James' Favorite

The meal presented here is probably one of James' all time favorite dishes, and one of mine too. I got this recipe from his mother, who used to make it frequently when we were dating. While it's not the healthiest recipe around (I close my eyes when I'm adding the butter), it's definitely worth the extra calories! We also had this dish at our wedding!

Chicken Francaise
Recipe courtesy my mother in law, Betty

Ingredients...

• 8 boneless chicken breast halves

Batter:

• 1 cup eggs, beaten (5 or 6 eggs)
• 2 tbs. lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 dashes hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 1 tbs. butter

Wine Sauce:

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Directions...

Lightly pound chicken breasts to flatten. Dust chicken in flour and set aside. Make the batter by beating eggs briskly, then beating in lemon juice, parsley salt, wine, garlic, hot pepper sauce, and parmesan cheese. Coat skillet (non-stick works best) with olive oil and butter and place over medium high heat. Dip floured chicken pieces in batter, coat generously and place in heated skillet. Cook until golden brown on each side, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and drain excess fat. Make wine sauce. Melt butter in the pan, then stir in the wine and lemon juice. Return chicken to the pan, spooning the wine sauce over all and cook for about one minute longer. Serve Immediately (I also topped with some extra chopped parsley).



I served this with mashed potatoes and sauteed asparagus. Enjoy!

Tasty AND Healthy!

I often like to hit up our town library for new cookbooks to try. One of my favorites that I've found there is called Saving Dinner by Leanne Ely. The book is geared toward busy working moms and is organized by season and then by week. The idea is to get a healthy, easy to prepare dinner on the table for your family every night of the week, all year long. Each chapter includes enough main dishes for a week, along with a shopping list, and suggested side dishes. While I am not exactly in the targeted demographic, I have found some interesting new recipes in this book.

This cashew chicken recipe isn't exactly authentic, but the sauce is really tasty (if not a bit too sweet for some). It's also really versatile - you can really throw in any veggies you like.

Cashew Chicken
Recipe courtesy of Saving Dinner by Leanne Ely

Ingredients...

• ¾ cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup honey
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 T cornstarch
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 T vegetable oil, divided
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• **I also added some chopped bok choy and sugar snap peas
  
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch strips
• 1 cup cashews

Directions...

In a bowl, combine juice, honey, soy sauce, cornstarch, and seasonings.

In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 T oil until it begins to smoke. Stir-fry vegetables for several minutes until the onions become fragrant. Set aside and keep warm.

In the same skillet, heat another tablespoon of oil until smoking and stir-fry chicken strips until browned and tender.

Add cooked vegetables, cashews, and sauce mixture. Continue cooking until sauce bubbles and thickens.

**I served over brown rice.

Dinner Party #3

For this third edition of "Cooking Adventures with Annabel," we decided to attempt jambalaya - something which I have never eaten before. Annabel also really wanted to try fried plantains (again - never had them) and I decided that corn bread would compliment the jambalaya quite well.

I'll warn you in advance, we took the easy way out on the corn bread by using a mix. After last week's labor intensive Indian meal we weren't feeling so ambitious. However, we did improve the mundane mix by adding a couple tablespoons of chili powder and about a half cup of cheddar cheese before baking.

The jambalaya was quite tasty, but next time I think I'll use less chicken broth than the recipe called for. We actually ended up pouring some out because the rice was getting so saturated. That being said, neither of us were sure of the texture of authentic jambalaya. Our rice ended up bordering on risotto texture. Who knows if this is "correct" but it sure was tasty!



Cajun Jambalaya
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, Food Network

Ingredients...

• 12 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
• 4 ounces chicken, diced
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning, recipe follows
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 3/4 cup rice
• 3 cups chicken stock **This seemed like way too much. Next time I'd try 2 cups.
  
• 5 ounces Andouille sausage, sliced **used smoked pork sausage
  
• Salt and pepper

Directions...

In a bowl combine shrimp, chicken and Creole seasoning, and work in seasoning well. In a large saucepan heat oil over high heat with onion, pepper and celery, 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauces. Stir in rice and slowly add broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. When rice is just tender add shrimp and chicken mixture and sausage. Cook until meat is done, about 10 minutes more. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

The plantains were simple to make and really delicious. They will definitely be seen again on my dinner table.

Fried Ripe Plantains
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence, Food Network

Ingredients...

• 4 yellow plantains
• vegetable oil for frying
• kosher salt

Directions...

Cut the ends off the plantains and cut them into 2 pieces. Peel them and slice them in half lengthwise. In a large skillet over medium-high heat add 1/4 cup oil and fry the plantains slowly until they are browned and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Season with salt and serve.



I almost forgot about dessert!! This recipe was so delicious. It was supposed to be light, but all we had was whole milk for the pudding (we weren't really all that dissapointed...). I'm sure it would be delicious with low-fat milk also. The only criticism that I have is that this dessert needs a better title! Any ideas?

Cool, Creamy Chocolate Dessert
Recipe courtesy Cooking Light

Ingredients...

Crust:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 5 1/2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
• Cooking spray

Filling:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 1 (8-ounce) carton frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed and divided
• 3 cups 1% low-fat milk
• 2 (3.9-ounce) packages chocolate instant pudding mix
• Unsweetened cocoa (optional)

Directions...

Preheat oven to 325°.

To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until combined. Add butter; pulse 10 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans. Firmly press mixture into bottom of a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool completely.

To prepare filling, place 1 cup sugar and cream cheeses in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Fold in half of whipped topping. Spread cream cheese mixture on cooled crust. Cover loosely; refrigerate 1 hour.

Combine milk and pudding mix in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until pudding is set. Spread the pudding mixture over cream cheese layer. Spread remaining half of thawed whipped topping over pudding layer. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cocoa, if desired. Cut into 15 pieces.

Dinner Party #2

As I mentioned a couple posts ago, my friend Annabel and I are throwing little dinner parties so we can try out some new recipes! Last week's theme was Indian (see previous post for explanation of newfound Indian food cravings). Anyway, the curry recipe was a lot of work and there by the time we were finished with the chicken curry, dal, and green beans we were totally exhausted! Overall it was a good, satisfying meal. The green beans were absolutely delicious and the dal was tasty but could use a little more of a kick. The chicken came out well, but was it worth the work? I'm not sure. Feel free to decide for yourself! :)

The chicken and green bean recipes both came from a book titled "The Great Curries of India" by Camellia Panjabi. Annabel was kind enough to present me with her extra copy. While we've only tried a couple recipes so far, this book proves to be a great resource for Indian cooking. It includes thorough explanations of the various ingredients found in Indian cuisine, as well as beautiful photos of finished dishes.

Chicken and Cashew Nuts in Black Spices
(Kaja Chicken in Kaala Masala - Bombay)
Recipe courtesy of "The Great Curries of India" by Camellia Panjabi

Serves 4

Ingredients...

• 2 1/4 lb chicken, skinned (we used leg quarters)
• 1 cup grated coconut (be sure to use unsweetened!)
• 12 plump garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2-in piece of fresh ginger, chopped
• 2 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 3 dried dark-colored red chiles
• 6 cloves
• 3-in cinnamon stick
• 8oz cashew nuts
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 tablespoons oil
• salt

Directions...

Cut the chicken into 8 pieces.

In a large frying pan, without any fat or oil, roast the coconut, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin seeds, red chiles, cloves and cinnamon over low heat. After 5 minutes add 2oz. of the cashew nuts and the onion and roast for a further 10 minutes, stirring all the time. Turn off the heat and leave to cool. Grind the mixture in a blender or food processor wtih 3/4 cup water to a fine consistency.

Separate grind 1oz of the remaining cashew nuts with a little water to make a fine paste and set aside.

Heat the oil in a cooking pot, add the ground spiece mixture and fry for 10 minutes over a low heat. Add the ground cashew nuts and salt to taste and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.

Add the chicken, turn up the heat to moderate and fry for 5 minutes. Then add 3 cups water and leave to cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, covered.

Add the remaining cashew nuts and continue to cook until the chicken is done. You should have a thick, dark curry with whole cashew nuts in it.

We served this over basmati rice.



Stir-Fried French Beans
(Beans Porial)
Recipe courtesy of "The Great Curries of India" by Camellia Panjabi

Serves 4

Ingredients...

• 8 oz french beans
• 1/2 teaspoon whole white urad dal
• 1/4 cup grated coconut
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
• 10-12 curry leaves, finely chopped (optional)
• salt
• 2 tablespoons oil or butter
• 1 green chile, finely chopped and de-seeded if liked
• 1/3 teaspoon mustard leaves

Directions...

De-string and top and tail the beans. Chop into 1/2-in peces. Soak the urad dal in 1/2 cup water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside. Put the grated coconut into a bowl. Add the cumin seeds, onion and curry leaves and mix well. Boil the beans in 1 cup water with 1/4 teaspoon salt for 5 minutes, uncovered. The salt will help retain the bright green color. Drain.

Heat the oil or butter in a frying pan and fry the chiles until pale green, then add the mustard seeds and after 20 seconds add the urad dal grains. After 1 minute, add the coconut and onion and saute, stirring continuously for 2 minutes. Add the beans, toss and cook for a few minutes over a low heat until the beans are tender.


Red Lentil Dal with Charred Onions
Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light

7 1-cup servings

Ingredients...

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 whole clove
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 dried hot red chile
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
• 1 cup dried small red lentils
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions...

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; cook 2 minutes or until charred. Carefully turn over onion, and cook an additional 4 minutes or until blackened and charred. Remove from heat. Coarsely chop; set aside.

Combine mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and clove in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook 1 1/2 minutes or until fragrant, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Combine mustard mixture, cinnamon, cardamom, and chile in spice or coffee grinder. Pulse until ground.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in spices; sauté 1 minute. Add broth, lentils, and tomato to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover; add onion, and cook 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and juice.

We served this over basmati rice.

Chicken Tandoori and Broccoli Dal

Before I begin, let me first acknowledge the fact that the fonts on my blog are all kinds of messed up. I am having serious problems with formatting...

The first time I had Indian food was in college. I played violin in an ensemble called "Global Rhythms" and we performed a lot of Middle Eastern and Indian-inspired music, so the Indian Student Association would often make us dinner for after our concerts. There were things I loved and things I hated, but it didn't really help me in the future because I never knew what it was that I was eating!

Fast forward four years: Our new friend, Dinesh, who happens to be Indian has us over to his place for Indian food. It was great! But VERY spicy. So spicy that at times I had trouble speaking and had to devour spoonfuls of yogurt to attempt to break the heat.

My third Indian food experience occurred two weeks ago when I was over a friend's place and we ordered Indian take-out. This was delicious! And had the perfect amount of spice (for me). Suddenly I realized all that I had been missing!

In the last two weeks I have visited the local Indian Market twice and purchased most of the spices necessary to make some of my own basic Indian dishes. The two I tried out tonight have been my favorite so far! The chicken was good, but the dal was DELICIOUS! It was so flavorful and will definitely be repeated at our dinner table.



Tandoori Chicken
Recipe courtesy Tizzylish (Kristie)

Ingredients...

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts **I used boneless
  
• 1/2 C plain yogurt
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

Directions...

Run garlic through a press, or finely mince. Grate ginger. Mix together yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and spices.

Make diagonal slashes in the chicken meat to allow marinade to penetrate better. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken parts.

Marinate for 4 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator, turning occasionally. If the chicken is placed in the refrigerator, bring it to room temperature before cooking (approximately 1 hour). I recommend overnight to get full flavor!

Preheat broiler.

Brush grill or shallow baking pan with a little oil to keep chicken from sticking. Arrange chicken on the pan.

Broil chicken 2-3 inches away from the heat until cooked through, approximately 25 minutes, turning halfway through.

Notes: Sadly, I didn't have enough time to marinate the chicken for more than an hour, but don't let that deter you. It was still really quite flavorful. Also, so that the chicken would be easier to eat and cook a little bit faster, I cut it into small pieces before marinating.


Broccoli Dal Curry
Recipe courtesy evelyn/athens on Recipe Zaar

Ingredients...

• 4 tablespoons butter or ghee
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 cup red lentil
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 3 cups chicken broth **this wasn't enough - I ended up using 4 cups of chicken broth plus another 1/2 cup water
• 2 medium heads of broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried coconut (optional) **I didn't have any, so I left it out
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cashew, coarsely chopped **I didn't have any, but this would be a great addition next time!

Directions...

1. Heat butter in saucepan and saute onions until well browned.
2. Add chili powder, pepper, cumin, coriander and turmeric.
3. Stir and cook, 1 minute.
4. Add lentils, lemon juice, broth and coconut if using.
5. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45-55 minutes (if mixture is too thick, you may need to add a little hot water).
6. Steam broccoli for 7 minutes.
7. Plunge broccoli in cold water and set aside.
8. Remove 1/3 cup of liquid from the lentil mixture.
9. Add to flour to form a smooth paste.
10. Return to pan; add broccoli, salt and nuts if using.
11. Simmer for 5 minutes.
12. Serve over Basmati rice.

Baked Pastina Casserole

It's time for some much-needed updating! I've been doing plenty of cooking, but have found that I'm a little lazy about updating...

This dish is from Giada's Everyday Pasta cookbook. It turned out well and is definitely a nice week-night go-to meal. It was also great as left-overs!

Baked Pastina Casserole
Recipe Courtesy of Giada DeLaurentiis from Everyday Pasta

Ingredients...

1 cup pastina (or any small pasta - I used fusilli/corkscrews)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 small onion)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut in small pieces, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Directions...

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees farenheit

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onion is soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Add the chicken mixture to the bowl with the drained pasta, then add the canned tomatoes and their juice, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Butter an 8x8x2-inch baking dish and spread the pasta in the prepared dish. In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Chicken Enchiladas with Chili Gravy

I really like enchiladas, but I've been wanting to try a different sauce than the tomato based kind. I got this recipe from another blog, Smells Like Home, and thought it looked yummy! I really loved the shredded chicken mixture sooo much better than ground beef. Although the chili sauce was a nice change, I think it ended up being maybe a little too much chili powder for my liking. I might experiment with the flavors a little more next time and tone it down a bit.

Chicken Enchiladas with Chili Gravy
Recipe Courtesy of Tara from "Smells Like Home"

Ingredients...

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1/2 a green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups chili gravy (recipe follows)
• 4 flour tortillas **I used 5 and had plenty of filling**
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions...

1. Preheat oven to 350. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onion and peppers and cook for about 5 min. Add shredded chicken and stir. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Remove from pan and set aside. Using the same pan, make the chili gravy as follows.

Chili Gravy

Ingredients...

• 1/4 cup lard **I used vegetable oil**
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 tsp powdered garlic
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano is preferred if it’s available)
• 2 T chili powder (either homemade or a dark brand such as Gebhardt’s or Whole Foods or McCormick)
• 2 cups chicken broth (or water)
  

Directions...

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and continue stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it makes a light brown roux.
2. Add all the dry ingredients and continue to cook for 1 minute, constantly stirring and blending ingredients. Add chicken broth or water, mixing and stirring until the sauce thickens. Turn heat to low and let sauce simmer for 15 minutes. **It took about 8 minutes for me** Add water to adjust the thickness. Makes 2 cups.
3. Once the chili gravy is done, add 1/2 a cup to the chicken mixture and stir. Spoon the chicken mixture into the flour tortilla shells and roll up. Spread another half cup of the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish and place the rolled tortillas in the dish. Top with the remaining cup of sauce and shredded cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 min. **I served with some sour cream**

Stuffed Chicken Breast

Many of the ladies on the cooking board that I frequent are very enthusiastic about goat cheese and I thought it was time to try cooking with it! I had remembered seeing this recipe on somebody's blog (sorry I don't remember who! **Edit: It was MrsPresley's Blog!) but found the original on the Cooking Light website. I served the chicken with some sauteed green beans and a boxed wild rice mix.

I have to say that before eating this meal, my husband claimed to "hate" goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. After eating this dish, he is totally open to them and we actually put them both on pizza last night!

Chicken Breast Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Recipe courtesy Cooking Light, March 2004

Ingredients...

1 cup boiling water
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup chopped shallots, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons water

Preparation...

Combine boiling water and tomatoes in a bowl; cover and let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain and finely chop.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup shallots, sugar, and garlic; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Spoon into a bowl; stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar.

Combine chopped tomatoes, shallot mixture, cheese, basil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring well.

Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; cover and keep warm. Add broth, remaining shallots, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and thyme; bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water, stirring with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until sauce is slightly thick, stirring constantly. Serve sauce over chicken.

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 2 tablespoons sauce)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 296(23% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 3g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 43.8g; CHOLESTEROL 105mg; CALCIUM 62mg; SODIUM 787mg; FIBER 0.9g; IRON 2.4mg;
CA RBOHYDRATE 11.3g

Tortilla Soup

This soup was absolutely delicious! I actually didn't do the whole tortilla strips part, which I guess just makes it a southwest chicken soup. I also ended up adding about 2 cups of corn, and a can of black beans to make it a little more substantial. I've included the original recipe here and noted the changes I made (**).

Emeril's Quick Tortilla Soup
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse and foodnetwork.com

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped, or 1 pasilla or green bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound cooked chicken, shredded
**2 cups frozen corn (thawed)
**1 can black beans
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
6 stale corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped, optional garnish
Chipotle Crema, optional garnish, recipe below **I just garnished with plain sour cream

In a Dutch oven or large heavy pot, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, peppers, salt, cumin, and coriander for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice, and stir well. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Heat the oil in a heavy pot or electric fryer to 350 degrees F. Add the tortilla strips in batches and fry until golden and crisp, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with the Essence. **I skipped this and the soup was still great

Ladle the soup into 4 or 6 serving bowls. Garnish each serving with the fried tortilla strips, avocado and Chipotle Crema, as desired. **I left off the avocado, but sprinkled some cheddar cheese on top

Improvisational Pasta

One of my go-to cooking techniques when I don't have anything planned is to throw together whatever I have with a bunch of pasta! Here are the results of Tuesday night's experiment.



Chicken, Eggplant, and Basil Spaghetti

Ingredients**Note: All are estimated!!

• 1/2 lb spaghetti
• 1/2 lb boneless chicken tender
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
• 1 small eggplant, peeled and chopped into bite-size pieces
  
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• large handful basil leaves
• olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella (fresh would be great! I just didn't have any)

Directions...
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add spaghetti with a couple pinches of salt. Cook until al dente and drain.
Coat the chicken strips in the egg and then the flour and place in a large skillet, coated with a little olive oil. After about 5 minutes, turn the strips over. Cook another 3-4 minutes until they are done. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Sautee eggplant and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Let simmer until some of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened a bit (about 7 or 8 minutes). Meanwhile, chop the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Add spaghetti, chicken, basil leaves and mozzarella to the pan. Toss and serve!