Bourbon Chicken with Onion Relish

My mom made this for us when Ellie was first born.  The bourbon has been sitting in our cupboard ever since.  When my mom came through in September for a visit, she asked why I hadn't made it, and I realized that I didn't have the recipe!  With that rectified, I added to this month's menu.  Tonight was the night. 



Bourbon Chicken with Onion Relish
Ingredients:
for the relish:
4 tsp. oil, divided
2 large sweet onions, chopped
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 c. cooking sherry or red wine
1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
for the chicken:
3-4 chicken breasts, cut in half long ways
salt & pepper or your favourite seasoned salt
1/4 c. bourbon or whiskey (Jim Beam is best)

Directions:
Cook onions in a large skillet with 2 tsp oil, over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until very soft and starting to brown.
Add brown sugar, and cook until caramelized, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add sherry/ wine and cook until it is soupy thick.
Add Balsamic vinegar and reheat.

Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper/ seasoned salt on both sides.  In another large skillet, heat 2 tsp. oil, and cook chicken over medium high heat until cooked through, and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
Pour bourbon over chicken, cover, and cook for 20-30 minutes.

Pour onion relish over top of the chicken and serve with the juices.

This is great with rice or quinoa (or a mix). 

Stuffed Shells/ Manicotti with a Twist

 This is Heidi Swanson's (101recipes.com) take on manicotti/ stuffed shells, with my own additions.  I added fresh spinach, and the recipe has a hint of lemon, which is a surprising and refreshing twist on the same old recipe.  Also, you make your own marinara sauce, which just adds to the freshness of this recipe.  Its quickly becoming a standard in our house.  I can't seem to find the jumbo pasta shells up here, so I used manicotti, which is just a little trickier to fill, but has the exact same effect.  (P.S. I took the pictures before I spread the sauce around, so you could see the stuffing...)


Stuffed Shells/ Manicotti with a  Twist
Ingredients:
Sauce:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
4 medium cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed red tomatoes
1 14-ounce can crushed red tomatoes 
Filling:
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 bunch of chives, minced
1 bunch fresh spinach, chopped
zest of one lemon, divided

25-30 jumbo dried pasta shells or one large package manicotti
grated Parmesan for sprinkling on top

Directions:
Oil a 13 x 9-inch baking pan, or equivalent, and sprinkle 1/2 of the lemon zest across it. Set aside. Get a big pot of water boiling, and preheat your oven to 350F with a rack in the middle.
To make the sauce, combine the olive oil, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and garlic in a cold saucepan (large). Stir while you heat the saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute just 45 seconds or so until everything is fragrant - you don't want the garlic to brown. Now stir in the tomatoes and heat to a gentle simmer, just a minute or two. Remove from heat and carefully take a taste (you don't want to burn your tongue)...If the sauce needs more salt add it now. Let cool.
To make the filling, combine the ricotta, egg, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until combined, then stir in the mozzarella, remaining lemon zest, chopped spinach and 3/4 of the chives. Set aside.
Cook the shells according to package instructions in well-salted water - until al dente. If you overcook, the shells will tear as you attempt to fill them. Drain and let cool long enough to handle with your hands.
Spread 1/3 of sauce across the bottom of the prepared pan. Fill each shell with ricotta, and arrange in a single layer in the pan. Ladle the remaining sauce over the shells, sprinkle with Parmesan, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncover for the final 15 minutes or until the shells are cooked through. Sprinkle with the remaining chives and serve hot.

Lemon Ginger Chicken served with a Grilled Veggie and Quinoa Medley

This recipe comes from my Aunt Lynda.  It is very flavourful and is a perfect for those warm, summer evenings, because it requires very little heat in the kitchen.  Most everything is cooked on the grill.  The recipe calls to marinate the chicken for 12-24 hours, but because of scheduling conflicts, mine marinated in the fridge for 2 days, and then in the freezer for 2 days, and then another day in the fridge, defrosting.  I was extremely worried that it would be too strong of a flavour, having marinated for so long, which is why I paired it with quinoa and zucchini.  In the end, it was not too overpowering, but offered a bright, tangy flavour that was complemented perfectly by the veggie medley. 

Lemon Ginger Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts,  trimmed of any fat
4 Tbsp [about 3 lemons] lemon zest (organic is best when using the zest)
2/3 c. lemon juice, fresh squeezed [about 4 lemons]
4 tsp ginger, peeled & minced [I grated mine]
4 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp oil [I use grapeseed oil]
2 tsp salt
a pinch or two of dried chili pepper flakes, or bottled hot sauce [depending on preference]

* Marinate 12-24 hours, grill and enjoy!

Grilled Vegetable and Quinoa Medley:
oil/ balsamic vinegar/ salt/ pepper
3-4 zucchini, washed, ends capped, sliced long-ways in half
Mixed peppers, whole [I used mini bell peppers, which are perfect for grilling]
1 sweet onion, peeled and ends capped, but whole
1-2 stalks green onion, chopped
fresh basil, chopped
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth

* Bring broth to boil in medium saucepan, add quinoa. Bring back to a boil, and reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes, until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed.  Remove from heat, fluff with fork, re-cover and let stand for 5-7 minutes more (or until your veggies are ready).  Meanwhile, place zucchini and onion in a large bowl, and drizzle with oil and vinegar, salt and pepper-- mix to coat well.  Place zucchini, onion, and peppers on grill when chicken is about a third of the way cooked. Rotate a few times during cooking time.  You should get some good grill marks on all the veggies, and they should be tender-crisp (although you should let the onion get really soft).  Remove from grill, and cut into bite-sized pieces (cutting the top/ seeds off the peppers).  In a large bowl, mix with quinoa, add green onion and basil, salt & pepper to taste.  Mix well. 

Vegetable Bolognese with Macaroni Pasta

Back from a lovely 2 week vacation at home for Thanksgiving, we just this evening got around to grocery shopping... As I was putting everything away, I realized I had a large quantity of whole wheat macaroni noodles, so I decided to make a quick pasta dish.  Nothing fancy, but thought I'd share it anyway, since I haven't posted anything in a while.   Getting ready to try out about 4 new recipes in the next few weeks, so be looking for updates as I go!  


Vegetable Bolognese with Macaroni Pasta
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp oil
3/4 lb (approx) ground extra lean beef
1 yellow onion, chopped
salt/ pepper/ a scant pinch of hot chili flakes (crushed red peppers) [for a little kick]
1 carrot, scrubbed and chopped [I don't peel my carrots if I can help it, as I like the 'earthyness' that the peel provides]
2 small zucchini, sliced
2 bell peppers (red & yellow) chopped
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce [I'll make my own one of these days...]
sprinkling of Parmesan cheese
whole wheat macaroni noodles (enough for your family)

Directions:
Boil noodles in salted water.  Drain and return to pot, set aside.
Meanwhile, heat large saucepan to medium high, add oil and onions, saute until tender.  Add ground beef and brown until fully cooked (pour off any extra grease/liquid). Add seasonings, stirring well.  Add carrots, zucchini and peppers, and spaghetti sauce, mix well, cover and cook until veggies are tender-crisp and sauce is hot, about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle noodles with Parmesan cheese and stir to coat.
Add sauce to noodles, mix well and serve.
* Alternately, I think this would also be good as more of a casserole [which I thought about doing, but opted not to because it was already after 7pm], by putting into 9x13 pan and covering with shredded mozzarella cheese, and baking for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Crockpot Italian Chicken and Vegetables

Yesterday, I decided to pull my Crockpot out from the dark recesses of my cupboard because I realized that it was an extremely under-utilized appliance in my kitchen.  And in a kitchen as limited on storage as mine, I had challenged myself to 'use it or lose it.'  So today, I pulled out my I slow cooker cookbook and picked a recipe, but immediately made a bunch of changes, so I'm claiming this one as mine!  :-) 

[*cooks notes: 1) My sauce was a bit runny, so I changed the amount of wine from what I used to what I think would be a better amount.  2) I suspect this would also be really good with kielbasa sausage instead of chicken]




Crockpot Italian Chicken and Vegetables
Ingredients:

a sneak peak as I turned off the crockpot

9 oz. frozen French-cut green beans
1-2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, sliced to the same size as the peppers
1/2 onion, sliced [meant, but totally forgot, to include- whoops!!]
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
1 large can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4-1/2 c. dry red wine
1/2 c. pizza sauce [recipe called for tomato paste, but I didn't have it, so I improvised!  sauce was a bit runny, so I'll probably use paste next time]
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
pinch of coarse salt
freshly ground pepper- a couple good turns on the pepper grinder

Directions:
Place the beans, peppers, onions and zucchini at the bottom of slow cooker.
Place chicken pieces on top of vegetables.
In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients, mixing well, and pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
Serve over hot, cooked fettuccine as a sauce or serve without pasta, as the main dish.

Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Charmoulah

My little brother came to visit a few weeks ago, and it was just wonderful to have him here.  This was a new recipe I tried out on him and Alistair, and they both said it was really good.  In fact, Nathan just reminded me to post it, because he wants to try it out sometime soon.  :-)  I used frozen mahi-mahi fillets from Costco, and just let them thaw overnight in the fridge.  I served it alongside grilled summer veggies.  I think 'charmoulah' might be of Middle Eastern origin.  It is light and fresh, and it is chocked full of flavour. I think this would be good on top of just about any fish for a refreshing summer dinner.  It is quick and easy to prepare, and the whole dinner came together in about 20 minutes.



Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Charmoulah
Ingredients:
1 fillet of fish per person, fresh or thawed, rubbed with course grain sea salt on both sides

Summer veggies- zucchini, peppers, onions, etc-- lightly coated with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Charmoulah:
1/2 cup each- finely chopped fresh parsley and coriander (cilantro)
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil [I would use less- maybe 1/8 c.-- next time]
3 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice [I used key limes, because that's what I had on hand...]
2 cloves garlic, minced [I used 4]
1 tsp each- ground cumin and paprika
1/4 tsp each- cayenne pepper, salt and pepper

Directions:
Grill fish until it flakes, turning once, about 5 minutes per 1/2 inch of thickness-- be careful not to overcook it!

Add veggies to grill and cook until they are firm-crisp and have grill marks.

In bowl, mix together parsley, coriander, green onions, oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.  Serve on top of fish.

Not-so-spicy Garlic Lime Shrimp

T

This was a quick, easy meal that came together in less than 30 minutes from start to finish. I like it because it is a complete meal in a bowl, with tons of veggies and hearty, lean protein.  Like many of my meals these days, I followed a recipe, but tweaked it to what I had available.  I think it was supposed to be an Asian inspired stir-fry, but I couldn't find the right noodles (shiritake noodles- made from tofu), so I opted for bean sprouts instead, which added a pleasant crunch to the meal.  I found I somehow don't have cayenne pepper in my spice cupboard, so I had to omit it, hence the 'not-so-spicy' title.  I will add it next time.  The end result was quite tasty, fresh and light.  A perfect meal for a warm summer evening.

Not-So-Spicy Garlic Lime Shrimp 
Ingredients:
1-3/4 lb (28 oz) large, raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
~OR~
1-1/2 lbs (21 oz) fully cooked frozen shrimp, thawed
2 Tbsp oil (olive or vegetable)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
1/2 c. green peppers, diced
1 Tbsp lime juice
a large handful (about 2 cups?) of bean sprouts
1/2 c. diced tomatoes, drained (or you could use fresh)
Seasoning Blend:
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder [I had garlic salt, so I did 1/2 tsp and omitted the salt]
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp onion powder [mine was generous]

Directions:
If using frozen shrimp, thaw under cold water (de-vein/ peel if necessary).  Make the seasoning blend by combining al the spices in a small bowl.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add oil.  Once oil is hot, stir in garlic and saute briefly, then add peppers.  If using raw shrimp, add with peppers.  If using fully cooked shrimp, allow peppers to cook a few minutes before adding (since the shrimp are already cooked, you don't want them to become rubbery by overcooking, you want simply to reheat them).  Whenever you add the shrimp, also add the seasoning and the lime juice, and cook until shrimp is hot (and cooked through if starting with raw) and peppers are al dente (tender-crisp).  Stir in tomatoes and bean sprouts and mix to evenly coat and warm up sprouts.  Serve immediately.

EJ's version of Grown-up Mac & Cheese

Today after church, I decided to make Alistair some lunch, experimenting with a new recipe and attempting to clean out the fridge at the same time.  The result was a tasty Mac & Cheese-esque dish, with a deep flavour and a lot more healthy goodness than a box of Kraft!  I started with a Canadian Living recipe as the basis, but used what I had on hand, so I think I can technically call this my own creation.  :-)  



[notes: I'm posting the recipe with my changes, but I'll put the CL recipe in brackets.]



Grown-up Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp each dried thyme and pepper
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups shredded marbled cheddar cheese [Gruyere]
1 Tbsp German-style spicy mustard [dijon]
4 cups small pasta, such as macaroni, penne, etc.-- I used Ditanlini because its is so cute.
2 cups broccoli florets, blanched*, well drained [chopped fresh spinach, squeezed dry]
2 cups cubed ham
1 cup sweet red peppers, roughly chopped [halved grape tomatoes]

Directions
In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; fry onion, salt, thyme and pepper until onion is softened, 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk; cook, whisking, until thick enough to coat spoon, about 7 minutes. Stir in cheese and mustard; cook, stirring, until melted.

Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but firm, about 8 minutes.   Drain and return to pot.

*To save time and a pot for cleaning, I used the boiling pasta water to blanch the broccoli (while the pasta was cooking).  I put the broccoli into a medium sieve, and dipped it into the boiling water for 2 minutes, or until the color was nice and bright. Then, I simply removed the sieve from the pot, and rinsed under cold water (to lock in flavour and colour) and placed the sieve on a bowl to drain while I worked on the sauce.

Add to pasta pot: sauce, broccoli, ham and peppers; toss to combine.

Enjoy!

Flank Steak and Peppers

Tonight was an impromptu dinner. I had a flank steak in the freezer, so I threw it in the sink in warm water to thaw and started chopping up veggies. I wasn't sure how it was all going to come together, but in the end, it was pretty tasty and filling.  I used my Aunt Lynda's Lilikoi Seasoning, which gave it a lovely "Island Flavour," but I'm sure Montreal Steak or other steak rub would be nice too.  I had made a Shepherd's Pie last night, (mine with mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes), and I had leftover cauliflower, so it made a perfect side.



Flank Steak and Peppers
Ingredients:
1 flank steak, scored diagonally against grain
steak seasoning

1 Tbsp canola oil
3 green onions, (green part only) finely chopped (1 Tbsp reserved for garnish)
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 large red bell pepper, sliced into 1" pieces


Directions:
Rub steak with seasoning on both sides, allow to sit on plate while cooking veggies.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, saute onions about 3-4 minutes, add in garlic and saute until garlic and onions are softened.  Add peppers, cook until peppers are heated and beginning to soften, but not completely cooked.  Remove veggies from pan to small bowl, leaving as much of the oil in the pan as possible (small bits of onion/ garlic may stay in pan).  Turn up heat to medium high.


Add steak to pan, sear on first side for 10 minutes.  Turn steak, sear on other side additional 7-10 minutes  (until cooked to your preference).   Add peppers mixture back into pan and cook together for additional 1-2 minutes.  Remove steak to cutting board, slice diagonally against the grain.  Stir veggies one last time, scraping up the seasoning that sticks to the pan.   Place veggies on top of steak, garnish with reserved onions.


* Erin's version of Mashed Cauliflower:
Cut the cauliflower into small pieces, cover almost with salted water, bring to boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, or until cauliflower is extremely tender, and falls apart at the touch.  Drain in colander, allow to sit and continue to drain for 10 minutes (otherwise it will be soupy).  In a mixer, blend cauliflower and 1/4 c. cottage cheese with some freshly ground pepper.  Mix until cheese is 'melty' and cauliflower is smooth.

Shepherd's Pie

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law Tori. It is fantastic. I've made it twice now, and after the first time, Alistair said, "You can make this every week, if you want." :-) I was debating what to make for dinner tonight, because all my meat was frozen. But I remembered that I had a serving of hamburger already browned before I froze it, so I was able to put it together. I varied it a little this time because I had used the last of my carrots and onions on roasted veggies for diner last night. I ended up taking the carrots out of the leftovers from last night and mixing them at the last minute. This is a great 'on-the-fly' meal with a very rich flavour.

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

2 lbs potatoes (Yukon gold are great)

2 Tbsp cream cheese

1 c. Asiago cheese, grated (optional)

1 clove garlic, chopped (optional)

1 lb ground beef

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 onion, chopped

2-3 stalks celery, chopped (optional)

1 c. frozen peas

1 c. frozen corn (optional)

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 c. beef broth

1/2 c. heavy cream

Directions:

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain, reserving a little of the water, and mash with cream cheese, a splash of milk or reserved water, a little butter, and optional garlic and Asiago cheese.

While potatoes are boiling, brown hamburger and season with salt & pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Add carrots, onion, and celery to the meat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

In a small saucepan, melt butter and add flour, whisking until smooth, cooking for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in broth and cream, and thicken for 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and veggies, stir in peas and corn.

Put meat mixture in the bottom of a deep dish pie pan, or casserole dish. Spread mashed potatoes on top.

Broil on high for 6 minutes, until potatoes are golden.

*This can be made ahead and stored up to 2 days in the refrigerator (just omit broil). Remove from refrigerator and rewarm for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees before broiling.

** The garlic and Asiago cheese in the potatoes add pleasing flavour combination, and the cheese aids in the browning process of the potatoes.

Shrimp and Veggie Quinoa

Last night, I needed a quick meal that I could make and eat between tutoring sessions. Since its about time for a big grocery run, my cupboards were a bit bare and I was not feeling like an 'easy' meal like mac & cheese, so I started pulling stuff out of the fridge and envisioning how I could combine what I had into a meal. What I ended up with was impressively gourmet, considering that it came together from nothing in about 20 minutes. I didn't take any pictures, because I was in a time crunch (and hungry!) but I should have-- it was very rich and colourful.

Shrimp and Veggie Quinoa

Ingredients:
1 package frozen cooked, peeled, deveined shrimp- thawed in cold water and drained
2 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
1-2 stalks celery (with leaves), coarsely chopped
about 2 cups broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cup white wine
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1Tbsp water

Quinoa:
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup quinoa

Directions:
*Prepare quinoa by bringing broth to a boil, add quinoa, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, stir and cover, let stand for 10 minutes.
* Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet, add onions, peppers, celery and garlic and cook until onions and celery are tender.
* Lightly steam broccoli in microwave, and add to skillet with shrimp.
* Add wine, cook until wine is mostly absorbed and everything is hot.
* Add cornstarch mixture to thicken sauce, stir to evenly coat.
* Scoop quinoa into serving dish (I used pasta bowls), spoon shrimp mixture over top.

Chicken Pot Pie

I used to look forward to Chicken Pot Pie night as a kid. I don't know why, but I just love them! So when my sister-in-law contributed a recipe for homemade Chicken Pot Pie to our family cookbook, I was so excited! I've made it several times in the last few months, so I thought I'd share it here. The crust is my mom's pie crust recipe, that I've modified to make it more hearty/ healthy for pot pies, but it is a great recipe for all kinds of pies too, including Kristen's famous Pumpkin Pie. (The recipe is for 2 pie crusts, since you need 2 for pot pie.)

Pie Crust:
2 2/3 c. flour (I used 1/2 white whole wheat, 1/2 regular)
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. shortening
4-5 Tbsp ice cold water

With a pastry blender, blend flour, salt and shortening. Add water a little at a time until dough can be formed into a ball. (The more it is blended, the less crumbly it will be.) Divide into 2 balls. [My mom taught me to roll out the dough between a pastry sheet and wax paper. It also works between 2 pieces of wax paper. Roll out to desired thickness/ size. Peel off top layer of wax paper and place on top of pie pan before you peel off the other piece of wax paper/ pastry sheet. This prevents the normal problems of dough sticking or breaking.] Place the first pie crust into the pot pie dish (I use a small deep-dish casserole dish). Roll out the second crust and set aside.

Pot Pie Filling:
4 chicken beast halves, cooked and shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can potato soup
1 (16 oz) pkg frozen mixed veggies (peas, corn, carrots)
1 tsp pepper
1-2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 1" pieces (lightly steam with onions)
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped

Mix chicken, soups, veggies and pepper together in a large bowl. Scoop into prepared pie crust. Top with remaining pie crust, pinch together with bottom crust to seal. Cut several slits in the top, to release steam. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes, until crust is golden. Allow to stand 5 minutes before serving.