Chinese Chicken Salad...Recess Between Bacchanalias

As usual, the other half and I have eaten our way through the holidays...Tex-Mex on Christmas Eve, brunch and prime rib on Christmas Day.  Still to come: champagne and pasta on New Years Eve, eggs benedict in the morning and fried catfish and black-eyed peas for dinner.

Today then was the break in the storm. Breakfast was green juice and an English muffin. Lunch was a hard-boiled egg and half a roast beef sandwich on multi-grain.  And dinner was this delicious Chinese chicken salad.  As luck would have it, we saw the recipe on television yesterday.  As I am wont to do, I adapted it slightly, but kept the cooking method--which gives the chicken lots of flavor.  With crisp veggies and a tangy/spicy dressing, it's a healthy meal that you'll be using well into 2014 to keep up with those New Years resolutions.

Chinese Chicken Salad
Makes 4-6 servings worth of chicken.  Alter the vegetables as you see fit.

For the chicken and dressing:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoons sambal oelek
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil

For the salad:
Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
Romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
Carrot, peeled and grated
Celery, very thinly sliced (best done on a mandoline)
Red bell pepper, cut in very thin julienne
Scallion, thinly sliced
Chopped toasted cashews, peanuts or sliced almonds

Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and set aside.

Combine the orange juice and the next six ingredients (through sambal oelek) in a bowl.  Whisk until thoroughly combined.  Remove 1/2 cup mixture to use to cook chicken.  To remaining dressing, add sesame oil and canola oil, whisking until emulsified.

In a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, add the 1/2 cup reserved dressing mixture and heat until simmering.  Add the chicken breasts and cover pan.  Cook until chicken is done, about 12 minutes, turning several times.  Remove the chicken to a plate and continue to simmer the liquid in the pan until reduced by half.  Turn off the heat.

After the chicken has cooled slightly, shred it and return to the saute pan, adding 3 tablespoons of the finished dressing.  Heat over low heat just until heated through and liquid has been absorbed by the chicken.

The chicken can be served over the salad warm, at room temperature or chilled.  Add additional dressing to your liking and garnish with the nuts of your choice.

Getting Ready for New Years...

New Years Eve and New Years Day are just around the corner.  And I have your list of how to get ready.

First...do you have your bubbly yet?  I've become quite partial to Schramsberg, a lovely sparkler from California.  We're in the wine club and have a wonderful bottle in the wine fridge waiting for us.  But if you still need to to hit the liquor store, here's a list to consider.

Next...what are you serving with your New Years toasts?  I think it's a night for delicious bites.  Whether you're throwing  a party or just sitting on the couch watching movies, I think it's a night for grazing.  I am thinking about making these delicious little canapes with ricotta and chive puree. Also perhaps this hot crab dip.

And, of course, you need to get the black-eyed peas ready for New Years Day.  We've decided to go really Southern with fried catfish and oysters, cole slaw, and my easy, but delicious, black-eyed (really purple hulled) peas.

Enjoy and....Happy New Year!

Cabernet and Balsamic-Caramelized Onions

Made up a batch of these flavorful onions to go on--and actually IN--some burgers we fixed the other night. But it would make a wonderful relish for roast pork or chicken, on a roast beef sandwich or even heated and used to wilt a spinach salad.

Cabernet and Balsamic-Caramelized Onions
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups thinly sliced red onions
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic pepper (or freshly ground black pepper)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and butter in a saute pan.  Add the onions, thyme, pepper and salt and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are golden and very tender. (Low and slow is your friend here.) Add the wine and balsamic and continue to cook, until the liquid is almost completely reduced.

Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey, Swiss and Apple Sandwich

We all have our favorite sandwich recipes which include leftover Thanksgiving turkey.  Cranberry and dressing.  Mayo and veggies.  Whatever.

Here's a new one you MUST try.

Thinly sliced apple.
Coarse mustard.
Swiss cheese.
Turkey.
Multi-grain bread.

Coat the outsides of the bread with a little butter/margarine and throw into a sandwich press/George Foreman grill until nice and toasty.

You love me now, right???

Cocktail of the Week: Pumpkin Martini

Happy Thanksgiving!

At our family feast, pecan pie is the dessert of choice.  But that doesn't mean I don't like a nibble of pumpkin pie.  I don't really want to take the time to bake one for just a bite though.

Here's the solution.  The tastes of pumpkin pie...in a cocktail glass.  It's the perfect nightcap to a day of eating and drinking.



Pumpkin Martini
Makes one cocktail.

1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3 tablespoons vodka
2 tablespoons half and half
1 tablespoon canned pure pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine the sugar and ⅛ teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice on a small plate. Dip the rim of a chilled martini glass in water, then dip in the sugar to coat.

In a martini shaker filled with ice, combine the vodka, half and half, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and the remaining ⅛ teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice. Shake vigorously, then strain into the prepared glass.

Cheers!

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Blue Cheese Sauce

Great recipe for a summer evening when it's actually cool enough for a cocktail on the deck: a ribeye perfectly grilled to medium-rare and a big ol' Napa Cabernet.  But while I usually serve the steak au naturel, I wanted a special something more this time.

Thanks to this Stilton sauce recipe from the Barefoot Contessa, I had what I was looking for. Now I just have to figure out how to use the yummy leftovers...would love to hear your ideas in the comments below.

Blue Cheese Sauce

The recipe makes a generous 2 cups or so of sauce, so you might consider cutting it in half if you are just amkinf for a steak or two.

4 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled 

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 

1/2 cup good mayonnaise 

1/2 cup sour cream 

1 tablespoon chopped scallions, white and green parts 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 

Place the Stilton in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and blend until finely minced. Add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, scallions, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Process until smooth. Serve at room temperature.

Eggs Baked in Whole Tomatoes

This was a perfect breakfast this morning...made even better because I could enjoy it out on the deck on this unseasonably mild Dallas Saturday.  Here's the recipe for one, but you can multiply it as many times as you need to.

Eggs Baked in Whole Tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 400˚.

Cut the top quarter off a tomato and use a spoon to remove most of the flesh and seeds.  (I leave a little bit...make the final creation deliciously saucy and soupy.) Place in a ramekin and drizzle with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle a little thyme (fresh preferably) and minced garlic on top. Bake until soft and starting to caramelize, 25-30 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle a tablespoon or so of goat cheese or grated Gruyere into the tomato cavity. Crack an egg into the tomato and return to the oven. Continue to bake until egg is just set, another 6-8 minutes.

Let cool slightly before serving.

Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

When you get tired of eating the delicious cherry tomatoes that you've been buying at the grocery...or even better the farmers market...(although that sounds really insane doesn't it?), here's another way to use them.  It's especially good for those tomatoes just about to wrinkle up and spoil.

Serve warm or at room temperature over pasta, roasted fish or grilled chicken. Also delicious over grilled flank steak and salad greens.



Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
From Bon Appetit magazine.

1 pint cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon (or more) red wine vinegar
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Preparation
Cut half of cherry tomatoes in half. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes.
Add halved and whole tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to release juices, 4–6 minutes. Mash some of tomatoes with a spoon.
Add 1 tablespoon vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature; add chives just before serving.

Pimiento Cheese-Stuffed Peppadew Peppers

Looking for an easy nibble for a summer picnic or party?  Head to the "olive bar" at your fancy grocery store and pick up some pickled Peppadew peppers (They are probably already hollowed out and ready to stuff.) and some pimiento cheese. (Or you can make your own pretty easily with this recipe.)

Spoon a little of the cheese into each pepper and arrange on a serving platter.  Sprinkle with a dusting of cayenne pepper for some added heat if you are so inclined. Perfect one-bite flavor explosions.

(You can always stuff hollowed-out cherry tomatoes if you'd rather...)

Summer Squash and Corn Casserole

This is a great take on the classic squash casserole.  Adding corn makes it even more summery. Next time, I am going to add a few tomatoes also...

The original comes from Southern Living. I lightened it up a little bit since I am in the midst of a healthier eating plan. And made it a bit smaller to fit into a house with only two people in it.  Double it for your family summer feast. (P.S. You don't need added salt...plenty of it in the mayo and Parmesan cheese.)

Summer Squash and Corn Casserole
Makes 6-8 servings.

1 pound yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 pound zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cups diced sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh corn kernels
3/4 cup freshly shredded Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup light sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 cup soft, fresh breadcrumbs, divided
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350°. Bring first 2 ingredients and water to cover to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and boil 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; gently press between paper towels.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; add onion, and sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 2 minutes.

Stir together squash, onion mixture, corn, next 5 ingredients, and 1/4 cup each breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese just until blended. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 7 x 11-inch baking dish.

Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Set aside.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.  Sprinkle bread crumb mixture on top and bake and additional 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Cabbage and Collards

Southerners are used to greens.  Collards cooked with some kind of pork fat and stewed until they fall apart.  They can be a bit bitter though, so my other half always insists we throw some sugar in.  This recipe from Saveur magazine eliminates the need for sugar, adding naturally sweet cabbage instead.

But, yes, the bacon is still there.

Cabbage and Collards
Serves 8-10.
From Saveur magazine.

2 tablespoons canola oil
6 ounces slab bacon, cut into 1″ slices
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 cup chicken stock
1 pound collard greens, stalks removed and roughly chopped
1 large head cabbage (about 2 3/4 pounds), cored and roughly chopped
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crushed red chile flakes, to taste

Heat oil in a 6 quart saucepan over medium heat and add bacon; cook, stirring, until fat renders, about 6 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, then collards and cabbage; season with salt, pepper, and chile flakes. Cook, covered and stirring, until collards and cabbage are tender, about 25 minutes. Remove lid and continue cooking until liquid is reduced in volume, about 5 minutes.

Peach and Blueberry "Cobbler"

I went on a canning binge this weekend.  Jams, pickles, you name it.  (More to come on that later...)

But I was left with several gorgeous peaches.  What to do, what to do?

How about THIS?

It was a BIG hit when I brought into our weekly staff meeting at work this morning.  Although it was a great coffee cake, it would be just as wonderful at dessert time with a big scoop of Blue Bell homemade vanilla on top. 

(Point of order: Is this a cobbler, cake or "buckle"?  You decide.)

Peach and Blueberry Cobbler
From Real Simple magazine.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
4 peaches, each cut into 8 wedges (about 4 cups)
1 pint blueberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Heat oven to 350° F. 

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Reduce mixer speed to low. Add half the flour mixture, then the sour cream, and then the remaining flour mixture, mixing well between additions. Fold in the peaches and blueberries. (Don’t worry if there seems to be too much fruit in proportion to batter. The batter will rise around it while baking.)

Transfer the batter to an 8-by-8-inch or other 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the almonds. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (aim for the batter, not the fruit), 1½ hours to 1 hour, 45 minutes. (If it's browning too much, loosely cover with foil.

 Let cool slightly. Dust with the confectioners’ sugar and serve warm.

Summer Squash with Almonds and Parmesan

Toasted almonds and grated parmesan kick up the flavor of plain old summer squash in this yummy side dish.

Summer Squash with Almonds and Parmesan
Makes 4 servings.

2 pounds summer squash and/or zucchini, cut into matchsticks
1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper

Place squash in a colander set in the sink or over a large bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon salt. Let squash stand 10 minutes, then squeeze well to remove as much excess moisture as possible (do not rinse).
Meanwhile, toast almonds in a large dry skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool.
Heat oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add squash and cook, tossing occasionally, until crisptender, about 5 minutes. Fold in Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Fold in almonds.

Tomato and Almond Pesto

I am a big fan of ye olde "traditional" pesto...frech basil blended with pine nuts, garlic, parmesan and olive oil.  As a matter of fact, I made a batch last night from my backyard basil bounty and enjoyed it with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella.

But there are many variations on that great theme.  I have seen plenty of recipes using othyer green herbs like parsley and even cilantro.  And you could use pecans or walnuts.  You get the idea.

This fresh and delicious recipe adds tomatoes into the mix and goes for almonds as its nut choice.  It's yummy.  Perfect with some pan-roasted cod as pictured above.  But would also be good on sauteed vegetables, grilled chicken or even just a piece of toasted baguette.

Try it...it's likely to become one of your summer go-to condiments.

Tomato and Almond Pesto

From Food & Wine magazine.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds

1 cup cherry tomatoes

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 packed cup basil leaves

1/4 cup water

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the almonds and toast over high heat, shaking the pan, until lightly browned, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until the skins just brown, 2 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, basil and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; pulse until the almonds are chopped. Add the water and process to a chunky puree. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

It's National Hot Dog Day!

You can celebrate with a ballpark dog (The enormity above is what they serve at Texas Rangers games), a chili dog, or one topped with kraut, but, for my money, ain't nothing better than a good old-fashioned Chicago dog.  Here's how to construct yours.

The Chicago Hot Dog
This makes one...multiply to your heart's content.

Brush the outside of a hot dog bun with a bit of melted unsalted butter. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake split sides down at 350°about 5 minutes until warm.

Warm a hot dog (all-beef please) in boiling water for 5 minutes and place in your bun.

Place a dill pickle spear on one side of the hot dog and two tomato wedges on the other.

Zig-zag with yellow mustard and top with a dollop of sweet pickle relish.

Sprinkle a little chopped onion on top.

Final touch? Two, actually. A sport pepper. (A peperoncino makes a good substitute. And then a generous sprinkling of celery salt. (NO. You may not omit the celery salt.)

Pattypan Squash Casserole

It's that time of year in Texas where our produce shares, farmers markets and gardens are overflowing with summer squash.  Here's one of the most basic (and delicious) ways to fix it. The recipe calls for pattypan squash, but you can make it just as easily with zucchini or yellow squash...or a mix of all three.  You can gild the lily by adding a little grated cheese to the squash mixture or some Parmesan to the breadcrumb topping, but it doesn't really need it.

Pattypan Squash Casserole

Makes 6-8 servings.

2 pounds pattypan squash, cleaned and  cut into chunks

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons chopped onion 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper 

1 cup milk 

1 cup soft breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Cook squash, covered, in boiling salted water 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash. Drain again, if necessary. (You don't want too much liquid in the mixture.)

Combine squash, 2 tablespoons butter, onion, flour, salt, pepper, and milk; stir well. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 1-quart casserole.

Combine breadcrumbs and melted butter; spoon over squash mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Quinoa, Corn and Poblano Stuffed Peppers

Here's something for a great healthy summer dinner.  This recipe was inspired by a Cooking Light recipe for baked tomatoes.  I changed the filling around a bit and stuffed red bell peppers instead.  Feel free to make your own variations...

Quinoa, Corn and Poblano Stuffed Peppers

Makes four servings.

2 poblano chiles

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano, Mexican preferably)

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 red (or green) bell peppers

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 1/2 cups cup chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

4 ounces colby-Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 cup packed)

Preheat broiler to high.

Cut the chiles in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place chile halves, skin side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 8 minutes or until blackened. Place in a paper bag; close tightly. Let stand 10 minutes. 

Peel chiles. Coarsely chop chiles; place in a bowl.

In a saute pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the corn and saute until just slightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.  Remove from the pan and add to the bowl with the poblanos.  Stir in the oregano, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.

Place quinoa in a fine sieve, and place sieve in a large bowl. Cover quinoa with water. Using your hands, rub the grains together for 30 seconds; rinse and drain. Repeat the procedure twice. Drain well. Combine quinoa and stock or water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; fluff with a fork. Add quinoa mixture to corn mixture; toss well.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spoon about 3/4 cup corn mixture into each pepper. Divide cheese evenly among peppers. Place peppers in a baking dish and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Preheat broiler. Broil the peppers 1 1/2 minutes or until cheese melts. 

It's National Fried Chicken Day!

So get out your cast pans, your deep fryer, your skillet....

Or take the easy way out and cook this oven recipe.

http://life-should-be-beautiful.blogspot.com/2007/09/not-your-moms-fried-chicken.html

Whatever you choose, enjoy!

Evernote has changed my life....

That elephant above?  He's my hero....

I have been ripping pages out of cooking magazines for years.  My antiquated storage system involved sorting them into a variety of labeled folders...braised chicken, summer squash, or fancy canapes for example.  Theoretically, it meant I had what I needed at my fingertips.

Two problems though: 1) I haven't sorted in a couple of years meaning there are hundreds of recipes out there in limbo...and they are the more recent ones.  2) There is no way to place a recipe in multiple folders.  Having a recipe in the short ribs folder doesn't help when I specifically want a dish with Asian or Mexican flair.

Never fear, Evernote steps in to save the day.  With the web clipper tool, I can look at a magazine page and search for the recipe online.  Then, all I have to do is click a button on my tool bar and it goes into my Evernote folder. And I can apply multiple tags to it: ingredient, technique, or even possible occasion to use.

If the recipe isn't online, you can scan it in and tag the PDF.  I'm even thinking about creating notes on cookbook recipes.  The note could include tags and then Evernote serves as a master index to the hundred or more cookbooks on the shelf.

The possibilities are endless.  Try it for yourself.  In the meantime, I'm going back to work.  1200 recipes digitized so far...and counting.

Happy Fourth of July!

Here's something easy and edible to add to your Independence Day spread.  Using twelve wooden skewers and the photo above as a guide, layer blueberries, raspberries and mini marshmallows to create this Fourth of July fruity flag.

Enjoy the fireworks!