Winner, Winner, Tuscan Garlic Chicken Dinner

I came across this recipe several days ago while blog-hopping. Any recipe with the words “Tuscan” and “garlic” will immediately grab my attention. In reading through the ingredient list and preparation steps, there were a couple of ingredients I didn’t have, and one I knew I couldn’t use if I wanted Greg to eat it, so there was a little tweaking going on as supper was prepared a few days ago.

I knew he’d never eat cooked spinach – I’ve asked a few times when wanting to make something like this. So that part was out. Instead, I steamed some frozen asparagus as a side dish.

I also wasn’t about to give the appendage required to purchase a red bell pepper at the grocery store last week, so that got left out. When pepper prices come down, or I have my own from the garden, I’ll make this again, because the red pepper would have been really good here.

Here is the original recipe, with my changes in blue.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

(www.thefarmgirlrecipes.blogspot.com)

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 T. salt

1 t. pepper

1/2 t. dried basil (I used Italian seasoning)

1/2 t. dried oregano

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

5 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 T. finely minced garlic, 4-5 cloves

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips or chopped (left out)

1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth

6 oz. fresh spinach (omitted)

1/2 c. heavy cream

2 t. cornstarch

1 c. milk

1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 pound fettuccine (or whatever pasta you have on hand) (whole grain angel hair)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a shallow pie plate, combine the flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Dip each chicken piece in the flour mixture until both sides are well coated.  (note: if your chicken is quite thick, butterfly them so they are thinner)

2.  In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until the oil is hot and shimmering. Carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan, cooking them for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are golden and browned but not cooked all the way through, they will finish up cooking in the oven. (note: don’t move the chicken around once you lay it in the hot oil! Let the oil work it’s magic to sear the crust on the chicken. If you get all antsy and try flipping too early and/or moving the chicken around the pan, the breading will likely fall off) Gently remove the chicken to a foil-lined, lightly greased baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside and tent with foil until ready to use.

3.  While the chicken is cooking, heat a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles, cooking until al dente. Also, wipe out the skillet with a couple paper towels and return it to medium heat, adding the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper, sauteing for 2-3 minutes.

4.  Stir in one tablespoon flour and stir constantly while cooking for another minute. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and bring the mixture to a low simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. In a small liquid measure, whisk together the cornstarch and cream, and milk. Add the spinach, milk and cream mixture to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

5.  When the pasta has finished cooking, drain and return it to the pot. Toss the pasta with half of the cheese sauce. Place some of the coated pasta on each plate. Top with a breaded chicken breast and spoon some of the sauce over the top of the chicken and pasta. Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

This was really, really good. The chicken is tender and flavorful, the sauce is garlicky and smooth. I use angel hair pasta for dishes like this – I like the delicate texture.

Veggie Nuggets

I know I mentioned in a previous post that I was going to try to sneak some veggies into Nick’s diet, and these would be a great way to do that, if I could convince him to eat them. I’m afraid they’re a bit too obviously veggie.

Oh, but they are delicious! You can find the actual recipe here.

I used some fresh broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, and a little onion for the veggies. I had homemade bread crumbs made from toasted garlic bread, but not enough quantity, so ran some Panko through the food processor to make up the difference.

First I ran the veggies through the food processor, then sautéed them in batches for just a few minutes in a tiny bit of olive oil.

 

After sautéing, they went into a bowl to cool momentarily before adding the crumbs, eggs, and shredded cheddar cheese. There was a good quantity of vegetables, and after two eggs the mixture was still a little bit dry, so I added a third before shaping them into large-ish nuggets. I got an entire sheet cake pan full of them. You can make them smaller if you like.

After baking, Brad had one for lunch. He liked it, but once Jess gave him some Ranch to dip it in, he devoured it!

There are so many variations to try – zucchini and yellow squash, shredded carrots and peas, green peppers/onion/mushroom. You can vary the cheese, too, for a different spin.

These were bagged up after cooling completely and put in the freezer. They warm easily in the microwave or toaster oven. They’re really handy to have in the freezer for a quick lunch side dish or a snack for the little man. Or his mama.

She’s eaten as many as he has.

Are We Blue? Oh, Yeah!

A few years ago Greg had to go to Newton, Iowa for several days for work. During his time there he visited the Maytag Dairy Farms store and was able to sample several kinds of cheese. He brought home a few samples for us, not the least of which was the blue cheese.

Maytag Blue Cheese is made from homogenized cow’s milk as opposed to the usual sheep’s milk. You can read about the process here. It is sharp and pungent, and so flavorful.

Along with the cheese sample, Greg also brought home a handout from the store with recipes for using their product. I glanced at them, then tucked the handout into my recipe binder and left it for “someday”. In the meantime, we used the blue cheese to top grilled steaks, to sprinkle into salads, and sliced with a drizzle of honey to go with our wine. And it was good – really good. Then on Food Network there was a chef using wedges of iceberg lettuce with blue cheese dressing as their salad course and I thought that looked pretty tasty.

About that same time I went through the recipe binders and came across the old handout. I happened to have a small wedge of Maytag Blue Cheese in the frig, so on Saturday I picked up a head of lettuce, then that afternoon, handed the paper to Greg and told him to choose which of the three recipes for blue cheese dressing he wanted me to make. I think he must’ve chosen the best one because it is thick and rich and tastes just like what you get at Chances R and PK’s. YUM!

Here you go, straight from Maytag Dairy Farms:

“Maytag Blue Cheese Dressing”

Place in mixing bowl:

1 C sour cream (I actually used part light sour cream and part homemade yogurt)

½ tsp. dry mustard

½ tsp. black pepper (fresh ground would be best)

scant 1/3 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Blend two minutes at low speed (I used a hand mixer). Add 1 1/3 C mayonnaise (NOT SALAD DRESSING); blend 30 seconds at low speed to mix, then blend two minutes at medium speed. Crumble 8 ounces Maytag Blue Cheese; add half to blended mixture; blend well at low speed. Add rest of crumbles, stir in by hand. Refrigerate 24 hours before using. Yield: 3 Cups

Since my wedge of cheese was only 4 ounces, I halved this recipe. We went ahead and ate some of this about an hour and a half after I made it, and it was good. We ate some tonight, 24 hours later, and it was amazing! It had thickened up noticeably and the flavor was much stronger.

Okay, now that I showed you how delicious it looks, and given you the recipe, I’ll give you the bad news. Maytag Blue Cheese is expen$ive and it’s not easy to find. Every now and then our local WalMart has the foil wrapped wedges. Usually we pick it up when we’re at a HyVee in either Lincoln or Grand Island. It is not something I usually have in the frig, rather a splurge for every once in awhile. I was looking forward to grilling steaks in the near future, so that’s why I had picked up a 4 oz. wedge a couple of weeks ago.

We’re having a big family spaghetti dinner next weekend with all of my siblings and most of our kids. I plan to offer a big bowl of salad to go along with the pasta, and with the salad, we’ll be having homemade blue cheese dressing. Yeah, we’ll use Maytag, this one time. Cuz I love ‘em and want to share the deliciousness.

Now to find a homemade Ranch recipe we love…

On living dangerously while eating...

I learned to cook from my mom when I was quite young. Good, basic, midwestern comfort food. Things like goulash, tuna casserole, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, fried chicken.

Thirty-some years later, my cooking is very different than when growing up. It is still with many fresh ingredients, albeit things my mom never had access to. The fresh herbs, new fruits and vegetables, leaner pork, and fresh fish from around the world lend themselves to much different menu choices. I make my own pesto, and keep avocadoes on hand for fresh guacamole. I make my own spice mixes, have three kinds of salt in my cupboard, and a bottle of olive oil always at the ready.

The impetus for this reflection of my culinary history and current practices was what I made for supper tonight. We had fish tacos. Yes, fish tacos. I know to some of you reading this, that is no big deal. But we live in the beef-producing capital of the U.S., and my efforts to cut back a bit on our red meat consumption could be considered anti-American. Nevertheless, I took a chance. I seasoned and cooked the fish, mixed up some lime/cilantro crema and fresh guacamole, and heated up some taco shells and tortillas. Then I called Greg to come fix his plate.
He asked me what we were having, and I told him. "Fish tacos?!", he asked. "How long have we been married? Have I EVER ordered FISH tacos?" I laughed and gave him a hug - "Live dangerously", I replied. (And we've been married just shy of 26 years, and no, he's never ordered fish tacos.)

So, he made himself one of each, a soft taco and a hardshell. He added salsa and the other condiments I had prepared. Then he feasted. Yes, feasted! The fish tacos were a success! He's taking the leftovers for his lunch tomorrow, and I've been given the go-ahead to make these again.

I have to say, I loved them. And the lime/cilantro crema will be a staple whenever we have Mexican food from now on.

So I challenge you to "live dangerously" and try something new in your menu - something you never thought about eating before. You just may end up feasting!

Meanwhile, I have a huge mess to go clean up in the kitchen - that part has never changed. :o)