Showing posts with label Chicken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicken. Show all posts

Friday, August 22, 2014

Honey Crunch Chicken

I made this chicken after hearing about it on the book on CD called Postcards from the Dead by Laura Childs that I was listening to. It sounded so good that I knew that I needed to make it. I changed a few things.  I actually used saltine crackers because I did not have the butter crackers in my house. I also made a sauce to go with it which was heavenly!  I will post the sauce that I used along with the other chicken recipe.

HONEY CRUNCH CHICKEN
By Laura Childs


1 cup Pepperidge Farm Golden Butter Crackers
2 eggs, beaten
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
¼ cup butter, cut into pieces
¼ cup honey

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Place the cracker crumbs in a shallow dish and the eggs in a second shallow dish. 

Dip the chicken in the egg, and then dredge in the cracker crumbs until well-coated.  Arrange the chicken in a baking dish.

Place small pieces of butter on and around the chicken. 

Drizzle the honey on top of the chicken.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Serves 2 for dinner or 4 for lunch.

Excellent on top of a green salad.


 Enjoy!  

The Creative Cook

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Skillet Barbecued Chicken


We had just returned from our vacation to Boston and then on to a week-long Carnival Cruise on the Glory to St. John and Halifax, N.S.  I was still feeling overstuffed from all the food on the cruise.  It was so wonderful.  I was also feeling somewhat lazy but we still had to eat something.  The boys did not complain when I suggested barbecued chicken.  No one was jumping up to start the grill.  In any case, my husband still has not replaced the propane tank on our gas grill which made grilling a moot point.  This dish went over well with the boys.  I also made a pasta salad that was quick and easy.  It wasn't anything special.  


Skillet Barbecued Chicken
From MrFood.com
Serves 4

Ingredients:
¼ (1/2 stick) cup butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced (I used more)
1 3 to 3-1/2 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup steak sauce
¼ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
¼ teaspoon chili powder

Instructions:
1.       In a large deep skillet, melt butter over medium heat and sauté onion and garlic 5 to 7 minutes, or until onion is tender.
2.       Season chicken with salt then add it to skillet and cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning to brown chicken on all sides.
3.       Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, combine remaining ingredients; mix well then add to chicken.
4.       Cover and cook 35 to 40 minutes, or until no pink remains in chicken, stirring occasionally.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Buffalo Style Chicken Pizza

I made this pizza for my boys on Friday night. They both approved. In fact, they asked me to make it again. That is high praise from the boys.


BUFFALO STYLE CHICKEN PIZZA

SERVINGS: 6

INGREDIENTS:

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cooked and shredded (approx. 2 cups)

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 ounces hot sauce (Frank’s)

8 ounces blue cheese salad dressing

1 (16 inch) prepared pizza crust

8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, melted butter and hot sauce. Mix well. Spread blue cheese dressing over crust, then top with mixture and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

3. Bake in a preheated oven until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, about 10 to 15 minutes. Let set a few minutes before slicing.


Enjoy!


The Creative Cook


Thursday, April 12, 2012

Sesame Pasta Chicken Salad

SESAME PASTA CHICKEN SALAD

Servings: 10

Ingredients:

¼ cup sesame seeds

1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta

½ cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup light soy sauce

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons white sugar

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast

1 cup frozen baby peas

1 cup shredded carrots

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup chopped green onion

Directions:

1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds, and cook stirring frequently until lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water until cool. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, and pepper. Shake well.

4. Pour sesame dressing over pasta and toss to coat evenly. Gently mix in chicken, cilantro and green onions and vegetables.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Melt in Your Mouth Chicken

I found this recipe in www.food.com. As soon as I saw it, I knew it would be a favorite of my husband's. He is such a big fan of mayo. I can't explain it but I just knew he would love this chicken. I was right. He did love it. My son, on the other hand, wasn't overly fond of it. I thought the chicken was very tasty, juicy and tender. My husband even asked if I would make this again. I told him he had to convince his son to give it another chance. It is a very easy dish to make, so I don't mind making it again.

MELT IN YOUR MOUTH CHICKEN

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breast halves

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1-1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1. Mix mayonnaise, cheese and seasonings.

2. Spread mixture over chicken breast and place in baking dish.

3. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Tortilla Soup With Shredded Chicken

This recipe comes from the blog The Reluctant Gourmet. You can adjust the amount of spices to bring the heat up or down depending on how you prefer your soup. I used the minimum amount of spices because my family (my son) is not fond of spicy foods. I did not use the cilantro for similar reasons. You can save some time if you use rotisserie chicken. The soup can be served with just the fried tortillas or you can include freshly diced avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, or sour cream. You can use any combination or all of those to add to this soup. I happened to have some sour cream so I used a dollop of that on top of my soup.

Tortilla Soup Recipe with Shredded Chicken

Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:

· 8 tablespoons Canola oil

· 5 10" to 12" corn tortillas

· 1 onion

· 6 garlic cloves

· 1 small bunch of cilantro

· 2 - 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes

· 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

· 14 ounces of canned or frozen corn

· 3/4 – 1-1/2 Tablespoons ground cumin

· 1/2 - 1 Tablespoon chili powder

· 4 bay leaves

· 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or try thighs

· 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

· juice from 1 lime

Directions:

Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Wash and towel try the cilantro, remove stems and chop. Open the cans of tomatoes and have them ready. Rinse the chicken under cold water and dry.

Cut up 2 of the tortillas into 1/4 inch strips and fry them in 3 tablespoons of Canola oil. You want them to be a golden brown but be careful not to burn them, they cook quickly. Remove the strips from pot and transfer to some paper towels to drain. Season with a little salt.

Heat the remaining oil over medium high heat and saute the onions for a couple of minutes. Then add garlic and saute for another minute or two. Tear the remaining 3 corn tortillas into bite size pieces and add to the pot.

Add the cilantro, stir, and cook for a minute more. Add the canned tomatoes with their juice and the chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, add the corn, whole chicken breasts, and cayenne. Simmer the chicken breasts for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked throughout. Remove the chicken breasts and put aside to cool. Turn off the soup at this point.

Remove the bay leaves. Once the chicken breasts are cool, shred them with your hands and return to the pot. Add your lime juice and taste for spiciness. Reheat, and serve with the fried tortilla strips.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook


Thursday, March 22, 2012

Barbecued Pulled Chicken Sandwiches


I almost forgot to post this recipe. This is the first time I ever tried making pulled chicken. I made it last week and it was a very good work-night meal. I would recommend it. Sadly, I didn't make a note about where the original recipe came from. I always like to give praise when it is due. My son, who really wanted pulled-pork that day, even enjoyed this chicken.

Barbecued Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

For the Chicken:

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

6 hamburger buns, split and toasted

For the Sauce:

½ cup ketchup

½ cup barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pinch salt

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon Hot Sauce

Directions:

1. Cover the bottom of a slow-cooker with the onions. Place the chicken on top of the bed of onions.

2. In a medium bowl, combine all of the sauce ingredients and pour on top of the chicken

3. Cover and cook on low until the chicken is fork-tender and shreds easily, about 6 hours. Pull apart chicken with two forks. Serve on top of toasted split buns.

Enjoy!


The Creative Cook

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Pan-Roasted Chicken With Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

Photo from RealSimple.com

This meal came from RealSimple.com.  It could quite possibly be the best meal I have ever made or eaten in my life.  I am not exaggerating here.  It was absolutely delicious.  Of course, I could be prejudiced because my mom used to make oven roasted lemon chicken and potatoes all the time for us when I was a little girl.  I could be remembering those delicious meals and savoring this one in my memory.  Who cares?!  It was so good.  It filled every need for comfort food that I ever had.  When I make it again (you notice I said "when" not "if"), I will use more potatoes.  I am a huge potato fan. I could eat them all day long but I don't...  And to say it was easy, doesn't make it clear enough.  It was so "Real Simple" that it was a complete no brainer.  I can't imagine why I hadn't thought of this myself a long time ago.  The best part is that I got to use the convection roast feature of my new oven.  Wow!  Just wow!  I am in love this this meal.  Just add a glass of wine and you've got dinner.


Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans
Serves 4
Hands-on Time: 15 Mins.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons olive oil
2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ pound trimmed green beans
8 small red potatoes, quartered
4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin, about 3-1/4 pounds)

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of t he olive oil.  Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.
2.      In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat.  Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices.  Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat.  Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans.  Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive oil mixture and coat thoroughly.  Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet.  Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.
3.   Roast for 50 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet.  Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender.  Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates; dividing the green beans and potatoes equally.  Serve warm.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook



Thursday, February 16, 2012

Buttermilk Roast Chicken

Buttermilk Roast Chicken

This recipe was inspired by Nigella Lawson’s version. But it comes from my favorite cooking blog, Smitten Kitchen.  The spices and sweetener's have been changed from Nigella's version.  You can find the original recipe here.  

2 cups buttermilk
5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons paprika, plus extra for sprinkling
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
2-1/2 to 3 pounds chicken parts
Drizzle of olive oil
Flaked or coarse sea salt, to finish

Whisk buttermilk with garlic, table salt, sugar, paprika and lots of freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Place chicken parts in a gallon-sized freezer bag (or lidded container) and pour buttermilk brine over them, then swish it around so that all parts are covered. Refrigerate for at least 2 but preferably 24 and up to 48 hours.

When ready to roast, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking dish with foil. Remove chicken from buttermilk brine and arrange in dish. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with additional paprika and sea salt to taste. Roast for 30 minutes (for legs; approximately 35 to 40 for breasts), until brown and a bit scorched in spots. Serve immediately. 


Enjoy!  


The Creative Cook

Friday, November 11, 2011

Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic and Moroccan Couscous

Last week, I saw the episode of Barefoot Contessa where Ina Garten makes this meal and it looked really good.  I wish I had seen another blog post with this recipe reviewed.  I didn't read the ingredients correctly.  I thought it said that you should use 3-1/2 pounds of chicken instead of two whole chickens that weight 3-1/2 pounds each!  I wound up with a lot less chicken but it is still really good.  The other thing that I found out about the recipe while making it, is that you better make sure you pay close attention to the sauce when you are boiling it because it mostly likely will burn.  I had to open all my windows and put on the fan over my stove for about half an hour in order to get rid of the burnt smell in my house.  I thought I would have an intense smell of garlic in the house, not the smell of burnt garlic. The couscous is a cinch if you use store-bought low sodium chicken broth.  

CHICKEN WITH FORTY CLOVES OF GARLIC
Cook Time:  1 hr. 5 mins.
Servings: 6

Ingredients:
3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves
2 whole (3-1/2 pound) chickens, cut into eighths
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon good olive oil
3 tablespoons Cognac, divided
1-1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:
Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds.  Drain the garlic and peel.   Set aside.

Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides.  Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  In batches, sauté the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side.   Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don’t want to pierce the skin with a fork.  If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium.  When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to sauté all the chicken in batches.  Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned.  Add 2 tablespoons of the Cognac and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves.  Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.

Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.  In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot.  Raise the heat, add the remaining teaspoon of Cognac and the cream, and boil for 2-3 minutes.  {I recommend watching the sauce very carefully because at this point it may burn.}  Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland.  Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot. 

From Ina Garten’s 2004 cookbook, Barefoot in Paris.

Moroccan Couscous
Cook Time:  5 mins.
Serves: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
¾ cup chopped shallots
3 cups chicken stock, homemade or canned
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1-1/2 cups couscous
½ cup pignoli nuts, toasted
1/3 cup currants (or golden raisins)

Directions:
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan, add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat.  Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, raise the heat to high and bring the stock to a boil.  Off the heat, add the couscous.  Cover the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Add the pignoli nuts and currents (or raisins) to the couscous, stir and serve.

From Ina Garten’s 2004 cookbook, Barefoot in Paris.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook


Friday, November 4, 2011

Grilled Lemongrass Chicken with Red Quinoa and Vegetables

This recipe definitely exceeded my expectations.  I made very few changes to the recipe.  The only thing I changed was the red bell pepper.  Instead of a red bell pepper, I used an orange bell pepper.  I like the taste of the orange and yellow peppers better than the red.  I don't know why exactly, but I do.  I was not familiar with lemongrass until I started reading this recipe.  I found the lemongrass that I bought at Wegmans (of course) in the produce section.  But weeks later, I also found it at Martin's in the herb section.  You know, where they have the small containers of fresh herbs.  The stalks of lemongrass were cut up and put into a plastic clamshell.  Now I know where to find it!  I have never eaten red quinoa before.  I've heard that it is even better than the regular quinoa, so I was looking forward to trying it.  I agree that it is better than the regular.  It has a "nuttier" flavor.  I like both, though.  You can sometimes find Red Quinoa in the organic section of your grocery store.  It is a grain that is very high in protein.  The other ingredient that you may not be familiar with is fresh ginger.  If you want to buy fresh ginger in advance, just cut it into 1 inch sections and freeze it.  I also read that you can peel it before you freeze it.  I peeled it afterwards.  It is a little easier to peel when it is slightly frozen.  This recipe has a bunch of really rich deep flavors going on that are just delicious. 


SELF | July 2009
Chef Akasha Richmond
Akasha

Chef and owner Akasha Richmond creates local, seasonal, organic dishs for green-chic celebs. This high-protein favorite fuels stars in need of mega energy on-set.
Yield: Serves 4
ingredients
3 medium shallots, roughly chopped
2 stalks fresh lemongrass (tough outer leaves removed)
1 piece ginger (about 1 1/2 inches), peeled
1/4 cup plus 5 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
4 boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each)
3/4 cup red quinoa
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (or stock)
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 pound fresh sugar snap peas, strings removed
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
preparation
Marinade: Puree shallots, lemongrass, ginger, 1/4 cup oil, lime juice, tamari, sugar, sea salt, pepper, and coriander in a blender until smooth. Place chicken in a baking dish and spoon on marinade, rubbing it on all sides. Cover; chill 1/2 to 2 hours. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook quinoa until toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until quinoa absorbs liquid, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat; let sit, covered, until ready to serve. Heat a grill pan or skillet over high heat; coat with cooking spray. Cook chicken, turning once, for 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, turning once, until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove chicken; let rest two minutes. Slice each breast on the diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sugar peas and peppers until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat. Add mint and toss. Divide quinoa among 4 plates. Top each with 1 sliced chicken breast and 1/4 of the vegetables.

The Creative Cook

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Seared Chicken with Apricot Sauce

This recipe is from the EatingWell website.  It was originally from the May/June issue of EatingWell Magazine.  I bought all the ingredients for this recipe back in June.  I peeled, pitted and chopped the apricots then threw them in the freezer.  I don't know why I waited so long to make this recipe but I'm glad I finally did.  It is really tasty.  I made Alton Brown's glazed carrots and a bag of white corn to go along with the chicken.  I think the recommendation on the EatingWell website to make this recipe with quinoa or brown rice and sauteed spinach would be really good, too.  Unfortunately, my husband did not care for the quinoa I made yesterday so I wasn't about to make it again today.  My son does like quinoa so I will definitely be making it again at some point.  I want to try the red quinoa which I have heard is even better than the regular type.  It is harder to find but I hear that Wegman's carries it.  Maybe the hubster will like the red quinoa better.  I can only hope!

Seared Chicken with Apricot Sauce
4 servings
30 minutes
Ingredients
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (about 1 1/4 pounds), trimmed and tenders removed
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 medium shallot, minced
  • 4 fresh apricots, pitted and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon , or 1/2 teaspoon dried





  • Place chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a rolling pin, meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess. (Discard any leftover flour.)










  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and no longer pink in the center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm. (If necessary, cook the chicken in two batches with an additional 1 tablespoon oil.)










  • Off the heat, add wine and shallot to the pan. Return to medium heat and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Add apricots and cook until the fruit begins to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in preserves, tarragon and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Return the chicken to the pan and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the chicken with the sauce.





  • Glazed Carrots
    Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2005

    Ingredients:
    1 pound carrots, approximately 7 medium, peeled and cut on the bias 1/4 inch thick
    1 ounce (2 teaspoons) unsalted butter
    heavy pinch kosher salt
    1 cup good-quality ginger ale
    1/2 teaspoon chili powder
    1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

    Directions:
    In a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat, combine the carrots, butter, salt and ginger ale.  Cover and bring to a simmer.  Once simmering, remove the lid, stir, and reduce the heat to low. Cover again and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove the lid, add the chili powder and increase the heat to high.  Cook, tossing occasionally, until the ginger ale is reduced to a glaze, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.  Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with the parsley.  Serve immediately.

    Enjoy!

    Saturday, August 13, 2011

    Chicken Cordon Bleu Burgers

    This is a recipe from Rachael Ray.  I don't believe she eats this stuff.  These burgers are huge!  I ate half of one and was stuffed.  They are tasty, though.  The burgers made my son happy because although he likes burgers he only prefers to eat chicken.  I would recommend making them much smaller. If you are going to make them this big then cook them a lot longer than she recommends.  I cooked them about 8 minutes on each side.

    Chicken Cordon Bleu Burgers
    by Rachael Ray

    Ingredients:

    2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
    4 slices Canadian bacon
    2 pounds ground chicken breast
    2 teaspoons sweet paprika, eyeball it in your palm
    2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
    2 teaspoons grill seasoning blend (recommended:  Montreal Steak Seasoning) or salt and pepper
    1 shallot, finely chopped
    4 deli slices Swiss Cheese
    2/3 cup mayonnaise or reduced fat mayonnaise, eyeball it
    3 rounded tablespoons Dijon mustard
    2 tablespoons freshly chopped tarragon leaves, 4 sprigs
    4 kaiser rolls or sandwich size sour dough English muffins, split and toasted
    8 leaves leaf lettuce
    1 vine ripened tomato, thinly sliced

    Directions:

    Preheat grill pan, nonstick griddle, large nonstick skillet or table top electric grill to medium heat.

    Add 2 tablespoons of oil and Canadian bacon. Warm bacon and caramelize it at edges.  About 1 to 2 minutes on each side.  Remove to a piece of foil.  Fold over loosely to keep warm.  {This keeps the Canadian bacon from getting dried out.}

    Combine chicken, paprika, poultry seasoning, grill seasoning, and shallot.  Score meat with the side of your hand to separate into 4 equal amounts.  Make 4 large patties.  {Or make 8 smaller ones.}  3/4 to 1 inch thick.  Drizzle patties with oil and place on hot grill pan, griddle or in skillet. Cook 5 minutes on each side, until chicken is cooked through.

    Top patties with reserved cooked Canadian bacon and Swiss cheese. Fold each slice of cheese in  half to fit the burger.  Cover loosely with foil.  Turn off pan and let cheese melt, 2 minutes.

    Combine mayonnaise, mustard, and tarragon.  Slather bun tops or English muffin tops with sauce.  Place Cordon Bleu burgers on bun bottoms and top with lettuce and tomato.  Put bun or muffin tops in place.  Serve with oven fries.  {I served with sweet potato waffle fries.}

    Enjoy!

    Wednesday, August 3, 2011

    Grilled Chicken with Cherry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

    This is a recipe that I have been planning to make for several weeks and I finally made it last night.  It is very yummy.  I made it with Sweet Potato French Fries.  It makes a nice quick dinner.  

    Grilled Chicken with Cherry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
    From EatingWell Magazine:  June/July 2006
    Recipe by Nancy Baggett
    8 servings | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 3/4 hours (including 2 hours marinating time)

    Ingredients:
    1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) dark sweet cherries, pitted and chopped (see Tips)
    1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
    1/3 cup cherry preserves
    1/3 cup ketchup
    2 tablespoons cider vinegar
    1 1/2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, (see Note), or more to taste
    1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
    1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
    2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

    Preparation:
    1. Stir cherries, broth, preserves, ketchup, vinegar, chipotle peppers, thyme and allspice in a small deep bowl. Transfer to a shallow nonreactive dish (see Note) large enough to hold chicken. Add chicken and turn to coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
    2. Preheat grill to high. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Remove the chicken from the marinade. Transfer the marinade to a medium skillet.
    3. Bring the marinade to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced by about half, 12 to 15 minutes.
    4. Meanwhile, reduce the grill heat to medium and grill the chicken until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 7 to 9 minutes per side. Let the chicken cool slightly; serve with the sauce.

    • Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 1. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
    • Tips: Be sure to measure frozen cherries while still frozen, then thaw. (Drain juice before using.)
    • To pit a cherry, halve it with a paring knife then pry out the pit with the tip of the knife, or use a cherry pitter.
    • To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray before placing it on the grill.
    • Notes: Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are smoked jalapeños packed in a flavorful sauce. Look for the small cans with the Mexican foods in large supermarkets. Once opened, they'll keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.
    • A nonreactive pan—stainless steel, enamel-coated or glass—is best for acidic foods, such as lemon, to prevent the food from reacting with the pan. Reactive pans, such as aluminum and cast-iron, can impart an off color and/or off flavor in acidic foods.

    Thursday, July 14, 2011

    Authentic Anchor Bar Buffalo Chicken Wings

    I can't believe that I haven't posted this recipe already.  I love these wings.  They are also great with boneless chicken tenders or "drumettes."  Either way they are great!  I like to create a Buffalo Chicken salad with the tenders, lettuce, celery, blue cheese dressing, and carrots.  Yummy!


    Authentic Anchor Bar Buffalo Chicken Wings

    By John Mitzewich, About.com Guide

    This is the original spicy Buffalo chicken wings recipe from the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY. You can adjust the heat by adding more or less cayenne and Tabasco.

    Makes 6 Servings of Buffalo Chicken Wings (6 per person)
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes

    Ingredients:
    36 chicken wing pieces (one wing makes 2 pieces - the "flat" and the "drum")
    1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    1 tsp salt
    1 cup all-purpose flour
    1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
    1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    6 tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce (Frank's is the brand used in Buffalo)
    6 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
    celery sticks
    blue cheese dressing

     Preparation:

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

    1. If necessary, cut whole wings into two pieces. In a bowl toss the wings with the oil, and salt. Place into a large plastic shopping bag, and add the flour. Shake to coat evenly. Remove wings from the bag, shaking off excess flour, and spread out evenly on oiled foil-lined baking pan(s). Do not crowd. Bake for about 20 minutes, turn the wings over, and cook another 20 minutes, or until the wings are cooked through and browned.
    2. While the wings are baking, mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a pan, and over low heat bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and then turn off.
    3. After the wings are cooked, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the hot wings and toss with a spoon or spatula to completely coat.

    These are always served with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing on the side.
    Enjoy!

    Sunday, July 10, 2011

    Grilled Chicken Salad with Feta, Fresh Corn and Blueberries

    This recipe looks like a keeper.  It is pretty, easy to make and healthy!  What a great summer combination...  

    Grilled Chicken Salad with Feta, Fresh Corn, and Blueberries
    From The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond
    Prep Time:  20 Minutes
    Servings:  12


    Ingredients:

    4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    Salt and pepper, to taste
    Olive Oil, for drizzling
    3 stalks celery (inner light green stalks, finely diced)
    2 ears fresh corn
    ¼ whole medium red onion, finely diced
    1-1/2 cup blueberries
    3 Tablespoons fresh dill, minced
    4 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
    4 Tablespoons Sour Cream
    ¼ cup half-and-half
    1 whole Lemon
    1 teaspoon sugar (more to taste)
    Salt and pepper (additional to taste)
    ¾ cups crumbled Feta

    Preparation Instructions:
    Place chicken breasts into large plastic zip lock bag.  Pound chicken breasts with a mallet or rolling pin to flatten to ¼-inch uniform thickness.  Season chicken with salt and pepper.

    Heat grill and drizzle chicken with olive oil.  Grill chicken on both sides until done.  About 7 minutes per side.  (Rotate halfway during grilling each side to ensure pretty grill marks.)  Remove from pan.  Allow to cool. 

    With a very sharp knife, shave kernels off each corn cob.  Combine with the onion and celery.  Set aside. 

    Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, Feta and half-and-half.  Stir in sugar, squeeze in lemon juice, add salt and pepper.  Stir, then taste.  Add more salt if necessary.  Do not under-salt!

    Slice chicken on the bias to create flat, randomly shaped pieces.  Throw into a bowl with celery, onion and corn.  Stir to combine.  Pour half the dressing over the ingredients and and toss gently.   Add more as desired, but don't overcoat the salad!

    At the end, toss in the blueberries to lightly coat them in the dressing. Serve, then sprinkle individual helpings with feta.

    Enjoy!

    Saturday, June 25, 2011

    Savory Wild Blueberry Chicken Breasts

    This time I found a recipe that is actually called a "savory" blueberry recipe! It sounds wonderful to me.  I don't have wild blueberries but I am going to try it with my regular blueberries.  I wonder what the difference is between "wild" blueberries and regular blueberries.  I am thinking that the wild ones would probably be smaller and maybe the taste would be more intense?  Either way, this recipe sounds great.  It comes from the www.food.com website.  I also included a recipe for cajun spices in case you are like me and don't have a clue what cajun spices are.  I am a New York City/East Coast gal all the way so I am clueless as far as anything cajun.  

    Savory Wild Blueberry Chicken Breasts
    Servings:  4
    Prep. Time: 10 mins.
    Total Time: 30 mins.

    Ingredients:
    ½ teaspoon Cajun spices
    4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
    3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    1 medium onion, finely chopped
    2 teaspoons olive oil
    1/3 cup red wine
    2 cups wild blueberries
    1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind
    ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)

    Directions:

    1.        Dust chicken breasts with Cajun spices.
    2.       Sauté in olive oil until brown and almost cooked through 7 to 10 minutes.
    3.       (If thick, cover for 3 or 4 minutes more.)  Remove chicken breasts from pan and keep warm.
    4.       In same pan, sauté garlic and onion until transparent, scraping remaining bits of chicken from bottom of pan.
    5.       Add red wine and cook down until most of the liquid is evaporated.
    6.       Add Wild Blueberries, lemon rind and salt.
    7.       Simmer for 5 minutes.
    8.       (If blueberries are frozen, until berries are heated through.)  Add salt and pepper to taste.
    9.       Let sit for 5 minutes, heat off, for flavors to blend.
    10.   Spoon over chicken breasts and serve.



    Cajun Spices Recipe

    Ingredients:
    2 teaspoons salt
    2 teaspoons garlic powder
    2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
    1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    1 teaspoon onion powder
    1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
    1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
    1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

    Directions:
    Stir together salt, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes until evenly blended. Store in an airtight container.

    Enjoy!


    Sunday, March 13, 2011

    Chicken Pot Pie

    Some of you may know that tomorrow is Pi Day.  The date March 14 is usually reserved to celebrate the number Pi (oh, I'm sure you know that Pi is 3.14 blah blah blah).  I believe that March 14 is also Albert Einstein's Birthday.  Last year, I took my son down to the Science Center where they had a big celebration for Pi Day.  I am pretty sure they did that because last year Pi Day was on a Sunday.  This year March 14 falls on a Monday, so no celebrations of any kind have been planned.  That means I have to bake some Pie in celebration of Pi Day.  I was asked to do that by guess who?  I decided to make my first ever Chicken Pot Pie.  I am pretty excited about trying it.  I even went out and bought a brand new deep dish pie plate for this endeavor.  I found a Chicken Pot Pie recipe on Allrecipes.com that got good reviews but it had lots of  "tweaks" in the comments.  There were hundreds of comments all saying the same things so I decided to take heed and use the suggestions.  The first of many of the comments said pie was dry.  That is not something you want in a Chicken Pot Pie.  I am no expert on them but the few I have eaten were anything but dry.  Therefore, I doubled the liquid portion of this pie.  That made a bit too much "juice" so I went back and revised the amounts down by a little bit.  I also punched up the seasonings as suggested and reduced the temperature of the oven while increasing the cooking time.  The great thing about Chicken Pot Pie Recipes is that you can change the vegetables in almost any way you like.  I used two cups of mixed vegetables instead of the suggested ones.  Anyway, here goes my first ever Chicken Pot Pie recipe adapted from one I found on allrecipes.com.  

    Chicken Pot Pie
    Servings:  6

    INGREDIENTS:

    1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast - cubed
    1 cup sliced carrots
    1 cup frozen green peas
    1/2 cup sliced celery
    1/3 cup butter
    1/3 cup chopped onions
    1/2 cup all purpose flour
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon white pepper
    1/2 teaspoon celery seed
    1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
    3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
    1 cup skim milk
    2 (0-inch) unbaked pie crusts
    2 tablespoons water or egg white for brushing pie crust

    DIRECTIONS:

    1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (220 degrees C).

    2.   In a saucepan combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery.  Add chicken broth and boil for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Drain broth but reserve it.  Set aside to cool.

    3.  In the saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onions in butter until soft and translucent.  Stir in flour, salt, pepper and other spices.  Slowly stir in reserved broth and skim milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened.  Set aside.  

    4.  Place a pastry crust into the deep dish pie pan.  Pour the chicken mixture into the pie pan.  Pour hot liquid mixture over the chicken mixture.  Cover with the top pie crust.  Cut away excess dough.  Make several small slits into the top of the crust to allow steam to escape.  Brush the top of the pie with water or egg white.

    5.  Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly.  Cool for 10 minutes before serving.  This pie can also be refrigerated and reheated.

    Enjoy your Chicken Pot Pie on Pi Day or any other day.  I am making an Apple Pie for dessert.  

    The Creative Cook



    Monday, December 6, 2010

    Buffalo Rice

    This is a recipe from Sara Moulton's newest cookbook called "Five-Ingredient Mains."  She did a really nice job on this book. I chose this recipe as the first one out of the book to make because my husband and I both love Buffalo Chicken Wings.  He is especially fond of the really spicy wings and I prefer mild.  This dish gives the best of Buffalo Chicken Wings without the bad parts.  It is spicy and delicious but not nearly as fattening. In the book, Sara mentions that the original recipe she got from her chef de cuisine at Gourmet Magazine used pasta, so if you prefer pasta then use it instead of rice.  I used long-grain brown rice because I had some in my cupboard.  I also want to mention that I had some Original Anchor Bar Mild Wing Sauce so I used that instead of the hot sauce.  The Anchor Bar is the place where Buffalo Wings are said to have been "invented" way back in the 1960's.  Try this as Buffalo Rice or Pasta.  Either way, I think you'll love it.

    Buffalo Rice

    1 cup long-grain white rice
     8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
    3 tablespoons unsalted butter
    Kosher salt
    2 tablespoons hot sauce
    4 ounces Blue Cheese (you can substitute reduced fat Blue Cheese)
    1 cup celery leaves, for garnish (optional)


    1.  Bring 6 cups salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the rice and cook for 15 to 17 minutes, or until rice is tender.  (Mine took 20 minutes)  Drain the rice in a strainer, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.


    2.  Meanwhile, cut the chicken into 1/2-inch cubes.  Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the chicken and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until just cooked through.  Remove the chicken from the heat, toss with the hot sauce, and set aside in the skillet.  Crumble the blue cheese (about 1 cup).


    3.  Once the rice has cooked, stir it into the chicken in the skillet along with the reserved 1 cup cooking liquid and the blue cheese.  Divide the chicken and rice among 4 serving plates and top with the celery leaves, if using.


    Enjoy!


    The Creative Cook




     

    Saturday, January 9, 2010

    BUFFALO CHICKEN MEATBALLS

    It has been a long time since I have posted on here. I had a busy holiday season and a heck of a time getting all my Christmas paraphernalia put away. We are also trying to paint my son's bedroom. I'm sure that will take forever but at least we are finally trying!

    I went to another Wining Women event last night. Those always inspire me to find a great new recipe. I didn't go along with the theme very well this time because the theme for the wines was the Pacific Northwest. The only thing that came to me for that was salmon and I do not eat seafood of any kind. Since that was out, I decided to go with something that I love and that is buffalo chicken wings. Buffalo wings are sections (also called wings or "flats") and wing drummettes that are often but not always fried and then almost always coated in sauce. Traditional Buffalo-style chicken wing sauce is composed of two ingredients: a vinegar-based cayenne pepper hot sauce and butter. I really enjoy buffalo chicken wings but they are so fatty and fattening. I didn't think anyone would appreciate me making them and bringing them to an event so close to Christmas and New Year's. Instead, I found a recipe for Buffalo Chicken Meatballs. This recipe comes from the Eat Well family meals column by Terry Grieco Kenny in the February 1, 2010 Woman's Day Magazine. This recipe completely eliminates the chicken skin and all that butter! It can't be nearly as bad for you as the traditional Buffalo chicken wings, right?

    Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

    1 lb ground chicken
    1 cup fresh bread crumbs
    1/3 cup sliced scallions
    1 tsp smoked paprika
    1 tsp minced garlic
    1/2 tsp salt

    Mix well. Roll into 32 balls; place on pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove from oven and drizzle meatballs with hot pepper sauce (I used Anchor Bar Original Sauce) to taste, toss to coat. Serve on toothpicks to dip into reduced-fat blue cheese dressing. Be sure to include healthy raw vegetable dippers.

    Enjoy!

    The Creative Cook

    Here is a little bit of history about Buffalo Chicken Wings taken from Wikipedia:

    There are four different legends about how the Buffalo wings came to be.

    One story is that Buffalo wings were first prepared at the Anchor Bar, located at 1047 Main Street (between North Street and Best Street) in Buffalo, New York, United States on October 3, 1964, by Teressa Belissimo, co-owner of the Anchor Bar with her husband Frank. Upon the unannounced, late-night arrival of their son, Dominic, with several of his friends from college, Teressa needed a fast and easy snack to present to her hungry guests. It was then that she came up with the idea of deep frying chicken wings (normally thrown away or reserved for stock) and tossing them in cayenne hot sauce. While the wings were deep frying, Teressa decided to serve left over celery sticks with blue cheese to her son and his friends to tide them over.

    A second version, as told by Dominic Bellisimo (Frank and Teressa's son) to The New Yorker reporter Calvin Trillin in 1980, stated: "It was Friday night in the bar and since people were buying a lot of drinks he wanted to do something nice for them at midnight when the mostly Catholic patrons would be able to eat meat again." He stated that it was his mother, Teressa, who came up with the idea of chicken wings.

    The third version of the origin involved a mis-delivery of wings instead of backs and necks for making the bar's spaghetti sauce. Faced with this unexpected resource, Frank Bellisimo says that he asked Teressa to do something with them.

    The fourth version has nothing to do with the Bellisimos or the Anchor Bar. Calvin Trillin stated in his 1980 New Yorker article that a man named John Young also claimed credit for serving chicken wings in a special "mambo sauce". Chicken wings in mambo sauce became the specialty at his Buffalo restaurant in the mid-1960s. Young had registered the name of his restaurant, John Young's Wings 'n Things, at the county courthouse before leaving Buffalo in 1970.