Category: CLASSIC GOOD EATS

CLASSIC GOOD EATS ~ BLOOD ORANGE CHICKEN

BLOOD ORANGE TART CHICKEN

1/4 cup chopped tart dried cherries, diced
1/2 cup white wine
12 chicken thighs, skin on
1 can Kern’s Apricot nectar
3 tablespoons blood orange vinegar
3 cloves roasted garlic, minced
1 large bunch green onions, sliced thin4 tablespoons butter, divided 1 + 3
salt and pepper to taste

  • Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
  • Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large skillet.
  • Brown chicken, salt and peppering generously and to taste until skin is crisp.
  • Drain fat, reserving any crisp bits to add to next step.
  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet.
  • Saute’ onion and roasted garlic.
  • Add cherry pieces, vinegar, wine and apricot nectar – simmer 20 minutes on low.
  • Spray a large baking dish with PURE.
  • Lay chicken pieces in a single layer side by side.
  • Top with onion mixture.
  • Bake uncovered 30-45 minutes uncovered.
  • Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or noodles.

    CLASSIC GOOD EATS ~ CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

    I wanted to make something special to take to my nieces house for Superbowl Sunday last year so thought I’d try Chocolate Covered Cherries. I found the recipe in an old Taste of Home magazine. This recipe is sooooooooooooooooo simple, but messy! Have fun making them. They are quite rich though – be forewarned!

    1 cup butter, melted
    1 can sweetened condensed milk
    3 pounds confectioners sugar (about 8 cups)
    3-10 ounce jars maraschino cherries(about 120 cherries), really well drained
    1-2 pounds milk chocolate candy coating, chopped (I used almond bark)

    • Combine butter and milk until smooth.
    • Gradually add in confectioner’s sugar until a soft dough forms.
    • Roll into 1 inch balls and flatten into 2 inch circles.
    • Place a cherry in the center of each one.
    • Wrap sides around cherry until cherry is completely covered and roll into a smooth ball.
    • Melt chocolate until smooth and dip each ball into the chocolate.
    • Place on wax paper until cool and sprinkle with sprinkles.
    • Cool well.
    • The centers will liquefy over the 24-48 hours.  
    I made these for superbowl but aren’t they just perfect for Valentines?  Join me Saturday afternoon 2/12 for our annual Valentine’s Day “Weekend of Romance” Foods.

    PAN SEARED CHICKEN BREAST & WILTED SPINACH with PARMESAN PASTA

    PAN SEARED CHICKEN BREAST & WILTED SPINACH with PARMESAN PASTA
    3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    2 tablespoons butter
    2 cloves garlic, minced*
    1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
    2 ounces white wine
    1 lemon, juiced
    4 ounces bacon, diced
    1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
    3 cups fresh spinach, washed and stemmed
    spaghetti, cooked and well drained
    1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
    1 large tomato, diced
    *While I prefer fresh garlic, I have found that the roasted jar garlic is a great substitute, especially in the winter.
    • Brown bacon until crisp.
    • Add onion slices and garlic, sauteing until tender.
    • Move bacon and onions to the sides and add butter.
    • When butter is melted, add chicken and brown well on both sides.
    • In the meantime, prepare the pasta per package directions.
    • Remove chicken, keeping warm.
    • Add spinach and saute’ until spinach wilts.
    • Move spinach to outer sides.
    • Toss pasta with wine and lemon juice.
    • Mound pasta in center of pan.
    • Top with Parmesan cheese.
    • Layer chicken pieces over top.
    • Serve immediately.

    POLYNESIAN CHICKEN & ITALIAN FARRO & GORGONZOLA GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE

    I also love to research foods we’ve never tried before as well as try old, old recipes or just plain make things up.  I also take requests if anyone would like me to test out a recipe for them.
    Today we’re making Polynesian chicken (the cheating way) and Italian Farro with Gorgonzola garlic dipping sauce.  I saw a package of Pedon Italian Farro  at the grocery store the other day and it looked interesting (reminded me of rich looking barley) – so the impulse buy won and here we are.
    Here’s the history lesson first:  Grano Farro has a long and glorious history: it is the original grain from which all others derive, and fed the Mediterranean and Near Eastern populations for thousands of years; somewhat more recently it was the standard ration of the Roman Legions that expanded throughout the Western World. Ground into a paste and cooked, it was also the primary ingredient in puls, the polenta eaten for centuries by the Roman poor. Important as it was, however, it was difficult to work and produced low yields. In the centuries following the fall of the Empire, higher-yielding grains were developed and farro’s cultivation dwindled: By the turn of the century in Italy there were a few hundreds of acres of fields scattered over the regions of Lazio, Umbria, the Marches and Tuscany.

    Farro would probably still be an extremely local specialty had the farmers of the French Haute Savoie not begun to supply it to elegant restaurants that used it in hearty vegetable soups and other dishes. Their success sparked renewed interest in farro among gastronomes, and now the grain is enjoying a resurgence in popularity in Italy as well, especially among trendy health-conscious cooks.  

    POLYNESIAN CHICKEN
    4 Boneless, Skinless chicken breasts
    1 stick butter, divided in half
    1 cup Frank’s Sweet Chili hot sauce
    1 package Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix
    1/4 cup flour
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Using a small food processor,  grind the Knorr soup mix into a fine dust.
    • Add the vegetable soup dust to the flour in a large plastic bag and mix well.
    • Dredge chicken breasts in soup and flour mixture.
    • In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt one half of the butter.
    • While that is melting, melt the remaining butter in a 2 cup measuring cup in the microwave.
    • Add the hot sauce to the measuring cup and heat an additional 20 seconds. Mix well. Set aside to cool.
    • In the skillet brown the chicken breasts on both sides until almost done. 
    • Spray a small cookie sheet with PURE.
    • Coat each piece of chicken with hot sauce mixture and lay on cookie sheet.
    ITALIAN FARRO

    small bag PEDON farro

    2 tablespoons Frank’s Sweet Chili hot sauce
    • Bring a 2 quart pan of water to a boil.
    • Add the Farro and simmer, 10-12 minutes.
    • Drain thoroughly.
    • Add hot sauce and toss to coat.
    • Serve immediately.

    GORGONZOLA GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE
    1/4 cup gorgonzola crumbles
    1/3 cup mayonnaise
    3 cloves garlic
    2 tablespoons buttermilk
    salt and pepper to taste
    • In a small food processor, process the crumbles until finely ground.
    • Add garlic, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.  Mix until well blended.
    • Add buttermilk.  Add a bit more if you would like a thinner sauce.

    POLYNESIAN CHICKEN & ITALIAN FARRO & GORGONZOLA GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE

    Today we would like to introduce our brand new theme day, Classic Good Eats. 
    Tamy here and I’ll be moving in over here on Thursdays.  You can normally find me at my home blogs 3 Sides of Crazy. Always Eat On The Good China, on Saturdays at THE Motivation Station and now on Thursdays here at OUR KrAzY kitchen.  I love to cook and I love to experiment with foods.  Fortunately I also have a wonderful husband who is the best “guinea” pig around.  LOL Really, I have never met a more tolerant man.
    I also love to research foods we’ve never tried before as well as try old, old recipes or just plain make things up.  I also take requests if anyone would like me to test out a recipe for them.
    Today we’re making Polynesian chicken (the cheating way) and Italian Farro with Gorgonzola garlic dipping sauce.  I saw a package of Pedon Italian Farro  at the grocery store the other day and it looked interesting (reminded me of rich looking barley) – so the impulse buy won and here we are.
    Here’s the history lesson first:  Grano Farro has a long and glorious history: it is the original grain from which all others derive, and fed the Mediterranean and Near Eastern populations for thousands of years; somewhat more recently it was the standard ration of the Roman Legions that expanded throughout the Western World. Ground into a paste and cooked, it was also the primary ingredient in puls, the polenta eaten for centuries by the Roman poor. Important as it was, however, it was difficult to work and produced low yields. In the centuries following the fall of the Empire, higher-yielding grains were developed and farro’s cultivation dwindled: By the turn of the century in Italy there were a few hundreds of acres of fields scattered over the regions of Lazio, Umbria, the Marches and Tuscany.

    Farro would probably still be an extremely local specialty had the farmers of the French Haute Savoie not begun to supply it to elegant restaurants that used it in hearty vegetable soups and other dishes. Their success sparked renewed interest in farro among gastronomes, and now the grain is enjoying a resurgence in popularity in Italy as well, especially among trendy health-conscious cooks.  

    POLYNESIAN CHICKEN
    4 Boneless, Skinless chicken breasts
    1 stick butter, divided in half
    1 cup Frank’s Sweet Chili hot sauce
    1 package Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix
    1/4 cup flour
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Using a small food processor,  grind the Knorr soup mix into a fine dust.
    • Add the vegetable soup dust to the flour in a large plastic bag and mix well.
    • Dredge chicken breasts in soup and flour mixture.
    • In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt one half of the butter.
    • While that is melting, melt the remaining butter in a 2 cup measuring cup in the microwave.
    • Add the hot sauce to the measuring cup and heat an additional 20 seconds. Mix well. Set aside to cool.
    • In the skillet brown the chicken breasts on both sides until almost done. 
    • Spray a small cookie sheet with PURE.
    • Coat each piece of chicken with hot sauce mixture and lay on cookie sheet.
    ITALIAN FARRO

    small bag PEDON farro

    2 tablespoons Frank’s Sweet Chili hot sauce
    • Bring a 2 quart pan of water to a boil.
    • Add the Farro and simmer, 10-12 minutes.
    • Drain thoroughly.
    • Add hot sauce and toss to coat.
    • Serve immediately.

    GORGONZOLA GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE
    1/4 cup gorgonzola crumbles
    1/3 cup mayonnaise
    3 cloves garlic
    2 tablespoons buttermilk
    salt and pepper to taste
    • In a small food processor, process the crumbles until finely ground.
    • Add garlic, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.  Mix until well blended.
    • Add buttermilk.  Add a bit more if you would like a thinner sauce.
    We are looking for an avid foodie to host a couple of anecdotal/tutorial posts with pictures the 1st & 2nd Sundays of the month.   If you are interested, please leave a comment on this post and Martha or I will get back to you ASAP.