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Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Avocado and Chicken Tortas


1 fully ripened Mexican avocado
2 (6-inch) sandwich rolls (such as Portuguese or submarine rolls), halved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 ounces grilled chicken breast, sliced
1 cup shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
1 tomato, sliced
2/3 cup mashed black beans, divided
1/4 cup pickled jalapeño pepper slices
Cut lengthwise around middle of avocado; twist avocado to separate halves; strike pit with a knife
blade to remove; scoop out pulp with a spoon.
In a small bowl, mash avocado.
To assemble tortas: Spread mashed avocado on cut sides of rolls, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with
salt and pepper. On bottom halves, layer sliced chicken, lettuce, tomato, black beans and
jalapeño pepper slices. Firmly press tops of rolls on tortas.
Yield: 2 sandwiches

Avocado Bacon Sandwiches


1/4 pound bacon slices, chopped
1 ripe avocado
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons butter, softened
4 large slices whole wheat bread
Lemon twist and parsley sprig, to garnish
Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
Peel avocado, taking care not to remove bright green flesh just inside the skin. Cut in half and
remove seed. In a bowl, mash avocado, then stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Butter two slices of bread. Spread avocado mixture on buttered sides of 2 bread slices. Scatter
bacon over avocado. Cover with remaining bread slices, buttered sides down, and press
together.
Cut off bread crusts. Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles. Arrange on a serving plate, garnished
with a lemon twist and parsley sprig.

Avocado Chicken Melt

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 firm ripe avocado, peeled and sliced thin, divided
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
4 wheat bread slices, toasted
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup chopped sweet red bell pepper
Rinse chicken with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place between two sheets of plastic
wrap and pound to flatten to 1/4-inch thickness.
In resealable plastic bag, combine cornmeal and garlic salt. Add chicken; close bag and toss to
coat well. In large nonstick frying pan, heat oil. Cook chicken in hot oil for 2 minutes per side or
until lightly browned. Remove chicken from pan and place in shallow baking pan.
Place half of avocado slices over chicken and sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese. Bake at 350
degrees F for 15 minutes or until chicken is done and cheese is melted.
Place each chicken breast on a slice of toast. Top with remaining avocado slices. In small bowl,
combine yogurt and pepper; serve with chicken.
Yields 4 servings.

Avocado Quesadillas


2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 firm-ripe Haas avocado, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon chopped red onion
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 (6- to 7-inch) flour tortillas
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups coarsely grated Monterey jack cheese
Fresh cilantro sprigs (for garnish)
In a small bowl stir together tomatoes, avocado, onion, lemon juice and Tabasco sauce. Season
with salt and pepper.
In another small bowl stir together sour cream and cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat broiler. Put tortillas on a large baking sheet and brush tops with oil. Broil tortillas on a
rack set 2 to 4 inches from heat until pale golden. Turn tortillas and broil until other sides are pale
golden. Sprinkle tortillas evenly with cheese and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling. Spread
avocado mixture evenly over tortillas and top each with 1 of remaining tortillas, cheese side down,
to make 2 quesadillas. Transfer quesadillas to a cutting board and cut each into 4 wedges.
Top each wedge with a heaping teaspoon of sour cream mixture and garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Avocado Monte Cristo


A signature sandwich served west-coast style. Fresh avocados layered with turkey, Jalapeno
Jack cheese, cilantro and salsa.
Serves 12
3/4 cup garlic mayonnaise (aioli)
24 slices firm white sandwich bread
6 California avocados (3 pound)
48 (1 ounce) slices sliced roasted chicken or turkey (3 pound)
24 (1 ounce) slices sliced Jalapeno Jack cheese
16 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Unsalted butter, as needed
3 cups fresh fruit salsa of choice
12 fresh cilantro sprigs
Spread 1/2 tablespoon garlic mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread. Cover 12 slices of
bread with avocado slices. Top each with 2 slices of chicken or turkey and 1 slice cheese. Cover
each with remaining slice of bread, spread-side down, diagonally cut each in half. Reserve.
Beat together egg, milk, and salt; reserve. Dip 2 halves of a sandwich in egg mixture, coating
well. Brown in hot butter, about 2 minutes per side.
Serve with 1/4 cup fresh fruit salsa. Garnish with a cilantro sprig.

Monday, August 1, 2011

PIZZA HUT PIZZA DOUGH


1 1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/8 teaspoon MSG
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
(You may use all-purpose flour only for this recipe)

Bread machine: Add ingredients to machine bread pan in order
 given or as per
manufacturer's instructions. Set to 'dough' mode.

Food processor:
Place water, sugar, salt and olive oil in bowl of food processor
 and pulse
to dissolve sugar and salt. Add yeast, bread flour, all purpose
 flour other
dry ingredients. Process until a soft ball forms. Remove from
 machine and
allow to rest, covered with a tea towel, about 45 minutes.

Dough hook:
Place water, sugar, salt and olive oil in bowl of mixer and
dissolve sugar
and salt. Stir in yeast, bread flour, all purpose flour, other
 dry
ingredients and knead with dough hook to form a soft, but not-too
 sticky
dough (about 8 minutes). Remove from machine and allow to rest,
 covered with
a tea towel about 45 minutes.

By Hand:
In this case, use only all-purpose flour. Place water, sugar,
salt and olive
oil in bowl and dissolve sugar and salt. Stir in yeast, all purpose
 flour,
other dry ingredients and knead to form a soft, but not-too sticky
 dough
(about 8-l0 minutes). Allow to rest, covered with a tea towel about
 45
minutes.

(*) For a breadier pizza dough - depending on taste and recipe
 requirements,
you can add an additional 1/4 tsp. yeast.

Deflate dough very gently before using and allow it to rest a
further 15
minutes before using in a recipe. You may refrigerate dough in
 an oiled
plastic bag for up to two days.

PIZZA HUT CAVATINI


Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        WALDINE VAN GEFFEN
                        VGHC42A-----
   4       c            Uncooked assorted pasta --
                        Cook al dente
   2       lb           Ground round
   2       tb           Oil
   1 1/2   pk           Onion soup mix
  28       oz           Stewed tomatoes -- sliced
                        Styl
   1       cn           V-8 juice -- (6 ounces)
   1       lb           Jar Prego spaghetti sauce --
                        Flavored in meat
     1/2   c            Grape jelly
                        Mozzarella cheese
                        Provolone cheese

  Brown the meat in oil. Crumble with a fork, browning
  until the pink color disappears. Turn heat to low. Add
  remaining ingredients. Stir lightly to combine. Allow
  sauce to cook, uncovered about 20 minutes, but do not
  let it boil. Alternate layers of cooked pasta, the
  sauce and slices of  mozzarella and half the provolone
  ~ sufficiently to fill individualau  gratin dishes -
  or small oven-proof serving dishes.