Chicken Roulade

Originally published on July 14, 2014

Can I ask you what, exactly, is the difference between chicken roulade and chicken involtini? Before I started making this dish, I thought there was a big difference. But as I started making it, I couldn’t help but notice just how similar the two are. So what is the difference?

As far as I could tell, there are three. The first, involtini is typically made with some type of cheese. It doesn’t really matter which, but it’s usually mozzarella or Parmesan. Second, ivoltini is also usually served on spaghetti sauce, or with spaghetti sauce draped over it. Roulade is not. And third, roulade is a French dish, while involtini hails from Italy.

All of this being said, if you start preparing roulade and get to thinking that it’s a lot like making involtini, there’s a reason for it. The two are very similar.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 cups fresh spinach, stems removed
1 onion, diced 
4 garlic cloves, minced 
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 2 
Salt
Pepper 

Directions:

1.) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.) Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a skillet and place over medium heat. When hot, add onion and garlic and saute just until onion is soft and both ingredients start to become fragrant. Add spinach and start turning so all leaves have a chance to wilt. When all the spinach has wilted some (but not completely into thin green strands,) season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. You still want the spinach to have a little bit of body to it.

3.) One by one, lay the chicken breasts between pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound them lightly until they are all of even thickness. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.

4.) Lay one chicken breast flat on a work surface and place a handful of the spinach mixture right onto it, laying it right down the centre of the breast. Start at the narrowest end of the chicken breast and begin rolling it up along the spinach mixture, rolling the chicken around itself. Make sure you roll the breast tightly, or it will come undone while cooking. When finished rolling, secure with toothpicks to keep the chicken breast tightly rolled. Repeat with each remaining chicken breast.

5.) Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. When hot, add each of the chicken breasts, placing them on the side of the breast that does not have the seam. Sear for 3 – 5 minutes, just until the chicken breasts have browned on that side. Then, turn the breasts, turn off the heat on the stove, and place the cast iron skillet into the oven. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes, until the chicken has just cooked through, but do not overcook it, or it will end up being very dry.

6.) Remove chicken from oven, set on a work surface, and cover with foil. Allow to rest for a few minutes before slicing on a bias and fanning slightly.

7.) Serve and enjoy!

Jul

Dijon Breaded Pork Chops

Originally published on July 15, 2014

I love Michael Smith. He not only creates beautiful and tasty food, but he makes it accessible to everyone from other chefs, to the home cook that has just started cooking for their family. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him make these specific pork chops, but I did watch him slather lamb chops in Dijon one day, a day that I just happened to have pork chops in my fridge. They’re much like breaded pork chops, as I knew they would be, but they bring a little extra zip to the meat. And because you’re breading the pork, it won’t dry out in the oven, which is always a concern when you’re cooking any kind of pork. Breading pork chops this way is also nice when you don’t want to deal with the mess of fully breading the chops, or when you don’t have flour or eggs on hand.

Ingredients:

4 bone-in pork chops 
6 – 8 tablespoons Dijon 
2 cups bread crumbs 
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 
3 tablespoons dried thyme 
2 tablespoons butter, melted 
Salt 
Pepper 

Directions:

1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and pat the pork chops dry. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.) In a large bowl combine the bread crumbs, the Parmesan cheese, dried thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

3.) Slather the chops on both sides with Dijon mustard. If you want to keep the mess down, slather one side and then place that side down into the bowl of bread crumbs. While the chop is in the crumbs, slather the other side with Dijon and then flip it over to coat the other side in bread crumbs. As you’re finished breading the pork chops, place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

4.) When all of the chops have been breaded and are on the baking sheet, drizzle the melted butter over top of them.

5.) Place the pork chops in the oven and bake for 30 – 35 minutes, until the chops are fully cooked through. When they are done, remove the chops from the oven, tent with foil, and allow them to rest for several minutes.

6.) Serve and enjoy!

Red Slaw

Originally published on July 16, 2014

I go back to my hometown a couple times a year, and I always love doing foodie experiments while I’m there (and I don’t think anyone minds being my guinea pigs.) This past visit, we had an abundance of red cabbage to work with and so, after several other red cabbage experiments, I threw it together with some veg to make a coleslaw and use up the last of it. It wasn’t any different than making any other type of coleslaw, but because red cabbage is more bitter than other cabbage, you do have to make up for that with either sweeter veggies or a sweeter dressing (not too sweet mind you, we’re not talking dessert here.) I chose sweet, sweet peppers and added a couple of teaspoons of honey.

Ingredients:

1/2 head red cabbage 
1/2 sweet Vidalia onion 
5 or 6 radishes, thinly sliced
1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced 
1 cup mayonnaise 
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey 
Salt 
Pepper 

Directions:

1.) Start by making the dressing. Combine the mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, honey, and a bit of salt and pepper. Stir to thoroughly incorporate all of the ingredients and then let sit for a few minutes so the flavours can marry.

2.) To a large bowl add red cabbage, Vidalia onion, radishes, and yellow pepper. Taste the dressing and adjust seasoning if necessary. Then pour over top of salad ingredients and mix so that all vegetables can become lightly coated in the dressing.

3.) Serve and enjoy!

10 Minute Chops

Originally published on July 19, 2014

Sometimes you just don’t have a lot of time to get dinner on the table and on those nights, it’s helpful if you can keep a few tips in mind. For me, it means using a quick-cooking protein (us carnivores rarely go meatless around here,) that doesn’t require a long marinating time, and it also means cooking it on the stove. Have you ever realized how much quicker things cook on the stovetop than they do in the oven?? It’s remarkable! So for this quick-cooking meal…..

I used boneless pork chops that don’t only cook really fast, they’re also super cheap – usually about $5 for a package of 6 or more. (Buy them on sale and you get two packages for that price.) When ready to cook, I threw together my tried-and-true BBQ rub and let it sit for just a few minutes. Of course, you could make these 15 minute chops if you wanted that flavour to be even stronger, but it was pretty intense with just the few minutes I gave it.

Ingredients:

6 small boneless pork chops
2 tablespoons onion powder 
2 tablespoons garlic powder 
1 tablespoon chili powder 
1 tablespoon paprika 
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
Salt 
Pepper 

Directions:

1.) In a large bowl combine onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

2.) Add chops to the bowl and quickly rub the spices all over them, making sure the chops are fully coated. Let sit for a minute or two while you get your skillet ready.

3.) Place a large skillet over medium-heat and add the olive oil. When oil is hot, add chopsto the skillet one by one, shaking any excess rub off of them as you take them out of the bowl.

4.) Cook the chops for four minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another three minutes on their other side.

5.) Remove chops from the skillet, and place them on a serving platter.

6.) Serve and enjoy!

Raspberry Crumble Pie

Originally published on July 20, 2014

Sometimes I can’t decide whether I want a crumble or a pie, so why not combine the two and get the best of both worlds? My younger daughter loves this dessert because she’s “not a big fan of pie” (her words, and she’s 6) but it’s got that sweet and crunchy crumble topping, so it’s not really all pie. I love it because the filling is sweet and tart and well, I’m also a sucker for that topping. It’s raspberry season, so that’s what ended up in this pie but you could use just about any berry and they can be fresh or frozen, so you can enjoy it all year round!

Ingredients:

For the pie:

1 prepared pie crust
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 cup white sugar 
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups raspberries

For the topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/4 cup butter, chilled and cut into cubes

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrneheit.

2.) In a large bowl, beat eggs until they are a light yellow. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, and salt together. Stir into egg mixture, then gently fold in raspberries. Pour into prepared pie crust.

3.) Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the centre is just about set. Meanwhile, make the topping by combining the brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and almonds. Cut in the chilled butter, until the entire mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

4.) Remove the pie from the oven after its first bake time. Sprinkle with the topping mixture and place back in the oven. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and crunchy.

5.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

6.) Serve and enjoy!

24 Hour Chicken

Originally published on July 22, 2014

Something serendipitous happened in my kitchen several weeks ago. I had prepared a marinade for some chicken breasts, got them swimming in it in the fridge, and was just waiting for them to have a little soak before I threw them on the grill. Then, my kids both burst through the front door, excited that their school barbecue was that night. Could we go, could we go?!?!? Of course we could, but what was I to do with this chicken I had ready and just waiting to be cooked? Nothing, except keep it exactly where it was and leave it for the next night. Turns out, letting it sit and marinate for 24 hours was one of the best things I could have done. Because sometimes you need a super quick recipe to get you through, and other times, patience is bliss.

Ingredients:

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
3/4 cup mint leaves
3/4 cup cilantro
1/4 cup Thai basil
4 garlic cloves, smashed 
2 green onions, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons ginger 
1 tablespoon chili pepper flakes 
Zest and juice of 1 lime 
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 – 2 tablespoons water 
Salt 
Pepper 

Directions:

1.) Into a blender place: mint leaves, cilantro, Thai basil, garlic cloves, green onions, ginger, chili pepper flakes, lime zest and juice, rice vinegar, pinch of salt and pepper, and water. Puree until smooth.

2.) Pat chicken breasts dry and place them in a shallow casserole dish. Gently lift the skin of the chicken and push some of the marinade between the skin and the meat. Lay skin back down and pour the rest of the marinade over the outside of the chicken. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Leave for 24 hours.

3.) When ready to cook, turn one side of an outdoor grill to medium heat, oil the grates, and close the lid. When the entire grill has preheated, lay chicken breasts, skin-side down, on the side of the grill that has no direct heat. Close lid and allow to cook for about 10 minutes. Turn chicken and allow the other side to cook for another 10 minutes, or until chicken is completely cooked through. (Check by checking the juices and seeing if they run clear, or by checking an instant-read thermometer that reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.)

4.) Remove chicken from the grill and allow to rest for 5 – 10 minutes.

5.) Serve and enjoy!

Not Your Average Boiled Beets

Originally published on July 23, 2014

Take any vegetable, boil it for a good 45 minutes, and when you remove it from the water you’re pretty much guaranteed that it’s going to be flavourless and completely boring, right? Well, that might be true for most vegetables, but when you’re talking about beets, it’s a whole other story. Especially when you (once again) skip the grocery store and head to a Farmers’ Market to get them. Trust me, it will be well worth any extra effort you took to get there once you’re sitting around your table with the most delicious produce you’ll find, and we can only do it for a couple more months before we’re back to depending on the big chains. So, we may as well take advantage now.

But oh yes, back to the beets. Once you take them out of the piping hot water, take a slice off one and just try it. You will have never had anything so delicious, so tender, and so sweet! I’ve had beets before but I couldn’t believe the sweetness of these particular beets! You could serve them just like that, and they’d be a perfectly beautiful side to any meal, or you can use just a few ingredients to jazz them up a little bit. Either way, these are really, really good.

Ingredients:

6 medium-sized beets 
3 cloves garlic, whole and peeled 
1 green onion, chopped (I used the green and the white) 
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

1.) Place the beets and the garlic cloves in a pot and cover with water. Place them on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a low boil, and cook for approximately 45 minutes, until the beets are tender. Remove the garlic and the beets to a plate and allow to cool slightly.

2.) Once the beets have cooled enough that you can handle them, slip their skins off (this will be very easy to do once they have been cooked.) Slice the beets in about 1/4″ to 1/2″ slices and place them in a serving bowl. Chop boiled garlic and add that to the beets, along with the green onion, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

3.) Serve and enjoy!

Meatloaf with Bacon Gravy

Originally published on July 25, 2014

I love meatloaf. I mean, I love love love meatloaf. I don’t even know why I love it so much, really. Maybe it’s because I grew up on it and my grandma knew her way around a good meatloaf. Maybe it’s because you can do so much with it, and still keep true to the basic foundations of the dish. Maybe it’s because every time I make it, I think about that old King of Queens episode where Carrie says, “The one good thing about being married to Doug is that you get real good at shaping meat into a big pile.” Truthfully, I think there’s just somuch to love about it, I can’t see why anyone wouldn’t. Especially when you add bacon and gravy not just on the side, but inside the actual loaf itself.

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef 
1 onion, diced and divided 
3 cloves garlic, grated or minced 
1 cup bread crumbs 
4 cups gravy, divided (I used leftover gravy from the brisket I had made the night before, but you can make your own or use packaged) 
1 egg, lightly beaten 
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped 
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 Portobello mushroom, diced 
2 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
Salt 
Pepper

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly oil a loaf pan.

2.) Place one tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add chopped bacon and cook until all pieces are brown and crisp. Remove to a plate lined with paper towel and set aside. Reserve bacon fat in the skillet.

3.) Place bread crumbs in a small bowl and pour 1 cup of gravy over top. Stir to combine and let sit.

4.) In a large bowl combine the ground beef, half of the diced onion, garlic, egg, balsamic vinegar, thyme, rosemary, a pinch of salt and pepper, and half of the cooked bacon. Add the gravy-soaked bread crumbs. Mix to thoroughly combine all ingredients, then shape into a loaf and place in the prepared loaf pan. Brush evenly over the top one tablespoon of vegetable oil.

5.) Place meatloaf in the preheated oven and cook for 60 – 70 minutes, until loaf has completely cooked through. Then, remove from oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes. This will help keep your meatloaf from falling apart when you move it out of the pan to slice it.

6.) While loaf is resting, prepare the gravy. Heat the bacon fat still in the skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the other half of the diced onion along with the Portobello mushroom. Stir to coat everything in the fat and then let cook for 5 – 10 minutes, until mushrooms have just started to brown and onion is soft. Then add the remaining 3 cups of gravy and and the remaining bacon pieces and stir. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes, so that all the flavours can marry, and the gravy can heat through.

7.) After meatloaf has rested, slice into 1″ slices and pour a little bit of the gravy over top. Serve the remaining gravy on the side at the table.

8.) Serve and enjoy!

Leftover Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Originally published on July 30, 2014

Last time I went home to visit my mom, I made a delicious pork tenderloin one night. Before I made it, we couldn’t decide whether I should make both pieces that were in her freezer, or just one. Because I always opt on the side of “have enough to feed an army if you need it,” I made both of them. Of course, we only ate one and at the end of the meal we were left with an entire fully cooked pork tenderloin. And the next night, we proved that you don’t always need a picnic or shoulder roast to make pulled pork sandwiches. These were the easiest ones I’ve ever made, and they were tasty too!

Ingredients:

1 fully cooked pork tenderloin 
1 cup barbecue sauce 
4 hamburger buns 

Directions:

1.) If tenderloin is cold, warm it up in a 350 degree oven for 20 – 30 minutes. Then, using two fork, pull pork apart until you have shredded the entire tenderloin. You can also pull it apart with your hands, much the same way you would with traditional pulled pork.

2.) Place barbecue sauce in a pot and heat over low-medium heat. Bring to a simmer.

3.) When both the pork and the sauce are hot, place shredded pork into the sauce and stir to thoroughly coat all of the pork in the sauce. Divide evenly among all four hamburger buns.

4.) Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie

Originally published on July 31, 2014

I sometimes find that chicken can be a somewhat boring ingredient. I mean, it doesn’t really have a whole ton of flavour on its own and I rarely order it in restaurants, simply because I eat so much of it at home. At the same time, it can be one of the most comforting dishes on the planet if you know what to do with it. Roasted chicken is one of my very favourite meals, and in the past I’ve called it the ultimate comfort food (and I still do!) Aside from just comfort, roasted chicken is also great for leftovers. The bones can be used for chicken stock and the meat can be used for just about anything. This chicken pot pie is one of my go-tos.

Ingredients:

2 9″ flaky pie crusts 
3 cups roasted chicken, cubed 
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour 
4 cups chicken stock 
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons dried oregano 
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 egg, beaten lightly with 1 tablespoon of water
Salt 
Pepper 

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.) Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot add the diced carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Stir to coat everything in oil and then saute just until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted chicken, the oregano, and the thyme. Stir to combine everything.

3.) Add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and allow to melt. Sprinkle the flour over top and then mix so that everything becomes lightly coated in flour. Allow to cook for 2 minutes.

4.) Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, making sure there are no lumps as you pour in the stock. Bring entire mixture up to a simmer. Taste, add salt and pepper, and taste again. Adjust seasoning if necessary and remove from heat.

5.) Roll out the pie crust so it’s about 1/4″ inch thick. Using a cookie cutter or rim of large glass, cut out circles and press them, one by one, neatly into the muffin tin. Press them to the sides a little bit as you do. Using a fork, make small holes at the bottom of each small pie crust. This will help it bake evenly and will prevent it from bubbling up in the oven. Roll out the second pie crust and again with a cookie cutter, cut out circles, hearts, stars, or any other shape that you like.

6.) Ladle the chicken pot pie mixture into the pie crust in the muffin tin, making sure you leave about 1/2″ border of crust above the pie filling. The mixture will expand slightly, and you want to make sure the mixture doesn’t overflow.

7.) Place one shape you’ve cut out with a cookie cutter onto each of the small chicken pot pies in the muffin tin. Brush the shape, as well as the edges of the pie dough, with the egg wash you’ve made.

8.) Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until the filling is hot and bubbling and the pie crust is golden brown.

9.) Serve and enjoy!