Spicy Chicken Ziti

Spicy Chicken with Ziti

I keep seeing cooks on the Food Network make Chicken Riggies or Chicken with Rigatoni. Now I am up for almost ANY kind of pasta dish, and hey, chicken, it's a no brainer. So, I went to my local (smaller size) market and believe it or not, they did NOT have any rigatoni! What? I could hardly believe it, but I can roll with it, so I substituted ziti. Not that there is THAT much difference between ziti and rigatoni, but there is a little bit.

This came together pretty quickly once I had chopped everything up. It was rich, spicy, creamy and very satisfying, all at the same time. Makes the cut for a pretty easy weeknight dinner!

I made what I thought would be about right for 2 people, but it actually made 4 servings. Go figure, I've never been very good at "portioning" things out. I am always the one who makes way too much, or tries to transfer leftovers into a container that's either way too small for that amount or overly gigantic for the little bit I've got to store. I can't explain it, but that's just me. I feel like this is pretty family friendly, but to get my "kids" to eat it, I'd have to leave out the mushrooms! Maybe sub some roasted red peppers? That would probably work. Start out with 1/2 tsp. of the red pepper flakes if you are not sure how much spice you want. I used 1 tsp. in ours. Don't omit the thyme, it pairs so very well with the chicken and mushrooms, and adds a nice earthy taste. The  thyme in my garden is extremely hardy so I have it available all year round. Even if I've got to brush some snow of it, I can find some green underneath! If you don't grow thyme, give it a try, it's super easy -- at least it is here in Central VA! It also smells really good when you are working in your garden, an added bonus.

Here's what I came up with:

Spicy Chicken with Ziti

3 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
1 T. olive oil
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/3 c. diced yellow onion
4 oz. crimini mushrooms, halved (baby portobello)
1/4 c. Madeira wine or Dry Sherry
2 heaping T. tomato paste
1 tsp. fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 - 1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes (or more if you really  like spicy)
1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth
1/3 c. light cream
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

8 oz. ziti cooked al dente
Grated Parmesan cheese for topping

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat and add chicken thighs. Sear them on all sides until lightly browned. Remove to a bowl. In the same pan, add onion and cook for  few minutes until they begin to soften. Add garlic and mushrooms to the pan, and continue to cook about 5 more minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine or sherry, then add the chicken broth and thyme. Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes. Bring this to a boil, and put the chicken back into the pan. Add the salt and a little pepper, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add the cooked ziti and the cream and toss the whole dish together. Cover and let it sit 5 minutes. Serve in a shallow bowl sprinkled with Parmesan. Serves 4.

Deconstructing Boef Bourguignon

I've always loved Boef Bourguignon. My mom made an abbreviated version of it while I was growing up, using 2 different kinds of canned soup. Once I started to cook on my own, I wanted to do it the correct way. I've followed (almost) the recipe of the original celebrity chef, Julia Child, for many years.

If you read this blog, I've written about my love of Julia and all things French several times. Here's my original Boef Bourguignon post from a while back. I still love that recipe, but I decided to tinker around with it a little bit.

Since I love to cook, and it was my birthday, I got to cook and eat what I wanted. That's always been our family tradition: You get to pick your birthday dinner and eat what you want on your special day. My husband can make a great breakfast, and is an excellent sandwich maker, but I pretty much rule at dinnertime. SO, I did exactly what I wanted to do this past weekend: I tinkered around with a recipe and made what I wanted, and what I did was to deconstruct Boef Bourguignon.

What I mean was that instead of using bits of stew beef or the end of a larger roast, I used a whole steak. I got the idea for this watching Ina Garten, my current favorite Food Network chef, making a dinner to deliver to a friend for a dinner party. Ina was a caterer first, so I figured she'd know all about celebratory meals and presentation. I've altered her recipe a bit, eliminating some of the butter and thickening agents she recommended. I used my favorite cut of steak, an inch thick piece of tenderloin. In the original recipe, the beef is summered a long time in rich, wine gravy and then served over something, either noodles, or potatoes, or even rice, as my mom served it. In this version, I seared the steaks, made a delicious sauce and served it with mashed potatoes. This recipe has the advantage of allowing you to serve the steaks RARE, which is the way I really enjoy them. It was a winner! I wrote this recipe for 2, since only my husband and I were at home, but you could easily double it. Using a whole steak per person made it seem like more of a celebratory meal unlike a stew, which while delicious isn't the most elegant meal. This meal has the added bonus of one that is very easily made in advance. You only have to heat the sauce and finish cooking the steaks at meal time.

Deconstructed Boef Bourguignon with Mashed Potatoes

Deconstructed Boef Bourguignon

For 2

2 1" thick pieces of beef tenderloin

2 rashers of bacon

2 T. butter, divided use

1 c. dry red wine

1/2 cup beef broth, stock or consomme' 

1 tsp. minced fresh garlic

6 - 8 baby carrots, thinly sliced

3 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 T. tomato paste

12 oz. cremini mushrooms (baby portobellos)

12 pearl onions (frozen is fine, that's what I used)

Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Mashed potatoes, baked potatoes or egg noodles for serving

First and very importantly, dry your steaks by draining them on a paper towel. They won't brown properly unless you do this. I know that the picture is kind of gross, but this is a very important step. 

Dry those steaks! 

While the steak is drying, mince the garlic and clean the mushrooms. Cut them in half or quarters if they are very large. Dry them as well, draining on a paper towel. This is important for the same reason as the beef, they need to be dry to cook properly. NEVER argue with Julia. 

Heat a medium sized frying pan over low heat. Choose a pan at least 3" deep, with a heavy bottom, so that the steaks will brown evenly and not stick. Add the two rashers of bacon and fry them until crisp. 

Remove the bacon to drain on yet another paper towel. Pour off almost all the bacon grease from the pan, leaving just enough to keep the steak from sticking. Turn the heat up to medium and add the steaks. Cook the steaks about 2 minutes per side, turning once. you only want to sear them. 

Sear steaks briefly, only a minute or 2 to brown them.

After searing put the steaks aside on a plate, and add 1 T. butter to the skillet. Scrape up all the browned bits in the bottom. Don't let the butter burn! Add the garlic and sliced carrots to the pan, and keep stirring and scraping for a minute or so. Add the red wine and keep on scraping and stirring. Let it come to a boil and then add the beef broth. Drop the thyme and tomato paste into the sauce. Sprinkle in 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt and a few grindings of fresh black pepper. 

Fresh time and tomato paste going into the sauce. 

Bring this to a boil, cover the pan, turn it down to low heat and let the sauce cook for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring every now and again to make sure nothing is sticking. This will smell heavenly and make everyone in the hungry. While the sauce is cooking, melt 1 T. butter over medium heat, in a small non-stick skillet. When the butter is melted and the foam has subsided (wait for the foam part, or Julia will haunt you), and then add the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms until they are lightly browned, stirring them to make sure each surface area is browned. Turn them off while waiting for the sauce to finish cooking. When the carrots are tender, add the mushrooms, crumbled bacon and the pearl onions to the sauce.

We love mushrooms! The pearl onions make it seem special. 

Doesn't that look good? Cover that pan once again, and let the flavors come together, cooking for at least 10 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, adding a little more salt and pepper as needed. Be careful here, you may not need any more (I didn't). It depends on how salty your beef broth is, how strong the wine flavor is and how much liquid the mushrooms give off. TASTE! Don't just add. You can remove the thyme stems if they are still whole and visible. The leaves will just fall off. 

At this point, you can refrigerate everything (Separately! Don't put the steak in the sauce until you are ready to reheat it!) and heat everything up later in the day, or even the next day. When you are ready to eat, get the sauce hot again, and add the steaks into it. Cover and let them cook for 4 - 5 minutes for rare steaks, 6 -7 minutes for medium. If you like your meat well done, don't bother with tenderloin, just follow the first, original recipe. No need to spend the extra money on good steaks! 

Serve along side mashed potatoes (our choice) or over baked potatoes or egg noodles. 

I promise, this was YUMMY!

Veal Piccata with Lemon and Mushrooms

Veal Piccata with Lemon and Mushrooms 

There used to be a restaurant in Richmond, back in the '80's, that served the most wonderful veal dishes. We used to go there with a group from my husband's office. No one was more enthusiastic about this restaurant than his boss. The boss LOVED Italian food, and especially the veal, but admittedly, the cost was a little high. Back then, we were the parents of young children, and money was often in short supply. We were comfortable, but we never had a life style, we just had a life. That's not to say it wasn't a good life, and a rich one, but rich in love, fun and family as opposed to the monetary kind.

My husband loved one veal dish in particular -- me too! --  so I figured out how to make it. I dragged out my old Intro to Italian Cooking cook book (ca. 1971), much splattered and stained even back then, and read up on veal. There was no recipe that looked identical to the one we loved, but "Picatta Di Vitello Al Limone" was pretty darn close!  I used that recipe as a template and added fresh mushrooms, cooked it in olive oil instead of the recommended butter and added fresh garlic. It was a winner then, and it's still a winner. I will tell you honestly, this dish is a little trouble and a little costly for everyday fare, but as a special occasion dinner, it's a WOW! Since the amount of veal used is relatively small, it can be called a "little splurge"!

Look for thinly sliced veal scaloppini in the meat department of your grocery store. You'll need only one cutlet for each serving, as this is a pretty rich dish, especially when served with the recommended noodles on the side. Why noodles instead of pasta, you may ask? Well, the first time I made it, all I had on hand were egg noodles, and we liked is, more than the next time when I made it with fettuccine. I think the delicate nature of the egg noodles simply complemented the veal. Next time you want to celebrate, a birthday, a promotion, an anniversary -- or even if you just feel like puttering around in the kitchen -- give this wonderful veal dish a try.

Veal Scaloppine with Lemon and Mushrooms
(4 servings)
3/4 lb. veal (4 pieces veal scaloppine)
1/4 c. all purpose flour
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese 
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt + more for seasoning
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper + more for seasoning
2 T. chopped garlic
12 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced or halved**
1 1/2 c. dry white wine ( I used a pinot grigio from Trader Joe)
1 lemon, washed, thinly sliced and seeds removed. 

First, prepare your veal: Lay the scaloppine out on a piece of parchment or wax paper.

Veal on waxed paper, before pounding.

Cover the veal with another piece of paper. 

 Cover the veal with another piece of paper and pound the cutlets until they are very thin and uniform in thickness. I used the smooth side of the meat mallet so as not to tear the thin slices of veal.

Floured veal, ready to fry.

 Prepare the breading mixture by mixing together the flour, cheese salt and pepper in a shallow dish or on a large plate. Dip each piece of veal into the mixture and press down a bit, so that both sides are covered in the flour/cheese mixture. Set the veal aside while  you prepare the pan to fry the veal.
In a large, heavy, deep frying pan, add enough olive oil to completely cover that bottom of the pan. The oil doesn't have to be more than a 1/4" deep, but it must cover the bottom and be enough to fry the meat. Heat the oil over medium high heat. The oil is ready when a little bit of flour dropped into it immediately begins to sizzle and floats to the top. When the oil is hot enough, add the veal, one piece at a time, being careful not to crowd it. I find it better to cook only 2 pieces at once.

Veal frying in olive oil.

Don't crowd the pan and fry the veal until golden brown, turning once. Then drain it on paper towels.

Drain the veal on paper towels. 

While the veal is draining, make the sauce. Turn the heat down to low. Pour off almost all the oil in the frying pan,leaving about 2 T. of oil. Then, add 2 T. all purpose flour to the hot pan.

Add the flour to a little bit of oil in the pan.

 Stir the flour into the remaining oil until all the white is absorbed into the olive oil. Turn the heat up to medium and add the white wine to deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan so that all the browned bits are incorporated into the sauce.

Add the mushrooms to the sauce,
I like a combo of white and brown ones. 

 When the liquid begins to bubble, add the mushrooms, the chopped garlic,
a 1/2 tsp.Kosher salt and a few grindings of fresh black pepper. Stir the mixture gently to coat the mushrooms, turn down the heat a little bit, then cover the pan and let the mushrooms cook for about 5 minutes on a low, gentle bubble. Don't let them start to stick. The liquid shouldn't get too thick -- if it starts to look pasty, add a little water, just a T. at a time.

Put the veal back into the pan, on top of the mushroom mixture. 

The fried veal is laid out over the mushrooms and sauce.
Add the sliced lemon on top of this.

Lay the sliced lemon on top of the veal. Spoon a little of the liquid in the pan over the veal, put the top on and simmer gently for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then to make sure nothing is sticking or getting too thick.

Serve the veal with the sauce next to egg noodles, which have been cooked and drained. While the noodles are draining, melt a T. of butter in the hot noodle pan. Add the noodles back into the butter, sprinkle them with salt and pepper and toss with a little Parmesan cheese. Perfect side dish for your veal! 

**COOKS NOTE: My old cookbooks recommends "the whitest mushrooms you can find" at your supermarket, but I prefer a half and half mixture of white mushrooms and baby Portobello (also called "cremini") mushrooms in this dish.

Pot Roast and More on a Monday Night

Pot Roast with green beans on a Monday night.

I've always held the position that you should serve a good dinner on Monday night. Monday can be a tough day for anyone, whether you are returning to the office, work at home, go to school, stay home with your kids (work at home, I know) or even if you are retired. After a busy weekend, we often start the week out stressed or tired, and I know at least two people who say they have a hard time sleeping on Sunday night, because they are worried about Monday! 

I've written about this phenomenon before, and you can read about it, and check out my recipe for Pork Roast, HERE .

To combat those Monday doldrums, it's nice to have a good dinner to look forward to. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to drag your slow cooker out of the closet and put it to good use. Today, mine is simmering away with a pot roast and vegetables. See how old mine is? It still works really, really well.

My Old Slow Cooker. Still works.

My mother made good pot roast and she always used a chuck roast. We've decide we don't love a shoulder roast. Chuck is better, but try and find one on sale. It used to be a cheap cut, not so much anymore.

 There are many ways to cook a pot roast:  In the oven, on top of the stove or a combination of both cooking methods. The easiest way by far is to dump everything into the slow cooker, turn it on and walk away. The gravy suffers a little, but I'll give you some tips on how to fix it up, so that it tastes very much like the gravy you get when you first sear the roast and then slow cook it. This is a BASIC recipe and you can certainly experiment with herbs that you like. I've thrown in a bay leaf, used summer savory, and added a little fresh rosemary and thyme to this, all with good results. Think of this like a map to get you in and out of the kitchen quickly on a busy day.
At the very end, I'll tell you how to make your leftover roast into the best beef stew ever! IF you've got any leftovers!
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
2 - 2.5 lbs. chuck roast, excess fat removed
1 cup tomato sauce
2+ T. worcestershire sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
4 medium onion
4 medium all purpose potatoes, peeled
16 mini carrots, or 4 whole carrots, cut into 4 - 6 pieces
1/4 c. dry red wine**
3/4 c. beef bouillon, divided usage
2 T. corn starch
kosher salt and coarse pepper

Cut an onion in half and dice one half of it into very small dice. Put that in the bottom of your slow cooker along with 1/2 of the  minced garlic. Take 2 mini carrots or 1 piece of a whole carrot and slice thinly. Place that on top of the garlic and onions and then put your roast on top of that. Sprinkle the roast with salt pepper and the worcestershire sauce. Pour on the red wine and 1/2 c. of the tomato sauce. Put on the lid, turn your cooker on high and go get a shower or throw in a load of laundry and make the bed or all 3 of these. Leave that mixture in there for about an hour, then on top of the roast, layer in the potatoes, alternating them with the rest of the onions that have been peeled and cut in half. If you are using herbs, add them now. Make sure they are distributed evenly on top of the meat, potatoes and onions. Throw the rest of the carrots and garlic on top. Pour another 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce, and the beef broth over everything, and sprinkle once more with salt and pepper. Put the top on, turn the cooker down to low and leave it alone for 6 - 8 hours. 
When you are almost ready to eat, remove the vegetables and the roast carefully with a slotted spoon to a large oven proof platter or big shallow serving bowl. Place this into a preheated 250 degree oven. You'll get a little color on your roast and potatoes like you'd seared them. 
Pour the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a saucepan. Mash up any big pieces with the back of a fork. Mix the remaining beef bouillon with 2 heaping T. corn starch and enough water so that it measures 1/2 cup total.  Make sure that the corn starch dissolves into the liquid. Pour it into the saucepan, turn the heat to medium high and start stirring. Add a drop or 2 of worcestershire sauce. When it boils and thickens, turn the heat down to low and  cover it. If you want the gravy a little thicker, mix another T. of corn starch with 2 T. of water and add it to the gravy. Let it bubble gently for about 5 minutes and then serve it along with the roast and veggies. Serves 4 amply. We like it with fresh green beans but you could make a salad or heat up some bread)

Pot Roast with Potatoes, Onions and Carrots

If you've got any meat, gravy and vegetables leftover, try this:

Leftover Beef Stew
Leftover pot roast and gravy (you need at least 1 c. beef and 1/2 c. gravy)
+ any vegetables you have leftover, all cut into bite sized pieces
3 1/2 c. beef stock or 1 can Campbells beef consomme' plus 2 1/2  c. water
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. thinly sliced carrot
1 clove minced garlic
3 medium all purpose potatoes, cut into 1/2" dice
8 frozen "pearl onions" from a bag 
1/2 c. dry red wine**
1 T. tomato paste
kosher salt and coarse pepper
1 slice crisp cooked bacon, optional

Place the beef stock or consomme' along with the chopped onion, carrots, garlic and potatoes, into a heavy medium to larger sized sauce pan -- not your huge one, but not the one you heat up soup in either. (Add water until the vegetables are covered by 1" of water, if necessary.) Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Turn the stove on high and bring to a boil. Turn down and let it simmer 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender. When the vegetables are tender, add 1/2 c. dry red wine tomato paste and the pearl onions, and bring it back up to a boil. Let that cook about 5 minutes and add your pot roast, gravy and any veggies that were leftover. I like to cook this 30+ minutes over a low heat so that the stew really comes together. Add the bacon for the last few minutes of cooking, if using. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if you need it. 

**You can always substitute beef stock/broth for the wine in either of these recipes.

Crab Cannelloni with Roasted Garlic Shrimp

A few years ago, on the way home from a trip to the river, we stopped and bought several pounds of fresh crabmeat. We ate one of them, I am thinking I made crab cakes, but we froze 2 more pounds for the holiday season. I love to make hot crab dip when I entertain, and the price of crab goes up astronomically around the holidays here in VA. I'd also planned a luncheon for a group of ladies. I was looking for something to make a pound of crab meat feed a lot of people when I came across Giada's recipe for Crab and Ricotta Cannelloni on the Food Network website, so I made that. It was a HUGE hit, but I knew I could put my own spin on it and make it more my own. I've made it twice more, changing a few things up, and the last batch hit the nail on the head, flavor wise, at least for our family. This recipe makes 12 - 14 filled cannelloni shells, so it will feed 6 - 12 people, depending on what else you are having with it. One cannelloni for lunch is quite enough, it's a pretty rich recipe. For dinner I'd count 1 1/2 to 2 per person.  

A special thanks to my sweet cousin from across the country who took these pictures! It was great having you here! 

Crab Cannelloni with Roasted Garlic Shrimp

Crab Cannelloni with Roasted Garlic Shrimp

1 package cannelloni or manicotti pasta tubes ( 12 - 14 pieces )

1 lb. lump crabmeat, picked over for shells

1 c. low fat ricotta cheese

1 egg + 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten in a small bowl

1 c. grated parmesan, divided use

1/4 c. fresh basil, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

White sauce, recipe follows

Roasted Garlic Shrimp, recipe follows.

Butter a 13' X 9" baking dish. 

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain well and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the crab, eggs, ricotta,  3/4 c. parmesan, Old Bay, salt, pepper and basil. Mix gently until just combined, being careful not to break up the crab too much. Fill each cannelloni shell with the crab mixture. Place them in the baking dish. Cover with the white sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 c. parmesan cheese. At this point you may bake the casserole or cover it and hold it for up to 2 days. To bake, bring it to room temperature and bake covered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes until the edges are bubbly and starting to brown slightly. Remove from oven and add the roasted shrimp on top. 

White Sauce for Cannelloni

5 T. butter

1/4 c. all purpose flour

3.5 cups 1% milk, warmed up a little in the microwave

1/2 c. dry white wine or champagne (I used Korbel Brut Sparkling wine)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour until it is completely incorporated into the butter. Add the milk, stirring constantly. After a few minutes, add the wine, salt and pepper. Continue to warm the sauce, stirring so that no lumps form. It will begin to bubble around the edges. Turn the heat down to low and add the nutmeg. The sauce will thicken quickly, but you don't want to let it get to a full rolling boil. When it gets thick and easily coats the back of a spoon, turn it off and cover it until you need to use it. 

Roasted Garlic Shrimp

24 large or extra large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 T. olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

Mix the above ingredients together and spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place the shrimp into the oven for the last 8 minutes you are cooking the crab cannelloni. The shrimp are done when they are opaque. Remove both dishes from the oven and arrange the shrimp on top of  the crab dish. 

I also made a yummy green salad, with fresh strawberries and blueberries, red onion, toasted pine nuts and feta cheese, lightly dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette. It was yummy! Nothing like fresh berries when they are in season!! 

Not just any Spring Chicken!

Spring has finally sprung in the Richmond, VA area, and it couldn't be any prettier around my neighborhood. Redbuds and phlox are blooming, azaleas and dogwoods are budding up. Every yard is showing off some jonquils and maybe a few tulips or early iris. All this flora makes me want to cook in a spring like fashion, even though we are not exactly spring chickens anymore!



Phlox out by my mailbox

This dish was a little more complicated than I sometimes attempt on a weeknight, but the smells and fresh tastes that it produced made it worth the extra trouble. Purchasing boneless, skinless thighs sped things along a little, and having rosemary on hand in the yard makes for easy inspiration. It grows so abundantly, I've just GOTTA' use it, right? If you haven't got rosemary growing in your garden, get some -- it's easy to grow and will even thrive in a container. The one that grows in my yard was transplanted here after living in a pot on the deck at my last house. I first put it in my little bed around the patio, but it outgrew that spot and currently resides over by the fence. It's now about 13 years old and spreading with abandon. It's even got little light purple flowers on it!

Rosemary by the fence



Lemon Rosemary Chicken with Spring Onions and Rice Pilaf

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

10 green/spring onions, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise

1/4 c. flour, seasoned with a little salt and pepper

2 T. + olive oil

4 sprigs rosemary

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lemon, divided use

1/3 c. dry white wine

1/2 c. chicken stock

salt and pepper

Rice Pilaf (recipe follows)]

Zest the lemon so that you have about 1 T. of zest. Cut the lemon in half, and thinly slice it. Cut 2 of the slices in half, so that you have 4 small quarter pieces. Wash and dry your rosemary. Put the flour mixture into a pie plate or something similar for dredging. Lay one chicken thigh on the cutting board you use for meat (or a clean plate) and spread it open carefully. You can tell that there is a top to it and a bottom, where the bone was removed. Open the "bottom" and lay a sprig of rosemary and a quarter slice of lemon into the cavity. Close the "flap" back over this and carefully roll the thigh in the flour mixture. Set aside. Repeat this with the other 3 thighs. You can secure them with twine or an uncolored toothpick, but I found that the lemon and rosemary stayed inside when I made this without the trussing. (Plus I'm kind of lazy about things like that, especially on a weeknight!)

Get your pan ready on the stove -- you'll need an ovenproof skillet that all 4 thighs will fit into. Preheat the oven  to 350 degrees. Heat the pan a little. Pour 1 T. of the olive oil into the pan. Drop the halved onions into the olive oil and saute' quickly, until they just begin to wilt. Remove them from the pan and set them aside. Add the other T. of oil to the pan. Heat the pan until the oil begins to shimmer, and add the thighs to the skillet. You may need a little more oil. Cook them for about 5 minutes, so that the flour browns. Turn them over carefully -- I used a fork along with a small spatula - make sure that the lemon and rosemary remain in the cavity. Let the thighs cook for another 5 minutes to brown the other side. Remove the chicken to a plate and add the garlic, wine, and stock or broth to the pan. Add the 6 lemon halves to the liquid. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt and a little fresh ground black pepper. Cook for 5 -7  minutes over medium to high heat, reducing the sauce by about 1/2.

Sauce reducing in pan

Put the chicken back into the pan and place into the preheated oven. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes until the juices run clear when thighs are pierced with a fork. Taste the sauce and add a little salt and pepper if needed. Put the spring onions back into the sauce, garnish with a little more fresh lemon and serve over rice pilaf.

Chicken thighs ready for the oven

Rice Pilaf with Artichokes

2 c. chicken stock or broth

1 tsp. butter + 2 tsp. Olive oil

1/3 c. brown rice

1/2 c. white rice

1/3 c. orzo or broken vermicelli

2 T. minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 8 oz. pkg frozen artichokes, thawed and well drained

salt

2 heaping T. Parmesan cheese

In deep saucepan, heat the oil and butter together until the butter melts. Add the garlic and olive oil and saute a few minutes until they begin to soften. Add the vermicelli or orzo and saute' this mixture until the pasta begins to brown, at least 10 minutes, over medium heat, stirring often. Add all the rice, stir into pasta mixture and then add the stock. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, bring this up to a boil, cover the pan and turn it down to a lower heat, so that the mixture just barely bubbles. When all the liquid is absorbed, add the artichokes and Parmesan cheese. Stir them into the pilaf and cover to warm the artichokes through, about 5 minutes. Serves 4 - 6. Good leftover, just heat in the microwave.

Lemon Rosemary Chicken Thighs with Rice Pilaf

Cooking Like Julia

As I mentioned on the occasion of Julia's 100th birthday (here), I've had out my "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", reading it for pure pleasure and inspiration. I have the Anniversary Edition, given by my loving son a few Christmas's ago. It includes a lengthy introduction written by Julia herself, toward the end of her life, as well as a section written by her editor Judith Jones. If you love to cook this is a must own cookbook. I was given "The Joy of Cooking" when I first set up housekeeping over 30 years ago, and while that book is invaluable as to the mechanics of cooking, this book is invaluable if you want to cook with style.

Yesterday, I prepared Saute de Boeuf a la Parisenne, which simply translated means Beef Saute in the Parisienne Style. The Parisienne style is apparently, with cream and mushrooms. This is, essentially, a French version of Beef Stroganoff and was written before sour cream was widely available to the home cook. 

Julia's introduction for this recipe praises it's quick preparation and the advantages of prepping ahead for serving to company. I totally agree that it came together very quickly, but must comment that it is not the prettiest dish I've ever prepared. However, having said that, I must also admit that the taste was ABSOLUTELY DIVINE! I had some beautiful, new potatoes, freshly dug by my step-father on his nearby farm, so I opted to use those, as opposed to rice or risotto. Julia mentions all three as possible accompaniments to this dish, and I think buttered egg noodles would work as well.

I used exactly the cut of beef suggested by Julia and made only one small adjustment. The original recipe called for Madeira, which is fortified wine from Portugal, or dry white vermouth. When I went to the grocery store, they did not have Madeira. I thought I had dry white vermouth at home, but I was mistaken: I had sweet vermouth, which is used in making Manhattans. The two can NOT be substitued for one another. SO, I googled substituting something else for Madeira and discovered what I believe was a good alternative. It's amazing what you can find on the internet!

The directions to this dish are very particular, a trait shared by all of Julia's recipes. She was first and foremost a teacher, long before the days of celebrity chefs! Her advice for drying the mushrooms and the beef thoroughly before cooking is invaluable to the success of this dish. She also specifically mentions allowing the foaming of the butter to subside before adding the ingredients, an indication that the pan is at the correct temperature to begin cooking. That's a great tip, especially for a newer cook.

Remember what I said? It's not the prettiest dish I've ever made! Let me also say that I halved this recipe, so the prepped mushrooms and beef pictured below are less than the amount in the recipe.

Saute de Boeuf a la Parisienne, served over lightly mashed new potatoes

Beef Saute with Cream and Mushrooms
First, prepare the vegetables:

1/2 lb.cleaned,  fresh mushrooms, dried on a paper towel( halved and quartered)

2 T. butter                                                                             

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

3 T. minced shallots or green onions

1/4 tsp. salt and a pinch of pepper

Heat a large, heavy skillet and melt the butter and oil. When the foaming of the butter begins to subside, add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring and tossing to brown them on all sides. Add the onions or shallots to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes (I used sliced green onions). Remove the vegetables to a dish.

Next, prepare the beef and sauce:



Drying the cut beef, not too pretty, but necessary!

2+ lbs. tenderloin of beef; the tenderloin butt and the tail of the fillet are usually used, excess fat and white tendon removed, cut into pieces that are about 2" long and 1/2" thick, drained and dried on a paper towel

2 T. butter

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1/4 c. Madeira OR 1/4 c. dry white vermouth OR 1/4 c. dry red wine + 1 T. balsamic vinegar (this is the sub that I found by googling, and I had both things in my pantry)

3/4 c. beef stock or canned beef bouillon

1 c. heavy whipping cream

2 tsp. cornstarch blended with 2 T. of the whipping cream

Salt and Pepper

1 T. butter

To Serve:

Cooked, slightly mashed new potatoes OR steamed rice OR risotto

Top with some fresh parsley for garnish or a few snipped chives

In the same pan you prepared the vegetables, melt the butter and oilover moderate heat. When the foaming subsides, add the prepared beef, in  a single layer. (My pan was large enough to do this but if you use a smaller pan, saute the beef in batches so that it sears correctly.) Season as you cook with a little salt and pepper. Cook the beef for only 3 - 5 minutes, so that it is browned but still rare. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Pour the wine and beef stock into the pan and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Boil it rapidly so that it reduces to about 1/2 cup of liquid. Whisk in the cream and the cream and cornstarch mixture. Simmer 1 minute and add the mushrooms and onion back into the sauce, for another minute or 2. The sauce should have formed a liaison (thickened slightly, Julia's own description). Taste the sauce for seasoning and add a little more salt and pepper if needed.

At this point, you can add the beef and turn it off and save the dish to be served later, OR heat it briefly and serve immediately. When reheating, cover the pan and heat only 3 - 4 minutes, being very careful not too cook it too long. You just want to warm the dish. The beef should be rosy red in the middle when you serve it. Add 1 T. of butter at the very end of the cooking, to add extra richness to the dish ( I eliminated this step, and it was plenty rich, believe me!).

Serve the beef in a casserole or on a platter, surrounded by steamed rice, risotto or lightly mashed new potatoes. Decorate with parsley or snipped chives.

Serves 4 - 6

Julia recommends serving this with some fresh green beans or peas. I opted for a salad, since I've got tons of lettuce in my garden. She also recommends a Bordeaux wine. We had a bottle of Pinot Noir, so that's what I served.

Bon Appetit!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Is there anything better than some homemade chicken noodle soup? Especially on a chilly, rainy Sunday, what could be better than smelling stock simmering and standing by the dreary view outside the kitchen window, chopping veggies and herbs? Even if cooking is not your favorite thing, making soup is a truly therapeutic exercise, I promise!  If you can't be down in the Bahamas, soaking up the sun, you may as well make some liquid sunshine.

It's said in my family that I have a "way with a chicken", but in all fairness, I must confess that my Grandmother Rosie had a "way with a chicken" and that she passed it onto her daughter, my dear, sweet Aunt Cissy, who taught it to me. Chicken soup is best made with love, and patience, and that's the secret. Next time you need a little sunshine in your life, try this, your family will love you for it.



Chicken Noodle Soup

 First, make your stock:
1 2-3 lb.+ chicken
water
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 medium peeled onion
2 ribs of washed celery, leafy tops included
1 medium carrot, scrubbed
1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
Put your chicken into a large, deep stockpot and cover it completely with water. If your chicken has the neck and giblets inside, put those into the water also, after rinsing well. Add the garlic, onion, celery, and carrot. Bring the pot to a boil and add in the rosemary, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Turn this down to medium low and cover. Boil gently for at least one to one and a half hour, until the chicken is cooked through. The chicken is done when the legs can be wiggled easily and the juices run clear when it is pierced with a long fork at the fullest part of the breast.

Remove the chicken and all the vegetables and set them aside to cool. At this point, you can strain your liquid, which my aunt always did. I don't, it's ok with me if the broth is a little cloudy, but she liked hers nice and clear. It is simply a matter of preference!

Next, make your soup.
1/2 c. dry white wine
3 cups water
2 tsp. kosher salt
a little fresh ground black pepper
1 minced clove garlic
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced up (you may omit this or substitute fresh thyme)
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced (about 1 cup)
3 ribs celery, sliced thinly
2 large yellow squash, quartered and sliced into small pieces (don't cut them too thin)
Into your broth, add all your ingredients and bring this to a boil. Turn it down, and let it cook another hour, until the vegetables are tender. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed. The noodles will soak up a lot of salt so I always add at least 1 more tsp. I like the taste of kosher salt in this recipe, it's a little "softer".
While the veggies are cooking, skin the chicken and cut off all of the meat. Chop it up into bite sized pieces. You'll need at least 3 cups of cooked chicken. (If you have more, save it and make some chicken salad the next day -- that's what I am doing!)
To the soups add:
8 oz. wide egg noodles
Bring the soup back to a boil and boil at least another 20 minutes.
(NOTE: If you want that super clear broth, cook your noodles separately, and then add them into the soup fully cooked. This is what my aunt did to ensure that perfectly clear broth. She often made her own egg noodles, which are delicious, but one heck of a lot more work!)
LASTLY, add the cooked chicken back into the soup and cook very gently for about 10 minutes. At  this point, you can remove the soup from the heat and refrigerate it to serve when you want, but the noodles will continue to soak up more broth. If you want to make ahead and serve later, you will need to add another 2 - 3 cups of water before serving.
Serve with some warm bread and have a wonderful dinner. This soup will serve at least 6, and you'll have a big bowl or 2 leftover for lunches or another dinner!
It's a little trouble, but well worth effort!

Liquid Bowl of Sunshiney Love

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

With a few common ingredients and a little prep time, you can create a hearty, comforting stew that will make everyone at the table feel right at home. I like to make this the night before or early in the morning and then put it into the crock pot to cook all day. Your house will be filled with a savory aroma that will call your family to the dinner table right on time! It's a humble stew, not much to look at, but delicious nonetheless.

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

1 1/3 lb. stew beef

2 T. olive oil

1 large chopped onion

1 tsp. chopped garlic

a little sprinkle of both salt and fresh ground pepper

1 T. A-1 Steak Sauce (deepens the color)

3 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 can beef consomme'

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tsp. fresh)

1/3 cup + 2 T. flour, divided use

1/2 c. dry red wine

3 1/2 c. water

3 T. tomato paste

1 c. sliced carrots

3 large all purpose potatoes, peeled and cubed

1+ tsp. salt (to taste)

1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 c. halved mushrooms + 1 tsp. butter (optional)

Cut your beef into 1 to 1 1/2" cubes, removing any excess fatty bits. In a dutch oven, heat your olive oil over medium high heat, and add beef, stirring to sear on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper (it's important to season as you go along, it helps develop the flavors).

When the beef is browned, add the onion and the garlic, and continue to stir until the onion starts to soften. Add the Worcestershire sauce, the A-1 and then 1/3 c. of flour, making sure all of the flour gets incorporated into the beef mixture (that means no white shows). Let this brown for a few minutes, and add the consomme', water, wine, bay leaf and tomato paste. Stir well and bring this to a boil. Stir in the thyme, carrots and potatoes. Season the stew with the remaining salt and pepper.

At this point, you have several options. You can put the stew into a crock pot, and leave it to simmer for 8 hours. OR you can finish the stew in the oven, set at 325 degrees for 3 hours. OR you can let it simmer on low heat on the stove for 2 - 3 hours. If you opt for stove top cooking, you will need to stir the stew at least every 30 minutes to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. About an hour before you plan to serve, check the stew for thickness and seasoning. If it does not seem thick enough, shake the 2 T. flour in a small jar with a little water until the flour dissolves and add it to the stew. You should also add your mushrooms at this point if you are using them. I like to saute them briefly in a tsp. of butter before adding them to the stew. This is a trick I saw Ina Garten do on TV and it definitely gives a nice rich flavor, right there at the end of the cooking process.

Make sure to taste the stew, because the potatoes absorb alot of salt and you may need to add a little more.

Serve this with some crusty bread and perhaps a simple romaine lettuce salad. Or serve it all alone, after all, it's got everything you need for a well rounded dinner cooked right in!

Linguini With Red Clam Sauce

Linguini with Red Clam Sauce, plus a few bay scallops!

The weather around here has been dismal and dreary, with lots of rain and clouds everyday for about a week. Friday night was just too depressing to even think about dragging around, looking for a convivial spot to have a drink and get a plate of good food, so I decided to make one of our family favorites, Linguine with Red Clam Sauce. This recipe is not only good to eat, it is very low in calories and fat. I like to add in what ever other kind of seafood we happen to have around the house, and last night it was a cup full of frozen bay scallops (the little ones).

This is so easy and everything can be kept on hand for those nights when you forget to thaw something or you did not have time to prep a meal early in the day. The basic sauce it very budget friendly -- canned clams are always inexpensive, just watch for frozen seafood sales at the local grocery store. for the extra seafood to toss in.

Try this -- I am betting it will become a part of your meal rotation. It's a go to winner! I have often served it to company, dressed up with fresh clams and shrimp, and it's always a hit. This recipe will serve 4 - 6, depending on what you serve with it. Don't forget the salad and bread, to make it go a little farther!

Linguini With Red Clam Sauce

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes (get a good brand or San Marzano)

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 small can minced clams in juice**

1 handful chopped flat leaf parsley OR 1 tsp. dried oregano + 1 tsp. dried basil

a spritz of fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

1/4 c. dry red wine

freshly ground black pepper

1 16 oz. box linguini, cooked al dente

In a large, deep non stick frying pan, heat your oil over low heat and add the onions and garlic. Let this cook low and slow, to develop the flavor, being careful not to brown the garlic. I like to do this at least 10 minutes. Open the can of clams and drain off the juice; then, add it to the pan, reserving your clams for later. Continue to let this simmer for a few minutes. Drain the juice from the tomatoes into the pan and then crush the tomatoes with your hands and add them to the sauce. ("Why not use crushed tomatoes" you are asking? Because most of them have tomato puree added and the consistency is too smooth. Same thing with diced tomatoes, wrong consistency.) If you are using the dried herbs, add them at this point. Sprinkle in a scant tsp. of salt (don't over do the salt, the clams and juice are salty on their own) and a few gridings of black pepper. Add the wine. Turn up the heat and bring the sauce to a boil. Turn it down, cover it and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. (Start heating up your big pot of water for the pasta, so it all gets ready about the same time.)

At this point, add in your clams and a cup or so of any other seafood you like. Some to try are whole, peeled and deveined shrimp, scrubbed cherry stone clams, bay scallops or sea scallops cut in fourths. If you are using fresh seafood, just make sure it is well drained and cleaned.

Bring the sauce back to a boil, just for a few minutes, long enough to cook your additional seafood -- the canned clams are cooked. Shrimp and scallops take about 5 minutes, whole clams are ready when they pop open. Discard any that do not pop.

I have made this dish many times with just the clams, and it works fine and is delicious. However, adding the extra seafood gives it a little WOW factor. It all depends on your budget and what you have in your kitchen!

Lastly add the fresh flat leaf parsley, if that is the herb you have, and the spritz of lemon. Serve over hot, cooked linguini. Be sure to serve this with crusty bread -- the sauce is very juicy and you will want to soak it all up and not miss a drop!! It's not traditional, but I can't resist adding a few shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano to the top.

**Cooks note: Be sure to buy minced clams, not chopped. And be sure to follow the directions to add the juice from the can early in the recipe and the clams themselves at the very end. If you cook canned clams too long, they begin to taste like chopped rubber bands!!