Simple Roast Chicken Legs, Cauli Mash and Rosemary Carrots

This meal is perfect for those cold winter nights and a great way to make a budget friendly meal appear rich and satisfying.

Ingredients for the chicken:
1 package chicken legs
2 tbsp melted butter or ghee
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. onion powder (aprox.)
salt and pepper to taste

First line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Next arrange the chicken legs on the baking sheet.  Melt the butter brush evenly over each leg.  Next season the chicken with onion powder, salt and pepper and roast in a 375° oven for 50 minutes.  At the half-way point, take the chicken out of the oven, turn each of the legs and season the other side with the onion powder, salt and pepper.  Once you have about 5 minutes left of cooking time, squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken and return to the oven.

Ingredients for the cauliflower mash
1 head of cauliflower trimmed and cut into small florets
2 tbsp. butter or ghee
salt and pepper to taste

Steam the cauliflower for until tender but not to where it breaks apart- about 14 minutes. Drain the cauliflower well and blend in a food processor until perfectly smooth.  Using a very fine mesh sieve, begin straining out some of the excess liquid from the puree and set aside.  Once you've removed all of the excess liquid, remove the strained cauliflower to the food processor and add the butter, salt and pepper and blend for a minimum of 2 minutes.

Ingredients for the carrots
3 carrots
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
salt and pepper to taste

Peel the carrots and slice them on the bias.  Steam them lightly and drain.  Add the butter and garlic to a pan set to medium heat. Once the butter melts add the carrots and saute.  Add the rosemary and season with salt and pepper.   Cook until the carrots are tender.

Mu Shu Chicken

I have been thinking of what meals I've made recently that would be Paleo friendly and this was one I thought of. This dish is traditionally eaten on crepes, but since we're not eating flour I just used lettuce and made a sort of lettuce wrap. I could have also made a coconut flour crepe, but I was really hungry and didn't want to mess with it this time.

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups cabbage thinly sliced (Napa cabbage or regular cabbage will work in this recipe)
1 onion thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shitake mushrooms, sliced (woodear mushrooms would work too)
5 eggs, scrambled
1 bunch scallions,  sliced into long slices
1 cup bean sprouts
2 tbsp. coconut oil
Salt to taste

First slice the chicken breast into thin long strips. Season with salt.    Add 1 tbsp. of coconut oil to a non-stick pan and turn the heat up to high.  Saute the chicken in batches until it is cooked through and browned.  Set aside.  While the chicken is cooking, slice your onion.  The thing I really like about this dish is the charred flavor you get from all of the veggies.  The trick to achieving this flavor is to place your wok over your burner and turn to high.  Add the onions without any oil and let them cook undisturbed for a few minutes.  Take a spatula and stir to saute them evenly, but do not over cook.  Transfer to a holding plate.  Next slice your cabbage and do the same thing with the cabbage that you did with the onions, again remembering not to overcook.  The veggies in this dish should be nice and crunchy.  Transfer the cabbage to your holding plate.  Next add a little coconut oil to your wok and add in the sliced shitake mushrooms.  Cook over high heat until the mushrooms brown.  As your chicken cooks, transfer it to your holding plate.  Next beat the eggs and cook them in a non-stick pan (I used the one I cooked the chicken in).  Once the chicken and eggs are cooked, add all of the contents of your holding plate to the wok.  In addition to this add the eggs, bean sprouts and scallions.  Toss evenly.  Serve immediately.   I served this with some sambal, and typically some hoisin would go well with this, but that isn't paleo so I opted out.

Grilled Rosemary Chicken with Balsamic Sauce

Today was a busy busy Sunday! Time flew today, but we sure got a lot done- I updated my iPod, cleaned, packed lunches and made this simple and spring-inspired meal.  Putting the chicken in a brine made them really juicy and full of flavor without adding extra fat.  Grilling them on our BBQ grill also gave them that nice smokey grill taste. It was a perfect meal for our busy Sunday, but quick and easy enough for any night of the week.

For the brine:
4 cups water
2 tbsp. salt
3 tbsp. sugar
1/4 freshly squeezed lemon juice

Mix all of the ingredients well until the sugar and salt have dissolved.  Place a quart-size freezer bag inside a deep bowl.  Make sure you wash the chicken really well first and then add it to the bag.  Next add the brine liquid and seal the bag, removing as much excess air as possible.  Place the bowl in the fridge for a minimum of four hours, but for best results, leave overnight.

Ingredients for the chicken:
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast per person
1 tbsp. freshly chopped rosemary per chicken breast
1 tbsp. olive oil per chicken breast (but do not exceed 4 tbsp. if making 8 or less chicken breasts)
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove the chicken from the brine and place on a cutting board.  Butterfly each breast and score it on either side season with the salt and pepper.  Repeat until you have done this to all the pieces.  Add the chicken to a bowl and then add in the olive oil and rosemary and move around to coat everything evenly.  Turn on your grill  to medium-low and let it heat for about 15 minutes before placing the chicken on it.  Let the chicken cook undisturbed for about 8 minutes before flipping over.  Brush the cooked side with  half of the the balsamic glaze- recipe below. After the chicken is cooked completely, remove from the grill and slice into strips.  Drizzle the glaze over the top of the chicken right before serving.

For the Balsamic Glaze:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3 large garlic cloves, grated
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1/3 cup chicken stock
2 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
salt to taste

Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan and let it simmer on low heat until about half of the liquid has reduced.   The consistency should be thick, but not goopy, enough to coat a spoon, but easy enough to spoon over the chicken.

I served the chicken with jasmine rice, and a trio of raw veggies:  asparagus, thinly sliced red onion, and thinly sliced tomatoes seasoned with lots of cracked black pepper, salt and a little extra virgin olive oil.

Buttermilk Oven-Fried Chicken

Last weekend I made a southern inspired meal which consisted of  sweet tea, buttermilk oven-fried chicken, cornbread, coleslaw, mashed potatoes and home-made pound cake with a citrus cream.  Fried chicken is something we rarely eat, but about once a year we'll get a hankering for it.   I attempted to make fried chicken for the first time during the memorial day weekend, but it was a complete train wreck.  The recipe I followed looked great in the pictures, but the chicken itself was gross, the breading was not crunchy, in fact it was soggy in parts, and didn't have much taste.  I decided to create my own recipe this time and I think it was MUCH better. Letting the chicken marinate in buttermilk really yields a super moist texture that is only complemented by the crunchy exterior.

Ingredients:
1  chicken (2-3 lbs but no bigger)
4 cups buttermilk
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. paprika
2 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
canola or peanut oil for frying

Begin by cutting the chicken into pieces.  Make sure you wash each piece really really well.   Get in there and remove all of the gross bits like the veins and excess fat along with that clear goop that the chicken tends to have. Rinse each piece with vinegar and set aside.  In a large gallon ziplock bag, add the buttermilk and then begin adding the chicken.  Store the chicken in the fridge overnight to marinate.

The next day set up your breading station.  In a shallow bowl add the flour and all of the seasonings and combine well.  Begin taking each piece of the chicken and dredging it in the flour.  Set aside until you're ready to begin frying.

The next steps are crucial if you want to get a nice crispy texture on the outside.  Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line the bottom of a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking. In a large non-stick shallow  pan, add enough oil to come up about one inch from the bottom.   Turn the heat on to medium high, and let the temperature come up to 360 degrees.  Once the oil is hot, begin adding the chicken in.  Do not crowd the pan because you'll cause the temperature to drop and this will give you an oil texture instead of a nice light crunchy texture.  Allow the chicken to cook until it has a very light golden color on all sides.  Make sure you use tongs to turn the chicken and to remove it from the pan- using a fork will pierce the meat and cause the juices to flow out yielding a dry texture- NOT what you want in fried chicken.  Transfer each piece of chicken to the parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 35-40 minutes, making sure to turn the chicken once through the baking process.   To keep the chicken crispy, place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and then place the chicken pieces on the cooling rack to drain any excess oil.  Season with a light sprinkling of salt all over and serve hot.

Grilled Chicken according to Dana

If it weren't for the story attached to this post, I may not have considered this "blog worthy". You see, pollo a la plancha, or grilled chicken, is a very simple, almost no-brainer of a dish. It's basically a boneless, skinless chicken breast that is grilled with some onions, and is available in every Cuban restaurant in Miami. It's healthy and perfect for a weeknight meal. But this dish will forever hold a special place in my heart because of the following story.

When I was very young and growing up, I had a very very dear friend named Dana. Dana and I were inseparable, truly joined at the hip. Dana was, and still is one of the quirkiest people i've ever known. She is extremely funny, but the kind of funny that is so without trying to be. One of the best kinds of "funnies" in my opinion. Dana and I were together a lot, and it was not uncommon for her to come to dinner with my family and vice-versa. One day, we went to this very popular restaurant establishment called "Islas Canarias (Canary Islands) for dinner. The waiter comes around and introduces himself, brings the menus and says he'll be back to take the order shortly. So we're all looking at the menu and when the waiter comes around everyone starts placing their order. Finally the gentleman gets to Dana and asks, "and what can I get for you, young lady?" Without batting an eyelash, she blurts out "I'd like the "pajaro planchado please". Needless to say, this started a wave of hysterical laughter in the restaurant that only got louder and louder. I almost choked on my drink, my brothers were cracking up and the poor waiter (whom was an older, serious fellow) had to hold back tears of laughter. Dana was dying of embarrassment which made it all the funnier and the more we tried to stop laughing the harder it was. It was so funny- the kind of funny where your stomach hurts, you can't breathe, and you're wiping tears from your eyes. For those who don't speak Spanish, she had just referred to the grilled chicken breast as an "ironed bird" instead of "chicken on the grill"-and although it doesn't translate well into English, was one of the funniest things I'd ever heard. It was one of those "you had to be there moments" but suffice it to say that every time I have this dish it is "parajo planchado" and not "pollo a la plancha".

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lime
1 tsp. salt
1 small onion, cut into thin rounds
2 tsp. olive oil

The trick to making this dish really flavorful and juicy is to butterfly the breast, and then pound it out so that it's nice and thin. You also don't want to cook the chicken any longer than you have to, otherwise it can be as dry as the sole of your shoe. Since the chicken is very thin, it wont take long at all.  About 2-3 minutes on each side. Begin by seasoning the chicken breasts on both sides and setting aside.  In a large non-stick skillet or grill pan, add the olive oil and turn up to high heat.  When the pan get really really hot, add the chicken breasts and let them cook until they get nice and slightly golden.  Flip them over, squeeze a generous amount of lime juice over the chicken and finish cooking on the other side.  Transfer the chicken to a plate.   Next add the onions to the pan, season them with a little salt, and saute them for a few minutes, until they're nice and translucent and have sweetened.  Place a bed of onions on your serving plate and then place the chicken on top of the onions.  Serve with white rice and black beans, or a large green salad for a healthier option.

Chicken, Mushroom and Orzo Chowder with Lemon

I made this soup recently when it was stormy and rainy outside.  Something about rainy weather just makes you reach for something warm and comforting and this fit the bill.  It goes really well with a nice piece of crusty garlic bread.  Also, good to know, this soup freezes really well.  If you're going to freeze it, just chop the parsley and spinach and add it to the soup when re-heating.

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
2 quarts chicken stock
1 large onion
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
5 cloves garlic (grated)
2 carrots
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
5 cups fresh chopped baby spinach
1 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 tbsp. cream
1/8 tsp. cumin
2 whole lemons
1 cup dried orzo (you could sub this with white beans if you're trying to watch the carbs or want to make this gluten free)
lots of freshly cracked pepper
salt to taste

First wash the chicken well and cut it into pieces.  Place the chicken into a stock pot along with the chicken stock, bay leaf and thyme.  Allow the chicken to cook on medium high for 25 minutes.  Remove the chicken and place on a cutting board. Strain the stock and put it back into the stock pot.  While the chicken cools, dice the onion, slice the mushrooms and grate the garlic.  Transfer to a non-stick skillet and saute with a tiny little bit of olive oil ( 1 tsp.). Allow the veggies to cook on medium high heat.  Remove the skin off the chicken and begin shredding into large strips.  Add the spinach to the skillet and saute until it slightly wilts.  Transfer the chicken back into the stockpot along with the ingredients in the skillet.  Stir everything well and begin peeling your carrot.  Cut the carrot into cubes and add to the pot.  Bring the soup up to strong simmer and let it cook for 10 minutes before adding the orzo.   Add in the cumin and pepper. Squeeze the juice of the lemons and stir well. Cook until the orzo is al dente.  Finish off by adding the cream and the chopped parsley.  Remove the bay leaf and the thyme stalk before serving and add a little extra lemon to your bowl if desired.  Serve with crusty garlic bread.

Pechugas Rellenas (Stuffed Chicken Breasts)

My mom has been making this dish for as long as I can remember.  It is definitely one of her specialties.  They're pretty easy to make and are great for when you're entertaining.  I made this dish one time recently after I got married and we were hosting a dinner party.  One of the guests referred to them as "footballs" because they're lined with bacon and after they're cooked they resemble a little football.  I promise you they don't taste like a football though.  This is a family favorite that I hope you'll enjoy too.

Side note: I make these with turkey ham and turkey bacon because I follow kosher laws, but my mom makes hers with regular ham and bacon.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts (or however many you need)
4 slices  Havarti cheese
4 slices Cheddar cheese
4 slices  turkey ham
1 package turkey bacon
2 tsp. creole seasoning (optional- I use the Chef Paul Prudhomme brand, the poultry magic variety)
Salt to taste

First begin by pre-heating your oven to 400 degrees.  Rinse the chicken breasts well, pat them dry, and butterfly them.  Once they're butterflied, season with the creole seasoning and salt.  On one side of the breast, place a slice of ham, a slice of Havarti and a slice of cheddar. Fold the other half of the chicken breast over and begin wrapping the chicken in the bacon.  You may have to secure the bacon with toothpicks if you're using turkey bacon because it's not as "elastic" as the pork kind.  The turkey kind is much leaner and doesn't have nearly as much give.  Repeat this process until the whole breast is covered, and all of the chicken breasts are assembled.  Place the chicken breasts on a baking rack that has some elevation.  There will be a sauce that collects in the bottom pan which is what we'll use to drizzle over the chicken once it's done.  Bake for 15 minutes on each side of the chicken and remove once the bacon is slightly crisp.  Let the chicken rest before slicing into rounds.  Serve with white rice and a nice green salad.

While the chicken rests, collect the sauce at the bottom of the pan and transfer to a sauce bowl. Break up any big clumps and drizzle over the chicken.

Matzo Crusted Chicken

Every year we celebrate the Days of Unleavened Bread, where we remove any products that contain leavening from our homes and do not consume any leavening for the duration of the festival days which lasts for 7 days.  I made the breading for this chicken using ground up matzos and some other ingredients.  The chicken was beautifully crunchy and golden when it came out of the oven and tasted great too. Just thought i'd share this recipe- even if you're not celebrating these days, the recipe is delicious nonetheless.

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 box matzos
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
4 tbsp. butter, melted
1 garlic clove
salt and pepper to taste

The first thing to do is turn the oven up to 375 degrees.  In a food processor, blend the matzos until you have a fine meal.  Transfer the crushed matzos to a large mixing bowl.  To the matzos, add in the Parmesan cheese, the cornmeal and a pinch of salt.  Butterfly the chicken breasts and season them with a little salt and pepper.   Add the flour to a bowl, and beat the eggs in a separate bowl.  Place the flour, egg, and matzo bowls side by side.  Begin by dredging the chicken breasts in the flour, next in the egg, and finally in the matzo mixture.  Transfer the chicken to a plate and allow them to rest for a few minutes.   While the chicken rests,  grate the garlic clove into a small saucepan and add the butter, and melt. Take out a non-stick baking sheet and lay the chicken on top of it.   You'll want to make sure that you have a non-stick baking pan, otherwise the breading will stick.  If yours isn't non-stick, you could line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.  Begin brushing the melted butter lightly on the top of the chicken, then flip them over and brush the other side with the rest of the butter.  Bake for 25 minutes or until nice and golden brown.  The chicken itself shouldn't take that long because once you butterfly the breasts, they're much thinner and cook much faster.

I served this with savory spinach pancakes, topped with yogurt sauce, roasted sweet potatoes and regular potatoes, and roasted asparagus.  I'll blog the spinach pancake recipe soon. They were awesome.

Shredded Chicken and Mayacoba Bean Enchiladas

I read an article recently about legumes that really inspired me to try some new beans.  I also realized that I've never made enchiladas.  I decided to make this dish not knowing how it'd turn out.  Thankfully they were delicious and even though they're enchiladas, I tried making them healthier than the traditional recipe by not frying and using reduced-fat ingredients.

 For the Beans:
1 package (16 oz.) dry Mayacoba beans (also known as Peruvian beans or Canary beans)
8 cups water
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tsp. salt

The first thing to do, is wash the beans to remove any twigs or debris.  Next transfer the beans to a pressure cooker with the water and salt.  Close the lid and turn up the heat to high.  Once the steam begins to come out of the pressure cooker, lower the heat to medium.  Let the beans cook for 30 minutes before turning off the heat.  I hate waiting for the pressure to release, so what I do is run cold water over the pressure cooker in the sink.  Remove the lid and check to make sure the beans are tender.  If not put the lid back on and cook for another 5-10 minutes, but they should be done within 30 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a food processor bowl.  Add about 3 tbsp. of the bean water from the pot, a little salt and grate the garlic clove into the bowl.  Blend the beans until you have a smooth consistency.   Set aside until you're ready to assemble the enchiladas.

To make this dish a little easier, you could just mash the beans with a potato masher, but that will yield a more chunky consistency.   If you don't have a pressure cooker, you could soak the beans overnight and then just boil them in a pot with the same amount of water for about one hour.

For the Chicken:
5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 medium onions, preferably white or yellow
1 green bell pepper
2 tbsp. minced green chili of your choice (like jalapeno or pasilla)- I omitted this because I didn't have any on hand, but for those of you who like it hot, go ahead and add these for some kick.
6 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tbsp.  olive oil
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

First boil the chicken breasts in a large pot of water.seasoned liberally with salt.  Once the chicken breasts are cooked through, transfer them to a cutting board and allow them to cool.   While the chicken is cooking, begin mincing your green pepper, garlic and green chilies.  Dice the onion finely and add the olive oil into a large non-stick skillet.  Turn the heat up to medium high and add in the chilies, onions and garlic to the pan.  Saute for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  While the veggies cook, take two forks and begin shredding the chicken breasts.  Transfer the chicken to the skillet and season with the cumin, salt and pepper.  Allow the chicken and veggies to cook together for about 3-4 minutes before turning off the heat.  In a separate mixing bowl, combine the sour cream and cheese and add it into the skillet, making sure to combine everything really well.

For the enchilada sauce:
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

First add the butter to a non-stick sauce pan.  Next add in the flour and make a roux.  To that, add the chicken stock and whisk vigorously, breaking any clumps of flour that may have formed.  Next add in the sour cream and the cheese and blend well.  Season with a little salt.  Set the sauce aside until assembling the enchiladas.

For the assembly:
8 flour tortillas
cooking spray or melted butter
1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro to garnish.

First pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Next take a scoop of the beans and spread if evenly over one side of the tortilla.  Next add in a scoop of the chicken mixture and roll the tortillas.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with a little cooking spray and place the enchiladas, seam down in the pan.  Repeat this step until you have filled the entire pan with the enchiladas.  Next spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray, or brush with melted butter.   Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the tortillas are slightly crisp.  Remove the tray from the oven and pour the sauce over the top of the enchiladas.  Next sprinkle the cheese over the top and place the pan back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.  Garnish with some freshly chopped cilantro and serve.

Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Satay is one of my favorite Thai appetizers.  When we lived in Miami, our favorite Thai restaurant was called Tani Thai, and had the best chicken satay.  They brought the skewers on these mini hibachi grills where you'd place the skewers to keep them warm while you ate. Fast froward a few years later and we still haven't had satay as good as that one.  I tried making satay last night for dinner with a spicy peanut sauce.  This dish was easy and a great way to use up boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Serve with some refreshing cucumber salad and some Thai fried rice and you'll have a great meal.

Ingredients for the Satay:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 shallots
5 garlic cloves
3 tbsp. palm sugar (you can use dark brown sugar as a substitute)
2 tsp.ground coriander seed
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cumin powder
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
2 kaffir lime leaves (If you can't find this, use some lime zest- about 1 tsp. You can also use lemongrass.  Just the tender stalk, minced)
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 bird chilies (if you can't find this, you can substitute with your favorite red chili, just use about 1 tsp and remove the seeds.  You can also use chili paste)
2 tsp. salt

Add the shallots, ginger, garlic, chilies, kaffir lime leaves, and lemon juice to a mini food processor.  Transfer to a mixing bowl and then add in the turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, lime juice and sugar.  Whisk well and then add the oil and salt.  You should have a thick paste at this point.  Slice the chicken breasts horizontally to think out the slices.  You could also pound out the breast to make it thinner.  Begin cutting the chicken into long strips and adding it to a zip-lock bag with the marinade.  Refrigerate for one hour.  Skewer the chicken onto bamboo sticks.  Spray your grill with a little non-stick spray and turn the heat up to medium high.  Place the skewers down on the grill and let it cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes on each side, baste the chicken with any remaining marinade about halfway through the cooking process.

For the peanut sauce:
5 shallots
3 garlic cloves
2 bird chilies (red chilies)
1 tbsp. canola oil
2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tsp. ground coriander
3 tbsp. palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1/4 cup boiling water
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/4 cup coconut milk

First roughly chop the garlic, shallots and chilies and saute them in a non-stick pan on medium heat with the canola oil.  Add in the grated ginger and cook for about 2 minutes before adding in the peanut butter.  Using a spatula, begin stirring the peanut butter as it melts into the sauce. Next add in the coriander, lime juice, soy sauce , coconut milk and sugar.  Cook everything until the sugar dissolves. Transfer this sauce into a blender or food processor and add in the water.  Blend until you have a smooth and creamy consistency.  Serve with the satay.

White Bean and Chicken Pasta Fagiole

Spring is just around the corner, but winter seems to be lingering still.  I thought I'd bid the cold weather farewell with a hearty comforting soup.  This is reminiscent of a Pasta e Fagiole soup, but I created a white version using white beans, chicken sausage and herbs.  It was topped with a little shredded Parmesan cheese and a garlicky- parsley aioli. Serve with a crusty baguette and a crisp green salad and you've got a great and satisfying meal.

Ingredients for the Chicken Sausage:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 1.5 lbs. ground chicken)
2 eggs
3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tbsp. ground sage
1 tsp. ground marjoram
1 tsp. herbs de Provence
3 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
zest of one lemon
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. fresh ground pepper.

If you're using the chicken breasts, grind them up in a food processor until you have a ground consistency.  Dump the ground chicken into a bowl and crack in the eggs and blend.  Grate the garlic and add it to the bowl.  If you're using the boneless, skinless chicken breasts add in one tbsp. of olive oil to avoid having dry sausage. Next add in the herbs, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper.  Blend everything well and begin browning the sausage in a non-stick pan with a little olive oil.

Ingredients for the soup:
1 package dry white beans  ( I used navy beans but Cannelini or great northern would work well too. I'd use any except Garbanzo beans.)
8 cups water or chicken stock (if using stock make sure to adjust salt to account for the salt already in the stock)
1.5 lbs  chicken sausage (recipe listed above)
1 large onion
6 garlic cloves
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 (1lb.) box of short pasta like tubetti, elbow or shells.  ( I used shells)
1 lemon (juice)
1 Parmesan rind- optional (I save the rinds of cheese blocks for soups like this, but you can omit this and it won't make that big a difference, it just adds a little depth)
1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian flat leaf parsley, plus one tbsp. for garnish
2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish

First add your dry beans to a pressure cooker with the water or stock.  If you don't have a pressure cooker or are running low on time, go ahead and use the canned variety.  Just add in 2 cans of  the beans with their liquid into a stock pot,  plus another 3 cups of water or stock.   While the beans cook, begin dicing your onion and grating 4 of the garlic cloves.  Add the olive oil to a non-stick pan and turn the heat up to medium high.  Add in the onions and garlic and cook until they become tender, about 5 minutes.  Next add in the sausage and blend with the onions and garlic.  Once the beans are cooked, add in the sausage, Parmesan rind, garlic and onions to the stock pot.  If the liquid had reduced too much, add more to have more of a soupy consistency, bearing in mind that the liquid will thicken at the end of cooking a bit. Taste for salt and pepper and season to your liking.  Squeeze in the lemon juice, and add in the pasta shells.  Allow the pasta to cook until it's al dente. Grate the last two garlic cloves and give the soup a good stir.  Lastly add in the parsley and top with the garlic and parsley aioli.

For the Aioli:
4 tbsp. light mayo
2 tbsp. water
1 garlic clove grated
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp. finely chopped parsley

Add the mayo and water into a bowl and whisk well.  Next grate in the garlic clove and add the lemon juice.  Add in the parsley and whisk everything well, making sure to remove any lumps.

California Grilled Chicken Flatbread

Something about this flat bread just says "California" to me. I don't know what it is, maybe contrasting flavors and textures of the veggies and chicken with the spicy sauce.  Something I really liked about this dish is that it's a great way to not make the same ol' boring chicken.  Chicken breast is by far the protein I use the most and I am always thinking of new ways to re-invent it.  This flatbread is also topped with lots of fresh veggies like avocado and tomatoes which are great for you.  In fact, you could easily make this dish vegetarian by omitting the chicken breast and bacon.  It's also quite healthy in terms of fat content, the chicken is simply grilled  and the cheese and sauce were made using reduced fat ingredients- you'll feel like you're eating something really indulgent, but it's actually good for you too! I know I'm a little late for the party, but shoot, this would have been good for the super bowl! Oh well, summer is right around the corner.  I can just imagine serving this at a casual summer get together- I think it'd be a hit. I can always test out this hypothesis- any takers?

Ingredients:
4 lemon- size balls of pizza dough (I used this recipe, but if you were in a hurry you could use the store bought kind that comes in a tube or even buy the raw dough  from your local pizzeria.)
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. canola oil
1 tbsp. herbs de Provence
6 slices bacon (I used turkey bacon)
1/2 a red onion
1 ripe tomato
1-2 ripe hass avocados
2 tbsp. shredded mozzarella cheese (I used the reduced fat kind)
salt and pepper to taste

First, pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.  While the oven gets hot, butterfly your chicken breasts and sprinkle them with a little salt, pepper and some herbs de Provence. Take out your grill pan and turn the heat up to medium high.  Don't oil the grill pan because it will only collect the oil in the grooves.  Instead, brush the chicken breasts with a tiny amount of oil and transfer them to the grill pan once it's hot.  Grill the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side.  It shouldn't take very long since you'll cut the cooking time by butterflying the breasts.

While the chicken is cooking, begin rolling out the dough into rectangular shapes using a rolling pin. I like my flatbread a little on the thin side, so I rolled it out quite a bit, but you can roll it out depending on how thick you like your dough. Using a pastry brush, brush a little bit of oil on the flatbread and place it on a cookie sheet.  Now would be a good time to place the strips of bacon on another cookie sheet.  Transfer the cookie sheets to the oven and allow the flatbread to cook until it's nice and golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.  The bacon should be done about the same time too.  Remove the trays from the oven and transfer the flatbread to your platter.   While the flatbread cooks, make sure to keep an eye on your chicken breast, turning it once to cook on the other side.  Once the chicken is cooked, transfer to a plate, and allow it to rest for about 4 minutes before slicing into thin strips. While you're waiting on the chicken to rest, and the flatbread to cook, let's begin cutting up our veggies.  Dice the tomatoes, thinly slice your onion and slice your avocado.  When the bacon is cooked, dice that up too.  Now let's begin assembling the flatbread.  Place the chicken over the flatbread, then top with your veggies and bacon.  Sprinkle a little bit of shredded cheese over the top, and drizzle with the spicy sauce, (recipe below)

For the spicy sauce:
1/3 cup plain- non-fat yogurt
2 tbsp. reduced fat mayo
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 tbsp. water
1 small garlic clove (or half a big one), grated
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. hot sauce
a pinch of salt

Add the yogurt, mayo, ketchup, hot sauce and water to a little mixing bowl.  Whisk it well, removing any clumps, you'll want a velvety smooth sauce.  Next, sprinkle in the cayenne pepper, salt, lemon juice and the grated garlic clove and whisk once again until all of the ingredients are evenly combined.

Spinach and Feta Chicken

So I have been holed up in my house as of Monday night due to the "inclement weather" that north Texas has been experiencing.  And boy, it is inclement weather indeed.   I finally drove to the target right by my house today because I had cabin fever and it was a nightmare.  There was ice all over the place.  My car kept spinning out and skidding everywhere.  Needless to say, I understand why my job along with a ton of others have been closed as of  Monday evening.  Last night I made this dish for dinner.  It was super quick and easy.  I used a ton of fresh spinach, a few chicken breasts and some feta.  This dish was definitely Greek inspired.  Serve this with roasted veggies and you'll have a perfect weekday dinner, even when the weather outside is frightful.

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
4 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley, plus some for the garnish
1 tsp. oregano
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup crumbled feta, reserving a bit for the garnish
4 cups fresh chopped spinach
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. flour
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup  milk ( I used 2%)
1 tsp. paprika
salt to taste

First, rinse the chicken well and pat it dry. Cut the chicken into thin strips and season with a little salt, pepper, paprika and oregano and set aside.  In a deep non-stick skillet, add a little olive oil and turn the heat up to medium high.  Saute the chicken in batches, browning it a bit and squeezing the lemon juice into the pan. Once all of the chicken is cooked, transfer to a holding plate along with any juices. Turn up the heat and saute the spinach until it is wilted down and add to the holding plate. Dice the onion and mince the garlic and transfer to the pan with a little more olive oil.  Saute until the onion becomes tender. Add in the flour and combine with the onions.  Bring the heat down to medium and add in the chicken stock and milk. Combine well, making sure the flour dissolves.  Now add in the chicken, spinach, parsley, and the feta.  Combine everything well and allow it to simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper if needed. Garnish with a little feta and fresh parsley and or lemon slices.

Vietnamese Style Chicken Fried Rice

A couple of weeks ago we went to this great Vietnamese restaurant by our house.  I ordered the chicken fried rice, expecting the traditional fried rice you always get at a Chinese take out place.  To my surprise, it was quite different, and very delicious. I have no idea if this is traditional Vietnamese fare, but since I ate it at a Vietnamese restaurant, I assumed it was.   I tried re-creating this dish and I must say it came out really close to the real thing.  Try making this instead of your go-to recipe next time, it was really tasty.

Ingredients:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups cooked (day old ) Jasmine Rice
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
3 eggs
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
2 tsp. yellow curry powder
1 tsp. white pepper
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1  tsp. sugar
1 tsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. canola or peanut oil
1 bunch scallions

First chop up the onion and garlic and saute with a little canola oil on high heat  until they become tender, using a wok or deep non-stick skillet.  Once cooked, transfer to a holding plate.  Next rinse the chicken breasts and pat them dry.  Slice the chicken into thin slivers and transfer to the wok with a little more canola oil, tossing around to cook though. Add the chicken to your holding plate.  Scramble the eggs into the hot pan and cook through, making sure to leave them sort of runny because they will continue to cook once you mix them in later.  Add the eggs to your holding plate.   Next add a little more oil to the pan and add the rice in, stirring up.  I used day old rice, and it was cold from the fridge, so I used my hands to break it up.  Once the rice gets hot evenly throughout the pan, add in the chicken, eggs, onions, garlic and peas.  Make sure to stir everything really well.  In a separate bowl, create a seasoning liquid by mixing the curry powder, white pepper, fish sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar and add to the wok.   While everything  is cooking, chop up the cilantro and scallions and add them to the rice.  Taste the rice to make sure it's seasoned well, and add more soy sauce if necessary.  Reserve a little bit of the cilantro for the garnish and serve.

Spiced Rubbed Turkey on a Bed of Roasted Veggies

I know many people are probably "turkey'd- out" now that Thanksgiving is over.  This is not the case for me.  I think turkey is super under-rated.  I love turkey and how versatile it is.  I love it even more when it goes on sale after the holidays.  The last time I went grocery shopping they were selling the birds at .39 per lb.  Who can beat that?  So I bought three of them and stuck them in my chest freezer.  This way, as the year progresses, I can try out Turkey recipes for Thanksgiving in advance to make sure I have a sure-fire recipe.  Not that they're anything wrong with my usual recipe, but I thought after three years of the same turkey it's time for a change- what a rebel huh? lol.   This was my first attempt at making a different turkey.  I made it on Saturday when the family was over for dinner and the verdict: it was really flavorful, juicy and some liked this version better than the standard recipe I've been using.  So without further ado, here's the recipe

Ingredients:
1 12 lb. turkey
1 stick butter
8 cloves garlic
1 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup paprika
2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. fresh chopped thyme
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tbsp. honey

First, defrost your turkey according to your package instructions.  If you'd like to brine it, you'll have to do that the day before as this marinade is best when coating the turkey overnight.  Wash the turkey well, removing all the innards.  Pat that baby dry and set it aside on a cutting board.   Right before you're ready to roast the turkey, you'll want to lay the bed of  vegetables below the bird.  I chopped up some carrots, celery, peppers, potatoes, onions and garlic and just tossed them with a little olive oil, lemon juice and salt.  But the evening before, just place the bird in a baking dish big enough to hold the bird overnight.  Grate the garlic and transfer it into a mixing bowl along with lemon juice.  Next melt the butter and transfer to the mixing bowl, whisking vigorously.   Add in the salt, thyme, honey and paprika and blend well, forming a thick paste.  Using a silicone brush, begin brushing the mixture over the bird  evenly. Make sure to reserve half of the glaze for the next day.  The beauty of this marinade is that it's thick so it coats the bird really well.   As a side note, this marinade would work on just about any protein.  Cover with the turkey with foil, and let it sit in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight.   Right before roasting, preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  Chop up the veggies and make a nice little bed for the turkey in it's roasting pan.  Transfer the bird to this pan along with any juices that may have accumulated over night.  Use about half of the marinade that was left over from the previous night and add a thicker layer all over the turkey.  Use a chopped onion, some sprigs of thyme or rosemary to fill the cavity of the bird.   Cover gently with foil and bake the bird for about 1/2 half hours before removing to baste.  When basting, use your silicone brush to add on another layer of the marinade, but this time put the turkey back in the oven without the foil.  Continue to bake until you reach an internal temperature of  165 degrees; this should take about another hour.

Let the turkey rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Chicken Adana Kebabs

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE middle-Eastern food?  Brandon and I are both huge fans.  I particularly love Lebanese and Turkish food.  Their food is so fresh and flavorful.  I tried re-creating a really easy kebab platter we had at this great little restaurant near our home and surprisingly it turned out really close to the real thing! Brandon calls this "Chicken Madonna" lol...   I served it with Jasmine-parsley rice, fresh sliced tomatoes and onions, and topped with a garlicky, lemony yogurt sauce.  This is something you could totally whip up in a flash, using the ingredients you have at home.

For the Kebabs:
2 lbs. ground chicken (turkey, or beef will work too)
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 a small green pepper, finely diced
1/2 a small red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
Juice of 1 lemon
salt to taste

Finely chop your onions and peppers and mince the garlic.  Add the ground chicken to a mixing bowl, then add the onions, garlic, and peppers.  The preparation of this part is much like how you'd make a meat loaf or meatballs.  Basically just dump all of the ingredients into the bowl and combine well.  Traditionally, the Adana kebabs are spiced with Sumac, but this ingredient is a little hard to find, so I just used Paprika. It seems like a lot of paprika but you really need it for this dish. Once all of the ingredients are combined, form little oblong patties.  Add a little olive oil to a grill pan and turn up the heat to medium high.  Once the grill is hot, place the patties on top of the grill and let the patties cook undisturbed for about 6 minutes on each side. I used an indoor grill pan, because I didn't feel like uncovering the BBQ grill, but truth be told, they do taste a little better on the outdoor grill since they get that flame grilled taste.

For the Yogurt sauce:
1 cup plain greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic (grated)
2 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and combine well. Make sure you chop the parsley really finely. Alternately, you could run this sauce through a mini food processor, but I just didn't feel like getting something else dirty.

Chicken Pad Thai

So I know this has nothing to do with Thanksgiving but I couldn't help myself.  I have been craving Asian food lately like it's going out of style.  Pad Thai was always so intimidating to me.  Like it would be so difficult or unattainable at home, but alas, I was surprisingly mistaken.  Like the broccoli beef, this was quite easy.  The most tedious part was chopping all of the veggies, but I personally find chopping vegetables therapeutic- weird I know...

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package flat medium width rice noodles

1 carrot
1/2 red pepper
1 bunch scallions
1 tbsp. minced ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
4 eggs beaten and cooked
1/2 cup bean sprouts
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. siracha (asian hot sauce with the rooster on the front)
1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
canola or peanut oil for stir frying
4 lime wedges

Begin by thinly slicing the chicken breasts into slivers.  Season with a little salt and set aside.  Add 2 tbsp. of canola or peanut oil to a wok and turn the heat up to high.  Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and saute until the chicken is cooked through.  Transfer to a holding plate. In a separate pot, add some water and bring to a boil.  Peel the carrot and slice into thin matchstick pieces.  Slice the red pepper into thin strands and add to the wok with a little more oil and the carrot.  Saute on high heat for a few minutes, until the veggies still retain a bit of bite, but don't get soft.  Transfer to the holding plate.  The water should be boiling by now.  Drop in your rice noodles and cook them for about 4-5 minutes.  Making sure that they're al dente since you'll continue to cook them a bit in the wok later.  Transfer the noodles to a colander and rinse with cold water to prevent the noodles from sticking together.   Add a little more oil to the wok, and scramble the eggs.  Cook them until they're a soft scramble- you want them slightly on the wet side.  Put them on the holding plate once cooked. Slice the scallions on the bias and roughly chop your cilantro and set aside. Now it's time to  create the sauce for the pad Thai.  In a separate bowl, add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, siracha, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar and rice wine vinegar.  Combine well with a whisk and set aside. Add a little more oil to the pot and transfer the noodles to the wok.  Gently stirring around.  Dump all of the cooked ingredients on your holding plate and the eggs and begin gently tossing everything around.  Next add the sauce and continue to toss.  Add the scallions, cilantro and bean sprouts- reserving some cilantro and scallions for the garnish.  Once everything is combined well, transfer to a plate.  Garnish with the cilantro and scallions in the middle and top with the crushed roasted peanuts.  Serve with lime wedges.  Enjoy!

Vietnamese Style Chicken Soup- Chicken Pho

I caught the most awful flu this week.  I was stuck in bed most of Monday and all day Tuesday.  I couldn't breathe and my throat was killing me.  The only thing that was appetizing to me in that condition was a brothy, gingery, soup.  Since we moved to Dallas, we kept seeing signs for "Vietnamese Pho" (pronounced "Fuh").  For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, Pho is a Vietnamese soup where a clear broth is poured into a bowl and lots of toppings are added.  There are all kinds of toppings, but one of the more common ones is the one with really thin rare beef.  I have never had Pho, so I can't quite title this dish "Chicken Pho" because I have no idea what the original should taste like, but if my inclinations are right, it probably was very similar to this recipe.  Although, I did kind of use a shortcut by using store-bought broth instead of making it from scratch. But hey, under the circumstances, I'm sure you'll forgive me right?

Ingredients for the broth:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Quarts chicken stock
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. fish sauce
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp. fresh chopped ginger
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white pepper

For the Toppings:
Sliced chicken breasts
Thinly sliced red onion
Chopped cilantro
Thinly sliced red pepper (or red chilies)
Fresh chopped ginger
Sugar snap peas or snow peas
Thinly sliced carrots
Scallions
Lime juice
Cooked rice noodles (about 1/2 cup per person)

Optional condiments:
Hoisin Sauce
Siracha hot sauce

First thing to do is add the chicken stock to a pot and bring to a boil.  Add the chicken breasts into the broth and let them cook.  Next add the ginger, coriander seeds, fish sauce and soy sauce.  Let everything cook undisturbed for about 30 minutes.  You'll notice that a foam from the chicken  will rise to the top of the broth- we'll have to strain the broth before serving.   Remove the chicken breasts, and rinse them well.   Once cooled, slice into really thin pieces and set aside.   In a separate pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles until they're al dente.  remove, and rinse with cold water to remove excess starch and to prevent the noodles from sticking.  Peel the carrots and cut them into long thin strips. Add some more water to a pot and blanch the carrots and sugar snap peas. Sliced the onions, red pepper,  and scallions and chop up the ginger and cilantro. Now run the broth through a fine mesh sieve and return to the pot (clean out the pot before adding the broth back in).  Bring the broth back up to a boil.  Add the toppings to a bowl and then scoop the boiling broth over the top.  Add any of the desired condiments I mentioned above and lots of lime.

Please note, traditional Pho usually has star anise added to the broth, but I am not a fan of licorice tastes so I omitted it.  Also, the traditional broth takes hours to make and is usually made with bones and skin, but I prefer the cleaner tastes of the chicken breasts. Lastly, one topping that is usually present in Pho is bean sprouts, but I didn't have any on hand.

This was one of those meals that I immediately feel like eating again, even though I just had it a few days ago.  Especially since the weather has been considerably cooler.

Chicken Parmesan: You'll Never Know it Wasn't Fried

 I'd like to start by saying that I love Chicken Parmesan.  But I hate frying food.  I also hate feeling guilty after I eat a meal.  I modified the traditional recipe by baking the chicken instead of frying. Also, instead of covering the chicken with a ton of cheese, I simply put a small slice of buffalo mozzarella over each piece.  Lastly, I made the sauce too instead of buying the bottled variety. Granted, I am not terribly opposed to bottled sauces(if they're of a good quality), but they're really overpriced sometimes, and making your own is simple- not to mention, delicious and YOU control what's going into them.

 For the chicken:
4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs
1 cup flour
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 -2 tsp. salt
mister with neutral flavored oil (like canola) or butter flavor cooking spray
4  1/4" slices fresh buffalo mozzarella
1 tbsp fresh chopped basil for garnish


For the sauce:
1 onion (very finely diced)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. fresh basil (chopped)
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried nutmeg (I know it sounds weird but it works- trust me)
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 cup whole cherry tomatoes

The first thing to do is pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.  For this particular recipe, I decided not to butterfly the chicken breasts because I thought they'd be too thin.  Instead, I placed the chicken breast on a cutting board (I use one of those thin overlays just for meat) and placed a piece of plastic wrap over the top. Gently pound out the breast until you have a pretty even piece.  Repeat until you've done this to the four pieces.  Season each piece of chicken with salt.  Now we're ready to create the breading station.  In three separate pans, add the flour, bread crumbs, and beaten egg.  Before diving into the breading process, have your baking sheet ready to go.  For this particular dish, I lined my cookie sheet with a silicone mat- if you don't have a silicone mat, then use parchment paper.  This step is important because, although most cookie sheets are non-stick, the breading tends to stick anyways.  Using parchment or a silicone mat will prevent this from happening this is also true since we're not using a ton of oil or butter for the baking.  Begin breading the chicken by dredging the chicken into the flour, then the egg, then the panko bread crumbs.  I used to think the flour part was unnecessary until I tried it.  This step really helps the crumbs adhere to the chicken, creating a nice even crust.  Transfer the chicken to the baking sheet.  Now spray each chicken on both sides with the cooking spray or the oil mister.  Make sure you have a fair amount before putting the chicken in the oven.  Bake for about 8 minutes on each side.  Flipping the breasts, once to make sure all the sides are crunchy.

While the chicken cooks, let’s begin making the sauce.  Begin dicing your onion and garlic into the smallest pieces possible.  Add the olive oil to a pan and turn up the heat to medium high.  Add the onions and garlic and let them cook for about 5 minutes.  Next open the cans of crush tomatoes, and the tomato sauce and transfer to the pan. Add the ketchup next, stirring the sauce to blend everything well.  Now let’s start adding the seasonings: nutmeg, salt, oregano, and chopped up basil. Add the cherry tomatoes. Stir again and let the sauce simmer on low heat until the chicken is done.

Remove the chicken from the oven and ladle the sauce over each piece.  Top with the slice of buffalo mozzarella and bake for another five minutes.

Garnish with some freshly chopped basil.  I served this with grilled zucchini that was simply seasoned with sea salt and lots of freshly cracked pepper- grilled in a little olive oil.

P.S. - Just look at how beautiful those little cherry tomatoes look in the sauce... aren't they cute?

Stuffed Butternut Squash with Chicken Meatballs, Barley and Sage

I'm ready for fall.  I've been ready since August when it was 115 degrees all day, EVERY DAY.  It was miserable.  I'm ready for sweaters, I'm ready for golden leaves, I'm ready for cooler weather, but more than anything, you know what I'm most ready for???  Pumpkin and squash season.  Have I ever mentioned how much I love these vegetables?  Their gorgeous color, their smell, their mellow and buttery taste.  Oh I am so ready for fall and pumpkins and sweaters... and this dish is sure to start the season off with a bang!

Ingredients:

2 butternut squashes

1/2 cup pearl barley

4 cups chicken stock

1 onion

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

4 chicken breasts

1 egg

3 tbsp. mayonnaise

2 tbsp. rubbed sage or poultry seasoning

1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

4 cloves garlic

1 sprig rosemary (chopped)

1/4 cup fresh thyme (chopped)

1/2 cup fresh sage (chopped, and reserving some to garnish)

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
salt to taste

The first thing to do is preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Next using a large sharp knife, cut the butternut squashes in half, lengthwise.  Place them on a baking sheet face up and let them bake undisturbed for about 30 minutes.  Don't worry about removing the seeds, they come up easier after the squash is baked.

Remove the seeds with a spoon.  With a small paring knife, cut a rim around the squash leaving about 1/2 " of a squash rim. The idea is to remove the squash in rustic cubes. You'll want to keep the shell in tact because we'll be stuffing it later and baking. 

Next, it's time to cook the barley.  In a small pot, add 3 cups chicken stock and the barley.  Let it come to a boil, then turn down the heat and allow the barley to cook for about 45 minutes on a low simmer.  Please note, I did not use the instant barley. 

While the barley is cooking, begin making the chicken meatballs.  I discovered recently that using a food processor is a great way to grind up meat.  I personally love the idea of knowing exactly what is going into my ground products. No mystery meat here!  I added the whole chicken breasts to the food processor.  Next roughly chop up the garlic, rosemary, thyme and about 3 tbsp. of the fresh sage.  Also add about 1 tbsp. of rubbed sage or poultry seasoning and salt.  Then add the mayonnaise.  I know that sounds really weird right? But you'll have to trust me on this.  If you don't add it to the mixture, the meatballs will turn out really dry since we're using boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  

Turn the food processor on and let it run until you have a smooth consistency.  Remove the lid and add the egg and bread crumbs. Let the food processor run until all of the ingredients are blended well. Now we're ready to form the meatballs.  Make them on the small side- I think they work best in this dish.  Then place them on a baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

While the meatballs are baking, begin sauteing the onion in a deep skillet adding the 2 tbsp. of olive oil.  Add 1 tbsp of rubbed sage and the grated nutmeg. While that's cooking,  drain the barley well and add to the pot with the onions.

Next goes the chunks of butternut squash, the chicken meatballs, and 1 cup of chicken stock and season with salt to your taste.  Remember that the chicken stock has salt in it so go easy on the salt.

Ok we're almost done! Remember the shells of the butternut squash we reserved? Ok, now it's time to put this mixture back into the shells.  Top each butternut squash with a little shredded Parmesan cheese and bake in the oven until the cheese melts.  Garnish with roughly chopped fresh sage.