Hot Off the Grill: Easy Additions to Summer Food

Sometimes a little kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper is all you need to make grilled food shine... and sometimes you want something a little more complex. Here are some quick and easy sauces and condiments that elevate simple foods- image from realsimple.com

Compound Herb Butters- 
Great on grilled chicken, steaks, or veggies
3-4 tbsp salted or unsalted butter (your preference)
3-4 tbsp fresh herbs such as tarragon, basil, mint, or cilantro (you can also use a mixture)
Soften the butter slightly by letting it come to room temp on the counter or microwaving for 10 seconds. Chop the herbs finely and combine. Wrap in wax paper and return to fridge. Melt over meat or veggies.

Caper Sauce (from Real Simple Magazine)- similar to a chimichurri sauce- Zesty and delish!

• 2 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup capers, chopped
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Place in the fridge 1 hour... or let sit overnight for full flavor!

Herbed Salt-
Turns freezer fries into pommes frites!
1 tbsp minced herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley)
1 tsp kosher salt
Stir together and sprinkle over hot fries.

Happy Birthday, Dear Hubby!

We celebrated Mark's birthday with a special dinner at home last night. When I asked our toddler what kind of cake we should make for Daddy, he said, "A pancake!" Pancake Cake? Sure, why not!? I've been dreaming about Martha Stewart's Crepe Cake since Halloween... I modified the composition from her hazelnut laced recipe to a banana and chocolate laden tower of richness. The birthday boy, and his boy, approved.
Happy Birthday to the love of my life... and the biggest fan of my Menus for the Week!

Event~ Birthday Dinner for Three (Well, technically four...)
Menu~ 
Southwest Chicken Pizza- inspired by Brick Oven Restaurant
Spinach salad with Parmesan Peppercorn Dressing
Chocolate-Banana Crepe Cake

For the Southwest Chicken Pizza:

1 Boboli Thin Crust Pizza Dough or other thin pre-cooked pizza crust (Of course, you can always make your own!)

1/2 cup chipotle or sun-dried tomato pesto

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken (We used chicken that Mark smoked this weekend!)

1/2 red onion, sliced thinly

1/2 roma tomatoes, sliced

1/2 cup cilantro sprigs

1/4 c grated parmesan 

Place rack at top of oven. PH oven to 500 degrees. While pre-heating, assemble pizza, as follows: spread a thin layer of pesto over crust, sprinkle evenly with cheese, arrange chicken, onion and tomatoes on top of cheese. Once oven has reached temperature- switch to top-broil mode. Place pizza on rack and cook until cheese is melted and bubbly, slightly golden-brown. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with cilantro sprigs and parmesan cheese. Slice into wedges and enjoy!

For the Salad and Dressing:

1/2 cup fresh spinach per serving

1/4 c sliced, peeled cucumbers per serving

1/4 c chopped celery per serving

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix

1 cup mayo

1 cup milk

1 tbsp cracked fresh peppercorns

1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

Make dressing according to package directions. Add in peppercorns and parmesan. Chill and serve over veggies. (And save it... makes quite a bit!)

For the Chocolate~Banana Crepe Cake:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup milk

1/2 cup lukewarm water

4 large eggs

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1/8 tsp salt

3 tbsp sugar

3 bananas, sliced thinly

For Chocolate Ganache:

1/4 c cocoa powder

1/4 c sugar

1/4 milk

Combine flour, milk, water, eggs, butter, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Cover and let sit 30 minutes or chill for up to 2 days. 

Place small to medium skillet, or crepe pan over medium heat; add 1/2 tsp butter. When butter begins to turn color, slowly pour 1/4 c batter into pan, covering the bottom with a thin layer of batter. Tilt and rotate pan to coat evenly. Cook until crepe bubbles and the bottom is lightly brown. Remove from heat source (Don't turn off heat!) Flip crepe over with a spatula or with your fingers. Cook second side until browned, but not evenly. Place crepe on a plate. Place 3-4 banana slices on top of crepe. Repeat process, layering crepes and bananas until cake is 4-6 inches high. 

When crepes are done, make Chocolate Ganache Sauce. In a small pot, combine sugar and cocoa powder. Heat pan over med hi heat and slowly add milk, stirring. Continue to add milk and stir until sugar has dissolved and mixture has formed a smooth consistency. Pour evenly over crepe and bananas, allowing chocolate to drip over edges. Eat and swoon. 

Supremes de Volaille a l'Ecossaise

Julia, oh,  how I love thee. Let me count the ways.
It could be the many flavorful ways you gussy up chicken breasts...
Mrs. Child provides one master recipe for "supremes," or deboned chicken breasts, cooked - and three variations on the theme. Back in her day, this might have been a complicated dish- boneless, skinless, perfectly trimmed pieces of meat weren't at the ready in the meat department. But, that step already completed by the butcher, these supremes are supreme, no matter which way you prepare them.

Last night, I whipped up Chicken Breasts with Diced Aromatic Vegetables and Cream. Divine!
(And don't forget my earlier post- Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms and Cream)
Chicken Breasts with Paprika, Onions, and Cream is also delish, with a Hungarian twist. I'll make that one later!

Event: I Heart Julia! 
Menu:
Supremes de Volaille a l'Ecossaise- Chicken Breasts with Diced Aromatic Vegetables and Cream
Mashed Russets
Steamed Green Beans


For the chicken:
The following vegetables cut into neat 1/16th inch cubes:
1 medium carrot
1-2 tender celery stalks
1 medium onion
(Ya know, they sell pre-pack diced veggies in the produce section- another short cut!)
1/8 tsp salt
5 tbsp butter
4 "supremes" and the sauce ingredients in the master recipe


Master Recipe Ingredients:
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
big pinch white pepper
round of wax paper, cut into a 10 inch circle and buttered on one side
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup dry vermouth, sherry, madeira or port
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 cup whipping cream
salt and pepper, lemon juice to taste




Cook the diced veggies slowly with the salt and butter for about 10mins in a covered casserole or deep 12" saute pan. 
Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken breasts with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken breasts to the pan with vegetables, and roll in butter quickly. Lay the buttered paper over them, cover casserole, and place in hot oven. After 6 minutes, press top of supremes with your finger. If still soft, return to oven for a moment or two (Mine needed 5 more. I think our chicken breasts are more "plump" than they used to be!) When meat is springy to the touch, it is done. Remove the supremes to a warm platter and cover while making the sauce. Pour the stock into the casserole with butter (and vegetables) and boil down quickly over high heat, until liquid is syrupy. Stir in the cream and boil down again over high heat until cream has thickened slightly. Off heat, taste carefully for seasoning and add drops of lemon juice to taste. Pour the sauce over the supremes and serve at once, sprinkled with parsley.


Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed green beans. 


You may have to switch to sweatpants after this meal...

Dear, Oh Dear: Green Bean Casserole, AT LAST!

Well, I suppose even bloggers need a vacation?

Anyways, about that green bean casserole...

After Thanksgiving, I thought, I don't need to write down what I did, I'll put it on my blog... Well, that didn't happen, so when my mother-in-law requested it for Christmas dinner, I was a little concerned. Would  I be able to recreate it, sans- recipe? The answer is YES!

So, here you go:

Green Bean Casserole with Shitake Mushrooms and "Tobacco" Onion Topping

2 lbs green beans, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
1 1/2 cups shitake mushrooms, chopped
1/2 stick butter
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 large shallots, thinly sliced (about a cup)
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup water
2 tsp dried sage, crumbled
1/2 cup parmesan
2 oz cream cheese
kosher salt and black pepper

For the "Tobacco" Onion Topping:
"Tobacco" Onions are a mixture of red and white (or yellow) onions, dredged in flour and fried. The resulting topping looks like dried tobacco leaves.
1 red onion, sliced into rings
1 yellow or white onion, sliced into rings
1/2 c flour
2 tsp paprika
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tbs butter
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet or stockpot (with cover.) Cook shallots and garlic with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 5 mins. Add wine and boil until reduced by half. Add cream, water, sage,1/4tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and bring just to a boil, stirring constantly. Add green beans and mushrooms. Simmer, tightly covered, until beans are tender, 20-30 minutes. Stir in parmesan and cream cheese until melted.
While beans are cooking, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil and butter for onions in a small skillet.
In a shallow bowl, combine flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Dredge onion rings in flour mixture. Cook onion rings in small batches, until golden brown and crunchy. Allow to rest on paper towels.
When beans are tender, pour them (and sauce) into a large casserole dish. Top with fried onions. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until beans are bubbly.
Can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. If doing so, do not put onions on top until ready to reheat. Will take 25-30 minutes to heat through.

Make it Real(ly) Simple

The cover article in October's  Real Simple Magazine aligns perfectly with my weekly menu theory: Plan what you're going to eat all week and go shopping once! In their latest issue, they provide menus and recipes for a whole month. They also come with neat shopping lists.While I won't be strictly following their weekly menus, I am very excited about the two cover dishes: Chicken Posole and Ravioli with Apples and Walnuts. Next week's Menu for the Week newbies? I think so!

This issue also digs into one of my least favorite activities... LAUNDRY! Now, if our dryer would do its job, I could put all their good tips to use...

A Simple and Elegant Dinner for Two

Prepare chicken as early in the day as possible. Or the even the night before. Amounts of ingredients can be multiplied for larger dinners... or for leftovers!

Herb Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

2 split chicken breasts

1 tbsp fresh fosemary, chopped

1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp evoo

kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper (about a tsp each)

Combine chopped herbs and garlic. Carefully separate skin (but don't detach) from flesh. Rub herb mixture under chicken skin. Place in large ziploc or covered bowl. Add evoo, salt, and pepper and turn chicken to coat. Seal bag or bowl. Allow to marinate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

PH oven to 450degrees.

Place chicken in roasting pan, skin side up.

Bake at 450 for 30-40 minutes, until chicken is golden brown. Serve directly, or slice thinly and plate.

Haricot Verts with Lemon Butter

1 lb haricot verts or green beans

1 lemon, zested and juiced

2 tbs. butter

kosher salt

Steam beans until tender (5-7 minutes.) Meanwhile, melt butter in microwave or small saucepan. (Do not allow to turn brown.) When beans are finished, place in bowl. Sprinkle with juice of lemon and lemon zest. Stir. Add melted butter and salt to taste.

Roasted Mushrooms with Goat Cheese

12-15 white mushrooms, gently wiped with a damp cloth, stems removed

6 oz goat cheese, such as Montchevre, softened

1/2 tsp fresh thyme, or 1/4 tsp dried thyme

kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 tbsp melted butter (leftover from beans?)

cooking spray

Preheat to 450 (for chicken above.) In a small bowl, combine goat cheese, thyme, salt and pepper (to taste.) Gently spoon mixture into mushroom caps and place on baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush mushroom caps, around filling, with melted butter. Bake 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and slightly golden. Can be served as a side or and appetizer.