Pasta with {Slightly Skinny} Butternut Parmesan Sauce

A few months ago I was given a few butternut squashes (Is "squashes" correct? Or would that be "squash"? As in "deer"...or "fish"...or "moose"? I give up) from a relative that grows them in her garden- how fun is that- home-grown squash! Lovely, rich, smooth, gorgeously golden squash! 

As you can imagine, I was more than happy to accept her offer of a few to take home and have been on the hunt ever since for something to do with it other than soup (although I absolutely adore butternut squash soup and have tried several delicious recipes!). Recently I came across this pasta sauce recipe on Pinterest (of course) and decided to give it a whirl!

This sauce is really very simple to prepare. The only time consuming part is baking the squash, which could easily be done ahead of time. You can even make large batches of squash puree and freeze them in 3 cup amounts to have on hand when you need a quick go-to sauce for a weeknight meal! How easy would that be?? 

And, as usual, the squash does not disappoint. It is smooth and nutty as always, and combined with the flavors of sage and Parmesan, it makes a delicious addition to your favorite pasta.

Oh, and that amazing side dish you see in the picture? The one with the almonds? And more Parmesan? That's my sis-in-love's fantabulous roasted zucchini that ever since this summer has been my absolute favorite way to eat zucchini. I could seriously eat a whole bowl of THAT for dinner. Oh, now you want the recipe? Well, you're in luck! It just so happens I  know the lady who wrote a blog post about that... ;) You can thank me later.

Pasta with Butternut Parmesan Sauce

(printable version)

slightly adapted from Good Life Good Eats

serves 6

1 butternut squash (about 2 1/2 lb.- if using pre-made puree, this takes about 3 cups)

12 oz. penne pasta (or other favorite!)

1 TB olive oil

1 shallot, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup skim milk

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ground sage (or use 1 TB fresh!)

1 tsp parsley (or 1 TB fresh! If using fresh parsley, add with lemon juice at the end of cooking)

2 tsp lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

broth or water as needed to thin sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Cut the squash lengthwise in half (see here for an easy way to do this!) and scoop out strings and seeds. Place squash cut sides down in a glass baking dish and add 1/4 cup water. Bake about 40 min. or until easily pierced with a fork. Cool 10 minutes, then scoop flesh from skins. Puree squash in a blender or food processor or using a stick blender until smooth.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, make sauce. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a wide skillet. 

Add shallots and cook about 5 min., or until soft and translucent. 

Add squash puree and cook about another minute, stirring to combine. 

Add milk a little at a time, stirring continuously to incorporate.  

Stir in cheese and spices. If needed, add water or broth to thin the sauce to your liking. When sauce is hot, remove from heat and stir in lemon juice (and fresh parsley, if using). 

Serve over hot pasta with extra cheese and herbs if desired.

Lemon Belgian Waffles {with Blueberry Syrup}

It's almost officially the weekend! And weekends mean brunch. Or breakfast for dinner. Pancakes. Eggs. Sausage. Bacon. Waffles.

WAFFLES.

I used to think that waffles were just pancakes all dressed up. With little holes to catch the syrup. Wonderful little holes!

Or to prevent you from spreading butter smoothly across the surface. Evil little holes!

But then my parents gave us a Belgian waffle maker for our anniversary. YUM. Not only does the waffle iron make waffle making fun (it flips over like those ones you always see at hotel continental breakfasts), but the waffles themselves are delicious! They are crispy and light, just perfect for toppings of fresh fruit and whipped cream.

This particular recipe just pops with fresh lemon flavor and gets an extra dose of indulgence from  freshly make blueberry syrup. I tell you, even though the waffles are first rate, the real star of this show is the syrup. It is a gorgeous purple color and a perfect balance of sweet and just slightly tart.

When you've polished off all your waffles, you just might have some of this syrup leftover, so let me clue you in on what to do with the remaining deliciousness (besides just eating it by the spoonful). Last week we served they syrup atop vanilla ice cream at our church potluck- oh, heaven! This week, I have been stirring a tablespoon into my plain Greek yogurt every morning in lieu of my usual honey- oh, double heaven (is that a thing?)! I'm going to miss it when it's gone. Oh, well...guess I'll just have to make some more...

Lemon Belgian Waffles with Blueberry Syrup

(printable version)

from Cooking Classy

makes about 6 waffles

Waffles:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup milk

2 TB vegetable oil

2 TB applesauce

2 large eggs, separated

2 TB white sugar

1 1/2 TB lemon zest

2 TB fresh lemon juice

Preheat a Belgian waffle iron and grease lightly.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, milk, vegetable oil, applesauce, 2 egg yolks, sugar, zest and lemon juice. In a small bow with an electric hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), beat 2 egg whites until soft peaks form.

Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture, whisking as you do so, just until combined (don't overmix- batter should be slightly lumpy). Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in egg whites until combined. 

Spoon about 3/4 cup batter onto hot waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer's directions, until golden (cooking time will vary). Slowly lift lid when finished and carefully remove waffle. Repeat with remaining waffles and serve warm with blueberry syrup if desired.

Blueberry Syrup:

1 cup white sugar

2 TB cornstarch

1 cup cold water

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 1/2 TB fresh lemon juice

Whisk together sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Stir in water, add blueberries and lemon juice. Cook mixture over medium high heat, stirring frequently until mixture reaches a boil.

Reduce heat to medium low and boil gently for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Pour syrup into a blender, cover and blend on low speed about 1 minute or until well pureed. 

Serve over waffles, ice cream, yogurt, etc.

Chicken Paprikash

Isn't it funny how many comfort foods contain pasta? Spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, fettuccine alfredo...somehow a delicious sauce, poured over steaming noodles (no matter the shape!) does wonders for our souls.

This chicken paprikash is a new one for me- it definitely stirred up some homey feelings and I was sure it reminded me of something.

Maybe it was the tender chicken simmering in a flavorful red sauce that reminded me of my mom's chicken spaghetti.

Or maybe it was stirring sour cream into a tomato based sauce that put me in mind of stroganoff.

Either way, this sauce has a flavor of its own- and if you haven't guessed it yet, refer back to the title. Paprika! Two whole tablespoons of the sweet and smoky substance make up about the only spice in this dish (besides salt and pepper of course!). And it is amazing. Down home comfort with a flavor twist.

Do you have a favorite "comfort food" recipe?  I'd love to try it! Please email me at peanutjoy@gmail.com and maybe I'll feature your recipe on my blog!!

Note on the recipe- Annie recommends using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or legs...I chose to use skinless, boneless chicken breast and it was wonderful- so go by your preference!

Chicken Paprikash

(printable version)

from Annie's Eats

serves 8

3 lbs. chicken thighs, legs or breast

salt and pepper

2 tsp olive oil

1 lg. yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 TB sweet paprika

3 TB flour

1 3/4 cup chicken broth

1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with juice

1/2 cup sour cream or greek yogurt

cooked egg noodles for serving

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In large pot, heat oil over med-high heat. Place the chicken pieces in the pan, skin side down (if using thighs or legs) and cook until browned, about 6 min (time will be shorter if using breast). Flip and cook other side until browned. Transfer to a plate.

Discard all but 1 TB of fat from pot and lower heat to med. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften, about 2 min. Add garlic and continue to cook, about 3 min. more. 

Stir in paprika and flour, season with salt and pepper, and stir constantly until the mixture is fragrant and begins to stick, about 1 min.

Stir in broth a bit at a time, whisking until smooth. Add tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Return chicken to the pot. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 20 min. Prepare noodles while chicken is cooking.

Remove chicken pieces to a cutting board and shred, removing skin and bones if necessary. Stir shredded chicken back into the pot. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream or yogurt. Serve warm over egg noodles.

Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Pancakes {with Cinnamon Syrup}

It's Saturday, y'all! You know what that means in our house...breakfast for dinner!

Last weekend I made a batch of these whole wheat apple cinnamon pancakes from Two Peas and Their Pod and man, were they yummy! But let me tell you straight up: the syrup is the best part.

Oh wow. Really. It's like, so amazing. You'll want to put it on everything (after you send your pancakes drifting out to sea on it, that is). Like more apples. Or maybe some peaches. Toast or oatmeal, anyone? Leftover apple cider waffles? Grab anything you can find (including your own fingers of course) and dunk it in this syrup, because yeah, it's that good.

But back to the pancakes. Hearty wheat taste, bursts of fresh apple chunks, hints of spice...I'm pretty much convinced that the "whole wheat" and "apple" parts of the title are just to trick us into thinking we're being all healthy while simultaneously pouring on copious amounts of spicy, sugary syrup that is basically like liquid gold .

The edible kind.

But there I go about the syrup again. Gee. Anyways. Do yourself a favor this weekend and make a batch of syrup. Er. Pancakes.Whatever.

Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup

(printable version)

by Two Peas and Their Pod

serves 3-4

For pancakes:

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 1/2 TB brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

1 cup buttermilk, plus 2 TB

1 TB canola oil

1 lg. egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup diced, peeled apple

For syrup:

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 TB flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup water

In a med. bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in apples.

Heat griddle or non-stick skillet over med. heat. Spray with cooking spray. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot griddle pan, spacing out pancakes a few inches from each other. When the pancakes start to bubble up, flip and cook until lightly browned.

While the pancakes are cooking, make the syrup. Stir together dry ingredients in a small saucepan. Then add water and vanilla. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring often. Continue boiling and stir until mixture thickens to syrup consistency, about 5-8 min. Remove from heat and let stand a few minutes before serving.

Serve the pancakes with warm syrup. Enjoy!

Classic Eggs Benedict with Low-Cal Hollandaise

I know what you're thinking. Low-Cal hollandaise? Why would you do such a thing??

Let me explain. Do you have any idea how much butter is in hollandaise sauce? Seriously, it's pretty scary. I mean, to-die-for-delicious scary, but also roll-me-away-from-the-table-get-me-a-triple-bypass-now scary. SO.

I bring you a rather tasty (though surely unfit for the taste buds of true hollandaise connoisseurs) alternative. A low calorie hollandaise. One which means you don't have to shun the goodness of Eggs Benedict altogether, but may quite comfortably indulge with minimal guilt.

So, point being made, enjoy your full calorie real hollandaise on special occasions, but stash this recipe to keep cravings at bay with a clear conscience.

You're welcome.

By the way, this was my very first attempt at poaching eggs! I must say, it was an enchanting process and came off with great success! You may have your own method already, or you may want to try google for your preferred method, but I used the fairly common route of simmering in vinegar and water. Worked great, the eggs were beautiful, and there was no vinegar taste.

Classic Eggs Benedict with Low-Cal Hollandaise

(printable version)

sauce recipe from Eating Well

serves 2

4 eggs

1/4 cup white vinegar

4 English muffins, split

4 slices thick sliced Canadian bacon

1 TB butter

3/4 cup non or low-fat buttermilk, divided

1 TB cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

pinch cayenne pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 TB lemon juice

To poach eggs, break each egg carefully into separate small bowls or ramekins. Fill pot with at least 2 in. water. Bring to a boil. Stir in vinegar and reduce heat to a gentle simmer (water should be steaming and small bubbles coming up from bottom). Submerging the lip of each bowl into the water, gently slide eggs in, one at a time. Stir carefully to create a gentle whirlpool effect. Cook 4 min. for soft set, 5 min. for medium and 8 for hard. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on a clean towel.

Meanwhile, make sauce. Melt butter over low heat in a saucepan. Cook until butter turns golden, 30-60 sec. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.

Whisk 1/4 cup of buttermilk, cornstarch, salt and cayenne in saucepan until smooth. Whisk in egg and remaining buttermilk. Set pan over med. heat and cook the sauce, whisking constantly, until it comes to a simmer. Whisk and cook 15 sec. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and reserved butter.

Toast English muffins. Heat bacon in frying pan. To assemble: butter muffins if desired. Top with bacon. Place one poached egg on each half of the muffin and pour desired amount of sauce on top. Enjoy!

{Skinny} Grilled Chicken and Roasted Broccoli Alfredo

You want to know what really makes this recipe fantastic?

No, not the juicy grilled chicken.

No, not even the amazingly rich and creamy sauce that harbors no such lurking fats like cream or butter (well, ok, if I'm going to be serious, the sauce is pretty darn fantastic. But I digress...).

What, then??

The broccoli. Oh my.

If you have never tasted roasted broccoli in your life before, please take a few minutes and treat yourself. Yes, I mean, go now, to the store and buy a head of broccoli (are they called heads?), chop it up, throw some oil on that baby and start it roasting.

Ok, where were we? While your broccoli is roasting we can finish our discussion. About what? Oh, yes. Roasted broccoli. By they time I have you drooling your own roasted broccoli will be done and then you'll thank me, ok?

SO.

My husband is a self-proclaimed broccoli disliker (he is so sweet, he would never use the word "hate"). So, even though I like it, I usually forgo it to make other veggies we both like.

Asparagus, for example.

Anyway, when he bit into a piece of the roasted broccoli included in this fabulous meal, he said something to the effect that if everyone made broccoli like that, no one would be a hater. Well, maybe not in those words. But you get the idea. He loved it! I told him that the blogger on the site where I learned how to work such magic said it was better than biting into a steak and he actually said, "I could see why she would say that..."

!!!

Something about the roasting really brings out the good side of broccoli and gives it that oh-so-yummy sort of crispiness. And doused in a fair amount of Alfredo? Don't get me started.

So, SO different than steamed broccoli. K?

Seriously, there's no way you'd know this was a "skinny" recipe if I didn't tell you.  The sauce is rich and creamy and melty like any good Alfredo. I kept having to remind myself that there was no butter and no cream involved. Crazy! I guess the Greek yogurt must be the secret weapon, because there's hardly even any milk!

So go ahead. Pretend like you're indulging.

{Skinny} Grilled Chicken and Roasted Broccoli Alfredo

(printable version)

from Celebrations .com

makes 4 servings

2-3 chicken breasts, grilled and cut into chunks (about 2 cups)

2 cups broccoli florets

8 oz. fettuccine

2 TB olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

2 TB flour

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup skim milk

1/4 tsp pepper

pinch of nutmeg

3/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

To roast broccoli, preheat oven to 425. Toss florets with a small amount of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on foil lined cookie sheet 15-20 min. or until crisp-tender. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

To make sauce, heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over med-low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is golden, about 2 min. Whisk in flour until smooth, about 2 min. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, yogurt, milk, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer about 3 min. or until the mixture thickens, stirring gently. Stir in cheese until melted.

Toss pasta, chicken, broccoli and sauce to combine and evenly coat.

Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Sauce

There are so many flavor elements to this tasty chicken entree´, it's hard to know where to start!

The tender, juicy chicken breast? Seared quickly in a hot pan, then baked at a high temperature to seal in the moisture.

The buttery brussels sprouts? Sautéed quickly in butter then simmered in chicken broth, they are a perfect compliment to the chicken.

The tangy mustard sauce? The tie that binds- a marvelous marriage of flavors to enhance the rest of the dish.

When blended together, these components make for such a fabulous meal that it will have you sopping up every last drop of the delectable sauce!

Note: The original recipe calls for using an oven safe skillet for easy transfer of the chicken from stove to oven- I adapted this recipe for those of us without oven safe skillets, but please see the original recipe if you do!

Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Sauce

(printable version)

adapted from Cooking Light

serves 4

2 TB olive oil, divided

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

salt and pepper

3/4 cup fat free, low sodium chicken broth, divided

1/4 cup apple cider

2 TB dijon mustard

2 TB butter, divided

1 TB chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 tsp cornstarch, mixed with a little cold water until smooth

12 oz. brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (frozen or fresh- if frozen, thaw slightly to halve)

Preheat oven to 450.

Heat a large skillet over hight heat. Add 1 TB of the oil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan. Cook 3 min. or until browned. Turn and transfer to greased glass baking pan. Bake 9 min. or until done (my chicken breasts were a little on the thick side so they took about 15 min.). Keep warm.

Meanwhile, using same pan used to cook chicken, heat over med-high. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and cider. Bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer 4 min or until slightly thickened. Whisk in mustard, 1 TB butter, parsley and cornstarch mixture. Pour sauce into container to keep warm and prepare sprouts in same pan.

Heat remaining TBs of oil and butter in pan over med-high heat. Add sprouts; saute 2 min. or until lightly browned. Add a pinch of salt and remaining chicken broth. Cover and cook 4 min. or until crisp-tender. Serve sprouts with chicken and sauce.

I highly recommend serving this dish alongside easy and delicious Rosemary Potatoes, aslo found on Cooking Light.

Spaghetti with Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Meatballs and Chunky Marinara {a Crazy Cooking Challenge}

Wow. I think I set a personal record for the longest title yet! And rightly so. If any, flavor-packed dish is deserving of a long, drawn out title, this delicious spaghetti is.

When I heard that the March cooking challenge would be spaghetti, I was delighted. Spaghetti, how I love thee...let me count the ways:
1) Plain and simple: easy, ground beef simmered in sauce out of a jar, over plain noodles.
2) Quick homemade sauce with Italian sausage, over whole wheat thin spaghetti or angel hair
3) Mom's recipe, chicken simmered in red sauce all day in the crock-pot, served over rotini.
4) Always, always!! With sour cream and shredded cheese. Yes. Ah, comfort food.
5) WITH THESE MEATBALLS- I mean, hey! They are stuffed with cheese for goodness' sake!! What more can you ask?? Bacon, you say? Bacon and cheese stuffed meatballs?? Hmm, that is an idea worth considering. Moving right along...



 I can't even begin to tell you how much flavor is packed into these little round balls of meat. Also known as meatballs. When I stumbled upon this recipe on Lauren's Latest, I knew I had found my ultimate spaghetti. But, alas! There was no sauce recipe, so I searched the web for the perfect sauce to compliment such a magnificent concoction as cheese stuffed meatballs. Moist, flavorful, cheese stuffed meatballs. Chunky Marinara from For the Love of Food caught my attention. It is chock full of tomatoes and onions and is just perfect for a gal like me who doesn't like to drown her pasta in red sauce.

Now, normally incredible yummyness is accompanied by a heaping serving of guilt. HOWEVER...take a moment to calculate with me... Turkey meatballs + Vegetable-laden-sauce + Whole wheat spaghetti = Healthy! Yay! Devour the incredible yummyness and throw the guilt out the window!

Anyhow, long story short, I combined recipes from these two fantastic bloggers, and it magically transformed into one delicious meal.

Spaghetti with Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Meatballs and Chunky Marinara

(printable version)

combined and tweaked by Jenn

Original recipes by Lauren's Latest and For the Love of Food

serves 4-6

whole wheat spaghetti noodles, or noodles of your choice

For meatballs:

1 slice white bread

1/4 cup milk

1 1/4 lb. ground turkey

1/2 cup finely diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 TB ketchup

1 egg

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried parsley

24 1/2 in. cubes mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Grease or line baking sheet with parchment paper. Tear bread into chunks and place in large bowl. Pour milk over bread and let it soak while you chop onions and garlic. Add the remaining ingredients (except cheese) to the bread/milk mixture and mix thoroughly. Scoop mixture by the tablespoon into your hand and push one cube of cheese into the center. Press meat mixture around cheese to completely cover and place on baking sheet. Repeat until all meat mixture is used. You should have 24. Bake 20-23 min. or until meat is thoroughly cooked. Serve with marinara atop spaghetti.

For marinara:

1 med. yellow onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can diced tomatoes

1 tsp dried Italian herbs

1 tsp dried basil

2 TB red wine vinegar

1 TB olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions in olive oil about 5 min or until translucent. Add garlic and saute several minutes, until fragrant. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer at least 5 min. Serve with spaghetti and meatballs.

Sources: Lauren's Latest and For the Love of Food

Mother Hubbard's Spaghetti Sauce

Even though it's September 1st, I'm at the end of my grocery month. The cupboards are getting bare, the refrigerator is hollowing out, and even the freezer is mostly occupied by...cold air. We are going grocery shopping tomorrow- yay! So tonight's dinner was a bit of an experiment and a last hurrah. I knew I wanted to make spaghetti (a good, last minute, throw together meal), but I didn't have any spaghetti sauce...at least not pre-made, in a jar. So, I made my own. I have made my own spaghetti sauce many times in a pinch, but it comes out different every time I think- usually because I hadn't planned on it and I use what I have on hand. What did I have on hand today? 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of tomato paste, onions, 3 tiny cloves of garlic and the usual herbs. So, I put it all together while trying to decide what kind of meat to add. I have some frozen chicken breasts, but we've eaten a lot of chicken lately. I have 1 lb of hamburger left, but I want to save it for chili for our potluck on Sunday. I had almost decided to defrost the hamburger anyway when I had a flash of inspiration- the 2 sweet Italian turkey sausages leftover from a BBQ in the freezer! Perfect. After defrosting, I split the casings open and sauteed the meat inside with onions and the little bit of garlic I had. After mixing the meat with the sauce, I put it in the crock pot to simmer for a few hours (and of course, infuse the house with an amazing smell!). Ladled atop whole wheat spaghetti (and a bit of penne mixed in to make it stretch, haha), and served alongside garlic bread and salad it made a delicious and hearty meal!

I have to say, I think this is the best sauce yet. Thankfully, I took down my measurements just in case it came out well.  The "recipe" is as follows- tweak it how you like!

Mother Hubbard's Spaghetti Sauce
(printable recipe)

a KitchenJoy original recipe
makes 4-6 servings

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil

1/4 cup finely diced onion

2 garlic cloves + 1/4 tsp garlic powder (use all fresh garlic if you have enough)

2 sweet Italian turkey sausages, casings removed (substitute other meat if desired)

Mix tomatoes, paste, water and herbs. Set aside.

Saute onions, garlic and sausage until meat is browned and onions are transparent.

Stir meat into tomato mixture. Simmer on stove-top for at least 15 minutes or simmer in crock-pot on low for about 4 hours.

Serve atop spaghetti or other pasta.

Chicken Breasts with Balsamic-Garlic Reduction

Ooh! Don't I sound classy! Heehee. I used to have no idea what a "reduction" was when I saw it on fancy restaurant menus. But now I understand...duh! It's just reducing the liquid by excess cooking time to make the flavors bolder and richer. :)

Well, I always love to add new chicken recipes to my rotation, and this one is here to stay! I have made it twice now and both times Hubby has exclaimed over the excellent aroma and flavor. And my motto is: "When Hubby exclaims, I retain!" Haha, not really, but you get the general idea. The recipe gets officially printed and filed. :) Anyway, this particular recipe was again located on my fav cooking site, allrecipes, and is very easy, though it has lovely elegant flavors! I tweaked it a bit to my liking, but I'll include the link to the original recipe in case you want to try it their way! :) I'm not a fan of mushrooms, so I left those out.

First order of business- to thaw my frozen chicken breasts. We shop in Spokane (about an hr away) once a month, so I always go with having frozen chicken breasts on hand, which I thaw in the microwave. This takes about 11 min, so I have to remember to add that to the cooking time! While the chicken is thawing, I peel garlic cloves and heat up the olive oil in the skillet. If anyone knows of a really easy way to peel garlic, please let me know! Anyway, once the chicken is thawed, I season it lightly with salt and pepper, then sauté it until it is nicely browned on one side, but not fully cooked.

Next, I add the whole garlic cloves (which besides adding flavor add a wonderful aroma to the kitchen!). Then I turn the chicken and continue to cook it for a few minutes, until it is mostly done, stirring the garlic around so it gets soft and sweet.

Once the chicken looks like it is pretty thoroughly cooked (but not overcooked!), I add the sauce ingredients- balsamic vinegar, chicken broth, thyme and a bay leaf. The only experience I had with balsamic vinegar before this was at nice restaurants where you can dip your bread in it. Yum! I was afraid it might be too strong a flavor, but it is delicious! Once the sauce ingredients are mixed together, I cover the skillet and simmer it on low heat for about 10 minutes, turning the chicken a couple of times to be sure it gets coated with the sauce. I then remove the chicken to a covered plate to keep it warm and start the sauce reducing! :) Simply simmer an additional 7 minutes or so at a little higher heat. Then swirl a bit of butter into the sauce, pour over the chicken, and serve!

I like to serve this with rice to soak up the sauce, but pasta would probably also be a good alternative. Bon appetit!

Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic Reduction
(printable version)

(my tweaking- original recipe can be found here)

Serves 4

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 cloves garlic

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp butter

1)Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over med-hi heat and sauté chicken until nicely browned on one side (about 3 minutes).

2) Add the garlic. Turn the chicken. Continue frying about 3 minutes, then add vinegar, broth, bay leaf and thyme. Cover tightly and simmer over med-low heat for 10 min., turning occasionally.

3) Transfer chicken to a warm serving platter and cover. Set aside. Continue simmer sauce, uncovered, over med-hi heat for about 7 min. Swirl in the butter and discard bay leaf. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Fish are Friends...and Food! (Salmon with Honey-Mustard Glaze)

Today I tackled something familiar yet new. Familiar, because I have cooked it before, under the watchful eye of my mother, but new because I had not cooked it myself or in this manner. The meat? Salmon. I'm not sure of the variety, because it was a gift of one of our parishioners- but it was fresh caught! I was very excited about the prospect of eating salmon, though slightly daunted, but my husband was not. He is not a huge fan of fish in general, so I haven't really been motivated to cook any thus far. But, as it was a gift, and as I love the beautiful pink fish, I was determined to have a go at it.
I have had the salmon thawing in my fridge for the last few days, and today I knew it would have to be done. Cooking it didn't scare me too much, it was the prospect of preparing it that was getting to me.
Problem #1: I know what a "ready-to-cook" fillet looks like and this fish did not look like that.

It was whole (save for head and tail and thankfully had been gutted), complete with skin and fins. FINS! Even now I shudder. Yuck! So, I searched all over the internet for instructions on how to fillet a whole salmon. Finally I found very detailed, very simple directions (with pictures!) on a fly fishing website! This did not look like it was going to be a pleasant task. I have no "fillet knife" but my "slicing" knife worked just fine. Aided by a towel and grimacing quite frequently, I sliced my fish into acceptable fillets. Having no needle nose pliers at hand, I plucked the remaining bones free with the tips of my kitchen scissors. I was so relieved when the fish began to look familiar.

Tucking the salmon back into the fridge till dinner time, I thoroughly cleansed my hands of slime and scales and went on with my other morning tasks.
Later in the afternoon, armed with my Betty Crocker Cookbook, I mixed up a recipe for a Honey-Mustard Glaze for my salmon, which was to be broiled. While the fish swam in it's yummy looking marinade, I double-checked the recipe and ran headlong into Problem #2: a broiler pan. I don't have a broiler pan. So, again, Google was my savior. I found from reading several online recipe chats that a broiler pan can be easily substituted with a cooling rack perched on top of a sided baking sheet. Whew! Those I have! That problem solved, I transferred the salmon to the greased cooling rack (which was now posing convincingly as a broiler rack).
Problem #3: I was still a little bit uncomfortable with the thought of broiling my fish. I had heard of it being done, but was raised only with the methods of baking and grilling. I am very inexperienced at using my oven's broiler for anything but browning toast or rolls. Just this afternoon, I burned a few innocent leftover french fries by leaving them too long in its clutches. My smoke alarm is often comically oversensitive. It usually goes off whenever I open my oven door, which leads me to believe it has some sinister purpose in mind, trying to convince all my neighbors that I burn everything that goes in the oven or on top of it. But today its ringing rang true, as the broiler, left to its own devices, did indeed burn my poor french fries. All this to say, my confidence in the broiler was low. So turning to the internet once again to research the success of those gone before me, I stumbled upon an article from an Alaskan newspaper! It stated that broiling was ideal for fish like salmon because it cooks at such a high heat that a crust is quickly formed on the fish that seals the moisture and flavor inside. My courage bolstered by this discovery, I surrendered the glazed fish to the red hot broiler. Checking it every 3 minutes or so to brush on more glaze, I was hopeful. It looked beautiful and smelled heavenly! When it flaked obediently after 12 minutes or so, I removed the salmon from the oven and stared at it proudly. I sneaked a bite. WOW. My first thought was, Man, if only I could transport a piece of this to Mommy! She'd think she'd died and gone to heaven! My mom is a salmon fanatic. :)

My husband walked through the door and sniffed appreciatively. As we sat down to dinner, I watched him as he tried it..."Wow," he said, "this is really good!" It did taste superb, if I do say so myself, and it was such a wonderful treat! The fish was a pleasing light pink, and perfectly moist. The glaze had formed into somewhat of a crust under the broiler and the blend of flavors in it were a lovely complement to the mellow flavor of the fish. I paired it with baked yams and steamed spinach, which made for a meal of pretty colors!

When, after several minutes, my husband helped himself to a large second serving, and when, by the end of our meal (and despite the accusing glares from my goldfish) we had nearly consumed both large fillets, I considered my fish foray a success!

Salmon with Honey-Mustard Glaze (Betty Crocker)

makes 4 servings

Honey-Mustard Marinade:

1 Tbsp packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp butter, melted

1 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard (I just used reg yellow)

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Salmon:

1 salmon fillet (1 lb)

1) In small bowl, mix all marinade ingredients

2) Place salmon, skin side down, in shallow glass or plastic dish. Pour marinade over salmon. Cover and refrigerate at least 15 min, but no longer than an hour.

3) Set oven control to broil. Remove salmon from marinade; reserve marinade. Place salmon, skin side down, on rack in broiler pan. Broil with top 4-6 in. from medium heat 10-15 min, brushing 2 or 3 times with marinade, until salmon flakes easily with fork. Discard any remaining marinade.