Perfect Cranberry Relish

I have been making this cranberry recipe as long as I've been married to my cute husband. I actually cut the recipe out of the Los Angeles Times newspaper the first year we were married, before we moved to Chicago.  It's been a while.  I have tried a couple different recipes over the years, but always go back to this one.  It's easily my favorite.  There is a recipe on the back of the cranberry bag.  Try this, it's so much better and still extremely simple.  You'll make it once and never go near the canned version again.  Happy Holidays! 

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cups water

3 whole cloves

3 whole allspice 

3 (3~inch) cinnamon sticks

1 12ounce bag fresh cranberries

grated zest from 1 orange

Bring the sugar, water, cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks to a boil in a medium sized saucepan.  Cook, stirring until syrup is clear about 3~4 minutes.  Add the cranberries and cook no longer than 5 minutes.  Cranberries will begin to pop.  Don't overcook, the cranberries will be mushy. 

Remove from heat, add the grated orange zest.  Cool.  Refrigerate.  Can be made a few days before you  serve them.  The flavors will blend together more if you make ahead.  

Before serving, take out the clove, allspice and cinnamon. 

Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Chicken Tetrazzini

This is a total comfort dish for me.  I want to sit by the fire, with fuzzy socks, a good book and a blanket after this for dinner.  The flavors are mellow and work so well together.  It reminds me of a Sunday dinner at my Grandmothers.  Thyme is one of my favorite herbs, it's really great in here.  This is a perfect dish to make when the weather gets colder, or just when you're in a bad mood.  It makes me happy! :)  There can't be anything wrong with that!  Diva Alert~ I'm not typically a fan of leftovers, there are a few things I will reheat. This one is actually good reheated.

I recently brought a friend dinner and my husband bet me I couldn't make a casserole. Well, here it is.  I do live to prove him wrong.  Oops, that was a typo but it totally works.   I love to prove him wrong, lol.
 
This recipe is adapted from Giada De Laurentiis.  While the original is fantastic, I've made a few slight changes to suit my preferences.  When cooking the chicken use whatever seasonings you like to use.  I try to get a lot of flavor into the dish at this point.

9 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chicken seasoning blend, optional
1 pound white button mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup flour
4 cups whole milk, room temperature
1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 ounces linguine
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup Italian~style breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over a 9x13x2~inch baking dish.  Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large nonstick skillet over medium~high heat.  Season chicken breasts with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, the 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder and other seasonings.  Add the chicken to the pan and cook until golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.  Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly.  Coarsely shred the chicken into bite~sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan.  Add the mushrooms and saute over medium~high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become pale golden, about 12 minutes.  Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add the wine and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Melt 3 more tablespoons of butter in the same pan over medium~low heat.  Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes.  Slowly whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoons of pepper.  Increase heat to high, whisking often.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the linguine and cook about 9 minutes or until it is tender but still firm, stirring occasionally.  Drain, Add the linguine, sauce, peas, parsley, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese to the chicken mixture.  Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.

Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish.  Stir together the remaining 1 cup of cheese and the breadcrumbs in a small bowl.  Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta.  Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter.  Bake, uncovered, for about 25 minutes or until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles.

Toffee Apple French Toast with Apple Syrup

They say an apple a day...

Fall is here, and where have I been?  I have a bunch of apple recipes I need to post.  I guess I need to get busy.  I am realizing I love cooking with apples.

It's not the sexiest fruit, but here in Chicago in the Fall the stores are packed with them.  I was recently at the grocery store with a friend and she was bummed there wasn't anything decent for a fruit tray.  Luckily she was only bringing the fruit tray to my house for a brunch.  No biggie.  I guess it's not the best time to offer to bring fruit.  :)  I need to remember that one when I offer to bring something somewhere.

I love having people over for breakfast/brunch.  It's such a comfy, casual thing.  Who doesn't love brunch?  You can't really go wrong.  Wanting to have people over?  Invite them to come in their pj's.  It's fun!

This is an overnight recipe which is so helpful when you are getting up in the am and don't have a ton of time before people will be arriving.  The syrup is fantastic, it totally steals the show.

This recipe comes from Nadine Mesch winner of a baking contest from Costco.  Yup, I'll find recipes anywhere.  

French Toast~
8 cups French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 tart apples, peeled and chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1/2 cup English toffee bits
5 eggs
3/4 cup milk

Apple Syrup~
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups apple juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
5 tablespoons butter

For the French Toast~
Place half of the bread cubes in a greased 13x9 inch baking pan.  Top with apples.  In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugars, apple juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.  Stir in toffee bits.  Spread cream cheese mixture over apples.  Top with remaining bread cubes.

In another bowl, beat the eggs, milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla until well blended; pour over the bread.  Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  While the French toast is baking, prepare the apple syrup.

For the Apple Syrup~
In a medium size saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, apple juice and lemon juice; heat to a boil, whisking constantly.  Boil for 1 minute, then stir in butter.  Serve over warm french toast.