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Lemon Chicken Piccata

Between working at the bank and working on the house , I find myself with little energy left at the end of the day. It was hard enough to find the energy and motivation to cook for Mike, but now I have my younger brother to feed, too! No complaints, though!* Except for the fact that he eats enough for 3 people. I made this dish thinking there would be plenty of leftovers. Boy, was I wrong. So, in my case, this dish fed 3. I think that you could easily get away with making this for a group of 4 or 5, though! But hey, at least it was easy to make!

Lemon Chicken Piccata

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Whole wheat all purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large lemon, juiced
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup capers, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 pound pasta of choice

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
  2. Butterfly the chicken and then cut in half. Tenderize the chicken and season liberally with salt and pepper. Dredge through flour and shake off excess.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.**When butter and oil start to sizzle, add chicken to pan. Cook until browned, flip and cook until other side is golden brown and chicken is fully cooked. Remove chicken to plate. Cook remaining chicken in same manner, using more butter and olive oil as needed before each.
  4. Add lemon juice, broth and capers to pan. Bring to a simmer, scraping pan to release browned bits for more flavor. Add more salt and pepper if desired. Add 2 tablespoons butter and stir until melted.
  5. Pour sauce over plated chicken and garnish with chopped parsley.
  6. Serve immediately with pasta.

*Ok, I have one complaint – my parents didn’t take me to Italy with them. They get Italy, I get my brother.

**I have this Calphalon pan. I love love love it. It was big enough to cook 5 pieces of chicken at a time without over-crowding the pan.


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Goat Cheese and Spinach Penne

This dish is super filling and easy to make. I mean, what could be easier than cooking up a dish in less than 10 minutes? Not to mention it only used 2 pots (and one colander). Ever since it warmed up I’ve been craving dishes with fresh ingredients. I can’t wait to make this again with fresh tomatoes from the garden!

Goat Cheese and Spinach Penne
serves 4 

1 pound whole wheat penne
1/4 cup garlic extra virgin olive oil, or plain olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups spinach, roughly chopped or torn
1 pint grape tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces goat cheese

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until golden brown. Stir in tomatoes and spinach and cook until wilted.
  3. Add cooked pasta and goat cheese to vegetables in pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine. Serve immediately.


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Israeli Couscous and Grilled Vegetable Salad

Mike and I took advantage of the nice weather we had on Friday and decided to grill out! Yes, for the first time in what feels like months we had a gorgeous day. No rain, snow, hail, or wind. This salad really hit the spot. It was light, filling, and super easy to make. The charred vegetables? To die for. I loved that we were able to cook this meal together, too. I cut, marinated, and cooked the couscous, and Mike did the grilling. The only thing I love more than cooking in my very own kitchen is cooking in my own kitchen with my husband.

Israeli Couscous and Grilled Vegetable Salad

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
2 green zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1 yellow zucchini, quartered lengthwise
6 spears asparagus, trimmed
2 green bell peppers, seeded and quartered
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and quartered
1/2 pint grape tomatoes
1/4 cup basil chiffonade
2 teaspoons olive oil (I used garlic olive oil from a local store)
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
8 ounces uncooked Israeli couscous (also called pearl couscous)

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Slowly add olive oil, whisking until incorporated.
  2. Arrange vegetables in a 9×13 baking pan and pour vinaigrette over. Let sit for 20 minutes.
  3. Remove vegetables from vinaigrette, and set vinaigrette aside. Grill vegetables until tender-crisp.
  4. Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add couscous and cook, stirring frequently, until a light golden-brown color.
  5. Add stock to pan and bring couscous to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until couscous is tender. Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving bowl.
  6. Cut grilled vegetables into 1/2 – 1 inch pieces and place into serving bowl. Mix couscous and vegetables together with basil and vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
After we had grabbed a couple bowls, I decided to toss some feta cheese on top. It was pretty darn good. Next time, I’ll probably mix some feta in with the rest of the salad.


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Lemon Pepper Shrimp Linguine

I stumbled across this recipe on allrecipes.com and just had to make it. I made a few adjustments and was pretty pleased with the results. I think next time I may kick it up a notch and make it a 3 Pepper Lemon Shrimp Linguine. Ohhh yeah: that’s this recipe with a dash of cayenne and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes added to it to give it an even bigger kick than plain black pepper. Some white pepper might even be good.

Lemon Pepper Shrimp  Linguine
adapted from allrecipes.com

8 ounces linguine pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 lemon, zested and juiced
salt to taste
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried basil

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Saute garlic in oil 1 minute.
  3. Add in chicken broth, wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 7 minutes.
  4. Mix in shrimp, butter, parsley and basil and cook until shrimp is opaque, about 2 – 3 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta and toss, coating evenly. Cook for 2 more minutes and then serve immediately.


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Mushroom Risotto

I order risotto at restaurants whenever I can, but I’ve never made it before. I came across this risotto recipe that featured one of my favorite ingredients ever – mushrooms.

Look how delicious they are. I love cremini, white button, portabella, shiitake, oyster, all the funky ones in Chinese cuisine… I could never tire of them.

I figured that this recipe just couldn’t go wrong. Risotto and mushrooms, oh heck yes. I spent a good half hour in front of the stove, stirring constantly and it was so worth it.

Mushroom Risotto
adapted from allrecipes.com

6 cups chicken or beef broth
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, finely sliced
8 ounces white button mushrooms, finely sliced
2 shallots, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives or green onions
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  1. In a saucepan, warm broth over medium heat. Keep at just below simmering level.
  2. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan. Cook mushrooms until soft, 3 – 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms and juices to a bowl and set aside.
  3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in pan. Cook shallots for 1 minute. Add rice and cook, stirring to coat with oil. Cook until rice is a toasted golden color.
  4. While stirring rice, pour in wine. Stir constantly until all liquid is absorbed.
  5. Add broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until liquid is fully absorbed before adding more. Continue until all broth is gone and rice is al dente, about 25 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, cheese, and chives. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with more Parmesan and chives as garnish.


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Oklahoma Chili

My college roommate kindly shared her recipe for beanless chili with me. I am a huge chili fan, but I love mine with lots and lots o’ beans. I decided to do something different and decided to make it without the beans for once.

I love the simplicity of this recipe. My all-time favorite chili recipe has almost 30 ingredients in it. This has just 13. It involves little prep work and the results are so dang tasty.

I like my chili with elbow macaroni, shredded cheddar cheese, onions, and some hot sauce.

Oklahoma Chili

3 pounds lean ground beef
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 large can V8
6 tablespoons chili powder
3 teaspoons salt
10 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper
3 tablespoons  paprika
3 tablespoons flour
6 tablespoons cornmeal
1 cup water

  1. In a large pot, brown ground beef in olive oil. Season the beef with salt and pepper, to taste.
  2. Add V8 to pot and simmer for 2 hours.
  3. Add chili powder, salt, garlic, cumin, oregano, sugar, red pepper flakes, and paprika. Simmer for 30 more minutes.
  4. Whisk flour and corn meal together with water and add to chili. Cook for 5 minutes.


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Pasta with Tomatoes and Artichokes

I was searching for an easy-to-prepare dish that was light and refreshing. I stumbled across a few inspiration recipes in Food Network Magazine, epicurious.com, and allrecipes.com and created this. It turned out just like I thought it would – light, but with a bite 😉

Pasta with Tomatoes and Artichokes

1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes, crushed*
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
12 ounces pasta of choice, cooked

  1. Heat olive oil in medium saucepan. Add onions and cook until almost translucent. Add in garlic and cook until onion are translucent.
  2. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add in artichoke hearts (liquid, too!) and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
  4. Serve over cooked pasta.

*I crushed the tomatoes with a potato masher in the pot. Super easy and not at all messy!


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Chicken Pot Pie

I planned on making my Soy-Mirin Tofu with Peanut Sauce a few weeks ago, but a blizzard decided to blow into Wisconsin. So, change of plans to a comfort food – chicken pot pie! I hadn’t made one for a good 3 years or so and was excited to give it another try.

I spotted these adorable bowls in the cupboard and just had to use them. I love that they had little wicker bowls to go with them; they are perfect for keeping your hands from getting burned. These made eating in front of the fire pretty darn easy.

Chicken Pot Pie
serves 5

1 cup carrots, diced
3/4 cup celery, diced
3 medium potatoes, diced
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups chicken broth*
1/4 cup milk

For crust:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or shortening, chilled
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons ice water

  1. Simmer carrots, celery, potatoes and chicken in 2 cups water and bouillon for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid, and set aside.
  2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, garlic powder, celery seed, and pepper. Slowly add in chicken broth and milk. Simmer until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. To make crust, blend flour,salt, and butter or shortening together until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  4. Pour into a bowl and drizzle ice water over dough. Gently mix with a fork until dough comes together.
  5. Gather dough gently into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  6. Preheat oven to 380°F.
  7. Divide dough into 5 pieces. Place one piece between two sheetws of parchment paper and roll into a circle. Repeat with remaining dough. Set aside.
  8. Divide chicken mixture between 5 oven-proof bowls. Pour sauce over chicken and place crust on top, sealing the sides. Cut slits into crust to vent steam.
  9. Brush crust with milk and bake for 45  minutes.
  10. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

* I used the broth left over from boiling the chicken. It takes zero time and effort and it tastes so much better than the canned stuff!


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Spaghetti with Spinach, Tomato, and Bacon

I had leftover bacon and wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. I’m not a huge fan of bacon (yeah, yeah, don’t hate me), so having it for breakfast wasn’t really an option. I threw this together for dinner and it turned out pretty tasty. It was simple and I was able to use up the leftover bacon! Win-win.

Spaghetti with Spinach, Tomato, and Bacon

1 pound spaghetti
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch fresh spinach, torn into pieces
Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Drain most of the fat off and add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add in tomatoes and cook until warmed. Add in spinach and cook until just wilted. Toss with cooked spaghetti until well incorporated. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top.


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Braised Short Ribs

I spent hours scouring the web, food magazines, and cookbooks for Valentine’s Day dinner ideas. Lamb? Ravioli? Cornish hens? The possibilities were endless. I had only one requirement for this meal – it had to be something I’ve never made before. I found a recipe for braised short ribs on epicurious.com and glanced at the recipe. I decided to pass when I saw that I needed veal stock. No thanks, that’s a little too much work for me. I Googled “braised short ribs” and The Pioneer Woman’s recipe popped up. That woman knows how to cook and I could find all the ingredients at the grocery store. Perfect!

I followed her recipe exactly with a few minor alterations. I added 3 stalks of celery, diced, and used bacon instead of pancetta.

I finally decided to break out a wedding present I’ve been waiting to use… this monster of a cutting board by Catskill.

I love this cutting board! My only warning: be careful when opening! I stupidly managed to slice my finger on one of the oddly sharp finger slots on the board when I was tearing off the plastic. It was worth it, though. Look at how pretty food looks on it!

Braised Short Ribs
from The Pioneer Woman

8 whole beef short ribs
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 pieces bacon, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 shallots, minced
2 cups red winte
2 cups beef broth
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary

  1. Salt and pepper ribs, then dredge in flour. Set aside.
  2. In a large dutch oven, cook pancetta or bacon over medium heat until complete crispy and all fat is rendered. Remove pancetta and set aside. Do not discard grease.
  3. Add olive oil to pan with the pancetta grease, and raise heat to high. Brown ribs on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Remove ribs and set aside. Turn heat to medium.

    Look how tasty they look at this point! And don’t worry, it gets better.

  4. Add onions, carrots, and shallots to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape bottom of pan to release all the flavorful bits of glory. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.
  5. Add broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add ribs to the liquid; they should be almost completely submerged. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs (whole) to the liquid.
  6. Put on the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Ribs should be fork-tender and falling off the bone. Remove pan from oven and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes, lid on, before serving. At the last minute, skim fat off the top of the liquid. (Can also refrigerate mixture, then remove solid fat from the top.)
  7. Serve 2 ribs on bed of creamy polenta, spooning a little juice over the top.