Sunday, August 26, 2007

Chicken Taco Salads

Russ and I went and played golf this afternoon (well, Russ played and I attempted to play), so I knew we would be getting home late and would want a quick, easy, and light dinner for tonight. I decided to repeat a meal that we did a month or so ago when we had some leftover chicken, Chicken Taco Salads.

For the chicken I boil a boneless, skinless chicken breast in water (1 breast is plenty for 2 people). When it is cooked I shred it and toss it in a skillet with taco seasoning and water. Last time we didn’t have any taco seasoning packets around, so I created the spice blend. This time I had the packet and used a little over half of it. Let this cook over low heat until the water is gone and the chicken absorbs the seasoning. While it cooks I chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. I toss all of this together and add shredded cheese to it. When the chicken is done I toss it with the salad and top it with sour cream and salsa. We serve it with tortilla chips.

This is a super easy dinner that is both yummy and filling. These salads have joined our list of meals that we go to when we don’t have lots of time, but want to eat at home and have a healthy meal. I also like that you can add whatever you like and have around to them (such as avocado, green onions, fresh cilantro, black beans, pinto beans, guacamole, jalapenos, pico de gallo etc.) Russ rates the salads a 9.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Comfort Food - My Spaghetti Sauce

This week our schedule is up in the air where meal planning is not going to work very well. However, I don’t want to end up eating out every night for dinner and I would like something that we can share with family, so I decided to make a large batch of spaghetti that we can eat off of the nights we are at home this week and share and freeze the rest. I don’t have a recipe that I really follow for my spaghetti sauce, but it is loosely based off of my Mother’s version which also doesn’t have a recipe. I am going to try and put a recipe to my version, but just know that if you try it you can play with it by adding to it or removing anything you don’t about it.

To start I sauté the onions, peppers, and mushrooms in olive oil with a little salt and pepper and dried Italian seasonings. Once these are soft I add the ground beef to it and sauté until the meat is cooked through. I then drain it to get the grease out of it. I then start adding the different tomatoes and tomato sauces. I also add the black olives and more of the dried Italian seasoning. I’ll let it simmer for a while and then will check it to adjust the seasoning as necessary. Usually it will need more spices, salt and pepper. Let is simmer for approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Serve with hot cooked spaghetti.

The spaghetti served it purpose this week by filling in meals for us and allowing us to share some with Russ' family. I like the variety of vegetables in it and the flavor and textures they add to it. This is a thicker, hearty sauce that for me is yummy comfort food. You can also make it anyway you want and it will still be yummy. If you don't like olives then leave them out, if you have other veggies around then throw them in, if you don't want red meat then try it with ground turkey and so forth and so on. It also freezes and shares very well, so whenever I do make spaghetti sauce I make a lot of it. Russ rates the spaghetti sauce a 9.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Raising the Bar on Ribs

Russ has been hankering to grill ribs, so this morning he ran to the grocery store to get his supplies to start grilling. As you may remember Russ did win the Rib Cook Off earlier this summer; however, despite having the winning ribs he knew he could improve upon them. He has been searching for recipes recently and found a new rub, basting sauce and barbecue sauce to try.

When Russ got home from the store he started preparing the meat and I started on the rub. Several hours later Russ pulled them off and came in to tell me that he had sampled one and they were awesome! Allen came over and we all enjoyed ribs, corn on the cob, slaw, and deviled eggs. Mary Margaret and Jason stopped by later and sampled some of the ribs too. Everyone agreed that these were definitely Russ’ best ribs yet! I won’t be posting the recipes, details on the preparations or grilling techniques used since Russ may be using them in next year’s Rib Cook Off! Let’s just say, look out Scott and Seth as the bar has been raised….

Friday, August 17, 2007

Baking for the Weekend

I have been in the mood to do some more baking from my King Arthur Whole Grain Baking cookbook, so I thought I would try out a recipe for this weekend. I decided on the Peach Coffeecake since peaches are still in season and I happen to have some that are ripe and ready to be eaten!

To make the coffeecake you cream the butter and sugar together which gave me an opportunity to use my Kitchen Aid mixer which is always super fun! You then add the egg and mix until it is combined. In a separate bowl you add the white whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, salt, and baking soda and whisk it together. While mixing you add the flour mixture by thirds alternating with the buttermilk (I used non-fat). Once everything is incorporated you add the vanilla extract. Then carefully fold in two cups (I used a little more because I love peaches) of peeled sliced peaches to the batter. In a smaller bowl you make the topping by combing butter, flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Then add the batter to greased baking pans and add the topping. I used two round baking dishes, but you can also use one larger rectangular dish. These bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until a tooth pick comes out clean. Then let them cool on a wire rack.

I made the coffeecakes last night, so they would be ready to be eaten this weekend. Since it made two and we decided to share the other one with Russ' grandparents. First, we had to do a taste test this morning to make sure they were tasty enough to share with his grandparents and a little to my parents too. Russ and I both loved them! It was very moist with the right amount of peaches and the topping added fantastic flavor with the cinnamon. It was just sweet enough for breakfast without being overly sweet. Since is passed our taste test we’ll definitely be sharing it with his grandparents this weekend. Russ rates the coffeecake a 10 which surprised me since he is still skeptical of my baking with whole grains. Maybe he is starting to come around to liking whole grains….

Peach Coffeecake, King Arthur Whole Grain Baking

Yield: Two 9 inch round coffeecakes or one 9x13-inch cake, 24 servings
Baking time: 25 to 30 minutes for rounds, 30 to 35 minutes for 9x13-inch cake

Cake:
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups peeled, diced fresh peaches, or if frozen thawed

Topping:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans or one 9x13-inch pan.

To make the cake: Whisk together the flours, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat in the egg, stopping afterward to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the dry ingredients, one third at a time, alternately with the buttermilk. Add the vanilla. Stir in the peaches until evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s).

To make the topping: Combine the softened butter, sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl until evenly mixed. Sprinkle this mixture over the batter. Bake according to pan size, until the top is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Creamy Alfredo

Apparently we are on a pasta and chicken kick here lately. Tonight we had fettuccine alfredo with grilled chicken and peas. I decided to try Giada’s recipe for the alfredo sauce which is new to us. To complete the meal Russ grilled chicken breasts and I added frozen peas to the mix.

To make the sauce you add the cream, lemon juice, and butter in a sauté pan and stir them together over medium heat. To lighten the dish a little I used half cream and half skim milk. Once the sauce has cooked for a couple minutes you remove it from the heat and add the lemon zest and nutmeg. When the fettuccine noodles are cooked you toss them with the sauce and add the last of the cream, Parmesan cheese, and white pepper. I also added the frozen peas at this point. You let the pasta mixture cook for a few minutes. I let it cook a little longer than Giada called for since the frozen peas cooled it off a little. Russ grilled the chicken and cut it on the bias. We added the chicken to the top of the pasta.

All in all this was a very simple meal to put together on a week night. While it is a heavier alfredo sauce than what we have made in the past it did have a tasty, creamy flavor and texture. Russ deems it worth the splurge and gives it a 9.

Fettuccine Alfredo, Everyday Italian, Giada de Laurentiis
6 First-Course Servings

1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt
9 ounces fresh fettuccine
1 cup freshly ground Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, plus more for taste

In a large, heavy skillet, stir 1 cup of the cream and the lemon juice to blend. Add the butter and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until the butter melts, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and nutmeg. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 4 minutes. Drain. Add the pasta, the remaining 1/2 cup of cream, the Parmesan, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to the cream sauce in the skillet. Toss over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the pasta to wide, shallow serving bowls and serve immediately.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Dinner with a Lemon Twist

Ken, a long time friend of my family, has recently taken an interest in cooking and baking. He called the other day and wanted to bring a new dessert by to share with Russ and me one night. We checked calendars and decided tonight would be perfect and that he should come in time to eat dinner with us too. So, then came the decision of what to make for dinner. I flipped through several cookbooks and with Russ’ help I decided to go with a lemon theme and make Ina Garten’s Chicken Piccata served Giada's Broccoli Florets with Meyer Lemon Olive Oil. Since neither the chicken nor the broccoli are very time consuming I decided to go ahead and have an appetizer of Late Summer Tomato Bruschetta (Michael Chiarello).

I made a few changes to the bruschetta recipe to make it a little easier and to try a few different variations of it. To make the bruschetta you slice the bread (I used a baguette instead of a country loaf). I then put the bread on a baking sheet under the broiler for just a few minutes on each side to get it toasty. While the bread is toasting then you chop the tomatoes and basil and mix them together with a little salt and pepper. Here is where I added some variation by adding a little balsamic vinegar to part of the tomato mixture. When you pull the bread out you rub it with the pieces of garlic. I then topped some of the pieces of bread with thin slices of fresh mozzarella and then topped all of the pieces of bread with the tomato mixture.

The bruschetta was very easy to put together and very tasty. We liked the addition of the balsamic vinegar and fresh mozzarella to it. Next time I might try cutting the mozzarella into small cubes and mixing it with the tomato mixture. The only thing we didn't like was the strong garlic flavor. I rubbed both sides of the bread with garlic and the bottom side had too strong of a garlic taste to it. The garlic rubbed on the top side works well with the tomato mixture, but the bottom side was overkill. Russ rates the bruschetta a 7.

I have made chicken piccata before, however, I have never made Ina's chicken piccata before tonight. The main difference I see in her dish is that she finishes her chicken off by baking it and simply pours the sauce over it instead of finishing the chicken cooking in the sauce. To make her chicken piccata you pound the chicken out to about 1/4 inch thickness. The chicken pieces are then dipped in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, and finally the bread crumbs. Once coated the chicken goes into the pan with olive oil and sautes for 2 minutes on each side. After the chicken is browned on both sides you put it in the oven to finish baking it. Meanwhile you make the sauce of lemon juice, butter, white wine, salt, and pepper. You bring it to a boil and then reduce it by half. I served the chicken over a bed of angel hair pasta with the sauce poured on top. You top the chicken with parsley and a lemon wedge.

We all really liked the lemon flavor and the texture with the breading on the chicken. The chicken was tender and moist. While it did take several dishes to bread the chicken the most time consuming part was simply pounding the chicken. This was a fairly simple dish that looks impressive and is very tasty. Russ rates the chicken a 9.

As a side I tried Giada's Broccoli Florets with Meyer Lemon Olive Oil. This was a very easy, but different take on steamed broccoli. You cut the broccoli into florets and then steam it. Once it is done then you toss it with the lemon olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. I used the lemon olive oil that Jess and Scott brought us back from Italy.

While the lemon flavor is fairly subtle I thought it complemented the broccoli well. I also really liked the change from using butter to olive oil with the broccoli. As long as I have lemon olive oil around I will continue to dress our broccoli with it. Russ rates the broccoli a 8.

Ken ended our meal on a very high note with a spectacular dessert called a Mixed Berry Pavlova. It is one of Ina's recipe and it was a wonderful summery dessert. The bottom layer is a light, fluffy meringue with the center still somewhat soft and creamy. The meringue is topped with homemade whipped cream. The whipped cream is then topped with fresh berries that are tossed in a raspberry sauce. All in all a beautiful and tasty dessert that is just sweet enough for a hot summer night.

Russ and I enjoyed having Ken over and tasting his sweet creation!

Chicken Piccata, Barefoot Contessa at Home
Serves 4

4 split (2 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 extra-large eggs
1 and 1/2 cups seasoned dried bread crumbs
good olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved
1/2 cup dry white wine
sliced lemon, for serving
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper of plastic wrap and pound it out to 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper on a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the eggs and 1 tablespoon water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread-crumb mixture.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add 2 chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan while you cook the rest of the chicken. Heat more olive oil in the saute pan and cook the second chicken breasts. Place them on the same sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. On medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, white wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves. Serve one chicken breast on each plate, spoon on the sauce, and serve with sliced lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Broccoli Florets with Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, Giada's Family Dinners
6 servings

1 and 1/2 pounds broccoli florets
3 tablespoons Meyer lemon olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fill a large pot with 2 inches of water. Set a steamer rack in the pot. Cover and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli and steam until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 7 minutes.

Transfer the broccoli florets to a large bowl and toss with the oil. Season the broccoli to taste with salt and pepper, and serve warm.

Note: As an alternative to the Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, use 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. If you have fresh mint, add some, finely chopped.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Chicken Wings Italian Style

Russ, Cash and I went up to Mentone this Saturday and we went low key as far as food is concerned. For dinner we just grilled out steaks and served it with corn on the cob and salad. Simple and yummy! We did do a fun, new appetizer. One of my favorite shows on the Food Network is Everyday Italian with Giada. We had it on the other day and she was making Balsamic Chicken Drumettes. Russ and I love wings and most of Giada’s recipes, so this was a perfect recipe for us to try.

You start by preparing the marinade. You cut the garlic in half, add honey, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and rosemary sprigs. You then put the chicken drumettes in the bag and let them marinate for 2 hours. After two hours you cook the chicken. Russ and I decided to grill them since we were already firing up the grill for the steaks. You then take the leftover marinade and put it in a sauce pan. Let the sauce come to a boil and then reduce the heat to let it simmer and reduce. Once the chicken is cooked and the sauce reduced then you brush some of the sauce over the chicken and top it with chopped parsley and toasted sesame seeds except we didn’t have any sesame seeds.

Overall Russ and I really liked the flavor of the drumettes. We did think that they would have been better with even more flavor from the marinade. Next time we will try baking them (as Giada did) instead of grilling to see if it helps keep more of the flavor from the marinade. Another change we'll try is instead of brushing the sauce over them I think we will just pour it all over them. We also did not like the parsley added to the top. It added great color, but the texture and flavor took away from the wings. Next time I’ll either try the sesame seeds or garnish them with chopped green onions. Russ and I thought these were good, but have the potential to be great. We’ll definitely try them again with a few changes. Russ rates them a 7.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Simple, Tasty Salmon

Russ and I have not had fish in a while, so I decided to repeat a salmon recipe that we both like. Giada has several fish recipes that Russ and I have tried and love and two of them are for salmon dishes that are super tasty and easy. This one is for Broiled Salmon with Herb Mustard Glaze.

You start by mixing together the mustard glaze. You include minced garlic, chopped fresh rosemary and thyme (both from my garden!), Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, white wine, and olive oil. The recipe online calls for this to be pureed in a food processor, but the recipe in the cookbook just says to whisk it all together. I opt for less clean up and just whisk it together. You then line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with Pam. You sprinkle the salmon filets with salt and pepper and broil them for a couple minutes. Then you take them out and spread the mustard sauce on the top of them and put them back in to broil for another couple minutes.

We love the flavor combination of salmon and mustard in the dish. It is such a quick, easy, and flavorful dish. I served it with sautéed fresh spinach and Ina’s herb cherry tomatoes. A colorful, tasty, simple weeknight dinner! Russ rates the salmon a 9.

On a side note, Jess and Hugo stopped by for a few minutes and the boys played together outside. It is so hot out right now that when they came in they drank a ton of water to cool off. They are not only cousins, but best buddies!

Sunday, August 5, 2007

A Colorful, Tasty Stir Fry

The August CL is the first issue in the past few months that has really gotten me excited to try lots of new recipes. This issue has lots of recipes that caught my eye and had me dog ear the page. I decided to not waste any time and go ahead and give one a try tonight. One of the recipes stood out to me as it looks very similar to one of our favorite dishes from Surin. So, I decided to give the Ginger, Beef, and Green Bean Stir Fry a try.

To make the dish you sauté chopped garlic, ginger, and green onions in a little dark sesame oil. You then add the sliced beef and sauté it for a few minutes. You then remove the beef mixture and sauté the green beans and red peppers for a few minutes. Then you add the beef mixture back into the pan and add the sauce to it. The sauce has chicken broth, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, and cornstarch. You bring the sauce to a boil and then cook it for another minute. The beef, veggie, sauce mixture is then plated over white rice.

Russ and I really liked this dish. I followed the recipe exactly and used the sirloin that it called for, however, next time I think I will use flank steak instead. We didn’t like the texture of the sirloin compared to that of flank steak. We also thought that brown rice would have worked well with this dish. The only other changes I would make is to maybe add sliced onion to the stir fry and try adding some fresh basil at the very end (like the dish we like from Surin has). This stir fry had great flavor and I really liked the green beans and red pepper in it. They add great flavor, texture, and color to the dish! This one will definitely be repeated in our house. Russ rates the stir fry a 9.

Two Salads and Brownies for the Lake!

Sumner (now Sumner and John) has done a lake weekend with Birmingham and Atlanta friends for several years now. I have been lucky enough to be included in these and for the past few years Russ has been a part of them too. Sumner’s parents have a great lake house that lends to lots of fun times in the water and on the porch! Everyone always brings some food and some drinks and we eat, drink and be merry all weekend! There are a few dishes that have become traditions for the annual lake weekend including Sumner’s Lime Daiquiris, Erin’s Rotel Cheese Dip, and Sumner’s Broccoli Salad. This year I am tasked with bringing the Broccoli Salad, a potato salad, and a dessert.

Don’t be fooled by other Broccoli Salad’s out there as this one is the best! I might be a little biased as it always reminds me of fun weekends at the lake, but I have tried other broccoli salads and have yet to find one I like as much. It is very simple to make too. You start by washing the broccoli, cutting the stem off, and separating / cutting it into bite size pieces. You then add golden raisins, toasted chopped pecans, chopped red onion, and crumbled bacon or taken (turkey bacon). For the dressing you mix mayonnaise, sugar, and apple cider vinegar together. The dressing is made and left in a separate container until you are ready to eat.

The broccoli salad has the perfect mix of ingredients that give great flavor and lot of texture. The dressing is light, sweet, and tangy and complements the salad perfectly. This is a real crowd pleaser that everyone loves. It is a great dish for picnics, tail gates, lake weekends, or any other time. I don’t think it is as good the next day as it looses some of it great crunchy texture, so if you are making it for just a couple people you might just dress half of it to start with and keep the rest of the dressing and dry salad for another day. Russ rates the broccoli salad a 9.

I don’t have a tried and true potato salad. On top of that I don’t even have a particular favorite kind of potato salad as I like the ones with mayo and mustard, the white ones with no mustard, the vinegary ones…. The only thing I don’t like is when they are too saucy and it overtakes the potatoes and other ingredients. So, I went on a search for a recipe and talked to a couple co-workers and ended up going with a co-worker’s tried and true recipe for Sour Cream Potato Salad.

To make the salad you boil the potatoes whole, let them cool, and cut them into large chunks. You also hard boil four eggs, let them cool, and give them a rough chop. You then chop the celery and onion (my addition) and toss all of these ingredients together. You then make the dressing in a separate bowl. You combine mayonnaise, sour cream, Italian dressing, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. This is then gently tossed with the potato mixture. Shortly before serving you add the chopped pimientos, and pickle relish.

While I really like the use of sour cream in this potato salad I found it a little to saucy for my tastes. I think it is a good recipe, but I think I'll keep searching for my tried and true potato salad recipe. Russ rates the potato salad a 7.

My last item was any type of dessert. I knew I wanted one that I could make ahead and that most everyone would like. I decided to try a brownie recipe that I found earlier this summer and had wanted to try. It is for Classic Brownies that can be made with or with out nuts. I made them without as that is how Russ’ prefers them.

It is a fairly simple recipe; however, I managed to make it more complicated by not reading the ingredients list very well before hand. I start making them only to realize the bar of unsweetened chocolate I have is 4 oz and not 6 oz. I then do a pantry search and find exactly 2 oz of unsweetened chocolate! So, I think I am good to go only to get a little further and realize that I don’t have cake flour like I thought I did. Allen and Russ were hanging out on the porch, so they sweetly offered to go get cake flour. Two grocery stores later and with a little help from someone in the flour aisle and they find it. Finally I am ready to get started.

To make the brownies you melt the chocolate and butter slowly in a double boiler. You then mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together. Once the chocolate and butter are melted you remove them from the heat and whisk in the sugar little by little and then stir in the vanilla extract. You then fold the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture in thirds. The batter is then poured into a baking pan that is covered in foil and sprayed with Pam. The brownies bake for about 35 minutes at 325 F. If you like you brownies cakey then be sure that the cook through and that a tooth pick comes out clean. If you like them a little more chewy then cook them until the toothpick comes out with just a little batter on it.

I made these on Thursday night and let them cool over night wrapped in foil. I went ahead and cut them Friday morning and Russ helped me out by sampling them. He said that he would like to start having brownies for breakfast more often! The brownies are rich, dense, and just little chewy. Russ rates the brownies a 9.

The lake weekend was lots of fun! Russ and I enjoyed being with good friends and good eats! (Russ and I forgot to take pictures of the Broccoli and Potato Salads. Sorry!)

Broccoli Salad, Recipe from Sumner

Salad Ingredients:
2 heads of broccoli (wash, cut most of the stem off and separate)
½ cup of golden raisins
½ cup toasted pecans, chopped
½ cup red onion, chopped (plus a little extra)
1 pack (12 slices) turkey bacon

Dressing Ingredients:
1 ½ cups of mayo
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

To prepare the salad wash the broccoli and cut off the bulk of the stem and separate it into bite size pieces. Chop the pecans and onion. Cook the bacon according to package directions. Crumble the bacon once it is cooked. Toss all ingredients together in a bowl.

To make the dressing mix the mayo, sugar, and vinegar together and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours. Keep the dressing separate until you are ready to serve the salad and then dress it. The dressing makes a lot more than you need, so add it as you go and use enough to give it a good, light coat.

Sour Cream Potato Salad, Old Southern Living Recipe Collection

6 medium red potatoes
4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
½ cup sliced celery
2/3 cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup Italian dressing
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup sweet pickle relish
1 (2 oz) jar diced pimiento, drained

Wash potatoes, and cook in boiling salted water to cover 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool completely. Peel and cube potatoes (I didn’t peel them). Combine potatoes, eggs, and celery in a large bowl; toss gently.

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, Italian dressing, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; stir well. Pour over potato mixture tossing gently. Cover and chill thoroughly. Just before serving, add the relish and pimiento; toss gently. Yield: 8 cups.

Classic Brownies, Cook’s Illustrated

1 cup (4 ounces) pecans or walnuts, chopped medium (optional)
1¼ cups (5 ounces) cake flour
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into six 1-inch pieces
2¼ cups (15¾ ounces) sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhand pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and, if using extra-wide foil, fold lengthwise to 12-inch width; fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. If using nuts, spread nuts evenly on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.

4. Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. (Alternatively, in microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 seconds more. Stir again, and, if necessary, repeat in 15-second increments; do not let chocolate burn.) When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs on at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogeneous.

5. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle toasted nuts (if using) evenly over batter and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, and then remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares and serve. (Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature, for up to 3 days.)

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Nothing Special Chicken and Pasta

Last night I was looking through my "Everyday Pasta" cookbook by Giada de Laurentiis trying to decide what to cook for dinner tonight. I found several pasta dishes that looked good, so I let Russ pick. He went with the Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne. Since my Mom is out of town we asked Dad to join us for dinner tonight. I never seem to hesitate to cook a new to me dish for company since I always think we'll if it doesn't turn out we could just order pizza. So, tonight was no different. Despite Dad coming I still planned to try the new pasta dish.

To make the chicken and penne you start by cubing the chicken and sprinkling it with herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. It seemed a little weird to me to use a French spice blend in an Italian recipe, but I decided to go with it since most all of Giada's recipes I have tried have been tasty. You then saute the chicken in olive oil. I happen to have some lemon olive oil that Jess and Scott back Russ and me from Italy, so I used that instead. Once the chicken has cooked through you remove it and add the chicken broth, cream (I used half and half), lemon zest, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. This simmers for about 10 minutes. Once it has simmered you add the cooked pasta, chicken, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

While it is hard to go wrong with a cream sauce this dish left us all feeling like it fell short. Russ described it as having no complexity and he is exactly right. While I liked the combination of the cream and lemon flavors the overall flavor was too simple and the chicken added nothing to the overall dish. I thought shrimp would have been better and Dad mentioned that veal would have been good with it. Veal especially would have added some extra flavor and complexity that it was lacking. While not bad it was nothing special. I don't think I'll make this one again as Giada has too many good recipes to repeat one that was not a winner. I guess I should learn my lesson not to try new recipes out on company even if it is family, but I am sure I will do it again however next time Dad comes I am thinking Russ' plank salmon.... Russ rates the dish a 8.

Tonight I also tried a recipe for Blueberry Ice Cream. I love blueberries and eat them by the handful during the summer, so when I ran across a recipe for blueberry ice cream I was sold.

To make the ice cream you boil the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice for about 35 minutes. This mixture is then pureed. Next you scald the cream and half and half. You add 6 egg yolks (beaten) to the cream mixture and then stir in the vanilla. Both pieces then cool in the refrigerator. Once cooled you put them in your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

I followed the recipe with one major exception. While it calls for dry fresh blueberries, I used some of my coveted frozen Mentone blueberries. I also tried to boil the blueberry mixture while I cooked dinner... Between these two factors my blueberry mixture turned into a super thick blueberry cement (as Russ aptly named it). When I added it with the cream mixture to the ice cream maker the blueberries didn't incorporate as they should have since they were too thick. All in all the ice cream had great flavor, but the clumps of blueberry cement left gave it a rough texture. Next time I will use fresh blueberries and not multi task while making it. As much as I love blueberries I would give this recipe another try. Russ rates the ice cream a 9.

Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne

Giada de Laurentiis "Everyday Pasta"

Serves four to six.

1 pound penne pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, diced into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
Pinch of salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cubed chicken breast with the herbes de Provence and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Pour off any excess oil from the pan. Add the chicken broth to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the cream, lemon zest, and cayenne. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the pasta, chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Toss to coat the pasta and chicken with the sauce and serve.

Blueberry Ice Cream, Ann Hodgman

1 dry pint blueberries (2 1/2 cups) rinsed and picked over
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup half and half
6 large egg yolks, well beaten
1 tsp vanilla

In heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, bring blueberries, lemon juice and sugar to a boil, stirring frequently. Let it continue to boil slowly for 35 minutes. Cool the mixture and puree it in a food processor or blender. Scald the cream and half & half together, lower heat to very low. Beat the egg yolks in a bowl and pour a little jolt of the hot cream into them, whisking constantly, to temper the yolks. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the cream and cook over low heat, stirring, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, transfer into a bowl, stir in vanilla and refrigerate until cold (I left it overnight). In the morning, combine the blueberry and the cream mixture and freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions. Makes approximately one very purple quart.