Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

I love me a good pan sauce. Especially one with not one, but two types of mustard. And brandy. And cream.

Need I say more?

This dish is going in the rotation immediately. It's easy. It uses ingredients I tend to have on hand. And it makes GREAT leftovers. My co-workers are jealous.

I served it with couscous. This in and of itself is not newsworthy, as I serve just about everything with couscous, but it's used to great effect here. It really sops up the yummy sauce, and is not the least bit heavy. The cream takes care of that :-)

Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce
(adapted VERY slightly from The Pioneer Woman Cooks)

• 4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
  
  
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 whole Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 1 cup Brandy
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Grainy Mustard
• 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/4 cup Chicken Broth
• Salt And Pepper, to taste

Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so that you have eight smaller, thinner chicken cutlets. Salt and pepper both sides.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook cutlets on both sides until nice and golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and keep on a plate. (No need to keep warm)

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the pan and saute it for a minute, stirring to make sure it won't burn. Next pour in the brandy being careful if cooking over an open flame.

Then just let the booze bubble up and cook until it's reduced by half.

Throw in the mustards and stir to combine, then pour in the cream. Stir in chicken broth, adding more if the sauce seems too thick. Taste sauce and adjust whatever you think it needs. Add chicken breasts back to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Allow sauce to cook for another few minutes, shaking the pan if needed to move things around.

Serve chicken with couscous, spooning the sauce over the top.

Chocolate Chip Thin Mint Cookies

I have a confession to make. I was never a Girl Scout. I never made it past Brownies.

I did, however, sell Girl Scout cookies. Back in the day, Samoas were my favorite, closely followed by Tagalongs. I couldn't understand why we couldn't get them year round. No matter how many boxes my parents bought, it was never enough to last through the year...

Fast forward 25(-ish) years, and both the times and my tastes have changes. Now I'm a sucker for Thin Mints, preferably straight from the freezer. And pre-ordering is a thing of the past. Now, we can simply walk down the street any day in March and pick up a box or two from the corner Girl Scout.

This innovation in delivery is what makes cookies like this possible. In the past, I would be too afraid of wasting precious Thin Mints to bake them into cookies. Now, I feel assured that if I use them up, I can buy more.

That deserves a big HUZZAH.

As for these cookies, I can see them becoming a yearly tradition. Consistency-wise, they remind me a LOT of the Mexican Chocolate Chip Cookies already on this blog -- soft, delicate, and buttery. I had to omit the peppermint extract, as I accidentally dumped my last bottle in a batch of ginger shortbread (oops!), but I didn't miss it a bit. The Thin Mints added plenty of mint all on their own.

Chocolate Chip Thin Mint Cookies
(from Sweet Pea's Kitchen)

¼ cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter, softened

6 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 egg

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (or sub an extra 1/4 teaspoon vanilla)

11 broken pieces Thin Mint Cookies

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, and sugars until combined. Reduce speed to low and add egg, vanilla (and peppermint extract, if using); mix until combined. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and Thin Mint Cookies until just combined.

Drop by rounded tablespoons of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets spacing 1 1/2-inches between each. Bake cookies until edges have just begun to set but centers are still very soft, 8-10 minutes.

Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Marscapone and Shrimp

It's not very often that I find myself with an extra tub of mascapone in the fridge, but that's exactly the (random) situation that inspired me to try this dish... And I am SO glad I did.

Healthy, it's not, but oh, so delicious!

I cannot recommend this highly enough. It is easy enough for a weeknight, but fancy enough for guests. I used a a bag of "argentian" shrimp from Trader Joe's -- a variety that claimed to taste like lobster -- and it proved to be a perfect choice. So succulent they melted in your mouth!

I have to thank Jose at Pink Parsley for the recipe. I followed it to a T, except that I subbed penne for liguini (due to my boyfriend's aversion to long pasta).

It makes me proud to pass it on. enjoy!


Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Mascapone and Shrimp
(from Pink Parsley)

• kosher salt
• 8 oz dried pasta
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbs butter
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced into rings
• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 2 Tbs minced fresh chives
• lemon slices, for serving

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil.  Add the linguine and cook until just al dente, 7 to 8 minutes.  Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta wat

Meanwhile, pat the shrimp dry and toss with half the lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, melt the butter until the foaming subsides.  Add the shallot, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring continuously, until the garlic is just turning brown, about 1 minute.  Add the shrimp and cook about 90 seconds on one side.  Turn the shrimp, reduce the heat to medium, and add the white wine and half the lemon juice.

Bring to a boil and cook about 1 minute.  Add the mascarpone, reserved pasta water, and linguine, and toss to coat.  Cook an addtional 1-2 minutes, or until the pasta is well coated and the sauce has thickened.  Mix in the remaining lemon zest and juice, and the chives.  Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary, and serve immediately with lemon slices.

Mexican Chocolate Mousse with Burnt Rum

 Ah, chocolate and booze. Two of my favorite things, together again. A perfect -- PERFECT -- conclusion to an extremely satisfying Valentine's Day dinner.

The recipe, an Epicurious 4-forker, was fun and surprisingly, easier than I expected. Imean, is there anything more exciting than playing with fire in the kitchen? Or any better excuse for getting a man to help you?

I think not.

As I look at this picture, I realize that I probably should have placed the goblet in front of a bottle of rum, but c'est la vie. It's a nice commemoration of a truly special chardonnay, from one of my favorite wineries to visit in Sonoma. If you're ever in the area, it's THE place to plan a picnic lunch.

Just sayin'.

Mexican Chocolate Mousse with Burnt Rum

(from Epicurious)

• 1 18.6-ounce box Mexican chocolate,* chopped
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup white rum
• 4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided

Stir chocolate, milk, and salt in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until chocolate melts. Stir constantly until all sugar in chocolate is dissolved, about 13 minutes. Add rum to chocolate; using long match, immediately ignite rum. Carefully stir chocolate mixture with long spoon until flames subside.

Transfer chocolate to large bowl. Cool to room temperature.

Using electric mixer, beat 3 cups cream in large bowl until peaks form.* Working in 2 batches, fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture.

Divide chocolate mousse among 12 glasses, about 3/4 cup for each. Chill mousse until set, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

If desired, beat remaining 1 cup cream until peaks form. Place dollop of whipped cream atop mousse in each glass.

Serve with Cinammon Almond Cookies (recipe to follow).

*I highly recommend chilling both the bowl and the beaters before whipping the cream. It makes the process a breeze.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts With Pancetta and Garlic

I have a confession to make. I'm not much of a vegetable eater. In fact, there are a number of veggies that I won't touch with a 10-foot spoon. And unless ketchup and tomato sauce count as vegetables, I pretty much never get my recommended servings.

My significant other, however, is the exact opposite. He could likely subsist on greens alone and be perfectly content.  I know his veggie consumption has decreased considerably since I moved in, so for Valentine's Day, I wanted to do something nice and make something nutritious. Or at least, nutritious-ish.

Amazingly, I actually happen to like brussels sprouts -- at least when they're shredded and carmelized with some tasty pork fat. This marks the first time I've ever tried to make them on my own, and I'm happy to report thaelf that t my attempt was a marked success.

There are dozens of recipes out there on the blogosphere, and I imagine that most, if not all, will produce similarly fabulous results. All else being equal, I went with a version on Skinnytaste, so I could convince myself that the calories in the oil and pancetta don't count. The brussels sprouts cancel those out, right?

Right.




Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Garlic
(from Skinnytaste)

 

2 oz pancetta, minced

2 lb brussels sprouts (weight after outer leaves and stems removed)

1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced or sliced thin

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

With a large sharp knife, finely shred the brussels sprouts after thoroughly washing.

In a deep heavy saute pan, sauté pancetta on medium-low heat until fat melts and pancetta becomes golden, about 5 minutes. Add olive oil and garlic and sauté until golden. Add shredded brussels sprouts, salt and pepper to taste and sauté on medium-low heat for about 4-5 minutes until tender and crisp.

Crispy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Notice a theme here?

Yes, after purchasing an entire box of Rice Krispies to supply the small amount required for the Crispy Bacon-Cheese Puffs, I was left with a LOT of leftovers. Not being a huge-fan of either Rice Kripies in a bowl or those marshmallowy Rice Krispies treats, I was faced with the challenge of finding something tasty to do with them. Something "out-of-the-box, if you will.

The recipe, courtesy of Joy of Baking, fit the bill PERFECTLY, and has earned a permanent spot in my recipe book. I didn't change a thing and ended up with  an incredibly satisfying batch of cookies. I loved that they were simultaneously familiar, yet unique; comforting, yet exciting. Best part -- they stayed unbelievably fresh when stored in an air-tight container for at least 5 day. Not that it was easy to make them last that long...

Crispy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

(from Joy of Baking)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted buttter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla  extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars until smooth and creamy (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in the oats, and then gently stir in the rice cereal and chocolate chips. 

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the  prepared baking sheets, and bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. For chewy cookies, slightly under bake. For crunchy cookies, bake a few minutes longer. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Makes about 60 cookies.

Crispy Bacon-Cheese Puffs

Ah, nastalgia!  My mother used to make these fun little puffs every once in awhile when I was a kid, and although I don't know that they've touched my lips in 20 years, I've never quite forgotten them...the sharp cheddar cheese, the crunchy bacon, the rice crispies, all rolled up into buttery balls... They were like cheese straws, only better. In my 10-year-old brain, they we.re nothing short of legendary.

This is why, when Super Bowl time came around and the challenge of creating a crowd-pleasing appetizer came up, all I could think of was these cheese thingies. It is also why, when a nasty cold crept up right before the Big Game and side-lined my party attendance, I had to make these snacks anyway  Even if I was the only one to enjoy them.



Thankfully, my mother still had the recipe on an old 3x5 index card, and thankfully, save for the bizarre name ("Cheese Pastry Snacks," which sounds like something from a Chinese bakery), they were EXACTLY as I remember them.

The process is simple.  You just dump a bunch of delicious ingredients into a bowl... Mix them up.... Roll them into little balls, sprinkled with paprika...   Nuke 'em... AND PLAY!

      
What can I say? These little puffs bring out the kid in me :-)

Crispy Bacon-Cheese Puffs(source unknown)

• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup coarse crushed rice crispies
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/3 cup butter, softenend
• 6 strips crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
• 2 tblsp. cold water

 

Drop 7 level tblsp fulls in a circle onto each of 3 lightly buttered plates. (Butter plates only around deges, where dough will be placed.)

Sprinkle with paprika, Microwave 1 plate at a time.

Microwave at High 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 minutes, rotating dish after 1 1/2 min.  Dough will be slightly puffed when done and will crisp on drying.  Remove immediately from plate.  Serve hot or cold.



Tuna Noodle Casserole, Redux

 I really can't explain why, but the moment I saw this recipe, I couldn't stop thinking about it. You might think that I grew up eating tuna noodle casserole, and that nostalgia was at work -- but that's not it. There was just something about the combination of flavors -- shitake and portabello mushrooms, a rich roux, dry sherry, and crispy panko breadcrumbs -- that had me obsessed.

I knew that trying to sell my boyfriend on this for Sunday dinner would be tough, so I took advantage of his being away on a business trip to whip it up. Good thing, too, because I think I dirtied just about every pan in the kitchen, and he would have had a heart attack thinking that he would have to clean it all up.

I suppose that making tuna casserole the old fashioned way (i.e., with cream of mushroom soup and canned mushrooms) would have been simpler -- and not quite as messy. Nonetheless, after tasting this baby, I know that I can never go back. It's just so darned satisfying. Comfort food at its finest.

And because I'm by myself this week (and nursing a nasty head cold), it's all for me!

 Tuna Noodle Casserole, Redux
(from food52)

• 5 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 cup sliced shitake mushrooms
• I cup diced portabello mushrooms 
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, miced
• 1 tablespoon chives, miced
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 cans packed tuna, drained
• 8 ounces egg noodles, cooked al dente and drained
• salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

 

 

Preheat your oven to 350F. In a large sautee pan, heat 1 Tbs. of butter over medium-high until foaming. Stir in mushrooms and cook until mushrooms have given off all of their liquid and cooked through (10 or so minutes). Season lightly with salt and pepper, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

 

Add another 1/2 Tbs. butter to the frying pan, then cook onion, shallot and celery together for about 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the chopped herbs and the sherry and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir the mushrooms into this mixture, then set this aside.

 

In a saucepan, heat 3 Tbs. of butter over medium-high until foaming. Stir in the flour to make a roux and cook for about 2 minutes. Then whisk in the milk and chicken stock, bit by bit, to make a smooth sauce. Cook, stirring, until just slightly thickened (another minute or two). Then add the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Flake the tuna and combine the tuna, the white sauce, the mushroom-onion mixture, and the noodles all together. Grease and 8X8 inch baking pan and transfer the casserole mixture into it.

 

In a small pan, melt the last Tbs. of butter. Stir in the minced garlic and the panko breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until the panko is golden brown. Sprinkle this all over the casserole. Put the casserole in the oven and bake until it is bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Big, Fat Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies aren't playing around. They are huge. They are heavy. They are incredibly chocolate-y.

I'm not convinced that this recipe is truly the best thing out there, but it's certainly solid -- especially if you're able to eat them soon after they're baked. I found that they dried out faster than I would have liked, despite careful storage.

The recipe states that these are made in the style of Levain Bakery -- a NY mainstay that I have not yet had the priviledge to try. From what I gather, the distinguishing feature of a Levain-style cookie recipe is creaming cold pieces of butter instead of letting it sit to room temperaure. This seems to create a bigger, thicker cookie than is produced using other methods. I'd be curious what others think of the difference. If you try it out, let me know...

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
(from Love from the Oven)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
• 1¼ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup dark cocoa powder
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp. coarse salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar.  Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Mix in the cocoa powder until well blended.

Add the flour, salt and baking powder to the bowl and mix on low speed just until incorporated.  Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead briefly by hand to be sure the ingredients are well combined.

Divide the dough into 4 ounce portions (or divide into 12 equal pieces).**  Roll each portion of dough into a ball and flatten just slightly into a disc.  Place on the prepared baking sheets, a few inches apart.

Bake 16-20 minutes.**  Let cool on the baking sheets 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

**I made mine slightly smaller, and ended up with 18 cookies, instead of 12. This meants that I shortened the baking time slightly, to about 14 minutes. Eyeball it.

Blueberry Crumb Bars

What is it with boys and blueberries? It seems that every time I read a blog post about a blueberry dessert -- be it pie, muffins, or the aptly named "boy bait" -- there is some mention about how much it is appreciated by whichever lucky male(s) happen to have tried it. I know, growing up, my father always requested blueberry pie on his birthday. And now, I am struck by how easily the "boy" in my life passes on anything chocolate, and yet devours every last crumb of a blueberry-filled pastry.

Needless to say, these blueberry crumb bars were a big hit in my house. There was even a little resistance when I packed up a few bars as a thank-you to a friend who graciously MacGuyver-ed my car after a nasty run-in with a pothole earlier this week. I did not alter the recipe at all, and think it's perfect as is. Hope you like it as much as we did.

Blueberry Crumb Bars                    (from Smitten Kitchen)

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• 4 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.

In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

 Bake in preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.