Garlic Green Bean Chicken and Kaytee's Cilantro Rice Pilaf

picture from salad-in-a-jar.com

I always forget to take my own pictures! This one isn't really what mine looked like, but it gives you an idea. Now on to the goods! I LOVE the Garlic Green Bean Chicken dish at Marco Polo Global Restaurant. I've only been there twice and I've had this both times. It is SO good. I've been wanting to try and recreate it and I think this is pretty darn close. Since I've only made it once, this recipe is not quite an exact science. Times are estimates of how I think things went. So, here goes:

Ingredients
3 TBS less-sodium soy sauce
3 TBS honey
2 TBS unsalted butter
4 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion
1 large carrot, cut into 3 inch pieces and thinly sliced
1 ½ lbs green beans, trimmed
salt
4-5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 lb chicken, thinly sliced, cooked (keep warm)
toasted sliced almonds

How to make it

Combine soy sauce, honey and 3 TBS water in a small dish and set near the stove. In a large pan, heat the butter with the olive oil over med-high heat. When the butter is melted, add carrots, onion and ½ tsp salt and toss with tongs to coat well. Cook about 3 or 4 minutes. Add green beans and toss to coat. Cook, turning the beans occasionally, until tender crisp (maybe 5 – 7 minutes). (The butter in the pan will have turned dark brown.) Reduce heat to low, add the garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 – 2 minutes . Add cooked chicken and the soy mixture (you’ll need to scrape the honey in the pan). Cook, stirring until the liquid reduces to a glazy consistency that coats the beans. Immediately transfer to a serving dish, scraping the pan with a spatula to get all the garlicky sauce. Top with toasted almonds. Let sit for a few minutes and serve warm over rice. (Don’t forget to spoon extra sauce on your plate!)

Kaytee's Cilantro Rice Pilaf (SO GOOD!!)

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 or 4 TBS onion, chopped
1 TBS grated ginger
1 cup long-grain rice
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 TBS chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and ginger and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. (Don’t peek.) Add cilantro, fluff with a fork, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Serves 5

Coconut-Ginger Chicken with Honey-Scallion Dipping Sauce

Long time no post, huh? I've been a little busy (and sleep deprived) to say the least. But I recently made these coconut ginger chicken skewers that were so good that I had to share. Enjoy!

I saw this recipe one day when I was watching The Chew on ABC. Aaron McCargo Jr. was on the show and did a little cooking demo and made these. They looked delicious so I decided to try them at home. SO GOOD! I'm not sure that I've ever really deep fried anything before but it was so worth it. These were delicious, crispy and the dipping sauce was a fantastic compliment to the flavors of the chicken. I left the canola oil I fried them in cool, poured it back in the bottle and can use it again another day when I make these again ... because I will make them again, they were that good. I also think this recipe would be delicious if you used shrimp instead of chicken as well.

Ingredients:
Chicken Skewers:
4 8-ounce boneless and skinless chicken breasts cut lengthwise into 4 strips
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups panko bread crumbs
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
3 tbsp fresh ginger shredded
2 large eggs
3 quarts canola oil

Dipping Sauce:

1 cup sour cream drained
¼ cup honey
¼ cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make Honey-Scallion Dipping Sauce:
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, honey, scallions, and cayenne. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill, or for up to 1 week. Stir before using.

To make Coconut-Ginger Chicken Skewers:

1. In a shallow bowl, soak 16 wooden skewers in cold water for about 20 minutes. Drain.

2. In a heavy, deep pot, heat the oil to 350 degrees over medium-high heat.

3. In a wide, shallow bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and pepper. In another bowl, mix together the panko, coconut, and ginger. In a third bowl, whisk the eggs.

4. Thread each skewer with a chicken breast, weaving the skewer in and out of the meat. Leave a “handle” at one end of the skewers.

5. Dip the chicken strips first in the flour mixture and then into the eggs, and then the bread crumb mixture. Grasping the handle ends of the skewers, carefully submerge the chicken in the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 1½ to 3 minutes per side, frying only a few strips at a time.

6. Transfer to a large plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain.

7. Continue frying the strips, letting the oil return to 350 between batches. Serve with the dipping sauce or ketchup, barbecue sauce and honey.

Yield: 4 servings

Walnut and Rosemary Oven-Fried Chicken

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Drum roll Please.......It's my very first post! I've been meaning to post some tasty recipes for a LONG time, but let's face it. I was lazy. Tonight's dinner was super good and easy, so I'm going to share it with you. I'll list it the way the recipe reads and incorporate my changes in red. I served this with rice and Broccoli with Shallots, which will be my next post!

Makes 4 servings (serving size: 1 cutlet)
Total Time: 30 MINUTES

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk (I used plain yogurt)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 4 (6-ounce) chicken cutlets (I used chicken breasts)
• 1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) (I used regular bread crumbs)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (I used a 6 cheese Italian Blend)
• 3/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (I used 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed with my mortar and pestle, but I would use a little more)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (The bread crumbs had a lot of sodium, so I would eliminate this)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray
• Rosemary leaves (optional)

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Combine buttermilk and mustard in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Add chicken to buttermilk mixture, turning to coat.
• Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko to pan; cook 3 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Combine panko, nuts, and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture; discard buttermilk mixture. Dredge chicken in panko mixture.
• Arrange a wire rack on a large baking sheet; coat rack with cooking spray. Arrange chicken on rack; coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 13 minutes or until chicken is done. Garnish with rosemary leaves, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 287
• Fat: 9.4g
• Saturated fat: 1.6g
• Monounsaturated fat: 1.6g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 5.1g
• Protein: 42.7g
• Carbohydrate: 6g
• Fiber: 0.9g
• Cholesterol: 101mg
• Iron: 1.6mg
• Sodium: 379mg
• Calcium: 66mg

recipe from Cooking Light, June 2010

Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

Photo courtesy of thepioneerwoman.com

This is my new go-to recipe for having company over for dinner. I got it from The Pioneer Woman and it is phenomenal. I've tried a few of her recipes now and they all have been amazing. Basically nothing she makes is low calorie/low fat/low sugar but I believe splurges are completely justified every now and then. I've made this dish a few times now and it has always been a hit. I like to serve it for company because A) It serves a lot of people, B) It is pretty easy to make and C) Makes for a good presentation and is family style so I don't have to plate up everyone's meal.

Marinating the chicken makes it SO tender and delicious so I highly recommend NOT skipping this step. Also, the original recipe calls for the juice of 4 lemons in the sauce but that is WAY too much. Makes it so sour it is almost unbearable, especially if you use a citrus reamer like me and 4 lemons gives you a whole cup of juice! So I only use 2 lemons. But please oh please make this sometime soon. It is amazing!

Ingredients:
- 4 whole Grilled Chicken Breasts, Sliced (marinade instructions below)
- 1 pound Penne Pasta, cooked until Al Dente
- ½ stick of Butter
- 2 whole Lemons, juiced (I go for 1/2 cup of juice so if you have small lemons, you may need more lemons)
- ½ cups Heavy Cream
- ½ cups Half-and-half
- 1-½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Romano) (fresh grated is better than store bought grated, just use your food processor)
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
- 20 whole fresh Basil Leaves, chopped

Preparation:

1. They day before, marinate chicken for 24 hours (I forgot to marinate them early one time so only did it for 10 hours and they were still good ... but 24 hours is better). Ree (The Pioneer Woman) didn't give exact amounts at all for each of the marinade ingredients so I'm estimating how much I used. Pour all the ingredients into a gallon sized ziplock bag then add chicken.

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1/4 c. Olive oil

Juice of four lemons

1-2 tablespoons Dijon

1 tablespoon honey

A dash of salt

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2. When you are ready to actually make the meal, cook pasta in a large pot, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander. Mean while, grill marinated chicken, set aside and keep warm.

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3. In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 2-3 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and half-and-half. Whisk until nice and hot. Dump in cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper.

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4. Add pasta to sauce and stir until pasta is totally covered. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. (You probably won't have to use the whole cup of water, I use maybe 1/4 cup max). Add half of the chopped basil and stir to combine.

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5. Pour pasta and sauce into a large, pre-warmed serving bowl/dish. Sprinkle remaining basil all over the top, then add sliced chicken breasts on top. Serve immediately!

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If you want to see step by step pictures and instructions, you can look at the original post of this recipe here. Sometimes those pictures are very helpful!

Jerk Chicken with Cilantro Mango Salsa

While on our honeymoon, our boat was re-routed after a hurricane hit St. Maarten and we ended up going to Jamaica for half a day. While there, we ate at a tasty little local place called the Pork Pit. They had some of the best tasting Jamaican Jerk Pork/Chicken that either of us ever tasted.

In attempts to re-created the tasty memory of what we shared together, and, to complete my goal of making 3 gluten free receipes this month, I made this yummy Jerk Chicken recipe last night. It has a nice blend of the spices/brown sugar and enough punch to satisfy Chas' desire for fire hot food. The mango salsa was a nice touch because, for wimps like me, it tamed down the hotness of the jerk spices.



Enjoy!

Recipe from www.glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com

JERK CHICKEN WITH CILANTRO MANGO SALSA (from Karen Robertson's always-great Cooking Gluten-free!, p. 59):


2 whole chicken breasts
1/ 2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed


Combine all the spices. Coat the chicken breasts in the spices. Ideally, you should grill them. But since I don't have a barbeque, or a place to keep it, I sauteed them in the pan with good olive oil. Damned juicy. Especially good if you top it with the cilantro/mango salsa:


2 cups peeled, chopped mango
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
juice from 1 lime.


BLACK BEAN SALAD (ALSO FROM COOKING GLUTEN-FREE!, p. 130)


2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
4 scallions, finely chopped (those are green onions, in case you are confused)
1 cup red and green peppers, finely chopped
1 cup of corn kernels
4 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro
2 jalapeno peppers, finely minced
juice of 2 limes
2 avocadoes, chopped
Mix it all together. Salt and pepper to taste. That's it.


Note: I ended up mixing both the ingredients from the black bean salad and the mango salsa together, and it wad delicious! I also used a vegetable mix since I didn't have just corn, and I think it still worked just fine.

Chicken Coq a Vin

I found this dish off Yahoo's Shine Food website, and thought that it was worth trying because it is different than any of the recipes I have been making lately. It was a tasty combination of flavors, my only suggestion would be to make the sauce just a little thinner than what my ended up looking like. And, as you can see, I made mine with rice instead of the pasta, because I didn't have any left. But there were no complaints about the rice in my house :)

Recipe source: Better Homes and Gardens

ingredients

• 2-1/2 to 3 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breast halves, thighs, and drumsticks)
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 12 to 18 pearl onions or shallots, peeled
• 1-1/4 cups Pinot Noir or Burgundy
• 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
• 1 cup whole fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrot (2 medium)
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley
• 1-1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh marjoram or 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
• 1-1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 2 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled
• Snipped fresh parsley (optional)
• Hot cooked noodles (optional)

directions

1. Skin chicken. In a large skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium heat about 15 minutes or until light brown, turning to brown evenly. Drain fat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add onions, Pinot Noir, broth, mushrooms, carrots, the 1 tablespoon parsley, dried marjoram (if using), dried thyme (if using), bay leaf, and garlic. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F for breasts; 180 degrees F for thighs and drumsticks). Add fresh marjoram and thyme (if using). Discard bay leaf. Transfer chicken and vegetables to a serving platter; keep warm.
2. In a mixing bowl stir together flour and softened butter to make a smooth paste. Stir into wine mixture in skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
3. Pour sauce over chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with bacon. If desired, top with additional parsley and serve with hot cooked noodles. Makes 6 servings.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Drumsticks

I saw this recipe on Yahoo's Shine food blog and thought they sounded really good. And I was right, they are delicious. And they way that the sauce is made, you actually feel like you are eating something that is healthy but sounds like it could be bad :)

Anyway, the recipe is from EatingWell.com. I made white rice with the chicken and used the remainder of the sauce to pour over the rice....Taaaasty.

ingredients

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
8 chicken drumsticks (about 2 pounds), skin removed, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
directions

Preheat grill to medium. (No grill? See Broiler Variation, below.)
To prepare dipping sauce, combine orange zest, orange juice, water, honey, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and coriander in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Whisk cornstarch and the remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar in a small bowl until smooth. Add to the saucepan and return to a boil, whisking until thickened, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in mint.
Sprinkle drumsticks with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the drumsticks until crispy on all sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 15 minutes total. Serve the drumsticks with the dipping sauce on the side. Broiler variation: Position oven rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat broiler to high. Prepare sauce (Step 2). Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle drumsticks with salt and pepper (Step 3), then broil, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 15 minutes total.
To oil the grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Don’t use cooking spray on a hot grill.)
I used the broiler method since we don't have a grill right now. Half way through broiling the chicken I basted a little of the sauce on the drumsticks, and it made them turn a nice golden brown with some additional flavor to the outside of the chicken.


Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 255 calories; 8 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 3 g mono unsaturated fat); 93 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrates; 29 g protein; 1 g fiber; 389 mg sodium; 315 mg potassium Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (27% daily value), Vitamin C (15% dv).

Sesame Orange Chicken

This is my new favorite dish. It is absolutely delicious and MUCH lower in calories and fat than most Chinese restaurant versions. I got the recipe from the Nov/Dec. '09 issue of Eating Well magazine. The recipe actually calls for shrimp but I rarely buy shrimp so I just substituted the shrimp for chicken, which probably changes the nutritional info below but probably not by much. Feel free to use shrimp if you want ... and eat up!

Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds (white, black or a mix)
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch chunks

- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar

Preparation
1. Whisk sesame seeds, egg whites, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a large bowl (I also add garlic powder too). Add chicken and toss to coat.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat (if it isn't non-stick, the chicken will get stuck and it won't work). Add the chicken (one by one, don't dump the whole thing or there will be too much batter) and cook until golden, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

3. Add orange juice, sherry, soy sauce and sugar to the pan (I just use the cooking sherry from the grocery store, but beware, it adds more sodium. I also add some orange zest and fresh grated ginger for extra flavor). Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced by half, 4 to 6 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Serve immediately, over rice if you wish.

Nutrition:

232 calories

10 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono)

168 mg cholesterol

12 g carbohydrates

21 g protein

1 g fiber

488 mg sodium

White Bean-Chicken Chili

(photo courtesy of Taste of Home)

I got a new cookbook for Christmas that I am loving so far. It is Cooking Light's Super Fast Suppers and they don't lie. All of the recipes are super fast and way easy. I feel like this will be a great cookbook for when we have kids someday and are busy but still want to eat well. Anyway, I made this chili tonight and it was delicious. Glendon liked it so much he requested I add it to the rotation. :o) The picture above isn't the exact recipe (I don't have a picture from the exact recipe) but you can get the idea from it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans, undrained
• 3 cups cubed chicken
• 1 (14.5 oz) can fat free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican seasoning (I used taco seasoning that comes in a packet)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese, plus more for topping

Preparation:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until cooked through. Place chicken in a bowl and set aside. Heat remaining oil in dutch oven. Add onion and garlic; saute 2 minutes.
2. Add beans, chicken, chicken broth, Mexican seasoning, and salt to the pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add cheese; simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Top with additional pepper jack cheese and any of the following: low fat sour cream, chopped green onions, chopped fresh cilantro, salsa, or crumbled tortilla chips.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1.5 cups)

Nutritional Items:

Calories: 285

Fat: 8.3g

Protein: 28.3g

Fiber: 6.1g

Cholesterol: 58mg

Sodium: 920mg

Cheddar Chicken and Potatoes

I'm a sucker for fast, family friendly meals! I have come to love the Kraft Food and Family magazine because there are tons of easy recipes that my picky 3 year old will eat! I just tried this one tonight and it was delicious!

4 slices of bacon

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves

4 cups (1 lb.) frozen diced potatoes with peppers and onions, thawed

4 oz. (1 c.) shredded cheddar cheese

Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet on medium heat for 5 min. or until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet and discard bacon grease. Add chicken to skillet; cook 5 min. on each side or until done.(mine took longer than 5 min.) Remove chicken from skillet; cover to keep warm. Crumble bacon. Add to skillet with potatoes; cook and stir 5 minutes or until heated through. Place chicken over potatoes; top with cheese. Cover, cook 2 min. or until cheese is melted.

Marsala Chicken Pot Pie

This is my first recipe on here-- Sorry it has taken me so long to get my act together! This one doesn't have pictures, but hopefully in the future I'll be a more responsible home cook and catalog my creations!

The following recipe is adapted from a Wolfgang Puck potpie recipe-- frankly, I think my recipe is better, sorry wolfie! Don't bother with exactness, just go for it! Use what you have- mine is always a bit different, but always delicious.

1.5 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken, cut into 1-inch chunks (or smaller, or bigger, whatever! Also, you can do more or less, depending on what you have, or skip the chicken altogether! Wolf-man also adds 1/2 lb crab meat, but I don't do that business).

2 plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (always unsalted so YOU season it yourself!)

1/2 lb. yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (WP uses red-skinned. I just usually have yukons so I go with that. i'd use something other than a baker potato, but smoke it if you've got it, if you know what I mean here people)

1/2 lb. pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 pieces

8 oz. pkg. mushrooms, quartered, or however you like to slice 'em! (I use white button or cremini mushrooms depending on what I have in the fridge. You could even use portobellos for a meatier feel).

1 med. onion, peeled and diced

2 garlic cloves, diced

pinch of red pepper flakes (I like a bit o' spice, so I just shake some in til it is pretty, prob about a tsp)

1 sprig thyme (or a pinch of dry thyme if you don't have some in the garden or fridge- don't bother buying it at the store, not worth it)

1 dried bay leaf (now THIS is key- adds fantastic flavor!)

1 cup white wine (you're going to boil this off, but if you don't drink wine you can find an appropriate substitute, I'm sure! I tend to use cheapie stuff for cooking)

1 and 3/4 c. chicken stock (make your own, or grab some swanson's at the store- STOCK ideally, though broth works fine in a pinch)

1 C. heavy cream (if you're trying to be health conscious you can use 1/2 and 1/2, but beware! You are sacrificing taste and consistency-- You'll probably have to do more to thicken.)

1/4 C. Marsala wine (this lasts quite a while so you can bust it out whenever you're doing chicken marsala, or cooking up this baby. WP calls for sherry, but sherry is for sissies, and I prefer Marsala- gives it a REALLY lovely flavor, and thus, the superior recipe takes its grip! But sherry will do, if you must)

1/2 lb. Puff pastry (oh yeah! Buy it-- my belabored and beloved homemade version was less awesome than the store bought, I hate to say, and NOT cheaper since I used so much butter!)

1 egg (for your egg wash)

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. flour and toss to coat. Place a large skillet over high heat, heat 2 Tbsp. (eyeball it) of olive oil til hot. Add chicken, saute until light golden brown and cooked through (about 10 mins). Transfer to plate, set aside. Add 2 Tbsp. butter to pot (still on high heat) and immediately add onions and carrots. Saute til they begin to be bright, 2-3mins. Add potatoes and mushrooms. Saute about another minute. Then reduce heat to medium, add your garlic, red pepper, bay leaf, and thyme sprig (or sprinkle). Saute til it gets nice and cozy with each other, about 3 minutes.

2. Add 1 C. wine. Turn up heat to High and stir to deglaze your pan. Simmer and reduce by 1/2, about 3-5 mins. Add chicken stock and 1 C. cream. Bring to a boil and then reduce just a bit. Simmer briskly til reduced by 1/2 again and it thickening, ~15 mins. *Remove bay leaf and thyme sprig* (if you sprinkled, obviously, you won't remove your thyme sprig)

3. Stir in your chicken and the marsala wine. Combine 2T. butter and 1 T. flour (your butter will need to be room temp so you can combine them-- this creates a roux that helps thicken your juices. If you don't feel like doing this, you can use cornstarch, but just keep in mind that butter makes all things better, even as a thickening agent!). Stir in the combined butter and flour. Season to taste (will probably need a bit of both S&P, but always taste first). If you are using crab, you'd stir in your crab now.

4. transfer to ramekins and refrigerate for at least an hour (this helps thicken. If you're impatient and don't mind runny pot pie, have at it right away). This recipe makes approximately enough for four 16 oz. ramekins, or one larger one. I often half the recipe for just me and Matthew and usually have leftovers which are surprisingly good.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bust out your puff pastry which you've been softening (you have, haven't you? If you plan ahead you can pop it in the fridge overnight and it'll be malleable but still cold and ready to puff!). You can roll out your pastry to fit your ramekin or dish size however you want. To seal the pastry to the pot, combine your egg with a Tbsp. of water, or cream, etc (whatever you have) and beat slightly. Brush on the egg mixture to the edge of your pot and then lay your puff pastry over-- you'll figure it out. Brush the top of the pastry with the egg wash to give it a nice golden color, and poke some holes in the pastry so your pot pies can release their steam! (note: I set my smaller ramekins on a sheet pan so I can just grab that from the oven rather than worry about lifting the ramekin and breaking the crust.)

Cook 25-35 minutes, and enjoy! It is all cooked inside, so this is basically combining flavors and puffing your pastry!

*note: I never measure any of this. I eyeball all of it, so keep in mind you don't need to be precise. Add other stuff (peas, pearl onions, corn, etc etc), take out what you don't like, and enjoy!

Ginger-Peanut Chicken Salad Wraps

This is the best wrap I have ever eaten. Ok, so at least the best homemade wrap I have ever eaten and comes pretty close to the Thai Chicken Wrap at World Wraps in Seattle. I will definitely be making these often. It is from the Best of Cooking Light Cookbook. I have just two suggestions when making the wraps though: 1. Don't use as much chicken as it calls for. That is just way too much. Or if you do, add more of everything else. 2. Use flavored tortillas. I'm sure plain ones would be fine but I used Jalapeno & Cilantro tortillas and it was way good.

Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 6 (4-ounce) chicken breast halves
- 1 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
- 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 8 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce

Preparation
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove the chicken from pan; cool. Shred or cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Place chicken, cucumber, and bell pepper in a large bowl; set aside.

2. Place sugar and the next 6 ingredients (sugar through garlic) in a blender, and process until smooth. Add peanut butter and water; process until smooth, scraping sides. Add peanut butter mixture to chicken mixture; stir well. Add cilantro, and toss well. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto each tortilla; top each serving with 1/2 cup lettuce, and roll up.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wrap)

Nutritional Information
Calories: 280 (19% from fat)
Fat: 5.9g (sat 1.1g,mono 2.7g,poly 1.6g)
Protein: 25.8g
Carbohydrate: 30.5g
Fiber: 2.4g
Cholesterol: 49mg
Iron: 2.5mg
Sodium: 572mg
Calcium: 29mg

Chicken & Cashews

(photo by Randy Mayor and courtesy of cookinglight.com)

I'm a sucker for all Asian food and tend to make quite a bit of it at home. My pantry is now stocked with most of the Asian dish essentials like sesame oil, fish sauce, hoisen sauce and red curry paste so I'm ready to cook up some Asian flare at any time. This Chicken and Cashew dish is from the May 2009 issue of Cooking Light and is definitely a favorite ours. We just gobble it up and I hope you do too!

Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry (if you don't have sherry, use apple juice)
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions (about 3 green onions)
- 1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted cashews

Preparation
1. Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sherry, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and chicken in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch, broth, oyster sauce, and honey in a small bowl.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Return chicken mixture to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth mixture. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with green onions and cashews. Serve over a simple rice pilaf like the one listed below.

Rice pilaf: Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup chopped onion and 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup water, 1/2 cup long-grain rice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.

Nutritional Information (not including rice pilaf)
Calories: 257
Fat: 9g (sat 1.9g,mono 4.2g,poly 2.3g)
Protein: 26g
Carbohydrate: 17g
Fiber: 1.9g
Cholesterol: 63mg
Iron: 2mg
Sodium: 584mg
Calcium: 45mg

Orange Mandarin Chicken

Last week when I was home in Oregon I took a big pile of my mom's old magazines and searched them for some new recipes. I got some good ones, including this one from the old July 2003 issue of Cooking Light magazine. I made it tonight for dinner and I loved it. The recipe says to serve it with Asian noodles but I served it with brown rice instead. I'm sure both would be good.

Ingredients:

- 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

- 4 (4-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

- Pinch of Kosher salt

- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

- 1 (11-oz.) can mandarin oranges in light syrup, undrained

- 1/2 cup chopped green onions

- 1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeno pepper

- 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

- 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned.

2. While chicken cooks, drain oranges in a colander over a bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons liquid. Add oranges, 2 tablespoons liquid, onions, jalapeno and garlic to pan. Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes. Combine broth, soy sauce and cornstarch, and add to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Serve with Asian noodles (soba, somen, or udon) or rice and steamed snow or sugar snap peas.

Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 212

Fat: 3.8g

Protien: 27.2g

Carb: 15.2g

Fiber: 0.7g

Chol: 66mg

Iron: 1.9mg

Sodium: 562mg

Calc: 27mg

Aunt June's Chicken Casserole

My mom's great aunt made up this recipe decades ago and it won first place in a cooking contest! Anyway, it's a family favorite and one that's perfect for those colder days. I'm actually cooking it as I type though! It's also great to divide up into 2 8x8 pans. I do that and we eat one pan and put the other one in the freezer for a "rainy" day when I don't want to cook! I have no idea what the nutrition facts are, but here's the recipe:

2 boneless chicken breasts

1 chopped onion (I just pour some onion flakes in)

1 T. dried parsley

celery tops (I don't use)

2 c. chicken broth

2 c. Minute Rice

2/3 c. mayonnaise

2 (10 1/2 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup

2 c. Rice Krispies

2 T. butter

salt and pepper

Boil chicken with parsley, celery tops, onion-or flakes, and dash of salt and pepper. Cook 20-30 minutes or until chicken is white completely through. Drain chicken reserving 2 c. chicken broth. Cut chicken into small pieces. Add rice into a 9x13 pan and pour chicken broth in. Let rice soak up chicken broth for a couple of minutes. Add chicken, mayonnaise and soup and stir until well blended. On stove top, melt butter in saucepan and add Rice Krispies. Stir until coated. Pour Rice Krispies over top of chicken mixture and spread evenly. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes.

Finger Lickin' Asian Chicken

Here's another easy recipe courtesy of Sunset Magazine to throw on the grill. Serving suggestion: rice and grilled bell peppers-YUMMY!

Yield: 6 to 8 appetizer servings or 2-4 main course servings

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon Asian chili paste
2 pounds chicken wings, thighs, drumsticks, skin removed
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 green onion, trimmed and chopped

PREPARATION:
1. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and chili paste. Add chicken and let marinate for 15 minutes, stirring often.
2. Set up a gas or charcoal grill for medium heat (350° to 400°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above the cooking grate only 5 to 7 seconds). Put chicken on grill and cover with lid. Cook, turning often, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, combine honey and hoisin sauce. Using a pastry brush, generously baste chicken wings with honey glaze. Cover grill with lid and cook till honey glaze starts to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Turn chicken wings over and baste again, using the remaining honey glaze. Cook 3 minutes more, being careful not to let the glaze burn, removing pieces from the grill as they're done.
4. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion. Serve any remaining honey glaze on the side.