Chicken Marsala

Well hello!  So this didn't turn out exactly how I planned, but it was still pretty good.  I will probably make some changes next time.  The sauce wasn't as brown and I felt it should have been and it didn't thicken as well either.  I had to add a little corn starch. 

5 thin chicken cutlets
2/3 cup of flour
Salt and Pepper
3 TBS Olive Oil
5 TBS butter
1/2 shallot, minced                                                           This is what I
5 cloves of garlic, minced                                                 mean when I
1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms                                            say "minced"
1/2 cup of Marsala
1/4 cup of Sherry
2 cups of chicken stock
1/4 cup of half and half
Sprinkle of Parsley
 Hot cooked pasta

The chicken I used was already very thin, but if you buy regular chicken then just slice in half, lengthwise, and pound the hell out of it until its about 1/4 inch thick.  Or, be lazy and buy it already like that.

Heat heavy pan on med high

Trim chicken and season with salt and pepper, dredge in flour.  Shake off any excess.

Add 2 TBS of butter and 1 TBS of olive oil.  Add chicken in batches, don't over crowd.  Cook a few minutes on each side until cooked through.  Set aside on paper towed lined plate.

Once all chicken is done, add another TBS of butter and the mushrooms.  Cook 1-2 mins until they start to brown, add the shallots and garlic.  Cook about 2 more minutes. 

Deglaze with Marsala and Sherry and allow to cook until reduced by almost half.

Add the chicken broth to the mix and turn down to med low heat.  Add chicken back in for a few minutes to heat through. 

Add about 1/4 cup of half and half and stir.  Top with parsley and serve over hot cooked pasta.

I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that I sprinkled a little cayenne pepper on top.  That's how I roll. 

Chicken Makhanish

I researched a bunch of different recipes and then threw this together.  My first attempt at Indian food and it wasn't a total failure. 

3 TBS olive oil
1 lb of chicken, cut into small pieces
1 shallot, minced
1/4 onion, minced
1 inch of garlic, grated
5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 TBS butter
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1/4 plain yogurt
1 cup half and half
1 can of tomato sauce (you can use puree or crushed, I don't do chunks)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup of water, 1 TBS cornstarch

You need to prep this stuff first, because once you get going, it goes fast.  I'm more of a shake-as-you-go kinda girl.  But there a lot of stuff so do yourself a favor. 

Cut your chicken into pieces, set aside
I used my little hand chopper thing and minced (again, no chunks) the shallot, onion and garlic, set aside
Grate your ginger, set aside
Mix all the spices in a bowl, including the bay leaf, set aside

Ok, lets go.

Heat 2 TBS of oil and sauté chicken over high heat.  Just get a little brown on it and remove w a slotted spoon. It doesn't have to be done yet, just a little brown.

Add another TBS of oil and bring heat back up, med-high.  Add the shallot/onion/garlic mixture and stir.  Don't let it burn.  Add the butter.

Once the butter is melted add the lemon juice and your spices and let the heavenly scent fill your nostrils and take you to the, IDK, hot streets of India?  What's awesome in Indian?  It's not like they have majestic mountains, babbling brooks or rolling hills. Or do they? Whatever, it smells amazing.  Stir about for literally like 30 seconds. 

Add the can of tomato sauce.  Add the chicken back to the party.  I put on medium heat and allowed the chicken to finish cooking.  About 15 minutes or so.  Clean your mess up, you have time now.

Turn down to low then add the half-and-half and the yogurt.  Add slowly so it doesn't curdle. 

Mix the water and corn starch and add to the mix.  Heat another few minutes to thicken.  Serve with rice. 

It was good.  Not my favorite dinner in the whole world.  I will say, it was better the next day at lunch.  Husband loved it! 

Pictures?  Yeah, so about that.  I forgot. 

Lazy Beef Stroganoff

S

Good evening!  Beef Stroganoff is one of my favorite meals, however, I'm lazy.  And tired, and busy and and and...u get the idea. 


1 package of thin sliced beef (I used the precut stir fry beef in the meat section) Sliced into 3 strips.  You need it very thin, we don't have all day here
1 Large jar of beef gravy (I know, I'm going to culinary hell)
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp parsley
Dash of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
1 cup of light sour cream
Package of hot cooked egg noodles (I used whole wheat)

Heat heavy pan on high heat and add olive oil
Add beef to the pan and fry on high heat for a min or so, just to brown a bit.  Season with salt and pepper.  I like a lot of pepper, but go easy on the salt.  The gravy will be salty enough.  Process demons trying to kill us with sodium intake. 
It released a lot of juice so I put a lid on it and allowed it to cook for about 10 minutes until most of it was absorbed.  Remove lid and add Worcestershire sauce, stir to combine.
Add remaining spices and jar of beef gravy.  Reduce to med heat and put a lid on it.  I let it simmer for about 20 minutes or so and unloaded the dishwasher.  Unloading of the dishwasher is optional. 
When your just about ready to serve add the sour cream.  Stir to combine and allow to heat through, make sure it's on low so it doesn't start to curdle.
Serve on top of your egg noodles in your most presentable Rubbermaid container. 

Before you think I'm total white trash, feeding my family out of Rubbermaid containers, I forgot to take a photo until I was packing up for lunches the next day.  Don't be so judgy!   

Brocccoli Bites with Tiger Sauce

If you've ever been to Copeland's and not tried their Bayou Broccoli with Tiger sauce, then you haven't lived!  These are in no way as delicious as Copeland's, but they are a slightly healthier version that will work.   

1 package of frozen broccoli in a steam bag (1.5 cups)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
Salt and Pepper
1 egg
1/2 cup of cheese (I used cheddar)
3 TSB of parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups of panko bread crumbs

Cook broccoli in microwave according to package directions
Drain broccoli and blend in a blender until mush
Add spices, egg, both cheeses and 1/4 cup of panko (mix and if too soupy add more panko)
Roll into balls and then roll in remaining panko to coat outside.
Arrange on a baking sheet and bake at 375 until brown.  I did about 15 minutes and then turned and did another 10. 
Serve this delicately on a paper plate

Tiger Sauce:
1/2 cup of Mayonnaise
1/4 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1/2 TBS Cajun seasoning
1 TBS white vinegar
2 TBS prepared horseradish

Mix to combine, chill until ready to use. 

Cheeseburger Slop

I was rather tired, annoyed and not in the mood to think.  I also kinda wanted a burger, but was too lazy to fire up the grill so I threw this "slop" together.  I joke because my husband said it was one of the best dinners I'd made in a long time.  So here is where you have to choose to accept the compliment and say thank you, or be a bitch (wtf are you talking about, I just made ur favorite dinner last night). 

Well I stuttered for a moment and then went with a gargled Thanks. 

How it is it that a compliment can also be a gab?  I think it's because I'm a woman.  Anyways, you don't want to hear me ramble about, here's how I made it:







Small bag of yellow potatoes (the tiny baby kind) washed and sliced into quarters.
(If you feel real lazy, use 4 cups of southern hash browns)
Olive oil
Cajun seasoning
1 LB of ground beef
1 TSB Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp steak seasoning (I use Penzeys Montreal)
Liberal dashes of Cayenne Pepper.  We like spicy, adjust to ur taste
Salt and Pepper
1 cup of Ketchup
1/4-1/2 cup of regular yellow mustard
3/4 cup of cheese (estimate)
Serve with extra ketchup, mustard and pickles

Preheat to 400 degrees.
Mix potatoes with olive oil, arrange in a single layer in a deep 13x9 in basking dish.  Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning, about 1/2 tsp or so.  Throw it in the oven and bake for about 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, brown the ground beef (I use lean, so there isn't any fat)
Add Worcestershire sauce and spices.  Sitr to combine. 
Reduce heat and add ketchup and mustard.  Taste and add mustard as needed. 
Remove potatoes and loosen from the bottom with a spatula, but keep in a single layer.
Pour ground beef mixture on top of potatoes and top with cheese. The cheese is not the star, don't over do it.  Just a little cheese. 
Serve with ketchup, mustard and pickles. 
Add bacon, it would be delicious, but I didn't have any. 

It was rather delicious, if I do say so myself.