Marv 'n' Joe

Source: Hazel's Bakery in the USU food court - originally inspired by two engineering professors, Marv 'n' Joe, this has been sold in the food court for years.

Ingredients:
1 inch-thick slice of bread or half a bagel (anything you like, really - I love wheat or Hazel's Italian Herb and Spice or Salsa Cheese breads, and the parmesan cheese bagel I tried tonight was heavenly, but a nice thick slice of french bread will do the trick, too)
garlic butter (I just mixed some softened butter with a few shakes of garlic powder and dried parsley)
sliced tomatoes (better if they're fresh off the vine, but use what you have)
salt and pepper
vinegar and oil (which I didn't use, and it turned out just fine)
provolone cheese
parmesan cheese

Directions:
Spread your bread or bagel with garlic butter.  Arrange tomato slices on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper and a dash of vinegar and oil to taste.  Top with a slice of provolone cheese followed by a shake or two of parmesan cheese.  Broil on the highest rack in your oven (or if you have a toaster oven, you're even luckier - use that!) for a few minutes, until the edges of your bread turn golden and toasty and your cheese is bubbly and brown.  Eat with a knife and fork if you can't wait to dig in, or let it cool for a minute and pick it up with your hands.

Notes:
This is one of my all-time favorite lunches at USU - super simple, quick, cheap and filling.  And oh-so-delicious.  Today I picked my first juicy red tomato from my plants on the back patio and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.  Oh goodness, was it delightful!

White Bean Lime Chicken Chili

White Bean Lime Chicken Chili
Sweet Tomatoes Copy Cat Recipe recreated by Paul and Kim


Ingredients:
2 (15 oz) cans small white beans (Do NOT rinse or drain- use all liquid)
2 (4 oz) cans fire roasted chilies
1 (12.5) can cooked chicken (retain broth)
1 large yellow onion diced
2 Tablespoons diced bottled jalapenos
2 fresh diced roma tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons garlic minced (we used bottled)
1/8 teaspoon coriander
½ Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons fresh finely minced cilantro
Juice from 1 ½ limes
S and P to taste (we used very little- the canned beans already have salt)

Directions:
Open cans of beans, chilies and chicken
In blender blend ONE can of beans with the broth from the canned chicken (do not puree, just mix for about 10 seconds)
You will add the other can of beans to the soup without blending

In large soup pan sauté onion and garlic in 2 T olive oil
When onions are soft, add the two diced tomatoes, cook/stir for another minute until tomatoes are soft

To pan with onion, garlic and tomato mix:
Blended bean/ broth mix
Both cans of chilies
Remaining can of beans
Cumin, coriander, cilantro, sugar, salt and pepper if desired
Lime juice

Mix well and simmer on low for 15 – 30 minutes

Enjoy!

Lime-Cilantro Rice with Pineapple

Source: Our Best Bites


Ingredients:
1 cup white rice cooked in 2 cups water
2 T real butter
Juice from 1 large lime or two smaller ones
1 can crushed pineapple, drained. 
½ – ¾ C chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

Cook rice. As soon as it’s done, toss in the butter and stir to melt. Add lime juice, pineapple, and cilantro. Stir to combine, and then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

* You’ll want to serve this right away, if you don’t, the flavors tend to mellow a bit and you’ll probably need to add more lime juice because the rice kind of sucks it up. If you’re not quite ready to eat when your rice finishes cooking, just toss in the butter and keep a lid on it so it stays warm. Then right before you serve it, toss it all together.

Notes: Awesome! Can stand alone as a side dish, or add some extra flavor as a base for a saucy main dish. 

Sweet and Spicy Honey Grilled Shrimp

Source: Our Best Bites 

Ingredients:

2-2 1/2 lb. raw, shelled, de-veined shrimp; raw shrimp are blue or grey, not pink. Get Tiger Shrimp if you can find them. Oh, and that “vein”? It’s not actually a vein. It’s poop. Don’t let the Euphamism Police trick you.
1 Tbsp. minced or pressed garlic
1/4 c. minced fresh ginger
1/4 c. hot chili garlic paste
1/2 c. sweet chili garlic paste
1 c. honey
1 c. fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
1 c. canola oil

Directions:

Rinse shrimp in cold water and place in a large Ziploc bag. Combine garlic, ginger, both chili pastes, honey, lime juice, salt, pepper, and oil in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly. Set aside 1 c. of the marinade. Pour remaining mixture over shrimp and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours.

When ready to cook, thread shrimp onto skewers.If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for at least 1/2 hour before skewering anything. Preheat outdoor grill. This really should be done outside because they get VERY smokey! When grill is hot, reduce heat to low and quickly place all skewers over the heat. Brush with reserved marinade. When they’ve cooked for 1 1/2-2 minutes,quickly flip them over and brush or drizzle with remaining marinade. Cook for another 1 1/2-2 minutes, or until opaque and pink.Shrimp cook extremely quickly and you don’t want to overcook them, but these are pretty forgiving if you do.

Remove skewers from grill and remove shrimp from skewers. Pile them on a big ol’ platter, drizzle with any remaining reserved marinade, and squeeze the juice from a lime all over them.

Notes: This recipe has been in my "to try" file for a while, and tonight was the night. I didn't have time to marinate it as directed, so instead I made the sauce, eliminated the oil, heated it on the stove, tossed in some cooked shrimp, and served over Lime-Cilantro Rice with Pineapple. Holy moly. Definitely in my top 10 meals  of all time. So delicious!! Even better, making both this and the rice took maybe 15 minutes. 

Penne with Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

1 pound fresh asparagus spears
1 tablespoon olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon light or dark brown sugar
1 pound penne pasta
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces. Put the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with the oil and ¼ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ of the pepper. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

While the asparagus roasts, put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until the vinegar is reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Remove from the heat.

Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling salted water until just done, 11-13 minutes. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Stir in the butter and vinegar mixture. Toss to combine well. Add in the asparagus, Parmesan, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese for serving.

Raspberry Freezer Jam

ingredients
3 cups prepared fruit (buy about 6 cups fully ripe red raspberries)

5-1/4 cups  sugar, measured into separate bowl

3/4 cup water

1 box  SURE.JELL Fruit Pectin

make it

RINSE clean plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.

CRUSH raspberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. (Press half of pulp through a sieve to remove seeds, if desired.) Measure exactly 3 cups crushed raspberries into large bowl. Stir in sugar. Let stand 10 min., stirring occasionally.

MIX water and pectin in small saucepan. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling and stirring 1 min. Add to fruit mixture; stir 3 min.or until sugar is almost dissolved and no longer grainy. (A few sugar crystals may remain.)

FILL containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

Chicken and Melon Stuffed Shells

Source: bhg.com
ingredients

• 1/2
  of a medium cantaloupe, halved and seeded
• 4
  dried jumbo macaroni shells
• 3
  ounces chopped cooked chicken breast
• 1/4
  cup diced honeydew melon
• 2
  tablespoons plain fat-free yogurt
• 1
  tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2
  teaspoons chopped fresh chives
• 1/2
  teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
• Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

directions

Cut the cantaloupe half into thirds; cover and chill two of the wedges. Peel and dice remaining wedge; set aside.

Cook macaroni shells according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine diced cantaloupe, chicken, honeydew, yogurt, lemon juice, chives, and mustard. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture into each pasta shell. Arrange two filled shells and a chilled cantaloupe wedge on each of two serving dishes. If desired, garnish with thyme sprigs.