Chicken Picatta

I haven't done my blogging thing in ages. But those of you that know me or have been following me for a while know that my long hiatus in blogging doesn't mean I'm not cooking. I may not do it nearly as much as I used to, but I do pop in the kitchen from time to time and occasionally I create some gems. This recipe, my friends, is definitely a gem. It's simple weeknight, Italian cooking at its best and I promise, whoever you make this for will be pleased and impressed. And if you're not making this for anyone but yourself, that's even better because you don't have to share. This is probably the only dish I've made all year where I not only ate ALL of the leftovers but was genuinely sad when they were gone. Enjoy folks!

Ingredients:

4 Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts*

1/2 cup flour

Salt & Pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons Butter, divided

3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided

1 Shallot, minced

1 Garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup Dry White Wine

1/2 cup Chicken broth or stock

1 tbsp Parsley, chopped 

Juice of 1/2 a Lemon

2 tbsp Capers

Lemon Slices for Garnish

Side Suggestion: Spaghetti, cooked al dente 

*the traditional way to prepare this dish, is to pound out chicken breasts until 1/2 inch thickness. I find that thinly sliced breasts from the grocery store are ready to go. But if not, you may have to "pound it out."

Directions:

Add flour to a plate and season LIBERALLY with salt and pepper. Coat each chicken breast in flour and let set for 5-10 mins. Meanwhile mince the shallot and garlic, and chop parsley. 

Then, in a skillet, heat 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat and in two batches sear chicken breasts on both sides until golden brown then remove to a plate (a clean one!) and set aside. In the same skillet, reduce heat slightly and add remaining tablespoons of butter and oil. Once heated, add shallots and sauté for 3 minutes followed by the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Next pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up all brown bits from the bottom. Allow wine to reduce for 2 mins, then add the chicken stock and bring to a low boil. Once sauce has thickened slightly, add lemon juice, parsley, capers, stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Last step is to return the chicken to the pan and cook in the sauce for 5 mins or until cooked through. To serve, put a piece of chicken on the plate, add a slice of lemon and cover with sauce. Serve with spaghetti and a sautéed or roasted veggie. I sautéed garden fresh zucchini and cherry tomatoes.

Asian-Style Salmon in a Foil Packet

I get asked the question all the time: How do I cook salmon without over cooking it? If I'm looking at someone who is truly nervous and/or a cooking novice I say two words: FOIL PACKET. Sure there are lots of ways to achieve the perfectly cooked salmon. I've nailed the pan sear and there's roasting but all of this takes practice and some...finesse. So when I'm trying to lead others in the right direction, I like to take them down the road that I know for certain will get them where they're trying to go, not the road less traveled. It's the foil packet that's, in my opinion, the easiest, sure-fire way to cook salmon WELL.

Usually when I make these packs, I do a version in a rosemary, lemon and wine sauce. You can check that recipe out HERE. Even though this is one of my favorite dishes, I do enjoy Asian-Style Salmon as well where I marinate the filets in teriyaki sauce and bake or grill it. I wanted to do this version in a foil pack but I also wanted to include my veggies, making this a super speedy meal. So I came up with some veggies that are quick cooking and that would compliment the Asian flavors: carrots, mushrooms, scallions and snow peas. Though the night that I made this, I lucked up and found an amazing "Wasabiyaki" sauce at Harris Teeter (I discuss this below), but no dang snow peas! I was so disappointed in H.T. but I decided to double up on the carrots instead. Just wanted to explain why the snow peas weren't pictured.

Anyway, this is a great weeknight meal. Prep takes about 20 minutes, it all cooks in 25 and clean up is a breeze because you just toss the foil. Plus this meal is incredibly nutritious. Salmon is packed with protein and following my measurements, you get one and a half servings of vegetables and you can always add more. Plus all of the veggies I listed above are so good for you, not to mention the added health benefits of ginger and garlic. So give this a try. The recipe serves two but can easily be doubled. Enjoy!

Ingredients: (Makes 2 servings)

1 cup Carrot Slices or Matchsticks, divided

1 cup Snow Peas, divided

1 cup Baby Portobello Mushrooms, sliced, divided

3 Scallions, sliced, white and green parts divided

4 Cloves Garlic, grated or minced, divided

4 tablespoons Ginger, grated or minced, divided

6 tablespoons store-bought Teriyaki Sauce*, divided

8oz Salmon Filet, cut into 2-4oz portions

Salt & Pepper to Taste

Additional Tool: Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil

*I used a “Wasabiyaki” Sauce I found at Harris Teeter.  I highly recommend it because the wasabi added an extra kick of heat in this dish.  If you like your food mild, simply use regular teriyaki.  If you like extra heat and cannot find this sauce, simply mix a few drops of Sriracha Hot Sauce with the teriyaki sauce.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Tear off 2 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, approximately 12-by-24-inches each, and lay them on your countertop (If you’re just using regular foil, you may want to double up).

Dividing evenly, place the carrots, snow peas, baby bellos, and the white parts of the scallions in the center of the two pieces of foil.  Lightly season the vegetables with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.  Sprinkle a few pinches of ginger and garlic over the vegetables.

Next, top the veggies with the two pieces of Salmon.  Lightly season the filets with salt and pepper and sprinkle remaining garlic and ginger on top.  Carefully transfer both pieces of foil with the fish and veggies to a large baking pan or cookie sheet.  

Gently fold up the sides of the foil to partially cover the veggies and fish (you don’t want the liquid to run) and pour 3 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce over each piece of fish.  Fold the foil completely over the fish and seal the edges to form your two packets.  

Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Carefully open the packets and transfer fish and vegetables to a plate, being sure to pour any remaining sauce over the fish.  Garnish with the green parts of the scallions.  Serve with brown rice or skip it for a carb free meal.

Mmmmmmmmm......

Shrimp & Pesto Pizza

I read in a Martha Stewart Home Living issue that cast iron skillets are the perfect medium for making pizzas at home. Now even though I am a pizza fanatic, I never really thought about making my own pizzas until I read her article and then discovered that my local grocery store sells pizza dough. So I picked up some dough and decided that homemade pizzas had to happen. I may not have a pizza stone or even a pizza roller but I had a skillet and pre-made dough so I was set!

But then I kind of forgot about the dough and realized it's expiration date was approaching right before a snow storm. I didn't have time to run out and get what I needed to make my favorite kind of pizza (margherita) so I decided to just use what I had on hand. I discovered some store bought pesto right next to a bag of shredded mozzarella. Seemed pretty legit. But what would I top it with? I opened the freezer hoping to find some chicken or sausage but all I had was shrimp. When I thought about shrimp and pesto, it sounded good to me so I got busy. The results?? Well you see the picture! It was so simple and delicious, yet unique. Plus I got lots of assistance from the grocery store so this pizza came together in minutes, making it the perfect weeknight meal! Do try this!

Ingredients: (serves 4)

1lb store bought pizza dough

3 heaping tablespoons store bought pesto

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined (if large, give them a rough chop)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, for brushing and sautéing 

Salt and pepper, to taste

Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

Special Tool: Cast Iron Skillet

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Once oven is hot, place your cast iron skillet in the oven to warm up (this step is optional but will help create a crispy crust) While skillet is heating, sprinkle shrimp with salt and fresh cracked black pepper and, in a small sautéed pan, cook shrimp in a tablespoon of olive oil for just a few minutes on each side (barely cooked through). Remove from heat and set aside. 

Then, on a cutting board, roll out your dough into a circle about the same size as your skillet. You can use a rolling pin if you have one. I didn't so I used my fists to press it out. 

Right when you're ready to assemble your pizza, remove the hot skillet from the oven (using a pot holder of course). Brush the pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil, and place the dough into the pan, pressing it out to the edges of the pan if necessary. 

Then use the back of a spoon to spread the pesto onto the dough leaving about an inch around the edges for the crust. Next, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the pesto, but don't get heavy handed. You want a thin layer of cheese and you even want to see some of the pesto peeking through. Next arrange the cooked shrimp over the cheese in an even layer and sprinkle red pepper flakes over the entire pizza. Brush the crust with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, place the pizza into the oven and bake for 20 mins. 

Remove the pizza from the oven and, using a spatula and tongs, gently move the pizza from the skillet to a cutting board. Immediately cut the pizza into 8 slices using a pizza roller or sharp knife and serve!

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This recipe for Stuffed Chicken Breasts came about one blah weeknight.  I was too tired to really cook and planned to simply grill some boneless skinless chicken breasts, throw them on a salad and call it a night.  But once I discovered the goat cheese and peppers in the fridge, (both of which I probably would have added to my salad anyway) I decided to use them to stuff the chicken.

My dinner came out great and because I felt like it was such a simple and delicious way to transform chicken breasts, which everyone always has on hand, I decided to send the recipe to Ebony.com.  Click HERE to view the recipe or scroll below to see the process.  When I took the pictures, I was actually trying to do a Roulade or roll the breasts around the filling.  But that was kind of a disaster so the next time around, I stuffed the breasts as the directions explain.  Enjoy!

Ingredients: (makes 4 servings)

·       ¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

·       4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

·       ½ Red Bell Pepper, sliced

·       ½ Small Red Onion, sliced

·       2 Cloves Garlic, minced

·       Salt & Pepper, to taste

·       Oregano or Italian Seasoning

·       Paprika, to taste

·       4 ounces Goat Cheese or Feta Cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Make the filling by sautéing the red bell pepper and red onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle veggies with salt and pepper to taste, a few pinches of oregano and stir to combine.  Then, Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.  Remove filling from the heat and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, season both sides of each chicken breast generously with salt, pepper, oregano and paprika.  Then, insert a pairing knife into the thickest part of each chicken breast and slice lengthwise until you have made a 4 inch long and 3 inch deep pocket.  You want to be able to lift and fill the pocket, but not completely split the breast in half.

Now the pepper mixture should be cool enough to handle. Divide it into 4 portions and do the same with the goat cheese or feta.  Then, stuff each chicken breast with a portion of the pepper mix and top with a portion of the cheese.  Try to press the mixture into the pocket leaving nothing hanging too far out.

Side Note: Another cooking method for this recipe, as you see pictured above, is the roulade where you roll the filling inside the chicken breast.  However, if you do this method, I would suggest using toothpicks to hold everything together because all of mine fell apart, except for the breast that's sliced and pictured.  Oops!

Heat the remaining quarter cup of olive oil a skillet (can be the same one you cooked the veggies in) and when the oil is hot, gently add in each breast and sear for 5 minutes or until brown.  Using tongs and a spatula gently flip each breast over and sear for 5 minutes more. Transfer the breasts to the oven to finish cooking (about 12 minutes).  Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve each breast whole or for dramatic presentation, use a sharp knife to make 2 inch slices at an angle.  Then, fan out the slices when plating.  I served my breasts with a lightly dressed salad, keeping the dinner carb-free yet satisfying. 

Seafood Paella

[RECIPE] Seafood Paella

This recipe for Seafood Paella is such a gem that I knew I had to send it to my editor at Ebony.com  She posted it recently and now I'm so excited to be able to share it here.

There are so many ways to make Paella and so many recipes out there, but I am especially proud of this one because I think it's simple enough for the average home cook.  You don't need a special pan or special rice; just a few ingredients that can be found in most grocery stores.  And when all these ingredients come together, you have an amazing dish that is sure to spice up any weeknight.  This Seafood Paella is also good for entertaining because it presents beautifully and appears to be challenging but is actually quick and easy.

So please do me and your taste-buds a favor and hop on over to Ebony.com to get the recipe and give this dish a try!