Whoopsie

So, turns out my spring quarter was pretty busy. Despite the fact that I'm probably writing this solely for myself at this point, I think this is a great way to catalog recipes and remind myself of what did and did not work. So, here's something I experimented with a few weeks ago:

Roasted Chicken with a Mushroom Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
Some herbs of your choice
Salt and Pepper
1 Onion and 4 cloves of garlic
Olive Oil
Additional Garlic for the sauce
1 tbs butter
Portobella Mushrooms (you could probably lots of different kinds)
Heavy Cream
White Wine
Chicken Broth
Parsley
Pasta

So, this was kind of a hodgepodge of a recipe that turned out pretty well. Because I am lazy, I used dried herbs instead of fresh ones (which would probably be more delicious), but I think it worked out great.

Dry off your whole chicken (3-4 lbs) with a paper towel so it will brown easier. In a bowl, combine 3 tbs (or so) of the olive oil with 1 tbs of Kosher Salt, 1 tsp of pepper, 2-3 tbs of herbs (I used rosemary, thyme, and sage). Rub the oily herby mixture all over your chicken on all sides (including the inside- just stick your hand right up in there).

Chop your onion into 3-4 big pieces, chop four of your garlic cloves in half, and stick it inside the chicken. You could also add half of a lemon or a carrot or something- this is just going to be aromatic, to increase the flavor of the chicken. We won't actually eat this stuff.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Stick your chicken in a roasting pan (or you could put it on a heavy cookie sheet, just cover it in foil so the grease doesn't smoke up the oven), and let it cook for an hour and fifteen minutes or so (if you want to brown the skin, go ahead and take off the foil near the end. Just keep an eye on it).

While the chicken is baking, make the sauce! I sauteed the mushrooms and 2 cloves of minced garlic w/ 1 tbs of butter until the mushrooms began to soften. Then I poured in some white wine (about half a cup) and let it cook for a minute. Pour in some chicken broth (I'd say around half a cup as well, i was just kind of going for it). Cover the sauce and let it cook for a little while until the liquid has reduced, then mix in a cup of heavy cream.



At this point, you can adjust for volume and thickness. If you like a lot of sauce, add more liquid (taste it for flavor). If you want it to be thicker (like I did), cover the pan and let it cook over low heat (stir it occasionally) until it has started to thicken. Season with salt and pepper, and add in some parsley for good measure. (The picture below is pre-thickening. See how its kind of watery?)



Once your chicken has roasted (use a meat thermometer if you aren't sure), take it out of the oven. VERY IMPORTANT- let it sit for 10-15 mins so the juices can redistribute. If you cut into it right away, all the juiciness is going to come spilling out. While the chicken is sitting, make your pasta.



Cut the chicken into pieces, mix the sauce into the pasta, and stick that chicken right in there! Yum.



(Hairy forearms not included with the recipe)

Chicken Tikka Masala

This is so good, perfect on a cold night (the spice always makes me feel warmer), and it makes a ton of food so you'll be eating for a few days. It is obviously best served with Naan bread and Basmati rice, but if you don't have/can't find naan you can just serve it with white italian bread (its cheating but its still good to dip in the sauce). And, as always, pre-chop all your vegetables!

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ingredients:
3-4 Chicken breasts
Kosher Salt
Ground Coriander
Cumin
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I usually just get one of the small individual serving size cups)
2 tbs butter
1 large onion finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 piece (approx. 2 inches) fresh ginger finely chopped
3 tbs Garam Masala Spice (I found this spice at Whole Foods- you can make your own spices if you can't find it, but try hard!)
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 tbs sugar
1 1/2 c heavy cream
2 cups basmati rice (plus 1 tbs turmeric and 1 cup frozen green peas, optional)
Optional: a handful of fresh cilantro, 2-3 chili peppers (I use serrano, and slice them into small pieces)

Note: This time around, I used a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes because that is what I had in my cupboard. It turns out, I actually prefer crushed tomatoes because of the way the consistency turned out.

Homemade Garam Masala Spice (make your own!)
1 tbs ground coriander
1 tbs ground cumin
1 tbs ground black pepper
1 tbs ground cayenne pepper
1 tbs ground fennel seeds
1 tbs ground ginger
1 tbs ground cardamom
1 tbs ground nutmeg
1 TSP ground cloves

OR


Basmati Rice: You can make your basmati rice by the package directions, but here is how I do it.

1. First, soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes before preparing the rice. Drain the rice through a strainer to rinse the starch away. For every cup of uncooked rice, add 6 cups of water into a large pot.

2. Bring the water to a boil, add in the rice and 1 tbs turmeric. Let it boil for approx. 8 minutes, then drain through the strainer.


3. Add the green peas immediately, stir them through, and it is ready!


Chicken Masala:

1. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with kosher salt, cumin and coriander. Coat both sides with plain yogurt. Place chicken breasts on a cooling rack placed over a foil-lined baking sheet. This gives the yogurt a place a to drip, and helps the chicken cook thoroughly. Broil until the chicken is cooked through, and starting to brown (I can't remember how long... maybe 15-20 minutes). Remember to turn the chicken so both sides can brown.


Note: my chicken never blackens (I don't know why), but keep an eye out to see if yours does.


2. In a large skillet, melt 2 tbs of butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and stir occasionally until they start to brown. Add garlic, ginger, and 1 tbs salt. Stir to make sure nothing is sticking to the pan.


3. Add 3 tbs of Garam Masala sauce, stirring to keep from sticking. At this point, add the peppers if you are using them. Add the can of tomatoes, 1 tbs sugar, stir, and let simmer for approx. 5 minutes.





4. After the sauce has had a chance to simmer, add the 1 1/2 cups heavy cream. Let simmer for about 5 minutes. If you don't think the sauce is spicy enough, add a little bit of cayenne pepper (I can't emphasize enough- a LITTLE BIT of pepper. I accidentally put in like... a tsp of pepper and almost burned my tongue off). Chop the browned chicken breasts into small pieces, and add to the sauce. If you are using cilantro, toss in a handful.





5. Serve over your rice, and enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas

The funny thing about this recipe, is that Mom has told me how to do it multiple times, yet I almost always end up calling/texting her with a question. Really, its not that hard, but sometimes I get a mental block. So, I usually just go with my instincts (HA) and throw the very limited, very simple ingredients together.

Ingredients:
3-4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
2-3 cans of Enchilada sauce (depends on how saucy you like it)
1-2 bags of shredded cheese
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 bag tortillas
Tabasco Sauce


1. Place the chicken breasts in a glass baking dish, broil for approx. 30 mins, flipping halfway through, until cooked through. Make sure they don't get too dry (right Mom??)

2. When chicken is done cooking, take it out of the oven to cool. When cooled, shred into long pieces (I use two forks to do this.... or my hands when nobody is looking). Open 1 can of enchilada sauce- pour some on the bottom of a large glass baking dish. How much you pour depends on how much sauce you want left for the interior and top of the enchiladas.

3. Preheat oven to 350. Pour half a can of sauce onto a large plate. One at a time, take a tortilla and place it (one side at a time) on the plate to cover it with sauce. Place chicken, a handful or so of onion, and cheese on the tortilla. Roll up and place into baking dish.


4. Once the dish is full, cover with the remainder of sauce and add as much cheese as you'd like to the top. Cover with foil, bake for 20 minutes. Take off foil, and bake for remaining 5-10, until cheese has melted and is bubbly.

5. Serve with rice or corn or any other delicious Mexican accompaniments! Other optional additions include olives, peppers, etc. Sprinkle tabasco sauce to achieve your preferred amount of spiciness either on top of the enchiladas or inside of the tortillas when you are rolling them.

Chicken Wellington

A recipe passed down from Mom!

This is a kind of time-intensive recipe, but not technically hard to do. Just give yourself plenty of time before you planning on serving, and prep ALL your food before cooking- it makes things 10 times easier.

Ingredients:
1 package Frozen puff pastry sheets
Dried thyme
Salt and Pepper
8 boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets
5 tbs butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/4 lbs mushrooms, finely chopped
Dried parsley (or, if you want to get fancy, 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley)
1 package Cream Cheese
Dijon mustard
Egg wash (an egg and water mixed together- optional)

Prep work: Dice the onion and mushrooms, and put together in a bowl. Take a small bowl and combine the spices. Cut up the chicken, and set out a bowl for the cooked chicken.

1. Set out the frozen pastry sheets to thaw and the cream cheese to soften to room temp. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Cut chicken into smaller pieces, and sprinkle with thyme, pepper, and salt. I combine the thyme, pepper and salt in a small bowl, then roll the pieces of chicken in it to thoroughly coat. You'll end up using a large part of the thyme, but the more spices, the better the flavor!



3. Heat 3 tbs butter in a skillet, add chicken pieces and brown. Remove chicken to a bowl, and add the remaining butter to the same pan. Heat, and saute the onions and mushrooms until tender (you'll see the color change and juices begin to collect). Stir in parsley, turn off heat, and let cool while you prepare the pastry.




4. On a lightly floured surface, roll each puff pastry sheet (it is easiest to do one at a time) to a 14 in. square. Cut each into 6 squares.


5. Mix the cream cheese and dijon together in a bowl. The recipe calls for 3 oz cream cheese and 2 tbs dijon mustard, but I find I usually use about 6 oz (from an 8 oz package). It is best to add in the dijon gradually to taste; I prefer it to taste pretty tangy, so usually end up using more like 4 tbs of mustard, but it is a personal preference.

6. Place chicken and mushroom/onion mix in center of each square of pastry. Add a spoonful of the dijon mix on top. Fold the pastry over and press together. Brush tops with egg wash if desired (it mainly serves to give the pastry a better color when it bakes).


7. Place in a greased baking dish, bake for approximately 30 minutes (until the pastry starts to turn golden).



Best served with broccoli or green beans... Oh yeah, and a ginormous cupcake cake for dessert!

Chicken Curry

From Everyday Foods, Great Food Fast

Ingredients:
2 tbs all purpose flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tbs plus 2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp medium to hot curry powder
Coarse salt
3/4 lbs small red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (preferably zesty flavored), with juice

Place the flour on a plate. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the 1 tbs oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, and cook until golden brown, about 3 mins per side. Transfer the chicken to a bowl; set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tsp oil in the same skillet; cook the onion and garlic, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, about 5 mins. Stir in the curry powder and 3/4 tsp salt; cook for 1 minute more.

Add the potatoes and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer; cover and cook until potatoes are just tender but still offer slight resistance when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and 1/4 cup water.

Return the chicken to the skillet along with any accumulated juices in the bowl; simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot, with desire accompaniments on the side.

Best served with rice, plain yogurt, toasted almonds, or store-bought mango chutney.

Per serving: 354 calories; 8.1 grams fat; 42.6 grams protein; 25.1 grams carbs; .0 grams fiber.

Mediterranean Chicken Stew with Polenta

From Everyday Food, Great Cooking Fast

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
3 tsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (approximately 2 cups)
2 tbs chopped pitted kalamata olives (about 5 olives)
1 tsp white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Polenta for serving (see alternate recipe below)

Note: you can substitute shrimp for the chicken in this recipe. Replace the chicken with 1 1/2 lbs peeled and deveined shrimp, and replace the chickpeas with cannellini beans.

Season the chicken with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. In a large, nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, and cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium-low; add the remaining teaspoon oil to the skillet. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes; cook over medium heat until starting to break down, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the olives, vinegar, and chicken along with any accumulated juices to the pan; toss until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the parsley. Serve over the polenta.

Soft Polenta:
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
3/4 c yellow cornmeal
1/4 c freshly grated cheese (Parmesan, Asiago, or sharp Cheddar)
1 tbs butter

In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups water, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper to a boil over high heat. Whisking constantly, very gradually add the cornmeal in a thin stream, whisking until smooth before adding more.

Reduce the heat to medium-low; simmer, whisking often, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the cheese and butter until smooth. Serve immediately.

Per serving (with polenta): 464 calories; 12.6 grams fat; 47.4 grams protein; 38.4 grams carbs; 5.5 grams fiber.

Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Oven-Baked Polenta

From Everyday Food, Great Food Fast

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tbs olive oil
1 lb white mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced 1/2 inch thick
4 garlic cloves, halved
1/2 c dry white wine (optional)
1 3/4 c reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
Oven-Baked Polenta (see below)

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken; cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side (make sure the oil is hot before you add the chicken- you want to sear it and keep the juices in. Make sure it is browned (and not just whitened) before you flip it). Transfer to a plate, and tent with foil to keep warm.

Add the remaining tbs oil to the hot skillet. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and 1/4 tsp salt. Cover; cook over medium heat until the mushrooms release their juices, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the lid, cook over high heat, tossing occasionally until the mushrooms are golden. 4 to 5 minutes.

Pour the wine, if using, into the skillet; cook, stirring, until evaporated, 1 minute. Add the stock and parsley; cook over medium-high heat until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid has reduced, 8 to 10 minutes.

Return the chicken to the skillet. Cover; simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the cutlets and polenta topped with the mushrooms and a drizzle of cooking liquid. Garnish with additional fresh parsley.

Oven-Baked Polenta:
3/4 c cornmeal
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 c milk
2 tbs butter
1/4 tsp dried marjoram

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a lidded baking dish, whisk together 3 cups of water, the cornmeal, 1 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Cover, and bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Remove from the oven, and add the milk, butter, and marjoram, and whisk briskly until smooth. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 294 calories; 10 grams fat; 43 grams protein; 7 grams carbs; 1.6 grams fiber.