Thai Red Curry Chicken with Basil

i've been thinking about making this for a while. this dish would have been not spicy enough so i added in chili oil even with the serrano pepper.  future recipes i will add 2 serrano peppers.

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 ¹⁄₂ tbsp. red curry paste
• 13 ¹⁄₂ ounces coconut milk, shaken well
• 1 ¹⁄₂ lbs chicken breasts, raw, sliced into bite size pieces
• 1 serrano pepper, sliced
• 1 onion sliced
• 2 tbsp. garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. fish sauce
• 2 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 10 - 15 large basil leaves
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp red chili oil 
• basil for garish

Directions:

1.    Heat the oil in the frying pan over medium heat. saute onions, serrano pepper, and garlic.  5 min.

2.    Add the curry paste and simmer for 2 minutes, so that it is dissolved, fragrant and foaming.

3.    Stir in the can of the coconut milk. Cook over medium heat for 5 - 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4.    Add the sliced chicken. Simmer for 4 minutes.

5.    Stir in the sugar, fish sauce, basil, and bell pepper. Simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 10 minutes

6.    plate and add more basil leaves.

No Knead Bread with Sesame Seeds

The day before easter I made bead to bring over Mom and Dad's house.  This is not a baguette bread.  It's a recipe that my friends friend made.  I adjusted the recipe.

Ingredients

   2 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
   1 cup whole wheat flour
   1 teaspoon instant yeast
   2 teaspoons salt
   1 ¾ cups of warm water
   1 tbsp honey
   Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed

Preparation

    In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 ¾ cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

    Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

    Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

    At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. 

the dimensions are 9in. x 9in. x 5in if anyone is interested..

Cool on a rack.

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread

Neapolitan Spaghetti Pie

   this recipe was inspired by my cousin Rebecca to make for Easter.  i remember when Mom would make
   this regularly.  i have fond memories <3  it will be a delight and pleasure for me to bring this dish tomorrow.

    1lb spaghetti, cooked and drained
    1 teaspoon olive oil
    1/4 - 1/2 lb. uncooked bacon slab, diced
    1-1/2 cups chopped onion
    1 tablespoon minced garlic
    6 large eggs
    1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
    1/2 cup light cream
    3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    1/2 cup provolone cheese
    6 oz. Genoa salami, diced
    2 tablespoons chopped basil
    2 tablespoons chopped parsley
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    sprinkle of red pepper

Directions

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but firm. Drain and refresh with cold
water.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until browned. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Transfer mixture to a small bowl and let cool slightly.    

Whisk together eggs, ricotta cheese, salami, basil, parsley, provolone, Parmesan, cream, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the onion mixture. Add spaghetti and mix all ingredients together.

Add a thin layer of olive oil at bake at 375F for about 45 min.

Cook until bottom is golden.

Cornish Hens with Lemon, Herbs, and Roasted Root Vegetables with Apple Juice

mike has this at Indian Road cafe the other night.  i thought i would give this a try.

Ingredients

• 2 Cornish hens (about 1 3/4 pounds each), room temperature, rinsed well and patted dry
• 1 bunch fresh thyme (about 1/2 ounce), plus more for garnish
• 2 lemons, halved, plus wedges for serving
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place hens in a roasting pan, breast sides up. Place 2 thyme sprigs and 1 lemon half in cavity of each hen. Loosen skin from breast, and place remaining thyme and the parsley underneath. Squeeze remaining lemon halves over hens. Rub butter all over hens. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Roast hens, rotating pan halfway through, until skin turns golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise. Garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve with lemon wedges.

To make the root vegetables:

Ingredients

• 3 cups apple juice
• 1 cup white wine
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 1/4 pounds turnips
• 1 1/4 pounds parsnips
• 1 1/4 pounds carrots
• 1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes (yams)
• 3 Andouille sausages, cut into cubes

Directions

Boil apple juice and wine in heavy large saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 30 minutes. Whisk in butter.
saute the andouille sausages in olive oil.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel and cut vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces. Divide between 2 large roasting pans. Pour apple juice mixture over vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast until vegetables and sausages until they are tender and golden, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes.

http://www.marthastewart.com/340178/cornish-hens-with-lemon-and-herbs

Chicken Florentine

something quick and simple for dinner.

4 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 shallot, sliced

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

12 oz fresh spinach

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup half & half  

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions

Wash and dry the chicken breasts, and season with salt and pepper. Place half the olive oil in a medium skillet and cook the chicken about 4 minutes on each side over medium heat. Remove to plate, cover with foil, and keep warm.

Place the rest of the olive oil in the same skillet and heat over medium heat. Sautee the mushrooms and shallots until well cooked and the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Sprinkle with the garlic powder.

Add the spinach to the skillet and heat through until wilted. Stir in the soup, cream, and nutmeg, and blend well. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and cover. Cook over low heat until chicken is done and flavors blend, about 8 minutes longer. 

http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/chicken/easy-chicken-florentine.html

Flourless Chocolate Soufflé (Soufflé au Chocolat)

i made this as a special treat for Mike tonight.

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp. milk
5½ tbsp. sugar, plus additional for dusting soufflé dish
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 egg yolks
3 egg whites
Confectioners' sugar
 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Place milk and 4 tbsp. sugar in a small saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves, about 45 seconds. Stir in chocolate and cook until melted, 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a nonreactive bowl (glass or stainless steel), cool for 5 minutes, then beat in egg yolks.

2. Beat egg whites in a nonreactive bowl until foamy, then sprinkle in remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.

3. Butter a small soufflé dish (2½" deep, 6'' diameter; soufflé will not rise in a larger dish) or three to four smaller ramekins, then lightly dust with sugar. Gently mix one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture, then fold in remaining whites, one-third at a time. Do not overmix. Spoon batter into dish.

4. Make sure oven rack is low enough to allow soufflé room to rise as much as 2'' above the dish. Bake until puffed, about 25 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately. (Soufflé will begin to deflate after about 2 minutes.)

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Chocolate-Souffle

Straciatella (Italian Egg Drop Soup)

i was visiting my parents home this afternoon.  dad and i were talking about our trip to Italy in 2006.  we were talking about the sights and of course food.  part of the trip we were in Sorrento and had this soup tonight i made it.
Courtesy Georgia Downard

Ingredients

5 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth 

4 large eggs

12 oz. fresh spinach, chopped

20 small meatballs (check out the meatball recipe on my blog: http://cookingandgrowingupalittleitalianboy.blogspot.com/2013/08/meatballs.html)

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, or to taste
1/4 cup minced fresh Italian parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

In a large saucepan bring stock to a boil over moderate heat with the spinach. In a bowl beat together the eggs, Parmesan and parsley. Reduce the heat to low and drizzle eggs into stock, gently stirring. Simmer, stirring, just until eggs are set. Season with salt and pepper.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/straciatella-italian-egg-drop-soup-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback