Chicken Marsala

1 pkg. thinly sliced chicken breasts
flour for dredging
salt and pepper for seasoning
Marsala wine
Sherry
butter
olive oil
capers (I like to use capers instead of mushrooms)

Heat a 2 tbsp of of butter in 2 tbsp olive oil

season chicken with salt and pepper

dredge each piece of chicken in flour and add to pan.  Brown on each side and cook thouroughly

While chicken is cooking, add a glug or so of the sherry and continue to cook over medium heat

Add 2 cups of Marsala and extra flour if needed.  Cook until sauce begins to thicken

Add 2 tbsp. capers with juice

Remove chicken and place on serving dish.  Cover with remaining sauce.

dredge each piece in flour and add to pan

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Baked Chicken

I got this recipe from Pinterest.  The original pinner pinned it from This wonderful blog.  After discovering this recipe and reading more of her posts, I'm hooked.

I used Onion powder instead of garlic powder (since I didn't have any garlic powder on hand)  I also didn't have any seasoning salt, so I used Trader Joe's "Everyday Seasoning"  (which happened to have garlic in it as well as most of the ingredients in Seasoning Salt).  I also used Monterey Jack cheese in place of the parmesan.  (I forgot a lot of the ingredients that her recipe called for, so I used what I had on hand.  It worked out well. 

Pampered Chef's Creamy Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss

In December 2010, I went to a Pampered Chef party.  The Pampered Chef consultant used some PC products to make this dish.  I didn't purchase the items, I have edited the recipe slightly to use kitchen items that I already owned.

This is the picture that I used on the Roasted Asparagus post.
I promised I'd get to this  recipe eventually!
That's the Pasta Toss in the background.

1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken

2 tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 1/2 tbsp. Lemon Pepper

3 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth (about 6 cups)

1/2 medium onion

12 oz. uncooked angel hair pasta

1 lemon

2 oz. cream cheese (softened)

1 14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts (drained)

1/4 cup capers (rinsed)

chopped fresh parsley and grated fresh parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Cut chicken into 1 in. pieces.  Combine with 1 tbsp. oil and the rub.  Heat the remaining oil on the stove for 1-3 minutes and add the chicken mixture.  Cook for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from skillet and set aside.

2. Boil broth.  (The recipe says to use the Pampered Chef Micro-Cooker.  I just use the stove.) Chop onion and add to skillet. Cook until fragrant.

(Also, I have to break hear to ask some advice from my readers.  Is there a way to cook onions without tearing up?  I hate when I'm cooking and end up looking, well, like this:)

fanpop.com
(and yes, the 17 year old inside of me still carries a torch for James Van Der Beek)

ok, on with the recipe.

Carefully add broth and pasta to skillet.  Cook uncovered for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Zest lemon to measure 1 tbsp.  Juice lemon to measure 2 tbsp.  Add zest, juice and cream cheese to skillet.  Stir until fully incorporated.  Add chicken and artichokes  Cook 1-2 minutes or until fully heated.  Remove from heat and stir in capers.  Garnish with parsley and parmesan, if you wish.  Serve and enjoy!

Montalcino Chicken with Figs and Buttered Gnocchi with Nutmeg

This is another recipe that I got from Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals book.  The recipe notes say that you can substitute any red wine if you don't have any Montalcino.  Last time I made this, I used Montepulciano.

1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 lb. pancetta cut into sticks
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken cut into chunks.  (the recipe says to use thighs, but I prefer to use chicken breast)
salt and pepper
flour, for dredging
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
approx. 15 dried figs, quartered
approx. 1/3 bottle red wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup parsley
zest of 1 lemon
4 sprigs thyme
1 12-16 oz pkg. gnocchi
3 tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3 tbsp. chives

1. Boil water for the gnocchi.
2. Heat a skillet over med-high heat.  Add the olive oil and pancetta.
3. While the pancetta is browning in the pan, season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Dredge in the flour
4.  Remove the pancetta from the pan and add the chicken
5. Brown the chicken on each side, then push to the side of the pan.  Add the onions, garlic and figs.
6. Saute for 5 minutes, then mix in the chicken
7. Add the wine, then cook down for 5 minutes
8. Add the parsley, lemon zest, thyme and 1 cup of chicken stock
9. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes
10.  Add the gnocchi and salt to the boiling water.  Cook according to package directions
11. Heat another skillet to melt and brown the butter.
12. Add the gnocchi to the browned butter.  Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Turn to coat.  Add the chives and remove from heat
13. Adjust the seasonings on the chicken.  If you want more sauce, add another 1/2 cup of stock.  Serve the chicken and figs in a shallow bowl with the gnocchi.  Top with the browned pancetta sticks.

Cocoa-Chili rubbed Steak

Begin by grilling your steak to your liking.

While the steak is on the grill, make your rub.  Combine equal parts cocoa powder and chili powder.  (I've seen a bottled version of the cocoa chili mixture in Stop and Shop, but I still make my own since I always have cocoa and chili powder on hand.

When the steak is done, dredge each piece in the rub, and you're good to go!

This one is pretty simple, but it's one of my favorites, so I wanted to share it.

I recently did some googling to find more steak rub ideas.  While I was looking, I discovered a recipe that suggested using this rub for pork as well.  That's something to try too!

BLT Mac and Cheese

5 cups water
1 lb uncooked macaroni
8 slices bacon
3 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 cup half and half
7 oz. shredded cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 med. leek
2 lg. plum tomatoes
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 350

cook pasta according to package directions and set aside.
cut up bacon and cook in skillet, transfer to towel lined plate.  Set bacon drippings and skillet aside
cut and rinse leek, saute with bacon drippings
cut tomatoes in half lengthwise.  Remove cores and scrape out seeds.  Dice and place in large bowl.
In a saucepan, melt 3 tbsp. butter.  Once it's completely melted, add 1 tbsp. flour and stir to make a roux.  Allow the roux to come to a boil for a minute, then slowly stir in the half and half.  Simmer.  Once it thickens to cover the back of the spoon, remove from heat.  Stir in cheese until melted. Add garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and other ingredients.  Stir to combine and transfer to casserole dish.

Combine panko breadcrumbs and olive oil. Sprinkle on top of pasta for a crunchy topping.  Bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.

I found this recipe on: http://joelens.blogspot.com/2009/08/blt-mac-cheese.html on 10/16/11, and it was delicious!

Martha Stewart's Moroccan-Spiced Chicken

I love any excuse to raid the spice cabinet and add them to my cooking.  When I found this recipe, I was thrilled!

Ingredients:
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
salt and pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
Chicken (her recipe said to use a whole (4 lb.) chicken, but I prefer boneless, so I used a regular package of boneless chicken breast)
1 lemon, quartered

1. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and preheat to 450. Mix spices, salt, pepper and oil.  Rub spice paste all over chicken.
2. Arrange chicken and lemon wedges on pan, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165.

Serve chicken with lemon wedges.