Main Dishes – Page 22 – The Pajama Chef

Taco Pizza

May 24, 2013January 5, 2017 Sarah

Some people are pizza purists, and some people are me. I like trying the most ridiculous and random types of pizza ever. My most recent favorite at a local pizza place? Pecans, sweet onion marmalade, gorgonzola and fresh rosemary. So, so good. That is definitely a combo I will be ordering again and maybe even recreating at home! And I am sure it’ll be nothing but good. But for now, this Taco Pizza I made from Budget Bytes is my favoritest homemade pizza of all time. A high honor, and for good reason.

Tacos and pizza are amazing on their own, and together in one dish is a party you don’t want to miss! Each bite has layers of hot and cold ingredients and is just so flavorful!

When thinking about this pizza, it’s hard to tell what the best part is–the refried bean/salsa sauce? The crunchy corn? The cheese? [oooh cause you can’t have pizza without cheese!] Or the fresh, cold pico, cilantro, and sour cream on top of it all? I’m not sure, but you pretty much can’t go wrong with this idea because it’s so versatile. Any taco filling would be fabulous on this pizza. I think next time I might add some shredded chicken and sauteed peppers and onions for a fajita-type pizza. Oooh! And chunks of avocado and a drizzle of guacamole salsa. That’s what I’m talking about!!

Even without meat though, this veggie pizza is super filling, and your family will be fighting over the leftovers. Ben and I sure were! Haha. Just kidding. I think.

It’s a good thing I didn’t make this yesterday on our fourth anniversary! 🙂 Instead, we spent the day picnicking at a local winery and enjoying each other’s company. Better than squabbling over a delicious pizza, methinks. Teeheehee. Hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Taco Pizza

Servings: 4-5
Time: 30-40 minutes
Print

from Budget Bytes
Ingredients:

1 batch pizza dough
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, minced + more for sprinkling
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 [15 ounce] can refried beans
1 cup salsa
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 1/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup corn
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together tomatoes, onion, and cilantro for pico de gallo. Add black pepper to taste, set aside.

Add oil to a small saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Then stir in beans, salsa, and taco seasoning and cook until heated and smooth. Remove from heat.

Roll out pizza dough on pizza pan, par-baking crust if desired for 5-7 minutes [I usually skip this step!]. Then remove from oven and top with bean mixture, cheese, and corn. Bake for another 10-12 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Top with pico de gallo, cilantro, and a drizzle of sour cream [spoon into ziploc bag, cut off the corner, and squeeze over pizza]. You can also add a dash of hot sauce if that’s your thing. Enjoy!

P.S. SHAMELESS PLUG! Please check out and like my new blog Facebook page… thanks!

Main Dishes, Recipes, Sandwiches and Wraps

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese

May 20, 2013May 24, 2013 Sarah

So, any other Call the Midwife fans out there? The season finale was last night–and oh my goodness!!! If you haven’t seen that show, you are missing out. It’s my newest love this spring–right up there with jalapeños, both of which are QUITE surprising because I never have liked medical-type shows and I certainly have NEVER been a spice kind of person. But now I crave it. Spice and midwifes. Mhmm.

The inspiration behind this incredibly cheesy, gooey grilled cheese with a kick is one of my absolute favorite restaurants, Scotty’s Brewhouse. Scotty’s is an Indiana chain and if we ever move from Indiana college towns I will be so super sad because pretty much everything there is great. From their waffle fries to their burgers to their salads, I’m just in love. We ate there at the end of April for my birthday and I randomly ordered this Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese. Why? I have no clue–it just sounded good. And it was good. So good in fact that I craved it for days on end, and was disappointed that this, of all times, was a date where Ben agreed to SHARE our entrees. He never wants to do that, but this time… man, what timing! Last week, I finally took it upon myself to recreate it at home. Allow me to introduce you to this masterpiece….!

It is basically grilled cheese to the max. EEEEK! I can’t even describe it any further except to say it’s just awesome and you need to try it, like now. Cheesy, spicy, gooey. What more do you need to know? It has four kinds of cheese–sharp cheddar, Monterrey Jack, cream cheese, AND a pub cheese spread, and it also is amped up with sweet sauteed onions, crisp bacon, and spicy jalapeños! I mean COME ON! I apologize for the excessive use of capitalization and exclamation, but what can you do when something is this amazing?! Have you ever had anything like this before? This isn’t a healthy grilled cheese at all… but you can indulge a little on a Monday. In my case, I’ll be needing it to drown my sorrows about the end of this season of Call the Midwife… but in Ben’s case, he’ll be drowning his sorrows about the fact that the show has been renewed for season three. YAY! [Oh boys and their squeamishness.] Enjoy!

P.S. SHAMELESS PLUG! Please check out and like my new blog Facebook page… pretty please with a cherry on top? And sprinkles? And jalapeños? I started the page back in 2011 but just started using it over the weekend. Ha! Thanks! 🙂

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese [a TPC original, inspired by Scotty’s Brewhouse]
click to print

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced Vidalia onion
2 jalapeños, thinly sliced [partially deseeded if desired]
4 slices whole wheat bread [or something that’s good for grilled cheese]
2 tablespoons softened butter [divided]
3-4 tablespoons cream cheese, softened [divided]
2 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, thinly sliced [divided]
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced [divided]
3-4 tablespoons cheddar cheese spread [I used Trader Joe’s pub cheese with jalapeños, but I think something like this recipe would work too] [divided]
3 slices of bacon, crisply cooked and chopped [divided]

Directions:

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add onion and jalapeños, and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft. Stir constantly, and if they start to burn, reduce heat slightly. Remove from heat and set aside.

Next, preheat grill pan or panini press–I used a panini press set on medium.

Butter one side of each piece of bread. Then assemble by spreading a layer of cream cheese on the non-buttered side of one piece of bread, topping with Monterrey Jack cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, bacon, and half of the onion/jalapeño mixture. Spread the cheddar cheese spread on the non-buttered side of another piece of bread, then place cheese spread on the onion/jalapeño mixture. This leaves the buttered sides on the outside. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Place on grill pan/panini press for about 5-6 minutes so cheese melts and outside gets crispy. Enjoy!

Time: 20 minutes.

Yield: 2 sandwiches.

Linked up with: Weekend Potluck.

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

Apple Cream Chicken

May 16, 2013May 17, 2013 Sarah

So, you know those amazing chicken dinners that look complicated and time consuming and fancy and are definitely worthy of a special occasion? Like your husband’s birthday [two months ago]? Well, this is one of them. Except… this can be made in under 30 minutes and really isn’t that complicated at all! Score! Less time on dinner equals more time watching episode after episode of 24, more time making birthday pie for the birthday boy, and more time writing my thesis. Except wait!!! My thesis is turned in, done, submitted online, and accepted. And I am graduated! You can now call me Sarah the Pajama Chef, MLS, MA. Woohoo!

To celebrate from afar, you should totally make this chicken. It’s creamy and sweet and just so good! It comes together in a snap, and let’s face it–apple cream sauce is a much better way to serve boring ‘ole chicken. When sliced sauteed apples are added to the mix as well, it’s even better!

If you’re not a fan of sweet main dishes, then I wouldn’t recommend this recipe. But if you are… waste no time in enjoying it! I’ve made it several times over the past few years and we pretty much never have leftovers. It is that good! Enjoy! 🙂

Apple Cream Chicken [adapted from The Taste of Home Cookbook]
click to print

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 small apples, thinly sliced [I used a Golden Delicious and a Gala]
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup fat free half and half
1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
hot cooked rice

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then brown chicken for 4 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, whisk together apple juice, lemon juice, rosemary, and pepper. Pour over chicken, then add apple slices to skillet.

Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and cook for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and cover to keep warm.

Stir together cornstarch and half and half, then add to liquid and apples in skillet. Bring to a boil, then cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add dried parsley, then return chicken to skillet and heat through.

Serve over hot cooked rice.

Time: 30 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings.

Linked up with Weekend Potluck.

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

Kale Fried Rice

April 29, 2013May 3, 2013 Sarah

I must say, I was a bit skeptical when I first saw this recipe posted on Kristin’s blog. I mean, fried rice is great and so is kale, but the two together? Kinda weird, eh? Umm, no. Turns out, most definitely not.

This is our new favorite dinner!! Well, maybe not our but most definitely mine. Ben likes it, but I devour it. What can I say? I know what I like. And I like this… this salty-sweet, nutty, garlicky, chewy fried rice starring everyone’s favorite healthy green–kale–and just enough egg and chicken ~~to make your manly man happy~~ for some filling protein.

I am hard-pressed to tell you just what’s so great about this dish. The sauce is pretty phenomenal. Made up of white cooking wine, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and… wait for it… MAPLE SYRUP [also known in our house as may-PELLL sir-RUUUUP. Yes, we are weird. Thanks for asking.], this sauce is pretty much incredible. It’s unmistakably Asian, but with a bit of unexpected sweetness. Totally craveable, I can see this being a great marinade for grilled chicken, tofu, or even some fish. Maybe add a little crushed red pepper… mmm, mmm.

Beyond the sauce, though, fried rice is a great easy weeknight dinner. It’s super quick, especially if you make the rice ahead of time [see the note at the end for details!]. Plus, it’s practically a one-skillet meal. The original recipe didn’t call for chicken or eggs, but I added them to make it a bit more filling. Totally not necessary though–it’s great without!! No matter how you make it, I seriously can’t get enough! I’ve made this for dinner two weeks in a row, and it’s on the menu plan again this week. I am hopelessly addicted. There are worse addictions, right? 🙂 Enjoy!!

P.S. If you missed it, be sure to check out my birthday post from Saturday… I turned 28 and have big culinary goals for the next 2 years in my 30 before 30 project. 🙂

Kale Fried Rice [adapted from Iowa Girl Eats]
click to print

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups brown rice
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
5 cups water
1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves torn into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken, shredded [I used some from a roasted chicken]
4 tablespoons white cooking wine
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 eggs, beaten
sesame seeds, for garnish
sliced green onions, for garnish ,

Directions:

Prepare rice in chicken broth according to package directions.***

After rice is almost done, bring water to boil in a large skillet or wok. Then add kale and reduce heat to medium, cooking for 4-5 minutes until tender. Drain kale in a colander set in the sink and leave to cool.

Return skillet to stove then heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, use a spatula to press as much water out of the draining kale as you can. A few presses against the side of the colander should squeeze out a lot of water.

After onion is soft, add garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add kale and chicken, and saute for 2 minutes.

Next, whisk together wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, and maple syrup.

Reduce heat to medium, then dd rice to skillet and toss to combine. Pour in sauce and toss again. Cover and cook until rice is heated through, about 5 minutes [note: this step is not necessary if rice has not been refrigerated.]

Lastly, make a hole in the center of the rice mixture and pour in the eggs. Quickly stir eggs into the rice mixture to incorporate, then cook for another 2 minutes to ensure eggs are fully cooked.

Serve with lots of sesame seeds and green onions as garnish!

Time: 20 minutes [if you make rice ahead of time], 60 minutes [if you make rice fresh].

Yield: 4 servings.

***Note: I usually make the rice a day or so ahead of time, as day-old refrigerated rice tends to work better for fried rice and this step takes 40-45 minutes.

Linked with: Weekend Potluck.

Beans, Main Dishes, Recipes

{Green} Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

April 22, 2013April 21, 2013 Sarah

Oops. After sharing that awesome guacamole salsa last week I never came back with these yummy vegetarian enchiladas! I was too busy finishing what I hope to be the FINAL draft of my thesis! Woohoo. But here they are now. GREEN enchiladas! How fun, methinks.

These enchiladas are pretty simple, but full of flavor. Refried beans–a healthy version–plus a dab of cream cheese for creaminess makes up the filling for the soft tortillas. Then these tortillas are basically bathed in that fresh guacamole salsa and topped with more cheese. Yum and yum and yum, right? Ben and I found them to be ridiculously addictive and filling… they were gone in three days, tops.

I know these enchiladas are far from traditional–no real enchilada sauce and flour tortillas instead of corn… but I hope you don’t mind too much, because they just taste so darn good. Plus they are pretty. Can’t beat pretty food! Enjoy! 🙂

{Green} Bean and Cheese Enchiladas
click to print

Ingredients:

1 batch Guacamole Salsa
2 1/2 cups refried beans – I used this awesome healthified version from Rachel Cooks
4 ounces cream cheese – I used Neufchâtel
8 soft tortillas
4 ounces shredded cheese – I used half Extra Sharp Cheddar, half Monterey Jack

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread 1 cup Guacamole Salsa in the bottom of a 9×13 pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together refried beans and cream cheese [microwave the beans first so the cream cheese melts]. Then divide the beans between the tortillas, roll up, and line in pan.

Top with another 1 1/2 cups Guacamole Salsa [or more if desired], then cover with shredded cheese.

Bake for 22-25 minutes or until heated through and cheese has melted.

Time: 30 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings.