Our Favorite Wraps

Sometimes when inspiration does not strike, we decide we're just going to have wraps for the week. They're super versatile and we serve them with chips, cottage cheese and pickles. We do most of the prep ahead of time, chopping the rotisserie chicken, shredding the lettuce, sauteing the veggies and we do keep chopped bacon frozen just for wraps, ready to be fried up at a moment's notice. Then all we have to do is assemble.

Our top 3 are:

1. Chicken Caesar. Warm the cubed rotisserie chicken in the microwave. In a separate bowl, combine shredded romaine, grated Parmesan, tomatoes and Caesar dressing (our favorite is Newman's Creamy Caesar). Add chicken and assemble wrap.
2. BBQ/Ranch Chicken. Warm the chicken with your favorite BBQ sauce (for the wraps we like Sweet Baby Ray's Honey -- it seems to go better with the smokiness of the bacon) and chopped bacon. In another bowl, combine shredded romaine, tomatoes, shredded cheddar and ranch dressing. Add a layer of the lettuce mixture onto the tortilla and top with the chicken mixture. Wrap and enjoy.
3. Farmer's Market Veggie. Saute your favorite farmer's market finds. We enjoy yellow squash, zucchini, and mushrooms. Add cooked brown rice. I like to top mine with Feta, Dave likes his with goat cheese and a squeeze of Srirachi sauce.

I would love to know what you put in your wraps!

Baked Potato Soup

Why is it still cold? It makes me want this soup. It can easily be made vegetarian by leaving out the bacon and using veggie stock, but we really like the bacon in our house. The recipe is a bit fussy for me so I modify it by just chopping up all the baked potatoes (skin and all) and blending it all up with an immersion blender and it becomes a one pot meal. Just be sure to use a big pot. I have used whatever random dairy products I have on hand in the fridge as substitutions for the sour cream (cream cheese, skim milk, whole milk, half & half, etc.) and have even substituted green onions for the leeks and it was great too. So besides being incredibly yummy, its great because I usually have the stuff to make it in my fridge and all 4 of us gobble it up. Alex especially likes to customize his soup with various toppers (see photo). Eat it with a green salad.

Baked Potato & Leek Soup with Chedder and Bacon
2 medium russet potatoes (about 1/2 lb. each)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2-1/2 cups sliced leeks (about 2 medium leeks; white and light green parts), rinsed well
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar (about 1/4 lb.)
2 Tbs. thinly sliced scallion greens or chives

Heat the oven to 375ºF. Scrub the potatoes in water, pat dry, and pierce in several places with a fork. Set them directly on an oven rack and bake until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the leeks are very tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon bits with a slotted spoon to a saucer lined with paper towels to drain and cool.
When the potatoes are cool, cut one of them in half lengthwise. Use a large spoon to scoop the flesh in one piece from each half. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside. Coarsely chop the potato skin and the entire remaining potato and add to the pot with the leeks. Purée the contents of the pot in a blender until very smooth (you'll need to work in two batches). Return the puréed soup to a clean soup pot and reheat over medium low. Whisk together the milk and sour cream until smooth and then whisk this into the soup, along with 1/2 cup of the Cheddar. Stir in the diced potato. The soup should be fairly thick, but if it seems too thick, thin it with a little water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the remaining Cheddar, the bacon bits, and the scallions or chives.
nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 290; Fat (g): 20; Fat Calories (kcal): 15; Saturated Fat (g): 9; Protein (g): 30; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 2; Carbohydrates (g): 32; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 85; Sodium (mg): 3; Cholesterol (mg): 850;
photo: Scott Phillips
From Fine Cooking 57, pp. 78
May 1, 2003