Chicken Saltimbocca

Oh my. I just logged onto my "blog" to see that I haven't posted anything since September. Embarrassing! It's amazing how fast life will pass you by if you let it. And we have let it. Now, this doesn't mean that I haven't been cooking. But, it does mean I haven't been cooking much new. Mostly repeat recipes and meals for this family over the last couple of months.

But ladies and gentlemen, after a brief hiatus, I am back! And ready to cook!

My family was just here from Michigan and for our "Christmas dinner", my dad and I cooked a series of small plates. This first post is a modified version of a Giada De Laurentiis recipe for Chicken Saltimbocca. It's basically thin chicken cutlets rolled up with yummy stuff and then cooked in chicken broth.

Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 2
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 4
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 4

Chicken Saltimbocca
(6 servings)
6 3-oz chicken cutlets, pounded evenly to flatten
6 super-thin sliced pieces of proscuitto
half bag or so of fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup grated parmesean cheese
About 2 cups of chicken broth (low sodium if possible)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
salt/pepper
olive oil

After pounding out the chicken cutlets to flatten, place them on a workspace, season with salt and pepper, and top with a piece of the proscuitto. In a small saute pan, add 1 Tbl olive oil to pan over medium heat, and saute spinach. Then remove from heat, take spinach and arrange in even lay across each chicken piece, on top of the proscuitto. Sprinkle the Parmesean cheese over the spinach. Then, starting with the small end of the chicken, roll the chicken and toppings, and secure with a toothpick.

Heat 2 Tbl of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Add the chicken broth and the lemon juice, and then using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the browned bits up. Bring the liquid to the boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes, turning chicken 2-3 times throughout. Transfer the chicken to a platter, and continue to simmer liquid over high heat for 2-3 more minutes. Serve without toothpicks, and drizzled with chicken broth liquid.


Oh this is so yummy. And very salty, I might add, so try and use the low-sodium broth if you can, but if not, don't worry about it.

* NOTE: I'm going to put this in another post, but save the liquid from the pan when done with this dish. Just put it in some tupperware and put in fridge.

Sweet Garlic Buns

This is definitely a random discovering, having much to do with leftovers. I'm always at a loss on what to do with the leftover Sweet Hawaiian Rolls/Buns in the package of 8, when we only use 4 or whatever. That's when I decided to try and make garlic bread with it. And, boy, am I happy I did.

Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): cheese
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 2
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 2

Sweet Garlic Buns
Sweet Hawaiian Rolls/Buns, sliced in half
Butter
Garlic Salt
Shredded cheese (mozzarella, provolone, or Monterrey jack)

In small dish or bowl, melt 1 Tbl butter for every 2 rolls/buns you are making in microwave. Put oven to broil, set bun halves face side up on baking sheet, and place under broiler. Lightly toast, about 2 minutes, or until you see them start to brown (be careful not to let burn). Take out from under broiler. With a spoon, gently drizzle melted butter over each half of bun, as evenly as possible (if have baste brush, could use this also). Then, sprinkle garlic salt over each half, and then top with thin layer of shredded cheese. Put back under broiler for 1-2 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve open faced or as "sandwich".

I can't believe I am going to say this, but be careful to not put too much cheese. I, of course, put way too much cheese, and it wasn't as good. Just a thin layer will suffice. But this was a nice easy snack to make or a good side with dinner, and it puts a sweet spin on your average garlic bread.

I Have So Much To Blog About....

I'm clearly in a slap happy mood and having fun with my play on words today: so much to blog about? not brag about. It never hurts to smother your chicken? Or anyone else for that matter. I can't help myself.

Coming up this week:
- Sweet Garlic Buns
- Spice Up Your Life, And Your Chicken
- Rice and Veggie Pilaf

I'm trying to get these posted ASAP, I promise.

It Never Hurts to Smother Your Chicken

This sounds like a self help book or something.... "Don't be afraid to smother your man" or something along those lines. This is a book I would never read for the record, but it IS ok to smother your chicken.

I get very tired of cooking chicken. I just feel like I run out of ways to do it. So I started treating chicken breasts as if they were different types of sandwiches. And I like different "toppings" on my sandwiches, so why not put these on my chicken?!

Cheesy Factory (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): really? a "sandwich" without cheese?? Get serious.
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 3
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 3

Smothered Chicken
2-4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (1 per person)
Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
Avocado
Bacon
Mango Chutney Aioli (recipe in other blog post)

Season chicken breast with salt and pepper, and cook as desired (grilled, baked, in pan, etc.). Preheat broiler. Spread thin layer of mango chutney aioli on top of chicken, then add thin slice of avocado. Top the avocado with 2 bacon slices, and sprinkle with desired amount of shredded cheese. Place smothered chicken on broiler pan, and broil about 30 seconds (enough to melt cheese). Serve hot, with side of aioli for dipping if desired.

I think the key to this recipe, is to add a thin layer of favorite condiment to the chicken before adding any veggies or bacon, cheese, etc. It keeps the chicken moist when going into the broiler, and adds a little extra flavor. You don't have to make mayo chicken, just a thin layer will do: mayo, mustard, honey, Italian dressing, etc. They will all be good.

Just picture what you like on your sandwiches, or on your salads, and use those toppings on your chicken to create a whole new taste. 

Taco Chicken? Greek Chicken? Red Wine Vinegar Chicken?

I wanted to find a new "Chicken Taco" recipe yesterday, without much luck. I just get sick of the same ol' taco and fajita way I make chicken, and wanted to try something new. I found a chicken soft taco recipe on www.allrecipes.com that sounded like an interesting mix of ingredients, but it was highly rated, so I figured I would give it a whirl.

Let me first say, this is extremely easy, and very tasty, but I can't decided whether it was best for tacos. It almost tasted like Greek food tacos or something. Either way, I served it with Cheesy Corn as a side and it was great.

Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 1
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 2
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 2.5

Chicken for Greek or Tacos
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
Tortillas
 Olive oil

Heat 1-2 Tbl olive oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Saute chicken for about 20 minutes. Add vinegar, lime, sugar, salt, pepper, green onions, garlic, and oregano, and mix well. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve in tortillas with favorite taco condiments OR over salad.

I improvised on the salad thing. I was just thinking that this chicken would probably be so good over salad! Throw in some chopped tomatoes, olives, feta cheese and red onion? You have yourself a nice little Greek Salad.

Like I said, random mix of ingredients. Especially the lime? Weird. Anyway, it all came together quite nicely and tasted very good. 

Ft. Wayne, Indiana Mashed Potato Bar

My cousin Kelly got married this weekend to an awesome awesome girl, Fabiana, and the wedding was nothing less than amazing. We are all so very excited for them, and so happy to have Fabi in our family. It got me thinking about wedding planning. I've decide to "broadcast" the best piece of wedding planning advice that I have: Make your wedding your own.

James and I had the exact wedding that we wanted, and it was very "us". We had lots of little fun, unique ideas that represented our personalities, and were able to incorporate them into our wedding, even if they posed challenges or costly. We had a very Do-It-Yourself wedding that was less than "traditional" so to speak.

Baldwin Family Photo at Shields wedding

One of the amazing things about Kelly and Fabi's wedding was they took a very traditional wedding (ceremony in church, reception at Country Club), and added fun unique twists to make it true to them:

A) The ceremony was in two languages. Fabi is from Brazil and her family doesn't speak English. They had one of the readings said in Portuguese and had it printed in English in the program. They also had the priest do a short second homily in Portuguese (he did so awesome!). And finally, as a surprise to everyone, even the wedding planner, they said their vows in both languages. It was so touching and thoughtful.

B) Their entrance to the reception was one of the best I have seen (aside from ours, of course): Kelly and Fabi and their wedding party marched down the 18th fairway of the golf course behind an Irish bagpiper and drummer while everyone was watching on the balcony over-looking the hole. It was AWESOME. We have a hard-core Irish family and it was such a cool way to incorporate some of our culture and heritage.

C) The Guestbook: they had a "Faux-tographer" open-photo booth where guests went in groups for pictures by a mannequin holding a camera in front of a back-drop. Then the pictures printed out on a custom sleeve of 4 in two copies within like 2 minutes: one was for you to keep, and one was to put into their "guest book" with a note you wrote to them.

These were two of the shots we did

This is the mannequin that took the pictures. Camera was on timer where you pushed button to start and then it took 4 pictures.

For anyone looking to do this, it was so cool. They used www.iduweddings.com. P.S. if you have had a few adult beverages, you might think the mannequin was a real person at first. Not me, of course, but someone. But not me.

D) Glow sticks! So random, but so much fun. My cousin Timmy, the groom's brother, ordered 600, yes, 600, glow-sticks. Once the party got going and people were dancing, the glow sticks flowed and it was so cool. People were making them into head-bands, wrist bands, putting them in their belt buckles, you name it. Then, when they made their exit, everyone held up the glow sticks for them to walk under and it looked so cool.

E) Mashed Potato Bar! (See below)

I could go on and on about the little things they did. Kelly had belt buckles made as his groomsman gift that was personalized to each guy (Timmy's said "Bestman", his dad's said "Wingman", etc.) and they all wore them with their tuxes. So many little details!

There is a food-ending to this story: Mashed Potato Bar. This is a great idea for a party or group gathering at your house too. You can serve them in martini or wine glasses to make for a fun presentation.

Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): what is a mashed potato bar without cheese?! Get serious!
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 1
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): could be time consuming if you make all toppings yourself

Mashed Potato Bar
Mashed potatoes
Shredded Cheese
Bacon bits
Chives
Mushroom gravy
Baby shrimp
Sour Cream
Chopped tomatoes

Serve mashed potatoes into bowl, martini glass, or wine glass. Put all chosen toppings into separate containers and allow eaters to make their own, buffet-style.

For the mashed potatoes, you can even buy the bagged/instant ones. Otherwise, peel potatoes, boil until super soft, then blend with milk until creamy and desired consistency. For the bacon bits, obviously cooking your own bacon and crumbling it will taste better, but they make some decent bagged bacon bits that you can find in the salad dressing aisle of the grocery store now. Mushroom gravy can be home-made or store bought as well.

This is just a fun dinner-party meal. Fun for kids too, although I maybe wouldn't serve kids theirs in the martini or wine glasses unless you have floors and furniture made of cushions. I think this is also a cool food idea because you can make it as home-made and complicated as you want, or can go super easy and all store bought for something different.

Dear Parking Lot C Angry-at-Life Shuttle Driver Lady,

Dear LAX Parking Lot C Angry-at-Life Shuttle Driver Lady,

         Thank you so much for helping the foreigner-who-lost-his-car-in-what-he-thought-was-maybe,-perhaps,-could-be-parking-lot C,-but-he's-not-really-sure-it-might-even-be-a-different-lot,-but-you-wouldn't-know-that-because-he-can't-speak-English-guy. That was so very nice of you to take 10 minutes of not only your time, but everyone else's time. We were all so happy to be a part of it.

Also, thank you for taking a 10 minute smoke break in the middle of the shuttle ride. I'm sure no one was in a hurry to make a flight, and you were correct when you yelled that it isn't your fault that no one allowed enough time at the airport, so there was clearly no reason not to!

Finally, thank you for being so courteous and understanding to everyone when cramming 20 people in space for 5 because you decided to pick up someone in a large wheelchair who wanted to go to the bus station, since it was on the way to the airport, even though you told them it wasn't the right bus. We were all hoping that we could hug a bunch of strangers, and since we were already rubbing up against each other with so much space, we were so glad you volunteered the free space to a passerby.

All of this was what made it possible for us to miss our flight Thursday night, and we surely couldn't have done it without you. I was so excited to hang out at the airport for an additional two hours. It was so much fun! It was also because of you that I was able to take two flights instead of one! I love when that happens! Layovers are my favorite.

If there is anything I can do to show you my appreciation for you and your envious work ethic, please let me know.

Abby