Garlic-Roasted Chicken

This recipe comes from the Food Network magazine (my new favorite mag!) and is featured as a quick week-night recipe. I have found that a lot of quick week-night recipes aren't all that great, but this one is absolutely delicious! I am a huge garlic lover, so any recipe that takes whole garlic cloves, roasts them and spreads them on bread is a keeper for me. Plus it was so easy to prepare, and believe me, when you've got a 2 month old baby to take care of, quick and easy is the only way to do dinner these days!

I served it with Cauliflower Gratin that I will post next (another delicious quick week-night recipe).

Garlic-Roasted Chicken

from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 skin-on, boneless chicken breasts (about 11/2 pounds) (I could only find bone-in)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 heads garlic
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 slices sourdough bread, grilled or toasted
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook, skin-side down, until browned, about 5 minutes.

Separate the heads of garlic into cloves but do not peel. Flip the chicken; add the garlic and rosemary to the skillet and transfer to the oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through but still moist, 15 to 20 more minutes.

Place the bread on a platter and top each slice with a chicken breast. Add the vinegar to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add 3 tablespoons water and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce and garlic over the chicken and bread.

Posted By: Julia

Breakfast (or Dinner) Burritos

I am loving the weather these days and watching the kids play outside all afternoon and come in exhausted! Along with the weather, it seems like there are so many activities and trips going on that by the time dinner rolls around I've got to get something on the table fast. A while back we had smoothies and breakfast burritos for dinner. It was a huge hit with both my husband and myself and amazingly, the kids! I loved that my kids were eating fruits and vegetables and not complaining.

Breakfast Burritos

adapted from Cooks Country

8 large eggs
1/4 milk (the original recipe calls for half and half)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
6 ounces chorizo sausage , chopped medium (I used italian sausage.You could also use andouille or keilbasa)
1 red onion , chopped fine
1 red bell pepper , stemmed, seeded, and chopped medium
1 jalapeno chile , stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 ounces cheddar cheese , shredded (1 1/2 cups)
3 scallions , sliced thin
6 flour tortillas (8- to 9-inch)
1 cup sour cream (optional, I left this out)
1 cup salsa , jarred or fresh (optional)
1. Whisk together the eggs, half-and half or milk, salt, and pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chorizo and cook until lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño and continue to cook until they have softened and are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chorizo mixture to a medium bowl and cover to keep warm. Wipe the skillet clean and return to the heat. Melt the butter in the skillet, swirling to coat the pan. Add the eggs and cook while gently pushing, lifting, and folding them from one side of the pan to the other until they are nicely clumped, shiny, and wet, about 2 minutes . Quickly fold in the cheddar and scallions, then remove the mixture from the pan. Fold in the chorizo mixture.
2. Place each tortilla between sheets of paper towels and microwave on high until the tortillas are hot and steaming, 30 to 60 seconds. Distribute the eggs evenly among the tortillas and roll into burritos. Slice the burritos in half and serve, passing the sour cream and salsa (if using) separately. Serves 6.

posted by: Salllie

Classic Chicken Parmesan with Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce and Smoked Mozzarella

This was a delicious version of chicken parmesan. The oven-roasted tomato sauce had such a "rustic" flavor that reminded me of something you would find in a restaurant in Italy. It is definitely worth the extra effort to make the sauce. Enjoy!

Classic Chicken Parmesan with Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce and Smoked Mozzarella

From Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5 to 6 ounces each)
2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning pasta
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup dried bread crumbs
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 recipe Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or your favorite red pasta sauce
1/2 pound smoked mozzarella, sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound linguine, cooked al dente and kept warm
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil leaves

Directions
Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Season each chicken breast with 1/2 teaspoon of the Essence and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
Place the flour into a small bowl. Place the egg and milk into a second small bowl. Place the bread crumbs into a third small bowl. Dip each chicken breast into the flour, then the beaten egg mixture, and finally into the bread crumbs, shaking to rid of excess between each step. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining breasts. When all of the breasts are breaded, heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken, smooth side down, into the skillet and cook for 4 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts to the other side, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Spoon 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce over each breast and divide the mozzarella slices evenly among the chicken pieces. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook until the chicken is just cooked through and the cheese melts, about 4 minutes. Adjust the oven setting to broil and continue to cook until the cheese bubbles and is lightly golden, about 1 to 2 minutes longer.

While the chicken is baking, reheat the pasta sauce if necessary. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the pasta and toss until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add enough of the pasta sauce to just coat the pasta and divide between 4 large serving plates.

When the chicken is ready, top each plate of pasta with a little more sauce and top each serving with a chicken breast. Garnish with the fresh basil and serve immediately.

Note: Regular smoked mozzarella works better in this recipe than fresh smoked mozzarella.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce:
3 pounds Romanita tomatoes, cored*
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large, 14-inch, oven proof frying pan, combine all the ingredients. Stir to blend then transfer to the oven and cook until the tomatoes begin to caramelize, about 30 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and stir well. Return to the oven and continue to cook until further caramelized and much of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from the oven, cool slightly, and transfer to a blender, in batches if necessary, and process sauce until coarsely pureed. If the sauce seems too thick, thin with a bit of water or chicken broth. Use immediately or cool completely and refrigerate for up to 4 days in a non-reactive, airtight container.

The sauce is great on pasta as well as pizza and even makes a great dipping sauce for hors d'oeuvres. If you prefer a less rustic sauce, puree completely as described above and strain.
Yield: about 4 cups sauce

* If Romanita tomatoes are unavailable, use a combination of Roma and grape tomatoes to approximate the sweetness of Romanitas, or use another type of sweet tomato, such as Amorosa.

Posted By: Julia

Maple-Butter Blondies

These brownies are a copy cat of the from Applebee's and oh so delicious!

Maple-Butter Blondies
From Foodnetwork Magazine

Ingredients
For the Blondies:
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
1 cup walnut pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
6 ounces white chocolate, cut into chunks

For the Topping:
1/3 cup maple syrup
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream

Vanilla ice cream, for serving
1/2 cup walnut pieces

Directions
Make the blondies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter the foil. Pulse 1/2 cup walnuts in a food processor until almost fine (do not overprocess). Whisk the ground nuts, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat 10 tablespoons butter and the brown sugar with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla. Gradually beat in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate and the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until the blondies are light brown around the edges and spring back when pressed, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly on a rack.
Meanwhile, make the topping: Place the maple syrup and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until the mixture bubbles and thickens, swirling the pan, about 6 minutes. Add the cream and continue to cook until the mixture is the consistency of caramel.

Use the foil to lift the blondies out of the pan, then cut into large bars. Serve warm topped with ice cream, the maple-butter sauce and the walnuts.

Posted By: Julia

Hot Fudge Sundaes and another birthday

I don't know about you but it seems like I blinked and already we're half way through March. I can't believe how fast this year is going by.

Speaking of how time flies, my second to youngest daughter just turned six. I don't know how this happened. It seemed like one day I was in a house full of babies, changing diapers, feeding, rushing home so we wouldn't miss the all important nap! Now I'm entering the era of the Taxi Mom. Sports, dance, scouts, birthday parties, piano, etc. but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I just can't resist sharing a little about each child on their birthday. (Someday I'll print out these blog posts and it will be nice to have a little something for them to look back on since I'm the world's worst scrapbooker! )

Emma is my personality girl. I get so many comments about her. She's definitely the life of the party. Not only is she fun to be around, she has a funny side and is one of the sweetest little girls you'll ever meet. She's always the first to share or help whoever is hurt, especially her little sister. They're such good friends and it's so cute to watch them together. She loves music and is constantly singing to the radio or t.v.

Here are a few of her answers from her Kindergarten birthday interview.

Favorite color: pink

Favorite Food: brownies

Favorite part about school: snack time

What do you want to be when you grow up: A cheerleader

I can't believe she's six and it makes me a little sad because I know she'll be in school full time next year. I always shed a tear or two when my kids start 1st grade because I know I won't see them as much anymore. As much as I love to watch them learn and grow it's always a little bittersweet.

Emma is by far my pickiest eater. I think she lived solely on pb & j sandwiches, quesadillas, and waffles for the first four years of her life. She has branched out a little and we're working on trying new things everyday. For Emma's birthday dessert she picked hot fudge sundaes. Yum! For sure one of my all time favorites I figured since I was getting off so easy I might as well make the hot fudge sauce. I've tried a few recipes but this is one of my favorites. It comes from the famous Ben and Jerry as in the Ice Cream Ben and Jerry's. Chocolatey, silky, decadent, delicious! I like this sauce because it keeps really well in the fridge.

Hot Fudge Sauce

From Ben and Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book

Ingredients
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream (for extra decadent, use all cream)

Instructions
In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring frequently. Add the cocoa and whisk until it dissolves. Using a slotted spoon, gradually stir in the sugar (the mixture should be the consistency of wet sand.) Cook over the simmering water, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Gradually stir in the milk and cream. Continue cooking and stirring for one hour, checking the water level in the double boiler and replenishing it when necessary. When the fudge is completely smooth and the sugar is dissolved, the sauce is ready. Makes one generous quart.

Posted by: Sallie

Mom's Red Enchiladas

My Mom is a winner in the enchilada department! I still make both her recipes for beef (they actually come from someone my Mom babysat when she was younger. That's how long I've been eating these things!)and chicken enchiladas. Usually we have chicken because they are one of my husbands favorite meals but Sunday we had beef and I remembered how good they were. My favorite part is the filling with ground beef, melty cheese, and diced green chilies. I love it with corn tortillas but if you prefer flour tortillas you can use them with great results. One word of caution, the red sauce is a little inconsistent. I blame it on the El Pato sauce. Sometimes it's really hot and other times more mild. I recommend tasting the sauce and if it's too hot add a little more tomato sauce, too mild just add some more hot sauce. Great served with a dollop of sour cream. For a delicious meal serve chips and guacamole , beans and rice, and finish off with this delicious fried ice cream dessert! Yum!

Mom's Red Enchiladas

Filling:

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 can diced green chilies

chopped onions

1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese

about 18 corn tortillas depending on how big you make your enchiladas

Sauce:

1 8 oz. can El Pato Sauce (A Mexican sauce almost like enchilada sauce in a yellow can. I have found it at most any grocery store in the Mexican food section.)

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp cornstarch

16 oz. can tomato sauce

2 tbsp. vinegar

sliced black olives (optional, we always use them)

Brown hamburger with onions; add green chilies and cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Soften tortillas in hot oil or in microwave. Put about 1-2 tbsp. filling down center of tortillas and roll up. Place seam side down in 9 x 13 greased baking dish.

Make Sauce: in a medium sauce pan stir together El Pato and tomato sauces. Taste to check spice level. Add butter. In a measuring cup or small bowl dissolve cornstarch in vinegar and add to sauce mixture in pan. Stir constantly over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

Cover enchiladas with sauce and more cheese. Add black olives if desired. Bake at 350 degrees 20-30 minutes or until hot and cheese is bubbly. Makes approx 15-18 small enchiladas. I usually use one 9 x 13 pan and another 8x8 pan.

Posted by: Sallie and Julia

Crystal's Delicious Guacamole

We had another birthday and a baptism this week and were lucky enough to have my Mom and her husband and my sister and her husband and of course, their adorable baby! We had such a good time and ate lots of great food. My family is really partial to Mexican Food and Sunday my sister made some fabulous guacamole. It comes from her friend Crystal and is one of those recipes that you can tweak until it tastes just how you like it. I made it again at the request of my husband and put what I used just as guidelines.

Crystal's Guacamole

Fresh squeezed lime or lemon juice (we like lemon) (1/2 gently squeezed. I didn't use all the juice, just squeezed until it the juice wasn't coming out as easily)

fresh squeezed orange juice (1/2 an orange. same directions as with lemon)

finely diced tomato - I used one Roma tomato

finely chopped onion- about 1/2 a medium onion

garlic, minced and finely diced- 2 cloves

cilantro- I actually forgot about this and left it out but I'd say about half a handful, depending on how much you like.

salt- about 3/4 a tsp.

Serrano peppers (seeds removed if you don't want it too spicy and diced finely) I didn't have these so left them out.

avocados (mashed until desired consistency. We like ours a little chunky). I used 4 and we had quite a bit left over. We fed 10 people Sunday and had a little leftover using 4 avocados.

Mix all ingredients and serve with tortilla chips.