And what could make a delicious corn chowder even better… crawfish!
Cornfed agreed.

I did a bit of corn kernel removal, but mostly harassed Sunshine w. my camera.

Some of the tiniest, cutest potatoes I ever did see!

Kelly (wo)manned the grill like a champ.
I can handle a gas grill, but she was definitely a pro when it came to charcoal.

BBQ Chicken + Kielbasa right off the grill – a perfect accompaniment to the chowder.

Crawfish + Summer Corn Chowder topped w. bacon + a whole lotta love!

Now that I’m armed with an immersion mixer and a bountiful harvest from my farm share, I’ve been a soup-making maniac. From a lower-carb version of 101Cookbook’s ribollita to 2 rounds of butternut squash + leek, my favorite creation of the fall was a bowlful of cumin-mint cauliflower soup. It was a one pot, minimal ingredient, flavorful blend of cheddar cauliflower via Greensgrow, toasted cumin powder, onion, chicken stock, fresh mint from my herb garden, and S&P.

What’s soup for dinner without a sandwich? My sister, Kerry, gave me a fragrant curry powder that had been taunting me from the spice cabinet and seemed like a curry chicken wrap was the right match. As the weather cools, this meal definitely warmed my belly.

Cumin-Mint Cauliflower Soup

Serves (6). Makes approx. 1.5 quarts.

• cheddar or standard cauliflower – one head, chopped into florets
• chicken stock – 3 cups, about 1.5 small cans
• yellow onion – medium, chopped
• butter or olive oil
• ground cumin – 1tsp or to taste
• fresh mint – 2T, chopped
• S&P

1. Bring chicken stock to a boil in a heavy stock pot. Add chopped cauliflower, cover, and bring back to a boil. Simmer for about 10 min or until cauliflower is fork tender.
2. While cauliflower is cooking, heat a deep saute pan on medium. Add butter/olive oil, chopped onion, & cumin. Sweat for approx 8 min. until tender & translucent, making sure to turn lower heat if they begin to brown.
3. Add onion & cumin mixture to the pot of cauliflower & stock. Combine and simmer for 10 min on medium heat.
4. Turn off heat and stir in mint and S&P to taste.
5. Blend mixture in the stock pot with an immersion blender or in batches in a standard blender. Thin as needed with water or additional chicken stock.
6. Serve with shredded cheese, fresh mint garnish, and your favorite sandwich.

Chicken Curry Wrap

Serves 2.

• boneless, skinless chicken breast – 2 breasts, trimmed & cut into strips
• yellow onion – 2 medium, sliced
• dry wine – 1/2 cup
• yellow curry powder – 2 tsp
• sour cream – 3/4 cups
• lettuce – chopped or shredded, your preference
• tomato – chopped or sliced, your preference
• tortillas – 2 burrito-sized flour wraps
• S&P

1. Heat olive oil in a saute pan on medium heat. Season chicken breast with 1 tsp of the curry powder and S&P. Add to hot pan and toss regularly, until browned & cooked through, approx. 10min. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Keep pan on medium and add 1/2 cup of white wine to deglaze. Scrape brown bits from bottled to pan with a spatula. Allow to evaporate until minimal amount of liquid remains in pan.
3. Heat 2 T of olive oil in the same pan over medium until shimmering. Add onions and saute for about 5 min.
4. Add remaining 1 tsp of curry powder and sweat for approx 4 min longer until tender and browned.
5. Return chicken to pan and add sour cream. Combine ingredients and warm over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes.
6. Lay out tortillas. Add chicken, lettuce, & tomato. Wrap like a burrito and enjoy with a toasty bowl of cumin-mint cauliflower soup.

Bunashimeji, Cremini, & Fresh Thyme

I begin by sweating shallots with a bit of olive oil in a pan and added the mushrooms & thyme. I tossed them as they sauteed for about 10 min and finished it with white truffle oil. I love truffle. I love the smell. I love the taste. I LOVE TRUFFLE!

Truffled Mushrooms

While my mushrooms cooked, I heated an awesome new grill skillet that Sunshine passed along to me. I marinated some chicken breasts in hoisin, ginger, & soy and seared them for deep grill marks on both sides until cooked through. The noodles took a quick dip in boiling water and were a perfect pillow for a pile of savory truffled mushrooms. This may be one of my favorite dishes I’ve made… and 5 years ago you couldn’t dare get a mushroom near my plate!

UMAMI!

Grilled Hoisin Chicken w. Truffled Mushrooms & Noodles

Creative Use of Salts from Eric Gower on Vimeo.

Sunshine suggested and I agreed that this was a great inspiration for a crafty foodie collaboration! She had also found some mini jam jars that would be perfect vessels to store our new seasonings. We chose an afternoon during my week of leisure between jobs and got to planning our approach.

In the video, Eric Gower makes 4 different salts with lavender, matcha, smoked paprika, & saffron. We couldn’t get our hands on any of those ingredients, so we thought of great flavorings of our own. Sunshine finally located the sel gris at Trader Joe’s that is suggested as the base for our blends and we prepared our ingredients for blending. We heated the oven to about 275degrees and started drying our lime wheels, herbs, mango, & bacon:

Lime Wheels, Bacon, Herbs, & Mango

While our fresh ingredients dried in the oven, we set up the food processing attachment to the Cuisinart stick blender Dre got me for VDay. Quickest way to my heart is through a kitchen gadget! First up was some crystallized ginger we located on a last minute trip to the Asia mart. We ground it and added in about 2 T of the sel gris. A few more seconds of blending and we had so simply made our premier flavored salt.

Crystallized Ginger Salt

Luckily, we saved some fresh mango slices to sample the salt on. It was a perfect pairing!

Crystallized Ginger Salt on Mango

We still had some time to kill while our items dried in the oven. Sunshine found some really fun Victorian-inspired banner designs that we printed out as labels for our jars. We cut and arranged them on the lids with pencil-written names. One already filled and four more to go!

Labeled Salt Jars

The fresh herbs were first to be fully dried so we ground up the basil, thyme, oregano, & parsley. The result looked like a bowl of emerald-speckled diamonds and tasted amazing on fresh tomato slices.

Herb Salt

We whirled up our lime batch next, but I somehow missed getting a decent pic of it. Once the mango was crispy, we added it to two separate batches: one with just mango and another with the addition of bacon for a sweet & smokey approach. Both looked and tasted beautiful.

Mango Salt

Bacon Mango Salt

By this point in the afternoon, we’d downed quite a few Absolut Boston (elderflower & black tea vodka) and Arizona Lemonade cocktails. We moved the party to the patio to snack and focus on sampling all of our salts. I pan-fried chicken breast and sliced some more tomato as simple hosts for the variety of salty tastes.

Flavored Salt Sampling

They were all amazing but our stand-out favorite was definitely the crystallized ginger. We finished up our meal with sliced fresh strawberries… with salts, of course! I’m sure our cholesterol levels were staggering by the end of the day.

Strawberry w. Mango Salt

Even the Baby Kitty joined us for a great afternoon on the patio. She loves to stalk flies from the edge of the garden.

Baby kitty stalking flies

I’m so glad Sunshine stumbled upon this project as it is one of my favorites to date. We have alot of fun ideas on using our salts, so keep an eye out for exciting updates.

Flavored Finishing Salts

Check out Sunshine’s blog post on our crafty flavored finishing salts project on Blog Full of Jelly!

Filed under: To Taste ~ Recipe Tagged: bacon, basil, Blog Full of Jelly, breakaway, breakaway cook, chef, chicken, chicken breast, cook, cooking, craft, crystallized, eric gower, finishing salt, flavored, flavored salts, ginger, grey salt, healthy, herbs, jar, label, lime, mango, oregano, parsley, recipes, salt, salts, sel gris, strawberries, strawberry, Sunshine, thyme, tomato, tomatoes, Vimeo ]]> http://nolovemoresincere.com/2010/06/13/to-taste-flavored-finishing-salts/feed/ 3 nolovemoresincere Lime Wheels, Bacon, Herbs, & Mango Crystallized Ginger Salt Crystallized Ginger Salt on Mango Labeled Salt Jars Herb Salt Mango Salt Bacon Mango Salt Salt Sampling Strawberry & Mango Salt Baby kitty stalking flies Side view of Salts http://nolovemoresincere.com/2010/04/27/balsamic-chicken-sauteed-spinach-white-beans/ http://nolovemoresincere.com/2010/04/27/balsamic-chicken-sauteed-spinach-white-beans/#comments Wed, 28 Apr 2010 02:37:57 +0000 Erin L. http://nolovemoresincere.com/?p=739 Keep reading →]]> I got alot accomplished today considering I spent Monday sick in bed, so I needed something quick & healthy for tonight’s dinner. A “buy one get one” spinach sale had left me with a whole bag to get through before it spoiled. I’ve been trying to get more protein, less carbs into my diet so lean chicken breast & white beans seemed like perfect accompaniments. I poked around the pantry for some added flavors and got to cooking. With the richness of balsamic vinegar and the aroma of thyme, I came up with a delicious, filling dish that was rich in iron, protein, & fiber and only 550 calories per serving. Enjoy!

Balsamic Chicken w. Sauteed Spinach & White Beans

Balsamic Chicken w. Sauteed Spinach & White Beans

2 Servings – 550 Calories each

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast - (2) breasts, about 4 oz each
• Olive Oil - (0.5) T + (0.5) T
• Balsamic Vinegar – (2) T
• Dried Thyme - (0.5) tsp
• Chicken Stock – (0.75) cup
• S&P
• Garlic – (2) cloves, minced
• Onion – (1) medium, sliced thin
• Fresh Spinach – (1) pre-rinsed bag or (0.5) lb
• White Beans – (1) 15.5 oz can, drained & rinsed
• Worcestershire Sauce – (1) tsp
• Sriracha – a few squirts of your fave hot sauce

1. Heat (0.5) T of Olive Oil on medium in a non-stick saute pan (with lid for later).
2. Rinse chicken breasts under cool water & pat dry. Sprinkle one side with S&P.
3. Place seasoned side down in hot pan. Sprinkle other side.
4. Brown for about 4 min. Flip & brown other side.
5. Add Balsamic & Thyme to pan. Bring to boil & flip chicken to other side. Reduce liquid for about 3 min.
6. Add Chicken Stock. Bring back to boil. Reduce liquid to half for about 5 min.
7. Remove chicken from pan & set aside.
8. Add (0.5) T of Olive Oil to pan & heat on medium. Add garlic & saute for 1 min.
9. Add onion & reduce heat to medium low. Allow onions & garlic to simmer for 5 min, stirring occasionally.
   • If you want to add chopped tomato or bell peppers, this would be a good time. Saute for about 5 min before moving on to the next step.
10. Add a few handfuls of spinach & place lid on top. Return heat to medium.
11. Once spinach reduces by half, stir & add more handfuls. Return lid.
12. Continue adding handfuls of spinach until all is wilted
13. Add Worcestershire & Sriracha. Add White Beans. Stir.
14. Simmer on medium for about 5 min.
15. Place chicken on top of Spinach & White Bean mixture. Return lid & heat for about 1 min.
16. Serve & Enjoy!

Balsamic Chicken w. Sauteed Spinach & White Beans

Filed under: To Taste ~ Recipe Tagged: balsamic, cannellini, cannellini beans, chicken, chicken breast, chicken stock, dinner, fiber, garlic, healthy, iron, low calorie, low carb, olive oil, onion, parmesan, protein, S&P, saute, spinach, sriracha, stock, thyme, vinegar, white beans, Worcestershire ]]> http://nolovemoresincere.com/2010/04/27/balsamic-chicken-sauteed-spinach-white-beans/feed/ 0 nolovemoresincere Balsamic Chicken w. Sauteed Spinach & White Beans Balsamic Chicken w. Sauteed Spinach & White Beans http://nolovemoresincere.com/2010/03/01/grandmas-chicken-divan/ http://nolovemoresincere.com/2010/03/01/grandmas-chicken-divan/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:08:05 +0000 Erin L. http://nolovemoresincere.com/?p=640 Keep reading →]]> I grew up with the luck of enjoying my Grandma’s home-cooked dinners every night. My favorite of her dishes was the Chicken Divan – a casserole of broccoli, pulled chicken, & a cheesy sauce. If she wasn’t making it fresh for dinner, she was always sure to have portions frozen to indulge my divan requests. Not too long ago, I finally convinced her to share her recipe.

Grandma's Chicken Divan

We had a serious surplus of broccoli in the fridge so I had to get creative with ways to get rid of it. A giant casserole of my Grandma’s Chicken Divan seemed perfect. The first direction on the recipe was to blanch broccoli and layer it in a greased casserole.

Broccoli Base

I thawed half a chicken worth of white & dark meal STILL hanging out from my Rustic Roasted Chicken dinner. I can’t believe how many Leftover Lightning! meals came out of it!. I pulled it & layered it on top of the broccoli.

Pulled Chicken layered on the Broccoli Base

I was missing some ingredients from the next step, so I improvised with what my pantry staples could offer. I only had (1) can of Cream of Broccoli & Cheese Soup, so I combined it with mayo, lemon juice, & some water to loosen it up. Grandma’s recipe called for smoked paprika, but all I could dig out was some chili powder. My spice cabinet is really a disaster right now. Once the cheesy mixture was combined, I spread it on top of the pulled chicken & broccoli layers.

Cheesy Soup Blend over Pulled Chicken over the Broccoli Base for Chicken Divan

I melted some butter, combined it with seasoned bread crumbs, & sprinkled it over the whole casserole.

Breadcrumbs over the Cheesy Mixture over Pulled Chicken over the Broccoli Base

And then I realized I missed a step in the recipe. What’s new. But this was an important step. The CHEESE! How could I FORGET THE CHEESE? I quickly shredded mild & sharp cheddar cheeses and had no choice but to layer it on top of the breadcrumbs. It was only a minor mistake, just a good thing that I caught it. The casserole looked & tasted so delicious. I know I did my Grandma’s recipe proud!

Grandma's Chicken Divan

P.S. Follow along with my steps & feel free to recreate, but my Grandma’s actual recipe will remain a secret among family

Filed under: To Taste ~ Recipe Tagged: blog, breadcrumbs, broccoli, butter, casserole, cheddar, cheese, chicken, chicken divan, chili powder, cooking, cream of, dark meat, dinner, divan, food, Grandma, lemon juice, mayo, mayonnaise, recipe, sharp cheddar, soup, white meat ]]> http://nolovemoresincere.com/2010/03/01/grandmas-chicken-divan/feed/ 0 nolovemoresincere Grandma's Chicken Divan Broccoli Base Pulled Chicken layered on the Broccoli Base Cheesy Soup Blend over Pulled Chicken over the Broccoli Base for Chicken Divan Breadcrumbs over the Cheesy Mixture over Pulled Chicken over the Broccoli Base Grandma's Chicken Divan http://nolovemoresincere.com/2010/02/28/sunnyfried-chicken-breakfast-wrap/ http://nolovemoresincere.com/2010/02/28/sunnyfried-chicken-breakfast-wrap/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:42:22 +0000 Erin L. http://nolovemoresincere.com/?p=629 Keep reading →]]> Wow, I’m one lucky girl! Dre made me a delcious breakfast two days in one week. First, were his savory Bacon, Egg, & Gruyère Toast Cups for our VDay breakfast. This time around, he embarked on a Leftover Lightning! adventure of his own. He sauteed red bell peppers & onions and scrambled them in eggs, melting the sliced Gruyère atop the last two whole wheat tortillas. He finished the wrap with crispy bacon & leftover fried chicken breasts from his VDay Dinner for another sunny breakfast a la Dre <3

Sunny Fried Chicken Breakfast Wrap

Filed under: Leftover Lightning! Tagged: bacon, bell peppers, blog, breakfast, brunch, buritto, cheese, chicken, egg, eggs, food, fried chicken, Gruyere, leftover, onion, peppers, red peppers, scrambled eggs, wrap ]]> http://nolovemoresincere.com/2010/02/28/sunnyfried-chicken-breakfast-wrap/feed/ 0 nolovemoresincere Sunny Fried Chicken Breakfast Wrap http://nolovemoresincere.com/2010/02/28/fried-chicken-prosciutto-swiss-tarragon-dijonnaise-asparagus-champagne-risotto/ http://nolovemoresincere.com/2010/02/28/fried-chicken-prosciutto-swiss-tarragon-dijonnaise-asparagus-champagne-risotto/#comments Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:24:03 +0000 Erin L. http://nolovemoresincere.com/?p=600 Keep reading →]]> Dre always has a plan. He had a shopping list prepared for our grocery trip, did prep work Saturday night, and researched recipes for cooking on Sunday. I dig that kind of organization in a man.

The breakfast he made me was amazing, so I was looking forward to the dinner on Dre’s Vday menu. I was especially impressed with his ambition. Saturday night, Dre trimmed chicken breasts & marinated them in a habanero-buttermilk mixture. We both almost choked to death, not realizing how crazy hot those peppers are!

On Sunday, Dre seasoned & double-breading the breasts before frying them to perfection in my Cool Daddy. He topped them with crisped slices of prosciutto & Jarlsberg Swiss cheese, paired them with his homemade Tarragon Dijonnaise, and proudly declared it fried chicken cordon bleu!

On our shopping excursion, Dre picked up a bottle of champagne. After no mimosas for brunch, I got curious about it’s part in our Vday. Little did I know, but not only was Dre making a creamy batch of risotto, he was perfecting it with the bubbly and some fresh asparagus. I’m so proud of my Valentine!

Fried Chicken Cordon Bleu, Tarragon Dijonnaise, & Champagne-Asparagus Risotto

The veggies were kinda gelatinous and freaking me out a bit, so I quickly removed the chicken and began heating the pan of veggies on the stove. I wasn’t too excited about a sammie with a side of roasted vegetables, so a roasted vegetable soup only made sense. I dug out my Grandma’s 70′s Era Cuisinart Food Processor, and after indulging its typical neediness, whirled the roasted vegetables and pan jus into a wonderfully tasty and perfectly textured Rustic Vegetable Soup… and I still have plenty of leftovers…

Homemade Rustic Vegetable Soup w/ a Roasted Chicken Sammie

P.S. I gave a shoutout on my Twitter – Re:  Dating & finding info on my Grandma’s old Cusinart Food Processor. Please shoot me a message if you can help!

My Grandma's 70s Era Cuisinart Food Processor

I have an odd obsession with the process of butterflying a whole chicken, or spatchcocking it. I had my first adventure with it last summer for my grilled Chicken Under A Brick. It’s easier to slice & serve and makes sense if you aren’t planning to stuff it. Kayotic Kitchen’s marinade for the chicken was a beautiful crimson (in real life) and super tasty.

Marinating Chicken nestled in Raw Vegetables

I improvised the veggies and such with I had available including baby carrots, shallots, onions, Idaho spuds, green onion, smashed garlic cloves, fresh thyme, & turkey bacon to keep it straight poultry.

Fresh Thyme w/ Vegetables

The 7lb bird took about 2-2.5hrs to cook and had the house smelling delicious when Dre got home from work.

Rustic Roasted Chicken & Vegetables

I whipped up what were supposed to be fluffy cheddar biscuits to serve with the chicken. Instead, I got cheddar pancakes. What more could I expect from mix I picked up from Acme for $1. They were still tasty with some melted butter and reheated perfectly for a quick Leftover Lightning! (in the form of a yummy chicken sammie the next day!)

Cheddar Biscuits turned Pancakes

P.S. I highly suggest you click through to the Kayotic Kitchen blog. Kayleigh’s photos are beautiful and recipes are really amazing & easy to follow. I could only aspire to take ones that great. Her love for food is certainly sincere <3

Red Curry Chicken Pitas w/ Cucumber Dill Tzatziki

I came across a recipe for Mashed Cannellini Beans on elly says opa and thought it’d be a perfect side dish for my Red Curry Chicken Pitas. I switched up the rosemary for fresh thyme and simmered the beans with Garlic & Chicken Stock. They look good enough eat even before I mashed them!

Simmering White Beans

After a few smashes with the potato masher & a dash of chili powder, the White Beans were a perfect consistency & pairing for our snowed in dinner. Next time I have to remember a splash of white truffle oil!

Mashed Cannellini Beans w/ Garlic & Fresh Thyme

RED CURRY CHICKEN PITAS w/ MASHED WHITE BEANS

• Red Curry Chicken
• Cucumber-Dill Tzatziki Sauce
• Chopped Romaine Lettuce & Roma Tomatoes
• Whole Wheat Pitas
  
• Mashed White Beans w/ Garlic & Fresh Thyme

1. Stuff Pita halves with Lettuce, Tomato, & Red Curry Chicken. Top with dollops of Tzatziki.
2. Pair with a hearty scoop of Mashed White Beans and finish them with a dash of Chili Powder on top.
3. Enjoy!

Red Curry Chicken

Prepared for (2) people

• Chicken Breast – (2) breasts – rinsed, patted dry, & cubed
• Greek Yogurt - (1/3) of a 6oz container – I prefer Fage Total 0% or 2%
• Red Curry Paste – (1) T

1. Combine Chicken cubes, Greek Yogurt, & Red Curry Paste in a mixing bowl and coat thoroughly. Marinate in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat a saute pan on Medium and add (2) T of Olive Oil.
3. Once the oil is glistening, add the chicken and brown each side until cooked through. Or you can kebab the marinated Chicken cubes and throw them on the grill.

Cucumber Dill Tzatziki

Makes about (1/2) cup

• Greek Yogurt – (2/3) of a 6oz container – I prefer Fage Total 0% or 2%
• Cucumber – (1/2) cup – peeled, seeded, halved lengthwise, & sliced thin
• Garlic - (1) T, minced
• Shallot - (1/2) bulb, sliced paper thin
• Fresh Dill – (1) T , chopped
• Lemon Juice - (2) tsp
• S&P – to taste

1. Put sliced cucumber in a colander and salt generously. Toss to coat and allow to rest in sink for about 5 minutes to draw out moisture.
2. Combine drained cucumber and other ingredients in a mixing bowl and fold gently.
3. Chill for at least 15 minutes in the fridge before using.

Mashed White Beans w/ Garlic & Fresh Thyme

Adapted from elly say opa!’s recipe

• Cannellini / White Beans - (1) 15oz can, drained
• Garlic - (1) T, minced
• Chicken Stock - (1) cup – feel free to use veggie stock instead
• Lemon Juice – (2) tsp
• Fresh Thyme – (2) tsp
• S&P – to taste

1. Bring a saute pan or wok to medium heat and add about (2) T of Olive Oil. Once glistening, add Garlic and brown about 1 minute.
2. Add beans and saute about 3 minutes.
3. Pour in chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer over Medium-Low heat.
4. Once stock has almost completely evaporated (about 10-15 minutes), add Fresh Thyme and combine.
5. Immediately turn off heat, add Lemon Juice, and mash beans with a potato masher or puree in a food processor until desired consistency. Add splashes of additional chicken stock to smooth if necessary.
6. Serve immediately with a dash of Chili Powder on top.

Chinese Cabbage

I added some shredded Carrot, Bean Sprouts, minced Ginger, Garlic & Shallots, Sesame Oil, Soy Sauce, and S&P. After a quick toss, it was a perfect fresh slaw to begin my egg rolls. I had some leftover Pan-seared Chicken Breast from Thursday’s dinner and leftover Snow Crab from Friday’s dinner. Both seemed like perfect proteins to add to my Egg Rolls. I chopped the Chicken and tossed it with Chili-Garlic Sauce, Chinese BBQ Sauce, & Clementine Zest. Half of the Cabbage mixture was mixed with the Chicken and we piled the fresh lump Crab Meat on top of the rest.

Chili BBQ Chicken & Cabbage Egg Roll Filler

So far, so good! Rolling was easy enough as Dre took over with the crab and I rolled the chicken mixture.

Soon to be... Chinese Chili BBQ Chicken Egg Rolls

Once we got in a rhythm, we banged out almost two dozen perfect egg rolls sealed with an egg wash and love.

Egg Rolls

I heated some (very expensive!) peanut oil in my Presto Cool Daddy and dropped in batches of 2-3 egg rolls at a time. Dre whipped up a Ginger-Hoisin-Soy Sauce from scratch and poured some Sweet & Sour Chili Sauce for us to dip them in. I’m proud to see him turn into such a great kitchen helper. Once the Egg Rolls crisped, drained, & cooled, we were ready to snack!

Fried Chinese Egg Rolls

Chinese Egg Rolls ~ makes about 18-22 egg rolls

• Chinese Cabbage – (2) bunches, shredded or sliced thin
• Fresh Bean Sprouts – (1.5) dry cups
• Carrot – (2) large, shredded – about 1.5 dry cups
• Garlic - (2) T, minced – about (3-4) cloves
• Ginger – (2) tsp, minced
• Shallots – (1) large, minced
• Soy Sauce – (2) T, preferably low sodium
• Toasted Sesame Oil – (1) T
• S&P
• Egg - (1) whisked in a dish for an egg wash
  
• Egg Roll Wrappers – (18-22) – usually in the frozen section, not be mistaken for spring roll wrappers, lumpia wrappers, etc.

1. Toss all ingredients (except egg & egg roll wrappers) until mixed thoroughly.
2. Add chopped protein if desired – semi-cooked shrimp, crab meat, chicken breast
3. Lay an individual wrapper on a hard surface so it’s shaped like a diamond. Paint the edges with the egg wash using a pastry brush or back of a spoon.
4. Spoon cabbage mixture towards the bottom point of the wrapper, I’d say what looks like about 2-3 hot dogs put together. Make sure to squeeze any moisture from the mixture before spooning on wrapper to avoid sogginess!
5. Fold bottom point on top of mixture and roll once, tightly. Fold in each side and continue to roll and seal.
6. Deep fry 2-3 at a time at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until crispy.
7. Shake out oil and then drain on paper towels.
8. Enjoy with Soy Sauce, Sweet Chili Sauce, or the Asian Dipping Sauce below.

Asian Dipping Sauce

From the Best Answer on Yahoo! Answers for an “egg roll” dipping sauce

• Soy Sauce – (1/4) cup, preferably low sodium
• Toasted Sesame Oil - (1/2) tsp
• Garlic – (1) tsp, minced – about (1) clove
• Green Onion/Scallions – (1) tsp, minced – about (1) stalk
• Hoisin – (2) T
• Ginger - (1/4) tsp, minced
• White Sugar - (1/2) tsp

1. Combine ingredients in a small bowl, cover, & chill for 1-2 hours so flavors can marinate.
2. Serve warmed or at room temperature with egg rolls, spring rolls, wontons, dumplings, potstickers…

Sarcone's Roll

I had some Roasted Tomato, Mushroom, & Smoked Mozzarella Chicken Breasts left over along with some cooked Bacon and extra Smoked Mozz. I sliced the roll, whipped up some Sriracha Mayo, and piled on the goods. And, oh, was it GOOD!

Smoked Mozz, Bacon, & Roasted Chicken Hoagie w/ Sriracha Mayo, Roasted Tomatoes, & Sauteed Mushrooms on a Sarcone's Roll

The grocery store was pretty empty (whew!), so I quickly grabbed my ingredients… and some Stoli to get me thru a long evening in the kitchen. I’ve got nothing to do tomorrow! I kicked off my prep work at 4pm-ish to have the meal almost complete when Dre got done work. The components of the main dish took up most of my time: roasting grape tomatoes with garlic & fresh basil; sautéing mushrooms with minced onions & butter; and, gleefully pounding chicken breasts to a 1/4 inch thick. Every smokey, juicy morsel of the resulting Roasted Tomato, Mushroom, & Smoked Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts reminded me that  it’s always worthwhile.

Tomatoes with Garlic, Basil, & Olive Oil to be Roasted

Just Stuffed

Roasted Tomato, Mushroom & Smoked Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Roasted Tomato, Mushroom & Smoked Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Roasted Tomatoes

• Grape Tomatoes – (1-2) pints, halved
• Minced Garlic – (2) T or more
• Fresh Basil - a few chopped leaves
• Olive Oil – (3-4) T, to grease dish & coat tomatoes
• S&P

1. Coat baking dish with olive oil or line with non-stick sprayed foil.
2. Add all ingredients and toss with olive oil.
3. Cook 30-40 min in a 400 degree oven. Stir a few times until tomatoes are bubbling, but not burnt.
4. Make a big batch, leftovers are great on French bread and added to pasta sauce

Sautéed Mushrooms

• White Mushrooms or Creminis or Baby Bellas -(2-3) cups, cored and sliced
• White Onion – 1/2 med onion, chopped
• Butter - (2) T

1. Melt butter in a saucepan on Med. Add onion & cook about 2 min.
2. Add mushrooms and give them room to breath. Julia says so.
3. Stir and cook until tender.
4. Use leftovers on a quick pizza or in pasta sauce, red or alfredo.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast - (3-4) breasts – trimmed, sliced lengthwise, & pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
• Smoked Mozzarella or Gouda – 1 oz per breast
• Roasted Tomatoes
• Sautéed Mushrooms
• Chicken Stock – (1) cup or so
• S&P
• Stovetop to Oven Sauté Pan
• Long toothpicks or Bamboo picks

1. Pound filleted chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness between sheets of plastic wrap.
2. Add a few spoonsful of tomatoes & mushrooms onto half of each chicken breast.
3. Layer slices of smoked cheese.
4. Fold chicken breast in half and secure by sewing a toothpick or bamboo pic to secure. S&P each side of the breast.
5. Pan sear breast in olive oil on Med-High until golden brown, about 5 min on each side.
6. Add chicken stock to pan and bring to a boil.
7. Cover pan with lid or foil and tranfer to 375 degree oven.
8. Bake for 20 min, let cool for 5 min, and serve with pan jus.
9. Leftovers make one KILLER sandwich!

When there’s chicken of any kind on sale, I impulsively pack my already stuffed freezer with as much as I can. I thawed one of the roasting chickens to make some space for my next grocery trip, watched this very helpful video on butterflying a whole chicken, & got to butchering! Call me sadistic (I’ll spare my veggie friends/readers from seeing the pics), but I really enjoyed the whole hands-on process of removing the spine & breast bone of my chicken so it could lay flat for its visit to the grill.

I picked some Fresh Herbs from my garden, chopped, & combined with Olive Oil & Minced Garlic for a simple chicken rub. I coated both sides of the chicken & marinated in the fridge overnight. I also peeled & cubed a butternut squash; to me, its serves as a starch & veggie side to any meal.

Spatchcocked Chicken w/ a Basil, Lemon-Thyme, Parsley, Rosemary, Garlic, & EVOO Marinade

Grilled Butternut Squash w/ Fresh Herbs, Spices, & Garlic

Saturday morning, we got the grilled warmed to about 350 degrees per the Whole Foods recipe that Pinch My Salt referenced. I seasoned the Butternut Squash with Fresh & Dried Herbs, Paprika, Red Pepper Flakes, S&P, Garlic, & Olive Oil and divided them among 4 foil pouches while the chilled chicken came up to temperature. When it came to grill time, I realized that, uh…  umm… I didn’t have any bricks! So the only troubleshoot I could come up with was a heavy, foil-covered cast iron pan, which proved to be a perfect substitution. The original recipe called for a 3-4lb chicken, but I was working with a 7lb bird, so it took about 20-25 minutes per side. I tossed the squash pouches onto the grill, too, as they were tender after flipping a few times in about 40 minutes. Towards the end of grilling, the drums of the chicken fell off, but it fortunately gave them some extra time to cook when the breast & wings were perfect.

All future birds cooked in my household will surely be spatchcocked & grilled, as this was the juiciest & tastiest one I’ve ever made. Looking forward to a Turkey Under ALOT of Bricks this Thanksgiving!

Grilled Chicken Under a Cast Iron Pan

Grilled: Chicken Under a “Brick” & Herb Butternut Squash

Butterflied Whole 7lb Chicken – Rubbed & marinated w/ Basil, Lemon-Thyme, Parsley, Rosemary, Minced Garlic, & EVOO, grilled under a Cast Iron Pan

Grilled Butternut Squash – Cubed & tossed w/ Fresh & Dried Herbs, Paprika, Red Pepper Flakes, S&P, Garlic, & Olive Oil, grilled in foil packets

I’d estimate that I make some version of pulled chicken in my Crock Pot about 4x each year, but never the quite the same recipe. This round, I took a Spicy BBQ approach for some summery flair.I tossed all the ingredients into the pot and set in the fridge with a can of chopped tomatoes on top so I wouldn’t forget to add in the morning. At 830am, I turned the Crock Pot on ‘Lo’ and headed to work. I love coming home to the aroma of a 9-hour simmer! Ker picked the bones out (a scorching & tedious task) & pulled the chicken. It simmered for another hour so the flavors could fully infuse.

I melted sharp cheddar on Whole Foods Onion Focaccia flat-breads, topped with leftover warmed collard greens, & a healthy pile of my Spicy BBQ Slowed Cooked Pull Chicken. I paired the plate with a Summer Roasted Vegetable Salad that I quick prepared the night before and finished with Rice Vinegar & Fresh Herbs before serving.

I always make a ton of chicken when I’m working with my Crock Pot. It works well on sandwiches, tortillas, quesadillas, salads, pizzas, inside a spring roll, & over rice to serve as extended leftovers. Get creative! I freeze a portion of every batch, too, to enjoy on a lazy dinner night!

BBQ Spicy Pulled Chicken, Melted Cheddar, Collard Greens, & Onion Focaccia w/ Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad

Spicy BBQ Chicken Sammies w/ Summer Roasted Vegetable Salad:

Spicy BBQ Slow Cooked Pulled Chicken – BBQ Sauce, Soy Sauce, Worcestershire, Shallots, Garlic, Jalapeno, Olive Oil, Chili Powder & a Can of Chopped Tomatoes, marinated overnight & slow cooked in the Crock Pot for 10 hours

Whole Foods Onion Focaccia Flat Breads

Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Leftover Collard Greens from my Grilled Crab Dinner

Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad – Roasted Yellow Squash, Cherry Tomatoes, & Sweet Peppers w/ Minced Garlic & EVOO, cooled & tossed w/ S&P Lemon-Thyme, Thai Basil, Parsley, & Rice Vinegar

Only regret is forgetting to add chipotles to the chicken. It really could have used a some smokey, spicier layers. Til next time…

Whipped Potatoes w/ Fresh Herbs via my Cuisinart Stand Mixer

I kept the rest of my dinner quick with the entree & side:

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken Breast – Marinated in Italian Salad Dressing & Balsamic Vinegar, Pan-fried

Fresh Snow Peas – Sauteed w/ S&P, Shallots, Garlic, EVOO, & Butter

Whipped Potatoes – White Potatoes, Whipped w/ S&P, Lemon-Thyme, Parsley, Basil, Garlic, Shallots, Milk, & BUTTER! in my Cuininart Stand Mixer

A tall glass of Dr. Dre-2O

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken Breast, Sauteed Snow Peas, & Whipped Potatoes

I had “plans” for a Friday night at home, cooking dinner & enjoying some TV/relaxation. A quick Google search for “chicken bok choy recipe” brought me to Food & Wine’s Ginger-Sesame Chicken w/ Mushrooms & Bok Choy, and thank goodness I had some fungi in the fridge! I always interpret recipes into my own taste, so I omitted the red peppers, prepared the baby bok choy on the side, & added my own splashes & dashes to the sauce. This recipe will def stay in my back pocket, especially for the brown sauce! I finished the meal with some white rice & good laughs via The Love Guru.

Ginger-Sesame Chicken w/ Mushrooms

Baby Bok Choy

Herbed Zucchini Ribbons & Red Curry Chicken Skewers

Our feast included:

Curried Chicken Kebobs ~ marinated overnight in red curry paste & Greek yogurt, skewered, & grilled

Herbed Zucchini Ribbons ~ sliced lengthwise with a mandolin, S&P, fresh herbs (basil, mint, & thyme from my garden), olive oil, & grilled in a pan

Sunshine’s Tangerine Cabbage & Bleu Salad

Sunshine’s Wheat Pellet Puffy Wheels ~ deep-fried in olive oil

Cucumber Mint Yogurt Sauce ~ Greek yogurt mixed with cubed cukes, fresh mint, minced garlic, & salt

Fresh Chopped Tomatoes

Pocketless Pita

Ariel’s Oatmeal Cookies ~ soft & delicious

Sunshine’s Sangria ~ lemon, orange, lime, peach, & plum

The Mighty Cuke & The Mighty Grill

Grillin' Kebobs & Zukes!

Summer Feast

Summer Plate

Sunshine's Puffy Wheelies

Sunshine prepping her Sangria