Lettuce, Mayo and Spicy Chicken Wrap

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Chicken and Mushrooms in White Wine Garlic Sauce

Ping! Alert. Meow, Meow! Alert. Bzzz. Alert. Chirp, Chirp. Alert. 

No, the above does not indicate that my robot self is currently malfunctioning, it is my calendar alerting me of my next meeting/call/appointment/dinner engagement/happy hour/I think you get the point. 

Side note: I still can't decide on which ringtone provides a less threatening and more serene notification when receiving said alerts. 

I am leaning towards meow, meow.

Basically, what I am trying to say is... right now, I do not have time to cook a braised, succulent and tender dinner for two.  I do have time to use techniques such as delivery and take out, but the idea of low and slow does not apply to my kitchen activities as of lately.   

However, I was getting tired of outsourcing my meals and missed my stove.  That doesn't necessarily mean that my schedule screeched to a halt, it just meant that I had to stick super fast and super easy.  

A perfect example of a super easy and fast meal is Chicken and Mushrooms in White Wine Garlic Sauce.  It's not only quick to make (less than 20 minutes), but also very budget friendly.  

Chicken and Mushrooms in White Wine Garlic Sauce 

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

serves 4 

Ingredients

4 ounces uncooked medium egg noodles

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 (8-ounce) package presliced exotic mushroom blend (such as shiitake, cremini, and oyster) 

1/2 cup dry white wine 

1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 

1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese 

Preparation

1. Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and keep warm.

2. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Place chicken breast halves in a shallow dish. Combine 1 tablespoon flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, stirring well with a whisk. Sprinkle flour mixture over chicken; toss to coat.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until browned. 

4. Remove chicken from pan. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add garlic, tarragon, and mushrooms to pan; sauté for 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms darken. Add white wine to pan; cook 1 minute. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring frequently.

5. Return chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer 2 minutes. Uncover; cook 1 minute or until chicken is done. Stir in noodles; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Place about 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese.

Creamy Asparagus Soup

Ever since I got my food processor, I am convinced that I can turn anything into a soup.  I had 2 pounds of asparagus and a half box of mushrooms left over from an event last Friday, and I thought to myself, why not whiz this up with some broth and cream and see what happens! The result? A soup mug full of creamy delight! 

Creamy Asparagus Soup

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes

* Since this was for a quick weekday supper, and I was starving, I didn't bother cutting off the tips and reserving them for garnish.  Nor did I run the soup through a sieve.  Since we are being honest, I didn't add vermouth either, because I didn't have any on hand.  But it still tasted amazing!  Okay, fine. Maybe I didn't even do the recipe. I just copied and pasted the picture from the website. JUST KIDDING!! I diiiidddd.... hehe.   

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs asparagus, trimmed of woody stem bottoms
1 large yellow onion, chopped (1 1/2 to 2 cups chopped)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
Leaves of 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp dry vermouth
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper


METHOD
1 Cut tips from the asparagus 1 1/2 inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish. Chop the remaining asparagus stalks into 1/4-inch rounds.

2 Melt the butter in a 4 to 5 quart pot on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped asparagus (not the spear tips) to the onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cook another 5 minutes.



3 Add the broth, water, and thyme to the pot. Increase the heat to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, covered, until the asparagus are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. At the end of cooking, stir in the chopped parsley.

4 While the soup is cooking, blanche the asparagus tips in a small pot of boiling, salted water (about 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt per quart of water), until the tips are just tender, about 2-4 minutes, depending on the size of the asparagus. Drain. Rinse with cool water to stop the cooking. Set aside.



5 Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. (If you use an upright blender, work in small batches, fill no more than a third the blender bowl at a time, and hold down the lid while blending.) For a creamy texture, if you want, press the puréed soup through a sieve or food mill. Stir in the cream. Stir in the vermouth and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with asparagus tips. 
Yield: Serves 4-6.

Cooking Light Recipe: Beef Tangine with Butternut Squash

In the past, nutrition was rarely on the brain whenever I decided on a recipe for dinner.  Usually, the two biggest determining factors were deliciousness potential and whether or not it will be substantial enough to quench my often times insatiable appetite. Unfortunately for me and my waistline, "deliciousness potential" usually meant the inclusion of butter, bacon or cream.

Since I've joined Cooking Light Magazine's Bloggers Community, I've come to realize that Cooking Light does not necessarily mean boring salads that will leave you craving a box of fried chicken an hour later. Cooking Light can also mean cooking recipes that are extremely hearty with a ton of flavor and just so happens to be really healthy!    

My favorite recipe, Beef Tangine with Butternut Squash, is just that dish! The use of bright, sweet, and seasonal butternut squash and tender beef will surely keep you warm and cozy all winter long. Snowy evenings, be gone! The tangine's bright spices and heat will instantaneously transport you to some far away land where scarves are made out of vibrant colored silk, not itchy wool dressed in muted and drab gray, brown or black.  Bleh.   

A Beef Shoulder Roast, Cubed is best for this Recipe

Instead of a ton a salt, I packed a ton of flavor with the use of exotic spices! 

The longer you let it marinate, the more tender and flavorful the meat! 

Hearty and Delicious! 

Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Serves 4

2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) beef shoulder roast or petite tender roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 shallots, quartered
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add beef; toss well to coat.

2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef and shallots; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Add squash; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until squash is tender. Sprinkle with cilantro.


Nutritional Information

Amount per serving
Calories: 283  Fat: 9.5g  Saturated fat: 2g  Monounsaturated fat: 4.8g  Polyunsaturated fat: 0.5g Protein: 25.6g  Carbohydrate: 25.7g  Fiber: 4.8g  Cholesterol: 67mg  Iron: 4.6mg  Sodium: 617mg Calcium: 103mg

Extreme Makeover: Risotto Edition

Egad, it is the beginning of December and it was only 56 degrees outside last night.  In my early years, I would have been gallivanting around town like a stilletoed banshee thirsty for fancy fizzy drinks, savoring the unseasonable warm(ish) nights that has been gifted to us before we had to endure the inevitable violent winters ahead. But since I passed the big 3-0 mark,  my desire for urban exploits are now limited to only culinary adventures that will allow me to remain nestled comfortably within the confines of my own toasty kitchen, wearing my favorite fuzzy pink socks. 

I had a ton of shiitake mushrooms left over from the last dinner party I hosted, so I thought to myself, why not finally try to make risotto?  I've seen it done multiple times on my favorite food competition shows, but never tried to do it myself. The ingredients were basic pantry staples, so all I needed was to purchase the abboro rice.  

Don't throw away the stems! Use them to flavor
 your broth!

Why I waited so long to make this dish, is beyond me.  The preparation was fairly easy and the result was beautiful and complex.  The trick is to keep it simple! Use beautiful, fresh, fragrant ingredients and let them do their thannng. Have left overs? The next day, mix in more parmesan cheese, panko and eggs, drop into hot oil.  Serve with a delicate poached egg, boom. Brunch. 

Shiitake Mushroom Risotto 

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp butter
2 cups flavorful mushrooms such as shiitake, chanterelle, or oyster mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into half inch to inch pieces
2/3 cup brandy, vermouth, or dry white wine
5-6 cups chicken stock* (use vegetable stock for vegetarian option)
1/3 cup of peeled and minced shallots (OR 1/3 cup of yellow or white onion, finely chopped)
1 3/4 cups arborio rice or other risotto rice
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or chives
*If cooking gluten-free, use homemade stock or gluten-free packaged stock.

METHOD
1 Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan.

2 Melt the butter in a deep, heavy, medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and shallots and sauté about 5 minutes (if using chanterelles, dry sauté first for a minute or two and let the mushrooms cook in their own juices before adding the butter). Add the rice and stir to combine.

3 Add brandy, bring to a boil, and reduce liquid by half, about 3-4 minutes. Add simmering stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring enough to keep the rice from sticking to the edges of the pan. Stir the rice almost constantly — stirring sloughs off the starch from the rice, making the creamy sauce you're looking for in a risotto. Wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. This process will take about 25 minutes. The rice should be just cooked and slightly chewy.

4 Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or chives.

Yield: Serves 4-6.

Crispy Risotto Cake with 

Poached Egg

Ingredients

Leftover Risotto

3 Eggs

2 cups of Panko

1 cup of Parmesan Cheese, Shredded

Canola Oil 

Chopped parsley for garnish

1. Pour oil in skillet, at lease 1 inch deep.  Turn pan on High/Medium. 

2. Mix risotto with 1 egg, 1/2 cup of panko, and cheese, form into patties.

3. Spread the rest of panko on a flat plate, and whip two eggs in another bowl.

4. First dip patty in egg, then coat with panko, gently place patties in skillet with oil.  Repeat with other patties. Make sure you don't crowd your pan.  Flip once one side is brown. Lay patties on plate layered with two paper towels and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve. 

5. Top with poached egg. Sprinkle with parsley, serve immediately.    

Deep Fried Avocado

I had no idea which direction this dish was going to take.

I just made the plunge (literally, in oil) 

and crossed my fingers praying that 

it doesn't turn into greasy mush.  

You see, when you own a deep fryer, you have a tendency to adapt this way of thinking.  This tastes amazing on its own, 

but seriously... 

What would it taste like deep fried??

It may turn out to be a disaster, 

but, in my experience,the successes were always worth the risk. 

Luckily, my attempt resulted in a big win.  

The heat made the avocado nice and creamy in the inside

and the oil made the panko breading extra crispy on the outside. 

I like to reuse my oil, so each bite had 

remnants of fried chicken as well. Big win. 

Deep Fried Avocado
Serves 2 (as side dishes)
Recipe adapted from Food Republic

For the optimal deep fried avocado experience, it must be accompanied with a sauce.  You can go either way with this.  If you want to shoot for a savory dish, try serving it with my garlic tomato sauce. If you are feeling a bit adventurous and want to serve this as a dessert, I dare you to serve it with vanilla ice cream and powder sugar. Double dog dare you. 

2 large avocados
1 cup of all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups of panko
Kosher salt for sprinkling
Oil for frying

1. Slice avocados in half and remove the pit. 

2. Cut each half into three slices and peel off the skin.

3. Dredge each wedge in flour, then soak in egg (leave it in for a few seconds to allow the egg to stick to the flour), roll in breadcrumbs and place on a tray or platter.

4. Preheat fryer to 350F.

5. Fry avocado wedges in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the fryer. Remove after 5 minutes, or when they're golden-brown and crisp-looking.

6. Drain on several layers of paper towels, sprinkle with salt and serve with your favorite dipping sauce. 

Chicken Pesto Pizza with Arugula and Cherry Tomatoes

I don't bake.  

Flour is my foe, and most definitely not my friend. 

My style of cooking doesn't really lend itself 

to successful baking.  

I don't really measure. 

I come from the school of 

"a little of this and a little of that". 

That being said, I don't normally like 

to take culinary shortcuts, 

but when you live in a city where Arthur Avenue  

is at your fingertips, I'm okay with using 

prepackaged pizza dough.  

My Arthur Avenue pizza dough made this recipe 

SUPER easy and SUPER cheap. 

This recipe is also perfect for your leftovers 

that you are not sure how to jazz up. 

All of your half eaten food knick knacks will taste 

divine on a pizza.  

I had leftover rotisserie chicken, 1/4 cup of pesto, 

a few leaves of arugula, and marbles of cherry tomatoes 

rolling around aimlessly in my fridge.  

I bought pizza dough, assembled, 

10 minutes in the oven, and I was done! 

The taste was award winning, indeed! 

I may have stretched the truth, just a tad.
The dough requires you to plop it in a lightly oiled bowl,
place a towel on top,
and allow it to rest for an hour or two.

But, seriously, how hard is that?

Drenched in cheese. 

Even better the next day served cold. 

Chicken Pesto Pizza with Arugula and Cherry Tomatoes

Serves 4

1/2 cup pesto basil sauce

1 bag of pizza dough

2 cups cooked chicken breast strips

1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2  cup arugula

1. Remove dough from plastic bag. Place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean dish towel.  Allow to rest for 1-2 hours, until dough is pliable.

2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

3. Spread dough on an oiled baking sheet, until the dough is in desired shape.

4. Spread pesto on pizza dough.

5. Top with cooked chicken breast.

6. Sprinkle tomatoes and arugula.

7. Sprinkle with cheese.

8. Once the oven is heated, slide uncooked pizza into oven and allow to cook for approximately 15 minutes.  Slice and serve! 

Roasted Cumin Cheddar Red Potatoes

I concocted this recipe last night and decided to share.

Why?

It was outrageously awesome and EASY!  

Here is what happened. 

I had a half block of sharp cheddar cheese left over from 

Peppers Stuffed with Fiesta Turkey  night and since I had a craving for something cheesy, I knew that I wanted to use it. 

While rummaging through my pantry, 

a potato rolled out of nowhere and fell on my left toe.

 Once the pain subsided, I knew immediately that I needed to avenge my toe and eat this potato, along with his friends.   

  

Plain loaded baked potatoes bore me... okay, let's be real. 

Loaded baked potatoes are never boring.  

I didn't have any bacon in the fridge.  

As an alternative, I decided to do roasted potatoes 

drenched in a thunderstorm of cheddar cheese and

Southwest is the Best spice mix. 

Roasted Cumin Cheddar Red Potatoes

Serves 2 

When served as a heaping side

4 medium sized red potatoes, quartered

Canola oil, enough to lightly dress the potatoes

1 cup of sharp cheddar, shredded 

2 tablespoons of Southwest is the Best spice mix

salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Place potatoes on baking sheet and drizzle with oil

3. Sprinkle potatoes with Southwest is the Best spice mix and salt. 

4. Toss. 

5. Once oven is heated, place potatoes in oven. Leave in oven for 

40 minutes. 

6.  After 40 minutes are up,sprinkle potatoes with cheddar and toss. Return potatoes in oven. Let cook for another 10 minutes. 

7. Allow to cool for 5 minutes (or not :)). Serve!  

Peppers Stuffed with Fiesta Turkey

I love to make this meal because you seriously get 

a big bang for your buck. It's filling, healthy and is even more 

delicious the next day. Wanna see how much I spent?

3 green peppers - $2.94

2 corn on the cobb - $1.00

1 block of cheese - $2.99

1 pound of turkey - $4.25

1 can of kidney beans - $0.89

1 can of crushed tomatoes - $1.99

1 onion - $1.49

1 jalapeno - $0.25

Total - $15.80 or $2.63 per person! 

I say that is a fiesta worth having. 

My secret to a Thrifty Meal is to use ingredients on sale
and a lot of imagination! 

I usually cut my peppers lengthwise rather than off the top.
Easier stuffing, easier eating. 

Roasting the peppers before stuffing ensures a cooked pepper.

I like to put all my favorite spice combinations into small tins.
Saves counter space and time.
I call this one,
Southwest is the Best!

Equal Parts of Cayenne, Cumin, Paprika,
Onion Powder, Garlic Powder

Corn was on sale at the market, so in it goes! 

Turkey Fiesta! 

Chedda' makes it bedda'

Do a Daisy Dollop and serve immediately!

Peppers Stuffed with Fiesta Turkey

Serves 6

2 tablespoons of canola oil

3 very large green peppers, sliced lengthwise and deseeded  

2 cups of shredded sharp chedder

1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 jalapeno, diced

1/2 white onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound of ground turkey

2 corn on the cob, shucked and shaved

1 can of crushed tomatoes 

1/2 cup of chicken stock 
1 cup of sour cream

2 tablespoons of Southwest is the Best spice blend 

salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place green sliced and deseeded green pepper on baking tray and cover with aluminum foil. Place tray in heated oven. Cook for 20 minutes. 

2. In heated pan, coat bottom with oil. Stove top should be on med/high heat. Once hot, add garlic and  onion until fragrant. Add ground turkey until brown. Toss in minced jalapeno and Southwest is the Best spice blend.   

3. Add corn ears to skillet.  Cover for five minutes. Add kidney beans.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set stove top to med/low and cover for approximately 10 minutes.  

4. Remove peppers from oven. Stuff peppers with Turkey Fiesta mix and top with cheese. Your skillet should now be empty. 

5. Add canned crushed tomatoes to skillet and chicken stock. Cover until simmering.  Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.  

6. Place stuffed peppers back into pan on top of tomato sauce and cover.  Allow to cook for ten more minutes or until cheese is melted and pepper are soft to the touch. 

7. Turn heat off. Spoon tomato mixture on flat plate, place peppers on top of sauce and dollop with a spoon of sour cream. Serve! 

Thrifty Thursday - Vegetarian Edition!

Black Bean, Mushroom & Zucchini Quesadilla with Mango & Avocado Pico De Gallo

I very rarely cook vegetarian dinners. I've always felt that a meal isn't complete unless there was a slab of something on the plate. Nevertheless, when a veggie enthusiast friend challenged me to do a vegetarian friendly Thrifty Thursday, I just had to accept!

That being said, it would be false to claim that I embarked on this meatless journey with intense enthusiasm. On the contrary, I knew I had to have a plan B before I laid one trepidatious hand on my newly purchased blazingly green produce. With curved fingers, perfectly sculpted for hamburger holding, I dialed the number to my favorite pizzeria and ordered a  slice of pepperoni pizza to be put on standby. There was no way a couple of beans and an avocado was going to satisfy my manlike appetite.

To my surprise, the final product was like a breath of fresh air for the intestines. The flavors were light, cool and crisp. Also, with the addition of mushrooms, it tasted like meat's distant step cousin was sprinkled in each bite.  In the end, I honestly did not miss the meat and my stomach was satisfied.  As for my pepperoni slice? It remained in the fridge and was later consumed the next morning.

   

Ingredients
Serves 2, $5.01 per person*

* I know that the receipt says $14.02, but I bought a chocolate bar to snack on while I was shopping and bananas to snack on my way home. Manlike appetite. 

What I already had

  2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
  1 tbls sour cream
  1/2 head of garlic
  1 zucchini, diced
  1/2 medium sized onion, diced
  Grapeseed oil
  1 tablespoons of butter
  Cayenne, Paprika, Salt and Pepper

What I bought

    1 avocado
     1 mango
  1 bunch of cilantro (you really only need a 1/2)
  1 block of monterey jack cheese (I shredded half)
  1 can of black beans
  1 lime
  1 jalapeno, diced
  1 carton of mushrooms (used and chopped half)
  1 package of whole wheat tortillas (I used 4)

Directions

1. Dice avocado, mango and seeded plum tomatoes.  Add into a bowl.  Toss in chopped cilantro leaves.  Dress salad with the juice from one lime, a pinch of salt and two minced garlic cloves.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

2. Heat a tablespoon of grapeseed oil in a skillet.  Once hot, add diced onions and garlic until fragrant. Next, add diced zucchini, chopped mushrooms and diced jalepeno.  Once the mushrooms are slightly browned and zucchini is soft add drained black beans.  Season with cayenne, paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes on medium heat.  Set aside once cooked through.

3. Melt 2 teaspoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle evenly with cheese, then top with some of the bean mixture. Place another tortilla on top, cook until golden, then flip and cook on the other side. Melt more butter as needed, and repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Top with reserved pico de gallo and serve with a dollop of sour cream.