Recipe Catch Up

I got so behind this summer. We had good times with the family and there were good recipes cooked in this kitchen. The grownups and the almost grownups are all good cooks. And everyone had a turn in the kitchen. I did not get a photo of all the deliciousness we enjoyed. Nor do I have recipes for all of them. But I do have a couple to share from July. If I don't get these recipes tucked away here, I'll likely lose the printed copies.

Both of these were made by Jessica when she and the children were here. Daughters and sons-in-law are good about taking over meal prep when they visit. The only complaint I have is that sometimes we eat too well!

Caprese Chicken

STOVETOP CAPRESE CHICKEN

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/3 cup basil pesto (she used store bought)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Cherry Tomato Topping:

2 cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes

1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced

1/2 cup sliced basil leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Pinch of slat and pepper

Place chicken on a cutting board; cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap and with a meat mallet (or heavy skillet), pound the chicken until it’s a uniform 1/2-inch thickness. Pat dry with paper towels.

Place chicken in a large bowl and add the olive oil, balsamic, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, slat and pepper Toss until well combined. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

While chicken is marinating, make the tomato topping. In a medium bowl, combine all the topping ingredients. Toss to combine. Set aside while you cook the the chicken. 

Heat skillet on stove. All enough oil to cook. Cook chicken, turning halfway through, until done. Reduce heat and spoon about a tablespoon of pesto on each chicken piece. Spread it across into an even layer. Sprinkle the tops with the mozzarella. Cover and cook on low heat until cheese is just melted.

Let chicken rest about 4 minutes before serving. Then plate the chicken and spoon the tomato topping over each piece.

(This recipe came from The Defined Dish. Check out her original instructions for cooking on a grill. I guessed at exactly how Jessica did it. But I'm sure you can adapt.)

We served this with rice. Thank goodness for those quick microwave packs for days when there aren't enough hands.

Creamy Chicken & Tortellini Bake

Now THIS is a company kind of dish. It's rich and creamy and full of flavor. It's more effort than the caprese chicken. But it's not hard. Just has a long list of ingredients. Don't be put off. 

CREAMY CHICKEN and TORTELLINI BAKE

4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced

2 cups thinly sliced baby Bella mushrooms

2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 cup roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

5-oz baby spinach

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup heavy cream

18-oz refrigerated cheese or spinach tortellini (she used Rana)

1 cup packed basil leaves (more for garnish)

2 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 375º. Place chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or heavy skillet and pound until it’s a uniform 1/2-inch thick. (I have used an empty wine bottle to pound.)

Season chicken with salt, pepper and paprika. Sprinkle with flour and use hands to rub flour into chicken so it’s well coated.

Heat oil in large, oven safe skillet over medium-heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Move chicken to a clean plate. (It will finish cooking in oven.)

Reduce heat to medium. If skillet seems dry, add 1 more tablespoon oil to the pan. Add shallot, mushrooms, garlic and cook, stirring, until tender about 2-3 minutes.

Add sun-dried tomatoes, dijon, broth and whisk to combine. Cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add spinach, salt, pepper and cook stirring, until wilted.

Add cream and bring to simmer. Once simmering, add tortellini and basil. Gently toss until well combined and basil has just wilted.

Remove from heat and nestle chicken breast into the skillet. Top with parmesan. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until chicken is just cooked through and tortellini is tender, about 12-15 minutes. 

Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with more basil is desired.

Yep. Definitely a special dish for your favorite guests. My normal cooking now is so simple. This is far beyond what I usually prepare. But I would make this for a special meal.

NOTE:  To anyone like who grew up in the last century (like me) when stores stocked two kinds of salt—plain and iodized—be sure you are aware that there are about a dozen kinds of salt that you might find on the store shelf now. 

If you only have table salt like Morton's in your kitchen, know that it measures differently. Use less if you don't want your dish too salty.  Here's why:

Kosher salt is no saltier than table salt by weight —they are chemically identical. However, by volume (measuring with a teaspoon), table salt is much saltier because its tiny crystals pack tightly together, meaning a teaspoon of table salt contains nearly twice as much sodium as a teaspoon of kosher salt. 

Substitution: As discussed in r/Cooking on Reddit, users on the forum reach a consensus that you should never substitute table salt 1:1 by volume for kosher salt, or your dish will end up way too salty (use about half the amount of table salt if a recipe calls for kosher salt).