Rosemary Chicken

I consider myself a lady of good taste. I like movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I listen to New Pornographers. I am addicted to Mad Men. But, like everyone, I have my guilty pleasures. I own the movie Twilight. I blast Lady Gaga in the car. Sometimes I watch trashy reality shows. Okay, what I really mean is that I LOVE trashy reality shows and will schedule my evenings around them. For example, every Monday for the past two months I've been busy…watching The Bachelorette.

I don't have cable so my trashy TV nights require a bit of extra planning. Lucky for me, a fellow trash addict with cable AND a very comfy couch lives right up the street! With a bottle of wine close at hand we criticize Ali Fedotowsky's outfits, laugh at the ridiculous songs the men sing for her, and complain about how we can't find men who will salsa dance with us in the middle of the street. Well, at least I complain about that. I really don't think that's too much to ask for…

So, when the finale rolled around and it was time for Ali to choose Mr. Right we decided to do something special. I have always loved the idea of a themed dinner party (I once planned to make an Ice Wine Chicken to go with The Mighty Ducks. This plan was foiled by Snowmageddon.) so I decided to make what I'm calling "Will you accept this rosemary chicken?". For those of you who aren't familiar with the show, the bachelorette gives roses to a select group of men at the end of each episode asking each of them "Will you accept this rose?". They all say "yes". Of course. Also on the menu was roasted asparagus, goat cheese salad, and chocolate cupcakes with pink icing!

ps- I want to hear about your guilty pleasures!

Will You Accept This Rosemary Chicken?

serves 4

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken-breasts, pounded thin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 
  
• Heat the oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the the garlic softens. Add the chicken breasts and cook until golden, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Add the salt, pepper, vinegar, chicken broth, and rosemary. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 3 minutes longer or until the chicken is fork-tender. Remove the chicken to a platter and keep warm. Increase heat to high and allow sauce to get thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Spoon over chicken.

Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree

My mother used to be a chemist. When you meet her it's hard to imagine…she is so cool and chic…I can't really see her in a lab coat. But, when you see her cooking it makes perfect sense. Now her kitchen is her laboratory and the meals she creates are her experiments. The woman rarely uses a recipe and yet her dishes come out perfect every time. If she does open a cookbook it is merely for inspiration. Halfway through she will add a little of this or stir in a bit of that making it her own.

So, I blame her for my collection of barely used cookbooks. When I cook it's usually things I learned from her (pork chops in tomato sauce, lasagna, frittatas)…no recipe required. The books look great collecting dust on my bookshelf, but I think it's time to start using them.

Giada de Laurentiis has a few really great cookbooks. The recipes are pretty simple and the pictures are gorgeous! Like my mama, I changed this recipe a tiny bit (using parsley instead of mint) and it came it delicious!

Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree

adapted from Giada's Kitchen by Giada de Laurentiis

serves 4

Lemon Brodetto

2 tbl. olive oil

1 shallot

2 lemons, one zested and both juiced

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Pea Puree

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1/4 cups fresh parsley

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Salmon

1/4 cup olive oil

4 (4 to 6-oz.) salmon fillets

kosher salt, pepper

For lemon brodetto:

Warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until tender (about 7 minutes). Add the lemon zest, juice, and broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and keep warm over low hear.

For pea puree:

Combine the peas, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and puree. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while the machine is running. Transfer the puree into a small bowl and stir in the cheese.

For salmon:

Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Season the salmon with salt and per. Sear the salmon on one side until a golden crust forms (about 5 min.). Flip the fish and cook for another 4 minutes (or a little less depending on how well cooked you like your fish).

To assemble:

Divide the brodetto into four shallow bowls. Place a large spoonful of pea puree in the center of each bowl. Lay a piece of salmon on top of each mound of pea puree and serve immediately.

*if you have a grill I think it would be great to simply grill the salmon instead of cooking it on the stove. It would come out lighter and less oily.

Ooooh la la

What do you think of the Cabaret's makeover??

Tres chic, no?

Arugula and Ham Stuffed Chicken

Bonjour, readers! I know, I know…I still have to write about Paris, BUT my sister has the pictures of the meal I want to write about so you're just going to have to wait. Big sis, please send me those pictures…

Also, those of you who know me know that I'm a bit of a scatterbrain. I'm disorganized and forgetful and as a result I left 'that cord that connects my camera to my computer when I want to upload pictures' at my parents house. Silly me. So for this post you're going to have to use your imagination! It'll be fun.

I'm calling it Arugula Pesto and Ham Stuffed Chicken Breasts. Close your eyes. Can you picture it? It's pretty…well, you know what chicken looks like but this dish has a bright green from the pesto and a lovely pink from the ham. Those are two of my favorite colors, now that I think of it. As it cooks the smell of garlic and olive oil (best combo ever) emanates from the oven and that makes you smile. Luckily, it's ready in about half an hour and it tastes even better than it looks and smells!

Arugula Pesto and Ham Stuffed Chicken Breasts

serves 2

2 handfuls of arugula

1 garlic clove

3 tbsp. parmesan cheese

extra virgin olive oil

2 chicken breasts (flattened)

2 slices of ham (from the deli counter is great)

salt

pepper

Preheat your oven to 350. In a food processor, combine the arugula, garlic, and cheese until the leaves are finely chopped. Slowly stream in the olive oil until a smooth paste forms.

Coat the bottom of a glass baking dish lightly with olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and lay them in the dish. Layer the pesto and ham on top of each piece of chicken and roll a tightly as you can. If you need to use toothpicks to keep the chicken together go for it, but it's not necessary. Bake in the oven for 25-30 min. Let them rest for about 10 min. before serving.

Delicious Read: The Sweet Life in Paris

I'm leaving for Paris in ten days! I haven't done much planning or preparation. I have been paying more attention during French time with my preschool class. I can say the date, what the weather is like, and farm animals. I can also sing Puff the Magic Dragon. I'm sure the Parisians will love it. I've also been reading "The Sweet Life in Paris" by David Lebovitz.

Lebovitz is an American pastry chef who moved to Paris a number of years ago and has never moved back. We know he can cook as he is the author of numerous delicious cookbooks, but his latest book shows that he can also tell a great story. "The Sweet Life…" is a fun and easy read which has prepared me for all sorts of absurd happenings. Here are some things I will do in Paris:

-I will make sure to have exact change everywhere I go…according to Lebovitz not even the bank will have change for me!

-I will stand practically on top of the person in front of me in line so that no sneaky Parisians are able to squeeze by.

-I will watch where I walk because people don't clean up after their dogs.

-I will refrain from carrying a huge water bottle around town. Not only does it scream "American!" but there aren't many public bathrooms in Paris.

-I will walk everywhere.

-I will eat lots of chocolate, cheese, bread, and wine.

-I will be very happy.

Not only is the book chock full of hilarious stories, but Lebovitz also tosses in a few recipes at the end of each chapter. What better way to prepare for France than to cook some French food! Stay tuned...

Tomato and Chickpea Salad

Here's what I did over Memorial Day weekend:

1. Picnic in Virginia wine country

2. Burgers and beers at various Clarendon bars

3. Nachos and margaritas by the water in Annapolis

4. Trivia night and more bar food at Whitlow's on Wilson

Do you see any trips to the gym on that list? Nope. Any big leafy salads? Absolutely not. Needless to say, my body was not pleased with me come Tuesday morning. There's no way to undo an entire weekend of eating poorly and barely moving, but I was determined to try.

I went to Whole Foods and picked up as many vegetables as I could fit into my eco-friendly grocery bag. When I got home I began chopping for a delicious tomato salad. I like to put cheese in all of my salads and luckily I had a whole ball of fresh mozzarella left over from our picnic so I threw some of that in. It was the perfect dish to kick off my week of healthy eating.

Tomato and Chick Pea Salad

serves 1 as a main dish

1 tomato (I like from the vine), diced

3/4 cup canned chick peas

4 basil leaves, ripped

1/8 cups red onion, diced very fine

2 oz. fresh mozzarella, cubed

Dressing:

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

salt

pepper

Toss all of the ingredients except the cheese into a medium sized bowl. Dress to your liking and toss again. Add the cheese on top of the salad. You're done…easy peasy, lemon squeezey.

Corn and White Bean Soup

What happened to April showers bring May flowers?? The past few days have been so gray and chilly here in Arlington…perfect weather for a big pot of soup. I found a recipe for Summer Corn and White Bean Soup on Cooking Light's website and made a few changes. The recipe calls for fresh corn, but I was feeling hungry and lazy so I used canned corn. Also, I used Italian chicken sausage instead of ham for a little spicy kick that will remind you of what the weather's supposed to be like!

Corn and White Bean Soup:

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup sliced green onions

2 links Italian chicken sausage, chopped

2 (15 oz.) cans corn

2 (15 oz.) cans white beans

2 (14 oz.) cans low sodium chicken broth

2 (4.5 oz.) cans chopped green chiles, undrained

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and the sausage and cook until sausage is slightly browned, stirring frequently. Stir in the corn and the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5-10 minutes.