Monthly Archives: November 2011

Honey-Bourbon Pulled Chicken

November 27, 2011 Posted by Lauren Keating under Chicken and Poultry, Quick Weeknight Meals, Sandwiches, Shawn's Favorites
24 Comments

Between the Three Bean Chili I made the other day and this Honey-Bourbon Pulled Chicken, I can already tell that my slow cooker is going to get a work out this winter. I’m not sure why it’s taken me this long to fall in love with it – it’s so easy and I love having dinner ready and waiting for me when I get home at night.

To make this recipe even easier, you can throw all of the ingredients together in a tupperware container the night before you want to eat it. That way, it only takes about 30 seconds to set up in the morning before work.

While you can always use your favorite prepared barbecue sauce to make pulled chicken, I love to make my own. I typically use a base of ketchup, tomato paste, and molasses and then add whatever additional flavors I’m in the mood for. This time, I based my sauce on the “Whiskey Barrel” wing sauce served at the sports bar around the corner from my house. While my version of the sauce isn’t an exact replica of theirs, it’s delicious in its own right. The long, slow cooking process gives it slightly sweet, caramelized flavor but without the stickiness that is the one downside of the restaurant wings. It’s rich and complex, with a subtly spicy tang to it.

 

 

 

Honey-Bourbon Pulled Chicken

 

Serves 4.
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 8 Hours

 

Low fat chicken breasts sop up every morsel of the honey-bourbon sauce that they’re cooked in, pulling in tons of moisture and flavor that rivals some of my favorite barbecue restaurants. In fact, it was so flavorful that I kept forgetting it wasn’t pork!

If you don’t have a slow cooker, this recipe can also be made in a dutch oven or similar oven safe pot with a lid. Simply combine all of the ingredients in the pot and bake at 350 for 2 hours, or until the chicken falls into shreds when you press on it gently with a wooden spoon.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Ketchup
  • 1/4 small Onion, minced
  • 1/4 cup Bourbon
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey
  • 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Molasses
  • 1 teaspoon Tomato Paste
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, smashed
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • 1 pinch Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 2 (approx. 1 lb.) boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
  • 1 teaspoon Butter
  • 4 Sandwich Rolls, preferably whole wheat
  • Pickle Slices for serving (optional)

Preparation

  1. Combine all ingredients except chicken in your slow cooker. Mix well. Add the chicken breasts, turning so they are coated with the sauce.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Use the back of a wooden spoon to gently shred the chicken. Stir so that they shredded chicken is evenly coated with the sauce. Set slow cooker to warm and let chicken stand for 15 minutes to soak up the sauce.
  3. While the  chicken is resting, melt the butter in a large saute pan set over medium heat. Add the sandwich rolls, cut side down, and cook until lightly toasted – about 3 minutes.
  4. Serve the pulled chicken on the toasted rolls. Top with pickle slices, if desired.

I’m submitting this recipe to Souper Sunday and Kahakai Kitchen and toWanderfood Wednesday.

PS: Don’t forget to enter my Yoplait Smoothie Pamper Yourself giveaway! Entries close at 8pm on 11/28.

Crispy Duck with Star Anise and Squash

November 22, 2011 Posted by Lauren Keating under Chicken and Poultry, One Pan, Reviews
8 Comments

I’ve recently gotten into the habit of buying ducks at the local Asian market. They’re super cheap and, although it takes a little bit of butchering, I end up with plenty of meat and a big pot of stock all for around $10. Compare that to the $6 per tiny confit leg that the regular grocery store charges, and you’ll see that it’s a pretty good bargain! I was cleaning out the freezer the other day when I found a few legs that I had forgotten about. This recipe, inspired by Fine Cooking and by the apple cider vinegar braised chicken thighs that I’ve made before, was the perfect way to use them up.

While the duck with perfectly crisp skin is amazing, the real star  of this dish is the butternut squash. It’s buttery soft and the subtle flavor of the star anise contrasts really nicely against the squash’s sweetness. It was some of the best squash I’ve eaten; I wouldn’t hesitate to make a double portion of this recipe, without the duck, to serve as a side dish or simple meatless meal.


Crispy Duck Legs with Star Anise and Squash

Serves 4.
Prep Time: 15 minutes ; Total Time: 2 Hours

Star anise is a pod from a small evergreen tree native to China. It has a slightly bitter, liquorish-like flavor, but it earthier than fennel. Look for it in the Latin section of your supermarket – I found a huge canister of Badia brand star anise for less than $3. In a pinch, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of 5-spice powder.

Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine.

Ingredients

  • 4 Fresh Duck Legs, trimmed of excess fat
  • 1 Tbs Olive Oil
  • 2 Carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 stalk Celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 small Onion, sliced
  • 3 cloves Garlic, smashed
  • 1 whole Star Anise
  • 1 Butternut Squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 cups Water
  • 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Butter
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped Parsley
  • Cooked Brown Rice, for serving

Preparation

  1. Season the duck with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy, oven safe pot or dutch oven set over medium heat. Place the duck legs in the pot, skin-side down, and cook until the skin is brown and crisp – about 10 minutes. Remove the duck legs and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat.
  2. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the pot. Cook until just softened – about 5 minutes. Stir in the star anise and squash and pour in the vinegar and enough water to just cover the vegetables. Place the duck, skin-side up, on top of the vegetables. Cook until the liquid boils.
  3. Cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for 1-1/2 hours, or until the duck and vegetables are both very tender. Remove from oven and heat broiler to high. Remove duck legs from the pot and transfer them to a broiler pan. Broil the duck legs, skin-side up, until the skin is very crispy – 5 to 7 minutes. Stir the butter into the vegetables until it melts into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Serve the crispy duck legs with the braised vegetables over brown rice. Drizzle with the pan sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.

****

Speaking of things found in the depths of my freezer, I recently unearthed a bag of Yoplait’s Chocolate Banana Smoothie that I had forgotten about. I started buying the berry flavored smoothies over the summer, and was excited to hear about the new chocolate banana flavor.

Yeah, I know smoothies are crazy easy to make and you might not “need” a kit for it. But these are so easy, and I love that the fruit and yogurt is portioned out. All you need to do is milk and a blender to have a milkshake-like treat. No thought required! The berry flavors tend to be a little icy (I liked the cool iciness in the summer), but the banana based one was super smooth and creamy – just take a look at it in the photo below!

Want to win a coupon to try the new flavor for yourself? Leave a comment on this post and let me know – I’ll pick a winner on Monday,  November 28. (Open to readers with US addresses only). You can also click here to download a printable coupon for $1.00 off. Note: Contest is closed. Congratulations, Ami!

In addition to the coupon you’ll receive a few treats to pamper yourself this holiday season, including a really nice neck pillow (perfect for any holiday traveling you might do) and a lavender-scented eye mask.

The Yoplait® VIP Coupon, information, and giveaway have been provided by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark. I received the same giveaway items, but did not receive any additional compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.


Spicy Ginger Noodles {with Shrimp}

November 16, 2011 Posted by Lauren Keating under Asian, One Pan, Pasta and Noodles, Shawn's Favorites, Vegetarian or Vegan
5 Comments

I love having a bog. Really, I do. I love cooking, thinking up ideas and perfecting recipes, and taking photographs. I even enjoy typing my recipes up, despite all of the annoying code that Google likes. But once all that is done, I’m left staring at a big, blank space that needs to be filled with words.

And I kind of hate it.

Having to come up with those words is the single biggest reason that I don’t post more often. Sometimes it’s not too bad – I can share a story about how I was inspired to make the recipe or about how I tried a new ingredient or technique – but a lot of times there’s just nothing. to. say. I mean, there are only so many ways you can say “This is delicious, make it!”

So I guess all that to say every recipe out there doesn’t have an interesting story to go along with it. And I’m tired of writing for writing’s sake. But I won’t let that stop me from sharing recipes.

I don’t remember how I got the idea to make these spicy ginger noodles or why. I don’t have a memory attached to them or anything like them. They won’t change the world or persuade someone to marry you. But they were delicious. And you should make them.

Spicy Ginger Noodles {with Shrimp}

Serves 4.
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 45

These citrusy noodles are full of bright flavor. Enjoy them straight out of the pan or at room temperature – either way, they’re perfect for slurping.

Ponzu sauce can be found in the Asian section of most major grocery stores (look near the soy sauce). You can also substitue a mixture of equal parts soy sauce and lime juice with a splash each of rice wine vinegar and sake.

Ingredients

  • 1 packet Udon Noodles
  • 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
  • 1/2 pound medium Shrimp, peeled and with tails removed (Optional)
  • ½ Onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated Ginger, divided
  • 3 pieces Bok Choy, sliced, white stems and tender greens separated
  • 2 Carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 8 ounces Crimini Mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 cup Ponzu Sauce
  • 1 Lime, juiced
  • 1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek (chili paste)
  • 1/4 cup chopped Fresh Basil

Preparation

  1. Prepare the soba noodles according to the directions. Toss with a little oil and set aside.
  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp  (if using) and cook until lightly browned – about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
  3. Add the onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, bok choy stems, and carrots to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until vegetables are just softened – about 7 minutes.
  4. Add the cooked noodles, shrimp, boy choy greens and mushrooms to the pan. Stir together the ponzu, lime juice, sambal oelek, and remaining ginger.  Pour the sauce over the noodles. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the shrimp are done – about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the basil.

Creamy Sweet Potato and Chipotle Soup

November 14, 2011 Posted by Lauren Keating under Fall, Light, One Pan, Soups and Stews, Vegetarian or Vegan, Winter
7 Comments

It’s getting to be the time of year when I plan to make soup at least once a week. In addition to being a quick weeknight meal, soup is an easy go-to for weekday lunches – something I’m especially grateful for when I’m trying to avoid holiday related weight gain.

I stumbled on this recipe for sweet potato soup on the Food + Wine website one afternoon and made it for dinner that night. I love potato soup, but it had never occurred to me to use sweet potatoes before! I skipped the fried cinnamon-sugar tortillas in the original recipe and paired the soup with cheese quesadillas for a warmly satisfying meal.


Creamy Sweet Potato and Chipotle Soup

Serves 4.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour

This creamy sweet potato soup, which gets sweetness from apples spice from chipotles and fresh ginger, is a great source of Vitamins A and C. It’s also perfect for dunking – try it with cheese quesadillas for a warm winter meal. Adapted from Food + Wine Magazine.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • ½ Onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated Ginger
  • 2 Gala Apples, peeled and chopped
  • 1 Celery rib, chopped
  • 2 large Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
  • 2 cups Water
  • 1 Chipotle Pepper (from a can of Chipotles in Adobo), chopped
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick

Preparation

  1. Heat the oil in a 3 quart soup pot set over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the apples, celery, and sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the stock, water and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until vegetables are soft – about 30 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick and stir in the chipotle.
  3. Working in batches as needed, puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Return to pot to keep warm.

Cheesy Baked Egg Tart with Tarragon, Tomato and Zucchini

November 9, 2011 Posted by Lauren Keating under Breakfast, Shawn's Favorites, special projects
3 Comments

I’ve mentioned before that Shawn works a little bit of a strange schedule, which leaves me on my own for dinner a few nights each week. Since the time we have to share meals together is at a premium, we’ve recently started a new tradition of eating breakfast together on Sundays.

I love typical breakfast foods, but sometimes they’re a pain to make. There’s nothing worse than standing over the stove making pancakes or manning the waffle iron while the rest of the family is already eating (or worse, having their food get cold while they wait for yours to be finished).


Luckily, with this baked egg tart, that isn’t a problem. One pan will serve 4-6 people and it’s all finished at the same time, perfect for families that actually want to eat breakfast together. It’s also great for entertaining any overnight guests that you have over the holiday season.

Even better, it only takes a few minutes to prepare, and easy enough to throw together pre-coffee. You can even slice up the vegetables vegetables and shred the cheeses the night before to make things even simpler in the morning.

 

Cheesy Baked Egg Tart with Tarragon, Tomato and Zucchini

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25minutes

Need a quick and easy way to cook breakfast for a crowd? This flavorful tart is perfect for entertaining overnight guests – and a warm way to send them off!

Tarragon is strong, so a little goes a long way. It adds a unique, anis-like flavor to the tart that I love. If you can’t find fresh tarragon, or if you don’t like it, marjoram or thyme or make nice substitutions.

Ingredients

  • 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
  • 2 plum (Roma) tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup cup shredded Swiss cheese
  • 2 sprigs fresh tarragon, chopped
  • 6 Land O’Lakes® cage-free all-natural eggs

Preparation Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 15×10-inch pan with sides with cooking spray. Unroll dough on pan. Press out dough into 13×9-inch rectangle (do not separate into triangles); press perforations to seal.
  2. Arrange tomato and zucchini slices in single layer on top of dough. Top with all remaining ingredients except eggs. Break each egg into custard cup or saucer; slip onto cheese, spacing eggs evenly.
  3. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until egg whites and yolks are firm, not runny. To serve, cut tart into 3 rows by 2 rows.


This post was sponsored by General Mills/Land O’Lakes. I purchased the eggs myself but was compensated for creating this recipe, which can also be found on BettyCrocker.com.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

November 6, 2011 Posted by Lauren Keating under Fall, Light, Sides, Vegetarian or Vegan, Winter
8 Comments

My schedule has been crazy lately and I’ve been living more or less on take out. It’s amazing how a diet like that leaves me craving vegetables! When I had recent a Saturday all to myself, I knew I wanted to make a “real” meal full of veggies.

Variations on this roasted root vegetable and blue cheese vinaigrette dish have been flying through my head ever since I saw something similar in this month’s issue of Food+Wine. I loved how colorful it was and also how it used both the roots and the greens of the beets. But more than that, I loved how it’s made from ingredients that can be found at the farmer’s market throughout winter – well after the growing season is over.

In typical Lauren fashion, I made a few changes to the original recipe – both because that’s just what I do and to accommodate the ingredients that I could find (the beet selection was lacking and I was craving something stinkier than goat cheese).

The only word I can think of to describe the flavor of the resulting dish is healthy, but I mean that in the best way. The greens taste bitter and cleansing, and roasting the carrots leaves them with an intense sweetness that i love. Parsnips are an often overlooked vegetable, but I loved the peppery flavor that they provide.

This is definitely a dish I’ll be going back to all winter. It’s delicious on its own as a light meal, but also worked well on the side of the roast beef that I served it with. With a few tweaks here and there, I think it could  be interesting over pasta or with brown rice, and maybe even with a sturdy fish like snapper. Ooh, and over soft polenta! The possibilities are endless.


Roasted Root Vegetables with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Yield 4-6 servings

This colorful dish highlights some of the best flavors of the season – bitter greens, sweet carrots, peppery parsnips, and earthy beets. A simple vinaigrette adds zip and ties it all together. Use a soft, mild cheese like a Buttermilk Blue so the vegetables aren’t overpowered.  Serve this as a light meal or as a side dish – it’s a delicious compliment to rare roast beef.

Adapted from Food + Wine’s Roasted Beets and Carrots with Goat Cheese Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds (4 medium) Red Beets, roots peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges, greens chopped
  • 4 Carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 4 Parsnips, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 3 Garlic Cloves, quartered
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Shallot, minced
  • 2 ounces Blue Cheese, crumbled

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 425F.
  2. Toss the beets with 1 teaspoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in one third of an oven proof skillet. Repeat with the carrots and parsnips. Scatter the garlic over the vegetables.
  3. Set the skillet over high heat until you hear it begin to sizzle, about 5 minutes. Cover and transfer to the oven. Roast for 35 minutes, or until tender.
  4. In a second skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add the beet greens and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.
  5. While the vegetables roast, whisk together the vinegar, remaining oil, and half of the shallot. Stir in the cheese.
  6. Toss together the vegetables and the greens. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the dish and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.


Roasted Root Vegetables with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Yield 4-6 servings

This colorful dish highlights some of the best flavors of the season – bitter greens, sweet carrots, peppery parsnips, and earthy beets. A simple vinaigrette adds zip and ties it all together. Use a soft, mild cheese like a Buttermilk Blue so the vegetables aren’t overpowered.  Serve this as a light meal or as a side dish – it’s a delicious compliment to rare roast beef.

Adapted from Food + Wine’s Roasted Beets and Carrots with Goat Cheese Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds (4 medium) Red Beets, roots peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges, greens chopped
  • 4 Carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 4 Parsnips, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 3 Garlic Cloves, quartered
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Shallot, minced
  • 2 ounces Blue Cheese, crumbled

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 425F.
  2. Toss the beets with 1 teaspoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in one third of an oven proof skillet. Repeat with the carrots and parsnips. Scatter the garlic over the vegetables.
  3. Set the skillet over high heat until you hear it begin to sizzle, about 5 minutes. Cover and transfer to the oven. Roast for 35 minutes, or until tender.
  4. In a second skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add the beet greens and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.
  5. While the vegetables roast, whisk together the vinegar, remaining oil, and half of the shallot. Stir in the cheese.
  6. Toss together the vegetables and the greens. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the dish and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.