Mexican Chicken Parmesan

Chicken parm is one of those universally loved Italian staples. Crispy breaded chicken, smooth, tangy marinara, and gooey mozzarella - what's not to love?

While basically perfected, chicken parm can always be updated into something new. Mexican chicken parm switches out the Italian for something more South-of-the-Border, and ay, que sabor.

I switch out the marinara for salsa and the mozz for queso. Served with rice or pasta (we can't veer too far away from Italian or Justin gets fidgety).

Ingredients
1 lb chicken breast, pounded thin
1-2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1 cup salsa
1/2 - 3/4 cup queso blanco
Salt + Pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

1. Bread the chicken by dunking it first in a beaten egg and then dredging in the breadcrumbs. Saute over medium heat in some olive oil until golden brown.

2. Put the cooked chicken on a sheet pan with a cooling rack fitted over it (rack optional).



3. Spoon over a tablespoon or so of salsa.



4. Plop on some queso.



5. Bake for 10-15 minutes until ooey and gooey and good.





It's spicy and creamy and crispy - all things we love here.

What classics do you like to add a twist to?

-Katie

Grilled Cheese and Tomato-Meatball Soup

It's slowly getting more fall-ish here in St. Louis. Not fast enough for me, but enough for me to start bustin' out the autumn recipes. This recipe kicks that off, and to top it off, it's a contest winner.

Well, it hasn't won yet. But it will.

Maybe.

To tell the truth, I'm terrible at winning things. I feel like I'm generally winning in life, but so far as prizes and money and fame go, I'm sub-par. Just looking at recipes on Pinterest in all their creativity and magical ways to use canned crescent rolls makes me feel like a rookie.

Maybe this will change that.

The contest is the 5th annual Dei Fratelli Ripened Recipe Contest, and the prize winners get free products for a year.

Free tomatoes for a year.

So much I could do! Marinara! Chili! Stew! Soup! Enchiladas!

OK, I'm going to stop now. Enter the contest if you think you can beat me, but don't enter it if you know you can beat me :-) 

By the way, the soup was delicious. But you already knew that.

Here's the breakdown:

Ingredients

For the soup:

1 28-oz can Dei Fratelli crushed tomatoes

28 oz chicken broth (just pour broth into

 the empty tomato can to measure)

1 lemon

1 bay leaf

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp both salt + pepper

For the meatballs:

1.5 lb ground turkey

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

1 egg

For the grilled cheese:

Bread

White cheddar

Optional: spinach, mustard, ham, avocado, etc.

Procedure:

1. For the soup: Saute the onion and garlic in some olive oil. Add the tomatoes, broth, lemon, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Let this simmer for 20 minutes. 

2. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender and mix until smooth.

It kinds of feels like I should be boiling a pot of spaghetti right about now, but the ooey gooey cheese sandwich is making me hold off.

3. For the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix all the ingredients into a bowl and stir until just combined.

3. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray generously with non-stick spray. I made golf ball-sized meatballs (is that right? I dunno, I'm not an athlete).

These meatballs are pretty sticky, but that's OK because they're turkey and you need the extra moisture to ensure they don't dry out. Just get them roughly spherical and bake. No need for precision here.

Bake for 20 minutes. Throw them into the soup to continue cooking on simmer for another 10 minutes.

4. For the grilled cheese: I just so happen to have a panini press, but it's not needed really. If you use a griddle, use a griddle. If you use a frying pan, use a frying pan. Your way of making grilled cheese is the right way. The more cheese, the better. White cheddar, fontina, or mozzarella work well here.

Fingers crossed, readers. I'll keep you posted.

-Katie

Thai Green Curry

I love taking dishes from my favorite restaurants and trying to recreate them at home. When Justin and I went to Fort Lauderdale a few weeks ago, one of our top spots was Thai on the Beach. One night I got the pad thai (pretty good, but a bit sweet for me) and Justin got the thai green curry.

Justin got the curry extra spicy, which turned out to be a bit of a mistake. As it turns out, what is spicy to an American who likes Thai food is NOT the same as what is spicy to a Thai person's palate. Breathing. Fire. 

But, we really liked the basic flavor, once we got past the tongue-melting liquid lava. So the other day I decided to give it a go. I turned down the dial on heat a bit, and the flavor profile was fresh, delicious, and fulfilling.

{Printable Recipe}

Ingredients
For green curry paste:
1 1/2-inch knob ginger, peeled
2 cloves garlic

1 serrano pepper
1 handful cilantro
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 tsp fish sauce
1 stalk lemongrass
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 lime
1/2 cup coconut milk

For the rice:
2 cups jasmine rice
4 cups chicken broth or water
3 sprigs cilantro
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lime (juice)

For the stir fry:
Thai green curry paste
1 lb cod (substitute: chicken, pork)
1 orange bell pepper
1 head broccoli, florets
1/2 lime
1 serrano chili
Extra cilantro for garnish
1/2 to 1 cup coconut milk
1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth


Preparation

For the paste: 

Thwack the lemongrass to crack the stalk. Remove the tough outer leaves. Chop up the light green portion. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blitz until smooth.

For the rice:

Rinse the rice well. Put it into a pot with the sprigs of cilantro, garlic, and salt. Bring to a boil, 

In a wok, pour in a dab of sunflower or olive oil and fry up the paste so that the lemongrass, ginger and garlic cook slightly. You want to do this just so you don't have that raw flavor.

Add in the bell pepper, broccoli, serrano, chicken broth and coconut milk. Saute for 10 minutes or so until the veggies are cooked through.

Meanwhile, saute the cod in a separate pan for 5-6 minutes per side or until it flakes easily with a fork.

Spoon the curry over the rice, top with fish and sprinkle some fresh cilantro over the top.

We had ours with Thai Iced Tea:

Brew 4 cups water + 3 bags regular black tea with:

1/2 star anise

1 knob lemongrass

1 knob ginger (no need to peel)

Serve with a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk and a lemon wedge.

-Katie

Crispy Calamari Sushi

I love sushi, but sushi doesn't love me.

Let me rephrase that.

I love sushi, and sushi loves me. But it does not love my wallet.

Justin and I will get sushi as often as our bank account allows. We get it on vacation when we want to treat ourselves, when we go out with parents, or when we get a good deal with Groupon. Sometimes we'll get sushi lunch specials. But typically, my sushi cravings occur more often than my sushi binges.

The budget-busting part of sushi is undoubtedly the high-quality raw fish. Without that grade-A tuna or salmon, you can pretty much forget it.

Unless …

I love fried calamari. I love sushi. When the thought finally struck me to combine the two, I was amazed that I'd never thought of it before. Isn't it obvious? A delicious tempura-fried squid inside the roll. Duh!

I'd say it's just as good as any sushi I've had anywhere, but I guess I'm biased. If cooking squid makes you cringe, use some smoked salmon, smoked trout, or slivers of your favorite cooked fish instead!

{Printable Recipe}

Ingredients

For the rolls:

2 cups sushi rice

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp salt

6-8 sheets nori

8-10 stalks asparagus

1 avocado

3/4 lb calamari (tubes only)

1 cup flour

Spicy Mayo (below)

For the spicy mayo

1/2 cup mayo

1 tsp Sriracha 

1/2 lime

Dash fish sauce

For the dipping sauce

4 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp fish sauce

3 tbsp water

1 clove garlic

1 small knob ginger

handful of basil leaves

1 tsp sesame seeds

Preparation

Rinse the tubes well. Cut them in half lengthwise, then cut each half into skinny strips. Rinse them again until the water runs clear, then pat dry. Place them in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl and leave in the fridge for a few hours to dry out a bit.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice: Rinse the rice well by soaking it in a large bowl with cold water for 5 minutes. Drain and repeat this process two or three times until the water is clear. Combine the 2 cups of rice with 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once it's boiling, set it to low, cover, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Then take it off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Mix the vinegar, sugar and salt in a large bowl and microwave for 15 seconds. Tumble the cooked sushi rice into the bowl with the mix and toss together until the rice is nicely coated. Let it cool.

For the mayo, mix all the ingredients together in resealable bag.

For the dipping sauce, toss all the ingredients into a small food processor and blitz until done. This stuff is pretty strong, so add more water to taste if it's too much for you.

Blanch and shock the asparagus. Cut the avocado into skinny slices.

To assemble: Lay a sheet of nori on your cutting board in the "landscape" position (for any MS Word users out there). Dip your fingers into a bit of water to keep the rice from sticking to your hands. A handful at a time, press the rice onto the sheet of nori, allowing for a small strip of bare nori to remain at the top. At the end closest to you, place a couple stalks of asparagus, a few slivers of avocado, and a squirt of the spicy mayo (snip the corner off the bag and pipe out).

Meanwhile, dust the calamari in some flour and fry it in a few inches of oil (we used olive oil, but you can use vegetable oil, sunflower oil, etc.) You only need to fry it for a few minutes until the crust is a light golden brown — don't overcook! Might want to try a couple batches to see how it works for you.

At the stuffed side, start carefully rolling away from you, tucking the edge underneath. When you're almost at the edge, use your finger to dab a little water on the naked edge of the nori to seal the end of the roll. Rock the roll lightly with your hand to make sure the edge sticks.

Cut the roll in half, then cut each half into halves, then those quarters into halves so that you get 8 perfect pieces of sushi.

Top with extra mayo if you like. This dinner might not be the quickest to make, but it definitely satisfies any sushi craving and is great for a crowd. 

No need for compromise ;-)

-Katie

Chicken + Parmesan-Thyme Dumplings

I love taking classic Americana recipes and putting a twist on them. Chicken pot pie with a hash brown crust, french fries with truffled aioli, and for right now, chicken and dumplings (don't worry, the others will be featured here eventually).

Today was a particularly chilly day compared to the unseasonably warm spring we've been having here in Saint Louis. A perfect day for warm soup. Chicken and dumplings is a better way to eat chicken soup, and I put a twist on it by making it with broccoli stems and Parmesan-thyme dumplings.

Broccoli stems, you ask? Why? Because they are just as delicious as the florets, hold up well in the soup, and are a part of the vegetable that we often throw away when they are perfectly edible and tasty.

This recipe for chicken and dumplings is also, incidentally, much lighter than most, because I skip the roux and heavy cream at the end.

{Printable Recipe}

Ingredients
For the soup:
1 roasted chicken, shredded
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 large head broccoli, florets removed, stem peeled and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper
1/4 cup whole milk

For the dumplings (Adapted from Tyler Florence's recipe):
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar)
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
4 sprigs thyme
pepper

Procedure

Chop the onion and garlic. Saute in some olive oil or bacon fat until translucent. Add salt and pepper, then white wine. Reduce by half. Add stock, bay leaf, and chicken.

For the broccoli, remove the florets. Peel the stem and chop it into little discs. Add to the soup.

Meanwhile, make the dumplings: Combine the "buttermilk" and eggs, whisk together.

Sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt.

This might be messy.

So much for saving on cleanup.

Mix it up until just combined.

Add Parmesan, thyme, and pepper.  

When the soup is simmering, add the whole milk, and then heaping tablespoons of the dumpling batter. Don't crowd the surface of the soup! Let them poach partially covered for 10-15 minutes or until firm.

They might get really puffy — try not to let the whole thing explode (mine almost did)

-Katie

Braised Rabbit with Asparagus Risotto

This meal screams spring, with asparagus now being in season and rabbit being reminiscent of the warming atmosphere. If you've never tried rabbit, you can get it at Soulard Market like we did. It tastes kind of like chicken, but richer and just a touch gamey. I'm not into gamey flavor though, so don't be put off by it being a wild animal. 


If the thought of eating fluffy little bunnies bothers you, just know that at least they were wild and free before the hunter got them, unlike the caged conditions that many of our domesticated animals live in.


Plus, they're delicious. And very healthy, too!


{Printable Recipe}


Ingredients for Braised Rabbit
1 rabbit, cut into large pieces
Flour, cayenne, salt, pepper
1 egg, beaten
Dash soy sauce
Dash rice wine vinegar
3 cups chicken stock
Bunch fresh thyme

Ingredients for Risotto
1 cup arborio rice
2 tbsp bacon fat (or olive oil if you're being good)
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 lemon
1/2 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Handful thin asparagus, chopped
1 sprig thyme
red pepper flakes (pinch)
Salt
1.5 tbsp butter
2-3 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Procedure

For the rabbit:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

You'll probably need to cut the rabbit into large sections. Cut the legs from the rest of the body, and cut the torso into reasonable sizes.

I know, it looks kind of like alien meat. But I promise, it will look better once it's cooked.

Combine the flour, cayenne, salt and pepper. You'll need enough flour to coat the rabbit, probably a cup or two. The spices are to taste, so start out light.

Whisk the egg with a dash of soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.

Dunk the rabbit pieces into the egg and then dredge in the flour.

Sear the meat in some olive oil.  

Pour in the stock and thyme. Throw it in the oven to braise for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes in the oven

For the risotto:

Saute the onion and garlic in some bacon fat (yes, we keep it in the fridge). Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Add the rice and let it toast in the pan for 5 minutes. Add thyme.

Meanwhile, heat up the stock with the lemon half.

To cook the rice, add 2 ladles of stock to the rice and stir. Let this slowly evaporate. When it's almost completely gone, add 2 more ladles of stock. You cook risotto this way, very slowly and in batches of stock. This lets the starch leech out and make the rice very creamy.

This is what it looks like when it's ready for another ladle of stock

Continuously taste the rice to check for doneness. It'll take about 25 minutes and a good 5 or 6 additions of stock. When it's very close to being done and you only have one more addition of stock to go, add the asparagus.

When it's done, turn off the heat and add the butter and Parmesan to finish it off.

Spring on a plate.

-Katie