Last Night's Dinner: Chicken Marsala

 This is kind of a big deal.

I have never made Marsala Chicken before, and it's one of my man's favorite dishes.  Luckily, it turned out really well, (he was more impressed than I was- that's all that matters to me).  Definite room for improvement, but overall, pretty awesome.   

Side note:  Didn't get to watch my Raven's play last night because for some insane reason, we don't get the NFL Network.  I was only a little bit furious.  Calling Verizon ASAP.

Okay, back to food.

 Found this great recipe on Pinterest (duh... where else do people get recipes these days?).  Tweaked it here and there, but stayed true to it for the most part.

Chicken Marsala with Brown Butter Pasta

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 35 – 45 minutes

Total time: 1 hour +

Yield: 8 servings

...Ingredients...

4 thin sliced chicken breasts – cut into cutlets

1 lb mushrooms sliced

2 bunches green onions chopped

3 cloves of garlic chopped

Dash of Balsamic Vinegar 

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp 

3/4 tsp salt

dash pepper

2.5 sticks butter, divided

4 Tbsp vegetable oil divided

1 cup dry Marsala wine

2 cups chicken broth

pinch of salt – to taste

1/2 cup parm

1 lb pasta – spaghetti

  ...Time to git er dun...

•  Slice chicken into cutlets.   
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, marjoram, salt, and pepper . 
• Lightly coat  chicken breasts in flour.  
• Slice your veggies- mushrooms, garlic and scallions

• Melt 1/2 stick of butter and 2 Tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet. Heat over medium-high until butter is melted. Add mushrooms, garlic and scallions.  Season with salt and pepper and a dash of Balsamic Vinegar.  Sauté over medium-high heat until water is cooked out of mushrooms and they are starting to brown. Remove from pan and set aside.  
• Add another 1/2 stick of butter and 1 tbsp oil to the pan. Also start your pot of boiling water for the pasta at this point.
• Place chicken pieces in a single layer in frying pan over medium heat. Allow to brown on both sides. Remove and repeat with remaining breast cutlets. Remove all when done, leaving behind the butter and brown bits in the pan. 
• Add Marsala to pan and let simmer for approximately 1 minute. Add chicken broth. Stir to combine and add in mushroom/onion mixture and chicken breasts. Stir and then let simmer over medium-low heat. Cook until sauce is thickened, approximately 20 minutes.

• While your sauce is simmering and thickening is the time to start your brown butter. In a small pot melt 1/2 stick of butter over medium heat. Don’t touch it, but watch it carefully. It will start to bubble, foam, and under that foam it will start to brown. Brown  well, removing from heat just before you think it’ll burn. If you under-brown it you end up with greasy pasta. If you brown it well you end up with little bites of heaven.
• When pasta is done, drain well and toss with browned butter and grated parm.

And there you have it!  Serve it with some crunchy, garlicy bread and a clean salad.

***

Thank the good lord it's Friday!   It's been a long week (aren't they all).

I'm going out to celebrate one of my besties b-day tomorrow night!  Should be a good time!   Hope everyone has great weekend!

SMILE!!!

Kindly~

Meghan

Cuisine O'Clock: Mexican Stuffed Shells

I pinned them on Pinterest.  

I mentioned them in my last post.  

I cannot stop thinking about them.  

Before I made them, I was day-dreaming about them, wishing I had mounds and mounds of them.  

Inevitably, I made them a few nights ago, and the cravings have not subsided. 

I need more.

mostly Ladies and some Gents, I give you the magical insights to this delicious recipe: 

Mexican Stuffed Shells

This is not my original idea, although I really REALLY wish it was.  It is adopted and apapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything, who is just pure genius. 

Another confession:  I used my phone to take the pictures for this post.  Booooo.  I'm sorry.  This is your warning if you're thinking about bailing.  These pictures are seriously lacking in the oooozity, steamity, professional-food-bloggery appeal department.  But if you can handle it, then I invite you to explore the spicy world of Mexican comida with me!

Ingredients

20 jumbo pasta shells
1 1/2 cups salsa

Filling

1 lb Ground Beef

1 packet of low-sodium Taco Seasoning

4 oz. cream cheese

1 small red onion- chopped

1-2 garlic cloves- diced (depending on your taste buds-- I l.o.v.e garlic, so I may have put even more than this in)  

20 jumbo pasta shells
1 1/2 cups salsa

Topping

Cholula Sauce (in the original recipe, she used taco sauce, which is fine as well... my hub has a huge obsesh with Chalula)

1-2 cups of cheddar and Monterrey jack cheeses

2 scallions- chopped

1 large tomato- chopped

handful of fresh cilantro- roughly chopped

Off to the Races

Oven = 350 degrees

Cook your ground beef and drain it.  (PS- Check out Amira at Shades of Gray for an awesome idea for draining that disgusting grease). Following the directions on the back of the packet, combine the meat and the taco seasoning and simmer until slightly thickened.  Add your red onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat.

Add your cream cheese and stir until melted and blended and creamy and beautiful.  Once that mixture is looking divine, remove it from the heat and let it cool completely.

While your meat is cooking, cook your shells according to the directions on the back of the box.  Yay multitasking!!!  Once the shells are cooked and drained, lay them out on a cutting board and/or baking sheet to prevent them from sticking together.  

In a 9x13 glass baking dish, pour in your salsa and spread the love evenly over the bottom of the dish.  I greased/sprayed my dish before I poured the salsa in just to save myself from scrubbing and scraping later.

Now, the fun part!  Just start stuffing those bad boys and placing them oh-so-carefully into your baking dish (atop the salsa).  Once assembled, cover the dish with foil and slide your masterpiece into the preheated oven and let them bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 has passed, remove from the over and layer it with your cheese, green onion, chopped tomatoes and then drizzle it with your Cholula (or taco) sauce.  Cover with the foil again, and put it back into the oven for 10-15 minutes, or as long as you can possibly stand it.

Before serving, garnish with fresh cilantro (if desired), and top it with sour cream or more salsa.

Last but not least..... ENJOY!!!

 Kindly~

Meghan

Key Lime Pie--- entirely homemade

I am not sure I need an excuse to bake.  But I make them anyway!!  All.the.time. 

~Oh!!  The hub would love to have fresh blueberry muffins for breakfast for the week.  Done and done!!~

~While I'm at it, I might as well make a streussel.  Because, you know... whatever.~

~Did someone say cupcakes?~

I have been making this particular Key Lime Pie recipe for years now, and it never disappoints.  And this time, I really DO have the perfect excuse.

[Husband]:  Will you cook a Key Lime Pie for my mom's birthday dinner? (My amazing in-laws will be over on Saturday for a feast).

Yes, Brenny.  I shall make the sweet treat you've requested on your mom's behalf.  And it shall be gloooooorious!!!

Thought I would share the process with ya'll, and torture you with unfair pictures.

The Recipe: Key Lime Pie

Ingredients:

The Pie Crust

It's easy peezy, trust me.  And it makes a HUGE difference.

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs-- you could crush them in a food processor or by hand.  OR you could buy them pre-crumbled... just sayin'

6 tbsp. butter-- melted

3 tbsp. granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

Pinch of cinnamon

The Filling

1 tsp. lime zest-- zest the limes before you cut and juice them... it is WAY easier that way.

1/2 c. fresh lime juice-- preferably with key limes (or so "they" say).  I use regular limes and they have never failed me.

1 8oz. can of sweetened-condensed milk

5 egg yolks

The Whipped Cream Topping

1 c. of heavy whipping cream

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. of vanilla extract

Pinch of salt-- because salt is gooooood.

The Process:

1- Preheat your oven to 325

2- Combine all the components for the crust in a large bowl and stir with a fork until thoroughly combined.  It should resemble wet sand.

3- Press into a pie dish.  You want to be careful the crust doesn't have any cracks in it.  The best way to ensure it stays in tact is to press it with a glass measuring cup. 

Like so...

4- Once preheated, throw this bad-boy (the pie crust) into the oven for 15 minutes.  Then remove and let it cool to room temp.

5- While the crust is baking, assemble your filling.  Combine your egg yolks and lime zest and whisk until smooth.

6- Add the sweetened-condensed milk and lime juice to the eggs and zest, and beat until it thickens slightly.  Once the pie crust has cooled to room temp, pour in the filling and put the pie back into the oven for another 15 minutes.  The pie is done when the filling has set but still jiggles in the center.  Let cool to room temp. again and then pop it in the fridge to cool for at least 3 hours. 

7-  The whipped cream is pretty easy as well... 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 cup of sugar into a large bowl with the vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt.  Use an electric mixer to whip the cream... real good  ;)  You'll see soft peaks form... and you'll see it look like... well, whipped cream.  Go figure, right?  Put this is the fridge too, until you're ready to serve/devour it. 

Last but not least, in the least....

8- Make sure you taste the whipped cream with the finger test.  This is very important, for the simple fact that you deserve it!

Hope you try it, and I hope you enjoy it!!!  :)

Balsamic Glazed Salmon with Deconstructed Bruschetta

I have been trying to find fun/interesting/yummy material for this blog.  Along with all the fashion blogs I follow, I also am a huge fan of anything food related.  So yep, the time has come for me to jump on that blogwagon too.

Disclaimer:  Neither my hub or I are professionally trained foodies.  Just thought I would throw that lil' tidbit out there  ;)

When we aren't playing with toy fire-engines & helicopters, and when we aren't busy pretending to be Mickey and Minnie Mouse, (all for Liam's amusement, of course), Bren and I love to spend time in the kitchen.  Actually, when Liam hits the sack, we typically hang out by the oven and microwave for the remainder of the evening, cooking our dinner, sipping on a cocktail, laughing and catching up.  (It's been awesome this winter with our kitchen fireplace!)

As much as I love to cook, Brendon has found a passion in cooking.  And I'm not complaining... I'm happy to hand over the proverbial apron as often as he wants me to.  Not only can he execute a flawless meal, he essentially makes up all of his own recipes and somehow memorizes them... (as a recipe-follower/woman, this really perplexes me).

I digress...

He made this for dinner the other night (he knows it is one of my absolute FAVORITES... and I will beg for it if I have to).  I figured it was the perfect meal to share- easy, affordable and downright heavenly.

Without further ado...

The Recipe: Balsamic Glazed Salmon with Deconstructed Bruschetta

Ingredients (Balsamic Salmon)

* 2(two) 3-4oz. salmon filets

* 3/4 c. balsamic vinegar (any will do)

* 1/4 c. dry white wine

* 2 large garlic cloves, diced

* 1 tbsp. honey (any will do)

* 1.5 tbsp. dijon mustard (preferably Grey Poup)

* 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

* salt and pepper

Ingredients (Bruschetta)

* sliced Italian bread (good quality)

* 3-4 large tomatoes, roughly chopped

* 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced

* 2 garlic cloves, diced

* 1/4 c. fresh basil, sliced/ribboned

* 1/4 c. scallions (green onion), sliced

* 1 c. fresh mozzarella, cubed

* 2 tbsp. olive oil

* 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

* 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

* salt and pepper

The Process:

1- Start by cutting up all of your produce.  I am usually in the kitchen doing this for/with Bren, but if I'm not, he finds it best for the overall flow of the meal to just man the cutting board initially, then go from there. 

Preheat your oven to 375°

Austin Powers voice:  Juno CHOP!

A tear duct's worst nightmare

Fresh herbs make a huge difference

2- Combine the tomatoes, onion, basil, scallions and mozzarella in a baking dish of some sort... we used a glass bread pan because it was the right size.  **Bren "chopped and dropped" as he cut the veggies (as you'll see in the pictures).** 

In a bread dish... or whatever works

Isn't she gorgeous?!

3- Stir the dressing into the tomato mixture: balsamic and red wine vinegars, olive oil and salt and pepper.

4- Once all the veggies, herbs and garlic have been broken down accordingly, begin the balsamic glaze for the salmon in a small pan over med-low heat by combining all ingredients besides the salmon. 

Simmer away, deliciousness

Part of the balsamic symphony

5- Turn your head toward your stove and inhale... do you smell that tangy aroma drifting your way?  Yeah... you did that, and you will reap the benefits come fork-and-knife time.

6- That glaze should be ready to go on the fish.  Take your salmon, place it in an 8x8 in. baking dish (greased/sprayed), and lather on the perfection!!  We like to drizzle a little in the bottom of the baking dish as well for extra flavor... so if you feel so inclined, give the fish a puddle or two to splash in.  

You will most likely have extra glaze.  Save it for dipping. 

Holy Cow Fish

Perfect!

7- Your fish can go in the oven at this point.  It should take anywhere from 10-12 minutes.  You want it moist still, with a little pink.  (That's what he said).

8- Now it's time to butter the bread and get it ready to toast.  I didn't list the ingredients for the whipped butter up top, because honestly, you can do what ever the heck you want with your butter.  Bren softened it before adding garlic, parsley, thyme and pepper.  Then he whipped the hell out of it and spread it on.  (That's what she said).  

Wow.

Whipped herb butter

Artist at work

9- When the salmon is 7 minutes in, have the bread join it in the oven and increase your temp. to 425°.  This should ensure that they are all done at the same time and that you ultimately get a plate that looks like this:

Viola! Masterpiece!

I hope you try it!  And I hope you enjoy!!