recipes

Chicken Piccata

  • 4 (6 to 7 ounces each) chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • Salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 3 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

Working with one chicken breast at a time, place each between two pieces of plastic wrap with the smooth side down (where the skin used to be). Working from the center to the edges, gently pound each chicken breast with a meat mallet to 1/4-inch thick. You want the smooth side to remain intact while the ragged side receives the impact of the mallet. And since chicken has little connective tissue, it’s important to use gentle strokes when pounding—the meat can tear easily.
In a shallow pie plate, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Roll chicken in flour mixture to coat all sides.
In a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat, heat butter and vegetable oil. Add chicken and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side or until fully cooked and tender. Pour lemon juice and white wine over chicken. Add capers and simmer another 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat and transfer chicken onto a serving platter.
Reduce liquid left in frying pan by boiling an additional 2 to 3 minutes; pour over the chicken and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.

Continue ReadingChicken Piccata

Lemon Rosemary Chicken for Slow Cooking

Stolen from About.com:

  • 1/2 c. lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon. dried rosemary
  • 1/4 teaspoon. salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon. pepper
  • 1 1/2 to 2 lbs.boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Pre-prep:
In a large food storage bag, place lemon juice, oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Add chicken. Close bag and marinate in refrigerator 3 to 4 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Place chicken in the slow cooker and pour marinade over. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 hours, or until tender, basting occasionally with the marinade, if possible. You may add frozen broccoli and carrots about 1 to 1 1/2 hours before done.

Serves 4 to 6.

Continue ReadingLemon Rosemary Chicken for Slow Cooking

Chicken Cutlets Sauteed With Rosemary

Stolen from cooks.com:

  • 1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1 tbsp. snipped fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel
  • 1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
  • 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 c. dry white wine or chicken broth

Mix bread crumbs with rosemary, lemon peel and black pepper. Roll chicken in crumbs to coat. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Add wine, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until chicken meat turns white and loses pink color, about 8 minutes. Makes 4 main dish servings.

Continue ReadingChicken Cutlets Sauteed With Rosemary

Easy Garlic and Rosemary Chicken

Stolen from AllRecipes.com:

  • 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cover the chicken breasts with garlic, then sprinkle with rosemary, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Place in a 9×13 inch baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until done and juices run clear (baking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken breasts).
Servings: 2

Continue ReadingEasy Garlic and Rosemary Chicken

McDonalds Employees Make Own Recipes from McD’s Ingredients

Boing Boing links to a Live Journal community of McDonalds employees that make their own recipes (for back room and after hours consumption) using the ingredients from McDonalds foods.
We did this back when I was in college and working at Mickey D’s in the summer time, and got in so much trouble for it when we got caught. You’d be surprised what you could make, especially with the ingredients from salads. We had a pretty healthy chicken burrito similar to what they’re describing, made from the diced chicken that went on salads, combined with lettuce and the tortillas from breakfast burritos. We also had a version of the “Orange Julius” (shake ingredients mixed with orange drink) that they’re making, too, and lots of variations on the McNuggets, because those were fairly new in my day.
They have a lot more specialty ingredients to choose from these days, lucky kids. Oh, wait. They work at Mickey D’s — they’re not that lucky.

Continue ReadingMcDonalds Employees Make Own Recipes from McD’s Ingredients

Baked Ziti

From the kitchen of: Rachel

  • 1 lb. ziti (also good with penne, rotini, or other shapes)
  • 16 oz. Ricotta cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 c. grated mozzarella
  • 8 oz. mozzarella cheese (grated or slices)
  • 2 tsp. oregano
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 26-28 oz. jar favorite spaghetti sauce

Cook ziti according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish (lightly greased), pour 1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce.
In a large bowl, mix Ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, 1/3 c. mozzarella, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir in cooked ziti and mix well. Pour all into casserole pan.
Top with remaining 1/2 jar of sauce and 8 oz. mozzarella cheese. Serves a crowd! Bake 30-40 minutes (until bubbly) at 350 degrees. This recipe can be halved.

Continue ReadingBaked Ziti

Robust Meatloaf

From the kitchen of: Scott Barnes

  • 1-2/3 pounds ground beef
  • 1-2/3 pounds ground pork
  • 1/2 medium carrot, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1-1/3 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
  • 1/4 cup prepared horseradish
  • 1/3 cup bread crumbs
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • 2 teaspoons chopped oregano
  • 1/3 cup cooked wild or brown rice
Continue ReadingRobust Meatloaf

Delicious Cookies

From the kitchen of: Pat Mineart.

This is my mom’s signature chocolate chip cookie recipe, and the way our family prefers them. Your mileage may vary; but if you’re cooking for a Mineart, try this out.

  • 1 Cup margarine
  • 1 Cup oil
  • 1 Cup sugar
  • 1 Cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon coconut flavoring
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 1/2 Cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 Cup raw oatmeal
  • 1 Cup coconut
  • 1 Cup rice krispies
  • 1 Cup chocolate chips
  • 1/2 Cup peanut butter chips

Cream margarine, oil, sugar and brown sugar. Beat in egg, vanilla, coconut flavoring. Then add salt, baking soda, flour, cream tartar and mix thoroughly. Mix in by hand: oatmeal, coconut, rice krispies, chocolate and peanut butter chips.

Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Makes 36 cookies.

Continue ReadingDelicious Cookies

Christmas Fruitcake Recipe

Christmas Fruitcake

Author Unknown

You’ll need the following:

  • 1 C water
  • 1 C sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 C dried fruit
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 C brown sugar
  • lemon juice
  • nuts
  • 1 FULL bottle of your favorite whiskey

(Sample the whiskey to check for quality).

Take a large bowl.

Check the whiskey again to be sure that it is of the highest quality. Pour 1 level cup and drink. Repeat.

Turn on the electric mixer; beat 1 C of butter in a large fluffy bowl.

Add 1 tsp sugar and beat again.

Make sure the whiskey is still OK – Cry another tup.

Turn off the mixer.

Break two legs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.

Mix on the turner.

If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers, pry it loose with a drewscriver.

Sample the whiskey to check for tonsisticity.

Next, sift 2 cups of salt. Or something. Who cares.

Check the whiskey.

Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.

Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something. Whatever you can find.

Grease the oven.

Turn the cake tin 350 degrees.

Don’t forget to beat off the turner.

Check the whiskey again.

Go to bed. Who the hell likes druitcake anyway?

Continue ReadingChristmas Fruitcake Recipe