Chicken Elixir and an Apology

As many of you may know, I am currently going to school in order to complete my bachelor's degree.  I have been insanely busy and swamped with schoolwork.  Luckily, as I near the end of my education (read: GRADUATION!), I am finding that the amount of work I'm doing is less.  This is probably due to the fact that I took all of my 400 level classes first and am finishing up with the 200 and 300 levels.  Anyway, the point of that whole non-food-related explanation is that I'm so sorry to have left you recipeless for so long.  You missed me right?!  Of course, you did. 

If winter is a harbinger of the common cold, the flu, and other maladies to your home as it is to mine, then you will benefit greatly from the following recipe for a super amped-up chicken stock.

Chicken Elixir

from Lucinda Scala Quinn's Mad Hungry

1. Roast a chicken.  Or, if you are sometimes prone to laziness efficiency like me, use a broasted chicken that you buy at the grocery store.  Bone it, save the meat, throw the chicken bones, skin, and assorted debris into a large stockpot with a pasta insert. 

2. Add carrots, celery, onion, bay leaf, parsley, thyme, garlic, salt/pepper and enough water to cover all of the good stuff.  (This a great excuse to use those carrots and celery stalks that are withering in the bottom of your vegetable drawer...)

3. This is the step that turns chicken stock into chicken ELIXIR.  Add a large peeled knob of garlic and 2 jalopenos cut in half and seeded. 

4. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 5-6 hours.  Strain the debris from the broth.  Separate broth into 2-cup portions and freeze. 

5. When illness befalls you, thaw out a portion and drink it as hot as you can stand it.

Check out Mad Hungry for more detail on the health benefits of Chicken Elixir and assorted other awesome recipes.

Crispy, Herby Chicken & Braised Brussel Sprouts

What I had for dinner last night:

Crispy, herby chicken with Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend and braised brussel sprouts.  But I don't like brussel sprouts, you say.  Wrong! I reply.  You DO like brussel sprouts.  Check it out:

BRAISED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

2 T. olive oil

1 T. butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pint brussel sprouts, sliced or shredded

1 t. allspice

1 T. sage

1 c. chicken stock

1) Melt olive oil and butter in saucepan.  Saute onions for about 5-6 minutes or until translucent.  Add brussel sprouts, allspice, sage, and salt & pepper to taste.  Toss.

2) Add stock.  Bring to a bubble.  Reduce and simmer for about 15 minutes.  If you are feeling like a rascal, stir in a handful of chopped radicchio in the last 2-3 minutes of cooking - it will add color and crunch to your side dish. 

CRISPY, HERBY CHICKEN

4 chicken cutlets, pounded to quarter-inch thickness

2 T. olive oil

1/4 c. white wine

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 c. bread crumbs (unseasoned)

1 t. oregano

1 t. parsley

1 t. paprika

3 cloves garlic, grated

1/4 c. parmesan

1) Preheat oven to 400.

2) Grease baking dish.  Set up two dipping stations.  In one bowl combine olive oil, white wine, and lemon juice.  In the second bowl combine bread crumbs, oregano, parsley, paprika, garlic, and parmesan.

3) Dip each chicken cutlet into liquids and then into the bread crumb mixture.  Make sure that each cutlet is completely covered in the bread crumbs. Place coated chicken into the baking dish. Sprinkle remaining bread crumb mixture over the chicken.

4) Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, but still juicy.

ENJOY!!



Thai Chicken Soup

My dear, loyal readers,

Do you like delicious things? Spicy things? AMAZING things? Soup?  Say yes, please, just say yes.

Let me introduce you to Thai Chicken Soup.

Thai Chicken Soup says, Hello! Make me tonight for dinner!

THAI CHICKEN SOUP

2 T. olive oil

1 T. Thai red curry paste

3 T. curry powder

4 c. chicken stock

1 (14 oz.) can coconut milk

1 (2") piece of ginger, peeled

2 c. shredded chicken

2 t. brown sugar

2 small limes, juiced

1 T. Hoisin sauce

2 c. chopped vegetables (Use whatever you have on hand.  I used red bell pepper, celery, onion, & carrot)

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

2 c. cooked white rice

1) Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add curry paste and curry powder and cook quickly for about 30 seconds. 

2) Add stock, coconut milk, & ginger.  Bring to a boil.  Add chicken and vegetables.  Cover and reduce heat.  Let simmer about 15 minutes.  Add sugar, lime juice, Hoisin sauce.  Turn up heat and cook until vegetables are cooked, but still crunchy - about 5 minutes.

3) Stir in cilantro and cooked rice.   Pour into bowls and garnish with more cilantro.  Serve with warm naan or wheat crackers.

ENJOY!



Vegetable Tomato Sauce

I'm in love.  With this lady.  She inspires me to make delicious food, to try things I may not have attempted had it not been for her, and to say things that sound Italian like: "mangia mangia!" and "delizioso!" Basically, she turns me into a total goof, but isn't that what love is all about?!  Inspired by her simple sauce recipe, I made my own version of veggie-laden tomato sauce that was a huge hit.  It makes a ton, so you can freeze some and have it again when the weather cools.  (It's cool in Duluth, but I'm aware that, at least, the rest of Minnesota is in a bit of a heat wave.)  That being said: the sauce.

Vegetable Tomato Sauce

1/4 c. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 large cloves garlic, grated (or finely minced)

2 ribs celery, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 (32 oz) cans whole, peeled tomatoes

1 bunch fresh basil, shredded and chopped

2 dried bay leaves

1 t. sugar

2-3 dashes hot sauce

pinch red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic and saute until soft and translucent.  Add chopped carrot and celery, season with salt and pepper.  Saute until all veggies are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, basil, bay leaves, sugar, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes.  Cover and let simmer for about 30-40 minutes until tomatoes start to break down.

Working in batches, if necessary, transfer approximately 4 cups of sauce to blender and puree.  Add to sauce and stir.  Continue to let simmer for another 30 minutes.  This recipe yields about 8 cups of sauce.  After removing the amount you would like to freeze, stir in cooked farfalle (or pasta of your choice) and a handful of shredded parmesan. 

ENJOY!!

Turkey Pot Pie Burgers

Burgers.  The quintessential summer meal.  They're easy, they taste good, they go well with cheese. Bam! Done!  Inspired by this little lady, I made my own version of the turkey pot pie burger.  I halved the amount of burger ingredients.  (We like quarter pound burgers in this house.)  Also used less butter in the sauce and added parmesan cheese.  (What's a burger without cheese, afterall?)

Turkey Pot Pie Burgers

1 lb. ground turkey

2 T. chopped fresh chives

2 T. chopped fresh dill

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 T. dijon mustard

1 small onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 ribs of celery, diced

3 T. unsalted butter

1 T. flour

2 c. low-sodium chicken stock

1/4 c. shredded parmesan

salt and pepper

2 english muffins, halved and toasted

Combine turkey, fresh herbs, and mustard with your hands.

Form into patties (makes 4)

Grill the patties over low heat for 5 minutes per side, twice.  (That is, 5 minutes on a side, flip, 5 minutes on a side, flip, repeat...) Total grill time: 20 minutes.

While the meat is grilling.  Dice onion, carrot, and celery.

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add veggies.  Saute until softened (about 7-8 minutes).  Sprinkle flour over veggies.  Whisk to incorporate.  Add 2 c. (one can) of chicken stock.  Stir.  Reduce heat so that liquid will simmer rather than boil.  Let stand until sauce thickens (about 3-4 minutes).

Add parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.  Put your english muffins in the toaster.

Bring the meat in off the grill.  Place a turkey patty on top of a lightly toasted muffin half and pour the pot pie sauce on top of the patty.

Enjoy!!

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

There was a movie out a few years ago called You Don't Mess With the Zohan.  Basically, I don't recommend this movie, but, in it, all of the characters were completely obsessed with hummus.  I can understand this obsession, especially after I discovered Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.  I, too, would dip my glasses, my toothbrush, my neighbor in this dip.  I first had this as an appetizer at the home of my husband's aunt and uncle.  It was presented with toasted pita chips that had been brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with rosemary and with a platter of crudites. I immediately went home and started searching online for a similar recipe.  I found two things: a recipe for hummus, just regular-joe hummus, and a recipe for roasted red pepper aioli.  I decided to combine the two and, voila, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.  (Don't be afraid if you find yourself wanting to jump in the dip and go swimming around in it with your mouth open.  This reaction is completely normal.) 

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 (15 oz) can chick peas, drained and rinsed

1 (4 oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, in oil

1/2 of large lemon, juiced

1 1/2 T. tahini (sesame paste)

6 cloves garlic, grated (or finely minced)

1 t. rosemary (I use fresh, but dried is fine too)

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

1/4 t. coarse salt

Place all ingredients together in blender and process until mixture is smooth and fluffy.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. 

Here is what Dan and I like to do with the dip:

1. Spread pita with hummus.

2. Top with crumbled feta cheese.

3. Place shredded grilled chicken and grilled onions atop cheese.

4. Add lettuce.

5. Wholesome dinner.

6. Awesome.

Summer Lovin'

I love summer so much I want to marry it.  It allows for grilling and for fresh veggies and for sunshine and for fireworks and for icy drinks on the patio and for my pasty skin to become tan (if you squint and view me in the shade...)  Oh summer, how I love you.  Let's always be best friends. 

Inspired by some recent Farmers' Market finds and a bowl of lemons that I have in my kitchen, here is the recipe for Lemon Garlic Veggies on the grill with Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Tenderloins.  (I cheated and bought the meat at the grocery store.)

LEMON GARLIC VEGGIES

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed

4 large carrots, peeled, chopped, & parboiled (about 7 min.)

1 pint baby tomatoes, rinsed

1/4 c. olive oil

juice from 1 large lemon

3 cloves garlic, grated (or finely minced)

palmful each coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

Toss all veggies with olive oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, salt & pepper.

Chop some fresh parsley.  Add to veggies.  (Mine is from my herb garden.  Yep, turns out my thumb is rather greenish afterall.)

Grill for about 7-10 minutes.  (I parboiled the carrots before grilling...)

Marinate the turkey for at least an hour in italian dressing.  (See mom, not only am I not always as complicated as you think I am, but I learned something from you as well.)  Grill 10 minutes per side.  (Flip every 5 minutes or so...this will let the turkey get cooked evenly.)  Nobody wants to eat rare turkey.  Obviously you should adjust the grilling time if your meat is too pink. 

 ENJOY!

Outrageous Roasted Broccoli

I am about to give you all two posts in one day.  Outrageous! you cry.  Yes.  It is outrageous.  But I haven't blogged about anything in more than a week, so I figure, I kind of owe it to you.  This first post is about spicy roasted broccoli.  If you have never roasted broccoli, here is your chance.  I promise you will love it.  I used frozen broccoli for both ease and nutrition.  Broccoli is not in season up here in the great north.  We barely have asparagus and lettuce.  (I think we must be Zone Arctic Circle...) The broccoli in our grocery stores is probably from somewhere warm and sunny all year long, like California, so by the time it hits the produce section here it's already lost a lot of its nutritional value....this is why I use frozen.  I digress. 

Roasted Broccoli

1 bag frozen chopped broccoli OR 1 head chopped broccoli if it is fresh

4 T. olive oil, divided

2 large garlic cloves, grated (or finely minced)

1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 450°F.  Pour chopped broccoli on to a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 3 T. olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Roast for 15 minutes.  Stir remaining tablespoon of oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.  Drizzle over broccoli; toss to coat.  Roast until broccoli is beginning to brown, about 8 minutes more.  Scrape up all the yummy brown bits from the bottom of the pan (these are called FOND) and serve immediately!