Ingredients
* 4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 extra-large eggs
* 1 tablespoon water
* 1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
* 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
* 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, like McCormick
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
* Unsalted butter
* Good olive oil
* Salad greens for 6, washed and spun dry
* 1 recipe Lemon Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Directions
Place the chicken breasts in a plastic ziploc bag & pound out until they are 1/4-inch thick.
Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs, seasoned salt and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Toss the salad greens with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.
Lemon Vinaigrette:
* 1/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
* 1/4 cup good olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Yield: 6 servings
- adapted from Ina Garten
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds extra-large shrimp (21/25), peeled and deveined, tails left on
2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil for brushing skewers
Table salt and ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
1. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Thread shrimp onto 3 skewers, alternating direction of heads and tails. Brush both sides of shrimp with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of each skewer with sugar.
2. Turn all burners on gas grill to high, cover, and heat until very hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grate clean with grill brush.
3. Set disposable aluminum pie plate with sauce ingredients on grill and cook as directed; remove when hot. Place shrimp skewers, sugared sides down, on grate; use tongs to push shrimp together on skewer if they have separated. Grill shrimp, covered, until lightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip and grill until second side is pink and slightly translucent, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
4. Using potholder or oven mitt, carefully lift each skewer from grill; use tongs to slide shrimp off skewers into pie plate with sauce. Toss shrimp and sauce to combine and transfer pie plate back to grill; cook, stirring, until shrimp are opaque and fully cooked, about 30 seconds. Remove from grill, add remaining sauce ingredients and toss to combine. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
Combine butter, lemon juice, zest, pepper flakes, garlic, wine and salt in pan. Cook stirring occasionally, until butter melts, about 1 1/2 minutes; add parsley just before serving.
Place sauteed or grilled shrimp in a bowl. Pour lemon butter sauce over shrimp and serve toasted or grilled baguette slices aside shrimp.
- adapted from Cooks Illustrated
tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large shallots, minced
3/4 cup white wine or low-salt chicken broth
1 cup half & half or 2% milk
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups asparagus, cut in to 1 inch pieces and sauteed until just softened
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
12 ounces whole wheat linguini
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Melt butter & olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and sautee until fragrant. Add broth/wine. Simmer over medium-high heat until mixture is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Add cream, lemon peel, and cayenne. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus; simmer just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in basil and lemon juice. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Remove pasta with tongs and place directly into sauce, toss to coat.
- 80/20 ground chuck
- salt & pepper
- whole wheat cocktail buns
- Boar’s Head American Cheese
- 1 Vidalia onion, chopped & sauteed in butter
Grill, eat!
Ingredients
* 1 pound whole wheat Fusilli or Rotini (spirals) pasta
* Kosher salt
* Olive oil
* 2 zucchini, grilled (or any grilled vegetable)
* 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
For the dressing:
* 5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
* 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 4 tablespoons good olive oil
* 1 garlic clove, diced
* 2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* 1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned
Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl.
For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.
Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well. Add vegetables & chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
- adapted from Ina Garten
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups basmati rice or long-grain rice
3 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion minced
1 cup Orzo
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground tumeric
Instructions
1. Place rice in fine mesh strainer, wash for several minutes until water is clear. Place colander over bowl and set aside.
2. Bring 3 1/4 cups water to boil, covered, in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add salt and season with pepper; cover to keep hot. Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat until foam begins to subside; add orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes. Remove to small bowl and set aside. Add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter to pan and heat until foam begins to subside; add onion and sauté until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, and tumeric to sautéed onion; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add rice and stir to coat grains with butter; cook until edges of rice grains begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add Orzo and stir hot seasoned water into rice; return to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, about 16-18 minutes. Off heat, remove lid, and place kitchen towel folded in half over saucepan; replace lid. Let stand 10 minutes; fluff rice with fork and serve. Serves 4 as a side dish.
- adapted from Cooks Illustrated
Ingredients
* 1 1/2 cups plain low fat yogurt
* 1 Tablespoon olive oil
* 1 teaspoon lemon zest
* 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons fresh whole rosemary leaves
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
* 4-5 chicken breasts cut into large chunks
Directions
Combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, salt, paprika and pepper in a large, non-reactive bowl. Add the chicken, making sure it is covered with the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days.
Loosely thread 4-6 pieces of chicken onto skewers. Place the skewers on the hot grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times.
- 1 1/2 cups low fat yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced into a paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cucumber peeled, seeded and diced, salt & drain in colander
Drain yogurt in cheesecloth lined colander over bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Mix ingredients in bowl, refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Jacques Torres
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (I used Ghirardelli)
Sea salt (your best)
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day
Ingredients
* 1 1/2 – 2 pounds flank, trimmed of excess fat & lightly scored
* 1 recipe Mojo, recipe follows
* Olive oil, for coating the grill
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 7-inch flour tortillas
* Shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce, for serving
* Chopped red onion, for serving
* Shredded Jack cheese, for serving
* lite sour cream (optional)
* salsa (optional)
* re-fried beans (optional)
Directions
Place the flank steak in a large plastic Ziplock bag, pour the mojo over it. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight, so the flavors can sink into the meat.
Preheat an outdoor grill. Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Pull the steak out of the mojo marinade and season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill the steak for 5 to 7 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.
Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill, until toasty and pliable.
To make the tacos, stack up 2 of the warm tortillas, spread a layer of re-fried beans, lay about 4 ounces of beef down the center, and sprinkle with some lettuce, onion, and cheese. Top each taco with a spoonful of the sour cream, salsa and garnish with lime wedges. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 jalapeno, minced
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 limes, juiced
* 1 orange, juiced
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
In a mortar and pestle or bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Spread the paste on both sides of the flank steak, sprinkle with seasoned salt & red pepper flakes then place in plastic Ziplock bag. Add the lime juice, orange juice, and oil. Shake it up to combine. Use as a marinade for chicken or beef.
Serves: 4 servings (2 tacos per person)
