Yogurt-Spiced Chicken: Recipe

I am always interested in trying out new flavors on my family and when it's a win, I am a very happy Mom-Cook. 

Tonight's dinner was really easy, as I started it last night. I filled out the meal with store-bought Naan that I brushed with fresh rosemary and olive oil immediately out of the oven, as well as couscous, fresh tomatoes from my garden simply chopped and drizzled with olive oil and cilantro and a quickly made cucumber salad with red onion and mint. I made a package of chicken - a pound - and there was nothing left at the end of the meal.

Yogurt-Spiced Chicken

1 lb. chicken thighs

4 oz. Plain, nonfat, yogurt

4 garlic gloves, minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tsp. cayenne pepper 

1/2 cup fresh parsley 

Chop parsley, pepper, cumin, paprika and garlic in a good processor and mix chopped ingredients into yogurt until well mixed. Place thighs in large plastic baggie and pour yogurt over. Seal bag, be sure to remove air from the bag, shake and coat all chicken pieces. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.

Prepare the grill for direct heat. Cook the chicken for about 15 minutes - roughly 7 1/2 - 8 min per side. 

The Mighty Meyer Lemon: Recipe

Meredith's Food for Life

If you've never smelled a Meyer Lemon you are missing a culinary delight that tickles the nose as well as the imagination. A Meyer Lemon is a cross between a lemon and (either - agriculturalists aren't 100% sure) a Mandarin or a regular orange. They are native to China and according to legend, were "discovered" for Americans by Alice Waters in her California Mecca, Chez Panisse.

They are gorgeous - their skin is smooth and buttery yellow.  They are smaller than traditional lemons and much rounder. But it's the smell they emit when you slice them open - it's unlike anything you've smelled before - it's bright and has that familiar lemony smell but there is something else there - a punch of orange that catches you off-guard and I am certain they're grown in a field of fresh herbs. They are delightful and their simplicity is all you need - I use them to dress my salads and there is no need for oil this way. Recently I saw a list touting 100 things you can do with a Meyer Lemon but the only thing I wanted to do was pair them  with one of my very favorite Sunday dinner foods - the mighty chicken.

I roasted the chicken together with the lemons and thought, briefly, about adding parsley and garlic during the cooking process but stopped short as I felt it would be overkill and somehow might actually ruin the flavor of of this simple dish.  Instead, I opted for some coarse Kosher salt and a few shakes of the equally amazing Herbs de Provence. The result? Perfection - a perfectly flavored chicken.

Meredith's Food for Life

Dinner was rounded out with steamed asparagus and lemon, whole wheat couscous, oven roasted sweet potato "fries" and a salad of radish, cucumber, red onion, yellow pepper, cherry tomatoes and toasted whole wheat bread lightly drizzled with red wine vinaigrette.

I purchased this package of Meyer Lemons from the local market - $3.99 for 6 of them - or roughly a pound.  After making this recipe I have a few left and plan to use them for the remainder of the week.

Roast Chicken with Meyer Lemons
2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
2 lbs. chicken legs, skin peeled back or removed
3 Meyer Lemons, quartered + 1 more, halved
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence
1/2 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Preheat oven to 450.  Spray the bottom of a heavy roasting pan with non-stick spray. Using a paper towel, dry each piece of chicken thoroughly and place snugly next to one another into the middle of the pan - make two or three rows, depending on the size of the pan, if necessary. Do not crowd the chicken or stack them but make sure they are close together.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt - each piece should have salt on it. Next, sprinkle the chicken with the Herbs de Provence. Place a quartered piece of lemon at each point where two pieces of chicken meet. Use more lemons, if needed.

Roast about an hour and forty minutes. Meanwhile, combine the parsley and garlic in a small bowl.

Remove chicken from the heat when done and squeeze remaining half lemon lightly over the tops of the pieces of chicken and sprinkle with the minced garlic and parsley. Serve!

The Great India: Recipe

The final stop on this week's tour of International foods was a personal favorite of mine - Indian food. I wouldn't say I have a vast knowledge or experience with this type of cuisine, but I did take an Indian Food cooking class some time ago - a three-session class where I came away with some amazing recipes and some great tips. Tonight's dinner was about simple but flavorful Indian-inspired foods made with relative ease.

The kids were introduced to Indian food about five months ago - it was one night between Christmas and New Year's when I launched into a crusade to try and pursuade everyone that we should go out for Indian food.  My oldest was all for it (she had never eaten this type of cuisine before but she was game) and because she was willing, so was my middle guy. That left my husband who likes Indian food but it isn't his "go-to" food when he wants something interesting but he, too, went along with the idea,  since we were all in agreement.  My daughter and I set about to a place that wasn't too close to home but that I knew had good food and we ordered the entire left side of the menu, as I usually do when ordering take out. We brought it home and once we began to dig in, the kids were actually vocal about how good the food tasted.  So tonight's dinner was an easy sell and in fact, when my oldest only saw the chicken on the table she asked me what had happened to the International theme for this evening...

I started the chicken last night - and with full disclosure here, I can tell you that I used a packet of garam masala that was brought back to me by my mother on her recent trip to India. So I was thrilled to have the spice blend on hand. If I hadn't had the packet of garam masala, I would have made my own blend of with: ground cumin, ground corriander, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground all-spice, ground cinnamon, ground chili powder and some ground tumeric. You could do any set of proportion with those ingredients and you would have an amazing blend of herbs and spices.  You can purchase garam masala at any Indian Market or at many local supermarkets. The flavors here really worked and I think I surprised myself! I was pleased with the way the chicken came out but even more so with the chick-pea recipe.  If you like chick-peas, make this - really.  And the rice? Please...I used Success brand Basmati Rice (that's rice in a plastic packet that gets boiled for about 10 minutes.). I added frozen petit peas that I simply ran under hot water for 2 minutes to thaw and I thought about adding a whole clove but forgot.  The meal was rounded out with mashed sweet potato that I added 1 tablespoon of butter to, along with 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 cup of low-fat milk. The baby couldn't get enough of that!

I didn't follow any recipe for this - I just gave it the ol' college try and I was really pleased with the results. I was even more pleased that everyone asked for more and that my son announced that I was the best cook he'd ever met!

Tandoori-Style Chicken with Curried Chick-Peas
serves 6-8

2 1/2 lbs chicken thighs and legs, skinless
12 oz. plain, low-fat, yogurt
2 1/2 tablespoons garam masala

Starting the night before you wish to cook the chicken, combine in a small bowl the yogurt and the spices and mix well. Place the chicken into a large zipped bag and pour the yogurt mixture into the bag. Zip the bag, release the air from inside, and gently but purposefully, shake the bag and coat all the pieces of chicken. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

Prepare the barbeque and cook the chicken for about 20-24 minutes.

Curried Chick-Peas
serves 6-8
1 tsp. olive oil
15 oz. can chick-peas, washed and drained
1 small-medium onion, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, smashed and minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons garam masala
2 medium-large fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup canned tomato sauce
1/4 cup heavy cream

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over high heat and add onion. Saute about 5 minutes, stirring regularly so they don't burn. Lower the heat, if necessary. Sweat the onions a total of about 7-8 minutes or until they are very soft.  Add the garam masala and mix well for about 1 minute. Next, add in the chick-peas and saute about 5 minutes, stirring occassionally.  Next add in the fresh tomatoes and stir again.  Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute and then add in the sauce and stir well.  Next add in the cream and stir.  Allow all the flavors to meld over medium heat for about 5 more minutes and add in the cilantro and stir.  Serve with rice.

Pan-Fried Chicken Cheeseburgers: Recipe

Armed with some ground chicken, I had every intention of making a chicken burger with sundried tomatoes, spinach and feta cheese but when push came to shove, I opted for a new twist. These has very good flavor, good texture, and the added bonus of being pan-fried. What could be wrong with that? A little olive oil and breadcrumb never hurt anybody.

I put these on toasted bread for a lighter version of a burger - to keep with the theme.  But feel free to load them up with toppings and slide them onto burger buns!

Pan-Fried Chicken Cheeseburgers
serves 5

1 lb. ground chicken
1/4 cup Italian dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 piece of white bread, torn into small 1/2" pieces
1/2 tablespoon finely diced red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
10 pieces toasted white bread
5 slices Swiss cheese
lettuce, tomato, pickles

In a large bowl, mix together chicken, spices, salt, torn bread, red onion and 1 tablespoon olive oil. In a second bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese and the breadcrumbs. Using your hands, make 5 hamburger patties and coat each one in the breadcrumb mixture. Set aside.

In a large frying pan, set over medium-high heat, warm remaining tablespoon of olive oil.  When it's hot and coats the entire pan, place all five patties into the pan.  Cook for 7-8 minutes per side, pressing out the moisture in each one by placing a flat spatula on the tops and gently pressing down.  Add the cheese to the tops and melt - about 3 more minutes. Place on toasted bread and cover with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and then remaining bread.

Grilled Chicken Salad: Recipe

Grilled chicken can be a real treat if done well but it can also be incredibly boring. I've said it before...it's a necessary food - high in protein and low in fat and calories, it's the 'diet wonder-food.' I made a simple marinade and allowed the chicken to steep for about 30 minutes while I did some other prep work. Pairing grilled chicken with grilled and fresh vegetables made for a really lively mouthful! This is one dish that will reappear on our table before the summer's out, for sure.

Grilled Chicken Salad
serves 4-6

1 lb. chicken cutlets
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Fresh grindings of pepper
2 tablespoons fresh basil

For the Salad
1 medium green zucchini, sliced thin lengthwise
1 medium yellow zucchini, sliced thin lengthwise
1 small fresh tomato, chopped
1 medium yellow pepper, top and bottom sliced off and body quartered
2 medium carrots, shredded
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced

Heat grill.

In a large bowl, the olive oil, lime and lemon juice, salt, pepper and basil and mix well. Add the chicken into the bowl and ensure all pieces have been coated with mixture. Mix two or three times over the course of 1/2 hour - or longer - at room temperature.

Combine in a sealable plastic bag the remaining oil, sherry vinegar, salt and basil and mix well. Add the sliced green and yellow zucchini and yellow pepper. Seal the bag well and gently shake until all the pieces are well coated. Can be done 1/2 hour before grilling time.

Grill chicken over direct heat for about 8 minutes total - about 4-5 minutes per side, careful not to burn. Add the vegetables and cook another 4-5 minutes, turning several times to avoid burning them.

Place the chicken onto a platter and add the grilled vegetables on top of the chicken. Next add the shredded carrots and the chopped tomato on top. Allow mixture to sit for about 3-5 minutes before serving and be sure to pour some of the collected juices onto each portion.

Perfectly Grilled Summer Chicken Breasts: Recipe

I'll be honest with you - I'm not a big fan of chicken cutlets or chicken breasts.  They are a means to an end...I need to eat, and they have little fat and few calories - therefore, I must consume them. Usually I find I'm making fried chicken cutlets - now that makes more sense to me! But, alas, I am trying to be relatively healthy from time to time. The other day I made these - it was really easy and I actually just threw together some items that were sort of just "left-over."  I allowed the chicken to marinate overnight and that made all the difference.  The flavors married well and it tasted like the summer!

Grilled Summer Chicken with White Wine, Garlic and Basil

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts
4 medium-large garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh basil
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a food processor, combine the garlic, basil, oil and wine until the garlic is finely chopped. Place the breasts in a zipped plastic bag and pour the mixture into the bag.  Seal well and gently shake to coat the chicken in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

Grill the breasts about 7-8 minutes per side over direct heat, turning often.  Serve!

Ode to a Great Man: Recipe and Food Musings

This week was the one year anniversary of my step-father's death. He died of a massive heart attack on Superbowl Sunday 2010 and it was a terrible blow to my family.  He was so loved by us all and we miss him very much.  He was a very funny man who loved to tell a great joke or make a quick jab to lighten a mood and when you were the target you knew it was said with love.  He would have loved this story and I am hopeful that he's looking down on us and getting a great chuckle.

The Saturday before this year's Superbowl, I went food shopping for the week.  I had a seen on TV a commercial for some kind of "Mexi-Melt," as I've started calling it, but it's far less fancy than its name implies.  It's a microwaved concoction of Velveeta and salsa. I know - it sounds both revolting and delicious at the same time. I allowed the "yum" factor to take hold - even while my husband cringed at the same commercial. My husband, mind you, has been known to splurge on such "gourmet" items as White Castle, McDonalds, or Taco Bell (the one place I wouldn't go to if I were starving and living on the street).  I digress...

So purchasing Velveeta is a complete and utter anomaly for me - I know you'll roll your eyes, but truthfully I've only bought Velveeta a handful of times in my life and the last time had to be about 15 years ago!

As I came to the last aisle where the cold items are - cheese, eggs, yogurt, etc., I had trouble finding the big block of Velveeta - all I could find were packaged slices. I took the package of sliced cheese, imagining it melted the same way as the block, and drove my cart to the store manager - who sees me and must realize that his weekly numbers are satisfied when they ring up my weekly food bill - and asked him if they had actually sold out of the block of Velveeta for the "big game."  He leaned in close to me and sort of whispered: "See that frozen aisle?" I nodded. "Go to the end of it and keep going...to the display of 'non-refrigerated' cheeses."  I must have looked petrified but I did as I was told - I walked back as far as I could go without walking into the "back" and I found the cheese block. I grabbed one - praying no one could see me - and returned the slices to their rightful place.

All I kept thinking was: if my step father could see me now, he'd be howling laughing! The food snob had actually purchased cheese from a 'non-refrigerated' cheese wall.  And then I started to laugh...how disgusting is that???

I made my Mexi-Melt with my homemade salsa and the kids LOVED it, ironically. But we didn't use it all up, of course.  Which leads me to this - when staring into the cavernous fridge three days later, I saw three items that popped out to me and instantly I knew what to make for dinner:  Chicken with Cheese and Broccoli!

A long time ago, in fact it may have been the last time I had Velveeta, I came home to my parents all excited with a new dish: Chicken with Cheese and Broccoli - a perfect one-pot meal.  I made it for my parents and my step-father loved it but my mother was less than pleased (another food snob - x10).  She decided another time to make the same dish - but she chose to use some other "fancy" cheese and it was horrible! My step-father told that story over and over and over and ultimately the story changed so that both she and I would not use the Velveeta (which melts beautifully) but instead we both insisted on using the fancy (read: snobby) cheese. Not true. But "never let the truth get in the way of a good story!"

Moral of the story? Eat your Velveeta. Believe it or not, the box actually says: it melts better than cheddar (true) and it's less fat and there is nothing artificial in it!  My kids loved this - thought it was "awesome," making it an instant success. We (reluctantly!) like Velveeta!  Miss ya, Grandpa!

Chicken with Cheese and Broccoli
1 lb. chicken cutlets, cut into 1 1/2" chunks
6 oz. Velveeta, cut into 2" chunks
12 oz. SteamFresh (Bird's Eye) broccoli, cooked and trimmed
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp., each: salt, dried oregano, Adobe seasoning, ground savory and dried basil

Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large, heavy, pot.  Add in the chicken pieces and cook over medium-high heat until it begins to turn white on the outsides and light pink in the middle. Add in the spices and stir. Next add in the broccoli flowers and mix well. Add in the cheese and stir well until creamy and melted.

Serve with rice or plain pasta.

Chicken Roll-Ups: Recipe

The other day the kids came into the kitchen with the strangest look on their faces - they came to investigate the crazy banging noise emanating from the room. I was pounding thin a package of chicken breasts (and had already pounded thin a package of pork chops)! So clearly there was cause for concern - I was beating up food.

It was a funny scene, really. I had one plastic zip bag filled with paper thin - very large - chicken cutlets and one cutlet in another plastic zip bag getting the stuffing beat out of it. The kids thought I had lost my mind - but I thought it was quite fun!

The importance of the pounding process is two fold - the first reason to do it is to create a larger piece of meat so you can easily place more stuff inside it! The second reason to pound the meat thin is to allow the roll-up to cook faster and more evenly.

I love chicken cordon bleu - so this is a knock off of that and I tried to make it a bit healthier by not frying it, which I have done before with much success.

Chicken Roll-Up with Spinach, Swiss and Prosciutto
2 pounds chicken breasts (about 5 breasts)
10 small slices, Swiss cheese
5 large slices, Prosciutto
3 cups fresh spinach, loosely packed
Salt, pepper
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1/4 cup low fat mayo
1/8 cup Dijon mustard
Trussing string or wooden toothpicks soaked in water for 30 minutes

Preparation
Place one breast in a large zip bag or between two sheets of parchment paper and pound thin with a kitchen mallet - so meat is about 1/2 inch thick and 6-8 inches in diameter. Repeat for all breasts.

Next, assemble each one by placing 2 slices of cheese side by side in the middle of the cutlet and placing the prosciutto on top of the cheese and topping with a handful of spinach. Next carefully roll up each piece of chicken and secure it with either toothpicks or by tying it up tightly with string.

This process can be done 12 hours in advance but make sure to cover and refrigerate on a foil lined baking sheet.

Cooking
Preheat the oven to 450. Sprinkle the roll-ups with salt, pepper and thyme. Mix together in a bowl the mayo and the mustard until smooth. Place the chicken into the oven and cook for 40-45 minutes, basting with mayo-mustard mixture at two different intervals. Chicken should be browned on top.

Seven Points for Dinner: Recipe

Trying to keep healthy during a busy week can be tough.  When you're tired, good eating gets tossed out the window faster than you can toss a salad! To combat this issue, I try to think about food and food choices well in advance so I'm not stuck staring into the fridge with testy children and a rumbling stomach wondering if pasta with red sauce, two nights in a row, is acceptable.

I went online to the Weight Watchers site and using their wonderful "Recipe Builder" tool I was able to determine exactly how many points my dinner would be...Add a salad and some grilled vegetables and you're all set! The burger is 5 points and the bread is another 2.

Chicken Burgers
serves 5

1 lb. ground chicken
2 oz. sundried tomatoes, no oil
3 garlic cloves
2/3 cup of cooked chopped spinach, squeezed well
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
5 English Muffins, toasted

In a food processor, mix together the garlic, tomatoes and the feta cheese until finely chopped. Add the mixture to a large bowl and add the ground chicken and spinach. Mix well. Form five equal sized burger patties.  Grill on the BBQ for about 15-18 minutes.

Serve on top of toasted English Muffins (2 points!).

Enjoy.

Snowy Saturday Meal: Recipe

What could be better than watching the blizzard of '09 from inside your warm cozy home with a rich bottle of wine and a big pot of slowly simmering chicken with full flavors? Exactly.

Cooking is one of the things I love most in the world and I continue to create dishes in the kitchen each night (or nearly each night) for my family. Some are repeats - my kids like pasta with peas, cream and prosciutto and we eat that maybe once every 10 days - and some are new but somewhat ordinary. And I think ordinary in the middle of the week is just fine! We concentrate on serving protein accompanied by vegetable and starch - very, very, 1950s. And I think it's just fine.

As the snow loomed near, I ran to the store (as did the entire community in which I live) and picked up food for Saturday and Sunday's dinners, along with some other odds and ends. The heavy lifting for Christmas Eve is next up and the list needed far more focus than: "I need a few things at the market." The storm made everyone crazy and it's tough to concentrate in the stores like that.

Meat on sale: always a plus. So I picked up some chicken thighs and legs to make something. I thought about a traditional chicken caccitore but you know what? Every time I think of that I happen to think of eating it as a kid and I hated it. Too tomato-y. So I combed the books and found Marcella Hazan's Chicken with Porcini mushrooms. And since I already had a package of dried porcini in the cabinet, I thought I'd use that as a basis for the dish.

My husband and I cooed over this - it was really delicious. My daughter gobbled up far more than I expected her to and my little guy had to be threatened with "no dessert" before he'd eat. But once he did, he managed to clean his plate. Since the vegetables are already inside the dish (hooray for one-pot meals!), we simply served this with a crusty baguette to sop up the juices.

One Pot Chicken with Porcini Mushrooms, Pancetta and Celery
3 lbs. chicken with skin (legs and thighs), washed and completely dried
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 oz. pancetta
1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
8 oz. chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 large celery stalks, chopped
14.5 oz. petite diced tomatoes, can

In a large sturdy pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add in the pancetta and cook until it begins to get crispy - but do not burn. With a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta to a bowl and set aside, leaving the oil and fat drippings in the pan. Next, place chicken in, skin side down, and brown well - turning once or twice. you may need to do this in stages so as to not overcrowd the pot. If you're doing it in stages, simply remove the complete pieces to a plate and reserve.

Meanwhile, place mushrooms in a bowl and pour the chicken stock over. Allow mushrooms to reconstitute about 5-7 minutes. With a bowl underneath to catch the liquid, pour the mushrooms and the liquid into a fine mesh strainer lined with a paper coffee filter or paper towel. The mushrooms will remain in the paper and you'll capture the liquid in the bowl. Reserve liquid. Remove the paper and rinse the mushrooms with cold water - gently - and pat dry. Chop the mushrooms.

Once all chicken is finished browning, remove it from the pot and set aside. With heat on high, add in the wine and allow it to boil while scraping up the browned bits. Lower heat slightly and add in the celery and saute about 2 minutes. Add back in the pancetta and add the mushrooms along with 1/2 cup of the strained liquid. Add in the tomatoes and their juices and mix well. Allow it all to simmer about 5 minutes before adding back the chicken. Be sure to place the chicken close to the bottom of the pot with the vegetables and juices sitting on top. Cover, leaving the top slightly ajar, and reduce heat to medium-simmer. Do not let it boil and be sure to turn the chicken once or twice. Allow dish to cook about 1 hour.

Remove chicken to a bowl and tilt the juice to the side, spoon off as much of the fat as possible. Raise the heat and boil about 5 minutes. Spoon juices and the vegetables over the chicken and serve.

Industrious: Food Musings

I know it's been sometime since my last blog entry and my "disappearance" has been cause for concern (thank you to those sending inquiries as to my whereabouts!)

So, why haven't I been blogging these days? A few reasons: the new school year (getting ready and acclimated to a child in real school), increased load of extracurricular and work activity, and probably the biggest reason I've been absent: watching the weight...

Just because you're on a diet doesn't mean your food has to be void of flavor. In fact, that's just the time to increase the flavor factor! You know, more garlic, more spice, more non-oil laden marinades, etc. One of the great bi-products of committing to a new eating regiment, is the fact that you can really save money. So it's this notion that has inspired me to lose the writers block and share what I know.

Sunday night I made a 7.65 lb. roast chicken. It was on sale for $.99 per pound. So for about $8, I managed to make dinner not one night - but two! And, I made lunch from my $8 purchase not one day - but two! And...I made chicken soup for the Jewish holiday that begins Friday night.

I can't tell you how easy this was and how amazing it feels to make dinner and then continue cooking. Naturally, even if you're not on a diet, you may still want to save money. So here are some ideas you can use for your $8 purchase (or similar amount).

Sunday night - To eat dinner at 6:30 p.m., begin roasting your chicken at 3:00. Wash it well, inside and out, and dry it. Rub Kosher salt inside the cavity and on top of the bird. Sprinkle with ground ginger and pepper. Cut two lemons and 1 onion and stuff them inside, loosely. Then add a bay leaf, fresh dill, and carrots and celery all around the bird. Cook for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours, depending on the directions and weight. See? No oil or other fat...count 3 points for 3 oz of chicken breast! Ours was served with rice and sweet potato and salad.

Pack yourself lunch - Place your alotment of chicken (whatever it might be!) into a take-to-work container and add a salad under it. Or add veggies and rice. Or make a chicken salad with dill and celery or with grapes and walnuts, instead.

Set aside in the fridge remaining meat from the bird (I had about 4-5 cups of chicken).

Soup: Carve the bird and serve - from your Sunday dinner. Place the carcass, all extra bones - with meat stuck to them, a little skin, and all the veggies left over from the roast and additional 1 1/2 cups of chicken into a large soup pot. Add 2 medium onions quartered, more carrots, more chopped celery, more fresh dill, more ground ginger, more salt, a peeled and cut parsnip, a peeled and cut turnip and a couple of whole cloves. Add enough water to just cover the mass. Set on high simmer for about 3-4 hours. Occasionally skim off the cloudy bubbles that form on top. Pour out the broth through a colander and into a large pot - leaving the bones and solids in the colander. Pick off all viable meat and add to the broth with any viable carrots and celery. With the bottom of a cup, squash the remaining veggies, etc. to ensure that all the flavor and juice comes out. Allow broth to cool completely before placing in the fridge, covered. In the morning, skim off the solidified fat. At that point, you can freeze it in small batches for a later date!

Dinner Tuesday night: How about Chicken Burritos? Take out your can of black beans and warm on the stove. Heat a large frying pan sprayed with Pam Spray and saute 2 sliced scallions for two minutes or until soft. Add remaining chicken and heat through. Add about 1 1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Mix well. Put into little cups: cheese (use reduced fat if you're watching), beans, avocado cubes, salsa, tomatoes and build a burrito onto a small fat-free tortilla!

Lunch the next day: repeat above!

Tonight...pork chops!

Grilled Chicken Cordon Blue: Recipe

Chicken, ham and Swiss? YUM! I love the way the cheese melts and the way the roll-up looks when sliced - like a bulls-eye! The combination of ham and cheese is so perfect with a mild chicken cutlet as the backdrop. And this was no different. It was cooked to perfection (thank you husband) and flavored lightly enough that the seasoning did not overpower - but rather enhanced - the entire package.

I actually thought this would take longer than it did and to my surprise it was simpler to do than I imagined. More than anything, this was an assembly job and keeping the children away from uncooked chicken and the related ham and cheese slices with chicken juice on them (yuck) was the only challenging part!

I think the trick in the speed was that I used all prepared items such as chicken cutlets in perfect portions - I simply unwrapped and pounded thin. I used already sliced prosciutto and deli slices of cheese. Having these things readily available made this dish assemble and cook quickly.

Grilled Chicken Cordon Blue
2.5 lbs. chicken cutlets (about 5-6 cutlets)
5 oz. Jarlsberg cheese slices
4 oz. sliced thin prosciutto
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, minced
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. paprika
6 wooden skewers soaked in cold water for at least 15 minutes.

Prepare barbecue.

With a kitchen mallet (between two large pieces of butcher paper or waxed paper), hammer each cutlet to a much thinner piece - about 1/4" thick all around. Sprinkle each piece with an even amount of fresh rosemary. Top each slice with two slices of prosciutto followed by one slice of cheese. Tuck the short end of the chicken in toward the center and roll toward the opposite end. Set aside and repeat with the others.

Mix together the oregano, salt and paprika. Rub each chicken roll with about 1 1/2 tsp. of herb mixture on all sides. Secure each roll shut with a skewer.

Cook each roll over direct heat for about 7 minutes per side - close the lid while cooking. Remove skewers and serve.

Southern Fried Chicken: Recipe

How can you not associate fried chicken with summer? It's terrific for picnics, BBQs, and just general gatherings. But frying chicken well is an art, isn't it? I know everyone has a secret recipe. I think this may be the best attempt at fried chicken I've had yet! My secret? Buttermilk, salt, and a cast-iron (enameled) pot. You do need to prepare this overnight - so be aware of that and start early.

Southern Fried Chicken
6 drumsticks
6 thighs
1 qt. buttermilk
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
3 cups olive oil
4 cups vegetable oil
Kosher salt

Place chicken in large zip bag and pour buttermilk into the bag. You may want to double or triple bag this. Carefully shake bag to coat all chicken pieces. Place in the fridge for 24 hours.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and paprika. Combine both oils into a very large, very heavy cast-iron pot (I used my 5 Qt. Le Cruset) and bring to a very high heat (test by wetting your finger with water and dripping it into the hot oil - if it crackles instantly, it's ready for chicken). Be sure your oil is really hot before proceeding.

Remove chicken from bag, one piece at a time, and submerge in flour mixture. Coat completely and gently shake off excess flour. Slowly lower piece into the hot oil and repeat - put about 4-5 pieces into the oil at one time. DO NOT OVERCROWD.

Allow each piece to become golden brown before turning over and allowing the second side to do the same. Each piece will need about 8 minutes to fully cook. Remove pieces, one at a time, and place onto brown paper lunch bags to catch the excess oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and allow to cool a bit before serving.

Turkey Chili: Recipe

Turkey chili. Can it be good you ask? But of course! It's all in the flavor. You know, you really can't tell that it's not beef once it's cooked...I promise.

I let this cook for over an hour and once it cooled, I put it into the fridge so we had dinner in no time the next day. When I came home I simply boiled water for the pasta and heat up the pot of chili!

Turkey Chili
1 lb. ground turkey
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, minced
3 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 orange bell pepper, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. Mexican Chili powder
1 chipotle pepper (from a 7 oz can) + 1 Tbsp. sauce
3 shakes hot sauce
1 35-oz can San Marzano whole plum tomatoes
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp. paprika
3 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced

1 lb. mini pasta (such as elbows, wheels, etc.)
shredded cheese

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onion about 8-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring often. Add the carrots, celery and peppers and saute another 10 minutes, stirring often. Raise the temperature slightly and add the ground turkey and saute until the meat is no longer pink - about 8-10 minutes, stirring often. Add the chipotle and all spices and mix well. Add the beans and the tomatoes and crush them up with the back of the wooden spoon. Simmer about an hour and serve mixed with pasta, cilantro (divide among plates) and shredded cheese.

Cheap Eats: Resource and Recipe - UPDATED

Quick - This week King Kullen supermarkets has on sale Perdue legs and thighs for $1 per pound. (Yes, I mean one dollar). Buy them now and freeze them for later! Seriously, how many barbecues will you host this summer? Even if you never host a barbecue, at least you'll have a nice supply of healthy meat to eat. Go on - you'll thank me later. Without extras like vegetables and starch, this dinner cost under $5 and feeds 4 WITH left-overs. And with a box of rice and some veggies, you'll still feed four for under $10. You can't go wrong with chicken. Think of the choices...fried chicken, lemon chicken, chicken with BBQ sauce, Arroz Con Pollo, Coq au Vin, etc., etc.

These pieces were supposed to have been barbecued tonight but because of time constraints that didn't happen - I got home too late and my husband, the resident griller, was even later so I had to use an alternate cooking method. I've posted that along with a Summer Fruit Salsa that I made to accompany the chicken. I made the salsa with fruit that was highly ripened - in fact, another day or so and it would be good as garbage. It was perfect for this! All together this was delicious - flavorful, tender, and together with the salsa it was awesome. The vanilla really came out in and paired so well with the summer fruit.

Honey Ginger Chicken
3 Tbsp vermouth
1 scallion, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey
2 1/2 lb chicken legs and thighs

Combine all ingredients, except the chicken, and whisk well. Place chicken in resealable bag and pour mixture over legs and thighs. Refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours. Barbecue chicken about 20-25 minutes, rotating periodically and covering most of the time with BBQ top. Use remaining marinade to baste chicken often.

ALTERNATE COOKING METHOD
In a large heavy pot, over high heat, place the legs and thighs, skin side down, into the pot after it's heated about 3 minutes. Turn after 5-6 minutes and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Meanwhile, put the remaining marinade in a small sauce pot and boil for about 6 minutes and pour over the chicken once it's been turned onto the second side. Cover the large pot with the chicken and cook over medium heat about 20-25 minutes. Turn the chicken once or twice. When ready, remove the chicken from the pot and bring remaining liquid to a boil and allow it to continue boiling until it's reduced to about 1/2 cup. Use as a serving sauce.

Summer Fruit Salsa
In a medium bowl combine:

1 ripe white peach, with the skin, sliced thin
1 ripe mango, no skin, sliced thin
5-6 ripe strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 ripe pear, with or without skin!, sliced thin
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. fresh cilantro

Gently mix all ingredients and serve with chicken or fish or over greens.

Turkey Burger Deluxe: Recipe

When I worked in the City (of course, that's New York City) often I ate lunch at a diner located on the first floor of my office building. It wasn't very good, per se, but it did the trick on rainy or cold days. However, they made a mean Turkey Burger Deluxe - it was a giant turkey burger with cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato and french fries - and it was very, very, good. I suppose the grease on the griddle made the burger extra tasty.

I've never actually made a turkey burger because my husband proclaimed he didn't like them but recently while strolling through the aisles of Costco, I was intrigued by the site of a man frying up specialty turkey bugers - and right there the idea came to my mind. Clearly this is not the same as the diner's version but to be honest, my husband loved it and our five-year old and three-year old ate them without a single complaint. They were moist and full of flavor. If you're searching for a burger that's different from the usual beef quarter-pounder, then try this!

You could even spread a thin layer of olive tapenade to the top of your burger bun for added tangy flavor.

Sundried Tomato, Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers
21 oz. fresh ground turkey meat
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (not in oil)
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 egg

In a food processor, combine the tomatoes with the oil and puree until finely chopped - should yield about 2 full tablespoons. Place the tablespoons into a large bowl. Mix into the bowl the meat, chopped spinach, egg, and feta cheese and mix well. Form into patties - makes about 6 burgers.

Preheat broiler to high and broil for 6 minutes per side. Turn broiler down to low on the second side.

Cornish Hens: Recipe

Without sounding really disgusting, I have to say that Cornish hens are so cute! Ok, yuck, that sounded a bit barbaric. Moving on...these little birds are quite delicious but they are not a good dinner party idea (Unless your guests are served hens with wet-naps and tons of napkins)!

However, Cornish hens are a great Sunday night dinner for a small family. Kids enjoy the "chicken" and adults get to eat without feeling stuffed like a bird! These cooked about an hour and 20 minutes and they were golden brown delivered tons of juice that collected in the plate during rest time. The addition of the pancetta under the skin gave the meat a hint of smoky flavor and the pieces of pancetta that peeked out of the cavity were so delicious and crispy.

Roasted Cornish Hens with Pancetta
3-4 small Cornish hens, washed and dried (roughly 1.6 Lbs each)
1/4 cup Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
4 oz. pancetta
3-4 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 leek, slices thin
1/4 cup parsley
3 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375.

Place birds into a large baking dish so they are snug next to each other - but not overcrowded (breast side up). Rub the skin and the inside with salt and pepper. Scatter carrots around the birds. Slip fingers under the skin to loosen - careful not to tear. Add about 1 Tbsp. of pancetta under the skin of each bird. Divide the parsley and the leek slices between the birds and stuff loosely into the cavity along with 1 Tbsp. of pancetta toward the outside. Scatter the remaining pancetta around the hens.

Drizzle the hens with oil and place in the oven for about an hour and 20 minutes or until meat thermometer registers complete.

Tent loosely with foil and allow the hens to rest about 10 minutes. Serve with the collected juices.

Quick Supper: Recipe

Tonight was one of those unfortunate evenings when you must pay your respects upon the death of a loved one. A colleague's mother passed and I came home after work to feed my family (and, perhaps, my own soul with my family's love and affection) before heading out to share my condolences with another.

That said, this meal was quick, given the time constraints, (it took 20 minutes!) but still it was filled with tasty ingredients. To be fair, my kids played with the angel hair more than they ate it so I would say penne or bow-tie pasta might pair better if you're feeding children! I almost lost my temper when I saw my son putting strands of pasta over his Thomas The Train at the table and my daughter wrapping a Polly Pocket's neck like jewelery! Instead, I just laughed and swiped the toys until their plates were cleaned.

Pasta with Chicken and Feta Sausage
1 Lb. package of chicken/feta sausage links, sliced into 1" slices and halved
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 plum tomatoes
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/4 diced red onion
1/2 cup frozen spinach, cooked and drained according to package directions
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup grated pecorino-Romano cheese
1 lb. angel hair pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Next add the onion and the olives and saute another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the spinach and saute another minute before adding the wine and bringing the mixture to a boil. Stir and reduce heat.

Drain pasta and pour the mixture over it. Add the cheese and stir well.

(Not) Chicken and Rice: Recipe

About 10 years ago I worked with a wonderful woman named Rosa. She was tall with beautiful long black hair and a very gentle way about her. She was born in the West Indies and man oh man could she cook an unbelievable dish of "Chicken and Rice." We used to have pot luck holiday parties or bridal showers for co-workers and I would beg her to make this dish. She would bring it in a hefty aluminum tray and heat it up in the ovens in the diner in the bottom of our office - and it would be gone almost as quickly as she set it down. Of course I pleaded for the recipe but she always told me there wasn't one. So together one day, before she left for another job opportunity, I asked her to try her hardest to recreate the dish from memory.

Mind you, this is not nearly the same as I remember Rosa making but that was a long time ago and my husband swore it was a nine on a scale of 1-10 (and yes, I did confirm that he meant 10 was the best). It was delicious and the spicy sauce was always, to me, what made the dish so spectacular. I could eat this often - it is very easy and very good. I say "not" chicken and rice because traditional Arroz Con Pollo has saffron flavored rice - this does not. And the flavors somehow make you think of India rather than South America. Either way, it is worth making.

Chicken and Rice
2 lbs. chicken (thighs and drumsticks), rinsed and dried very well
1/3 cup olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 scallions, chopped
3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 large tomato, cubed
1/3 cup mixed fresh parsley and fresh cilantro
3 cups water
2 cups Basmati Rice

Spicy Sauce
1 green pepper, cored and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup parsley
2/3 of a small Roma tomato, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. jalapeno
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 large garlic clove

In a very large pot, heat oil over high heat for about 2 minutes. Slip as many chicken pieces in, skin side down, as possible without over crowding the pot. If you need to brown chicken in batches, do that. Over medium high heat, brown all chicken pieces - about 6-8 minutes per batch. If doing in batches, remove chicken to a large bowl. Once all chicken has been browned, keep them in a large bowl and reserve.

In the hot oil, fry the onions and the scallions together, scraping up the browned bits of chicken. Saute about 5 minutes or until the onions become translucent - do not burn. Add the garlic and stir well. Add back the chicken along with any juice it collected in the bowl. Add the tomato, parsley and cilantro and stir well. Add in the rice and mix. Next add in the water, stir once or twice to ensure nearly all the rice is submerged. Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer. Cover the pot with tin foil and then place a tight fitting cover on top. Cook on low heat for about 25-30 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked. If the rice is not fully cooked and begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, add in an additional 1/2 cup water, stir and replace the cover.

Meanwhile, place all sauce ingredients into a food processor and chop well.

Serve the two together and serve with extra sauce on the side.

Chicken Cordon Blue: Recipe

I was in high school the first time I had Chicken Cordon Blue. A friend's dad was a food distributor so they always had the best things in their freezer. I will never forget (I haven't so far!) the day we ate the chicken. The fillets had to be baked but when they came out of the oven about 45 minutes later they were wonderful. Each had a breaded coating on the outside and thick melted cheese on the inside that oozed out when you cut it. And of course how can you forget the salty sliced ham that wrapped around inside the chicken roll - it served as the perfect balance for the whole thing. I can still taste it.

To this day, I enjoy chicken cordon blue. A favorite is a chicken cutlet, breaded, with layers of ham and melted Swiss with mustard on a Kaiser roll. Perfect sandwich! Ahh, but I digress. I made a more health-conscious version thinking it would be tasty yet...healthier! It was quick and easy, really. Nothing I do during the week requires a great deal of cooking talent - just a little planning, perhaps.

Chicken Cordon Blue
1 Lb. thin sliced chicken cutlets (about 6 cutlets)
4 Tbsp. butter
salt and pepper
1/4 lb. Virgina Ham, sliced thin
1/4 lb. Swiss cheese, sliced thin
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 350. In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat and slip in the cutlets, once the butter begins to foam. Saute about 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness of the cutlet, but until it's cooked inside. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Turn cutlets once or twice until they are slightly browned on both sides.

Transfer cutlets to a baking sheet. Top each with one slice of ham and then a slice of cheese. When all cutlets are out of the saute pan, squeeze in the lemon juice and allow it to bubble up. Scrape up the browned bits and pour the juice over the tops of the chicken cutlets.

Bake about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.