Portabella Pesto Sandwich with Balsamic Red Onions

I am especially proud of this vegetarian sandwich because my meat loving husband absolutely loves it. Portobellas have a natural meatiness, so it doesn't feel like you're skimping on heartiness here. The roasted peppers and balsamic red onions are complemented by a delicious pesto mayonnaise and melted provolone cheese. Put together on a grilled roll (or baguette), this sandwich will quickly become one of your favorites too!
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. pesto (recipe to follow)
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
3 slices provolone
1 small red onion, sliced
2 portabellas
1/3 cup olive oil
1 sweet Italian red pepper (or a bell pepper)
1 tsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
salt, black pepper
2 deli rolls (or baguette pieces)

Assembly:
Turn portabellas in olive oil to coat. Do the same for the pepper. Grill the pepper over high heat for 10 or so minutes until the skin is black (an indoor grill, grill pan or oven all work). Remove to a paper bag for five minutes to allow the skin to fall off. Reduce heat to medium high and grill the portabellas about 5 minutes on the first side, about 3 minutes on the second (until you have nice grill marks and the mushroom appears cooked). While the portabellas are grilling, saute the onions in 1 tbsp. olive oil (you can do this right on a grill pan if you're cooking indoors). Lower heat to medium-low and cook about 10 minutes before adding vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the vinegar is absorbed. You will have removed the portabellas by now. Let them sit for a few minutes before cutting them into 1/2 strips. Remove the skin and insides (membranes and seeds) from the red pepper and slice. Mix the pesto and mayonnaise. Place each side of the rolls on a baking sheet (your oven should be preheated to 400). Assemble your sandwich (mushroom, red pepper, red onion mixture) then top with provalone. Bake for about 5 minutes until cheese begins to melt and the edges of the bread appear crispy. Remove from oven, spread pesto mayonnaise on the top side of the roll and press the sanwich together. Serve immediately.

Make 'Em Feel Loved Balsamic Chicken Sandwich

A month or so ago I posted a sandwich recipe that had marinated steak and veggies on a hoagie roll with melted cheese and aioli. I mentioned in that blog post that I make a million different sandwiches that are a variation on this theme: chopped veggies, marinated meat, melted cheese and aioli on a toasted bun. The possibilities are endless! These sandwiches are a great idea if you're short on time or want to make a super cost effective meal to share with friends and family. This sandwich in particular pairs chicken breast (one breast magically serves 2 adults!) marinated in a balsamic vinaigrette, veggies sauteed in a balsamic-brown sugar reduction, melted provalone and fragrant aioli. Delicious!
Ingredients:
2 hoagie rolls, split
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 slices of provalone
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette http://happiestbelly.blogspot.com/2009/04/honey-dijon-balsamic-vinaigrette.html
3 tbsp. basic aioli http://happiestbelly.blogspot.com/2009/05/technique-tuesday-messing-with-mayo.html
6 button or baby bella mushrooms, quartered
1/2 sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt, pepper

Assembly:
Marinate chicken in vinaigrette for 15 minutes-3 hours. Grill over medium high heat until juices run clear (4-6 minutes/side depending on thickness). Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before dicing. While chicken rests, saute vegetables in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add vinegar and brown sugar then reduce heat to low. Add salt, pepper to taste. Cook until liquids are almost absobed (about 10 minutes). Add chicken and mix. Add mixture evenly to split rolls. Top with 1 1/2 slice provalone per sandwich. Bake, open-faced, for 5-7 minutes at 375 degrees. Drizzle aioli, press sandwiches closed and serve.

Roasted Potato, Green Bean, and Asparagus Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

I've been posting a lot of rich, decadent recipes on The Happiest Belly lately, so I thought it would be a nice change to throw in a light and healthy recipe to balance things out (and show you, yes, I am capable of making healthy food too!). This is one of my favorite things to eat, and it all started with a need to use up what was left in the vegetable drawer! I was grilling burgers a month of so ago and noticed that I had some leftover green beans and asparagus in the fridge. Not enough to serve one or the other, so I made a delicious salad using both. This salad was even great as leftovers served room temperature. This salad is truly a showstopper!

Ingredients:

4-6 stalks of asparagus, steamed or grilled (I prefer grilled!)

2 small potatoes, diced into bite sized pieces

1 small bunch green beans, lightly steamed

1/4 of a red onion, sliced

1 small tomato, diced

1/4 cup olive oil

salt/pepper

1 lemon wedge

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/8 cup red wine vinegar

1 medium sized garlic clove

1 tbsp. dijon

1 tbsp. honey

salt/pepper

Assembly:
Toss potatoes with olive oil and roast in a 375 degree oven until crispy (15-20 minutes). Allow potatoes to cool. While potatoes are cooking, chop asparagus and green beans into bite sized pieces. Drizzle with lemon juice. Whisk dressing ingredients and set aside. Combine potatoes with remaining salad ingredients and toss with dressing.

Picnic Pasta Salad

Great for a summer picnic, this pasta salad is light and full of yummy grilled vegetables. The blue cheese can be stored separately with a bag of ice to keep it cold until the salad is served. It's best served a room temperature and is yummy with a variety of different cold sandwiches or just a good, crusty baguette.

Ingredients (serves 4):

1/3-1/2 cup honey dijon balsamic vinaigrette http://happiestbelly.blogspot.com/2009/04/honey-dijon-balsamic-vinaigrette.html
2 cups cooked mini-farfalle
3-4 stalks asparagus with ends removed
1 red pepper
2 tbsp. finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup bleu cheese crumbles

Assembly:
Toss red pepper and asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill red pepper until sides are charred. Place peppers in a paper bag (this will help remove the skins) for a few minutes. Grill asparagus over medium heat until grill marks appear (4-6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus). Cool and chop asparagus into bite sized pieces. Slice red peppers. Combine farfalle, red pepper, asparagus and red onion. Toss with dressing and top with bleu cheese crumbles.

Tequila Chicken Fajitas

Being able to make an entire meal on the grill in the warm months of summer is such a great thing! Chicken fajitas (you can also substitute steak or shrimp, but only marinate shrimp for a few minutes) are mouthwatering and chock full of brightly colored vegetables. You can feel good about eating this brightly flavored dish. It's also a great way to stretch a few breasts of chicken and is great for entertaining. You can serve it with all sorts of great accompaniments; some of my favorite include roasted corn, guacamole, fresh salsa, shredded cheese (yes, I know fajitas are not traditionally served with cheese!) and flavored sour cream. Guests can put together their favorite toppings, individualizing this dish to each guest's preference.
Ingredients (serves 4):
8 flour tortillas (taco sized)
2 chicken breasts
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
1/2 green bell pepper, julienned
1 small red onion, sliced
1 tsp. finely diced serrano chile pepper (you can add more or less to adjust heat)
4-6 oz. baby bella or white mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. cumin
juice of 1/2 lime
salt, pepper

Marinade for chicken:
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup tequila
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. diced serrano chile
2 diced garlic cloves
1 chipotle in adobo (add more if you like extra heat)

Assembly:
Combine marinade ingredients. Marinate chicken up to 4 hours in the refrigerator. Remove chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Allow chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes out of the refrigerator to take the chill off before grilling on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. While chicken is resting, add sliced vegetables, salt, pepper, cumin and diced serrano to a sheet of tinfoil with the edges turned up. Toss with a drizzle of oil and place on the grill. Cook vegetables until the edges of the peppers begin to turn golden. Remove from heat while the veggies still have some crunch (takes about 6-8 minutes). Let chicken rest on a cutting board. You can microwave the tortillas (45 sec., covered) or wrap them in tinfoil and put them on the grill for 6-8 minutes to warm. After slicing the chicken, place it in a bowl with the vegetables and let your family or guests create their own fajita.

Grilled Potatoes with Aioli

The potato is such a versatile vegetable; it makes wonderful fries and is delicious mashed, roasted or baked. It's also fabulous when cooked on a gas or charcoal grill. Grilled potatoes are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Finished with a drizzle of aioli, grilled potatoes are a spectacular accompaniment to ribs, steak, chicken or chops. The garlic in the aioli becomes incredibly fragrant when it meets the warm potatoes. Grilled potatoes with aioli is another one of those dishes that I have to closely monitor so it doesn't disappear from the serving plate before it makes its way to our table!
Ingredients:
3 small potatoes, 1/4 inch slices
salt
pepper
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup prepared aioli (see search function on upper right side of page to find this recipe)

Assembly:
Parboil potatoes until barely fork tender (Begin with cold water and bring to a boil. Add 1 tsp. of salt, reduce heat to medium-low and cook approximately 10-15 minutes). Drain potatoes and return them to their original pot. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Place potatoes over medium heat (about 350 degrees) on a gas grill. Cook for 3-4 minutes then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Potatoes should be crispy on the outside and have nice grill marks on both sides. Remember not to move potatoes once you've flipped them. Remove from grill and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Drizzle with aioli and serve warm.

Simply Grilled Asparagus

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I live for warm summer nights when I can throw veggies on the grill. They take on an entirely different flavor profile and will often appeal to the most ardent vegetable opponent. Take, for example, asparagus. My husband swore up and down that he loathed this vegetable. He'd never had it grilled before, and has become a huge fan. I've even had to chastise him for stealing asparagus spears directly off the grill. I probably should try not to complain; of all the things to sneak, I'm happy he chooses a veggie!

Grilled asparagus is incredibly good! It bears little resemblance to steamed or broiled; instead, it takes on a smoky flavor that is really delicious. Drizzled with oil, salt and pepper and finished with lemon, this side dish is sure to please! You can even make it during the colder months on an indoor grill pan. For extra oomph, drizzle cooled asparagus with vinaigrette (see search bar on right to locate) or add to salads and sandwiches.

Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus
1 lemon wedge
salt
pepper
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Assembly:
Cut bottoms off asparagus (hint: snap one stalk near the base; it will break at the point where you should cut the rest of the bunch). Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roll asparagus to coat. Grill over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until asparagus have grill marks (you want them to still have a bit of snap when you bite into them). Drizzle with olive oil and serve warm, not hot.