Chicken Shepherd's Pie

I had made this dish before and wasn't overwhelmed with the results, but I had a rotisserie chicken I needed to use so I decided to try it again. I don't know what was different, but the two of us ate the entire dish. It just hit the spot today.

I took some shortcuts (like using the store-bought cooked chicken) and bought the ready-made mashed potatoes (I used the Bob Evans brand of Garlic Mashed Potatoes). While the rest of the recipe pretty much stayed the same (I used half Pepper Jack cheese and half Cheddar), you could certainly substitute the vegetables, even using those frozen mixed vegetables (you know the ones, peas, carrots, corn). Most importantly, don't skimp on the fresh herbs, especially the thyme (and S&P). This made all the difference. Since I was making this just for two, I used a very small casserole dish (7 x 5 1/2 x 2"). I cooked the whole green beans in salted water, then sprinkled them with a bit of kosher salt. This recipe serves two.

CHICKEN SHEPHERD'S PIE

2 lb container of prepared garlic mashed potatoes, use only half....save the rest for tomorrow

1/2 cup (about 6 oz) finely chopped or shredded, cooked chicken, or enough to cover the bottom of the dish

S&P

1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup fresh corn kernels

(or about a scant cup of frozen mixed vegetables)

1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice

Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Cover bottom of dish with chicken. Sprinkle with S&P and herbs. Add the vegetables. Spread the mashed potatoes over this (I first took the prepared potatoes out and put in a different bowl to mix up a bit since they were refrigerated and stiff) and then spread then over the vegetables using my fingers. Smooth out. Cover with cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. I turned the broiler on for the last few minutes to brown the cheese.

Lindie's Newest Trick

Well, I haven't had any new noteworthy recipes to post for a while. I made a new soup last night "Chicken Enchilada," but it really wasn't good enough to list. However, while making it yesterday, Jim encouraged Lindie to try to get onto the kitchen counter through the pass-through. She climbs onto the back of the couch and tries to get over the ledge. This is as far as she made it. And yes, I sanitized the counter before I continued! We have definitely cooled down here in Chattanooga. It rained all day yesterday. We'll be back in the 50's with clouds and/or rain almost everyday this week! This is good cooking weather so hopefully I'll have some new delicious dishes to share this week. Enjoy your weekend!

The Most Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

I ran across an New York Times article the other day discussing The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie. Now, I don't have a big sweet tooth, but I always enjoy a bite or two of a good cookie. This time, I ate the entire thing. And these cookies are ginormous! According to the article and the inventor of the Toll House Cookie, two very important steps were left out of that recipe. One, after making the dough, it must be allowed to be refrigerated for a minimum of 24 hours. Two, before baking, you must just barely sprinkle the balls of dough with some kosher salt. And there is an interesting blend of flour (bread flour and cake flour). And the size. Apparently, it is important to make a huge cookie (3.5 oz, about 1/3 cup) so you get the crispiness of the edge and the soft, chewiness of the center. Doing my own experiment, I divided the dough the put 8 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 4 oz of walnuts in one half, and 8 oz of milk chocolate chips and 4 oz of pecans in the other. I really wish I could tell you I had a favorite, but I can't. They are both outstanding. Absolutely the best chocolate chip cookie I've ever had in my life. So, here's the NYTimes recipe as listed. Vary it as you like (it calls for chocolate disks or feves, at least 60% cacao content......what the heck are feves?!!!). And given the size of the cookies, this only makes about 18 5" cookies. THE PERFECT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 2 cups less 2 Tbsp (8 1/2 oz) cake flour (leave in the 2 TBSP for higher altitudes) 1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 oz) bread flour 1 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter, room temp 1 1/4 cups (10 oz) light brown sugar 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp (8 oz) granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or feves, at least 60% cacao content Kosher salt Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Set aside. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until very light, about 5 minutes (this was another important step in the article). Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, about 10 seconds (I did this in 4 steps). Drop chocolate pieces (and nuts if using) and incorporate into dough. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24-36 hours. You can refrigerate up to 72 hours. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Scoop six 3 1/2 oz mounds of dough (about 1/3 cup) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and bake until golden brown, but still soft, 18-22 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. NOTE: It was a difficult decision, but if I had to put my finger on one choice, I would go with the milk chocolate and pecans. But you won't go wrong either way! UPDATE: 4/1/11 Weirdest thing! I was in EarthFare today and what did I run across?!!! CHOCOLATE FEVES......and in all different cocoa percentages!!! Weird! I had never heard of them, but then I post a recipe, and voila!!!! There they appear. They are simply chocolate disks, maybe about 3/4" in diameter, and 1/8 or 1/4" thick. Go figure! Also, listening to Everyday Foods on Martha Stewart Radio (satellite radio) I heard a segment on the perfect chocolate chip cookies and yes indeed! Time is the essential quotient! Must let dough refrigerate at least 24 hours. 36 is optimal.

Shrimp, Black Bean, and Corn Salad

Oh My! I think I may have found my new favorite salad! This is so good.

We are definitely into spring here. Yesterday was in the upper 70s (that'll sound pretty good come August) and so I went leafing through my "Salad" file looking for something that would be nice and light at the end of a warm day. I found this recipe torn from a magazine.....I think it was from Byerly's Supermarket (Minnesota) but I never made it, which means it's been sitting in my files for at least six years. What a waste! I can tell you, this will be on our table several times a month this coming summer. It is very simple and the combination is so close to many dishes I've made before, but somehow this was a bit different. Absolutely delicious.

The recipe calls for grilling the shrimp, but I learned an incredible secret from Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa). Roast your shrimp. It makes all the difference. It is so simple and since I've been roasting shrimp (400 degrees for 6-8 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp), I've had absolutely perfect and predictable results. Every time.

UPDATE: I made this again tonight (4/25) and hand some extra arugula on hand....what an incredible addition! I you have some on hand, please add it!

SHRIMP, BLACK BEAN, AND CORN SALAD (this recipe makes two entree salads)

Shelled and deveined shrimp for 2 (I used 24 {31-40} shrimps)

1/3 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

3 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro

2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

pinch cayenne

1/2 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 can (11 oz) white and yellow corn

10-15 grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

one head of romaine, chopped

a handful of arugula, if you have it

large tortilla chips, for garnish

Rinse shrimp. Pat dry with paper towels. Place in ziplock bag. Whisk together olive oil, lime, cilantro, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Put 3 Tbsp of dressing in ziplock with shrimp. Refrigerate for at least one hour (mine sat for about 6 hours). Combine beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, and remaining dressing. Refrigerate, covered, several hours.

Now at this point, the recipe instructs you to skewer the shrimp and grill until cooked. As mentioned above, I chose to roast the shrimp. Since I used smaller shrimp, I roasted them at 400 for just 6 minutes. Perfection!

To Serve: Toss romaine into bean mixture. Spoon onto serving plate. Top with shrimp. Garnish with tortilla chips.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

OK, last night I needed to get back to working cleaning out stuff from the freezer. I had a stack of corn tortillas I've been meaning to get to. I ran across this recipe and I had never made taquitos before. These really came out nicely, a great crunch and really low-cal, low-fat! Oh, these will definitely be on the menu again. These would make a wonderful Super Bowl-type appetizer because they do keep their crunch for a long time (I ate leftovers a couple of hours after dinner and they were still crunchy). They're great finger-foods. You can use guacamole, sour cream, buttermilk dressing as a dipper. I used these as my entree and served them with Charro Beans and my favorite Spanish rice recipe (from Joy of Cooking, adding cilantro to the mix). I cut the recipe in half and this amount made 8 taquitos. We both ate two each at dinner, so The Girls got some leftovers, and I ate two later that night. So the recipe I'm listing will make approximately 8 taquitos.

BAKED CREAMY CHICKEN TAQUITOS

2 oz cream cheese (I used reduced-fat style)

2 Tbsp salsa verde

1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp (+) cumin (I like cumin)

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1 green onion, chopped

1 cup shredded chicken

1/2 cup Mexican cheese mix (shredded in packaged-cheese section)

about 8 small corn tortillas (or few if using the larger flour version)

Cooking spray

Kosher salt

Soften cream cheese in microwave for about 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir in salsa verde, lime juice, and spices until well mixed, then add cilantro and green onions. Stir in shredded chicken and cheese and combine well (this can be made ahead of time and stored in the frig).

Preheat oven to 425. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray.

Working with 2 corn tortillas at a time, briefly heat in microwave so they are more malleable and easier to work with (place a wet paper towel over tortillas and heat for about 25 seconds). Spoon 2-3 Tbsp of chicken mixture down the middle of the tortilla (maybe a bit closer to one end) and keeping it about 1/2" from the end or it will all melt out and burn. Roll up tightly. Place taquitos seam side down on cookie sheet, making sure they are not touching. Lightly spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt (this makes all the difference!). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and edges start to turn golden brown.

Serve with your favorite salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or Buttermilk Dressing (see previous post).

Pear and Spicy Pecan Salad with Raspberry Dijon Vinaigrette

This was the Number One salad seller at a restaurant I worked at in Minnesota. It is so good and although this is not the best photo, it is a striking presentation. It's actually quite simple. Mixed greens (half romaine, half spring mix), grilled chicken (or not), crumbled gorgonzola or bleu cheese, a pear or Asian pear, and spicy pecans. She used candied pecans, but I was always afraid of breaking a tooth on these! Plus, I like that bit of heat on the spicy pecans. This is a wonderful main course salad and I make it quite often during the summer. An aside, I usually double the vinaigrette recipe because it's just a basic dressing to have on hand, plus it will keep just about forever. And I usually at least double the pecan recipe because these, too, will keep in the freezer for a long time. I'm also including her recipe for Candied Pecans in case you prefer those.

Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup olive

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar

3 Tbsp sugar

4 tsp Dijon

1/4 tsp salt

Dash freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together.

Mixed garden greens, I like half romaine, half spring mix

Crumbled Gorgonzola or Bleu Cheese

1/2 pear or Asian pear, per salad

Chicken grilled with olive oil, S&P, about 4 oz per salad

Sweet and Spicy Pecans

3 Tbsp lite corn syrup

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne

1 1/2 cups pecans

1/4 tsp hot sauce

Heat oven to 350. Mix everything together. Place on a rimmed cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 5 minutes. Stir. Bake another 10 minutes. Let cool on tray. Break apart and store in freezer-safe container.

Candied Pecans

1/2 cup pecan halves

2/3 cup sugar

Heat sugar in a small skillet over medium heat until sugar melts. Stir in pecans until all are well-coated. Spread quickly on buttered foil and spread apart with two forks. When cool, chop or break into pieces.

Salad Construction (!):

Toss greens (I use one large handful per serving) with dressing and divide onto plates. Top with cheese and sprinkle with pecans. Cut each pear in half and cut fan-like and fan out in the center of each salad. If using chicken, slice into strips and lay fanning around the salad.

Indian Butter Chicken

I'm always in the mood for Indian recipes. This is so basic. So easy. So good. The ingredient list may look daunting, but I chopped and measured everything out earlier today, so it took just minutes to throw this entree together. I used a rice cooker for the rice (I use jasmine) and started that first. Everything else came together in less than 15 minutes. I served the chicken on rice with artichokes. This recipe is two healthy servings with a nice helping of leftovers for lunch tomorrow :-)

INDIAN BUTTER CHICKEN

1/2 onion (about 4 oz), chopped

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced

1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 Tbsp canola oil

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp coriander

3 oz tomato paste (1/2 small can)

1 1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup half and half or cream (I understand fat-free half&half works fine!)

1 small bay leaf

1/2-3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

S&P

2 Tbsp butter

cooked Jasmine or Basmati rice

Lime wedges, for garnish

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

In a large saute pan, combine onion, ginger, chili, and oil. Stir often over medium-high heat until onion is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, garam masala, chili powder, cardamom, and coriander. Saute an additional 2 minutes.

Scrape mixture into a blender or food processor; add tomato paste and chicken broth. Whirl until very smooth. Pour mixture back into pan, and half and half or cream and bay leaf, and bring to a gentle boil over high heat (mixture will spatter.....use a splatter screen!) reduce heat and simmer, sitrring often, until reduced a bit, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce into a bowl. Rinse and dry pan.

Pat chicken dry. Add S&P. Set pan over medium-high heat; add 1/2 Tbsp butter and chicken. Stir until chicken is no longer pink on the surface, a couple of minutes. Add the sauce and simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until chicken is no longer pink in the center, 3-4 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp butter into sauce until melted.

Spoon chicken and sauce onto rice. Squeeeze lime juice over portions and garnish with cilantro.