Soyrizo Potato Scramble

One of my favorite breakfast dishes growing up was chorizo with eggs. This Mexican dish was a staple in my house growing up, and so was lard. Yummy goodness, I tell you. Gosh, I don't think I've cooked with lard in over 20 years! Hummm, opps, I digress...

But one thing I've come to like is soyrizo. There are some brands that aren't very good, but this one, found in a local Hispanic market right next to regular & beef chorizo, isn't half bad.

Of course, it doesn't have pork, which gives chorizo that yummy kick, but as an alternative, the spices are spot on and the dish never leaves you feeling like you've missed out. Only big diference is the lack of salt, so you have to make sure to add some in when making this dish, this isn't necessary with regular chorizo cuz it's pretty salty as is.

This dish can be served with bread, tortillas, huaraches, beans, or as is. If you serve with bread, try a little butter on the bread for some extra richness, you won't be dissapointed!

Soyrizo Potato Scramble
Serves 2-3

2 Medium Potatoes (Diced Small)
1/2 Soyrizo Roll
Salt & Pepper (To Taste)
1/4 C Water
2 Eggs
1/4 C Shredded Cheese (I used Monterey Jack)

-Heat Potatoes in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat for about 10 mins.
-Mix in Soyrizo, S&P and continue to cook for another 5 mins.
-Add in Water and cover pan for another 5mins, stir then re-cover.
-Once potatoes are cooked, mix in Eggs & cook for 1-2 mins.
-Then add in Cheese & stir until melted (about 1 min).
-Serve with Tortillas, Buttered Bread, Beans or as you like.

Italian Pizza

One of my favorite dishes that we had in Italy last year was a sauce-less pizza in the town of Parma. It was a pizza with sausage, potatoes, olive oil and cheese and it was amazing. So much so that I tend to default to it every time I make pizza now.

In the past, I use to buy pre-made pizza dough because I don't like the smell of yeast, but since I'm trying to make most things from scratch nowadays I decided it was time to get over my scent aversion. It's been almost 20 years since I last made pizza dough and I had fun making this one.

I found a dough recipe here but I simplified it to fit my lack of patience and it came out great. I would recommend dividing the dough in 3rds for thin crust or half for thick crust but definitely not 6ths like the recipe states unless you want to make small individual pizzas.

Italian Pizza
Serves 2

Dough:
(makes 2 thick crust, 3 thin crust, or 6 individual thin crust pizzas)
4 1/2 C Unbleached Flour (Chilled)
1 3/4 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp (Rapid Acting) Yeast
1/4 C Olive Oil
1 3/4 C Water (Ice Cold)
Cornflour
 
-Add first 3 ingredients to mixer and mix with paddle attachment.
-Add in Oil & Water and combine.
-Change out paddle attachment for the dough hook and knead for 7 mins.
-Divide dough into desired serving sizes.
-Coat a bowl with oil and place dough in coating its surface.
-Let sit for about 2 hrs.
-Place remaining dough (coated with oil) in freezer bags and store in freezer for up to 3 months.
-Once dough has settled, take out and roll on a well floured surface as desired.

Italian Pizza
4 oz Italian Sausage (Cooked)
1 Lg Russet Potato or 2 Yukon Potatoes
1/2 Tbsp Butter (Optional)
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
1/2 White Cheese (Parmesan, Mozzarella, etc.)
Pizza Dough

-To cook the Italian sausage: place in heated pan on medium-high heat while occasionally breaking apart the meat until browned.
-To cook the Potatoes: peel then chop into 1/2 inch cubes. Remove sausage from sausage pan leaving about 1 tablespoon of grease in pan and cook potatoes in it. (Or cook in a new pan with 1/2 tablespoon of butter on medium heat for about 10 mins.
-Prepare your baking surface (pizza stone or cookie sheet) by coating with cornmeal.
-Place pizza dough on prepared baking surface then add toppings.
-Sprinkle with S&P.
-Drizzle with Olive Oil and top with Cheese.
-Bake @ 425 for ~12 mins.
-Remove from oven and lest rest a few minutes before cutting.

Home Ground Chicken Burgers

I'm on a savings kick. We've been a bit on edge with some major financial costs this year, as I know many people are, but we're finally starting to feel the weight of me not working and so I've been trying to cut corners as much as possible. As I noted in another post I hate ground beef, but ground chicken (my usual go to ground meat) has gone up $1 per package since last year. So remembering that I bought a food mill/meat grinder last summer, I decided to grind my own chicken!

Now the last time I remember using a meat grinder was back in my culinary class days using an industrial one that ran so smoothly I had no problems...let me say this was not the case with my kitchen aid attachment! You should have seen the site, both Anastasio & I made a mess and lost about 1.5-2 lbs of chicken trying to figure out the black grease spewing from the center of the attachment.

After researching online we found some good tips & tricks so next time shouldn't be as much of a fiasco! It really is a very easy thing to do, so we'll keep grinding our own chicken meat from now on. End result only cost us the same as if we bought pre-ground, which means next time the savings will be huge at a little over $2 a pound!

Home Ground Chicken Burgers with Spinach & Cheddar
Serves 2

1 Chicken Breast (or 1/2 lb Store Bought Ground Chicken)
1/2 C Loose Fresh Spinach
1/4 C Sharp Cheddar (Grated)
3 Tbsp Plain Bread Crumbs
1 Egg Yolk
Salt, Pepper & Cayenne To Taste

-Slice the Chicken Breast in strips that will fit through the meat grinder and run through.
-Meanwhile, bring a medium size pot with ~6 cups of water to a boil.
-Using tongs drop in a big handful of Spinach and blanch for about 30-45 seconds.
-Remove spinach to a colander or plate with towel to drain.
-Once cool enough to handle, chop Spinach.
-Combine the Ground Chicken with Spinach & remaining ingredients and form into 2 patties.
-Either grill or cook in frying pan with a little oil until browned on both sides.

NRW 24: Tropical Carnitas (& a use for Pineapple-Mango Jam)

New Recipe Week 24: Slow Cooker Tropical Carnitas (& a use for my Pineapple-Mango Jam)

One of the recipients of my Pineapple-Mango Jam, Dr. Goldi, gave me this recipe using said jam. She said it was amazing and I couldn't wait to try it.

I did make a couple of changes, her's called for Root Beer, and I substituted with Beer & Brown Sugar and also semi-followed this recipe, but either way this was an amazingly yummy carnitas (or pulled pork) and super easy since you just toss everything in a slow cooker!

Tropical Carnitas
Serves 6

1.5 lbs Pork Shoulder or Tenderloin
1/4 C Onion (Diced)
1/2 Jalapeno (Diced)
1/4 C Beer (I used a Pale Lager)
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tsp Dried Oregano (Crushed between fingers)
Salt & Pepper to taste

1/4 C Water
1/2 Pineapple-Mango Jam

-Heat slow cooker on high and place Pork on bottom of crock pot dish.
-Top with Onion, Jalapeno, Beer and sprinkle with Sugar, Oregano and S&P.
-Cover and cook on high for 4 hrs (or low for 7-8 hrs)
-After 4 hours, using tongs, pull meat apart, then add remaining Water & Jam, cover and cook another 1/2 hr on high.
-Serve as is or in burrito!

NRW 23: Spicy Italian Stuffed Eggplant

New Recipe Week 23: Spicy Italian Stuffed Eggplant

Well, technically this isn't a new technique for me but since lately there have been quite a few posts from friends and on Pinterest on some kind of stuffed veggie, I decided to follow suite and stuff an eggplant I had lying around. I usually stuff Italian peppers but this change was very welcome indeed and is new to me so I thought it worked for my resolution challenge. Since I didn't actually follow a specific recipe, I'll give credit to Jennifer who gave me the craving after she posted a stuffed bell pepper on facebook.

I made this version with brown rice (cooked ahead of time) and just threw in what I had in the crisper; broccoli which I chopped into flowerets, skinny carrots I diced up and some yummy shallot. You could easily substitute any of the ingredients and just have fun with it. Sometimes I use diced red bell pepper or potatoes, the combos are endless and the results are always so yum! 

This one was exceptionally yum as the spice from the spicy Italian sausage really livened up the dish. Other than it being made with pork, though in my defense I did only use 4 oz which made 4 servings, this was a super healthy and very moist & filling meal. I was so happy to have leftovers, and I never eat leftovers:-), I'm definitely gonna keep this one in the books!

Spicy Italian Stuffed Eggplant
Serves 4

1 Lg Eggplant
4 oz. Spicy Italian Sausage
Olive Oil
1 Carrot (Diced)
1/2 C Broccoli Florets (Diced)
1/2 Shallot (Diced)
1/2 C Brown Rice (Cooked)
1/4 C Grated Cheese (I used Mozzarella)
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Salad Mix
Balsamic Vinegar

-Slice Eggplant in half lengthwise then cut or scoop out meat leaving about 1/2 inch  thickness, then coat with Olive Oil.
-Dice half of the eggplant meat and set aside.
-Heat about 1 tablespoon Olive Oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat, then add Spicy Italian Sausage and cook for about 8 mins.
-Add in Shallots & Carrots and cook for about 5 mins, then add in Eggplant & Broccoli Florets and cook another 5 mins.
-Meanwhile combine Rice & Cheese in a large bowl, then Salt & Pepper to taste.
-Drain the meat-veggie mix then combine with rice until well mixed
-Stuff eggplant with mixture, place on baking sheet and tent with foil.
-Bake at 425 for 45 mins or until eggplant is tender.
-Sever over Salad Mix and sprinkle with Balsamic Vinegar.

NRW 22: Mini-Eggplant & Turkey Frittatas

New Recipe Week 22: Mini-Eggplant & Turkey Frittatas (Poppers)

Actually, this is more like a new idea rather than an actual recipe I'm trying out. I got the idea of the mini-poppers from Pinterest. I've seen zucchini poppers, mini-vegetable & bacon frittatas, and of course, the mini-chocolate chip pancakes I tried out a few months ago.

I actually woke up and threw this together without a recipe, then when I did some searching through my pinterest boards I came across the mini-vegetable & bacon frittatas recipe that is almost exactly how I made mine. I must have read it recently and it stuck in my subconscious cuz I was dreaming about these this morning. Even more funny to me was that I thought I was making something up, even going into my garden and picking the basil last minute as an afterthought. Ha! Georgia's (The Comfort of Cooking) photos are way better than mine though (like a 1000 times better) so I suggest you head over to her site and check it out!

Now the real reason I turned this omelet into mini-frittats is because I can't flip an omelet if my life depended on it. Definitely not for the lack of trying, more for the lack of courage to make a mess all over my kitchen floor. Here's a pic of my attempt with half of today's batter:

Ana got this omelet and I got the frittatas. I tried his omelet (all same ingredients just a little difference in the last step of cooking) and it was delicsh! But my frittatas were even better. The yummy fluffiness of the eggs and the lack of butter for frying made them feel lighter than the omlete, I mean I ate 8 of these poppers without a second thought! Definitely gonna keep experimenting with this idea, hope you do too!

Mini-Eggplant & Turkey Frittatas
Makes 16 Mini or 6 Regular Muffin Size

1/2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Shallots (Sliced)
1/2 Tsp kosher salt
1/4 Tsp freshly ground pepper
1/3 C Turkey (Diced)
1/2 C Eggplant (Cubed)
4 Eggs (next time I will make with 2 Eggs & 3 Egg Whites!)
1/4 C Heavy Cream
1/4 C Cheese (Finely grated)
4 Leaves Fresh Basil (Chopped)


-In a small bowl, beat together Eggs & Cream, set aside.
-Coat 16 cups of a mini-muffin pan (or 6 cups of regular muffin pan) with cooking spray and set aside.
-Heat Butter & Shallots in a frying pan over medium high heat, add S&P.
-Add Turkey & combine, then Eggplant, and cook for about 10 mins or until eggplant is tender.
-Remove from heat and mix in the Basil.
-Divide the turkey/eggplant mix into the prepared muffin tins.
-Scoop about 1-2 Tbsp of egg batter into each cup until full.
-Top with grated Cheese and Bake at 350 for 10 mins.
-Let cool for about 5 minutes before running a small knife alongside each frittata to release it from the pan. (I just used a spoon to scoop them out and I didn't wait the 5 mins, next time I'll wait & use a knife!)

Cream Pesto Lasagna

My mom isn't a cook, as a matter of fact I learned how to cook when I was 10 and have been the family chef ever since then, but she does have a few recipes that she's known for, and one of them is lasagna. Unfortunately, as some of you might know and some not, but I'm allergic to tomatoes. Well, not technically allergic, it's an intolerance, but I can't digest them and it's pretty painful when I do eat one, so in my boat it's the same as an allergic reaction.


So as you can imagine, I can't have red sauce lasagna, even though I absolutely loves my mom's lasagna, it's just not worth it...


Several years ago, I was telling my best friend Goldi about my mom's lasagna and she asked if I had ever tried making it with a cream pesto sauce...hello! I can't believe I hadn't thought of it. So here we are many years later and I've finally typed up my recipes for you to enjoy.

Below is the lasagna recipe and here you can find the Cream Pesto Sauce recipe.

Cream Pesto Lasagna
Serves 4-6

8x8 square baking pan (opt. prep with butter/olive oil)
Enough Lasagna Pasta for 2 layers plus Top (ie. if using Barilla Pasta, 6 should do) & soaked in milk till pliable.
2 C Cream Pesto Sauce
1/2 lb. Meat (either sliced Sausages or some type of Ground Meat cooked with seasoning & olive oil)
1 C Chopped/Sliced Raw Veggies (I use Broccoli/Cauliflower)
1/2 C Sliced Raw Mushrooms
2 Eggs (boiled & chopped up)
2 C Grated White Cheese

-Spoon a little sauce into pan then add 1st layer of Lasagna and coat with sauce.
-Add meat, egg, & veggies, then lightly coat with sauce & top with cheese.
-Repeat sequence.
-Once 2nd layer is done, top with remaining lasagna, sauce & cheese.
-Bake covered with foil @ 350 for 30 mins. Remove foil and continue baking for 15 min.

Cream Pesto Sauce

For those of you who love cream sauces here's my cream pesto. I use it in lasagna, with pasta and in casseroles. This version is really rich so if you'd like to cut the richness use a combo of water/milk or just nonfat milk (which is actually what I usually use).

Cream Pesto Sauce
Makes 2 Cups

2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Flour
~2 C Milk (or 1 C. Cream & 1 C. Milk)
1/4 C Pesto Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste

-Melt butter & flour in sauce pan on low to form paste (this is called a roux).
-Gradually add in milk 1/2 cup @ a time, mixing in while doing so. Keep stirring entire time so that clumps don't form.
-Once desired consistency is meet, add in pesto sauce, S&P, and cook for a couple of minutes.

NRW 19: Lemon-Mint Chicken

New Recipe Week 19: Lemon-Mint Chicken

It's spring and as every gardener knows, it's mint season, and boy do we have a ton!

It's so pretty!

So I'll be exploring many ways to cook with and store mint. My first recipe this season is Lemon-Mint Chicken, and yes, it was delicious! The original recipe calls for broiling the chicken but it was a hot day so we grilled (indoor) and it came out great, but I think it would be even better grilled outdoors, so bookmark this one for summer time grilling for sure!

Lemon-Mint Chicken
Serves 2
Adapted from Epicurious.com

Zest of 1 medium Lemon, removed with a vegetable peeler
1/4 C fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Mint Leaves (Chopped)
1 Tsp Minced Garlic
1/4 Tsp Paprika
1/8 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 Tsp Kosher Salt & Pepper
2 Boneless Chicken Breasts
Lemon wedges for serving

-Stir together all ingredients, except chicken, in a small bowl. Poor into a ziplock bag and add Chicken. Place in refrigerator for 30 mins or more.

-Preheat grill then cook chicken for about 5 minutes on each side.

-Transfer chicken to a plate and garnish with lemon wedges & mint.

NRW 18: Rainbow Chard with Italian Sausage

New Recipe Week 18: Rainbow Chard with Italian Sausage

I think I'm going to give up on chard, kale and collards for a while. I know I shouldn't start a recipe post with this viewpoint, but I've been trying really hard to like them for the last couple of years, never having had them until 2010, and I just don't seem to have the winter greens in me.

Don't get me wrong, all the dishes I've made with them have been wonderful, but I just don't enjoy them like I do squash or broccoli, I LOVE broccoli, I could eat a ton of broccoli in one sitting...

This dish was actually pretty good. The Italian Sausage paired perfectly with the chard and the spice was just right. It can be made as a side dish or main, I served it with my Kickin' Sweet Potato Mash which made for a well rounded meal.

Rainbow Chard with Italian Sausage
Serves 4
Adapted from Epicurious.com

1 Tbsp Bacon Grease or Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1lb bunch Rainbow Chard
2 links Italian Sausage
1/4 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/4 Tsp Pepper

-Cut stems from Chard & then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Stack chard leaves and roll into cylinders. Cut cylinders crosswise to make 1-inch-thick strips of leaves. 

-Cut Italian Sausage in half lengthwise & again in quarters lengthwise. Then cute in 1/2 inch chunks.

-Heat Bacon Grease and Oil in a heavy skillet over moderately high heat, then sauté Chard Stems and Sausage with Sea Salt & Pepper, stirring occasionally, about 5-8 minutes.

-Add Chard Leaves and continue to sauté, stirring frequently, until wilted.

NRW14: Chicken Saltimbocca

New Recipe Week 14: Chicken Saltimbocca

Always looking for a new way to make chicken breast, I had this recipe from Epicurious.com in my recipe box for a couple of years. It's pretty similar to what I've already made many, many times before, but distinct in it's own way.

It came out petty good, my only comment is that the sauce was too tangy so I'd probably omit the lemon next time around.

Chicken Saltimbocca
Serves 2

2 Boneless Chicken Breasts
4 Fresh Sage Leaves
4 Salami Slices
1/2 C Flour

1 Tbsp. Butter
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. White Wine
2 Tsp. Flour
1/2 C. Chicken Broth

-Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap on work surface. Using mallet, pound chicken to 1/3-inch thickness. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

-Place 2 sage leaves atop each chicken breast half. Top each chicken breast with 2 prosciutto slices, pressing to adhere.

-Spread 1/2 cup flour on plate. Turn chicken in flour to lightly coat both sides.

-Melt butter with oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, prosciutto side down; cook 4 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook just until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to platter and cover to keep warm; reserve skillet.

-Whisk wine with remaining 2 teaspoons flour in small bowl. Add broth and lemon juice to same skillet; bring to boil. Add wine mixture; whisk until sauce thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chicken.

NRW 13: Sweet & Spicy Salmon

New Recipe Week 13: Sweet & Spicy Salmon

This recipe is from my ever-trustworthy food site Epicurious.com. Not a huge fan of salmon, Anastasio brought some home this week and so I was pressed to find a recipe that would be flavorful enough for me. This one definitely hit the target although it did need some lemon juice to top if off.

Sweet & Spicy Salmon
Serves 4

1/4 C Sweet Chili Sauce
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tsp Ground Ginger
1 lb Salmon Fillet (with skin)
1/2 Lemon (sliced)

-Line rimmed baking sheet with non-stick foil or coat foil with nonstick spray. 

-Whisk Chili Sauce, Soy Sauce, and Ginger in small bowl. 

-Place Salmon Fillet, skin side down, on prepared sheet and spoon chili sauce marinade over and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

-Broil salmon without turning until browned in spots and almost opaque in center, 20 minutes, depending on thickness of fillet.

-Serve with Lemon Slices.

Lasagna with Artichoke Pesto

With all the Artichoke Pesto I made this week I was eager to use the sauce in a way that I use regular pesto, so I decided to make a lasagna.

I usually make cream pesto lasagna because I've had a severe intolerance to tomatoes my entire life so I have to be creative with traditionally tomato based dishes. I'll post my cream pesto recipe at another time...but for now this artichoke pesto lasagna came out absolutely deeelish!

I had some shredded chicken breast and grated zucchini (left over from zucchini bread which will also be posted soon:-), that with some baked cauliflower, spinach and jack cheese, this lasagna was very different yet so yummy my hard to please Mom even liked it!

Artichoke Pesto Lasagna
Serves 4+

1 box Bertolli No Bake Lasagna Pasta (I used 8 Pieces)
1+ C Artichoke Pesto
1 C Chicken (Boiled & Shredded)
1 1/3 C Shredded Cheese (I used Monterey Jack)
1/3 C Zucchini (Shredded)
1/2 C Pre-Cooked Cauliflower
1/2 C Fresh Spinach

-Soak Lasagna Pasta in water about 10 mins.
-In an 8x8 baking dish, coat bottom with a couple of spoonfulls of pesto then line with Pasta.
-Coat top of Pasta with 1/4 C Pesto then sprinkle with 1/3 C Chicken, 1/3 C Zucchini & 1/3 C Cheese.
-Layer with Pasta and coat with 1/4 C Pesto then sprinkle with 1/2 C Cauliflower & 1/3 C Cheese.
-Layer with Pasta, coat with 1/4 C Pesto then sprinkle with 1/3 C Chicken, 1/3 C Cheese and 1/2 C Spinach.
-Layer final Pasta, coat with remaining Pesto, sprinkle with remaining Chicken & Cheese.
-Cover with foil and bake @ 350 for 30 mins, remove foil and continue baking for 15 mins.

NRW 10: Pastel de Papas (y Coliflor)

New Recipe Week 10: Pastel de Papas

Thanks to Pamela Palma for sending me the Pastel de Choclo recipe, which is what I originally set out to make, but then came across a variation at the bottom of the recipe and decided on Pastel de Papas instead.

This is a Chilean dish usually made with ground beef. It's kinda like Shepperd's Pie Latin style. One of the foods I most dislike in the world is ground beef. As a child growing up poor, all we ever ate was ground beef via hamburger helper or fast food burgers. Once I started working and was able to afford my own meals, I swore off the stuff, only rarely to have a hamburger maybe twice a year. Now that I'm in my mid-30's, I can eat a few more hamburgers (kobe beef preferred:-) but I still refuse to buy and/or cook with ground beef.

My choice of ground meat: ground chicken.

This recipe was fairly simple, pretty tasty, although a bit overpowering on the cumin, and the potato cauliflower topping went really well with the chicken filling. I did make quite a few changes, the chicken for one, then for the potato topping I wanted to get more veggies in so I substituted half cauliflower for the mash. Next time I will also add some cayenne pepper for some heat. I served this with a simple side salad for greens.

Pastel de Papas y Coliflor
Serves 4-6

Filling:
2-3 Tbsp Oil (Olive)
1/2 Onion (Chopped)
1/2 Tsp Crushed Garlic
1 lb Ground Chicken
1 Tbsp Paprika
1Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Oregano
1 C Chicken Stock
1 Tbsp Flour
Salt & Pepper to Taste

-Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the Onion and sauté until translucent.
-Stir in the Garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
-Add the Ground Meat & Spices and sauté, breaking up the meat, until it is just cooked through, 6-8 minutes.
-Pour in the Stock and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle Flour over all and stir in well. Simmer for another 5-8 minutes until lightly thickened. Adjust seasoning, remove from heat and pour into an 8x8 baking dish then set aside.

Topping:
2 Russet Potatoes (Small-Medium Size, Boiled & Peeled)
1/3 Head Cauliflower (Chopped & Steamed)
1/2 C Milk (Non-Fat)
1/4 C Mozzarella (Shredded)
1 Egg (Beaten, then Set Aside)
Salt & White Pepper to Taste
 
-Dice Potatoes & Cauliflower in a large mixing bowl. Add Milk and Mash (I used a hand mixer to whip it together)
-Add Cheese and mix in, then add Beaten Egg and S&P to taste.
-Once all mixed together, pour on top of meat and spread out evenly over dish.
-Bake at 375 for 40 mins.

Chicken Pot Pie Two Ways

I absolutely love chicken pot pie. One of my favorite places to get one is at Kelly's French Bakery in Santa Cruz. She makes them with a light chicken broth which is so much better than the traditional overly creamy ones you can get in the freezer section at the grocery store. I'm all about enjoying a filling that isn't overpowered by the sauce, and this is exactly what I've been trying to duplicate.

I'm also a huge fan of yummy doughs and this one really goes hand in hand with the chicken filling. This has got to be my favorite savory dough to date and I'll be using it in many more recipes to come. Unfortunately though, one night while I was making the pot pie, my son Maiyo has having a cry-fest and so I was unable to take the time to make the dough. Instead I popped open a tube of Pillsbury Biscuit Jr's and placed those on top of the filling and I gotta say, it turned out pretty darn good, hence my pot pie two ways!

Version 1
Chicken Pot Pie 
Serves 4

Filling:
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/4 Onion (chopped small)
1 C. Potatoes-Fingerling (chopped small)
3 C. Fresh Spinach (blanched for 30 seconds)
1 C. Frozen Corn
1/2 Chicken Breast (boiled & shredded) 
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 Tsp. Chicken Bouillon
2 1/2 C. Chicken Broth
Salt & Pepper

-Saute Onion & Potatoes in Oil for about 10 mins.
-Add Spinach & lightly saute, add Corn until heated through, then add Chicken.
-Make well in middle of pan, place Flour in well & slowly add Chicken Broth with Bouillon until sauce consistency is what you want. Add Salt & Pepper to taste.

Pie Dough:
1 1/2 C. Flour
1/3 C. Corn Flour
1/2 Tsp. Salt
4 Tbsp. Butter (Cold)
3 Tbsp. Shortening
1/2 C. Ice Water (or Chicken Broth)
1 Egg

-Mix Flour, Corn Flour, Salt, Shortening & Butter with pastry blender (or 2 knives).
-Whisk Egg in Water and add to Flour Mixture until it holds together.
-Wrap in plastic wrap & refrigerate for 30 mins.
-Roll out 2/3 dough on floured surface then place in baking dish. Add Filling then roll remaining dough and cover. Make a few slits in top.
-Bake @ 350 for 45 mins.

Version 2
Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits
Serves 4

Filling: Same As Above

Dough: 1 tube of Pillsbury Grands Jr. Biscuits


Prepare filling as directed above and pour into a medium size baking dish (8x8)
-Open tube of biscuits and pull apart.
-Flatten each biscuit then place on top of filling.
-Bake at 325 for 25 mins or until biscuits are golden on top.

The Best Roast Chicken Ever (& MM Twice Baked Potatoes)

I've been on a roasting binge lately, I love roasting anything and I usually am very satisfied with the outcomes. But this amazingly simple chicken roasting recipe has blown every other roasting recipe I've ever tried or come up with out of the water!

The only thing about this recipe is that you keep it simple, there is no stuffing of the chicken or putting veggies in the pan to roast with the chicken. I know, this kinda sucks if you're looking for a one pot meal, but really, the outcome is so worth making a side dish of veggies instead!

So to add a veggie I decided to make twice baked potatoes along side my chicken. And for greens, sauteed green beans. Topped off with a bottle of wine and I'm so in hog heaven right now:-)

The chicken recipe may sound a bit complicated on the original recipe website but really it isn't. I made a 3lb'r in the oven, placing the baking dish alongside a baking pan containing my cleaned russet potatoes. Bake them each for the same amount of time and you can end there for an even simpler menu than what I made (although the second part of my potatoes only took an few extra minutes).

The most complicated part to cook was the green beans and only cuz I blanched them first. But even then, their total cook time was about 6 mins!

This meal was amazing, all so easy to make, and a huge hit. I only wish I doubled up on the green beans cuz those went super fast! nom nom...

Roast Chicken
Serves 4

3-4 lb Whole Chicken
Salt, Pepper & Thyme
3 Tsp Kosher (Flake) Salt

-Rinse thoroughly and clean the Chicken.
-Pat dry with Paper Towels making sure to drain as much liquid as possible.
-Salt & Pepper the cavity of the Chicken.
-Truss the Chicken with twine (in a pinch you can use tooth picks to secure legs & wings to body of the bird)
-Place in baking dish and sprinkle with Kosher Salt.
-Bake at 450 for 55 mins.
-Take out of oven and sprinkle with Thyme then baste with juices & let rest for 15 mins, basting a couple of more times during this resting.

MM Twice Baked Potatoes
Serves 4

4 Medium-Large Russet Potatoes
1-2 Tbsp Butter (Unsalted)
3-4 Tbsp Yogurt (I used Greek Style Honey Flavored)
Salt, White Pepper (to taste)
Paprika & Chives (for garnish)

-Clean & scrub the Potatoes then place on baking pan and bake @ 450 for 55 mins.
-Remove from oven and cool about 10-15 mins.
-Reduce oven heat to 350.
-Make a slice cut lengthwise into the potatoes then scoop out potato meat into a bowl.
-Add Butter, Yogurt, Salt & White Pepper to potato and mash.
-Re-stuff potato shells with the mix and bake @ 350 for 20 mins.
-Garnish with Paprika & Chives.

Spicy Green Bean Saute
Serves 4
1 1/2 C (10oz) Haricorts Verts (Green Beans)
2 Qt Water
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Jalapeno (sliced)
1 1/2 Tsp Crushed Garlic
1 Tbsp Shallots (sliced)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

-Bring a pot with 2 quarts Water to boil then add the Haricort Verts and cook for 2 mins. (If using American Green Beans, cook for 3-4 mins)
-In a saute pan, heat Olive Oil, Jalapeno, Garlic, Shallots and S&P over med-high heat.
-Strain the Green Beans (I use silicone tongs) and immediately toss into the saute pot and saute, stirring (with tongs), for about 4 mins.

NRW 9: Olive Chicken

New Recipe Week 9: Olive Chicken with Creamy Polenta

Another Allrecipes.com chicken dish, this one was a hit, although I did make some changes that I believe improved the simplicity of this dish.

Loved how easy it was to make and always a fan of one pot dishes. I served this with my favorite creamy polenta and a side salad to round off this yummy & easy meal.

Olive Chicken
Serves 2

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Crushed Garlic
1/2 Lemon (Juiced)
1/2 Tsp Thyme
2 Chicken Breasts
2 Slices Prosciutto
10 Spanish Olives

-Preheat oven to 350. 
-Heat Oil in an oven-safe pan over medium heat. 
-Stir in Garlic, Lemon Juice, and Thyme.
-Add in Chicken and brown 3 to 5 minutes per side.
-Top with Prosciutto & Olives then move pan into the oven and bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 30 minutes.

NRW 8: Potato Leek Soup

New Recipe Week 8: Potato Leek Soup

I've always wanted to try making potato leek soup and finally got around to it as I've been on a soup kick this last month. I've never cooked with leeks before so I was doubly interested in this recipe and it came out ok. I did get to use my new immersion blender so that made me very happy cuz its such a fun and easy kitchen tool!

Unfortunately I didn't have the last ingredient (Spinach) on hand and I think the soup would have been much better with it. As it was, it tasted ok, a little overpowered by the bay leaf, but I'll be trying this again, definitely with the spinach added and the bay leaf omitted.

No picture cuz it was a bland light green looking soup and didn't photograph well with my plates. Don't let that deter you though:-)

4 Tbsp Butter
3 Leeks (white and pale-green parts only, coarsely chopped)
1/2 Tsp Crushed Garlic
4 Russet Potatoes (cut into 1-inch cubes)
6 C Chicken Broth
1/2 Tsp Nutmeg

1 C Spinach (coarsely chopped)

Salt & Pepper

-In a large pot, heat the butter over medium low heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring, until the leeks are tender, about 15 minutes.

-Add the potatoes and cook another 8 minutes. 

-Add the broth & nutmeg and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

-With an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth and creamy. Add the spinach leaves and pulse to blend.

-Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

NRW 7-Baked Mushroom Chicken

New Recipe Week 7: Baked Mushroom Chicken

I sign up to receive daily recipes from allrecipes.com and every now and then there's a winner. I like that these recipes come from everyday people as opposed to test kitchens and chefs that have endless time and supplies at their disposal. Most of the ingredients are from everyday pantries and are on the easy side to make, only problem is most of the recipes are duds, but I think this Baked Mushroom Chicken is a keeper for sure.

Another plus is that allrecipies.com allows you to adjust the recipe per servings! So I followed the recipe for 1 serving cuz I only wanted to cook 2 thighs. Of course I made a couple of adjustments, here it is:

2 Chicken Thighs
1/2 Can Cream of Chicken & Mushroom Soup
1/3 C. Heavy Cream
1/4 Tsp Ea: Dried Parsley, Onion Powder, Salt & Pepper
1/3 C. Bread Crumbs
1/2 Tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 Tbls Butter (Melted)

-Preheat oven to 350. 
-In a medium bowl combine the Soup, Cream, Parsley, Onion Powder, Salt & Pepper. Mix well then divide mix by leaving half in a bowl and pouring half in a small saucepan. 
-Place Bread Crumbs in a shallow dish and mix in Italian Seasoning; dip Chicken Thighs in soup mixture in the bowl, then in crumbs, and place coated pieces in a lightly greased baking dish. 
-Drizzle with Melted Butter and bake at 350 for 50 minutes, or until chicken is done.
-Meanwhile, heat remaining soup mixture in a small saucepan over low heat until heated through. Pour sauce over chicken & serve. 

In the Mood for Mom's Food

I had some ground lamb to cook with tonight and there's really only 1 recipe from my childhood that my mom made with Lamb and that's Cabbage Rolls. Passed on to her by her Egyptian Mother In-Law, my mom showed me how to make this when I was 10 and it's still a favorite.

The recipe is a process but the ingredients are minimal. Of course I've made my own changes to the recipe so here goes:

1 Head of Cabbage
2/3 lb Ground Lamb
1/4 C. Rice (uncooked)
1/4 White Onion (chopped)
1 Lemon (Large)
1 C. Water
Salt, Pepper & Garlic Powder

-Cut 4 slices into the Cabbage from the stem towards the inside. (this will allow the individual cabbage leaves to come off more easily) Then steam the cabbage until soft.
-In a bowl mix Lamb, Rice, Onion, 1/2 Lemon Juice & Spices.
-Pull off the top 2 leaves of the cabbage and place in the bottom of a heavy pot. Take the next leaf and fill with 3-4 Tbls of lamb mix and roll up like a burrito then place in pot on top of cabbage. Make more rolls with remaining lamb.
-Cover rolls completely with remaining cabbage.
-Combine Water with remaining 1/2 Lemon Juice and poor over cabbage rolls.
-Place on med-high heat until boiling then reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 mins or until lamb/rice is cooked through.
-Serve with plain greek yogurt or sour cream.

This photo has the rolls, yogurt and potatoes I boiled then browned in butter with S&P.