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!!



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!