Sweet Love and Ginger

Chicken

A Real Dinner Party at Our House

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I want to preface this by saying that our lives are far from glamorous. Chuck and I live in a modest apartment on a dead end road, and aside from being fairly small it is also laid
out pretty horribly. It is warm and charming with lots of updated windows, and cute molding, but everything is pretty boxy and cut off, which makes entertaining hard. Don’t worry we manage. The kitchen is eat-in style, though there isn’t much room for the two of us at the table let alone any guests. We make it work, and improvisation is key. And since cooking for my friends is something that I have always loved to do and simply cannot stop doing; regardless of how impossible it may seem.

I try to have everything close to ready if not already done before anyone arrives; along with the kitchen table clear, because that has to serve as the buffet. The small fold-able table that does triple duty as dining table, craft space, and beer die set up is pulled out just before we are ready to eat, otherwise it’s cumbersome presence takes up too much of the living room. Chuck and I usually take the couch as it is a little low for table eating as well as maneuvering in and out of. We handle it. Then out comes the plates and cutlery stacked neatly on the counter, it has to be self serve because that folding table doesn’t fit everything.

It works, and I haven’t had a complaint yet. Of course that could be because all of our friends are also living in modest, horribly laid out apartments, so they get it.

 

 

Last weekend Chuck and I entertained our friends Alicia and Wil. She was gracious enough to bring chocolate covered strawberries for desert as well as a good white wine. Here is what the menu Looked like: Salad with Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette, Simply Roasted Chicken with mashed potatoes and Gravy as well as Braised Cabbage & Carrots.
Though it sounds like a lot it was all pretty easy to prepare, basically I popped the chicken in the oven, peeled & while they boiled prepared the cabbage & carrots. When the chicken came out in went the veggies, and I made the gravy and mashed the potatoes; which gave the chicken plenty of time to rest before being carved. The salad was just greens rinsed and spun, and the vinaigrette made the day before. From start to finish it took probably 2 hours to prepare, and there was plenty of time to mix a few
drinks, chat with Chuck and take Brody outside 4 or 5 times (he really likes the snow) in between. The perfect end to the week.

 

Simple Roasted Chicken
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 whole 4 lb chicken
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ tablespoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Remove the chicken from all packaging (including giblets) and pat dry with paper towels.
  3. Rub the outside with oil, spices and place breast side up in a shallow roasting pan. (Optional: tie the legs up with kitchen twine and fold the wing tips under.)
  4. Place chicken in the oven and cook for about an hour and 20 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crisp. When poked with a knife or fork in the thickest part of the thigh the juices should run clear. A thermometer also inserted into this part of the chicken should read 165.
  5. Remove the chicken to a platter and allow it to rest for about 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. Carve the chicken and serve.

 

Quick Chicken Gravy

1 cup drippings from roast chicken pan
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 springs thyme
Broth as needed

In a small sauce pan heat drippings over medium heat. Whisk
in flour and spices and cook, allowing the mixture to reduce slightly and
thicken. If it is too thick add broth or water by the tablespoon, whisking
until blended each time.

 

Braised Cabbage & Carrots

3 tbsp butter
5 strips of bacon, cooked & crumbled
1 head of cabbage, shredded
4 large carrots, peeled & chopped
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup vegetable broth or water
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425. In an oven proof skillet melt butter
with bacon, and then add cabbage, and carrots, tossing lightly. Stir in the
remaining ingredients and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes stirring
occasionally until carrots have reached desired doneness. Serve warm.

 

Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette

2 tsp grated lemon zest
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 large garlic clove, crushed
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well
combined. May serve immediately, or be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week.

 

 

Chicken with Apples and Fennel

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I have really enjoyed cooking with apples
this season, and not just in my traditional deserts, sauces and butters but I
like finding ways to add them to more savory dishes also. This particular
recipe I found while looking for a new chicken thigh recipe and it was
delicious. I usually gravitate to more salty dishes so this vinegar based dish
was a little different than what I was used to and a fun change to our week day
dinners.

You can find the original recipe here. Mine has a few small changes based on our own personal tastes, mainly
less vinegar, I didn’t want it to be too strong, although we do enjoy those
flavors, we prefer them in smaller doses, but those are just our personal
tastes. 

Braised  Chicken with Apples
and Fennel

4 bone in chicken thighs (with skin)

Salt & pepper to taste

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic chopped

1 fennel bulb, cored and chopped

½ cup dry white wine

1 cup apple cider

1 large tart apple, cored and sliced

2 bay leaves

1 tsp thyme

Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil
in a large skillet and place the chicken skin side down in the pan. Cook
without flipping until the skin is golden and separates from the pan easily,
roughly 9-10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan. You may want to also
drain some of the juices from the pan, though leave some to sauté the
vegetables in.  Add onions, garlic, and
fennel to the skillet and cook, stirring regularly until the onions begin to caramelize,
roughly 5-7 minutes. Deglaze with the wine and then add the cider, allowing it
to simmer and reduce to half. Add the chicken skin side up, apples, thyme and
bay leaves to the pan, cover and allow it to simmer until the chicken is cooked
through, roughly 30 minutes. Remove the cover and increase the heat for 5-10 minutes
or until the sauce begins to thicken slightly. Then stir gently and serve warm.
(Serves 4)

Lean Green Cream of Chicken and Rice Soup

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If I was ever on The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Cream of Soups, I would have to say that The House of Pizza in Gloversville, NY would take the cake. It’s a simple little place with a drive through take out window, owned by a delightful Greek family that also gave me the inspiration for my Perfect Broiled Haddock. They must just have the magic touch because for such a simple little place everything is so very good.

Now this wonderful soup I got it after the exclamations from a coworker, and she was on her mark. It was delightfully creamy, without feeling to heavy, perfectly seasoned, and green! Yes the soup is green because its packed with spinach, I’m sure the original recipe that I could not get is probably a little less healthy than mine, but I went with my gut, and made a pretty darn good soup if I do say so myself, that may not be completely clean, but is still a powerhouse of healthy.

Lean Green Cream of Chicken and Rice Soup

One of the keys to making it rice and creamy is cooking the rice in the soup and stirring it alot, to make it startchy, similar to a risotto. The pureed spinach also helps to thicken it up, so you dont need to add alot of flower and cream. Also if left overnight it thickens up, and gets even more flavorful, so don’t be shy about cooking this ahead of time.

Lean Green Cream of Chicken and Rice Soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • ½ cup un-cooked rice
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup pureed spinach (fresh or frozen with 2 cloves of
  • garlic)
  • 2 cups shredded chicken
  • 2 tbsp half and half
Instructions
  1. In a large thick bottomed sauce pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.
  2. Stir in flower, pepper, rice, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
  3. Stir in spinach, broth, and chicken bring to a simmer and cook stirring regularly for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through.
  4. Reduce the heat, and gently stir in the cream, cooking for another 2 or 3 minutes.
  5. Serve warm.

Clean & Easy: Pesto Crusted Chicken

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Pesto Crusted Chicken

Yet another clean, and easy chicken breast recipe.
Are you excited?
I am. I love pesto, as I am sure you know by now, and I love
it even more when I come up with a clean recipe that includes it.
The chicken comes out moist and delicious, using the
drippings to make extra sauce elevates the flavor, and if you have enough goes
great over pasta as well. Or you can do like I did and mix the sauce with a
classic tomato sauce and pasta. It’s a pretty fabulous combination if I do say
so myself.


Pesto
Crusted Chicken

3
tbsp prepared pesto

1
tbsp parmesan cheese

4
boneless skinless chicken breasts

1
tsp lemon zest

Juice
from one lemon

½
cup low sodium chicken broth


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Combine pesto and parmesan cheese. Coat chicken with pesto mixture and place on
a greased baking pan. Cook for about 25-30 minutes, or until juices run clear. Transfer
chicken to a serving dish, and transfer drippings to a small sauce pan. Whisk
in zest, juice, and broth, then bring to a boil and allow it to simmer until
reduced by half. Spoon over the chicken and serve immediately.



Finding the Balance with Pot Pie

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Over the summer there is no doubt that we eat healthier in
the SL&G house, even if we are eating mayo loaded burger there’s still a
side of salad. And there are more grilled, fresh, or fire roasted vegetables,
and fruit than you would believe. There is too much delicious fresh produce
available to not eat like that.

This all changes the second the air begins to crisp. It’s the
first week in September it has already started.

I FINALLY got Chuck, the human furnace to ditch the air
conditioner in favor of open windows at night. It is still dark out when I leave
for work in the morning, I have had to toss on a light jacket just to get there,
and at night I have traded in my iced tea and white wine spritzers, for rich red
and hot tea. Fall has come.

I suppose it couldn’t have been better timing we both have
been craving something a little more calorie dense, and homey for dinner than
the usual salad, kabobs, and masses and masses of grilled corn on the cob that
have been frequenting our dinner plates. Chuck requested chicken parmesan, and I
have been dying for a pot pie, so I made both this week; along with potato
soup, risotto, and some smoked cheddar macaroni and cheese (you will see more
on those soon enough). It feels like we have put on ten pounds each just this
week, but that’s ok once in a while. There are still a couple clean recipes in there;
it’s all about balance after all.

The same goes for balance in all other areas of life.  Sometimes after a long time of stress, heart
ache or just general discontentment its recipes like these that seem to save
your life, puts your feet back on the ground and gives you the strength you
need to get on with it all.

For me making something with some love in it really does the
trick; something I know by heart that I barely need to think about. A little
time in the kitchen simply chopping vegetables is a kin to taking a mini
vacation, at least mentally; Then later the satisfaction of creating something
so genuine and delicious, sinking into it while you forget all the other
troubles on your mind for a while.

Yes we needed this week of hearty fall food. Totally and definitely.

One Pan Chicken Pot Pie with Chive Biscuits

1 ¼ cups flour

½ tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp chives

½ stick of butter

¾ cups heavy cream

1 tbsp oil

1 lb lb of chicken, cut into 1-2 inch pieces

Salt & pepper

2 tbs butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 carrots, peeled & chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp pepper

3 tbsp flour

1 cup chicken broth or stock

¼ cup heavy cream

1 cup of frozen peas

In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt, and chives
together. Cut the cold butter into small chunks and blend into the flour
mixture with a fork or electric mixer. Then add the cream and mix well. The mixture
should become crumbly. With your hands mix the final crumbs together and create
a ball. Move the mixture to a floured work surface and push it down to about ¼ to
½ inch thick. Use a cookie cutter, knife or glass (whatever’s closest) to cute
out several round pieces of dough, and set aside. In a large oven safe skillet,
or Dutch oven warm oil over medium high heat. Add chicken seasoned with salt
& pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes or until it becomes opaque. Remove the
chicken from the pan and set aside. In the same pan melt the butter and add
onion to sauté for 2 minutes. Add in garlic, carrot, and celery, and cook for
3-4 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in thyme, pepper, and flour and cook
for an additional minute before adding in the chicken and broth. Stir well
until the mixture becomes milky, and smooth, then add the cream and allow it to
simmer for 5-7 minutes until it become thick and bubbly, stirring every minute
or so. Add the peas and cook for a minute or two. Place biscuits on top and
move to an oven preheated to 400 degrees. And cook for 15-20 minutes or until
the biscuits begin to brown on top. Serve immediately.