Chicken Shawarma

I can't believe it is the last day of 2010! We had a good year; with the birth of our daughters and everything else that accompanied that special event. In retrospect, I feel very blessed to have our family, friends, and health. Really, that is all that truly matters. I just hope 2011 will, again, bring good things our way.

I think that the new year is going to kick off a cookbook project for me. I have a ridiculous amount of cookbooks that I seldom use, so I would like a way to justify my collection (and purchase some others). My friend, Claire and I have decided to use one cookbook per week in the new year, and cook 2-4 recipes out of it for that particular week. (Claire is in the same boat when it comes to the "too many cookbooks, and not enough time" type of thing.) I will blog about my results and hopefully find some new, favorite dishes out of the whole experiment. I am excited to take on a new cooking endeavor in 2011,and I can't wait to get started!

In the meantime, we had this chicken recipe from Cooking Light for our dinner last night. I must say, it was fantastic; I am looking forward to having the leftovers for lunch today. This recipe did not disappoint.

I hope all of you out there have a safe and prosperous New Years', as well.

Bring it on 2011!!!

Chicken Shawarma
From: myrecipes.com; David Bonom, Cooking Light, JULY 2008

Ingredients:

Chicken:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 16 (3-inch) strips

Sauce:
1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt (such as Fage)
2 tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Remaining ingredients:
Cooking spray
4 (6-inch) pitas
1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
8 (1/4-inch-thick)tomato slices

Directions:
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss well to coat. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.

3. To prepare sauce, combine yogurt and next 4 ingredients (through 1 garlic clove), stirring with a whisk.

4. Thread 2 chicken strips onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Place kebabs on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until done.

5. Place pitas on grill rack; grill 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted. Place 1 pita on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1/4 cup lettuce and 2 tomato slices. Top each serving with 4 chicken pieces; drizzle each serving with 2 tablespoons sauce.

Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings
Calories:384 (23% from fat)
Fat:9.8g (sat 2.1g,mono 4.1g,poly 2.7g)
Protein:34.4g
Carbohydrate:40g
Fiber:2.5g
Cholesterol:64mg
Iron:4.3mg
Sodium:821mg
Calcium:106mg



The Result:
This recipe was delicious and so easy to prepare. I ended up using 2 whole chicken breasts and cutting them into strips; after cooking them on my indoor grill pan. Our chicken was perfectly done and juicy...exactly right. I served our shawarma with some roasted asparagus and our evening meal was so satisfying. Even my almost-5-year-old son gobbled it up with approval. I know I have said it before, but it is really nice to find a meal that is healthy, and is one that the whole family loves. This chicken recipe was a total hit!

Three Cheese-Stuffed Shells with Meaty Tomato Sauce

Is it wrong to be all Christmas-ed out? Well, I am. We really had a good holiday this year; however I am happy to be getting past all the Christmas chaos, and back to "normal". My plan is to get our meals back on track with healthy options, so we can combat all the over-indulging that happened throughout the month of December. Kinda like a detox plan for the whole family; with plenty of lean proteins and fresh veggies. I am actually looking forward to it. Trust me, it is needed. Especially with a meal like these stuffed shells. Don't get me wrong, they were delicious...but not the most figure-friendly dinner of the season. It will be nice to get back to eating light again.

It is our family tradition to have Italian food for our Christmas Eve dinner. This year, I chose this Pioneer Woman recipe for our feast. It was sooooo decadent with all the ooey-gooey cheese and meaty sauce. Seriously fantastic; but my pants are definitely tighter than they were before Christmas Eve! Oh well...I guess that is what New Year's resolutions are for, right?????

Three Cheese-Stuffed Shells with Meaty Tomato Sauce
From: The Pioneer Woman website

Ingredients:
8 ounces, weight Jumbo Pasta Shells
30 ounces, weight Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
8 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Grated, Divided
½ cups Grated Romano Cheese
1 whole Egg
12 leaves Basil, Chiffonade
2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley
Salt And Pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ whole Medium Onion, Chopped
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
½ pounds Italian Sausage
½ cups Red Wine
1 whole 28 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
1 whole 15-ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Sugar
½ teaspoons Salt
2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley

Directions:
Cook pasta shells for half the cooking time; make sure not to overcook. Drain and rinse in cool water. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add Italian sausage and brown, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Pour in red wine and let it cook for a minute or two.

Pour in cans of crushed tomatoes and stir. Add sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for seasonings; can add crushed red peppers if you like a little heat.

In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, half the Parmesan, Romano, egg, salt and pepper, basil, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Stir until combined.

To assemble, coat the bottom of a baking dish with sauce. Fill each half-cooked shell with the cheese mixture. Place face down on the sauce. Repeat with shells until cheese mixture is gone. Top shells with remaining sauce. Sprinkle on extra Parmesan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

The Result:
In all the madness, I forgot to take a photo of my finished dish. The Pioneer Woman website has drool-worthy pics...so you can get your fix there. This was an awesome recipe. It was a little labor-intensive, but not too bad. I like to make something special for our big holiday meal and this dish fit the bill. We served a side of roasted brussel sprouts, and our Christmas Eve Italian food feast was complete.

Grown Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Tomato Soup

Tomato soup and grilled cheese is such a classic pairing; universally adored by many...including my brood. When I found this version on the Aggie's Kitchen website, I knew it would be a hit with my family. This was a super-comforting meal for a chilly, rainy evening.

Grown Up Grilled Cheese
Adapted From: Aggie's Kitchen website

Ingredients:
6 slices of whole wheat bread
3 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded, deveined and diced
2-4 thick slices of reduced fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of reduced fat Monterrey jack cheese
salt to taste
cooking spray

Directions:
Heat nonstick skillet over medium high heat and coat with olive oil. Saute sliced onions and jalapeno in the skillet with a big pinch of salt, until onions are caramelized. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Place some shredded jack cheese and a mozzarella slice on 1 slice bread. Spread 1 or 2 tablespoons of caramelized onions and jalapeno mixture on top of cheese and top with another slice of bread. Spread a very thin layer of butter on both outer sides of sandwich. Repeat with other sandwiches.

Spray the same nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat until hot. Place sandwich on the hot pan. Lower heat to medium-low and grill until underside is a deep brown but not burnt and cheese is partially melted, about 5 to 6 minutes. Carefully flip sandwich and grill other side, an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Slice in half and serve hot. Serve with a bowl of tomato soup (recipe below).

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Tomato Soup
From: marthastewart.com, The Martha Stewart Show, January 2008

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
24 ounces canned whole plum tomatoes
3 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh basil, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1.Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until onions have softened, about 15 minutes.

2.Add tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until tomatoes, onions, and garlic are soft, 10 to 20 minutes.

3.Working in batches, transfer soup to the jar of a blender and puree until smooth. Return to saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until soup is heated through. If soup seems too thick, stir in some extra stock to thin. Sprinkle some chopped fresh basil on top and serve immediately.



The Result:
I know I am on a Martha Stewart kick lately, but her recipes are really working out for me. Although, I did inadvertently come to this Martha recipe through Aggie's Kitchen; so it was quite an unintentional find. Anyway, both soup and sandwich were fantastic.

Sadly, I did burn our sandwiches (as you can tell from my photo). While I was using my immersion blender to puree the soup, I kinda forgot about the sandwiches cooking right next to me. Oops! They were definitely a little more toasty than I would have liked; but it really didn't matter, they still turned out great.

I didn't have cheddar cheese on hand, so I made due with what I had and used the jack and mozzarella. I was also quite surprised that these sammies were not spicy, despite the use of jalapenos. The pepper just gave the sandwich a little bit of an interesting tid-bit, but no real heat. We all LOVED this combo and it will be one that I make again.

Salmon with Hoisin Glaze

My little man is sick with a nasty cold, so we are having a jammie and movie day at my house. It is so pathetic when little ones don't feel good; it's just sad. Anyway, I am going to make this post short today; I just started the boy's favorite flick Cars, and I promised I would watch it with him while the twins are taking their morning nap. Sorry, but a sniffling and coughing 4 year old takes precedence over my blog post.

This is another quick and easy keeper from Martha Stewart. I didn't have the salmon "steaks" that the original recipe called for, but instead used the 6 ounce salmon fillets I had in my freezer. I reduced the cook time, and this fish recipe turned out perfect cooked and totally yummy. A side of Pioneer Woman's Sesame Noodles, mixed with veggies, completed our dinner. This was on our table in a half an hour!

Here is a link to the adapted noodle recipe:
Pioneer Woman's Sesame Noodles (with Asian Veggies)

Salmon with Hoisin Glaze
Adapted From: marthastewart.com

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons honey
4 salmon fillets (6 ounces each)
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions:
1.Heat broiler. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, hoisin sauce, and honey.

2.Rinse salmon and pat dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Place steaks on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush generously with glaze.

3.Broil salmon about 4 inches from the heat source, basting once, until opaque in center, 5-8 minutes.



The Result:
This was easy and delicious! Now back to our movie...

Steak Au Poivre

Today, I will confess one of my deepest, darkest secrets. I am a happily married mother of three, but oh do I have a chef crush on Rocco DiSpirito! It is a little embarrassing. I mean, really, I am an accomplished 35 years old woman; but when it comes to Rocco I feel like a school girl with the latest copy of Tiger Beat magazine (chef's edition...hehe). Can you blame me??? The guy is HOT, he can cook, he's a runner, he's Italian, and his latest cookbook Now Eat This! is filled with delicious, low-calorie meals that don't sacrifice on taste. Seriously, whenever I think about my boyfriend Rocco I get big, red hearts in my eyes--not at all unlike Pepe le Pew. I even have an ongoing fantasy about a photo from page 162 of the cookbook that I will share with you...just don't tell my husband.

(Okay, my husband already knows. Any talk of this usually gets a yawn and an eye roll response from him.)

As I was saying...page 162. Rocco is seductively eating a spoonful of some sort of delicious concoction from an All Clad sauce pan and eyeing the camera with parted lips, posed in a 'ready to taste' stance. It's as if he is looking right at me and asking, "Jen,please come here and try my sauce...does it need more seasoning? Would it taste better if I took off my shirt?" At this point in my dream I usually laugh coquettishly, and...never mind. Is it warm in here???? Ahem. I can't give you all the details, but I will let your imagination take over from here. I will say that my fantasy does vary from time to time. I like to change it up by imagining different sauces. Some days it is a beurre blanc, other times it's a bordelaise...

"Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day!...Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day!...Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day!..."

Whew, I am okay now.

Anyway, here is the recipe for the steak. Oh, and we paired it with this Sauteed Swiss Chard with Parmesan recipe. Holy yum!

Steak Au Poivre
From: Now Eat This! cookbook, by: Rocco DiSpirito

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon very coarsely ground black pepper
Four (4-ounce) portions lean filet mignon (about 1 inch thick)
Salt
Nonstick cooking spray
2 tablespoons brandy or cognac
1½ cups evaporated skim milk
1½ tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:
1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat.

2. Place the 4 tablespoons pepper on a small plate. Season the steaks with salt to taste, and dredge one side of each steak in the pepper, pressing down so that it adheres well.

3. When the pan is hot, spray it generously with cooking spray and add the steaks, pepper side down. Cook the steaks for 3 to 4 minutes per side for rare. Transfer the steaks to a serving platter, and tent it with foil to keep them warm.

4. Add the brandy and the remaining 1 teaspoon pepper to the skillet. While the brandy is reducing, whisk the evaporated skim milk into the cornstarch in a medium bowl.

5. When the brandy has reduced by about half, whisk the cornstarch mixture into the skillet. Bring the sauce to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the steaks, and serve.



The Result:
On a serious note, this was such a fantastic and low-cal version of Steak Au Poivre. The steak was cooked perfectly, and the sauce turned out velvety and creamy...exactly right. The flavors were restaurant-quality, without the high fat/high sodium content of normal restaurant fare. I think each serving of steak and sauce worked out to be about 294 calories with only 8 grams of total fat. It was soooooo delicious, and did not taste at all like you would expect a "healthy" version to taste. I love low calorie meals that are totally satisfying; and Rocco was right on the money, once again. (It is no wonder why I heart him!)

Pistachio-Crusted Fish and White Wine-Scented Couscous

I needed a "healthy food" break from all of the holiday food madness. Seriously, the baked goods insanity needs to stop. I think I have eaten my weight in Christmas cookies alone. Then, there's the alcohol. What exactly is it about Christmastime that makes me want to drink like a fish??? Ugh. All of the celebratory events with the decadent food and free-flowin' booze are really nice, but it is easy to get burnt out(*) quickly.

(*Okay, not so much "burnt out", but more like "I stepped on the scale this morning"...yikes!)

Anyway, here is another Martha Stewart gem, that is both simple and freakin' yummy. I think this recipe is my new favorite way to prepare fish. Totally easy and totally delicious; a combo that I l-o-v-e. I served our fish with some whole wheat couscous and steamed green beans, and the entire meal was so satisfying. This dinner was a perfect solution to the holiday food coma situation I have going on. Martha, you sly devil...you did it again!

Pistachio-Crusted Fish
From: marthastewart.com, Everyday Food, December 2008

Ingredients:
4 (6 oz.) cod fillets OR other firm white fish (I used tilapia)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley
1 garlic clove
3 tablespoons olive oil
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place fish on sheet; season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

2.In a food processor, pulse pistachios, parsley, and garlic until coarsely chopped, 15 seconds. With machine running, add oil in a steady stream; blend until mixture is finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper.

3.Top fish with pistachio mixture. Roast until fish is opaque throughout, 12 to 14 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

***********************************************

Jen's White Wine-Scented Couscous

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 small yellow onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup of whole wheat couscous
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Melt butter over medium heat, in a medium-sized sauce pan. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Stir and cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, until garlic is fragrant. Add couscous to pan. Stir occasionally and cook until the couscous slightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat up to medium-high, and stir in white wine. Cook until the wine is absorbed/evaporated. Add cup of water and bring to a boil. Place lid on saucepan, turn off heat, and let couscous steep for 5-10 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Adjust seasoning, if needed. Fluff with a fork and serve immediately.



The Result:
Our tilapia was cooked perfectly and sooooo tasty! Also, I am quite pleased with the way the couscous turned out. Historically, I am usually in a "take it, or leave it" mindset when it comes to couscous. Frankly, it is a little bland. However, this couscous recipe that I concocted was quite flavorful and delicious! (It did not escape my notice that I had to use wine to jazz it up...I guess I couldn't go 'cold-turkey' on the no booze thing after all.) Both of these recipes are keepers.

Chicken and Asparagus Rolls

I hate it when dinnertime pops up, and I realize I don't have all the ingredients for the recipe that I had originally planned. At the start of every week, I make my grocery list and check over the recipes I am using to make sure I have all the ingredients either on hand or on my list. Sometimes, I overlook a key ingredient...depending on how distracted I am when I am making my list (i.e. if my kids are terrorizing me or not). Last night was one of those instances. I had a fish recipe ready to go, only to realize I forgot several items that were needed. Ugh. I turned to my trusty iphone and did a recipe search on my Martha Stewart Everyday Food app. Eureka! Chicken and Asparagus Rolls! Luckily, I bought some thin, early-season, asparagus at the store on a whim; so I was able to just thaw some chicken and pull this dish together pretty quickly. Dinnertime was saved...and I found an easy and delicious recipe in a pinch!

Chicken and Asparagus Rolls
From: the Everyday Food iphone app (also available: Everyday Food, July/August 2003 issue via marthastewart.com)

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices (8 slices)
8 spears asparagus, trimmed, halved lengthwise, then crosswise

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife, split each chicken breast in half horizontally, then pound between two pieces of plastic wrap until about 3/8 inch thick (you should have 8 flattened pieces). Season on both sides with salt and pepper.

2.Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, saute chicken breasts and garlic until chicken is light brown on one side only, about 2 minutes; discard garlic.

3.Transfer chicken to a baking sheet, browned side down. Sprinkle chicken pieces with half the cheese; layer each with a tomato slice and 4 asparagus pieces. Roll up; secure with a toothpick. Sprinkle remaining cheese over rolls; bake until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove toothpicks. Serve hot.

The Result:
My camera battery is still on the charger...so again, no pic. Hopefully, I will have my act together by my next post.

This was really tasty, and so easy to put together. Like I said, I had everything on hand. My asparagus was really thin, so I just trimmed the ends and used whole pieces. I loved how simple and flavorful this chicken was, with so few ingredients. We served our rolls with the rest of the asparagus bunch, (simply roasted with salt, pepper, and olive oil) and a side of brown rice pilaf. Martha does it again!

Harissa Steak Sandwich

It has taken me a year to find the harissa for this sandwich. Yes, one whole year. It became sort of a quest, actually. I looked at every store I could think of, and finally broke down and purchased some on the Internet. (I should of done that in the first place, but I was determined--for some odd-ball reason--to find it in an actual store...weird, I know.) After a year of wanting to try this recipe, I finally, FINALLY got to make it last night. And you know what...it was good. Really good. Really, really good. Mainly, I am just relieved that my quest for harissa is over. Whew!

Harissa Steak Sandwich
From: Jeffery Saad, via the Aggie's Kitchen website

Ingredients:
1 10-12 oz. New York strip steak or steak of your choice
3 Tb Harissa
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tb olive oil
1/2 C. mayo
1/4 C fresh chopped mint
1/4 C chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic chopped
Pinch of salt
Sandwich rolls or bread of your choice
1 yellow tomato or tomato of your choice
2 C arugula leaves (watercress is good as well, spinach if you want less spice)

Directions:
Heat up your grill, grill pan or sauté pan to medium high.
Season the steak with salt and pepper. Rub 1 Tb of the harissa on each side of the steak.
Wipe down grill with a little oil. Place steak on grill and cook for about 3 minutes. Flip. Cook 3 more minutes (this will yield MR depending on the thickness of the steak. Adjust for your taste and for the size of the steak).
While the steak is cooking place the mayo in a medium size bowl.
In a small sauté pan over med heat add the olive oil. Once hot add the mint and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds just until you smell the perfume of the garlic and mint. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Turn the heat off and stir. Stir mixture into the mayo. The warm mixture will immediately permeate the mayo with flavor and give it a beautiful color. Stir the remaining 1 Tb of Harissa into the mayo.

Grill the bread if you like. Spread mayo on both sides of the bread.
Slice the steak and lay across the bread.
Top with sliced tomato and arugula.
Enjoy!!

Makes 2-4 tasty sandwiches depending on how much meat you like!

Notes:

*New York, Rib eye or Filet mignon will be a treat and will be very tender. The thicker the steak the better because you can get a nice crust on the steak and still have a MR, juicy center. A thin steak will often over cook by the time you get a crust. You can use a less expensive cut that will also be flavorful but I would recommend cutting it thin before grilling so it is more tender. The key is to not overcook the meat or you will lose the juiciness and tenderness. Also, make sure to let the steak sit for ten minutes before slicing to allow the juices to re-absorb. They will then absorb into your bread instead of being left on the cutting board.

*Don’t let the mint and garlic turn brown unless you like the more toasted flavor. I like to preserve the delicate perfume of the mint and garlic which then permeates the mayo and creates a fresh, bright balance to the deep, spicy richness of the harissa.

*Make sure your grill, grill pan or sauté pan is hot and oiled before you place the meat down or the moisture of the harissa will make the steak stick.

The Result:
My camera battery needs to be recharged, so I didn't get a photo of this yummy sandwich. We all loved it; even our picky boy, who ate it up. I am happy to have some of the leftover mayo mixture, because I think it will be a great topping for other things (I am thinking on veggie or salmon burgers, or even thinned out and used for salad dressing.) Yum! If you can get your hands on some harissa, then I highly recommend giving this sandwich a try.

Chicken "Pot Pie" with Crunchy Brown Rice Crust

We have had several dinner 'fails' lately. Certainly, nothing that I've considered to be post-worthy. This was the one exception to the many stinkers that have not worked out for me. My friend, Claire and I must have both bookmarked this recipe around the same time; but she ended up making it before I got around to it. I needed something that I knew was going to help get us out of our dinner rut, so I turned to her blog for ideas. I figured if her family liked it, then mine would too. When I saw this recipe posted on her website, I remembered I wanted to try this dish and decided to give it a go. I am glad I did, because it was really yummy...just what I needed to get back on track in my kitchen.

Chicken "Pot Pie" with Crunchy Brown Rice Crust
From: the Whole Foods iPhone app, also available on the Whole Foods website

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 pound sliced button mushrooms
2 teaspoons chopped thyme, divided
1 large carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium gluten-free chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1 cup cooked brown rice or brown and wild rice blend
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 cup frozen peas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie dish with oil; set aside.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, 1 teaspoon of the thyme, carrots, celery, onions, salt and pepper and cook until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add broth and milk, stir well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until very thick, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine rice, cheese, paprika, remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Stir peas into chicken mixture then season with salt and pepper and transfer to prepared dish. Scatter rice mixture evenly over the top then arrange dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake until bubbly and crust is crisp, about 30 minutes.

Nutritional Info:
Per serving (about 9oz/256g-wt.): 240 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 55mg cholesterol, 370mg sodium, 20g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 21g protein





The Result:
This was really, really good. Not really a "pot pie", but more like a casserole with a homey, comforting feel to it. We all really loved this dish, and it will be one that I make again.

Chocolate Caramel Cookies with Sea Salt

I am in full holiday baking mode. I love making Christmas cookies,so I usually go a little overboard with the amount of cookies I end up churning out. Normally I make the traditional assortment that my family always had during the season, and then add one or two different variations. What can I say, I like to keep things interesting! This year, I selected this cookie as my "wild card". Oh boy, I am glad that I did...it was fantastic!

Chocolate Caramel Cookies with Sea Salt
From: The Two Peas and Their Pod blog

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter
7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (I used dark cocoa)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Soft caramel candy chews
Sea salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF; line 2 baking sheets with baking paper, lightly coated with cooking spray. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Sift together flour, soda, and salt; set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder and sugars (mixture will resemble coarse sand). Add yogurt and vanilla, stirring to combine. Add flour mixture, stirring until moist. Wrap the chocolate dough around the caramel candy pieces. Place balls on cookie sheets and sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until almost set. Cool on pans 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

(This recipe yields about 2 dozen cookies.)

The Result:
I love the combo of salt and chocolate and/or caramel. Yum! These. were. awesome.

Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Sauteed Apples & Jen's Mashed Butternut Squash

Wow. It's December already. I think I am approaching panic mode, since I really have not started any holiday-related anything yet. No baking. No sausage-making. No gift wrapping. No Christmas cards. No decorations. For some reason I feel like I am flying by the seat of my pants this year. (Okay, I did finish my holiday gift shopping; but that is the only thing I have accomplished...and only because I shopped online this year.) I am seriously unprepared. I have barely had time to make dinner and take care of household necessities, let alone think about Christmas. The holidays just seemed to pop up out of nowhere this year. Hopefully, I can make some headway this weekend, and put a dent in my "to-do" list. I really want to relax and make Christmas fun for the family; but I sooooo need to get organized, or that is just not going to happen. What does this all have to do with my cooking blog, you ask??? Nothing really. I just needed to vent. I feel better, thanks.

Here is a yummy Cooking Light recipe for pork tenderloin that we all enjoyed. Also, I made a mashed butternut squash concoction (in lieu of the usual mashed potatoes) that turned out really well.

Deep breath...

Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Sauteed Apples
From: Cooking Light, October 2010 issue

Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 12 pieces
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups thinly sliced unpeeled Braeburn or Gala apple
1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup apple cider
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions:
1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Combine first 5 ingredients; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over pork. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove pork from pan; keep warm.

2. Melt butter in pan; swirl to coat. Add apple slices, 1/3 cup shallots, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; sauté 4 minutes or until apple starts to brown. Add apple cider to pan, and cook for 2 minutes or until apple is crisp-tender. Stir in thyme leaves. Serve apple mixture with the pork.

Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 pork medallions and about 1/2 cup apple mixture)
Calories:234
Fat:9.7g (sat 5g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.7g)
Protein:24.4g
Carbohydrate:12.3g
Fiber:1.5g
Cholesterol:89mg
Iron:1.7mg
Sodium:468mg
Calcium:18mg

Jen's Notes:
My tenderloin was a little bigger than 1 pound. I had to increase the cooking time and the quantities for all the spices to accommodate the difference. Also, I increased the quantity for the apple cider to 1/3 of a cup...just for fun. I wanted my apple mixture a little more saucy.

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Jen's Mashed Butternut Squash

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
water
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup of pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 cup of almond milk
2 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Directions:
In a medium-sized sauce pan, cover butternut squash cubes with water. Add a big pinch of salt. Boil over high heat, until squash is fork tender, about 20 minutes or so. Drain in a colander, then return to warm sauce pan. Add butter, almond milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash with a potato masher until desired consistency is achieved. Serve immediately.



The Result:
This was really good, and easy to prepare. I served this meal with some roasted brussel sprouts, and the whole dinner reminded me of autumn on a plate!