Sunday, August 31, 2014

Braised French Onion Soup Chicken



Braised French Onion Chicken with Gruyèreserves 4 to 63 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds onions, sliced into thin half-moons
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 small sprigs thyme, leaves only
4-inch sprig rosemary
2 cups chicken broth, divided
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 4.5-5 lb chicken
2 ounces Gruyère cheese, finely grated or shaved (about 1 cup)
Melt the butter in a deep 10-inch sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted completely and foams up, add the onions. They will fill the pan to the top, at this point. Stir as you add the onions to coat them in the butter. Sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper. Cook the onions for about 40 minutes over low or medium heat, stirring occasionally.
When the onions have developed an evenly light beige color throughout, add the garlic, thyme leaves, and whole rosemary sprig, and cook for a few minutes more, stirring frequently. Turn the heat up to high and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring frequently. You want dark, slightly burnt spots to appear on the onions, and for them to develop a rich mahogany color. When the onions get quite dark, add 1 cup of the beef or chicken broth. Add it slowly, stirring and scraping the pan vigorously to scrape up any burnt or stuck-on bits. When the liquid has been added, bring it back up to a simmer and simmer lightly for 5 minutes, or until it is somewhat reduced.
Take the onions off the heat and pour them into a 3-quart oven-safe dish with a lid. (If you don't have a Dutch oven or another oven-safe dish with a lid, you can use a 9x13-inch baking dish. Just cover it tightly with a double layer of foil.)
Heat the oven to 325°F.
While the onions are cooking, brown the chicken. Heat another 10-inch or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. When the skillet is hot, add the thighs and brown for about 3 minutes on each side, 6 minutes total. When they've developed a golden-brown crust, remove from the pan and set on top of the caramelized onions in the baking dish.
Add the remaining 1 cup broth to the pan. Stir vigorously, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Pour this sauce over the chicken and onions, and put the lid on the baking dish. The chicken and onions will look quite saucy; there will be plenty of liquid in the baking dish.
(At this point you can refrigerate the dish for up to 48 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before baking, or else add about 5 minutes to the bake time.)
Bake at 325°F for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and turn the heat up to broil. Take the lid off the baking dish, and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top of the chicken. When the broiler has heated up, return the dish to the oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden on top.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Triple Chocolate Cake

Today is the annual Lobster Bake with our friends, which is always a great time.
A company comes to us and cooks our fabulous meal on site...how great is that! Half of the group brings appetizers & the other half desserts and mine was obvious.
This is my go to never fail triple chocolate cake, which should be called quadruple chocolate cake because I take it one step further & add a ganache glaze.

Triple Chocolate Cake
 
 
The recipe:
 
1 package dark chocolate cake mix
1 6 oz package instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup coffee
4 eggs beaten
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup coffee liqueur (I used Kahlua)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
 
Ganache
1 cup dark chocolate chips, 1/2 cup heavy cream
 
Preheat oven 350 degrees
 
1.Combine cake through oil, beat for about 2 min until smooth, stir in chips.
2. Pour into a well greased bundt pan.
3. Bake 50-70 minutes, mine took exactly 1 hour.
 
Cool completely before turning cake out to avoid it sticking to the side of the pan.
Turn over onto serving platter. Pour ganache over cake and let drizzle over the sides.
 
Ganache:
Heat cream until edges start to bubble, add chocolate and stir until smooth & creamy. Pour over cake.
 
Make it a great Day...Eat Chocolate!
Happy Labor Day.
Enjoy!
xo,
Pamela
 
 



Caribbean Jerk Chicken Chili

Several months ago my husband came home from work asking if I would participate in a chili cook-off.  My way too quick response was "sure I would love too ....when is it?" Of course the answer was " tomorrow"! In panic mode I pulled everything I could from the fridge and put this Award Winning Chili together...yes it won!






Unfortunately I did not take photos except one. But it does look fabulous!
 
 
Here is the recipe:
1 lb chorizo sausage
10 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
1 onion chopped
1 garlic clove chopped
1 can tomatoes with green chiles
1 cup chopped canned green chiles
4 cans great northern beans plus liquid; pureed in processor
1 can coconut milk ( Asian section at grocery)
1 cup frozen corn
3-4 cups chicken broth ( depending how thick you want it you can always add more)
lime
cilantro
Dry seasoning:
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4  tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbls.  ginger
1 Tbls.  cumin
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
 
1. In a large pot, heat about 2 Tbls. canola oil on ,medium heat, add chicken, cook thighs until done about 10 minutes five per side; remove.
2. In the same pot,  brown chorizo, remove.
3. In the same pot, saute diced onions until soft, add garlic cook about 1 min do not brown.  Add dry spices cook about 2 minutes until fragrant.
4.  Add green chilies, tomatoes, pureed beans, coconut milk,  chicken broth, Caribbean Jerk Sauce, Walkerswood jerk seasoning. Cook until bubbling. About 20 min.
5. Shred chicken using two forks. Add chicken, chorizo, & corn. Cook about 10 minutes add chicken broth as needed to if too thick.
6. Squeeze the juice of one lime & add about 3/4 cup chopped cilantro. Cook 1 min & serve.


Make it a Great Day get spicy!
Enjoy,
xo,
Pamela
 


Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Hoisin Steak & Cucumber Salad

In the Summer it's sometimes hard to plan ahead. We are so busy with outside activities that I forget about planning dinner until I get the dreaded text from my kids..."What's for dinner Mom?" Soon I am in scramble mode. Thankfully the supermarket is less than 1 mile if I need something quick. Last night was one of those nights. An email came across with this recipe, looked good, no marinating  ahead etc. With a few changes here was last night's dinner. Original recipe cooking light.




Recipe:

1 lb flank steak

Heat grill pan ( I use a cast iron pan) on the grill to smoking hot. About 10 min. ( time to make the marinade & cucumber salad)

3 T hoisin sauce
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
Juice from half of the orange
Mix sauce ingredients & brush one side of steak.

Cucumber Salad

1 English cucumber sliced very thin.
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup matchstick carrots
1/4 c thinly sliced red pepper
1T sugar
drizzle of honey
2T lime juice
juice from 1/2 the orange from the steak marinade
dash of sriracha
salt/ pepper to taste
1/4 cup ( guess) chopped cilantro

Mix sugar, honey, lime juice,  dash of srirachi sauce, salt & pepper pour over cucumber, onion, carrots, red pepper, & cilantro.

When grill pan is hot, place the steak sauce side down 3-4 min.  Brush top with the sauce flip & cook additional 3-4 min. ( med. rare)
Remove steak from grill pan and let rest 10 min before slicing.
Always slice against the grain for a moist buttery steak.

I served mine a box of quinoa from Near East. Red pepper to be exact.

 
 
 
Make it a Great Day....Grill a summer Meal!
Enjoy!
 
xo,
Pamela


Monday, June 23, 2014

Key Lime Cake

Since it is summer....it's key lime time! I love key lime anything & everything! Tonight I used my best cupcake recipe and came up with a fabulous dense cake with a key lime glaze.
One of the best baking pans I ever purchased is a stoneware bundt pan from Pampered Chef. It bakes the best cakes even & moist.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) box white cake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1  cup water
1/3 cup key lime juice Nellie & Joe's
2 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut ( optional ...I love coconut)
 
Glaze:
powdered sugar
1-2 T key lime juice
1/4 tsp. almond extract
2 T. half & half
~blueberries & strawberries mixed to serve on top
~whipping cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, flour, sugar and salt. Add remaining ingredients and beat with mixer for 2 minutes, or until well blended.
3.   Fill Bundt pan. Bake about 55 minutes or longer, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Mine took 55 minutes.
 
4. Mix powdered sugar, extract, cream & lime juice until the consistency of heavy cream. ( add more sugar if too thin, cream if too thick) When cake is completely cool drizzle over top. Dust top with powdered sugar.
 
 Mix 1/2 c blueberries ( I used frozen) with 1/2 c fresh sliced strawberries. Serve on top of cake.
 
This cake is so moist & yummy!
 
 
 
 

 
 
Enjoy!
Make it a Great Day...Bake!
xo,
Pamela

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Ikea Candle Transformation








The Big Salad...YUM!

If I could pick one thing to live off,  it would be the salad. I have always referred my own personal salad as "The Big Salad" named solely after Elaine from Seinfeld.
I love finding specialty vinegars & oils to use in my dressings. Never, Ever from a bottle. I have yet to find a bottled dressing that I can actually swallow.


This is my latest fall salad creation.

 
I always use fruits in season for my salads, this ensures the freshest flavors.
 
Buy your own cute perfect size salad bowl, my big personal bowl measures 7 inches by 3.5 inches...that's a lot of salad!
 
Special vinegar and oils.
 
Here is my latest, greatest salad recipe:

 
 
I only make small amounts of dressing, toss only the greens, & top with fruits, nuts, & cheese.
 
Dressing:
1 tsp. honey apple vinegar
2 tsp. olive oil
small squirt of honey
1/2 tsp Dijon vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
~whisk together and toss with spinach, add a few drizzles at a time.. nothing worse than soggy greens.
 
The Toppings ( best part)
 
crumbled blue cheese
chopped oranges
chopped apples
chopped avocado
toasted pecan pieces
squeeze a small drizzle of juice from the orange.
 
 

Slowly disappearing until....
I have reached the bottom!
 
Only one word describes my "Big Salad"...
 
YUM!!!!!
 
Make it a great day.....Build a Big Salad!
 
 
Enjoy & Bon Appetit!!
 
xoxo,
Pamela