Mocha Silk Pie

The month of August was a busy one for me. I tried many recipes while trying to find the ultimate recipe for our Iron Chef Coffee event. I tried a mousse, a chocolate cake with whipped cream icing, chocolate chip cookie dough, etc. This particular recipe was the last one I tried before going with Beatty's Chocolate Cake. I was very tempted to use this recipe. It's a delicious pie; silky, smooth, with the crunch from the chopped pecans. It was very easy to make and I am still enjoying it. It's held up very well in my fridge for the past week. I made some modifications to this recipe. I did not have Kahlua, nor the money to buy it, so I substituted coffee for it. I think it still turned out great.

Crust
1 cup Pecans, Finely Chopped
1/2 cups Packed Brown Sugar
2 ounces, weight Semi Sweet Chocolate Grated
2 Tablespoons Kahlua
Dash Of Salt

Filling
2 sticks Butter (salted)
1-1/2 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons Instant Coffee Granules
1 teaspoon Kahlua
3 ounces, weight Semi-sweet (or Bittersweet) Chocolate
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 whole Large Eggs

Crust:
To make the crust I first chopped my pecans into little bits. It probably would have been easier to buy pecan bits but I didn't have it in my pantry. I poured the pecans into a bowl along with the brown sugar, the grated chocolate, and the salt. A word about grating chocolate. I started to use a food processor but that caused the chocolate to break up into chunks and the chocolate was melting. So, I ended up just using my standing cheese grater. That worked just fine, and it didn't take as long as I thought it might. I poured in my cooled coffee in place of the Kahlua. Mixed together and then placed into a pie dish. I pressed the mixture firmly into the dish.

Filling:
First step is to melt 3 ounces of your semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for about 45 seconds. Do not melt for more than a minute. I did this and burnt my chocolate and my kitchen stunk cause of it. Set it aside and let it cool.

Next, in a standing mixer with the whisk attached (oops I used the paddle) beat the butter, 2 tsp instant coffee, sugar, and 1 tsp Kahula (again I used my coffee)until light and fluffy. It takes about a minute and a half. Scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary. Then drizzle the cooled chocolate into the mixture as it beats on medium speed. You may need to use a spatula to get all the chocolate out of the bowl into the sugar mixture. Then add 1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract. Beat until thoroughly combined. Again scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary. Next, on medium speed add the 4 eggs ONE AT A TIME for about 5 minutes for a total of 20 minutes. Scrape sides of the bowl halfway thru the process. Then pour the filling into the pie crust, smooth it out, and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. I let mine chill over night. Top with more grated chocolate and whipped cream if desired.


(Click here for printable recipe)

Whole Wheat Chicken Pot Pie

When I came home from college, there was always one recipe I requested. After my freshman year, it became the recipe that magically appeared on the table without my having to say a thing, a recipe that became synonymous with good home cooking. Who doesn’t love a really good chicken pot pie?

Now, the chicken pot pie and I have had our quarrels. It usually wins, the crust refusing to harden in anywhere close to the expected time or the filling boiling over within my oven creating a mess and a lovely burning smell that always gets my attention. Now, I refuse to give in. The chicken pot pie will not defeat me. I’m just a better person than that.

Where Bisquick has failed me in the past (or perhaps I have failed Bisquick), I tried a new crust this time.

Ingredients: 
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup Milk
Frozen mixed veggies
2 Cans Cream of Chicken Soup

Cook the chicken and cut into small pieces. In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup whole wheat flour and milk (I used 1%). This will be for the top of the pie. Mix frozen veggies (the amount varies to taste here, I use a lot, more than half of the bag), chicken soup, and chopped up chicken. Pour mixture into pie pan. Cover with the flour and milk mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Now, it was seven minutes shy of 45 minutes when I smelled something burning. The chicken pot pie and its trickery had gotten the best of me again! Luckily, it wasn’t the pie itself. It was the filling which had bubbled over onto the bottom of the oven. Now, those among you who are shaking your heads, saying, ‘wait, she just said this was a point of failure that had happened before,’ you may have a point. However, I had been extra sensitive this time about the height of my filling against my pie dish. I was convinced there was room for it to bubble without the mess. However, of course, my chicken pot pie had an urge to defy me.

The dinner was good, though I think I would have doubled the size of the crust. It was thin, and I like a really thick flaking crust. I also ended up peppering the final product, which I should have done in the earlier mixing.

A few more tweaks, and I’m almost there. The chicken pot pie will not beat me forever.

-KSP


(Click here for printable recipe)

Slow Burn Sticky Sweet Wings

Wings are one of the most intensely personal foods out there. I mean, it doesn’t get more personal than picking something up with your hands, tearing the flesh with your teeth, and licking your fingers when you’re done. It takes you back to the primal days of yore (YORE!) when we were all hunting and gathering our food, rather than having someone else bag it up and carry it to the car. (Sidenote: it drives me CRAZY that Kroger does that now. I’m able to load my own groceries, thank you! I appreciate the offer, but there’s no way I’m letting an 80-year-old man struggle to load twenty pounds of cat litter and boxes of wine into my trunk.) (Sidesidenote: That just made me sound like a crazy cat lady, didn’t it.)

Anyway. So, as I was saying, wings are personal. My point is, I like to eat them in the privacy of my own home where I can truly ravage them. Which is why I decided to try this recipe I found on the Good Mood Food Blog, via Saveur. (Although I renamed it. “Asian Chicken Wings” seemed pretty generic, and not all that accurate.) It’s one of those recipes that you like more the more you eat it. I think it might have helped to let them sit for five minutes before we began the feeding frenzy, but by the time they were done cooking it was 7:30 and we were famished.

Ingredients

Chicken Wings (the original recipe called for 12. I used 24 full wings and had plenty of sauce)

1 Cup of Sweet Chili Sauce (I found this in the specialty Asian section of Kroger)

The Juice Of One Lemon.

1 Tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce.

2 Cloves of Garlic Minced.

2 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Tsp Ground Ginger

1 Tsp of Chinese 5 Spice powder.

1 Tsp of Sesame Oil.

1 Tsp of Cornstarch

Don’t be like me and make sure to break down the chicken wings. It just makes them much easier to eat, and I think they will lay better in the pan as well. Mix all the ingredients (except the wings) in a bowl. When they are combined, add the wings and mix. If you want to continue the “personal” theme, mix with your hands. It really does make you feel like you are cooking. Get in there! You can either leave the wings in the bowl or spread them out in a roasting tray. Cover with saran wrap and put them in the fridge for at least a half hour. 

Preheat the oven to 400 and put the wings in the roasting pan on the top rack. Cook for 25 minutes, then stir them around, turning them over, and cook for another 25. They should get some good color on them by the end. Let them sit for 5 minutes or so if you can, so the sauce thickens up, then serve! They are sweet but you’ll notice after the first one or two that you are feeling a little burn in your lips. The next time I make them I might add a little Thai Garlic Chili sauce to up the heat factor, but that’s up to your tastebuds. Serve with plenty of napkins! And don't feel guilty about eating them alone where no one will see your savage side. 


(Click here for printable recipe)

Iron Chef Coffee: Coffee-Stout Bread

Iron Chef strikes again, and this was a big one. Richmond Magazine chose our secret ingredient – look for the article coming soon! This was Iron Chef: Coffee.

What would happen, we wondered, when all of that caffeine entered our systems, when every recipe utilized coffee beans? Would this be a giddy, twitchy Iron Chef? Would we be running in circles? Would we be falling up stairs? Maybe. But that just added to the excitement, right?

I couldn’t help but set the mood for myself in my corn meal. Can you see my coffee cup?

Ingredients:
1/2 cup hot strong brewed coffee (100° to 110°)
1/2 cup hot Guinness Stout (100° to 110°)
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon cornmeal

Make coffee, and heat stout on the stovetop. When both are hot, combine both ingredients in a large bowl. Add yeast into coffee mixture, stir, and allow 5 minutes to stand and dissolve. Add whole wheat flour and wheat germ to coffee mixture. Stir well, and then cover and let stand at room temperature for thirty minutes.

After mixture has become slightly bubbly (the original recipe called this sponge-like), lightly add 1 ¼ cups bread flour and salt. Add the bread flour a little bit at a time, while stirring until a soft dough forms. Bring dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (roughly 8 minutes). Add remaining bread flour 1 tablespoon at a time as dough becomes sticky. After kneading, place dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray. Turn to coat. Cover, and let rise a second time in a warm place for one hour.

Punch down dough. Cover and let rise again in a warm place for another hour. Punch down dough, and let rest for five minutes. Shape dough into an 8-inch (roughly) oval, and place on a baking stone sprinkled with 1 tablespoon cornmeal (see pic above). Lightly coat the surface of dough with cooking spray. Cover and let rise in a warm place one last time for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut a quarter inch slash down the center. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes until it sounds hollow when tapped.

Personally, I can say my house smelled amazingly, as did my car en route to the Iron Chef party. Though it wasn’t a winner for the night, this is definitely a recipe I’ll try again.

Happy cooking!

-KSP

(Click here for printable recipe)

Chicken Cordon Bleu

My mom has a collection of cookbooks that rivals some bookstores and I used to secretly (and silently) snicker when she would sit for hours and “read” them. But recently I picked up a cookbook and went through it page by page…imagine my surprise that you can read a cookbook! Maybe the Iron Chef competitions have brought out the chef in me (who am I kidding) or maybe I’m just bored with the usual fare. Before you get too excited about the recipe, keep in mind that it’s from a cookbook called Calico Cupboards. It’s no culinary masterpiece, but it’s good, old-fashioned, simple cooking. While this is in the oven, grab a cookbook and start reading!


6 chicken breasts
6 slices of ham, thinly sliced
6 slices of swiss cheese
1 stick of melted butter
1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon paprika


I recommend that you cut the chicken breasts in half (lengthwise) so they’re easier to manipulate. Mix the bread crumbs (I used Italian bread crumbs) and the other spices in a dish. I didn’t have paprika so I threw in a few things from my pantry – thyme and even Montreal chicken seasoning – a bit odd, but it gave it a nice, spicy kick. Melt the butter in a baking dish. Fold the ham and cheese together and then fold the chicken in half, around them. Try to keep the cheese as tucked in as possible or it will melt all over the place. Carefully hold it all together to dip the outside of the chicken in the butter and then the bread crumb mixture. Secure with toothpicks. Make sure you count your toothpicks so you can get them all out once it’s baked. The recipe said to refrigerate the chicken for several hours or overnight…of course, I didn’t read far enough ahead to do that, so I just threw it into the oven right away. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
(Photographic note: I didn’t think to take a picture of the dish right after I cooked it, but I had some in the freezer that I ate last night. The cheese didn’t freeze well, so the picture isn’t the best. Despite the look of it, it’s worth fixing again.)


(Click here for printable recipe)

Nutella Caramel Hazelnut Brownies

Oh. My. God. What did I do? I'll tell you what I did; it'll be our little secret. I bought Nutella. I can't believe in all of my 32 years I've never tried Nutella. Boy, have I been missing out. I could eat this all by its lonesome self. My diet is seriously in jeopardy. But, I had to make something with this stuff. And, I found it. This recipe is...to...die...for!!! If you like chocolate, caramel, and hazelnut you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients
1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
1/3 cups Cocoa Powder
1/4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 pinch Salt
1 cup Sugar
1/2 sticks Unsalted Butter (room temp)
2 whole Eggs
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 cups Nutella - Melted (more If Desired)
1/4 cups Caramel Sauce - Melted
1 bag (8 Oz.) Small Bag Of Hazelnuts, Or More If Desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
First step is to incorporate in a small bowl the following ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Next, in a standing mixer; mix the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time. Then add the vanilla. Lastly, Gradually add the flour mixture. If you don't gradually add it cocoa powder will fly up in your face. Now, take an 8x8 baking pan and spray it with cooking spray. Add enough parchment paper so it creates little handles. Spread Half the brownie batter onto the paper. Add the caramel sauce (I just used caramel syrup that I had on hand) and spread over the batter. Add the remaining brownie batter and spread. At this point I added a little more caramel and a little of the Nutella. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the sides are firm and the middle is no longer jiggly. Take out of the oven and let cool. Press your finger tip gently on the brownie and add the melted Nutella and the hazelnuts (if desired). Feel free to add some caramel while you are at it. I didn't use hazelnuts because I didn't have any. I'm sure you could substitute walnuts or pecans and it would turn out just fine. Also, since I'm prepping for our big iron chef next Saturday, I incorporated a tsp of instant coffee granules into the flour mix. Not sure if it helped but I've heard coffee makes chocolate better!

(Click here for printable recipe)

Pulled Chicken Barbecue & Sweet Potato Fries

Do you ever have a plan that you talk about that never seems to happen? I’m not talking about redesigning the kitchen or starting an organic herb garden. I’m thinking of much simpler plans: scrapbooking those photos, exchanging those Euros back to American dollars, writing a blog entry…

For about a year now, I have had a plan to make barbecue in my slow cooker. In the summer, I plotted; in the fall-time, I mused, but the seasons turned; I was distracted by hearty casseroles, then spring salads, then a new, Warsaw-inspired plan for making pirogues! (Yes, watch out. This is coming soon!)

Today, I finally did it, though, and I feel absolutely silly. This was easy! This was fabulous! My entire home smelled delicious for hours! To redeem myself, I added homemade sweet potato fries.

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups ketchup
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons red hot pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix all ingredients (minus the chicken) together in crock pot (before it’s turned on). When mixed well, add chicken and coat thoroughly. Cook for 7-8 hours on a low setting or 3-4 hours on a high setting. After the time has passed, pull chicken apart with two forks. It tears apart easily in juicy, luscious pieces.

Sweet Potato Fries. (enough for 2 people)

(This one was a total experiment, but I’m calling it a huge success. If my oven only cooked evenly, it would have been perfect).

Ingredients:

1 Large Sweet potato (yes, this really is enough for two people)

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Peel the sweet potato and then chop it into French fry-like strips. Put on a baking tray; drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Happy cooking!

-KSP


(Click here for printable recipe)

Peach and Prosciutto Pizza

I have recently acquired a lot of free time, so much free time that I decided I would dabble a little in the kitchen. I visited the beautiful Carter's Mountain over the weekend which means I picked TOO many peaches. I thought if I picked my own ingredients it would make the whole cooking thing a little more interesting.


Better Homes and Gardens' August issue had an article titled "50 Ways to Eat a Peach". I started the cooking lesson by making peach mojitos since everyone knows cooking is a little easier with a tasty drink. The mojitos were a disappointment, they were just way too bland. Next I tried my luck making peach salsa and it was way too hot (maybe I shouldn't have used two jalapenos...hey, I'm learning). After feeling like Goldilocks looking for the perfect porridge, I began my final attempt with peaches and worked on a pizza.


The ingredients:
Store bought pizza crust
Peaches
Mozzarella
Prosciutto
Garlic
Oil
Balsamic Vinegar


BHG had this idea in their magazine, but I couldn't find the cheese they listed or fresh arugula, so I went with my own ingredients and still followed their general idea. You can read all about eating peaches at this link: www.bhg.com


Follow cooking directions on pizza crust for baking temperatures. Roll out the pizza crust and cover with olive oil. I also spread some garlic on the crust because pizza isn't pizza without garlic. Place thin slices of peaches on the crust. I used only one peach. Cover with cheese. Lay thin pieces of prosciutto on top of cheese and then cover with more cheese. Bake in oven until cheese is crispy.


Finally- something delicious! I thought the pizza was the perfect balance of sweet and salty without one flavor being overwhelmed by the other. The best part is that this dish is such a simple, easy, and quick recipe to finish. I am a beginner and I was able to complete all of the steps without a problem.
If you are trying to teach a 12 year old how to cook or playing in the kitchen with your four year old this is perfect. If you are an adult cooking, this would be a great appetizer for a summer cookout.


(Click here for printable recipe)

Bacon and Spinach Risotto

Healthy recipes are something that I always keep an eye out for, and ergo, CookingLight.com has always been a resource I’ve utilized. When I found a risotto there for 405 calories, with spinach, wine, onions, and Asiago cheese, I was intrigued. Not only did this sound awesome, but my husband would eat it. Why? Another main ingredient was bacon.

The original recipe and the one that I created differed slightly. I learned that Madiera can be substituted for Marsala, but unfortunately neither was in my wine cabinet. I found out other substitutions were sherry (again, not on hand), and a grape juice/brandy combination (creative, but again, not in the house). My version used a dry cabernet sauvignon. I also substituted a yellow onion for the shallots.

Ingredients:

· 4 cups Chicken Stock

· 6 bacon slices, chopped

· 1 cup chopped shallots (I used a yellow onion)

· 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

· 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

· 4 garlic cloves, minced (I used garlic powder)

· 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice

· 1/3 cup Madeira wine (see above)

· 4 cups baby spinach

· 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Asiago cheese

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Like a good cook, you should be thoroughly familiar with your ingredients before you get started. This is a great time to nibble on some Asiago cheese and taste test your wine, just to make sure all is up to par. After necessary ingredients have been proven acceptable, bring the chicken stock to a simmer (not a boil). This should be kept hot (not boiling) through the rest of the cooking time. While the chicken stick is warming, cook bacon until crisp. When finished, remove bacon from the pan but leave the juices (Yes, this is a Cooking Light instruction! Should we be wary?). Add onions, olive oil, garlic powder, and thyme (if it’s in your spice cabinet. I thought it was in mine, but apparently was out) until onions are tender. Add rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, stirring constantly until the liquid is nearly absorbed (about 1 minute). Add in 1 cup of simmering stock, stirring until liquid is nearly absorbed (about 4 minutes). Add in remaining stock (a half cup at a time), stirring constantly until liquid is absorbed before adding more of the stock. Stir in spinach when almost all of the liquid is absorbed by the rice, and cook for one minute. Remove from heat. Sprinkle bacon, cheese, salt, and pepper.

This recipe was really good, and we'll be having it again. I'll fully admit though that I'm not going to do it in the bacon grease again. Every bite was baconly delicious, but I felt my arteries clogging by the last bite. Cooking Light, I don't believe you on this one.

Happy cooking!

-KSP


(Click here for printable recipe)

Butter Chicken aka Chicken Makhani

I don’t normally cook (or eat, for that matter) Indian food. It’s not that I have anything against it. I think it’s more that most of the recipes seem to have a bunch of ingredients that aren’t already in my cupboard. And since my cup(board) runneth over with ingredients as it is, I don’t want to add to the problem. But this recipe, from Tasty Kitchen caught my eye because I already had most of it on hand and they all seem like pretty normal ingredients. So I thought I’d give it a try.

And OMG.

You guys, this was excellent. So flavorful. So intriguing. So lick-the-plate worthy. The sauce was so delicious I was literally eating it with a spoon (I actually think I might try making this as a soup sometime.) I suggest you make it immediately.

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

5 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 teaspoon Salt

½ teaspoons Black Pepper

½ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper

¼ teaspoons Ground Coriander

¼ teaspoons Cumin

¼ teaspoons Cardamom

1 whole Lime, Juiced

1 whole Onion, Diced

¼ cups Butter

1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Tomato Sauce

1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Petite Diced Tomatoes

1 ½ cups Whipping Cream

1 bunch Chopped Cilantro, to taste

Rice

Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and combine with garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, coriander, cumin, cardamom and lime juice. I actually didn’t have any cardamom, and I’ve heard it can be expensive. However, they say it’s a taste that cannot be replaced by any other spice, so I think I’m going to get some for the next time I make this. This time, I used about 1/8^th of a teaspoon of ginger as a substitute. Marinate this mixture overnight. Or make it in the morning for an evening meal, as I did.

Melt butter in a saucepan and sauté the onion until it’s soft. Add the chicken and cook about ten minutes, then add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Steve and I don’t even like tomatoes, but they were really good in this recipe, so if you aren’t a fan, just bite the bullet and add them! Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, keeping the lid on (and keeping tomato splashes off your stovetop!) Remove from heat and add the cream and cilantro. Serve over rice.

This was somewhat spicy (like everything I make) but you can dial back the cayenne if you like. And the original recipe called for a full pint of cream, but I put in less and it was fine. After trying this, I think I may attempt more Indian recipes. And if they are all this good, I’m probably going to move to India. Just saying.

(Click here for printable recipe)

Chicken Parmesan

One of my favorite go-to dishes when I was little, and visiting an Italian restaurant, was Chicken Parmesan. Perhaps because it's fried or perhaps because it's smothered in tomato sauce and cheese. Either way it's so yummy and comforting. To this day it's still one of my go-to dishes when visiting Olive Garden or Carrabas. One day, I thought I would try making it myself. However, I went with a cooking light version that while is very good it isn't the make-your-mouth-water because you know you are eating something so very bad for you. So, off I went in the vast expanse of the internet searching for that so-not-good-for-you Chicken Parmesan recipe. I found it on where else but the Food Network's website. It's really rather simple to make and boy is it good. I think I even prefer this version to most restaurant's. Seriously, give it a go and you won't be disappointed.


A couple notes:
I don't believe I've tried the Quick Marinara but I'm sure it's tasty. I just use one of my favorite jars of spaghetti sauce. I cut the recipe in half since I usually only cook for myself these days. Also, I use Italian Bread crumbs but I still add the thyme and oregano. I don't use fresh mozzarella but just the shredded packaged version. And, I serve mine with spagetti.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 cups bread crumbs
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons whole milk
Vegetable oil, for frying
Olive oil, as needed
7 cups Quick Marinara Sauce, recipe follows
2/3 cup grated Parmesan, divided
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced


Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pour about a half cup of your tomato sauce into a baking dish and spread around. First thing you do is place each chicken in plastic wrap and pound them until they're thin...about 1/3 inch. In a large bowl, I stir together the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, bread crumbs, oregano, thyme, and dash of black pepper.

Next, I placed the flour on a large plate. And, in another bowl, I whisk the egg and milk together. Place some oil in a skillet (enough to coat the chicken but not cover the chicken in oil...about a 1/3 of an inch of oil) turn to about medium-high heat. Normally, I put a little bit of water on my fingers and fling it into the oil pan to see if it sizzles. Perhaps not the best way to test the oil but it works for me. Otherwise if you have a thermometer make sure it's around 400 degrees.

Next, dredge a chicken breast in the flour and shake off excess. Then I dipped it into the egg mixture and finally dredge in the seasoned breadcrumb mixture. Shake off any excess breading and then I placed it in the skillet pan. I fry until it's a nice golden brown color and then place the chicken on a paper towel. I repeat the above steps with the next chicken. Once I complete the frying process I place both pieces of chicken in the prepared baking dish and pour spaghetti sauce over the chicken and then the cheese. Place in the 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese is completely melted. While the chicken is cooking, this would be a good time to start boiling your spaghetti noodles.


Quick Marinara Sauce:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
7 cups whole, peeled, canned tomatoes in puree (about 2 (28-ounce cans), roughly chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

First you heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Next saute the onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Stir until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Then you add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes.

Stir in the salt and season with pepper, to taste. At this point feel free to add any fresh herbs you may have growing in your garden; basil, mint, etc. Pour into the baking dish or store in a tight container.

You can get the recipe here.


(Click here for printable recipe)

Chicken & Rice Casserole

So chicken and rice casserole doesn’t exactly get the mouth watering. Chicken and rice casserole isn’t one of those recipes you’re just “dying” to try. It’s never something you’d order at a gourmet restaurant. Nobody gets excited about chicken and rice casserole. Why I even bothered to bookmark this recipe, I don’t know. Maybe because it was so easy. And because I already had all the ingredients. In fact, that’s the only reason I actually decided to make it. I was too lazy to stop at the store, and I knew I had everything at home already.

But you know what? This casserole is frickin’ good. Yeah, frickin’. It was such a pleasant surprise. I had steeled myself for something bland and boring, but this recipe is full of flavor. The chicken breast got a little dry, but that was the only complaint I had, and that was probably just a length of cooking thing. Actually the original recipe called for chicken thighs, which were probably more juicy. One thing that really sets this recipe apart from other casseroles is that it doesn’t call for a can of condensed soup. Something about that makes it seem so much more healthy, although I’m not sure that’s the case.

Chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lb cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup dry sherry or white wine

1 1/3 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup cream

1 cup raw white rice

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon each of Italian seasoning and poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon paprika  

1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Lemon juice

We actually didn’t have mushrooms, so we made it without. I’m sure it would be very good with them, though, so I’m keeping them in here. You could also substitute other hardy veggies like broccoli if you were so inclined.

Heat olive oil in a pan to brown the chicken. Sprinkle a little salt on the bottom of the pan. Apparently, this keeps the chicken from sticking. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper and then brown the chicken. It doesn’t need to be fully cooked, so you just want to get good color on it. About 2 minutes per side. Set aside the chicken and lower the heat to medium. Add more oil if necessary and add the onions, cooking about 3 minutes until they are clear. Then throw in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Put this onion/garlic mixture in a 9x13 casserole dish. Saute the mushrooms if you are adding them, just browning them lightly before putting them in the dish.

On medium heat, add the sherry or white wine to the pan and scrape off all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan to mix into the wine (apparently this is called “deglazing.”) I used white wine and enjoyed it. Not sure what sherry will taste like. Let this reduce down to about one tablespoon and then add the chicken stock. Remove from the heat and add the salt, cream, sour cream, stirring until it mixes. It wasn’t completely incorporated for us and it turned out fine. Put the raw rice in the casserole dish and then add the stock mixture. Mix in all the seasonings and stir everything so it’s evenly distributed.

Finally put the chicken on top of the rice in a single layer, cover it with aluminum foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes. If it’s liquidy (ours wasn’t) take off the foil and let it cook a few more minutes until the liquid is all soaked in.

So upon eating this, Steve and I both thought, "This is good. But it's missing something." Based on all the Top Chef we watched we decided that it needed some "acid." (I swear, they say that all the time!) So we sprinkled some lemon juice on top of the casserole and it was fantastic! In the future, we might try slicing some lemons and cooking them in the casserole, but the sprinkle method was so successful, I'm not sure we need to change it.

I know this seems pretty complicated, but it’s really not as hard as it sounds, and the casserole is definitely worth it. I feel like this is one of those recipes you could play around with as well—particularly the herbs. You could add Cajun seasoning instead of poultry seasoning to give it a little Nawlin’s feel. And the best part—it’s still good the next day. It's the perfect lunch to take to work. And when someone asks you what smells so good you can shock them by saying, “Just a plain old boring chicken and rice casserole.”

(Click here for printable recipe)

Lime Cumin Jalapeno Grilled Chicken

Like I've said before, I love to grill out in the summer. The other night I was searching for another grilled chicken marinade recipe, and I came across this Big Oven recipe that I had saved as one of my Internet Bookmarks. Since I had all the ingredients I decided to give this a go. Plus I love to utilize some of my vegetables growing in my garden. I cut this recipe in half since I'm cooking for just myself, and I must say it was very delicious. The chicken was moist and juicy. I did not use fresh sage, but about 1/2 tsp of dried sage. However, I probably did use about 3 tbsp of fresh lime juice. And, I used 2 of my jalapeno peppers from my garden. And, I marinade the chicken for about 2 hours. It was a very good grilled chicken recipe. You can get the recipe here. Enjoy!

3 tablespoon Lime Juice Fresh Squeezed Is Best
1/2 cup Canola Oil
1 teaspoon Cumin Ground
1 Jalapeno Chile
1 Bay Leaf Fresh Is Best
2 Sage Leaves Fresh Is Best
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 dash Black Pepper Freshly Ground
4 large Chicken Breasts Skinless, Boneless

Preparation
Place all marinade ingredients in blender jar and blend to uniform mixture. Next make a diagonal slits with sharp knife about 1/8" deep and 1/2" apart on both sides of each breast. I placed the chicken in a ziplock bag to marinate for about an hour or two. If you can remember turn the chicken every half hour. Prepare your grill. Grill until inside of breasts are just done, check with fork or remove when internal temperature is 160F. I removed the breasts from the grill and let them stand for about five minutes before serving.

(Click here for printable recipe)

Spicy Shrimp and Pasta

The girls like to give me a hard time for making shrimp twice for our Iron Chef competitions, and winning both times (Iron Chef Citrus and Iron Chef Wine.) But I like to point out that I don’t get to vote on my own dish, so if I keep winning, it’s because they keep picking my food. Besides, did the Bulls stop playing Michael Jordan because he was the key to winning so often? No, they didn’t. And yes, I did just compare Michael Jordan to shrimp.

Anyway, the point is—people like shrimp. It’s one of those foods that can carry pretty much any flavor. It’s a little different from normal household fare, so you don’t get the boring feeling that chicken can give you. And it’s relatively healthy and light. Maybe not so much paired with a big ol’ pile of pasta, but hey, every little bit helps.

This is one of our favorite meals to make. It came from allrecipes.com in its original form, and is meant to be grilled on skewers. It was definitely fantastic prepared that way, and I recommend it, but Steve and I wanted to make it into a heartier meal, so we added the pasta. Slam dunk! (See how I kept the MJ metaphor going there? Yeah!)

2-3 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Angel Hair pasta, cooked

Shredded parmesan cheese

This is the modified recipe. However, I almost never actually measure anything and it always turns out fine. Add more garlic if you want, or more lemon juice. Use less cayenne if you want something less spicy. At the same time that I’m mixing up this marinade, I make a second, slightly smaller batch that we throw in to coat the pasta.

Mix the first five ingredients together in a bowl. If you are buying frozen shrimp (which is what I do, and is probably a culinary no-no, but it’s just easier and cheaper for me) make sure you drain the shrimp before adding it to the marinade or else it will dilute the flavor. Once you add the shrimp, stir to coat, and let it sit for no more than 25 minutes. The lemon juice starts to cook the shrimp and it could end up tough and chewy.

We cook the shrimp in a large skillet, but they are excellent grilled on skewers as well. Make sure to keep an eye on them as they cook very quickly. Only about two minutes each side. As soon as the shrimp look opaque, add the cooked pasta to the pan and pour the second batch of marinade in as well. Cooking the pasta in the sauce helps it to soak up the flavors, more than if you just ladeled it on top. In fact, I’d recommend this step on any pasta you are making. Heat just about a minute, and serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. It’s a great tasting, quick & easy meal for a weeknight. And in any food competition, it’ll probably have an unfair advantage.

(Click here for printable recipe)

Pimento Cheese

I was so excited to try this recipe and it did not disappoint. First, I love pimento cheese! Second, I got the recipe from NPR, which I just thought was interesting. Third, it gave me the opportunity to use my food processor for the first time. I tried the make the picture a little "artsy" since pimento cheese is not the most attractive food. And by artsy, I just mean the picture was purposely slanted.



2 bags of shredded 8oz sharp cheddar cheese
1 bag of shredded 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese
2 kosher dill pickles
2 or 3 cloves of garlic (Beware!! I used 1 large garlic clove & 1 small one and it was some serious garlic for the recipe)
1 4-ounce jar of pimentos, drained

Cut all ingredients except the cheese & pimentos into large chunks. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse just long enough to roughly chop. Do not puree the ingredients, just make them pliable for the next step. I have a 9 cup Food Processor and it didn't all fit. I would recommend breaking up the recipe into two batches to run through the Food Processor.

Put in large bowl and mix with about 3 healthy tablespoons of mayonnaise.

(Click here for printable recipe)