Three recipes I've made recently

by Justin Segelstrom

Usually, when I sit down to write one of these posts, I have some kind of theme in mind. This month, not so much!

So instead of trying to force a theme, I figured I would just share a few things I have made recently that I really liked.

These three recipes are all completely different. Which describes how I like to eat! Some nights I want something spicy and cheesy, another night I want to fire up the grill, and then sometimes (almost always) breakfast sounds better than anything else.

So, this month for recipes, I'm sharing: jalapeño popper-stuffed chicken, Jamaican jerk-inspired pork chops with grilled pineapple salsa, and a blueberry French toast casserole.

No real theme. Just three things I would absolutely make and have made again and again.

Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Chicken

This one was me taking everything I like about jalapeño poppers and figuring out how to turn it into a dinner.

I started with a couple of large chicken breasts, pounded them flat, and made a filling with cream cheese, bacon, mozzarella, onion, and plenty of jalapeño. The thing I really liked about this one was using the jalapeños in three different ways. Some get sautéed with the onion, which softens them up and gives them a little sweeter flavor. Some go into the filling raw so you still get a little of that fresh jalapeño bite. Then I added chopped pickled jalapeños too, which gives the whole thing a little acidity and another layer of flavor. So you end up with jalapeño flavor throughout the filling instead of everything just tasting generically spicy.

Then the chicken gets rolled up, breaded, browned in a skillet and finished in the oven.

One thing to keep in mind: This version is a little more work, but it is absolutely worth it if you want something that looks impressive. Once you slice into the chicken and see that spiral of filling in the middle, it is a showstopper. If you want a shortcut version, you can make this much easier. Just slice each chicken breast almost all the way through, open it up, add the filling in the middle and close it back up. You can even skip the breading completely and just bake it that way. You still get all the jalapeño popper flavor with a lot less work. But if you have the extra time, I really like the rolled version. This is perfect for a lazy weekend, and it turns out ridiculously delicious.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• Salt and black pepper

Jalapeño Popper Filling

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

• 4 to 5 fresh jalapeños, divided

• 1/4 small onion, finely diced

• 3 to 4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped

• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeños

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

• Black pepper, to taste

• Salt, if needed

• 1 to 2 teaspoons pickled jalapeño brine, optional

Breading

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs

• Oil, for frying

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon until crisp. Remove it from the pan and leave a little of the bacon fat behind.

2. Finely chop the fresh jalapeños and set some aside to use raw in the filling.

3. Add the onion and the rest of the fresh jalapeños to the bacon fat and sauté until softened. Take them off the heat and let them cool a little.

4. Mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sautéed onion and jalapeños, reserved raw jalapeños, bacon, mozzarella, pickled jalapeños, garlic powder and smoked paprika. Season with black pepper and salt if needed. You can also add a small splash of pickled jalapeño brine if you want even more jalapeño flavor.

5. Pound the chicken breasts until they are evenly thin and fairly flat. Season them lightly with salt and pepper.

6. Divide the filling between the two chicken breasts.

7. Fold the bottom of each breast up over the filling, fold the sides in, and roll everything up into a tight log.

8. Wrap each chicken roll tightly in plastic wrap, twisting the ends to help hold the shape. Refrigerate until chilled and firm.

9. Heat the oven to 400°F.

10. Set out three shallow dishes with flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs.

11. Remove the plastic wrap from the chicken. Coat each roll in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.

12. Heat a shallow layer of oil in a skillet over medium to medium high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides until the breading is golden.

13. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish or sheet pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

14. Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing

Jamaican Jerk Inspired Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Depending on what the weather is doing where you are, this might be one of your last good chances to fire up the grill before fall really takes over.

This is one of those recipes where you get a little bit of everything. The pork is spicy, savory, sweet, and ultra flavorful. Then the pineapple salsa brings in even more sweetness, acid, herbs, and another little hit of heat.

The pork chops sit in the marinade for a few hours before they hit the grill. I like using thick chops here, about an inch, because they give you enough time to build some color on the outside without drying them out.I also use a two zone setup on the grill. Instead of putting the chops over the screaming hot heat, I cook it on the cooler side first. Once the chops get to around 120 to 125°F internally, I brush them with some reserved marinade and move them over the hot side. Those last couple minutes over high heat caramelizes the outside and gives you a ton of flavor.

And definitely grill the pineapple and red onion for the salsa. That little bit of char makes a huge difference!

Ingredients

Pork Chops

• 4 pork chops, about 1 inch thick

• 3 green onions, chopped

• 2 to 4 Scotch bonnet peppers or habaneros

• 2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled

• 4 cloves garlic

• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground allspice

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 1/2 tablespoon finely grated lime zest

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons vinegar

• 1 cup lager or pineapple juice

• Salt, to taste

• 1/3 cup whole allspice berries, optional

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

• 1/2 fresh pineapple

• 1/2 red onion

• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced

• 1/2 habanero, finely minced

• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

• 1/2 tablespoon honey

• Olive oil

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Add the green onions, Scotch bonnets or habaneros, ginger, garlic, thyme, cilantro, brown sugar, ground allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, lime juice, lime zest, soy sauce, vinegar, lager or pineapple juice and salt to a blender.

2. Blend until mostly smooth.

3. Before adding the pork, set aside a small amount of the marinade in a separate container. You will use this later when the chops go over the hot side of the grill.

4. Add the pork chops to the remaining marinade and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

5. For the salsa, cut the pineapple into thick rounds or planks that are easy to grill. Cut the red onion into thick slices or rounds so they stay together on the grill.

6. Lightly brush the pineapple and onion with olive oil and grill until softened and nicely charred on both sides.

7. Let them cool slightly, then chop them.

8. Combine the grilled pineapple and onion with the red bell pepper, habanero, cilantro, ginger, lime juice and honey. Season with salt and black pepper and set aside.

9. Set up the grill for two zone cooking, with one side hot and the other side cooler.

10. Remove the pork chops from the marinade and let the excess drip off. Discard the marinade that touched the raw pork.

11. Put the chops on the cooler side of the grill, close the lid, and cook until the internal temperature reaches about 120 to 125°F.

12. Brush the chops with some of the marinade you reserved earlier.

13. Move the pork over the hot side of the grill and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes per side, until the outside is nicely caramelized and the pork reaches 145°F internally.

14. Let the pork rest for a few minutes, then pile on the grilled pineapple salsa.

Blueberry French Toast Casserole

This one is a lot less spicy than the first two 😅🤣

I really like French toast casseroles because you get everything you want from French toast without standing at the stove cooking one slice at a time. This one has blueberries throughout and a simple custard made with eggs, milk, cream, lemon and vanilla. You can let it soak for about 30 minutes and bake it right away, or put the whole thing together the night before and leave it in the refrigerator until morning.

I usually like anything that lets me do most of the work ahead of time.

I also make a quick sauce with blueberry jam and a little orange juice sometimes, but that part is completely optional. Regular maple syrup is honestly just as good.

Ingredients

• 1 pound sturdy bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

• 1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

• 5 large eggs

• 2 cups whole milk

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for the top

• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

• 1/4 cup blueberry jam, optional

• 1 to 2 tablespoons orange juice, optional

• Maple syrup, for serving, optional

Instructions

1. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the bread cubes and blueberries and spread everything out evenly.

2. Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, 6 tablespoons sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, salt and cinnamon.

3. Pour the custard evenly over the bread.

4. Press the bread gently into the custard and let it sit for 30 minutes. If you are making it the night before, cover it and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

5. Heat the oven to 350°F.

6. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the top and dot with the butter.

7. Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until the center is set and the top is golden.

8. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

9. If you want the blueberry sauce, warm the jam in a small saucepan and stir in enough orange juice to make it pourable.

10. Serve with the blueberry sauce or just use maple syrup.

If you refrigerate the casserole overnight, let the baking dish sit out while the oven heats. Frozen blueberries can go straight into the casserole without thawing.

Just Cook What Sounds Good!

I love coming up with recipes around a theme, but this is a better example of how I actually cook, usually. I make whatever sounds good.

So if there is a theme here at all, I guess that is it. Cook what sounds good!

 

Justin's posts will appear monthly. Visit this page to view some of the recipes he has shared with us.

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