When we were dating, my then girlfriend (now wife) made me a roasted chicken that was unlike anything I had ever had before. When she served it, she told me it was called Engagement Chicken because, as the story goes, whoever you make it for will fall in love with you. While I do not want to tempt the fates, let’s just say that the chicken was great, I fell in love with the girl and now we are married.
- 1 medium size chicken breast (on the bone)
- 1 half lemon
- 4 garlic cloves
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Then clean out the chicken breast by pulling out anything remaining inside the bird and rinsing it under the faucet with cold water. I don’t think anyone enjoys this step, but you have to get that stuff (ie: neck, liver, other parts you can’t name) out. Take a glass 9” x 14” dish and spread approximately 2 tablespoons of olive oil on the bottom – to prevent the chicken from sticking – then place the clean bird in the pan. Next, insert the lemon half far into the chicken cavity. After taking all the paper off of the garlic cloves, insert them under the skin of the chicken above the breast meat, two on each side. Now, spread approximately 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the bird evenly. Insert a digital thermometer into the thickest section of one side of the chicken breast meat before putting the dish into the oven.
Roast for approximately 45 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken registers 160 degrees. Slice into the breast to confirm that the meat is white and fully cooked before removing it from the oven. By cooking the lemon inside the chicken and using the digital thermometer, you are sure to have a very juicy and tasty chicken. Trust me… I fell in love with it.
Note: I have made this many times and have had luck with one variation. Instead of using half of a lemon, use half of an onion. Before putting the onion into the chicken, cover to cut side with garlic powder and skip the garlic cloves under the skin. This will again produce a juicy bird with a flavor a little different than the above version.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Yes, I Use Jar Red Sauce
While some people may think it is a sin, yes, I use red sauce from a jar. The reason I do it is because I love to cook Italian, but most times I don’t have the time to make my own sauce. It’s not a bad thing.
My trick is to use the jar sauce as a base and customize it for what I am working on. Usually, I will sauté chopped onions, bell pepper and fresh garlic in a little olive oil for a few minutes (until the onions are browned), then lower the temperature and add the jar sauce. This adds a fresher flavor to it and makes it not taste like the same sauce everyone else eats. You can also add peppers, fresh basil, mushrooms -- whatever you are in the mood for.
For all those cooking on a schedule as well as a budget (like me) this just helps get your recipe to where it needs to be and gets your meal to the table. To any other cooks I may have offended, I am sorry.
My trick is to use the jar sauce as a base and customize it for what I am working on. Usually, I will sauté chopped onions, bell pepper and fresh garlic in a little olive oil for a few minutes (until the onions are browned), then lower the temperature and add the jar sauce. This adds a fresher flavor to it and makes it not taste like the same sauce everyone else eats. You can also add peppers, fresh basil, mushrooms -- whatever you are in the mood for.
For all those cooking on a schedule as well as a budget (like me) this just helps get your recipe to where it needs to be and gets your meal to the table. To any other cooks I may have offended, I am sorry.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Remembering the Weekend
This weekend was beautiful with unseasonable temperatures in the 70s! Given the nice weather, I spent more time outdoors than I did in the kitchen. That however, does not mean that the weekend was without any culinary experiences. After a great round of golf, a few friends and I took a drive to Warwick, New York to check out the Warwick Valley Winery. If you have never been, this is a beautiful part of the Northeast known for their black topsoil and the great fruits and vegetables grown there. Throughout the drive there were plenty of orchards, fields and vegetable stands. I can only imagine the area in mid-season.
Once at the winery we had the opportunity to sample their wines. Our guide walked us through the finer points of their wines explaining the history of the wine within the winery, the process of making each type and the specific tastes each is known for. It was a pleasure to learn from an expert and feel as if you were part of the vineyard. For the record, my favorites were the Riesling – not as sweet as the typical, this wine had a very clean taste that I felt was more of a sweet Chardonnay than the sweet syrup-like wine – and the Pino Noir – a lighter, more flavorful red that would pair many dishes given its great flavor, but would not over power like other Pinos.
Once at the winery we had the opportunity to sample their wines. Our guide walked us through the finer points of their wines explaining the history of the wine within the winery, the process of making each type and the specific tastes each is known for. It was a pleasure to learn from an expert and feel as if you were part of the vineyard. For the record, my favorites were the Riesling – not as sweet as the typical, this wine had a very clean taste that I felt was more of a sweet Chardonnay than the sweet syrup-like wine – and the Pino Noir – a lighter, more flavorful red that would pair many dishes given its great flavor, but would not over power like other Pinos.
If you are looking for a great day trip, I would recommend checking out the winery for yourself – more information on their web site at http://www.wvwinery.com/.
Unfortunately, the great weather had to come to an end with rain today. Not sure what I’m going to do for dinner tonight…I will let you know when I know.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Marinated London Broil
The weather is getting warmer and that means only one thing…Barbeque Season! I know, there is a stereotype with the grill – “man cook with fire” – and all that, but there is an art to it. Given that it is early in the season, I am going to keep it easy.
The London Broil cut is not known as the best piece of meat, but if you marinate it and cut it right, it makes a great meal. It is inexpensive compared to other steaks like a t-bone or a filet because it is tougher than those cuts. However, by marinating it, you are able to soften the meat while flavoring it before it even hits the grill.
Ingredients:
1 London Broil steak
1 cup light Italian salad dressing
2 tbs salt
1 tps red pepper flakes
3 garlic cloves, chopped
In a large zip-lock bag, add the salt, pepper flakes, chopped garlic and Italian dressing, then mix before adding the steak. Make sure you get as much of the air as possible out of the bag, then mix the ingredients again to ensure an even coating over the meat. Seal the bag and place it in the refrigerator overnight. With the grill preheated, remove the steak from the bag and place in the center of the grill surface. Check and turn every five minutes and cook to taste. I usually enjoy meat cooked rare to medium rare, but this cut I usually cook to medium well.
Once cooked to your liking, pull from the grill and let stand for five minutes. Next, cut the meat into thin slices on a 45 degree angle before serving. In cutting the meat this way, the slices will be more tender than cutting it strait as you would with other cuts such as a roast.
I paired it with a garden salad and some grilled asparagus – a great meal. Also great with a baked potato or mashed potatoes and green beans.
The London Broil cut is not known as the best piece of meat, but if you marinate it and cut it right, it makes a great meal. It is inexpensive compared to other steaks like a t-bone or a filet because it is tougher than those cuts. However, by marinating it, you are able to soften the meat while flavoring it before it even hits the grill.
Ingredients:
1 London Broil steak
1 cup light Italian salad dressing
2 tbs salt
1 tps red pepper flakes
3 garlic cloves, chopped
In a large zip-lock bag, add the salt, pepper flakes, chopped garlic and Italian dressing, then mix before adding the steak. Make sure you get as much of the air as possible out of the bag, then mix the ingredients again to ensure an even coating over the meat. Seal the bag and place it in the refrigerator overnight. With the grill preheated, remove the steak from the bag and place in the center of the grill surface. Check and turn every five minutes and cook to taste. I usually enjoy meat cooked rare to medium rare, but this cut I usually cook to medium well.
Once cooked to your liking, pull from the grill and let stand for five minutes. Next, cut the meat into thin slices on a 45 degree angle before serving. In cutting the meat this way, the slices will be more tender than cutting it strait as you would with other cuts such as a roast.
I paired it with a garden salad and some grilled asparagus – a great meal. Also great with a baked potato or mashed potatoes and green beans.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Chocolate Chip Cookie Tip
I hate naked chocolate chip cookies. You know, the ones that don’t have any chips in them. Come on – without the chips it’s just a…a naked cookie!
When you are making chocolate chip cookies – regardless of the recipe – hold 10 to 15 chips to the end. As you are spooning out the dough and less and less is in the bowl, there is that dough at the end with no chips in it. It happens every time and you end up with two or three naked cookies with no chips in them. When you get to the end and see the plain dough, add in the extra chips and stir it around – no more naked cookies!
When you are making chocolate chip cookies – regardless of the recipe – hold 10 to 15 chips to the end. As you are spooning out the dough and less and less is in the bowl, there is that dough at the end with no chips in it. It happens every time and you end up with two or three naked cookies with no chips in them. When you get to the end and see the plain dough, add in the extra chips and stir it around – no more naked cookies!
Olde Fashion Chocolate Chip Cookies
It’s Good Friday – let’s face it…is there a bad Friday? Exactly! So, I will be going home to see family this Easter Weekend and I want to take something good. I am not doing the big holiday cooking, so I’m going to take chocolate chip cookies – simple, very portable and think about it…who doesn’t love them?!?
This is a great recipe because they are not the typical chocolate chip cookies. These turn out a little harder and denser than the average 'back of the bag' recipe cookies.
Tip: When you add water like indicated below, it’s going to dry out the dish – this is true for all baking. If you add a fat (oil, shortening, butter, etc.) it will make them more moist.
Enjoy.
3 cups flower
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 tsp hot water
1 12 oz bag of chocolate chips
Sift together1 cup of flower, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, blend both sugars, shortening, eggs and hot water. Blend together both parts, then slowly add remaining 2 cups of flower. Finally, stir in chocolate chips.
Drop spoonful size cookies on cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees – makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.
This is a great recipe because they are not the typical chocolate chip cookies. These turn out a little harder and denser than the average 'back of the bag' recipe cookies.
Tip: When you add water like indicated below, it’s going to dry out the dish – this is true for all baking. If you add a fat (oil, shortening, butter, etc.) it will make them more moist.
Enjoy.
3 cups flower
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 tsp hot water
1 12 oz bag of chocolate chips
Sift together1 cup of flower, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, blend both sugars, shortening, eggs and hot water. Blend together both parts, then slowly add remaining 2 cups of flower. Finally, stir in chocolate chips.
Drop spoonful size cookies on cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees – makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Best of the Sunshine State
After a great time in Florida, I’m back home in New Jersey – tanned, rested and ready for the future. I have to tell you, being down in the Sunshine State made me long for the warmer weather and all that comes with it. During the trip we enjoyed farm fresh tomatoes, oranges, pineapples and more! I love the Garden State, but it will be months until I can enjoy fresh food like that – well, except the pineapples and all. Its only April…and the beginning of April at that!
While I enjoyed all the food throughout the trip, there is one dish that stands far above all the rest. A delicacy unlike any other…STONE CRABS!!! Only available for a limited time each year, these little monsters are the best thing in or out of the water this time of the year. With a little lemon and butter, crack the claws and it’s on! It’s very interesting to me that when stone crabs are caught, fishermen take one of their claws and then return the crab to the water. The other claw is left so the crab can still find food and defend itself in the water while the removed claw will regenerate over time. Some may see this is strange, but the stone crab is returned to the water and not cooked whole like other types of crabs.
Paired with potato wedges, cole slaw and a dry white wine (see photo), this was a meal to remember. Now that I am back in New Jersey, the memory of those Stone Crabs will have to last me until the summer…and Blue Claw Season!
While I enjoyed all the food throughout the trip, there is one dish that stands far above all the rest. A delicacy unlike any other…STONE CRABS!!! Only available for a limited time each year, these little monsters are the best thing in or out of the water this time of the year. With a little lemon and butter, crack the claws and it’s on! It’s very interesting to me that when stone crabs are caught, fishermen take one of their claws and then return the crab to the water. The other claw is left so the crab can still find food and defend itself in the water while the removed claw will regenerate over time. Some may see this is strange, but the stone crab is returned to the water and not cooked whole like other types of crabs.
Paired with potato wedges, cole slaw and a dry white wine (see photo), this was a meal to remember. Now that I am back in New Jersey, the memory of those Stone Crabs will have to last me until the summer…and Blue Claw Season!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Greetings from Florida
While I apologize for not adding anything to he blog over the past few days, I have to say my time here has prepared me for many blogs in the coming weeks. While it is only starting to be Spring in New Jersey, it is full Summer here -- I have the sunburn to prove it. So many adventures and good times...not to mention wine and great food. More when I return to the Garden State.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
TDC On The Road
I have to cut the blog short today as I am on the road. I am on the way to visit my family and enjoy all that Southern Florida has to offer. I am looking forward to the sun and warmth as well as fresh fish and seafood that the area is famous for. Add that too good wine and the love of family…it should be a great trip. More from the road!
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