Being adventurous...

In the two years that I have been with Scott, I am finally starting to feel slightly comfortable with my cooking abilities. Two Thursdays ago, he asked me to prepare dinner (on my own, mind you). Usually, we are in the kitchen together, each with our individual roles. He's usually the slicer and dicer, and I'm normally the seasoning queen. (Those are thoughtfully prepared names, by the way). 

Anyway, Scott had been at work all day, and had to run to a soccer game after, so the least I could do was cook dinner, right? I wanted to try something totally out of the box, but something that I could still pull off in a reasonable amount of time. I saw this recipe for a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce on Pinterest, and it definitely piqued my interest. It seemed a little too expert for me, but I said "what the hell" and gave it a try. If Scott didn't like it, at least I tried, right? So, off to Publix I went. 

These are the ingredients I used:

• 3 red bell peppers
• 1/2 of a medium white onion 
• 2 tbsp garlic
• a coupe sprinkles of basil (the original recipe called for fresh, but it was too expensive, and the dry worked just fine).
• 3 tbsp oil 
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 tbsp flour (again, the original called for cornstarch, but flour seems to work just the same).
• 1/3 cup grated romano cheese
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1lb cheese ravioli

Preheat your broiler to high, while you the cut the peppers in half and remove the stem and seeds. Coat them with oil, and place on a baking sheet cut side down. Broil the peppers until they are charred. After about 10 ish minutes, they should be ready. Transfer them to a bowl and cover it for another 10 minutes. The skins should be easy to peel off by now.

Once all your peppers have been peeled, chop them up with the onion and garlic, and add to a saute pan. Add the basil and cook for another 10 minutes. At this point, in a separate bowl, you can mix the flour and half and half until there is no lumps. (And don't forget to boil some water for the ravioli. Cook them according to the package)

Carefully transfer your pepper mixture to the blender and puree it until it's mostly smooth. Return to the saute pan. Add in the half and half, butter and cheese. Season to taste, and let the sauce simmer for a final five minutes. Add the drained ravioli to the sauce and voila! 

I stuck with the Italian theme that night and made a salad with mescaline greens and balsamic vinaigrette. I also toasted up some garlic cheese Texas Toast and called it a night. Scott was so pleased, and to be honest, I was beaming! 

I made the recipe for my family about a week and a half later, and they enjoyed it as well. This time around, I completely omitted the flour, and just added more half and half. It worked out just fine! It was my mother's idea to add ground pork. It definitely stretched the meal out, and made it more heartier for a family of four (that eats like a family of 8). 

My younger brother suggested that we use Penne pasta next time. What pasta would you choose?

Stir Fry Made Easy...and Healthy!

In August, one of my closest friends moved in with Scott (for the time being), so our Thursday night Vampire Diaries/cooking session had grown by one. Like my former self, my friend is a young woman struggling with the notion of not knowing how to cook. So, I felt it was only necessary to impart the knowledge I have gained unto her, as Scott did unto me. 

I wanted to find a recipe that was not only simple, but delicious; and healthy too, because us girls were on a brief health kick at the time. I came across this recipe for Lighter Sesame Chicken, and felt that it was the perfect match.

I have a certain affinity for Asian style cuisine. For almost two years, I worked for an Asian-fusion style restaurant, so stir-fry holds a special place in my heart. My girl friend and I already had most of the ingredients on the list so we used this recipe as a basic guideline. Here is what I used:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 egg white
• 2 tbsp flour
• 3 chicken breasts, skinless & boneless (cut into small cubes)
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or whatever oil you have in the house, really)
• 1 package of Healthy Choice Asian vegetable medley

Start by preparing the rice according to the package. (Rice is really difficult to screw up).

In the mean time, mix together the honey, soy sauce and garlic in a bowl. In another bowl, combine the egg white and the flour. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add into the egg white mixture. 

Heat oil in a wok, or a similar pan. Add the chicken, and cook until it's browned. Add the vegetable mix, until it has softened. Lastly, add the sesame sauce, and cook for another minute or so. Add over rice, and garnish with sesame seeds. (Unfortunately on my quest for sesame seeds in the super market, I could not find any. When I finally did, they were far too expensive, so I omitted them.) 

Anyway, I loved this dish! Scott wasn't a big fan, but it sure satisfied my craving for greasy take-out...without all the grease of course. What's your favorite take-out meal? Do you prefer white or brown rice with your meal?

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken

To all my readers, I apologize for being away for so long. I have had a lot on my plate lately, between getting back to work after surgery, switching jobs, and all of the other ups and downs life tends to throw at you. I digress, I'm trying to focus on this new positive attitude I've acquired, and stick with it. I have plenty of motivation built up, and I am going to hang on to it!

As I promised, my next entry was going to be about the Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken, so here it is. If I can recall, Scott and I made this back in late July, and I do remember that we were very pleased with the recipe! The chicken was sweet and juicy, and it sure lived up to the name double crunch! Here is the recipe I found on Pinterest:

• 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups flour
• 4 tsp salt
• 4 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp ground thyme
• 2 tsp ground sage
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 eggs
• 8 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3-4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce 
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
•  canola oil 

Unlike other recipes, Scott and I basically stuck to this one, without making much adjustments. The only thing we may have changed were the spices. The recipe calls for sage and thyme, and I'm almost positive Scott does not have those spices in his spice rack. Don't worry about veering from the set path though...be adventurous! Use other spices instead. Trust me, it's exciting. 

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour with all the spices. In a separate bowl, make an egg wash by mixing the eggs with some water. Setup an assembly line of chicken, flour, egg, and get started! 

Season the chicken with salt and pepper (of course), then dip into the flour, then into the egg, then into the flour one final time, and then into the saute pan. When the chicken is cooked through, about 4 or 5 minutes per side, drain on a wire rack. 

To make the honey garlic sauce, in a medium saucepan, add the olive oil and minced garlic. Cook over medium heat to soften the garlic, but don't let it brown. Add the honey, soy sauce and black pepper, and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Let the mixture cool a little before you add it to the chicken. 

You won't be disappointed by this recipe. Scott and I loved it so much that we finished all four chicken breasts! That's pretty much unheard of at his house. We cooked scalloped potatoes with our chicken, but I think it would also be great with rice pilaf or mashed potatoes. Give the recipe a try, and tell me what you think!

Would you use the honey garlic sauce as a garnish on top of the chicken, or as a dipping sauce? What is your favorite dipping sauce for chicken?