My kitchen has been full of a few too many sweets lately, so I promised myself I would concentrate a little harder on our nightly meals than on daily treats. And I've also been thinking, if my kitchen renovation is actually going to happen this spring, I need to start organizing my freezer so I can fill it with prepared meals. It's slowly sinking in what I will need to do aside from locating and ordering all of the materials needed for the remodel. I usually keep a good supply of boneless chicken breasts in the freezer and yesterday I decided to start clearing out, and use some of them for one of my daughter's favorite meals -- breaded chicken with Parmesan, or as my daughter calls it, "Chicken Parm". I plan on one large chicken breast per person. I cut each breast in half and gently pound each piece between plastic wrap to a 1/2-inch thickness. Place 3 shallow bowls on your work surface and fill the first with flour seasoned with salt and freshly ground pepper, the second bowl with beaten eggs (I use approximately 1 egg per 4 pieces of chicken), and in the third bowl, fresh bread crumbs with grated Parmesan (about 3 to 1). With a fork, take one piece of chicken and toss to coat in the first bowl filled with flour. Shake off excess flour and drop into the bowl with the beaten eggs; turn chicken to coat evenly, letting excess egg drip back into the bowl and place in the third bowl of bread crumbs and Parmesan. Turn and coat the chicken with the crumbs and lay on a large plate, or better yet, a wire rack. The wire rack will allow the chicken to dry out somewhat on top and bottom before cooking. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces making sure they are in a single layer when placed on the plate or wire rack. When finished, transfer plate/rack to the refrigerator and leave there, uncovered, until ready to use. Pour a little canola oil into a large cast iron skillet or non-stick fry pan and heat. Add several pieces of the chicken and over medium-low heat, cook chicken until done, browning on both sides. Keep cooked chicken on a plate in a 200˚F oven while browning the remaining chicken pieces. When ready to serve, plate the chicken and top with a salad of greens that has been tossed with the lemon vinaigrette (recipe follows); sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Lemon Vinaigrette • The juice of 1 1/2 lemons • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed • salt and freshly ground pepper • 3/4 cup canola oil 1. Mix lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the canola oil. Let the mixture stand, at room temperature, for approximately 3 hours before using. 2. Toss with salad greens.
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Spinach has always been one of my favorite foods. Even when I was small, I loved spinach; especially creamed spinach. I remember one trip to Chicago as a child. We were dining at the legendary Berghoff's restaurant. When my mother didn't see creamed spinach on the menu, she asked the waiter if the kitchen could prepare it for me. They did, and I remember enjoying every bite of that special dish. I am still finding uses for my leftover turkey (Yes, I know, we ate at a friend's for Thanksgiving. But everyone at my house was missing leftovers, so I made a turkey over the weekend). It's "Pot Pie" weather in Minnesota, and instead of mixing up the filling of peas and carrots I normally use, I decided to load my individual ramekins full of a creamy turkey florentine. This recipe makes enough for four individual servings, or a larger one quart casserole. I was hoping for a leftover pot pie today, but no such luck. • • • • • • • • Turkey Florentine PotPies with Cornmeal Crusts loosely adapted from a recipe in The New York Times Cookbook • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter • 3 tablespoons finely chopped onions • 1 clove garlic, minced • 1/3 cup flour • 1 1/2 cups turkey stock (or chicken broth) • 1 cup half-and-half • 2 cups diced cooked turkey (or chicken) • 16 ounces frozen chopped spinach, cooked with all of the moisture squeezed from the spinach • 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan • 1 teaspoon salt • freshly ground black pepper to taste • cornmeal pastry, recipe follows 1. Preheat over to 425˚F. 2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and cook the onions and garlic until soft and starting to turn golden. Stir in the flour and off the heat stir in the turkey stock and half-and-half. Cook, stirring until the mixture thickens. Add the chopped turkey, spinach and Parmesan. Stir to combine. 3. Fill 4 individual ramekins or a 1-quart casserole with spinach mixture. Top with the cornmeal pastry. Trim and flute the edges of the crust. Make small holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake approximately 20 minutes, or until brown. • Cornmeal Pastry • • 1/2 cup flour • 1/2 cup cornmeal • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/3 cup vegetable shortening • 3 tablespoons ice water In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add shortening and cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water. Mix lightly to bring the dough together. Turn out onto a lightly floured board. If using pastry to top ramekins, divide dough into 4 pieces and roll each piece separately. Roll the pastry dough 1/8-inch thick and a little larger than the ramekins or casserole. • • • • • • • • I wish I could tell you where I found this recipe for Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Meatloaf on Greens, but I can't remember. It is partially jotted down onto a piece of paper -- obviously I was in a hurry when I stumbled upon it. I recently made it twice in the span of one week; good hot out-of-the-oven and good cold out-of-the-refrigerator the next day. Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Meatloaf on Greens • 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs • 1 egg, beaten • 1 cup Parmesan • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard • 1 cup parsley, chopped • 7 ounces roasted peppers, 1/2-inch dice • Salt and freshly ground pepper • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 6 cups lettuce greens 1. Heat oven to 400˚F. 2. Combine turkey, onion, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan, 2 tablespoons mustard, parsley, roasted peppers, 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Shape mixture into a loaf and bake approximately 45 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes. 3. Make Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, mix together white wine vinegar, olive oil and remaining 2 teaspoons Dijon. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss with lettuce greens. This is my favorite way to make (and eat) a turkey burger -- and it's healthy, loaded with shredded organic carrots.
TURKEY BURGERS (don't remember where I found this recipe) • 1 medium onion, finely chopped • 2 cloves of garlic, minced • 2 pounds ground turkey • 3/4 cup grated organic carrots • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste Combine all of the ingredients and shape into patties. Grill and enjoy! Our French boy has left. He's gone back to Marseille. The last several posts were all foods we ate while he was visiting. He loves "meat". I was usually baking a dessert each day (French, of course. So much for an American dining experience) and I incorporated much more "meat" into our diets than we normally eat. I have been making this skewered chicken frequently over the summer. I discovered it in the meat case at our local Whole Foods store and decided to create my own. I saw it as another way to use my bounty of fresh basil. The name it goes by at Whole Foods is Chicken Spedini. I made searches on the web for this and the recipes varied greatly. My version is similar to what Whole Foods is selling.
The first thing you will need to do is make Basil Oil. Combine 1/3 cup fresh basil, 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil and 1 to 2 cloves of minced garlic (it all depends on how much you love garlic) in the bowl of a food processor; purée until smooth and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Using one large, boneless, skinless chicken breast halve per person, cut each breast into large cubes. Drop these into a bowl or zip-lock bag and drizzle enough of the basil oil over the chicken to coat. I have used the chicken immediately at this point, but if you can marinate it, refrigerated, for several hours, so much the better. Soak 10-inch wooden skewers in a pan of water before threading the chicken onto the skewer (this step prevents the wood skewer from catching on fire). Wrap each chicken cube in a piece of pancetta (Italian bacon) and tuck a small basil leaf inbetween the two before sliding onto the skewer. I use 5 pieces of chicken per skewer. Grill over a low flame. And I forgot to mention... everyone who has eaten this, loves it! We ate this spicy chicken salad rolled up inside of warmed flour tortillas.
• Spicy Chicken Salad with Bell Pepper and Cilantro • Bon Appétit | August 1997 • 1/2 cup olive oil • 1/3 cup lime juice • 2 teaspoons chili powder • 2 teaspoons chopped garlic • 1 teaspoon cumin • 4 cups diced cooked chicken (about 1 pound) • 1 red bell pepper, chopped • 3/4 cup chopped red onion • 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro • 1 tablespoon chopped seeded jalapeno chili • 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce • 1-2 tomatoes, diced 1. Whisk the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Mix in the chicken, bell pepper, onion, cilantro and chili. Season chicken salad with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 hour ahead. Cover and refrigerate). 2. Add the romaine lettuce to the chicken salad and toss to combine. Garnish with the diced tomatoes. 3. Serve the salad with warmed tortillas. Makes 4 Servings. The basil mayonnaise in this salad is wonderful. Use any leftovers in sandwiches. This salad is a "keeper".
Chicken, Bacon, and Tomato Salad with Croutons adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Magazine | June 1989 • 3 cups 3/4-inch cubes of Italian Bread (I used a baguette) • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 7 slices of lean bacon, chopped • 3 pounds chicken breasts, poached, skin and bones discarded, and the meat cut into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups) • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered • 4 scallions, including the green part, minced • 1/2 cup basil mayonnaise (recipe follows) • basil sprigs for garnish, if desired 1. In a bowl drizzle the bread cubes with the oil, tossing them to coat evenly, and season with salt. Spread the bread cubes in a jelly-roll pan and toast them in the middle of a preheated 350˚F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden. Remove and let cool. 2. In a skillet cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until it is crisp and transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain. 3. In a large bowl combine the chicken, tomatoes, scallions and two thirds of the bacon, the mayonnaise, and salt and pepper to taste. Divide the salad among 3 plates. Arrange the croutons around it. Garnish each serving with some of the remaining bacon and a basil sprig. Basil Mayonnaise • 1 garlic clove • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves • 1 large egg • 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice • 3/4 cup vegetable oil • 1/4 cup olive oil Mince and mash the garlic to a paste with the salt. In a food processor or blender, blend together the basil, the egg, the lemon juice, and the garlic paste. With the motor running, add the oils in a VERY slow stream, and blend the mayonnaise well. Season the mayonnaise with salt and pepper. Makes about 1 1/4 cups. Chicken With Mango, Ginger and Cilantro With the 4th of July practically upon us, I thought you might like this marinade recipe for beef and chicken. Last night I grilled kabobs of beef, red peppers and sweet onions that were eaten along with rice. My favorite tho', is to marinate cubes of boneless chicken and thread it onto skewers with green peppers, sweet onions and big, juicy pieces of fresh pineapple; great if you are expecting a crowd. I have been making this marinated grilled chicken for years. Usually, we eat it plain, along with a salad or vegetable, but occasionally we will have it like this -- in a grilled bun spread with honey mustard, and a slice of fresh, grilled pineapple. However you choose to serve this chicken, it will become a favorite during this grilling season. I am always being asked for the recipe. |
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