Chicken Parmesan

This is one of my favorite weeknight meals.  It is simple and delicious.  Skipping the breading process makes it easy and lower in carbs (which is good for me because I have a feeling I am borderline diabetic).  You can make it with chicken breasts as Giada De Laurentiis does but I prefer boneless chicken thighs.

{Sorry, I know I discriminate against chicken breasts in this blog.  It's not the chicken breast, it's me.  Chicken breast is good but it's just not my thing.... I am weird in that I'd eat the gizzard, the liver and the chicken heart before the chicken breast.}

Anyhow, when a recipe calls for breasts I substitute boneless thighs.  I pound it thin, to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick so it cooks even and quicker.  That's what I did in this recipe.  Also I never liked chicken parmesan because of the breading involved but this recipe changed that.  I happen to dislike breading, except on a very very few dishes.

The chicken in this dish always comes out moist and very flavorful.  Definitely make the marinara sauce / tomato sauce from scratch if you are not in a rush, but store bought comes out good nonetheless.

Serve with garlic bread, pasta or salad to complete the meal.

Chicken Parmesan

6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, pound into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher Salt 

Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups store bought marinara sauce ( I like Trader Joes or Giada's from Target)
6 tablespoons shredded mozzarella
6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter cut into 6 pieces

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Mix the oil and herbs then brush it into each side of the chicken cutlets.  Season chicken with salt and pepper.  

Heat a heavy bottomed oven-proof skillet over high heat and cook the chicken until just brown about 3 minutes on each side.  Turn off heat.

Working very quickly, spoon the marinara sauce over each cutlet and around it.  After that, sprinkle 1 tablespoon mozzarella then 1 tablespoon parmesan in each cutlet.  Top each cutlet with the butter.

Place chicken in the oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes (3-5 minutes if using breasts) until the chicken is cooked through.

The Preschool

We have officially registered Sophia for preschool. 

What a relief!  I have been stressed out for days thinking and trying to figure out where she should go.  It was tough. 

It's either we can't afford it, it does not work with our schedules, or too far from where we live/work.  We know we needed  to compromise one or another.

We finally settled at The Preschool which our parish church started last year.  It is pricey but we decided to go ahead and bite the bullet.  Sophia has been longing to go there since we went to the open house they had last year.  At the time we decided to put off preschool for one more year because it is expensive and she was only two and a half years old, and too young to be schooled.

   

But she has been telling us, "That's my school!" every time we pass it on our way to church on Sundays.  And she said it with conviction! 

I must admit, I felt my heart ache every time she looks through the school gate and checks out the kids' arts & crafts posted on the walls.  It made me feel sad that we may not be able to afford to send her there.

We had a few other preschool choices but we felt The Preschool is what felt right.  It is close to home.

We know the people there.  The place is familiar to Sophia.  We know the director.  We see some of the kids that goes there at church.  

That it is far from both mine and my husband's job is the only issue we have.

Thankfully The Preschool was considerate of my long commute and will not charge us extra for after school care since we only need a few additional minutes before Sophia can be picked up.  That sealed the deal.  We just cannot afford to pay more on top of the tuition.  The tuition alone is expensive for us.

I'm still afraid on the dollar equivalent of this decision but I feel at peace.  God is good and He will provide.  I prayed for guidance in this decision and I have faith this is what He wills.

So Sophia begins preschool September 4th.  My little preschooler is excited and is looking forward to doing some "projects."

I love our little girl's optimism!

I need to have faith like hers and claim, "that's my ____!"

Meanwhile, hubby and I need to get our acts together and start learning how to manage our finances better.  We are cutting back on food - where we spend most.  We are a family of three and we spend about $800 a month on groceries.   That's too much I think.  That does not include my husband's daily lunch.  He eats out, which adds up and can get expensive.  

Also with our schedule, I would need to cook easier and quick meals during the week.  And this is where I will need Rachael Ray's help :)

This next recipe will definitely be added to the dinner rotation. It's a quick and impressive meal that I can whip up in 30 minutes or so. And although chicken breasts is my arch nemesis, this one is an exemption because it has great flavors and it isn't dry.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

ingredients

2 boneless, butterflied, skin-on chicken breasts

goat cheese, about 4 oz

arugula, about 1-1.5 cups

2 garlic cloves, sliced or chopped

3 sage leaves or other herbs such as rosemary, chopped

lemon

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450°F

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in saute pan.

Add garlic and cook until it starts to smell (before it browns).

Add arugula, salt, pepper, a squirt of lemon and saute quickly about a minute until arugula is slightly wilted.  Set aside and when cool enough chop arugula and garlic.

Make stuffing. 

Mash softened, pliable goat cheese with a spoon.

Add chopped sage, arugula & garlic then mix.

Add lemon zest & a squirt of the juice

Add salt & pepper and mix well.

Taste and check for seasoning

Stuff the chicken.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on the inner side of the chicken then  add a spoonful of the stuffing.  Seal chicken using a twine or bamboo skewers.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on the chicken.

Cook stuffed chicken.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy bottomed skillet (I use a cast iron).

Brown stuffed chicken about 1-2 minutes on each side then transfer in the oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through.  Chicken is cooked when meat thermometer registers 155°F.  Set aside and let meat rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Make gravy (optional)

transfer skillet to stovetop and remove some of the fat if it is too much.

Mix 1 tablespoon flour and 1/2 cup chicken broth (and 1/4 cup apple cider or juice, if available). Pour mixture to pan and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes until thickened.  

Serve sliced chicken with gravy.

Chicken Piccata with Angel Hair Pasta

Last night I came home to a sick baby with a fever of 104°F.  I have learned however not to panic at this high temperature. I mean, I tried not to panic.  Fever phobia comes with parenthood.  Even if the doctor says that it is the body's response to infection I still can't help but worry.  Also it does not help that fevers most often occur at night-- when the doctor's office is closed! Why is that?

So what is a Mom supposed to do with her child?  I gave Little S a warm bath and a dose of ibuprofen to help bring down the temperature.  In old wives tales you should not give a child a bath if she has fever but I find that a warm bath actually helps. It does not work for myself when I have fever, but I find that it works with Little S.  After an hour Sophia's fever went down by a couple of degrees, 102°F. Still high, but I felt more at ease.  It is important to note that ibuprofens and acetaminophens are called fever reducers and not fever eliminators.  I have to remember that otherwise I worry even more.

As a result there was not much time to make dinner last night.  It was tempting to call for delivery but between the time it takes for JPF and I to decide what/where to order, I thought it'd be quicker and less of a fuss to just make something.  I know a few dishes that I can whip up faster than waiting for the delivery guy to arrive.  One of them is Chicken Piccata, which thankfully I have all the ingredients available in the kitchen.

This dish should be in every home cook's repertoire.  I first learned how to make it when I was pregnant with Little S as I was watching one of my favorite celebrity chefs, Giada De Laurentiis.  Since then it has been on the rotation.  It tastes amazing and yet so simple and easy to make.  It is basically browned chicken cutlets with lemon-butter-caper sauce.  I like to make it with boneless chicken thighs as it is more flavorful and forgiving than the usual chicken breasts.  I only have to pound the thighs thinner for faster and even cooking.  One thing to note though is to add the lemon one teaspoon at a time.  Too much lemon can make the dish too tart and it is difficult to tone it down once it gets to that point.  At times I like to add dry white wine to deglaze the pan but it isn't really necessary.  I wouldn't buy it just for the dish but I admit it is nice to have a glass of wine with this dish.

Ingredients
6 skinless and boneless chicken thighs, pounded
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine (optional)

Directions
Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound lightly into 1/4 inch thickness.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper then dredge chicken in flour shaking off excess.

Heat a large skillet and melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter is browned (but not burned!), add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes each side.  Remove chicken and set aside. Do the same for the rest of the chicken pieces, adding more butter and olive oil if necessary.

If using wine, add and deglaze the pan.  If not, add the stock, 2 tablespoon lemon juice and capers.  Bring to a simmer and scrape the brown bits at the bottom of the pan.  Add back the chicken to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken to platter leaving the liquid in the pan.  Check the sauce for seasoning, adding more lemon by a teaspoon if necessary.  If the sauce is too thin, keep boiling until reduced and thickened.  Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously then add parsley. Turn off heat and pour sauce over chicken, leaving about 2 tablespoon sauce in the pan.

For the pasta, boil a large pot of lightly salted water.  When the water is boiling cook angel hair pasta according to package directions. Drain well and toss in the pan with the remaining piccata sauce.

Serve chicken over the angel hair pasta drizzling some of the sauce over it.

Bon Appétit!

Baked Chicken and Roasted Broccoli

Ah, baked chicken! It is one of the easiest homemade meals to put together.  It varies from one home cook to another, with seasonings ranging from olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon, garlic, rosemary, thyme, cumin etc.  I bake or roast chicken on those nights I'm at my wits' end on what  to cook for dinner, which happens at least about every two weeks (sometimes more often).   Baked or roast chicken can easily get boring unless you vary the seasoning.  But thank God, with baked chicken it's just hard to screw up.  The worse you can do really is to under/over season it with salt.   In this recipe, I added a few other herbs to the basic EVOO, salt and pepper marinade.

For the Chikin:

3 to 4 lbs chicken, cut into 6 parts (2 breasts, 2 thighs and leg quarters, 2 wings) excluding the back

Olive oil

Sea salt (or kosher)

1 teaspoon Organic garlic powder

1 teaspoon organic onion powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground oregano

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Make the adobo seasoning mix by combining the last 6 ingredients in a small bowl.

Rinse the chicken then cut into pieces (2 breasts, 2 thighs and leg quarters, 2 wings), reserving the back for future use. Pat dry with paper towels.

Coat the bottom of a roasting pan with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.

Rub and coat the chicken pieces with olive oil then sprinkle both sides generously with salt and  the seasoning mix.  You can do this to the chicken a day in advance if you like.  But even if you don't it's still going to be good.

Arrange the pieces skin-side up in the roasting pan so the breasts are in the center and the so it isn't crowded.  A crowded pan will trap moist in between the pieces and prevent it from browning.

Cook chicken for 30 minutes at 400°F. Then turn oven dial to broil and cook for about 15 - 20 minutes more until cooked through and browned to your liking.  Chicken is cooked when the breast pieces are 165°F and the thighs are 170°.   

Now for the broccoli.
In a large bowl, toss 1 pound broccoli florets with 2 tablespoons EVOO, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, a pinch of chili pepper, salt and pepper.  Arrange broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast at 400°F for 20 to 30 minutes.  You can do this while the chicken roasts at 400°F.

Serve chicken and broccoli with Spanish Rice.

Other Baked/Roast Chicken ideas:
Spice Rubbed Chicken Thighs
Butterflied Roast Chicken
Zuni Roast Chicken

A Pizza Night and Hot Wings

I have been toying with the idea of a pizza night once a week.  The inspiration comes from Jenny, they do it every Friday with a movie and it seems such a fun idea for a family night. She makes her own homemade pizza dough because the girl is an expert and she shows you in this video how to make the dough from scratch but until I muster enough courage to try it I have Trader Joe's to take care of that.  Pizza is so quick and easy to make, only that in our household there's got to be more than just pizza on the table.  A soup, salad, or chicken wings are perfect additions to the meal, but also a wife should not forget to surprise the Mr. with a cold bottle of beer.

The pizza I made was with a wheat dough.  Using my clean rough hands I kneaded the dough for a little bit and shaped  it to fit my preheated 12-inch round pizza stone.  The toppings tonight were simple - store bought pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, goat cheese, and thin slices of cured Spanish meats (jamon serrano, salami, chorizo).  Cooked on the oven for 12 minutes at 475°F, the pizza came out really good.  A pizza stone does an amazing job- every house should have one.

The chicken wings also came out really good.  The original version was deep fried but husband is being a health nut so I baked it instead.  The sauce was different from the usual buffalo wings but it was different in a good way.  It's the kind that burns your mouth but you can't help but keep eating.  It's that good!

Hot Chicken Wings

2-3 lbs chicken wings

5 cloves garlic, chopped

a piece of 1.5 inch frozen peeled ginger, grated

4 tablespoons low sodium kikkoman soy sauce

2 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoon shiracha hot chili sauce (we like it HOT, adjust to your preference)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

preparation

1. Preheat oven to "broil".  

2. Prepare the sauce. In a food processor combine grated ginger, chopped garlic, soy sauce shiracha, vinegar, sesame oil, and honey; purée. Set sauce aside into a bowl.


3. Dry the chicken wings with paper towel and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange wings on a single layer (without touching each other as much as possible) on the rack of a broiler pan. When the oven is very well heated about 500°F, place the broiler pan with the chicken wings inside the oven. Let it cook for about 30 minutes total turning once half way, longer if you want it a darker brown and crisper.

4. Toss chicken with the sauce.

Chicken Afritada

Afritada is one of my favorite Filipino comfort foods.  There is something about the combination of tomatoes, potatoes and bell pepper mashed in white rice.  I remember when I was a child, pork afritada was a staple in every neighborhood party.  In the country, many people just crash a party uninvited and this is the go-to dish to feed these many "extra" guests.  Rice soaked in pork afritada is distributed and was pretty much enough to satisfy the hungry guests.  

This is the chicken version of the dish.  As much as I love this dish I have never cooked it at home because I was not confident my better half will like it.  This time I had to tell him it is a Spanish dish (well sort of) so he can be more open in trying it.  I believe fish sauce is traditionally used in this dish but I omitted that and used soy sauce and bouillon to add flavor.  I also added a splash of wine, not necessary, but I had some left over white  wine so I though - why not.  The results?  It was delicious and tasted exactly how I remember it.  

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken - (use cut-up whole chicken or assortment of your favorite parts)
2 tablespoon Olive oil
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup white wine
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 14oz can tomato sauce
2 teaspoon chicken bouillon
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1 chicken stock
1 green bell pepper, sliced in strips
1 medium carrot, sliced or cubed if desired
3 big russet potatoes - peeled and quartered

1) Heat 2 tablespoons oil and brown chicken a few pieces at a time. Set aside.
2) Saute onion, carrots, tomatoes and garlic. Add wine and deglaze the pan, scraping the browned bits at the bottom.
3) Add add tomato sauce, broth, bay leaf, black pepper, soy sauce, bouillon. Bring to a boil.
4) Add back chicken into the pan. Boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
5) Add potatoes, and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
6) Add green pepper and cook for 10 minutes.
7) Serve over hot brown rice.

Chicken with Port Wine Sauce

Two things made me happy this week:
1) Finding one of the best quick chicken recipe from Simply Recipes

and

2) Being able to score some sold out, much coveted chevroned Missoni items at Tar-zhay.  Yipee!

FYI, I did not even know what Missoni is until yesterday. Ha!

Having a stash of Port wine is also a plus... drinking it with some chocolate is one way to enjoy the finer things in life.

Now for the recipe...

Chicken with Port Wine Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1.5 pounds boneless chicken thighs
6 whole cloves garlic, peeled and boiled for 5 minutes
2 tablespoons butter
8-10oz cremini mushrooms (cut in half)
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup Port wine
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1 Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Heat butter in a heavy skillet (I used a cast iron skillet) and add chicken pieces. Cook over medium high heat until lightly browned, about 1 minute on each side.

3.  Add mushrooms and cook, turning chicken occasionally, about 2 minutes.

4. Add shallots and the garlic cloves. Add tomatoes, Port wine and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken and tomatoes to a warm platter.

5. Increase heat and cook sauce down about a minute or two. Pour sauce onto chicken.

Serve over quinoa or pasta.

Chicken with Whiskey Mushroom Sauce

Two things:

First, have you ever tried boneless skinless chicken thighs?  They are so good! Full of flavor and just as versatile as the chicken breast. Ok so I was never a big fan of the chicken breast in the first pace.  You see, I love a little fat on my meat which breasts just doesn't offer.  Now having boneless skinless chicken thigh as an alternative I may now for good steer clear of the breast.

Second, I have recently discovered another source of recipes for our dinner, Steamy Kitchen.  I feel like a dork not knowing about Jaden Hair's food blog until now.  Her site has so much recipes (not to forget the beautiful pictures), and she got my head spinning on what to make first.  I have a lot of catching up on her recipes.  This week her recipe for Porterhouse caught my eye.  It looked so good!  The only thing is I'm done with steak for now........well at least for a couple of days. Ha!

Then I thought I could try the whiskey sauce in chicken thighs instead.

It's really simple and all you need are the following cast of characters..

ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

salt and pepper

adobo seasoning (optional)
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces sliced crimini mushrooms
1/2 onion, sliced
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
4 tablespoons whisky

directions:
1. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper (and some adobo seasoning optional).  Grill chicken on high heat, about 5 minutes on each side.  Set aside.

2. While the chicken rests, make the mushroom sauce. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat with the butter. When the butter starts bubbling, add the onions. When the onions starts to soften, add mushrooms. Stir and cook until mushrooms soften and starts to release its juices.

3. Pour in the chicken broth, mustard, whisky and season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat to low and let simmer for 2 minutes or until sauce thickens. 

Pour over chicken and serve.

Lemon, Rosemary and Garlic Chicken

Here is one proof that simple is best.  There are only 5 ingredients : Chicken, Olive Oill, lemon, rosemary and garlic (and the usual salt and pepper of course).  Just sort of throw them all together and then let the oven do the rest of the work.  What you get is a flavorful chicken at the dinner table without sacrificing your precious  facebook time.  I bet you can throw in some potatoes too to soak up all those flavorful juices.  Just make sure it isn't that oily or your arteries will get clogged. 

Preparation

Cut 1 3-4 lbs chicken into 8 pieces. 

Toss chicken with 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 10 cloves of garlic thinly sliced, 1 cup chopped lemon pulp/pith (peel of lemon removed!), salt and pepper in a ceramic bowl.  

Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

Heat oven to 475 degrees. Arrange chicken in a baking dish or pan; add remaining marinade.

Roast one side for 15 minutes then flip.

Roast for 20 minutes then flip again.  Just to sear up the other side again roast for another 10minutes. 

This is what it will look like after its done.

Serve with corn, salad, potatoes or any side dish you wish.  And keep the left overs!  Just between you and me, I realized my lunch today tasted better (I cooked this 3 days ago).

Thank you Saveur for sharing this simple but oh so good chicken recipe. 

Orzo Chicken Soup

This dish is a hybrid between congee and a good ole chicken noodle soup.  This recipe came about because I wanted to have congee but I did not have much time to cook it with rice.  At the same time I have some orzo in the pantry which I thought would substitute well, or at least give the good old chicken soup a new spin. 

What perfect timing this is in these days when colds and coughs are frequent as brought about by the ever confusing weather.  And what's a better cold remedy than chicken soup?  I tell you this soup brings instant relief!  Add the fact that it does not take much effort to make.  

Who would want to make something complicated on days when you are under the weather? 

The dish is simple as long as you have a few pieces of chicken, carrot, celery and onion.  Then use whatever spices you have in your pantry to kick it up a notch.  I love adding turmeric (and sometimes curry powder) to my soups lately.  Give turmeric a try, it gives nice color and good flavor.   Plus it's good for you.  It has healing powers you know.

Orzo Chicken Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb chicken pieces with bones
1.5 quart chicken broth
water
2 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch crosswise
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
½ teaspoons Turmeric
¼ teaspoons black  Pepper
¼ teaspoons Ground Thyme
1 teaspoons Parsley Flakes
1 bay leaf
Chicken base (optional)
16 ounces, weight orzo

Rinse chicken and remove the skins.  Place chicken in colander to remove excess water.
Heat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat.  Add the oil and soon as it starts to smoke, add the chicken legs.  Increase the heat to high and let chicken cook until no loner pink on the outside, about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes making sure the meat does not stick to the pan. There should be very little liquid in it, you are basically cooking the chicken in its own liquid.
Add salt & pepper, and garlic.  Cook for one minute then add onion, celery and carrots.  Cook further until the the vegetables start to 'sweat', about 5 minutes.
Add the broth to the pan, adding water if it is not enough to cover all of the meat.  Add the turmeric, thyme, bay leaf, black pepper and parsley.  Add some chicken base if you want a more intense chicken flavor but it really should not need it.  
Bring it to a boil then lower the heat.  Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken in tender.
Add orzo and boil again until orzo is tender and done.
Serve topped with fresh cilantro or green onions.

Spring Chicken Stew

Last night, because it is spring ....

... because the weather was cooler than the last few days,

... because I have not blogged for more than a month,

... because I have new cute dishes that I was excited to use,

... because it was Mother's day,

... because I had some bokchoy in the fridge that were waiting to be cooked,

... because I love my family and I didn't care that I was cooking on Mother's day instead of just sitting pretty playing with my new Android phone,

I whipped up this delicious Spring Chicken Stew recipe I found on one of my mother-in-law's Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  It was easy to make, which is perfect for a lazy Sunday night.  It was a hearty and a comforting dish.  

This is a photo of  the dish from BHG:

Photo from BHG

and this is my version, taken by my new 8 megapixel LG G2X android phone:

Not a bad picture, it just does not look as appetizing as the the first one :)

Spring CHICKEN STEW

ingredients

1 lemon
2 lbs, chicken, (combination of legs and boneless thigh)
2 tbsp olive oil
8 oz. carrots, cut lengthwise
2 8 oz. can chicken gravy
2 tablespoon dijon-style mustar
3 heads baby bokchoy, quartered
2 red potatoes, quartered (optional)
Fresh Lemon thyme (optional)

directions

1. Finely shred peel from lemon; set peel aside. Juice lemon and set juice aside. Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper.

2. In Dutch oven heat olive oil over medium-high heat; add chicken. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken is browned, turning occasionally.

3. Add carrots, gravy and 1-1/2 cups water to Dutch oven. Stir in mustard. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  

4. Add potatoes and continue to cook until potatoes and chicken are cooked through and tender.

4. Place bok choy on top. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 3 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Add lemon juice to taste.

5. Ladle into bowls. Top with lemon peel and lemon thyme. Makes 4 servings.

adopted from Better Homes and Gardens

Grilled Chicken With Gremolata

Good news or bad news first?

It's been almost two weeks since our little Princess injured her left foot.  Yesterday we took her to a pediatric orthodepist and got a 3rd x-ray done which still did not show any visible injury.  The doctor however concluded it to be a fracture judging from the way the injury is behaving.  There were no suggestions given on how to treat the injury except for us not to worry.  We were told that it will just heal on it's own, and that it will take 3-4 weeks before we see an improvement.  Of course not worrying is easier said than done.  My heart breaks seeing our dear daughter limp when she walks, as if she is literally stepping on my heart with every step. If only Mommy's kisses take all boo-boos away (sigh)... Nevertheless, our little princess remains a happy toddler, smiling and replying "better" when asked about the condition of her foot. What a spunky little one.

Meanwhile I am expecting to receive a $500 bill from Cedars-Sinai ER one of these days and thus the need to cut down again on our budget (huh? what budget?).  As always, chicken and pork come to mind when I think of cheap meals.  Not too long ago I stumbled on this grilled chicken recipe on my husband's stack of GQ magazines.  Last summer I successfully grilled a butterflied whole chicken.  It came out succulent and superb, but I have not grilled a whole chicken since because it is indeed tricky and it takes awhile, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes .  So I experimented and tried it on chicken legs and then to boneless chicken thighs.  On both counts, the chicken turned out almost just as good as the whole chicken version but with the cooking time significantly reduced.  For drumsticks, cooking time was upto 30-40 minutes.  For boneless thighs, cooking time was upto to 20 minutes.  I suppose, for boneless chicken breasts it would be about 15 minutes only.

I believe the secret is in picking a good chicken- fresh, preferrably organic and free range.  The first time I made this, the taste just sent me back to my native land, to my childhood when my Dad used to grill freshly butchered chicken from his poultry.  Fresh, organic and free range really make a big difference.  Additionally the gremolata adds a nice herbaceous punch, similar to what a chimichurri would do to a nice piece of steak.

For a little spin on the recipe, I added adobo seasoning on the chicken.  I have used Spicely 100% Organic and Certified Gluten Free, Adobo Seasoning in the past but when I ran out of it, I made my own concoction based on the list of ingredients on the label (see bottom).  I found the resulting flavor to be very identical, and also more practical.  I try to keep a container of it in my pantry for adding umph to roast chicken, grilled meats, shrimp and fish.

So the good news is that I live in sunny California where I can grill year round, ha!  And I am also loving Daylight Saving Time, longer days mean I can "see" what I am grilling much better.

Grilled Chicken With Gremolata

*Serves 2 to 4
1 whole chicken, butterflied and pressed flat (or chicken legs, or boneless chicken thighs)
Salt and pepper

adobo seasoning
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
Zest of 1 lemon

Directions
1. Make gremolata a couple of hours in advance. Mix together parsley, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, and salt and pepper.

2. Season chicken with salt, pepper and adobo seasoning and let chicken come to room temperature.

3. Heat grill.  For whole chicken, cook for 15 minutes on one side, flip; repeat (count 1 to 1 hour 15 minutes).  For drumsticks, cook 30 to 40 minutes flipping every 10 minutes or so.  For boneless chicken thighs, cook about 20 to 25 minutes flipping every 10 minutes or so.  Occasionally cover grill, to help meat cook through.  You always always should cook chicken all the way.

4. Chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer reaches 165 degrees (or juices run clear when you cut into thickest part). Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve on a platter and spoon gremolata over top.

Adobo Seasoning

1 teaspoon Organic garlic powder
1 teaspoon organic onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Sunday Supper ala Goop

This recipe is from one of my favorite gals, Gwyneth Paltrow.  Oh yeah, she can cook! Not only that she can   sing too, check her on one episode of Glee and you'll see. I do not frequent her blog www.goop.com but having tried her butterflied roast chicken makes me think I should check her blog more often.  Not to forget, her salad dressing is now a regular at our table.  And why shouldn't I visit her blog more often, she's got some great recipes there.  After all she rubs elbows with some great chefs like Mario Batali and Mark Bittman.  I was a fan of their show Spain - On the Road Again by the way.

I have been a big fan of the Zuni method when it comes to roast chicken however there are days when I do not have a day to salt the chicken ahead (or sometimes I simply forget to do it the day before).  In those days this is my roast chicken go-to recipe.  It cookss quick and with very little effort.  You only have to butterfly the chicken, which takes about five minutes of your time... ok maybe six or seven minutes.  Doing this significantly shortens the roasting time.

To butterfly the chicken, simply run a kitchen shear across its back from the tail to the neck.  Yes, a good kitchen shears can cut through the bones! Although not necessary, you can also cut out the bone on the thigh using  a paring knife.  Bones are what make the chicken cook longer so if you remove the thigh bone it will help the thigh area cook easier (the part which takes the longest to cook).

Although the result is not as crispy as that of the zuni method, I love the lemony flavor of the chicken and the tasty potatoes that soaked up the juice at the bottom of the pan.

Butterflied Roast Chicken and Green Salad 

ingredients

1 3 to 4 pound chicken, washed and dried

1 lemon, cut in half

6 garlic cloves, peeled

a few sprigs each fresh rosemary, sage and thyme

coarse salt

freshly ground black pepper

about 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 dozen fingerling potatoes (or any small potato)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 450ºF (on convection if possible).

Using a pair of sharp kitchen shears, remove and discard the backbone of the chicken (or save it for making stock). With a sharp pairing knife, remove the thigh bones — simply follow the bone and let your knife do the work for you. You can also ask your butcher to do this.

Lay the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting tray and press down with your hands so that it flattens. Squeeze over the lemon, getting the juice on and around the entire chicken, and throw the lemon halves into the tray. Toss in the garlic cloves, being sure to tuck a few underneath the bird along with the fresh herbs. Liberally salt and pepper the chicken and drizzle over enough olive oil to coat — about 3 tablespoons.

Put the potatoes in the tray with the chicken and drizzle with olive oil to coat (about another 3 tablespoons) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cover the tray with tinfoil, roast for 20 minutes, remove the tinfoil and baste with the juices that have collected on the bottom. Roast for an additional 20 minutes, uncovered, or until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers at least 165ºF and the skin is browned. Set oven dial to broil and cook for an additional 10 minutes to crisp the skin a bit.   

For the salad

assorted spring greens (lettuce, arugula, frisee, spinach etc.)

1 small shallot, peeled and thinly sliced (optional)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons real Vermont maple syrup

3 tablespoons champagne vinegar (i use muskat champagne vinegar from Trader Joes)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

coarse salt

freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together the shallot, mustard, maple syrup and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle over the greens and serve.

Coq Au Vin

There is something intimidating about the name Coq Au Vin. It somewhat sounds complicated and in my mind  entails hours of braising and many ingredients to deal with.  But when I saw the word "quick" attached to it on this month's Bon Appetit I was encouraged to make it again.  I was so inspired by the recipe that it became a spur of the moment choice for dinner last night.  I did not follow the recipe exactly however as I have other ideas to add in mind.  Ideas adopted from Molly Steven's book All About Braising and also from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything". It was I think one of the best dishes I have ever cooked -- even my 2 year old could not stop raving about it.  She can barely pronounce the word but kept saying "a-cious" (delicious)!  So there, I was praising myself for such a culinary achievement.

I am a big fan of anything braised myself, and this classic French dish of chicken braised in red wine is I realize quite simple & easy to make, yet its flavors are bold and sophisticated - fit to serve to a king.  

Traditionally this is made with an old and tough chicken and cooked a lot longer resulting in a darker and richer dish.  However it is difficult to find such a bird in America, which is fine with me since I am always pressed for time anyways (but if you do come across an old & tough bird, this I think will be the perfect dish to make it into).  I used 4 leg quarters instead of a cut-up whole chicken --  I find that the breast parts are usually avoided in my family as we prefer dark meat.  Besides, using legs and thighs would mean equal cooking time for each part (breasts cook faster).  For the wine, use a decent but not necessarily expensive light dry red wine, with some amount of fruit, such as a domestic Pinot Noir or syrah.  In my case, I used a bottle of  California Organic Pinot Noir which I bought from Trader Joes for $6.

While Burgundian cooks would normally serve this country dish with egg pasta noodles, I was more than happy with a serving of home made mashed potatoes to soak up the flavorful winey sauce.  I actually think mashed potatoes is the perfect pair for it.  Alternatively you can also use a crusty baguette to dip in the sauce. Yum!

Of course don't forget a glass wine - try Burgundies if you can get one, but Pinot Noir from California, Oregon or New Zealand are also good.

Coq Au Vin

5 bacon slices

4 chicken quarters (cut into 4 legs and 4 thighs)

3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley (chopped, then divided)

10 ounces crimini mushrooms (sliced)

4 large shallots, peeled, quartered through root end

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 carrot, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)

2 cups dry red wine (such as Pinot Noir)

2 cups chicken broth, divided

4 teaspoons all purpose flour 

Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Browning: Saute bacon in a large, deep heavy bottomed pan with a lid that will hold all the chicken (I used a dutch oven).  Cook over medium-high heat until brown and crisp.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer to bowl.  Sprinkle the chicken with salt & pepper and add to pan.  Sear the chicken on both sides until deep golden brown.  Work in batches to avoid crowding, this helps brown the chicken better. [You must cook it to golden brown.  The more golden it is, the more fond on the bottom of the pan thus adding more flavor to the sauce later on.]  Transfer the chicken to a platter.

The aromatics & braising liquid: Pour or spoon off any excess fat without discarding the tasty brown bits.  Leave only about 1-2 tablespoon fat.  Add carrots and shallots to the pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Saute for 2 minutes then add mushrooms. Continue to saute, stirring once or twice until the vegetables begin to soften and are freckled with brown, about 3 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and stir to smear it through the vegetables. Add garlic; toss 10 seconds.  Add the wine and bring to a boil to deglaze, scraping the pot with a wooden spoon to dislodge the precious crust accumulated at the bottom.  Add 1 3/4 cups chicken broth, thyme, bay leaves, 2 tablespoons parsley and the bacon.  Bring to a boil.

Braising: Add the chicken pieces back to the pan.  Bring to a boil then adjust the heat so that it bubbles gently but steadily.  Cover and cook for about 40 minutes (alternatively you can put it in a 325° oven for 45 to 60 minutes) or until chicken is fork tender and cooked through.  Transfer and arrange the chicken on a platter and keep warm.

The finish:  Turn the heat to high and boil the braising liquid.  Reduce until it becomes fairly thick and saucy.  Meanwhile, mix the flour with the remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth, stirring until smooth.  Add flour mixture to sauce and cook until sauce thickens, 3 to 4 minutes.  Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper then spoon over chicken.  Garnish with remaining parsley and serve.

The Classic Cold Medicine

I have been nursing a persistent cough since last week, the kind that leaves you gasping for breath after coughing up like ten times in a row.  I am not a big fan of cough syrups so I avoid them as much as I can.  Besides those cough & cold medicine doesn't really give much relief much else cure it.  So now the cough has turned into a really bad cold... the runny kind where you cannot bend down long enough or else all the water in your brain will flow out.  And not to mention the constant sneezing which is just annoying and so unladylike. Anyways I gave in to taking medicines, although nothing has brought me comfort except the smell of the vinegar I used to dip the pears I ate.  It smelled so good I slurped what was left in the bowl.  Back in the Philippines the best home remedy for colds was to simmer some local vinegar underneath your nostrils.  It clears congestion pretty good! I ought to give that a try later...

For now, a good ol' chicken soup sounds exceptionally good.

Chicken soup is nature's best cold and flu remedy, or for whatever ails you.  It must be the steam or the aroma from the spices, interestingly there's scientific evidence that there is truth to the tales that chicken soup has medicinal qualities.

There are many many different ways of making the classic soup.  My version is a slight asian fare, loaded with some greens and some Thai noodles.  I always like to add some sriracha and lemon at the end to make it a little pho-ish.

Chicken Soup

10 pieces chicken legs, bone-in, skin removed (preferrably organic-free range chicken)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1.5 quart chicken broth
water
2 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch crosswise
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
1 jalapeno peppers, sliced (optional, i like mine hot)
1 napa cabbage, sliced 1/4 inch crosswise (separate the stems from the leaves)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cut fresh green onions
6 oz rice stick (thai style pasta)

1. Rinse chicken legs and remove the skins.  Place chicken in colander to remove excess water.
2. Heat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat.  Add the oil and soon as it starts to smoke, add the chicken legs.  Increase the heat to high and let chicken cook until no loner pink on the outside, about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes making sure the meat does not stick to the pan. There should be very little liquid in it, you are basically cooking the chicken in its own liquid.
3. Add salt & pepper, and garlic.  Cook for one minute then add ginger, onion, celery and carrots.  Cook further until the the vegetables start to 'sweat', about 5 minutes.
4. Add the broth to the pan, adding water if it is not enough to cover all of the meat.  Bring it to a boil then lower the heat.  Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken in tender.
5. Add the rice noodle and cook until soft, about 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the noodle you are using.  Thinner ones cook a lot faster.  At the last minute of cooking add the cabbage stems.
6. Serve topped with cabbage leaves, green onions and cilantro.
7. If you like it hot as I do, add sliced jalapeno and a dash of sriracha.  A bit of lemon or lime is also a good addition.