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