So did I ever tell you how much I ADORE Nora Ephron and her films?? I mean, the woman is my director soulmate. I just love all of them...starting of course, with When Harry Met Sally (which she wrote, but Rob Reiner directed). Then there's Sleepless in Seattle, my all-time favorite movie You've Got Mail, and her latest, Julie & Julia. The woman is brilliant. The songs she chooses always get me, and make me all warm and fuzzy. Her actors are hand-picked, and perfect for their roles. I mean come on, Meryl as Julia? Who better?!
I liked Julie Powell's book back in 2005. I rushed off to the library when it finally came in because I was broke and couldn't afford to buy it (ha, not much has changed there)...and literally read it in about 15 minutes. Ok, not really, but it's the only book I read in one day. ONE DAY. Do you know me? I am extremely, and I mean OVER-THE-TOP ADD. It is really, really hard for me to get through a whole book lately. I used to love reading. But it was always very hard for me to stay focused. The words danced around the page, doing backflips and somersaults, and my mind would easily wander to wonderland just by reading the word "rabbit". It was that bad. Thankfully, at 25, I finally took myself to a psychiatrist and was like "what's up with me??" After a couple tests, she said I was textbook ADD. No wonder! Sadly, I still find I will buy a bunch of books (from used bookstores of course) based on what I read on the back cover, which can be quite a convincing little paragraph, only to let them morbidly collect dust. Well not with Julie and Julia. I was enthralled.
The movie was even better. Obvi, it was Nora, so I knew it would be great. Add in Meryl and Stanley and hello, Oscar. (It's a shame they didn't win anything, it really is a shame.)
You have two very different settings in New York City in the 2000s and Paris in I think the 1960s? Talk about opposite worlds. It would be hard for me to portray that. Not for Nora. She segues from Paris to NYC and back again, over and over so perfectly, interspersing pearls and letters, and lots of Boeuf Bourguignon, so that Julie (Amy Adams) can adequately imitate Julia in her mastering of French cooking pursuit.
Julie's idea for the blog was inspired by Julia Child. And her task, if you haven't heard, was to make her way through Julia's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. "365 days, 524 recipes". Well, she did it, lobster-killing and all. My favorite scene is when Chris Messina, who plays Eric Powell, Julie's hubby, keeps whispering "lobster killer...lobster killer" while the Talking Heads' "Psycho killer" plays in the not-so-distant background. I mean, inspired.
In case we were wondering, Nora's done it again. The woman's still got it.
But I was feeling rather un-inspired last night. With my boss, with my job (we won't go there), with the fact that I have a very difficultly-earned college degree in English, and I'm not using it. I feel like I've wasted my twenties (I'm still in the middle of them, but they feel OVER) and I'm so not ready for thirty. There were so many goals I wanted to accomplish by age thirty. It's less than 4 years away, and the days go by so fast. And I haven't really anything to show for it..well, this is the way I was feeling last night. Gloomy and downtrodden and a real head case to be around. So I crawled into bed and logged into Netflix, clicked on Watch Instant, clicked on Starz Play, and literally tossed my popcorn up in the air when I realized Julie & Julia was featured. Feeling a little less depressed, because Nora always has the right words to say, I watched it.
And today, after work, I baked a beautiful apple pie. My first apple pie. Homemade. And it was wonderful.
Be merry,
Shannon
Friday, May 21, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
I found this recipe for Teriyaki Chicken here but I did tweak it majorly last night when my sinus headache was pretty extreme and my boyfriend the chef was at the restaurant and couldn't take care of me. I know, I give myself sick pity parties. I hate being sick!! (Do check out the actual recipe from the website though, bc there is a killer recipe for homemade teriyaki sauce I can't wait to try out...when I'm not sick, of course.)
Teriyaki Chicken:
Ingredients:
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 bottle Teriyaki Sauce (I use World Harbors Teriyaki Marinade)
...and that's pretty much it...
Pre-heat oven to 200. Line a tray with foil (I use 100% recycled aluminum foil from Reynolds, and I think you should too!). Line chicken on tray, keeping about an inch apart. Baste chicken with 1/2 of Teriyaki sauce. Bake for 25 minutes. Turn chicken and coat with remaining sauce. Bake 10-15 more minutes. At this point I hike the temp to 350. Slice with knife to make sure chicken is cooked through. Unlike steak, chicken cannot be consumed at medium-rare. ;)
Serve over Basmati rice, with a salad.
Happy eating...
Shannon
Teriyaki Chicken:
Ingredients:
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 bottle Teriyaki Sauce (I use World Harbors Teriyaki Marinade)
...and that's pretty much it...
Pre-heat oven to 200. Line a tray with foil (I use 100% recycled aluminum foil from Reynolds, and I think you should too!). Line chicken on tray, keeping about an inch apart. Baste chicken with 1/2 of Teriyaki sauce. Bake for 25 minutes. Turn chicken and coat with remaining sauce. Bake 10-15 more minutes. At this point I hike the temp to 350. Slice with knife to make sure chicken is cooked through. Unlike steak, chicken cannot be consumed at medium-rare. ;)
Serve over Basmati rice, with a salad.
Happy eating...
Shannon
Chicken Teriyaki Kabobs with Pineapple
Aloha! This recipe is tropical and great for Summer~
Teriyaki Chicken:
Ingredients:
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 10-20 chicken tenders
1 bottle Teriyaki sauce (I use World Harbors Hawaiian Style Maui Mountain Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade)
1 large pineapple, cut into bite-sized chunks
Bamboo skewers
Crushed black pepper, to taste
Yellow, Orange and Green Bell Peppers
Instructions:
Cut chicken lengthwise into thin strips. Pour 3/4 of a bottle of Teriyaki sauce into a bowl. Marinate chicken strips in Teriyaki sauce for 1-2 hours.
Take 2 fresh pineapple chunks and skewer onto bamboo skewer. Take 1 chicken strip and zig-zag onto bamboo skewer. It kind of looks like a kinky shape...alternate between pineapple and chicken strips, until each bamboo skewer is full. Pack the skewers tightly (soak the skewers in water before filling and grilling to prevent the bamboo from burning). Crush black pepper over each skewer for a spicy kick. The contrast between the sweet pineapple and tangy Teriyaki sauce goes well with the crushed black pepper.
Grill. I like using a charcoal grill, for that smoky flavor that charcoal gives that's so tasty. I grill them for 15-20 minutes on a hot grill. You just want to keep checking, so the chicken doesn't dry out. Take the 1/4 Teriyaki sauce left in the bottle (not the bowl, it will taste chicken-y and isn't good for you --salmonella) and baste the chicken on the grill with the remainder of Teriyaki sauce.
Serve the Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs with a bowl of tropical fresh fruit like kiwi, mango, pineapple and papaya. I serve the kabobs with antipasto salad or potato salad. You could do a greens salad with one of the others. It's healthy and fresh and great for summer.
If you want to bring in more veggies, cut yellow, orange and green bell peppers into bite-size chunks and throw them on the skewer too. It's colorful and tasty. Your guests will think they are in Hawaii, at a luau. You could even pass out leis! That's what I always did at my Florida youth group parties...
Enjoy!
Teriyaki Chicken:
Ingredients:
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 10-20 chicken tenders
1 bottle Teriyaki sauce (I use World Harbors Hawaiian Style Maui Mountain Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade)
1 large pineapple, cut into bite-sized chunks
Bamboo skewers
Crushed black pepper, to taste
Yellow, Orange and Green Bell Peppers
Instructions:
Cut chicken lengthwise into thin strips. Pour 3/4 of a bottle of Teriyaki sauce into a bowl. Marinate chicken strips in Teriyaki sauce for 1-2 hours.
Take 2 fresh pineapple chunks and skewer onto bamboo skewer. Take 1 chicken strip and zig-zag onto bamboo skewer. It kind of looks like a kinky shape...alternate between pineapple and chicken strips, until each bamboo skewer is full. Pack the skewers tightly (soak the skewers in water before filling and grilling to prevent the bamboo from burning). Crush black pepper over each skewer for a spicy kick. The contrast between the sweet pineapple and tangy Teriyaki sauce goes well with the crushed black pepper.
Grill. I like using a charcoal grill, for that smoky flavor that charcoal gives that's so tasty. I grill them for 15-20 minutes on a hot grill. You just want to keep checking, so the chicken doesn't dry out. Take the 1/4 Teriyaki sauce left in the bottle (not the bowl, it will taste chicken-y and isn't good for you --salmonella) and baste the chicken on the grill with the remainder of Teriyaki sauce.
Serve the Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs with a bowl of tropical fresh fruit like kiwi, mango, pineapple and papaya. I serve the kabobs with antipasto salad or potato salad. You could do a greens salad with one of the others. It's healthy and fresh and great for summer.
If you want to bring in more veggies, cut yellow, orange and green bell peppers into bite-size chunks and throw them on the skewer too. It's colorful and tasty. Your guests will think they are in Hawaii, at a luau. You could even pass out leis! That's what I always did at my Florida youth group parties...
Enjoy!
Sinus issues, go away! And 2 Chicken Teriyaki recipes...
Well, the sinus infection is back, with a vengeance. Actually, I'm not certain it every went away. But the coughing, itchy sore throat, and post-nasal drip has graduated into a 2-day and counting sinus headache with slight fever.
Needless to say, I'm not eager to race to the stove. But one must eat (and on a tight budget, must cook for oneself!), so last night I cooked my second meal in our new digs: Chicken Teriyaki.
A friend of mine, Laura, Facebook-messaged me a few weeks ago, asking for tips and advice on cooking. She is a first-time mom with a less than 1 year old, and wants to learn new meals so that she is in the kitchen cooking every night. I mulled over some recipes, then sent her my favorite summer recipe, Chicken Teriyaki Kabobs with Pineapple and Green Pepper. In the process of typing her the recipe I couldn't help but to reminisce of summers past in Jupiter, FL when I was in high school and would have major youth group parties (our family had a pool) and I would prepare then grill this amazing summer dish. Let the salivating begin!
Needless to say, I'm not eager to race to the stove. But one must eat (and on a tight budget, must cook for oneself!), so last night I cooked my second meal in our new digs: Chicken Teriyaki.
A friend of mine, Laura, Facebook-messaged me a few weeks ago, asking for tips and advice on cooking. She is a first-time mom with a less than 1 year old, and wants to learn new meals so that she is in the kitchen cooking every night. I mulled over some recipes, then sent her my favorite summer recipe, Chicken Teriyaki Kabobs with Pineapple and Green Pepper. In the process of typing her the recipe I couldn't help but to reminisce of summers past in Jupiter, FL when I was in high school and would have major youth group parties (our family had a pool) and I would prepare then grill this amazing summer dish. Let the salivating begin!
Friday, May 7, 2010
Chicken Fajitas and Guacamole
Happy Cinco de Mayo (2 days late)! I was VERY sick with a sinus infection on the holiday, so I made this favorite dish last night with my fave topping, dip, appetizer, you name it, guacamole! Recipes below, enjoy!
Chicken Fajitas
I found this recipe on the Southern Food section of About.com. I am obsessed! I've since made it over 5 times, tweaking it each time. Even though it calls for zucchini, I haven't used zucchini yet, but that's just because I haven't found any fresh zucchini lately. Here it is:
Chicken fajitas with onions, sweet peppers, green onions, and other ingredients.
Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 3 boneless chicken breast halves, cut in thin strips
* 1 medium onion, cut in wedges
* 2 cloves garlic
* 4 mild green or red chile peppers, seeded and sliced
* 1 sweet red bell pepper, seeded and cut in strips
* 1 green bell pepper, seeded/cut in strips
* 1 zucchini, trimmed, cut in strips
* 8 flour tortillas, warmed
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* guacamole
* 1 bunch green onions, trimmed, sliced
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet; cook the chicken strips over high heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until cooked. Drain and serve.
Add the onion, garlic and chile peppers to the oil in the pan and sauté over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and zucchini; cook over high heat for 4 minutes, or until the vegetables have begun to have a blackened look around the edges.
Return the chicken to the pan and heat until sizzling hot. Serve right away, with warm tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, sliced green onions, and chopped tomatoes. Serve with hot cooked rice and refried beans, if desired.
Serves 4.
Shannon's notes: Ok, so I don't eat sour cream in general, but a dollop on this fajita is UH-MAZE-ING. Combined with homemade guacamole and a dash of hot sauce makes for a perfect chicken fajita. And you don't even have to go to Chipotle for it. You can make it in your very own home. (Even though I am a major fan of Chipotle, thanks to my best friend, Megan, who introduced me to this maker of HUGE fajita burritos!) :-)
I have my own recipe for guacamole I have been using for years, posted below. I think I make Mexican meals JUST for the guac. When you can get really good ripe avocados, it's too yummy. Really, it is. I made it last night, to go with my belated Cinco de Mayo extravaganza (and to celebrate my sense of taste returning from hiatus due to sinus issues...)
Note: I always use cast iron for chicken fajitas (and most other foods; cast iron is simply the best). Once the chicken is sizzled up,
I transfer it to another hot cast iron pan and toss the chicken with green chili powder Jeremy's friend Sam brought back from New Mexico (thanks, Sam!), 
and Rose's lime juice. The chicken soaks up the lime juice, and flavors it nicely. Yum!
Shannon's Homemade Guacamole:
This is basically a standard recipe for guacamole that I have been putting my own twist on for the past few years:
Ingredients:
2 large avocados
1 tomato
1 large onion
2 T fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 lime
1 T green chili powder
Cracked black pepper
Coarse sea salt
Preparation:
Halve avocados, remove pits and set aside (You will use 1 pit later).
Scoop out avocado flesh, transfer to medium size bowl (but if you have a mortar and pestle, transfer to the mortar). Mash away! You don't want any chunks of avocado sticking out, you want it evenly mashed.
This is my new mortar and pestle, by the way. Isn't she gorgeous?! I am so excited to finally have my first mortar and pestle, a kitchen tool I've been lusting after for years now. And a MARBLE mortar and pestle at that! (I got it from a thrift store for 4 bucks, which makes it even better.)
After adequately mashing up avocados, add in juice of 1/2 lime. Mash some more. Crush 1 garlic clove right into the mortar, mashing as you crush. Sprinkle in cracked pepper, and coarse sea salt to taste. Taste, taste! You will want to test out this recipe while making, not only because of the amazing flavors all melding together perfectly, but because you don't want your guac too spicy or garlicky or what have you.
Add in diced cilantro and 1/2 of onion, finely chopped. Once the onion is added, mash no more. The guac is becoming a fine consistency of wonderfulness, and you don't need to mash and crush any longer. Now, mix in the onion, making sure to scoop in the avocado and garlic, etc until it is nicely mixed together. Taste, of course, and if needed, add the other half of the lime (I always use the juice of one whole lime, because I am a lime fanatic. But you may not be).
Work in more of the onion, continuously mixing with large spoon. Hmm what else, ah yes, a dash of green chili powder. I use a generous portion because Jeremy likes his guac spicy. I keep the bag of chili powder handy because when Jeremy's around, he's always adding more to whatever spicy meal I've made. He likes to kick it up several notches, whereas I like my guacamole with a slight kick, but I mostly go crazy over the lime and avocado and sea salt combo, oh my!
At this point I transfer my gorgeous guac to a festive bowl, throw in that pit that you sat aside, right into the center (this prevents guac from browning), cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour before devouring with chips. I love really cold guacamole on a warm tostada chip. Mmmmm.
So now, take the tomato, cut it in half, and seed it. This means remove all the seeds because those seeds can be pesky in a dip, but you definitely DON'T want to remove the tomato skin. This is where all the nutrients live, so keep the skin on. I always remove the seeds then sprinkle a little salt and eat them right up. Very refreshing, and cuts back on food waste. Finely dice the tomato, then store in a sealed bowl and refrigerate. I use these little Pampered Chef ramekins that my mom got me for Christmas.
DEFINITELY one of my favorite Pampered Chef items, and so useful for storing foods for Mexican night. Thanks, Mom!
After guac is nicely chilled, add in tomato. Serve right away. You won't be able to hold back! Make sure to scoop a nice spoonful of guac right onto your fajita with all the other toppings. De--lish!
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
keeping it simple
The day I moved to Capitol Hill, I had a work meeting over at Kramerbooks at Dupont Circle. I've browsed this Washington establishment a few times, but never made a purchase. I figured I could treat myself with a "welcome to DC" book, so I grabbed a stack of books and a cup of coffee, and began perusing...nothing caught my eye though until I was making my way out the door and stumbled upon The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging. So I bought it, and have gleaned so much since! One suggestion the guide makes is to keep blog posts short and to the point. No one likes to stumble upon a super long entry; it makes one's eye wander to something else. We live in in ADD world! So I am going to be keeping this blog's entries shorter, and to the point. And about food.
I do have another blog, She Dreams (which I started a few years ago for a creative outlet), newly inspired by my favorite fashion blog, Sea of Shoes. She Dreams is all about people and things and photos that inspire me. This blog though, is a food blog. So here are some things I have been whipping up in the kitchen lately...
I do have another blog, She Dreams (which I started a few years ago for a creative outlet), newly inspired by my favorite fashion blog, Sea of Shoes. She Dreams is all about people and things and photos that inspire me. This blog though, is a food blog. So here are some things I have been whipping up in the kitchen lately...
Thursday, May 6, 2010
We moved!
Jeremy and I have moved, with my puppy George, to Capitol Hill! I cannot believe it myself. Every day, driving past the White House, the Capitol, the Monument, on my way home from work I just have to pinch myself. I love it here already, and am excited to start eating.
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Friday, May 21, 2010
Julie & Julia
So did I ever tell you how much I ADORE Nora Ephron and her films?? I mean, the woman is my director soulmate. I just love all of them...starting of course, with When Harry Met Sally (which she wrote, but Rob Reiner directed). Then there's Sleepless in Seattle, my all-time favorite movie You've Got Mail, and her latest, Julie & Julia. The woman is brilliant. The songs she chooses always get me, and make me all warm and fuzzy. Her actors are hand-picked, and perfect for their roles. I mean come on, Meryl as Julia? Who better?!
I liked Julie Powell's book back in 2005. I rushed off to the library when it finally came in because I was broke and couldn't afford to buy it (ha, not much has changed there)...and literally read it in about 15 minutes. Ok, not really, but it's the only book I read in one day. ONE DAY. Do you know me? I am extremely, and I mean OVER-THE-TOP ADD. It is really, really hard for me to get through a whole book lately. I used to love reading. But it was always very hard for me to stay focused. The words danced around the page, doing backflips and somersaults, and my mind would easily wander to wonderland just by reading the word "rabbit". It was that bad. Thankfully, at 25, I finally took myself to a psychiatrist and was like "what's up with me??" After a couple tests, she said I was textbook ADD. No wonder! Sadly, I still find I will buy a bunch of books (from used bookstores of course) based on what I read on the back cover, which can be quite a convincing little paragraph, only to let them morbidly collect dust. Well not with Julie and Julia. I was enthralled.
The movie was even better. Obvi, it was Nora, so I knew it would be great. Add in Meryl and Stanley and hello, Oscar. (It's a shame they didn't win anything, it really is a shame.)
You have two very different settings in New York City in the 2000s and Paris in I think the 1960s? Talk about opposite worlds. It would be hard for me to portray that. Not for Nora. She segues from Paris to NYC and back again, over and over so perfectly, interspersing pearls and letters, and lots of Boeuf Bourguignon, so that Julie (Amy Adams) can adequately imitate Julia in her mastering of French cooking pursuit.
Julie's idea for the blog was inspired by Julia Child. And her task, if you haven't heard, was to make her way through Julia's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. "365 days, 524 recipes". Well, she did it, lobster-killing and all. My favorite scene is when Chris Messina, who plays Eric Powell, Julie's hubby, keeps whispering "lobster killer...lobster killer" while the Talking Heads' "Psycho killer" plays in the not-so-distant background. I mean, inspired.
In case we were wondering, Nora's done it again. The woman's still got it.
But I was feeling rather un-inspired last night. With my boss, with my job (we won't go there), with the fact that I have a very difficultly-earned college degree in English, and I'm not using it. I feel like I've wasted my twenties (I'm still in the middle of them, but they feel OVER) and I'm so not ready for thirty. There were so many goals I wanted to accomplish by age thirty. It's less than 4 years away, and the days go by so fast. And I haven't really anything to show for it..well, this is the way I was feeling last night. Gloomy and downtrodden and a real head case to be around. So I crawled into bed and logged into Netflix, clicked on Watch Instant, clicked on Starz Play, and literally tossed my popcorn up in the air when I realized Julie & Julia was featured. Feeling a little less depressed, because Nora always has the right words to say, I watched it.
And today, after work, I baked a beautiful apple pie. My first apple pie. Homemade. And it was wonderful.
Be merry,
Shannon
I liked Julie Powell's book back in 2005. I rushed off to the library when it finally came in because I was broke and couldn't afford to buy it (ha, not much has changed there)...and literally read it in about 15 minutes. Ok, not really, but it's the only book I read in one day. ONE DAY. Do you know me? I am extremely, and I mean OVER-THE-TOP ADD. It is really, really hard for me to get through a whole book lately. I used to love reading. But it was always very hard for me to stay focused. The words danced around the page, doing backflips and somersaults, and my mind would easily wander to wonderland just by reading the word "rabbit". It was that bad. Thankfully, at 25, I finally took myself to a psychiatrist and was like "what's up with me??" After a couple tests, she said I was textbook ADD. No wonder! Sadly, I still find I will buy a bunch of books (from used bookstores of course) based on what I read on the back cover, which can be quite a convincing little paragraph, only to let them morbidly collect dust. Well not with Julie and Julia. I was enthralled.
The movie was even better. Obvi, it was Nora, so I knew it would be great. Add in Meryl and Stanley and hello, Oscar. (It's a shame they didn't win anything, it really is a shame.)
You have two very different settings in New York City in the 2000s and Paris in I think the 1960s? Talk about opposite worlds. It would be hard for me to portray that. Not for Nora. She segues from Paris to NYC and back again, over and over so perfectly, interspersing pearls and letters, and lots of Boeuf Bourguignon, so that Julie (Amy Adams) can adequately imitate Julia in her mastering of French cooking pursuit.
Julie's idea for the blog was inspired by Julia Child. And her task, if you haven't heard, was to make her way through Julia's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. "365 days, 524 recipes". Well, she did it, lobster-killing and all. My favorite scene is when Chris Messina, who plays Eric Powell, Julie's hubby, keeps whispering "lobster killer...lobster killer" while the Talking Heads' "Psycho killer" plays in the not-so-distant background. I mean, inspired.
In case we were wondering, Nora's done it again. The woman's still got it.
But I was feeling rather un-inspired last night. With my boss, with my job (we won't go there), with the fact that I have a very difficultly-earned college degree in English, and I'm not using it. I feel like I've wasted my twenties (I'm still in the middle of them, but they feel OVER) and I'm so not ready for thirty. There were so many goals I wanted to accomplish by age thirty. It's less than 4 years away, and the days go by so fast. And I haven't really anything to show for it..well, this is the way I was feeling last night. Gloomy and downtrodden and a real head case to be around. So I crawled into bed and logged into Netflix, clicked on Watch Instant, clicked on Starz Play, and literally tossed my popcorn up in the air when I realized Julie & Julia was featured. Feeling a little less depressed, because Nora always has the right words to say, I watched it.
And today, after work, I baked a beautiful apple pie. My first apple pie. Homemade. And it was wonderful.
Be merry,
Shannon
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
I found this recipe for Teriyaki Chicken here but I did tweak it majorly last night when my sinus headache was pretty extreme and my boyfriend the chef was at the restaurant and couldn't take care of me. I know, I give myself sick pity parties. I hate being sick!! (Do check out the actual recipe from the website though, bc there is a killer recipe for homemade teriyaki sauce I can't wait to try out...when I'm not sick, of course.)
Teriyaki Chicken:
Ingredients:
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 bottle Teriyaki Sauce (I use World Harbors Teriyaki Marinade)
...and that's pretty much it...
Pre-heat oven to 200. Line a tray with foil (I use 100% recycled aluminum foil from Reynolds, and I think you should too!). Line chicken on tray, keeping about an inch apart. Baste chicken with 1/2 of Teriyaki sauce. Bake for 25 minutes. Turn chicken and coat with remaining sauce. Bake 10-15 more minutes. At this point I hike the temp to 350. Slice with knife to make sure chicken is cooked through. Unlike steak, chicken cannot be consumed at medium-rare. ;)
Serve over Basmati rice, with a salad.
Happy eating...
Shannon
Teriyaki Chicken:
Ingredients:
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 bottle Teriyaki Sauce (I use World Harbors Teriyaki Marinade)
...and that's pretty much it...
Pre-heat oven to 200. Line a tray with foil (I use 100% recycled aluminum foil from Reynolds, and I think you should too!). Line chicken on tray, keeping about an inch apart. Baste chicken with 1/2 of Teriyaki sauce. Bake for 25 minutes. Turn chicken and coat with remaining sauce. Bake 10-15 more minutes. At this point I hike the temp to 350. Slice with knife to make sure chicken is cooked through. Unlike steak, chicken cannot be consumed at medium-rare. ;)
Serve over Basmati rice, with a salad.
Happy eating...
Shannon
Chicken Teriyaki Kabobs with Pineapple
Aloha! This recipe is tropical and great for Summer~
Teriyaki Chicken:
Ingredients:
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 10-20 chicken tenders
1 bottle Teriyaki sauce (I use World Harbors Hawaiian Style Maui Mountain Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade)
1 large pineapple, cut into bite-sized chunks
Bamboo skewers
Crushed black pepper, to taste
Yellow, Orange and Green Bell Peppers
Instructions:
Cut chicken lengthwise into thin strips. Pour 3/4 of a bottle of Teriyaki sauce into a bowl. Marinate chicken strips in Teriyaki sauce for 1-2 hours.
Take 2 fresh pineapple chunks and skewer onto bamboo skewer. Take 1 chicken strip and zig-zag onto bamboo skewer. It kind of looks like a kinky shape...alternate between pineapple and chicken strips, until each bamboo skewer is full. Pack the skewers tightly (soak the skewers in water before filling and grilling to prevent the bamboo from burning). Crush black pepper over each skewer for a spicy kick. The contrast between the sweet pineapple and tangy Teriyaki sauce goes well with the crushed black pepper.
Grill. I like using a charcoal grill, for that smoky flavor that charcoal gives that's so tasty. I grill them for 15-20 minutes on a hot grill. You just want to keep checking, so the chicken doesn't dry out. Take the 1/4 Teriyaki sauce left in the bottle (not the bowl, it will taste chicken-y and isn't good for you --salmonella) and baste the chicken on the grill with the remainder of Teriyaki sauce.
Serve the Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs with a bowl of tropical fresh fruit like kiwi, mango, pineapple and papaya. I serve the kabobs with antipasto salad or potato salad. You could do a greens salad with one of the others. It's healthy and fresh and great for summer.
If you want to bring in more veggies, cut yellow, orange and green bell peppers into bite-size chunks and throw them on the skewer too. It's colorful and tasty. Your guests will think they are in Hawaii, at a luau. You could even pass out leis! That's what I always did at my Florida youth group parties...
Enjoy!
Teriyaki Chicken:
Ingredients:
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 10-20 chicken tenders
1 bottle Teriyaki sauce (I use World Harbors Hawaiian Style Maui Mountain Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade)
1 large pineapple, cut into bite-sized chunks
Bamboo skewers
Crushed black pepper, to taste
Yellow, Orange and Green Bell Peppers
Instructions:
Cut chicken lengthwise into thin strips. Pour 3/4 of a bottle of Teriyaki sauce into a bowl. Marinate chicken strips in Teriyaki sauce for 1-2 hours.
Take 2 fresh pineapple chunks and skewer onto bamboo skewer. Take 1 chicken strip and zig-zag onto bamboo skewer. It kind of looks like a kinky shape...alternate between pineapple and chicken strips, until each bamboo skewer is full. Pack the skewers tightly (soak the skewers in water before filling and grilling to prevent the bamboo from burning). Crush black pepper over each skewer for a spicy kick. The contrast between the sweet pineapple and tangy Teriyaki sauce goes well with the crushed black pepper.
Grill. I like using a charcoal grill, for that smoky flavor that charcoal gives that's so tasty. I grill them for 15-20 minutes on a hot grill. You just want to keep checking, so the chicken doesn't dry out. Take the 1/4 Teriyaki sauce left in the bottle (not the bowl, it will taste chicken-y and isn't good for you --salmonella) and baste the chicken on the grill with the remainder of Teriyaki sauce.
Serve the Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs with a bowl of tropical fresh fruit like kiwi, mango, pineapple and papaya. I serve the kabobs with antipasto salad or potato salad. You could do a greens salad with one of the others. It's healthy and fresh and great for summer.
If you want to bring in more veggies, cut yellow, orange and green bell peppers into bite-size chunks and throw them on the skewer too. It's colorful and tasty. Your guests will think they are in Hawaii, at a luau. You could even pass out leis! That's what I always did at my Florida youth group parties...
Enjoy!
Sinus issues, go away! And 2 Chicken Teriyaki recipes...
Well, the sinus infection is back, with a vengeance. Actually, I'm not certain it every went away. But the coughing, itchy sore throat, and post-nasal drip has graduated into a 2-day and counting sinus headache with slight fever.
Needless to say, I'm not eager to race to the stove. But one must eat (and on a tight budget, must cook for oneself!), so last night I cooked my second meal in our new digs: Chicken Teriyaki.
A friend of mine, Laura, Facebook-messaged me a few weeks ago, asking for tips and advice on cooking. She is a first-time mom with a less than 1 year old, and wants to learn new meals so that she is in the kitchen cooking every night. I mulled over some recipes, then sent her my favorite summer recipe, Chicken Teriyaki Kabobs with Pineapple and Green Pepper. In the process of typing her the recipe I couldn't help but to reminisce of summers past in Jupiter, FL when I was in high school and would have major youth group parties (our family had a pool) and I would prepare then grill this amazing summer dish. Let the salivating begin!
Needless to say, I'm not eager to race to the stove. But one must eat (and on a tight budget, must cook for oneself!), so last night I cooked my second meal in our new digs: Chicken Teriyaki.
A friend of mine, Laura, Facebook-messaged me a few weeks ago, asking for tips and advice on cooking. She is a first-time mom with a less than 1 year old, and wants to learn new meals so that she is in the kitchen cooking every night. I mulled over some recipes, then sent her my favorite summer recipe, Chicken Teriyaki Kabobs with Pineapple and Green Pepper. In the process of typing her the recipe I couldn't help but to reminisce of summers past in Jupiter, FL when I was in high school and would have major youth group parties (our family had a pool) and I would prepare then grill this amazing summer dish. Let the salivating begin!
Friday, May 7, 2010
Chicken Fajitas and Guacamole
Happy Cinco de Mayo (2 days late)! I was VERY sick with a sinus infection on the holiday, so I made this favorite dish last night with my fave topping, dip, appetizer, you name it, guacamole! Recipes below, enjoy!
Chicken Fajitas
I found this recipe on the Southern Food section of About.com. I am obsessed! I've since made it over 5 times, tweaking it each time. Even though it calls for zucchini, I haven't used zucchini yet, but that's just because I haven't found any fresh zucchini lately. Here it is:
Chicken fajitas with onions, sweet peppers, green onions, and other ingredients.
Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 3 boneless chicken breast halves, cut in thin strips
* 1 medium onion, cut in wedges
* 2 cloves garlic
* 4 mild green or red chile peppers, seeded and sliced
* 1 sweet red bell pepper, seeded and cut in strips
* 1 green bell pepper, seeded/cut in strips
* 1 zucchini, trimmed, cut in strips
* 8 flour tortillas, warmed
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* guacamole
* 1 bunch green onions, trimmed, sliced
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet; cook the chicken strips over high heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until cooked. Drain and serve.
Add the onion, garlic and chile peppers to the oil in the pan and sauté over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and zucchini; cook over high heat for 4 minutes, or until the vegetables have begun to have a blackened look around the edges.
Return the chicken to the pan and heat until sizzling hot. Serve right away, with warm tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, sliced green onions, and chopped tomatoes. Serve with hot cooked rice and refried beans, if desired.
Serves 4.
Shannon's notes: Ok, so I don't eat sour cream in general, but a dollop on this fajita is UH-MAZE-ING. Combined with homemade guacamole and a dash of hot sauce makes for a perfect chicken fajita. And you don't even have to go to Chipotle for it. You can make it in your very own home. (Even though I am a major fan of Chipotle, thanks to my best friend, Megan, who introduced me to this maker of HUGE fajita burritos!) :-)
I have my own recipe for guacamole I have been using for years, posted below. I think I make Mexican meals JUST for the guac. When you can get really good ripe avocados, it's too yummy. Really, it is. I made it last night, to go with my belated Cinco de Mayo extravaganza (and to celebrate my sense of taste returning from hiatus due to sinus issues...)
Note: I always use cast iron for chicken fajitas (and most other foods; cast iron is simply the best). Once the chicken is sizzled up,
I transfer it to another hot cast iron pan and toss the chicken with green chili powder Jeremy's friend Sam brought back from New Mexico (thanks, Sam!), and Rose's lime juice. The chicken soaks up the lime juice, and flavors it nicely. Yum!
Shannon's Homemade Guacamole:
This is basically a standard recipe for guacamole that I have been putting my own twist on for the past few years:
Ingredients:
2 large avocados
1 tomato
1 large onion
2 T fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 lime
1 T green chili powder
Cracked black pepper
Coarse sea salt
Preparation:
Halve avocados, remove pits and set aside (You will use 1 pit later).
Scoop out avocado flesh, transfer to medium size bowl (but if you have a mortar and pestle, transfer to the mortar). Mash away! You don't want any chunks of avocado sticking out, you want it evenly mashed.
This is my new mortar and pestle, by the way. Isn't she gorgeous?! I am so excited to finally have my first mortar and pestle, a kitchen tool I've been lusting after for years now. And a MARBLE mortar and pestle at that! (I got it from a thrift store for 4 bucks, which makes it even better.)
After adequately mashing up avocados, add in juice of 1/2 lime. Mash some more. Crush 1 garlic clove right into the mortar, mashing as you crush. Sprinkle in cracked pepper, and coarse sea salt to taste. Taste, taste! You will want to test out this recipe while making, not only because of the amazing flavors all melding together perfectly, but because you don't want your guac too spicy or garlicky or what have you.
Add in diced cilantro and 1/2 of onion, finely chopped. Once the onion is added, mash no more. The guac is becoming a fine consistency of wonderfulness, and you don't need to mash and crush any longer. Now, mix in the onion, making sure to scoop in the avocado and garlic, etc until it is nicely mixed together. Taste, of course, and if needed, add the other half of the lime (I always use the juice of one whole lime, because I am a lime fanatic. But you may not be).
Work in more of the onion, continuously mixing with large spoon. Hmm what else, ah yes, a dash of green chili powder. I use a generous portion because Jeremy likes his guac spicy. I keep the bag of chili powder handy because when Jeremy's around, he's always adding more to whatever spicy meal I've made. He likes to kick it up several notches, whereas I like my guacamole with a slight kick, but I mostly go crazy over the lime and avocado and sea salt combo, oh my!
At this point I transfer my gorgeous guac to a festive bowl, throw in that pit that you sat aside, right into the center (this prevents guac from browning), cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour before devouring with chips. I love really cold guacamole on a warm tostada chip. Mmmmm.
So now, take the tomato, cut it in half, and seed it. This means remove all the seeds because those seeds can be pesky in a dip, but you definitely DON'T want to remove the tomato skin. This is where all the nutrients live, so keep the skin on. I always remove the seeds then sprinkle a little salt and eat them right up. Very refreshing, and cuts back on food waste. Finely dice the tomato, then store in a sealed bowl and refrigerate. I use these little Pampered Chef ramekins that my mom got me for Christmas.
DEFINITELY one of my favorite Pampered Chef items, and so useful for storing foods for Mexican night. Thanks, Mom!
After guac is nicely chilled, add in tomato. Serve right away. You won't be able to hold back! Make sure to scoop a nice spoonful of guac right onto your fajita with all the other toppings. De--lish!
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
keeping it simple
The day I moved to Capitol Hill, I had a work meeting over at Kramerbooks at Dupont Circle. I've browsed this Washington establishment a few times, but never made a purchase. I figured I could treat myself with a "welcome to DC" book, so I grabbed a stack of books and a cup of coffee, and began perusing...nothing caught my eye though until I was making my way out the door and stumbled upon The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging. So I bought it, and have gleaned so much since! One suggestion the guide makes is to keep blog posts short and to the point. No one likes to stumble upon a super long entry; it makes one's eye wander to something else. We live in in ADD world! So I am going to be keeping this blog's entries shorter, and to the point. And about food.
I do have another blog, She Dreams (which I started a few years ago for a creative outlet), newly inspired by my favorite fashion blog, Sea of Shoes. She Dreams is all about people and things and photos that inspire me. This blog though, is a food blog. So here are some things I have been whipping up in the kitchen lately...
I do have another blog, She Dreams (which I started a few years ago for a creative outlet), newly inspired by my favorite fashion blog, Sea of Shoes. She Dreams is all about people and things and photos that inspire me. This blog though, is a food blog. So here are some things I have been whipping up in the kitchen lately...
Thursday, May 6, 2010
We moved!
Jeremy and I have moved, with my puppy George, to Capitol Hill! I cannot believe it myself. Every day, driving past the White House, the Capitol, the Monument, on my way home from work I just have to pinch myself. I love it here already, and am excited to start eating.
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