I wish I had the skill/patience to make cookies as cute as these!

Check out the rest here.

This Chicken Cordon Bleu (Chicken breast, stuffed with ham and cheese) recipe lightens the traditional fried version by using part-skim mozzarella in place of the fattier swiss cheese and by baking instead of frying. The prosciutto brings a lot more flavor to the dish than the deli ham that most recipes call for. We were happy with the results.

Chicken Cordon Bleu
Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

I made these baked potatoes from the Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook, and for the first time, I was slightly disappointed.

Disappointed probably isn’t the word, because the potatoes were…good. They just weren’t as good as the other recipes I’ve tried from the book. The sauce was fine, but nothing spectacular, and I know that oven-baked potatoes are supposed to be better than the microwave kind, but since this recipe didn’t do anything to the skins, there really wasn’t much of a difference in the actual texture of the potato.

In short, there’s nothing wrong with the recipe below, but I probably won’t make it again. It wasn’t special enough to be worth the trouble. On the plus side, the sour cream/yogurt sauce is lower in fat and calories than the traditional butter & sour cream mixture, and doesn’t really sacrifice any flavor.

Baked Potatoes with Yogurt & Sour Cream
Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook

• 4 Idaho russet baking potatoes
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus extra for garnish
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Wash the potatoes and place them directly on the oven baking rack. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until very tender when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, combine the yogurt, sour cream, chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and place in a serving bowl. Garnish with extra chives. Chill.

When potatoes are done, cut them down the middle and squeeze both ends. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve the hot baked potatoes with the cold chive dressing.

A Chicken & 40 Cloves is a classic dish, and it should be, because it’s delicious. Like so many other classic dishes, Alton Brown is our source for the ultimate Chicken & 40 Cloves, intially. We’ve had it several times before, but this time I tried it with a twist, using Cornish Game Hens in place of the normal chicken. It was definitely a success. The cornish game hens made the meal seem a little fancier than our average dinner around here, but if you prefer, you can make this dish with any skin-on, bone-in chicken. We’ve used a whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces before, and we’ve also used this method on a couple of split chicken breasts. In a pinch, we’ve even used boneless skinless chicken breasts (which isn’t quite as good, but is passable).

I served this chicken with parmesan risotto and lots of crusty bread to soak up the tasty garlic oil, spread with soft, sweet cloves of roasted garlic. The garlic bread might be the best part!

“Baby” Chicken & 40 Cloves (Cornish Game Hens)
Adapted from Alton Brown’s A Chicken & 40 Cloves

• 3 cornish game hens, cleaned and patted dry
• 1 cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
• 40 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled, but kept whole
• salt & freshly cracked pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large, oven-safe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat, just until the surface starts to shimmer.

Sprinkle salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning over the breast side of the cornish game hens and then place breast side down in the skillet. Heat for 4-5 minutes or until the skin begins to brown. Flip each hen over.

Add all 40 cloves of garlic to the pan, around the cornish hens, and pour the remaining cup of olive oil over the whole skillet. Bake for 1 hour, until chicken is cooked through and garlic is soft and  spreadable.

Note: I know a cup of oil sounds crazy, but it’s delicious garlic oil that goes deliciously on bread, or can be drizzled over vegetables or mashed potatoes. And don’t waste that garlic. Get yourself a crusty loaf of french or italian bread, slice it, lightly toast it, then brush each slice with some of your garlic oil. Spread one or two cloves of the roasted garlic, then sprinkle with just a smidge of parmesan cheese. Roasted garlic has such a sweet, mellow flavor compared to the garlic you’re probably used to. You don’t know what you’re missing.

I actually smash the leftover garlic into a paste and save it for other dishes. I’ve added leftovers from this batch to pasta salad, mashed potatoes, and sun-dried tomato aioli. I wonder what I’ll do with the rest?

For the past few seasons, I’ve watched The Biggest Loser pretty regularly. Sure, there’s nothing realistic about the conditions, and yes, they fall into the reality show trap of drama, drama, drama. But despite all of that, it’s still really inspiring what the contestants are able to accomplish in just a few weeks on the ranch.

I picked up The Biggest Loser Cookbook a while back, and finally got around to trying one of the recipes last week when I made their Pecan Crusted Chicken.

As the book said, the breading contains enough pecans to be satisfying, but not enough to make the crust unhealthy. This recipe was pretty simple, though I made a few changes to up the flavor a little bit. The recipe below is my take on this tasty dish.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken
Adapted from The Biggest Loser Cookbook

• 1 large egg white
• 4 tablespoons minced toasted pecans
• 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• fresh cracked black pepper
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray, or cover with parchment paper. In a small shallow bowl, beat the egg white, honey, and mustard with a fork.

In another small bowl, combine the toasted pecans, bread crumbs, parsley, salt, and pepper. Spread on a sheet of wax paper. Dip each chicken breast into the egg white/mustard mixture to coat. Place the smooth side of the breast on the nut mixture; press to adhere. Place the breast, nut side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the other chicken breasts and place on the baking sheet, so that the pieces are not touching.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until no longer pink. Let stand 5 minutes.

Note: If you’ve never toasted pecans, it’s pretty simple to do. You can either spread them in a single layer on a non-stick baking sheet and bake on the top rack of a 350 degree oven for 2-4 minutes until lightly browned. You can also toast pecans or other nuts in a small skillet over medium heat. Keep an eye on them, because they can burn quickly. Your nose will know when they’re done though–toasted pecans smell delicious!

I found this dish on The Knot website when I was still buried in wedding planning last summer, but it sounded promising, so I bookmarked it. We’ve made it twice now. The first time, as listed below. The second time, I used a whole package of noodles, which lightened it quite a bit by spreading the creamy cheese sauce out over a greater number of servings. Anyway, it’s great as written, but easily made healthier, which is a nice feature in a recipe.

Chicken Noodles Romanoff
From the cookbook Most Loved Casseroles by Jean Paré

• 5 cups medium egg noodles
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup 2% cottage cheese
• 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon onion flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Cook noodles in boiling salted water in large uncovered saucepan or Dutch oven for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm. Drain. Return to same saucepan.

Add next 9 ingredients. Stir. Transfer to greased 3 quart casserole.

Sprinkle with second amount of Cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered, in 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes until heated through.

Note: You don’t have to use leftover chicken. If you need to make the chicken from scratch: Start with 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 – 6 ounces each). Place in a large frying pan with 1 cup water or chicken broth. Simmer, covered, for 12 to 14 minutes until no longer pink inside. Drain. Chop. Makes about 2 cups of cooked chicken.

I substituted low fat cheese and low fat sour cream to make this dish a little bit healthier, and the taste didn’t suffer at all. It’s really a nice comfort food style casserole; like macaroni & cheese, but with a lighter taste and texture.

I like lasagna. And who doesn’t? What I don’t like about lasagna is all of the work involved. I just don’t have the patience for all the layers, etc., especially after working all day. But rather than relegate the whole lasagna concept to the weekends, when I have the time and energy to bother, I started making this quick lasagna casserole dish. Affectionately, we call this “Fake Lasagna,” and it’s really quite good. All the flavor and none of the fuss!

Ravioli Lasagna Fake-Out (Fake Lasagna)

• 16 ounce package of cheese ravioli, frozen. (We use the Kirkland brand from Costco)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 regular sized jar of spaghetti sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 pound ground beef (or 1/2 pound ground beef, 1/2 pound Italian sausage)
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• salt & pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot full of salted water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and the frozen ravioli. Boil for 3-4 minutes, until the ravioli float to the top. Drain and reserve.

2. In a large skillet, season the ground beef with Italian seasoning, salt & pepper, and garlic. Brown and drain. Return to skillet. Stir in the jar of spaghetti sauce.

3. Spray a 2 or 2 1/2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Add a spoonful of the spaghetti sauce mixture and spread across the bottom of the dish in a thin layer. (This keeps the pasta from sticking to the dish when you scoop it out later).

4. Place a single layer of ravioli on top of the sauce. Cover the ravioli with a ladle of the sauce/meat mixture. Sprinkle with about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Begin a new layer of ravioli, top with sauce and cheese. Continue in this way until the casserole dish is full. I usually end up with at least 4 layers, but this will depend on how thick your ravioli are. You should end with a final layer of mozzarella cheese.

5. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the mozzarella cheese. You like cheese, right?

Another soup? I know, right?

Truth be told, David had to have a tooth pulled, and that had me seeking out soft things for him to eat. There’s not much softer than soup!

This chicken & dumpling soup was a tasty, quick meal. Using store-bought chicken stock gave this dish a long-cooked taste, even though it was finished in about half an hour. Fresh herbs really upped the flavor profile from what you’d normally expect in a quick soup. All in all, I was pleased.

Herbed Chicken & Dumpling Soup
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

• Cooking spray
• 8  ounces  skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3/4  cup  (1/4-inch) diagonally cut celery
• 1/2  cup  (1/4-inch) diagonally cut carrot
• 1/2  cup  chopped onion
• 1/8  teaspoon  dried thyme
• 3  parsley sprigs
• 1  bay leaf
• 3  cups chicken stock
• 2.25  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  cup  1% low-fat milk

This post isn’t really about making chili. I mean, I’ll tell you how we make chili, and you can choose to follow our recipe. The chili we make around here is good, but not a whole lot better or worse than most other homemade chili, in my experience. (Of course, that could because I grew up in a home that had excellent chili). It’s hard to say.

This post is about making chili for everyone.

You see, I am a whimp. No, really, I am. In just about every way possible. I’ll whine about working too much, or being tired, or doing laundry, or doing the dishes. I get hurt when I trip, when I stumble, when I bang my hand on the corner of the kitchen counters, when I hit my head, when I break a nail, when I stub my toe, and when I wear high heels. And of course, when I cut my finger with scissors, a knife, or sheets of paper. I’m clumsy, and I’m whiny, and everything hurts me.

In related news, I don’t get along well with spicy, spicy foods. I can handle “medium” spiciness on most things, especially if there are mitigating factors like crackers, and cheese, and sour cream. David, on the other hand, prefers spicy, spicy foods. What to do?

When David first started making chili at his old apartment, he made a large pot of chili and pulled aside a tiny amount for me before he really flavored the batch he and his friends would eat. The good thing was that the chili wasn’t too spicy for me. The bad thing was that my tiny pot of chili was actually pretty bland, even by my standards. The other bad thing was that I never got in on any of the leftovers–one of the best parts of a big pot of chili!

So David thought and he thought and he finally came up with the solution. Put the hot “on the side.” So that’s what we do. David dices up every kind of chile imaginable (at least every kind that our grocery store can imagine) and lets them stew in their own small crockpot all day long. The result is a very spicy blend of delicious chile flavor that can be added to the larger pot of chili as you like. I usually skip it entirely, but David includes a couple of large spoonfuls per bowl of chili. Saner people might add just a spoonful.

This whole method is especially awesome for having people over for chili. It’s hard to please everyone, right? This makes it easier.

David’s “Variable Hotness” Chili

For the Chili:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound of other ground meat (we usually use 1/2 pound of ground pork and 1/2 pound of ground buffalo meat, for a total of 2 pounds of meat)
• 1 large can of “hot” chili beans
• 1 large can of “mild” chili beans
• 1 large can of tomato juice (divided)
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili powder

1. In a large stock pot, brown the ground meat together. When browned, drain the fat from the skillet.

2. Add the next 4 ingredients to the pot and heat over medium heat. There is no need to drain the beans or tomatoes. I usually start with about half a can of tomato juice at this point. You may want to add more later, but remember to save some for the chile peppers.

3. Add the spices one at a time, stirring after each ingredient. This usually involves David and I both standing at the stove, adding and tasting, adding and tasting.

4. Transfer to a crockpot and let simmer on low until it’s time to eat. If your crockpot runs on the hotter side, you may want to start on low and then flip it to warm, since everything has been cooked through.

For the Chiles (The “Variable Hotness” part):

• 3-4 jalapeno peppers
• 2 poblano peppers
• 1 cubanelle pepper
• 3 habanero peppers
• 1 1/2 cups tomato juice (from the large can above)

1. Clean, seed, and dice all of the peppers. If you’ve never worked with these kinds of peppers before, I suggest wearing disposable latex gloves. It keeps the dangerous spicy chemicals off of your hands completely. Once you get that much heat on your hands, it can be really hard to wash off completely. If you use disposable gloves, you don’t have to worry about accidentally touching your eyes or something. That would suck.

2. Put the peppers and tomato juice in the bowl of a small crockpot. The baby ones, used for keeping dips warm, work well here. Simmer on low until the peppers are soft. We usually let this stew all day.

When you serve the chili, let everyone add their own level of heat by mixing in the warm, spicy pepper sauce.

Note: I don’t serve chili without plenty of sour cream, grated cheese, and oyster crackers, but do what you like. The last time we made chili, I also made those delicious corn muffins, which was a perfect compliment.

A long time ago, David and I tried a delicious arancini at this little Italian restaurant by his old apartment. It inspired me to try my own version of the fried balls of rice. The restaurant version had tomato sauce and italian sausage at the center. I actually tried two takes on the same dish one with traditional Italian flavors and one with mexican flavors (this later grew into Mexican Risotto).

The results were delicious, but a lot of trouble since I had to make risotto in the first place before I could form it into balls, toss them with bread crumbs, and fry them. Ina Garten has found a better way.

Her Chive Risotto Cakes recipe, from the Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook, avoids the whole issue of needing leftover risotto by creating a substitute recipe that is much simpler, with none of the constant stirring and careful attention required by a traditional risotto.

The risotto cakes are creamy and cheesy on the inside, and crunchy on the outside. They were  very good. This recipe made about 20 3-inch cakes. Think of them as the best hashbrowns you’ve ever had.

Sure, these Risotto Cakes were delicious as is, but I’m more excited to try my hand at arancini again–with this little shortcut tucked in my back pocket, I know they’ll be worth the trouble.

Chive Risotto Cakes
Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook

• kosher salt
• 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• 1 1/2 cups grated Italian Fontina cheese (about 5 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• good quality extra virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add a half tablespoon salt and the rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. The grains of rice will be quite soft. Drain the rice and run under cold water until cool. Drain well.

Meanwhile, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, chives, Fontina, 1¼ teaspoons salt and the pepper in a medium bowl. Add the cooled rice and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, until firm.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Spread the panko in a shallow dish. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Form balls of the rice mixture using a standard ice cream scoop or large spoon. Pat the balls into patties 3 inches in diameter and ¾ inches thick.

Place 4 to 6 patties in the panko, turning once to coat. Place the patties in the hot oil and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side until the risotto cakes are crisp and nicely browned. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment and keep warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes.

Note: Don’t miss the step where you have to chill the rice mixture for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight. This isn’t a last-minute kind of dish!