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Fast & Easy Dinner: Chicken Couscous With Dried Fruit

partysugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:50:49 -0800

Couscous is quite possibly the world's quickest cooking grain. It takes literally five minutes to make - meaning it's an ideal ingredient for home cooks who are pressed for time. To create an entire meal with couscous, toss with sauteed vegetables, dried fruit, aromatic spices, and rotisserie chicken. Feel free to use the recipe loosely as a guide; onions and garlic aren't the only veggies that work with this dish. Butternut squash, red peppers, and broccoli would also be delicious. To look at the incredibly uncomplicated recipe, read more.

Chicken Couscous With Dried Fruit
From Williams Sonoma

Ingredients

2 lemons
4 Tbs. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup chopped mixed dried fruits, such as pitted dates and apricots
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups couscous
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

Grate 1 1/2 tsp. zest from the lemons and squeeze 1/4 cup juice. Set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm 3 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until the garlic and onion are golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in the cumin and cinnamon, and then mix in the chicken, lemon zest and juice, dried fruits and stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
Stir in the couscous, re-cover the pan and remove from the heat. Let stand until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the cilantro and the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Toss with a fork to fluff the couscous and distribute the cilantro.
Garnish with the almonds and serve.

Serves 4.

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How to Make Chicken Cutlets

YumSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:50:30 -0700

When I was developing my recipe for buffalo chicken mac and cheese, I headed to the local butcher to buy chicken cutlets. The butcher said he didn't have any on hand, but could make some for me on the spot. But when I stood there watching him, I couldn't believe how easy it was! I vowed to share the painless process with you. For step-by-step instructions, keep reading.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Chicken Pumpkin Stew

partysugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:50:42 -0700

Celebrate the flavors of Fall by making this quick-cooking stew. Seared chicken is simmered with broth, chunks of pumpkin, red peppers, and green beans. The thick sauce is seasoned with paprika and creamy peanut butter, resulting in a stew that is satisfyingly scrumptious.

Don't hesitate to modify the recipe: white beans can replace the green beans, onions would be as delicious as red peppers, and butternut squash works if you can't find a sugar pumpkin. To serve this piping hot stew to your family tonight, get the recipe and read more.

Chicken Pumpkin Stew
From Woman's Day

Ingredients

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, visible fat trimmed, cut in 1-in. pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red pepper, cut in 1-in. pieces
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can each (14 1/2 oz each) chicken broth and diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups 1-in. cubes peeled sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (1 lb)
8 oz fresh green beans, cut in half
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup reduced-fat creamy peanut butter

Directions

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sauté 4 minutes or until browned. Remove to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, pepper and garlic; sauté 4 minutes until softened.
Add 1 1/2 cups broth, the tomatoes, paprika and salt. Bring to a boil; add chicken, pumpkin and beans. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 12 minutes or until chicken and pumpkin are tender.
Meanwhile stir remaining broth, the cornstarch and peanut butter in a bowl until smooth. Add to pot; stir until blended. Cook 2 minutes or until thickened.

Serves 6.

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Yummy Links: From Rachael Ray to Cupcake Wars

partysugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:30:33 -0700

To encourage kids to eat healthier, Rachael Ray is cooking her soft tacos for public schools in New York. - New York Daily News
Your local mixologist may be earning a lot more money than you think. - Grub Street NY
Why not make your own baby food at home?- The Epi-Log
American cheeses are gaining popularity in Europe. - Wall Street Journal
An inside look at the Food Network's new Cook or Be Cooked video game. - Eat Me Daily
El Pollo Loco responds to KFC's free chicken deal with their own free chicken promotion. - Eater
Learn how Heston Blumenthal cooks sous vide. - Serious Eats
Get a glimpse of San Francisco's recent Cupcake Wars. - Chow

The Basics: Roast Chicken

partysugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:00:28 -0700

Although it may seem complicated, roast chicken is in fact a pretty fast and easy dinner. All you have to do is season the chicken well and throw it in the oven for about an hour. The resulting dish is classic, elegant, comforting, and delicious! It also fills your house with a wonderfully satisfying aroma.

When I make roast chicken, I like to use different herbs and spices. Normally I'll combine them with butter and olive oil and then rub the chicken's skin with the mixture. This technique ensures a seasoned and flavorful skin and moist, juicy interior. To check out my basic recipe that can be adapted to suit your family's needs, read more.

Roast Chicken
Original Recipe

If you have time, take the bird out of the fridge about 25 minutes before you plan on roasting it.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh herbs, finely chopped (I used parsley, thyme, and basil)
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, sliced in half
1/2 cup celery leaves
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, chopped into chunks
1 celery stalk, chopped into chunks
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Combine the garlic, herbs, butter, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season well with salt and pepper.
Wash the chicken and dry thoroughly, patting with paper towels.
Season the cavity and outside of the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the lemon, celery leaves, and a few pieces of onion.
Throw the remaining onions, carrots, and celery into a roast pan. This will act as a bed for the chicken.
Rub the entire chicken with the herb butter mixture. Slide your fingers under the skin and stuff some herb butter inside.
Set the chicken on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan. Tuck the wing tips under the body. Pour the chicken broth and white wine into the roasting pan.
Place in the oven and roast until the skin is deep golden brown and crisp, about an hour to an hour and a half. To see if the chicken is done, pierce the chicken in between the leg and thigh with a knife. If the juices run clear, it is cooked. Or remove from the oven when a thermometer reads between 160 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cover loosely with foil and let sit for 15 minutes before carving.

Serves 4-6.

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KFC Braves Another Grilled Chicken Giveaway

YumSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:50:23 -0700

Now that KFC's finally named a winner in its search for the right grilled chicken spokesperson, the chain is ready for yet another Kentucky Grilled Chicken giveaway. Declaring next Monday, Oct. 26 "UNFry Day," KFC will be handing out one free piece of grilled chicken to customers at more than 5,000 restaurants across the US.

The fast food company's last grilled chicken giveaway, which was backed by none other than Oprah Winfrey, caused quite a stir when KFC, faced with overwhelming demand, was forced to issue an apology and staggered rainchecks to customers who were turned away.

Considering what happened during the last giveaway, I'm not sure I'm ready to show up for this one. Did you have a bad experience with the last promotion? Would you be willing give KFC another try?

Source

Monday's Leftovers: Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs

YumSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:00:58 -0700

I can't always find ground chicken at the store, so when I do, I stock up on it, and use it in various dishes. Last night, I busted out the wok for a spicy and speedy Thai noodle stir-fry, and tonight I'm using the rest of the ground meat to create a newfangled twist on a familiar favorite: meatballs.

Rather than the typical pork-and-beef mix, I'm taking the meatball to a different level with a mixture of chicken, scallions, and ginger - then tossing in shelled edamame, snow peas, and rice to the mix for a balanced supper. A simple teriyaki sauce ties the whole meal together. Ready for the recipe? Then keep reading.

Sunday Dinner: Drunken Noodles

YumSugar — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 06:30:52 -0700

For this week's Sunday night chicken dinner, I can't wait to apply the mainstream meat to a home-cooked Southeast Asian meal.

I love preparing ethnic foods at home, and this spicy noodle stir-fry, with its complex flavors, comes together in mere minutes, thanks to quick-cooking (and inexpensive) ground chicken.

Craving Thai takeout, sans the grease? For the recipe, read more.

Mac Attack! Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:00:35 -0700

From classic stovetop shells to leek-and-cheddar penne, I've never met a mac and cheese I don't like. But the recipe I'd been craving most of all was one that, up until recently, only lived in my imagination: buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese.

My fantasy finally became reality one weekend when I put together all the elements I'd dreamed about. Al dente elbows of pasta, coated in creamy, sharp cheese sauce, topped with hot pepper sauce and crispy chicken.

It only occurred to me after sinking my teeth into the first bite that I could improve upon it even more by dotting the top with blue cheese crumbles and diced celery squares. That's why I can't wait to make it again! The epitome of indulgence, after the break.

Do You Eat Chicken Skin?

partysugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:00:14 -0700