squash mac + cheese with hot sauce bread crumbs

Over the holidays I was gifted Thug Kitchen 101: Fast as F*ck, which features plant-based comfort food and one-pot meals with the same irreverent prose and deliciousness you'd expect from a TK creation. Here's their Squash Mac and Cheese with Hot Sauce Bread Crumbs. It's a little more in-depth than a lot of mac and cheese recipes but the payout is YUGE. This is the cheesiest, creamiest vegan dish I've ever had and I highly recommend baking at the end if you have time. Next time, I will double the bread crumbs- they're delish.

adapted from a Thug Kitchen 101 Recipe:

hot sauce bread crumbs:

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups chunky bread crumbs
3 Tbsp hot sauce
1 Tbsp unsweetened nut milk

cheesy sauce:

1 Tbsp + 1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup chopped yellow onion

2 Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 carrots, cubed

2 cups veggie broth

1 cup unsweetened nut milk

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp Bragg's liquid amino acids

1/2 tsp salt

everything else:

1 pound pasta (shells or fusilli)

2 cups frozen peas

2 cups shredded yellow squash

to make the bread crumbs:

*warm up oil over medium heat

*toss in bread crumbs and stir for a few minutes

*mix remaining ingredients in small glass and pur over bread crumbs

*make sure all bread crumbs are coated and remove from heat and set aside

to make the cheesy sauce:

*using the same, emptied skillet, warm up 1 Tbsp oil over medium heat

*add onions and saute for 3-4 minutes

*stir in the potatoes, carrots, and 1 cup of broth

*cover and braise the veggies for 15 minutes then remove from heat

*toss the remaining sauce ingredients including oil and broth into a blender

*add the softened veggies and all liquids from pan and run blender until creamy

to make the mac and cheese:

*cook pasta according to directions

*just before pasta is finished, throw in frozen peas and drain

*fold in the squash

*pour in cheesy sauce and serve right away with bread crumbs on top

-OR-

*bake at 425 for 20 minutes^

^worth the wait

cauliflower + kimchi 'fried rice'

Also from It's All Easy, this 'fried rice' is a creative way to have all the flavors of good fried rice, without all the carbs. By substituting cauliflower you get to add much more nutrition and fewer calories. To make this a meal, I added marinated, baked tofu from Thug Kitchen. This meal was pretty quick to make, with the tofu taking more time to prep (1 hour +) and bake (30 minutes) than the cauliflower. This dish served three as a main course, but would have served four as a side item.

adapted from It's All Easy's Recipe

serves 3 or 4

1 small head cauliflower
2 Tbsp safflower oil
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 small bunch lacinato kale, ribs removed sliced into ribbons
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped kimchi
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp tamari

to make your 'fried rice':

*cut the cauliflower into small florets and pulse in a food processor until the pieces are the size of couscous (about 2 cups)
*heat the safflower and sesame oil in large pan over high heat
*add cauliflower and kale and saute until the kale is wilted and cauliflower browned (about 5 minutes)
*mix in the remaining ingredients

serving suggestions:
*we had our 'fried rice' with a side of marinated, baked tofu.

sesame noodles + veggies

Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook, It's All Easy, is home run. This sesame noodles recipe is delicious and I've added some veggies and edamame to make it a whole meal. It's hubby-approved, he even asked that this go on regular rotation. Score another one for team vegan!

One great thing about this recipe is that you can use whatever noodles you have on hand. I used udon, but you could also use rice noodles, soba, or spaghetti in a pinch. Also, I steamed my veggies, but the tamari + mirin + sesame oil makes for a very tasty stir-fry.

adapted from It's All Easy's Recipe

serves 4

3/4 pound noodles of your choice

1/3 cup tamari

3 Tbsp mirin

3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

3 green onions, thinly sliced

3/4 cup frozen edamame 

1 cup trimmed green beans cut in half

1 red bell pepper, julienned

to make your noodles:

*cook noodles according package directions

*while noodles cook, whisk together tamari, mirin, and sesame oil in a large bowl

*when noodles are ready, drain and place them in the bowl with sauce, toss to combine and let them cool for 10 minutes

*add green onions

*steam your veggies (while noodles soak up sauce)

*combine everything and serve it up!

serving suggestions:
*garnish with sesame seeds, crumbled toasted nori sheets, chopped cilantro

cauliflower cheese soup

A lot has happened in the three years since I lasted posted! My mom battled stage 4 cancer and survived a bone marrow transplant in 2014. As a result of my research on anti-cancer diets, I became a pescatarian. In an effort to be healthier, my plant based diet no longer includes beef, pork, or poultry. I don't miss that stuff. Ever.

Lately, I've been reading Super Immunity by Dr. Joel Fuhrman which has confirmed some of what I already knew about immunity and the importance of an anti-inflammatory diet. However, the book also goes into depth about the power of cruciferous vegetables, so I'm trying to incorporate cauliflower into meals whenever I can. It just so happens the hubby likes cauliflower so this is a win-win.

This soup was relatively easy to make and so velvety smooth and creamy I know I'll be making it again soon! We don't eat cheese very often but the Borough Market Cheddar Cheese I found at Whole Foods was fantastic. This meal felt like such comfort food and was very filling.

adapted from Jamie Oliver's Recipe

serves 6-8

2 carrots

2 celery stalks

2 medium onions

2 cloves garlic

8 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 large head)

olive oil

1-3/4 quarts vegetable broth

sea salt

fresh ground pepper

8 ounces cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon prepared English mustard

nutmeg (for garnish)

to make your soup:

*peel and roughly slice carrots

*slice celery

* peel and roughly chop onions

*peel and slice garlic

*cut cauliflower into 1/2" slices

*heat broth in stock pot until boiling

*heat oil in large sauce pan on medium

*add all chopped and sliced ingredients and cook for 10 minutes with lid askew, stirring occasionally

*grate cheddar cheese and set aside

*add the veggies tot he stock pot and and bring to boil

*reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes

*remove from heat and season with salt and pepper

*add the cheese and mustard

*using an immersion blender, pulse soup until silky smooth

*divide between serving bowls and garish with nutmeg

vegan minestrone

I've made this soup previously with chicken stock and Parmesan cheese. However, on my recent vegan cleanse, I adapted the recipe further and practically could not tell any difference. This recipe makes A LOT of soup, plenty to freeze. Next time I may add some pasta shells.

adapted from ‘The Mediterranean Diabetic Cookbook’ by Amy Riolo

serves 10 (1-cup servings)

1 Tbsp EVOO

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

3 cups shredded green cabbage

1 Yukon gold potato, chopped into bite-size pieces

8 cups low-sodium organic veggie stock

2 zucchini, chopped into bite-size pieces

2 large tomatoes, chopped

½ lb. string beans, chopped into bite-size pieces

1 (15 oz.) can no-salt added cannellini beans

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

to make your soup:

*heat olive oil over medium heat

*sauté onion, carrots, celery for 5 minutes

*add parsley and garlic, cook for another minute

*stir in cabbage, potatoes, and veggie stock, bring to boil

*stir in zucchini, tomatoes, green beans, cannellini beans, and vinegar

*cover and simmer for 40 minutes to one hour

*add salt and pepper to taste

*blend half of soup with an immersion blender

herbed chicken cutlet

This chicken was moist and delicious, which I attribute mostly to the salt scrub. The herb salad really kicked up the flavor. I love herbs! I doubled the herb salad and added the extra to the wild/brown rice I was cooking to serve with the chicken. Unfortunately, I over-cooked the rice and it was barely edible. But the cutlets were stellar and roasted broccoli was a nice complement (thanks to my personal trainer guru friend, Meg).

adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow's Chicken Milanese with Many Herb Salad & Dried Cranberries:

serves 4 (or however many cutlets are prepared)

4 skinless, free-range, organic boneless chicken cutlets, washed and dried^

1 free-range, organic egg, whisked

2 cups plain bread crumbs mixed with 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper and 1 tsp. sea salt

coconut oil

to make your cutlets:

*dip the chicken into the egg & bread both sides

*heat coconut oil on medium high heat

*cook chicken for 4 minutes on each side

*plate and top with prepared herb salad (below)

herb salad with cranberries:

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh chives

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

2 Tbsp. roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint

2 Tbsp. dried cranberries

juice of 1/2 lemon

pinch of coarse salt

*combine all ingredients in small bowl

^salt scrub for poultry:

*wet poultry and scrub with a handful of kosher/rock salt.

*rinse and pat completely dry with paper towels

veggie chili

This veggie chili is so perfect; I made it twice in one week. The beautiful colors, ideal consistency, and subtle heat create the perfect dish for a rainy fall night. If you are a meat-eater, you will not miss the meat in this chili. These lentils hold their shape, provide a nice bite, and are loaded with protein.

adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow’s My Father’s Daughter

serves 4-6

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 small-medium carrots, diced

1 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

¾ tsp. mild chili powder

½ tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. chipotle in adobo

1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes w/ juices (no added sodium)

½ cup de Puy lentils (small, dark, French) rinsed and drained

1 (14 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Pinch coarse salt

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

to make your chili:

*with dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil

*add the onion, carrot, pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper, stirring for 10 minutes, or until softened

*add chipotle and stir to combine

*add the tomatoes and juices, crush tomatoes with spoon

*bring to boil, and then simmer for 40 minutes

*add lentils and beans

*fill 1 (14oz.) can with water and add to pot, along with salt

*bring to boil, and then simmer for 40 minutes

*stir in the tomato paste and cook for 20 more minutes

*add more salt/pepper if needed before serving

serving suggestion:

serve atop brown rice or a split sweet potato

nutrition per serving:

calories: 350

carbs: 57

fat: 6

protein: 19

iron: 21

sugar: 14

pork & cider stew

This is the perfect fall stew! The flavor is rich and savory, but also crisp and sweet because of the cider. I made this a few weekends ago, and ate the entire stew over the course of just a few days. I purchased my pork at Porter Road Butcher and highly recommend the use of local and/or organic meats.

 

adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution

serves 4-6

2 stalks celery

2 medium onion

2 carrots

olive oil

1 heaped tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 x 14 oz. can diced tomatoes

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 sprigs fresh sage

1 pound diced stewing pork (about 3/4" - 1" cubes)

2 cups medium-dry hard cider (I used Woodchuck 802)

to make your stew:

*preheat oven to 350

*trim off ends of celery and roughly chop

*peel and roughly chop onions

*peel carrots, slice lengthwise, and roughly chop

*place dutch oven over medium heat

*add the veggies, herbs, and 2 lugs of oil to the dutch oven and cook for 10 minutes

*add the pork, flour, booze, and canned tomatoes

*stir and season with salt and pepper

*bring to boil, put the lid on and stick it in the oven for 2 ½ hours

*with 30 minutes of cooking time remaining, remove lid and stir in a bit of water if the stew looks dry

serving suggestion:

serve atop brown rice

nutrition per serving:
calories: 364
carbs: 18
fat: 19
protein: 17
iron: 10
sugar: 10

minestrone

Diabetes runs in both sides of my family so I’m trying to learn more about prevention and treatment through diet for myself and loved ones. Lately I’ve tried several diabetic-friendly recipes, with mixed results. But this soup is mighty tasty, and it makes a ton!

Minestrone is a traditional Italian dish made up of a variety of ingredients. This dish is low-calorie, heart-healthy, and diabetic friendly. Substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock to make this dish vegetarian. 

adapted from The Mediterranean Diabetic Cookbook by Amy Riolo

serves 10 (1-cup servings)

1 Tbsp EVOO

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

3 cups shredded green cabbage

1 Yukon gold potato, chopped into bite-size pieces

8 cups low-sodium organic chicken stock

2 zucchini, chopped into bite-size pieces

2 large tomatoes, chopped

½ lb. string beans, chopped into bite-size pieces

1 (15 oz.) can no-salt added cannellini beans

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt to taste

pepper to taste

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

to make your soup:

*heat olive oil over medium heat

*sauté onion, carrots, celery for 5 minutes

*add parsley and garlic, cook for another minute

*stir in cabbage, potatoes, and chicken stock, bring to boil

*stir in zucchini, tomatoes, green beans, cannellini beans, and vinegar

*cover and simmer for 40 minutes to one hour

*add salt and pepper to taste

*blend half of soup with an immersion blender

serving suggestions:

hot, topped with Parmesan cheese

nutrition per serving:

exchanges: ½ starch, 2 vegetable, ½ fat

calories: 130

fat calories: 30

total fat: 3.5g

sat. fat: 1.1g

cholesterol: 5mg

sodium: 475mg

total carbs: 19g

dietary fiber: 5g

sugars: 5g

protein: 8g

cranberry and apple braised pork chops

This creation made use of Thanksgiving leftovers and pork chops I had in the freezer from my CSA, making it delicious and inexpensive. In fact this was so good I’ll be making it again from scratch and trying it with different apple and wine varieties.

Local, natural, sustainable agricultural just tastes better, and these chops didn’t disappoint. Despite being frozen, this pork was incredibly tender and flavorful. With more chops, this dish could easily have served 4-6 people.

serves 2

salt and pepper

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1-2 cups cranberry sauce

1 cup wine (I used Estancia Pinot Noir)

2 all-natural pork chops, ½” thick

1-4” stem fresh rosemary, stem discarded

1-4” stem fresh thyme, stem discarded

1 cored and sliced granny smith apple

to make your chops:

*rub both sides of the chops with salt and pepper and marinate with a little cranberry sauce 8 hours or overnight

*preheat oven to 350

*in a saucepan, warm 1-2 cups cranberry sauce and 1 cup wine over low heat

*in the Dutch oven, sauté onions and garlic in a little Olive Oil over medium heat about 5 minutes

*make room for and sear both sides of chops until golden, about 5 minutes total, transfer chops to plate

*add apples to onions and cook for 5 minutes

*place chops on top of apples and cover with thyme and rosemary leaves

*spoon warmed cranberry sauce over chops

*cover and cook for 45 minutes, uncovering the last 5 minutes

serving suggestion:

with cornbread stuffing

white bean & chicken chili

It’s fall ya’ll! And I had house guests last weekend, so I made one of my favorite cold weather soups. This dish is always well-received and the leftovers are absolutely delicious. I recommend adding one more jalapeno for an additional kick and making cheesy jalapeno cornbread to go along with it.

The last time I made this chili, instead of simmering for 30 minutes, I baked the chili at 250 degrees for about an hour. The broth/wine proportion and volume is open to interpretation. I’ve made this without wine and/or with less liquid volume and still had great results. As always, home-grown, locally sourced, free-range, and organic ingredients make everything better!

serves 6-8 
1 onion, diced
1 fresh jalapeno, diced
1 rotisserie chicken, bones removed, chopped
28 oz. petite diced tomatoes
3 (15oz.) great northern white beans
14 oz. fresh salsa (I used Jack's Special Medium Salsa)
24 oz. chicken broth
1 cup white wine
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
juice from ½ of a lime
1 Tbsp. cumin

to make your stew: 
*sauté the onion and pepper in a little olive oil until softened
*add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil
*reduce heat and simmer, covered, for at least 30 minutes

serving suggestion:
serve with cornbread, sour cream, shredded cheese, and sliced jalapenos

poulet en cocotte bonne femme

The end of Septemeber has arrived without my having posted any recipes. And while I have been cooking, mostly soups, nothing has seemed worthy of publishing here. In a moment of nostalgia I realized I neglected to post the first dish ever attempted in my dutch oven, roasted chicken.

This simple French dish was a perfect first challenge and the results were nothing short of mouth-watering success. What better way to start a dish than bacon and butter? I remember this recipe taking some time to prepare, but the end result was well worth the effort. I'm glad I thought of this, I plan on making it again soon!

adapted from Julia Child’s recipe

serves 4-6
4 oz. bacon, chopped into large chunks
2 pads of butter
a small whole chicken, washed and drained (giblets and neck removed)
12 small potatoes, quartered
3 carrots, sliced
1 large onion, chopped into large pieces
handful of fresh rosemary
handful of fresh thyme
a bay leaf
2 cloves of garlic

to make the dish:
*preheat the oven to 325 degrees
*chop the bacon into large chunks
*add bacon to dutch oven on medium high heat and stir until mostly cooked
*set bacon aside and add a pad of butter
*place chicken in melted butter, brown the skin, flipping often (approximately 10-15 mins.)
*add cut potatoes to a pan of cold water, bring to a boil and remove immediately
*bring carrots and onion to a low boil for five minutes in a separate pan
*remove chicken to a plate and some of bacon fat from dutch oven
*add another pad of butter to dutch oven and stir in potatoes, coating well
*season the inside of the chicken with rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, and garlic tied in a washed cheesecloth
*season the chicken with salt and pepper
*set aside most of the potatoes from the dutch oven, and add the chicken
*add the remaining potatoes, carrots, onion, and bacon around and partly covering the chicken
*put the lid on the dutch oven and bake for 22 minutes per pound of bird
*let the bird rest 10 minutes before serving

spicy spaghetti

i love this spicy spaghetti! add some chopped tomatoes from the garden; this is a great way to use home-grown produce. quick and easy, this dish went from chopping to serving in just 30 minutes. i'm looking forward to the leftovers!

also, this meal is very inexpensive. if you grow your own peppers and basil as i have, each serving of this dish costs about $1.00. for the money, this meal was satisfying, healthful, and tasty!

adapted from Jamie Oliver’s recipe

serves 4-6
2 cloves garlic
1 pound dried spaghetti (i used Capellini)
1 fresh red chile
olive oil
small bunch of fresh basil
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup fresh spinach, stems removed
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
4 oz. fresh grated parmesan cheese

to make your pasta:
*peel and finely slice the garlic
*finely slice the chile
*pick the basil leaves off the stalk and put to one side
*finely chop stalks
*bring large pan of salted water to a boil, add spaghetti, cook according to package
*put dutch oven on medium heat, add 2 lugs of olive oil
*add garlic, chile, and basil stalks, stir
*when the garlic browns, add most of the basil leaves and canned tomatoes
*turn the heat up to high for one minute
*season with salt and pepper
*drain spaghetti in colander, transfer to the dutch oven, add spinach and stir

serving suggestion:
serve in bowls topped with torn remaining basil leaves and parmesan cheese.
Chianti works well with this meal.

cheesy baked pasta with spinach & artichoke

this simple, healthful recipe was quick to prepare and yielded a wonderfully cheesy result. any opportunity to grate fresh parmesan is a welcome one, and i think it adds so much more flavor to any dish over the store-bought pre-grated variety.

i thought the meal was hardy enough as a main course, but this recipe could easily be a side item as well. next time, i will try using some lemon pepper and/or lemon thyme in this dish as i love the combination of lemon and artichokes.

adapted from Real Simple’s recipe

serves 4
8oz. whole grain mini penne (or other short pasta)
14oz. can artichoke hearts, rinsed and quartered
9oz. package frozen creamed spinach, thawed
¼ cup fresh grated parmesan
2 cups grated mozzarella, divided
Fresh ground black pepper

to make your pasta:
*cook pasta according to directions, drain, and return to pot
*add artichoke hearts, spinach, parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella & ¼ tsp. pepper, stirring to combine
*heat broiler
*sprinkle remaining mozzarella over the top of the pasta and broil until cheese is browned in spots, about 2-3 minutes

serving suggestion:
with a crisp salad

mom's meatloaf

Meatloaf = comfort food. And while I usually think of this dish as a fall or winter meal, it’s just as tasty when it’s warm outside. It’s even better (and perhaps more seasonally appropriate) the next day as cold slices on sandwich bread. I was able to use parsley from my garden, and soon I’ll be able to use my own peppers too!

Occasionally, I’ll substitute oatmeal for breadcrumbs, which creates a chunkier texture. Also, I place slices of red pepper on the top of the loaf before baking, though this is more for aesthetics than anything else. If you don’t like red pepper, you could substitute any sweet pepper.

based on my mom’s recipe

serves 4-6
pad of butter
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 lb 8% fat Laura’s Lean ground beef
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3/4 cup italian breadcrumbs
1/3 cup chili sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
1 egg
a few sprigs of fresh Parsley, finely chopped
pinch of cumin
pinch of mustard powder
pinch of salt
a few turns of fresh ground pepper

to make your meatloaf:
*preheat oven to 350
*with dutch oven over medium to high heat, saute' onions in butter for a few minutes
*meanwhile, chop red pepper and combine with beef, breadcrumbs, chili sauce, ketchup, egg, and seasonings in a large mixing bowl
*remove onions with a slotted spoon and place them in the bowl with the meat
*mix everything well with your hands
*create a loaf shape (like a football) and place in the dutch oven (or spread into a loaf pan)
*lightly drizzle the top of the loaf with ketchup
*bake covered for an hour, uncover the last few minutes of baking

serving suggestion:
serve with butter rolls, potatoes, greens, and of course ketchup!

sweet & savory roasted chicken

“food must not only be good to eat, but also good to think”--Claude Levi-Strauss

Some like to fix sweet potatoes sweetly, others prefer savory; this recipe is the best of both worlds. Everything used to make this meal came from local farms save the oil, salt, and pepper.

This is the first time I’ve ordered chicken from my CSA, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the moistness and flavor. This meal makes the most of everything that’s in season right now, making it very cost-effective.

adapted from Real Simple’s recipe

serves 4
4 chicken thighs
4 chicken legs
3 tbps olive oil
2 ½ tsp kosher salt
¾ tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes
1 medium onion
2 tbps honey

to make your chicken:
*preheat oven to 400
*pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place in the dutch oven (or roasting pan)
*drizzle with 1 tbsp oil, 1 ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper, rub to coat
*roast chicken for 25 minutes
*meanwhile, chop sweet potatoes and onions into 1” pieces and combine in a large bowl with honey and remaining spices
*after chicken has roasted for 25 minutes, add sweet potato mixture on top of chicken and cook another 25-30 minutes until potatoes are tender.

turkey piccata

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."
—Virginia Woolf

I love schnitzel, piccata, and scaloppine. Veal piccata (which is the origin of this dish in Italy) is the superior piccata from a taste perspective. But, if you are budget conscious or morally opposed to veal, the poultry options are a good bet. And, if you're Vegan/Vegetarian you can make this dish with seitan. When I saw the Turkey version in Alton Brown’s Good Eats 2, I couldn’t wait to try it.

Traditional Piccata is sauteed, butterflied meat in a lemony reduction. It is typically served over a bed of pasta in America, or after the pasta course in Italy. I am accustomed to a piccata dish containing capers, but this recipe omits them (and I missed them, though this was probably just nostalgia). This simple dish is easy to assemble and very quick cooking.

The turkey breast I bought from Whole Foods was already so thinly sliced that I didn’t take the time to flatten the turkey cutlets further. Next time, I will make more of the lemon/wine reduction as it accompanied the fettuccine pasta quite well. The turkey was delicious and I’m looking forward to the leftovers!

adapted from Alton Brown’s Good Eats 2

serves 4-6
1 pound of turkey cutlets
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. olive oil
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
2 tbsp. shallots, finely chopped
½ cup white wine
1/3 cup lemon juice (which was more than 1 lemon for me)
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

to make your Piccata:
*preheat oven to 200
*slice your turkey breast into ½” pieces and pound turkey cutlets to no less than 1/8” thick
*season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper and dredge through flour, shaking off excess, set aside
*heat oil and 4 tbsp. butter over medium high
*when hot, but not yet smoking, brown the turkey, about 1 minute on each side, then remove to an oven-proof platter and place in oven to keep warm
*reduce heat to low and add shallots, sautéing for 1-2 minutes, until they begin to turn translucent
*add the wine and lemon juice and simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes
*add the remaining butter and whisk to combine
*season with salt and pepper to taste, if necessary
*pour the sauce over the turkey, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately

serving suggestion:
over a bed of pasta or mashed potatoes with a crisp salad

p.s. the photo used is from wikipedia's chicken piccata article. my turkey was camera-shy and really, they look quite similar.

chicken and white wine stew

you may never have thought to put chicken in a stew before, neither had i. but, true to form, the combination of chicken and white wine does not disappoint. this stew ended up being one of my favorite Jamie Oliver recipes to date, albeit one that i tweaked considerably.

a note from the meat department: the butcher at my neighborhood Kroger would not skin and dice my chicken thighs as the original recipe calls for. so, being short on time and weary of raw poultry i decided to cook the chicken first and sort out all the messy details later.

my stew was probably more delicious for having left the skin on; though this probably decreased the healthfulness quotient slightly. the original recipe calls for adding raw, skinless, diced poultry to the cooking veggies. also, there is no bacon in the original recipe; another boon to flavor (and hindrance to health, perhaps).

this is a simple recipe from the ingredients standpoint, as most everything i already had in the pantry/fridge. this was my first time cooking with chicken thighs and wow, the dark meat is tasty! i was also pleasantly surprised to find that chicken thighs are relatively inexpensive compared to other meats and other chicken parts.

however, this is not a ‘quick and easy’ recipe. it always takes some time to chop veggies, but the additional step of removing chicken bones at the end was a pain. although probably less painful than removing them on the front end. all in all, this was an excellent dish to enjoy on a snowy wintry night!

adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution

serves 4-6
2 stalks celery
2 medium onion
2 carrots
olive oil
1 heaped teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 x 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ handful fresh parsley
1 pound chicken thighs
2 cups white wine
1 slice bacon
pad of butter

to make your stew:
*preheat oven to 350
*with dutch oven over medium heat, fry one slice bacon in butter for a few minutes
*place chicken thighs, skin down in the bacon/butter and season with salt and pepper
*brown the chicken on both sides and remove chicken and bacon to a plate
*trim off ends of celery and roughly chop
*peel and roughly chop onions
*peel carrots, slice lengthwise, and roughly chop
*finely chop parsley
*add the veggies, herbs, and 1 lug of oil to the dutch oven fry for 10 minutes
*add the flour, booze, and canned tomatoes
*stir and season with salt and pepper
*add the chicken and bacon
*bring to boil, put the lid on and stick it in the oven for 1 ½ hours
*with 30 minutes of cooking time remaining, take the chicken out, remove all bones, and shred the meat
*add water if the stew looks dry
*return shredded chicken to the dutch oven and continue cooking the last 30 minutes uncovered
*add more salt/pepper if needed before serving

serving suggestion:
serve with Hawaiian rolls

chili con pavo

the original recipe is a chili con carne (made with ground beef); however, i planned to make this recipe the last time we were expecting snow and by the time i got to the grocery, ground turkey was the only option. i've enjoyed turkey chili before, so i knew this substitution would be sufficient.

chili is one of my favorite things to cook, but this was my first time using cinnamon. while cooking, the scent of cinnamon was very strong. i was skeptical the chili would be too sweet tasting but the vinegar adds a nice balance. this chili had a wonderful, distinctive flavor and was probably lighter with the turkey substitution.

another favorite of mine is chili over pasta. on the second day, i added 16 ounces of canned tomato sauce and italian herbs to the leftover chili which yielded more of a pasta sauce consistency. i served that over rotini pasta topped with cheese and it was fabulous as well!

adapted from Jamie Oliver's 'Food Revolution'

serves 6
2 medium onions
2 cloves garlic
2 medium carrots
2 celery stalks
2 red bell peppers
olive oil
1 heaped teaspoon chili powder
1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 x 15oz. can garbanzo beans
1 x 15oz. can red kidney beans
2 x 14oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 pound ground turkey
1 small bunch of fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

to make your chili:
*peel and finely chop the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery
*halve the peppers, remove stalks and seeds and roughly chop
*place dutch oven over medium high heat with 2 lugs olive oil
*add all your chopped veggies
*add chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon with a good pinch of salt and pepper
*stir every 30 seconds for 7 minutes until softened
*add the drained garbanzo beans, drained kidney beans, and the canned tomatoes
*add the ground turkey, breaking larger chunks up with a wooden spoon
*fill one of the tomato cans with water and add to the pot
*pick the cilantro leaves and place them in the fridge
*finely chop the stalks and place them in the pot
*add the vinegar and season with a pinch of salt and pepper
*bring to a boil and turn the heat down to a simmer with the lid slightly askew for one hour, stirring occasionally

to serve your chili:
Jamie Oliver recommends serving his chili con carne over rice with guacamole. we enjoyed the turkey chili with cornbread, oyster crackers, shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and jalapenos.

to make the cornbread:
use a package of jiffy cornbread and make according to package. mix into the batter a handful of shredded cheese, 1/2 cup of cream corn, and diced jalapenos; bake as directed.

Chicken Parmesan

this is a really simple and fast chicken Parmesan recipe. it will serve approximately 4 people. we have started buying the thinly sliced chicken breasts, which cook even faster. also, i usually want to add more spaghetti sauce than recommended.

one advantage of using the dutch oven is that you can saute and bake the chicken in the same dish. the last time i made this, i fried pieces of bacon in a little olive oil before adding the chicken and it was quite tasty.

ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package mozzarella cheese slices
1 jar spaghetti sauce
desired noodles (i prefer angel hair)
olive oil
salt & pepper

directions:
*preheat oven to 350 degrees
*mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and red pepper together
*dredge chicken through milk, then eggs, than breadcrumb mixture
*lightly brown chicken in skillet with olive oil (about 3-4 minutes each side) and lightly salt and pepper
*pour 1/2 sauce over the chicken breasts
*add a slice of mozzarella on top of each breast
*bake, covered, for 25-30 minutes
*prepare noodles
*serve chicken on top of a bed of noodles and cover with remaining sauce

serving suggestion:
i like to eat this meal with a crisp salad and garlic bread.