[baja chicken chalupa]

We used to love one thing at Taco Bell, and then they discontinued it… the Baja Chicken/Steak Chalupa. We finally missed it enough to clone it.

Makes 5 chalupas

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
Fajita seasoning
Olive oil
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 Tbsp red onion, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
Northwoods Fire Seasoning
Lettuce, shredded
1/2 tomato, diced
1 Tbsp white onion, diced
Colby jack cheese, shredded
5 flatbreads

Directions:
Pound the chicken breasts to 1/4" thickness. Sprinkle with a generous covering of fajita seasoning. Sauté in olive oil on med/high heat. Flip when browned and sauté other side. Wrap chicken in foil pouch and let sit for 20 minutes until juices run clear.

baja sauce

Meanwhile, make Baja sauce: combine bell pepper, red onion and garlic. Add mayonnaise and red wine vinegar until desired consistency. Add one shake of fajita seasoning and 2 shakes of northwoods fire seasoning. Stir and adjust seasonings as desired. Let sit.

Brush olive oil on one side of each piece of flatbread. Heat griddle or panini maker and grill flatbread, rotating once, until golden brown and slightly crunchy on oiled side. Let sit.

Combine tomato and white onion. Let sit.

cubed chicken

When chicken juices run clear, cube chicken. Assemble chalupas: flatbread (crunchy side down), shredded lettuce, chicken, Baja sauce (Tbsp per chalupa), tomato and white onion, shredded cheese.

Enjoy.

[vegetable flatbread sandwich]

We're getting sick of deli meat and PB&J… turns out healthy can be delicious.

Ingredients:
Flatbread
Balsamic vinegar
1 slice of Cheese: provolone, mozzarella, something thin sliced
Spoonful of Hummus (whatever kind you like)
Sliced veggies: bell pepper, cucumber, avocado, any mix of things you like

Directions:
Heat the flatbread in the microwave for 30 seconds. Dribble a small amount of balsamic vinegar directly on the flatbread. Lay down the cheese and smear one spoonful of hummus. Place desired vegetables on top. Fold & enjoy!

Serve with chips or your favorite lunch side.

[will's chicken]

A super flavorful but simple recipe.  I use chicken leg quarters (the leg and thighs connected), but substituting bone-in , skin on chicken breasts are fine too.  The skin and bones add depth to the chicken - just be sure not to eat the skin.  (Or bones... but that should be obvious!)

Sprinkle chicken (bone-in, skin on) with salt and pepper.  Heat skillet to medium/high, add a Tbsp (eyeball it) of Olive Oil and sear chicken until both sides are golden brown.

Make paste: 

2 Tbsp mayo

1 Tbsp (or more) sirachi

½ tsp minced garlic

½ tsp minced onion

¼ tsp rosemary

¼ tsp savory

Prepare a baking dish, like glass pyrex, with olive oil (to prevent sticking).  Place chicken in the dish and  smear paste on the skin side (facing up).

Bake at 425 for 20 minutes, until chicken reaches 165 degrees.

[new potatoes au gratin]

Serves 2-3
Estimated time: 40min

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons flour
1 cups whole milk
Salt and white pepper
6-8 new red potatoes, cooked and sliced 1/2-inch thick
3 ounces grated Cheddar cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8 cup rectangular baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter. In a nonreactive saucepan, over medium heat, melt the remaining butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook until the liquid is slightly thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, toss the sliced new potatoes with salt and pepper. Fold in the cream sauce and pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top of the potatoes with the grated cheese. Place the pan in the oven and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for a couple of minutes before serving.