Category: Meat / Poultry

Composed Greek Salad

Posted on September 5, 2019 by Trish Lobenfeld - Gluten-Free, Meat / Poultry, Salad Dressings & Vinaigrettes, Salads

Here’s a perfect make-ahead recipe for easy entertaining, Greek Composed Salad. A composed salad is a salad in which the ingredients are arranged in a colorful eye-appealing manner and drizzled with a vinaigrette. There is a nice balance of color, texture and flavors. The salad is a meal with a protein, vegetables, and sometimes a starch, such as potatoes or beans. The salad is not tossed, each of the ingredients lies on the plate in a row, allowing guests to select their favorites.

This recipe for a Composed Greek Salad has chopped Romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, assorted bell peppers, red onion, cucumbers, Kalamata olives and Feta cheese. I grilled chicken breasts and cut them on the bias to add to the platter. Toss the lettuce, lay on the platter and the arrange the other ingredients in rows around the chicken and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.

Not only is this a colorful and palate pleasing dish, it’s has minimal cleanup and quantities are easily doubled or tripled for a big bash!

To accompany the salad, make this delicious Humus recipe and serve with warm pita triangles.

Chicken Marinade:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 large lemon)
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 boneless, skinless whole chicken breasts, split and pounded to an even thickness

METHOD

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Add the chicken, toss to coat and let marinate for a few hours or overnight.

Preheat the grill or griddle and cook the chicken.

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing on the bias.

Greek Vinaigrette:
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons dried Turkish oregano, crushed by rubbing the herbs in the palms of your hand
1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

METHOD
Place the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, oregano, salt and pepper in a covered container and shake well.

Salad:

4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
1 each red, green and yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 English cucumber, peeled or not, and sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted

METHOD

Toss the Romaine lettuce with one-half of the vinaigrette and spread over a large platter.

Place the chicken in the center of the platter and arrange the individual salad ingredients in rows around the chicken.

Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the vegetables.

NOTE: Shake vinaigrette well before using.

Composed Greek Salad

A colorful and delicious one-dish meal that’s easy to prepare and has minimal cleanup. Lots of fresh vegetables!

Author: Trish Lobenfeld
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Category: Entree Salad (chicken)

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken Marinade

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Add the chicken, toss to coat and let marinate for a few hours or overnight.

Preheat the grill or griddle and cook the chicken.

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing on the bias.

Greek Vinaigrette
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons dried Turkish oregano, crushed by rubbing the herbs in the palms of your hand
1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Salad
4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
1 each red, green and yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 English cucumber, peeled or not, and sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted

Instructions

Chicken Marinade
Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Add the chicken, toss to coat and let marinate for a few hours or overnight.

Preheat the grill or griddle and cook the chicken.

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing on the bias.

Greek Vinaigrette
Place the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, oregano, salt and pepper in a covered container and shake well.

Salad
Toss the Romaine lettuce with one-half of the vinaigrette and spread over a large platter.

Place the chicken in the center of the platter and arrange the individual salad ingredients in rows around the chicken.

Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the vegetables.

Note: Shake vinaigrette well before using.

Notes

Vinaigrette can be made a day or two in advance.

Keywords: composed salad, greek salad, greek vinaigrette, salad, entree salad, chicken salad

Fried Chicken (gluten-free recipe, too)

Posted on June 27, 2019 by Trish Lobenfeld - Gluten-Free, Meat / Poultry

It’s summer and what’s better for lunch or dinner than Fried Chicken!

Brine the chicken in pickle juice to add flavor and keep the chicken moist. I used a cup of my Cauliflower and Red Onion Quick Pickle juice; make sure to serve those pickles on the side!

Use either pre-cut skinless, boneless chicken for easy cleanup, and cut the chicken breasts into smaller portions, such as thirds, for the little ones, or use a whole chicken and cut it into 10 pieces – 2 wings, 2 legs 2 thighs and 4 breast pieces.

Smoke Point

It’s important to use a high-smoke point oil or fat, such as peanut oil, vegetable oil, or lard. These oils withstand the high heat better than low smoke oils, such as olive oil. Use an iron frypan and a frying thermometer or an electric frypan or deep fryer to keep the temperature at a minimum of 350 degrees F and no higher than 365 degrees F for best results. At lower temps the crust absorbs too much oil, stays soggy and the meat doesn’t cook through. At higher temps the crust cooks too fast and is burned by the time the chicken is done.

Gluten-Free

I wasn’t sure how the gluten-free flour would hold up during the frying so I doubled up on it by dipping the dried chicken pieces into the flour first, then the buttermilk and back into the flour. This gave the same thickness as the all-purpose flour, which I only dipped into the flour once. The results for both were beautifully golden brown and crispy crust with juicy meat.

Serve the chicken with one of our summer salad recipes, such as Vinegar Coleslaw or Macaroni Salad!

Setup

Line two baking sheet pans with paper towel and set a cooling rack inside to drain chicken.

Method

Place the chicken in a large sealable bag or a non-reactive bowl and pour the pickle juice over all. Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight, occasionally turning the chicken to marinate evenly.

Drain the chicken, pat dry with paper towel, and place on one of the baking sheets in a single layer; let sit for 30 minutes to warm up.

Set up 2 small plates or pie pans. Mix the flour, paprika, salt and ancho chili powder thoroughly in one pan. Whisk the buttermilk and eggs in the other.

gluten-free fried chicken setup

Fill a large frypan with enough fat/oil to come up just past the halfway point of the larger pieces of chicken (shallow-fry method) or fill the deep fryer with fat/oil (deep-fry method).

Bring the oil temperature to 350 degrees F.

Gluten-Free Flour Version

Dip the dried chicken pieces into the seasoned gluten-free flour, then the buttermilk, and back in the seasoned flour; coat thoroughly. Return the coated chicken back to the baking sheet.

Wheat Flour Version

Dip the dried chicken pieces into the buttermilk and then in the seasoned flour; coat thoroughly.

Frying Methods

Shallow Fry Method: Gently drop a few chicken pieces into the fryer, cook in batches to prevent crowding, and cook for 8-15 minutes depending on size and whether the chicken has bones or not. Cook boneless pieces for about 5 minutes per side and bone-in pieces, 8-15 minutes per side. Bring the temperature back to 350 degrees F before adding more pieces. The optimum internal temperature is 165 degrees F.

Deep Fry Method: Gently drop a few chicken pieces into the fryer, cook in batches to prevent crowding, and cook for 8-15 minutes depending on size and whether the chicken has bones or not. Cook boneless pieces for about 5 minutes per side and bone-in pieces, 8-15 minutes per side. Bring the temperature back to 350 degrees F before adding more pieces. The optimum internal temperature is 165 degrees F.

Wheat flour on the left and gluten-free flour on the right

Serve hot or room temperature.

Fried Chicken (gluten-free recipe, too)

Brine the chicken in pickle juice, such asmy Cauliflower and Red Onion Quick Pickle juice 5o add flavor and keep the chicken moist. Serve the pickles on the side!

Author: Trish Lobenfeld
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Category: Chicken
Method: Frying

Ingredients

Scale

1 whole chicken cut into 10 pieces or 10–12 skinless boneless chicken pieces
1 cup pickle juice
2 cups all-purpose flour or all-purpose gluten-free flour
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
High smoke point oil or fat, such as peanut oil, canola oil or lard

Instructions

Setup

Line two baking sheet pans with paper towel and set a cooling rack inside to drain chicken.

Method

Place the chicken in a large sealable bag or a non-reactive bowl and pour the pickle juice over all. Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight, occasionally turning the chicken to marinate evenly.

Drain the chicken, pat dry with paper towel, and place on one of the baking sheets in a single layer; let sit for 30 minutes to warm up.

Set up 2 small plates or pie pans. Mix the flour, paprika, salt and ancho chili powder thoroughly in one pan. Whisk the buttermilk and eggs in the other.

Fill a large frypan with enough fat/oil to come up just past the halfway point of the larger pieces of chicken (shallow-fry method) or fill the deep fryer with fat/oil (deep-fry method).

Bring the oil temperature to 350 degrees F.

Gluten-Free Flour Version

Dip the dried chicken pieces into the seasoned gluten-free flour, then the buttermilk, and back in the seasoned flour; coat thoroughly. Return the coated chicken back to the baking sheet.

Wheat Flour Version

Dip the dried chicken pieces into the buttermilk and then in the seasoned flour; coat thoroughly.

Frying Methods

Serve hot or room temperature.

Keywords: deep-fried chicken, picnic chicken

Polish-Style Red Cabbage

Posted on May 2, 2019 by Trish Lobenfeld - Bacon, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Side Dish

I had a request from a follower to create a Polish Red Cabbage dish. We PMed back and forth to determine whether she wanted a hot or cold dish, a savory, sweet, or sweet and sour slant, and finally whether or not to include some smoked pork. She decided on hot, savory, and definitely some smoked pork.

Classic polish seasonings include, caraway, bay leaf, juniper berries, dill, and fried onions, all of which are perfect for a hot and savory preparation. An apple complements cabbage nicely adding a sweet/tart flavor – I used a Honeycrisp. For the smoked pork, I chose diced bacon and highly recommend using a hardwood-smoked bacon like hickory or apple. Slab bacon is also a great alternative.

Use a knife or mandolin to cut the cabbage into about 3/16-inch slices; not too thin or they get too soft and mushy while cooking. And finally, a heavy-bottomed pan like a 7-quart Dutch oven for slow, even cooking.

We’re delighted with the end result and hope Barbara is too!

METHOD

Use a spice bag or cheesecloth to hold the juniper berries and bay leaves. This makes for easy removal at the end of cooking.

Place the bacon in a heavy-bottomed pan, like a 7-quart Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered, and the bacon is crispy.

Stir in the onions, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring 3 times. Uncover and continue cooking another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions should be lightly fried, but not burned. Turn the heat down if the onions are cooking too fast.

Pour a couple tablespoons of water over the fried onions and stir to loosen the fond on the bottom of the pan.

Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over the onions, stir to combine.

Slowly add the stock, stirring constantly to incorporate the flour.

Add the cabbage, apple, caraway seeds, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 90 minutes or until the cabbage is tender, but still holding it’s shape.

Remove the spice bag or cheesecloth and stir the dill. Garnish with a few sprigs.

Serve with more smoked pork or sausages, such as Kielbasa.

Polish-Style Red Cabbage

Here’s a Polish-Style Red Cabbage side dish made with fried onions, apple and bacon with typical Polish flavors of caraway, juniper berries, and dill. Serve with more smoked pork or sausages, such as Kielbasa.

Author: Trish Lobenfeld
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield: 1 quart 1x
Category: Side Dish

Ingredients

Scale

3 juniper berries
2 bay leaves
4 ounces good bacon, diced; slab bacon if you can find it
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup good chicken stock
1 medium red cabbage, cored and thinly shredded, about 8 cups
1 apple, such as Honeycrisp or Macoun, peeled, cored and diced
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground fresh pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill

GARNISH

Few sprigs of fresh dill

Instructions

Use a spice bag or cheesecloth to hold the juniper berries and bay leaves. This makes for easy removal at the end of cooking.

Place the bacon in a heavy-bottomed pan, like a 7-quart Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered, and the bacon is crispy.

Pour a couple tablespoons of water over the fried onions and stir to loosen the fond on the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over the onions, stir to combine.

Slowly add the stock, stirring constantly to incorporate the flour.

Remove the spice bag or cheesecloth and stir the dill. Garnish with a few sprigs.

Keywords: red cabbage, cabbage, polish cabbage, bacon, caraway seeds, juniper berries, bay leaf, apple

Polish-Style Red Cabbage

Author: Trish Lobenfeld
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Side Dish

Ingredients

Scale

3 juniper berries
2 bay leaves
4 ounces good bacon, diced; slab bacon if you can find it
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup good chicken stock
1 medium red cabbage, cored and thinly shredded, about 8 cups
1 apple, such as Honeycrisp or Macoun, peeled, cored and diced
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground fresh pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill

GARNISH
Few sprigs of fresh dill

Instructions

METHOD

Use a spice bag or cheesecloth to hold the juniper berries and bay leaves. This makes for easy removal at the end of cooking.

Place the bacon in a heavy-bottomed pan, like a 7-quart Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered, and the bacon is crispy.

Pour a couple tablespoons of water over the fried onions and stir to loosen the fond on the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over the onions, stir to combine.

Slowly add the stock, stirring constantly to incorporate the flour.

Remove the spice bag or cheesecloth and stir the dill. Garnish with a few sprigs.

Serve with more smoked pork or sausages, such as Kielbasa.

Keywords: red cabbage, cabbage, polish cabbage, bacon, caraway seeds, juniper berries, bay leaf, apple

Guinness Beef Stew

Posted on March 7, 2019 by Trish Lobenfeld - Dairy-Free, Meat / Poultry, One-Dish Recipes, Slow Cooking (stews and braises)

Guinness is a dark, dry Irish stout. It has a slightly bitter taste from toasted malt, which nicely compliments a fatty cut of beef like a chuck roast. Guinness Beef Stew is cooked low and slow to tenderize the meat and develop a rich and satisfying gravy. The stew has Yukon gold potatoes and carrots. Add some peas at the last minute, they just need to heat through, and you have a delicious and satisfying one-dish meal!

I prefer to buy the chuck roast and trim and cut to size myself. I find pre-packaged beef stew pieces to be too small. There’s a bit of fat that’s pretty easy to remove, just follow the natural lines of the meat and cut the trimmed roast into 2-inch cubes.

I also like bigger pieces of carrot and potato in the stew. They don’t overcook and get mushy and the carrots sliced lengthwise on an angle make a nice presentation.

No need to brown the meat. I have found that this process of browning the meat first can be messy and time consuming and I don’t find that it makes any difference to the end dish. I use my go to More Than Gourmet demi-glace as the base for the sauce, with a dab of tomato paste for added flavor. Penzey’s bouquet garni herb mix gives much more flavor than a traditional bouquet garni (bay leaf, a few thyme sprigs, parsley stems and black pepper corns) and is much more convenient.

My slow cooker has a removable insert, which allows me to prepare everything on the stovetop and then place it back in the cooker on low for 6 – 7 hours. The recipe can also be made on the stovetop and I’ve included those directions as well.

If at all possible, make this recipe the day before. Chilling overnight and removing the fat makes for a less greasy dish and the flavors of the stew are always best the next day.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Heat the oil over medium heat in a 7-quart Dutch oven or a removeable slow-cooker insert.

Stir in the onion and celery, cover and sweat for 5 minutes, stirring twice. Lower the heat a little if the onion is browning.

Uncover and add the garlic. Stir for 30 seconds, then mix in the tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly for another 30 seconds.

Sprinkle the flour, bouquet garni, salt, and pepper over the vegetables and stir to combine until no lumps remain.

Slowly add the beer stirring constantly to incorporate the flour into the liquid, then add the stock or demi-glace.

Add the beef, potatoes and carrots; stir to mix well to cover everything.

Tuck the vegetables under the meat. They take a little longer to cook at this size and it’s best if they are buried in the liquid. Don’t be alarmed at the small amount of liquid. The meat and vegetables quickly release their own juices into the pot. Adding too much liquid in the beginning only dilutes the gravy flavor.

Stovetop Method:
Bring to a boil. Immediately lower the heat to a very gentle simmer, barely a bubble, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours or until the beef and vegetables are tender. The optimum braising temperature is 180 degrees F.

Slow Cooker Method
Bring to a boil. Cover and place the insert in the slow cooker or transfer the stew from the prep pot to the slow cooker. Set on low and cook for 6 hours or until beef and vegetables are tender.

Cool and refrigerate the stew. Next day, remove the fat that hardened on top and reheat. Add the peas and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Stew freezes well.

Guinness Beef Stew

Enjoy this Guinness Beef Stew made with chuck roast, potatoes, carrots, and peas in a rich, thick beefy gravy. It’s a one-dish meal!

Author: Trish Lobenfeld
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 45 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
Category: Beef
Method: Stewing

Ingredients

Scale

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 outer stalks celery, diced
4 – 6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon bouquet garni herb blend
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 bottle (12 ounces) Guinness beer
1 cup classic reduced beef stock or French demi-glace or 1 cup good quality beef or veal stock
4 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch cubes, OR 3 pounds beef stew meat
6 Yukon gold potatoes cut into 8 chunks
6 large carrots cut lengthwise on and angle (3–4 pieces per carrot)
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen

Instructions

Heat the oil over medium heat in a 7-quart Dutch oven or a removeable slow-cooker insert.

Stir in the onion and celery, cover and sweat for 5 minutes, stirring twice. Lower the heat a little if the onion is browning.

Uncover and add the garlic. Stir for 30 seconds, then mix in the tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly for another 30 seconds.

Sprinkle the flour, bouquet garni, salt, and pepper over the vegetables and stir to combine until no lumps remain.

Slowly add the beer stirring constantly to incorporate the flour into the liquid, then add the stock or demi-glace.

Add the beef, potatoes and carrots; stir to mix well to cover everything. Tuck the vegetables under the meat. They take a little longer to cook at this size and it’s best if they are buried in the liquid. Don’t be alarmed at the small amount of liquid. The meat and vegetables quickly release their own juices into the pot. Adding too much liquid in the beginning only dilutes the gravy flavor.

Cool and refrigerate the stew. Next day, remove the fat that hardened on top and reheat. Add the peas and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Notes

Stew freezes well.

Keywords: beef, potatoes, carrots, peas, chuck roast, stew, braise, beer and beef stew, slow cooking

Lemon Caper Chicken

Posted on February 14, 2019 by Trish Lobenfeld - Gluten-Free, Meat / Poultry

This recipe for Lemon Caper Chicken is a delightful lemony dish that will please everyone. It’s important to pound the chicken thin, which allows the chicken to cook quickly in a skillet. With a dusting of flour and a dip into beaten egg the coating browns nicely and absorbs the delicious lemon sauce.

The lemon sauce is ample enough to sauce about a half pound of pasta or make our Israeli Couscous with Scallions and Peas as a side dish, which marries very well with the lemon sauce.

Gluten-free note: Use a gluten-free flour in lieu of all-purpose flour and follow the recipe as written.

Preparing the Chicken

This is a quick pan sear and the chicken needs to be think to cook through. For normal sized breasts, place them on a large baking sheet and leave enough space between each one for expansion when pounding thinner. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and use the smooth side of a meat mallet or a heavy-bottomed skillet to pound to about a ¼-inch thickness. Set aside the plastic wrap and use to recover the chicken after seasoning.

if the chicken breasts are large and thick, pounding them to a 1/4-inch thickness is too much abuse. All that whacking smashes the meat and the structure is ruined. Thick pieces are best cut in half and then pounded, if necessary.

Lay the chicken lengthwise on a cutting board.

Place the knife at halfway down the side and lay your palm flat on top of the chicken, a paper towel placed between your palm and the chicken prevents slipping, carefully slide the knife through the breast into two pieces.

Separate and pound if necessary to 1/4-inch thickness.

Sprinkle both sides of each breast with salt and pepper, cover, and refrigerate for four hours or overnight. Seasoning the chicken in advance has similar effects to brining. It slightly denatures the protein and the salt is absorbed more deeply than salting and cooking immediately.

Cooking the Chicken

Crack the eggs into a container large enough to dip each chicken breast. Add a splash of water and beat until frothy.

Sprinkle the flour into a similar container.

Dip each breast in the flour, turning to completely coat the chicken, and gently shake off the excess. Next dip into the egg, hold for a few seconds over the egg pan to allow the egg wash to drain. Set the chicken back onto the baking sheet. Don’t worry about reusing the pan, the chicken still has to be cooked; no cross-contamination worries.

Heat the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts in the hot pan, or cook in batches if he pan is too small to prevent crowding and steaming the chicken. Cook for 2 minutes, turn and cook for another 2 minutes. Set the cooked chicken on a clean platter and, if cooking in batches, cook the last two breasts as instructed above.

Add the stock, lemon juice and slices, and capers to the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen and dissolve any brown tidbits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to boil and cook for 1 minute.

Note: If you use a non-stick skillet, you may not have any tidbits.

Place the chicken back into the pan, cook at a simmer for 2-3 minutes and return to the platter.

Whisk in the butter, taste sauce and adjust seasoning, then pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Cook some pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and add to the lemon sauce after removing the chicken. Stir to coat the pasta, slide onto the platter, place the chicken breasts over with a lemon slice on top of each. Or, Make our Israeli Couscous with Peas and Tarragon as a delicious side.

Lemon Caper Chicken

Author: Trish Lobenfeld
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Category: Chicken

Ingredients

Scale

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
kosher salt
coarsely ground black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup olive oil, or 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 thin lemon slices
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

Place the chicken breasts on a large baking sheet and leave enough space between each one for expansion when pounding thinner. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and use the smooth side of a meat mallet or a heavy-bottomed skillet to pound to about a ¼-inch thickness. Set aside the plastic wrap and use to recover the chicken after seasoning.

This is a quick-cooking method and if the chicken breasts are large, pounding them to a 1/4-inch thickness is too much abuse and the meat loses its structure. For thick pieces, it’s best to cut them in half lengthwise first and then pound.

Lay the chicken lengthwise on a cutting board and place the knife at halfway down the side. Place your palm on top of the chicken and carefully pull the knife through the breast, as if you were going to butterfly it, but actually cut it through into two pieces. Separate and pound if necessary to 1/4-inch thickness.

Crack the eggs into a container large enough to dip each chicken breast. Add a splash of water and beat until frothy.

Sprinkle the flour into a similar container.

Add the stock, lemon juice and slices, and capers to the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen and dissolve any brown tidbits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to boil and cook for 1 minute.

Note: If you use a non-stick skillet, you may not have any tidbits.

Place the chicken back into the pan, cook at a simmer for 2-3 minutes and return to the platter.

Whisk in the butter, taste sauce and adjust seasoning, then pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Notes

The lemon sauce is delicious with pasta or make our Israeli Couscous with Scallions and Peas as a side dish, which marries very well with the lemon sauce.

Gluten-free note: Use a gluten-free flour in lieu of all-purpose flour and follow the recipe as written.

Keywords: sautéed chicken, chicken entree, lemon sauce, lemon caper sauce, lemon chicken, dinner, chicken dinner dairy-free

Hungarian Goulash

Posted on January 31, 2019 by Trish Lobenfeld - Dairy-Free, Meat / Poultry, One-Dish Recipes, Pasta

This One-Pot Hungarian Goulash was inspired by a dish my Mom made when I was a kid. She simply called it goulash and it was a mixture of ground beef, green bell peppers, elbow macaroni and tomatoes.

It wasn’t until many years later that I learned what real goulash was – a Hungarian meat stew made with paprika, a much more seasoned dish than what Mom made. To honor her, I’ve kept the basics of her version – ground meat, pasta and tomatoes. However, there are more options with peppers today that when I was a kid, sweeter versions in red, yellow, and orange. And, if I can find them, I always prefer the baby bell peppers for their tenderness as well as sweetness.

I also changed the macaroni to pipete pasta, which has larger openings and crevices that capture the sauce. To make this a true Hungarian stew, I’ve used Hungarian paprika for its heat, and smoked paprika for the depth of flavor it provides.

This is also a good recipe to use the leanest ground meat possible. There are lots of ingredients and plenty of moisture in the recipe, but too much fat in the meat makes the dish is a little greasy.

Aside from the fact that this is delicious Hungarian goulash recipe, it’s a one-pot recipe! I put the pasta and water directly into the stew to cook. No extra pot, no draining, and best of all, the pasta soaks up tons of flavor from the sauce. I used ground beef in this version, but feel free to substitute any ground meat, veal is a great option, or poultry.

METHOD FOR MAKING HUNGARIAN GOULASH

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over high heat.

Add the lean ground meat/poultry and use the tip of a wooden spoon to break into a small crumble. Simply push the spoon in and give a little twist to separate the meat, repeating this over and over until the meat is very loose.

Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until all the pink is gone.

Lower the heat to medium and stir in the onion, peppers, celery, garlic, bouquet garni, and both paprika; cook for 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times.

Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook on very low, just a gentle simmer, for 45 minutes; stirring occasionally.

Add the water and bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta and cook according to the package instruction. Stir frequently to make sure all the pasta is submerged and cooking evenly.

Hungarian Goulash

Author: Trish Lobenfeld
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Stew

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 medium onion minced
20 baby bell peppers, sliced or 2 regular bell peppers diced
2 celery stalks minced
6 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons bouquet garni herb mix
1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) fire-roasted tomatoes
1 1/2 cups cold water
1/2 pound elbow or pipete pasta

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over high heat.

Lower the heat to medium and stir in the onion, peppers, celery, garlic, bouquet garni, and both paprika; cook for 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times.

Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook on very low, just a gentle simmer, for 45 minutes; stirring occasionally.

Add the water and bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta and cook according to the package instruction. Stir frequently to make sure all the pasta is submerged and cooking evenly.

Keywords: stew, goulash, one-pot dinner, one-pot recipe

Cooking Bacon on the Stovetop

Posted on December 29, 2018 by Trish Lobenfeld - Bacon, Breakfast / Brunch, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, How To, Meat / Poultry

The real secret to successfully cooking bacon on the stovetop is to start with a cold frypan, which prevents the bacon from sticking. Lay the strips of bacon in the bottom of the pan, a slight overlap is okay as the bacon shrinks, and place over high heat. Use a good frypan that distributes heat evenly, such as an iron or a Le Creuset frypan.

Cooking bacon on the stovetop is messier that cooking bacon in the microwave or in the oven. A frying spatter screen helps contain some of the mess, but the stove still requires requires a good wipe down.

Once the bacon begins to sizzle and render some fat, lower the heat to medium and continue cooking. Lift the spatter guard and gently flip the bacon. Bacon spatters and to help prevent burning yourself, lift the end of the strip closet to you and turn toward the back of the pan. Hopefully any spattering occurs away from you!

Return the spatter cover, and cook a minute or two more. The bacon cooks quickly at this point, so watch closely to remove the bacon at the floppy or crispy point.

Place the cooked bacon on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb some of the excess fat.

As an alternative to a frypan, use a griddle. The rectangular shape and bigger size accommodates more strips. There’s quite a bit of spattering and unfortunately no spatter screen for a griddle, so a bigger cleanup job.

Whether you use a skillet or griddle, have a plate ready for the cooked bacon and place in a warm oven or warming draw to hold. Finish cooking the remainder of the bacon and your eggs or pancakes or waffles.

Cleanup requires some elbow grease. I use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, which makes the job a little easier.

Watch our How to Cook Bacon on the Stovetop Video Here.

Cooking Bacon on the Stovetop

Cook up a batch or two of bacon and hold in a warm (200-degrees F) oven while you finish cooking.

Author: Trish Lobenfeld
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5-10 minutes
Total Time: 54 minute
Yield: 2 slices per person 1x
Category: Breakfast/Brunch

Ingredients

Scale

4–6 slices bacon

Instructions

Lay the strips of bacon in the bottom of the pan, a slight overlap is okay as the bacon shrinks, and place over high heat.

Once the bacon begins to sizzle and render some fat, lower the heat to medium and continue cooking.

Lift the spatter guard and gently flip the bacon. Bacon spatters and to help prevent burning yourself, lift the end of the strip closet to you and turn toward the back of the pan. Hopefully any spattering occurs away from you!

Notes

Use a good frypan that distributes heat evenly, such as an iron or a Le Creuset frypan.

Keywords: bacon, panfrying bacon, frying bacon, cooking bacon, cooking bacon on the stovetop

Chicken, Kale and White Bean Stew

Posted on December 6, 2018 by Trish Lobenfeld - Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Meat / Poultry, One-Dish Recipes, Slow Cooking (stews and braises)

Looking for a quick and easy dinner? This Chicken, Kale and White Bean Stew is a one-dish recipe and cooks quickly on the stovetop, about 1 ½ hours, or in a slow cooker, about 3 ½ hours. Simply prep the pancetta and aromatics, sauté, add the seasonings, canned tomatoes, stock, and chicken (no browning necessary), cover and cook. Add the kale and beans 10 minutes before finishing up and dinner is ready!

Slow Cookers

A quick note on slow cookers. Not all slow cookers are not the same. I personally think it is a waste of money not to own a programmable version. The ones with high/low settings are usually inaccurate and the low setting cooks at too high a temperature for a succulent braise or stew. The perfect temperature for slow cooking is 180 degrees F. Anything higher than that cooks at temperatures that denature and coagulate proteins quickly and there is a greater loss of natural juices and flavors.

I also like the slow cookers that have a removable, oven-proof insert. This allows you to sauté, brown, etc. in one pan and then transition into the slow cooker with no added dishes to wash. Some slow cookers have many programs available and offer a sauté function and the entire recipe can be made start to finish in the vessel.

If you can’t find or are not a fan of kale, substitute other greens, such as chard, mustard greens for a little zing, or spinach, which only needs to be stirred into the hot stew last minute to wilt.

Putting the Stew Together

Pancetta is a great foundation for this delicious stew. It is, of course, optional for those of you who don’t eat red meat. Add another ¼ teaspoon salt to compensate for the salt the pancetta adds to the dish.

Place the pancetta in a cold large Dutch oven, skillet, or slow cooker that has a removable insert over medium heat and cook until crispy, about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the onions, celery, garlic, peppers, Italian seasoning mix, salt, and pepper flakes. Cover and sweat to release the water and soften the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring once. Lower the heat a bit if the vegetables are browning.

Stir in the tomatoes, reconstituted demi-glace.

Add the chicken, stir to separate the cubes and cover with the sauce. Cover and cook on low heat for 1 1/2 hours stovetop (no more that 180 degrees F – a very gentle simmer) or 3 1/2 hours on low in a slow cooker. The chicken is done when fork tender.

This may not look like enough liquid, but don’t add more. The vegetables and chicken exude lots of flavorful juices and adding more liquid now only dilutes the flavor.

Here’s the difference in the amount of liquid, above before cooking and below after cooking.

Stir in the cannellini beans and heat through.

Recipe freezes well, cool completely, place in an airtight container and freeze.

Chicken, Kale and White Bean Stew

This Chicken, Kale and White Bean Stew is a one-dish recipe that cooks quickly on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. Lots of flavor and vegetables, too!

Author: Trish Lobenfeld
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Stew/Braise
Method: Slow Cook

Ingredients

Scale

4 ounces diced pancetta
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
12 baby bell peppers, tops removed, sliced lengthwise, or one bell pepper, 1/2-inch dice
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning mix
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 can (15 ounces) fire-roasted tomatoes
1 cup vegetable demi-glace, such as More Than Gourmet
2 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken (white meat, dark meat, or both), cut into 2-inch cubes
8 cups trimmed, cleaned and coarsely chopped kale (about 3 supermarket bunches)
1 can (15.5 ounces) cannellini beans

Instructions

Place the pancetta in a cold large Dutch oven, skillet, or slow cooker that has a removable insert over medium heat and cook until crispy, about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, reconstituted demi-glace.

Stir in the kale, do this in bunches, stirring to wilt the kale before adding more. Continue to cook on low for 20-30 minutes.

Stir in the cannellini beans and heat through.

Notes

Recipe freezes well, cool completely, place in an airtight container and freeze.

Keywords: slow cook, crockpot, stew, braise, chicken stew, kale, white beans, one-pot dinner

Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs

Posted on June 14, 2018 by Trish Lobenfeld - Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Meat / Poultry, Videos

Make Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs for lunch or dinner. They make a great sandwich and require minimal seasoning or a good soak in your favorite marinade. These thighs are quick cooking, yet moist and delicious.

Make some grilled corn on the cob, too!

Use a soft bun, like brioche, slathered in your favorite condiments, pile on the lettuce and tomatoes and a few slices of dill pickle for theperfect sandwich!

Or, grill up some thighs and serve with one of our delicious salad recipes, such as Corn and Black Bean Salad or Spinach and Arugula Salad.

Watch the Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs video here.

Tune in to Honeypie’s Recipes YouTube Channel to view the Grilled Chicken Mini Series playlist!

Microwave Bacon

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Trish Lobenfeld - Bacon, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, How To, Meat / Poultry, Videos

As much as I love bacon, it’s a messy business to cook up a batch. My preferred method is to cook Microwave Bacon using a microwavable bacon plate.

I’ve had mine a long, long time. I looked them up on Amazon and found better designed models than my round one. Why round??? They even come with tops to prevent spattering; I use paper towel. I also line the bottom with paper towel for safety reasons. The ridges do keep the bacon grease away from the bacon, but if you’re cooking up several strips, that’s a lot of fat, the plate is hot, and the grease is slopping around in the bottom – very easy to get burned. The paper towel soaks up that grease and prevents dripping.

Place a paper towel over the top to prevent spattering.

Crispy bacon or floppy bacon – which camp are you in?

The crew at Honeypie’s Recipes like floppy bacon, however my family members like crispy, really crispy bacon. The only thing needed to make crispy bacon is more time. You can easily make both floppy and crispy by removing some bacon earlier and holding in a warm oven (200 degrees F) on a platter or in a warming drawer.

Serve the bacon with our delicious recipe for Cinnamon Raisin French Toast.

Watch the How to Cook Microwave Bacon Video here.

Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Deviled Eggs

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Trish Lobenfeld - Appetizers, Bacon, Breakfast / Brunch, Eggs, Gluten-Free, Videos

Easter means an abundance of hard-boiled eggs. What do you do with them when the holiday is over? How about deviled eggs. Here’s a delicious recipe for Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Deviled Eggs, sure to please everyone.

Deviled eggs aren’t just for parties, they make a great breakfast, especially these, similar to an omelette or a typical bacon and egg dish. Prepare the eggs in advance and pack a few for your coffee break at the office or in the kids’ lunches.

Another use for deviled eggs is to chop up the egg whites and fold into the deviled egg mix for a delicious egg salad. Add another tablespoon or two of mayonnaise or yogurt to loosen up.

Don’t have a lot of time? Purchase pre-cooked and shelled hard-boiled eggs and this recipe comes together in minutes.

Watch the Cheddar Bacon Deviled Egg video here.

Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Deviled Eggs

Author: Trish Lobenfeld
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 12 1x
Category: Eggs

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small shallot minced
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
6 hard-cooked eggs, shelled and sliced in half lengthwise, yolks and whites separated
3 strips cooked bacon, divided
¼ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
¼ cup mayonnaise
Generous dashes of hot sauce, such as Frank’s or Tabasco

Garnish
Bacon bits

Instructions

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat.

Stir in shallots and salt; sweat for 4 minutes or until the shallots are soft.

Place the yolks, 2 bacon strips, Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise and hot sauce in the base of a food processor. Purée, scraping sides as needed. Add the cooked shallots and purée again.

Fill the cavity of each egg white with the egg yolk purée by using a spoon or a piping bag.

Garnish each egg with the bacon bits.

Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Best served at room temperature.

Notes

The bacon is used in two different steps; two strips are used in the recipe and one for a garnish.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Posted on January 24, 2018 by Trish Lobenfeld - Appetizers, Gluten-Free, Meat / Poultry, Videos

Buffalo wings are delicious, but sometimes I just don’t want to go to the trouble or deal with the mess. This Buffalo Chicken Dip is quick and easy to make and tastes just like the wings!

It contains only five ingredients: sour cream, blue cheese, diced celery, chopped roasted chicken and a generous portion of Frank’s hot sauce for heat. I’m really pleased with the result – it’s very reminiscent of Buffalo wings, yet different.

As you get ready for your Super Bowl party, whip up a batch, for your football fans.

Check out these recipes for additional ideas Super Bowl ideas: Braised Sofrito Pork Spareribs with Rice and Beans and Triple Chocolate Brownies.

Watch the Buffalo Chicken Dip Video Here.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This Spicy Chicken Dip is quick and easy to make and tastes just like the wings! Don’t wait until Super Bowl Sunday to try it!

Author: Trish Lobenfeld
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 cups 1x
Category: Appetizer

Ingredients

Scale

6 ounces blue cheese, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
½ cup finely diced celery (1 small stalk)
2 cups diced roasted chicken
¼ cup hot sauce, such as Franks

Garnish
Coarsely chopped celery tops

Instructions

Place the cheese and a couple of generous tablespoons of sour cream in a medium mixing bowl and stir to loosen the cheese.

Add the remaining sour cream, celery, roasted chicken and hot sauce and stir until combined.

Serve in a bowl, topped with the chopped celery leaves, along with raw vegetables, tortilla or pita chips. Best at room temperature.

Notes

Use a supermarket rotisserie chicken for even greater ease of use.

Recipe doubles well.

Keywords: dip, appetizer, buffalo wing, spicy dip, party dip