Chicken and Cheddar Souffle

 

I am a self admitted book nerd.  I've never before made a souffle, largely because some book I read as a kid talked about how difficult they are and that you can't even sneeze when you have a souffle baking or it would fall.  I have no idea how true this is.

I made this recipe from Giada to go along with Pancetta and Saffron Rice, and it came out awesome.  I was sort of nervous about what my boys would think, since it's an egg dish and M doesn't like eggs.  He said it was pretty good.  A wouldn't eat the chicken, but liked the rest.  E devoured it... every bite.

Instead of buying a rotisserie chicken, I went ahead and baked chicken breasts in the oven.  I brushed them with oil, sprinkled black pepper and Italian seasoning over, and baked for 20ish minutes on 350. 

 

So, after being so daunted by souffle, this one turned out great.  Don't be put off by the directions calling for a souffle dish; who has a souffle dish?  I used an 8x8 Pyrex dish, which I sprayed with canola spray.  It made a TON of dishes, though, so be aware of that.  I also was thinking it would be pretty tasty with the addition of mushrooms.  Really, this is a great big open book of a recipe--don't like spinach?  Add in something else, take out chicken, etc etc.

Chicken and Cheddar Souffle
from Giada De Laurentiis

• Unsalted butter for greasing the souffle dish, plus 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons), at room temperature
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mild Cheddar
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 packed cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 store-bought, rotisserie chicken, breast meat only, skinned and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
• 6 egg yolks, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 2 (1/2-inch thick) slices country-style white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 6 egg whites, at room temperature

Directions

Special equipment: a 2-quart (8-cups) souffle dish

Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 2-quart souffle dish. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 stick of butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheeses, the spinach, chicken, egg yolks, and bread cubes. Stir until combined (mixture will be thick).

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at high speed until they hold stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the chicken mixture. Using a spatula, fold in the remaining egg whites. Spoon the batter into the prepared dish and bake until the souffle is puffed and the top is firm and golden, about 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Pancetta and Saffron Rice

Once again, I participated in a recipe swap; this time around, the challenge was side dishes.  Around here, side dishes are more often than not an afterthought...  I'll heat up some frozen vegetables and call it a day.  So, while I really didn't have much to offer, I was excited to try something that would take me out of my comfort zone.

This one was sent by my friend Lishie, and comes originally from Giada.  I can't recall ever having tasted saffron, so really had no idea how it tasted, or what this would be a good compliment to, so went ahead and made Giada's whole meal, excepting the dessert.

I cheapened this one up by subbing 4 slices of bacon for the one slice of pancetta, and a 10oz package of yellow rice (which contains saffron) for basmati rice and saffron.

Other than having some difficulty getting the rice cooked properly (because I used a smaller amount of rice than was called for in the recipe, I used the amount of liquid suggested by the package, but followed Giada's directions.  I have a problem cooking rice properly anyway), this was delicious.  the flavor was great, and it was a great accompaniment to the souffle.  It would be great alongside chicken!

Pancetta and Saffron Rice
From Giada de Laurentiis

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (8-ounce) piece pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 1/4 cups white basmati rice
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon saffron threads

Directions

In a medium (3-quart) saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, until brown and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the pancetta to paper towels to drain. Set aside. Discard any cooking juices in the pan.

In the same pan, over medium heat, add the butter. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add in the rice and stir until the rice is lightly toasted and coated with the butter, about 1 minute. Stir in the stock, salt and saffron. Bring the mixture to a simmer and, with a wooden spoon. scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes Let the rice stand for 5 minutes. Using a fork, fluff the rice and transfer to a serving bowl. Top with the cooked pancetta and serve.

Tuna and Artichoke Panini

We all have Spring on our minds; the winter has been rough and looking at facebook today, everyone is talking about seeing buds and blooms already.  Many are starting to think about their figures, but my mind is turning to the Lenten season.

For me, eating meatless on Fridays isn't that hard when I'm working, but now that I'm home, I think it will require a little more planning on my part.  So, I'm starting to assemble some meals that will be quick and easy for me to make myself on meatless Fridays (yeah, vegetarians consider fish meat, but Catholics don't.  I suspect it has to do with that whole Jesus and his apostles being fisherman, but what do I know, please don't strike me down!)

This little number from Giada was passed from one friend to another in the cooking exchange in which I'm participating.  It looked so delicious, I added it to my mental list of things to make.  Giada uses kalamata olives, and Patrizia substituted with chickpeas.  Amazingly, I had neither, so just left it out.  I was thinking of throwing in some capers, but decided against it this time around.    Since I omitted the chunky stuff, I also saved myself the food processing step (which is great, because boy do I hate cleaning that thing).

Since Giada called this a panini, I took what I learned from My First Panini, and heated up some olive oil in a frying pan, put the sandwich in with it, then smooshed it with a pot, then flipped after a few minutes.  This was really great, because it gave a little crunch to the bread and also warmed it a little.  Nice.  I also tried it without tomato, having forgotten to add it, but then added it; it made a big difference and added a whole different layer of flavor.  Much better with the tomato.

So, thank you to Patrizia, Melissa, and Giada for a yummy, easy lunch that will certainly help in the Lenten season, but also beyond (how awesome to have for a summer dinner when it's too hot to turn on the stove or oven?). 

Tuna and Artichoke Panini
Courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis 

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 (6-ounce) cans tuna in olive oil, drained
• 1 (12-ounce) jar marinated artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (16-ounce) ciabatta bread, halved horizontally
• 1 tomato, diced

Directions

Puree the olives, oil, garlic, and zest in a food processor until smooth and spreadable. Blend in the mayonnaise. Toss the tuna, artichokes, lemon juice, and pepper in a medium bowl, keeping the tuna in small chunks.
Hollow out the bottom and top halves of the bread. Spread the olive puree over both cut sides of the bread. Spoon the tuna and artichoke mixture onto the bottom half of the bread. Sprinkle the tomatoes over. Cover with the bread top. Cut the sandwich crosswise into 6 pieces and serve.

Sea Bass Baked in Foil

This comes from Giada's cookbook, but she calls for Salmon. We had sea bass that my parents caught, so I was looking for something to use and in her notes, she mentioned that Italians typically use sea bass but that she was changing it up. The recipe can also be found on the food network's website.

This was...ok. We didn't love it, although we really loved the small amount of clean up. The fish was really nicely cooked, it was just that we weren't crazy about its flavor.

Ingredients

• 4 (5 ounces each) salmon fillets
• 2 teaspoons olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tomatoes, chopped, or 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, drained
• 2 chopped shallots
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sprinkle salmon with 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir the tomatoes, shallots, 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Place a salmon fillet, oiled side down, atop a sheet of foil. Wrap the ends of the foil to form a spiral shape. Spoon the tomato mixture over the salmon. Fold the sides of the foil over the fish and tomato mixture, covering completely; seal the packets closed. Place the foil packet on a heavy large baking sheet. Repeat until all of the salmon have been individually wrapped in foil and placed on the baking sheet. Bake until the salmon is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. Using a large metal spatula, transfer the foil packets to plates and serve.

Chicken Saltimbocca

This comes from Giada de Laurentiis's cookbook, but can also be found on the food tv website.

I kind of hate making chicken rolls. You have to shove toothpicks in, and then find a way to brown all sides (with toothpicks) in a skillet. Kinda tough, plus I usually splatter myself. But, I made these anyway.
They were pretty good, although not really all that outstanding. I served with pasta (although it would have been better if I'd served the chicken OVER the pasta) and glazed carrots.

Ingredients

• 6 (3-ounce) chicken cutlets, pounded to evenly flatten
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 paper-thin slices prosciutto
• 1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 (14-ounce) can low-salt chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Place the chicken cutlets flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Lay 1 slice of prosciutto atop each chicken cutlet.

Squeeze the frozen spinach to remove the excess water. Season the spinach with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, toss the spinach with 1 tablespoon of oil to coat.

Arrange an even, thin layer of spinach atop the prosciutto slices. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over each. Beginning at the short tapered end, roll up each chicken cutlet as for a jellyroll. Secure with a toothpick.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice, and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Simmer the cooking liquid over high heat until it is reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 5 minutes. Season the cooking liquid with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove toothpicks from the chicken. Drizzle the reduced cooking liquid over the chicken and serve immediately.

Pasta with Tomatoes and Peas

See it here

I had a plan to make something else this night, but when we were getting home from something at 5:30, and I saw the other thing took almost an hour to make, I went to the fastest thing on my meal plan. Winner winner, chicken dinner!! Giada to the rescue.

I thought this was a really tasty meal, although my husband didn't give it exceedingly high marks. I think I could have used a little more pasta water in the final product, plus I used a whole can of tomato paste instead of 1. measuring, 2. wasting whatever was left in the can (as an aside, I really need to check out those tubes of tomato paste).

This made a great deal of leftovers, which were really good the next day. I didn't try to freeze the leftovers, but will definitely do that next time.

Pasta Primavera

I can't believe I haven't written about this one before. It's just a perfect, beautiful spring dish. It's easy, and it's delicious.

I had some asparagus in the fridge, and figured it would make a nice addition. I threw them on the pan with the roasted vegetables.

I've made this two or three times now, and can't figure out how to not char the veggies. I'm not sure if I'm letting them roast for too long, or if I'm cutting them too thin. It isn't really a problem flavorwise, but it is definitely a clean up problem.

This reheats well and is delicious as leftovers too.

We had a hard time getting A to eat the veggies. He loved the pasta part, of course loved the tomatoes, and liked the carrots too. He refused to try the other stuff, though.

Oh, and a wonderful addition. My friend took a bike tour of France this summer, and she brought me home some dried Herbs de Provence. These are in a burlap bag! For whatever reason, these are so much tastier than the jar of HdP I have from the grocery store. I really loaded the veggies up with this stuff, and I think it made them really tasty.

See Giada's original here.

Ingredients
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips Omitted
2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta) I used small shells and rotini
15 cherry tomatoes, halved I used grape tomatoes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce

I found this in my Google Reader from Made with Love.... You can see her post here. You can also find the recipe on foodtv.com.

I made my sauce a little differently than the recipe suggests. I sort of blended the sauce recipe given with the shells and Giada's Arrabbiata sauce from Everyday Italian. In addition, the sauce in the book only makes 1 quart, which I figured wouldn't be enough. So, I made the sauce in the book (minus black olives). I'm pretty sure I added an extra can of crushed tomatoes as well, to make a bit more sauce. So while I had that going, I then proceeded with this recipe's instructions of browning pancetta in olive oil, adding more garlic, etc. Does that make any sense? This of course made a lot more than the 5 cups I needed, so I just put it in the freezer for another time.

I made two trays of shells. I made a 9x9 pan for that night and a 9x13 pan for the freezer. The pan we had that night came out great, with one exception. The recipe suggests that we drizzle the sauce over the shells, but this resulted in the pasta not covered not really cooking all the way. It wasn't bad, but the softer parts were way better.

This is definitely a keeper!! No pictures just yet... maybe when I make the freezer pan, I'll take some! I enjoyed it, as did BAJ. It also makes great leftovers, which I just had for lunch. Wahoo for stocking the freezer!! Wahoo for my first stuffed shells!

Ingredients

• 1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells (recommended: Barilla) I used store brand
  
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon I used regular iodized
  
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 (8 to 10-ounce) package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped I used a can, which I drainied first
  
• 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves I used a combo of sweet basil and purple basil
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 5 cups Arrabbiata Sauce, recipe follows
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)
  

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of Arrabbiata sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 24 shells. Drizzle the remaining Arrabbiata Sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if shells are unfrozen.)

Arrabbiata Sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 ounces sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 cups jarred or fresh marinara sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.

Yield: approximately 6 cups

Crostini Alla Romana

This was a huge hit at our New Years Eve Party. They flew off the plate, and my husband told me today that I could make them again ANY time. He must've really liked them! I suspected that they would be a little tricky, but they turned out to be very easy.
I bought wayyyy too much proscuitto and mozzarella. I bought 2 packages of prosciutto, since it calls for 12 slices, but with the bread I used, I ended up using half for each toast. Same with the mozzarella; the one pound ball was so large, I used 1/2 of each slice for each toast. Finally, make sure the mozzarella isn't sliced too thick; the slice I ate was a little on the thick side which was a little too much for me.

Original recipe by Giada DeLaurentiis. Find it here.

• 12 1/2-inch thick slices ciabatta bread
• 12 slices thinly sliced prosciutto (about 6 ounces)
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 sage leaves
• Pinch salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the slices of ciabatta on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden around the edges, about 8 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven. Place the prosciutto slices and mozzarella on the crostini toast and return to the oven to melt the cheese, about 8 more minutes.

Meanwhile combine the butter and the sage leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter is melted and starting to brown in spots and the sage leaves are crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Transfer the crostini to a serving plate. Drizzle the crostini with the sage butter and serve immediately.