Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Rice

Well, look, there is a real person at this blog. And today there is a real recipe. Three cheers, eh?

I've been pinning many recipes, but trying few. Mostly I've been eating from the freezer (meals made times three, and two frozen) or just preparing dishes that are on the regular rotation (favorite meals).

This meal is certainly not fancy, but on a very cold night, with a winter storm on the way, it was comforting, and having put it in the crockpot on high at 1 p.m., and then having left the house for appointments, it was a welcome sight when I arrived home hours later. It smelled awfully good, too.

Essentially you only put the chicken, onions and cream of chicken soup in the crockpot. The corn, rice and cheese you add just before serving. I was a little surprised when I read the recipe, because I assumed that it was a dump-everything-in-and-cook recipe. I used my rice cooker (one of my favorite small kitchen appliances) to cook the rice and add it just before serving.

The original poster (Christy Jordan's Southern Plate) used Zatarain's yellow rice, but my family favorite is Goya. Having spent many of my formative years (those teenage ones, if truth be known) in Tampa, Florida, I ate a lot of Cuban yellow rice with chicken. Yellow Rice with Chicken (green peas mixed in -- it's traditional) was available in the cafeteria at school every day, and we really learned to love it (the white kids -- the Cuban kids already loved it), and many restaurants served it as well. It was just a regional standby. I think the Goya yellow rice tastes more authentic, but use what you like.

I also subbed out my own cream of chicken soup (found at the bottom of this recipe post). It only takes a minute to make, really, and it tastes better. Use a good quality chicken soup base or bouillon cube that doesn't include MSG.

I'll tell you, my husband looked at this dish in the bowl and did not make a happy face. He does not generally like chicken and rice dishes. But he took a bite and said, "Mmmmm." And then another "mmmmmmm." And he cleaned his plate like a good boy. The kids liked it, too, except an onion hater who could still see onion pieces with a microscope.

I think you could definitely substitute another vegetable for corn in this dish. I would use cooked carrot coins (or just add the carrots earlier in the process) or frozen peas (I would love that but no one else in my house would except Faith). Both would probably be more visually interesting than corn, and more nutritious, but for the first try I stuck with the recipe, except to double it and freeze the leftovers.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Rice

serves 10-12 

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6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I halve them lengthwise so they cook quicker)

1 large white onion, chopped 

2 -8 ounce box Goya Yellow Rice Mix, cooked according to directions

1 cup cheddar cheese

2 - 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup (or two recipes of homemade)

1 bag frozen corn 

Place chicken in bottom of slow cooker. Scatter chopped onion over top. Spoon cream soup over top of that. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, break up chicken with two forks and add corn. A few minutes before serving, add in cooked rice, and cheese. Stir to combine. Add hot water if mixture needs thinned. Serve hot.

Serve with a green salad, fruit, bread, or a hot green vegetable.

modified from Christy Jordan's Southern Plate

Cap'n Crunch Chicken

I have had some busy weeks creating rosaries and scapulars, but today my little chick is sick on the sofa so I am spending exactly one hour, not a minute more, catching up here as much as I can.

This recipe we have already had twice since I first discovered it and it's a big, big hit. Faith asked me the other day (on our second go-round) why it is that the chicken doesn't taste like Cap'n Crunch, and I guess I didn't have a very good answer. It just doesn't. The breading is crisp and slightly sweet, but nothing like a bowl of the Cap'n. The panko, flour and seasoning mellow it out I guess. I turn my oven on warm so that as I fry, I can place them on a rack over a pan until all the pieces are cooked. We easily eat two packages of chicken tenders. And speaking of which, I buy the chicken tenders because they are no more expensive than the boneless breasts, and that saves the step of cutting the strips (I multiply the breading times 1.5 for two packages of chicken). Besides the tenders are really tender and I cut time off the marinating step.

These are great with garlic mashed potatoes or mac and cheese, and definitely make the honey mustard. Yum.

Cap'n Crunch Chicken

vegetable oil for frying

2 skinless chicken breast fillets (or a package of chicken tenders)

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

2 cups Cap’n Crunch cereal

½ cup panko bread crumbs

½ cup Wondra flour

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon white pepper

Creole Mustard Sauce:

2 tablespoons Grey Poupon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon honey

Mix together and chill in refrigerator.

Cut each chicken fillet, lengthwise, into 5 long slices pounded flat (chicken fingers). Put in a bowl, cover with buttermilk, and marinate overnight. Just before breading, mix in an egg to the marinade. Smash the Cap’n Crunch into crumbs using a food processor, or put the cereal into a plastic bag and start pounding. Combine the cereal, crumbs, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Remove chicken from milk and completely coat it with the dry mixture. Discard leftover milk. When the oil is hot, fry the chicken for 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Remove to paper towels or a rack to drain. Serve hot with chilled Creole mustard sauce on the side for dipping. 

Source: Favorite Family Recipes

Rumbi Rice

We had a very fast spring break last week -- it seemed like I blinked and it was over, and now we are having re-entry. It's so much harder to get into life after a break -- it makes me wonder if it's worth it...but the free time is so wonderful.

I have a backlog of recipes to share with you here. This one was a big hit, which is rather odd since it is veggie-packed. I saw the recipe at a new-to-me favorite website "Favorite Family Recipes." It's called Rumbi Rice and is apparently a popular dish at a popular restaurant in Utah. I've never been to Utah, and thus not the restaurant, but it just looked like a yummy dish with a funny name. 

I made it exactly as directed, using my rice cooker for the rice (good rice), except when it came to the Hawaiian sauce (Mr. Yoshida's). This sauce is an unknown in my neck of the woods, so I used Kikkoman which was super duper salty. I used the Hawaiian sauce sparingly, but the kids and my husband did not, and they had a hard time finishing their meals. I would highly recommend making a homemade teriyaki if you are not able to get a low-salt version, or using the sauce very sparingly. Oh...and I left out the celery (reluctantly) because of my celery haters.

And, by the way, I think it would be just as good without the chicken. My family disagrees.

This served my five with leftovers.

Rumbi Rice

1 T. vegetable oil

4 carrots, peeled and grated

3 celery stalks, washed and sliced

1 zucchini, chopped into small cubes

1 1/2 c. chopped broccoli florets

2 c. chicken, grilled and cut into small cubes

*Rumbi Rice (see recipe below)

**Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce (see recipe below)

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, zucchini, and broccoli (pretty much equal parts of said vegetables.. you can add more or less veggies depending on your taste). Saute ONLY until vegetables are crisp tender. About 1-2 minutes tops.

Serve over Rumbi rice and top with chicken. Serve with Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce on the side (about 3 Tbsp. per bowl.. you can add more or less depending on your taste).

*Hawaiian Coconut Rice with Red Beans (aka Rumbi Rice)
2 c. long grain white rice
2 1/2 c. water
1 (14oz) can coconut milk (about 1 1/2 c.)
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 can red beans, drained and rinsed

Combine all ingredients in a rice cooker. Gently stir it all together so the beans are all mixed. Place the lid on and start the rice cooker. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.
If you don’t have a rice cooker… Combine water, coconut milk, and sugar in a saucepan. Stir in rice and beans. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender. 

**Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce:
3/4 c. Mr. Yoshida’s teriyaki sauce
1 t. soy sauce
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce (Sriracha)
1 tsp. fresh ginger
pinch of salt
pinch of brown sugar
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. cold water

Combine Yoshida’s, soy sauce, garlic sauce, ginger, salt, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Combine cornstarch and water and SLOWLY add to sauce for thickening. You want it to be slightly thicker than the Yoshida’s sauce. Allow to simmer for about a minute. Cool to room temperature and serve with your rice bowls.

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Jamie's Chicken Chow Mein

I have a recipe for Chicken Chow Mein in my cookbook, and it's a good recipe, but after trying Jamie Oliver's version for dinner the week, I'm afraid I'll never make my old recipe again. This recipe was the epitome of what I am looking for in meals this year. It was easy. It was delicious. But best, it was made with simple and whole ingredients, getting most of the flavor from fresh vegetables, herbs, and citrus, with no jarred sauces (except soy). The flavors, unlike most in Chinese/American were bright and fresh and definitely a little spicy. I used the recipe as written on Jamie's website and modified just a little (subbed red pepper flakes for a whole red Chili unavailable at my grocer). I also doubled it for four of us with just a little bit leftover. You could get two adult and three or four child servings from the recipe below. I think in the future I will sub some fresh veggie (like snap peas) for the water chestnuts, but mostly because my kids are not big fans of water chestnuts. I did not use the mushrooms because we have mushroom haters.

Just so you know you can cook Chinese without special equipment, I cooked mine in a large nonstick skillet.

Jamie's Chicken Chow Mein
 serves 4-5

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a thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 to 1 t. red pepper flakes

2  large skinless chicken breast fillet (I used four med/small and we had a lot of chicken)

  salt and freshly ground black pepper

5 scallions

  a small bunch of fresh cilantro

1 to 2 heads bok choy, depending on how much you like it

Optional: 4 shiitake mushrooms

10 oz. chow mein noodles

  peanut or vegetable oil

1 T. cornstarch

8-ounce can of water chestnuts (or 1 cup of another quick-cooking veggie, like snow or snap peas)

4-5 tablespoons soy sauce

 1 small lime

To prepare your stir-fry
Put a large pan of water on to boil. Peel and finely slice the ginger and garlic. Place your red pepper flakes with the ginger and garlic. Slice the chicken into finger-sized strips and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cut the ends of your scallions and finely slice. Halve the bok choy lengthwise and cut crosswise into large strips. If using the mushrooms, either tear into pieces or leave whole.

To cook your stir-fry
Preheat a wok or a large frying pan on a high heat and once it’s very, very hot, add a good lug of peanut oil and swirl it around. Stir in the chicken strips and cook for a couple of minutes, until the chicken browns slightly. Add the ginger, chile, cilantro stalks, mushrooms (if using) and half the scallions. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, keeping everything moving around the wok quickly. Add your noodles and bok choy to the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, no longer. Meanwhile add the cornstarch, water chestnuts, and their water to the wok and give it another good shake to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. Remove from heat and stir in soy sauce (start with half and taste to see if you need more). Halve the lime, squeeze the juice of one half into the pan and mix well. Drain the noodles and bok choy in a colander over a bowl, reserving a little of the cooking water. Stir in the noodles and bok choy, with a little of the cooking water to loosen, if necessary, and mix well. Have a taste and season with more soy sauce if needed.

To serve your stir-fry
Use tongs to divide everything between two bowls or plates, or lift onto one large serving platter. Spoon any juices over the top and sprinkle with the rest of the scallions and the cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges.

Yum.

Grilled Chicken with Caprese Salsa

This was a fabulous, simple dish. I should make it a Summer Supper, but I hesitate to relegate it to "summer only." If you grill at all during the other three months, this dish would be wonderful to have all year long. Cherry, or grape, tomatoes are available at the grocer all year, so why not? All of my children enjoyed it and it was super simple to make. I found the recipe here, but only (roughly) used the salsa recipe. I marinated the chicken in balsamic and olive oil, with a little salt and pepper -- just for a short while.

Grilled Chicken with Caprese Salsa

serves 6

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6 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (if you have large chicken breasts, slice them in half lengthwise for two better proportioned pieces)

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar (regular can be used but it will color the chicken dark)

1/4 cup light tasting olive oil

salt and pepper

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes (or quartered if using large grape tomatoes) 

2 cups fresh mozzarella cubes (I used one large ball and diced it in 1/2 inch cubes) 

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves 

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar (I used regular for the salsa because I think it has a richer flavor) 

1-2 garlic cloves, minced (to taste -- I like less)

1 t. kosher salt 

1/2 t. pepper

Mix together the first measures of vinegar and oil. Place chicken in a glass or ceramic dish (or disposable zipper bag) and pour mixture over chicken. Salt and pepper each side. Let sit for 30 minutes or so to marinate.

When ready to grill, preheat grill.

Meanwhile, mix together all salsa ingredients. Let sit at room temperature for a short while (if you make ahead, chill until 30 minutes before serving). 

Grill chicken until done throughout and remove from grill. Serve hot chicken with salsa on top.

Serving suggestions: Roasted corn, sliced watermelon or bing cherries

Penne Franco

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This dish may not look like much, but, oh my, is it flavor-packed! I first enjoyed this pasta dish at Carrabba's on the evening my second son, Joshua, graduated from high school, in May. After one bite I knew I would have to recreate it at home, and as it turns out, it was a breeze to make and tasted just like the original. Doug enjoyed it too, even though he usually doesn't enjoy pasta dishes without sauce (he's a saucy guy!), and though only the two youngest kids were home, they both enjoyed it very much, too (I made them macaroni and cheese and a piece of grilled chicken but neither could resist the smell of this dish).

When I first ate this dish I had it without the chicken, but I did enjoy it with the chicken at home, so I'll make it that way again. This is definitely a meal you could make in under 30 minutes, so keep the ingredients on-hand and try it soon!

Penne Franco

serves 4-6

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7 cloves garlic, sliced

7 T. extra-virgin olive oil
four sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated and sliced in thin slices (or use oil-packed)
8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 can artichoke heart quarters, drained
15-20 kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped (according to taste)
3-4 chicken breasts (use the greater amount if you have big meat-eaters)

1 lb. Penne pasta (I used Roman Rigatoni because I forgot to buy penne, but the original recipe included penne)

Salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, shredded

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt and add pasta, stir and cook until al dente. Keep warm.

Salt and pepper chicken breasts and grill until done. Let sit for a few minutes and then slice crosswise in thin slices. Keep warm.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook mushrooms in a small amount of olive oil until tender (about five minutes). Drain. 

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and saute garlic for about a minute.  Add sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes. Cook until heated through. Add mushrooms, chicken and cooked penne pasta and stir. Make certain all ingredients are hot. Season with salt and pepper. 

Place in serving dish and top with shredded cheese to taste.

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Summer Supper #5

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This salad used to be a favorite of mine in the days when we used to eat out. By the time my husband and I had our third child we could no longer eat out cheaply and so it's been a long time since we ate out regularly. But I remember this salad fondly and my homemade version lived up to the memory.

It's a simple salad -- very few ingredients, but topped with a yummy piece of grilled chicken and some crunchy pumpkin seed kernels, it's filling and satisfying. I modified my Cilantro Ranch Dressing because I can never remember to buy tomatillos, but its still good and I think with all that cilantro the tomatillos get a little lost anyway.

Grilled Chicken, Romaine and Pepito Salad
serves 4 dinner servings

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2 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped and washed and dried
several slices red onion, quartered
3 Roma tomatoes diced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Mexican Marinade (below)
1/2 c. pepitas (pumpkin seed kernels), roasted and salted (buy them roasted and salted)
Cilantro Ranch dressing (below)



Place four chicken pieces in a bowl with marinade. Marinade for several hours.

In a large bowl, toss lettuce, onion and tomato.
Chill until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, preheat grill and grill chicken until cooked through.
Allow chicken to sit for five minutes and then slice across the grain thinly.


Top salad with chicken breast and sprinkle with pepitas. Drizzle with salad dressing and serve.



Marinade

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper



Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 pkg. Ranch Buttermilk Dressing mix
1/2 c. mayonnaise (you could use sour cream also)
1/2 c. sour cream
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
heavy dash cayenne pepper


In a food processor, place dressing mix, sour cream, mayo and buttermilk. Add cilantro and process under cilantro is finely chopped. Add cayenne if desired. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

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Summer Supper #4

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The grill is getting quite a workout so far this summer, and with delicious results. Note to self: get a propane back-up -- nothing worse than running out of gas halfway through the cookout.

This recipe was a huge hit again with the menfolk. I enjoyed it, but I'm not really a dark meat eater, so though I ate my share, I ate in moderation (always a good thing!). I think the next time I make it I'll prepare a few boneless breasts, even though I have a feeling they won't soak up the marinade quite as well as the thighs did. The recipe for the chicken came from Christy at The Girl Who Ate Everything. I pretty much followed the recipe exactly except, knowing that the marinade gets discarded after the chicken soaks, I just couldn't "waste" 2 cups of soy sauce -- that's like more than a whole bottle. Besides, I could see my little pile of chicken thighs and I knew that I didn't need all that liquid. As it turned out, exactly half the marinade quantity was enough to completely submerge all the chicken -- any more than that would have been a waste. Thus, I have halved the recipe for posting here. In order to not waste the extra coconut milk (most cans are 14 oz.), substitute it for some of your cooking water for the rice -- it adds some creaminess that you'll enjoy.

For the grilled veggies and pineapple, just cut some veggies (I used red onion, red peppers and zucchini as well as fresh pineapple) into 1 inch pieces, or 1/2 inch slices for the zucchini and wedges for onion, skewer them and grill them right next to the chicken. It helps to spray the skewers with olive oil to keep them from sticking.

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

serves 6 to 8

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3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 cup water

3/4 cup brown sugar
4 green onions, chopped
2 T. finely chopped white onion
1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
1 t. sesame oil
6 oz. ounces coconut milk

Trim chicken thighs of any visible fat. Mix soy sauce, water, brown sugar, onions, garlic, sesame oil, and coconut milk in a large bowl. Marinade chicken for at least 4 hours or overnight to make sure the flavor gets infused.

Grill chicken at a low heat so that the marinade does not burn for 5-7 minutes per side or until done. (put the veggies on the same time as the meat).

Serve with grilled veggies and pineapple over a platter of coconut rice and garnish with green onions.

Source: modified from The Girl Who Ate Everything 

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Summer Supper #2

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My second summer supper of the season is Chicken Fajitas and Peppercorn. Chicken Fajitas are a favorite in our house, but they always seem to require a lot of work. Like with tacos, I always feel obliged to offer a huge array of toppings, plus a side of rice and refritos, and then, suddenly, it's a big deal. For this meal, I simplified my toppings and sides, and every one was happy with them just the way I served them. I started the meat marinating in the afternoon, but my chicken breasts were frozen, so they thawed in the marinade on the counter. The marinade is really only a few ingredients, so it was not a big deal to get them started. The Peppercorn is a quick and easy side for grilled meat, but was wonderful on top of the meat inside a warm corn (or flour) tortilla. Topped with sour cream, a little jarred salsa and paired with some fresh fruit -- it was a completely satisfying and easy summer supper.

Easy Chicken Fajitas and Peppercorn

serves 4 

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Fajitas:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
2 cloves garlic minced
1-2 t. cumin
2 T. fresh minced cilantro, if desired
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
4  boneless, skinless chicken breasts
corn or flour tortillas
sour cream
your favorite jarred salsa




Mix together olive oil, lime juice and spices. Place chicken breasts in plastic zipper bag and pour marinade over. Seal and let marinade for several hours (in the fridge unless chicken is frozen).

At dinner time, preheat grill. Drain off marinade and discard. Grill chicken until done. Let sit for 5 minutes and then slice thinly crosswise. Keep warm until ready to serve.


Serve on warm corn or flour tortillas with sour cream, peppercorn and salsa, if desired.




Peppercorn


1 T. olive or canola oil
12 oz. bag frozen corn
1 red or orange pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
6 green onions, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 t. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Lime (optional)

Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Heat oil in skillet. Add corn and peppers and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until corn is hot and peppers are tender. Add green onions, garlic and cumin and stir, cooking until corn is cooked through. Salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze a half a lime over corn (if desired) and serve.


Serve this meal with some orange wedges, fresh berries or sliced watermelon for an easy and healthy summer supper.

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Asian Barbecue Chicken Pizza

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By now you probably have realized that I can turn almost anything into a pizza. To me, a circle of dough is just the perfect blank slate for almost any flavors, and what better way to get the food from your plate to your mouth? ;-)

This pizza was inspired by a recipe I saw for Asian Chicken Salad -- the flavors looked yummy, and so did all those fresh veggies, but my husband and teenage sons don't ever consider salad to be dinner. The funny thing is, I can load all those same ingredients on top of a pizza dough and there you have dinner. Silly boys.

Asian Barbecue Chicken Pizza

serves 4 to 6

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2 boneless chicken breasts

2 T. olive oil

2T. soy sauce

1 T. honey

Sauce:

2 t. oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. minced fresh ginger

1/4 c. diced red onion

1/3 c. reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 T. rice vinegar

2 T. ketchup

1/2 t. sesame oil

Salad:

1 bag cabbage slaw mix

1 red pepper, thinly sliced (or combination of red and yellow)

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1 carrot, cut into matchsticks or shredded

1/4 c. seasoned rice vinegar

1 T. sesame oil

1 T. honey

salt and pepper to taste

1 recipe pizza dough (or prepared pizza crust)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix 2 T. soy sauce, olive oil and honey. Pour over chicken breasts and marinate for an hour or more in the refrigerator.

Prepare sauce: In a small saucepan, heat oil. Add garlic, ginger and onion and saute over medium low for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Simmer over medium low heat until thickened, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool slightly.

When ready to prepare pizza, heat outdoor grill or grill pan. Cook chicken over medium low heat until done. Set aside to cool a minute.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Prep pizza dough: grease large pizza pan. Spread dough to edges of pan (see technique here).

 Slice chicken into bite size pieces. 

Spread sauce over dough and then top with chicken pieces.

Top evenly with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is golden and crust is evenly browned on the bottom.

Meanwhile, place cabbage, radishes, carrots and peppers in bowl. Mix together vinegar, sesame oil, and honey in a container with a lid. Shake thoroughly and pour over salad. Salt and pepper and toss. Taste and adjust seasoning and sweetness if necessary. Toss occasionally while pizza bakes.

When pizza is done, remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes. Slice and serve, topped with salad.

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Rosemary Balsamic Chicken

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I apologize for my picture -- the ravioli is in focus, but the chicken, not so much.

Last week, on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, my family celebrated the day with a lovely dinner of Rosemary Chicken -- rosemary for Our Blessed Mother. There is a legend about the rosemary plant -- "The rosemary bush gave shelter to the Holy Family during the flight into Egypt. It is told that Mary hung the linens of the Holy Child on the rosemary bush to dry, and afterwards it became aromatic and evergreen, with little blue flowers springing up from its branches" (The Mary Page).

I love the flavor of rosemary and chicken, and the balsamic vinegar mingled with the flavors wonderfully. I used a recipe from Rachel Ray that was simple and quick (as she always promises). I don't use a lot of Rachel Ray recipes, but I should try them more often because they usually pan out pretty well. I used her entire menu shown with this recipe, though I altered the Spinach salad a little. 

Rosemary Chicken with Balsamic Browned Butter Ravioli and Spinach Salad

serves 5-6

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4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast, 6 to 8 ounces each
2 T. balsamic vinegar, just enough to coat chicken lightly
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

3 stems rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped, about 2 tablespoons

Salt and coarse black pepper

4 cloves garlic, cracked away from skin with a whack against the flat of your knife

1 package, 12 to 16 ounces, fresh ravioli, any flavor filling (I used 1# frozen)

3 T. butter, cut into small pieces

2 T. balsamic vinegar

2 handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, a couple of handfuls(I omitted)

3 slices bacon, chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

2 t. sugar

2 T. balsamic vinegar, eyeball it

1 bunch, about 10 ounces flat-leaf spinach, rinsed and spun dry

1/2 cup cleaned and thinly sliced mushrooms 

Salt and pepper

 Chicken:

Coat chicken in balsamic vinegar, then olive oil. Season chicken with rosemary, salt and pepper and let stand 10 minutes. 

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken breasts and cracked garlic to the pan. Cook chicken 12 minutes, or until juices run clear, turning occasionally. The balsamic vinegar will produce a deep brown, sweet finish on the chicken as it cooks.

Remove chicken from the first skillet and transfer to a warm platter until all the dishes are done. Slice chicken crosswise and serve along side ravioli and spinach salad, all on the same dinner plate.

Ravioli:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for ravioli. Salt water and drop ravioli in water. 

Cook 8 minutes or until raviolis expand, float to top of water, and are al dente. 

When the chicken is 2 or 3 minutes away from done, heat a second skillet over medium low to medium heat. To the second skillet, add butter to the pan and let it begin to brown (watch it closely or in a second it will go from browned to burned). When the butter for the ravioli has browned, add cooked ravioli to the pan and turn in butter to heat through. Add balsamic vinegar to the ravioli and cook a minute or 2 longer to reduce the vinegar and glaze the ravioli. Add cheese, parsley, salt and pepper to the pasta and remove the pan from the heat.

  Salad:

While chicken is cooking, in a skillet over medium high heat, cook the bacon. Brown the bacon bits, about 4-5 minutes. Reducing heat to medium. Remove bacon and add onions to the pan and let the onions saute 2 minutes. Add sugar and cook sugar with onions 1 minute. Add vinegar to the pan, scraping up pan drippings. Add dressing to the spinach in a large bowl and turn to wilt and coat it evenly. Add bacon and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Source: Modified from the Food Network

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Chicken Gryo Pizza

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One favorite dish in our house is Annie's Eats' Chicken Gyros. I was having company over for dinner and wanted the yummy flavors of the Gyros, but they are not an easy meal to serve to a crowd -- getting the pitas hot and keeping them hot for a lot of people in a chaotic kitchen is not easy. I decided to combine the yummy flavors of the Gyro with the ease of serving and eating a pizza and the result was really yummy. The kids especially enjoyed it and said they liked it better than the Gyros.

Chicken Gyro Pizza

serves 4

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2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Marinade:
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 T. lemon juice
1 t. red or white wine vinegar
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 heaping T. plain yogurt

1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. salt

Flavored oil:

2 T. olive oil

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 t. oregano

1/2 t. basil

1/4 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

one recipe pizza dough (mine is found here)

3 cups mozarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup Feta cheese

 very thin wedges of tomato

very thin wedges of red onion

Tzatziki sauce:
8 oz. Greek yogurt
1/2 cup peeled, seeded and shredded English cucumber
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
squeeze of fresh lemon juice

drizzle extra virgin olive oil

Cut chicken into bite size pieces and place in a plastic bag or glass bowl. Whisk together marinade ingredients and toss with chicken. Refrigerate for several hours.

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Drain chicken. Spray a large baking sheet with oil and place chicken pieces in a single layer on pan. Place in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is done. You can let them get some color, if desired, but don't let them dry out. (The chicken will mostly be hidden under the cheese, however, so color isn’t necessary.)

Place oil and garlic for flavored oil in a glass measuring cup and microwave for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add spices and stir.

Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees F. 

Grease a large pizza pan and spread dough to edges (if you need to see technique go here).

Arrange chicken pieces on top of pizza dough, breaking pieces up if necessary to make sure pieces are all fairly small. Drizzle with flavored oil. Cover with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is browned lightly and crust is golden (lift with a spatula to check). If cheese browns before crust, move pizza to lower rack. If crust browns before cheese, raise to higher rack.

Cool for a few minutes, then cut into wedges. Top each wedge with tomatoes, onions and Tzatzki sauce, as desired. 

Serving suggestion: serve with a Greek Salad

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Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives

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Last week I made the best crock pot chicken I have ever made. I often don't like crock pot chicken because it has a tendency to get so mushy that it's almost dry. The juices just cook right out of the meat and into the sauce and you end up with loads of sauce and dry meat. Know what I mean?

This chicken was not like that at all. Possibly it was the shorter cooking time on high, instead of a longer cooking time on low. Whatever it was I wouldn't change a thing. The recipe came from Cooking Light and I followed it pretty much to the T. There were five of us for dinner (four adults) and there were a few thighs leftover, so if you have a smaller crowd, definitely cut back on the meat quantity. I think you could leave everything else the same.

If you are tempted to leave out the olives, I would advise that you make it one time with. They add amazing flavor.

Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives

serves 6

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12  chicken thighs (about 4 pounds), skinned

1 t.  kosher salt, divided

1/4  t.  freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 T. olive oil

1 1/2 T. minced garlic

1/4  cup  dry white wine

3 T.  tomato paste

2  t. crushed red pepper

1  (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1/4  cup  sliced pitted kalamata olives (I just smashed and roughly chopped them)

2 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. 

Place chicken in an electric slow cooker. Add garlic to pan, and sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 30 seconds. Place wine mixture in cooker. Add tomato paste, crushed red pepper, and tomatoes to cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, olives, and parsley.

Suggested sides: mashed potatoes and sauteed sugar snap peas

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Crispy Baked Teriyaki Chicken

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When I saw this recipe for baked chicken at Annie's Eats, I put it on my list of recipes to try. I knew my kids would love it. I wasn't certain about my husband, however. Sometimes he balks at chicken -- he's just a beef kind of guy. But I'm trying to keep him alive a little bit longer, so I force-feed him boneless, skinless chicken breast quite often. He loved this recipe. I had him at the dipping sauce. He poured it on his white rice and even dipped his spicy broccoli in it. I did not follow the recipe exactly, but we liked it anyway. I did not want to purchase the Japanese alcohol -- just another thing to store away -- so I used what I had on hand and it was wonderful. I wouldn't change a thing. I have posted it the way I made it and I think it's more user-friendly for the average home cook. I upped the quantity on the sauce because I knew the kids would use it for more than dipping. And they did. I also upped the quantity on the chicken for our larger family. Posted as I made it.

Annie's picture is much better than mine, and I did not get the sauce in the pic, so pop over there to see how pretty it actually is.

Crispy Baked Teriyaki Chicken
serves 6-8

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For the sauce:
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. orange juice
6 T. sherry
6 T. sugar

For the chicken:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 t. garlic powder
2 t. salt
½ t. pepper
2 large eggs
3 cups panko breadcrumbs
4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Nonstick cooking spray

To make the sauce, combine the soy sauce, orange juice, sugar and sherry in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 6 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 475˚ F. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a second bowl, lightly beat the eggs together with a few tablespoons of water. Place the panko in a third shallow bowl or pie plate. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

Cut the chicken breasts into halves so that you have twice as many thin pieces. Lightly season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Using tongs and working with one piece of chicken at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture to coat both sides. Shake lightly to remove any excess. Then dip into the eggs and shake gently to remove any excess. Finally place in the panko, turning to coat well. Transfer to the prepared wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Once all the chicken pieces are in place, spray lightly with cooking spray (this kitchen tool comes in very handy).

Bake for 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the bread crumbs are golden. Let rest a few minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with the teriyaki dipping sauce.

Serving suggestion: steamed white rice and Broccoli Arrabiata

Source: modified from Annie's Eats

Tostada Pizza

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If you have followed this blog for long you probably have noticed that we eat a lot of pizza. The funny thing is, I really don't like pizza that much. At least not the "plain" kind with sauce and cheese and maybe some pepperoni. I'll eat it, but it's not my fave.

Now, take the same dough and spread some pesto, or spicy barbecue sauce or even a layer of tasty black beans, add some grilled chicken or fresh tomatoes or, how 'bout some lettuce? Then we're talking. That's not really pizza to me, it's just a meal on a flat bread. That I love.

This last weekend we had Tostada Pizza. I've made it a few times and I think I'm finally ready to share. I mixed it up a little on Saturday and made it on the grill instead of heating up the house, but I'm writing the recipe as if I made it in the oven, because the other times I made it, I baked it in the oven. (If you'd like to learn how to make pizza on the grill, be sure to let me know.) I have also made this pizza without the chicken for a meatless Friday. It was just as yummy, but my guys, they like meat, so I usually add chicken.

I originally enjoyed this pizza at CPK, but it's such an easy dish to make at home -- there's no reason to pay high restaurant prices. You can also find a similar recipe in the CPK Pizza cookbook, but like many of their recipes, it's kind of long and involved and uses many ingredients that I feel are unnecessary to the finished product. Just keep it simple. I happened to have some black beans in my freezer left over from this dish, but if I hadn't, I would make my own with canned beans. I'm posting the recipe below.

In the pizza pictured above, I forgot to use the tortilla strips. They would normally go on top of the lettuce before you drizzle the Ranch dressing. They are a yummy addition, so don't forget them. While you could certainly fry your own, I don't find it's worth the time and mess involved and I use these.

Before topping with salad ingredients.

Tostada Pizza
serves 6

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recipe for pizza dough (below)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
juice of one lime
1/2 t. Worchestershire sauce
1 1/2 t. Soy sauce
1 t. honey
pinch cumin
pinch cayenne pepper
2 T. olive oil
recipe for black beans (below) or your favorite recipe -- you'll need about 2 cups (more or less to taste)
2 cups cheese (I use 1 cup Monterey Jack and Cheddar blended and 1 cup Mozzarella)
4 cups shredded Romain lettuce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced red onion or scallions
1/3 cup creamy Ranch dressing (I use this)
1 cup fried tortilla strips (I use these)
salsa for serving (optional)

Combine lime juice with Worcestershire, soy sauce, honey, cumin, cayenne and olive oil. Pour over chicken breasts in a shallow dish and allow to marinate at room temp for about 30 minutes. Preheat grill, then grill chicken until done (you could broil it as well). Remove chicken from grill and allow to cool slightly. Cut each piece into 3/4-inch dice.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a large round pizza pan or a large jelly roll pan. Press pizza dough on pan to edges. (My technique can be seen here. If dough doesn't give easily when you first begin, let it rest for five minutes and try again. If you try to force it, you'll just end up ripping it.) Spread beans from edge to edge, using as much of the bean mixture as you like (I like a lot). Top with chicken pieces and then cheese. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bottom of crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Cut into squares or pie-shaped pieces. Then, top with lettuce, tomatoes, onion and tortilla strips. Drizzle with Ranch dressing. Serve with salsa, if desired.



Quick Black Beans

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1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies, drained (I use original flavor and save a little of the liquid for cooking)
1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and garlic and heat until garlic is warm and fragrant. Add beans and Rotel tomatoes, and a little of the tomato liquid or water. Simmer for about ten minutes, adding more liquid if necessary to keep beans from drying out. Add cumin, oregano and salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes until beans are rather soft.


Pizza Dough

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1 cup warm water
1 T. olive oil
1 T. sugar
1 1/4-ounce packet yeast (or 2 t.)
2 ½ cups flour
1 t. salt


Place water in a bowl and add sugar. Sprinkle yeast over the surface and allow to sit for 10 minutes (until it foams). Add the oil, 2 cups of flour and salt, and mix until smooth. Knead with dough hook for 3-5 minutes (or 7 minutes by hand) adding flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking. Place in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 30 minutes to an hour, until doubled.


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