Madeira Chicken

I got this recipe online, and it is worth the effort - super, super good!!

2 large chicken breasts, halved and pounded till 1/4" in thickness
1 lb of asparagus
1/2 cup of butter, divided
2 T olive oil, divided
2 cups sliced mushrooms
small diced onion
2 garlic cloves minced
2 T fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups Madeira wine
1 1/2 cups beef or chicken stock
1/2 cup half and half
salt and pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Blanch asparagus.

In large oven-safe pan over medium/high heat melt 2 T butter and 1 T oil. Add mushrooms and cook till soft. Stir in onion and cook till clear. Add garlic and a little salt and pepper and parsley. Cook about 2 minutes, and then pour into a dish, and wipe skillet clean and put back on heat and add the rest of the butter and oil.

Season breasts with salt and pepper. When the butter in the pan is foaming, add the chicken and saute for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove chicken and put with mushrooms.

In the same pan, add the wine and boil till reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add broth and boil until 2/3 cup liquid remains (about 1/4 of its original volume). Reduce heat and add cream and simmer until thickened (about 2 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

Return chicken to the pan, coating it with the sauce. Top with mushrooms, asparagus, and sprinkle with mozzarella. Broil 4-5 minutes till the cheese is melted. Garnish with parsley when done.

Cauliflower n'Cheese

This was on a Facebook post, and I didn't get exact measurements. It is a dead-ringer for Mac n'Cheese, but must be healthier!

Preheat oven to 350

1 Large Head of Cauliflower
      Par boil for about 5 minutes
      Pour into a strainer and then add back to the pot once drained

  Add the following:

Part of a small container of Greek Yogurt - or sour cream - probably about 2/3 cup
Grated Cheddar Cheese - maybe a cup
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix so the cheese is even enough throughout.

Pour into a baking dish (I put a little melted butter in mine first)
Top with more grated Cheddar Cheese, if you like, and sprinkle with Parsley (so it looks more gourmet)

Bake as long as you like - depending on how crispy you like it. I baked for about 23 minutes.

Heats up nicely as a leftover, too!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread

I got this from a co-worker, Matt Lopez, and I don't know where he got it, or if he made it up. He is a GOOD cook!

Take a pie pumpkin - you know those little ones. Pop the top and clean it out. Then fill it with this:

Whip:

2 packages of cream cheese
1 15 oz can of pumpkin
2 cups of powdered sugar
2 1/2 t of pumpkin spice, or cinnamon/nutmeg/cloves/ginger

Dip apple slices, graham crackers, and ginger snaps.

Delish!!

Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce

Pour a bit of olive oil in a large skillet and pan sear a pound of pork chops, rubbed with salt and pepper (I like the boneless, thin ones, but whatever you like will do!).

When the pork chops are done, remove from the pan and set aside. Add to pan:

2 T whole-grain dijon mustard
Heaping T of unsalted butter
2/3 cup of chicken broth
2 t flour
salt & pepper to taste

Stir till thickened and pour over the chops.

This is nice with potatoes of any kind - and some kind of green.

VERY EASY, and VERY GOOD.

(Original recipe was in Cooking Light, but I altered it a bit - the basics are the same though.)

Seared flank steak with tomato/blue cheese

flank steak trimmed
4 t olive oil
3/4 t kosher salt
1/2 t pepper
1/12 t white wine vinegar
1/4 c chopped red onion
2 c grape tomatoes, quartered
1 oz crumbled blue cheese

Heat large skillet over medium-high heat till hot. Brush steak with 1 t olive oil, a little salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes on each side (more or less depending on you). Take off heat and let rest 5 minutes before cutting into thin slices.

Combine 1 T olive oil, salt, pepper, vinegar in a medium bowl, and whisk. Add onions and tomatoes and toss.

Divide steak and tomato mixture among 4 plates. Sprinkle with blue cheese.

CAULIFLOWER/GOAT CHEESE BAKE

I found this recipe on someone's Facebook feed, and it sounded good. I made it all organic and it was delicious. We've decided to add it to our Thanksgiving spread!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large or 2 smaller cauliflowers(about 2 pounds), broken into florets
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
•  Salt
•  freshly ground pepper
• 6 ounces fresh goat cheese
• 1 plump garlic clove, halved, green shoot removed, or equivalent - 1/2 t minced garlic (from jar)
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ cup dry, fine breadcrumbs (I used gluten free and they were great)

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  Nutritional Information

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Oil a two-quart gratin dish with olive oil.

Place the cauliflower in a steaming basket above one inch of boiling water. (I used microwave.)

Cover and steam for one minute. Lift the lid and allow steam to escape for 15 seconds, then cover again and steam for six to eight minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. Remove from the heat and refresh with cold water. Drain on paper towels, then transfer to the gratin dish.

Season the cauliflower generously with salt and pepper, then toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and half of the thyme. Spread in an even layer.

Combine the garlic (if you used a whole clove, smash or mince it)  with a quarter-teaspoon salt, and the goat cheese and milk in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and blend until smooth. (I just blended thoroughly with a fork.) Add the remaining thyme and freshly ground pepper to taste, and pulse together. Spread this mixture over the cauliflower in an even layer.

Just before baking, sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of olive oil (I forgot the extra olive oil, and it was not at all necessary). Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the dish is sizzling. Serve at once.

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