Chicken thighs with cream sauce and spaghetti.

Creamy Tuscan Chicken 

I added spaghetti and substituted thighs for the breasts and peas for the spinach.

Prep Time10 mins Cook Time25 mins Total Time 35 mins

 Inspired by Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken with added flavours!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds (700 grams) large boneless and skinless chicken breasts halved horizontally to make 4 fillets (I use 2 large breasts -- 12 oz or 350 grams each)
• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to your tastes)
• 3/4 teaspoon black cracked pepper (adjust to your tastes)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 3 tablespoons reserved sun dried tomato oil or olive oil, divided
• For The Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic 6 cloves
• 5 oz 150g jarred sun dried tomato strips in oil drained (reserve 3 tablespoons of oil for cooking)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 cups heavy or thickened cream (or evaporated milk for lower calorie/fat)
• 3 cups spinach
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley to serve

Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika and onion powder.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved sun dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 6-8 minutes each side, or until golden and cooked through (work in batches if your pan isn't large enough). Transfer to a warm plate; set aside. 

Add the remaining oil into the pan and fry the garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds to 1 minute), then add in the sun dried tomatoes. Fry for 1-2 minutes to release their flavours. Mix the Dijon through all of the flavours.

Reduce heat to low-medium heat, add the cream (or evaporated milk) and bring to a gentle simmer, while stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.

Add in the spinach leaves and allow to wilt in the sauce, then add in the parmesan cheese. Allow sauce to simmer for a further minute until cheese melts through the sauce.

Add the chicken back into the pan; top with parsley and serve over pasta, rice or steamed veg.
Recipe Notes

Optional add-ins 1/2C white wine (add with garlic, reduce) + 2 tsp Italian seasoning add after parmesan

Corned Beef Hash

Corned Beef and Root Vegetable Hash

This updated take on corned beef hash calls for several types of diced root vegetables, caramelized onions, and tangy grainy mustard. Topped with a fried egg, it's enjoyable as breakfast or supper. Source: Martha Stewart Living, April 2007 6 servings 

• 3 1/2 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
  
• 8 ounces Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  
• 8 ounces carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  
• 8 ounces parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  
• 8 ounces turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 small onion, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
  
• 8 ounces corned beef, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  
• 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
  
• 4 to 6 eggs, fried (or cooked any style)
  
• Freshly ground pepper
  

DIRECTIONS

• 1.
  Bring stock, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and turnips to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer until just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup liquid; set aside.
  
• 2.
  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add vegetables and the reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned, about 25 minutes. Stir in corned beef and mustard. To serve, top with eggs, and season with pepper.
  

Rueben sandwiches

There will always be corned beef at our house on St. Patrick's Day and there will always be Rueben sandwiches the next day.

Back in the 1950's, James Beard said a Rueben sandwich is made with Russian Dressing so that is what I use but several years later, I learned that what we call Russian dressing is not what it was back then.  The Russian dressing he was thinking about is similar to Thousand Island dressing was back then.  It has changed since then too but it is closer to what it was then Russian is today. Nevertheless we got used to Russian dressing on our Ruebens and so that is what I still use.  I don't know if Charlie would like it better with Thousand Island or not but so far I have not tried it to find out.

Corned beef dinner Mar 17, 2019

Corned Beef

 Corned Beef
FOR THE BRINE

• 2 quarts water

• 1 cup coarse salt

• 1 tablespoon Tender Quick

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed

• 1 cinnamon stick, crushed

• 4 dried bay leaves, crushed
  8 whole cloves

Make the brine: Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salts, sugar, and spices; remove from heat, and stir until salts and sugar dissolve. Let cool.

Make the corned beef: Place brisket in a nonreactive container just large enough to hold it. Pour cooled brine over meat. Place 2 small plates on top to keep meat submerged; cover, and refrigerate for 2 weeks.

To cook brisket

2 7-oz bottles of beer

10 black peppercorns

6 whole allspice

12 sprigs parsley

3 cloves garlic peeled, sliced

1 onion. peeled and sliced

1 celery stalk

1 carrot

Rinse brisket; discard brine. Place in a large pot. Add 14 ounces beer and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Add onion, celery, and halved carrot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Set a steamer in a large saucepan. Add enough water to reach the bottom, and bring to a boil. Add turnips. Reduce heat, cover, and steam until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with baby carrots, steaming 10 to 12 minutes. Add to turnips.

Transfer corned beef to a cutting board. Tent with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes. Discard remaining solids from broth, then bring to a boil.  Add

4-5 carrots, peeled

3-4 parsnips, peeled

3-4 turnips, peeled, sliced

1 head cabbage wedged

Add vegetables and cook 10 minutes or until tender crisp, add cabbage on top and steam 10 minutes.

Rasher Potato Bake from Irish guy Joe King. KC Star Mar 16, 2011

Preheat oven to 350º

1/4 C. butter

1 lar. onion finely minced

8oz pkg. mushrooms

1 lb. Canadian or Irish bacon, fried, cut bite size pieces
8 large potatoes, peeled, diced 1" cubes & par boiled
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 C. heavy cream
1 C. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 T. chopped parsley

Melt butter and saute onons and mushrooms until soft.

Stir in bacon and parboiled potatoes and heat to warm throgh out. Add salt and pepper, transfer to baking casserole, add cream and cheese, sprinkle parsley over, bake 30-40 minutes, removing lid last 10 minutes to brown on top.
Serve with soda bread.

Scones with Pears, Irish Cheddar, and Honey

Recipe photo courtesy of Yuki Sugiura

Irish cheddar nicely complements the floral honey and sweet pears that are sandwiched in the scones. Source: Martha Stewart Living, March 2015

prep 20 min, tota 35 min, 8 serv.

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 
  1 tablespoon baking powder
  3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  1/4 cup sugar
  1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  1/2 cup currants
  1 cup buttermilk, plus more as needed and for brushing
  Cored and sliced ripe pears, such as Red Anjou, Comice, Red Bartlett, or Seckel, for serving
  Sliced cheddar, preferably Irish, for serving
  Honey, for drizzling
  

DIRECTIONS

• 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a large bowl to combine. Add butter to bowl and, working with a few pieces at a time, scoop some butter and flour mixture into your hands. Squeeze butter, pressing thumbs across your fingertips to flatten into petal shapes. Repeat until all butter is flattened and coated with flour mixture.
  
• 2. Add caraway seeds and currants to bowl, tossing to combine. Slowly add 1 cup buttermilk, stirring constantly with a fork, just until mixture begins to form clumps. Add more buttermilk if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time, until no dry flour mixture remains in bowl.
  
• 3. Transfer mixture to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly dust hands with flour and gather mixture into a ball, gently squeezing to form a dough

Irish Whiskey Butter

This is pretty much perfect with Irish whiskey soda bread. And Irish whiskey.

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 9 tbsp butter, softened

• 3 tbsp whiskey

1. Heat the whiskey and sugar in a pan until hot then stir in the butter until melted and fully combined. Allow to cool.  Note from me. This recipe does not work as is. You should mix softened butter with room temperature whiskey and sugar until the whiskey is absorbed. I then put it on some wax paper, roll it into a round and refrigerate until firm.

Roasted Cabbage Wedges

Super simple to make, this healthy side dish packs a crunchy, flavorful punch.  Source: Everyday Food, April 2010

Note, this year, instead of cooking the cabbage with the other vegetables, I used the recipe above, then put them in with the hot water and let them soak up some of the juices from the corned beef broth.

1 tablespoon plus 2 more tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium head green cabbage, cut into 1-inch-thick rounds
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 teaspoon caraway or fennel seeds

DIRECTIONS

• 1.
  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Place 1 medium head green cabbage, cut into 1-inch-thick rounds, in a single layer on sheet and brush with 2 tablespoons oil. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon caraway or fennel seeds. Roast until cabbage is tender and edges are golden, 40 to 45 minutes. 
  

VEAL PICCATA

VEAL PICCATA

Tender veal scaloppine dredged in flour and sauteed in butter get a boost of brightness from a simple pan sauce made with white wine and a generous squeeze of lemon.

DInner was veal piccata served over egg noodles and a salad.  I only had one lemon and knocked over the juice so I only had a little lemon juice. I made up for the loss by adding some yuzu juice I had in the refrigerator.  Charlie does not like capers so I left them out and substituted celery leaves for parsley.

SERVES 6

Ingredients

2 lb. (about 12) veal cutlets, also called scaloppine, pounded until ¹⁄₄" thick

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

¹⁄₂ cup flour

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tbsp. olive oil

¹⁄₂ cup dry white wine

1 ¹⁄₄ cups chicken stock

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

¹⁄₄ cup capers, drained

2 tbsp. chopped parsley

Instructions

Season veal with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Heat 2 tbsp. butter and oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add veal, and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and set aside.

Add wine to skillet, and cook, scraping bottom of pan until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add stock and lemon slices, and bring to a boil; cook until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Add remaining butter, juice, capers, and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over veal and serve immediately.

Dessert was a pear ripened in a paper bag for a few days. It was almost over ripe, but it was very juicy and good. I split it in two, put some sour cherry jam in the middle and served it over some melted cherry ice cream. There was no recipe, I just winged it. 

Braised Chicken Thighs

This was dinner tonight. We both thought it was good. 

Emeril's Braised Chicken Thighs

Recipe photo courtesy of STEVEN FREEMAN

When I'm preparing this dish, it's all I can do to wait until it's finished simmering to get a  taste of the awesome gravy. You've simply gotta cook some rice to eat with this, no doubt about it.

prep 5 min.  total 1 hr, 10 min.  6 servings

INGREDIENTS

6 chicken thighs

2 tsp. salt

2 C. yellow onions, thin sliced

6 sprigs fresh thyme, died in a bundle.

or 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 C. chicken stock

1 T. Creole seasoning

1/2 C. + 1 T. A.P. flour

3 T. butter

1 T. garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 C. parsley, chopped

Steamed white rice for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Season the chicken all over with the Essence and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Place the 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl, and quickly dredge both sides of each thigh in the flour, shaking to remove any excess. Set aside.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a 10- to 12-inch flameproof casserole or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, and when it has melted, place the chicken, skin side down, in the pan. Brown for 2 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan, and when it has melted, add the onions, garlic, thyme bundle or rosemary sprigs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon then whisk in the chicken stock and increase the heat to high. Return the chicken, skin side down, to the pan, and bring the stock to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a heavy, tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Uncover the pan, stir the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching, and turn the chicken skin side up. Cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes longer.
5. Stir the bottom of the pan a final time, re-cover, and simmer for 20 more minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and discard the herb bundle or rosemary sprigs. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Add the parsley to the sauce, stir to combine, and then spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve with steamed white rice.

Shrimp Creole

Shrimp Creole

An easy recipe for classic Louisiana-style Shrimp Creole! 

Prep Time 10 mins  Cook Time 20 mins  Total Time 30 mins

Course: Main CourseCuisine: SouthernServings: 4 peopleCalories: 402kcalAuthor: Marissa

Ingredients 

• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion diced small
• 2 ribs celery diced small
• 1 medium green bell pepper diced small
• 3 large garlic cloves minced
• 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning or more
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• Louisiana-style hot sauce such as Tabasco brand, to taste
• 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined, tails removed
• chopped fresh parsley to taste

Instructions

• Cook rice according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, green bell pepper, celery and garlic; cook and stir for 7-10 minutes until tender.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and add tomatoes with juice, Creole seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf; stir and simmer 5 minutes, allowing flavors to meld. If desired, add more Creole seasoning and hot sauce to taste.
• Increase heat to medium-high and add shrimp; cook and stir until shrimp is pink and cooked through. Serve over hot white rice, sprinkled with desired amount of chopped fresh parsley.

Lasagna

Lasagna

Béchamel For Lasagna

 1 C. heavy cream

 1 C. chicken stock

3T. butter 

3 heaping T. flour 

add salt to taste 

+ a little nutmeg 

Melt butter, stir in flour.  Add heated chicken broth a little at a time.  Add heated cream, whisking often, bring to boil and let thicken.  Set  aside.

Meat filling

1 med. onion,chopped

3 cl. garlic, minced

1 1/2 lb. ground beef (1 3/4 lbs)

3T. fresh chopped italian parsley (used spinach)

3 T. fresh chopped oregano

1 1/2 lb. mild or sweet Italian sausage

1 1/2 C. grated Pecorino Romano cheese

salt and pepper

Oil for frying

Sauté onion and garlic in oil until soft.  Add meats and cook until done but not browned.  Stir in cheese, parsley and oregano.  Set aside

Cheese filling

1 1/3 C. fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 C. fresh chopped basil

1 1/2 -2 packages fresh mozzarella

16 oz. whole milk ricotta 

Marinara pasta sauce (from a Jar)

Package shredded mozzarella

12 lasagna noodles, cooked 

Preheat oven to 400.  Put some marinara on bottom of lasagna pan.  Put 4 lasagna (3 noodles per layer is all the pan would hold) noodles on bottom, overlapping each one.  Add half the meat mixture, 1/2 the béchamel, 1/3 the parmesan, 1/2 the basil, 1/3 the ricotta and 1/3 the marinara

Make second layer like the first and top with last 4 noodles.  Top with last of the sauce, and last of the ricotta.  Cover with foil and bake at 400 for 1 hour, 15 minutes. Turn oven up to 450.  Remove foil add shredded mozzarella and cook until browned and bubbling, about 15 minutes.  Broil a couple minutes at the end if needed for browning. 

Let set 20 minutes, cut and serve.