Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore was a huge hit when I made it for Mother's Day a few weeks ago, so I figured I'd make it again for myself.


How it's supposed to look

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs
• 2 chicken breasts with skin and backbone, halved crosswise
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons drained capers
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.

In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.

How Mine looks:

With Pasta

 

With Rice

Conclusion:

Ok, so I made a lot less meat this time, only made it with 2 chicken breasts and did my best to even out the recipe. I accidentally spilled some of the liquid from the capers jar into the pot, so the chicken was a lot saltier then it was the last time I made it. In addition, I decided to have it with white rice instead of pasta, but it's still pretty delicious. It only took about 25 mins to make, with the less meat, and I enjoyed it lots. Win for me. 

A different recipe for fried rice

Here's how it's supposed to look:


Here's how mine looks:



Ok, so as you know earlier on in the blog I made fried rice. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I found a new recipe, that I LOVE!

Fried Rice with Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 sweet onion
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 2 stalks celery with leaves
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 lb fresh snow peas
• 3 stalks green onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 cups cooked rice

Method

1. Preheat large skillet or wok. Add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce to the beaten eggs. Add one teaspoon sesame oil to the preheated wok, and scramble eggs until set. Remove from wok and set aside.
2. Add the tablespoon each of sesame oil and olive oil to wok. Add onions, green and red peppers, snow peas, and celery to wok. Stir fry for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes longer.
3. Add cooked rice and carrots. Sprinkle in the 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Add more olive oil if necessary. Cook the rice for about 5 minutes, until heated through.
4. Add cooked eggs and green onions, and cook for 1 minute more before serving.

Conclusion:

So, I loved this. Love it, like I'll make it any day of the week and enjoy it. I did make some changes, I didn't use carrots, red pepper or peas. I added chicken and broccoli instead. Soo good, love it. LOVE IT.

July. 4

How it's supposed to Look and How what I made Looks:






Just to show how long ago I should have posted this, these meals are from July 4th. My friends, Oscar and Jasmine, my aunt and I had a bbq. It was super hot, so we spent most of the time in the AC running out to check the fire or put stuff on the grill.

I had several things I wanted to do. 1. Try this Italian chicken thing my friend's mom made at their BBQ last week. 2. FINALLY, make the tomato rice taste good. 3. Just get together with my buddies and eat. Which is always a fave passtime of mine. Below is what came of these goals.

The chicken I simply call Italian Chicken:
Via Barbra Sabater

The breasts marinating:





Ingredients:
1. 4 Chicken Breasts (or how ever much you need)
2.A bottle of Italian salad dressing


Directions:

Cut the chicken breasts in slices, taking your chicken breasts from 4 thick slices to 8 lean slices of chicken. If it is still too thick, beat it until it is a nice, tender and lean. Soak it in Italian salad dressing and marinate it over night or for at least four hours. Then put it on the grill, for 20 minutes or until cooked.


Me looking awful, cutting an onion:





Tomato Rice:
via Allrecipes.com

Required Ingredients

* 1 can of whole tomatoes (drained)
* ½ a small white onion (roughly chopped)
* 2 garlic cloves (halved)
* 1-¾ cups of chicken broth or water
* 1-½ tablespoons of olive oil
* 4 whole tomatoes (unpeeled)
* 1-½ cups of rice (medium-grain)
* 2 carrots (scraped and chopped into ¼ inch pieces)
* 2 serrano chilies or 2 jalapenos (slit lengthwise nearly end to end)
* ¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley
* ½ cup of a 10-oz. Box of frozen peas
* Salt


Instructions

* Combine the canned tomatoes with onion and garlic and blend in a blender. Blend the tomatoes smooth to equal 1 cup.
* Heat the broth/water until it is steaming and then lightly oil the tomatoes.
* Grill the tomatoes enough to char their skins. When the tomatoes have cooled, remove the peels and chop them.
* Take a 3-quart saucepan and heat olive oil in it over a medium flame. To this add raw rice and stir regularly during a cooking period of 5 minutes.
* Add the tomato mixture and carrots, and stir for a few minutes. Let it cook until it looks somewhat dry.
* After this, add the warm broth or water, chilies and parsley and stir the mixture thoroughly.
* Cover the pan with a lid and place on a range burner or a cooking grate of charcoal or gas grill (indirect, medium flame).
* Cover this for 15 minutes or until the liquid is almost absorbed. Then add peas and grilled tomatoes, and stir with a fork. Cover the pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
* When done, gently fluff the rice with a fork. Remove the chilies and use it to decorate the top of the rice and serve.


Pasta Salad Via Oscar Nunez
Ingredients:
12 oz of Pasta (a box)
A Can of tuna Fish
Diced Green peper
Diced Red pepper
Onions
Mayonnaise (depending on taste)
Black Pepper
Salt

Directions
*Cook the pasta in boiling water with a pinch of salt.
*While pasta cools, dice the peppers and onion and mix it all together
* Mix the tuna with the peppers/onion mix and pour in with pasta
*Add Mayonnaise to the pasta and mix
*Keep cool until ready to eat.

BBQ Chicken:


Ingredients

1. BBQ sauce
2. Chicken wings
3. Paprika
4. Garlic powder
5. Adobo all purpose seasoning

Directions:
*Season the chicken with paprika, garlic powder and adobo
*let stand overnight in the fridge (or for at least 4 hrs)
*Make sure the grill is hot
* Put the chicken legs on the grill and start cooking
* After 10 mins (or when half-way cooked), apply BBQ sauce with a cooking brush.
*Let stand for for 5 mins
*Apply more BBQ sauce
*Let stand until completely cooked.




Conclusion:
It was GREAT! I FINALLY, FINALLY! Got the tomato rice right. I had to pour some water in, once the tomato sauce was sucked up, because it still was a bit hard, but once the water was in there, it was pretty amazing. I enjoyed dinner so much and was so pleased. Oscar made the pasta salad, he made it very light and there were complaints that there should have been more mayo, but there was no evidence of that, as the food disappeared. The Italian chicken was a big hit, but I didn't like it! LOL, i'm not a fan of white meat and after biting into it I realized, "wait, you know, I think it was dark meat she made." So I should have grilled bonless thighs, instead of chicken breast, UGH! Whatever, next time. Everyone else loved it and while I enjoyed the taste, I fine all white meat a bit dry, everyone else stared at me like I was insane and asked "you call this dry?" as they chomped down on my chicken. All in all a meal, well made.



My Sister happy after her meal

Chicken Cordon Bleu

How it's supposed to Look:


So, today I had a spot of bad news. So I did the only thing I could do. Decided to cook. I decided to try something a bit more complicated then what I've made so far. Chicken Cordon Bleu a french dish. I personally have never had it before, but I figured, "why the hell not?" I loved France and I loved french food so why not.

Chicken Cordon Bleu: Recipe via allrecipes.com





How Mine Looks:

Ingredients

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 6 slices Swiss cheese
• 6 slices ham
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

Conclusion:

I really liked cooking this for many reasons. 1. It's french why would I not want to make something french. 2. I got to use wine, cooking wine it was really awesome, I felt like a chef, so I of course dropped it in the way I'd seen on TV, but alas it did not set the food on fire.

I didn't brown it as much as I would have liked, and so it didn't have that crispy look it should have. But it did taste very very good. I enjoyed it and so did my aunt. I also made paprika potatos and Asparagus. I'm pretty full, well full is an understatement, I felt like I would explode. Which is always good.

Cordon Bleu is rich and creamy. It's also a bit heavy. It taste like it's from France, which is my fave part. That you can eat something and know what it's from.