Chicken w. Cherry Tomato Pan Sauce

Last week I was trying to eat some of the veggies in the fridge before they went bad....but I was out and about so much that I didn't get a chance to do that....so I made the sauce and froze it until today when I used in this recipe. The recipe is rather simple and is my take on a recipe inspiration that came from one of my favorite cooking/recipe blogs: Big Girls, Small Kitchens. It took me about 15 minutes to make the sauce last week and another 15 min this week to cook the chicken and assemble--all in all a pretty quickie chicken dinner.

The Big Girls Small Kitchen recipe was slightly different...I added black and green olives to the sauce (because I had them in the fridge) and 1/4 tsp of chili flakes. I also used olive oil instead of and water instead of chicken stock.

This turned out sooo good, tart and slightly acidic sweet from the tomatoes, briny from the olives, a slight kick from the chili flakes, and the sauce is sooo good on the chicken and the slightly melted mozzarella.


Ingredients:
1 container of small cherry tomatoes
Olives (sliced, optional)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Dried basil
1/4 tsp of chili flakes
1 cup of water (or olive oil)
2 clove garlic (minced)
2-3 Chicken breast cut up into about 1.5 in pieces (I used chicken cutlets cuz its what I had)

Directions:

1. Pat the chicken pieces dry.
2. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
3. Heat ~1 tablespoon of olive oil and the chili flakes and 1 minced garlic.
4. Add chicken to the pan and brown ~ 3 min on each side.
5. Remove the chicken from the pan.
6. Add the tomatoes (I cut them in half to shorten the cooking time) to the pan and the cup of water.
7. Bring to a boil and let simmer about 10 min, the tomatoes will start to break down.
8. Add the sliced olives and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes.
9. Season to taste with salt, pepper, dried basil (or you can use fresh basil. I only had the dried kind).
10. Place the chicken back into the sauce.
11. Add a couple of balls of mozzarella (I used the Ciliegine sized balls, but if you have a bigger piece just cut it into medium sized cubes) directly into the pan
12. Let simmer another 5 mins, until the mozzarella just starts to melt
13. Serve. Enjoy !

Sooooo delicious!! *drools* 

Remember ...stay consumed! 

One "Pot" Wednesdays: Tomato Feta Tart

A couple of weeks ago, I made this delicious heirloom tomato tart. I'm posting it for One Pot Wednesday since this was so easy....but technically there is no "pot" involved.

All you need is:
2 sheets of Puff Pastry
~15-20 cherry tomatoes, sliced (i used heirloom tomatoes)
1/4 to 1/2 cup of crumbled feta (guesstimate amount to our liking)
~ 10 leaves of fresh basil, sliced thin
1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Lightly flour your working surface.
3. Make an egg wash with 1 beaten egg and about a tablespoon of water. 
4. Take one sheet of puff pastry and cut strips about 1 inch wide. 
5. Build a box like shown below with the strips around the edge of the 2nd sheet. Place each sheet on the side and brush each layer with the egg wash to make it stick better.
6. Use a fork to poke holes all over the bottom of sheet so it doesn't puff up. 
7. Place the slices of tomato on the bottom, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil. 
8. Bake in the oven for about 25-30 min, the pastry will be just starting to puff and brown. 
9. Remove from oven, sprinkle with feta.
10. Place back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes and remove once the pastry has puffed and browned and the feta is slightly melted.
11. Sprinkle with basil, drizzle with a little olive oil. 
12. Enjoy!

This tart was super easy to make and soooo delicious and a perfect use for the box of heirloom cherry tomatoes I had sitting in the fridge....give this a try and stay consumed! 

Tomato Garlic Chicken Wings

It has been a while since I have posted in this poor neglected blog...but I plan on being better about it....summer got in the way and then I was studying for this work thing....but thats all done now so I am back to posting...yay!

Today's post is for Tomato Garlic Chicken Wings.....random idea I had that just turned out absolutely deeeee-licious!

So....for the last 5 weeks or so, I have been eating some type of baked chicken wings for dinner every week....it started with me trying to eat some of the things in the pantry and i found a box of BBQ  Glaze Shake and Bake...I havent had Shake and Bake in lord knows how many years....so I thought what the heck....they turned out pretty good and I been experimenting with different wing flavors since.

Tonight I made Tomato Garlic Chicken Wings. They were super easy to make!! Instead of using whole wings, I used the wing sections (which is just what I had in the house).

I used this Lee Kum Kee Sauce for the marinade. Its technically a sauce for shrimp....but I saw it Sunday at the grocery store and had the brilliant idea that it would make a great sauce for wings. Most Asian Grocery stores will carry this so it should be fairly easy to find. The wings have a tangy, tomato-y garlicy flavor....Super YUM!

I had 14 wing parts and used 2 bags of this sauce (I really only need 1.5 bags...but what was I going to do with the remaining 1/2 bag??). Instructions below:

1. Rinse wings and pat dry
2. Sprinkle with pepper to taste (you won't need salt as the sauce is already salted, unless you have gi-ganta-normous wings!)
3. Sprinkle with garlic powder
4. Put the chicken in a ziploc bag (or a bowl...I like to marinade in ziploc bags so I can just throw the bag in the fridge).
5. Add the tomato garlic sauce
6. Add a couple of dashes of sesame oil
7. Marinade overnight
8. Bake in the oven at 350 (30 minutes for wing parts, 45 for large whole wings)

That's it....way easy! Stay tuned for more recipes! As always.....stay consumed! 

I Think its Spring!

I have been having a weird craving for asparagus, green leafy veggies, and peas....I think its mostly because the weather here has been so wacky....warm one day, c-c-c-cold the next and I am soooo ready for it to be warm and sunny so I thought this recipe might help spring to come quicker :)

This easy, delicious recipe is inspired by 101 cookbooks. This is my ABSOLUTE ALL TIME favorite cooking/food blog.....her recipes are always delicious and she focuses on natural, whole foods so its even healthier for you :)

This one was quick and easy to do...I think it took me 5 minutes to prep and about 5 minute to cook it....and it came out delicious and so "fresh" tasting. Instead of using pea shoots I used spinach because that was what was available at the store....I also added some peas. I had that leftover chives from last week's salmon sandwich so i added it to the eggs. I didn't add the avocado on top because its apparently now too expensive for me to buy avocado (well it was $2.49 for ONE avocado...which is ridiculous!!). I think next week I am going to go to the Chinese grocery store where fresh veggies are like 1/3 of the price as the regular American grocery stores and try this again with some rapini or pea shoots and DEFINITELY w/ some avocado......in the meantime....this was pretty delicious.....give it a try and stay consumed!

Ingredients: 

8 ounces / 225 g cooked, leftover pasta
2 eggs
fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 big handfuls of sliced asparagus, and/or pea shoots, or tiny broccoli trees, or shredded greens - anything quick cooking and fresh

chopped avocado
chopped herbs


Directions: 

1. Use your fingers to fluff up the leftover pasta a bit, so its not clumpy or stuck together. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl crack the eggs and beat them really well with a pinch of salt.
3. In a big skillet melt the oil and butter over medium high heat. 
4. If you're using a vegetable that might take longer to cook than others, add those to the pan - for example, asparagus or broccoli. 
5. Add a couple pinches of salt, stir, cover, and cook for a couple minutes. Until the vegetables are bright, and just cooked. 
6. Now stir in anything that just needs a quick flash of cooking - in this case pea greens, but chopped greens would go in at this point if you're using those. 
7. Stir, and cook just until tender - a minute or so. 
8. Pull about 1/3 of the vegetables out of the pan and set them aside.
9. Now, add the pasta to the skillet, and toss well. 
10. Once the pasta is hot, turn down the heat, wait a moment, then quickly stir in the eggs. 
11. Stir well, then cover the pan, remove from heat, and let everything sit for a minute. 
12. Uncover, give everything another toss, the egg should be cooked through. 
13. Taste, and adjust the seasoning before serving. 
14. Top with the reserved vegetables, and some chopped avocado.

One Pot Wednesday: Coconut Chicken Casserole

Sorry for missing Wednesday last week.....I am trying really hard to post at least one recipe a week....but alas! Life gets in the way some times....This week I have an easy thai coconut chicken casserole. Its delicious and super easy--rich, chicken, and veggies all get cooked in one pot!

Ingredients: 
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 Chicken legs (I ended up using boneless skinless chicken breasts ~3 lbs)
1 can light coconut milk
1.5 cups of chicken stock
1-2 teaspoon of Thai red curry paste (depends on how spicy you want it)
1 cup Jasmine rice
2 red bell peppers (cut into 1 in pieces)
8 oz of fresh green beans

Directions: 

1. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. 
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in two batches, cook chicken until browned, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate (chicken will cook more in step 2).
3. To pot, add coconut milk, broth, 1/2 cup water, and curry paste; bring to a boil, and stir in rice. 
4. Add chicken (with any juices), arranging pieces in a single layer. 
5. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, without stirring, until rice is almost tender, 15 minutes.
6. Scatter bell peppers and green beans on top of chicken mixture; cover, and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Easy and Delicious! 

Heaven on a Slice of Toast....

Actually....I think the toast is part of the heaven.....maybe I need a new title for this post...LOLS. Since I saw this recipe on the Bon Appetit site 3 weeks ago, I have been thinking about making it....it just looked so amazing and delicious...and boy...it sure did live up to expectations!

The toast was crunchy and I brushed it with the Lime Olive Oil I bought in Pittsburgh and popped it in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  The oil gave it a delicious delicate lime flavor (without the tartness) and aroma.

I "cheated" a little and I bought the guacamole from Trader Joes and it was delicious!!

The eggs were buttery and creamy...I didnt cook them quite all the way so they are a little tiny bit runny, but really good.

The salmon adds that smoky savory flavor to the sandwich....This is definitely one of the best sandwiches I have had in a looooong time!

The eggs and guacamole and toast were soooo good by iteself, I think next time I might do it without the smoked salmon (since smoked salmon is a little bit expensive). Give this a try and stay consumed! :)


Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. minced fresh chives, divided
2 Tbsp. crème fraîche (optional, but it really does add to the creaminess of the eggs)
6 large eggs
2 Tbsp. (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large or 8 small slices sourdough, whole wheat, or pumpernickel bread, toasted
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
4 oz. thinly sliced smoked salmon

Directions:

1. Whisk 2 Tbsp. chives, crème fraîche (if using), and eggs in a large bowl. 
2. Melt butter in a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. 
3. Add egg mixture and season with salt and pepper. 
4. Cook, occasionally scraping bottom of skillet with a heatproof spatula to form large, soft curds, until just barely set, 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
5. Place 2 slices toast on each plate. 
6. Put avocado into a bowl, mash with a fork, and season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. 
7. Spread mashed avocado over each slice of toast. 
8. Spoon eggs over avocado. 
9. Drape salmon slices over eggs
10. Garnish with remaining 1 Tbsp. chives, and season to taste with pepper.

One Pot Wednesday: Crockpot Sundried Tomato Risotto

When I saw this recipe for making risotto in the crockpot on the Year of Slowing Cooking blog , I was rather intrigued....can you really make risotto in the crockpot??! I figured I would test it.

The recipe seems simple enough....4 ingredients:


1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1 1/2 cup Arborio rice
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (to add later) {I couldnt help it...I used Parmesan instead...I mean its risotto!)


Directions: 

1. Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the sundried tomatoes into the bottom of your slow cooker.
2. Add the rice and swirl it around in the oil, until the rice is well-coated. 
3. Add the chicken broth. 
4. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 4 hours, or until the rice is tender (if you're out of the house, set the timer for 2 hours, then check when you get home so you don't end up with gummy rice--you can always flip it to high if the rice is still crunchy).
5. Remove the lid of your cooker and stir in the cheese. Turn off the cooker and let the risotto sit for 10 minutes with the lid off before serving.

You know I cant leave well enough alone lols...so i sliced up 2 portabello caps and drops those in about 10 minutes before the rice was done.  You have to watch it.....because it will get gloppy pretty fast. I really liked the way this tasted....but both my mom and my brother said they thought it was too sour...i guess there are a couple of ways to make it less sour: 

1. Use less sundried tomato....but that means less flavor...
2. Add some chicken (you could use rotisserie chicken so you dont have to cook it separately)
3. Add a little bit of sugar
4. Ive also read that you could add alternating pinches of baking soda and sugar until its not so sour, but you cant taste the baking soda (Sounds interesting...but I'm curious if it will work)

Or you could just cook it this way....I liked it...but then again....I like really tart things. 

One Pot Wednesday: Chicken with Potato and Kale

I have some interesting things in the works for this blog.....the first being: One Pot Wednesdays.....every Wednesday I am going to post a 1 pot/pan/dish recipe.....first up this week: Chicken w/ Potato and Kale. Hopefully these recipes will give be easy enough that it inspires you to try them in your own kitchen.....and as always...stay consumed!

This Chicken with Potato and Kale is simple but flavorful.  You basically throw everything in a roasting pan and pop it in the oven. The veggies help keep the chicken moist. Give this a try...you wont be disappointed!

Ingredients:
8 chicken legs (I used the thighs....but you can also use whole chicken legs or chicken breasts. If you use the whole chicken leg or big chicken breasts, make a cut at the joint so the chicken will cook all the way through )
1.5 lb kale (I "cheated" and used the ones from the grocery store that have already been stemmed, cut, and washed)
1 medium onion sliced very thinly
1.5 lb potatoes, peeled and sliced about 1/4in thick
Olive Oil
Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Paprika
Lemon wedges (optional, for serving)

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. In a large roasting pan toss the kale, potatoes, and onions with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Make sure that the kale, potatoes, and onions are well coated with the olive oil. 
3. Sprinkle the chicken (top and bottom) with salt and pepper and paprika. I didn't really measure how much salt and pepper I used...just kind of guesstimated. Sprinkle generously with the salt and the paprika. 
4. Set the chicken in the pan on top of the vegetables (nestle them in a little bit)
5. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and put in the oven for 25 minutes
6. Remove the foil and cook for another 30 minutes
7. Serve the chicken and veggies with a lemon wedge for extra flavor. 

Apple and Brown Sugar Corned Beef and Cabbage

I made this last week for St. Patty's day--thought I'd share in the festivities even though I didn't go out and drink like a red-headed Irish man :P . The recipe came from the The Crock Pot Blog. 

It was really easy....just take all the ingredients and throw into the crock pot and 8 hours later.....come home to dinner! This isn't the traditional Irish corned beef and cabbage. It was a little on the sweet side for me. I'd cut down some of the brown sugar....or add a little malt vinegar to it.....

Ingredients: 
1 corned beef brisket
1 qt apple juice
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp prepared mustard
8 small potatoes
2 medium carrots, pared and cut into chunks
1 onion, peeled and cut into eights
1/2 head cabbage, cut into chunk


Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in large (6 – 7 qt.) crock pot.
2. If necessary, cut the beef brisket in half.
3. Stir to mix.
4. Cover and cook 4 hours on high, or 8 hours on low.
5. Remove meat and vegetables and some of the cooking liquid.
6. Slice meat thinly across the grain.
7. Serve with the vegetables and some of the liquid. 

Tips:

Any leftover corned beef makes a great lunch sandwich.

And remember.....as always....share what you are consumed by :)

Ribs a-la-twitter!

okingI was actually going to wait until later in the week to blog this....but since Bou from Proof I Eat and... (who has some really great/innovative/amazing recipes!) said she was craving ribs and curry I'm posting this early.

Yesterday, was my brother, Warren's birthday and every year for his birthday, I usually make him dinner. He loves ribs so I thought I would try out this Curry Ribs recipe I saw a couple of weeks ago. This recipe is actually from Eat Tweet--whose author, Maureen Evans, takes recipes and condenses them into the 140 characters allowed for each tweet. I have been wanting to try some of the recipes and this turned out GREAT!

The entire recipe reads:
Curry Ribs: mix1/4c ketchup&cocntmilk&OJ/2T peanutbuttr/T honey&hotcurrypdr&soya.Top2lb porkrib,chill>2h.Cvr2h@325℉;uncvr~h (brush occas).

I did change the recipe just verrry slightly. I added about 1tsp of sesame oil and a pinch of Asian Five Spice Powder. I also rubbed some salt and pepper on the ribs prior to adding the marinade/sauce. I was worried that since I didn't have time to let the ribs marinate as it says in the recipe, that it wouldn't taste as good--but it turned out great!




The ribs covered in the sauce, getting ready to go into the oven.

While it was cooking, it filled the house with smells of curry....man--it smelled soooo amazing. I couldnt wait to get my hands on them. The ribs were done in about ~3H.  They came out delicious! Moist and juicy and flavorful. I did keep a little of the extra marinade (of course, not the marinade I used on the raw ribs) as a dip for the rib meat. Delicious!! 

There aren't a lot of pics as this was a very easy recipe....enjoy the pics below and as always....stay consumed!! :)