Chicken Marsala

So cooking takes energy. Duh. Not just physical energy but emotional energy is needed to think about, plan, shop for, prepare, cook and clean up after a meal. Add in kids that need attention and entertainment and *whew*, it can be alot. On an average day when everything is going "normal" for us, cooking and the energy I spend on it is FUN and somewhat of a creative outlet for me.

This week we've had some trials and more than our share of worry and I found it interesting that I had next to no desire to expend any extra energy on meals. I gained a new perspective; cooking takes energy! So, if you've got something in mind and in the works for dinner tonight, awesome! If you're struggling...try to make a good choice for take out and remember there's always tomorrow.

I made this dish several nights ago and now that all my boys are napping peacefully and some level of calm has found it's way back here, I'm sitting down (with a piece of chocolate) to another of my creative outlets, blogging.  I know it's totally weird but I kind of like html coding, what do you think of the new wider blog layout with bigger pictures?  Enjoy this one!

Recipe: (serves 4)
4 chicken breasts, pounded thin 
1 cup all-purpose flour
3-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped (or 1/2 tablespoon dried)
1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

1. Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper, coat lightly in flour.
2. Bake chicken on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray in a 425'F oven for 15-25 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until it reaches an internal temperature of 160'F.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large saute pan, add the shallots, garlic and thyme and saute for ~ 1 minute.   Add the mushrooms cooking an additional 3-5 minutes.  Season lightly with pepper.  Deglaze the pan with the Marsala wine. Add butter and remove from the heat.
4. Serve the chicken topped with mushroom mixture and a lemon wedge.

Serve hot with a side of pasta and vegetables. Tonight I made a semolina pasta, which has more protein, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and about 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and some fresh green onions. We also had broccoli, notice it's color, just cooked until al dente. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Shepherd's Pie

This is a great way to use up leftovers, especially roast chicken or turkey and top them with some delicious mashed potatoes. I love the addition of leeks, which are so tasty and in season right now! The recipe is adapted from the Eating Well in Season Cookbook. It was tasty and hearty. I opted to leave the skins on my potatoes for some added fiber. I also made this ahead of time (during nap time) and stashed it in the fridge until I was ready to bake it off for dinner. I don't know about you but evenings around our house can be alittle crazy so it helps to have most of dinner made ahead. Serve this up with a fresh green salad or as a stand alone one dish meal.

Recipe: Serves 6
Ingredients:

Filling:
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, washed well and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups carrots, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
3 tablespoons all purpose flour (or for gluten free; substitute 1 tablespoon potato starch)
2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
2 1/3 cups Low-Sodium, Organic Chicken broth
2 cups cooked turkey or chicken diced
1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper

Mashed Potatoes:
2 pounds potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold, cut into chunks
3/4 cup non-fat buttermilk
salt & pepper to taste
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425'F. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and carrots and cook, stirring often, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic, stir 1 minute more.

2. Pour in just 1/3 cup chicken broth and stir to deglaze the pan. Add 3 tablespoons flour (or potato starch) and sage, stir constantly until the flour starts to turn light brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in rest of broth and bring to a simmer, stirring often, until sauce thickens and carrots are just tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Add turkey (or chicken) and peas, season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 2 quart baking dish and set aside.

4.Place potatoes in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, cook ~ 10 minutes, drain and return potatoes to warm pan. Mash potatoes with masher or with Immersion Blender (stick blender) adding enough buttermilk to make a smooth puree. Add Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in egg. Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the turkey mixture.

5. Bake at 425'F about 20-25 minutes until heated through and top is golden.

{Make ahead TIP}: Prepare through step 4, cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator up to 1 day, pull out and let rest on counter about 20 minutes before baking. May need to add 5 minutes to baking time as needed. ...click here for the recipe!

Pesto Pizza - I Heart Faces Photo Challenge

My Dinner Recipe in Photos for the I Heart Faces Photo Challenge...

This is a favorite dinner around our house and a special treat! We were inspired by a dinner out at our favorite pizzeria and decided to try our hand at making pesto pizza at home. We simply pull out some Semolina pizza dough from the freezer, (made ahead it in the bread machine, then frozen for quick meals later on) smothered it in my homemade pesto, some freshly grated Mozzarella cheese and grilled chicken cut into strips. It is delish and actually very close to the restaurant's version, maybe even better since it was a tad less greasy. This is a garlicy-basil explosion in your mouth, wonderful!

I took some of the tons of fresh basil we have growing in our garden and made some pesto! I used walnuts for this and toasted them in the oven to give them alittle extra toasty flavor. Just spread them on a sheet pan and toast in a 350'F oven for about 8-10 minutes until fragrant and just browned, but not burned. :o)

Pulse food processor to chop nuts

 Add basil and garlic and pulse again

 Add Parmesan and stream in the olive oil

finished pesto...yum!

Pesto Recipe: (yields ~1 cup)
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup walnuts
3 garlic cloves, minced
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Place walnuts in a food processor and pulse a few times to chop then add in your basil leaves and pulse a few more times to chop the leaves. Add the garlic and pulse a couple more times.
2. Pour olive oil in slowly while the food processor is running, about 1 minute. Scrap down the sides with a spatula halfway through to be sure it all incorporated. Finally, add the cheese and pulse once or twice to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread on fresh bread, smooth over pasta, layer on sandwiches or make pesto pizza!
*I like to freeze the sauce in small-one meal portion-zip top bags, or you could freeze it in ice cube trays for easy 1-ounce measuring.

Semolina pizza dough - In the Bread Machine
Mix the following in the bread machine and run on the 'dough' cycle: Makes two 12 inch pizzas
1 1/2 cups water
3 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 cups All Purpose (AP) flour
1 1/2 cups Semolina durum wheat flour
1 1/2 tbsp honey
1 3/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast

When the dough cycle is over (~1.5hr) "cloak" the dough with AP flour and then divide into two even pieces. Shape each piece into a dome shape by folding the edges underneath. Cover with a damp towel for 30 minutes. Use immediately or place into quart size ziploc bags and refrigerate for up to 24hrs then let rest for 20 minutes on the counter, then use. Or freeze for up to 3 months, put the dough in the refrigerator the night before to defrost.

Baking instructions:
Par bake your dough! Place pizza stones in the oven and Pre-heat to 450'F. Shape the dough using plenty of AP flour until it is a uniform 12-14 inches in diameter. Cook for about 5 minutes or so until the outside has a light crust to it but it is still very soft to the touch. Constantly check for bubbles in your dough, pop with a fork. Take it out and add your pizza toppings then cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly or until the dough is to your liking (some like extra crispy crust some like soft). Enjoy.

Assembling the pizza:
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled and sliced
salt & pepper to taste
1/2-3/4c up of Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Par bake your dough as described above. Spread about 1/4-1/2 cup of pesto sauce all over dough. Lay out your sliced grilled chicken strips evenly. Top with shredded Mozzarella cheese and finish in the oven for 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown. Add your family's favorite and have fun with your toppings!

...click here for the recipe!

Chicken Satay Skewers

These are fun and delicious!  I roasted up some sweet potatoes and carrots with alittle olive oil, salt and pepper at 450'F for about 20-25minutes. Get the chicken started earlier in the day as it needs about 2-3 hours to marinate. Serve the chicken skewers up with some rice and a veggie side or a nice crisp green salad.

{TIP}: When choosing limes from the market, choose ones that are bright green, have a slight give to them, smell "limey" and most importantly are heavy for their size, this way they'll be more likely to be nice and juicy with great flavor!

Recipe: (serves 4)
Ingredients:

Marinade:
1/4 cup Low-Sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (~1-2 limes)
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup warm water
pepper
10-12 chicken tenders (or 5-6 chicken breasts, cubed)
fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
wedges of fresh lime

Directions:
1. Whisk all ingredients except chicken in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. Skewer chicken tenders onto wooden skewers, leaving some space at each end. Lay skewers in a 13x9 glass baking dish and season with pepper. Pour marinade over chicken, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to marinate for 2-3 hours.

3. Remove skewers from marinade and grill them over medium-high heat about 3-4 minutes per side, basting them with more marinade once, until they reach an internal temperature of 155'F.  Discard any remaining marinade as it has raw chicken juice in it.  Garnish chicken with fresh chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup Low Sodium Soy sauce
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
generous squirt of Sriracha sauce

Combine in a small bowl with a whisk until smooth and combined.  ...click here for the recipe!

Moroccan Chicken with cabbage slaw and flatbread

This is a another chicken dish, but spiced up in a new way! You'll want to let this chicken marinate for at least 2-3 hours to really infuse the great flavor. You can whip up the marinade in the morning for dinner tonight. Don't be deterred by the list of spices, check out your grocery store's bulk bins and remember that once you buy a new spice jar it will likely last you awhile and see you through many recipes. We served this tasty chicken along side some Napa cabbage slaw with apples and carrots and some toasted whole wheat pita bread. Enjoy!

Recipe: (serves 4)
Ingredients:

Marinade:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
black pepper

Directions:
1. Whisk the oil, lemon juice, fresh cilantro, garlic, and spices in a large glass dish, set aside.

2. Season the chicken lightly with pepper and add to the dish, turn to coat. Let the chicken marinate in the dish in the fridge, covered, for 2-3 hours. Turn chicken over at least once during that time.

3. Remove the chicken and save the marinade.  Cook the chicken on the grill and brush the marinade over it, discard any remaining marinade as it has raw chicken juice in it.  Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160'F (we like to pull ours off the grill at ~155'F and place on a plate and cover with foil, it will keep cooking to 160'F and this helps prevent it from drying out). Garnish with cilantro and serve with slaw and toasted flat breads.

Cabbage Coleslaw:
- 1/2 head of Napa Cabbage, chopped
- 3 medium organic carrots, shredded
- 1 medium organic apple, thinly sliced

Dressing:
- 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Agave Nectar
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 pinches of chili powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
Place cabbage, carrots and apples (add any other veggies you think will taste good that you have on hand) in a large bowl, toss to coat. In a separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients together with a whisk, taste it, adjust seasoning as needed then drizzle over the veggies. ...click here for the recipe!

Strawberry Mini-Scones

My awesome hubby loves to bake and he found yet another use for our new mini-muffin tin! I love this tin (click here to see what it looks like). As you may recall I used it to make some delicious mini turkey meatballs awhile back, as well as muffins and now, scones. We were having fun calling them "sconies", "minis" or even "sconitas".

Just take J's original recipe found here and substitute in the fruit of your choice, here he used organic strawberries (remember you can use frozen berries too).

Then place in the mini muffin pan and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (~9-12 minutes) 

...click here for the recipe!

Penne with Saffron Infused Vegetables & Turkey

This is a hearty pasta dish I modified from one I saw on one of my favorite cooking shows. I used whole wheat pasta for extra fiber and protein. The seasonings are delicious and really resemble a sausage flavor without the sausage. My hubby suggested I call this one, "I can't believe it's not sausage". The "sauce" is one you create, not from a jar, and part of the layering of flavor comes from infusing some stock with Saffron. Don't skip this step as it really makes the whole dish. Enjoy!

Recipe: (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups chicken stock
big pinch of saffron threads (about 24 threads)
1 medium size firm eggplant, diced very finely into cubes
2 small zucchini, diced very finely into cubes
2 medium garden fresh tomatoes, diced finely into cubes
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fat free milk
1 pound short-cut pasta, whatever shape you like
Parmesan cheese for garnish
fresh basil for garnish, julienned

Directions:
1. Infuse your broth with the saffron; pour 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock and saffron threads in a small pot. Bring to a simmer to infuse and concentrate the flavor. (It will turn a beautiful deep orange color)

2. Meanwhile, peel the skin off the eggplant. Dice very finely into 1/8-inch pieces. Sprinkle with salt and reserve.

3. Place a large pot of water over high heat for the pasta.

4. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the turkey and lightly brown while finely crumbling it into small bits with a wooden spoon. Season with Italian Seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, thyme and chili pepper flakes.

5. Squeeze any liquid from the eggplant, then stir it into the turkey. Add zucchini and tomatoes. Cook for about 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently until the vegetables are tender. Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup chicken stock, stir a minute then add the reduced saffron-infused stock, about 1 cup. Stir in the milk and simmer over low heat while the pasta cooks.

6. Cook the pasta to al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup starchy cooking liquid, then drain and toss the pasta with the sauce, adding the liquid as necessary to combine. Toss for 1-2 minutes. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and some fresh basil for garnish. ...click here for the recipe!

Fall Vegetable Curry with Jasmine Rice

I saw this recipe in my new Cooking Light Magazine and decided to give it a try. I bumped up the vegetables and added zucchini, of course, but otherwise followed their recipe fairly closely. It was a delicious combination of spicy (curry) and sweet (sweet potato). I used an ice cream scoop to portion out the rice on top of the vegetables, rather than filling our bowls with rice with a topping of veggies; a fun presentation I recently saw Rachael Ray do. This is a great one, don't be afraid to serve it up to your kids too, it's full of fun flavors!

Recipe: (serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups diced, peeled sweet potato
2 cups small cauliflower florets
1/4 thinly sliced yellow onion
1 1/2 teaspoons Curry Powder
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
3/4 cup Low-Sodium Chicken Broth (or Vegetable broth)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (15-oz) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (15-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, in their juices
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup of Jasmine rice cooked according to package instructions (I prefer to cook our rice in Low-Sodium Chicken broth rather than water for added flavor)

Directions:
Heat olive oil in large pan over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Decrease heat to medium. Add cauliflower, onion, and curry powder; cook 1 minute, stirring mixture constantly. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Top with scoop of Jasmine rice and sprinkle with cilantro. This would also be great with brown rice. ...click here for the recipe!