Parmesan Chicken

This is an outstanding, flavorful, and simple chicken recipe. I have no idea why it took me so long to make it, but I'm very glad I finally did (I made it for the first time 4 weeks ago and have made it 3 times since then.. its that good). It is an Ina Garten recipe from her cookbook Barefoot Contessa: Family Style and I have adapted it slightly. Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS

4 (~8oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon water

1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated/ground parmesan (or more if you want)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 lemon, halved and seeded

Take each chicken breast and pound until it is ~1/2-inch thick, using a meat mallet or a rolling pin. Cut each breast in half (you will have 8 thin chicken tenders). 

Mix together the flour, salt, and pepper in a dinner plate and set aside. Whisk together the eggs and 1 tablespoon of water in a dinner plate and set aside. Finally, mix together the breadcrumbs and the parmesan together in a dinner plate and set aside. 

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and once hot, add half the olive oil and butter. Dredge each side of each chicken breast first in the flour mixture, then in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumb mixture, lightly patting the breadcrumbs to help them adhere. Place in the hot pan and let sizzle away. Sprinkle a little more salt on top, if you think it needs it, and squeeze a bit of lemon juice onto each cutlet as it is cooking. Once lightly browned, flip and cook on the other side- these do not take long to cook. Remove chicken from pan, add more olive oil and butter as needed and keep frying the chicken. 

Serve with a light salad of mixed greens. Mmmm-mmm-mmm. 

Blackberry Gin Fizz

I first saw this recipe earlier this month in the August 2012 issue of Bon Appetit. I drooled over the picture and recipe and then forgot about it until last week when Smitten Kitchen made and posted her version... beat me to the punch. It was good timing, though, because my folks were in town this weekend and I thought this was the perfect occasion to try a new cocktail.

And ohhh boy. Let me tell you about this cocktail. It is to die for. It goes down so easily that you can literally chug it, the way you'd take a bottle of lemonade from the fridge on a hot day and down the entire thing in 3 huge gulps. You will find yourself making another batch before you're even halfway finished with the first batch, because god-forbid you have to wait 5 minutes between tastes. Just do yourselves a favor and make this.

Serves 8.
Or 4 people twice.
Or 2 people four times.




INGREDIENTS
5-oz. ripe & juicy blackberries
4 ripe & juicy strawberries OR 10 ripe & juicy raspberries OR another yummy fruit
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 cups gin
2 cups club soda
basil leaves

Using a food processor (or immersion blender) puree the berries and sugar until smooth. Let sit for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Pour into a strainer set over a bowl to separate the fruit juice from the seeds; discard seeds. You should have about 3/4+ cup of berry juice.

In a large pitcher combine the berry juice, lime juice, and gin and stir well. Pour equal amounts in the bottom of each glass, add a handful of ice cubes, stir again, then top with equal amounts of club soda. Give it a quick and light stir and top with a basil leaf or two. Serve and enjoy!

Spicy Green Tomato Soup with Shrimp

This is another recipe from chef Ben Barker at the restaurant formerly known as Magnolia Grill (RIP). Yet another awesome soup that can be served hot or cold, which is a nice option for the serious heat-wave that we're experiencing. I've adapted it ever-so-slightly. Serves 8; soup base freezes beautifully.

SOUP INGREDIENTS
4 ounces pancetta, diced
1/2 (scant) cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced thin
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalepenos, stemmed and sliced, with seeds
4 green poblano/pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded and sliced
2 small cans fire-roasted diced green chiles
2 bay leaves
3 1/2 pounds firm green tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup basil leaves
3 tablespoons lemon juice
a few dashes of tabasco, to taste
salt & pepper

GARNISH INGREDIENTS
2 whole red tomatoes
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
garlic powder, paprika, salt & pepper
4 ounces cooked pancetta (from above)
1 cup sour cream, thinned with 2 tablespoons milk

Heat the pancetta and oil in large soup pot over medium heat until the fat is rendered from the pancetta and its nice and crispy. Remove the pancetta, reserve for later. Add the onions to the hot oil and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, but not browned. Add the garlic, jalepenos, poblano/pasillas, diced green chiles, and bay leaves and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the green tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the tomatoes soften. Remove the bay leaves, add the basil, and puree in a blender or food processor in batches. Put soup back in the large pot, add lemon juice, tabasco, and salt to taste. Keep warm if serving hot, or let cool and refrigerate if serving cold.

To make the garnish....
Bring a medium pot of water to boil and drop the whole tomatoes in for 10-30 seconds. Remove and immediately submerge in ice water to cool. After a minute or so, remove the tomatoes from the ice water and peel off the skin. Dice the tomatoes (removing the seeds and juice) and reserve for the soup topping.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil. Season the shrimps with garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper and cook in the skillet. Remove from heat and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Once soup is ready to be served, place mounds of the shrimp in the center of a bowl, ladle the soup around the shrimp, and sprinkle the tops with pancetta and tomatoes. Finally, drizzle a bit of the sour cream on top... serve and enjoy!

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecakes

Martha, you're the best. This is the second Martha Stewart mini cheesecake recipe I've tried, and this was just as good, if not better, than the last. I made these with the help of a few girlfriends this weekend to bring to a potluck. We made the mistake of halving the recipe because we thought: who could ever eat 36 mini cheesecakes? Well, um, we could have. And I wish we had at least made a full recipe. One of my friends said we should have actually doubled the recipe. It is possible that 72 mini cheesecakes woulda been overkill, but I'm really not so sure. These were incredible.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups plus 5 tablespoons sugar
6-ounces  fresh raspberries
2 lbs. cream cheese, room temp
pinch of salt
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with liners.

In a medium bowl stir together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and 3 tablespoons of sugar until combined. Press about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each muffin liner. Bake until set, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

Using a food processor or blender, puree the raspberries until smooth. Pass through a fine mesh strainer, extracting as much juice as possible; discard the seeds. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside.

Using an electric mixer set to high speed beat the cream cheese until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. On low, add the sugar in a steady stream. Add salt and vanilla and mix until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated after each.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of filling over each crust and dollop 3 1/2-teaspoon drops of raspberry puree on top of each. Using a toothpick, swirl the sauce into the filling. Place each muffin tin in a high rimmed baking sheet and pour about 1/2-inch of hot water into the bottom of the pan (not in the cheesecakes, obviously). Bake for about 24-30 minutes. Carefully remove from water bath, transfer to a wire rack and cool. Refrigerate in tins, uncovered at least 4 hours. Serve and enjoy!

Spinach, Bacon, & Fried Goat Cheese Salad

My favorite kind of salads are the ones filled with so much bacon, cheese, and fried things that you just know your heart woulda been better off if you'd just eaten a double cheeseburger... only half kidding. This is one of those salads that has quickly become a favorite of mine. It was so delicious and satisfying, although, when are bacon and fried goat cheese ever not satisfying? Ya gotta make this. Makes 2 main course salads.


INGREDIENTS
4 ounces baby spinach
1/4 cup candied pecans
5 pieces of fried bacon- keep the bacon grease for the dressing

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Fried Goat Cheese

3 ounces goat cheese
1/3 cup flour
1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

pinch of salt

Equally divide the spinach, pecans, and bacon pieces between two bowls or plates and set aside. Next, make the fried goat cheese. To do this, take the goat cheese and cut into 1/3-inch slices using a knife just run under hot water (you should get about 6 slices). Place slices on a plate and refrigerate for a few minutes. Meanwhile, place the flour in a small bowl, the egg in another bowl, and combine the bread crumbs, thyme, garlic powder, and salt in another. Take each slice of cheese and first coat both sides in the flour, then the egg, then the bread crumbs. Fry each in a bit of olive oil until lightly browned on each side. They are delicate, to be careful. Place 3 pieces on each salad. 

Quickly wipe out the oil from frying the cheese and pour 4 tablespoons of bacon grease into the pan. If you do not have this much, substitute olive oil. Add the bacon pieces and cook until warmed. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 20-30 seconds. Add the thyme and cook for 10 seconds. Pour in the red wine vinegar and cranberries and immediately take off the heat. Give a quick stir and pour on top of salads. Eat and enjoy (this is not a salad you want sitting around for a long time... eat right away!). 

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

I've been wanting to make this cake for a long time now- ever since I saw it featured in one of ATK's episodes last year. It was worth the wait! Not only is this cake beautiful, but its delicious. Each layer tastes amazing alone, and outstanding together. It looks like a lot of steps, but it came together pretty quickly!

INGREDIENTS
Bottom Layer
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate
3/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs, separated
pinch table salt
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

Middle Layer
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
5 tablespoons hot water
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon table salt

Top Layer
3/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin
1 tablespoon water
6 ounces white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

Directions for the Bottom Layer. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and butter the bottom and sides of a 9 1/2 inch springform pan. Melt the butter, chocolate, and espresso powder in a double boiler, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and cool about 5 minutes. Whisk in vanilla and egg yolks and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt on medium speed about 30 seconds, add half the brown sugar, beat to combine, add the rest of the sugar and beat at high speed until soft peaks form. Using a whisk, fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Then, using a rubber spatula, fold in remaining egg whites until no white streaks remain. Transfer mixture into springform pan, smoothing top with spatula. Bake until cake has risen and center is just set and still soft (13-18 minutes). Let cool completely, about 1 hour. Do not remove cake from pan.

Directions for the Middle Layer. Once cake is cool, combine cocoa powder and hot water in small bowl and set aside. Melt chocolate in a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Remove and cool 2-5 minutes. Whisk the cocoa powder mixture into the melted chocolate until smooth.

Using an electric mixer, with a whisk attachment, whip the cream, sugar, and salt at medium speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form. Using a whisk, fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, then using a spatula, fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Spoon mousse into springform pan over the cooled cake and gently tap pan on counter to remove any large air bubbles. Gently smooth top with spatula. Refrigerate cake at least 15 minutes while preparing the last layer.

Directions for the Top Layer. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water and let stand at least 5 minutes. Place white chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring 1/2 cup cream to simmer; take off heat and add gelatin and stir until fully dissolved. Pour hot cream mixture over white chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted and smooth. Cool to room temperature (will only take 5-10 minutes).

Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whip remaining cup of cream on medium speed for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form. Using whisk, fold 1/3 of whipped cream into white chocolate mixture to lighten. Using rubber spatula, fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate mixture until no white streaks remain. Spoon on top of the middle layer, smoothing with a spatula. Return cake to refrigerator and chill until set- at least 2 1/2 hours.

To serve. Use a very sharp (non-serrated) knife that has just been run under hot water to cut each slice. Decorate with shaved or curled chocolate.

Moroccan Eggplant Bisque w/ Mint Yogurt

About 10-days ago my favorite restaurant in Durham, NC, Magnolia Grill, announced they were closing their doors after 26 years. Luckily, both Ben and Karen (co-chefs) have released cookbooks over the years with some of their, and their customers', most favorite recipes; whereas my family will no longer be able to eat at MG, we'll be able to cook their recipes forever.

Ben explains that this soup is the favorite of the waitstaff due to its complexity of flavors. He's right- its dynamite. It is the best soup I have ever made. And it has nothing to do with my cooking skills. THIS RECIPE IS PERFECTION. Warning: its a lot of ingredients, but its really really worth it. Serves 6-8 as a main course and freezes well.

SOUP INGREDIENTS

2 large eggplants (~2 pounds)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 jalepenos, stemmed, seeded, diced
8 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
2 tablespoons Moroccan spice blend (see recipe below)
generous pinch of saffron
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 cups canned tomatoes, seeded & chopped, juices strained & reserved
6 cups chicken stock
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

GARNISH INGREDIENTS
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons Moroccan spice blend
olive oil
6 ounces plain yogurt
1 tablespoon slivered fresh mint
1/3 cup cilantro leaves

MOROCCAN SPICE BLEND
2 tablespoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon anise seed
1 teaspoon ground cloves
4 inches of a cinnamon stick

Making the Moroccan Spice Blend....
Pour the ingredients into a spice grinder and grinding until all a fine powder. Cover tightly and reserve.

Making the Bisque...
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, prick the eggplants all over with a fork, and roast the eggplants whole, for about 35-45 minutes, or until soft and partially collapsed. Remove from oven, cut in half, scrape some of the seeds out and remove the skin. Reserve the roasted flesh.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add the onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic cloves, jalepenos, Moroccan spice, saffron, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, then add the tomatoes, with their juices, the roasted eggplant, and the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf and puree the soup in batches in the food processor (or with an immersion blender). Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.

Make the Soup Garnish...
While the soup is simmering, rub the chicken thighs with the spice blend and olive oil to coat. Season with salt and bake on a rack in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool slightly and cut or shred into 1/2-inch chunks. Reserve.

Next, combine the yogurt and slivered mint and set aside/refrigerate if not using immediately.

Assembly...
Make sure the soup is hot and adjust the seasonings as needed (if its too thick, add more chicken broth; if it doesn't have enough flavor, try more salt; add more lemon juice if you want more of an acidic kick). Divide the chicken between 6 bowls (or reserve some of the chicken if you aren't serving that many people), and ladle hot soup into the bowls, with a dollop of the mint yogurt on top. Sprinkle with extra cilantro and serve. I did not even make it to the table when I ate it- I stood over the counter and inhaled it.