Blackened Chicken Alfredo

I planned our weeknight meals this past weekend and chicken w/ pasta in Alfredo Sauce was on the list. But when it came time to make it, I was craving something a little different. I've had "blackened" chicken before, but never knew what it took to make it.

I found a bunch of recipes online, but took my measurements and ideas from this recipe. I used 1 tsp of almost everything but paprika. Then I covered my chicken breast in it. The whole thing. On one breast of chicken. TOO. MUCH. FLAVOR.

It was tasty, but way too much seasoning for the amount of chicken I had. I suggest using enough chicken for 3-4 servings (at least 2 chicken breasts) and don't feel like you need to use up all the seasoning!

Blackened Chicken Seasoning

~ingredients~
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground pepper (white or black)
1/2 tsp cayenne or chili powder (or more if you like spicier. we don't)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried or fresh thyme, chopped fine
1 tsp dried oregano
2-3 chicken breasts

~instructions~

1. Combine seasoning ingredients.
2. Pound out chicken breasts, coat with seasoning mixture.
3. Melt about 1 T butter over medium/low heat, add chicken breasts, cooking 1-2 minutes on each side. Finish off in the oven (5-10 minutes in 350 preheated oven) or keep cooking on the stove (that's what I did), until juices run clear. 

Roasted Chicken + Veggies

I posted on my weekend update that we had homemade chicken soup on Friday. What was great about this soup is that it was so easy since it was leftover chicken that I had roasted two days earlier.

I found the recipe from FoodNetwork and I loved everything listed on the ingredients list. I used split bone-in chicken breasts, garlic + butter + rosemary + oil rubbed over the salted/peppered chicken. Carrots, onions and celery were added plus a splash of white cooking wine, lemon juice and water. Baked for about 40 minutes on 400 degrees. We ended up eating one half for dinner that night and the rest I shredded up for the soup. It was delicious!

I love when you can get two meals (or more - I had even more leftover chicken soup on Saturday!) from one night of cooking!

basic basil risotto

It saddens me a little that one of my favorite dishes - risotto - is not one that my husband and I share. Though he is a big fan of pasta and likes rice when it's in a creamy and flavorful sauce, he does not seem to be a fan of risotto.

So, that won't stop me. When I make risotto, I make him other sides (pierogies, sweet potatoes...) or I'll make risotto on days I know or schedules don't allow for dinner together.

I've tried several risotto dishes - basic risotto, lemon + rosemary risotto (my favorite), sunshine risotto (with sun-dried tomatoes) and now this basic basil risotto.

This recipe is straight from the book I bought several years ago. Only one change was made - I didn't have green beans so I used peas. The book is by Clive Tring, and though I've not seen it in stores since I purchased it several years ago, it looks like you can get it, and several other risotto books by Tring, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Basic Basil Risotto

~ingredients~
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped or shredded (plus extra whole leaves for garnish)
4 tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 oz green beans, cut into 1 inch lengths and cooked (or 3/4 cup peas, fresh or frozen)
generous 1 3/8 cups risotto rice
2 tbsp pine nuts
3/4 cup Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese
S+P

~instructions~

1. Bring stock to boil in a pan, reduce heat and keep simmering gently over low heat.
2. Heat the oil with 2 T of the butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Stir in the onion, 3/4 of the basil, the chopped tomatoes and beans and cook gently for 2-3 minutes for the flavors to blend.
3. Reduce heat, add rice and mix to coat in oil and butter. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the grains are translucent.
4. Gradually add the hot stock, ladleful at a time. Stir constantly and add more liquid as the rice absorbs each addition. Increase the heat to medium so the liquid bubbles. Cook about 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and rice is creamy. Season with S+P to tasted. 
5. While the risotto is cooking, toast the pine nuts until they brown.
6. Add the remaining butter to the risotto and fold in the remaining basil. Add the Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Garnish with the whole basil leaves.

Steak + Pasta

So, this dinner was good. I mean, after hours and some brushing, I still have garlic-taste in my mouth and my husband refuses to sit next to me, but...this dinner. Was good.

Rachael Ray's Roasted Garlic Pesto Cream Pasta (altered for two people, used rotini pasta and added some garlic in the pesto) and a sirloin with an Italian marinade based off of this recipe. I did not add soy sauce to the marinade - or salt - and I really think I should have. The steak was good, but could have been better.

And again, the steak was good - however, it does not compare to the beef + pineapple kebabs from last month. No. Not a bit. Those need to go back on the menu plan ASAP.

But this pasta was tasty. I really enjoyed the addition of the pesto on top - definitely gave it a lot more flavor and a great kick! I've only made a pesto-type thing one other time, but I really wanted to utilize my basil plant in some sort of pasta dish this week!

Also - after planning on making this meal, I checked my plants and my basil was wilting. AGAIN. Monday after work I checked and we hadn't watered in a day (I usually water every day)...I thought the plant was dead. It looked awful. Luckily, more water and the next day - back to normal. So, after watering this afternoon, by the time I needed to use the basil, it was quite happy and looking just as good as always!

Teriyaki Chicken + Noodles

Josh requested this for dinner the other night and I searched for recipes without much luck. This dinner was pretty much created by me, though I took some ideas from the recipe I found here. I liked that it was simple and that the chicken was cooked on skewers.

Teriyaki Chicken + Noodles
makes 2 servings, measurements are approximate - add as much as you would want!

~ingredients~
two 4 oz chicken breasts (enough for two people), cubed
about two cups broccoli, chopped
one carrot, peeled and chopped into matchsticks
sliced onion, about 1/4 cup
garlic, 2 small cloves
angel hair pasta (or whatever kind of noodles you would like) (enough for two servings)
sesame oil, about 4 T
Teriyaki sauce, about 4 T

~instructions~

1. Marinate the chicken in about 2 T sesame oil and 2 T teriyaki sauce. Soak your skewers while you wait, preferably for 30 minutes or more. After at least 15 min of marinading, arrange the chicken on skewers and grill for about 5 minutes on each side.
2. Boil water, cook pasta according to package directions. Add chopped broccoli when there is about 3 min of cooking time left.
3. Add remaining sesame oil to skillet on medium high heat. Add onions and carrots and cook for a few minutes. Add minced garlic. Cook till veggies are soft, but not browned.
4. Strain pasta and broccoli and add to skillet. Add remaining Teriyaki sauce and cook till heated through. Serve with additional sauce. 

I actually didn't use any salt or pepper for this; since purchased Teriyaki has lots of sodium anyway, I didn't find it necessary to add any extra. Also, I think adding some ginger would be a nice addition to the recipe. And I really enjoyed using the sesame oil - it's the first time I've used it - it gave the dish great flavor!

Baked Eggplant w/ Fresh Tomato Sauce

So. I pretty much made this and knew I had to share it. It was SO GOOD. I think Josh may even like this eggplant.

First you cut open, score and salt the eggplant. Let it sit for 30-45 min, then squeeze out the excess water, rinse and pat dry. Spread olive oil on both sides and add some pepper. Put a few fresh thyme sprigs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put the eggplant face down on the thyme sprigs. Bake in 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes.

The tomato sauce was pretty simple. Chopped onion, garlic and one plum tomato (this was for one serving). Cook over medium heat, add about 1/4 cup water, cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes. I used a potato masher after it had cooked and threw in some fresh basil (Yes!! First time cooking with my own homegrown basil!)

The chicken was rolled up with ricotta/garlic powder/pepper mixture inside. Cooked in olive oil, water and cooking wine.

Mmm! That eggplant was so so delicious!! Yum-o!!

EDIT: Hannah reminded me with her comment that I had forgotten to write where I got the info to cook the eggplant this way. I wish I could take the credit, but I found it when searching the internet for "baked eggplant." Recipe/technique found here.

BEEF POPS AKA STEAK + PINEAPPLE KEBABS

Is it just me or is crushing garlic one of the most fun parts of cooking?

Or maybe it's soaking your skewers in a cookie tray because your lasagna pan broke...ugh...

Or perhaps watching people you love enjoying the food you've prepared?

Better yet - those same people telling you how delicious the food is you prepared...

Yes, I witnessed all of these things last week when Josh's mom & dad came over for dinner. I decided to do something a little fancier as this was a Father's Day/Birthday Dinner (Josh saw his dad for Father's Day but I wasn't able). I decided to try these Beef Pops with Pineapple and Parsley Sauce that were recommended by my bosses. And boy did they do a good job recommending.

These were SO amazing. I swear the beef I used said "filet" but they were about $6 - $8 for a 1.12 or so pound package, so it's possible it was sirloin. But can it still be "filet?" Gosh I have no idea. I'm sorry, I just don't remember. BUT THEY WERE DELICIOUS. I was unable to marinate the beef for 3 hours as instructed, I got about an hour in before they were put on skewers and then on the grill. I also forgot to save some of the sauce for dipping, but no one missed it. These were good enough on their own. And grilled pineapple!? COME ON. Amazing. Josh & his mom aren't fans of pineapple, so I just made a few skewers with the steak only. But seriously. Way amazing.

I was afraid the parsley sauce would be a little overwhelming, but let me tell you, IT IS NOT. It was so delicious. So. I'm serious. You HAVE TO TRY THESE. I don't know how I did so amazing on my first try of grilling steak - but these were PERFECT. We all liked them medium-well and they came out just perfect. We served with water with lime in my gorgeous pitcher, salad and sweet potatoes (also done on the grill - oiled and wrapped in foil for under an hour, they were taken off the grill when the skewers were put on).

~ingredients~
parsley sauce
3 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed chili flakes (I used a little less as we don't do spicy in this house)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

for the kebabs
1 1/2 pounds beef fillet, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 40 cubes) (I used about 2 lbs for four people. there were only a few skewers remaining for delicious leftovers)
1 (2-pound) pineapple, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 40 pieces)
20 (8-inch) wooden or bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

~instructions~
Parsley Sauce: In the bowl of a food processor, blend together the parsley, garlic, vinegar, chili flakes, sugar, salt and pepper until smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil until incorporated. Place half of the mixture in a medium bowl and add beef cubes. Toss well, cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. Place the remaining parsley sauce in a small serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Thread the skewers alternating the beef and pineapple. I put anywhere from six or more of both the pineapple and beef on each skewer. Continue with the remaining skewers. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes each side (for medium rare) or until desired doneness. (I probably did mine about 4-5 minutes per side)

Drizzle the kebabs with the remaining reserved parsley sauce or serve the sauce on the side for dipping!


Seriously. ENJOY!

Also - how cute do our red chairs look with our red berry plates!??

homemade pizza

For my birthday this year, my parents bought me a pizza making set - stone, peel, cutter and silver server for the stone. It's been a fun addition for baking bread and making some frozen pizzas, but it was time to break out all the stops and do fresh dough AND sauce for dinner.

We also always love breadsticks with pizza. I mean - this is a Josh thing that I have now become hooked on. So, I make a big batch of dough, separate it in half (I go a little heavy on the dough for the pizza) and bake it differently. The breadsticks were baked with a spread of garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper mixed with some butter and oil. Parmesan was dusted on the top after baking. Also, I scored the bread before baking, which made it a lot easier when it was done.

The pizza dough recipe is the staple recipe I always go to on foodnetwork.com. I haven't found any problems with it, so I haven't made any changes. I do think next time I'll incorporate the different spices within the dough for the breadsticks. They were good - but they needed to be kicked up a notch to really separate them from the pizza. I mean, the dough recipe is from Emeril, so, I should be kicking it up notches.

The pizza sauce is an Annie's Eats recipe found here. I made a few changes for us, here's my recipe below:

Recipe for pizza sauce:
 ~ingredients~
14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. dried basil
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. dried marjoram (yeah, I used the same amount for all the spices...you should feel free to add or remove to your tastes!)
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
S+P to taste
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely minced

~instructions~
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Allow to cook for at least 15 minutes.  Once finished cooking, remove from the heat.  Feel free to mash with a potato masher or blender for a smoother sauce. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

This was enough for one about 12" pizza plus plenty left for dipping. And there is still some in the fridge...

fries on the grill

i love this recipe for baked oven fries from Annie's Eats, but i had no desire to heat up the place by turning the oven on the other night, so i thought grilling the "fries" would be just as good.

i started by covering my grill so i wouldn't have any fries jump ship into flames below. however i made SO MANY they were spreading everywhere and the best fries ended up being done on the far left side that was open. in the end, only one fry (and one zucchini stick) fell below deck.

the fries were scrubbed, skin on, cut, tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper and a "season-all" seasoning. they were on the grill for about 15 minutes, 1/2 the time with the lid on, 1/2 with the lid off while i rearranged them.

though they weren't extremely crispy, they were delicious. i suggest you try the oven recipe on a cool day; if you follow the instructions exactly you WILL get crispy fries!! also, that cheeseburger over there was pretty good too. mmmm cheeseburgers.

hope you all had some fun grilling times this weekend!

grilled chicken + sweet potatoes

this was our dinner the other night. sweet potatoes grilled in foil packets (my new favorite thing) with butter, cinnamon, salt, pepper and a sprinkling of sugar. chicken was grilled pretty simple with salt, pepper and some pre-made seasoning combination.

the corn on the cob was on sale - 5 for $2 - so i threw that in the meal plan when i saw that price. mmm love corn on the cob. this was pretty good stuff, sweet and tasty - boiled w/ salt and served with the staple - butter, salt and pepper.

i made this the other night and finished grilling 20-some minutes before a major downpour. that turned into the first of two nights of tornado warnings. the weather's been nuts here, but we're looking forward to better temps and clearer skies this weekend!

grilled veggie packets

so, can we talk about how awesome grilling is for a minute? i mean, we grilled a lot at my parents, but i never really did the grilling or the cleaning up (i was a spoiled little girl).

my sister and her hubs were awesome enough to give us their little propane grill. it's circular, small, lightweight and perfect for our bee-infested "patio." (we have a major infestation of carpenter bees.) after our yummy meal, i was super excited with no pots and pans to clean, no baked-on casserole dish and no hot-from-the-oven kitchen.

so, we cleaned up the grill, i got the propane tank filled up, and i set to work on cleaning and sterilizing the final parts at home. i thought chicken with veggie packets was the perfect way to break in the grill.

the main "recipe" for this came from Pillsbury Grilled Vegetable Medley Packets. it was really the only thing online i found that seemed worth trying.

 recipe:
~ingredients~
allows for 2 [large] servings - these are the amounts I used. you could easily add more or different veggies per your own faves!
3/4 zucchini (medium sized)
5 (small) red potatoes
3/4 white onion
1/4 red pepper
2 T butter (i used unsalted)
1 T olive oil (about)
1 sprig fresh thyme
S+P

~instructions~

1. preheat/prepare grill.
2. chop all your veggies and combine in bowl.
3. melt butter, add S+P, thyme and olive oil; pour over and mix veggies.
4. make a foil packet, add veggies to center, fold top and fold edges. leave an inch or two at the top for expansion.
5. i had my grill on pretty high and cooked for 25-30 minutes. the potatoes were perfectly soft. probably could have come out a little sooner, so if your grill is really hot - don't go more than 25 minutes. i would have liked the zucchini and pepper a little less soft.
6. open packets carefully, allowing steam to escape.

this recipe is pretty simple. limited seasons and herbs, and i liked that. however, probably could have used a little more salt and thyme and maybe some garlic cloves thrown in (but discard instead of serving). oh - and the chicken - i marinated in olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper - josh's had balsamic and mine had fresh lemon juice. those took about 15 minutes or less to cook. (seriously, that grill was HOT.)

big thanks to sissy and her hubs for the grill!! i see lots more grilling happening! (as long as i don't get attacked/scared away by bees...) and yes - we'll have you over for dinner sometime :)

cauliflower, spinach and chicken gratin

i bought the ingredients for this dish a week ago and only just got around to making it now. holy. this was so good.

i took shortcuts with pre-made alfredo sauce, but you could go big and make your own.

chicken, cauliflower and spinach mixed with alfredo sauce, mozzarella cheese and bread crumbs. yum.

i made a "half batch" but used all the alfredo sauce and lots of cheese (of course). it ended up making about three servings, and i'm excited to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

recipe adapted from Wegman's Cauliflower, Spinach and Chicken Gratin.

i cooked my chicken, added the cauliflower, sauce, cheese, 1/2 the bread crumbs and spinach all to the same skillet. this cut down on my cooking time compared to the original recipe - 20 minutes and 15 instead of 40 and 15, so i really liked doing it that way.

i suggest you try this - so good! josh enjoyed it as well, so this will definitely go back on our dinner plan. i could also see adding some pasta to this if you want to make the meal go even farther.

lasagna casserole

tortiglioni. this pasta is so fun.

 

but for some reason when you google it, you find this pasta. 

 i don't really understand why pasta with the same name is SO different...

maybe only Wegman's brand tortiglioni is curly?

 pasta, ricotta cheese + Parmesan gooey goodness.

topped with meat sauce with lots-o-garlic + onions, and of course more cheese.

bake for about 15 min on whatever is convenient (i had bread cooking at 450 so i did that for 10 min, then switched to 350)

deliciousness.

recipe adapted from Rachael Ray's Lasagna Casserole. [my changes: i didn't have any carrots and used tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes]. this is by far the best "lasagna casserole" i have made. i've done the RR recipe several times before and it's been good - but i think the use of SAUCE instead of diced tomatoes really kicked it up. also, i just love this pasta :) probably my favorite. what's your favorite pasta?