Cheesesteak Dip

Before I share this recipe for Cheesesteak Dip, I will be honest. I’m not a football fan. But I am a fan of bragging about Philadelphia, so I have to at least acknowledge the Eagles heading back to the Super Bowl! And, naturally, I’m doing it the only way I know how: through food.

There are quite a few “Philly Cheesesteak Dip” recipes out there, but as a Philadelphian, I’m a bit perplexed with why they all have bell peppers in them. I have never had a cheesesteak with bell peppers on it! So, I decided it was time for me to do my version. It doesn’t taste exactly like a cheesesteak (the cheese-to-steak proportion is out of whack), but it’s tasty and in the end, maybe that’s all that matters!

I am a “provolone wit” kinda girl, so my recipe is based on that: sauteed onions, a mixture of sharp and mild provolone, and shaved beef.

Ingredients (makes 16 servings):

  • 2 tablespoons butter (or vegetable oil, if preferred), divided
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 16 oz shaved beef
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 8 oz sharp provolone cheese, grated
  • 6 thin slices of mild provolone cheese
  • sliced baguette, for serving
  • soft pretzel bites, for serving

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Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy with Creamy Polenta

I am seriously starting to think that Cooking Light has a way to read my thoughts. It’s like they know exactly what ingredient I want to work with next, or a particular product I might be craving, like this recipe for Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy. And I don’t mind that one bit.

The latest issue has a recipe for Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy with Creamy Polenta that upon seeing in the magazine, I immediately put on my boots, coat, hat, scarf, gloves, etc. etc. and headed for the supermarket, despite the slippery and freezing walk I had ahead of me (it’s a whopping 5 blocks away, but I still managed to almost fall a good 3 times). And I have to tell you, it was worth it.

(I posted this photo to Instagram before I left for the supermarket. hehe)

Chicken breasts stuffed with prosciutto and provolone, over creamy polenta, topped with an herb gravy… What’s not to like? The recipe suggested making it with bacon green beans, but we had some Brussels sprouts in the freezer that I wanted to use so I substituted them in instead.

Ingredients:

CHICKEN AND GRAVY:

  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 2 very thin prosciutto slices (about 1/2 ounce), halved
  • 4 (2/3-ounce) slices reduced-fat provolone cheese
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock, divided
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

POLENTA

  • 2 cups 1% low-fat milk
  • 1/3 cup unsalted chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup uncooked polenta (I just used yellow corn meal)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • BACON BRUSSELS SPROUTS
  • 12 ounces frozen Brussels sprouts
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 bacon slices, chopped
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

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Meatball Subs

When I know I have a busy week coming up, I try to think of quick dinners I can make during the week. If I can make a huge batch of something on Sunday and just reheat the meal on a weekday, even better. So this weekend, after a visit to the Italian Market, I decided to make a bunch of meatballs so that we could have meatball subs later in the week. The tomato sauce is basically a more chunky version of my normal tomato sauce. I also added sausages to the sauce so that we could also make Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches if we so choose. The best part is that you can make a huge portion of this, freeze it, and use when needed. The sauce, although heavy on the meat, would also work as a yummy pasta sauce.

 

Ingredients (serves 8; with added sausage, serves 12):

  • 2 lbs ground sirloin
  • 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, cut from its casing
  • 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons dried basil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley, divided
  • 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1.5 lbs sausage (optional)
  • 1 can (28 oz) strained tomatoes  (or 1 box of Pomi strained tomatoes)
  • 2 cans (28 oz) chopped tomatoes (or 2 boxes of Pomi chopped tomatoes)
  • 1/3 cup dry red wine
  • 8-12 Italian rolls/subs
  • Provolone cheese, optional

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