Recipe: Mushroom-less Chicken Marsala

I had set out chicken to thaw in the fridge the night before last and had been eyeing the head of broccoli nestled in the veggie drawer—I was going to make something for dinner last night, I just didn't have a plan. Realizing I wouldn't be home from work until 6:00pm, I needed something quick, so it wasn't the best night to be experimenting with a new recipe. I asked my mother about maybe just having her make either her much-loved Chicken Kiev or her Mushroom-less Chicken Marsala, but she's been feeling a bit under the weather, so we picked the latter of the two dishes (because it's easier and faster) and came to a compromise: she would do as much prep. work as she felt she was able to do, and I would swoop in and take over after getting home from work. She managed to trim and flatten the chicken breasts, but the rest was up to me.

Now, this dish is one of my mom's classic dinner dishes—she's been making it for as long as I can remember and I was terrified of messing it up, because her version is just so good. Aside from letting the sauce reduce a bit too much and overloading a bit on the parsley (her recipe had the measurement for fresh parsley, while I was using dry parsley, and you need far less dry than you need fresh), the meal turned out well and I'm happy to share this variation on Chicken Marsala with you.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts (boneless, skinless), flattened to about approx. 1/4-to-1/2 inch thickness (pound them out between two pieces of plastic wrap using a meat mallet)
• 1 large egg, whisked together with 1-2 tbsp. water
• 1/2-to-1 cup panko coating/bread crumbs (use more, as needed)
• 1 head broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets
• Approx. 6-8 oz. egg noodles (we usually use large noodles)
• Salt and pepper
• Butter and olive oil

For the sauce

• 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) salted butter
• 4 tsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup Marsala wine (we use cooking wine, but the real stuff has better flavor)
• 4 tsp. dry parsley (or 1/4 cup fresh)
• 1 tsp. chicken granules or bouillon (you just add it directly to the sauce—no water needed)
• (Salt and) pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 225*F. Spread the panko out on a plate or piece of wax paper and season lightly with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg-and-water mixture (it's best if this is in a shallow bowl), thoroughly coating each piece, then dip each piece into the panko and coat thoroughly. Heat a little butter and olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat, then add the chicken. Cook evenly on both sides, letting each side crisp up and turn lightly golden brown. When they've just about cooked through, remove them from the pan, set them in an oven-safe dish and put them in the oven to keep warm. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, then add your noodles and cook according to package instructions (about 7 minutes). After 4 minutes have passed cooking the noodles, add the broccoli to the pot with the noodles and cook until done (this will cook the broccoli gently, but don't add the broccoli too early, or it will get mushy). While the noodles and broccoli are cooking, add the butter for the sauce to the pan used to cook the chicken and heat over medium heat. Once it's melted, add the flour and whisk it in to blend it into the butter. Add the garlic, cook for about a minute, then add the water, Marsala wine, parsley (if using fresh, add it at the end—fresh herbs lose their flavor quickly when cooked), chicken granules/bouillon, and pepper (and salt, if needed) and stir or whisk to blend. Continue to stir and increase the heat until the sauce starts to boil and thicken (about 1 minute), then reduce the heat to low. When the noodles and broccoli are done, drain them and return them to the pot (add a little butter if desired to prevent the noodles from sticking). Pour the sauce into a gravy boat. Serve the chicken alongside the broccoli and noodle mixture and top with sauce.

This is the Chicken Marsala I grew up with—flavorful, simple, and mushroom-less. My mother has never liked mushrooms and, until recently, I didn't either, so it took me a long time to realize that my mother's recipe was a bit different than the usual. Despite it's differences, it's absolutely delicious. Marsala wine adds sweetness to the sauce, while the butter and chicken granules add saltiness. Garlic and parsley add a little pop of flavor, while the flour helps to thicken the sauce. We used to use regular bread crumbs on the chicken, but the panko just crisps up so much nicer and makes the chicken lighter. Tender egg noodles make a nice change from pasta and broccoli adds freshness to the dish. It's a twist on a classic, and it's absolutely delicious. 

Recipe: Oven Roasted Chicken with Garlic-Lemon Red Potatoes and Broccoli

Tonight, I wanted something pasta-free. *GASP* I know, I know: pasta is my thing. It's my favorite ingredient and a majority of my posts are recipes involving pasta. However, while I would happily eat pasta every night forever and ever, sometimes, it's good to switch things up. When I came across this recipe on Tastespotting today, I knew I had to recreate it. I only made some minor changes—I subbed in broccoli for the green beans (I've never been a fan of green beans; asparagus could work really well in this too); added a little butter to the lemon-olive oil mixture; and added thyme, onion, and fresh lemon peel to kick the dish up a notch. The result was a delicious, lemony dish perfect for any time of year that both looked pretty and cleaned up easily.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 40-50 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• Pam or other cooking spray
• 5 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp. white wine (cooking wine is fine)
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. dried thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 2 lemons, one thinly sliced and one zested and juiced
• 1 medium to large onion, thinly sliced (pull the slices apart into rings)
• 6-10 small to medium red potatoes, washed and cut into small pieces (approx. 4 pieces per small potato, 6 pieces per medium potato)
• 2 small heads broccoli, cut into florets (or 1 bunch asparagus, with stalks cut into 1-2 inch pieces)
• 2 chicken breasts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450*F. Spray a large (9x13), semi-deep oven-safe pan or skillet (I used a big Corningware baking dish) with cooking spray or lightly coat with olive oil. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, white wine, butter, garlic, and thyme. Whisk in salt and pepper (at least 1 tsp. each). In the pan, lay out the lemon slices along the bottom so that none are overlapping (if you don't have enough to coat the whole bottom, don't worry—just make sure you lay them out in rows and don't overlap). Evenly lay the onion slices/rings over the lemon slices. Toss the potato pieces in the lemon juice-and-oil mixture, remove with a slotted spoon, and evenly distribute them over the layer of onion and lemon slices. Toss the broccoli in the lemon juice-and-oil mixture, remove with slotted spoon, and evenly place the pieces in with the potatoes (on top, next to...just make sure they're mixed in with the potatoes). Put the chicken breasts in the lemon juice-and-oil mixture, toss to coat, let sit for a few minutes, then use tongs or slotted spoon to remove and place over top of the veggie layers in the pan. Pour the remaining lemon juice-and-oil mixture evenly over the chicken and veggies. Sprinkle the lemon zest evenly over the dish, place in the oven (on the middle rack), and cook for 40-50 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through and the potatoes are tender. Serve, being sure to use a spoon to ladle out the cooked lemon juice-and-oil mixture and pour over each serving for extra flavor.

This dish is really easy to make and it cleans up so easily because you're just using a roasting pan, a small bowl, and a handful of kitchen tools—while the dish is in the oven, you can put away ingredients and wash the dishes, and the cleanup after eating will be that much easier. The flavor is bright, fresh, and simple and the dish is pretty healthy too. This dish is great for any night of the week, but because it looks so beautiful and colorful coming out of the oven (and because prep. and clean up are so easy) it would work well on an evening when you're expecting a few guests at dinner.

Recipe: Chicken and Broccoli Pasta with a Blue Cheese Cream Sauce

I spent this past weekend with John in Memphis, a place I enjoy more and more each time I visit. The city has a great food scene and there are so many restaurants to try. Memphis is about more than just BBQ and Southern cooking—there are restaurants offering up fantastic pizzas, tantalizing ethnic foods, delectable desserts, and more. We stocked up on cupcakes from Muddy's (their mint icing is absolutely amazing), ate a homemade hot dog and pizza with Benton bacon at Hogs & Hominy, enjoyed cheesy bread at Houston's, and got to taste an assortment of dishes from a variety of restaurants at The Dixon's Art on Fire event. On Sunday night, we went to Boscos and I had a very tasty pasta dish with grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and a gorgonzola sauce. Tonight, I was thinking back on that dish when I peered in the fridge and saw a container of blue cheese crumbles left over from some salads I'd been making last week. I'm a big blue cheese lover—I love the salad dressing, I love it crumbled on a steak or burger, and I really wanted to use that box of cheese to make a blue cheese cream sauce. That sauce, tossed with chicken, broccoli, and pasta, created a flavorful, filling dish that was perfect for this rainy day that Sandy sent our way today.

Serves: 4

Prep. time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes total (approx. 2 min. for broccoli, 5-10 min. for sauce and chicken, 11-13 min. for pasta)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1-2 heads broccoli, cut into florets (or approx. 2-4 cups broccoli florets)
• 8 oz. farfalle, or other small pasta (penne, medium shells, etc.)
• A pat of butter
• Olive oil, enough to lightly coat the bottom of a large pan
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 pint heavy cream
• 1/2-1 cup blue cheese (more or less, as desired)
• 1-2 tbsp. dried chives, or more as desired
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Cornstarch and water mixture, as needed

Directions
In a medium pot, bring salted water to a boil, then blanch the broccoli florets (i.e. cook them for about 2-3 minutes in the boiling water). Drain them, then return them to the pot with cold water and some ice cubes (this will help stop them from cooking any further—the last thing you want is mushy broccoli). Add salted water to another medium to large pot, and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions (about 11-13 minutes). While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter and olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat and add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook gently until tender and no longer pink in the middle (about 5-10 min.)—toss the garlic in near the end of cooking. While the chicken is cooking, heat the heavy cream over medium high heat in a small pot. Once bubbling, add blue cheese crumbles and stir to combine. If desired, add a little cornstarch-and-water to thicken the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium low. Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain it and return it to the pot, then drain the broccoli and add it to the pasta. Add the chicken and sauce to the mixture, season with salt and pepper, add chives, and toss in an extra handful or two of blue cheese crumbles. Serve hot, with added blue cheese crumbles, as desired.

This dish, though packed with blue cheese, is not overpowering, but rather quite light and flavorful. Broccoli is always delicious in a creamy sauce, especially one with cheese, and chicken adds some much-needed protein. A dash of chives and an extra spoonful of blue cheese crumbles completes the dish. 

Recipe: Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice in an Apricot Brandy Cream Sauce

Yes, yes, I know...I owe you all some more posts about my month in Scotland (because, well, it's a nice change from a slew of recipe posts, and I really do have some fun stories and pictures from my trip), but after battling jet lag, spending hours labeling and organizing over a thousand photos, and telling everyone I know and meet about it, I need a few days off before I fill up the blog with Edinburgh posts. So, for tonight, I'm just gonna post a lovely, light chicken recipe that's perfect any time of year. This chicken dish is served with a brandy cream sauce, and though I used a very old, very delicious apricot brandy for my dish, any ol' brandy will do.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• Approx. 2-3 cups broccoli florets
• 1 pat butter
• Olive oil, enough to lightly coat the bottom of a large pan
• 1&1/2 to 2 cups rice
• 2 chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2 to 1 inch thick slices
• 1 small bunch (about 4 stalks) green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup (apricot) brandy
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Corn starch, as needed
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and cook the broccoli for 4 minutes, until still a little crispy. Drain and return to the pot with cold water and ice, then set aside. Cook the rice according to package instructions (the brand I use calls for water, salt, and butter and takes 20 minutes to cook). While the rice is cooking, heat a little butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Drain the broccoli and return to the pot it was in. Add the chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper, and cook until mostly cooked through, then add the garlic, broccoli, and green onions. After about a minute, add the brandy. Cook until the brandy has reduced by at least half, then add the heavy cream and continue to cook for a few minutes. Add a little cornstarch-and-water, as needed, to thicken the sauce (I added just a little bit, just enough to slightly thicken the sauce). Season with a little salt and pepper and serve atop the rice.

This dish has very soft flavors and a light creaminess that's lovely. Tender chicken, crisp broccoli, and fluffy rice are the perfect base for this slightly sweet, creamy sauce. I highly recommend making a double batch of the sauce (1/2 cup brandy, 1 cup heavy cream), because, as is, the amount of sauce is a little on the "not quite enough" side, but either way, it's delicious and such a nice change from thicker, richer cream sauces.

Recipe: Curry-Lime Chicken with Seasoned Coconut Rice and Broccoli

Looking to redeem myself for that terrible minted pea pasta dish from the other week, I went in search of a flavorful, summery recipe that would make my parents forget that the not-so-delicious pasta dish had ever happened. I came across this recipe for lime and coconut chicken while browsing through recipe posts on Pinterest and I just knew it had to be good. Unlike the minted pea dish, I was more familiar with the flavors in this dish and how they would interact with each other. I whipped up a complimentary side dish of seasoned coconut rice and fresh broccoli and the result was absolutely delicious. My dad claimed he tasted "flavors from the Caribbean," my mom said something about South America or Thai food (not sure which one, or why she thought of them), and I was thinking of Indian food with that delicious curry flavor coming through. This dish is packed with intense flavor and freshness and it's perfect on a warm summer day (and it definitely helped erase the mint-and-pea combo from our memories).

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 15 minutes (plus at least 2 hours for the chicken to marinate)
Cooking time: Approx. 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Special equipment: Grill, grill pan, or George Foreman (or similar) grill

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• Approx. 1/3 cup coconut milk, as needed for the marinade-turned-sauce
• 2-4 cups cups broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Lime wedges (approx. 2 per person)

For the marinade

• 3 tbsp. oil (I used olive oil, but peanut oil or veggie/canola oil would be good choices)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• Zest of 1 lime
• 1&1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• A pinch of ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. sugar

For the rice

• 2 cups white rice
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• Juice of 1 lime
• Zest of 2-3 limes
• 1 tsp. ground cumin, or to taste
• 1 tsp. ground coriander, or to taste
• 1 tsp. curry powder, or to taste
• 1 tsp. ground tumeric, or to taste
• 1/4 cup shredded, sweetened coconut, chopped

Directions

Prepare the marinade for the chicken in a liquid measuring cup. Put chicken breasts in a large Ziploc bag, pour in the marinade, and place the mixture in the fridge for at least two hours, to allow the chicken breasts to fully marinate. After the chicken breasts are finished, remove them from the bag and set aside on a plate in the fridge. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Pour the marinade into a small sauce pan and set aside. In a medium pot, prepare the rice according to package instructions. Substitute 1/4 of the water for the rice with the coconut milk. While the rice is cooking, fill a medium-sized pot with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the broccoli florets and cook for 3-4 minutes, until tender, but still firm and green. Drain them and return them to the pot; cover and set aside to keep warm. When the rice reaches the last 12 minutes of cooking, throw the chicken on the grill and grill until tender and cooked through. Set it aside on a plate; cover with foil. In the meantime, bring the marinade to a boil—this will become a sauce for the dish, but you MUST boil it for AT LEAST 2 minutes to make it safe to consume (it's had raw chicken in it, so you have to cook that out over high heat). Once it's boiled for a few minutes, add a little coconut milk to tone it down (it's very flavor-packed)—you can also add a splash of water. Add cornstarch-and-water mixture to thicken if needed. Keep over low heat, stirring occasionally. When the rice is done, add all of the remaining ingredients (seasoning, zest, coconut) for it and mix. Plate the chicken, rice, and broccoli, and serve with cilantro, lime wedges, and the marinade-turned-sauce. 

The curry and lime are the prominent flavors in this meal, but the coconut and mixture of cumin, coriander, and tumeric add depth to the dish. The sauce is powerful on its own, but perfect drizzled over the rice and chicken, and of course the broccoli, which soaks it right up. Definitely a dish with some new and unique flavors (at least for our family), and definitely a winner.

Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Pasta with a Lemon Butter Sauce

First things first: If you don't like lemons, you will not like this dish, so turn away now. Now, for those of you still with me, I'll tell you why you will like it: it's creamy, buttery, and oh-so-lemony. Rich, roasted vegetables and pasta come together in a bright, summery sauce that's perfect for you lemon-lovers. Toss in some chicken or shrimp for protein or add a side salad with a lemony vinaigrette to add a little oomph to this dish.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 8 oz. pasta of your choice (farfalle, penne, or medium shells would be a good choice—I used farfalle)
• 2-3 cups cauliflower florets
• 2-3 cups broccoli florets
• Approx. 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (just enough to lightly coat the broccoli and cauliflower)
• Zest and juice from 1 lemon
• Approx. 1/2 stick butter
• 2 tbsp. chicken broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. garlic powder, or more to taste
• 1 tsp. thyme, or more to taste
• 1 tsp. white pepper, or more to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Spread the cauliflower and broccoli florets on an ungreased baking sheet, toss with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for at least 15 minutes. In the meantime, bring a medium pot of water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook according to package instructions (about 8-11 minutes). While the pasta is cooking and the veggies are roasting, heat the butter and garlic in a small pot over medium heat. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, chicken broth, and seasonings to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Slowly add the heavy cream, whisking it in. Add more heavy cream, butter, or seasonings as desired and reduce to a simmer. If you'd like to thicken the sauce, add a mixture of 1 tsp. cornstarch and 1/4 cup water to it. The sauce, as is, will taste very lemony, but once it's tossed with the pasta and veggies, it will get toned down. When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot. Add the roasted veggies and toss with the lemon butter sauce. Serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino-Romano cheese as desired.

This dish is very light, with a clean, bright flavor that's perfect combined with the rich taste of the roasted broccoli and cauliflower. This is the sort of meal that you should enjoy while sitting out on the porch on a warm summer evening.

Recipe: Chicken and Broccoli Pasta in a Brown Butter Cream Sauce

So, despite the lack of recipe posts lately, I have, in fact, been cooking—I've just been making a lot of repeat meals (stir fry, pasta dishes, etc.) that have already shown up on the blog. The other night, we decided that the lovely warm weather warranted dining out on the back porch and I wanted to make something new; something that would be light yet flavorful, and work well with the nice weather. This creamy pasta dish does it all, combining seasoned chicken, fresh broccoli, tender pasta, and a delicious brown butter sauce swirled with heavy cream. The sauce is rich and creamy, but incredibly light and it blends perfectly with the other ingredients in the dish.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 8 oz. penne pasta, or other small pasta (ziti, farfalle, gemelli, etc.)
• 1 whole head/bunch broccoli (approx. 2-4 cups), cut into florets
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
• Salt, pepper, and paprika to season the chicken (about 1 tsp. of each)
• Olive oil, enough to lightly coat the bottom of a large pan
• 1-2 small onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 7 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. heavy cream
• Basil, chiffonade, if desired
• Italian cheese (Parmesan or Romano), if desired

Directions
Heat a little olive oil in a large pan over medium heat, then add the seasoned chicken pieces and cook until no longer pink in the middle, then remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate or in a dish (be sure to cover it to keep the heat in). Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook according to package instructions (about 10-13 minutes). When you have 4-5 minutes left, add the broccoli to the pot and cook it along with the pasta. While the pasta and broccoli are cooking, heat a little olive oil over medium heat in the same pan used for the chicken, then add the onion and cook until slightly soft and lightly browned (about 5-10 minutes). Add the garlic and 1 tbsp. unsalted butter and cook for a minute or two, until fragrant. Add the white wine and the cooked chicken to the pan and cook until the wine has reduced a little bit (about 5 minutes). When the pasta and broccoli are done, drain and return to the pot, then add the chicken mixture in and cover the pot. In a small pot, heat the remaining 6 tbsp. unsalted butter over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until it's melted and starts to brown lightly (there will be some specks of brown in the bottom—this is normal) and smells fragrant and nutty. Immediately remove from heat (if you cook it too long, it will burn and taste terrible). Slowly whisk the heavy cream into the melted butter until completely incorporated. Pour the brown butter cream sauce over the pasta mixture and toss to combine.. Serve with grated Italian cheese and basil.

This dish is light, creamy, and buttery—perfect for a warm summer night. Fresh broccoli adds color and freshness to this dish and lightly seasoned chicken pairs perfectly with the sauce and pasta. The brown butter cream sauce has a nutty, buttery flavor that's absolutely delicious—you may just want to start putting it on everything you eat. 

Recipe: Chicken, Broccoli, and Almond Stir-fry with Rice

During my grocery shopping trip yesterday, I decided to throw caution to the wind and just grab whatever caught my eye, rather than buy based on already picked out recipes. I bought asparagus, broccoli, quinoa, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and roasted almonds, among other things, knowing that I could easily find ways to work them into dinners this week. Looking into the fridge and pantry tonight, I pulled out the newly purchased broccoli and roasted almonds, plus a handful of other ingredients, and whipped together a quick and easy stir fry that was so delicious.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10 minutes (plus a little extra time for the chicken to marinate)
Cooking time: Approx. 20 minutes for the rice, 10 minutes for the stir fry
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch wide and 2 inch long strips
• 1 large bundle of broccoli (approx. 3 bunches, or 3-5 cups), cut into florets (or 1 large bag of frozen broccoli florets)
• 2 cups dry white rice (plus any ingredients needed to cook it)
• 1/2 - 2/3 cup whole roasted almonds, roughly chopped
• 1 onion (or 1 bunch of green onions), sliced into thin rings
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Peanut oil (enough to lightly coat the bottom of a pan)

Chicken marinade

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. mirin or sherry
• 1 tsp. oyster sauce
• 1/2 tsp. grated ginger

Sauce

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp. mirin or sherry
• 2 tsp. oyster sauce
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1/2 tsp. grated ginger
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch

Directions
Mix together the ingredients for the marinade in a small-to-medium bowl, then add in the chicken and stir to coat. Put the bowl in the fridge while you do your other prep. work. Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil and quickly cook (about 4 minutes) the broccoli, then drain it, and return it to the pot with cold water and ice to stop any residual cooking. Combine the ingredients for the sauce, whisk together, and set aside. Cook the rice according to package instructions (the brand I use calls for a little water, salt, and butter, and the rice cooks for about 20 minutes). During the last 10 minutes the rice is cooking, heat a little peanut oil in a large, deep skillet or a wok over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook for just a minute or so, until the onion starts to brown slightly, then add in the chicken (try not to pour too much of the marinade in with it). Cook until the chicken is just barely cooked through, then toss in the almonds. Drain the broccoli, then add it to the skillet and stir everything to combine. Make sure the chicken is cooked through, but tender. Slowly pour in the sauce and cook until it's slightly thickened (2-5 minutes). Serve the finished stir-fry over rice.

This dish is flavorful and easy to prepare—perfect for weeknights or a casual weekend meal. The crunchy almonds are slightly softened in the heat and blend perfectly with fresh broccoli and tender chicken. The soy and oyster sauces in the stir fry sauce add a savory, salty-meaty taste ("umami"), while the sherry and honey add a touch of sweetness for balance. Fluffy white rice is the perfect thing to pull it all together.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry with Hoisin Sauce and Wasabi Smashed Potatoes

I was prompted to "make something you and your dad will like" by my mother, who had a luncheon today and was uninterested in anything much for dinner. I really didn't want to go out for groceries, having just gone out yesterday for a quick trip, so I took a look through the pantry for some inspiration. A tube of unopened wasabi paste on the shelf and a bag of red potatoes in the corner led me to tonight's meal, an Asian-inspired dish  featuring fresh broccoli and tender chicken in a sweet-spicy hoisin sauce paired with wasabi smashed red potatoes. It's got varying levels of spiciness all through it, with a little sweet and savory to pull it all together and it's absolutely delicious. The best part, it's a really easy meal to time, meaning it's easy to make it so that everything finishes at the same time.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 20-30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into thin, 2-3 inch long slices (1-2 inch wide) slices
• 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
• 1/4 cup peanuts, roughly chopped, for garnish
• Sesame oil and peanut oil, enough to lightly coat the bottom of a large pan

For the chicken marinade

• 1/2 tsp. ginger 
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. sherry
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

For the potatoes

• 1&1/2 lb. red potatoes, washed and quartered, skin on (I used about 3/4 of a bag of red potatoes because, well, that's all I had)
• 2 tbsp. butter, cut into pieces
• 4-5 tbsp. milk (heavy cream or half-and-half could be used too)
• Wasabi paste, to taste (use more if you really want a kick in your potatoes, but don't go overboard—this stuff is strong; I used about 3 small squirts of the stuff)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste

For the hoisin sauce (makes about 3/4 cup)

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. creamy/smooth peanut butter
• 2 tsp. rice vinegar
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• A few drops of Tabasco sauce (go easy with it, because this can make the sauce really hot if you use too much)
• 1 tbsp. honey

Directions

Mix together the ingredients for the chicken marinade in a medium bowl and let the chicken slices marinate in the mixture in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. While the chicken is marinating, whisk together all of the ingredients for the hoisin sauce and set aside. Place the cut potatoes in a large pot and cover with water until the water reaches about 1 inch above the tops of the potatoes. Bring the pot of water to a boil, once boiling, cook them for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through (to test doneness, stick the tip of a pairing knife into a potato—if it pierces the potato easily and easily slides in and out, they're done). Bring a smaller pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the broccoli florets until just barely cooked though, about 3 minutes. Drain and return to the pot, then add cold water and some ice to stop the cooking process. While the potatoes are cooking and the broccoli is cooling, heat a splash of peanut oil and sesame oil over high heat in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook over until lightly browned and no longer pink in the middle. Drain the broccoli and add it to the chicken; reduce to medium heat. Stir in the hoisin sauce and toss to combine. Let the whole mixture cook until heated through. Drain the potatoes, and while the chicken and broccoli mixture is cooking, smash the potatoes with a masher or a fork. Add butter, milk, wasabi paste, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the potatoes and mix to incorporate (don't over mix or the potatoes will lose their fluffiness). Serve the finished chicken and broccoli mixture alongside or over top of the wasabi smashed potatoes. The excess hoisin sauce from the pan is great on top of the potatoes.

This dish is spicy, sweet, peanut-y—absolutely delicious! The peanut butter gives the hoisin sauce a rich flavor and velvety texture, and the hot sauce in the sauce and wasabi in the potatoes adds a splash of heat to the dish. Broccoli has this wonderful way of soaking up sauces into the flowery tops so each bite is packed with saucy goodness, so it's perfect with the chicken, and the subtle wasabi and garlic flavors in the potatoes makes this fluffy side the perfect backdrop to the rest of the dish.

Recipe: Food Network's "Cocoa-Rubbed Steak with Bacon-Whiskey Gravy"

This month's Food Network magazine was all about chocolate: how to cook and bake with it, how to temper it, where to buy the best, news about it, and more. All of the recipes in this issue incorporated chocolate in some sort of way, big or small, and a twist on the traditional "steak and potatoes" caught my eye. I don't cook red meat often, nor do I try to juggle too many things at once while I cook (in this case, steak, gravy, baked potatoes, and broccoli), so rather than play around with this recipe and make it my own the first time out, I decided to basically stick with it as is, tweaking just a few ingredients and whatnot, and it came out wonderfully. The rub on the steak has just a touch of heat and a subtle chocolate flavor that is savory rather than sweet. The gravy, a bacon-y, salty, creamy affair, goes well with the steak, and is even better on the baked potato and broccoli sides. So, kudos to you, Food Network, for a delicious, chocolate-themed steak-and-potato dinner!

(Bacon-Whiskey Gravy not pictured)

Yields: 2-4 servings (gravy serves about 6)
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 min.-1 hour
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Special equipment: Broiler pan

Ingredients

• 1 baking potato per person (I bought the "just pop in the microwave for 7-8 minutes" baking/russet potato to save time)
• About 2 heads of fresh broccoli, cut into florets (you can just cook half a bag of frozen broccoli to save time)
• Butter and sour cream for the baked potatoes, if desired

For the steak

• 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. packed brown sugar
• Salt and pepper
• 1 steak, preferably NY strip, per person (I bought two large Delmonico steaks and split one with my mom)

*The rub is enough to cover 3, 1 lb. NY strip steaks, so if you do smaller or fewer steaks, use less of the rub

For the gravy

• 3-4 strips bacon
• 1 leek, finely chopped (clean thoroughly, because they're very dirty; do not use the dark green part at the top of the leek)
• 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whiskey
• 3 cups chicken broth/stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. dried parsley
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Mix together the ingredients for the rub and lightly rub the mixture into both sides of each steak. Set the steaks aside on a broiler pan and turn on the broiler setting in your oven in preparation for the steaks. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil in preparation for cooking the broccoli. In a large pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy, then remove the bacon and place on paper towels to soak up excess grease. In the pan with the bacon grease, add the diced leek and cook until tender (about 3-5 minutes). Add the flour, stir to combine, and cook for about 1 minute. Add a little butter if desired. Remove the pan from the heat and add the whiskey. Return the pan to medium high heat and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is slightly thickened (about 3 minutes). Add the bay leaves and chicken stock, bring to a boil over medium high heat, and cook until the mixture is reduced by about one quarter (about 8 minutes). Slowly whisk in the heavy cream, then allow the gravy to simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. While it's cooking, put the steaks in the oven and broil for 8-15 minutes (less time will yield medium rare steak, more time will yield medium to medium well), turning occasionally. Returning to the gravy, crumble the cooked bacon and add it to the gravy, along with the butter and parsley, then stir to combine. The gravy should be just thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon (add a little cornstarch-and-water to make it thicker, if desired) and will be a cream color when it's done. Reduce the heat to keep it warm. Cook the broccoli florets for approx. 5 minutes in boiling water and heat the baking potatoes in the microwave for 7-8 minutes. If you've timed this right, everything should finish up at about the same time. The steak, once removed from the oven, should be allowed to rest for a few minutes on a cutting board before being plated and cut. Serve the meal with a gravy boat full of the gravy.

This is a delicious little twist on a classic and is quite a filling meal. Fresh broccoli and fluffy baked potatoes are the perfect compliment to the steak, coated in this lightly sweet-spicy rub. The gravy, a salty, creamy, buttery mixture, goes perfectly with every part of this dish.

Recipe: Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage and Baby Broccoli Florets

This is one of the first Giada De Laurentiis recipes that I tried (from her Everyday Italian cookbook; I've made a few changes to it) and my boyfriend, John, and I quickly put it on our favorites list, frequently making it on weeknights when we were in college. John would peel the casings off of the sausage while I minced garlic and brought water to a boil for the pasta and broccoli, then he and I would work to pull the sausages apart into bite size pieces and toss them into a saute pan of hot olive oil. The whole meal pulls together in about 20 or 30 minutes and it reheats really well, which was always good for John and I, because that meant we always had lunch the next day. :)

Serves: 4-6
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1, 36 oz. (or close to that amount) bag frozen baby broccoli florets, slightly thawed
• 1 lb. orecchiette ("little hats") pasta, or medium conchiglie/shells
• A few tbsp. olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a saute pan and then a little more to drizzle over the finished pasta)
• 1 package (about 5 links) hot Italian sausage, casings removed, with the meat pulled into bite-sized pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• A few tbsp. butter or margarine (to mix in with the finished pasta)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Italian cheese, to taste

Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions (about 12 minutes). When the timer for the pasta gets down to 4 or 5 minutes, add in the broccoli and cook it with the pasta. When done, drain the pasta and broccoli mixture, then return it to the pot. Add butter and olive oil to taste—enough to coat everything and create a very light "sauce."

In the meantime, heat olive oil in a large saute pan, then add the pieces of sausage and cook, stirring them around occasionally to make sure they cook evenly on all sides. Add the garlic in after a few minutes, and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Cook the sausage until it is all cooked through and slightly browned (about 10-15 minutes). Toss the sausage and all of the juices from the pan in with the pasta and broccoli mixture and stir to combine. Serve topped with Italian cheese.


This meal is so easy to make and it's packed with flavor. The hot Italian sausage adds spiciness and texture to the dish, and the broccoli adds color and a fresh flavor. Shell-shaped pasta like orecchiette or conchiglie are the perfect shape pasta for this dish—they're about the same size as the sausage pieces and broccoli, so you can easily get all three in a single mouthful. As I said in the intro, this dish reheats wonderfully, so it's great to make on a busy weeknight and even better to take to work or school the next day for lunch.

Recipe: Puff Pastry-Wrapped Chicken with Broccoli

I came across this recipe while browsing pins on Pinterest and immediately knew I HAD to make it—it just sounded too good to pass up. The ingredients are all things we love: crispy bacon, tender chicken, flaky buttery puff pastry, and smooth cream cheese, combined in the perfect way. The chicken is stuffed with a flavor-packed cream cheese filling and wrapped up in puff pastry, then baked until golden brown and delicious. The best part about this meal?—It looks kind of fancy and, though it looks like it could take forever to make, it's one of the simplest dishes I've shared here. You simply mix the filling, stuff a little into pockets cut into chicken breasts, wrap the chicken up in puff pastry like a gift, bake, and serve. Easy enough for a weeknight, but pretty enough for a fancy dinner (though flaky puff pastry can be a bit messy when being eaten).

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes, plus 5-7 minutes for the broccoli
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 frozen puff pastry sheets, rolled out slightly with a rolling pin (make sure to thaw the sheets a few hours ahead of time)
• 2-4 green onions, finely chopped
• 5-6 oz. cream cheese (I bought an 8 oz. block of 1/3 Less Fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese and used a little over half of it)
• 4-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• A few tsp. flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• Broccoli, fresh or frozen (if you buy frozen, just cook the whole bag; if you buy fresh, cook enough so that each person gets about a cup to eat)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400*F.
In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, bacon, parsley, green onion, and a little salt and pepper. Use a flat utensil (a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon would work well) to blend well.

The filling

Cut small pockets into the chicken—cut right down the middle, being sure not to cut all the way from end to end (leave about 1/2 inch on either end, so that it's a true pocket and the filling won't spill out either end), and make sure you don't cut all the way through the chicken, otherwise you'll just have two pieces of chicken, which is not what we're aiming for. Stuff a spoonful or two (or three) into the pockets (it's okay if the filling pokes out over the edge of the pocket...more filling just means more flavor).
Place one chicken breast per single puff pastry sheet, and be sure to place the chicken breasts in the middle of the sheets. Brush a little of the beaten egg along the inside edges of the pastry. Fold over the short ends first, on either end of the breast, then fold one long side then the other, forming a package. Be sure to brush egg onto any place where pastry will touch pastry—the egg helps it stick together. Brush the completed package all over with the egg mixture—this will create that beautiful golden brown color that makes pastries look so appealing.

Beautiful little golden brown packages

Place the puff pastry-wrapped chicken breasts on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through (I used a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken was done enough—it should be 165*F inside).

Perfectly cooked chicken

When the chicken is done cooking, turn the oven off and leave the chicken in the oven to keep it warm. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and add the broccoli, cooking for 5-7 minutes, until bright green and tender (but not soft or mushy). Drain and return to the pot, keeping the lid on when not serving so as to hold in heat (broccoli is notorious for not holding heat well). Remove the chicken from the oven.
Cut the puff pastry packages in half and serve each person half, with a side of broccoli.

This was such a fun dish to make and it turned out so well! The puff pastry is flaky, buttery, and light, and the creamy filling in the chicken oozes out when you cut into the package, which I absolutely love. The broccoli helps lighten up the dish a bit, and I highly recommend a nice crisp white wine on the side. While normally, people might be used to eating a whole chicken breast for dinner, you really only need a half with this dish because the filling and pastry make it so filling.

Recipe: Beef with Broccoli and Snow Peas

My mother bought a pack of five great-looking New York strip steaks earlier this week, two of which I used earlier in my Penne with Beef and Arugula dish, so I was looking for recipe ideas for the remaining steaks. I decided to try my hand at making beef and broccoli (plus snow peas, at my mother's request) because it seemed like the perfect way to put the steaks to good use. I looked through various recipes online to get an idea of how to make it and based my final recipe on this one. The result was a flavorful, filling dish that I would confidently say was better than most Chinese restaurant versions that I've tried. Yes. It was that good.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 5-10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 (8 oz.) New York strip steaks (part of what makes this dish better than a lot of restaurants is a better cut of meat)
• 7-10 oz. broccoli florets (I used baby florets, because the smaller size makes them easier to eat)
• 2-3 oz. snow peas, cleaned (peel away the stringy bit of green on the straight edge of the peas)
• 3 tbsp. peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 tsp. corn starch dissolved into 1/4 cup water

For the beef marinade:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce (we use lite/low sodium sauce)
• 1 tsp. freshly peeled and grated ginger root
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tsp. Chinese rice wine (or dry/cooking sherry—that's what I use)
• 1/2 tsp. corn starch

For the sauce:

• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. oyster sauce (this can be found in the Asian food section at your grocery store and, yes, you really do need this for the dish—it's a necessary flavor)
• 1 tbsp. Chinese rice wine (or dry/cooking sherry)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. corn starch (this acts as a thickening agent)

Directions 
Cut the steaks (against the grain) into thin slices. Mix together the ingredients for the beef marinade and put the beef slices into the marinade, tossing them in the mixture to completely coat them. Set aside to let the beef soak up the flavors.
Blanch the broccoli by bringing a small pot of water to a boil and adding the broccoli, cooking it for 2-3 minutes, then draining the water. Put the snow peas and broccoli in a covered dish and set aside. Prepare the sauce for the dish in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat. When a drop of water sizzles and evaporates immediately when dripped into the pan, add the oil to the pan and tilt the pan a bit so that the oil coats the bottom evenly. Add the beef, spreading it out so that no pieces are on top of each other, and let them fry for 1 minute. Flip the slices over and fry for another minute, then add the sauce, broccoli, snow peas, and cornstarch-and-water mixture and reduce to medium high heat. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is boiling and has thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve alone or over rice.

Sizzlin' away in the frying pan

This is one of my favorite dishes out of those that I've made so far this summer. It's definitely got that umami flavor that those Kikkoman commercials talk about—a rich savoriness that is so delicious. It was definitely fun stepping away from Italian food tonight and this was a great alternative to buying cheap take out from the local Chinese restaurant.