Chicken with Mushrooms in Marsala Wine Sauce

True story. I once tried to make Chicken Marsala with Two Buck Chuck. I know. Right? Well I wont spend too much time here spewing excuses for why this ill-fated experiment seemed like a good idea. There's really no good, or even average excuse. Just take it from me - folks, don't try this at home.



Well, now that I'm all grown up and can shell out the big bucks for marsala wine (really, it's not that expensive...) I figured I'd revist what was once a black sheep dish in our household and do things right. Growing up, I loved going to Rich and Charlie's and ordering the Chicken Marsala. Something about seeing "wine" listed in the description made me feel daring and older. No one bothered to tell me at such a young age that the wine cooks off. Now that I know the truth, I still love it.  Just not made with Two Buck Chuck, I suppose. :)

This version has oodles of mushrooms (porcini, shiitake, and button)- probably more than I ever could have handled as a child. Serve this chicken up with some egg noodles and you have yourself quite a gourmet meal!

Chicken Marsala
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
Kosher salt & pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/4 cup flour
1 Tablespoon Emeril's Essence (go here for recipe if you don't have it)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups sliced white mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 small basil leaves

1. Place Porcini and Shiitake mushrooms in a small bowl.   Cover with boiling water.  Let stand for 20 minutes or until tender.  Drain and rinse.

2. Lightly season the chicken breasts with salt & pepper to taste. In a shallow plate or bowl, combine Essence seasoning and flour. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour and shake off excess.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil to pan. Add chicken and saute until brown on each side, but not fully cooked through. Remove from pan and cover with foil.

4. Add more olive oil to pan and saute onion, red pepper and garlic, until onion is lightly browned. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, mushrooms and oregano. Saute until mushrooms darken and have given off moisture. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the marsala wine and allow to reduce. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 3 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken.

5. Add chicken to the pan and continue to cook until heated through. Prior to serving add 1 tablespoon butter and stir to combine. Garnish with small basil leaves.

Rainy California Style Italian Wedding Soup

Despite the famous song,"It Never Rains in Southern California" it's honest to God actually raining in Southern California. Having spent about 95% of my life in the finicky weather of the Midwest, I never thought I'd get caught up in the hysteria of a pending storm. I mean, its just rain, right?! Well, I suppose not really as the flooding roads are clearly ill equipped to handle rain and so are the drivers!


After driving through rivers that were once roads and barely escaping panicked drivers, I returned home to the realization that I had never anticipated the difficulty of taking care of a dog when it rains. If you live in Seattle or some other rainy clime, please do enlighten me! A simple walk around the block turned into a muddy adventure and a smelly wet dog, followed by some fun wrestling as I tried in vain to clean up said odorous dog.


Well after getting myself slimed by my once cute, but now stinky mutt, I settled in for some nice warm and cozy leftover soup last night. I spotted this recipe on Allrecipes.com and doctored it up with some garlic, veggies and spices and used ground turkey instead of beef. This is even tastier the next day as the flavors have a chance to meld. While I loved the combo of orzo, meatballs and veggies, I may experiment with adding some lemon juice for a little extra flavor in the broth.

Hope you had a good weekend and stay warm out there!

California Italian Wedding Soup

1/2 pound lean ground turkey (or beef)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 large carrots, sliced
1 large celery stalk, diced
6 cups chicken broth
1 lemon, zested
1/2 cup orzo, uncooked
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 cups finely sliced spinach
grated Parmesan cheese for topping

1.In a large bowl, mix together the meat, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, basil, parsley, green onions, salt & pepper; shape into 3/4 inch balls.

2.In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add in carrots and garlic. Stir for about 2 minutes and add celery. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.

3. Add in broth and increase heat to high. When boiling, drop in meatballs. Stir lemon zest and orzo. Season with a dash of salt and pepper, and the oregano. Return to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Cook at a slow boil for 10 minutes or until orzo is tender, stirring frequently. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Serve sprinkled with cheese.

Chicken Pastry Bundles with Red Pepper and Cream Cheese

OK. I've done it. Following the good example of many of you do-gooders out there, I've decided to return to tracking my *many* eats. I'm a completely excessive snacker, and somehow have the appetite of a 300lb man who hasn't been fed in days. Thankfully, nature has been kind to me and I'm merely a 300lb man stuck in a woman's body, but don't look like it! :) Eating 3 granola bars a day isn't the worst thing you could do to your body but probably not the best, either. I tend to eat and forget exactly how much I consume when I'm hungry, stressed, and at work.

In any case, from here on out I'll be writing down what I eat. Hopefully I'll now eat 9 pieces of candy as opposed to 10. :)



Prior to my food journal days, I ate copious amounts of this tasty dish, courtesy of hubby's Man Food Mondays. For those of you new to the game, hubby has graciously offered to cook us dinner on Mondays and I must say he's gone from not cooking to a total chef. I may have competition here, folks! It's been awhile since my last MFM post but that's out of my own sheer laziness, not his. Oh, and it's not Monday, but work with me here.


We're not sure where this recipe came from, though it's one of the first meals that my boyfriend-now-husband cooked for me. Diced chicken is mixed with a cream cheese and dill mixture along with sauteed red pepper and onion. The delightful result is wrapped with crescent dough, then dunked in a bath of breading before baking to a golden crisp. Sound like a lot of calories? Well, it may be, but it's worth it! Try using reduced fat crescent dough and/or cream cheese if you're worried. I've given it a fancy name, but really we just call them Chicken Pockets!


Chicken Pastry Bundles with Red Pepper and Cream Cheese aka "Chicken Pockets" in our house

2 tablespoons of diced onion
1/2 cup diced red pepper
2 cups cooked chopped chicken
3 oz of cream cheese softened at room temp
1/4 - 1/2 tsp dill (to taste)
2 tablespoons of milk
3 tablespoons of melted butter
Italian bread crumbs
2 tubes of crescent roll dough

Directions:

1. In a pat of butter, saute diced red pepper and onion in a pat of butter. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.

2. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, cream cheese, dill, onion, red pepper, and milk.

3. Roll out crescent rolls. Take two sections and press edges together to form a rectangle. Place 1/3 cup filling onto dough; wrap mixture with dough & seal the corners with warm water.

3. Dunk pocket into melted butter and then in Italian breadcrumbs.

4. Place on sprayed cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Man Food Mondays: Shrimp, Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Have you seen those silly NutriSystem commercials touting "MAN Food?" Says big beefy man (I think Dan Marino): “Hey guys, let’s be honest. A man wants to eat real food – hot dogs, burgers, pizza and lasagna. You know, man food, big taste, hearty portions.”


I'm not sure if this is a prime example of the Marketing group gone crazy, but these commercials truly make me laugh. I somehow cannot locate a clip on YouTube so for those of you in the dark, you just need to watch more bad TV.

Well, in our household we've created our own Man Food Mondays, though it has nothing to do with losing weight, and everything to do with hubby in the kitchen. WoooHoo! You see, since we've been married, hubby has gotten uh, a little lazy in the kitchen while I've taken over the reins of housewife. Oh, but only if I were actually a housewife!

So, to maintain our egalitarian household, every Monday hubby will be cooking up a treat for us and you all get to revel in some good ol' Man Food!


This gumbo is chock full of goodies: sausage, shrimp, chicken, tomatoes, and okra. Okra...does it go in anything besides gumbo? In any case, this did stand up to be quite a hearty meal as we served it over rice and with a side of cornbread. The sauce is thick and tasty, though it didn't have quite the kick I'm used to with gumbo. I'd suggest adding a pinch or two of cayenne if you're looking for that spice. Otherwise, this is a tasty dish perfect for that man of yours who needs to feel like a man when he eats ;)

Man Food Gumbo
Adapted from Paula Deen

1-2 large boneless skinless chicken breast(s)
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 link sweet Italian Sausage, cut into 1/4in pieces
1 link hot Italian Sausage, cut into 1/4in pieces (total of about 1lb sausage)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1 large onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more to taste)
1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish
4 cups beef or chicken broth (we ran out and used 2.5 cups broth, 1.5 cups water)
1 (14-ounce can) stewed tomatoes with juice
2 cups frozen sliced okra
green onions, sliced, white and green parts
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then remove. Sprinkle the flour over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of butter and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let the roux cool.

2. Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, to taste and the 1/4 bunch parsley.

3. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add broth, whisking constantly. Return the chicken and sausage to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer on low for 1 hour.

4. Remove the chicken and allow to cool slightly. Shred with hands or two forks. Return chicken to pot.

5. Just before serving add the green onions, shrimp and chopped parsley. Allow to simmer until shrimp are cooked, about 2 minutes.

Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup

Though I claimed it could never happen, I think I'm finally burnt out on Thanksgiving turkey. We've had turkey in just about every shape and form last week from sandwiches and paninis to turkey enchiladas to this delicious Mexican Turkey Soup. Hmm, I'm still eating the soup for lunch, so I suppose I haven't banished turkey from my diet quite yet!


I sometimes have to ask myself what I'd do without my fellow bloggers. For one, I didn't realize I was paying such exorbitant prices for my TP. Thank you, my friends for alerting me to the fact that I may be the only sucker in the country buying those $15 six roll multipacks. I'm usually a better bargain hunter, I swear.

Secondly, I'd probably be serving us plates of boring leftover turkey night after night if I hadn't seen all of your inventive uses. Take for example, Lori's Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup chock full of corn, green chilies, carrots and cilantro. See how creamy it is? There's no cream in the soup! I give Lori (the Recipe Girl) all the credit - she's a genius!

This soup is nicely spiced, filling and easy to throw together. I can't wait to make the soup again though I may try with chicken and perhaps add some rice.

Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup
Courtesy of The Recipe Girl

1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped (I omitted)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken or turkey stock or broth
1 can diced green chilies, drained
2 cups milk
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
2 cups shredded turkey
¾ cup corn, fresh or frozen
3 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (only used 1/4 cup b/c that's all I had left!)

1. In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes. Add chiles.

2. In a bowl, whisk together milk, flour, salt, chili powder and cumin. Increase heat to high and whisk milk mixture into soup. Stir until thick and bubbly, about five minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add turkey, corn, cilantro and cheese; stir until cheese is melted and soup is hot, 5 to 10 minutes.

Toasted Sesame Chicken Pasta & a Giveaway!!

“We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink, for dining alone is leading the life of a lion or wolf”
-Epicurus (Greek philospher, BC 341-270)

True, true, Epicurus. There's something to be said about sharing a tasty meal with friends and family over good conversation, laughter, and a bottle of nice wine. I suppose there are many occasions where I end up dining alone, but eating with others is a true joy. ...unless your dining mate has bad manners, of course.

In their new cookbook, The Gathering of Friends, Michelle Huxtable and Alyse Christensen provide menus, recipes and table setting ideas meant to help you Gather Your Friends to the table and enjoy a homecooked meal. Each section focuses on an event or party such as a shower, a "Ladies Luncheon," breakfast brunch, or holiday meal. The photos are stunning, the cookbook well laid-out and there's even a section for you to write your own comments / notes!

After drooling over page after page, I decided to make the Toasted Sesame Chicken Pasta from the "Springtime Breakfast" section. Clearly, I have my seasons wrong, but give me a break. I live in California. Though probably intended to be more of a pasta salad, I decided to serve this warm and as our main entree for dinner. Delicious and hearty, we greatly enjoyed the toasted sesame flavor and ease in preparing the dish. I did make a few modifications as the original calls for candied pecans (delicious sounding!) but we had an allergy in the group. Hope you enjoy as much as we did!



Since I enjoyed this cookbook so much, I wanted to share with a copy with you! Please leave a comment with your favorite dish to share with friends. Whether it be ice cream or a big bowl of chili, I'd love to hear your favorites. I've always wanted to use the Random Number Generator so leave your comment by Thursday, October 30th!

Homemade Pitas from the Archives

The other day I was driving behind a garbage truck for about a short distance and was horrified to watch the amount of trash fly out the back. One huge cardboard box here, some dirty wrappers there, and an icky looking mass of garbage-goo ended things before I quickly turned off on a side street to avoid anything hitting my windshield.

I don't often drive behind garbage trucks, but it caused me to wonder how often garbage truck mishaps contribute to our streets' and highways' litter . Though I could face fines of $500 for littering, what happens when one garbage truck emits more litter in 5 minutes than could fit in a grocery bag? Doesn't the driver see all of the debris flying out of his truck? Hasn't garbage technology improved to address fly-away trash issues? If any of you happen to have knowledge of the industry, I'd love to know.

Well, enough about trash. I'm sure that doesn't make any of you hungry. What should make you hungry is the thought of fluffy, homemade pitas.

I spotted these awhile ago on Brown Eyed Baker and nearly forgot about how much I wanted them until Elle decided to give them a go. After seeing Elle's fluffy pillows of goodness I couldn't resist. Well, I forgot I even made these & took photos until I started going through my old files. Oh, often forgotten pitas, I have not forsaken you! You're delicious! ...though time consuming!

These guys require quite a lot of rise time, but other than that they're easy to make. You'll be hard pressed to find store bought pitas that are as fluffy and fresh as these so try 'em out.

We ate the pitas the first night with Chicken Shawarma and Tahini Sauce from Cooking Light.

The next day, I used the leftover chicken and added peas, chopped up red bell pepper, onions and sauteed mushrooms to make stuffed pita sandwiches. Topped with Trader Joe's absolutely amazing Cucumber Tzatziki sauce, I was in leftover heaven.

Homemade Pitas from Brown Eyed Baker served with Chicken Shawarma with Tahini Sauce
adapted from Cooking Light
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder
2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 16 (3-inch) strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup red or yellow bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
Sauce:
1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini paste
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced

1. To prepare chicken marinade, combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl (lemon juice through garlic cloves). Add chicken to bowl; toss well to coat. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.
3. To prepare sauce, combine yogurt and next 4 ingredients (through 1 garlic clove), stirring with a whisk.
4. Over medium high heat, heat oil until glistening. Add chicken and saute until browned, about 5-6 minutes. Add peppers and cook 2 minutes. Add peas and mushrooms and cook until all vegetables are cooked through.
5. Either cut a pocket in homemade pitas or place mixture on top of pita for a wrap. Serve with tahini sauce or Trader Joe's Cucumber Tzatziki sauce.

A Salad for One of Those Days

Though we're finally settled back in, it feels as if I can't actually settle in. I've been playing a nasty game of catch-up in all aspects of my life including blogging. Getting around to all my favorite foodie blogs has also been a bullet point on the to-do list , so I apologize if I haven't been around lately.

This salad is a perfect solution to my currently crazy life. Though it boasts a long list of ingredients, everything comes together quickly and the taste is unparalleled. In an attempt to boost our veggie intake, I've added lightly sauteed red peppers, romaine (for some nutritional value), and shelled edamame. To make the salad a little heartier, I threw in some soba noodles I found in the pantry. The noodles definitely make the salad, so I'd recommend throwing some in as well. Oh, and to give hubby a job and to take advantage of the beautiful weather, we decided to grill the chicken. The picture above is from our leftovers, so the ratio of ingredients has been cherry-picked a bit. Somebody in our house loves noodles very much so those are mostly gone :)

By the way, Martha is having a blog contest. Be sure to check it out!

Chinese Chicken Soba Salad
adapted from Ellie Krieger
4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or tenders
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon water
1/2 head napa cabbage, thinly shredded (about 6 cups)
1 cup of romaine lettuce, thinly choppped
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
1 (11-ounce) can Mandarin oranges, 1/4 cup juice reserved
1/2 cup cooked soba noodles
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup juice from Mandarin oranges
1 1/2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce or chili sauce
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Preheat grill.

Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, ginger and garlic and brush onto chicken breasts. Grill chicken until fully cooked through and no longer pink. Allow to cool. Shred chicken and set aside.

In a medium skillet over high heat, heat 1 tsp olive oil. Saute carrots, red pepper and edamame. Stir continuously and add oyster sauce. Add water and continue to cook for approximately 2 minutes or until vegetables have softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, combine Napa cabbage, chopped romaine, sauteed vegetables, water chestnuts, Mandarin oranges, soba noodles,cilantro and shredded chicken. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, brown sugar 1/4 cup Mandarin orange juice and chili sauce. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top.

Back from Vacation with Coconut Curry Soup

Do you remember me? The girl who likes to cook and eat a lot of desserts?

Hubby & I just returned from our glorious road trip around the nation's Southwest. I haven't posted in a week, but it seems like ages now! I have been catching up on all of my emails and comments, so thanks for stopping by while I was gone. There were a few requests for the Coconut Curry dish I made last week, so I posted the recipe & photos following the cheesy vacation pics.

We started off our trek with a long drive out to the Grand Canyon for some hiking & camping. The views are simply breathtaking and it's quite peaceful if you can drown out all the tourists.

The picture below is the view from the top. See the green area to the left of me? The one with the line going right through it? Oh, little did I know I'd be standing there the next day after hours of hiking. My smile wasn't so big, then :)

After checking out the sights, we settled into our campground for the night to fuel up and rest for our big hike the next day. Saigon Noodles with Sweet Chili Sauce: the meal of champions. No recipe here, folks. This is camping's finest freeze dried food.

The view from below isn't too shabby either, though the outdoor thermometer read 111 degrees. Not sure how we made it out of there alive.

The next day we headed to Zion National Park in Utah. I have seen a lot of amazing things in life, but few places are as beautiful and breathaking as Zion. We hiked both the Angel's Landing and Observation Point trails, providing stunning views of the sandstone cliffs and a little bit of an adrenaline rush.

After all this healthy living, we headed to Vegas to reward ourselves with hotel rooms and showers. Oh, and some Vegas fun, of course. The vacation pictures end here! :) Throughout the duration of the trip, we had minimal cell phone service and no access to emails or a Blackberry. I think it's the longest I've gone "unplugged" and I highly recommend it for a stress-free getaway.

Now, on to the good stuff. If you're still with me, this Coconut Curry Shrimp & Chicken Soup is simply divine. Hubby proclaimed it one of the best things I've made and I had to agree. Best of all, it's pretty simple to make and you can vary it by adding a starch to soak up the broth such as glass vermicelli noodles. Next time, we're going to try coconut rice! I couldn't get a decent photo because we were too hungry to wait and of course, no leftovers. I found this in O, The Oprah Magazine Cookbook.

Thai Coconut Curry Chicken & Shrimp Soup

(adapted from Oprah's Cookbook)

4 cups chicken stock
5 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into chunks
½ tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp. Thai green curry paste
2 tsp whole coriander seeds (I used ½ tsp ground coriander)
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp whole black peppercorns
¾ c loosely packed cilantro leaves and stems, plus additional ½ cup for garnish, chopped
2 rounds vermicelli glass noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
½ cup chopped green onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 large chicken breast, cut into ¼ inch strips
½ lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tbsp. fish sauce (nam pla)
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 tsp brown sugar
¼ tsp chili and garlic sauce

1. In a large pot over high heat, combine chicken stock, garlic, ginger, curry paste, coriander, cumin, peppercorns, and cilantro. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Strain broth through a fine sieve over a bowl and discard solids. Return broth to pot and add coconut milk, ¼ cup of green onions, mushrooms, and chicken.
3. Return to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Add shrimp and allow to simmer until no longer pink.
4. In a small bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and chili sauce. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add to soup. Garnish with remaining cilantro & green onion. Serve with glass noodles & allow guests to add noodles to soup as desired.

Turkey Feta Pizzas & More DC Happenings

More on this guy later...

Every couple should be forced to spend at least one summer in a studio with no TV. Hubby and I have been more active than we ever could have imagined. Gone are the lazy Saturdays of San Diego, spent lounging in bed all morning, then rolling out of bed to lay a little bit longer on the beach. We've been out and about and DC's great (free) museums have something to do with that. First off, can anyone tell me what's the name of this tree? They're everywhere and absolutely gorgeous.

This Saturday, we visited the US Botanic Gardens to mourn my lovely garden that has surely died of neglect in my absence. We were a little weary of the Botanic Gardens as D.C.'s heat makes for a little bit of a bloodbath and the last thing we needed was to be subjected to any junglesque greenhouse temperatures. I was delighted to see that one of the first exhibits was not only air conditioned, but featured "The Aroma of Food and Drink," showcasing exotic and native spices and plants that go into many of the foods we enjoy. Best of all (well, second to the air conditioning), you could get up close and take a whiff of the spices. Of course, vanilla smelled so good and the thought of French Vanilla Ice Cream was more than I could handle at the time.





Could this place get any better? The orchid exhibit was next, displaying my all time favorite flowers and the main flower of our wedding. See those beauts up top in the banner? That's our wedding cake!


After too much fun for one day, we hiked to the Metro & came home to pass out after all this excitement.

Once I awoke from my nap, I got working on our dinner. A wife's work is never done, huh? :)This treat was inspired by none other than Elle from Elle's New England Kitchen. There are a lot of great blogs out there, so I'd be hard pressed to choose a favorite, but if some crazy man demanded that I choose one or else, I'd say Elle's is definitely up there.

From the moment I saw Elle's post about Turkish Pizzas, I knew that the recipe would hijack all the others on my burgeoning 'to-make' recipe list, and take top spot. Boy, am I glad that these pizzas made it to the top. This was easily one of my favorite recipes to date and I can't wait to have these again.

I followed Elle's recipe for the dough, though I added a 1/2 tsp of garlic powder to the flour. Garlic makes everything better, don't ya think? The crust came out perfectly soft on the inside with a slight crisp on the outside. Fluffy bread like this is the stuff of dreams for carb-a-holics like us.

For the filling, I went ahead and used ground turkey since I purchased a package on sale, and cooked it directly with the spices and other ingredients instead of cooking them seperately. I also added diced red pepper, cilantro, cinnamon, red pepper flakes and a dash of lemon juice to the mixture because I'm crazy like that. Elle mentions in her post that the original recipe suggests feta as an optional add-on, but I would say do not skip the feta as it definitely makes the filling!

This smelled so good while cooking that we couldn't wait to take pictures. The pics were snapped in a little bit of a starvation-half tired from a nap-too much activity for one day-frenzy so pardon if they're a teensy bit of out of focus. I served the pizzas with a side of coucous and we were in heaven...once I put the camera away.

Turkey Feta Pizzas
Adapted from Elle's New England Kitchen & Oriental Basics

Elle's dough recipe (I added 1/2 tsp garlic powder)

Filling:
1/2 large sweet onion, finely diced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped & seeded tomato
2 tsp tomato paste
2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and pepper
4-5 oz crumbled feta
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
half of a lemon

1. Heat oven to 450°.
2. Heat a large wok over medium high heat. Heat the oil and saute the onions until they begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add red pepper and garlic and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until red pepper begins to soften. Add diced tomatoes and saute 1-2 minutes. Push the veggies to the side of the wok.
3. Add a bit of oil to the skillet if needed, then saute the meat until barely pink. Mix veggies into turkey and add tomato paste and spices. Mix until incorporated. Remove from heat and add feta. Taste and adjust seasonings.
4. Divide dough into 8 portions and roll out to thin circles. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment, and place 4 dough circles on each one. Spread some of the topping on the first 4, then put the baking sheet in the oven. Have 1/2 cup of cold water ready, and toss it in the bottom of the oven quickly, then shut the door.Bake for 8-10 minutes. Repeat with last 4 pieces of dough. Remove from pan to a cooling rack. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro & lemon juice.

Muffin Lady Update & Chicken Salad Sammies

Another day, another muffin. I promise this is the last muffin post for awhile, and for those sick of 'em (you crazy fool, you), I have another quick treat down below.

Thanks to everyone for sending me recipes. You've successfully fed into my muffin making obsession and I will be making them shortly once I recover from this muffin binge. I'm sure it won't take long. I recover quickly, thank God.

I made yet another batch of Raisin Bran muffins and think I like 'em better. These banana filled babies received an A+ on the day-after dryness test. I'm not sure if its the added fat from the butter or the moisture from the mashed bananas, but these do not remind me of the dry bran muffins I'm used to!



Here's the recipe I modified from the Kellogg's website for any of you gettin' rid of your cereal. Kristal, I know. It's blasphemy :) Because I have no mixer in the studio, I first melted the butter as opposed to creaming it with a mixer. Even if I did have my beloved KitchenAid, I think I like this low maintenance method -- one less thing to wash!

Ok, on to life beyond muffins!

I made this chicken salad sammy for hubby's lunch today. He seemed to find it strange that I stopped to take photos as he was waiting to leave for work, but I've gotta show off my creations, right? I never use a hard and fast recipe when making chicken salad, so if you'd like some better guidance try visiting Picky Palate or The Pioneer Woman who are much better teachers than me on this short attention span Friday.

My version starts with a poached chicken breast. It's up to you whether you prefer to dice or shred your chicken. Personally, I like my chicken shredded as diced chicken sometimes reminds me of the bad pasta or chicken salads that use pre-fab processed chicken chunks. Yuck.

The dressing consists of nothing fancier than a little Hellman's mayo, lemon juice, spicy brown mustard, Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper, diced red peppers, and green grapes (cut in half). I season as I go so its hard to give exact measurements. I often cook as my mom taught me - just wing it!

Top your chicken salad with some cucumbers & spinach and you're on your way to a healthy lunch! Have a great weekend.

Moroccan Spiced Chicken with Saffron Coucous

I'd like to put a disclaimer out there that this dish is probably not authentically Moroccan in any way. Because of poor planning and evening commitments, I had to bastardize this guy to fit my needs. Though the original calls for apricots, I had none and used raisins. The chickpeas I thought were in my pantry were somehow missing so I left those out. I added cannellini beans to the leftovers, and would highly suggest these as an alternative. Lastly, the original calls for a whole chicken. I imagine bone-in chicken would be delicious, but since I was cooking for one, I used boneless skinless chicken. I like leftovers, but not sure about a whole chicken. Lots of changes made on the fly, huh? Thankfully, this turned out delicious and full of flavor. Cinnamon and the sweet raisins offset the spiciness from the red pepper while simmering the chicken in the spices results in juicy and tender meat.

Since the couscous calls for raisins, the raisins in the chicken dish may be overkill for some. I love them, so didn't mind the extras. If you decide to make this, maybe you should plan ahead unlike me!

Moroccan Spiced Chicken
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

1 1/4 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tsp fresh lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice , from 1 to 2 lemons
5 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 5 teaspoons)
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (I used about 1.5 lbs of boneless skinless chicken)
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion , halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 3 cups)
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon honey
1 medium carrot , peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick coins
1 cup dried apricots , halved (I used about 1/2 cup raisins)
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. Combine spices in small bowl and set aside.

2. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in large heavy--bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Brown chicken pieces in single layer until seared, but not cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate;if using whole chicken, peel off skin and discard.

3. Add onion and lemon zest to the pot, stirring occasionally, until onions have browned at edges but still retain shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add 1 tablespoon water if pan gets too dark). Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spices and cook, stirring constantly, until darkened and very fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in broth and honey, scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits.

4. Add carrots, apricots or raisins, and chicken (with any accumulated juices) to pot, arranging breast pieces in single layer on top of carrots. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Transfer chicken to plate or bowl and tent with foil. Add chickpeas to pot; increase heat to medium-high and simmer until liquid has thickened slightly and carrots are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Return chicken to pot and add cilantro and lemon juice; stir to combine and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with couscous.

Saffron Couscous with Toasted Almonds
From Cook's Illustrated
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups plain couscous
3/4 cup sliced almonds
pinch of saffron threads, crumbled with fingers
1 small onion , chopped fine
3/4 cup raisins
Table salt
1 3/4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
Ground black pepper

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the foaming subsides, add the couscous and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until some grains are beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Scrape the grains from the skillet into a large bowl and return the pan to medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until they are lightly toasted and aromatic, about 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape them into a small bowl.

2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Once it melts, add the saffron, onion, raisins, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and is beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and water, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.

3. Add the boiling liquid to the bowl with the toasted couscous, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and allow to sit until the couscous is tender, about 12 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap, fluff the grains with a fork, and gently stir in the almonds and lemon juice. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Last of the Limes: Chicken Fajita Marinade

And Then There Were None! (always one of my favorite Agatha Christie books...) After going on a lime blitz, I nearly reached the end of my lime stockpile and successfully made Cilantro Lime Hummus, Coconut Cilantro Rice, and Fish Tacos.With some leftover tortillas from the fish tacos and just one lime left I decided to make one of my favorite Mexican dishes: Chicken Fajitas.

It's Monday, so I'm at a loss for words, but I can tell you these were so good. So yummy in fact that we ate so much we polished off all the tortillas so I can only show you the picture of the chicken/veggie combo. I'd imagine if you'd like to make this vegetarian, you could omit the meat. Similarly, shrimp or beef would work well.

Ok, off to go let my brain rest. Too much fun in one weekend. I promise I'll have more interesting anecdotes later in the week!

Chicken Fajita Marinade
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more depending on heat level desired)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/2 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into long strips
1/2 onion, chopped

2 tsp olive oil for sauteing

1. In a large Ziploc bag, mix together all ingredients (from lime juice to chicken).
2. Place chicken in the marinade, and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add red peppers and onions. Saute for approximately 3 minutes or until vegetables start to become tender (I cooked the onions for longer to create a caramelized effect). Add chicken strips and saute until browned, approximately 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and serve with desired accompaniments (i.e. cilantro, salsa, avocado, lettuce, sour cream, etc.)

White Bean Chicken Chili for the Spring

First off, thanks to everyone for all the nice messages about the race. My legs are finally starting to feel normal again! Now, on to the good stuff...

Though spring is here, the sun is out and the birds are chirping away, the SD nights are still cool enough that I have been craving a warm, tasty bowl of comforting chili. White Bean Chicken Chili is a wonderful transition soup: lighter than traditional chili, but still hearty and full of goodies. This recipe from the Dine and Dish blog starts with onions, garlic and chicken sauteed in a little olive oil. Adding water while the chicken is still cooking creates a flavorful broth. Half of the beans are then pureed with chicken broth, and added to thicken the soup along with more beans, extra sweet corn, and spices. I used fire-roasted green chilies (mild) to add depth, but not too much heat. Finally, I of course forgot that I had run out of chili powder so I quickly searched the web and found this recipe for homemade chili powder. (What did I used to do without google?!) . I let this baby simmer on low for a little longer than called for in the recipe to let the flavors meld. When finished (or when we were too hungry to wait any longer), I garnished the soup with fresh cilantro and served with a side of my favorite Trader Joe's Mediterranean bread. I'm glad it turned out well since we have enough chili to last us through the next two seasons :)

Kitchen notes: Be sure to use a big soup pot or Dutch oven. The soup filled my large Calphalon pot to the brim! Use a handheld immersion blender to pureé the beans and broth, if desired. I don't have one so I used my food processor and it got a tad messy. This soup is definitely better the next day as it has a chance to thicken up and the flavors have a chance to come out.

White Bean Chicken Chili

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces (I used about 1lb of chicken tenders)

3 cups water (I used 2.5 cups)

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

4 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or great Northern beans, rinsed, drained, and divided

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth

1 (16-ounce) package frozen extra sweet white corn

2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped fire-roasted green chiles

3 tablespoons lime juice

Garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs

Sauté chopped onion in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat 7 minutes; add garlic, and sauté 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in chicken pieces, and cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is lightly browned. Stir in 3 cups water and next 5 ingredients; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 10 minutes or until chicken is done.
Place 2 cans of beans in a blender; add broth, and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.
Stir bean pureé, remaining 2 cans of beans, corn, and chiles into chicken mixture in Dutch oven; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in lime juice just before serving. Garnish, if desired.

Lighter Penne Rustica

It's a tough life being a food lover and blogger. I spend too much time perusing other foodies' blogs and drooling over their creations with an end result of an exploding list of recipes to try. I finally got around to crossing one off: a delicious pasta dish that I first saw on Mr Orph's Kitchen blog. Penne Rustica is full of smoky prosciutto, chicken and shrimp, mixed in with a creamy sauce accented by peas. Though the recipe sounded divine, I knew I needed to lighten it up without compromising on taste. Hubby had just been on a cheeseburger bender (long story) and as his wife, it's my duty to look out for his cholesterol, right? :)

I ended up decreasing the butter & cheese, using fat free half and half instead of cream, and adding some mushrooms in for good measure. The dish resulted in hubby proclaiming his never-ending love for me, and internally thanking all of our wedding guests for buying us such nice kitchen gear (that 6 months later still inspires me to cook). This is probably the most sinful tasting, yet not-really-that-sinful dish I've ever made. We enjoyed this dish with a 2005 Chateau St Jean Chardonnay we brought home from Sonoma & some warm French bread.

Penne Rustica
adapted from Mr Orph's Kitchen
1 pound penne rigate pasta
2 chicken breasts, chopped
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup prosciutto, chopped
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley minced, for garnish
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the sauce:
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp fresh rosemary minced
1/2 cup marsala wine
2 cups fat free half and half (or use heavy cream if you prefer)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees

1. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Set aside.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, saute chicken in olive oil until brown on both sides, about 4 minutes. Add shrimp and mushrooms; cook until shrimp is almost done (just turning pink), about 2-3 minutes. Remove chicken, shrimp, and mushrooms from pan and transfer to plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.

To make the sauce:
3. Using same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits. Add minced garlic and rosemary and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes, or until garlic begins to brown. Add the marsala wine and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until marsala wine is reduced.

4. Add the half and half, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, dijon mustard and spices (salt through cayenne pepper). Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Combine cornstarch and milk in a small bowl or glass. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the sauce and continue whisking until smooth.

6. Bring sauce to a simmer and simmer until sauce thickens. Add chicken, shrimp, prosciutto, and peas and combine. Cover and turn off heat.

7. Assemble the dish by spraying a 13 x 9 baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour in the pasta. Add the sauce and mix well. Top with additional Parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until heated through and the cheese is melted & bubbly. Garnish with parsley.

New to Cooking? How To Boil Water

I won't insult your intelligence, as I assume even the most novice of you cooks have once placed a pot on the stove...well, I hope. Come to think of it, I did have a roommate in college who didn't know how to boil water...

In any case, many gals on the STLWed board have mentioned they'd like to get more involved in cooking. How To Boil Water: Life Beyond Takeout from the Food Network Kitchens serves as an excellent starter cookbook to get you in gear. The book begins with the fundamentals and provides clear yet entertaining background information about kitchen equipment, ingredients, and cooking methods such as chopping and veggie preparation. I usually skip this section of cookbooks, because it's typically boring and written in a language that insinuates you're not intelligent if you didn't already know that celery stalks should be peeled. How To Boil Water takes nothing for granted and provides guidance on how to adapt a recipe to "make it your own" by adding or substituting alternative ingredients and interesting side notes and tips about each recipe. For example, for novice improvisers the book suggests frying up a small patty of meatloaf to ensure the spices are right. Brilliant! Did you know that there's fundamentally no difference between brown & white eggs (beyond the chicken who laid it)? I didn't. Best of all, this cookbook is equipped with beautiful and colorful photos throughout to get you inspired (and give you a clue what your food should look like :)

So, for those of you out there that are kitchen shy, consider this book as a starter and let me know about your recipe successes! Here's one that we enjoy:

Buffalo Chicken Sub Sandwiches
Courtesy of How To Boil Water: Life Beyond Takeout

3 boneless, skin-on chicken breast halves, about 1 1/2 pounds (I usually just stick with skinless, though its not as crispy this way)
2 teaspoons chili powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (you can get away with using less)
1 to 2 ribs celery
1/2 bunch watercress
1 baguette (aka French bread, 15 to 18 inches long)
4 tablespoons hot sauce
2 ounces creamy blue cheese
1/4 cup mayo or sour cream (I use light)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with chili powder & salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add 2 tbsp of butter. Lay the chicken skin side down and cook without moving until the skin is golden and crispy, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook until the chicken is opaque, about 4 additional minutes. Reserve the skillet. Put the chicken in a baking dish or roasting pan and bake until firm to the touch, about 10 minutes. Set chicken aside to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
2. While the chicken bakes, thinly slice the celery. Trim and discard the tough stems from the watercress. Rinse, dry and set aside the leaves.
3. Cut the bread crosswise into 4 equal pieces; cut each piece in half for sub style sandwiches. Add 2 tbsp butter to the reserved skillet. Once butter stops foaming, toast half the bread, cut side down, pressing and moving to soak up butter, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter and brush with half the hot sauce. Repeat with remaining butter, bread and hot sauce.
4. Spread cheese evenly on the bottoms of the bread. Layer the celery over the cheese. Thinly slice the chicken and place on the celery. Top with watercress and finish by smearing the top pieces with mayo. Press the tops on the sandwiches and serve immediately or wrap and serve within 2 hours.

Chicken Greek a Tikka Salad Wraps with Parsley Feta Pesto

Whew...what a name! I saw these on Rachael Ray's show and was instantly intrigued and sold on her fusion between Greek & Indian food. The chicken is marinated in a yogurt and coriander spice marinade and then grilled, while the accompanying salad contains many of the typical Greek salad goodies - feta cheese, kalamata olives (though I omit these because of personal preference) and a light vinaigrette. This has become one of our all-time favorite meals. While Rachael serves this as a salad with pitas on the side, we prefer to spread the thick parsley feta pesto on Mediterranean flat bread, and make wraps. Either way, this is an absolutely fresh and delicious dish! If you're not in the mood for making the pesto, this would be equally as delicious with some hummus or tzatzki sauce.
Since hubby is finally getting over his flu and regaining his appetite, I've been cooking up a storm. More to come!

Chicken Greek-a-Tikka Salad with Parsley-Feta Pesto
Adapted from Rachael Ray

4 flat breads or pitas (I prefer Trader Joe's Mediterranean flat bread)
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (Rachael uses grill seasoning, but I only have Old Bay)
2 tsp minced garlic
2 to 2 1/2 pounds white meat chicken, cubed into bite size pieces
1 heart romaine lettuce, chopped
2 vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 seedless cucumber, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 lemon, juiced
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and pepper

Parsley Feta Pesto:
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
3/4 cup feta crumbles, divided
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Metal skewers or bamboo skewers soaked in water

Preheat a grill pan to high heat. Heat a toaster oven or oven to 250 degrees F.
Wrap breads in foil and place in oven to warm.

Combine yogurt and next 5 ingredients (coriander to garlic). Coat chicken in mixture then thread meat onto skewers. Brush grill pan with oil and grill meat 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through and browned.

Combine chopped lettuce, chopped veggies, olives and hot peppers on a large platter or in a serving bowl. Dress the salad very lightly in lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil and salt and pepper. Top with 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles.

Place all ingredients, including the remaining 1/2 cup of feta for pesto in the food processor except extra-virgin olive oil. Turn processor on and stream in extra-virgin olive oil. If your food processor does not have this option, pulse in 1 tbsp of olive oil at a time.

Remove bread from oven and spread with the pesto. Place grilled meat on salad platter and serve, allowing guests to make their own wraps.

Back to the Basics....Chicken Noodle Soup

When making soup, I typically stick to thick, hearty stews or chili, but poor hubby has been quite sick the past few days. Though we have a ton of fancy leftovers (anyone want crab cakes or Mongolian beef with sticky rice?), he doesn't have much of an appetite so I thought some good 'ol chicken soup would be perfect. To be honest, chicken noodle soup has always brought back memories of the Campbell's version with the scary chicken chunks so I've never been a huge fan. I thought I should give this American favorite-food-for-the-sick a second shot. Everything homemade is better, right?

Many of the recipes I found used a lot of spices or were too complex for what we're looking for. This recipe (courtesy of my neighbor who has to hear hubby cough all day) is simple, but delicious. Sauteed sweet onions, garlic, carrots and celery are accompanied by poached chicken to make a flavorful broth. I used leftover Asian noodles from the e-fu recipe in a previous post, but you can use regular dried egg noodles found in the supermarket.
For any of you out there that are feeling under the weather, this one's for you!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
1 cup egg noodles, cooked per package directions and drained

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

4 (14.5 ounce) cans low sodium chicken broth (or use homemade broth)

1 can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup

1 pound chicken breasts or tenders

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

In a large stockpot over medium high heat, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until onions are translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add carrots and celery and continue to saute until vegetables are crisp tender, about 4 additional minutes. Add the broth, cream of mushroom soup, chicken, bay leaves and spices. Mix well and bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove chicken from soup with a slotted spoon or tongs. Place on a plate and shred with a fork and a knife. Stir chicken and egg noodles into soup. Simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until noodles are heated through. Remove bay leaves, season with salt and pepper to taste & enjoy!

Chicken with Mushroom Marsala Sauce and Roasted Broccoli

When trying to think of Monday night's meal, it dawned on me that for every main dish that piqued my interest, I tried to think of a corresponding carb-centric side dish to serve. Rice, pasta & bread are our main staples and its very seldom we don't get our carb fix for the day. In an attempt to branch out, I roasted broccoli in garlic and olive oil. I had never roasted broccoli before, but I must say this will now be my go-to way of cooking broccoli. Unlike steamed broccoli, which often cools after sitting out, the roasted broccoli stayed warm and was infused with flavor.

As for the main dish, the Chicken Marsala is my attempt to recreate a delicious dish we had at a local Italian restaurant. Because the recipe makes an ample amount of sauce as you can see in the photo, I would consider serving this dish over spaghetti or fettuccine in the future to soak up some of that good stuff!

Chicken with Mushroom Marsala Sauce
(adapted from Emeril Lagasse)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon creole seasoning
8 chicken breast tenders or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in halves and pounded thin
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, divided
12 ounce package of cremini mushrooms
3/4 cup Marsala Wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


DIRECTIONS
In a shallow plate, combine the flour and creole seasoning and stir to combine thoroughly. Quickly dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Add an additional tablespoon of butter to the pan and sauté the mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are golden brown around the edges and have given off their liquid. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock and cook for 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Stir in a tablespoon of butter. Lower the heat to medium and return the chicken breasts to the pan and continue to cook until they are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Garlic Roasted Broccoli
12 oz. bag of precut broccoli spears
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
dash of pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 450° and lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, toss the broccoli with the olive oil, garlic, salt, crushed red pepper, and garlic. Spread the broccoli on a baking sheet and roast in the upper third of the oven for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and browned in spots. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese & serve with lemon wedges.

Turkey Enchilada Pie

I struggle whether I should call this a pie or a casserole, but in any case... in the New Mexico region, enchiladas are often made 'lasagna style' where tortillas are layered and the resulting dish is cut into pieces rather than the rolled up enchiladas many of us are used to seeing. This is a great recipe in which to use leftover meat. I made the enchiladas with the roasted turkey I had cooked for the pretzel sandwiches, though I have used leftover grilled chicken before and it was equally as tasty.
I forgot to take a picture of the dish, so I'll have to take a look in the fridge and see if these are still presentable. Here's the recipe in the meantime:

Turkey Enchilada Casserole - Pie
3 cups shredded or chopped, cooked turkey (i.e leftovers!)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (19 oz.) red enchilada sauce
salt & pepper, to taste
6 flour tortillas (soft taco size)
2 cups shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese (8 oz.)
1 can refried beans (i used fat free)
1 tsp olive oil
Chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a skillet over high heat, saute onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin in olive oil until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup enchilada sauce and chopped turkey. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Cut tortillas in half and arrange enough tortillas to cover bottom of 9x14 inch baking dish, overlapping to fit. Spread a thin layer of refried beans over the tortillas. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the tortillas, then top with half of the turkey mixture. Drizzle enchilada sauce evenly over turkey. Repeat to make another layer of tortillas, beans, cheese, turkey mixture, and sauce; top with another layer of tortillas and cover with remaining sauce, then cheese.

Bake for 18 - 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and casserole is hot in the center. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro.