Grilled Salisbury Chicken

Grilled Salisbury Chicken

I like a dinner menu that can be made in phases. During my day, I usually have small chunks of time that I use to make a portion of dinner for that evening. I'll make the sauce and prep the vegetables in the early afternoon when I get home from work. At dinner time, I'll grill the chicken, boil the noodles, and roast the string beans. A quick reheat of the sauce and our in meal is ready to be served. My method of dinner-in-steps takes the rush out of the dinner time dash and makes for a calm in my sometimes hectic day.

Tonight's menu included Grilled Salisbury Chicken on top of Kluski Egg Noodles served with roasted string beans. I decided to lighten up the typical Salisbury Steak and substituted grilled, thinly sliced chicken breasts for the ground beef patties.

The rich, brown sauce was seasoned with balsamic vinegar and loaded with mushrooms and onions. In general, our family loves anything with a sauce and this meal was no different. We do have one dissenter in No Thank You Boy who likes his chicken naked with a side of A-1 Steak Sauce for dipping. To each his own.

The Kluski noodles are a childhood favorite of mine. To this day, I still have a craving a couple times a year for a bowl of Campbell's Tomato Soup overflowing with Kluski noodles.


Use those small blocks of time in your day to get dinner underway. When dinner time rolls around, your meal will come together in a snap.



Grilled Salisbury Chicken
serves 4 - 5

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, divided
2 cups of sliced button mushrooms
1 medium onion, sliced thin, about 2 cups
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups beef stock
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/4 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise for thin cutlets
salt and pepper
olive oil

8 ounces of noodles such as Kluski Egg Noodles, cooked and drained
chopped fresh parsley for garnish

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter has almost melted, add the mushrooms and onions and saute for 6 - 8 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the balsamic vinegar and stir to combine. Stir in the flour and cook for about a minute. Stir in the stock and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 - 4 minutes. Stir in the sage, cream, salt and pepper. Turn heat to low and keep sauce warm while the chicken is cooked.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Brush chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken for about 3 - 4 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the cutlets. Do not over cook or the chicken will be dry.

To serve place noodles on a platter and top with grilled chicken and the Salisbury sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

California Cole Slaw

You can never have enough options for side dishes. My California Cole Slaw was developed for a cookout with family and friends. Cole slaw is one of my favorite summertime salads so I used a variation on my typical dressing for this dish. A sweet and tangy dressing is tossed with baby spinach, julienned apples, thinly sliced red onions, and shredded cabbage and carrots. A sprinkling of sunflower seeds adds unexpected salty crunch.

Try it. You'll like it.

California Cole Slaw
An alternative to traditional cole slaw which includes baby spinach, apples and sunflower seeds tossed with a sweet and tangy dressing.

serves 6

for the dressing -
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 - 2 tablespoons half and half or milk
salt and pepper to taste

8 cups of baby spinach
2 cups of shredded cole slaw mix
1 large apple, julienned
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

In a small bowl combine the ingredients for the dressing. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, cole slaw mix, apple, onion, and 3 tablespoons of the sunflower seeds. Set aside.

To serve, toss spinach mixture with the dressing. Sprinkle the remaining sunflower seeds and serve immediately.

Raspberry Hoisin Glazed Roast Pork Loin

Raspberry Hoisin Glazed Pork Loin

On some of my many trips to the grocery store while I am shopping for my persoanl chef clients, I usually pick something up for my own family's dinner. After planning menu after menu for my clients, I have the occasional brain cramp and am at a loss for what to make for dinner. Some weeks I can plan dinner menus in no time at all. But this week, my dinner inspirations seem to have gone on vacation.

On my latest trip to the grocery store, I gazed at the chicken legs and flank steaks and baby back ribs in the butcher case and nothing jumped out at me as an exciting dinner entree. Also the price tags on every cut of meat was higher than normal causing me to pick up many a packages of boneless chicken breasts, pork tenderloins, and skirt steaks only to return them to the refrigerated case. Lo and behold I spied a 2 1/2 pound center cut pork loin roast for $1.99 per pound. Bingo! That will be our dinner tonight.

After a long day of cooking for my Monday personal cheffing client, I decided on an easy recipe for my pork loin. Seared in an oven proof pan, roasted in the oven, and brushed with a spicy and sweet glaze just before it finished cooking, Raspberry Hoisin Glazed Roasted Pork Loin will now be added to my regular rotation of dinner menus. Served with roasted butternut squash, turnips, and parsnips and jasmine rice, the meal is easy to prepare with not much hands-on work.

The family loved the glaze, and I would suggest doubling the recipe so there is plenty to go around. Store any extra glaze in the refrigerator. The thick, rich glaze would also be delicious on grilled or baked chicken, salmon, shrimp, or scallops.

Take a little help from me and make Raspberry Hoisin Glazed Roast Pork Loin tonight.


Raspberry Hoisin Glazed Roast Pork Loin

Serves 5

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt
pepper
1 pork loin, about 2.5 pounds
1 cup red onion, chopped
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large, oven proof saute pan, heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season pork with salt and pepper. Sear pork loin over medium high heat on all sides until golden brown, about 8 - 10 minutes total time. Transfer pan with seared pork loin to the oven.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium high heat add 1 tablespoon olive oil and red onion. Saute, stirring occasionally until just beginning to brown, about 5 - 6 minutes. Add soy sauce, hoisin sauce and raspberry preserves and stir until the glaze is combined. Turn off heat and leave sauce on burner.

Roast pork loin in oven until the thickest part of the roast registers 135 degrees on a thermometer, about 45 to 60 minutes. About 10 minutes before the pork is done (it will register about 110 degrees on a digital thermometer), brush with the pork with some of the glaze. You will have extra glaze to serve with the pork.

Remove roast from oven and place on a cutting board and tent with foil for about 10 minutes. Slice the pork loin and serve with the extra glaze. Rewarm the glaze if it gets too thick.

Spicy Shrimp, Sausage, and Spinach Fettuccine

I like shrimp for many reasons.

The large 21 - 25 per pound variety are on sale for about $15 for a 2 pound pound bag at least once a month at my grocery store.

Shrimp is packaged individually frozen, peeled and deveined.

Shrimp thaws in practically no time at all.

Shrimp cooks in minutes.

When we have shrimp for dinner, it feels a little fancy.

I can pretend I am on vacation at the Jersey Shore.

Tonight's dinner of Spicy Shrimp, Sausage, and Spinach Fettuccine took about 20 minutes of prep time plus an additional 15 minutes to thaw the shrimp. The quickest way to thaw frozen shrimp is in a large bowl of cold water. Just place the shrimp you need for your recipe a bowl. I usually serve about 1/4 to 1/3 pound of shrimp per person. Cover with cold water and let the bowl sit on the counter for about 15 minutes. You can change the water once during the thawing time and this helps speed up the process.

When I typically make a pasta dish, it involves some sort of sauce. It may be a tomato, cream, or wine sauce. For tonight's entree, I used a technique I have seen on many Italian cooking shows that involves reserving some of the hot water that the pasta cooks in to make a light sauce. Before draining the pasta, set aside about 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water. By adding the starchy water to the cooked shrimp, sausage, spinach and pasta, it loosens any of the tasty bits from the saute pan adding subtle flavor to your dish.

You have about 35 minutes to make dinner, don't you?


Spicy Shrimp, Sausage, and Spinach Fettuccine
serves 5

1 pound fettuccine
olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup
3 links of hot Italian sausage, removed from casing, about 1/4 pound
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/4 pounds of large shrimp (21 - 25/pound), peeled and deveined
4 large handfuls of baby spinach, about 4 cups loosely packed
1 cup corn
1/2 cup pasta water
1/2 - 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated and not packed, plus more to serving
salt
pepper

Cook fettuccine in a large pot of water according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Set aside.

While the pasta cooks, heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and onions and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the sausage in small pieces and the garlic and cook until until the sausage is cooked and browned.

Add shrimp to pan and cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook for 3 - 4 minutes or until it is slightly wilted. Add corn and pasta water to saute pan and scrape up any bits cooked on to the bottom of the pan. Add pasta and toss to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in a serving bowl and top with Parmesan cheese. Serve with extra cheese.

A cupcake to share

Pound Cake Cupcakes

Writing a food blog is a learning experience. I have learned many aspects about myself, my family, my friends, my online foodie friends, and my cooking. I started writing my blog for myself as a way to keep track of my recipes that I make for my family. Along this journey, I have amassed more than 200 recipes and continue to learn about myself each day.

I have discovered that if you make good food in an inviting atmosphere, they will come. People love food. People love good food. The food should be good food, not expensive and stuffy food. People are most comfortable eating a sweet and spicy pulled pork sandwich on the tailgate of your car or sitting around the picnic table with a pot of steamed clams, mussels, kielbasa, along with sourdough bread. They want to roll up their sleeves, dig in and enjoy the food, the drink and the company. Ask your guests what you served them the last time they came over, and they will most likely not remember. Not that your food wasn't good, but this is not in the forefront of their minds. They will not remember if you spent 2 days preparing the meal, and they don't want you to spend so much time preparing the food. What will remain in their memory will be whether they had a good time at you table. Did they laugh? Did they feel welcome and comfortable? People like a warm and welcoming gathering and having good, uncomplicated food is the icing on the cake.

I have discovered that there are many different types of cooks in the world. Some are fancy, smancy with a little bit of a snooty air about them. They take their title of "Chef" very seriously. Others love to bake albeit cupcakes, muffins, cakes, cookies, or brownies. Their baked goods are works of art. Some are intimated by cooking and need a nudge to try a new food or recipe. Some love to grill and barbecue. Some have found comfort in making casseroles. Some tinker with recipes and never make the same dish twice. I discovered that foodies are very friendly. Food brings people together. And when it comes right down to it, it is just food. Making food should be fun and not a chore. It isn't rocket science. Sure there are some aspects of cooking that are more difficult than others. But, it is about making good food and sharing with people that you love. That should be the most rewarding aspect of cooking.

I have discovered that no matter how unique and earth-shattering I think my most recent post is, someone has probably already made, tasted, photographed, and published my latest and greatest creation. With thousands of food blogs on the Internet, bloggers are blogging about the same recipes and cooking techniques that I am. Undoubtedly, food is a very important part of our lives. With my blog, I try not to just retype published recipes. Hopefully by following my posts, readers will try a few new recipes or learn a new cooking technique. By using fresh ingredients with simple techniques, cooking will be a joy.

Sharing food is central to my love of cooking. I offer you a recipe for Pound Cake Cupcakes. This is one of my good recipes. A basic dense, buttery cupcake. Bake a batch and share them with your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, teachers, the garbage men, or just about anyone you with which you come in contact. The world a better place if we all just shared a cupcake once in a while.

Cupcakes to share

Pound Cake Cupcakes

makes about 24
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
4 extra large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 sticks of butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cupcake pans with foil cupcake liners. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a bowl of a standing mixer, combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Blend for about 4 - 5 minutes or until thoroughly combined. With the mixer on low, drizzle in the melted butter and continue mixing until combined, about 2 - 3 minutes. Add the flour mixture in 2 additions. Blend until just combined.

Fill each of the cupcake papers about 2/3 full with the batter. Bake for about 18 - 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan then remove and cool on a baking rack.

Salsa Fresca

When in need of a quick snack that is a more on the nutritious side than not, I chop up a bowlful of Salsa Fresca. Juicy red tomatoes, crunchy kirby cucumbers, and diced, sharp onion are the main stars of this quick bite.

Served in one of my favorite inventions - the Tostito Scoop - which is a perfect petit bowl to hold a the ideal amount of this fresh goodness. I vary the recipe at times adding some chopped cilantro or julienned basil, but it stands well just on its own.



Add a Sunset Margarita for a happy, happy hour.

Salsa Fresca

2 large ripe tomatoes, diced, 3 cups
1 kirby cucumber, diced (or substitute 1/2 of an English cucumber), 1 cup
1/2 medium onion, diced, 1 cup
salt
pepper
olive oil
tortilla chips

In a bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. Season with slat and pepper and about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss to coat. Serve with tortilla chips.

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The Great Goulash with Potato Dumplings

The Great Goulash with Potato Dumplings

A slow cooker is a magical thing. How many other appliances do you know that allow you to throw in a few inexpensive ingredients in the morning and at the end of the day, dinner has miraculously prepared itself?

With most dinners, a little planning goes a long way. I started my morning browning cubes of stew meat and sauteing diced onions and garlic. My Oldest commented that she thought it was odd I was starting dinner at 6:30 in the morning while wearing my pink robe. She did not think it was so odd when she was devouring The Great Goulash with Potato Dumplings for dinner that night. Some tomato paste, flour, paprika, oregano, beef stock, and lemon juice are stirred in and added to the slow cooker along the the seared beef and dinner is under way.

Off to work I go while my trusty slow cooker does the work.

Upon arriving home, another 20 minutes are spent preparing the potato dumplings, and they are oh so worth the extra 20 minutes of work. Don't skip this step. Saute a couple zucchinis for a fresh tasting side dish and, dinner is on the table.

My husband who said he wasn't in a stew kinda mood had two servings plus the leftover bite or two from No Thank You Boy's dish. At first glance, My Middle One and No Thank You Boy turned their noses up at the new dish gracing our dinner table. After one bite, they were hooked and requesting that I make this entree again. My Oldest's only concern was that there was enough for leftovers the next day.

Print out the recipe. Add it to your list of dinners to make. Now.

Dinner's ready!

The Great Goulash with Potato Dumplings

The potato dumplings are a delicious addition to this tasty goulash. If you are pressed for time, serve goulash on top of wide noodles or mashed potatoes.

adapted from a recipe in The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes

serves 5
for the goulash,
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 pounds stew meat, cut in large chunks
2 cups onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 cups beef stock
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup sour cream

for the potato dumplings,
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubes
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

In a large saute pan over medium high heat add the olive oil and brown the stew meat in batches. Transfer to slow cooker.

In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add onions and garlic and saute for 3 - 4 minutes. Add paprika, oregano, pepper, and flour and cook for an additional minute. Add tomato paste and stir well. The mixture will be thick. Add beef broth and lemon juice and cook, stirring, for a minute or two.

Transfer mixture to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 - 5 hours. The beef will be very tender and shred easily.

About 45 minutes before dinner time, make the potato dumplings. Cook potato chunks in a large pot of water until tender. Drain and mash until smooth. Add bread crumbs, egg, and salt and mix well. Form into 2 inch balls. Set aside.

Stir sour cream into goulash. Top with potato dumplings, spooning some of the sauce over them. Cover and cook on HIGH for about 15 minutes.

To serve, spoon goulash and dumplings into shallow bowls and sprinkle with parsley.

Lemon Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Artichokes

Lemon Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Artichokes

I have found that my best dinners are the ones in which I do not put much thought. Even though I am a firm believer in planning dinners and limiting my grocery store trips each week, being able to toss together dinner with the ingredients I have on hand is a satisfying experience. By keeping a few staple ingredients on hand, I can improvise our dinner without too much strain on my brain.

My pantry usually contains rices, pastas, olives, canned artichoke hearts, canned diced tomatoes, olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, canned beans, potatoes, garlic, and onions. My freezer holds chicken, fish, ground turkey, edamame, peas, spinach, and corn. The refrigerator always has milk, half and half, eggs, butter, soy sauce, mustard, Parmesan cheese, and a vinaigrette dressing for a quick marinade.

With the varying palates of the members of my family, my meal plan revolves around serving dinners that have something for everyone. I am of the tough love school of thought in that you eat what is served for dinner. I save my short order cooking skills for weekend mornings. With a variety of ingredients in each dish, those who like chicken and potatoes are just as happy as those who prefer artichokes and sun dried tomatoes in a creamy lemon sauce.

By using ingredients such as tangy artichoke hearts, slightly fruity and chewy sun dried tomatoes, and crispy roasted potatoes, the dish is infused with a variety of flavors with minimal work. Combining roasted vegetables, sauteed chicken, flavorful tomatoes and fresh herbs with a creamy lemon sauce, dinner can be on the table before in a snap. With the variety of ingredients, all who join your dinner table will find something to please their tastes.



Creamy Lemon Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Artichokes

serves 5

5 red potatoes, cubed, bite-sized
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper
1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts, quartered and drained
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/4 cup white wine
1/3 cup cream
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 sun dried tomatoes, soaked in boiling water to rehydrate, and sliced thin
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes, stirring once, until beginning to become golden brown. Add artichoke hearts and roast an additional 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium high heat, drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the chicken. Saute for 6 - 7 minutes or until chicken to cooked through. Add wine and cook for 1 minute. Add the cream and chicken stock and let reduce for 3 - 4 minutes. Add roasted potatoes and artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, lemon juice, parsley, Parmesan cheese and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

French Silk Pie

Pie is very high on my list of Favorite Things. And French Silk Pie is the number one pie on that list.

While I was growing up, my older sister would take me to Bakers Square Restaurant for pie. When you walked in the door, a large glass case was filled with the most glorious pies. Caramel Apple Pie, Fruitabulous Blueberry Pie, Caramel Pecan Silk Supreme Pie, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pie, Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie, and the pie of my dreams, French Silk Pie. This award winning pie is a chocolate lovers dream. Velvety smooth chocolate silk is topped with fluffy whipped cream and milk chocolate shavings.

I no longer live near a Bakers Square Restaurant so I make my own version of the ultra chocolaty and sinfully rich dessert. A large dollop of fresh whipped cream catapults this pie to the highest heights of piedom. It is so loved by No Thank You Boy that he composed a poem about French Silk Pie.

PIE

by

No Thank You Boy
Pie is a wonderful thing. Pie is a really cool thing. There are so many to pick from like apple, pumpkin or maybe even French Silk. I wish I were a PIE.

No need to say more. Make a French Silk Pie today.



French Silk Pie

adapted from Better Homes and Garden New Cookbook, 1981, Ringbound

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 (9-inch) baked pie shell, cooled
Whipped cream

In a bowl, beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 4 - 5 minutes. Beat in the chocolate, canola oil, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the sides of bowl as needed. Spoon chocolate mixture into pie shell and chill for at least 3 hours. Top with whipped cream.

Notes: 3 (1-ounce) squares of unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled, can be substituted for the cocoa powder and the canola oil.

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