This was last week's recipe. Despite the hundred-plus recipes I've saved in my Google Reader or bookmarked, and my dozens of cookbooks, I couldn't find a recipe I felt like making. So, I started browsing Tasty Kitchen again, and found this chicken recipe.
30 Minute Lemon Brown Sugar Chicken
from Tasty Kitchen
Ingredients
1 lb. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c. Flour
2 t. Paprika
1 t. Salt
1 1/2 T. Canola oil
2 whole lemons, juiced
2 T. Dark brown sugar
1 T. Fresh lemon zest
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F
Pound the chicken breasts thin. Set aside.
Combine the flour, paprika, and salt in a cake or pie pan. Drop each chicken breast in the mixture and toss to coat completely.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Drop each breast in the oil and brown on both sides (should only take about 4 minutes). Remove chicken breasts and keep warm on a plate.
Pour the lemon juice in the pan and stir to deglaze. Put chicken breasts in a casserole dish and pour juice on top. Sprinkle with brown sugar and lemon zest.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165F.
The Photo
Still no photos. Note to self: ask Alec to remind me to take photos of new recipes.
The Verdict
I didn't do a very good job with this one. I left the salt out of the flour mixture. Since I was only doing 2 chicken breasts, I only used one lemon. My pan was a touch too hot, so most of it evaporated when it hit the pan. So, I didn't end up with much sauce. I squeezed a little more juice on to the chicken once I put it in the baking pan. I was not exact with my measurements for the brown sugar and the lemon zest. I just sprinkled both of those over the chicken until I thought it looked good. In the end the chicken turned out a little dry, but since the pan was too hot, I think I overcooked it on the browning step.
Overall, though, we thought the flavors were good and I'll probably make this one again.
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Recipe(s) of the Week: New Year's Day Dinner
On New Year's Day, Alec and I had my cousins over for a light supper followed by a visit to the National Zoo for their Zoo Lights exhibit.
True to form, I served dishes that I had never made before.
I have never been one to eat the traditional (at least in the South) New Year's Day meal. I am just not a fan of collard greens or black-eyed peas. The cornbread is the only element of this traditional meal I like.
On New Year's Eve, I was catching up on my blog reading, and I saw a recipe for Black-Eyed Pea dip. It actually sounded good to me, so I decided it would be perfect for New Year's Day.
Zannie's Black-Eyed Pea Dip
from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Ingredients
1 (14-oz.) can black-eyed peas
1/4 whole onion, chopped fine
1/4 c. sour cream
8 slices jarred jalapenos
1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 T. salsa
Hot sauce, to taste
Salt & black pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drain black-eyed peas and partially mash, leaving some whole.
Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine
Spread into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish & bake for 20-30 minutes until hot & bubbly.
Serve with tortilla chips.
PW notes that if you can find them, you can use canned black-eyed peas with jalapenos and eliminate the sliced jalapenos.
The Photo
I'm not really back into the swing of blogging, so I didn't take a photo.
The Verdict
Everyone really liked this dish. I'll definitely be adding it to future New Year's menus, and probably making it again before that!
Of course, I had some changes, substitutions and mistakes. I couldn't find the black-eyed peas with jalapenos and I did not feel like buying a whole jar of sliced jalapenos just for this recipe. I substituted a 4 oz. can of diced green chilies. I also totally forgot to add the salsa, but no one really missed it. I had some on hand, so it would not have been a big deal to use 3 tablespoons for the recipe. I'd say that if you don't have any on hand and don't have a use for it, it could easily be left out.
My main tip is: don't try to buy canned black eyed peas on New Year's Day! The store was very nearly out!
I also really wanted to use my fancy new slow cooker. I had already used it once earlier in the week just to make sure it worked okay. Ingrid had made white chicken chili over the Christmas holiday, and Alec suggested we have it for this meal. It was too late to call her and I was planning a fairly early-morning grocery run, so I was afraid she wouldn't get an e-mail in time. So, I turned to the Internet to find a recipe. I found this one on Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen site. I joined it a while back, but I have not used it much, except to save recipes featured in the Tasty Kitchen blog. I think this was the first time I'd actually made something I saved.
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
from: Tasty Kitchen
Ingredients
3 whole chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 whole onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 oz.) cans white beans, drained
1 (15 oz.) can pink beans (pinquitos)
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
2 c. chicken stock
1 whole jalapeno (seeded & minced)
2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. chipotle chili powder
Salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 c. finely crushed tortilla chips
2 c. shredded pepper jack cheese
Directions
Throw all of the ingredients, except for the cheese and tortilla chips, into your slow cooker.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4 hours. During the last 30 minutes, stir in the crushed tortilla chips and the shredded cheese and heat until the cheese is melted and the chili has thickened.
The Photo
Same story as above.
The Verdict
I think everyone liked this dish as well. This time I didn't make any mistakes, but I did have some changes and there are also a few things I'd do differently next time.
I didn't bother to cut up the chicken. I just threw the breasts in the cooker. Towards the end of the cook time, when I opened it up to add the cheese, I pulled out the chicken and shredded it up, then threw it back in.
I did my main shopping for this at Trader Joe's, and they didn't have the pink beans. I'd actually never heard of them, so I wasn't sure what my chances were of finding them. So, I grabbed a can of pintos instead. I did drain the pintos along with the white beans. Later, I saw the pink beans in the Mexican section of the regular grocery store, so I'll try those next time.
I'm used to not really stirring the ingredients when I do a slow cooker meal. Without really thinking, I just tossed the spices in. When I opened it up at the end, they were all still just sitting on top. I think that next time I will whisk the spices in with the chicken broth before I pour that in so they will be more evenly distributed.
I don't remember what kind of cheese I used, but it wasn't pepper jack. I might have done Colby jack or maybe just plain jack.
True to form, I served dishes that I had never made before.
I have never been one to eat the traditional (at least in the South) New Year's Day meal. I am just not a fan of collard greens or black-eyed peas. The cornbread is the only element of this traditional meal I like.
On New Year's Eve, I was catching up on my blog reading, and I saw a recipe for Black-Eyed Pea dip. It actually sounded good to me, so I decided it would be perfect for New Year's Day.
Zannie's Black-Eyed Pea Dip
from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Ingredients
1 (14-oz.) can black-eyed peas
1/4 whole onion, chopped fine
1/4 c. sour cream
8 slices jarred jalapenos
1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 T. salsa
Hot sauce, to taste
Salt & black pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drain black-eyed peas and partially mash, leaving some whole.
Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine
Spread into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish & bake for 20-30 minutes until hot & bubbly.
Serve with tortilla chips.
PW notes that if you can find them, you can use canned black-eyed peas with jalapenos and eliminate the sliced jalapenos.
The Photo
I'm not really back into the swing of blogging, so I didn't take a photo.
The Verdict
Everyone really liked this dish. I'll definitely be adding it to future New Year's menus, and probably making it again before that!
Of course, I had some changes, substitutions and mistakes. I couldn't find the black-eyed peas with jalapenos and I did not feel like buying a whole jar of sliced jalapenos just for this recipe. I substituted a 4 oz. can of diced green chilies. I also totally forgot to add the salsa, but no one really missed it. I had some on hand, so it would not have been a big deal to use 3 tablespoons for the recipe. I'd say that if you don't have any on hand and don't have a use for it, it could easily be left out.
My main tip is: don't try to buy canned black eyed peas on New Year's Day! The store was very nearly out!
I also really wanted to use my fancy new slow cooker. I had already used it once earlier in the week just to make sure it worked okay. Ingrid had made white chicken chili over the Christmas holiday, and Alec suggested we have it for this meal. It was too late to call her and I was planning a fairly early-morning grocery run, so I was afraid she wouldn't get an e-mail in time. So, I turned to the Internet to find a recipe. I found this one on Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen site. I joined it a while back, but I have not used it much, except to save recipes featured in the Tasty Kitchen blog. I think this was the first time I'd actually made something I saved.
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
from: Tasty Kitchen
Ingredients
3 whole chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 whole onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 oz.) cans white beans, drained
1 (15 oz.) can pink beans (pinquitos)
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
2 c. chicken stock
1 whole jalapeno (seeded & minced)
2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. chipotle chili powder
Salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 c. finely crushed tortilla chips
2 c. shredded pepper jack cheese
Directions
Throw all of the ingredients, except for the cheese and tortilla chips, into your slow cooker.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4 hours. During the last 30 minutes, stir in the crushed tortilla chips and the shredded cheese and heat until the cheese is melted and the chili has thickened.
The Photo
Same story as above.
The Verdict
I think everyone liked this dish as well. This time I didn't make any mistakes, but I did have some changes and there are also a few things I'd do differently next time.
I didn't bother to cut up the chicken. I just threw the breasts in the cooker. Towards the end of the cook time, when I opened it up to add the cheese, I pulled out the chicken and shredded it up, then threw it back in.
I did my main shopping for this at Trader Joe's, and they didn't have the pink beans. I'd actually never heard of them, so I wasn't sure what my chances were of finding them. So, I grabbed a can of pintos instead. I did drain the pintos along with the white beans. Later, I saw the pink beans in the Mexican section of the regular grocery store, so I'll try those next time.
I'm used to not really stirring the ingredients when I do a slow cooker meal. Without really thinking, I just tossed the spices in. When I opened it up at the end, they were all still just sitting on top. I think that next time I will whisk the spices in with the chicken broth before I pour that in so they will be more evenly distributed.
I don't remember what kind of cheese I used, but it wasn't pepper jack. I might have done Colby jack or maybe just plain jack.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Recipe of the week for 3/28 - Sweet & Spicy Chicken Tacos
Yet another version of Mexican chicken! Yes, I'm addicted to Mexican food. What can I say? It's normally pretty easy, plus it tastes good! I adapted this one from Prudence Pennywise. It's meant to be a slow-cooker recipe, but for whatever reason, I didn't get a head start on it, so I made it into a stove-top recipe. You can get the slow-cooker version here. I am sure you could do it with frozen chicken breasts, like I did for the Mexican Chicken I posted a while back.
Sweet & Spicy Chicken Tacos
adapted from Prudence Pennywise
Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 c. brown sugar
Taco shells
Taco toppings (lettuce, sour cream, shredded cheese - whatever you like)
Directions
Put chicken breasts in a pot & fill with water until they're covered. Add about 1/2 t. red pepper flakes and the garlic cloves. I just peeled the garlic, then gave it a good whack to crush it a bit and tossed them in. You can add more of the red pepper flakes and/or garlic if you like things spicier. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken and let it cool for a bit.
Dump the water out of the pot. Add the tomatoes, brown sugar and 1/2 t. red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat until bubbly.
While the tomato mixture heats up, shred the chicken. I usually just use my fingers, but you can do it with two forks.
When the tomato mixture gets bubbly, add the chicken and simmer for about 10 minutes.
While the chicken heats up, warm up your taco shells.
Fill the tacos, top as desired & enjoy!
The Photo
Here they are. I got those cool flat-bottomed taco shells that stand up on their own. I served the tacos with refried black beans (from Amy's Organic - yummy!).
The Verdict
I liked these a lot. I did not drain the tomatoes, but I think you should. The mixture was very liquid-y and made the taco shells too soft. Alec thought it was a little too sweet. I actually cut the brown sugar down from the original recipe because I know in the past he has not liked sweet/spicy dishes I've made. But, it was still a tad too sweet for him. Maybe next time I will just get some hot sauce so he can spice his tacos up, because I thought they were just fine!
Sweet & Spicy Chicken Tacos
adapted from Prudence Pennywise
Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 c. brown sugar
Taco shells
Taco toppings (lettuce, sour cream, shredded cheese - whatever you like)
Directions
Put chicken breasts in a pot & fill with water until they're covered. Add about 1/2 t. red pepper flakes and the garlic cloves. I just peeled the garlic, then gave it a good whack to crush it a bit and tossed them in. You can add more of the red pepper flakes and/or garlic if you like things spicier. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken and let it cool for a bit.
Dump the water out of the pot. Add the tomatoes, brown sugar and 1/2 t. red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat until bubbly.
While the tomato mixture heats up, shred the chicken. I usually just use my fingers, but you can do it with two forks.
When the tomato mixture gets bubbly, add the chicken and simmer for about 10 minutes.
While the chicken heats up, warm up your taco shells.
Fill the tacos, top as desired & enjoy!
The Photo
Here they are. I got those cool flat-bottomed taco shells that stand up on their own. I served the tacos with refried black beans (from Amy's Organic - yummy!).
The Verdict
I liked these a lot. I did not drain the tomatoes, but I think you should. The mixture was very liquid-y and made the taco shells too soft. Alec thought it was a little too sweet. I actually cut the brown sugar down from the original recipe because I know in the past he has not liked sweet/spicy dishes I've made. But, it was still a tad too sweet for him. Maybe next time I will just get some hot sauce so he can spice his tacos up, because I thought they were just fine!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Recipe of the Week for 2/28 - Kay's Parmesan Crusted Chicken
This is another recipe from Kay, guest blogger on The Pioneer Woman Cooks! Though we didn't love her Stuffed Onions, I saw no reason to totally discount her recipes!
Kay's Parmesan Crusted Chicken
from Kay, guest blogger on The Pioneer Woman Cooks!
Ingredients
1/2 c. Hellman's mayonnaise
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 sun-dried tomatoes (jarred in oil)
1 t. Italian herbs
1 t. basil
cayenne pepper
for crumb topping:
2 T. breadcrumbs
Lawry's garlic salt
1 T. Parmesan
1/2 t. oregano
Directions
Preheat your oven to 425.
Place 1/2 c. of Hellman's Mayonnaise in a medium sized bowl. Add 1/4 c. of grated Parmesan cheese to the mayonnaise. Next, add a good pinch of cayenne to spice things up a little. You can add regular pepper if you don't care for cayenne. Next, add 1 t. frozen or dried Italian herbs or your favorite Italian seasoning and 1 t. dried or frozen basil. Finely mince two oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and add it to the mayonnaise mixture. Stir until combined.
Now grab another bowl and measure 2 T. breadcrumbs, combine that with 1 T. Parmesan, 1 t. dried oregano, and a generous amount of Lawry's garlic salt. You can also use a little garlic powder wtih regular salt, of course.
Place 4 chicken breasts in an oven-proof dish and spread the mayonnaise mixture over the top generously. Next, cover them with the breadcrumb mixture. Place in a pre-heated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through. (Longer cook times will be required for thicker pieces of chicken. Flattening thicker pieces of chicken with a tenderizer beforehand will help reduce over-all cook time.)
The Photo
This photo is not from the actual debut of this recipe. We've had it several times since then (see The Verdict) and this one was taken last week. That time, we had it with noddles tossed in garlic olive oil. The first couple of times, we had it with rice.
The Verdict
We really liked this one! In fact, we've had it twice since I originally tried it and it's on the menu for the upcoming week. It comes together very quickly - I usually have the mayo mixture and breadcrumbs ready to go before the oven even gets heated up.
The first time, I made it pretty much as directed. However, I am a Duke's Mayonnaise girl, so I used that. It was great, but the mayonnaise didn't seem that healthy.
The second time, I decided to try it with plain yogurt instead of mayo. It came out okay, but it was not as flavorful as with the mayo.
Last time, I decided to use Greek yogurt, which we've really enjoyed in a similar recipe, Yogurt Parmesan Chicken. When we sat down to eat it, though, it seemed a little sweet. Alec asked me what kind of yogurt I got. I said it was the plain Greek yogurt and I didn't understand why it was so sweet. Alec solved the mystery when he looked at the empty yogurt container and realized I had actually used honey yogurt! Oops!
Like I said, it's on the list for this week, and I really did buy the plain Greek yogurt so hopefully the 4th time will be the charm!
Kay's Parmesan Crusted Chicken
from Kay, guest blogger on The Pioneer Woman Cooks!
Ingredients
1/2 c. Hellman's mayonnaise
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 sun-dried tomatoes (jarred in oil)
1 t. Italian herbs
1 t. basil
cayenne pepper
for crumb topping:
2 T. breadcrumbs
Lawry's garlic salt
1 T. Parmesan
1/2 t. oregano
Directions
Preheat your oven to 425.
Place 1/2 c. of Hellman's Mayonnaise in a medium sized bowl. Add 1/4 c. of grated Parmesan cheese to the mayonnaise. Next, add a good pinch of cayenne to spice things up a little. You can add regular pepper if you don't care for cayenne. Next, add 1 t. frozen or dried Italian herbs or your favorite Italian seasoning and 1 t. dried or frozen basil. Finely mince two oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and add it to the mayonnaise mixture. Stir until combined.
Now grab another bowl and measure 2 T. breadcrumbs, combine that with 1 T. Parmesan, 1 t. dried oregano, and a generous amount of Lawry's garlic salt. You can also use a little garlic powder wtih regular salt, of course.
Place 4 chicken breasts in an oven-proof dish and spread the mayonnaise mixture over the top generously. Next, cover them with the breadcrumb mixture. Place in a pre-heated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through. (Longer cook times will be required for thicker pieces of chicken. Flattening thicker pieces of chicken with a tenderizer beforehand will help reduce over-all cook time.)
The Photo
This photo is not from the actual debut of this recipe. We've had it several times since then (see The Verdict) and this one was taken last week. That time, we had it with noddles tossed in garlic olive oil. The first couple of times, we had it with rice.
The VerdictWe really liked this one! In fact, we've had it twice since I originally tried it and it's on the menu for the upcoming week. It comes together very quickly - I usually have the mayo mixture and breadcrumbs ready to go before the oven even gets heated up.
The first time, I made it pretty much as directed. However, I am a Duke's Mayonnaise girl, so I used that. It was great, but the mayonnaise didn't seem that healthy.
The second time, I decided to try it with plain yogurt instead of mayo. It came out okay, but it was not as flavorful as with the mayo.
Last time, I decided to use Greek yogurt, which we've really enjoyed in a similar recipe, Yogurt Parmesan Chicken. When we sat down to eat it, though, it seemed a little sweet. Alec asked me what kind of yogurt I got. I said it was the plain Greek yogurt and I didn't understand why it was so sweet. Alec solved the mystery when he looked at the empty yogurt container and realized I had actually used honey yogurt! Oops!
Like I said, it's on the list for this week, and I really did buy the plain Greek yogurt so hopefully the 4th time will be the charm!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Recipe of the Week for 2/14 - Mexican Chicken
Look at me, being diligent with the blogging. Does 2 days in a row count as diligence? I'm not sure . . .
Anyway, here's another recipe - this one came from one one Alec's Facebook friends. I think it was someone he knew in junior high & has reconnected with. Anyway, she shared this recipe and so Alec asked me to make it.
I adapted the ingredient list a little, and then cooked it based on another, similar recipe I make often.
Crock Pot Mexican Chicken
recipe inspired by Alec's friend
Ingredients
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, frozen
1 jar fruity salsa (we used a black bean & pomegranate salsa, I don't remember the name. Alec's friend suggested Newman's Own Pineapple)
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 a yellow onion, chopped
tortillas
sour cream
Directions
Combine all ingredients in the crock pot. Yes, it's okay that the chicken breasts are frozen! Cook on high 4-5 hours.
Shred the chicken. Serve in tortillas with sour cream.
The Photo
I can't find one. I guess I forgot.
The Verdict
This was a yummy twist on my usual method of making Mexican-style chicken in the crock pot. The salsa I used was quite spicy and thus the chicken was, too. But, we enjoyed it and I'd make it again!
Anyway, here's another recipe - this one came from one one Alec's Facebook friends. I think it was someone he knew in junior high & has reconnected with. Anyway, she shared this recipe and so Alec asked me to make it.
I adapted the ingredient list a little, and then cooked it based on another, similar recipe I make often.
Crock Pot Mexican Chicken
recipe inspired by Alec's friend
Ingredients
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, frozen
1 jar fruity salsa (we used a black bean & pomegranate salsa, I don't remember the name. Alec's friend suggested Newman's Own Pineapple)
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 a yellow onion, chopped
tortillas
sour cream
Directions
Combine all ingredients in the crock pot. Yes, it's okay that the chicken breasts are frozen! Cook on high 4-5 hours.
Shred the chicken. Serve in tortillas with sour cream.
The Photo
I can't find one. I guess I forgot.
The Verdict
This was a yummy twist on my usual method of making Mexican-style chicken in the crock pot. The salsa I used was quite spicy and thus the chicken was, too. But, we enjoyed it and I'd make it again!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Recipe of the Week for 1/31 - Pioneer Woman's Ranch Style Chicken - Sorta
Where is this year going? If you know, please tell me! I can't believe I'm once again so far behind on my blogging. We were visiting M.K. and E last week and she was berating me (in a loving way, of course) for not writing very often. Apparently, I'm very popular among those who need a mental break. Raul once told me I should blog more often because he often checks the blog when he wants a break from work. He hasn't mentioned it lately, but then again he does have Facebook now, so maybe that occupies him.
Anyway, on to the recipe. This one comes from Ree, of Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. This is one of my favorite blogs (link on the right). The reason I used "sorta" in the title, is that as usual I made some changes to the recipe. The ironic thing about that is the very same week I made this, Ree wrote a post about making something exactly like someone else does, except for several modifications. I had to laugh since I had every intention of making her recipe the very next day, except with modifications.
Ranch Style Chicken
adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Ingredients
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Turkey bacon (2 slices per chicken breast)
1/2 c. Honey
1/2 c. Mustard
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 t. Paprika
1/2 t. Salt
Smoked Cheddar cheese, shredded
Canola oil
Directions
Mix mustard , honey, lemon juice, paprika & salt and whisk until smooth. This will be the marinade for the chicken.
Rinse the chicken breasts & pat dry. Place each one between two sheets of wax paper and pound to 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick. Put the chicken & marinade in a Ziploc bag and refrigerate for 1-3 hours. (I know using bags to marinate isn't the most environmentally friendly technique, but I think it works best. Of course you can just put the chicken & marinade in a bowl & cover with plastic wrap.)
Just before the chicken is done marinading, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook the bacon.
Heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add 2-3 pieces of chicken. Cook 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove to a baking pan. Repeat until all the chicken is cooked.
After all the chicken is cooked, bake it in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven & top with bacon and shredded cheese. Return to oven & bake for 5 more minutes until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
The Photo
The Verdict
We really liked this! I used a German-style mustard since it's what we had on hand. We also had some applewood smoked cheddar left over from the Stuffed Onions so I used that as the cheese. Pioneer Woman uses Dijon mustard, real bacon and sharp cheddar cheese. She also cooks the chicken in bacon grease. But other than that, it's exactly the same! ;-)
Anyway, on to the recipe. This one comes from Ree, of Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. This is one of my favorite blogs (link on the right). The reason I used "sorta" in the title, is that as usual I made some changes to the recipe. The ironic thing about that is the very same week I made this, Ree wrote a post about making something exactly like someone else does, except for several modifications. I had to laugh since I had every intention of making her recipe the very next day, except with modifications.
Ranch Style Chicken
adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Ingredients
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Turkey bacon (2 slices per chicken breast)
1/2 c. Honey
1/2 c. Mustard
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 t. Paprika
1/2 t. Salt
Smoked Cheddar cheese, shredded
Canola oil
Directions
Mix mustard , honey, lemon juice, paprika & salt and whisk until smooth. This will be the marinade for the chicken.
Rinse the chicken breasts & pat dry. Place each one between two sheets of wax paper and pound to 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick. Put the chicken & marinade in a Ziploc bag and refrigerate for 1-3 hours. (I know using bags to marinate isn't the most environmentally friendly technique, but I think it works best. Of course you can just put the chicken & marinade in a bowl & cover with plastic wrap.)
Just before the chicken is done marinading, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook the bacon.
Heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add 2-3 pieces of chicken. Cook 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove to a baking pan. Repeat until all the chicken is cooked.
After all the chicken is cooked, bake it in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven & top with bacon and shredded cheese. Return to oven & bake for 5 more minutes until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
The Photo
The Verdict
We really liked this! I used a German-style mustard since it's what we had on hand. We also had some applewood smoked cheddar left over from the Stuffed Onions so I used that as the cheese. Pioneer Woman uses Dijon mustard, real bacon and sharp cheddar cheese. She also cooks the chicken in bacon grease. But other than that, it's exactly the same! ;-)
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Recipe of the Week - Week of 10/18 - Greek Pitas
One of our go-to meals for a while has been what I call "Greek Wraps" - tortillas with grilled chicken, feta cheese, homemade hummus and sometimes lettuce if we have it. I used to marinate the chicken in Greek dressing. But, our grocery store here surprisingly doesn't carry one. So, I've tried a couple of different things and haven't been happy with any of them.
The first day we were home from D.C. of course we didn't have much food in the house. So, we went to eat lunch at one of our favorite places here, a Mediterranean restaurant. Alec was already having Moby Dick withdrawal (he ate there again the night I was at my cousin's bachelorette party). The owner made us some of his special Taziki sauce (I probably spelled that wrong) and we had some left over, which of course we brought home.
That prompted the idea of "Greek Wraps" for dinner. I complained, though, that I hadn't found a good Greek marinade since we moved. Alec suggested that I find a recipe on-line. Such a smart boy!
Marinated Greek Chicken Kabobs
recipe from AllRecipes.com
Ingredients
1 (8 oz) container fat-free plain yogurt
1/3 c. crumbled feta cheese with basil & sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 t. lemon zest
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. ground black pepper
1/4 t. crushed dried rosemary
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large red onion, cut into wedges
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Directions
In a large shallow baking dish, mix the yogurt, feta cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper and rosemary. Place chicken in the dish and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate 3 hours in the refrigerator.
Preheat an outdoor grill to high heat
Thread the chicken, onion wedges and green bell pepper pieces alternately onto skewers. Discard remaining yogurt mixture.
Grill skewers on the prepared grill until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
The Verdict
I made several substitutions here. First of all, I didn't make it as kabobs, so I didn't cut up the chicken, and I didn't need the onion & green pepper. I used the same Greek yogurt I used for the Yogurt Parmesan Chicken, which is only 6 oz. I also used plain feta cheese. We grilled the chicken on our indoor grill.
It came out really well. I tasted the chicken on it's own before we assembled our pitas and it was quite flavorful. We created the pitas by smearing hummus on them, then topping that with chicken, more feta cheese and the restaurant sauce. We also had hummus and cut-up pita on the side. I warmed the pitas, wrapped in foil, in the toaster oven while the chicken grilled.
Instead of tortillas, we went more authentic and got fresh pitas from the bakery at the grocery store (they make their own pitas, but they don't sell Greek dressing. Go figure). I whipped up some hummus and we had pitas with chicken, hummus, feta and T. sauce, with more hummus and pita on the side.
The Photo
Here's the photo. The plate's not very pretty, but everything sure tasted good!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Recipe of the Week - Yogurt Parmesan Chicken
Yep, this is the recipe of the week for last week!! I am finally caught up. Well, kind of. The week of 9/20, I made a really good Mexican dish, which I kind of made up myself. I clearly remember writing down how I did it after the fact, but I can't find the document. So, I will have to make it again sometime and post it then. There won't be any recipe for this week, because I leave tomorrow for a work trip which leads directly into our vacation. I don't know if I'll blog during the trip. We'll see.
Anyway, I made last week's recipe on Monday. It's another one from the Stirring Performances cookbook.
Yogurt Parmesan Chicken
from Stirring Performances by The Junior League of Winston-Salem
Ingredients
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. green onion, chopped
1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
8 chicken breasts
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 t. thyme
1/2 c. lemon juice
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375.
For the sauce, blend well the yogurt, mayonnaise, onions and Worcestershire sauce.
Place the chicken in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme. Pour lemon juice over it.
Pour yogurt sauce over chicken. Then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 1 hour.
The Verdict
There is a photo of this, but Alec left the card reader at work, so I can't get it off the camera.
This dish was so yummy and really quite easy! I used Greek yogurt, because it was the only kind of plain yogurt that came in a single-serving container. I didn't want to buy a big thing of it knowing I wouldn't use it all in a timely manner. The single serving was 6 oz., and I used all of it. The recipe doesn't specify dried or fresh thyme; I used dried. I didn't really measure, I just sprinkled it over the chicken. Same with the lemon juice - I just used 2 small lemons and squeezed them right over the chicken. Then, I just used my microplane grater to grate some Parmesan over it. Although I only made 3 chicken breasts, I still made the full recipe of sauce. If I was going to do 8 breasts, I might double, or even triple the sauce recipe. It's so good, you'll want extra!
I served it over cous cous, with a side of broccoli.
Anyway, I made last week's recipe on Monday. It's another one from the Stirring Performances cookbook.
Yogurt Parmesan Chicken
from Stirring Performances by The Junior League of Winston-Salem
Ingredients
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. green onion, chopped
1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
8 chicken breasts
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 t. thyme
1/2 c. lemon juice
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375.
For the sauce, blend well the yogurt, mayonnaise, onions and Worcestershire sauce.
Place the chicken in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme. Pour lemon juice over it.
Pour yogurt sauce over chicken. Then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 1 hour.
The Verdict
There is a photo of this, but Alec left the card reader at work, so I can't get it off the camera.
This dish was so yummy and really quite easy! I used Greek yogurt, because it was the only kind of plain yogurt that came in a single-serving container. I didn't want to buy a big thing of it knowing I wouldn't use it all in a timely manner. The single serving was 6 oz., and I used all of it. The recipe doesn't specify dried or fresh thyme; I used dried. I didn't really measure, I just sprinkled it over the chicken. Same with the lemon juice - I just used 2 small lemons and squeezed them right over the chicken. Then, I just used my microplane grater to grate some Parmesan over it. Although I only made 3 chicken breasts, I still made the full recipe of sauce. If I was going to do 8 breasts, I might double, or even triple the sauce recipe. It's so good, you'll want extra!
I served it over cous cous, with a side of broccoli.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Recipe Catch Up - Week of 7/26: Grilled Chicken & Veggie Tacos
That last post was short, plus if I don't get caught up soon, I never will so I figured I'd do another one!
At the end of July, after almost two months of solo anchoring both his shows, Alec finally got a new partner. We welcomed her and her husband to town with a taco buffet! They moved here from California & have lived in Arizona, so it's not like they don't know what Mexican food is, but I still thought tacos were a good welcome to Texas!
I didn't do it just like the recipe, so below is my adaptation. Click on the link to get the original recipe!
Chili Lime Chicken & Veggie Tacos
Adapted from Good Things Catered by Katie
Ingredients
4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 green peppers
1 red pepper
1 large vidallia onion
1/4 c. fresh lime juice (1 large lime or two small limes)
1 tsp fresh lime zest
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp chili powder (less if you want less spice)
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp paprika
family pack of flour taco sized tortillas
other taco fixings as desired
Directions
Get the grill started. Or, have your husband do it.
Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness. Place in a Ziploc bag & set aside.
In a large bowl, combine lime juice, zest, olive oil, chili powder, garlic salt, pepper, and paprika. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
Pour marinade into the bag with the chicken and squish it around to get the chicken coated with marinade. Put in the fridge to marinate for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, julienne the peppers, and slice the onion into 1/2 inch rounds (keeping onion rounds intact). Lay out a long piece of foil. Place the veggies on half of it and sprinkle with line juice, olive oil & spices. Fold the other half of the foil over & roll the edges to make a cooking packet.
Grill the chicken (take it out of the plastic bag, first!). When it's about 1/2 way done, put the veggie packet on the grill.
When the chicken is cooked, take it off the grill and let it stand for 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, make foil packets of about 10 tortillas each & heat them on the grill.
After chicken as rested for about 7 minutes, slice on the diagonal.
Serve with peppers, onion, extra lime wedges, tortillas and other taco fixings. (We had red salsa, green salsa, Mexican-blend shredded cheese, Chipotle Cheddar shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, sour cream & tortilla chips. I also served black beans)
The Photos
Here are a couple of photos of the taco buffet!
Gotta love the sour cream served right out of the container. At this point, I had also forgotten to put out the cheese. So, that got served straight out of the Sargento bags. Martha Stewart would not be proud.
At the end of July, after almost two months of solo anchoring both his shows, Alec finally got a new partner. We welcomed her and her husband to town with a taco buffet! They moved here from California & have lived in Arizona, so it's not like they don't know what Mexican food is, but I still thought tacos were a good welcome to Texas!
I didn't do it just like the recipe, so below is my adaptation. Click on the link to get the original recipe!
Chili Lime Chicken & Veggie Tacos
Adapted from Good Things Catered by Katie
Ingredients
4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 green peppers
1 red pepper
1 large vidallia onion
1/4 c. fresh lime juice (1 large lime or two small limes)
1 tsp fresh lime zest
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp chili powder (less if you want less spice)
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp paprika
family pack of flour taco sized tortillas
other taco fixings as desired
Directions
Get the grill started. Or, have your husband do it.
Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness. Place in a Ziploc bag & set aside.
In a large bowl, combine lime juice, zest, olive oil, chili powder, garlic salt, pepper, and paprika. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
Pour marinade into the bag with the chicken and squish it around to get the chicken coated with marinade. Put in the fridge to marinate for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, julienne the peppers, and slice the onion into 1/2 inch rounds (keeping onion rounds intact). Lay out a long piece of foil. Place the veggies on half of it and sprinkle with line juice, olive oil & spices. Fold the other half of the foil over & roll the edges to make a cooking packet.
Grill the chicken (take it out of the plastic bag, first!). When it's about 1/2 way done, put the veggie packet on the grill.
When the chicken is cooked, take it off the grill and let it stand for 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, make foil packets of about 10 tortillas each & heat them on the grill.
After chicken as rested for about 7 minutes, slice on the diagonal.
Serve with peppers, onion, extra lime wedges, tortillas and other taco fixings. (We had red salsa, green salsa, Mexican-blend shredded cheese, Chipotle Cheddar shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, sour cream & tortilla chips. I also served black beans)
The Photos
Here are a couple of photos of the taco buffet!
Gotta love the sour cream served right out of the container. At this point, I had also forgotten to put out the cheese. So, that got served straight out of the Sargento bags. Martha Stewart would not be proud.
You can barely see them there in the back, but at least I had fiesta-themed napkins!
The Verdict
Well, everyone said they were good! You are supposed to only use about 2/3 of the marinade on the chicken, and the rest on the veggies, but I just didn't read my recipe all the way through so I didn't do that. Hence the fact that I just squeezed some lime juice and sprinkled spices over them. I think I'd used all the chili powder in the original marinade, which is why I didn't make more. The original recipe calls for them to be cooked in a grill pan but we don't have one, which is why we did the foil packet. I also think they'd be good done in a grill basked (we don't have one of those, either). Anyway, they will definitely be made again!
Recipe Catch Up - Week of 7/19: Chicken & Pepper Jack Taquitos
This one was part of my Mexican food kick that I went on in July & the beginning of August.
We had the new camera by this point, but I guess I forgot to take a picture. We must have been really hungry!
It was from the Food Network, and I didn't make many changes, so I'll just provide the link. Robin Miller is my new favorite Food Network host. Her recipes, for the most part, are really easy. On each show, she focuses on 3 dishes you can make for quick weeknight meals. Often, this involves cooking up a batch of something early in the week and then using the leftovers in a new way later. I haven't done a full shows worth of recipes yet, but even on their own, the recipes are quick and delicious.
Chicken & Pepper Jack Taquitos
Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller, Food Network
I do remember that they were very spicy. Next time, I will probably do half Pepper Jack and half plain Jack cheese. We also did flour tortillas because we like them better than corn.
We had the new camera by this point, but I guess I forgot to take a picture. We must have been really hungry!
It was from the Food Network, and I didn't make many changes, so I'll just provide the link. Robin Miller is my new favorite Food Network host. Her recipes, for the most part, are really easy. On each show, she focuses on 3 dishes you can make for quick weeknight meals. Often, this involves cooking up a batch of something early in the week and then using the leftovers in a new way later. I haven't done a full shows worth of recipes yet, but even on their own, the recipes are quick and delicious.
Chicken & Pepper Jack Taquitos
Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller, Food Network
I do remember that they were very spicy. Next time, I will probably do half Pepper Jack and half plain Jack cheese. We also did flour tortillas because we like them better than corn.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Recipe Catch-Up - Week of 6/28 - Roasted Chicken Breasts w/ Lemon, Garlic, Rosemary & Seasoned Potatoes
Well, I scanned through my camera, and it didn't jog my memory for the two weeks of recipes I'm missing. I thought maybe it was because I forgot to take pictures. But, what I actually forgot was that our camera was broken. So that would explain why there are no pictures. I guess those two weeks are just gone forever.
Anyway, the week of 6/28 I made this:
Roasted Chicken Breasts w/ Lemon
from Good Things Catered by Katie
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat
1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened but not melted
Zest of 1/2 large lemon, lemon reserved
2 large cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 russet potatoes, washed thoroughly and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
Kosher salt ground pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line large baking pan with foil for easy cleanup.
Pat chicken breasts dry, season liberally with salt and ground pepper, and place breast-side up at least one to two inches apart in pan.
In small bowl combine butter, lemon zest, garlic, and rosemary and stir with spoon to thoroughly combine. With back of spoon, spread butter mixture on top of chicken breasts evenly.
Slice reserved lemon and place slices in pan around the chicken.
In medium bowl place cubed potato and toss with 1 tsp olive oil, parsley and salt and pepper.
Scatter potatoes around chicken breasts.
Place baking dish in oven and cook about 30-40 minutes or until thickest portion of chicken breast has reached 175 degrees.
Remove from oven, take chicken breasts out of pan onto a warm serving platter and tent with foil.
Take one pinch more of Kosher salt to sprinkle over potatoes, toss and place back in oven for 5-10 minutes.
Remove potatoes and serve with chicken.
The Verdict
Of course, I have no idea if I substituted anything. More than likely, I used either Yukon Gold or red potatoes. I have a vague recollection of picking up the Russets in the grocery store and Alec requesting something different. How I remember that, I don't know. I remember the most random things.
Anyway, I do remember it was good, and I will probably make it again!
Anyway, the week of 6/28 I made this:
Roasted Chicken Breasts w/ Lemon
from Good Things Catered by Katie
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat
1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened but not melted
Zest of 1/2 large lemon, lemon reserved
2 large cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 russet potatoes, washed thoroughly and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
Kosher salt ground pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line large baking pan with foil for easy cleanup.
Pat chicken breasts dry, season liberally with salt and ground pepper, and place breast-side up at least one to two inches apart in pan.
In small bowl combine butter, lemon zest, garlic, and rosemary and stir with spoon to thoroughly combine. With back of spoon, spread butter mixture on top of chicken breasts evenly.
Slice reserved lemon and place slices in pan around the chicken.
In medium bowl place cubed potato and toss with 1 tsp olive oil, parsley and salt and pepper.
Scatter potatoes around chicken breasts.
Place baking dish in oven and cook about 30-40 minutes or until thickest portion of chicken breast has reached 175 degrees.
Remove from oven, take chicken breasts out of pan onto a warm serving platter and tent with foil.
Take one pinch more of Kosher salt to sprinkle over potatoes, toss and place back in oven for 5-10 minutes.
Remove potatoes and serve with chicken.
The Verdict
Of course, I have no idea if I substituted anything. More than likely, I used either Yukon Gold or red potatoes. I have a vague recollection of picking up the Russets in the grocery store and Alec requesting something different. How I remember that, I don't know. I remember the most random things.
Anyway, I do remember it was good, and I will probably make it again!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Recipe of the Week - Orange and Chipotle Rubbed Chicken Breasts
This recipe is from an e-mail newsletter I get - "Weeknight Kitchen" by Lynn Rossetto Kasper of "The Splendid Table" show on NPR. I don't get to listen to her show much, but I like to get the newsletter. Although most of the recipes are quick, they frequently have somewhat exotic ingredients, so I'm not inclined to make them. But, this one seemed really simple so I decided to try it out.
Orange and Chipotle Rubbed Chicken Breasts
I got it from "Weeknight Kitchen" by Lynn Rossetto Kasper.
She excerpted it from: Grill Every Day: 125 Fast-Track Recipes for Weeknights at the Grill by Diane Morgan. Used with permission of Chronicle Books LLC. Copyright 2007 by Diane Morgan.
Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 boneless, skin-on chicken breast halves
Directions
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on medium-high.
In a bowl or baking dish large enough to hold the chicken, combine the orange juice, olive oil, chiles, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir to mix thoroughly. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat on both sides. Let the chicken marinate while the grill heats.
To create a cool zone, bank the coals to one side of the grill or turn off one of the burners. Oil the grill grate. Place the chicken breasts, skin side down, directly over the medium-hot fire and sear on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn and sear on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Move the chicken to the cooler part of the grill, cover, and grill until the juices run clear when the thickest part of a breast is pierced with a knife, or an instant-read thermometer registers 165 F, 6 to 8 minutes longer.
Divide the chicken breasts among warmed dinner plates. Serve immediately.
The Verdict
Overall, we liked this one. I thought it was a little too pepper-y so I will probably reduce the black pepper next time (but I don't really like pepper so I'm probably not the person to believe on this one). I could not find minced chiles so I got the whole ones and minced them myself. It took about 3 chiles to get 2 Tbsp.
I made it on our indoor grill, which only takes 5 minutes to heat up so I knew that just letting the chicken marinate while the grill heated would not be enough. So, I let it marinate for about 15 minutes, flipping it 1/2 way through. I did pierce the chicken before I put it in the marinade. Still, I did not thing it marinated long enough. Next time, I will try it for an hour or so. The chicken was still very moist and tasty, I just didn't get much of the orange.
I served it with a side of black beans. I tried these canned "Ranch Style" beans that are supposed to be already seasoned but they were pretty plain. I should have bought regular beans and done one of my other black bean recipes.
Our camera is still broken, so no pictures. We did get some of that canned air stuff the other night to try and clean out the crevices around the lens (the problem being that the lens won't open all the way). That is one of the tips I found on-line for fixing the problem. Hopefully that will work (because none of the other tips I've found have). If not, I will be soliciting donations for the "get Catherine a new camera before cake decorating class starts" fund.
Orange and Chipotle Rubbed Chicken Breasts
I got it from "Weeknight Kitchen" by Lynn Rossetto Kasper.
She excerpted it from: Grill Every Day: 125 Fast-Track Recipes for Weeknights at the Grill by Diane Morgan. Used with permission of Chronicle Books LLC. Copyright 2007 by Diane Morgan.
Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 boneless, skin-on chicken breast halves
Directions
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on medium-high.
In a bowl or baking dish large enough to hold the chicken, combine the orange juice, olive oil, chiles, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir to mix thoroughly. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat on both sides. Let the chicken marinate while the grill heats.
To create a cool zone, bank the coals to one side of the grill or turn off one of the burners. Oil the grill grate. Place the chicken breasts, skin side down, directly over the medium-hot fire and sear on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn and sear on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Move the chicken to the cooler part of the grill, cover, and grill until the juices run clear when the thickest part of a breast is pierced with a knife, or an instant-read thermometer registers 165 F, 6 to 8 minutes longer.
Divide the chicken breasts among warmed dinner plates. Serve immediately.
The Verdict
Overall, we liked this one. I thought it was a little too pepper-y so I will probably reduce the black pepper next time (but I don't really like pepper so I'm probably not the person to believe on this one). I could not find minced chiles so I got the whole ones and minced them myself. It took about 3 chiles to get 2 Tbsp.
I made it on our indoor grill, which only takes 5 minutes to heat up so I knew that just letting the chicken marinate while the grill heated would not be enough. So, I let it marinate for about 15 minutes, flipping it 1/2 way through. I did pierce the chicken before I put it in the marinade. Still, I did not thing it marinated long enough. Next time, I will try it for an hour or so. The chicken was still very moist and tasty, I just didn't get much of the orange.
I served it with a side of black beans. I tried these canned "Ranch Style" beans that are supposed to be already seasoned but they were pretty plain. I should have bought regular beans and done one of my other black bean recipes.
Our camera is still broken, so no pictures. We did get some of that canned air stuff the other night to try and clean out the crevices around the lens (the problem being that the lens won't open all the way). That is one of the tips I found on-line for fixing the problem. Hopefully that will work (because none of the other tips I've found have). If not, I will be soliciting donations for the "get Catherine a new camera before cake decorating class starts" fund.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Recipe of the Week - Honey Nut Chicken Sticks
This is actually from the week-before-last. I made it early in the week and then with getting ready for the trip to Kansas, I never posted it.
It's another recipe from Food Network, so I'm just posting the link:
from 30 Minute Meals
Of course, I made a couple of substitutions and changes. First of all, I halved the breading recipe. I couldn't find honey Corn Flakes, so I used Honey Bunches of Oats. I used chicken breasts instead of chicken tenders.
Overall, it was a good dish. I did think the grill seasoning was a little overpowering. I think next time I will cut it back. I could hardly taste the honey from the cereal.
I served it with sourdough toast (our grocery story bakery makes awesome breads!) and my go-to green veggie, peas.
This may be the last picture for a while. Our camera went on the fritz on Friday.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Last Week's Recipe of the Week - Chicken with Sweet Corn and Potato Saute
Wow, I've been bad about blogging (and about running for that matter, but that's another post). I made this last week and I never posted it. The flavors were good, but my potatoes were a little too al dente. I also made way too much of the corn & potato saute. I should have cut that in half! But, I'll be making it again since overall we liked it.
As a bonus, I got to use my new zester that I got in Dallas!
Chicken with a Sweet Corn and Potato Saute
from Express Lane Meals by Rachael Ray
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and black pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 large baking potatoes, scrubbed clean or peeled
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. dried thyme
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 10-oz. box frozen corn kernels
1 1/4 c. chicken stock
2 T. butter
1/4 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Directions
Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Let the chicken marinate while you get the rest of the meal going.
Cut the potatoes into quarters lengthwise. Arrange the quarters cut side down on a cutting board. Thinly slice the potatoes across the width - you want thin, bite-size pieces.
Heat a nonstick large skillet over medium-high heat with about 2 T. of the olive oil. Add the potatoes in an even layer across the hot skillet. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Resist the temptation to stir the potatoes for about 2 minutes to let them brown up a little bit. Once the potatoes brown, stir in the onions and garlic and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-8 minutes or until the potatoes are flirting with tenderness. If the potatoes are getting too dark, turn back the heat a little.
While the onions and potatoes are cooking, preheat a second large skillet with the remaining 2 T. olive oil. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side.
While the chicken is cooking, add the corn kernels to the potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, turn the heat up to high and bring the stock up to a bubble. Continue to cook for 3 minutes, or until the liquids have reduced by half. Turn the heat off and add the butter, parsley and lemon zest, stirring until the butter is completely melted.
Serve the chicken whole or sliced on top of the sweet corn and potato saute.
The only change I made was to use red potatoes instead of baking potatoes. I did 4 poatoes for the two of us and I should have only done 2. I couldn't find a 10 oz. bag of corn, but I did find a 12 oz. Again, way too much. Next time, I'll just get the 16 oz. bag and use 1/2 of it.
As a bonus, I got to use my new zester that I got in Dallas!
Chicken with a Sweet Corn and Potato Saute
from Express Lane Meals by Rachael Ray
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and black pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 large baking potatoes, scrubbed clean or peeled
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. dried thyme
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 10-oz. box frozen corn kernels
1 1/4 c. chicken stock
2 T. butter
1/4 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Directions
Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Let the chicken marinate while you get the rest of the meal going.
Cut the potatoes into quarters lengthwise. Arrange the quarters cut side down on a cutting board. Thinly slice the potatoes across the width - you want thin, bite-size pieces.
Heat a nonstick large skillet over medium-high heat with about 2 T. of the olive oil. Add the potatoes in an even layer across the hot skillet. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Resist the temptation to stir the potatoes for about 2 minutes to let them brown up a little bit. Once the potatoes brown, stir in the onions and garlic and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-8 minutes or until the potatoes are flirting with tenderness. If the potatoes are getting too dark, turn back the heat a little.
While the onions and potatoes are cooking, preheat a second large skillet with the remaining 2 T. olive oil. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side.
While the chicken is cooking, add the corn kernels to the potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, turn the heat up to high and bring the stock up to a bubble. Continue to cook for 3 minutes, or until the liquids have reduced by half. Turn the heat off and add the butter, parsley and lemon zest, stirring until the butter is completely melted.
Serve the chicken whole or sliced on top of the sweet corn and potato saute.
The only change I made was to use red potatoes instead of baking potatoes. I did 4 poatoes for the two of us and I should have only done 2. I couldn't find a 10 oz. bag of corn, but I did find a 12 oz. Again, way too much. Next time, I'll just get the 16 oz. bag and use 1/2 of it.Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Recipe of the Week - Biohazard Chicken
I came across this recipe in a cooking blog I read, Bean's Bistro. She calls it Biohazard Chicken because when it's marinading in the plastic bag, it kinda looks like a biohazard. I have to say I agree.
It's a quick and easy marinade, though and it sure made tasty chicken! I had it in the marinade for about 3 hours, and cooked it on our indoor grill. I really want to try it again when Alec feels like grilling outside. I halved the recipe and only marinated 2 chicken breasts. I served it with white rice. We were supposed to have, peas, too. But, I put them in the pot and then turned on the wrong burner and didn't realize it until the chicken was ready. At that point, we didn't feel like waiting for the peas to cook!
Biohazard Chicken
From Bean's Bistro by Erika
Ingredients
1 c. ketchup
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. honey
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed & chopped (I just put mine through the garlic press)
2-12 boneless chicken breasts
Directions
Combine all ingredients except chicken in a large plastic Ziploc bag. Close bag tightly. Mush everything together until well mixed.
Add chicken into bag and reseal. (I pierced the chicken w/ a fork on both sides first.) Massage marinade into meat.
Chill chicken until it is ready to be grilled. Chicken will keep at least 24 hours, though it will still be yummy after only 15 minutes.
Cook chicken over medium grill heat until cooked through, but still moist.
It's a quick and easy marinade, though and it sure made tasty chicken! I had it in the marinade for about 3 hours, and cooked it on our indoor grill. I really want to try it again when Alec feels like grilling outside. I halved the recipe and only marinated 2 chicken breasts. I served it with white rice. We were supposed to have, peas, too. But, I put them in the pot and then turned on the wrong burner and didn't realize it until the chicken was ready. At that point, we didn't feel like waiting for the peas to cook!
Biohazard Chicken
From Bean's Bistro by Erika
Ingredients
1 c. ketchup
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. honey
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed & chopped (I just put mine through the garlic press)
2-12 boneless chicken breasts
Directions
Combine all ingredients except chicken in a large plastic Ziploc bag. Close bag tightly. Mush everything together until well mixed.
Add chicken into bag and reseal. (I pierced the chicken w/ a fork on both sides first.) Massage marinade into meat.
Chill chicken until it is ready to be grilled. Chicken will keep at least 24 hours, though it will still be yummy after only 15 minutes.
Cook chicken over medium grill heat until cooked through, but still moist.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Recipe of the Week - Grilled Raspberry Chicken
This week's recipe of the week comes from the Food Network.
I usually have the TV on in my office while I'm working. Otherwise, the silence drives me crazy. It's one of the drawbacks of working from home. River's just not that great of a conversationalist. Anyway, in the afternoons, I usually turn to Food Network. Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee is one of the shows I usually catch. Now, I honestly think Sandra Lee is kind of annoying. I also think it's silly how "themey" her show is - if you've never seen it, there's a different theme every episode, and her kitchen is decorated around the theme. All her appliances and accessories are changed to match the theme. I swear, the woman has a Kitchen Aid mixer in every color there is. At the end of the episode, she shows a "tablescape" - again, it matches the theme - with appropriate dishes, linens, place cards, etc. I'd love to know what the show's budget is, because I've never seen the same dish twice. If only I had that kind of money to spend on entertaining - not to mention the storage space. I find it ironic, because her whole deal is making inexpensive dishes with a mix of fresh and store-bought ingredients. I guess she spends the money she saves on decor! Oh, and there's a cocktail in every episode. Can we say lush?
But, I gotta be honest - sometimes her recipes sound good. And this is one that caught my ear, so I tried it this week.
Grilled Raspberry Chicken
from Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee
Ingredients
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. frozen raspberries, thawed (recommended: Dole)
1 c. raspberry vinaigrette (recommended: Annie's)
1/4 c. raspberry vodka, optional
1/4 c. finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
Fresh raspberries, for garnish
Directions
Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts with paper towels. Place in large zip-top bag. Add raspberries, vinaigrette, vodka, if using and chopped mint. Squeeze air out and seal bag. Gently massage the bag to mash raspberries. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours.
Preheat grill to medium-high and oil the grates.
Place the chicken breasts on the grill and cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side. Remove from grill and place on serving platter. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs and fresh raspberries.
I usually have the TV on in my office while I'm working. Otherwise, the silence drives me crazy. It's one of the drawbacks of working from home. River's just not that great of a conversationalist. Anyway, in the afternoons, I usually turn to Food Network. Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee is one of the shows I usually catch. Now, I honestly think Sandra Lee is kind of annoying. I also think it's silly how "themey" her show is - if you've never seen it, there's a different theme every episode, and her kitchen is decorated around the theme. All her appliances and accessories are changed to match the theme. I swear, the woman has a Kitchen Aid mixer in every color there is. At the end of the episode, she shows a "tablescape" - again, it matches the theme - with appropriate dishes, linens, place cards, etc. I'd love to know what the show's budget is, because I've never seen the same dish twice. If only I had that kind of money to spend on entertaining - not to mention the storage space. I find it ironic, because her whole deal is making inexpensive dishes with a mix of fresh and store-bought ingredients. I guess she spends the money she saves on decor! Oh, and there's a cocktail in every episode. Can we say lush?
But, I gotta be honest - sometimes her recipes sound good. And this is one that caught my ear, so I tried it this week.
Grilled Raspberry Chicken
from Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee
Ingredients
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. frozen raspberries, thawed (recommended: Dole)
1 c. raspberry vinaigrette (recommended: Annie's)
1/4 c. raspberry vodka, optional
1/4 c. finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
Fresh raspberries, for garnish
Directions
Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts with paper towels. Place in large zip-top bag. Add raspberries, vinaigrette, vodka, if using and chopped mint. Squeeze air out and seal bag. Gently massage the bag to mash raspberries. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours.
Preheat grill to medium-high and oil the grates.
Place the chicken breasts on the grill and cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side. Remove from grill and place on serving platter. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs and fresh raspberries.
As you can see, I did not garnish with fresh mint and raspberries. Maybe if we were doing it for company, I would, but for just Alec and me, it seemed like a waste. Plus, fresh raspberries aren't in season, so they were expensive!
I also did not use the raspberry vodka. We did so many errands last week and I just didn't feel like adding the liquor store to the list. Maybe next time. I didn't use Dole fruit (our store only had store brand frozen raspberries), but I did use the Annie's dressing. I love that brand!
The other change I will make is to pierce the chicken before I put it in the marinade. The marinade just didn't penetrate enough.
Oh, that side dish is mashed red potatoes (with skin) made with milk, and sour cream. Yum!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Recipe of the Week - Garlic Cheddar Chicken
Guess where I got this one? If you said "The Nest" - you're right. The girls have been raving about this one for ages and I don't know why I haven't tried it before. It was simple & quick and tasted great. As an added bonus, there weren't many dishes to clean up. I actually washed up all the prep stuff while the chicken was baking. Alec was very happy about that. (He hates dishes, but I make him help anyway. I'm such a mean wife.)
Garlic Cheddar Chicken
from Nestie catlawdy
Ingredients
1/2 c. butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. dry breadcrumbs
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin.
Directions
Garlic Cheddar Chicken
from Nestie catlawdy
Ingredients
1/2 c. butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. dry breadcrumbs
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and cook the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.
- In a shallow bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, cheese & spices.
- Dip each chicken bread in the garlic butter to coat, then press into the breadcrumb mixture.
- Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with any remaining butter and top with any remaining breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
I eyeballed the amounts for the breadcrumb mixture. The coating was kind of soggy on the bottom after baking. I think next time, I may coat the chicken with the garlic butter, but only sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top.
I forgot to take pictures. I know y'all are disappointed.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Recipe of the Week - Crunchy Onion Chicken
New recipe day came early this week, because Alec is leaving tomorrow to drive to DC, where Grandma A. is having surgery.
So, yesterday I made this easy, yet tasty chicken dish. It's another one from the Nest, one of the girls had it in her blog, The Domestic Diva. She got it from a French's Onion ad, but when I made it, I noticed it's on the back of the can, too. I had some leftover onions from Thansgiving, because we ended up with double the ingredients for green bean casserole. So, they've been sitting in the pantry since then.
This wasn't earth-shatteringly delicious or anything, but it was good and you can't beat how easy it is - perfect for any busy day when you don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen!
Crunchy Onion Chicken
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups French's French Fried Onions, finely crushed
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups French's French Fried Onions, finely crushed
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 400 F.
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 400 F.
2) Crush onions in a plastic bag (I used my food processor)
3) Dip chicken into egg, then coat in onion crumbs.
4) Bake 20 minutes until cooked through.
From The Domestic Diva blog by Nestie DizzyLiz83
From The Domestic Diva blog by Nestie DizzyLiz83
We had it with couscous and peas (always my go-to side dishes!).
Here's a picture:
Friday, March 7, 2008
Recipe of the Week - Lemon Teriyaki Chicken
This is yet another recipe from The Nest. One of the girls posted it last week. I thought it sounded good, so I saved it. I'll post the recipe first and then tell you how it turned out.
Lemon Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
4 chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons butter
1/4 Cup teriyaki sauce
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Directions
1) Flatten the chicken into 1/2 inch thickness, coat with flour. In a large skillet cook chicken in butter over medium heat for 4-5 minutes each side. Remove from pan and keep warm.
2) Add teriyaki, lemon, garlic and sugar to skillet. Scrape the chicken remnants up with this coating and return the chicken to the pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
From Nestie MrsDreher123
So, I make it and it looks yummy (I don't know what happened to the picture. I took one, but it's not on the camera. I think Alec's SM card was in there. Anyway. . .). We sit down to eat and after I take the first bite I say, "This is really salty." Alec agrees with me (which is rare; he likes salty food). He asks me how much teriyaki sauce I put in. I say 3/4 cup. We finish eating it despite the saltiness, figuring that since we have cut back on salt, that's why it tastes so salty. We discuss looking for low-sodium teryiaki sauce next time.
Later, we are cleaning up the kitchen. I am washing dishes and Alec is putting them away. He is standing by the island, where the recipe is still laid out. Our conversation goes something like this.
Alec: How much teriyaki sauce did you put in there.
Me: 3/4 cup. That's what was in the recipe. Look at it, it's right there.
Alec: Honey, this calls for 1/4 cup of teriyaki sauce.
Me: Let me see that.
So, I look at it, and he's right. I guess I saw the "3" in the amount of butter on the line above and read 3/4 instead of 1/4. So, that's probably why it was so salty. And, probably why the sauce seemed so thin.
I will make it again for sure, but next time I will read the recipe more carefully!
Lemon Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
4 chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons butter
1/4 Cup teriyaki sauce
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Directions
1) Flatten the chicken into 1/2 inch thickness, coat with flour. In a large skillet cook chicken in butter over medium heat for 4-5 minutes each side. Remove from pan and keep warm.
2) Add teriyaki, lemon, garlic and sugar to skillet. Scrape the chicken remnants up with this coating and return the chicken to the pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
From Nestie MrsDreher123
So, I make it and it looks yummy (I don't know what happened to the picture. I took one, but it's not on the camera. I think Alec's SM card was in there. Anyway. . .). We sit down to eat and after I take the first bite I say, "This is really salty." Alec agrees with me (which is rare; he likes salty food). He asks me how much teriyaki sauce I put in. I say 3/4 cup. We finish eating it despite the saltiness, figuring that since we have cut back on salt, that's why it tastes so salty. We discuss looking for low-sodium teryiaki sauce next time.
Later, we are cleaning up the kitchen. I am washing dishes and Alec is putting them away. He is standing by the island, where the recipe is still laid out. Our conversation goes something like this.
Alec: How much teriyaki sauce did you put in there.
Me: 3/4 cup. That's what was in the recipe. Look at it, it's right there.
Alec: Honey, this calls for 1/4 cup of teriyaki sauce.
Me: Let me see that.
So, I look at it, and he's right. I guess I saw the "3" in the amount of butter on the line above and read 3/4 instead of 1/4. So, that's probably why it was so salty. And, probably why the sauce seemed so thin.
I will make it again for sure, but next time I will read the recipe more carefully!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Recipe of the Week - Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken
Yesterday was new recipe day. I've had my eye on this one for a while - one of the girls over on the Nest posted it.
It was supposed to be made in the slow cooker. I planned to get it started when I took my lunch break, but I forgot. Luckily, I had a backup plan. Recently my cousin K. and I were e-mailing and she mentioned she'd adapted a slow cooker recipe for the stove top and gave me the instructions. So, I was still able to make the recipe!
Here's the original recipe:
Ingredients
1 large chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 large chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
1/4 cup Sprite or 7-Up soda
2 to 3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon pepper (regular black or cayenne)
Directions
Place chicken in crockpot. Mix all remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice or noodles. You can thicken the juices after cooking with a little cornstarch.
From Nestie soontobemrspagz
Place chicken in crockpot. Mix all remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice or noodles. You can thicken the juices after cooking with a little cornstarch.
From Nestie soontobemrspagz
And, my adaptation:
Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
1/4 cup Sprite or 7-Up soda
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
1/4 cup Sprite or 7-Up soda
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon pepper (regular black or cayenne)
1 teaspoon pepper (regular black or cayenne)
Directions
Combine all ingredients except chicken in a shallow saucepan (I used my 3-qt Calphalon pot). Heat on low while you prepare the chicken. Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a skillet. Brown the chicken on both sides. Transfer chicken to the saucepan. Simmer for 30 minutes. If the chicken is not covered with the sauce, turn it after 15 minutes. Serve over noodles.
Rick's only complaint was that it needed salt (but he is a salt-o-holic). I used low-sodium soy sauce, so I'm sure that made a difference. I will probably add a dash of salt next time. I didn't serve a vegetable, but I am thinking snap peas would be good with the sauce, so I'll try that next time.
As always, here's a picture:
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