Archives for posts with tag: poultry

Chicken with Gorgonzola + Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans

June 12, 2015 //

Chicken with Gorgonzola

For Patrick’s birthday I wanted to make him something a little special since it was a work night and we were just celebrating at home. He LOVES blue cheese so when I saw Bobby Flay’s recipe for chicken breasts with roquefort on the New York Times‘ Cooking app I had to make it. I couldn’t get roquefort so I used gorgonzola and it was still delicious.

It couldn’t get skin-on, boneless chicken breasts so I ended up de-boning the breasts myself – this is a HUGE pain. You can’t use regular chicken cutlets because you need the skin to hold in the blue cheese butter so my recommendation, if you aren’t up for de-boning the breasts yourself, is to go with bone-in breasts and roast them for a bit longer – probably 20 minutes or so. Make a small slice into the thickest part of the breast and if it is white and the juices run clear it is finished.

¼ cup clover honey
½ cup aged sherry vinegar
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
8 TB. (1 stick) unsalted butter (room temperature)
¼ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese at room temperature
4 skin-on boneless chicken breasts, 8 ounces each
2 TB. canola oil
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the butter and blue cheese in a small bowl until well blended, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin from the chicken breasts and stuff about 1 heaping tablespoon of the blue cheese butter under the skin of each breast, smoothing the skin to evenly distribute the butter over the surface of the breast meat. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in large ovenproof sauté pan over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Put chicken in the pan, skin-side down, and cook until fat renders and skin is golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken and add four rosemary sprigs to pan. Place in oven and roast until breasts are just cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.

While cooking the chicken, put honey in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until lightly golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add vinegar and cook until reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Remove pan from oven and heat broiler. Spread the remaining butter over the tops of each breast and place under the broiler until golden brown and blistered.

Remove each breast to a plate, spoon some of the pan drippings over each breast and immediately drizzle with some of the honey/vinegar. Garnish with rosemary.

Roasted Potatoes with Green Beans

A simple side dish, that depending on how you look at it, either lightens up a typical potato dish or makes a side of green beans a bit heartier.

6 medium red or yukon gold potatoes, sliced thinly
1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed
2 TB. olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss potatoes and green beans in olive oil and salt and pepper to taste and spread on a baking sheet (you may need two so the vegetables aren’t on top of each other). Roast for 20-25 minutes, checking them after 15 minutes to make sure the potatoes don’t burn.

Tags chicken, gorgonzola cheese, green beans, honey, potatoes, poultry, rosemary

Categories Meals

Cravings

June 12, 2015 //

I’m not a big dessert person. I don’t turn it down per se, but I would rather eat something salty and fatty than sweet. HOWEVER, pregnancy brings out my inner sweet tooth. I feel like I deserve dessert when I’m pregnant because I can’t have certain foods anymore, I can’t drink and I am physically uncomfortable. I also sort of crave sweets a bit more than usual, especially after lunch or dinner. Ice cream has been an almost daily treat for the last few months. Until Monday…. The latest sonogram showed that I have a bit more fluid than normal and one reason may be too much sugar. Everything is fine otherwise, and most likely everything is normal, but to make sure I have to avoid refined sugar and white flour for at least the next two weeks – fun…

Fortunately, summer is almost upon us which means nature’s dessert – fruit – is staring to make it’s way to my local farmers market. Strawberries have already arrived and cherries, peaches, etc. are on their way. They might not totally make up for ice cream, but they will help.

This week’s meal plan introduces two brand new seasonal recipes and two repeats from last year. Enjoy!

Meal #1: Asparagus alla Fontina + Green Salad
Meal #2: Chicken with Gorgonzola + Roasted Green Beans and Potatoes
Meal #3: Panko-Crusted Salmon + Fennel and Parmesan Salad
Meal #4: Pork Chops with Rhubarb-Cherry Sauce + Roasted Asparagus

Your Grocery List, excluding the usual pantry items:

red or yukon gold potatoes – 6 medium
green beans -1 lb.
dried cherries – 1/2 cup
white/yellow onion – 1
rhubarb – 10 ounces
asparagus – 3 large bunches
lemon – 1
fennel – 2
fresh parsley – 1 bunch
rosemary – 1 bunch
panko (Japanese dried bread flakes) – 2/3 cup
eggs – 3
gruyère or fontina – 4 ounces
gorgonzola cheese – 4 ounces
parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
Dijon mustard (if you don’t already have it)
honey (if you don’t already have it)
sherry vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
prosciutto – 4 ounces
skin-on, boneless chicken breasts – 4 (8 ounces each)
pork loin chops – 4 (each 1/2 inch thick and 6 to 8 ounces)
salmon fillets, skin on – 4 (6- to 8-ounce each)

Tags asparagus, cheese, chicken, dried cherries, eggs, fennel, fish, gorgonzola cheese, green beans, honey, lemon, mustard, panko, Parmesan, pork, potatoes, poultry, prosciutto, rhubarb, rosemary, salmon

Categories Meal Plans

Market Discoveries

November 7, 2014 //

One of the best things about the local food movement is that it has brought to light so many underused vegetables and fruits. If it weren’t for farmers markets I wouldn’t know about or have gotten a chance to eat fennel, celeriac, or romanesco. Before the proliferation of farmers markets I bet many of you had never seen or eaten a heirloom tomato. Whether you get them now from a farmers market or your local grocery store, the demand for these special, and dare I say better tomatoes, stems from the growth and ubiquity of farmers markets.

It isn’t just brand new foods that markets introduce us to; markets provide a retail space for farmers to try out different versions of some tried and true favorites without the worry that a grocery store will reject them because they aren’t the right shape or color. That’s how I encountered these beautiful carrots seen below. While shopping at my local Greenmarket I stumbled upon a big bunch of carrots in shades of orange, yellow and purple. They were majestic and I had to have them! So, get a little adventurous and try a new vegetable or fruit this week. We are so lucky to live in an age when hard, pink tomatoes are no longer acceptable.

Meal #1: Pork Tenderloin with Maple Glaze + Roasted Roots
Meal #2: Penne alla Vodka + Green Salad
Meal #3: Pan-Seared Scallops with Apple Cider Brown Butter and Brussels Sprouts Apple Slaw
Meal #4: Lemon and Olive Chicken + Red Roasted Carrots

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:
Honeycrisp apple – 1
Brussels sprouts – 7 large
lemon – 2
onion – 1
beets – 4 medium to large
carrots – 1 large bunch (8 or so)
potatoes -1/2 lb.
crumbled dried sage leaves – 2 ts.
sage – 1 bundle
green olives – 1/2 cup
chicken stock – 1 cup
large (28 oz) and small (14 oz) can Italian plum tomatoes – 1 each
penne – 1 box
heavy cream – 1/2 cup
Parmesan cheese – (if don’t already have it)
dried thyme – (if don’t already have it)
crushed red pepper – (if don’t already have it)
maple syrup – (if don’t already have it)
apple cider vinegar – (if don’t already have it)
apple cider – (if don’t already have it)
Dijon mustard – (if don’t already have it)
cinnamon – (if don’t already have it)
paprika – (if don’t already have it)
chili powder – (if don’t already have it)
garlic powder – (if don’t already have it)
pork tenderloins – 2, 12- to 14-ounce
bone-in chicken breast halves – 4
scallops – 16 large
vodka – 1/4 cup

Tags apple, apple cider, brussels sprouts, butter, carrots, chicken, cream, eets, lemon, maple, olives, Parmesan, Pasta, pork, potatoes, poultry, sage, salad, scallops, tomatoes, vodka

Categories Meal Plans

Transitions

October 3, 2014 //

I certainly wouldn’t be the first to profess my love of autumn on the Internet. It is hard for me to let go of summer, but the arrival of tart apples, pumpkin beer and foliage help. And as much as I hate to say goodbye to tomatoes and corn, the new season allows me to indulge in cooking and eating some other favorites, such as roast chicken and winter squash.

This week’s meal plan is a bit of a transition into a new season and menu. Like farmers markets this time of year where you can still get some pretty good peaches as well as gorgeous winter squash this meal plan isn’t ready to completely concede to cooler weather. Roast chicken is back, but I haven’t started roasting Brussels Sprouts yet (they are better after the first frost). And a trip to a Connecticut apple orchard last weekend inspired the pork chops with apples and cider.

Meal #1: Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Toast + Bacon
Meal #2: Hamersley’s Roast Chicken with Onions and Potatoes + Steamed Green Beans
Meal #3: Pork Chops with Apples + Sautéed Kale
Meal #4: Pasta Carbonara with Leeks and Lemon

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:
fresh (or dried) sage
dried thyme
dried rosemary
bunch of basil – 1
lemon – 2
leeks – 4
red onion – 3
bunch of kale – 1
green beans – 1 1/2 lb.
medium red potatoes – 6
tart apples – 2
apple cider – 3/4 cup
diced tomatoes – 1 28 ounce can
good bread – 1 or 2 slices per person
short pasts – 1 box
Dijon mustard (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
eggs – 1 dozen
1/2 -inch-thick boneless pork loin chops – 4 (5 ounces each)
bacon
whole chicken – 4 lb.

Tags apples, bacon, cheese, chicken, cider, eggs, green beans, kale, leeks, lemon, onions, Pasta, pork chops, potatoes, poultry, red onion, toast, tomato

Categories Meal Plans

In Good Company

September 26, 2014 //

Every Wednesday morning I eagerly await my subway ride so I can read The New York Times’ Dining Section. First I check the restaurant review, hoping for either a 4-star or 0-star review – the two ends of the spectrum yield the most entertaining writing – and then the latest recipes from Melissa Clark and David Tanis. Rarely am I disappointed and this week was no exception. In fact, I was thrilled to see that the entire section was devoted to homecooking. They pulled out all of the stops, with all of their writers devoting an article and recipe to either a simple cooking technique or style – from vinaigrette to scallops to tarts.

The goal of this blog, since its inception, has always been to provide my readers with unintimidating recipes, organized into meal plans with grocery lists so everyone could see that they can squeeze 30 minutes into their evenings to cook. It’s nice to see that my blog is in the good company of some of my favorite writers and cooks!

Fall’s here!

Meal #1: Mediterranean Chicken Thighs with Polenta
Meal #2: Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp + Green Salad
Meal #3:Pork Tenderloin with Plums and Red Onion + Corn on the Cob
Meal #4: Salmon with Potatoes in Tomato Sauce

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

lettuce – 1 large head
lemons – 2
orange – 1
plums – 4
red onion – 1
white onion – 1
corn – 1 per person
white potatoes – 3/4 lb.
parsley – 1 bunch
linguine – 1 box
polenta – 1 tube
reduced-sodium chicken broth – 1 1/4 cup
diced tomatoes – 2 cans (28 ounces each)
tomato paste – 1 small can
Kalamata olives – 1 cup
red wine vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
bone-in, chicken thighs – 8
pork tenderloin – 1 1/2 lb.
shrimp – 1 1/2 lb.
salmon – 4 (6 ounces each)

Tags chicken, corn, fish, kalamata olives, lemon, olives, orange, Pasta, plums, polenta, pork, potatoes, poultry, red onion, salad, salmon, seafood, shrimp, tomatoes

Categories Meal Plans

Mediterranean Chicken Thighs with Polenta

September 26, 2014 //

Mediterranean Chicken Thighs with Polenta

I didn’t stray too far from Martha’s Mediterranean Chicken recipe, but instead of using legs I used thighs (surprise, surprise)…. I think you can use bone-in chicken breasts as well, but they probably will take a bit longer to cook and you might want to use a bit more chicken broth so they don’t dry out.

I’ve never made polenta from scratch before – and I didn’t start with this meal either. Instead I bought a pre-cooked tube of polenta from Trader Joe’s, sliced it, and browned the polenta in some olive oil over the stove. Super simple!

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
2 TB. olive oil
5 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 TB. tomato paste
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
4 stripes orange zest
salt

Dredge chicken thighs in flour (either on a plate or in a bag), shaking off excess.

In a Dutch oven, heat 1 TB. oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, saute chicken, turning so that each side becomes golden brown – about 5 minutes each side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to platter.

Add remaining 1 TB. oil to pot and cook onion and garlic, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add broth, tomato paste, olives, and orange strips; season with salt. Bring to a boil.

Return chicken thighs to pot. Cover; simmer, turning chicken once or twice, until tender but not falling off the bone, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Tags chicken, kalamata olives, orange, polenta, poultry

Categories Meals

On the Road Again

September 18, 2014 //

Sorry for the delayed post. I was all set and ready to go last week, but due to a business trip to Omaha, Nebraska I had no time to actually post the meal plan. Anyway, the trip to Omaha went well. Did you know that Omaha is the home of the reuben sandwich and the hometown of Henry Fonda, Marlon Brando, Fred Astaire and of course, the “Wizard of Wall Street” Warren Buffet? To cap off several days of business meetings I got a chance to check out the Omaha Farmers Market last Saturday morning, which was gorgeous. But, here’s a warning – the weather was chilly! If the Midwest is a bellwether than meals full of tomatoes and corn are quickly coming to an end so enjoy them while you can. I certainly am!

Nebraska – home of the Cornhuskers!

Meal #1: Pressed Chicken Thighs with Corn, Scallion and Pepper Saute
Meal #2: Zucchini, Tomato and Feta Bake + Any Protein + Corn on the Cob
Meal #3: Italian “Stir Fry”
Meal #4: Fennel Compote with Tomatoes, Olives and Fish + Corn on the Cob

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

fennel – 1 large or 2 smaller ones
plum tomatoes – 13
red bell pepper – 2 large
red onion – 1
scallions – 1 bunch
zucchini – 2 medium
summer squash – 1
corn – 2 + 1 per person for 2 meals
green or black olives – 1/2 cup
feta – 4 ounces
capers – 1 jar (if you don’t already have them)
pesto – 1 jar (optional)
ricotta cheese – 1 small container (optional)
pasta – 1 box
bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – 1-2 per person, depending on size
white fish (bass, halibut or tilapia) – 6 ounces per person
whatever protein you decide to make along with meal #2

Tags chicken, corn, fennel, feta, fish, olives, onion, Pasta, pepper, pesto, poultry, ricotta, scallions, summer squash, tomatoes, zucchini

Categories Meal Plans

Pressed Chicken Thighs with Corn, Scallion and Pepper Saute

September 18, 2014 //

Pressed Chicken Thighs with Corn, Scallion and Pepper Saute

My inspiration for this dinner came from Martha’s Pressed Chicken with Okra Succotash. I was intrigued by the recipe’s cooking method; how crispy I imagined the chicken would get and how fast it all came together. However, there were a couple of reasons why I didn’t stick to the script, so to speak. For one, it was just the two of us for dinner and a whole chicken seemed like overkill. The second, was because while I love succotash, and don’t even mind okra, I didn’t have either okra or lima beans on hand. So instead I decided to experiment with ingredients that I thought everyone could find at their local market or store. It was delish!

Pressed Chicken Thighs

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (1 or 2 per person, depending on size)
1 TB. olive oil
salt and pepper to season

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in olive oil. Add chicken, skin side down. Top with enough wax paper to cover the chicken (but not too much that it could be caught by the fire of the stove if you have gas); place another skillet on top; weigh the top pan down with something heavy such as several full cans of tomatoes or, in my case, 8 lb. hand weights.

Cook chicken until golden, about 5 minutes.

Flip chicken; cook (with wax paper and weighted skillet) until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (without touching bone) registers 165 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate, reserving pan juices.

Corn, Scallion and Pepper Saute

1 TB. olive oil
2 ears of corn, shucked
1 bunch of scallions, trimmed and white and light green part sliced thin
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

In the same pan as the chicken, with the reserved juices, add olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add corn, scallions and pepper. Saute for about 3-5 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Serve along with chicken.

Tags chicken, corn, pepper, poultry, scallions

Categories Meals

Chicken Cutlets with Tomato and Basil Salad and Green Beans

August 27, 2014 //

Chicken Cutlets with Tomato and Basil Salad

I can’t believe I’ve been writing this blog for this long without posting this chicken cutlet recipe! I make these all of the time – winter, spring, summer and fall. Breaded chicken cutlets are sort of like dumplings – every culture has their own version. In Italy – chicken milanese, in Austria – schnitzel, in Brooklyn – a breaded chicken cutlet. Call it whatever you want.

In the summer I love pairing them with a raw tomato salad. As a teenager, I used to get this dish almost every time I went to my favorite Italian restaurant on Long Island and I have been trying to recreate it ever since.

For the chicken cutlets:
1 1/2 lb. chicken cutlets, pounded thin
1/2 cup (ish) flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup (ish) bread crumbs (Progresso Italian Style or 4C Seasoned – seriously, go with old-school here)
1/4 cup (or more) vegetable oil (enough so that the skillet is covered)

Note: Only cook 2 or 3 cutlets at a time so that you don’t crowd the skillet. Leave a plate in the oven on a low temperature to keep your finished cutlets warm.

Place eggs, flour and bread crumbs in their own dish or on a plate and season each with salt and pepper. Season the chicken, on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Dip the chicken, on both sides, into the flour, shaking the excess off. Then dip the chicken into the egg on both sides, letting the excess drip off. And, finally dip the chicken into the bread crumbs. Place cutlets carefully into the skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until one side is nicely browned. Turn chicken over and cook for another 2 minutes, or so. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

For the tomato salad:
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 small-medium red onion, sliced thin
2 TB. (or more) balsamic vinegar
several basil leaves, torn
salt and pepper, to taste

Toss all of the above ingredients together and let sit while you are preparing the chicken so the flavors meld together.

Steamed Green Beans

1 lb. green beans, trimmed and halved if very long
1 Tb. butter
salt and pepper

Over medium-high heat, place beans in a steamer basket set in a pot with enough water to almost touch the beans, cover. It should take between 5-10 minutes for the water to come to a boil and steam the green beans until they are tender, but keep an eye on them so they don’t overcook and become limp. Remove from basket and toss with butter, salt and pepper.

Tags basil green beans, chicken, poultry, red onion, tomato

Categories Meals

It’s not over….

August 25, 2014 //

‘Til it’s over. Despite the beginning of the school year and the end of the vacation season, summer still has a few weeks left in her. Let’s make the most of it. Food-wise we are at peak season here in the Northeast. And just when summer produce starts to wane we get to enjoy winter squash, apples and brussels sprouts. See, it isn’t that bad!

Once again, I’ve put together a meal plan with four dinners that embrace the last weeks of summer. I hope you aren’t sick of tomatoes and corn yet!

I’m going to miss them when they’re gone.

Meal #1: Chicken Cutlets with Tomato and Basil Salad + Green Beans
Meal #2: Greek Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta + Garlic Bread
Meal #3: Pork Tenderloin with Tomato and Peach Compote + Corn on the Cob
Meal #4: Summer Sauté with Corn

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

tomato – 5 lbs. (you have to enjoy them while you can)
peach – 1
red onion – 1
onion – 1
shallot – 5
corn – 8
green beans – 1/2 lb.
basil – 1 bunch
mint – 1 bunch
thyme – 1 bunch (or you can use dried)
ginger – 1 small piece (you can freeze whatever you don’t use)
feta cheese – 4 ounces
eggs – 2
bread – 1 loaf
balsamic vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
flour (if you don’t already have it)
seasoned bread crumbs (if you don’t already have them)
curry powder (optional)
pork tenderloin – 2
Italian sausage – 1 lb.
chicken cutlets – 1 1/2 lb.
shrimp – 1 1/2 lb.

Tags bacon, basil green beans, bread, chicken, corn, feta, garlic, green beans, greens, peach, pork, poultry, red onion, Sausage, scallions, shrimp, tomato

Categories Meal Plans

Chicken with Gorgonzola + Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans