Confetti Chicken Salad

Tags

bell peppers, chicken, chicken salad, salads

Who doesn’t love a good chicken salad?  I’ve had plenty in my lifetime and each one was different.  Some were plain, some had onion, some had celery, some had celery and onion.  The list goes on.  Well, I love bell peppers.  Their sweetness and crispness give cold salads just the right amount of crunch and they go perfectly in my chicken salad!  It’s said you eat with your eyes first, and the bright, variety of colors give the chicken salad a colorful appearance.  Hence, “confetti” chicken salad!

I’ve made this recipe many times.  Family and friends really love it.  It’s great on its own or in a sandwich.  Me, I prefer eating it with crackers.  Yum!  I hope you’ll give it a try and enjoy it as well!  Another perfect cold salad for the Summer!

Confetti Chicken Salad

4 chicken breasts
Chicken Stock, enough to cook the chicken breast (about a gallon)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 orange bell pepper seeded and choppe
3/4 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder to season

1)  Bring chicken stock to a boil.  Add chicken breasts and poach about 20 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked.
2)  Remove chicken from stock.  Discard the stock.
3)  In a food processor, add small amounts of the chicken and pulse until shredded.*
4)  In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, orange bell pepper, celery, and red onion.  Mix to combine.
5)  Add mayonnaise and sour cream and mix well.
6)  Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.

*Here is another option:  In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, add the hot chicken breast to the bowl of your mixer.  Mix on medium speed for 20-30 seconds until the chicken is shredded.  Be sure the chicken is warm as cold chicken is harder to shred and could damage your mixer.  Thanks to thewaytohisheart.wordpress.com food blog for this great tip!!

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Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Tags

cucumber, salad, summer salads, tomato

I love the Summer!  Light, fresh, crisp fruits and vegetables and lots of delicious cold salads!  One of my favorites is my Tomato and Cucumber Salad.  With the perfect amount of seasoning and a light drizzle of olive oil and rice vinegar, it’s a deliciously refreshing dish on a hot Summer day!

I love the combination of crisp cucumbers and sweet tomatoes!  It reminds me a lot of side dishes and summer salads my grandmother used to make when I was growing up.  She would put together different combinations and make delicious salads.  Another one of my favorites was her chilled potato and green bean salad.  Sounds odd, I know, but it is really delicious.   They will be forthcoming in my blog – don’t worry!

So, enjoy this delicious and refreshing chilled summer salad.  I’m sure it will be a hit at any gathering!

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite sized pieces
12 Roma tomatoes, seeded, and cut into bite sized pieces
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1/2 tsp. dried Oregano
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
Salt and Black Pepper, to taste

1)  In a large bowl, combine the cut cucumbers and tomatoes.
2)  Add the crushed garlic and oregano.
3)  Drizzle with olive oil and rice vinegar.  Mix well.
4)  Chill for 2 hours to let flavors develop.
5)  Season with salt and pepper before serving.*
*I season with salt and pepper just before serving because salt will draw out the water in cucumbers and tomatoes.  It helps prevent the salad from becoming too watery.

Beef Wellington with Port Wine Sauce

Tags

beef wellington, fois gras, mushroom duxelle, port wine sauce, puff pastry

Beef Wellington.  It’s one of those dishes that you’ve heard of, but don’t really know what it is, right?!  You think it’s this, but it’s really that.  Okay, okay – well, here’s the scoop…

Beef Wellington is a beef roast with fois gras and wrapped in puff pastry.  Now, I realize that fois gras isn’t always easy to come by and when you do find it, it can be extremely expensive.  So, my version is made with mushrooms.  I make a mushroom duxelle and use it in place of fois gras.  It’s also a much healthier alternative.

So, here’s how I make my Beef Wellington:  I use pre-made puff pastry dough; mushroom duxelle; and seared beef tenderloin.  Don’t be afraid to give this a try.  It can be a bit intimidating, but conquer your fears and give it a try!  Just remember when it cmes to cooking it should be fun and it’s okay to make mistakes.  That’s how you learn.  I can assure you the first time I made this dish – it wasn’t pretty!!  But, a little patience and a little practice – and I’ve got it down, and you can too!  I hope you’ll give it a try and enjoy it!!

Mushroom Duxelle

—

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large pkg. sliced fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
1/3 cup port wine
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to season
Olive Oil

1)  In a large skillet, heat olive oil and add chopped onions.  Cook 4-6 minutes or until onions are translucent.  Add the chopped mushrooms and cook 3-4 minutes.  Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
2)  Add the port wine and allow the mixture to cook and the liquid to reduce, about 15 minutes.  Stir frequently and make sure the mixture doesn’t burn.
3)  Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool.

Beef Wellington

1 pkg. puff pastry, thawed (I recommend Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry)
1 beef tenderloin, about 3-4 pounds
Salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to season
Olive Oil
Mushroom Duxelle

1)  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F or whatever the puff pastry package recommends.
2)  In a large skillet, heat some olive oil.
3)  Season the beef tenderloin on all sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
4)  Sear the meat on all sides.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.
5)  Unwrap the puff pastry.
6)  Slice the meat into 1 inch thick slices.
7)  Add some of the mushroom duxelle to the puff pastry.  Place a slice of meat over the duxelle and wrap with puff pastry tucking the ends on the bottom.  You can get about 4 pieces out of each sheet of puff pastry.
8)  Place each pastry wrap on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
9)  Bake in preheated oven for about 15-20, for medium.  Cook less for medium rare and more for medium-well.
10)  Remove from heat and serve with port wine sauce.

Port Wine Sauce

1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup shallots, minced
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup port wine
3 cups chicken stock

1)  Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper. Saute for 1 minute.
2)  Stir in the sugar and port. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the stock and cook over high heat for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.  Serve immediately over cooked beef wellingtons.
*If the sauce is too thin, add 1/2 Tbsp. corn starch dissolved in very little water.  Stir into the sauce.  Cook until sauce is thickened.

Spicy Remoulade

Tags

mayonnaise, spicy remoulade, tartar sauce

Another great recipe I learned in Culinary School is this delicious spicy remoulade that goes with the Crab Cake I recently posted.  A remoulade is a mayonnaise based sauce that originated in France and is used generally as a condiment.

This particular remoulade recipe is a bit spicy, but you can adjust the amount of cayenne and chili powder to make it more or less spicy to your liking.  The capers give it a bit of saltiness and tartness while the chili powder and cayenne give it a nice spicy bite!  It’s a perfectly delicious pairing with the crab cakes!

Spicy Remoulade

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. capers, crushed
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1)  Combine all ingredients above and mix well.  Serve with crab cakes.

Recipe from International Culinary School at the Art Institute, Las Vegas, Nevada

Crab Cakes

Tags

crab, crab cakes

My mom was highly allergic to seafood – yup, you read that right.  Fish of all kinds!  My poor mom couldn’t even open a can of tuna fish without breaking out with some kind of allergic reaction.  So, needless to say we never had seafood in our house when I was growing up.

Being part of an Italian family, we would have the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve.  This would include different fishes such as cod filets, linguine with clams, fried scallops, fried clams, fried shrimp, fried calamari, and others as well.  We would also have other dishes since my mom couldn’t have any of the fish.  One thing we never really had was crab cakes.  I had them on occasion at restaurants here and there, but was never really a fan of them.

Then I went to Culinary School!  One of my classes was a restaurant class where we learned the front and back of the house and operated an actual restaurant at the school.  One night in class I was tasked with the crab cake appetizer.  I prepared the crab cakes and learned quite a bit as part of the preparation process.  As a binder, the recipe calls for egg yolks, dijon mustard, and spices and then whisk in olive oil to create an emulsion.  This forms a mayonnaise like consistency and will bind the crab cakes together.  It also gives it a much better flavor instead of mayonnaise.

Once they were prepared and cooked, myself and my classmates tried them.  They were actually the most incredible crab cakes I had ever tried in my life!!!  Wow they were good.  The flavor of the mustard and spices deliciously complimented the flavor of crab without being too overpowering.

My husband, unfortunately, is allergic to shellfish.  So, I never made crab cakes at home since he would never be able to have them.  We ended up hosting a holiday neighborhood gathering one year and I was tryingto think of a bunch of appetizers to make.  I decided to make some mini crab cakes and they were a tremendous hit.  Our friends went crazy over them.  Some even asked to take some home!!  I made them again for Christmas and my in-laws loved them!  They couldn’t stop talking about how good they were.  So, they are officially on the menu for parties and holidays!  They were especially enjoyed this past Sunday for Father’s Day!

They are a bit of work, but so worth the effort!!!  Enjoy!

Crab Cakes

For the binder
4 large egg yolks
2 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup, plus 1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard (I recommend Grey Poupon)
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. celery seeds
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups olive oil

For the crab cakes
3 cups bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh parsley
1 cup onion, finely chopped
4 green bell peppers, finely chopped
4 red bell peppers, finely chopped
4 lbs. crab meat, drained and picked clean of shell

For the dredging
2 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped parsley

1)  In a food processor or blender, combine egg yolks, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, mustard, paprika, thyme, celery seeds, and black pepper.  Combine.  With motor running, slowly add the olive oil until the mixture emulsifies and forms a mayonnaise like consistency.  Set aside.
2)  In a large bowl, combine the onions, bell peppers, bread crumbs, and parsley.  Add the reserved mayonnaise and crabmeat.  Gently mix to combine.
3)  Form into patties and dredge in bread crumb and parsley mixture.
4)  Place patties onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet.  Refrigerate at least 2-3 hours or overnight to help crab cakes hold their shape.
5)  In a large skillet over medium heat (I use an electric skilet at 350 degrees F), add vegetable oil and allow oil to get hot.  Sear the crab cakes in the oil and gently fry the crab cakes until they are hot throughout and golden brown on each side.  Turn once (cook about 4 minutes on each side).

Recipe from the International Culinary School at the Art Institute, Las Vegas, Nevada

Honey Balsamic Salmon

Tags

balsamic, honey, salmon

As I got older, my tastes changed.  I went from being an extremely picky eater – to a sort of picky eater!  LOL.  Seriously though, the older I got the more I began appreciating good food.  When I was younger the only fish I would touch was canned tuna fish.  With my mother allergic to all kinds of fish, we just never had it in the house so I never had much of chance to try anything.  Eventually though, I tried salmon and absolutely loved it.

Attending culinary school, watching shows on Food Network, reading cookbooks, etc., has given me an opportunity to try existing and create new recipes.  I’ve made salmon a few different ways and over time I’ll eventually post those recipes, but this one is my absolute favorite.  It’s simple yet so flavorful.  I love the way the flavors of tart and sweet balance out so well together.

It can be cooked a couple of different ways too.  You can bake it in the oven or seal the fish in foil with the seasonings and cook it on the grill!  Another great summertime grilling dish!  Delicious!!

Honey Balsamic Salmon

4 pieces salmon
3 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Salt, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder

1)  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2)  Season both sides of the salmon with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
3)  Place salmon in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
4)  Add honey and balsamic vinegar.
5)  Cover with foil and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until salmon is cooked through.

*For another cooking option, wrap each salmon in aluminum foil, season, add honey & balsamic and wrap well, sealing the ends.  Place foil wrapped salmon on the grill until the salmon is cooked, again, about 15-20 minutes or so.

Banana Bread

Tags

banana, banana bread

The past week has been a busy on for me despite not working.  I’m starting a new job on Monday and perhaps its knowing that I’ll be back to work full-time that I was trying to get a bunch of things done.  Today quickly turned into a lazy day – and I like these every once in a while.  So, with nothing to do and being well rested – I decided to bake!  Rob watched the NASCAR race and I decided to make some banana bread since I had plenty of ripe bananas that would be perfect for it!

I had tried a number of banana bread recipes and this one is one of my favorites.  It bakes up really nice!   As usual, I made some changes to make it more my own and actually needed to make a major change to it today.  As I’m preparing and measuring my ingredients, I realize I have no vegetable oil.  Of course, the recipe calls for vegetable oil.  Great – now what am I going to do!  I really didn’t feel like going out to the store so I decided to replace the vegetable oil with mayonnaise.  I know, I know you’re probably thinking I’m crazy.  But, believe it or not, it works really well in baking and it worked perfectly in my banana bread recipe.  So, I’m making it a permanent change!  The bread stayed moist and you can’t taste the mayo at all!  Rob loved it!

I really like the consistency of the bread.  It’s got a nice crust, not too crispy though; it’s very moist throughout; the pecans give it some great texture; and the chocolate chips and bananas add a delicious sweetness to the bread.  I hope you enjoy it!!

Banana Bread

2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup mashed bananas (I use about 3-4 bananas)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

1)  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Spray one 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray coating.
2)  Blend together the eggs, buttermilk, mayonnaise, and bananas.
3)  Sift together the sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add to banana mixture.  Add pecans and chocolate chips.  Mix well.
4)  Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake 1 hour, 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Cole Slaw

Tags

apple, buttermilk, cabbage, cole slaw, dressing

It’s grilling season and the Summer is upon us!  What better side dish to go with your favorite grilled, summer foods than cole slaw.  This recipe is refreshing, crisp, and creamy with the perfect balance of sweet and tart.  It calls for buttermilk, but don’t worry if you don’t have any – you can make it easily yourself!!  For a half cup of milk, add 1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar and let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes.

This cole slaw is delicious on its own or as a crunchy topping for hot dogs and burgers.  Another option is to add sliced apples to it as well.  With their firmness and tartness, Granny Smith apples are a perfect addition to this recipe as well.

Cole Slaw

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 packages prepared cole slaw mix (I usually find mine in the produce section of the grocery store)
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into thin strips, optional

1)  In a medium sized bowl, combine the first eight (8) ingredients.   Keep chilled.
2)  Pour over prepared cole slaw mix and apples (if using) just before ready to serve.

Quinoa (keen-wa)

Tags

chicken stock, lemon, quinoa

Yup – it’s that strange looking word on your grocery store shelves!  Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa), is a very healthy option instead of sides like macaroni and cheese, white rice, or other prepared/processed side dishes.  It is a grain, but it is also high in protein.  When made right, it’s absolutely delicious too!!  No matter what you cook – it’s all about flavor!

My husband is pretty good about trying just about anything I make.  I was concerned that he wouldn’t like the Quinoa because it was healthy.  Fortunately, he really liked it and I’ve even made it for my in-laws and nieces and nephew and they also enjoyed it!  Yes, another successful healthy dish to add to our collection!!

I think a lot of people are apprehensive about trying this, but when it’s made right it is really delicious so I hope you’ll give it a try and enjoy it as well.

Quinoa

1 cup Quinoa
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Salt, to taste (keep in mind your chicken stock will be salty, so go easy on the salt if you feel you need to add it)

1)  Rinse the Quinoa in cold water using a strainer.  When the water is no longer cloudy, the Quinoa is ready to be cooked.
2)  In a medium saucepan, bring the white wine, chicken stock, and lemon juice to a boil.  Add the rinsed Quinoa and reduce the heat the medium allowing the liquid to simmer while the Quinoa absorbs the flavorful liquid.
3)  Add the onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt if needed, and mix well.
4)  Cook until all of the liquid has absorbed and the Quinoa is cooked through.  Stir occasionally so that the Quinoa doesn’t stick to the bottom of your saucepan.

Enjoy!

Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions

Tags

burgers, mushrooms, onions, sauteed, steak

As I’ve mentioned before, my husband is a meat and potatoes man, but he does loves his mushrooms!!!  It works out great because my sauteed mushrooms and onions goes perfectly with burgers and steak.  Wednesday night we had my in-laws over for dinner and we grilled up some steak, grilled vegetables, and chipotle-lime grilled corn on the cob.  A perfect topping to our deliciously juicy grilled steak is my sauteed mushrooms and onions.  Caramelized onions are delicious on steaks and burgers, but my version doesn’t take as long as making caramelized onions and it is just as flavorful!

With grilling season underway, this is a perfect accompaniment to any grilled meat!

Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions

1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 pkg. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Browning sauce (I recommend Kitchen Bouquet Browning and Seasoning Sauce)
Olive oil

1)  In a large skillet, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add sliced onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until onions are soft.  Add mushrooms.  Cook another 5-6 minutes stirring frequently.
2)  Add salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.  Mix to combine.
3)  Add Worcestershire sauce and browning sauce and mix well.
4)  Cook another 4-6 minutes and serve over grilled steak or burgers.