Nina Phelps

Nina's Kitchen Recipes have moved to Nina's Kitchen Group.

---

Authentic Philidelphia Cheesesteak Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 large hoagie rolls or 2 large sub rolls
• ½ lb (250g) deli roast beef (very rare, sliced wafer thin)
• 1 White Onion (thinly sliced)
• 1 green bell pepper (capsicum) (thinly sliced)
• 2 teaspoons garlic (minced) (2 or 3 cloved through a garlic press is about right)
• ½ lb provolone cheese (thinly sliced or coarsly shredded)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for grilling)
  salt and pepper (to taste)
• Marinara Sauce or Ketchup (optional)

Directions
• Heat a griddle or a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
• When hot, cover bottom with olive oil.
• Add the onions and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until carmelized, which will take about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the garlic, salt and pepper, and cook for about 30 seconds.
• Then, push the mixture off to one side of the griddle.
• Add the meat to the hot part of the griddle.
• Cook, continuously flipping the meat over and slightly chopping the meat into slightly smaller pieces with 2 spatulas, until the meat is not pink, which should take about 2 minutes.
• Mix the meat and the caramelized onions and bell pepper together.
• Divide into 2 portions, and top both portions with the cheese to melt.
• If using Italian or French bread, cut the bread in half, crosswise, and slice lengthwise to open for the 2 sandwiches.
• Hollow out some of the soft white bread part from inside and place face down on top of the meat and cheese.
• When the cheese is melted, and with 1 or 2 spatulas, flip the sandwiches over and add topping, such as marinara sauce or ketchup, if desired, and serve immediately.

I have to say Yum!

Honey Spice Dip

This is a wonderful dip to use with all sorts of things. I found the basic chicken tender works well!

• 2 cups Honey
• 1½ cups Sour Cream
• ½ Cup Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon Cinnimon
• ½ teaspoon Curry powder
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

Mix all ingredients well and use as needed.

---

Here is another good one...

Chili-infused Honey --->

Ingredients
• 2 Fresno chiles sliced
• 1 Thai chile sliced
• 1 cup pure honey
• (You can use any chilies you want really)

Instructions
• Add your chiles to bottom of sauce pan and pour your honey over the top.
• Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to low and heat for about 1 hour until fragrant and the honey is spicy.
• Strain into a jar and let sit for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to thicken.
• Cover and store or serve immediately drizzled over your favorite foods.

INGREDIENTS
• 6 Bell Peppers (any color, or a combination of colors)
• 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
• 1 ½ pounds Ground Chicken Thigh
• ½ cup Onion (finely chopped)
• 2 teaspoons Garlic (minced)
• 1 ½ cups White or Brown Rice (cooked, do not use raw rice)
• 1 Can (15oz) Tomato Sauce
• 1 ½ cups Manchego Cheese (3 month aged) or Mozzarella Cheese (shredded, divided use)
• 2 tablespoons Parsley (chopped)
• ½ teaspoon Seasoning (You can buy packaged 'Mexican' seasoning or Taco seasoning, but I make my own:

• 2 tablespoons Dried Basil
• 2 tablespoons Dried Oregano
• 1 tablespoons Dried Rosemary
• 2 tablespoons Dried Parsley
• 1 tablespoon Dried Thyme
• 1 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes (use more or less to adjust to your preferred heat)
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray.
• Slice the tops off the peppers and remove the ribs and seeds inside.
• Place the peppers cut side down in the baking dish. Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the dish.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
• While the peppers are cooking, prepare the filling. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
• Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until meat is cooked through.
• Add the onion to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the rice, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove the peppers from the oven and drain off the water. Turn the peppers over and fill each one with the beef mixture.
• Top each pepper with the remaining cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned and peppers are tender.
• Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.

NOTES
Look for peppers with flatter bottoms so that they will stand up in the pan. If your peppers are not completely flat on the bottom you can cut a thin slice off to help them stay up better.
Be sure to use cooked rice in this recipe, raw rice will not work.
If you are using meat that has a higher fat content, you may need to drain excess grease from your pan after it is cooked.

Bacon Brown Sugar Chicken Tenders
Chef: Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients
• 2 chicken breasts boneless skinless
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 strips bacon


Instructions
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cut each chicken breast into 4 long, thin chicken strips.
• In a bowl add the brown sugar, salt and pepper.
• Add the chicken tenders and toss in the brown sugar.
• Wrap the chicken in a strip of bacon and put into your baking dish.
• Sprinkle over the remaining brown sugar.
• Cook for 20-25 minutes or until bacon is cooked through and crisp (as pictured).

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Dough

• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups whole milk, warm to the touch
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 5 cups flour, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt

Filling

• ¾ cup butter, softened
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Frosting

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Preparation
Generously butter two disposable foil pie/cake pans.
In a large bowl, whisk together warm milk, melted butter, and granulated sugar. The mixture should be just warm, registering between 100-110˚F (37-43˚C). If it is hotter, allow to cool slightly.
Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the warm mixture and let set for 1 minute.
Add 4 cups (500g) of all-purpose flour to the milk mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.
Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, the dough should have nearly doubled in size.
Remove the towel and add an additional ¾ cup (95g) of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Stir well, then turn out onto a well-floured surface.
Knead the dough lightly, adding additional flour as necessary, until the dough just loses its stickiness and does not stick to the surface.
Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about ½-inch (1 cm) thick. Fix corners to make sure they are sharp and even.
Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough.
Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.
Press the mixture into the butter.
Roll up the dough, forming a log, and pinch the seam closed. Place seam-side down. Trim off any unevenness on either end.
Cut the log in half, then divide each half into 7 evenly sized pieces. About 1½ inches (8cm) thick each.
Place 7 cinnamon rolls in each cake pan, one in the center, six around the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
To prepare the frosting. In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together cream cheese, butter, whole milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar, until smooth.
Remove plastic wrap. Bake the cinnamon rolls in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
While still warm, drizzle evenly with frosting.

Mexican Ranchero Shrimp

Shrimp Mexican Style, or “Ranchero Style”, is one of the easiest and quickest ways to eat shrimp, and it is also really delicious. It has the basic Mexican staples like tomato, onion, and peppers. Sometimes, I add a splash of white wine to the sauce and it tastes even better.

Course: Main Course, Seafood
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 210 kcal
Author: Mely Martínez

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoon olive oil*
• ½ of a medium white onion finely chopped
• 2 small garlic cloves minced
• 2 Serrano peppers**
• 1 Pound tomatoes diced
• 1 Pound raw shrimp cleaned and deveined.
• ½ cup cilantro chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
• Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
• Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes until it starts looking transparent.
• Add the garlic and Serrano peppers and cook for 2 more minutes until the onion starts browning.
• Stir in the chopped tomato, cover, and reduce heat to medium.
• Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes. The tomatoes will release their juices and will soften.
• Add the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the shrimp change to an opaque color.
• Remove from heat and stir in the chopped cilantro.
• Serve immediately with rice, warm corn tortillas, and lime wedges.

Notes:
• Sometimes I like to mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.
• You can use jalapeño peppers if you can’t find Serrano, and adjust the amount to your liking.

Nutrition:
Serving: 4oz | Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 285mg | Sodium: 889mg | Potassium: 420mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1110IU | Vitamin C: 24.7mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 2.8mg

White Chicken Enchiladas

Creamy and filling, these white enchiladas are perfect for any family dinner! They are
ready in 30 minutes, so they are perfect for any of those busy, on-the-go nights!

Ingredients:
White Enchilada Sauce:

• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 4 ounces can diced green chilies (or use fresh)
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Filling:

• 2 cups cooked chicken breasts (shredded)
• 6 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• ½ cup sour cream
• 4 ounces can diced green chilies (or use fresh)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 10 8 inch Corn tortillas

Topping:

• 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
• chopped cilantro for garnish

Instructions:
To Make the White Enchilada Sauce:

1. In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, add the butter and melt.
2. Whisk in the flour and create a roux.
3. Slowly add in chicken broth and whisk.
4. Add in the diced green chilis, sour cream, and Monterey Jack cheese.
5. Whisk until it starts to thicken and remove from heat.

To Make the Filling:

1. In a medium-sized bowl combine the chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, green chilies, cumin, and Monterey cheese.

To Assemble:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a 9x13 inch dish with cooking spray.
3. Lay a tortilla on a flat surface.
4. Divide the filling evenly and roll the tortilla up and put it in the baking dish.
5. Continue until you have used all of the tortillas.

A quick and easy recipe for Pan-Seared Cod in White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce!

Ingredients
For the White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• ½cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (more to taste)

For the Cod:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.5 lb (700g) fresh cod, cut into 4 fillets (or four 6 ounce fillets)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

For the White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce:
Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
Add crushed red pepper flakes and garlic and saute for 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant.
Add the cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're soft and blistering, but still hold their shape, 9 to 12 minutes.
Add in the white wine, stir, and allow the mixture to come to a gentle simmer.
Stir in the basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, sugar, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes.
Transfer the sauce into a bowl and set aside until needed.

Instructions

For the Cod:
Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
Pat the cod dry with paper towels.
Season both sides of cod with salt and pepper.
Place cod in the oil and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Carefully flip the cod over and continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes, OR until it's cooked through.
Pour the white wine tomato basil sauce over the cod, let the sauce warm up for a minute, then remove from heat and serve at once.

Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese

Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese is stuffed with mozzarella, pepperoni sandwiched between two pieces of buttery garlic toast. It's a fun twist on a classic.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 4 slices Sara Lee® Artesano™ Bread
• 4 slices mozzarella cheese, 1/8-inch thick
• 18 slices pepperoni cooked in microwave for 20 seconds and grease dabbed off

For the garlic butter

• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp. fresh or dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt

Instructions

1. In a medium skillet set over medium-low heat, add the butter and melt. Place two pieces of toast side by side.
2. To each slice of bread, add a slice of mozzarella, 9 pepperoni, and another slice of mozzarella. Place remaining slices of bread on top.
3. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until the cheese is melty.
4. Meanwhile, make the garlic butter. In a small microwave safe bowl, add the butter. Heat until melted. Stir in parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt.
5. Using a pastry brush, brush on both sides of grilled cheese. Cook on each side for 30 seconds. Remove, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and dip in your favorite marinara, if desired.

Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese

This has a slightly sweet sloppy joe filling that's covered in melted ooey, gooey cheddar cheese. You can experiment with the heat by using different peppers.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8 slices of bread (whatever kind you want. Sourdough works well due to being heartier.
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter

Instructions
• Add ground beef to a nonstick pan placed over medium heat.
• Use a wooden spoon to break it apart as it cooks.
• As soon as you have it crumbled, add the onion and green pepper.
• Cook until beef is no longer pink and onion and pepper is softened.
• Add ketchup, dry mustard, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper and stir.
• Combine well and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• For each sandwich, spread 1/4 cup cheese on top of one slice of bread.
• Top with sloppy joe mixture and place second piece of bread on top.
• Heat griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat.
• Add 1/2 tablespoon butter and let it melt.
• Place sandwich on griddle/pan and cook until bottom is golden.
• Lift sandwich with a spatula and place another 1/2 tablespoon of butter on the griddle/pan.
• Turn sandwich over and cook until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown.

Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang)

The marinade for this chicken is true to the authentic Thai grilled chicken (Gai Yang). Traditional Gai Yang is served with a dipping sauce but I find chicken thighs so juicy that it doesn't need it. Instead, I incorporate the flavor into the Marinade. Traditionally this is cooked over charcoal which gives it a wonderful smokey flavor. But it really is fantastic even cooked on the stove or in the oven, though my preference is to cook it on the outdoor grill. The key ingredients are the lemongrass and fish sauce - don't omit or substitute these!


Ingredients:

• 2 lb / 1 kg chicken thigh fillets (skinless, boneless) (Note 1)

Marinade:

• 1 large lemongrass stalk , white part only very finely chopped (about 2 tbsp) (Note 2)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tsp finely chopped red chili (optional but recommended)
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine , sherry or sake (Japanese cooking wine) (Note 4)
• 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
• 3 tbsp brown sugar or palm sugar
• 2 tbsp honey (or 1 tbsp brown sugar)
• 1/2 tbsp black pepper (adjust to taste - this adds spiciness)

To Serve:

• Lime wedges
• Red chili , finely sliced (optional)
• Cilantro/coriander leaves (optional)

Instructions:
Place Marinade ingredients in a large Ziplock bag. Massage to mix.
Add the chicken into the ziplock bag and massage to spread the marinade over all the chicken. Marinate for a minimum of 3 hours, preferably overnight (up to 24 hours).
Remove chicken from the Marinade and discard the Marinade (unless baking in the oven - refer Note 3).
Heat the outdoor grill on medium high. Or heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a non stick pan over medium high heat on the stove.
Cook the chicken until golden brown - around 3 minutes each side.
Rest for a few minutes before serving with lime wedges on the side, and garnished with fresh chilies and cilantro, if using.

Notes:

• 1. This recipe can be made with any cut of chicken, just adjust the cooking time to suit. If using chicken breast, I recommend adding 1 tbsp of oil to the marinade to help with the caramelization.
• 2. Lemongrass is available at most Asian and fresh-fruit and vegetable stores. Peel the outer green layers off to expose the white part at the bottom of the stalk. Only use the white / very pale green parts - the other parts are tough and "reed" like.
• 3. This can also be baked in the oven at 350°F/180°C/ for around 35 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of your fillets. Turn once and baste at least once (preferably twice) using the remaining Marinade.
• 4. The cooking wine is an important ingredient in this so I really urge you to use it if you can. But if you cannot, then use chicken broth.