Lemon and Sundried Tomato Chicken w/ Goat Cheese

Last weekend one of my long time friends got married!  I've known her since she was in 6th or 7th grade (same as my younger brother).  It was surreal watching her walk down the aisle to marry the man of her dreams and celebrate their little family coming together (they have the most beautiful 10 month old daughter!) 

Last February when I was babysitting for them, I happened to come across their menu. I couldn't stop myself from reading through it.  Immediately I knew it was from a pick and choose menu, but the selection sounded really good so I didn't jump to any conclusions.  And I am glad I didn't judge, because the food was seriously delicious!  They used A Dream Come True.  The menu selection is a little overwhelming, but they have some unique offerings in addition to the classic prime rib stand-bys (in every price range!).  If all of their food is as great as last Saturday, I would not hesitate suggesting you use them.

In addition to the fabulous dessert display (which my dad could have devoured by himself), the stand out dish was the "Lemon Dream Chicken".  Perfectly portioned airline breasts in a creamy lemon sauce with sundried tomatoes and goat cheese.  The only thing I wasn't crazy about was that the skin was left on and it hadn't been crisped, so it was rubbery and soggy.  I seemed to be the only person bothered by it though.  I had to recreate this dish, and my result was just as delicious (and probably less fattening.)  I'm telling you this sauce is amazing over the chicken, over vegetables, on a spoon....

w/ Basil Quinoa and Squash Baked in Tomato Sauce

Lemon and Sundried Tomato Chicken w/ Goat Cheese
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
1 C low sodium chicken broth
1/2 C low fat milk
1/4 C chopped sundried tomatoes in oil (+ 1 tsp of the oil)
2 Tbsp low fat cream cheese
1 tsp lemon zest + juice of one lemon
3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper

   Roast chicken that has been liberally salt and peppered at 375 deg F for 20 minutes.
   Melt butter with tomato oil in a sauce pan over med heat.  Whisk in flour so it is smooth. 
   Combine broth, milk, and lemon juice (it is best if it is room temp.)  Whisk liquid slowly into pot so there are no lumps and lemon juice does not curdle the milk.  Whisk in cream cheese.  Add sun dried tomatoes and lemon zest.  (It shouldn't need any salt, but adjust seasoning to taste.)
   Pull chicken out of oven and remove skin.  Spread a little bit of the sauce on chicken.  Return to 375 deg F oven for 15-20 minutes until chicken in cooked through.
   Serve chicken on the bone or slice off the bone.  Spoon more sauce over and top with goat cheese.
   Serves 4.

The Clay Pit

I have an Indian restaurant near me again!  Maybe a little too near.  It is only about 3 minutes from house.  I've been getting food from the Clay Pit for years (when I lived in Murfreesboro before,) but I was a good, solid 10 minutes away so that prevented me from overdosing on vindaloo.  In the last month and half I think we've gotten food from there three times.  That is rather unheard of for us (unless we are talking about Blue Coast Burrito).

I should probably explain why we always get take out from the Clay Pit and don't actually dine-in.  The place is clean but with the old tables, old chairs, and odd red tube lighting gives the impression that everything is coated is a thin film of grease.  (NOT true though!)  It is the red lighting that really gets me.  At night, it casts a rather off-putting hue over the dining room.  Also, we don't often treat ourselves to take out and it is so close, so why not relax at home with a delicious curry?

Let's start with my absolute favorite dish on the menu:  chicken vindaloo.  This is the best vindaloo I've had.  It is the perfect balance of spice, acidity, and tomato-y sweetness with tender chunks of meat.

The samosa chaat is probably the hubs' favorite thing.  It is the traditional Indian savory pastry filled with spiced potatoes and sweet green peas smothered in a spicy chick pea sauce and cool yogurt.

The last time, we tried the alu palak.  The potatoes are simmered in a mild, smooth, spinach sauce.  From what I can tell, palak is essentially the same as saag (saagwala).  The differences are minor regional variations in technique and spices.  (If someone knows better than me, I would love to know!)

And don't forget the naan.  The garlic naan is fantastic!  Soft, chewy, slightly crusty from the tandoori.  Oh, did I mention that The Clay Pit uses authentic tandoori ovens?  Smack in the middle of the open kitchen.  Seeing those and the aromatic smell of cumin and garlic lingering in the air, I knew the food was going to be delicious the first time I set foot in the place.

The Clay Pit

1813 Memorial Blvd.

Murfreesboro, TN 37129

615-904-6262

(Buffet-Dine in-Carry out-Catering)

Wednesday Redirection

As you know, I've been working on a collaborative project called Save the Artist for the last few months.  Things are really taking steam over there!  We are about to kick off with a bunch of fun stuff for fall.  Wednesdays here will probably redirect you to my latest post for STA.  Seeing as I am babysitting a very alert and rambunctious little 10 month old girl right now, it seems appropriate to begin this redirection today!

Mini-Golf to Creative Foundation

Enjoy!



Garlic Spinach Mashed Potatoes

I don't know about you, but I love spinach mixed up in mashed potatoes.  You've probably seen Rachael Ray slinging the two together.  There is a reason she keeps including the combo into her menus.  It seriously is delicious.  Also, it is a great (and easy) way to include more dark greens into you diet.  Or if you have a picky eater at the table, they will be hard pressed to say no to these, especially if you throw a little cheese into them.  I know only one person who doesn't love mashed potatoes and that is because she is weird.

And it may seem strange to mix in fresh basil to mashed potatoes, but that herby hint of flavor is so good.  You don't have to do it.  I do suggest you give it a try, though.

Garlic Spinach Mashed Potatoes
4 med potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
2 med cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
5 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and most of water squeezed out
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (optional)
1/4-1/3 C milk
1 Tbsp butter or extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

   Cut potatoes into large chunks.  (Leave skin on or peel it off, whatever you like.  I leave it on.)  Cover with water in a large pot, add the garlic,  and liberally salt.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender.  Drain off water.  Return to pot (with garlic cloves.)
   Add butter (or oil), some milk and the spinach.  Mash with a potato masher to desired texture adding more milk if needed.  Fold in herbs.  Salt and pepper to taste.
   Serves 4.

Perfect with pork and zucchini  

  

Lemon Oregano Pork and Zucchini

I can't fully explain how much I love this cooler weather!  In my opinion, it is perfect grilling weather.  Alright, I think most weather is grilling weather, but this is the best.  You don't dread the extra heat billowing from the grill.  You can just sit outside and relax while your dinner cooks.

Last week we threw together this rub for some pork and zucchini with things we had lying around.  It was delicious on both.  Likewise, it would be great on poultry, meaty seafood like halibut or shrimp, mushrooms... really, just about anything.  I love when a seasoning blend is so versatile.

Lemon Oregano Rub
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp pepper

   Combine ingredients.
   Serves 4.  Enough for 4 3/4-inch pork loin chops (a medium sized piece of meat, ~6 oz) or 4 large zucchini.
   Lightly rub whatever you are cooking with oil then spread rub on both sides.  Cook as desired.  Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Ferrari-Carano Cabernet Sauvignon (2008)

My friend got me a bottle of Ferrari-Carano Cabernet Sauvignon as a house warming gift.  I had never heard of the winery before.  No surprise considering the liquor stores I've lived near lately are stocked to the brim with Alice White and Arbor Mist.  My normal go-tos are Yellowtail and Barefoot, so when I took the first sip of this, I was taken aback. 

It is a beautiful, rich, complex red perfect for the cooling nights we've been experiencing lately.  It starts with a fruity, peppery sharpness that is welcoming, not overwhelming.  And it has an incredibly smooth, buttery, earthy finish.

"With aromas of dark cherry, vanilla, mocha, and earthy elements of mineral,

this wine delights with delicious flavors of vibrant, red berry pie, caramel

and fresh boysenberry. Lingering sweet oak adds excellent depth."

~Vineyard's description

Unless you have a lot of money to spend on wine, this is unfortunately not practical as an every day wine.  The good news is that it is not going to set you back too much or break the bank if you decide to purchase a bottle as a gift or for a special occasion.  For the "Classic Wines" produced by Ferrari-Carano you can expect to pay between $15-$30.  The reds are characteristically more expensive than the whites.  Ferrari-Carano is a California based winery, so that keeps the price down a bit.  A French wine of this caliber would probably be about $45-$50.

(By the way, don't you love my wine glasses?  They are hand blown/formed blue and clear glass.)

Browse the website for more info an varieties and amazing gift baskets.  They also produce their own estate olive oil!

Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery

 



Eggplant and Sweet Potato Korma

My little brother went through a vegetarian phase a while ago.  He stuck with it for almost 3 years which is surprising because he loves steak and bread and even to this day is not terribly keen on veg.  He lived off soy patties and carbs.  Trying to temp with delicious green things, we picked up vegetarian cookbook that incorporates a lot of dairy and eggs into the dishes.  Its just a simple book, one of those that is displayed between the set of doors when you enter a bookstore and habitually marked 30% off, but it is a really fantastic book.  I've gotten so many ideas for sides, simple lunches, and dinners from it. 

I adapted this recipe from the korma recipe in the book.  I couldn't find garam masala in NC, so I used what I had which, oddly enough, is whole spices.  But the flavor from the whole spices is amazing!  I used different vegetables and I made my version a lot less fattening.  It is fragrant, hearty, rich, and healthy (my version at least.)  So wonderful for a chilly night.

Eggplant and Sweet Potato Korma

1 onion, sliced

2 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste*

2 Tbsp butter

2 tsp oil

6 cardamom pods (1 tsp ground)

1 3-inch cinnamon stick (1/2 tsp ground)

1 star anise

1 lrg bay leaf

1 Tbsp ground coriander

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

 3/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red pepper flake (optional)



1-1 1/2 C water

2 lrg sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (3/4 inch pieces)

1 med eggplant, cubed (3/4 inch pieces)

1 14-oz can chick peas, drained

1 1/2 C frozen green peas (thawed)

1/2 C low fat yogurt

1/4 C cream

Salt and pepper

chopped cashews and cilantro

   Heat butter and oil over med heat in a large skillet.  Saute onion until tender, 5-7 minutes.  Add ginger-garlic paste and all spices.  (*Ginger garlic paste is available in Indian markets; it is just equal parts of the two ingredients.  Convenient, but you can use 1 Tbsp of each and it tastes the same.)

   Add 1 C water and sweet potatoes.  Salt and pepper potatoes  Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked about half through.

   Add eggplant and chick peas.  Salt and pepper the eggplant.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

   Check eggplant after about 5 minutes, if it has absorbed a lot of the water or it has just evaporated, add another 1/2 C.

   When potatoes are fork tender and eggplant is cooked, add green peas, yogurt and cream.  Heat peas through.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

   Serve with rice and top with chopped cashews and cilantro.

   Serves 4. (main dish portions)

Vegans:  Considering that the yogurt and cream are added in at the very end just to make the sauce rich and creamy, I see no reason why you couldn't use soy or rice products instead of dairy.



Spinach Goat Cheese Tartletes

Last weekend was my best friend's birthday party.  We can't have an un-themed party and her themes always seem to be the best.  Past themes have included white trash and pimps 'n' hoes.  This year was cartoon themed.  The hubs and I were Dr. Benton Quest and Hadji.  I was so proud of his commitment; he shaved his beard into that quintessential Quest facial hair.  Food somehow became difficult so most of it ended up being kid-oriented.  I made meatballs (a la Meatwad.  ATHF, anyone?) and obviously I had to do something with spinach.  It is probably the most classic cartoon food there is.  I do spanikopita a lot, it is one of my go-to party foods, so I wanted to do something different.  These tartletes ended up being so incredibly easy because I didn't bother with a homemade pie crust.  (And they disappeared really fast, before most people arrived.)  Make these for your next party, seriously.

Spinach and Goat Cheese Tartletes
1 pkg refrigerated pie crusts (2 9-inch)
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz goat cheese, softened
2 oz cream cheese, softened
10 oz frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
2 lrg eggs
1/2 C shredded parmesan
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt (~1/2 tsp) and pepper (~1/4 tsp)
cooking spray
flour

   Heat about 2 tsp of the oil over med/med-lo heat.  Saute onions until soft and very lightly golden, 7-8 minutes.  Quickly saute garlic with onion, just to take out the raw flavor (~30 sec).
   Cream the goat cheese and cream cheese together.  Mix in eggs.  Add spinach, onions, garlic, and the rest of the oil.  Salt and pepper.
   Lightly flour surface and unroll pie crust.  Cut into 3 inch circles.  You will need to bring dough together and roll it out again to get enough circles.  You can get 12 circles from one 9-in circle; it will use all of the dough.  (Try to at least get 10.)
   Lightly spray a regular sized muffin tin.  Gently fit the circles into pan.  Poke the bottom of the shell with a fork so they don't puff up too much.
   Bake at 350 deg F for 10 minutes.
   Pull shells out of muffin tin and place on a baking sheet.  Fill with about 1 Tbsp of spinach and cheese mixture.  Sprinkle with parmesan.
   Bake at 350 deg F for 12-14 minutes.
   Makes 24 tartletes.

Puttanesca Pizza

I don't need to tell you how much I love pizza or puttanesca.  Bread with cheese:  awesome.  Olives and salty things with tomatoes:  brilliant.  Put them together and it is kind of an indulgence over-load but I don't care.  The only thing with this pizza is that the toppings can feel a tad mushy all together with the ripe tomatoes, gooey cheese, and soft anchovies, so you really need to get the bottom of the crust good and crispy.  The textural contrast is important.

Puttanesca Pizza
pizza dough (store bought, refrigerated, or homemade)
1 lrg ripe tomato, thinly sliced
1 C shredded mozzarella
1/2 C shredded provolone
1/2 C black olives, chopped
7-8 anchovy fillets, rinsed and cut in half
1 1/2 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp roasted garlic
cornmeal

   Stretch dough into a 13x9 baking sheet dusted with cornmeal or into 12-13 inch circle.  Pre-bake on bottom rack at 450 deg F for about 7 minutes, until the bottom is golden.
   Try to squeeze out the excess pulp from the tomatoes so your pizza doesn't get soggy.
   Smear pre-baked crust with roasted garlic.  Lay down tomatoes, top with cheeses.  Add anchovies, olives and capers.
   Bake on center rack at 450 deg F for 7-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and brown.
   Serves 4.



Open Face Steak Sandwiches



I love burgers, but every once in a while things need to be changed up a bit.  Steak sandwiches can be casual or classy and this version is the perfect combination:  nice but unpretentious.  If you aren't into the pepper and onion thing with steak (but seriously, who isn't?), try just the marinade portion.  The port and Worcestershire are really delicious with the beef.  It will work on any cut.  The one-of-a-kind flavor of Worcestershire and the slightly sweet port play so well with the minerally red meat.

Port and Worcestershire Steak
1 lb beef (we used flat iron)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp port wine
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper

   Liberally salt and pepper steak.  Use a fork to poke hole in the meat.  Combine wet ingredients.  Marinade beef for 1-24 hours turning over occasionally.
   Cook using desired method to preferred doneness. 
   Serves 3-4.

Open Face Steak Sandwiches
1 lb cooked Port and Worcestershire Steak, sliced*
2 Tbsp of reserved port and Worcestershire marinade
1 med red bell pepper, sliced
1 med onion, sliced
4 large slices sourdough bread, about 3/4 in thick
1 C shredded fontina cheese
oil

   Heat about 1 tsp oil in a non stick skillet over med heat.  Saute onion until translucent (4-5 minutes.)  Add bell pepper, cook another 5 or so minutes until pepper is tender.  Add reserved marinade.  Cook 3-4 minutes.
   Lightly toast bread slices.
   Top bread with meat, peppers and onions, and cheese.
   Place under a hot broiler until cheese is melted, brown and bubbly.
   Serves 4.

*Tip:  Slightly undercook the steak from your desired temperature because it will cook a little more under the broiler.

Bacon braised cabbage and sweet potato oven fries round out the meal.