Poulet a l'estragon

tarragon chicken.

what you can't see is

the amazing sauce!

here is the recipe..

1 1/2 tbs chopped tarragon

1 small garlic clove, chopped

2 oz. butter softened

1 3-4 lb roasting chicken

2/3 cup chicken broth

2 tbs white wine

1 tbs flour

2/3 cup heavy cream

preheat the oven to 400 F.

mix together the chopped tarragon, garlic

and half the softened butter.

season with salt and pepper and place

inside the cavity of the chicken.

heat remaining butter with some olive oil

in a dutch oven over low heat and brown the 

chicken on all sides. add the stock and wine.

cover the casserole and bake for 1 1/2 hours

or until the chicken is tender and juices run clear.

remove the chicken, place on platter. cover with foil

and tea towel.

place the dutch oven on the stove

and add flour to juices.  whisk until thick.

strain the sauce into a clean saucepan and add 

a few more tarragon leaves.

simmer 2 minutes, then stir in cream and 

reheat without boiling. season with salt and pepper

carve chicken.

serve with sauce.

we have ours with rice.

but pasta would be good too!

bon appetite!

Homemade Chicken Fajitas

chicken breast ( i use 4-6)

olive oil

red onion (2)

peppers

(i use 2 of each color

red, green and yellow)

marinade:

2 Tbs fresh lime juice

3 Tbs olive oil

garlic clove

salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 cup cilantro chopped

pound chicken til thin

mix marinade and pour over 

chicken up to 8 hours ahead.

bring chicken to room temp.

an hour before cooking.

sear chicken on both 

sides until done.

stack chicken and 

wrap in aluminum foil.

in same pan

cook veggies.

bon appetit!

Hazel's Cranberry Nut Bread

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 Tbs hot water

2 Tbs melted crisco

1 cup cranberries cut in half

1 cup sugar

1 beaten egg

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup walnuts

Sift all dry ingredients

Add crisco, hot water and orange juice

add egg.

Add berries and nuts

Bake 325 for an hour and ten minutes.

Yummy with cream cheese and a cup of tea.

You can invite me over if you want

:)

Yummy Squash Soup

Here is the recipe for

Sweet Life's Hubbard Squash Soup with Shrimp Toast and Pumpkin Seed Oil

straight out of the Morning Glory Farm Cookbook

5lbs Hubbard squash (butternut can be substituted)

1 1/2 Tbs. Vegetable oil

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (I omitted it)

1 tsp ground coriander seeds (I mistakenly bought the whole seed and put Griffy to work with the mortar and pestle)

1 Tbs. honey

1 stick butter

1 1/2 cups apple cider

1 1/2 -2 cups water or chicken stock 

Pumpkin seed oil for garnish..( ok, this is a splurge at 15 bucks a bottle...but SO worth it!)

Preheat oven to 375.

Cut squash in half, remove seed and strings. Drizzle veg. oil over the squash then sprinkle with cayenne pepper, coriander seeds and honey on cut sides.

Place squash cut side up in baking dish with about 1/2 inch of water. Cover with foil and cook for 1 hour. Remove foil and cook another 1/2 hour, caramelizing the squash.

Once squash is cooked, scoop out pulp. Melt butter over med. high heat whisking to make brown butter. Add pulp and apple cider. Continue to cook down while whisking. Whisk in 1 cup of water or stock.

Fill blender about halfway with mix..blend on low using a dishtowel as a cover to allow steam to evaporate...(this is where an immersion blender comes in handy :)

Add 1/2 cup water. Check consistency. Soup should be smooth and creamy not chunky. Add more liquid if too thick. Return to pot and heat through. 

Garnish with drizzled pumpkin seed oil.

I didn't make the shrimp toast because of time but plan on it!

12 med. raw shrimp, cleaned and deveined

2 Tbs butter, softenend

2 slices white bread 

salt/pepper

chives chopped

Preheat oven broiler

Puree shrimp in food processor, pulsing to desired consistency. In a small bowl, blend butter with shrimp, using a spatula. Add salt/pepper

Spread on bread and put under broiler until golden, about 4 min. 

Let cool slightly and cut into crouton size pieces.

Add to soup with chives.

:)

Cook Once..Eat Twice

This recipe has been adapted from an old Fine Cooking magazine recipe...Jan 08. I told you I kept my magazines.

For the brine:

8 cups cold apple cider or juice (I only had 4 cups of juice)

3/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, smashed

3 sprigs fresh thyme

 One 4 lb boneless pork loin roast or two 2 lb loins (next time I'm going to double this..we needed MORE leftovers!)

For the roast:

1/4 cup maple syrup

3 tbs. dijon mustard

2 tsp. fresh thyme

black pepper

1-2 granny smith apples peeled, cored, sliced into 1/2 in. pieces

1 tbs olive oil

kosher salt

Brine the pork...combine the 2 cups of cider/juice with the salt, brown sugar, garlic and thyme in a saucepan and bring to boil over high heat, stirring so the salt and sugar dissolve...about 3 min. Add the remaining juice and cool t room temp. Transfer to a large container add the pork, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours up to 18 hours...(I forgot this part and let it sit for a few hours..next time I'll remember to let it go longer!)

Heat the oven 450. In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, mustard, thyme, and pepper. Drain the  pork and pat dry with paper towel. Brush the pork all over with the mustard mix.

In a med. bowl toss apples with the oil, salt, and pepper. Scatter mix in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Put the pork on top of the apples. Roast the pork until the crust just starts to brown about 15 min. Reduce the heat to 350 and cook 30-50 min more..internal temp should read 145 degrees.

Let rest 10 min and slice. And don't forget to save some for the cubano's!!!

Cubano Sandwiches

For the mojo:

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs fresh lime juice

1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro

(next time I'll double this recipe too!)

For the sandwiches:

oval shaped sub or bulky rolls split (we used these english muffin looking things!)

3 tbs mustard

leftover pork sliced thin

thinly sliced ham

swiss cheese

dill pickles..thinly sliced (you can buy them sliced like that!)

butter.

Make the mojo...

peel and mince the garlic..sprinkle with salt and mash into a paste. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in the olive oil, lime juice and cilantro. 

Make the sandwiches...

Set a cast iron or heavy duty skillet over med. heat. Brush the interior of the rolls with the mojo and the mustard and then stack with pork, ham, cheese and pickles. Spread butter on the outside of the rolls and grill. 

We served ours with coleslaw and baked beans. 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

Here is the recipe for the cheesecake I've been making for Steve for years...It comes from the Pillsbury Complete Book of Baking cookbook that I think I received at my Bridal Shower..it was published in 1993!

Here is what you need:

about 5-6 graham crackers crushed into crumbs

4 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, softened

1 1/3 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 Tbs orange flavored liqueur or orange juice (I have used both depending on what's in stock)

1 tsp orange peel 

3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate-melted

Heat oven to 325. Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over bottom and sides of pan. In large bowl, beat cream cheese at med. speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth. At low speed, add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended. Add liqueur or juice and orange peel; beat 2 min. at med. speed, scraping sides of bowl. 

In a small bowl, reserve 1 1/2 cups of batter. Pour remaining batter into crumb lined pan. Slowly blend melted chocolate into reserved batter. Drop spoonfuls of choc. batter in pan (Usually 8-9 dollops on the outside, 4-5 dollops on the inside) Using a knife, swirl chocolate batter through light batter to marlble.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until set. Cool for 10 min. remove sides of pan. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Your husband will love you!

Meal Planning

I have to plan meals in advance. For me there is nothing worse than wondering what's for dinner at 5:00. I plan/shop for our weeks meals over the weekend. Sundays we usually have a big dinner..many times with extended family. If I'm roasting a chicken for Sunday supper, I usually will do 2 at a time. It's just as easy to roast two and the payoff is huge. After dinner I'll start the stock and use the extra chicken for lunches for the upcoming week. I love having homemade chicken stock in the freezer. 

I also make out a lunch menu for the week. I pack everyones lunch. I prefer them bringing something from home than yucky cafeteria food. Steve usually will take leftovers or a salad. Will pretty much eats either yogurt or a ham sandwich. Hannah and Stephen mix it up a lot. But, again..nothing worse than packing lunch at 7 A.M and not knowing what I'm making. A little bit of prep work over the weekend goes a long way.