





September 2001, eight ladies from Chicago started getting together once a month to eat, drink & be merry! We have shared recipes, laughter & tears, and lots of wine! We are starting our blog to share our recipes and stories! Join our monthly journey as we eat and drink our way around the world...laughing and enjoying each other's company every step of the way...well almost every step of the way!
Lemon Chicken Rollups with Basil & Roasted Red Pepper
Lemon Marinade:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor until liquids are fully combined and garlic is well pureed. Mixture should be opaque and fairly thick. Pour over pounded strips of chicken and marinade for 4-8 hours (I marinated overnight).
Chicken Rollups
4-5 large chicken breasts, pounded thin and cut into 3” strips
bacon
Filling: mix these together (use any amount you prefer)
cream cheese
roasted red pepper
basil
garlic
Place one strip of bacon on work surface and place a marinated, pounded chicken breast strip on top. Spread with a thin layer of cream cheese filling. Roll together and secure with a skewer. (I used 5” wood skewers, presoaked)
Grill until chicken is cooked through!
Carne Asada Rollups with Cilantro & Roasted Red Pepper
Marinade
1.5 pounds flank steak, cut into 3” strips
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
Mix all ingredients together and marinate beef 4 hours or longer (I marinated overnight).
Filling: mix these together (use any amount you prefer)
cream cheese
roasted red pepper
cilantro
garlic
Carne Asada Rollups:
Place one piece of bacon on workspace and place a marinated steak strip on top. Spread a thin layer of cheese filling. Roll together and secure with a skewer. (I used 5” wooden skewers, presoaked).
Grill until cooked to desired wellness! Enjoy!
*I froze extra assembled rollups before grilling.

Assembly
Laying each (2″ wide) slice of bread on its edge lengthwise, create a *pocket* by slicing through the middle of each piece but stopping as you near the opposite crust, so as to create a single, hinged piece. DO NOT SCOOP OUT ANY OF THE BREAD. Do this for all 8 slices until you have created 8 pieces, each with a hinged *pocket*. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix cream cheese, Mascarpone cheese, and powdered sugar until well blended. Set aside.
Slice strawberries to desired thickness.
Opening the *pocket* of each piece of bread, begin scooping and smoothing the cheese mixture into each, creating a thick layer in all. Following the same procedure, lay 1 row of sliced strawberries atop each layer of cream, slightly overlapping the berries as you go. Set aside.
In a medium-sized oval or rectangular dish, mix milk, eggs, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and lemon zest with a whisk until blended. Melt (and spread) 2 tablespoons of butter in a 12″ skillet over medium heat.
Dip (don’t soak) each stuffed piece of bread into the egg batter using tongs, taking care to cover both sides and the edges. Drain slightly before setting each piece into the moderate skillet containing melted butter.
Frying no more than 3 pieces at a time, flip each piece over after the bottom reaches a light, golden brown.

Who needs butter? This pie gets its velvety richness from olive oil, wine, low-fat milk, and a double dose of vegetables.
Serves 10
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tblsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 bag frozen vegetables
½ c.sliced mushrooms
1 c. dry white wine
1 ½ c. low fat milk (I used fat free ½ & ½)
1 tbsp. herbs de provence
2 tbsp. flour
salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
1 piece of puff pastry
Thaw puff pastry ½ hour. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook the chicken in a pot of simmering water until cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Shred or cube the chicken.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, stirring often until they begin to soften, 6-8 minutes (do not let them darken). Add frozen vegetables. When warm, sprinkle with flour. Stirring for 1 minute.
Add the wine and cook until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and simmer until sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chicken, herbs and spices. Transfer to a shallow 2 qt. baking dish or 10 ramekins that have been coated with cooking spray.
Roll crust out large enough to cover your dish. Brush one side with egg, lay egg-side down over dish. Fold edges over to seal and brush top with egg. Cut several vents into crust. Bake for 25 minutes or until crust is puffed and lightly browned.
Allow to cool for a few minutes and enjoy!
*I made the filling the day before and thought some of the liquid absorbed… next time I would add a little more before baking.