Chicken with Cranberry Almond, Havarti Stuffing

Once again we have another delicious chicken recipe.  The original (Rose Reisman) recipe called for Chicken Supreme with skin but I altered it to a light breading instead.  Some of the measurements are altered as the original recipe served 4 and I need it for 6.

My youngest lad has lately become somewhat fascinated with all things cranberry.  He wanted me to make this one last night but I opted for the Tomato/Olive Chicken combo in yesterday's post instead.

Tonight I gave in and made this one and it was absolutely delicious.  The sauce is delightful and the chicken combined with the stuffing is perfect.  If only they made a "light" white wine with few calories....oh to dream.

Again, easy to prepare, and fast.   All in about 45 minutes (with kids running up to the market to pick up ingredients I had run out of).   These measurements were to serve 6.

Ingredients
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (six breasts)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 cup skim milk

Stuffing
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup toasted almonds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp olive oil
3/4 cup shredded light havarti cheese

Sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup thawed concentrated orange juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

Garnish
fresh chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
Make a horizontal slit in each piece of chicken to form a pocket for the stuffing, making sure not to slice all the way through.

To make the stuffing, in a food processor, chop the cranberries and almonds.  Add the cinnamon and olive oil and finally havarti and process for a minute or so.

Stuff into the chicken breasts and secure with toothpicks.

In a small bowl combine the egg and milk and scramble well. Dip each chicken piece in to coat and then coat with breadcrumbs

Lights coat a large non stick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium high heat.  Lightly coat all of the breaded chicken with cooking spray.   Cook for approx 3 minutes on each side of chicken until golden brown and transfer to a foil lined cookie sheet.  (spray sheet with cooking spray).

Place in oven between 20-30 minutes until an interior temp of 165 F is reached.

Meanwhile prepare the sauce by whisking the maple syrup, orange juice,  honey, soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, and Dijon together in a small saucepan.  Add the cornstarch and whisk well.  Bring to a boil reduce the heat and simmer for about a minute until just slightly thickened.  Spoon over the cooked chicken.  (It is delicious over rice as well)

Chicken with Tomato, Three Cheeses, Olives

This lighter fare kick we are on has been wonderful but dang....I love breaded food.  I can't tell you how much I love fried breaded chicken, fried breaded pork chops, chicken wings, oh and veal cutlets...oh how I love an artery hardening veal cutlet with a sprinkle of lemon juice....heaven.

It's been a stressful week.  I had to fly up north to care for my Mother in Law (she is fine).  My daughter was having an issue that was best dealt with by me so I flew her up with me (happy Birthday honey), and we reset the gardens all weekend.  It was a week of trying to stay light on the fly so to speak.  That said I needed some comfort food tonight.

Anyhow...true to the spirit of keeping it light and trying to lose weight.   Woohoo (I have lost a little over 4 lbs now).  This is a lightened up version.   I can't tell you how good this recipe was.  It turned out far better than I thought it would taste wise.  It was scrumptious and the kids all wanted 2nds.
 
I should note.  This recipe took about 1/2 hour from start to finish.   Quick and delish

I got my inspiration from Rose Reismans' Family Favorites cookbook.  I changed the cheese types, tomato variety and olives to suit our own tastes.  The original recipe called for Havarti, Goat Cheese, and Parmesan, plum tomatoes, and black olives.  I used Asiago, vine tomatoes, and green olives with the little red pimentos in them.

It was fantastic!!   Without further adieu.

Ingredients: (serves 6)
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 egg
2tbsp skim milk
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup diced vine or plum tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded asiago
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped green olives
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp dried basil
3 tbsp chopped basil fresh
2 tsp vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Lightly coat a 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
Pound chicken to 1/2 inch thickness
Beat the egg and milk together.  Dip each chicken piece into the mixture and then coat lightly with breadcrumbs on a seperate plate.
Lightly coat a non stick skillet with cooking spray, add the oil and place over medium high heat.   Cook each piece of chicken until browned and almost cooked through (approx 3 minutes per side).   Transfer to the casserole dish.
Combine the tomatoes, asiago, goat cheese, parmesan, olives, garlic, and dried basil in a bowl.   Spoon over the chicken.  Cover and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through. (internal temp of 165 F).   Garnish with fresh basil and serve with vegetables.     After the 10 minutes remove the cover and bake an additional 3 minutes.

This one is sure to please.

Chicken breaded.

After browning in the skillet

Tomato and Cheese mixture added

Yummy out of the oven

Roman Chicken

I haven't made too many brand new entrees this week so decided tonight to try another one off the Food Network. I knew ingredients I had on hand and landed once again on Giada DeLaurentis' recipe. So far we have batted 100 on anything I've made from her. My husband just bought me her first cookbook, so I made the entree from the website and the side dish from the book "Everyday Italian".

The entree turned out very well. The combination of flavours was excellent. A light dish. I made it with wild mushroom risotto on the side. I think next time I will do this with some plain rice. Both dishes were excellent but I think a simple risotto or plain rice would be better. The blending of fresh herbs, tomato and capers with the chicken was refreshing on the palatte.

An easy recipe to make in about 40 minutes. For the record I eliminated the chicken stock from this recipe, and didn't miss it. I also used boneless chicken breasts as I already had it in the fridge. A final change was I simmered uncovered to allow the liquids to reduce a little better.

Ingredients

4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs
2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions
Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.
If serving immediately, add the capers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat the chicken to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the capers and the parsley and serve.

Chicken Florentine

My husband found me Giada De Laurentiis's cookbook Everyday Italian today. Whilst hanging out in William Sonoma he also saw Margarita mix, which made him flashback to our trip to Mexico and he couldn't resist. I have been drinking margarita's for about two hours prior to attempting this recipe.

I am typing this while attempting this recipe. It says it should only be 20 minutes prep time but truth be told. I'm at that already and the chicken is still in the skillet. I am doubling the recipe as well as the size of our family warrants it. I did have to skip out to the store to get some more wine which forced me to call my 16 year old son up to drive me over as the margaritas have left me incapable of that little feat. He is giggling away at him mommy who never drinks.

So here we are.. (spellcheck is definitely going to be used for this one!!) This recipe source Is Giada De Laurentiis. Everyday Italian on the Food Network.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons shallots, sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed, drained

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat lightly. Shake off any excess flour. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep it warm.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and saute until the shallots are translucent, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, about 1 minute. Add the wine. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and boil until the sauce reduces by half, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the sauce, and turn the chicken to coat in the sauce.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in another large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and saute until heated through. Season the spinach, to taste, with salt and pepper. Arrange the spinach over a platter. Place the chicken atop the spinach. Pour the sauce over and serve.

Was it close to 20 minutes? Evaluation

Fast forwarding to and hour later. This recipe was quite good. There are a few things to remember while making it. Most importantly is that you really need to let the sauce simmer down and reduce. I followed the 3 minutes as per directions and it really hadn't reduced much. I added another 6 minutes and served. While it was tasty, it wasn't nearly as tasty as the chicken and sauce I left on the stove for another 10 minutes or so. THAT was delicious. The flavours were all beautifully melded by then and very very good. So keep in Mind...be sure to really let it reduce before serving. I served it over a bed of linguine, placed the spinach, topped it with the chicken and a small ladle of sauce. I did top with more fresh ground pepper and parmigiana cheese.

Will I make it again? I'm not sure. It was tasty but not one I'd call an instant favorite.

For the photos.

The chicken coated with flour, salt and pepper.

Chicken being sauteed in pan

Shallots and parsley

Finished Dish

Ravioli Caprese

One of my favorite shows on television is Everyday Italian on the Food Network. I have tried so many of Giada's recipes and all have turned out fabulously. This one in particular is excellent. It's very light tasting but filling at the same time. I have trouble finding it on the food network site so I've taken notes from my pvr.

This recipe is not a 30 minute meal by any stretch. Preparing the raviolis take time. I can usually whip them off from start to finish in about an hour. Well worth the time though. My kids love it and I certainly can't complain. One of my favorite salads is Caprese salad so this just seems appropriate.

I don't have a picture of this one as I haven't made it for a couple of months but will take one and add it next time I make it. (Probably next week)

Dough:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 cup very hot water.

Filling:
3/4 cup whole milk ricotta
1 egg
1/2 cup finely shredded store bought rotisserie chicken
1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 tblsp finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the dough:
In a large bowl combine the flour and water. Using a wooden spoon, stir to combine into a large ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for about 10 minutes. * I toss the flour into my kitchenaid mixer and using the dough hook start adding water. It's easier.

For the filling.
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine. (I use a food processor to shred the chicken then mix the rest of the ingredients in with a mixing blade)

To form the ravioli. cut the dough into 4 evenly sized pieces. It should be slightly sticky. Add extra flour as necessary for rolling, but only use a little bit as needed. Form each piece into a 2 by inch rectangle. Recover the dough with the plastic wrap.  You can also use a ravioli mold.  I picked one up at a gadget store. 

Lightly dust the work surface and a rolling pin. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll the dough into a 4 x 19 inch rectangle. Place 9 rounded teaspoons of filling about 1 inch apart down the center of the dough. Fold the dough over the filling. Press down around the edges of each of the ravioli with your fingertips. Cut the ravioli into small squares and press down around the edges again to seal. Place on a lightly floured baking tray and continue until you've exhausted the mixture.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add half the ravioli and cook until the ravioli float, stirring occasionally for about 3-4 minutes. Drain into a large bowl and cook the remaining ravioli. Pour the olive oil over the cooked ravioli, add the basil, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Gently toss the pasta to coat and serve immediately.

If you take the time to prepare this recipe you will not be disappointed. It is lovely. The combination of the lemon and the basil and salt is reminiscent of sitting at an oceanside trattoria in Italy. Truly delightful.

Creamy Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

This one has turned into my 14 year olds favorite "comfort" food dinner. It is scrumptiously yummy, and is a good way to use up vegetables in the refrigerator.

I use this as a base and adjust the veggies to whatever I have sitting in the fridge. You can do this recipe two different ways. One with biscuits on top in a casserole, or you can use deep dish prepared frozen pie shells and make them as a pie. Either way they are fantastic.

Ingredients:
500 grams of chopped cooked chicken breast (cut them fairly small)
1/2 cup chopped onion (I use shallots)
2 tbsp shredded carrots
2 tbsp diced celery
1 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom soup)
1/2 cup grated old cheddar
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan

For biscuit topping:
1 egg
1 cup bisquick
1/2 cup skimmed milk
1 tbsp vegetable oil

I'm going to type the instructions exactly as originally given but I have made substantial changes to it over time.

Put a dab of oil into a large pan. Saute the onions and celery until soft. When that is done add 2 cups of soup plus one cup of milk to the pan and mix well until heated. Add the cheeses over low heat until it's all melted and mix well. Stir in the remaining vegetables and pour into a casserole dish.

Set Aside.

In a large measuring cup combine egg, oil and milk. Give it a little scramble and add to the Bisquick mix in a seperate bowl, until smooth and well combined.

Spoon batter over the chicken mixture in the casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes in oven at 375 degrees.

If using pie shells, pour the chicken mixture into the pie shell (you may need two shells depending on the size). Cover mixture with second shell by inverting the frozen shell over the mixture and leaving it there for a second. The heat from the chicken mixture will defrost the pie shell and it should slip right out of the foil. Fit it to the underside and pinch the edges closed. Be sure to poke some holes in the top to release moisture. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

So, how does my creation differ? Not much actually. The soup, cheeses and milk remain constant but I tend to use two full cans of soup and adjust the milk accordingly. I use wayyyy more veggies and chicken than called for. I have lots of kids so it must be done. I use a minimum of two chicken breasts, and whatever veggies I have kicking around (plus the onion...the onion is a must). I have tossed cauliflour in, peas, carrots, corn, broccoli into it. Sometimes a couple, sometimes all of them. Experiment with different concoctions to see what you can come up with. I have to admit, the cream chicken soup works better than the cream of mushroom but in a pinch cream of mushroom will do.