Apricot and Rosemary Glazed Chicken

Seriously, chicken again?!  I had good intentions of posting my chocolate chip espresso biscotti, but the powers that be  and the inability to download pictures to my computer from my phone won the battle.  No apologies necessary for this chicken, though.

For this recipe I used chicken breast "strips".  Once they go on the grill they'll cook very quickly, so have everything else (side dishes) ready to go!

Ingredients:

8 pieces of chicken breast strips

1 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp rosemary (I used dried)

2/3 cup of apricot preserves

2 Tbsp soy sauce (I used low sodium)

1/8 - 1/4 tsp red chili flakes

In a shallow pie plate mix the brown sugar and 1 tsp of the rosemary.  Lay the chicken in this and turn to coat and rub.

In a small saucepan, add the apricot preserves, soy sauce, chili flakes and the rest of (1 Tbsp) of the rosemary.  Heat on low until it begins to bubble.

Put the chicken onto skewers, threading through the middle so they are stable.  Place on to your waiting grill.  It helps to "grease" the grill before putting on the meat.  After turning once brush the glaze on, turn again and brush, brush, brush.  

These are sweet, smokey with a bit of heat from the chilies.  The best part is....they were simple!

Angel Hair Pasta Pomodoro

I love the simplicity of Italian food.  With just a few ingredients you can create a special meal.  Most of the ingredients that go into this dish, you may already have.  Instead of angel hair pasta, orzo, penne,  or spaghetti noodles can be substituted.  What's great about this pasta is that it only takes about 7 minutes to make once the water boils for the pasta!  Try it!

Angel hair Pasta Pomodoro

1/3 package of angel hair pasta

3 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

zest of 1 lemon

2 Tbsp of lemon juice

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

20 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

2 ladles of pasta water

2 Tbsp basil leaves, torn or sliced

For garnish:  Parmesan cheese and red hot chili flakes


Boil water for the pasta in a large pan.  Add a bit of salt when it boils, then add the pasta, stirring.  Cook according to package directions, usually 9-10 minutes.  Reserve 2 ladles of pasta water, then drain.

In a large skillet, add the butter and olive oil.  Heat on medium heat until butter melts.  Add the garlic, zest, lemon juice, parsley and tomatoes.  Cook for only 3-4 minutes so the flavors blend.  Add the pasta to the skillet, stirring to mix ingredients.  Add the basil and pasta water, especially if it looks dry.  You can also add a bit more olive oil at the end.  It's ready....plate, garnish and enjoy!

Serves about 2-3.  

Farro - Mediterranean Style

What a pleasant surprise it is when you find a food that is good for you and you like it!  It's almost too easy to go vegetarian when farro is on your side.  Farro is similar in texture to barley, but nutty in taste.  It's a grain that can be used in risotto instead of rice or in "rice pudding"  That I'll have to try! Supposedly, it originates in the mountainous regions of Tuscany and Abruzzo in Italy which are relatively poor areas (or used to be).  Regular farro consumption is said to have contributed to these people's longevity.  Nothing wrong with that!

Farro - Mediterranean Style

  4 "rounds" of pancetta, diced  (omit if vegetarian version is wanted)

1 cup or an 8.8 oz bag of farro (before cooking)

1 can (15 oz size) of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed well

1 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp lemon zest

1/2 lemon juiced

handful of fresh basil, chopped

1 2.25 oz can of sliced olives, drained and rinsed

1 14 oz can of artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and roughly chopped

olive oil

In a large skillet brown the pancetta.  Add the garbanzo beans and slightly toast them for a few minutes.  Meanwhile or beforehand cook the farro according to directions, usually 10-12 minutes.  Drain any liquid out when done.  Add the farro, garlic powder, lemon zest and juice, basil, olives and artichoke hearts to the skillet.  To finish it off you can drizzle some olive oil in and mix well.

At this point you can serve or refrigerate for later or even the next day.  The flavor is even better the next day!  Mangia...  

Cheesy Baked Portobella Mushrooms

My love (Obsession) for Italian food makes a welcome return to my kitchen.  Cheesy baked mushrooms was inspired by a recent visit to one of my favorite Italian restaurants, Un Caffe.  I have not had a bad meal there, yet, and really don't expect to.  Usually, if I experience a tasty meal or appetizer, I'll  deconstruct it ingredient by ingredient and attempt to duplicate it at home.  The original had a great marinara on it, while mine did not, but the results were pretty good, first time out.  

These mushrooms are so large that they can easily be the main course with a side salad and that's what we did.

Cheesy Baked Portobella Mushrooms

Serves 2

2 large Portobella mushrooms, wiped clean and middle stem removed

2 Tbsp of marinara  Use your favorite or improvise by using Italian or plain  tomato puree diluted with water

1 garlic clove, minced

1/3 cup diced fresh tomatoes

1 oz grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1-2 oz mozzarella cheese, grated

drizzle of olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brush the mushrooms on both sides with some olive oil and lay them ridge-side up in a baking dish.   Brush them with marinara, sprinkle with garlic.  Add tomatoes and parsley distributing evenly on each.  Add the Parmesan only, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and add the mozzarella on top.  Return to the oven, but broil on low until cheese melts on top, for just a few minutes or less.  Serve with a salad or on a bed of angel hair pasta!

NOTE:  For my second attempt, I'll grill them, perhaps, and add some fresh basil to the mix....enjoy!

Chicken Waldorf Salad

Why do I love chicken?  Let me count the ways!  Here's another variation for the famous Waldorf salad created in New York way back in the 1890's.  If I'm remembering correctly either my mother or grandmother  (probably both) made this with cherries and walnuts or sometimes grapes.  This is my kind of lighter meal when the temperature climbs outside and you don't want to turn on the oven or stand over a hot barbecue.

Use this recipe as a guide because substitutions are allowed!   Maybe you want turkey instead of chicken.  Or try pecans instead of walnuts, dried cranberries instead of raisins!  You get the idea!

Chicken Waldorf Salad

Serves 2

1 1/2 cups precooked chicken, cubed

1 apple, peeled and chopped

1 celery rib, sliced

1 handful of raisins

1 handful of walnuts, chopped

2-3 Tbsp mayonnaise

1 Tbsp plain yogurt

1 Tbsp lemon juice or lemon zest

Mix all ingredients well, refrigerate for about an hour.  Then serves on a bed of lettuce.  Enjoy!

Mother's Day Brunch - Nutella Banana Crepes

Today, I find myself wishing for more of these special Mother's Day crepes!  My awesome son and his lovely bride-to-be arrived at grandma's house with bags full of strawberries, bananas, and all the fixings for an extraordinary brunch!  A jar of nutella was plucked from one of the bags and, right then, I knew this was going to be great!  Chocolate hazelnut spread..brilliant invention!   On our tour of Italy, nutella was at every breakfast counter and I made sure I grabbed a few.   Nutella to Italians is like ketchup packets are to some Americans, except this one.

Jeremy and Leilani, the "Iron Chefs of Reno" are amazing to watch as they mix, and  swirl batter onto a commercial crepe maker, producing perfectly round crepes.  They are always so organized and very at ease in the kitchen.  We even received instructions and a mini tutorial  on how to fill and fold.

First you fold and slather nutella in the middle!

Additionally, they had prepared, bacon wrapped stuffed dates with blue cheese and jalapenos.  I'll be making this in the future...outstanding!  Thanks so much for another memorable Mother's Day, Jeremy and Leilani...I am truly blessed to have them in my life!

Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Pancakes for the Weekend Warriors

Yes, last weekend was a working weekend.  From sun up until almost sundown both days were spent in the yard, or more accurately, in the DIRT!  Personally, I love being in the dirt.  There will be more "garden updates", but for starters, we planted 13 lavenders, transplanted a burning bush which the not so wonderful landscapers located directly over the septic tank lids.  And with that finished, hubby began to dig and dig and dig to uncover the lid so the tank could be pumped!  Too much information, icky!

Early March I made a list of things to get accomplished not only in my yard but also, in  my parent' yard.  There will be a wedding reception held there and a few areas need sprucing up.  I started by dividing some of my plants, like daisy and cat mint bushes and moved them to their yard.  Hollyhocks, bee balm and lilies were added.   We have a long way to go but, the "list" will help to keep me focused!  I'm very big on lists!

Time to turn the page!

By the time Sunday evening rolled around we were even too tired to go out to dinner!   Into the "experimental kitchen" I went to make breakfast for dinner.  I hid the cottage cheese container from hubby because that's not one of his favorites.  He's learned to trust me over the year, I guess, since there was no outcry from the galley when cottage cheese was casually mentioned.  These were pretty tasty, but I'll still tweak them a bit to make them healthier!  That's what I do!

Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Yields about 8 large or 16 small pancakes

2 eggs

1 egg white or equivalent of egg beater product

1 cup smaller curd fat free or low fat cottage cheese

1 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Whisk all the above ingredients.  In another bowl add the following:

1/2 or3/4 cup (thicker batter) flour

1/2 cup oatmeal (quick)

1 tsp baking powder

dash of salt

Now add the flour/oatmeal  mix into the egg mixture, stirring well.  Heat a griddle or large pan until a drop of water "bounces" on the surface.  Spray griddle with butter or oil spray.  Spoon batter and cook on first side for about 2-3 minutes until they bubble.  Turn and cook for additional 2 minutes.  Serve with maple syrup  and bananas.  HMMM good!    I had ginger syrup lurking in my pantry which really tasted spectacular!

Italian Mango Mimosa

Yesterday we achieved a personal goal which I can't discuss, that's why it's PERSONAL!  But, I will say it was reason to celebrate.  We chose to celebrate with a newly concocted drink, called an Italian Mango Mimosa.  In my mind anything having to do with Italy or somewhere tropical like Hawaii, is the place to be.  And, if you can't be there, at least you can bring those flavors into your kitchen.

I made some homemade lemon liqueur a while back and I figured it would go perfect in this.  It did!  If you need to celebrate or just whisk your brain into tropical vacation mode, try this.  It's an adult smoothie with a twist!

Italian Mango Mimosa

1 cup orange juice

1/2 large or 1 small mango, peeled and cut from pit

Place in a blender and puree.  Add about 1 cup of ice and chop/blend.  Add 3/4 - 1 cup of limoncello.  Blend and serve.  Simple, simple, simple!  Garnish with fresh mint sprig or umbrella and be prepared to dream!

Italy?

Who's that gorgeous pool boy?

Or Hawaii?