Chicken Breasts with Classic French Pan Sauce

Not a huge fan of this. It was very easy. It also tasted like D dumped the whole can of salt into the pan. What's worse is, he said he reduced the salt. We also both noticed that the chicken breasts didn't have a size. Oh well. I bought thighs anyway because they didn't have B-I chicken at the store.

I actually would have this again. Just not put any salt in it.
We had with mashed potatoes.

Chicken Breasts with Classic French Pan Sauce


Serve this simple, rich dish with steamed haricots verts or fresh green beans and silky mashed potatoes. Adding a pinch of flour is an easy way to thicken the sauce quickly. If you prefer, you can omit the flour and simply allow the sauce to simmer longer, just until it thickens naturally.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce)


1 tablespoon olive oil
4 bone-in chicken breast halves
5/8 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan, skin side down; sauté 4 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over. Place pan in oven; bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 160°. Remove chicken from pan, and let stand for 10 minutes.

3. Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add wine to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until reduced to 2 tablespoons, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in mustard. Combine cream and flour, stirring until smooth. Add cream mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Serve with chicken.

CALORIES 239 ; FAT 12.1g (sat 4.8g,mono 5.2g,poly 1.4g); CHOLESTEROL 93mg; CALCIUM 23mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.6g; SODIUM 498mg; PROTEIN 27g; FIBER 0.0g; IRON 0.9mg

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2010

Four Chile Chili

So I came across this recipe last week from Food and Wine. The glaring thing I noticed is that there are only 3 mentions of chiles. Anyway it looked good so D and I decided to try it.

We ate it without letting it rest. It was ok. Nothing special. Later, I mentioned I didn't taste the cinnamon. D forgot it, so he added it in. I had it for lunch the next day. I'm seeing this chili as a bunch of snooty people in the Hamptons going "Oh we're so chic having chili for the football game." But does it have heat? No. Does it have character? Not really.

It's good, but nothing great. I can see it as a good base that you can use to make it all your own. We had with macaroni. (1 C of each). It made a ton.

WeWa points will come soon.
Update:
8 servings = 10 points
10 servings = 8 points
12 servings = 6 points

Four Chile Chili

Serves 8 (um no!)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil (didn't use)
3 1/2 pounds ground sirloin or chuck (used 90/10)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large Spanish onion (1 1/2 pounds), coarsely chopped
8 large garlic cloves, minced
3 large jalapeño chiles, seeded and minced
3 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1/4 cup tomato paste
Two 28-ounce cans peeled Italian tomatoes, coarsely chopped and juices reserved
3 cups chicken or beef stock or canned low-sodium broth (used beef broth)
Two 19-ounce cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (used 31 oz of kidney beans)
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Pinch of cinnamon
Coarsely chopped cilantro, for serving
Sour cream, for serving (not included in points calculation)

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a enameled cast-iron casserole. Add half the ground beef in large chunks and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderately high heat until brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Stir and cook until most of the pink is gone, about 3 minutes; keep the meat in large chunks. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining meat.
2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the casserole. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeños and cook over moderately low heat, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the ancho powder and paprika and cook over low heat, stirring often, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the paste is glossy and starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, the chicken stock and the cooked beef and any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer over moderately high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the kidney beans, chipotles and oregano and simmer for 30 minutes longer. Season with salt, pepper and a large pinch of cinnamon. Remove from the heat and let stand for at least 20 minutes. Reheat before serving.
4. Serve the chili in bowls, topped with a generous sprinkling of cilantro. Pass the sour cream at the table.

Make Ahead

The chili can be refrigerated for up to 4 days and frozen for up to 2 months.

Seared Chicken with Sriracha Barbecue Dipping Sauce

So this is one of those recipes that kind of escaped us, and I'm not sure how. Anyhow, D marinated it Thursday night to Friday and we had for dinner Friday.

D grilled the chicken. It was really good. The sauce was good. Spicy, but not overpowering. We had with Macaroni and Cheese (box).

Will have again.

Seared Chicken with Sriracha Barbecue Dipping Sauce

Use this all-purpose sauce for pork, shrimp, or seared tofu. Make it when you start marinating the chicken. Serve over sticky white rice to counter the heat of the dipping sauce. Toss edamame with soy sauce, garlic, and hoisin to complete the meal.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 thighs and 1 tablespoon ketchup mixture)

1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, divided
8 (2-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken thighs
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
4 teaspoons rice vinegar

Combine first 5 ingredients; stir in 1/2 teaspoon oil. Place shallot mixture in a large zip-top plastic bag; add chicken to bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 3 hours to overnight, turning bag occasionally.

Combine ketchup and next 4 ingredients (through vinegar).

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Add chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 8 minutes or until done, turning twice. Serve with ketchup mixture.

CALORIES 194 (27% from fat); FAT 5.9g (sat 1.3g,mono 1.9g,poly 1.7g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 94mg; CALCIUM 20mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.7g; SODIUM 451mg; PROTEIN 22.8g; FIBER 0.3g

Cooking Light, JULY 2004

Creamy Fettuccine with Shrimp and Bacon

Well, I want to like this. It has shrimp and bacon. But once again, I'm liking spinach fettuccine so much better. This one had too much shrimpy flavor. D thought it was the way it was prepared.

Maybe if it had Old Bay on it, it would be good. However, I doubt we will try. We'll just go with spinach fettuccine.

We had with spinach salad.

Creamy Fettuccine with Shrimp and Bacon

Cook the fettuccine al dente so the strands remain intact and maintain their slightly firm texture.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups pasta and 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley)

1 pound uncooked fettuccine
2 bacon slices (uncooked)
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
1 cup shredded carrot
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well; keep warm.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from the pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan. Crumble bacon; set aside.

Add shrimp and garlic to pan; sauté over medium-high heat 2 minutes. Add peas and carrot; cook 2 minutes or just until shrimp are done. Transfer shrimp mixture to a large bowl; keep warm.

Combine milk, flour, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to pan; cook over medium heat 3 minutes or until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove pan from heat; add cheese, stirring until blended. Add milk mixture to shrimp mixture; stir until combined. Add pasta and 1/4 cup parsley, tossing gently to coat. Transfer pasta mixture to a platter, or divide evenly among each of 8 plates; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup parsley and crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.

Wine note: While Heidi's pairing choice of sauvignon blanc is fine, the creaminess of this pasta dish is beautifully enhanced by chardonnay--a wine with its own creaminess. A delicious, food-friendly find is Santa Rita Chardonnay "120" from the Maipo Valley of Chile. The 2004 is just $8. -Karen MacNeil

CALORIES 382 (18% from fat); FAT 7.7g (sat 3.7g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.5g); IRON 4.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 101mg; CALCIUM 218mg; CARBOHYDRATE 52.9g; SODIUM 505mg; PROTEIN 25g; FIBER 3.6g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2005

Harlem Meat Loaf

So another one from EzraPoundCake.

D made it. No clue if it was easy, but I'm thinking it was ok. It was spicy. But spicy good. The pickles added an odd taste (like pickles...duh). The oddness was because of the spicy sausage and the tabasco, so then there was a blast of pickle.

Overall I liked it. I think D did too. We had with Turkish Potatoes (cut-up potatoes sauteed with Penzey's Turkish Seasoning).

Harlem Meat Loaf

From Matt Lee and Ted Lee’s “The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook”

For 4 people (we got 6 servings, 8 points a serving)

• 1 pound ground beef, chuck or sirloin
• 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, cut from their casings
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons Tabasco
• 1/2 cup chopped sour dill pickles
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion (about 1 large onion)
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh, preferably sourdough
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Glaze:

• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Break the beef and sausage into golfball-sized hunks and place them in a large, wide bowl. In a second large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup ketchup with 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce. Pour evenly over the beef and sausage. In the same bowl, mix the pickles, onion, garlic, and parsley, then scatter the mixture over the beef and sausage. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top, then add the egg and the salt. With your fingers spread wide apart, gently mix the ingredients together in 6 to 8 gathering motions, until the ingredients begin to be uniformly blended.
3. Transfer the mixture to a 9-X-13-inch roasting pan and pat it into a loaf shape. Bake for 35 minutes on the middle rack. The loaf will render some fat and the surface will begin to brown.
4. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, and 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce together in a small bowl. Brush the glaze generously over the top of the meat loaf. Continue to bake until the glaze stiffens and darkens slightly, about 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
5. For optimum flavor, let cool to room temperature, tent the roasting pan with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for 24 hours. The next day, reheat the loaf, covered with the foil, in a warm oven.

Lemon-Splashed Shrimp Salad

So I saw the picture of this in CL and wanted it. D said ok. He made it while I was driving home from work. He had to alter it because 2/3 C of rotini was nothing he said. So he used 8 oz.

I wish it had been in an earlier CL mag. It is really good and summery. So September seemed to late. The lemon/cilanto/poblano was a good combo...especially when so used to everything with lime. Will have again.

With 8 oz of rotini, it is 9 points.

Lemon-Splashed Shrimp Salad

You can purchase peeled and deveined shrimp to save prep time. Chop, measure, and prepare the remaining ingredients while the pasta water comes to a boil.

Other Time: 20 minutes minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 3/4 cups)

8 cups water
2/3 cup uncooked rotini (corkscrew pasta) (D used 8 oz)
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (D used 1 roma tomato)
3/4 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped avocado
1/2 cup chopped seeded poblano pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add pasta to pan; cook 5 minutes or until almost tender. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes or until done. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Combine pasta mixture, tomatoes, and remaining ingredients; toss well.

CALORIES 250 ; FAT 6.9g (sat 1.2g,mono 3.8g,poly 1.2g); CHOLESTEROL 252mg; CALCIUM 74mg; CARBOHYDRATE 17g; SODIUM 667mg; PROTEIN 30.3g; FIBER 2.6g; IRON 5.1mg

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2010

Mozzarella, Ham, and Basil Panini

D made these for lunch on Saturday. Really good. Of course we didn't have ciabatta, but Kroger had whole wheat bread on sale for $1.00.

He didn't use tomatoes on his, but did on mine. He said mine was a bit messy due to that.

Mozzarella, Ham, and Basil Panini

A few special ingredients--like freshly baked ciabatta bread or imported Dijon mustard--make a quick, simple sandwich seem like a treat.

Other Time: 20 minutes minutes
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

1 (16-ounce) loaf ciabatta, cut in half horizontally
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
12 basil leaves
8 ounces sliced 33%-less-sodium cooked deli ham (such as Boar's Head)
2 sweetened hot cherry peppers, sliced
1 large plum tomato, thinly sliced
Cooking spray

1. Brush cut side of the bottom bread half with mustard; brush cut side of top half with vinegar. Top bottom half with mozzarella, basil, ham, peppers, and tomato. Top with remaining bread half.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sandwich to pan; top with another heavy skillet. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Cut sandwich into 6 wedges.

CALORIES 371 ; FAT 12.5g (sat 6.1g,mono 5g,poly 0.6g); CHOLESTEROL 46mg; CALCIUM 220mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.9g; SODIUM 976mg; PROTEIN 20.2g; FIBER 1.8g; IRON 3mg

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2010

Caribbean Pork Tenderloins

D found this recipe from EzraPoundCake.

So D was going to make this Wednesday night for Thursday night. He came to bed upset because even though we bought habeneros, they weren't in the fridge. I knew better than to go look. So Thursday morning, I found them in the vegetable drawer with the rest of the vegetables.

So the marinade had been in the fridge since Wednesday. Last night, D finished prepping the marinade and put the pork in. (He halved the recipe).

Maybe because the ingredients were open for a few days, or maybe it just isn't a good recipe, we were both disappointed. No taste. No heat, no sweet. No penetration of the meat. Very plain. We discussed retrying it, but eh.

We had with Caribbean Rice to use up the butternut squash we had from the risotto we had earlier this week.

Caribbean Pork Tenderloins

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse’s “Emeril at the Grill”

Servings: 4

• 1/2 small Vidalia onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 Scotch bonnet chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced (Substitute with habaneros, if necessary.)
• One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (1-2 limes)
• 3 tablespoons cane or dark brown sugar
• Two 1- to 1 1/2-pound pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat
  
• Vegetable oil, for brushing
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a large bowl, combine the onion, ginger, garlic, chiles, coconut milk, rum, lime juice and brown sugar. Place the tenderloins in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag, and add the marinade. Remove as much air as you can before sealing the bag, and turn the bag to make sure the meat is well-coated. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, for 6 hours.

2. Preheat a grill to medium-low.

3. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade (discard the marinade), and blot them dry with paper towels. Brush the tenderloins with vegetable oil; season them with salt and pepper. Place them on the grill and cook, rotating as necessary, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the tenderloins reads 140 to 145 degrees F, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove them from the grill, and let them rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Pasta Bolognese

I got this recipe from coworker. I'll admit it. The times we have had spaghetti, D makes it from a package. D and I kept looking at this recipe, but of course you can't make it during a work day. Also the wine thing, we couldn't figure out.

So Ground Beef was on sale, the beer guy helped us get pick out a wine, and voila. D was making sauce. Definitely taste as you go, because it could get too salty.

Except for my friend's step-mom's sauce, this was the best.

Pasta Bolognese

Photo by D

Ingredients

• 1 large onion or 2 small, cut into 1-inch dice
• 2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch dice
• 4 cloves garlic (more like 8)
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
• Kosher salt
• 3 pounds ground chuck, brisket or round or combination (D used 90% lean ground beef)
• 2 cups tomato paste
• 3 cups hearty red wine (D used "JUST" Cab. Sauv...the whole bottle)
• Water
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• High quality extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing (didn't use)

Directions

In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste. In a large pan over medium heat, coat pan with oil. Add the pureed veggies and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes. Be patient, this is where the big flavors develop.
Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. BROWN THE BEEF! Brown food tastes good. Don't rush this step. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and cook until brown about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.
Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat. Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates you will gradually need to add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Don't be shy about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. This is a game of reduce and add more water. This is where big rich flavors develop. If you try to add all the water in the beginning you will have boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce. Stir and TASTE frequently. Season with salt, if needed (you probably will). Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the spaghetti. Pasta water should ALWAYS be well salted. Salty as the ocean! TASTE IT! If your pasta water is under seasoned it doesn't matter how good your sauce is, your complete dish will always taste under seasoned. When the water is at a rolling boil add the spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than it calls for on the package. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
While the pasta is cooking remove 1/2 of the ragu from the pot and reserve.
Drain the pasta and add to the pot with the remaining ragu. Stir or toss the pasta to coat with the sauce. Add some of the reserved sauce, if needed, to make it about an even ratio between pasta and sauce. Add the reserved pasta cooking water and cook the pasta and sauce together over a medium heat until the water has reduced. Turn off the heat and give a big sprinkle of Parmigiano and a generous drizzle of the high quality finishing olive oil. Toss or stir vigorously. Divide the pasta and sauce into serving bowls or 1 big pasta bowl. Top with remaining grated Parmigiano. Serve immediately.

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts and Shallots

Niether D nor I ever made brussel sprouts before. I had had them in a restaurant recently and like them so when this recipe came out we thought, great. Yeah...um...needs some work.

The problem was the cooking time. Unless we used a mandolin, no way these things would ever be soft. After looking at other recipes, D said that yes, they weren't supposed to be hard and we should lengthen the time.

The flavor was good, which is why we went about figuring out how to make them good.

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts and Shallots

Slicing Brussels sprouts lengthwise helps them cook more quickly. They'll retain just a hint of crunch but develop a lovely flavor from the browned bits created in the hot skillet.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots; sauté 3 minutes or until almost tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add sugar and Brussels sprouts; sauté 5 minutes or until brown, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss.CALORIES 135 ; FAT 7.3g (sat 1g,mono 5.4g,poly 0.8g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 53mg; CARBOHYDRATE 15.9g; SODIUM 174mg; PROTEIN 4g; FIBER 3.6g; IRON 1.7mg

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2010

Tilapia Tacos

D made these last night. They were pretty good. I was still hungry though after 2. And I had 2 for lunch and had the same issue. They were low in points though. I assume the were easy. I was outside playing with Guinness.

We had with Black Bean Salad.

Tilapia Tacos

3 servings/ 7 points a serving

6 corn tortillas
1/2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
2 TBSP fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 oz frozen tilapia, thawed
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Spray cooking oil
3/4 oz Cheddar Cheese
3 TBSP reduced-fat sour cream

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the chopped onion, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. (I don't think D did this because I don't recall a mixture. He just had onions and cilantro laid out on a plate with tomatoes...I didn't use any onion).
3. Heat pan. And spray with Pam.

4. While the pan is heating up, season the fish with the chili powder, paprika, oregano, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

5. Sautee the fish. Squirt the lime juice over it when done.

6. Serve the fish with tortillas, the onions, cilantro, cheese and sour cream.

Braised Balsamic Chicken

D found this recipe on allrecipes.com. It wouldn't be something I would have picked because I'm not a fan of cooked tomatoes. So he made it. He said it was very easy to make.

The chicken was good. The tomatoes were gross. I liked the sauce that ran into the rice on my plate (we had with rice and green beans). But the tomatoes...um no. D felt the whole recipe was ok. He wouldn't make it again.

D makes another Balsamic Chicken that I prefer better (because it has cooked mushrooms, not cooked tomatoes).

Braised Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves ground black pepper to taste 1 teaspoon garlic salt 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions:

1.	Season chicken breasts with ground black pepper and garlic salt. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet, and brown the onion and seasoned chicken breasts.
2.	Pour tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken, and season with basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes. Servings Per Recipe: 6 Amount Per Serving Calories: 206 Total Fat: 6.1g Cholesterol: 68mg Sodium: 538mg Total Carbs: 7.5g Dietary Fiber: 1.1g Protein: 28.2g

Spicy Sausage Pizza

D got the sausage part of this recipe from the blog, Chaos in the Kitchen.

Our version is high in points (30.5), but you probably aren't supposed to eat half the pizza.

The sausage had a good bite. I think onion would be a good addition to the pizza.

Spicy Sausage Pizza

1 C Spicy Sausage (recipe below)
1 12-inch Boboli
3 oz mozzarella
1/2 C Newman's Own Tomato and Basil Sauce
8 oz of sliced mushrooms, sauteed

Make Sausage
Sautee mushrooms. Mix 1 C Sausage into the mushrooms. (I'm not sure what we are doing with the other cup, except picking at it and force-feeding some to Guinness)
Assemble like you would any normal pizza (sauce, mushroom/sausage mix, cheese on Boboli). Bake according to Boboli package directions.

Probably should make 4 servings. Yeah, that won't happen in this house.
2 servings, 30.5 points each.

Spicy Pizza Sausage from Chaos in the Kitchen

makes 2 cups, prep 5 min, cook 15 min

• 1 lb ground pork (or 1/2 pork, 1/2 turkey) (we used 10 oz pork, and 6 oz lean ground beef)
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, fresh or dried
• 1 tbsp basil, fresh or dried
• 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• fresh ground black pepper (didn't use)
  
• 1/4 cup red wine

1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients except wine-mix well.
2. Heat a skillet to medium heat. Press meat mixture into skillet and allow to cook for several minutes undisturbed.
3. Continue cooking sausage until browned, breaking into small to medium chunks.
4. Once sausage is browned, add wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Continue cooking until wine evaporates.
5. When done, drain sausage over paper towels.

Classic Banana Bread

So I had 2 bad bananas so I told D I would make banana bread. However, my stupid hip prevents me from standing for anything more than 30 seconds without noticing pain. So D made it and I helped by getting the flour and sugar, deciding we could used Country Crock since we had no more butter, and finding walnuts.

Basically, if he had a question (pull out the KitchenAid or just use the hand held mixer), I answered it. And I put away the sugar and the flour. I was a big help, is what I'm saying.

From the reviews we added cinnamon and walnuts. Not really sure you could tell about the cinnamon.

Overall it was good. I checked on it at 50 minutes. I should have reset the timer for 5 more minutes, not 10, imo. Not dry, but the end piece was a bit dark. But I still had a 2nd piece.

Classic Banana Bread

Photo by ALB

We love this bread's moist texture and simple flavor. Banana bread should form a crack down the center as it bakes--a sign the baking soda is doing its job.
Yield: 1 loaf, 14 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened (used 6TBSP butter, and 2 TBSP Country Crock)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas) (used 2, what we had)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt (used Greek yogurt; it's what we had)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
Added cinnamon (more than 1/4 tsp, but didn't measure)
Added 1/4 C walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. (add cinnamon here)
Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. (Stir in walnuts). Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
CALORIES 187 (21% from fat); FAT 4.3g (sat 2.4g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.3g); IRON 1mg; CHOLESTEROL 40mg; CALCIUM 20mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.4g; SODIUM 198mg; PROTEIN 3.3g; FIBER 1.1g

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2003

Spicy Grilled Chicken Legs

I got this recipe from my co-worker. D made it. It was easy to prep and I assume if you can use a grill (I cannot), it is easy to grill.

Very flavorful. It was Indian Chicken without the sauce. But still a good cookout food.

We had with rice and broccoli.

Spicy Grilled Chicken Legs

• 8-10 skinless chicken legs, slitted on the sides
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (D used ginger and garlic)
• 2 tsp red chilli powder (1.5 tsp of chili powder and .5 tsp of cayenne...D could get it in 5 lbs and I didn't feel like going to the Indian Food Store to see if it was there).
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• salt, to taste
• 1 tbsp light cooking oil
• 1 tbsp yogurt (used Greek plain, bc it was on sale for $0.59 and I had a $0.30 coupon)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Method:
1. Mix all the spices, including the lemon juice, yogurt and oil in a big bowl and rub on chicken well enough to coat through. Let it sit to marinate for an hour or so.
2. (D used a grill since it is called Grilled Chicken). Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grill chicken for 20-25 minutes, turning once in between, till chicken is tender and cooked through.
3. Garnish with lemon slices and serve warm right from the grill, or at room temperature.

Spicy Notes: For best results, let the chicken marinate in the fridge
overnight.

Grilled Asparagus with Caper Vinaigrette

I believe D roasted these as our asparagus was very thin. I'm not a big fan of capers but I did like this sauce. We had with Quick Chicken.

Grilled Asparagus with Caper Vinaigrette

This side dish would pair well with a tomato and fresh mozzarella sandwich on grilled sourdough bread.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 4 asparagus spears and about 2 teaspoons vinaigrette)

1 1/2 pounds asparagus spears, trimmed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons capers, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup small basil leaves

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Place asparagus in a shallow dish. Add 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt, tossing well to coat. Place asparagus on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes or until crisp-tender, turning after 2 minutes.

3. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, vinegar, and next 3 ingredients (through garlic); stir with a whisk. Slowly pour remaining 2 tablespoons oil into vinegar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in capers. Arrange asparagus on a serving platter; drizzle with vinaigrette, and sprinkle with basil.

CALORIES 91 ; FAT 7.2g (sat 1.1g,mono 5g,poly 1.1g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 32mg; CARBOHYDRATE 4.8g; SODIUM 198mg; PROTEIN 2.6g; FIBER 2.5g; IRON 2.5mg

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2010

Quick Pan-Fried Chicken Breasts

I liked this. D thought it was on the bland side. I didn't but I also had the sauce from the asparagus that we had as a side in it. I couldn't taste the chile paste, but could taste the soy sauce. It didn't really seem Asian despite the ingredients, so I'm not going to list it that way. D said it was easy.

Quick Pan-Fried Chicken Breasts

Other Time: 43 minutes minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half)

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chile paste (such as sambal oelek)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to an even thickness (about 1/2-inch), using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Combine mayonnaise, soy sauce, juice, and chile paste in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes. Remove chicken from bag; discard the marinade.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Place panko in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken evenly in panko. Add half of chicken to pan; saute 4 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Wipe pan clean with paper towels. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and chicken.

CALORIES 403 ; FAT 18g (sat 1.9g,mono 11.2g,poly 3.7g); CHOLESTEROL 102mg; CALCIUM 21mg; CARBOHYDRATE 14.6g; SODIUM 498mg; PROTEIN 42.2g; FIBER 0.7g; IRON 1.4mg

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2010