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.

Chicken with Tarragon~Raspberry Cream Sauce

I love fresh herbs!  Honestly, I can't seem to help myself when I'm at the store.
It's like buying shoes or something.  I need to plant a garden because I spend a small fortune with the amount I buy at the store.  My favorites are thyme, sage, basil, rosemary, but the top of the list for me is tarragon.  I find any excuse to use it.  One of my favorites is tarragon~shallot butter that I top my steak with.  I'll have to post that one soon, especially with grill season upon us!  So, when I saw this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens special Chicken edition, I had to give it a try.

I am also beginning to appreciate quick, easy sautes.  I can't always spend hours in the kitchen, as much as I'd love to.   So sad.  I recently taught a 20 minute cooking class and thought, what?  This is so not my thing.  But, hey I'm a work in progress.  This is a great dish for weeknight cooking.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup green onions only the white portion, sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, snipped
12 ounces baby carrots, peeled and tops trimmed
1 small bunch watercress, thick stems removed
1 cup fresh raspberries

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium~high heat; add butter.  When butter melts, add chicken that has been seasoned with salt and pepper on both sides to the pan.  Cook for 10~12 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170*F ), turning once.  Transfer chicken to a serving platter; keep warm.

Add onions to the saute pan.  Saute for about 3 minutes, or until just tender; transfer to platter with chicken.

Add broth, cream, and wine to pan.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium~low.  Simmer uncovered for about 8 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Stir in tarragon.  Return the chicken, onion, and accumulated juices on platter to pan.  Reduce heat to low, cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cook carrots in lightly salted boiling water about 10 minutes or until crisp tender.  Drain and return to saucepan.

To serve, toss watercress with carrots to warm slightly.  Lay out carrots and watercress onto serving platter.  Top with chicken.  Gently stir raspberries into remaining sauce in saute pan; spoon over chicken.

Ina Garten's Chicken Stew with Biscuits

As much as I love cooking up a storm and having a well rounded meal complete with at least a few side dishes.  There is something to be said for a one pot meal (this does not mean the cooking or ingredients need to be lack luster).  My husband pretty much grew up on casseroles.  He used to beg me to make some.  I cannot bring myself to cook some ground beef and open a can of soup.  I'm sorry, my inner diva is coming out.  Instead of soup, make your own cream sauce.  Instead of boiling chicken, roast some or do a quick saute.  A little effort makes a huge difference.  The fresh parsley in the biscuits is perfect!  Love them. If you love pot pies, like my honey does.  Make the filling and bake it with pie crust.  A large one family style or make individual servings.  So fun.  This is a perfect dinner with the cooler weather upon us.

Dinner is served with this great recipe from my favorite, Ina Garten.  Recipe from Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook.  This is word for word Ina's recipe.  I don't have any need to change or fuss with anything from her.

For the Stew
3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (recipe follows)
2 chicken bouillon cubes
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
3/4 cup all~purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups medium~diced carrots (4 carrots), blanched for 2 minutes
1 10~ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

For the Biscuits
2 cups all~purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
3/4 half and half
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through.  Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin.  Cut the chicken into large dice.  You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock.  In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium~low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent.  Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.  Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce.  Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick.  Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream.  Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and parsley.  Mix well.  Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2~inch oval or rectangular baking dish.  Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits.  Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas.  Add the half and half and combine on low speed.  Mix in the parsley.

Dump the dough out on a well~floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8 inch thick.  Cut out twelve circles with a 2 1/2 inch round cutter.

Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling.  Brush them with egg wash, and return the dish to the oven.  Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.

* Homemade Chicken Stock~ makes 6 quarts
3 5~pound roasting chickens
3 large yellow onions, unpeeled, quartered
6 carrots, unpeeled, halved
4 celery stalks with leaves, cut in thirds
4 parsnips, unpeeled, cut in half (optional)
20 sprigs fresh parsley
15 sprigs fresh thyme
20 sprigs fresh dill
1 head garlic, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

Place the chickens, onion, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, and seasonings in a 16~ to 20~quart stockpot.  Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil.  Simmer uncovered for 4 hours.  Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids.  Chill the stock overnight.  The next day, remove the surface fat.  Use immediately or pack in containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

Cider~Glazed Chicken with Browned Butter~Pecan Rice

Fall is my favorite time of year.  I love the beginning of any season but, I never get tired of the fall.  It could be the idea of snuggling up with someone special, hot chocolate and a can of whip cream, really cute boots, comforting food, the holidays fast approaching.  Whatever it is, I love it.

This is a simple chicken dish, perfect for a busy weeknight.  I find myself using a ton of nuts in the fall and winter.  One of my favorite things, my kids call me a nut freak.  This also has apple cider in the sauce.  Pick some up when you go to the local pumpkin farm or in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.  Try not to use plain old apple juice for this one.  Get into the spirit of the season.  If apple cider doesn't do it for you, grab your honey and snuggle.  Either way, enjoy!

If you don't have chicken breast cutlets, don't stress.  Use chicken breasts and pound to at least 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet.  I usually place chicken in a Ziploc bag to pound, to make clean up easy.

3 cups cooked brown rice
3 tablespoons butter, divided
4 chicken breast cutlets
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup refrigerated apple cider
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4~1/2 cup pecans
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat~leaf parsley

Cook the brown rice according to package directions in a saucepan, omitting salt and fat.

While rice is cooking, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large heavy skillet over medium~high heat.  Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.  Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done.  Remove chicken from pan.  Add cider and mustard to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2~3 minutes or until syrupy.  Add chicken to pan, turning to coat with sauce.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in saucepan over medium~high heat; cook for 2 minutes or until butter is browned and fragrant.  Reduce heat to medium; add chopped pecans and cook for 1 minute or until toasted, stirring frequently.  Add rice and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon (or even less) salt; toss well to coat.

Serve brown rice with chicken.  Garnish with chopped parsley.

Chicken Fettuccine in a Light Garlic Wine Sauce

I love it when I make dinner that my kids will eat without fussing.  It's even better when they beg me to make it every night.  This is one they love.  It's a simple recipe that's not a big deal to pull together on a busy weeknight or even serve for a casual dinner party.

Stay fresh with the ingredients, as always.  I stay away from pre~grated cheese and garlic in a jar.  It doesn't save that much time and the freshness really does make a noticeable difference.  If it's cold, like it is here in Chicago, and you don't want to bother with the grill, grab a grill pan for the chicken.  

16 ounces (1 lb) fettuccine
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup minced red onion
12 medium button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
12 fresh basil leaves, chopped
4 grilled chicken breasts, cut into strips
4 tablespoons butter
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated~ plus more for garnish
sliced green onion for garnish

* For the chicken.  I simply use some olive oil and some Italian seasonings when I grill it.

Cook the fettuccine according to package directions.  While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan.  Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.  Add the red onion and mushrooms and saute for about 2 minutes.  Add the wine and reduce by half, then add the chicken broth and reduce by half.  Add the tomato, basil, and the sliced grilled chicken.  Saute for 1 minute and add the butter to the pan.  Add the cooked, drained pasta to the pan and toss to coat.  Add salt and pepper to taste, and Parmesan cheese.  Garnish with more Parmesan cheese and green onion.

Sweet~Hot Mustard Chicken wrapped in Bacon

My 9 year old daughter, Lauren loves these!  She asked me to make them everyday for her, minus the sesame seeds.  So cute.  Use a good set of tongs to handle the meat on the grill instead of a long fork to prevent piercing the meat, which will allow juices to escape.

A great appetizer or even dinner with some rice and a green salad.

2 (8~ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 bacon slices, cut into thirds
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup lite soy sauce
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
sesame seeds for garnish

Cut chicken breasts into 24 (1 inch) pieces.  Wrap each chicken piece with 1 piece of bacon, and secure with a tooth pick.

Stir together orange marmalade, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, ground ginger and garlic powder in a large bowl.  

Remove and reserve 1/4 cup of marinade to drizzle over when chicken is cooked.

Add chicken to bowl, lightly tossing to coat.  Cover and chill for 2 hours, turning occasionally.  Remove chicken from marinade, discarding remaining used marinade.

Preheat grill to 350~400 degrees (medium high) heat.  Grill chicken covered with grill lid down, 4~5 minutes on each side or until done.  Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with reserved marinade.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Guy Fieri's Chicken Avocado Egg Rolls

Guy Fieri is a kick back, fun chef to watch.  He made these egg rolls that my kids really wanted to try.  I've made egg rolls a time or two and have never made them eat them.  I thought they might not love them, but we gave them a shot.  Guess what?  They liked them. Way to go Guy, making egg rolls "cool" for my picky eaters.  I love it!  I love avocado, so these were right up my alley.


These would be great with Cilantro Sour Cream found under Dips or Mexican tabs.


A great appetizer or a fun side.  This recipe makes 12 egg rolls.


2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup finely minced red onion
1/4 cup finely minced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup sliced bamboo shoots
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 cups cooked chicken breast
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup julienned green cabbage
1/2 cup shredded carrots
4 cups rice bran oil or canola oil
12 egg roll wrappers
2 avocados, sliced into 24 pieces
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon milk
sweet chili sauce, for dipping


In a saute pan over high heat, add canola oil. Saute red onions and bell peppers until translucent. Add ginger, garlic, bamboo shoots, celery, chicken, and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. De~glaze pan with soy sauce. Cool mixture.

In large bowl combine cabbage, carrots and chicken mixture.

In medium saucepan, heat rice bran oil to 350 degrees F. Oil needs to be deep enough to keep egg roll from touching bottom of pan. Add more oil, if needed.

To roll egg rolls, layout egg roll skin with corner facing you, place approximately 1/12th of mixture on roll and place 2 pieces of avocado on top of mixture. Fold corner over mixture, and then fold outside corners over the mixture, making a roll, 4 to 5-inches wide. Roll firmly, being careful not to tear wrapper, and seal the final edge with egg wash.

Dredge the egg roll in egg wash, allow excess to drain off and submerge egg roll in oil. Fry until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on sheet tray lined with a cooling rack.

Lemon Chicken Scaloppine with Pine Nut~Parmesan Crust

I used to order something like this all the time, at one of my favorite restaurants when I lived in California.  It was totally my usual, I'm not sure I ever ordered anything else.  This is as close as I can get with a few additions that I think make it even better!  So when I am feeling homesick, of course, I'll call my family.  I also might watch Legally Blonde, listen to Ryan Seacrest on the online radio and make this.  :)

The crust is full of flavor, with the lemon zest, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.  Served with the baby arugula salad on the side, perfect.  The peppery arugula with the tomato and balsamic glaze is a great match with the lemon in the chicken.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 lemons
3/4 cup grated good quality Parmesan cheese (I use Parmigiano Reggiano)
1/2 cup chopped pine nuts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra~virgin olive oil

Place chicken breasts in a large zip lock bag.  Using a meat mallet, pound chicken breasts until they are 1/4 inch thick.  Do a couple at a time in batches.

Combine the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper on a large plate.  Put the eggs on another plate.  On a third plate (you may want to use a larger shallow dish for the crust mixture) combine the panko, zest from 1 lemon (at least 2 teaspoons), 1 teaspoon salt, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and basil.  Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Coat both sides in flour, then eggs (allowing excess to drip off), then panko mixture, pressing lightly.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil.  When pan is hot, add 2 chicken breasts; cook about 3 minutes on each side, until golden and cooked through.  Remove and keep warm on a plate tented with foil.  Add more butter and oil to skillet with each batch.  Cut remaining unpeeled lemon into wedges.  Squeeze a couple wedges over the chicken before serving and place remaining lemon on serving platter.

Serve with Baby Arugula Salad.

Baby Arugula Salad with Balsamic Glaze

bunch of baby arugula
tomatoes
balsamic glaze
extra~virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
shavings of Parmesan cheese

Cut tomatoes and mix in a bowl with balsamic glaze, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.   Place on top of the arugula.  Garnish with more balsamic glaze and shavings of cheese.

Penne Pasta w/Chicken in a Citrus Vinaigrette

This is a light, refreshing salad. I love the citrus in the dressing along with the subtle Asian flavors. I brought it to a bbq this summer and have some friends requesting the recipe. I know it's the middle of winter, but sometimes we just need a break from all the heavy dishes. This salad is great anytime, as a light meal or as a side. It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's really easy.

A perfect make ahead dish...it's better when it has some time to rest. I would make it in the afternoon before I took the kids to the pool and we'd have something to eat when we were done. Perfect!

This recipe was adapted from a Sweet Tomatoes recipe.

For the chicken
3 or 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 tablespoon orange zest, plus 1 tablespoon zest for the vinaigrette
juice of 1 orange
1 clove minced garlic
2 tablespoons oil

For the vinaigrette
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons light olive oil (extra virgin would be too heavy, canola oil would be a better substitution)
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Korean teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
1 tablespoon reserved orange zest

For the salad
1 pound penne pasta, cooked
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 cup cucumbers, quartered and diced
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
sesame seeds for garnish

Combine 1 tablespoon of the orange zest, orange juice (not the concentrate), garlic, and oil in a bowl or bag to marinate the chicken in. Add the chicken, and let marinate for 30 minutes. Grill the chicken and set aside.

Combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a large bowl and whisk to thoroughly combine.

Assemble the salad. Cut the chicken at an angle in 1/4 inch slices and cube. Add to the vinaigrette. Add cooked pasta, carrots, cucumbers, celery, and cilantro to the bowl. Mix to evenly coat with dressing. Allow to marinate for 2 hours. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Apricot~Ginger Chicken

Ok, I love to cook. But, when I'm tired (with a kid in middle school, a 3rd grade 'diva in training' and a 2 year old) how could I possibly be tired, you ask? Even the best of us often need a night off from cooking. This recipe is really fast and easy. It's great for when you don't have a lot of time or energy! My kids love it because the sauce is sweet. Try it, I'm sure you'll add it to your "Really...It's dinner time" dishes ;) Before you order that pizza, give it a shot.

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon sherry
1/2 cup Apricot preserves
1 tablespoon oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 pound Chicken breasts, boneless skinless~ cut into strips or bite sized pieces
1 medium green pepper, chopped
3~4 green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup salted cashews, reserve some for garnish
a handful of cilantro for garnish

In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, cornstarch and sherry(you could substitute chicken stock here). Mix until smooth. Stir in the apricot preserves, oil, garlic and ginger. Set aside.

In a saute pan or wok. Heat a very little amount of oil and saute the chicken for a few minutes until almost cooked through. Add the sauce, green pepper, onion, and cashews to the pan. Continue cooking until the chicken is no longer pink.

Serve with rice. Garnish with reserved cashews and cilantro.

Boneless Buffalo Chicken

I'm getting a little addicted to buffalo sauce at the moment. These are chicken tenders cut in thirds...I'm not a fan of chicken wings. Of course you could try them with the real thing. If this sauce is too hot for you, try something milder. Or, if you want more heat~ go for it! Anytime my 11 year old asks for these, I'm all over it. With homemade ranch on the side, my kind of snack!


1 pound chicken tenderloins, cut in thirds
1 can of beer

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
vegetable oil for frying
2/3 cup hot sauce~ I used Frank's Red Hot, use what you like.


Put the cut chicken and beer in a bowl and let marinate, at room temperature for 30 minutes.

In a bowl, mix together the egg and the milk. In a swallow bowl, mix together the flour and the cornstarch. Drain the beer from the chicken and dip into the flour mixture to coat well, then dip into the egg and back into the flour. Put on a plate until ready to fry.

Heat about an inch of oil in a large skillet over medium~high heat. Working in batches, fry the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side. Place on paper towels to drain. Add the cooked chicken and hot sauce to a large bowl and toss carefully until well coated.

Serve with celery, homemade ranch or blue cheese.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have been making this soup for years. It goes great with Mexican Caesar Salad, which I will post soon (for all my friends who have been asking for it) :) If you know me, you know Mexican food is one of my favorites. Try this soup with all the garnishes...that's how it's best!

2 large yellow onions, cut into chunks

5 large tomatoes

5 cloves garlic

olive oil

1 pound chicken breast~ boneless, skinless

garlic powder~ just enough to season the chicken while it sautes

taco seasoning~ just enough to season the chicken while it sautes

4 1/2 cups chicken stock

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 day old tortillas, cut into strips

oil for shallow frying

2 fresh red or green chiles, seeded and sliced

1 avocado

Serve with~

cilantro

sour cream

lime wedges

cheddar cheese

reserved fried tortillas

fried chiles

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the onion, tomatoes and garlic on a baking sheet with a little olive oil and roast for about 40 minutes. Roast until the vegetables start to look black and charred. Peel the tomatoes and discard the skins. Puree with the onion and garlic and any bits and juice from the pan in a blender or food processor. I usually break a tomato onto the pan and scrape the pan...this is where all the flavor is :)

While the vegetables are roasting, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saute pan. Cut each chicken breast into 3 or 4 strips. Season with the garlic powder and taco seasoning. Saute the chicken a few minutes on each side. Remove from heat and let cool before you shred the chicken.

In a frying pan, heat about an inch of oil to fry the tortillas. Fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Fry the chiles in the remaining oil until crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

In a large stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil, and saute the tomato mixture for a few minutes. Simmer until it has thickened and reduced. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, season with salt and pepper and simmer, covered for 15~20 minutes. Add most of the fried tortillas to the soup. Save a small amount for the garnish. Simmer for about 5 more minutes. Add a cut avocado to the soup when you are ready to serve. I usually add the juice of at least one lime at the end.

Serve with cilantro, sour cream, lime wedges, cheddar cheese, reserved fried tortillas, and chiles. Enjoy!

Lemon Chicken

This is my son Cameron's favorite dinner right now. It changes, but he always comes back to this. We were watching a cooking show for kids a few years ago, and he thought we should try this recipe. It comes from Sandra Lee. He informed me I should put this on the blog, because he knew I would have to make it and take a photo :) This one is for you Cam!

Served with Apple Rice Pilaf~ recipe under "side dishes"

1 quart buttermilk
zest from 2 lemons
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in strips~ or just use chicken tenders
2 cups all~purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
Vegetable oil, for frying

For Lemon Sauce~
1 10 ounce jar lemon curd
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

Whisk buttermilk and zest together in a medium size bowl. Add chicken and set aside.

Add enough oil to cover the bottom of a large frying pan about 1/2 inch in depth. Heat oil to 365 degrees F. Sift together flour and cornstarch into a shallow dish. Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture and dredge in flour mixture. Fry chicken strips until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with kosher salt.

While chicken is frying, make the sauce (this is something Cameron always does). In a small saucepan over low heat, melt lemon curd, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients and heat through. Drizzle sauce over chicken and serve.

We always serve this over Apple Rice Pilaf~ recipe under "side dishes"

Chinese Chicken Salad

Chinese Chicken Salad is one of my favorites. This has a really flavorful dressing, which I think makes the salad. Make this with whatever greens and vegetables you like. You could add cabbage, sugar snap peas, red pepper, snow peas, toasted almonds. I like to garnish with cilantro and freshly fried won ton strips.

3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup dark Tamari sauce~ it's a thicker, better quality soy sauce
1/2 cup sweet hot mustard
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 pound chicken breast tenders

salt and pepper

3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup Chinese duck sauce ~you could also use apricot jam
1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 bag mixed baby greens~ about 6 oz

1/4 cup cilantro

1/2 seedless cucumber, sliced on an angle

2 carrots, grated

3 or 4 green onion, thinly sliced on an angle

1 can drained mandarin oranges

For the Marinade~ Combine syrup, tamari, and mustard in a bowl. Reserve 3/4 of a cup to use later for the dressing. Add the chicken to the marinade for at least 30 minutes.

When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Coat the pan with the vegetable oil. Spread the sesame seeds on a sheet of waxed paper (this will allow for easy clean up). Dip the chicken into the sesame seeds to coat. Saute the chicken about 3 minutes on each side, turning carefully. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

For the Dressing~ Whisk vinegar, ginger, duck sauce, and the reserved marinade together. Then stream in the oil while you are whisking the dressing.

Combine the salad ingredients in a bowl. Add the dressing and toss. I like to slice the chicken at an angle, and serve on top. You could leave the chicken tenders whole if you prefer. Garnish with more cilantro, sesame seeds, and fried won tons.

To fry won tons~ In a saucepan heat about an inch of oil at medium heat. Cut the won tons into strips and fry to a light golden brown. This only takes a minute. Let them drain on paper towels and salt them right away.

Chicken Fajitas

This has got to be one of my favorite things to make.  It's my go~to recipe when I'm having people over. I really could eat this a couple times a week.  It is, without a doubt, one of my most requested recipes.  It could be due to the fact that I'm constantly making it.  If you've been to my house for dinner and I haven't made this, ask me to!  If you don't make anything else from this blog...make this!  You will not be sorry.

A friend brought me these fajitas when my now 11 year old son Cameron was born. The recipe comes from our friend Sheri, who is an excellent cook. My husband got a little sick of it in the early years of our marriage because I made it so often.  Sorry honey, although I'm not really that sorry.  :)

I usually like to double the recipe because it is fantastic the next day as nachos. I won't make it if I don't have enough time to let it marinate. It really does need at least 4 hours (I try to shoot for at least 6 or even overnight).  It will be well worth the wait!

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/8 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 large onion
1 large red pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 large green pepper, sliced into thin strips
2 tomatoes, sliced into thin wedges

Mix the soy sauce, oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, ginger, lemon pepper, white pepper, chili powder and brown sugar. Add the cut chicken and marinade for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Heat a large skillet. Add the chicken and marinade. Saute until the chicken is just about cooked. Add the onions and peppers. Cook for 2~3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Serve on warm flour or corn tortillas with lime, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, cheese, more onion and tomato.