Chicken Piccata

                               This was my recipe experiment for the week--it was yummy!

Love, Truly 

Chicken Piccata

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (or use cutlets)

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup flour

Salt and pepper

4 Tbsp olive oil

4 Tbsp butter

1 tsp minced garlic

1 cup chicken stock or dry white wine

6 Tbsp lemon juice

dash red pepper flakes (optional)

1/4 cup brined capers

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Cut the chicken breast halves horizontally, butterflying them open. If the breast pieces you are working with are large, you may want to cut them each into two pieces. If the pieces are still thick after butterflying, put them between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound them with a meat hammer to 1/4-inch thickness.

Mix together the flour, salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan. Rinse the chicken pieces in water. Dredge them thoroughly in the flour mixture, until well coated.

Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add half of the chicken pieces, do not crowd the pan. Brown well on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve to a plate. Cook the other breasts in the same manner, remove from pan. Cover with aluminum foil and keep warm in the oven while you prepare the sauce.

Add the chicken stock (or white wine), lemon juice, and capers to the pan. Use a spatula to scrape up the browned bits. Reduce the sauce by half. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Plate the chicken and serve with the sauce poured over the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. (i didn't do parsley--and I forgot the garlic) 

Mozzarella Cheese Ball

I know cheese ball season is over....but this is about as easy as it gets...and SO good!

Mozzarella Cheese Ball

8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1/2 package (4 1/2 tsp) dry ranch dressing mix

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

finely chopped pecans

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well.  

Form mixture into a ball and roll in chopped pecans.  

Refrigerate before serving with crackers.

(this made enough for two baseball size balls)
*Truly*

Gingersnap Cookies

This is my favorite gingersnap cookie recipe!

*truly*

Ingredients

• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1/3 cup cinnamon sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture to blend evenly, and sift a second time into another bowl.
3. Place the shortening into a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Gradually beat in the white sugar. Beat in the egg, and dark molasses. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the shortening mixture; stir to thoroughly blend. Sift in the remaining flour mixture, and mix together until a soft dough forms. Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll into 1 inch diameter balls between your hands. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar, and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked, about 10 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.

CHOCOLATE/PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIES

1 batch brownies (boxed mix)

1/2 cup salted peanuts

1 cup chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups

1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

Mix brownies according to directions, and bake for 20-25 minutes in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Remove and top with peanuts and peanut butter cups, and bake for 4-6 minutes more.

While they are finishing baking, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Stir in cereal. Remove brownies from oven and evenly pour chocolate mixture over top.

Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

These are LOADED with richness

TRULY

Chicken Croissants and Spinach Salad

Chicken Croissant Sandwiches:

 4 Grilled chicken breasts

4 large croissants 

4 slices of swiss cheese
Romaine lettuce

tomatoes

honey mustard dressing

(Grill the chicken, add the honey mustard to the croissants, add the romaine and sliced tomatoes and enjoy.)

Honey Mustard:

2 c mayo

1 c mustard

1 c honey

Salad:
baby spinach

chopped apple

chopped Havarti Dill cheese

Craisins

Sugared walnuts

(I used olive oil and brown sugar and stir fried the walnuts until coated, let cool)

Maple Cider Vinaigrette:

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 c cider vinegar
1/4 c maple syrup

1 T lemon juice

1 clove minced garlic

1 cup olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

It's what's for Dinner...and it was GOOD!

Happy eating!

Bon Bon

VEGGIE FAJITAS

I KNOW...brilliant, right?

What to do with all those veggies in the garden...I came up with these. Stroll out to your garden and pick some fresh veggies or drive to the local market and pick up some up.  Slice, dice and throw them into a heated skillet with some EVO.

Next...send your daughter outside to pick an avacado off your tree and slice it up.

Then pull out some wheat tortillas, sour cream and MJ cheese.  If I had some salsa verde, I would have pulled that out too.  (next time)

I like my tortillas slightly fried but you can eat them plain too.  Go with whatever you're feeling that night.  Slather some sour cream on the bottom and top with the veggies, cheese, avacado and salsa.  (if you are smarter than me and remembered to pick some up while grocery shopping)

I grilled some chicken for the chickens who didn't want their fajitas completely vegetarian.  Here is a fajita unfried with chicken.  It's just as tasty.

See?  She LOVED it!

Two thumbs up for dinner.

You're welcome.  Bon Bon

Moist Chocolate Zucchini Cake

I made this yesterday and it was SO GOOD!  I brought it to a luncheon with some friends of mine and even the kids couldn't get enough of it (along with the husbands).  It's super moist.  If you are tired of zucchini bread...try this.

Ingredients:
1/2 c butter

1/2 c applesauce

1 3/4 c sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

1/2 c buttermilk

2 1/2 c flour

4 T cocoa powder

1/2 t bp

1 t bs

1/2 t cinnamon

2 c shredded zucchini

3/4 c chocolate chips

Beat butter, applesauce and sugar well. Add in eggs, vanilla and buttermilk.  Mix well.  Sift in dry ingredients and create a batter.  Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips. Pour into greased cake pans.  Bake 325 for 30 min or so.  Cool 15 minutes before removing from pan.  Frost with chocolate frosting.

Frosting:
3 c pwd sugar

2/3 c cocoa pwd

1 t vanilla

1/3 c milk

1 stick butter

ENJOY!

Bon Bon

FRESH MOZZARELLA, TOMATO and BASIL SANDWICHES

Stevie couldn't wait long enough for the sandwich so I gave her the mozzarella, basil and tomato drizzled in balsamic vinegar and virgin olive oil with salt and freshly crushed pepper.  MMMMMM!

 But if you are patient enough to wait the five minutes it takes to make these sandwiches, your mouth will thank you.  Here are the ingredients you will need:

 I bought italian bread and sliced it, brushed with olive oil and grilled the bread on my grill pan. (highly recommended)  Then placed one slice of garden tomato (thanks mom), a big leaf of basil, a slice of mozzarella and some pepper and salt.  See how excited Kayla is?

 These did NOT disappoint!  

Go pick some tomatoes and basil from your garden and
MAKE THESE TONIGHT!

Lovingly, BON BON

Ciabatta Bread

I LOVE Ciabatta bread.  It's my favorite.  It's probably just easier to buy it in the store but I promise you will NOT be sorry.  This is a great recipe with great results.  (Use for sandwich below) Ingredients:  For the Sponge  1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour  1 cup water  1/4 teaspoon instant yeast  For the Dough  Sponge (from above)  1 teaspoon instant yeast  1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour   1 1/2 teaspoons salt  1 teaspoon sugar  1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk  1/4 to 1/2 cup water  2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions: For the Sponge:  Mix the sponge ingredients, in a small bowl, until well combined. Let the sponge rest overnight, covered, or for up to 15 hours.   Place all of the dough ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer, and beat it at medium speed, using the flat beater, for 5 to 8 minutes. The dough will never completely clear the sides of the bowl, though it'll begin to acquire some shape. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours; it will get very puffy. Transfer the dough to a well-oiled work surface. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet, and your hands. Using a bench knife or your fingers, divide the dough in half. Handling the dough gently, stretch it into a log about 10-inches long, and place it on the baking sheet. Flatten the log with your fingers till it's about 10-inches long and 4 to 5-inches wide. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough. Lightly cover the dough with heavily oiled plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for 1 hour; it'll become quite puffy. Oil your fingers, and gently poke deep holes all over the dough. Re-oil the plastic wrap, re-cover the dough, and allow it to rise for an additional hour.  Dust the dough very lightly with flour. Bake it in a preheated 425°F (220°C) oven, throwing four or five ice cubes on the floor of the oven as you put the bread in. Allow the ciabatta to bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it's golden brown. Turn off the oven, remove the ciabatta from the baking sheet, and return the loaf to the oven, propping the oven door open a couple of inches with a folded-over potholder. Allow the ciabatta to cool completely in the oven; this will give it a very crisp crust.

Bon Bon

Blue and Turkey Cafe Cobb

I love Cobb salad...it's one of my favorites.  This is a sandwich version.  You can alter at to your liking.  This is how I like it:

1 Tbsp. mayo 

1 Tbsp. Crumbled Blue Cheese

ciabatta roll

1 slice tomato

1/4 cup  shredded lettuce

4 slices  Deli Fresh Shaved Honey Smoked Turkey Breast

2 slices Bacon, cooked

1/4 cup  thin avocado slices

                                                                                         Bon Bon