Chicken Braciole with Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup dried Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves (about 1 small bunch)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 to 2 cups freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 10 ounces angel hair or fettuccini pasta, cooked

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pound the chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap to about 1/4-inch thickness. In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley, grated Parmesan, and garlic. Slowly add 1/2 cup olive oil until the mixture becomes the consistency of thick paste. Evenly spread the mixture down the center of each piece of chicken, leaving room around the edges. 

Simple Chicken Parmigiana

This recipe renders a juicy chicken, after being "breaded" with finely grated Parmesan cheese, covered with mozzarella cheese and topped with roasted grape tomatoes. Everything happens in the oven, on one sheet pan.

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large garlic clove, grated

12 oz grape tomatoes

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

large pinch hot pepper flakes

4 skinless, boneless chicken (8 oz each)

1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

5 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

handful of torn fresh flat-leaf parsley or small basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 500F. Combine the oil, garlic and 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl. Transfer 2 tbsp to another bowl and add the tomatoes, oregano and pepper flakes. 

Chicken Soup with Apples and Leeks

This a sensational full-flavored winter soup, in which the leeks and apples accentuate and bring into focus the chicken. It is especially tasty if you just came in from the cold :D.

- 1.5 lb chicken (I used thighs, feel free to use any parts you like)

- 2 tbsp unsalted butter

- 2 leeks (including 1 inch of green), cut in half lengthwise, washed and finely sliced

- 2 Granny Smith apples (can be replaced with Golden Delicious or any tart baking apples), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

- 1 cup apple juice

- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

- 4 cups chicken broth

- 3 tbsp Calvados (optional) - it's a brandy made by distilling hard cider and aging it in oak casks

- 1/2 cup heavy cream

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Melt the butter over medium heat in a saute pan just large enough to hold the chicken. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook for about 8 minutes over medium heat. Turn the chicken and lightly saute in the same way for 5 more minutes.

Sauteed Chicken Thighs with Roasted Grapes Sauce

If you've never had roasted grapes before, please do yourselves a favour: try them now! You'll wonder how could you have lived without until now :)).

3/4 pound black or red seedless grapes, stemmed
3/4 pound seedless green grapes, stemmed
4 tbsp grapeseed oil or olive oil
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, can be substituted with thighs (as I did)

2 tbsp cold unsalted butter
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh chives (I used dried instead)

Cauliflower and Vegetable Soup

I honestly hope you'll forgive my photos, but the kitchen bulb died on me and no, it's not that easy to replace it, a) because I don't have a high enough ladder and b) I don't know how to remove the ceiling light fitting. On this note, I had to wait for the building maintenance personnel to assist with this very important problem, which took quite awhile. In the meantime, the light under the cabinets had to do, but they are definitely not suitable for taking photographs.

Now that I've vented, let's get down to business. For this soup (inspired by Dana) you'll need:

- 1 head of cauliflower

- 2 celery stalks, diced

- 1 large onion, chopped

- 2 large carrots, diced

- 1 bell pepper, cleaned and diced

- 2 qt chicken stock (can of course be replaced with vegetable stock)

- 1 bunch parsley, chopped

- tomato juice (to taste, about 1 cup)

- salt and pepper

- red pepper flakes to taste

Israeli Couscous with Pine Nuts and Parsley

The problem with my kitchen is that I never have enough light, even in the summertime I have to turn on the light to cook. That explains my photos to a degree (I'm not trying to make excuses here), and I confess I'd love to have a kitchen like Roxana's (sigh). Until then, let's make some couscous!

The ingredients are:

- 3 tbsp butter, divided

- 1/2 cup pine nuts

- 1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped

- 1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous

- 1/2 large cinnamon stick

- 1 fresh or dried bay leaf

- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/4 cup parsley, minced

- zest of 1/2 lemon

- 1/4 cup raisins (optional)

- black pepper to taste

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts and stir until golden brown, then transfer to a small bowl.

Deviled Chicken Drumsticks

I know, it's chicken again, but at 90 degrees outside I was happy to get in and out of the kitchen as soon as possible. So I found this wonderful recipe that did not require any supervision, the product went into the oven and was done in under one hour.

I used:

• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 3/8 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 3/8 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in the upper third of the oven.

Pat chicken dry, then toss with mustard until evenly coated.

Stir together panko, cheese, cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. 

Drizzle with butter and toss. 

Dredge each drumstick in crumb mixture to coat

Arrange, without crowding, in a buttered large 4-sided pan. Roast until chicken is browned and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature

I made some roasted bell pepper salad to go with it (roasted bell pepper, vinegar, vegetable oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, everything left in the fridge for at least 3 hours)

 

And I added some roasted eggplant salad to serve

I am sorry the pictures are blurred, my daughter was patrolling around the kitchen, as the smell of the freshly baked chicken was unbearable ;). These moist and juicy drumsticks (with a slight kick) are perfect picnic food, since they're also terrific cold or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Chicken Breasts in Lemon and Sage Sauce

After another week of business travel, I managed to return home intact but sooo tired. And of course, as luck would have it, the fridge was very empty and my little princess wanted something special from "Chef Mommy", as she calls me.

Spanish Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes (recipe by Nigella Lawson)

The other day I was looking for a fast and tasty dinner so I opened Nigella Lawson's most recent cookboook (yes, I bought all of them, I love how she writes!). Without further ado, here are the ingredients:

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 6 chicken thighs, bone in, with skin

- 1 lb chorizo sausages, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks

- 1 lb baby white-skinned potatoes, halved

- 1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped

- 1 tsp dried oregano

- grated zest from one orange

Preheat the oven to 425F. Put the oil on the bottom of a shallow roasting pan and rub the skin of the chicken in oil, then turn skin-side up. Add the chorizo sausage chunks and the baby potatoes. Sprinkle the onion and the oregano over, then grate the orange zest over the meat, potatoes and onion.

Cook for 1 hour; after 30 minutes baste the contents with the orange-coloured juices.

And that's it!

Any leftovers can be used for quesadilla, says Nigella. I didn't have any, so please share with me your experiences!

Veal Cordon Bleu

I bought the other day some splendid veal cutlets, although I was not sure what I was going to do with them. Today, whilst in the office, it struck me: Cordon Bleu, something I have not made in a very long time. So, when we got home, I took the meat out of the fridge and started preparing it by patting it dry with some paper towels, then laying it on my glass cutting board

Quick Chicken Breast and Bell Peppers Stew

After a long day at work, I realized when I arrived home that I had ironing to do for my little Girl Scout. So between applying all those numerals and identification tags, emblems, insignia and whatnot, I quickly put this together using:

- 1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

- 3 bell peppers (in my case red, orange and green), diced

- tomato sauce, about 1/2 cup 

- salt and pepper to taste

- some dried rosemary and oregano

- 1 dry bay leaf

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

I started by heating up the oil on medium-low heat, added the meat, seasoned it with salt and pepper to taste, and left it in there until no longer pink

Sausage-stuffed Cornish Hen

This is meant for 1-2 servings. For two persons, cut the hen in half along the breast and backbones.

Ingredients:

- 1 Cornish hen (livers reserved, if included), at room temperature

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

- 1 shallot (I used 3 scallions), finely chopped

- 1/4 pound sausage, casings removed

- 1 large egg, lightly beaten

- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (I omitted that)

- salt and freshly ground pepper

Centre a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425F.

Heat the olive oil and the butter in an oven-going skillet over medium-heat. Toss in the garlic and shallot/onion and stir everything around for minute or so.

Peas, Carrots and Chicken Stew

Of course I had planned for today a totally different meal, but on the way home from school my daughter said she wanted me to make this stew for her. She loves this dish a lot and I always make it with pleasure, because it reminds me of my own childhood. I must admit I'm extremely happy that my daughter loves vegetables and totally dislikes fast-food.

Don't think that the vegetarian version is less tasty! The advantages of this recipe: it's done quickly and the meatless version can be served as a side dish.

So I got from the fridge one chicken breast of about 2/3 lb, about 5 thin scallions and some fresh dill; from the pantry some vegetable oil and tomato paste, and from the freezer approximately 1lb peas and carrots mix.

I cubed the chicken into 1-inch pieces, then added it to a pan in heated vegetable oil (about 2 tbsp)

Chicken Soup with Grits Dumplings - Supa de pui cu galuste de gris

It's so cold these days that I thought of a remake of my daughter's favourite soup, perfect for the winter time, real comfort food: chicken soup with grits dumplings. You are, of course, more than welcome to replace chicken with vegetable soup, but I have absolutely no idea how that might work, because to me these dumplings are always associated with chicken soup. However, chicken stock can be successfully substituted for beef stock, but the first remains my preferred version.

E atat de frig zilele astea incat m-am gandit sa fac din nou supa preferata a fetitei mele, perfecta pe timp de iarna: supa de pui cu galuste de gris. Evident ca supa de pui se poate inlocui cu supa de legume, insa n-am nici cea mai mica idee ce gust va avea, pentru ca, pentru mine, galustele sunt intotdeauna asociate cu supa de pui. Puteti inlocui supa de pui cu supa de vita, insa cea de pui ramane varianta mea preferata.

I would normally use chicken backs and necks to make the chicken stock. Well, there was no sign of those at my local grocery store, so being this cold outside, I decided to stop fussing around and use bone-in, skin-on thighs instead, then add the cooked meat in the soup at the end.

In mod normal folosesc spate si gat de pui pentru a face supa de pui. De data asta, n-am gasit partile astea la magazinul care imi e aproape, si fiind atat de frig afara am hotarat sa folosesc pulpe cu os si piele, urmand sa adaug carnea fiarta in supa, la sfarsitul prepararii. 

Fried Marinated Chicken Breast Strips

This recipe was the kids' absolute favorite at my daughter's birthday party. It is, again, very simple to make and does not require any advanced techniques or tools: a pan, a bowl and a couple of shallow dishes should be more than enough :D

Now this is how I've done it: I took 4 large chicken breasts and cut them into thin strips. I put the meat in a bowl and covered it in kefir with condiments: grated garlic, salt, white pepper, rosemary, oregano, a dash of sweet paprika, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, dried parsley.

Of course you can use any spices and condiments you like, but I thought the marinade shouldn't be too spicy for the kids. I then covered the bowl with cling film and put in the the fridge overnight. I assume a couple of hours would also do the job, if you're in a hurry, which I wasn't :D.

Next morning I took the bowl out, poured panko crumbs into a shallow dish, then I rolled the strips in panko. Don't forget to start heating the oil (I used vegetable oil) in a pan; you'll need oil about 1/2 inch deep. As soon as the oil is hot, start laying the strips into the pan. Alternatively, I believe you can use a deep fryer, which I don't have.

The strips should be cooked on medium heat, about 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on how thin they are. Don't go away, they will burn quickly! When done, remove them on a plate covered in paper towels, to further drain the oil.

The strips are crunchy on the outside because of the panko crumbs, but moist and tender inside thanks to the marinade. Make sure you have plenty of these available on hand for even the most picky eaters!

Tarragon Chicken with Vermouth Cream Sauce (a recipe by Nigella Lawson) - Pui cu sos de tarhon

 

 Serves 2:

- 2 teaspoons garlic flavored oil

- 2 fat scallions or 4 skinny ones, thinly sliced

- 1/2 teaspoon freeze-dried tarragon

- 2 chicken breats fillets, skinless and boneless

- 1/3 cup vermouth or white wine

- 1/4 teaspoon table salt or 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

- 1/2 cup heavy cream

- fresh white pepper

- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon, plus a pinch more for sprinkling (can be replaced with fresh parsley)

Pentru doua persoane:
- 2 lingurite ulei infuzat cu usturoi
- 2 cepe verzi mai groase sau 4 mai subtiri, taiate marunt
- 1/2 lingurita de tarhon uscat
- 2 fileuri de piept de pui, dezosate si dezpielitate
- 1/4 lingurita sare
- 100 ml frisca lichida
- piper alb
- 2 lingurite tarhon proaspat tocat, plus inca putin ( se poate inlocui cu patrunjel proaspat)

Okra and Chicken Breast Stew - Mancare de pui cu bame

Foarte, foarte simplu:

Extremely simple:

- 1 ceapa medie, tocata - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 linguri ulei de masline - 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 500 gr bame (eu am avut congelate) - 1 lb frozen okra 
- 500 gr piept de pui dezosat si dezpielitat, taiat bucati potrivite - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in medium pieces
- suc de rosii, sare si piper dupa gust - tomato juice, salt and pepper to taste

Tocati ceapa - chop the onion

Intr-o cratita incingeti uleiul la foc potrivit, adaugati ceapa, sarea si piperul, lasati-le sa se inmoaie putin, apoi adaugati pieptul de pui taiat in bucati potrivite, lasati totul la inabusit 10-15 minute

In a pan heat the oil over medium heat, add the chopped onion, salt and pepper, allow to soften a bit, then add the cut chicken breast, let everything cook for 10-15 minutes

Piept de pui "neumplut" cu prosciutto, provolone si salvie - Prosciutto Provolone and Sage "Unstuffed" Chicken Breast

De ce avem nevoie: - Ingredients:


- piept de pui taiat felii subtiri - thinly sliced chicken breast
- prosciutto, un nr. de felii egale cu cele de pui - prosciutto, same number of slices as the chicken breast
- branza provolone rasa (o cana) - grated Provolone cheese (one cup)
- smantana lichida cam 50 ml - 50 ml heavy cream
- vin alb cam jumatate de pahar (100 ml) - about 1/2 cup white wine (can be replaced with chicken stock)
- 4-5 frunze de salvie proaspata, maruntite - 4-5 chopped fresh sage leaves
- sare, piper - salt and pepper to taste
- pesmet pt snitele, al meu a fost cu nush ce gusturi de ierburi - breadcrumbs
- reteta mai cere 7 gr de porcini deshidratate, clatite si maruntite, da' mandra mea nu mananca ciuperci, asa c-am bagat ulei infuzat cu porcini, sa-mpac si capra si varza - 7 grams of dehydrated porcini mushrooms, I used some porcini infused oil instead

Am procedat asa:
- intr-o tigaie mare am pus la incins cam 2 lingurite din uleiul infuzat, peste care am adaugat puiul sarat si piperat pe ambele fete si-am lasat cam 3 minute la prajit

Salt and pepper the chicken breast slices on both sides. Heat 2 teaspoons of the porcini infused oil in a large pan, add the chicken breast and fry on one side for about 3 minutes

- am stins focul, am intors puiul pe partea ailalta, dupa care am asezat peste partea prajita prosciuttoul (eu am pus cate 2 felii de prosciutto)

Turn off the heat, turn the chicken over and cover with the prosciutto slices (I used 2 slices of prosciutto for each chicken breast)

Pui inabusit cu migdale si seminte de pin

Ooookei, poate suna mai ciudat, dar este foarte bun. Reteta originala cere bucati de pui cu os si piele, eu din pacate n-am avut decat piept de pui dezosat si dezpielitat, dar produsul final a iesit delicios.


Ingredientele:


Pentru picada:

- 2 linguri migdale tocate (se pot inlocui cu alune)
- 2 linguri seminte de pin tocate (se pot inlocui cu nuci)
- 1 lingura patrunjel proaspat tocat (eu am pus uscat)
- 3 catei de usturoi rasi
- cateva fire de sofran, zdrobite
- 1 ou fiert tare, maruntit (eu n-am pus, am vrut sa incerc fara)

Pentru pui si sos:

- 800 gr pui
- sare, piper
- 2 linguri ulei de masline (si extra, dupa nevoie)
- 1 ceapa medie tocata
- 100 gr sherry sec (se poate inlocui cu vin alb sec)
- 300 ml supa de pui
- o conserva de 150 gr de rosii taiate (se pot inlocui cu rosii proaspete, dar trebuie marit timpul de fierbere)
- o frunza de dafin
- un varf de cutit de scortisoara


Mai intai am facut picada, punand migdalele, semintele de pin, patrunjelul, usturoiul si sofranul in blender, unde le-am procesat pana au devenit cam ca o pasta. Le-am pus deoparte intr-un castronel (aici reteta spune sa amestecati in compozitie si oul fiert tare si maruntit, dar fiindca n-am pus ou, n-am mai amestecat cu nimic).

Intre timp am pus la incins intr-o cratita cu fundul gros 2 linguri de ulei de masline. Cand a fost pe punctul de a scoate fum, am asezat in cratita jumatate din pieptii de pui, spalati si uscati cu servete de hartie, apoi condimentati cu sare si piper.


Am lasat cateva minute sa se aureasca pe ambele parti, apoi i-am scos pe o farfurie si am adaugat in cratitza a doua serie, procedand la fel ca la prima. Daca folositi pulpe si/sau ciocanele de pui, inlaturati pielea si aruncati-o - blasfemie, stiu )

Am adaugat in cratitza ceva ulei de masline, apoi am pus ceapa tocata si putina sare


pe care am lasat-o sa se inmoaie vreo 5 minute si am turnat peste sherry-ul

Am amestecat cu nadejde tot ce era prins pe fundul cratitzei, pe urma am mai pus supa de pui, rosiile, frunza de dafin si scortisoara si am amestecat, dupa care le-am lasat sa ajunga la fierbere

Cand a inceput sa fiarba sosul am adaugat puiul impreuna cu toata zeama pe care a lasat-o, am acoperit cratitza, am redus focul si am lasat sa fiarba domol pana ce puiul a fost patruns complet.


Apoi am scos din nou puiul pe farfurie, i-am facut un "cort" din folie de aluminiu pentru a-l mentine cald cat timp terminam sosul.

Am lasat sosul sa fiarba inca vreo 3 minute, dupa care am amestecat in el picada


L-am mai fiert la foc mic inca aproximativ 2 minute, pana s-a ingrosat

Am scos frunza de dafin, am turnat sosul peste pui si am servit, fara garnitura fiindca asa a fost cererea :D

Fricassee de pui - Chicken Fricassee

Cu alte cuvinte, iata ce ne trebuie: - Ingredients

- aproximativ 1 kg carne de pui taiat in bucati (eu am pus copane dezosate si despielitate) - about 2 lbs chicken meat, chopped (I used skinless boneless thighs)
- 2 cepe tocate marunt - 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 25 gr unt - 1 tablespoon butter
- 250 ml vin alb sec - 1 cup dry white wine
- tarhon, rozmarin, busuioc, cimbru, o foaie de dafin. eu am adaugat si niste seminte de telina - tarragon, rosemary, basil, thyme, one bay leaf. I also added some celery seeds
- 1 lingurita suc de lamaie - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 75 ml frisca lichida - 75 ml heavy cream
- 3 linguri de patrunjel proaspat, tocat - 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 lingura de faina (se poate pune mai multa daca doriti un sos mai vartos, mie mi-a placut asa) - 1 tablespoon flour (you can add more if you want a thicker sauce, I liked it like this)
- 2 linguri de ulei - 2 tablespoons olive oil
- sare si piper dupa gust - salt and pepper to taste

In plus, pe langa cele din poza, mai sunt necesare cam 200 gr de ciuperci, pe care eu nu le-am pus pentru ca fandosita de fiica-mea nu mananca, si de cam jumatate de litru de supa de pui pe care am scos-o ulterior din frigider.

The recipe also calls for 1/2 mushrooms, which I did not add because my daughter doesn't like them, and for about 2 cups chicken stock, which I got from the fridge

Preincalziti cuptorul la 180 grade C/350 F. Dupa ce ati spalat puiul, uscati-l cu servete de hartie.

Pre-heat the oven at 180C/350F. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with kitchen towels.

Puneti jumatate din cantitatea de unt impreuna cu uleiul intr-o tigaie, adaugati puiul

In a pan heat the oil with half of the butter, then add the chicken

Prajiti la foc mare, intorcand puiul din cand in cand, pana prinde o culoare usor maronie pe ambele fete, apoi scoateti-l intr-un recipient care merge la cuptor, lasand sucurile in cratita/tigaia in care l-ati prajit

Fry the chicken on high heat, turning it over periodically, until lightly browned on both sides, then place it in an oven-proof recipient. Leave the juices in the pan you fried the chicken in 

Amestecati faina in sucurile ramase in cratita

Mix the flour in the juices left in the pan

adaugati vinul si amestecati bine

add the wine and mix to combine

 turnati supa de pui, racaind pe fundul cratitei pentru a desprinde toate resturile ramase de la puiul prajit, apoi adaugati ierburile, foaia de dafin, sucul de lamaie, sare si piper dupa gust

add the chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the brown bits from the fried chicken, then all the herbs, bay leaf, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste

 aduceti la punctul de fierbere, amestecand mereu

bring it to a boil, stirring continuously

Puiul prajit in caserola:

Fried chicken in its recipient

peste care turnam sosul care s-a ingrosat putin si dam la cuptor, acoperit, pentru cam o ora

pour over the thickened sauce, cover and place in the oven for an hour

In cratita/tigaia in care am prajit puiul topim restul de unt, la care adaugam ceapa (si ciupercile, daca folositi), amestecand frecvent, cam 5 minute, pana se aureste

 Using the pan the chicken was fried in, add the rest of butter, add the onions (and mushrooms, if used) and stir frequently for about 5 minutes until golden

turnam ceapa peste pui si bagam inapoi la cuptor cam jumatate de ora sau pana cand puiul este gata

pour the onion mix over the chicken and place back in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is done

am adaugat la pui frisca lichida si patrunjelul proaspat

add the heavy cream and fresh parsley

am amestecat bine

stir very well

si am servit cu piure cu unt, usturoi si spanac crud

and serve with mashed potatoes mixed with grated garlic, butter and chopped fresh spinach

Pofta mare!

Enjoy!