Drunken Chicken Penne Rosa

Girlies Gone Holiday. Or something like that. That’s what Abbey and her friends call their annual holiday get together. This year they thought that would save money and eat in. Meaning that T-Dawg fixes dinner, and they don’t have to pay a check at the end of the meal. Even better (for them), no waiter to tip.

No check for them means that I get stuck paying the grocery bill. Normally I would say “no big deal,” but I made pizza for 5 of them before they went to the Jay Z/Kanye concert, and that set me back about $40. I would rather have paid for a ticket and saw the concert.

For the eight of them, I could easily spend $75+. Fortunately Abbey asked for a pasta dinner. That shouldn’t break the bank, right? Knowing that she likes my vodka sauce, and her vegetarian friend Molly will now occasionally eat meat, I opted for a chicken version of Penne Rosa with a vodka sauce. Since they are under 21, I made sure to reduce the vodka before I add the cream and marinara. Lastly, I doubled the recipe and fed 10 people + leftovers for the oily beau hunk (that would be Abbey’s boyfriend for those unfamiliar with the movie “16 Candles”). In the end the cost was minimal, and was more than offset by the clean plates I took off the table. In the end, isn't that really why we do it?

Chefs Note: The hardest part of fixing this for a large group is getting the heat (spice) right. I like mine spicier than normal, and I like to cook the red pepper flakes a while in order to balance the heat throughout the dish. This is all comes down to meal management, and must be handled with care.

Chicken Penne with Vodka Sauce

(Serves 6)

 

1 to 1 ½ lbs cooked chicken breast, diced

1 lb penne rigata (cooked al dente in salt water)

1 teaspoon (or ¼ to ½ teaspoon for sensitive palates) crushed red pepper flakes

Marinara Sauce (makes ~1 quart)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion (medium), finely chopped

1 ½ teaspoon minced garlic

½ cup red wine

1 large can (25 to 28 oz) crushed tomatoes

( or sub 14 oz can of tomato puree  + 14 oz can of petite diced tomatoes)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

2 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Vodka Sauce

1 tablespoon butter

1 small (or ~2 tablespoons finely chopped) shallots

1 quart marinara sauce

1 cup vodka

1 cup heavy cream (or lighten with ½ cup cream and ½ cup 2% milk) at room temperature

½ cup grated parmesan

To prepare the marinara – heat the olive oil over medium heat, and add the onion until translucent or about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for additional 1 or 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook on medium-high heat until the liquid is almost gone, or about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat for approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

To prepare the Vodka Sauce – heat the butter until melted over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the vodka and cook until reduced by about ½, or about 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and add the cream at ¼ intervals every 3 minutes until heated through, or about 15 minutes.

Add the marinara and red pepper flakes to the vodka sauce until heated through, and it just starts to bubble. Add the parmesan cheese and stir until well combined. Add the diced chicken and pasta, and when heated through, serve with warm Italian bread, Sicilian butter (olive oil and seasonings), California red wine, and Kansas City love. Mangia!

My Best Chili EVER. And I gave it away.

Last week we learned that our neighbor passed away. She had been battling lung cancer for some time. I knew that she was not doing well when I heard that her high school best friend from the east coast was staying with them as her caregiver. I am saddened by her loss, and I feel for the family. But as her husband (John) said earlier today, she’s no longer in pain.

I really like John. He’s an easygoing guy that runs his own business and loves to golf. He borrowed my travel club bag when he went to the Caribbean, and brought me back a cap from the course he played, as a token of his appreciation. That was cool.

When I learned of Lisa’s diagnosis earlier this year, I made her some of my Mac & Cheese. She came by shortly after to drop off a graduation present for Abbey, and complimented the gesture. Do that, and I can’t wait to cook for you again. Unfortunately I did not cook for her again. I wish I had. But since her funeral is 3 days away, I thought that I’d make something and drop it off. I remember when Peg’s mom, and later my dad, passed away. It seemed like the food was dropped off by the truckload. But it disappeared just as quick, and man, was it appreciated.

Since the weather turned cold, I made up some chili and cornbread. I have been working on the chili recipe for a while. It’s a blend of two of my favorite recipes, and each time it gets better. Today it might have reached perfection. I say that because, gosh darn it, I (only) made exactly 1 bowl more than the volume of the containers I bought. I ate just enough to know that it was good! I think tomorrow I’ll see if I can repeat near perfection.

Because most families have “Some like it hot” and “Some like it not” AND very few slow cookers can handle the mass of what’s being cooked, here is what I do. Just before you add the flour/water mixture, divide the chili. Put ½ back in the pot used to cook the meat, and leave ½ in the slow cooker. Combine 1 tbspn flour/corn starch and 1 cup hot water, and add to the slow cooker. Add the same water/flour mixture to the pot over low heat. You will then add the cayenne/red pepper flakes to slow cooker only. Cook each for about an hour.

Mo Meat Chili

(Serves everyone, and then some or about 12 servings)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ lb thick sliced bacon (~ 5 slices) cut into ½” pieces

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 small onions, finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped bell peppers (green and/or red) - Optional

4 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon paprika (smoked preferred)

2 tablespoon2 Chipotle salsa - Optional

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 lb lean (~90%) ground beef

1 lb sirloin steak - trimmed and diced in 1/2 “ chunks

¾ lb ground pork

1 bottle American Lager Beer (I use Land Shark)

½ cup tequila

1 can (25 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (25 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 can (14 oz) dark kidney beads

1 can (14 oz) white kidney beans

1 can (14 oz) black beans

Cayenne or Red Pepper flakes, to taste (I use ¼ teaspoon cayenne or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes for ½ of the batch)

2 tablespoons mesa (or corn starch)

2 cups water

Heat a medium stock pot and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Cook the bacon until it just starts to turn crispy. Add the garlic, onions, peppers, chili powder, and cumin until vegetables start to wilt. Add the ground beef and cook until it browns, stirring frequently to break it up. Add the paprika, oregano, salt and pepper, and pork, stirring frequently to break it up.

Drain and rinse the beans, and place in the slow cooker with the beer, diced tomatoes (with juice) and crushed tomatoes.  

Once the pork is cooked through, transfer all of this to the slow cooker with the beer, tomatoes, and beans. Add the sirloin steak to the same pan, and sear until browned. Add the browned steak and the tequila to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 2 to 3 hours.

Combine the mesa/corn starch with the hot water, mixed well, and add to the chili. Add cayenne/red pepper cook for about 1 hour more. Serve with corn bread, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and lime wedges.

Brunch for Mom

This year we had our very good friends from Illinois, Terrie and Mike,  visit us for an awesome Mother’s Day weekend. It was a great weekend. Friday night was dining al fresco at Yia Yia’s. That evening we watched out Abbey perform at the BVNHS Mustang Showtime. On Saturday Mike and I went golfing while the ladies went to the Designer Home Tour, and, of course, shopping. Sunday morning was the meal. It started with some delicious Strawberry Hill Apple Cinnamon Povitica French Toast. The rest is all your basic breakfast fare, but it came together real well. All dishes serve 6 people.

Brown Sugar Bacon

2 lbs Hormel Black Label thick sliced bacon

4 tablespoons brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Cover cookie pans with aluminum foil. Lay bacon on pan, and lightly sprinkle with brown sugar, salt and pepper. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until desired crispness. Transfer paper towels to drain the grease. Serve warm.

Scrambled Eggs de Provence

8 eggs

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons Milk (divided)

2 teaspoons herbs de provence ( I use Penzey’s)

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat frying pan over medium heat. Coat with non-stick spray or melt butter to coat the pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs and herbs and beat lightly to blend. Add ¼ cup milk and continue to beat until well-blended, or about 2 minutes. Pour egg mixture in to the pan. As the egg mixture starts to set, push the cooked egg to the center allowing the mixture to settle around it. Do not allow the eggs to cook to where it sticks to the pan. As the eggs approach completely set, add the remaining 2 tablespoons and cook until no longer liquid. Transfer to serving bowl.

Povitica French Toast

4 eggs

1 cup milk

½ cup half and half (or sub heavy cream)

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon sugar

Pinch of salt

12 slices of Povitica

Heat skillet or griddle over medium heat. Coat with non-stick spray or melt butter to coat the pan.

Add the eggs to a wide, shallow bowl and beat lightly. Add the milk, half & half, nutmeg, vanilla, sugar, and salt and beat until well blended.

Place the bread slices, one at a time, into the egg mixture, allowing the slices to soak up egg mixture for a few seconds. Carefully turn to soak the other side. Soak (or coat) only the slices the you will be cooking at one time.

Place the bread slices on griddle or skillet, cooking until bottom is golden brown. Turn and brown the other side. Serve French toast hot with butter and warm syrup. For extra touch, serve with fresh blueberries, sliced strawberries, or sliced bananas.

Not So Ancient Chinese Secret

An easy family pleaser is almost always something out of the wok. I’ve tinkered with a standard Asian-Hawaiian stir-fry that I’ve got just about the way I like it. It works for us. But I also love PF Changs Spicy Chicken. It’s very much like General Tso’s from most Chinese restaurants. (For the record, they don’t serve General Tso’s in China, and will laugh at you if you ask about it.) Last night I took my first shot at it, and the family gave it a thumbs up. I’ll likely keep tinkering with it.

T-Dawg’s Spicy Chicken

Serves 4

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, diced in bite size pieces

1 egg

½ cup flour

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Green Onions (trimmed and cut in 2” lengths) – Optional

1 cup broccoli florets (optional)

2 cups + 2 tablespoons cooking oil

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

½ teaspoon ginger (minced)

Sauce

1 ½ cup chicken stock

3 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce

1 Tablespoon rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

3 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon corn starch

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil (or substitute 2 teaspoons of sesame oil)

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat wok (or skillet) over medium high heat and add 2 cups oil. In a large bowl beat the egg and add chicken. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken pieces to  flour and toss until well coated. Place the chicken in the hot oil, cooking until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel covered plate to reserve.

Combine all of the ingredients for the sauce, stirring well until sugar and corn starch is dissolved.

Remove the oil, carefully wipe out the wok, and heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the onions and broccoli (if desired) and cook for 2 minutes, tossing frequently. Add the sauce and heat through, until it starts to bubble and thickens. Add the chicken pieces and stir until well coated.

Serve with steamed white or brown rice.

Hawaiian Chicken Stir-Fry

Serves 4

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, diced in bite size pieces

3 Tablespoons cooking oil (divided)

1 clove minced garlic

1 (8 oz.) can pineapple chunks, in juice (reserved)

1 (8 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

½ cup chicken stock

1 Tablespoon rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon honey

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon corn starch

To make the sauce, combine the chicken stock, rice vinegar, soy sauce and honey and stir well. Add corn starch and stir until dissolved.

Preheat wok (or skillet) over medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Push away from center of the wok and add water chestnuts to the center. Cook for additional 2 minutes. Add the sauce and heat through, until it starts to bubble and thickens. Add pineapple and cook for 2 minutes.

Serve with steamed white or brown rice.

Bacon Lovers Breakfast Casserole

I am not much of a breakfast casserole guy. But I love to cook up a hearty breakfast. I was looking for a good recipe for an Easter brunch, and not finding exactly what I want, I took the best of three and came up with this. What I really like about this is that you don’t need to refrigerate it overnight and it will still turn out good.

Cheezy Hash Brown Egg Casserole

Serves 8

1 package (30 oz) of Mrs. Dell’s shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed.

½ cup onion, finely diced

1 ½ pound thick cut bacon

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (divided)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

6 eggs

1 ½ cups milk

1 tablespoon flour

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9” X 13” casserole dish.

Cut all but 4 strips of the bacon in to 1” X 1” squares and cook until firm. Cut the remaining 4 strips in half and cook the same way.  Be careful not to get it too crisp. Transfer the bacon as it is cooked to paper towels to reduce the grease, and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the hash browns, onion, bacon, 1/3 cup of cheese, salt and pepper. Transfer to the casserole dish.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, soup, and flour until creamy. Pour over the hash brown mixture. Sprinkle the top with 1/3 cup of the shredded cheese. Spoon the soup from the can to the casserole, evenly covering the top. Place the 8 bacon strips on top. (Evenly spaced, these will define your 8 servings.) Sprinkle the top with paprika, and pinch of salt and pepper. Bake for 1 hour.

Bake for 45 - 60 mins, or until it starts to brown and the bacon begins to crisp.

Remove from the oven, cover with the remaining cheese, and cook for additional 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes prior to serving. Enjoy!

Italian Veggie Soup

On the weekends, I like to make up a big pot of soup or chili for quick lunches, especially if I know it's going to be a crazy week. I had a hankering for a ham and veggie soup, and looking through some recipes, I threw this together. Most recently I substituted 3 cups each of chicken stock and beef stock. Surprisingly, it works very, very well.

Italian Vegetable Soup (Or Zuppa di T-Dawg)

Makes 12 approximately servings

6 cups vegetable broth
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 bag (16 oz) frozen Tuscan Vegetable blend
1 fennel bulb, finely diced
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
16 oz Ham steak, deboned and diced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon italian parsley
1 teaspoon basil

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

In a large pot over medium high heat, combine the broth and garlic, and bring to a boil. Add the onions, frozen vegetables, fennel, tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Cover and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and add thyme, oregano, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, and ham. Cover and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Serve with warm Tuscan or Italian bread.

Prosciutto and Bacon Mac & (5) Cheese

You know I really enjoy cooking. And you know I really enjoy trying out new recipes. I also love to cook for friends who, for whatever reason, could use some help with a hot meal. I usually fix chicken parmesan. I’ve found that if a food chain is in the works, there are likely more than a few meals of lasagna and/or spaghetti. Why not? They are fairly easy and are suitable for the idea of reheating. If that’s the case, I think they’ll welcome something different.

So lately I’ve been looking for the ultimate comfort food that is not real difficult. I think I’ve found it. I usually serve it with some panko chicken tenders. I made it a couple of times now, and I hear that it’s pretty darn good. I hope so, because after looking at the ingredients list, I’ve not made it for my house. If I can plan a night where I can hit the gym for an hour after dinner to cancel out some of the effects, maybe I’ll make it for the family. If you try it, let me know what you think.

Update 2013: my original recipe called for pasta shells and manchego as one of the cheeses. I've since switched to fusilli for two reasons:

1. The shells tend to "nest" when they cook, leaving them only partially cooked.
2. The more surface area to the pasta, the better for "grabbing" the cheese sauce.

So I'm not stuck any one pasta toe, but look for something that has a lot of surface area to soak in the cheesiness. 

I also switched from manchego to fontina. Fontina is much creamier. Since cheddar is a gritty cheese,  I found that combining it with manchego had too much grit in the combined sauce. Since switching to fontina, I've found the texture and taste to be perfect.

Prosciutto and Bacon Mac & (5) Cheese

(Serves many)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 ounces thick cut bacon (or pancetta)

8 ounces prosciutto

1 pound fusilli pasta, or pasta of choice

Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

1 cup Vidalia (or yellow) onion finely diced (or subtitute shallots)

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon mustard powder

2 cups grated aged sharp Cheddar, divided

1 cup grated smoked gouda

1 cup grated gruyere

1 cup grated fontina

1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan, divided

Salt and pepper, as needed

1 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, plus additional leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 375F. Coat casserole dish with butter.

Place bacon on a baking sheet and cook in oven until half cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain off the grease and set aside. Once cool, chop into approximately 1" pieces. Do the same with the prosciutto, but baking for only 4 minutes.

Cook the pasta until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Strain and toss lightly in olive oil, and set aside.

In a saucepan lightly coated with olive oil, sauté the bacon over medium-high heat until firm. Add the diced onion and cook until transparent. Add the garlic and cook for additional 2 minutes. Dust the pan with the flour, stir in the milk and cream. Continuing to stir, add the prosciutto, nutmeg and the mustard powder. Bring to simmer, stirring constantly for several minutes to avoid scorching. Stir in 1 cup each of Cheddar, smoked gouda, gruyere, manchego and half a cup of Parmesan. Stir until all the cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Add the pasta and parsley. Stir until well combined.

Place into buttered baking dish. Top with remaining cheeses and place dish on baking tray and place in the oven. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown,. Let cool about 5 minutes, garnish with the fresh parsley. Serve and enjoy.

Chorizo Puffs

This one is real easy, and in my opinion tastes bigger than effort to make them. I use my homemade pizza dough, but you can also use the ready made from the store. Pillsbury makes one in a can that can be found in the biscuit section of the supermarket.

It's also very flexible, in that if you want to mix it up, make a plate of these with two or three variations in the stuffing. My favorite is chorizo and manchego, but I've also done ground sirloin and cheddar. The possibilities are endless - ham and swiss, italian sausage and provolone, cocktail weenies and velveeta. Ok, maybe the last one is a stretch.

Chorizo Puffs

1 lb chorizo sausage
8 oz manchego cheese, grated or small cubes
Pizza dough (ready made or home made)


Preheat oven to 450 F.


Form or cut  the sausage into approximately 3/4" chunks and place in a coated frying pan over medium heat. Cook for about 10 - 12 minutes or until cooked all the way through, turning as needed. Be careful not to overcook or the sausage may dry out. Place on paper towel to cool.


Roll the pizza dough to approximately 1/4" thickness. Cut into approximately 2" squares and press out until thin. Place 2 parts sausage and 1 part cheese on top, fold the dough over, and seal. It should be roughly the shape of a ball. The size is a matter of preference, but I make them approximate 1.5" diameter. 

Place the puffs on a coated cookie sheet approximately 1" apart. Brush the tops with melted butter and bake at 450 F for 10 to 12 minutes.  Serve warm.


If desired, you can serve them with sour cream, queso, or dip of your choice.

Chicken Pot Pie (NOT)

Today was a snow day. Yesterday was a snow day as well. The Blizzard of Oz struck Overland Park, KS, leaving 10+” of snow behind. Everyone stayed home yesterday, sitting in front of the fire, watching movies, eating popcorn. You know the drill.

I was really looking for a “fill the belly on a cold day” comfort food dinner. Chicken pot pie came to mind. The problem - I was the only one that DIDN’T have a snow day. I still had to work. AND this house is on a health kick, with everyone watching the girlish figures, so to speak (I’m watching Peg’s girlish figure, and I likey). So time and health being against me, I took a few shortcuts. And it worked out just fine, thank you very much! Next time I’ll prep this in small casserole dishes and but the biscuit mix on top. Last night it was not so much Chicken Pot Pie, as much as it was Chicken on a Biscuit. Either way, it was a perfect way to end a cold winter day.

Chicken Pot Pie (Lite)

(Serves 6)

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

½ cup diced carrots

½ cup baby peas

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup diced shallots (or yellow onions)

1 cup chicken stock

½ cup water

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/4 teaspoon savory

Salt and Pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 can Campbell’s Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can Campbell’s Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/3 cup skim mik (or sub heavy cream for non-lite version)

Biscuits

2 cups Heart Healthy Bisquick mix

2/3 cup skim milk

In slow cooker combine in order – chicken stock, shallots, carrots, celery, chicken breasts, peas, water, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and savory. Cook on low setting for 5 to 6 hours, or high setting for 2 to 3 hours. When chicken is tender and easily pulls apart, remove from the crock pot. Add the flour, milk and soups to the slow cooker and stir well. Shred the chicken and stir back in to the slow cooker, and cook for additional 20 minutes.

Combine the Bisquick with the milk and mix well.

From here there are several options. You can spoon out the biscuits into four equal drop biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 450F for 9 minutes. Spoon the chicken mix on top and serve.

OR….

Pour the chicken mix into a shallow casserole. Roll out the biscuit mix to 1/4” to 1/2" thick and place on top of the casserole. Bake at 425F until golden brown, or about 20 minutes.

Banana Nut French Toast

I love weekends. And I really love cooking on weekends. Just so happens I also love a big breakfast on the weekend. Most weekends I’ll make my famous pancakes. That recipe is top secret. I toss in some chocolate chips for the kids, and bacon and pecans for the wife. I prefer my pancakes plain. With a fried egg in between. So good.

But since the first of the year, the family is on a healthy lifestyle program (aka diet). What I like about that is it challenges me to find new foods that are filling, but not fattening. And they really need to taste good. This one is really good. Peggy tells me it’s too good to be healthy.  The trick is to find a dense bread. We love the Tuscan loaf. I buy it at SuperTarget, but I have seen it at several places. Another nice thing is if you have an overripe banana, what do you do with it? Not enough for banana bread, right? Here’s a healthier option. If you try it, let me know what you think.

Banana Nut French Toast

Serves 2

1 banana (ripe)

1 packet sweetener (optional)

1 egg

2 egg whites

¼ cup skim milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 slices Tuscan bread (28 g per slice)

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Mash the banana and mix in sweetener until mushy (that’s a technical cooking term).

Whip the eggs until frothy. Add milk, continue to whip.  Add banana mixture and vanilla and mix well (I use a hand blender at each step).

Dip bread into egg mixture, soaking both sides, and place in hot, preheated skillet coated with non-stick spray. While in the skillet, sprinkle pecans on top of the uncooked side of the bread.  Cook until each side is golden brown.

Serve with light maple syrup. Two slices (one serving) is only 290 calories, without the syrup.

Pork Cutlets with Pineapple Salsa

Maybe cause it’s the dead of winter with highs in the single digits, or maybe it’s because we have not abandoned our New Year’s resolution of healthy living, but I have been craving citrus. I love clementines, and having made the citrus salsa for the scallops last week had me looking to make it even better.  

I found some small, thin boneless pork chops at the store. Each cut is around 2 oz and about a 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick. Perfect for some cutlets. I love pineapple on pork, so let’s see where this goes.

Pork Cutlets with Pineapple Salsa

Serves 4

Pineapple Salsa (prepared 1 day in advance)

1 - 8 oz can pineapple (crushed or finely diced) with juice

¼ cup diced onion (I used white)

¼ cup diced bell peppers (I mixed Red, Yellow, Orange for color)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon orange juice (optional)

1 jalapeno pepper - seeded and finely diced (optional)

Make the salsa by combining all of the ingredients, mixing well, and refrigerating overnight.

Pork Cutlets

8 thin boneless pork chops (around 2 oz each)

½ cup flour

2 teaspoons paprika

¼ cup milk

2/3 cup bread crumbs (I used panko)

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by pounding any pork chop greater than 1/2” thick to approximately 1/4”. Rinse the pork chops and pat dry.  Preheat a non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat.

Combine the flour and paprika in one dish and the bread crumbs, salt and pepper in another. Coat the pork chops with flour, place in the milk, and then coat well with bread crumbs. Place in the pan for approximately 3 to 4 minutes each side, or until golden brown. Cooking several at time, plate the cooked cutlets and cover with foil to keep warm.

Top the cutlets with the salsa, and enjoy!

Strike One

Tonight I swung for the fences with a light version of Honey Chicken with light and dark sesame seeds. And, like my childhood Waveland Avenue bomber Dave Kingman, I whiffed. Haven't done that since little league.

That's all I'm gonna say about that that. Tomorrow is pork cutlets with citrus salsa and roasted potatoes. Keeping the fingers crossed.

Almond Crusted Chicken with Sauce

Today was one of those crazy days. You know the kind, the ones where you realize you need to put a meal on the table, and it is 5:00. Within the next 60 minutes, the questions will start. What’s for dinner? When are we eating? And always punctuated with the exclamation, Dad, I’m Hungry! It was one of THOSE days.

I had boneless, skinless chicken breasts mostly thawed out in the fridge. OK, that’s a start. I had a spice rack. That’s good. And I have a family demanding the dinners get mo’ healthy. Piece of cake, right? So tonight I was going to wing it. No recipe, no instructions. Just a semi-stocked pantry and fridge. But as I attacked the task at hand, I had ulterior motives. Whatever I tried on the chicken, I was eventually going to do with the tilapia in the freezer for lunch this weekend. I’m the only one in the house that will eat seafood, so this was a test.  I aced this exam. The kids asked me to make this one again. Cha-ching! The whole meal was less than 450 calories and 10 grams of fat. I love it when a plan comes to together.

Because I had no recipe, and as usual I didn’t write it down, I need to record this so I can have a tasty lunch this weekend. I’ll prep the tilapia the way I did the chicken, and the sauce will be something yet to be discovered.  Here you go…          

Almond Crusted Chicken with Sauce Something or Other

Serves 4

Almond Crusted Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup almonds (roasted and ground fine)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon Thai basil (regular basil will also work)

¼ cup milk

1 egg white

4 cups cooked pasta

Preheat oven to 425. Prepare a baking sheet lined with foil.

Whisk the egg white until frothy and add the milk. Whisk until well blended.

In separate dish combine the almonds, bread crumbs, Parmesan, coriander, paprika and basil and mix well. Add some salt and pepper because that's what the TV chefs would do at this point.

Dip one side of the chicken breast in the egg mixture. Transfer to the dry ingredients so the same side is well coated. Place on the baking sheet with the coated side face up. Bake for 30 minutes.

Sauce

One can of Campbell’s Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup (98% fat free)

¼ cup white wine

¼ cup chicken stock

¼ cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup finely dice onions

¼ cup finely diced celery

Salt and pepper (to taste)

In a pan coated with cooking spray, cook the onions and celery over medium heat until soft. Add white wine, chicken stock, lemon juice, salt and pepper and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Mix in the soup and cook for additional 10 minutes until well heated. Add milk, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve pasta and chicken with sauce. Enjoy!

Light Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ever looking to “healthy up” our lifestyle in a typical New Year’s fashion, I’ve been seeking creative ways to change up the menu. Here’s one I did this week that seemed to be a hit. It starts with Kraft Light Asian Toasted Sesame reduced fat salad dressing. I have used this as a marinade for grilled chicken before, and it seemed to go over well. The nice thing about this is that you can top it on rice, serve it as a lettuce wrap, or in my case, a little bit of both. Abbey had it with white rice, Peggy liked it with brown rice, and I had it with brown rice, and wrapped in lettuce. It’ll come back to the table again soon.

Asian Chicken and Rice Lettuce Wraps

Serves 4

1 lb boneless chicken breasts (finely diced)

4 tablespoons Kraft Light Asian Toasted Sesame reduced fat salad dressing

¼ cup finely diced onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

½ cup finely diced water chestnuts

¼ cup slivered almonds

1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Lettuce leaves (Butter or Boston Bibb)

4 cups prepared rice (optional)

Heat a wok, if available, or saute pan to medium high heat and coat with non-stick spray, or use optional olive oil. Cook onion for approximately 5 mins, or until it just starts to turn translucent. Mix in garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Push onions to outer edge, and put chicken, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in the center. Cook until it just starts to brown. Mix in water chestnuts, slivered almonds, and salad dressing. Cook for additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Serve on top of prepared rice, or with lettuce leaves. Or both!

Easy Italian Fare

This is one of those items that is on the menu at dozens of Italian Restaurants, but I don’t recall ever actually ordering it. For some reason I thought I’d try to make it for the family. That was a couple of years ago, and now it’s on table every couple of weeks. I’ve tweaked the recipe a bit, and it’s easy to make it into a healthy option as well. Here’s the standard fare version:

Simple Chicken Picatta

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or use four chicken cutlets if desired)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup flour

¼ cup bread crumbs (I use Panko)

Salt and pepper

1 egg white

¼ cup milk

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup chicken stock

½ cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Capers (as desired, approx. ¼ cup drained for full recipe)

Chopped fresh parsley

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Take the chicken breasts and cut them in half on the plane to get 4 cutlets. If they are more than ¼” thick, place them between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them flat to achieve desired thickness. Rinse the breasts in water and set aside.

Whisk the egg white and add milk.

Combine and stir the flour, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Coat the chicken in the egg wash, and then place in the flour mixture until well coated on each side.

Place 2 of chicken breasts in the pan, without crowding them, and cooking on each side until golden brown. Remove to a platter and cook the other two. Wrap the four cutlets and platter in foil and place in the oven to keep warm.

Add the chicken stock, white wine, and capers (if desired). Cook sauce until reduced to about ½. Add the butter and scrape up the browned chicken bits to complete the sauce.

Serve the chicken plated with pasta of choice. Top with sauce, shredded Parmesan, and chopped fresh parsley. For added flair, garnish with lemon slice.

Enjoy!

The (Anti-) Heart Attack Lunch

I probably should have said this sooner, but my ultimate chefly inspiration is my mom. I know that sounds kind of canned, but if you know her (or had the pleasure of eating her crown roast, lobster-stuffed beef tenderloin, or chocolate chip cookies) you know what I mean. For years she had a catering business, and while her smoked meats were off the hook, her cakes were the big hit. She made the cakes for my wedding. My groom’s cake was her most amazing chocolate cake, with about 862 pounds of shave fine chocolate on the top. Oh my….

But over Christmas she introduced us to a new favorite, and something much healthier. She calls it Heart Healthy Chicken Salad. Abbey calls it cat food. We all call it awesome. It’s a fairly popular and simple recipe. The nice thing about it is that you can take the basics – chicken, light mayo, salt and pepper - and then add your preference for crunchy – celery and almonds are below. You can easily substitute apple, peanuts, slaw mix, cashews, and to add a little sweetness, throw in some dried cranberries. The secret is the chicken. The canned chicken chunk breast sold at Sam’s is what my mom uses. I tried the canned chicken breast from the grocery. From now on I’m grilling and dicing it from scratch. Enough rambling, here it is….

Crunchy Chunky Chicken Salad

·         3 ½ cups finely chopped grilled chicken breast

·         1 cup finely chopped celery

·         1/3 cup slivered almonds

·         1/3 cup light mayo

·         Salt and pepper to taste

·         1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

Combine mayo, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if desired. Stir in chicken, celery, and almonds.

It’s that simple.  Serve on bread, rolls, or roll it up in lettuce.

Healthy eating!

Today’s lunch – scallops with a Caribbean flair

It’s the end of the week and all I had to work with was 4 oz of frozen small scallops. I was looking for a quick healthy lunch. Thawing the scallops under cold water only takes a few minutes, so what to do? Well I wanted to try out the new spice (coffee) grinder I got for Christmas, so I broke out the coriander and made some great healthy tacos.

Spicy/Sweet Caribbean Scallops

4 oz. thawed scallops

2 tablespoons toasted coriander

2 teaspoons paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

1 mandarin/clementine orange, peeled, sectioned, and diced.

¼ cup salsa

2 tablespoons low fat shredded cheese

2 small hi-carb wheat tortillas

Grind the coriander to a fine grind and combine with paprika and a pinch of salt & pepper. Roll the scallops in the seasoning mix until coated. In a preheated sauté pan with non-stick spray, cook the scallops for about 3 to 4 minutes, turning often, until done. Transfer to a paper towel to dry.

Combine the salsa with the chopped mandarin oranges for a sweet and spicy topping. Divide the scallops and salsa mix on each tortilla and top with low fat shredded cheese, and if you have some lettuce and light sour cream, throw those on as well.

Total calories consumed (without lettuce and sour cream) = 395. Nice!