Cheese steak subs

Being from the east coast, I love a good cheese steak sub. Unfortunately where we are currently station in New Mexico that's hard to find. I've yet to find a place that serves them! So one week when I was in the library I got one of Rachael Ray's cookbooks out and found a recipe for Philly Cheese Steaks. I altered her recipe a little, but this is her recipe. 



Onions:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 2 large yellow onions, sliced very thin
• Coarse salt and pepper or steak seasoning blend

Meat:

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 1/2 pounds lean beef tenderloin or sirloin, ask the butcher to slice the meat very thin
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 slices provolone cheese, from the deli counter
• 4 soft Italian sandwich hoagie rolls (6-8 inches long), split lengthwise

Preparation

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon EVOO, one turn of the pan. Add onions and season with salt and pepper or steak seasoning blend. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until onions are soft and caramel in color.

Heat a heavy griddle pan over medium-high to high heat. Wipe griddle with a drizzle of EVOO using a paper towel. Sear and cook thinly sliced steaks until brown but not crisp, about 2 minutes on each side. Cook steaks in single layers in two batches and tenderize by cutting into meat with the side of your spatula while they cook. When the steaks are browned, and just before you remove them from heat, sprinkle them with garlic salt and pepper.

When all of the steaks are cooked, line each of your split rolls with two slices of provolone cheese. Pile one quarter of your meat and onions onto the griddle and mix together with your spatula. Pile the meat and onions into rolls on top of the cheese. The heat from the meat and onions will melt the cheese. Repeat for remaining servings and serve.


I used Steak-ums instead and chopped it up before I put it in my pan. I also cooked it with black pepper and the garlic salt. They may not taste just like the ones I use to get back east but they are close enough for me.

Pepperoni Chicken Pasta

Zio's Italian Kitchen Chicken Pepperoni

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4-6 ounces good quality sliced pepperoni
1 jar Bertolli Marinara (if you double this recipe, use 3) (or whatever your favorite is)
1 pound penne pasta
1 large sweet onion, julienned or large chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, julienned or large chopped
1 green bell pepper, julienned or large chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced thick
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 small can black olives, drained and sliced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Olive oil
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese (optional)

Put 4 quarts water on to boil in a 6-quart pot. When water is boiling, add pasta.
In hot skillet, add 2 teaspoons olive oil, then sauté onions, peppers, mushrooms and pepperoni until vegetables start to sweat. Add garlic, olives and chicken, stirring often (I cooked my chicken with the garlic and red pepper flakes separate from the veggies, then added the veggies back when the chicken was done) . When chicken is white and onions are translucent, remove from heat (be careful not to overcook vegetables or everything will be too soft)

Drain pasta when done.

In large bowl add pasta, meat mixture, topped with grated mozzarella, covered with marinara and tossed lightly. Top with grated Romano or Parmesan to taste. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

Returning to Blogging

It's been a long while since I've blogged. I've decided to take it up again, but this time I will be blogging about my personal culinary experiences as I test new recipes and creations in the kitchen. Not all of the recipes I post will be my own creation and I will give credit where it is due. There will also be times when I use Tastefully Simple products in my recipes/creations as I am a Tastefully Simple consultant. And I will try to post pictures of my creations.