Chicken Cutlets

During the week, it is so crazy. I try to plan ahead for the week. Some days, I am successful. Sometimes, I try to talk my husband and oldest daughter to cook. Normally, I don't have any takers. I also try to convince the family that cereal makes a great supper but they don't believe me. Don't you think cereal makes a great supper? Well, I will say these chicken cutlets are wonderful. They are quick. They are tender and flavorful. My husband thought they tasted lemony. Oh, these are so good. 

 Chicken Cutlets with Herb Butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 chicken breast
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup white wine
2 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces
3 Tbsp parsley

Directions:

1. Cut the chicken breast horizontally in half.
2. Pound the chicken to a thin even length.
3. On a plate, add the flour.
4. In a large skillet, heat half the oil over medium high heat. 
5. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
6. Dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off the excess flour.
7. Add the chicken carefully to the skillet and brown the chicken for about 3 minutes per a side or until the chicken is cooked through. Add additional oil if needed.
8. Remove the chicken and place on a plate.
9. To the skillet, add the wine and whisk.
10. Boil the liquid for about 4 minutes of the liquid has reduced by half.
11. Add the chicken and flip to coat.
12. Remove the skillet from heat and add the butter and parsley. 
13. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food.

One year ago...........................I made Peanut Butter Cookies.

Did you already know..............
-Pounding the chicken will make it cook evenly.
-Pounding the chicken also tenderizes the chicken.
-Use a can, a bottom of a skillet, or the flat side of a mallet to pound the chicken.

Macaroni and Cheese

To save time and hassle, I pick out my children's clothes for the week. I line them up on top of their dresser. Then they just have to put it on and head to school. My youngest daughter doesn't always like my combination so she will switch it. My son just doesn't think about it. Well, I hadn't realized but I had inadvertently placed his sister's pants in his pile. He wore her pants all day to school. When I arrived home from work, I noticed the hearts on the jean's pocket. So I asked, "Why are you wearing your sisters pants?" He took them off looked at them and put them back on. Then he replied, "Because you gave them to me to wear." True it was my fault. However,  I had to ask him, "After knowing that you are wearing your sister's pants, why are you continuing to wear them?" "Because they look good on me," my son replied. He looked like a male country singer in tight jeans. I will admit that his shirt did cover up the hearts on the pockets. Every since, I have been careful on sorting the kids clothes. 

Macaroni and Cheese
12 oz. package of macaroni noodels
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk (I used skim.)
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups Fontina, grated
1 cup Parmesan, grated
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Grease a 13x9 glass baking dish with butter. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the Fontina, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheese. Set aside. 
In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil before adding the noodles. Cook the noodles for about 5 minutes so it is still al dente. 
In a large bowl, whisk the heavy cream, milk, flour, salt, and pepper.
Stir in half of the cheese mixture to the milk mixture.
Drain the noodles and add the hot noodles to the milk mixture. Toss to coat.
Transfer the noodles to the baking dish. 
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the noodles.
Bake the macaroni and cheese for about 20 to 25 minutes. The cheese should be melted and browned on top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis.

One year ago........................I made Tiramisu with homemade Ladyfingers.

Did you already know..........
-Giada De Laurentiis was born in Rome, Italy.
-She is the granddaughter of film producer Dino De Laurentiis.
-After receiving her anthropology degree at UCLA, Giada De Laurentiis attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

Mexican Pizza

My son will not let his older sisters kiss him. He will accept kisses from his Dad. He will let me kiss him. He will even reluctantly kiss me good bye in front of his friends at school. Noted, I did say reluctantly. When I made this Mexican pizza, his sister shared some of her pizza with him. He really liked it a lot. He still wouldn't kiss her. Don't worry. His sister's will kiss his cheek after he goes to sleep. Then they tell him the next day.

Mexican Pizza
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
2 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1 (15 oz) can refried beans
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
8 (9 inch) flour tortillas
1/2 cup salsa
2 green onions, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup black olives, sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Coat two pie pans with cooking spray and set aside.
3. In a skillet, brown the meat over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the onion, jalapeno pepper, and garlic cloves to the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes.
5. Season the meat with the chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
6. Add the 1/2 cup water and combine well. Cook for 2 minutes.
7. Place a tortilla in the middle of the pie pan. Cover the tortilla with refried beans.
8. Spread 1/4 of the seasoned meat over the tortilla.
9. Top the seasoned meat with a little cheese.
10. Cover the cheese and seasoned meat with another tortilla.
11. Bake the Mexican pizza for 10 minutes.
12. Remove from the oven and top the tortilla with your desired toppings: additional cheese, salsa, tomatoes, green onions, and olives. 
13. Bake the Mexican pizza for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
14. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Recipe adapted from Trader Joe's Recipes.

One year ago..........................I made Banana Cupcakes.

Did you already know............
-The Trader Joe stores began as Pronto Markets in 1958.
-In 1968, Pronto Markets changed their name to Trader Joe's.
-Trader Joe's are named after the founder Joe Coulombe.

Blueberry Cheesecake

Cheesecake and I are not friends. I hate how good it taste. I hate that it comes in a variety of wonderful flavors. I hate to share my cheesecake. However, I will be your best friend if you share your cheesecake with me until it is gone.

New York Style Cheesecake with a Blueberry topping
Crust:
8 oz. vanilla wafer cookies (about 2/3 of the box)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. In a food processor, finely ground the vanilla wafer cookies.
2. Add the sugar and salt. Pulse a couple of times.
3. Add the melted butter and mix together.
4. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a buttered 9 1/2 inch Springform pan. Set aside.

Cheesecake filling:
5 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
5 large eggs
2 egg yolks

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. On the outside bottom of the Springform pan, cover the bottom and half way up the sides with aluminum foil so no water can enter the pan.
3. Place the Springform pan in the bottom of an oven safe roasting pan.  (So, the Springform pan is sitting inside the roasting pan and is ready for a water bath.)
4. In an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese for about 3 minutes until smooth.
5. Add the sugar and flour and cream for about 5 minutes until smooth.
6. Add the vanilla and mix for about a minute.
7. On low speed, add the eggs one at a time. Scrap down the bowl before adding the next egg. 
8. Add the egg yolks one at a time. Scrap down the bowl after each addition.
9. Pour the filling on top of the cookie crust inside the Springform pan.
10. Boil some water and carefully pour the hot water into the oven safe pan so the outside of the Springpan is sitting in a water bath. Only fill the roasting pan with water half way up the side of the Springform pan. Make sure no water spills onto the creamcheese filling. (This will help prevent the top of the cheesecake from cracking. I have never had water leak into the base of my cheescake yet since I lined it with the aluminum foil. Please see youtube for some examples of a water bath if desired.)
11. Bake the cheesecake for about 10 minutes. The top of the cheesecake should be puffed and golden brown.
12. Reduce the temperature to 250 degrees and cook for about 45 minutes to an hour. The cake should be mostly firm with the center slightly wobbly if the pan is shaken gently.
13. Very carefully, remove the pan from the oven and run a knife on the outside edge of the cheesecake to loosen it. 
14. Allow the cheesecake to cool in the Springform pan.
15. Chill the cheesecake for at least 6 hours. Make sure to loosely cover the cheesecake without allowing the plastic wrap to touch the top.

Blueberry topping:
1 (15 oz.) package of frozen wild blueberries
1 lemon zested and juiced
1/4 cup of sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Reduce to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. Allow to completely cool before spooning the mixture on top of the cheesecake.

The cheesecake recipe is adapted from Smittenkitchen. The blueberry topping is adapted from Tyler Florence. 

One year ago.............................I made Stove Top Mac and Cheese.

Can I just eat it now?

Did you already know...............

-Cheesecake has been around since ancient Greece.

-It is believed that cheesecake was served to the Olympians during the first Olympic games.

-The Romans adapted their own version of cheesecake after conquering Greece.

No Knead Bread

Have you ever read The Story of the Little Red Hen? When I cook, sometimes I feel like the little red hen. Who will help me make supper? Any volunteers? Who will help me clean up? Any volunteers? Sometimes it is better to delegate. I will admit my little ones help more in the kitchen than my oldest. Since I think it is a great skill to know, I will ask for their help. They do like to help cook so it is easy. So, I asked who wants to help me make some bread. My youngest daughter volunteered. I found this recipe awhile ago on Steamy Kitchen but just hadn't made it. She has great instructions on her blog with her four year old son demonstrating how to make this bread. She even has her son kiss the bowl good night. Well, I really thought my nine year old would give me a crazy look when I suggested this move. Nope, she just giggled and kissed it good night. The best part of making this bread was her sense of accomplishment. At supper, she told everyone that she had made the bread. It has a nice crunchy crust with a soft inside. Oh, it is very good. It does need to be started the night before but it is quick. 

No Knead Bread
1 1/2 cups warm water (around 105 degrees F)
1 package of instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
3 cups bread flour
2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp dried rosemary

Directions:

1. In a large cup, combine the water with the yeast and 1 tsp of sugar.
2. Allow to proof for about 5 minutes to check the yeast.
3. In a large bowl, combine the yeast water with the flour, salt, and rosemary until the dough comes together.
4. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for 12 to 20 hours.
5. After sitting, dump the dough onto a floured surface. With greased hands, fold the ends of the dough over a few times.
6. Place the dough onto a piece of parchment paper.
7. Lift the parchment paper with the dough in the center of it and place into a large bowl.
8. Cover the dough and allow to rest for 2 hours.
9. When the dough has rested for 1 hour and 30 minutes, slip an oven safe pot (Dutch oven) into the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
10. Carefully, remove the preheated pot from the oven and place the dough into the pot.
11. Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes.
12. Uncover and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. The crust should be golden brown and the middle of the loaf has reached 210 degrees F.
13. Carefully, remove the bread from the pot and allow to cool on a wired rack.

Recipe adapted from Steamy Kitchen.

One year ago..............................I made Fruit Smoothie.

Who will make the bread? I will said my youngest.

Did you already know................
-The Little Red Hen is thought to be a Russian folk lore.
-The moral of the story: if you don't help then you shouldn't be rewarded.
-The story has been used by political leaders for the economy.