Mediterranean Baked Chicken

Grocery shopping...a chore most of us despise. I think I am part of a small percentage of people that look at it like a field trip and a game. How little can I spend on some good quality food to make most of what you see here? And how fast can I get in and out of the store without running into someone I see to distract me from be beating my record of 28 minutes?

I usually at least write a list of stuff I need, but it never makes it to the store with me and sits on my kitchen counter. I was in the mood for something Italian but didn't want to make the traditional sauce. I've been trying to eat a little "lighter" lately and have been making some killer salads. Yeah, serious salads. But I was channeling my inner Italian, or my mom's antipasto squares, and ended up with salami, pepperoni, provolone cheese, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, spinach and feta cheese in my cart.  If this was served with a huge end piece of fresh Italian bread, I would be in heaven.

My intentions when I started cooking were to make a tomato florentine soup.  I blended the rest of my tomatoes from the garden and began cooking it down, mixed with some chicken stock. I thew in some of my fresh spinach and grated cheese and garlic. It smelled amazing, buuuuut, it just wasn't feeling like soup weather so I put in the fridge and ate a salad instead.

All day long I think about food. My meals are sometimes planned while I'm daydreaming at work or on the spot when I open my fridge. This one I'd been drooling over out for a bit...




Mediterranean Chicken
Serves 2

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes (I used fresh but you can use a can)
• 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives
• 4 artichoke hearts
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese 
• 1/4 cup breads crumbs
• salt and pepper
• dried parsley
• basil (I had frozen but dried will work okay too)
• French bread

Preheat oven to 350.
In a shallow baking dish, drizzle a little bit of olive oil and out your chicken breasts in (trim the fat, please!).
Toss in your garlic cloves, WHOLE!

Drizzle a litle bit of olive oil on top of the chicken then sprinkle the bread crumbs.

Cover and bake about 20 minutes then remove the cover, add the olives and artichoke hearts and bake another 10 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees. You want the chicken to have a light golden brown top.

While the chicken is cooking, prep your other ingredients, which there aren't many. 
In a pan over medium low heat, heat up your crushed tomatoes. Add the spinach, basil and parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste (This is where my "soup" comes in).

Prep your crostini. Slice the bread diagonally, just because it looks fancier. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, or butter.  *I would add this in the oven during the last few minutes the chicken is baking. You can sprinkle some garlic powder or oregano on it if you'd like.

Now that everything's done, the plating is the most important part!

Spoon some tomato/spinach "sauce" on a plate.
Add a lovely little chicken breast. Be sure to scoop some olives, artichokes and entire cloves of garlic on top too.
Sprinkle with some feta cheese and parsley.
Serve with at least 2 pieces of crostini to sop up all the delicious flavors left behind.

This was really really really good! And gone in seconds...

Mangia!

The Perfect Pizza

I can't tell you how many times I cooked pizza before I finally found the best way to make it...on the grill.  We don't make it any other way. The grill is the only way and it comes out amazing and done in less than ten minutes. I do have to warn you that it is not easy and might take a few tries to get it down perfectly. We've been grilling pizza for a few years now but still screw it up every once in a while...mostly due to my lack of patience for waiting for the dough to rise. 
 

I usually start with making my own dough. My husband scolded me one time we messed up the pizza blaming it one the store bought dough.  Homemade dough just tastes better and has a little bit more elasticity...that is if you let it rise completely.

Pizza Dough Recipe 

Makes 1 large pizza about 14" or two 8" pizzas

Combine about 2 1/2 cups of flour, a tablespoon of sugar, sprinkle of salt and a teaspoon of garlic powder in a bowl. I say approximate measurements especially with the flour because you'll be using more when you go to stretch it out.

**Super important next step... get one cup of water to a temperature of 120 degrees.  You definitely need a thermometer for this. If it's too hot the yeast will die and result in your dough not rising at all. If it's not hot enough, the yeast won't activate and make your dough nice and stretchy either.  Once you have the perfect temp, dump in your yeast and whisk until it's dissolved.

I drizzle a tablespoon or two of oil olive into the yeast water. Pour that into your flour mixture and dig in. Hands are the best tools for this. When everything is incorporated, dump your dough out and knead for at least 8 minutes...another super important step! I'm so used to baking where you combine ingredients until they are just mixed so for a while I wasn't kneading enough. My dough would come out flat, dense and chewy.

Not the waiting begins. Even if you buy dough at the store, you still have to wait.  I make my dough first thing in the morning and leave it out on the counter, oiled up, always tightly covered and under a towel all day. Or if it's a sunny day, I put it outside.  It should take a few hours. The perfect temperature for dough to rise is 82 degrees.  The dough should just about double in size by the time it's ready.

Here's a good link to describe and show how to properly stretch your dough...

Some tips for stretching dough:

• Don't play with it too much. If you overwork your dough, it'll pretty much get tired and not wanna work anymore
• If you're using a wooden board, place a moist towel underneath it so it doesn't slide all around.
• Use enough flour so it's not sticky but not too much so it dries it out.
• Try to make it even thickness, about 1/2 inch.
• Small holes can be fixed with a little pinching

Fire up the grill...

While you wait for your grill to get up to 450, get all your ingredients in order...mise en place.  This is another really important part because once you get the dough on the grill, you're not gonna have time to walk away and grab everything.

We made two pizzas. It's a little easier to flip a small one then one really big one...and we both like different toppings.   Mine had homemade sauce, which I usually keep on hand in the freezer, homemade pesto made with fresh basil from my garden, plum tomatoes and red onion, both from the garden too! My husband's pizza had chicken, cherry peppers and jalapeno peppers from the garden.

Once you've got everything in place, preferably next to your grill, and the grill is hot and ready, oil up your dough with some olive oil. This is when my husband takes over cooking. The dough has to be totally brushed with oil so there is no chance of it sticking. If you add an excessive amount of oil, it will taste like fried dough, but has the possibility of catching on fire... I'd chance it! We put our dough on a big pizza board with a handle so its really easy to flip and move around. Makes my husband feel like a pro. You can use a wooden cutting board though.  Before you flip your pizza dough onto the grill, make sure it's not stuck to the surface by sliding it around. One of the first times we made grilled pizza, it stuck and folded up on the grill. It was impossible to spread out again. We made the best of it and just ended up with bite size pieces we dipped in sauce and threw toppings on.

When you have successfully flipped it onto the grill, close it for about three minutes. To test if it's done, peek under the dough to look for nice grill marks. It should lift off pretty easily. If it's about done, start brushing it with oil again for the next side to cook.  *Some people choose not to flip their dough and most likely cook it on a lower temp. We've tried that but prefer both sides cooked so you're not left with any raw dough.

  

As soon as you flip your pizza, start adding your toppings.  We usually end with the cheese so it sandwiches the toppings inside. Close up the grill and let it cook another four or five minutes until the cheese is melted. If you find that your pizza is done but the cheese hasn't melted yet, you can throw it under the broiler in your oven for a few minutes.

Let the pizza sit for a few minutes...if you can wait that long...before you cut it. 

 

It's seriously the best pizza you will ever make and maybe even eat.

 

Perfect for summer.  And for your husband to make.

You're Welcome :)

Last Minute Marsala

Somehow in between baking dozens of cupcakes for a fundraiser this weekend, I managed to make an amazingly delicious and pretty nutritious meal...and squeeze in a power nap. Usually when I have a huge amount of cupcakes to bake, we order out. Being as we are on a budget like most people, I figured I'd just make something quick.

I honestly wasn't expecting this to come out so good considering how quickly I threw it together and didn't really measure so hope my amounts below are accurate. I must have said "wow" at least 10 times when I was eating this, and I never say that about my food. But seriously, wow.  It made me think of the scene in What About Bob when Bill Murray is eating dinner at table with Richard Dreyfuss' family...."Mmmm, mmmmm, mmmm, mmmm....Mmmmm, mmmmm, mmmm, mmmmm. MMMMMMMM!" If you don't' know what I'm referring to, please go watch this movie immediately. My dad introduced us to the best movies.

Baby bella mushrooms were on sale last week so I had some in my fridge. I always have chicken on hand. My husband loves chicken and mushrooms....Chicken Marsala!  I rarely ever make it so that's what I did. The main ingredient in this dish is marsala wine which has it's own unique flavor and hard to substitute. Cooking with wine on a budget?! I bought 16oz bottle of marsala cooking wine by Holland House for a whopping $4.00 at the grocery store. You can find it at the package store for pretty cheap too.  It's an Italian wine, similar to a port wine or dry sherry but is what makes chicken marsala, chicken marsala.  I wouldn't recommend substituting it...just make the trip to the grocery store or package store, it'll be worth it.

You can serve this over cauliflower rice, brown rice or, mashed potatoes would be even better...but all I had was veggie noodles, which worked just as good and maybe a bit healthier.

Chicken Marsala
serves 2-3

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup flour (if you wanna make it gluten free, use corn starch)
• 3/4 cup marsala wine
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup of sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 TBS butter
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt
• pepper

Pound out your chicken and cut the fat off. Combine oregano, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Dredge your chicken in the flour lightly on both sides.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat.

Cook chicken for about 4 minutes on both sides.  Set aside. I put mine in a casserole dish and in the oven on a super low temperature to keep it warm.

In the same pan, saute your mushrooms and onions. After they cook for about 3 minutes, add your chicken stock, marsala wine and balsamic vinegar. Add parsley and more salt and pepper to taste.

Let simmer for about 8 minutes. There should be enough leftover flour from the chicken to make a nice brown sauce.

Pour this over the chicken and serve. 

We had it with veggie noodles and KALE! I say that with excitement because I haven't eaten kale in over a year. I was eating it religiously for a while and trying new ways to cook it. Finally made some kale chips in the oven with sea salt and I ate them all in one night. Me and kale parted ways later that night as I tossed and turned in bed. I never thought I would eat it again. But it was pretty cheap at the grocery store so I bought some.



We have no more kale now.  Or leftovers.

Chinese...No Take out Necesary

I have a love/hate relationship with Chinese food. I love love love to eat it. I hate the feeling after I've only been able to finish half of my container full of General Tso's Chicken and remain planted on the couch the remainder of the night. I love opening the fridge the next day, knowing my leftovers are there so I can eat the rest... and feel like shit all over again.  My solution was to make Thai food. Check out my Coconut Curry Chicken. My last bout with that didn't go so well considering I had to throw away an entire dinner due to overcooked rice noodles. I'm a rule breaker and extremely impatient so this is the result of cutting corners. I'm slowly learning my lesson. I tried to salvage it by adding my freshly cooked veggies and peanut sauce. We couldn't get past the slurpy gooey texture. This one went in the garbage.

This week is my husband's birthday so I figured I'd make him something he really loves to eat.  I don't believe he ever had Chinese food before he met me. I had him eat it once...he was hooked. I found a recipe from i heart naptime. Why didn't I name my blog that?!  Naptime is my favorite. I've made this recipe before and it came out awesome. We will probably never order Chinese again...unless I really want an eggroll which would go perfectly with this, and only partially make me feel like crap. I had to alter it due to our addiction to any and all things spicy. I'm not really even sure what to call this. It's sweet, sour, spicy and salty and super easy!

Sweet 'n Sour n' Spicy Sesame Chicken
Serves 4

• Two large chicken breasts
  
• 2 tbs cornstarch
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• some squirts of Siracha
• 1 tbs of rice vinegar
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• dash of red pepper flakes
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• oil for frying

Cut up your chicken into small pieces, about the size of a half dollar.  In a bowl, toss your chicken, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and cornstarch.

Heat up a small amount of oil in a pan, about 1/4 inch. I used vegetable but sesame would be awesome.

Preheat your oven to 350.

In a separate bowl, whisk your eggs. When the oil is hot enough, coat your chicken in the egg then drop carefully in the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side. You are only frying them quickly just to get a crunchy outside. They will finish up in the oven. Have a pan ready with a paper towel on it to soak up an excess grease. I worked in batches.

When your chicken is done frying, put it on a foil lined pan and bake for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make your sauce.
 
In a bowl, combine ketchup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, Siracha, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, minced garlic and brown sugar. This sounded so unbelievably gross to me the first time I read this because I hate ketchup, but it does work really well. I would love to try it with chili sauce though.

After the chicken has been in the oven for about 20 minutes, take it out and toss with your sauce. Throw it back in the oven for about another 15 minutes while you cook your rice and veggies.
I serve over brown rice and broccoli.

Tomorrow I will open my fridge and eat my leftovers and my stomach will feel happy.


You're Welcome.

Three Meals, One Meat

Steak tips. Try them. They're from the part of a cow not really exercised which results in the moistest, juiciest most succulent piece of meat....especially marinated for several hours.  If you don't typically like steak because of its texture, you must at least try steak tips.  I came across The Butcher's Blog that had some great ideas and info on cooking steak.

Grilled is our favorite way to eat them... and mostly everything else. It literally takes about 8 minutes to cook these since they're not very thick. I throw them in a ziploc baggie in the morning with some marinade...usually some kind of teriyaki sauce...and my husband grills them when it's time for dinner while I prep the sides...grilled sweet potatoes and crispy asparagus fries.

 We had a bunch of steak tips to cook and as delicious as they were, we couldn't eat them all. I ate all the potatoes and veggies so I had to do something else with the steak. My husband is not a big fan of leftovers.

This is an attachment from my Cuisinart emulsion blender
 that I use ALL the time

Between all the grilled cheeses I figured we needed a nice salad. In my fridge, I had fresh cilantro, lime and avocado. This has to be one of my absolute favorite food combinations. If it was an ice cream flavor, I'd eat it. I pureed this with some fresh garlic, olive oil, fresh pepper relish made from my garden and a little bit of water to smooth it out. That's it. Drizzle it over some romaine, red onion, and tomatoes with last night's teriyaki steak tips...you have a brand new meal. My husband loved it and even took it for lunch the next day. So fresh and so clean!

Even after the salad we still had some steak left. I had some cherry tomatoes left in my fridge that were a little wrinkly...definitely not ones that would pop nicely in your mouth. I could never throw them away, so I made a sort of pico de gallo with them using fresh jalapenos, red onion, lime juice, olive oil and fresh garlic.  I also had some avocado dressing left and always have black beans. We used to be huge fans of refried beans but I switched over to black beans and will never go back. They're healthier and much more appealing to look at.  Slice up some steak..I had some cooked chicken too left over from my grilled cheeses. Grab your Cholula, spicy cheeses, whole wheat tortillas, and some sour cream. Chow time.

 

You're Welcome.

Thai Food... you can do it

Amidst my grilled cheese and cupcake frenzy, I did find time to make some amazingly delicious Thai food. If you've never eaten Thai, don't be afraid to try it. I always describe it as the healthier version of Chinese, and who doesn't love Chinese. And who doesn't hate feeling like absolute crap after you eat it all. Thai food is just as pricy as Chinese but without that "I'm laying on the couch for the rest of the night and never eating again" feeling.  If you're eating Chinese for dinner, plan on having a romantic date night with your couch and  if you're lucky, your bathroom.

In my town, we have tons of Thai restaurants to choose from. They just popped up all of a sudden and haven't stopped. Thai food is not overly loaded with a lot grease and oil and typically uses fresh ingredients that all blend together to create a harmonious dish hitting on each taste sense...salty, sour, sweet and spicy...and delicious!

I've made Thai noodles lots of times and usually make a peanut sauce, with peanut butter. That's the only way I could introduce it to my husband who is obsessed with peanut butter. I happen to have a can of real coconut milk which I used for cupcake frosting recently. I've always got some veggies on hand, fresh and frozen.  I used cabbage in this recipe because I had some, but would have preferred bean sprouts. My grocery store does not sell them anymore for some reason!  Carrots, check. Soy sauce, check. Chicken, check. This dish could be made with shrimp as well or even without meat.  Traditionally, rice noodles are used but at almost $7 per tiny little package, I'll make do with veggie noodles for $1.00.  Here's what I did...and devoured.


Thai Coconut Curry Noodles
Serves 2 with leftover for lunch the next day

Quarter of a head of cabbage, shredded
Cup of broccoli, mine was frozen
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of chicken or beef broth, I used beef
1/4 cup of coconut milk
Curry powder, use to taste
1 tsp Fish sauce
1 tsp Soy sauce
1 big chicken breast
1/2 package of noodles, I used Ronzoni Garden Delight Fettuccine
Fresh Cilantro
Lime
Olive oil
Siracha Chili Sauce, to taste

Get a pot of water boiling to cook your noodles. Don't forget to add some salt to the water for added flavor.

Meanwhile, cut your chicken into chunks and cook in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat. Stir frequently to get the chicken to cook on all sides.

While your chicken is cooking and your water is heating up, prep your veggies. I used a grater to shred my carrots. I chopped my cabbage into long, skinny pieces. I opened my bag of frozen broccoli.

Your water should be boiling by now, so cook according to directions or al dente.


Once your chicken is done, put in on a plate and set aside. I usually drain some of the excess juices from it.

Drizzle a little bit of olive oil in the pan, I used the same one as the chicken since it was cooked. Add your cabbage and your carrots. Cover and let cook for a few minutes while you stir your noodles, mince your garlic and chop your cilantro. Just the leaves, no stems.

 

Stir the cabbage and carrots around. Add your broccoli. Add your spices and liquids too. Last add your garlic and chopped cilantro.

The noodles should be done by now so strain those.

Add your cooked chicken back into the pan with the veggies and combine well. Lower the heat and let cook together for another few minutes, no more than five.

Once it's all done, combine your noodles and chicken n' veggies in a large bowl. Top with some more fresh cilantro and serve with some lime wedges. This dish tastes a million times better with lime wedges.

Enjoy not feeling like dogshit.

You're welcome.

Can't. Stop. Eating. This.

Warning: This is NOT by any means a healthy recipe but it does make excellent use of leftovers, not very expensive to make and overall god damn delicious. Please, stop yourself after two helpings to be sure you have enough for the next day, because you will shed some tears after it is all gone.

Who doesn't like a good ole' box of Kraft macaroni and cheese once in a while? Minus all the crap they put in it...I've graduated from that and moved on to the real deal with real ingredients and no artificial coloring or flavoring.

Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food and I like to feel comforted ALL the time.  The homemade mac and cheese I'm used to is my Noni's. She bakes it in the oven, adds lots of milk, uses American cheese and a variety of noodles, usually spaghetti and elbows. The best part is the few slices of cheese she puts on towards the very end that get all brown and crispy. We all usually fight over that part, in addition to the "coolie" end of the loaf of Italian bread.

A few years ago I began making my own mac and cheese, starting with a bechamel sauce then throwing it in the oven. I tried to make it a bit more "healthy" by adding broccoli or peas but it just took away from that comforting feeling I get in my belly when I eat a whole bowl of creamy, oozy, unable to move, deliciousness.

I started using my crock pot to make mac and cheese, after coming across a recipe for it, which I cannot remember from where.  It's quick and easy and requires the least amount of steps.  As incredible and easy as it was, it was missing that toasty almost burnt cheese on the top that I love from my Noni's.

I got home late the other night and had my heart set out on eating some crock pot mac and cheese but now I just didn't have the time. It usually takes about 3-4 hours on a low setting for everything to melt together. So I figured I'd go back to the traditional way of putting it in the oven, solving my cheese crisp dilemma as well.  Have I mentioned that this recipe is for BUFFALO CHICKEN mac and cheese?!  We have a slight addiction to anything edible with the word "buffalo" in it.

We had cooked an entire little chicken on the grill the night before and had leftovers. Frank's Red Hot Sauce is always in our fridge. I knew I wanted to make mac and cheese soon, so the last time I went to the grocery store, I picked up a package of mixed cheese from the deli. They usually toss the "scraps" from the ends of different cheeses and sell it that way for only a few dollars. This is the secret to a good mac and cheese...lots of different cheeses.

I will try to do my best with the amounts since I tend not to measure so here we go....

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 2...lol 
Ready to eat in.. not soon enough, but if you can wait 45 minutes, you will be very happy 

About 1 good size chicken breast, cooked and chopped

1 pound of elbow macaroni

What's left from our grilled chicken

2 1/2-3 cups of a variety of cheese (American, Cheddar, Monterrey, Swiss, Mozz, Provolone all work great)

2 cups of milk

1 egg (replaces the need for a the bechamel)

At least 1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Original  (I add more when I'm ready to eat it)

1/2 stick of butter (cut into chunks for easy melting)

6 strips of  bacon

1/4 cup Ken's Blue Cheese Dressing (Ken's is the only blue cheese dressing)

!/2 stack of Ritz crackers, beaten with a rolling pin

Preheat the oven to 350.

Cook you macaroni per directions. Don't forget to salt your water!

While the macaroni is cooking, cook your chicken. I usually do it in a pan. You could also cook your bacon in the same pan afterwards or vice versa if you want to give your chicken some extra bacony flavor. To see other ways to cook bacon check out my post, The Potatoes Have Eyes...

Combine your milk and egg.

In a bowl, throw in your chopped chicken, cheese, bacon crumbles, milk and egg mixture, butter and hot sauce.  When the pasta is drained, toss it right on top of the other ingredients in the bowl and combine until everything is incorporated.

Leftover chunks of cheese from the deli! Only $3.45

Put the ingredients in a large baking dish. Cover with tin foil and bake for about 25 minutes, stirring frequently making sure all the ingredients are fully doused in cheese and hot sauce. You may also notice you might need a little bit more milk if the pasta is too dry. Add some and stir.

After 25 minutes, drizzle on your blue cheese dressing and stir carefully. We wouldn't want any of this to get wasted on the bottom of the oven!  Last, sprinkle your crushed Ritz crackers on top.

Broil for about 2 minutes or until the top is nice and toasty!

If you want to try the crock pot version, I highly recommend it! All you would do is combine all the ingredients in your crock pot and cook it on a lower temp for just a few hours. Like I said, it's super easy and comes out great but lacks the texture of oven baked mac and cheese. I would not put crackers in top. They might just get a little mushy.

If for some strange reason you don't like buffalo sauce...I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't...you can omit it. You can even omit the bacon too and try to make it with veggies but as I also said, for me, it's just not the same. Sauteed onions would be a good addition as well.

When you want to reheat this either later that night for a snack or the next day for breakfast, pour a little bit more milk on it and probably some more hot sauce too. You can never have enough. It will make it nice and moist again.

You're Welcome.