Honey Ginger Soy Chicken

Awhile back, I ordered a book called The Mom 100 Cookbook from Scholastic.  I read good reviews on Amazon and decided to buy it without knowing much about the book or the author.  Come to find out, Katie Workman is pretty well known in the cooking world.  She runs a website that shares famous chefs' recipes.  She lives in New York City and has two sons.  The main reason I decided to order the cookbook was because it was supposed to be for real moms and contained recipes for real food.  I was not disappointed when I received this book.  First of all, it has reviews from famous chefs such as Ina Garten and Bobby Flay on the back cover.   Next, it reads like a book.  The layout is fabulous.  She gives you 20 situations and gives you 5 recipes for each situation, everything from breakfast to bake sale to potluck.  Another thing I like is all her tips.  She has tips throughout the book on everything from getting kids to try food to cooking tips to different variations of the recipes.  Finally, there are a ton of delicious looking recipes.  I put a post it flag on each recipe I want to try and my book has more blue flags than empty white pages.  Most of the recipes are healthier and contain fresher ingredients.  Some are in my comfort zone and some aren't.  For example, there is a chicken strip recipe I plan on trying later this week but tonight's dish is something that I wouldn't typically make.  This Honey Ginger Soy Chicken recipe is found in the Potluck chapter.

The case:
Honey Ginger Soy Chicken
Adapted from The Mom 100 Cookbook by: Katie Workman
Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup honey, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/8 cup grated peeled fresh ginger
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 package skin on chicken thighs (5 pieces)

Directions:

1. Place the honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic cloves in a bowl and whisk until blended.  
2. Arrange the chicken in a foil-lined baking dish skin side down.  Pour the honey mixture over the chicken and stir so mixture evenly coats chicken.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil and marinate overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. Bake covered for 30 minutes.  Uncover the pan , turn the chicken skin side up, and increase oven temperature to 375.  Continue baking for 35 minutes.  Serve the chicken with the pan sauce.

The ruling:
Absolutely loved this!!!  This chicken had so much flavor.  The pan sauce was perfect over the brown rice.  I can't wait to try more recipes in Katie's cookbook.
Rating: 6
Make again? Yes and soon!

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken & Saffron Rice

I'm sure most of you have seen this recipe on Pinterest.  I've actually seen it recreated on several blogs.  I've been meaning to make it forever and am excited to finally be trying it.  The original recipe is from 365 Days of Slow Cooking.  I have altered it slightly below.

While I was looking up Arti's recipe for Basmati rice, I saw Sunny Anderson's Saffron Basmati rice recipe on Food Network.  I decided to try it for something new. 

The case:
Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken
Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 4 Tbsp ketchup
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3/4 cup cashews
  

Directions:

1. Combine flour and pepper in resealable food storage bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat with flour mixture.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker.
3. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in small bowl; pour over chicken. 
4. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Add cashews and stir.  Serve over rice. Makes 4-6 servings.

Saffron Basmati Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 3 to 4 threads saffron
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 3 to 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse the rice in a colander under cold water until it runs clear, picking out any little pieces of grit or debris. Shake off the excess water. 
2. Heat a pot over medium heat, and then add the rice, oil, garlic, saffron and cayenne pepper. Stir and toast the rice until the cayenne and saffron are fragrant, about 4 minutes. 
3. Shake the pot to level out the rice, and then add the chicken stock to fill about 1/2-inch over the rice. Bring to a boil, and then lower to a simmer and cover to cook for 15 minutes. 
4. Remove from the heat and let the rice stand another 5 minutes, covered. Fluff with a fork. Stir in the lemon zest, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Sorry for the quality of the picture.  I left my camera at my parent's and had to take thus using my IPad.

The ruling:
This is a great alternative to getting Asian takeout.  I really liked it.  The cashews make the dish for me!  I loved the texture of the chicken.  Coating the chicken in flour and cooking it slightly in the skillet gave it an authentic fried Asian chicken consistency.   The rice put this dish over the top. Not only did we enjoy the flavors from each dish individually, but they melded perfectly together. 
Rating: 4 Stars
Make again? Absolutely!

Cheesy Honey Mustard Chicken

This was recommended to me by a friend, Lindsey Spencer.  It is similar to the Alice Springs chicken I've made several times before, which is one of our favorite meals.  

The case:
Cheesy Honey Mustard Chicken from Plain Chicken
Ingredients:

• 4 boneless chicken breast
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• lemon pepper to taste
• 4 Tbsp bacon, cooked and chopped (You may use Oscar Meyer bacon bits)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Combine honey, mustard, lemon juice and paprika.  Pour over chicken in a Zip Loc bag.  Refrigerate for a few hours.  
2. Preheat oven to 375.
3. Place chicken in 9x13 baking dish. Pour all of sauce over chicken.  Season chicken breasts with lemon pepper.  Bake for 20-25 minutes. 
4. Top each chicken breast with 1 Tablespoon of bacon and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.  Continue to bake until cheese is starting to brown (about 10 minutes).

The ruling:
This was very good.  I loved the sauce!  I need to combine my favorite things about this recipe and the Alice Springs chicken recipe.  I especially want to add mushrooms, but I like the way this is cooked better.  The chicken is so flavorful and moist! And there is more sauce to pour over! Yum!

Egg in a Hole

For the longest time (since about 6 months ago), if I was going to eat an egg, I wanted to eat it scrambled.  I had no desire to even taste a runny yolk.  In college we used to go this little hole-in-the-wall grille that served a burger called the One Eyed Jack.  It had a fried egg on it.  Michael always got it and ranted and raved about how tasty it was.  Well 5 years later, this past fall actually, I decided to try a similar burger while visiting a burger joint in Charleston.  Ummmm..... Best Burger of My Life!!!!  I still think back to how delightfully delicious that burger was.  Well up until today that was still the only fried egg I'd ever had.  Having ingredients on hand is my number one reason to cook a dish, and today's Egg in a Hole was no exception.  I had eggs and bread that were about to go bad and I needed a quick lunch.  It's much harder to do anything on time with 2 kids!  Plus I've been eying this recipe since I got Pioneer Woman's cookbook several years ago.

The case: 
Egg in a Hole Adapted Slightly from: Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

• Slices of any kind of bread (I used regular honey wheat)
• Eggs
• Butter
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

1. With a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass, press a hole in the center of the slice of bread.
2. Next, heat a skillet over medium-low heat and melt a Tablespoon of butter in it. When the butter is all spread out, place the piece of bread in the skillet and crack the egg straight into the center of hole. 
3. Cook for about a minutre or so before attempting to move the bread or things could get messy. Sprinkle the egg with salt and pepper to taste. After about a minute, flip it over with a spatula and salt and pepper the other side.  Add another dab of butter.
4. Now move the whole piece of toast around the skillet, soaking up all of the glorious butter. Let it cook until the yolk feels, to the touch, still soft without feeling over-jiggly. (Or cook to your liking)

The ruling:
Recently Michael and I've started giving a number to the new recipes I try and to our regular standbys.  We've been numbering them from 1-10.  Recipes that I make regularly that we enjoy have been getting a 7-8.  He's really tough.  It's got to be something very special to get higher than that.  Well, this my friends, got a 9!  5 ingredients that almost every household has got a 9!  ingredients that I can throw together and cook in 10 minutes got a 9!  I think that's enough said!

Super Bowl Favorites

Tailgating food is my absolute favorite of food.  We'll just be staying home this year since we have a newborn that we don't want to get out of the house with all this sickness going around.  I've been thinking about what I would like to have.  Even though it will just be the two of us, I still like to go all out and get it the spirit.  I like to have a few old favorites as well as try a few new ones.  Here are a few of my favorite appetizer type foods that would be perfect on Super Bowl Sunday:

Mahogany Chicken Wings

 

Stuffed Mushrooms

 

Restaurant Style Hot Wings



Charleston Cheese Dip




Homemade Salsa and Chicken Lime Nachos



Saucy Island Sandwiches

Marinated Pork Chops

And the grand finale of Friday night's supper.  One of my close friends told me about this recipe a few months ago.  We're working on cleaning out our freezer and found several packages of pork chops I got on sale back in the summer.  With the warm weather becoming more scarce, I knew it was the perfect time to grill these out.  

The case:
Marinated Pork Chops (Slightly adapted from All Recipes)
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 6 (1 inch thick) pork chops

Directions:

1. Combine the first 10 ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag or shallow glass container; add pork and turn to coat. Seal bag or cover container; refrigerate overnight. Drain and discard marinade. Grill, covered, over medium coals, turning occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until juices run clear.

The ruling:
 Jodi was right! These are delicious!  This is my official new go-to pork chop marinade.

Jiffy Corn Pudding

I found this recipe on Pinterest, but unfortunately the link was broken so I don't know who to give credit to.  Luckily, the directions were in the description. 

The case:
Ingredients:

• 1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
• 1 can cream corn
• 1 can sweet whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions:
Mix together all ingredients, mixing in sour cream last.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

The ruling:
No, this isn't very pretty, but it is the best corn dish I've ever had!  The tangyness of the sour cream with the richness of the butter with the sweetness of the corn is out of this world.  It's a very comforting dish, but also light at the same time.  And seriously, could it be easier to throw together?  I made 3 new dishes for dinner tonight and they were all home runs.  I'll post another one tomorrow. 

Crunchy Onion Chicken Tenders

One of my friends told me about this recipe probably 6 months ago. I recently found a good deal on French's French Fried Onions, I knew it was time to make it.

The case:
Crunchy Onion Chicken Tenders from  FRENCH'S®
Ingredients:  

• 2 cups (4 oz.) FRENCH'S® Original or Cheddar French Fried Onions 
• 2 tbsp. flour  
• 1 lb. chicken tenders  
• 1/2 cup honey mustard

Directions:

1. CRUSH French Fried Onions with flour in plastic bag. 
2. DIP chicken tenders into honey mustard; coat in onion crumbs.  
3. BAKE 15 min. at 400 °F until chicken is cooked.

The ruling:
We absolutely loved this chicken!  The flavor of the honey mustard with crispy onion flavor was wonderful.  I will be making this again, and soon!

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

Here's another recipe from Our Best Bites.  Our Best Bites has officially become my favorite recipe blog.  (Pioneer Woman and Plain Chicken are close behind)  I love alfredo and am excited to try a low fat version.  By the way, I just pre-ordered My Best Bites new cookbook! Can't wait!!!!

The case:

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce from Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

• 2 C low-fat milk
• 1/3 C (3 oz) low fat cream cheese
• 2-3 T flour
• 1 t salt
• 1 T butter
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 C grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Place milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth.  In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic. Let the garlic saute for about 30 seconds, you don’t want to burn it. 
2. Then add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more. It should be much thicker now. 
3. When it’s nice and thickened remove the pan from the heat. Add the cheese, stir it up and then cover immediately. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before using. It will continue to thicken upon standing. Also, if you have leftovers in the fridge, the sauce will thicken almost into a solid. Just re-heat and add a little milk and it will be back to normal again.

The ruling: 
Love, love, love this!  This is my new go to alfredo sauce.  My search is over.  I can't believe it's low fat!  It's so much thicker than my usual alfredo, but doesn't have near the butter or cream.  Thanks again Our Best Bites!

Thai Coconut Soup

I know I've mentioned several times how much I love soups- it doesn't matter what time of year.  But I do feel like the true comfort food/soup season got a little cheated this year.  This recipe is a huge step outside of our box. 

The case:

Easy Thai Coconut Soup Recipe by Ourbestbites.com

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper

1 1/2 tablespoon fresh minced ginger, or 1 ½ teaspoons ground dry ginger

2 14.5-ounce cans chicken broth

1 13.5 ounce can light coconut  milk

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 packages ramen noodes (discard seasoning packet)

optional: ¾ cup sliced mushrooms

1 ½ tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 cup diced or shredded cooked chicken

toppings:  additional chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, and lime wedges

Instructions

Heat medium sized pot to medium-high heat on stove top.  Add olive oil, jalapeno, and ginger (if using fresh.)  Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until jalapeno and ginger are softened and fragrant.  If using ground ginger, add now and stir.  Add chicken broth, coconut milk, and salt and increase heat to bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce to simmer and add noodles (note you will discard seasoning packet that comes with noodles.)  Simmer 3-5 minutes, until noodles are softened.  If using mushrooms, add them in the final 2-3 minutes of cooking the noodles.  Add chicken and simmer for about 30 seconds to heat through.  Remove pot from heat and stir in lime juice, chicken, and cilantro.   Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with additional chopped cilantro, green onions, and lime wedges if desired.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4-6.

Note:  This type of noodle absorbs liquid exceptionally fast, so you should serve the soup immediately.  If you know you need to keep the soup warm for a while before serving, wait to add the noodles until a few minutes before you’re ready to serve.

The ruling:

If you like cilantro and lime, you're going to love this!  I had a feeling about this soup and I'm glad I trusted my gut!  It is delicious.  The freshness of the cilantro and lime make this the perfect springtime soup.  But it would be great anytime of the year.

Easy Creamed Corn

Yet another Pinterest dish that I made because I had all the ingredients already in my fridge/pantry.  I knew we were grilling out tonight (marinade recipe to come) and I wanted an easier, lighter side dish.  Plus corn is on sale $1 a bag at Kroger this week, and I decided to stock up!

The case:  Slightly adapted from Budget Savy Diva
Ingredients:

• 1 bag frozen corn (I used one that steams in the microwave)
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 3 oz. light cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat corn, butter, and cream cheese.  Stir until heated through and all ingredients are combined.  
2. Stir in cayenne pepper and salt and pepper.

The ruling:
 BEST CORN I'VE EVER HAD!  This lovely dish was beyond simple and actually low in fat.  I'll just make a guess that this corn will be made at least every other week at the Greer household.

Balsamic Chicken, Tomato, and Spinach Pasta Salad

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of pasta salad, but I'm a huge fan of the ingredients in this.  I found this recipe on Pinterest a couple of days ago.  We're going to be moving in a few weeks and we're trying to clean out the freezer before we move.  We just happen to have some cheese tortellini in the freezer that I've been wanting to get rid of. 

The case:
Balsamic Chicken, Tomato, and Spinach Pasta Salad (adapted from Multiply Delicious)

Ingredients:

• 1 (20-ounce) package cheese tortellini 
• 1 pound  skinned and boned chicken breasts, diced 
•  1 ½  cup  Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (divided) 
• 1/2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
•  Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
•  2 cups firmly packed fresh spinach, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 ½ cups fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
1.  Place chicken in a zip-lock bag and pour 1 cup of balsamic vinaigrette in bag with chicken.  Marinate for at least 2 hour, but best if marinated overnight.  Take chicken out of zip-lock bag and discard marinade.  
2. In a grill pan, grill chicken breasts, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side until cooked through. Dice chicken into small bites.  Meanwhile boil tortellini according to package directions.
3. Whisk together remaining ½ cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing and mustard in a small bowl.
4. Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Toss together pasta, chicken, balsamic mixture, spinach, basil, tomatoes, and cheese. Serve immediately, or, if desired, cover and chill 1 hour before serving.

The ruling: 
This dish is out of this world wonderful!!!!!  Easily in the top 10 recipes I've ever made.  All the flavors mesh together in perfect harmony.  Okay, that sounds really corny but it really explains how I'm feeling.  Is it bad food sings to me?  Anyway, this recipe is perfect!  This recipe is the reason I blog and am so interested in trying new things.  How else would I ever find these little gems?  I'm going to use this chicken for a lot of pasta dishes to come.  

Blueberry Cobbler

This is another fantastic Pioneer Woman recipe.  I had seen it originally in her first cookbook, but didn't have any desire to make it until I saw her make it on the first season of her show on Food Network.  I've actually already made this a couple of times, but am so excited to eat it, I forget to take a picture.  I don't like typical fruit cobblers.  This one is sorta a twist between a cake and a cobbler.  I have always made it with frozen blueberries and served it with vanilla ice cream.

The case

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick butter, melted, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar 
• 1 cup self-rising flour 
• 1 cup whole milk 
• 2 cups fresh (or frozen) blackberries 
• Whipped cream and/or ice cream, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 3-quart baking dish with butter.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup sugar with the flour and milk. Whisk in the melted butter. 
3. Rinse the blackberries and pat them dry. Pour the batter into the baking dish. Sprinkle the blackberries evenly over the top of the batter. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over the blackberries. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 1 hour. When 10 minutes of the cooking time remains, sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the top. Top with whipped cream or ice cream . . . or both!

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

Besides BBQ and bacon, I haven't really experimented with neither the eating or cooking of pork.  Two random occurrences made me decide to make this pork loin.  First, last Monday I had pork tenderloin at the Cooks Market.  I always eat chicken, but for some reason that night I decided to try the pork.  It was really good!  I immediately went home and found a few recipes that I wanted to try.  Then, Wednesday my friend Kayla and I were talking about Pinterest and she mentioned this recipe to me.  She had tried it and said it was wonderful!  I took those two events as a sign.  And here we are...

The case: Adapted from CC Marriage Factory

Ingredients:

• 2 (1 pound) boneless pork tenderloins (If using 1 (2 lb) loin half the rub)
• 2 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup water

Glaze

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1-2 garlic cloves minced

Directions:

1. Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. 
2. About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan.  Heat on medium high until mixture starts to bubble.  Lower to a simmer and stir until thickened. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin Printable

The ruling:
Hands down one of my favorite recipes that I've ever made.  I think pork loin is going to be my new best friend.  This stuff was ridiculously yummy!  I loved the spicy/sweet/tangy flavor and it went perfectly with the pork!  Thanks Kayla! 

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Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

I've been making these mashed potatoes since we got married.  They are my absolute favorite- and I've tried a lot of mashed potato recipes.  I can't believe I'm just not posting the recipe.  This recipe comes from Ina Garten.  I've never tried one of her recipes that I didn't like.  In fact, she just might be my culinary hero.  

The case:
Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled
• Kosher salt 
• 1 1/2 cups milk 
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 1/2 cup sour cream 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place them in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with cold water and add enough salt so the water tastes quite salty. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn't boil. Set aside until the potatoes are done. 
3. As soon as the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander. Place a food mill fitted with a small disc/blade over a glass bowl. Process the potatoes through the food mill, turning the handle back and forth to force the potatoes through the disc. 
4. As soon as the potatoes are mashed, slowly whisk in enough of the hot milk/butter mixture to make the potatoes very creamy. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the sour cream and pepper and whisk to combine. Taste for seasoning and serve hot.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

I know a lot of you have probably seen the Hellman's commercial for this Parmesan chicken.   I figured it had to be worth trying if the whole commercial was centered around it and it is featured on their homepage.

The case:
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)
• 4 tsp. Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Combine Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise with cheese in medium bowl. Arrange chicken on baking sheet. Evenly top with mayonnaise mixture, then sprinkle with bread crumbs. 
3. Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

The ruling:
This is some of the most moist baked chicken I've ever had.  I like how the mayo mixture and breadcrumbs are only on the top.  That way you aren't left with soggy wanna be crumbs on the bottom.  I used mayonnaise with olive oil and fresh, finely shred Parmesan cheese.  I can see this being a regular kid friendly meal in the future.  

Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken) and Simple Basmati Rice

We've only had Indian food once at a wedding, but both Michael and I really like it.  We've been wanting to try it again ever since, but let's just say we're fresh out of Indian restaurants in our small town!  So, I figured I'd try to make it at home!  The rice recipe is from Aarti Sequeira, Food Network Star winner (love that show) and the second is a popular recipe from All Recipes.

The case:
Simple Basmati Rice from Aarti Sequeira
Ingredients:

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 3/4 cups water 
• Large pinch salt

Directions:

1. This is the most important part: Wash the rice! Place the rice in a large bowl and fill with fresh, room temperature water. Swirl your hand through the water and the rice; the water will go cloudy. That's all the starch that we're trying to remove in order to have individual grains of rice. Once you've swirled your hand around for a minute or so, pour off the water, taking care not to lose any rice. Repeat this washing process until the water runs clear. Usually, this takes 3 or 4 changes of water.
2. Fill up the bowl 1 more time and let the rice soak for 30 minutes. 
3. At the end of 30 minutes, drain the rice. Fill a medium saucepan with 1 3/4 cups water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. 
4. Add the rice, stir, and wait until the water comes back to a full boil. When it does, turn the heat down as low as it can go, and then cover. Cook for 15 minutes. 
5. At the end of 15 minutes, cut the heat. Let the rice sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; you should see that every grain of rice has grown a little longer and is separate from its brothers and sisters. 

Chicken Makhani Adapted from All Recipes
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil1/4 white onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup tomato puree (used diced tomatoes pureed in the food processor)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 teasponnspoon cornstarch
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/3 cup pureed low salt cashews

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Saute onion until soft and translucent. Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chili powder, cumin and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato puree, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in heavy cream and yogurt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, and season with 1 teaspoon garam masala and cayenne. Stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce, and simmer until liquid has reduced, and chicken is no longer pink. Stir cooked chicken into sauce.  Add cashews.
3. Mix together cornstarch and water, then stir into the sauce. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.

The ruling:
This is different but in a good way. Michael said it was one of the most flavorful dishes he's ever had.  The more we ate, the more we liked it! 

Roasted Tomato Soup

This recipe has been 2 years in the making.  Let me start off by saying, in general I don't even like tomato soup.  Campbell's tomato soup does absolutely nothing for me.  Panera is just about the only place I'll eat tomato soup, and it isn't from lack of trying it other places.  The bare bones of this recipe came from Gina and Pat Neely on Food Network.  I've added a few final touches to make it perfect.  For an extra special touch, I add precooked cheese tortellini at the end!

The case:
Ingredients

• 4 pounds, tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 6 Tablespoons olive oil
• 6 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar   
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• Pinch sugar 
• 3 tablespoons butter 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 4 cups chicken stock 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (freshly grated works best)
• 3 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange tomatoes, flesh side up, on 2 wire racks set on sheet trays. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, making sure they are well covered. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. 

 

Roast in the middle rack of the oven until tomatoes are brown and tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. 

Melt butter in 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion for 2 minutes, add garlic and saute for another 2 minutes, and then mix in tomato paste for a few more minutes. 

Add chicken stock and cayenne. Add heavy cream and heat over low heat. Bring up to a boil then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, peel skins off tomatoes.  Add the roasted tomatoes and basil to the pan. 

 

Puree with an immersion blender. (Or put 1/2 at a time in a regular blender) 

  

At this point, I didn't feel like mine looked quite tomatoy, which means red enough.  So I added a can of diced tomatoes and pureed a bit more.

Add Parmesan and cream cheese.  Stir until well blended and cheese is melted.  Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish generously with homemade croutons. 

Roasted Tomato Soup Printable

Angel Sugar Cookies

I'm determined to try all the recipes I want to try in Pioneer Woman's cookbook before her new cookbook comes out.  If you've read any other of my baking posts, you know one thing I hate to do is bake.  I don't have the patience to measure out everything perfectly, especially when I take the time and then my food is a disaster.  These things don't happen with cooking.  When you cook, you simply adjust flavor.  

The case:
Angel Sugar Cookies from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

• 2 whole Large Eggs
• 1 cup Canola Oil
• 2 sticks Butter, Softened
• 1 cup Sugar, Plus Extra For Sprinkling
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 4 cups Plus 2 Tablespoons, All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Cream Of Tartar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together eggs, oil, butter, sugars, and vanilla. 
3. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate dough one hour. 
4. Using a cookie scoop, drop balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. 
5. Smear a dab of butter all over the bottom of a glass, then dip the glass in granulated sugar. Use the glass to flatten each ball of dough, dipping again into the sugar each time. Repeat until all are flattened. 
6. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until cookies are just barely turning brown. Don’t overbrown! 
7. Allow to cool before eating. Cookies are ultra crumbly! 

Angel Sugar Cookies Printable

The ruling:
These are some of the lightest, crispiest cookies I've ever had period.  I love how thin they are, yet still chewy!  I'm going to try to add icing tomorrow.  What could be better?

Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs

The best thing about chicken legs are that they are cheap!  And easy to eat.  Ryder is almost a year old and I'm thinking more and more about quick dishes that he would enjoy eating one day.  I remember loving chicken legs as a child. I'm hoping these will be a yummy, healthier alternative to the classic fried version. 

The case:
Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs (Adapted from Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients:

• 12 whole Chicken Legs
• 1 stick of Butter
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic power
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup Lemon Juice

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan. Pour in lemon juice (fresh or bottled). Add your seasonings.
2. Rinse and pat your chicken legs dry. With metal tongs, transfer them one by one into the butter mixture and place on a baking sheet with a wired cooling rack. Once all of the chicken legs are coated and on the baking rack, take a pastry brush and give them one last coating of the butter mixture. Sprinkle them with some more of your seasonings. 
3. Place them into a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes. If they need a bit more color, turn on the broiler for a couple minutes and watch them closely. Remove them when they are nice and golden brown. 

Roasted Chicken Legs Printable Version

The ruling:
Mission accomplished! These were perfect- quick, easy, kid friendly!  I was afraid they might be too spicy but they really weren't!  Next time I'm going to experiment with lemon pepper seasoning.