Sweet Soy Potsticker Dipping Sauce

Here is a super quick and simple dipping sauce for potstickers or anything else you may need to dip.  The ingredients are things you probably have on hand.  I have a sauce I love with ginger, I'll post soon.  A great midnight snack at my house, quick and easy.  Did I say potstickers at midnight?  But, of course!

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4~ 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 teaspoon green onion, thinly sliced

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Done.

Broccoli with Lemon~Dijon Pan Sauce and Toasted Parmigiano Bread Crumbs

I cook steamed broccoli for my family a lot.  Surprisingly to me, they like it.  I do not, never have.  I just can't make myself eat it.  I usually put a couple pieces on my plate so it seems like I'm eating it.  Yes, I still behave like a five year old at times.  Of course, it's still sitting there when I'm done.  I can hear my mother's voice in my head telling me to eat it. Taking me back to when I was a kid... the dishes are done everyone else is doing something fun and I'm still sitting at the table (probably crying).

I have grown to appreciate it with some additions.  Give me a cheese sauce like my Grandma used to make.  I'm all over it.  I like Broccoli Cheddar soup.  Brown it and add a lemon mustard sauce and Parmigiano Bread Crumbs.  It may be a contender for my last meal.

The funny thing about this recipe is, I love it.  My husband and kids just wanted their boring steamed broccoli.  Oh well, every once in a while you've got to please yourself.

Recipe from Fast, Fresh and Green by Susie Middleton.  In the recipe, Susie suggests the bread crumbs are optional.  In my opinion, no way.  They are my favorite part! :)  The English muffins are great in this recipe,  They are a heavy crumb that toasts well and really holds up.  It would be great with some bacon cooked in as well.

For the~ Toasted Parmigiano Bread Crumbs
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs ( a couple English muffins torn and processed in a food processor)
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon finely grated Parmigiano~Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

For the~ Broccoli
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 oz broccoli florets cut about 2 inches long with one flat side
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

To make the Toasted Bread Crumbs~ Melt the butter over low heat in a small nonstick skillet.  Add the bread crumbs and a pinch of salt and stir well.  Raise the heat to medium and cook the crumbs, stirring frequently, until they're toasted and most of them are a light golden brown,  3 to 4 minutes.  Transfer to a small plate and let them cool.  Combine with the Parmigiano and parsley.

In a large saute pan with a lid, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium~high heat. wen the butter has melted and is starting to foam, add the broccoli and salt and toss with tongs to coat.  Arrange the broccoli with one cut side down and cover.  Cook without stirring until the bottoms are browned, 3 to 4 minutes.  (The browning will be spotty but will be a fairly dark brown color.)  Turn the florets onto another side and cook again without stirring until that side is lightly browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Carefully pour the broth into the pan (it will sputter), cover, and cook until all but 1 or 2 tablespoons of the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat, uncover, and add the lemon juice, mustard, and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter.  Stir well with a silicone spatula as the butter melts and the sauce becomes creamy.  Toss in the parsley, stir, and transfer the broccoli and sauce to a serving platter.  Garnish with the Toasted Parmigiano Bread Crumbs.  Add them immediately before serving to keep them crisp.

Pine~Nut Salad Dressing

  
I can totally admit it, I'm a girl that can get excited about a good salad dressing!  There is no shame here.  It totally makes the salad, in my opinion.  

I went out the other night and had a salad that sounded really good.  The dressing just didn't do it for me, so sad.  Glad I had an appetizer because I didn't touch the salad.  

Pine Nuts and Parmesan Cheese= Love!  Two of my favorite things together in a really simple, fresh dressing.  Perfect.  This would be a great balance served with something rich.  Or, add some grilled chicken for a quick meal.  Recipe adapted from Sunset Magazine December 2011.

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, divided
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese~ for garnish

Crush 1/3 cup pine nuts using a mortar and pestle.  Add mustard, vinegar, shallot, honey, salt, pepper, and oil; mix until blended.  

Finish salad with remaining pine nuts and cheese.  

*If you don't have a mortar and pestle, use a small food processor.

Basil Pesto

The Italian word pesta, means "to pound, or to crush."  Pesto is a thick paste with a few simple, but well combined ingredients.  With fresh basil, pine nuts, some good Parmesan Reggiano cheese you can't really go wrong. 

I love making pesto and have been making this recipe for years.  It's got to be one of my favorite things.  There are so many fantastic ways to eat it.  It is super easy to make, once you do you'll never go back to store bought.   Having said that, I was in a hurry the other day and bought some at the store.  So disappointed.  I went back to the store and grabbed some basil.  I made this and like a dork did a taste test.  Really?!  I realized how bad the store bought really was.  We buy things that don't even taste good when we can spend a few minutes to make something great.  I totally get being busy, but sometimes it's just a few extra minutes that are needed.  I'm not the 20 minute meals kinda girl.  I'll admit I may be obsessed with wanting everything I make to actually taste and look good.  

You can do so much with this pesto.  Of course add it to pasta, soups, sandwiches, use as a dip, a marinade, a spread, on pizza, drizzle it on anything, I love it on top of my hummus... the list goes on.   I'll have to post some pesto~licious recipes soon.

*I always say use the best ingredients you can find and/or afford.  That goes for this one, when a recipe has only a few ingredients make sure they are good ones. :)

1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup firmly packed fresh Italian parsley

1 large clove garlic

3/4 cups good quality Parmesan Reggiano cheese, grated

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 

1/4 teaspoons Kosher salt

A few grinds~ freshly ground black pepper

In the bowl of a food processor, combine basil, parsley, garlic, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Process until a paste is formed, stopping to scrape the sides.  Add less olive oil if you prefer it thicker more if you prefer it thinner.  

So easy ;)

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.