Chicken Caprese

 I love the fresh flavors of each component that this dish has in it.  My favorite summertime side is Caprese with fresh Buffalo Mozzarella, Heirloom Tomatoes and Fresh Basil drizzled with the finest and most flavorful of Olive Oil and Vinegars.  A spin on the traditional caprese, I added chicken to this famous dish and created a salad like mixture with the fresh ingredients to place on top. No butter, no frying, just healthy, flavorful delicious goodness that your family will devour! 

I served mine with an angel hair pasta and drizzled fresh Parmesan on top of it all.  The pasta absorbed the oil and vinegars and each bite was absolutely heavenly.  The colors in the bruschetta like topping presented beautifully and it was definitely a fan favorite! 

 Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• cup & 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• cup extra virgin olive oil
• 8 slices fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese medallions
• 4 roma tomatoes (seeded & diced)
• 8 fresh basil leaves (stacked, rolled & thinly sliced into chiffonade)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)

 
Preheat oven to 375F and spray baking dish with cooking spray.

1. Combine 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a bowl. Marinade the chicken in balsamic mixture for 15 minutes.
2. Place chicken breasts in baking dish, pour half of the mixture over the meat, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Bake at 375F until chicken is cooked through (about 30 minutes), occasionally spooning the balsamic mixture back over the chicken.
4. During the last 2 minutes of baking, place 2 slices of cheese over the top of each chicken breast to melt.
5. In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, basil, garlic, a pinch of salt and remaining balsamic. Toss gently to combine.
6. Place the chicken breasts on plates, top with tomato mixture and serve.

*Good Balsamic vinegar plays a key role in adding an extra something to any Italian dish.  My favorite vinegars come from a store called Olive oil & Beyond.  They can be ordered online or pop by the store for a sampling of the finest of vinegars.  My personal favorites are the Vanilla Balsamic and Blueberry Balsamic.  Meals will never be the same again...promise.

For The Love of Peeps!!!

Who doesn't love a Peep?  They are the cutest little things that taste so deliciously good. Every Easter I anticipate getting Peeps in my Easter basket.  Yes, I still get an Easter basket and I can honestly say that I get just as excited about seeing the cellophane wrapped basket laying at the door as when I was little.  My Mom is the absolute BEST!  What used to be filled with Barbies and My Little Ponies, it is now filled with giftcards, accessories, Mac Makeup and of course Peeps!

It's so easy to devour an entire package in one sitting so I got to thinking that rather than consuming them all  it would be fun to start cooking with my Peeps and sharing my treats with others.  The first of my amazing little creations was Peepshi. What are peepshi you ask?  PEEPS + Sushi = Peepshi!!!  They are so adorably cute that you almost don't want to eat them!  But you do anyway...

Happy Peepshi making!  Until next time!

-Bisous et calin! (Hugs & kisses)

-N

Ingredients:

Assorted PEEPS Marshmallow Shapes

Homemade Rice Crispies Treats ( I made my own because I don't like how the boxed treats taste)

Fruit by the Foot or rolled fruit snacks

Small Round Cookie Cutter

Knife

Directions:

To create Large PEEPS sushi pieces:

 

1. Use a knife to cut rice crispies into 2"x 3/4" horizontal pieces.   2.  Cut the top part off of the PEEPS  (I Hate to use the word "head" so lets call it the top part...poor PEEPS) Place the body of the PEEPS Marshmallow Chick on top of one of the rice crispy treats cereal. Wrap one of the rolled fruit snack strips around  and press the ends together until they stick.  Voila, instant sashimi!

  

To create Round Cut Roll PEEPS:       

1. Using a cookie cutter press into a section of the rice crispies cereal to punch out a circle.
2. Wrap the fruit snack strip around the circle and cut off, fold over and stick to the other end.  Using kitchen scissors or a knife cut the excess.  Stick the head on top of the circle and voila, instant Peeps cut roll!

There are endless combinations with colors and ingredients so play around and have fun!!!   

Chicken Pancetta with Marsala Cream Sauce

Chicken Marsala is a dish that seems to be standard in every cooks repertoire.  It consists of flour coated thin chicken breast cutlets, cooked with a Marsala wine reduction and usually mushrooms.  I wanted to do something a little bit different and so I opted for a spin off of the classic.  I incorporated additional flavor components by using Pancetta, which is an Italian meat that it is salt cured, rather than smoked.  It gave the dish an overall comfort food feel and tasted absolutely delicious. I also added wild mushrooms which included creminis and portobello's to give the dish an earthy component.  

I served it with Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Balsamic Roasted Asparagus.  Delish!!!

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

1 2oz package of Cubed Pancetta (The package I used I found at Trader Joes)

1/2 Medium Onion, diced (or you can use chopped shallots)

1 bag Cremini or Portobello Mushrooms (You can also use button mushrooms)

Flour for dredging (about 1/2 cup)

1 lb of skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut or pounded into thin cutlets

Kosher salt 

Freshly Ground Pepper

3/4 cup dry Marsala Wine (You can also use Sweet Marsala or even Vermouth)

6 Tbsp Heavy Cream

Dried or Fresh Flat Leaf parsley for garnish

Directions:

1.  Coat a large skillet lightly with olive oil and set it over medium high heat.  Add the Pancetta and cook until just crisp and lightly browned.  Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan, and set aside.  Add the onions to the pan and cook until translucent and slightly browned, 5-10 minutes.  When the onions are close to being done add the mushrooms and stir until softened. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan, and set aside.

2.  Put the flour on a plate.  Pat the cutlets dry.  Season them on both sides lightly with salt and amply with pepper.  Heat the skillet with the pancetta fat over medium high.  Add more olive oil, if needed to get about 2tbsp of liquid in the pan.

3.  When the fat is hot, dredge a cutlet through the flour on both sides.  Shake off the excess flour and immediately put the cutlet in the pan.  Do the same with as many cutlets will fit in the pan without touching.  Saute the cutlets, turning once, browned on both sides.  If thin, they should cook within 3-4 minutes on each side.  Transfer those to the plate as well.

4.  Spoon out remaining fat.  With the pan over medium heat, add the Marsala and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Cook until the Marsala is reduced by about a quarter.  Stir in the cream and boil until you get a nicely thickened sauce.

5.  Return the chicken, onions, mushrooms and pancetta to the pan and turn the cutlets over to coat.  Let them reheat for 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Serve with the sauce and a sprinkle of parsley.

Ricotta Stuffed Gnocchi with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Ricotta Stuffed Gnocchi with Fresh Tomato Sauce 

I was so excited to create this dish because I absolutely LOVE Gnocchi!  I can't get enough of these delicious little dumplings and I can honestly say that I have had gnocchi every way one could possibly prepare it...Gorgonzola stuffed gnocchi, Butternut squash gnocchi, traditional potato gnocchi and so many more! The most common way to prepare gnocchi is to combine potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed) with flour to form soft bite-size lumps of dough.  What makes gnocchi so popular is its versatility-simple ingredients like potatoes and flour, vegetables, herbs and cheeses can be combined to make gnocchi in endless variations!

I opted to make a less traditional gnocchi and use ricotta cheese that I had in the refrigerator that needed to be used up.  The ricotta gave the same texture but made for a much creamier gnocchi that exploded with flavor.  These little delights are quite filling so expect to have some leftovers. My favorite part of a great meal....the thought of re-visiting a delicious meal all over again the next day.  

Bon Appetit!!! 

Servings: 4 (6-8 if it is to be served as a side dish)

Ingredients:

To make the Gnocchi:

• 1 (8 ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed

To make the Tomato Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 Large Onion, chopped
• 2 (15.5 ounce) can whole tomatoes
• 1 dash crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 cup basil leaves, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small chunks
• Fresh shaved or grated Parmesan,optional

Directions:

1. Stir together the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan Cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl until evenly combined. Mix in 1 cup of flour. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough.
2. Divide the dough into 3 or 4 pieces, and roll into 1/2-inch-thick ropes on a floured surface. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces, and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions.  Cook about 7-10 minutes or until softened. Stir in garlic, and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in diced tomatoes with juice and red pepper flakes; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook for about an hour stirring occasionally. Stir in shredded basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes, then drain.
5. To assemble the dish, pour the sauce over the Gnocchi and distribute the cubed mozzarella  over the sauce to allow the heat of the sauce to soften, but not melt the cheese. Place gnocchi into a serving bowl, and spoon sauce over top. Grate fresh Parmesan on top and Bon Appetit!!!

Thai Chicken in A Spicy Peanut Sauce over an Asian Slaw

Thai Chicken in A Spicy Peanut Sauce over an Asian Slaw



I like this dish because I was able to incorporate the leftover Asian slaw from my garlic shrimp soup spoon appetizer that I had served a few days prior.  I reserved about half of it.  The slaw also had a chance to absorb the wonderful flavors in the refrigerator making this dish an overall true star.

Ingredients:

Yield: 2

1/2lb string beans

2 tsp olive oil

2-3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

3/4 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup smooth peanut butter

2tsp honey

1 tbls low sodium soy sauce

1 tsp red chili paste

2 tbls lemon juice

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 tbls chopped peanuts (optional)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a skillet, and cook the chicken about 5-7 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear

Add the green beans and saute 

Mix the chicken broth, peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, chile paste, lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat

Cook and stir 5 minutes, until slightly thickened

Serve over rice (Basmati is preferable), garnish with green onion and peanuts

Asian Slaw

Yield: 12

Ingredients:

• 2 large cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, and seeded
• 1 large carrot, peeled.  Cut in half
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger root
• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

With a sharp vegetable peeler, cut the cucumbers and carrots lengthwise into thin ribbons that look like noodles. Combine the cucumbers and carrots in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients and toss well. Refrigerate until chilled.

Bon Appetit!!!

Diary of a Chocoholic...

I am always up for easy dessert recipes. I am not a Baker myself so I leave the baking in the hands of my trusted Baking Beauties.  You know who you are Lauren and Kerry…In fact in most cases I would rather drive out of the way to grab a pie from Marie Calenders than to attempt baking myself.  

My family will never let me forget all of the Baking mishaps I had while growing up.  Let’s see, Raw Lemon Bars, Salt instead of sugar and many more I probably chose to forget.  But you know what, at least I can laugh about it. Oh and I still have yet to revisit making the Lemon Bars. ;)

I stumbled upon this recipe while searching for a Valentine’s themed Dessert.    Trifles usually present well so I figured I’d give it a whirl.  It completely exceeded my expectations,  It is fabulously easy, looks and tastes OH SO GOOD! The original recipe called for Chocolate Shavings however with so much chocolate already, I wanted to add another texture and did so with the Heath Toffee pieces.  OMG.  Freaking delish!  Between the Brownies, the Heath and the cream filling that resembles that of a jar of Marshmallow cream, this dessert is divine and can’t be described in its entirety of satisfaction.  JUST TRY IT!

Bisous et calin! 

-N

 Ingredients:

• 1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
• 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 bag or Heath Toffee Candy Baking Pieces

Directions:

1. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and cool completely. Cut into 1 inch squares.
2. In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth, then fold in 8 ounces whipped topping until no streaks remain.
3. In a trifle bowl, glass serving dish or mini trifle bowls, place half of the brownies, half of the pudding mixture and half of the 12 ounce container of whipped topping. Repeat layers. Top with Toffee Pieces.   Refrigerate at least 6-8 hours before serving.

What's for Dinner-Week 3

Week 3 began on a Sunday morning for Brunch at my Parents home.  My Mom made her famous egg pie filled with delicious veggies and lots of bacon and no brunch is complete at our house without Mimosa's.  :)  We usually serve the orange juice in a small pitcher however my Mom recently found these mini carafes and have been itching to use them.  Originally this idea was inspired by the wine carafes served at the restaurant Marche Moderne located in South Coast Plaza.  They present well and its great when having friends or family over because you can serve the individual carafes with their wine varietal of choice.  They are free to refill their glass at any given time. It's brilliant and so cute!

Later that evening I had a special treat in store...my hubby made me dinner!  Homemade Stuffed Shells...and let me just say that this wasn't just any easy peasy meal.  It was fantastically delicious and exploded with amazing flavor and tasted like it came from our favorite Italian restaurant.  Stuffed with Ricotta, Gorgonzola and Mozzarella Cheeses, he topped this delicious goodness with his own marinara sauce recipe packed with plum tomatoes, fresh basil and garlic. This dish was brilliant, yet so simple!

Lucky for us every so often my Mom gets inspired to make these fabulous meals.  Known for things such as Chicken Marsala and her famous lasagna, this time she attempted to take something that seems so difficult and turned it into a slow cooker wonder.

Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu 

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts (pounded out thin)
• 4 pieces of Prosciutto (adds so much more flavor)
• 4 slices of Swiss or mozzarella cheese
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (can use any cream soup)
• 1/4 cup milk
• Garlic to taste

Preparation:

Put prosciutto and cheese on chicken. Roll up and secure with a toothpick. Layer the rest on top. Mix soup with the milk; pour over top of chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken is no longer pink. Serve over noodles with the sauce it makes.  

*As I had mentioned in my recipe for Slow Cooker Sour Cream Chicken, I suggest using the Lemon Pepper Papardelle Pasta from Trader Joes.  It compliments the flavors beautifully! 

Coconut Curry Chicken over Basmati Rice with Sauteed String Beans

This dish had the right amount of heat and spices.  You can even slice your onion and mince your garlic the night before to make this meal even simpler.  

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed, diced tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.

Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 to 40 minutes. 

 

Date Night!

Date night was definitely a treat this week!  We attended a "Cooking with Wine" Cooking Class at the Wine Artist in Lake Forest. This venue is awesome!  There is ample space for prep and cooking, and then everyone congregates at a huge table together to enjoy all of the food we prepared.  Overall we made 4 dishes.... 

Two Apps, Pasta and of course dessert of Berries and Marscapone... and the best part was that all the recipes incorporated wine.

Cheers!

Here is what we made:

Ricotta, gorgonzola & mushroom crostini

Penne with artichoke & panchetta

Sausage & mushroom polenta 

Cocktail Party!

Jason and I had the privilege of hosting a cocktail party with friends on Saturday Night.  I love to entertain and it's a great excuse to get out all of the fun tasting party dishes!  Flavor is key however we taste with our eyes first and I looove presentation.  We started the evening off with cocktails.  Raspberry Champagne Cocktails for the Ladies and Mojitos for the Men. 

 Garlic Shrimp over an Asian Slaw

Yield: 12

Ingredients:

• 2 large cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, and seeded
• 1 large carrot, peeled.  Cut in half
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger root
• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

With a sharp vegetable peeler, cut the cucumbers and carrots lengthwise into thin ribbons that look like noodles. Combine the cucumbers and carrots in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients and toss well. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour (but not longer so the cucumbers do not get soggy).  



Garlic Shrimp 

Ingredients:

1/2lb cooked medium shrimp

1 tbls soy sauce

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp oil

Heat oil, soy sauce and garlic on medium high in a pan.  Remove tails from shrimp.  Once the pan is hot add shrimp and cook on each side for about 30 seconds.  Since they are already cooked we are just browning them slightly and coating them in flavor.  Overcooking them will result in them being tough.  

 Mini Mac and Cheese's

Yield: 12

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ teaspoon salt
• pepper, to taste
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 
• ½ cup breadcrumbs combined with 2 tbls melted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F

1.  Cook and drain macaroni according to package directions; set aside

2.  In a large saucepan melt butter.

3.  Add flour mixed with salt and pepper, using a whisk to stir until well blended.

4.  Pour milk and cream in gradually; stirring constantly.

5.  Bring to boiling point and boil 2 minutes (stirring constantly).

6.  Reduce heat and cook (stirring constantly) about 10 minutes.

7.  Add shredded cheddar little by little and simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.  

8.  Turn off heat.  

9.  Add macaroni to the saucepan and toss to coat with the cheese sauce.

10.  Transfer macaroni to a buttered baking dish.

11.  Sprinkle with buttered breadcrumbs.

12.  Bake 35 minutes until the top is golden brown.

 

Devils Food Cake drizzled with Dulce de Leche topped with whipped cream and a Maraschino Cherry

Ingredients:

1 Box Devils Food Cake mix

1 jar of caramel sauce

1 can of sweetened evaporated milk

Heath Bar topping

whipped cream

maraschino cherries

Directions:

1.  Prepare cake according to box directions.

2.  Combine caramel sauce and milk and stir together

3.  Cut cake into small squares according to serving dish size

4.  Pour about 1 1/2 tbls of caramel topping, drizzle with toffee pieces, top with whipped cream and a cherry