Dinners for a Year and Beyond

Chicken Souvlaki Pitas

If - and that is a capital I capital F if - I am really organized in the morning, my dinner prep starts before I leave for work to cook for another family. But if the stars and moons align during my morning routine, I can chop a few vegetables, slice some chicken breasts or mix up a marinade to make dinner time a little less hurried.

Chicken Souvlaki Pitas were on my menu for Monday night's dinner. Lemon and oregano marinated chicken was grilled and tucked into pitas along with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers and drizzled with a Greek yogurt dressing. I managed to mix up the marinade in the morning so the chicken could benefit from a long soak. Even if your chicken marinates for as little as 30 minutes just before grilling, it will still have have loads of flavor.

This is one of those meals that can be tailored to the quirky flavor preferences of your family. Your "No Thank You Boy" can eat just the chicken. The starving softball player will eat two loaded pitas with all that is offered. And The Husband that is working late will have a dinner that tastes like it was just made after a quick reheat of the grilled lemon chicken in the microwave.

And if you can manage to grill up a couple extra chicken breasts and chop some additional vegetables, you will have tomorrow's lunch waiting in the refrigerator in the morning. It will be a lunch your co-workers will envy.

Chicken Souvlaki Pitas

adapted from this recipe in the March 2011 issue of Cooking Light magazine

makes 8 half pita sandwiches

1 (6 ounce) container plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup shredded cucumber
1/4 cup lemon juice, divided
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless and sliced into thin fillets
4 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
shredded lettuce
chopped cherry tomatoes
thinly sliced cucumber
thinly sliced red onion

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and garlic salt. Set aside.

In a large resealable bag, combine the remaining lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and seal bag. Make sure the marinade covers all the chicken. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 30 minutes up to overnight.

Heat a grill pan to medium high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for about 2 minutes per side or until the chicken is just cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and cover with foil.

To serve, open one of the pita halves and fill with some of the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions. Slice the chicken in thin pieces and add some to the pita. Drizzle with the cucumber sauce and serve. Fill the remaining pitas in the same manner.

Beef Tenderloin Bites with Spicy Chile Jelly

Beef Tenderloin Bites with Chile Jam

I got flack from my brother-in-law the cattleman for my Meatless Monday post on Facebook that I was making a meatless spinach lasagna for dinner. In honor of him and his cattle at Golden Oaks Beef, I present the recipe for Beef Tenderloin Bites with Spicy Chile Jelly.

I prepared this entree for a personal chef client this week. Cubed beef tenderloin is marinated in spicy Asian chili and soy sauces then quickly cooked and tossed with red pepper jelly. The dish contains the flavor combination of spicy, sweet and salty which is definitely a tasty one.

With the short marinating time and less than 5 minutes to cook, dinner will be ready in no time at all. Add a side of rice combined with steamed carrots and peas and it is time to eat.

Enjoy!

Beef Tenderloin Bites with Spicy Pepper Jelly

adapted from this recipe. Included in this dish are a couple items that you probably do not keep in your pantry but, they are widely available in the specialty food aisle of most grocery stores. Links are included to the brands that I used in making this dish.

serves 4

3 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1 1/2 lbs beef tenderloin, cut in 1-inch cubes (can substitute sirloin or strip steak also)
3 tablespoons spicy red pepper jelly
4 cups cooked rice, kept warm
3 scallions, thinly sliced

Combine chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a resealable bag and mix until thoroughly combined. Add cubed meat and toss to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook, heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a large nonstick frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add the meat and cook until brown and caramelized on all sides, about 3 minutes for medium rare. Add the pepper jelly and toss to coat. Remove from pan and serve over rice and sprinkled with the scallions.

Note - this is a favorite recipe of my personal chef clients. The dish can be made in advance and reheated when ready to serve. After preparing the dish, cool completely and package for the refrigerator. I like to package my prepared meals in these Pyrex dishesthat come with lids. When ready to serve, remove lid and cover with paper towel to prevent splatters in your microwave. Heat at 70% power for 30 second intervals, stirring to distribute the heat, until the meat is just heated through. You want to only reheat the meal, not cook it so using the 70% power is important. Remove from microwave and stir and serve.

Thanks to my personal chef friend Sandy Hall for suggesting the recipe.

Brown Sugar and Dijon Glazed Corned Beef and Cabbage with Red Potatoes

A traditional Irish dinner

As someone who is constantly testing, tweaking, and altering recipes, Brown Sugar and Dijon Glazed Corned Beef and Cabbage is one recipe that I dare not change. The Irish Husband requests that his homeland's meal not be tampered with. Not that his homeland is Ireland; he is actually from the suburbs of Chicago. But he is Irish all the same.

I typically thought that the traditional Irish dinner of boiled corned beef, cabbage, red potatoes, and carrots lacked flavor. Over the last 20 years, my recipe has evolved, and I inject flavor by adding sauerkraut to the simmering corned beef and adding a sweet and spicy glaze on top. With the addition of a loaf of Spotted Dog, dinner is complete.

And there are usually leftovers which make The Irish Husband very, very happy.

Brown Sugar and Dijon Glazed Corned Beef and Cabbage with Red Potatoes

Brown Sugar and Dijon Glazed Corned Beef and Cabbage with Red Potatoes

serves 5 with leftovers

4 lbs corned beef
1 (28 ounce) can sauerkraut
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
1 pound green cabbage, cut into 5 wedges
6 carrots, peeled and cut in 2 inch pieces
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Place corned beef, fat side up in a large stock pot and cover with water. Add the pickling spices if they were included with the corned beef and sauerkraut. Cover and simmer over low heat until beef is tender when pierced with a fork about 31/2 hours. Add the potatoes, cabbage, and carrots and continue simmering for an additional 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the cooked corned beef fat side up. Leave the vegetables in the pot while the corned beef is in the oven.

In a small bowl, combine the Dijon mustard and brown sugar. Spread the mixture over the top and sides of the corned beef. Bake in oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the the sauce begins to caramelize. Remove from the oven, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Transfer the corned beef to a cutting board and slice against the grain. Place on a platter and surround with the potatoes, cabbage, and carrots.

Chicken and Herb Stuffing Bake

Chicken and Stuffing Bake

I love a good casserole.

A one-dish meal that is soul-satisfying and stick-to-your-ribs.

Even though there have been glimpses of Spring, Winter is not quite ready to let go of its grip on northern New Jersey. With temperatures still dipping into the 30s at night and on some days, Chicken and Herb Stuffing Bake is a comforting dinner at the end of a long day.

Thumbs up from The Husband, My Oldest and Middle One. They are suckers for a gravy-filled dish reminiscent of Thanksgiving dinner. No Thank You Boy could do without the gravy and stuffing (2/3 of the dish). With a side of steamed green beans, (a vegetable on No Thank You Boy's approved list and one he will eat more than his typical "no thank you" bite) dinner is complete.

Hopefully the weather will be warming up and the daffodils will be poking their heads out. Then casseroles will be a distant memory until next Fall. Until then, Chicken and Herb Stuffing Bake will be a welcome dinner at our kitchen table.

Chicken and Herb Stuffing Bake

serves 4 generously

4 tablespoons butter
2 cups crimini or button mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 teaspoon sage
salt and pepper to taste
4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1/2 package (14 ounces) herb stuffing cubes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, melt butter and add the mushrooms, garlic and onion. Saute for 8 - 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are softened and the onions are just beginning to brown. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute or so. Slowly pour in the milk and water and add the bouillon cubes and sage. Continue stirring so the sauce does not have any lumps and the bouillon cubes dissolve. Cook the sauce for 4 - 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a 2 quart baking dish, place the chicken breasts and pour the sauce over. Top with the stuffing cubes and press down gently. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until the chicken has an internal temperature of about 165 degrees. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Sweet and Sour Pork with Snow Peas and Carrots

Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin with Snow Peas and Carrots

I loving getting mail and anxiously await the next magazine that arrives in my mailbox. Even with the endless supply of recipe websites and food blogs, I still prefer to thumb through a glossy magazine loaded with recipes, cooking tips and new product suggestions.

I received a subscription to Food Network Magazine this past Christmas and picked out several recipes to try from the January/February 2011 issue. The first recipe I prepared was for Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin with Snow Peas and Carrots.

It met many of my dinner requirements.

1. a fast prep time - about 25 minutes
2. most ingredients I have on hand and I only need to pick up a few items from the store
3. it is a cuisine I know my family loves - Asian
4. it is a one-pan dish loaded with vegetables
5. if there are any leftovers, the dish will reheat well

Not only was the entree beautiful to look at, it was delicious. The meat remains tender and the vegetables are slightly crisp. This variation of sweet and sour pork is a far cry from the sticky sweet version with deep fried pork from your local Chinese take out restaurant.

We have a winner!

Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin with Snow Peas and Carrots

adapted for this recipe from the January/February 2011 Food Network Magazine

serves 4

1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons sugar, plus a pinch
3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups of mushrooms, sliced
1 red pepper, cut in matchstick size pieces
2 carrots, thinly sliced
3 scallions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cups snow peas, cut in half
4 cups of cooked rice, kept warm

Toss the pork with 1/2 tablespoon vinegar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, the soy sauce, cornstarch, ketchup, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/3 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in another bowl.

Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the pork and slowly stir until it turns mostly opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Discard the oil and wipe out the skillet.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil in the skillet, then stir-fry the garlic with a pinch each of salt and sugar, 15 seconds. Add the mushrooms and red pepper and stir fry for 4 - 5 minutes. Add the carrots and scallions and stir-fry until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. (Add a little water if the garlic starts to stick to the skillet.) Add the pork, snow peas and soy sauce mixture; stir until the pork is cooked through and the sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes.

Serve pork and vegetables over warm rice.

Teriyaki Turkey Sliders

Raise your hand if you are looking for a quick dinner idea. I see all you hands raised and Teriyaki Turkey Sliders is just the recipe for you. Ground turkey is seasoned with hoisin and soy sauces and add an Asian twist to a typical burger. With a few minutes on the grill, dinner comes together quickly.

I enlisted the use of my grill pan because I still cannot quite get to the Weber grill on our snowy deck. Soon though. I think I will venture out there very soon. With our snowier than average winter, I have used my grill pan more and more and have found it to be a suitable stand in for the grill.

As an added bonus, I tacked on my recipe for Soy Slaw to complete the meal.

10 minutes of prep time and 6 - 8 minutes of grilling = dinner on the table. :)

Teriyaki Turkey Sliders

makes 8

1 pound ground turkey
3 scallions, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, plus extra for brushing on the sliders while grilling
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup panko
8 slider buns such as Martin's Dinner Rolls

In a large bowl, gently combine the ground turkey, scallions, 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, and panko. Form patties using approximately 1/4 cup of the turkey mixture.

Heat grill or grill pan to medium high heat and brush with a little olive oil. Add the sliders and grill for about 3 - 4 minutes. Flip and brush the sliders with the extra hoisin sauce. Grill for another 3 - 4 minutes. Remove from grill and serve on rolls.

Soy Slaw

serves 5

3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 10-ounce bag coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
1 cup cucumber, julienned
2 scallions, sliced thin
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Whisk together the peanut oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, mirin, and rice wine vinegar. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix, cucumbers, scallions, and cilantro. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Refrigerator until ready to serve.

Sweet Lemon and Soy Glazed Salmon

Dinner ready in less than 30 minutes is what I aim for on a weeknight.

And if most of my family likes what I have prepared, that is an extra bonus.

On this night, dinner was on the table in 25 minutes and most of the family commented that they would like to have Sweet Lemon and Soy Glazed Salmon again.

At least once a week we have seafood of some sort. Sweet Lemon and Soy Glazed Salmon are salmon fillets brushed with soy sauce and then glazed while roasting with a sweet lemon sauce. Served with rice pilaf and roasted asparagus and dinner was ready in no time at all.

A stressfree and delicious dinner for you to prepare for your family. Applause all around.

Sweet Lemon and Soy Salmon

adapted from a recipe in Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats: A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners

serves 5

olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
5 salmon fillets (6-ounces each)
lemon slices for serving

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a small saucepan over medium high heat, add the brown sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 4 - 5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is slightly thickened. Keep warm.

Heat a non stick saute pan to medium high heat and add 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Meanwhile, brush both sides of the salmon with the soy sauce. Add the fish to the pan and cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Flip the fish over, bush with some of the brown sugar and lemon sauce and transfer to roast in oven for an additional 5 - 6 minutes or until the fish is just cooked through.

Remove from the oven and brush with any remaining sauce and serve with lemon slices.

Asian Beef and Noodle Bowls

We have an Asian-inspired meal at least once a week. Typically it is a stir fry such as Beef and Sugar Snap Peas or Spicy Chicken and Broccoli. Or lettuce wraps such as Crispy Beef Lettuce Wraps and Barbecued Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps. But last night we had a new Asian dish. And it was speedy to prepare. It took less than 20 minutes to get dinner on the table! And it was healthy. And everyone liked Asian Noodle Bowls - a lot. And I am glad only 3 of the 5 of us were home for dinner because I have leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. There it is in the refrigerator - right next to the broccoli and in front of the yogurt.

Asian Beef and Noodle Bowls are part soup and part noodle dish. An array of colorful vegetables are sauteed crisp-tender in a large saute pan or wok and combined with noodles and barely cooked beef tenderloin and bathed in a brothy and slightly spicy soy sauce flavored soup. This dish is perfect for a weeknight dinner or for a little out of the ordinary entree to serve to friends.

Put Asian Beef and Noodle Bowls on your menu for next week. You will not be disappointed.

Asian Beef and Noodle Bowls

adapted from this recipe from the MyRecipes website

serves 5

8 ounces linguine
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 (14 1/4-ounce) cans low-salt beef broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons sherry
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons peanut oil
2 cups button mushrooms, sliced
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, cut in matchstick sized pieces
1/2 pound beef tenderloin, thinly sliced
3/4 cup diagonally cut green onions

Cook the linguine according to package directions; drain. Place in a large serving bowl and cover with foil.

Place garlic, red pepper flakes, broth, soy sauce, sherry, and brown sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Heat a large saute pan to medium high heat and add the peanut oil. Add mushrooms, carrots and red peppers and sauté for 4 - 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and broth mixture and bring to a simmer. Stir in the beef and cook for about 1 minute or until beef just begins to lose its pink color. Pour over the noodles and toss to combine. Top with green onions and serve immediately.

The Ultimate Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin

Most of my Saturday mornings start off with baking. I let the dogs out and hope this is the morning when one of them will finally bring the paper in for me. With my first cup of coffee in hand, I pick out which muffin, scone or coffee cake to bake.

Overripe bananas end up in my freezer. One of my brother-in-laws once commented that my sisters and I always have a bunch of black bananas in our freezers. Stop by any one of our homes and check the freezer. There is a 99% chance that you will find frozen bananas waiting to go in smoothies or better yet be the basis of the recipe for The Ultimate Banana Muffin.

I received this recipe from my friend Amy Baragar who I worked with at a small gourmet cafe in our town. We had a fun time cooking and baking together and would make batches and batches of these muffins. I was skeptical of the recipe at first for 2 reasons:

1. it contains no eggs
2. it calls for LOTS of bananas

But the recipe makes the moistest, bananaiest muffins I have ever tasted so I will never go back to my old recipe again. I like my muffins to be homemade but look professional so I use these muffin papers and this sanding sugar.

The next time you find you have a few black bananas on hand, whip up a batch of The Ultimate Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. If you are out of black bananas, stop by my freezer. I am sure I will have a bunch to lend you.

The Ultimate Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin

makes 14 muffins

2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil - I use extra light virgin olive oil
4 large, very, very ripe bananas
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
sanding sugar or Sugar In The Raw Turbinado Sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a regular sized muffin tin with muffin papers and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the oil; the batter will be very dry. Mash the bananas in a bowl and add them along with any of the accumulated juices and the chocolate chips to the flour mixture. Stir to combine.

Fill the muffin papers almost to the top and sprinkle with a generous amount of sanding sugar or Sugar in the Raw. Bake for 20 minutes rotating the pan once during baking. Let cool in the pan for 5 - 10 minutes then serve.

Pasta Fagioli

Some days, I barely have enough time to walk in the door before one of my kids is asking what's for dinner. After a long day of cooking for my EAT! personal chef clients, occasionally my brain has a hard time coming up with a meal to serve my family at dinner time.

Pasta Fagioli fits my criteria for an easy, healthy and satisfying weeknight meal. This thick, stew version of pasta e fagioli makes a great leftover. Double the recipe and just add a little more stock when reheating if it seems too dry.

Add this to next week's dinner menu.

Pasta Fagioli

adapted from this recipe in the December 2010 issue of Everyday Food

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 celery stalks, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 cup sweet onion, such as Vadalia, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

salt and ground pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1/4 cup shaved Parmesan for serving

1 cup small pasta, such as ditalini

1 can (15.5 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

In a medium sized pot, heat oil over medium. Add celery, carrots, onion, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 9 minutes. Add oregano, tomatoes, and broth. Increase heat to high and simmer rapidly until liquid thickens slightly, 5 minutes. Add pasta and cook, partially covered, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add beans and cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with shaved Parmesan.

Southwestern Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Chipolte Rice

Having a personal chef allows my clients pick and choose what meals they would like me to prepare for them. Unlike a restaurant menu which has a set list of entrees, my menu is limitless and always changing. One of my weekly clients enjoys the variety of entrees I have prepared for him. Since I began cooking for him over 4 months ago, I have yet to repeat a single entree. He enjoys opening his refrigerator and being pleasantly surprised at what he has in store for dinner for the week.

While I was recently cooking for him, he was reading over the menu that I had planned for the upcoming week.

"Oh. Finally a repeat," he commented sounding a little disappointed.

Ugh!!!!! No!!!! My mind began to race as I was deciding on what I was going to make with the ingredients I had on hand. I channeled my best impersonation of an Iron Chef and viola! Barbecued Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps were changed to Southwestern Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Chipolte Rice with spices in my chef kit and the remaining ingredients from other recipes I was preparing that day.

Near tragedy averted. And Southwestern Chicken Lettuce Wraps will be on my menu for other clients as well as for dinner for my family too.

If having a personal chef is not for you, Dinners for a Year and Beyond is a tremendous source for dinner recipe ideas. The recipes that appear in the blog are the same ones I make for my clients and family. If you are searching for easy recipes to make that are a little unique, Dinners for a Year and Beyond is the place to look for dinner ideas. Take a peak at some of the recipes. Give a few a try. And let me know how you like them.

Southwestern Chicken Lettuce Wraps

serves 4

1 cup jasmine rice

1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1/8 teaspoon chipolte powder

olive oil

1 pound chicken breast, boneless and skinless and cut in small pieces

1 small onion, small dice

1 red pepper, small dice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon chipolte powder

1/3 cup tomato sauce

salt

hot sauce to taste

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

lime

12 Romaine or bibb lettuce leaves

In a medium sized pot over high heat, add rice, chicken stock, and chipolte powder. Bring to a boil and then turn down heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and keep warm until serving.

Heat a large saute pan to medium high heat. Add about 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the hot pan and add the chicken. Cook the chicken for about 3 - 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onion, red pepper, garlic, cumin and chipolte powder and cook for an additional 3 - 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook for a minute or until heated through. Season to taste with salt and hot sauce. Stir in cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve in lettuce leaves with Chipolte Rice.

Caramelized Onion Patty Melt

New Jersey is home of the diner. Every town has a diner and many even have two. With menus containing 10 or more pages and endless dining options, there is hardly an entree, salad, breakfast item or dessert that is not offered. Have a taste for Peking duck at 2 am on a Tuesday? No problem. How about chocolate chip banana pancakes topped with whipped cream for dinner? Order up. They are available 24 hours a day. Have a hankering for a slice of key lime pie with merguine a mile high? The local New Jersey diner has key lime pie as well as apple cobbler, strawberry topped cheese cake, German chocolate cake and peanut butter pie too.

My Middle One is a burger aficionado and will order a burger for breakfast while the rest of the family is eating fluffy pancakes, eggs over easy with crispy hash browns and overstuffed omelets. In my December 2010 issue of Everyday Food, I spotted a recipe for a patty melt (a burger that is offered at every diner) and knew I had to make it for my daughter.

The patty melt is a diner staple. A thin burger is sandwiched between slices of bread along with caramelized onions and cheese and grilled in a saute pan just like a grilled cheese sandwich. This was a dinner I knew she would love. The lack of conversation at dinner was an indication that they thought my recreated diner entree was good as she and her sister enjoyed their patty melts. As they came up for air after finishing their dinners, they said they were good, really good.

It looks like I will be making Caramelized Onion Patty Melts again.

We had one extra patty melt that was wrapped up for later. That was 2 days ago so don't think that it is still in the refrigerator. It has already been eaten.

Caramelized Onion Patty Melt

Adapted from this recipe in the December 2010 issue of Everyday Food magazine

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 large Vadalia onion, slice thin

1 pound ground beef, 93% fat free

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

8 slices American cheese

8 slices white bread

butter

In a large saute pan over medium high heat add the olive oil, butter and onion. Saute for 10 - 15 minutes or until the onions a softened and are light brown. Remove from the pan to a plate and cover with foil.

In a bowl, combine the ground beef, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Form into 4 very thin patties. Heat the saute pan to medium high heat and add the patties. Depending on the size of your pan, it may be necessary to cook the patties in batches. Cook the patties for about 3 - 4 minutes per side. Remove from pan and wipe clean with paper towels.

For each patty melt, place two slices of bread on a work surface. Put a slice of American cheese on each slice of bread and top one slice with a patty. Put 1/4 of the caramelized onions on top of the patty and top with the other slice of bread with the cheese. Repeat the same process for the remaining patty melts.

Heat the saute pan to medium high and add about 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Cook the patty melts until lightly brown on each side and the cheese is melted, about 2 - 3 minutes for each side. Remove from pan and slice on a diagonal to serve.

Chicken with Shiitake Marsala

At least once a day I discuss what I am making for dinner with family, friends or even strangers at the grocery store. While chatting on the phone with a friend a couple days ago, I mentioned that I was making Chicken with Shiitake Marsala for dinner that evening.

"I am just making baked chicken," she commented. "Your dinner sounds too fancy and complicated to make for my family."

"Poppycock," I replied. (I really didn't say poppycock. I just like saying poppycock.) But I did explain to her that making something a little different for dinner was not difficult at all.

Most dinner entrees I prepare (and have posted on my blog) actually can be prepared in about a half hour. And my dinner making time is usually not a continuous chunk of time as I am also doing laundry, picking someone up from somewhere, and getting ready for the next day's personal chef client all at the same time. It is not rocket science to prepare a good dinner. It just takes a little planning to make dinner interesting.

Here is how I get dinner on the table during the week with have a minimum amount of thought and stress on my part.

On Sunday afternoon, I chose 3 entrees to make during the week. With leftovers and nightly activities, about 3 dinners is a good number for me to prepare between Monday and Friday. I hit the grocery store with my list and buy everything that will be needed for the meals. That way, I won't have to run to the store at 5 p.m. with the other harried dinner-makers to pick up a pound of ground beef or a package of mushrooms.

When it comes time to make dinner each night, I tape my recipe to the kitchen cabinet so I can refer to it and note any changes I have made along the way.

Chicken with Shiitake Marsala is a one pan dinner that was a snap to prepare. Don't let the fancy, restaurant-sounding name scare you from making this tender chicken entree with a Marsala sauce loaded with shiitake and crimini mushrooms. All the ingredients are readily available at your local grocery store so picking up the ingredients is a one-stop shop.

Our family enjoyed the Chicken with Shiitake Marsala along with steamed broccoli and cranberry brown rice (1 and 1/4 cups brown rice simmered for 45 minutes in 2 and 1/2 cups chicken stock and tossed with 1/2 cup dried cranberries the last 5 minutes of cooking) that was served along side.

The most glowing review came from My Oldest.

"Dinner was just bursting with flavors. From the sweet of the cranberries mixed with the brown rice to the garlic and mushrooms in the sauce on the chicken, it all went together well. And it was so colorful too."

Sounds like a restaurant review. Or maybe just an extremely hungry teenager.

Shake up dinner in your kitchen this week. Give Chicken and Shiitake Marsala a try for your family tonight.

Chicken with Shiitake Marsala

serves 5

olive oil
5 chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), boneless and skinless halves
salt
pepper
1/2 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 package (3.5 ounces) shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 package (10 ounces) crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 heaping tablespoon flour
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1 cup chicken stock, low sodium
1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 scallions, thinly sliced

Heat a large saute pan to medium high heat and add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for about 4 - 5 minutes per side or until just barely cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

In the same saute pan over medium high heat, add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the chopped onion, garlic, both types of mushrooms, and basil. Saute for 8 - 10 minutes or until the onions and mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle with the flour and cook for a minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the Marsala wine and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2 - 4 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Add the tomatoes and the chicken and continue cooking for about 5 minutes or until it is heated through. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve.