EUREKA!

I grew up in Southern Arizona, where I enjoyed many a Santa Fe Chicken Sandwiches from Carl's Jr.  A lot of people think that Carl's Jr. and Hardees are the same thing, but they aren't.  Carl's Jr. first started in Anaheim, California in 1956, and then in 1997 they acquired Hardees, which adopted some of Carl's Jr. menu items and also acquired the same branding (the smiling star).  They have some similar menu items, but they don't carry identical sandwiches.  For me, this was a problem when I moved to Nashville.  I greatly missed my Santa Fe sandwiches.  There is something about the sauce, combined with a green chili pepper, that just made this sandwich irresistible.  I had to get my fix every time I went out west.  (That sounds so country) 

Well, the other day it finally occurred to me to check Pinterest for a copycat recipe for the Santa Fe sandwich but I didn't find anything.  So I then checked the internet and I found a copycat recipe and we tried it last night.  It was AMAZING!  It tasted just like the real thing.  So if you, too, are missing your Carl's Jr. fix, I proudly present the solution!  Or if you are in the mood for an AWESOME chicken sandwich, try this recipe.  Yum, yum!!

But wait, it gets better.  I made the sandwiches with another recipe that I found on pinterest for baked zucchini sticks with sweet onion dip.  Let me tell you something my friends, I wanted to take a straw to that dip, it was so amazing.  You can definitely make it for a sandwich spread or to dip anything else into.  It was so delicious and amazing.  Plus, it is always good when you can get crunchy, breaded zucchini baked in the oven instead of frying it.  I highly recommend both these recipes! 

Carl's Jr Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich

copycat recipe from Todd Wilbur's Top Secret Recipes

4 skinless chicken breasts
1 cup teriyaki marinade
1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp cheyenne pepper

pinch of salt

2 cans of whole chiles

slices of American cheese

lettuce
hamburger buns

Wrap each chicken breast with saran wrap and hit with a mallet until there is an even thickness.  Marinate in teriyaki for about 1 hour.  Grill on the BBQ for 5-8 minutes on both sides.  In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, paprika, curry powder, and cheyenne pepper.  Let cheese melt on the chicken breasts and assemble the best sandwich EVER!  Enjoy!

Baked Zucchini Sticks and Sweet Onion Dip

from King Arthur's Flour blog

Dip

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium sweet onion, about 1/2 pound, peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• salt and pepper to taste

Zucchini sticks

• 3 medium zucchini, unpeeled, cut into 3"-long stick
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• scant 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon Pizza Seasoning or mixed Italian herbs
• olive oil spray
• 1/2 cup egg substitute; or 2 large eggs; or 3 egg whites, lightly beaten

Directions

1) To make the dip: Melt the butter in a medium frying pan over moderate heat, and add the sliced onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, then caramelize. This should take between 10 and 15 minutes. The lower the heat, the longer it takes, but the less likely you are to burn the onions.

2) Once the onions are a medium brown, remove from the heat and add the vinegar.

3) Place the onions and vinegar into a small food processor. Add the honey and mustard, and process or blend until smooth.

4) Add the mayonnaise and salt and pepper to taste, stirring to combine. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

5) To make the zucchini sticks: Place the zucchini sticks in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with the tablespoon of salt. Let the zucchini drain for 1 hour or longer; rinse and pat dry.

6) Combine the Panko, Parmesan, and pizza seasoning; set aside.

7) Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment, and spray the parchment with olive oil.

8) Dredge sticks a few at a time in the egg, then roll in the crumb mixture. Place the sticks on the prepared baking sheet.

9) Bake sticks for 12 minutes, turn over, and bake for an additional 8 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

10) Serve immediately, with sweet onion dip.

Yield: about 3 dozen zucchini sticks, and 1 1/2 cups dip

I have a friend that asked if I take pictures of my weekly progress, and I've never been one to do it.  But since she wanted to see the bump, I took a 23 week picture just for you!  I had some trouble last night with rib pain.  Every once in a while I will feel a lot of pressure in my ribs, but laying down usually relieves the discomfort.  However, yesterday it wasn't pressure, it was pain.  I called the doctor's office and they think I pulled a muscle and just advised Tylenol and a heating pad.  But nothing I did made it better and I had continuous pain for 8 hours yesterday!  It was horrible.  And I've been kicked by cows, sprained ankles, pulled muscles, had the wind knocked out of me, and been landed on by a horse.  Not all at once.  But I'm just saying, I don't think that was a pulled muscle.  Luckily it just went away.  Who knows what is happening down there.  A lot of people are telling me that I must be carrying a boy because they like to lay low and put pressure on your ribs.  But like my doctor says, if it feels like your uterus is hanging down by your knees, it's because it is...that's the price you pay for having more than one baby!  Whoever it is in there is getting a pretty bad reputation so far. 

Hopefully I'll make it 16 more weeks.  :)  Love to all!

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