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Quick Lemon Herb Pan Sauce

Shallot bulbs

Ingredients

  • 1-2 shallots, minced fine – in a pinch substitute ¼ cup sweet onion
  • ½  cup chicken stock
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme (estimated – fresh would be better – a few sprigs)
  • 1 tsp. dried rosemary (estimated – fresh would be better – a few sprigs)
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste

How:

Remember this is after searing and or roasting something usually chicken

Heat pan over medium heat. Add the shallots to the pan and sauté, stirring, for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the onion is softened. Add the chicken stock and herbs, turn the heat to high. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen all the browned bits of chicken, bring to boil until the stock until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. The plate holding the chicken breasts will have some chicken juice on the bottom; add it to the pan. Turn off the heat, and remove the herb sprigs if you used fresh. Whisk the butter into the sauce, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Quick and easy – wine instead of broth?

Pan Seared Chicken Breasts with Lemon Herb Pan Sauce
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Pan Seared Chicken Breasts with Lemon Herb Pan Sauce

We bought some bone in chicken breast at Wholefoods they were not on our list but on sale. I am not a big white meat fan but it is better for you and Lyn does not like the dark meat I love her and I cater to her like most of the time. Anyway we already used the boneless chicken breast in the Carrot Orange Juice Chicken Noodle Soup and I had planned on doing something with it last night. I was surfing the net on my lunch break and found a few but this one from DadCooksDinner.com caught my eye, I did not have everything he used but had substitutes, onion for shallot, dried instead of fresh herbs and I added lemon juice. I did not notice the title until today when I went back to post. He did call it lemon herb sauce after all, but listed no lemon I took liberties, besides it would not be the first time someone else other than me or my Mom left out one ingredient.  Anyway this came out with crispy skin, moist and tender so good when Lyn walked in the door I said forget your special diet you just got to try this. She asked if I marinated in buttermilk it was so moist and tender. Like he said in his post he has pan seared oven roasted steak, pork etc. – a man after my own heart – he thought why not with chicken.

Ingredients:

  • 1 chicken breasts split, bone in and skin on
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • 1 tsp. canola oil

You can adjust the salt and pepper to your taste, my wife is a pepper head so.

Pan Sauce

  • ¼  cup sweet onion, minced fine
  • ½  cup chicken stock
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme (estimated – fresh would be better – a few sprigs)
  • 1 tsp. dried rosemary (estimated – fresh would be better – a few sprigs)
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ½  tbsp. butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste

How:

Prepare the Chicken: Heat your oven to 350F. If the chicken breasts came with the rib section still attached, remove them- they might get too dried out. Rinse and pat dry chicken. Combine salt and pepper together and sprinkle the chicken all sides. Let rest at room temperature until the pan is heated.

Sear the chicken: Put the teaspoon of oil in your fry pan, and heat over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Swirl the oil around to coat the pan, then add the chicken, skin side down. Sear for 4 to 8 minutes, or until the skin is a dark golden brown. Flip the chicken and sear the bone side for 4 minutes.

Sear the chicken

*Searing time will depend on how crowded your pan is.  If your pan isn’t very crowded searing will take less time – 4 to 6 minutes.

Roast the Chicken: Move the pan to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. You want to cook the chicken until it is just 160*F in the thickest part of the meat. (The best way to check this is with a remote probe thermometer.)  Remove the pan from the oven, and move the chicken to a serving plate. Keep the oven mitt on the handle this reminds you the handle and pan are still very hot. I have the scars to prove that I had brain fart moments.

Make the Sauce: Remember, the handle is still &*&^%!! Hot. Using an oven mitt or pot holder, put the pan over medium heat. Add the onions to the pan and sauté, stirring, for about 1 minute, until the onion is softened. Add the chicken stock and herbs, turn the heat to high. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen all the browned bits of chicken, bring to boil until the stock until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. The plate holding the chicken breasts will have some chicken juice on the bottom; add it to the pan. Turn off the heat, and remove the herb sprigs if you used fresh. Whisk the butter into the sauce, and add salt and pepper to taste. I am on a self imposed very low salt diet so I used the salt sparingly.

Spoon a teaspoon of sauce over each breast, then serve I also used over the asparagus.

Taken with cell phone

Taken with cell phone

Roast Chicken with Orange-Spice Rub
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Roast Chicken with Orange-Spice Rub

I think I mentioned I got 3 whole organic chickens at Wholefoods a few weeks ago and I took one out of the freezer because we were getting ready for yet another snow storm filled weekend. We’ve had close to 100” on snow this year and we were all praying for a winter like last year. Well those of us who don’t ski that is. This recipe was adapted from Diabetes and Heart Healthy Cookbook published by American Heart Association. I adapted it for chicken they did a 5 lbs. turkey breast. The smell of this spice rubbed chicken, was driving us crazy while it cooked. Yes it was one of Lyn free meals this week.

 

Ingredients:

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 whole roster chicken
  • 1- 2 teaspoons of soften unsalted butter.
  • 1 small navel orange cut in quarter

 

How:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Spray a roasting pan and baking rack with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the spices.

Rub small amount of rub inside the cavity of chicken.

Stuff orange in cavity, you can add some onion if you want.

Using your back end of regular knife, place under breast skin and loosen the skin from the breast

Rub the butter under skin on as much of the breast as you can

Rub spice mixture evenly under and over the skin.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (this step could be skipped and it can go straight to oven)

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Bring to room temperature

Place the chicken on the rack in the roasting pan, and insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh making sure it doesn’t touch the bone.

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Roast, uncovered, for meat thermometer 170 degrees (if skin becomes to brown you can loosely tent with tin foil.

Let the chicken stand for 15 minutes.

Serve

Carve the chicken and enjoy.

Crispy Shallots
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Crispy Shallots

 

Ingredients

  • 1-2 shallots shaved into rings, used our new mandolin
  • I cup rice flour – gluten free which browns more quickly
  • Canal oil as needed.

Shallot bulbs

How

Heat canola oil in a small sauté pan. Toss shallots in rice flour, shaking off excess. Fry rings until crispy and lightly golden. Remove from oil and season with salt. Drain on paper towel. To be honest the first batch burnt, the second was not quite crispy enough, and the next batch was perfect. Sound like a familiar story to you? I used the 2nd and third batch tossed the first. Learned you got to watch them cause they turn real quick.

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Hard Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing

crispin_ciders

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup hard apple cider
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice (about ½ orange)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallots
  • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (used our 18 year old)
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste.

How

Bring cider, juice and honey to a boil in a small saucepan.

Cook 10 minutes or until reduced to about 2 tablespoons.

Pour into a medium bowl and let cool slightly. Add shallots, vinegar, Dijon salt and pepper stir with a whisk. Gradually add the olive oil stirring constantly with a whisk.

Set aside.

Related articles
Caramelized Acorn Squash Salad with Crispy Shallots.
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Caramelized Acorn Squash Salad with Crispy Shallots.

The first time I had something similar to this they served with herb goat cheese on a bed of arugula. We had on hand crumbled feta, cut up oranges, pumpkin seeds, served on a bed of mixed greens. In fact it was at Stonewall Kitchen cooking class and they made a salad very similar this is my adaptation using what we had on hand. Here is a good site to read about varieties of winter squash. There were 2 of us and this made one fine meal, I even skipped dessert that night which for some reason this last year I have become a dessert person so strange to me.

acorn-squash

I apologize I was so into cooking that I forgot to take a picture in the pan while cooking.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Acorn squash or any thin skinned winter squash – the thin skin allows you to eat it when cooked.
  • ¼- ½  cup hard apple cider – could use regular cider
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

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How:

Cut off the ends of the squash and scoop out the seed

Cut into ½ inch think rings.

Combine the sugar, salt, pepper and butter in a large bowl. Add the squash and coat.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and place the squash in a single layer. Add apple cider to pan. Allow squash to cook and apple cider to reduce until squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize. While pan roasting, turn the squash with a spatula to be sure it browns evenly.

Things I might try next time –

  • I think next time I might melt the combination making it easier to coat the squash.
  • My pan was a little too small so I ended up using half rings to fit.
  • Cooking in batches to retain the circles
  • I might try roasting and flipping a few times next time

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Hard Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup hard apple cider
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice (about ½ orange)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallots
  • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (used our 18 year old)
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste.

How

Bring cider, juice and honey to a boil in a small saucepan.

Cook 10 minutes or until reduced to about 2 tablespoons.

Pour into a medium bowl and let cool slightly. Add shallots, vinegar, Dijon salt and pepper stir with a whisk. Gradually add the olive oil stirring constantly with a whisk. Set aside.

Crispy Shallots

Ingredients

  • 1-2 shallots shaved into rings, used our new mandolin
  • I cup rice flour – gluten free which browns more quickly
  • Canal oil as needed.

How

Heat canola oil in a small sauté pan. Toss shallots in rice flour, shaking off excess. Fry rings until crispy and lightly golden. Remove from oil and season with salt. Drain on paper towel. To be honest the first batch burnt, the second was not quite crispy enough, and the next batch was perfect. Sound like a familiar story to you? I used the 2nd and third batch tossed the first. Learned you got to watch them cause they turn real quick.

Caramelized Acorn Squash Salad with Crispy Shallots.

Related articles
Pork Chops with Cider, Horseradish Glaze
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Pork Chops with Cider, Horseradish Glaze

I was shocked that Lyn choose bone in pan fried pork chops for her free meal this week. I always loved the taste of pan fried pork chops and the added treat of a bone to munch on it was like a dessert for me. Maybe she had too many of these growing up but being a nice Jewish kid pork did not make it to our table that often, we were reformed reformed Jews. There is something about pork and winter that go together.

Ingredients

forgot to leave out the horsradish for picture it is shy

forgot to leave out the horseradish for picture it is shy

Serves 2-4

Glaze:

  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup hard or pressed apple cider
  • 2 Tbsp. freshly grated or prepared horseradish
  • 1/2 tsp. table salt
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper

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Chops:

  • 4 bone-in loin pork chops, 1/2-inch thick, about 1 1/2 pounds total, at room temperature
  • Table salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Pork chops with Cider, horse radish glaze

Garnish

  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill

1. Whisk the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl; set aside.

2. Trim any excess fat from around chops until you only have about 1/8 inch of fat. Pat chops dry with a paper towel and generously season them with salt and pepper.

3. Heat oil in a heavy, 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until oil starts to smoke. Add pork chops to the skillet and cook them until they are well-browned, about 3 minutes. Turn chops and cook 1 minute longer, then transfer them to a plate and pour off any fat in skillet.

4. Pour glaze into the skillet and bring it to a simmer. Cook until mixture thickens enough that your spatula leaves a trail when scraped across the pan, 2 to 4 minutes.

5. Return chops and any juices to the skillet; turn to coat both sides with glaze. Continue to cook over medium-high heat until the center of the chops registers 140 on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.

6. Serve chops with glaze drizzled over them and sprinkled with dill.

Recipe adapted from “The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook” by Deb Perelman.

Sliders and Crispy Brussel Sprouts and oven Baked Fries
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Sliders and Crispy Brussel Sprouts and oven Baked Fries

I had these dinner rolls in the freezer left over from a recent holiday. We don’t eat much bread these days and did not want it to get freezer burned so I decided they were perfect for sliders.

Ingredients

  • Ground beef
  • Lettuce
  • cherry tomatoes halved
  • Cheddar Cheese
  • Small Dinner rolls
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Baking potato

How:

Potatoes and Brussel sprouts – Prepare separately but you can cook together

Slice potatoes to about ¼ in width. Microwave for about 1-2 minutes

Slice Brussel sprouts in half

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle desired spices and herbs toss to coat well

Roast at 400-450 for 20-35 minutes or until done.

Sliders

Form patties and cook to desired doneness (grill, broiler, pan fried you pick)

Add cheese if you want to melt

Place on roll top with lettuce, tomatoes and condiment

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 Who invented Sliders? From Google answer

In the 1940s, Walter Anderson formed White Castle and made sure it’s image was as pure and clean as possible.

He also wanted his burgers to be as low cost as possible so he made them small and came up with his own streamlined and efficient cooking process that is still unique in the business today.

The small 5 cent burger that he came up with is what is now affectionately known as a Slider and has become its very own sub-category of burger. White Castle sells its own original burgers under the trademark Slyders, these will always be known as the first and the best.

Spicy Oven-Baked Fish and Sweet Potato Chips
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Spicy Oven-Baked Fish and Sweet Potato Chips

Lyn got to choose 2 of her meals that are not from her strict diet this week, she reached her half way goal and that is what they do for you at that point. Let you taste real food as she calls it. Heck, it is working, every week she losses a pound or more and that is the good way it stays off. Now I like her just the way she is but get a Yes Dear look if I say something. Anyway she chose Pan Seared Sea Scallops but whole foods also had Haddock on sale and while surfing the net she found this recipe. As I am not that adventurous when it comes to fish, Haddock should be fish and chips, swordfish and tuna steaks should be grilled, salmon well there are a lot of ways that my palate  has been introduced to  so when she showed me this recipe I said why not give it a try on Sunday. It was our pregame meal which turned out to be disappointing, the game not the meal this was light, flaky and just right.

Spicy Oven-Baked Fish and Sweet Potato Chips

From BHG.com

Makes: 4 servings

Prep 20 minutes Bake 425° 20 minutes to 25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh or frozen white fish fillets, about 1/2-inch thick
  • nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 pound sweet potatoes, cut into ¼ to ½ inch sticks
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning or seafood seasoning
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • Lemon wedges and fresh parsley (optional)
  • We added homemade Tatar sauce

How:

  1. Cut fish into 3 x 2-inch pieces. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Cover and chill until needed.
  2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil; lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
  3. For chips, pat potatoes dry with paper towels; place sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Add olive oil, Old Bay seasoning, 1/2 tsp. chili powder and 1/2 tsp. salt. Toss to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on one half of the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, for fish, place milk in a shallow dish. Place flour in another shallow dish. In a third shallow dish combine bread crumbs, 2 tsp. chili powder, paprika, 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Add melted butter; stir until combined.
  5. Dip fish pieces in milk; coat with flour. Dip again in the milk, then in the bread crumb mixture. Remove baking sheet from oven. Using a spatula, carefully turn potatoes over. Place fish on the other half of the hot baking sheet; return to oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes more or until potatoes are golden brown and fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve fish with lemon wedges and fresh parsley, if desired.
Cut fish, prepare milk flour and bread crumbs

Cut fish, prepare milk flour and bread crumbs. Place the sweet potato fries in oven on 1/2 cookie sheet.

ready to cook 2

Dip in Milk, Flour back to Flour and then coat with bread crumbs

add the fish

Add the fish to the other half of cookie sheet and return to oven.

done

20-25 minutes until fries are golden brown and fish flakes with fork

Spicy Oven-Baked Fish and Sweet Potato Chips

Serve it up

Other recipes from stevesacooking.com you might find interesting

Almond-Crusted Salmon

Dijon Myer Lemon Glazed Wild Salmon

Almond-Crusted Salmon

Grilled Salmon with Herb Crust

Big Fat Cod potato pancakes

Oven Roasted Ribeye Fajita with Roasted Veggies.
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Oven Roasted Ribeye Fajita with Roasted Veggies.

Oven Roasted Ribeye Fajita with roasted veggies.

I took a small Ribeye out of the freezer not knowing what I would do with it other than knowing that I would pan sear and oven roast. I am still on my own for meals since Lyn is still on her special strict diet and living up to my promise to eat well. Ok Ok sort of living up to it I have days that I have reverted to a meat and potato guy but for the most part…… Anyway she made herself a Fajita and went to the bar to dig in it was then I noticed she did not use the tortillas and asked are you going to use while batting my eyes. No, it must have been two seconds until I figure out my finished meal. By this time the steak had been removed from the oven and had sat for at least 7 minutes so I slice up thin dished out some of the roasted veggie and topped with steak and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.

Ingredients:

Ribeye Steak

Roasted Zucchini, Summer Squash and Baby Roma Tomatoes

Two small tortillas

How:

Season the steaks with salt and pepper and bring to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 425 rack in center.

Heat the oil over medium heat in an oven proof pan.

Sear the steaks for about 3-5 minutes.

Turn and place the pan in oven for about 7 minutes.

Remove cover very loosely with tin foil and let set for 5 minutes before serving.

Slice thin against the grain

Roast vegetable at 450 until desired doneness

Heat taco add veggie and meat

Serve

Oven Roasted Ribeye Fajita with Roasted Veggies.