Knock-Off "Not Your Average Chicken Oscar"

My favorite meal at one of my favorite restaurants combines most of my favorite ingredients into one dish. It's a creamy dish but I request it with clear/ olive oil/ garlic/ white wine (whatever the chef wants besides cream) sauce and it is fantastic. I believe it's "oscar" describes a cream sauce so I'm not sure what to title this dish... but I'm just calling it a knock-off for right now.



My Version of Knock-Off "Not Your Average Chicken Oscar"

1 cup jasmine rice
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 can chicken broth
1- 1 1/2 lbs thin sliced chicken breast cutlets
16-20 scallops (4- 5 per person), rinse and pat dry
16-20 extra-large shrimp (4- 5 per person), rinsed, shell removed & dried
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
1 package crimini mushrooms
1 can quartered asparagus
5-10 sun-dried tomatoes
2 tsp capers
1/3 cup dry white whine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (~ 2 lemons)
splash of white wine vinegar


In a saucepan, add carrots and 1 can of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add jasmine rice, cover and simmer for 15 minutes (unless your rice specifies a different cook time). When done, fluff with a fork.

Heat pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil and pan sear the chicken cutlets. Once chicken is cooked, remove from the pan. Add scallops, turning once. Remove from pan. Add mushrooms and cook for a few minutes, then add shrimp and cook for a few more minuets. Add in asparagus, tomatoes, capers, white wine, remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth, lemon juice and the splash of white wine vinegar. Cook for a few minutes then toss the chicken back in and cook for another minute or two.

Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a stockpot. Add asparagus and cook for a few minutes until green but still crispy. Remove from water and place aside.

To plate, spoon rice on the plate. Add asparagus then the chicken mixture. Top with scallops.

Pecan Crusted Chicken

I've been wanting to make pecan crusted chicken for a while and I don't know what took me so long. I love pecans... I love chicken. It was really easy and really moist! I was surprised how much the chicken absorbed the paprika by soaking in the buttermilk for about 30 minutes. I'd definitely make this again. It was easy and relatively little prep (food processor mostly).

I paired this recipe with baked onion rings and sauteed spinach with garlic.

Pecan Crusted Chicken
adapted from Whole Foods

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 tablespoon garlic powder
4 (6-8 ounces) boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
1 cups corn flakes
2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
1 cup whole pecans

Directions

Position oven rack to middle shelf; preheat to 375ºF. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray; set aside.
Whisk together buttermilk, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt and garlic powder. Add chicken; marinate 10 minutes.
 
While chicken is marinating, coarsely grind corn flakes and pecans, separately, in a food processor. Mix together in a large bowl; season with remaining salt.
 
Lift a chicken breast out of buttermilk allowing excess to drain off into bowl; cover entire chicken breast in corn-flake mixture; transfer to baking sheet.
 
Repeat with remaining chicken. Throw out any remaining buttermilk.
 
Bake 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 170ºF on instant-read thermometer.

Verde is Green

I love calzones and I've been wanting to make this recipe for a while. I really wanted to make my own dough but I'm horrible at planning ahead. I ended up using the canned dough and I'd rather not ever use that again. Blech. I have never used that and I don't think I ever will again. Next time, real fresh pizza dough.

This whole dinner was an experience.... shopping for the ingredients was ridiculously comical. I was pretty sure I knew what salsa verde was (at least at a restaurant). I wasn't sure how it was packaged. I searched all the aisles I thought it would be located in and wasn't having any luck. I finally asked an employee if he knew where "salsa verde" is located... his answer "well, verde is green"... Yes, I'm aware. He drags me over to the salsa... no luck and looks in all the same places. Then he asks someone else where salsa verde is and their answer "verde means green"... I got no where. I finally found it (in the salsa aisle)-- the one option they carried wasn't very well labeled.

Anyway, so I get home and working with that canned pizza dough was an absolute nightmare. I never understand how you unroll the dough from the can-- it turns into mush for me. All in all, the meal was pretty tasty. We both enjoyed it and the black bean salad paired great with it, especially with the addition of avocados.


Tex-Mex Calzones
Cooking Light

 8 ounces ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fat-free fire-roasted salsa verde
1 (11-ounce) can refrigerated thin-crust pizza dough
3/4 cup (3 ounces) preshredded Mexican blend cheese
Cooking spray parchment paper
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream


1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add onion and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; cook 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring mixture occasionally. Remove turkey mixture from heat; stir in salsa.

3. Unroll dough; divide into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 6 x 4–inch rectangle. Working with one rectangle at a time, spoon about 1/2 cup turkey mixture on one side of dough. Top with 3 tablespoons cheese; fold dough over turkey mixture, and press edges together with a fork to seal. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining dough and turkey mixture. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until browned. Serve with sour cream.
 
 
Black Bean Salad
1 (15-ounce) can rinsed and drained black beans
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 avocado, diced

Combine all ingreients in a medium bowl; toss well to coat.

Hardest Part of The Meal is Boiling Water

How do you feel about cooking outside of the comforts of your own kitchen? With different (or lack of certain kitchen utensils)? When we were in Georgia in March, the house my in-laws rented had minimal kitchen gadgets and supplies. My mother-in-law picked up a stockpot from the dollar store and they had a few gadgets and utensils...but I hate feeling lost outside of my own kitchen. It takes so much longer to cook in someone else's kitchen. If I plan on cooking at someone else's house, I usually bring everything I need with me.... since we were flying, we obviously couldn't bring anything!

When my sister-in-law and I were preparing dinner, we had everything timed out perfectly... until we realized the water wasn't boiling. It took us 45 minutes to bring the water to a boil. It was absolutely the most ridiculous thing ever- I've never seen anything like it. Once, we got that going we were golden. This dish is pretty easy to put together and very tasty! I'd definitely recommend it.


Shrimp Pasta in Foil Package
Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

½ cups Olive Oil
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
3 whole 14.5 Ounce Cans Diced (or Whole) Tomatoes
½ cups White Wine
2 pounds Jumbo Or Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined
Salt And Pepper (to Taste)
Fresh Parsley, Minced
1 pound Linguine, Uncooked
Red Pepper Flakes (to Taste)


Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta for 1/2 the recommended cooking time. Pasta should still be very firm.

In a large skillet or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Dump in the tomatoes and wine. Stir the mixture together, season with salt and pepper, and allow to cook for ten minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a large parcel of heavy duty aluminum foil. It should be large enough to hold the entire pasta dish.

Throw the shrimp on the top of the pasta sauce. Throw the drained pasta over the top, then pour the whole dish onto the foil. Tightly wrap the foil into a parcel.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and keep warm until serving.

Open the foil parcel right before serving. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over the top. Squeeze on lemon juice, if desired.

How to Feed a Pregnant Lady

A few weeks ago, my BFF came down to visit me for a girls weekend. Our other good friend, M, joined us and we had a lovely evening of food, laughs and catching up. Now that we are 3 old-married ladies, the days of frustrating dating stories are over... and instead, the topic turns to b.a.b.i.e.s. My BFF is pregnant and due in August and is having food cravings and adversions so our meal was based around what the baby will let her eat! This dish came out perfect and completely met baby approval.

Pesto Chicken, Artichoke, Mushroom & Artichoke Pasta
The creative minds of M, M, & K.

Pesto
1 package fresh basil leaves
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
2-3 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

In a mini food processor, chop the garlic. Add basil leaves, pine nuts and parmesan cheese and blend until smooth. Drizzle in olive oil and combine until mixed thoroughly. Salt & pepper to taste.

Rest of the Dish
1 can artichoke hearts, drained & cut in half
1 package crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced julienne style
1 package whole wheat rotini, cooked as directed
1 lb chicken tenders, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 clove garlic, diced
2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Bring water to a boil and cook pasta as directed.

Combine olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper in a pan on medium heat for 30 seconds. Once fragrant, add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, until almost cooked thoroughly. Add mushrooms and cook for about 3 more minutes. Add in artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for additional 2 minutes.

Once pasta is cooked & drained, add it to a large bowl and combine with the chicken, artichoke mixture. Add in the pesto (we used all but 1 tbsp) and mix the pesto thoroughly.

Roasted Vegetables Rock

Christmas Day is spent at Danimal's aunt & uncle's house. I woke up (not early... but early for my in-laws!) and made this fresh for the day... before presents and breakfast! I really love this dish and could make it every week and not get sick of it! It's so easy to prepare and pretty to serve.

Orzo with Roasted Vegetable
adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients1 small eggplant, 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
plus additional veggies as desired
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta

For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil (I use less)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:

4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts), toasted
3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic (and whatever other veggies you want) with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.


For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

I tend to double-triple this recipe because it's so good. This last time, I used 2 eggplant, 3 red peppers, 3 yellow peppers, 2 onions, a lot of garlic, 1 green pepper, 1 container crimini mushrooms (quartered), and 1/2 butternut squash (cubed). I don't tend to add feta but LOVE the pine nuts so I used a whole bag (probably 1 lb). I don't measure the lemon juice that I add but I do cut back on the oil (probably 1/4 cup vs 1/3 cup).
 

The Maiden Voyage

I discovered food blogs while wedding planning and fell.in.love. The photography, amazing meals and creations people came up with was inspiring! I felt blogging would be a great way to be more creative and test/ stretch my comfort level plus, try new recipes and the added bonus of trying to keep my kitchen clean (for pictures of course!). I do not eat red meats or pork, use very little dairy in my meals (low-fat/fat-free) and mostly whole-wheat products. My poor husband was a meat-and-potato man himself! Poor guy!

My husband, Danimal, and I were married in September 2008 while weakened Tropical Storm Hannah threatened our outdoor ceremony. We live in beautiful New England with our zoo of animals, Simon the Stinky & Dewey the Danger-kitten.

I am going to initiate this blog with an easy & relatively healthy meal of Eggplant Parm- My Way. Danimal is out of town for work & so I'm cooking for myself!

Eggplant Parm- Social Worker Style
Ingredients:
1 eggplant
Kosher salt
2 eggs (1 whole, 1 egg white)
bread crumbs (I use whole wheat)
whole wheat pasta
pasta sauce (bottled- I was in a hurry!)

Supplies:
Knife
Paper towels
Cookie sheets
Aluminum foil
Cooking Spray (Olive Oil)
2 small bowls
Pot for cooking pasta & sauce


Wash & dry the eggplant. Take a nice sharp knife and slice the eggplant into 1/4-1/2 inch rounds. Lay eggplant slices in a single layer on cookie sheets and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let sit for 10 minutes. The salt draws water out of the eggplant.

Take a paper towel, place an eggplant slice on it and fold the towel over. Squeeze gently to absorb some of the water. Put aside and repeat. Preheat oven to 350.

In one bowl, crack one egg and separate the yolk. Keep the egg white and add one whole egg and beat together. In the other bowl, pour in bread crumbs (I just eyeball- I estimate 1 1/2 cups, you can add more as you need it). Line a cookie sheet with tin foil & spray w/olive oil cooking spray (tin foil is option, I find it works better).


Dip eggplant slice in egg covering both sides, shake off excess. Then dip the eggplant slice in breadcrumbs and cover both sides. Place in a single layer on cookie sheet.

If you run out of egg mixture, just mix up more. Repeat dipping in the egg & breadcrumbs until you finish. Place in oven. Cook for 25-30 minutes, turning once, or until slightly browned.
Boil pasta as directed and heat up sauce. Combine as you like. I don't add cheese but feel free to & enjoy!