Nadia G's Aztec Soup

Because I'm lazy and because there's no reason to mess with perfection, go here for Nadia G's amazing Aztec Soup recipe. Seriously yummy stuff, very filling and low-cal.

Parpadelle with Asparagus, Shiitake Mushrooms and Prosciutto

Courtesy of Nadia G! (My current fav :) This is beautiful looking, delicious and full of some great veggies as well as being true fast food (seriously, it's like lightning).

14 oz Papardelle pasta (rather pricey at Meijer, try Trader Joe's for some that's way cheaper)

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, smashed

Baby asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces

Shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/4 Thai chile, minced (I couldn't find one, so I used a serrano instead)

2 cups sweet cherry tomatoes, sliced

Pinch brown sugar

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Prosciutto di Parma, sliced into ribbons

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for topping

Directions:

Cook the papardelle in salted boiling water until al dente. Strain.

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic to the pan and saute until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Throw in the baby asparagus, shiitake mushrooms and Thai chile. Saute for 8 minutes or until the veggies are tender but still crisp. Add the tomatoes to the pan and season generously with sea salt, freshly ground pepper and brown sugar. Give it a good stir and let the tomatoes sauce up for about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and prosciutto to the pan, mix it up for a couple of minutes so the flavors meld together.

Serve the pasta topped with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.

Eva Fury's Baked Ziti

My take on the classic dish...add additional spices (oregano, basil, pepper, etc.) as you see fit!

Ingredients:

1 box penne pasta

1 jar pasta sauce of your choice (I think the chunkier the sauce the better, but that's me)

1 "tube" ground sausage

1 8 oz brick of mozzarella cheese, grated (can use shredded cheese, but that can sometimes be a little too dry)

1 16 oz. tub ricotta cheese

2 packages of fresh, sliced mushrooms (canned, sliced works too)

Red pepper flakes (optional)

1 tbsp. minced garlic

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Salt pasta water and bring to a boil. Cook penne as directed on box.

2. Brown sausage and, if desired, add some red pepper flakes to taste. When sausage is done browning, add mushrooms to pan and saute until golden. Add garlic and allow to become golden as well. Set aside.

3. In a 9 x 13" pan, begin layering ingredients. Begin with pasta sauce (doesn't need to be heated in advance), then a layer of noodles, sausage mixture, ricotta and Mozzarella. Continue with layers until all ingredients are used. Top with Parmesan cheese.

4. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a glass of red wine and crusty bread!

Buffalo chicken pasta

So yummy! You can use the sauce for regular buffalo wings or toss it around in pasta as instructed here.

2 lbs of boneless chicken breast (approximately)

Red pepper flakes (to taste)

Cayenne pepper (to taste)

Ground black pepper (to taste)

Spaghetti or fettucini (or pasta of your choice)

6 Tbsp butter

8 Tbsp Franks Red Hot sauce

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Fresh mozzarella or chunk mozzarella (not pre-shredded) cut into small cubes

Tobasco sauce

1. Put salted water on to boil for pasta. Add pasta when ready.

2. Trim fat off chicken. Cut into 1-inch pieces and season with black pepper. (If you want, toss the chicken in flour seasoned with cayenne and black pepper. It's tasty, but adds an extra step).

3. Cook chicken in olive oil until browned along with cayenne and pepper flakes. Set aside.

4. Melt butter in a small saucepan with vinegar and Franks Red Hot. Add Tobasco to taste.

5. When pasta is cooked, drain and return to pot with a little bit (1/3 cup) of pasta water. Add chicken and cheese and toss to allow cheese to begin melting.

6. Pour sauce over pasta mixture, toss and serve with bleu cheese dressing.

Mac n' Cheese Soup

Ok, so, this admittedly sounds a little gross, but it is SO good (maybe lethal, but good) and the perfect sort of thing for those cold and rainy fall days around here. We made it with just cheddar cheese, but I imagine you could use all sorts of cheeses in this (I bet a bit of gruyere would be good in this, but then when ISN'T gruyere good??) I also imagine that if you want to go for the full heart-attack version, starting with some chopped up bacon in with the onion and celery might be good...

The recipe came from a freebie copy of Cuisine magazine that I got in the mail and, I'll give them this, there are a number of rather interesting recipes there and if they're as good as this one...

Serve with buffalo wings (or chicken tenderloins tossed with some buffalo sauce) for a truly yummy treat.

1.5 ups dry elbow macaroni

1/2 cup minced onion

1/4 cup minced celery

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chardonnay)

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (I was more liberal with the pepper than this...)

2 cups whole milk

4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

salt to taste

1/4 crumbled bleu cheese

2 tbsp. minced fresh chives

Cook macaroni in a pot of salted water according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Sweat onion and celery in butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in flour to coat and cook 1 minute. Deglaze with wine and simmer until nearly evaporated. Stir in broth, mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne. Simmer until slightly thickened, 5 minutes, then whisk in milk and warm through. Do not let boil or base may become grainy.

Add cheddar, 1 cup at a time, allowing it to melt completely before adding the next cup. Stir in macaroni, lemon juice, and salt; remove from heat.

Combine bleu cheese and chives in a small bowl. Garnish each serving with bleu cheese mixture.

Steamed Mussels with Parmesan Croutons

Paul is famous for not liking seafood and tomatoes. Fishy things scare him. However, because these mussels are steamed with his favorite beer, Hoegaarden, and full of delicious flavors, he actually admitted to liking these. This is a fairly quick meal (except for all the chopping), and definitely feeds a crowd. Get 2 pounds of mussels for 2 people.  Once again, original recipe from Bon Appetit.

4 5x3x1/2-inch slices country-style bread, crusts removed, bread cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs olive oil
3/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 cup chopped fresh chervil (optional)
2/3 cup crème fraîche
3 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 Tbs whole grain brown mustard or whole grain Dijon mustard
3 Tbs butter
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs chopped fresh thyme
5 lb mussels, scrubbed, debearded
3 cups diced seeded tomatoes (about 4 large)
1 cup chopped green onions (about 4)
1 12-ounce bottle Belgian white beer (such as Hoegaarden)

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine bread cubes, Parmesan, and oil in medium bowl; sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Spread bread cubes evenly on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until bread cubes are crisp and golden around edges, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
• Mix parsley, chives, tarragon, and chervil, if desired, in small bowl. Whisk crème fraîche and both mustards in another small bowl to blend; set aside.
• Melt butter in extra-large pot with lid over high heat. Add garlic and thyme; stir 1 minute. Add mussels, tomatoes, and green onions. Pour beer over, then add crème fraîche mixture; sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Cover tightly with lid and cook until steam appears, about 3 minutes. Add half of fresh herb mixture and stir until mussels and herbs are gently mixed. Cover tightly with lid again and cook until mussels open, 4 to 5 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open).
• Using slotted spoon, divide mussels among 6 bowls. Season mussel juices lightly with salt and pepper, then pour juices over each serving. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan croutons and remaining herb mixture and serve.

Pasta al Forno (Baked Farfalle with mushrooms, prosciutto and peas)

From the Williams-Sonoma "Rome" cookbook.

1 lb fresh button or cremini mushrooms

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 shallots or 1 small white or yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/4 lb prosciutto or cooked ham, including some fat, very thinly sliced and coarsely chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 2/3 cups frozen peas

3/4 lb farfalle

For the Béchamel sauce

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

salt

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 tbsp butter cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil or butter a baking dish with a 2-quart capacity.

2. Cut off the ends of the mushroom stems. Break the stems off where they join the caps and set them aside. Unless the gills are very small and tight, scrape them out with a small knife. Brush the caps clean and lightly peel them if the skins are blemished. Cut each cap into 6 or 8 wedges, depending on the cap's size. Clean and chop the stems.

3. In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, warm 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Add the shallots and saute just until they begin to color, about 4 minutes. Stir in the prosciutto and cook for 1 minute longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots and prosciutto to a large bowl and set aside.

4. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to the same pan over medium heat. Add the mushroom caps and stems and saute until all the liquid they release evaporates and they start to brown, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with salt. When the mushrooms are golden brown, after about 2 minutes longer, return the prosciutto and shallots to the pan, mix in the peas, and cook for a couple of minutes to blend the flavors. Remove from the heat an set aside in the pan.

5. Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a rapid boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta and stir for the first minute of cooking and occasionally thereafter.

6. While the water is heating, make the béchamel sauce. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the flower and cook, stirring constantly, until it starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Very gradually add the milk while stirring constantly, then cook over medium heat, continuing to stir, until the sauce just begins to boil and thicken, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp salt. Remove from the heat, stir into the pea-mushroom mixture and mix well.

7. When the pasta is 1-2 minutes from being al dente, drain it, but not too dry. Stir the pasta into the sauce in the frying pan. Mix in all but 1/4 cup of the cheese. Spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Dust with the remaining cheese and dot with butter. (The dish can be made up to this point, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before continuing).

8. Bake just until the cheese melts, about 15 minutes. Serve piping hot directly from the dish.

Serve with a full-bodied red wine such as a Sangiovese or Merlot from Lazio, Umbria or Tuscany.

Mojito Chicken

This is one of the recipes we've adapted from Food Network's Guy Fieri.  He's crazy, and sometimes so are his lists of ingredients.  This one, however, is pretty reasonable, even with a three-stage flavor process.  We recommend serving this with rice, and a Murky Mojito.

The Rub
2-3 chicken breasts (with bone & skin; trust us)
2 Tbs garlic powder
1 Tbs onion powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbs dried oregano
1 Tbs kosher salt
1 Tbs freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp paprika

The Marinade
1 cup orange juice
2 limes, juiced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs sliced garlic
1/4 cup dark rum

The Glaze
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup chopped mint leaves

Combine all the dry spices and rub chicken with spice mixture, especially under the skin. Put into a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients for the marinade, then add chicken to marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In medium sauce pot, place rum, chicken broth and brown sugar. Reduce by 1/3 over high heat. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together water and cornstarch. When rum mixture is reduced, add cornstarch mixture slowly to simmering liquid and whisk until 50 percent thicker. Keep in mind that you might not need all of it. When glaze is at desired thickness, add mint leaves and transfer to small bowl.

Get your grill piping hot.  Remove chicken from marinade and shake off excess.  Place skin-side down on grill, turning periodically until cooked almost all the way, about 160 degrees.  Brush chicken with the glaze and continue grilling until chicken reaches 165 degrees.

Serve immediately with more glaze on the side.

Grilled Mustard Chicken with Green Bean Coleslaw

Paul and I are always on the lookout for quick dinners. It's becoming a bit of a problem to eat a variety of foods, make delicious, non-prepackaged meals, and still make it to our evening activities. When I saw this recipe in (big surprise) Bon Appetit, it definitely qualified. However, because it involves the grill, there's obviously some get-the-coals-hot time that needs to be built in.

Paul also already makes his own balsamic dressing, so we just used that instead of making more/buying white balsamic vinegar. It probably didn't look as pretty, but still tasted good. Additionally, the coleslaw would be much better with fresh green beans, so that is changed as well.

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
4 teaspoons mustard seeds, divided
9 oz fresh green beans, sliced thin
2 cups very thinly sliced green cabbage
1 small sweet onion (such as Maui or Walla Walla), very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
1 large egg white
4 boneless chicken breast halves with skin

Coat grill rack heavily with nonstick spray. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).

Toast 1 teaspoon mustard seeds in skillet over high heat until beginning to pop, 3 to 4 minutes.  Set aside. In a large bowl, add green beans, cabbage, onion, and tarragon. Place toasted mustard seeds on top.  Whisk oil, vinegar, and 2 teaspoons Dijon in bowl. Mix into slaw; season with salt and pepper.

Whisk egg white and 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon mustard in small bowl. Sprinkle skin side of chicken with salt and pepper. Brush thickly with mustard glaze; sprinkle with some of remaining mustard seeds.

Place chicken, skin side down, on grill. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; brush with glaze and sprinkle with remaining mustard seeds. Grill 5 minutes. Turn chicken. Grill until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Top with slaw and serve.

Caramelized onion, sausage and basil pizza

Again, I can't take full (or any) credit for this recipe since it is actually one of Giada de Laurentiis' recipes, but it was delicious and easy and worth sharing :) We used way more cheese than the recipe calls for, but we're also big fans of blue cheese. If there's a Whole Foods near you, they make excellent, ready-made pizza dough if you don't feel like going to the work of making homemade pizza dough, although they sell it in 22 oz packages, so either split it and save the rest for later in the week or make two pizzas if you have lots of mouths to feed!

Ingredients

Cornmeal, for dusting
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling (I didn't think this was necessary as the sausage had enough residual fat).
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 onions (about 1 1/2 pounds), thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spicy turkey or pork sausage, casings removed, crumbled
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 (13 to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Sprinkle a heavy baking sheet with cornmeal and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the sausage. Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage and cook, stirring constantly, until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 13-inch diameter circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Spread the onion mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted, about 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped basil. Cut the pizza into wedges and serve.

Curry Chicken Pot Pie

This is a delicious dish shamelessly borrowed from Alton Brown. A great combo of curry and comfort food! I've made a few changes from the original, but only things that simplify the overall recipe. For the original, go here.

Ingredients

• 4 cups frozen vegetable mix, peas, carrots
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 package puff pastry sheets (not bowls)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

If you don't have leftover cooked chicken, simply cut up raw chicken into small cubes and saute in olive oil. Add a some red pepper flakes if you feel daring!

Put frozen veggies in a microwave safe dish and gently warm according to directions on package. It's ok if they're a little under-done since they'll be going in the oven shortly.

In a saute pan heat 1 tablespoon of butter and sweat the onion and celery. In another saucepan, heat the broth and milk. Add 2 more tablespoons of butter to the celery mix and cook out the water. Add the flour and curry to celery mix and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk/broth mixture and cook until thickened. Add the parsley, salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables and the chicken. Pour into a shallow baking pan, or a large terra cotta pot base (lined with foil if using terra cotta), and top with a full sheet of puff pastry (packages typically have two full sheets per box). Place into the oven and cook until puff pastry has browned and the mixture is hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Flank Steak with So-Hot-You-Can't-Eat-It Pepper and Watermelon Salad

I pulled this recipe out of Bon Appetit (no surprise) last summer, thinking it sounded pretty good. We never had the chance to make it before grilling season ended, so last week we finally got around to it.

This is an interesting one. Husband doesn't like watermelon much, so the salad was already kind of a miss, but it was so spicy that neither of us ate much, throwing away most of the salad.

The next time we make it, there will be drastic changes:

• The meat marinade wasn't noticeable, even though it sat for nearly 12 hours. I'd use the dressing for the salad as a marinade instead.
• The salad is an interesting concept, but a little too variable in terms of texture and of course it was too spicy. I might leave out the watermelon, halve the quantity of sriracha, and double the honey.
• It needed a starch. I'm making rice with it next time and dealing with it more like a stir fry (hence, no watermelon).

The Original Recipe: Grilled Flank Steak with Spicy Pepper and Watermelon Salad

Flank Steak:
1 1/2 Tbs fresh lime juice
1 Tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp sambal oelek (a hot chili paste)
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp honey
1 1/2 lb flank steak

Pepper and Watermelon Salad:
1/4 cup sriracha (hot chili sauce)
1/4 olive oil
3 Tbs seasoned rice vinegar
1 1/4 tsp honey
4 bell peppers of varying color, cut into 1/2-inch squares (2-3 is plenty, really)
2 Tbs minced red jalapeno chiles (we used green, it was fine)
2 cups 1/2-inch cubes of seedless watermelon

Steak Preparation:
Whisk all ingredients together (except steak), pour into a ZipLock bag with the steak and let marinate as long as possible, ideally 4 hours up to 1 day (chill, obviously). Bring to room temperature before grilling.

Salad Preparation:
Whisk sriracha, oil, vinegar, and honey in a small bowl; season dressing with salt and pepper. Place peppers and chiles in large bowl. Toss with 6 Tbs dressing. Let marinate 2 hours at room temperature.

Prepare barbecue (high heat). Grill steak until cooked to desired doneness. Transfer to work surface; let rest 10 minutes. Thinly slice steak against the grain. Drizzle with some of the remaining dressing from the salad.

Toss watermelon into pepper salad. Serve flank steak and salad with remaining dressing alongside.

***

When we make this again, I'll post the new recipe and let you know how it goes.

Coffee-Rubbed Cheeseburgers with Texas Barbecue Sauce

An instant crowd pleaser, this was the most-requested recipe at our last BBQ! It sounds a little strange, but is absolutely delicious. The coffee rub and barbecue sauce could be used on many other meats.

Coffee Rub
1 Tbs freshly ground coffee
2 tsp (packed) brown sugar
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt

Burgers
8 slices bacon (applewood smoked is preferred, but not necessary)
2 lbs ground beef
8 slices smoked provolone
8 hamburger buns (we used onion rolls from Sunflour Bakehaus in Farmington)
8 slices red onion
8 slices tomato
Texas Barbecue Sauce

For the Rub:
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Can be done up to one week ahead. Store at room temperature.

For the Burgers:
Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Break in half.

Form ground beef into 8 patties. Using thumb, make a slight indentation in the center of each burger. Burgers and bacon can be prepped up to 8 hours ahead. Chill.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Sprinkle 1 tsp of coffee rub on top side of each burger. Place burgers, rub side down, on grill rack. Grill until slightly charred, about 4 minutes; turn.

Place 2 bacon halves atop each burger. Cook 3 minutes. Top each with 1 cheese slice. Cover and cook until cheese melts. Place burgers atop bottom halves of buns. Top with onion and tomato slices. Spoon on Texas Barbecue Sauce. Cover with bun tops and serve.

Seared Duck Breast with Cherries and Port Sauce

I’ve only had duck a handful of times in my life, but this is one of the tastiest. It is also a plus to make it when Michigan cherries are in season. Our only complaint: duck is rather expensive; when we made this last week, we decided that the next time, it would be very easy to substitute a pork chop, or maybe a chicken thigh. Originally from Bon Appetit.

2 5- to 6-oz. duck breast halves, or 2 pork chops
2 Tbs chilled butter, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped shallot
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
16 halved, pitted sweet red cherries
4 Tbs tawny Port
2 Tbs honey

Place duck breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pound lightly to even thickness (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch). Discard plastic wrap. Using sharp knife, score skin in 3/4 inch diamond pattern (do not cut flesh).

Melt 1 Tbs butter in heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle duck with salt and pepper. Add duck, skin side down, to skillet and cook until skin is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Turn duck breasts over, reduce heat to medium, and cook until browned and cooked to desired doneness, about 4-8 minutes. Transfer to work surface, tent with foil to keep warm, and let rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour off all but 2 Tbs drippings from skillet. Add shallot to skillet and stir over medium heat 30 seconds. Add broth, cherries, Port, and honey. Increase heat to high and boil until sauce is reduced to a glaze, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Whisk in 1 Tbs cold butter. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Thinly slice duck. Fan slices out on plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.

Spicy Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

This one is even quicker and easier than the last (mostly because it doesn't require marination). I would recommend upping the crushed red pepper flakes a bit if you like spice, and I do think it would benefit from marinating, to give the chicken a stronger flavor. Originally from Bon Appetit.

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
3/4 cup orange juice
3 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs corn starch
2 tsp orange zest
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Large pinch of dried crushed red pepper
1 1/2 lbs. chicken, cut into strips
8 oz. sugar snap peas

Cook rice according to package instructions. Cover to keep warm; set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk juice, soy sauce, and cornstarch together in a medium bowl until corn starch dissolves. Mix in orange peel.

Heat oil in wok over high heat. Add chicken, seasoned with crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper. Cook chicken in batches until done.

Add onion and snap peas, cook until crisp-tender. Add chicken back to wok and juice mixture. Toss until sauce begins to boil. Serve with rice.

Five-Spice Roast Chicken

All of our recipes lately are coming from Bon Appetit, and this is no exception. It sounded easy, so I ripped it out and here we are. The only catch is that it IS best to marinate it overnight, if you remember. I might also suggest making extra marinade and rubbing some under the skin of the chicken thighs. Serve it over ginger-scented rice (make basmati rice according to package instructions, but add some minced ginger to the party).

4 garlic cloves, pressed
2 Tbs kosher salt
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
3-4 pieces chicken with skin and bones
1 large onion, peeled, cut into wedges

Combine garlic, salt, olive oil, and Chinese five-spice powder in large bowl. Add chicken pieces; turn to coat. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange onion wedges in a 9x9 baking pan, and arrange chicken, skin side up, atop onions.

Roast until chicken is cooked through, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 50 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Arrange chicken and onions on platter and serve.

Chicken Milano

"A delicious pasta and chicken dish with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil. Use the dry packaged sun-dried tomatoes instead of the tomatoes packed in olive oil. The sauce can be kept, covered, for one day in the refrigerator; heat again over low heat. Try it with some crusty bread if desired." Shamelessly stolen from AllRecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon butter 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 1 cup chicken broth, divided 1 cup heavy cream 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast

halves salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 8 ounces dry fettuccini pasta

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter; add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and 3/4 cup of the chicken broth; increase to medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender. Add the cream and bring to a boil; stirring. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
2.	Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil and saute chicken. Press on chicken occasionally with a slotted spatula. Cook for about 4 minutes per side or until the meat feels springy and is no longer pink inside. Transfer to a board; cover and keep warm. Discard the fat from the skillet.
3.	In the same skillet, over medium heat, bring 1/4 cup chicken broth to a boil; stirring the pan juices. Reduce slightly and add to the cream sauce; stir in basil and adjust seasonings to taste.
4.	Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain, transfer to a bowl and toss with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the sauce.
5.	Cut each chicken breast into 2 to 3 diagonal slices. Reheat the sauce gently if needed. Transfer the pasta to serving plates; top with chicken and coat with the cream sauce; serve.

Beer- and Onion-Braised Chicken Carbonnade

According to Bon Appetit, a carbonnade is technically a Belgian beef stew, but this recipe uses chicken; I think I prefer all the flavors this way. The original recipe was cloyingly sweet, so we've made a fair number of modifications to make it suit our tastes. This is an excellent weeknight recipe as it is reasonably quick.

Serve over egg noodles (one of my favorites!).

2 Tbs unsalted butter
4 large chicken thighs with skin and bones
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 lb onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp (packed) dark brown sugar
4 small bay leaves
4 tsp Dijon mustard
1 cup dark beer (we use Guinness. Don't use something too malty.)
1/2 cup beef broth
2 tsp red wine vinegar
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and allspice. Add chicken to skillet and sauté until brown, about 4 minutes per side; transfer to plate.

Add onions and 1 tsp brown sugar to skillet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and sauté until deep golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Mix in bay leaves, mustard, and remaining 1/2 tsp brown sugar. Add chicken, skin side down, then beer, broth, and vinegar. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Uncover skillet and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce thickens, turning chicken occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Cabbage Slaw

Paul and I have been searching for a new taco variation for a while now. We've added chorizo to ground beef (WIN), tried a few types of fish tacos (FAIL), and finally stumbled upon black bean tacos in Bon Appetit Magazine. This is a delicious vegetarian option that is also super fast! Seriously, I made these in about five minutes. If you have a little more time, however, it pairs well with Lyn’s Mexican Rice.

1 15 oz can black beans, drained, rinsed
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
5 tsp olive oil, divided
1 Tbs lime juice
2 cups coleslaw mix
2 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 corn tortillas
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Hot sauce of your choosing

Place beans and cumin in a small bowl; partially mash. Mix 2 teaspoons olive oil and lime juice in medium bowl; add coleslaw, green onions, and cilantro; toss to coat. Season slaw with salt and pepper.

Heat 3 tsp olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in a single layer. Spoon 1/4 of bean mixture into each; cook 1 minute. Fold tacos in half. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Fill tacos with feta and slaw. Pass hot sauce alongside.

Notes: I found these to be a little dry. You might double the coleslaw dressing, or avoid rinsing the beans. Definitely add hot sauce.

Enchiladas

I have to say, these are always a hit and they're really not difficult to make. It is a VERY hearty meal and expect leftovers (not a bad thing as they reheat really well). They are also a good dish to serve at a party since all the work can be done ahead of time and you can serve it with the Mexican Rice recipe also posted on the fudblog. Enjoy!

1 package of boneless chicken
Red pepper flakes
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1 red pepper, cut into chunks
1 yellow pepper, cut into chunks
1 package of flour tortillas (burrito sized)
Olive oil or Olive oil infused with chili peppers
Tequila (optional)
1 can of refried beans
Grated cheddar cheese (lots)
1 can of Hot Enchilada sauce
1 can of Mild Enchilada sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Trim fat from chicken and cut into pieces approximately 1 sq. inch (can be a little larger). In a wok or large pan, heat a little olive oil (or olive oil with chili peppers) and throw all the chicken in to begin cooking. Add red pepper flakes to your taste.

2. When chicken is mostly cooked, add peppers and onions (these don’t have to be completely cooked through, since enchiladas will go into the oven) and a splash of tequila. Cook until chicken is done.

3. Spread refried beans on the tortillas, top with chicken and pepper mixture and cheddar cheese. Tuck ends in and roll the tortilla (so it looks like a burrito).

4. Spray a deep baking pan with cooking spray and place the enchiladas in the pan, flap down. When the pan is full, cover with enchilada sauce and top with grated cheddar cheese.

5. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream and salsa.