Pineapple Glazed Chicken

Sometime last year, I reorganized many of the photos on my Photobucket account, and as a result, many of my older blog posts no longer have photos.  So, even though this is a terrible photo of a yummy meal, I'm posting it to update the older post.  I've made this a few times, and if you have the book in which the recipe can be found ( Best 30 Minute Recipe), I also recommend the cranberry version (which I also don't seem to have shared here).  

Although my husband is not generally a fan of curry flavors, I continue to make this because the curry is subtle and adds some interesting balance to the sweetness of the pineapple.  This is really nice with rice on the side, especially if you use some of the pineapple sauce on top of it.

Pineapple Glazed Chicken Cook's Illustrated's Best 30 Minute Recipe

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt & fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice (not syrup)
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• ¼ cup sliced almonds , toasted (see note)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Lightly pound chicken so it's roughly the same thickness.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat 1T olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and brown the chicken, about 4 minutes per side.
2. Meanwhile, drain pineapple chunks, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Whisk pineapple juice, honey, soy sauce, curry powder, and cayenne together.  Add this mixture, along with the pineapple chunks, to the skillet with the chicken and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 8-12 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and an instant read thermometer through the thickest part of the chicken reads 160 degrees F, 
3. Transfer chicken to a plate, cover with foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Return glaze to simmer and cook, uncovered, until thickened slightly and glossy, about 8 minutes.
4. Add accumulated chicken juices to glaze. Whisk cornstarch and vinegar together until smooth, then whisk into glaze. Continue to simmer glaze until thick and syrupy, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour glaze over chicken, sprinkle with toasted almonds, and serve.
5. Note: To toast the 1/4 cup almonds, put them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the skillet occasionally to prevent scorching and toast until they are lightly browned and fragrant, 3 to 8 minutes.

Recipe found online at: http://www.food.com/recipe/pineapple-glazed-chicken-284226#ixzz1nLok6TAh

Chicken Chimichangas

Dear folks at America's Test Kitchen,
I wasn't going to renew my subscription to Cook's Country, mostly because I'm cheap.  I mean, everything I've made has been good, and nearly everything has been awesome.  But I'm cheap.  And do I really need another magazine subscription?

Well, this recipe sold me.  I'm renewing my subscription.  Yeah, I don't need recipes that take an hour from start to finish.  But this one was awesome.

Sign me up, ATK.  I'm yours.
Love,
Mad Men Kitchen

 Chicken Chimichangas Source:  Cook's Country Magazine June/July 2011
1-1/4c low sodium chicken broth
1T minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/2c long grain white rice
Salt and Pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1T plus 3c canola oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1t chili powder
1/2t ground cumin
4oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3c chopped fresh cilantro
1T all purpose flour
1T water
4 flour tortillas

1.  In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup, whisk broth and pepper.  Mix 1/2 cup of this mixture, rice, and 1/4t salt in a bowl.  Cover and microwave until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
2.  In a Dutch oven, heat 1T oil over medium high heat until just smoking.  Cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes, then add garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add remaining chipotle broth, partially cooked rice, and bring to a boil.
3.  Reduce heat to medium low, add chicken, cover, and cook until chicken's internal temperature is 160 degrees and rice is tender, about 15 minutes, flipping chicken about halfway through.  Remove chicken to a cutting board to rest for 5-10 minutes, then cut into 1/2 inch pieces and return to rice mixture, adding cheddar and cilantro, all in a large bowl.  Wash the pot.
4.  Whisk flour and water in a small bowl.  Microwave tortillas, covered, on a plate, about 1 minute.  Divide chicken mixture into 4.  Working with one tortilla at a time, place 1/4 of the chicken mixture in the center.  Brush edges of tortilla with flour paste, then wrap top and bottom of tortilla tightly over filling (fold side toward center, then fold in the sides--you might want to repaste the last pieces). 
5.  Heat remaining 3c oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat until 325 degrees.  Place 2 chimis, seam down, in oil, and fry until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes a side.  Monitor your oil temperature, keeping it between 300 and 325 degrees.  Drain on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining chimis.  Serve.

What's the story, Morning Glory?

I love that song.  You know the one by Oasis?  And, if I'm being honest, the one from Bye Bye Birdie too.

I'm not sure why these are called Morning Glory Muffins, but they sure are tasty.  It was a lot of work putting them together, but it's probably worth it to have something different in our breakfast list of oatmeal with fruit, Cheerios, and waffles.  In the future, I will double the recipe and freeze some.

My husband kept saying, "there  XX in it?  And YY??  That can't be good," but he really enjoyed them too.  We all really liked them!

Morning Glory Muffins from Cook's Country April/May 2011
3/4c unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
1/2c chopped walnuts, toasted
2-1/4c all purpose flour
3/4c sugar
1-1/2t baking soda
1t ground cinnamon
1/2t baking powder
3/4t salt
8 oz can crushed pineapple
1 apple, peeled, cored, and shredded
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
3 large eggs
1t vanilla extract
3 medium carrots, shredded
1c raisins

1.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray.  Grind coconut and nuts in food processor, and transfer to stand mixer.  Add flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and combine. 
2.  Put pineapple and apple in a strainer over a bowl; squeeze all the juice from the fruit until you have about 1c of juice.  Boil juice in a large skillet over medium-high heat and reduce to about 1/4c, about 5 minutes.  Let cool slightly.  Combine cooled juice, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth.  Add wet mixture to dry mixture and combine.  Add in all fruit and veggies and mix well.
3.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins.  Bake 24-28 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto cooling rack.

It may not look pretty, but whoa was it yummy!

Homemade FRIES!

I've never tried making french fries at home before... that is, nothing but the kind that comes from the freezer.  When I saw this recipe in the October/November 2010 issue of Cook's Country, I knew I'd have to make them one day. 

Making burgers tonight seemed like the perfect time to do that.  I, as usual, didn't plan ahead and do the prep in advance.  This made for a much more hectic meal prep since I was running all over the place.  But, despite my poor planning, it was really easy to make these fries at home!  And, of course, since they are from the folks at Cook's Illustrated, they came out perfect.

BBQ French Fries, adapted from Cook's Country magazine, October/November 2010
3lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" thick fries
1/4t liquid smoke
1/2t chili powder
1/2t smoked paprika
1/4t salt
1/8t brown sugar
1/8t cayenne pepper
1/8t onion powder
3qt peanut or vegetable oil

1.  Add potatoes and liquid smoke in a large bowl.  Mix well, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave 6-8 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  Drain potatoes and cool on a towel lined baking sheet, about 10 minutes.
2.  Heat spices in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
3.  Heat oil in a large pot to 375 degrees.  Fry half the potatoes until golden, about 5 minutes.  Drain on paper towels.  If not using immediately, place on a baking sheet in a preheated oven set to 200 degrees.  Return oil to 375 degrees, and fry remaining potatoes.  Toss potatoes and spice mixture, and serve.

Shrimp with Artichokes and Mushrooms

Made and shot by hubby, who claimed, "My pictures are better than yours!" 

I can't speak to the recipe itself, but really enjoyed this meal.  I believe I recall him saying he blended with his Spicy Shrimp recipe, so didn't follow the recipe exactly.  I do wish he had made rice to go along with it, or even pasta, but it was quite filling even without. 

I forgot to defrost the artichokes before he started cooking, and he said that caused him a lot of problems.  So his suggestion is to make sure they are defrosted (as indicated in the recipe).

So, since this is from Cook's Country, and since I didn't make it myself, I don't think I can post the recipe.  I guess that means I have to make, photograph, and post it again!

Roasted Artichoke Dip

 

I've had a lot of artichoke dip.  I've made it a few times, sometimes with spinach, but none has come close to this artichoke dip.  The first thing that's different is that I took Cook's Illustrated's advice to use frozen artichokes rather than canned; they suggest that they maintain the flavor of real artichokes better this way.  The next thing is that the first step is to roast the artichokes; anything that's roasted is automatically so much tastier and, I dare say, more complex.

I made this for a baby shower, and was very surprised it didn't move more than it did; about half the 8x8 pan was eaten by about 20 women.  Surprised, but also a little bit ecstatic because...more leftovers for me!  On that note, the leftovers are delicious!

So, the next time you're thinking of making a dip, definitely consider this one.  I assure you, it will be the best artichoke dip you've ever tasted.

Roasted Artichoke Dip
The Best Make-Ahead Recipe, From The Editors of Cook's Illustrated

Topping
2 slices high quality white sandwich bread, quartered (I used whole grain white)
2T grated Parmesan cheese
1T unsalted butter, melted

Dip
2 (9oz) packages frozen artichokes
2T olive oil
S&P
1 medium onion, minced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1c mayo
4oz cream cheese, at room temp
1oz Parmesan cheese, grated (omitted)
2T juice from 1 lemon
1T minced fresh thyme leaves (I used dried)
Pinch cayenne pepper

1.  Make the topping by food processing the bread using the pulse setting.  Mix bread crumbs with butter and Parmesan cheese.
2.  Heat the oven to 450 degrees.  Combine artichokes with 1T oil, 1/2t salt, and 1/4t pepper, and spread on a baking sheet lined with foil.  Roast in the oven, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.  Let cool then chop.
3.  Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a medium skillet until shimmering.  Cook the oven until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
4.  Add the remaining ingredients to the onion mixture and stir until uniform, making sure all the lumps of cream cheese are spread out.  Gently stir in the artichokes and season to taste.  Transfer to an 8x8 baking dish and smooth.  Top with bread crumbs.
5.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Pork Tenderloin wtih Roasted Potatoes and Shallots

My mom always said, "If you can read a recipe, you can cook."  I never really believed her then, and the more I cook, the more I realize that's not at all the case.  Sure, you need to be able to read the recipe, but there's a lot more you need to know, certain techniques and skills.

You need to know the specifics of your equipment.  So, if a recipe says to heat oil on medium-high, you need to be prepared for blackened shallots when you do so.

 

You need to know how to use a meat thermometer, so when you use it and the meat gets to the specified temperature, you will know why the meat comes out raw:
 

You need to know that cooked pork is white with a little bit of pink so it's not so overdone to be dry.
 

Among many other things like the difference between saute and chop, the difference between a skillet and a  saucepan, etc etc etc.

This is another one from Cook's Country magazine.  It is billed as a 30 minute meal, but it took me more like 45.

Despite the blackened bits of shallot, the potatoes were absolutely delicious.  The pork, however, probably would have been good, had it been somewhere between raw inside and overcooked.  I really have no idea what happened to the pork and why it registered on the thermometer at the correct temperature, but looked this way when I cut in.

I might make this again some day, but not on a day I've been baking all morning because this made a lot of dishes (at least the way I did things), and a really big mess on the stove.


I really think I need to go on Worst Cooks in America.



Pork Tenderloin wtih Roasted Potatoes and Shallots
Cook's Country Magazine, October/November 2010
Serves 4

2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/2" thick
8 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise
S&P
2 pork tenderloins (the small kind)
1t dried thyme
1/2c balsamic vinegar
3T brown sugar
1T coarse grain mustard

1.  Toss potatoes, shallots, 1T oil, 1/2t salt, and 1/4t pepper in large bowl.  Cover and microwave, about 5 minutes, shaking bowl halfway through.  Drain well.
2.  Meanwhile, pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.  Heat 1T oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Cook pork until browned all over, 5-7 minutes.  Transfer to plate.
3.  Add potato mixture, remaining oil, and thyme to skillet.  Cook until potatoes are browned, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to platter and cover with foil.  Bring vinegar and brown sugar to a boil over medium heat.  Return tenderloins and any juices to skillet, cover and cook, until meat registers 145 degrees, about 10 minutes.  Transfer to carving board and tent with foil.  Simmer sauce until thickened, about 3 minutes.  Off heat, whisk in mustard.  Slice pork and transfer to platter with potatoes.  Pour sauce over and serve.

Skillet Meatballs and Noodles in Creamy Herb Sauce

Do you have a go to source when making your meal plan?  For me, it's usually the folks at America's Test Kitchen.  I purchased the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook a few years ago on a whim when Borders was closing and things were priced well, and it quickly became a bible for me.  It gave me confidence in the kitchen, such that I started baking and then even participated in the Tuesdays with Dorie baking challenge.

For my birthday, my husband gave me a subscription to Cook's Country magazine.  I've had some big hits with this subscription.  When I saw this recipe in the October/November issue (yeah, it sometimes takes me awhile to look at everything), I put it right on the meal plan.

The first thing my husband said was, "They lied!" because it took me close to an hour to put it together.  I actually laid out all my ingredients, measured them, and re-read the recipe (like you're supposed to) before I started cooking, which took I guess 10 minutes.

The verdict on this one was that we really liked the noodles and the sauce, but weren't really over the moon about the meatballs.  I thought they were kind of dry and had a strange flavor.  When I was browsing through some blogs today, I noticed that Taste of Home Cooking had a similar problem when she made the recipe.  Very weird; ATK recipes very rarely fail!

Recipe (thanks to Taste of Home cooking for the C&P!)
Skillet Meatballs and Noodles in Creamy Herb Sauce
Cook's Country magazine, October/November 2010

1 pound ground beef (85% or so)
1 package garlic and herb Boursin cheese
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
8 ounces egg noodles
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Combine beef, 5 tablespoons Boursin cheese, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl and knead gently until combined. Form mixture into 1 inch meatballs. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook meatballs until well browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.

Cook onion in reserved fat until browned, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add broth, noodles, and wine and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to med-low, and cook, stirring often, until pasta begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer, covered, until meatballs are cooked through and noodles are al dente, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in remaining Boursin cheese and chives. Season with salt and pepper.

Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprints

One more batch from Cook's Country's Christmas cookie special.  We made these to leave out for Santa, and Santa loved them. 

We had blackberry jam instead of the called for raspberry, so that's what we used and it was a great substitution, though I love the combination of raspberry and chocolate so much that I will be making them as written in the future.

The magazine suggested drizzling the chocolate using a zip bag, and I really struggled with this one--my bag popped as I tried to drizzle, and it just globbed.  My husband did this in another way, so he's responsible for the drizzling.

Eggnog Snickerdoodles

 

Here's another one from my Cook's Country Magazine and their collection of the best Christmas cookies.  I really wanted to make a bar cookie, but my son chose this one based on the picture.

These were tasty, but not so good as to be among the best Christmas cookies Cook's Country had ever tasted.  They also tasted like regular Snickerdoodles, not so much like Eggnog (even with the addition of rum extract). 

I had some troubles with these; they spread a LOT, making them very thin and crispy, and maybe even a little bit burnt.  I made some changes in the second batch, and so they came out better, but the first batch was not for me.

The ATK failed me!

For the very first time, I had a not successful, picture perfect meal from the ATK.  I decided that since it was just the boys and me for the morning, I would make pancakes.  To my trusty ATK I ran, and began whipping away.  My pancakes ran ran ran across the pan pan pan, and were thin and kinda blah.

 

I happened to have a Mickey Mouse mold for just such a purpose, which really helped things out; it contained the spread so the pancakes were more contained.  It also took a ton more time to do the whole batch, which of course erupted in baby screams.  Joy.

Hazelnut Lemon-Curd Kisses

Oh wow.  I really didn't expect to like these.

I love these.

Love.

Can't stop eating them.

Love.

I like hazelnut in my coffee, but wouldn't say I really know much about hazelnuts themselves, and really am not a huge lemon-ish fan.  But I really like these.

This came in my Cook's Country magazine.  They ran a cookie contest, and this was the grand prize winner.  So you know it's got to be good.  Did I say these were good?  They are great.
I really wish I could share these, because they are so good.  (I *can* be bought)

Chicken Nuggets

For my birthday, my husband gave me a subscription to Cook's Country.  I've received two copies so far, and while I've enjoyed flipping through them, haven't yet cooked anything from them.  Tonight, however, I made their recipe for chicken nuggets, and they came out GREAT.  They were crispy, not greasy, and very light.  I would have liked a little more flavor in them, so will amp up the spices next time.  Even better, they say that these are easily doubled and frozen; I froze our leftovers and we'll see how they come out!

Alas, we all know how many bloggers out there have gotten cease and desist letters from the ATK folks, and while no one is reading my blog, I'm not interested in any issues.

Carrots

This is a wonderful recipe that comes from my America's Test Kitchen cookbook. I chose it to accompany the Chicken Saltimbocca I made because I had a ton of carrots, and the flavors in both were similar (thyme, lemon). These were delicious! My husband actually made these while I took care of other things.

Chicken Parm sandwich

I've blogged about this one before. My husband didn't remember that I've made this, though, and was downright impressed.

It's from my ATK cookbook, but I also found it posted here. I went and put them on hero rolls.

Good.

These were so darn tasty. They definitely aren't corner pizza place good, but they are pretty close, and certainly better for you.

Further proof that the Cooks Illustrated folks know what they are doing! YUM!

Lighter Chicken Parmesan
(Source: Cook’s Illustrated, October 2006)

1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs) I used regular bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus extra for serving
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
Table salt and ground black pepper
3 large egg whites
1 tablespoon water
Vegetable cooking spray
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat and sliced into cutlets
2 cups tomato sauce , warmed
3 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 3/4 cup)
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475 degrees. Combine the bread crumbs and oil in a 12-inch skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, about 10 minutes. Spread the bread crumbs in a shallow dish and cool slightly; when cool, stir in the Parmesan.

2. In a second shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together. In a third shallow dish, whisk the egg whites and water together.

3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, place a wire rack on top, and spray the rack with vegetable oil spray. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the cutlets in the flour, shaking off the excess, then dip into the egg whites, and finally coat with the bread crumbs, Press on the bread crumbs to make sure they adhere. Lay the chicken on the wire rack.

4. Spray the tops of the chicken with vegetable oil spray. Bake until the meat is no longer pink in the center and feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 15 minutes.

5. Remove the chicken from the oven. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the sauce onto the center of each cutlet and top the sauce with 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella. Return the chicken to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and serve, passing the remaining sauce and Parmesan separately.

Chicken Parm sandwich

This came from my ATK cookbook. Since ATK has caused other bloggers some issues, I won't copy it from their recipe, but tell you what I did.

First, I took 2 chicken breasts, and pounded them thin. I dredged in flour, then a beaten egg, then some Italian breadcrumbs. I heated some olive oil in a frying pan, added some garlic, then cooked the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side until brown. I then drained on a paper towel.

Next, I put the chicken in a baking dish, covered it with tomato sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella. I baked it for a few minutes until the cheese was melty.

I then put it on a toasted roll.

It was good. Very good. So good that my husband, who gets frequent chicken parm cravings, said "You can make this any time." I guess he liked it. I think the rolls I got were particularly good, which makes a difference.