Perfect Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Did you ever have a craving that seem to never end? This was one of them! It all started with trying Wendy's Buffalo Dipped Chicken Sandwich. I was hooked, I think I almost ate that sandwich for 2 weeks straight for lunch and it was killing my wallet! So I decided to make my own, I even have my husband hooked. I knew Frank's Red Hot came out with a Buffalo Wing Sauce and thought that I could make my own Buffalo Chicken Sandwich which would be even better than Wendy's! So this is what I came up with and it's a hit at home. Both grilled or breaded chicken breasts work well with this. I have had both. I just saved my wallet with this recipe! ENJOY!

MAKES 4 SANDWICHES

4 hearty sandwich rolls
4 grilled or breaded chicken breasts thoroughly cooked
1 bottle Frank's® Redhot® Buffalo Wings Sauce
slices of provolone cheese (optional)
blue cheese crumbles (optional)
blue cheese dressing
tomato slices
lettuce leaves
sliced red onion

Cook chicken breasts either by breading or grilled.

Dip or baste chicken breasts with buffalo wing sauce.

Place chicken on roll and top with provolone cheese or blue cheese crumbles. Top with optional lettuce, tomato and red onion. Spread blue cheese dressing on top side of roll and cover sandwich.

Take a big bite and enjoy! You just ate one of my favorite sandwiches!

CHOMP CHOMP,
Annamaria

Taralli, The Italian Pretzel

A fellow blogger, Marcellina of Marcellina in Cucina posted some Ethnic type of pretzels and they reminded me of the Italian Pretzel called Taralli. There are different kinds of Taralli, one savory and one more on the sweet side. I have eaten so many of these pretzels that are usually made by my Aunts or my Godmother. We've had them at weddings, showers, snacking actually just about everywhere. They are crisp and peppery as well as the taste of caraway seeds. Some Italians make them without caraway seeds but some use both pepper and caraway. I've eaten so many of these because they become addicting, you just keep eating them and eating them. I love them and they are great to snack on. I remember going to my Godparent's house and my Godmother would have a basket of freshly made Taralli. So I share this recipe with you. This is a great recipe and the only thing that is time consuming is forming the pretzels. But eventually you'll get the hang of it. This is a recipe for the savory ones and a good amount to start off with. This is the version that is primarily used in Southern Italy especially in the Puglia region which my city Bari is in.

*I hope you try them Marcellina! =)

Savory Italian Taralli

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 Tbsp dry white wine
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbspn. ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil, extra virgin
dashes of fennel seeds (optional)

Sift flour, salt and black pepper onto large bowl.

Make a well in the center and add olive oil & use hands to mix, add dry white wine. Blend together and gradually form dough ball. Knead for about 5 minutes until soft dough ball forms & items are incorporated.

Place in bowl that has been coated very lightly olive oil.  Just a teaspoon.  Let dough rest.  Prepare surface to roll.

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Break off small pieces of dough and roll into ropes about 6 inches long. Form a ring and pinch edges together.

Fill a large saucepan half full of water; bring to a boil. Drop taralli into water and boil for 1 minute until rings float to top, move them off the bottom if they stick. Remove from water, they are done being boiled when they float, then transfer to dry on a sheet of parchment paper letting both sides dry.

Brush with olive oil and bake 350 degrees on parchment paper lined cookie sheets, turning a few times during baking until light to medium golden brown and crisp. 12-15 minutes. Let pretzels cool and store in an air tight container.

Buon Appetito!
Annamaria

Blue Ribbon Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

I have been making this cheesecake for years. It's my favorite one and an unforgettable one. This cheesecake won me a Blue Ribbon award through a Recipe Club, Just A Pinch. This was the very first recipe I posted on the site naturally since it was my favorite. During the time it was also the day of my Anniversary and my Daughter's birthday. So it was quite a surprise. I love sharing recipes and I do so at Just A Pinch. Now that I am blogging, I am going to be posting here all my favorite recipes that I have tried myself and love! So this I share with you, a recipe that means so much!




Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

CRUMB CRUST
1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 45 wafers crushed)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup butter, melted

CHEESECAKE
1 pkg 12 oz. package of semi sweet chocolate chips
3 pkgs 8 oz. packages of cream cheese softened
1 can 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract


Heat oven to 300°F. To make crust, stir together vanilla wafer crumbs, powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa and melted butter or margarine in medium bowl. Press firmly onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan and set aside.

Place chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl and Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1-1/2 minutes; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred.

Beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add melted chips, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Pour into prepared crust.

Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is set. Remove from oven to wire rack. With knife, loosen cake from side of pan. Cool completely; remove side of pan. Refrigerate several hours before serving. Garnish as desired. Cover; refrigerate leftover cheesecake.

Thank You Roz for featuring this on your Fresh Food Friday!  I am so appreciative that you did that!

  

Sweet Dreams,
Annamaria

Cheesy Creamy Vegetable Rice

My family always has to have a side dish or else dinner just isn't complete. I came up with this recipe from a mix of recipes. It's so good and such a comfort food, I could eat it everyday. The flavors are great together and it's so smooth and creamy and the vegetables give it great color and flavor. You can use any cooked vegetables you like. Adding corn or broccoli or even adding cooked diced chicken for a complete meal. I served this rice with breaded baked chicken and corn on the cob. It was delish!

Cheesy Creamy Vegetable Rice

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 envelope liption's onion soup mix
2 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice, then cooked according to package directions
1/2 cup water
1/2 pkg frozen peas and carrots
1 1/2 cups heddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cups freshly grated romano cheese (optional)
1/4 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
pepper to taste
dash garlic powder (optional

Preheat oven to 350'F. Bring a large pot filled with water to a boil that has been lightly salted. Add uncooked rice and cook rice until done according to packages directions.

In a large bowl mix both cans of creamed soups, cream cheese and envelope of onion soup mix. Add 1/2 cup of water. Then add frozen peas and carrots. Mix all ingredients.

Stir rice into soup mixture and add a 1/2 cup of cheese.

Place in a greased casserole dish and place in oven until casserole becomes bubbly. Add remaining 1/2 of cheese to the top of casserole or top with crushed Ritz crackers and bake until top is browned.

Have A Cheesy Day!
Annamaria

http://verygoodrecipes.com/saint-patrick-challenge

Saint-Patrick Challenge

on Very Good Recipes

Chocolate Almond Cookies

Chocolate Almond Cookies

These cookies are so good. They are chocolaty and moist. I love the texture and the taste especially since it has Almond Paste in the dough mix. They are easy to make and are sure to be a crowd or family and friend pleaser!

8 ounces Almond Paste
1 cup Butter
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
2 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
12 ounces (1 package) of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Toasted Almond Slivers (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Lay parchment paper on 2 large baking sheets.

Break almond paste into small pieces and place in medium-size bowl or container of food processor. Add butter and beat with electric mixer or process until mixture is creamy and smooth.

Add sugars, eggs and almond extract and beat or process until thoroughly blended.

Stir flour, baking soda, and salt until mixed. Add to almond mixture and stir until blended.

Stir in chocolate chips and toasted slivered almonds.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Depends on your oven. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.

When Busy & In A Pinch: Pita Pizzas are a way to go!

If you haven't thought of it or have had them then your missing out. We all want to make homemade pizza, but honestly sometimes it entails a lot of work especially if you make your own dough, sauce and cut up all your toppings.

When I was a kid, it seems that's where all my adventures in an Italian family and food, my dad was such a whiz in the kitchen. Many times he would go to Aladdin's Bakery in Cleveland which makes fresh baked Pitas after work because it would be on the way home or at the grocery store he would buy some pitas and my dad would make Pita Pizzas. I am telling you, it's great and healthy and the funny thing is, it tastes like authentic Italian Pizza from Italy.

In Italy, you won't find pan pizza, deep dish or regular crust. You get thin crisp pizzas that are soft in middle but crisp along the edges. When making Pita Pizzas you get that same texture and taste. My nephew Anthony loves it!

Now you can make your own sauce still or you can get a jar of pizza sauce, which we do a lot of the times. Our favorite is Mid's Pizza Sauce. Mid's might be hard to find. I am not sure if it's a local thing but some people I know in other states never heard of it. The make great spaghetti sauces too. I don't buy Prego or Ragu. If you do and your family likes it , more power to you. You have to understand, I am a full blooded Italian and using those brands is a no no. That's why I joke around and named my blog "It's In There..." Like Prego's motto ya know. Remember the commercials? Any way, if you never knew this before the word "Prego" in Italian means "You're Welcome". Funny huh? How does that have a connection with spaghetti sauce? So back to Mids. Honestly it's the closest thing I think as an authentic sauce. It's a little more expensive but really tasty!

So let's get to the process of the Pita Pizza.

-You'll need some Pita Bread (enough to feed whom you want, usually 2 per person is good but depending on your toppings will depend on how full you'll get.

-Sauce (Homemade or Store Bought)

-Shredded Cheese, now you can use a combo of cheeses. Cheddar and Mozzarella is one of my favorite combos on pizza, Provolone, Parmesan, etc...

-Then toppings:
Peppers, Onions, Artichokes, Capers, Mushrooms, Pepperoni, Italian Bulk Sausage, Anchovies (a shout out for my dad) and anything else you can think of.

Assemble the Pita pizza like you would a regular pizza, Bread, Sauce, Cheese and Toppings. If you are using raw meat like "Bob Evan Bulk Italian Sausage", then you just want to make the pieces small, like nibbles. This will ensure it cooks all the way. Peppers might take a little longer as well as onions. I prefer using fresh mushrooms instead of the canned ones. Way better and fresher and now you can buy them pre-sliced.

Bake them on Foil or Parchment Lined Baking Sheets at 350 Degrees Fahrenheit. Cook until thoroughly cooked if using raw meat or until cheese is melted.

You can make it as healthy or as over the top. This is also a great recipe for a for guests, you can prepare all your ingredients and put them in containers. Have everyone make their own Pita Pizza. It's a great social event and it gives everyone to be creative and have the toppings they want. Also great for Kid's Birthday Parties.

My husband loves them and he first had them when my dad made them. My husband who is the biggest pizza lover I know and he was so amazed when he first tried them He was like, Who would of thought? Well my dad did and we would gobble them up. I think my dad had fun making them. He got creative and it was quick which is great for a speedy meal for busy families.

So I didn't think I needed to make step by step pictures so I just took the pictures of the pizzas my husband made for himself. I think he tried to be creative with the sausage and pepperoni one by layering the 2 meats like eyeballs, at least that's what they looked like to me. But as you can see they look very tasty, they are.

Another great trick is, you can go as far as making dessert versions on Pita Pizzas. I love making a Smore one and a Nutella and Bananas one. With the smore one, just take a pita, put some chocolate chips on top. Cook until chocolate has melted. Then take it out of the oven and top with mini marshmallows and put back in the oven until marshmallows puff.

Nutella and Bananas you just want to spread Nutella on the Pita and then put sliced bananas and bake until warm and edges begin to crisp. Enjoy!

Either way you make them, your house will fill with the aroma of pizza. It might smell like you've been cooking for awhile but really you whipped something up almost as good as the real thing from the Pizzarias in Italy!

Buon Appetito!
Annamaria

Sometimes the Basics Are Good, Like Eating Mr. Hero

Do you ever feel hungry and just can't figure out what you want? That was how I was this afternoon. My daughter brought me a piece of paper to write down what I want so my hubby could go and get something for lunch. Thinking...Thinking...Thinking... Nothing came up. I didn't want McDonald's, Not Sonic which is so overhyped (did you ever notice the food on the Sonic commercials always look better than when you get it?), So didn't want Burger King, not Arby's, not Taco Hell, oh I mean Taco Bell or Long John Silvers. Nothing seamed good enough. Nothing I thought was at all wasting money or the havoc it would later cause to my stomach. Thinking... Thinking... Thinking... Then my daughter came upstairs and said, "Dad wanted to know if you wanted Mr. Hero's! Yes!!!! Oh I just imagined what I would get, Roman Burger minus the lettuce or a Grilled Chicken Philly. Lately, I've been craving meat so I my mouth was yearning to eat a Roman Burger. The great combos of flavors and waffle fries with cheese.

My hubby left and the kids and I awaited his return. We have a Mr. Hero that is a few blocks away from our house. Didn't think of it but glad Scott did. Scott always gets the Hot Buttered Cheesesteak. It's his favorite. Sofia wanted Mozzarella sticks. I know not a generally healthy food but rarely does she ever have that type of food so I thought why not. Johnny, my son just munches on what we have. But we don't feed our kids red meat so they munch on other things. When my husband and I are hungry, the kids are usually into just snacking, not a full meal. It's amazing how most of the time adult stomachs aren't in sync with kid's stomachs. At least my kids that is.

Now you are probably wondering why I would write a blog about Mr. Hero's? Well besides it's a Ohio staple, especially in Cleveland. But honestly they aren't all the same. As with most food servicing establishments, the slower the service or lack of customers, you tend to not find the freshest ingredients. I've been to a few different Mr. Hero's in my time and I would have to say the one just a few blocks by me is pretty good. Bread is always good, I can see them cook the food and they are really nice people. I've had at other Mr. Hero's where the sandwich isn't juicy and the bread was dry, probably past it's prime. I think this solely has to do with the lack of turnover of customers. More customers more demand of products. That's what I think of my Mr. Hero's. So I just thought if you live in the area, it's a good place to get good ol'Mr. Hero's.

My Roman Burger was good and juicy. I couldn't eat all my sandwich or my waffle fries. Save the sandwich for later. Fries just never taste good later or heated up. Although my kids don't reheated fries. Ewwww. So here's my sandwich, calling my tastebuds. So maybe this will get your thinking about getting Mr. Hero. Sometimes the basic food place can satisfy you without going to a restaurant and eating at some new and upcoming place. Back to the Basics is what I think it just as good.

Can you smell it, are you drooling???? Mmmmm, the Infamous Roman Burger!!!!

If you're ever in this area or live in this area and you want Mr. Hero, I highly recommend this location. Everything is really good there of course.



Web Site:
www.MrHero.com

Mr. Hero on Facebook:
Mr. Hero's Facebook

Til Next Time,
Annamaria