Recipe: Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga)

This is one of my favorite salads. I've both had and made many different variations on this and this is the one I've landed on as my favorite version to make. As with many recipes, I have to go by memory from restaurant versions and then spend a little effort to eventually perfect my own version.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga)

Ingredients

Chicken

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts - butterflied and pounded to 1/3" thick, cut into 4 filets

3 cups of water

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup sriracha

3 tbsp sugar

Salad

1 pound of shredded red and green cabbage

1 cup of carrots, julienned

1 large cucumber, thin sliced

6 Thai chiles, chopped

1 large orange or yellow bell pepper, diced

1 large handful of fresh mint, chopped

1 large handful of fresh basil, chopped

1 large handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

1 bunch of scallions, chopped
3 slices of thick slab bacon, diced
2/3 cup of minced shallot

1/2 cup crushed peanuts

Dressing

2 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp minced ginger

2 Thai chiles, minced

2/3 cup fish sauce

1/3 cup water

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp rice vinegar

Directions

Whisk together the water, soy sauce, fish sauce, sriracha, and sugar for the chicken in a medium bowl. Place chicken in the marinate, cover, and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours up to 6 hours.

Remove chicken from marinade and pat as dry as possible with paper towels. Heat grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high heat and oil the grates well. Cook chicken for about 4 - 5 minutes on each side until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Place chicken on a plate and cover for 5 minutes. Remove cover and allow chicken to cool for an additional 10 minutes. Using a sharp knife and fork, shred the chicken into thin strips.

Cook diced bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until browned. Remove pieces and allow to drain on paper towels. Leave bacon drippings in the skillet and add minced shallot and cook until medium brown and the shallot starts to become crispy. Remove shallot and place on paper towels to drain.

Whisk together all dressing ingredients thoroughly until sugar is fully incorporated. Mix together all salad components including drained and cooled bacon and fried shallots. Pour dressing over salad and toss together liberally. Add chicken and toss again to incorporate. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: The Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich

I grew up with Chick-Fil-A. As a Georgia boy born and bred, they were everywhere growing up and admittedly I often get major cravings for their chicken sandwiches. Their controversial politics aside (which is why I can't in good conscience eat at their restaurants for now), I can't deny how good their food actually is. So, I decided to try and recreate it - and I admittedly achieved a recipe that I think might be a bit better than the original. But, you're welcome to be your own judge.

Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients

4 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half longways
Juice from one large container of dill pickles
1 quart chicken broth
2 tbsp Sriracha or Tabasco
1 tbsp peppercorns
1 tbsp whole cloves
1/4 cup + 2 tsp sugar
1/8 cup kosher salt
2 cups self-rising flour
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tbsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/2 tsp. celery salt
Peanut or other high smoke point oil for frying
8 potato buns
Cooking spray
Dill pickle slices (optional)

Directions

Mix chicken broth, pickle juice, Sriracha, peppercorns, cloves, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 1/8 cup of kosher salt into a large sealable container. Poke chicken breasts liberally with a fork on all sides to create small holes to absorb brine. Add chicken breasts, making sure they are fully submerged, and seal. Brine at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.

Preheat oil to 350 degrees in a deep dutch oven or large pot. Mix together black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper, ground cumin, ground mustard, and celery salt. Whisk together eggs and buttermilk in a separate bowl. Mix 2 tsp of sugar into the flour in another bowl. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons of the spice mixture to the flour and mix in well. Add 4 tablespoons of the egg/milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix through with fork until the batter is coarse all around. Take chicken breasts out of the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Season all over with the remaining spice mixture, pressing the mixture into the chicken to coat well. Working one piece at a time, coat in the milk/egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then the flour/spice mixture. Shake off excess flour then submerge slowly into the hot oil, turning frequently. When dark brown, remove from oil and place on a rack to drain off excess oil. Spray the potato buns lightly with cooking spray or brush with melted butter and place on a griddle on medium heat to toast. Place 2 dill pickle slices on the toasted bun and then a piece of cooked chicken. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: Pad Kee Mao

Ingredients:

2/3 lb. boneless/skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
2/3 lb. boneless/skinless chicken thigh, thinly sliced
1 leek, finely chopped
1 bunch of scallions, finely chopped
1 large habanero, finely chopped
3 tbsp. minced garlic
3/4 cup loosely packed holy basil (Thai basil is OK if you can't find holy basil)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup fish sauce
3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
3 tbsp. white wine
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 package (500 g/18 oz) of wide rice noodles, cooked
2 tbsp. canola oil

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions, chilling immediately with cold water after cooking.  Heat canola oil in the wok over high heat.  Add leek, scallion, habanero, and garlic.  Cover, cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.  Add chicken, mix vigorously.  Re-cover for about 3 minutes.  Remove cover and continue cooking until chicken is about 2/3 cooked.  Add bell pepper and holy basil.  Cover and cook for about 3 minutes more until the bell pepper is tender and the holy basil wilts.  Once chicken is fully cooked, push all ingredients to one side in the wok.  Add the beaten eggs to the other side.  Once the egg is close to set, vigorously mix all of the ingredients together.  Whisk lime juice, oyster sauce, fish sauce, dark soy, and white wine together.  Add to the wok and mix vigorously.  Add the cooked noodles and cilantro and turn off heat.  Mix all ingredients together completely, coating noodles completely in the mixture.  Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: Spicy Shrimp and Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chicken

1/2 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 bunch of spinach, loosely chopped

3 tbsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. white pepper

2 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. sea salt

1 1/2 tbsp. sugar

1/3 cup dark soy sauce

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 head of magenta or other leafy lettuce, washed and left as whole leaves

2 tbsp. canola or other neutral oil

Directions:

In a large wok or stir fry pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper. Cover and cook for 3 - 4 minutes until the peppers are soft. Add the ground chicken. Add the dry spices, lemon zest, and sugar. Cook for approx. 7 - 8 minutes, stirring frequently until chicken is fully cooked. Add the shrimp and cook for approximately 1 - 2 minutes until shrimp are pink. Add the soy sauce and sherry and combine. Add the spinach, recover and cook for 4 - 5 minutes until the spinach wilts. Uncover, stir well, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for an additional 10 minutes to reduce. Serve with the lettuce leaves.

Makes 4 - 5 dinner servings or 8 - 10 appetizer servings.

Recipe: Indian Roasted Chicken with Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber Salad

I have been watching way too much Food Network and Cooking Channel lately and have been getting inspired yet again. The roast chicken was inspired by some of the newer shows that feature American cuisine influenced by flavors of India. The salad is just a very simple dish I actually make quite often. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Roast Chicken

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 2 3/4 lbs.)

1 stick of unsalted butter

2 tbsp. minced garlic

1 whole red chile, minced

1 tsp. coriander

1 tsp. cardamom

1 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber Salad

2 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into large cubes

1 cucumber, cut into large cubes

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

6 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. Herbs de Provence

Small sprinkle of sea salt

Directions:

Leave the butter out in a dish at room temperature until it is fully pliable so you can work with it. Go ahead and make the dressing for the salad to allow the dried herbs to infuse. Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Herbs de Provence, and sea salt in a sealable small bowl. Seal up, shake vigorously until fully combined, then place in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Once the butter is pliable, add the minced garlic, butter, all of the dried spices, and the salt and pepper to the bowl and use a large fork to mash and mix the ingredients into the butter. Coat a 9 x 13 porcelain baking dish with cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts skin-up into the dish. Coat every breast equally with the spiced butter, using your fingers and the fork to get the butter underneath the skin to coat the flesh completely. Cover the baking dish with tin foil and place into the oven. Cook for 90 minutes. Take off the foil, coat the top of the chicken generously with the juices that have fallen off into the dish, and place back into the oven. Raise the temperature to 375 and cook for an additional 20 - 25 minutes to crisp the skin. Remove from the oven.

Chop the tomatoes and cucumber into cubes and mix together evenly. Serve the chopped vegetables directly onto your plates. Shake up the dressing you made earlier one more time before drizzling over the vegetables generously. Serve the chicken on the side. Bon appetit! :)

Makes 4 servings.

Out and About: Chairman Bao Bun Truck

It pulled up 5 blocks behind my office, tweeted its presence, and I was magnetized toward it... assorted stuffed steamed bao: pork belly with pickled daikon, red sesame chicken with bok choy, duck confit with mango relish... for $9... I think I need to chain myself to this truck...

Recipe: Spicy Cabbage and Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shredded red cabbage
3/4 cup shredded green cabbage
3/4 cup julienne cucumbers
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions, green and white parts
3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/4 cup of sour cream
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

Directions:

Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with cold water until the chicken is fully submerged plus 1 1/2 inches. Add 2 tsp. of the salt to the pot. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Poach the chicken for 20 minutes until it can be easily shredded with a fork. Shred it thinly and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the reamining 1 tsp. salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, lime juice, lime zest, and sour cream. Using a whisk, whip the mixture until all ingredients are fully combined and it thins out a bit. In a large bowl, add the cabbages, cucumber, and scallion. Add the shredded chicken. Pour the sour cream dressing over the mixture and use a large wooden spoon to fully combine with all the ingredients. Place into the refrigerator for about an hour before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Shredded Chicken Burritos

This was dinner tonight... ole!!! :)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 large tomatoes (beefsteak or other large type), roughly diced
1 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion, roughly chopped
2 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro (approximately 1/2 bunch)
3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. rice vinegar
2 medium jalapeno peppers, roughly chopped
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup shredded green cabbage
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Manchego cheese, shredded
4 large flour tortillas
Water (for poaching chicken)

Directions:

Place the boneless, skinless breasts into a large pot. Put enough water into the pot to cover the chicken plus 1 1/2 inches. Add 2 tsp. of the salt to the pot. Place the pot on the stove on medium-high heat for 20 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked through and able to be shredded easily with a fork. Shred the chicken into a bowl and set aside.

In the food processor, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapenos, paprika, the remaining 1 tsp. of salt, black pepper, and the rice vinegar. Pulse these ingredients in the food processor until chopped finely and fully blended to form a salsa.

Warm the tortillas according to package directions. In each tortilla, place an equal amount of each of the two shredded cheeses, warm shredded chicken, equal amount of each of the two cabbages, and an equal part of the salsa. Fold both ends and wrap over to form a burrito. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Slow Roasted Chicken with Eggplant and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

2 lbs. of chicken thighs

2 1/2 cups of red wine

2 1/2 cups of chicken broth

3 tbsp. minced garlic

3 tsp. herbs de provence

4 jalapeno peppers

2 small sweet onions

4 small Italian eggplant

6 large heirloom tomatoes

5 tbsp. olive oil

Sea salt

Black pepper

Directions:

Dice eggplant into small cubes. Place into a colander and sprinkle sea salt generously over the pieces. Let sit and wilt for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees.

Dice the tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos into small pieces and place into a large dutch oven. Add the eggplant pieces, minced garlic, and herbs de provence. Add about 2 tsp. each of sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle 2 tbsp. of the olive oil over the vegetable mixture. Place on the stove on medium heat. Once the veggies begin to sizzle, add the red wine and chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer for approximately 30 minutes.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Sprinkle salt and pepper generously over the chicken thighs. Sear the chicken thighs in the oil for approximately 4 minutes on each side. Add the chicken thighs to the dutch oven making sure they are submerged in the liquid. Cover the dutch oven and place into the oven. Bake for 2 hours. Serve over angel hair pasta dressed with either butter or olive oil.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Killer Fried Rice

WARNING: there is no way I'm going to call this "authentic" - but damn is it good... and easy to cook, too! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. of ground beef, pork, or chicken (your choice :))
3 eggs
5 cups of cold cooked brown rice (cook with about 1/8 less water than package recommends)
2/3 cup of diced carrots
2/3 cup of cooked English peas
1/4 cup of diced water chestnuts
2/3 cup of diced fresh pineapple
1 1/2 cup of diced scallions, green and white parts
2 tbsp. of chili garlic sauce
3 tbsp. of oyster sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. of soy sauce
2 tbsp. minced ginger
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. cumin
3 tbsp. of canola or other neutral oil

Directions:

Cook ground meat until fully browned, removing all of the fat from the meat, set aside.

Soft scramble the three eggs and set aside.

In a large wok, heat the oil over high heat. Add all of the other ingredients except for the scallions and pineapple to the hot wok. Stir constantly for about 90 seconds. Add the ground meat and the cold cooked rice to the wok and blend all of the ingredients thoroughly. Cook, stirring like once every minute, for about 6 - 8 minutes. Add the eggs, pineapple, and scallions, blend together thoroughly, and continue cooking for another 60 seconds. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: Roasted Eggplant, Scallion, and Poached Chicken Pizza

I'm sure you can find a recipe online for pizza dough if you really want to make your own dough... but, I didn't have the patience to make my own dough this evening, so I used a great refrigerated pre-made pizza dough I picked up at Whole Foods. Makes this recipe come together a LOT quicker ;)

Ingredients:

14 oz. can of tomato sauce
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried sage
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. cracked red pepper
1 bunch of scallions, finely chopped
1 large eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast filets
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 lb. refrigerated pizza dough

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Place sliced eggplant slices flat onto a olive oil coated baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and drizzle olive oil over the top of all slices. Place into oven for about 30 minutes until the slices have browned.

In a large pot, place the chicken breasts and and fill with water until the breasts are fully covered plus 1 inch. Sprinkle kosher salt generally into the pot. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and continue simmering for approximately 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the water and using forks shred the chicken finely. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix the tomato sauce, oregano, basil, sage, and garlic together. Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 12-13 inch diameter. Place the dough on a lightly oiled pizza pan and press the dough out to cover the diameter of the pan. Pour the tomato sauce mixture out onto the dough and using the bottom of a ladle, spread the sauce out evenly across the full surface of the dough. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese out evenly across the surface. Top with an evenly distributed layer of the roasted eggplant, poached shredded chicken, and the chopped scallions. Top with the remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle the cracked red pepper evenly across the top.

Raise oven temperature to 450. Place the pizza in the oven and bake for 15 - 16 minutes until the crust browns and the cheese is melted.

Makes 8 servings/slices.

Recipe: Georgia Fried Chicken

This is about as close as I can get to the way my grandmas make fried chicken since I can't get them to write down a recipe... but it's good... so there... ;)

Ingredients:

4 half-breasts of chicken, bone-in, skin on
4 chicken thighs, skin on
1 quart of buttermilk
Sea salt
Black pepper
2 cups of all-purpose flour
3 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
3 cups of peanut oil (for frying)

Directions:

Place the chicken in a big bowl. Coat generously with sea salt and pepper on all sides. Pour buttermilk into the bowl until the chicken is covered and fully submerged. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

In a plastic 1 gallon re-sealable plastic bag, place the flour and all of the spices, adding 2 tsp of sea salt and 1 tsp of black pepper. Close the bag and shake to mix the ingredients thoroughly.

Heat the peanut oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Place the buttermilk soaked chicken pieces into the plastic bag with the flour mixture (2 pieces at a time) and shake to fully coat the pieces. To determine if the oil is hot enough, sprinkle a tiny bit of the flour into the hot oil. If the flour immediately bubbles and floats to the top, the oil is ready. Place the chicken into the hot oil. Work in batches, no more than 4 pieces in the cast iron skillet at a time. Fry for approximately 6 - 8 minutes on one side, turn, fry for an additional 6 - 8 minutes. Place the chicken on a brown paper bag to drain off excess oil. Repeat the process for the remaining chicken. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 very hungry people (1 breast + 1 thigh) or 2 Georgia boys and 1 sneaky dog ;).

Recipe(s): Simple Comforts

Last night I had a visitor, and we were really craving simple comfort food. Given the simplicity of these dishes, I don't really need to give them their own blog posts. I'm putting them here together: Herb and Garlic Roasted Chicken Breasts, Gorgonzola Smashed Potatoes, and Sauteed Swiss Chard. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Herb and Garlic Roasted Chicken
2 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (approximately 4 half-breasts)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. herbs de Provence
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Gorgonzola Smashed Potatoes
8 medium red potatoes
1 bunch chives, finely chopped
1 cup fat-free half-and-half
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. minced garlic
4 oz. crumbled gorgonzola cheese (approx. 3/4 cup)

Sauteed Swiss Chard
2 bunches of swiss chard, cut or torn into large strips
4 pieces of lean bacon
1 tsp. cracked red pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Place racks on lowest rungs in the oven. Melt 4 tbsp. of butter in a small saucepan on the stove. Add herbs de provence and garlic once butter is melted. Place chicken breasts skin up on a roasting rack inside a deep roasting pan. Coat the breasts with the salt and pepper. Using a pastry or BBQ brush, baste the outside of the chicken with the butter mixture. Cover the roasting pan with foil and place in the oven. Roast for 1 hr. 45 minutes, remove foil. Using the pastry/BBQ brush, baste the breasts with the juices and spices that have fallen to the bottom of the roasting pan. Place back in the oven for about 45 minutes until the skin is brown and slightly crisp.

Dice potatoes into 1 inch cubes (I always leave the skin on mine, but do what you like). Place the potatoes into a large pot with the minced garlic and salt. Pour in enough cold water to cover the potatoes plus 1/2 inch. Place on high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium high and continue simmering for 25 - 30 minutes. Drain potatoes and put back into pot. Add half-and-half. Using a potato masher, smash the potatoes until they become creamy. Add the butter, chives, pepper, and gorgonzola. Mix with a wooden spoon until fully mixed and creamy.

Dice the bacon. Place into a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until bacon pieces are crisp. Take out all but 1 tbsp. of the bacon fat. Add the swiss chard and cracked red pepper. Saute, turning all the ingredients frequently, for about 7 - 9 minutes.

Chicken - Makes 4 servings.
Potatoes - Makes 6 servings.
Swiss Chard - Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Watermelon and Goat Cheese Salad with Poached Chicken and Hazelnut Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

4 cups of mixed salad greens (European/Spinach mix)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 lb. watermelon, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup shelled hazelnuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tsp salt
3 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground sage
1 1/2 tbsp hazelnut oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp of Dijon mustard

Directions:

If chicken breast is not already cut into fillets, cut into two smaller portions. Place in the bottom of a medium pot. Coat with the salt, 2 tsp of the black pepper, the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and sage. Fill with enough water to submerge the chicken fillets plus 1/4 inch. Place pot on stove and turn heat up to high. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Continue cooking the chicken for another 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the water and shred with a fork.

In a large bowl, combine salad greens, watermelon, goat cheese, hazelnuts, dried cranberries, and the remaining 1 tsp of black pepper. Toss together lightly with tongs. In a small bowl, whisk the hazelnut oil, balsamic vinegar, and mustard together. Put the shredded chicken into the bowl. Top with the vinaigrette and toss together until fully combined. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Moussaka My Way

For those of you who have Greek heritage, please don't stone me for making this without a true bechamel sauce - I happen to be watching my waistline, so I chose to make a savory tomato sauce instead. Since I've had a tomato-based version in Greek restaurants before, I figure I can't be THAT far off ;)

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. lamb loin
1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 1/2 cup(s) canned tomatoes
1 cup(s) canned tomato paste
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup red wine
1 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of panko
1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
2 large potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried mint
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

Place peeled and sliced eggplant into a colander and coat with salt, allow to drain for 30 mins. to 1 hour.

Cut the lamb loin and chicken breast into 1/4 inch cubes. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Place the lamb pieces into the saucepan and cook until cooked through, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken and continue cooking for about 5 - 6 minutes. Add the red wine to deglaze the pan. Add in the chives, basil, oregano, thyme, tarragon, pepper, mint, and onion powder. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Lower heat to low to keep warm. Sauce should be the consistency of a thick pasta sauce.

In a non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the eggplant slices for about 1 minute on each side. Line the bottom of the casserole dish with the eggplant. Top with 1/2 of the tomato sauce mixture and 1/2 of the parmesan cheese. Use the sliced potatoes to make the next layer, top with the remaining tomato sauce mixture and parmesan cheese and sprinkle the panko over the top. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: It Ain't Your Mama's Chicken Katsu!

OK... so it ain't my mama's either (she's from Georgia like me!), but if your mama is Japanese, it ain't like hers either ;) But it's GOOD!!! Serve with katsu sauce, of course!

Ingredients

1 cup of panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1/8 cup of milk
3 tsp. garlic powder
3 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken breast filets
2 cups canola oil (for frying)

Directions

Cut breast filets into approximately 3 oz. portions (can usually be accomplished by cutting filets from the grocery store in half).

Heat canola oil in a large frying pan over medium-high to high heat.

Combine panko, flour, spices, salt, and parmesan cheese together in one bowl. In another, whisk the egg and milk together. Dip the breast filets into the egg wash first, then into the panko mixture, coating the filet thoroughly and as thickly as possible with the mixture. Working in batches, place into the hot oil frying for approximately 3 minutes on each side. Have a large paper bag (Whole Foods bags work well ;)) or line a baking sheet at least 4 paper towel layers thick ready to place the fried filets on to drain oil. Serve immediately!

Serves 4.

Recipe: Kitchen Sink Soup

OK... this is based on one of my grandma's recipes. You can actually throw whatever veggies you have around into this and it still comes out good...

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
25 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 cups of green beans
1 1/2 cups of white corn kernels
1 1/2 cups of diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups of black-eyed peas
1 1/2 cups of okra, diced
4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. of cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. of kosher salt
1 tbsp. of garlic powder
1 tbsp. of onion powder
1 tbsp. of savory
6 cups of water

Directions:

In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and chicken breasts to the water and reduce heat to medium. Poach the chicken breasts for 8 minutes. Add the shrimp to the water and poach for an additional 5 - 6 minutes. Drain. Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts and put the meat back into the pot along with the cooked shrimp.

Add the vegetables, chicken broth, and all other spices back to the pot. Return heat to medium and simmer for 25 minutes.

Makes 6 - 8 servings.

Recipe: Fusilli with Chicken and Tomatoes

Can you tell I'm having a very lazy Sunday? I'm on a cooking spree!!! Yes, I skipped the Folsom Street Fair this year. I've seen enough nekkid grandpas to last me at least 4 reincarnations so I decided to hide at home with my pooch this year. Anyways, on to the recipe...

Ingredients:

1 lb. dry fusilli pasta
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups diced roma tomatoes (approximately 6 - 7 tomatoes)
1 cup diced heirloom tomatoes (approximately 1 - 2 tomatoes; I used a yellow one and a purple one)
1 cup canned unflavored tomato sauce
3 tbsp. of minced garlic
2 tbsp. of chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp. of chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. of dried oregano
1 tsp. of sea salt
1/2 - 2/3 tsp. of cracked red pepper flakes (I use 2/3 'cause I like a little heat ;))
1 1/2 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breast

Directions:

Add 1 tbsp. of olive oil to a big pot of water, bring to a boil, and cook fusilli according to package directions.

Cut the chicken breast into cubes. In a separate large pan, heat the remaining two tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sautee until the garlic is cooked (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the chicken breast and cook until cooked through and browned on all sides. Once the chicken is cooked, add the tomatoes, oregano, sea salt, and cracked red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 7 - 8 minutes.

Drain the pasta and pour into a large bowl. Add the chicken and tomato mixture along with the fresh basil and sage, mix thoroughly, let stand about 2 minutes to let flavors combine. Serve with grated parmesan if desired.

Makes about 6 servings.

Recipe: The Chicken and the Egg Tacos

This is a breakfast dish I cooked up that blends a little bit of my southern roots with some West Coast Mexican flavors. In the south, chicken and egg biscuits are a common breakfast dish because both chicken and eggs are so plentiful in the south. Heck, my home state of Georgia is the largest producer of both, which should tell you something. But, I didn't feel like going through the effort of making biscuits this morning, so I added a few Mexican touches to get a completely different concoction that turned out really well.

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 large eggs
1 large green heirloom tomato (other colors are OK, I just prefer the green :))
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped scallions, green and white parts
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. of chipotle chili powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2/3 cup of shredded pepper jack cheese
8 small flour tortillas (soft taco size)
2 1/2 tbsp. of olive oil
2 tbsp. of milk (I use non-fat)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Dice the heirloom tomato and red bell pepper together into a medium sized bowl. Add the scallions, garlic, cumin, paprika, chipotle chili powder, and kosher salt and mix together. Cover and place in the refrigerator.

Pound the chicken breasts out between two sheets of wax paper until they are a little more than 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Put 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sautee the chicken breasts in the olive oil about 10 - 12 minutes, turning frequently, until browned and cooked completely through. Cut the cooked chicken into thin strips and set aside.

In a small skillet, put 1/2 tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together with a little salt and pepper and the milk until fully beaten. Place the eggs in the skillet and cook until fully scrambled, turning and separating constantly.

Warm the tortillas either in the microwave or in the oven according to package directions. Get the salsa mixture you made earlier from the refrigerator. In each tortilla, place equal portions of the scrambled egg, sliced chicken, pepper jack cheese, and salsa. Fold and serve!

Makes 4 servings (two tacos per serving).

Recipe: Baked Spiced Chicken

This is a twist on a baked “fried” chicken recipe I’ve been making for years. I changed up the spice mixture to reflect more of a West coast versus Southern take on the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. of boneless/skinless chicken breasts (about 4 breast halves)
1 pint of reduced-fat buttermilk
3 tsp of garlic powder
3 tsp of Chinese five spice powder
3 tsp of chipotle chili powder
3 tsp of paprika
1 cup of cornflake crumbs
1 cup of unseasoned bread crumbs
Cooking spray

Directions:

Place chicken in a large bowl and coat with all of the spices. Add the buttermilk. Using hands or a big spoon, mix everything around until the spices are fully mixed into the buttermilk, the chicken is fully coated, and the chicken submerges almost completely in the buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375. Foil a baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Fill another large bowl with the cornflake and bread crumbs. Take chicken out of the buttermilk mixture and roll in the crumb mixture to fully coat. Place chicken on baking sheet and put into oven. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until cooked through and the crumb crust is nice and brown.

Makes 4 servings.