Blizzard Food...

One thing I like to do during a blizzard is not go out.  After all, I'm not 12 years old and panting to drag my sled to a hill and swoosh to the bottom.  Again and again.

What I do is generally cook something yummy, steam up the windows, and create a nice, warm cocoon that disguises the persistant winter that keeps raging outside.

Very easy is my motto, and very easy indeed is this recipe for CHICKEN CACCIATORE, that I've been lucky enough to find and adapt from myrecipes.com


CHICKEN CACCIATORE

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 tbls. olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1 1/2 cups pasta sauce
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese
2 tbls. thinly sliced fresh basil

1.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt, black pepper, oregano, dried basil, and red pepper.  Coat pan with olive oil. 
2.  Add chicken to pan, saute' until lightly browned, stirring frequently.
3.  Add mushrooms and bell peppers.  Saute' 5 minutes.
4.  Stir in pasta sauce and wine, bring to a simmer.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
5.  Sprinkle with cheese and fresh basil.  Serves 3/ 4.
     Drink the rest of the dry, red wine that you used in the recipe!!


http://www.minblu.com/
http://twitter.com/lynxny

CHOCLAT SIN...#10

artist/ Olivia Stephens
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LAST WEEK I PRESENTED ONE HECK OF A TERRIFIC RECIPE, CHOCLAT SIN #9, that combined chocolate and peanut butter, in a more or less traditional way. This week I'm combining chocolate and peanut butter again, in a non-traditional recipe, unless you're used to cooking Mexican. Have a go at this one...have I ever steered you wrong?
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CHICKEN PEANUT MOLE'
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Vegetable oil or no-stick spray
2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
Salt, pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth (low fat)
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 to 3 tsp. chili powder, to taste
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbs. honey
chopped cilantro/ optional
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1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, sprinkle with salt, pepper, cook until golden brown on all sides. Do not overcook. Remove from skillet.
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2. Add small amount of oil to skillet. Add onion, cook until softened. Add garlic, cook another minute. Stir in broth, tomatoes, chili powder, peanut butter, cocoa, honey and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, 10 min., uncovered to thicken. You can puree sauce with immersion blender, or leave chunky.
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3. Place chicken in sauce, combine. Cook, low heat, uncovered 5/10 minutes. Serve with rice, sprinkled with cilantro, if you wish. Serves 8.
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4. You can drink a soft, light, fruity red with this meal.
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http://www.minblu.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/lynxny

Noodles!

THIS LOOKS PRETTY GOOD TO ME. I'LL GET AROUND TO THE VERY SIMPLE recipe in a sec. See, every morning,(practically) after I open my computer, and check the mail...delete...I go to.....myrecipes.com..to see what's for dinner tonight!

It's pass or print.. if I print it, I jot down the ingredients on my shopping list, because with my Aries nature, I've got to have this tonight! Clutching the list, I take it with me on my daily walk through the park, tasting it over and over in my mind, making adjustments so I can claim it as my own. I always add or subtract a couple of ingredients. Then, exercise done, I stride up and down the aisles of the market till I've got dinner in my hands. Can't wait for tonight.

COLD SESAME NOODLES with CHICKEN and CUCUMBERS

8 oz. Udon or Soba noodles/ 1/4 cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar/ 2 tbls. sesame oil / 2 tbls. soy sauce (low sodium)/ 1 tbls. honey/ 1/2 tsp. chopped ginger/ 2 tsps. chili paste/ 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken/ 2 cloves chopped garlic/ 1 medium cucumber, halved and thinly sliced/ 1 grated carrot/ 6 tbls. thinly sliced scallions/ 3 tbls. chopped peanuts/ 1 tbls. toasted sesame seeds/

Cook noodles, drain and rinse under cold water, drain. Combine vinegar and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add noodles, chicken, cucumbers, and carrots. Toss to coat. Top with scallions, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Serves about 5/6. A light floral white wine goes very well with this.

Let's Eat!

I THINK THAT EVERYONE WHO COOKS HAS A VERSION OF CHICKEN PARMESAN. Mine is very easy, very delicious. It cuts down on fat content, on calories. Instead of the usual heavy breading of the chicken breasts, I coat just once. Also the cheeses, (parm, mozzarella) are low fat. Taste isn't lost because of the variety of the ingredients. I use a favorite brand of pasta sauce, one that has chunks of tomato, a rough chop that feels homemade. Of course, you can make your own from scratch...I do sometimes. I love this with long, crispy green beans, or very green asparagus, or, to be sure..pasta! And crunchy bread. Actually I love to dip it into the sauce, probably more than even eating the meal!
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CHICKEN PARMESAN

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Preheat oven to 375 deg.

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2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (increase amount to what is needed). Pound between sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper till about 1/3 in. thin. Salt and pepper.

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Spread seasoned bread crumbs(or make your own), on a plate. Press chicken halves into crumbs till they adhere.

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Heat about 1 tbls. olive oil in oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Add coated breasts, cook about 2 minutes on each side. Remove to platter.

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Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce on bottom of skillet, add chicken, place 2 tbls. sauce on each piece. Sprinkle some fresh basil leaves over each, 2 tbls. Parmigiano-Reggiano on each, 3/4 cup of shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese over all.

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Bake for about 15 min. till cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through. Remove and sprinkle with parsley.

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I like to drink a medium bodied Pinot Grigio, rich and fruity, perfect for this meal. Enjoy!