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.

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.

Avocado and Crab Salad

Back in March, Danimal and I traveled with his sister and her husband to Georgia. My in-laws spent the month renting a cute house on a fabulous island on the coast of Georgia. We had a fabulous couple of days exploring the area and walking the beach. My sister-in-law and I made dinner for everyone one night and wanted to use some of the local products. We had hoped to make it to the fish market but it turned out to be closed. The local supermarket turned out to be our only option... so we weren't able to use the locally caught fish.... but still had a fabulous dinner!

This recipe is so simple and easy... and soooooooooooo good! I can't wait to make it again. Crab and avocado really compliment each other and together, they make a perfect appetizer.

Here are two of my favorite pictures from our trip:






Avocado & Crab Salad
Gina's WW Recipe

1 medium Hass avocado
4 oz lumb crab meat
2 tbsp chopped red onion
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper

In a medium bowl, combine onion, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro salt and pepper. Add crab meat and toss well.

Cut avocado open, remove pit and spoon out avocado. Cut into large chunks and add to crab. Mix carefully, not to mash the avocado. Spoon back into avocado shells and enjoy!

Serves 2