Sesame Chicken

Here's a dish that's so good you're thinking to yourself this must be really bad for you, but it's not. There is only 1/2 tablespoon of canola oil per serving. Give this one a try, you'll love it. Good as take out? Yep!

Ingredients: Chicken
1 pound boneless chicken thighs or breast
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 egg
Pinch salt & pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil

Ingredients: Sauce
2 table spoons soy sauce
1 table spoon water
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
4 garlic cloves diced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 table spoon corn starch
Green onions

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, corn starch and salt & pepper. Cut the chicken into small bite size pieces, I recommend 3/4" x 3/4" and add the cut up chicken to the egg mixture.

Heat a 12" sauté pan and add the canola oil. Next, add the chicken and egg mixture and cook over medium high heat stirring occasionally. The total cooking time for the chicken should be about 7 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, Ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, corn starch and mix well.

When the chicken is done cooking add the sauce. The sauce will thicken up very quickly, cook 1 minute until heated, remove from the heat and serve.

To serve, place some basmati rice on a plate and then the sesame chicken on top. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Side Dish Suggestion:
Asian Style Eggplant

White Bean Turkey Chili

This is a mild, low fat chili that is perfect for a party. The key to this dish is to have plenty of toppings. I like cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, cilantro, sour cream and avocado.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 diced yellow onion
6 diced garlic cloves
2 lbs. ground turkey1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon ground oregano
1 - 2 tablespoons chili powder to taste
3 tablespoons flour
2 -15 oz. cans cannellini beans
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups chicken stock
garnish:
Cheddar cheese
Diced yellow onion
Sour cream
Cilantro

Preparation:
Heat a 12" sauté pan and add the olive oil. When the oil is heated, add the diced onion and cook 5 minutes until translucent. Add the diced garlic, cook 1 minute and then add the ground turkey and cook until well browned, about 10 minutes.

Once the turkey is cooked, Add the salt, cumin, fennel, oregano, chili powder and cook 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and place the entire contents into a slow cooker / crock pot. Add the cannelloni beans chopped Swiss chard, corn, red pepper flakes and sugar and chicken stock.

Cook in the crock pot for 6 hours. Check for seasoning as the chili will likely need more salt and pepper.

To serve, place chili in a bowl and top with cheddar cheese, diced onion, sour cream and cilantro.

Jumbo Shrimp Stack with Mango Salsa Stack, Avocado Salad and Cocktail Sauce

Here's a Christmas dinner appitizer almost too beautiful to eat. This consists of layers of jumbo shrimp with avaocado, mango salsa, salsa fresca drisseled with cilantro oil and cocktail sauce. I was fortunate enough to be served this wonderful dish at Phyllis's house and thought it was so amazing I would post on the blog.

Recipe on request.

Tofu and Mushroom Udon Noodle Soup

I love udon noodles and they're great for a dish just like this one. Udon noodles are Japanese wheat noodles that have a great texture and can stand up to being in a soup without becoming mushy. This udon noodle soup is easy and fast to make and can be made with whatever vegetables you have on hand. The key to this dish's wonderful flavor and texture is the soy sauce and sesame oil in the broth and the green onions, cilantro and crunched nuts tossed on top.

Ingredients:

32 oz low sodium chicken stock
18 oz firm tofu
1/2 pound Udon noodles
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
1/2 red bell pepper
2 tablespoons lite soy sauce
1tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon corn starch
Green onions
Cilantro
Crushed nuts

Preparation:

Cook the udon noodles according to the directions on the package and set a side. The noodles I use take 5 minutes and they're done.

Pour the chicken stock in to a large 3 quart sauce pan reserving 1/4 cup of the stock. Add the cubed tofu, sliced mushrooms, diced bell pepper, soy sauce and sesame oil. Bring the soup to a boil and and then simmer for 5 minutes.

Take the reserved chicken stock and mix in the corn starch. Add the mixture to the soup and this should thicken up the soup a little. Lastly, add the udon noodles to the soup.

To serve, ladle some soup into a bowl and top with green onions, cilantro and crushed nuts.

Grilled Salmon Served on Mashed Potatoes with Cilantro Oil

What I like about this dish is that the flavors all work so well together. Grilling salmon has always been my favorite way to cook salmon. The addition of the cilantro oil takes the dish to the next level and I would highly recommend making this dish for your next dinner party.



Ingredients:
2 8oz salmon filets
2 large russet potato's
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper
1 cup canola oil
1 cup packed cilantro
1/2 romaine lettuce leaf

Preparation: Cilantro Oil

Add the canola oil, cilantro and romaine lettuce to a small blender and blend for 5 minutes. Take the mixture and pour into and small fine mesh strainer. Let the mixture drain into a small bowl while you prepare the rest of the dish. You should end up with a couple of tablespoons of clear green cilantro infused oil.

Preparation: Potato

Peel the russet potatoes, cut into pieces and boil for 15 to 20 minutes until completely cooked, no lumps. Remove the water and use a potato masher and mix until creamy smooth. Stir the milk, butter, salt and pepper to the potatoes. Cover the potatoes and set a side while  you cook the salmon.

Preparation: Salmon

Preheat a stove top grill pan to medium high. I use the stove top grill pan from Scanpan, see image. Brush a little olive oil on each piece of salmon and cook skin side up on the grill for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes turn the salmon 45 degrees and cook another 3 minutes. After the second 3 minutes of cooking, turn the fish over so the skin side is down and finish cooking, about 6 minutes. When cooking is complete, remove the salmon from the grill pan leaving the cooked skin behind. 




Scanpan Stove Top Grill

To plate, place a helping of the mashed potato's on a plate. Top the potato's with the salmon and drizzle a teaspoon of the cilantro oil over the salmon and on the plate. Serve the dish with your choice of vegetable.

Side Dish Suggestion:
Sautéed Asparagus

Garlic and Herbed Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast with Israeli Mushroom Couscous

I know, chicken chicken chicken, but this chicken is really something else. The chicken is so flavorful from the garlic and herbed goat cheese and moist as can be because it's cooked with the skin on. I top the chicken breast with some gravy I make from the pan drippings and chicken stock. This is a new favorite for sure.

Ingredients: Chicken
2 bone in chicken breasts with skin in tact
Trader Joe's garlic and herbed goat cheese

Ingredients: Couscouse
Israeli couscouse
Crimini mushrooms
Olive oil

Ingredients: Gravy
1/2 cup chicken stock
Pan drippings
2 teaspoons corn starch

Preparation:

Take the goat chesse and put into the freezer for 10 minutes. The reason you want the goat cheese really cold is that you are able to cut into slices, otherwise it would be too soft and crumbly and very difficult to stuff the chicken breasts.

Next, prepare the chicken breasts by cutting off the ribs. This makes a more narrow cut of meat and generally better a plate presentation.

On the thick end of the chicken breast take your finger and run it under the skin of the chicken breast making a pocket. Take the goat cheese which is really cold from the freezer and cut into 1/2" thick slices. You should be able fit 3 pieces of the sliced goat cheese under the skin.

Take the stuffed chicken breasts and place on a roasting pan. I like to spray a little canola oil on the chicken as it creates a more even browning while baking. Bake the chicken at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. When cooked remove from the pan, cover with aluminum foil and let rest 5 minutes.

Make the couscouse according to directions. Slice 1/2 to 3/4 pound crimini mushrooms and cook in a 10" saute pan. When thourowly cooked drain any water from the mushrooms and mix in with the couscouse. Add salt and pepper to taste and top with a drizzel of olive oil.

To make the gravy, mix up 1/2 cup chicken stock with the pan dripping from the chicken and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Heat in a small saute pan until thick and serve.

Side Dish Suggestion:
Zucchini Especial