OK, you know how I am constantly talking about cleaning out my freezers? It’s not like I don’t try, I do! But this time, it is really happening. I have been cooking only from the freezer for the past 2+ weeks. Now, when I say that, it doesn’t mean I’m not using any fresh food or that I’m not grocery shopping at all, for shame! That would be impossible for me, BUT it does mean that the main dishes, the big stuff, is coming from the freezer.  Examples you ask? Let see, the duck, rib eye steaks, puff pastry, more puff pastry, Kobe beef, ground turkey, shrimp… and today, this exotic chicken.

The chicken I’m talking about is a Silkie that I purchased frozen some time ago at an Asian market.  Here is was a 2007 New York Times article has to say about Silkies.

Pet a Silkie chicken and you understand how it got its name. The feathers are fine and flutter in wisps in the breeze.

… it’s a striking-looking bird that’s often raised for show. Breeders also like them because they will hatch other birds’ eggs.

 ”They are such good moms,” said Frank R. Reese Jr., the founder of Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch in Lindsborg, Kan., who breeds Silkies for show. “They’ll sit on anything and hatch anything. They’ll hatch ducks, turkeys, chickens.”

…They have bluish-gray skin, pitch-black bones and dark beige flesh (they’re sometimes called black-skinned chickens). They’re a scrawny pound or two, plucked, and are usually sold with the head and feet attached (with five toes, not the usual four).

“It’s a scary-looking creature,” said Patricia Yeo, of Sapa in Chelsea. She said she has her staff describe it as a deeply flavored, lean, free-range chicken.

I agree, it is kinda scary-looking without its beautiful white feathers.  And just as described above, it comes packaged completely intact, with head and feet. That is one reason I was excited to try it, chicken feet make the richest and most gelatinous stock. And the flavor of the roasted chicken was wonderful, so much richer than your average  chicken. Before you see the pictures of the naked chicken below, you absolutely have to go to THIS LINK and check out a Silkie or two in the most gorgeous and mind-blowing chicken coop you’ll ever see. (BTW, I was directed to this blog by my absolute favorite blog of all blogs, Vignette Design, of course, everything wonderful can be found at Vignette Design!) I find this coop so inspiring that I am actually tempted to raise chickens again!

Wow, right? OK, back to the chicken at hand – I took a photo of the packaged naked bird from the Asian grocery all spread out, but I’m fearful that some of you might be seriously disturbed by the image…. so if you want to see the picture, leave a comment saying so, and I’ll send the image directly to you in an email. For the rest of you, do not fear, the forthcoming photos feature the chicken after I cut off the head and the really (and I mean REALLY) ugly five toed feet!

Pomegranate Roasted Silkie Chicken

1 Silkie chicken, rinsed and patted dry inside and out
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large shallots, peeled and sliced in half
1 small handful of thyme sprigs
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
1/4 cup red wine

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the shallots and thyme.  Tie chicken wings down and legs together with kitchen twine. Rub the entire outside of the chicken with pomegranate molasses.

Thin the remaining pomegranate molasses by whisking in the red wine. Set aside, this will be a basting glaze for the chicken.

Roast in the preheated oven, basting with the glaze every 15 minutes, for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees and the juices run clear.  Since this is such a small bird, take special care to not hit a bone with the thermometer, otherwise you will not get an accurate reading. Remove from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving.

Serves 2

(The simplest way is to carve any poultry, is to first remove the legs, thighs and wings from the main part of the body. This can easily be done by separating the leg pieces at the joints, which connect the various pieces together. Your knife will easily cut through a joint – see photo below – the white areas are the joints.)

Tonight is the big Cookbook Happy Hour. In the next week, I’ll post recipes for the drinks and appetizers we enjoyed; including drink recipes for those infused vodkas I made at the end of July.  Now a little rundown of the blog birthday official numbers…

2 years
730 days
668 posts
577 recipes
1,508 comments (Thank YOU!)
11,876 spam (what the heck?!?)

Enough reflection – time for a recipe #578.

Another place that Kathy took me out to eat while in Florida was to Rocco’s Tacos in West Palm Beach.  Cute name, nice place, with a huge menu.. but really, we had to order tacos for lunch.  With that name, it wasn’t really much of a decision. The tacos were satisfactory, the sangria and guacamole yummy, but what intrigued me was the special salad of the day. I dissected it and made it for dinner last night… it is a winner.  Especially the chipotle vinaigrette I created. It would be awesome on a potato salad or coleslaw too. Check it out and see if you agree.

Romaine Salad with Chili Crusted Chicken and Sweet Chipotle Vinaigrette

Sweet Chipotle Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 small canned chipotle chile in adobo plus 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons peeled and finely diced red onion
Freshly ground black pepper

Chili Crusted Chicken
1 large lemon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 tablespoon peeled and minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 or 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Salad
2 hearts of romaine; washed, spun dry, and torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup thin red onion slices
1 cup roasted red pepper slices
1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed

Sweet Chipotle Vinaigrette: Place all ingredients, except the red onion, in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in the red onion.  Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

Chili Crusted Chicken:  Zest and juice the lemon into a small bowl.  Stir in the oregano and chili powder to make a paste. Stir in the garlic.

Brush 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the top side of the breasts and then coat with the chili paste.  Leave the bottom side of breasts uncoated.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add remaining olive oil and sear the chicken, uncoated-side down.  Cook for about 6 to 7 minutes. 

Turn chicken over onto the top coated-side and cook for 5 or 6 additional minutes, or until chicken is cooked completely through.  Set aside until cool enough to handle, then slice on a diagonal.

Salad:  Place the romaine in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Divide evenly between 4 large dinner plates. In the same bowl, add the onion, pepper, avocado, and corn and toss with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette. Divide evenly between the dinner plates, topping the lettuce.  Finally, place the sliced chicken in the same bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette. Lay the chicken slices atop the salad, along the outside edge.  Serve, passing the remaining vinaigrette.

Serves 4

Many years ago I was a “white meat” snob. I claimed to not like dark poultry meat. I knew dark meat was generally more juicy, less dry, and more flavorful, but I went with the thought that “ladies” eat white meat.  I am not certain where I came up with that, maybe something to do with dieting and the fact that white meat does have less fat and calories.

But honestly there isn’t a huge difference. One-half cup of chicken breast has 129 calories, 5.2g fat, and 52mg cholesterol. One-half cup dark meat has 135 calories, 6.3g fat, and 61mg cholesterol. So, once in awhile it really is OK to eat a chicken thigh or leg quarter, especially when it’s in your freezer and you are diligently working on cleaning out that freezer. When am I NOT trying to clean out the darn freezer? It’s a never-ending battle.

This pasta chicken dish made me happy that I had that chicken meat stash.  Feel free to sub white meat for the dark, but trust me, it’s darn tasty with the juicier, moister, and more flavorful thigh meat!

Pasta with Dark Meat Chicken and Creamy Saffron Sauce

3 chicken leg quarters (attached thighs and legs) with skin and bones
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups peeled and diced onion (red, white, green; whatever you have on hand)
5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 cups dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup fat-free or regular half-and-half
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup cherry tomato halves
1 pound farfalle (bow-tie) pasta, cooked al dente
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Generously season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet, skin side down, and cook until golden, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate.  Discard all but 2 tablespoons dripping from skillet.

Add onions and garlic to drippings; sauté until onions are  soft and translucent, about 7  minutes.  Add wine to skillet and bring to a boil.

Place saffron threads in the palm of your hand and crush, add to skillet. Continue to boil until liquid is thickened and reduced by half, about 7 minutes.  Add 2 cups chicken broth and return chicken to skillet; bring back up to boil.

Reduce heat to low a low simmer. Cover; simmer gently until chicken is tender and cooked through, turning over after 25 minutes, cooking for about 50 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a clean plate and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Reserve skillet with juices. Remove skin and bones from chicken and discard. Tear chicken meat into bite-size pieces; place in medium bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, spoon off fat from juices in skillet and discard fat. Add half-and-half to juices in skillet and boil until sauce is reduced to about 2 1/2 cups and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, cherry tomatoes, and chicken pieces. Stir over medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add pasta to chicken mixture in skillet and toss to coat. Stir in basil and serve.

Serves 6

After nearly two weeks in the cool North Woods of Wisconsin, returning to this hot (and recently – very dusty!) desert is a bit of a shock to the system.  An oven-free meal is called for!  The old standby, rotisserie chicken, is my savior today.

Shredded Chicken Salad with Wonton Crisps

Dressing
3 cloves garlic cloves, peeled and minced 
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil
Chicken Salad
2 pounds shredded chicken meat from a rotisserie chicken
2 celery ribs, diced
4 cups shredded or thinly sliced green cabbage
2 peeled and julienned carrots
1/2 cup fresh mint, leaves stacked and then thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil, leaves stacked and then thinly sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (white and pale green parts)
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
Wonton  Crisps
8 wonton wrappers
About 2 cups vegetable oil

Dressing:  Whisk together garlic, sugar, vinegar, lime zest, lime juice, fish sauce, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes in a large bowl until salt is dissolved, then whisk in the olive oil until combined well.

Chicken Salad:  Add the chicken, celery, cabbage, carrots, mint, and green onion to dressing and toss gently to combine.

Wonton Crisps:  Halve each wonton wrapper to make 2 rectangles, then halve each rectangle diagonally to make a total of 4 triangles per wonton.

Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 360 degrees.  Gently lay 4 triangles on oil (do not drop in, or triangles will lose their shape and oil will splatter) and fry, turning over once with tongs, until just golden, 15 to 30 seconds total. Transfer with a slotted spoon or spider to paper towels to drain and immediately season with salt.  Fry remaining triangles in same manner.

Gently toss the cilantro leaves into the salad just before serving.

Serve chicken salad in bowls or martini glasses topped with wonton crisps.

Serves 8

The cobb salad was created nearly 80 years ago at the famous Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant and has been an American favorite ever since. I prefer to serve it as individual salads as opposed to presenting on a large platter.  That way it looks lovely for each guest. If served on a platter, it looks great for the first guest or two, but by the end of the line, all the “goodies” on top are either gone or mashed into a nasty looking mess.

Classic Cobb Salad

Dressing
3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad
1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and thinly sliced
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
1 bunch watercress, leaves only
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
10 strips cooked bacon, roughly chopped
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into wedges or slices
4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chives, minced

Dressing:  Combine the canola oil, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, sugar, and garlic in a food processor or blender.  Puree the ingredients to make a smooth dressing and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Salad:  In a large bowl, combine the iceberg and romaine lettuces along with the watercress. Toss with 1/4 cup of the dressing.  Divide the greens between 8 salad plates.

Arrange the blue cheese, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, chicken, and avocado on top of the greens in wedges or neat rows.

To serve, drizzle salad with dressing, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with chives.

Serves 8

A lighter, summer time appropriate version of spaghetti and meatballs.

Pesto Spaghetti  with Baked Chicken Meatballs

Chicken Meatballs

3 slices Italian bread, torn into small pieces (1 cup)
1/3 cup milk
3 ounces sliced pancetta, finely chopped
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 egg
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
4 tablespoons tomato paste, divided
3 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
Pesto Spaghetti
1 pound spaghetti
2 cups fresh basil leaves
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts
1 1/4 cups olive oil
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
Shaved Parmesan cheese, as desired

Meatballs: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a sheet pan with foil.  Soak bread in milk in a small bowl until softened, about four minutes.

Cook pancetta, onion, and garlic in 1 tablespoon oil with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat until onion is softened, about 6 minutes.  Cool slightly.

Squeeze bread to remove excess milk, then discard milk. Lightly beat egg in a large bowl, then combine with chicken, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, pancetta mixture, bread, and parsley.  Form into 12 meatballs and arrange on prepared sheet pan.

Stir together remaining 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and brush over meatballs.  Then bake in preheated oven until meatballs are just cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Pesto Spaghetti: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt and cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

Meanwhile make a pesto sauce, in a food processor or blender; puree basil, garlic, salt, Parmesan cheese, and nuts.  With motor running, add olive oil through feed tube until incorporated.  Pour basil pesto into large serving bowl.

Drain pasta and add to a large serving bowl, toss with pesto, to coat.  Top with baked meatballs, diced tomatoes, and Parmesan shavings and serve warm or at room temperature.

Serve 8

This is a quick and easy “go to” dinner at our house, especially when there are just two of us. Although I call it caprese, I don’t always use mozzarella cheese. Whatever soft melting cheese I have on hand is what I use, this time it was goat cheese, sometimes it’s Fontina, or if I’m in a bind I’ll even use cream cheese – whatever works!

Parmesan Chicken Caprese

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 large ripe tomato, cut into 6 slices
2 slices soft herb-coated goat cheese (chèvre)
1/4 cup julienned basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a small baking sheet with Pam.

Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Place one chicken breast halve, former skin-side up, in the center of the wrap.  Fold over the wrap and use a meat-pounder or the bottom of a small heavy skillet to pound the breast into a thin even layer.  Repeat with remaining chicken breast and place both on baking sheet.

In a small bowl, blend together mayonnaise and mustard and spread mixture on the topside of each chicken breast.  Divide the Parmesan cheese between the two pieces of meat, pressing into to the mayonnaise mixture to adhere.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the basil on each and then layer each with 3 tomato slices and 1 slice of chèvre.  Top each with another tablespoon of basil and season with salt and pepper.

Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Serves 2

Connor was not a fan of the squash blossoms from the other day… although; Marissa, Dave and I loved them. I felt I needed to make it up to him since he’ll only be home a few days before he heads back up to Flagstaff for summer school. I made this pasta with him in mind and then at the last minute, as I was about to throw in some goat cheese, remembered that he doesn’t like goat cheese as much as the rest of us.  That is the reason it is added at the end, allowed to just melt into the sauce and why I’ve made it “optional” – delish – with or without!  And if the roasted cherry tomatoes seem awfully familiar – they are, I’ve featured them here many times before, can’t help it, they are so good!

Roasted Cherry Tomato, Pancetta, and Chicken Vermicelli

1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced, divided
2 or 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4-ounce diced pancetta
1/2 large white onion, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup dry white wine
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, divided
8-ounces dry vermicelli pasta
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 slices soft herb-coated goat cheese (chèvre), optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place tomato halves, in 1 layer, on baking sheet. Add half of the minced garlic and the thyme sprigs to baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place on middle rack of preheated oven and roast until tomatoes are slightly browned, about 25 minutes. Discard thyme sprig and set aside.

Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Place one chicken breast halve, former skin-side up, in the center of the wrap.  Fold over the wrap and use a meat-pounder or the bottom of a small heavy skillet to pound the breast into a thin even layer.  Repeat with remaining chicken breast and then season with salt and pepper on both sides.  Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom.  Add the pancetta and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the pancetta until it is nearly crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add the diced onion and Italian seasoning, increase the heat to medium and sauté until the onion is soft and golden, about another 12 minutes, stirring often.

Season the mixture with salt and pepper and stir in the wine.  Place the pounded and seasoned chicken breast halves on top, reduce the heat to low, cover, and poach for about 3 minutes.  Uncover, turn over chicken and sprinkle with half of the lemon zest. Cover and cook another 3 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked through.

Remove chicken to a plate or board. Continue to cook the wine mixture to reduce slightly while you cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente (about 5-6 minutes) drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Return the chicken to the skillet, along with the roasted tomatoes, and olive halves and heat through.  Stir in enough of the pasta water to make a nice sauce.

Divide the pasta between 4 dinner plates or pasta bowls and top with the chicken-tomato mixture in a large mound.  Sprinkle each plate with Parmesan cheese and the remaining lemon zest. Place a disk of goat cheese in the center of each mound to melt into the hot mixture, if desired.

Serves 4

Hello everyone. Linda’s daughter, Marissa, here – reporting with your recipe for today.  As part of my Mother’s Day gift to my mom, I told her I would photograph and write blog posts for the two recipes my dad and I (but mostly me) made her last night for dinner.  My dad was in charge of keeping the cucumber martinis coming, which was also a very important job.  The first recipe is a delicious, fruity summer salad that my mom saw on the menu at Cave Creek Coffee Company, where she and my dad went the morning after their anniversary last week.

I admit, while I have been cooking since I was six, thanks to a mom who teaches children how to cook, my mom was still sitting at the counter giving me tips as I worked.  She can’t help herself.  But since I know everyone is not so lucky as to have personal instruction while they cook, I will tell you this recipe is delicious and easy!  To make the dressing for this salad a little more spicy, you can replace the serrano pepper with a habanero.  My mom just didn’t want me cutting up a habanero for the first time last night (you can never turn that mom protectiveness off).

Thank you mom for being the best mom ever, always being there for us when we need help (in the kitchen and out), being supportive of all of our dreams and ideas, and being a wonderful friend.  You deserve a couple days rest.

Mango, Raspberry, Avocado Salad with Pulled Chicken

Serrano-Raspberry-Mango Dressing
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 ripe mango, peeled and cut up (go to here to see how to cut up a mango)
1 small serrano pepper, seeded
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons raspberry or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
1 green onion, green and white portions, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salad
5- 6-ounces fresh mixed salad greens
1 fresh mango, cubed
Shredded breast meat from 1 rotisserie chicken
1/4 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
6-ounce package fresh raspberries
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Dressing: Put all, except green onion and salt and pepper, into a blender or food processor and puree. Strain and then stir in green onion. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Salad: Place the mixed greens in a large bowl and toss with half of the dressing. Mound onto 4 dinner plates.

Place the mango cubes, chicken meat, red onion, raspberries, and avocado in the same large bowl and toss with the remaining dressing.

Divide the “goodies” between the four plates.  Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.

Serves 4

Enjoy a cucumber martini. :)

This would be another wonderful Meatless Monday meal, just leave out the chicken.  I added it because my dad was coming for dinner and it isn’t dinner if meat is not included for him… he is old school to the max! The chicken does benefit and stay lovely moist and juicy roasting under the vegetables this way. We’ll be using half of the ratatouille for these roulades and save the remaining half for tomorrow’s ratatouille lasagna.

I couldn’t find any really good looking tomatoes in the grocery store, so I substituted canned diced tomatoes, always the way to go when there are no good tomatoes around.

Roasted Ratatouille Roulade

8 large red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, roasted and peeled
Pam
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4-5 Chinese or Japanese eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large yellow crookneck squash, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large zucchini squash, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Herbes de Provence
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
8 medium tomatoes, diced; or 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup fresh minced basil
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup prepared or homemade pesto sauce
Sautéed spinach or warm marinara sauce (optional)

Carefully slice off the top and bottom of one of the roasted and peeled bell peppers. Gently remove the core. Slice the bell cylinder you have created down just one side and open up the pepper into one long rectangular piece.  Clean out any of the seeds clinging to the pepper.  Repeat with remaining 7 peppers.  Chop the pepper ends and both the rectangles and the chopped pieces aside.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a large baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with Pam.

Place one chicken breast half between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat-pounder or the bottom of a heavy pot or skillet until even thickness throughout. Repeat with second breast and place both pieces of chicken on the baking sheet.

Surround the chicken with the eggplant, yellow squash, and zucchini slices.  Spray with Pam, then season generously with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence. Place the remaining vegetable slices, including the onion slices and the reserved chopped bell pepper pieces in a second layer, this time, covering the chicken.  Spray this layer with Pam and season again.

Roast in preheated until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are just tender, about 12 minutes. Using tongs, remove the chicken and place on a cutting board until cool enough to handle.  Toss the vegetables and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.  Dice the chicken and place in a large bowl and set aside.

Remove vegetables from oven and add the garlic, tomatoes, and mushrooms, return to oven for a final 15 minutes.

Reduce oven to 350 degrees and remove baking sheet from oven. Transfer half of the ratatouille to a large cutting board.  Allow the remaining half to cool before placing in a container and refrigerating (it will be used for the ratatouille lasagna tomorrow). Dice the ratatouille on the cutting board and add to the bowl with the chicken, stir in the basil and toss until well combined.

Spoon a layer of chicken ratatouille onto each roasted red pepper rectangle and roll up. Place in an 8×8-inch Pyrex dish or into two Pyrex loaf pans.

Sprinkle half of the Parmesan down the center of the roulades. Drizzle the pesto over the cheese, then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the pesto. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Serve as is or atop sautéed spinach or heated marinara sauce, if desired.

Serves 8

My friend and neighbor, Jeanie, recently asked for a good recipe for Panang Curry, which I happily provided her. Only problem was that then I was craving Thai food. I didn’t have all the ingredients needed for the Panang on hand, but I did have what was needed for these easy chicken satay – problem solved!

Thai Chicken Satay

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
13.5-ounce can light coconut milk
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro, divided
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons Thai curry paste
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
1 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons lime zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pam
1 tablespoon chopped unsalted peanuts (optional)

Place each chicken breast between sheets of plastic wrap and using a meat pounder or the bottom of a small heavy skillet, pound thin. Slice on the diagonal into 1-inch thick strips.

In a medium bowl whisk together the coconut milk, half of the cilantro, peanut butter, curry paste, ginger, garlic, zest and salt until well blended.  Set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture for your dipping sauce.

Transfer the remaining mixture to a zip-lock bag, add the chicken and seal, turn to coat and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Soak as many wooden skewers as you have chicken strips in water while chicken marinates.

Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with Pam.

Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Thread one piece of chicken onto each skewer and place on the baking sheet, spray all with Pam.   Place under broiler for 3 minutes, remove and turn over each skewer.  Return to broiler and cook another 3 minutes, or until cooked through.

While chicken broils, bring the dipping sauce to a boil in a small saucepan.  Reduce heat to a simmer and stir occasionally while the sauce reduces slightly, about 5 minutes

Place skewers on a serving tray, sprinkle with the peanuts and remaining cilantro and serve with the dipping sauce in a bowl on the side.

Serves 4

It’s the Girl Scout cooking badge.  I’ll be working with 10 young ladies, helping them earn their badges today. A recipe will follow from the class, once I’ve cleaned up the kitchen, that is…

OK, class of over. The girls have their badges. The kitchen is clean and I’ve had my enchilada for dinner. Life if good! One reason I like to use this particular recipe for Girl Scout cooking classes is because it is a real family-pleaser. The enchiladas are creamy, mild, and cheesy, what’s not to like?

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Pam
1  1/2 cups sour cream
7-ounce can diced green chilies
2 green onions, thinly sliced, green and white parts included
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar and/or Jack cheese (about 6 ounces), divided
Six 8-inch-diameter flour tortillas
8-ounce package cream cheese, cut lengthwise into 6 equal strips
1  1/2 cups salsa

Garnish
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, chopped

Spray an 8×8-inch baking pan with Pam.  Mix sour cream, chilies, green onions, cilantro, and cumin in large bowl.  Mix in chicken and 3/4 cup of the cheddar cheese.

Divided the filling between the 6 tortillas, spreading down center of each tortilla.  Top filling with a cream cheese strip.  Roll up each tortilla, enclosing filling.  Arrange enchiladas, seam side down, in the prepared pan.  Pour the salsa over enchiladas in the pan. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cover with foil and bake until sauce bubbles and enchiladas are heated through, about 45 minutes.  Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheddar cheese over enchiladas in each pan and bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

Garnish with avocado and tomatoes.

Makes 6 enchiladas

You’re gonna want to make this! Really! I don’t usually say that about my own recipes, bragging is not flattering.  But really, you have to make this… it’s that good!

The creation of this recipe comes from all sides. First, I was digging through and cleaning out cupboards and freezers and I came across this Pineapple-Ginger Sauce I made a year ago in February.  A year ago! Oh my, this must be used now! Second, I need to make a meal for dear and long-time family friends who just suffered a devastating loss. I want it to be something other than the standard casserole that loving friends and family provide in such a heartbreaking situation.  Not that there is anything wrong with casseroles, but something different and fresh is always nice.  Next, my friend and the mother of this wonderful family, is gluten-free.  And lastly, it needs to be something I can make partially ahead and that travels well.  That’s quite a lot to ask of one dinner, but this fits the bill.

Please take care to notice that about half of the ingredients listed here say “divided” at the end.  That is because portions of each are used in the marinade for the chicken and the remaining portions in the sauce. It is easiest to just chop and measure everything at once, and divide as you go. I also suggest that immediately after making the marinade, make the sauce and then refrigerate the sauce to be reheated later.  This cuts down on clean-up and on confusion. Secondly, take note that the chicken needs to marinate for at least 8 hours, so the day ahead is really best.

Also, I’m certainly not assuming you have the Pineapple-Ginger Sauce on hand or want to have to make it before you can make this delicious and rather exotic chicken dish. Instead, you may substitute canned pineapple. If you do decide to make the sauce first, CLICK HERE to get to that recipe.

Pineapple-Ginger Chicken Breasts with Cilantro Pineapple-Ginger Cream Sauce

1 tablespoon whole cumin seed
2 1/2 cups Pineapple-Ginger Sauce (or a 20-ounce can pineapple tidbits), divided
7 garlic cloves, peeled and minced; divided
1 chipotle pepper packed in adobo sauce, finely minced; divided
2 large cilantro bunches, leaves and tender stems coarsely chopped; divided
3/4 cup gluten-free or regular soy sauce, divided
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger root, divided
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
Freshly ground black pepper
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

6 cups cooked brown or jasmine rice

Stir cumin seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until the seeds just begin to smoke, pop, and become fragrant; about 2 minutes. Grind finely in spice mill.  Set aside.

In a blender or food processor, place 2 cups of the pineapple-ginger sauce, half of the minced garlic, half of the minced chipotle, half of the chopped cilantro, 1/2 cup of the soy sauce, brown sugar, half of the chopped ginger root, 2 teaspoons of the ground cumin, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.  Use the pulse or chop button and process the mixture until is not quite smooth, still a little chunky.

Pour into a large zip-lock bag. Add chicken breasts to the bag, seal and turn bag several times to coat the chicken.

Refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to overnight, turning over the bag several times.

For the sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan, add remaining garlic, remaining ginger root, remaining chipotle, and remaining ground cumin and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Add remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce and the remaining chopped cilantro and stir for 2 minutes or until cilantro wilts.

Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor and add the cream and the remaining 1/2 cup pineapple-ginger sauce, then puree. Return to saucepan and set aside. (If making more than 1 hour ahead, cover and refrigerate.)

After the chicken is finished marinating, preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with foil. Remove chicken from marinade and place on a sheet pan or plate and season both sides with freshly ground black pepper.  Reserve marinade.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil and add 4 of the chicken breasts to the pan. Sear chicken until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn chicken and sear 4 minutes on second side.

Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.  Add the last tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and sear the remaining 4 breasts, transfer to baking sheet.

Baste the breasts on the topside with the reserved marinade and bake in oven for 3 minutes. Turn breasts over and baste the top, return to oven for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165 degrees inserted into thickest part of one of the pieces of chicken.  Discard the remaining marinade.

Remove chicken from oven, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing on the diagonal.  Reheat sauce over low heat.

Serve chicken along side a mound of freshly cooked hot brown or jasmine rice with the cilantro cream sauce drizzled over the top.

Serves 8