Lemon Chicken

One of the best sites for new recipes in my opinion is http://allrecipes.com. Today I made a wonderful Lemon Chicken Recipe (Lemon Chicken II on the site: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lemon-Chicken-II/Detail.aspx)  I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out wonderfully!  My entire family loved it.

I did use peanut oil to fry the chicken because I had it on hand and it can go to a high temperature without burning.

Here is the recipe:

Lemon Chicken II
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:
3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Breading:
2 eggs
2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
For the Sauce:
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl combine the chicken, sherry, soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix together, cover and refrigerate. Let marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, 1/4 cup cornstarch and baking powder to form a batter. In a wok, heat 2 cups oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat chicken with batter and fry in wok until browned. Cut into bite size pieces and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, broth, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix together and add lemon slices. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok and slowly stir in lemon sauce mixture. Cook, stirring, until sauce is clear. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lemon-Chicken-II/Detail.aspx

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Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, who can resist them?  With Valentines Day coming up. Here is a favorite that I make several times a year.  They also make beautiful presentations if you skewer them on bamboo skewers and present them like long stem roses.

The recipe is originally from allrecipes.com one of my favorite web-sites.
Don’t buy the overpriced chocolate dipped strawberries in the stores – they are so easy to make and delicious!  Makes about 3 packages of strawberries.  If you have chocolate left over use them to drizzle over cookies, or dip other fruit.  Very good.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Ingredients

• 16 ounces milk chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 pound fresh strawberries with leaves

DIRECTIONS
1. Insert toothpicks into the tops of the strawberries (washed and completely dried!).
2. In a double boiler (bowl over hot water in a pan), melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth. Holding them by the toothpicks, dip the strawberries into the chocolate mixture.
3. Turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into styrofoam for the chocolate to cool. (or in this case, I used cupcake papers and just put a berry in each.  Enjoy.

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Greek Orzo Salad

This is a wonderful refreshing dish that I love to serve at our home.  My husband and I seem to always battle for the last bowl when the late night munchies hit.  We end up sharing!

It is an easy dish to put together, chop your veggies and such while the pasta cooks and then cool the orzo under running cold water and it is a flash to assemble.  The beauty of this dish is you can put any veggies in you want.  My mom made this with green beans once and broccoli another time. Both were delicious.  I happen to like this combination the best.  But if you did not like artichokes, or cucumbers – substitute away!

Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
Serves 6-8

• 3/4 lb Orzo Pasta (I love the Barilla Brand)
• 1 cucumber, peeled and diced (I like the hot house or English ones they are most consistently good)
• 1 can artichoke hearts
• 1 can black olives (Greek style if you desire, but can be made with just regular olives if you wish)
• 1 package cherry or grape tomatoes (chopped tomato is fine too)
• fresh basil, chopped (to taste or 1 tsp of dried basil works in a pinch)
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled or cut in cubes if you like larger pieces of feta
• 1/2 jar roasted Red Peppers (optional)

For the Dressing:

• 6 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. mint
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Cook the Pasta according to the directions.  Prepare the vegetables, and put in a large bowl.  When the pasta is cooked, drained and cooled, add to the chopped veggies.  Combine the ingredients of the dressing and pour over the pasta salad.  Combine.  Add the feta cheese last, it seems to hold together better then.  Enjoy.  This really is quite addicting.  I think you will find it is as well.

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Bread Sticks

Bread Sticks

My daughter’s science teacher gave us a recipe to make for extra credit. I made it twice that weekend. The first time a single recipe the second time we doubled the recipe…and then I gained 2 lbs! They are quite delicious. My daughter sprinkled them with poppy seeds, but kosher salt, sesame seeds, or Parmesan cheese are also great on them.

Mrs. B.’s Bread Sticks/Pizza Dough

Preheat oven to 425F

• 1 pkg. yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• a few tsp. sugar

Mix above ingredients together and wait until mixture becomes bubbly

• add 2 1/3 cups of flour (white, wheat or a mixture)
• 1 tsp salt
• olive oil

Stir the flour and salt in thoroughly until the dough sticks together in a big ball (I rub some olive oil on my hands to prevent the dough from sticking to me) Coat the dough with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Set the dough in the bowl aside in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.

After the dough rises, form it into either bread sticks or into pizza. Let the dough rise for 10 minutes if you are making pizza, top with toppings and put in oven.

Bake for approx. 20-23 minutes. Bread sticks may need less time. Remove from oven when ready

Coat bread sticks with butter after baking and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired. Dip in tomato sauce.

One recipe is enough for one batch of bread sticks, but I often double or triple the recipe.

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Festive Tossed Salad

Here is a salad I had at a friend’s house and just HAD to have a copy of the recipe! It has a strong dressing, but is quite delightful! I have to say though, it can upstage your main course — so if you are not eating it as a main meal – which you could, serve it with something like Spaghetti and Meatballs – not your elaborate meal. It is really good. I have an immersion blender which makes the dressing a snap to make – a regular blender would do the job too though! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

The combination of spiced nuts, feta cheese, Craisins and the dressing is really outstanding! The kids may not care for the dressing though — serve it on the side – it is a good idea anyway that way you don’t overpower the lettuce greens… Start with a couple of teaspoons of dressing and toss and see where it takes you.. you can always add more, but not take it away!

Trisha’s Festive Tossed Salad

Serves 4 Main Dish Portions or 6 Side Salads

Ingredients

• 1 cup Pecans — coarsely chopped
• 3 Tbsp Butter
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 12 cups Mixed Baby Salad Greens — torn
• 3/4 cup Craisins
• 4 ounces Cheese, Feta — crumbled
• 1/4 cup Vinegar, Red Wine — Dressing ingredient
• 1/4 cup Oil, Vegetable — Dressing Ingredient
• 1/2 cup Parsley, Fresh — Dressing Ingredient
• 1/4 cup Onion, Red — chopped Dressing Ingredient
• 2 cloves Garlic cloves — Dressing ingredient
• 1/2 tsp Oregano, Dried — Dressing Ingredient
• 1/8 tsp Salt — Dressing Ingredient
• 1/8 tsp Pepper — Dressing Ingredient

Instructions

In a skillet, cook and stir pecans in butter until toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sugar, pepper and salt. In a salad bowl, toss the greens, cranberries, cheese and walnuts.

Place the dressing ingredients together in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Drizzle desired amount of dressing over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

(Word to the wise, the dressing is quite potent so use with caution.) This salad was renamed “killer salad” by my family. I always have requests for it when I bring it to potlucks or have company over.

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Basil Cream Chicken

Basil Cream Chicken is one of our families favorite recipes. I enjoy making it and everyone, especially my husband enjoys it. It is fairly easy to make too which is nice.

The recipe for this delightful dish is:

Basil Cream Chicken

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs ( I like Progresso Italian)
• 4 chicken breast halves, cut into smaller pieces to ensure it is cooked through)
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (not whipped)
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted peppers (from jar is great)
• 1/2- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (plus extra to serve)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Beat eggs and milk together in a bowl. Put seasoned bread crumbs in another bowl.

Dip the chicken pieces first in the egg mixture and then coat in bread crumbs.

Breaded chicken

Melt butter in a large stainless steel saucepan

Melted Butter

Fry the chicken pieces until golden brown turning once over medium high heat, until juices run clear.

Transfer the chicken to a glass dish and keep them warm (I usually have the oven temperature at 275F until the rest of the meal is finished.

Add chicken broth and loosen browned bits from the pan with a whisk.

Add your heavy cream and bring to a boil. Boil for one minute.

Add parmesan cheese

and chopped basil and roasted peppers

Heat just until heated through and season with black pepper.

Transfer the warm chicken breast halves to a platter

Ladle sauce over the chicken.

I serve this with cooked pasta and serve extra basil cream sauce for the pasta and top with additional parmesan cheese. Add a green salad and you have a meal. Add garlic bread and you have a feast!

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Chicken Fried Steak

There is something special and comforting about this dish.  I have tried them in various restaurants, but never made them myself.  A few months ago, I ate a rather poor version of Chicken Fried Steak in a restaurant… and it was a POOR version, combined with the fact that it was really poor service that day and they didn’t bring the gravy out with the steak and I had to wait 5 to 10 minutes for them to bring it and by then my steak was less than perfect.. so I went to look for a version I can do myself.  This certainly isn’t diet food!  I am on a semi diet though — so I had a small piece.
I made the mistake of buying two family packs of cube steak there were two huge steaks in each pack, but I could have just purchased one..as I cut them into smaller pieces to make them manageable.  I followed the recipe from allrecipes.com exactly, but seasoned up the gravy with a few dashes of Tabasco sauce to get the taste where I like it.
I also drizzled lemon juice over the steaks for extra flavor, but did not find it to give it much flavor, I think next time I will squeeze some over the steaks after they come out of the cast iron skillet (if you have one, this recipe is perfect for it!)  I served this with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans, sorry about the lighting in the picture.  This makes plenty of Gravy!  My husband and I loved it.  The kids preferred it without gravy (I have sick children I know!)
Here is the link: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/The-Best-Chicken-Fried-Steak/Detail.aspx
The-Best-Chicken-Fried-Steak

• 4 (1/2 pound) beef cube steaks
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups vegetable shortening for deep
• frying
• Gravy:
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk
• kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste (1 Tbsp salt, 1 tsp pepper)
• 5 dashes of Tabasco (Becky’s change)

Pound the steaks to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place 2 cups of flour in a shallow bowl. Stir together the baking powder, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a separate shallow bowl; stir in the buttermilk, egg, Tabasco Sauce, and garlic. Dredge each steak first in the flour, then in the batter, and again in the flour. Pat the flour onto the surface of each steak so they are completely coated with dry flour.

Heat the shortening in a deep cast-iron skillet to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Fry the steaks until evenly golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place fried steaks on a plate with paper towels to drain. Drain the fat from the skillet, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and as much of the solid remnants as possible.

Return the skillet to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk the remaining flour into the oil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release solids into the gravy. Stir in the milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring the gravy to a simmer, cook until thick, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Spoon the gravy over the steaks to serve.

Recipe Notes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ready in 40 minutes
Serves 4

Becky’s NOTES:
After dredging the cube steak in flour and buttermilk and then in flour again it is a pretty gloppy mess!  I stacked my steaks on a plate, but as I got toward the end of frying I didn’t know where the steak began to pick it up, next time I will put wax paper between each steak so they don’t stick to each other and pull the breading off other steaks.  Will make again!

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Avgolemono Soup

Avgolemono Chicken Soup

Strange name I know, it’s Greek and is a wonderful Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup.  I went to a ladies night out and a friend brought this soup to the event.  I went back for thirds and then took some home with me to share with my husband.  Delicious!  My kids all love it too and it is a frequent request now.  I make it about every other week now.  The recipe is from Cat Cora on the Food Network.  I made a few changes to suit my family’s tastes.

Just today my daughter announced that every Restaurant should have this recipe and serve it because she would order it every time!  It really is that good.  Do try it!

Source:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cat-cora/avgolemono-chicken-soup-with-egg-lemon-sauce-recipe/index.html

Avgolemono: Chicken Soup with Egg-Lemon Sauce – Cat Cora

• 1 (3 pound) free range chicken
• 2 quarts water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 leek, cleaned and quartered
• 1 carrot, peeled and quartered
• 2/3 cup Aborio rice
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper

Directions

Place the chicken in a large pot with 2 quarts cold water, enough to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, skimming when necessary.

In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the onions. Sweat the onions until clear. Set aside.

When chicken is cooked through, remove from the broth. Let the chicken cool and pull the meat from the bones. Dice into large cubes. Set aside.

Add the onion, bay leaves, leek, and carrot to the broth and simmer for 1 hour. When finished, remove the carrot and leek from the broth and add the rice. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to medium high to simmer until the rice is cooked to al dente, about 30 minutes. Add the chicken back into the broth. Add more water if needed.

In a small bowl beat the eggs and lemon juice together. Pour 2 cups of broth slowly into the bowl of egg and lemon, whisking continuously. Once all the broth is incorporated, add the mixture into the pot of chicken soup and stir to blend well throughout. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

Prep     10 min

Cook    3 hr 10 min

Total:     3 hr 20 min

Serves 8-10

Becky’s NOTES:

After I remove the carrots and leeks I chop the carrots into small pieces (last time I even squeezed them through my potato ricer) I add the carrots back into the soup with the chicken.  I do not add onions, my kids don’t care for the texture, but I do let them simmer in the broth with the leeks and carrots, but do not add them to the final product.  Very very yummy and fairly easy to make!  Do go out and buy some Aborio rice, it is perfect for this soup.

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