summer dinner

Looking for a good summer dinner?  This one was a win.  Here are the recipes I used, with very few modifications:
panko coated chicken schnitzel
thai harvest red rice salad
This would probably also be good on a bed of fresh lettuce.

Enjoy!
Bethany

p.s. Remember to be careful when heating oil (have a shielding lid ready!), and that when you add the parsley and capers to the hot butter, their moisture could cause some exciting things to happen if the butter is too hot.  Just a friendly word of caution.

Risotto with Chicken

Risotto.  The very name evokes something delicious, and probably something a bit fancier than usual fare.  I am venturing in to learning to make good risotto.  This is, I believe, my second time, and while it was delicious I don't think I've really achieved true risotto goodness.  Here are a few photos from when I made it last week, plus the recipe (slightly modified from my newest addition to my cookbook library).  You may notice I didn't use the right kind of rice.  I bought the right kind and will try that next time.  Things to look forward to!

Ingredients

• 2 T olive oil
• 8 oz chicken breast, skinned and cut into 1-inch cubes (or however much you have and want to eat)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, pressed/ chopped
• 2 1/4 c risotto rice, preferably arborio
• 1/2 c dry white wine
• 7 1/2 c simmering chicken stock
• 2 T butter (optional)
• 1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

• Heat the oil and begin to cook the chicken cubes.  Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft.
• Stir in the rice and saute for 2 minutes, stirring constantly
• Add the wine and bring to a boil.  Simmer gently until almost all the wine is absorbed (yes, I did actually buy cooking wine for this!)
• Ad the simmering stock, a ladleful at a time, and cook, stirring continuously, until the rice is just tender and the risotto creamy.  Let each ladleful of stock be almost completely absorbed before you add the next.  Be patient.

• Add the butter and Parmesan cheese.  Season with anything else you desire.  Don't go overboard, since one of the nice parts of this risotto is its mild goodness :) 

How to Enjoy Squash - Part II

Squash of almost all varieties is ridiculously cheap at the market these days, so I figured it was high time to share one of my favorite recipe discoveries from this fall.  I don't have a name for it yet, other than "that yummy squash and chicken baked dish".  It is inspired by this recipe over at Crepes of Wrath.  Every time I make it, I think it is a bit different, but so far I haven't had any bad reviews :).

I'm making it this weekend to help feed a crowd, so you might find this comes just in time for the holiday season.  It's a nice alternative to the traditional dishes.  Plus it's all vegetables that are easy to find in the early winter.  Enjoy!


Total time (approx.): not sure.. 2 hrs?  It bakes for about an hour.
 Ingredients (all approximate):
Chicken: I use about 1/2 lb chicken breast pieces, but more meat would work, and of different cuts.
3 carrots
1 butternut squash
1 onion
3 small potatoes (optional)
1/2 - 1 green pepper (optional)
2 T olive oil
1 t paprika (optional)
1/2 t  ground black pepper
pinch rosemary
herbes de provence
salt
3-5 cloves garlic
2-3 Tbsp butter
1 c. chicken stock.


Here's how you make it:

Moroccan Apricot Chicken for Crock Pot

Total time (approx.): 45 min + 5-7 hours crock pot cooking time
 Ingredients: 

• 5 Medium carrots, sliced
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1-3 lb chicken, cut up
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c dried apricots
• 1/2 c raisins
• 2 T flour
• 1 can chicken broth (or whatever you usually use)
• 1/4 c tom paste (I used pretty much a whole can)
• 2 T lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 1/2 t ground ginger
• 1 1/2 t ground cumin
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 2/3 t pepper
• hot cooked couscous

 Why you might want to make this:  This is a tasty crock pot recipe.  You can make it when you have time earlier in the day and dinner will be ready for you in the evening.  And if you use instant couscous, it will really only take you a few minutes to put together into a meal!


I am always interested when the title of a recipe includes the word Moroccan.