Roman - Style Chicken

I was too excited to eat with my cousin, Alexa, to take a picture. haha This dish turned out really great. I found the original recipe on food network and after making some tweaks I will definitely make this dish again. The chicken was super tender and the sauce was simple but flavorful. I served it over mashed potatoes which were creamy and soaked up all of the sauce. This is a great make ahead dish!

Ingredients

6 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh terragon leaves
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Direction:

1. Season the chicken with 2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Keeping the same pan over low heat, add the onions and cook until the onions have turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

3. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.

4. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.

5. If serving immediately, add the parsley. Stir to combine and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat the chicken to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the parsley and serve.

Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Tomato Confit

This dish is great because you can make most of it ahead! You can make the tomato confit up to 3 days in advance and you can rub the beef with the mix of herbs and aromatics the day before, wrap tightly, and cook the day of.  It's great for parties because the dish uses basic flavors but turns them up a notch. I also like to serve this dish with the mushroom bread pudding but it would also be great with simple mashed potatoes or other easy sides. 


For beef

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 (4- to 4 1/2-pound) trimmed beef tenderloin roast, tied

For tomato madeira confit

• 8 large garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
• 1/2 California or 1 Turkish bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup Madeira (preferably Verdelho), divided
• 1/4 cup water

Preparation

Marinate beef:
1. Stir together garlic, shallot, herbs, oil, kosher salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper, then rub all over beef. Marinate in a sealed large bag, chilled, 1 day.

Make confit:
1. Cook garlic in oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. 

2. Add tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon table salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 cup Madeira and briskly simmer, stirring frequently and crushing tomatoes with a heatproof rubber spatula, until tomatoes start to break down and oil separates slightly, about 1 hour. Mash garlic into tomatoes with a potato masher, then stir in 1/4 cup Madeira. Discard bay leaf. 

Roast beef:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before roasting.

2. Roast beef in a 17- by 11-inch shallow heavy baking pan until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of thickest part of meat registers 120°F, 35 to 45 minutes. 

3. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 to 20 minutes (temperature of meat will rise to about 130°F, for medium-rare). 

4. Meanwhile, add water and remaining 1/4 cup Madeira to baking pan and deglaze over medium-low heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Stir into tomato confit. 

5. Cut off and discard string from beef, then cut meat into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve with confit. 

Cooks' note: Confit, without pan juices, can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat and stir in pan juices from beef.

Cheesecake Bars

I made these cookies for Thanksgiving. It was a hit with everyone. They basically taste like cheesecake with a nutty cookie crust. They don't take too long to make so give these a shot today!

A tip for cutting the bars: fill a tall glass with hot water. Stand up your cutting knife in the water to heat the blade. Make one cute carefully in the bar. Return knife to water between cuts to clean the blade. I like my bars to be about 2 inches wide and 3-4 inches long.

Ingredients
Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans and walnuts
1 stick butter, melted

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh berries and mint leaves, for garnishif desired

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine butter and brown sugar in a bowl. Add flour and nuts until mix is combined, do not over mix. Press dough into an ungreased 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. You want the dough thickness to be between 1/4 - 1/2 inch. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow crust to cool for 20 - 40 minutes before pouring filling in.

3. For filling, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar together in a bowl until smooth, using a handheld electric mixer. Add eggs and extract; beat well. Pour over crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely in the fridge for 4 hours. Cut into squares before serving. Decorate tops with berries and mint leaves, if desired. 

Dine, Center and Song Menu Nov. 2, 2013

Dine, Center and Song is an event from my work where we auction off a dinner and entertainment. My boss does the singing and my other boss and I do the cooking with help from staff and volunteers to do the serving. It's a ton of work but always ends up being a fun night. The pressure to get out 12 plates at one time is pretty crazy but exhilarating. 

Most of these recipes can be found on epicurious if desired but I posted my favorite dishes from the night here on Klein and Dine!!

Appetizers:

Caribbean Meatballs with Apricot Dipping Sauce
Mushroom Tacos with Ancho Cheese Mix, Cotija Cheese, and Lime Crema
Shrimp with Basil Ponzu Sauce
Apricots with Goat Cheese Mix, Marcona Almond, and Honey

Crab Bisque with Snow Crab Claw

Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Beef Tenderloin with Tomato Confit, Mushroom Bread Pudding, and Spinach

Tangarine Bavarian, Tangarine Caramel Sauce, and Candied Tangerine Peel

Mushroom Bread Pudding

This dish reminded me of a yorkshire pudding while I was eating it with the beef except it was a lot easier! If your crowd can handle mushrooms, I highly suggest this side dish. It would go great with roast chicken or turkey as well.  

Make ahead: toast bread cubes the day before and store in an air tight plastic bag, do all of your chopping before hand - mushrooms, shallots, garlic, etc. On the day of, start on step 3.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups (1/2-inch) fresh bread cubes (preferably brioche or challah; about 5 ounces)
• 1 1/2 pounds mixed fresh wild mushrooms such as chanterelle, cremini, and oyster, trimmed and sliced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallot
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

• Equipment: 8 (6-ounce) ramekins or use a muffin tin

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

2. Bake bread cubes in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan until golden-brown, about 10 minutes.

Tear or cut mushrooms lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. 

3. Cook shallot in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until liquid mushrooms give off has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add parsley and garlic and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Remove from heat. 

4. Whisk together half-and-half, eggs, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Stir in mushrooms and bread cubes until coated well and let stand 10 minutes for bread to absorb some of egg mixture. 

5. Meanwhile, butter ramekins, then put a round of parchment in bottom of each and butter parchment. 

6. Spoon mixture into ramekins and bake on a baking sheet until firm to the touch, 30 to 35 minutes. 

7. Unmold puddings and discard parchment. 

Cooks' notes: · Mushroom bread pudding can be baked in a buttered 2-quart shallow baking dish (not lined with parchment; do not unmold pudding from baking dish). Pudding can be assembled (but not baked) 2 hours ahead and chilled, covered. If making the fillet of beef, bake puddings while beef stands (meat can stand a little longer).

Crab Bisque

I love this soup but hate the fact that as a bisque, it has no cream! Who does that?!?! I highly doubted that it would be tasty but after making it for the event, I know I will be making this again. It's a great make ahead soup, you can make the stock a few days early but only make the entire bisque day ahead so the crab stays fresh.

As a fancy garnish, we purchased whole crab claws and placed them into the finished soup.

Ingredients:

Stock

• 1/4 cup(s) carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup(s) onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk(s) celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon(s) fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 peppercorns
• 1 can(s) (48-ounce) reduced-sodium chicken broth, (6 cups)
• 2 bottle(s) (8-ounce) clam juice
• 1/2 cup(s) dry white wine

Bisque

• 1/4 cup(s) (4 tablespoons) butter
• 1 cup(s) onion, diced
• 1/2 cup(s) carrots, diced
• 3/4 cup(s) celery, diced
• 1 clove(s) garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon(s) parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoon(s) tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
• 8 ounce(s) fresh crabmeat, picked over and shell pieces discarded
• 1/8 teaspoon(s) ground red pepper
• 1/4 cup(s) brandy
• 8 shelled crab claws for garnish
• 1/2 cup(s) parsley leaves for garnish

  Directions

1. Prepare stock: In a 4-quart stockpot, add all stock ingredients and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain through a one-meshed sieve into a large bowl and discard the solids. Cover the liquid and set aside.
2. Prepare bisque: In a stockpot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened — about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in the parsley, flour, thyme, tomato paste, salt, and black pepper. Cook and continue to stir for 1 minute. Stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow mixture to simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in the crabmeat and red pepper and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add brandy.
3. Keep warm. When ready to serve, transfer to a tureen or rimmed soup bowls. Garnish with crab claws and parsley leaves.

Spring Chicken Salad

I was looking to find a salad that could be served as a main dish and I stumbled across this recipe. It was surprisingly good. Normally I'm not a salad fan but I am definitely making this one again! I had actually never had a radish before until I made this dish. I don't want to eat a bowl full of them but they added a nice crunch and slight bitterness to the salad. It took literally 30 minutes to make this dish so try it on a busy weeknight after work!

Ingredients

1/2 pound small red-skinned potatoes, quartered
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons rice or white wine vinegar
1/4 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. lemon juice
4 romaine hearts, torn
1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat shredded (about 2 cups)
1 Kirby cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Place the potatoes in a small pot and cover with water. Season with salt, cover and boil until fork-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and cool.

2. Meanwhile, pulse the chives, tarragon, vinegar, yogurt, cayenne, honey, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a food processor. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and pulse to make a thick dressing.

3. Toss the romaine, potatoes, chicken, cucumber, radishes and bell pepper with the dressing in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Grilled Corn, Tomato, and Red Onion Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

While bored today and trying to clean - up my blog I found this old recipe. I unfortunately never took a picture of this meal but it was really tasty and I highly recommend this dish.

I made this dish as a side dish for family when entertaining before my brother's wedding. I served it on the side of a roasted beef tenderloin. It was perfect for summer when the corn and tomatoes were in season.

Ingredients: 
8 ears of corn
1 medium red onion
1 container of cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled for garnish 
6 sprigs of basil leaf, chiffonade for garnish

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup basil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oil


1. Pre heat a grill. Season corn and onion with salt and pepper and a light drizzle of olive oil. Cook the corn, turning every few minutes, until the corn is cooked and there are a few grill marks on it. Turn the onion until it is softened and has grill marks.

2. While the onion and corn cool down, cut up the tomatoes and set aside.

3. In a blender, combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Do this step no more than 30 minutes before serving so your dressing doesn't turn brown.

4. About 20 minutes before you plan to eat. Toss together the corn, onions and tomatoes with the vinaigrette. Allow to sit and marinate on the counter. At the last minute top with the cotija cheese and extra basil. I like serving this slightly warm or at room temperature. 

French Baguette

I had a large bag of bread flour left over from making my Stromboli (Proscuitto and Smoked Mozzarella Stromboli). I also had some time to kill so I wanted to give baking bread another chance. I found this simple french baguette recipe online. I had some cherry tomatoes and basil and decided to have a classic and easy french dinner. Make sure to add in a good amount of salt or your bread could taste bland.
 
Ingredients: 
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/4 cups warm water (100° to 110°) 
3 cups bread flour, divided (about 14 1/4 ounces) 
1 teaspoon salt
Olive Oil 
1 teaspoon cornmeal

Directions:
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 3/4 cups flour to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; sprinkle evenly with salt. Knead until the salt is incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic (about 6 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel slightly sticky).

2. Place dough in large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in warm place (85°), 40 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If an indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide in half. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), roll each portion on a floured surface into 12-inch rope, slightly tapered at ends. Place ropes on large baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Lightly coat dough with cooking spray, and cover; let rise 20 minutes or until doubled in size.

3. Preheat oven to 450°.

4. Uncover the dough. Cut 3 (1/4-inch-deep) diagonal slits across top of each loaf. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until browned on bottom and sounds hollow when tapped.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

My Boyfriend, Brian, requested this snack. It's the first time I've ever made pretzels and they came out surprisingly well. I was planning on serving these with a honey mustard cheese sauce but I forgot necessary ingredients for the sauce. I attempted one batch and it came out awful! Hahah. I decided to throw away the sauce and enjoy the pretzels plain. This recipe makes 8 medium size pretzels. Mine came out tasting great but looking so ugly haha. I would definitely recommend watching a pretzel twisting video before starting.

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package active dry yeast
22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for pan
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Pretzel salt

Directions

1. Combine the water and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. 

 

2. Add the flour, salt and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. 

 

3. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

4. While the dough rests go ahead and make your serving sauce if you plan on making one.

 

5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

6. Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

7. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

8. Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Teriyaki Chicken

I found this recipe in Food and Wine Magazine and it's by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa. 

This teriyaki chicken was super simple to make. I literally combined 5 ingredients in a pan and then put that finished sauce over the cooked chicken. If you were in a rush you could use a precooked rotisserie chicken.

Note: Make sure to use the low sodium soy sauce otherwise your reduced sauce will be a little salty.

I served my chicken with white rice and some stir-fried broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, onion, and snow peas. I grabbed a bag of pre cut stir fry veggies from the store, sauteed them over medium high heat with a few tbsp. of soy sauce and butter. Stir until cooked through and serve with your chicken.

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup low-sodium soy suace
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons sake
four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
canola oil

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan combine the chicken stock with the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and sake. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer until the teriyaki sauce is syrupy and reduced to 1/2 cup, about 20 miunutes.

2. Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned on both sides and cooked through, 8 to 9 minutes. transfer the chicken to plate and let stand for 5 minutes.

3. Cook your veggies or other side dishes.

4. When ready to eat, place your rice and veggies on the plate, place the chicken on top and drizzle a little of the teriyaki sauce on top. Enjoy!

Proscuitto and Smoked Mozzarella Stromboli

 

I'm sorry to all of my fans (if there are any of you still out there). Life has gotten ridiculously busy and I haven't had time to post the new things I've been cooking. 

 

I was watching a recipe of Best Thing I Ever Made on food network and saw this recipe for stromboli. I thought, "how could bread baked with cheese and meat on the inside be bad?". And I was right! The fresh bread and the melting cheese was worth the 3 hours it was to make it. Make this recipe only if your bored or if you have a lot to get done at your house. 

 

I switched up the recipe from the show to fit my tastes. Originally the  recipe called for Genoa Salami instead of proscuitto but I thought the proscuitto was more widely available. The next time I make this I'm going to try the extra toppings of herbs and tomatoes. :)

 

Ingredients
Dough:

1 tablespoon dry yeast
Extra-virgin olive oil
5 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt

Filling:

2 cups grated smoked mozzarella
Salt
1/2 bunch fresh basil, leaves chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces proscuitto, sliced thin
Extra-virgin olive oil

Toppings:

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt, such as Maldon
1/4 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

For the dough: Whisk together 2 cups cold water, the yeast and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Put in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Mix on speed 1, or low speed, for 5 minutes. Add the flour and continue mixing for an additional 5 minutes. Then turn the mixer to speed 2, or medium speed, and mix for 5 minutes. Add the salt until incorporated. Add 1 tablespoon oil at the end of the 5 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a large hotel pan greased with oil. If you don't have a hotel pan, you can use a large bowl; just make sure there is ample space for the dough to double in size. Put a little oil on top as well, about 2 tablespoons.

Wrap all the way around with plastic wrap and put on top of the oven (or other warm, draft-free area) with something in between, such as a kitchen towel or a baking tray, for about 1 1/2 hours. The dough will double in size.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

When ready, transfer the dough to an oiled table or flat surface. Form into a log to make it easier to portion, and cut into two equal pieces. Cover with plastic so it doesn't dry out. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

Lightly brush a baking tray with oil. Spread out the dough on the oiled countertop with the palms of your hands, don't use your fingertips. It should be even all the way around, with no fat edges.

Place half the fillings on one piece of dough in the order listed: mozzarella, salt, basil, garlic, pepper and salami. Fill two-thirds of the surface, leaving the bottom third and a little on the sides empty. Roll the dough over twice, seal the sides with your palm, fold over the bottom and then the sides. Transfer to the oiled tray. Rub a little oil on top. Repeat with the second portion of dough. Put the rosemary, sea salt and tomatoes on top. Cover the tray with plastic and let sit for 15 minutes to rest.

When ready, put a pan of ice in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove. Place the tray in the oven and bake for a total of 45 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn 180 degrees. Bake another 20 minutes, then turn again and bake the remaining 5 minutes.

Transfer to a new baking sheet lined with parchment. Allow the loaves to cool. Slice and serve

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/scott-conant/scarpetta-stromboli-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Chicken and Pasta Bake

This was a new recipe I wanted to try when someone said they wanted pasta for dinner. I wanted something that I could make mostly ahead so I could enjoy hanging out. You could put this all together in about an hour.  If making ahead you can put everything together in the buttered dish, cover it tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you're ready to bake it. Just follow the same baking instructions as you would below.

I served my pasta with a simple side salad of mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette. It added a nice freshness to the dish since the pasta is so rich.

Ingredients

1/2 lb whole wheat rotini pasta (or any small pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
1/4 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes

1/4 cup of cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs(combo plain and panko)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

2. While the water is coming to a boil, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes.

3. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta.

4. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish.

5. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter.

6. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Easy Garlic Bread

 I wanted to make a simple garlic bread to go with my pasta dish. I love being able to scoop up delicious sauce while I eat my pasta. To make it really garlicky I added both roasted and powdered garlic. Roasting the garlic in this recipe helps remove the harshness of the garlic. Make sure to have the butter at room temp so it's easy to incorporate all the garlic and spread it on the bread.

Ingredients:

5 cloves of garlic, roasted
2 tbs. butter, at room temp
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and pepper
1 french roll, split in half lengthwise

Directions:
1. Roast garlic: place the cloves of garlic onto a square of aluminum foil. drizzle olive oil onto garlic and season with a pinch of salt. Wrap up package of foil so liquid doesn't come out. Place in a 350 oven for 20-30 minutes or until garlic is soft and golden brown. Allow to cool and squeeze out of papery skin.

2. Combine everything together, except cheese, in a small bowl. use a fork so you can mince the roasted garlic while you stir.

3. Split your bread and spread with butter. Cover with cheese.

4. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until bread is golden brown on top.

Pineapple and Onion Chicken

This chicken with pineapple and onion dish is something I used to eat as  a kid that was created by my babysitter. The sweetness from the onions balances well with the acidity of the pineapple. To mix it up and make it more "chef-y" I decided to top it with a quick pineapple salsa. I used some of the canned pineapple for the salsa. It tasted good but lacked the bright color of a fresh pineapple so it's up to you which pineapple you'd like to use. 

Chicken Marinade:

1 can pineapple chunks and liquid
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp dry thyme
1 tsp red pepper flake
zest of one lemon
1 tsp. honey

Pineapple Salsa:

2 pinapple rings, caremelized in a saute pan
1 small piece onion, carmelized in a saute pan
1 tbs. chopped chives or cilatnro
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. lime
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a plastic bag. Stir  well and then add chicken. Remove as much air as possible from bag so marinade has maximum contact with the chicken. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours and up to 8.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove chicken from marinade and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake chicken until it reaches an internal temp of 150-155, about 20-30 minutes.

3. While chicken cooks prepare salsa and any side dishes you like. For salsa: Chop all ingredients into a fine dice and combine together. Stir and allow to sit for a few minutes so the flavors meld.

4. Remove chicken from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve everything together. For a fresher/brighter taste I like to squeeze a little lemon or lime on top of the chicken right before serving. 

Birthday Braised Short Ribs

My birthday was a few days ago so last night I decided to make some braised short ribs to celebrate. I love the taste of braised beef. It's something that is really cheap to buy but takes forever to cook so I usually only make it for special occasions.

I used my old short rib recipe but with a few twists. Here's the link to the other recipe:

http://kleinanddine.blogspot.com/2010/05/beef-short-ribs-and-mashed-potatoes.html


Updates:

1. Allow the dry rub on the short ribs to marinate for as long as possible. You could even do this the night before and store the ribs in plastic wrap.

2. When cooking the veggies: cook over medium heat  and allow veggies to sweat down and get soft.

3. When adding wine to the pan, allow wine to reduce by half before adding beef stock or water. This really helps concentrate the flavor.

4. Once ribs are finished, instead of blending all of the braising liquids together I decided to strain the liquid. This made a much more luxurious sauce then the blender. If the sauce isn't thick after straining out veggies, cook it over high heat and allow it reduce to the thickness you like, stirring every few minutes so it doesn't burn.

Fish Tacos

I wanted to eat something healthy and while looking through my fridge I realized I had the leftovers to make fish tacos. I had some leftover cooked salmon, refried beans, tortillas, and lettuce. To make the taco extra delicious I made a creamy chive and cayenne sauce along with some crispy fried onions for extra texture. This was super easy to throw together since it was mostly leftovers.

Crispy Fried Onions:

1. Slice a sweet onion into thin rings. The thinner the better.

2. Add flour to a bowl and season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Add onions to flour and toss gently. Make sure to break up all the layers and coat everything lightly in flour.

3. Heat a few cups of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Fry the onions in batches until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Place on a paper towel to drain and season with a pinch of salt. Set aside.


Assembly:

Here's how I assembled my tacos. Basically it's heating everything up and throwing it into the warmed tortillas.

1. Warm leftover fish in a saute pan with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Cook over low heat for a few minute until warmed through.

2. Rewarm beans in microwave, stirring every 15 seconds until heated through.

3. Warm tortillas over a gas burner Just flip it a few times directly over the open flaming using your fingers or tongs.

4. Place tortilla on a plate. Add a smear of beans. Add salmon that is flaked into medium sized pieces. Sprinkle lettuce on taco. Top everything with the crispy onions and enjoy!!

Lasagna Updated

I'm having friends over to watch the first Ducks game of the season (hooray the lockout is over!) So since I didn't want to be cooking while the game was on I needed a dish that could be made ahead but everyone would love. I decided to make this lasagna extra special by mixing both white and red layers. It gave the finished dish a nice color contrast and a ton of flavor!

I ended up having a ton of leftover lasagna so I cut off a large chunk, wrapped it tightly in plastic wrap, and then wrapped it with aluminum. I labeled and dated it and tossed it in the freezer for a quick meal in the future. I'll just place it on a sheet tray, cover it with foil, and cook in a 350 oven until warm and melty.

Ingredients
1 jar tomato sauce
1 jar alfredo sauce
1 package of lasagna noodles (make sure they are the pre-cooked or no boil kind)
1 lb ground spicy italian sausage
2 cup container marscapone cheese
10 basil leaves, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
3 tbs. chopped chives
juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 cups of packaged shredded mozzarella
1 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

Do Ahead:
1. Place some olive oil in a large saute pan. Add ground sausage. Cook over medium high heat until sausage is browned. Carefully drain fat from pan using paper towels. Add 1/4 jar of marinara sauce to sausage and mix together. Set aside.

2. Place the marscapone in a bowl. Add 3/4 of chopped basil, chives, squeeze of lemon, 1/2 mozzarella cheese, 1/2 parmesan cheese and some salt and pepper. Mix. Make sure to taste and check seasoning/balance. Set Aside.

3. Prepare a 9 x 13 casserole dish by rubbing butter around the outside. Now add a thin layer of alfredo sauce on the bottom of the pan. Layer noodles (takes about 4) over sauce in 1 even layer. Make sure layers slightly overlap like roof shingles.

4. Spoon 1/3 of the remaining marinara sauce on top of noodles. Noodles need to be covered in liquid or they won't cook right. Add 1/2 of sausage mix on top of noodles in a thin, even layer.

5. Do another layer of noodles. Cover noodles with alfredo sauce. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture on top of noodles. Do this gently so you keep all the layers separate.

6. Do another layer of noodles. Top with 1/2 of marinara sauce left and rest of sausage mixture.

7. Do another layer of noodles. Top with most of remaining alfredo sauce and rest of cheese mixture.

8. Top everything with one last layer of noodles (this is your 5th layer of noodles). Cover noodles in marinara sauce. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and parmesan on top of the lasgana. At this point your lasagna is built. If you're making this dish ahead, cover the lasagna tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store in the fridge for up to 2 days or the freezer for up to 3 weeks.

9. Cooking instructions: Remove plastic wrap and cover with foil (make sure it doesn't touch cheese or it will take off the layer. You can spray the foil with some non-stick spray) and cook for 20 minutes in a preheated 350 oven. Uncover and cook another 20-25 minutes or until top is melted and slightly browned. Let set after cooking for 10-15 minutes. (this is a good time to cook garlic bread) Then just slice it up and serve!

note- if freezing, cook an extra 15-20 minutes while it's covered. 

Grilled Chicken with Roasted Kale

I found this recipe on food network and saved it a while ago. I wanted to eat something healthy today so I decided to cook up this dish.  I've never had crispy kale before. It turned out to be really good and added a lot of texture to the dish.

The chicken is sliced to make it thinner so it cooks up really quickly. If you're in a hurry, you can start the potatoes in the microwave for a few minutes. (prick potatoes with a fork, microwave on high for 3 minutes, cool and dice, then use as directed with slightly shorter roasting time).

Ingredients

1/2 pound small red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

1 large bunch kale, stems removed, leaves torn (about 10 cups)

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the potatoes with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet; spread in a single layer and roast 15 minutes.

2. Toss the kale in a large bowl with the garlic, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Add to the baking sheet with the potatoes and toss. Roast until the kale is crisp and the potatoes are tender, stirring once, 10 to 15 minutes. Watch the kale to make sure it doesn't burn.

3. Meanwhile, preheat a grill or grill pan to medium and brush with olive oil. Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 cutlets. Coat evenly with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until well marked and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

4. Toss the kale, potatoes, the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, parmesan, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Divide the chicken among plates and top with any collected juices. Serve with the kale salad.

Per serving: Calories 434; Fat 14 g (Saturated 4 g); Cholesterol 112 mg; Sodium 586 mg; Carbohydrate 28 g; Fiber 6 g; Protein 50 g

Tandoori Chicken with Yogurt Sauce

For Christmas I got a bunch of cool spice mixes that I've been dying to try. The first one I decided to try was the tandoori spice blend. I bought mine from Cost Plus World Market. I'm sure you could make your own but for 2 bucks I'm more than happy to buy the spice blend. To make the marinade and sauce as flavorful as possible I toasted the spice blend in a dry pan over low heat for about 2 minutes or until it was fragrant. Toasting spices always makes them better but make sure not to burn them!!

Marinade:
1 cup greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. tandoori spice blend (includes: paprika, coriander, cumin, ginger, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and cayenne pepper.)
1 Chicken Breast, cut into tenders (think like chicken tender size)

Sauce:
1/3 cup reserved marinade
1-2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. lime zest
1 tsp. lime juice

1. To make the marinade, combine the yogurt and spice mix together.Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade and set aside; you're going to make a sauce out of this reserved marinade.

2. Prick the chicken breast tenders with a fork. Add the thighs to the rest of the marinade, and toss to coat. Marinate at least 1 hour in the fridge, and at most overnight.

3. When you're ready to cook, line a baking sheet with foil, and turn your broiler on. Place each chicken breast filet on the baking sheet, making sure each one is coated with the marinade, but isn't swimming in it. Cook the chicken under the broiler until starting to blacken, about 5 minutes. Then turn the oven to 350, and cook until a meat thermometer registers 150 degrees F, Remove from the oven.

4. While the chicken is cooking, pour the reserved marinade into a small bowl, along with lime zest, lime juice, salt, pepper and the honey. Taste and correct seasoning.

5. Serve the chicken with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, the sauce, and some brown rice and green beans for a delicious and healthy meal.