliflower Casserole:::... 

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Cajun Alfredo

One Pot Wonder Cajun Chicken Alfredo has been pinned 10,216 times, making this is a category MUST MAKE! 

As a college student, one pot recipes are a god send. They save you time cooking, and on clean up. However, being said college student, I have to work with what I got. 

Well, my roommates has shrimp in the freezer! Therefore, we’re making Cajun Shrimp Alfredo. 

I’ve never made an alfredo before, so this is a learning experience. Luckily, for everyone, I’ve seen it done at work.

The finished product looks pretty good, but how good?

Before I move onto the critique, a few words of advice: follow the recipe exactly. My roommate and I like spicy food, so we doubled the cajun seasoning. Bad decision. Too spicy*! 

*NOTE: If you find yourself in this situation, add a dab of sour cream to the pasta. It cools down the heat, and tastes great! Or, if you don’t have sour cream, you can add a little more milk and cheese to the pot. Allow it to simmer, and the sauce will dilute to a more tolerable level. 

Taste Test 

Overall, the dish was fantastic! 

The sauce simmered down beautifully, and coated the noodles perfectly

However…

‘Twas SPICY

I over cooked the shrimp

A little fishy for my taste. 

            Apparently, one pot wonders are not for shrimp

For Next Time

Follow the recipe

Add a little lemon

Cook the shrimp in a separate pan, and add to the pasta later

Add some vegetables, like onions or peas

Bread, garlic or butter

Next on My Table...

                           …:::Buffalo Chicken Beer Cheese Dip:::...

                                    In this household, dips = dinner.

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Lebanese Chicken

Weighing in at 2663 pins is Lebanese Baked Chicken! If you notice, I didn't include "baked" in the title. Well, that's because baking takes a while. "Ain't nobody got time for that!" 

As a college student, I'm lucky to have time to eat, let alone make food. Therefore, I used a crockpot. 

Also, I cut the recipe in half. A whole chicken is a lot for two people!

First things first, prep. You will need to chop your 3 potatoes, 4 garlic cloves, onion, tomato, and chicken. 

I rarely use fresh garlic when I cook. It's a pain to work with. So, I did a little research, and found a video on how to peel garlic in 10 seconds. Of course I tried it. 

I'll admit it took less time then peeling garlic by hand, but it did take longer than 10 seconds. Maybe because I had plastic bowls. It could also be my lack of upper body strength. Both? I'll let you choose. 

Finally, line your crockpot with just enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Toss all the ingredients in, and top it off with: lemon juice, oregano, a dollop of butter, and salt & pepper to taste. 

Give it a good stir and crank it to high for about 4 hours. Now go and live your life until it's done, or you're hungry. 

The finished product looks fairly similar to the Pinterest picture, so we're off to a good start. Sadly, since I used the crockpot, and skinless chicken breast, I forfeited the crispiness that baking would have accomplished. 

Taste Test

Lebanese Chicken is pretty darn good! 

The chicken was tender and juicy.

The flavors were light and not overwhelming.(I was worried about all the garlic)

2 out of 2 roommates agree, this will be made again!

For Next Time 

Add more lemon

Basil instead of oregano?

A glass of Sauvignon Blanc

Next On My Table...

                                               ...:::Cajun Pasta:::...

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Hungry?

All my popular dinner pins are found on the board Hungry?. This is my personal list of all the recipes I want to try. Follow me on Pinterest for more recipes ideas, and on Tumblr to learn what I thought of these popular dishes.