Crunchy Outside, Juicy Inside

Orange-Curry Chicken with a Pecan Crust

In the past few months I have discovered the best cooking magazine ever: Fine Cooking. After buying one of their special issues during the holiday season (that had an amazing cover), I was hooked. I have now collected quite a few and absolutely love them! Every recipe I have made is either good or amazingly good, so be prepared for future recipes to come from this magazine. There is also a better chance that I will update this blog more since I can link it to their recipe online (click the title to get to the recipe).

I made this recipe last night when we had some friends over and it was a big hit. The marinade keeps the chicken so moist and the crumb coating is perfectly crunchy. I served it with lemon jasmine rice and coconut green bean stir-fry. Give it a try!

Car-ib-be-an or Ca-rib-be-an??

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad

1 tablespoon garlic oil or olive oil 1 tablespoon Jamaican Jerk Rub 1 pound chicken tenders* 1 medium pineapple 1 red bell pepper 3 2 1 6 green onions (white and light green parts only) heads romaine lettuce can (15 oz.) black beans, drained slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled Dressing 2 limes 1/3- cup reduced-fat mayonnaise 2 tbsp. pineapple preserves (can use pineapple-apricot or even orange marmalade)

1.	In a bowl, whisk together oil and jerk rub with a whisk. Add chicken tenders; mix well to coat and set aside. Peel pineapple and cut in half lengthwise; reserve half for another use. Cut remaining pineapple in half lengthwise and remove core. Slice crosswise into ¼-inch slices. Heat a grill pan over medium heat 5 minutes. Add chicken; cook 3-5 minutes on each side, turning once. Remove from pan. Add pineapple to pan. Cook 1 minute on each side, turning once; remove from pan. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces; set chicken and pineapple aside.
2.	Thinly slice bell pepper and green onions. Arrange 12 large lettuce leaves on a platter. Chop remaining lettuce; set vegetables aside. Drain and rinse beans; set aside.
3.	For dressing, zest one lime. Juice both limes into a small bowl. Add lime zest, mayonnaise and preserves to bowl; mix well.
4.	Layer chopped lettuce, beans, bell pepper, chicken, pineapple, bacon and green onions over each lettuce leaf. Drizzle dressing over salad.
Makes 6 servings *If desired, 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into strips, can be substituted for the chicken tenders. You can also substitute the chicken for fish - Mahi Mahi works well. -For another version of this recipe, prepare recipe as directed, omitting lettuce. Cook 1 pound rotini pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and toss with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add remaining ingredients; drizzle with dressing and toss gently.

This is my favorite salad recipe and have made it a few times (which is rare for me). Make sure you make the dressing and don't just use something you have because it was what makes all the other flavors come together. I've also made the pasta version and it is good too, but I most definitely prefer it as a salad.

My rating is a 9 out of 10
Mark isn't here but I think he'd probably give it a 7.5 or 8 - mainly because he's not really a big salad person. He may have even preferred the pasta version more.

Southwestern Pork Chop Skillet

Southwestern Pork Chop Skillet

1 bag diced/cubed potatoes (such as Ore-Ida Roasted)
4 pork chops, 1/2-inch thick
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1 16 oz. container of salsa
Sour cream (optional)
Avocado, peeled and sliced (optional)

Add potatoes and pork chops to skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side on medium-high heat.
Add cilantro, scallions, green pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes. Top with salsa. Reduce heat to low and cover.
Cook for 12-15 minutes or until pork is no longer pink in center.
Serve with sour cream and avocado (optional, but definitely recommended).

Serves 3-4

This dish is really easy and really yummy. Don't scrimp on the sour cream and avocado. They definitely add a lot. Be careful not to let the potatoes burn when the skillet is on the higher heat - don't let them stay in one place too long.

My rating is a 8.5 out of 10
Mark's not here right now, but I think he'd give it around a 7.5 or 8 out of 10

Try it!

Dinner Party Menu

I'm finally getting around to posting some of the recipes from the Murder Mystery Dinner that I (and Mark) made. I think most of the stuff turned out good minus a thing or two that wasn't the best. Here you go.

This was the menu -

Cocktail (non-alcoholic)
New York Egg Cream

Hors d'oeuvre
Garlic Mushroom Tartlets

Salad Course
Baby Squash with Spinach and Gorgonzola

Entrée
Rosemary Beef Rioja
or
Honey Dijon Chicken
with
Fennel and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Dessert
Chocolate Spiced Pears

--------------------------------------------------------------

New York Egg Cream

(Made for a 12 oz. glass)

3 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
1/3 cup chilled milk (whole is best)
1/2 cup chilled sparkling mineral water (fill to the top)
cocoa powder for dusting

Pour the chocolate syrup into the bottom of the glass. Add milk and water. Dust the top with cocoa powder. Stir well before drinking.
---
This drink is very easy and is basically like a sparkling chocolate milk. It's unexpected at first but I thought it was really good. It has a cool presentation before you mix it together. I put in cinnamon sticks to stir it with.

My rating is a 8 out of 10
Mark's rating is a 7 out of 10

Garlic Mushroom Tartlets

1 tube crescent roll dough
1 (8 oz.) package fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Open crescent rolls into 2 long rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half lengthwise and crosswise until you've formed 24 squares. Press squares into a mini muffin pan, forming cups and leaving corners extended above pan.

In a skillet, saute mushrooms, flour, onion, and garlic in butter. Mix and stir 5 minutes until ingredients are tender. Add whipping cream and cheese, mix well. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until all liquid has evaporated.

Place 1 heaping tsp. of mushroom mixture into each cup. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. Serve warm.
---
These reminded me of stuffed mushrooms, but I think were quite a bit easier. You'll have to ask Mark for sure about that because he whipped these up. I think overall they were a hit. Good job babe!

My rating is a 7.5 out of 10
Mark's rating is an 8 out of 10

Baby Squash with Spinach and Gorgonzola

4 Acorn (or other variety) squash
9 oz. baby spinach leaves
7 oz. Gorgonzola cheese
3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the tops of the squash, scoop out and discard the seeds. Place the squash, cut side up, in a baking dish and drizzle with 2 tbsp. of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until tender.

Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet and add the spinach leaves. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the leaves are just wilted. Season with salt and pepper and divide between the squash halves.

Top with the crumbled Gorgonzola and return to the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is beginning to melt. Season with ground black pepper and serve.
---
These were also pretty easy and the flavors went together really well. Plus, I love anything with squash in it. Mark actually doesn't like squash at all and he thought this wasn't bad. The presentation was nice also, but we didn't have a chance to get a picture.

My rating is a 8.5 out of 10
Mark's rating is 7.5 out of 10

Rosemary Beef Rioja

This is the one thing that we thought didn't turn out very good. I won't post the recipe here, but if you are interested, let me know and I can get it to you. I think it could have been a lot better, but the meat was too tough. I'm not sure if we cooked it too long or what. Maybe someday in the future I'll try it again.

My rating is a 5 out of 10
Mark's rating is a 6 out of 10

Honey Dijon Chicken

8 chicken thighs
4 tbsp. Dijon mustard
4 tbsp. honey
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the chicken thighs in a single layer in a roasting pan. Mix together the mustard and honey, season with salt and pepper to taste and brush the mixture all over the thighs.

Cook for 25-30 minutes, brushing the chicken with the pan juices occasionally, until cooked through. (Can be substituted with breast portions and cooked for 20-25 minutes).
---
This is a super easy recipe and is quite tasty. Definitely remember to brush with the pan juices while cooking to keep the chicken nice and moist.

My rating is an 8 out of 10
Mark's rating is a 9.5 out of 10

Fennel and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

1 3/4 lbs potatoes, cut into chunks
2 large fennel bulbs
1/2-2/3 cup milk or cream
6 tbsp. garlic olive oil
salt and pepper

Boil the potatoes in water for 20 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile, trim and chop the fennel, reserving any feathery tops. Chop the tops and set them aside. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add the fennel, cover and cook over low heat for 20-30 minutes, until soft but not browned.

Drain and mash the potatoes. Puree the cooked fennel and beat into the potato with the remaining oil with the warmed milk or cream. Season to taste and beat in any chopped fennel tops if desired.
---
This was probably the most time consuming of anything we made. They turned out pretty good I thought and the fennel added a subtle, yet unexpected flavor.

My rating is a 7 out of 10
Mark's rating is a 7 out of 10

Chocolate Spiced Pears

1/2 cup ginger and/or almond thins, crushed
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
grated rind of 1/2 an orange
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 egg white, lightly beaten
4 firm, ripe pears
2/3 cup white cooking wine
1 tbsp. sugar
whipped cream, to serve

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix together the crushed cookies, chopped chocolate, grated orange rind, honey and cinnamon in a bowl until well combined. Add the egg white and mix to bind the mixture together.

Halve the pears and scoop out the core portion to make a small cavity. Fill the cavity with the chocolate and cookie mixture, mounding it up slightly.

Arrange the pears in a lightly buttered, shallow baking dish that will hold the pears comfortably in a single layer. Mix the wine and sugar together and pour the mixture around the pears. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until pears are tender. Serve immediately with a little of the cooking juices spooned over and the whipped cream.
---
This is a recipe that I semi made up because I could find a few of the ingredients from the recipe I wanted so I substituted similar items. It turned out to be very, very good. This was definitely the icing on the cake of the whole dinner. Yum! Try these for sure.

My rating is a 9 out of 10
Mark's rating is a 9 out of 10

Mmm... Thai Food

I know I've been a big slacker on this blog but I have actually been making things and taking pictures so it's a matter of getting them up on the blog.

I basically made up most of this curry recipe and was pleased how it turned out. Here goes.

Yellow Curry with Beef

2-4 Tbsp of yellow curry paste (depending on how spicy you like it - I put close to 3 in)
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
Pkg. stir-fry or stew beef from the grocery store
1 eggplant, cut into bite size pieces (it shrinks down a little when cooked)
1 green pepper, cut into pieces
1/2 onion, chopped

Heat a small amount of oil in a wok or skillet. Add the eggplant, onion, and pepper together and cook until slightly brown and starting to soften.

Meanwhile, stir together curry paste and 1/2 cup coconut milk in a large skillet until fragrant. Add in the meat and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add in the remaining coconut milk and heat until meat is cooked. Simmer over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken. (At this point you can add fish sauce and/or sugar to taste - I didn't add either).

Combine the vegetables with the curry sauce. Mix together. Serve with Jasmine rice.

My rating is a 7.5 out of 10
Mark's rating is a 6.5 out of 10 (he said he would have preferred spicier)

Coconut Rice with Mango

2 cups Jasmine rice
1 cup water
2+ cups coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1 mango, peeled and sliced

Wash the rice in water until the water runs clear. Place the water, coconut milk, salt and sugar in a saucepan. Add the rice, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 17-20 minutes or until rice is tender and cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Turn off the heat and allow the rice to rest in the saucepan for 5-10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving. Serve with the mango and drizzle coconut milk over if desired.

My rating is a 5.5 out of 10
Mark's rating is 6.5 out of 10

Mark and I love this dessert when we go out for Thai food. We've tried a few different recipes and none of them turn out quite like the ones we have at the restaurants. This time was no different. Just FYI, this is not a sweet dessert. I think to make it more like what we have when we eat out there needs to be a 1-2 tbsp more sugar and another 1/2-1 cup of coconut milk (no wonder it tastes so good). With those changes it could have a much higher rating potential.