This is my inspiration for the Holiday weekend. This recipe is part of the cooking for one. So, maybe you have to work and don’t get to enjoy the festivities. Cook up this chicken, and create your own moment!! Hope you enjoy!
1 boneless skinless chicken breast ( cut in half lengthwise, but make sure not to cut all the way through. Leave about a half inch still attached)
1 slice bacon (slice bacon very small, will be part of the stuffing)
2 tsp chopped onion ( I would use a yellow onion for the sweet flavor, chop very fine)
1 tsp chopped garlic (I suggest getting one of the mini pre chopped jars at the store)
1 slice pepperjack cheese
1/4 of an avocado (slice thinly to lay inside the chicken breast with the rest of the stuffing)
1/4 cup favorite BBQ sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil / 1 Tbsp of butter
2 Tbsp dark beer of choice
S & P tt
Slice open your chicken and place it in a shallow pan and pour your beer over it to marinate it. While that sits, take your bacon, onions, garlic, and saute them up in a pan together. The grease from the bacon is enough to brown your items. Once they are cooked up, let cool to touch, and then open the chicken breast up and fill with cooked ingredients. Slice your avocado and place on top of stuffing, then place your cheese on top of the avocado. Heat your olive oil and butter up, on medium high heat, in the same saute pan you used to cook the onions and bacon. pour the beer marinate in, and then lay your stuffed chicken in the pan. Lightly coat the top of the chicken with your favorite BBQ sauce and sprinkle with Salt and Pepper to your taste. Once the chicken starts to cook, slightly lift to see if the bottom has started to brown. Once that side is brown, flip over your chicken carefully, then lightly coat this side with your BBQ sauce and then sprinkle your salt and pepper to taste. Because you have opened the chicken breast, and precooked your stuffing, the chicken should not take long to cook. Just make sure the meat is all white throughout. Watch your cheese for oozing. If it starts to brown a touch, reduce your heat to medium low, and cook slower.
Once your chicken is cooked completely, Enjoy this fabulous creation!!!
Here is another favorite of mine from my restaurant and catering business. It has such an amazing flavor, but yet works for those who do and don’t eat meat. Sometimes a pile of veggies is all you need!
1/2 red bell pepper thinly sliced
1/2 yellow onion thinly sliced
5 slice medium mushrooms
2 chopped garlic cloves
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 4″ by 4″ square focaccia bread
Butter Spread for top of sandwiches:
2 Tbsp real butter
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 Tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
So, to start this wonderful panini , take a saute pan, heat your olive oil to medium high, and then saute your peppers, onions, mushrooms, and garlic together. Season with S & P tt. Then slice open your focaccia bread. Place your just sauteed veggies on the bread, sprinkle with the feta cheese, then place the top piece of bread on the sandwiches. Slightly melt your butter, not completely, add your italian seasoning, S & P and shredded parmesan cheese. Mix well. Spread on the top and bottom of your sandwich, being careful not to loose all ingredients within. Grill in the already warm saute pan. Brown, but don’t burn this amazing bread, and then cut in half and enjoy!!
If in need of more protein, add a grilled chicken breast, or thinly sliced turkey.
I actually had this recipe on my Tapas menu at my restaurant, and it sold very well, so now it is time to share.
Large firm tomato (cut out stem area about the size and depth, of the length of the quarter)
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 tsp chopped shallots
2 strips thinnly sliced bacon
3 quartered artichoke hearts chopped
1 Tbsp chopped kalamati olives
2 chopped mushrooms
S &P tt
1/4 whiskey
Scoop out the center of your tomato, giving yourself room to stuff it. If you have a gas stove, turn your flame on medium and place your tomato on the flame, and turn often to char the exterior of the skin. If you don’t have a gas stove top, roast in the oven at 425 degrees, until the sides char.
Take bacon, shallot, garlic, mushrooms, olives, artichokes and 1 Tbsp butter, and saute in a pan at medium, until bacon is cooked. Season with the italian seasoning and S & P. When done, fill the center of your tomato and top with the shredded parmesan cheese. Place in a baking pan that has sides high enough to hold the liquid. Put the tomato in the pan and pour the whiskey over the filling and into the bottom of the pan. Cook in the oven at 425 degrees, for 5 minutes. Keep your eye on it so nothing burns!! The idea is to get the tomato soft but not mushy.
I am stealing this idea from this amazing Indian restaurant in Portland, Oregon. It is my twist, so enjoy!
1 chicken thigh medium diced (bite size pieces)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 chopped shallot
4 sliced medium mushrooms (button ones)
1 1/2 cups cabbage (green works better, so things don’t turn purple)
1 Tbsp curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp allspice
1/2 cup Chicken broth
If possible dice up the chicken and place in the coconut milk. Will this is sitting, shred your cabbage and place in a saute pan and cook with 1 Tbsp butter, and 1/4 cup chicken broth, S & P. Cook until tender on a medium heat. Then set aside. Take your chicken, all seasonings, the other 1/4 cup of chicken broth, shredded coconut, and saute in the same pan you cooked your cabbage in. Set at a medium low temp and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir often to make sure everything is coated and evenly distributed flavor wise. Once the chicken is cooked, pour over your cooked cabbage and savory every bite!!
If you are having a lazy day, and want to make an amazing sauce try this one out.
2 roma tomatoes (3 if smaller tomatoes)
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup red wine (merlot cab blend is nice)
Place all above ingredients in a preheated oven at 425 degrees and cook for about 45 minutes to an hour. You are going to want to turn the tomatoes, and press on them to open up as the cooking time elapses. I suggest the middle rack of the oven for roasting opportunity.
When done, place in a bowl and us a mini hand blender, or put in a cuisinart to puree. If you don’t have either, take a whisk and smash the heck out of everything!
If you are serving with pasta, cook your pasta to al dente, drain, and then place in the saute pan, with a Tbsp of butter, add your marinara and coat the pasta heavily. Saute together. This brings the flavor of the sauce into the pasta and helps thicken your sauce from the starch within the pasta.
Other suggestions are over rice, sauteed vegetables or a baked potato.
Ok, so I was thinking about this dish. There are so many different ways to prepare this combination, so I am trying something a bit new. Well, at least new to me. Here we go!
1 fillet chicken breast pounded out ( fillet the chicken breast only if it is really thick, if not just pound it out between plastic wrap so it is nice and thin)
Crushed pineapple (I guess a can of crushed is good, but fresh is always better)
blue cheese (Yes blue cheese,trust me it’s good! Only need about 2 Tbsps though, you can sub swiss)
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup coconut rum (divided in half for two parts of the recipe)
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp pesto (if you have never made it, buy it)
2 Tbsp real butter (used for two parts of the recipe)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
First things first, marinate the chicken breast after you have pounded it out with the italian seasoning, S & P, 1/2 rum and juice from the crushed pineapple. Do this for about 30 minutes minimum or over night if you can.
Now, you are going to want to melt 1 Tbsp butter, and add that to the honey, and stir together. Then, take your blue cheese and pesto, and stir together. On your chicken fillet, put a layer of the pesto and blue cheese mixture, and then a layer of the drained pineapple. Carefully roll up your chicken breast fillet ( hence why it needs to be very thin), place a toothpick through the end of the chicken to keep it together. Then brush with the honey butter mixture, then roll in the shredded coconut. Heat your saute pan up to medium high heat, place 1 Tbsp butter and 1/2 cup rum, and lightly brown your chicken. Do not burn the coconut. Then place in a small pan, juices and all and bake in the oven at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!!!
Every month we have family night so the families and friends of the residents can come and enjoy an amazing meal prepared by one of the Chef’s in the houses. For April, I was able to make my creations with a Greek inspiration. I created this little recipe for some simple ingredients you may have hidden in your pantry.
4 to 6 oz red snapper fillet (watch for the hair bones)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup white wine
1 Tbsp capers
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 cup chopped red onions
1/4 cup sliced green olives
1/4 tsp cumin
S & P tt (salt and pepper to taste)
Take all above ingredients and smother your snapper fillet, cover and let rest for 30 minutes or over night for a deeper flavor.
Take a piece of foil large enough to completely wrap your fillet, but still leave enough room for air. Your trying to make a steam pouch for your fillet. Place your fillet and all of the liquid in this foil pouch, place in a pan or dish, and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Once you pull it from the oven, open the pouch just enough to let the steam out, but not the liquid. Once it has cooled a bit, pour the liquid over some white rice or you can thicken it by placing it in a small saute pan, adding about a Tbsp of butter, and letting it come to a small boil. Then you can enjoy the sauce with pita bread or grilled asparagus!! Skies the limit!!
So, I have this amazing resident that I am very honored to cook for daily, who very much enjoys my sesame ginger cod that I make for him. So, I decided to share it with you all, and add it to the “Single Cookbook!” Here we go!
6 oz cod fillet
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil (has to be toasted to get the right flavor)
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sherry
1 chopped shallot (or yellow onion, which would be about 1/4 of a whole onion small diced)
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp chili powder
sesame seeds are optional, adds another texture to the mix
Combine above ingredients and then lay the fillet within, and flip around so the fillet is coated generously. Cover, and let rest.
You will want to marinate the fillet for at least 30 minutes if not over night if possible. This lets that wonderful flavor soak into each morsel of the fillet.
If you would like to add some sliced mushrooms or zucchini to this also, is great for another element. Heat your saute pan to medium high heat, do not add any extra oil, since you marinated in oil. Once pan is hot, place your fillet down and cook until the edges become white, then flip. Fish does not take long to cook at all. Cod can flake and break apart if not careful so, pay attention. Once the fillet is white throughout, then it is done. Serve over rice noodles, brown rice, or over a bed of sauteed vegetables. Enjoy!!
This is a great recipe that was actually taught to me by my father. You can add a touch of heat to this also if you are really into the sweet and heat. Enjoy and here we go!
You can purchase at most stores a small pork tender. You are not looking for the tenderloin, which you can get cut into steaks, but the actually tender itself. Do not get the already marinated one!! You will have left overs but it makes a great soup or diced up over breakfast potatoes Sunday morning.
1 small pork tender
1 gala apple, medium diced (pink lady is ok, just go for a sweet but firm apple)
1/2 small diced shallot
1 Tbsp raisins (unless you don’t like them, then don’t bother)
1 thinly sliced piece of bacon (maple cured give a great flavor)
1/4 cup apple cider (or sweet white wine)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp chili powder
butter & olive oil
You have the choice of cooking the whole tender for this dish, or cutting few steaks yourself, about 1 and 1/2 inches thick. Take your non stick saute pan and add your 2 tsp butter and drizzle of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, get your pan hot on medium high heat, so you can get a good caramelization on your ingredients. Start with your diced apple, shallot and garlic. Don’t burn!! Add your steaks or whole tender into the pan, and lightly sprinkle your seasonings on everything. Add your apple cider or wine whichever you prefer. Turn your heat down to a touch below medium and brown. Make sure you turn your steaks or tender, once you see the sides start to change color. Once you have browned both sides of the meat. Now add your chicken broth, cover with lid or foil wrap simmer. Once your meat is white throughout, your looking good! Pork tenders are very tender cuts of meat, and you don’t want to kill it, so pay attention to what you are doing!!! The whole dish should only have to cook for maybe 15 to 20 minutes, if that.
You can serve with brown rice, roasted yukon potatoes, or just some fabulous steam vegetables, like asparagus or broccoline. Classic sauteed green beans go great also!
Here is the beginning to my single person cookbook. I hope you find these recipes helpful and fabulous. Please feel free to comment, or ask questions, so that we can grow together within this adventure. This is a fabulous dish, which is quick and easy to create. Choose your side dish that works best for you. I suggest roasted potatoes or over brown rice. If you are on the no carb thing, like myself, fill your plate with sauteed mushrooms or caulifower for something new.
Chicken Marsala
1 boneless skinless chicken breast , (or thigh for richer flavor)(fillet for quick cooking, means slicing in half lenghtwise)
4 medium button mushrooms slices (quarter the mushroom if you like a bigger bite)
1/2 of a small shallot, very small dices
1/4 cup unsalted butter (for sauteeing)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup marsala cooking wine
S & P
If possible marinate the chicken, mushrooms and shallots in the marsala for added intensity of flavor. First step is to take your salt and pepper and add it into the cornstarch for dredging the chicken breast (coat the chicken). Get your saute pan hot, on a medium high heat. Place your butter within the pan and melt. Once the butter is almost completely melted add your coated chicken, and start the browning process. Once some color has started on one side of the chicken breast, then place your shallots, mushrooms and garlic into the pan. This will help you not to burn your shallots and garlic. Flip your chicken breast over at this time and then pour over the chicken your marsala cooking wine. Turn the heat down a touch to keep your chicken and sauce from burning. Cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken breast. Use a knife to cut into the thickess part of the breast to check for doneness or use a stem thermometer and make sure you have reach an internal temperature of 155 degrees. Continually turn the chicken to create a consistent coating of sauce for the chicken, enjoy!!!
