Lemon Chicken Piccata

I watch cooking shows on the Foodnetwork, a LOT. My poor husband has to suffer thru it a lot of the time, although I think he's starting to like them. One of the shows he doesn't mind watching is "Everyday Italian" with Giada DeLaurentis. I'll include a pic of Giada - I don't think I need to explain WHY he doesn't mind the show. And yes, on each episode she usually shows a good amount of cleavage without any concern for splattering oil, God bless her! :)~

This is Giada's recipe for chicken piccata from foodnetwork.com. I made the recipe as-is, except I added sauteed mushrooms and unfortunately forgot about the parsley - oops! The dish has a ton of flavor - very tart from the lemons and salty from the capers, and it was fairly easy to make.

LEMON CHICKEN PICCATA

INGREDIENTS:
2 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless, butterflied then cut in half
salt & pepper to taste
Flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate.

3. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

4. Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter.

5. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

The last time I went to my friend Elizabeth's house she made some fabulous zucchini bread. I was searching for a recipe on-line and came across one that uses pumpkin and zucchini from allrecipes.com. I used it as a base and made a few adjustments to the measurements, and substituted applesauce for the butter to make it a little more healthy. It was still incredibly moist despite the lack of butter, and the smell of pumpkin and spices filled my house while it was baking - it reminded me of Christmas, in August! :)

PUMPKIN ZUCCHINI BREAD

INGREDIENTS:

3 eggs, beaten

2 cups granulated sugar

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

1 cup applesauce

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup zucchini, grated

1 cup walnuts, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9"x5"x3" loaf pans.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs and sugar. Beat in pumpkin, applesauce and vanilla extract.

3. In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Gradually add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture until just combined - do not overmix. Fold in zucchini and walnuts. Pour evenly into prepared loaf pans and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean.

Mr. Goodbar Cookies

It's been awhile since I've baked some cookies so I decided to make a batch for my hubby to take to work. I was browsing at the grocery store trying to figure out what kind of cookies to make when I saw a bar of Mr. Goodbar chocolate - a simple mix of milk chocolate and peanuts. I thought those flavors might make for a yummy cookie, so here's my version. I think the sweetness of the milk chocolate balances really well against the salt and peanuts in the cookie.

MR. GOODBAR COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 (11.5 oz) bag milk chocolate chips
1 cup dry roasted peanuts


DIRECTIONS:

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

2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Using a handheld mixer beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in milk chocolate chips and peanuts.

3. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto baking sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire baking racks to cool completely.

Tropical Coconut Trifle

Last weekend we were invited to a company party for Jeremy's summer surveying job. It was at the owner's house right on the water - the view was beautiful! I've sent Jeremy to work with cookies and other treats before so they asked if we could bring a dessert to the party. Since it was an outdoor BBQ I decided to make something light and summery - a tropical coconut trifle. It might seem like a lot of steps but it really wasn't difficult, and the result went over VERY well at the party. White cake baked with coconut (I used the diet soda method, but feel free to bake according to package directions) then soaked in sweetened coconut milk, and layered with tropical fruit, pudding and whipped topping. Yum!

TROPICAL COCONUT TRIFLE

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups sweetened coconut flakes, for toasting

1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 (18.25 oz) box white cake mix
1 (12 oz) can Sprite Zero soda
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

4 Jell-o vanilla prepared pudding cups
2 (8 oz) tubs Cool Whip Lite whipped topping.
1 mango, peeled/seeded and diced
4 kiwis, peeled and sliced
2 (11 oz) cans pineapple chunks
1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained


DIRECTIONS:
1. To prepare coconut milk - in a small sauce pan combine coconut milk and granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and reduces to about half the original volume. Pour into a storage container and place in refrigerator to cool.

2. To toast coconut - preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange 3 cups coconut flakes on shallow baking pan and bake for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Store in a ziplock bag until ready for use.

3. To prepare cake - preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 baking pan with nonstick spray. In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix and Sprite Zero soda. Using a handheld mixer, mix on low speed until moistened. Scrape bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in 1/2 cup reserved coconut flakes (not toasted) and transfer batter to baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until sides pull away and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

3. Approximately 4 hours before serving. use a skewer or the handle of a spoon to poke holes across the top of the cake every 1-2 inches. Slowly pour cooled coconut milk mixture evenly over the top of the cake, letting it sink into the holes. Cover and refrigerate.

4. To assemble trifle - cut cake into chunks and layer evenly across the bottom of bowl, then alternate cake layer with layers of Cool Whip, toasted coconut, vanilla pudding and mango/kiwi/pineapple/mandarin oranges - repeat layers, ending with Cool Whip and sprinkling top with toasted coconut. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Strawberry Poppyseed Pasta Salad

This weekend we went to the 1st birthday party for our friend Tina's daughter, Kiera. I can't believe it's been a year since she was born! I was asked to bring a side dish and this was a big twist on your regular ol' pasta salad. This version has a sweet & tangy poppyseed dressing with sliced strawberries and mandarin oranges, and the crunch of chopped pecans. I got a lot of compliments on this one! :)

STRAWBERRY POPPYSEED PASTA SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 (16oz) box Campanelle pasta
1/2 cup Kraft creamy poppyseed dressing
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 sliced green onions
1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup pecans, chopped


DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat a large pot of water on stovetop over high heat until boiling. Add pasta and boil until cooked but still slightly firm (al dente), about 11 minutes. Pour into colander and run under cold water until cooled. Set aside to drain.

2. In a medium bowl combine poppyseed dressing and mayonnaise. Add pasta and green onions, toss to coat. Gently stir in mandarin oranges, strawberries and pecans. Serve immediately or cover and chill.

Pesto Pasta Salad

This weekend we went to a BBQ for my best friend's birthday - happy birthday Melody! I was asked to bring a side dish so I made my trusty pesto pasta salad. It's a little different than the usual pasta salad and super simple to make. It's also perfect for outdoor events since there's no mayo to go bad. :)

PESTO PASTA SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 oz) box pasta - recommended Farfalle (bowtie) or Penne
1 (7 oz) package pesto sauce
1 (5 oz) package Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil, if necessary


DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat a large pot of water on stovetop over high heat until boiling. Add pasta and boil until cooked but still slightly firm (al dente), about 11 minutes. Pour into colander and run under cold water until cooled. Set aside to drain.

2. In a large bowl combine pasta, pesto sauce and Gorgonzola. Sprinkle with garlic powder and salt. Stir until pasta is thoroughly coated - if sauce is too dry, add additional olive oil as needed. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.