Balsamic Marinated Lamb Chops

I grill these lamb chops after they've been marinating for at least 4 hours.  The marinade is so good and just uses ingredients I always have around the house.  All grills are different so I won't post how long to cook them.  Just make sure you get the internal temperature to 135-137 degrees and then let them rest for at least 10 minutes.  This is important...they must rest!  Grill them on high or medium high and get a good sear on each side.  After that, keep checking them with the instant read.  A perfect medium rare is what you're looking for.

Marinade:
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar*
1/2 cup olive oil
zest and juice of one lemon
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T. fresh chopped rosemary
2 t. fresh chopped thyme

Put the chops in the marinade and refrigerate at least 4 hours, turning once or twice.  Take the chops out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking.  Remove from marinade and sprinkle with Kosher salt.  Grill and enjoy!

Here are the chops in the marinade:

*Use really good quality balsamic.  It should be aged and have a sweet, tart flavor.  I like the Central Market aged balsamic ($12.99).  Alessi makes a good one too that is aged  ($11.99).  Inexpensive balsamics are fine for some things but we rarely eat lamb and it's pretty pricey, so I don't want to screw it up with a cheap balsamic.

Macaroni and Cheese

I've posted a recipe for mac and cheese before but it bears repeating.  This, along with lamb chops and salad, was our Christmas dinner this year.  This time I used Quebec white cheddar that was aged 6 years and fontina.  The best mac and cheese ever! 

2 cups + 2 T. heated 2% milk (I just microwave it for 2 minutes)

2 T. butter

2 T. flour         

1/2 lb. (2 cups dry) small pasta (Conchigliette-small shells-is perfect)

1/2 lb. grated cheese of your choice + a little for the top

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs mixed with 1 T. melted butter
Pinch of nutmeg and salt

Boil pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente (about 6 minutes).  Drain. 

Melt butter over medium heat.  Whisk in flour and stir for about 4-5 minutes.  Add heated milk and continue whisking until mixture comes to a boil.  Turn heat down and continue cooking (and stirring occasionally) until mixture thickens, about 5-8 minutes.  Add salt and nutmeg.  The sauce will be creamy but not super thick. 

Combine pasta, cheese and sauce and pour into a small casserole dish that has been coated with cooking spray.  Top with a little more cheese and then the Panko breadcrumbs.

Bake 350 for about 25-30 minutes until top begins to brown.  Don't overcook.  Once it starts browning, it's done.

Banana Black Bean Chicken

2 large bananas (firm, not too ripe)

1 T. cumin – divided

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Olive oil

1 yellow, orange or red bell pepper, chopped

4 green onions, chopped (green part only)

1 large tomato, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Pepper to taste

1 t. dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)

1 t. chicken base (Better than Bouillon chicken flavor)

½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Juice of one lime

Cut bananas into thick slices.  Sprinkle both sides with cumin.  Cook bananas in a little hot oil, turning once, until they are brown.  Remove and keep warm.

Sprinkle cumin on both sides of chicken breasts.  Add a little more oil to the pan and cook the breasts over medium high heat for about 3 minutes per side.  Transfer to a foil-lined baking dish and finish them in the oven (375 degrees for about 12 minutes, or until thermometer registers 160).

While the breasts are in the oven, sauté the pepper for a minute or two and then add the next three ingredients and continue cooking for a few minutes.  Add the beans and next three ingredients.  Cook until hot.  Remove from heat and add lime juice and cilantro.

Put some of the bean mixture on a plate.  Top with a chicken breast and half the bananas. 

Baked Butternut Squash Risotto

UPDATE:  Made this tonight and used roasted sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash.  We liked it better!  Nothing changed about the recipe except substituting the sweet potatoes for the squash.

Yes, I know risotto isn't supposed to be baked but I just wanted to see if it would work, and it does.  I used my new beautiful blue Dutch oven since it goes from the stove into the oven.  The risotto came out creamy and delicious and was so satisfying on a cold night.

I bought my butternut squash at Costco already cubed, which saves a lot of time.  I roasted it the day before so it would be ready when I got home from work.

I normally never eat white rice, but I make the exception for this dish.  You must use a short-grain, high-starch rice or the risotto will not turn out creamy.  The best one is Arborio but you can use Carnaroli too.  So worth it.

1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups low-sodium stock (I use homemade that I keep in the freezer), heated
1 large sweet yellow onion, cut in half, then thinly sliced
Olive oil
1 T. butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pound butternut squash cubes, roasted*
1 pinch Saffron threads (soak in a little chicken broth for 2 hours)**
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan, shredded

In a large, heavy Dutch oven, heat about 2 T. olive oil on medium high heat.  Add the onion slices and cook for at least 15 minutes.  You want the onion to cook but not brown (called sweating).  Keep turning the heat down lower so the onions don't brown.  Season with salt.

Turn up the heat to medium high, add the butter, and then add the uncooked rice to the onions; stir to coat the rice with the oil and butter.  Cook for about two minutes.  Add the wine to deglaze the pan and keep stirring until absorbed.  Turn up the heat to high and add the warm stock (I microwave it for 3 minutes) and Saffron; season with salt and pepper, if necessary (I usually don't need to add salt because there is salt in the broth and there is salt in the Parmesan, which will be added later).   Add the butternut squash cubes.  Bring to a boil. 

Put the lid on the pot and bake in a preheat 450 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Remove and quickly stir in the cheese.  Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.

*To roast the squash:  Put the squash cubes in a large bowl.  Drizzle olive oil on top and mix with a large spoon.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a little sugar.  Put the cubes on a foil-lined baking pan in a single layer.  Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

**Saffron needs to be soaked for at least 2 hours.  I just soak it in a little bit of the broth.  I did substitute fresh sage once when I was out of saffron, so that's a good substitute if you don't want to spend the money for saffron.  Note:  Do not use American saffron - it's definitely not the same.  Saffron is expensive but you use very little.  You can tell when the saffron is the real deal by the color of the threads.  They should be red but a lighter orangy-red toward one end.

Shrimp with Tomatoes and Tarragon

This was an absolutely, totally yummy shrimp pasta dish.  It incorporates tarragon, tomatoes, and arugula.  Really great combo!

1/2 lb. whole wheat pasta (I use capellini, which is a little wider than angel hair)
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 can (15 oz.) fire roasted diced tomatoes (I like Muir Glen brand), not drained*
1 medium shallot, finely minced (about 2 T.)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2-3 T. finely chopped tarragon
2 cups (I huge handful) fresh baby arugula
3/4 cup chicken broth, heated
1 inch anchovy paste (optional, but really good!)
1/4 cup white wine
1 heaping tablespoon cream cheese or Mascarpone
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Fresh grated Parmesan

Make sure shrimp is dry (use a paper towel).  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Heat olive oil over medium high heat and saute shrimp for a minute or two per side.  Remove to a small bowl.

Saute shallot in remaining oil for a couple of minutes on medium heat.  Add the can of diced tomatoes and the garlic.  Cook for about five minutes.  Combine the heated chicken broth, anchovy paste, and wine.  Add to tomatoes.  Continue cooking for a few minutes until sauce reduces and thickens a little.

Meanwhile, boil a big pot of well salted water and cook the pasta until just done.  Drain.

Season the tomato mixture with salt and pepper.  Add the tarragon, arugula, shrimp, and cream cheese.  Simmer until cheese is incorporated and arugula has wilted.

Spoon over pasta and top with Parmesan.

*I have used fresh campari tomatoes (about 2 pounds) cut into fourths and that gives this dish a really fresh taste.  Use canned when you don't have access to good fresh ones.

Quinoa with Black Beans and Tomatoes

This was a really yummy quinoa.  I added tomatoes and black beans for protein and it worked great.

2 cups water+2 t. Better Than Bouillon (or 2 cups broth)
1 cup quinoa
1 pint tomatoes (different colors and shapes if possible!)
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
Zest and juice from 1/2 lime (use all of it if a small lime)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. minced pickled jalapeno
salt and pepper to taste

Boil water (broth) and add quinoa.  Reduce heat and simmer about 15-20 minutes until you can tell the quinoa has absorbed all of the water (use a fork to test it).  Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl.  Add the quinoa and toss. 

Good cold or warm.

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Gorgonzola

Stuart was going to Costco while I had to work so I asked him to pick up some cherry tomatoes.  He came home with my usual 2 pound package of cherry tomatoes AND a 2 pound package of Campari tomatoes.  I love Campari tomatoes but I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them since I already had all those cherry tomatoes.  I ended up making a great pasta dish that is sure to be one of our regulars from now on.

The first thing I did was cut all the tomatoes in half and then scooped out the insides.  I put each tomato face down on a paper towel just to dry them out a little.  Then I put the tomatoes in a big bowl and added:

About 1/2 cup olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
1 t. oregano
2-3 T. balsamic vinegar

I mixed it all up and let the tomatoes marinate for about a half hour, stirring once in a while.  Then I removed the tomatoes and put them on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, I mixed together:

About 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
4 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola
About half the marinade from the tomatoes

I stuffed each tomato with the Gorgonzola mixture and then drizzled the remaining marinade over the top.

Baked at 375 degrees for about 20-30 minutes.  I baked mine until they were really roasted because I used them on pasta.  If I was going to serve the tomatoes as an appetizer or something, I would bake them less so they would still be firm and easier to hold.  But, for pasta they were delicious!  Here they are fresh out of the oven:

I used spinach tagliatelle and finished the dish with fresh grated Parmesan and fresh basil.

Honey Mustard Chicken Nuggets

These are old fashioned chicken nuggets (baked, not fried, of course) that I coated with a Honey Mustard sauce before breading them.  I reserved some of the sauce and used it for a salad dressing to go with the nuggets.  The sauce is also great for nugget dipping!

The Sauce:
5 T. Dijon mustard
3 T. honey
2 T. Rice vinegar

Whisk together until well mixed.  Set aside at least half to use for dipping or dressing.

The Nuggets:
2 boneless chicken breast halves, sliced vertically into 1/2" pieces
Honey mustard sauce
1 cup cornflakes (I use organic honey sweetened cornflakes)
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Be just a little heavy handed with your breading ingredients and you'll have the perfect amount for two boneless breasts.  Put the cornflakes, Panko, and Parmesan in a food processor and pulse until broken down, but not completely smooth.  You can also use a blender or just crush everything together.  Put crumbs in a bowl.

Put a little of the mustard sauce in another bowl (you can always add more from the sauce you set aside, but make sure you don't contaminate!).  Dip each piece of chicken into the sauce and then press into the crumb mixture.  Use one hand for dipping and the other for coating.  Place the chicken pieces on a rack that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Place the rack on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Refrigerate the nuggets for about 30 minutes, if you have time.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Remove nuggets from refrigerator and spray the top of each nugget with cooking spray.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on the size of your nuggets.  Use an instant-read thermometer and get the nuggets to 160 degrees.  Then let them rest for about 5 minutes.

Asian Marinated Shrimp and Salad

The marinade for these grilled shrimp was so good, and I've used it for chicken too.  I served the grilled shrimp with my Sesame Pasta Salad, but used the following veggies:  Napa cabbage (so good!), spinach, sugar snap peas, and red peppers.  Use any combination you have on hand.  Here's the recipe for the marinade:

1 shallot, finely chopped
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 T. honey
2 green onions, chopped (if you have them on hand)
1/8 cup peanut or other vegetable oil
Pepper

Mix everything together and marinate the shrimp for about 10-15 minutes per side.  Skewer the shrimp and grill for a minute or two on each side.  Chicken can be marinated much longer.  Don't worry too much about exact measurements!

Crispy Baked Coconut Shrimp

These shrimp were really good, especially since there was no frying involved.  I served them with sweet chili sauce, like you use with egg rolls.

10-12 shrimp (mine were 21/25 count, so that's about 1/2 pound)
1/4 c. panko breadcrumbs
1/2 c. coconut (fine shred)
2-3 t. curry powder, or to taste 
1 egg white
Salt

Peel and devein shrimp.  Dry with a paper towel.  In a bowl large enough to hold the shrimp, beat the egg white with a fork until frothy.  Season with salt.  Put the shrimp in the egg white and stir to coat well.

In a smaller bowl, combine the panko, coconut, and curry powder.

Cover a sheet pan with foil and then top with a baking/cooling rack.  Spray the rack with cooking spray.

One at a time, take the shrimp out of the egg white mixture and press into the crumbs.  Keep one hand dry and the other wet (with the egg white).  Place shrimp on the sprayed baking rack.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450.  Take the shrimp out of the refrigerator and spray them with cooking spray.  Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Best Chicken Ever!

Okay, I know I should name this Chicken with Lemon, Roasted Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts, but honestly, this is just the best chicken ever!  I was going to make my Chicken Francese, which I've been making for years, but I just thought that was kind of boring, so I spiced it up a little.  The outcome was truly yummy!!

2 boneless chicken breast halves, pounded thin (they need to cook quickly)

Flour for dredging

1 egg + a little water, beaten

Olive oil

Unsalted butter

2 lemons, zested and juiced

Salt and pepper

½ cup chicken broth

½ cup white wine

2 inches anchovy paste, or 2 anchovies, finely minced

½ cup chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

1 pint or more cherry tomatoes, cut in half (I probably use about 2-1/2 cups)

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered (quarter whole ones or buy quartered)

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

½ pound pasta (I like to use spinach tagliatelle or fettuccini)

Do not be afraid of the anchovy paste!!  It is essential to the recipe.  Your dish will not taste like a yukky anchovy...it will taste fabulous.  We can talk about unami if you want, but all you really need to know is that anchovies add fabulous flavor.  Do not be afraid!! 

Put the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and garlic in a bowl.  Coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Pour onto a foil-lined baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the broth, wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, and anchovy paste.  Set aside.  Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling, salted water.

Heat 2 T. olive oil and 2 T. unsalted butter in a large skillet.  Cut the flattened breasts into halves or thirds, depending on how big they are.  Dredge each piece in flour that has been seasoned with salt and pepper, shaking off the excess.  Dip the floured breasts into the egg wash and then sauté for a few minutes per side until golden brown.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the broth mixture to the pan and simmer for a few minutes.  Add 2 T. butter.  Return the chicken to the pan to reheat the breasts.  Add the roasted tomatoes and artichoke hearts.  Add the chopped parsley.  Drain the pasta and put it in a serving bowl.  Pour chicken and sauce over the top and serve.

Ravioli with Cherry Tomato Sauce

I love to roast tomatoes.  It just really brings out the sweetness of the tomatoes.  This is a super easy dinner since I use store bought fresh or frozen pasta.  My favorite is Arugula, Parmesan and Ricotta Ravioli, but any flavor will do!

UPDATE:  Made this the other night and roasted quartered artichoke hearts with the tomatoes (just like I do for my new favorite chicken dish).  It was really good!

1 package (12 oz.) ravioli or other stuffed pasta
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
3-4 cloves garlic, minced (or however much you like!)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil (about 1/4 cup or so)
Balsamic vinegar (optional)
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
Parmesan cheese, grated

Line a baking sheet with foil.  Cut tomatoes in half and put in a large bowl.  Add the garlic.  Drizzle with olive oil, a splash of balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.  Taste one of the tomatoes to make sure you have enough seasoning.

Pour the tomatoes onto the baking sheet.  Turn each tomato so that it is cut-side up.  Tedious but necessary.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to directions.  Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining.  Always make sure you use plenty of salt when cooking pasta.  Put the pasta in a serving dish and add your roasted tomatoes and pasta water.  Add plenty of chopped fresh basil and a little Parmesan cheese on top.  Serve with garlic bread.

Super easy and really fresh tasting! 

Jerked Pulled Chicken Sammies

I was in the mood for BBQ but didn't want to cook pork, so I cooked chicken instead.  I used bone-in, skin-on breasts and cooked them at a low heat on a rack above apple juice.  Turned out super moist.  Added some BBQ sauce, apple slaw and Wickles Pickles!  Yummy.

3 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
olive oil
Jamaican Jerk spice (or whatever you want to use)
1 cup or so apple juice
BBQ sauce
Buns

Line a baking dish with foil.  Put a baking rack in the pan and then pour in apple juice.  Place breasts, skin side up, on the rack.  Drizzle breasts with olive oil and add plenty of the spices (just on the skin side is fine).  I love the Jamaican Jerk spice.  Try it if you can find it.

Cover with foil and bake at 325 for at least an hour.  Take the chicken out when it reaches 155-160 degrees.  Take breasts off rack and put them skin side (spice side) down into the apple juice.  Cover and let sit about 30 minutes.

Take the skin off the breasts and shred the meat with your fingers.  Add a little of the apple juice and some BBQ sauce.  Stir well.  Serve on buns and enjoy!

Mango Berry Banana Smoothies

1 large ripe mango, peeled and flesh cut away from the seed
5-6 strawberries, cut in half
1 ripe banana
Juice of one lime
2 T. honey
6-8 oz. fat free Greek yogurt (I like Fage 0%)
2 T. ground flax seed (optional)
2 cups ice

Put everything but the ice in a blender and blend until smooth.  Add the ice and blend.

These are so awesome and really good for you!  I like to refrigerate the smoothies before drinking them cause they get a little thicker in the fridge.

You can substitute any kind of fruit. 

Quinoa with Mango and Avocado

We love the Mango Avocado Salsa that I make, so I thought it would make a great quinoa salad.  I basically used by salsa recipe and added quinoa.  Easy and really, really good.

2 cups water or broth
1 cup quinoa
3 T. Olive oil
1 T. rice vinegar
1 T. (more or less according to your heat level) jalapeno, finely diced
Juice of one or two limes (about 2-3 T.)
1 large mango, diced
1 avocado, diced (ripe but firm)
1/2 red pepper, diced small
2-3 T. red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
salt to taste

Combine water and quinoa (I like to add a teaspoon of Better than Bouillon).  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until water has absorbed.  Put cooked quinoa in a large bowl and fluff with a fork.  Let cool at room temperature or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, fluffing occasionally with a fork.

Combine olive oil, vinegar, jalapeno, and lime juice and whisk to form a vinaigrette. 

Add remaining ingredients to the cooled quinoa.  Stir in vinaigrette and season with salt.

I served this with fish and it was awesome.  I think it would be good to add a can of drained, rinsed black beans.  Might do that next time.

Shrimp with Sugar Snaps, Peppers, and Orzo

This is such an easy but yummy dish.  Just peel your shrimp, make a slice down the back to remove the vein, and then put them on paper towels to dry.  Season them with salt and pepper and put them in the fridge until you're ready to cook them.

The sugar snaps need to be blanched.  Just put them into a pot of boiling water for about 2-3 minutes and then into a bowl of ice water.  Leave them in the ice bath for a few minutes and then drain and let them dry on a kitchen towel. This will cook them just enough so they stay crispy and green.  Or, buy a bag of already washed sugar snaps (I use Mann's brand), poke a hole in the bag, and then nuke for about a minute.  Works great!

½ lb. pasta (I use whole wheat orzo)

½ lb. sugar snaps

5-6 T. olive oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. peeled, deveined shrimp (21-25 count)

Salt/pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes

½ red pepper, cut into strips

½ yellow pepper, cut into strips

½ cup chopped fresh basil, reserve a little to use as garnish
Zest of one lemon

3 T. lemon juice (usually about 1-1/2 or 2 lemons)

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Cook pasta while preparing the rest of the dish.  You want to make sure your dish is done when the pasta is ready.

In a small bowl, combine basil, lemon juice, zest and mustard.  Slowly whisk in about 3 T. oil until mixture thickens slightly.  Season with salt.

Heat 2-3 T. olive oil and sauté shrimp seasoned with salt and pepper.  Cook until shrimp are done, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove shrimp to a plate or bowl.  Add pepper strips to skillet and cook until soft.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté 1 minute.  Add sugar snaps and stir to heat them up.  Add cooked shrimp and remove from heat.

Combine shrimp mixture, pasta and vinaigrette.  Garnish with remaining basil.

Cobb Salad with Teriyaki Chicken

The other day I got organic green leaf lettuce at HEB for 97 cents!  Crazy price, so I knew I had to make Stuart's favorite salad...Cobb.  I also marinated some chicken and then coated it with Panko bread crumbs, sauteed on a pan, and then finished it in the oven.  I really don't like grilling boneless chicken cause it seems to dry out so easily.  It's much better in the skillet/oven, like my Panko Crusted Chicken recipe from May 25.  Not to mention, it's over 100 outside so I really didn't feel like firing up the grill!

Cobb Salad
Lettuce of your choice (I like green leaf, red leaf, or romaine)
Boiled eggs, cut in quarters
Tomatoes (I like to use as many different colors as I can find)
Crumbled Gorgonzola, or any other cheese you like
Avocado slices
Bacon

Teriyaki Chicken
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup white wine
1 T. pickled ginger (or fresh, whatever you have)
2 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and roughly chopped
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 lime, juiced

Mix all the ingredients and pour over flattened boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Marinade for a few hours.

Take chicken out of marinade and coat with Panko bread crumbs.  Brown both sides in olive oil and then put on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness of chicken.  Let rest for about 10 minutes and then slice for the salad.

To arrange the salad, chop the lettuce a little and put on a plate.  Arrange the ingredients in rows over the lettuce.  Top with the cheese.  Serve with dressing, or not (it really doesn't need dressing).

Note:  If you're going to grill the chicken, be sure and add about 1/4 cup oil to the marinade.  Keeps the chicken from sticking.  And, leave off the Panko!

Balsamic Cream Chicken Family Style

We were in Gulf Breeze recently and I made my Balsamic Cream Chicken (recipe from June 8 below) for the family.  Since I usually make this for just me and Stuart, I had to increase the recipe.  Colleen took a great picture for me of the end result.  I served it family style, with a pound of whole wheat capellini on the bottom.  I also roasted the tomatoes which was really good, even though Megan thought they were wierd!  Also, since I had so many chicken breasts, I just sauteed them on both sides and then put them in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes.  They turned out nice and juicy.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, flattened to even thickness and cut in half
2 large shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
Flour
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup cream
Balsamic glaze to taste
2-3 T. butter
Salt and pepper
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 lb. whole wheat capellini or angel hair pasta


Coat chicken with flour that has been seasoned with salt and pepper.  Shake off excess.  Saute breasts in olive oil until lightly browned and cooked through (or brown them and finish them in the oven). 

Remove breasts, add butter and cook shallots over medium heat for about 2 minutes.  Sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of flour and whisk to a paste, cooking for about 1 minute.  Add chicken stock and stir until it thickens.  Add enough of the balsamic glaze until it tastes great.  I'm not sure how much I used, probably about 8-10 turns in the pan, if that makes sense.  The sauce will thicken but won't be as thick as gravy.  Remember that the pasta will soak a lot of it up.

Add the cream and return the breasts to the sauce.  Serve over the pasta.  Make sure your sauce is ready before the pasta is done so you can add the sauce immediately to the pasta.

Top with the tomatoes and about 3-4 T. tarragon.  You can use parsley if you're like Colleen and don't like tarragon.  Crazy children!

If you don't roast the tomatoes, be sure and still heat them up before putting over the chicken.  To roast them, put the tomatoes in a bowl and coat with olive oil.  Add salt and pepper.  Put the tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and make sure each tomato is cut side up.  Roast at 225 degrees for about 2 hours.  You can also speed the process up by roasting them at 400 for about 20 minutes.  I did this the other day and I think I might prefer the hotter method.  Not to mention I don't want the oven on for that long when it's so hot outside!

Asian Grilled Salmon

I'm not a huge fan of salmon unless it's the wild caught salmon from Alaska.  I buy it at Costco so I always have it in the fridge.  This time I made a glaze and then grilled it.  My grill is on its last leg and is definitely not giving me good grill marks.  Oh well, the salmon was great and that's what matters.  I served it with Sesame Pasta Salad.

2 fillets salmon (I used wild caught Sockeye)
1 T. Dijon mustard
2 T. soy sauce (low sodium)
1 T. honey
3 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 t. ginger, minced (or 1/2 t. dried ginger)

Whisk the mustard and remaining ingredients until thick.  Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel.  Rub a little oil on the skin side of the fillets and put on a plate, skin side down.  Spoon some of the marinade on top of the salmon fillets (just the skinless side).  Allow to marinate at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes.

Grill the salmon on fairly high heat.  Start with the skin side down and grill about 4-5 minutes.  Carefully turn over and continue cooking about 4 minutes.  Remove from grill and let sit about 10 minutes before serving. 

You can spoon a little more of the remaining marinade on top if you want.  I didn't and just refrigerated it to use later.  The recipe for the marinade would probably be perfect for four pieces of salmon.

The cooking time really depends on the thickness of your salmon and your grill.  It should still be pink on the inside when you remove it from the grill.  It will keep cooking when you let it sit.

Sesame Pasta Salad

I know that tomatoes aren't usually found in an Asian style salad but I love the taste and color of them so I used them.  I really liked this salad cause it's different and has great sesame flavor.

9 oz. pasta (I used a package of fresh angel hair)
3 T. soy sauce (reduced sodium is best)
2 T. peanut or other oil
3 T. sesame oil (the dark toasted type)
1 T. rice vinegar
1 T. honey
2 T. toasted sesame seeds*
1 T. ginger, finely minced
Sliced red or yellow peppers, green onions, etc. (whatever you have and like)

Whisk together the soy sauce and remaining 6 ingredients.  Boil the pasta according to package instructions.  Drain pasta and transfer to a bowl.  Toss with the sauce.  Add sliced red and yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes cut in half, and a handful of sliced green onion.  Season with salt, if necessary.  Serve hot or cold.

You can use any combination of vegetables you like!

*You can buy sesame seeds already toasted or just heat them in a non-stick skillet until they just start to get fragrant and turn a light brown.  Never, ever turn your back on any seed or nut you are toasting cause the minute you do, they burn.  Just a fact.

Spinach Fontina Bruschetta

Our friend, Rob, came over for snacks and I made my Artichoke Pasta.  Instead of the usual garlic bread I made this and it was awesome.  Great way to get your spinach too.  You can use any type of bread but I used ciabatta cause it's so crunchy and so perfect for bruschetta.  Click on the picture to see these up close.

1 loaf ciabatta, sliced
Olive oil for drizzling
1 peeled garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise

Topping:
12 oz. baby spinach, chopped (use the already washed spinach)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
3 T. olive oil
Salt
About 1/2-3/4 cup grated fontina (or cheese of your choice)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place the bread slices on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and bake until slightly toasted, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet or pot, add the spinach, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Cook for about 3 minutes until wilted.  Season with salt.  Transfer spinach to a collander to drain excess moisture.

When the bread comes out of the oven, let cool for a minute or two.  Take the garlic you sliced in half and rub the cut side on the bread.  This really gives the bread great garlic flavor.  Divide the spinach mixture on top of each piece of bread and finish with grated fontina.

Put back in the oven and bake until the cheese melts and begins to brown, about 5-8 minutes.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Slaw

I love shrimp tacos and I usually just use frozen shrimp since fresh shrimp in Austin can be pretty pricey.  I make a nice slaw (I either use the Mango Jicama Slaw below or my Apple Slaw, or I cheat and use Chinese Chicken salad dressing with a slaw mix), heat some corn tortillas, throw shrimp on the grill, and end it all with a squeeze of lime.  It's also really good with some avocado slices.

For the shrimp, I put peeled and deveined shrimp in a bowl, add some canola oil, and then any kind of spice.  For this recipe I bought BBQ spice.  I often use cumin and coriander, or really any blend of spices you like.  It's important to have the oil though so they don't burn.  Here are the shrimp skewered and ready to go on the grill.

Once skewered, I put the shrimp on a hot grill for about one minute per side.  It doesn't take long!  You could also cook them in a skillet.  Here are the shrimp after grilling:

Then I heat the tortillas in a dry non-stick skillet on medium heat.  Keep twirling them around in the pan, about 30 seconds on one side and about 15 seconds on the other side.  Wrap in a clean towel until you're ready to use them.  Serve with slaw, avocado, and fresh lime.  Great tacos!

Mango Jicama Slaw

Yes, it's mango again!  Kurtis was making this slaw at work and dressing it with a bottled Smokey Cumin Lime Vinaigrette that we sell.  I prefer not to buy too much bottled stuff so I decided to make the vinaigrette myself.  It turned out really well, if I say so myself.  I used jicama in the salad, which is a sweet root vegetable.  It really just adds great crunch to the slaw.  If you can't find it I would just add some apple.

2 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced or finely chopped
3 cups cabbage, shredded (I usually buy the prepared slaw mix)
1 cup peeled and chopped jicama
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted*
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Cumin Lime Vinaigrette (mine wasn't smokey)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and add vinaigrette as needed to moisten.  Remember that cabbage tends to "sweat" so it will get more moist as it stands.

Cumin Lime Vinaigrette:

2 T. fresh lime juice
3 T. rice vinegar
1/2 t. cumin
Salt to taste
1/2 cup oil (canola, olive, whatever you have)

Combine all ingredients except oil.  Whisk the oil slowly into the ingredients until well combined.

*Toasting nuts, seeds, spices, etc. is really easy.  Just heat a non-stick skillet on medium heat, add the nuts and shake back and forth.  When you start to smell the nuts they are done.  Never ever walk away from them as they will burn the minute you do (experience talking!).

Pulled Chicken Sammies with Apple Slaw

Mangoes have been plentiful lately and really inexpensive so I've been using them a lot.  I made my Mango Chipotle Sauce and decided to put it on bone-in chicken breasts and bake them.  It turned out great and I decided to make pulled chicken sandwiches by adding more mango sauce instead of BBQ sauce.  Totally yummy!  I also made Apple Slaw to add crunch to the sandwiches.  Serve it on toasted buns!

After making the sauce http://henshammock.blogspot.com/2011/02/mango-chipotle-sauce.html I drizzled the breasts with olive oil, sprinkled with some salt and pepper, and then coated with some of the sauce.  I baked it for about 40-45 minutes at 400 degrees.  If you have time, you can let the breasts marinade for a few hours in the fridge.

I let the chicken cool and then shredded it.  Added a little more Mango Chipotle Sauce and ended up with this:

Time to make the Apple Slaw:

3 cups thinly sliced cabbage (I buy Fresh Express pre-packaged angel hair cole slaw)

1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced (about ½ cup)

1 granny smith apple, julienned (match stick cut), about 1-1/2 cups

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 teaspoon or more chopped pickled jalapeno

1/4 cup golden raisins, chopped

1/4 cup toasted* slivered almonds, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint + more for garnish

1 tablespoon honey

Salt and pepper

Put the cabbage in a large bowl.  Add apple and squeeze the lemon over the apple matchsticks.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.  It won’t look like enough mayo but keep mixing as the cabbage with release some moisture.  Garnish with a little more chopped mint.

Refrigerate and serve cold.

*Toast the nuts in a dry (no oil) non-stick skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan back and forth.  Do not walk away!  Nuts will turn golden brown quickly.

Crispy Baked Chicken

Marinating this chicken for 4 or 5 hours really makes it turn out moist.  You have to cook it on a rack so it gets crispy.  A cooling rack that fits over a baking sheet is perfect.  Don't forget to line your pan with foil for easy cleanup.

I only cooked two bone-in, skin-off chicken breasts so increase the amount of crumbs if you're cooking more chicken pieces.  This would be good with thighs and legs too, or just a whole cut-up chicken.

For the marinade:
2 cups buttermilk or kefir (that's what I use)
Juice of one lemon
1/2 T. hot sauce, like Tabasco
1/2 onion, sliced and cut into 1-2" pieces
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme or whatever fresh herb you have, like rosemary or tarragon
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Salt and pepper

Pick out a baking dish where the chicken pieces will fit without any extra room.  Mix the ingredients in the dish and then add what chicken pieces you are using.  Coat the chicken completely with the marinade.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-6 hours, turning once.

For the coating:
1 cup cornflakes, crushed
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan
1-2 t. fresh chopped thyme, or 3 t. Herbs de Provence

Mix everything together.  I used my food processor but made sure not to completely pulverize the cornflakes.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and allow any excess to drip off.  Press both sides of the breasts into the coating.  Coat the rack with cooking spray and place it on the foil-lined baking sheet.  Put the chicken on the coated rack and then spray the top of the breasts with the cooking spray as well.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 40-45 minutes, or until a thermometer registers around 160 degrees. 

I served this with fresh beans and roasted carrots.  I just put olive oil, salt and pepper on the carrots and baked them until tender, about 15 minutes.

Crab Cakes

This is my first attempt at making crab cakes and it turned out great!  I've never been a big fan of crab cakes because I've always thought that they don't taste crabby enough.  Usually it's too much mayonnaise and bread crumbs.  It makes sense since crab is pretty pricey, but if I'm going to splurge on crab, I'm going to taste crab. 

The sauce was my attempt at food art...I think I need to go back to school!  The sauce was a piquillo pepper sauce and while I liked it, I prefer remoulade or tartar with my crab cakes, or nothing.  Here's the recipe for the cakes:

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over to remove any shell fragments
1 egg white, beaten until foamy
1 T. flour
2 T. finely chopped fresh chives
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T. unsalted butter
3 T. peanut or other cooking oil
Lemon wedges
Put the cleaned crabmeat in a medium-sized bowl.  Slowly pour the egg white over the crabmeat, stopping to gently mix it together.  Let the crab and egg white sit for a few minutes.  Then, using a fine sieve, sprinkle the flour over the crabmeat.  Sprinkle with chives, cayenne, salt and pepper (about 1 t. salt/1 t. pepper).  Gently mix together.

Line a baking pan or dish with parchment paper.  Form six balls out of the crabmeat mixture, making sure not to overmix.  Place on parchment paper and gently press down to form the cake shape.  Sprinkle with salt.  Refrigerate at least one hour.

Heat oil and butter in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat.  If you don't have a large skillet, cook the cakes in two separate batches.  Cook the cakes for about 2 minutes on each side until nicely browned.  Drain the cakes on a paper towel-lined pan.

Serve with lemon wedges and your choice of sauce.

The recipe I followed was from Pat Conroy, the author of Prince of Tides and other great books.  I figured a Carolina boy would know how to make good crab cakes.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

I love caesar salad and I make my own dressing because all of the bottled stuff is just loaded with all kinds of junk.  I don't do the traditional caesar where you use a raw egg because I need it to keep in the fridge longer, since we only use a little each time.  And yes, I know caesar salad does not have tomatoes, but whose blog is this anyway?

1 T. mayonnaise
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, smashed
6 anchovies
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 t. coarse salt
¼ t. pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
½ cup grated Parmesan

Place all ingredients except the oil and cheese in a food processor and blend.  Slowly start adding the oil until dressing is creamy.  Add the parmesan and pulse a few times to incorporate.

For the chicken, I just use a little of the dressing as a marinade and then grill it (flatten it to even thickness first).  I use a good romaine, green leaf, or other lettuce, some cherry or grape tomatoes, and croutons.  Toss with a little dressing, top with grilled chicken, and you have a great dinner!

Chicken Marsala

I made Chicken Marsala a couple of weeks ago but I didn't think it was great...just not enough Marsala flavor.  Marsala, like port and sherry, is a fortified wine, which means it has added alcohol.  It's very flavorful but when I first made the dish I followed what most recipes recommend, which is to add chicken broth.  That ended up being a bland sauce, so the next time I made it, I only used Marsala.  It turned out great. 

Make sure you cook the mushrooms until they are nice and brown, and don't overcook your chicken since you'll be adding it back into the sauce.  Your chicken should be a nice light golden brown, like this:

2 boneless breasts, flattened to even thickness and cut in half
Flour seasoned with salt and pepper, for dredging
12-16 oz. sliced mushrooms (I use Baby Bellas)
1 medium shallot (about 2 T.), finely minced
1-1/2 cups Marsala
Juice of one small lemon
2 T. fresh tarragon or parsley, chopped
Olive oil and 2-3 T. butter

Put seasoned flour in a plastic bag.  Add the chicken pieces and shake to coat.  Heat olive oil and saute chicken for a few minutes on each side until almost done.  Remove and cover with foil to keep warm.  In the same pan, add 1-2 T. butter to the remaining olive oil and saute mushrooms until nice and brown, about 10 minutes.  Add the shallot and cook for about 1 minute.

Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the Marsala (remember that this is alcohol so you don't want to start a fire!).  Simmer for about 5-8 minutes until the wine starts to reduce.  Add the chicken and continue simmering until you have a nice sauce.  Add the lemon juice, remaining 1 T. butter, and tarragon and you're done!

I used tarragon because my parsley looks like it has been living in a 100 degree oven, which of course it has.  My tarragon (actually, Mexican Marigold) is doing great and I really loved the flavor with the Marsala.