Garlic and Herb Roasted Chicken and Summer Vegetables

I am a sucker for roasted chicken, I'll admit.  In my opinion it is one of the most delicious, timeless and versatile dishes there is.  Roasting a whole chicken is ideal for a family or if you're looking for left overs to make into soup. I've found when cooking for two on a weeknight, I often scale back to roasting just the chicken breast pieces.  This ultra moist and flavorful method of rubbing softened butter studded with fresh garlic and herbs under the skin gives this roasted chicken a little something extra special (and decadent.)  Added bonus: the price of chicken on the bone is significantly less than the boring boneless, skinless variety.  Ironically they don't charge a premium for the added flavor (or calories).

Serves 3-4 (in our case 2 for dinner and left overs for lunch the next day)

3 split chicken breasts on the bone, with skin

3 tablespoons of softened/room temperature butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, chopped

1/2 teaspoon of fresh thyme, (I like lemon thyme) chopped

zest of one lemon

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper

olive oil for drizzling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet or roasting pan with foil for easy cleanup.  Pat the chicken dry with a papertowel and place on the pan.  Mash the butter, garlic, herbs, lemon zest and half the salt together in a small bowl. 

Using a small spatula (or your fingers), spread the herbed butter up under the skin of each chicken breast.  Drizzle the outer skin with olive oil to help it crisp and season with the remaining salt and lots of fresh cracked pepper.  Bake the chicken in the center of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  If its not as golden brown as you like, put it under the broiler for an extra minute or two at the end.

Meanwhile, prepare your veggies of choice for roasting.  I found some beautiful baby eggplants and zucchini at the farm stand and supplemented those with red bell peppers and cherry tomatoes from my garden (well pots really) and half a red onion from the fridge.

Clean the vegetables and cut them all into a rough one inch dice.  (Keep the tomatoes to the side for now.) Toss the vegetables with some olive oil, some fresh rosemary and thyme if you have extra and some salt and pepper.  Spread on a baking sheet (lined with nonstick sprayed foil) and roast in the oven below the chicken for 25 minutes (or until tender).  Take them out after 15 minutes and toss them around so they'll brown evenly.  Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan for the last 10 minutes.  I tossed the vegetables with some fresh basil just before serving.

Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before removing it from the bone (run a knife along the bone to free the whole breast) and slicing it into pieces.  You can serve the skin or easily remove it.  It has great flavor but so does the chicken at this point as the garlic-herb butter has slowly basted it while cooking.

Serve the chicken (you'll find you don't need a whole breast for each person- slicing it before serving allows you to take just what you want) with a generous scoop of roasted vegetables and a piece of toasted french bread.   I keep a bottle of reduced balsamic syrup in the pantry to which I am currently addicted.  I like to drizzle it over the roasted vegetables here - although a splash of regular balsamic vinegar would be good too.  Simple but delicious...and even better yet with a big glass of red wine.

Ginger-Garlic Stir Fry

I adore Chinese food but shudder at the thought of the quantities of oil and sodium in the average take-out variety. Ever notice that you can barely fit a ring on your swollen fingers the next morning?? (Sorry to burst your bubble if you weren't aware.) I am not very well schooled in Asian cuisine or wok-technique however this is my version of a pretty versatile and tasty stir fry. You can use your favorite combination of proteins and/or veggies (Its relatively low salt and low fat too...)

Serves 4 Ingredients:

1 pound of meat or fish (shrimp, chicken tenders, beef, etc)
3-4 cups of chopped vegetables
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon of ginger, grated (I use the jarred pulp you can find in the produce section)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1/3 cup of chicken stock
1 teaspoon of cornstarch
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons of oyster sauce (can substitute hoisin)
1 tablespoon of chili garlic paste (can use 1/2 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes instead)
¼ cup of toasted cashews or peanuts (optional)

In this case I used one package (about one pound) of chicken tenderloins cut into one inch pieces. I seasoned them lightly with salt and pepper. I also used a whole slew of veggies that I had on hand in the fridge. The ticket is to cut everything into similar, size pieces so that they cook evenly. You can use anything you like- consider broccoli, snow peas, asparagus, bell peppers, scallions, carrots, celery, shelled edamame (pre-cooked per package directions), sliced water chestnuts, etc. Clean and chop everything and set aside.

(crazy colored pic from my phone...)

Mince the shallot, garlic and ginger and set aside in a small bowl. In a bowl or measuring cup, combine the stock, cornstarch, soy, rice wine vinegar, oyster sauce and chile paste. Whisk to combine. Heat a large non stick skillet or wok to medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of the oil and one teaspoon of the garlic, shallot, ginger mixture to the pan and then immediately add the chicken or protein. Toss together and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl.

Heat two tablespoons of the oil in the pan and then add the remaining garlic, shallot, ginger mixture just before adding all of the vegetables. Toss the vegetables to coat and cook for 5-6 minutes until starting to become tender. Lastly, pour the sauce mixture in and toss everything together. Cook 3-4 minutes longer until the sauce begins to thicken and vegetables are cooked to your liking. Add the chicken back in for the last minute or so, tossing to coat with the sauce.


Taste first and add additional salt and pepper as necessary. Serve over steamed brown rice garnished with toasted cashews or peanuts if you like.

I promise it’s ALMOST as good as the greasy take-out and a MUCH better for you.

Baked Penne with Cauliflower and Pancetta

I'm a sucker for melty, cheesy, toasty, crunchy, baked pasta. This penne dish with roasted cauliflower, heaps of fontina cheese, crisp pancetta and a savory creamy garlic tomato sauce checked all of those boxes for me. Perhaps not ideal nearing swim suit season (I keep reminding myself that it's rapidly approaching despite the recently chilly temps)- however the splurge was well worth it.

Serves 6 Ingredients:
- 1 pound of penne pasta
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 4-6 ounces of diced pancetta or bacon
- 1 to 1 1/2 jars of your favorite marinara sauce
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 large cloves of garlic, minced or grated
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme (or half a teaspoon of dried)
- 1/3 cup freshly chopped parsley
- 2 cups of Italian Fontina cheese (could substitute mozzarella), grated
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cut the cauliflower into florets- drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet at 375 degrees for approximately 35 minutes (until tender and golden brown.) This can be done in advance.


Boil the pasta per package directions. After draining it- toss it back in the pot with a drizzle of olive oil to keep it from sticking together. Set aside. Pour cream into a large sauce pan over medium low-heat.

Add the grated garlic and simmer for 5 minutes or so until warm and fragrant. Don't let it boil. Add 1 to 1/2 jars of marinara to the saucepan and cook together for another 5 minutes until warmed through.



Toss the cauliflower and half of the cheeses (save the other half for the topping) into the pot with the cooked pasta.

**Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the sauce to serve alongside the past. Pour the remaining sauce over the pasta and then add the parsley and thyme. Toss together with a large spoon and then transfer to a buttered/sprayed baking dish. (roughly 9 x 13 in size). You could also freeze half of the pasta at this point as well if you're cooking for 2. (John and I ate left overs for days..)

Top the pasta with the remaining cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until melted and brown.

If making ahead of time, you can freeze or refrigerate the baking dish covered tightly with foil and plastic wrap. Bake covered with foil for an extra 15-20 minutes if its cold when it goes into the oven.

While the pasta bakes, cook the pancetta or bacon in a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil until crispy and brown. (About 4 minutes) Spoon the cooked bits onto a paper towel lined plate to drain. Serve the pasta with a spoonful of the extra sauce in the bowl and ateaspoon or so of the pancetta/bacon bits over the top.




By the way if you think you don't like cauliflower- you probably haven't tried it roasted versus the boring old boiled-to-death variety. It's truly delicious and adds the perfect element of toasty flavor and texture to the pasta. And don't skip the fresh parsley! You'll be glad its there.

Adapted from recipe found on foodandwine.com.

White Bean Chicken Chili

This is a delicious and nutritious alternative to making a big pot of chili on a cold day. I've had these "white" or "green" chili's in the past- the major difference is that the warm spice of Cumin and Oregano stands alone without the heat of the red Chili powder- also there are no tomatoes. I used cubed white meat chicken which eliminates the majority of the fat associated with ground beef.

All healthy talk aside, the flavors are big and a bowl of this chili will warm you up and and fill you up just the same.

Ingredients
serves 8-10 people

2 medium yellow onions
2 fresh poblano peppers
5 large garlic cloves
1.5 tablespoon of dried Mexican Oregano
1.5 tablespoon of Cumin
2 bay leaves
1 large and 1 small can of chopped green chiles
3 chicken breasts bone-in, skin on**
6 cups chicken stock (see recipe below for homemade)
2 cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh Cilantro- chopped

**Shortcut: Use the white meat (and maybe a little bit of the dark meat) from 1 large rotisserie chicken from your grocery store.

If starting with split chicken breasts, I roast them on a rimmed baking sheet at 375 degrees for 35 or 40 minutes. I drizzle them with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper first. I let them cool completely before removing the skins and cutting the meat from the bones. This ensures that the meat holds onto all of the flavors. (They come in packages of two so I roasted all four breasts and then reserved one to make a chicken salad with later.) I then cubed the meat and refrigerated it until I was ready to make the soup.

**I then made a simple fresh Chicken Stock from the bones of the four breasts. (You could also do this with the rotisserie chicken once you've picked the meat.) See recipe below if you're interested, if not, store bought is just fine as well.

White Bean Chicken Chili:

While warming a large heavy bottomed soup pot drizzled with two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, I gave the onions a rough chop with a knife and then pulsed it into a fairly fine dice in the food processor. I poured the onion into the pot and let the onion start to cook while I chopped the peppers.

Next, I removed the stem and the majority of the seeds from the poblanos- gave them a rough chop and then used the processor to break them down to a dice. I added the pepper to the onion and cooked the veggies together for another 4 minutes or so (total of 7 minutes ). The onion should be translucent but not too brown and the pepper softened. I seasoned the mixture with a generous teaspoon of kosher salt and some black pepper at this stage.

Next I grated the garlic cloves into the pot using a rasp, added the cumin and oregano- letting them toast for one minute before adding the chopped green chiles, the cubed chicken, the beans, the chicken stock and the bay leaf. I brought the soup to a boil and then reduced to medium-low heat to simmer for 30-40 minutes- giving the beans time to soak up lots of flavor. I stir in the fresh cilantro just before serving, using some extra for garnish.


Serve with tortilla chips, a dollup of sour cream, some grated pepper jack cheese or maybe a jalapeno cheddar corn bread. It freezes great as well if you want to stash some away for a lazy rainy day.

**Fresh Chicken Stock: Place the bones and all of the juices in the bottom of the baking sheet into a large pot. I then added a handful of baby carrots, one onion, cut into quarters, three cloves of garlics that I whack with a knife to release more flavor (you can leave the peel on), three sprigs of fresh thyme, and a bay leaf. (A stalk of celery would be great too if you have one, I didn't in this case.)


I filled the pot with water so that it was just covering the bones (about 8 cups) and placed it over medium-high heat. As soon as the mixture reached a boil, I lowered the heat to low and covered the pot, cooking for an hour or 90 minutes until the liquid is a toasty golden brown. Bonus: Your house smells like delicious chicken soup when its done. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a pitcher to remove all of the veggies to and refrigerate or freeze until you're ready to use.

(Mostly) Turkey Bolognese

John had the day off on Friday and because he is wonderful- he spent the majority of it cleaning/repairing/projecting around the house for me. I told him that I would prepare the dinner of his choice as a reward. He requested pappardelle bolognese and his mom's chocolate pie. (I made one big pie this time.) With the holidays rapidly approaching, I wanted to lighten it up a bit so I made my variation of Michael Chiarello's Chicken Bolognese recipe. I love his approach because the recipe comes together in 30 minutes or so (versus your simmered all day kind of sauce which is great too) and it has all the the flavor without all of the fat. Ingredients: 1 lb of ground turkey 0.5 lbs of Italian pork sausage (I used hot) 1 medium yellow onion (chopped) 4 large cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon of dried, crushed rosemary (or crush it with your hands) 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes (or to your taste) 1/3 cup of white wine 1 cup (a little more) of chicken stock roughly 2 cups of jarred marinara or tomato sauce (I use marinara if I have it) 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley 1 pound of fresh or dried pasta (Per the recipe via the link above, definitely use the porcini mushrooms if you have them on hand- I didn't this time.) In a heavy bottomed pot or skillet, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Sautee the onions 3-4 minutes or until almost tender. Next add the turkey and sausage (turn the heat up a bit to med-high) and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. As soon as its browned all over, add the garlic and herbs and cook for one minute longer. Add the white wine and cook, stirring to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, until its almost entirely evaporated. Next goes the chicken stock and marinara/tomato sauce. Cook everything together over medium low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the flavors have come together. Use chicken stock to thin the sauce to the desired consistency. At this point, I use my immersion blender to break down the larger chunks of turkey and sausage a bit more. I just pulse it a few times. I like the sauce chunky but to have an even consistency. (You can also do this with a few pulses of the food processor if you don't have an immersion blender- or you can leave it as is if you like.) I wait to stir in the fresh parsley just before serving. I made fresh pappardelle pasta using the pasta machine John got me for Christmas last year (he claims I don't use it enough). Pappardelle are the widest of the pasta noodles to my knowledge, roughly an inch wide. Pappardele with bolognese was one of John's go-to orders when we were in Tuscany for our honeymoon 3.5 years ago. Something about the wide noodles scooping up the chunky sauce just works. Transfer the cooked pasta into the pot with the sauce as soon as the pasta is done cooking. Reserve a ladle or two of the pasta cooking water and use that to thin the sauce if necessary once the pasta has been tossed together with the sauce. (The noodles tend to soak up some of the liquid and you want to be sure you have a silky sauce versus a sticky one.) Serve with a generous sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese and a bit more parsley if you like. Confession.. I did not take any pictures (we were visiting and drinking wine with my parents while cooking and I forgot.) this picture was borrowed from the Internet but I assure you mine looked very similar except that I was less stingy with the cheese.)

Coq au Vin

This past weekend we got not only a first real taste of fall but a sneak peak at winter! With lows in the 20s and highs in the low 40s, it was the perfect slow cooking kind of Saturday. I decided to try Coq au Vin for the second time. The first attempt, two years or so ago, was not necessarily a huge success, nor was it terrible. I'm thrilled to say that this last go-round was quite delicious. Coq au Vin (translated simply to "chicken in wine") is typically prepared using bone-in chicken pieces however I read a Cook's Illustrated version of the recipe using boneless chicken thighs that looked intriguing. I liked this concept 1) because it reduces the cooking time substantially and 2) requires less fuss as far as picking chicken off the bones while eating it. I actually ended up fusing the Cook's Illustrated recipe with Ina Garten's recipe found in the "Back to Basics" cookbook. Again, I'll toot my own horn to say that it was a pretty stellar combination. This method does have a number of steps but I assure you the effort is worth it. Ingredients: (serves 4) 4 slices of bacon, cut into 1/4 inch slices 1 package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (approx 1.3 pounds total) 1/2 large sweet onion, sliced thinly 3 cloves of garlic, minced 4 medium-large carrots, sliced

1 package of cremini/baby bella mushrooms, sliced 12 pearl onions- roughly 1/4 of a bunch of parsley 3 sprigs of fresh thyme 1/4 cup of brandy or cognac 1 and 1/2 cups of chicken stock 2/3 of a bottle of full bodied red wine 1 tablespoon of flour

3-4 tablespoons of butter Combine the red wine and chicken stock in sauce pan. Add half of the parsley and the thyme sprigs to the pan, stems and all, and cook the mixture over medium-high heat for approximately 25 minutes or until reduced to roughly 2 cups. Meanwhile, in a large heavy bottomed dutch oven, render the bacon in a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat until the bacon is crisp (7-8 minutes). Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat, discard the rest. Next, season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and brown them in the bacon fat over medium high heat, approximately two minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate. At this point, I removed a little bit of the fat remaining in the pan before adding the mushrooms and pearl onions. (I left just enough to coat the bottom of the pot.) Sautee the veggies for 6 or 7 minutes (don't stir too often or they won't brown) until they are just turning golden. Add the cognac and ignite it with a long stemmed lighter, letting the flame burn off the alcohol. (If you're not one for the dramatic effect, you can simply let it reduce down over the heat.) Season the veggies with a pinch of salt and pepper and then transfer them to a bowl on the side.

Melt one tablespoon of butter in the hot pan and add the sliced onions and carrots. Cook these veggies for another 5-6 minutes until they are barely tender, adding the minced garlic in to cook for the last minute. (I promise these steps go pretty fast... by the time you're done with the browning/sauteeing of each layer, your wine/stock has reduced and you're ready to go. Not to mention you have the remainder of the bottle of red wine to keep you company.) Strain the parsley and thyme stems from the wine/stock mixture and then pour it into the larger pot with the carrots and onions. Add the chicken thighs back in and let it all simmer together over medium low heat (with a lid on the pot) for another 30 minutes or until the chicken is fall-apart-tender. The last step... you're almost there. Mix the tablespoon of flour together with a tablespoon or so of water or stock in a small bowl. As soon as the mixture is lump free, pour it into the pot and stir until it is incorporated. This should thicken the sauce as you cook the mixture for a few minutes more. Lastly, add the mushrooms and onions back in along with another tablespoon or two of butter to give the sauce a silky sheen and toss in some freshly chopped parsley.

I served the chicken (with a generous drink of the sauce) over buttered egg noodles with a large slice of french bread and a green salad on the side. (I threw a few of the crispy bacon bits over the top as well.) The chicken thighs were melt in your mouth tender and the sauce was perfectly rich and savory. A ten on the yummy-scale and certainly worth every ounce of the effort.

Roast Chicken with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Kale

I might have to rename my blog "Accidental Syrup: Ina's Biggest Fan" based on the number of Barefoot Contessa recipes that I've featured over the past year- yet I've only scratched the surface of all the dishes I want to try. I feel as if I've been called to spread the gospel that is Ina Garten's cooking. She is my hero on many levels- one of which is that of the Roast Chicken. She has published three or four variations of this recipe over the years and I mean it when I say, its bound to make anyone a believer. Her perfectly roasted chicken embodies all that is great about Ina. It is a classic, timeless recipe that is perfect for a lazy Friday night at home or to impress dinner guests. (If you could set a table like Ina- ideally with a picturesque Hampton's landscape- you could serve Stoffer's mac and cheese and make guests feel special.) I was in need of a comfort food kind of evening so I served the chicken with roasted garlic smashed potatoes and some greens however come fall, roasting a mix of root vegetables alongside the chicken will definitely be the way to go. I won't regurgitate the recipe (you can access it via the link provided above) because I followed it to the letter with one exception- I omitted the bacon simply because I didn't have any. I will say that I'd highly recommend that you use a real chicken when you do this- and by real I mean all natural, organic, all that good stuff. I promise you it actual tastes better, like chicken believe it or not! (Fresh Market here in Lexington has "roaster chickens" in the case that are perfectly 5-6 pounds in weight, innards and such already removed.) Beautiful, isn't she?? I'm not necessarily a gravy kind of girl but no self respecting home chef could throw all of this purely delicious FLAVOR down the drain...

I made a gravy just as Ina suggests in the recipe however I added one teaspoon of flour to the fat before any liquid. My gravy came out rather thick, which some might prefer. I'll try it without next time.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes:

4 yukon gold potatoes- peeled and cubed

1 whole head of garlic- wrapped in tin foil

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/4 cup of milk (2% or whole is best)

4 tablespoons of butter

1 teaspoon of salt (more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

(I roasted the garlic in the oven alongside the chicken for one hour.) Meanwhile I boiled the potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes or so until fork tender. Next,I warmed the milk and butter together in the microwave until the butter was melted. When the garlic was done, I sliced off the top and squeezed the roasted cloves out into the bowl with the milk and butter. I mashed the cloves up with a fork, making a little slurry with the milk and butter. I tried to go sparing on the fat here which is feasible seeing as you get so much flavor from the roasted garlic....

Once the potatoes were cooked through, I drained them and put them back in the pot to mash, mixing the sour cream, butter/milk/garlic mixture, salt and pepper in as well. I like a "rough" mash where there are still a few chunks and bits left for texture. If you want a smooth and creamy version, you can blend it all together in a standing mixture versus in the pot.

The Kale was actually left over from the night before. I used the pre-washed bag of kale greens for the first time and honestly I'm not a fan. There were a ton of stem pieces that added more bitterness and roughage than I like. I prefer to start with a whole bunch, wash the leaves, remove the entire stem and then to rip the leaves into bite sized pieces. I saute it in a large skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil and 2-3 garlic cloves- minced or sliced- until bright green all over. I then add 1/4 cup of stock or water and cover with a lid to steam for 5-6 minutes until tender. I then finish it with some salt, pepper, and one tablespoon of vinegar at the end. Balsamic, rice wine, red orwhite wine, any vinegar will do.

Ina, you've outdone yourself again. This was comfort food at its finest, for sure. I enjoyed a glass of Dynamite Chardonnay with the meal which I think paired very nicely. John's not much for white wine so he was sipping on a Frog's Leap Zinfandel that we enjoyed on our recent trip to Napa. It also worked very well.

Chicken and Eggplant Parmesan with Roasted Tomato Marinara

Roasted Tomato Marinara: 3 large summer tomatoes- quartered 7-8 Roma tomatoes- halved 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup of sweet or yellow onion, chopped 4-5 garlic cloves- grated or minced 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1- 15 oz can crushed tomatoes 3/4 cup of chicken stock (or water if vegetarian) 10 large basil leaves- sliced into a chiffonade Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the fresh tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Spread the tomatoes cut side up on a large cookie sheet (sprayed with Pam) and roast for 35 minutes. When they start to smell sweet, you know you're there... When I have the time, I like to roast the tomatoes for sauce because some of the juices evaporate, concentrating the flavor. If you don't want to fuss with fresh tomatoes- you can use two large cans of crushed tomatoes or substitute one large of crushed and one large can of petite diced tomatoes if you like a chunkier sauce. While the tomatoes cool slightly- saute the onion in the olive oil over medium heat (in a heavy bottomed pot) for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and dried herbs, some kosher salt and pepper, and cook for two minutes more-stirring constantly to avoid burning the garlic. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar - the liquid will evaporate quickly. Next add the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 40-60 minutes. (Stir often.) While simmering, I use an immersion blender to crush the remaining chunks of roasted tomato, fishing out any large pieces of tomato skin with a spoon. I like my sauce to have an even consistency but with some texture to it. (I don't go as far as to make soup out of it.) I wait until just before serving (or assembling the parmesan dishes) before adding the basil. The sauce is great just as is tossed with some fresh pasta but in this instance, I made it to accompany some eggplant and chicken parmesan. I was having friends for dinner so I decided to make both. I prefer the eggplant variety but I knew the boys would probably appreciate the chicken too. (This recipe would serve up to 8 people if you make both.) Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan: 2 medium-sized eggplants, sliced to approx 1/3 of an inch 4 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 of an inch thick* 4 eggs- beaten in a large shallow bowl 1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs, in a large shallow bowl 1 1/2 cups flour seasoned with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper- in a large shallow bowl 1 cup of marinara sauce (per recipe above) *I like to serve the rest on the side 8 oz of fresh mozzarella cheese- sliced to 1/4 of an inch thick *You can use a meat mallet or a rolling pin if you don't have one- I don't. I put the breasts into a heavy ziplock bag or between two sheets of plastic wrap one at a time, pounding each separately.

I shallow fried the eggplant and chicken in a large skillet over medium high heat. (Nonstick or cast iron would be ideal.) I learned from my good friend Guy (who makes the best eggplant parm I've ever had) that working with thin slices of eggplant (and using very little sauce until its time to serve) prevents the dish from getting soggy. It works like a charm! I used just enough oil to completely cover the bottom of the pan. I used roughly half and half, olive and vegetable oil. Olive oil for flavor, vegetable oil to keep the olive oil from burning.

I coated each slice of eggplant first with flour, second with egg, lastly with breadcrumbs. I then pan fried them for about 2 minutes per side until they were golden brown. Between batches I would set them on a stack of paper towels to drain off any excess oil. (I had to add some additional oil between batches. ) I fried the eggplant in three batches and my oil was looking a little funky by the end so I tossed it and wiped the pan clean, and started fresh with new oil for the chicken. I prepared the chicken in the same way (flour, egg, breadcrumbs) and cooked it for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.

I used two medium sized baking dishes (9x9ish). In the first, I layered eggplant in the bottom, spooned just a few tablespoons of sauce over the top and scattered a few slices of mozzarella. I then layered more eggplant, repeating with more sauce and cheese. I cut the chicken breasts in half and arranged them in the other baking dish, topping with a few (scant) spoonfuls of sauce and then slices of mozzarella. (I made everything through this step a few hours in advance of my company arriving -it makes a mess and frying can be a smokey ordeal. I then baked everything off just before serving.)

I finished the dishes in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or so until the cheese was melted and everything was heated through. Meanwhile, I prepared a package of whole wheat bow tie pasta and reheated the marinara sauce. I tossed approximately half a cup of sauce with the cooked pasta and served everything family style with lots of extra sauce and freshly grated parmesan cheese on the side. Add to the equation a simple green salad and lots of red wine, and you have yourself a pretty fantastic Soprano's style feast.

Deconstructed Chicken Gyro Salad

One of my standard weeknight go-to dishes is a Greek style dinner salad. The combination of feta, cucumbers, tomatoes, and a tangy red wine-oregano vinaigrette is my idea of heavenly. I usually just toss it all together on a plate in a hurry but this last iteration was my best yet. John grilled two boneless chicken breasts that I had seasoned lightly with a mixture of: 1.2 tsp kosher salt a few grinds of cracked black pepper 1/4 tsp each of of garlic salt, dried oregano, and paprika I mix the seasonings together in a little bowl and then rub them onto the chicken with some olive oil. If I'm not feeling patient enough to wait on a marinade, I go with a similar quick dry rub for pork, fish, shrimp, what have you... I also sliced one small red onion into wedges and him grill those up also. In the meantime I made a quick Tzatziki sauce: 1 cup greek style yogurt (Fage is great- I used fat free)

1 very small garlic clove- pressed/minced

zest of a lemon (about half of one lemon's worth)

juice of half the lemon

1/4 cup cucumber- grated with a rasp

1 tsp chopped fresh dill kosher salt and pepper

Next I mixed up a TANGY Lemon Juice and Red Wine Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup of olive oil 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar juice of half a lemon 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried mint one tiny garlic clove- minced salt and pepper Both the vinaigrette and the tzatziki sauce are just mixed together quickly in a small bowl. As the chicken was coming off the grill, I arranged my veggies onto the two dinner plates:

Mixed baby greens

Cucumber slices

Grape tomato halves

Feta cheese- cut into cubes

Grilled red onion wedges

I also warmed some store bought naan bread (similar to pita but better in my opinion) in the oven and sliced it into pieces for dipping into the tzatziki sauce. Once the chicken had rested 10 minutes, I sliced it and arranged on the plate with the veggies. I dressed everything lightly with the vinaigrette and then served tzatziki sauce on the side. I drizzled some over the top and used a little extra for dipping along the way.

It was a healthy easy dinner for two in this case but could also work for company. You could arrange all of the ingredients on a huge platter to feed a crowd, letting everyone build their own gyro or salad. I would plan on at least 1/2 chicken breast per person.

Dinner for One: Chicken Paillard with English Peas, Asparagus and Arugula

Friday night dinner was a little bit lonely last week as John didn't make it home but I decided to enjoy it nonetheless. There is something cathartic about ending the week in the kitchen, preparing a simple but satisfying meal while sipping on a glass of wine... even if you're flying solo. I started with a fresh organic chicken breast from Whole Foods and pounded it to about 1/2 inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap. I use a rolling pin to do this- careful to keep an even thickness and to avoid tearing the chicken. I then seasoned it with salt and pepper and coated it lightly with flour. I cooked the chicken over medium-high heat in a mixture of butter and olive oil until crispy brown- about 4 minutes per side.

I set the chicken aside on a plate, tented with foil to keep warm, while I prepared the vegetables. I decided on fresh English peas and Asparagus at Whole Foods- two quintessential Spring ingredients. Every cooking magazine that I open this month is teeming with recipes for dishes centered entirely around spring green vegetables. I grabbed two large handfuls of peas (still in in the pods) and one bunch of asparagus. If you've never purchased them fresh before, the peas look like super-sized sugar snap peas. The pods are very easy to pop open along the seam and then you run your finger through to pop the peas out. I steamed them in a covered pot, with a barely a centimeter of water, over medium heat until they were tender, 2-3 minutes max- draining and rinsing with cool water to stop the cooking process.

Meanwhile I trimmed the woody ends off of the asparagus and then sliced them into half inch pieces on the diagonal. (I only used about 2/3 of the bunch.) In the same pan that I'd used to for the chicken- the pan dripping add flavor- I drizzled a tablespoon or two of olive oil over medium high heat. I then added one clove of garlic- minced- and the asparagus pieces, tossing to coat. The asparagus wasn't super thin but it only took 3-4 minutes of sautee-time before it was crisp-tender. Next went in the peas, zest of about half a lemon, some salt and pepper and a little pat of butter at the very end. I didn't have any fresh mint on hand but that would have been an excellent addition- a very classic flavor compliment to fresh peas- fresh basil would be great too.

I served the chicken warm, not necessarily hot, alongside a generous pile of sauteed veggies and topped everything with a pile of arugula salad: I combined one heaping cup of arugula, juice of half a lemon, drizzle of olive oil and tiny pinch of salt and pepper into a bowl, tossing to dress the greens.)

The lemony dressing on the greens picked up the zest in the vegetables, adding a nice zing to the dish. The sweetness of fresh peas doesn't even compare to that of frozen ones and the asparagus has noticeably more flavor at this time of year in particular. Not to mention the organic chicken actually tastes like CHICKEN which is a very different experience as compared to your average grocery store variety.

I picked up a bottle of ShooFly Buzz Cut white wine from Australia at Whole Foods as well. I keep seeing it everywhere so I decided to give it a try. Priced at only $9 I was very pleasantly surprised to find it was quite tasty and a perfect compliment to the dish. This very well could be a new staple for summer 2010. The winemaker's notes read as follows:

A lush blend of juicy, tropical Verdelho and exotically perfumed Viognier combine with Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling to create a refreshing, firmly structured wine. Rich and vibrant flavors of tropical fruit, apricot, and grapefruit work wonders on the palate. Drink now or hide in the cellar for 3 years.

Roasted Green Chile-Chicken Enchiladas

Yet another adaptation from Mr. Tyler Florence... Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa. I've been making these over the past year or two and I keep coming back to the recipe. I particularly love this recipe because its a one-dish-meal, can be made in advance, freezes well and it easily feeds a crowd. It was for all of those reasons I chose to make these enchiladas this past week for a friend that just had a baby. I divided the recipe into two smaller baking dishes versus the standard 9x13, and took half to my friends. I put the other half in my freezer for John and I to eat this week.

We are in the process of trying to sell our house here in Charleston and searching for a new home in Lexington, KY where we'll be moving this summer for John's residency!! While we are absolutely THRILLED to turn the page to this new chapter (and to move home to my family!), but my goodness, it is A LOT of work!! Thankfully, having a home cooked, oven-ready meal waiting on us this week has saved me.

I started with a package of three bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. I drizzled them with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and roasted on a baking sheet at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes. I used a meat thermometer to check that they were cooked through, looking for 170 degrees. I let them cool and then removed skins and shredded the chicken by hand. I put it into a Tupperware container and stuck it in the fridge for assembly the following day.

Roasted Green Chili:

1 lb tomatillos (husks removed, rinsed well and quartered)

2 poblano peppers (stems and seeds removed, quartered)

1 large yellow onion (cut into big pieces)

4 cloves garlic (peeled)

I layered the vegetables on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. I drizzled them with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, and roasted them at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until everything is softened. (They won't really be brown yet.) I let them cool slightly and then transferred everything to the food processor with:

2 tsp cumin

juice of half a lime

1/3 bunch of cilantro (stems removed)

I whirred everything together in the food processor for about 10-15 seconds-leaving it barely chunky. At this point you have a yummy salsa verde. You could serve it chilled with chips as a snack or as a marinade/dipping sauce for grilled chicken, pork or shrimp. It's absolutely delicious.

For the remainder of the enchilada filling, you need:

1 small or half a medium onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1/3 cup flour

2 cups chicken stock

I sauteed the onion in some olive oil over medium heat for 6 minutes or so until tender. I then added the garlic and cumin, cooking for a minute longer. Next went in the flour which I mixed well with the veggies before before adding the chicken stock. The flour thickens the stock into a lovely sauce. I used a whisk, stirring constantly over low heat, to ensure there were no chunks of flour remaining. I cooked the sauce for 5 minutes or so before adding my shredded chicken and about half (a little less maybe) of the salsa verde. At this point, I removed everything from the heat to cool some before assembling the enchiladas.

I used Aztec brand tortillas for the first time which I really liked- they are nice and sturdy. The recipe typically makes approx 12 enchiladas so you'll need two packages to be safe. I sprayed my baking dish with Pam (again a 9x13 glass dish or two 8x8 square dishes if you half the recipe) and then rolled them up right in the pan. If you try to fill the tortilla and then pick it back up to place in the dish, everything oozes out the ends. I fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup or heaping spoonful of filling and a generous sprinkle of monterey jack cheese. Its then rolled up and pushed seam side down into the end of the baking dish. Once they are all in, you pour the remaining salsa verde over the top and cover with shredded monterey jack cheese.

If you bake them right away- they only need about 25 minutes at 350 degrees until bubbly and heated through. I cover them with foil for half the bake time then I remove it to brown the cheese a little. If you refrigerate, they'll need 10-15 mins more. If you freeze them, let sit out for a couple of hours and then bake for 45-50 mins.

On the side I serve some combination of fresh chopped cilantro, sour cream, freshly sliced avocado, black beans or a super easy Mexican style rice.

Mexican Style Rice:

*1 cup basmati rice

*1 can Rotel poured into a large liquid measuring cup

*fill the same measuring cup with water until the mixture measures 2 cups

Bring to a boil over high heat in a sauce pan. Cover and cook 15 -16 minutes (per rice package directions) until tender.