Chicken Cutlets with Bacon, Rosemary, and Lemon

Wednesday night, Kate and Spencer came over to have dinner with us and to celebrate my birthday a little early.  They are moving to Michigan next week and will miss out on our other birthday plans.  They brought a delicious green salad that had lots of cheese, bacon bits, romaine lettuce, and red bell pepper, tossed with croutons and a vinaigrette.  Additionally, we had whole wheat couscous and the following main dish.

I was soo hungry that I forgot to take a photo until I was almost done eating.

CHICKEN CUTLETS WITH BACON, ROSEMARY, AND LEMON
- from Cook's Country magazine

Ingredients:
5 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:
1. Fry bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon with slotted spoon to plate lined with paper towels. Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat.

2. Meanwhile, place flour in shallow dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, and shake to remove excess. Add butter to reserved bacon fat in skillet and heat over high heat, swirling to melt butter. When foam subsides, reduce heat to medium-high and cook chicken until browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate, leaving fat in skillet and over loosely with foil.

3. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, rosemary, and pepper flakes.  Cook until garlic is browned and crisp, about 2 minutes. Add broth and lemon juice, scrape up browned bits from bottom of skillet with wooden spoon, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.

4. Return chicken and bacon to pan and simmer, turning chicken once or twice, until sauce is thick and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Notes: 
1. I used chicken tenderloins instead of full breasts.  They cooked evenly and were very tender and delicious.  The only downside is that it takes longer to cook them.  I ended up adding more butter and bacon grease to get through all of the tenderloins.  

2. It is best to not have to clean puke off of your kitchen floor while the bacon is crisping.  It really makes it difficult not to burn it.  How is it that I can offer this advice?  Well, Kyle choked on a tortilla chip while in the kitchen and proceeded to puke ALL OVER THE FLOOR.  Yes, ALL OVER IT.  I managed to clean up the chunks just in time to wash my hands and prevent the bacon from burning.  After the bacon crisis was over, I was able to wet swifter the floor.  Then, Ben went to work with the Clorox wipes.  Ugh...it definitely delayed the meal.  
 

 

Wednesday, 1/19/2011

A couple weeks ago I started setting candles out on our dinner table Monday nights.  I dim the lights and we have a special family meal with some candlelight.  Well, I forgot to set our table with candles this week on Monday.  I made up for it tonight with a few Valentine's Day themed candles.  Katie really loves it!

For dinner, I made a salad of spinach leaves, diced honeycrisp apple, glazed walnuts, crispy bacon pieces, and a poppyseed dressing.  It was much better than the salad I made the other day.  For the main dish, I made chicken cutlets with bacon, rosemary, and lemon.  It is a really good dish that doesn't require that much prep.  I used chicken tenderloins instead of chicken breasts.  They cook faster and are more tender.  Here's the recipe:)

CHICKEN CUTLETS WITH BACON, ROSEMARY, AND LEMON
- from Cook's Country magazine

Ingredients:
5 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:
1.  Fry bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes.  Transfer bacon with slotted spoon to plate lined with paper towels.  Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat.


2.  Meanwhile, place flour in shallow dish.  Season chicken with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, and shake to remove excess.  Add butter to reserved bacon fat in skillet and heat over high heat, swirling to melt butter.  When foam subsides, reduce heat to medium-high and cook chicken until browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Transfer chicken to plate, leaving fat in skillet and over loosely with foil.

3.  Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, rosemary, and pepper flakes.  Cook until garlic is browned and crisp, about 2 minutes.  Add broth and lemon juice, scrape up browned bits from bottom of skillet with wooden spoon, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.

4.  Return chicken and bacon to pan and simmer, turning chicken once or twice, until sauce is thick and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes.  Adjust seasonings and serve.

Monday, 1/17/2011

I made my standard salmon cakes tonight, but something was off.  I was a bit short on salmon, so I added some more panko bread crumbs.  When I started to shape the cakes, I realized the mixture was really wet.  I think the partial lemon I had in the fridge must have been more than a half a lemon.  The outsides of the cakes were crispy, but the insides were still a bit juicy.  The flavor was still good, but they were not as good as normal.  

I also tried to make a salad similar to the one we had at our potluck on Saturday.  I added diced yellow bell pepper, mushrooms, and crushed tortilla chips to spinach leaves and topped with a balsamic vinaigrette.  I avoided too much dressing by not putting enough on.  Ben thinks including the apple slices would have helped the flavor balance.

Monday, 1/3/2011

We had chicken and peas for dinner tonight.  I took a pound of chicken tenderloins and marinated them for three hours in Grill Mates Tomato Garlic Basil marinade.  I broiled them on high for 8 minutes.  Yum!  The tenderloins really take on the flavor of marinades exceptionally well.  We ate up the rest of the sugar snap peas I prepared yesterday with the following tasty dipping sauce.  I only made a half recipe of the sauce, because a little goes a long way.  Katie really liked the peas and only ate a few bites of chicken tonight.

SPICY LEMON DIPPING SAUCE- from Alton Brown's cookbook "I'm Just Here for the Food, volume 2.0"

Ingredients:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
Zest from one lemon, chopped fine
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the mayo, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and tarragon.  Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

It is very important to only use dry peas.  The dip won't stick to wet peas.  The dip also goes well with carrots and other fresh veggies. 

Monday, 11/29/2010

Tonight we used Thanksgiving left overs, with a twist.  I wrapped some of the turkey and BBQ sauce in foil.  Then I cooked it in the toaster oven for 30 minutes or so on low heat.  I put too much BBQ sauce on the turkey, but it was still good.  I had one sweet potato that I didn't use for Thanksgiving.  I cubed it and then tossed the cubes in olive oil, salt, pepper, and chopped rosemary.  I baked the potatoes on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven for about a half hour.  They had the nice flavor of the potatoes we grilled for Thanksgiving, without having to use the grill.  

For our salad, I used bitter greens and made a lemon and olive oil dressing to go with it.  I made it on a whim; so, I don't have the exact amounts for the ingredients.  I know I started with the juice from half a lemon, then I whisked in olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little sugar.  It ended up being a fine salad:)

Tuesday, 11/16/2010

We hosted our PEPS group tonight.  It was a really fun evening.  The kids played together nicely, for the most part.  I particularly enjoyed the end of the evening when they were all wearing and sharing Katie's Mardi Gras necklaces:)  And, the adults were able to have good conversations.  

In the past, the hosting family would provide the complete meal.  Tonight was the first time we tried making it a potluck.  We are going to give it a full rotation before we decide to stick with the potlucks or go back to the other option. 

Ben grilled chicken drumsticks and thighs, that I prepped in a lemon and herb marinade, and we provided beverages.  The rest of the group brought the rest of the meal: a green salad, pasta salad, bread, snacks for the kids, and a spice cake from Macrina Bakery.  We got the chicken marinade recipe from Ben's brother, Spencer.  He used it several months ago when we had dinner at his house.  In order to marinate 14 drumsticks and 8 thighs, I tripled the following marinade recipe.

LEMON HERB CHICKEN MARINADE

Mix together the following ingredients.

1/2 cup Canola Oil
1/4 cup White Vinegar
1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Lemon Zest
1 clove Garlic, chopped
1 tsp Lemon Pepper
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Thyme
1 tbsp Oregano

Marinate for 2-6 hours.

Thursday, 11/11/2010

Ben got back from his trip to Huntsville really late last night.  I think he was in bed by 3am.  And then the smoke detector in our room started chirping at 4:30.  UGH...poor Ben!  He got up for a 7:30 conference call and then went back to bed for an hour and half.  It is not a surprise that he didn't feel well today.  We kept dinner really simple so that he could eat and rest.  We finished off the rest of the Lemon and Herb Chicken Helper and then watched Elf with Katie. She thought Buddy the Elf was funny and really liked the singing. It's a good thing we watched it after dinner.  If we had watched before dinner, she might have expected syrup on her noodles;)

Tuesday, 11/9/2010

I had left over lemon and herb chicken helper for dinner.  Katie wouldn't even taste it.  Surprisingly, she would eat applesauce with cinnamon in it. That is usually something she won't eat either.  Not much else to say about our meal, but here is a cute photo of my girl:)

Monday, 11/8/2010

Katie and I made Lemon and Herb Whole Wheat Chicken Helper for our dinner.  Well, I made it and Katie observed.  She wants to "see" everything I am doing when I am cooking.  When I am patient enough and when I remember, I show her what I am doing each step of the way.  Ben flew to Huntsville, Alabama, this morning for work, so it was just the two of us tonight.  Here are a couple fun photos of Katie from dinner tonight.

Thursday, 10/7/2010

I reheated the left-over Lemon Strozzapreti Pasta for dinner tonight.  I was surprised at how much the pasta and beans were stuck together with the cream sauce when I pulled it out of the fridge.  The cream sauce was so light and thin last night, I kind of expected it to still be that way tonight.  I bet the starch from the pasta and the parmesan cheese thickened it up.  Anyway, it eventually loosened up as I reheated it on the stove top in a saucepan.  Thankfully the flavor was still great and light.  Ben took a client out for dinner last night, so this was his first time tasting the dish.  He liked it just as much as I did. Looks like a keeper!

Wednesday, 10/6/2010

When Ben and I first moved into our house, his Aunt Chris sent us a subscription to Sunset magazine as a housewarming gift.  I loved it, but didn't renew it when the year was up.  This year I got an offer from Amazon.com that I couldn't pass up.  I still love the magazine.  I love the photos, the creative ideas, and most of all, the recipes.  Tonight I tried Lemon Strozzapreti Pasta.  It didn't turn out anything like I expected and yet it was fabulous.  It is pasta and green beans tossed in a creamy, lemon and parmesan sauce.  I expected the sauce to be thicker and richer.  I was pleasantly surprised that it was light in texture and yet full of a light, lemony flavor.  Here's the recipe.

LEMON STROZZAPRETI PASTA

Cook 1/2 lb. strozzapreti (elongated tube-shaped pasta) or penne pasta, adding 1/2 lbs. green beans to the pot during the last 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, zest of 1 lemon, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, and 2 tbsp. butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce is hot and blended.  Toss cooked pasta and beans with cream sauce, 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.  Serve with more parmesan.   

I didn't prepare a protein to go along with the pasta, but feel it would be great with shredded rotisserie chicken in it or a chicken breast or fish fillet on the side.  I must say, this is a great way to incorporate beans into a meal.  I never would have thought to add them to pasta water to cook.  I'm so glad to have this dish in my recipe box!

Tuesday, 9/28/2010

My friend Lyle came over for dinner tonight.  We enjoyed chicken piccata, roasted garlic couscous, and grilled asparagus. I prepare all of the ingredients for dinner throughout the afternoon, while Katie allowed it:)  At 5:30pm, the only thing I had left to do was slice the chicken, pound it into cutlets, and dredge them in flour.  I was a little worried dinner would be really late when Ben said he was stuck in bad traffic downtown.  Thankfully, he got home before Lyle arrived, and we were able to tag-team with the chicken prep and Katie entertaining. 

I have fond memories of the first time we had this chicken dish.  My parents had to wait over a month to visit Katie when she was born, due to the extremely snowy winter in Spokane.  When they finally arrived, this was one of the meals I planned to make for them.  As you can imagine, Katie needed to eat at the exact time I was supposed to make dinner.  So, I turned the recipe over to my parents and let them fix it instead.  It was a delicious meal that I will always remember.  It was fun to relive it tonight.  Here's the recipe.

CHICKEN PICCATA
from Cuisine At Home magazine

Makes 2 servings
Total time: about 30 minutes

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded into cutlets.
Salt and black pepper
All-purpose flour
Nonstick spray
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. drained capers
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Fresh lemon slices
Chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
1.  Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.  Coat a saute pan with nonstick spray, add oil, and heat over medium-high.
2.  Saute cutlets 2-3 minutes on one side.  Flip cutlets over and saute the other side, covered, 1-2 minutes.  Transfer cutlets to a warmed platter; pour off fat from the pan.
3.  Deglaze pan with wine and add minced garlic.  Cook until garlic is slightly brown and liquid is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
4.  Add broth, lemon juice, and capers.  Return cutlets to plan and cook on each side for 1 minutes.  Transfer cutlets to warm plates.
5.  Finish sauce with butter and lemons.  Once butter melts, pour sauce over cutlets. 
6.  Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Notes:  This makes enough for 3 people if you are serving with a couple side dishes.  Also, I've never garnished with parsley and it still looks and tastes great. 

For dessert, we had large lemon cupcakes with buttercream frosting.  I have Duncan Hines and Pillsbury to thank for the cake mix and frosting:)  This afternoon, I thought Katie would enjoy watching me frost the cupcakes.  I sat her on the edge of the counter, stood in front of her to keep her from falling off, and then showed her how to do it.  She seemed to enjoy watching; so, I asked her to get the next cupcake for me to frost.  She picked it up and promptly buried her little teeth in it.  "Cake" she said confidently!  I guess she wanted to make sure she claimed one for later:) 

Saturday, 7/31/2010

What a great day we had today. Not only were my parents visiting, but my best friend from college, Jamie, and her son Harlon came over to spend a couple days. Harlon was born just 9 days before Katie. Boy did those kids have fun. They still don't really play with each other, but they are super cute being near each other. They both took their turn being drug around while holding onto our cat's tail. Sooner or later he will learn that he doesn't have to let them get that close;)

Tonight I performed with my Trillium Soul friends Bron, Betsy, and Irene in a concert at our church. Mom helped me out by fixing dinner for our family and our house guests. I picked up a box of Whole Grain Helper- Lemon and Herb Chicken. Surprisingly, it had great flavor. Usually, we find that boxed meals are pretty bland. Along with several ears of corn, it was just enough to feed five adults and two toddlers.

Wednesday, 4/21/2010

ZESTY SALMON CAKES

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes (per batch)
Makes 6 large or 18 appetizer size cakes








Ingredients:
14 oz can of wild red or pink salmon (2 cups fresh cooked salmon can also be used
2 eggs, beaten
12 saltine crackers, crushed fine (I like to use 6 crackers and 1/4 cup panko break crumbs)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp chopped capers
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
fresh lemon wedges (optional)

Preparation:

1. Add the salmon to a mixing bowl. (Due to the way it's processed, any bones found in canned salmon are very soft and edible, and should be mixed right in. If you want to take the time you can pick through the meet fairly quickly and remove them.) Add the rest of the ingredients, except the oil and butter, and mix with a fork until well combined.

2. Shape into 6 patties about an inch thick (or 18 for appetizers). Heat the oil and butter in a saute pan on medium heat until the butter melts. Saute the salmon cakes for 5 minutes per side until golden brown. Serve hot with fresh lemon if you would like.

I have made this recipe several times, each time using fresh salmon that I pre-baked. This week I bought pre-seasoned salmon, lemon pepper, from the meat counter thinking it would add even more flavor. I won't do it again. The salmon was salted and I didn't think to compensate for that in the recipe. So, the cakes were a bit salty for my tastes. Better to stick with plain salmon. The ingredients in the recipe give it plenty of flavor.

Tonight I baked the salmon just before I mixed it into the other ingredients. I think I should have waited a bit so that some of the moisture could evaporate. The cakes were a bit moist and didn't stay together as well as I would have liked. I also didn't make them as thick as the recipe calls for, so that could have compromised how well they held up against handling and turning. Even though they didn't turn well and were a bit salty, they were still enjoyable. I mixed up my standard fish dip (ketchup, mayo, and worchestershire sauce) and had a small mixed green salad on the side.

Katie had grapes and strawberries along with her fish cake. She likes the dip too:)