Porter Marinated Chicken Skewers

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. minced garlic

½ cup honey

½ cup water

3/4 cup porter (or stout or other dark beer)

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 Tbsp. olive oil

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

¼ tsp. black pepper

¼ cup minced red onion

1-2 lbs. chicken breast cut into bite sized cubes

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients except cubed chicken in a large airtight container, or dish that can be covered.  Once well mixed, add chicken.  The chicken should be wholly covered by the marinade.  Keep refrigerated for 4 - 24 hours.  Skewer the chicken.  Grill, Broil or bake the chicken until done. 

Great served atop:Crisp Asian Spinach Salad

"Tastes Like Fried" Baked Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:
4 Chicken breast butterflied and then cut in half (i.e. cut in half to make 8 thinner pieces)
Salt and pepper
Flour for dredging (about 1 cup)
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup melted butter
About 4 cups Rice Krispies

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put butter in a 13 by 9 inch baking dish and put in oven until just melted, remove from oven and set aside.

Salt and Pepper each chicken piece.  Dredge each piece of chicken in flour.  Mix together, milk, egg and melted butter from pan in a medium sized bowl.  Reserve baking dish with butter remnants.

Place Rice Krispies in a second medium sized bowl.  Dip chicken pieces in milk mixture to coat, then dip directly into Rice Krispies until well coated.  Return to 13 by 9 inch baking dish.  Repeat for each piece of chicken.  Place chicken in baking dish  is one layer, do not overlap chicken.

Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until chicken is done.  Serve hot, enjoy!  Great with Honey Mustard Sauce or Homemade BBQ sauce.

Summertime Chicken Piccata

Ingredients:
2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste
Flour, about 1 cup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup wine
3 Tbsp. cup lemon juice
3 Tbsp. garlic minced

½ cup chicken stock

¼ cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

½ package angel hair pasta

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter with 1 Tbsp. olive oil. When heated, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Remove and transfer to 13 by 9 inch baking dish (do not overlap pieces). Add 2 remaining 2 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil. When butter and oil are heated, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in for 3 minutes each. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the baking dish.  Place in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Reserve the oil/butter in the skillet.

Boil your pasta according to the directions on the package.  I recommend adding some salt and olive oil to your water.  This will make the water boil faster, keep the pasta from sticking, and give your pasta a little flavor.  Try to time it so that the pasta is done when chicken is done in the oven.

While chicken is cooking, add wine, lemon juice and garlic to oil/butter mixture remaining in skillet and cook on medium high until wine mixture is reduced to about half (about 7 minutes).  Add stock and capers.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer for about 5 minutes.  Add 1 Tbsp. butter and.  Turn off and set aside.

Add sauce to pasta and mix well to incorporate.  Plate by placing some of the pasta and sauce on a plate or in a bowl, then place one piece of chicken over pasta.  Serves 4.  Enjoy!

***This recipe can easily be doubled.

Chicken Enchiladas Casserole for a Sizzling Spring Night

Best served with Margaritas and good friends!  My good friend Clare and I perfected this recipe this month.  I have tried making enchiladas many times, but I think everything tastes better as a casserole...haha.  Maybe that's why my friends have dubbed me the Casserole Queen!

Ingredients:

1 package chicken breast thawed about 1 1/2- 2 lbs
21 small corn tortillas
2 + 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Large Onion diced
3 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
1 (16 oz.) Light sour cream
1/2 cup + 2 cups chicken broth
4 cups of Mexican Cheese
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 + 1/2 tsp. Paprika
Salt and Pepper
Cilantro or Scallions or Salsa for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill a large skillet about half way with cold water.  Add 1 tsp. salt to the water and mix.  Add chicken to the water.  Cook on High for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken from water, and set aside to cool.  Once cool, shred or chop chicken into small pieces.

2.  Heat about 1 Tbsp. oil in a skillet.  Lightly pan saute each corn tortilla for about 10 seconds on each side, and lay on paper towels to drain.  Add another 1 Tbsp. of oil about half way through.  There will be very little oil in the pan, that is fine.  Set Aside.

3.  In large saute pan heat 2 Tbsp. oil on medium-high heat and saute onion for a few minutes, add chilies and chicken.  Saute a few more minutes.  Add 1 tsp. paprika, 1/2 cup of chicken broth, half a cup of sour cream and 1/4 tsp. of salt.  Stir to combine and cook a few additional minutes.  Turn of heat and set aside.

4.  In a medium saute pan, melt butter.  Add small amounts of the flour and 2 cups of chicken broth alternatively, whisking together over medium-high heat until combined and not lumpy.   Turn heat down to low.  Add remaining sour cream, 2 cups of cheese, 1/2 tsp. paprika and 1/8 tsp. salt.  Cook until combined.

5.  Grease the bottom of 13 by 9 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray.  Cover the bottom of the pan with 7 of the tortillas.  Pour over 1/2 of the chicken mixture  Pour over 1/3 of the cheese sauce.  Evenly spread 1 cup of cheese over the sauce.  Cover with 7 more tortillas.  Pour over remaining chicken mixture and another 1/3 of the cheese sauce.  Evenly spread remaining cheese over the sauce.  cover with the remaining tortillas.  Cover with remaining cheese sauce.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Let set for about 5 minutes prior to serving so slices come out clean.  Garnish as desired and serve hot.  Enjoy!

Crispy Chicken Tender Parmesan

Ingredients:

Crispy Chicken Tenders from recipe below cooked until done (I use Italian bread crumbs or Parmesan in a shaker as the breading)
1 Jar Marina Sauce (I love Ragu Robusto Romano Parmesan)
2 cups Shredded Mozzarella
1/4 Cup Shredded Parmesan

Directions:

Coat bottom of a 13 by 9 inch baking dish with marina sauce.  Place chicken tenders evenly throughout dish.    Cover with cheeses.  Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve Hot with your favorite pasta.

Crispy Chicken Tenders

Ingredients: 

 1 1/2 to 2 lb Chicken Tenders (or Chicken Breast cut into Strips)
Flour (about 1 cup)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1 egg
1 Tbsp. melted Butter
1/2 cup milk (or more if needed)
About 3 cups Bread Crumbs or Rice Crispies (as needed) *In a pinch grated Parmesan from the shaker will work
*Olive Oil (optional)
*Honey Mustard Sauce (optional, recipe to follow)
*BBQ Sauce (optional, recipe to follow)

Directions:

In a medium bowl beat egg and add the milk and melted butter.  Mix well.  Place about a cup of flour in a bowl.  Place the bread crumbs or rice crispies in a bowl.  Lightly salt and pepper the chicken.  Coat each piece of chicken with the flour, then dip chicken in the egg mixture until coated, finally coat the chicken with the breadcrumbs or rice crispies and set aside.  Repeat this for each chicken tender.

Fried:  If you want to fry your chicken tenders, then heat 1 cup of olive oil in a large skillet at medium heat until hot, but not browned.  Add your chicken tenders to the skillet, do not overlap (depending on the size of the skillet you may need to do in batches).  Cook until done, make sure to flip and cook until golden brown on both sides.  You may need to add more olive oil if doing multiple batches.  When done, place on a plate covered in paper towels to drain.  Serve hot.

Baked:  If you want to make a healthier choice, then bake your tenders in a 350 degree preheated over for about 25 to 30 minutes or until done.  Bake in a baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray in a single layer.

Great with Honey Mustard Sauce or covered with BBQ sauce.  Enjoy!

or use to make Chicken Tender Parmesan (recipe to follow).

Summer Rosemary Garlic Dijon Marinade for Grilled Pork or Chicken

This is a fun summer recipe perfect for grilling. 

Ingredients:
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 bulb garlic minced (about 5 Tbsp.)
8 sprigs rosemary chopped (about 1/4 cup)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in large bowl or dish.  Add desired meat (recommend chicken, pork or steak, works great for kebabs).  Marinate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

If making kebabs, I also like to add my vegetables sliced vegetables to the marinade for at least an hour (up to 4 hours).  Remember, that if you mix raw meat and vegetables or use any marinade that was mixed with raw meat for the vegetables, you must make sure to cook the vegetables thoroughly.

Remove meat from marinade and Grill or Bake meat until done.

I usually baste my kebobs or meat with the leftover marinade every few minutes while grilling.  Remember that the marinade contained raw meat, so you must stop basting before the meat or kebabs are done and make sure to cook the basted meat long enough to ensure any marinade is also thoroughly cooked through.

Hearty Home-style Chicken and Vegetable Casserole for a Rainy Spring Weekend

This is one of my favorite quick and easy hearty home-style meals. It makes me want to curl up by a fire and read a good book. I make variations of this dish at my dinner parties regularly and it is always a big hit. Plus, it’s a great way to get anyone to eat their vegetables! It reheats well and can be made ahead (no more than 1 day) and baked later. If you want to make a slightly healthier version, then just add one can of soup only and 1/2 cup of fat free sour cream. As I said, I "mess with", "tinker", "alter" (you pick the adjective) this recipe on a constant basis and its hard to screw up. Some of my recommended variations appear below. If you try a different version, let me know!

Ingredients:
Homemade Apple Cranberry Pork Sausage Stuffing Recipe (or if you are in a hurry, one package STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix, I like the cornbread flavor, but chicken or turkey works too)

2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed and cut into bite-size pieces

2 (10-3/4 oz.) cans condensed cream of chicken soup (or for a healthier version, 1 can soup plus 1/2 cup low fat sour cream)

1 (16 oz.) package frozen vegetables (mixed carrot, peas, corn and green beans)

1/2 (16 oz.) package of frozen broccoli florets (or you can simply add 8 oz. more of the frozen vegetables if you aren't a broccoli fan)

1 tsp. red pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make Homemade Apple Cranberry Stuffing according to recipe, but do not bake in oven, set aside. If you are making the Stove Top Stuffing mix, simply follow directions on the box and set aside.

Pour condensed soups into a large casserole dish (at least 13 X 9 inches). Add pepper and mix. Add chicken and mix. Add frozen vegetables and broccoli and mix. Casserole will be full. Cover evenly with stuffing. Bake in preheated oven for 55-65 minutes until done. Serve hot.

Variations:

Replace stuffing with a sheet of pie crust. If using a premade pie crust, simply open the pie crust and place over the 13 X 9 inch casserole dish before baking. Cut off excess on edges and place on top of areas where you can see the casserole. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until crust is light brown and chicken is fully cooked. My homemade pie crust recipe can be found here:  Grandma's Pie Crust. If using homemade pie crust, simply roll out one recipe of pie crust into an approximately 13X 9 inch rectangle and place atop casserole before baking.

Replace stuffing with cheese and bread crumbs or rice krispie or corn flake crumbs. Instead of the stuffing, bake the casserole sans stuffing covered with aluminum foil for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. While the casserole is baking, melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan. Then add one cup corn flake crumbs or bread crumbs and sauté over medium heat until lightly browned. Set aside. After the chicken casserole has been in the oven for 40 minutes, take the casserole out of the oven. Cover the casserole evenly with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or more to your taste). Then cover casserole evenly with the prepared corn flake crumbs or bread crumbs. Put the casserole back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and chicken is fully cooked.

Another fun option is to replace the chicken bread with the shredded chicken from a fully cooked whole rotisserie chicken.  Baking time is reduced to 40-45 minutes.

Chicken Cassoulet for a Full Moon and Lots of Friends

I love this dish.  Its a bit of prep work, but its not difficult.  I have been working on making the prep work more managble and have updated the recipe.  I make it when I have a lot of really close friends coming over for dinner or if I am in a "cozy" mood.  My sister, her boyfriend and her two good friends came to visit me this month and I made it for them.  It was just what we needed after a day of beer and wine tasting in the country.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 package bacon sliced into small pieces
1 large sweet onions diced
1 pounds Chicken Breast chopped into 1/4 inch cubes
1 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 + 1 cup chicken stock
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 Tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 Tbsp. parsley (use fresh if you have it)
1 tsp. sage (use fresh if you have it)
1/4 tsp. thyme (optional)
2 links Low Fat Turkey or Chicken Sausage chopped into 1/4 inch slices (Hillshire Farms or Jennie-O lean kielbasa sausage works great, however just use one large link, Jennie-O Lean Mild Turkey Sausage, or any other low-fat turkey or chicken sausage will work; you can also simply use a whole package of bacon and leave the sausage out)
1 cup baby carrots cut in half (or 1 cup carrots, cut carrot in half lengthwise, then into 1 inch long slices)
1 (15 oz.) can Cannellini beans (Great Northern Beans)
1/4 stick (2 Tbsp.) butter
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Fry bacon in a large saute pan.  Once bacon is crisp, place on plate with paper towels to drain; reserve oil. 

Put 1 Tbsp. reserved bacon oil in the same (unwashed) saute pan and cook onions at medium heat until soft.  Put onion on plate and set aside. 

Put 1 Tbsp. reserved bacon oil in the same (unwashed) saute pan and cook chicken until done (approximately 8 minutes). 

If using precooked suasage, then skip this step.  If your sausage is raw, cook it over medium heat in a saute pan until done.  Set aside.

Mix tomatoes, wine, garlic, salt, pepper, 1/2 Tbsp.  parsley, sage, thyme together in a mixing bowl.  Set aside.

Evenly distribute, bacon, chicken, sausage, onions and carrots in a 13X9 inch casserole dishes (I use a cast iron casserole dish with a lid that is oven safe).  Cover evenly with the tomato mixture.  Pour two cups of chicken broth evenly over the casserole.  Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake covered for 45 minutes.  Remove the casserole from oven, add remaining cup of chicken stock and beans to casserole; and mix.  Bake covered for 30 more minutes.

While casserole is baking, melt butter in a saute pan; and mix with 1 tsp. parsley and breadcrumbs; cook until lightly browned over medium heat.  Remove the casserole from the oven and top the casserole with the bread crumb mixture (make sure to spread bread crumbs evenly).  Bake uncovered 30 more minutes.  Serve hot.  Can be served with rice, but it is great alone too.

Tip:
Since this takes some time to prepare, I often double the recipe.  Then simply freeze one casserole.  To do this, simply follow the steps above, except double everything.  Then distribute the bacon, chicken, sausage, onions and carrots evenly between two 13X9 inch casserole dishes (I use a cast iron casserole dish with a lid that is oven safe). Cover each casserole evenly with half the tomato mixture. Pour two cups of chicken broth evenly over the casserole you plan to bake.  Follow reamining instructions for the casserole you are baking.  Freeze the other casserole and add the chicken broth prior to cooking.  Simply thaw, mix in chciken broth, then follow cooking instructions above, and remember to add the breadcrumbs.  You can also store the 2nd batch in tubberware in the freezer, then thaw and then pour into a casserole dish before baking.

Serves 6-8.