It was a pretty good week in the kitchen last week. I made a few new things and overall, the boys really liked them. It's funny how their tastes are so different already, but with this recipe and the other one I made (pork chops - see the other post)...I solidified that they, like me, love the sweet and savory thing. Pretty much any meat with something sweet = good.
I really do try to cook with boneless skinless chicken breasts as much as possible, but they can get boring after a while. I was happy, as always, to find another use for them with this recipe, which I followed exactly as it was written. This dish was even pretty enough for company and I rounded it out with some brown rice and steamed vegetables.
Apricot Chicken with Almonds (from Gourmet Magazine January 2005)
Timing - 30 minutes
Ingredients
4 (6 ounce) skinless boneless chicken breasts
5/8 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1 1/2 T soy sauce
1 T whole-grain mustard
1 T unsalted butter
How to Make
Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 13x9 inch baking dish (something that can go under the broiler).
Pat chicken dry and sprinkle all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper total, then arrange at least 1/4 inch apart in the baking dish. Bake 10 minutes.
While chicken bakes, toast almonds in a small baking pan in the oven, stirring twice, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook apricot preserves, soy sauce, mustard, butter and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until preserves are melted. Pour sauce over chicken and continue to bake until chicken is just cooked through, about 10 minutes more.
Turn on broiler and broil chicken 4 to 5 inches from heat, basting once, until chicken is glazed and browned in spots, about 3 minutes. Serve sprinkled with almonds.
Serves 4
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Golden Chicken, Corn & Orzo Soup
OK, I had a puzzling time in the kitchen tonight. I admit it. I made a soup that had all of the components that the kids love, but they weren't totally in love with it. True, there were high points for each of them, but each kid had at least one complaint. In general, soup is a favorite because it is fun to eat, but Lucas complained that the broth was 'too lemony' and Jacob, while he loved the broth, celery and orzo, complained that the chicken was 'wet.'
So why I am I sharing this recipe? I think with a few modifications, I could have made everyone smile; so, I will tell you what I did and suggest changes in parenthesis. Make it your own according to your family's tastes.
Note that I used one helpful strategy to make this a quick recipe. Since the recipe called for cooked chicken, I roasted two bone-in chicken breasts last night while we were doing the night time routine. Simply cook the chicken in a sprayed baking dish for forty minutes at 350 degrees and then let it cool a bit and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Then, when you are ready to make the soup, you can dice it or shred it while the vegetables are cooking for the soup. You could also buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it up as well.
Golden Chicken, Corn & Orzo Soup (adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, November 2005)
Timing - 25 minutes
Ingredients
2 T olive oil
2 large ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 pinch saffron threads
1/2 t dried thyme
2 quarts chicken broth (I always use the boxed kind; you could use less, but then you should cook the pasta separately and add it at the end with the corn and parsley)
2 1/2 cups finely diced or shredded cooked chicken
3/4 cup orzo (larger pasta, like noodles, might work better for little hands/spoons)
1 1/4 cups frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (this wasn't a huge hit for the kids, so maybe leave it out)
3 T fresh lemon juice (again, not a huge hit for Lucas, so maybe try a bit less)
How to Make
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, saffron and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and return to a boil then turn down to a rapid simmer and add the pasta, stirring to prevent sticking. Cook the pasta 8 to 10 minutes (or according to package directions if using something other than orzo).
When the pasta is nearly finished, add the corn and parsley (if using) and cook just until the corn is heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serves 6
So why I am I sharing this recipe? I think with a few modifications, I could have made everyone smile; so, I will tell you what I did and suggest changes in parenthesis. Make it your own according to your family's tastes.
Note that I used one helpful strategy to make this a quick recipe. Since the recipe called for cooked chicken, I roasted two bone-in chicken breasts last night while we were doing the night time routine. Simply cook the chicken in a sprayed baking dish for forty minutes at 350 degrees and then let it cool a bit and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Then, when you are ready to make the soup, you can dice it or shred it while the vegetables are cooking for the soup. You could also buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it up as well.
Golden Chicken, Corn & Orzo Soup (adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, November 2005)
Timing - 25 minutes
Ingredients
2 T olive oil
2 large ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 pinch saffron threads
1/2 t dried thyme
2 quarts chicken broth (I always use the boxed kind; you could use less, but then you should cook the pasta separately and add it at the end with the corn and parsley)
2 1/2 cups finely diced or shredded cooked chicken
3/4 cup orzo (larger pasta, like noodles, might work better for little hands/spoons)
1 1/4 cups frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (this wasn't a huge hit for the kids, so maybe leave it out)
3 T fresh lemon juice (again, not a huge hit for Lucas, so maybe try a bit less)
How to Make
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, saffron and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and return to a boil then turn down to a rapid simmer and add the pasta, stirring to prevent sticking. Cook the pasta 8 to 10 minutes (or according to package directions if using something other than orzo).
When the pasta is nearly finished, add the corn and parsley (if using) and cook just until the corn is heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serves 6
Monday, October 13, 2008
Spice Rubbed Salmon
Salmon is one of my favorite quick cooking dinners and it is loaded with omega 3s and protein. I often shop on Sundays and pick up salmon for Monday. It is best when it's fresh and I can get a quick and easy dinner ready on a Monday when the stress level is almost always a 10.
One of the quickest and tastiest ways to cook salmon if you don't have time to marinade is by making your own spice rub. I like to play around with the combination of spices depending on what I am serving with it and what mood I am in. Tonight, I made the following rub and served the fish with microwave steamed broccoli with cheese and some couscous. Both foodie kids ate all of their fish and most of the broccoli (oh the magic of shredded cheese). With the quick steam method for the broccoli, I had dinner on the table in 15 minutes total.
Timing - 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs salmon fillets (boneless, with or without skin, approximately 3/4 inch thick)
1 T brown sugar
1 t salt
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground coriander
1/2 t garlic powder
1/8 t ground pepper
olive oil
lemon wedges
How to Make
Mix all spices together in a small bowl. Spray and oven-safe pan with cooking spray and preheat on the stove over medium high until hot.
Rub olive oil all over the fish and then sprinkle with the spices and rub the spices in. Cook approximately 4-5 minutes on one side and 3-4 minutes on the other, depending on the thickness of the fish and how done you like it. Do not cook more than 5 minutes per side because the fish will dry out. If you want the middle more well done after the 5 minutes per side, finish the pan in the oven at 350 degrees for a few more minutes.
Squeeze lemon over fish before serving.
Serves 4
One of the quickest and tastiest ways to cook salmon if you don't have time to marinade is by making your own spice rub. I like to play around with the combination of spices depending on what I am serving with it and what mood I am in. Tonight, I made the following rub and served the fish with microwave steamed broccoli with cheese and some couscous. Both foodie kids ate all of their fish and most of the broccoli (oh the magic of shredded cheese). With the quick steam method for the broccoli, I had dinner on the table in 15 minutes total.
Timing - 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs salmon fillets (boneless, with or without skin, approximately 3/4 inch thick)
1 T brown sugar
1 t salt
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground coriander
1/2 t garlic powder
1/8 t ground pepper
olive oil
lemon wedges
How to Make
Mix all spices together in a small bowl. Spray and oven-safe pan with cooking spray and preheat on the stove over medium high until hot.
Rub olive oil all over the fish and then sprinkle with the spices and rub the spices in. Cook approximately 4-5 minutes on one side and 3-4 minutes on the other, depending on the thickness of the fish and how done you like it. Do not cook more than 5 minutes per side because the fish will dry out. If you want the middle more well done after the 5 minutes per side, finish the pan in the oven at 350 degrees for a few more minutes.
Squeeze lemon over fish before serving.
Serves 4
Thursday, October 9, 2008
ABC Meatball Soup
One of my kids' favorite things is meatballs. They especially like when they are 'mini.' Meatballs are a great texture for kids learning to use their own knife to cut and the addition of alphabet pasta makes it even more fun. Lucas likes to find a letter and then think of a word that starts with that letter. Jacob doesn't quite get it yet, but he loves that there are letters and he imitates Lucas (there must be some learning going on, right?)
This recipe is one of my staples. It started out as a Rachel Ray recipe, but I have morphed it a bit over the years to suit the tastes of my kids and to make it more 'fun.' The best thing about it is that I almost always have everything on hand for the recipe except the meat. It's also flexible and you can use just about any type of ground meat you want.
ABC Meatball Soup
Timing - about 35-40 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 T olive oil
3 carrots, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/4 lb lean ground beef (you can also use ground turkey, chicken or a mixture of beef/pork/veal for even more flavor)
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 quarts chicken stock (two boxes)
12 oz dried alphabet pasta (or any small pasta)
1 bunch kale, chopped
How to Make
Heat oil in large pot over medium high heat. Add carrots, celery and onion, season with salt and cook, partly covered until vegetable soften slightly, about 5-8 minutes. When the vegetables are softened, add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, make the meatball mixture by combining meat, breadcrumbs, eggs, cheese, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Shape the meat into small meatballs, approximately the size of a walnut.
When the liquid comes to a boil, drop in the meatballs and then simmer for 10 minutes. Add the pasta and cook for about 6-8 minutes. Make sure to stir a few times so the pasta doesn't stick.
Add the kale and cook, covered, about 5 minutes more. Serve with crusty bread and more Parmesan cheese.
Serves 8 (ish)
This recipe is one of my staples. It started out as a Rachel Ray recipe, but I have morphed it a bit over the years to suit the tastes of my kids and to make it more 'fun.' The best thing about it is that I almost always have everything on hand for the recipe except the meat. It's also flexible and you can use just about any type of ground meat you want.
ABC Meatball Soup
Timing - about 35-40 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 T olive oil
3 carrots, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/4 lb lean ground beef (you can also use ground turkey, chicken or a mixture of beef/pork/veal for even more flavor)
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 quarts chicken stock (two boxes)
12 oz dried alphabet pasta (or any small pasta)
1 bunch kale, chopped
How to Make
Heat oil in large pot over medium high heat. Add carrots, celery and onion, season with salt and cook, partly covered until vegetable soften slightly, about 5-8 minutes. When the vegetables are softened, add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, make the meatball mixture by combining meat, breadcrumbs, eggs, cheese, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Shape the meat into small meatballs, approximately the size of a walnut.
When the liquid comes to a boil, drop in the meatballs and then simmer for 10 minutes. Add the pasta and cook for about 6-8 minutes. Make sure to stir a few times so the pasta doesn't stick.
Add the kale and cook, covered, about 5 minutes more. Serve with crusty bread and more Parmesan cheese.
Serves 8 (ish)
Monday, October 6, 2008
Spice Rubbed Chicken
I love to make something a little slower on Sunday nights. It's a bonus if the time it takes pays off in leftovers for later in the week. One of my favorite Sunday night indulgences is a roasted chicken. I am always trying new recipes and I have found many that I love. Last night, I made this version of my old staple and the boys all loved it. Jacob loved the dark meat and Lucas the light and I was happy that there was plenty left over to pack in school lunches or wrap in a tortilla for myself later this week. I served the chicken for dinner with the pineapple sweet potatoes (just baked them longer at this lower temperature) and some green beans.
Spice Rubbed Chicken (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, October 2008)
Timing - two and a half hours
Ingredients
4 cups thickly sliced or quartered red, white, and/or yellow onions, and/or boiling or ciopollini onions, peeled
1 5-to-6-lb. whole roasting chicken
1 t sugar
1 t garlic powder
1 t ground cumin
1 t paprika
1 t ground coriander
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t pepper
1/8 t ground nutmeg
2 T olive oil
How to Make
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large shallow roasting pan, place half the onions in an even layer. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt; set aside. Tuck wings under back of the chicken. In small bowl, combine sugar and remaining seasonings. Brush chicken all over with oil. Sprinkle spice mixture and rub in with fingers. Place chicken, breast side up, on onions in pan. Loosely cover with foil.
Roast chicken for 1 hour. Remove foil. Add remaining onions to pan. Roast, covered, for an additional 30 minutes. Remove foil and roast 30 to 45 minutes more or until drumsticks move easily in their sockets and chicken is no longer pink. Cover with foil and let chicken stand 15 minutes before carving. Serve chicken with roasted onions.
Spice Rubbed Chicken (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, October 2008)
Timing - two and a half hours
Ingredients
4 cups thickly sliced or quartered red, white, and/or yellow onions, and/or boiling or ciopollini onions, peeled
1 5-to-6-lb. whole roasting chicken
1 t sugar
1 t garlic powder
1 t ground cumin
1 t paprika
1 t ground coriander
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t pepper
1/8 t ground nutmeg
2 T olive oil
How to Make
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large shallow roasting pan, place half the onions in an even layer. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt; set aside. Tuck wings under back of the chicken. In small bowl, combine sugar and remaining seasonings. Brush chicken all over with oil. Sprinkle spice mixture and rub in with fingers. Place chicken, breast side up, on onions in pan. Loosely cover with foil.
Roast chicken for 1 hour. Remove foil. Add remaining onions to pan. Roast, covered, for an additional 30 minutes. Remove foil and roast 30 to 45 minutes more or until drumsticks move easily in their sockets and chicken is no longer pink. Cover with foil and let chicken stand 15 minutes before carving. Serve chicken with roasted onions.
Tilapia: Have it your way
There are a few ingredients that I use in endless combinations and Tilapia is one of them. This fish is inexpensive, very mild, and the perfect backdrop for just about any preparation and flavor. I also love Tilapia because it is so quick to cook. It's a common misconception that kids don't like fish, but I have found this to be totally untrue in my house and introduced fish to both of my boys as their first 'meat.' As long as you make sure to check for bones, fish is really ideal for kids because it is easy to chew and it is generally lean and high in protein. This recipe can be on the table in less than fifteen minutes. Serve it up with some couscous (my kids love the Trader Joe's 'harvest grains' cooked in chicken stock) and steamed vegetables and the meal is complete.
Pan Seared Tilapia
Ingredients
4 tilapia fillets
1 T plus 1 t olive oil
1 T butter (divided)
1 small shallot, diced
1 T capers, drained
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Timing - 10 minutes
How to Make
Heat a pan over medium to high heat and let it get hot. Add the olive oil and one teaspoon of the butter and heat until the butter stops foaming. It should be good and hot.
Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Cook fish for three minutes on each side. When you flip the fish, add the capers. After the total six minutes, remove the fish only and put on a plate tented with foil.
Add the one teaspoon of olive oil to the pan and cook the shallots and capers until the shallots are soft and slightly brown, stirring frequently (about three minutes).
Add the lemon juice to deglaze the pan and immediately lower the heat. Add the lemon zest and two teaspoons of butter off the heat and swirl to melt the butter. Pour the pan sauce over the fish and serve.
Serves 4
NOTES:
You can change up how you make the sauce by adding any liquid (white wine, vinegar, lime juice, beer) and also add any spice combination you like. I like chili powder and lime juice or white wine with garlic and shallots, for example.
Pan Seared Tilapia
Ingredients
4 tilapia fillets
1 T plus 1 t olive oil
1 T butter (divided)
1 small shallot, diced
1 T capers, drained
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Timing - 10 minutes
How to Make
Heat a pan over medium to high heat and let it get hot. Add the olive oil and one teaspoon of the butter and heat until the butter stops foaming. It should be good and hot.
Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Cook fish for three minutes on each side. When you flip the fish, add the capers. After the total six minutes, remove the fish only and put on a plate tented with foil.
Add the one teaspoon of olive oil to the pan and cook the shallots and capers until the shallots are soft and slightly brown, stirring frequently (about three minutes).
Add the lemon juice to deglaze the pan and immediately lower the heat. Add the lemon zest and two teaspoons of butter off the heat and swirl to melt the butter. Pour the pan sauce over the fish and serve.
Serves 4
NOTES:
You can change up how you make the sauce by adding any liquid (white wine, vinegar, lime juice, beer) and also add any spice combination you like. I like chili powder and lime juice or white wine with garlic and shallots, for example.
Pineapple Sweet Potatoes: Never underestimate the power of the marshmallow
Jacob has a thing with anything 'mashed.' It's the oddest thing, but since he was a baby, he never liked anything smashed and he always wanted texture to his food. Unfortunately, this rules out mashed potatoes, which are a favorite of everyone in our house, as well as sweet potatoes, which Lucas loves and which are so full of nutrients.
I recently found a way to add texture to sweet potatoes so that Jacob will happily eat them. It came to me as we approached the Thanksgiving season. Why not use a version of my mom's sweet potato casserole that I loved as a kid? I mean marshmallows for dinner? Say no more...
Pineapple Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows
Timing - One and a half hours
Ingredients
4 small to medium sweet potatoes
1 can crushed pineapple in juice
1 T butter
1 T brown sugar
1/2 cup marshmallows
How to Make
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes for about one hour until tender. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and discard. Place the potato flesh in a large bowl.
Mash the sweet potatoes with pineapple and juice, butter, and brown sugar. Pour the potato mixture into a small casserole and top with the marshmallows. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until the marshmallows begin to turn golden brown.
I recently found a way to add texture to sweet potatoes so that Jacob will happily eat them. It came to me as we approached the Thanksgiving season. Why not use a version of my mom's sweet potato casserole that I loved as a kid? I mean marshmallows for dinner? Say no more...
Pineapple Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows
Timing - One and a half hours
Ingredients
4 small to medium sweet potatoes
1 can crushed pineapple in juice
1 T butter
1 T brown sugar
1/2 cup marshmallows
How to Make
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes for about one hour until tender. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and discard. Place the potato flesh in a large bowl.
Mash the sweet potatoes with pineapple and juice, butter, and brown sugar. Pour the potato mixture into a small casserole and top with the marshmallows. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until the marshmallows begin to turn golden brown.
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