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Category Archives: Poultry

Duck Breast a l’Orange in Crepes

Posted on August 5, 2010 by amydeline

Happy National Waffle and National Oyster Day! In honor of these special occasions, I’ll be making oyster waffles today!

Don’t worry. I’m totally kidding. We don’t need to celebrate every food holiday.

No, we will not be having oyster waffles today. We’re having crepes. I was watching a show on the Food Network the other night, Best Thing I Ever Ate, where top chefs shared, you guessed it, the best things they’ve ever eaten. Chef Beau Macmillan talked about these crepes filled with Nutella and covered with strawberries and bananas that he ate at a place called FlipHappy in Austin, Texas. Everything about them looked delicious. I set my mind on making crepes sometime this week. Since I’ve already shared a dessert recipe this week, I figured I should make savory crepes. It took me all of about a minute to decide what to make.

I’ve had Duck a l’Orange cued in my draft list for weeks, just waiting for the right opportunity. I’d planned to serve the sliced duck breast a l’orange with rice or potatoes, perhaps pommes dauphinoise. But something about the sweet and savory orange sauce with orange zest and juicy orange supremes is screaming to put in a crepe. I think I’ve found my perfect opportunity to make duck a l’orange.

Don’t be put off by the fancy name and don’t be intimidated if you’ve never made duck before. This meal is really a piece of cake. Make it for a dinner party and impress your guests with your fancy French dish. Really impress them by talking about how you started with a gastrique (which is just the slightly caramelized sugar/vinegar combination that starts the sauce). Bowl them over by mentioning that you reduced the orange juice to concentrate the flavor or comment on the fresh orange supremes. Chat about how you rendered the duck fat or how you mounted the sauce with butter just prior to serving, to give it a nice, rich feel. Then, toss your hair back, giggle, and say, “Really, it was nothing.” Seriously though, this dish is really not too complicated to make and works really well for dinner parties since it can be mostly prepared ahead of time.

For the purpose of this recipe, we’re using duck breasts. No need to deal with a whole duck. My supermarket carries packaged duck breasts right near the poultry section. If you can’t find them at your grocery store, try asking at the butcher counter. They may be able to order them for you. Doesn’t hurt to ask. The packaged duck breasts I purchased came pre-scored, for my convenience. If yours are not, you’ll want to cut a crosshatch pattern in the fat, being careful not to cut into the meat. The crosshatch pattern will help the fat the break down during cooking.

You can prepare the sauce and even cook the duck ahead of time. Zest and supreme your oranges beforehand too. When dinner rolls around, you’ll simply need to cook the crepes, reheat the sauce with the duck and orange supremes. Add the zest and butter and you’ll be in business!

Edited to add: As I discovered last night, the crepes actually reheat well too. Wrap the cooked crepes in foil and refrigerate until you’re ready to use. To reheat, place the stack of crepes between two paper towels and microwave for about 20 seconds or so.

Duck Breast a l’Orange in Crepes

Ingredients

For the Duck

  • 2 Duck Breasts
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/8 cup White Wine Vinegar
  • 2 Ice Cubes
  • 1 cup Orange Juice
  • 1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
  • 2 tsp Cornstarch
  • 2 tsp Water
  • 1 Tbsp Butter, cold
  • 2 Oranges, supremed*
  • Zest from 1 Orange
  • Salt and Pepper

* Click here to see how to supreme an orange.

For the Crepes

  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 cup Flour
  • 1 1/4 cup Milk, plus a bit more if necessary
  • 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Sugar

Directions

For the sauce: Combine sugar and vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to turn a medium amber color. Remove from heat. Add an ice cube or two to stop the cooking, so it does not become too dark or burn. (This is your gastrique.)

Add the orange juice. Whisk to combine and return to the heat. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes until the sauce has reduced to 1/2 cup. Add the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, until about 1 cup of sauce remains. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Add a spoonful of the hot sauce to the cornstarch mixture. Then add the mixture to the sauce. Simmer for another minute or two until the sauce is well thickened. Season with a little salt and pepper. Remove from heat. You can prepare the sauce to this point ahead of time.

For the duck: Season the duck breasts with a little salt and pepper. Heat a pan over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles when it touches to pan. Place the duck breasts in the pan, fatty side down. Cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Most of the fat will render (melt away) and you’ll be left with a thin crispy layer of fat.

Turn the breasts, cover, and cook on the other side for about 10 minutes. They should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, as measured by an instant-read meat thermometer. Remove from the pan and allow the duck breasts to rest for about 5 minutes. Remove the remaining layer of fat, if desired. Cut the duck breast into small pieces.

For the crepes:

Lightly beat the eggs with the salt. Combine the eggs with the flour, milk, oil, and sugar. Add additional milk, if necessary. The batter should move very easily, but not be overly liquidy. Spray a flat-bottom, nonstick skillet with cooking spray, then heat the skillet over medium heat. Hold the pan off the heat and use a measuring cup to pour about 1/3 cup of batter into the pan. Quickly, turn the pan to spread the batter across the entire bottom. Place the pan over the heat and cook for less than a minute. Use a spatula to loosen one of the edges. Then, use your hands to flip the crepe. Cook for a few seconds more on the other side. Make 8 crepes.

To assemble the dish:

When you’re ready to serve, reheat the sauce in a saucepan. Add the orange segments, about half of the orange zest and the pieces of duck. Toss to gently combine. Simmer gently for a few minutes until the duck and sauce are heated. Remove from the heat. Add the butter and gently swirl the mixture until it melts and blends with the sauce. Place a spoonful of the mixture onto one quarter of the crepe.

Fold the crepe in half over the mixture, then in half again to form a triangle shape.

Repeat for all crepes. Serve each person 2 prepared crepes. Drizzle with a little extra sauce, if desired. Garnish with the remaining orange zest.

Makes 4 Servings

**If you wish to make this duck a l’orange to serve in a way other than with crepes, you can follow the same procedure, but slice the duck, rather than cutting it into small pieces. Also, you can omit the cornstarch in the sauce. I added cornstarch to thicken the sauce to prevent the crepes from getting soggy, but if you’re not serving the dish with crepes, this is not a concern.

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Chicken and Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Posted on July 30, 2010 by amydeline

This post almost didn’t happen. This post was almost a picture of a salad from Panera or burger from Five Guys. I’d begun gathering what I needed for dinner, my mise en place, if you will. It wouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to prepare. But 15 minutes was apparently way too long for my littlest guy. As I moved about the kitchen, he was on my heels, quick as a cheetah and loud as lion. Hold my hand. I’m ready to snuggle up. He roared. He screeched. He howled. And I surrendered to my little master. The kids’ dinner became a quick PB&J and microwaveable mac and cheese. The screaming stopped. I packed away the ingredients for tonight’s intended dinner. I’m not proud. But hey, I never claimed to be supermom.

Once everyone had their fill of snuggle and food, I had the chance to prepare the dinner I’d planned; breaded chicken with a spicy peanut sauce. Honestly, this is all about the peanut sauce. The chicken is merely a vehicle to transport the sauce to my belly. It’s sweet, it’s spicy, it’s salty. This sauce is also magic with skewered, grilled chicken and shrimp.


Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Peanut Butter
  • 1/4 cup Brown Sugar, loosely packed
  • 1 Tbsp Lime Juice
  • 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp Minced Garlic
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (plus more, if desired)
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
  • Chopped Peanuts and Sliced Scallions, for garnish

Directions

Place the peanut butter in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave for a few seconds to soften the peanut butter. Add other ingredients and stir to combine. Add small amounts of warm water and stir until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Taste and add more cayenne, if desired. Top with the chopped peanuts and/or scallions.

Delicious served with chicken or shrimp!

For the chicken:

Season chicken tenders or chicken breasts cut into strips with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. In a small bowl, beat a couple eggs. Dip the chicken in the eggs. Then roll the chicken in seasoned bread crumbs until well-coated. In a pan, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for a few minutes on each side until lightly browned and cooked through.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu and Green Beans Almondine

Posted on July 21, 2010 by amydeline

Chicken Cordon Bleu has been on my mind recently. I just love the crispy breaded chicken breast combined with salty prosciutto and cheese. Yum… Cheese. Lately, I’ve been acutely aware that if you don’t like cheese, you probably hate my blog. I’ve kind of got a little thing for cheese. I sure hope you like cheese too.

Chicken Cordon Bleu can be made a number of different ways. The most common procedure involves stuffing or rolling a chicken breast with ham or prosciutto and some type of swiss cheese, then breading and cooking. That approach will work, but I’ve had issues with the cheese oozing out during cooking. I hate to lose even a bit of cheese. So, I’ve come up with a different way of making chicken cordon bleu. I roll prosciutto in chicken breast, bread it, brown it in olive oil until golden brown, and finish the cooking in the oven. While the chicken is baking, I make a basic white sauce, or bechamel sauce, and then melt in some tasty Gruyere swiss cheese. No cheese is lost in the cooking and you get a nice creamy sauce to drizzle over the chicken. And who doesn’t like having a sauce to dip in??

On the side, we’re having green beans prepared my favorite way; sauteed in a bit of olive oil with sliced almonds and a sprinkle of salt. To make things just a smidgen easier, I buy the cleaned and cut fresh green beans, which can be microwaved right in the bag. I typically cook them for less than the recommend time, so they do not become mushy.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients

  • 4 Chicken Breasts
  • 4-6 slices Prosciutto or Ham
  • 1/2 cup Flour
  • 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
  • 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper

For the Gruyere Sauce:

  • 1 Tbsp Butter
  • 1 Tbsp Flour
  • 1 cup Milk
  • Dash of Nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1/2 cup Gruyere (or other swiss cheese), shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pound the chicken breast between plastic wrap until about 1/4 inch thick.

Lay slices of prosciutto or ham on top of the flattened chicken breast. Roll the chicken and tuck in the ends. Season with salt and pepper. Roll each chicken roll in flour. Dip into the lightly beaten eggs. Then, roll in the bread crumbs until well-coated. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Place the chicken rolls in the pan and cook for a minute or two on each side, until lightly browned.

Place the browned chicken into a baking dish. Place the baking dish into the oven and cook for about 20-25 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Combine butter and flour in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for a couple minutes while stirring. It should have a paste-like consistency. This is your roux (roo) which will thicken your white sauce. Scrape the roux from the pan and set aside. Add milk to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Using a whisk, incorporate the roux into the milk until smooth. Simmer for a few minutes until the milk begins to thicken. Season with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Turn down the heat and add the shredded Gruyere cheese. Stir until melted and smooth.

When the chicken has finished cooking, spoon some sauce over each chicken roll and serve.

Green Beans Almondine

Ingredients

  • 1 package Cleaned and Cut, Fresh Green Beans, steamed
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/2 cup Sliced Almonds
  • 1/4 tsp Salt

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the almonds and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until almonds just begin to toast. Add the steamed green beans. Use tongs to toss the beans in the oil and almonds.

Cook for a minute or two. Taste and adjsut seasonings if desired.

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Green Beans Almondine

If you have any leftover chicken and sauce, it makes an amazing sandwich! Spread the leftover sauce on a ciabatta roll. Slice the chicken. Place the slices onto the roll. Sprinkle a little extra swiss cheese on top, if desired. Wrap it in foil and bake in the oven until heat through. Excellent!

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Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Posted on July 16, 2010 by amydeline

During college, I spent some time waitressing, bartending, and short-order cooking at a local bar and restaurant. Hands down, the most popular item on the menu was the Buffalo Chicken Wings. By my hundredth order, I was quite the expert. I don’t make wings at home very often, because I can’t stand the clean-up. But, on occasion, I’ll make Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches, as I’m doing tonight. Great taste, without the chicken wing bones or the mess!

At the restaurant, which was located just a short distance from Buffalo, we used Frank’s Red Hot, which is purportedly the hot sauce used in the original Buffalo wings. Like your wings hot? Use straight hot sauce. Like them medium-spicy? Use half Frank’s and half melted butter. For mild wings, increase the butter. Good, good stuff!

Since I had all of the ingredients on hand, I made my own bleu cheese dressing for tonight’s sandwich. Sans mayonnaise, of course. A prepared dressing would work great too. (FYI, my preferred bleu cheese dressing is Marie’s. You can usually find it refrigerated in the produce section.) Adjust the butter and hot sauce ratio according to your tastes. Following my recipe as written will give you a medium-hot sauce.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 1 pound Thin-Cut Chicken Breasts or Chicken Tenderloins
  • 1/2 cup Flour
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 3/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
  • 4 Tbsp Butter, melted

For the Dressing

  • 1 cup Sour Cream
  • 1/2 cup Crumbled Bleu Cheese (such as Roquefort or Gorgonzola)
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 Tbsp Garlic, minced
  • Salt and Pepper

For the Sandwich

  • 4 Rolls
  • Lettuce
  • Tomato Slices

Directions

For the dressing, combine sour cream, crumbled bleu cheese, lemon juice, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight, if possible. Stir before using.

For the chicken, season with salt and pepper. Roll each chicken breast or tenderloin in flour, so they are lightly coated. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium/medium-high heat. Cook chicken for a few minutes on each side until lightly browned and fully cooked. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the middle should read 165 degrees.

Combine melted butter with the Frank’s Red Hot. Toss the cooked chicken in the sauce. Spread bleu cheese dressing onto the rolls. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and the sauce-coated chicken.

Makes 4 Sandwiches

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Thanksgiving in June

Posted on June 29, 2010 by amydeline

If we’re going to celebrate Christmas in July, then we’d better have Thanksgiving in June. But, don’t worry. I have no intention ofspending all day in a hot kitchen on a smoldering summer day. Tonight’s meal will have all of the flavor and satisfaction of a Thanksgiving feast, but we’re going to keep the ingredient list short, the preparation simple, and serve it up open-faced sandwich style.

Let’s talk turkey… Thanksgiving day is the only day of the year when I’ll even think about dealing with a whole turkey.  And even on Thanksgiving, I’ve been cooking the breasts separate from the drumsticks for the past few years. (I’ll explain in November.) For turkey on any other day of the year, I use boneless, skinless turkey breasts or turkey tenderloins. They’re lighter, cook faster, and will work perfectly for our open-faced Thanksgiving sandwiches.

Let’s gab gravy? As far as the gravy goes, I’d normally incorporate the turkey drippings for a flavorful sauce. But, the tenderloins I’m using today are so lean that they’re not going to generate much in terms of drippings.  So, to capture some of the turkey essence in the gravy, I’m searing the turkey, then baking it in the oven in a bit of chicken stock. Then we’ll combine the turkey-infused chicken stock from the pan with a bit more chicken stock and thicken it with a simple flour-butter roux to make a full-flavored pan gravy.

Let’s speak stuffing… (Sorry, I couldn’t help it.) For the stuffing, we’re using a slightly simplified incarnation of my traditional Thanksgiving stuffing. I’ve been cooking some version of this sausage and apple stuffing for the past few years. I love it.  The original idea comes from a recipe I found on the Food Network website (click here for the original recipe), but I’ve cut down on the spices for simplicity and because I think there’s enough flavor in the sausage, apples, and leeks. I can’t get enough of this stuffing. It’s quick, incredibly flavorful, and delicious! The key is to not add too much chicken stock. You want the stuffing to be moist, but not mushy. Add the stock slowly and stop as soon as it just starts to get sticky. You should end up with a stuffing that is moist, but bakes with a firm crust.

For the mashed potatoes, I’m using leftover Roasted Garlic Smashed Red Potatoes from last night’s dinner. I’ll include the recipe below. Regular mashed potatoes, sans roasted garlic, would work wonderfully too!

What Thanksgiving meal is complete without cranberry sauce?? You probably won’t find cranberries in the produce section during this time of year, but most supermarkets will carry them in the frozen foods section.  You can easily makes your own cranberry sauce with a bag of fresh, frozen cranberries, a bunch of sugar, and a little water or orange juice.  But, tonight I’m using canned, jellied cranberry sauce.  I can’t help it.  I love the stuff…especially the smooth end piece that has the mark of the can on it.  As a child, I remember calling dibs on that end slice and panicking that someone would get to it before I could. Ok, so the jellied stuff is completely loaded with high fructose corn syrup. Don’t eat it everyday. But it’s tasty and spreads beautifully, making it perfect for this sandwich!

Keep your grubby paws off of my slice!

All of the sandwich components can be prepared ahead of time, refrigerated and then reheated in the microwave when you’re ready to eat!

Let’s get cooking…

Thanksgiving in June

Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches

Open-Faced Thanksgiving Sandwich

Roast Turkey Tenderloins

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Turkey Tenderloins (approximately 4 tenderloins)*
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 3/4 cup Chicken Stock

*You can substitute 2 boneless, skinless turkey breasts.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat the olive oil over medium heat, in a pan large enough to fit the tenderloins. Lightly season the tenderloins with a bit of salt and pepper and place them in the pan. Cook for a minute or so on each side to sear the meat. Pour chicken stock into the pan. Most of the turkey should not be covered by the stock. Place the pan in the oven* and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the turkey is completely cooked. (An instant-read meat thermometer should read 165 degrees.) Remove the tenderloins. Keep the liquid in the pan for the gravy. When the tenderloins are cool enough to handle, cut into thin slices.

*If you do not have an oven-proof pan, you will need to transfer the seared tenderloins into a baking dish before adding the stock and baking.

Turkey Pan Gravy

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 2 Tbsp Flour
  • Liquid Remaining from the turkey pan (should be about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
  • Salt and Pepper, if desired

Directions

Make a roux by melting 2 Tbsp butter in a small pan. Add the flour. Whisk to combine. Continue whisking over medium heat for a few minutes to cook off the raw-flour taste. You should have a pale off-white pasty mixture. Set the roux aside. (See my guide for making a roux, here.)

Add 1/2 cup chicken stock to the liquid in the turkey pan. (You should have about a cup of liquid altogether.) Bring to a simmer. Add about half of the roux and whisk vigorously until smooth. Continue simmering for a few minutes over medium heat until the gravy begins to thicken. For a thicker gravy, add more roux and simmer for a few more minutes. If the gravy becomes too thick, add a bit more stock. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if desired.

Roasted Garlic Smashed Red Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pound bag of Baby Red Potatoes
  • 4 Tbsp Butter
  • 1 head Roasted Garlic*
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup Milk
  • Salt and Pepper

*To see my guide for roasting garlic, click here.

Directions

Cut the potatoes in half or quarters, depending on size. Place in a pot and fill with cool water, just enough to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes or until a fork inserts easily. Drain. Return potatoes to the pot. Add butter and roasted garlic. Smash the potatoes, butter, and garlic to your desired smoothness. Mix in the milk. Start by adding 1/4 cup. Add more if desired, for creamier potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

Sausage, Apple, and Leek Stuffing

Ingredients

  • 3/4 pound Bulk Breakfast Sausage
  • 1 Tbsp Butter
  • 2 Apples, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup Leeks, finely sliced (about 1 large leeks)*
  • 4 cups herb-seasoned bread cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
  • Salt and Pepper, if desired

*To see my photo guide on leeks, click here.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a pan, cook the sausage until fully cooked, about 8-10 minutes. As it cooks, use a spoon to break up the sausage into small pieces. Remove the cooked sausage and place it in a large bowl. In the same pan (no need to clean it out) melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the apples and leeks. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add them to the bowl with the sausage. Add bread cubes. Stir to combine. Slowly add the chicken stock, stirring between additions to give the bread a chance to absorb the stock. Continue adding stock until the stuffing is moistened but not mushy. Most of the bread cubes should still appear as cubes. (1 1/2 cups of stock should be about right, but add a little less or a little more, as needed to get the right consistency.) Place the stuffing in a baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes, until heated through and the top feels firm.

To compose the sandwich:

You’ll need 4 large slices of bread. You can use any type of bread, but something thick and doughy, like rye or sourdough will work best. I used a big slice of Pain de Campagne. Spread a thin layer of cranberry sauce on each slice of bread.  Top with a scoop of mashed potatoes and a scoop of stuffing. Cover with slices of turkey. Pour a bit of gravy over the turkey. Serve hot, with creamed spinach or your favorite Thanksgiving vegetable.

Serves 4

Happy Thanksgiving in June! I’m thankful for all of you!

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Getting the Shot and Pantry Chicken

Posted on June 16, 2010 by amydeline

The timer on the oven buzzes. I move my 20 month old off my lap, stand up, trip over a firetruck and head to the stove. I open the door and pull out the baking dish. Insert meat thermometer. 165 degrees. Perfect. Move the chicken to the cutting board. Begin cutting the kids’ chicken. Crash. Splash. Scream. The 20 month old just exploded his sippy cup of milk.  It’s all over the floor. He’s screaming. Leave chicken on the counter. Get paper towels. Push the dog away from the milk and begin cleaning the floor as it continues to drip from the chair. Get more paper towels. Push the dog out of the way again. Continue cleaning up the milk. Clean up dog slobber. Console the screaming 20 month old. My three year old urgently needs a different hoodie. Right. Now. Refill the sippy cup of milk. Finish cutting the boys’ chicken. Seat the boys for dinner. Begin cutting my piece of chicken. The three year old just finished his milk and threw his empty cup on the floor. He burps. The 20 month old is yelling Look, Mommy, Look! He’s forked his chicken and a large clump of couscous.  He’s very proud. So am I. Finish cutting my piece of chicken. The phone is ringing. I don’t pick up. Place a scoop of couscous on my plate. Plate the chicken. Bring it to the table. Oops. Forgot the balsamic. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Pick up my camera. Take the picture. Fifteen minutes after I took the chicken out of the oven. My food is cold. So much for getting the shot while the food is fresh.

Anyways…

Tonight’s dinner is a pantry meal.  Well, technically most of the ingredients came out of the fridge, but they were all there.  I didn’t need to purchase a single item. The idea struck me earlier in the week when I saw a picture of a chicken breast, stuffed with something that I had assumed were dates.  It turned out to be olive tapenade; not dates at all. But, the idea of chicken stuffed with dates stuck with me. Then, I remembered that I had dried figs in the fridge, leftover from the salad I made a couple weeks ago.  And I had goat cheese from this week’s strawberry salad and prosciutto from the vodka sauce and walnuts from the chicken salad.  Ooooh!  This was getting good. I’ve almost always got chicken in the freezer. Stuff all those yummy things in the chicken. Pop it in the oven. Voila! Dinner!

You can adapt this recipe with whatever you’ve got on hand. Sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olive tapenade, dates, roasted red peppers, any type of cheese, ham, and bacon would all make delicious stuffings! The possibilities are infinite. Odds are you’ve got something in your fridge or pantry that would work wonderfully

Stuffed Chicken Breast – Pantry Meal Style

Ingredients

  • Chicken Breasts
  • Balsamic Glaze*
  • Salt and Pepper

For the stuffing:

  • Prosciutto, chopped
  • Goat Cheese, crumbled
  • Dried Figs, chopped
  • Walnuts, chopped

* You can purchase balsamic glaze or make your own.  Simply pour some balsamic vinegar into a small pot and simmer until it has reduced by at least half.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a ziploc bag or between two pieces of wax paper or plastic wrap. Pound the chicken with a mallet (or heavy pan) until flattened to about 1/4 inch thick.  Place a mound of the stuffing on the chicken, closer to one side.  Starting with the end that has the stuffing, roll the chicken. Tuck in the ends and secure with toothpicks, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

Place on a baking dish and cook until completely cooked through, about 25-35 minutes.  A instant-read meat thermometer, inserted into the middle of the chicken, should read 165 degrees.

Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve with rice or couscous.

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Chicken Salad Sandwich – Waldorf Style

Posted on June 11, 2010 by amydeline

I’ve got something quick, easy, and incredibly satisfying for you today. A chicken salad twist on a classic Waldorf Salad…tender chicken, chunks of crisp celery, juicy grapes, sweet bits of apple, and crunchy walnuts blended together with a little mayo and a touch of mustard. It’s like a party in your mouth!

Waldorf Chicken Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of chicken tenderloins (or chicken breasts)
  • 1 cup Red Seedless Grapes, halved or quartered
  • 1/2 cup Celery, sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Dried Apple, chopped
  • 1/3 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1/8 cup Mustard
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

Place chicken tenderloins on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook in a 375 degrees oven for about 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. (You can also use chicken breasts for this recipe, but they will probably need to cook longer, depending on size.) Allow chicken to cool. Then, cut or pull the chicken into small pieces.  Combine chicken with the mayo and mustard. Stir to combine. Add walnuts, grapes, apples, and celery. Mix until well combine.  Taste and then add salt and pepper to season.

**Adjust quantities of any ingredient, as desired.

**You can use fresh apples instead of dried apples. Just toss chopped apples in a bit of lemon juice to prevent browning.

Serve on your favorite bread or roll.

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A Runner’s Victory Feast

Posted on May 16, 2010 by amydeline

Yesterday morning, my sister and I ran our first 5k ever! We ran for a cause that is close to our hearts, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.  You see, 30 years and some months ago, when my mother was pregnant with my youngest sister, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  As a mother, I can not imagine the choices she was faced with. With two young daughters at home and a baby growing inside her, she was faced with risking her life to preserve the health of my unborn sister or choosing her own health, at a cost of my sister’s life. Against her doctor’s advice, she chose my sister’s life above her own. She is my hero. Her doctors treated the cancer as best as they could, with the baby’s life in mind. But, the cancer spread too rapidly.  My sister was born two months premature. Seven months later, my mother passed away. Today, my sister thrives, a testament to a mother’s love for a baby she hadn’t even met.

My family had other encounters with breast cancer after my mother’s passing. It touches so, so many lives. And so, yesterday morning, my sister and I tied on our running sneaks and hit the pavement. We ran in honor of those we’ve lost and in celebration of those who have survived. We ran for our aunts, and cousins, and sister, and friends. We ran for our lives.  We ran for the lives of our future daughters and granddaughters. We ran for everyone whose life has been touched by breast cancer.

A few months ago, it was a challenge for me to run half a mile. But, yesterday, fueled by the power of our cause, we were victorious. We certainly didn’t set any records for our lightening fast speed, but we ran that course with everything we had.

Today I offer you two of the recipes from yesterday’s victory feast.  Serve with a glass of your celebratory beverage of choice. Cheers to heroes and life!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

My dad is a pizza traditionalist. In his opinion, the only things which belong on pizza are tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and the standard list of meat and veggie toppings. Sorry, Dad…I have to heartily disagree with you on this one. I actually went through a phase where I turned all my favorite meals into pizzas; think Steak Bordelaise, Shrimp Scampi, and Chicken Marsala in pizza form. I’ll save those recipes for another day though.  Today, we get our pizza and wings in the same bite! This recipe calls for hot sauce and bleu cheese dressing.  I strongly recommend Frank’s RedHot and Marie’s Super Bleu Cheese Dressing (It has 25% more bleu cheese, so you know it’s good!).  This is a very hearty pizza, so be sure to use a thick pizza crust!

Ingredients

  • 1-2 Chicken Breasts
  • 1/2 cup Celery, thinly sliced
  • 1 12″ Prepared Pizza Dough, thick crust
  • 3/4 cup Hot Sauce (Frank’s Red Hot)
  • 2/3 cup Bleu Cheese Dressing (Marie’s Super Bleu Cheese Dressing)
  • 1/4 cup Crumbled Bleu Cheese
  • 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 25-30 minutes. Once chicken is cool, cut or pull the chicken into small pieces. Toss chicken and celery in 1/2 cup of the Frank’s Redhot Sauce. In another bowl, combine bleu cheese dressing with 1/4 cup Frank’s Redhot Sauce (add more to make it extra spicy).  Spread sauce onto pizza dough. Top with chicken and celery mixture, discarding any excess hot sauce. Sprinkle with bleu cheese crumbles. Top with shredded mozzarella.  Bake in a 375 degrees oven for approximately 15 minutes until the pizza is hot and melty.  Allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting.

Steak Sandwiches with Sauteed Wild Mushrooms and Gruyere

Sauteed Wild Mushrooms

Typically, I make my steak sandwiches with caramelized onions and gorgonzola, but since we’ve already covered the pizza with bleu cheese, I decided to make a different steak sandwich variation, using sauteed wild mushrooms and gruyere. For this recipe, I use skirt steak, which is easily my favorite steak for sandwiches and quesadillas. Generally, skirt steak is known for being one of the toughest cuts of steak.  Color me crazy, but it always strikes me as being tender.  The key is to cook it quickly at high heat and slice it thinly against the grain. Prepared properly, skirt steak makes a great sandwich steak, because it comes apart easily when you bite into it, eliminating that awful steak sandwich situation.  You know…the situation when you bite into your sandwich, but can’t get through the steak and then a big slice of steak comes falling out and slaps you on the chin. (Does that happen to everyone or is it just me??)  Anyway, skirt steak is the way to go, but if you can’t find skirt steak, then flank steak makes a good substitution.

Ingredients

  • 1 Loaf of French Bread (preferably a batard, which is wider than a baguette)
  • 1 Skirt Steak (about 1/2 pound)
  • 2 cups Wild Mushrooms, sliced (cremini, shitake, oyster…)
  • 1 Tbsp Butter
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup Shredded Gruyere cheese
  • 1 Tbsp Butter (optional, for sandwich)
  • 1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place skirt steak on a baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.  Thinly slice the steak against the grain. **If preparing the sandwich immediately, turn heat down to 375 degrees after cooking the steak.

For the mushrooms, melt 1 Tbsp of butter in a sautee pan. Add mushrooms and cook over medium heat for few minutes.  The mushrooms will begin to release their liquids. Continue cooking and stirring until most of the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms turn a golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another minute or two. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice batard in half lengthwise. Spread 1 Tbsp of butter onto the bottom piece.  Top with sliced steak and sauteed mushrooms. Cover with shredded cheeses.  Replace top half of bread.  Tightly wrap the sandwich in foil and bake for about 20 minutes, until heated through and cheeses are melted. Cut into 2-4 pieces.

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Posted in Beef, Cheese, Food, General Rambling and Such, Main Course, Pizza, Poultry, Recipes, Sandwiches and tagged , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
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