Balsamic-Dijon Chicken with Mushrooms

I think it's funny when I look at my blog and see that I have 90 chicken recipes. 90? Poor Jon - he's not the biggest chicken fan, but I keep surprising him with new recipes, and he keeps eating them.

Before I got into cooking several years ago, I never would have thought I could make chicken 90 different ways. But now that I have, I love how versatile it is, and keep looking for new inspiration and recipes. You can use chicken in so many different ways, so many different cuisines, and with so many different ingredients. And the recipes are usually pretty quick and easy, even with a nice sauce and good flavor. Chicken doesn't have to be boring!!

That's why chicken ends up on my menu at least once, sometimes two times, a week. Several weeks ago, I came across this recipe for Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms. I made very minor changes, and thought the Dijon taste was pretty strong (in a good way), so renamed it Balsamic-Dijon Chicken with Mushrooms.



Ingredients (I used 2 breasts so I cut the recipe below in half)

• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced (I used 2)
• 4 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups small mushrooms, quartered (I used crimini mushrooms)
• 1/3 c chicken broth
• 1/3 c white wine
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
  

Directions (written in my own words)

• Heat half of the oil in a saute pan
• Mix 2 tbsp of the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and garlic in a bowl.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper, then pour the balsamic-Dijon mixture onto the chicken, coating both sides.
• Add the chicken to the pan, and saute until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
• Add the remaining oil to the pan.
• Add the mushrooms and thyme; saute for 1-2 minutes
• Add the wine; stir, scraping up any brown bits. Add the broth and the rest of the balsamic. Bring to a simmer. Adjust seasonings.
• Return chicken to the pan and let simmer another minute.

We both liked this - nice earthy flavors and super easy.

Hoisin Braised Short Ribs

This was a great recipe for New Year's Eve. Yes, that's when we made these short ribs and I'm just getting around to blogging them. Anyway, this dish was the perfect recipe for what we wanted - could start it early, it braised for a few hours, and then was ready to eat when we were ready - after the baby was in bed. And the fact that it was absolutely delicious helps, too.

I found the recipe for these short ribs in the How to Cook Like a Top Chef cookbook - it was Hosea's recipe. There are so many things in that book that I would love to cook! The short ribs recipe can be found online here.

I have to admit that Jon did most of the work while I took care of the baby and put her to bed. He did a great job!

We followed the recipe almost exactly - changes noted in italics below.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs boneless beef short ribs (we used bone-in short ribs)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 c chopped onion
• 1 c peeled and chopped carrots
• 1 c chopped celery
• 1/4 c tomato paste
• 1 c dry red wine
• 2 c beef stock or low sodium beef broth
• 1 1/2 c hoisin sauce
• 1/4 c firmly packed brown sugar
• 3/4 c fresh orange juice (sorry, we didn't squeeze our own juice! Used store bought)
• 2 c water
• Leaves from 1 bunch fresh time, a few sprigs reserved (we used dry, worked fine, but we didn't have the sprigs to use as a garnish at the end)

Directions

• Pat the short ribs dry and season with salt and pepper.
• In a Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed ovenproof pot, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium high heat. Sear the short ribs to brown them on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side, and then remove them from the pan. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the pot.
• Add the onions, carrots, celery and saute until caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Push aside the onion mixture, add the tomato paste, and brown for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Mix in the onion mixture, add the red wine, and stir to scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
• Reduce the sauce until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the beef stock, hoisin, brown sugar, orange juice, water, thyme leaves, and bring to a simmer.
• Put the ribs back in the pot, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise the ribs until they are very tender, about 3 hours, checking the pot and stirring every hour.
• Transfer the ribs to a platter and keep warm.
• Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a medium saucepan. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then reheat the sauce.
• To serve, divide the short ribs among 4 dinner plates. Top with the sauce and garnish with the thyme sprigs.

We served the short ribs over mashed potatoes and with garlic sauteed spinach. The sauce on the ribs was so delicious that I could have licked my plate. I loved everything about this meal!

We enjoyed dinner with a bottle of Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine really stood up to the beef, and the peppery hints paired perfectly with the dish.

Sweet and Spicy Tofu with Green Beans

A few weeks ago I had fish on the menu for Jon which means tofu for me. I asked him to pick up a veg at the market, and he came home with string beans, something I don't normally associate with tofu. That is, until I came across this recipe... I think it's my new favorite tofu recipe. I found a recipe for Oriental Green Beans and Tofu, and changed it up a bit, calling it Sweet and Spicy Tofu with Green Beans. See the link above for the original recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 block of tofu, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp hoisin
• 1.5 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp dry cooking sherry
• 2 tsp chili garlic paste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Large handful of fresh green beans, trimmed into 1-2 inch pieces
• 1/2 small onion, sliced (same length as green beans)
• 1/2 can water chestnuts, sliced (similar to the onions and green beans - I like everything cut the same way - cooks better, nicer to eat, and is pleasing to the eye)
• 1/2 c chicken or vegetable broth (I always use low-sodium broth)

Directions

• Heat olive oil and sesame oil in a large saute pan or wok
• Add tofu; cook until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Add a touch more olive oil to the pan.
• Add garlic and onions, saute 1-2 minutes.
• Add water chestnuts and green beans, saute 1-2 minutes.
• Mix hoisin, brown sugar, soy sauce, sherry, chili garlic paste, and broth. Add to the pan and bring to a simmer.
• Return tofu to the pan; let cook a few minutes. Reduce heat and let simmer if you want the sauce to thicken.
• Serve over rice or noodles.

Delicious way to enjoy tofu, and to incorporate a veggie I wouldn't normally have enjoyed with tofu! A touch sweet with a nice, spicy kick - just the way I like it.

Pork Medallions in a Creamy Porcini Sauce

Wild, earthy mushrooms, black pepper and whiskey - I love those flavors together. This pork dish is my own creation, inspired by my Filet with a Whiskey Reduction as well as my Filet Au Poivre.

Ingredients

• 2 boneless pork chops or 1 small pork tenderloin, cubed into medallions
• Salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried thyme
• Olive oil
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 6 dried porcini mushrooms
• 1/4 c whiskey
• 1/4 c brandy
• 1/4 c light cream
  

Directions

• Place mushrooms in a cup of hot water; let sit to rehydrate. Remove from the water and chop, reserving the water.
• Season pork medallions generously with black pepper, then thyme, then salt (just a few pinches salt)
• Heat about 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat
• Add pork and cook approximately 2 min per side until all sides are golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. If the pork is still not cooked through. Transfer the pan to a 400 degree oven until just cooked, remembering it will continue to cook as it rests. Transfer the pork to a dish and keep warm.

• Add another tbsp oil to the pan
• Add shallots and mushrooms, saute 2-3 min
• Add the whiskey and brandy, let simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring to scrape up the brown bits.
• Add a small amount of the mushroom water (maybe 3 tbsp); reduce heat and add the cream; bring to a slow simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
• Optional: whisk in 1 tbsp butter.
• Serve sauce over pork.

Barley Pilaf with Porcini Mushrooms

Barley is a wonderful grain as it is packed with fiber (so it fills you up), is low in fat, and is cholesterol free. But alone it's a little boring, in my opinion.

I came across a recipe for Barley Mushroom Pilaf on Barleyfoods.org. Looked interesting, but I'm not a fan of rosemary so I changed it a bit. See the link above for the original recipe.

Ingredients

• 6 dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated in a small amount of boiling water (4 minutes) then chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 c pearl barley
• 3 c chicken or vegetable broth (I used 2.5 c low chicken broth, and .5 c of the water after rehydrating the mushrooms
• 2 chopped green onions
• 2 pinches dried thyme
• Pinch of salt; freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan
• Add rehydrated mushrooms, saute 2-3 minutes
• Add green mushrooms, barley, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir until everything is nicely mixed and coated.
• Add broth and water; reduce heat to low, cover, simmer for 45 minutes (mine was done in about 35)
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

This is a very earthy, delicious, and filling side dish -I'll be making this one again!

Chicken-Parsnip Soup

Sunday used to be my day to spend in the kitchen, and I would always make a soup. I'm trying to get back to that, at least the soup part, anyway.

I stumbled across this recipe for Chicken-Parsnip Soup when browsing the Cooking Light web site. I liked that it was a different, non-traditional chicken soup, and using garbanzo beans was interesting to me. The result - one of my new favorite soups! Flavorful, light, but filling at the same time.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 2 parsnips, thinly and diagonally sliced
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 4 oz gourmet mushrooms (I used about 5 white mushrooms, sliced - I think the flavor of porcini or shiitake mushrooms would be too heavy for this soup)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2.5 cups fat free, lower sodium chicken broth (I used 4 cups low sodium and omitted the water)
• 1 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 c shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast (I didn't do this; instead I seasoned a boneless, skinless chicken breast with a touch of Kosher salt, pepper, and thyme and roasted it until done, then shredded it)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp hot sauce (I omitted this)
• 1 thyme sprig (I used a pinch of dried thyme as well as the thyme I used to season the chicken breast)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions

• Heat oil in a large pot
• Add shallots, garlic, mushrooms, and parsnips; saute 3 minutes
• Add broth, chickpeas, chicken, pepper, salt, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes or until parsnips are tender.
• Remove from heat and stir in parsley.
  

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I'm still here and am still cooking!! I never knew how busy things would get with a little one in the house (so much fun!!!). But we have still been doing a lot of cooking - I just haven't taken the time to experiment with new ideas or recipes. Every now and then I do, like on my dad's birthday back in October (yes, this is a post from October finally making it to my blog in December!).

Better than PF Changs - that is what we all said about these Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps. I always liked the wraps at PF Changs, until I made my own, that is. I went to PF Changs a week after making these, and I was not impressed! Their wraps are much saltier, and the chicken mixture has a heavy soy flavor. The wraps I made had more flavor depth and were much lighter and fresher.

I used this recipe from Wasabimom.com, a gluten-free cooking site. To see the original recipe with gluten-free substitutions, see the link above.

The Pouring Sauce

• 1/4 c sugar
• 1/2 c warm water
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (I used low sodium)
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp hot water
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in 1/2 c warm water. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, and sesame oil. Mix well and throw in fridge until ready to it. Before serving, combine the hot water, Dijon, and garlic - you can add this to the pouring sauce 1 spoonful at a time to taste.

The Stir Fry Sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce (I used low sodium)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

Mix in a small bowl and set aside.
Chicken Stir Fry Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes. I chopped mine even smaller than that.
• 1 8-oz can water chestnuts, chopped into pieces the size of corn kernels
• 1/2 c mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped (Basically I chopped my chicken, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and onion to pieces of the same size)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 large leaves iceberg or Napa cabbage

Cooking the Chicken Stir Fry:

• Heat oils in a large saute pan or wok until glistening
• Add the chicken and cook until mostly cooked, about 5 minutes (max.. mine took less time)
• Turn the heat down to medium-high, add another tbsp oil, then add the onions, garlic, water chestnuts, mushrooms. Saute 1 minute then add the stir fry sauce.
• Cook about 4 minutes and transfer to a serving dish.
• Serve 1-2 spoonfuls of the chicken mixture in a piece of lettuce. Yum!

These wraps disappeared in a matter of minutes. My only suggestion for next time - make more!!!

Asian Orzo

I never would have thought to cook orzo pasta with Asian flavors and ingredients, but it totally worked! This is my new favorite orzo dish, and is a great side with Asian marinated meats, like the grilled marinated pork tenderloin I served this with. It's also a nice alternative to noodles or rice when you need a side for an Asian dinner.

Inspiration - this recipe from the Easy Gourmet Dinners web site. I changed up the cooking method and added a few ingredients so my variation is below.

Ingredients

• 1 c dry orzo pasta
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 4 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp brown sugar

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a small pot
• Add onion, saute 3-4 minutes or until soft.
• Add orzo, toss to coat/toast for 1 minute
• Mix the broth with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and brown sugar. Add the broth mixture to the pot, stir, bring to a simmer then lower heat and cover.
• Cook on low heat, covered, for about 15 minutes or until done. The broth should just be absorbed as the pasta finishes cooking.
• Stir to fluff and serve.

Great marinade for pork

No picture, just a quick post to share this amazing marinade.

I actually made it, not my master-of-marinades husband, although he was giving me suggestions while I was mixing. We marinated the pork tenderloin for 8 hours before Jon grilled it.

Mix all ingredients together and pour over the tenderloin in a ziploc bag. Note, amounts are approximate, and this was for 1 small tenderloin.

• 1/3 c olive oil
• 3 tbsp soy sauce (I always use low sodium soy sauce)
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp onion powder

Chicken with Peppers, Onions, and Mushrooms

Quick and easy with a lot of flavor - that's the name of the game these days. Oh, and it helps if we can eat it with one hand while holding a baby in the other.

I threw this dish together because I had some mushrooms leftover. Amounts are approximate.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts sliced into strips
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 sm onion, sliced
• Handful of mushrooms, sliced
• White wine, about 3 tbsp
• 1 c chicken broth
• Salt, pepper, thyme, paprika
• Olive oil

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat
• Season chicken with salt, pepper, a touch of thyme, and paprika. Add to pan and cook until just about cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
• Move chicken to sides of pan and add the onions, peppers, and mushrooms, Saute 2 minutes.
• Deglaze pan with the white wine
• Add chicken broth, adjust seasonings, and let come to a simmer. Lower heat and let it cook another few minutes to thicken. Serve over rice.