Baked Chicken Breasts with Savory Gravy

Wanting to get a decent dinner on the table quickly has pushed me to figure out ways to make boring chicken breasts into something interesting.  I think this is a wonderful dish. It takes some prep time, but it's worth it!!

1.  Start with some boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half.  Dredge the chicken pieces in flour.  

2.  Mince an onion and some mushrooms finely.  I use a small food chopper.

3.  Heat some oil (I use 4-5 Tbs of canola) and 2 Tbs butter in a heavy-bottomed pan to medium-high, just enough to coat.  The chicken does not need to "swim" in oil.

4.  Add the chicken pieces and don't overcrowd the pan.  If I'm cooking a lot of chicken, I repeat this several times.  You can see my pan above has a little "browning" from the first batch of chicken.  Don't move the chicken around, just let it brown on the bottom.  Season the top with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Let it cook for 3-4 minutes until nicely browned.  Then cover the top with minced onions and mushrooms and turn them over to brown on the other side.

5.  Once they have browned for 3 minutes on the other side, sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of white wine over the pieces.  Cook for another minute and remove chicken with all the sauce to a baking dish.

6.  Mix a packaged brown gravy mix with cold water as directed on the label (usually 1 cup water per pack) and pour over the top of the chicken pieces.  I use 1 cup of gravy for 5-6 chicken breasts.

7.  Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.  This is a great dish to serve company.  I've prepared the chicken up to step 6 a day ahead of time and refrigerated the dish.  I did the last heating before my guests arrived.  It's perfect every time!

Fruit and Nut Scones

I found this recipe over 30 years ago in my local newspaper, believe it or not.  I've tried many other scone recipes over the years, but this one is still my favorite.  There's just nothing like the smell of warm scones coming out of the oven in the morning!

1.  In a large mixing bowl stir together 2 cups flour, 2 T sugar, 2 t baking powder, 1/2 t baking soda, 1/2 t salt, and the grated peel of one lemon or an orange.

2.  Then cut in 1 stick of softened butter with a pastry blender.  Mix until it resembles coarse meal.


3.  Add 1 C chopped dried fruit, any kind you like.  I prefer apricots, craisins, dried cherries, figs, dates, dried mangoes, candied ginger...
And add 1 C chopped nuts.  I like walnuts, almonds or pecans.  I usually use a rolling pin to smash the walnuts into small pieces.

4.  Stir in 3/4 C buttermilk.  I always make mine on the spot with 1 T vinegar added to milk and let to curdle.

5.  The dough will be very sticky.  Turn it onto a floured board and press it out to 3/4 to 1 inch thickness, keeping your hands well floured.  Sprinkle more buttermilk and a generous coating of sugar on the top.


6.  Cut scones into baking shapes.  Traditional scones are  wedge shaped, but I prefer them to be small squares.  I use a sharp knife, cut, and transfer them onto a non-stick baking sheet.

7.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes until nicely browned.  You could top these with a thin glaze if you like, or dust them with powdered sugar, but we like them au naturel.  They freeze well and are easy to pack for lunches or snacks.

Bon Appétit!

Cleaning Windows Baby Steps

Well, it's finally warming up...and who feels like doing a lot of cleaning - NOT ME!  That's why I like Baby Steps, little bits of cleaning here and there that don't wear me out and take me away from the beautiful weather!

Yesterday and today I wiped down some windowsills.  That's it.  Once it gets warm I LOVE to open windows - and the first thing I see is this:

So I get a rag and some spray cleaner and squirt and wipe the sills.

I stop there - no window cleaning today - just a few wipes of windowsills so that I can open the windows and not see the winter dirt.  I'll clean some windows another time when I feel like it.  Not today!  It's too nice and my back porch with a book is calling my name!

Plant Some Greens!

I don't do much in my garden in March and April here in Western PA, EXCEPT for planting some greens.  Here's my spring game plan:

On the first semi-decent day after the freezing snow and ice are gone I walk around and just take stock, see what damage has been done.  I pick up garbage blown into the beds from the winter winds and start planning for new plants.

       Then I wait...and wait...and sometime early in April I see if I can find some Kale plants and lettuce seeds.  I found Kale and Collard Greens at Lowe's and planted them in one of my raised beds. Last year I had 4 Kale plants and they were unstoppable - they didn't mind the cold or the heat.  They kept producing leaves right through November.  I'm a huge Kale fan and love to cook with it.  This year I'll add Collards to my repertoire and find new recipes for these super foods.

I also sprinkled 2 packets of lettuce seeds, Black Seeded Simpson and Mesclun Mix, all around the edge of my raised bed garden where we will put tomatoes and basil in the summer.  The lettuce loves the cold weather and thrives even when the temperatures go near freezing.  Last year I loved going out to the garden from May into July with my scissors and a bowl to fill up with beautiful fresh greens for that evening's salad.  I'll replant sometime in August for fall salad greens.

If you look very closely here you can see some lettuce sprouts after only one week in the ground!  Spring is here!!! Yippie!

Cooper vs. Daisy

This is a really funny dog video that my brother sent me.  It got me thinking...

Am I more like Daisy??

    
           ...or Cooper??

I hope I'm a Daisy, but I'm probably not...

I think we all need to ponder this after watching the video!

Daisy vs. Cooper Video

Pizza Dough 101

I've been making my own pizza and bread dough for over 30 years.  It's not hard - and it's quicker than ordering out! Once you get the hang of making dough with a food processor, the possibilities are endless.  You'll make so many people happy by baking for them!  Here goes...

1.  Mix 2-3 Tbs dry yeast with a pinch of sugar and 1/2 cup warm (not hot) water in a cup.  Let it sit for at least 5 minutes, this is called "proofing" the yeast.  It wakes it up so that it is ready to work on your flour.  It should start to bubble and foam.

2.  In a food processor with a blade insert, put 3 cups of flour and 1 tsp of salt.  Add the yeast water and pulse the mixture for 30 seconds.  With the processor on low speed, add a thin stream of water until the mixture starts to come together like this...

Keep processing and add a little more water until it comes together in a ball and rolls around.






3.  Put it in an oiled bowl, cover with a towel and let it rise until doubled in size - around 30 - 45 minutes.

4.  If you're making pizza, this is enough for a 16 inch round pie.  I push the dough into my pan by hand.  You could roll it out on a floured surface if you want or throw it in the air if you want some drama!

5.  Now comes the fun part - toppings!  I make lots of different kinds of pizzas. Some of our favorites are sausage, beef, bacon, green peppers, red peppers, olives, onions...

6.  If you like Pesto, just mix some (1/3 cup) with some cheese, spread it on the dough and top with tomatoes, roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes...

7.  Another favorite is a white pizza.  This is a ricotta pie topped with peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. I spread 2 Tbsp olive oil and dry garlic flakes on the dough, then cover with a thin layer of ricotta, sprinkle some pizza cheese over the top, add toppings, black pepper and some Italian spices.

8.  I bake my pizzas at 375 degrees plus convection (which is like 400 degrees) and switch them from upper to lower rack every 5 minutes until everything is nicely browned.

9.  The same dough makes beautiful bread or rolls.  Just shape it into the form you want after the first rising, let it rise again and then bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes until nicely browned.  These are rolls I brushed with milk and sprinkled poppy seeds onto.  They freeze nicely.  If you like whole wheat - just mix it half and half with white flour!

Butterflied Chicken with Carrots and Salt-Roasted Potatoes

Here's another super recipe from my friend, Beth.

The photo makes me hungry!  Enjoy...

Butterflied Chicken with Carrots and Salt-Roasted Potatoes

If cooking a whole chicken is intimidating you can easily use any bone-in skin-on pieces you like. But there is something very satisfying about bringing a whole roast bird to the table, and it's much easier than you might think.

1 small (4-5 lbs) chicken
Olive or other oil
6 large peeled carrots cut in large pieces
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Garlic powder
Medium sized red potatoes - make a good amount. I tend to make more than I need because these go fast and are really good leftover.
Small bunch of chives - optional

Preheat the oven to 425•F.
Take the chicken and pull any gizzards out of the cavity. Use kitchen shears or heavy duty scissors to cut down each side of the backbone to remove it. Place the bird spread open breast side up in a greased roasting pan or large cast iron skillet. Pat dry with paper towels and rub with a tablespoon or so of oil. Put the carrots around the chicken. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper to the chicken and some to the carrots along with a sprinkle of garlic powder over everything.

For the potatoes, rub them with oil and sprinkle with a generous amount of salt. If there is room in your chicken pan you can put them in there but they can also be baked alongside in their own dish.

Sprinkle chopped chives over the chicken and potatoes and bake for about 1 hr 15 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken. Half way through cooking baste the chicken with the pan drippings and turn the carrots and potatoes over, salting the potatoes on the other side when you do. To check if your chicken is done pierce it in the thickest part of the thigh and if the juices run clear it's ready.
Enjoy!

Chicken Taco Chili

Here's a great healthy recipe that a friend gave me from "skinnytaste.com" that I altered a little.  When I was faced with the challenge of feeding growing teenagers who didn't like lots of vegetables, I found ways to sneak them into dishes like this!

I prepare this "Rachael Ray" style - chop and add to the pot as you go.  It needs to simmer for 30-45 minutes once everything is added.  Serve with rice, taco chips or pasta, and top with a dollop of sour cream or cheddar cheese and some fresh cilantro.

1.  Chop one large onion, mince a couple cloves of garlic, and brown them in a couple tablespoons of oil slowly in a heavy-bottomed pot.  I like to give onions some time to caramelize before adding everything else.

2.  While that's going, chop 2 bell peppers (I love red and yellow!), a carrot, and some cabbage.  Add them to the pot and let them cook down for about 5 minutes.

3.  Here are some more ingredients:  2 cans black beans drained, 2 cans chopped tomatoes (I use my frozen garden tomatoes), 1 can green chilies, Taco Seasoning Mix - Add all these plus, 1 Tbs cumin, 1 Tbs chili powder, 1 jalapeno pepper chopped, 3-4 Tbs tomato paste,1-2 cups frozen corn, 2-3 tsp salt...

 and a 3 pound bag of boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into large chunks like this...



4.  Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer and let it cook slowly for 30-45 minutes.  My guys love the flavor and all the meat in this.  I love getting all those vegetables into them!!

I like that I can control the fat content by adding the amount of cheese or sour cream I want to each serving!

This makes a lot and freezes beautifully.  I fill a Pyrex container for the next week!  Let me know what you think of this one...

Danni's Kitchen Renovation - Part 1

I asked my friend, Danni, to write about her adventures in kitchen remodeling - so here's part one!

I'm in the middle of a kitchen renovation, and I guess there is no better time than right now to write a guest post!  First off, I must say that I believe we have the best contractor in the whole world.  I am certainly appreciating him more and more every day.  I also hired the cutest handyman in the world, my husband, Bob! 

Although it doesn't look like much at this stage, we are well on the way to a new kitchen.  Quite a bit of work has already been done, electrical, plumbing, flooring, drywall, and lighting.   All that foundation work in two weeks!  I must tell you that renovations are not for the squeamish or weak of heart!

Right away, we were faced with many, many decisions.  The cute handyman was not much help.  "This is your kitchen," he would say.  "Whatever you want!"  What I wanted was for HIM to tell me what I wanted.  Oh well....we made it through that part.  We decided on the design, granite, appliances, cabinets, color, sink, faucet and drawer and door pulls.

Cooking while the reno has been kind of fun.  What can I make in a crock pot? Needless to say, neither one of has lost any weight!

Three weeks in and we are winding down.  Still need to choose the backsplash, but it's starting to look like a kitchen!