Herbaceous Yogourt-Marinated Chicken Tenders

Oh hey, remember that time I went around making recipes featuring yogourt like a mad woman, in an attempt to win $10,000 and be featured in Chatelaine? No, this isn't a big reveal that I've won. I haven't won...or at least I don't know yet (still keeping those fingers and toes crossed!), but I'm still working my way through some of the recipes I submitted to feature them for you here. 

The great thing about doing a contest like that was getting to put my creative hat on and find new ways of reinventing some of my favourite recipes to feature the key ingredient, yogourt. While it's pretty obvious that yogourt goes fantastic with sweet dishes such as the Strawberry Cheese Blintzes and Mango Strawberry Layered Lassi that I made, I wanted to challenge myself and think outside the box (or should I say yogourt container...ba-dum-ch!) to find ways of featuring yogourt in unexpected ways in some savoury dishes. 

With chicken breasts on sale at the grocery store and an extra container of panko breadcrumbs that I wanted to clear out of my cupboard, it was natural for me to gravitate towards a reinvented chicken tender recipe. Traditionally chicken tenders go through an assembly line of flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs before being baked or fried. In this recipe a mixture of yogourt, herbs, and spices allowed me to coat my chicken in simply the yogourt mixture, and then the panko breadcrumbs, eliminating an extra step and granting the yogourt to act as a marinade and glue for the breadcrumbs. 

I love that the yogourt acts as the glue in this recipe, but more than that, the yogourt coating allowed me to tenderize the meat by marinating the chicken and infusing more flavour into it thanks to the addition of fresh herbs like dill, parsley, and chives, as well as garlic powder and lemon juice. As if that's not enough, I chose to make a little bit extra of the yogourt mixture so that I could set some aside to save as a dipping sauce once my tenders were cooked! Brilliant, right? This recipe turned out so insanely easy to prepare, and was a delicious weeknight meal that also left me with some chicken tender leftovers for lunch the following day. Even if I don't win the Astro and Chatelaine contest, I'm still a winner in my books for having a new simple and delicious weeknight dinner option to add to my repertoire! 

Tip: Toasting your panko before breading helps to give your tenders that fantastic golden colour and give them an additional crunch!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Astro Original Balkan Style Plain Yogourt 6%

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped

1 1/2 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped

1 1/2 Tbsp. chives, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips

1 1/2 - 2 cups panko breadcrumbs, lightly toasted

cooking spray

salt and pepper to season

Directions:

1. In a small bowl stir together yogourt with garlic powder, dill, parsley, chives, and lemon juice. Taste and season as needed with salt and pepper. 
2. Add chicken to a large, zipper, freezer bag and add 1-cup of the yogourt mixture. Coat chicken evenly in the yogourt mixture and place in fridge for 1-hour. Set the remaining 1/2-cup yogourt mixture aside in the fridge.
3. Preheat oven to 375ºF. 
4. Place toasted panko in a wide, shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set a large baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray next to it.
5. Keeping one hand clean, working one at a time, dip each chicken strip into the panko, pressing to coat evenly, and place on the prepared baking sheet. 
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until panko is golden and chicken is cooked through. 
7. Serve immediately with the remaining yogourt mixture as a dipping sauce. 

Listening To:

Sufjan Stevens - Out Of Egypt, Into The Great Laugh Of Mankind

Ricardo's Chicken Curry with Red Peppers and Coconut Milk

With thousands upon thousands of recipes from all different cultures from all over the world right at our fingertips at all times, it's become pretty easy these days to find a great recipe. We all have our favourite sources that we feel confident we can turn to when looking for a knock-your-socks-off recipe, but whether that recipe will be easy, time efficient, and will be something that I feel motivated to cook up on a busy weeknight, well, that's another story. 

I can tell you first hand that it can often be a chore in itself just finding a trustworthy recipe that you can whip up in the midst of all of your responsibilities, commitments, and stresses that wull have your tastebuds dancing, and leave you feeling satisfied. I have a few recipes in my weeknight rotation that I can turn to in a hurry, but I'm always looking for new ones to add to my repertoire to keep things interesting and different. 

Recently I was approached by Ricardo Cuisine asking if I would be interested in partnering with them on a blog post to test out and review one of Ricardo's most popular recipes. Being someone who is always on the lookout for new and delicious weeknight meal ideas, I jumped at the opportunity to be apart of the campaign. I was provided with a list of Ricardo's most popular recipes and could choose whichever one I wanted to recreate. With Asian flavours grabbing my attention as of late, Ricardo's recipe for Chicken Curry with Red Peppers and Coconut Milk was the first one to grab my attention. 

Asian cooking is still very much unfamiliar territory for me, as I continue to learn the vast array of spices, herbs, vegetables, and techniques that go into the flavourful cuisine. In the past I've stayed away from a lot of Asian recipes, intimidated by them and the amount of exotic ingredients that are often required. What I loved about Ricardo's Chicken Curry was that I already had almost every ingredient on the list in my kitchen! The only ingredients that I had to go out and buy were fresh chicken breasts and turmeric (a spice that I had previously never cooked with). 

You know me, I always give you my honest opinion, so I have to be straight with you once again and say that when I first started cooking up this recipe I was a little skeptical that I would like the final results. It all seemed too easy! I didn't believe that a curry recipe so simple and with so few ingredients could actually have that hit of flavour that I yearn for when diving into a dish of curry. I was completely shocked to find that after I allowed the coconut milk to simmer and blend with the spices, chicken, and vegetables I was left with the type of wonderfully flavourful curry that I had hoped for! Though the curry was already delicious on its own, especially when topping fluffy basmati rice, I wanted to round out the flavours just a touch. In order to do so, I added a few drops of fish sauce and about 1 tsp of tomato paste, which I happened to have on hand in my fridge. That little bit of umami and acidity took the dish up a level, helping to balance out the flavours and contribute to the overall mouth-feel of the dish. 

Though I may have been skeptical at first based on how easy the recipe was, I was so pleasantly surprised at how successful this dish turned out! I was able to get everything prepped, cooked, and on the table in just over a half hour and still had leftovers for lunch the next day! I would highly recommend this recipe to any curry lover looking for a quick and simple weeknight dinner idea! Thanks to the big flavours in this dish and the ease of preparation, this is a fantastic option for serving to guests to both wow them and allow you time to enjoy yourself as well!

Find the recipe here!

This post is sponsored by Ricardo Cuisine. Opinions are my own. 

Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Bowl

Without a doubt in my mind I can say that noodles are the royalty of all comfort food. Oh so you think chili's and stews are the royalty of all comfort food? Well get the heck out because you're wrong! haha I kid...kind of. What makes noodles the top of the crop in terms of comfort food for myself at least is the fact that noodles can be served in so many different ways, all of which are guaranteed to be delicious and satisfying! Whether it's spaghetti and fresh from-the-garden tomato sauce or a big ol' bowl of piping hot ramen, noodles are are like that hug from your mom at the end of a really bad day...except hugs from mom don't exactly fill a hungry belly. 

When I'm in the midst of a rough week all I seem to crave are noodles, which means either whipping up a big pot of homemade pasta, or ordering Asian takeout. More often than not I find myself making pasta over ordering in as an attempt at saving money and perhaps eating ever so slightly healthier, being able to control exactly what's going into my food. Making my own Asian noodles had never been an option for me, as I was intimidated by both the ingredients and techniques from a cuisine that I had not grown up making. It's felt easy picking up recipes from cultures such as Greece, Italy, Poland, etc. having grown up around the same types of flavours and cooking techniques, but with so many unique ingredients, cooking tools, and methods in Asian cuisine I have always chosen to leave the cooking to the pros. 

With such a love for Asian cuisine, I was itching to find a great noodle dish that I could rely on to become a mid-week staple for my boyfriend and I to nip that comfort food noodle craving right in the bud! After scouring Pinterest for more than I care to admit to even myself, I found two delicious-sounding Thai noodle recipes that seemed simple to execute and featured flavours that I was familiar with, many of which I already had on hand. With a lot of skepticism, I combined the two recipes to create something that I thought may be a good start for my intro to Asian cuisine. Though I was so sure that my first attempt at Asian noodles would end up tasting very "white" and like it missing something, I was so pleasantly surprised at how my Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Bowls turned out! Featuring that same punch of flavour found at my favourite Thai restaurants, these noodles were incredibly addictive and satisfied my craving for comforting Asian noodles. The rich coconut-infused sauce hugged every noodle and kept its intensity even upon reheating the following day! Despite my previous apprehensions over making Asian noodles, I have a newfound confidence thanks to such a successful first attempt! I am really proud of how this dish turned out and am so excited to hear what you think of it! Give it a try in your own kitchen and let me know how it went on Twitter: @thisgingerrose. 

Notes:

• To speed up the softening of the noodles, soak them in boiling water until softened.

Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum and Bon Appetit

Ingredients:

4 ounces rice noodles

1 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil

2 shallots, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. ginger, minced

1 Tbsp cilantro stems, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. red curry paste

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground turmeric 

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

1/2 cup chicken broth

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. hot chili paste (Sambal Oelek)

2 Tbsp. fish sauce

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, halved lengthwise

1 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 cup broccoli florets

1 large carrot, long slices peeled with a vegetable peeler

1 cup snow peas, trimmed

2 Tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped

3 Tbsp. lightly toasted peanuts, chopped

1 lime, cut into wedges (for serving)

Directions:

1. Soak noodles in very hot water until softened. Rinse and drain. Begin this right at the start of cooking as noodles will take some time to soften. See above note for more info. 
2. In a large saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. oil. Add shallots, garlic, ginger, and cilantro stems and stir fry for about 3-4 minutes, or until shallot has softened and is translucent. 
3. Add curry paste, coriander, and turmeric and stir-fry for 1-minute.
4. Add coconut milk, sugar, chili paste, fish sauce, and soy sauce and stir. Add broth and chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25-minutes, until chicken is fork tender.
5. Transfer chicken to a plate and shred with 2 forks. Add back to sauce.
6. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbso oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, broccoli, carrot, and snow peas and stir fry for 5-minutes. Add sauce, noodles, and 2 Tbso. cilantro and toss to combine. Serve in bowls topped with additional cilantro, peanuts, and a lime wedge. 

Listening To:

Kendrick Lamar - King Kunta

Jamie Oliver's Chicken in Milk & A Lesson In Adapting

Homemade Jamie Oliver's Chicken in Milk

Did you know that reading and interpreting recipes is actually a skill? In culinary school last year, one of the very first things our class was taught was how to analyze a recipe. We were told to never start cooking from a recipe without reading through each and every line and asking ourselves "does this make sense?" Since that class I have learned that about 50% of the time, at least one part of a recipe will not make sense...sometimes not even a little. This is precisely why reading a recipe before you begin cooking, is so very important, allowing you to adapt the recipe using your own knowledge on the theory of food and cooking to ensure a successful final product. Despite having this knowledge ingrained in my head, I can't help but want to trust certain recipes, no matter how much my brain is screaming at me "THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY DAMN SENSE!" 

Last week my cooking instincts and knowledge of food theory was put to the test as I embarked on recreating three recipes from the lovely Jamie Oliver. I have to start by saying that I absolutely adore Jamie, I own several of his gorgeous cookbooks, and had previously felt that the man could do no wrong...that was until I tried making Jamie's Aubergine Daal with Handmade Chapatis. 

Aubergine Daal with Homemade Chapatis - Photo provided by jamieoliver.com

After catching a Sunday morning episode of Save With Jamie last week, come Monday all my boyfriend Chris and I could think of was recreating the savoury and seemingly simple and cheap vegetarian Indian daal dish. We collectively gathered all of the required ingredients (including the difficult to find curry leaves, which we picked up at House of Spice in Kensington Market) and began making our dinner. Everything was all hunky dory and as easy as can be...that is until it came to cooking the split yellow peas for the daal. 

When I read the recipe my brain kicked in and told me "you know better than to cook peas in that much water, not to mention with the lid on!!" and yes, I should have known better, but I trusted Jamie! Sure enough, the peas that Jamie told us would take an hour and 20 minutes absolutely did not. After the suggested time, our peas were still hard and the liquid was still at the same level in the pot. With our stomachs growling, and the eggplant getting cold, we had to adapt! 

Although we were worried about losing flavour, we removed about 2 cups of the liquid from the pot, removed the lid, and jacked the heat so the remaining liquid would begin to evaporate. After about 20-30 minutes we finally had a thick and delicious mixture of split peas, Rogan Josh curry, and roasted eggplant and onions. Despite our struggles with the recipe, the final dish turned out incredibly delicious and provided lunch for the next few days, not to mention was fantastic added to a chicken pot pie filling! With our revisions in mind, we will absolutely be making this recipe again! 

Jamie Oliver's Sunday Roast - Photo provided by leitesculinaria.com

The very next day I decided to give my dear Jamie another shot. With family coming over for dinner, I felt the need to impress, and chose to recreate Jamie's Sunday Roast. I read the recipe, and the alarm bells started going off...and just as I had done the previous night, I ignored them. The recipe called for searing the prime rib all over on the stove, and then placing it directly in a 475ºF oven to cook for 50-minutes, rest for another 30-minutes, and then carve and serve. Already this recipe didn't make any damn sense, but Chris told me to trust a Brit with making a roast, so I did. 

Of course, after the recommended 50-minutes of cooking at 475º, our roast was only at 60ºF, when it should have been 120ºF (for a medium-rare roast). I lowered the heat to 325º and continued roasting (while checking every 20-minutes or so) until the internal temperature reached the desired 120º. After an additional 50 minutes or so, the roast was finally at 120º, making it a perfect medium-rare 130º after a 30-minutes rest. 

On top of the wonky cooking method for the roast, the recipe also instructed cooks to boil cubed Russet potatoes (THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE! Russet's want DRY heat!) for 10-minutes (that's too long!), and then roasting in the oven with the remaining roast juices. Sure enough the potatoes became far too tender after being boiled for 10-minutes, and could easily be crushed with my fingertips. Though the potatoes still tasted good in the end, the texture was off, making me regret not following my instincts and selecting Yukon Gold potatoes instead of the Russets. Although the recipe had me pulling out my hair like the previous night, the roast turned out fantastic in the end, and definitely impressed my family! 

Jamie Oliver's Chicken in Milk - Photo provided by jamieoliver.com

Believe it or not, two near-recipe fails did not deter me from giving Jamie one more shot! I adore the man, and refused to believe that all of his recipes would leave me in such despair. After reading rave reviews of Jamie's Chicken in Milk, with many declaring it to be "the best roast chicken recipe ever," I was sure that I had found a perfect Jamie recipe that wouldn't require any revisions. I embarked on what just may be the simplest roast chicken recipe ever, and despite my brain wondering how this recipe would work (seriously, chicken with milk!? Really?!) it went off without a hitch! With only one minor revision thanks to a bloggers suggestion (leaving the lid on for half the cooking time) the roast chicken turned out absolutely incredible! The chicken was wonderfully moist, so flavourful, and pulled away from the bones in the most gloriously beautiful way. It was, dare I say, near perfect! 

Although I had a couple of minor breakdowns last week due to my hangry temper, I was glad to have learned from these recipes. This lesson once again proved that I know more than I think I do, and I should always (always!) trust my instincts in the kitchen. Jamie, I still love you and think you're the bomb. I don't know how those method errors escaped your recipe testers, but I forgive you for giving me such delicious final products in the end. Let's chat more over dinner, this time, you're cooking! 

What recipe kept you on your toes and had you revising on the fly? Tweet me @thisgingerrose.

Listening To:

Dead Air - Chvrches

The Kitchen Waltz & Thai Chicken Skewers

I used to be one of those people who hated cooking in the kitchen with anybody else. I was that dreaded person who would lose her mind over improperly cut avocados, over-mixed pancake batter, over-cooked chicken, and others getting in my way or invading my space. This possessive kitchen behavior would turn what should have been a pleasant dining experience into the oh-so-sassy "I'm not even hungry anymore." I was a real hoot to cook with, can you tell? 

I remember seeing my parents cook wonderful and far too lavish meals together in the kitchen, gliding between each other, and sharing what little counter space they had with ease as though it was a dance. Had we had a surveillance camera in my kitchen (because everyone has one in their kitchen, right?) I have no doubt that their seamless kitchen waltz would have made quite the performance. A two-step over to the oven. The hustle to get to the sink. The foxtrot to the fridge. I always envied their kitchen dance, so sure that I would never get to tango in my kitchen with a lover, due to my controlling kitchen ways.

It was on a quiet, weeknight evening last winter that I finally got to partake in the kitchen boogie, jive, and jig. It was that night that I knew I had found my kitchen dancing partner in my boyfriend Chris, while undertaking the large job of preparing a slow-cooked, multi-step pulled pork with coleslaw and beans. We swayed, frolic'd, pranced, and twisted our way around Chris' little kitchen, as we carefully prepared what would turn out to be the best pulled pork I've ever had. We haven't stopped our kitchen waltz since! 

Now my concerns in the kitchen are no longer cooperating with others and finding my kitchen dancing buddy, but finding quick and simple meals that Chris and I can prepare together on a whim. We are always talking about interesting food experiences and tastes that we have had, yet when it comes to thinking up meal ideas in a hurry (and sometimes not even in a hurry) we always seem to draw a blank. Just last week we wandered around the grocery store together, wracking our hungry brains for an uncomplicated dinner idea that would utilize the chicken breasts that were on sale that evening. Our struggle to think of a meal idea based around something as simple as chicken made me realize that I need to start arming myself with a repertoire of easy, weeknight meals that require little shopping and can be prepared in a short period of time. Pinterest beware! 

Wanting to build my file of easy, weeknight chicken recipes this week, I came across Williams & Sonoma's recipe for Thai Chicken Satays, which required little preparation, zero grocery shopping (I already had the chicken breasts in the fridge), and took all of 6-8-min to cook! The marinade was a cinch to assemble, merely throwing some of my favourite ingredients (hello ginger, peanut butter, sesame oil, and cilantro!) into a bowl and whisking until combined. What I appreciated about this recipe was that although they suggested marinating the chicken in the fridge for two hours, which I often find unreasonable on a busy weeknight, they also gave the option of marinating outside of the fridge for as little as 10-minutes, perfect for my Tuesday night! I also liked that this recipe is meant to be prepared on the BBQ (oh how I wish I had a BBQ), but they also provided directions for cooking the chicken under the broiler. With my lack of grill, I had to turn to my trusty broiler to cook the chicken, being careful not to overcook. Although the chicken didn't have that wonderful browned appearance that I find so appealing from meats cooked on the grill, it had a big hit of flavour thanks to the marinade and reserved sauce for dipping. The Thai Chicken Skewers were a standout hit, and undoubtably made it into my weeknight meal idea file, as well as a text to Chris declaring "I have found our next delicious and easy chicken recipe!" So Chris, you ready to dance?

On My Mind:
Have you voted for my Butternut Squash Cannelloni recipe for the Great Cream Challenge yet?

Help save our bees and join the March Against Monsanto tomorrow!

Listening To:

Francis & The Lights - Like A Dream

Hot Honey Garlic Wings

Today makes it officially one week since my last day at the soul-sucking, tired pub that I had been working at for almost two years. Although I feel great relief leaving a place that was bad for my self esteem and personal and professional development, there are still many things that I will miss, and in fact already miss. Firstly, a week without my lovely co-workers who had become part of family has felt like an eternity. I miss our stories, tricks, dancing, singing, silly voices, and hijinks and hope so deeply that we can hold onto that as we pursue new paths. Despite the stress it caused me at the time, I miss the crazy characters that stuck to the bar like fruit flies on a hot day, merely for the zany stories that I could share and act out once back in the comfort of my own home. And though I hate to say it, I can't help but miss the terrible-for-my-diet pub food that I would get to indulge in almost every shift. 

Perhaps it's because I miss all of what I've left behind, or maybe it's just as simple as I was craving wings, but digging into a big serving of hot and spicy wings may always remind me of the two years I spent playing the role of "waitress." No matter the reason, wings were a fantastic choice to make for myself and mom in the midst of a busy and productive week full of school assignments, presentations, and projects, and trying to wrap my head around finding a job that will allow me to get my foot in the door to start my career. My Hot Honey Garlic Wings may taste nothing like those from the pub (oh these babies are worlds better!), but they still give me that same feeling of escape that I would feel when I got those 5-10 minutes to myself to sit at the bar and ignore everyone around me for a break. Super quick, sticky, and sweet with a big hit of heat, these wings are a great escape for anybody to indulge in!

Ingredients: 

24 chicken wings

1/4 cup brown sugar

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 cup water, separated, plus more if desired

3 tbsp honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup chilli sauce 

3 tbsp Sriracha Hot Sauce

5 dashes Franks Red Hot Sauce

2 tbsp corn starch

salt and pepper to season
cilantro, chopped, for garnish (optional)
toasted peanuts, chopped, for garnish (optional)
limes, sliced, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375º. Lightly spray a baking sheet (preferably nonstick) with oil. Arrange chicken wings in a single layer and lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until crispy. 
2. Towards the end of the chicken wings baking, begin the sauce. In a small saucepan set to medium heat, bring the brown sugar, garlic, ginger, 1/2 cup water, honey, soy sauce, chilli sauce, Sriracha Hot Sauce, and Franks Red Hot Sauce to a boil. 
3. Add the remaining 1/2 cup water to a small bowl and stir in the corn starch. Stir into the sauce and continue cooking until thickened. You may add more water at this point if you so desire.
4. Remove chicken wings from oven and place in a medium bowl. Add the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Arrange the coated chicken wings back on the baking sheet and place back in the oven. Set the oven to broil, and bake for another 8-10 minutes. Keep your eyes on the wings so they don't burn! Serve immediately with additional sauce (as needed) and cilantro, peanuts, and limes for garnish.

Listening To:

Wild Beast - Mecca (Present Tense)

Cheaters Handbook: Baked "Fried" Chicken

Fried chicken, that perfect, greasy, crunchy, juicy, savory comfort food that can make anyone in their right mind go weak at the knees...that is probably from the sheer exertion of keeping your body upright after filling it with so much greasy goodness. Despite all of its lovely qualities that make me swoon, making fried chicken at home comes with a cost...one very messy (and sometimes dangerous) cost. We're talkin' grease splatters, dredging flours and crumbs everywhere from your counter to the bottoms of your feet, not to mention the constant threat of being severely burned at any moment by the blistering hot frying oil. The mess, the fear of getting burned, and the amount of time it takes to prepare fried chicken for the table has kept me from ever making the sinfully delicious vice. That is until I cheated. That's right, I cheated! I cheated and I'm proud to say it, shout it out to the world, because let me tell you, the results were so damn delicious!

Last months Food & Wine Magazine featured a recipe that sounded too good to be true: "Oven-Fried Chicken by the Bucket", a cleaner, safer, faster option for making fried chicken at home. I know what your thinking, "Hot damn! A healthy fried chicken recipe!"...but I'm afraid not. I am not reporting on my latest health kick this time around. Although the recipe sounds healthier, being baked as opposed to fried, it's an illusion, as the trick to getting that crunchy fried-tasting coating is by crumbling kettle-style potato chips. So if you're looking for a healthy fried chicken recipe, I'm afraid you've come to the wrong place. To attempt to make this recipe ever-so-slightly healthier, I decided to only use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, where the recipe called for breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, all with the skin on.   I am also a fan of a bit of heat in my fried chicken, so I added a touch of cayenne pepper to the crispy coating. Being one of the first beautiful days of the season, I had left dinner pretty late, not wanting to leave the sunny park I was relaxing in. I arrived back home slightly frantic, starving, and worried about how long the chicken would take. I was amazed at how fast I threw the whole thing together. In only 7 minutes tops, I had my chicken coated and in the oven, and was on the way to cleaning the few dishes I had from the prep. Twenty-minutes later I was in fried chicken heaven, drizzling the crispy, fresh-from-the-oven chicken with sriracha hot sauce and going to town! Considering how quickly it was to prepare, I had my doubts that it would actually resemble the flavour of fried chicken. I was surprised once again to find that the baked "fried" chicken tasted remarkably like the fried chicken I guiltily pickup for takeout. This is a no-brainer go-to weeknight meal that I am definitely keeping in my back pocket (similar to where I keep my fat). 

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine "Oven-Fried Chicken by the Bucket"

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

3/4 cup milk

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 bag kettle-style potato chips, finely crushed

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

freshly ground salt and pepper to season

hot sauce, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400º. Spray a wire rack with canola or olive oil and set over a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Place 3/4 cup of the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk the milk with the dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl stir together the crushed potato chips with the remaining 1/4 cup flour and cayenne pepper. Season with pepper.
3. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and dust with flour, tapping off any excess. One at a time, dip the flour-dusted pieces in the milk mixture, then coat with the potato chip mixture, pressing to help them adhere. Transfer to prepared wire rack on baking sheet. Spray the chicken with canola oil on both sides.
4. Bake the chicken breasts on the upper rack of the oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Serve immediately with your favourite hot sauce.

Listening To:
All Daft Punk, all day long...right now is:
Daft Punk - Instant Crush (Feat. Julian Casablancas) [128]

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Savory Chicken & Vegetable Crêpes

When you're hitting your stride in kitchen you feel unstoppable, invincible, exhilarated, like you can take on any dish and rock it like a pro! It's a great feeling being that high and full of confidence, but on the other hand, when you're so high up, all it takes is one minor blunder to send you crashing back down. I know how discouraging it can be to take a chance and produce a failure in the kitchen. It's hard when you can visualize such a clear image of the end result, and plan everything so meticulously, just to see it falter. You want to give up and throw in the towel, proclaim to the world "I WILL NEVER EVER MAKE THIS AGAIN!" and it's easy to do just that. Put your failure behind you and never look back. But that, my friends, is a true sign of failure. I've changed more than I can believe in the past few years, and I hate to say that I used to be that person who would give up at the first sign of failure...but not before a big dramatic breakdown on the kitchen floor, tears streaming down my apron and splashing onto the tiles. As I've grown over the past few years, I've thankfully learned that giving into your emotions and allowing something so trivial to affect your pride will not help anyone or anything, especially yourself. You won't learn anything, you won't grow, and you certainly won't walk away with even an an ounce of pride. The real trick to overcoming failure, is to turn your failure into an opportunity.

One of the very first recipes that I ever made up on my own was also supposed to be one of the first recipes I would post on my blog, Savory Chicken Crêpes. Give a little look around Ginger Rose and these crêpes are nowhere to be found, that is until now. I remember making these crêpes about a year or so before I had even thought about starting a blog. I found a recipe on the web for chicken in a creamy sauce that I replicated and stuffed into warm crêpes and they were a wonderful success, leaving my family begging for them again throughout the rest of the year. Being a bit of a scatterbrain at the time, I had never copied down the recipe, figuring that I would remember one so simple, and of course I could not. Nor could I relocate the recipe. I was on my own armed with a pound of chicken and a carton of heavy cream...I swore that that and some butter and seasoning was all the recipe had called for...wrong again. The second time around, when I had made up the recipe from memory, I had one of those awful breakdowns on the kitchen floor. The sauce was flavorless and refused to thicken, the chicken dry and rubbery. I was devastated that I had failed at something I was so confident I could produce. I hated the words of encouragement that my parents were giving me, saying it was just as they had remembered...I knew it wasn't and felt like such a failure. I told them it was impossible and that I would never make them ever again, which upset my mom. For months and months my mom kept telling me and her friends about how her favourite thing that I make is Savory Chicken Crêpes. It made me so mad that she kept calling this failure her favourite, and I'm sure that I blew up at her more than once because of it. It was two years ago that I had a major wake up call in life. I didn't want to be scared of failure anymore, I wanted to feel confident in myself, and feel like I truly had worth. It took a lot of time and struggle to get to where I am now, and in so many ways I am stronger than ever. Thank goodness for my moms persistence and encouragement. Where before all I heard was nonsense from her when she spoke of my famous chicken crêpes, I now finally started to hear something different. I heard an opportunity. How much of a failure could something really be if it had stood out in my moms mind so clearly? I started listening as she told me that maybe the dish wasn't perfect, but she loved it and knew that if I kept working at it, I would end up with something that I would feel more proud of than if I had found instant success in it. She encouraged me to keep working at it, buying me all the ingredients needed, and stating that she would be happy to eat all the leftovers of my so called "failures" until I got it right. So this year I finally gave those Savory Chicken Crêpes another shot!

I looked at my last attempt at the crêpes with a new perspective, viewing each misstep as an opportunity. I now knew what did not work and exactly what was needed to make this recipe perfect. I plotted out the entire recipe and process, prepped everything in advance, and went to work. To my delight it was like the stars had aligned. Succulent, juicy chicken made the perfect base for the thick, velvety, and incredibly flavourful sauce. Crisp veggies added texture and colour that the previous crêpes were lacking. The crêpes were even more delicious than they were that first time around, and I have to tell you, it felt SO F***ING GOOD!...excuse the language, but there's really no other way to express it. I can't tell you how proud I felt to serve a beautiful dish that I had put so much thought, work and love into and see my family enjoy it so much. My mom was absolutely right. Knowing that I had failed in the past and really working at the dish, made me feel even better than if I had found that instant success. And you know what? I felt that good, and the crêpes were still not perfect! To be honest with you, in a lot of ways many would still consider the dish a failure, as everything but the sauce was cold. Nope, I refused to see that as failure! I simply adjusted the recipe with this new information, rolling the filled crepes and popping them into the oven to re-heat, a step that now allows me to proudly say that I have made the perfect Savory Chicken Crêpes! If it weren't for those "failures" in the past, I would have accepted the dish just as it was, not working to improve it to reach perfection. So what's the lesson I'm trying to teach here? It's by no means new, as we've all been hearing this same statement since preschool: Practice truly does make perfect!

Note: This recipe takes a bit of experience in the kitchen because of the roux. If you've never made a roux before, it generally takes a few times to really get the feel for it and find success, but don't let this discourage you! If your sauce refuses to thicken, cheat! Stir in some cornstarch this time around, and keep practicing that roux until you get it right!

Tip: Prepare crepes the day before or morning of to save on time!

Crepes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

1 cup milk

3 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Whisk or process (using a food processor) all ingredients until blended.

2. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.

3. In a lightly greased crepe pan or frying pan, fry crepes approximately 60 seconds on one side or until edges are brown, and approximately 30 seconds on the other side. Continue until all batter has been used. Set aside, or store in the fridge overnight wrapped in plastic wrap.

Filling & Sauce

Ingredients:

1 Il boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed or cut into strips

1/4 tsp paprika

salt and pepper

1 chicken or vegetable Bouillion cube

1 cup boiling water

1 tbsp olive oil

1 Il asparagus, trimmed

3/4 cup mushrooms, sliced

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp butter

1 1/2 cups hot cream or whole milk

1 bay leaf

2 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp fresh thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup gruyere cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Season chicken cubes or strips with salt and pepper and paprika. Dissolve the Bouillion cube in the boiling water and stir to dissolve. Set aside. Grease a shallow, medium casserole dish and set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Cook the chicken, in batches, for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through. Set aside.

3. Turn the heat down to medium, add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for 3 minutes. Add the asparagus and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes, or until mushrooms are softened and asparagus is cooked but still crisp. Set aside.

4. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the butter to make the roux. When butter is hot, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Begin adding in the cream, a little at a time, allowing the cream to thicken slightly with each addition. Add in the dissolved Bouillion cube and water, a little at a time, reserving 1/4 cup. If your sauce has not reached a thick consistency at this point, whisk in a little bit of corn starch, keeping in mind that a little goes a long way! Simmer on stove until ready to serve. If sauce gets too thick or you want more sauce, add in the reserved 1/4 cup Bouillion liquid.

5. Stir in the bay leaf, dijon mustard, thyme, oregano. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

6. Working one at a time, fill each crêpe with a bit of the chicken, vegetables, and a drizzle of sauce. Roll and place in the greased casserole dish, crêpes may be touching. Continue with the rest of the crêpes, reserving some sauce for serving. Sprinkle evenly with gruyere and bake in a 350º oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Serve each crêpe immediately in a bed of the remaining sauce.

Listening To:

Fleetwood Mac - Rhiannon

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Leftover Lovin': Turkey Pot Pie

I am the queen of procrastination, as I'm sure you all know by now. I can turn any simple task into a trek up Mount Everest, making myself believe that something is much more difficult and grueling than it truly is. The mind is a funny thing, tricking me into believing that writing a blog post on how I used up my Christmas leftovers is a far more intimidating task than cleaning my bathroom, or in some cases even cutting my own hair.

"Nope, I can't write that blog post right now, I have to clean the bathroom! And what better time to see if I can give myself a haircut! And hey, while we're at it, why not walk all the way to the drugstore and buy an at home waxing kit!"

Some would call my justification and excuses for procrastination absolute insanity! The problem with procrastinating is that the longer you leave a task, the worse it gets, giving you more and more reasons to put it off even further. Which brings me to this very entry, my recipe for Turkey Pot Pie, or how I used up my Christmas leftovers...yup, you heard me! Christmas leftovers! UGH! What the heck is wrong with me?! In case you've been hibernating these past few months, we are now three days into March! March! Christmas has been over for more than two months! What the heck is wrong with me?! As ashamed as I am that I left a Christmas leftover recipe until March, I can see the bright side of this sad little situation I've gotten myself into. I'm hoping that this entry will become a reminder for me about why I should kick my procrastination habit in the bud, and in the future just suck it up and DO THE WORK!

As much as this recipe seems irrelevant at this point in time, it is absolutely a recipe that you can make all year round. No, most of us don't exactly have turkey leftovers kicking around our fridge very often, but luckily you can easily substitute cooked chicken into this recipe, making it the perfect weeknight fix all year! What I love about this recipe is that you are totally transforming your leftovers so that you don't feel like you've been eating the same thing all week long (really, how many turkey sandwiches can one have in a week?), while still achieving that same comfort factor that you originally had with a roasted turkey (or chicken) dinner. Because I was short on time, I wanted to simplify the pot pie even further. I thought back on some of the best pot pies I've had in my life and the one that stood out the most was made by my good friend Rita, who made Ina Garten's Individual Chicken Pot Pies at a dinner party once. The individual pot pies did not have a crust inside, only a thick, flaky crust on top. I initially thought that I would miss the crust on the bottom, but the filling was so delicious, and there was so much pastry on top that I didn't notice the missing pastry inside! Although I wasn't making individual pot pies as Rita had, I still only wanted to put the pastry on the top to save myself some time on a busy weeknight. I was a little concerned that the final dish wouldn't be successful because I was also not making my pastry from scratch, as Rita had also done (she's putting me to shame right now!). Thankfully the puff pastry topping turned out great! I still achieved that delicious flaky crust that I was craving, and had enough so that I could get a little bit of that yummy pastry in each bite, a great contrast in texture and flavour with the hot and bubbling savory filling. Turkey is a holiday menu staple for my family, and I have a feeling this Turkey Pot Pie will make its way onto our table as our holiday leftover staple after each and every one of those holidays!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

2 cups carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 tsp dried oregano

1 bay leaf

2 cups chicken stock

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup cream, heat to hot

1 1/2 cups cooked turkey, shredded (may substitute with chicken)

1 1/2 cups frozen peas

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400º. Grease an 8-inch casserole dish with butter, set aside.

2. In a large skillet, melt the 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft. Add the chicken stock and bay leaf and continue cooking over medium-low heat, until stock is hot.

3. In a medium saucepan, melt the 1/3 cup butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot cream and continue cooking f while stirring until mixture thickens. Slowly begin adding in the chicken stock mixture a little at a time, while stirring. Remove the bay leaf. Add the shredded turkey, frozen peas, salt, and pepper.

4. Pour the mixture into the greased casserole dish. Roll out the puff pastry to cover the top of the casserole dish. Place puff pastry over dish trimming excess pastry. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until puff pastry is puffed up and golden. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls.

Listening To:

DoYaThing - Gorillaz ft. Andre 3000 and James Murphy

Kitchen Crashers: Janelle H

Open publication - Free publishing - More danielle rose

Here it is! The very first issue of Kitchen Crashers! I'm so excited and relieved to finally get the first issue up. This is only the beginning! I'm planning on crashing a lot more kitchens this year, so get ready to see lots of new faces up on Ginger Rose! Let me know what you think! xo

Thai Kitchen's® Easy Chicken Pad Thai

Thai Kitchen® - From Thailand to your table

After being totally blown away by the simplicity, speed, and yummy flavours in Simply Asia's® Soy Ginger Shrimp and Noodles using their Soy Ginger Noodles and Sauce pack, I was super eager to get the wok back out again yet another night this week and try out Thai Kitchen's® recipe for Easy Chicken Pad Thai using their brand of Stir-Fry Rice Noodles and Original Pad Thai Sauce. Although Pad Thai isn't a Chinese dish, it still features many of the prominent flavours found in many Chinese foods...and with a pad thai recipe as simple as Thai Kitchen's®, I couldn't help but want to try it out right away! With my tummy growling like a bear after writing out my entry for the Soy Ginger Shrimp and Noodles, I was a little concerned about how long the pad thai would take to make. The recipe stated that the dish would take approximately 25 minutes to make, but the skeptic in me rounded up to more like 45...an eternity to my already angry stomach. Despite my reservations about timing, I quickly began cutting up the chicken breasts and chopping up the peanuts.

Surprise surprise, I was wowed yet again! Just about 25 minutes later (seriously, maybe even less!) the rice noodles were tossed into the wok to be combined with the savory pad thai sauce, moist chicken strips, crisp bean sprouts, and zesty green onions, ready to be garnished with crunchy peanuts. I felt so impressed with myself and especially Thai Kitchen® seeing that my pad thai looked exactly like my favourite takeout pad thai! Ravished with hunger, I dove in making sure to get every tasty ingredient in every bite! One bite told me that this dish was a keeper...but it did need a few very minor adjustments to the recipe. The flavours were all there, they just needed to be heightened. For the amount of rice noodles in the package I felt the need to amp up the citrus and onion flavour, and because I like my heat, I also wanted to add a bit more spice. An extra squeeze of lemon (I used lemon as opposed to the suggested lime because that's what is found in my takeout pad thai, and I wanted to replicate that as much as possible), a quick cut of some green onions, and a fast chop of some fresh chili peppers was all I needed to make this pad thai the perfect takeout Thai made at home! With authentic thai flavours, a beautiful colour palette, and enough to save as leftovers for lunch the next day, I found myself texting my family members again telling them to add Thai Kitchen's® Stir-Fry Rice Noodles and Original Pad Thai Sauce to their grocery list! Now that I've given you the recipe for this awesome takeout at home, I want you to do something for me! I want you to lie to your friends and family. You heard me! I want you to LIE! Invite some friends over for dinner and say you're getting takeout. Prepare Thai Kitchen's® Easy Chicken Pad Thai and clean and hide all the evidence of making it. Play along as though you picked up the dish from your local thai restaurant and see if anyone can tell the difference. I'm willing to bet you that they won't! Try it out and leave your findings in the comment section!

Tip: Heighten the flavours even more by using Asian Cooking Oil (I used Spectrum's Organic Asian Cooking Oil) and grating in extra ginger!

Ingredients:

4 ounces Thai Kitchen® Stir-Fry Noodles

2 tablespoons oil, divided (see tip!)

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips

6 tbsp Thai Kitchen® Original Pad Thai Sauce

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 bean sprouts

1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (taste to adjust accordingly)

fresh chili pepper, chopped very fine (use your discretion on how much based on how spicy you like your pad thai)

fresh cilantro sprigs (optional) and lemon wedges for serving

Directions:

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice noodles; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until noodles are tender but firm. Rinse under cold water; drain well. Set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok on medium-high heat. Add egg; scramble until set. Remove from skillet and set aside.

3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and add the chicken; stir fry until cooked though. Add the rice noodles, pad thai sauce, green onions, bean sprouts, cooked egg, lemon juice, and chopped chili pepper; stir fry 3 to 4 minutes or until noodles are tender. Transfer onto a serving dish and garnish with cilantro sprigs (optional) and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

Listening To:

Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra)

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Cheaters Handbook: Rice Stir Fry

The rushed mid-week meal, the bane of my existence. Why is that whenever I'm the most rushed, tired, and stressed I'm also the most hungry? I mean really, give me a break here! Luckily I have a few quickie meals up my sleeve that I know I can turn to when my schedule goes out of whack. One of my favourite quickie meals is a little cheaters stir fry dish that I picked up from my parents. My Cheaters Handbook Rice Stir Fry is super quick to put together, uses up leftovers hanging around your fridge, it is healthy, and of course it tastes so good you'll be happy to eat up the leftovers for lunch the next day! How's this for a quickie weeknight meal: Warm and nutty brown rice enveloped in sweet and savory honey garlic sauce, tossed with crunchy vegetables, crisp toasted almonds, and leftover meat, with bursts of sweet green peas throughout. I may as well call this dish Stress Be Gone Stir Fry!

Tip: If you know you're going to be rushed later in the week, prepare some of your stir fry in advance. Wash and chop all your veggies, pickup a roast chicken from your local grocery store to shred up later, and toast your almonds. When you're rushed and stressed later in the week, you'll be happy you did the prep work in advance.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 can green peas, juice drained (if you have fresh green peas use them!)

any other veggies you have on hand (ex. mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, etc.), chopped

about 1 cup shredded or sliced leftover chicken, turkey, pork, or steak

4 servings of quick cook brown rice

about 1/4 cup of your favourite bottled honey garlic sauce (I like VH Honey Garlic Cooking Sauce)

a handful of sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

1. In a large skillet or stir fry dish, heat olive oil at medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent. While onions are sautéing, make rice, following the directions on the box.

2. Add the green peas, and any additional veggies to the onions and continue cooking until veggies are tender but still crisp. Add the leftover meat part way through cooking to heat.

3. Mix the cooked rice into the skillet and stir to combine. Add the Honey Garlic sauce and almonds, stir together and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Serve hot.

Listening To: Sam Roberts - Bridge To Nowhere

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Chili Mango Chicken

Last year this weekend I remember exactly where I was. The sun was shining, birds chirping, neighbors biking, parents gardening, and I was attempting to soak in every little bit of sun I could. Spring was truly in the air and I could already begin to taste the fresh and bright flavours of summer. This year, I find myself inside, at the computer, cuddled up in my bathrobe, music drowning out the silence of the outside world. Perhaps Mother Nature hasn't looked at her calendar lately, because she seems to have forgotten that it's supposed to be Spring! It's been a pretty chilly Spring in Toronto so far, but despite the cool breeze and cloudy skies, I can't help but find myself craving those same bright and fresh Spring and Summer flavours. I guess my mom was on the same page as me when she ripped a recipe for Chili Mango Chicken out of last weeks Toronto Star. Full of those familiar warm-weather flavours this was exactly the type of meal I had been craving.

This recipe was extremely easy and fast to make (especially when working as a team!), making it the perfect weeknight supper. For something so fast and simple I could not believe how insanely delicious this dish turned out! The tender chicken was moist and full of flavour from being enveloped in the sweet and spicy Asian mango sauce. When resting on a bed of brown rice this meal is satisfying, but light allowing you to feel energized and invigorated, rather than ready for a nap like much of the comfort food you find during the Fall and Winter. The recipe sounded delicious as it was, but of course my mom and I wanted to add some more flavours of our own. We hit the dish up with some toasted sesame seeds for nuttiness, red pepper flakes for heat, and although we didn't have it this time, we would definitely get some extra veggie-action going on by adding some sliced red bell peppers next time. I cannot emphasize enough how awesome this dish is, you've just gotta try it for yourself!

Recipe adapted from The Toronto Star

Ingredients:

1 tbsp corn starch

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 tbsp canola oil

1 small red onion, chopped

1 tbsp grated peeled ginger

2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed, strings removed

1 1/2 ripe mangos, peeled, pitted, diced

1 1/2 tbsp asian chili garlic sauce

2 tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted

1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks

1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes

steamed brown rice for serving

Directions:

1. In a bowl large enough to fit chicken pieces, stir together corn starch, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Add the chicken and mix until all the pieces of chicken are coated. Let stand 10 minutes.

2. In a wok or large skillet, heat canola oil over high heat. Add onion and ginger. Cook until onion is softened, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the sugar snap peas and red bell pepper, stir-fry 1 minute using a spatula, keeping vegetables in near constant motion. Add the chicken and any remaining marinade in the bowl, and stir fry until the chicken begins to brown, about 3 minutes.

4. Stir in the mango, chili garlic sauce, red pepper flakes, and toasted sesame seeds. Season with pepper. Stir fry until chicken is cooked through and mango has softened to almost sauce-like consistency, 2-3 minutes. Serve with steamed brown rice.

Listening To:

The Drums - The Future

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Chicken and Leek Stew

Gift giving can be a chore for anyone, but when you have a family member who seems to have everything and is very particular about their taste in clothing and accessories it can feel like downright hell trying to find them something special. No matter how easygoing I think I am, I seem to be that family member who everyone has trouble buying for. For the last few gift-giving occasions my family finally caught on that any food-related gift is sure to put a big ol' smile on my face! So for Christmas this year my uncle Ronnie, aunt Nancy, and my cousins Kim and Nick got me what turned out to be one of my favourite gifts all year, a subscription to Food & Wine Magazine. Nice work fam! You got me the gift that keeps on giving, lighting up my face every month as each new issue arrives! I'm not the only one benefitting from this new subscription, as my oh-so-very-lucky parents get to try out all the fantastic sounding recipes published within the magazine.

The March issue of Food & Wine has been one of my favoruites so far (although I've only read 3 issues now). Filled with tons of tasty recipes, I had to keep a pen on hand to draw asterisks on just about every recipe within the issue. One that stood out as a simple and tasty weeknight dish was Jamie Oliver's recipe for his Simplest Chicken-and-Leek Stew. I love recipes that are big on flavour, short on time, are healthy, yet still leave you feeling comforted and satisfied. Check, check, check, check, this recipe has fits just that criteria! It took next to no time to make, was crazy simple, had big and familair flavours, and didn't require much grocery shopping. This stew is really more of a hearty sauce or topping to rice, but it does have that same comforting and warming effect that you get from a slow-cooked stew. Just reading the recipe, I felt like it could use something else to brighten up the flavour and add another dimension to the dish, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a handful of sweet green peas did just the trick.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, pureed

2 medium leeks, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced

1/2 pound mushrooms (preferably cremini), thinly sliced

salt and pepper

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch pieces

flour, for dusting

1 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

1 tbsp chopped thyme

about 3/4 cup frozen green peas

2 tbsp sour cream

2 tsp dijon mustad

1 tsp lemon juice

4 servings of steamed brown rice

Directions:

1. In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add the garlic and leeks and cook over medium heat, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Scrape the leeks and mushrooms onto a plate or bowl, cover with aluminum foil.

2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dust lightly with flour, shaking off any excess. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of oil in the same skillet used for the mushrooms and leeks. Add the chicken and cook over medium heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Add the chicken stock and thyme and simmer over medium heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to the plate with the vegetables.

3. Simmer the stock over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Return the chicken, leeks, and mushrooms to the skillet. Add the frozen peas and simmer over low heat until warmed through, about 1 minute.

4. In a small bowl, blend the sour cream with the mustard and stir into the stew. Squeeze in the lemon and stir in. Remove from heat and serve on top of steamed brown rice. Season with salt and pepper.

Listening To:

Adele - Someone Like You

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Obsessed with her new album!

Sesame Seed Chicken

You know when you're a kid and you have those same handful of favourite meals that you ask for over and over again, that you never seem to get sick of? For most kids that seems to be pizza, Kraft dinner, and even cereal, but for me it was always Sesame Seed Chicken. I remember whenever I would have friends over for dinner, I would always request Sesame Seed Chicken so that I could impress them with a delicious meal (that, at the time, I had no role in preparing). I even remember my friends parents calling up my mom to ask for the recipe, because they couldn't believe how their children had raved about this chicken (Sam Young I'm talkin' about you!). What really amazed me was that just about any time I would ask to have Sesame Seed Chicken for dinner, my request would be granted! It can baffle a child's mind that something you like so much can actually be something you can get just about whenever you want it! I mean, whenever I wanted cotton candy I would never get that for dinner. So how come Sesame Seed Chicken?

The truth is Sesame Seed Chicken is incredibly easy to make, requires very few ingredients, is inexpensive, a good source of protein, and...well, it tastes pretty damn good so my parents didn't mind having it over and over again either. Just like your average chicken fingers, Sesame Seed Chicken features moist and tender chicken on the inside, with a light and crunchy breading on the outside. My chicken is given a twist with the nutty flavour of sesame seeds shining through every bite, a simple addition that changes the dish entirely!

Tip: To make this dish healthier, bake your chicken strips in the oven as opposed to frying them!

Ingredients:

24 Ritz crackers

1/2 tsp salt

dash of pepper

dash of paprika

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 egg plus 2 tbsp water

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

oil for frying

Directions:

1. In a food processor, pulse together the crackers with salt, pepper, and paprika to make fine crumbs. Stir in the sesame seeds. Transfer to a flat plate.

2. Beat the egg with the water and transfer to a flat plate.

3. Cut chicken into strips, about 1 1/2 inches wide. The size and shape doesn't have to be exact, just try to make each piece similar so that they all fry (or bake) at the same time.

4. In a large frying pan or griddle, heat a generous layer of oil at medium heat.

5. Dip and coat the chicken strips in the egg mixture, then dip and coat in the crumb mixture (keep one hand clean so you can ensure there is no cross contamination!). Brown strips in hot oil in batches (making sure not to crowd the pan), for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels, and serve with your favourite dipping sauce.

Listening To:

Metronomy - On Dancefloors

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