Chicken Breasts with Garlic and Balsamic Vinegar

Do you ever have those weeks where nothing sounds good? And you don't feel like cooking?

A few weeks ago I was at a loss as to what to make for dinner. I really did not have a taste for anything special and did not feel like trying anything new. It was so cold outside and I thought maybe I would make some Macaroni and Cheese or a pasta dish but I just did not want to mess with making a sauce! So I delved into my files and found a recipe I'd made two years ago and although we loved it I had completely forgotten all about it!

I've tried this recipe with basil but it's really best exactly how it's written with fresh Thyme and Bay Leaf. And I add either Almond, Pecan or Walnut meal to the breading and it makes the sautéed chicken so much better!







Chicken Breasts with Garlic & Balsamic Vinegar
Recipe adapted from "Cuisine Rapide" by Pierre Franey

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 lbs)
Salt to taste, if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3/4 lb small to medium mushrooms
2 TBL flour
2 TBL olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
3/4 c. chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dry
1 tsp butter

My addition: 1/2 c. Almond, Pecan or Walnut meal

1. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper

2. Season flour with salt and pepper and dredge the chicken breasts in the mixture. Shake off excess. I add about 1/2 c. Almond, Pecan or Walnut meal to the flour mix.

3. Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken breasts until nicely browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic cloves.

4. Turn the chicken pieces and scatter the mushrooms over them. Continue cooking, shaking the skillet and redistributing the mushrooms so that they cook evenly. Cook about 3 minutes and add the balsamic vinegar, broth, bay leaf, and thyme.

5. Cover tightly and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Turn pieces occasionally.

6. Transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter and cover with foil. Cook the sauce with the mushrooms, uncovered, over medium-high heat for 7 minutes. Swirl in the butter.

7. Discard the bay leaf. Pour the mushrooms and sauce over the chicken and serve.









All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Easy Fried Rice

So far so good with my Ten in 10 Challenge. I was at the gym three times last week and I would have been there four times if there hadn't been a blizzard last Thursday! But it snowed for hours and there was no way I was going make it to the gym. But I did workout by shoveling a 2' wide path to our barn, does that count? I expected to be a little sore but I actually felt much more energetic then I have in months.

I have to admit, I'm surprised at how tasty some of the low calorie recipes have been so far. The Mussels with Tarragon Cream I made last week was very good and this week I made another Weight Watchers recipe, Easy Fried Rice which I enjoyed very much! I did add 1 clove of minced Garlic which is only 4 calories so not a biggie. I also substituted 4 Green Onions for the Scallions and I did cut down the Soy Sauce to about a 1 TBL which was plenty.







Easy Fried Rice
Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup scallions, sliced, divided (I used 4 Green Onions cut into coins)
3 cups cooked white rice
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, or to taste (I used abt 1 TBL soy sauce)
2 spray(s) cooking spray

My additions:
1 clove of garlic, minced

POINTS Value: 3
Serving: 6 @ 3/4 c. each

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; warm pan over medium-high heat. Add eggs; tilt pan so that eggs cover bottom.

When eggs start to set, break them up into pieces with a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon. Cook until eggs are cooked through, about 1 minute more; remove eggs them from skillet and set aside.

Off heat, recoat same skillet with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat. Add carrots and all but 2 tablespoons scallions and add garlic if you decide to use it; sauté until carrots are crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in cooked rice, peas and soy sauce; cook until heated through, stirring once or twice, about 1 minute. Gently stir in cooked egg and remaining scallions; heat through.










If you're interested in joining the Ten in 10 Challenge please contact Lori at RecipeGirl!




All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Mexican Rice ***WOW***

I love blog hopping but I just can't seem to find the time for serious food drool. Since we finished the construction project, it just seems like there's one thing after another that take up my time. And now that no construction crews are here making a mess, I have to clean the house too because there's no one left to blame it on!

But I had a free hour and I sat down to do some cruising. As I was casually going from blog to blog to blog, I happened upon Kim's blog, Stirring the Pot. And all of a sudden a recipe caught my attention! Hmmm....Mexican Rice! And after reading the recipe I knew I had to try it!

And this was a no kidding, hands down, fabulous dish!

Delicious does not come close to how good it was. And to make it even better squeeze a wedge of lime over the top! Gosh I wish I had some right now!!









Mexican Rice
Recipe adapted from RecipeZaar

12 ounces tomatoes, very ripe and cored
1 medium white onion (I used 6 green onions chopped)
3 medium jalapenos (I used 1 medium sized jalapeno)
2 cups long grain white rice
1/3 cup canola oil
4 minced garlic cloves
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste (may omit if using canned tomatoes)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced

Garnish: Lime Wedges

1. Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350.

2. Process tomato and onion in processor or blender until pureed and thoroughly smooth. Transfer mixture to measuring cup and reserve exactly 2 cups. Discard excess.

3. Remove ribs and seeds from 2 jalapenos and discard. Mince flesh and set aside. Mince remaining jalapeno. Set aside.

4. Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear- about 1 1/2 minutes.Shake rice vigorously to remove excess water.This step removes the starch from the rice so it will not stick. IF YOU OMIT THIS STEP YOUR RICE WILL NOT BE DRY AND FLUFFY.

5. Heat oil in heavy bottomed oven safe 12 inch straight sided saute pan or Dutch oven with tight fitting lid over medium high heat about 2 minutes. (The recipe is very specific about this but I used a 10 inch dutch oven and it worked out fine.) Drop a few rice grains in and if they sizzle then it is ready. Add rice and fry stirring until rice is light golden and translucent, about 6-8 minutes.

6. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and 2 minced jalapenos and cook , stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes.

7. Stir in broth, pureed mixture,tomato paste, and salt. Increase heat to medium high, and bring to a boil.

8. Cover pan and transfer pan to oven to bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30-35 minutes. Stir well after 15 minutes.

9. Stir in cilantro, minced jalapeno to taste.

10. Serve with a lime wedge







Foodie Friday is graciously hosted by Michael of Designs by Gollum. Please visit Designs by Gollum and see more wonderful creations!







All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

TFF - Risotto-Style Strawberry Rice Pudding

I was thinking today that summer is almost half over and I'm not very happy about that. This is the first summer in three years we have not been in construction on the house. And I really have enjoyed relaxing without the sound of power tools in the background. So far we've had a gorgeous summer here in Illinois with warm days and cool nights and I've taken full advantage of it.

With all the construction behind us I've had time to concentrate on summer themed meals and it's been fun. Our dinners have been light meals and my desserts pretty and refreshing. When I found Tyler's recipe for Risotto-Style Strawberry Rice Pudding I knew I had to try it.

But when I read the reviews of this recipe, many people had problems with it being too runny so I decided to try a different method. Although I did make the rice pudding on the stove top, to finish I put the pudding in a baking dish and baked it at 350 degrees for almost an hour and it turned out very nice. For the strawberry sauce I cut down the lemon juice to 2 TBL and added about 1/2 cup of Riesling and it was scrumptiously delicious! (**See Note on Riesling) I topped the pudding with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

The Risotto-Style Strawberry Rice Pudding was absolutely delicious. So much so that I had 2 bowls full this morning for breakfast. I'd like to try this with fresh raspberries or blueberries too. Definitely a keeper recipe and one that has room for much experimentation!






Risotto-Style Strawberry Rice Pudding
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

1 quart strawberries, rinsed and hulled
1 cup sugar
1 lemon, zest finely grated and juiced
1 quart milk
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup Arborio rice
Pinch kosher salt

Cut strawberries into medium-size dice. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and lemon juice. Cook until berries are soft and the juices have thickened slightly, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until it starts to steam. Remove one cup of milk, set it aside, and keep it warm. Stir into the larger pan of milk the remaining sugar, the vanilla bean and seeds, and the rice. Lower heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Add the reserved milk, lemon zest, butter, and salt. Stir well and remove from the heat. This should have a more liquid consistency than regular risotto.

To serve, layer rice pudding and strawberry mixture in tall clear glasses. Chill.


**Wine Note: Chateau St. Jean's Riesling is a very sweet white wine. Personally I did not care for this wine but used in desserts it is excellent.






Please visit Tyler Florence Fridays and see what the rest of Tyler's groupies are up too this week.








All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Whisk Wednesday -- Cuisses de Grenouille aux Herbes

From Wikipedia: "Frogs' legs are one of the better-known delicacies of French and Chinese cuisine. They are also eaten in other regions, such as the Caribbean, the region of Alentejo, in Portugal, northwest Greece, Spain and the Midwest southern regions of the United States. A type of frog called the edible frog is most often used for this dish. They are often said to taste like chicken[1] because of their mild flavor, with a texture most similar to chicken wings[2]. Frogs are raised commercially in certain countries, e.g. Vietnam."


I've been very bad about posting my Whisk Wednesdays recipes!!! This is a very busy time for me and frankly although I made Cuisses de Grenouille aux Herbes or Frog Legs with Herbs, the week passed so quickly and I completely forgot about posting. I did not follow the recommended recipe but used my own recipe of how I remembered my Mom making Frog Legs on a late summer's day in a little cottage on a lake.

Some people might think that associating Mother's Day with Frogs is rather odd. But when I told my Mom about my post she just laughed.


Happy Mother's Day MOM!


When I was growing up in MI we had a cottage on Sage Lake and we stayed at our cottage almost every weekend. Sage Lake was not well populated at the time, in fact it was quite desolate. The lake averaged a depth of 80' and was not for swimming and no one dared touch the bottom due to leeches...YUCK! Once I saw a huge snapping turtle swimming by and I don't think I need to tell you that that ended my swimming in Sage Lake.

I was the oldest but still not old enough to drive, so us kids basically fished all day long. We had no TV and there really was not much to do except fish, build tree forts, explore the area and pick berries. When it rained we bought out all the comic books at the closest tackle shop. It was a blast.

When we ran out of fish bait, my brother, Kevin, and cousin, Keith, would catch these large bull frogs and when I say large, I mean LARGE. My uncle set a rule that we could only keep fish, mostly Bluegills, if they were as big as our hand. But no limit was ever set on the Bull Frogs but stretched out they had to be at least 15" long. HUGE!

We always had one last fish fry for the season and cleaned out the freezer of ALL the fish we'd caught over the summer. Of course this included the Frog Leg's that my brother and cousin had caught. I have no recollection of ever cleaning frog legs but I do remember eating them.

Although it is said that Frog Legs taste like chicken, the meat is actually much sweeter then chicken and ohhhh, so tender. I lightly breaded the Frog Legs and then saute and served over Garlic infused White Rice. It was delicious!






Frog Legs
Recipe developed in the kitchen of Big-Black-Dog

4 pairs of frog legs
1/2 c. white flour
2 TBL almond meal
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
2 TBL EVOO
1 TBL Butter

Mix the flour, almond meal, salt and pepper. Place the flour mix on a plate and lightly bread the frog legs. Heat EVOO and butter in a large frying pan and saute the Frog Legs careful to not over cook. The Frog Legs cook rather quickly so saute not more then 4-5 minutes per side.


Garlic Infused White Rice
Recipe developed in the kitchen of Big-Black-Dog

1 c. White Rice
2 c. water
3-4 green onion cut into coins
1/2 c. fresh parsley, minced
3 TBL EVOO
3-4 garlic cloves, whole

Cook rice as per instructions on bag. Set aside. Heat EVOO in large frying pan until warm. Put whole garlic cloves in EVOO and saute until just soft and golden brown on all sides. Remove garlic cloves and on a cutting board smash softened garlic with a fork and return to pan. Add cooked rice, onion coins and parsley and blend until oil completely covers rice. Heat through. Serve.



All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Whisk Wednesday -- Pintade a la Cevenole

This week for Whisk Wednesday our lesson was Pintade a la Cevenole or Guinea Hen with Mushrooms and Chestnuts.





I had this entire dish prepped and all ready to begin and had just put 2 TBL of butter in my frying pan when there was a loud BOOM and we lost all power. I knew what had happened as it has happened at least twice a year for 10 years now. The boom was our transformer blowing out and I would bet a squirrel was the culprit!



So I chucked everything in the fridge and waited and waited and waited. Finally at 7:30 pm the electric was restored but by that time I was too tired to cook. So we had popcorn for dinner and it was delicious!! So I made my Whisk recipe for tonight's dinner but unfortunately Mr. Tastebud's is working late. Oh well, blame it on the squirrel!


Still no Guinea Hen to be found in my area, so this time I substituted chicken. I also added a few potato fingerlings and served it over rice. And I cooked this in my Tagine rather then a covered pot. I love cooking in a Tagine, it makes the whole dish so special.







Pintade a la Cevenole
Recipe adapted from Le Cordon Bleu at Home

3/4 slab bacon, sliced 1/8" thick
12 TBL butter
1/2 lb pearl onions, peeled
1 lb oyster mushrooms
3/4 lb button mushrooms
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 guinea hens, 2 lbs each
1 TBL vegetable oil
2 c. red wine
1 Bouquet Garni
3/4 lb whole shelled chestnuts
3 shallots
1 TBL parsley

Flour for dredging
Butter, softened for parchment paper








All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Whisk Wednesday --- Sole Belle Meuniere

OH MY...this was just a wonderful dinner. Once again Whisk Wednesdays hit the spot. I do love any fish but rarely make it at home. Fish always seemed to me to be too much trouble to cook but really fish is no trouble at all.

Finding the correct variety of fish for a recipe is a huge problem in my area. We have no fish market to speak of, so I am a victim of what's available at the moment and what looks fresh. I did find some sole, but it did not look good to me so opted for some wonderful Orange Roughy fillets.

I served the fish with a side of mixed white and wild rice laced with pinenuts and EVOO and a small, tossed salad with Green Goddess Dressing. It was just yummy!



Sole Belle Meuniere
Recipe adapted from "Le Cordon Bleu at Home"

2 lemons
6 whole sole, 1/2 lb each (I substituted Orange Roughy)
4 TBL vegetable oil
15 TBL unsalted butter
12 large mushrooms, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 c. flour
2 TBL chopped parsley


Here's a picture of the Orange Roughy before I remembered to add the mushrooms!




All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog