Balsamic Chicken with Mashed Potatoes

I was bored and looking through random recipes when I found this one. I had some balsamic vinegar that I wanted to get rid of and I figured I should use it up in a new recipe. :)  I tweaked this recipe from the original to make the cooking liquid/sauce more balanced. This dish was pretty simple and I enjoyed the unique flavor that was dominated by the taste of the balsamic. 

Ingredients:
4-5 garlic cloves, minced (or you can use garlic powder)
1 medium-large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (14-16 ounces) can of diced tomatoes, un-drained
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp. brown sugar
Salt, pepper, and red pepper flake to taste

Directions:

1. Place 1 tsp. olive oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high flame. Season chicken with salt and pepper and brown on each side, about 4 mintues per side. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.

2. Add onions and garlic (or sprinkle garlic powder) to pan. Sauté for approximately 3-5 minutes over low heat, until onions start to soften. Add additional olive oil if things start to stick.

3. Add balsamic vinegar and canned tomatoes. Scrap up the brown bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan.

4. Add brown sugar and chicken stock. Place chicken back into the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (stir every few minutes while it’s simmering). Use a probe thermometer and check the temperature of the chicken every few minutes to make sure it doesn't over cook.

5. Remove chicken to a plate and cover with aluminum foil for 4 minutes to rest the chicken . Heat up any side dishes, in my case the mashed potatoes and green beans, and serve everything together!

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry (healthy)

I wanted something that I could whip up really quickly but was still healthy. It took me about 10 minutes to cook and put together after marinating. I want to make this dish again and turn it into an official stir-fry with the corn starch slurry. This is a dish that I would use to teach someone simple cooking techniques because it's quick, satisfying, and uses most of the basic skills needed to cook.

Ingredients: 
5 oz. skirt steak
1 cup broccoli florets
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. ginger, mined
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 green onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large basil leaf, diced or julienned
white rice

Marinade:
2  quarter inch slices of ginger
2 cloves of garlic, crushed but kept whole
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. sesame oil 
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. siracha 
1 tsp. pepper
1 green onion, roughly chopped

Directions:

1. combine all ingredients for marinade. Place skirt steak into a plastic bag and pour marinade on top. Allow to marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Place bag in a container in the fridge so if there are any leaks you don't have to clean the whole fridge.

2. Clean broccoli and cut into florets. Blanche broccoli. Mince garlic and ginger and chop herbs.

3. In a saute pan big enough to fit steak, heat 1 tsp. of olive oil over medium high heat. Place steak in pan. Allow to cook for 2 minutes or until browned. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes for medium rare. Remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest.

4. Add 1 tsp olive oil to another pan over medium low heat. Add garlic and ginger. cook for 1 minute while constantly stirring. Add broccoli florets to pan and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with a pinch of pepper and 1 tsp. of soy sauce.

5. Slice skirt steak across the grain, into thin strips. Toss beef with broccoli and serve everything over white rice.