Sauteed Chicken with cherry tomatoes , olives , Feta and Mint

Whenever I want to eat like I am in the Mediterrean , I chose recipes like this one from Cook’s Illustrated. This has all the elements I look for in a dish , simple ,elegant, healthy and colorful , hence very appetizing. I simply serve some fresh whole grain bread or Orzo with this and dinner is done.

Serves 4

1/2 cup unbleached All purpose flour

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts , tenderloins removed and breasts trimmed.

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tbs olive oil , plus 2 more tsp , if needed

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 pt cherry tomatoes , halved

1/2 cup Kalamata olives , pitted

1-2 tbs water (if needed)

2 oz feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup shredded mint or basil leaves

Place flour in shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Working with one chicken breast at a time , dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

Heat 2 tbs of oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and cook until well browned on one side 6 to 8 minutes.

Flip the chicken over , reduce the heat to medium low , and continue to cook until the thickest part of the breast registers 160 -165* on an instant read thermometer , 6 -8 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a serving platter , tent loosely with foil ,allow to rest.

Add 2 tsps of oil and garlic to skillet and cook over medium high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and olives, scraping up any browned bits ( if necessary , add enough of the water to help loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pan ). Cook until the tomatoes are just softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in any accumulated chicken juices and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Off the heat , stir in remaining 2 tbs olive oil and pour tomatoes over chicken , sprinkle with Feta and mint. Serve.

Melting Moments

I have always loved the name of these delightful ,melt in your mouth cookies.  There are many versions of this delicious cookie , but ,I kid you not , this is the best. The cookies have a slight crunch from quick cook oatmeal and then rolled in dessidicated coconut, if that is not enough the cookies are sandwiched with a refreshing orange cream, optional ,ofcourse.

Makes 15

Cookies

7 oz unsalted butter , at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup superfine sugar

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup custard powder or cornstarch

2 tbs quick cook oatmeal

2 tbs dessidicated coconut

Filling

2 tbs unsalted butter , at room temperature

3 Heaping tbs powdered sugar

1 tsp orange zest

2 tsp orange juice

Cookies

Preheat oven to 350*F

Beat butter and sugar till creamy, stir in vanilla.  Fold in flour ,baking powder , salt ,oatmeal and custard powder, just until incorporated. Roll dough into 30 walnut sized balls and roll in coconut. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, pressing down gently with a fork.Bake for approximately 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

FILLING

Beat all ingredients until creamy. Sandwich  cookies with this cream. Serve

Spiced Chicken Thighs in Tomato broth with Olives and chickpeas

I love this Moroccan inspired Tagine style    recipe because it is an all in one meal, just serve with a simple salad and some pita bread.

The recipe uses chicken thighs as they are flavorful and remain juicy even with longer cooking.

Serves 2

Source Cuisine

COMBINE

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp cayenne

pinch salt

 

4 chicken thighs

1/2 cup diced onion

1 tbs fresh minced ginger

1 tbs minced garlic

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tsp tomato paste

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup Kalamata olives , pitted and halved

1 tbs honey

1 lemon , cut into wedges

1 bay leaf

Chopped fresh parsley

salt to taste

Combine spices and salt in a dish , then rub over chicken thighs; let stand 5 minutes. Heat oil in a skillet over medium, add chicken, skin side down , and saute until browned on both sides, 10 minutes total. Remove chicken and pour off all but 1 tbs drippings.

Add onion and saute 3 minutes, stir in the ginger ,garlic ,red pepper flakes and cinnamon stick ; cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Deglaze with wine and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Simmer until liquid evaporates.

Add tomatoes, broth , chickpeas, olives , honey ,lemon and bay leaf; stir to combine. Arrange chicken on top, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is reduced, 20 to 25 minutes.

Finish with parsley and salt just before serving.

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Penne with pistachios , Asparagus and cream

For years Mary Ann Esposito  has been inspiring us with her Italian creations. There is really no greater convience food than pasta to me, it is the ultimate pantry staple, seriously. Here Mary Ann has combined this dish with fresh asparagus , but I have used fresh or frozen artichokes too, feel free to substitute pistachios for pine nuts or any nut of your choice.

Serves 4

1/3 cup pistachio nuts , toasted

1 lb thin asparagus , cut into thirds, sauted in 1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 large clove garlic , peeled and halved lenthwise

1/4 tsp ground white pepper

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 cup half and half

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 lb penne pasta

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano -Reggiano

Saute garlic in butter in a saute pan over medium heat, when the edges start to brown , remove and discard garlic.

Add the Asparagus and pepper. Increase heat to high and pour in the wine , stirring for about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium.

Pour the half and half and cream over Asparagus mixture and simmer about 2 minutes. season with salt; Keep warm while boiling the pasta.

Prepare penne according to package directions; drain and return to the pot. Combine Asparagus sauce with pasta, stirring over low heat. Add cheese, stirring until it melts; transfer to a platter.

Garnish with pistachio nuts and serve immediately.

Eggless Fruit and nut spice cake

Years ago I found this recipe in a magazine submitted by a reader. I was  entitled grandma’s applesauce cake, since then I have renamed it my favorite eggless fruit and nut spice cake for good reason. This is great served on its own or  dusted with powdered sugar with a little whipped cream and fresh berries on the side , my great indulgence!!!

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

2 tsp baking Soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground mace

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tbs cornstarch

3 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups unsweetened apple sauce

1 stick (1/2 cup ) unsalted butter , melted. ( if vegan use soy margarine or canola oil)

Preheat oven to 325*F. Butter and line with parchment a 9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by by 2 3/4 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl whisk together flour , sugar , baking soda , salt , spices , cornstarch and cocoa powder , combine well. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Pour into prepared pan and bake about 1 hour till done. Cool in pan for 15 minutes on a wire rack, invert to continue coolin. Dust with powdered sugar idf desired.

Stir fried shrimp with crispy basil

Crispy Basil turns your dish from ordinary to professional looking. It is a very simple process but requires bone dry basil for deep frying or you will have a kitchen splattered with oil. This recipe calls for spicy Thai rec curry paste , home made or store bought, I use Mae Ploy brand , it is consistently great.

Source Gourmet

Serves 4

FOR CRISPY BASIL

Several cups peanut oil for deep frying

1 cup firmly packed Thai basil leaves , washed , spun dry and patted very dry

2 tbs peanut oil

1 lb large shrimp , shelled , leaving tail and first shell section intact and deveined

1 small onion , halved lengthwise and sliced thin5 tsp Thai red curry paste

1 red bell pepper , cut into thin strips

1 medium vine ripened tomato , seeded and chopped

2 tbs Asian fish sauce

1 1/2 tsp palm sugar or firmly packed light brown sugar

Make crispy basil

In a large saucepan at least 4 inches deep heat 1 inch oil over moderately high heat to 350*F. Working in small batches, briefly fry small handfuls of basil until translucent  and crisp , 5 to 15 seconds. Transfer basil with a slotted spoon as fried to paper towels to drain.

Heat a wok over high heat until hot and add 2 tsp oil. Heat oil ,swirling to coat wok, until it begins to smoke and stir fry shrimp until pink and just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp with slotted spoon to a bowl.

Add remaining 4 tsp oil to wok and heat until hot but not smoking.Add onion and curry paste and stir fry for 1 1/2 minutes. Add bell pepper and stirfry until almost tender 2 to 3 minutes. Add shrimp and tomato and stir fry 1 minute. Add fish sauce and sugar and stir fry 30 seconds , or until combined well.

Remove wok or skillet from heat and add one third crispy basil to shrimp mixture , tossing to combine well. Transfer mixture to a platter and garnish with remaining crispy basil.

Eggless Fudge Nut Drops

I often sing the praises of one of my favorite teachers Carole Walter, but it cannot be helped, she really comes up with the best tasting ,precise recipes. These flourless cookies are very candy like . They are rich with chocolate and nuts. These cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature , refridgerated or frozen.

Photograph by Rahul Mahtani

one 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

2 oz unsweetened chocolate , chopped

2 oz bittersweet chocolate , chopped

1 tbs unsalted butter, slightly firm

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 cup finely chopped sweetened flake coconut

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

3/4 cup unskinned , sliced almonds , toasted

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment.

In a medium , heavy bottomed saucepan , combine the condensed milk and chocolates. Cook over low heat , stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat, add butter and whisk until smooth and shiny. Blend in vanilla and almond extracts. Stir in coconut, almonds and walnuts.

Drop by heaping teaspoons onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes until the tops are just set, but still soft to the touch. Remove from over and let stand for 2 to 3 minutes before loosening with a thin , metal spatula. Transfer to cooling racks.

Store in an airtight container.

Southwestern Chicken panini with cilantro pesto and chipoltle mayonnaise

Paninis are really a grilled sandwich. During my childhood I spent a great deal of time in Rome ,Italy, where I was first intoduced to the panini at Tavola Caldas ,Italy’s “upscale ” cafes. Mostly with procuitto and cheese. Paninis have come a long way from the classic. This one is terrific. It uses rotisserie chicken , easily available at most supermarkets. This is another winner from Cusine.

Makes 2 sandwiches

2 cups packed cilantro leaves4 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno pepper , seeded and chopped

Juice of 1/2 lime

pinch of salt

2 tbs olive oil

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tbs minced canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

4 slices white or wheat sour dough bread (1/2 inch thick)

2 oz pepper jack or Havarti cheese , thinly sliced

3 oz rotisserie chicken , torn into large pieces

Pulse cilantro , garlic , jalapeno , lime juice and salt for the pesto in a food processor until minced;scrape down sides of bowl. With machine running , drizzle in oil until paste forms.

Combine mayonnaise , chipotle and sugar in a small bowl.

Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread; spread mayonnaise on other sides of two slices and pesto on other two slices. Top pesto with cheese, then the chicken; place the other two slices of bread on top buttered sides up.

Toast sandwiches on both sides.

Eggless Buttermilk Coffee cake

Coffee cake is a great breakfast treat. This eggless version is as light as a feather. Trouble is the recipe is never enough  for all that try this, don’t say I did not warn you.

This recipe comes from Terese Pregnall more affectionaely known as The Charleston Cake Lady.

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter ,softened

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375*F. Grease an 8 inch square pan.

Sift together flour ,sugar , baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and y=salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut in the butter with 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs .

Reserve 1/2 cup of this crumb mixture. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon to the remaining crumb mixture. Dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk and add to the crumb mixture, stirring until the dry ingredients are well moistened. Add vanilla.

Pour batter into prepared pan , sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture. Bake for 35 minutes or until the cake is lightly browned on top.

Cool in pan, cut into 12 squares when completely cold.

Peppercorn pork with Dijon -cider sauce

This is a real thirty minute meat , and so elegant and intensely flavored you would never guess. The great part is that it uses lean , super tender pork loin. Heavenly

Cusine

Serves 2

10 oz pork tenderloin , trimmed , cut into four  2 inch thick medallions and seasoned with salt.

1 tbs whole peppercorn blend, crushed

2 tbs olive oil , divided

1 tbs minced shallots

2 tsp tomato paste

1/4  cup dry white wine

1 cup apple juice or cider

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbs dijon mustard

salt to taste

Dredge one side of each medallion in peppercorns. Heat 1 tbs oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add medallions, pepper side down, about 3 minutes. Turn medallions and continue cooking until pork reaches and internal temperature of 145* on an instant read thermometer, about 6 more minutes. Transfer medallions to a plate, tent them with foil and let them rest.

Saute shallots and tomato paste in remaining 1 tbs oil in same skillet over medium heat 1 minute.

Deglaze pan with wine and simmer until nearly evaporated. Increase heat to high, add apple juice and vinegar, and simmer until reduced to 1/3 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk in mustard and season with salt. Serve pork with sauce.