I think everyone was skeptical about this dish but it was really tasty. We should have known: Rotel tomatoes and Velveeta? Winner winner chicken dinner.
Queso Chicken Black Bean and Rice Casserole
2 garlic cloves, minced
1Tbsp. olive oil
medium onion, diced
1.5tsp cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 14oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 10oz can Ro-Tel (diced tomatoes and chiles)
8oz Velveeta 2%, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 cups cooked brown rice
2-2.5 cups chopped grilled chicken
4 handfuls of multigrain tortilla chips, crushed
If not using leftover grilled chicken and rice, start by grilling your chicken (about 2 chicken breast halves) and cooking your rice according to package directions (make enough for approximately 6 servings).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the diced onion and cook one to two minutes more to soften. Add cumin and chili powder and mix together.
Add the black beans, combine to distribute seasoning. Next, add Ro-Tel and cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce some of the liquid. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Add the Velveeta and grilled chicken to the pan, stirring occasionally to let the cheese melt.
Grab about four handfuls of chips, place them in a plastic bag and let your kid smash them for a couple of seconds.
In a 9x13" pan, pour the rice and spread on the bottom of the pan, evenly distributing.
Pour the black bean, chicken, queso mixture on top of the rice. Sprinkle the tortilla chips on top of that.
Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes.
Serves 8
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Monday, April 18, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Ellie Krieger's Oven-Fried Chicken with Roasted Broccoli and Macaroni & Cheese
Another hit from the cookbook, The Foods You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life.
(I halved the recipe so it would serve four.)
about 10 sleeve whole-grain salted crackers, pulsed in a food processor until fine (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/4 cups corn cereal flakes, pulsed in a food processor to fine crumbs (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg white
1/2 cup lowfat, plain yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Olive oil cooking spray
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil.
Combine the crackers and corn cereal crumbs, sesame seeds, cayenne, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Reserve.
In a large bowl, combine egg whites, yogurt, Dijon mustard, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and coat thoroughly with the yogurt mixture.
One at a time, dip the chicken pieces in the cracker mixture, packing crumbs onto chicken. Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet and spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife.
This was really tasty but the next time I make it, well, I'm going to drizzle each piece of chicken with just a little bit of melted butter. It won't take much but it will make a big difference.
The pasta was Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese. The broccoli was the beloved Parmesan Roasted Broccoli with Pine Nuts from Ina Garten. LOVE.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Braised Italian Chicken with Green Beans, Tomatoes, and Olives
From Fine Cooking magazine.
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and each cut into 3 uniform pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 to 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut in half
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 14-1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup pitted, quartered Kalamata olives
Season the chicken with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Spread the flour on a plate, and lightly dredge the chicken in the flour.
Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a large Dutch oven or casserole over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering hot. Cook the chicken in two to three batches (to avoid crowding the pot) until well browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer each batch to a plate as it finishes, and if the pot looks dry between batches, add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil.
Return the chicken to the pot, add the green beans, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the red wine and cook until it almost completely evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a steady simmer. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.
Add the olives, and continue simmering with the lid ajar until the chicken and green beans are very tender, about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
The dish is complete as is, but nice with a crusty bread, or keep it Italian and serve Garlic-Parmesan Bread.
Nutrition information (per serving):
Size: based on four servings; Calories (kcal): 500; Fat (g): 27; Fat Calories (kcal): 250; Saturated Fat (g): 6; Protein (g): 44; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 14; Carbohydrates (g): 17; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 5; Sodium (mg): 1060; Cholesterol (mg): 150; Fiber (g): 3;
photo: Scott Phillips
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and each cut into 3 uniform pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 to 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut in half
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 14-1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup pitted, quartered Kalamata olives
Season the chicken with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Spread the flour on a plate, and lightly dredge the chicken in the flour.
Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a large Dutch oven or casserole over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering hot. Cook the chicken in two to three batches (to avoid crowding the pot) until well browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer each batch to a plate as it finishes, and if the pot looks dry between batches, add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil.
Return the chicken to the pot, add the green beans, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the red wine and cook until it almost completely evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a steady simmer. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.
Add the olives, and continue simmering with the lid ajar until the chicken and green beans are very tender, about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
The dish is complete as is, but nice with a crusty bread, or keep it Italian and serve Garlic-Parmesan Bread.
Nutrition information (per serving):
Size: based on four servings; Calories (kcal): 500; Fat (g): 27; Fat Calories (kcal): 250; Saturated Fat (g): 6; Protein (g): 44; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 14; Carbohydrates (g): 17; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 5; Sodium (mg): 1060; Cholesterol (mg): 150; Fiber (g): 3;
photo: Scott Phillips
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Loaded Alfredo
Also from Cook This, Not That*. We had this last for dinner and it was a hit! We used homemade pasta, which helped, but it would be good with the suggested whole wheat pasta, too.
It wouldn't have bothered me if the sauce had had a bit more body to it. Next time, I may use 1 cup of whole milk, and probably add a bit of Asiago cheese to it.
While we were eating dinner, we thought of lots of versions of this - smoked sausage and crawfish tails. Shrimp and asparagus instead of chicken and broccoli would be another. It would be a great dish to use up bits and pieces from the fridge. We often have grilled chicken, grilled asparagus, roasted green beans left over from various meals.
Our son loved it, too. We'll be making it again.
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp flour
3 cups 2% milk
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups bite-size broccoli florets
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
8 oz cooked chicken breast, thinly sliced (store-bought rotisserie chicken works well) - We used two grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
12 oz whole-wheat fettuccine (we like Ronzoni Healthy Harvest)
How to Make It:
To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk to prevent any lumps from forming. Add the garlic and simmer, whisking often, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until nicely thickened. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have lightly caramelized. Stir in the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot, add the sauce and the chicken mixture, and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the pasta water to thin it. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $3.63
In comparison, consider the same dish at The Olive Garden:
1,220 calories
75 g fat (47 g saturated)
1,350 mg sodium
*Love this book.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Roasted Chicken
Jeffrey roasted a terrific turkey for Thanksgiving. It was so good, we got requests to make the same dish the same way for Christmas.
Over the weekend I used the brine recipe for chicken, which we roasted for Sunday dinner. Winner! We'll be making it again.
We served it with Parmesan-roasted white asparagus, which we won't have again - I like the green color better - and pasta salad.
Over the weekend I used the brine recipe for chicken, which we roasted for Sunday dinner. Winner! We'll be making it again.
We served it with Parmesan-roasted white asparagus, which we won't have again - I like the green color better - and pasta salad.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Chicken Pie
While the pie bakes it smells buttery and savory; birthday smells. It’s a special dish, not something one whips up on a weeknight for fun. It’s not fast. While not particularly hard, the recipe has several steps.
That’s what it makes it special and what makes it taste of birthday – it’s trouble. There is love in that chicken pie. My mother’s hands rolling out the pastry – how many times have I watched her do that while she and I stood in the kitchen chatting. I helped or watched her cook while we talked.
1 1/2 - 2 pound chicken
water
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 to 1/3-cup ice water
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
4 boiled eggs
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch dish and set aside.
Cook the chicken in enough salted water to cover chicken until tender, but not until meat falls off the bones. Remove chicken from bones, shred into small pieces, and set aside; reserve broth.
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening and add ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out about half of the dough.
Cut the dough into long strips, about an inch or two wide, to line the sides of the casserole dish.
Put half of the chicken pieces over bottom of pan. Cut half of the stick of butter in small pieces and place the butter over the chicken. Layer the chicken with egg slices and salt and pepper. Top with the rest of the chicken pieces. Pour chicken broth over chicken.
Roll out the remaining dough; cut into strips and put over the top. Cut the remaining butter into small pieces and dot the pastry with the butter.
Bake about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
That’s what it makes it special and what makes it taste of birthday – it’s trouble. There is love in that chicken pie. My mother’s hands rolling out the pastry – how many times have I watched her do that while she and I stood in the kitchen chatting. I helped or watched her cook while we talked.
1 1/2 - 2 pound chicken
water
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 to 1/3-cup ice water
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
4 boiled eggs
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch dish and set aside.
Cook the chicken in enough salted water to cover chicken until tender, but not until meat falls off the bones. Remove chicken from bones, shred into small pieces, and set aside; reserve broth.
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening and add ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out about half of the dough.
Cut the dough into long strips, about an inch or two wide, to line the sides of the casserole dish.
Put half of the chicken pieces over bottom of pan. Cut half of the stick of butter in small pieces and place the butter over the chicken. Layer the chicken with egg slices and salt and pepper. Top with the rest of the chicken pieces. Pour chicken broth over chicken.
Roll out the remaining dough; cut into strips and put over the top. Cut the remaining butter into small pieces and dot the pastry with the butter.
Bake about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Maybe I'll Just Stick To Watching It On the Tee Vee
During the first episode of The Next Food Network Star, I picked Jeffrey, Zen Jeffrey, not to be confused with my Jeffrey, to win. He didn’t but he made it to the final round.
Melissa won. Melissa is perky and happy and some people already dislike her as much as they do Rachel Ray. I like Melissa and when she made prepared this chicken dish with onions and lemon juice as part of the final competition, Jeffrey and I both liked the way it looked and the ease of preparation and we made plans to cook it for Sunday dinner.
When I’m cooking, I like to get out all the ingredients and measure them out before starting on the recipe. That’s part of the fun, and it makes everything go smoothly.
Plus I get to use these bowls.
We got them at a gourmet shop in Charleston. I love them.
I measured out 1/4 cup white wine in one and 4 tablespoons of olive oil in another. I flattened the chicken breasts, poured the oil in the pan, and heated it. When I put the chicken in the pan, it didn’t sizzle. I picked up the red bowl and smelled the liquid in it. Olive oil. The olive oil that was supposed to be in the skillet cooking the chicken.
“What, please tell me, did I put in that pan?”
Jeffrey peered in the pan and said, “That would be white wine.”
I added the olive oil but by then the chicken was beginning to cook/boil/steam in white wine. When the chicken got done, which seemed to take forever, it stuck to the pan, probably because it had been bizarrely cooked in white wine rather than sautéed in olive oil. Then it was time for the red onions to go in the same pan, cook up nice and slow, then you deglaze the pan with chicken stock.
Jeffrey poured in the bowl of red onions. The skillet was dry so I poured in a few tablespoons of chicken stock.
Jeffrey said, “I think the onions were supposed to cook down first.”
I looked at the recipe and sure ‘nough.
“Oh, well!” I said because, what else could you say? The dish was already far too gone by that point.
The onions cooked down some and I added the rest of the chicken stock and the lemon juice. They cooked and cooked.
It was hot in the kitchen. From April to September, we plan a lot of meals around not heating up the kitchen. It’s too hot. This particular meal was an especially bad idea on my part as it was mostly sautéing with a big pan over a big eye on medium heat. The oven was going, too, with the potatoes au gratin.
The spinach that the chicken was supposed to lay on could have gone in the microwave, but I like to sauté some onion and garlic first before adding in the spinach so I cooked the spinach on the stovetop, too. Because it wasn’t quite hot enough in there, you know.
I went to chop an onion to find we didn’t any more onions. Screw it. A shallot and two cloves of garlic will have to do.
Then once all that mess finally got done we pulled the potatoes au gratin out to find they weren’t quite done. I couldn’t get a fork through them. Jeffrey thought they were close enough; they’d been in there the 40 minutes the recipe I called for. I kept trying to stab one with a fork and the potatoes valiantly resisted the fork so we threw them back in the oven and closed the door. Hot, it was hot in that kitchen.
Ten minutes or so later we called it done. Whatever, is what we were at that point. I’d already thought about the hot dogs that I knew were in the fridge. If worse came to worse, I wouldn’t be above heating one up for dinner.
We turned an au gratin out onto a plate. Funny. On the pilot, Melissa’s were golden brown and crusty with cream and butter and cheese. Ours looked pale and wan, like someone who needed to spend more time outdoors.
We placed a chicken breast atop the spinach bed and topped the chicken with some of the stupid red onion mess and sat down to eat. It was edible.
The chicken didn’t have much flavor. I’d seasoned it as directed, with salt, pepper, and dried thyme. The recipe called for dredging the chicken in flour – plain old white flour. I couldn’t have that. I seasoned that naked white flour with creole spice and pepper. Still, no flavor.
After a few bites one of us said, “Well. It’s not awful.”
Contrast that with the night before when we did a trial run of a menu we’re having for a dinner party this coming weekend: I took one bite and put down my fork to clap my hands. I was so happy everything tasted so good.
With this meal I shrugged after each bite.
Massive fail.
I would say that I’ve learned to read the directions from start to finish before beginning but I already know that all too well. I did it, too, then got distracted and busy and went off course. It’s not really Melissa’s fault that I didn’t follow the recipe. We’ll try it again, probably in November when it’s cooler.
Rustic Chicken with Onions and Lemons
Ingredients
· 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced in half crossways (butterflied, cut all the way through)
· 1 teaspoon dried thyme, plus 1 small bunch fresh thyme, leaves chopped
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 4 tablespoons olive oil
· 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
· 1 red onion, thinly sliced
· 1/4 cup white wine, optional
· 1 cup chicken broth
· 3 lemons, juiced
· 1 to 2 tablespoons butter
· Spinach "bed", recipe follows
Directions
Season chicken with dried thyme and salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the oil. Dredge the chicken in flour, add to the hot oil and saute until cooked through. Set chicken aside to rest on plate tented with foil.
In same saute pan, over low heat, add onions and fresh thyme and cook until aromatic.
In a measuring cup, measure out wine, if using, and broth, and add the lemon juice.
Turn the heat up to high, and deglaze the pan with the broth mixture until starting to reduce.
Remove the pan from the heat and finish the sauce by whisking in butter. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Place a bed of cooked spinach on a serving platter, top with the chicken. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.
Spinach "bed":
· 1 bag pre-washed fresh spinach
· 3 tablespoons water
· 1 tablespoon butter
· 1 lemon, juiced
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Microwave spinach in a microwave-proof dish with a few tablespoons of water on high for 5 to 6 minutes, or until hot. Drain, and toss with butter, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, to taste.
Individual Potato Au Gratins
Ingredients
· Vegetable spray
· 2 large russet potatoes, roughly peeled and thinly sliced
· 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
· 2 green onions, finely chopped
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 3/4 cup heavy cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray 8 muffin tins with vegetable spray. Layer potato slices, cheese, and onions into each muffin cup. Season with salt and pepper and top each gratin with 1 or 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, removing the foil halfway through cooking time. Invert gratins onto plate and serve.
Melissa won. Melissa is perky and happy and some people already dislike her as much as they do Rachel Ray. I like Melissa and when she made prepared this chicken dish with onions and lemon juice as part of the final competition, Jeffrey and I both liked the way it looked and the ease of preparation and we made plans to cook it for Sunday dinner.
When I’m cooking, I like to get out all the ingredients and measure them out before starting on the recipe. That’s part of the fun, and it makes everything go smoothly.
Plus I get to use these bowls.
We got them at a gourmet shop in Charleston. I love them. I measured out 1/4 cup white wine in one and 4 tablespoons of olive oil in another. I flattened the chicken breasts, poured the oil in the pan, and heated it. When I put the chicken in the pan, it didn’t sizzle. I picked up the red bowl and smelled the liquid in it. Olive oil. The olive oil that was supposed to be in the skillet cooking the chicken.
“What, please tell me, did I put in that pan?”
Jeffrey peered in the pan and said, “That would be white wine.”
I added the olive oil but by then the chicken was beginning to cook/boil/steam in white wine. When the chicken got done, which seemed to take forever, it stuck to the pan, probably because it had been bizarrely cooked in white wine rather than sautéed in olive oil. Then it was time for the red onions to go in the same pan, cook up nice and slow, then you deglaze the pan with chicken stock.
Jeffrey poured in the bowl of red onions. The skillet was dry so I poured in a few tablespoons of chicken stock.
Jeffrey said, “I think the onions were supposed to cook down first.”
I looked at the recipe and sure ‘nough.
“Oh, well!” I said because, what else could you say? The dish was already far too gone by that point.
The onions cooked down some and I added the rest of the chicken stock and the lemon juice. They cooked and cooked.
It was hot in the kitchen. From April to September, we plan a lot of meals around not heating up the kitchen. It’s too hot. This particular meal was an especially bad idea on my part as it was mostly sautéing with a big pan over a big eye on medium heat. The oven was going, too, with the potatoes au gratin.
The spinach that the chicken was supposed to lay on could have gone in the microwave, but I like to sauté some onion and garlic first before adding in the spinach so I cooked the spinach on the stovetop, too. Because it wasn’t quite hot enough in there, you know.
I went to chop an onion to find we didn’t any more onions. Screw it. A shallot and two cloves of garlic will have to do.
Then once all that mess finally got done we pulled the potatoes au gratin out to find they weren’t quite done. I couldn’t get a fork through them. Jeffrey thought they were close enough; they’d been in there the 40 minutes the recipe I called for. I kept trying to stab one with a fork and the potatoes valiantly resisted the fork so we threw them back in the oven and closed the door. Hot, it was hot in that kitchen.
Ten minutes or so later we called it done. Whatever, is what we were at that point. I’d already thought about the hot dogs that I knew were in the fridge. If worse came to worse, I wouldn’t be above heating one up for dinner.
We turned an au gratin out onto a plate. Funny. On the pilot, Melissa’s were golden brown and crusty with cream and butter and cheese. Ours looked pale and wan, like someone who needed to spend more time outdoors.
We placed a chicken breast atop the spinach bed and topped the chicken with some of the stupid red onion mess and sat down to eat. It was edible.
The chicken didn’t have much flavor. I’d seasoned it as directed, with salt, pepper, and dried thyme. The recipe called for dredging the chicken in flour – plain old white flour. I couldn’t have that. I seasoned that naked white flour with creole spice and pepper. Still, no flavor.
After a few bites one of us said, “Well. It’s not awful.”
Contrast that with the night before when we did a trial run of a menu we’re having for a dinner party this coming weekend: I took one bite and put down my fork to clap my hands. I was so happy everything tasted so good.
With this meal I shrugged after each bite.
Massive fail.
I would say that I’ve learned to read the directions from start to finish before beginning but I already know that all too well. I did it, too, then got distracted and busy and went off course. It’s not really Melissa’s fault that I didn’t follow the recipe. We’ll try it again, probably in November when it’s cooler.
Rustic Chicken with Onions and Lemons
Ingredients
· 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced in half crossways (butterflied, cut all the way through)
· 1 teaspoon dried thyme, plus 1 small bunch fresh thyme, leaves chopped
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 4 tablespoons olive oil
· 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
· 1 red onion, thinly sliced
· 1/4 cup white wine, optional
· 1 cup chicken broth
· 3 lemons, juiced
· 1 to 2 tablespoons butter
· Spinach "bed", recipe follows
Directions
Season chicken with dried thyme and salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the oil. Dredge the chicken in flour, add to the hot oil and saute until cooked through. Set chicken aside to rest on plate tented with foil.
In same saute pan, over low heat, add onions and fresh thyme and cook until aromatic.
In a measuring cup, measure out wine, if using, and broth, and add the lemon juice.
Turn the heat up to high, and deglaze the pan with the broth mixture until starting to reduce.
Remove the pan from the heat and finish the sauce by whisking in butter. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Place a bed of cooked spinach on a serving platter, top with the chicken. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.
Spinach "bed":
· 1 bag pre-washed fresh spinach
· 3 tablespoons water
· 1 tablespoon butter
· 1 lemon, juiced
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Microwave spinach in a microwave-proof dish with a few tablespoons of water on high for 5 to 6 minutes, or until hot. Drain, and toss with butter, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, to taste.
Individual Potato Au Gratins
Ingredients
· Vegetable spray
· 2 large russet potatoes, roughly peeled and thinly sliced
· 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
· 2 green onions, finely chopped
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 3/4 cup heavy cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray 8 muffin tins with vegetable spray. Layer potato slices, cheese, and onions into each muffin cup. Season with salt and pepper and top each gratin with 1 or 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, removing the foil halfway through cooking time. Invert gratins onto plate and serve.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Parma Rosa Pasta With Grilled Chicken
We made this one night last week. It was a weeknight and it'd been a long day. This is the perfect meal for one of those days.
I boiled whole wheat penne. While that was cooking, I mixed up the pasta sauce.
It's in a packet, it's a sauce mix; JUDGE ME, that is fine. I'll be over here enjoying this pasta.
I sliced up some grilled chicken. It was chicken left over from the other night and do you know how happy that makes me? To be able to use leftovers to make another yummy dish? VERY HAPPY INDEED. I love being efficient and frugal. Throwing food away makes me feel bad.
When the pasta was done, I poured the sauce over it and added the sliced chicken. I served it up and topped it with some grated Parmesan. Good stuff.
Leftover steamed asparagus or green beans would have good in there, too. Not pictured was the side salad we had with the pasta.
I boiled whole wheat penne. While that was cooking, I mixed up the pasta sauce.
It's in a packet, it's a sauce mix; JUDGE ME, that is fine. I'll be over here enjoying this pasta.
I sliced up some grilled chicken. It was chicken left over from the other night and do you know how happy that makes me? To be able to use leftovers to make another yummy dish? VERY HAPPY INDEED. I love being efficient and frugal. Throwing food away makes me feel bad.
When the pasta was done, I poured the sauce over it and added the sliced chicken. I served it up and topped it with some grated Parmesan. Good stuff.
Leftover steamed asparagus or green beans would have good in there, too. Not pictured was the side salad we had with the pasta.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Raspberry Chipotle Chicken and Grilled Asparagus
Saturday I brined a few bone-in chicken breasts for several hours. Late that afternoon I brushed them with sauce and Jeffrey grilled them.
During dinner, pretty much every other bite one of us mentioned how good it was. We're looking forward to making chicken salad with the leftovers.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Stir Fry Non Recipe
I promise we've cooked and eaten in the last several weeks. I am not altogether sure where the last several weeks have gone, but I'm quite sure we cooked and ate during them.
There were crab cakes and pork tenderloin and grilled chicken and all kinds of stuff that I did not even photograph. Sorry.
We've made stir fry a couple of times. It is the ideal Monday night dish; spend a little time in the kitchen and eat healthy, meaning you get to feel virtuous and smug the rest of the night. NOT BAD for a Monday.
If I think about it in the morning before I leave for work, I marinate some chicken. I really like Taste of Gourmet's Great Grilling Marinade. Most of the time, it's after work before I do that and sometimes I use a combination of soy sauce and sesame oil.
I heat sesame oil over medium heat in a large skillet (I don't own a wok - the skillet works fine) and cook the chicken.
(Why is that picture sideways?)When the chicken is cooked through, I wrap it in aluminum foil and slide it into a slightly warm (200 degrees) oven to stay warm.
I add more sesame oil and some soy sauce, maybe a bit of chicken stock or white wine, and add chopped red, yellow, and/or green peppers and onion and saute.
I really really like sugar snap peas and snow peas. Jeffrey is more partial to green beans. Whichever we use - we've tried different combinations and they're all good - add them toward the end.
When the veggies are almost done I toss some peanuts in there with them. I don't know why peanuts; that seems more Thai. When I do the tossing I guess it should be cashews. Whatever. I like both.
Add the nice warm chicken back to the mix and stir together.
Oh and in the meantime, the rice is cooking.
We always have leftovers and they're pretty good re-heated. Just cook some fresh rice.
Now I'm kind of craving it all over again.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Unstoppable Chicken Marbella
Based on a recipe from the classic Silver Palate Cookbook, this is one of my favorite go-to dishes. Kids love it, finicky eaters love it, it smells incredible while cooking AND any leftovers make the best chicken salad. It's a win-win-win.
We paired it with the best side evah.
Chicken Marbella
4 chicken breasts (I think the original recipe called for a chicken, cut into pieces and parts)
1/2 head of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup red wine or balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pitted prunes
1/4 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/4 cup capers with a bit of juice*
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white wine or chicken stock
2 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
* Jeffrey takes issue with capers and he kindly asked me to leave them out, which I did. I don't think I could tell they were missing.
Combine garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers, and bay leaves. Put the chicken in a zip-top bag and add marinade. Seal tight and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly grease a casserole dish and arrange chicken in a single layer. Spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine or chicken stock around them.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with the pan juices.
Serve with some of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Serve remaining juice in a gravy boat.
(Recipe doubles easily.)
We paired it with the best side evah.
Chicken Marbella
4 chicken breasts (I think the original recipe called for a chicken, cut into pieces and parts)
1/2 head of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup red wine or balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pitted prunes
1/4 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/4 cup capers with a bit of juice*
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white wine or chicken stock
2 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
* Jeffrey takes issue with capers and he kindly asked me to leave them out, which I did. I don't think I could tell they were missing.
Combine garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers, and bay leaves. Put the chicken in a zip-top bag and add marinade. Seal tight and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly grease a casserole dish and arrange chicken in a single layer. Spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine or chicken stock around them.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with the pan juices.
Serve with some of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Serve remaining juice in a gravy boat.
(Recipe doubles easily.)
Monday, November 10, 2008
Rachel Ray Is a Big Fat Liar
The Fiance and I saw Rachel Ray make Florentine Mac and Cheese and Roast Chicken Sausage Meatballs on her 30-minute meal show. Huh, we both said. Sounds pretty good -and, hey, it takes just 30 minutes!
The reality was something more akin to 70 minutes, and that was with both of us working on it and neither of us are dummies in the kitchen.
We're going to try the recipe again and when we do, we'll use one package of spinach rather than two. As it was the "sauce" was clumps of clumpy spinach. Tasty but nothing like a sauce.
About half the pasta - 8 ounces rather than 16 ounces - would probably suffice. To me, the dish seemed mostly pasta sprinkled here and there with clumps of spinach. I was expecting pasta in a sauce. Color me crazy.
Finally, and this is just a personal thing, I don't care much for meatballs. The texture is very close to meatloaf, which I don't like. These chicken sausage meatballs were good but I think I'd make more like 16 small ones rather than 8 large ones. But that's just me.
Florentine Mac and Cheese and Roast Chicken Sausage Meatballs
Salt
1 pound cavatappi corkscrew shaped hallow pasta (We used corkscrew pasta.)
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken (We couldn't find ground chicken after looking at two grocery stores, so we used ground turkey.)
Black pepper
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
1 egg
3/4 cup bread crumbs, plus more, if needed*
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 boxes, 10 ounces, chopped frozen spinach
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg, eyeball it
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. When it comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta to cook to al dente. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
While the water is coming to a boil, in a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, salt and pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano - a rounded handful, egg and bread crumbs. *If the mixture seems too wet, add a handful of bread crumbs and mix together.
Form 8 large round balls, about 3 to 4-inches. Coat balls in a couple of tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange balls on the baking sheet and roast 17 to 18 minutes until juices run clear.
Defrost spinach in microwave 8 to 10 minutes on "defrost" setting depending on the microwave. Place the boxes in a shallow dish to catch any run off.
While the meatballs roast, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and thicken 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup grated Parmigiano and reduce heat on lowest setting.
Wring spinach completely dry in clean kitchen towel then separate as you add it to the sauce. Also add the reserved 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Toss pasta with the spinach-white sauce and adjust seasonings.
Serve Florentine Mac-n-Cheese with 2 meatballs per person along side.
The reality was something more akin to 70 minutes, and that was with both of us working on it and neither of us are dummies in the kitchen.
We're going to try the recipe again and when we do, we'll use one package of spinach rather than two. As it was the "sauce" was clumps of clumpy spinach. Tasty but nothing like a sauce.
About half the pasta - 8 ounces rather than 16 ounces - would probably suffice. To me, the dish seemed mostly pasta sprinkled here and there with clumps of spinach. I was expecting pasta in a sauce. Color me crazy.
Finally, and this is just a personal thing, I don't care much for meatballs. The texture is very close to meatloaf, which I don't like. These chicken sausage meatballs were good but I think I'd make more like 16 small ones rather than 8 large ones. But that's just me.
Florentine Mac and Cheese and Roast Chicken Sausage Meatballs
Salt
1 pound cavatappi corkscrew shaped hallow pasta (We used corkscrew pasta.)
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken (We couldn't find ground chicken after looking at two grocery stores, so we used ground turkey.)
Black pepper
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
1 egg
3/4 cup bread crumbs, plus more, if needed*
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 boxes, 10 ounces, chopped frozen spinach
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg, eyeball it
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. When it comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta to cook to al dente. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
While the water is coming to a boil, in a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, salt and pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano - a rounded handful, egg and bread crumbs. *If the mixture seems too wet, add a handful of bread crumbs and mix together.
Form 8 large round balls, about 3 to 4-inches. Coat balls in a couple of tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange balls on the baking sheet and roast 17 to 18 minutes until juices run clear.
Defrost spinach in microwave 8 to 10 minutes on "defrost" setting depending on the microwave. Place the boxes in a shallow dish to catch any run off.
While the meatballs roast, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and thicken 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup grated Parmigiano and reduce heat on lowest setting.
Wring spinach completely dry in clean kitchen towel then separate as you add it to the sauce. Also add the reserved 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Toss pasta with the spinach-white sauce and adjust seasonings.
Serve Florentine Mac-n-Cheese with 2 meatballs per person along side.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
It's a Party, It's Chicken, It's Party Chicken
I recently bragged about my ability to time travel.
I did it again last night – time traveled, not bragged about it - wherein I prepared a chicken dish my mother used to make a lot in the late 70s. It’s called Party Chicken. Bacon and a can of Cream of Mushroom soup are involved. Sounds like a party, doesn’t it?
Party Chicken
1 (2.25-ounce) jar of dried beef
Bacon (can use turkey bacon)
4 chicken breasts (bone in or boneless skinless)
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup (I used Healthy Request)
8 ounces sour cream (I used light)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Shred half the jar of dried beef and place in a 9x13 casserole dish.
I could not find a photo of the jar of it the way I usually see it, but this is the same brand, just different packaging. Maybe it's a southern thing? I don't know?
Save the rest to use in another recipe. Like a cheeseball – recipe to come.
Wrap chicken breasts in bacon, 1 to 2 slices each, depending on the size. Place in casserole dish.
Combine soup and sour cream and pour over chicken. Bake for about an hour.
Last night as I was pulling this dish from the oven, I remember that my mother always baked this at a lower temperature, about 250 degrees, for a longer time, about two to three hours. It made the entire house smell so good! Growing up, we often had it for Sunday dinner because you could cook it so slowly.
I bet this would work nicely in a slow cooker, too, although I haven't tried it yet.
We had brown rice and sautéed spinach with the chicken. I love sautéed spinach. We sautéed about half a yellow onion and a clove or two of garlic in olive oil and a bit of butter, then added the spinach, and covered until it was cooked. It’s really tasty and so easy.
All in all, a delicious and easy, easy meal everybody liked. There were happy plates all around.
We’re planning to have seared tuna steaks with spinach Friday night for dinner, tailgate food Saturday afternoon and evening while watching the game, and filets and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus Sunday night. Maybe hamburgers Monday.
What will you eat over the Labor Day weekend?
I did it again last night – time traveled, not bragged about it - wherein I prepared a chicken dish my mother used to make a lot in the late 70s. It’s called Party Chicken. Bacon and a can of Cream of Mushroom soup are involved. Sounds like a party, doesn’t it?
Party Chicken
1 (2.25-ounce) jar of dried beef
Bacon (can use turkey bacon)
4 chicken breasts (bone in or boneless skinless)
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup (I used Healthy Request)
8 ounces sour cream (I used light)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Shred half the jar of dried beef and place in a 9x13 casserole dish.
I could not find a photo of the jar of it the way I usually see it, but this is the same brand, just different packaging. Maybe it's a southern thing? I don't know?Save the rest to use in another recipe. Like a cheeseball – recipe to come.
Wrap chicken breasts in bacon, 1 to 2 slices each, depending on the size. Place in casserole dish.
Combine soup and sour cream and pour over chicken. Bake for about an hour.
Last night as I was pulling this dish from the oven, I remember that my mother always baked this at a lower temperature, about 250 degrees, for a longer time, about two to three hours. It made the entire house smell so good! Growing up, we often had it for Sunday dinner because you could cook it so slowly.
I bet this would work nicely in a slow cooker, too, although I haven't tried it yet.
We had brown rice and sautéed spinach with the chicken. I love sautéed spinach. We sautéed about half a yellow onion and a clove or two of garlic in olive oil and a bit of butter, then added the spinach, and covered until it was cooked. It’s really tasty and so easy.
All in all, a delicious and easy, easy meal everybody liked. There were happy plates all around.
We’re planning to have seared tuna steaks with spinach Friday night for dinner, tailgate food Saturday afternoon and evening while watching the game, and filets and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus Sunday night. Maybe hamburgers Monday.
What will you eat over the Labor Day weekend?
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