Chicken with White Wine Sauce, December 4, 2017

I love food with a nice, tart punch to it. Last night's dinner was a completely luscious rendition of that sort of dish. I made chicken cutlets with a lemony white wine sauce, accompanied by baked potatoes so enormous none of us could finish ours and a green bean succotash. I cooked the potatoes extra-long in the oven and the creamy, fluffy interiors were a perfect counterpoint to the tang of the chicken. There's nothing like a perfectly baked potato and having two leftover means I'll be making some fried potatoes to go with tonight's supper.

Chicken with White Wine Sauce

6 thin chicken breast cutlets

Salt & pepper

Flour

2 tbsp. butter

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 c. dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)

2 c. chicken stock

A handful of chopped parsley

Some capers
Juice of 1 lemon

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with flour. Heat 1 tbsp. butter in a skillet. Sauté chicken in butter until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. I needed to do this in two batches, keeping the chicken warm in a 250 degree oven until the sauce was done. Add shallots to same skillet and cook until softened, just about a minute. Add wine and stir to deglaze pan. Add stock and bring to a boil. Let bubble until reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the second tablespoon of butter, cut into small bits. Stir to melt the butter. Add parsley, capers, & lemon juice. Spoon over chicken when serving. Serves 4-6. 

Green Bean Succotash

1/2 lb. green beans

2 tbsp. olive oil

 1 c. cooked lima beans

1 c. corn 

1/4 red pepper, diced

1 tbsp. butter (this may be easily omitted)

1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

Salt & pepper

Cook green beans in boiling, salted water about 4 minutes, just until they're crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté beans a minute or so. Add the rest of the veggies and sauté until everything is hot and tender. Add everything else. Serves 4-6.

Chicken Cacciatore, December 3, 2016

Saturday night, we had Italian in, with a rib-sticking chicken cacciatore over crisp polenta, with sautéed garlicky kale (just cook chopped kale in a bit of hot olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes until it's wilted and tender) and Pugliese bread. I started with a Martha Stewart recipe, which I'm sure is quite lovely, if you like dark meat and the bones don't wig you out. It's certainly much more traditional! However, my wife and I like breast meat and bones wig me out these days. So, here's my wuss version:

Chicken Cacciatore over Crisp Polenta

1-2 tbsp. olive oil (plus extra for polenta)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

Salt & pepper

A handful of crimini mushrooms, halved (you can use any mushrooms, really)

1/4 c. flour

15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1/2 c. dry white wine

1 onions, cut into wedges (I would dice next time, though)

3 cloves garlic, sliced

A big handful of green olives, halved

1 tube of polenta, sliced

Heat oil in a big pot. Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Sauté until lightly browned. Remove to a plate. In the same pot, brown the mushrooms. Add flour and stir in well. Cook about a minute. Add tomatoes, wine, garlic, olives. Return chicken to pot. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on medium heat 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. Adjust seasoning. While stew is cooking, preheat broiler. Brush polenta lightly on each side with olive oil & place on a baking sheet. Salt & pepper. Broil until deep golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Serve stew over polenta. Serves 4. 

Roasted Chicken, May 25, 2016

When I roast a chicken, I usually keep it very, very simple. A little butter or olive oil rubbed on the surface, along with salt & pepper. Then, a squeeze of lemon over the top, with the spent remains stuffed inside the chicken. Rosemary sprigs tucked under the skin & placed inside.

Last night, I tried Ina Garten's directions, from her Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, figuring hers would be infinitely better than my usual chicken. I skipped the gravy, as I was already overdoing it with an incredibly rich cheese sauce for our broccoli. Perhaps it would have been better with the gravy. I love garlic, but the entire head of garlic called for would have been better used, in my opinion, as a stand-alone treat, to be spread on sturdy sourdough. Furthermore, the thyme flavor permeating the chicken was entirely too strong for me. However, my wife liked it and, if you love thyme, you might also like it. You can find the recipe here, although the version in the cookbook doesn't call for any carrots or fennel and it does include directions for gravy. Personally, I would definitely do the carrots and fennel. I usually do carrots, potatoes, & onion with my own recipe. The onions with the chicken I made last night were completely delicious!

Since the recipe didn't call for any veggies besides onions, I baked a couple of potatoes to serve, along with making a bunch of steamed broccoli and this decadent cheese sauce that would be great for a traditional orange mac & cheese, too:

Cheese Sauce

1/2 stick butter, melted (this could probably be less or you could use a little olive oil)

1/4 c. flour (2 tbsp, if you use less butter)

2 c. milk, heated (2% works just fine---I expect skim would, as well)

16 oz. jar Cheez Whiz type sauce

2 c. shredded cheddar (2% melts fine, but I wouldn't go with fat-free)

A grinding of pepper

Blend the butter and flour until it makes a smooth paste. Mix in the milk with a whisk until everything is smooth. When hot through, add Cheez Whiz, whisking to incorporate. Next, add the cheddar, stirring to melt. Add pepper. When everything's all melty and hot, use on broccoli or what-have-you. Makes 8 cups.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole, April 9, 2016

Saturday, I'd planned to make chicken & broccoli casserole with baked sweet potatoes and Old Bay slaw. However, we got home so late from swimming and the grocery that I decided just to do the casserole with boxed almond pilaf (I like Near East brand best) and a green salad. The casserole was completely delicious, the sort of thing people used to bring to carry-in dinners at church.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

24 oz. frozen broccoli, chopped sort, cooked & well-drained

3 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 c. mayonnaise

3 tbsp. milk

Juice of 1 lemon

Generous 1/2 tsp. curry powder

Salt & pepper

2 c. shredded extra-sharp cheddar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange the broccoli in a layer in the pan. Mix soup, mayo, milk, lemon juice, curry, salt, & pepper. Pour a little over the broccoli. Top with a layer of chicken. Cover with remaining sauce. Finish with a layer of cheese. Bake 1/2 hour. Serves 8-10.

Salsa Chicken Sauté, January 25, 2016

I was planning to serve the salsa chicken sauté I made last night with just some romaine salad and pear slices, but then my beautiful wife asked if it was going over rice. She loves rice and it sounded great to me, so I cooked up a pot of rice, too. Then, she asked, "Is there cheese on it?" She loves cheese more than she loves rice, so I got a bag of shredded Mexican blend cheese out of the fridge to go along side the sour cream and avocado chunks I'd already laid out to top our meal. This is a really quick and yummy meal.

Salsa Chicken Sauté

1 green pepper, very thinly sliced

1 red pepper, very thinly sliced

Olive oil or cooking spray

2 potatoes, cubed and cooked

3 c. cubed, cooked chicken

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained

32 oz. salsa (I like Newman's Own Medium)

Sour cream

Avocado chunks

Cook peppers in a very large skillet with either oil or cooking spray for a couple minutes. Add everything but the sour cream and avocado. Stir well. Cover and cook on medium-low heat 10-15 minutes, to heat through. Serve with avocado and sour cream, over rice if desired, with cheese, if desired. You can omit the chicken and just add more black beans, for a vegetarian or vegan (skip the sour cream and cheese) meal. 

Glazed Roasted Chicken, January 18, 2016

Yesterday morning, before we headed out to the MLK Day celebration at the Henry Ford Museum, I began to marinate the chicken for our supper. It sat all day in a teriyaki-based marinade, then I roasted it when we arrived home. I served it with the curried rice recipe my mom passed along to me and some green beans. I am still missing my beloved steamer---I really do need to replace it---but I am finally managing boiled green beans that are not overly done (which makes me sad) and not overly crisp (which makes Jeannene sad). The curried rice was as tasty as my mom promised and the chicken was juicy and flavorful.

Glazed Roasted Chicken

1/2 c. teriyaki sauce

4 tbsp. orange juice

3 tbsp. sesame oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

3-lb. roasting chicken

Salt & pepper

Mix the first 4 together. Season chicken with salt & pepper. Place in shallow pan or gallon Ziploc with half the sauce. Marinate 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake, breast-up, in a 13x9 baking dish. Bake 50 minutes, covering with foil after about half an hour. Pour the rest of the marinade over the chicken in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Serves 4. 

Curried Rice

3 tbsp. oil (you can use less)

1 small onion, chopped

1 tsp. curry powder

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 c. jasmine or basmati rice

2 c. stock (chicken or veggie works best)

Salt & pepper

Sauté onion in hot oil until translucent. Stir in curry and tomato paste. Add rice and stir to coat well. Add stock, bring to a boil, cover, and cook on low until rice is done, about 14 minutes. Serves 4-6. This would also be good with some cooked chicken or tofu thrown in, as a main course. 

Chicken & Noodles, January 12, 2016

After having wonderful aromas permeating the house all day Monday, I got to have a repeat of the experience yesterday. I had signed up to take some food to friends who were recovering from surgery, in one case, and spending time with a new baby, in the other. So, I just made enough for us to have some of what I was delivering. It was a perfect night for chicken & noodles, all snowy and blowy and generally requiring comfort food. With our chicken and noodles, we had a green salad and peach slices.

Chicken & Noodles

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed

Salt & pepper

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 lb egg noodles, cooked al dente

Put chicken in greased crockpot. Salt & pepper it. Top with soup, cover, & cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours. Stir to break up any chicken pieces that have stuck together. Gently stir in noodles. If noodles are not freshly cooked & hot when added, cook another 1/2 hour on low to heat through. Serves 6. 

Hot Chicken Salad, December 19, 2015

We'd planned to have dinner out last night, but my poor sweetheart appears to have a touch of the flu and only wanted toast for dinner, so I drove through McDonald's. I should have had toast, actually, and cocoa. So, I was glad tonight to have a home-cooked dinner. It was a very retro sort of dinner, with the main course, hot chicken salad, coming from my mother-in-law's West Point Hostess cookbook. I'd planned to serve green salad with the casserole & potato soufflé, but we had already eaten it, so I just served some pineapple on the side. Not a very healthy dinner, at all, but really delicious and pretty easy to throw together. Boot is visiting for Christmas and he and Jeannene really liked it, especially the potatoes. He put his third serving of potatoes on a tortilla. He can eat like y'all would not believe, probably because he works out 4 or 5 hours a day.

Hot Chicken Salad

2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped

1 1/2 c. chopped celery

1/2 c. chopped pecans

3 tbsp. dried minced onion

3 tbsp. lemon juice

Salt & pepper

1 can cream of mushroom soup (the original recipe calls for cream of chicken, but I used what I had on hand and it worked out great)

3/4 c. mayonnaise (I use the olive oil mayo)

Potato chips to crumble on top (I used plain Lay's, but I think perhaps sour cream and onion or BBQ might be interesting)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything but the mayonnaise, soup, and potato chips. Put in 2-quart casserole. Mix the soup and mayonnaise and pour over the top of the chicken mixture. Do not mix it into the chicken. Top with an even layer of crushed potato chips. Bake about half an hour. Serves 6-8. 

Potato Soufflé

About 6 c. mashed potatoes (I just used a package of Bob Evans pre-made mashed potatoes)

8 oz. chive cream cheese (the sort in the tub)

2 eggs

1/4 c. sour cream

A pinch of salt

4 tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix well and place in greased (I use cooking spray) 1 1/2-2 qt. casserole or soufflé dish. Bake 45 minutes. Serves 6-8. 

Tequila Lime Chicken, October 22, 2015

After a string of dinner failures, starting with last week's chicken tetrazzini and continuing through gloopy pumpkin pecan bread pudding and sausage & bean soup that tasted like hot dog water, I relegated myself to supplementing Jeannene's dinners until Wednesday. Wednesday, I meant to make last night's dinner, until I realized that I had forgotten that the chicken needed to marinate---so, I made scrambled eggs & toast, instead. Last night, I was relieved that dinner turned out yummy, with an especially delicious side of garlic spinach. The rest of the dinner was tequila lime chicken and rice pilaf (from a box---Near East is my favorite brand). It was pretty healthy, too!

Tequila Lime Chicken

Juice of 4 limes

Juice of 1 orange

1/2 c. tequila

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

A pinch of salt

A good grinding of pepper

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Mix everything but chicken. Add chicken and marinate overnight. Broil until cooked through, about 9 minutes per side. Serves 3. 

Garlic Spinach

A drizzle of olive oil (enough to cover the bottom of a pot)

A package of baby spinach

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

A squeeze of lemon juice

A little butter (optional)

Heat the oil and sauté the garlic in it for about 30 seconds. Make sure it doesn't burn! Add the spinach, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Stir to wilt the spinach. Stir in a little butter at the end, if desired. It's quite good even without, though. Serves 2. 

Chicken Noodle Soup, September 1, 2015

Since I had what was left of the chicken I roasted last week, I figured I might as well make chicken noodle soup for supper last night. I just threw the chicken and veggies I'd bagged up into a pot, covered them with water, threw in some carrot rounds (3 carrots) & celery slices (2 stalks), and cooked them on medium to medium-low for quite awhile (you can just do about 45 minutes, though, and you get a pretty decent broth). About 10 minutes before serving, I removed the chicken (you have to be careful that you don't accidentally leave bone bits or other yucky parts in the pot) & let it cool while I tossed some "dumpling" noodles into the pot of soup and cooked them for about 7 minutes. Then, I picked the remaining chicken off the carcass and threw it back into the pot. I adjusted the seasonings with some salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Then, I served it piping hot with some Pugliese bread and applesauce.

Dessert was scrumptious chocolate banana bread with dark chocolate chips. This is really gooey and cake-like and unruly when still warm. The cooler it gets, the more tidy and bread-like it becomes. It's still quite good when completely cool---and looks more like you expect bread to look, you know, holding its shape and everything. I sent a loaf to work with Jeannene and we kept one at home. The recipe makes one loaf.

Chocolate Banana Bread with Dark Chocolate Chips

4 bananas, very ripe

1/3 c. brown sugar

A hearty shaking of lemon zest (I had dried on hand)

1 stick butter, room temp

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

A pinch of salt

A heaping tsp. baking powder

1 c. flour

1/4 c. cocoa

6 oz. chocolate chips (I had dark on hand, but you could use whatever you like---even PB or cinnamon or butterscotch chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mash bananas in a large bowl. Mix in brown sugar, lemon zest, butter, vanilla, and eggs. Stir salt, baking powder, flour, & cocoa together. Add to banana mix, along with chocolate chips, and mix well. Pour into a lightly greased loaf pan and bake 1-1 & 1/2 hours. It's done when it feels springy in the center. Cool at least 5 minutes before serving. 

Chicken Pot Pie, August 21, 2015

A couple weeks ago, Jeannene suggested that it was about time for me to make my chicken pot pie again. Friday night, it seemed sufficiently cool and pot pie-ish to fulfill her request. I learned to make my chicken pie from my friend, Teresa, in Tennessee. It's good, although I think I used a bit too much chicken this time. Jeannene disagrees. Since I'd just been to the farmer's market and had all kinds of marvelous produce, I added a tomato and cucumber salad and a corn and zucchini sauté to complete the meal. I experimented with putting a little oregano in the tomato and cucumber salad and discovered I didn't like it at all, but add it, by all means, if you like it. I felt it muddied the clarity of the flavors. I also had some parmesan & onion hanky pankys ready to pop out of the oven when Jeannene came home. These little toasts go by all kinds of names, but I like the playfulness of hanky pankys. My favorite version is my aunt Holly's Gloria Hardingtons, which I have written about here before. There is also a version involving sausage and Velveeta, which I have not yet tried. Honestly, I've been reluctant to try any but the Glorias because they are so stunningly good. But this parmesan version was pretty tasty, too. This is the basic recipe for the appetizer, which should be enough for 7 people. You can easily cut the amounts if you're just making it for 2 people, but in my experience, when making these type of appetizers for larger groups, it's actually better to double the recipe, just because people love them so much.

Parmesan & Onion Hanky Pankys

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1/2 c. mayonnaise 

1/4-1/2 c. grated parmesan

Pepper & a little garlic powder

14 slices cocktail rye

Preheat broiler. Mix everything but rye together. Broil rye until lightly toasted. Turn over and spread with topping. Broil until bubbly and nicely browned. 

Chicken Pot Pie

2 pie crusts (I use the pre-made refrigerated kind)

1/2-1 pound chicken breast chunks, cooked (I used about 1 & 1/2 this time, too much for me)

1 can Veg All, drained (You can use other mixed veg)

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (I almost always use low fat, low sodium versions of the soups)

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put one crust in a pie plate. Mix the rest together & pour into crust. Top with second crust, crimping & sealing. Cut slits to vent the top (or use mini cookie cutters for make designs). Bake 1 hour. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

Tomato & Cucumber Salad

1 large tomato, diced (I like to use an heirloom tomato here)

1 cucumber, peeled & sliced thickly

3 or 4 leaves basil, sliced in chiffonade

1/4 red. onion, diced

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. oregano, opt. 

1-2 tbsp. olive oil

Mix everything together and let stand 5 or 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4-6. 

Corn & Zucchini Sauté

2 tbsp. butter or olive oil

1 zucchini, diced

1 onion, diced

1 jalapeño, seeds and membranes removed, minced (or to taste)

Salt and pepper

Garlic powder

Kernels cut from 2-3 ears corn (you can do this with frozen corn, but it's not the same. I only make it in season)

Melt butter in skillet and add everything but the corn. Cook until veggies are tender, then add corn and cook another few minutes, until corn is tender. Serves 4. 

Chicken & Rice, August 16, 2015

My dear wife needed a cozy, home-cooking, comfort food sort of dinner last night. This chicken & rice, a recipe from one of my former parishioners, Roselyn Faulkner, fit the bill perfectly. I made some fresh green beans to go with it and put out a veggie tray left over from Saturday night's picnic. Roz says the dish is great to take to people who are recuperating from surgery or sickness and also that it freezes nicely. How many people it feeds depends on how many chicken breasts you use, 1 per person. It's incredibly easy and quite comforting.

Roz's Chicken & Rice

1 c. rice

1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use Healthy Choice)

1 can cream of chicken soup (likewise)

1 can cream of celery soup (and likewise)

1 soup can of water

2-3 tbsp. dry onion soup mix (optional)

4-6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Salt & pepper

Butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix soup and water with rice, as well as onion soup mix, if using. Pour into greased 13x9 baking dish. Place the chicken breasts on top of the rice. Season with salt and pepper. Top with dots of butter. Bake about an hour. 

Chicken Roll-Ups, August 11, 2015

My friend, Kira, gave me this recipe for chicken roll-ups years ago, but I never got around to trying it until Tuesday night. I will definitely be making it again, as my wife said, as she moaned in ecstasy over them, "Put five stars by this one so you'll make it again." She also said she thinks it's the best chicken she has ever had in her life and rates 10 out of 10. I thought it was pretty dang good, myself. I served with with mashed potatoes, cornbread, and lima beans. I meant to serve some peaches with it, too, but I forgot. Ah, well.

Kira's Chicken Roll-Ups

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

Garlic powder or garlic salt

Parsley, snipped

Chives, snipped

4 slices bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the cream cheese evenly on the chicken breasts. Sprinkle with garlic powder, parsley, and chives.  Roll up and wrap each with 2 strips of bacon. Secure, if needed, with toothpicks. Bake 30-40 minutes, until done. Broil for the last 5 minutes so the bacon gets browned. Serves 2. 

Cheesy Cornbread
1 c. self-rising cornmeal
3/4 c. self-rising flour
1/2 c. oil
8 oz. creamed corn
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream (reduced fat works fine)
1 c. shredded cheddar (reduced-fat works fine)
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix everything. Pour into a well-greased cast iron skillet. Bake 1/2 hour. Serves 8-10.

BBQ Chicken, July 8, 2015

Yesterday was a perfect cozy dinner day, a good day to have the crockpot filling the house with good smells. I made bbq chicken breasts in the crockpot, then added some oven fries and broccoli to round out the meal. I am still not used to making broccoli without a steamer, so I ended up overcooking it. I guess that's better than undercooking it, as I am willing (if not thrilled about) to eat it mushy, while my darling wife will not eat it too crisp. The fries were perfect. I made them by cutting some potatoes into thin wedges, with the skin on, then tossing them with a smidge of olive oil and some seasoning mix I keep on hand that has salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then, I put them on a baking sheet in a 450 degree oven for about 40 minutes. The chicken was beautifully tender, but I was not a fan of the sauce, as it turned out to taste too boozy for me. That said, I would very cheerfully give it another try, with half the Jack Daniels. Jeannene really liked it.

Slow BBQ Chicken

3-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (skin-on, bone-in is fine, too)

1/2 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

15 oz. tomato sauce

1/4 c. apple cider vinegar

1/4 c. dark brown sugar

2 tbsp. Jack Daniels (or similar)

1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. hot sauce (or more, to taste)

Place the chicken in a slow cooker. Mix everything else well and pour over chicken. Cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours. Serves 3-4.

Baked Chicken, June 16, 2015

Since we were getting up super early to get my sweetie to the airport for an overnight work trip, I wanted to have a simple, but also really homey and comforting dinner for her. Since we spent the weekend at a water park and she'll be eating out (possibly in the airport) the next couple of nights, I wanted her to have just the right send-off meal!

I am not usually a coat-the-chicken-before-you-bake-it kinda girl. However, my wife loves that kind of thing---her pork chops almost always have Shake & Bake on them, unless they're grilled. I'm also trying to be open to cooking and eating new things, so I decided to play around with a corn flake coating on my baked chicken. I made a batch of mashed potatoes and cooked some lima beans to go with it. I couldn't believe how delicious the chicken turned out to be!

I also discovered this morning that I really like corn flakes with milk, something I thought impossible. I had childhood memories of a soggy mess, so I assumed Jeannene would have to finish off the giant box we bought over the weekend. Jeannene had spotted it and said, "Do you need corn flakes for anything?" She really wanted the box, which has Iron Man on one side and Captain America on the other. I did, too, so I said yes. Friends with food manufacturing businesses, never underestimate the influence of cartoon characters on grown folks!

Baked Chicken

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/2 c. mayonnaise (the low-fat version works just fine here)

Generous 1/8 c. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. chopped parsley (1 tsp. dried)

A healthy shake or two of grated parmesan cheese

1 1/2-2 c. crushed corn flakes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix mayonnaise, Dijon, parsley, & parmesan. Coat each chicken breast in the mixture, then dredge in corn flake crumbs. Place in a greased 13x9 pan (I used cooking spray). Bake 30-35 minutes. Serves 3. 

Chicken Caesar Sandwiches, May 21, 2015

I'd purchased a rotisserie chicken and only used the breast meat, so the rest of the meat was shredded, reheated, and used for some yummy chicken Caesar sandwiches the next night. I also made a wonderful, tangy, garlicky white bean dip and served pita chips and raw veggies (sugar snap peas, carrot sticks, and strips of yellow and red bell pepper not used for the previous night's dinner). I woke up the next morning and immediately felt very sad because I'd forgotten to put the rest of the bean dip in the fridge overnight. My dear wife was even more sad, so I have promised to make it again before long.

Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

2 tbsp. olive oil

Leftover chicken (about 2 cups)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2-2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Dash hot sauce

Handful grated parmesan

2 hamburger buns (I like the sesame seed ones)

Romaine lettuce

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add chicken and stir to heat through. Add everything but buns and lettuce and cook another 5 or 10 minutes. Serve on buns, with lettuce. Serves 2 (with some meat left over for the next day's lunch).

White Bean Dip with Lemon, Garlic, & Dill

2 cans cannellini beans, drained

3 scallions, sliced

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 c. walnuts

2-3 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

Puree everything together. Serve with pita & veggies. Serves 6-8. 

Fettuccine with Chicken and Asparagus, May 6, 2015

We love asparagus around here and I will only make it in season. Poor Jeannene implores me to bend a bit on this, but to no avail. I will consent to eat it, if she makes it out of season, of course. This dish I made last night, with a green salad and some roasted garlic bread Jeannene picked up on her way home from work, is a great way to throw together a delicious and spring-y dinner with very little effort.

Fettuccine with Chicken and Asparagus

1/2 lb. fettuccine, cooked al dente

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and broken into bite-size pieces

1-2 tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch scallions, sliced (white and light green parts only)

15 oz. can diced tomatoes with garlic & onion (plain is fine, too)

1 tbsp. Italian seasoning

Salt & pepper

Cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (optional; you could also use any other meat you like)

Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add asparagus and sauté until crisp-tender. Add garlic, scallions, tomatoes, and seasonings, mixing well. Add pasta and chicken, if using, and cook until heated through. Serve with parmesan. Without the meat and parmesan, this is a great vegan dinner, provided you make sure your pasta is vegan. Serves 4. 

Carrot Soup, April 13, 2015

I kind of suspect my wife was avoiding the carrot soup I planned to make for several days. I finally made it on Monday and, frankly, it was fine, but not stellar. Jeannene took a few bites and was done. I ate a whole bowl and thought it was okay, but would not make it again. Neither of us is a big carrot soup fan in the first place, though, so you may really love this soup. I am trying to broaden my cooking horizons and this was an attempt. I made sure to have some chicken salad and crackers, too, as well as veggies and dip (Marzetti), so that if we didn't like the soup, there'd be plenty we did like. I believe either one of us could cheerfully have eaten the entire amount of chicken salad all by ourself. I hope you like it, too.

Carrot Soup

5-6 c. chicken or veggie stock/broth (if you want a thicker soup, use 5. I used 6 so as not to waste half a can of broth)

1 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 leek (white and green parts only), chopped

1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

About an inch of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. coriander

1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne

1 c. buttermilk (this can be omitted or you can sub soy milk/creamer or almond milk)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt & pepper

Mix everything but the buttermilk and lemon juice in a soup pot. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low 20-25 minutes. Puree either with an immersion blender (one of my favorite kitchen tools) or, carefully, in batches in a regular blender. Add buttermilk and lemon juice. Adjust seasonings and heat through. A little curry powder would not be misplaced, with the other spices. Serves 6-8. 

Chicken Salad with Walnuts

2 c. chopped cooked chicken

A handful of chopped walnuts

2/3 c. mayonnaise

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and pepper

Mix everything together and serve with crackers. Also good for sandwiches or with fruit. Serves 4.

What I've Been Eating Lately, March 9-17, 2015

I appear to have fallen off the posting wagon. Instead of inundating my followers with a whole series of short posts, it makes sense to create one longer post to catch up! Then, climb back onto that high seat, take up the reins, & start daily blogging once more.

March 9: pork chops in red wine sauce, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole
The pork chops and mashed potatoes were very good, but the green bean casserole was not. I used a different recipe, with almonds instead of fried onions for one, that was completely lacking in flavor, to my taste buds. So, I won't bother with that recipe for y'all, but will simply link you to the one I usually use (I generally use regular cut green beans, though---and this is one of the rare occasions when I feel that canned is better than fresh).

Pork Chops in Red Wine Sauce

4 thick-cut pork chops (I tend to prefer boneless, but use whatever you like best)

2 tsp. olive oil

2 onions, thinly-sliced into demi-lunes

4 sprigs thyme

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2" piece ginger, peeled and minced

1/8 tsp. allspice

1/2 c. dry red wine 

1/4 c. ruby port

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar plus a splash

1 c. beef broth

1 tbsp. butter

A handful of chopped parsley 

Sear the pork chops in hot oil until browned on both sides. Set aside. In same skillet, cook onions until golden brown, with thyme sprigs, garlic, ginger, and allspice. Lay pork chops on top of onions. Add wines, vinegar, and broth. Cover and simmer until pork is cooked through, about half an hour. Remove to plates. Stir butter into sauce. Serve over pork chops, sprinkled with fresh parsley. Serves 4. 

March 10: My dear wife had a night out with our youngest and his girlfriend to talk over his college plans, while I spent the evening shopping for a duvet cover and dishes (although I didn't know I was shopping for the latter. I spotted these wonderful pink Nicole Miller dishes I couldn't resist.). I'd intended to take myself out for something yummy, but got distracted by all the pretty things in the store and found myself out much later than I'd intended. Jeannene hinted that she might really enjoy some kind of dessert from Culver's, so I stopped there for a cheeseburger and a couple of small turtle sundaes. 

March 11: I'd planned to make chicken & dumpling soup, which didn't sound good to either of us that day. Further, I was at the plant all day with Jeannene, having ridden in with her in the morning for a wellness screening, and she works late. By the time she got off, there was no question of going to the grocery for the needed items, then going home and cooking. When her engineer, Ken, invited us to join him at The Mulefoot Gastropub in Imlay City, Michigan, for a beer, we accepted. We sat at the bar and ordered supper from the bartender (who also made me a stellar drink, the ingredients of which I could not tell you---I asked her for something girly and not too strong---she called it "something something something pink lemonade." It was both tart and sweet, just what I wanted. Most places, I would not put my cocktail fate into their hands entirely. I trust the bartenders at Mulefoot, though. You should, too, if you are lucky enough to live in range.) Jeannene wasn't hungry, having eaten a patty melt I brought her for a late lunch, so I ordered. Ken and I had the same thing, pork over saffron chile rice with root veggies and mojo sauce. I opted for the meatball version, which was terrific. They even got the mojo right. I also had a little dessert, a dish of raspberry-beet sorbet with candied carrot shavings. I can hardly resist a creative sorbet and I'm glad I said yes to this one. Stellar! I usually skip sorbets, which my crazy wife doesn't like (too tart), in favor of something I can split with her. 

March 12: Another dinner out, this time for a good cause, the Future Medical Professionals Club at Oxford High School. One of the folks at Jeannene's plant teaches there and had handed out flyers which would commit 25% of our bill at Casa Real to the club. What? We get to drink margaritas and raise money for teenagers? Heck, yeah! I chose a trio of gorditas, of which my favorite was the carnitas-stuffed one. The beef was bland and I could hardly believe the flavorless meat in the chorizo & potato was chorizo. But the carnitas one was delicious. The beans I ordered on the side were equally bland. Jeannene loved her combo plate---the bite of her tamale I had was really good. I'd assess Casa Real as very good, if you order the right things, boring, if not. I still haven't found a Mexican restaurant up here that has wowed me. I miss Las Piramides in Centerville, Ohio (whose carnitas are stupid good), Los Mariachis in Xenia, Ohio (home of my favorite chile verde) and Azteca in Powell, Ohio (which has fantastic plantains). 

March 13: The Uppity Book Women gathered at our place to discuss Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights, so it made sense to offer a Regency-style cold collation, a simple supper offered to guests who arrived late and were in need of nourishment and also to guests at midnight, after a formal dinner much earlier in the evening and a ball or evening of entertainments. I picked up some thick-sliced ham and turkey (chicken would have been more authentic, of course), as well as some English Cheddar and Stilton with mangoes and apricots. I had a platter of grapes and a cutting board holding a loaf of multigrain bread. For dessert, I made a delicious trifle. I'd done some research and found this trifle recipe. I also set out some Godiva biscuits and almond straw cookies. Brenda brought a plate of yummy little ham, cream cheese, & scallion roll-ups and some strawberries. Brenda said, "Couldn't you just eat the whole plate?" of the ham roll-ups---my answer was, "Oh, yeah!" In fact, she left some with us and I gave Jeannene a very hard glare when she sat down with them and inhaled them in front of me, without offering one, the next day when she got home from work. She figured that since I had eaten lunch, I wouldn't be hungry. Well, I wasn't, but I sure wanted another of those!

March 14: Oh, boy, was this one a doozie. Jeannene didn't get home from work until 4 Saturday afternoon (after having worked 12 or 13 hours Friday). She said she wanted to take me either to the "Frozen on Ice" show or something else I really wanted to do. I chose "Cinderella" instead and am I glad I did! We planned to have dinner at Bar Louie, then see the movie. We'd just put our name in with the hostess when Jeannene got the call that she needed to return to the plant. Well, when you're the plant manager, you have to heed those calls. So, we told the hostess we wouldn't be eating there and hit the road, stopping for McDonald's on the way because they have a drive-through and eating in the car. We ended up not getting home until 11 or so and Jeannene worked from here until 3 in the morning! Then, went back to work at 8:30 Sunday. Sheesh! So, for those of you who are always saying how envious you are of my eating life, here is reality, smacking me right in the face! Nothing gourmet about McDonald's.

March 15: Jeannene had intended to make corned beef and cabbage for our Sunday dinner, but when the kids asked if they could bring a new friend to dinner, a friend who is vegetarian, we had to change course. Well, we didn't have to, but it was the gracious thing to do. Jeannene still wanted something festive, though, in honor of St. Patrick's Day right around the corner. We'd seen green and white shamrock-shaped cheese ravioli at Costco, so we returned to see if it was still available. Surely enough, they had it. We picked that up, along with some spinach-artichoke dip and Kerrygold butter and Dubliner Cheddar. When the kids arrived, with their friend, we had a couple different kinds of salsa on the table with blue corn chips, the dip with bagel crisps, and the Cheddar with crackers. Dinner was the ravioli (which was very yummy) with rosa sauce Jeannene made with jarred alfredo and garlic herb marinara sauces, to which she added a goodly amount of onions, garlic, and bell peppers. I groused about all the chunky veggies as she was adding them and then ended up liking the sauce, although I do generally prefer simpler sauces. She also roasted green beans using my favorite recipe. Since my beloved steamer has broken, we've begun to roast just about all our veggies. The kids devoured the green beans. All you do is preheat the oven to 500 degrees (yes, 500), toss the beans with a teaspoon of olive oil and one of water, as well as some salt (we love Maldon salt for this) and pepper, and roast them 7-9 minutes. She also did a big salad with white balsamic vinaigrette from a bag---yum! 

Dessert was a batch of extremely questionable, but unquestionably green, cupcakes. Jeannene is a sucker for the inventive and had picked up a box of watermelon cupcake mix (hot pink with chocolate chip "seeds") and a tub of bright green watermelon frosting. I am not much a fan of fruit-flavored cake in general, aside from my adored lemon and orange cakes, but I will allow for the occasional foray into strawberry vanilla or chocolate raspberry. I tasted a lick of the batter as she mixed it and was surprised that, while quite watermelon-y, it was not appalling. However, when I helped her frost them and got a whiff of the watermelon bubblegum aroma of the frosting, all my previous concerns reappeared. Everyone was too full to eat them after dinner, so we sent most of them home with the kids. At bedtime, I took one up with me to try a bite, even though I was convinced it would be horrific. And, you know what? It was. 

March 16: Any of you who think I'm a gourmet cook should remember that I am not at all above cooking with canned soup. Any of you who are not food snobs will allow that sometimes, canned soup casseroles are really good. The "Italian" (I suspect Italians everywhere would be affronted by the suggestion that this has any resemblance to their cuisine) chicken and artichoke recipe I tried Monday was not. Jeannene liked it, however. I thought it was incredibly bland. Edible, but nothing I would repeat. The original is from my Gooseberry Patch project cookbook. I have tweaked it, which didn't help much, but perhaps you are like Jeannene and will find it really yummy. I wonder if it would be better with some crushed red pepper or a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. We had carrots with it, just raw baby ones to nibble. 

Chicken and Artichoke Skillet

8 oz. sour cream (reduced fat is just fine)

1 can cream of chicken soup (reduced fat, reduced sodium is fine)

1/2 c. dry white wine (I used chardonnay)

1 c. shredded mozzarella

1 c. shredded parmesan

1 tbsp. butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

2 jars (12-14 oz.) marinated artichoke hearts, drained

1 lb. rainbow rotini (or whatever pasta you like), cooked al dente

Extra cheese for garnish

Mix sour cream, soup, wine, & cheeses together. Cook garlic in melted butter just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook through. Add sour cream mixture, cover, and cook on low 10 minutes. Add artichokes and heat through. Serve over pasta, with extra cheese to sprinkle on top. Serves 4-6. 

March 17: Our traditional St. Patrick's Day dinner more than made up for the not-so-great Monday night dinner. I'd intended to make colcannon, but the extra potatoes seemed redundant with the potatoes in the Guinness stew. So, a simple, delicious meal of stew and soda bread it was. I usually make my soda bread from scratch, but I'd spotted a Sticky Fingers soda bread mix, so I made that, instead, just to try it. I like their scone mixes very well and it turns out their soda bread is great, too. 

Guinness Lamb Stew

2 lb. lamb shoulder chops (you can also use stew beef; if you use slightly less then 2 lb., that's fine)

Salt & pepper

2 tbsp. olive oil (you can use regular vegetable oil, if you want, or cooking spray)

12 oz. Guinness Stout (I used extra-stout last night; you can really use any dark beer)

1 lb. new potatoes

1 lb. baby carrots

1 pint pearl onions (I think the leprechauns got mine this year---I bought a frozen bag & they vanished from the freezer between Monday and yesterday, so I used a bag of diced onions Jeannene had in there)

32 oz. beef broth (if you can find lamb stock, feel free to use that)

2 tbsp. dark roux (flour & butter carefully cooked to a dark, but not burned, smooth paste)

Finely-chopped parsley for garnish, if you like

Season the lamb with salt & pepper. Heat the oil in a soup pot (or Dutch oven---mine went missing yesterday, along with the onions). Sear the lamb chops until golden on each side. Set aside on a plate. Add beer to pan and cook a minute or so, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Return lamb to pot, along with vegetables. Cover with broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer about 2 hours. The lamb should be falling off the bones. Carefully remove the bones, picking off any meat still clinging to them and returning it to the pot. Add the roux and cook 10 minutes (I actually skipped this step last night, as Jeannene was later getting home than expected and the stew cooked down to a lovely consistency in the extra hour it cooked). Sprinkle each serving with parsley, if using. Serves 4. 

Roast Lemon Chicken, March 4, 2015

There is just something so very homey about a roasted chicken. Last Wednesday, we had a very cozy evening, with a nice, clean house, candles burning, and chicken for supper. This is my favorite go-to recipe for roast chicken. In order to honor the coming spring weather, I made a light, spring-y vegetable to go with the heavier potatoes & carrots roasted with the chicken. My tastebuds were absolutely delighted with the lemony snow peas!

Lemon Roast Chicken

A  3 1/2-4 lb. roasting chicken

1 lemon

Rosemary sprigs, optional

Salt & pepper

1 tbsp. butter

Olive oil

Diced potatoes

Baby carrots

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken in roasting pan or 13x9 baking pan. Place half the lemon and the rosemary, if using, inside. Rub chicken with salt and pepper, getting some of it under the skin. Rub with butter, then drizzle with olive oil. Toss potatoes and carrots around the bottom of the pan (or cook them separately, drizzled with a little olive oil, in a small baking pan, if you don't want the added calories from roasting them in chicken fat). Cook about an hour and 15 minutes, until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the inner thigh, not touching the bone. Remove from oven and sprinkle with juice from remaining lemon half. Let stand, tented with foil, in the roasting pan for about 15 minutes. Serves 2-4. Any leftover meat makes for a terrific chicken salad. 

Snow Peas with Lemon Tarragon Butter

1/2 lb. snow peas, trimmed

3/4 tbsp. butter, room temperature

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (dried works fine, if you have it around)

1 tsp. finely chopped tarragon (dried works fine, if you can't find fresh)

1 tsp. finely chopped parsley

Salt and pepper

Drop snow peas into boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about a minute and a half. Mix everything else together. Drain snow peas and toss with butter. Serves 2.