Quick and Painless Chicken Stir-fry

The Year of the Dragon is upon us. And when I'm hungry I've been known to be a little "dragon-ish" myself. When you're in a hurry for a quick meal, this is the answer. You could even make a batch of rice a day or two ahead and microwave to heat it up when your ready for this dish. Chop all the veggies and chicken prior to heating up the wok or skillet.

When I first read this recipe in our local newspaper I thought the cucumber was an odd addition. Turns out the cucumber does add a cleansing note to the dish and is delicious.

I added a few additions to this recipe and it literally took me 10 minutes to make it once the chicken hit the pan.

Adapted from here: .http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/lifestyles/fooddrink/s_778140.html

Ingredients: Serves 2-4

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks
1 carrot- peeled and sliced thin
4 scallions- white parts cut into one inch pieces( reserve green part for garnish)
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1 medium cucumber- peeled, sliced in half lengthwise,  seeds removed with a spoon, then cut into 1 in. chunks.
2 T. cornstarch
2 T vegetable or Canola oil

Marinade:
3 t. sugar (you could also use agave or honey)
1/4 c. sherry
2 cloves minced garlic
1 t. ground ginger
1 T. Hoisin sauce
1 T. water
( I added pinch of red pepper flakes and 1 t. Chinese five spice powder to marinade)

Mix sugar, sherry, ginger and garlic in a bowl and add chicken. Marinate for 10 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon and sprinkle with cornstarch and toss. Reserve marinade.
Add hoisin sauce and water to marinade, and pepper flakes and five spice if you have it.

Heat up oil in a skillet or wok over high heat then add chicken. Stir rapidly for 3 minutes. Add carrot, cucumber, mushrooms, scallions and continue to stir 2-3 minutes.
Pour the marinade over stir-fry and cook for 2 minutes. Serve over rice and garnish with remaining sliced green tops of scallions.

Creamy Chicken Marsala

I got my wish.

I was craving Chicken Marsala (with a side of pasta) and found this recipe in Taste of Home magazine. Although their recipe includes Gorgonzola cheese, I omitted that step because I was afraid the pungent cheese would interrupt or, take over, the flavors of the marsala and mushrooms.

There are so many places for gorgonzola, just not here.

This recipe is a creamier version, with a lighter colored sauce. I had to make several adjustments to the recipe and was extremely thrilled with the result.

Here's my version, adapted from this recipe: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Chicken-Marsala-with-Gorgonzola

                                      "Come to Mamaaa..... "

Ingredients- Serves 4

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
All purpose flour for dredging
2- 8 oz. pkgs of mushrooms sliced (button or baby portabella-I used button)
3 T. butter, divided
2 garlic cloves-minced
1 c. Marsala wine
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
2 T minced fresh parsley, divided
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut chicken breasts into thirds, season with salt and pepper and pound individual pieces with meat mallet (evenly) until 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Dredge pieces of chicken in flour and tap off extra flour.
Heat in a large skillet 2 T. of the butter (I added a drizzle of EVOO as well) and saute chicken over medium heat until lightly golden brown. Repeat the saute with remaining chicken and transfer to a plate to rest.
Once chicken is completed and resting on a plate add remaining 1 T. butter to same skillet and saute mushrooms until tender and juices have released. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add marsala wine and bring to a gentle boil and cook until liquid is reduced by half. This took me a good 10-12 minutes.
Once liquid is reduced by half, add the cream and return to a gentle boil for 5 minutes, the sauce will start to thicken up a bit.
Return the chicken medallions to the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes.
Taste the sauce, does it need a touch of salt or pepper?
Add 1 T. chopped parsley to sauce and stir. Garnish dish with remaining 1 T. parsley and enjoy!

Note: I HAVE to have pasta with this dish. One suggestion is angel hair with a simple, chunky tomato sauce. I saute 3-4 minced garlic cloves in EVOO, add a pinch of hot pepper flakes, then add 2- 14 oz. cans of diced tomatoes and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add chopped fresh basil at the end of cooking and stir. Boil 1/2 lb. of dried pasta as directed and use tongs to incorporate sauce. Garnish pasta with extra basil and Parmesan.

 

                   

Grilled Tandoori Shrimp

Can someone puh-leaze PINCH ME ?!!

This has been, by far, the most awesome month. It's the Grand Poo-Bah of all. Our children (and Grandchildren) are healthy and happy, and excelling.

That's ALL THAT MATTERS. Period.

This year, I kept it simple at Christmas, due to time constraints, a new job, and a literal whirlwind trip to NYC. And as far as I'm concerned, it was a perfect Christmas. I could not be more overjoyed !

Here's to my family....that never ceases to amaze and delight me.

Have a blessed New Year in 2012. Peace be with you.

Ingredients:  Serves 8 as an appetizer

2 cloves garlic minced
1 piece fresh ginger, about 2 in. peeled and minced
3 T. fresh lime juice
1/4 t. ground turmeric
1 T. ground cumin
1/2 t. kosher salt
2 fresh jalapeno, seeded, and finely minced
1 c. plain greek yogurt
1 T. paprika, plus extra for garnish
1 1/2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
lime wedges, as garnish

In a food processor with metal blade, combine garlic, ginger, lime juice, turmeric, salt, cumin, jalapenos, yogurt, and 1 T. paprika. Process until well blended. Transfer to glass bowl and add shrimp and toss. Marinate one hour.
Place wooden skewers in water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain water.
Arrange shrimp on skewers, I did 4 per skewer.
Place on an hot oiled grill pan for 2 minutes and flip skewers, and grill for 2 minutes more.
Serve on a fancy plate and sprinkle with paprika and garnish with lime wedges.

Braciole and Bravado

I wear my heart on a sleeve, so to speak.

No denying my look, my sweat, my eyes, my heart racing as I'm being ridiculed under a grand spotlight, as I bare my heart and soul on a plate.

 I've had the most fortunate opportunity to bring the plate to the critics, and offer my version of what "best represents me."

I could choose anything. I chose the very hard road of transporting food, aka, goods. Seafood would have been a very easy choice, or a prime rib, or a very tender Filet.

I chose round steak. This is me in a nutshell. This represents me. If you pound it out and stuff it with the right ingredients, simmer/braise in the right tomato sauce......it is, TO DIE FOR. The cheapest cut of beef that you could ask for. My Grandma made Braciole every Christmas Eve, and I still tear up thinking about the smells, the taste, the feeling I felt biting into it.

She made her's with slices of hard boiled egg and golden raisins, rolled into round steak, simmered in a hearty tomato sauce, heaven. In honor of my Grandma, I will bring this recipe, my adaptation, to this competition. I've included those lovely golden raisins, which add a hint of sweetness that you wouldn't expect. I only hope and pray that I can bring her justice to the plate. She deserves a little due credit, where credit was (most probably), was never given.

And I honor my Mother,  who has guided me throughout. No matter what happens, I'm so very grateful.

Mangia !

Recipe to follow, though I might need a video tuturial for this one.

Pantry Pasta

Sounds dull doesn't it.

But I'm feeling a little less than enthusiastic, and utilizing what's on hand. When I am NOT in the mood to hit the grocery store, trust me, I will make due.

I re-read this and think that I sound like a braggart, but I know this is where my culinary creativity, magician-like, meal-producing,  devotion begins. Way back when, when I didn't have a proverbial "pot" to tinkle into.

Come to think of it, my "pot" is still lacking...isn't most every one's?

I am not a braggart, just cheap. Though I do have a problem. I'm a hoarder with food. When I find an AWESOME deal, not a good deal, but AWESOME, I load up as if the Apocalypse will happen within the next 20 years. I honestly think this comes from having very little for many years. And also appreciating the savings/value of a dollar. Even the peels from potatoes, eggshells, coffee grounds, and whatever else will compost, goes into our future garden that has been tilled in prep for the next growing season.

I will take unused produce, chop it up and freeze it. It will be a future meal/meals, and that makes me very happy that I have not wasted, or thrown away a precious commodity.

I have even acknowledged to myself, and now anyone reading this, even if I hit the lottery, I would still relish and continue my cheapness, scouring the ads, cutting coupons, printing my e-coupons, and rejoice on the thousands of dollars saved with very little work. Call me crazy.

Food is a gift. Savor and be thankful. And don't forget to work it.

The following recipe came out of need, and quite frankly, laziness. I HIGHLY recommend any shellfish, since it flavors the tomato-based broth so well, but chicken would work. The capers added just the right amount of tangy- hello I'm in here too.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

2 T. extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic- minced
2- 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 can black pitted olives- drained and sliced in half lengthwise
3 T. capers- drained
1 T. dried basil
1 pound shellfish- I used frozen sea scallops (thawed and drained)
1 pound angel hair pasta- cooked al dente
salt and fresh ground pepper- to taste
shaved Parmesan cheese- garnish

Cook pasta as directed to al dente, drain and reserve. Or cook while prepping sauce.
In a large skillet, saute olive oil and garlic over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Do not brown.
Turn up heat to med-high and add tomatoes. Simmer until bubbly with lid on for 8-10 minutes. Add olives, capers, basil and simmer another 5 minutes with lid on, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add shellfish (or chicken) and poach in tomato base until just cooked through. For scallops, this took about 5 minutes (please don't over poach as scallops will become rubbery and unattractive), with lid on. I broke up cooked scallops to stretch out, since they were fairly large. Taste again, does it need salt? pepper?
Incorporate pasta into tomato-seafood deliciousness with tongs in batches to make it easier to blend.
Serve with fresh shaved Parmesan.

Helloooo pantry pasta !

Mom's Pickled Eggplant

Eggplant. It's one of those vegetables you either LOVE or HATE. Sort of like brussel sprouts.

It can also be easily, and often, ruined. Over breading, frying in grease, losing it's natural deliciousness, form, and flavor.

What processes us to have an overwhelming need to hide our vegetables? We bread them, we fry them, we cover them with cheese sauce, we bury them in casseroles, and unknowing children out there are eating spinach hidden in their brownies(gasp)...God forbid we eat a piece of broccoli unless it's swimming in a pool of Alfredo sauce and mixed with the fettuccine.
OK. I'm over my tangent.

Thankfully I was raised in a "love the vegetables" home. My love of vegetables has always been there. I fondly remember a garden that yielded all summer long, and into the fall. We ate the freshest veggies you could get. The only way to learn how to love veggies, is to prepare them simply and let them speak for themselves.

I can honestly say I practice what I preach. When I go grocery shopping half of the contents of my purchase are veggies, fruits, fresh heads of lettuce, still in their natural form...cause that's how I like them.

Which brings me back to eggplant. One dish my Mom has made for years is Pickled Eggplant. It's one of those dishes that sparks an automated response to the cerebral cortex that screams: Comfort Food. No, let me rephrase that: One of my all-time favorite Comfort Food. It is peculiar looking, once cooked, not very photogenic either, but it is, in a word, delicious.

Two things that have to be served with this: crusty bread and a firm, pungent cheese. Though in case of emergency, I have been known to put this on crackers...I must warn you, this is very garlicky. You could make it with less garlic, but it wouldn't be the same dish to me.

The Hub's does not care for this dish. Mwaaahaahahahahaha ! MORE for me !!!




Cast of Characters:

Recipe- yields approx. 3 cups

2 nice sized eggplants- Peeled and cut into thin, finger-sized pieces
6 cloves of garlic- minced
Crushed red pepper flakes- to taste
Cider vinegar
Red wine vinegar
1/2 c. Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt- to taste

In a large pot add eggplant and almost cover with vinegars. I found this to be approx.(depends on size of eggplants) 2 c. each of the cider and red wine vinegars. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt.


This much vinegar..

Now, My Mom says you can cover with lid and bring to a nice simmer, or do it without a lid. Once the vinegars heat up, you may want to cover with a lid.
It's a little overpowering.
Once up to a gentle boil, cook for roughly 10-12 minutes until softened. Occasionally stir gently with spatula as if you were folding whipped cream into a batter, as you are trying to maintain the shape of eggplant as much as possible.
Once eggplant has cooked through, drain pot into strainer and let sit 20-30 minutes until slightly cooled.
Transfer 1/2 of eggplant into a glass bowl and add half of the salt, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/4 c. olive oil and stir GENTLY!
Then add other half of ingredients and stir GENTLY again! Taste it. Does it need a little more salt? Mine did, go figure. (Inside joke)
Now grab some crusty bread and try it. I used an aged Asiago and a peeler, and shaved the cheese right on top.

This is how Mom likes it (all deconstucted and dangerous, torn bread, eggplant, and cheese...rebel!)

And this is how I like it: (Orderly)

Thank you Mom for bringing a tear to my eye and happiness in my belly.
Baphy xoxo

A Diamond in the Rough

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kings-Hotel-and-Bar/157278394342752

Somebody, put this place on a Google Search. I tried in vain to look it up via Internet...no luck.

Did you ever land in a tiny little restaurant/bar business that blew your socks off ? I'm talking food, not ambiance. This is the kind of arena that gets my attention. These little known, except by the locals, establishments that deserve full credit, where most take for granted.

Though, those Halloween lights did make me smile.

One bite into an entire 1/2 pound hamburger, and I am hooked. Served on a half of a Cellone's sausage roll, lightly toasted, with the exact toppings I ordered. The burger was PERFECT. Not dry, not over-cooked, just the right amount of fat to keep it moist.
My toppings requested: a carefully positioned layer of dill pickles, a hefty slice of onion, lettuce, sauteed mushrooms, cheese, and yellow mustard.
When my burger arrived, it was mostly burger and some bun. Just enough bread to hold, but the burger sung it's own praises well beyond. I'm still smiling at it's glory !
With the toppings, it cost $4.45. Holla !!!

Hub's has ordered the wings, that come whole, and cooked to a crispy perfection, with a Carolina sauce that is slightly sweet, smokey, and pure delicious.

And there's the steak hoagie. And the hand-cut fries. Tears.

I'm still trying to finish the burger, no success yet, but Hub's usually picks up my slack. If dreams were a reality, I would lick my plate clean. I'm seriously trying.

Owned and run by Mike, aka "Mick", and his wife Gail. Located in Smithton, PA. Known as Kings Hotel, but referred to as "Kings". Two very gracious individuals that run the business by their gut and instinct. Of which, I appreciate. Keep up the awesome work.