Chicken Francese

This is another of my favorite chicken recipes.

"Chicken francese. An Italian-American dish of sauteed chicken cutlets with a lemon-butter sauce. The word francese is Italian for "French style," although there is no specific dish by this name in either Italian or French cookery."
---Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 72)

Either way, it is a must try (in case you haven’t)

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 pounds)

flour, for dredging

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 large eggs

3 tablespoons water

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 lemon, with rind, cut in thin rounds

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 lemon, juiced (although I juice just about a whole lemon)

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped parsley

 

 

Instructions

Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, beat the eggs with 3 tablespoons of water to make an egg wash. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet.

Dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden, turning once. Remove the chicken cutlets to a large platter and keep warm.

Toss the lemon slices into the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the wine, broth, and lemon juice, simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly. Roll the butter in some flour and add it to the skillet, this will thicken the sauce. Stir to incorporate and dissolve the flour.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and return the chicken to the pan. Simmer gently for 2 minutes to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Enjoy !

 

Risotto with Peas

Autumn and winter spells warm comfort foods.

Risotto is perhaps one of my favorite comfort foods.  It is also a basic recipe that you can embellish with any of your other favorite foods.

Use this basic recipe and add sundried tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, or any other delicious addition.  This time I’m adding peas.

Ingredients

(makes 4 servings)

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup Arborio Italian Rice, uncooked

1/3 cup dry white wine (optional)

2 cups chicken broth, heated

1/3 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1 cup cooked frozen peas (optional)

 

Preparation

Melt butter in medium saucepan on medium heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently.

Stir in rice, cook 2 minutes stirring constantly.  Add wine, cook and stir until absorbed.

Stir in 1/2 cup of the hot broth.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cook until most of the broth is absorbed, stirring constantly. Repeat process until all of the broth has been added.  (Rice should be tender but firm.) If necessary add a small amount of additional broth or water and continue to cook until rice is done.

Add cheese, stir until blended .  Sprinkle with parsley.  Add cooked peas.  Serve immediately.

 

 

Enjoy !

 

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

I’m lucky enough to have wonderful friends who garden! More free zucchini!! Yum.

Here’s another terrific zucchini recipe you can use as a side dish or a meal.

Because the zucchini I was given was on the large side, I have used a 12” for this but you can use several smaller ones. 

Ingredients

1 large 12” unpeeled zucchini or 4 or 5 smaller ones

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium sized onion chopped

3 cloves crushed garlic

1 pound ground white veal

1- 1/2 cups pureed tomatoes (you can use crushed)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp red chili pepper flakes

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 cup finely grated romano (or parmesan) cheese

mozzarella cheese for sprinkling on top

 

Preparation

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise.  Scoop out middle and all seeds.  Discard. Use a pastry brush to brush the zucchini inside and out with olive oil.  Put in baking dish, set aside.

In skillet, add olive oil, chopped onion and crushed garlic.  Sauté until the onion is transparent.

Add the ground white veal and sauté until meat is cooked.  When veal is cooked add the pureed tomatoes, salt, pepper, chili flakes and oregano.  Cook for about 10  minutes on medium heat.

Turn off heat and mix in the romano or parmesan cheese. 

Spoon into your prepared, oiled zucchini boats. Sprinkle more grated romano cheese on top and then top with some grated mozzarella.

 

No need to put anything in your baking dish as the zucchini will produce its own water as it cooks.  The oiled backs will keep it from sticking. Cover with foil.

Bake in a preheated oven set at 350 degrees.

Baking time will depend on the size of your zucchini.  If you are doing a large one like me, I recommend 40 minutes covered and another 10 minutes uncovered.

If you are using smaller zucchini’s, bake covered for about 25-30 minutes, then uncover and bake about 5 –10 minutes longer.  A fork or knife should be able to go through the thickest part of the zucchini with ease when cooked.

Bon Appétit

Broccoli Cheddar and Mushroom Quiche

I love quiche.  For some reason I forgot that.  I should really make it more often.  Quiche recipes are endless. After all, what CAN’T you mix with eggs?   

This recipe is fast and easy.  It’s so easy in fact, that I’ll even tell you to go out and buy a ready made pie crust!   So let’s move on…

Ingredients

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup  chopped onions

1 cup chopped broccoli

5 eggs

1/3 cup  MIRACLE WHIP Dressing

1/3 cup milk

1 cup  Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 frozen deep-dish pie crust (9 inch) (see? fast and easy!)

Preparation:

 

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Place vegetables in skillet sprayed with cooking spray; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside.

BEAT eggs, dressing and milk in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in vegetable mixture and cheese; pour into pie shell. Place pie shell on baking sheet.

BAKE on baking sheet 40 to 45 min. or until center of quiche is set and top is golden brown. Let stand 10 min. before cutting into slices to serve.

 

So here’s the lowdown on the absence of more delicious pictures.  I made this for company and it got eaten before I could take that delicious dish picture!

Remember…. fast and easy!

Enjoy !

Goat Cheese Walnut Stuffed Chicken

I think this has become one of my most favorite chicken dishes.  The mixture of the goat cheese, lemon and walnuts is simply spectacular.

It’s both delicious and nutritious.

Ingredients

1/4 walnut halves

1/4 cup fresh goat cheese, softened

1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1 garlic clove minced

salt and freshly ground pepper

Four 6 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon  extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup chicken stock or low sodium broth

2 tablespoons walnut oil (optional, you can use olive oil if you don’t have it)

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spread the walnuts on a pie plate and toast for 6 minutes until fragrant.  Let cool then chop.

In a small bowl mash the goat cheese with the lemon zest, garlic and half of the walnuts.  Season with salt and pepper.

Using a small knife cut a pocket in the side of each chicken breast.  Keep the pocket opening on the smaller side.

Stuff the chicken breast with the mixture and gently press to flatten them.

In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat  turning once, until browned for about 6 minutes, on each side.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken for 5 minutes.  Transfer the chicken breasts to a platter and keep warm.

Add the lemon juice and stock to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat scraping up any brown bits stuck to the pan.  Simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the walnut oil, parsley and the remaining chopped walnuts.

Transfer the chicken breasts to plates, spoon the walnut sauce on top and serve.

Rice Balls

Rice balls are fabulous as a side dish or as an entree.  They certainly go over big in my household!  For this recipe I use sticky rice.  Not minute rice, arborio rice, or sushi rice… sticky rice.  You shouldn’t have a problem finding it.  You’ll prepare it the way the package indicates.  Make sure you rinse the rice before cooking it.  I’m going to give you a basic recipe here.  Keep in mind you may add anything you like to the center of the rice balls; corn, peas, meat, sausage meat, there are no limits.  I have to make mine plain, because I have a ‘plain’ child, that likes ‘plain’ food, (she’s getting better though).

14 Rice Balls


Ingredients:

2 cups sticky rice

3-1/2 cups water (prepare as directed on package)

2 cups breadcrumbs

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 cup grated romano or parmesan cheese

1 egg

3 cups of your favorite tomato sauce

1/2 Mozzarella cheese ball

oil or spray oil

Oil for frying. (Oil should be about 2” to 3” deep)

Preparation:

Cook rice as per directions on package.  Don’t forget to rinse it first. 

Prepare the breadcrumb mixture.  Put the following ingredients into a shallow dish or pan; breadcrumbs, salt, garlic powder, 1/4 cup of grated cheese. Set aside.

Once rice is cooked, remove from heat and add 1/4 cup of grated cheese and 1/2 cup of tomato sauce (doesn’t have to be hot).  Mix well.   Cool rice just enough to be able to handle it.

While rice is cooling a few minutes, crack egg in a small bowl and beat with fork, set aside.  Cut mozzarella into small cubes..about 1 inch x 1 inch.  If you want to put anything else in the middle of the rice ball, now is the time to get that together. Make sure whatever you put in the centre of the rice ball is already cooked. 

When rice is ready to handle, spray both your hands with spray oil (or oil).  Take a heaping tablespoon full of the rice and pat it flat in your hand, add a cube or two of cheese (and any other ingredient at this point) then another heaping spoonful of rice formed into a patty and put that on top.  Form this little rice sandwich into a ball, about 2-1/2 to 3 inches in diameter, but you could make then larger if you like.   Keep oiling hands as needed.  Dip rolled ball into beaten egg and wash it all over with your hands. Roll in breadcrumb mixture.  Shake off excess bread crumbs and fry in heated oil. Keep rolling the balls and turning them constantly while frying.  Fry to a nice golden brown color, frying time should be about 3 minutes. Don’t let oil get TOO hot.  Drain on paper towel.

Serve alone or topped with sauce.  Bon Appétit

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Moist Oven Roasted Pulled Pork

There are a multitude of recipes out there for Pulled Pork.  I wanted something simple and done in the oven, (no firing up the BBQ for 10 hours for me.)  Simple, easy and shovin’ in the oven'.

This recipe turns out unbelievably moist and tender. It just falls apart.

  Ingredients

1 Pork Butt/Pork Shoulder/Picnic Shoulder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp paprika

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

1/4 cup prepared mustard

1 tsp cayenne pepper

6 dashes liquid smoke (optional, I didn’t use it)

Preparation

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, stir, rub all over pork
Refrigerate 24 hours (or overnight, that worked for me). Place in crockpot 10-12 hours on LOW....or...
Cover and roast on bottom rack  in oven at 250-275 degrees until tender from 7-8 hours (slow and low) Use meat thermometer to ensure pork is cooked thoroughly.  Let sit 15 minutes before handling.
Discard bone and fat from Pork, place in serving pot and shred meat with two forks.  Add your favorite BBQ sauce (Diana’s Smokehouse Sauce is amazing with this.)
Or you can make a spicy BBQ sauce by adding Cayenne pepper and Tabasco to your favorite BBQ sauce, put in a squeeze bottle.
Serve on a bun, with a salad, or as a meal.
I happen to like a crusty Italian bun with mine.

Bon Appétit

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