Thai Peanut Sauce Chicken

So sometimes you just get a flavor that you crave and you can't stop craving it until you have some. That is what happened to me with this guy:

Thai Peanut Noodles

Ingredients

1 lb. whole wheat linguine or soba

1 recipe thai peanut sauce

½ oz. sesame seeds (optional)

½ bunch green onions, sliced

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box (boil for 10 minutes or until al dente). Meanwhile, slice the green onions.

Drain the pasta in a colander and then toss with Thai Peanut Sauce, sesame seeds and green onions while still warm. Eat and enjoy!

Thai Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

¾ cup natural style peanut butter

¼ cup coconut milk (optional)

juice from ½ a lime

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled, grated (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced $0.06

1 tsp sriracha sauce (rooster hot sauce)

1 Tbsp soy sauce

½ tsp sesame oil (optional)

1 Tbsp brown sugar

¼ bunch cilantro

¼ – ½ cup water

Instructions

Make sure your natural style peanut butter is thoroughly mixed before measuring (you don’t want to get all oil or all solids). In a blender or food processor combine all of the ingredients except the sriracha sauce. Begin with only ¼ cup of water and add more until you get the consistency you want (I used ½ cup total). Add the sriracha sauce a little at a time (blending between) until it is to your desired heat (I used about ½ tsp).

Enjoy the peanut sauce on salads, pasta or as a dipping sauce!

Black sesame seeds are so yummy.

This dish was super delish and incredibly easy as well. You should try to make this. I threw in some shredded chicken as it was already cooked and ready to be eaten, but it was not needed at all. One word of warning though, do eat it quickly. The next leftovers aren't better than the fresh as the sauce looses it spark.

Until next time...cook it up.

Oven Roasted Autumnal Medley

For my California peeps, you might not know this, but it is Fall for most of the country right now. Beautiful colors in the trees, a nip in the air, and, the best part, autumn produce. So what way to enjoy the season than will a perfect compilation of said produce.

Oven Roasted Autumn Medley

Ingredients
1 medium red onion
1½ lbs (2 small or one large) sweet potato
2 medium apples
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried rosemary
½ tsp salt
freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a mill)
2 links (2/3 lb.) turkey sausage
handful fresh parsley (optional/garnish)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the apples and onion into one-inch chunks. Peel the sweet potato and cut it into one-inch chunks as well.
Place the chopped apples, onions, and sweet potatoes in a large 9x13 inch casserole dish. Add the olive oil, basil, sage, rosemary, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper. Toss until everything is well coated in oil and herbs.
Nestle the sausage down into the casserole dish. Transfer the casserole dish to the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Stir once and flip the sausage at the 25 minute mark.
After removing the dish from the oven, slice the sausage into thin medallions and add it back to the dish. Sprinkle with chopped, fresh parsley if desired.

 

This is lovely and is even better as leftovers. A rather simple one pot meal with all the Autumn love you can fit into it.

Until next time, cook it up.

Creamy Tomato & Spinach Pasta

I hit up a really lovely Pasta thanks to Budget Bytes....again. She loves her Carbs and knows how to use them well.


This is called Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta and, boy, is it divine.

Creamy Tomato & Spinach Pasta

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil $0.16 ($.10)
1 small onion $0.25 ($.29)
2 cloves garlic $0.16 ($.05)
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes $0.59 ($.79)
½ tsp dried oregano $0.03
½ tsp dried basil $0.03
pinch red pepper flakes (optional) $0.02
freshly cracked pepper to taste $0.05
½ tsp salt $0.03
2 Tbsp tomato paste $0.11 ($.10)
2 oz. cream cheese $0.48 (Free from work left overs)
¼ cup grated Parmesan $0.42
½ lb. penne pasta $0.89 ($1.00)
1 pound fresh spinach $1.50 ($1.75)
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender (7-10) minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander.
While waiting for the pasta to cook, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Cook both in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium-low heat until softened and transparent (about 5 minutes).
Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and a ½ cup of water to the skillet and stir until the tomato paste is dissolved into the sauce.
Turn the heat down to low. Cut the cream cheese into a few pieces and then add them to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Use a whisk to stir the sauce until the cream cheese has fully melted in and the sauce is creamy. Add half of the Parmesan to the skillet and whisk until it is melted in. Add the remainder of the parmesan and whisk until melted in again.
Add the fresh spinach and gently stir it into the sauce until it has wilted (3-5 minutes). Add the pasta and stir until it is well coated in the creamy tomato sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.


Total for my version of the dish: $4.66 and by my math there are 10 “Ram size” servings in the dish so that makes a serving $.47.
Pigeon had 2 servings and I had 1 so we ate a very yummy meal for only $1.41 and we have enough for 3-6 upcoming meals (depends on who eats it)!

Gotta love the Parm!

Until next time....Cook It Up!

Polish Potatoes, Slaw, and Smoked Sausage

We had 8 people at table the other evening in honor of one great lady we know as. She past away 3 years ago on Oct 21, 2012 at the age of 96. In honor of her, I decided that since I was hosting family dinner this week, that it should a bit of a Polish flare. I decided, also, that it needed to primarily be a make ahead meal, so that I could play hostess to the best of my ability.






For the cost of $17.20, I fed 8 adults and still have about 2 helpings left. So that would be $1.72/serving.






Sausage = $7.50 for 3 packages


Head of Cabbage = $2.42
Onion = $.58
Apple = $1.60 for 2
Apple Cider Vinegar = $.05
Chicken Stock = Homemade $1.00
Potatoes = $.88
Garlic Cloves = $.20 for 5
Bacon = Quarter pound $1
Half and Half = $.30
Monterey Jack = $1.67

I put the thinly sliced the Cabbage, 1 Onion, and 2 Apples and put them with 3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 cup of Chicken Stock into the Crockpot for 8 hours on low. It was an excellent side dish.

The day before the dinner event, potatoes I lightly boiled, till just tender, and then chopped roughly. I put in a casserole dish and added 5 minced garlic cloves and crumbled bacon on top of the taters. I pours about 1/2-2/3 of a cup of half and half over that and then topped with cheese. The moment I got home, I put them in the oven at 350 until the cheese was lightly golden.

The turkey sausage was fully cooked already, I just sliced and grilled on the George Foreman we got from Cousin Marion as a wedding gift. Easy peasy.

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew thanks to Giada De Laurentiis (who did NOT create Toasted Ravs)

So the first day of Fall has come and gone. I was busy moving into my new home so I failed to get this post up until now. I LOVE Autumn! I love the weather, the colors, but, most of all, the FOOD. Seasonal produce like numerous types of Squashes, Apples, Cranberries, Persimmons, and Pumpkin mixed with late summer crops just make me so happy and my taste buds are a light! Hearty foods like Stews, Soups, Casseroles, and Pies make for a less than awesome waistline for me, but a super happy tummy.

Thus, for the first day of Fall, I made a Stew that I knew Pigeon (Husband) would love and that I would enjoy making and smelling all through the house.

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

Ingredients

3 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (didn't have, didn't add)

2 pounds stew beef, cut into 2-inch cubes (the store was out of stew beef so I used Bottom Round)

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup Marsala wine (I used port)

1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

3 to 4 cups beef broth

2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley (didn't have, didn't add)

Crusty bread, for serving

In a large soup pot heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and saute until the onions are tender, about 2 minutes. Toss the beef cubes in salt and pepper and flour. Turn up the heat to med-high and add the beef to the pot. Cook until the beef is browned and golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the Marsala wine. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the butternut squash and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine. Add enough beef broth to just cover the beef and squash. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Season the stew with additional salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread alongside.

hmmm...beef and butternut squash...

Instagramed a bit of yum.

Seriously, this was amazeballs. I am thinking that this is the new favorite dish for the first day of Fall. I am all for that. The sundried tomatoes added a spectacular sweetness that complimented the butternut squash marvelously, without taking over. I think 3 cloves of garlic instead of 2, but I love me some garlic. I will probably try this bad boy again in the future, but in the Crockpot. I will let you know how that goes.




Until next time...Cook it up!

BBQ Chicken and Bacon Pizza

So this past weekend, we had an impromptu Pizza Party at friend Alex's House! We all had a great ole time, making pizzas, and eating said pizzas. I Decided to make a BBQ Chicken and Bacon Pizza.

Tossing the dough!

Alex got us little packets of dough and basic toppings from the local grocers and we brought any "specialty" toppings. I decided that I wanted to use the Chipotle Maple BBQ sauce I had from Sugarfire and the bit of chicken left over from earlier last week. That morning, I had a BLT with too much bacon (I know, there is no such thing) so I brought the left over bacon as well. Sliced some onion, put on sauce, add chicken and bacon and topped with mozzarella cheese.


Right out of the oven!

It came out of the oven looking delightful!




The sauce was too saucey and made for some less than attractive pizza-ing.

Unfortunately, the liquid consistency BBQ sauce made for a sloshy pizza. While it was in fact delicious, it was not the prettiest of pizzas. I will need to find a better choice for BBQ sauce, but this pizza has a very good lesson in dough tossing and topping.




Until next time...Cook it up!

Cheesy Chicken Quinoa

I got to go out to Lunch the other day with my friend to First Watch. They had the most amazing thing on their menu that I immediately decided that I would try to make it.

Cheesy Cherry Chicken Quinoa

Ingredients

2 cups Quinoa, rinsed 

2 Chicken breasts

2 Zucchini, diced

1 Red Onion, peeled and diced

4 oz of Mushroom, diced

1/4 cup of Almonds, crushed

1/4 cup Dried Cherries, halved

Salt and pepper to taste

4 oz Goat Cheese, crumbled

Method:

Cook up the Quinoa (reserve about 1/4 cup of starchy water) and Chicken and then shred Chicken.

While Quinoa and Chicken are cooking, dice and peel the veggies necessary.

Lightly toast crushed almonds in a pan, then remove the almonds from the pan.

Lightly soften the Zucchini, Onion, and Mushrooms in the pan you toasted the almonds.

When everything is done cooking, mix together al the ingredients, blend the cheese in well with the other ingredients. If needed, add a little bit of the starchy water to help the cheese blend nicely and the cherries to lightly rehydrate.

Not the best picture to demonstrate how yummy it is...

This turned out very nicely and was a hit with the whole family, even Papa G as he doesn't care for Goat Cheese.
Until next time...Cook it up!

Chicken Taquitos

So MiL had a bunch of Egg Roll wrappers left over for a dish she made last week, so of course, I challenged myself to use them up.
One of the dishes I did was chicken taquitos.


Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients:
1/4 cup corn
1/4 cup black beans
1/4 of Mexi Cheese
3 tablespoons onion, diced
1 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Left over egg roll wrappers
Olive oil
Method
Mix all the ingredients except the egg roll wrappers and olive oil.
Stuff egg roll wrappers with filling and fold in your preferred method.
Then brush with olive oil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 350.
Enjoy!


The stuffing of perfection

All rolled up like little yummy diapers....that came out wrong.

I served them with Mexi rice (aka Rice with cayenne, tomatoes, and cheese).

These were a fine little way to enjoy the left over wrappers, but I am really excited about my next idea: Avocado Egg Rolls!


Until next time...Cook it up!

A first: I Roasted A Whole Chicken!

I know this is ridiculous....I have NEVER roasted a whole chicken. I have done whole fish, whole turkeys, whole loins, but never a whole chicken. Until now...!




I used this recipe from the Pioneer Woman:

Here’s what you’ll need:

* 3-4lb Whole Chicken
* Something to stuff inside the chicken (Apple, Onion, Garlic is what I used)
* Canola Oil
* Salt and Pepper
* Fresh Herbs (Rosemary, Sage, and Thyme is what I use)

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees while you pick the herbs from their stems.

Then you’ll need to give all those herbs a chop.

Toss those herbs into a bowl and add in your salt and pepper.

For EACH chicken you’ll be roasting, you’ll need:

* 1-2 Tablespoons of chopped herbs
* 1 Tablespoon of salt (kosher is best)
* 1 Teaspoon of pepper

Add to that 2-3 tablespoons of Canola oil…And give it all a stir.

Before we apply our herb mixture to the outside of the chicken, we’ll need to fill the cavity of the bird with our aromatics. Stuff those aromatics into the nether regions of your chicken… No need to truss the chicken, unless you really want to.

It’s important that your whole chicken be patted dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. This will help to insure a nice crust on your chicken once it’s finished. Begin rubbing the chicken down with your canola-herb-salt-pepper mix. No need to get crazy with it. It’s just a chicken. Just be sure to rub it down on all sides…

Slide your herb coated chicken(s) into that 450 degree oven for an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes until they are golden brown and have developed a delicious crust.

Once the chickens have roasted, it’s good to let them rest for 10-15 minutes. This will allow all of the juiciness of the bird to redistribute to the right places. If you tore into it right away…all its goodness would run out and you’d be left with a dry chicken. And that’s a no-no.

So purdty!



Apple Bottom Chicken!

How sexy is this chicken? Plus, how EASY was this chicken? I would leave out 1 Tablespoon of salt and stick with just 1 going on the chicken as it felt a little to salty to me. Other wise, roast this bad boy up and serve with pasta masala.


Until the next meal...Cook it up!

Beets Citrus, Tomatoes, Oh My!

You have probably gathered that it is hot here in St Louis...like ick.

So here is another dish for those of us who find when it is over 95 degrees, you don't want to eat something hot.

Today's salad is made up of very basic (and chilled) ingredients:
Pickled Beets (pickled with Apple Cider Vinegar, Sugar, Salt and Cinnamon)
Mandarin Oranges (I got a can of them)
Tomatoes (Sliced and Deseeded)
and
Goat Cheese
with Balsamic Reduction

No, it isn't filling in the long run, but it saves you from bubble gut as I call it. When you get so warm after you have eaten, you feel like your stomach just keeps expanding every which way. OH, it's just me that gets that? Well, I like this dish for summer.

Until the next unbearable day....Cook it up!

Mango BBQ Chicken Quesadillas!

So the mangos at Aldis looked super yummy, thus I bought them!

I made Mango BBQ Chicken Quesadillas and they were excellent! 

A tortilla, some BBQ chicken, cheddar cheese, avocado, and diced mango. 

Put it all together...

Heat to cheesy perfection! Made on Papa G's Wolfgang Puck Panini maker.

A perfect dish for a hot summer day.

Until the next meal...Cook it up!

Easy Grillin' Chicken

Husband and I decided that now that we had a grill avaible to us, it was obviously time to do some grilling. We did a basic menu of Italian dressing marinated chicken with pineapple and onion, a grilled Romaine salad, and grilled corn.

Skewers of yum

Close up of Chicken and stuffs

Lightly grilled with a Vinaigrette dressing

Pre Grillin

I was very happy with how the chicken turned out. The magic of the Italian dressing Marinade is that it is SUPER easy and incredibly yummy. It keeps your chicken from drying out and gives it an umph without being BBQ sauce. Thanks to Kendall, Logan, and Kris for teaching me that one.


Until next time...Cook it up!

A quick Weekday evening meal:Chicken Chile Casserole

Howdy y'all! 

Slightly back logged thanks to my work hours and not having my crockpot to supsodze those hours! 

Here is actual a new to us recipe my MiL tried out on us from the Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook!

Chicken Chile Casserole

Ingredients

8 skinless chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 8 oz package or shredded mozzarella
1 4 oz can of sliced mushrooms
1 10.5 oz can of cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 4.5 can chopped green chilies
6 cups cooked rice
Method:
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper;
Place on a lightly greased 11X7 baking dish.

Combine the cheese and next 3 ingredients; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with chilies. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes. Serve over rice.

My last bite over rice! It was so good, I forgot to take a picture.

I would add onions to this, but BROTHER doesn't like them so MiL doesn't add them either.

This dish was a super easy throw together plus it was really yummy! While I really need to take some time to leasrn to make and "uncanned" version of cream of chicken, this dish makes sense to use the precanned version for ease and convince. It literally takes about 7 minutes to put everything together in the backing dish and then you just gotta back this.

Make this for your busy weekday evenings y'all!

Until the next meal...Cook It UP!

Healthy Fettuccinie Alfredo

I made this before we moved as I had a grip of pasta left. It turned out to be a a lovely choice.
I also added Parmesan as we had a good chunk of that left in the fridge.

HEALTHY FETTUCCINE ALFREDO
Ingredients
1 lb. uncooked fettuccine noodles
3 small heads cauliflower
6 cups vegetable broth
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup heavy cream
1 cup starchy boiling water from pasta pot
Instructions
Chop the cauliflower. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil over medium high heat and add cauliflower. Cook until cauliflower is soft, about 15 minutes. In my experience, the longer you cook it, the smoother the sauce will be. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 4-5 minutes or until soft and fragrant.
As the garlic and cauliflower are cooking, bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the fettuccine according to directions on package, reserving some of the starchy water to add to the sauce later.
Transfer cauliflower to a blender with about 2 cups of the broth. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your blender. Add the sauteed garlic, salt, nutmeg, and black pepper and puree until very smooth, about 5 minutes. Once the mixture is moving, stream the olive oil into the blender. Add more broth or water if the mixture is too thick to move through the blender. You want it to turn through the blender easily. When puree is very smooth, transfer back to the butter/garlic skillet.
Add the cream and cook over low heat. Add the starchy pasta water (or regular water if you're not making pasta) and keep warm until ready to serve. Combine noodles and sauce in a large pot or skillet and serve immediately.
Notes
The sauce will "dry out" a little bit as it cools on the pasta. Adding a little water to the leftovers will help make it creamy again. Serving size is ⅛ of the noodles with about 1 cup of sauce.

Stock Photo Fun!

Of course, I failed to get a photo of this. Or maybe I did and I lost it between the the move and now. I loved this dish and I will for sure make something like this again. The Parm was a nice addition and I actually added some Kielbasa as we had some of that left over as well.

A good alternative to cream sauce.


Until next time...Cook it up!

Easy Peasy Cassoulet (sorta)

Not a tradition French Cassoulet, but rather similar to the Creole version, I decided to make this dish for two reasons. Italian Spicy Sausage was on super sale and I had a can of Great Northern Beans and Tomatos at home. AKA this meal that fed me 4 different Lunches at work and 3 dinners in the evening before we moved cost all of $5.

BOOM!

You see, sometimes going to the grocery store without a set idea of what to make really works out. Don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE believer and mapping out recipes and meal plans. It saves my sanity (and wallet) more often than not. In this case though, it worked out that I was checking out the "clearance" meat section. Educate yourself on the signs of food aging to know you aren't getting something that has already gone bad and proceed with your best judgement. I find I "win" at this situation about twice a month or so.

We are getting settled in here in St Louis okay now that we have moved. I am not sure how often I will be cooking now that I am sharing a kitchen, but I will attempt to keep posting regularly as this time of transition gets shaken down.

Cat's Easy Cassoulet (sorta)
Ingredients
1 package of spicy Italian sausage (5 links)
1/2 an onion
1 can of petite diced tomato
1 can of great northern beans
Directions
Brown sausage and drain off grease.
Add onion and allow to soften.
Add tomatoes and beans and allow to heat through.
Serve as is or with a side salad, if desired.

Vitamin C, fiber, protein, and fat.

This turned out to be a fine litttle meal for Husband and myself. I could eat it as it is low carb and Husband liked it as well. It all worked out perfectly for a meal to get rid of stuff in the pantry and to nibble on through out the move process.

Julia Child's Coq Au Vin

I received the most wonderful of goodbye gift from my dear friend, Janet! A Le Creuset 5.5 qt Dutch oven! I immediately started trying to figure out what to cook in it as it "inaugural" meal. Thought I love me some Burgandy Beef, I decided that with the hot weather and the impending move, to go with Coq Au Vin.

COQ AU VIN RECIPE from Julia Child's Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup lardons (or very thick-cut bacon), cut into 1/4- by 1 1/2-inch strips (optional)

2 or more tablespoons olive oil

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into parts (or all of one kind of part), thoroughly dried

1/4 cup Cognac

 Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

20 small white onions, peeled

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups red wine, preferably Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône, or Pinot Noir

About 2 cups brown homemade chicken stock, or beef stock

1 or 2 garlic cloves, mashed or minced

About 1 tablespoon tomato paste (I accidentally added the whole can. I misread the recipe.)

3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, trimmed, washed, and quartered

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the Coq Au Vin on your stovetop, if you’re using lardons or bacon, sauté them in 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer the pork to a side dish, leaving the drippings in the pan. (Otherwise, coat the casserole with 1/8 inch of olive oil.)

2. Heat the drippings or oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, before careful not to crowd the pan. (You may need to work in batches). Cook the chicken, turning frequently, until nicely browned on all sides. Carefully pour the Cognac or Armagnac into the pan, let it become bubbling hot, and then, if desired–and if you’re brave–ignite the sauce with a match. Let it flame for a minute, tilting the pan by its handle and swirling the sauce to burn off alcohol. To extinguish the flames, simply cover the pan with its lid.

3. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf and thyme to the pan and place the onions around the chicken. Cover and simmer gently, turning the chicken once, for about 10 minutes.

4. Uncover the pan, sprinkle the flour over everything, and turn the chicken and onions so the flour is absorbed by the sauce. Cover and cook, turning once or twice, for 3 to 4 minutes more.

5. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir and swirl in the wine and enough stock or bouillon to almost cover the chicken. Add the lardons or bacon, garlic, tomato paste, and mushrooms to the pan, cover, and gently simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Test the chicken for doneness (there should be no trace of pink and the juices should run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife) and remove those pieces that are ready. Continue to cook the rest of the chicken a few minutes longer. If the onions are not quite tender, continue cooking them in the sauce, then return the chicken to the pan, add the mushrooms, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes. The sauce should be just thick enough to lightly coat the chicken and vegetables. If it is too thin, boil it down rapidly to concentrate; if it is too thick, thin it with spoonfuls of stock or bouillon. Taste the sauce carefully, and correct the seasoning accordingly. Serve immediately or let cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight. To reheat, skim any fat that has congealed on the surface of the stew and place the pan of coq au vin over medium-low heat.

Not exactly what I expected, but it was yummy.

I ended up cooking the chicken and then just pulling all the meat off the bones for this as I didn't know how to debone a whole chicken. I suppose that should go on my 32 ere 32 list.

The flavors were very nice and the chicken was very moist. I don't feel like it turned out perfectly, but it was a solid meal. I ended up serving the dish over pasta for those who are a-ok with the carbohydrates and Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles) for those of us who aren't. The dish was very satisfying.

Until the next traditional meal...

The most epic of dinners: Salt Baked Salmon

Master Chef Junior is the reason I attempted this dish. Kris and I LOVED the little boy Logan who won last season and decided that if an 11 year old could do it, we at least had to try.

Salt-crusted baked whole fish recipe

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

(2)1-1 1/2 pounds of salmon Filet  (like gilt-head bream, sea bass, red snapper or similar) with scales and skin

3 lbs pounds rock salt

6 egg whites

4-6 twigs fresh rosemary

Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling before serving

Directions:

Whip egg whites into soft peaks and fold in 2.75 lbs of salt.

Using an ample-sized baking dish, line the bottom with parchment paper. (We used Tin Foil)

Put 1/2 of the remaining salt on the pan.

Lay down one filet, skin down to salt.

Spread the rosemary on the meat of the filet

Top with second Salmon Filet salmon and skin side up

Dust the salmon with the rest of salt.

Cover the fish with salt egg white mixture.

Bake in a preheated oven of 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until the eyes of the fish look cooked through. Note: If the fish is bigger, add more cooking time.

Take away the salt crust completely.

Take away the skin and bones before serving. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Best when served while still hot. 

so purty...

delicious baked yumminess

This was the most majestic of meals that I have ever attempted. I am so happy that Kris and I got to try this out together. A wonderful way to celebrate our relationship as cooks together. I can't wait to try this with a whole fish and not just the filets.

Quick Lunch Kielbasa and Quinoa Bowl

With the preparations of moving, my whole family being in town, and the basic business of our lives together, Husband and I have mastered what we consider a quick no stress meal without resorting to "heat up" meals.

This was a quick meal I came up with last week that I wanted to share with y'all.

Quick Lunch Kielbasa and Quinoa Bowl
Ingredients
2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
1/2 an onion, white or yellow
1/2 of a bell pepper, green or orange
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons of Dry Ground Mustard
1/4 lb of Kielbasa, fully cooked, sliced
1 cup of Quinoa, red and cooked (I used some left over)
Method
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add Onion and Bell Pepper, salt and pepper to taste.
Allow to soften, about 5-8 minutes.
Add Dry Mustard, stirring well to combine it with the sweat of the onion and bell pepper as the residual olive oil.
Add sausage and quinoa and cook till heated through.
Spoon into a bowl and chow down.

This turned out very good. Simple and yum. I highly suggest it as an option.

Cravings (Solution): Jalapeno Popper Chicken

Sometimes you just want bar food. One of the things I tend to crave is the cream cheese yumminess of Jalapeno Poppers. Yet we all know that the deep fried golden delicousness is NOT ok for our guts.
Thus this recipe hit my view and my taste buds:

Jalapeno Popper Chicken
Ingredients

6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast

salt and pepper to taste

For the Jalapeno Popper Layer

5 slices of bacon, diced

1/4 cup jalapeno slices, diced (the kind in the jar that you put on nachos)

1/4 cup diced onion

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Kraft grated Parmesan

For the Topping

1 bag of crushed Pork Skins (I didn't use this)

1/2 cup Kraft grated Parmesan Cheese

4 TBSP butter, melted  (I didn't use this)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place chicken breast in a 13x9 casserole dish and bake until juices run clear.  30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the breast.   While chicken is baking, fry bacon pieces until crispy.  Remove bacon and add onions and saute until tender.  Remove from heat and add crispy bacon, onions, jalapenos, cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar and Parmesan cheese.  Mix until well combined.  Remove chicken from oven and reduce to 350 degrees.  Spread jalapeno popper mixture all over each Chicken breast until well covered.   

For the topping, mix together the crushed pork skins, Parmesan cheese and melted butter.  Sprinkle on top of jalapeno popper topped chicken.  Bake until the tops are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. ENJOY!!!

Paired with a salad!

yumminess!

Oh man oh man oh man! This was SO good! I used low fat cheeses and greek yogurt instead of mayo and then totally left out the butter and pork rinds. Husband flat out said after his first bite: This recipe is a keeper! So we got a good one that is "okish" for South Beach and great on my taste buds. 

Cravings (Solution): Kung Pao Chicken (with Zoodles!)

I don't know how y'all feel about Kung Pao, but for the most part, I love it.
Unfortunately, I can't have rice or tons of sugary sauce when I am trying to be awesome, so here is my cravings solution for Kung Pao Chicken!

Kung Pao Chicken Zoodles For Two

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini, about 8 oz each, ends trimmed

1 teaspoon grapeseed or canola oil

6 oz skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh ground ginger

2 tbsp crushed dry roasted peanuts

2 tbsp thinly sliced scallions along diagonal

For the sauce:
1 1/2 tbsp reduced soy sauce (tamari for gluten free)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp hoisin sauce

2 1/2 tbsp water

1/2 tbsp Sambal Oelek Red Chili Paste (or more to taste)

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

Directions:
Using a spiralizer fitted with a shredder blade (this makes a thicker noodle), or a mandolin fitted with a julienne blade, cut the zucchini into long spaghetti-like strips. If using a spiralizer, use kitchen scissors to cut the strands into pieces that are about 8 inches long so they’re easier to eat.
In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, balsamic, hoisin, water, red chili paste, sugar and cornstarch; set aside.
Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat oil in a large, deep nonstick pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.

Reduce heat to medium, add sesame oil, garlic and ginger to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about  30 seconds. Add the bell pepper, stir in soy sauce mixture and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until thickened and bubbling, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in zucchini noodles and cook, mixing for about two minutes until just tender and mixed with the sauce. If it seems dry, don't worry the zucchini will release moisture which helps create a sauce. Once cooked, mix in chicken and divide between 2 bowls (about 2 cups each) and top with peanuts and scallions.

I added onion and Garbanzo beans and it was extra yummy. Make this some time when you are avoid carbs. It will give you your Schezwan Flavor Fix!