Chicken with Leek and Almond-Poppy Muffin Stuffing

Serves 4 (with a bit of leftovers)

2 medium leeks, sliced and cleaned
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
2 celery ribs, chopped
4 almond-poppy seed muffins (the original recipe calls for lemon-poppy seed, so you could use either)
3 to 4 fresh thyme sprigs, chopped
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (I didn't have this, so I used salt & pepper and fresh sage, chopped)
2 cups chicken stock
8 chicken breast cutlets
salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
a handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, then transfer it to a platter and cover it with foil to keep it warm. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and when it melts, sprinkle the flour into the pan. Stir and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in 1 cup of the chicken stock. Cook for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Whisk in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

2. While chicken is cooking, heat a nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat with the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. When the butter has melted, add the leeks and celery. Saute the vegetables for 5 minutes, then crumble the muffins into the pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Season the stuffing with the fresh thyme, lemon zest and poultry seasoning. Moisten the stuffing with 1 cup of the chicken stock and reduce the heat to low.

3. To serve, place stuffing on plate, top with two chicken cutlets and ladle gravy over the top. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Results: This was really, really, really good! The stuffing had a great taste, and was really easy to make. If you have any extra stuffing, the leftovers were great on a sandwich the next day. Will make this one over and over...adding it to my favorites!

Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage (and a Ricotta Surprise!!!!!!!) SURPRISE!!!!

Serves 4 (with yummy, delicious leftovers for lunch)

OK, let me remind my four readers of how insane, bat-shit crazy Rachael Ray is. This cookbook, Express Lane Meals, is divided into three sections: Meals for the Exhausted (for the nights when you are most likely to call in take-out), Meals for the Not Too Tired (that involve some chopping, but little attention) and "Bring It On!" (for the days you are really in the mood to cook.) This meal was in the "Meals for the Exhausted" section. Rachael Ray is CRAZY! It seriously took about an hour and a half to prepare. Thankfully, I had handed this recipe over to my mother-in-law, Barb, who cooked dinner while Chris and I painted.

Salt
1 lb penne pasta (we used 1/2 of this, and still had leftovers)
1 cup ricotta cheese
zest and juice of 1 lemon
freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sweet Italian sausage (I think you could use ground sausage just as easily)
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 & 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Place a large pot of water with a tight-fitting lid over high heat and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, add some salt and the pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente. (Note: you will need to use about 1/2 cup of the pasta water later.)

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, lemon zest, salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste). Let sit, and come to room temperature.

3. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break up with a spoon into bite-sized pieces. Cook the meat until brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Return the skillet to heat and add the broccoli and chopped onion to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and let the broccoli brown a bit before stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes more. Add the sausage back to the skillet along with the chicken stock.

4. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water. Ladle in some cooking water from the pasta and bring up to a simmer. Cook until the broccoli is tender and the liquids have reduced slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, parsley and pasta to the sausage mixture. Toss to combine and simmer 1 minute. Turn the heat off, add the grated cheese, tossing to combine.

5. To serve, place a large dollop of the pepper-lemon-ricotta mixture into each of four shallow bowls and bury it with hot pasta. Serve with extra grated cheese.

Results: I appreciated the effort from Barb, because this was De-freaking-licious. It was so good. The ricotta "surprise!!!" was really tasty. Henry wolfed his down, and requested seconds. Steven choked down one piece of pasta. At least I know it not just me and my cooking. He truly doesn't eat anything. Try this on a Sunday when you have more time to cook, you won't regret it!

Chicken with Scallion-Lime Sauce & Sweet Carrot Rice

Serves 4

4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
salt and black pepper
1 & 1/2 cups white rice
3 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme
zest and juice of 2 limes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons butter

1. Heat a medium pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the grated carrots and a little salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the rice and stir to coat in the oil and distribute the carrots. Add 2 & 1/2 cups of the chicken stock. Bring the stock to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender.

2. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating up, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the thyme, lime zest, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add the chicken breasts and coat thoroughly in the mixture. Add the seasoned chicken to the skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover it loosely with foil.

3. Return the skillet to the heat; add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and coriander. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, then add the scallions and cook for 1 minute, again stirring constantly. Add the lime juice and the remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock and continue to cook for about 2 minutes. Turn the heat off and add the parsley and butter, stirring and shaking the pan until the butter is completely melted.

4. Divide the rice among 4 serving plates and top each with a chicken breast. Pour the sauce over each chicken breast.

Results: Another delicious dish! This was so yummy, but Steven wouldn't even look at it, and after eating a few bites, Henry decided to follow along with his big brother. The original recipe called for 3 carrots and 3 bunches of scallions, but Rachel Ray is one crazy lady, so I knew that was way too much. I used 2 carrots for the rice, and could have gotten away with one. I will definitely make this one again!

Cacio e Pepe (Cheese & Pepper) Pasta

Serves 4

1 lb spaghetti (I used 1/2)
3 tablespoons butter, but into small pieces
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (I used Parmesan)
1 10-ounce box chopped, frozed spinach, thawed and drained
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente. (You will need to use some pasta water for the sauce, so don't drain it yet!)

2. Place a large skillet over low heat with the butter, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and pepper. Let it melt while pasta cooks.

3. When pasta is cooked, take a ladle of the starchy cooking water and add it to the butter-pepper mixture. Drain the pasta and toss it in the pan with the sauce. Turn off the heat. Add the cheese in small handfuls, then toss the pasta with tongs, until all the cheese in incorporated into the creamy sauce. Add another ladle of cooking water if needed, then season the pasta to taste with salt and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil. (I mixed the drizzle with oil part, and it didn't need it...save yourself a few calories...)

4. Meanwhile, heat another skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, then add the garlic. Cook the garlic for two minutes, and then add the beans. Add the spinach to the beans, breaking it up as you drop it into the pan. Season the spinach and beans with nutmeg, salt & pepper.

Results: This was soooooo good. I loved it. It was a very simple dish, but the flavors really stood out. I meant to leave some beans aside, knowing the boys wouldn't eat the spinach, but Henry actually ate most of his beans. Steven didn't touch the beans & spinach, but he did eat the pasta. My only complaint was that this dirtied a lot of dishes that don't get thrown in the dishwasher...large pot for pasta, strainer, two skillets...there were a lot of dishes to do. This is worth a repeat, and worthy of feeding to company.

Steak, Fried Onions, and Potatoes Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Serves 4

1 lb very thin-cut beef (I used top round, thinly sliced and advertised as "skillet steak")
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for coating the meat
Grill seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 to 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese**
Salt and black pepper
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped arugula or watercress
1/2 cup canned fried potato sticks
1/2 cup canned fried onions**

**Notes: The original recipe called for 1/3 lb of blue cheese, which would have been a little more than 5 oz. I used 5 ounces and it was WAY too much. I would halve it, and go from there. Trust me. Also, if it's not Thanksgiving, it's surprisingly difficult to find fried onions. I finally found them with the canned vegetables.

1. Preheat a large grill pan (I used a skillet) over high heat. Coat the meat with olive oil, then season on both sides with grill seasoning. Cook the meat for 3 minutes on each side, then let it rest for 10 minutes to cool.

2. While the meat cooks, assemble the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the Worcestershire, mustard, and red wine vinegar. Stream in about 1/3 cup olive oil while whisking constantly. Stir in the blue cheese. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

3. Chop the rested steak into bite-size pieces. Place the chopped greens in a salad bowl and toss with the chopped steak, potato sticks, fried onions, and blue cheese dressing.

Results: Rachel Ray said this recipe was (wait for it...) YUM-O! and with fried onions, how could she be wrong? It was just OK in my opinion, but Chris really liked it. There was way too much blue cheese, but I will say I loved the crunchy onions and potato sticks in the salad. This recipe was SOOOOO easy to make, so it's worth repeating on a busy night. I think I would add tomatoes or a red pepper to the salad.

Chicken & Leeks with Couscous

First, let me share my lovely new kitchen with you:



I love cooking in it. And I've done it all of once. Now onto the dish:



Serves 4

1 & 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 & 1/2 cups plain couscous
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cut into large bite-size pieces
Salt & black pepper
1 large (or 2 medium) leeks
1 cup white wine
a handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1. Heat the chicken stock and 1 tablespoon butter in a medium pot with a tight-fitting lid. When the liquid boils, add the raisins and couscous. Cover and remove pan from heat. Set aside.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken in a single layer and season it with salt and pepper. While the chicken browns on all sides, trim the rough tops and the root ends off the leeks.

3. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, then cut them into 1-inch half moons. Place the leeks in a colander and run them under cold water. Separate the layers to release the dirt and grit. Rinse well, then drain well.

4. Add the leeks to the chicken and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and let it cook down by half, 3 to 4 minutes. The leeks should still have some color but should be tender and the chicken should be cooked through. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and swirl into the sauce.

5. Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the parsley. Place a bed of couscous on each dinner plate and top it with the chicken and leeks.

Results: This was delicious, but I love anything with leeks. There is something so satisfying about preparing leeks. Normally, I think most recipes that use wine could substitute chicken broth, but in this one, the wine really added a lot of flavor, so be sure to use it. This was a perfect meal for a summer day, and the couscous was really flavorful. I don't think I'll ever prepare couscous with plain old water again. Will make again!

More recipes coming!

I haven't posted any new recipes in a while, but I swear, I have a good excuse! Several of them, actually. We have moved into our new home, so we've been really busy moving and unpacking boxes. However, we've been confined to cooking on just the stove top, because our brand new oven isn't behaving, our grill is buried somewhere in the garage, and I didn't even have a microwave! A microwave, I tell ya!

But, after a week of feeding the kids nothing but pasta,quesadillas and mac & cheese, I stumbled across my box of cookbooks and I'm on a mission to find meals I could make on just the stove top.

The next five meals are all from the Rachael Ray cookbook "Express Lane Meals". Hopefully you like her. They sound pretty good, but I was really, really hungry when looking through the book.