Chicken Marsala

     Since I first tried this savory dish at an Italian Cafe I've been in love. It's the perfect blend of salty and sweet, with savory flavors dancing across the palette. After researching several recipes I've come up with my own version, and it works perfectly for me. A lot of people are uncomfortable buying wine to cook with, but have no fear, by the time this dish is ready, the alcohol in the wine is cooked out.

     Also I found a smaller bottle of Marsala Cooking Wine next to the vinegar and balsamic vinegar section of the grocery store, which was sized perfectly, (12.7 fl oz) instead of having to buy a large bottle at a more expensive price.  So without further delay:



Chicken Marsala

2 tsp Butter
3 Garlic Cloves (3 tsp Diced Garlic)
1/2 Large Onion
1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms
1 TBSP Thyme
1 Bottle Marsala Wine (12.7 oz or 1 1/2 Cups)
2 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
2 Cups Low Sodium Beef Broth
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
4 Chicken Breasts (Medium sized, boned and skinless)
Minced Parlsey for Garnish (about 2 tsp)

Slurry:
1 TBSP Corn Starch
3 TBSP Cold Water


Melt the butter and saute the onions, garlic, and mushrooms in a heavy bottomed stock pot. After 7-8 minutes de-glaze your pan with the Marsala wine, stirring constantly to scrap up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add both stocks and thyme, bring to rolling boil, and add chicken breasts to braise in sauce.

Allow to boil down to 1/2 in size (about 20 - 25 minutes). Add slurry and stir, bring back to boil and sauce will thicken. Pull chicken breasts and plate, pouring sauce over top. (Also goes great over pasta). Garnish with minced parsley and serve. Serves 4

Seattle Teriyaki Sauce - My Version

I have found the Holy Grail of Teriyaki Recipes. I kid you not, this is pure gold on a plate. Allow me to give you some background on this. Years ago (about 9 or so), I moved to Seattle to live for a couple of years. While there I sampled some of the local food, culture, and highlights as time and my finances would allow. One priceless gem I found was that in every major district of Seattle exist these Teriyaki shops. Mostly run by Korean Ma and Pa's, they quickly became the healthiest, tastiest, and handiest fast food available. One meal (chicken, rice, salad, drink) ran you about 5 bucks or so. We ate it almost every day. It became a part of our lives. I even go so far as to say that we began to crave this culinary delight. Well, after my time in Seattle was spent, I moved home to Idaho. The withdrawals were brutal. No one had 'real' Teriyaki. I tried store-made sauce after home-made sauce, and nothing touched the vintage Seattle awesomeness.

Now as we begin 2011, the fates have smiled on me and I have found it! The mother of all Teriyaki Recipes! Once you try this you will never allow another bottle of store-made sauce in your home again. Brace yourselves.

2016 Disclaimer Update: It's been brought to my attention that this sauce is not considered authentic to Seattle's version of teriyaki sauce. This is my version that comes close to the ones in Seattle. I'm sorry to have previously claimed this as "Authentic Seattle Teriyaki Sauce." - My Bad.


Seattle Chicken Teriyaki Sauce - My Version

Ingredients:

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• 2 Cups Soy Sauce
• 2 Cups plus 2 tsp Sugar
• 4 1/2^th Cups Water
• 2 tsp Ginger Root - Minced
• 2 TBSP Garlic – Minced
• 1/4^th Cup Apples - Chopped
• 1/4^th Cup Celery - Chopped
• 1 TBSP White Onions - Diced
• 1 TBSP Parsley - Chopped
• 1 Cup Leaf Lettuce - Chopped

Thickening Agent:

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• 2 TBSP Corn Starch
• 2 TBSP Cold Water

Remaining Ingredients:

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• Chicken Thighs
• Freshly Cooked Rice
• Shredded Carrots and Leaf Lettuce (Salad)
• Lite Poppycorn Ranch Dressing or Honey Mustard Dressing
• Sriacha Hot Sauce – for some heat
• Sesame Seeds - garnish

Over warm stove heat up Soy Sauce, Sugar, and Water in a deep stock pot. Wash, prep, and dice vegetables and fruits. Puree in a blender/food processor Ginger & Garlic first. Add to stockpot. Next puree Apples, Celery, White Onions, and Parsley until smooth. Then puree Lettuce Leaf into mixture. Add pureed blend with Soy Sauce mixture, heat slowly until boiling. Reduce heat and leave to simmer for about 35 - 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will reduce the liquid into a thin syrup. (After simmering, strain sauce thoroughly if translucent sauce is desired.) Mix together Cornstarch and Water in a separate bowl, add to sauce. Bring back to boil, stirring constantly until a nice and thick syrup. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Pour over strips of Chicken Thighs that have been grilled on high heat or open flame. Make sure the chicken has some charred grill marks (the sauce compliments these grilled bits almost too perfectly!). Serve over hot bed of your favorite rice and sprinkle with Sesame Seeds. Add Sriracha Hot Sauce if desired.

To complete the experience, julienne leaf lettuce and carrots into a tossed salad, cover with Honey Mustard Dressing or Peppercorn Ranch Dressing.

Sauce is also great on grilled New York Steak cut into thin strips, as well as grilled shrimp with pineapple on kabobs. Enjoy!


Thus far, this tastes the most similar to the Seattle Ma and Pa Shops. It's not their original recipe, but for me it's close enough to evoke fond memories of rainy lunches on the go. I can't even tell you how excited I am about this. I've already made a double batch and it's cooling in my fridge for use throughout the week! Enjoy!

Sage & Butternut Soup with Cranberry Spinach Salad

As snow flies sideways outside my window, I'm reminiscent of some of my favorite 'cozy up' dishes. Plus with Thanksgiving 'round the corner I can't help but start thinking about my favorite dishes. This one is a great way to use up extra pieces of squash lying around.

Sage and Butternut Squash Soup

2 lbs Cubed Squash

3 Small Onions, Diced (or Shallots)

1-2 TBSP Fresh Sage Leaves, chopped 

1 Pint Sliced Carrots

5 Cups Chicken Broth – low sodium

4 Small Garlic Bulbs, peeled & diced

Allspice – to taste

Sea Salt – to taste

Pepper – to taste

2 tbs Butter

Melt butter in bottom of soup pot, stir in Sage. Simmer for 1-2 min, add Onions, saute for 2 more minutes. Add Carrots, saute 4-5 minutes. Add Garlic and Salt. Saute for 2 additional minutes, add Chicken Broth and Squash, simmer until Squash Cubes are soft, about 45 minutes (I had to add one cup of water to keep it from boiling down too much.) Puree with stick blender, until finely blended. Add nutmeg and pepper, salt if needed. Serve hot in bowls with dollop of sour cream and freshly baked rolls. (Perfect for sore throats and achy bodies)

Variations:

-Add cooked, diced Bacon Bits or Prosciutto to Garnish

-Serve with dollop of Cream Cheese, or Mascarpone Cheese instead of Sour Cream

-Substitute 1 cup of Chicken Broth with Apple Cider to sweeten it up

-Mix Butternut and Spaghetti Squash to mix flavors, (whatever is available)

-After sauteing your vegetables, everything can be thrown into a large crock pot and left to slow cook all day. After wards just stick blend and serve!

                                                              Cranberry Spinach Salad

Bag of Baby Spinach Leaves (about 8 oz)
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1 Cup Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese (Blue Cheese also works)
1 Cup Salted Sunflower Seeds

Mix together in a large salad bowl, toss and serve with dressing of choice

Dressing:
3 Tablespoons Lemon-Flavored Olive Oil (or 3 TBSP of regular Olive Oil and 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel)
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Mix well in small bowl with fork until blended, toss with salad.

Variations:
-Throw in Walnuts/Pecans for a hearty crunch
-I've also use Poppyseed Dressing I found at the store (very tasty!)

These two together with some freshly baked bread will make a fine meal to share while the snow falls and the wind howls! Have a great Thanksgiving!

Caribbean Chicken with Coconut Rice

It has rained for so many days here! It's totally sucking the life out of summer. Lame. I feel that to break it up it's time to visit the Caribbean. Since I'm saving up money for school this fall it's cheaper for me to visit the Islands in my kitchen! These two recipes do just that.



For the Marinade:

1 tsp Allspice
1/4 Cup Red Onion, Chopped
1/2 Cup Green Onion, Chopped
2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Orange Juice
1 TBSP Lime Zest (or 1 Lime Juiced)
2 TBSP Soy Sauce
2 TBSP Chopped Thyme
2 TBSP Jalapeno, Seeded and Diced (1 Large Jalapeno)
2 TBSP Freshly Grated Ginger
1 Clove Garlic, Chopped
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Mix together in a Food Processor or Blender until pureed.

For the Chicken:

4 Chicken Breasts, Boneless and Skinless

Place chicken breasts into a large zip lock bag or plastic container and allow to marinade for up to 8 hours. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat grill to high, after marinating remove chicken and place on hot grill. Grill each side of chicken 3-4 minutes then place in a cake pan and finish in the oven uncovered, about 15 minutes. (Cut one chicken breast open to see if it's cooked thoroughly, cook longer if needed) Squeeze lime wedge over each piece of chicken and serve hot.

Coconut Rice

2 Cups Rice (Cal-Rose Rice or Jasmine Rice)
1 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Cup Canned Unsweetened Coconut Milk
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Clove
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract OR 1 Vanilla Bean, split

Rinse and drain rice in cold water. Mix together Coconut Milk, Whipping Cream, Salt, Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg, and Vanilla in a small saucepan. Begin to heat milk/cream sauce on med-low. While that's warming add water to rice in separate stove top pan and bring to boil on high heat. Allow to boil for 1 minute and turn down to low. When milk/cream sauce is warm, pour into rice and throw lid on top. Turn heat up to med-high again and bring to boil. When boiling turn down to low and allow rice to finish cooking. (About 5 minutes) Fluff with fork and serve.


Serve with a nice fruit salad (full of your favourite fruits like pineapple and mango) and tropical juice. Dress up for the occasion and crank up the Tropical Island Music! (Bust out the sunlamps if needed . . . )