Simple Homemade Teriyaki Sauce & A Hack Dipping Sauce

Yep, this is a partial repost. And yes, I know, the big chicken wing weekend just ended. But this is actually about a sauce that would be good on just about anything, like Asian dumplings, cooked shrimp, steamed vegetables, so read on.

Yesterday I made those wonderful, crispy oven- baked chicken wings that Food52 featured last week as a genius recipe: Ideas in Food's Korean-Style Chicken Wings. It was actually my 3rd batch. The first I made with some big-name wings from my local grocery store, and the wings were so big and fleshy that I had to cook them much longer to get a crispy finish. Make them, but if you can get smaller, free-range chicken wings, use them.  I got some for my last two subsequent batches and they are far better, and the chicken actually tastes like chicken. 

My own Simple teriyaki sauce is my go-to Asian type marinade /dipping when I'm hurrying to get something on the table.  Now, first about those wings: Fabulous. Crispy, crunchy, lick your fingers searching for every last morsel. The seasoning is perfect.   But I was running out of time, and I didn't have the Korean pepper called for in the recipe. So I hacked a sauce:

From the recipe below:

Hacked Asian Dipping Sauce

Leave out the sherry.

Add 1 Tablespoon of toasted sesame oil

Add 1 Tablespoon each of fresh garlic and ginger and leave out the ginger powder

Add a teaspoon of sesame seeds if you have them

As much hot sauce as you can stand, or chili flakes

Stir and serve.

Done.

Now, on to the original...

Mystery meat with all-purpose sauce. That pretty much sums up what was on the menu at our cafeteria back when I was an undergrad. There were far, far cruder names for it, but it was basically a slab of non-denominational meat with brown stuff ladled over it. Explains why the endless fried clam strips at the local HoJo was so wildly popular. Don't make me explain what HoJo is/was. Go ask your mother.

What I have here for you is ANOTHER kind of all purpose sauce, that while it IS brown, is probably one of the most wonderful food inventions for which we can thank our friends in Japan. Teriyaki sauce is probably one of the most versatile, easy-to-prepare concoctions you can have in your kitchen arsenal. You can use it as a marinade, a sauce for dipping, in a stir-fry, or with a little oil added, a dressing.  This version is totally bastardized; there are as many versions of this as there are fish in the sea and most of them are delicious. Some recipes are quite elaborate, but this simple recipe is one I've been making for years and have marinated just about every savory food that exists in it. You can double or triple it and it keeps in the fridge just about forever. The real thing will usually have mirin in it, and will omit the garlic and ginger. Mine is closer to the bottled stuff we suburban American kids grew up eating. This past weekend, I made a double batch and marinated a flank steak, and some boneless chicken breasts. Cold teriyaki grilled chicken breast has to be the best addition to a lunch salad ever. Learn to make this and I promise you never have to have lunch at HoJo's. Unless you want to.

Teriyaki Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast. Best Lunch Ever!

Note: if you use wheat free Tamari sauce, this sauce is gluten free. If you substitute agave nectar for the honey, its vegan.

Simple Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

1/2 cup wheat-free Tamari or regular soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
3T honey or agave nectar
1 garlic clove minced
1/2 teas. powdered ginger
(dash of sriracha or hot pepper sauce, optional)

Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan, mix and bring to a quick boil. Cool and use as needed. Store covered in the refrigerator. Double or triple as desired. A single recipe will marinate a single flank steak, or about 2 pounds of chicken parts.

Meaty Monday: Cashew Chicken with Leeks & Broccoli

There is a popular slow cooker recipe for Cashew Chicken that is floating on the web these days. I tried it. It's OK, a bit bland, and it has been around for years. I DO have a problem with it, though. All the cooking instructions have you cook it in the slow cooker for 3 to 4 hours. Really? Who the hell is going to dirty a big, ole crock to cook something for 3 hours?  For 3 hours, I'll use a covered fry pan and the stove or oven.  Easier to clean a fry pan than a crock. If I'm making something in my slow cooker, it better be able to stay in there all day, while I go do other things. Like work, shop, or play with the kids at the park. All day. Which isn't just 3 hours.

Another thing, why would you WANT to cook chicken parts in a slow cooker that long? Do your want dinner, or mush? Small chicken cuts cook so fast, I can't imagine why you wouldn't do something like this wonderful Cashew Chicken we have often at our house.

This cashew chicken dish takes about 30 minutes to make and easy to fix, even after a miserable Monday full of ringing phones, whining co-workers and traffic delays. It's juicy, saucy,. toothsome and comforting at the end of a loooong day. There's also no clunky crock to clean.

Note: You may be able to make this from what's hanging around on your fridge door --I've got hoisin, ketchup, and minced ginger there all the time. Even easier, substitute an onion for the leek, and get the ready-to-heat cooked rice for a good, fast weeknight meal. This dish is gluten free if your Asian condiments are all gluten free.

Cashew Chicken with Leeks & Broccoli
all pretty on my favorite platter from Sophie Conran.

Cashew Chicken with Leeks & Broccoli

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breasts halves, about 4-5 ounces each, in 1" chunks
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons organic canola or peanut oil

1 large carrot, cut in ribbons with a vegetable peeler

1 large leek, white part only, in wafer thin slices

1 broccoli crown, broken in florets

3 garlic cloves, minced or 1 tsp. jarred garlic
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger, or jarred crushed ginger
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2  Tablespoons  organic ketchup

1 Tablespoon wheat free tamari soy
1 Tablespoon honey
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock or water

1 cup roasted cashew halves
thin sliced scallion for garnish, optional but nice

Cooked rice

Instructions:

1. In a zip top bag, shake the chicken and the cornstarch together until the chicken is coated.  In a small bowl, mix the garlic, the ginger, the vinegar, ketchup, tamari, honey and the  hot pepper sauce if using. Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan on medium-high heat, and brown the chicken on at least two sides, about 2-3 minutes a side. Add the leeks and carrots, stir, and reduce the heat to low, stirring occasionally.

2. Cook the broccoli, by steaming or microwaving, set aside. Add the ketchup mixture to the chicken, along with the stock or water, bring to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 5 -7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the cashews, and serve with rice, garnished with a ring of broccoli and a sprinkling of scallion.

The 5:2 Feast: Chicken with Zucchini, Tomatoes & Creamy Basil Noodles

The 5:2 Feast: Chicken with Zucchini, Tomatoes & Creamy Basil Noodles

I really wasn't going to post today. For two years now I've been posting three days or more a week,  with a full time job and ...a life, and just for August I was trying to cut myself some slack. Turns out I'm harder on myself than anyone else has ever been. I just "guilted" myself into writing this as I made my approx. 300 calorie dinner to take to work for the late shift. Today is one of my fast days. If you are on to the Fast Diet from England, you'll understand. These recipes  are both quick and easy to make, have great flavor, and are quite filling.


I made the creamy shirataki noodle part a few years ago, and it's based on some recipes written by Hungry Girl, aka, Lisa Lillien.  Back when I first joined Weight Watchers, her recipes were all the rage, but I was not a huge fan because of all the processed, fat free foods she uses in her recipes. If you don't mind that stuff, get your hands on a copy of her book "Hungry Girl 200 under 200". Sorry, Lisa, I didn't mean to damn you with faint praise, you filled a need for many of us, and helped a lot of people find good things to eat while dieting. Even if you don't make the recipes exactly the way she wrote them, the book will give you great ideas for dishes to fix on your fast days. Of course I've doodled with her recipe  a lot, with ingredients and technique, so it's the same in spirit... It tastes good, but doesn't include additive-filled things like fat free sour cream or fat free parmesan cheese. The chicken dish couldn't be easier too,  basically a "dump and run" recipe that anyone would be happy eating, dieting or not.

Chicken with Zucchini, Tomatoes & Creamy Basil Noodles

Serves 1

For the noodles:

1 8 oz. package of Shirataki noodles, drained, rinsed and cut in pieces with a scissors
2 wedges of Laughing Cow Light Original cheese wedges, cut in smaller bits
2T minced basil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
water as needed

For the chicken:

1 4oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in bite sized strips
1 cup of sliced zucchini
1/2 cup  canned diced tomatoes
1 minced garlic clove
1 teaspoon of dried basil or oregano
1/2  cup water

1. Spray a small nonstick skillet with a quick spray of cooking spray, heat over medium-high heat and add the chicken strips. Stir and cook until lightly browned. Add the zucchini and the garlic, and cook for another minute. Add all the remaining ingredients,  cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid, and cook another minute or two until the sauce has thickened. Turn off the heat and let it rest covered while you make the noodles.


2. Place the drained noodles in a small, dry, nonstick skillet over medium heat and stir for a few minutes until they are as dry as you can get them.  add the remaining ingredients for the noodles, through the grated cheese. Reduce the heat to low, and stir to melt the cheese wedges, adding a water a few tablespoons at a time to just make a creamy sauce.

Enjoy, and these both reheat well in a microwave for an at-work lunch or dinner. I like them in the same dish...


Disclaimer:

This makes an approximately 300 calorie meal. Your calculation may differ, and it will certainly differ with the use of other ingredients.

The 5:2 Feast: Fabulous Filling Soup for a Fast Day

Fifteen lousy, rotten pounds. I've been trying to lose  them for the last 8 years or so. They just sneaked onto my body when I wasn't watching, because, well, before I hit 45 or so, I never had to watch. I always ate what I wanted and it was quite a surprise to watch the scale just creep up. Who knew pizza for lunch and dim sum for supper would start packing on the pounds? So I am a bit of a Judy-come-lately to the dieting game. What makes it rather ironic, is that as a nutritionist, I counseled others on how to lose and help keep those extra pounds at bay.

So a few years back I joined Weight Watchers, and I gained three wonderful friends and a ton of Facebook friends, but weight wise, I yo-yoed up and down with the same 10 pounds. I learned that for me, I can stick to a "Plan" for a few days, and then real life intervenes with croissants. Counting every bite, every day, no matter in Points or in calories is a giant pain in the butt. All those aphorisms like "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels" are baloney. Obviously, whoever dreamed that one up has never had a chocolate dessert in a fine French restaurant with a good pastry chef. Or fresh homemade bread warm from the oven slathered in butter. Good food is a wonderful thing. Watching every bite you take forever is not a life; its a life sentence.

Back when I was in my 20's, I was very thin, I ate like a horse some days, and others, I just wasn't that hungry, so I ate little. And somewhere, somehow, over the years, I'd managed to lose track of what was actual hunger, so I grazed all the time. I did manage to stop gaining by watching my sugar and grain intake, and held at the same weight for years. But lose, no.

I'm not much for popular diets. When clients would ask about them, I'd usually suggest they try something reasonably well tested, like Weight Watchers, instead of whatever guru had a book on the NYT Best Seller List. But I knew in my heart the success rates are low, because no one really wants to eat skimpy portions every day, or cut out favorite foods. Highly motivated folks, those who are obese, or with big health issues, whose lives depend on their losing and keeping their weight off may be able to do it, but for most people, those of us who are just moderately overweight, its tough. A chunk of Brie, with a few crackers and a glass of wine tastes much better and is more soul satisfying than a diet crispbread with tablespoon of non-fat cottage cheese and a glass of water.

I ran into a classmate last month from grad school who looked wonderful. When we were studying dietetics, she was trying every fad diet under the sun, both to lose weight, and to write her thesis. She had watched the documentary  called "Eat, Fast & Live Longer"  while she was in England last summer and was doing their fasting program, which calls for 2 days of fasting, and 5 days of normal eating. You heard me. Normal eating. She'd lost 15 pounds. And kept it off. The documentary showed here in the States on PBS. So of course by the time, I tried to find it online, PBS had already pulled it, probably saving it for one of their fundraisers. I couldn't find a link. My brilliant friend Michelle, got her also brilliant husband Chris to find it for me online. This is it, with commercials, but truly worth watching: http://documentaryheaven.com/eat-fast-and-live-longer/  The book is called The FastDiet, and I highly recommend you get it and read it before embarking on this plan. http://www.amazon.com/The-FastDiet-Healthy-Intermittent-Fasting/dp/1476734941/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0

This is a lot the way I used to eat when I was thin, and I decided to give it a try. I've been on it 2 and a half weeks, today is my 5th fast day, and I have lost 4.5 pounds. And this week has included quite a few birthday treats  and dinners out.  Hunger really does just come in waves, and staying busy is good. Plus, I just tell myself I'm not going to starve to death missing a meal or two. I know that's true. Neither will you.

Since my buddy Amy keeps asking what I eat, here's a recipe for her. It's a very filling soup that I'll reheat at work tonight for my dinner. My 500 calorie fast day is usually 100 calories of Greek yogurt or a 100 calorie protein drink,  a lunch of a small green salad with a little tuna, tomato and balsamic vinegar, for another 100, and a 300 calorie dinner.

This Asian-inspired soup is very delicious,  spicy and satisfying. You can certainly use shrimp alone, or chicken alone or any other protein you like, if you keep the calories from the protein under 200.

A Fabulous 5:2 Meal in a Bowl
Spicy Chicken & Shrimp Asian- Style 5:2 Soup

Spicy Chicken & Shrimp Asian-Style 5:2 Soup
Serves 1
Note: to make this easy and fast to prepare, buy pre-frozen, individually wrapped, antibiotic free chicken breasts, and IQF bags of frozen, peeled raw shrimp. You can also use whatever vegetables you like or have, as long as they come to a total of fewer than 50 calories. Greens are good. A kitchen scale is also a good thing to have, if you truly want to be accurate.


1 8 oz. bag Shirataki noodles, spaghetti style
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon Thai Green Curry paste
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon  grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 3- 4 oz. raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 oz. raw small or cut shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 medium zucchini,  coarsely shredded
1 small scallion, thinly sliced
2 cups raw baby spinach, loosely packed
2 Tablespoons shredded fresh basil
2 teaspoons lime juice

1. Drain the noodles into a strained and rinse well.  Drain, and place in a glass measuring cup and microwave for a minute or two, and then drain thoroughly, cut into spoon-manageable strands (I use a clean scissors) and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, place the water, the curry paste, garlic powder, fish sauce ginger and salt, and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken breast,  cover, and cook for about 10 minutes until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the stock and  add the shrimp. Cook until just opaque, and remove the shrimp. Shred the chicken with two forks and set aside with the shrimp.

3. Add all the vegetables and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute. Add the noodles, the shrimp and chicken, and stir well. Stir in the basil and the lime juice and serve hot.

Disclaimer: Just under 300 calories, approx. Your calculations may differ, so please run your own numbers and adjust your ingredients accordingly.

Meaty Monday: Grilled Chicken Paillards with Corn, Green Beans & Basil Drizzle

Certain foods, I think, are etched into our national psyche as symbols of things near and dear to our heart. If you are eating cotton candy, chances are there's a Ferris wheel not far away,  and if you're munching a corn dog on a stick, there is probably a heifer wearing a blue ribbon in her halter within spitting distance. Corn, tomatoes, basil and green beans scream "Summer!" to me in a not so subtle way. If there is ever a time of year when these foods have reached their pinnacle of perfection, it is now.

Chuck likes grilled chicken. Actually he loves grilled chicken. Really loves grilled chicken. Really thin grilled chicken. If I was willing to serve it at least once a week on a regular day (have I told you about our Tuesday burger night....?), he'd be thrilled. Me, I like change. Especially different dinners.

Since I do like to make dinners that will make us both happy, I came up with this combo that even I could eat once a week...at least during the Summer. The chicken is a simple as can be, "paillards" is just a way to describe very thin pounded slices of meat -- and the drizzle is somewhere between a pesto and a vinaigrette. This can become one of your favorite do-ahead meals. Add the two, to the corn, fresh beans and tomato, and the whole thing just sings. If you need a vegan or vegetarian (or if you are doing a Meatless Monday side dish), just replace the butter in the corn dish with evoo.

Yes, it's every bit as good as it looks. Yes, I did lick the plate.

Grilled Chicken Paillards with Corn, Green Beans & Basil Drizzle
Serves 4

For the chicken:

1/4 cup low sodium gluten free tamari soy sauce
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 garlic cloves, crushed (jarred equivalent is fine)
2T olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin (paillards)

For the drizzle:

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
3 garlic cloves, (jarred equivalent is fine)
1/2 cup evoo
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the vegetables:

1 tablespoon butter or organic corn oil
4 ears of fresh corn, shucked and kernels cut off the cob
1/2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and broken in half
1 small fresh tomato, diced
a few basil sprigs for garnish


Instructions:

1. Early in the day, mix the first 4 ingredients and pour into a zip top bag. Add the chicken and chill until dinner.

2. Place all the ingredients for the drizzle in a blender or a mini processor and puree. Place in a covered container in the fridge until dinner time.

3. At mealtime, heat the butter or oil in a medium saucepan, over medium heat, and add the corn and the green beans to the butter. Stir to coat and sauté for a few minutes. Add 1/3 cup of water to the pan, cover and let steam for about 3-4 minutes until the beans are tender. Remove the lid and cook away all the water. Turn off the heat and stir in 3 Tablespoons of the drizzle. Cover and set aside.

4. Heat your grill to medium high, remove the chicken from the marinade (discard the marinade) and grill the chicken about 3-4 minutes per side depending on how thick it is. Place on a platter and drizzle lightly with a bit of the basil drizzle to serve. Pass the extra basil drizzle on the side.

5. Turn the vegetables into a bowl. Sprinkle the tomato over the top and garnish with a basil sprig.

Delicious corn, green beans with basil drizzle and chopped tomatoes,
easily made vegan...

Meaty Monday: Five Spice Brined Chicken with Honey Lime Soy Glaze

I have eaten too much this weekend. BBQ food, desserts, and some grazing, since its just been too hot to eat. Monday, for me, is the day I have to rein it all in, but by the time I get home, starvation is nearly setting in and I need to have something in the works that will be good and satisfying. Without turning dinner into an eating free-for-all. By tossing some chicken parts into this Asian-flavored brine before you head off to work, you can have a good chicken dinner on the table in well less than an hour. Your ace in the hole is a Chinese 5-spice powder. It packs a flavor punch with just about no work on your part. You can even make the brine before you've had your morning coffee. It's that simple. The light honey glaze amps up the flavor, but isn't thick or gloppy.  It'll be delicious, nutritious, and  your tastebuds will think you're blowing your diet. But you haven't. Yet. As long as you can skip dessert... Oh, and as per usual, these leftovers are divine!

Note: I highly recommend bone-in, skin on chicken parts for this dish, and then just removing the skin before glazing the chicken at the end. Keeping the skin on while baking will help keep the meat moist and juicy. If you can afford the extra calories, then just leave the skin in place; it add a lot of flavor to the finished dish. Also, if the only chicken breasts you can find with the skin and bone, are large, just cut them in half, straight across the middle with a poultry shears, a sturdy chef's knife or kitchen scissors.

 Five Spice Brined Chicken with Honey Lime Soy Glaze,
but the half lime went in my tea...oops!

Five Spice Brined Chicken with Honey Lime Soy Glaze
4 servings

For the brine:
8 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs or small chicken breasts
5 cups water
4 Tablespoons Morton's Kosher Salt
2 Tablespoons Chinese Five Spice Powder
2 Tablespoons sugar

For the glaze:
1/3 cup mild honey
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
juice of 1/2 small lime
4 Tablespoons gluten free Tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoon powdered ginger

Garnish:
The other half of the lime in small wedges

1. Place the chicken in a large zip top bag. Mix the brine ingredients, stirring until the salt is dissolved, and then pour it over the chicken in the bag. Place the bag in a dish in case it leaks, and then into the fridge for 8 to 12 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Remove the chicken from the brine and place, skin side up in a shallow metal roasting pan, and bake about 40 to 45 minutes until the temperature of the thigh meat is 160ºF. Mix the glaze ingredients and set aside.

3. Remove the pan from the oven, turn each chicken piece bottom up, and brush with about half of the glaze. Turn the oven to broil and broil the chicken for a minute or two until the glaze begins to bubble. Carefully turn the chicken, and remove the skin if you wish, or leave in place and then brush with the remaining glaze. Broil until browned and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes longer.  Serve garnished with Lime if desired.

A Silver Palate Cookbook Riff...Chicken Blanketed with Mushrooms & Speck

Sometimes a little disorganization pays off. A few weeks ago while looking for an entirely different cookbook on my shelves, I came upon my old, early 1980's copy of The Silver Palate Cookbook. I love this book, and being easily distracted, I sat on the floor in the hall and started thumbing through it, remembering old favorites, and the dinner parties I threw with this book propped on the counter as I cooked. Some books I consider seminal cookbooks for me; The Silver Palate was one, right next to it on the shelf lives the Frog / Commisary Cookbook another one.

Being young, newly married, and having bought our first home (mortgage rates were at 12% back then), we ate a lot of chicken, a lot. It was cheap, and you could dress it up, and I did. One of my absolute favorites was "Chicken Baked on a Bed of Wild Mushrooms". Wild mushrooms seemed so sophisticated back then, and I could squeeze the food budget enough to get them at the Mushroom Palace, over in Devon on a fairly regular basis. Just to make that recipe.

It was tempting to just make that old recipe as written, just one more time and I had the basic ingredients on hand, but I had other things, too, that I wanted to use for dinner that night. So my chicken, isn't on a bed, it's under a blanket. A creamy blanket of mushrooms and smokey pork (Italian speck) for good measure.

Chicken Blanketed with Mushrooms & Speck

Chicken Blanketed with Mushrooms & Speck

Inspired by "Chicken on a Bed of Wild Mushrooms" from The Silver Palate Cookbook.

Serves 4-6

1 oz. dried wild mushroom (porcini or morels)
1-1/2 cups boiling chicken stock
3T olive oil, divided
1-1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved through the middle and pounded flat
4 oz. of speck or lean smoked bacon, in 1/4" dice
8 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms
1/2 cup finely chopped shallot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup creme fraiche
1/2 cup sweet vermouth
2 tsp. dried marjoram
salt and pepper


1. Place the dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl, and pour the boiling stock over them. Press down on them if needed to submerge. Let stand 10 minutes.  Spray a 4-quart shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Heat 2 T of the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and brown the chicken on each side for about 2 minutes. Remove the browned chicken to the sprayed baking dish, arranging evenly over the bottom of the dish. Turn off the heat under the skillet. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2.  Remove the dried mushrooms from the stock,  set the stock aside, and chop into bite-sized pieces if necessary. Turn the heat under the skillet to medium-high, and add the last tablespoon of oil. Add the speck to the pan, along with the fresh mushrooms, the rehydrated dried mushrooms, the shallots and the garlic.  Cook until the fresh mushrooms give up their liquid. 

3. Add the creme fraiche, the vermouth, and 1 cup of the reserved stock. Add the marjoram, and season with the salt and pepper to taste. Cook uncovered until there is only about 1 cup of liquid left in the skillet. 

4. Carefully spoon the speck and mushroom mixture over the chicken, and pour over any remaining juices. Cover the baking dish with either a lid or foil, and place in the oven. Bake about 40 minutes. 

Quick Chicken with Leeks, Tomatoes & Sherry

Nothing makes me crazier than not having our meals planned ahead. I admit to being so much of a Susie Homemaker that I actually have a good idea of what will be on the family table within the next week. Usually Monday's dinner is a Part Deux of Sunday's meal. I get home late, and it's easy for Chuck to just reheat. But not cooking dinner on Easter threw me a loop, and I totally forgot to get anything going for Monday's dinner on Sunday night. So I'm laying in bed in the wee hours of the morning, just before the alarm goes off freaking out that I was going to have to add making dinner to my morning chores before work. Ugh.

So 6:30 Monday morning finds me in my ratty red robe, standing in front of the stove,  browning boneless, skinless chicken breasts in olive oil. A granny fork in one hand, a mug of coffee in the other.  I  had absolutely no idea what I was going to do with these insipid things and was considering pulling a bottle of barbecue sauce from the pantry, dumping it into the pan and calling it done. But when I'd pulled a bag of frozen strawberries out of the freezer, I also saw a bag of frozen chopped leeks from Trader Joe's.  Chicken breast with leeks sounds much more appetizing than gloppy barbecue  sauce. And boneless, skinless chicken needs something. This chicken dish came together in a flash, and it reheated on Monday night in 10 minutes flat, with a side of rice and green beans. All I can say is that this tastes wonderful and will now officially become a fast go-to weeknight recipe. 

Everything in this great one-pot dinner came from my pantry and freezer. If you don't have frozen leeks, either cut some up yourself, or just substitute onions. Not quite the same dish, but still delish.

Quick Chicken with Leeks, Tomatoes & Sherry

2T olive oil
3 large skinless, boneless chicken breast, split in half and pounded to 1/2"
3 cups sliced leeks, white and light green part only, fresh or frozen, or onions
2 garlic cloves, minced (jarred is fine)
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
(1 T orange or lemon zest, opt.)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry cocktail sherry
1/2 cup water

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat until it ripples. Add the chicken breasts, and brown on both sides; cook them in batches so the pan isn't crowded. Remove the chicken to a plate and add the leeks or onions, and the garlic. Season lightly with salt, and use the liquid produced from the leeks to loosen and browned bits from the bottom of the pan. add the tomatoes, and all the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Place the chicken back in the pan, cover and cook about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Serves 2-4., and reheats beautifully.

Quick Chicken with Leeks, Tomatoes & Sherry

My Apologies to Weight Watchers: Creamy Balsamic Chicken & Mushrooms

I'm apologizing to Weight Watchers because I took an old recipe I found on their site and doctored it up.   Two or three years ago I found the grandaddy of this recipe on the Weight Watchers site while looking for a way to use up a surplus of fresh mushrooms. As written, it was pretty good, extremely easy to make, if a bit spare. But that's what you get, if you cruise diet sites for inspiration. You can see the original here. If you want to lose weight, you don't get there eating rich, luxurious dishes.

Unfortunately, the things that elevate this from a merely good recipe to unctuous deliciousness are things that add too many calories to make it a really good on-program dish (if you are following WW) unless you are willing to sacrifice a few points for the sake flavor and savor. I am willing to do that, because every now and then, especially you are watching your weight, you need something really GOOD. This is it.

Thanks to a shopping oversight this week,  both Chuck and I bought sliced cremini mushrooms,  so I had way too many mushrooms living in the fridge. Mushrooms are quite perishable, and unless you store them where they are fairly dry, they'll get slimy and stinky in no time flat. I am absolutely sure of this from experience.  Outside of the mushrooms, everything else in this recipe are things I always have on hand, and you probably do, too, especially if you are making my homemade crème fraîche. Most of us have a few boneless, skinless chicken breasts lurking in the fridge or freezer, as well as some Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar in the pantry.

Quick enough for a weeknight meal, and nice enough to serve to company, every good home cook should have this goodie in their repertoire.

Quick Creamy Balsamic Chicken & Mushrooms 

Creamy Balsamic Chicken & Mushrooms

This is a recipe where mise en place is important, since the cooking part goes fast,  make sure you measure out all the ingredients before starting to cook.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6-7 oz. each, pounded out to about 1/2" thick
4T Balsamic vinegar, divided
2 teas. Dijon mustard
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1tes. dried thyme
2T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sliced shallot
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
2 teas. Stonewall Kitchen Chicken & Pork Rub
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1/2 cup chicken stock, or water
1/3 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, mix 3T balsamic vinegar, the Dijon mustard, the garlic and the thyme. Place the chicken into a gallon size zip top bag and pour the balsamic mixture over the chicken, zip the bag shut, forcing out as much air as possible.  Smoosh it around to distribute the balsamic marinade as evenly as possible over the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 10 hours. More time is better.

2. When ready to cook, heat the olive oil in a large, 12" nonstick pan over medium high, and remove the chicken from the bag (keep the marinade). Brown the chicken on the top, smooth side, and then turn and cook until nearly cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.

3. Lower the heat in the pan to medium low, and add the mushrooms and shallots,  cooking until the mushrooms begin to lose some moisture. add the wine, stir up any brown bits in the pan and cook until the liquid is about half gone. Add the chicken stock and the Chicken and Pork rub, and simmer about 2 minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche, slide the chicken breasts into the mixture, cover and simmer about 2-3 more minutes.

Chicken in Vermouth with Tomatoes, Peppers & Herbs

As most of you know, I work in a kitchenware store, and the long hours coming up for the next couple of weeks are keeping me from experimenting in the kitchen. So what you'll find posted here is just like TV in the summer: reruns. I'll be posting some of my more popular and interesting posts for the next couple of weeks, and will be back with new recipes and rants in the New Year. May you all have all the best and happiest things in your life for the Christmas Season and in the New Year. And thank you for coming along for the ride with me so far.


This is one of those "fall back on" recipes that are so easy and good at any time of year, but truly spectacular when you can get garden fresh vegetables and herbs. Another beauty of this dish is that it works with fresh chicken,  leftover chicken or even a rotisserie chicken.

The vegetables, garlic and herbs I've used have come from my own garden, but at this time of year, it would be a shame to make it with canned tomatoes and frozen peppers if you have access to any sort of fresh, locally grown produce. All the summer vegetables and herbs are at their peak right now. Leave the canned and frozen  vegetables for when the snow flies in January.

Italian vermouth is both sweet and herbal, and adds a lot of depth of flavor to this dish. Other red wine is good, but the vermouth really makes it sing. There are plenty of savory juices that are perfect over pasta or rice, or with a nice chunk of crusty baguette. This a sophisticated comfort food at its best.

Chicken in Vermouth with Tomatoes, Peppers & Herbs

The actual hands-on time is about 15 minutes, but it tastes like
 you've slaved all day.

Ingredients:

4 lb. of raw chicken parts, with skin, or a cooked 4-lb. chicken  cut into portions
2T olive oil
6 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 large onion, one thinly sliced, one diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 large yellow or orange bell peppers, diced
1/4 cup  fresh basil leaves
3T fresh oregano leaves
2 T fresh rosemary leaves, lightly chopped
Kosher salt, pepper
1 cup sweet Italian vermouth

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF, and oil a broad, shallow oven-to-table baking dish that will mostly hold the chicken in a single layer. If you are starting with raw chicken, heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick sauté pan and place the chicken skin-side down. Cook for about 5-7 minutes over medium high heat until the skin is browned. Place the chicken in one layer in the pan.  Proceed to step 3.

2. If you are using cooked chicken, place it in the prepared baking dish, and then heat the oil in the pan.

3. Add the tomatoes, peppers, garlic, basil and diced onions to the chicken pan or the heated oil, and cook until soft. Scrape the tomato and pepper mixture evenly over the chicken. Separate the sliced onions into rings and spread them out evenly over the tomato mixture, and then scatter the oregano and rosemary over the top and season with about 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and a few grinds of freshly ground pepper. Drizzle the vermouth back and forth over all, cover tightly with aluminum foil or a lid, if your dish has one.

4. Place in the oven and bake for 1-1/2 hours if using raw chicken, and just 1 hour if using pre-cooked chicken.

Serves 4.

Looks good, even before baking.

This Recipe Is Merry's Fault: Baked Chicken with Delicata Squash, Potatoes & Carrots

A few weeks ago, Merry, my younger stepdaughter, and CC had us all over for a big family dinner. The two of them had roasted a huge pan of this absolutely delectable herbed chicken. Turns out they used Stonewall Kitchens Chicken and Pork Rub that moi had thoughtfully given them last Christmas. Guess what? We all adored it, and poor Mer had been hoarding the stuff until she could get me to get her 5 more tins at work. I kid you not. 5. Even I bought two more for our house. So today, as I was planning our dinner, baked chicken with an assortment of vegetable roasted underneath, I decided to break out the Stonewall Rub. And no, they don't pay me to use or recommend their products, I just like them, and have never been disappointed in anything I've tried.

How about easy AND delish??

I've had a Delicata squash living in my crisper for a couple of weeks now, and had been planning a completely different blog post for it.  But as Christmas heaves closer, and the to-do list gets longer (as does my retail workday) and some of the things I plan to tell you about get pushed aside. So once I found these really tiny red creamer potatoes at the market this morning to roast with my chicken, I thought, why not add the Delicata  with some carrots and onions? Make a one dish meal? Especially since we spent most of the afternoon putting up the tree. The chicken and pork spice rub from Stonewall pulls it all together into a heck of a good dinner for a chilly, rainy night like this.

This is a really simple meal to multiply, and since it uses chicken parts, on the bone, you can serve white meat to those who prefer it and dark to the rest. But you can blame Merry for how scrumptious this dish is.

Baked Chicken with Delicata Squash, Potatoes & Carrots

Baked Chicken with Delicata Squash, Potatoes & Carrots
Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 lb. Chicken parts, breasts, legs and thighs, organic preferred
2T olive oil
3T Stonewall Kitchen Chicken and Pork rub, divided
One 2 lb. Delicata squash, halved,  seeded, and in 1/4" slices
3 large carrots, scrubbed and in 2" chunks
1 lb. tiny 1" creamer potatoes
2 medium onions, peeled and cut into wedges
1/2 lemon, cut in half

Instructions:

1. Toss the chicken pieces with 1T of the olive oil in a big bowl, and then toss with 2T of the rub. set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 450ºF, and oil a large shallow roasting pan. Place the squash, the carrots and potatoes in the roasting pan, toss with the remaining oil, and the remaining 1 T of rub, and place in the oven for 15 minutes.

3. Carefully remove the pan to a heatproof surface, and stir the vegetables. Add the onion, and stir again. Lay the chicken across the top, and place the lemon quarters along an edge. Place the pan back in the oven, lower the heat to 400ºF and cook 45 to 50 minute until the chicken is cooked through, and the potatoes are tender.

4. Remove from the oven, and carefully, with tongs, squeeze the lemon quarters over the top. Enjoy!

Italian Penicillin: Chicken Tortellini Soup

Italian Penicillin: Chicken Tortellini Soup

I whomped up this soup for my sister-in-law this morning. Granted, what she’s got is going to need a lot more than soup, but for the moment, soup will have to do. I’ve always called this soup Italian Penicillin, as it’s been known to cure middling sniffles, broken hearts and occasional hangovers. It’s a rich, chickeny chicken soup on steroids: Double strength chicken stock bolstered up by more chicken. Add in a nice mix of vegetables, herbs, some pesto or cheese tortellini, and serve it up in a big bowl sprinkled with good Parmesan. At this point it ceases to be a bowl of soup and becomes a bowl of love. That's all I can do for her right now, a big warm hug in a bowl.

Please try this recipe and feed it to those you love.

Notes: If you don’t make your own rich chicken stock, (I'll post a killer version that'll give you stock like this soon) I suggest looking for 4 quarts of no salt added chicken stock (it exists) and cooking it down by half. Or use the low sodium, boil it down, and add NO salt to the soup until you taste it. If you can’t find small dried soup tortellini, either use the small dried soup ravioli, or just add fresh or frozen regular tortellini after the vegetables are tender and cook for as long as the package directions tell you to.

Chicken Tortellini Soup aka Italian Penicillin

Serves 6

2 quarts of double strength low or unsalted chicken stock

4 large chicken thighs with skin and bone

1 large onion diced

1 cup sliced celery

1 cup diced carrots

2 garlic cloves minced

1 14.5- oz. can diced tomatoes with liquid

1T dry basil

1T dry oregano

1 tsp. dry thyme

2 bay leaves

pinch of hot pepper flakes

1 quart of water

½ pound of small dried soup tortellini (pesto or cheese filled)

1 10-oz. bag of baby spinach

Black pepper and salt to taste

Grated Parmesano Reggiano for serving, or a Pecorino Romano

Get a big soup pot, at least 8 quarts and dump the chicken thighs in, and then add the chicken stock. Bring it to a boil on high heat, cover, lower the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon and let it cool a bit.

Turn the heat back up under the now-enriched stock, and add everything up to and including the extra quart of water. Bring again to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes. Pick the chicken meat off the bones, cut into bite sized pieces and add the meat to the soup pot. Discard the skin and bones. Add the tortellini and cook about 15-20 minutes until they soften. Taste one to see if they’re done. Stir in the spinach and cook for two minutes. Add a little more water if it's not soupy enough as those tortellini can be thirsty!

Serve in a big bowl and pass the Parm or Romano on the side. Or put some in a big jar and take it to someone who needs a hug.