Barbecue Chicken Wrap with Swiss Cheese and Grilled Onions

I don't know if this is so much a recipe as it is a recommendation of flavors put together haha. I highly recommend it :) either as a sandwich, wrap, or a flatbread type wrap I like to make (seen above). I guess it's kind of like a pita.  Summer in a sandwich. 

It was blazing hot today but we stilled got out in the heat to grill. Well, my husband did... (Yay). I stayed inside and got everything else together. The thermostat, that I'm positive isn't accurate, said it was about 109 degrees on our patio. The misters my husband installed on our pergola for me were on twice today. So glad we have them. If you live in the desert and are outside in the summer I highly recommend installing some. That's two things I recommend today. This chicken and mist on the patio in the summer. 

Barbecue Chicken Wrap with Swiss Cheese and Grilled Onions 

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

3 chicken breast, salt and peppered

1/2 - 1 cup barbecue sauce

1 cup grated Swiss cheese

1/2 onion, sliced in rings

1 tsp olive oil

Tortilla wraps, pita bread, or flat bread

Toppings

4 cups chopped lettuce

3 cups chopped cucumber

1 cup sliced olives

Ranch dressing or mayonnaise 

Directions

Preheat the grill to 350-400 degrees.

Set burners to medium. 

Put onion in a plastic bag with oil and shake. Remove from bag onto grill in a grill basket. Or if you don't have a grill basket carefully place onions directly on grill. 

Place chicken on the grill and spoon one spoonful of BBQ sauce over the top. 

Close lid and cook 7 minutes.

Open and flip onions. If they are getting too charred remove or continue to grill with chicken. 

Flip chicken and spoon more BBQ sauce on the top. 

Sprinkle enough Swiss cheese on the chicken to just cover it.

Close lid and cook for another 7 minutes.

Remove chicken and onions.

Let chicken rest for 5 minutes

Slice chicken and build wraps.

Asparagus and Pea Pasta Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

With the 100 degree temperatures I need something cool for dinner. The vinaigrette turned out to be delicious with the pasta, and bread used to wipe my plate. The peas were a great sweet accent to the tart lemon. If you were to make dinner in less than 100 degree weather I'd say grill up some chicken to serve with it. But I'm too chicken for that right now. Or just too darn lazy :) This is what I call a happy summer meal. 

Asparagus and Pea Pasta Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette 

Serves 4-5 as a main course

Ingredients

1 lb pasta such as rigatoni or penne

1 bunch asparagus, sliced

1 small head romain lettuce, chopped

1 1/2 cup frozen petite peas, thawed

Vinaigrette 

Juice and zest of 2 lemons 

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon minced roasted garlic

1 heaping teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste

Pinch of fresh ground black pepper plus more to taste

Directions

Mix together all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar with a lid. Shake well. 

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the asparagus. 

Bring water back to a boil and allow to boil for about 30 seconds more temove from heat.

While keeping the water in the pot, remove asparagus to a colander and rinse with cold water. 

Bring the water back to a boil and add pasta and cook according to package instructions to al dente.

Put pasta, asparagus, and peas in a large bowl.

Pour half the vinaigrette over it and stir.

Refrigerate. 

Add lettuce and remainder of vinaigrette just before serving. 

Serve with chicken, fish, or just a little Parmesan. 

Tortillas

I love my griddle. I received it as a wedding gift from a friend 6 years ago and have used it close to every other week since then, if not more. And I think of her whenever I use it. Thanks Jen :)

I'm taking some enchiladas to a family in our neighborhood tonight and I should not have made these. I want to eat them right now. They might not get dinner tonight ;) 

I found this recipe via Pinterest on Annie's Eats  so go check her blog out. I've tried other tortilla recipes but for some reason they just weren't that good. These are good and easy! I used my food processor but a pastry cutter or even a fork will work to cut the fat into the flour. Today, they probably took me 30 minutes at the most. My 3 year old loved watching the dough spin in the food processor. Then, after I divided the dough, I helped him off to his nap while the dough rested. I then came back to roll out and cook them. Simple :) and so worth it. 

Tortillas adapted from Annie's Eats

Makes 12, 8-9 inch tortillas

Ingredients 

3 cups flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter (or shortening) 

3/4-1 cup cold water

Directions 

Place flour, baking powder, salt and butter into a food processor and pulse about 5 times (with dough blade and dough button pressed) until it is mixed like sand. 

Turn on the processor and slowly stream in the water. Mix until the dough is in one large ball. If it's too wet add just a tablespoon of flour at a time.

Remove from bowl and divide into 12 equal pieces.

Let it rest covered with a clean kitchen towel for 10 minites.

Heat griddle to 325 degrees or pan to medium heat. 

Roll out dough balls on well flour surface to about a 8-9 inch circle. 

Cook on one side until lots of small bubbles form and flip. Maybe 30 seconds or so.

Finish cooking the other side until it's lightly browned. Maybe 30 seconds to a minute. Not too long or they will be too crispy to fold. Just keep an eye on them and you'll be good to go. 

Put them in a plate and cover with a clean towel. 

They also freeze well. 

Yum

Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps

I'm always trying to find different ways to use ground beef. I love chili, tacos, hamburgers, and meatloaf but I need more variety. I've been hesitant in the past to use ground beef in asain dishes because, I don't know, it just seems weird to me. Turns out these lettuce wraps are not weird at all, and delicious! Seriously, such an easy meal. Minimal effort, great flavor. 

*Side note - I really am sorry my photography skills are not very good! With two kids at my feet all day I lose my patience with trying to get the perfect picture :) 

Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 lg carrots, peeled and grated

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 head romain or other crisp lettuce

1 lb lean ground beef

Salt and pepper

1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 cup thinly sliced cabbage

2 green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Dash or 2 of Tabasco sauce (I like a lot)

Juice of one lime 

2 cups cooked jasmine rice (optional)

Directions

In a small bowl stir together the carrots and vinegar and set aside. 

In another small bowl, stir together brown sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, Tabasco, and lime juice. Set aside. 

Heat a large pan over medium high heat. 

Salt and pepper the beef and add to the pan. When it's about half way done stir in the garlic and red pepper. Allow them to cook for a minute or two just to finish off cooking the beef.

Just as all the pink in the meat disappears, stir in the soy sauce mixture. 

Stir in the cabbage and cook just until it starts to wilt and soften, not very long.

Remove from heat and stir in the green onions. 

Serve while it's hot. 

Allow everyone to fill their own lettuce cups, beginning with beef, and topping it off with a small spoonful of carrots. I like mine with jasmine rice in it as well, or it can just be a side. 

Yum, enjoy!

Roasted Tomato Crostini with Basil Cream Cheese

This is what you call "let's see what we have in the fridge".  A baguette that was meant for another meal, left over tomatoes, feta, and some cream cheese. My 3 year old kept asking for more. He's not really a picky eater so that may not mean much. :) But in all seriousness, it's so easy and good as a simple appetizer or light dinner. It's easy to make the cheese ahead of time so, really, all you have to do is pull the tomatoes out of the oven and top the crostini. Easy. I'd say be liberal with the cheese to help act as a barrier to the tomatoes so it doesn't get the bread soggy... and because it's good. If you aren't serving a crowd, just halve the recipe and just use one baguette, or don't, I guess. 

Roasted Tomato Crostini with Basil Cream Cheese

Makes about 40 crostini (from 2 baguettes)

Ingredients

2 baguettes

3 12 oz containers cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 oz cream cheese

4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

4 tablespoons chopped basil

Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

In a 9x13 glass baking dish, coat tomatoes with the olive oil. 

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir and shake the pan to level the tomatoes out.

Roast for about an hour and a half, checking and stirring every half hour.

While the tomatoes are roasting, in a medium bowl combine cream cheese, feta, and basil with a hand mixer until it is smooth, creamy, and thoroughly combined. 

Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Slice bread into 1/2 inch thickness on an angle. 

Generously spread cheese onto slices and spoon about 3 tomatoes on each slice.