Remember when I mentioned I was reviewing a product for CSN Stores? Well, I ended up getting a gift card and look at all the loot I scored!

The two 9-inch cake pans have been on my list for awhile now because I previously only had two 8-inch pans and one 9-inch pan, which means to make a triple layer cake I had to cut one 9-inch cake down to the 8-inch size….yeah, not so fun since cake crumbs would get everywhere so I’m very happy I don’t have to deal with that ever again. I also got a coffee bean grinder that I’ve been exclusively using to grind all my spices. If anyone has ever attempted to mash coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle, you’ll understand why this little gadget has made my life so much easier!

The very first thing I put in my shopping cart though was a Caphalon nonstick grill pan. We can’t grill at our apartment and I’ve been so jealous of all the grilled goodies you’ve all being making around the blogosphere! Since I’m still on a bit of an Indian kick, I decided to use the pan first to grill up some chicken for naanwiches! I marinated a couple chicken breasts in Greek yogurt, garlic, and spices and then grilled it up on my new pan, which worked beautifully. My grill marks weren’t perfect, so I don’t have a picture to share with you, but I’m already looking forward to practicing more!

The sauce for the naanwiches was inspired by the chicken tikka masala I made for our dinner party. It didn’t have a smooth sauce like the version you usually get at restaurants. Instead, finely chopped almonds were added to the sauce, which gave it a bit of texture and inspired me to use almonds and the same flavor profile to make a lovely Indian-spiced pesto. I pureed red onion, garlic, roasted red peppers, golden raisins, tomato paste, and garam masala along with some tomato paste, and served the spread on the naanwiches along with the grilled chicken. So yummy!  Thanks so much CSN Stores for all the fun kitchen goodies!

Disclaimer: CSN Stores sent me a gift card for free so I could try several products of my choosing, but I received no compensation for this post and all opinions are mine.

Chicken Tikka Masala Naanwiches
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Grilled Chicken:
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied in half lengthwise so you have 4 pieces

Masala Spread:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/4 cup toasted whole almonds
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt

8 pieces whole wheat naan sized to fit the chicken (I cut mine from 4 pieces), warmed
2 ounces fresh spinach (1 cup packed)

Directions:
Place Greek yogurt, garlic, coriander, cumin, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and salt in a medium bowl and mix until well combined. Spread marinade evenly over chicken pieces in a shallow dish and refrigerate for an hour.

Meanwhile, make the masala spread by heating 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium high heat in a nonstick skillet. Sauté red onion for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; mix in garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute. Place cooked onions, remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil, red peppers, almonds, raisins, tomato paste, garam masala, and salt in a food processor and pulse until well mixed.

Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium high heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and cook chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until cooked through and no longer pink in the center.

To assemble the naanwiches, top one piece of naan with one fourth of the spinach, a piece of chicken, some of the sauce, and another piece of naan. Repeat to make 4 naanwiches.

Nutrition: 612 calories, 22.2g fat, 4.5g fiber, 41.5g protein per naanwich
Cost: $2.22 per naanwich

Happy 4th of July! I’m in Des Moines right now visiting my parents and we gobbled up some delicious hot dogs today. Apolinaras started laughing when I told him about my plan to come up with a great hot dog recipe, because he doesn’t think hot dogs are blog worthy. But I totally disagree, a good hot dog is a completely satisfying summer treat and it’s really the same as posting a unique sandwich recipe!

Anyway, these hot dogs are special because they’re coated in pretzels! I basically breaded them like you would for chicken parm and then served them on a bun topped with melted provolone, caramelized onions, and a tangy honey mustard sauce. The pretzels add a nice crunch and these dogs were SO good! Check out my mom’s super festive plates too – the only time you’ll see anything other than white is when I’m making a mess in her kitchen.  I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend with their friends and family!

Pretzel Coated Hot Dogs with Caramelized Onions, Provolone, and Honey Mustard
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 beef hot dogs
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup crushed pretzels
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon honey
6 slices provolone cheese
4 whole wheat hot dog buns

Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a small pan. Add onions and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until caramelized, stirring frequently. Remove onions and add remaining olive oil to the pan.

Meanwhile, coat each hot dog heat in flour, then in the egg, and then in the pretzel crumbs. Brown hot dogs on all sides by cooking for 5 to 7 minutes over medium high heat or until golden brown and warmed.

Mix mustard, vinegar, and honey in a small bowl until well combined.

Preheat the oven broiler. Spread one and a half slices of cheese over each open hot dog bun. Toast in the broiler for 2 to 5 minutes or until buns are toasted and cheese is melted.

Assemble the hot dogs by placing one hot dog on each bun and topping each with the onions and honey mustard sauce.  Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 546 calories, 35.0g fat, 2.9g fiber, 22.9g protein per serving
Cost: $1.69 per serving