Chicken and Green Olive Enchiladas

Ever since the beginning of September I have been craving cool-weather food, especially enchiladas. This is not unusual for me. I have not been indulging, however because here in the Willamette Valley we have had a super late summer. (whoopie!) I am on a quest now to find the yummiest enchilada recipe. I found this one on epicurious.com, which is on the top of my list for places to search for always delicious recipes. I certainly hope this doesn't let me, or you, down. I'm making this tonight!


Chicken and Green Olive Enchiladas

• 1 4 1/2-pound chicken, quartered
• 4 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth

• 8 tablespoons (about) olive oil
• 2 cups finely chopped onions
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 5 tablespoons hot Mexican-style chili powder
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/2 ounce semisweet chocolate

• 16 5- to 6-inch corn tortillas

• 1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated (about 4 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup drained pimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced

Preparation

Place chicken and broth in heavy large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover pot and simmer until chicken is cooked, about 30 minutes. Cool chicken in broth. Strain broth and spoon off fat; reserve broth. Remove chicken skin and bones; discard. Shred chicken coarsely; transfer to large bowl.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 1 cup onion, garlic, oregano, cumin and cinnamon. Cover. Cook until onion is almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Mix in chili powder and flour; stir 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in 4 1/2 cups broth. Increase heat to medium-high. Boil until reduced to 3 cups, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in chocolate; season with salt and pepper. Cool.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla and cook until just pliable, about 20 seconds per side. Transfer to paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding oil as needed.

Spread 1/3 cup sauce in each of two 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dishes. Mix 1 cup sauce into chicken. Arrange 8 tortillas on work surface. Spoon 3 tablespoons cheese, 1 tablespoon olives, 1 tablespoon onion and 1/4 cup chicken over center of each. Roll up tortillas. Arrange seam side down in 1 prepared dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas, 1 1/2 cups cheese, olives, onion and chicken. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover sauce and enchiladas separately; chill.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Top enchiladas with remaining sauce, then sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil; bake 20 minutes (30 minutes if chilled). Remove foil and bake until sauce bubbles, about 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

I Lurve the Pioneer Woman's site. We have done several of her recipes and none have ever been a dud. I thought this looked yummy and springy and best of all easy! We actually do not eat much pasta....like maybe twice a month so I was looking for a pasta dish and this fit the bill! Hope everyone enjoys!

Recipe: Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 15 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 4 whole Grilled Chicken Breasts, Sliced
• 1 pound Penne Pasta, Cooked Until Al Dente
• ½ sticks Butter
• 3 whole Lemons, Juiced
• ¾ cups Heavy Cream
• ¼ cups Half-and-half
• 1-½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Romano)
• Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• 20 whole Basil Leaves, Chopped

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander.

In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 to 4 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and half-and-heat. Whisk until hot. Dump in cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

Pour pasta and sauce into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle remaining basil all over the top, then add sliced chicken breasts. Serve immediately!

Posted by Ree on July 21 2010

Ginger Orange Cashew Chicken

First of all, I am so sorry to be posting this so late! I realized today that I was due to have posted a recipe on Sunday - yikes! But as they say, better late than never. This recipe accompanied my organic produce box that travels from Washington to Juneau every week to give us tasty, fresh fruits and veggies. I haven't tried it yet, but I think it sounds delicious! Happy cooking!

Ginger Orange Cashew Chicken

"A one pan dish, the sauce can easily be doubled and then used to cook and coat quartered baby bok choy, snap peas or wilted spinach or other greens as a bed for the chicken. Remember to get you pan hot before sautéing the chicken, heat the oil to just below smoking for good browning."

2 6-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

All-purpose flour for dredging

2 T olive oil

1 T finely minced ginger

1/2 cup roasted cashews (to roast, bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 10 min. at 375 degrees)

4 scallions (white and green parts), cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 orange for juicing, (blood oranges are wonderful for this but any will do)

1/2 cup chicken stock, or more as needed

Steamed white rice for serving

Pour the flour onto a plate or small bowl. Dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off the excess. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy sauté pan over high heat until hot but not yet smoking. Place the chicken pieces evenly distributed around the pan being careful to not splatter the hot oil. Let the chicken cook, without stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. When brown, flip and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, toss in ginger, scallions and cashews, agitating the pan quickly for 30 seconds until the ginger becomes acutely aromatic. Add the soy sauce and squeeze in the juice of the orange. Toss the pieces to coat all with the sauce. Pour in the chicken stock - add more, if necessary, to almost cover the chicken. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Pour the chicken and sauce over rice and serve.

Chicken Strips

I have not actually made this recipe. Andy found it on allrecipes.com and made it one night. IT WAS DELICIOUS! The next week when I was studying late I asked him to make it again - still wonderful. It appears to be very easy and what I like is that you likely have all the ingredients in the house already! The kids love it too. On the web site it's called 'Uncle Bill's Chicken Strips'. Enjoy!

Uncle Bill’s Chicken Strips

Servings 8

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or tenders

2 eggs

6 tablespoons buttermilk

1 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill weed

1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Remove all fat from chicken breasts and cut into 1 inch by 4 inch strips or leave as tenders. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. In a plastic resealable bag mix together the bread crumbs, grated cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper and dill weed.

Dip each chicken strips into buttermilk mixture, then into bread crumb mixture (about 4 strips at a time), and toss to coat well. Place strips in a single layer in a 9x13 inch baking dish and drizzle with melted butter. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown, turning once after about 8 minutes of baking time.

Chicken or Pork stir-fry

This is my standby for a quick easy dinner! I love the simplicity of it and the great flavors I can create with whatever I have on hand. For an even faster meal I have done the meat as usual and then used a bag of frozen stir fry mix veggies. That works okay but I suggest defrosting veggies first or they are too wet to stirfry. This is not from any original recipe so please feel free to use measurements loosely and to your taste!

Ingredients
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts or pork chops (or tofu)
1 TB cornstarch
1 Tb veggie oil (more for cooking)
1 c. or so of chicken stock
2 Tb soy sauce
1 Tb worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp chili pepper paste ( this comes in a tube in produce section)
1 small onion (sliced pole to pole)
1 bell pepper (chop into med chunks)
1 large carrot (thin cut on a sharp diagonal to shorten cooking time)
1 stalk celery (chopped on thin diagonal)
1 c. other veggies ( I use whatever is in need of eating in the fridge)
1 c. cashews
Rice to serve with is great!

Slice meat in thin strips and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle cornstarch over it and the oil. This should make a thin paste over the meat if not adjust starch/oil to coat all meat without being soupy. Let rest while you chop veggies.

Chop all veggies.

Preheat Wok until it is hot. Add about 1 Tb oil to wok and swirl around pan. Add meat to pan but do not stir until the meat easily releases from the pan. When all meat is almost fully cooked add Onions, peppers, celery and carrots. Add a splash of stock to wok as needed to help cook the veggies but it should not be soupy and evaporates quickly. Add your other veggie based on how quickly it cooks. (Zuc. , peas, mushrooms, etc take about 3 minutes. broc, cabbage, cauliflower etc a little longer).

As veggies come to the desired softness for you start to add a little more stock to make a bit of sauce for stirfry. The starch from the meat releases to help thicken the stock. Then add the chili pepper, soy sauce, and worcestershire sauce to stirfry. Just before serving toss in the cashews mix well and serve over rice.

Oven baked Chicken and roasted asparagus

This is a recipe that my family has done for almost 20 years. My dad was a fan of fried chicken but after his triple bypass surgery this was the closest he was allowed to come to it.

Ingredients
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups Grape nuts flakes
3/4 c non fat milk
salt and pepper to taste
PAM or spray oil (if you have it)

1 bunch asparagus
olive oil
1 TB minced garlic fresh or (1/2 Tb dried)
salt and pepper
2 TB sherry

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
pour milk in one shallow bowl and cereal in another. Dip chicken in milk and then in cereal and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and spray lightly with PAM or olive oil spritzer. Bake chicken for 10 minutes and turn oven temp down to 350 degrees and bake until chicken is done (appx. 2o minutes). Remove from oven and let rest 3-5 minutes before cutting into it.

Meanwhile, trim your asparagus and place in a shallow baking dish. drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle garlic, salt and pepper on top and bake until soft (thin asparagas takes about 10-15 min thick takes about 20-25 minutes). Remove from oven and drizzle the sherry over the top. Be careful the sherry may steam a bit in the hot pan.

I have also made the Orzo recipe that Rachel posted long ago but used quinoa instead of the orzo to go with this meal and thought it went well together.

Chicken & Wild Rice Salad

A few times a year, when I'm short on time to cook, I buy a smoked turkey from our nearby meat market. I can use the turkey all week to make quesadillas, turkey soup, curried turkey salad, etc. without having to do any meat prep. I stumbled across this recipe when looking for another tasty use for my smoked turkey. It is colorful and tasty - and it even passes as a "salad" minus the lettuce. It was my first attempt at using wild rice, which takes a while to cook, but is definitely worth the wait! Enjoy!

Chicken & Wild Rice Salad

Dressing:
1/4 cup fig vinegar or white whine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbl canola oil

Remaining ingredients:
2 cups chicken broth
1.5 cups uncooked wild rice
1 tbl butter
cooking spray
1 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast (or turkey)(or grilled chicken)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped almonds, toasted
2 tbl minced red onion

1. To prepare dressing, combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Cover and chill.
2. Combine broth, rice, and butter in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid absorbed (mine took longer than 45 minutes). Remove rice mixture from heat; cool.
3. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 8 minutes on each side or until done. Cool; cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
4. Combine cooked rice, chicken, celery, carrots, cranberries, almonds, and red onion in a large bowl. Add dressing; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill.

Yield 6 servings.

Greek Food!!!

Alright Chic Chefs, here we go! I am so excited because we are starting another round, I finished my midterms, and I love Greek food!
A few weeks ago I met a new friend and she had the kids and me over for dinner. She made an amazing Greek meal! So, thanks to Darla for sharing her recipes! I am only going to include two recipes for the official submission but highly recommend you serve this with tzatziki sauce and a fresh green Greek salad (lettuce, spinach, feta, kalamata olives, tomato, cucumber, etc.)

As the Greeks say, “Kali Orexi!”

Pita Bread (Courtesy of www.greekfood.about.com)
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1/2 cup of warm water
• 4 cups of bread flour
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 cup of warm water
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
Dissolve in the yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup of warm water and set aside, covered, for 15 minutes. Dissolve salt in the remaining 1 cup of warm water.
In a large mixing bowl, add flour and make a well in the center. Add yeast mixture and salt water. Knead with hands for 10 minutes in the bowl. Add olive oil and continue to knead until all oil is absorbed. Shape into a ball in the bowl, cover, and place in a warm area to rise until doubled in volume, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch down the dough and knead for 5 minutes more.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C), and lightly oil baking sheets.
Take pieces of dough slightly larger than an egg and roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of 3/8 to 1/4 inch. (For larger or smaller pita bread pieces, take more or less dough). Prick the bread with a fork in several places.
Place on baking sheets and bake at 350°F (175°C) on the lowest oven rack for 2-3 minutes, then turn the pitas over and bake for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a tray covered with a clean dishtowel, with another clean towel on top. When thoroughly cooled, pitas can be stored in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or frozen.
Before using, brown in a lightly oiled frying pan for a few minutes until browned on both sides.

Grilled Chicken, Serves 8 (Courtesy of www.allrecipes.com)
*Darla added onion and red pepper and also just used boneless skinless chicken cut into strips.

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1 (4 pound) chicken, cut into pieces
In a glass dish, mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and lemon juice. Place the chicken pieces in the mixture, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat grill for high heat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Place chicken on the grill, and discard the marinade. Cook chicken pieces up to 15 minutes per side, until juices run clear. Smaller pieces will not take as long.

Jasmin's Pad Thai Recipe at Epicurious.com

Jasmin's Pad Thai Recipe at Epicurious.com:


Ingredients:

"2 tablespoons red onions, finely chopped
A dash of peanut or olive oil
Shrimp (deveined), or calamari (cleaned and sliced) or chicken or pork (thinly sliced)
An egg
A small handful of thai rice noodles
1/2 a cup (max) of chicken stock or water
4 to 5 glugs of fish sauce
A heaping tablespoon tamarind sauce*
1/2 tablespoon palm sugar or unrefined caster sugar
A pinch or 2 of crushed red chile flakes
A handful of bean sprouts
3 or 4 scallions, cut into 3-inch sticks
2 to 3 tablespoons raw cashews, coarsely chopped

For garnish:
Fresh lime wedges and cucumber slices


*Tamarind sauce—of course you can buy this already prepared, but it’s an entirely different sauce when it's fresh: place a small handful (about 2 to 3 tablespoons) of dried, vacu-packed tamarind nuggets in a bowl and cover with very hot water for about 5 to 10 minutes to soften. Use your hands to squish the nuggets until the water becomes really thick and gloopy. You'll notice your hands getting really soft, so spread a good amount of it all over your arms and face. Great for the skin. Anyway, using a rubber spatula, rub the sauce through a strainer, leaving the pits behind. Store the sauce in an airtight mason jar (keeps about a week). Rinse off your arms and face."


Preparation:

Get everything ready to go because this dish takes only about five minutes to cook.

In a wok (you can use a large frying pan but it is just not the same-even if you use a cheap wok) Fry the onion in a little peanut or olive oil. Add the protein, cook for a minute. They'll continue so don't worry too much if they are still slightly opaque, and move then over to the side. Make a well in the center. Crack the egg in there and scramble with a fork till cooked. Push over to the side along with the protein.

Break the noodles in half and add to the center with about 1/4 cup of stock, the fish sauce, tamarind sauce, palm sugar (dissolve in a little hot water if too thick), and red chile flakes. Mix well into the noodles, leaving protein and scramble off to the side.

Cook the noodles in the sauce for a few minutes, stirring lightly to ensure that they don't clump together. The noodles should be just softened-you want them nice and chewy. Taste and adjust the seasoning-add more stock if necessary.

Now add the bean sprout sand the scallions, stir everything together, and heat it through. Immediately turn onto large plate and top with the chopped cashews. Garnish with lime and cucumber slices.

Chicken Tortillas

Alright ladies here it finally is. I'm so sorry it is up so late.

2-3 cooked chicken breast- cut into bite size
3 cups chedder cheese
2 cups sour cream
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
Mix all together in a bowl and roll into tortillas
Place tortillas into a baking pan

Sprinkle top with:
Cheese
Green oninons
Tomates
Green chiles
Olives

Bake on 350 for 30 minutes or until done.

We like to eat it with more sour cream and salsa on top. You can pretty much add whatever else sounds good to you and your family. We like to make this on Sundays for football! My husband would eat this everyday if he could!

Serves family of 4-6 with leftovers for sure!

Hope you all enjoy this as much as we do! Can't wait to see what you all think!

Crock Pot Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

Alright ladies sorry this is late, life ya know. So I have not done this recipe before but saw it on a blog I frequent and I'm always up for a good crock pot recipe. I'm going to put the info to the site that has the recipe as well. The original recipe calls for using a whole chicken and cooking for 8 hours but many of the reviewers changed it to boneless skinless breasts and about 4 hours. Lots of reviewers did all sorts of different variations so really any chicken in any form could work for this.
Here we go.

Crock Pot Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

• 1 large chicken, cut into serving pieces (or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts)
  
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup Sprite or 7-Up soda
• 2-3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon pepper (regular black or cayenne)

1. Place chicken in crock pot.

2. Mix all remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.

3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. (4-5 hours for boneless skinless)
   

4. Serve over rice or noodles.

5. You can thicken the juices after cooking with a little cornstarch.

I plan on serving over brown rice with veggies on side....likely carrots and broccoli as those are the girls' favorites.

Hope this is good!

http://www.recipezaar.com/Crock-Pot-Garlic-Brown-Sugar-Chicken-16531 (site info if you want to look at some of the reviewers variations)

Chicken Makhani

I found this recipe on allrecipe.com this last spring after having it at an East Indian restaurant in our city. We love it! I make it at least once a month. I strongly suggest you do not make this recipe until you obtain the garam masala, it is essential to Indian cuisine. You can find it at any specialty market (Whole Foods, etc).
A few notes. 1) I use olive oil. 2) I use fresh ginger and garlic as I've never found the paste. 3) I skip the cornstarch step because I am lazy. It's thick enough for our preference. Enjoy!!!

Chicken Makhani

1 T peanut oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
¼ onion, finely chopped
2 T butter
2 t lemon juice
1 T ginger garlic paste
1 t garam masala
1 t chili powder
1 t ground cumin
1 bay leaf
¼ cup plain yogurt
1 cup half and half
1 cup tomato puree
¼ t cayenne pepper, or to taste
pinch salt
pinch black pepper
1 T peanut oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bit sized pieces
1 t garam masala
Pinch cayenne pepper, optional
1 T corn starch
¼ cup water

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Saute shallot and onion until soft and translucent. Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chili powder, cumin and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in half-and-half and yogurt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, and season with 1 teaspoon garam masala and cayenne. Stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce, and simmer until liquid has reduced, and chicken is no longer pink. Stir cooked chicken into sauce.
3. Mix together cornstarch and water, then stir into the sauce. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened. Serve over rice. Serves 4.

Grilled Chicken Salad

So it is finally feeling like spring in Juneau, so I thought I would submit a nice, summery dinner idea. This recipe comes from the Fiddlehead Cookbook, which is a mainstay in Juneau kitchens. The Fiddlehead was a cozy restaraunt with a creative menu in Juneau which closed a few years ago. The dressing is what sets this salad apart - and the fact that you get to light rum on fire, which is so much fun! I have also used the chicken and dressing in a pita with some of the salad veggies. Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Salad
Serves 6

Marinade
1/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
3 whole chicken breasts

Chili-Cumin Dressing
1 egg
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup corn oil
2 tsp ground cumin
1.5 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp minced garlic (1 clove)
1/4 tsp cayenne

Salad
9-10 cups torn mixed greens
1 carrot peeled and grated
12 tomato wedges (1.5 tomatoes)
1.5 avocados sliced
1.5 cup very thinly sliced red onion
6 warmed flour tortillas folded into quarters

1. To prepare marinade: In a small pan, warm rum slightly over low heat. Remove pan from heat and ignite rum with a match. Let alcohol burn off, gently shaking pan occasionally until flame dies.
2. In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine rum, soy sauce, and lime juice. Using a large spoon, stir in chicken breasts coating each with marinade. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, or up to 6 hours.
3. To prepare dressing: Put egg in a blender or food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add vinegar and blend briefly on high. While blender is running, add oil slowly, 1 tsp at a time at first, then 1 tbl at a time. (Do not add oil too fast or the dressing will break down. If it does, start over with an egg yolk and slowly add broken dressing.)
4. When all oil has been added and dressing is smooth, add cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic, and cayenne. Pour into a 2 cup container, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
5. To assemble salad: Preheat broiler or bbq.
6. BBQ or broil chicken until no longer pink inside. Remove from heat and slice thinly on the bias.
7. Divide mixed greens evenly among plates and sprinkle with grated carrot. Arrange tomato wedges, avocado, and red onion slices on half the greens; fan out chicken slices on other half. Spoon 2 tbl dressing over salad and serve immediately, accompanied by warm tortillas and remaining dressing.

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

In looking for my recipe this time I wanted something different then we have seen before. I don't recall doing any cajun cooking so thought I would go with this one. It is a bit more work then other recipes but I find it to be worth it!

1/8 c. oil
1/2 lb. raw chicken ( I use skinless breasts and thighs)
3/4 lb. andouille sausage (or if in a pinch kielbasa), cut into rounds
1/2 c butter
1/2 c. flour
2 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped green pepper
2 tsp. chopped garlic
2 c. long grain white rice
2 1/2 c. chicken stock
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning or to taste ( I love to make the one from Emeril but guess any the store bottles would be fine, or you can use 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp white pepper)
1 c. chopped green onions

Brown chicken in oil over med-high heat in large stock pot

Add sausage and saute with chicken until chicken is cooked through. Remove both from pot.

Saute onions, celery, peppers, and garlic to tenderness you prefer and then remove from pot ( ok to add to meats)

Roux- melt butter in pot with heat at med low. once just melted add flour and stir CONSTANTLY until the flour is completely absorbed by the butter and begins to lightly brown 3-5 minutes is common for me.

Add liquid to roux slowly ( about 1/2 cup at a time) still stirring constantly to keep lumps out of your mixture don't add more until completely absorbed. Once all liquid has been added add your seasoning and the meat and veggies.

Bring everything to a boil. Add rice and return to a boil. Cover and let cook 30 minutes stopping every 10 minutes to give it all a good quick stir moving rice from bottom to top.

Once rice is tender add green onions and serve.

I hope you enjoy!

Garlic Pepper Chicken and Carrot Salad

I got this recipe from a Thai cooking website that I like. It it so flavorful, but only takes a few ingredients and not very much time. I serve it on plain, steamed jasmine rice.

PLEASE NOTE: Depending on the amount of people you're making it for, you may have to double or triple or even quadruple. I would normally double this for me and my husband, but we eat a lot. You can see that it is just super-seasoned chicken, no veggies or anything. I am posting a salad that I LOVE below it as a suggestion for a side dish, but the chicken is the only "official" recipe this time.

Garlic and Pepper Chicken

(Serves however many people one chicken breast on rice would normally serve in your household!)

1 chicken breast, sliced into thin bite-size pieces (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup garlic cloves, smashed
3/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon white pepper or black pepper (or mix 'em!)
1 3/4 teaspoons fish sauce (I probably use a little more than this)
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil (enough to coat bottom of pan)
2-3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cilantro leaves (for garnish)

1. Rinse and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. (I do it in thin slices that are bite size)
2. Smash the garlic lightly with the side of a knife. Remove the skin if not using thin-skinned Thai garlic. (I just finely chop it)
3. Heat the oil in a pan until very hot. Add the garlic and keep stirring so it doesn’t burn.
4. When (very) lightly browned, add the chicken. Cook until done (not raw). If it gets dry and sticky, add some water to the pan about 1-2 tablespoons at a time.
5. Add the palm sugar, fish sauce and pepper. You may need to add a bit more water here so that it mixes well.
6. Mix well and serve on rice (for a one-dish meal), or in a plate (to share with friends). Garnish with cilantro.


Thai Carrot Salad

½ tsp finely chopped garlic
2-3 Tbsp lime juice
1Tbsp sugar (I think I often skip the sugar or just cut down the amount)
3 Tbsp Thai fish sauce
4 cups shredded carrot
½ cup cherry tomato, cut in half
1 to 2 red chilies, thinly sliced
2/3 cup chopped coriander
½ cup mint
1/3 cup roasted cashew nut

Whisk the first 4 ingredients together in a large bowl
Add the next 3 ingredients, toss well
Let stand for 5-10 minutes, sprinkle with cashew nuts, coriander and mint before serving

Jooieh Kabab (Skewered Grilled Chicken)

This recipe is from Iran. I adapted it from Middle Eastern Home Cooking by Tess Mallos. My goal in deciding on a recipe was to post something that would be quick, delicious and realistic for those of you who have children and/or busy lives. I make this all the time and although you have to think ahead because it is marinated, it is very simple and very quick. The chicken is the main recipe. I added a couple side recipes that are just suggestions in case you want an idea. I am only holding you to the chicken, though. This chicken is great with a green salad as well.

Jooieh Kabab (Skewered Grilled Chicken)
1.5 to 2 lbs chicken (I use breasts)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 large yellow onion, grated or finely chopped
2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp paprika
skewers

1. Cut the chicken into equal size pieces (I do them in about 1.5 inch cubes).
2. Combine lemon juice, onion, salt and pepper in a glass or ceramic bowl.
3. Add chicken pieces, turning to coat. Allow to marinate for several hours (I do this the night before or in the morning).
4. Prepare grill or preheat broiler (I have only made this on the grill, but suspect it will be good under the oven grill as well).
5. Thread chicken onto skewers.
6. Combine butter and paprika and brush over chicken.
7. Place chicken on grill rack or under broiler, basting frequently until done

Serves 6

Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

Whatever amount you like

Cut an X on the bottom of each tomato and thread onto skewers if necessary. Brush with melted butter and cook on grill or under broiler until skin blisters and browns lightly.

Chelou (Steamed Rice)

8 cups water
2 cups basmati rice
2 Tbsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup water

Bring water to boil in large saucepan. Add rice and salt and bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Cook for 5 minutes, then pour immediately into a large sieve and drain.

In a small saucepan, heat butter with 1/4 cup water until bubbling. Pour half of the mixture into the saucepan which was used to boil rice and swirl the pan to coat the bottom and sides.

Spread half the rice in base of pan. Add remainder of rice on top in a mound and make a deep hole in the center with the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour remaining butter mixture over the top.

Cover rim of pan with a doubled kitchen towel or two paper towels and place lid on firmly. Cook rice over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to low and cook for 35 minutes longer.

Serves 6

Grilled Chicken with Panazanella Salad, stuffed mushrooms and Grilled banana splits

Hello ladies, I hope you are ready to "get your grill on". This week we get to prove that women and grill too! I had planned on doing a fun burger recipe to spice up the summer menu but seem to have lost it. So, I am trying a new recipe along with you. The main dish comes from my favorite cooking magazine and I have never been disappointed by them! The appetizer is a rachel ray recipe that I have used several times! The dessert is something I made up and hope you like it as well! I hope you all enjoy!

I like to do these mushrooms as an appetizer but think they would also be a great side to the dinner if you prefer it all together.

• 4 portabello mushroom caps, or 8 large white mushroom caps
  
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for brushing mushrooms, plus 1/8cup
• 5 oz frozen chopped spinach, defrosted (I usually use fresh and cook it down first)
  
• 3 oz quartered artichoke hearts, drained well
• 3/4 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/2 egg yolk, I separate the egg and then using a teaspoon add about half the yolk to the mixture
  
• 1 clove garlic, grated with microplane or small side box grater
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg
  
• 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan
  

Preparation

Pre-heat grill to medium-high and oven to 425°F.

Using a damp towel, brush mushroom caps to clean. Using a pastry brush, coat the caps with EVOO and grill with lid down or roast about 5-6 minutes, turning once, until tender but still firm at center.

Wring the spinach out in a clean kitchen towel. Separate the spinach with your fingers and combine with artichokes, ricotta cheese, egg yolk, grated garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and nutmeg.

Remove mushroom caps from grill.

Divide the stuffing evenly between caps. Sprinkle the caps with Parmesan and cook 5-6 minutes more in the pre-heated oven to set filling and lightly brown tops.

Grilled Chicken with Panzanella Salad
5 Tb EVOO
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 red onion, sliced into 1/4 in rounds
4 (1 inch thick) slices italian bread
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
3 large ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped (any variety will work)
1/2 c fresh basil, chopped
3 Tb red wine vinegar

1. Combine oil and garlic in medium bowl and microwave until bubbling, about 1 minute. Brush onion slices with 1 Tb oil mixture and grill over hot fire until lightly charred, aobut 2 minutes per side. Transfer to large bowl. Brush bread with 1 Tb oil mixture and grill over hot fire until golden, about 1 minute per side. transfer to cutting board.
2. Pat Chicken dry with paper towels. Brush chicken with 1 Tb. oil mixture and season with salt and pepper. Grill over hot fire until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer toplate and tent with foil.
3.Add tomatoes, basil, vineagr and remaining oil mixture to bowl with grilled onions and toss to combine. Cut bread into 3/4 in chunks then fold into tomato mixture. Transfer chicken and bread salad to individual plates and serve.

**Clean a portion of grill to do bananas**
Grilled Banana Splits
2 ripe bananas (not over ripe)
2 Tb honey (plus additional to drizzle over ice cream)
2 Tb grond cinnamon
2 Tb sugar
vanilla ice cream
chocolate sauce, honey, or bourbon(optional)
whip cream (optional)
marachino cherries (optional)

Leaving peel on cut bananas in half lengthwise and then crosswise, creating 4 pieces with each banana. Lay on a plate cut side up. Drizzle honey over bananas, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, let sit 5 minutes.

Place on clean grill grate cut side down and grill 2 minutes or until grill marks appear, turn over and grill additional 5 minutes or until skin starts to peel away.

Place two pieces of banana in a bowl with a scop of ice cream in the center. drizzle with more honey, bourbon or choclate sauce, add a dollop of whip cream, and a cherry and serve.

Enjoy ladies!

This Weeks Recipe: Chicken Marsala

I may have confused everybody by posting the crock pot recipes. I actually didn't mean for these to be my chosen recipes for the week but if you have already bought the ingredients please don't feel like you have to switch now. Go ahead and make whatever you were going to make! I posted these recipes because a couple of the other chic chefs asked me to give ideas for crock pots. My mistake, I should have been more clear.
So, that being said... Here is my recipe. I chose one that I have never made before because I really thought this sounded good.

Chicken Marsala

1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz)
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (2 lb total)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry Marsala wine
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.

Bring broth to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, then boil, uncovered, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.

Cook shallot in 3 tablespoons butter in an 8- to 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until shallot begins to turn golden, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, 1 teaspoon sage, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.

Put flour in a wide shallow bowl. Gently pound chicken to 1/4 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap using the flat side of a meat pounder or a rolling pin.
Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, 1 piece at a time, shaking off excess. Transfer to sheets of wax paper, arranging chicken in 1 layer.

Heat 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté half of chicken, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Transfer cooked chicken to a large heatproof platter, arranging in 1 layer, then put platter in oven to keep warm. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and cook remaining chicken in same manner, then transfer to oven, arranging in 1 layer.

Add 1/2 cup wine to skillet and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, about 30 seconds. Add reduced broth, cream, and mushrooms, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons wine and 1/2 teaspoon sage. Serve chicken with sauce over pasta of your choice, I think I will use linguine.

I hope I have chosen well, Happy Cooking!!