Ina Garten's Lemon Chicken

adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-chicken-breasts-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

1/4 cup good olive oil

3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)

1/3 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 boneless chicken breasts

1 lemon, sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and put them on top of the pieces of chicken. Bake for 20-30, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 bunch basil, rolled and cut into ribbons

1 loaf of bread (I used Italian 5 grain bread)

2 garlic cloves, cut in half

EVOO

Salt & Pepper

Crumbled Feta

Directions

Dice tomatoes and put in a bowl. Sprinkle some evoo and a dash of salt and pepper. Put in refriderator until everything is finished. Heat evoo in a saute pan. Cut bread into slices. Once oil is hot add pieces of bread and toast on both sides. Continue until all bread is toasted. Once bread has finished toasted rub with garlic cloves. Top toasted bread with tomatoes, basil, and a sprinkle of feta. Serve.

Shrimp Scampi & Asparagus

Shrimp Scampi

adapted from: Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

1 pound of shrimp

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons parsley

Salt & Pepper

4 garlic cloves

1 shallot

Juice of 1 lemon

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. In a baking sheet, place shrimp. Season with salt & pepper. In a food processor add softened butter, parsley, garlic cloves, juice of lemon, shallot, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Pulse until fully combined. Take a teaspoon and place a teaspoon of butter mixture onto shrimp until butter mixture is all gone. Bake until shrimp is opage and serve with crusty bread.

Asparagus

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus

3 garlic cloves, minced

Parmesan cheese

Salt & Pepper

EVOO

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Wash asparagus. Take one stem and gently bend asparagus until it snaps. Cut all asparagus the same length. Place on baking sheet. Put evoo, salt, pepper, and garlic ontop of asparagus. Top with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Bake 15 minutes until asparagus is tender. Serve.

Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/barbecued-chinese-chicken-lettuce-wraps-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

2 cups, 4 handfuls, fresh shiitake mushrooms

1 1/3 to 1 1/2 pounds thin cut chicken breast or chicken tenders

2 tablespoons light colored oil, such as vegetable oil or peanut oil

Coarse salt and coarse black pepper

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 inch ginger root, finely chopped or grated, optional

1/2 red bell pepper, diced small

1 small tin, 6 to 8 ounces, sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped

3 scallions, chopped

3 tablespoons hoisin, Chinese barbecue sauce, available on Asian foods aisle of market

1/2 large head iceberg lettuce, core removed, head quartered

Directions

Remove tough stems from mushrooms and brush with damp towel to clean, Slice mushrooms. Chop chicken into small pieces. Preheat a large skillet or wok to high.  Add oil to hot pan. Add chicken to the pan and sear meat by stir frying a minute or 2. Add mushrooms and cook another minute or two. Add salt and pepper to season, then garlic and ginger. Cook a minute more. Add red bell pepper bits, chopped water chestnuts and scallions. Cook another minute, continuing to stir fry mixture. Add hoisin Chinese barbecue sauce and toss to coat the mixture evenly. Transfer the hot chopped barbecued chicken to serving platter and pile the quartered wedges of crisp iceberg lettuce along side. To eat, pile spoonfuls into lettuce leaves, wrapping lettuce around fillings and eat.

Pesto Pasta with the "works"

Ingredients

1 13.5 ounce box of dreamfields penne pasta

2 boneless skinless chicken breast, diced

1/2 of a large red onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup button mushrooms, sliced

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1 4 ounce can marinated artichoke hearts, drained

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1 cup basil pesto

2 tablespoons fresh basil

Parmesan Cheese

Salt & Pepper

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

Dried Basil

EVOO

Directions

Heat evoo in a large skillet. In a large pot put water. Once water is boiling add salt and pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions. Season chicken with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried basil. Add chicken to skillet. Cook 5-6 minutes until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken. Add more evoo to pan. Add red onions, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms to pan. Season with salt ant pepper. Cook 5-6 minutes. Add chicken broth and scrape bottom of pan. Cook until chicken broth is reduced by half. Once pasta is finished and drained add a little evoo to the pasta and toss so pasta does not stick. Add pesto and coat pasta. Add shredded mozzarella, a handful of parmesan cheese, and fresh basil. Toss to coat. Add pasta to large skillet and toss. Sprinkle with a little more parmesan cheese and serve.

Salmon with Feta, Artichoke, Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

2 Salmon Filet's

1 small can of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and diced

1 6 ounce can of crumbled feta

2 plum tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoons of diced fresh parsley

2 garlic cloves minced

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons evoo

1 lemon

Salt & Pepper

Directions

Combine 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons evoo, minced garlic, salt & pepper in a large bowl. Add salmon and marinate for at least 1 hour. 

While salmon marinated, make salsa. Combine artichoke hearts, feta, plum tomatoes, parsley, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons evoo, salt & pepper. Toss to combine. Refrigerate till ready to use.

Preheat oven to 475.Place evoo in a large skillet and heat till oil is hot. Once oil is hot add salmon skin side down. Brown on both sides. Place in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, when there is about 5 minutes left of cooking squeeze lemon onto salmon. Once salmon is done place salsa on top and serve.

Heart Shaped, Red Velvet Whoppie Pies

recipe from: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/02/10/red-velvet-whoopie-pies/

Ingredients

For the whoopies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup vegetable shortening
½ cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 teaspoons red food coloring
1 cup buttermilk

For the cream cheese filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter, shortening and both sugars on low speed until just combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy and smooth, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and the red food coloring and beat until just blended. Add half of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk to the batter and beat on low until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining flour mixture and remaining ½ cup buttermilk and beat until completely combined. Using a spoon (or a medium cookie scoop, which is what I used), drop a tablespoon of batter onto one of the prepared baking sheets and repeat, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for about 10 minutes each, or until the cakes spring back when pressed gently. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cakes cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the filling… In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed. Add the sugar and beat on low speed until combined. Add the vanilla and increase the speed to medium-high; beat until creamy and smooth, about 4 minutes. To assemble: Spread the filling onto the flat side of one cake using a knife of spoon. Alternatively, you can use a pastry bag with a round tip to pipe the filling onto the cake. Top it with another cake, flat-side down. Repeat with the rest of the cakes and filling.

Storing: Assembled whoopie pies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you need to stack layers, place a piece of wax paper between layers. *To make the heart shapes, I used a heart shape whoppie pan from Crate & Barrel.*

Whole Wheat Chicken Pizza

Ingredients

1 Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

2 Chicken breasts, diced

1/4 of a red onions, sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

Tomato Sauce (I made my own)

Salt & Pepper

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

Dried Oregano

Dried Basil

Parmesan Cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella

Sprinkle of flour

Baking Sheet

Cooking Spray

EVOO

DirectionsPreheat oven to 475. Heat evoo in a large saute pan. Season chicken with salt, pepper, oregano, basil, garlic powder, & onion powder. Once oil is heated add chicken breast and cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Set aside.

Sprinkle flour onto a clean surface. Roll out pizza until it is in a rectangle shape. Spray cooking spray onto a large baking sheet. Place rectangle shape pizza onto baking sheet. Top with tomato sauce, leaving a 1 inch border. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Place chicken breast, red onion, and garlic onto pizza. Top with mozzarella and more parmesan cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and bottom is crispy. Slice and serve.

Buffalo Chicken Rolls

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breast, diced into small pieces

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce

3 green onions, diced

Pam EVOO Spray

Spring Roll Wrappers

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large baking sheet. Spray pam in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt & pepper. Once skillet is hot add chicken. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Cool chicken. In a large bowl combine cooled chicken, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, franks red hot buffalo sauce, and green onions. Place a spring roll wrapper onto a clean surface. Place the spring roll wrapper in a triangle. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center. Pull up the bottom, then the sides, and roll. Place the rolls onto the sprayed baking sheet. Continue until all the filling is finished. Place in a preheated oven. Bake 15 minutes and flip the rolls onto the other side and bake for another 15 minutes. Serve hot and with either ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Chicken Egg Rolls & Beef with Broccoli

Beef with Broccoli

recipe from: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/ching-he-huang/beef-with-broccoli-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

1 tablespoon peanut oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns

1 pound beef sirloin, sliced to 1/2-inch-thick strips

4 ounce tender baby broccoli florets, blanched (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry

1 to 2 teaspoons honey

1 to 2 tablespoons light soy

1 teaspoon dark soy

1/4 cup hot vegetable stock

1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch, blended with 2 tablespoons cold water

Directions

Heat a wok over high heat and add the oil. When the oil begins to smoke, add the garlic and Sichuan peppercorns and stir-fry quickly for a few seconds. Add the beef and let it settle for a moment. As it starts to turn brown, after a minute or so, add the broccoli florets and the rice wine. Stir-fry for a few seconds. Season the beef and broccoli with the honey, light soy and dark soy. Add in the vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the cornstarch and water mixture and cook to thicken, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

 

Chicken Egg Rolls

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

7 ounces of chicken breast, cut into pea sized pieces

4 shiitake mushrooms, diced very small

1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon finely grated ginger

3 ounces bean sprouts

2 large green onions, diced

1 small carrot, diced

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Salt & Pepper

Spring Rolls

1 tablespoon cornstartch,  blended with 1 tablespoon hot water

Oil for frying

 

Directions

Heat a wok over high heat, and pour in the groundnut oil. Add the chicken pieces, and reconstituted mushrooms, and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, then season with the soy sauce. Remove the contents from the wok, and set them aside to cool for 10 minutes. Clean the wok. Add the ginger, green onions, carrot to a bowl. Then, add the chicken and mushrooms, the oyster, and soy sauces and stir to mix. Season with sea salt, and black pepper, to taste. Take 2 spring roll wrappers and lay 1 on top of the other Cook's Note: The extra thickness will prevent the skin from breaking. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of the wrapper. Brush each corner with the blended cornstarch slurry. Bring the 2 opposite side corners of the wrapper together and, keeping your finger on those edges, bring the bottom corner up towards the middle, then roll the pastry with the filling towards the top corner. Tuck the top edge in, and seal it with the cornstarch slurry. Repeat until the remaining ingredients are used up. Place the spring rolls in the refrigerator to chill until ready to fry. Heat a wok or heavy-bottomed pan over a high heat, and fill it to a quarter of its depth with enough groundnut oil. Cook's Note: Ensure your wok is stable before deep frying. Deep fry the spring rolls until golden brown, turning frequently, and then transfer them, using a slotted spoon, to drain on an absorbent kitchen towel.

Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

recipe from: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/02/24/peanut-butter-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
½ cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. On medium speed, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. Stir in the oats, and then the chocolate chips. Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) and drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

recipe from: http://annies-eats.com/2010/04/20/whole-wheat-pita-bread/

Ingredients:

2¼ tsp. instant yeast
1 tbsp. honey
1¼ cups warm water (105˚-115˚ F), divided
1½ cups bread flour, divided
1½ cups whole wheat flour, divided
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
Cornmeal, for sprinkling

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, honey and ½ cup of the water.  Stir gently to blend.  Whisk ¼ cup of the bread flour and ¼ cup of the whole wheat flour into the yeast mixture until smooth.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until doubled in bulk and bubbly, about 45 minutes.

Remove the plastic wrap and return the bowl to the mixer stand, fitted with the dough hook.  Add in the remaining ¾ cup of warm water, 1¼ cups bread flour, 1¼ cups whole wheat flour, olive oil and salt.  Knead on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.  Transfer the ball of dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and let rise in a warm draft-free place, about 1 hour, until doubled in bulk.

Place an oven rack in the middle position.  Place a baking stone in the oven (if using) and preheat to 500˚ F.

Once the dough has risen, transfer to a lightly floured work surface, punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces.  Form each piece into a ball.  Flatten one ball at a time into a disk, then stretch out into a 6½-7 inch circle.  Transfer the rounds to a baking sheet or other work surface lightly sprinkled with cornmeal.  Once all the rounds have been shaped, loosely cover with clean kitchen towels.  Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, until slightly puffy.

Transfer 4 pitas, 1 at a time, onto the baking surface.  (Note: These can be baked on a baking stone or directly on the oven racks.  I use a pizza stone, but either method is fine.) Bake 2 minutes, until puffed and pale golden.  Gently flip the pitas over using tongs and bake 1 minute more.  Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.  Repeat with the remaining pitas.  Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Blueberry Yogurt Multigrain Pancakes

adapted from: http://annies-eats.com/2012/01/16/blueberry-yogurt-multigrain-pancakes/

Ingredients

3 tbsp. butter, plus more for the skillet
½ & 2 tablespoons cup whole wheat flour
½ & 2 tablespoons cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 cup plain, full-fat yogurt
2 tbsp. milk, plus more as needed
½ tsp. vanilla extract
About 1 cup blueberries

Directions

Melt two tablespoons of the butter.  Stir in the third tablespoon until it is completely melted.  (This keeps the butter from being too warm when you add it to the other ingredients.)  Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk to blend.  Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, yogurt and milk and whisk together.  If you are using a thin yogurt, no additional milk should be needed.  If you use a thick yogurt such as Greek yogurt, add 1-2 more tablespoons of milk.  Whisk in the melted butter, and vanilla.  Add in the dry ingredients and whisk in just until incorporated. Warm the oven to 200˚ F and have a baking sheet ready (to keep finished pancakes warm).  Heat a skillet or sauté pan over medium heat and grease lightly with butter.  Ladle about 1/3 cup of batter onto the cooking surface for each pancake.  Dot the top with blueberries.  Allow to cook until bubbles begin to form on the top surface.  Use a large spatula to carefully flip the pancake and cook the other side until light golden and cooked through.  Repeat with the remaining batter, storing finished pancakes in the oven until ready to serve.